Pokemon Daycare (UNDER EDITING)

by CGMayra

A new twist on Daycares! Inspiring Adventures where children and pokemon learn to get along and be better friends! But chaos threaten the kindergarten-like Daycare as many adventures take dangerous turns! Do the future trainers have what it takes to tackle these problems and create lasting friendships? Candy will make sure of it! (SERIES) CONTAINS: Cute feels!

4. Power Over Loyalty &Delcatty Catastrophe

Pokemon Daycare

Power Over Loyalty

By: Cutegirlmayra (Here we go! :D I'm sorry I've been busy with my other stories… forgive me! But I'm writing some more of this now! I really love writing this :3 I'm actually really excited about this chapter! Haha! Things may seem like they're going fast for the Daycare… but it's because a whole new adventure team's about to unfold! Stay tuned! EDITED: I really hope you're all enjoying the new edits! I tried to add plenty of exciting detail and really make the narrative shine! I worry about repetition, so let me know if there's anything I can do better! (kindly, please!) and, also, I'm always looking for new pokemon to include! I used to have a quiz but that seemed against fanfiction rules, so just submit a pokemon you like and a possible personality for me! I'll see what I can do ;)b No legendaries or super rares yet, please!)

Will had had a pretty rough day,… the kids did not go easy on him as he was taken advantage of the whole time. The daycare... was a mess.

There were blocks thrown everywhere and even a robot toy was stuck in the ceiling, much to the surprise and stilled shock of Candy and Pearl as their eyes were just big white saucers staring up at the robot while it sang off its chanting and moved its arms up a down. Its lower-half had been, somehow, jammed into the wall.

"You never said they had psychic powers!" Will cried out, on his hands and knees, as the twins were on his back. They held their hands tightly and swung their arms around, causing multiple cubbies to slide out and have more toys fall to the ground.

Torchic was rushing around trying to avoid being crushed by the toppling cabinets and their contents, "Tor, tor, tor!" panicking with flicks of sweat spraying from the sides of its face at first, before managing to outspeed the freefall and happily flap out its little bird wings to show its joy at victoriously outrunning the falling, domino effect of objects behind it.

Seamour looked practically already expired as his body stood upright and limp while Igglypuff rocked his head the other way with a pound of her head, and on the other side, Eevee hit it back.

Gail was equally exhausted as she had swirls in her eyes, trying to run after Jake while he held up markers in-between his fingers and was swiping at the walls while laughing. Her psychic power spent and having no power points left, she just woozily chased after him before finally giving in to struggle. She collapsed and twitched, unable to match the endless energy of the boy.

Candy just looked in awe and horror... before pulling out her Pokeball to reveal Pichu, who immediately came out with a yawn... smacking her lips... before wincing back in a flinching surprise at the mess they made. "Piiiii..." She shook a fist, "PICHU, PIII!" she shouted out her powerful cry and everything stopped, even the twins blinked over to her with their mouths forming small 'o's while the objects remained floating in the air. She twitched the corner of her mouth, hunched forward, her face having blue horizontal lines before she picked up a whistle that was floating in the air, swiping it quickly and blowing into it like a military march. It was almost like she was saying, 'What have I walked into? What chaos is this? Do I have to do everything myself?!' as though the human teenagers were so incompetent...

Immediately, the children gathered into a line and started marching to the beat of Pichu's general command. "Don't worry, Zippity's got this." Candy was still in shock, but helping Will up, gave him a dead-look in her eyes and a thumbs up. He twitched, not sure if what she was really saying was, 'I should have chosen a pokemon over you, anyway...'

Zippity raised her arm up and down to the military beat before pointing to the messy spots as the children sweated in hesitation, not wanting to clean up all the 'fun' they had made; However, with another powerful whistle blow that sounded almost like a General's demand, the children rushed off from continuously marching in place this whole time while in a line, hurrying to fulfill her whistle's orders.

The twins started on the kitchen, putting away all the snacks they had grabbed as well as the ingredients splattered like flour all over the floor and countertops they could barely reach without Lucario's help picking them up to wipe it clean.

He held them in his arms as one twin wiped while the other picked up fallen over packages and cereal boxes to close them up and put away.

Jake was helping by making a conveyor line where Torchic would run around with a wagon strapped to her and throwing toys onto the back of it, Eevee would then dust off the toys with his tail and pick it up to run it over to Jake, who put them away and then-with a full cubby-pick up the plastic colored cabinet and put them back in their slots again.

Willy, holding Gail in his arms, and having Seamour by his feet, all watched in wonder as Zippity blew her whistle as though conducting an orchestra of obedient house-tending and cleaning.

"My, my... she really was made to be quite a strong, little leader... wasn't she?" Miss Pearl happily stated with a bit of similar awkward sweat on the side of her forehead. "Quite the handy General." She placed her hands on her cane as Murkrow and Octavius both saluted with a tap of it, as though the three were showing their gratitude and thanks. "And now, to the loyal lieutenant Will and his trusted, hardy crew." Pearl stepped in place towards Will's direction and gave him a small bow of her head, "Hmm, hmm." As Murkrow on her shoulder and Octavius on her head gave him the following, regarded respects.

"Thank you brave souls for all your hard work and support while I was out of commission. The children may have gotten up to... hmm, some mischief, I'm sure." she sighed somewhat at that 'understatement', "But I'm sure they were safe and having a ball, that's what really matters while it was only a temporary solution."

"I... Hope I did enough." Will scratched the back of his head, "I'm just not sure I should really have the... uh... honor of being thanked in a situation like this, Colonel." he seemed a bit shy to take such praise over very little credit on his part to keep the kids in line, but then promptly replied, "And... wait, shouldn't you be the General in this situation?"

"Ho, ho, ho~" Miss Pearl lightly laughed, "Who's to say I'm not the President?"

Everyone chuckled at that.

It wasn't long before it was time to go home, and the kids did well in their assigned areas of clean-up duty. "Now children, I expect you to apologize most fervently for the unsportsmanlike conduct you showed Mr. William." Miss Pearl began.

Will jolted as he stood up straight in front of the kids and they all gave attention to him at the loud whistle blow from Zippity to have them face him. "We're sorry..." They bowed, "Torchic, Tor...", "Iggly, puff-puff..!" they all humbly asked for forgiveness.

Gail sighed but smiled politely,... but she'd never forget the terrors of the war... Nor the miserable defeat of being bested by a human child!

She took out a handkerchief and ground it against her teeth in her prideful tears, tugging it down in shame... possibly being a bit overdramatic about it.

Seamour... would never be the same, eyes still lifeless as though the battle would never truly be over in his mind.

Finally-after all that had transpired during the day-Will bid everyone a polite farewell as well with a wave of his hand, and soon, everyone went home.

"Will!" Candy called out, as Will turned around, blushing as he was surprised to see her chasing off after him. "I'm so sorry about that... I had no idea what they'd put you and your poor Pokemon through..." Candy slowed her walk, and it was around this time Will realized how fast Candy actually was on her feet. "I felt terrible, about it, so... I thought... Maybe..." She put hands behind her back as she kept up with his pace, while he was just amazed she even came all this way out after him. "We could walk back to the city together..." She smiled kindly up to him, showing her sincerity upon that offer.

His little heart suddenly felt like all of it was worth it. "O-oh, you-! Y-you don't have to feel bad about anything!" he excitedly flailed his hands about everywhere, as Gail just looked to Seamour with a knowing smile, who still... waddled straight... but his eyes at least acknowledged her look to him. He... may still need some time to recover after being captured and tortured by the enemy forces. "I-I was more than happy to help!" His whole body was red at this point, like a neon-glowing sign... and yet... Candy didn't seem to notice...

"Nah, really, I should have warned you more about them." She admitted, before lifting a pointer finger up, "Hey, this one's on me. Let me buy you some ice cream!" She then spotted a vendor near the entrance to the city, and before Will could protest with a start, "Y-you don't really need to do that-" she took off with a trail of dust behind her, making him blink at how quickly she could go from zero to a car's speed. She startled a few Pidove as they flew away from her train-track rampage and parked in front of the Ice Cream cart. She placed her two hands down to generate quite the attention-grabbing sound as the Vendor's head came up in awareness of her. "Two Kecleon blends, please!" she asked, as he gave her the corresponding colored ice creams, one being a rare shiny coloring that she hyped up before showing Will, who sweated a little with an awkward smile on his face.

"A-alright... thanks." he finally gave in to her gift and received it. "T-though I really don't think I deserve all this... umm... appreciation... I guess." He scratched the side of his cheek, still a bit embarrassed by his failures.

"Nonsense!" She pushed the shiny Kecleon colored ice cream more towards his face, making him have to lean back to avoid a cold mess on his face. His reflexes had improved from the Daycare... but he didn't feel like mentioning that right now... "I hope you like Mint, Blueberry, and French Vanilla!"

He thought that an interesting blend... but giving it a try, it tasted good! "Wow! They're all separated into the Kecleon patterns." He smiled, "I haven't really had this flavor mix before..." He admitted, looking back at Candy as she ate the middle-colored zigzag.

"Emm~ Strawberry~" she chimed.

He watched her as though she was a beautiful treat herself, her happiness calming him as she seemed to enjoy sharing the experience of eating ice cream together. His eyes arched and drooped at her kindness and cheer... He remembered how broken she had looked before... though she was trying to mask it so beautifully...

In his heart... he wondered if he hadn't failed... since his efforts did allow Candy to help Miss Pearl and set things straight again.

It... brought back her smile... and that was rewarding enough for him.

Candy, stopping a moment with her tongue on the cone, suddenly licked it back in and glared at him. "Hey! You're not eating more!" she must have noticed his ice cream melting more so than his staring... "Don't you like it?" her eyes moved up to him as though sparkling brightly, added with a small frown now that almost looked puppy-like.

Once again flustered, he looked down at his ice cream hurriedly, panicking at her reaction and hoping she didn't notice his abrupt observing... but she had once again pushed it up to him, and he sighed before eating it again. "It really is good." He admitted, holding it up to his mouth now to show her he really did enjoy it, smiling at Candy's kindness for the delicious gift. "T-thank you, again. I do, actually, really like the flavor." He tried to encourage her to trust him on it, "I'm… kinda a picky eater." He explained, licking the ice cream, "So... I'm a little surprised how much I really do enjoy it!" he tried to match her energy, smiling as charmingly radiant as he felt she naturally was.

"Haha, really? I'm glad you like it, but I could never be picky." She smiled again, and curiously leaned in towards him, wondering about the small but interesting fact she had learned about him, "I think you'd miss out on so many flavors!" she cheered, trying to lighten the mood as she took a humorous chomp of the ice cream, then pulled away after swishing it around in her mouth a bit to swallow the mush and press her thumb to the top of her mouth. "Ah, ah! Brain freeze!" her eyes became big pointed arrow-like directions that faced towards each other, making Will laugh.

"Yeah, I guess so…" He... really liked this time with Candy, too... "Ah, but then again, they say you don't know what you're missing, then! It's safe because ignorance is-"

"Bliss!" they both spoke up.

Candy and Will looked at each other than, in surprise at their unison, before laughing and continuing down the road into the city.

He hadn't laughed so hard with anyone outside of his family in a long,... long time.

In fact... he couldn't remember the last time he had eaten ice cream either... especially with another person.

He looked back at Candy, watching her face light up with her happiness and laughter...

"…She's afraid of love, you know."

He was pulled out of his thoughts to be reminded of what the Twins had once said... still eerily envisioning their strange tone and the nature of their delivery of the line...

He stopped admiring her a moment to look down and away, Gail and Seamour looking expectantly at the ice cream...

He lowered it down and Seamour finally snapped out of his PTSD to lick at one side while Gail put her hands together and went on her tippty-toes again to lick the other side.

"…Hey,... Candy..?" Will had been thinking about Mia's words, but during the chaos of the Daycare events, didn't really bring it up until now. "Back at the Aquarium,..." and began to try and get the courage to ask about it, starting with where the topic even came up from before looking back to her, "Uh-"

She had her eyes closed, licking her ice cream as she hummed, and stepped lively with one foot in front of the other in a small but happy skip of her own beat.

Not a care in the world...

"…Hmm." He dropped it, nervous again about asking something so personal. He pulled his lips back, not wanting to ruin the moment... especially since before, it was impossible to even think of a Candy this happy again with Miss Pearl in the hospital...

"Uh…, Will?" Candy looked back to him and tilted her head, "You okay there? You really didn't finish answering your question before." She smiled politely. "What is it? Maybe I can help."

He looked back to her,... Not wanting to ruin this moment she hadn't been able to picture before...

Blushing at her willingness that seemed to reflect in her eyes, He quickly tried to change the subject, "I-it's nothing. I'm just happy I could help you and Miss Pearl out today… that's all." He stated, looking off in the distance and hoping she wouldn't notice his obvious nerves...

"O-oh? Well, thanks! I'll rely on you more often! Haha!" She slapped his back as he fell a little forward, and then winked to him when he regained his balance. "That was a joke." He loomed forward like a brick had landed on his head when she added that part, it was like she was saying he was so bad, she'd just use her Pokemon instead...

"Eh-heh-heh…" he laughed nervously, not really wanting to be alone with the kids ever again. But he figured if he wanted to see Candy more… he should toughen up as a man and try and get used to the kids, become their friend, and so forth.

That might be difficult, though… They were like little monsters! 'I won't let their little innocent eyes deceive me again!' Will held up a determined fist as he bit his jaw down in his shameful defeat... about to take another bite of his ice cream when...

"Ah-h-hey! My Shiny Kecleon ice cream!" he looked around in utter bafflement, seeing that it was down to the cone as Seamour and Gail both looked away and were on the ground just walking alongside him again... pretending nothing had gone wrong~

Hey... they needed the treat, too... Candy had just assumed he was gonna share it anyway, so she knew they were eating it, but thought he was aware of it.

"Daww... you guys! R-Return! Both of you!" He summoned them back into their Pokeballs as they openly smiled now to one another and up at Will. "...You both did a good job, too, you deserve it." He lightly showed his consideration for them as he smiled at their Pokeballs.

A few weeks later~

"AHHHHHHH!"

A voice shrieked through the outside window into Miss Pearl's ear, who froze from sweeping inside, "W-what was that?" she asked aloud, "Couldn't possibly be a Pokemon I've ever hear of before-..!" only to tense up and grip her broom with wide-eyes when Candy raced in, coming back from the Daycare's mailbox. Candy spun Miss Pearl around in her excitement, "O-oh, oh!? Oh my!" gripping her shoulders to stop her, Candy bounced a little before finally settling down enough to let Miss Pearl's shock settle down.

Once her breath was back, she smiled weakly, closing her eyes into slits as she usually did, "My dear, you must remember my age now… I did just recently recover, you know." She was proud when she heard the Blissey returned to perform shows with her Trainer during the days they didn't have schoolwork assignments, and how many excited faces were helped from Blissey's continual sacrifice to aid any and all that she could with her new, amazing Pokemon move. "What is it, lovely?" she took the letter in Candy's hand, giving it a small read as she held it close to her face, "Oh, your school friends are finally here, are they? That's sweet." Pearl beamed towards her, "Happy to see you so thrilled, my dear." Candy bounced in a squat, looking like a rabbit as she held her hands up to her face, and seemed almost like a child's size again.

"I'm super excited!" She admitted.

"Good to hear the wonderful news." Miss Pearl gave her back the letter, patting her head. "Maybe they'd like to take a moment to show their pokemon and skills to the children today?"

"They should be in the city's Pokemon center!" She leaped up from her squat, practically floating a second in the air as she was clearly on cloud nine. "I want to go right now and ask them!" she cheered, holding an arm up to the sky and also lifting a leg up, "They're the coolest bros I know!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, ho… that would be nice, it's good to reconnect with our old friends." She honed in on 'Bros', "But you simply can't do that." Pearl happily stated, not a single muscle on her face changing when she said that disappointing comment.

Candy instantly fell over, almost like a failed cartwheel. She quickly got up with blobby tears in her eyes, "Why no-o-o-ot!?" Though it sounded more like, 'aught' in-between... She cried out again, "B-but, Miss Pearl-!"

"No 'but's. You're still working the Daycare shift. You can't possibly leave the children unattended." Pearl stated, gesturing outside where the kids were outside playing on the playground, Jake battling Tia.

"No, no, no. Tia! You can't just keep asking Torchic to dodge!" Jake stated, getting annoyed that Tia wasn't truly battling him. "You have to shout out a command! Torchic has to use moves in order to get stronger, you've gotta engage the opponent!"

Miss Pearl smiled at his coaching, "He's really gotten the hang of battling, hasn't he..?" She could see the rising passion in the boy, "He's going to become a fine trainer... someday." she sweetly spoke to herself, as Candy listened in and noticed Lucario also watching the battle commence. He seemed to act interested but, folding his arms and leaning on the sides of the bleachers, coughed when he noticed Candy watching him and looked away as though disinterested.

"Hmm... Heh," Candy smirked, forgetting a moment about the disappointing news, "He's probably not the only one who would like a tougher challenge..."

Miss Pearl chuckled lightly, "Indeed." Seeing what she was referring to. "Some battles must be fought outside of your home... all you've ever known tends to raise you... but not define the ever-growing potential of what's inside you." she wisely spoke.

Eevee looked a bit more confident in battling, his eyes were determined and he patted the ground in anticipation, waiting ever so patiently but with a spark of a renewed sense of valiant moxie for the fight at hand. "Vee, vee!" he encouraged his friend as Torchic looked down at her Vaporeon necklace,...

Could it ever be as impressive and radiant as its idol? Could its flames flicker with such brilliance as the stadium's spotlights resting on her sparkling, elegant waterdrops as they rose into the air with her, too? She rubbed her foot against it to get any dirt or smudging off of it, not wanting to soil the memory, nor the vision of Vaporeon saving its life from the wicked Team Rocket grunts, and other pokemon as well.

"Tor, Tor-Tor-Torchic!" After finishing the cleaning, Torchic happily ran around in a circle, before stopping abruptly with its feathers poofed out and head lowered... ready for battle.

Its eyes burned like a thousand suns... wanting to live up to Vaporeon's beauty and strength.

"O-okay…" Tia blushed, liking having Jake's attention on solely her today. She put her hand up to her mouth to block the surprise of her flustered expression, "Y-you... really want me to do good... don't you?"

"I just want a clean fight!" Jake struck a cool pose, adjusting his hat and then stepping to the side to show his back and throw out a thumbs-up, "After all-! We're gonna be the legacy of the Daycare's strength! We gotta keep the history alive!"

Miss Pearl's heart was warmed to hear that, knowing Jake sat patiently-rare for such a hyperactive child-and would listen to her stories of the great Trainers that were raised under her fore-mothers care while she sat in her rocking chair. Her Grandmother, her Mother... and now herself, trying to uphold that wonderful family tradition of raising the next, new generation of Pokemon Trainers!

Tia's sister stood on the small, bench-like bleachers and watched her sister's battle. She pouted, a bit sourly, slouching so her back was somewhat on the bleacher above her, letting herself balance mostly with her legs on the seat she was on. She was upset because she had wanted to hold her sister's hand, but knew Tia wanted to battle Jake alone...

It ticked her off. They did everything together. Why was Jake suddenly so... so... so special!?

"Hmph." She puffed up her cheek, not liking Jake stealing her sister away from her. "I hope he loses." She stated, spitefully. "But Mama hasn't taught me curses yet..." She sneered. For good reason, too... She was too young to 'properly' know when to put hexes on someone... If ever.

Lucario looked back to her, over his shoulders, and up to the bleachers. "Car. Lucario." He scolded, still leaning on them.

"Wahhh! I know she wants to do this alone," She blurted out, throwing a small, dramatic tantrum as she got up and spun her body around to lean her head against the top bleacher, now facing away from the playground and battlefield. "But we're never alone..!" she whined, moving yet again in her restless state to laying down on the seat and kicking her legs and arms up. "Eh, eh, ehh!" she tossed and threw herself about, just a tissy-fit.

"Lucar…" Lucario sighed, light exasperation showing in the shape of sweat moving down the side of his head. He looked back at the battle at hand, seeing it was starting up again with a new fiery spirit to it.

"Eevee!" Jake took control of the scene as Eevee jumped up with a pounce forward, repeating its name back to show Jake it was ever-attentive and listening for his direction. Both looked as though fire was streaking from under their heels... Jake certainly was gaining a love and knack for battling. "Use Bite attack, and then quickly run back before she can retaliate!" Jake's hand thrust outward as he gave the rundown of his strategy, animated as he pulled the arm back and then half-swung a punch with his other, crooked-up arm with his elbow extended.

Eevee dashed up, sprinting and lunging to Torchic. "..Veee!" he came in hot and ready.

"Ah!" Tia nervously saw the approaching attack and tried to move her arms about her face in a panic, as though to conjure up a move for Torchic to use back. "Torchic..! Uh-ah, d-dodge!" Tia cried out, unable to think of any moves in time, and quickly just shouted out what she already knew. Torchic was just too fast for Eevee, immediately jumping to the side as Eevee bit at her dust.

"Tor-tor-tor-tor!" She happily raced away while flapping out her tiny wings, seeming to enjoy running from her opponent more than actually fighting. It was just like the game of tag, which she excelled at, anyway!

"Ugh, Tia!" Jake threw his arms down between his bent knees, "Come on!" he called back as Eevee returned to his side, looking a little disappointed and annoyed, just reflecting the nature of his friend, and acting trainer, Jake.

"Hehe," Tia blushed and giggled, "S-sorry, Jake..." before turning away to hide her face in her hands, "He's cute when he's mad at me~..." she whispered to herself as her sister seemed to mentally hear it.

Puffing up her cheeks even more, she turned around from her little fit, determined to get her sister back before this goes out of control, and her heartbeat syncs with her sister to frustrate her even more. "He's just a big DOOFUS!" she cried back to her, "He can't even land a single hit!"

That did it.

"What did you say!?" Jake turned to Mia, stomping the ground and raising a fist up, "I'll have you know, Torchic's just really small and agile, or Eevee would have landed it back on its feathery butt by now!"

"But I like him~" Tia admitted, spreading her hands apart on her face to cup her cheeks, swishing her body left and right, keeping her voice down as it seemed only her sister could pick up on her words through their telepathic link.

"YOU WHAT!?" exclaimed Mia in astonishment, her boiling point reached to the point that her voice blurted out her jealousies.

"That's it. I'm done with this battle," Jake hadn't heard a thing, he thought that Mia was responding to him, not Tia... "Eevee! Quick attack!" He turned around and tossed his hand out as though shooing Eevee's attention away from his conversation with Mia and back into focusing on the battle again. Deciding to test the range of Eevee's speed, since Quick Attack always went first in a battle, it wouldn't leave Tia with any room to cry out for another 'dodge'.

"Ve-ve-ve-ve!" Eevee zipped across the battleground at breakneck speeds, looking as though he was teleporting with each leap and bound he made towards Torchic. Lucario sighed, kids would be kids, but at least Jake had the spirit to fight and Eevee was resonating with that energy. Lucario watched as they influenced each other... still curious about the strength Eevee had found through Jake... and vice-versa...

But more so... How Eevee had gotten stronger through increasing his bond with Jake...

"Oh no, you DON'T ignore me, too!" Mia took big steps for a little girl as she charged one foot towards another bleacher seat, scaling down before racing up to the battlefield.

"L-look out!" Tia shouted for Torchic and her sister, seeing the danger each one could be facing.

Mia slid onto the Trainer square that her sister was standing in, her arm outstretched in front of her as she came rocketing in. "Torchic!" She called out, commandingly. Her stance and slide-in was rather cool in appearance, she seemed to mean business! This made Tia cover her mouth in equal awe, and even for Jake to whisper out 'cool' under his breath. "Jump and come down using Peck!" She instructed.

"Tor!" Torchic jumped up and spun with power and ease, twisting itself around and diving down like a drill right onto Eevee with a powerful Peck attack..!

"Ah! Mia!" Tia exclaimed as Mia looked back at her, her eyes full of livid fire that burned alive.

"Come on, sis." she took her sister's hand, "We can defeat anything as long as we work together!" She then pointed to herself, confidently, "Me, the attack." She then pointed to her sister, "And you, the dodge!" she stated with a firm nod of her head, "Now let's cream this rapscallion!" ...Miss Pearl and Candy were impressed to hear her use such a big word... but also not quite sure how to feel about her parents hearing her use that word...

Where'd she even get it from, anyway? It completely sounded like something she would have heard on the children's television shows they would put on sometimes while the kids were waking up from nap time.

The moment their hands touched, Lucario saw the aura of the two sister's spike and looked amazed at it. "Lucar…" he awed, even humans could have power drawn from their powerful connections..?

He unparted his arms, standing upward now and no longer leaning, walking to watch the battle better. Miss Pearl and Candy looked at each other, smiling at one another for a moment, though Candy sweatdropped a bit... "I wish I could be better for him..." she commented, making Miss Pearl look out with a sorrowful look...

'One day... you will be.' she thought to herself, 'But maybe...' she sighed to herself, lowering her head down. 'Not ready enough for him...' She could feel the antsy feeling from Lucario... that drive to seek strength... 'It won't be long, now...' she concluded in her mind, gazing out at both him-and Jake battling with Eevee by his side-as well. 'Not long at all...'

"Mia..." Tia's eyes sparkled at her sister's love, her strength gave her the same passion, trusting her to help hold her up where her weaknesses lied.

The two sisters nodded to each other, for together, they were whole. They put their conjoined hands up, speaking as one, "Now, Torchic, use Ember and finish him off!"

"Torrrr!" Torchic let out another powerful cry and threw back her head, firing off a squirt of ember flames, as Eevee struggled to run fast enough away. Its paws lifted up and tried to not get touched, hurrying away from Torchic as its previous fears of battles started resurfacing from having Torchic finally fighting back now.

The battlefield was mostly Eevee running from Torchic, back and forth with a spray of embers, as Torchic kept up the pace behind Eevee and fired off multiple flames towards him.

"Eevee! Stop running and use Bite! Uh, Quick Attack! Growl!? Hey! Listen to me!" Jake stomped the ground once more at seeing Eevee was only interested in getting away.

Finally, Eevee passed out and fainted from all the Embers and running... that, and sustaining a Burn on it as well.

Torchic jumped and kicked her legs out in the air, being the victor, and feeling a taste of that liberty from stored-in energy. "Tor-tor-tor-tor!" she was thrilled at having exercised and gained some experienced, definitely what was needed for a hyperactive little Pokemon like herself.

She looked down at her Vaporeon necklace, her eyes shining in pride as she felt she may have made her idol proud...

Could she really be just like Vaporeon?

The emotions swelled in her, she absolutely could be.

And then… she started glowing.

"Ah!" The twins leaned forward in unison, "What's going on?" They cried out as Jake looked up from having ran out to pick up Eevee's fainted body, having his own frame engulfed by the light coming off of Torchic.

"She's..!" Miss Pearl began, noticing the bright light and spreading her body out in her surprise.

"Evolving!" Candy headed outside, she would worry about the letter later... Her excitement returned as she jumped up and down in the air with her hands up by her mouth, "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! It's happening, It's happening..!"

Lucario also blinked in amazement, but like a proud brother, he patted the top of his head to smile discreetly down to the ground.

"It's a new pokemon!" Jake cried out, while Miss Pearl walked out with him.

"Yes... but which one is it?" Miss Pearl asked, using it as a teaching moment.

"Who's that Pokemon?!" Candy suddenly cried out, pointing to the new figure as the glow morphed and changed the silouette of Torchic...

Finally, the light burst like bubbles and dimmed in its light, revealing the true, new colors of the evolved pokemon.

"It's-!" Candy sang out a little bit, gesturing as the Pokemon reached up its arms and pulled its elbows sharply down towards itself.

"Combusken!"

Combusken spread her arms out then as Lucario raced over, "Lucario! Car, car!" happy to have a new sparring partner who could finally take a hit! He extended his own arms out, thinking she might have wanted a hug and being friendly, but Combusken narrowed her eyes and suddenly jumped up to spin a kick at him, forcing him away.

"Combusken!" she cried out, as though to keep him back.

"Lucar!" he was jammed in the stomach by her powerful kick and spun to a roll along the ground. "C-car..." he lifted himself up, looking badly hit, but confused as to why she turned suddenly so violent.

Combusken blew out some air from her nose, having it be visible like steam-clouds, and put her arms on her hips before back at the ready! As though to duke it out!

"Woah! Tor-" Candy shook her head, "I-I mean... Combusken is usually so kind, what-" Candy was just as baffled by this rejection of a hug as Lucario was...

