The river pushed against the edge of the cliff, the rising water crashing. Trees swaying gently with the calm night breeze. Mostly still. But, not for long would it remain that way. The night was still.

  Ralts teleported from one side of the river to the other, a Pokeball clenched tightly within its hands. Its eyes pointed straight forward, it looked across the river. Ellie appeared from her tent, staring at Ralts. Ralts could feel Ellie's want to scream so badly. A potent emotion, strong enough to scale the distance between them. Ralts nearly lost grip on the Pokeball, just feeling a little of it. Yet, the girl controlled it. Glancing at the tent, then back at Ralts. Silence fell between them. Ellie raised her hand, waving from side to side.

  An odd end. But, a fitting one, Ralts thought. Or, maybe, Ellie didn't know what she was supposed to do. Ralts hadn't an idea either. It just wanted to leave. Nestle back into the comfort of its home. Away from its past wrongdoings, and the potent emotions that came with both. Home didn't have a set place, just wherever was comfortable, and away from home. The motto was tried and tested, lasting even as the Ralts that taught it disappeared into the aether for reasons unknown.

  Ralts looked down at the Pokeball, its hands gently stroking the surface of the ball. The edges of its fingers went purple as the power it held began to surround the Pokeball. The power surrounded Ralts' body, too. Closing its eyes and feeling the air sucked into its lungs. Then, in a flash, its body was gone. A twisting and contorting feeling passed through its body, like Ralts was being stretched by all of its limbs all at once. Then, it felt only the calming breeze of the forest air. The river was a blot in the distance, as Ralts hung on the edge of a branch. The branch tipped under the weight of both the Pokeball and Ralts. The Psychic type struggled to stay balanced, fighting against its unsteady footing, taking a step back to the trunk of the tree.

  Looking inside, the trunk was completely hollow. It felt like something should have been living in there, squashed between the walls of oak and bark. Yet, it was completely empty. Ralts would've stopped to wonder why it was such a case. But, when life gave it such a gift, asking questions was rude. After all, it couldn't imagine anywhere else better where it could make its stay for the night.

  Dropping the Pokeball into the hole, the little Pokémon jumped into the trunk, landing at the bottom. The Pokémon knocked against the wood, sound echoing through the trunk before escaping out of the small gap through which it arrived. Ralts' head drifted towards the edge of the tree trunk, resting lazily as it placed the Pokeball by its side. The trunk had scratched the paint job of the Pokeball, a red line of paint stretching across the oak bark. Ralts looked up at it, the faint moonlight managing to reveal the line. A mark of where it and its Pokeball had been. Although, it wasn't really Ralts' Pokeball, was it?

  It was Ellie's. Ralts had simply claimed it and taken it for itself after the discussion in the tent. But then, Ralts thoughts dwelled on whether it could call it much of a discussion. Was it so when Ralts had said nothing there, and simply observed? But, it had communicated plenty with its actions. Leaving with a second thought, but without a third. Ralts' stomach churned as it reflected on that third thought. It looked back at the Pokeball, reflecting once more. Mudkip's emotions still brewed in Ralts' head. Yet, Ellie's emotions were just as, if not more, potent than those of her Pokémon. They battled with each other. They'd understand each other and their desires.

  Maybe Ralts should've taken the offer. Then these thoughts could rest. Or maybe not. Maybe the thoughts wouldn't brew, but become reality as it was forced onto a team with Mudkip. A Pokemon Ralts couldn't imagine ever working well with. Not after what it did. Maybe Ralts wouldn't be forced to answer to Mudkip. But, the Psychic type had doubts about that thought. Even if it were to become reality, Ralts would feel the turmoil of the Water type regardless.

  A Psychic aura had washed over the Pokeball, without Ralts even realising, slowly lifting up the device into the air. Ralts broke from its thoughts, watching the Pokeball drift into the space above, with its hands awkwardly guiding it through the empty expanse of the air. Feeling the power siphon through its hands from its soul, it continued to toy with the Pokeball, letting its mind wander. It drifted until no thoughts remained, and its body came to slumber soon after.

  Ralts had been following them.

  It was the truth, even if Ralts knew how it sounded. Together, with the Pokeball it didn't truly possess, watching from afar. Ralts could see Ellie together with what it presumed to be her friend. The one who had initially found Ralts, although never showed any interest in harming it. Ralts took a fondness to him, especially as he commanded his way through the battle. Confident was a way to describe his style, working in such sync with his partner that Ralts wondered if they had really been paired for the short time suggested through reading their emotions. Ellie, however, seemed to be in another world.

