"I finally found you!"

  A small boy with blonde hair and brown shorts ran along the river bank, the waves of the water splashing his clothing. Although, he paid no attention to that. Only the Pokemon sitting on top of a rock, shooting up in alarm. A pink aura surrounded its white body, power coming from the centre of its body, where its hands interlocked into one. It turned, tilting its head towards the boy, who clenched a Pokeball with a confident grin.

  "Now you're mine!" he yelled, stomping his foot. Then, he hurled the Pokeball over the riverside, knocking against the rock of which the Psychic Pokemon stood upon. Popping open, it revealed a small Zigzagoon. It glanced around, confused, until its eyes settled on the Pokemon, overlooking Zigzagoon from a height. The Normal type took another glance around, marking its trainer. With a bright smile, its tongue flopping out of its mouth, the tiny racoon bounded through the river, jumping up on its trainer. The boy stumbled to the ground, overcome with the weight of his Pokemon, Zigzagoon rubbing its nose against his face. The Pokemon sitting on the rock chuckled.

  The boy thrust Zigzagoon off of his chest, the racoon whimpering as it hit the ground harshly, before picking itself back up. The boy hollered, pointing to the Emotion Pokemon. "Now's not the time, Zigzagoon, attack it!"

  Strong emotions hit the Psychic Pokemon like a Revavroom, knocking the pink aura from around its body. It no longer need check. It understood all too clearly now the intent of the trainer. And, Ralts wasn't going to let itself be another Pokemon for the boy to boss around.

  The Pokemon concentrated on what it had seen of the trainer, its hands glowing a greater purple colour. A link was found, telekinetic energy surging to Zigzagoon's Pokeball. The ball was ripped from the trainer's grasp, floating high into the air. The boy snarled, commanding as loud as his voice could reach,

  "Zigzagoon, Tackle it NOW!"

  Zigzagoon shivered, then nodded, turning from its trainer to the enemy standing on the rocks. Quickly leaping into action, it climbed the rocks and pebbles by the riverside. The Pokemon dropped the Pokeball, landing with a thud and rolling to the boy. But, again, the trainer seemed insistent on its capture. It didn't want to hurt the small Zigzagoon, but it seemed that its arrogant trainer gave it no choice.

  It focused its mind on Zigzagoon, managing to paint a picture in its head of where Zigzagoon would move and how it would move. Every emotion it felt as it ran. Frantic, panicked, not knowing where to place its footing. Its emotions carried it forwards. Plain as day, even to any human. So, to Ralts, it was mere child's play. Effortless to read.

  Just as Zigzagoon committed to a jump, it felt its momentum be suddenly halted. Struggle as it might, Zigzagoon couldn't move from the telekinetic force. Then, with a swish of the hand, Zigzagoon was flung across the battlefield, resting at the feet of its trainer.

  "H-Huh? Hey, come on, Zigzagoon!" the trainer cried, shaking Zigzagoon, attempting to reawaken it. Tears began streaming down his face as he whined, "You're mean! I'll be back soon, and you won't be so lucky!"

  Ralts picked up the Pokeball with its psychic powers, lobbing it so that it bonked against the kid's head. The tears continued to flow, his face turning more red. Snapping a quick photo, the boy turned tail with Zigzagoon cradled in his arms, running back to the Pokemon Centre. The Psychic sighed. A radiant glow surrounded its body, its form shifting before disappearing out of sight...

  Rocks and rubble eroded between Ellie and Lucas's feet, stomping along with newly found pep in their step. Finally, lying just outside the city, the destination they had been waiting for. Route 102.

  Perfectly aligned trees stood strong in every corner of the route, branched arms reaching over the route, basking the plants and wildlife in a cool shade. Leaves overhead provided protection from the boiling sun, although, a few pockets of light did sneak through the canopy. Trees even interlocked in their branches, twisting and binding together in ways Lucas hadn't seen in his whole life. Suddenly, he felt accomplished to have ignored every documentary they put on at school. Nature's beauty truly lay in person, visible with only the naked eye. No cameras, just them and the fresh breeze blowing through the air.

  His eyes drifted down, following the sound of calming waves crashing against the solid dirt and stone. The lifeblood of the entire route. A long, narrow river flowing through the full length of the route, spiralling and winding up and down the hilly terrain. An abundance of Pokemon lay beneath the waves of the crystal clear water, or danced across the surface, co-existing in peaceful harmony.

  Surskit skated across the top of the river, spinning and weaving water fountains around their bodies. With the fountains, a sweet aroma filled the air, carried through the flowing streams. Magikarp flopped in the running waves, letting the river guide their bodies, with little action on their part to decide their destination. Occasionally, one passed by with a stronger swimming style, a sure sign of the evolution genes held within its small orange body. But, just as frequently, the ripping waves struck a Magikarp so fast it'd fall out the river. Every time, however, a Bug would drag it back in, the two watching as a String Shot from a Wurmple dragged the fish back into the water.

  Then, the bug would retreat to its hive, nestled inside of tree trunks, or lying in abundance on branches. They watched over their second evolution brothers and sisters, hiding in their Cascoons and Silcoons, waiting to emerge as a beautiful butterfly or moth. Then, finally, Seedot dug their homes into the ground, their grey heads poking out from underneath the dirt.

  "It's so beautiful..." whispered Lucas, captivated by the wonder and magic of the route. Suddenly, glancing around at nature's beauty, the world felt a lot lighter. Leaving the past behind in favour of the beautiful new. Ellie seemed to be share the sentiment. The breeze, still and calm, swept through her hair, holding her hand up so that it could whisk through her fingers. Then, she sighed, looking down to her Mudkip, ever enraptured with its surroundings.

  "It's as beautiful as always, isn't it?" she told her Water-type partner, the Pokemon's eyes sparkling with the view of the Route. Instantly, its feet scampered through the dirt, Ellie rushing to chase it. But, before Ellie could grab a hold of her partner, it leapt into the river, a great splash of water sprouting from its impact with the river. Ellie's eyes glanced to the rushing tides of the river, staying at the side, carefully watching and waiting for her Pokemon to emerge. When it did, however, it braved the rivers with great finesse, a warm smile wrapped on its face.

  Giggling, she cupped her hands, calling out to her Pokemon. "I know you're excited, but you'll have time to paddle later!"

  Mudkip pouted, but ultimately swam out of the river. It shook off its body, dribbles of water splashing Ellie's way, its little revenge for Ellie cutting off its playtime. Ellie sighed, rolling her eyes, enough to glance towards Lucas. Finally breaking free of his stupour, he brought his backpack to the ground, grabbing two Pokeballs from inside.

  "Well, you guys should see this stuff too!" he cried, throwing Torchic's Pokeball into the air, while letting Zorua's Pokeball release closer to the ground. Out popped the two Pokemon, Torchic hitting the ground only for a moment before immediately springing itself onto Lucas, burying its claws into his shirt in its climb to reach his shoulder. Zorua looked around for a moment, eyes snapping around. In only a moment, it felt like an entirely new world had opened up to Zorua. This was what it was like to be on a journey. It was scarier than it was cracked up to be.

  Zorua found its legs wavering, shaking and threatening to come crashing to the ground. It brought its head against Lucas' leg, nuzzling for support. Lucas glanced around, marking the frantic stares all around, Zorua never able to keep its attention in one place. Crouching down, he brought a finger behind Zorua's ears, ever so gently rubbing them.

  "Nothing'll hurt you here. It's peaceful." he smiled. Zorua's eyes settled on his warm expression. Glancing to Ellie, it believed Lucas' words for a moment. "Plus, we've got Torchic, and Mudkip, and every Pokemon on this route in case anything goes wrong," Lucas added.