"Some pokemon change their behavior after they've undergone evolution, Candy. Maybe Combusken is a bit more of a fighter than a lover, now." Miss Pearl explained as Combusken folded her arms in pride, seeing that Lucario was getting up and dusting himself off, and nodded her head as though she was done with the soft entreats now.

"Busken." She responded, before blinking her eyes at the speedy comeback of Lucario, charging her with a glint in his eye of revenge. She flapped her arms a second before getting an equally strong kick in the gut by Lucario, jumping as he angled it so that the wind was thrust out of her and her beak was forced open while she was flung back.

"Lucario!" He wasn't letting her off that easy! He grabbed her in mid-flight by her much longer feet now, starting to swing her around.

"Com-bu-bu-bu-busken!" Her eyes were spinning around and around, getting her dizzy.

Lucario then let her go with a smirk on his face, throwing Combusken to the side and having her roll along the ground just like she had done to him. "Lucar! Cario!" he seemed to be telling her that he wasn't afraid then to give her a taste of her own medicine!

Combusken landed hard to a halt, scraping against the ground before looking up in total shock.

"Car…Car…Lucar, car!" he breathed a moment from his exhausting efforts, wiping his mouth a second from any loose saliva as he panted and stomped his foot down with authority. He held his fist up, then wagged his wrists up and down as though shouting back a challenge to not take him so lightly, and come at him again—this time, he would take her seriously, and not be taken by surprise.

"Combusken?" She blinked her eyes while laying on her stomach on the ground, her chicken talons having gripped and skidded against the ground so she could stop scooting back from the force's impact. "Buuuuuusk!" Seeing him as a rival now, she got up and struck a pose. She banged her chest a few times over, "Busk-ken, Busk-ken!" she amped herself up.

'Hmm? Double Kick? And Bulk up?' Miss Pearl wondered, but then shook her head, 'No, didn't look quite like it.' She'd have to test out any new moves Combusken had learned later, maybe to make sure they were safe around the children, too.

Charging forward, Combusken started pecking at him, over and over again as it tried to get him running away like it had with Eevee. However, Lucario would not let Combusken get the better of him in a chase, and dodged with his hand taking the Peck attacks, before charing up an Aura Sphere in his other hand. "LucccccccAAARRRR-!" pulling back it back, he moved his tough palm and kept taking hit after hit from her while she tried to push him back and charged up more of the Aura.

His feet skid the ground with each little hit, but that also doubled his time for powering up the Aura he was channeling... and then...

"-RRRRIOOOOO!" Swinging his charging fist with the Aura Sphere forward, the powerful blast had been a direct, critical hit on the newly evolved Combusken, who was caught up in the sheer power of its blast that it fell over instantly.

"Commmbbbuuussssskk...!" it was blown down and out for the count. "Kennnn..." It had swirls in it's eyes as Miss Pearl stepped over and raised her hand up, the children all amazed at such a spur-of-the-moment fight.

"Combusken is unable to battle, Lucario is the winner!" She declared as Mia cheered and Tia stuck her tongue out at her sister, not liking her new attitude but then redirecting her annoyance to Jake and pulling an eyelid down for good measure towards him as well to mock him, too.

"We technically still won!" Tia stated, "Our Pokemon still won!"

Tia suddenly gasped, "Our Pokemon... Ah! I left Igglypuff at the top of the slide!" she looked over to see Igglypuff still crying as she was left alone at the top of the slide... not wanting to go down alone...

"Igggggllyyy..." she teared up and sniffed, heartbroken.

"H-huh!?" Mia turned around, "Igglypuff!"

The twins suddenly cried out, "We're so sorry!" And charged over to her, "You'll always be our baby, Iggly!" Tia hurried up the playset, getting to the Jungle Gym part. "I will never leave you all by yourself again!" Mia cried out, as the two hurriedly rushed to her side and hugged her, tears in both their eyes, but then going down the slide together and cheering together as Igglypuff giggled the whole way down, a fairly easy-going pokemon.

"Why didn't she want to go down alone?" Tia wondered, having Igglypuff in front of her, lifting her arms up, still enjoying the feeling of finally going down the slide.

Mia was behind her, and sighed, "Cause she's just like us!" she grabbed her sister's hand again, making her look back in another moment of surprise. "She doesn't like doing things alone! She's stronger with us by her sides! And we're stronger together too!"

Tia's eyes shone again with admiration for her sister, "Sister... Y-yeah! We're stronger together!" she then scooped her sister and Igglypuff in both her arms, "All together!" she laughed in joy with them both.

Jake just ruffled the top of his hat, not liking how Torchic beat him... but then almost beat Lucario, somewhat, too...

"We'll just have to get stronger," He looked down at Eevee, who weakly looked up at him, blinking its eyes to show he was somewhat awake from having fainted... but still weary.

"Eevv..." it lightly responded to him, trying to smile.

He hugged him, "I'll have Miss Pearl get you to the Pokemon Center..."

"Pokemon Center!" Candy turned to Miss Pearl, begging again with her hands together, "Miss Pearl-!"

"Not another word," Miss Pearl held her chin up high, "Not until after hours... Eevee will rest until then."

"Awww! Come on!" Candy fell to her knees and threw her back into an arch, as though crying to the heavens, her fingers twitching at her sides. "Show some sympathy! Eevee needs help for its health! This is the perfect excuse for-!"

"And who will watch over the children?" Miss Pearl raised an eyebrow, "You know what happened last time you left someone, unqualified and uncertified by this establishment's signed employee documents, to watch over the children..?" She leaned towards Candy, "Hmm?"

Candy just grumbled... Not like anyone knew about Will's help... but the parents could have made a lawsuit... technically... if things didn't work out the way they did.

Her mouth squiggled in disgruntled noises as Miss Pearl nodded, "There, we have some resigned agreement, then. After hours." She concluded with a nod.

"Lucario." Lucario walked over and offered Combusken his hand, which she took, dusting off her Vaporeon's necklace as she closed her eyes to try and look cool or nonchalant about it. She twitched upon getting up, actually having to readjust her grip of Lucario's helpful hand to get herself up. She put a hand behind her head, laughing, and seeming to apologize for riling him up so much, she was just pumped after getting stronger. Lucario nodded his acceptance at her apology and the two put a hand around the other, he completely understood wanting a tough match after being evolved himself.

Two strong friends, just sparring with the other's new form and power, who could ask for more?

"Well, looks like Combusken now says hi with her feet." Candy had some beads of sweat drip from the side of her face, a bit worried about their newfound power as they wandered off together, seeming to discuss new battle tactics and the like?

She then heard a voice behind her.

"Funny, I remember you saying hi with a trip of your feet."

The voice was somewhat matured and refined in speech, elegant with a hint of humor.

"Hahaha! Shade! You're such a kidder!"

The second was more younger and enthusiastic, jumping with glee and energy.

"... Was I wrong?" the first voice asked, recollecting the first time they both had met Candy.

"W-well... no, not really." The second voice responded with a bit of an uneasy 'hey, bro, don't be rude' to his tone.

"Hey… I know those voices..."

Candy spun around, stars in her eyes as she recognized the voices right away! Her face just lit up as she spread her arms out to the two boys. "Fellas!" she called with cheer.

"Candy!" Tai, the second voice, ran first up to her with a high-sprung step and held out his arms to be embraced as well. Being the youngest brother, he hugged her as they laughed together, pretty much her same age.

Shade, the first voice to speak up and the oldest brother, 'tsk'd to the side and walked up, his hands—once folded—were now in his pockets as he looked unamused. "You're both still so childish." But after a moment... he stopped walking up and smiled, looking to Candy as though still wanting his hug.

"Shade!" Candy rushed over and picked him up, which was surprising because even though he was lean, he was still quite a bit taller than the two. She comically spun him around as he never lost his expression nor removed his hands from his pockets as she finally set him down.

He only blinked, as though knowing this was who she was. "Have you been well?" he asked, before looking around her shoulders, "Where's your new pokemon? And Pichu?"

"Oh, Zippity? She's doing great! So is my new little diva." she giggled to herself, "I wanted to come and greet you guys SO BADLY! But Miss Pearl didn't want me skipping work to do so... so..." She grumbled with puckered lips, showing her displeasure in that.

Miss Pearl just smiled, figuring they'd come to see her if she couldn't see them anyway.

Besides... a good way for the children—and other pokemon—to meet other Pokemon Trainers and their partners, she presumed.

"I came to battle." He stated, lowering his head, "In your recent letters, you said there was a battlefield at your kindergarten?"

"Daycare. It's just for both kids and baby pokemon!" she explained.

"Huh..." Tai looked out at the building and the jungle-gym, "Like... a combined thing?" he noticed the twins staring and waved sweetly to one, but they grew somewhat shy and moved behind the other... before then taking Igglypuff and hiding behind the slide.

"Haha! Typical Shade!" Candy patted his shoulder and gave a hardy laugh. "You two are the best! I'm so glad you came all the way from your farm to see me. That makes me feel so… " she sniffed, "Special and... happy inside." She teared up a bit, placing her hands to her heart as animated bubbles and colors sprang around her in a type of 'blissful' atmosphere of sorts.

Tai embraced her again from the side, "Oh no! Don't cry!" he smiled, lifting his leg up as he did so while Shade just looked away.

"But that's what baby's do, Tai." He snarkily smirked at his own comment.

"Heeey…" Candy warned him, rolling her eyes over to him, but hugged Tai back. "Haha, I won't, besides! Who can cry when my two best buddies have gone off to be amazing pokemon trainers, right?"

"You bet we have!" Tai laughed, and the two squished their cheeks together as though brother and sister as well. Tai certainly was much like Candy, being very willing to express his emotions on his sleeve.

Speaking of sleeves, Tai wore an orange beanie with a shirt that had a generic pokemon's blacked-out face but eye-sockets still visible. He had rolled sleeves that showcased a checkered pattern of black and white, and wore pants with a design at the knees like interlaced linen, but held many pockets on it. His shirt spelled out "MON" under the monster logo. He had bright, golden blonde hair that rivaled the sunlight, but wasn't a bleach-blonde by any means. His hair curled out from his face as though an inverse sunflower, giving him a feathered-look to his whisking hairstyle that 'popped' his face right out from the beanie.

Shade wore a dark blue bandana that puffed out just by his neck and collarbone, having extra long and flappy shirt collars to protrude and stick out with his 'chest scarf' look that was tucked back into his black shirt under his blue jacket. The jacket was a bit baggy but thin in material, mostly bunching around his arms. He wore a black and grey-steeled buckle belt and darker blue pants, sporting black, almost reaching shoulder-length long hair that's messy spikes angled down in certain areas off his head.

Shade noticed the Igglypuff trot over and stare at him. With a kind smile, he bent down and spoke softly to her.

"Hello, little one... May I ask for a request? Would you do me the honor of allowing me to befriend you?" he gently pulled out one of his hands from his pockets as he squatted down and let her sniff his open hand. She looked at it, before happily cheering and patting her little arms into it. He chuckled lightly, and the twins peeked out to notice...

"He's quite handsome," Tia stated.

"Yeah, a real charmer." Mia puffed a little, but had a small blush mark on the side of her face, as well... "His brother is kinda cute, too..."

Tia giggled and hurried over to Igglypuff and him while Mia flinched and hurried after her as well, "H-hey! Wait up!" her sister just laughed the whole way over.

"Ah. Am I to have the pleasure of making you my new friends, as well?" He tilted his head with a beautiful smile, and the girls were suddenly caught off guard.

"Watch out!" Candy popped out from the corner of their vision, just behind Shade's charming appearance. "He'll get ya with the hot and cold trope!"

Shade just looked back at her, "The... what trope?"

"Nothing~" she waved her hands out, as though to not explain herself. "You're just sometimes cool and then other times, super respectful." She added, pushing her pointer fingers together as she looked at him with innocent and blunt eyes.

"Heh, is that so?" He smiled to himself and closed his eyes, turning back to see Jake and Eevee. "...Does that little one require a potion?" He walked over, "Or a revive, perhaps?"

"See? He's actually very caring and considerate." Candy happily nodded as she instructed the twins about her friend.

"... I can't be both?" Shade sharply quipped back, but Candy just flinched and pouted over her shoulder to him while he went to help Jake and Eevee.

"Ears like a Loudred," she muttered to herself.

"Your voice is about the same volume, too."

She almost fell over.

"H-hey! Give me some cool cred, too!" Tai looped an arm around Candy and threw a thumb back at himself, then winked at the girls, "I'm Tai, his younger bro. Nice to meet you two!"

"Nice to meet you!" Tia waved as Mia sweetly copied with an 'Em!' to show she agreed with her sister.

"Hehe, Tai can be hyper, just like me, but he's actually really good at farm-keeping! They even have their own herds and everything!" she threw her hands out, "Ohhh, I'd love to see your farm sometime, Tai! Maybe again when-" she stopped when she realized... "I... Don't have the funds right now." she looked as though about to cry.

"Ah, don't sweat it. Maybe we can convince your boss to let the children see it sometime." He nudged an elbow lightly to her, whispering the hinted suggestion as the twins looked excited. Their little hands bundled up and their eyes were full of sparkling wonder.

"A farm!?" they both said in unison.

"Hahaha! Kids after my own heart! Hahaha!" Tai let out an unashamed laugh, taking pride in his work. "Sure thing! I'm sure the farm pokemon would love some new friends and faces! But you'll have to help out around the place with some chores." he wiggled his finger to them but then winked to Candy, "So it's somewhat educational and benefits the daycare agenda, right?"

"I couldn't agree more," Miss Pearl approached, "But I'm afraid such ventures will have to be postponed. For now, I do believe your friend had offered a battle challenge, did he not, Candy, dear?"

With the word 'battle' mentioned, Shade's eyes turned serious and his entire persona turned epic. He rose from the ground, his eyes covered by his hair as suddenly the wind blew, and took his jacket's long-endings with it to the other side of his body. "It's time... it has finally come." He looked so dramatically cool, like his entire sweet and caring nature was suddenly a shonen protagonist in the middle of an all-or-nothing showdown.

"Alright, let's have a battle before we do anything else!" Candy spun around, and as she did so, it was like a movie-magic moment where the entire area become one big anime opening effect.

Shade pulled a Pokeball out and angled his arm across his chest, holding the Pokeball backwards in his hand as though to show it off to Candy, "I will not lose." his eyes held such a seriousness that the kids all 'oooh'd at his performance.

"He's like an action hero!" Jake stated.

"He's so cool!" Mia and Tia pressed their cheeks up against each other and held one another's hands, Igglypuff tilting her head, wondering what everyone was getting so admiring about. He still looked the same to her...

Tai laughed, "Yeah, that's my brother for ya. Always making a simple battle turn out to be the dramatic climax of some pokemon adventure!" he smiled, loving to boast about his brother but also holding out his arms as though sighing an apology to any adult that may be around and found this sudden behavior odd. "You should of seen him as a kid. He used to act like the unsung hero with a deep backstory. Heck, even his pokemon play along and think they're the partner of a legendary warrior."

The kid's loved it, they excitedly raced to the bleachers in hopes of seeing something enthralling. Live-action battling! They had only really seen mock battles or tournaments on T.V.

Candy and Shade took their respective spots on the battlefield, Candy adjusting her beanie-like hat—with the pokemon cut symbol upon it—to twist it down firmly onto her head, looking determined to have some fun in this brawl. "You ready?" she asked him, as he dramatically flipped his hair and kept his eyes closed, 'hmph'ing as though not paying his opponent any mind...

"This is the day I end my fate... The day I no longer have to hide who I truly am..."

"Woooahh..."

The kids all leaned forward, entranced by his performance.

He reached out and clenched his fist towards Candy.

"Today... I fulfill... my destiny!"

Candy leaned back, looking to either side of herself.

"...Okay." she smiled, already used to his 'make-believe, epic showdown' routine.

... But did he have to make it look like he was crushing her in his hand?

"Yeah! This guy's totally gonna pulverize her!" Jake reared up his fists, stoked about the battle. "Watch carefully, Eevee, okay? We've gotta be just like this guy!" He looked over to his side as Eevee had made itself like a loaf of bread, its little paws and legs tucked in under itself and making its mane poof out over it. He waved his tail, "Eev, Eevee!" He liked the man, he seemed charming and even healed him up for him.

Tai sat down soon after, too, kicking his feet up to the lower bleachers and placing his wrists on his legs to have his hands hang down somewhat in-between. "Haa... Just like old times." He smiled, glad to see his old friend and brother... once again... at it again.

Miss Pearl took a seat by where his feet were, liking the bottom rows in her old age, and put her hands on her cane. "Tell me, dear boy, did you all battle often?"

"Sure did!" he cheerfully stated to her, "Candy was really behind on her grades, so we often did study brawls like this one. Shade was pretty stellar, but not the best teacher... I guess... I was just average as a student." He rubbed the back of his head, "But we all worked hard... Candy may not look it, but-"

"She has a real, natural talent to channel her energy to her Pokemon, connecting with them to form creative strategies that undoubtedly prove victorious in any situation she's placed in." Miss Pearl responded quite quickly to finish his sentence.

He blinked in a bit of amazement at her, "Y-yeah... Looks like you've observed her creative spirit, too." He beamed, "That's Candy for ya! Statuses and statistics don't make much sense to her. You try and explain EV training, and she's all swirls in the eyes!" He mimed with his eyes and circled with his fingers by them to show how 'dizzy' Candy can get with concepts. "But have you find a timid pokemon, give them time, and snap! She's brings out a powerful side of them!"

"She's a wonder, that one... if only she knew how to refine such a gift." Miss Pearl looked to her fondly as the two went over the rules of the battle, then decided to not make it an 'official' battle but just a friendly spar. After all, Shade had plenty of Revives, but he only had Potions, and they both agreed their Pokemon would deserve better than that after this fight.

"Yeah... I can't wait to see what she becomes." Tai's face lit up in that thought.

"... Me too, young man." Miss Pearl closed her eyes, "She has such splendid friends to aid her... with that, there's nothing she can't accomplish in this world or any other."

Tai got all pumped up, tensing before jumping up and hollering out to the two, "Heyyy!" he waved, then cupped his hands around his mouth, shouting out, "Don't soften her up too much for me, alright, Shade!? Candy! I'm totally gonna battle you next!" He was awaiting his turn patiently, but clapped and built up energy in the stands as the kids immediately stomped their feet in encouragement and seemed juiced-up by his own spontaneity.

"Ohh... I like your spark, too, young man." Miss Pearl looked over her shoulder and smiled. 'Such bright youth...' she thought to herself, as Tai just gave her a closed-eye grin as bright as the sun.

"Hehe! Thanks, Ma'am!" he certainly had his country-roots, and tipped his beanie to her in thanks.

"Hmph. I shall fight with all my might." Shade slowly brought his hand to his waist, flipping out his jacket to reveal the Pokeballs strapped there. The wind carried the jacket and he held his pose, "For this is the day of my legendary spirit's awakening. I shall reclaim the glory of centuries of pokemon battles through this very encounter of fate. Candy…" he narrowed his eyes to her...

She blinked her own, "Y...Yeah?" she pulled out her own Pokeball, but as he raised an eyebrow, she got jazzed up and then repeated herself with far more enthusiasm, "YEEAHHH?" dramatic lines of action followed as she pushed her energy out through her throat and stepped firmly forward, hunching a bit to show she was gonna do her best in this battle.

She had learned from him... in the Pokemon Training Academy... that no matter what, you should always put your whole heart and soul into a match. Whether it was just a friendly one or not, money or nothing, to give it your all and best.

"Prepare yourself!" he tugged off a Pokeball, clicked it by his cheek, and then threw it up with a twist. "For I summon... my most faithful ally,... Behold! Kadabra!"

In a flash of what looked like Pokeball Seals, a decorative entrance was had and the light formed into a solid form that burst forth a yellow pokemon with a spoon, holding it out like he was flinging out a sword.

"Kadabra~" Like a true warrior's introduction into a legendary fight, he stood on one foot, balancing, and then dramatically moving one foot out in a kick and then throwing his hand with his spoon out forward and to the sky. "KADAAAAAABRAAA!" a huge anime lightning bolt crashed behind him, as the kids roared in splendor at such a stunt.

"He's holding the spoon like a mighty sword!" Jake laughed, but it was clear he was enjoying it. The girls were in awe at the show before them, giddily jumping up and down and looking to each other in glee at what would happen next.

"He certainly knows how to thrill the crowd..." Miss Pearl looked back at the children and had some sweat drop down a bit from the side of her face. "Tell me, if he's always been this much of a theatrics boy, why not audition for a place at Pokestar Studios?" she questioned, but Tai just sighed, lowering his head and rubbing hand over his beanie, probably giving himself terrible hat-hair.

"Well... it's the goal for him, that's for sure." He stated, "But... My bro's more a 'Shakespeare' kinda guy, you know?" He looked a little apologetic and Miss Pearl nodded, seeing what he meant.

"Ah, I see... more for the serious nature of plays rather than television." She found that a bit of a shame. "Still, there are movies that are works of art."

"Yeah... Maybe one day, I'll convince him to audition more for it." He threw his arms behind his head and looked up at the sky a bit lazily, "But... I'll miss him if he and his pokemon become famous... you know?" He tilted his head to the side, a slanted mouth too. "I don't wanna hold him back, though... either."

"Haha, I'm sure he'll try to wrangle you into his passions as well." She teased, and Tai's joy returned to him, ten-fold.

"Yeah, right?! But I got the family farm! That's all I need. 'Beautiful mornings' and 'No place like home', sorta deals." He lifted his nose up as he bent down to speak with her, then they both looked at each other with a twinkle in their eyes, and had a good laugh.

"You should really be an entertainer or work for those big Pokefilm productions, Shade!" Candy saw how the children were just eating it up, but Shade's face looked insulted as he stepped back, his eyes twitching. She had only stated what she felt... unaware that Miss Pearl and Tai were discussing the same things.

"W-what is this!? You mock my dramatic flare?!" he looked down, sulking with fuming rage that he channeled into his trembling fist. "Never before has my family experienced such a shameful reply…"

"Haha! You should Shade!" Tai cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted back, "It'd be a place to really shine to fame! And you'd meet so many pokemon and famous celebrities! Even hot chicks!" most just gave Tai a weird look of 'oh, you, stop.' kinda expression as Shade flinched forward again and cried back.

"You're not helping!" he stated. "A movie can not amount to the spirit of a live performance... no recording ever could..." He sighed, losing some of his anger to replace it with a new pivot, turning to the audience for an aside... spotlight on him. "Should I? The future seems so littered with possible fates... am I to choose my fate? Or am I to follow the course given to me since infancy? Nay... I must find my own route, chart my own course... for the stars never waver, and neither shall my heart in its dream for a true awakening!"

The sisters' eyes were lightly vibrating with stars in their eyes... as though enchanted by his words.

"No matter." He turned back, right on the stage of the Battlefield as Candy was in front of him and to the left. Having the same cool attitude as he did before, he continued his speech as Kadabra turned to him, as though longing for his partner's heroism and words to inspire him. "I must win this for my people, and all the pokemon of this world! I shall not lose!" he threw his hand forward once again, and Kadabra threw it back to him in the same dramatic fashion. "Now, my faithful Kadabra, use your sacred power to banish whatever champion she may summon to that of the far reaches of this world!"

"Kadabra, dabra!" The Kadabra moved into different poses of battle orientation before moving his hand and gesturing for Candy to 'bring it on' with a few flicks of his three fingers in his direction.

"Haha, okay, okay. A Pokemon Master it is." She smiled, trying to calm him down as she brought out her Pokemon. "If you truly wish to be a master of them all, then you'll have to first learn how to befriend and defeat them all!"

His eyes pulsed as though she was about to do some awesome move, and it brought Jake to the edge of his seat.

He wondered what Shade knew that he didn't know... he had seen Candy battle before, but... why did this battle... just feel different all of a sudden?

Miss Pearl smiled at the children's reactions, 'They're gaining a love for it... that's good and healthy, too.' she looked to Shade, "...What an interesting gentleman. He's after the Championship title?" she asked out loud, and Tai just kinda nodded.

"Yeah... I think he wants to do that first," he said lightly, as Miss Pearl nodded.

"Good for him, he's got plenty of time to live out as many dreams as he wills to have." she found a lot of respect in that decision... 'Candy makes such interesting friends... but good friends... very good friends.' she hummed lightly in joy at that. 'They all seem to support one another. Maybe... her gift isn't just directed at bringing out the best in Pokemon, either.' she concluded, and decided to watch on in the fun, scooting forward as well and blinking her squinted, slanted eyes open to try and see more. Her own pokemon were doing their own thing, were they actively watching? She looked up to Octavius, he hadn't moved in a while, and looked around for Nevermore... did she return him to his Pokeball?

Oh dear, her memory was certainly seeming to go a bit there...

"Let's do this!" Candy did her signature twirl with her knee raised over the other, "Zippity! I choose you!"

In a flash of light from the opening Pokeball, a stream of energy formed on the ground to collectively make Pichu's outline. Her ears twitched and the light faded to reveal herself, her tiny paws up by her ducked face before bursting herself out and shaking the results of being summoned off of herself.

"Pichu!" she then jumped on all fours, knowing exactly that she was in what she was built for and longed to get better at... a battle! "Piiii…" Zippity growled, ready for the sparks of rivalry to commence, the thundering of punches and footfalls between two powerful foes... she was itching to get stronger as well!

She tugged tight the band that was strung around the bottom base of her right ear, holding a Persim berry that allowed her to not get confused when she uses her electrical attacks.

"…You haven't evolved your Pichu yet?" Shade seemed slightly disappointed. "I know that back in school, it was rearing to become a stronger Pokemon... so what happened? Did you not train like you said you would?" Candy felt a twinge of guilt just a bit at his words there... "She can't get any stronger if you don't allow her to achieve her greatest potential." He folded his arms as Kadabra mimicked him.

"Kadabra." He stuck his head high, clearly judging if Candy really was sincere about being a true Pokemon Trainer, and possibly, master too.

"She's not a worthy opponent?" Candy felt a little embarrassed and looked down to Zippity, who was piping mad with that insult, biting the air and having puffs of steam coming out her ears at what they just said. "But when you had your Abra… she was." Candy felt bad. "And besides, she accidentally swallowed an Everstone! It's not her fault!" It... was Candy's fault that had happened...

"Pi…" Pichu looked over her shoulder, torn between being upset with her or just the situation entirely... either way, Zippity had somewhat let it go.

When Zippity had gotten home from the school graduation with Candy, it had swallowed the Everstone when Candy was moving stones around to help her mother's shop. Though it did more than just sit in her stomach... it also affected her self-confidence. Candy had knelt down to her, feeling awful about what happened and knocking the stone off into her mouth by accident, and told her—"You'll just have to be the strongest Pichu there ever was, Zippity. The toughest you can be. Until that thing comes out for good!"

Since then, Zippity had a new dream... to become the strongest, most capable Pichu there ever was! No matter if she was still a permanent baby pokemon or not... she'd win! And she'd win with pride!

"Anyway, I won't lose either!" Candy held up a fist and looked to her Pichu with arched eyes that slowly turned down to show she was still going to trust in her Pokemon. Pichu's eyes shook... still hurt from that experience, but never fully defeated. Pichu took a deep breath in with her eyes closed, turned to lower her head to Kadabra... who looked curiously with blinking eyes as she suddenly opened them to show a strong, steadfast and immovable countance.

She was gonna win!

"My Zippity has learned to be strong without the aid of evolution, and now-! Shade of the farmlands! I shall bring you to justice!" she played along as Zippity face-palmed, not believing her trainer would stoop so low… But Candy skid one foot behind her and pivoted her torso to really dramatize her stance. "We'll show you! Evolution comes from the heart! Not always the form!"

Miss Pearl... smiled warmly at that comment.

"Ehh… her dramatic flare isn't as good as Mr. Shade's…" Jake stated as Candy had a large sweat blob drip off the side of her face in a very animated fashion. She turned with a stomp and broke her pose, thrusting her arms down to angrily holler back at him.

"NO COMMENTARY!"

"Very well, then." Shade smiled too at her comment, "But you must be prepared... Without new power, means you'll have to master what you already possess!" He swung his arm behind him straight forward and spread his knees apart to create another action movement, as though skidding to the winning homerun but pausing just before one flew to the ground, "Kadabra! Bring her to the error of her ways! Attack with Psycho Cut!" he threw a hand up to his eye and then ended with both arms in tilted 'X' shape, as Kadabra bent his spoon and then slashed it through the air twice.

"Kaaaaadabra!" A glowing pink, sharply angled beam tore against the air towards Zippity.

