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!

12. The Primarina Circus Spectacular! (UNEDI

Pokemon Daycare

Ch.16

The Primarina Circus Spectacular!

By: Cutegirlmayra (Trying to go through my rounds of updating all my fanfictions. I graduated, but there's still prompts to be done! Please enjoy this latest installment! Before you read further, I'd like a pokemon suggestion for "A typical and unusual Team Rocket pokemon!" for next time! :Db This time, I'll take many suggestions and pick my favorites ones out of them :) Enjoy!)

Much time had passed as the Daycare recently celebrated another small anniversary for themselves. It was looking like a bright new year for the gang, and as the New Year began, so did the festivities!

"A circus?" Pearl raised an eyebrow up. "What about the Aquarium?"

Candy, holding a flier tightly in her hands, motioned her free hand around as Jokes yipped at it, trying to catch the shaking 'prey' as it drew close to the shelf she was crouched on. She wagged her tail, nipping as the motioning hand never gave her any time to grab it.

"It's the yearly field trip, Pearl. We've explored that Aquarium since we opened!" Candy protested, throwing the hand out to a stop towards her as Jokes's eyes lit up. She darted out towards it, successfully getting a hold on it and growling playfully while dangling from her catch.

"Ah!" Candy stepped back, not feeling much pain, but definitely the new weight on her hand. "No, bad jokes, bad!" she tried to jiggle the cute little pokemon off but it held on with all its might.

Pearl smiled at the two's comedic skit before turning a glance towards the flier.

"I suppose we could leave it up to the children…" She thought out loud, sighing. "But I will have to explain to Octavius why the plans have changed." She looked up to her head, and sleeping soundly in his place, the Octillery who's anniversary walk along the beach was coming up soon.

"Oh…" Candy's eyes bent in realization. "I'm sorry… I forgot this was your special day too…" she looked at the flier, a bright and decorative design of curtains and sparkling bubbles with bold words: The Primarina Circus Spectacular! Along with many instructions on where the traveling circus was setting up just outside of town and on the opposite side of the city from the daycare.

"Hmm…" Pearl swept the porch as Minccino happily mimicked the action with her tail, also dusting off the steps and letting it fall to the dirt below. She leaned up on her back legs to curiously look up at the two humans, wondering what was being discussed and talked about.

"I suppose I could leave now with Octavius… then you'd have plenty of time to get the kids ready and ask their parents for permission." She gave a wink and thumbs up to Candy, who immediately jumped for joy.

"Oh, Miss Pearl! Thank you so mu-!" she was about to hug her but her Zorua had swung itself up, flipped into her face and pushed her off, landing with absolute trust that Pearl would catch her. Pearl extended her free arm as Jokes back-flipped onto it, feeling it under her; she then perched and watched Candy fall with a smug look on her face.

Candy fell back and hit the ground on her butt with a few bounces before twitching an eyebrow up at Jokes. "You little stinker…"

"Zor! Zor!" Jokes barked, wagging her tail.

"My, I believe she was saying that it was you, who fell on her stinker. Hohoho!" Pearl laughed, causing Jokes to mock Candy and do the same.

"…You're all so mean." She squished her lips together, frowning. "That's it. I'm letting Flower out instead of you!" she held out her pokeball, trying to summon Jokes back to her.

Jokes, seeing the ray of red, quickly jumped onto Pearl's head and bounced off Octavius, waking him up with a jolt and blinking his eyes in surprise.

Candy continued to try and lock the red light on Jokes but she continued to happily dance around and dodge, sticking her tongue out as she did so in a goofy 'Can't catch me!' kinda attitude. "Ohh! You're so vile!" Candy shook a fist, "I was hoping to bond with you, but you're just so-! Sooo… Stubborn!" she took off after her as Pearl sighed and patted Octavius's bruised head.

"There, there, old friend. I hope you still got a decent nap in before our departure." She grinned, which made Octavius's starting tears splash away as two of his tentacles wiggled and danced by his sides, showing his enthusiasm for the event.

When the children finally arrived, Candy sat them all down by the stage to discuss with them the 'buddy' system and how it would work before going off to the Circus.

"We're not going to the Aquarium?" Jaz asked, holding her father's Hitmontop's hand as she asked.

"Hitmon… top!" Hitmontop lifted a foot up with great grace, before stomping it down with fiery passion as though demanding his young lady was answered at once.

"Haha! What a cute pokemon." Candy thought it sweet to be so energetic about its trainer. "Somehow I wish personality traits could be forgotten and learned like HM moves…" she slyly glanced back at Jokes and Zippity, who were preparing a prank too big for them to pull off so they dropped everything the second Candy turned around.

With innocent eyes, they faked that nothing was amiss, but then stuck their tongues out at Candy again and raced off to find a new way to smash a baseball bat with a tin bowl of whipped cream taped to it into Candy's face while she wasn't looking.

She sighed after seeing the bat and looked back at the children, "I know you've only been to the aquarium once with us, but this is also a one-time-only event!" Candy held up the now crinkled filer. "See? They come from a new region! Islands chock-full of new pokemon!" Some pokemon Candy knew, but the star of the show definitely looked exotic to her. "Isn't that fascinating~" her eyes shone with glee. "It's not only fun, but educational for you young trainers-to-be!" It was clear that Candy wanted to explore new types of pokemon, since the poster looked so promising with sights and wonders, feats and daring acts abounding.

Her childish glamour spread to Jaz, whose face lit up in a similar fashion. "Woah, that does sound cool!"

Brandon and Cleo looked to one another before Brandon folded his arms, tucking his blanket up over him and looking disappointed.

"W-well… If mommy and daddy say yes…" Cleo began, looking away from Brandon. "I wouldn't mind a circus."

"Yippee!" Candy jumped to her feet, "Great!" she landed on the stage and leaned from one foot to another, jazzed about it all. "I've already called and left a couple of voicemails! Let's go ahead and get you guys in your coats and take off!"

"Voicemails?" Jaz seemed to be the only child to pick up on that.

"Yay!" Cleo jumped up, pulling Brandon to stand up with her as he nervously was dragged up from his spot.

He hunched his back a bit, shivering, "If it's not scary… I'm not interested…"

"Yamask, Ya!" Yamask floated nearby, almost seeming to encourage Brandon to cheer up and be more excited with the rest of them.

Hitmontop looked skeptical towards Candy… but Jaz just touched his hand with her free one and gave her a charming, close-eyed smile. "Don't worry, Hitmontop! I'll give you a call on the Poke-device-thingy daddy gave me if anything happens!" she comforted, "But just to let you know… hero's don't ever need saving!" she winked, striking a confident look as Hitmontop seemed to melt at her cheery spunk.

"Hit… Hitmon-! Top-top-top!" he gave in immediately, letting her go and doing a stylish, fast-paced spin before landing with a groovy step-and-touch.

She laughed and joined him in dancing, glad he wasn't opposed for too long.

-At the circus-

It was near the slow turning of the day to dusk, but it was still just bright enough outside that the torches and colorful tents still sparkled with glitter and appeared bright and magical.

There were many train cars that then had tents right at their fronts, selling or showing off their crafts with bright posters and pokemon spectacles.

One booth had fire-breathers with Skuntanks firing out flamethrowers and other unusual pokemon using fire moves. The kids watched in wonder as Candy's eyes lit up with the flames.

They twirled and blew out the flames in different designs and patterns, turning to one another to do feats of awe as other grass type pokemon maneuvered through the dangerous fire without so much as a smeared leaf. The most impressive pokemon acrobatics seemed to be the trio of two Nuzleaf and Shiftry. They tucked and rolled, jumped and moved through the fiery death traps as they also moved over hot coals and seemed unfazed.

But as the dancing fire types came sprawling out as the next outdoor act to arrive, Candy began to miss Combusken…

She turned away a moment, ushering the kids to come along with her and stay close.

Brandon had awaited something scary to happen with the grass types and fire types, but they all danced as one and nothing seemed too perilous anymore.

He frowned. For a moment, it had seemed as though fright gripped his breath a moment for the pokemon who could have been seriously injured, and that was exciting. But when that show ended, it was too lighthearted again, and he tuned the rest out.

Cleo was Candy's partner in the buddy system she had introduced to the children, with Jaz and Brandon being the second pair. Jaz was so taken in by the sights. First, the bearded ladies with their female Probopass, sitting on long chairs so people could look up at them. Then, she gawked at the spiraling wings of bird pokemon with decorative streamers that lit up in patterns along the tips of their wings and feathers, scaling around the outdoor tents and weaving in and out through the train cars. All the while, Brandon was nervously scooting away, pulling Yamask's hand with him.

"This place isn't scary." Brandon finally leads Yamask and himself behind one of the train cars, pulling his blanket over him like a cape, tying it in the front. "It's magical."

Yamask was enjoying himself, but seeing his little kid so upset, he wondered what was wrong. "Yamask, Ya?" he blinked in sorrowful confusion, wondering what he could do to help his little buddy.

Then, an awful cracking sound broke out with a pitiful cry from a small pokemon.

Brandon gasped, "What was that!?" He jumped in fright. "Oh… I got scared. Quick, let's follow it." Brandon gripped Yamask's hand again, still shaking in the previous fear he had felt, but let that nervous energy carry him beyond the festivities and into the darkness of the backside of the circus.

There were cages and women getting ready for their performances, lots of feathers and makeup mirrors stationed outside.

They cooed at Brandon, but he just wrinkled his nose and kept moving through them.