  Zorua's eyes glanced to the species fluttering along the river, or weaving themselves through the trees. Unfamiliar and familiar alike, they looked friendly enough. Enough that Zorua could believe Lucas' words, continuing to stick close to his leg, but following him without the need to rest upon it. Lucas smiled, walking to Ellie, who perused the forum she had first seen the photo.

  "No updates on the Ralts," Ellie spoke in a chipper tune, turning her head to Lucas, "Let's cross the river first, then we'll be able to explore the bulk of the route!"

  "Right, let's go hunt us a Ralts!" Lucas exclaimed, his eyes darting up the length of the river for a path across. Luckily, a line of small rocks appeared, sturdy enough to hop across, and big enough to get a good footing. Lucas approached the river, only to feel Torchic's claws clench on tighter to his shoulder, digging through his shirt and into his skin. Lucas grimaced, stopping and lifting Torchic from his shoulder. But, the Fire types gaze remained fiercely fixed onto the water. Every splash that dripped onto the shore, Torchic shuddered.

  "Don't worry, you're not gonna fall in! I've got good enough balance for that," proclaimed Lucas. His partner turned around, not quite shaking the seeds of suspicion sowed in its mind. Lucas pouted, his eyes turning to his other Pokemon, right by his side. Zorua had shuffled some distance away from Lucas, however, eyeing up the river. Its claws dug into the ground, readying itself. Then, it pounced from rock to rock, like a juicy Berry lay on each stone. Then, in no time at all, it had made it to the other side. Lucas found himself at a loss for words. But, his amazement soon turned to excitement, a bright smile lighting up his face.

  "See! If Zorua can do it, so can I! Now, come on!"

  Torchic, with a sigh, returned to Lucas' shoulder. Lucas shifted its claws to clench only onto his shirt, saving himself the agony of Torchic's tense talons bristling against his skin. Then, Lucas made the first leap, Torchic letting out a small whimper with each step. His trainers squeaked with every step, the layer of water squealing against the rubber soles. He toppled every two steps. But, never did he fall. Torchic braced every time, but it never saw its coat be ruined with the splashing of water. Until, eventually, the end of the river approached, and Lucas jumped onto solid ground.

  "See, it wasn't that bad!" Lucas exclaimed, the back of his hand brushing off a kernel of sweat that dribbled on his forehead. Torchic shot him a death glare, and Lucas nervously giggled, acutely aware of every close brush with a bath in the river. "Well, we'll agree to disagree." he murmured in a quieter tone.

  "Imagine having to parkour across." Ellie smirked as she trudged through the water without a worry in the world. The waves ran up to ankles, but she seemed completely adverse to that fact. Only when her feet emerged from the water did Ellie realize she was wearing a pair of rain boots. Rubber and perfect for wading through the muddy, wet conditions of the river.

  "I don't have a pair of those..." Lucas whined, looking down at his own pair of trainers. The only shoes he had bothered to pack. And, only now did he realize the short sightedness of such an approach.

  "Might be smart to invest in a pair of wellies then," spoke Ellie, her eyes glancing to the side, expecting to see Mudkip trudging along with her. But, her partner was nowhere in sight. Lucas giggled, Ellie's attention turning to him. Then, to where he pointed. Mudkip sat spinning around on the surface of the river, being a nuisance and disturbance to all the Magikarp with its presence.

  "Arceus sakes..." Ellie sighed, calling out once more. "Remember what I said! Paddle later!"

  Once more, Mudkip strolled out of the river. But, this time, Ellie shifted one pace behind, completely avoiding the spritz of water Mudkip let loose from its body.

  "Didn't get me this time, you little terror," Ellie spoke triumphantly. Mudkip considered spritzing her with a Water Gun for the ultimate revenge, but decided that'd wait till later. After all, Ellie had a goal. And, a plan to go along with it.

  "So, how do we find this Ralts?" Lucas strolled to Ellie's side, tightening his backpack.

  "Well, according to what I've read, Ralts reads the emotions of its surroundings. Its more likely to come to those with a positive disposition, or hide from those who have a negative disposition. In certain cases, it seems it lashes out at those with negative feelings."

  "So, we just keep a positive attitude as we search? Whistle as we work stuff?"

  "Mhm! So, happy thoughts. Leave everything bad at the door and focus on the happy things!"

  "Sounds good!" Lucas cried, looking to Torchic and Zorua. "Sound good to you guys too?"

  Torchic chirped an affirmative, at such a high tone it resembled more of a squeak. But, at least it demonstrated enthusiasm. Zorua's enthusiasm didn't match any of what Torchic put out, murmuring with a little less energy than Lucas would've wanted. But, he didn't have nearly the heart to blame it for its lack of radiance. Still, they had a good vibe going regardless. Good enough to attract the attention of a Ralts, for sure!

  In the distance, a shadow lurked, one arm leaning against the branch of a tree. Its eyes flickered, glancing to Zorua. Its heart panged. Then, it briskly teleported away.

  They didn't find Ralts.

  Two hours of constant searching throughout the Route had yielded absolutely nothing in return, other than a few battles for Lucas, and tired legs. Ultimately though, it would be the Pokemon that slowed them down to a break. Mudkip, mostly out of a desire to burn its energy in the river, rather than on land. Torchic, after so many battles and quick sprints around the route, ended up panting on Lucas' shoulder, desperate to catch its breath. And Zorua...well it would never say no to a nap.

  So, Ellie and Lucas settled next to the riverside, watching as Mudkip dived into the water, frolicking amongst the other Water types that danced along the river. Zorua idly rested by a rock overlooking the river, at a height that no waves would crash against its fur. But, its eyes wandered along the bank of the river, with fear sprinkled in amongst its curiosity towards how the rushing waves would feel. Then, there sat Torchic, clinging to Lucas' shoulder, forcing him further away from the river than was really necessary. No precaution was too great if it meant its fiery coat didn't get splashed with water.

  Ellie sat closer to the river, occasionally glancing up to check Mudkip remained in her sight. But, mostly, she had her nose stuck in her phone, desperately making the most of their rest time to check on every last nook and cranny of information Ralts had online. The Pokedex had a few useful bits of information, but it wasn't always the most up to date on research papers and such.

  But, no new information had been discovered that wasn't available in the Pokedex. Especially with how sparse they were. Mostly that they hid a lot, tended towards people with positive dispositions, and not much else. Ellie sighed, her Rotom Phone returning to her pocket. Then, she laid back in the gravel. Lucas looked over at her, asking,

  "Anything interesting you found?"

  "Nothing. But, I'm sure something will work out once we start moving," Ellie spoke.

  "I'm sure we'll find it!" chirped Lucas, glancing to Zorua, resting upon the rock. Noticing his glance, he carefully set Torchic down on the ground, far away from any water. Then, he strolled towards Zorua, sitting down just next to his Dark type. The sudden appearance of its trainer startled Zorua, jumping up. But, it settled soon after, Lucas gently petting it on the head.

  "You interested in the river?" Lucas asked. Zorua's eyes settled upon the river once more. It ever so slightly nodded. "Then, how about you hop in?"

  Zorua considered it for a moment. It dropped down from its elevated platform, stumbling to where the river met the ground. It pawed at the liquid with shaky limbs, drops of water rippling against the surface of the river. It moved further in, but at the first wave, it stumbled, dropping to its side. Then, it leapt out of the water, nuzzling into Lucas' leg. Its trainer chuckled, dropping down and picking up Zorua.