"Pi, pi!" Zippity dodged the two powerful cuts with a jump, hop, and bounded left, right, and jumped in anticipation to start closing the gap between the Psychic Pokemon and herself. Candy realized his pokemon's level far excelled Zippity's... That blast went clear past her and smashed into a tree, shaking it so violently that pokemon and its leaves came falling or flying out.

"Wow, you've really gotten better since school…" she was getting worried. After school, she hadn't really improved all that much… "It's like... you're even more experienced now."

His gaze was crisp with understanding, as though the battlefield's stage had become second nature acting now.

He was engrossed in his performance... as though he's playing the role countless times...

"Command your champion, Candy." Shade instructed, seeing she was... sort of... lost in her examination of himself.

He stood tall, unbreakable... wise...

"O-oh, right." Candy snapped out of her admiration and began to try and get serious about the battle. Her cheeks rosied up just slightly with little streaks of pink, before she got herself together and looked to Zippity, "Alright, Pichu, use Thunder Wave!" she cried out. Zippity was used to the intermediate use of her nickname. She had a chance of getting confused using electrical moves, but that's why the Persim berry was a part of their strategy, which was tightly bound around by a scarf in her right ear. She twitched it, feeling it in there, just a slight comfort and sense of security. Yes, she could go full throttle now! Somewhat like that Phanpy movie where the little Dedenne got a Murkrow's feather and could fly in the circus, it was her lucky charm that let her know she could surpass her own weaknesses...

"Pi!" A subtle shock escaped her electrical pouches on her cheeks, sending a miniature wave of lightning crawling from the ground up to Kadabra, hitting him at his toe to then rise up over his large form. It shocked his eyes and he had to close them a second... before the entirety of his body now had amassed electrical shocks that zagged all around his body, leaving him to minimal movement, least he created frictional static that would shock him back into place.

"Ah! Kadabra!" Shade dramatically shouted out, "They've brought forth the power of the great electrical stormclouds to try and cease all movement from your mighty, metallic weapon!"

Kadabra squinted an eye open to look at his spoon, conducting Zippity's electrical attack all around it.

"Now, Zippity! Thundershock!" Candy threw out her arm, trying to put 'feeling' into her battle.

"Piiiiichuuu!" Zippity jumped up, her arms up before flinging them down to fire a powerful electrical hit down on Kadabra, who was forced to take the brute of the hit when he tried to step away but the Paralysis kept him immobilized.

"Woah! It worked!" Jake blurted out, leaning up in his seat, practically off the bench now, "Kadabra couldn't dodge out of it's way!" he looked to Eevee, then the sisters, then back to Eevee, "...We need a move like that!" he stated, and Candy felt a wave of pride rush through her.

"Hear that?" she teared up to Zippity, "He's watching and admiring me now." she whispered to her, "I'm so happy~" she had an aura of joy around her, sparkling with bubbles and twinkling lights, which only made Zippity think she was being a bit too distracted...

"Stay strong, Kadabra! Do not lose hope! I believe in you! The very result of this battle depends on you, KADAABRAA!" Shade cried out to his Pokemon, his feelings rippling through the air as Kadabra fought a moment against the electrical surges... and then...

Kadabra's eyes broke open and he burst himself free of the Paralysis, "KADABRA!"

The children all cheered, "He broke free! Kadabra! We believe in you!" they cried out, and Candy—once again—felt like that tiny moment she had of being a worthy example the children had all too soon... fluttered away...

"Well, it was great while it lasted." she sighed, and Zippity just smacked her forehead into the ground, fed up with Candy's switching emotional states.

"Grr... So it's not fully paralyzed! We can still-!" Candy tried to make a comeback, but... "Wait, what!?" Her eyes widened as she saw Kadabra take a powerful foot-stomp forward, able to unleash an attack again, and not relinquishing his turn over to Zippity again. "Impossible!" she exclaimed, "It should still be Paralyzed! Zippity's status attack should only be cured with a berry or-"

"Or a strong bond between trainer and pokemon." Pearl explained, "Shade called out to him, so Kadabra heard his concern. Not wanting him to worry, he found the strength to break free of his Paralysis, no longer hindering Shade's confidence in him." Pearl nodded to Kadabra, who nodded back to her. "There is a strong friendship between these two... which then allows for a turn in the tables of a battle. Let's see what else they've got."

"S-something that can break the rules of a conventional battle!?" Candy turned to Miss Pearl, who nodded.

"That is correct." she then heard one of the sisters stand up and turned around to see her.

"Haha! Jake and Eevee still couldn't hit Torchic! They don't have that 'strong' of enough bond yet!" Mia laughed out as Tia puffed up her cheek at her pointing and mocking them.

"That's not fair, Mia!" Tia stated, "Jake isn't a real Pokemon Trainer yet!"

Jake just shook his fist on his knee, bowing his head down low as Eevee had angry tears flowing in its eyes as well, lowering its head and lifting its backend to show a similar—mimicking stance—as to Jake.

"We'll show them..." he scoffed out, "We'll be unstoppable!" he looked to Eevee who nodded in the same resolve.

"Eevee!" the tears in its eyes sprayed out as though to state he wouldn't cry anymore.

"Now, use Psycho Cut once more!" Shade flared out his hand and jacket, as Kadabra held out his spoon and once more launched his attack with a spinning swipe through the air.

This time, the wave of pink did hit and land, causing Zippity to be thrown back by each and every swipe of the physic hit.

"Ah! Zippity!" Candy stepped forward, but knowing she couldn't cross the trainer's battle box, she scooted it back to her side... shaking... 'I... I have to keep trying!' she admitted. "Zippity, Thunder wave again!"

"Wha? But she just tried that and it didn't work." Tia began to comment, leaning forward in a bit of worried confusion at Candy's judgment, as Mia also nodded to continue, "Hmm, yeah. Why go for a strategy that's already been proven to fail?"

Miss Pearl nodded, "It's true that at first you don't succeed... try, try again." She looked up with her lined eyes as horizontal as the horizon, viewing the match under all those wrinkles. "It's also said, to try something that's failed over and over again is the very definition of insanity... however, to avoid that mistake, we must be capable of learning. Problem-solving is the essence of a Pokemon Trainer. Knowing what your Pokemon's strengths and weaknesses are... and coming up with—even minor adjustments—can easily turn the tide." She smiled lightly when she saw that potential in Candy's eyes... as Pichu let out another Thunder Wave as she jumped up to do so. It hit Kadabra's head as he once again was twitching in Paralysis.

"He'll break out of it, won't he, Miss Pearl?" Jake felt he was right, but looking again, he gasped in astonishment.

It was lasting a lot longer this time, and Kadabra was trying to place his arms up by his head to block Zippity's continual attacks of Thundershock, to no avail.

"Kadabra!" Shade called out, worriedly. "Grr... the very spirit of thunder has plagued you yet again!" Shade gritted his teeth, not sure what to do if Kadabra wasn't able to follow through with his commands. "Try and break it, old friend!" he cried out, "Once more! For good measure!" but even with all of Shade's energy directed for his encouragement, Kadabra was very much stuck this time around.

"Ah..! He's really getting a pummeling now!" Jake cried out, getting up, "Kadabraaa!" Eevee also jumped up on all fours, cheering along side him and pattering his paws to the bleachers in anticipation.

But... the battle never reversed. Once Zippity got the lead, being much faster than Kadabra, all of what moves he could unleash wouldn't fell the little tyke. Instead, Zippity would attempt to dodge or get hit but tough it out. It endured long enough to see the final result... finally winning against such a tough opponent as Kadabra tried to swipe out his spoon... but struggling,... leaned back... and finally fell forward with swirls in his eyes.

"Kadabra is no longer able to battle!" Pearl called out, "The winner is, Candy!"

The kids clapped, though it was clear she wasn't their favorite to win...

"Well done, Candy! Whooo! Alright!" That's okay, though, because Tai was more than happy to pick up the entire role of a crowd of cheering fans.

Zippity panted, extremely exhausted from such an undertaking. Simply chipping down at Kadabra's health and trying to use her berry and band to stay out of confusion... she finally flopped down on her stomach and Candy withdrew her to her Pokeball.

"Wow, for you to dodge and even snap out of confusion without even using your held item that one time… a great battle indeed." Shade returned his Kadabra as well, "I admit defeat... for this round, anyway."

"Yay! I won against impossible odds!" Candy cheered, as the kids looked sorrowfully to their fallen hero, sniffling... "WHA-HUUUHH!? Why aren't you happy for me?!" her mouth dropped, seeing that she wasn't their favored to win.

"Hero Shade lost…" Sniffed Tia, holding Mia's hand as she leaned into her shoulder.

"I wanted to see him happy…" Mia sighed, "Such a handsome hero, too... a real good guy, you know?"

"But the evil, ugly witch Candy defeated him." Jake looked disappointed too, folding his arms in disappointment before looking over to Candy and mocking her with a tongue sticking out. "Bleh! He'll get you next time, crooked, stinky witch!"

"HEEEYYY! E-Evil witch..?!" Candy felt bad but her anger rose at their obvious favoritism.

Shade suddenly started laughing, "Heheh…hahahah…HAHAHAHA!" he brought forth another Pokeball from his jacket. "Fear not, loyal friends, I have yet to show you that when defeat is ripe... the hero rises from the ashes and soars to the sky!" he held up the Pokeball as it shone brightly in beams at being directly on point with a ray of sunlight.

The kids ooh'd in amazement.

"He's got TWO pokemon!?" Candy flinched back, shocked, as the kids cheered. "Ah! H-hey!"

"Hero Shade's not done in yet!" Jake cheered, getting riled up again, "The witch can still be melted!"

"Oui!" she cried out, "W-why is he is the hero and I'm the witch!?" Candy cried out, sorely upset by this placing of roles she was given.

"Behold, I have heard your cries, my dear allies of justice and truth… and I will not fail a second time. Every hero must experience defeat, but this time-!"He threw the Pokeball up, as it spun and covered the sun, making it flash in all its glory open after replacing the light of the sun... "My ultimate champion of destiny..! My noble steed, go! Rapidash!"

In the flames came a wild neigh, as the light burst to reveal a beautiful, burning horse that reared its front legs up and kicked them wildly, swinging its head back as though to pose with the sun behind it, mimicking the Pokeball's dramatic flare.

Shade caught the Pokeball as it came down, smirking.

"W-what?" Candy stepped back. "It's a fully evolved pokemon!" she worriedly looked to her other Pokeball...

Miss Pearl... thought about Munchlax just then... a gift for Candy... but Candy did possess a second Pokemon already...

The kids cheered so loudly, it made Miss Pearl's smile a little strained from how much it hurt her ears. 'At least they're enjoying the lesson.' she thought to herself, 'And Candy seems to be improving quite exponentially.' She was pleased the battle demonstration was turning out to be a great way to engage the children in her teaching methods, by showing true examples of persevering in a match. "It's never over till it's over." she nodded, smugly remembering her own Pokemon Battles in her youth. "It's nice that Candy can have her friends come over and entertain the children. Don't you think so Octavius?" she looked up to her dear pokemon.

"Octi! Oct!" Octavius seemed happy, and she was momentarily shocked to see him.

"Oh, you are up there. You haven't moved in a while, my old friend." she smiled as though at peace... but was her memory really alright?

"Grr…" Candy ground her teeth together, "Alright, Zippity, once more!" she brought out her Pichu who once again looked tired. "Use Thundershock!"

"Pi-!" Zippity forced a paw forward and then started to run.

"Just a little more, Zippity..." She muttered to herself, "I just need some damage on it... or Flower doesn't stand a chance..." she worriedly scrunched her face up as though this was going to be hard to win with... a bad type match up, but she wouldn't end things here with her being perceived as the villain!

"Rapidash is much faster than your Pichu, Candy! I move first!" Shade jumped back, hand extended still, "Even the raging fire beats the quickest of lightning strikes! Use Flamethrower!"

Rapidash ducked its head and wildly bucked it around to show its fighting spirit, then once again cried out and kicked up its powerful legs, stomping down to open its mouth and extend its neck out far. The row of flames flew out down towards the ground, as Zippity squinted an eye, trying to leap over the flames before Rapidash rose its head up to follow the already spent pokemon.

It just... wasn't able to be fast enough, nor muster the strength, to bound over a foe's move this time...

Zippity didn't stand a chance...

Zippity's face pulled back in horror, stretching its mouth out as the flames flickered powerfully in the reflections of its eyes. Rapidash quickened its pace and ran forward, burning not only Zippity, but flinging its head around wildly to charge over and rear in a turned stampede to Candy, who waved her hands out in front of her before being burnt to a crisp. It left her looking funny and ash-covered, opening her mouth to let out smoke that was trapped in there for a second as Rapidash closed it' mouth and happily took a leisurely pace back to its Trainer, as though it didn't just burn everything in sight.

"Victory is mine." Shade formed a tight fist with his hand, and held it up to his face. He also stroked his Rapidash's long face, before looking to the side of himself. "At last… my family may have peace."

"Your family's DEAD?!" Candy cried out before Tai sighed at Shade's theatrical backstory arc.

"No, no. It's just part of his dramatic monologue." he placed his hands on his knees, "Such a drama king..." He smiled, having already accepted his brother's acting career.

"O-oh…" Candy moved ahead to pick up her Pichu as Shade continued.

"For years I have pictured this day-!" He cheated-out his body, a tactic plays use to have the performer pivot his or her body more towards the audience, one hand to his chest and the other out to the bleachers. "At least, the witch is-" he was going off of Jake's words, but was cut-off as Candy didn't like him playing along with that.

"Hey, wiseguy!" she called out as she tapped Zippity's Pokeball to her forehead and held her like a baby, the light swarming into the Pokeball before it closed in her loosened hand to allow its top half to open.

Shade turned to see Candy wink, smirking as she exchanged Zippity's Pokeball with another, walking backwards towards her side of the Trainer's square again. "You're not the only one with two!" She wiggled another Pokeball she had pulled out in her hands. "We're just getting started!"

He grinned and put his hands back in his pockets. "I see... So, my opponent has mastered my tactics…"

"Uh… what tactics? I just had another-" Candy pointed again to her Pokeball, thinking she didn't 'steal any ideas' from him, she just had more than one!

"I shall not lose." He glared, looking up as he was actually intimidating for a moment, and she was somewhat spooked by his serious new tone.

"Y-You're getting more into this Roleplaying thing... Then again, when weren't you?" She admitted aloud, "Ah! Well, … okay." She seemed to just accept it. She summoned out her pokemon quickly, throwing its Pokeball into the air. "Let's go, Flower! Even with the disadvantage, I know you can do this for me! F-For us!"

"Hmm?" Miss Pearl leaned forward, looking at her side of the field, twitching her eyelids as though that was her way of blinking through the slits. "She's not giving up... that's good, I'm proud of her then." she nodded, pleased to see she wasn't going to just call the match off.

The light burst and swirled before revealing the green leaf adorned on top of a very small body...

"Chik?" Chikorita looked out of place, scanning the area around her as though appalled at being on a battlefield. She may get her leaf and feet dirty, which was unacceptable. "Chika!?" She glared back at her trainer as if to scold her for summoning her on such terrible conditions as 'the unkept ground'.

"Hey! I just really didn't want to lose so easily, okay!?" Candy cried out, seeing the little thing stomp her feet to the ground as though complaining it didn't want to be out here, in nature... "B-but... you're a Grass-type pokemon... you should love the outdoors!" Candy spread her arms out, "And battling helps Pokemon create bonds of friendship and get stronger together! What's the issue here?" she tried to convince her, but the Chikorita wasn't having it, coughing at the dust cloud she made from pattering her feet so fast on the ground in active protest.

"…A Grass-type? From the Pokemon School's Graduation Exam?" Shade blinked his eyes and pointed with a bent arm towards Chikorita, as though unimpressed. "... They gave you options for a Starter Pokemon, but since you were one of the lucky ones to scrape by, you must have been given one. Did you choose it? Well, either way..." he raised his eyebrows to it, as though without a shred of empathy for Candy, "Flamethrower."

Rapidash simply opened its mouth, and the deed was done.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Candy slid onto the field and dramatically held her brunt Chikorita, fainted in seconds, as the kids rushed to Shade, jumping and cheering for his success.

"As the princesses of this land, let us reward you for your vibrant actions," Tia stated, holding Mia's hand before Miss Pearl cleared her throat.

"Deary, I think you mean, valiant." Pearl corrected kindly, smiling.

Tia and Mia looked up to her, "Oh." Mia said. "My mistake." Tia followed and looked to Shade as he knelt down, bowing.

"My princesses, I would be honored by your generous reward." He smiled lightly as the two went on either side of his face, and gently, they each took a turn to kiss one side of his cheeks.

"Ah, a noble gift, indeed." He winked to the girls after getting up from his 'kneeling bow of honored respects', "I shall cherish it." they swooned together with hearts in their eyes. Even Igglypuff swooned a bit, who had been playing on the playground until seeing the battle and decided to come back over once the fighting was done.

Lucario and Combusken returned as they looked shocked to see the battle was over and wished they hadn't missed it. "Combusk-!", "Lucar?" they exclaimed, seeing a Rapidash and suddenly darting in front of it, wanting a go as it just stared at them, looking rather calm at their sharp jabs in the air and swings of their kicks... it wasn't the least bit intimidated by their performances.

Candy, sorrowfully, dragged her feet over to the bleachers and flopped her face down on the seat. Miss Pearl went over and patted her head, "I'm still proud of you, you didn't give up, and that takes a lot of heart."

"But now Flower hates me..." she whimpered, "And Zippity and I already have a strained relationship I've been working on for years..." she hiccuped. "Why are my classmates so far ahead of me..?"

"Well, we'll see about that! My turn!" Tai threw his legs up and jumped from off the Bleachers, making the kids 'Wow' at him, as Jake was about to try but Miss Pearl gave him a stern look.

"No, you don't, sonny." she cautioned him, and he folded his arms.

"Ah, man... How am I gonna defeat the Witch like Hero Shade if I can't even jump off the Bleachers like his brother!? Hmph!" he whined, dissatisfied that Miss Pearl was 'holding him back' from his 'true potential'.

Tai raced to the field, skidding into place within the Trainer's square outside the battlefield, "Sorry Rappi, but it's my Pokemon's time to shine!" he held out a Pokeball and Rapidash nodded, walking pleasantly back over to its Trainer side, nudging his back as he stroked its neck.

"I can heal your Pokemon for you, Candy? And certainly, you know I think of you as a cute witch." He smiled sweetly to her, his nature restored to the cool and charming actor, no longer his intense, heroic character role.

"Lucario! Car!" Lucario dashed to the field, bounding his fist into his chest with vigor, showing he wanted to have a go at battling.

"W-what? B-but... don't I owe you money..?" She pointed awkwardly to Shade, who shook his head.

"It's alright, really. I just... missed you. I wanted to see how strong you had become." he gave her a welcoming grin, "And you've certainly gotten stronger with your creativity in battle, Candy! You always had a unique way to turn the tide."

"But... I still lost-" Candy was cut off as Miss Pearl helped her up, and helped her return Flower to her Pokeball.

"Just because you lost one battle in life, doesn't mean you'll lose the next ones to follow. Chin up, ol'girl. You're doing fantastic." Miss Pearl flicked under Candy's chin to give her some spirit, "And look at the children... They're learning from you just as much as your friends... They are seeing how you pick yourself up from the blunders of the last match, to only improve and get stronger upon the next one! Win or lose, it's all a learning opportunity to get better and better at what you do... and what you love to do... is that right?" Pearl's encouragements almost made Candy cry, touched at seeing that Miss Pearl was on her side... even when the kids weren't.

"T-thanks Miss Pearl, b-but-" She was about to say more when Tai laughed, seeing Combusken pounding its fist into each other and stretching its arms out.

"Hahaha! That's okay, Shade! Seems She has two strong pokemon right here." Tai cupped a hand by his mouth to call out and wave to Shade, then gestured to Lucario and Combusken. "I have two as well! Let's battle already!" he cheered, grinning as though he was fueled by the very power of the sun itself. Bright, happy, full of life never-ceasing!

Shade returned to his normal attitude as he sat down, judging up the two as he folded his arms. "If you lose, I'll disown you as my brother." He stated, which made Tai holler back at him.

"You would not! Mom and Dad would yell at you!" it was quite comical as Candy also took to the same side of the field, taking a deep breath, and looking at the two Pokemon. "You guys... sure you're ready to rely on me like this?" she hoped so... she didn't want to disappoint anyone... The kids, her Pokemon, Miss Pearl... especially herself and her friends.

Shade 'hmph'd and looked to the side, "They would agree that those who cannot handle the fierce power of battle should not be accepted in the family."

"Y-you're so cruel, big bro!" he put an arm over his eyes before getting back to the battle. "Let's prove him wrong! It's not power that wins fights, it's loyalty! And besides, who's better at summoning up the strength to keep the Ranch going than a true, born and raised, farmboy!? Let's do it and go! Dodrio!" he pulled out a Pokeball and dipped his beanie down, then spun a leg up and twirled once to release the Pokeball like a powerful curveball, having it spiral in the air towards the field.

Another powerful, fully evolved Pokemon…

"Do-do-dodrio!" their chant was rhythmic as Tai gave the first command, being faster once more. "Let's go, go, go! My faithful Pokemon of the cowboy roundups! One who would never let me down! Fury Attack!" he threw out his hand, "Yeeeehawww!"

Their beaks all flew rapidly one after another as Lucario blocked them with his hands over himself, taking some minimal damage but not as much as just letting them through.

Combusken jumped to Candy's side, punching the air a few times as though Lucario had taught it some moves, and it looked riled up by the match starting.

"You stay here, Combusken, just keep an eye on things for now." Candy instructed, and it nodded as it continued to chant and cheer with punches. "Lucario! Use Auro Sphere!"

It was super effective! Dodrio tried to race away but Lucario darted up behind it and tripped its feet, then slammed three Aura Sphere's into each head, jumping over it and back to Candy's side of the field once all three heads had swirls in their eyes.

An instant K.O!

"Ah! She beat him in one fell-swoop!" Jake got up, looking amped from the round. Eevee also looked with twinkling eyes... could it pull something like that off, one day?

"Lucar!" he seemed very happy with getting that K.O, as Tai turned white and his head slowly twitched with a creaking sound over to his brother, who gave off an aura of dark flames around him.

"Not good enough. Power beats loyalty. Our parents would be ashamed..." those small mutterings from Shade made Tai flip out and cry back as he shoved his beanie down more with both hands in front of him on his forehead, lifting a leg up as though trying to hold in his frustration.

"Ahh! You haven't seen anything yet! Go, Miltank!" He returned Dodrio and with the other hand, summoned out Miltank, as though interchanging them quickly.

"Milll~" Miltank stretched, yawning as it patted its stomach. Igglypuff saw another pink Pokemon and hearts formed all around it and in its eyes, having a new favorite in the cast of new Pokemon it had seen today.

"Miltank has been on the farm for years, it's very motherly, and often takes care of me and Shade as though we were little kids again." He beamed with his eyes closed, having fond memories of her nurturing ways. "She was heartbroken at hearing we'd be leaving for school, so I took her along with me!"

"Oh! I remember her!" Candy exclaimed, "She cleaned your dorm room!"

"The very same." he scratched the back of his head, "She doesn't mind a good tussle, so long as everyone has fun and no one gets so hurt that Moomoo Milk can't fix!"

"Lucario!" Lucario got ready, almost as though saying, 'Enough talk!'.

"Without a strong trainer she wants to care for, this Miltank wouldn't look like much, but check it out!" Tai cried out, "With its loyal heart, Miltank will stomp you out and give you a rest from its bleeding, creamy, pure white heart! And all for the sake of pleasing those she loves!"

"Miltank~" it yawned again, having a sweet expression on its face.

"Heh, we'll see about that! I'm not in the mood to be stomped out twice! It looks awfully slow compared to the last two I've faced. Lucario, use Aura Sphere!" Candy called out, ready to get this victory under her belt once... and for all!

Besides, Lucario was a fully evolved Pokemon... she might have a chance now! R-right?

"Lucario!" he threw his hands back to one side and charged, the white light in the center expanded to a blue middle core and then a darker aura on the outside of it. Before long, it had grown and tripled in size as his arms pulsed outward to contain it where it was, then fired the blast out with a mighty cry. "Lucarrr!" It flew through the air like a comet, crashing and blasting into a blue smoke upon impact. Miltank was hit and her arms failed like a propeller to keep her from falling over, stomping a powerful hoof down as she panted and seemed to place an arm on her heart, taking it rather like a tank... but it being Super Effective...

"Woah! It's still up!" Jake exclaimed, "But with that being a Super Effective move, shouldn't it have been K.O'd instantly like that last Normal Type?" Jake's question led him to look to Miss Pearl, who 'hmm'd at his out-of-mind pondering.

"You are somewhat correct, young Jake. Although a move may be especially effective when compared to the typing setup... You must also not forget the very real importance of your Pokemon's stats." she pulled out what looked like a Pokedex from another region, as the kids all climbed up around her to look down into it. "These are the stats, Attack, Health, Defense, Special Attack, Speed, and lookie here..." she had the children peer over her shoulders and Eevee jumped on the other side of her head to look down, making Octavius look over at him and take the chance to use his long barrel mouth to peck the side of his cheek, making him cry out in protest and rub that side as Octavius laughed.

"Octi, octi, octi!" he clapped his tentacles together, as Eevee just sighed at his prank, moving a little off her head so it didn't get 'kissed' on the cheek again.

"This one is-" Miss Pearl began before Mia spoke up.

"Special Defense!" She stated as her sister, Tia, also seemed to recall, "That's what counters Special Attacking moves!"

"That's correct." Miss Pearl chimed, glad to see someone was paying attention to her lessons in the Daycare that she gave extra thought to when preparing the lessons for the children. "Now, Special Attack doesn't mean Super Effective. It simply means a non-physical move's power. Pokemon Stats are affected by their Natures. So, as you get to know your new companions, training with them and whatnot, you'll recognize that some are quicker than others of their kind or perhaps, one's strength is building faster than another's. That's alright! It's the uniqueness and variety that give Pokemon, and ourselves, the greatest bonds of friendship. To get stronger, and to progress together in this wonderful world and life, we need to build ourselves with a team that has exactly these differences to truly become the Champions of connections."

The kids looked inspired, as Igglypuff jumped up to look at Mia and Tia, who smiled at her and giggled. Jake took Eevee and they looked at each other before Eevee snuck a lick under his chin and he laughed. He hugged Eevee who in return, snuggled under his chin.

Back on the Battlefield, Miltank tried to keep its balance as Lucario went with Quick Attack to a Feint but all that happened was that it fell on its butt and rocked itself back up. It smiled gently, which surprised Lucario, who sweatdropped a little and looked at it a bit funny. "Lucar..?" Was it... not upset that it was getting hit?

Shade watched silently, as the twins sat on either side of him, a bit shyer than before but he just looked to them and saw that Igglypuff was in one of their laps. He smiled and wiggled a finger under Igglypuff's chin, scratching it lightly in affection as it giggled at the tickles.

Immediately, the girls gave open grins and seemed more comfortable with sitting by Shade. They seemed to have been demure for a moment, but seeing how he wasn't as intense as before, they liked this natural kindness he exuded around him. They felt... safe.

He seemed to naturally have that effect around both people and pokemon, when he wasn't acting, it seemed.

"Milk drink!" Tai cried out with a confident swipe of his hand through the air and leaning back while Miltank took out a glass from behind herself, poured some freshly squeezed milk, and drank it. "Now, let's hit it with a Stomp!"

"Mil-!" Incredibly, the cubby little cow pokemon just literally jumped back up so fast that both Lucario and Candy's heads zipped upward to follow it as it launched itself into the air. Miltank looked like it jumped over the moon... "-ttttaaAANNNNKKK!" as it fell, the sound of its cry got louder and sharper as it pierced through the air that blew past it on its way down. Its hooves hit down on Lucario so hard as he panicked with worried sweat flying everywhere at the impending shadow that grew smaller and smaller until finally landing its hit. The impossibility of the Miltank's jump left Candy's mouth open and unable to cry out for a dodge, though Lucario was so startled that he probably couldn't snap out of it in time to react anyway.

"L-Lucario!" Candy cried out as she finally came back to her senses, all the while the Miltank rubbed its sleepy eyes when the dust cleared and revealed it was sitting on Lucario... struggling to get off from under it as a paw reached out before flopping down to try and move out from underneath its weight.

"Haha! Agile, isn't she?" Tai teased with a big grin on his face.

"Lucario!" Candy gave a more direct call out to him this time, which had the paw twitch, showing he heard the difference in her voice. Would... she and him create that trainer and pokemon bond he so longed for? Would she give him the power to excel and miraculously gain the strength he needed to win this? Besides, he was Super Effective against Normal Types, he just needed that extra push to- "Use..! Well, use anything!" Candy didn't know what to do, he wasn't able to move right now, but...