  Despite the double battle commanding her attention, Ellie didn't heed its call. Her eyes were blank, devoid of life. They remained fixated on the battle, yet didn't move. It was only once Mudkip had gotten hit with an attack that her eyes did once again flicker back to life. It was an odd sight. Yet, Ralts was too far away to fully grasp her emotions. It seemed subtle too, like there was lots under the surface that Ralts couldn't quite reach. It needn't risk getting closer either, being a wide open field. After all, the other trainers may spot it and chase after it instead. Ralts wanted anything but more of that.

  The battle seemed to conclude rather quickly after Ellie came back to her senses. The trainers, defeated, walked away shortly after the battle concluded. Ralts expected them to continue walking with the regular pace they had before they had encountered the other young trainers. Yet, they didn't. The two stopped, stayed still, and stared. Ralts tilted its head and teleported further up the route.

  Civilisation stood before it.

  Ralts had seen it before. It had lived on this Route its entire life. But it had never approached the large city. It was daunting to even look at, let alone entertain the thought of entering into it. To the two trainers, however, it was simply their next step. Ralts had seen many trainers perform the same rite of passage. Ralts watched them pass without much of a thought to their absence. It wouldn't change much about its own life.

  But, now? Was it really going to follow them into the city? Really?

  Ralts looked down at the reflection of its form, found on the scuffed metal of the Pokeball. Its eyes flickered back to Ellie. A hefty sigh left its throat, as psychic power consumed its body, only to disappear once more.

  Now, Ralts found itself inside the city grounds.

  It chased the two trainers on a detour around the town, almost entirely fueled by the boy's impulsivity, leading them all around the place. They went at a brisk pace that Ralts' teleportation struggled to quite match. Especially in the hustle and bustle of the large city. Shadows painted the streets as people walked in droves, completely unfamiliar to Ralts. To say the place was loud with emotions too, would be an understatement. Ralts hadn't felt anything like it. A small Pokemon nestled in the boy's arms seemed to be a kindred spirit in that regard. Both as scared and unfamiliar with the world around as each other. Except, Ralts faced it without anyone by its side.

  Ralts watched as the two headed towards a large building, after their trip to a smaller establishment, then what Ralts recognized as a hospital. The large building had an impression of solitude and calmness. This remained in spite of the battlefield emblazed in the front yard of the hard wooden building. The duo passed by a couple of rookie trainers, battling fiercely against each other, and headed inside. Ralts took a deep breath, stressing its body, teleporting straight inside of the building.

  The Psychic type flopped onto the floor, its back hitting against the hard oak. A blur assaulted its vision, Ralts shaking its head to get rid of the blight on its sight. Tossing onto its side, the green helmet Ralts wore on its head knocked against an oak desk. It groaned again, rolling back onto its front, looking up. A plain ceiling. Then, a little tilt of its head revealed a man sat at a chair, staring down at Ralts.

  "Uh, he-"

  Ralts teleported before it could hear the end of that sentence, dropping from a height down onto hard oak again. No soft surfaces around this place, for sure. Ralts held its head up, glancing around. The room it had teleported into seemed much larger in scale, with the centre dug slightly lower than the rest of the space. A battlefield, if Ralts had to hazard a guess. Drawn out at the edges, with a line running through the centre to separate the respective sides of the battle.

  Ralts glanced around. Nowhere really to hide. The space was so open it'd stick out like a shiny. Only whatever lay above remained. A series of supports binding the roof together. Ralts had no idea how much weight they could hold. But, without much of a choice, Ralts teleported up.

  Closing its eyes and tensing its body, it disappeared upwards, then found itself on solid ground. Ralts staggered for a moment, the wood creaking under Ralts' weight. The effort to teleport seemed more strenuous than usual, but Ralts paid no mind to that. Rather, it settled onto the plank of wood, still clenching the Pokeball tightly in its arms. Even better, from where it was sitting, it could see every bit of the battlefield.

  And so, Ralts watched and waited. Until Ellie, and the man who had taken note of Ralts' presence, both appeared, standing on opposite sides of the battlefield. Mudkip pounced out of its Pokeball, confident as could be. Ralts smiled. Seemed the damage it had done wouldn't matter too much to its efforts in the battle. Maybe...

  Ralts turned its attention to a different source. The other man's Pokemon. A familiar face, compared to the girl's Pokemon. Ralts had often seen flocks of Taillow flying over Route 102, some even choosing to settle down there. Although, usually, they moved for further opportunities north of their forest. The stage was set. Mudkip and Taillow squared up to one another. Then, the battle kicked off. With Ralts observing the entire thing. To every last detail.

  The man's emotions were much easier to read. Being that there wasn't much there. Not all of his heart went into the battle, stopping to think things through more than he acted. That is to say, he wasn't doing absolutely everything in his power to win. But, as the battle raged on, Ralts felt the emotions swelling in his soul to become more vibrant. Taillow never backed down, giving it their all, even as the two ran themselves ragged. Ralts could feel the shift. Still with the capability of holding back. It wasn't with ruthlessness that he attempted to cinch victory. But, the man's smile wasn't fake. Ralts knew it for sure.