  "If the waves are too scary, we can try and find a more calm part of the river for you to try?" Lucas suggested, wiping away the water from its furry coat. Zorua nodded, with more enthusiasm than before. A sign of a step in the right direction. Letting Zorua touch the ground again, he called to Ellie, shouting,

  "Hey, think you can watch over Torchic while I'm gone for a small bit?"

  "Oh, yeah, sure!" she cried back. Torchic pouted, stomping its foot in anger, jealous of its trainer's attention being placed elsewhere. But, just as quickly, a rather large wave surged against the river bank. And, Torchic shot for cover behind Ellie, cowering. Lucas chuckled, then turned his attention elsewhere. More towards the edge of the river.

  Suddenly, the boy began to run at a brisk pace, Zorua shooting after him and matching his pace. His eyes darted all around for any spots of water where Zorua could swim. And, as they ascended up the hill of which the river ran through, it began to split off more and more into smaller segments. Until, eventually, it settled into a small pond. Deep enough to swim in, but without the rushing tides.

  They screeched to a halt, Zorua overlooking the water from the side. Ever so slightly, Lucas pushed the fox further to the edge of the water. Zorua gave resistance at first, however, its claws digging into the ground.

  "I'll be there to help you if you don't think you're strong enough to swim. Promise," Lucas spoke, tilting the Dark type's chin to make eye contact. Zorua nodded, and crouched even closer to the water. A still reflection stared back at it. The water rippled under the weight of its paw, before returning to stillness, and the same reflection staring back. The Dark type smiled, and the mirror smiled too.

  One paw submerged under the water. Freezing and frigid at first. Yet, with each second, Zorua could feel itself become accustomed to the cold. Another paw entered. Then, finally, Zorua's reflection disappeared, as it dropped its whole body into the water.

  A fountain of water splashed from the surface, Lucas diving back to not get sprinkled with the sudden splash of water. Then, his eyes glanced to the pond. Zorua, resting nowhere to be seen. Lucas' heart gave a pang, until Zorua returned to the surface, taking in a greedy gulp of air. But, it was fine. Poochyena-paddling around in the pond, its stubby limbs stretched out and treading the water. Even better, the smile Zorua wore couldn't be faked. Lucas giggled, reaching down a hand for Zorua to touch. The Pokemon did so dutifully.

  "See! You're a natural!" he cheered for Zorua, clapping gently as he watched Zorua paddle about, taking gulps of air before slowly climbing out of the water, shaking the water from its fur. An unfamiliar experience. But, fun. Now, it just had the problem of drying off. But, Lucas came prepared with a towel. Dropping his backpack, he retrieved the flannel, smiling.

  "Let's go get you dried off-"

  Lucas glanced ever so slightly upwards, and froze. Zorua looked up at Lucas, noticing his still expression. At first, it feared the worst. But, that smile could never be for the worst. Quite the opposite, in fact. For, atop a rock, a Psychic type sat, watching the whole ordeal unfold. Lucas swore he could see a small smile peak out from underneath its helmet. It should've hid as soon as Lucas laid eyes upon it. But, even when Lucas stared, it didn't. His hands quickly reached for his Rotom Phone, not daring let the Pokemon from his sight.

  "Hey, Ellie, come up the river bank. There's something I've gotta show you."

  Ellie shot up quicker than Lucas had ever seen her run, with a drenched Mudkip tailing by her side. Torchic followed too, standing a clear distance away from Mudkip, and now Zorua, running to Lucas' shoulder. It glanced around for anything of interest, before marking Ralts standing in the distance. They both looked to Ellie, who had frozen for a moment. But, after shaking her head, letting off another hefty breath, she dived into her duffel bag, retrieving an empty Pokeball. Standing in front of Lucas, she pointed to Ralts.

  "Mudkip, it's time to show Ralts what we can do!"

  Ralts' body tensed in a single sentence. Its eyes shot from Zorua, cradled gently in Lucas' towel covered arms, to Mudkip, growling and getting ready to battle. Ralts came into the battle optimistic, however. If the Pokemon was as willing to get into battle as the trainer, a chance lay for something special. A Psychic aura washed over its body, as it teleported in front of Mudkip, facing forwards.

  "First, Tackle!" Ellie shouted, with Mudkip obeying its trainer's command instantaneously; jumping towards Ralts. However, it did little to inspire any fear in the Psychic type. A simple Teleport dragged Ralts away from the Tackle, appearing behind Mudkip. The Water type fell against the ground face flat. Then, a weightlessness passed through its body. A finger of Ralts outstretched, covered in a psychic aura, guiding Mudkip from the ground. Mudkip scrambled to be free, but its strength proved too little to break out. Then, the Pokemon suddenly found itself thrust against the Earth, landing with a thud. Ellie gritted her teeth, yelling,

  "Well, if that won't work, Water Pulse!"

  Mudkip shook its head, picking itself up from the ground. A small sphere of water burst from its mouth, then shot through the air. Ralts took a deep breath, before a sweet melody fell out of its mouth, forming in pink waves. The two attacks clashed against each other, neither giving way, until the two came to explode. A pink mist sprouted out, covering the battlefield, obscuring Ellie's vision.

  "Fire off Water Gun!" she yelled, at a loss for what else to do with no vision. She hoped Mudkip would have a better idea of where their adversary went to, but the Water type seemed just as clueless. Still, it dug its feet into the ground, letting loose a constant stream of water that cut through the pink mist. The steam began to waver. But, beyond the veil, not a Ralts did appear. Ellie's eyes darted around the battlefield, attempting to track where it went.

  "Did we lose it?"

  Far from it.

  Ralts teleported behind Mudkip, not giving the Water-type time to react before it was smacked right into a nearby rock, hitting its head and crumbling down. Yet, it still got up in defiance, huffing as it looked forward at Ralts. Seeing Ralts right in front of her, Ellie lobbed a Pokeball. Yet, Ralts stuck up a hand, bringing the Pokeball to a stop and dropping it to the floor. It strolled forward, facing Mudkip again with its back turned to Ellie.

  "Water Pulse!" Ellie cried, trying the same strategy as before, her hands shaking. Mudkip fired off another Water Pulse. Ralts reacted with an outstretched hand, a Psychic aura flowing over its hand. That same aura surrounded the Water Pulse, slowing its momentum. Then, in a single moment, the seams of the projectile ripped apart, water bursting out. Ellie's eyes widened, heart giving a pang that spoke of defeat. But, she couldn't waste the chance.

  "Tackle!" she cried once more. Mudkip shook its head, growling and bursting forwards, in a full run. Yet, it found its momentum slowing as time went on. The same Psychic aura that had once surrounded the Water Pulse now meshed Mudkip's body. A weight hung on its head, filling it with thoughts of confusion, and disorientation. Like the ground was so close, yet so distant at the same time. But, as the dizziness continued, the thoughts of distance continued.

  Lifted from the ground, Mudkip struggled in the air, letting out pants and heavy breaths. Its eyes danced around the scene, attempting to track Ralts. But, whatever efforts it made were useless. Ralts stared stone faced at Mudkip, before slamming it into the ground. Then, once more, it was slammed to the ground. Again. And, again. Then, finally, thrust across the battlefield, right to the feet of its trainer, completely unconscious.

  "MUDKIP!"

  Ellie's voice cracked under the weight of her scream. Dropping to the ground, her shaking hands cradled her partner's body, rocking the Water type. But, any attempt to awake it now seemed futile in nature.

  "Are you okay? Can you still fi-?" her question came to an end. Who was she kidding? This battle's over. Now, all she had to show for it was her partner's scuffs and injuries.