Again, another snapping sound, and he quickly darted behind a barrel to hide from a strong man walking by with a Stufful. They didn't appear to be from the location of the cracking sound.

He peeked out and noticed a poster that read: The World's Greatest Tamer! with small print that read: No pokeballs, all wild!

He squinted his eyes as he read but flinched at another small cry of pain from beyond the tents.

Yamask, shivering in terror, tried to turn back without a sound but Brandon pulled him back by his side.

"I hear pokemon being scared. Let's check it out." He continued to follow after the sound… ducking under the side of a train car and following it around to peek over the corner of the other side.

However, back with Candy—"He's lost!?" resounded through the open area as Pearl made her way over the hillside to now just enter the circus.

She was immediately lead into the large tent, being corralled with other spectators to their seats since the sun was just down and the huge, spectacular show was about to begin.

"I said buddy-system! I said unified! Together! No separating! Eyes on one another!" Candy slapped the side of her hand into her other hand's palm with each statement, the white's of her eyes showing through in her panic as the three children and pokemon retraced their steps.

"I'm tellin' ya, miss Candy, I thought he and that little Yamask were right by my side!" Jaz looked heartbroken, feeling the guilt of the moment as Minccino climbed to her shoulder and wiped a tear off her cheek, smiling to her.

She knew the little girl was upset with herself, but it wasn't really her fault.

Chikorita, or otherwise known as Flower, was out to be the buddy of Mudkip, who was absentmindedly letting Flower loop her leaf around him to pull him along beside her. Clearly, he was shell-shocked from the bright lights and wonders he was seeing.

"Cleo, you're now Jaz's buddy!" Candy quickly made an executive decision and began looking over people's heads—as best as she could being her height—and began to turn from the children. "Come on, Miss Pearl, where are you!?"

Suddenly, as though right on time, Nevermore cawed and swooped to Candy's sights, happily hovering in front of her as though knowing she wouldn't spot him otherwise.

"Nevermore! Thank goodness!" she embraced the pokemon with exuberance before holding him out in front of the children. Her hands had secured his wings so he was just stuck in-between her grasp now.

"Mur?" he blinked, surprised by the sudden, inescapable hold.

"You will lead these children to the safety of Miss Pearl!" Candy instructed, then looked to the children, "Children, Nevermore is taking you to Miss Pearl!"

Cleo sighed, worried. "You're leaving us with a pokemon?"

Jaz quickly took offense to that, "My Pa lets Hitmontop watch over me all the time while he's dancing for his pay. I'll trust Nevermore." She took the little girl's hand and then nodded with faith towards Candy. "I'm really sorry about losing Brandon. It won't happen again, Miss Candy! I'll hold Cleo's hand the rest of the day till we's all back at the daycare!"

Candy saluted her, inadvertently letting go of Murkrow as he flapped in place within the now open space.

"Krow?"

"I'll hold you to it!" Candy took off, shouting out Brandon's name as she moved through the crowd, but an elderly woman's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"I am Madam Brandin, at your serrrrrvice." The cloaked woman with a long, crooked nose bowed as her jewels all swished and jingled with her motion.

"Sorry, not you. I'm-!" before Candy could explain herself, a Misdreavus and it's evolution, Mismagius, came up behind her as though from thin air.

"I believe you'll find… I am the one you're looking for. It is fate!" The woman threw up her hand and the Misdreavus came up to Candy's face and blocked her escape with Mean Look.

Candy suddenly couldn't move, as Mismagius circled her with a ghoulish laughter before shoving into her chest and pushing her into the old woman's tent.

The curtains flapped against Candy's body as she was pushed back and couldn't fight the force at all.

She was flung into a bean bag chair as the Mismagius let out another chuckle, moving to be beside the elderly woman.

"Eek! This isn't fair!" Candy protested, still unable to leave, but clutched the bean bag's corners in her fury. "This is being forced! I'm sure there's some rules or laws against this somewhere!"

"I'm not taking your money…" the woman slowly moved to sit down across the low table between them. "I'm only here for your forrrtune."

"M-my fortune?" Candy blinked.

"You called me. I came. You are present. We do cards." She held out tarot cards and spread them over the table.

"O-oh, this is an act thing, isn't it?" Candy twitched an eye, still feeling Mean Look's effects on her body. "Look, lady. I love a good fortune telling, honest. But I have to-"

"Life is too full of useless ramblings and scramblings about! You stay… you hear… I rrrread." She lifted up Candy's hand as though possessed with magic power, as Candy freaked out while her hand moved to take some cards. "Touch… Me and my friends predict your future, yes?" Her exotic accent and tone broke through Candy as though she was being manipulated by another force.

She looked to the two pokemon on either side of the Fortune Teller, but they didn't appear to be doing anything.

She gulped, "A-alright, I'll make this quick." She mumbled to herself, spooked. She drew a card.

"That is the spiked coffin. Relief and anguish, plague and comfort… But of what?" The woman spoke before moving her hand and causing Candy's hand to move with it.

"Eeeekkk!" Candy bit down on her teeth, scared out of her mind that her body was moving on its own.

Once again, her eyes frantically looked around for a pokemon, but she couldn't see any other pokemon present who could be controlling her body like this…

Another card was drawn.

"What be on this card?" The woman turned her hand, and Candy's hand turned with it, showing Candy the card.

"A cut heart? With a dead cupid." She frowned intensely.

"Ah… Love shall do all these things. The weak will rise and stab at the truth… a faint pink I see in your future. The blood of the heart." The woman pulled out a crystal ball, it started to levitate and she motioned her hands around it.

Once again, the two pokemon to her side just nodded their heads in excitement, but didn't seem to be doing these stunts…

'There's got to be another pokemon hiding behind the curtains or something!' Candy's eyes were swirls, starting to believe the woman could be magical. 'Witch! Witch! I'm gonna get mugged!' she didn't feel paralyzed, because Zippity used to hit her with Thunder Waves when they first were getting along. This didn't feel like that, she was literally trapped into not moving, quaking in her fright, but unable to flee.

"The pink that lines your life… the blood within your heart, and the silver blade… yes… yeeeesss, it is all coming to me!" the woman lifted her hands to her head and removing the cloak to reveal a gem on her forehead. It shined bright and Candy could have sworn that in her mind's eye, she could see an Espeon instead of a woman.

"What on-!?" Before Candy could finish, she felt a hypnosis wave wash over her and she fell backwards.

She could still hear the Fortune Teller's voice through her physical ears, but the vision in her dreams was an Espeon, waving its tail. "Beware the silver lies…" the voice kept muttering as the waving of Espeon's tail lulled Candy deeper into the trance.

"Silver..?" Candy repeated, almost forgetting about everything entirely.

When she awoke, she had a pen that said: Magnum Fortune Winner! Lucky pen! with the Fortune Teller's poster looped around the pen's cover. The pen's handle had a tarot card on it as a souvenir, saying to come back again soon for any future readings.

Candy felt exhausted as her hat tipped over one ear and brought some frazzled pieces of hair up with it. "It… was all a performance." She realized, and felt like dropping down dead in the spot. "What… what was I here for again..?" she looked around.

"…Brandon!" she gripped her head, "Yamask!" she bolted around the tents and attached train cars, making sure not to cry out their names again like last time…

Back with Pearl, she watched as a few circus acts were performed, the main star being praised but not yet being shown, as though building audience anticipation.

When Pearl saw the kids and Nevermore, she waved them down and patted the seats next to her.

"I bought everyone some yummy treats." She smiled, showing the two young girls her treasures as Flower used her vines to sit Mudkip up by the popcorn, then struggled to get herself neatly up there as well.

Jaz helped her up, winking a hero's signature grin at her and letting her sit on her lap.

"Chik-ah!" The little pokemon thanked her before adjusting the trinket on her head and dusting herself off from the dirt of the outside world. "Chi-chi!" she tsk'ed, as though disgusted by having walked along the ground for so long.

"Kinda… uptown girlish… huh?" Jaz observed before turning to Pearl, who 'hohoho'd her usual way before the lights turned slightly dimmer.

"Cleo? Where's Candy?" Pearl blinked, "Oh, and little Brandon too."

"Yamask and Brandon got-" but before Cleo could continue, Totodile shoved his head into the cotton candy, trying to bite at it but finding it disappeared and looked amazed.

"Toto?" he was utterly confused as Mudkip went to eat a popcorn, but Totodile snapped too fast and stole it from him each time.

Mudkip just kept grapping a new one, opening his mouth, and then closing it to find nothing there.

Flower found that cruel and finally slapped her leaf out to whack Totodile away from stealing the poor Mudkip's food.

A small brawl ensued between the two, and Cleo was wrestling with trying to keep a hyperactive totodile quiet in her lap while he lunged out towards Flower.

Flower was daring him to try it as Jaz tried to shove Mudkip over to Pearl and keep him from getting caught in the crossfire.

Minccino just tickled the two quarreling pokemon into submission at the perfect time, the clown acts began to arrive with Aromatisse, Slurpuff, and Alcremie all doing a cute skit with a food fight.

The audience's laughter drowned out the Totodile and Chikorita as they now were content with just tug-o-warring with Flower's leaf and Totodile bite gripping onto it.

Jaz laughed and wiped tears from her eyes, Mudkip opening and closing his mouth in periodic cycles as though mimicking laughter as Cleo couldn't help but get distracted in having the two pokemon play nicely together.