  In sharp contrast, well...

  Ellie was a mess, truthfully.

  Her emotions fluttered all around, burning into every movement of her body language. Every deep breath, every nervous fidget with the ends of her hair, or wiggling her fingers until they clenched to fists. Even with her deep breaths, it seemed never enough to stabilize her breathing. But, in spite of that, the passion for battle still brewed in her blood. Shining even brighter than her nervousness. Her desire to win, to come out on top, to prove she was deserving of everything she had been given. Worthy of the place she had ended up, of the friends she'd made, both Pokémon and people alike. She placed a lot on the line. But, she had to if she wanted to battle at her best.

  Ralts soon lost track of the details, instead becoming enraptured in the battle between the two. Watching Mudkip intently as it threw out Water attacks galore, giving it all in every single one. That same drive to win matched Ellie's. To prove itself strong, and worthy of an amazing trainer.

  Every Water Pulse, Water Gun, Tackle, it did so with each and every bit of its soul. Ralts felt its body move with the battle, continuing to dribble about its Pokeball until the confrontation between the two Pokémon came to its end. Taillow, spent and exhausted, had its struggle brought to an end by a massive Water Pulse. With Ellie claiming the small victory, although not acknowledging it yet. A small glimmer of hope rested within her heart.

  Ralts felt it shift, however. Turning into confusion, as the man muttered something into the Pokeball. And, within that confusion, lay some terror. Fear of the unknown. Fear that, when the Pokemon appeared out of the Pokeball, began to spread like wildfire. Ralts felt its heart drop merely being in proximity to the creature. Let alone being the one to fight it, like Mudkip would have to. It towered over the Water type. With its emotions just as unpredictable as its movements.

  Ralts would've rather ended the fight there than have it continue any longer. At some points, it stopped watching, staring up to the ceiling. But, its horn sensed the turning tides of the battle regardless. Feelings of defeat, anger, grief, with every blow Mudkip received thundering through the room. Until, finally, the piece of hope shattered, its light stuffed out by the darkness of battle.

  "STOP!"

  And, just like that, it was done. Ellie had suffered defeat. Only having the possession of one Pokémon, there wasn't much that she could've done to match up against two of the gym leader's Pokémon. Ralts felt another twinge of guilt trickle down its spine as it watched its would-be trainer cradle Mudkip gently in her arms. Her hope was crushed, and her heart had sunk. The gym leader, too, had his heart broken. The battle hadn't ended with a bang, but a whimper. Nothing could be worse to the man. But, in spite of his disappointment, he walked up to the challenger and expressed some words of wisdom, before sending her on her way.

  The boy trainer stood behind her, offering his support, genuine and earnest. Only to be left distraught when Ellie walked past him and out of the building. Ralts felt her presence grow looser and looser, until it could no longer feel her there. It had to chase her. It couldn't leave her just like that. With that burden of failure, of complete disappointment. Nor could Ralts bear to live with its guilt any longer.

  It concentrated all its Psychic power around its body, in an attempt to teleport. But it hadn't accounted for the Pokeball floating in mid-air. Or, at least it would've been, had Ralts not redirected all its psychic power to its own form.

  Seijo jumped at a harsh rattling sound, echoing through the battlefield hall. Turning on his heel, he found it had been a rugged Pokeball that made such a sound. Its paint chipped, worn from heavy use. Seijo's head tilted, brushing off the ball more, attempting to mark a name on the Pokeball. Perhaps the name of the trainer who had just entered. Either of them. But, there was no name. Seijo's instincts drew his eyes to the roof.

  There, a Pokemon stood, cloaked in darkness. Drawing his own Pokeball, he stared at it. A force suddenly tried to grasp at the worn Pokeball, attempting to wrestle it from Seijo's grip, like an invisible pair of hands was pulling it away. The gym leader's grip remained tight, however. The button on the capsule rattled, shaking, threatening to pull the Pokeball apart as they pushed against one another. Seijo's eyes glanced up to the Pokemon once more. Then, he let it drop to the floor.

  The aura around the Pokeball held it stationary for a moment. Then, it dropped to the ground, the mechanics coming loose, letting the Pokeball fly open. Revealing...nothing. Then, it slammed shut once more, the psychic power once again covering the device. But, the aura began to waver, the outline bubbling and wavering before it entirely disappeared. Seijo's eyes glanced up to where the Pokemon had commanded the Pokeball. But, this time, there was no shadowy figure stood. Rather, it fell into the depths of the gym.