  The Psychic type seemed to glance back. Although, you could truly tell under the camouflage of its green helmet. The Pokemon froze in place, unmoving. A Psychic aura overcame its body, only to shatter in an instant, its hands shaking, tensing. Then, its eyes darted to the trainer adjacent. At first, Lucas' eyes lay only upon the trainer and Pokemon by his side. Mudkip's feeble groans, and Ellie's wavering expression. But, in an instant, his expression snapped to Ralts, staring into the Pokemon's soul.

  His chick jumped in front of him, grinding its talons against the ground, then spitting ashes as a show of strength. Ralts still didn't move a muscle. That same aura surrounded its body, and Lucas almost called for Torchic to move to dodge whatever attack Ralts had planned next. But, no attack came. Ralts merely stood there, its aura separating once more. A glance back to Ellie. Then, back to Lucas. Both eager to battle. But, Ralts had no interest in that anymore. Its body cringed. Then, it placed a hand on its chest, breathing deeply before teleporting away.

  "What? Hey!" Lucas' eyes went darting from side to side, covering every area around. Yet, Ralts was nowhere to be seen. Torchic couldn't quite make out where the Psychic type had teleported off to either, in spite of its best efforts. Lucas groaned, but, upon inspecting the two beside him, Ellie cradling her partner, his priorities shifted without much thought. Ellie's duffel bag lay just next to her leg, a discarded Potion bottle resting alongside it. Mudkip seemed to come to its senses, gently purring as it looked up to Ellie. Ellie sighed in relief, but her hands continued to shake. Mudkip let out another cry, feeling the trembling in Ellie's skin.

  "D-Does it hurt?" her voice shook the same, as her hand gently grazing over the back of Mudkip's head. Mudkip winced, letting out a soft cry at Ellie's mere touch. Lucas crouched down, gently overturning Mudkip to see the wound on the back of its head. The open wound still remained, scuffs and marks where Mudkip's skin had been ripped off, the roughness of the earth eroding it away. Lucas grimaced at the sight of the scar. Ellie handed Mudkip to Lucas, while she almost emptied her bag, her hands scrounging and scratching through the duffel bag. Notebooks, Potions and Pokeballs alike went flying as she searched through, until she found a standard first aid kit. Reaching inside, she grabbed a number of bandages.

  "Stay still for me," she spoke almost to a whisper, gently dampening the wound with some more Potion, then applying a bandage around the back of its head. The Pokemon winced with every small point of pressure applied to its wound, Ellie steadying herself every time she heard her partner cry out. But, ultimately, Mudkip came to rest. Ellie sighed, then let her body collapse to the ground, staring to the sky. Then, it was like she suddenly awakened from a deep sleep, her head running around, tracking the place.

  "Where's-"

  "It's already gone," Lucas said, Ellie's eyes finally settling on Lucas. Torchic hopped back atop Lucas' shoulder as the group watched over Ellie. She looked down to the ground, cradling Mudkip tighter.

  "Oh, I see." was all she managed to mutter, taking another deep breath, her eyes breaking away to stare at her partner. They stayed there for a long time, Lucas surveying her expression. It didn't take a genius to know she hurt inside. That trembling lip and hands, the intense yet empty stare at the object of her failure. But, that didn't mean he couldn't do his best to help.

  "I'll start building a tent for Mudkip." Lucas gently lowered Zorua to the floor, the Dark type's eyes settling on Ellie. But, it didn't dare interrupt the moment, shrinking into its own body and resting down onto the towel. Next, Torchic came bounding off of Lucas' shoulder, falling just as its trainer let his backpack from his shoulder.

  "Oh, of course. Thank you," Ellie spoke, breaking her stare only long enough to give Lucas a momentary glance, before returning right back to her partner. Lucas glanced back, catching her look, before shaking his head and settling back on the task at hand. Crouching down, his hands grabbed at the small bag in which all the parts were held. A chirp from behind alerted him of Torchic, already having found a place nice enough for them to make a home for the day. Green, and free of annoying pebbles or rocks.

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  Setting down all the small parts of the tent, Lucas began assembling the tent in his head, then turning those instructions to reality. Those instructions sounded vaguely like Ellie's voice in his head, too, even if they were a little faded and didn't have the same tone as she once spoke. Still, if it sounded like her, likely chance it was a good way to go. And, only a few minutes later, they had a strong and steady tent, ready to take on the world. After setting a sleeping bag inside, Lucas popped his head out of the tent, smiling with the energy of a thousand suns. Or, at least, trying to.

  "It's ready, and I've set up a sleeping bag for Mudkip!" he shouted back. Ellie stumbled to her feet, careful not to let any further harm come to Torchic. Then, she ducked into the tent, crouching down and laying Mudkip out on the bed. Placing it down with its face tilted to the side so the wound wouldn't press against the bed, she tucked the turquoise coloured Pokemon into bed. Lucas sat there, a silence puncturing the air. He tapped his feet against the ground, looking down at Mudkip, not quite daring to make eye contact with Ellie. Already had he made contact with those hurt eyes, and the thought made his stomach churn. So, plainly, he spoke without making eye contact.

  "Are you doing okay?"

  "I'm doing fine," she responded without missing a beat, like she was used to saying it, or she had prepped the line beforehand. Watching Mudkip intently, her eyes didn't shift a single time. Lucas felt the compulsion to say something. But, nothing he said played out well in his mind. Especially with his inexperience in the situation. In the days he'd known Ellie, Lucas had never seen her like this. Even when faced with the problems back in Route 101. Still, it was worth a shot. To say anything, rather than rest in bitter silence.

  "S-"

  "We can just cancel me trying to get a Ralts, i-it was a dumb idea anyways," Ellie blurted out before Lucas could even have a chance to respond. "I don't want to stall your adventure to follow a Pokemon that doesn't wanna be with me, I can just pick up another Pokemon on another rou-"

  "What? No, no, no, this is your plan!" Lucas exclaimed, cutting through Ellie in return. "Your plan was to capture Ralts and we'd continue to the first gym with two Pokemon each! You can't just give up on that now!"

  "Well, that was my one chance. My one opportunity," she spoke, her eyes glancing down at Mudkip, "And, I was defeated easily, and Mudkip got hurt. Because of me. I don't want-" Ellie gripped the tent fiercely, groaning as she laid her head back, screaming in frustration, "That's if I even find it at all!"

  Lucas staggered back, the sound of Ellie's scream echoing through the tent, and out into the open. The tent shifted slightly, Ellie's eyes glancing to Lucas. She gasped.

  "Sorry, I didn't meant to shout I just..." Ellie took a deep breath, attempting to steady herself. It didn't work, but she spoke regardless. "I-I doubt it's going to come and appear again randomly like it did for you. So, yeah, I can give up now."

  A thick silence once again struck the two. Lucas glanced down to the floor. He thought back to Ralts, its body cringing. It didn't look like it truly desired the outcome of the battle. Not to mention that it had appeared before Lucas for a reason. It couldn't have been random chance, right? If Ralts truly desired not to be seen, then it could've effortlessly done so with its Teleport. Or hid itself away from behind the thick valley of trees. So, if it wanted to be seen, what for?

  Lucas' mind stumbled back to that moment, where he let Zorua splash around in the small pond. It was the first time he had seen Zorua smile. He smiled too. Maybe...

  "Maybe...it wasn't a random appearance."

  Ellie tilted her head up, looking at Lucas. Lucas made eye contact, turning to face her fully, ignoring the queasiness brewing in his gut. "What if it was positive feelings that made it appear? The Pokedex said something like that when you were researching. Zorua and I were both happy when it felt comfortable enough to swim around, and just have a paddle. So, maybe we replicate that?"

  "But, what's stopping it from beating us again, then teleporting away?" asked Ellie. "We can remain positive and all of what that entails. But, if we can't battle or catch Ralts, then what's the point?"

