Pokemon Daycare

A Complex and A Vulpix

By: Cutegirlmayra (I'm so excited and sad to write this one! ;-; stay tuned! I've been preparing for my mission and all, and everything just got so busy! New clothes, skin care stuff I might never use xP Oh, and I get to go to the Temple! That's pretty exciting! Anyway, enjoy the story :3 )

While Candy cleaned the daycare, and the children were all set to come in a few minutes, Pearl seemed troubled with a phone call she had received, and hung up.

"Oh dear…" she looked greatly upset, seeming sad over something, as Candy looked up with Combusken to see her new attitude.

"Is everything alright, Miss Pearl?" Candy asked, looking concerned towards her loving mentor.

"Combusk. Combusken, Busk?" Combusken had a broom in her hands, probably her punishment for treating the new kid and Jake so horribly last time, and now, was forced to do the tiring chores of the daycare center with Candy.

"Did someone die?!" Candy put a worried hand to her mouth, biting her nails as Combusken's whole being turned white, the broom slowly falling from her hands. "I'm here for you…" she started to tear up and come closer to Pearl, as Pearl just shot her a glare at her bluntness on such a sensitive matter and held her hand up.

"No, no. And for future reference, that's not how you ask. Condolences for someone in mourning should be done with respectful loving care, and not panic." She looked disappointed in Candy's 'discerning' skills and hoped she would approve upon them with maturity.

"Oh." Candy held her hands down and on the broom, looking down and feeling ashamed at being lightly scolded, before letting it go and holding the broom up more, leaning forward and down to her small mentor and speaking in a more humble tone. "Than… why were you so sad on the phone? Is something wrong?"

"Why yes, actually… That was Mr. Johnson on the phone just now, it seems Jake's birthday is coming up. …" She responded.

"Oh yeah, I understand the resent." Candy nodded, hating that the boy now had a free day to do whatever he wanted with the justification that he was born that day. "Little brats gonna be calling me 'ugly' after every three words he mumbles out." She brushed the ground hard with the broom, closing her eyes as anger marks lit up the side of her head, as her eyebrow twitched a bit in dreading that day.

"No, child. I'm saying he's turning 10. After 2 years in the daycare…" She seemed pained to say that, as Candy still seemed a bit confused.

"So? The boy's turning 10! He'll still be a menace to society, but this time, with a 3rd or 4th grade education." Candy humorously responded, smiling at her crude little joke, before suddenly realizing something… "Wait… 10?" she turned to face Pearl, taking this more seriously now.

"Yes." Pearl stated. "10. As in-"

"The age to be a Pokemon Trainer."

The whole place grew still and silent.

Candy slowly looked down, and walked to a rocking chair.

She rocked back and forth in deep, and sorrowful thought, as the kids began to show up, one by one…

"Ha! Got your nose, Jigglypuff!" Mia shouted out, and ran off, as Jigglypuff puffed up her cheek, and turned around, not falling for it. She then touched her face and patted where her nose should be.

Her face turned to pure shock at the fact that she couldn't feel a nose there, and ran after Mia with tears of worry, desperately afraid she had really gotten her nose! She wasn't used to her new form, and wondered if she even had a nose to begin with. Well, if she did, she certainly wanted it back!

Tia played with her dolls with Combusken, who was playing with her action figures and a Vaporeon squirt gun she seemed to use as the 'Hero' of her playset.

Brandon loomed in a corner with a blanket, as Eevee tried to play with him, knowing what it's like to be alone and afraid, but the boy would only flee when he got close, and finally, Jake called for him.

Looking back at the frightened boy, he felt bad but continued on, walking past Pearl with the pokemon egg that was cracked to show a little Yamask looking through the opening, and watching everyone play.

"Are you sure you don't want to say hello to anyone?" Pearl asked, looking down at the little pokemon hiding in his egg. "I'm sure if you come out, it won't be so scary anymore."