  Ralts resisted the urge to vomit. Never had it pushed its Psychic powers to such heavy use in such little time. Until, eventually, all power and energy in its body faded. Including that which kept it standing up straight. And, thus, it fell. Right into the centre of the battlefield, the man watching on in horror.

  The Psychic type closed its eyes, bracing for the worst. But, its body met other means of flesh. Seijo's arms, in contrast to the crushing wooden floor Ralts had expected. Opening its eyes, the Psychic type took in the light of the gym once more, then glanced to Seijo. The gym leader looked down at the Ralts curiously. Ralts, relying entirely on instinct, tried to teleport from his arms. But, a faint feeling in its head caused Ralts to suddenly stop. It dropped to the floor, attempting to run. But, even its legs betrayed the Feeling Pokemon, soon crashing to the ground. Seijo sighed, crouching down to meet Ralts more on its level.

  "Sorry for being so quick to draw a Pokeball. I just get paranoid of intruders is all." Seijo turned, picking up the Pokeball, shrinking it down and gently rolling it along to Ralts. "I believe this is yours? An empty Pokeball?"

  Ralts nodded, bending down and picking up the Pokeball. Cradling the device in its arms, Ralts took note of the paintwork. Even more scratched off, thanks to a clash with the hard floor. But, Ralts still held it close. Seijo carefully slipped away his Pokeball once he deemed the Pokemon of no harm, then sat on the floor, joining Ralts.

  "So, what brought you into my gym? I don't believe I've seen a Ralts wander so far without a trainer, rare as those be with Ralts. So, you must be here for a reason?" he queried. After all, it was quite remarkable for a Ralts to come all of this way. He'd only ever seen a couple in the wild from the times when his gym leader duties carried him to Route 102. A few trainers had stumbled into his gym with them, or their evolved forms of various kinds. But, to be able to talk with one seemingly uncaptured was an opportunity he hadn't had before. Ralts could feel his curiosity grow, too. So, doing its best to satiate that curiosity, it lifted a finger towards the battlefield held at the centre.

  "Hm, the battlefield...did you want to battle?" he asked, but Ralts shook its head. This time, it pointed more specifically. Towards the end of the battlefield on which the challenger had just stood. Seijo thought for a second, then snapped his fingers, saying, "Ellie! The girl, that was who you were looking for!"

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Ralts nodded up and down. Seijo smiled, tapping his fingers against the floorboards of the gym.

  "She's a pretty strong trainer. Shows a lot of promise for someone so new." he began to speak, reflecting on their battle. From the battle, Seijo judged that Mudkip hadn't gone through any specific training that had made it significantly stronger. In fact, if he had to guess, he would say that, in terms of strength, Taillow was stronger. Vigoroth being stronger was no surprise, of course. But Mudkip being able to keep up with Taillow, and prevail in spite of its lack of specific training? That spoke about the resolve and strength of the trainer commanding it. It was no wonder that Ralts chose to follow her. "Were you the Pokémon she intended on capturing?"

  Ralts nodded its head, almost shamefully. Its mind hung on the word 'intended'. It was Ralts that had messed with all of her plans, costing her the gym battle. If it had been there to fight by her side, then it could've helped turn the tide of battle. Yet, here it was, sitting on the ground, clinging to the Pokeball it had been given by Ellie. Dealing with the aftermath, rather than helping in the moment.

  Seijo tapped the floor again, settling down his weight so he sat more comfortably. Stretching his legs outwards, and his arms too, he asked, "Well, what's stopping you now? If you wanted to go with her, why didn't you take your chance?"

  Ralts, with what limited energy it had, re-enacted the memory in its mind. It thrust the Pokeball all around with its Psychic powers. Smashing it against the ground, sending it flying into the air, and crashing into one of the pillars holding up the foundations of the gym. All the while, Seijo watched in silence. Ralts' hand trembled as it finally put its powers to rest, taking a heavy breath. Seijo thought for a second, then asked, "Did you two battle?"

  Ralts nodded.

  "And, I'm guessing you won." Seijo looked towards the Pokeball, rattling against the floor before being picked up once more. "Perhaps a little too much."

  Ralts nodded once more. It looked down at the Pokeball, witnessing its reflection again. Seijo sighed, placing a hand on Ellie's Pokeball, making the smallest contact with the Psychic type's hand.

  "But, as I said, it's not too late. Ellie will welcome you with open arms, I assure you."

  Ralts dwelled on it, its hand running across the space on the Pokeball untouched by Seijo's palm.

  "If you are worried about how Mudkip will feel, I wouldn't. Mudkip will put aside its grievances if it means that its trainer is happy. That's how Pokemon partners work. Compromising for each other."

  Ralts' eyes continued to be fixated on the Pokeball, staring at the reflection until its vision turned blurry. Then, it found a gentle finger raising its head, Seijo looking beneath the helmet into its eyes. He smiled.