Pearl watched the clown act leave as the trapeze act came on, an Aipom and Woman swinging into the spotlight.

"And now!" The ringmaster declared, holding his cane up high, "The flying hands!"

The audience ooh'd and aw'd, but Pearl just thought back to her time as a trainer exploring the world… having to swing through swamps and jungles to get away from dangerously strong pokemon charging after her as she entered into their territories along her pokemon adventure.

She shrugged, "It's not all that complicated."

Octavius seemed to nod, but enjoyed watching the two fling through the air regardless.

Even Murkrow, chewing on a hotdog—long side up in his claw—seemed to agree as well that it wasn't anything compared to his epic journeys with his trainer.

"Oh, where is that Candy?" Pearl turned her head away from the acts and continued to look for her employee, "It's not like her to miss something she was so excited for…"

"Murkrow, Mur…"

"What's that? Oh dear, I still can't seem to fully understand you." Pearl sighed again, "I just hope it's nothing serious… maybe Brandon had to use the restroom." She sat back down and tried not to worry as Nevermore sweatdropped, not sure whether to trust in Candy's abilities or just alert Pearl to the truth…

"Murkrow… Mur, mur, Murkrow." He began, looking away as though sheepish.

"Hmm? Acting strange? Is that right?" Pearl blinked as though trying to register if that was what he had said.

Nevermore nodded, lowering the hotdog.

"Hmm…" Pearl still looked uneasy. "What is that girl doing..? Brandon is a fragile boy with a lot of fears… I just hope she knows to be careful…"

Brandon heard another cry, but this time weaker in volume but with the same shrill as before, echo over the train cars and vibrate through to his core.

"I won't say it again!" A man's booming voice came out of what looked to Brandon like a dark mountain. Tanned with mud and streaking with sweat, the man was broad shouldered and built with might.

All Brandon could see was the man's back, shirtless with overalls that stretched all the way down his large body; his show outfit, no doubt.

Yamask scooted through the air like a reverse skate behind Brandon, its head ducking down and its mask rising up over Brandon's chest, as if trying to subtly pull him back from the gratuitous scene.

A Phanpy laid with shallow breathing, beaten down with whip marks and the black mud below indented with its small body being repeatedly shoved into it. A little bit of the mud had clumped up on the edges, showing where the poor baby pokemon had shoved its head up into it multiple times.

"Phann….Phannn…py…" Its weak voice and hurt body turned Brandon white. He had never seen this in his sheltered life…

A Litleo, tied to a poll and paws locked with chains cried out to the other pokemon. Its own mane looked cut and matted, its paws swollen from the tightness of the chains, and its cry just as pitiful.

"You either ride the ball right, when I say, or else!" Time seemed to slow down as Brandon's eyes flashed with the whip reeling up in the air like a cobra's head. Before he could see the hit be done, a shadow moved over his vision, round and merciful.

Yamask quickly lifted his mask over Brandon's face, closing his own eyes as the small, defenseless pokemon was struck again by the large man's whip.

Shakily… Yamask moved the mask away to reveal that the little pokemon was struggling to get up, place its foot on the ball, and carefully—though clearly in a lot of pain—try and mount it.

It struck a pose after balancing, wobbling a bit and lifting its trunk up to keep it steady.

"There… now start to Rollout." The man cracked the whip, then folded his arms and waited.

The Phanpy tensed its jaw, then jumped to roll on the ball, rolling it along with itself at the same speed, bouncing on it in an incredible feat.

Litleo's eyes shined while it remained tied on the ground, glad his friend didn't have to be hurt anymore, since it was finally doing the trick correctly.

"Good. All the way around." The man began to roll up the whip, tugging on it to make a lashing sound. This must have been to intimidate the Phanpy into continually moving in a rounded circle.

However, though the first two turns seemed flawless, the third round went too fast for the little Phanpy to keep the ball moving with it. The ball bounced over the mud, causing Phanpy to fall into it and skirt into opening up and slamming to the ground.

"Oh no…" Brandon muttered quietly, seeing the little pokemon weakly open its eyes, then fearfully look up to the man.

"Heh. The show calls for perfection." He smirked, holding up the whip. "And that was terrible!"

"Use Night Shade…" Brandon's eyes trembled, seeing the fear on the pokemon's face… but it wasn't the fear he wanted to see. It wasn't the image he wanted anyone to see. "Use it now!" he shouted out the whisper without even looking back at Yamask.

Yamask, as though full of new bravery, rose up his eyes with a bright flash that sent a purple darkness over the man's eyes.

"What? What is this..!? No… Nooo..!" The man saw the evolved forms of many pokemon he had trained trampling and pelting their attacks into him. "Ahhh!" he felt himself be burned, crushed, and smacked mercilessly into the ground.

He gripped his eyes, swinging his head around before blindly swinging his whip. "Who's fault is this!? Show yourselves!"

Brandon leaped forward, crawling quickly to his feet from below the train car and dashing to the Phanpy, "Use-!"

"There!" The man heard the voice, not registering the pitch wasn't a pokemon's cry, but a child's. His whip launched itself into Brandon.

"Ahh!" the boy cried out, causing Yamask to dash over. "Yamask!" As a bright, arched wall covered both him, the Phanpy, and little Brandon.

The Protect took the wild whipping and kept them safe, but for how long…

Yamask strained to keep it up, hugging Brandon as the man's wild swings were relentless.

Brandon clung to the little Phanpy, "Miss P-Pearl said…" He spoke through the pain, speaking softly and quietly to the little terrified pokemon. "That f-fear… leads to aggression… if t-th-that's true… then I'll… I'll make a fear… that s-scares that aggression away!" He looked up, "Yamask! Use Astonish!"

"YYYYYaaaa-mask!" A great cry came from Yamask as the man flinched and stopped his attacks, moving his hand from his eyes and looking shocked to see a child and his ripped up blanket…

"Grr… Grah! H-huh? W-what… a kid?" His eyes shook with horror, seeing Brandon hunched over and holding the Phanpy, still lying on the ground. "H-how'd you get 'ere..?"

Yamask's eyes were full of concentrated power. They stared into his very soul…

There was no way this man was going to hurt Brandon again. Not now, not ever!

The Litleo cried out pathetically, as though pleading gently to the child to caress him too, bring him into the protective arched wall, but then there was a blinding light.

"Flash!" a woman's voice called out.

Brandon's eyes strained against the white, but as they adjusted to the spotlight effect, he blinked and held a hand up, seeing a decorative woman holding her hand out to the side of herself.

"What's going on here?" Her voice held authority with a show, even Brandon could tell that the flashy entrance and how she held herself… she didn't just mean business, but was business itself.

"M-Miss Bubblina…" The man was quaking. This confused Brandon the most.

Who was this bright diva?

The woman turned her head, the bright light remaining as a Sylveon's silhouette landed beside her, its ribbons extended towards both the Litleo and Brandon.

"…Very well. I think I see what's happened." Her voice turned grave, cold with disapproval. "We've never liked your methods, but the ringleader never stopped you. This time, you've even hurt a guest."

"That's-!" The man tried to protest, but she threw her hand up.

"Lopunny! Center Stage! Sylveon, take those poor pokemon and make sure they're cared for."

"Sylll~" With grace, the pokemon gave a humble bow as she danced over to Brandon and the Litleo. She scooped him up, seeing he wasn't going to let go of the Phanpy, and smiled warmly at the action.

Her eyes sparkled as she looked to him, "Sylve, Sylve." It was almost like she was cooing the child, telling both him and the baby pokemon that it was all going to be alright now.

"Lopunny, High Jump Kick!" she commanded, angling her arm like a ballerina as from the sky a Lopunny did appear directly in front of her, kicking it's legs out in a bit of flair before launching her feet into the man's stomach. "Bounce!" the woman stated as she dramatically brought her hands back in for a 'sorrowful' pose.

"You've done enough. Leave this circus."

"Gak!" the man gripped his stomach, coming to his knees in pain. "You can't… tell me… that. You may be… the sidekick to the star… but you don't hold… that power." He spoke with twitches of pain, not making eye contact with her.

"Do you even deny that your wild and blind rage has even hurt a child!?" she gestured back to Sylveon, protectively holding up the victims.

The man groaned and bent his head, as though seeing but not wanting to speak on it.

"…He-" he finally did, "He blinded me with his pokemon's move."

"And why do you think he did so?" She held a firm stare as the effects of Flash finally dissipated. In the mist of the light, Brandon finally saw what looked like a dancer woman, her hair up with a long feather that held small bubbles glued along it.

"The ringmaster doesn't need to know about this…" The man suddenly rose back up… "He doesn't need to know about any of this…" His eyes turned hostile, but the woman's face turned once again like stony sorrow. "I'll make sure he doesn't-!" he drew the whip, but the woman turned her head.

"Ugh… You disgust me. Night Slash."

A Liepard rose up from behind the Sylveon holding Brandon, Phanpy, and Litleo.

It gave a sharp cry before cutting into the man with a dark swipe, not evening lifting a paw but performing with the swishing of its head, controlling the dark slashes.

The man fell back with a cry and landed on his back.

"Take his whip." She instructed as the Liepard gripped it tightly with its teeth, about to thrash out the same discipline he had done but the woman held up a dainty hand. "No… We don't taint our hands in other people's mistakes."

The Liepard looked to her, but then followed her orders and came back to her side.

"And now… for the encore." She gazed up at the moon, now rising. "…The ringmaster will have to understand."