"Car?" Lucario lifted enough of Miltank off his shoulders and back to look towards her, as though saying, 'Is that all?'. He really wanted her to step up and give him the encouragement he needed to win this match... was... she just not strong enough to do so? Was this much like the twins? Was she not... completed yet as a trainer?

"Hahaha, in order for a pokemon to be great, he must be faithful to his trainer's every word. Without your expert guidance, how will your pokemon get stronger?" Tai stated, seeing as Lucario deserved better, and with that statement, Lucario did look to him. Had he read his mind? Did he know the thoughts of his heart?

He began to think about his words… more seriously and deeply than ever before.

"If the pokemon really wanted to be stronger, it would find a strong trainer, and work upon loyalty afterwards." Shade stated as the two girls clung to either side of him, thinking him dreamy as Igglypuff happily sat on his lap, but he didn't budge from looking so cool, even with the creampuff happily humming and bouncing her little head cutely on his lap, kicking her small feet out. "One must learn to connect with the character of his or her Pokemon... Candy, do you believe yourself to have connected to Lucario's hidden strength?" he asked her, as Lucario began to grow disheartened at his situation.

"Car..." Lucario looked down from turning to Shade, thinking… All his life... he'd been raised at the Daycare. In order to grow stronger, he trained secretly in the woods by himself after evolving, and recently just showed Combusken his training regiment. He thought if he could just protect the Daycare... maybe that was enough, but had always secretly longed for Candy to perhaps catch him.

It was only now that he realized... it didn't matter the type match up, the power in his fist, if his heart and his trainer's were weak, and not refined, then he'd never advance the way he truly wished to.

It was a hard reality to accept... but...

"LUCCARRR!" he flung Miltank off of him, lifting it above his shoulders and then throwing it to the ground. He felt so... weak, like a glass cannon. His moves could do so much to this Miltank, regardless of how sturdy and thick it was, but with one stomp he felt his health waning...

He breathed hard as his shoulders rose and fell, and then looked to Candy, almost desperately... Was she... the trainer he needed to get stronger through? Or was... was she just not the trainer he needed to advance with?

He pleaded in his heart through his eyes... Candy... would you get stronger for him, too? Could you prove it somehow? Could you be the trainer he longed to take him farther than his own solo-training would allow?

He thought about the Ursaring, his adventures with the Daycare were nothing like these two men had demonstrated when it came to strength and battling.

"Alright, Miltank," Tai had waited long enough, just seeing Candy's eyes tremble at Lucario's look to her, not knowing what to do for him. "Use Slam and let's end this game!"

"Ah! Wait!" she snapped out of it yet again and broke eye-contact with Lucario, who slowly closed his eyes, having his answer now, and turning to face Miltank. "Lucario, use-!"

"It's a bit late for that." Tai stated, hunkering down as he held up a fist, "Don't let Lucario down again, okay? Go, Miltank!" Tai threw out the punch as Miltank was in sync with him, without even looking at her trainer, she charged with full power towards Lucario.

His eyes were covered in shadow... his spirit broken at his resolve.

"Lucario, dodge!" Candy finally blurted out, but Miss Pearl knew... It sounded too much like the children learning to battle... and Lucario was strong enough and more mature now to want a far greater challenge. He had learned how to dodge, how to attack,... She knew this day might come.

She closed her eyes, 'Candy...' she knew to Lucario, it wasn't enough, and she wasn't ready to take him where he needed to be.

Miltank just bounced up into the air as though a pink ball as it spun to stretch out its legs and arms, ready to attack.

Lucario looked up, making a silent pack with himself... this was the last time he'd allow himself to lose...

"Lucario!" still, no attack. Did she not see how much he wanted to fight? His arms shook at his sides... he looked up at Miltank, but no... Candy and his heart were not in sync... she didn't see how much he wanted to fight and get stronger... she wasn't ready as a trainer yet to be what he needed her to be... for himself and her sake... he took the Slam with a half-baked Aura Sphere that he had waited too long on. It didn't lighten the damage, but Miltank did grit her teeth and squint an eye after the dust cleared, crawling off Lucario and moving back to show she did take quite a bit of damage from it.

"Millll..." She took out her glass, as though expecting Lucario to still have some fight left in him... but... "Miltank?" she blinked her eyes and her ears went up at seeing he didn't put up much of a struggle to try and stay in the match any longer. "Miltank, tank?" Was it okay?

"This match is over." Pearl stated, getting up, "Miltank is the winner. And before that, Rapidash was the winner. So the Brothers win!" Pearl announced as Candy swiveled down to her knees, staring at Lucario, feeling dread in her heart at having disappointed him.

"But... I still have Combusken-" She began, before realizing... Combusken didn't have her fighting spirit anymore. It crushed her to see that even Combusken... wasn't willing to have Candy command it, as it pushed its claws together, nervously looking away from her and then back, as though not wanting to admit it didn't want Candy to give it battle orders... "Lucario... And Combusken, too?" her eyes shook as he didn't look at her, his head to the other side while he was on the ground. Combusken also wasn't looking her in the eye... only for brief moments.

Shade gently got up, holding Igglypuff in his arms and having the twins dangle from his elbows before they finally dropped off back to the ground and he approached Candy, "Just because a Pokemon is strong, has the advantaged, or even is fully evolved... It doesn't mean you automatically win." He looked to Lucario on the ground, as Miltank tried to help him up, gently nudging him to do so... was he awake? Or just lying there..? Did he still have enough strength to go on but refused to?

Why wouldn't he turn and look at her..? Combusken wouldn't even let her try..?

"However, without the key element of understanding your Pokemon's heart, what they long for, what they seek... and especially what they need from you... you can hinder your Pokemon with your inexperience and—worse than that—there very pride and potential... if you don't see how much Lucario wanted you to direct and guide him to greater strength, then you're not ready for the level Lucario wants to be at... meaning..." Shade looked sadly down to her, still facing Lucario's direction.

"Meaning..." Candy began to form tears in her eyes, "Meaning, what!? He's still my responsibility!"

Lucario's head twitched.

"So I'm not strong enough right now, isn't that fine!? Me and Lucario have a lot to learn!" she held up her hands, growing passionate. "We lost, that's fine! We'll learn, we'll grow, and together—here at the Daycare—we can steadily get stronger!" She turned to Combusken, "We can just keep trying! But we have to believe in each other, right!? Miss Pearl?" she turned to her...

Her resolve fell on deaf ears... as Shade stared at her before shaking his head.

"No, Candy... Here at the Daycare, he can't progress any further than he already has. He's stronger now. You don't even have a gym badge, what will happen when he reaches a level you can't follow him at? Combusken may still need and want to stay... but it's clear he doesn't. Is keeping him a Daycare Pokemon really within his best interest?" Shade fought for Lucario's feelings... but at this point, Lucario already felt like he didn't want to get up, knowing what would happen when he did.

"If you want Lucario to succeed, he needs to go off on his own journey... Staying here... it just doesn't seem right for him." Shade stopped when Miss Pearl put a hand to his arm.

"That's for Lucario to decide when and why, good sir." She smiled at him, showing she did believe in his words and knew them to be true, but it still wasn't his call to make...

Igglypuff refused to move from Shade's arms, but Shade still offered his hand to Candy, who took it in her frustration and got back up. Tai was tending to Lucario, stroking his head, trying to rouse him up, seeing he hadn't fainted yet... but refused to continue.

"Hey, buddy..." He gently encouraged him, "Give Candy a break... she's still learning, just like all of us..."

Lucario gently lowered his eyes at the kind boy's touch... letting him soothe him as he still refused to get back up.

Miltank offered him some fresh milk, but Lucario turned his head from it, and she sadly pulled it back and looked to Tai.

"It's okay, you have it." He smiled sweetly at her and she drank it to regain her health.

"Mil!" she looked better than ever now, her bruises bursting away when her smile shined just as brightly as her Trainer's.

They worked so well together... Lucario closed his eyes, not wanting to see it anymore.

He knew what he was missing to gain further power... but to do so... would mean leaving the only home he's ever known... and... Candy...

"You guys have grown so much… and yet… I haven't really grown at all." Candy squeezed Shade's hand while Tai put a hand on Miltank's head and then stopped to look at her after such a comment... Miltank then walked over to her, seeing she was in an emotional state, and offered her another glass of milk.

"Mil, mil." She chimed, wanting to cheer her up.

Jake ran over to Lucario with Eevee, who gently pawed at his face while Jake squatted down to him. "You okay, champ?" He asked, looking him over. "You weren't fainted yet, right..? Why... did you stop then?"

He didn't know, and Lucario smiled at him as he opened his eyes and bent them a little to show some sympathy. Lucario petted Eevee's head, "Lucar, car." he told him he was alright, and slowly rose up to sit on the ground, thinking hard about his new decision...

"Miltank's right," Tai spoke up. "You have to grow some more, and not just from drinking milk, got it?" he gave her a thumbs-up with a wink, trying to cheer her up with some positivity she desperately needed. However, his Miltank looked shocked and hurt from his words, and turned to wobble away in depression. "Ah! Miltank! Wait!" He took off after her, giving her a big hug from behind, "I didn't mean YOUR milk wasn't enough for someone to grow strong by! Just that there are other things that help someone grow big and strong! Honest, your milk is the best! It cures all fatigue! It's amaazzinnngg!" Tai squeezed his Miltank in apology as it dried its tears and nuzzled him back, accepting that he hadn't meant to insult its stance on how healthy and encouraging of growth milk was to a youngin'.

His beloved Miltank moo'd with a smile as the twins then ran up to it, and it offered them the glass of milk instead. "Ohh!" the twins each took a gulp, licking their lips.

"It's like creamy and sweet!" Tia stated. "Yeah! And so cool and refreshing!" Mia chimed after her, as Miltank closed its eyes, pleased by their comments.

Shade bent down somewhat, and lightly touched Candy's chin so she'd look up from her depressive state. She freaked out a moment, waving her hands about and blushing to then scooting away from his loving touch. "Heh, I see you still fear affection like that." He smiled, "Regardless, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself. You're still improving, and honestly, you did do well today... better than I've seen you since the Trainer's school."

She looked down, crossing her legs a bit in front of her. "I…I'm not comfortable with-" she wiggled her body a moment as though this was definitely not a topic she wanted to discuss, which he nodded to understanding that.

"Love, I know." He was short and to the point, "Maybe by conquering your fears and imperfections within yourself, first, can your pokemon truly grow and learn to be stronger. Through you, and your example to them." he turned after his own words of encouragement and before looking slightly over his shoulder, stated briefly, "Like I said before… I can wait." He walked on as the twins suddenly raced after him.

Candy looked up to him fearfully but then downcasted them, as though ashamed.

"Don't go away, Mr. handsome hero, sir!" they cried after him, but he just kept walking on, setting Igglypuff down who tilted her head, and he patted it lightly.

"Good luck on your journeys, little Princesses." His hair swished with his wave back to the girls as they swooned and saw sparkles and shaded colors of bubbles around him, hearts in their rose-tinted eyes.

He looked over to Lucario, who also looked to him.

"...What will you choose?" He stated, mostly to himself, but Lucario seemed to understand from such a distance... As well as Candy who lingered upon every word in thought. "Loyalty to your home and friends... or true, unending power through a connection from one who can take you farther than you could possibly dream..? That is your course to take... and whatever you choose... it will be alright." He left that last lingering comment... and Lucario could see the kind and reassuring Aura from him...

Shade had abandoned his right to the farm to his little brother, and decided to go on the harder course of being an Actor instead of taking over his family's business... he knew what it was like... to choose a dream over the pride of his family.

Candy's eyes widened at his words to Lucario, almost to be white when he said that. Her dream for all the Pokemon at the Daycare was that they'd stay with her and the kids forever, but now that she thought about it... she never really did consider their futures, and what they could possibly want for themselves.

One day... the kids would leave, and hopefully, the Daycare would have new children brought in. But the Pokemon? She just never considered it.

She closed her eyes as Igglypuff jumped about and floated a little in the air from her lightweight, wobbling a bit in air as she hurried over to her as though walking on the moon. "Iggly! Igglypuff!" she finally landed by her side and nuzzled her arm, probably having sensed her sorrows. Candy smiled, holding her close for comfort in a warm squeeze that held everything she was thinking and feeling inside herself.

The twins came up soon after, standing a bit at a respectful distance while Candy contemplated whether Lucario would stay and possibly trust her to raise him better... was she even the trainer he needed right now?

Tia spoke up then, "You like him,…" she stated this more like fact.

"Don't you?" Mia finished her sister's sentence with the same amount of clarifying declaration.

Candy remained silent for a moment, "Yeah... I love Lucario."

They shook their heads, "Not him."

She looked up from having her head bent down to Igglypuff, who loved the attention, not realizing Candy was so conflicted right now. "But... I can't." she stated, and got up.

"Tai, Shade!" she called, seeing the brothers talking to Miss Pearl just before they departed. "I… I will get stronger!" she held up a fist, "I swear it! I'll be... something! My Pokemon and me, the children, the Daycare... We'll all get stronger together!"

Lucario was sitting up drinking the glass of milk to recover, now at a decision. He slid his eyes to the side towards Candy at her words... having given the glass back to Miltank, now better able to accept healing.

Miltank also ran up to Candy, offering to heal her pokemon too.

Lucario scratched his head, getting up to go over to her as she summoned out her weakened Pokemon to get the milk... some barely having much health left anyway.

He paused when he saw Candy take the traditionally Japanese stance of bowing on her hands and knees, respectfully putting her head all the way to the ground in apology to her pokemon, "I know I'm not the strongest, yet... and I know I have a lot to learn..." He bent his eyes... hearing her. "But... from where I'm currently at... can you please have patience with me... I... I want to be stronger for you all." Flower just watched her, lowering her head to nudge the air as though saying she really shouldn't dirty her pretty face like that.

"Chik... Chika..." It was like a gentle plea to not beat herself up over it. Flower didn't even like battles, anyway...

Zippity scratched Candy's head up, letting out the fury of losing and being weak, still being upset for losing… but then, she flicked her head to the side with her arms folded at not being able to prove herself, but gave Candy a small pat after the scolding... pouting with a light blush on the side of her cheeks at how humble she was being about it.

… Lucario had made a difficult decision... He took a deep breath, and let it out as Combusken also approached him, patting his back.

"Combusk, Combusk..." It seemed to be encouraging him to give Candy more tries, as though it knew, and it was willing to take her on.

She approached Candy and knelt down beside her, "Combusk! Combusken!" she rubbed her back and gave it a light pat, showing she would forgive and forget. She had only just evolved, she was willing to keep going to get stronger... remaining at the Daycare.

She looked up to Lucario who had lowered his eyes to close them, remaining in his resolve.

True strength... was not to be found amongst his childhood residence anymore.

He looked to the two brothers, and then to the children, seeing how different the auras were, and saw how Candy was somewhere in-between them both.

It hurt his heart, but his mind was made up. He had to follow his gut, and his gut was saying... he must leave on an adventure of his own... to find a worthy trainer, to become stronger... to achieve his goals and dreams... much like how the brothers were off to achieve theirs.

Candy... the kids... even the Pokemon like Combusken too... they all needed the Daycare still.

He knew he had grown out of it. He didn't need to feel held back anymore.

"That's a great idea!" Exclaimed Tai, throwing his hands up. "We're farm boys, after all! Of course, we'll make a garden for you!" Tai happily replied to Pearl. Seems they were discussing future plans of taking the Daycare out to visit the farm, as well as perhaps something here at the Daycare?

"That's wonderful, deary. I would love to plant some berry trees for the pokemon to eat, instead of just having the same old dry Pokefood I keep giving them." She explained.

A garden? Candy's ears perked up.

"And cookies!" Jake cried out, laughing as Eevee happily ate the cookie he gave him. Those sneaks! They had ran back inside the Daycare and gotten the cookie jar!

"Haha, no problem!" Tai nodded, "I think it's a wonderful idea!"

"... We can't stay any longer, Tai." Shade sadly reminded him, but remained firm in his delivery. "We have much to do."

"O-oh, right." Tai looked a bit downhearted but Miss Pearl sweetly cheered him up with a tap of her walking cane. "Not to fret, we've got friends here in this city. There's nothing this old lady can't sweet-talk someone into." She laughed in her usual 'hoho' manner, as Candy rolled her eyes to that.

"We can stay for a bit, can't we Shade?" He gave him adorable, big puppy dog eyes. "Pwleassee~?" He asked, playing the 'little' brother card.

Shade felt a bit awkwardly pushed, but conceded at last. "Very well..."

Lucario... needn't feel rushed. He felt he could learn something from the brothers... and perhaps, helping in this new project might be a good way to leave them something, like a farewell gift.

It wasn't long before Candy insisted the brothers stick around for the fun project, all the while, Lucario secretly prepared for his departure. While they called up Phil, who was happy to make a fence on the right side of the school—since the left was the playground—and have it connect through a small path behind the Daycare, where the playground and garden could be next to one another; Lucario would sneak into the Daycare and start packing up in a baby blanket extra food and other provisions, storing them away in a cubby that wasn't occupied, finding a strong stick that also fit in and covering it with letter blocks to keep it hidden...

He stared at it... knowing it wouldn't be long now... It only took a small while before things were ready for preparation.

"There you go! Good as new!" Phil wiped his head from the last day of work being ready to go! Tai was on Dodrio, having all three beaks down to create three rows of toiled soil for his Miltank and brother's Kadabra to scoop pockets out or create holes with the move Stomp for the seeds to go.

"You've got good soil here to plant the berries, Miss Pearl." Tai raced up to her, smiling from on top of his Pokemon. "We'll dig them in deep." As soon as the holes were made, Kadabra placed the seeds carefully in place with his physic powers, lifting a spoon as though that was his instrument for focusing his powers, then covered them with the other spoon showing the gesture of scooping up earth and plopping it on the nicely placed seeds.

"Wow, ain't that something! Is this how it works on your farm?" Miss Pearl exclaimed, before seeing Shade nod by her side.

"Dodrio tills the land by running across it with his heads down, making the lines, as Rapidash usually uses Sunny Day for strong light during especially cloudy days. We also have other barn Pokemon help out with watering the plants and the like... I'm sure the Daycare Pokemon can help water with some supervision." He explained, as Tai grinned to his brother.

"Good to hear the sound of a farmhand again!" he laughed, "All I ever hear from you lately is your big, thespian speeches!" he teased, raising a hand up, "Hath thy crops grown to a reasonable degree this fine season of the harvest feasts, brave Shade-ington?" he continued to joke around as Shade smiled to him, then looked around.

"... Where's Candy?"

Before Miss Pearl could answer, Phil had come up from the side of the conversations. "Hey, that's some good team work there!" Pearl paid him upfront, Murkrow lowering the check into his hands. "Haha, hey, I don't need business to be done so discreetly..." He winked to her, "Wait till maybe the project is done, yeah?"

"I might forget, and I'd hate to have you late for supper yet again." She opened one wrinkly eyebrow to reveal her pearly eyes as shining as one. "But yes, with our new friends, I'm beginning to believe more little exercises like this will prove fruitful for the children. Any future projects with more team-building skills may need to be implemented, I'll have to arrange any new ideas—hopefully—through you again, Mr. Phil." She grinned, happy that the young men were so fond of good hard labor and taking extra care to get the kids and other Pokemon involved.

The Daycare kids leaped at the chance! They all began to water the plants in the rows, Lucario there helping the younger ones fetch water enough for them to carry as Combusken helped them pour it onto the seeds with precision and gently, so it didn't splatter all over the place... since some mud did splash up on her face and then the children laughed and almost made a game out of it. Combusken put her hands to her hips, but then laughed and almost played too if it weren't for Candy showing up and setting her back to being the 'Big Helper' over the littler kids. Jake was also supposed to be a big kid helping... but he just goofed around and was almost like the ring leader for mischief, starting the other kids to follow his tangents before Murkrow flew over to help supervise.

"I think so too." Phil smiled, seeing the cooperation and joy from their faces on working together. "And the young miss seems to have grown too!" He noticed how she was helping and not behaving quite as free-spirited as before, folding his arms. "Well... All-be, you got her off her feet and not just playing with the kids, eh?" He turned to Miss Pearl who frowned somewhat.

"She was always helping in many different ways... but now, she certainly has a fire under her. I owe that to her working so hard to prove herself to Lucario... After her defeat... she hasn't quite seemed to accept what Lucario already has..." She lowered her eyes, as Tai jumped off the Dodrio and looked to the ground.

"... It's his time to go, isn't it?" Tai softly stated, patting his Pokemon whose heads all showed a different expression to the news. "Maybe... we could take him?" He looked to Shade.

Shade shook his head, "Lucario is clearly in need, and desperately wanting, a Pokemon Trainer fixed on becoming strong. Sadly... our dreams do not align with Lucario's plans for himself." Shade explained, trying to put some empathy into his words.

"Hmm... you seem to understand Pokemon quite well." Miss Pearl hummed in glee.

"Well..." Shade looked away, smiling at her praise, looking up to the sky before... down to Candy, who was talking and leaning over sweetly to instruct the twins before being hit by a mudpie and scrambling around after Jake and Eevee as the twins laughed and began to place mud on Igglypuff, as though giving her a mud bath. "It's important... for my career... to understand many different types of people... as well as Pokemon. Not only to emulate them, not just to imitate, but give a true representation of their desires and natures... I also believe... that people, Pokemon, and all their emotions, deserve to be understood." he stated with great passion in his voice, but a gentle look to his outward heart.

Miss Pearl nodded sincerely to his reply, "A well-thought-out answer." she agreed, "And how does Candy play into that study..?" She watched him look back a little startled, then let out a 'heh' at her observations.

"Candy's a... unique... character. A soul like her's is not only entertaining... but extremely likable." he closed his eyes and smiled, as Tai threw his hands up and behind his head, leaning away.

"Oh, get a playwright's room." he teased, not wanting to hear another sappy love poem.

Miss Pearl chuckled happily to that, "Seems you are still searching for a 'muse' in your art, dear boy?"

Tai blushed, looking a bit flustered as he blinked his eyes, not wanting to reveal anything... "Truth is... Candy's our friend... but she hasn't made any advancements in 'those' areas yet..." He scratched his nose.

"Those areas..?" Miss Pearl wondered, before looking to Candy and beginning to think. "Come to think of it... I haven't heard her mention anything that a normal young woman would."

"... She doesn't speak of men, does she?" Shade sighed, "There's a reason for her reluctance... but it's best to let her tell you that herself." he looked to Tai, who looked to him but then stuck out his tongue.

The two looked back over to her, both caring, in their own ways... did Tai... also have a small crush on her?

"She still has a lot of growing to do." They both seemed to match each other's worried tone, but then laughed at one another when looking over after realizing they spoke as one.

Phil shook his head, "Looks like my own brother has competition..." he stated under his breath, "Not sure what you're both getting on about, but many fine, young ladies bloom at different ages! Even Pokemon gotta level up differently to evolve, right?" He held up a charismatic finger and winked, "Others need shiny gold rings..! If you catch my drift." he joked and waved them off before stopping to look over his shoulder.

Shade saw Candy slip on some wet dirt and slide her ankle into one of the soil lines. Without hesitation, he ran over, helping her up and checking on her condition...

Tai also came up to distract and help the kids while Shade tended to Candy, who seemed embarrassed by her blunder and threw a hand up to scratch her head in apology for causing alarm.

"It doesn't hurt, right?" he made sure not to touch her ankle, hovering his hands over it as she already looked pretty nervous about being so close to him. Her mouth swiggled and face turned a bright pink, rubbing her own ankle and turning it in a rotation to show it was fine and didn't hurt.

"U-uh-huh, didn't even leave a mark!" She quickly nodded her head as though in overtime, stomping the foot to the ground to show it was fine and still worked right.

Phil wondered about that... but just sighed again, "Better step up your game, Will... Gah..." he rubbed his head.

Shade looked back at her, trying to study her nerves. "... You sure you're alright?"

"Y-you don't have to pick me up like a princess now..!" She countered quickly, trying to get up before he drew his face in close. "I'm literally just fine!"

"... Then,... not your ankle." He moved right up next to her face, directly in front of her.

"You sure your condition isn't getting any better?"

"...Hhh!" Candy made a sound like swallowing air, freaking out and falling back, scooting wildly away in small increments on the ground, "I-I-I-I-I think I'm s-s-s-sure!" she skittered back like a bug Pokemon, hitting the fence was the only thing that stopped her, forcing her to grab her head, "Ow!" she blushed, rubbing it as Shade leaned back... still observing her.

Concluding she really hadn't changed much, he sighed, as Phil looked to Candy and him strangely.

"Uhhh… Condition?" he wondered out loud again and looked up a moment. "Maybe Will knows." He walked on with his tools over his shoulder, getting down the road at last.

'With where Candy is now... I'll have to wait longer, but Lucario... can't wait anymore.' he thought, wondering how Candy would handle that situation. '... It'll break her heart... won't it?' he seemed a bit depressed at that though, lowering his head almost to the point that his chin could touch his chest. '... But maybe... that will strengthen some hidden resolve in her, too...'

Candy walked off the bump on her head and away from the soon-to-be orchard of trees, going to the water hose and spraying her hands off of all the wet dirt she had scooted backwards through, thinking sadly upon her past as though lost in contemplative thought. The unfortunate circumstances that led her to be this spooked about being close to anyone... the teasing and the voices of children mocking her... she lowered her eyes before gripping the hose and turning off the water before she choked its constant, flowing stream.

She twitched in the painful memory before opening her eyes and seeing Lucario.

He stood, gravely serious, his head slightly lowered as though completely different than the little Riolu she once knew.

"Oh, Lucario!" she faked off with a mask of relief her childhood trauma, smiling the best she could at him with a raised wave. "I was wondering where you ran off to-" She stopped when she noticed the backpack, the stick with the supplies wrapped neatly and tightly in a baby blanket... the backpack, she recognized, was part of the 'extras' pile they had in case a child required one...

Why did Lucario..?

"…L-Lucario, where…" Her eyes searched every item, trying to fathom a meaning behind it... scared by the first idea that popped into her mind. "Where are you going? T-to... To train?" her voice grew shaky, as he didn't look back to her. His eyes remained fierce on a fixed point, not allowing himself to break in his resolve by looking into her hurt eyes. "Ah! You can't have listened to what they said! S-Shade... he just wants you to believe in me a bit more, that's all, right? You don't need to actually leave the Daycare!" He could hear the tears forming... it was that apparent by the cracks within her trembling voice... "I-... I may not be a good trainer… Not right now, b-but... I will be... I... want to be..." There she goes again, wavering... something Lucario couldn't have... he couldn't stand it!

His teeth grit together and his fist tightened and shook vigorously, but trying to not show her how upset he was.

He of all Pokemon could see her potential as well as Miss Pearl! But... he had outgrown his time in needing her... There had to be a stronger trainer that could push him even further past his limitations... he knew... he couldn't wait around for Candy to match up, keep up the pace, to how fast he was excelling.

She just couldn't keep up fast enough...

"That doesn't mean that you should go off looking for someone else!" she hollered out, pinching her arms as she began to feel the abandonment... "We've been through so much, Lucario! You… you wouldn't leave us… or me… right?" She opened her crying eyes, a blurry image of Riolu, of the Ursaring standing, looming behind him... The silly mischief and games he would play, the constant training... was she holding him back? For real?

Lucario turned his head and closed his shaking eyes, knowing he wanted to be her Pokemon... but that it couldn't possibly be with how quickly his strength was growing. "…C-…Car." He turned his head to the side in a swift motion, a final rejection...

He didn't choose her.

"Candy…" Candy turned to see Miss Pearl walk up beside her, a look of reverence as her cane hit the last step to the ground for her to balance her weight displacement on.

"M-Miss... Miss Pearl!" Candy exclaimed as though she was her last hope, looking between the two. "Miss Pearl, I'm glad you're here, Lucario... he's-!"

"It's time, Deary... " She bowed her head, and with it, slicing Candy's heart in two at someone helping to convince Lucario to stay put... She moved a bit back on one foot, then another... almost as though not wanting to believe Miss Pearl would be for this... "He clearly knows that he doesn't have a trainer here… The children, and even you, are just too young to really give him what he wants. And that takes pure strength of spirit and body." She complimented him... praised him... but at the same time...

It felt like a heavy blow to Candy, as though even Miss Pearl was calling her worthless and weak. Pathetic...

Her eyes went grey and dull, falling to her knees.

Even her own teacher..?

Candy looked up to Lucario, tears streaming down her eyes... She wasn't good enough? To raise him?