  "Your choice. I can't make it for you. But, the fact you're here, looking out for her, watching over her, is proof enough that you care about her. So, I'd be wise as to not miss your chance."

  Seijo finally stood up from the floor, stretching him limbs out. Then, he looked down at the little Psychic type.

  "Guessing you wanna save your energy for a little while. You look really tired." the gym leader chuckled. "So, you can stay behind the receptionist desk with me. Anywhere other than here, since I don't want you getting caught in a battle. Sound good?"

  Ralts quickly took up the offer, waddling alongside Seijo and into the main lobby. Seijo quickly busied himself with work in an instant, checking over emails, taking calls when necessary (and checking his phone more than once). His eyes occasionally drifted towards the Psychic type, cooped up near one of the drawers, the Pokeball continuing to wobble in between its hands.

  A challenger soon appeared at Seijo's door, a battle he quickly took, and quickly concluded. Then, when the gym leader returned to his post. But, Ralts was nowhere to be seen. Far from panicking, however, he smiled.

  "I hope they can get along."

  "R-Ralts?"

  Ellie's voice trembled for a moment. Deep into the dark of the night, stood Ralts. Its shape was unmistakable, as was the power that emanated from its body and Pokeball. She turned to Lucas for a moment, making sure it wasn't the lack of sleep beginning to catch up to her. Lucas recognizing the Psychic type put to ease that thought. It wasn't a hallucination. Ralts was right there. Ellie dropped right back to the ground, asking,

  "What are you doing here? We're so far from your home now! Did you really follow me all that way?"

  Ralts nodded. But, there was a hidden confidence in its nod. Like, it was less afraid to show its intentions. It felt Ellie's happiness flutter in her soul, not only from seeing Ralts once more, but from the conversation they had prior. Her spirits were high. And Ralts matched it. Lucas looked at Ellie, knocking her on the shoulder and smiling,

  "Now, just a hunch. But, I think it might want to join you again."

  "Is that true?" Ellie turned her head from Lucas down to the Psychic type.Weaving its hands forward, the Pokeball drifted slowly into the air. Then, it fell right into Ellie's lap. Ralts nodded slowly.

  Its heart raced. Despite settling on the decision, it still felt so nerve-wracking. Giving away its freedoms to roam the Route as much as it wanted, to this girl. But, in its heart, Ralts knew it was the right decision. To see the world, battle alongside her, taste victory and defeat. It needed to be done. Ellie smirked, standing from the floor, clenching the Pokeball closely. She stood over Ralts, her hand outstretched. Then, she let the Pokeball drop, bonking it on the head the same way Ralts had done for Ellie.

  "That's revenge for earlier," she muttered. Ralts stood stunned for a second, its form slowly fading away into the Pokeball. Then, a light chuckle echoed through the air. One shake, two shakes, three shakes.

  POP!

  Bending down, Ellie's hands covered the scuffed paint, shrinking it down and taking a big breath. Lucas smiled, patting Ellie on the shoulder and saying,

  "Everything works out eventually."

  "I suppose. Thank you," Ellie responded, smiling. "You're really good at raising people's spirits."

  "I take pride in it," Lucas spoke with pride, a big smile coming across his face. "Say, since we're both in good spirits, and both have another Pokemon now, we should have a battle!"

  "Hm? Right now? But, it's so late!"

  "Oh, come on! You just got a brand new Pokemon and you don't wanna try out battling with it?" Lucas exclaimed. Ellie thought for a second, looking down at the Pokeball. Clicking the button, Ralts was released into the world. Ellie crouched down, asking, "How'd you like to battle against Lucas here?"

  Ellie was half hoping that Ralts would say no. She knew that this time spent up would only hurt her in the morning. Yet, she needed to remind herself to be a good trainer and take her Pokémon's feelings into account.

  So, of course, as a reward for being a good trainer, Ralts said yes. It may have felt Ellie's exhaustion, but this proved to be too good an opportunity to simply pass up. Ellie sighed, looking at Lucas and muttering, "Guess we'll be having a battle."

  "Alright!" Lucas exclaimed, reaching into his bag and grabbing Zorua's Pokeball. "Guess its your turn to battle, little guy."

  The two trainers nodded to each other as they walked into the Pokémon Centre. Then, they walked through a back entrance, out into a courtyard. Right at the centre, a worn battlefield lay, luckily dormant given the time of night. Perhaps they weren't even meant to be battling this deep into the night, on account for people snoozing inside the Pokemon Centre. But, they'd only stop when told. For now, it was time to show off what they could do.