  "We could try talking?" Lucas suggested. Ellie sniffled at the idea, but listened regardless. "Maybe it's looking for something other than a battle. And, even if it goes sideways, I've got a Torchic ready to battle and do it's best!" Torchic leapt onto Lucas' shoulder, chirping an affirmation, nuzzling its ticklish feathers into the side of Lucas' neck.

  Ellie still looked to the ground, her mind whirring, her eyes blank and lifeless. Lucas couldn't tell what for. A sign of indifference and apathy, or her computing with Lucas' thought process. Either way, the silence still hung in the air. She peeked at her phone, and Lucas felt compelled to speak once more. "Of course, stay with Mudkip as long as you like to make sure its safe. We can go out tomorrow when the day is fresh."

  "Yeah...that sounds okay." Ellie took a long pause inbetween her words, strengthening the smile on her face slowly. So, when she looked up to Lucas, his heart eased its worries.

  "Well, I'll set up my tent! Or, I guess your te-ah it doesn't matter."

  Snatching the tent from Ellie's duffel bag, he grabbed Zorua and rushed out of the tent. Ellie'd have offered to help. But, she knew the answer would be a no before she asked it. So, she let the tent zip up. And, with the light fading from the outside world, so did the smile from her face. Grabbing a notebook and pencil from her bag, she began to jot down a few words, a few thoughts.

  Those few thoughts overlapped, repeating constantly. Those same words remained in her mind, and so they continue to be written upon the page. They all overlapped, with no rhyme or reason behind their placement. Rather, they just had to be contained somewhere. The messy lead of the pencil grafted itself onto the page, where there had already been multiple markings made from days, weeks and months long past. It all blended together into one mess of abstract squiggles and lines. It grew with intensity as the time went on, until they were scarcely words on a page, and more so just scribbles. Then, as quickly as it came, her hand settled onto the page. She flipped over and wrote simply on the next page.

  I made a mess of things.

  "Good morning world!" Lucas chirped, stepping out his tent, fully dressed after a refreshingly long night of sleep. Not much occurred after the Ralts incident. Meant plenty of time for Lucas to battle whatever would give a good fight, and then a long rest afterwards. Stretching his limbs, the boy basked in the morning sun, feeling the rays splash against his face like a gift from heaven. Torchic ran to his side too, soaking up as much of the sun as it could, and firing off a couple Embers into the air.

  "Good morning, Torchic!" he exclaimed, crouching down and lifting the chick onto his shoulder. Then, his eyes caught the shadow of Zorua stirring in the tent. Far from the infectious optimism shared by Torchic and Lucas, but, after a hefty yawn, it looked ready enough to start off the day. It trudged over to Lucas' leg, receiving some very appreciated scratches behind the ears.

  "Good morning to you, Zorua, and good morning to..."

  His eyes glanced over at Ellie's tent. Shadows danced from inside, yet the movements were ever so slight that Lucas couldn't tell if it was just the stumbling of someone in a deep slumber. Slinking closer to the tent, he watched the shadows move around more. Whatever the case, time proved to be passing quickly. Lucas didn't want to sit idle. Or, be left in mystery as to Mudkip's condition. So, he knocked upon the tent door, before realizing the stupidness of such an action, and calling out,

  "Good morning, Ellie! May I come in?"

  The zip fell swiftly, almost like Ellie had expected Lucas' call. Lucas smiled, shuffling into the tent, taking in his surroundings. Ellie lay just to his side, her sleeping bag packed away neatly in her duffel bag. Seeing the sleeping bag gone meant only one thing. Mudkip was up and at them. Strutting around the tent, although without the usual pep in its step. Still, a marked improvement from what was. The blue coloured Pokemon nuzzled gently into Ellie's leg, letting out a soft coo.

  "Glad Mudkip's doing better!" Lucas chirped.

  "Yeah, so am I," Ellie muttered, before her eyes snapped back to Lucas, blushing slightly. "Oh, sorry, good morning to you too."

  "Better late than never." Lucas giggled, his hand brushing against Mudkip's head. "Ready to get going?"

  "I am. I'm just...not sure if Mudkip is."

  Mudkip let out cries of protest, shaking its head from side to side. Its paws went clawing at Ellie's leg, letting out another cry. Then, just as quickly as those cries of resistance flared up, whimpers of pain left its mouth, the pain of its injury coming back and crashing down on the Water type once more. Ellie rushed to place her arm behind Mudkip, offering support when its body faltered.

  "See, your injury still needs time to heal!" Ellie cried. Mudkip looked into her eyes, its voice cracking, letting out the loudest cry it could with the thundering headache racking its brain. Ellie swallowed, taking another deep breath, and looking to Lucas for assistance.

  "I don't think Mudkip's gonna be pleased to be trapped in it's Pokeball," Lucas muttered, stating the obvious. But, stating it gave a clear indication as to which side Lucas stood on.

  "What if it's injury gets worse?"

  "As long as it doesn't cry out and overexert itself, it'll be fine, right?"

  "Maybe..." Ellie muttered, looking to Mudkip once more. Then, she sighed. "Alright, stick close to me, don't cry out or run ahead, and if you need a break, tell us," Ellie cautioned her Pokemon, who heeded her warnings with a blissful smile. Emerging from the tent with each of their bags strapped over their shoulders, they looked back at the tents., But, in a move of wordless agreement, they left them there. No point packing away until their objective was done. Finding that Psychic type.

  "The positivity is the key to finding Ralts. So, we've gotta be optimistic about this!" Lucas chirped with a thumbs up. Ellie matched it with a smile that wasn't quite as convincing, but good enough as a start.

  "Keep smiling, keep going," she muttered, mostly to herself.

  "And, we have a lot to be happy about! We've still got the rest of this route to explore, since we only stuck around the river for most of it," Lucas commented, looking at the raging river. It was a nice backdrop, filled with lots of aquatic Pokemon, yet he knew that there had to be more. "Maybe, we'll even find more Pokemon beyond the Route, or more people to battle!"

  "Who knows?" Ellie said with a sort of eye roll, knowing that this was all Lucas' attempt to cheer her up and try to get her excited for what was to come. Yet, she couldn't help but feel it working, despite the obviousness of his intentions. Something about his mannerisms spoke that it wasn't just an attempt to cheer her up, but also a vocal reminder of his hopes and ambitions. See new things, battle and meet more Pokemon. And, who was Ellie to stomp on that ambition in the pursuit of her own misery?

  "So, shall we get going?" she asked, with a smile stretching across her face again. Lucas didn't respond verbally, only with his actions, gathering his Pokemon and briskly walking along the riverside further up the route.

  Mudkip trudged besides its trainer, attempting to quicken its pace to match that of the people and Pokemon around it. But, it moreso ended with the others matching Mudkip's slower pace. The Water type didn't really mind either way. It was just happy to be out there, breathing in the fresh air, and feeling the gravel of the path erode at its feet.

  The riverside they walked past slowly began to diverge as they walked further up the hill. It dipped down into narrower streams, stretching in all directions of the route, leading to who knows where. Plenty to explore. But, Lucas was much more interested in the plains and trees this time around. After all, that was where Ralts was most likely to live. Within tree trunks, or hiding in the dirt. So, maybe he could get lucky and find one for Ellie to have a chance to capture. Or, lead her nearby so she could do it herself. Or, just give her some pretty scenery to gawk at. Anything to bring Ellie joy.

  Lucas held his hand to the sky, ruffling the branch of a tree as he passed under it, letting a few of the leaves flutter down onto the path below. His eyes were wide and always moving, trying to see any new Pokemon that he hadn't identified before. He called behind, asking,

  "Do you know if there are any other rare Pokemon around here?"