She wanted to say something to him, anything to convince him she'd change... but as her mouth opened, not a sound came out... seeing tears from Lucario's eyes too.

She shut her mouth before she could,... he wasn't doing this to hurt her... he needed to leave for his true power to awaken.

She just... wasn't what the doctor ordered.

She bent her head in defeat.

"Of course, he doesn't want to leave anyone." Miss Pearl seemed to know why she didn't say anything and put a hand on her shoulder. The comfort wasn't rejected, but it wasn't accepted either... Candy just felt so numb. "It isn't completely about you, Candy... He loves us all. But he has dreams too, and you'll always be in his heart." Pearl nodded her head, looking to Lucario. "I've had to let go of many dear and noble friends... Pokemon who were needed elsewhere, or had purposes still left to give than to just get old and grey with me... Part of being a great Pokemon Trainer... is knowing where your path begins... and where it must evitably split off for another's sake." She took a deep breath, a single tear gently falling like fresh rain upon her rosy pink cheeks before grinning proudly to Lucario, showing a mother's love and release. It was as though she gave him a proper farewell, and lightened the burden of his departure for him. Gave him a voice. "I give you permission to go, Lucario. As long as you promise to visit every now and then when you can afford to, and if you find a trainer,... I understand." She smiled, knowing that with a trainer, he may be taken all the way clear over the world's many lands and regions... She turned her head to Candy, her eyes were in shadows, as her fist lay to the side of her, her shoulders bouncing up and down as she cried silently. "Candy? Will you give him your blessing, too? Make the trip light upon his shoulders for him, will you." She patted the shoulder she had her hand on, as though giving her strength and courage to say goodbye.

Lucario dared not look back, as he already could feel the aura of what she must be feeling…

He was bouncing his shoulders, too... not being able to restrain the thousands of tears that splintered from his eyes.

Both were crying... but both wouldn't say anything to each other.

Lucario wiped his eyes, about to call out to her when she suddenly took a powerful step up from her knees, looking directly to him, blaring out her words—"C-…Come back… I'll be… I'll be the trainer you want me to be! One day,… so-!" she lifted her head up and her tears sprayed out, littering the air with her emotions. "So make sure you get strong too, alright!? And don't get captured! Cause someday… Someday, I'll-…" She held up a hand to him, powerfully thrusting it forward, "Someday I'll catch you, Lucariooo!" she cried out, as though a baseball player throwing out an imaginary pitch...

Her Aura spiked powerfully behind him, and Lucario couldn't help himself. He looked up, turning his head back around to the front to see her.

"Cari…o..." he was left in awe at the raw aura she was emitting, then ran to her as though still her Riolu deep inside, and when she saw him running, she bolted off too. "Lucari!" he called to her, finally letting the tears fly as well as the two embraced in a passionate hold, nuzzling their heads together and crying as though children again.

Miss Pearl put her hands to her cane out in front of her, knowing the two needed a moment, and didn't say anymore. She just closed her eyes and lowered her own head, Octavius being revealed to have tears in his eyes, too. "Octi..." he seemed to be just as touched by the tender moment of letting one's dearest friends go for their own betterment and advancement.

"Lucario-o-o~" Candy cried out, wailing at this point as he held her just as strongly, his things placed behind him where he had dropped the stick but kept the backpack on. "Please come back! Come back someday, okay!?" Candy fell to her knees again as they embraced, her arms completely around his neck and back, causing Lucario to kneel as well, crying happily upon her shoulder, seeing as she was finally ready to let him go, and rubbed his head closer to hers in the nook of her neck and shoulder.

This time... she didn't say, 'dodge'.

She said, 'Go!'.

"Car, car…" he cried out, his mouth trembling as he gritted his teeth, eyes shaking from so much emotion coming from her Aura...

The two Auras were distinct, not one and the same... and yet, his soul felt closer to hers than ever in that embracing goodbye.

This was to be the toughest decision for him in his life, having to leave her to grow stronger without him. He may want bigger and greater things to come, but he was just so loyal to the Daycare center… to Miss Pearl, the kids, his fellow Pokemon... Candy...

But he knew that just like Candy and Miss Pearl, they'd be here for the Daycare. He needn't worry about it. Murkrow and Octillery, too. They'd look after things, they'd get stronger too, he had faith in it all.

Miss Pearl's dream was to raise up the next generation of great and noble Pokemon Trainers... well, he hoped she included the Pokemon as well, and knew that he was fulfilling that side of her dream, too.

He knew what trainer he wanted to find... that much was certain, and thanks to her careful teaching and nurturing.

To go out into the wild... this was the only way to find such a trainer that Miss Pearl had spoken of countless times in her lessons. Brave of heart, pure in intentions, and strength from within.

He pulled back and nodded to Candy, he would return someday... stronger than they could have possibly imagined. Wiping her tears away, he smiled to her and she returned it, a mess of flushed and wet cheeks squished between his paws. It made him let out a slightly held in chuckle, but he bumped his forehead to hers again, this time... really ready to go now.

"I'll miss you, Lucario… I'll miss you so much." Candy spoke with almost the sound of exhaustion, as though being drained from so much emotional crying.

"Car." He closed his eyes in agreement with her, he'd miss her, but not regret the 'could have been's if he stayed put...

"W-wait… Lucario's leaving..?"

The three turned to see the Daycare children and pokemon all in tears. Miss Pearl was behind Lucario as she picked up his things he had dropped to embrace Candy before and showed the children, smiling with consideration for them. "Lucario's all grown up, now. It's time he take his journey and find himself the strength he's been longing for, and possibly the love of a magnificent trainer. Let's send him off nicely with our encouragements, shall we?" she handed the children the belongings so they could physically hand them off to Lucario, really sending the message that he wasn't coming back anytime soon...

The two brothers and their pokemon remained in the back, watching from a polite distance, looking at one another with empathy for the Daycare but also smiling and knowing this was the right lesson to teach after all.

"At first, I felt a little bad," Tai stated, putting his hands behind his head and looking a bit torn. "I didn't mean for us to inspire such sadness in the kids... Or even in Candy, either..." he saw how Candy tried to compose herself when the kids appeared. "But seeing them with Lucario... it's a valuable lesson to consider the needs of your Pokemon before your own." He smiled after a deep breath, exhaling as though confessing that even by accident... this was the right course things should have taken.

"It was bound to happen." Shade stated, a bit melancholy, "Everyone has to leave home at some point... Lucario just needed that extra push to realize the time was now." He gripped a scarf around himself, and held it up over his mouth. "... But home will always belong to him... he will cherish and carry it with him always." He closed his eyes as Tai kindly turned to his brother, glad to hear that even Shade himself didn't despise the farm... he just... knew there were grander pastures out there for him to work in.

"Yeah, and you'll never lose us, either!" Tai wrapped an arm around his brother, seeing he was affected by the scene, as though reliving his departure from the country life as well. "Haha! He'll be back! And when he does, he'll show them how he used the time away for good!"

Shade nodded, seeing his brother was trying to cheer him up, "Hmm... exactly."

They looked to Candy, "... She's... learning to release him... to his dreams and ambitions for his life." Tai quietly stated, "Just... kinda wished he waited for her to catch up, ya know?"

"It was probably for the best... He's becoming too high a level for the Daycare, Candy would soon find he was uncontrollable for her current mastery... Without a single Gym Badge experience, she would have hindered him even more if he had locked himself to that fate." Shade spoke a harsh truth, but he did so with immense respect and consideration for both of them. "That... would make Candy's confidence in herself as a trainer diminish instead of strengthening it as well."

Tai looked to him and listened carefully, before sighing and finally accepting that. "Yeah... either way, it wasn't good for them... not yet, anyway."

Shade... slowly brought an arm up to his brother and returned the hug, and Tai grinned at the returned gesture, the two brothers connecting on an emotional level at the scene and their own closure for what happened when Shade left... stating he wouldn't inherit the farm.

Lucario and Candy let one another go as he approached the children, knowing this would be just as hard, but smiling to show how much he loved them too.

"Combusken!" Having remained still for so long, Combusken finally jumped with a leg up behind herself and drapped herself over Lucario, rubbing her head to his as he awkwardly took the sign of her affection and sorrow at his leaving.

"D-does he…" Tia started through tears, "Not like us anymore?" Mia completed for her. The two girls were holding one end of the stick with the bundle.

"Oh no, dearies!" Miss Pearl exclaimed, her arms coming up in surprise at what they said. "He's just going away for training, that's all I was trying to say. But he'll miss you very, very much." Miss Pearl explained, as Lucario slowly let Combusken's hands go, as though to say that she would be able to grow stronger without him.

Giving words of wisdom to the Pokemon, and hugs to the children as he took the stick and bundle, along with receiving kisses from the two twins on his cheeks, he was so happy they all supported him.

Jake held his backpack, head down, as Eevee and Igglypuff were in each of Lucario's hands, sobbing and nuzzling into both cheeks before he put them gently down with some head rubs and looked to him. "... T-travel safe... come back so I can battle you someday... a-alright?" his shoulders jerked up and down, as though he was actively holding himself back.

Lucario tenderly lowered his eyes to him and patted his head, rubbing it gently as Jake began to lower his head and cry.

"Y-you can't leave, though, Eevee!" he rubbed his eyes and then pointed fervently towards Eevee, who spread out its legs as though being accused and called out all of a sudden.

"Eev?" It gasped, not sure what that was about. It ran to him and Lucario seemed pleased as Eevee jumped into Jake's arms and snuggled with him, showing him he wasn't going anywhere.

"L... Lucario's different! We'll be strong together while Lucario has to get strong on his own right now." Jake clung to Eevee, but finally lifted his head up when Lucario pressed his nose against his own, leaving the boy weak to say anything more, just gently crying his tears at saying farewell to him.

After that, he lifted a paw to Octavius and Murkrow, saying goodbye to them and then Miss Pearl, resting his head on hers as she giggled to his cute action, "You were like my own son, I'm so proud of you. Hoho, safe journies, my dear friend." he then slung the backpack on, hooked the stick and bundle over his shoulder, and jumped over the fence with a wave back to everyone, his eyes still letting loose tears into the air as the sun began to set.

"Lucarioooo!" he sang in almost a song of goodbye.

"Bye, bye!" everyone said together, as Candy raced into Pearl's arms, who comforted her and patted her back.

"Out of everyone... you should be the last face he sees." Miss Pearl gently whispered in her ear, and as Zippity and Flower also waved him off, having been summoned out briefly for the departure, Zippity suddenly spun from Candy's leg landing and launching off near her.

She blinked her eyes in surprise, then chased after her as Flower continued to swing her leaf around before looking shocked at their chase.

Lucario raced off into the forest and soon disappeared as Candy gave chase and Zippity pursued after her. Combusken finally broke and fell to her knees, in buckets of raining tears at losing her new rival RIGHT after she had begun to somewhat get strong enough to challenge him.

Miss Pearl just rubbed her neck and patted her head, comforting her too. "It's alright, sweet one. We'll get you nice and strong just like we did Lucario, eh?" She hummed kindly. "And when you're ready to decide your course in life, we'll be there for you even then. I promise that much." she looked out to see Candy charge into the foliage of the forest, and took a few breaths as though wondering if Candy would really be alright with him absent... but knowing she would have to try.

Candy raced out to a hill in the forest, crying out before seeing Lucario much farther away on his own, separate hill. He turned back as the wind began to settle like a cold breeze, gently grazing them as she waved one final time, "I love you, Lucario!" she shouted out, giving him a smile to remember, as Zippity climbed up her leg, crossing her back, and waving from her shoulder.

"Piiiiichuuu!"

"Munchhhhlaaxxx!"

The two suddenly looked down, and freaked out at Munchlax's sudden appearance, happily waving off Lucario with some berries in his arms.

"HOW DID YOU GET HERE!?" Candy exclaimed, completely dumbfounded.

As the kids went home that day, they told their parents all about Lucario's battle with Candy and the brothers, and how they—too—wanted to be pokemon masters someday!

Candy spent the rest of the day with Shade and Tai, as she tried to stop crying at random moments, and always kept Lucario in the back of her mind…

She wouldn't forget her promise to him.

Not ever!

"I'll see you two around," She started to cry again, waving to them as Tai and Shade understood and gave her a hug on either side.

"Stay safe, Candy, and get stronger!" Tai waved, as Shade tried to give her a gift, but she shook her head.

"I'll get stronger, and... umm... you can... you can give me this when I'm ready to accept it!" she must have figured it was something romantic in nature, and held up a fist to show that she would work on it.

Shade nodded, but still put the gift of what looked like a pokeball around her neck, letting it hang down. "For a special time... you can catch something worthwhile." He waved to her, "Take care."

Was it... an Ultra Ball?

She looked it over, the purple of it and the 'M' suggested otherwise...

What was it?

She played with it a moment in her hands and then nodded, "S-sorry-" but he had already taken off... she felt bad... she thought it was going to be romantic, but he really was just supporting her in her Pokemon Journey...

She would miss all her friends she'd made... but one thing was certain!

"Zippity!" she looked pumped, turning to her, "Let's get stronger!"

"Pichu!" Zippity jumped for joy, seeing Candy brighten up again... at least... somewhat.

That's what Zippity wanted to, you know! Sheesh...

Delcatty Catastrophe!

A few weeks went by and Candy had found her serenity again in the daycare center. At first, it was difficult. Miss Pearl would walk into the nursery with the sleeping Pokemon only to see blocky blonde hair draped over a forlorn face, holding a blanket and sitting on a bed that once was Lucario's. Candy would sweep and find an old toy of his when he was still a Riolu, and go on her knees to tear up a bit before placing it away. After a while, she could finally smile genuinely again, hoping to one day be the trainer that would be worthy to raise Lucario... but in her heart, she also hoped he would find a suitable partner.

Nevermore, Pearl's Murkrow, pecked at some squeaky toys to get Igglypuff and Eevee to play while Pearl was holding an audience with the children. Distraction was this bird Pokemon's specialty, and the Igglypuff bounded off after the rolling squeaky toy as Murkrow crab-walked backward while pecking the toy to keep her in motion. Eevee found the game to be like 'chase' or 'keep-away' and immediately bounced off after them as well, wanting to be a part of the play.

Jake looked behind him to see they were all playing with Nevermore and shrugged, as Combusken sat down beside the kids, allowing them to lean up next to her since her body was a natural heater.

Sitting up straight, she was a perfect example for the kiddos on how to actively listen while remaining still, a trait she had only recently acquired from her evolution. Candy thought it may be Focus Energy, but Miss Pearl just laughed and said it could be, but she wasn't high enough level to learn that quite yet.

"Now then, as you know," Pearl waited patiently for the kids to gather around before lifting her finger up for their undivided attention. "This Daycare began roughly a year and a half ago. As to attract more attention to ourselves, I've had Nevermore flying around dropping flyers. I must say, it's proven quite more effective than just hanging them around like we usually did."

Candy huffed and sat criss-cross-applesauce so the kids would follow after her, but pouted and folded her arms as though being offended her and Will's efforts weren't as efficient as a bird randomly scattering paper everywhere...

"At least we were personal with the people..." She blew up a stream of air to flap her squarish bangs up and fall back like drapes over her forehead, swishing as they did so.

Miss Pearl just smiled at her, knowing her antics by now, and continued, "And with his help, we've finally gotten one more participant in the Daycare!" Pearl happily announced as her Murkrow turned around and called out happily, showing he thanked her for her praise.

He then walked over to Candy and lightly head-patted her shoulder, as she looked over to him with one crooked eye as though still grumpy, but then couldn't help and smile. She scooped him up and held him in her arms, which made him spread his wings out as he wasn't used to such 'cuddling' affection in this sense, seeming taken aback by it.

"A new kiddo, is still a new catch!" Candy exclaimed, praising Nevermore and disregarding her earlier inadequacies as well.

Igglypuff and Eevee slowed in their following of Murkrow as they looked for the toy he was moving around before, but Eevee gasped when it was found rolling off away from the group. Excitedly, and hurrying to not lose it again, its little legs bolting off in a frenzy. After skidding the ground a moment before leaping off after it, Igglypuff decided to mimic the toy and laid on its side, happily rolling slowly like the toy ahead of it.

"Woah! A new kid?" Jake leaned up on his knees, excitedly, "You mean, another guy like us?" He bundled his fists to his sides, anticipating a new friend to wrestle and Pokemon Battle practice with..!

"Is it a girl?" The twins leaned in closer to one another, looking excited as their eyes blinked in curiosity.

Mia then gasped, looking to her sister, "What if she's prettier than us!?" But Tia just smiled coyly, closing her eyes and looking straight ahead of her, "Oh, Sis. No one's as pretty as us~" Mia waited a moment before nodding and sitting back down, "Yeah... you're right. Well, I hope she likes playing dress-up with Igglypuff." she grinned, but Tia shook her head, "No one gets Igglypuff but us!" they then giggled together.

"Haha, I'm glad you're all enthusiastic about welcoming a new recruit." Pearl looked at each of their eager faces, "It's a young man." She then stated, putting all expectations in line. "A little younger than you girls, actually."

"Aw, yeah! A boy!" Jake threw up his fist, as though he had won the guessing game. He rose up and stood on both his legs, pumped by a new rival! "I'm gonna teach him how to be a real man!" Eevee turned an ear to him as it had bounced on the squeaky toy, about to chew it a bit more before darting over to join Jake's sudden spike of energy.

"Eevee, eevee!" Eevee jumped up in front of him, and landed with his chest proudly out, participating in whatever excitement Jake was exuding.

"That's great news, Pearl!" Candy placed her hands together, but deep within, she just hoped he wasn't as much a troublemaker as Jake was…

Murkrow was released and stumbled out and away from her, regaining his balance and shaking out his head to finally withdraw his wings back to his side, giving her a look like she was a bit crazy. However, it was still a fond look, as she got up and whispered to Pearl, "So… is he coming… today?" she wondered, having a bit of sweat trickle down the side of her face.

For Candy, it was a bit too soon to welcome someone new into her heart, but she'd have to tough it out.

"As a matter of fact-" Pearl began, before the beeping of a truck outside was heard, and she turned around. "Oh my, I wasn't expecting any mail," Pearl admitted, putting a hand up to her face as Will clumsily held a cardboard box as he tried to level each foot down his truck's steps one at a time, as though descending a latter frontwards. Still, his face held the same look of exciting news as Pearl's once did, nonetheless.

Once he touched ground with a hop to have both feet land, he raced over the Daycare's dirt path with Seamour, his Pelipper, flying in a rush behind him and curving his flight path upward as he came in front and near the front of the daycare. He landed quite soundly with his plump body holding itself upon an open windowsill, barely having enough width to fit him in.

"Pelipper!" he greeted the kids as they all rushed to him, petting his bill. Seems... he had recovered from his... earlier encounter babysitting them.

At least he still loved them and wasn't so scarred as before.

"Miss Pearl! I got your new-w-wa-waoh!" He almost tripped on the step leading up to the daycare in his hurried rush, as Seamour quickly took flight. He was Will's Pokemon for a reason, not only being an excellent mail service companion but also helping Gail with getting Will's balance straightened out during deliveries. He expertly straightened his wings out and did a sharp turn, flapping to steady himself behind the teetering mailman, and grabbed the back of his blue, one-piece jumper's shirt with his beak. He flapped profusely to get him back upright, as Will finally did straighten out and get a leg that had bent back to return to the ground during his 'almost' folly of falling over. He scratched his head, "T-thanks, Seamour. Ehem, I brought you a new shipment from the daycare!" Will's face beamed, seeing everyone come out... including Candy.

"Will!" she exclaimed in joy, and he felt his face glow up with heated cheeks.

"Oh, is that so-WAH!" Pearl was calmly delighted before Candy zipped in front of her, startling her to wobble back a bit from the entrance. Nevermore, taking a page out of Seamour's quick thinking on the job, also flew up to use his head to help the older woman regain her own balance again. "Oh dear..." Miss Pearl placed a hand on her chest and took a breath. "So much youthful energy... and fast-moving bodies too." she breathed out, "I hope I still have some gungho left in me to keep up..." She smiled at Nevermore as he flew up next to her.

"Murkrow!" He encouraged her, friendly-like.

"Yes, dear friend, I believe we both still do." she chimed, greeting his cheer fondly with her own.

"R-REALLY!? We get more pokemon to raise?!" Candy's eyes lit up in joy, looking down at the new box. She quickly helped Will by taking the box off his hands with stars in her eyes, her tongue out to the side in utter joy and curiosity, as she bolted inside the daycare to see if any would hatch soon.

"Ah, yes well..." The box was swiped from Will's hands before he could even get a word out. He awkwardly laughed and continued, finding Candy's enthusiasm a cute quality. "I was told they're extremely fresh though, and may need to be walked around for a bit." He put his hands to his hips and looked to the children, smiling to them as they rushed to greet him, and then to Pearl, "I'm sure the kids would like a nature walk too, right?"

"Ah, now you're truly sounding like a daycare worker, our dear friend." Pearl nodded to him in agreement, and he rubbed the back of his head at her praise.

"Guess it only took me a little bit of time..." He said, shyly, before letting the kids grab at his hands and pull him up the porch towards the daycare. He awkwardly gave Pearl and nervous expression, "Though... I wouldn't have time for two jobs, I don't mind volunteering every now and then-!" he was then yanked inside, much to Pearl's entertainment as she chuckled in her usual 'hoho!'d way and followed the rambunctious kids inside.

"New pokemon and a new kid! This day is the BEST!" Jake exclaimed as Will tilted his head at hearing another child was admitted into the daycare.

"Really? Another kid?" he found the three to already be a bit of a struggle, they were going to take in more?

He looked to Candy, hurrying to gently untape the box and free the new eggs. '...Would she be able to handle all that..?' he questioned a bit, worried it might be a lot for her to handle.

"Huh? Oh, walking around?" Candy blinked her eyes, and looked at Pearl, stopping herself from opening the box as she wondered about that. "What does he mean? Egg's don't walk, they roll, right?" she was crouched down with the twins, looking over at the box as Jake just looked over his shoulder, Eevee sticking his nose in to try and sniff the contents of the box. "Miss Pearl, is there something about Egg care I don't know about?" Eevee was a bit too small to really get his head over the box though and look around, so he just tried to peer inside.

"Well, child," Miss Pearl began, putting her cane in front of her as she entered inside with the others and placed both hands over her cane. This was a usual tell that she was about to teach a lesson, and being trained well, the kids all turned to give her their full attention. They usually gave Pearl this respect, but when Candy tried to do it with a broom or mop, they completely ignored her or made fun of her, calling her 'old'. And knowing Candy... that sent her off as the kids found joy in seeing her explode in a small furry.

"Sometimes, Eggs need to have their trainers walk them around a bit while they're being held. Feeling movement simulates the wild, as their parents no doubt would have to keep moving, so it makes them hatch faster if you keep them on you during such a young, and delicate time of their development. Also, if your heart rate is up while walking, holding an egg closer to your heat and presence can also stimulate good growth. Some trainers let their fire-type Pokemon, those with warm bodies, also do this in their stead. It's said to help them hatch and develop faster, too." Pearl looked to Combusken, whose feathers ruffled upward in startlement. Was it going to be on Egg duty now!?

Gail floated out of the car, seeming fine but hesitant to go around the children again, so kept her body psychically held up above it all. Seamour might have forgiven them, but she was still cautious...

Seeing Combusken, she lost her concentration and started to fall, but Combusken ran out the door with her arms out, catching her and smiling sweetly.

"Oh, yeah, Will-" Candy caught his attention, "Torchic evolved." she then looked back to Pearl as Will looked dumbfounded he didn't even notice it before.

"WHA-HUUHH?" his face went white as his mouth lengthened and descended with a bouncing lower lip, turning very animated.

"Guess Kirlia has competition now?" Will scratched behind his head, looking back as Kirlia had stars in her eyes at how cool Combusken had saved her, and as Combusken put her down, she gave a closed-eyes smile to Will.

"Would be good to train them together, actually. What a brilliant idea, young man." Pearl enthused, turning to him in praise as Kirlia dusted herself off and lifting a dainty hand in the air, the other to her small parted white skirt part of her body, curtsied to Combusken as thanks.

"Guys... the Eggs!" Candy redirection everyone's attention back to it.

"Oh, right." Miss Pearl cleared her throat, turning back to the patiently awaiting kids, all gathered around the table, blinking up at her as they waited for her lesson to continue and then abruptly end so they could finally look at the new deliveries. "Besides... the before mentioned notes, some professors believe that by holding an Egg, that pokemon will be accustomed to your heartbeat and presence, and attach to you more. But I'm pretty sure that when an Egg hatches, the first thing it sees, is who he or she bonds with the most." Pearl winked, not really believing the theory it seems. "We should start with one at a time… let's not rush the little dearies."

"O-oh, okay." Candy opened the box a little more and touched each egg. "Three…, Four. Four eggs… now, which one… Ennie, Meenie, Miney, Mo! Mine!" Candy picked up an Egg, and held it lovingly, before turning to Pearl. "Let's hatch this one first!"

Pearl laughed at Candy's childish enthusiasm. "Of course deary, but you'll need this." She wiped out a baby carrier, that would hold one from the front. "The rest we'll allow to wait in the PC box. Most trainers have an account, and the pokemon are lovingly taken care of. Safely stored in their Pokemon Boxes within their Pokeballs, the process is actually quite fascinating. First-" before she could explain to the children about the teleportation system, where you place a Pokeball and it becomes data particles that move like light, Candy just blanked out while looking at the... thing.

Miss Pearl's voice continued in the background while Candy's face turned to sheer awkward sweat drops, her eyes mini dots. When Pearl finally noticed this, she smiled sweetly at Candy's seemingly 'existential crisis of motherhood she didn't realize' and continued, "You'll have to make sure you walk around with it everywhere and be sure not to drop it or put it into any harms way. It's now your job now to do this, Candy."

"R… Right." Candy's voice tensed and tightened, but she took the weird device as Pearl helped her strap it on, and placed the egg in the little carrying compartment on the front. "S-so… I have to wear this… E-everywhere?" It also seemed tacky to her.

Hard for her to make that bold claim, though... seeing what she normally wore... and unironically thought was adorable.

"Exactly." Miss Pearl nodded, proud to see Candy not complaining about the new responsibility. "The more you walk, the more the little tike can grow and be happy." Pearl explained with a tug on her strap from behind and a pat on Candy's back, making her almost fall back and then forward with the hardy encouragements. Candy nodded sheepishly and meekly to the Elder woman's wisdom over the years, deciding that was just how things were going to be from now on. "The other Eggs... just kinda hatched, you know?" She admitted, remembering when she first arrived. "But... Em-mm!" she shook her head to push away all negativity! "I'll hatch a few eggs with this baby in no time!" She chimed.

"That's the spirit!" Pearl lifted a cheerful fist up, "Hohoho! I've spent plenty of time with this little wonder strapped to my back. Over mountains, through lakes and rivers, even-oh my! The volcanic tundra!" Miss Pearl seemed to reflect with energy her Pokemon Trainer travels a moment as though doting on the past, but then brought herself quickly back to the present as Murkrow spread out his wings in a happy agreeance to her memories.

"Murkrow!" he chimed, as though saying he was one of those Eggs.

"You'll do splendid, I'm sure!" Pearl let out a hardy laugh as Candy tried to not look too displeased with her current 'fashion' look now.

"R-right." Candy nodded, hoping this didn't 'age' her too much.

"Haha, you look great, Candy! Hehe, when I was first given Gail as an Egg, haha, she was carried in a fannypack!" Will tried to hide his snickering laugh, but a little escaped, as he put his hand over his mouth. He then continued to laugh as he grabbed his stomach, unable to hold it in before clearing his throat and trying to show some respect and care for Candy's... current... situation. "Ehem, anyway,… I have a few more drop-offs to do right now, so… see ya!" he waved, turning about as Seamour and Gale obediently followed.

"O-oh, b-…bye..." Candy frowned, lifting her hand up to hurriedly wish them well, but seeing he had already turned around...

'Everyone... seems to leave so quickly, now... It's like... They don't have time for me anymore...' she thought to herself, as Octavius woke up with a start from having fallen asleep and looked around like he wasn't aware of what was going on. the Little bubble on his long snout-like tubed mouth broke as he noticed Candy's melancholy demeanor and tilted his head, "Oct..! Oct, oct..? Octi?"

"What is it, dear?" Pearl came closer to her, placing a hand on her arm, seeing her disappointment in Will's sudden leaving.

"Hmm… I-I know he's got work and all... it's just... Strange… it's like he's avoiding me lately…" Candy thought, folding her arms under the baby carrier and tilting her head up and then down, contemplating if it was just her or not. "I'm just confused on why that is..."