  Ellie stood on one side, looking to either side for Ralts. But, she only found the Psychic type when she looked forward, having already teleported onto the battlefield. A warm purple glow emanated from its hands, Ralts picking up a small pebbles, practicing its telekinesis in the downtime. Meanwhile, Lucas raised the Pokeball to the sky, smiling as he lobbed it onto the battlefield.

  "Zorua, I choose you!" he shouted, as the Dark-type rolled out of the Pokeball, landing on the battlefield. Shaking slightly, its cyan eyes glanced around the battlefield. The shadowy battlefield, illuminated with only the flickering light of a couple streetlamps, should've been a good advantage for Zorua. Especially with how Ralts' aura glowed in the dark, making it an easy target under the cloak of darkness. But, Zorua was as scared of the darkness as Ralts was scared of what was hiding in it. Still, it stowed that fear for now, scratching its claws against the ground.

  Ellie, grabbing her Pokedex, scanned Ralts closely, finding the list of moves that it could utilise. Teleport, Disarming Voice, Confusion and Pound. A good range, to be sure. But, with Zorua's typing, she'd be limited down to only three moves. Still, Ellie paid it no mind.

  "You can take the first attack!" Ellie called out to Lucas. As much as she was being courteous, she also had her strategic reasons for such a move. The first thought being to test how Ralts would react on its own to such an attack. And, the courtesy came from Zorua's So, to be thrust in so suddenly would've been scary. Lucas nodded at Ellie's cry, commanding,

  "Scratch, let's go!"

  "Alright, use-"

  Before Ellie could finish her sentence, it seemed that Ralts had already made up its mind about what it would do. Zorua pounced forward on all fours, its claws sharp and ready to strike. But, as it approached, Ralts' body began to shimmer in the dark. A purple aura surrounded the Feeling Pokemon, purple and thin in nature. Then, it vanished into thin air. Zorua came to a screeching halt, its claws scraping against the floor, looking around for any sign of its opponent.

  "Behind you!"

  Zorua turned, only to be dealt a swift backhand right to the face, knocking the Pokémon down. Lucas cringed as Zorua was flung across the battlefield, its fur scratching against the rubble filled battlefield. Not a big boon to its confidence, but they could always try again with the next attack. Ralts stood for a second before teleporting back to where Ellie stood, its arms crossed.

  "I-I guess that works," Ellie muttered softly, quite enough not for Ralts to overhear. Granted, it had got the job done, even if it wasn't Ellie giving the command. Still, Ralts had settled for now, looking back expectantly. Ellie's time to give a command. "Now, Disarming Voice!"

  Ralts took a deep inhale inwards, then a big exhale outwards, a sweet melody floating along the battlefield. Pink waves vibrated through the air, heading towards Zorua.

  "Dodge it!" Lucas cried. Zorua leapt into action, running as fast as its stubby legs could carry it around the pink waves of music. The Dark type steadily approached too, intending to strike as soon as it got close. But, with a sudden changed of direction, Ralts' attack moved to where Zorua had dodged. The fox's eyes widened, just as the Disarming Voice smacked it in the chest.

  The Dark type cried out, skidding onto the battlefield, little kernels of sand falling onto its darkened fur. The Tricky Fox Pokémon attempted to rise once more, panting heavily. Exhaustion was already beginning to set in, and Zorua felt it had done nothing. It fell back to the ground, only to try and rise again. The crushing weight of battle began to settle in for Zorua. It had seen Mudkip battle earlier, and got an impression of what it was like. But, as soon as it was Zorua's turn in battle, that impression turned into a brand, burned into the back of Zorua's back. That feeling of powerlessness to stop the figure lurking in the shadows.

  "Zorua, are you okay?" Lucas shouted as Zorua crumpled to the floor again. Lucas walked onto the battlefield, dropping down next to his Pokémon. It wasn't quite fainted, but it looked defeated regardless. Lucas sighed, saying, "I'm sorry if I pushed you so suddenly, you can return to your Pokeball if you'd like."

  Zorua raised its head, looking to Lucas. A kind expression, even in spite of its failure to get anything started. Giving Zorua an easy way out, in case it ever wanted to take it. But, Lucas hadn't taken the easy way out. It could've left Zorua alone in the forest, made no guarantees of returning it to its family. Of restoring everything that had been wrong with Zorua's life. So, Zorua wouldn't take the easy way out when Lucas' pride lay on the line. A loud bark echoed from its jaws, startling Lucas at first. But, it wasn't so much an aggressive bark, as one of determination. Letting the world, and Lucas, know it wouldn't stay down. Lucas nodded, smiling.

  "Well, I'm very proud of you for giving it your all. And that's all that I can expect of you. Just the best you can do, and focusing on following my commands. Think you can do that for me little guy?"

  Zorua nodded, returning back to its feet. Lucas took a couple steps back, returning back to his position over the line, clenching his fist. "The battle's back on!"