  "A few Pokemon on every route, really. At least, ones that aren't normally native to Hoenn," Ellie answered, relaying the information she gathered when she was researching about Ralts. Lucas looked around, and his eyes glanced to a group of dog-like Pokemon with light brown skin and a white furry face.

  Lucas pointed at them as they excitedly pranced through the forest, asking, "Would they happen to be some of them?"

  Ellie's eyes glanced over to where Lucas' finger pointed, her eyes widening. With a bewildered expression, she slowly nodded.

  "It must be a good sign if we're seeing some rare Pokemon early!" Lucas giggled, rushing over and pulling out his Pokedex. Crouching down, he steadied for a couple good shots of the creatures, scanning them into his small encyclopedia.

  Lillipup, The Puppy Pokemon.

  The long hair around its face provides an amazing radar that lets it sense subtle changes in its surroundings.

  That radar proved its use almost instantly, as one of the Lillipups stopped, then turned to the group of trainers. Lucas froze for a second, bringing Torchic close to him for defence. The Puppy Pokemon growled, its claws digging into the Earth as it pounced towards Lucas. Lucas' body went tense. But, his body loosened, softened. Just like Lillipup's expression did as it ran. It came leaping up into the air, crashing into Lucas' chest. Knocked to the ground, Lucas had no choice but to accept its loving embrace, and warm licks across his face.

  "Hey, hey!" he giggled uncontrollably, gently petting the puppy on the head, then raising it into the air. Lillipup tilted its head, its tongue flopping from its mouth. Lucas' heart exploded from cuteness. The Pokemon's eyes soon darted over to the trainer standing just behind Lucas, and the boy knew what had to be done.

  Setting the Normal type back onto the ground, the puppy found its next target. Bounding across the plains, then crashing into Ellie just the same as it had to Lucas. She jumped at the sight of the Pokemon running towards her. But, as the small puppy licked her face, she smiled. Ever so slightly. She hugged the Pokemon tight before letting it go free and return to its pack.

  "Yeah, I think it's a good sign," she muttered as they continued on their way up the winding path further into the route. All as a shadow watched over them...

  "Torchic, Ember!" Lucas yelled, the tiny chick jumping back, letting out an Ember that grew stronger with the oxygen pooling into the ashes and fueling the flames. The Seedots, assembled in a pack of three, scrambled around without any plan, until the Ember eventually struck one of them. Going down instantly, the two other Seedots decided it was better to call it a day, carrying their fallen ally away. Lucas smiled, giving Torchic a little high five, Torchic matching it with a swipe of its claws. Then, they turned, finding Ellie sheltering Mudkip.

  "Are either of you hurt?" Lucas asked, with Ellie shaking her head. She let Mudkip down from her arms, just as Zorua dove from behind her legs to hustle into step with Lucas and his Torchic once more.

  "Didn't think they'd randomly attack us like that," Ellie said, looking down at Mudkip and making one final check that her partner was totally fine. But the Water-type walked as spunky as ever, ready to face the world. The words of his mother rang through Lucas' head, smiling slightly as he spoke.

  "Well, it's a good thing I was here for it, right?"

  "Yes, thank you." Ellie nodded back, letting Mudkip take the lead for them, trailing the path ahead, with her ever so slightly behind. The hill seemed to become more level the more they walked, but they'd met a few hills like that, only to be met with an incline then another hill straight after. But, when the trees beside them seemed to level too, they knew they were in the right place. Lucas glanced around, his eyes always darting around for any sign of Ralts amidst the trees.

  "Split up?" he asked, nearly bumping into Ellie as she came to a stop, squinting at their surroundings. But, with Mudkip clawing at her leg, her brain seemed to catch up to conversatoon, giving a slow nod of the head. Lucas gestured for the left side, with his Torchic running ahead, and Ellie absently nodded, moving to the right, Mudkip in tow.

  Between trees they searched, eyes darting in every direction, looking for any sign of the helmeted Pokemon. They'd made the unfortunate mistake of interrupting a couple more of those acorn-like Pokemon in a den underneath a tree, quickly apologising as they dug their heads out of the dirt. But, other than that, this part of the route seemed deathly empty. Not a single thing in sight.

  But, maybe, something lay out of sight-

  "OOF-"

  Lucas faceplanted onto the floor, Torchic's feathers fluffing up in alarm, dashing over to its fallen trainer. Zorua suddenly stood on alert, looking curiously at whatever could've tripped him up. And, upon second glance, the pile of leaves Lucas had tried to walk through did seem strangely elevated from the ground. A few Fury Swipes later, tearing the bed of leaves to shreds, the din of grinding metal began to fall from Zorua's swipes.

  The Illusion Pokemon finally stopped, and shuffled from the metallic trapdoor laid before them. Locked from the outside, with rusted and decayed paint on the outside. But, from what could still be seen of the paintjob, seemed it was designed to disguise into the terrain, even without the pile of leaves obscuring its existence. Lucas' hand combed over the surface, the touch of rough metal sending chills down his spine as he climbed back to his feet.

  "What even..." Lucas attempted to tug on the handles, pulling it open. But, whatever strength he could muster faltered under the weight of the trapdoors, and the still secure lock. Taking a step back, Lucas looked out into the open field, where he could spot Ellie between two trees. Absent mindedly, she seemed to stare at a branch, Mudkip's tail slowly swinging by her side, head turned away.

  "Ellie!" his shout suddenly grabbed her attention, startling her back into reality. Turning towards the shout, Ellie's heart raced, thinking he'd found what they'd been looking for. But, her dreams were shot down shortly after, as Lucas added, "It's not Ralts, but it is something real weird!"

  Real weird? Ellie and Mudkip exchanged glances, before hurrying to Lucas' side, with just as quick a pace as if he had found Ralts. Ellie's rubber boots skidded to a halt, Mudkip both staring down at the trapdoor. Ellie's breath hitched, Mudkip freezing up.

  "Weird, isn't it?" Lucas asked, knocking his fist against the trapdoor, listening out for whatever was on the other side. But, all he could hear was the echo of his fist against metal. "You think Ralts is hiding out in somewhere like this?"

  Ellie's eyes widened, seemingly in alarm. "I-I really hope not."

  "Might be nice and cosy down there, ya never know!" Lucas teased, fidgeting with the lock, trying to stick his nail in the keyhole as if that would open the lock. "Might be worth the search."

  "No."

  Lucas froze, hand clenched slightly tighter around the lock. Letting out a nervous chuckle, he turned. "T-That was a strong no."

  "Lucas, do you really think investigating the suspicious trapdoor with a lock is a good idea?"

  Lucas bit his lip. "Not really..." he sheepishly admitted, especially as he looked back at Torchic and Zorua. The Pokemon he couldn't put in danger just because he was curious. "But, what do you think it is?"

  "Not sure," Ellie answered in one hurried breath, tapping her finger against her leg. "But, we shouldn't be investigating. We should be getting back to our tents."

  "Wait, really? We're giving up the search?" Lucas jumped back to his feet, wanting half to push for a little more effort, thinking it would do Ellie some good. But, Ellie's eyes didn't exactly have the adventure hungry glimmer behind them, looking like they desired rest more than walking. "Orrrr, yeah, that sounds good!"

  "Great, thanks," Ellie's hand brushed against Mudkip, her starter easing into her touch. Then, after long enough of its gentle touch, Ellie scooped up Mudkip tight, holding it tight to her chest as she began to walk away. Lucas followed in tow, Torchic diving onto his shoulder, while Zorua squeezed its way between the two of them. The two walked without a word for some time, Ellie's eyes focused only forward, while Lucas stole glances at her expression, not so discretely trying to read her emotions.