The pokemon jolted at her voice, realizing she was speaking to him, and listened, before shaking his head profusely at the idea of coming out of his nice warm egg. "Yamask, yamask, yasmask!"

Pearl sighed, looking back up. "Oh brother…"

Candy, getting up out of her chair, held one hand on her arm, rubbing it lightly as she decided to do what she knew she had too.

Walking over to Jake stacking blocks around the box that held the new pokemon eggs, and taking one out and coloring on it to then be a monster to destroy said blocks, Candy bent down and covered half her face with her arms on her legs as she talked to him, softly and quietly.

"Hey, Jake."

"Hey, Ugly."

"…!"

Her eyebrow twitched, but she held in the countering insult. He made noises as the pokemon egg flew into the blocks, and Candy finally reached out and held the egg, before looking down again.

"Hey!" Jake looked upset that she just swiped it from him, even if it wasn't in a mean way. "Give it back!" he climbed over his fallen blocks and tried to open her arms and get his 'galactic battleship deathegg' back.

"..When's your birthday?" Candy asked.

"…None of your business." He looked away, seeming to not want to talk about it.

Eevee raced in and charged through the blocks, sliding and laughing, before seeing his favorite boy wasn't paying attention to him, and nuzzled his side, trying to get it back, as he lifted a paw and poked him.

"…You'll be 10, that's why it's my business." Candy stated, as they didn't speak for a moment or two…

And then.

"…What do you want for your birthday?"

"….To not be 10."

-The Day Before Jake's Birthday-

The kids were meant to go outside and try and be taught another lesson about pokemon, as was the time for pokemon education, and for the pokemon to learn a thing or two about humans too.

"Now then, when a pokemon is inflicted with a status condition, what does that mean..?" Pearl asked, as Eevee wiggled his tail and seemed to want to answer. "Uhhh…" Eevee was the only one looking excited to answer, so with a big smile on her face, Pearl called on Eevee. "Eevee? Do you know?"

"Eevee!" He excitedly ran to the front, and sat down properly, puffing up his fur in the front and then brushing it down, before speaking. "Vee, Eevee, Vee, Vee. Eevee, Vee, Eve, Vee!" He stated, and proudly trotted to his spot next to Jake, who looked to him awkwardly but patted his head in approval.

"Ehem, that's right Eevee! It means that a pokemon is suffering from some form of ailment. How many status conditions are out there?"

The twins held hands, and put their other hands on their heads, trying to psychically get the answer.

"No psych powers." Pearl scolded.

"Awww…" The twins looked disappointed.

"Four." Candy stated, "Paralysis, Frozen, Poison, and Sleep." She rolled her eyes, thinking this lame.

"…It's actually five, deary." Pearl sheepishly smiled, "You forgot Burn."

The kids all turned to Candy, then grouped up and started snickering behind her back, as she jolted and slumped down, trying to hide herself in her shame.

Brandon looked to Candy, and saw the Yamask's egg now in her possession, and peered in.

Darkness… before a red eye shot into view, as he gasped and held in a scream, scooting away backwards as Yamask also flipped out, terrified and threw his mask up, hiding behind it as he shivered in fright…

"Brandon hasn't battled yet." Mia pointed.

"I think he should battle us!" Tia chimed, completing her sister's thought.

"Uh.. w-well, it's true I do encourage battles, but I…" Pearl looked to see Brandon cowering away from the rest of the ground, shivering in fright at seeing that frightful red eye before. "Um… it may be too soon for Brandon too-"

"I choose Jigglypuff!" Tia stood up, "And I use Double-Slap!" Mia got up too, holding her sisters hand as Jigglypuff jumped up, and then looked around.

She tilted her head, holding her arms in front of her cutely. "Jiggly?" she didn't know who she was fighting.

Brandon's eyes shriveled up into white lines as he froze in spot.

"Ah! Brandon's struck with Frozen!" Jake jumped up, blinking in surprise. "I thought that was just a pokemon status!"