Brandon wondered how anyone couldn't understand. Who was this ringmaster to allow this man to stay and hurt more wild pokemon?

Even with his time at the daycare, Brandon had seen wild pokemon at his own estate with his mother. They would climb the walls and eat the bushes or flowers by his home, and he would watch them with interest but never try and approach them.

What was so hard to realize though? Even the daycare pokemon were somewhat wild without a pokeball, but they were kind so long as you were kind to them.

"Primarina! Front stage!" the woman rose her arm as a decorative pokeball unleashed a sparkling effect from its core, and a beautiful pokemon Brandon had never seen before emerged gracefully from it.

It twirled in the light that summoned it, as though already on the show floor, and balanced itself on its mermaid like tail.

"Prriimmmm~" it sang out, its eyes glittering like gems.

The man, seeming to know what was coming next, gripped at a crowbar near him and went to strike.

"Moonblast!" The woman struck another pose before jumping away, the Primarina noticed the man and seemed to change her tune.

Her eyes grew as she realized she wasn't performing on stage, and immediately it seemed to Brandon that she recognized this man.

An anger rose in her and she tensed her jaw.

A memory of a lost Popplio on the shore, struggling as it was being picked on by stronger water type pokemon before a man reached down and grabbed it.

The horrible whipping of training it to do ball tricks and calling it "Useless, Ugly thing!"

It never forgot those words, abused and hurt far worse than the bullying done on the shoreline, a saving grace entered its life.

It looked up to see a kind girl's face, opening its cage and giving it her hand. "Come with me… I'll make you my star."

It flinched back, but the girl delicately petted its head and poked its nose, a kind touch?

"Come on, little one. You'll be my beautiful bubble princess of the sea…"

Popplio trained hard, but under a kind hand. She was placed in a pokeball after into Brionne and attacking the man relentlessly.

But she was out of her pokeball now… and though separated from him, she knew the hardship he made other pokemon endure.

And as though the man knew, he disarmed himself, facing his terrifying reckoning.

The lights swirled around the moon and a pink light began to form.

"Slyveon," as if to rub dirt in the wound, "Misty Terrain."

The floor was filled with the same fairy dust that sparkled the nightsky.

How could anything so beautiful…

"Primarinaaa!" A long lasting note held as what looked like a pearl overcastting the moon shot towards the man.

Be so awful and awe-inspiring?

Brandon's eyes watched as it literally mimicked the moon descending, the man was knocked unconscious, and many circus performers rushed to the scene.

Everyone chattered and cluttered the place, asking what was going on and who Brandon was. It was a mess. However, Brandon's eyes never left the man's face, his mouth still open in shock and pain as his eyes went totally white.

The woman sighed and seemed to ignore all their questionings, turning to Brandon as Primarina looked behind her, seeing the same kind gesture given to her so many years ago.

"Are you alright, little one?" she smiled. "I'm Bubblina. I dance and try to take care of everyone around here. Thank you for protecting them. I don't care what happens to me, just so long as no one gets hurt anymore. That's what you were thinking, right?" she had already noted the slashed through clothes, and looked like she was holding a lot back.

The pokemon had already done the act for her, but she still seemed to be holding back.

"Come on, we'll get you all cleaned up. Say…

Have you three ever performed live before?"

Behind the set, the Litleo and Phanpy huddled together against Brandon's sides. Yamask flew around in excitement, but stayed close to Brandon, as usual.

"Lopunny, use Healing Wish." Bubblina nodded to the Lopunny, who without a second thought, healed Brandon's aching side and collapsed. Bubblina drew some Max Revives and the Lopunny performed two additional Healing Wishes to help Phanpy and Litleo.

"Rawr~" Litleo purred a thank you, seeing the Lopunny get up again and look to Yamask, who seemed to insist he was alright and happily did a little quick hop and jig in the air to show her he meant it.

Phanpy raced over to Litleo, "Phan!" and they embraced, true friends and glad to not be chained up or beaten again.

Brandon held Bubblina's hand as she waited for her cue, "Now, are your parents here?"

He shook his head.

"Hmm… Any friends?"

He nodded.

"Very well. I'll need to explain things then-"

"Don't!" Brandon quietly shouted, seeing the lights dim and the ringmaster begin his spiel.

"Why ever not? It wouldn't be right if I didn't say anything." Bubblina protested, but Brandon just looked down.

He lifted a bit of his shirt, the wound completely gone, and looked to her with loving eyes. "See? Never happened."

She sighed, "That may be, but it's lying." She concluded.

"I'm… I'm not as small as I appear."

"That's another lie, though this time, it's easy to see so."

He pouted, but she tapped his nose, "You may be a great pokemon trainer, but you still seem awfully young to be handling pokemon."

Brandon whispered back, "I'm-" but the music began, and she immediately lifted her head to the sound.

"Primarina." She turned to her star, stepping into a pearl and winking to her, closing the shell as it was moved into position.

Brandon once again pleaded, "Just between us." He held Phanpy and Litleo closer, one pokemon under each arm as he desperately looked to her to understand.

Yamask, seeing the moment, also took Brandon's head and held it from behind, "Yamask, Ya." He also gave her the puppy-dog eyes.

"…Oh, very well." She looked conflicted, but she'd have to decide something later. "We'll just perform and see how I feel afterwards."

He let out an excited gasp, rushing up to her and hugging her.

"Oh, you are cute. I'll give you that." Her heart melted at the brave little boy and looked to stage, "Now, it's our turn to dazzle you!"

Pearl and the kids sat on the bench as Candy frantically looked around.

"How could you have lost him!?" Pearl continued to scold, "What about the buddy system?!"

Candy was fidgeting relentlessly, having no idea where he was, and having searched until ushered into the big circus tent.

"I… I… Emm…" she bit her lower lip, showing her distraught as Flower seemed concern.

She moved from her spot next to the Mudkip who was entranced by all the sparkling lights that suddenly dimmed and placed her flower on Candy's trembling hand. She smiled, and Candy's wrung-together hands finally stilled to a tense hold.

Candy took a deep breath, "We'll find him." She mouthed to herself, and then looked to Flower, giving her a hug.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" The showhost brandished his long cape, flinging it around like a banner over his head. "It's my esteem honor to show you the true star of the show! The next wonder of the PokeWorld! And the true diva of this-! The final act and performance for you tonight! The bubbles of exotic islands, the twinkle of the deep, I give you… Prrrimmmmmmmarinaaaa!"

A shell rises on a long pillared platform in the center of the carnival tent. It emerges as Primarina lets out a Bubble Beam of enormous bubbles, delicately touching one as she emerges and places her nose on it. "Prim… A… Rinaaaa~" she starts to sing, and performers, clowns, and dancers jump into the bubbles, performing above the audiences heads in spectacular manners.

"Primarinnnnnnnaaaaa~" she gestures her hand and sings over to the tightropes and daring feats of strength summon pokemon to run on the bubbles as they would balls, or jump from bubble to bubble on motorcycles.

Some even balanced and juggled the huge bubbles with people or pokemon inside them. There was even a few of the motorcycles who purposefully jumped in the bubbles to spin around in them. The bubbles would not pop easily!

Clowns did manage to find a way to pop them, hopping down and performing on Donphans or Mamoswine, who looked clownish but continued their miraculous performance, looking like they were having fun.

Pyroars breathed fire and jumped through fiery hoops, scales above the ground floor before diving through bubbles and then landing in one to pose. A couple, male and female, dived into the same bubble after each other and nuzzled sweetly.

One or two bubbles were unfilled, probably for the tamer man, but immediately the dancer Bubblina helped Brandon grab one down as it jiggled in air, then helped him climb in as she hula-hooped back into position. Yamask and him looked terrified.

Candy's eyes widened, standing right up, "BRANDON!" she cried out, as Miss Pearl felt herself fall back and sluggishly fall into her seat as though fainting.

"Murkrow!", "Octi!" Her two pokemon looked shocked and quickly tried to wake the old woman, who blinked her eyes in her blackout.

Brandon held the tambourine in his hand, looking to Yamask who had castanets in his own.

His knees shook, this was the fear he enjoyed but also dreaded. He liked seeing it in other people, not himself!

It was the play all over again… but then…

He looked down, feeling defeated, wondering why he couldn't be brave again like he was for- Ah! There they were!

He saw through the pinkish bubbly surface that down below, Phanpy and Litleo were having the time of their lives. They jumped and landed on performers raised sticks with platforms on the ends of them, holding the spinning dishes up on their arms and leg, but balancing that platform on their chin.

Litleo pawed at the bubble with Brandon in it, who reached down and pulled the Litleo through.

Phanpy, wanting to join, rolled to the ground as a clown noticed it was making its way to a ramp made for the motorcycles. The clown created a drum roll and the Phanpy soared through the air. The people gasped, Primarina peeked an eye open during her song to watch, and the Phanpy tumbled in the air to make the timing of the bubble passing in the air.

Then, while things were still bustling, the audience cheered as he flipped into the bubble and Brandon caught him with one hand, shaking the tambourine as he did so.

The cheers sent an unknown energy Brandon had never felt before race through his veins, excite his heart with a deep thumping that escalated as he watched the ringmaster take off his hand and gesture to him.

There was no words to describe how he felt, other than…

He belonged.

"Well, what do you think, folks? Isn't our circus truly-"

Suddenly, he realized the fear he wanted to bring in people. The daring acts of courage kind of fear! Where the audience's breath is held one second too long before the result is truly-

"Spectacular!"