"Eh, he must of figured out that you're uglier than the common schmuck." Jake stepped up, talking from the side of his mouth as if he was impersonating one of the 'mobsters' on some of the action shows he's watched. He folded his arms before lowering his head and nodding it a few times, "Yep, I'd says he's probably found himself a real, proper dame now."

Candy twitched in rage, and slowly lowered her gaze to the boy as Jake flipped out at how her presence seemed to ooze dark shadows all around her. "Ack! The coppers!" as he tried to race away.

Her eyes looked scarier than ever. "Is that so..?"

Pearl would have said something... but she smiled a moment after realizing Jake wanted her to chase him, to distract her from feeling abandoned.

"I'll show you an ugly mug, you little mashugana!" she bent over and chased him like an Oranguru swinging their arms about. He laughed and started doing a 'Wee-oo-wee-oo' as though Candy was trailing him with a police car's siren.

Eevee worriedly ran behind the two, trying to follow up on the left, turning abruptly than to the righthand side, and running across the daycare as the twins sweatdropped and looked back to Pearl.

"So, Miss Pearl," Tia addressed her first, "When is the little boy getting here?" Asked Mia, following suit with her sister's sentence to finish it.

"Oh, right, yes." Pearl looked around, scanning the outside fence line as a few aipom scaled and played along the fence while wooloo passed by in a herd followed by a Lycanroc Midnight Form. A shepard waved to Miss Pearl and tipped his straw hat to her, having a strand of wheat in his mouth as she nodded and looked back to the children. "The road's awfully busy, but I believe his mother phoned that he'd be dropped off by his nanny." She stated, "Keep a strict watch, you two!" she raised a finger, and the girls immediately 'ten-hut!'d and saluted her with an accompanying nod.

"A nanny?" Tia tilted her head, squinting her eyes, "Oh! He's a rich boy?" she leaned over to her sister's ear, "Must be kinda pompous, yeah?"

"Oh, deary no. Not all children who have nannies are rich. I'm sure she's there because his parents might not be around a lot or-" but as she spoke, the shepard's voice hollered up, 'Hey!' he shouted as a woman had grabbed his shepard's hook and started parting the wooloos by gently swinging it left and right with a gruff face. She was a larger woman, holding up a child in her other hand before giving the man back his hook as one wooloo bahh'd stuck in the hook, which the Lycanroc carefully helped extract out of it.

"Are you the Caretaker?" An elderly, strict woman's voice sounded from behind as she got spooked by the aipom who jumped the opening of the fence she was going to go through. They looked back at the woman, spoke to each other, chuckled mischievously with one another and raced on, causing her to frown deeper at their 'pokemon banter' that was clearly about her.

"U-uh… oh, yes. I'm the Daycare lady of this facility. It's a pleasure-" Miss Pearl was a bit taken aback by her large, imposing presence, but the woman didn't give her any time to explain.

"Yeah, yeah. Look, the kid's allergic to everything on this list, and he's scared of anything that moves." A young boy with blonde hair and a light blue shirt that looked a bit too big for him, having the sleeves fall forward over his hands to hide them from sight, looked up with only his eyes to Pearl. He ducked them back into the woman's shoulder and seemed afraid of all the pokemon they just passed through, gasping loudly when he saw Octavius strapped with his suction cups to the side of Miss Pearl's head.

"Octi?" He tilted his head, not sure what could have scared him, but felt bad as was shown by the arching of his round eyes.

The woman looked at him too, her eyes narrowing, "... Doesn't that get heavy?"

"N-no... he's rather small for an Octillery." Miss Pearl sweatdropped at her directness.

"Octi." Octavius found that to be a fat joke, and looked a bit offended, angling his eyes to show he was upset by that comment.

"Heh," He, assumed Nanny, continued, "He likes his milk at noonish and a little warm. Don't ask me why, also-" she started bombarding poor Pearl with papers after papers, files upon files, as Pearl felt her arms would fall off.

"Now, this is what I'd consider heavy... offph!" Miss Pearl had to balance herself again while another large stack was placed on top.

The nanny had set the boy down at this point and Tia and Mia held hands, peeking around Miss Pearl's dress.

The little boy pulled his blue overly sized shirt down even more, hiding his white shorts as he downcasted his eyes, shaking.

The twins leaned into one another, seeming to tilt their heads in curiosity at him, "He's not acting like a rich kid." Mia stated, looking over to her sister with just her eyes.

"He must be awfully nervous," Tia stated, "Let's just say hello." she suggested, as Mia nodded sweetly.

Giving their biggest and best smiles, they both leaned forward together, "Hello! Nice to meet you!" they chimed.

Their large heads came zooming up to him as he lifted his head up, making him almost jump back, "AH!" the boy grew afraid, flinching back, stepping in wild paces back, and flinging his arms up over his head,

The Nanny caught him with her large arm, having amazing reflexes, and helped him stand upright again next to her side as he trembled once again.

"…Huh? What's his problem?" Mia asked, "He's a weirdo." Tia stated, putting a hand up to her mouth to whisper their critique to each other. "All we said was hello..." Mia continued the conversation as the boy looked teary-eyed, not making eye-contact with them.

"What do they call you, little one?" Pearl 'offph'd while placing the papers down, "Little dears, could you..?" The twins nodded and, getting on both sides, they lifted with their knees and crab-walked the piles in, one or two dropping but Igglypuff rushed outside and grabbed them both, sniffing them and then happily doing a dance with them.

"Ig, Ig, Ig!" she was called in later by the twins speaking as one, and rushed happily to meet with them.

Miss Pearl leaned down to speak with the little boy, "Of course, I know your name, but I would feel a whole lot better if I could hear you say it." she entreated, seeing he was scared, and giving him a chance to overcome it. "It would help me get to know you more if you opened up and spoke even just a tad to me. Then, I wouldn't be so shy about introducing myself." she smiled, hoping it soothed the boy over if he felt he was helping her out as well.

"…Br…Brandon…" The boy quietly spoke out, before lifting his blue shirt over his head, exposing his belly but hiding his face. Objective completed.

"Ah, I see." Miss Pearl smiled warmly to him, "I'm Miss Pearl! Well, it's very nice to meet you, Brandon. Thank you for indulging me in this matter." Pearl kindly thanked him as the Nanny snarled and rolled her eyes, seeming to think Pearl's kindness was annoying.

"I'll be picking him up at the given time the flyer stated. His parents want a full report of his behavior." She brought out the crinkled paper and waved it very sternly to Miss Pearl.

"Ah, every… day?" Pearl twitched as she looked up from hunching over, trying to pull her back upright again, and stumbled a foot out once or twice. "Now... isn't that just a bit..?" Over the top is what it was…

"They're pretty protective. He's the only child his mother was able to conceive. She treats him as her greatest treasure, and pays handsomely for his safety." The Nanny's physical strength and stature made more sense to Miss Pearl now. Pulling her head back, she could now gauge the woman probably doubled as a bodyguard as well.

She took the back of her large foot and dragged the little boy gently forward with a light, nudging kick at the end to get him through the door. "Now, go play. Your parents want you to get accustomed to pokemon. Seeing as they want you to be somehow affiliated with them in the near future."

"Why's that, Miss nanny?" the girls peeked their heads out, seeing the boy stumble in and Igglypuff catch him with her head, looking up with her big, sparkling round eyes at meeting someone new.

"Iggly!" she greeted, but he cried and freaked out, making a bunch of noises as he was about to fall backwards but the twins got on either side of him and caught him just before he stumbled out the door again.

"He's like a pokemon." Mia stated, "Yeah, as skittish as a skitty." Tia commented, sounding serious though her comment made Murkrow lightly chuckle in 'caw's. He had flown a bit down while Combusken was trying to dress a doll up in a pretty outfit, then battle the doll with its foot, before seeing Jake finally get picked up by Candy as she laughed victoriously, but Jake bit her arm and she set him down, shouting out, 'Heeeyyy! No biting!' as they went back to playing chase.

Combusken... decided to go and train. Eevee just kept trying to keep up the pace, growing tired, "EEEVVEEE..!" he wanted to be with jake, but swerving left and right with this speed just kept him looking exhausted.

The nanny peered down at the girls, raising an eyebrow as she had quite an intimidating presence...

The twins just froze, not saying anything more as the boy put one foot under the other and got himself up from their catch.

"His father is studying to be a pokemon professor abroad. He wants his son to be his apprentice after his pokemon journey. His mother wants to send him to an elite school, just before he spends the next few years under his father's care. They've got his whole life planned out." She patted the boy's back, but it seemed a bit much for Brandon, as he wobbled forward and then raced back to his spot beside the Nanny, away from the two girls…

"…O-oh… I see." Pearl looked sadly at the young boy, pitying that he didn't really have much of a say in his own future.

"Rich boy," Tia whispered to her sister, giving her a hard wink as they moved away from the Nanny and collected Igglypuff as they walked back, real slow-like, from her scrutinizing eye. Mia nodded in agreement, looking back at the nanny as though making sure they weren't followed, "Yeah, rich stuff."

"Well, I'll take very good care of him." Pearl gave an awkward smile, feeling a bit nervous with the huge and brutish Nanny before her, and not liking how she asserting herself over the children.

"Hmph, see to it you will, or their'll be a lawsuit!" The nanny harshly pointed a finger to Pearl, making her lean back, before the woman left. When the rest of the wooloos passing through with their Shepard saw her, they parted as though Moses to the red sea in a defined roll to the sides instantly. She huffed and walked onward, as the Midnight Form Lycanroc growled at her as she passed through, as though warning her to not disturb his sheep pokemon herd again. The Shepard took his staff hook and pulled Midnight Lycanroc towards him, petting his ear as though telling him he was still doing his job, but not to mess with her, never breaking his gaze from the behemoth of a woman.

"…My, what a… direct, woman." Pearl lightly stated her observations as politely as possible before turning her sights to young Brandon. "Won't you come in?" she offered him. "I can make you some milk early, if you like."

The boy's eyes widened as he looked inside, still a bit squeamish from being left in the hands of strangers, as he watched Candy wrestle and put Jake in an armlock. She breathed fire out her mouth in her rage as in Anime, rocking as he cried out in their 'playfight', "Uncle, uncle!" while she roared like a dragon with angular eyes bent on breaking him to her will. This was normally how the two's dynamic worked, but poor Brandon didn't know this was only a game they usually had of 'cat and mouse' after Jake's snide comment about her looks.

He quickly shot back upright to Pearl, looking up, and profusely shaking his head in 'No.'. The boy was terrified.

"Hmm… well…" Pearl looked back to see Candy and Jake. "I see…" she sweat dropped, realizing the situation that propelled Brandon to not come inside. "Prehaps we'll stay outside for the time being then? Some outdoor air, children?" Pearl walked further outside and kept the door open to invite some of the Pokemon and the twins outside. The twins looked to one another, having settled in to playing dress-up with Igglypuff, placing Pokemon Accessories on her but relented to Miss Pearl's call and went outside.

Nevermore flew down, moving through a window to peck at Candy's head to let Jake go and behave, then flew out just in the nick of time before Pearl closed the door. He landed on Pearl's shoulders, as her Octillery was put away in his Pokeball for the rest of the day, giving him too much sun would be bad for his water-type skin. Nevermore took the chance to 'nest' a bit on her head, using his claws to be delicate and move some grey hairs aside and wiggle himself in to sit comfortably upon and within it. "Krow!" he cried out, stretching his wings as he was thrilled to finally rest on her head for a change.

"Ah..!" Brandon looked up at the pokemon, looking afraid as he trembled away, clinging to his shirt as though as long and comfortable as a child's security blanket.

"Now, now. It's quite alright, Brandon. Look here," Pearl moved over to the stairs and got down a few levels so he was able to be leveled with Murkrow on her head, leaning a bit to help with the point of view. Outstretching a hand to the boy, she lightly took his retreating hand and petted Nevermore's leaning forward head to let him touch the 'witch's hat' design of his feathery head. Brandon tried to resist a bit, skidding his feet along the wooden porch before looking surprised that the bird pokemon's hat felt so interesting... and letting Pearl entice him closer as Murkrow stayed still and silent, just smiling and closing his eyes to not look threatening at all. "This is my dear friend, Nevermore. We met in these woods some-…Ah!" Pearl shot up suddenly, making the poor boy look like he got a heart attack as he fell backwards, but the twins caught him on both sides. "My word! What day is it?!"

Nevermore freaked a little and flapped his wings, trying to stay balanced on her head, and wondering how Octillery ever managed it. Probably through his suction cup ability, no doubt.

"Forgive me, Dearies." she rushed back up the stairs, opening the door as she looked like she really wanted to see something. Murkrow took his two legs up out of her hair and gripped both sides of her head around with them, trying to 'ride out' her sudden rush.

Brandon was breathing heavily in his surprise as the Twins just set him down lightly and tried to fan him, looking to Miss Pearl as they had seen—using their psychic powers—the shift of her body and emotion's equilibrum.

"What's got her in such a fit?" Tia wondered, as Mia shrugged, answering. "I don't know."

Pearl ran inside to also startle Candy who was rubbing her head from the peck Pearl's Murkrow gave her, as well as pick up some loose toys as Eevee and Jake had gotten away. They both were looking at the eggs now before seeing Pearl race to the calendar. "Great Dialga! Is it that time already..?"

"Huh? What are you going on about, Miss Pearl?" Candy got up as Jake rushed towards the open door, he blew a rasberry behind him, hitting his butt to taunt her, and took off outside before stopping in front of Brandon and the Twins, Eevee having jumped up to his shoulder and then flopped over his head to see what he was looking at. "Vee?"

Brandon had swirls in his eyes, and Jake figured he had fainted in a battle. "Does he need a potion?" He joked, laughing to himself but Eevee just jumped down and tugged on his shirt's collar. "Y-yeah, I got defeated, too. No potions for me, either." he teased back and fanned off Eevee who laughed at him, having communicated that he was defeated not too long ago either, but rubbed up against his leg to show he was glad he was safe.

"It's the day me and Nevermore first met!" Pearl exclaimed, grabbing her coat and scarf as she hurried. "How could you ever forgive me, Nevermore?" She took an umbrella, just in case, and a small strap purse over her shoulder. "Every year I celebrate my Catch Day or when I met my Pokemon..! My memory is truly fading on me..!" she was in such distress, it almost made Candy feel sorry for her...

'She really does love her Pokemon...' Candy wondered if Miss Pearl had had more Pokemon throughout her life... and maybe... she celebrates the ones that are still with her after all these years..?

"Krow?" Nevermore tilted his head, blinking. He seemed to not have remembered either. "Krow!" he spread out his wings, as though trying to express that he would absolutely forgive her, she's had a busy time running the Daycare, and even he didn't recall their special day.

Still, Miss Pearl refused to abandon the day to utter ruin, which meant...

Murkrow's eyes widened, she might leave the Daycare in Candy's hands! Oh, the ensuing chaos, not again..!

He tried to bawk a few warnings but she was too much in a scurrying hurry to heed him on her head, his eyes turning to squinted inward arrows to express his concerns and trying to get her to wait and rethink this rash decision.

"I must honor this day, Candy. I'm so sorry! In all my years, I've never not honored my pokemon! Even those passed!" She exclaimed, grabbing a light jacket and racing back frantically to the door.

"W-wait, what about the new kid!?" Candy ran after her, "A-and the eggs!" she pointed back, the egg-carrier still strapped to the front of her chest.

"He's already here." Miss Pearl hurriedly adjusted her things, then lifted up the Umbrella into Nevermore's cawing mouth as he blinked and deflated at her obviously ignoring him. He just rolled his half-lidded eyes and tiredly consented to this, holding her Umbrella for her as she got her jacket more adjusted on her.

"WHAT!?" Candy exclaimed, "I-I can't do this all-" she just... didn't want to be alone.

"Please, Candy. I can't break tradition. You have Combusken with you, and your own Pokemon to help with any extra set of eyes or hands if you need them." She was rationalizing very quickly... as Candy thought it.

"B-bu-but-!" she stumbled as she tried to follow the elderly caretaker out the door.

"I promised to always spend the day of my pokemon and I's first meeting together. I have never broken that promise, and I assure you, I never will." She hurried to button up the coat jacket, then took a hat as Murkrow was forced to fly off to let her put it on, seeming somewhat upset at her hasty nature. "Oh... very well." She put the hat away as Nevermore happily fluttered back and landed on her head, still holding the umbrella and now sitting comfortably back with his neck extended and back straight up, content once more. "Take care of the children while I'm gone. I know you can." She only turned back to wave her hand at Candy and the kids, but Candy followed her all way down the dirt path to the fence.

"Miss Pearl, wait-!" she gripped the fence, trying to hurry and get ahead of her as she held out her hand. "Reconsider this! I know you love your pokemon, but we just got a new batch of eggs and a kid-!"

"And, Candy, please,…" right before Miss Pearl walked out the gate, she turned around, looking truly sincere as she put a loving—although to Candy, probably tough-love—hand to her shoulder, showing the absolute faith and trust she had in her. "Don't fight with Jake in front of Brandon?" she almost begged as Candy went off on that.

"...WHAT?!" She threw her entire being back at such a statement, "HE fights with ME! I never start the fights!" she dramatically pointed her finger back to him, and then to herself, growing upset how Miss Pearl tends to defend the kid more than herself. "I'm the one being bullied here!"

"I know you feel you haven't been enough for this Daycare, lately... for many of us." Miss Pearl bent her eyes to show the depth of her empathy, "But I know you are."

Candy stopped her passionate rant to tear up a moment, her gaping mouth closing after a few trembles of her lower lip, no longer upset.

She nodded softly while humbly bowing her head down, submitting to this being a way to prove herself, but also... to regain her lost confidence.

Miss Pearl patted her chin up, "Stiff upper lip." she quipped, smiling, "You got this." and walked off down the road towards the woods.

"…Candy?" Tia walked over, her sister close behind.

"..Yeah?" Candy looked depressed, just about Pearl always blaming her for Jake's behavior, but also... could she really manage completely on her own? Without Miss Pearl for who knows how long? She glanced back down at the kids, looking a bit worn out.

"Brandon's crawled under the gym set," Mia announced, "and I think his head is stuck." Tia finished, as they both interlocked their hands and swung their arms now connected together as cutely as ever, as though nothing was amiss.

"He's awful afraid of everything." Tia cutely stated further, "He's a squirmy one." Mia commented, "Just like rich folk."

Candy's eyes widened, twitching one of her lower eyelids before shaking her head and looking to Mia as though her comment made no sense to her.

"What?! That doesn't make any-! Oh Pokemans,... Pear-!" she was about to call to Pearl, before seeing her already halfway into the wood, and slowly realizing she couldn't ask for further help today...

She was on her own.

She remained in silence for a few seconds more... before sighing, drooping forward, smushing her beanie with a pink Pokeball logo design hat on further down her head, the little dangling white puffballs shaking in swings left and right at her head motions. She was trying to toughen up and hold herself high, patting her beanie's top down as though securing her head on tight, "Got it! It's up to me now! I have to be strong! For Lucario!" She turned back to the twins, "And for all of you!" then offered her hands and they parted their own to take hers. The twins looked touched by her last statement,... she wanted to be strong... for them?

She then started racing towards the playground, leading the way headfirst as the twins dangled behind her in the wind like her sets of puffballs hanging off her clothing. "Alright, you two, where's the new kid, again!?"

Apparently, Jake had been a bit 'rough' with him, and he had cried, running away under the gym set, where now, his head was stuck in one of the small play holes that looked like a window in the tunnel.

"JAKE!" Candy cried out as she skidded into view of him, looking like an action hero with real purpose and intent. "What did you do!?" she accused him right away.

"What?" Jake shrugged his arms up, "I just wanted to show him how a REAL man greets each other!"

"And how's that?" Candy came over as the twins got their footing again, exhaling in relief that she had finally stopped and allowed them to not be flapping ribbons trailing behind her in the wake of her jetstream.

"A headbutt!" Jake turned to Eevee who narrowed his brow, jumping up to hit him in his forehead as Jake leaned his body forward and headbutted him back. "Ah, yeah!"

Candy just stared at Jake a second... "You weren't socialized well, were you?" She teased, "Like an untrained pup." she squished the bridge of her noise around in how this kid managed to not tell that the new kid was squeamish, thinking that would somehow help? "What were you thinking!?"

"I dunno." Jake turned his hands upwards, "What was I supposed to do!? And most guys like violence."

"On t.v maybe, Jake, but not like this." Candy started to move over to Brandon, helping him out.

"Hmph, well, it was just friendlies. I wasn't actually trying to spook him..." He pouted, realizing what he did might have been too 'aggressive' in friend-making, and looked to Eevee as he folded his arms, "... I guess I should have learned from you... how not to approach someone..." he thought about when he first met Eevee, the little terror he was...

A maturity arose in Jake... and he took a deep breath as though to forgive himself and rewrite his mistakes.

He saw the twins having let go of Candy's hands and held his own, smiling to him as they could sense his new resolve in the aura of which he was feeling it.

He smiled at both girls, nodding, then looked to Eevee, "Okay, I'll make this right." he nodded.

"And?" Mia rose an eyebrow, frowning before Tia giggled, replying after her sister, "You'll apologize!" to which Mia re-instated, "Right?" and leaned forward to make sure he understood what he did wrong and was truly going to be sorry for it.

Jake sweated a bit, not liking the added attention that 'troublemaker' made him in this particular regard... he liked the attention, just not when he was being pressured into admitting his faults so openly.

He looked to Eevee, who sat down and wagged his tail, smiling up to him. "Eevee." he seemed supportive.

"Ugh, fiiiiine." Jake breathed out, lifting his head up and making his mouth large to declare it, groaning his disapproval as the twins smiled and giggled at his exaggerative traits.

"…Brandon?" Candy rolled her body down to the side, looking at him with an angle as he had his head stuck... thinking, 'Poor lad,' and continuing after getting down on all fours and looking at him with the proper aligning of her head this time. "Is that your name? J-just-" She moved her hands to his head, not sure how to help, but... push and pull, she guessed? "Hold on,.. we-we'll-um..." she looked around, and then tried to push the poor kid's head back into the tunnel. "Let's just get you out of there, okay?"

Igglypuff raced over to see what the commotion was about, as Combusken had retired from training for that day and laid fast asleep on the roof of the daycare... she really didn't train all that long, but... eh.

She wasn't as 'spirited' about it without Lucario around to challenge her, anymore... but she did still like to fight. She laid back with her talon-hands behind her head and one foot up over the other, just resting before peeking an eye open to see Candy pushing the kids head back in, and the other kids rushing to aid if needed or at least... to sincerely try and befriend the skittish boy.

Igglypuff was cheering Candy on with two little leaves it was using as fans to do so, singing its little chanted encouragements, but not using its actual move to put anyone to sleep, obviously. The kids all joined in to help Candy by moving to pull behind her or in the tunnel to pull on Brandon's legs, working together as the poor, traumatized boy was mutely crying streams of tears from the horrible first impressions...

The Neighboring Woods

"Ah, can you remember, Nevermore? The day we first met." Pearl walked along the path to a beautiful old meadow far below a cliff that she had to carefully slide down to get to. Flowers were blooming in all shapes and sizes, having been scattered by the wind, their seeds landed in random bundles all over the meadow's field. Wild Pokemon were playing and frolicking before hearing her sliding down with Murkrow flapping his wings to keep her safe upon the downhill descent. The wild pokemon fled as Murkrow hovered Pearl just slightly when she lightly hopped and then set her down, easier as she wobbled just a little bit. "Oh, not getting any younger, are we, Nevermore, dear?" she chuckled lightly as Murkrow flopped down to the ground, wings spread out, and crawled a little before showing x's in his eyes. He needed a break after keeping her from any serious injuries on her back and head. He had made sure to slow her down and keep her somewhat airborne, at her age, she really should be more careful!

"I remember it like it was yesterday…" Pearl closed her eyes, taking in the wind as Murkrow flew up and scaled the skies, following said wind over the forest. She began to lightly walk around the meadow, the small dress she wore flapping gently by her side. "If I begin to reminisce, as I'm sure you are, too, Nevermore dear… I can almost relive tantalizing battle verbatim."

Murkrow lifted up his head, rubbing his witch's hat feathers with his wing before looking back to her with a smile on his beak, "Murkrow!" he closed his eyes and happily obliged, looking forward then as the wind affected him too... and the scene began... as it did so many... years ago...

The meadow became younger, as did a spunky Pearl, who was rushing and taking photos of a group of butterfrees. She spun quickly behind her as she had ran passed a few that were late bloomers from their Metapods, and then arched her camera as it took rapid-fire click-shots of their first flight. She grinned eagerly, having the camera like a telescope glued to her eye as she wasn't looking at her footing, and tried to follow after them before stepping in a deep, concave dirt gap and falling over from it, twisting her ankle just slightly but nothing more than a light sprain. "Ahhh!" her arms reflexed out wide but she tucked them in to protect the camera, rolling or rather tumbling, dangerously close to the side of the cliff. She had gotten pretty banged up in the process, her elbows red and her face covered in loose dirt.

"Offph! Ack, ack! What..? Oh great…" The young Pearl leaned up to look around, seeing the beautiful meadow... but then the side of that cliff began a small landside and holding on to the ground under her, it luckily remained under her and slid her down, before cracking into finer pieces upon the impact of the ground just as she jumped to avoid further injury, "Ou-wahhh!" Seeing how it was a pretty steep climb back up to where ground level was, she twitched an eye at the pain and tried to at least lean her body up from the scary, quick thinking she did to avoid disastrous injuries. "Pearl… you've done it again." She sighed, before hearing some bird calls up ahead.

"Ah, I've probably spooked the local pokemon here." She surveyed the area, "That's not good... I don't want to be seen as a threat... em... ah! Great, not good..." she had tried to use her knee to push herself up off the ground and back to standing, but faltered slightly, "I may need to rest first... huh?"

Squinting, and holding a hand out for a better look, she saw a few Spearow, followed closely behind by a Fearow, coming towards her. They were highly territorial as she recalled, and suddenly realized the predicament she was in.

"Eeeee!" freaking out and having her hair stand on end, she quickly scrambled back to her feet and started for the cliff, trying to climb up. It kept crumbling under her touch, "Wah!? Why is this soil so soft? Was this... was this mound made by a digging Pokemon? And if so... did it just naturally form the landscape of a cliff after time?" She didn't really have time to investigate that, and looked up to see the Spearows closing in on her. "GAHHH!" they dived right for her and caught her first, pecking her as she lost her hold on the rocky wall she had barely managed to slightly begin to climb up, falling back down it again, getting swarmed as the Fearow landed, snickering at how she was back at their mercy.

She kicked and hit them while being forced on her back on the ground, "Stop, stop it! I'm not here to do anything-! AH, ow!"

She turned her body to the side to try and protect more of herself, throwing her Pokeball as they seemed unrelenting. After the Pokeball flew up, Fearow caught it in its mouth, being attracted to the shine it produced, and snickered down at her.

Her eyes widened in fright as the Spearows moved back, their eyes just as wicked before the Pokeball began to open, shocking the cocky Fearow. He tried to snap his beak shut but as he panicked, his wings flapped more profusely, and the Pokeball managed to still wiggle his head about and open itself as the Fearow was forced to open its mouth.

A bright light emerged out on into the open air as a Rhyhorn's form appeared, its stance ready to hit the ground as it tucked its arms in and bent its legs. Once hitting, the cloud of dirt that sprayed out covered it... before it reared its head back and let out a massive roar, the Fearow now gapping its mouth open with a sweatdrop as the other Spearows shook in fright and intimidation. "Quick! Hyper Beam!" she cried out, swishing a hand out now that she had rolled over to her stomach. It was all self-defense... but that Fearow kinda made it personal...

Her Rhyhorn charged to lift its head and ram back most of them off of her, before standing with a wide stance in front of her on the ground, reeling his head back as he expanded out his chest, his arms moving to the sides as he made himself wider and wider, his mouth opening to show the powering-up sequence of Hyper Beam..!

The Fearow twitched an eyebrow, not liking how quickly this went out of his favor and flapped his wings. He wasn't going to give up, he was the boss of this terrain, and he wouldn't let anyone or anything forget it! Rising to the skies, he tried to arch his flight to dodge the straight beam of power from Ryhorn, but Ryhorn turned his massive head and body, remaining sturdy, as the beam tracked Fearow as he tried to aerial dodge the attack. The battle raged fiercely, Rhyhorn had to recharge but that's all the time Fearow needed, having mostly dodged the Hyper Beam and shifted his eyes back while cranking back and flying to lay a heavy arsenal of attacks down on Ryhorn, recruiting its fellow Spearows that weren't knocked out by the previous attack from Ryhorn.