Candy face-palmed. "The poor boy's struck with a condition alright…"

"Candy!" Pearl gave her a look and stomped her cane down, gesturing her eyes to go and solve the problem.

She was relying on her to take control of the kids..!? Was she mad!?

Candy was a bit afraid but got up, holding the egg in one hand as she put the other on her hip, trying to look down at the children with authority. "Alright, kids. That's enough!"

"Double-Slap!" Mia called out again, as Tia repositioned her pointed out finger to Candy's way, as Jigglypuff now had a target, and jumped happily to attack.

"Jigggly~"

"W-Wa-Wai-WAIT!" Candy was slapped silly by the cute little pink puff ball, who didn't realize she was doing something wrong, as she happily obeyed her two trainers orders.

Candy fell to the ground with a silly expression on her face with red hit marks all over it too. Her leg and mouth twitched, as Mia and Tia peered over her strangely positioned body. "Can Double-Slap cause Flinch?" they both asked, as the kids all laughed.

Pearl sighed, as Combusken now held the Yamask Egg, and Brandon looked terrified, but seemed to think maybe Candy took the hit for him. He closed his eyes shut, having some tears fling out as he quickly turned and ran, hiding in the playground near them, and hugged his blanket.

He must have been pretty upset, thinking he was the reason Candy got hurt…

Yamask felt some negative energy and was immediately drawn to the dread and sorrow.

Jake laughed before slowly having it die down and looking around, seeing everyone's happy faces… and then Candy's funny looking face as she got up and shouted out her frustrations at the kids, before giving up and just play wrestling with the twins, giving them all noogies and laughing. Her version of a good scold and punishment…

He felt his eyes water, but no REAL MAN ever cried! He tried to suck them up, before realizing they were gonna fall anyway.

Without the daycare… what would he do? He didn't want to leave… and his birthday was speedily approaching…

He looked down to Eevee, also laughing before looking up to him, and his smile left, as he called out to Jake, wondering what was wrong, and looking worried. "Vee?"

"..I... I don't want to grow up!" he shouted out, and dashed off, holding an arm up to his face and sprinting to the forest, moving through the fence to get further and further away from everyone's happy faces…

"Jake..!" Tia cried out, holding her hands to her chest, which made Mia upset and put hers to her hips. Whenever the twins separated hands, their power was halved, and it was a sign of their sisterly love for one another. Without that feeling of safety and boldness they had when together, the two were just toddlers, and didn't really feel happy without the other.

So Mia, naturally, felt jealous that Jake could so easily make Tia break that bond through holding hands.

"Hey! What's with you? Why are you so concerned for him anyway!?" Mia cried out, "He's just some riff-raff and you know it!"

"…Y..Yeah.." Tia blushed, not wanting to tell her sister about how she really felt about that riff-raff… maybe Tia went for those kinds of boys?

As Jake ran into the forest, not wanting to show his feelings in front of the gang, he tripped on a branch and scratched his leg up, before fighting through the pain and running some more.

A curious little Vulpix peeked through the brush of the forest, and it's Tails swished slightly, as if picking up on something. It has been known that Vulpix carry some psychic ability, and so the emotions coming from Jake really lured the Vulpix to his side.

"Jake!" Candy got up, realizing he was really booking it for the woods. "We've gotta find him!" She cried out, worried for him, as Pearl saw that secret devotion and love for the little tike, and smiled.

She threw up her pokeball, "Nevermore!" Nevermore flew out, spinning as he did so.

"Krow!"

"Nevermore, seek out Jake, he's gone and lost himself in the forest." Pearl stated, "Let's make haste. I'll take the twins, you rush on ahead with your pokemon." Pearl looked back to Combusken. "Come on, deary! I need a good fighter for this mission." She winked, knowing Combusken loved action now, as she happily put down the Yamask egg and ran to help.