The audience cheered as Brandon whispered to the Litleo and Phanpy, who nodded and began racing the bubbles towards the others, they collided with many of them and began to form a super bubble!

Primarina narrowed her eyes a bit, not sure what they were doing but continued before seeing the bubble grow so big that it was overshadowing her.

"Prim..?" she twitched an eye, freaked out by it before looking to her friend who was also leaning down on the bubble.

"Balance us!" she assisted with a marvelous thought.

Primarina was taken back to her earlier years of training, and the thought shook her and she just couldn't.

"Please-! The show must go on!" The woman pleaded as Brandon stood in the mist of the pile, climbing on top of the animals.

"Make a pyramid!" he instructed, "Scare them with our bravery!"

The cast looked confused, some squished, others on the curved end of the unbreakable bubble.

They then rallied together, each finding a place and forming a magnificent tower. As this processed happened, many almost toppled or fell, leaving the audience gasping but Brandon pulled the morale of the circus folks and they continued their unpracticed feat.

Once constructed, the bubble was uneasy, only inches off the ground when Primarina jumped down and dived into a slender stream of water, receiving claps before she jumped onto a podium and clapped her flippers together, encouraging more audience support.

She lifted the bubble to her nose, and carefully placed it up and leaned her head back.

"Now, Sparkling Aria!" the ringmaster was so thoroughly impressed, but also startled and sweating from the sudden change of events. He gripped his hat, "Genius…" he breathed out loud, completely awestruck by the new act!

"Prim…." She took a deep breath, "A~" Her body began to glow and sparkle. The audience watched as Candy was already making her way to the stage floor, seeing Brandon on top of the enormously DANGEROUS pyramid in the bubble.

She fumbled and tripped through abandoned hoops and balls, smacking her face down before the lights all came on and blinded her a split second.

"Rinnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaaa~" she a marvelous finisher as the move broke the bubble and the entire cast tighten their hands to then be balanced on a Primarina's nose.

The shock of the audience as the bubble broke and one Mamoswine's foot shook on her nose as it landed to it broke the music and cause one brave clown to drum roll again.

The audience was left amazed, unable to cheer at the sheer massive amount of weight being held up by what looked like a beautiful and delicate Primarina.

But Brandon knew better, he had seen her power, and though wasn't quite expecting her to balance all of them, struck a pose and shouted out, "Fear and tremble! The Primarina Circus Spectacular proudly presents its most terrifying feat! Be Astonished!"

On command, Yamask rose up and gave out a shout with a clap of his hands.

Since the audience was so wrapped up in the drama, they were quickly flinched back into reality, and applauded in absolute impressive performance.

However, Bubblina, although keeping her smile, looked to see Primarina twitching under the stress. She was keeping it together, but for how long?

Bubblina then sharpened her eyes and looked to a performer above her, "Time to climb down!" she instructed.

Slowly, they tried, but the pyramid shook and they had to quickly regain their balance.

"Prim-!" In a sharp cry, Primarina dipped her nose and closed her eyes, trying to desperately keep the people and pokemon performers safe as she slowly inched her way back to the platform, holding her two arms out to help support the weight.

The audience gawked again, some shrieking at the wobbling mass of stacked individuals all perilously clinging for stability again.

"It's not gonna work!" A man shouted down.

"We need help!" Another girl's voice spoke up.

The Ringmaster suddenly sweated more profusely and put a handkerchief to his face.

He heard the whispers… "Are they going to be able to get back down?", "This looks dangerous, they could fall and land on us!", "What will they do now?", "Is this part of the show?"

The uneasiness made him clear his throat, gesturing his arms to the audience, "Now, now! Settle down! Watch as our amazing team of elite performers unleash a barrage of bubbles to fall into!" he gave a look to Primarina who nodded and blasted out another Bubble beam.

However, these bubbles were shaky and broke easily, only smaller pokemon and Brandon could really fit in them and not have it pop.

"Her strength is failing her… she can't make supreme bubbles, nor hold or pop them with her Psychic attack." Bubblina's deductions lead the cast to be uncertain, but Brandon's voice broke through the crowd as his bubble slowly decended.

"Primarina!" He cried out, getting a boost from the audience's horror.

The Primarina managed to squint an eye open enough through her strained stress and see him.

"Use Moonblast!"

"What?!" Bubblina's eyes shook.

The audience cried out as Primarina looked confused.

Thousands of little bubbles… she suddenly understood.

"Prim." She nodded, gaining the last of her strength as she muscled her arms up into position, almost collapsing a few times and having the pyramid on her nose quake as though about to collapse.

People were already losing hope and starting to get out of their seats, but Candy was dashing to Brandon's bubble, seeing it drifting her way. "Brandon!" she cried out.

"Primmmm…" she summoned her power, a brilliant pink light appeared as the bubbles lit up the room with it. "Ahhh~" she concentrated the moon's light as Sylveon, Lopunny, and Liepard darted down from their bubbles.

"Slyveon!" Slyveon flexed out a pink mist that surrounded the area, clearly a Misty Terrain!

"Lopunny!" With a High Jump Kick, Lopunny moved all the empty bubbles into position around and under the pyramid.

"Lie!" Liepard slashed through the bubbles to make them even smaller…

"RINNNNNAAAA!" With a beautiful melody and sound, the Moonblast shot into the collected bubbles.

Each member of the pyramid was then swarmed with bubbles that sprayed out at them, catching them as they separated from the large mass. "H-hey! That didn't hurt!" someone cried out, "It's like floating in a bathtub!" he laughed.

The rest of the cast laughed to release the tension and played along with it, striking a pose as Brandon fell to Candy's arms, who squeezed so hard the bubble popped and Brandon landed in her awaiting arms.

She teared up, holding him tightly, "I was so worried…" she whispered, as Brandon's eyes danced with the fear of everything around him, but also the amazing applause as Primarina was finally rid of the weight, allowing her to use her psychic power to keep the rest of the bubbles from popping, slowly descending them all to the ground.

They all posed and bowed to the applause, "Yes! Yes! Spectacular! What other word would fit?" the ringmaster tugged on his collar, also trying to play along.

He pulled Bubblina out of the crowd of bubbles and whispered very sternly in her ear through the side of his mouth, "Explanation?"

"A little boy got gutsy." She smiled through her words, waving at the crowd who gave a standing ovation.

"Never happening again?" the man strained to keep his smile and blow kisses to those who threw flowers out towards them.

Bubblina darted her eyes over to Brandon, who was quickly greeted by the rest of the daycare family.

"Hard to say. I think he's found a new dream to pursue." She arched her eyes in love at the happy scene.

"You're being held responsible for lawsuits." The man bowed again to the audience.

"And you're being held responsible for the abuse a certain Wild Tamer did to poor, innocent baby pokemon!" she spoke a little louder, which made him grab her hand and walk backwards.

"Everyone has their methods. I've told you time and again if they bring in money-"

"Quit it!" she swiped her hand away, not playing the act up anymore. "You either ban him and his 'methods' or I'll leave with Primarina!"

"You can't!" He stomped a foot down. "I've never seen a pokemon prove so spectacular in all my circusing!"

"Then you better start changing some rules and leave me in charge of training the younger pokemon! I've caught Primarina with a pokeball-"

"You what!?" he exclaimed.

"And I'll leave this place if things don't start changing!" she huffed out, not letting him cut her off.

"You… You know that Primarina belongs to the circus spectacular!" now they were drowned out by the cheers and hollering of the spectators, but Brandon wiggled out of Candy's hold and Pearl's scoldings to rush over to Phanpy and Litleo, the two excitedly hopping side to side in hopes of getting his attention again.

He fell to his knees and embraced them, and the ringmaster looked to see it.

"That little boy saved those two pokemon. He got hurt in the process."

"HE WHAT!?" the man clamped his mouth shut.

"That Wild Tamer is dangerous! He even swung at the boy!"

"He did not."

She rose a hand to slap the man, who immediately held up a hand to shield, "Alright, alright! I'll fire him tonight! Just promise to keep this hush-hush and heal the boy!"

"I'm the ringmaster now?" she raised an eyebrow, more of a statement then actual title, he seemed to realize this and rolled his eyes.

"Fine… but is the child alright?" a tender side of the man broke through, one she knew was there.

She lowered the hand, "I had Lopunny use Healing Wish. I tame the youngster!" She rose her hand again.

"Alright, alright! Have it your way! Spend money and catch them for all I care! Just don't let something happen like this again!" he waved a finger in the air and departed.

She placed her hands proudly to her hips, and walked over to the lovely batch surrounding Brandon.

"Are you his caretakers?"

"Oh!"

Candy, feeling embarrassed, gulped and straightened herself out, extending her hand. "W-we-we're his daycare."

The woman politely shook her hand, "I'm Bubblina." She then looked to the other kids, and felt the need to speak. "Brandon got caught up in a bad situation, I'm afraid he got hurt in the process."

Pearl held a hand up to her mouth, "Oh dear…" but Brandon just looked pleadingly at Bubblina to not say anything more.

She shrugged to him, showing she had too, "I healed him with my Lopunny's Healing Wish. It's kinda a 'cure all' when you're on the road. I know he must have gotten separated, so I wanted to apologize for any incontinence."

Candy looked over to Brandon, then to Miss Pearl, as the two of them knew what Healing Wish could do.

"I thank you for telling us the truth. That must have been a hard decision, considering it could jeopardize your circus family." Pearl stated, as Bubblina held her head down.