"Ah! Silver, no!" She cried out, seeing her Rhyhorn faint as she quickly recalled him to his Pokeball, "It's okay, big guy! I think I can- Ahh!" she ducked and shielded her head with her arms as the remaining Spearows lashed out at her again, Fury Attacking to make sure she couldn't reach for another Pokeball.

Fearow snickered again, landing on the ground to stretch out his arms in victory. "Fearrroooowww!" he cried out his piercing sound of triumph, then walked with a wicked intent gleaming from his eyes towards Pearl, lifting his beak up to shine in the sun for a moment, looming over her.

"Grk... want to finish the job yourself, eh?" Pearl saw the Spearows fly up and move aside, as Fearow reared his body up and lifted a taloned foot, about to attack her personally for entering his territory... when...

"Murk! Krow! Murk! Krow!" A line of black zipped across Pearl's vision, as Fearow stopped his assault, getting a flurry of serval blurred lines of speed hitting in all different directions.

Fearow cried out before his eyes turned to swirls, such were the power of these attacks and fell backwards onto its back while twitching a leg up. The Spearows flew further up in alarm, wondering who could have defeated their magnificent leader when he had already beaten something so powerful as a Ryhorn..!?

"Murkrow!" A Murkrow landed on the fallen Fearow's back, spreading out its wings and lunging a little bit with a talon forward, as though to intimidate the Spearows. They all flew back again in shock at how quickly their leader had fallen, continuing their retreat from attacking Pearl further.

"Ah... a Murkrow?" Pearl blinked her eyes, amazed at the new ally that looked down at her with a smile. She pulled out her Pokedex, and after a bit of reading, she looked up, "Workrum, Workrum—bad luck, don't come..? More like, please come!" she cried out, reading that for some reason, this Pokemon was seen as bringing 'ill-luck' or 'misfortune', far from the truth of the moment, for sure. "Help me!"

Murkrow's eyes glistened at her asking him for help, being so used to humans seeing him in one way, he seemed touched that she understood he was there to save her. "Murk..." he happily agreed, and then glared to the Spearows, flying up to the skies as they chased after him.

He cawed them on, and as he seemed to fight with expert precision and skill, looking behind him to make sure they were all tailing him, he began impressive Dogfighting maneuvers. Two came up behind his wings, but he rotated himself down and then flew straight up between them, causing them to lose their wing placement before kicking them both to crashing below the tree line. A puff of dust kept raining down as more Spearows fell from the air. It was like the Red Baron of Pokemon, unable to be hit, as the Spearows refused to surrender till each of them was down.

A few retreated, cowards, but other Spearows pushed them back into the fray. In the end, they all were angry and grinding their teeth... but all fell to Murkrow's might.

"Ohhh…" Each attack hit with so much power, a Wing Attack, an Astonish, even hazing the skies to give him more cover, the Spearows, one by one, had never faced such a clever opponent. The ones on the grounds slowly came around, pushing off the ground to shake off their fainting and begin to collect their Leader, still groaning in pain as they flew off with him on their backs... one looked behind him at Murkrow who landed down on the ground with Pearl, the haze fading.

He just gave him a glare, growling, before crying out, "Sppearrroooowww..!" as though cursing his black-feathery name, and proclaiming he would get him for this.

They all strained to make a speedy getaway into the sky, as Murkrow adjusted the folding of his wings and looked off with a content look to his face, glad that was over with as he turned to look over his shoulder at Pearl, seeing her leaning her back up from the ground and turning around.

"Krow. Murkrow." The mighty Murkrow, having won the war, having gazed upon his fleeing enemies, closed his eyes in a smile of satisfaction to Pearl. It was as though he was saying she was alright now, and was proud he had answered her call for help. He was about to fly off now, flapping his wings to take off again, when Pearl shouted a 'Wait!' towards him. He turned around and held his wings out, as if ready to depart at any time.

Was she still injured?

"I…T-thank you!" Pearl shouted out, getting up and rushing to him, before weakly having to slouch down a bit and hold herself up with her hands on her knees. The sudden movement made Murkrow twitch and fly a few hops ahead, just avoiding her stumbling run, but didn't take off just yet, wondering what was wrong with her. "I... I don't know how to repay you. B-but… I'd like to try and feed you! If that's alright." She smiled, "I'm determined to thank you, kind pilot! You really gave those Spearows a fright for their lives!" The Murkrow looked to her legs and saw the pecking marks, then to her tattered clothes...

Having a good heart, he lowered his wings and adjusted them back on his back like before, giving her a great big, "Murkrrrrow!" as he closed his eyes in approval. Sure, he'd let her reward him.

The two ate together on that now quiet and uneventful meadow before the sun started setting. Pearl went over her adventures and Murkrow mimed his many glorious battles over the time he had hatched till now.

The two had really enjoyed the other's company, and the picnic, for each of them, was over far too quickly... the day just running away from them, it seemed.

Murkrow yawned, not being very fond of fighting during the day as he was usually up at night, but having been up all day... it was really going to throw him off his sleep-schedule. He really did enjoy his time trying to chat and communicating with Pearl, though, and sort of... wished it didn't have to end. "Murkrow, Murkrow." Lifting a wing up like a finger, he seemed to be bestowing her some wisdom of not getting caught in those predicaments with the Spearows and Fearow again, about-facing and going to turn in to rest some of the night.

"W-wait!" She threw out her second Pokeball.

"Octi! Oct!" Octavius came out, having evolved since it was quite some time ago when he was first captured.

"If I may, I'd like to try and catch ya! You didn't think I just had you rest up and eat for nothing, right? You saved me… and any pokemon with that big a heart for a complete stranger is welcome on my team! What do you say? A friendly battle! If you win, then just... please… continue to protect those that lose their way in this forest, alright?" She gave him a gentle smile, knowing now that the Pokedex wasn't 'always' right about Pokemon Natures. Murkrow saved a weary traveler who journeyed too far into the forest... he didn't lead them to ruin but gave him salvation from rotten luck. Murkrow flapped his wings and looked back at her, he had already flown up a bit in the sky, and staring for a moment,... seemed to find a quiet strength in this young woman he had grown fond of.

Being caught? A trainer really wanted to try?

Taken by her charms and spirit, he charged down into a Wing Attack, as her Octillery couldn't really dodge it that well… due to the speed advantage and suddenness of his reply for her to go ahead and try!

"Ah..! Heh, I see. In a real battle, there is no real warning for when a battle starts! Just like with Fearow! Okay,… Octavius! Use Signal Beam!" She was glad he accepted the challenge, now at full health and only a tad bit sleepy, he would still be able to take her and her Pokemon on... it also meant... he was giving her a chance!

Murkrow would swoop in with great timing and expert dodging, but after so many Beam attacks and other combat strategies, like having her Octillery cling to trees to aim under camouflage as the battle moved within the forest and away from the meadow, the mighty battle came to a satisfying conclusion. Murkrow happily accepted his fate and lost with both his honor and pride.

Coming back to the modern-day, the present where they sat and ate together, staring up at the beautiful sky... Pearl could still remember that ever since that day, Murkrow has guided Pearl on her journey, to be more careful and exact in her leadership skills while battling, definitely becoming stronger through his skill, and listening to his expert instruction on warfare dynamics.

He has been an asset to her team... in becoming the experienced trainer she is today.

They walked on, side by side, as the scene faded to the now the older Pearl and Nevermore, having been nicknamed such by her in the sense that anyone that tries to mess with them or their bond will have to quote the Murkrow, you'll nevermore bother them again.

While they happily strolled, a pair of glowing eyes watched in the forest bushes… slowly trailing their steps before releasing a Sweet Scent that caught Murkrow by surprise. "Murk?" he sniffed the air on either side of himself, before slowly melting to its aroma and becoming wobbly.

He began to grow weaker and weaker from the scent, as Pearl stopped a moment to look at him, "Nevermore, Dear?" she asked, before sniffing the air and also... finding the strange, alluring smell...

"W-...wha…," She slowly began to follow it, as though it was pulling her towards it... as Murkrow also led with his beak's nostrils, wafting in the scent with his wing feathers, lifting one foot high and the other tapping down in a silly march towards it, his eyes fluttering at how good it smelt. "What is that… beautiful smell?" she lightly dropped to her knees, touching her face, "Ahh~ It's like I'm at a spa with scented candles all around me~ Emm~"

There was a smirk from the dark shadows of the bushes... Then a paw seductively emerged from the leaves before throwing out a beautiful Delcatty's head, covered slightly by her fur in a very 'showgirl' sort of way, batting her eyes at the two wanderers. "Delll~" she chimed, giving them a playful wink.

"O-oh, my. It's a Delcatty." Pearl was still a little out of it from the smell, not sensing any danger.

Murkrow looked over as well, still seeming lulled by the Sweet Scent into a false sense of security and peace. "Murk? Murkrow, krow."

"Ah, yes, you're right. A very pretty one at that." Miss Pearl smiled with an adoring blush as she tilted her head, giving praise where it was due, before blinking her squinted eyes open a bit further and seeing that... following from the same bushes, the Delcatty swished its tail and lowered its head intimidatingly, and two more Pokemon, stronger and bulkier in both weight and height, came slowly out of the bushes with smirks on their faces... matching the Delcatty's as she lifted her head with confidence and mischief in them.

"O-oh... and a handsome Machoke and Ivysaur... too... wait, a moment..." she tried to reach for Murkrow, realizing this didn't look so good anymore... "If you'll all just e-excuse us..." she grasped the air for Murkrow who was still in la-la-land, landing on his butt and rolling his head about as though completely overtaken in his senses by the Sweet Scent and Delcatty's natural ability...

"Del. Delcatty, del, del." The Delcatty spoke as she wiggled her shoulders, lifting up a paw to fluff back her mane, then bounce and play with a small purplish-pink puff ball on it... Had Murkrow fallen under her Cute Charm? Causing the Pokemon effect Attract?

"K-…Kr…Krow~" Murkrow was instantly enamored by her as she used Captivate and circled around him, playing with his hat before stringing her tail under his chin, as he delightedly followed after her as her tail motioned for him to come along.

"Ne...Nevermore… what on earth?" Sweet Scent was fading, as Pearl got up and bundled her fist. "What have you done to my Nevermore!?" she cried out, seeing as he had hearts in his eyes and wandered after her into the bushes.

Delcatty swiped her head back out of the bushes, grinning wickedly, before giving a 'Chu~' wink and fish-lip face before taking the three other pokemon and moving on.

Once on the other side of the bush, she purred something to Murkrow through her use of Confide, making Murkrow lose his concentration on what was happening, as he obeyed her next command without hesitation.

She then swiped the bush up to have Murkrow fly out and charge towards Pearl, using Night Shade, making Pearl collapse on the ground before Nevermore flew back to Delcatty, wanting his praise as he flew with continual hearts in his eyes.

She purred something to Ivysaur, who was also under her 'Attract' move as he happily used Sweet Scent, which made the pokemon want to stay by her side even more.

She then turned to Machoke and pawed at him to lean down, purring another order as he pounded his fists, making Pearl immediately get up from the headache of Night Shade and pull out a Pokeball. "You sly little thing! You're controlling them!" Pearl gasped out, "That's just cruel, I'll have to teach you a lesson!"

She was about to bring out Octavius, but hesitated a moment, "Wait... if I bring him out, he might fall under Attract too!" The Machoke went for a downward punch to the ground, so she moved back and fell on her rear, rubbing it. "In my age, I can't do this alone..." She had lost her precious Silver, the Ryhorn, years and years ago due to old age... the Pokemon left with her were the last of her precious team...

The pokemon seemed to be in some sort of trance from Delcatty and obeyed all its wishes through her power. Keeping them obsessed with her, and not thinking clearly, she ran her own little 'Pokemon Team' as it were, and seemed to want Murkrow as part of her 'collection'.

"A new bully and gang leader in this forest, I see?" Pearl raised an eyebrow, "Well, I for one, won't stand for it!" she tried to get up, careful from her brittle bones.

'That fall could have been a nasty one...' she told herself, worried as sweat trickled down the side of her face. 'Candy... I'll need the youth for this one.' She strategized, but looked to Murkrow, still happily dancing to try and get Delcatty's undivided attention as Delcatty just sat happily back and smiled with lowered, calm and in control eyes at the elderly human.

She must have sensed how strong Murkrow was as a pokemon... but still...

Pearl reached a trembling hand out for her pokemon, "Ne…Never…more…" she called, "Please... listen to me-" But before she could finish, Delcatty gestured with a head swish and Ivysaur released a Sleep Powder.

"Dell~" she purred, waving a dainty paw to Pearl as she slowly came down to her knees with her hands trying to hold herself up... but she was growing weak from being in such a position.

She extended her hand out again to Murkrow, crawling over to him, "N-... Never... more... I know... you'll always protect me... my friend... ah..." she fell asleep as Murkrow paused and felt her fingers slipping from the side of his face.

He looked at her... the Night Shade attack had made her see the mirage of those flock of Spearows from their memories... all overtaking her before... and she still refused to go down without at least trying to fight.

There was so little she could do... she didn't want to lose Octavius, too.

The pressure that was on her body from Nevermore's powerful Night Shade attack, and having narrowly moved back from the Machoke's attack... it was too much for her anyway.

Machoke looked back and Delcatty meow'd sweetly, so he searched Pearl and took some of her remaining food before they left her there and walked off... Nevermore staring with his entranced eyes at Pearl before Delcatty licked the side of his face and he was once again happily singing and following behind her... unable to control himself or think properly.

Back at the Daycare...

Tia and Mia watched as Brandon's head with his messy and curly blonde hair was pushed out of the tunnel, "He's out!" Mia exclaimed, "And he's okay-Ah!... ohhh..." Tia suddenly turned to look towards the woods, feeling something not quite right. "Do you feel that, Mia?" She asked as Mia handed off Brandon to Candy after exiting the tube with Tia. Candy made Jake apologize, pushing his head down to a formal bow with a gruff expression on her face, but Brandon seemed just traumatized by the whole experience.

"A sinister presence!" Mia exclaimed, "It's hurt Pearl," she began, as Tia finished, "-and took Nevermore!" The two began to run off to the woods but stopped when Igglypuff frantically tried to keep up, wanting to go with them.

It had little sweat flying in beads off its small, pink, and round body. Its little feet trying to keep up as the twins stopped and looked behind them.

To the girls, not a second could be spared.

Igglypuff suddenly came to a stop and panted, her head down as she was finding it hard to breathe and keep up. With Candy distracted, and half the Pokemon as well, it was only those three now away from the rest of the group.

"Come on, IgglyWiggly!" they called to Igglypuff, holding out one hand each between the two of them, encouraging her. "You feel it, too." Tia gave her a gentle look of compassion.

"Right? Don't you?" Mia also bent her eyebrows to show she wanted Igglypuff to join them in rescuing Pearl. "Candy has to watch Jake and Brandon, so come on!"

Igglypuff looked up, her eyes sparkling at the faithful friendship the two girls portrayed towards her.

With all Igglypuff's heart, she just wanted to come along with them, joining them on whatever adventure may unfold... Memories of them playing together, sitting on the bus to the Aquarium, or even just having her body brushed as they giggled and laughed moved through her mind.

Psychically, she connected more with them too...

So, happily, she jumped in the air and wiggled her feet about! A new spurt of energy as she ran to catch their outstretched hands, letting her swing in the middle of the two as she thought this might be a fun game!

Candy tried to stop Brandon from crying as Jake kept calling him a sissy, "Don't say that! Apologize for that, too!" she declared, hollering again with narrowed eyes at his antics never ceasing, trying to bend down and comfort the new boy. Candy was so busy yelling at Jake to be quiet and have some manners so as to stop scaring Brandon, that she was distracted from the two girls and Igglypuff running off. Brandon was just more scared of both of them, Candy's angled eyes of anger towards Jake and Jake laughing at her 'funny expression', being the mischievous and rambunctious boy he was.

Brandon's eyes just swelled further with tears, before he threw his head back and cried gushes of water fountain geysers.

Candy looked about done when Eevee touched her side, and pointed to the girls running off. "Vee, vee." His little paw outstretched to them jumping into the folage of the woods.

"Ahhhh!" Candy flinched back in white, scared out of her wits to see them disappear that quickly and out of sight, crying out in terror as it was her job to keep them all together. "Jake! Stay here and watch Brandon," She took off, a true track star if there ever was one, "And don't be mean!" She warned him as she suddenly about-faced and shook a stern finger at him with each word. Jake just had a question mark hovering over his head, confused as to why she would trust him with anything at all as she rushed off to stop the girls. "Hey! Wait! Come back! Ohh… Combusken! You're in charge!"

"What?!" Oh, that made more sense, but Jake was still upset. He thought, for once, Candy was trusting him with the more 'maturer things'. "I thought you were gonna have faith in me to be in charge!" Jake stomped his foot down, upset he had lost that prided sense of authority and finally being treated like an adult for a change and just folded his arms.

Combusken landed right behind him, which caused him to slowly turn around, shaking in fright after seeing Combusken's eyes twinkle and a clear snicker across her smug countenance... She was sinisterly loving the newfound power appointed to her over him.

"Oh, great." Jake shakily smiled, "If the kid wasn't scared before, he certainly will be now!"

Back in the Woods

Mia and Tia quickly held their free hands out, closing their eyes as they pushed their psychic abilities to try and hone in on Pearl's signature.

"There!" They both cried out as Igglypuff scrunched up her body, pulling her feet up, and made a face of concentration and strain. She was boosting their abilities with her own, allowing a more clearer channel for them as they landed on their knees to Pearl, Igglypuff landing

Pearl was found by the twins first, as Igglypuff happily, and lightly, jumped onto her back, thinking she had won the 'hide-and-seek' game by helping find Pearl first. She made a cute expression, smiling before rolling off Pearl's body as the girls tried to get her off.

"Iggly, no! Oh, Miss Pearl!" Mia looked down in worry.

"Are you alright?" Tia's face looked mortified, as though Miss Pearl may not wake up or something.

Tia looked up to see Igglypuff happily swaying her head left and right while humming a happy tune before quickly grabbing her and holding her in her arms, breathing hard. "It's like with Uncle Hoolio." She admitted, and Igglypuff stopped her carefree nature and struggled in her arms, sensing bad emotions, but stopped to look up with sincerity in her eyes to the girls.

What... feeling was this?

Mia turned with empathy to her sister, her eyes shaking but her expression one of seriousness. She pushed on Pearl's body, shaking her, "Wake up..!" she began to feel tears in her eyes, her face tensing up from that painful memory. "Wake up, Miss Pearl!"

Igglypuff looked to the two girls... and realizing something bad was happening, looked back forward with new maturity in her eyes.

She narrowed her eyes and lifted her tiny little arms up, channeling her psychic power, "Igggg...!" she focused hard. The little girls didn't know what she was doing, but feeling the energy being sent through Igglypuff to Miss Pearl, they nodded, and used their own psychic power to outstretch their hands and send her energy.

She was only unconscious, so with the added energy, she stirred, and finally... woke up. "Oh...ohhh my... Nevermore..." She weakly began to get up.

"Miss Pearl!" The girls cheered, as Igglypuff looked to both their expressions, seeing that the awful feeling had dissipated in them, and returned to her happy, carefree self again.

"Iggly!" she chimed.

Tia placed her down and the two helped Miss Pearl up as Pearl gripped her head, "My... how'd you two find me? Where's Candy? And the others?"

"We used our psychic abilities," Tia stated, holding her hand.

"Igglypuff helped us focus our energies more concisely!" Mia looked down at Igglypuff, "She kept us... calm and gave us a job to do."

The two girls were filled with thanks, Igglypuff leveling out their emotions so they could do what needed to be done to help Miss Pearl get up again.

"What happened here, Miss Pearl?" Tia patted Igglypuff's head, but then brought Pearl's hand closer to her body.

"We feel a terrible presence has entered these woods." Mia nodded, her seriousness still present.

"Uh-huh, Uh-huh! I felt it, too!" Tia agreed, nodding to her sister as she looked around Pearl to do so. She brought Igglypuff up again into her one arm, the naïve little thing still didn't fully comprehend what the twins had momentarily been feeling, the dread that was sensed, but did notice that —although no one was incredibly emotional as before —everyone was still somewhat worried and scared. It wondered what kind of game they were playing that caused such strange and 'unfun' sensations in her most beloved people friends...

Her eyes bent back, "Iggly?" Why wasn't anyone explaining it?

"D-Delcatty… a Delcatty seemed to put my Nevermore into some kind of… hypnotic state… She used her charms and allure to mess with his mind," Pearl closed one eyelid, straining to stand. "We must... urgh... S-stop her-ah!" Pearl fell back down to her knees, her old bones not keeping up with her. "Ohh…" Pearl tried to get up again, but she was in no condition to pursue. "I'm afraid... we may need Candy's help on this one, girls." she felt a bit of her pride die a little, but she was used to this condition by now. "Think you could help her find her way here?" she looked to the two girls. "Be careful, now..." She was getting... so tired again...

"Oh no…" Mia looked to Pearl's weariness, and then at her sister. The two exchanged a look as though a full conversation was had, and nodded, thinking the same thing. "Just hold on, Pearl." they both said in unison, truly having aged a few years in the span of seconds.

"We'll save Nevermore!" Tia smiled in confidence, "Just you wait and see!" Mia finished her twin's sentence then.

The two got up at the same time, once they were sure Pearl was safely seated on the ground and held their arms down by their sides. "Right!" they took off, charging out into the forest as Igglypuff was placed down and panicked on the ground, running around with beads of sweat flying off her little top bun swirl again, before chasing off after them. She didn't like nor want to be alone... and she was still curious about their emotional states.

"N-no! L-little ones!" Pearl cried out, reaching a hand towards them, "Waaiitt!"

Thankfully, that was all Pearl needed. Her ear twitched a second and she turned with a wild skid to change directions and raced through the woods. Once again, the Pokemon just sighed in the forest... was she ever just gonna leave them be to their pleasant lives?

Some Pokemon recognized 'the little terror human' as she crashed through the tundra like an Olympic runner, and by this point, just grumbled from the side of their mouths, not even daring to complain anymore.

"Ah! Pearl!" Candy cried out as she leaped out of a bush she was jumping through. She braced and rolled herself to leaning down beside the old instructor woman; a teacher, in a sense, to all the kids and Pokemon at the daycare too. "Are you okay? What happened? Where are the twins?"

"There's n-no time… the children… Mia and Tia went after Nevermore." Pearl gently took Candy's hand that was around her, letting her know what had happened in as few breaths as possible. "Somehow, they transferred just enough energy to me to wake me up with their psychic abilities. B-but... I fear for them... these woods are dangerous... and they only have little Igglypuff to protect them..." Straining to move, she pointed the way in which they went. "S-straight ahead… Nevermore's being controlled by Delcatty..!" she struggled to exclaim.

"D-Delcatty?" Candy looked confused, "W-well, I'll get them back! Just stay here!" She pulled out a Pokeball, "I choose you, Cuddles!" Munchlax was released from his Pokeball, blinking his eyes... as though wondering with his head moving left and right along the ground, why he was summoned without a bowl full of delicious berries or food right in front of him. "Miss Pearl, please keep Cuddles with you as some protection." She nodded, taking off as Pearl suddenly gasped at seeing... she was still wearing the Egg-carrier!

"T-The Egg," Her eyes opened up from their slits, her tiny, beady but beautifully shining eyes shook in fright. "Candy! W-wait!"

Candy had already dashed off, forgetting what was in front of her, as the Egg jostled and bounced with each step she took...

Munchlax just yawned, sitting down by Pearl and scratching it's belly... then... in a heartbeat... fell over and began to snooze.

Miss Pearl lowered her outstretched hand and looked over to him, sighing, "Ohh, deary... Ahh~ Offph." she fell back in her exhaustion, unable to resist her sleepy condition, too... Did he really use the move Yawn on her!? In a few moments, they both had large snot bubbles to show how deep in sleep they had become.

The twins had located Delcatty's den with their abilities, hanging out outside of it as they staked the place out, hiding behind some foliage and rocks. The Pokemon had a few more followers now, before looking up to see the twins, and grinning as her tail swished on the mound of rocks she had as her home 'throne' if you will.

"Give us back our Nevermore!" Mia shouted out, realizing she was spotted as Tia tried to hold her hand and pull her back.

"No, we should wait-!" she wanted to make a 'rescue' strategy but Igglypuff bounced out into the open too.

"Iggly!" she puffed her body up, just mirroring Mia.

Tia sighed, getting out and also trying to match the atmosphere the two were giving off, swiping out her hand like a hero, "Or we'll fight'chu!" Tia tried to shout in a powerfully commanding way, as Igglypuff chimed out, "Iggly, Iggly~!" kicking her feet up in the air as her body slowly floated down with each 'bounced jump' of her light body.

Not very intimidating... just a couple of baby humans with a baby Pokemon.

Delcatty seemed to laugh at the two foolish kiddos, and got up with a flare of her mane and wiggle of her ears. Her haughty and smug personality made her lift a backwards paw up to her face, "Cat-Cat-Catty!" she mocked them, as though a snooty villain feeling they can't be beat by a couple of runts.

She jumped delicately and with grace from up on her rocks and onto a tall cliffside, where the Machoke and Ivysaur walked forward, all grinning evilly. She flicked her head and Ivysaur let out a Sweet Scent... the rest of her minions lifting their noses up and looking in a daze by it. "Delll~" she let out a beautiful sound as hearts flew and hit against the Pokemon, putting them back under her spell.

"Uhh… this doesn't l-look so good.." Tia moved into her sister's arms, who held her as Mia's bravery waned, too at how many Pokemon began to walk forward... out of hiding...

Delcatty sat down as the Pokemon all swarmed around protectively of her. She just licked her mane and then shook out her stiffened strings with puffballs attached to them. "Delcatty~" she batted her eyes, as though egging the little twerps to just try and get to her.

"We…We really should of thought this t-through." Mia weakly stated, hugging her sister back, and looking afraid as the tougher looking adult Pokemon began to close-in around them.

Igglypuff, sensing the twins emotions again, realized they were afraid. Well, can't have that! What kinda game is this that they weren't having fun anymore!?

Looking confused, it turned to see that the Delcatty rose its head, smirking as it lowered its eyelids towards the three on her high hill...

She warmed up her voice, something common for Igglypuff's, and tried to dance and sing—although, still too young to be any good at it—to make them look at her and be happy again, as she could usually make them smile easily.

"Ah! Igglypuff, don't!" Tia cried out, "This isn't a game!" Mia stated right after her, both reaching out for her, "Come back!" they exclaimed.

"Delllll-" Delcatty lowered her head, "Caaaaatttttty!" Delcatty let out an assist, as she fired an ice beam down and the Pokemon jumped to engage with her.

"She thinks Igglypuff is using some kind of move!" Tia shrieked, her hands darting to her cheeks, "Igglypuff, please, no!"

Igglypuff turned around and saw the beam coming at her... the light encompassing her eyes.

Mia cried out, "DOOODGGGEEE!"

Moving so fast that even Delcatty blinked twice, mouth still open in shock, Igglypuff moved like a shonen blur out of sight. She shook her head and growled, looking around, "Delcatty! Del!" she ordered everyone to find the annoying child Pokemon, as Machoke jumped down, having the earth give way at his presence and stomped his mighty self out onto the field, looking around at Delcatty's command. The other crowd of Pokemon looked around too, all varying in species and power levels.

"Ah!" Tia gripped her heart, "Phew~" What a callback, she also narrowed her eyes. "They're all under Delcatty's evil enchantment, sis! Their eyes... they're full of hearts in them!" She had noticed, now that Igglypuff was gone and safe, she was able to focus more... "What did Jake say about battling again?"

"No time to think!" Mia spun back to her sister, "They're all being controlled by her, but Igglypuff is just as cute! Maybe even cuter!" Mia formed a tight fist with her hand, "We're gonna win back the masses with our own Pokemon's Cute Charm!" she declared.

"Oh?" Tia turned to her sister, amazed, "H-how?"

"Ma…choke!" Machoke flexed, and then tried to use Seismic Toss as he had located Igglypuff hiding behind a rock, looking to Delcatty as he tried to impress her. The move did a number on Igglypuff, he grabbed the little springboard and threw her powerfully to the ground.

The girls gasped in terror, "They found her!"

She rolled away and bounced along the ground, to the great horror of the girls, as they rushed over to her... fainted.

"Ah! Igglypuff, no!" The two called out, holding one another and seeing their poor friend defeated, picking her up as well. "Igglypuff, please!" Tia began to cry, as Mia also held her, "We need you... you've gotta get up... you've gotta fight..!"