The Yamask peeked out of his egg at the excitement, and seemed curious about it, but not so much that he would DARE step out of his nice safe eggshell!

As the group disappeared off, Brandon poked his head out from the playground's gymset, and sighed.

He waddled up to the steps of the daycare before hearing something wobbling, and looking back.

The pokemon egg wobbled back and forth, as Yamask seemed unable to really move while in the eggshell.

Afraid, Brandon turned away, before looking back and hearing Yamask's cries for help, before finally quitting.

In the egg, Yamask seemed to be crying, looking down and sad, still curled up due to space limitations, before feeling himself lifted up, as he looked up in the crack of his eggshell.

Brandon peered down, and held the egg out far from him, as if it was a dirty sock, and quickly ran into the daycare.

Pulling out some candy that he had stashed away when Combusken was running around eating everything, he dropped one into the eggshell.

His eye peered in, as Yamask curled up more in fright, and twitched.

Brandon saw the fear and felt bad, so he stepped back a bit from the egg, and bent down.

He stared at the egg for a long time… before he finally saw some moment, and was surprised, but seemed to smile as he saw the wrapper be flung out, and gently landed to the floor, with some happy munching coming from inside.

He closed his eyes and seemed content, happy to help the strange and scary thing inside the egg, before he climbed up on the rocking chair and curled up, letting the chair rock back and forth as he tried to sleep with his blanket he had found.

-The Forest-

Jake wasn't safe on his own, but unknown to him, Eevee had been carefully tracking his steps, before Candy caught up to him.

"Eevee!" She cried out, and took out a flashlight, as it was getting dark… "Why is it everything bad tends to happen at night!?" Candy cried out, "The parents are already concerned as it is about the kids ever sense the Aquarium incident! This is getting crazy!"

Eevee glared and barked some words back, clearly, feeling it was more appropriate to care about Jake's safety than the concern of the older humans.

"Woah, hey, quit barking at me…" Candy moved her hands up, surrendering, before pouting at why Eevee would be upset with her. "Let's just find Jake, I'm sure he's safe, but maybe a bit afraid right now…"

Eevee looked behind her shoulder, back to the path she smelled Jake's scent on, and looked greatly worried.

Seeing Eevee in such dismay, Candy smiled kindly, trying to help ease the worry in Eevee. "Hey, come on. This is Jake here. He's not afraid to take a Seviper by the tail, then he's certainly not afraid of the dark!" Candy winked.

Jake softly cried below the foot of a tree, as Vulpix was drawn in by his aura of sorrow, and slowly approached him.

He heard a twig snap and turned around, looking to the Vulpix. "O-oh… S-sup." He nodded to it, as it didn't seem unfriendly. He sniffed and wiped his nose on his sleeve, still holding his legs before dropping them, and seeing if the Pokemon wanted something from him.

Gaining power by the boy's jumbled emotions, Vulpix's eyes glowed, and Jake suddenly felt a dark aura around him, as his eyes changed to a darker, duller state.

"They don't want me anyway… I'm just a good-for-nothing… I'll leave, and they'll be happy without me… I should just stay here, alone, forever…" he started mumbling, as if in a trance, as Vulpix walked up, and curled up on his lap, soaking in all the negative vibes of his spirit, and gaining strength threw it.

"Jake!... Jaaaakeee!" Pearl and the twins called, as Nevermore flew a bit down to them.

"Any sign of him?" Pearl asked, as Nevermore sadly shook his head. "I see.. please, keep looking!" she looked determined to find the lost child, as Nevermore took his wing and saluted, before flying back up at break-neck speeds, not disappointing his trainer again, and neither coming back without his mission being completed.

As he flew around, the Murkrow known as Nevermore saw a thick sphere of dark energy rising from the forest. He narrowed his eyes, growing suspicious, and dived down to glide over it, and see what he could find. Looking through the dark aura, he suddenly saw Jake and his zombified expression, holding a Vulpix on his lap, as he cried out in surprise.

