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Chapter Text

***********Aria POV************

Once upon a time, there was a daddy Lucario, a mommy Lucario and a Riolu. And the Riolu is me.

People (especially creature named ‘humans’ and some other adults) in the world always have misconceptions on us children, always thinking that we’re weaklings. Even something they made, which they called a ‘Rotom Pokedex’, has a fondness on calling us ‘youngsters’. (I may not know what a Rotom is, but I don’t appreciate what it thinks about us!) In fact, humans actually have already summed up everything they see on how we use our aura power and say, “Despite having limitations to utilize aura to the fullest, the playfulness, liveliness and loyalty make Riolu one of the best puppies for Trainers”. Well, I used to be playful, but I soon had no choice because of how reality destroyed my dreams, and this meant I had to break though the barriers of the limitations that my fellow kind have in order to become a warrior and roar to the world, “I can do anything without the help from those so-called Trainers!” I mean, is it even necessary for us to be loyal to others when they are the ones who misunderstand us as cowards and only want us to bow for them by spreading the word “Riolu sucks at controlling aura and can only make ripples instead of waves”?? To tell the truth, I’ve learnt how to make spheres of aura without the assistance of humans, all by myself!

If you’re brave enough and dare to ask me, “Hey there little-Anubis, why you have to quit being a cutie then?” Then I'll definitely tell you to shut up with a punch due to referring rudely by the name of the fake god of death I-don't-care-who-he-is; my name is Aria and it's irreplaceable!- before revealing the actual reason: That’s because I have to chase for something more important than being ‘praised’ by those untrustworthy humans and adults---to grab the last glimpse of hope to protect my only member left in my family…

My mommy.

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When I was still being innocent, I once thought my life was gonna be happily-ever-after, just like the fate of the princesses and princes. Not only that I was born at a lovely place surrounded by lots of tall green trees and colourful flowers, but also I had a handsome and strong daddy who has the sharpest and coolest spikes I had ever seen, and a beautiful and gentle mommy who had the prettiest eyes, when I first arrived at this world. In fact, I can still remember how they smiled… their smiles were very warm that they had welcomed me into their hearts…

Then for the first two years, though I can’t recall much details, everyday was full of joy. A single vocabulary you called ‘adjective’ can’t describe how happy I was in those days. I learnt tons of amazing words and how to sing, played in the enormous backyard at my home at anytime I wanted, met lots of nice friends, mainly Auntie Neona the Lumineon and Bro Rockstar the Midday Lycanroc (except the bossy human girl Rebekkah who always said I was doing wrong with this and that and all kinds of trivial stuff), and could enjoy watching Daddy’s awesome performances in me and Mommy’s room on something flashing with light (which humans called ‘television’, duh!) as a way to see him frequently when he wasn’t living with us. Still, the most of all that kept my life fruitful was Mommy’s love, which was shown when she hugged me, defended me from baddies, kissed my cheeks, played with me and lots more that I can’t depict… and the most indelible moment was when Mommy tenderly tied a pink butterfly-shaped thing they named a "ribbon" on my first birthday, showering me with her and Daddy's boundless love fore me...

In fact, as time progressed, compare to all those "nice" adult friends who had soon succumbed to Rebekkah's tyranny and followed her stupid ridiculous rules, Mommy had been the nicest and the best in the universe, even having the courage to retort Rebekkah's dumb dictatorship. Unlike Rebekkah who loved restricting me from doing so-called mistakes, Mommy just permitted me to do anything carefreely, including playing with my aura spheres, dashing in the wide meadows and flowerbeds, as well as accepting my offer to invite her to play with me and the fishes in the nearby lakes and ponds. Once she was even the heroic one who courageously risked herself to rescue me from the deep waters instead of our "cowardly" teammates when I accidentally plummeted into a pond and struggled to float to the waters' surface!

What's more, I knew that probably since the day I was born, the older male Lucario who was living next door had been envying me with glaring red eyes, but I reminded myself to ignore his useless envying on my blessed life. His sourness towards me wouldn't have the power to change the truth that I had the most fantastic family in the whole world, just like every neighbor's praise when they passed by my home. And every time when Daddy visited me and Mommy, his happiness just added more awesomeness to my complete family picture.

But this kind of perfect life didn’t last for long. And yes, my fortune ended drastically the next year when I got my first taste of losing an adult I admired…

My daddy.

And this was when I realized I had to take up a huge responsibility, and to repay the love Mommy expressed to me through her delicately-made ribbon, I willingly carried it.

Chapter Text

*********Aria POV**********

I still remember the day how Daddy was separated from Mommy and me, but in the deepest part of my heart I know he’ll never come back. In fact, that time he instantly vanished… forever.

Thanks to that fight between another Lucario guy and him which had told me how cruel the world is. At least it had taught me to become a more trustworthy guardian of my dear mommy...for now.
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Although Daddy wasn’t always living with Mommy and me, he seemed to visit us frequently and loved to recount his experiences related to something called ‘battling’. He described the battles as bonding moments with his friends and how battles made him stronger and I believe that this was how I began to develop an interest on such activity. Every time when he was about to leave us, I tried to use various ways, such as using Baby-Doll eyes, to beg him in order to see a real battle myself, and for Mommy, who often stated that she would love to see him doing something called 'winning' to make her feel marvellous. But most of them failed in vain, since he usually just patted my head and said something like, “Maybe next time”, much to my disappointment.

Finally, after days and nights of yearning, this wish was granted by Daddy on my third birthday, as he decided to bring Mommy and me to watch a live battle of his! I was extremely thrilled that the long time we had spent to reach the battle place (which I later realized it is called a ‘stadium’) didn’t matter anymore. Even when we arrived at our destination, I didn’t pay a single attention to the happy atmosphere because I considered myself as the most elated Riolu in the world by making Mommy happy about Daddy's achievement.

Then after some time later (maybe it was approximately an hour, but I’m not sure), everyone stood up and cheered wildly, which made me curious. It wasn’t until Mommy held me on one of her arms and shouted delightedly, “Lucian! My dear honey! Oh goodness gracious!” I could still recall how excited I exclaimed this, “Daddy!” when I saw his new appearance. Man! He had grown taller, his tail had become a fluff, more spikes had appeared on his paws… It was too fascinating for me to interpret! And I started to have more confidence on him when looked at me with his gleaming eyes, as he was supposed to be the winner of this battle, wasn’t it?

Nonetheless, I was too young and too naive. When Daddy's opponent (which pretty much meant "rival", a person we must fight with, as specified by Mommy), who was another fellow Lucario, approached him, his appearance looked like Daddy before he transformed into this handsome look but had eyes that were glowing in blood red fueled with rage, just like the neighboring one who wouldn't quit staring at me with his covetous glares. Mommy instantaneously spotted him and her initially vivid face went pale in a flash, yet I didn't understand why was she dreaded upon noticing him. Judging my daddy's combat abilities, I simply thought that he would definitely gain his victory, and this would turn out to be the best day for him, me and Mommy in our entire lives.

Not until the battle officially began, though.
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I’m not good at describing most incidents in my early life, but this battle was so profound that I can use one word to sum it up: brutal. And yes, this suits the ending of this battle.

The battle started when Daddy and the other Lucario guy did something called ‘bowing’ (according to Mommy’s explanation) and then I could feel a kind of emotion between them which I had never known before: anger. I thought, “Why are they feeling angry? Daddy said battles are interesting activities! Aren’t they supposed to be friends?” Nevertheless, I soon understood a bit of the meaning of the word ‘tension’ when they rose from their bowing position and glared at each other sharply while Mommy and the other people stopped breathing, standing silently like statues. Suddenly, a loud and powerful roar came out from Daddy’s throat, and within only a short time (maybe a few seconds) a long, huge and ‘blue’ bone appeared between his paws. He then turned his head towards me and said, “Hey Ali-honey- oh and my little Aria~ Daddy is gonna play Bone Rush with the other guy! Wanna watch?” As I nodded my head with my nerve bundles swinging from side to side, Daddy quickly used the bone and it seemed to hit the other Lucario guy, and I could detected Mommy's aura was in a frenzy as she was shrieking with utter exhilaration. Although stunned to see such situation, I was still proud of him. He was a perfect father in my heart after all, since he actually did a lot for us even he wasn’t living with us, especially driving off the baddies. Maybe not only he was trying to help us defeat this bad Lucario in this battle, but also doing his best to fulfill my wish and most of all, trying to make both Mommy and me the happiest ladies in his life...

However, elation blinded me, and as I cheered with the crowd with Mommy, I didn’t notice that Daddy was getting tired until I saw him panting with astonishment, who fell onto the ground a while ago and heard him saying, “How come…can he recover this fast? He didn’t even go Mega…” Before he could finish his speech, we all witnessed how the smaller Lucario guy abruptly leaped up high into the sky and jumped, and…
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“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!”
I shouted out with fear and shock as I felt a mini Hydro Pump splashed right into my face. “What the heck are you doing just now, huh?! You almost scald me!” I roared furiously after shaking off the water that soaked my fur. “My apology here,” replied Auntie Neona the Lumineon, who was the one that woke me up, “Don’t always shut yourself in! There’re new visitors like adorable liddle Pachirisu and other smol rodents are coming to our place today~ Do you wanna play—“

But then Neona’s face became so uncomfortably depressed, like a crybaby who is gonna cry again, right after I used interruption as a reply, “Not anymore. Playing leads to dangers. Forget it and keep this for yourself.” I saw her eyelids were lowered, making her having a sleepier look than normal and she slowly floated away, muttering “When has our dear Aria begun to force herself to turn into a shut-in? Poor her, forgetting how to enjoy her life…” What a stupidly oblivious fish she is.

I looked at Mommy, who was sleeping soundly on her bed, and put on my emerald green scarf with the Lucarionite, which was a gift Daddy gave me on that day moments before he was gone. Then as I heading out of our room with weighty steps and a stressful heart, I slowly recalled back on that day, how the shrilling bee-boo sound of the red object atop of the white "car" gradually faded away as it departed from the scene after those serious humans who forcefully placed my poor injured daddy onto a flat rectangular thing with handles carried him inside, leaving me, my group of dense and pretentiously upset friends and my completely heartbroken mommy behind. Watching how the winner-the Lucario guy who mercilessly beat up Daddy- scot off with a smirk at Mommy, who couldn't stop crying, as a grain of salt to her wound while Rebekkah and those idiotic "friends" of ours just simply told Mommy to ignore him, it was practically the moment that my happy-go-lucky nature moderately dissipated upon witnessing how Mommy was wailing tearfully, kneeling at the same position for so long until she reluctantly stood up and held me amid her arms after Rebekkah came back with harsh news, reporting that Daddy would never get out from the place she referred as "hospital"... forever. Life is such a fragile matter, and I couldn't accept it would actually happened right in front of both Mommy and me. Mommy is such a kindhearted and loyal Lucario with countless good qualities, and she obviously didn't deserve to suffer at all! Anyway, if such unexpectedly tragedy had already occurred on Daddy, our guardian and pillar whom we never wanted him to fall, thanks to this nasty male Lucario, would he cause the same to befall on Mommy?

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Back to the present, I was now inside the room of the washing and after tightening my pink ribbon with a deep sigh, I muttered to myself with a clenched fist, “Sorry, Auntie Neona. Still, I don’t feel sad of turning into a warrior, because you should be glad that I’ve become the one who protects your friend, my mommy. Not every kid can do this, you know? One day, when that next door Lucario finally quits his pursue on pestering Mommy and me and ultimately decides to move out, you better thank me for giving Mommy and you for a happily ever after instead of that bratty boorish Rebekkah.”

At least this diverts my attention from "caring" about the distastefully noisy laugh of that Lucario neighbor from disregarding my efforts for Mommy again. In my opinion.

Chapter Text

**********Aria POV*********

Sitting on my small couch-bed inside my private room that Mommy now couldn’t enter anymore, I could feel guilt was so overwhelming that it was becoming into a colossal, nasty tsunami that was going to swallow up my tiny, defenseless heart. I shouldn’t have let Mommy walk away alone for a while this afternoon! Why did I make such a stupid decision? If I had followed Mommy immediately so as to prevent her from doing this kind of risky act, she wouldn’t have got hurt…and the two of us wouldn't get separated…
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Today was an extremely rare type of day that the golden caramel Sun, which was supposed to bring joy to everyone, shone beamer than usual. The snow-white, marshmallow-like clouds were peacefully drifting in the light-blue sky. The four of us, Rebekkah, Miss Forrest the Serperior, Mommy and I, each held a brownish, rattan basket and walked slowly on the long and rough road towards our destination: The Woods of Fruits. Thanks to the sunny weather, even Rebekkah was less hot-tempered and continuously singing, “We’re gonna pick lots of berries in the woods~ We’re gonna pick lots of berries in the woods~” As Rebekkah became engrossed in her world of songs, Miss Forrest grinned a little and said, “What a relief! I believe that we won’t be strolling relaxedly here if we forgot to suggest her goin’ to such place when she was stunned to see the semi-empty storage that almost ran out of berries!” I treated her words as trash and thought, “That’s because you’re her Forever Bestie, snake! You never know what a kid being treated a pest feels like, even when he/she attempts to provide a single suggestion from how to prevent the irritating neighbor Lucario getting into Mommy's life, you—“

Yet then some things caught my attention. It was not only Mommy’s nod of agreement to Miss Forrest which triggered me and made me thought, “C’mon, Mommy! Why do have to be this friendly to a madame-boss’s minion!” (I don’t hate Miss Forrest, she’s just too close with Rebekkah!), but also an expression that had departed from her pretty face for a long time…

It was her smile, her charming smile. Nowadays it had become a scarce instance to see it shining under the warm sunshine. I mean, she used to show it almost everyday to us, which made even the dullest or most depressing moment in life (for example, you are forced to hand-wash Rebekkah’s filthy and rancid clothes without a specific reason) became an enjoyable event, giving you a bit of hope and encouragement. Until that pest-er-ing Lucario started butting into me and Mommy's privacy after Daddy had totally gone from everyone’s lives…

“Do it, Aria! Make today the perfect day for your mommy to discover the happiness of life again!” Out came a voice from nowhere in my brain, and observing my surroundings to make sure that the Lucario wasn't stalking us, it shouted more thunderingly, “And your success will not be forgotten like the illusions of Zoroark but will be remember and admired by the others who look down to you as well as make Mommy’s life happily ever after. Don’t you feel honored?”

Unluckily, this voice didn’t predict correctly.
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In the beginning, right after we reached the woods, I did the best things to keep Mommy’s smile and all of them succeeded! To cite some examples, I used my agile nose to sniff and find a tree full of Pecha Berries (which are her favourite!) and I managed to climb up the tree and grab her one, showing her how I had improved my climbing skills. Then I even fed her an Oran Berry to make her feel physically better when we were washing the berries that we picked together, and I was fortunate enough not to get caught by either Rebekkah or Miss Forrest as they might scold me for no reason! Here, I had to admit that these were some of the merriest bits of my life!

But my luck didn’t last until afternoon. I dunno how to describe the beginning of this whole chaos, though. In truth, everything was normal before we headed off to another destination: Rebekkah behaving like a demanding boss and Miss Forrest using her vines to arrange and sort different berries in order without objecting. All of a sudden, Mommy, who was originally admiring the wonderful flower bushes surrounding her, rose and sniffed the air vigorously and observing around excitedly, similar to "a Ride Stoutland from Alola", like she would like to vividly describe. When she decided to stop, her excitement only rose upon noticing a strangely bright and flicker-ing aura pointing towards the way she was sniffing earlier, and a question popped out from her mouth, “Maybe I should harvest some more Chesto Berries as ingredients for the upcoming dessert competition, is that okay? Don’t forget to think ahead!” After Rebekkah and Miss Forrest nodded and did something called ‘eye-rolling’ while reminding her something cliché-y like, “Don’t go too far” and “Keep an eye on those wild carnivores!”, she gave me a playful wink, and I understood it was a white lie. Shouldn’t it be something I feel delighted about, since she still tries to give me the fruits I love despite this would require her to take the blame?

However, when I turned my head towards the direction of the suspicious glow Mommy was looking at, I could sense that a cold chill went through my spine, as if Yveltal had blasted its signature Oblivion Wing on me directly—literally with the snicker of the next-door Lucario would make as some unsettling background noise to fit into the atmo-sphere, because what was in front of her was one of the most dangerous place in this woods… The Path of Darkness. Well, it is nameless actually but the reason that I named it like this is due to It being an actual gloomy, russet-brown trail with rows of lush pines, and the trail itself will turn into horrid Vandyke brown when the Sun goes back to sleep. Although a lot of legends and stories according to Auntie Neona had told me that it can lead us to find the juiciest and most scrumptious berries that can be made into the most delicious Poffins, the most tasty juices, the most exquisite Poke Puffs… and the best among all, the most toothsome Chesto cheesecake in the galaxy… yet, Bro Rockstar the Midday Lycanroc once mentioned that it is the heart of the forest and home of some deadliest and most bloodthirsty carnivores in Kalos, ranging from packs of hairy grey dogs to…

My mind paused. In point of fact, even though I would like to ignore those stupidly scary stories Bro Rockstar had told me before, I didn’t want to continue thinking what might hurt Mommy anymore if she ever entered that part of the forest! Mommy had already lost two out of her three invaluable spikes after getting blasted by boiling hot liquid from bad sea-weasels and blazing flames from fierce fire felines during two previous battles! How could I let her get harmed again when she’s more vulnerable than before?

Nonetheless, as Mommy (although she seemed to know my worries for some reason) stroked my collar-fur using one of her jet-black paws and softly spoke, “My lil’ Aria, don’t put all your attention on doubting the future. Remember why berries are sweet? It is because they’re here to use their sweetness to remind us how beautiful our present life is! The road to search for them might be very challenging, but their lovely and pleasant sweetness is preserved for the ones who have the perseverance to seek for them. Can you imagine those Chesto Berries are contented to be collected by a courageous person who understands their importance and is willing to share them to the others?” This was the tick that I did the unforgivable—I caught off guard due to the temptation of wanting to get a taste of those fresh Chesto Berries, and… I allowed her to step into the inky void, watching her figure slowly combined with the darkness. That Lucario really made both of us off guard until it was too late.
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At first (just after I let Mommy went on her berries-search), I still foolishly thought that what I did a while ago was a pretty helpful and considerate way to cheer Mommy up, and this belief did lasted for about an hour (I believe) which provided quite an amount of energy and motivation for me to harvest more luscious fruits for her as thank-you gifts. That may be a useful and awesome method for her to recover faster, wasn’t it?