  "Let's see how quickly we can finish it then! Ralts, use-"

  Once again, the ever-eager Psychic type pushed forward without a command from Ellie. It disappeared into thin air, leaving only psychic particles fluttering where it once stood. Zorua'd body tensed, eyes darting, keeping track of where it could appear.

  "There! Duck!"

  Lucas spotted the Pokemon first, teleporting straight behind the fox's head. So, the command came quick, and Zorua's reaction even quicker. Zorua's head hit the deck, nearly slamming against the floor with how quick it moved. But, the force grew lax at the last second, as Ralts' hand went sailing over the Dark type's head. Lucas' open hand clenched into a fist once more, smirking as he yelled,

  "Fury Swipes!"

  With a snarl, Zorua sharpened its claws and went to town on Ralts. Ralts put its arms up to block, only to find its guard blown apart by Zorua's hacking claws. Its paws ripped into Ralts' white body, leaving marks and scratched all over its torso. Then, one final smack to the face sent Ralts tumbling back, much the same as Zorua earlier. Rocks and rubble stained its gown like body, crying in pain before coming to a rough stop in front of Ellie's feet.

  "You okay, Ralts?" Ellie knelt down to help pick off the debris clinging to its body. Even with how badly that had went, at least Ralts would listen more to her commands, seeing how badly that last attack went. But, when Ralts stood up, she was proven mistaken. That same psychic aura fizzled around its hands, the eyes underneath its helmet focusing intently on the Dark type. Confusion should've sent its head spinning in circles. But, the fox didn't even notice the effects. It merely stared back at Ralts, a small smirk coming onto its face.

  "Stop, it won't work!" Ellie cried, fingers nervously pinching at her sweater. But, Ralts refused to listen. Throwing more and more energy into a fruitless endeavour, too trapped in its own head, attempting to carve out an opening. Like it was still fighting to hold onto the life that it had built up before. Solitary, independent, with little to no one by its side. It wasn't like that anymore. But, Ralts couldn't see it.

  "Zorua, rush forward!" Lucas cried, taking advantage of Ralts panicking. Lucas wasn't nice enough to let Ralts get away with it, especially knowing that Zorua was putting its all into ending the battle early. Zorua did just as it was told, snarling as it suddenly dived onto Ralts. It knocked it to the ground, then roughly bit into its arm, the dual-type squealing in pain.

  "Was that a new move?" Lucas muttered to himself, seeing Zorua's cyan eyes overcome with a crimson glint, biting and marking Ralts' body with the sharpness of its jaws. Sure enough, a buzz from his Pokédex let him know that it was Zorua using a new move. To great effect, too.

  Zorua has learned Bite!

  "Ralts, Pound!" Ellie cried as Ralts' other hand shook, struggling with the pain. But, it remained steady enough to whack Zorua across the face, sending it tumbling back across the field. Ralts held its other arm, grimacing in pain from where Zorua's teeth had branded the Psychic type. Ellie crouched down next to her Pokemon, examining its arm closely. It wasn't anything serious, but she knew it'd have hurt like hell if she was on the receiving end of one of the bites. Setting Ralts' arms down after an inspection, she looked the Pokémon in its eyes, hidden behind its helmet.

  "I know you're used to fighting on your own in the wild. But, we're going to have to work together to get anywhere. You can't just rush ahead. That's how this sort of thing works."

  Ralts looked down for a moment. Then, it tilted its head upwards. Ellie saw what was underneath the green helmet for the first time. Bright pink eyes, dazzlingly bright and innocent. The two made eye contact. Ralts took in deep breaths, a rosy tint edging its way onto its cheeks. Ellie smiled. She looked straight into Ralts' eyes, commenting, "Your eyes are beautiful. Is this the first time you've shown a human them?"

  Ralts nodded again, averting its eyes away from Ellie's glance. Ellie wanted to look Ralts in the eyes again to finish their conversation. But, showing them in the first place was a big step. Ellie held open her arms, and gently embraced the Psychic type. "You're safe here. Under my wing. I promise. You're not fighting for survival, you're only fighting for me. And, I only want what's best for you."

  Ralts stood still for a second, its heart beating in its chest. Then, its stubby arms wrapped around Ellie as best it could. It wasn't a full embrace. But, it was the best that Ralts could muster. And, that was more than enough for Ellie. A small moment later, one which Lucas didn't dare disturb, Ralts broke away from the hug, teleporting from Ellie's arms. It stood proudly on the battlefield, staring down a heavily breathing Zorua. Ellie's features turned from soft to sharp in a second, shouting,

  "Now, Disarming Voice!"