He looped back and flew at lightning speeds back to Pearl.

Candy's phone rang, as Eevee and her stopped to answer it. "Hello?"

"It's Jake! He's in great danger!" Pearl cried out.

Candy's face turned to one of horror, hearing Pearl's panicked voice. "W-what's happened!? Is he alright?!" she cried out, as Eevee quickly shifted from one foot to another, panicking at not knowing what was happening, and started jumping left and right, anxious to find Jake and help him, whatever the cost may be!

"A Vulpix seems to have him in some sort of a depressed trance! We can't seem to reach him, the girls say the dark matter is some kind of barrier by Vulpix, as it's absorbing Jake's feelings of anguish and turning it into power!" Pearl cried out.

"W-what? And I thought Vulpix's were cute!" Candy cried out. "Hold on, me and Eevee are on our way!" Candy looked to Eevee, "Come on! Jake needs us more than ever!"

"Vee, vee!" Eevee cried out, determined to save Jake.

"Where are you?" Candy turned back to the phone.

Back with Pearl and the twins, Mia and Tia kept trying to reach Jake through their words, as Pearl guided Candy and Eevee to them.

"We don't want you to go, Jake! If we could, we'd get rid of those stupid rules!" Mia shouted out.

"Y-yeah. We all love you, Jake! S-some more than o-others!" Tia had a huge blush on her face, as Mia looked back to her sister in confusion.

"What?"

"No one needs me… I'm all… alone." Jake spoke out, without much feeling in his voice, as Vulpix yawned and shifted in her sleep, seeming content. "I'll grow up, and I'll never see you again… you won't care… I'll leave, and nothing will change. I'm a nobody… I'll have no body…"

"T-that's not true!" Tia shouted out.

"Yeah! We'll still be friends! And we'll all go on adventures together some day! You me, Tia, Miss Pearl, Candy… all of us! Even Eevee!" Mia shouted out, trying to reach him.

Jake's head slowly twitched up, "E…Eevee… I'll have to leave… Eevee…" his eyes began to tear up again, as his body twitched and more negative energy sprang out from him.

Vulpix stretched her legs out, before getting up and spinning around in a few circles and curling up again, her tails twitching a bit before draping over and in front of her.

"Not at all!" Pearl swung around, "I promised Eevee if he wanted to leave with you on your adventure, that he could do so. I would happily let you keep Eevee as your first pokemon companion!" Pearl cried out, knowing he didn't know that, but finally letting the cat out of the bag. "He wants to journey with you so badly, Jake… please, we're all worried, but him especially-"

"Eevee,… Candy,… Pearl,… the Twins… they don't need me. You're all stronger without me… I'm just holding you back. I'm worthless… I'll be a terrible trainer to Eevee!"

Jake flung his head down, crying out those hurtful words that you could tell he, himself, would never had admitted without this terrible Vulpix's powers controlling him.

"Jake…" Tia began to tear up too.

"Stop it! You mean old pokemon! You're making Jake cry!" Mia shouted out, "He may be a good-for-nothing, but he's OUR good-for-nothing friend! And we love him for being good-for-nothin'! Right, Jigglypuff?" Mia held a strong fist out in front of her, looking sincere in her 'powerful' words, as she then looked to Jigglypuff for confirmation.

"Jiggly!" Jigglypuff nodded, and mimicked her look, turning to her and then back at Jake, stomping the ground as she moved forward with Mia's actions, who clearly did the same.

"I don't know what my sister sees in you,… but I kinda like a boy who can care so much about his friends and pokemon! You aren't alone, Jake! We'll be cheering for you and waiting for your return! I promise! We'll all stay friends!"

"Em!" Tia nodded, and offered her sister her hand, who happily took it, glad she was able to hold it again. "Me and Mia… We'll always be here for you! So you can go and have fun,-"

"Meet plenty of pokemon, and have amazing adventures-" Mia continued, as they both then said together.