"I would never lie about something so serious as a child's life." She looked back at Litleo and Phanpy. "I just wish I could have helped sooner…"

Primarina, although exhausted, hoppled over to Bubblina and smiled as though telling her she was finally old enough to stand up to the big mean men who ran the circus.

As though translating that through her beloved star's eyes, she stroked Primarina's head and all along her turquoise and pearl-beaded hair.

Sylveon held Brandon's hand with her ribbon, trilling happily to say goodbye as Brandon shook his head.

"Not goodbye." He winked.

She looked confused, blinking at his comment.

"I'll have to talk to his mother about this…" Pearl looked down, holding her cane closer to her with both hands on top of it.

Flower looked to Candy, who picked her up along with Mudkip. "We should… probably do that soon." Candy agreed, her eyes full of worry as this wasn't the first incident to happen with a child before…

Bubblina nodded, then looked to Brandon, bending down to his level. "Alright, kid! You keep wowing the audience! But make sure you keep those new ideas as safe as possible for everyone involved, alright?" she tilted her head to be cute, but the little boy just looked as though he was purposefully not responding to her.

She sweatdropped, but got up and patted his head. "Take care then."

"See ya soon!" he mused, which made her doubly-confused as her pokemon surrounded her.

"Till… uh, next time then!" she held up a hand, just being polite, and began to walk away. 'I hope he's not thinking what I think he may be thinking…' she left the tent worriedly…

The group left exhausted, Pearl commenting something along the lines of, "I don't particularly like the circus." And get the kids ready to go home.

The scary nanny for Brandon came quickly, helping him get his things.

She gave Candy a death glare, making her terrified to reach the door, but Cleo noticed that didn't phase Brandon this time.

She peeked at his face, "Don't you like people getting scared?" she inquired.

"Not that kind of fear." He spoke confidently this time, tying his blanket in front of him and letting it drape back like a cape again. He smiled to her, "I'll create a scary circus that chases aggression away!"

She looked confused, but as he ran off, she noticed a mask peeking out from the flapping ends of the blanket. "Yamask?" she saw it disappear in a ghostly form, and continued to wonder what was going on as Totodile chewed on her leftover hotdog.

"Some stunt he pulled there." Jaz shook her head, coming up to Cleo. "His mama ought to be furious! He'll get the shoe for sure!"

"S-shoe?"

"Oh, what? Your mama never smack you with a shoe when you's cutting up?" Jaz looked surprised at her, "Wow, you got it good."

Minccino dusted the steps off as Pearl was frantically trying to calm down Scarlet Desport, Brandon's mother on the phone. "Y-yes. He's perfectly fine and seems to have enjoyed the circus. There wasn't much detail on what occurred… Yes, Yes… Well, they're leaving tonight and little Brandon talks nonstop about how much fun it was- ah, I see… N-no it doesn't look like he's blocking trauma. I mean, of course we've checked him over. A doctor?"

As the conversation went along, the Nanny had already gotten in the car with Brandon, who waved to everyone, something the shy little boy wouldn't normally do.

"Goodbye!"

"Man, why's he so happy? Don't he know he may not be able to come back?" Jaz looked torn at the boy's actions. "Did he really not like us that badly?" her shoulders hunched a little but Minccino saw this and climbed up to her head, tickling her along the way. "Hahaha! Hey, you! Haha! Well, Daddy says we got an episode to film. I better wait for Hitmontop."

"So late in the day?" Cleo blinked.

"What? We had our nap!" Jaz teased, then patted the little girl's head. "See you tomorrow, Cleo! Totodile!" she patted his head too, though he tried to nip at it and got scolded by Cleo. He looked kinda annoyed by that.

"Don't let nothin' restrain ya but your mama, alright?" she kid, and went up to Mudkip, "And you! Don't go bumpin' your head on some wall again." She patted his head and heard the click of Pearl's call being over.

"Phew… Poor woman. I understand her concerns, though…" Pearl hit her back a few times to relieve the stress it had built before looking to Jaz. "Oh, deary. What is it?"

"Imma gonna go and wait for Daddy's Hitmontop." She pointed with her thumb back to the front of the daycare.

"Ah, before you go, don't let me forget to give you this." She went to a drawer in the office and pulled out a pokeball.

"Woah! A new pokemon?" Jaz's eyes lit up.

"Hoho, not quite." Pearl opened the pokeball, revealing it was empty. "I spoke with your father and you, did I not? Mincinno is very happy with you. Bringing her out of the daycare means you must now protect her. This will help keep an eye on her. As we learned, Pokemon can't stray too far from their pokeballs." She placed it lovingly in the girl's hand, placing Jaz's other hand over the pokeball. "It's time." She beamed.

In excitement and wonder, Jaz held the pokeball and turned around.

Minccino seemed to understand what the pokeball implied, and jumped eagerly down to sit in front of her.

"I-… I-I don't know, Ma'am." Jaz began to stutter in her nerves. "I-I feel like I just got here. I should have more t-time with Minccino, right? Make sure she thinks I'm her perfect fit or somethin'." She nervously stared at the shiny pokeball.

Miss Pearl placed a hand on her shoulder, firm enough to be comforting, and bent down slightly to her ear. "You are her perfect fit. You always were. Even before you two met. The pokemon picks its trainer."

Minccino stood obediently in place, tilting her head in anticipation and wondering why it was taking so long for Jaz to throw it.

"L-like playing fetch." She seemed to be remembering something her father said, but Pearl didn't bother to ask about it.

Jaz placed the pokeball by her forehead. "This one's for you, Mini Hero." She let her eyes lift to Minccino's. "It's showtime!" she threw the pokeball, and just like she had said, Minccino jumped up to it like they were playing a game of 'toss the ball'.

"Cci!" she tapped her tail against the ball to pass it back, but the pokeball instead formed a white light around her.

Minccino disappeared as the pokeball bounced a bit on the ground, but as though heavy, stopped in place quickly and jostled itself back and forth a moment to the side to show it's red blinking light.

When the last sound revealed the capture, Jaz was floored, and so was the whole of the Daycare.

All except Candy.

Jaz was picked up shortly after and waved to everyone, holding the pokeball like a prized possession.

Soon, everyone was leaving, but Candy stayed behind, leaning against the door frame.

"…Brandon's disappearance… it's my fault, isn't it?" she had Flower still out, sitting beside her.

She flipped her leaf as though a preppy girl flipping her hair and stared at her.

"I know you would say it wasn't… but I kinda feel awfully bad about it." She ducked her head into her knees, fetal positioned on the steps of the daycare center. "How Miss Desport must feel… She must hate me now."

She remembered how trusting she was of Candy during the play, and then how excitedly she was relating her doting love for Brandon to her, a miracle baby in every way.

He was everything to her,

And Candy lost him.

Back at the Desport Manor, Brandon's imagination ran wild with a spooky, scary circus that would astound audiences with tension and suspense, having them grip at their seats and eyes fixed on the terrible feats of bravery before them. It would be everything Brandon wanted and more!

"And there would be fire, spikes, and the tightrope would snap unexpectedly but the performer would swing across with their Aipom and-" Brandon excitedly chatted away, surprising both his mother and Kangaskhan. Miss Desport was sitting down by him in his bed, while Kangaskhan watched with a blank stare as her little human child seemed to gain so much life from one scary little outing.

"Well, you must have had your little heart beating so fast…" There was a duel-meaning in that, and Brandon seemed to just slightly pick up on it, but not much. "But it really is time for bed now."

"But mother, I have so many more ideas!" He reached out to her, but she just pulled his head down and kissed it lovingly.

"Mommy has to make a big decision tomorrow." She stated, some sorrow in her eyes. "It may have all worked out… but this isn't the first time the Daycare has had problems keeping its children and pokemon safe. I'm afraid for your own safety, you may just need to stay with me and Kangaskhan for a while… at least until we find a good private school close to us to send you too."

"P-…Private school?" Brandon's eyes quivered, but again, it wasn't the fear that he wanted. "Why would you send me away? And take me away from the Daycare? What about-!"

"Yamask? I'm sure Pearl will let you keep him. Although he is a bit…" She turned her face away, making a look that bothered Brandon to his core.

"…Frightening?"

"Well yes! You understand, then? I'm sure we can keep him around, but maybe no spooking, alright?" She tucked him in, getting up. "Now, you just stay in bed tomorrow to let your little heart settle from all that commotion yesterday and let me take care of everything else, alright?"

"You… You aren't listening to me." Brandon felt his lips quiver, wetness on his cheeks but he wiped it away along with the beginnings of a stuffy nose. "I loved it, Mother."

"…Love and safety… aren't always the same thing." Her words were slightly haunting to Brandon, because they could only mean that Love and Danger were one of the same. She sighed, despondently. "You'll soon be graduating from the Daycare regardless."

"That's in-!"

"Years turn to months, you're growing up so fast, but you're still so young. I just don't want anything to-" she plugged her own mouth, emotions swarming her that she wouldn't allow him to see. "Never you mind that, just get some shut-eye okay?" She began to walk out…

"Goodnight, my little miracle babe." She winked, "Come along, Darling Kangaskhan. Turn on his nightlight for him and let him sleep a bit."

Brandon didn't like the abuse he saw directed at the tiny, young pokemon… that much was true. But everything else in that big ol'tent? It was everything to him.

Kangaskhan took the little baby out of her pouch and placed him on the bed, swaddling him up a bit and placing him near Brandon.