But after another hour had passed, Rebekkah yelled out a complaint that triggered my hugest angst inside, “Seriously?! Where has this Aurora-Alissa been to? Every time she goes to find stuff it always takes up our precious ages!...” Though Miss Forrest was smart enough to use her vines to shut Rebekkah's bratty cavity up, my nerve bundles abruptly raised up as they sensed some sort of peculiar aura that I ain’t supposed to sense… one belonged to some unknown creatures and the another blue one that sparked discontinuously belonged to—

I recalled something that I had neglected: Mommy has a weakness on fighting with a large group of opponents! She had been lured into a trap! Additionally, her ability on controlling aura had been weakened after those two battles and she had only her chest spike left! And with the nasty snicker of the neighbor Lucario (that came out of nowhere behind me) grew noisier, I knew that he must be waiting for something terrible to happen on Mommy for a long time since the appearance of the suspicious light!

My heart was beating faster than the speed of light, and my breath became more hurried than the sound made by steam-engines, urging me that danger was arriving. Ignoring the commands of Miss Forrest, my legs sped up, quicker than an over-speeding bike and immediately rushed into the dusk…
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“When you run concentratedly, you’ll soon find out that you’ve forgotten everything around you.” This statement is quite… accurate, I have to say. From the moment I rushed into the dark, the only thing that had already seared inside my heart was the luminous blue aura that was trying to lead me towards the unsafe centre, meaning that I ignored all the landscape on my way. But that didn’t matter—the more important factor which my instinct reminded me of was that time was running out. Even when I managed to stop (like how Rebekkah’s dad stops the thing he called a ‘truck’) and took a quick look of the sky, I resumed back to my mission despite the fact that my breath was coming in bursts and my cheeks were hotter than Lava Plumes, because when the sky becomes orange, this means lights are getting dimmer. On the other hand, the unknown grayish and crimson aura was evolving into the shape of a humongous and cold devil… “For the sake of Arceus!” I thought anxiously, “That aura… it’s horrifyingly gigantic! Furthermore, Mommy has been forbidden from entering the nearby woods by that stupid Rebekkah since the day she was severely burnt by an In-sa-ne-ro-ar, and she might not know much about the environment—"

It wasn’t until a cheery voice interrupted, “Chillax, my dear!” It was Mommy’s, as soothing as the tingling of a Soothe Bell. “No need to worry!” She continued (in which she imitated a catchphrase of a Sinnohan Coordinator’s, whom she named "Dawn" ), “Oh goodness gracious! The myths are no longer myths! These berries are the most aromatic ones I’ve ever seen! You really should come here and take a look before we have a secret berry-fight…”

Regardless of all the fantastic, elating things she cited, I could perceive that she was just trying to bury her fear. But this method was certainly useless, because I could feel her aura was sparking more and more irregularly—it was a sign of fright, and this was proved as my ears received the first sound of some unfamiliar metallic clinking of knives. Her voice then began to tremble and her speech stuttered. “My gosh!” My inner self exclaimed, “It has definitely been Zigzagoon’s age since the last time she got freaked out!”

Then the real terror struck me when I decided to “push my brakes” (Darn it! Why am I learning words from untrustworthy humans?!) and parted one of the berry bushes’ leaves, my stomach was frozen and my exhaling and inhaling process was blocked by stun and alarm—there were pairs of ominously gleaming golden eyes stashed behind the shadows, and they were filled with hunger, vice and emptiness. Slowly, they began to get out of their hiding place, and I got a clearer view of them: the smaller ones had pointed hands, while the taller and larger one (which might be the "leader" that adults have been talking all about)looked like them but he (it looked like a "him", in my opinion) had big thighs and longer legs. A flat, cold voice came out his throat, saying something I didn't understand, but then the direction of his hand towards Mommy told me all their purpose. At that instant, I ultimately realized the hidden message of the grey and red colours of the odd aura: grey represents a solid but bitter heart, while red resembles blood…

Unfortunately, I was too slow. Before I was about to jump out of the bushes and take her away, I could merely shout, “Mommy, watch out!” Out came the bounding images from her back after her voice first shuddered with "Hello...? What's wrong, my new buddies who look like my old pal...", and this marked the end of today’s delight as her sudden scream pierced the sky when her aura merged with the ones' of the grey-and-red creatures. The out-of-nowhere secret laughs of the Lucario gloating Mommy only expanded my horror and pain... he won.
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Every tragic event that happened afterwards was harsher than the slashes of Alolan Sandslash. I actually had a very furious and intense battle with those red monsters. In the end, when I watched them fleeing like timid cowards, it looked like I had won the fight, because I could start using my Aura Sphere blasting skills at last, which meant my training didn’t waste in vain… did they?

Not really. I was an utter loser, the one who caused Mommy to lose her chest spike… her last defense. Though I took care of those thugs with all my strength, I still couldn’t prevent her from making a painful, twisted expression, and a crystal-clear tear overwhelmed with misery that was leaking out from one of her bright Water Stone eyes, washing away all the cheeriness we accumulated together…Judging by her tears, she must've trusted all those human-like creatures after meeting one of them long long ago or else she wouldn't refer them as buddies, but I couldn't believe that was how they repaid her...

I tried to cheer Mommy’s sunbeam-y side up by giving her a smile and whispered, “Everything will be alright. Rebekkah’ll be glad to see us come back and serve us a hearty feast with Moomoo Ice Cream from Akala Island in Alola and all the other stuff…” Still, this was a lie. As I strained every muscle with my remaining strength and put her head on my right shoulder, the ache of my heart that had received a dire hit from a Power-Up Punch that came out of nowhere developed even sharper with every pace I made to walk out of this heartrending place. Moreover, when we finally accomplished our long way to meet Rebekkah the madame-boss and her minion Miss Forrest again, it was pretty much expected but worse—Rebekkah’s expression instantly changed into a death stare within a blink of an eye, and she took out a ball without hesitation before immediately sucking Mommy inside it without informing me what was she doing to Mommy. She soon snarled, “You’re grounded, you rule-breaking kiddo. Prepare to stay at home and never try to get away until further notice. This is your last chance and you should feel grateful. Now go and fetch me a Nurse Joy and her Wigglytuff from the nearest Pokemon Centre...”

My weak legs were forced to speed up quicker than a Rapidash before I had the opportunity to say a single explanation, yet my nose was sniffling beyond my control. Short instruction, harsh words. "No more playtime with Mommy because I am the moron who had the fault." I thought with sadness overwhelming me as I heard the Lucario's gloating laugh as if it was beside me like a pest, "No more countryside outings with her since I am the idiot who made her suffer. Or is it because…

Rebekkah has begun to think Mommy is hers by ordering the Lucario to lead Mommy to that dangerous army and frame me?"
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“Aria? Errm…I mean, Ari-chan? Do you feel better now, poppet?” A meek voice came through the gap of the door of my room. “Just receive the greatest news that your mom’s day is rescued thanks to a Wigglytuff who knows to use Heal Pulse! It would be a pity if you aren’t joining our Grand Celebration! Wanna have your favourite cheesy berry cake treat?...”

I never answer adults’ nonsense ‘comforts’ even I knew that it was Auntie Neona, no matter she is a kindhearted fish or not, thus she didn’t get any response, of course. She was only making matter worse.

Then I heard Auntie Neona speaking again, this time with a different tone (which sounded like you’re having terminal cancer and she’s discouraging you that you’re gonna die anyway), “C’mon darling… Nobody has expected any injuries to occur during field trips, including your mom who had been waiting to explore the amazing forest again and meet some new friends from the wild… But accidents are inevitable… All we can do is to embrace the happy present life… You should try putting your troubled mind aside. Instead, you can taste those freshly-made cheesecakes and forget that bishop guy and—“

“You eat the cake. I’d rather eat more proteins. Go downstairs and grab some meat for me and don’t ask me why,” I snapped. Sparing her to head downstairs could put my mind off that bad "bishop guy" she was talking about.

Watching Auntie Neona, who seemed to be puzzled and disappointed, leaving until she went out of my sight after I spat out that scornful sentence, I rose from my position again and took a peek at Mommy’s fallen chest spike that had been holding in my palm. I then confronted the punching bag which had been hanging on the ceiling by the steel buckle that was swinging in front of me, and I have a sure prediction that I told myself after a confident deep breathe, “Aria, you’re ready for this training session that you can beat the crap out of this faker called Rebekkah, those cruel human-like villains who are too sharp for Mommy, and most importantly, that rancid Lucario who lives next to us. One day, you’ll be able to make her eyeballs fell out from the sockets by showing your impressive aura power, crush and break the blades of the knived army and give that ob-no-xious Lucario a beat-up, just like how you're gonna vent.”

Because Mommy doesn’t belong to her or anyone. She doesn't deserve being disgraced by that awfully foolish male Lucario or getting her trust being used by those humanoids with cold blades. "And most of all..." I reassured myself as my fist was going to hit the punching bag, "she only belongs with ME."

Chapter Text

*************Aria POV***********

I looked at the fallen tree I crashed a while ago, panting with relief and pride. “Once again, I’ve beaten up a powerful enemy!” I said to myself and looked gratefully at my left palm that created a small emerald-green aura. “At least that Rebekkah should learn to be pleased to know that I’m a very helpful girl and might thank me from clearing away a dangerous crumbling tree instead of accusing me hurting those oh-so-innocent Lillipup, Yungoos and all those guys with cute looks AND sharp teeth, I swear…”

But guess what? I still got reprimanded by her Grass Snake sidekick, who was an observant nose-browser and claimed that I had demolished a ‘meaningful’ heritage of that boorish Rebekkah’s nothing-particular family and threatened me that I’m going to get sent away because I had caused Rebekkah to lose her face, no matter how thoughtful I am being!

After a stupid and rubbish lecture of Miss Forrest, I went back to the backyard again, this time being forced to clean up the ‘mess’. When I completed making a hideous grave and buried that super-heavy dead tree, I noticed the cantaloupe-coloured sunset and realized how days were passing faster than normal after I was forbidden to get out from this house with Mommy, who now has to always do frequent visits to a weird, unhygienic place which humans called ‘hospital’. “Maybe it is loneliness that has begun to make me think time is so dense”, I told myself. After all, imagine when your family member has to be taken away by someone else and most of the time you’re the only one at home in half of your everyday lives. It’s worse than ‘dull’ or ‘boring’!

Abruptly, a squeak of one of the old backdoors caught my attention. With my ears and nerve bundles raised instinctively, I could feel that the sound of the footpaces stepping on the grass becoming clearer and the warmness of the familiar sapphire aura getting snugger. Still, I continued to hold my breath and didn’t dare to turn around. What if the figure is Rebekkah, who might be trying to do accounts on my deeds with me, or a stranger who also has a blue aura?

It wasn’t until a tender pat on my left shoulder and the sky blue eyes that appeared in front of my sight made my misgivings swept away. “Thank Arceus!” I thought with reassurance as I finally figured out the mysterious person was Mommy all along, though it was presumably that the additional clothing she was wearing today had affected my aura-sensing. Attentive enough, she replied while I was looking with suspicion at the dangling ropes of her odd, hooded clothing, “Curious about why am I wearing this floral hoodie earlier than usual even there’re still one to two months to autumn?” She pulled down the blue object with two strings that seemed to have masked her snout (Wow, I didn’t notice this until she did so!), “That’s the doctor’s instruction. To keep me warm and prevent me from catching a cold. It’s somehow reasonable, but the real warmth is from your Aura Spheres that are shining brighter than the extremely rare green flash!”

However, when I gave her a smile in return and told her how I punched a big bad Weavile through the roof and sent him flying (I know that Weavile is a guy because the red feather-shaped what-so-ever things are longer, just like what Auntie Neona had taught me about this type of crafty Bakeneko), she suddenly frowned, out of my expectation. There was an awkward silence between us before she spoke again, “Ariannie, dear. I used to think outsiders are untrustworthy like you, until I met a best friend that utterly changed my life.” Then she lifted me up with her thin arms, and together we secretly walked away from the backyard to the wide, beautiful meadows.

On our way, I was glad to see the aromatic lilacs, the cute Dedenne and other rodents as well as the pretty scenery and the enormous, azure lake Mommy and I used to go swimming and playing with Goldeen and Seaking. Though I was a little worried about the existence of the Pansear and Simisear that are living in this area, I have missed these things so desperately that I might become depressed---they’re full of lovely memories of my shortened childhood…

But then I became aware of an unusual sound that came out from Mommy’s throat---I could tell that from the way she covered her mouth---as it seemed that something with a dreadful symbol is getting closer to her. In order to neglect this fishy feeling, I chose to close my eyes…

*************************************************
Well, I had lost count of the minutes that had quietly slipped away during my sleep until I sensed a push on one of my shoulders. “Wakey wakey~ It’s night time and nighttime is the perfect moment for story time~ Kiddies can’t go to sleep without bedtime stories, can they?” Mommy joked. I smirked and thought, “Sometimes you’re just childish, believing those outdated concepts…Grown kids don’t need such hypnotics…but that’s a reason why I like you the most…Mommy.”

But she then muttered something so emotionally and seriously through the layers of thick blue mask-like object that didn’t fit the relaxing atmosphere of the wide open meadows we were sitting on when she looked up to the sparkling and shimmering stars in the night sky, “How beautiful these diamonds from the heavens are… just as dazzling as my best friend’s sapphire eyes… but they’ve disappeared starting from the day I had you and Beckka just told me to stop contacting her… When can I see her again?” Once again, my worries rose like dark gray clouds gathering in the stormy sky. “When has she been trusting a stranger?” I asked myself in my heart, my heartbeat getting a little bit faster than usual, “And why is she starts lamenting every time she looks up at the sky like right now so often recently? Is this an omen?”

“Whoops, sorry for my sadness influenza that is ruining the current jolly mood…” Mommy apologized with a titter upon noticing my glare after lowering her head, “I’m gonna heal myself instantly with my ability Nature Cure…” Nonetheless, her sunny smile faded away when she saw my narrowed eyes that were questioning “Who’s the stranger you have been trusting?” and immediately understood I was unamused by the Nature Cure “joke” (not a joke at all, since none of our species’ adults’ ability is Nature Cure!). Shaking her head and sighing, she spoke in an earnest manner, “My sweet little cherub, I can’t stand by your side forever. You have to learn how to trust people. Though the outside world has lots of dangerous people and Pokemon, there’re more kindhearted ones. In fact, you can’t judge one’s heart by his cover, just like how you judged the Weavile guy through his appearance. At first, I had the same belief like you when I was a child, but as I grew up I finally knew how time will show a person’s true colours…”

Wrong. She had been learning the sophistry which time had taught throughout her rough life. And in my opinion, it’s not an impulsive conclusion.

*******************************
Still, I sympathize Mommy a lot. I mean, in the beginning of her childhood, when she was born in Sinnoh (a place that seems to be miles away from Kalos), she had the chance of living in a shrine since she was very young that could isolate her from the precarious forest with countless brutal enemies (especially unexpectedly masculine Purugly). Unfortunately, she and her mother (which is my never-to-be-seen-again grandma) had been deceived by a hypocrite called an Aura Guardian whom she had once dreamt of seeing his handsome face because he saved and healed Grandma when Grandma was wounded. As he let Grandma to live with him, he gained Grandma’s trust and even made Grandma a hair-string with two pearls (now Mommy’s) as a gift. Under Grandma’s care, Mommy spent most of her childhood playing with flowers and having nutritious foods such as Moomoo Milk and Balm Mushrooms as he gave everything good to Grandma.

Sadly, he was an example of proving humans are bad when he slammed the door of Mommy and Grandma’s room open during the day Mommy became something named a “teenager”. Only because he had never seen Mommy before and this gave him the reason to go nuts by calling Grandma a prostitute and neglecting Grandma’s tears. When Mommy described how he walked towards her and glared at her and suddenly grabbed her neck with his mighty hand and threw her onto one of the walls, I could feel the BOOM as she crashed onto the wall, louder than the roars of thunder. And in the end, from the very step running out of the shrine while carrying my severely injured Grandma with that Raymond guy chasing them at behind, she entered the land of nightmares-----the forest. If it wasn’t because of him, this Lycanroc with a Mareep’s cover, her life wouldn’t have been ruined!

Nevertheless, even she was then living in a disastrous nightmare, always needing to keep an eye on predators, it wasn’t the most distressing and heartbreaking moment in her lifetime---until one evening she managed to return to her den with a handful of honey and fish after a ferocious combat with a savage Ursaring, only to discover Grandma was surrounded by a group of strange humans. From how she described those humans as wearing white long things called “coats”, I knew they were lunatics with the name “doctor(s)” just like the one Mommy now always has to visit in a place which people named it a “clinic” or “hospital”. What was heinous about them? They lied to her by claiming how they rescued Grandma from an evil dog person and would protect her and Mommy from bad organizations, like one called Team Galactic (no evidence no proof!) and could save Grandma’s life with some ridiculous “advanced” medicine they proclaimed. That whooper was far beyond absurd as those broken promises were sugar-coated candies containing false hope to steal her remaining hope, and it worked perfectly for them—Mommy let go one of the doctors she managed to knock onto the grassy ground and followed them into the urban areas. It was horribly convincing that it made Mommy gave them some of her spoils of war, and of course I hate those cunning demons in white clothing more when what she received in return after days of waiting eagerly was a wooden octagon box with a bunch of dead lilies…

If overoptimistic dummies ever finished hearing how Mommy met the death of the female she loved the most, they would probably say snide encouragements including “every cloud has a silver lining” and “there’s always light at the end of the tunnel”. But the worse was still in hot pursuit for her: she was left outside the hospital by those irresponsible doctors after their failure, got chased by merciless cops and residents every day at the back alleys and this led to her being thrown into a congested purgatory which humans called “Pokemon shelter”. To cut a long story short, Mommy being adopted and transferred to Kalos by THAT particular Rebekkah is the only thing I slightly appreciate about Rebekkah, but indeed it was only a palliative way to solve Mommy’s loneliness—Miss Forrest and the five others were super duper oblivious about her pain and they babyishly believed that playing with them could help her forget the past, especially Ximena the Zorua who always compelled Mommy to listen to her bad quality puns and dirty jokes to make Mommy “smile”…

Until one day she told me that during the period of her self-isolation, when none of her teammates (why would teammates called teammates if one doesn’t think them as his/her mates?) were able to disturb her from mastering self-protection auras, a girl whom she described as a princess visited our place. The outsider human and the other team who accompanied the princess couldn’t interact with Mommy, but the awestruck princess (who seems to be a Flareon to me since it has “a body that shines redder than the rubies collected by a Sableye”) watched her and continued following behind Mommy despite Mommy was trying to move further and further from her as well as constant snarling and glaring at her as warnings. Finally, believing that the princess was an insane stalker, Mommy decided to give the princess a wake-up call—time to charge her with an Aura Sphere so as to regain her personal space! (I wish I had existed in the world so I could support Mommy to beat the butt out of that silly princess)However, the princess’s reaction was unexpectedly surprising—instead of shrieking like a cowardly damsel, she acted so calm and sincere when she suddenly used Psychic, a move that her species isn’t supposed to learn, to control Mommy’s paw by pulling it close to her sight and carefully observed the glowing sphere while giving out more wows and whoas. And then? She praised Mommy!! What in the world? This move literally made Mommy instantly put her guard down!