  Pink notes hung in the air, moving toward Zorua. Zorua was nimble enough to avoid it, however. Its lungs burned, yet its exhaustion wouldn't stop it from giving it its all to the very end. The Dark type snarled, making good progress in running across the battlefield. It leapt high into the air, diving right on top of Ralts.

  "Scratch!"

  "Dodge!"

  Zorua suddenly swiped down on the ground, Ralts teleporting out of the way as a means of quickly dodging. Zorua's claws dug into the earth, making a loud grating noise as it swept across the Earth.

  "Disarming Voice!" Ellie called out again.

  "Sidestep and Bite!"

  Zorua did just as it was commanded, digging deep and throwing itself out of the way. Then, Zorua leapt over, its claws snapping and angry. The Feeling Pokémon tried to bring itself to teleport. But its body simply rejected it, the aura around its body fading. Then, it was at Zorua's whim.

  "Hold your arm in front!" Ellie cried as Zorua bit down on the already injured arm. Ralts yelped out in pain just as it had before. But, it was better there than anywhere else. Now, Ellie had to figure out how she could land a finishing blow. With its pained and screeched cries, Disarming Voice had no chance of working. Nor would Pound be strong enough to end the battle. And, she needed to end the battle now. She looked to the moon, vainly hoping to find the answers in the cosmos. A stupid thought. But, one that blossomed into a fruitful strategy, as the moonlight descended onto the battlefield.

  "Ralts, use all your power and Teleport into the sky!"

  Ralts stamped its foot onto the ground, attempting to muffle its pain, dragging its brain elsewhere. Despite how badly the Bite hurt, it needed to concentrate. Push those feelings of pain aside, if only for a moment. It closed its eyes, a purple glow emanating first from its hands. Then, from its whole body. That aura soon spread to Zorua. Then, in a flash, they were gone.

  Lucas' eyes darted around, attempting to mark where the two Pokemon had ended up. But, following Ellie's eyes, he soon found them dropping from the sky, Zorua continuing to cling on tight as it could. Even biting down harder, trying to end the battle right then and there, its heart racing as it glanced towards the approaching ground.

  "Pound!" Ellie cried, Ralts raising its fist high into the sky before smashing down on Zorua's head. The Dark type yelped in pain, letting go of Ralts' arm. The Psychic type smiled, thinking of that as the end. But, second wind would come with a vengence. Tense eyes locked onto Ralts's. A deep fire lying within Zorua's cyan eyes, burning bright with bloodlust.

  A snarl echoed throughout the battlefield, sending shivers down Ralts' spine. The Psychic type froze. As Zorua dived forward, teeth tensing around Ralts' torso. Defiance curled in its iris, dragging them both down to the ground. Ralts waved its hand around, letting out desperate cries of pain. But, nothing worked.

  Dust kicked up from the battlefield as the two came to their final confrontation. With the cold, hard ground. The cloud subsided, and each trainer rushed to their Pokemon's aid. Ralts and Zorua lay side by side, marks made on each of them. Not serious enough to require serious medical attention. Rather, the signs of a solid battle between them.

  Lucas gently scooped Zorua up into his arms, brushing aside its fur to check for any major injuries that lie beneath. But, other than the bump on its head from Ralts' pound, nothing seemed of immediate attention. The boy sat down, brushing the pebbles from its fur, beaming with pride. For a first battle, it had performed remarkably, showing tremendous determination even he hadn't anticipated Zorua having.

  "That was something fierce," Lucas chuckled, remarking on the uselessness of talking to a Pokemon that couldn't hear him. But, he'd repeat it all the same when the Pokemon eventually awoke. "That snarl gave me the shivers. Amazing. Take a good rest." Pokeball drawn, Lucas returned Zorua. Then, he slipped the Pokeball into his backpack, eyes glancing over to where Ellie sat.

  "You did well, you did well," Ellie spoke, reassuring her fainted Pokemon of her pride. Even with their communication being shaky at the start, all Ellie could focus on was Ralts' grit when it counted. The energy to push through, work with her, show her those shining eyes never before seen by another human. "Take a good rest." she recalled her Pokemon, then slipped the ball away into her duffel bag.

  "Good first battle, right?" Lucas offered a hand to Ellie. Ellie took it, brought back to her feet, then into Lucas' arms. "Now it's my turn to hoist you into a hug!" the boy childishly giggled, wrapping his arms tight around her. Ellie froze for a moment, then wrapped her arms around, returning the embrace.

  "Y-You got me-" Ellie muttered quietly, a small smile coming onto her face. Then, her eyes widening, stepping back and letting out a cough. "We should...probably get some rest."

  "Oh, of course!" Lucas straightened his backpack once more, walking towards the faint light bleeding from underneath the tarped back entrance. Ellie followed soon after, leaving the battlefield behind them...

  something since it's natural movepool is rather...not good)