  "Are you okay?" he asked, only to get no response. Mudkip smacked a paw against her chest, finally dusting the cobwebs stuck to her brain, glancing down at her partner, then meeting Lucas' stare.

  "Sorry, what did you say?"

  "I asked if you were okay," Lucas repeated, even if a thought of him being too pushy did fester in his mind.

  Ellie flicked her hand, as if to wave away any concerns about her. "Yes, I'm just fine. Was getting a little worried about moving too far from the central route is all. Shouldn't expect to find Ralts where there are weird trapdoors, right?" Ellie's eyes drifted back to Mudkip, a little too high in tone. "Besides, we could all use a break."

  "Smart! Yeah, alright!" Lucas smiled, turning forward, satisfied. Meanwhile, Ellie's stomach churned, Lucas to press just a little bit more. She muffled a sigh, keeping it in the back of her throat, as they continued to walk down the beaten path, her mind once again clouding with thoughts.

  The shadow disappeared for a moment.

  The darkness of the night cut through the trees of Route 102, the shadows coming to claim everything within sight. Only the light of the moon illuminated the night now, and the faint blue light of Ellie's phone, continuing to enact research on Ralts. Despite her desire, and moreso her need for it, she couldn't bring herself to rest just yet. Instead, Ellie sat cooped up in her tent, her eyes fixated upon the blue light of the screen, taking notes or finding videos of the creatures. Was all of this pointless? She didn't quite know herself.

  As she dwelled upon the question more, digging through old databases, combing through whatever books she could find, the answer to the question started to hinge more on the pointless side of things. Sighing, she let her body crash to the ground, staring up to the sky, her phone dropping to the floor face down, only a tiny amount of light peeping out.

  Mudkip sat up from its sleeping bag, rubbing its eyes, tired yet still interested in all the commotion. Slowly, it rose to its feet, stumbling over to where its trainer was laid. Ellie sighed as she watched her Water type walk towards her. Finding the energy to bring herself back up, the Water type sat down on her lap, laying there and forcing Ellie to stroke it. Ellie felt a smile tug at her lips, gently running her fingers over the Mud Fish Pokemon's head.

  "Sorry to wake you up," Ellie apologized, hoping that the rubs and head pats that she offered were satisfactory enough to offset the lack of sleep they were both getting. Mudkip perched up, stretching its body before strolling to the edge of the tent. It jumped up, clawing at the top zip of the tent. It couldn't exactly pull the zip down itself, but Ellie got the picture. She chuckled, reaching over and letting the tent open, and allowing Mudkip to roam free.

  Mudkip skipped and hopped out of the tent, leaping like a gazelle without a care in the world. Ellie cringed slightly as she saw Mudkip move so sporadically, looking toward Lucas' tent. Hearing the loud noises echo from inside, she knew they couldn't make too much noise. Still, Mudkip seemed not to abide by that, prancing around like no one was even there. It edged closer to the river by the second, peering over the edge into the water below.

  "Wait!" Ellie muttered lowly, trying to keep her voice down while still making sure Mudkip could hear her. But, whether Mudkip heard her or not, she could not know. Especially when it gave no heed to her request, diving under the water into the running rapids of the river. Ellie felt the air suddenly punched out of her lungs. She ran before her mind could catch up, continuing to grasp for air, reaching the edge of the river. Ordinarily, she wouldn't have been concerned at all. Her partner was strong enough to endure the waves of the river. But, not when it was injured. Or, so she thought.

  Soon, her Mudkip appeared, but not in the place she expected. She found her Pokemon paddling upstream, confident as could be, putting an ease to Ellie's heart. Finally, she felt the natural flow of oxygen breach her lungs. Mudkip looked back at its trainer for a second, a devious smile stretched across its face. Ellie sighed, rolling her eyes and planting herself on the ground. She watched her Pokemon swim through the river, never straying out of her sight, always letting the river take it back. Yet, the Water-type never once demonstrated it was anything less than a competent swimmer.

  Ellie's fingers gently tapped against the wet stone of which she sat. Her clothes were slowly getting soaked the more she sat there, but in her fatigued mind, Ellie couldn't quite bring herself to care. She could scarcely keep her eyes awake enough to keep a watch of Mudkip and ensure it never strayed too far away from the river, or didn't get lost under the rapids. Still, that seemed like a small chance, judging from how Mudkip held itself in the water. The Water type paddled with its small paws towards the edge of the river, shaking itself off right next to Ellie, soaking her clothes even more. Ellie groaned, then laughed, stroking her Pokemon on the head.

  "You little tinker!" she laughed. Mudkip looked up, smiling, basking in the light of Ellie's smile. The Water type hopped further up, going behind Ellie and gently pushing her back. Ellie tilted her head slightly, until she looked back forwards, feeling her butt scooch closer and closer to the river. Ellie picked up her partner, the Water type struggling in her hands.

  "I'm not going in the river! I'm already soaked enough!" she protested. Mudkip smirked for a second, but Ellie couldn't tell for what purpose. She'd soon find out.

  A Water Gun erupted from the Water type's mouth. Her entire being stood soaked in only a second. She blinked twice, staring out at the river before dropping her Pokemon into the river. Her sweater stuck to her torso, as did her leggings to her legs. She groaned, trying to wring the water out from her blonde hair. Then, her emerald eyes glanced down to the river, where her Pokemon eagerly awaited her. Sighing, she tried initially to convince herself not to give in so easily. But, the damage was already done.

  "You win."

  Then, she submerged herself into the water.

  The cold water knived her as soon as she dared to make contact with the water. Freezing temperatures passing through her body, leaving chills on each inch of her skin in its wake. But, as she floated to the surface, taking a greedy gulp of air, the water became more comfortable. Especially when accompanied by Mudkip, nuzzling into her soaked sweater. Ellie wasn't nearly as strong a swimmer as Mudkip, but she still kept pace with the rushing river rapids. Mudkip swam alongside her for a little extra help too, just in case she'd ever need it.

  With the full weight of her now saturated clothes, it ended up being a full body workout for the blonde girl. She gasped for air, pushing forward despite the odds against her. A smile stretched onto her face, giggling as she felt the rapids keeping on moving. A Magikarp fluttered by her, almost hitting her had the Pokemon not shifted direction at the last second.

  "This is nice..." Ellie muttered, with the splash of the water breezing against her face. She sighed before feeling her limbs start to grow heavier. The fatigue of not only her brain set in for real, finding herself staring back at the river. Her eyes widened with the information that her brain hadn't quite processed in its energy deprived state. Shivering, she turned to Mudkip. "Is there any way out?"

  Mudkip's eyes darted around, that same smile keeping to its face. But, that smile faded over time. As did Ellie's, her eyes continuing to widen. Then, her eyes drifted towards the edge of the river. Anything, anything that could lead her out. She found nothing. The only thing she found was the realization that she was stuck. Battling against the tides.

  She couldn't know for sure there were no exits. But, as the darkness creeped in, it became more impossible to see anything. All she could do was ride the tide. Ellie took a deep breath, letting the river slowly take her downstream. She couldn't succumb to the tides. Even when the dark clouded her vision, she still searched. Her heart beat faster and faster. She could barely tread water, beginning to cough as her breathing slowed even more. Mudkip cried out, pushing her behind, driving her closer to one side of the river. A stray root hung off the edge of the riverbank, and with the last of her strength, she made one last break for it.