Pretending to be interested about this later-to-be best friend of Mommy’s in order to get more useful information, I asked in absolute excitement, “Then what’s the name of this pretty pretty princess?” Nevertheless, I could sense what had happened their friendship as she hesitated—unavoidable betrayal. As Mommy resumed, I understood how she and Mommy taught each other their special abilities in exchange for communication, but obviously I know it didn’t work out at all once I heard that they pursue different dreams. Although she might have helped Mommy to meet Daddy, this can’t deny the fact that she made Mommy trust that one stupid Rebekkah. “Furthermore, this Best Fake Friend no longer contacts her now!” My inner self gave me a reminder. Yes, what a treacherous princess! Now when Mommy recalled her, tears were rolling down more uncontrollable than a downpour…

I must not let betrayal occur for the second time.

********************************************
Without any hesitation, I chose to give one of the most affectionate way to tell Mommy who is destined to be with her—yes, I kissed her. Not smooching, but anyway I still kissed on her nose as I dragged her snout firmly towards my lips. I was eminently contented by her rouge cheeks when I couldn’t resist to take a small peek, because this implied that she now remembered who’s still always by her side in spite of the dereliction she had to endure: me. In truth, our blood is thicker than water…

It was such a shame that Bro Rockstar’s high-pitched shout came out of nowhere which completely spoils the sweet sensation, “Ewwww!! Why you ladies still have the mood to relish in lesbian kisses? Anyway, I don’t wanna see both of you suffer from starvation owing to Beckka’s strict requirements of punctuality, so we better head back our “base” before stars appear in the sky. Got the message, soldiers?” Standing up rather slowly, we reluctantly obeyed his orders. Humph, what a pity that he would never get a clue of the saccharine feeling among the bonds between intimate families since it’s possible that he’s a bachelor!

As the two of us walked next to each other behind Bro Rockstar, I constricted my ribbon and confidently showed Mommy one of my clumps. Despite her bewilderment, Mommy still gratefully gave me a fist-bump in return. But little did she know, this was also a hidden promise I made just for her…

I would be her guard dog through thick and thin.

Unfortunately, the future would later destroy it by tearing us apart.

Also... Why were there red eyes staring behind us the whole time?

Chapter Text

*********Scarlet POV*********

A cool breeze swept past the silver sides of my helmet–like head. Countless orange leaves tumbled from their respective tree branches before resting on the ground. The chirping of Fletchling filled the relaxing atmosphere of the open path I was walking with Vikki-Toria, Beryl and Poniard holding in my arms. I could feel the sunshine of dusk entered the sapphire irises shining on my face.

However, there was an intense tug of war happening inside me, distracting me completely from enjoying the pleasant scenery around me like my young carefree triplets. In actuality, I was regretting on how I answered my dear Lilligant friend, Hannah, in order to avoid responding her question a while ago. It was an honor for me to revisit her cozy and spacious home in the suburbs after not contacting her for some time (you know, childcare can take up a lot of your lifetime!), and I was still grateful of how her freshly brewed tea relieved my stress which had accumulated during the previous night due to sacrificing my sleep hours to cease my children’s almost endless crying. Furthermore, it was absolutely gratifying to hear from her that she is now devoting her lifetime to foster and raise a spate of children on her own, and I’m deeply impressed by her patience and selflessness!

It wasn’t until she enthusiastically asked this with her two round tangerine-colored eyes looking into my sapphire eyes more and more eagerly: “Hey Scarlet~ I could hardly believe that one of your wishes is to have a complete family, but congratulations for it coming true~ Watching how enraptured you are when your spending time bonding with your three little babes, wouldn’t you and Dagger consider getting a fourth…”

I wasn’t anticipated for such an abrupt question, and upon nearly getting choked by the tea, my mind became increasingly restless. The only key way to escape this awkward ‘staring contest’ was to grab my three children and bag with one single hand in a whirlwind, rushing and slamming the door open and excuse myself to do some baby shopping. I knew that this was one of the most inappropriate response for someone who would prepare such nice personal meetings and forgo caring for her withering bloom, but how should I answer her? I’m currently just a newbie mom of three!

Suddenly, a catchy ringtone tried to break away from the thick layers of my cylinder bag, and I was alarmed. “Oh snap, Holo Caster alert!” I thought apprehensively and bit my lips while busy cooing Poniard from wailing and calming down my two other curious girls who were trying to squirm out of the grasp of my arm as well as struggling to settle myself on a wooden bench, “Is this gonna be Jennie’s reprimand of how I left home earlier without notifications, or worse, Hannah’s declaration of breaking up her friendship with me?”

Welp, turned out that I was sweating over nothing. In fact, as the pixelated image of the caller (specifically, a Lucario) gradually appeared and displayed in front of me, I thought my eyes were about to fall off from my sockets when I recognized the familiar mint-green pearl beads tied on two aura sensors, the distinctive crimson nose which sets her apart from the norms of her kind and her and her light bluish-green eyes…

“Aurora-Alissa? Ali? Is that you?” I attempted to show exhilaration, however I controlled myself as I was hoping not only in order to startle my three little sweethearts from their dreams, but also not to attract a familiar male Lucario with blood-red irises whom I noticed that had slowed down his pace after I mentioned the name of my female Lucario friend. Wait… something wasn’t normal… when had she gained such dark circles below her swollen eyelids? They looked larger than a Spinda’s or a Pancham’s!

Seemingly not to spot my concern, Ali was beyond tickled pink upon seeing me and not even bothering to let me continue asking her something like “Are you alright, gal?”, she directly expressed how she had desperately missed me through sparkling tears spilling down her face in a flash and then spoke agitatedly with her chin shaking, “Scarlet? Oh, I’m so blessed by the Lord! Those days without a companion like you are so heart-aching that I lived them as if they were centuries…I can’t believe that you’re still alive! Why haven’t I heard any news of you from Beckka? Your silhouette now can’t be seen in live Showcases either… Watching Showcases without you makes me feel lonelier than ever…I thought you were gonna participate in one of the semi-finals…”

Okay, Ali’s wailing and hoarse voice was beginning to catch that suspicious male Lucario’s attention and his footsteps were getting louder, giving me a chill in the spine. Still, I wouldn’t blame her for behaving unpredictably dejected for a usual optimist like her, since I could identify with these indescribably mixed feelings of hers when I was alone despite having a team of supportive pals around. Moreover, my heart ached as I knew in spite of my reluctance to reveal the reason behind my early retirement from my career to avoid putting Ali into further agony, I must tell her because fire can’t be swathed in paper after all and holding back the truth until it bursts out would only add sprinkles of salt in her now wounded heart…Therefore, I whispered with stutters (in fear of the male Lucario eavesdropping our private conversation), “Apologies, my Ali, but I must inform you that I have already resigned from my position as a performer and it’s definitely a pity of being to encourage my beloved ones, including you, with my dances. Nonetheless, it’s unarguably that my three little fellas have utterly transformed my life…”

Although when I initially displayed the three asleep figures of the triplets to Ali on the other side, I expected her to feel disappointed about me being such a frank friend for concealing such secret for freaking ages and perhaps triggering her jealousy, her reaction was the other way round. She was beyond moved when exposed to their irresistible cuteness, and with her tears streaming down more and more uncontrollably, “What a miracle that you’ve risen to a proud parent! You’ve been granted with fortune!” She whimpered such unexpected emotions, “It’s totally worth it to sneak into Beckka’s bedroom and retrieve my Holo Caster…”

And this was when the situation turned extremely dark, especially when that particular male Lucario passerby gave me a wicked grin which even a psychic can hardly predict his intention, though this didn’t pause our conversation other than compelling me to lower my voice, “Wait? Has Beckka confiscated your communication tool?” According to my gut feeling, if Beckka chooses to shield any of her Pokemon teammates in this overprotective measure (i.e. censorship and isolation), something must have backfired! Indeed, I predicted Ali’s condition correctly when witnessing her surges of tears changed into a massive downpour, and obviously I could do nothing when her hidden sadness finally burst like a Camerupt’s Eruption even though she was trying to keep her spirits up, “You don’t have to blame yourselffor guessing my plight, but it’s true that my Holo Caster is in her hands because she is afraid of letting you, Jennie and the rest of your pals realize that I’ve hit rock bottom and can no longer see the silver linings of the clouds above me!”

“During your absence, I originally found joy a few years ago… Remember Lucas whom I used to mention constantly whenever we got in contact? He entered my life after you gave me the inspirational message of ‘love will arrive on its own’…” she proceeded her soon increasingly astounding confession, “Unfortunately, my felicity was short-lived. On one very tragic day, he no longer woke up after collapsing before another male of our kind who we never anticipated to be powerful without the aid of Mega Evolution…”With the face of the dubious male Lucario near me twisting into an unfeeling grin, I knew I must have seen him somewhere on one of the live tournaments on telly and must know Lucas, nonetheless I didn’t take my focus off Ali’s important disclosure In fact, the more details she released later on, the more severely crucial this situation was as… Great Scott! There was blood which was dripping out of her mouth!

“At first, I thought even you were far away, everything would remain alright with my beloved ones beside me, including Beckka, Forrest the Serperior, my dear friends, and most importantly…“she resumed in a devastated tone, “I had my little poppet to summon my sunshine. We spent our days playing with the fishes, running across the meadows and harvesting fruits. Unbeknownst to me, the worst had yet to come and life decided to torture me without warning. I could hardly believe that your species would be immensely hostile through brutal slashes and leaving me a permanent scar by slicing off one of my spikes, making my darling having no choice but to take up as a fighter… What’s worse, not only had I been diagnosed with an incurable illness after this tragic incident of being betrayed by your evolutionary family from the wild, but also none of my friends is providing with the companionship I desperately require after my last glimpse of hope, my charming little angel whom Beckka claimed that she was not secure around our neighborhood anymore, got sent away from me and she’s perhaps left alone in the moving truck she’s in…”

“My apology for informing you this urgent message for this late because of Beckka’s outdated belief on your perished hatred regarding children…” She let out her last whine that came off as faint and weak owing to her inconsistent coughing while trying to suppress her overflowing tears, “…but there’s only one last desire left for me to pass it to you after I managed to overhear part of Beckka & Forrest’s chat outside their bedroom… it was about they are gonna send my darling to a specific someone who will provide her with unlimited love and I would be beyond elated if this scenario indeed occurs, since I don’t have much time remain in my shattering life and aside from Beckka, you’re my best friend and I have faith in you…”

I wanted to reject Ali’s genuine offer in the beginning because I thought myself as a sucky rookie mom who has to raise three children at the same time, but recalling how much plight she had to endure throughout her lifetime, I couldn’t decline it since I definitely don’t wanna watch her poor child going through the same phase. In reality, even if I had to turn her request down, I no longer had the opportunity to voice it out anymore, just like her unfortunate child who couldn’t fight against the fate of being separated from her, because she then had her last words before I could get to know more about her intriguing daughter…

“Also, if she really gets delivered to your home, please take care of her when you ever have the chance to encounter my sugar-cube pup, who has shimmering emeralds as her eyes, a cerise nose, and… and… a pretty… pink…”

The screen of my communicator began to flicker and then switched off in a flash, no matter how I was blankly staring at it and praying the connection not to be lost. When I, upon recovering from shock, realized how the male Lucario showed a cunning grin that told me that an omen was happening on my dear Ali, I could merely believe that he predicted what happened accurately after Ali’s voice faded away. And his prediction was proofed as I turned my head a few minutes after my bestie, Amythest (Amy) the shiny Alolan Ninetlaes who arrived and shouting out from not far away, “Scarlet, you over there? Oh my, I’ve been searching for you for ages and sorry, there’s a terrifying bad news!”

At first, I took a look at the leering Lucario and gave out a ‘Phew’ when Amy continued, “No worries, Jennie & Cuddles aren’t utterly ticked off with how you left home without telling them! “ Unfortunately, the good news didn’t last longer when she added the worst case scenario that literally shook me off, “But you have to return with me ASAP and all of us later will be discussing about Aurora-Alissa’s soon-to-be- arriving daughter, because I heard Beckka just apprised Jennie with a dire call… AURORA-ALISSA HAD FAINTED AND BECOME UNCONSCIOUS NOT LONG AGO AND HAS TO BE DIRECTED TO A PLACE IN THE HOSPITAL NAMED ‘ICU’!!!”

Before I was given any time to regain my calmness from the abrupt predicament, I automatically took my snoozing children with both hands and snatched my bag as Amy began to dash while proceed reminding me frantically, “C’mon Scarlet, we need to hurry up and find a measure to steer clear from anything going unexpectedly wrong on the day we will collect the Riolu girl of hers!” I briefly turned my head to watch the sniggering male Lucario turning himself away towards the other side of the road, though as his figure gradually faded away when he walked away further and further, this didn’t pause numerous questions from resumed to surface: “Why is this bloke so fishily attentive to my private conversation, and have I seen him somewhere? Anyhow, does her daughter really has all the features that Ali herself mentioned as facial characteristics? Will her daughter be the exact Riolu that we’ll be welcoming into our squad?’

And most importantly… what is the most remarkable element of her daughter that Ali herself was unable to tell me aside from ‘pink’ at the last minute? Moreover, why would Ali trust me deeply that I can handle such responsibility, just like how Hannah claimed I can bring up a fourth child?

Anyway, while gently stroking my triplets, I closed my eyes and focused on my run not only to head faster towards my cozy home with Amy, but also told myself to concentrate and listen to a wise saying left by my adoptive mother, a Gothitelle who said, “Sometimes answers of questions won’t appear in the present, but it will show up in the future when you’re ready.”

Even though now I’m having a stalker Lucario as an obstacle, maybe one day I’ll still be able to answer whether I can nurture an extra kid or not to both Hannah and myself when the day of the Riolu’s arrival comes…

Chapter Text

***********Aria POV*********

“Who’s the tiny angel who likes to sing?” Mommy’s melody echoed across the vast space of the canyon. The two of us were having fun with a game of ‘Tag’.

“It’s me, Ari!” I cheerfully called back, “And who’s the one that can’t catch me? It’s you, Mommy!”

“But I’m gonna prove you wrong, sweetie!” She replied jokingly. I knew she had to shout because she was far behind from me, yet the sound of her dashing feet contacting the rugged stony ground was getting louder and clearer. I could even hear the small stones and pebbles clashing with each other.

Just as “Action speaks louder than words!” leaped out of my mouth, the image of a thin, wooden plank which seemed to fill the void of the two separate land affront began to appear slowly. Luckily, I managed to use one of my heels to stop myself from tripping into the wood’s surface. However, when I turned my head backwards, I found Mommy standing emotionlessly. Then one of her paws, or hands in my species’ language, moved with her palm showed—it was a signal of telling me to leave her alone.

I was shell-shocked. She always allows me to win, but why would she be leaving me behind all alone? “Mommy! Don’t leave me, I beg you!” I nearly cried, “Our game…no, our lives still have long miles to go! Have I done something wrong to you?” Still, begging her didn’t convince her unusual firmness, and being her girl implies that I had no options.

Unfortunately, as I reluctantly stepped onto the plank after taking one last look of Mommy, cracks started to emerge and I could sense that I was losing my balance as I walked closer towards its center…
Suddenly, there came the biggest crack I’ve ever known…

“PRACK!!!!!”

It broke into two and I fell into the emptiness with the broken piece and hopelessness before I bawled in complete horror…

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

*********************
“Quit making a huge fuss over nothing, you scaredy-Skitty! It’s just a tire of my Pops’ truck that gets popped by a freaking rock! You’re now giving me goosebumps, young lady!” There came a disturbingly high-pitched cry of Rebekkah which entered the dark cuboid (that I was then sleeping in about a few hours ago) through the itsy-bitsy gap between its doors.

Upon hearing such an insulting statement from a snob like her, my anger towards her intensified. “How dare you call me a scaredy-Skitty! You’re the dunce who had put me in this stuffy, cramped and bumpy ‘moving-box’ and for these two whole weeks I can’t even have a proper sleep!” I thought very furiously while gritting my teeth. In fact, I had enough of her right now and was eager to crash her nut.

Anyhow, wanting to prove to her that I’m not a slave who’ll forever be under her control, I walked to the back wall of this truck-thing and did a ready-to-sprint pose: palms and knees touching the ground, backsides and tail raised up. Looking determinedly at the narrow gap in front of me, I told myself, “Once you knock that brat till she’s unconscious, you’ll get the ultimate possibility to run back home and make all her goons discover the taste of freedom without her as the manipulator.”

Dashing on the track I made (by pushing those darn boxes and my luggage aside) and aiming to crash both doors so as to hit Rebekkah in the head with the help of my punches, I held my fist tightly and using my clump as my fist’s assistant, I gave out a power-boosting shout, “KYAAAAAAA!”

BOOM!

I fell onto the round from above with a loud thud. I managed to open my eyes with little energy and started to regret how I had underestimated her when I discovered through the small gap what object was used to turn the doors into a semi-brick wall that prevented me from escaping. Furthermore, when an aura of familiar harsh mockery from outside sneaked into this gloomy place, “Very precise, little girl, being unable to observe the most insignificant objects around you.”

I finally realized a heart-shaped locket which seemed to have a cold, steel chain was in between. I was imprisoned.

“That’s why you should never ever try to bash the doors, silly girl,” It was Rebekkah’s mockery this time, along with Miss Forrest’s despicable ‘sigh’ for me, “Can’t agree more. Once attempted to unlock that thing as a kid-- you know, Snivy. Hurt my vines a lot. They ached for weeks.”
Seriously?! What had I done that offended them?! Well, I was offended as well, so….revenge time!

“Silly?! Do shut up, Rebekkah Linn, you vain----!” I roared as I attempted to pull the locket off the chain. But before I could continue and say “I ain’t a prisoner, you self-proclaimed warden!” my sensitive nerve bundles alerted me with a scent of an older human’s aura.