"And then come on home!"

Jake twitched his head from the powerful negative emotions around him, trying to fight it, as he looked up at the twins, before Vulpix's eyes blinked open in surprise, and looked up.

"I…I want… I want that… So… So much…"

Vulpix stared at him, before moving up and licking his chin, as her power threw him right back into his depressed state.

"But… it can't happen. I'll be 10 years old… and I'll have to say goodbye… forever… you'll move on… you don't need me… I'm a nobody…"

"YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH, JAKE!"

The twins gasped and turned around, seeing Candy step up with an angry Eevee. "Vee, Vee!"

"HOW DARE YOU MOPE ABOUT WHILE I'M OVER HERE TRYING TO BE BRAVE." Candy walked up to the barrier.

"Candy! B-be careful!" Pearl shouted out, as Nevermore was on her head, as he opened his wings slightly and let out a worried caw to her as well.

"That Barrier will hurt you! Vulpix is trying to protect Jake!" Tia cried out.

"She'll guard him cause his negative energy is so great, it feels good, and she wants sleep while powering up from it!" Mia explained.

Candy kept walking, before the barrier hit her back, but she stood her ground, gritting her teeth as blue electricity shocked her. "I…I'm n-not… leaving J-Jake behind." She stated, keeping one eye shut as she endured the pain and pushed through the barrier.

"Ah! Candy!" The twins and Pearl cried out, as Jigglypuff seemed to faint and fall backwards, overcome with the drama, as the twins rushed to her side.

"Jigglypuff! This is no time to be faint hearted!" Tia cried out.

"Candy! Do be careful!" Pearl cried out, holding her hands together, praying that she'll be alright, as Eevee also stepped into the barrier. "Ah! Deary, no!" Pearl reached out for Eevee, but he pushed through.

Jake moved his head up, having no expression on his face, but tears apparently streaming down.

Candy held her hands to her side, but you could see the blue electricity all around her, shocking her ever minute she was in that barrier, along with Eevee.

"I've had to s-say goodbye t-to…To Lucario! I-I knew it w-was because he w-wanted to be strong! Y-you do t-t…too, don't you!?" She cried out, suffering but not letting it show so much, although, it was apparent in her actions and in how she spoke.

"Ev…Eevee!" Eevee cried out for Jake, as Vulpix's ear twitch, and she slowly opened her eyes halfway, before leaning up and shaking herself off, and then blinking nonchalantly to the two.

"I-I won't… ever forget you, Jake! Y-you might of b-been a pain in my neck at ti-times.. but I would gladly t-take a bullet for you!" Candy continued to get closer, as Vulpix's eyes glared, and then glowed, trying to push Candy away as Vulpix used Will-O-Wisp, as blue around the outside and black on the inside orbs flew out and burned Candy's shoulder with a flame as it started eating through her sleeve. Eevee looked up, amazed that the pokemon just attacked Candy and she was now on fire!

"Eevee!"

"I.. I'm not leaving without J-Jake!" Candy tightened her fist, not being able to move very well now, but still kept a slow stride to Jake, each step proving a difficult fleet, as Eevee noticed a Rawst Berry on one of Vulpix's tails.

Having the move Covet, Eevee knew if he got close enough, he could help cure Candy of her status condition, and slowly began to give her duty of protecting Jake to Candy, as she was certain that if she could cure Candy, Candy could get Jake!

Keeping a steady pace, Eevee moved to the Vulpix on Jake's lap, as it was focusing on Candy.

"I… I'm gonna be here… J-Jake, you won't ever.. h-have to be alone. You'll c-catch a lot of p-pokemon.. you'll learn and g-grow… and then… y-you'll challenge…me. And I-I'll… win!" she shouted out, having gotten closer and standing taller. "Let my f-friend go, Vulpix! I-I won't turn back!"

Vulpix finally stood all the way up, sitting still, she now her front legs up and sat properly on Jake's lap, as it then used Hex.