Brandon looked to see that he'd never evolve or grow up with his mother always treating him like a baby, and that Brandon would end up the same way too if he didn't do something about it.

Kangaskhan growled with a coo towards her baby and then moved to gently switch the nightlight on for the two of them, blowing large kisses with her hands before dipping her head and making her way out the door. Scarlet Desport closed the door just enough to still peek in on the two of them, and then was gone with a few footfalls to echo her departure.

Brandon leaned back on his pillow, his resolve more than ever now. He had hoped she would have understood, but that wasn't an option now.

The second he knew the coast was clear, he threw the blankets off of him as though he had seen a bug pokemon, and raced to his closet.

The baby Kangaskhan tilted his head in his nice cosy bed, not sure what Brandon was doing.

"I know you can't understand," Brandon began, grabbing a backpack that looked old and worn, saying DESPORT on it as though it could have been owned by his father. "But I need you not to make a noise. I have to do this. It's my destiny." He then took out his blanket, revealing Yamask snoozing under it.

He giggled, "Come on, Yamask! We've gotta pack fast!"

He threw some items into the old bag, then slung it around his shoulder.

"-Or we'll lose the train!"

As Yamask took Brandon's hand as tightly as he could, Brandon looked back to the Baby Kangaskhan who had tears in his eyes.

"Kang… Kanga. Kangaskhan!" he whined, placing his paws down on the windowsill.

"There, there." Brandon patted his head, "I'm going to become a circus ringmaster! Just you watch. Please don't alert mother or your mother. I have to do this. It's important. Please don't cry."

The little baby pokemon shook its head, nodding, but the tears still remained.

As Yamask drifted through the night with Brandon grasping his hand tightly to Yamask's, he looked back at a silently crying Baby Kangaskhan one last time.

Like a balloon hovering off on a quest towards the dark night, his frame drifted until a speck in Baby Kangaskhan's eyes.

With a ripped blue blanket and some provisions, Brandon walked down the train tracks towards the packing up circus spectacular.

He saw Bubblina there too, advising everyone and the pokemon where to place things neatly in the train cars for better unloading, and swifter setup too.

He knew if he spoke to her, she wouldn't allow it.

He gripped the edge of his bag, feeling jitters before Yamask rubbed his head against his own.

"Hehe, quit that. We're not babies anymore." He winked to Yamask and heard a faint cry coming from a side car.

He quickly looked around, then stealthily climbed up the ram to peer in.

"Phanpy!" he exclaimed in a whisper, "And Litleo too!" the two were cuddled up together, crying for him quietly in their straw cages.

Brandon took Yamask's hand and opened the cage, getting in and ducking them all under his ripped blanket. "Do you guys mind a roommate?"

Litleo licked his face as Phanpy playfully patted him with his trunk. He giggled as silently as he could. "When Bubblina finds me, I'll convince her I'm 10 years old." He quietly told them his plan, "And by then, we'll be so far from the city, that she won't be able to stop me from running away! They say this circus goes all the way across oceans to islands and far off countries. I know mother will be sad, but she'll be proud to see me as a successful … uh… what's that word… a businessman or something. But I'll make money doing what I love like father does! She'll have to understand."

He nodded as the pokemon seemed confused, not sure what he was talking about but happy to have him onboard.

Yamask gazed out of the train car, hearing some shouts about the caravan moving out and wondered about Candy and Miss Pearl, and all his friends at the daycare.

True, he only really spent his time with Brandon, but he wondered if he'll ever see them again.

Still, with a big smile on his face, he clung close to Brandon and happily cheered with his friend.

"Shhh! Not so loud, little buddy." Brandon grinned, a light scold as suddenly the four gasped when the ram was shoved into the center and the sliding entrance closed with a large slam.

It was quiet, but a warm night.

The clinking of gears frightened him a moment, and he felt tears as he thought of his mother and Kangaskhan waking up to not find him there. It wasn't the terror he wanted to put them through, but one day… they'll understand what fun horrors he'll have in store!

A stowaway with a dream and purpose now. He wasn't going to be sent to a private school or taken out of the daycare! "I'll chase aggression away with awe-inspiring fear! I've run away with the circus… I'll come back as a ringleader of a suspenseful spectacular! Just wait and see, Mother… Kangaskhan… Baby K., Cleo… Even Jaz and and the other pokemon too." He seemed to be trying to psyche himself further into this decision, his chest tightening in adrenaline.

The daycare… was apart of him. It helped him find and start his pokemon journey!

The train racked a bit which unsettled the squad, but they quickly recovered and let the moving train rock them all to sleep…

It wasn't long into the next morning when Miss Pearl was called and a hysterical Miss Desport was bailing her eyes out about a scribbled note Brandon had left. The police were quickly asking the twins, Tia and Mia, along with Jigglypuff as their medium where the circus had gone off to and where they could stop it. Sadly… the Twins informed the police that the traincars were moved onto a ship, and that their vision was clouded by the certainty of Brandon's resolve.

Naturally, that wasn't enough for Brandon's father, who sent a search notice to every island and country he could possibly reach with his influence.

The panic and worry in Miss Desport's voice could be heard even at Miss Pearl's office doorframe, where Candy was overwhelmed with guilt.

When Miss Pearl finally hung up, Candy burst into streams of tears.

"It's all my fault… if we had just gone to the aquarium… Brandon wouldn't have wanted to runaway…" Candy's shaking voice and broken spirit seemed to be the snapping point for Pearl, who turned to reveal tears in her own eyes, and sighed heavily.

"It wasn't your doing, my dear." She walked up to Candy, wrapping her arms around her. However, Candy was paralyzed.

"It was her only c-child…" she stammered, unable to calm herself down. "A miracle baby… and he just… he … he disappeared?"

"Candy… It wasn't our decision, nor our doing." Pearl continued to be firm in this, but Candy broke down and gripped her shoulders, bending her knees as though midway into collapsing.

"How could he do this to her!?"

Miss Pearl was silent, letting Candy cry out her swarming emotions.

That day, Pearl had closed the Daycare, informing the parents that it would reopen the tomorrow at its usual time, if they still wanted their child to attend.

Cleo's parents were a bit hesitant, but said they would send her back since she really wanted too, especially to see Totodile again.

They knew firsthand the wonderful work the daycare did, and that Jake had sent them plenty of cards and called in about how wonderfully the daycare had prepared him for his pokemon adventure.

Jaz's father also was unfazed, sorry for the family and daycare, but knowing it wasn't their fault. Jaz's first episode was halfway through shooting and filming, but would need more time before ever being ready for the air. Still, it looked like a promising and bright future career for them. They acted like a true partnered duo, and quickly won the production over with charm and charisma.

Candy walked the dark with her eyes steadily locked to the ground by the tip of her feet. Her body swayed left and right… drained from the news and dread of this predicament.

He was still a young boy… not quite 10 years old yet. It was devastating.

Flower stuck close to her side, having wrapped her leaf around Candy's leg and was trotting to keep up with each swing of her leg.

"I'm so worried about him…" Candy admitted, stopping in her tracks and putting an arm up over her eyes, letting the sting of their red cling to her elbow's arch. "I'm a terrible babysitter… and probably a terrible trainer too."

Flower huffed, slapping her leaf against her leg.

"Ow!" Candy hopped away, "What was that for!?" she pulled out her pokeball.

"Chik! Chikor! Chikor!" Flower scolded, angry she would say something like that. Flower may be a diva who's too high and mighty for battles or walking on dirt roads… but she still had a kind heart, and didn't like negative thinking.

Candy's eyes sparkled with the love she saw coming through her Chikorita's pleadings, though she couldn't understand what she was saying, it was clear she cared about her.

But as Candy was stubborn, she still returned her and tucked the pokeball away, too sad to admit to the little pokemon that she was right, and Candy was wrong.

She quickly continued down the road towards her home, when her pokedex flashed on its light and began to speak-

"Suicune Location."

"W-wha?" Candy looked down at her pokedex, taking it out and flipping it open to see what on earth it was talking about.

There was a little monster icon blinking black and white on her screen, the map indicated where she was… and the monster icon right on top of it…

There was then a strange mist in the wind, and Candy slowly looked up to see a majestic sight before her.

With rippling hair of purple, and white ribbons lacing the air around its frame, Suicune stood with gentle and quiet grace in front of Candy's way.

Its light blue hide shined with the moonlight, and its head ornament glistened as it rotated its head in a circle, as though adjusting its place.

Candy was stunned… There was only one kind of Suicune, right?

Was this the same one her pokedex had accidentally registered before? It wasn't usually so active like this, though it must have registered all kinds of pokemon that Candy came across. Was it just programmed to vocalize legendary encounters?

"Wha… Woah…" She wanted to ask it what it wanted, but her awe at its appearance took the words right out of her mouth.

It began to slowly stride towards Candy, taking its time to not threaten her with its presence, as though used to this reaction.

It then turned itself to the side, kneeling a little, gesturing with its head for Candy to get up and ride upon it.

"Wha-huh-you!?" She was again taken aback by the universal gesture and quickly flailed her arms about to gesture to nothing, then herself, then Suicune. "Ride you? Ride you? Is that what you're saying!?" she was more in shock then angry, but her vocal pattern suggested a frazzled state of mind.

With a reverence like a great lake, the Suicune just stared at her with intense eyes…

"R-right… Hop on the legendary. What could happen? It's not like my day hasn't been full of other surprises." She just gave in, too weirded out to quest the forces of nature and fate.