As I used my remaining strength to widen the gap with my paws, I saw Rebekkah and Miss Forrest walking towards the figure and when she spoke…

“Hey Pops! Anything alright? I only need to know how many days left to reach Serene Town. You know, Jennie can’t be kept waiting…”

Pops?! That guy she was talking to is the beloved dad of hers?! No wonder her aura was flashing with lights of joy…

“Becky, I can understand how you want to make Jennie happy and how much you treasure her, but… too bad, too sad. New tire won’t be welcomed until further notice…” Sighed her dad, “And what’s happening with our Riolu at the back truck?”

And this was the moment Rebekkah explained everything with all her excuses to her dad. Why did he believe every lie she was telling him and thought she’s a savior angel from the Heavens! Watching them chatting in a joyful mood hurt me…How he believed that she’s helping me to get rid of my “emotion instability” with his board smile was like how Mommy used to listen and react to me… it was like a sword that thrusted my heart…

I just wanna become Mommy’s companion, like how she made her dad happy… but why was their happiness built on my sadness? Was it only because I did something for Mommy and made them feel like I’m their burden to deal with, so I had to leave everything behind?
I quit destroying the locket and laid onto the chilly ground covering myself with my green scarf as a blanket, and my eyelids stuck together beyond my brain’s orders. Squeezing my priceless ribbon that represents Mommy’s love, I clearly knew I didn’t mean to give up, but the incident which forced to separate Mommy and me was beginning to invade my dreams and haunt me tonight before I would be delivered to a total stranger like an unwanted package… and I could detect that the heartless tease of the Lucario growing huger than ever…
************************************

A few days ago. That tragic day had a pretty and sunny morning before I got thrown into this thing which humans invented and called it a “truck”.

The presence of rays of golden sunlight urged me to leave the horrible land of nightmares I had to stay for the whole previous night. From opening my bedroom door and walking along the corridor to heading into the upper floor’s washroom to have a nice tidy up, I made tons of plans and activities to help Mommy feel physically better and get rid of the long-term cold she’s currently suffering from, such as how to sneak away with Mommy and take her to the radiantly blue lake we used to have play time with the goldfishes. I even encouraged myself by tying and trussing up my ribbon.

Although I felt exceedingly glad when I saw Mommy hopping joyfully (back and forth), I wasn’t pleased by her news….

“Guess what, dearie? We’ve gotten some special guests today!” She chirped. I made a groan she couldn’t hear. In my opinion, it’s better for her to stop welcoming and serving unnecessary visitors! She’s not Rebekkah’s personal assistant!

But Mommy was too dense to know something she mentioned is a dangerous and aggressive beast, and when I turned towards a window next to me, I saw the Lucario from next who looked like the same one who beat Daddy down was snickering at Mommy’s obviousness.

Anyway, she continued, “There’s Abel from Vaniville Town, with his Oli the Ambipom, Celina the Leavanny, Prudence the Lopunny, Quinton the Glaceon, Solar the Solosis and a superbly charming Midnight Lycanroc…”

Midnight Lycanroc. They’re known to be skilled at counterattacks and sneak attacks, especially when they’re lurking in the darkness which provides them a chance to hide behind their victim’s back and give them a powerful bite on their prey’s throats that is guaranteed to be an instant kill. And they have an unexpected move to my concern… Counter. Mommy always let her guard down on these mad dogs with unstable tempers and they might avail the opportunity to harm her…

“Ding-dong~” Oh God. The crisp and clear but ominous doorbell rang.
“Speak of the devil!” Squeaked Mommy elatedly, who began to hop down layers of stairs to reach the front door.
“Mommy! Slow down for a second, please!” I cried to grab her attention while sliding down the handrail of the staircases in order to shock her and pull her away from the door knob as far as possible. But at that moment none of my words could stop her.

I could only witness how she became a runaway Rapidash right after she left me in surprise when she was able to exert every ounce of remaining energy to kick and knock down the very firm and ligneous door despite her weak body condition…

It didn’t take me long to recover and discover that she was bolting swifter than a comet that is about to fall (rudely pushing away a Lopunny who seemed to be Prudence during the process) with her open arms towards… for God’s sake! Why did it have to be a crimson-coated, bipedal wolf with those bloody menacing eyes!

Yet, Mommy was so oblivious with the danger in front of her and continued to exclaim in contempt, “Roxanne!!!”

“Heck! Who in the world is Roxanne?! When did that sly stranger wolf befriend Mommy, huh? Well, I’m sure beneath the friendly grin is just a cover of her violence!” I thought. Time to use the ultimate method --- story time!

“Mommy! Do you remember what happened to Little Red Riding Hood after she made friends with a Lycanroc?”

Oh yes! She finally stood there like an ice statue and that Lucario over the fence would quit laughing at Mommy too. Perfect chance for me to drag her away and bring her to the meadows for play time --- But there came the epic fail.

“Aria! That’s not a proper way to treat a guest!” A stern low pitched and husky voice came out from nowhere. Pairs of serious eyes started to lay on me, like how a pack of wild beasts ready to hunt down a vulnerable prey. As a shadow with sky-blue eyes got out from one of the prim rose bushes, I looked at him resentfully on how he had ruined my plan --- it was Bro Rockstar, the moronic adult who always treats me like a baby.

I was desperate to explain to everyone (including that Abel guy) that Roxanne the Stranger is a werewolf which can kill us all, but Rockstar still argued his way out, “Roxanne isn’t a stranger. She’s my wife.”

To me, it didn’t matter whether she is his wife or not (aren’t wifes just a tuype of high-calorie waffles?!), she’s a wolf. However, his words were unreasonably convincing especially to Mommy which made her blindly support him when he walked to Roxanne and they became lovesick puppies with goo-goo eyes by making her say, “Awww! The love between a bipedal and a quadrupled… how precious and rare and indescribably adorable!” Eww. Not to mention that Lucario wouldn’t give up grinning at my failure.

And for the rest of the day, I could feel that Mommy was falling into the trap of Roxanne. During lunchtime, when Roxanne was regarding me as a low-class servant speaking in an odious attitude, “Hey, pint-sized! Fetch me a bowl of stew!” She just let it be and even spoon fed Roxanne like a big sister feeding a baby sister. (How disgusting!) Furthermore, when Roxanne touched a staffed Cottonee (that Mommy and I sewed together when I was smaller) without a single permission from me. Mommy was fooled by her whining --- not only she told me to stop retrieving it back, but she also let Roxanne get it as a free gift! How dare Roxanne take away one of the most valuable handiwork from both of us! ---

This must be a wolf’s way to alienate Mommy from me!

Worse than that, everyone and Mommy pretended I was invisible throughout the near evening. Mommy and Roxanne seemed to have endless saliva and they chatted almost non-stop. Nevertheless, when one time I came in between them and was about to squeeze Mommy’s paw to end their trash talk, I noticed the weird position Roxanne’s paws were placed --- why was she protecting her belly all along?

A thought struck me. “Ha! Belly is one assailable spot, right? So she’s acting like she’s suffering from some incurable belly related illness in order to cheat others’ sympathy, isn’t it? That’s very professional acting, but I wasn’t born yesterday.”

As Mommy neglected me once more after warning me not to interrupt her and Roxanne’s secret-sharing, I knew how she was deeply revelled in this fake friendship and I decided to put my Plan B in action to wake her up. Then my opportunity arrived --- Roxanne claimed that she needed to go to the garden to PP, and knowing that going to PP can lower one’s guard, I quietly tiptoed behind Roxanne the careless wolf to the back yard when everyone was busy terminating their food (even giving a wink of scorning to that meanie Lucario guy who believed no worth of Mommy) Right now I was gonna manifest I deserve Mommy by conquering the wolf.

Finding out her walking speed was slower than her norms, my confidence on achieving the plan increased. Watching her rubbing her swollen belly made her weak and unwary blockhead. I already saw the truth --- she’s only a paper-tiger who must be feeble to the firm (like me!)

Since Roxanne’s red aura was blinking more and more rapidly with fear, I chose to upgrade my plan by following and running with her pace while hiding behind the rows of bushes next to her. Peeking through the small gaps of the thin branches among the leaves, I smirked when he head started to move around frantically like the damaged hard of a broken clock, but still trying to comfort herself with unclear mutters and continued on sniffing her surroundings aimlessly.

Wishing that the plants could conceal her existence, Roxanne made one of the silliest mistakes ever --- she lowered her guard, gave out a relieved sigh. I immediately climbed onto one of the limbs of the tree behind her and bent my back a little in order to aim at her mane…

“Pursue your victory, Aria! Daze that SOAB Lucario and impress Mommy!" Urged my inner self, “Trigger Roxanne’s fear and expose her true colors!”

I concentrated for the big leap and counted 3, 2, 1… Gotcha!

“E ya ya ya!!” shrieked the petrified wolf with her neck and mane being gripped between my two muscular legs, “What on Earth are you doing? Leave me alone! Leave me alone!”

I grinned when I observed how “poor” Roxanne’s legs were shaking side by side and seemed to lose their balance. If she had to hide her obvious weakness when she was still quite dumb not to prepare her arms to fight back!

Witnessing how she tried to use cliche ways such as growling and barking to intimidate me, I snorted and stuck out my tongue to do her the same favor. Then as she gave an unsuccessful attempt to bite me, I dodged just in time and gave her mane a sudden yank, causing her to collapse towards one side (it could be left or right but this didn’t matter to me). Of course, her shrilling howl was an utterly bootless plea --- she doesn’t deserve any mercy from me!

Managing to jump off her back in the nick of time and saw her face, my advantage had come to me --- Roxanne’s savagery was completely drained away, and pain and fear were the ones who replaced it. I sneered for a few seconds to tell her: You’re out, you pretentious sucker.

I hit her cheeks and made it swell. I kicked her butts and pulled her tail. I punched her nose and plucked out her claws. I scratched and slashed her body. Within moments, she was producing Frubbles from her mouth. Still, she was idiotic enough to say, “Please gimme a path of second change… for the sake of my baby….” (Well, there were no babies around at all!)

Metal claws? Check. Aura sphere generation on one of my palms? Check. “Now prepare for the last strike, big bad wolf---“

“Aria---Oh my Arce us goodness!” screeched Auntie Neona who appeared out of nowhere and soon fainted and fell onto the ground half-unconscious. Startled, my Aura Sphere degenerated in a flash and I sensed a burning sensation on my palm. Nevertheless, the scene facing me was far beyond my expectation which made me temporarily forget my physical pain: not only my fellow “teammates” AND Abel’s team all stood like the dead prey ice statues of a Froslass, but it was also the very first time Rockstar ever snarled at me with narrowed eyes before he rushed towards Roxanne, knocked me down with a hind leg and roared with all his might, “How dare you! Trying to abduct my pregnant wife! You must have taken the wrong medicine! (What on Earth is “pregnant”?)

And what shook my confidence and broke my heart even more was seeing, Mommy shivering with terror as she asked, “Aria… what’s happening? Why are your eyes like alexandrites, turning from green to red?”

I was confused with the “my eyes turned from green to red” part, so I explained, “I’m just trying to beat the wolf, Mommy! I don’t want Little Red Riding Hood’s fate to happen to you!”

But suddenly a humiliating shout popped out, “Aria-Angelica!!” I knew it was Rebekkah since she’s the only one who calls my full name, and her intense glare meant one of the most heartless punishments for me in the universe when she and Abel approached Mommy and me.

And if she calls my full name, it means I’m doomed.

Mommy knew what Rebekkah was plotting and as Rebekkah knelt before her and spat the cruelest words to her and me, “Aurora-Alissa. Aria almost destroyed two precious lives. One mother and one baby. Abel could have phoned every officer Jenny! Anyway, this incident is gonna be spread around by nosy neighbors and for Aria’s safety… She gotta go. Far away from here.” She could control herself no more. Glimmering salty liquid fountains watered the grass every time she tried to catch up and persuade Rebekkan like, “Beck, she’s still young… she might not understand the miracle of life right now, but I promise I will tell her more about my story about her birth…”

Her actions were all in vain. I saw how the next door’s Lucario smirked more inhumanely when his canines showing as Rebekkah continued to instruct and manipulate the rest of the team to gather all my belongings in a medium, rectangular, transparent bag. At that moment, their stares to me were full of sympathetic mockery, thinking of me as a sinner. None of them supported me… They even watched like robots when Rebekkah forcefully placed me into this “truck” thing like her personal toy…

That was the last time Mommy wrapped my neck with my scar and pinned daddy’s Lucarionite onto it, and at least she had given me something meaningful… “Look at this doll, and you’ll never forget me. My dear Ari.”

The doors slammed. WHAM! The end. The only thing that followed my departure was the bluster of the Lucario.

****************************
I finally woke up realized what is the meaning behind my canyon dream. The plank is Rebekkah who wants to take me away from Mommy, and Mommy must listen to her and leave “Good mornin’ Becky and Grassy Forrest! Confident about the testin’ of this new tire?” joked Rebekkah’s old man. (Not funny at all!)

VooM vooM! The truck was starting to move forward. Although they can now disconnect Mommy and me, my heart will never leave her especially with my splendidly pink ribbon that resembles her existence near me. No matter how that Lucario I know was relishing about my hardship, I will make my way back to you, when I get stronger, Mommy.

I really will.

Chapter Text

********************Scarlet POV**********************

It was an insanely blazing hot day that the sun shamelessly tortured us with its shining rays of heat, so burning that I almost thought my metal body parts were on the verge of getting smelt by it! However, it didn’t deter the enthusiastic people from my home, Serene Town, from forming a tight cluster like a hive full of Combee, that as a result even my excited children and friends could barely breathe within it. All thanks to Mary Lee the Steenee, who had always been the loud trumpet, and this time after she divulged the news of Ali’s daughter’s arrival, the news spread virally as if it was wildfire due to most of the townspeople being avid Lucario lovers. Had this careless Mary Lee ever asked Ali’s permission before spitting such confidential details within ourselves?

Nonetheless, currently Mary’s obnoxiousness attitude towards privacy was at the bottom list of my concerns. As I scanned the rendezvous full of chirping excitement, I was more worried about one of the Lucario standing among the crowd. Apparently, he just moved into our neighborhood rather recently and people were already jumping into acceptance mode to welcome him as another venerated canine idol for their admiration, but I could straight up recognize his tall stature from the moment he passed by my side, and now his distinctively brooding and sly eyes met my sight. Quickly switching my sight away to stop my blood from running cold from that glaring dog, I began to ruminate in my mind: “Why on Earth did Ali desperately plead me to look after her unknown daughter, whom this suspicious Lucario is fixated at whenever he heard the child’s name?”

The longer I ruminated, the deeper I delved into my subconsciousness, where I rediscovered the very dream that I had the night before this important day of the child’s arrival. It was like a prophecy. Inside its realm, I recalled how I was dreaming myself frolicking with my three children, with Vikki-Toria and Beryl carefreely roaming around while Poniard was sheepishly observing. But rather than concentrating on appreciating my children’s happiness through their adorable child-play, my blue eyes drifted away to stare at a petite canine-like kid from not too far away.

She was a young Riolu that looked slightly older than my Pawniard children, roughly around five and a half years old. Her eyes were what set her apart from the rest of her kind; instead of having vermilion shades of red, her irises were sparkling emeralds. What quickly made me figure out that she had relations with Ali was her red nose- Ali has a red nose as well!

But her attitude was why I questioned Ali’s genuine plea, regardless of our longtime friendship since the day we met. The moment in this weird dream when I slowly and tentatively stood up from my position, the young Riolu imposed an invisible armor onto herself: shoulders all heightened up, unusually having retractable claws, gritting sharp pearly-whites, eyes which suddenly became as crimson as red alexandrites and most importantly, a glowing orb of aura increasing in size, leaving me an intimidated impression and attempt to shield my curious children. Was she seriously the “ray of sunshine” that Ali fondly described and reminiscing of?

However, despite the Riolu’s apparent aggression, I noticed something she did- trussing the ribbon tied on one of her feelers. Was this the pink object Ali was trying to remind me of as a means to recognize her child straightaway, and why is it so important? Just before I could ponder more about the accessory’s significance though, the same sly-looking Lucario snuck into my realm and intruded my thought, and before I was about to realize one of the potential reasons was probably to protect the Riolu…

There came Mary-Lee’s incredibly shrilling scream that could have reached to the infinity of the universe, “SCARLET!!!! QUIT SPACING OUT ALREADY! OUR BELOVED GUESTS REBEKKAH AND FORREST HAVE ALREADY ARRIVED WITH THEIR TRUSTY TRUCK AND YOU MAY GONNA MISS OUT MORE OF THIS ANTICIPATED EVENT IF YOU CONTINUE TO--”

Gosh, Mary Lee! I gave out a slightly loud and frustrated groan, and forced myself from rolling my eyes with disdain so that I wouldn’t ruin the joyous mood surrounding us. She was getting on my nerves again by interrupting the analysis of my best friend’s request, just like how she broke off this very same dream before I could scrutinize its underlying meaning! Pretty sure it would be much better if she contained her brimming excitement and rather help Sparka the Luxio out with persuading Gemm the Alolan Persian to be more patient and change his focus from scratching and hitting the truck doors to politely greeting our faraway friends in our region, that would make him a better role model for the children in our squad--

BAMMMM!!

Right after the abrupt and booming “Bam!” roars of the initially locked doors, before us and the rest of the startled crowd could react, Gemm was already being sprung into the air as he was slammed right in the stomach, owing to the unprecedented and unexpected impact from the doors that soon bursted open. And within minutes, he crashed onto the ground like a piece of wood being violently tossed to the floor by a strong muscular Machamp, and instantly wailed out a long, agonizing screech before he passed out. Even our trainer Jennie had straight up lost her cool (considering how her face had reduced to nothing but a blank sheet of pale white paper), let alone the crowd who had their initial elation faded away and subsequently descended into an uncontrollable chaos full of unending and panicking yells and shrieks as if doomsday had come upon Earth, no matter how Rebekkah and Forrest the Serperior struggled to calm everyone down. While trying to hug my three children to a comfortable state for them, I, however, precisely noticed the new Lucario was the only cool cucumber who raised an eyebrow at the person who severely damaged the now broken doors...which had already been reduced into nothing but rubble, and now I knew where the horror of the aura canine loving townspeople originated from…

Their hopeful expectations had been shattered, when this familiar Riolu, who had crimson eyes slowly reverting back to green as she was struggling to refrain her seething anger, red nose seemingly puffing white smokes, and a noticeably light pink ribbon that she tucked-- WAIT, HOW COME ALI’S POTENTIAL DAUGHTER SEEMED TO BE THE SAME AS THE ONE FROM MY DREAM? The only difference was she was wearing a long green silk scarf pinned with a shining Lucarionite under the sunrays, but that didn’t change the fact of her being the same one I dreamed of! Was this all a coincidence after all?