Since Candy was inflicted with that flame on her shoulder, she was now hit more with the attack, and slightly fell to her knees under such powerful pressure.

"I..I won't… Y-yield…" Candy twitched her head up, closing her eyes before opening them to show a very scary determined look in her eyes, as she pushed off the ground with her hands, and slowly began to move her arms out to Jake, hugging him as Vulpix jumped off and away, and that was when Eevee used Covet, charging the Vulpix and frightening it away to flee, but he got it!

He got the Rawst Berry!

"I… I love ya… J-jake." Candy softly spoke out, holding Jake in her arms.

"…I…I love you too… You're… Beautiful Candy."

The aura was gone, as Jake cried and hugged Candy back, bursting into uncontrollable tears as he was still pretty much a child at heart.

Everyone sighed in relief, as Eevee held the Rawst berry in his mouth, and pawed Candy's arm.

"Ah! Candy! Y-you're on fire!" Jake exclaimed.

"Yeah… yeah, I did good, huh?" All the previous pain might of made her a little unaware of the blue fire beginning to move to her neck…

"Vwee, Vwee!" With something in his mouth, Eevee just did his little quick stepping on the ground before jumping up, and taking the berry in his paws, shoving it in Candy's mouth.

Candy was taken aback, her mouth wide open at seeing the fire and Eeevee suddenly jump at her, and chewed the berry.

The burn was gone in a flash just a second after Candy swallowed.

"Phew…OFFPH!" Candy had been glomped by Jake, as he held her and hid his face.

"I'm sorry… I shouldn't have ran away… I just… I didn't want to say goodbye!"

"…You little stinker, you." Candy smiled, and hugged him back. "I wasn't gonna say goodbye! Just… 'See you next time!', you know?"

"Haha, what are you? A T.V show narrator?" Jake teased her, as she looked a bit shocked but knew it was him just returning back to his old rascal ways, and she smiled and ruffled his head.

"Stay tuned for more scenes on our next episode! When Jake gets a big fat piece of cake in his face!" she cried out, trying her best to imitate an announcer guy's voice.

The gang all rushed in and joined the hug, expect for Pearl, who waited happily on the side with Nevermore, smiling at the cute moment… before…

"AH!" she cried out, lifting a hand up to her face, as her eyes actually opened too. "We forgot Brandon!"

-The Day of Goodbye-

Holding Eevee in his arms, with his pokemon around his neck, Jake stood and bowed to Pearl, "Thank you. I really did learn a lot about pokemon from you. I'm really honored to have been one of your pupils." He was being so… so polite!

Pearl laughed, "Hohoho! You're very welcome. And please, don't forget to write us, and call home every now and then. You're mother and father worry about you, you know." Pearl smiled, thinking of her own children and some of her grandchildren…

"I'll be right here! Waiting to battle you someday, champ!" Candy struck a confident and 'ready to battle anything!' look on her face.

He smiled, tearing up as he wiped his face and nodded. "Yeah. I'm gonna be so good! You and Zippity better train hard!" he stated, as Candy nodded, while Zippity tried to hold back tears. No strong pokemon ever cried when a recruit had to leave the regiment. Although… she did sniff and have to wipe her eyes now and then.

As Jake was about to turn and move down the road, the twins stood in front of him, both with arms linked and hands on their hips. "Where do you think YOUR going?" they stated.

"…Uhh… W-well.." he blinked his eyes, confused. "What are you two doing? You look silly like that…" he sweat dropped.

"Nevermind that!" Tia stated. "We're challenging you to your first pokemon battle! Now that you have pokeballs and a Pokedex, that makes you a full fledged trainer." Mia continued. Then the two leaned forward, glaring, "RIGHT?"

"Ah, right! Right! ….. " he didn't quite get it, but he knew this was their way of saying 'good luck!' and 'goodbye!'.