  Taking a deep breath as she clung to the root, she found herself even more stuck for options. The oxygen from the deep breath expelled itself quickly. Another hacking cough came over her. Still, she managed to keep clinging to the root. Her eyes drifted to the deepening river. Mudkip kept close to the root. But, even with its support, she'd drift to the bottom. Her eyes glanced to the root, attached to a river wall. But, climbing it proved hard. Impossible, even. Worse than that, the root began to show its age. The slow tension of Ellie's weight sent shockwaves down the root, threatening to snap it into two. Gasping, taking in gulps of air, she looked at her partner. Brace for the worst, taking in as much oxygen as she could. Even in spite of her lungs rejecting it with every hacking cough.

  SNAP!

  Under the strain of her did the root finally fall. Shrapnel of dead bush fell down into the river. Swept away in the running rapids. Ellie expected her fate to be much the same. A cough continued to hack at her lungs, despite how she desperately wished for reprieve. Mudkip cried out faintly. Ellie could hear it ringing in her ears. But, nothing could be done now.

  A feeling of weightlessness passed through her body. The water gently splashed against her wettened sweater, tickling her back. Her brain caught up with the feeling soon enough, commanding her body to move in spite of the miracle keeping her afloat. Yet, despite her command, her body refused to listen. Like strings holding her up. Then, beginning to pull her up. Soon enough, her commands to thrash came to a stop. Whatever force this was helped her. And, that's enough.

  Solid ground appeared beneath her, soon hitting the floor with a wet splat, as the water from her clothes drained out onto the surfaces below. Her eyes drifted to the stars, before the hacking cough returned, bringing her crashing back down to reality. Out of the water emerged Mudkip, too, glancing at its trainer. A Psychic aura encased it, slowly floated onto the ground. Mudkip fought it. That familiar feeling as it emerged, unsettling it all the more. Eventually, its struggles proved fruitful, dropping onto the ground.

  Ellie continued coughing, her lungs wanting to kill her for daring to deprive them of the oxygen they needed for too long. Mudkip, upon a moments glance at its trainer, knew what needed to be done. It shot off like a rocket, launching itself up the riverside. Even in spite of its fatigue, it ran with as much spunk as ever, injuries be damned. Then, it returned shortly with an inhaler in its mouth, dropping it into Ellie's lap.

  Fumbling with the device, she held it to her mouth. Then, upon pressing the button at the bottom, she felt her lungs clear, returning back to normalcy. As good as normalcy could be for someone who'd just been thrust into a river. Even if her lungs were healed, however, her heart didn't quite match. It raced like her body was still trapped under the freezing waves. But, she had been saved. What by, she didn't quite know. Mudkip looked around too, growling as it made sure nothing of harm came its trainers way. The Water type watched intently behind Ellie, waiting for a sneak attack. But, none ever came. The Pokemon instead teleported straight in front of Ellie. Its figure stood cloaked in darkness, yet the glow around its hand was unmistakable.

  "R-Ralts!" she exclaimed through exasperated breaths, feeling her chest heave to take in all the oxygen it possibly could. Ralts cringed, thinking if now would be the best time. But, it had saved her from the ripping tides of the river. And, its stalker session had to come to an end. Watching over her emotions. Discomfort and exhaustion. But, as she dived into the river, the happiness amongst her partner. Then, the panic that committed Ralts to action. And...now...

  Gratitude. In spite of everything. Ralts could feel that. But, not from the Pokemon beside her. The Water type, the one Ralts had buried in the dirt, bared its teeth and growled. Despite Ellie's strong feelings, it hadn't the heart to win over Mudkip quite yet. No wonder why. Its bandages, wet and useless as they were, stuck to the back of its head. Ralts held back its hand, stepping away. Ellie turned, facing Mudkip and calming its nerves with a gentle head pat.

  "E-Easy, Mudkip. R-Ralts won't h-hurt you," she assured her partner, putting both more at ease. Ellie found herself shaking, the freezing cold of the water setting into every limb. Her voice shook as she spoke. "I-I'm glad you're here."

  Ralts settled down, moving closer to Ellie. It held out a hand, Ellie feeling the water dripping off of her clothes slowly disappear. While Ralts couldn't remove everything, it did help stop the shaking. Ellie took a deep breath, smiling. Ralts swished its white dress, looking to the ground. The silence of the night set in, and both realized they had nothing left to say. Ellie didn't even know why Ralts was up at this time of night, nor why it had helped. So, she chose the optimistic route, smiling and asking,

  "Would you like to come back to the tent?"

  Ralts slowly nodded, and Ellie felt a weight lifted from her back. The feeling of finally making progress. She gestured for the Psychic to follow her, and it did so dutifully. Picking herself up, Ellie's legs began to waver, shaking still with the water and the shock. Her breathing started to return to normality, but the river tides still ran through her body as she walked away. Placing a hand on her chest, she grounded herself in her surroundings. Breathing in the fresh air, occasionally bending down to stroke Mudkip, feeling the stones crushed beneath her boots as she walked. Strutting past the tents, she took note of the snoring still coming from Lucas' tent. In all the commotion, he'd remained asleep. And, Ellie intended to keep it that way, sneaking into her tent with Mudkip and Ralts in tow.

  The receptors from its horn told that there was no malicious intent behind either of them. That was a constant between the battle and even now. Yet, Ralts could never be too careful. Emotions could switch in a moment's notice. It had seen that even in Ellie. The girl gestured for Ralts to enter, and it did so, sitting down at the front of the tent, using a flick of its hand to zip up the tent again. Ellie sat down, being cautious not to soak the sleeping bag with her wet clothing. Instead, she dived into her duffel bag, throwing everything inside until she found an empty Pokeball.

  "Alright, here it is," she muttered in a whisper, rolling the Pokeball towards Ralts. Ralts looked down at the ball, seeing its reflection in the shiny metal. "I'd like you to come with me, but I'm leaving you with the choice. I don't know your goals, but I can help see it through no matter what it is. Battling, adventuring, meeting new Pokemon and people, we'll do it all. But, if you wish to stay here, that's fine."

  Ralts' hand gently stroked the top of the metallic Pokeball. It stared into its reflection, its helmet masking the expression under it. But, Ralts knew how it felt. Conflicted. It resonated with Ellie's sultry emotions. Muted and not too strong, she always shows care for the world around her. Even when everything was going wrong. But if something like that changed, would Ralts be able to handle it? Was it all a show just to get Ralts on her side?

  What about Mudkip? The Water type looked blankly at the Psychic type, showing no emotion in its expression whatsoever. With a hand hidden behind the Pokeball, it traced the Water type's feelings. It was of confusion, anger, and disappointment. Ralts could feel it. That sense of unease came from her partner.

  Of course. Who could blame it for having a feeling of unease? Their only previous interaction was Ralts slamming it about like a ragdoll across the battlefield. It was supposed to be a battle, but with how far Ralts went, it was more of a beating. Senseless violence of which Ralts was the perpetrator. The bandages served as a reminder of what Ralts did, taunting the Psychic type. A sign saying that Ralts had done wrong, yet it seemed to be the only one able to see it. Even if Ellie wanted Ralts on her team, she didn't know about Mudkip's feelings. Ralts did, though.

  It looked at Ellie a final time, then glanced back at Mudkip. The same blank expression stared back at Ralts. Ralts cringed, its hand clenching. A Psychic aura befell both the Pokeball and Ralts' body. Then, in a flash, they were gone. Ellie took a deep breath, opening the zip up, rushing outside. She looked across the river, finding Ralts on the other side, standing and facing Ellie. She wanted to cry for it to come back, but as she looked at Ralts, a pang in her heart told me it was best to remain quiet. Merely, she waved. Ralts sighed, looking back at its reflection in the Pokeball before disappearing into the night...