“But I don’t think I need to raise another child, the number three is already enough!” My inner self frantically repeated. Frankly, I didn’t even want to get forcefully dragged into this mess at all, and just hoped to leave in peace already!

Just as I held my three children with both of my arms gently and was ready to turn my back, I heard the calm Lucario gave out a gloating remark, “This immature and reckless squirt is going to be having a hard time here all alone without her moronic mother who has been undeserving to have her…” And I also overheard how Rebekkah was already exasperatingly warning the Riolu again and again, with “WHY ARE YOU LEAPING INTO CONCLUSIONS ABOUT DARK TYPES?? THIS ALOLAN PERSIAN IS MY FRIEND’S AND HE IS MOSTLY TAMED AND IS JUST A BIT SPOILED!” and “GET SOME GODDAMN EXPOSURE FOR YOUR DRAB LIFE ALREADY!”, I suddenly felt my conscience tucked my heartstrings. Maybe I should put down some of the harshness after all and be a little bit more accepting to this Riolu? She was still likely adapting to this alien environment and…

“SCARLET! LOOK OUT!” Screamed Forrest the Serperior, who failed to prevent the aggressive little Riolu from brutally throwing a giant glowing sphere of aura at my...direction! What an unforeseen "whoosh!" that was only a bit slower than the speed of light, and the crowd was once again being overwhelmed by turbulence of unconstrained fear, believing that the Riolu would commit a serious murder of me on the spot.

Nonetheless, instead of losing my head like the rest of the crowd did, I told myself that if I made a huge deal out of this discord, this Riolu would only get more temperamental and may accidentally destroy everybody, for I began to remember something as I looked into her wary gaze...I used to act the same back when I was an insecure young Pawniard child and also when I first arrived from Unova to Kalos, it was all about moving to a new environment with nobody you know... who wouldn't be horrified at such a drastic change?

So I took a deep breath to reassure my composure and...with immense concentration, I reckoned that I had actually managed to pause the movement of the globe of aura with my special psychic powers! Much to the Riolu's astonishment, she didn't expect the orb to be frozen still within midair, and she realized her efforts to leave this place had failed as she muttered to herself, "Mommy...I couldn't beat up the Bisharp...it beat me instead...sorry......why?" This was when my heart sank upon realizing my prediction about her was right, just like in my dream, she had no place to go in this brand new world.

As the glow gradually dissipated the longer I refrained it, I returned to reality to find out the crowd had ceased their brainless panicking and were all awestruck by how I had averted another potential crisis. Rebekkah, who had totally ignored the tremendous horror of the Riolu’s face, even proudly approached me and expressed her relief, “Thank gosh, Scarlet! You are our savior! Forrest and the rest of my team had been failing to discipline Aria for years already, as she gets disciplined by nobody except her mom! Looks like only fated non-Lucario can be appointed to look after such an urchin like Aria, and turns out you have been fated to save us all!” I didn’t relish in joy with such a sudden appointment as not only did I not have the chance to explain how child-rearing isn’t my expertise and I only coincidentally helped things out, but also the Lucario changed his satisfied smirk to a dissatisfied growl with his eyes aiming at me threateningly before begrudgingly walking away-- seems like his past association with this particular Riolu had given him some bad blood and now he has deemed me as an accomplice! That was why I was so reluctant to meet up with this feisty pup!

But as the crowd dissembled and everyone returned to their peaceful abodes to unwind themselves (including the rest of my friends who went back into our small house, still having a veil of fear looming around them), with Rebekkah and Forrest riding in the now doorless truck that was vrooming away into the sunset, I knew clearly that I could no longer turn down the request of looking after this Riolu. In fact, not only were my children being rather friendly towards her by looking at her longingly with their curious and eager sights, I guessed that she again had nowhere to go, regardless of how she attempted to pursue after the truck even it was already an unfeasible chase judging by her continuously panting each mile she ran. She couldn’t even progress further even after she tightened her ribbon to encourage herself with “Mommy will be proud of you to come back...ugh…” I couldn't bear to see somebody having the same experience of losing a home and separated from everything they were familiar with, let alone not being accepted into a new community...I actually didn't want to leave this poor girl alone...even though I originally had no intention of getting more kids. Maybe the more the merrier, or maybe I sympathize with her?

“Hi little pupper, nice to meet you! The name's Scarlet. Are you...Aria?” I reach out my hand as a gesture of friendliness so that she would loosen up a little. But she still decided to resolutely give me the cold shoulder, believing that I was pretty much being a roadblock on her way of escaping, and sharply remarked as her own way of saying 'yes', “What is the need of pretending to be my new mommy just like how that rotten Rebekkah wanted, huh?”

Of course, she was aware that nobody in this new town would take her in, so she reluctantly accompanied me and my children to be welcomed in our warm full house (even though it might be mostly involved with dealing with Gemm’s unbearable injuries caused by her, still another problem I could fret over later). Yet once again, she tightened her ribbon as some kind of incomprehensible self reminder and muttered, “Mommy, I won’t be staying in this garbage dump for too long! I promise!”

If my dream was indeed a prophecy, how am I supposed to protect her from that untrustworthy Lucario, let alone understand her and take care of her like Ali had been sincerely wishing for, when I cannot grasp the meaning behind the ribbon so important to her? Why could I control her aura and was fated with her? Why do I still have an intertwined connection between her and me?

Chapter Text

*************Aria POV***********

“Aria! I hate to say this, but you gotta stop making a fuss, we don’t need rules for nothing! There are reasons that I can explain why you need supervision and a new life schedule!”

I, grounded and sitting at the corner of stupid Scarlet’s room, wanted to cry in anger when I thought of how she scolded me today. My mood was as dark as the room itself, just like a black thundercloud was above me. I still could not believe that my new “caretaker” that I had no choice but to accept was a humanoid with so many knives on her body, like those horrible ones that hurt Mommy. It was disappointing enough she wasn’t a Flareon. She looked ugly with that body that shone redder than a Sableye’s rubies. And she had been the one who was making a fuss out of nothing, NOT ME!

“But I just wanted to go for a walk and do some exercises! I am tired of getting stuck in this crummy house! And besides, it’s that rigid old weasel who was annoying me the whole time! He thought he was a boss who can take control of me like Rebekkah did! I’m not his kid, so I don’t think I need to listen to orders! I see nothing wrong with beating him up!” I remember shouting with at the top of my lungs towards her when I was struggling to break free from her forceful cold metal hand, using all my energy to reach the handle of the dumb door or use my foot to blast it open.

“Firstly, Kung Fu the Mienfoo isn’t as old as you imagined! Don’t insult him by his age! He’s only around late twenties to early thirties! Secondly, and most importantly, you are not supposed to punch him up just to get what you want! I am not excusing his harsh tone on you, but I am also here to tell you that not allowing you to go out isn’t a punishment, it is just for protection ok? It will be much better to have us exercise with you at a fixed session than being stalked by that newcomer Lucario in the neighborhood! We just want to spend some time with you after all!” That was what she excused herself as a way to make me stay without choice and yanked me violently from the door with her odd powers.

Her excuse was so pathetic that it still cringed me a lot, especially at the “wanting to spend time with me” part. I didn't even know her that long in the first place, and I don’t like her for being something horrible called a Bisharp (yeah, so sharp that my mind hurts every time I think of it!). Good thing that she hadn’t tried to slice-n-dice me, but she had been pretty do-mi-na-ting (is this a way to describe someone as bossy?). She always thought she and her so-called “friends” were right, like that mean Mienfoo who she called “Kung Fu”. It was his own fault for not making me be able to get stronger for Mommy by doing my usual morning exercises, or else that annoying Lucario would keep laughing at me like a big bully! It was also his fault for shouting at me for doing something not on “the s-ca-d-ue-le” of the “team” and being a bad “role model” for his son. I do not belong to this stupid place, teams are all trash as they never support me from doing anything good for Mommy, and models only pose and are not their own person. Therefore, I don’t think I need to do petty posing for his stupid son and would rather do it for Mommy! Why did Scarlet support him for being mean to me?! Her name starts with S and is sticking to the rules, so she must be equally stupid! STUPID STUPID STUPID--!!!

WHAM WHAM WHAM! I couldn’t help but hit my fists repeatedly, hoping that I could smash it open and then I could run away, wildly and freely.

“Aria? Is everything alright? I heard my bedroom door banged thrice- I mean three times.”

Oh no! Scarlet heard my “quiet” attempts on trying to crash the door and escape! How could she still hear me with a lack of ears??? Ugh, no matter. She’s always been annoying as Rebekkah and Miss Forrest who always tried to be a couple of super smart-alec observers that have fun expo-s-ing me and made me feel like I had done something wrong! Ok, maybe I could diss her off by pretending to know I have done nothing. Then she would leave me alone!

“Aria...I’m sorry for upsetting you. I just want to know that you’re doing fine...You won’t mind us cooking a feast for you tonight? I’m sure you would love the priceless honey we were going to use for the drinks!”

It sounded attractive to me, but I pretended to not hear what she said and held my breath, sitting as stiff as a Wailord bone with my back sticking close to the wall. I wouldn’t let her convince me to give up my escape plan on getting back to Mommy tonight, even with a dinner with my favourite honey. No matter how delicious a bottle of golden honey tasted, it would only taste best if I was with Mommy... Ughhh! Why did she have to make me sad again?? I felt like my mind was like boiling hot water, popping all those bubbles that contained memories between Mommy and me, and one of them was about honey…

Back at home, there weren't any so-called rules. Well, as long as Mommy was around. She used to let me roam around the meadows near our home with no limits, saying that it was our playground. I could run wherever I wanted to go, freer than a running Rapidash. I could keep hitting and pummeling those trees that were taller than those trashy things called “towers”, because no matter how tall they were, they would still not withstand and win against my rock-hard fists, and would finally break into halves. I could do exercises by climbing up the tree limbs and branches very quickly, so quick that even the faster Pachirisu that lived in the tree holes could only pant at me for being a better tree leaper than them with envy, and couldn’t stop me from picking their berry stashes along the way. The best part was every time after I finished playing around, Mommy could make Rebekkah, who tried to be the killjoy to make me feel bad for having fun, shut up with something like “Cmon Beckka! I’m sure tolerating a young fighter not following conventional training might yield better results!” or “I heard your mom really missed you loosening yourself just like you did as a kid” (I still didn’t know what “tolerating” and “conventional” meant, but they seem to be magic words that make Mommy so powerful against Rebekkah!), and then she would have no choice other than giving us my favorite food-- sweet sweet honey, freshly harvested from Combee hives (it was also funny to see Rebekkah being swollen like a Bulbasaur’s bulb except she was tomato red after having to grab honey for us, haha)! While we were slurping and sipping our honey, Mommy would exclaim how Daddy would be proud to see me getting muscles from all the honey and playtime outside…

Those were the good old days. Now Mommy was alone at home, far away from me. No more Daddy too. And worse, that bothersome Bisharp was preventing me from running like the wind. It wasn’t the first time Scarlet topped me like this. But I shouldn’t be too immersed in this pool of sadness, because I should be perking up my ears and listening to whether she had been gone...no sound?! I took a careful peek from the small door gap. There’s nobody there! The house was empty!!

Filled with excitement, I sparked with so much joy that I was able to kick down the dumb door with just one single kick! That loud CRASH of it falling was so satisfying! And since they left me alone, it means I could run and do anything I want! I could even make my escape! Haha!

Carefully tiptoeing through the empty kitchen, I quickly noticed how the upper box on the wall was left open and unattended. It must be the cabinet where they all stored expensive foods. I had been observing them doing that and they always said those food supplies had gotten them a lot of money. They really cared about food more than me, which was a good reason for me to run away. At least they forgot to close it. I then leaped onto the rectangular long table thing where they put all the cutting and chopping stuff, and whoosh! I used the small sieve net to capture and pull the small bottle of honey closer to me. It looked incredibly delicious but I came to my senses and told myself to be more aware of my surroundings. I tucked my ribbon to keep myself careful and focus; I had to be fast enough or else that annoying Lucario would notice me and I would not make it back to Mommy next morning.

Then, after immediately running out of the kitchen, I, equipped with my precious semi blue and pinkish purple bag with the honey bottle hidden inside, stood in front of the front door. It looked giant, but I didn’t get discouraged from its bullying size. Instead, with just a tiny hair clip that I used to screw its knob lock, it surrendered to me and had no choice but to give way for my grand exit. The house rule for locking the door when nobody is at home does not apply to me, for now... I could see the light of hope…and I once again tightened my ribbon happily...

No Lucario… no rules… more Mommy to relive the good old days…

FREEDOM WITH HONEY!!!

************Scarlet POV****************

“So… Anyone gonna rave over our procurement of ingredients for a welcoming feast for our adorable Aria?” I nervously chuckled, hoping that the evening sunlight shimmering through my steel armour could at least enter my friends’ eyes and spice up their mood after such a long day of choosing the best products that resulted in us carrying heavy bags.

But instead of giving out chortles or giggles, my lighthearted question didn’t raise any bright smiles or grins as intended. They all glared at me as if I was an irredeemable criminal. Aside from that, Mary Lee just had to spit right in my face: “You screwed up real badly with this new kid, Scarlet.”

“Guys!! C'mon! You really believe that I deliberately imposed the house grounding rule?! I had no other options! I couldn’t let Kung Fu die like that! He has a son to raise!” I anxiously moved my hands uncontrollably while struggling to explain my inner conflict, “Besides you cannot indulge your own children! I-“

“Problem is she’s not gonna understand your common sense even if you’re her new parent, pal,” Kung Fu finally groaned, “ Don’t get me wrong, I’m still grateful that you saved me when she went barbaric. But in all seriousness, you probably have pushed her past her limit.”

“How?” I tilted my head in frustration, while still curious on what he had to say.

“Children with extreme aggression, like Aria, have had a loose household where the parents were too lenient with them. She’s having difficulty adapting to our environment, which is full of regulations, and her huge ego doesn’t help as it prevents her from understanding the good in us. Even though I thought I was on the edge of dying after she hit me in the stomach, I vaguely witnessed how she was attempting to reach the knob when you were struggling to constrain her. It’s not something a meal can solve, let alone earning her trust,” he said with a frustrated sigh.

Sila the Sneasel agreed wholeheartedly with him and remarked, “Have you even noticed that Aria has been tucking up her ribbon all the time? We don’t know what such action means every time when she does that. But that’s quite an alarming precursor that she’s planning to escape. It’s only two weeks and she’s doing this more often than we thought.”

“Guys...thanks for the advice but I had been a sane guardian for her, practising and enforcing the household rules like normal parents do...it’s just...I have no idea what went wrong…I simply want her to be at bay and away from that stalking Lucario in the neighbourhood...” I felt like I was going to bawl my eyes out when I said that. I could tell how my kids were preparing their knife hands to catch my potential tears.

That was when Jennie finally spoke up, “That’s because she just wants people to be straightforward with her, through actions.” I was stunned, as Jennie normally wouldn’t say such a thing.

Until she reminded me, “You used to be like that too, although to a milder extent. You felt like we didn’t love you because you thought people in a new environment sucked. There had been a few instances that you intended to bash the door, because you missed home. You extended your blades to threaten us, but we have always known you meant no harm. You felt like our actions weren’t evident enough to show we care about you.”

Jennie was right. And Cuddles added, “And you telling her that you were readying the honey was pretty much gonna make her crave for home even more. She would definitely take it away with her at all costs just to taste the memory within.”

I was left frozen in shock, and the same for everyone else. It’s not often that Cuddles would actually spit some straight facts at me. I stood like a stiff statue and slightly clutching onto my paper grocery bag full of goods. I actually felt extremely regretful for not walking a mile in Aria’s feet, regardless of how much I had started to grow fond of her. She was just like my past self who first was taken to Kalos, struggling to adapt to a new and unfamiliar place, and most importantly just wanted someone to explain the drastic changes…her being a kid must’ve been having a harder time than I did...I must return to her before that dubious Lucario may get her...

“Psymie, you mind helping me carry my groceries first? Sorry to ask you a favour, but I need to fix my mistake and tell her that I’m not trying to trick her with a dinner and-“ Just as I handed Psymie who voluntarily levitated my groceries, I suddenly came into close contact with a memo note blown by the wind, and SLAP! It blew on my face!

“Ouch! What is this?! Who delivers a memo via the wind!” I complained in exasperation to the unknown sender of the memo, until I stared in astonishment at the messily scribbled words on the piece of paper.

“Oi, I saw that the rebellious rascal from your house has apparently run off on her own and left your door open. I also saw her with your expensive bottle of honey in her bag. Don’t fret, I’m gonna fetch her for you careless people. LOL! Don’t ask me where I am going after her! Be thankful for me! Haha!”

“Oh not that stalker of a Lucario again!” I clenched the paper in my palm with intense fury, “Regardless of how she’s not understanding me for now, I’m not letting him get close to Aria! Mary Lee and Kung Fu, come with me!”

***************Aria POV******************

Huff...huff...pant...pant… how much farther do I still have to go? I felt tired and free at the same time…”It’s only a few miles away! The straight lights being held by sticks will guide the way!” I tucked my ribbon and muttered to myself.

Without rules, I could explore wherever I wanted to! I then curiously turned my head to check my surroundings in different directions. Maybe this could help me recognize the colors of my old home. Pretty sure my natural adventure instincts were going to work! I took off my ribbon for a while, and decided to use it as my Mommy Detect Compass. Nobody can determine how I use my ribbon. Mommy gifted it to me to show how much she loves me, so it’s definitely going to sense her somewhere.

Spin...spin...spin. Aha! My ribbon landed on a direction...where I saw a super enormous house! Ahh! It had those broad and clear glass window looking doors, just like the ones back home! It also had a large backyard. Pretty sure it was the house’s boundless meadows, similar to the one I used to play with Mommy! Oh and I noticed that inside the house, there were varied colors of lights being lit up, with lots of bright green and blue! Mommy loves flashy colors that glow as shiny as those exotic orbs she decorated at home! Oh and most importantly, I saw a lady Lucario with blue-green eyes! She looked super beautiful, even more drop dead beautiful than the Milotic I used to admire from the big lake I visited before! My ribbon compass is so accurate!