"Woah!" Once on, she could feel how silky smooth Suicune actually was, like dry water… its hair just whisked through her form like water would have done. Flying water, maybe? It was hard for her to think of the right analogy when all at once, Suicune rose up and began to race and jump over the tree lines and avoid the city's borders.

"Woah-ho-ho!" Candy held on but tried not to grip too tightly, not wanting to hurt or—Arceus forbid—offend the magnificent pokemon.

It moved through the air as fast as a raindrop, and leaped like a stone skipped on water over the patches of grass and tree canopies through the forest tundra.

Finally, Suicune stopped, landing well but due to Candy being unfamiliar with riding anything for that matter, she whip-lashed forward and had to grab Suicune's head ornament to keep herself steady.

The impact might have been light, but the force almost sent Candy flying, "Wh…Where are we?" she looked around, seeing a large lake with a home out in the distance, like a lighthouse in the darkness… besides the faint shimmers on the lake, that is.

"Where are you taking me..?" Candy gazed around, never having been to this part of the woods before.

Suicune raised its head and seemed to be gesturing to a direction.

Candy followed its eyeline to see something out in the distance… was that… a blue jumper?

"Ah! It can't be…" she began to realize, "His brother said he was going to the lake right..? How long has he been-… Will!" she cried out, and as though Suicune reacted immediately to her emotions, it jumped towards the lake.

Once its feet touched the water, a blue wave of light spread and sparkled green balls of light, tiny but beautiful as the water seemed to instantly purify itself at Suicune's presence.

Candy was only momentarily distracted before looking towards Will again, as Suicune glided across the lake, scaling the surface with its run. When finally reaching Will, Suicune stared at him and let Candy dismount on her own.

Though the drop was farther than Suicune probably anticipated for the girl, her inability also made her twist and drop to the ground while trying to get down.

She quickly recovered though, not thinking about how embarrassing that was when a legendary was watching you, but hurriedly concerned herself more about Will then her foolish image.

She fell by his side and turned his face over. It dawned on her that she should have looked over him first, checked to make sure this wasn't-…

Her hands shook a second,… What if Will was…

She shook her head, "No! I won't believe that!" she continued to look him over.

She turned to Suicune, "He's still breathing! Is this why you came to me? You knew he was here?"

Suicune just stared, holding itself up proudly, but also serenely blinking as though waiting for Candy to aid the downed human.

"Oh… what happened?" Candy suddenly felt her energy drain again, turning back to Will. "Will… Ah, his pokemon!" she noticed the pokeballs all spread out, and quickly began to collect them. "A little help here?"

Before she could look back at Suicune, it had already jumped over both her and Will and began to pick up a pokeball in its mouth.

"T-Thanks…" She sweatdropped, not sure what to think of all this.

After—not so carefully—flopping Will's body onto Suicune, and mounting herself with some struggles and difficulties… Candy finally managed to sit properly on Suicune while having a hand on Will's back, making sure he wouldn't topple over and fall off of Suicune.

"Okay, where's Will's van?" Candy asked, but Suicune just looked over its shoulder at her. "R-right… human words, um… Big metal square!" Candy gestured with her free arm, but it still wasn't really working.

Suicune's eyes glowed and the lake splashed up to create a mist of white, sparkling like glitter above it.

Candy watched as the shadows played upon the hovering mist, and the scene of Will and his pokemon exhaustedly fighting and being taken over until fainting played out before Candy.

"Oh, Will…" Her heart sank, "Why are you pushing yourself so much like this..? I don't understand…" When the shadow show subsided, Suicune darted off without warning, causing Candy to grip to Will's body and instinctively grab for Suicune's head ornament again. "W-wo-woah!"

Suicune landed by Will's truck, taking a moment to round it in an arch and then look back to its back as though informing Candy they had arrived.

Candy nodded, eyes shining, "Thank you, Suicune… for saving my friend."

Suicune lowered its head, watching Candy.

Candy smiled, "I know you only appear to certain trainers… I'm very grateful for your aid-" before Candy could really finish, Suicune had lowered itself to the ground, making it easier for Candy to get off. "Thank you so much!" Candy teared up, seeing it understood her struggles but also deeply embarrassed it had to completely lie down in order for her shrimpy legs to make the dismount.

In Candy's mind, she was severely unworthy, but glad the Suicune had come to her friend's help.

Once the pokeballs were safely in a box in the back of the van, Candy placed Will back there and on, what appeared to be, the comfiest letters she could find.

"Please turn on…" she had gotten the key from one of his deep, side pockets. "Pleeeassee…" she tried to keep a smile on her face for Suicune, who for some unknown reason to Candy, was sitting and watching her the whole time.

"Plllleeeeeassseee-ea-ea-easeeeee…" She didn't want to keep looking so pathetic in front of the outstandingly rare and mystical pokemon.

It surprisingly just watched in regal manner, only once closing its eyes to raise a paw and wipe some of its face, but then shook its purple flowing mane back and blinked its eyes open to stare at her continual failures again.

At least, that's how Candy was seeing it… Maybe it was just staying to see the job done, make sure the humans were gonna be okay.

She hoped it was the latter…

The engine kept trying but couldn't seem to turn fully on… so Candy just face-first the wheel and whimpered.

Suicune got up then, hearing some muffled complaints from Candy and walked leisurely to the backend of the truck. Taking a minute to think, it suddenly horse kicked the back of the van, leaving a dent but the engine flared to life and the van began to jerk forward.

Candy's head reeled up and she gripped the wheel, "Yyeee-wah!" she was shocked into putting her foot down on the gas and began to drive along the edge of the lakeside.

"I can't see a thing!" she noted the lights were blinking off and on, as though something attacked the van and not just Will or his pokemon either… "What on earth happened here?"

Suicune glided along the lake, illuminating the water's surface and helping her to see where the road and lake were.

"You're so helpful, thank you!" Candy's eyes grew big with chibi-tears towards the merciful legendary.

After clearing the lake, she looked back to wave at the Suicune, but it had already vanished. "Oh…" she sat back down and didn't want to stall the van too long so she kept going, but checked her pokedex as quick as lightning… just to see.

Sure enough, her pokedex was tracking Suicune, knew its location.

She smiled, but then was stunned to see Suicune was clearing so much land in little to no time. "How did it end up all the way over there?!" she gasped aloud, before remembering to keep her eyes on the road. "This world sure is full of strange but beautiful creatures…"

-Hospital Room-

Will woke up with a startled jolt from his arm. He breathed oddly, and looked to see clear tubes connecting to his arms veins and a hospital gurney. He looked for something familiar, his pokemon? He noticed his pokeballs in a tray designed for healing pokemon quickly, and was glad to see they were alright.

But then… he looked down to see Candy. She must have been sleeping by the bed's side all night.

He didn't have the strength to form a fist with his hand, or he would have. 'I'm tried of letting her down so much. I'm sick of being so weak around her!' his eyes twitched at seeing her there, so loving and kind, and yet so unaware of the torture he was facing by her seeing him like this.

He was so embarrassed, he closed his eyes and looked away, ashamed he had wiped out at the lake… even his new 'Ace' was seeming not enough to make him stronger.

"I'm doing this for you…" he mouthed, his throat dry and his voice sounding odd and tried. "I have to get stronger… So you can trust me to protect you… so you can… let me…" he looked back at her, gently taking some of her long blonde hair into his weak and trembling due to exhaustion fingers… letting it slip through them. "Love you…"

Let me … love you.

Let me love you…

Love you…

"Emm… H-huh?"

Candy awoke with sleep in her eyes that agitated them, lifting a hand up to rub them and yawning. "Gggggggaaaa-awwww, Good stretch! Emm, good stretch!" she seemed cheery, stretching out her body as she looked to the bed, completely vacant along with the tray of pokeballs.

"Woah! Nurse?" a nurse was replacing the gurney's lining and bedding. She stopped folding and arranging things to look up at Candy, "Did he already leave?"

"If you're referring to the patient, yes. He wanted to head out first, asked us not to disturb you."

"Hmph," Candy folded her arms, puffing up a side of her cheek. "Jerk."

"He also told us to tell you how happy he was that you cared so much about him to stay all night, making sure he was okay."

Candy smiled, "Well, of course." Her eyebrows arched in care, "He's my friend."

"He says he wants to get stronger, to show he cares without scaring you."

"Wait, what?" Candy shook her head, not sure what the Nurse was now saying.

"There was a storm out by the lake. He was training with his pokemon companions." The Nurse then put the sheets on the bed, Candy guessing they were the new clean ones, and bowed to her. "I'm afraid he fainted because of strange pokemon entering the location. It's power revolves around water. Forgive it." The woman began stranger and stranger…

"Umm… Yeah, okay." Candy leaned back, '…How does she know that?'

"Very well, take care then."

"Y-yeah…" Candy slowly got up, before rushing out of the room. 'What does she mean by… he wanted to be stronger to not scare me?' she thought about it, but it just hurt her head so she shrugged. 'Well, whatever the reasons, Will sure was willing to disclose a lot to her… What's gotten into you, Will?'

As soon as Candy exited the room, the Nurse leaned up and smiled, turning into mist that formed a rainbow.

Suicune stood on a cliff, just outside the city that it returned too. It closed its eyes…

Will stood on the edge of the river, telling his pokemon his feelings, as an invisible entity watched him, listened to his heart, and raced away…

(Yay! Don't forget to send in your Pokemon suggestions! I'll do my best to work with them. Till next time~)