"Del, del. Delcatty." Delcatty laughed, wickedly grinning before… "Delcatty, del!" she jumped back up to all fours and looked as though she was in the 'play stance' but it was a more villainous look of victory, "Delcatttyyy!" she ordered them to take the rest out, as the crowd of Pokemon began to rush the terrified and alone twins.

"We... we need you..." Tia sobbed, "You're our... our friend... and you can help us with our power!" Mia continued, also having tears roll down her face. "Igglypuff, get up!" they put their hands to her body, as they learned how she did it just before, giving her their Energy... "Help us fight!" they closed their eyes...

"Stop this!"

Candy slid out in front of the girls as they continued sending Energy to Igglypuff, still motionless with a fainted expression in her eyes. Candy rose up and spread her arms out wide, protectively, as Zippity was let out of her Pokeball. "You can't hypnotize a girl Pokemon, right?!"

"Pichu, Pichu!" Zippity sparked out and landed on all fours, jumping left and right, rearing her head up. "Piiichuuu!" showing how truly enraged she was, she let out more sparks as all Delcatty saw was another baby Pokemon wannabe-hero...

"Delll..?" Delcatty lifted her head up to the side and then swished her tail, her tongue slowly hitting the roof of her mouth as though saying, Youuuu? Mockingly, she laughed again.

Nevermore landed with swift exactness to the ground, it was so fast that the wind needed a moment before blowing again passed him.

He stood up straight, hearts still in his eyes, as he faced Zippity. "Mur…krow…" his call was devilish as if he wasn't himself anymore…

"Nevermore! Get a hold of yourself!" Candy cried out, and looked down at Igglypuff, gesturing to her. "Look what you've done!" she then turned to the entranced Pokemon, "We're your family!"

"Murkrow, murkrooooooooow!" Nevermore let out a cry and charged Zippity as Delcatty meowed for it to proceed, flinging her up with his peak and then hammering her down with a few presses from his talons. She was shot down and crashed into the ground, the rocks giving way as she strained to get back up... luckily... flying and air combat didn't do any super-effective damage to her... but still.

It was clear that Nevermore's power level exceeded her own by... well, a lot.

And she didn't exactly have much health to spare after that show of force with her sparks...

"Pi..!" Zippity struggled to get up, having been overpowered in a fast combo-hit...

She only smiled as she strained to get back up, liking the challenge!

"Ah! Zippity! We can't fail… we have to win this... Pearl… The kids… they're all counting on us… I… I won't let that blasted cat get away with this!" Candy shook her head, finding the courage inside her to fight back. "Zippity, use Thundershock!" She had to prove herself... for Lucario to recognize her as someone that could be a worthy Pokemon Trainer someday..!

Zippity fired off a powerful electrical bolt from her cheeks, patting them and shooting them off towards Nevermore, who spiraled around the small bolt of lightning and slammed into her yet again.

"No!" Candy bundled her fists by her sides, "I don't understand! Electricity is powerful against-!"

"Only when it hits..."

Candy turned to look behind her, Cuddles had used himself as a way to lift Miss Pearl up, as she leaned over his back and head, for stability. "Finally woke up... this one really is a cuddle-bug, hohoho." She was surprised at first by the nickname Candy gave him, thinking it was because he sucked up for sweets, or even cuddled against food... but Candy had thought about how when she sleeps, she cuddles a stuffed plushie. Hence, she thought, if Munchlax is a heavy sleeper, he'd probably want to cuddle something in his sleep, too.

"When I awoke, he was snuggled up next to me. But... still doesn't explain how you knew that just by looking at him..." she decided to put that curious tidbit on pause for now, perhaps pondering Candy's intuition another time.

"Miss Pearl!" Candy was relieved and glad to see she was safe and doing better. "How do I- Oh no!" she was distracted from the battle, and turned to find her Pichu flying through the air towards her, thrown by Nevermore! "Zippi-OFFPH!" they were both knocked back.

"Oh, dear..." Pearl tried to lean up more on the Munchlax, who was already hunched over to support her draped over him. He was too small to really be anything more than something to lean on, but he also opened his mouth in worry at seeing the two knocked down.

Was... Nevermore that strong..?

Mia held Igglypuff as Tia placed her hands on the sides of her forehead, "Remember what Mama said.." Mia instructed as Tia strained her psychic abilities to wiggle a Revive out of Candy's bag…

The two girls pressed their foreheads together... and as the item 'tink'd around in there, rattling against the opening of the side-cross strapped bag's opening, it finally began to float as they had practiced, and slowly moved through the air towards the two girls.

"Oh..!" Pearl saw this and looked to see Delcatty was getting frustrated. She lifted her head to have more Pokemon get the intruders.

"Got it!" Tia reached for it and grabbed it before it fell down, and handed it to her sister.

The diamond-shaped item was held against Igglypuff, before glowing and slowly being absorbed into nothingness... bursting into sparkles where the Revive was administered, Igglypuff woke up, blinking her eyes softly. Then, realizing this wasn't a game after all, she started to cry. "Ig... Ig... IGGLYPUFFF-UF-UF-UF!"

"Oh, Igglypuff." Mia bounced her in her arms, "There, there." Tia stroked the top of her head. "You were so brave!" They chimed together and smiled. "Candy's going to save us, just you see." They narrowed their eyes in faith, not wanting her to be afraid anymore.

"We're just glad you're safe!" Mia stated, "And you were super fast, and super strong. Cute, too!" Tia commented, before they both proudly said together, "We know you did your best! We're so proud of you, Igglypuff!"

"I-…Iggly..?" In that very moment, Igglypuff's eyes were opened to how the Twins were feeling,...

They... this was serious. People could have...

She thought about Miss Pearl on the ground... then the Machoke's super effective attack... and how if it weren't for Candy coming along... something seriously bad could have befallen the twins!

They could have... all fainted!

For... good!

Her childhood innocence left as she began to see the world differently, growing smarter and more aware of her surroundings.

"Iggly... Puff..!"

Her voice changed, her eyes also narrowing as she mirrored her beloved 'family's aura.

She pulled her arms up, did she... want to fight again?

Her body began to glow in her newfound understanding of the world, and the grave danger everyone was in.

The twins gasped and put her gently down as her body expanded into a... well, a larger circle.

"Igglypuff..?" Tia began, moving up to her feet and stepping back to give her space.

"She's..." Mia also did the same as her sister, before both girls gasped.

"Evolving!"

Candy picked up Zippity in her arms, defending her as Nevermore kept an onslaught of Steel Wings targeting her back, "Erk! Ow! Stop it!" she cried out, as Pearl also looked on in distress.

"Nevmore, no... please, stop this... Remember the kind and gentle watchbird you are!" she called out.

"Pi... chu..." Zippity opened an eye, seeing the Pokemon around them begin to charge attacks or ready themselves for a battle... a true beatdown, as it were.

Delcatty just snickered, "Delcatty~" she swished her tail, the single to send them flying...

Candy was knocked back by a Vinewhip from Ivysaur and toppled over, still holding Pichu as best she could in her arms... Zippity climbed out of her arms when she finally stilled and pushed on her body. "Pichu-Pi!" she called out to her, "Pi-Pi!" she continued to try and hit her away... only hearing her stir and looking relieved.

Candy's body shook... and then... Zippity heard crying... Her eyes widened at it.

"I... I'll never be strong enough… will I?" Candy admitted... closing her eyes as she seemed to be facing defeat.

"Pi… Pichu, Pi..." Zippity shook her head, not wanting to believe that she could never be strong either, as her dream was to be a strong pokemon, even if she was stuck as a little Pichu. She held up her paw, "Pichu-Pi!" she kept encouraging her to get up, to keep fighting! "Pichuuu!" she shoved against her arm, not wanting to accept this as the end of Candy's ambitions or their limitations! She had bigger dreams than this, and Candy would and could fulfill them!

"I've let all my Pokemon down..." Candy sobbed, rubbing her cheek into the ground.

Delcatty lifted an eyebrow and suddenly held out her paw, "Del-!" she stopped them and they powered down, swishing her tail about as she leaned over with a sick sense of glee at hearing the human breaking down... wanting to watch more.

"Flower was supposed to get a graduated Trainer that was prepared for the world of Pokemon... but she just got me, barely passing and still so wet behind the ears... I'm inexperienced... Which is why Pearl gave Cuddles to me... thinking he could strengthen me somehow, maybe..." She gripped her fingers into the dirt, "And Zippity..." she cried a bit harder, trying to keep it down, but Delcatty just twitched her ears, leaning more to hear this pitiful declaration of defeat even more so, her mouth turning into a cat's 'fallen over three' mouth. "You deserved better... than for me to be so clumsy... that I made your dream physically impossible for you now." she cried into the ground as Zippity's eyes shook... she had never heard Candy ever turning so depressive or negative in her life with her...

"Pi..." She was so shocked by the character change that she just stood there... watching her trainer lose herself in her sorrows.

Not knowing... what to do.

"Jiggly..!" The ball of light finally burst, a new, maturer Pokemon rising to the challenge!

Everyone turned their heads to the new Pokemon, though, Delcatty was still unintimidated by it, smiling as she raised an eyebrow to it, her tail rapidly swaying in her delightful new playtoys she got to scratch up just before obliterating out of her territorial harem.

"PUFF!" Jigglypuff emerged with an inflated body, looking tough and ready to get mean. The twins gasped as Jigglypuff was already up and stomping towards the Machoke. "Jiggly-" She threw back a fist, "Puff!" she slammed a Pound into his face, then all over his chest, "Jig-Jig-Jig!"

The Delcatty scoffed, thinking the display so pathetic. It amused her, and she let out a Charm and a few other debuffs to try and weaken her.

Oh, not this time...

Delcatty flinched back.

Jigglypuff wasn't getting weaker!

Her Competitiveness was making her stronger every time Delcatty kept trying to weaken her!

"Ah! IgglyWiggly's now JigglyWibbly!" Tia gawked, as her sister looked at her a little disappointed.

Pearl also sweatdropped, "Sounds a bit like Candy..." she admitted to herself, silently as Munchlax just agreed with a loud, 'Munch..!', "Too much, really." Pearl lowered her eyes at that... "Guess it's true, nurture and mirroring in kids leads to a nature that becomes a bit similar to their caretakers... oh?" she looked to see Jigglypuff dodging with such speed. "Her nature... and her... Ah! The ability must be from her new, Competitive spirit!" Pearl deduced, "When a Pokemon weakens them in some way other than their health, they gain more of a special power!"

"That's a terribly nickname…" Mia commented to her sister, "But... I wanna to call her JiggleGiggle." Mia pouted, looking away before the twins got a reading together which caused them to stop a would-be quarrel as their puffed cheeks stopped and they looked up.

"Did you feel that?" Mia stated. "Uh-huh. Let's do this." Tia nodded, and the two took each other's hands.

"As one!" they called out, and Jigglypuff spun back, standing in front of the twins, "Jiggly!" she agreed, holding her arms out.

Jigglypuff stood in front of Murkrow, who was flying menacingly in front of her, "Krowww..." He grinded his beak together, still full of hearts in his eyes...

"Murk…krow…Murk…krow…" He chanted, not looking like he was even thinking, as Delcatty swished her tail and head back, leaning her two front legs up before pounding them down and shouting out an attack.

"Delcatttty!"

She was enjoying their suffering a bit too much... and getting annoyed now that they were in better spirits again, it seemed.

"MURKROW!"

As Murkrow dived, Candy gasped, and the two twins stood firmly with the wind blowing their little dresses back, both shouted out in unison. "Disarming Voice!"

Their psychic energy was connecting to Jigglypuff, giving them the telepathic knowledge they needed to know what to do.

"Jiggly... PUFFFF~" An angelic high note burst from Jigglypuff's mouth, as a wave of jagged, circular noise lines with hearts and note symbols crashed into all Pokemon on the battlefield.

Delcatty was taken aback, the emotional damage shaking her to her core as the other Pokemon were razzled as well.

"Feel the truth!" The twins shouted out, "Jigglypuff! Use Sing!"

"Jiii-ggly-puffff~ Jiggly~ly~puff~"

If they couldn't fight with cuteness, they'd fight with technical advantage!

Everyone grew sleepy, the wild Pokemon as well as even the twins, rubbing their eyes.

Pearl and Munchlax began to slowly slip back to the ground, "Ohhh... not againnn..." Miss Pearl and Cuddles fell to the ground, softly snoring again over Cuddles as he had his face turned and slept like a log...

Candy fell asleep with a tear still rolling down her cheek, Zippity laying by her head and curled up as though wanting to comfort, but left utterly clueless on how to give her trainer the strength to keep learning... to evolve out of her childishness herself, as well... the way Igglypuff did.

A revelation... that matured someone into an evolution! A stronger being... more enlightened than before.

Murkrow's wings began to lose their velocity, they began to wobble to and fro as he flew down in his weariness. First, the left wing collided with the ground, tipping it before the right flapped and tumbled Nevermore down, sliding his body and cheek into the ground before flopping near Jigglypuff's singing and dancing body. Her little round body jiggled rhythmically as she happily sang everyone to sleep, cutely but with determination making sure they were all down.

The twins, wearily leaning into each other, then outstretched their hands, "Now... U-Use Double Slap!"

"IgglyPUFF!"

Puffing up her cheeks, Igglypuff dashed to Nevermore, slapping him awake, and making the hearts in his eyes blink away.

"Mur…Murkrow?" he blinked, confused on what he was just doing. "Murk! Krow-Krow-Krow!" He shook out his wings to try and convince Jigglypuff to stop slapping him... wait... a Jigglypuff?!

She held his beak a second, then patted it lightly, looking lovingly into his eyes, "Jiggly..." She begged him to recognize her.

When he saw the sweet expression of Igglypuff in Jigglypuff's eyes... remembering how he would rock her on his back before putting her down for nap time, his face brightened and his eyes shined at her newfound form.

"Murkrow!" he seemed overwhelmed in pride, but looked to see Pearl sleeping and the foes all around them, "Murk!" he flapped back, not sure what had befallen everyone, but Candy also seemed down and hurt with Zippity too!

"Jiggly~" Jigglypuff glomped him, happy he was alright as she swayed back and forth as he tried to calm her down, wanting to know what was going on. She jumped on his back, pointing to the sleeping Delcatty. "Jig! Jigglypuff!"

Nevermore glared to her, "Murrrr…" As Jigglypuff explained more, his face turned to sheer rage. He ground his beak's teeth together at what she made him do to his beloved, elderly trainer and the children they looked after.

Delcatty stirred from her sleep, shaking herself awake and bent her ears back when she saw that everyone she used to control was asleep. "Delcatty!" she turned to Ivysaur... asleep. "Delcatty!" she turned to Machoke, but he was sound asleep like a baby, his muscular arms under his cheek as he snoozed.

She looked afraid, without anyone awake to enchant and command..!

She didn't have power anymore!

Zippity also uncurled, blinking her eyes slowly before rapidly and yanking on Candy's ear, "Piii-chuuu!" she finally bit her ear and Candy stood up tall, jolting upright.

"I-I-I'm up, Mom!" she cried out, before Zippity, behind her head, gripped both sides of her head and turned her head forcefully to see Delcatty trying to get away, slowly backing up from Murkrow and Jigglypuff.

"Ah! We can't let her keep terrorizing the forest like this!" She formed a fist with her hand, "Miss Pearl..! Ah..." She looked to see she was still out cold, on top of Cuddles. "Miss Pearl..."

Zippity patted her head with vigor, trying to get her to snap out of it! "Pi, Pi!" she moved to her shoulder and pointed directly at her with one of her small little fingers, "Pichu, pichu, pi!"

"But... I..." Candy looked down and Pichu gritted her teeth, grabbing her cheeks and yanking them forward and back.

"PIIICHHUUUUUU-PII!" Candy... almost felt like Pichu was saying that she could do this... and to stop doubting herself.

"I... I..." she squinted her eyes down, before opening them with a nod. "Right! Don't let her get away!" she felt like... Zippity was saying she still depended on her... that she believed in her, even with all her many lessons left to learn. Pointing the way with her arm, Zippity ran along it and jumped. "I think I can do this... I just... can't let anyone else down... especially myself!" she narrowed her sights on the fleeing Delcatty, "Thunder Wave!" she cried out, putting all her force into her voice as it carried along the current of her emotions to Zippity, who charged up on that emotional outburst.

"PPPIIIII-... CHUUU!" she let out a powerful electrical surge that circled out into a charged attack.

Delcatty looked over her purple mane and gasped, "Dellll..!" her eyes filled with the circular strands of conjoined and hooped electricity, getting shocked and letting out a painful cry, "CATTTY!"

"Now, Jigglypuff!" Candy swung herself in the direction that Jigglypuff, stationed still on Nevermore was, but they had already taken off. Nevermore flew with purpose, to defend his cherished friends, as towards the rocky cliff he ascended at a sharp angle, turning himself upside down to have Jigglypuff fall from his back as her fist was pulled back, ready to deal a blow. "Free those pokemon from Delcatty's trance, once and for all!" Candy punched out into the air as it matched Jigglypuff's downward swing as she fell through the air.

But instead of Pound... a new move was learned.

"Jigglypuff," the twins rubbed their eyes, coming back from at first dozing off a bit. They wearily picked up on her energy signals, and psychically knew what to Jigglypuff wanted them to say, as she called out to them as though to hurry, "Use Body Slam..!" The twins used their powers and lifted their hands up in the air, "Finish her off!"

Jigglypuff threw the fist outward to have her spin and puffed out her body, letting her stomach land on the paralyzed Delcatty.

"PUUUFFFFF!"

Delcatty twitched and looked up afraid, the electricity keeping her from moving as she wasn't able to even try and use a move against her. "Delcaatttyyy!" Crying out for mercy was her last attempt at saving herself, but Jigglypuff flopped a few times on her and hammered her down, flattening her against the rocky hilltop. With enough Body Slams, the rocks gave way and began to roll, causing a landslide that Delcatty got swept up in. "DELLLL!" she was being pushed down by the falling earth as Jigglypuff jumped up to catch Nevermore's talon in the air, flying to safety.

When Candy caught Zippity, she rushed away from the falling rocks, "Go, Flower!" she tossed up her Pokeball. Delcatty was still under the rocks as the other pokemon blinked their eyes and seemed freed from her control.

"I... Ivysaur?" Ivysaur looked around, as he helped Machoke up with his vine, then saw the rocks and used his vines to thwack them away from the other Pokemon.

"Ma… Machoke, Ma." Machoke touched his head, not sure what happened either, but a rock hit his head and he looked annoyed, making a fist and protecting the other Pokemon as well from the landside, "Machoke-choke-choke-choke!"

The other woodland pokemon seemed alright too, a few of the stronger ones allowing the weaker Pokemon to hide behind them as they protected them from earthy debris, and even Miss Pearl and Munchlax were able to be woken up peacefully and kept safe, as Candy hid behind the Machoke and Ivysaur. "Flower, try and find Delcatty!" It seemed fairly obvious these Pokemon were not as mean as Delcatty had made them out to be. In fact, they seemed like gentle protectors, trying to keep everyone back from the danger of the landside.

Flower, once the rocks settled down and everyone waited for the dust to clear, jumped up to some of the rocks and started to move them aside, "Chik!" she seemed to look in disgust at the dirt, not liking to get her vines dirty, but...

Ivysaur and Machoke, as well as other Pokemon, began to help.

"Jiggly?" Jigglypuff bounced off of Nevermore on the ground and playfully rolled to the twins, landing on her back and lifting her feet and arms up, "Jigglypuff!" she cheered, giving them an adorable closed-eye, open-mouth smile... even though she had completely decimated the rocks to breaking and falling apart all the way down the entire 'Delcatty Throne' from her Body Slams.

The twins eyes rose up with joy and tears, hugging their beloved friend. "You did it..! Jigglypuff!" they embraced her as she swayed and tilted her body left and right with them, enjoying the cuddles~

They were all safe now... they could all go back to playing!

Flower and the other entrapped Pokemon that were under Delcatty's clever spell of charmed obedience finally found her after moving a rock aside and seeing her with swirls in her eyes, completely fainted.

"That's what happens... when your kingdom is built upon false loyalties." Miss Pearl put a hand to her bent back, and Nevermore flew over to help her straighten it out, "Oh! Goodness, me! Nevermore, dear boy!" she turned around with absolute love for her Pokemon, having him return it by gently flying into her arms and giving her a returning hug with his own wings, rubbing his head against her shoulder. "My dear friend, I'm so happy you've returned safely to us." she teared up a little, as Nevermore did as well,... before bursting into geysers of tears and seemingly apologizing if he had hurt her or anybody at all.

Once Delcatty was retrieved and the more 'authoritative' Pokemon were taking her away, the rest of the foresty wild Pokemon rushed away from the drama they didn't realize they were a part of. They did spin the tale of the Forest Trampler who stopped the Delcatty enchantress from taking over the whole land!

From that point on, the Forest Pokemon decided to tolerate Candy just a little bit more... again.

"Oh, Jigglypuff! We're so proud of you!", Tia stated, "You saved us all!" Mia continued while Jigglypuff happily accepted the praise, humming before hopping out of the loving hug and doing a small victory dance for them, liking how their emotions seemed much more relieved now.

She wouldn't let anyone hurt her girls, her family, the Daycare, no one..!

Not ever again!

The girls laughed and mimicked the dancing, as Jigglypuff had once again cheered them up with her antics and positive outlook on things.

She was strong enough now to not only recognize the situation but to finally do something about it!

The two almost never squabbled when Igglypuff was around unless they were fighting over her, but she quickly turned any frown upside down, making sure to balance the two as a 'happy medium' for the twin psychics.

Candy bent down and held out a hand to Zippity, as though to high-fived while she was squatted down to do so. "You know. I have a feeling…" She began, seeing Zippity jump up to return the gesture of comradery. "Someday,... we won't need anyone's help in catching a bad guy." She grinned, "We'll be strong enough... do to it ourselves. We just gotta... grow up a bit... that's all." she tilted her head and let her hair drape down the side of her face, showing some bright hope for the future. "I don't want to sound bad, but seeing Igglypuff rise up and the growth she had today... I wouldn't have seen that in her just the other day, you know?" She nodded and looked over to the dancing Jigglypuff and the twins laughing with her joking but carefree nature. "It made me realize... kids are meant to figure out their lives and even who they want to be... little by little... and sometimes, all at once too. It's the moments in our lives... our experiences... that help us grow and evolve to different levels of our potential." She seemed lost in her thought as she watched them, "We all... grow up so fast." Her Pichu happily smiled and looked over at the three youngsters, before back at Candy. Finally... this was more like the girl she knew, and she nodded, wanting that day to come soon.

Miss Pearl also came over, as Flower and Cuddles stood by Candy's side. "I'm glad you are giving yourself time... Candy." She was proud of the fact that Candy, although she didn't 'win' the fight on her own, was still finding it a small victory in herself for doing something instead of just laying down and giving up. "There will be many trials that it feels like you're not ready for. Where all the odds are stacked against you... but you, with your Pokemon, will be able to find a way if you just don't give in to despair, and keep trying to push through."

Candy's eyes shined glossy, "Miss Pearl..." And she moved in for a hug as Miss Pearl happily embraced her.

"Let's not forget to thank the twins, and... oh, dear. What will we tell their parents?" She looked a little worried.

"We won't tell!" The twins giggled together.

Candy moved out of Miss Pearl's arms, having to stay a bit bent over to do so, due to her height, and shrugged, "Not like they ask for any reports at the end of the day, right?" She then remembered what Brandon's nanny was like and facepalmed, "Ugh, I bet that Nanny might, though..."

"Hohoh, we'll cross that bridge when we get there, deary. Remember, Candy, all new experiences are there to help us grow stronger." She pointed a finger up, "Except when your Pokemon's on the line! Oh, Nevermore!" she rushed back with her little staggering elderly feet to her beloved Pokemon. who continued to apologize profusely with a big-winged hug to show how truly sorry he was for being manipulated.

"Murkrow! Murkrow!" he sobbed as Miss Pearl just smiled and giggled in her own little tears.

"It's alright, Nevermore. I'm just so happy you're all safe!" she happily stated.

Back at the Daycare Center...

"Hey, where's Brandon?" Candy asked, finally getting back to the Daycare and setting everything down. Her egg-carrier looked fine, as she stroked the texture of the egg, somewhat smooth but lumpy at parts, looking around before freaking out at seeing Combusken holding the two over the roof, chuckling mischievously as they cried out for mercy. "NO!" she cried out, rushing over as the Twins gasped and Miss Pearl held out her arm with Nevermore perched on it.

"Go, hurry!" she cried out.

"COMBUSKEN, WHAT THE HECK!?" Candy bolted after them, getting ready to climb the roof as she threw her hat down and gently placed the egg in its carrier down upon it, "There, something soft for ya... COMMMBUSKKKENN!" she began to bolt up with a bug-crawl-like shimmy up the Daycare building to the rooftop. "I swear… you were so cute as a Torchic!" she mumbled angrily, propelling up the pipes to get to the three.

Nevermore had already reached the top, and Combusken, looking in both directions to see she was being approached and caught in the act of abusing power, jumped down from the rooftops as the two boys —ankles tightly in her talon hand-grip —went flying down with her.

She was running away with the two being dangled behind her, Brandon looked about ready to pee his pants and Jake was just furiously feeling ill from the motion-sickness.

"Y-You stupid bird!" he cried out, as Eevee was dizzy, trying to catch Combusken but her jumps were just too powerful and high for the Eevee to keep up with.

"Oh, dear…" Pearl sweat dropped as Combusken tried to escape, "Octavius!" she called out her Pokemon, while Candy's other Pokemon were already returned to their Pokeballs. "Stop her!" While Miss Pearl was trying to have her Octillery grip and use his Suction Cups to hoist her down in spot, she noticed the egg begin to shake on the ground.

"Oh?" All that running... "Ah, Candy!" she realized that the Egg probably would hatch soon.

The twins and Jigglypuff gathered around as Eevee seemed too exhausted to keep trailing Combusken's movements, so he barked instead. Candy came down from the Rooftops only after stomping a foot down and stating, "No cookies! No poffins! No NOTHING!" That certainly made Combusken stop her pranks as Candy cheered when Octavius was successfully able to then catch up and restrict her, making her release the two boys.

Eevee, seeing Combusken immobilized, stopped panting and looked excited, as though he finally had a chance! His mouth opened wide and his eyes sparkled at the opportunity, then started frantically trying to reach her with a Quick Attack to free his future trainer from her.

The egg shook once, then trembled, before a scary-looking mask popped out from the shell as Pearl was leaning over it with the twins and Jigglypuff also jumping back in fright and alarm.

"Wah-AHH!" they all freaked out, falling down behind themselves in a comedic spray of dust from their behinds at scurrying back.

Pearl just flinched back, holding up an arm as the mask profusely wiggled out of the shell, then, another face peeking out from behind it, surveying the outside world. "Oh my."

"Ya..?" The mask came back inside to protect the shy little thing, mostly made of black with big red eyes, and frighteningly ducking back down into the egg at the surrounding chaos of the shrieks. Holding the mask up again, it now trembled as though skittish, "Yamask, ya!" It's big red eye seemed to be tearing up at all the noise and excitement of the outside world.

"There, there, little one… oh, it seems to be a Yamask. How… uh… interesting." Pearl smiled kindly, although… She didn't know if a 'ghost type' would suit the Daycare facility... "We must have frightened you more... I'm so sorry." She was still happy to welcome it to its new home. "Won't you come out and say hello?"

"Yamask, Yamask!" the little thing seemed to not want to come out…

"Oh bother…" Pearl realized she may have two scaredy cats on her hands now... As Candy waddled back over with the two boys under each arm, gruffing out some steam from her nose as Combusken had a big bump on her head, looking fainted.

"I almost had to summon Zippity for another Thunder Wave on that-... one... oh." she looked to see the Egg... and Brandon was covering his eyes... before peeking out one, as Yamask peeked at the corner of its held up mask... and the two saw each other for the first time...

And quickly hid again, whimpering and trembling.

Neither had a very positive start in the life of the Daycare... it seemed.

(And there you go! Lucario is out and about to make something of himself in the world! And with that, we have a vacancy in the Daycare! –le gasp! Smacks hands against cheeks- And everyone, let's say it together, it will help with the therapy.., Goodbye, Lucario! And a new member emerges to the team! Igglypuff evolves! Now, what next will befall the Daycare? Thanks for reading! What's that? What about the three other new pokemon eggs? Oh, of course! Please be patient! :D Stay tuned for more-! Of Pokemon Daycare! Edited: I definitely put more of an arc and theme to this one XD I think I made it better, what do you think? have you liked the edits so far? Feel free to leave Pokemon ideas in the comments if you'd like to see some of your favorites show up later in the story!)