With a strong heart-throbbing sensation of aura full of excitement that charged my entire tiny body, I darted across the road, feeling that I was overspeeding even the faster flash of lightning, and decided to bash the glass so that I could rush in and leap into Mommy’s arms. MOMMY I AM BACKKKKK-

“Kid, we NEVER have a rule that says you can trespass into our private property, quit banging our costly glass window-slide-doors already…” Said an unknown stranger who suddenly and rudely plucked me up with their beak-shaped hand, “Go home to your trainer.” Turned out that he wasn’t Rebekkah, which was both good and bad at the same time.

“But I saw my mommy!” I yelped and struggled, “I SAW HER! The one having blue eyes--”

The not-Rebekkah human groaned impatiently, “Kid, there also lacks a rule that a person looks like your mom is your mom. There are many lookalikes and it seems that you have mistaken my Lucario girl as your parent. Don’t disturb our raving.” They then flung me onto the grass, as a way of discouraging me for my efforts on searching for Mommy. My shock for such a revelation expanded when that Mommy-looking Lucario eyed me and refused to look at me any further. What have I done wrong?!

“Come on...come on...Mommy has gotta be somewhere near!” I muttered and began to fret, no matter how I wanted to hide how upset and nervous I felt. I still spun my ribbon as a compass again. Not giving up! Giving up is not part of my rules, if I ever had any of them-

Suddenly, I heard that irritating male noise right after my ribbon finished spinning. “Looks like a rule-less life gets you to nowhere, huh?” It was HIM again, that tall arrogant Lucario man! He continued to annoy me, “So, you’re just like a thief like your mother did to me. Stealing your grandmother, who was as sweet as honey, from me. Now hand it over to me.” He went on laying out one of his paws, with his other arm resting on part of his hip, then gestured his nubby fingers in order to force me to hand over that honey.

I had rarely felt a small surge of the aura of fear other than being forcefully sent away by Rebekkah, but at that moment, I didn’t know why I was feeling both angry and scared. That didn’t stop me from clutching onto my bag, “No! It’s not yours! I got it myself!” Besides, why did he know my grandma? Only Mommy told me about her! Why did he sound so familiar now?

But he didn’t want to stop pestering me either. I couldn’t get why he was getting more furious than before. It got more confusing when he said with gritting teeth, “Wimp, have you ever learned the rule that when one is demanding you to hand something over, you are supposed to follow? Guess I have to apply brute force.” All of a sudden, he rudely pushed me down as if I was his punching bag, and stole my bag away from me! And he even had the dare to simply grab the bottle out of it! I hate him so much!

I was also enraged too, so I dashed and hit him right in his ankle. “Go away! Give it back to me!!!! You’re not preventing me from going home with a valuable gift for Mommy! Get off! Get off!” However, he laughed at me nastily with a bellow instead of following how I wanted him to move away from my way, “You’re not going home anytime soon, kid! Do you know why?”

“I don’t know, other than you being a jerk blocking my way!!!” I yelled furiously, hoping that his ears would explode. But rather being frightened by my powerful yell…

...He suddenly and swiftly clutched me with his spare hand. I couldn’t react because I was too shocked to understand why. His pearly-whites gave me unexpected shivers and he shouted at me in the manner of a mean victor, “An immature Nickit like you would only shove the blame onto others when you were disobeying the rules and ended up getting caught. Do you wanna know why you are never getting closer to home and instead recognize the wrong house?? Because you were never looking carefully at the road signs above you, dimwit!!! Hahahaha!! In fact, I know that your original home is miles and miles away, and coupled with you being a ruler breaker, you’re going nowhere and that’s why you have come across me! Now finders keepers, losers weepers! This honey is mine!!!”

Worse still, I felt how he happily raised his hand up, seemingly higher above the sky. Then surges of horror filled my blood, when he gave me a cruel smile...and the force was so strong that within a short time, I painfully got tossed into the boundless air… At that moment, my mind and body felt extreme pain at the same time...and for so long, something intangible called “regret” was slowly eating up my fighting spirit...was I going to die earlier than Mommy and never get to meet her again? Should I have listened to the things I hate which are called the rules? Maybe I shouldn’t have ventured...Maybe I shouldn’t have gotten the honey bottle...I still couldn’t figure out who this Lucario is, but he was making me die inside...Maybe I should’ve looked carefully at the so-called road signs and I wouldn’t die-

“Aria!”

Huh? What was that familiar psychic force lifting me up in midair? My eyes slowly twitched and lowered… WAIT?! Why would Scarlet, the bossy Bisharp, ever bother to save me with her odd powers?! I thought she was gonna finish me off for not following the rules!

“Scarlet!! Back off!” Yelled her Steenee “teammate”, “YOU’RE TOO WEAK AGAINST FIGHTING TYPES!”

That Mienfoo, Kung Fu joined her lead, “Yeah you at a 4x disadvantage against that humanoid dog! Don’t bite off more than you can chew, pal!”

Yeah I knew they were gonna be unsupportive to me with their bad blood, no less, and Scarlet would listen to her. I was the one at fault, and nobody would care about me...and Mommy wasn’t here to help me…I could totally eye how the Lucario jerk was smirking at me…

But then… “Mary Lee, Kung Fu, what about the rule of protecting an injured comrade, especially a family member?”

She...was being soft to me...even she is not Mommy?

“Mary Lee, Kung Fu, you two can care less about the honey. Just escort Aria, I’m gonna distract this troublemaker.”

She...was helping me...as a rule? Why would she help me like Mommy did? No! Stop rethinking that memory that was related to me running around and almost getting killed when I was much younger...that memory was really painful...it was already bad enough that Lucario blamed Mommy for letting me play all I want only because I accidentally stepped into his backyard “territory”... I couldn’t believe that back then he had the guts to punch Mommy till red liquid spouted from her mouth and nose...that is why I hate him so much…and I just also wanted to forget the other memory when the Lucario made me get punished by Rebekkah only because I didn’t listen to her and had to rush into the deepest forest...that had been why I hated following rules, because they made me feel guilty...I felt like I couldn’t catch on with every single one of them, and they couldn’t make me get stronger and protect Mommy either…

But why was I feeling extremely hurt when I had to watch Scarlet getting repeatedly kicked as if she was a useless PokeBall that nobody needed? She was screaming over and over with discomfort...She rolled continuously and stumbled on the ground with many falls, her blades hitting the rugged ground loud and clear... If she wasn’t somebody I was supposed to like...then why did I keep thinking she was like Mommy who kept getting injured again and again, just to rescue me from not following the rules?

And...why is she not giving up? Why would she keep standing up even with little energy? Why does she look so brave and glaring at that Lucario? She has no intention of backing down even though she’s at a huge disadvantage, so intense that even the Lucario had his jaw dropped in slow-mo and shock onto the floor?

And...WHY DID SHE EVER BOTHER TO BITE HIS FOOT WITH SO MUCH FORCE FROM HER TEETH?!

*********************Scarlet POV****************

I could barely stand up… but I managed to struggle onto my feet after suffering constant beatings from such an advantageous opponent...I...I couldn’t...believe..myself...that I...broke my...passive approach rule… and...bit the stalker. From the day that I grasped the very concept of how rules work, I had never bitten anyone. However, I had always imposed myself another rule of protecting whoever is in a desperate plight, so...maybe my response was right to this rule? But I also had imposed myself another rule of NEVER applying violence in front of a juvenile...so had I violated this anti-violence rule?

“Holy sugar-honey-iced-tea, Scarlet! I know you like sticking to the rules, but please! Cease being so rigid already! You would have cost your life if you lacked the quick wit to maul his frail foot!” Yelled Mary Lee hysterically from afar which startled me greatly and instantly dragged me back to reality, “It’s not about rules of being anti-violent! It’s about doing the right thing for Aria! Quit beating yourself up! Just look at her!”

Kung Fu supported Mary Lee’s argument by pointing resolutely at Aria who was cowering in guilt. Sometimes, I gotta admit that Mary Lee really speaks the right things through her straight gut. They were conveying the crucial message of standing in Aria’s feet for a mile, rather than being hyper-fixated with rules for now. Right now, Aria was solemnly standing from not too faraway, her nervous hand clutching onto her semi-crumbly ribbon. She seemed to have tried fixing it just now.

On top of that, she, albeit quietly and gingerly, apologized to me for the first time while eyeing at her bag that I was holding which had its bottom filled with honey, “I’m sorry...Sorry for taking your honey and breaking the bottle on accident...and that you had to rescue me like this...Scarlet.” Sniffling, she continued in a sheepish but also trembling voice, “There were reasons why I refused to follow rules and found you annoying, sorry about that...I’m just not used to them, my m- umm...didn’t need me to obey, and yes, I love freedom. Following rules reminds me of Rebekkah, and I always got made fun of by the neighbor- ummm… and I always feel defeated because I failed doing so before, and scary sad stuff happened to um...m-... she really bled so hard.”

She stuttered for a few times and glossed over a few names, but I could comprehend what those vague names referred to. Not just that Lucario, but also...likely a mother that she might not want me to know. However, that mother wasn’t something that I should poke my head into, and instead of being furious with the ruined honey, I decided the best to do was to admit how I used to be in a similar mindset as well. Maybe that would build up some mutual trust, that is more important than some honey that you can buy anywhere at the grocery store.

So I took a deep breath, and said gently, “Aria. I admit that I got a bit too pushy rather unintentionally with the rules, without knowing that you weren’t used to them and have rather bad experiences. You may continue to believe me as a rule-stickler, which is understandable. But when I got moved to a new place, like you did, I refused to obey my Trainer, Jennie. I was too caught up in my sadness and anger of being away from a familiar surrounding, because I had already lost someone in my family back at my old home. I lashed out at them all the time and acted the opposite of what she told me, as I found it hard to accept new things. However, this is normal, it just needs some time and things will get better if you let us help explaining stuff. We’ll gladly clear your confusion and sorry that I shoved the importance of rules down your throat when you couldn’t figure out their purposes.”

For the first time since she arrived at our team...Aria actually bashfully smiled. She added, “I finally know why you have the rules of never taking things away and running off with it. Thank you for telling me.”

And for once before we headed back home, I let her hop on and sit on my shoulder, and returned a smile to her, “Thank you for being honest with me, Aria, and I’m always glad to explain more to you. Come with us, I'm sure everyone is waiting for us, including you.”

That stalker Lucario might be still on the way to get us, considering how I fiercely bit his ankle...that’s for sure. But I could tell my relationship with Aria had taken a baby step which can help us fight back. All thanks to our newfound understanding of each other’s feelings.

Chapter Text

***************Scarlet POV***************

“Here’s the daycare I’ve been mentioning! Ready to meet the special guy, kiddos??” I raised my pitch to hype up the four kids’ mood, even though I had visited this very daycare on and off for most parts of my life ever since I officially moved to Kalos. My triplets- Vikki-Toria, Beryl and Poniard- got pumped up and springing up and down with infantile joy every time we got to visit here, so excited that even though the daycare’s abode in the area had always been the plain white house with a green roof, they never felt bored looking at it. In fact, my kids were beyond overjoyed and were all ready to sprint into the wide open yard to meet our special someone...except for Aria.

It had been around a month since Aria joined us, I assume, and ever since we had a mutual accommodation with our household rules, we had gotten...a bit closer, and she had become slightly more obedient. But in normal life, I knew there had still been a gaping hole between us. It wasn’t the first time that Aria had been absent around me and my kids, and right now her eyes are wandering around, observing pairs of parents with their respective children strolling delightedly at the daycare area. There had been quite a few instances that when I was walking with her on the streets, she suddenly stopped her pace and couldn’t help but stare blankly at couples who were having fun with their kids. Her stares were so enviously empty and sad that those moms and dads all avoided her upon meeting her eye to eye, and I had always reckoned that something was off with her, judging by how she lowered her head and tucked her ribbon afterwards. I know how desperately she had been yearning for a complete family, and it seemed like she was dissatisfied with me not providing this wish she had been yearning for, no matter how many times I told her that my kids are always okay with that until my saliva had run dry.

I can’t give Aria the wrong impression that I’m a single mom who cannot supply what she hopes for. Since today was Father’s Day, it was the perfect moment for me to tell her I have a man with me and he can provide her security. Just hoped that his enthusiasm wouldn’t go overboard…

************Aria POV**************

I used to love daycares. But right now, I found Scarlet being inconsiderate and stupid on bringing me here. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t fully like her but I don’t fully hate her! I know that she was trying to make me feel like her child, and I like how she had saved me last time, but there were reasons why I was reluctant to tag along. Firstly, she gave me the impression that she was as pushy as Rebekkah who tended to insist me to travel to places I did not plan to come along, such as separating me from Mommy by taking me to this strange town where everyone was being too friendly (it’s not as unfamiliar as before but whatever). The second reason though...it had been quite personal...How should I start...I envy the kids and their mommies and daddies. Their mommies looked happy with their daddies.

From the moment I met Scarlet’s three children, I immediately knew that they had been happy not because they appreciated their “single” mom, but because...they had a hidden daddy, especially judging their immense joy and hopping on the daycare’s grasses. Couldn’t believe Scarlet was stupid enough to think I regard her as single. That had been why I couldn’t connect with her.

However, Mommy was the one who had been actually single...ever since Daddy...got beaten down and never got up...after being beaten up by that Lucario...but that wasn’t my main focus. The fact is nobody could replace Daddy in Mommy’s heart as a VIP. Except me. And the same applied to me. I don’t want someone to replace my daddy, Mommy had already been lonely enough after I had to leave home I guess, and-

“Big sister Aria!!” Vikki-Toria was annoying enough to pull me forcefully back to reality...and I couldn’t believe who her younger siblings were being held with when she dragged me with her odd powers (she must’ve learned from her mom, but whatever)...

A dark blue armoured Bisharp. Then Scarlet gleefully walked towards him, gave a kiss on his face and chirped like a bird, “Hey Aria! This is what VT (Vikki-Toria) and her siblings had been wanting to show you! Your new father, Dagger!” VT even added an unnecessary remark, “Daddy looks handsome, right?”

Handsome? More like...WHAT THE ACTUAL F****. Why does he have to be a Bisharp? I'm fine with Scarlet, but not HIM. If he looked like my Daddy, then that would totally be a mere pass for me. First impression, unfortunately, was that he looked tremendously ugly to me. Scarlet, don’t tell me that being blue means that he can replace Mommy’s best love.

For some sort of reasons... my chest felt immense pain when his red eyes. It only built up its degree when I felt the snickering aura of the Lucario nearby. I just...didn’t want to meet him at all, no matter how he grinned at me with his pearly-whites. New...Daddy...for Mommy...this couldn’t be real… I tightened my ribbon and reminded myself that I wouldn’t accept such a drastic and sh*** change for my Mommy. “She’s definitely gonna wail in horror and pain if she ever sees him at plain sight,” I muttered quietly to myself. So I turned my back, and excused myself, “Scarlet, I’m going home. Bye.” Pretty certain that if I got rid of him ASAP, then the Lucario would stop bothering me for being a Mommy-less kid and Mommy and I will be happily ever after, as long as I managed to figure out which road sign is which. Besides, that Dagger of Scarlet looked quite dumb with his unnatural grin and he would be too shocked that I was running away faster than him and the only smart thing for him to do was not being able to catch up with me-

Except that Dagger was too dumb to know how desperate I wanted him to go away. I couldn’t believe that he bothered to stand up and chase me from behind when I briefly swivelled my head to check my back! And it was totally unnecessary and annoying for him to shout- “ ARIA!!!! Don’t do that to your dad! Gimme a hug!” Horrified, I charged myself quicker and quicker while tugging my ribbon at the same time. I can never forget who my actual family is…

“Aria! Don’t do that to your daddy!” “Aria, give your daddy a hug…” “Aria...this is your daddy…” Echoes. Echoes. More echoes. More painful. I kept recalling how I met Daddy for the first time. Mommy was beyond happy. She was never lonely. When I was fearfully darting away, she kept reminding me to quit doing that to Daddy, but she wasn’t angry with her voice’s tone. When I obeyed, she and Daddy were shining like the sun...she was even more content… with him… and me…

But now… she is lonely and...CLASP! That dummy Dagger caught up with me with his ridiculously huge palms. Such cold steel. I used all m y might to squirm out of this grasp but to no avail. How heartless that he wouldn’t let me go! Mmmppphhh! He thought he could steal Daddy’s place in Mommy’s heart as my “new Dada”, bruh, not so easy!

“Sorry Aria...Dagger...he loves his children, and is eager to warm up to you…spend some time with him and you’ll get used to him!” Scarlet approached me and meekly apologized, with tons of sweats on her steel face that heated her up. That was surely a lot of sweat for a cold Pokemon like Bisharp.

Scarlet, don’t think you can apply “single mom” as an excuse to give me a new Daddy for my Mommy. First things first, you’re not my Mommy yet, so you cannot make daddy choices for me! Secondly, watching how the Lucario was laughing me from a discreet bush, it made me feel Mommy’s loneliness had been mocked at by this bastard. Things for Mommy had already been bad enough for her. I couldn’t bear imagining her loads of tears. I bet she would be totally fine if I was strong enough to break free from those big hands of Dagger’s. And I would feel totally fine...too...for the longest time...after Daddy was gone… I wouldn’t mind being the Daddy myself...I wouldn’t…

**********Scarlet POV****************

It was evening, the shimmering sunlight glistening on me and my family’s armours...except for Aria, who’s a puppy. But to Dagger and I, it was all talk and no play, so I spare our kids for their own free time and then immediately dragged Dagger away from the scene so that we could have some private discussions regarding he and Aria’s issues behind the old tree, considering how Aria was going to reject him anyway. I needed to get straight to the roots of their mutual misunderstanding.

“Babe, don’t drag my arm!” Moaned Dagger childishly, showing how he was reluctant to comply, “It feels like it is on the edge of dislocating or dispatching already! Besides, I don’t see anything wrong-”

What a manchild he is, despite how we indispensably love each other.

“We totally have screwed up!” I scowled frustratedly at him, almost rolling my eyes, “Have you figured out that her face is getting more sullen than ever? We, especially you, aren't fulfilling what she seems to yearn for!” By the time we hid ourselves from the kids’ sight behind the old tree of the daycare, I already felt like my face was becoming tomato red.

“Seriously babe, you’re the one making a fuss outta nothing,” this time it was Dagger childishly rolling his eyes, “you gave me this awesome duty twice, and I’m definitely thankful for it! I don’t get why you are throwing a tantrum when you are two years older than me and you know I take longer to get the ropes.”

“That’s why you better listen up,” I refrained myself from further groaning, “you wanna figure out what had you done which resulted in messing up with Aria’s feelings?” At least Dagger understood my authority and let out a sigh, allowing me to explain detailedly.