"Hmm… I sense great things coming for you." Mia touched her head, as she moved her hand to hold her sisters.

"Hmm… I sense a pretty wife…" Tia blushed, as Mia opened her eyes and looked to her sister.

"What? I didn't get that at all!"

"Shh! She's pretty and cute, and talented!" Tia shouted out, as if defending herself…

"A-anyway…" Jake smiled nervously, still not really getting it, but knowing the two bantered a bit with each other a lot anyway. He sat Eevee down, and nodded. "I will be the best pokemon trainer, ever! I'll even become a gym leader! They'll beg me to be one!"

"Hmm… our city doesn't have a gym though." Pearl looked up, thinking about it. "Maybe he could have one of those 'battle city' places. You know, where you can battle trainers in a certain building and when you reach the top, fight the big honchkrow?" Pearl looked to Candy, who nodded excitedly.

"Ohhhh, yeah! That sounds like a good training ground!"

Jake looked back at them. "Y-yeah! I could do that! Totally!" he seemed excited. "I'll gather the best trainers around! And together, we'll create…uh… The Battle Complex! Yeah!"

"…A complex?" Candy raised an eyebrow. "How do you plan to get that money…"

"Let him dream, Candy… it's important for a child to set goals in his life. Gives him ambition to do the impossible. And sometimes… the impossible… is not so impossible as one may perceive.." Pearl looked back to Jake, believing in him. "Besides, what would you know of money? You live in a small ruin-down apparent. I tend to pay you enough for your living expenses, but you tend to spend it all on silly shopping." Pearl held her head high, knowing her facts as Pearl flinched and held her body away from where Pearl was.

"H-HOW…HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT?!"

As Jake battled the twins with Eevee for the last time until a very long time, Brandon held the pokemon egg with Yamask in it, and wondered what his future may hold… when he was to turn 10.

-A few weeks later-

"Oh, Mr. Johnson?"

Candy had answered the door to see the man, as he politely nodded his head.

"Yes, that's right. I'm here to sign up my little girl for the daycare. She's just old enough to attend, and after all the good it did for little Jake, I'm sure Cleo will be very happy here!" he was holding a new little girls hand, as she cutely peered over to Candy, and held out her hand.

Candy took it and shook it lightly, amazed this little girl was Jake's sister.

She curtsied, "Plweased to meet ju." She then stood straight and sucked her thumb.

"…Oh I'm gonna love you." Candy was instantly smitten by this charming little angel. "We'll get you the paper work!"

In her mind, she wondered how such a rude boy could have such a polite sister.

"Your hair is pwretty…." She mumbled, taking her thumb out a moment to say so.

Candy turned around with the biggest smile on her face. "And so are you~" she chimed, waving a hand out and hiding her blush, truly acting like a ditz as she seemed to want to spoil the little girl. Pearl walked by her then, and felt that Candy shouldn't be so easily flattered into doting on just one child, and decided to tell her of her disapproval.

"Please don't act in such a way. Just because your complimented doesn't mean you act like a goof ball." Pearl mumbled, before taking the girls hand as the father wrote down her information. "Come on then deary, let me introduce you to our other children and pokemon." She happily guided Cleo around as Candy felt a big arrow had been stabbed into her heart.

She chibi cried as the man seemed to feel awkward about handing back the paper now. "I've traded one rude little boy for a blunt and strict old woman…"

Cleo moved by Brandon as he placed a toy truck into the egg, and walked away. She then peered over to the box with eggs in it, and tugged on Pearl's hand. "Miss… do these eggs have little holes in them twoo?" she asked, cutely.

"Why, uh, no… But they do have pokemon inside them." Pearl happily smiled to them. "And who knows," she bent her head down to the little girls ear, whispering. "One of those pokemon could be your new best friend! Isn't that exciting?"

She smiled, and nodded her head a lot, looking excited to find out what they were, and see which pokemon would be her new best friend.

(What pokemon will be her new best friend?)