“Okay, remember how we tried to help Aria familiarize with the daycare? It wasn’t the first time she was gazing longingly at the parents who are all temporarily residing at your home. She was quite restlessly scanning the entire area, like a Fletchling who lost its parent Talonflame, to the point when she began to tighten her ribbon as stress relief. You? Just hanging around with the triplets by letting them swing your arm! They were luckily perceptive enough to know Aria was feeling like an outcast and were all nudging you about it. But you were so dense that rather than interacting with her one on one, you insisted her to arm-swing you!! What kind of logic is this??!!”

“I thought kids could bond with people or us through intimate contacting! That’s why I got to know our children!” He couldn’t contain himself and argued back.

“Does the case of you trying to force feed her with a huge spoon when we were having supper? It was obvious that she was cringing badly when you were feeding our triplets! Her eyebrows were so damn close together that could almost squash a fly! Looking at you just simply changed her mind of having an appetite, and your enthusiastic insistence wasn’t helping. She literally smashed your spoon and ran off faster than lightning.”

“I know! I know! It’s just that don’t ladies love being fed?! You love that too! Don’t be a hypocrite!” Dagger raised his voice. That was when I suddenly sensed rustling behind the bushes and a strong odour of a male canine. The particular He was on the strike again!

“Ok Dagger dear, no more excuses for you! I’m getting straight to the point! Do you know why I want you to quit doing all these stereotypical nonsense, get yourself and be a proper dad?” I leaned closer to him and attempted to muffle his mouth with both of my hands, before proceeding to warn him with a whisper, “Aria is different, as she isn’t born within us. What you had been doing is only going to drive her away, because you cannot provide her a sense of security from a stalking Lucario!! This is not how she probably interacted with her birth family! Riolu are hypersensitive, okay? I still dunno what does she exactly mean by constantly tugging her ribbon, but certainly you’re forcing her to break her last straw judging by this action’s frequency every instance you tried to snuggle or smooch her-“

It was when Dagger all of a sudden threw a fit and blurted his blatant perspective. “ENOUGH! Stop shoving all the fault onto me!!! Understanding her feelings isn’t my mandatory voluntary work!!!” His voice was unusually loud that it reached far and wide in our vicinity, so loud that I was shocked to watch how the kids had their attention drawn, particularly Aria who had her face twisted with immense discomfort upon hearing Dagger’s tantrum. I couldn’t believe Dagger could care less about attracting the potential stalker Lucario as he continued to raise his voice, “Do you know how she didn’t bother to take the first step? Do you know how she has been expecting me to grasp her standards?? I’m not a mind reader like you! I took steps whereas she didn’t!”

This was when the originally private situation became public and took an ugly dive. Judging by Aria’s exacerbating uncomfortableness, coupled with her excessive ribbon tugging, she had overheard us even if she didn’t want to. Dagger just had to make it worse though, “She didn’t even bother to accept me when I shifted my attitude for her while you weren’t aware, babe! Alternatively, she kept shunning me away, like when I saw her gazing at the sunset absently when Kalam, my trainer bro, was cooking us supper, so I wanted to spice her mood up with a spicy joke, only to get rebuffed! That’s really unfair! How am I supposed to understand what she likes or dislikes?? She really shouldn’t have come here if she hates me so much, just tell her to get back to her Lucario father-”

“HE IS NOT MY DADDY AND YOU ARE NOT MINE EITHER! AND I HAVE NO DADDY! UNDERSTAND?!”

Both of us froze, while the rustling bushes had a gradual raising snicker. We then raised our heads to the tree’s canopy, and there was Aria...between the limbs and branches. She was there the entire time...and her emerald eyes had switched to red, like how alexandrites change at night.

Then Aria furiously leaped down from the tree in a flash, eyes now filled with welling tears of rage and yelled at Dagger so loudly that many residents had evacuated from the area. “I KNOW YOU ARE GOING TO SELL ME OUT! You know that stalker!!! You justify yourself for being so overbearing by pretending to be my daddy!! Now that guy is off to get me!!! I hate you!!! Don’t you stop me from going somewhere else!”

The poor Riolu then eyed at me, apparently blaming me for putting her through this chaos, believing that I had forced her to do something she never wanted- her now red alexandrite pupils were spilling out with fiery agitation, anger and insecurity. Then within a fleeting second, she dashed herself into the backwoods, so swift that we didn’t have our time to figure out where she was heading…

We had totally messed up.

*******************Aria POV*****************

The Mommy-being-happy-with-Daddy memories began to flicker more and more frequently in my tint brain as I bolted more and more nimbly. It felt like it was going to give me a seizure. I couldn’t believe I had to get through a garbage “replacement daddy” phase for half of the day. All these crap experiences only caused me to become more and more eager to get back to Mommy...even though I had a strange sensation that I might miss Scarlet if I really made it back home which can shock Rebekkah.

The more my memories of Daddy being with Mommy flickered… learning to climb trees...learning Aura Sphere...learning to kick and punch...each of them contained the element of joy. Every time when I succeeded in each lesson he taught me...Mommy’s curve always went upwards.

I truly wished Daddy could’ve stayed longer. It was regretful to recall when I first encountered him, I mistook him as a replacement for Mommy. In fact, Mommy informed me that I was incredibly pissed at him and snarled at him for a few times, for that his visits when I was super young were few and far in between. However, as time went on, he started to come to Mommy’s side more and more often. Every time she met him, she had a broad smile, shinier than the ball of sun. It was when I finally realized Daddy was, as Mommy referred, her one and only man. And if Mommy referred to him as hers, then he’s pretty much mine as well. If I could impress Daddy, then it was just the same of brightening Mommy up… and this was reaffirmed when one day Daddy came to visit. He watched me roaming around in the meadows, and then he stopped me and asked me what my goal was, judging that I had been a “care-free” girl. I was super honest with my answer- “I would be the strongest fighter as powerful as you and make Mommy the most delighted mommy in the world!” And then Mommy smiled when Daddy handed me his special stone… she had the best smile in the entire universe...because I made Daddy proud of me and smiled at her… I wish this could continue forever...until when he was finished off by that Lucario who had been inferior than him…

Right now, I had enough with the disappointment of having to waste my time with a Daddy replacement! Hate to admit that, but screw you Scarlet! I would rather hurry my way back home and surprise Mommy in joy out of the blue, for I would be in the Daddy role-!

OUCH!!! Who was the owner of that loser leg! What a nuisance to prevent me from playing Daddy and make Mommy happy!

“Still ‘soul-searching’ for your long lost father, huh?” Came a taunting male voice.

I instantly recognised it right off the bat. “SHUT UP! My daddy isn’t gone! He’s just out there!” I played cool to diss him off.

But...he was uncannily unconvinced. “Quit deceiving yourself, simpleton. You’ll never retrieve him back to your moronic mother.”

He looked the same as the foe who gazed upon Daddy’s unmoving body on that day… when I realized I had to play the daddy role even prior to being separated from Mommy. If nobody is her “daddy”, then she’ll never cheer up… but I felt like I was connecting the dots between him and the one that was cold towards Daddy’s gone and Mommy’s tears…

“And I am glad that you have dodged a bullet. He, the shiny ladykiller, doesn’t deserve you, and you ditched him too. This means you have no room for Dads. This explains why he had died. Serves it right for your moronic mother.” He...dared to insult Mommy as unworthy for a daddy!

“Besides your whole family is a line of robbers. Your grandfather robbed your grandma-who was supposed to be mine- from me, so basically your mother who is a descendant of a thief like him deserves no spouse. Oh and as for you, even after you have dodged a new one, you can never retrieve your past parent back. That’s a fateful punishment. Hahaha!”

What the gibberish was he mumbling about?! But Daddy was the best! He made Mommy smile! It was just hard to accept a new one! I was just missing Daddy like Mommy does!

This wouldn’t change the fact I would be playing the daddy role when I managed to reach home again. I tugged my ribbon. Daddy always encouraged me to do that as he told me that Mommy found it cutely encouraging whenever I did that.

“Aha! You are picking a fight with me, aren’t you?” Snorted the boorish Lucario.

“So what, jerk?? I would still be reaching at my doorstep at no time!” I thought resolutely and gave him a gesture. I didn’t care how provoked his facial expression was, regardless of him turning himself into a plump red tomato. I couldn't wait to pummel until his juice may burst from his explosion.

Aha! I saw his straight kick coming from a mile away! Within just seconds, I managed to swiftly dodged myself when he was aiming for my head. There came another whoosh whoosh punch, but easy peasey! Another nimble dodge to the other side! If I was able to apply what Daddy had taught me, then pretty much i could take up the Daddy role and make Mommy the happiest in the world----

“You’re such an arrogant twerp! Now take THIS!” He mocked me out of the blue.

Huh?! His fist was getting an effect of slowly becoming coated with metal! I couldn’t instantly figure out what it was called, but since Daddy taught me about this, I would be countering it just fine and Mommy from the other side would be proud of me! Totes fine for me-

Just as I was about to optimize a deflective punch that Daddy once taught me (and also approved by Mommy) against the jerk though...

KAPAW!!

It was an unexpected stomach blow, and I bounced a few inches to the back...our eyes met...and he was full of triumph via his smirk whereas I was clutching my stomach like a loser. Impossible! I learned that from Daddy! It was always useful until now! No, I wouldn’t be backing down so easily like a coward! Time to numb him with an electric Force Palm!

But just as I focused my forceful palm at the focal point of his face...he reacted quicker than the speed of light and blocked my hand with his clutch on my wrist!! It hurt especially when I had to extend my arm in a still position forced by him! This was when I realized he was looking so familiar and dangerous. I knew that last time he tossed me into midair...however, I sensed the familiarity of such a combat strategy. It happened that Daddy was going to palm him when his hand was clasped by his opposing kind.

Before I could react...he turned the table around. With just one foot, he pinned me onto the ground firmly, and despite my struggles, I couldn’t break free from his confinement...and all of a sudden, the situation became more discouraging than ever. He just had to add salt to my wound...

“You’re just as arrogant and foolhardy as your father. Can’t believe you’ve vowed to take after him and want to be as ‘strong’ as him. He thought blindly practising and aiming for a one track goal could lead to success, but whoopsie-daisy! Turns out only the witty ones can survive in this cutthroat competition of the world and the weaklings like him are culled. Since you’re blindly worshipping him like your moronic mother, it looks like you’re bound to be doomed. At least you have rejected your substitute parents, so you can leave with dignity.”

I kept repeating my mantra: “I CAN DO THIS.” But my hands were too frail to reach my feeler’s ribbon to encourage myself...they were too worn out from the fight we had… I couldn’t believe I, even trying to take on the Daddy role, wasn’t strong enough to retaliate against him… he for some reasons had known all my tricks… he was like the killer of Daddy...I could only imagine Mommy sorrowfully tearing up for me… I could never go home-

“Dagger! Don’t barge into this crisis! Devise a precise plan first! That Lucario-!” - Wait..! Was that Scarlet?

“Babe! I’m not leaving Aria alone to die in the hands of a stalker! I know you think the same! Aside from that, I would like to make amends with her!” It was Dagger struggling to run towards me.

Impossible! I thought he sold me out to this pretty-much-Daddy-killer already! Why would he bother to help?! I shook my head to reassure myself that him to the rescue was just a fever dream.

Until he said… “I once messed up when I first met our kids, right? I’m not repeating this mistake worse! I want to give back the security she deserves!”

I could notice how Scarlet didn’t hold him back...and within a fleeting second...he stormed forward like any soldier would and said, “Scarlet! Tell our triplets not to worry about us and go get Aria!”

“You are eager to go on a disadvantageous hand-on-hand combat, ha!” Taunted the Lucario.

But he was unfazed by the taunt and remained his stand resolutely. Without hesitation, he immediately darted forward like the quill of an arrow bird, and impressively blocked quite a few fists from the Lucario. Decisively, he launched himself and did a ninja run to confuse the Lucario in circles. This was effective enough to cause the Lucario to see stars already. With his consistent slashes, Lucario was already in circles and getting frustrated. I never imagined Dagger being brave...I used to underestimate him like I did to Daddy...

Of course, Dagger didn’t refrain himself from committing a cocky mistake. “I bet I can still take you down with a moon door!” His arms and hands formed a tight grasp at the Lucario’s neck, hoping to stop Lucario from breathing too much. Though Lucario was much swifter, narrowly dodging his confinement and whoosh! He was kicked in the groins, and would have collapsed if it wasn’t Scarlet giving him a push to get back on his feet. So much like Daddy...he got cocky sometimes...

It was when I realized I didn’t need to take on the daddy role myself to make Mommy happy. The very memory in the deepest of my mind-I know it’s called the “subconsciousness” now- it was when he protected Mommy and me for the last time, acting strong on the battlefield. He was already struggling to the point of pretty much losing, and his feet were loosening their grip on the ground against the Lucario. His eyes were filled with hope for me...him not wanting me to burden myself I reckon. Was that what he wanted for me to make Mommy happy, even though nobody can replace him, and he had been near me in another form?

“Scar babe! Do your signature finishing blow!” He firmly ordered Scarlet who willingly cooperated to his command. With one devastating Psychic that sent Lucario for a mile away, Scarlet and Dagger sustained themselves from their injuries. Of course, Lucario didn’t seem to have any sign of giving up; he wanted to continue to play his silly game and was edging to get close to them when they were trying painfully to stand up. No… this reminded me of Mommy being slashed by a wild Bisharp, but I couldn’t stop myself from pitying them! I couldn’t let that happen again!

Glows generated and crackled from my palms. Lucario was too distracted. Now time for a Force Palm!!!!

SLAM! Lucario was paralyzed!

I couldn’t believe Dagger cared about my feelings for the first time....”Thanks Aria!” before he finally clasped onto the Lucario, causing the latter to faint. I guess...I don’t have to burden myself with a daddy role…

*********Scarlet POV***************

“I cannot believe it…” Dagger was rapidly panting with immense astonishment while sweeping the dust away from his body, “Aria ran away but then helped us… and holy s* that Lucario is real!”

“I wasn’t kidding you about this, dear,” I said while being helped by our triplets to stand up, “last time Aria attempted the same running away, and I came face to face with this pretentious stalker who had fooled everyone except me and my squad. Really terrifying experience. I wouldn’t blame Aria though, it’s just-“

“No...I should be saying sorry..” Aria whimpered, “It was me being selfish only because I thought Dagger wasn’t good enough as my Daddy...I thought he was going to replace mine to make Mommy happy and I would never be able to go home…I even thought he sold me out...”

This time, Aria was more honest with the “M” person she mentioned last time after I narrowly saved her. It turned out that they were her mother. She proceeded, “I actually had a hard time adjusting not due to Dagger being heartless or anything bad...I just missed my d...Daddy...I wanted to be like him to make Mommy happy...but he is gone...so as Mommy’s closest person, I wanted to take up the Daddy role to cheer Mommy up...it’s just that Dagger got a bit too overbearing and…” She struggled to articulate, but I could instantly pick up the fact that she had lost a relative already, and just wanted to enlighten her mother, only to mistake Dagger, who was embarrassedly and shamefully blushing in the background, as someone to replace her Dad and most importantly her own importance. Poor girl...must’ve suffered a lot in her age.

“Aria, I used to have similar sentiments.” I empathized with her, hoping to tell her that having a new family member won’t spell getting replaced, “I only felt like I belonged to a certain someone, and it is a normal phase for us who have to switch families.”

“Really?” She was curious.

I took a brief breather, then gestured to Dagger to come closer to me, “I used to be a lonely maiden who lost my family twice. My original family was...done after the untimely passing of my parents-I’ll get to that later, and I was empty and craving for a role for myself after its dismantling, and decided to make myself the “Mom/Big Sister” position even after being exiled to make myself look strong enough. Long story short...Things got quite rough when I first encountered my adoptive mother and sister, who were a Gothitelle and Gothorita respectively- I wasn't able to loosen up for quite a long time, because like you who miss your parents...I didn’t want my own mother and sisters to get replaced in my heart. But spending time with them, regardless how brief it was, has taught me a lifelong lesson- having new family members doesn’t mean that your old ones will be replaced, it is more about you learning to find love within different parental figures in life. Without trying, you will never find who you really care the most…”

Dagger blushed at me again, this time in shyness. Watching his reaction, Aria tilted her head and crossed her arms to contemplate my words, while also looking at me and yearning for more details of my backstory. “You mean...I can put down the Daddy role and Mommy will still be happy for me to accept him as my daddy?” Her hand was tentatively attempting to touch Dagger’s thumb. To give her the push she needed and wanted, I said…

“Yes.”

Aria subsequently gave me a smile of relief, and worked up her courage to give Dagger’s hand the first touch. I eyed the Lucario for a second. Although he was unconscious for now, he might be able to feel our auras and strike back with a vengeance, as our bonding might spoil his unknown yet budding plan of stalking- I did hear him vaguely mentioning Aria’s father with different negative adjectives when Dagger and I were hurrying to save Aria during the beginning of his attack. It showed that he had a past with her and is getting more and more threatening. But while the six of us were leaving the forestry area, watching how Aria had taken the first step on reaching out to her new parental figure, even though she wasn’t ready for me yet, I knew together with a new father for Aria, she can pull it through with us.

Chapter Text

***********Scarlet POV***********

“Can’t believe we’re here again! Alola!” Exclaimed Jennie in elation, waving her hand at her approaching friend Jasminka who was exiting from the bungalow. It was our regular Alola visitation again, and all of us knew clearly that we couldn’t hold our excitement any longer from our chests, because it meant getting the chance to watch an annual festive event that is Alola’s highlight--the Pancake Race! Among our team, the children-Manon the Sneasel, Rinko the Pichu, my Pawniard triplets-were, as usual, the jumping beans, all eager to win Jennie’s attention ranging from puppy dog eyes to showing off their muscles with audible onomatopoeia as a way to convince Jennie to enrol any one of them into the competition list, and even the normally precocious Tanzanite the shiny Alolan Vulpix would drop her serious demeanor by rolling herself over to woo Jennie with her soft abdomen just to win a spot. But another thing that accompanied the children’s brimming joy was…

...Aria’s fecklessness. Her green eyes were drooping and half-obscured by her eyelids, pretending to fall asleep. I noticed that she tucked her ribbon with both paws and groaned in annoyance at her peer’s exhilaration, and eyed rather frustratedly at my triplets. She then looked me in the eye grumpily and asked, “They’re going to win the center of the attention again, aren’t they?”

Mary Lee was about to interject an inappropriate “So what?” to challenge Aria, but I was quick enough to grab my Steenee friend and shut her mouth up. I knew that this particular question was a dart aimed at me and was about my triplets. Her shadow, which slowly emerged under the sunrays, was a manifestation of her jealousy.

Aria had been living under my wing for around 3-4 months now. She was getting a bit lightened up ever since accepting household rules and accepting Dagger who had promised her to strive and become a better dad for her, smiling a bit more often around me...as long as my triplets weren’t by my side. Whenever Dagger and I brought her and my triplets- Vikki-Toria, Beryl and Poniard- on excursions, such as learning how to fish in shallow yet rapid waters, her smile always faded away, and she would prefer keeping to herself, like distancing herself away from us and tightening her own ribbon to cope with being alone. When I tried inviting her to join the fun of fishing that time, she faked a rather wry smile and told me to just play with my kids, as she believed she was fine being alone or better off with the fish instead of hanging out with “peers better than her at this scope”. Still uncertain about the underlying tone of the peers part she mentioned to me, I really had been desperately hoping that she wouldn’t be having surges of insecurities all over again, but simultaneously it might be reasonable for her to feel lonely amid a group of siblings…

I once ruminated, “Maybe Aria likes my kids, but on account of being unfamiliar with them even when all of us (Dagger counts, since we visit each other from time to time) have been living under the same roof, she probably has to force herself to adjust with a group dynamic, particularly she was much older than the triplet for 3-4 years apparently...that must be why she had been tying her ribbon for self entertainment, I guess...she must be wanting some group activities to start interacting with them, since maybe she was from not only a loose family but also a rather lonely one too, she must’ve been the only child for ages and must be yearning for lifelong companionship…”

Hmmm, if I hadn’t recalled any part of my memory wrong, she had been looking at the poster about the upcoming Pancake Race in Jennie’s hand before she walked off solemnly. It must’ve been the group activity that she had been yearning for, and pretty sanguine that she had made the correct choice, since the Pancake Race, according to reliable news sources, had been spiced up with the teamwork that everyone had waited on their edges- the relay format! Aha! I heard that it was implemented just to enhance the bond between each Pokemon teammate by learning one another’s strengths and weaknesses, which had been what my three kids hoped for as well! They had been asking her quite frequently with sincerely watery eyes when she would begin to participate in any of their common hobbies for a while now, so I, as their mother, believed that this would be the perfect opportunity for Aria to partake and understand them better and Aria won’t need to lonelily tuck her ribbon anymore!

“Ok ok kiddos,” I clapped my hands to affirm authority so that the kids would stop clustering at Jennie and Jasminka’s legs, for I had made a decision. I took a brief breather, and cheerily announced, “So, I know all of you have been quite fervent towards taking part in the upcoming race, but this time, let’s use it as an opportunity to help Aria feel better as our family member. She probably wants to mingle with you guys better, so why not give some sacrifices? Maybe she would be your trusty teammate next time!” Almost instantly, the kids obediently dispersed from the girls’ legs and lined up in a neat queue, keen on knowing how they could aid Aria. I was moved by how supportive and sweet they were, especially when Beryl raised her little knife hand, “Momma, why not let any of the three of us, either between me, VT or Poni, to accompany Big Sister Aria to play our parts in the race? She surely will love taking turns with us during all these fun and games!” VT and Poni followed suit with their voluntary hand raisings, all three of them as straight as intact sticks. How thoughtful they were!

With everyone applauding to encourage the triplets’ thoughtfulness, I was on the brink to shed a tear of joy for them as well as most importantly, Aria. I couldn’t wait to tell my little darling Riolu the good news that she wouldn’t need to hang around with an invisible air person or make herself to continuously tuck her ribbon by herself as if she was a withered leaf that had fallen off a tree! I bet she would be enticed by the idea of savoring pancakes together with the triplets! The more the merrier!

*************Aria POV*************

I was an aimless single leaf blowing in the summer breeze, now wandering alone on the foreign streets. But as long as I could entertain myself with the image of my Mommy being by my side and imagine how she would be on cloud nine if she ever knew I got to collect a sheet for the pancake race, which had been an activity both we share a passionate love for, I could care less about not being around the three children of Scarlet who I had never known in the past and would join it any day without THEM.

The time I had been spending Scarlet had been extending day by day. Still no news on how Mommy had been recovering, which meant I needed to find a way to prompt myself to discover how she is doing. Of course, not to deny that the longer I stayed at Scarlet's company, the more I felt like appreciating her...mostly after she forgave me even after I got and accidentally ruined her honey, and how she let Dagger lift my daddy position burden...she had been undeniably kind to me…

Although...I had constantly felt like there had been an invisible barrier that separated us. I kicked away a can and sighed as I thought of the said barrier. I believed it had to do with...we have nothing in common when it came to experiences, and now! The culprits behind this awkward detachment between Scarlet and me must be...her original kids! Not one, but three of them!

I gritted my teeth whenever the images of those three Pawniard -two girls, one boy- ever popped up in my brain involuntarily, while scanning the nearby area to double check whether the neighbour Lucario back home was absent or not, before giving out a sigh of relief. There might be a pair of rather familiar red eyes spying on me from a stall that was on the opposite side of the street, so I may have to speed up and find out where I could take my race participant sheet. If it was confirmed that he had been present and those three nuisances were clinging onto me, I would have been a laughingstock to him and I would bring shame to Mommy by being an unwilling babysitter.

“Hope that Scarlet wouldn’t be applying them in the competition, this cutthroat contest should keep these inexperienced twerps at bay,” I whispered to myself and began delving into the very bitter root of my mixed feelings for the triplets, while worming my way out of the crowded queue - I believed this was where people collect their papers. The truth was...I didn’t hate them, but I didn’t like them either. They were so nice at best, yet being unintentional roadblocks for me to feel better about Scarlet at worst. I already had been feeling so awkward among them due to being a dog amid three egg shaped human looking weirdos with bladed torsos despite all four of us being referred as “kiddos” by the old ones.

Memories of Mommy and the three Pawniard flickered side by side, as I proceeded to squirm to the front row to grab my fair share of paper, ignoring how the humans were ranting about me in an incensed way. Bruh, why so angry, those dumb humans! I just wanted to win back the attention from Mommy if I could pass this contest with flying colours all by myself, without a need to bother how uncommon I was when compared to the triplets.

I tucked my ribbon as more surges of Mommy memories about praising me being talented emerged. Ah the good old days...back when I was living with Mommy, I didn’t have to bother my awesome attention being snatched away. I was always being the good enough or the best of the bunch, constantly being showered with downpours of praises. In fact, I was skilled at everything Mommy had taught me -skipping, climbing, chasing moving objects, tying nicely made knots from ropes, making berry mulches yada yada- that Rebekkah always eyed at me, green with envy. Take as an example: I was super clever when it was about figuring out how to mash two or more types of berries to create the best mulch that can improve soil drastically so that Mommy would amazedly drop her jaws on how well I could grow berries better than Rebekkah; or how I could compete with Rebekkah with tying ropes and Mommy would squeal and spin around on how amazing my detailedly tightened knots were.

Nobody could bypass me for being the best girl with the most attention. The words “You’ve done a great job again, Aria!” had never left my mind.

Now? I had extra competition that I never asked for! It seemed that God believed me having emotional pain on Pawniard wasn’t enough and had decided to pull a cruel prank on me by making me live with three of them. From what I had observed, they had never failed to grab Scarlet’s attention from me with their enormously glimmering peepers...creepy, but Scarlet always bought them easily and said to me whenever I begged her to let me do the activities I’m skilful at, “Sorry Ari. I’m afraid that the triplets aren’t ready to make mulches” or “Ari...chasing moving objects is a dangerous act when you’re on the open road. Also, sigh...they’re still struggling to get the ropes for the time being, since we have knives instead of nails...”

And then they would head all straight into their unfamiliar activities like fish-hunting, unlike Mommy who used to make up other fun stuff for me to enjoy or at least follow my choices, all because I have “siblings”, as Scarlet explained. Of course, I tried to tolerate their antics once when they invited me to fish with them for the first time but that was because I thought we were going to use handmade fishing rods, not being forced to figure out the movement of un-pre-dic-table fish! It was even more embarrassing when I slipped into the waters by accident and thought in a panic that I might drown. Those three idiots tried to “help” me with their knives and oh my gosh...that was horrible that they left a mild cut on my palm. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Poniard kept repeating that to the degree of almost pissing me off. If we had so many in common like I did with Mommy, this mess would have never happened.

My mind rapidly rewinded back to something that I had always wistfully remembered about Mommy, this time related to something that we always had in common with: pancakes. It was something that I had never at once failed at making Mommy happy. We used to cook pancakes together, with me being totally impressed with the golden crispy brown surfaces of the pan-fried doughs. And she always let me race with her across the meadows, a plate of pancakes on each of our shoulders. She would never one up me during these sprints and races, always allowing me to win, and kept repeating that I would surely earn the glistening trophy of the renowned pancake race because I was the swiftest pancake carrier she had ever known. There were no such roadblocks called “siblings” and that prevented me from being a loser in front of Mommy.

Now? I couldn’t keep up with anything when it was about Scarlet and my so-called “siblings”. I didn’t even wanna ask for them to appear and they must have been hogging my attention! If only I could continue being an only child...I ain’t hating on Scarlet...but she hadn’t been the only child mom I had been wishing for upon a shooting star. I just wanted her attention fully on me...if only we had more common ground.

Since we had nothing in common...while swooping and jumping over some strangely angry people’s heads to reach the table where the papers were placed, a brilliant idea sparked off—Why not excel in the race and win the prize all for myself? Sorry Scarlet, I know you want me to share with my “siblings”, but I have the right to find someone who is more similar to me since day one, which is...Mommy! Besides, Mommy loves pancakes like I do, and she would never mind me grabbing a handful of Kalos tickets, which were the prize this year. They are magical papers that are rumored to be able to transport any person back home as they desire, and Mommy would be overjoyed and surprised if she realized I had magically teleported myself with the magical power of pancakes powered up by magic sheets of papers!

Whoosh! With just a breeze, I grabbed the very last enchanted paper that would secure my homecoming slot for Mommy, landed gracefully with badassness, and could care less about those lines full of groans. They were dumb enough to wait for so long and wasted half of their lives anyway. Unlike me, who had discovered the perfect way to seize the magical Kalos returning papers in my paws. I confidently tugged the ribbon Mommy made specially for me, and ran off into the distance away from the furiously noisy crowd. Sorry Scarlet, it was not like I had bad blood with you or anything, but I felt triumph when I was able to realize I had gotten what I could retrieve my common ground with Mommy who I love the most without three younger twerps blocking my way to love you wholeheartedly!

**************Scarlet POV****************

“Geez, Scarlet,” Mary Lee the Steenee rolled her eyes at me while taking out some plates from a stack that Jasminka (who is Jennie’s friend) prepared for us, “is there even an urgency to comply with your three Pawniard kids’ plea on enrolling in the pancake carrying race? You didn’t even bother asking approval from Aria.” She tried to further voice her discontent toward our decision by throwing the fresh pancakes from the pan onto the ceramic plates one by one to make some clanking noises.

I sighed at Mary Lee while carefully squeezing the pipe bag of whipped cream onto the crispy golden surfaces, “ You better cease this impertinent attitude, and allow me to explain. Firstly, I didn’t COMPLY with my triplets, it instead is a mutual decision made by both parties. Secondly, it seems that she has an interest in it and was rather glum when she felt like she couldn’t join and was all alone...maybe helping her bond with my kids with something they both like mutually will make her feel more homey. She has been tugging her ribbon and sitting alone ever since she failed to catch a fish from running water, so…”

“So what? You may understand her reason for frequently fussing with her accessory, but you dunno the motivation behind her interest.” Mary Lee retorted before I could conclude my sentence.

“She probably just wanted to have free pancakes?” I eyed Cuddles the Swirlix, who was on the table next to Mary Lee and flopped a pancake to swallow it within one gulp. Maybe Aria hoped to ease her own loneliness by having a scrumptious tea time full of pancakes?

But my Steenee teammate believed otherwise by seriously narrowing her eyes at me, “Not this simple, you simpleton! Do you know this year’s prize is once again air tickets? I deduce that she is pretty much seizing this opportunity to run away from your kids.”

“How on Earth?! She has been adapting well like a fish in the water! Don’t jump into conclusions!” I got agitated upon hearing the term “running away”. Even my kids who had been concentratedly smearing berry jam over the pancakes stopped doing so and grew concerned-I could tell from their frowns. We couldn’t afford our family member leaving us again.

Mary Lee just had to list out her observations though, she could care less about our growing concerns and blabbered on and on, “You, as her guardian, have never noticed that there have been signs she may be planning another escape plan? Most importantly it’s associated with your kids- VT, Beryl and Poni! You kept inviting me to watch how well the three have been bonding with Aria, but what I could see in the photos or in person regarding Aria was rather than being grateful for their presences, she had been pulling long faces, that explains why she is always keeping to herself! That time when she fell into the river and they saved her with their knives, you shouldn’t have allowed them to do that with bare knives! She was goddamn pissed at them even after being pulled back up, and back home after they returned with you, I heard her who was showering in the bathroom ranting that your kids were one upping her only because they fish better than her and she has nothing in common with them——“

I was exasperated with Mary Lee’s inconsideration, and I noticed the triplets had all lowered their heads shamefully, which they shouldn’t be feeling, so I decided to switch the focus by looking out the kitchen window, and spotted Aria strutting herself, full of pride glistening under the evening sun-rays that had replaced her fecklessness earlier. My triplets were ecstatic and they all bolted and bashed the front door open, ready to greet our beloved Aria the good news. I could even hear VT shouting across the front yard, “Come on, Beryl and Poni! I’m sure Big Sister Aria will be glad that we are making up our mistakes last time and counting her in! She’s gonna enjoy the aromatic pancakes, like the ones we are using for practicing!”

But as I trailed behind my kids, I noticed something being held in Aria’s paw...it was a thin white sheet with black lines. The only thing I could deduce it as...was nothing other than the application form of the upcoming Pancake Race. Furthermore, she got full on defensive, raising her eyebrows and shoulders when VT was the first to attempt to give her a bear hug, only to fall over after she narrowly dodged. She also clenched the form tighter than ever, and her smile curved downwards. Then she rudely asked while narrowing her eyes that were slowly turning red, “How the heck do you know I’m joining? This is supposed to be something I have been holding secret to myself and--”

I instantly predicted that things were going awry from the moment Aria mentioned “holding secret” to herself, it must pertain to her past home life especially when she had added the conjunction “and” to her sentence. That hostility towards my children, like Mary Lee had described, was getting realer and realer. Yet VT, who managed to get back to her feet, remained oblivious and was just focused on eagerly breaking off the news, “BIG SIS! We can’t wait to tell you that congrats- you’ve been chosen to be our relay partner of the pancake race you want to join this year! It’s gonna be super exciting!” Beryl even added, “I gave up my spot just for you!”

Within seconds...Aria, who was already irritated, had her eyes switched to complete red upon realising my kids were accompanying her in the competition. Abruptly, all four of us were as stiff as whalebone, not daring to breath a single bit of air. I realized how she was like the Riolu from my dream, the same one putting up a defensive stance with retractable claws now ready to seize a chance to scathe us in accumulating fury and most importantly reluctant to edge closer towards my triplets who were all initially enjoying the fun. Mary Lee had indeed hit the nail in the head regarding her bold statement about her resentment towards my three kids...guess I had been living under a rock obviously only because I saw how my kids were enjoying her company instead of walking a mile with her feet. But I couldn’t lie to her about the alterations of the race guidelines this year, no matter how she had been preferred being a maverick! On the plus side, she still regards me as a convincing guardian for most part ever since I rescued her and gave her a new dad...

“Judging by your frequent sweating, eye twitching and lip biting, you must be hiding something more from me about the race thing,” Aria snared with her fiercely blazing crimson irises, “I am growing to like you, Scarlet, but don’t tell me you’re siding with your kids!” That was really her way of expressing her distaste for my kids, who had their original excitement all dissipated and now shrouded in shame, with their heads lower than a withering Jacob’s Ladder... I should’ve predicted that coming from miles away...but I knew I still had to eventually spill the beans despite being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Without much of an option, I sighed, kneeled to meet Aria’s short height and hesitantly told her the truth, “Sorry that we got too carried away and enlisted you, but aside from thanking you sincerely about getting the application...I am sorry that there is a shakeup of rules for the competition. Rules are always subject for change, and this time...it has been modified from single to relay due to its new emphasis on teamwork.” Her face was a hot boiling tomato upon hearing the news, so I put my hand onto her shoulder and proceeded, “I understand how you want to save this competition for your special somebody, with you to gleam the brightest. But you cannot stay with one person forever and reject the others who hope to share their happiness and help you through. My kids will definitely have your back and ease your anxiety for the competition… we promise next time we’ll refrain from our excitement and ask your decision beforehand. I will have a pinkie promise with you!”

I then stuck out my stubby metal finger as a pinkie substitute. My Pawniard children followed suit by laying out their knife-hands. Begrudgingly, Aria pouted with an angry long face and slapped the application onto our hands, proceeding to walk past the four of us and leaving us to have our armours glistening under the dusk. Then I heard Mary Lee’s footsteps and I turned myself around, my eyes meeting her grimace.

“Looks like you really have messed up your whole progress on bonding with Aria, Scarlet. I sincerely pray that your children won’t be carrying a plate of guilty pancakes for life.” She said.

Yes and no. My kids would certainly break through and change Aria’s still stubborn mind...even though I had screwed up. Sigh.

********Aria POV*********

The noon sun was brightly gleaming...but to me who was already panting rapidly and sweating like a boiling water object that humans refer to as a kettle, it felt like mockery. The activity that would be tying the strings between Mommy and me via magic papers that I would be winning for was intervened by two to three meddling egg shaped kids. If it wasn’t because of pancakes, I doubted why I would participate in the first place and prepare for my lap. Thinking about this garbage happening only made me groan frustratedly and kicked some dust off the ground with my foot.

One of the things Mommy has in common with me is not invading personal activities like those other strangers. Kinda made me recall that particular Midnight Lycanroc, Roxanne, who butted into my companionship time with Mommy, with this incident regarding the triplets. Anyway, I would make it through the competition all by myself. I carefully scanned the area by turning my head around and around. The entrance must be somewhere, and I could reach it faster than the triplets if I was being agile and observant enough. Sorry Scarlet but I got to grab the papers and dash home, and Mommy would be proudly waiting for me! Then we would enjoy pandora together—

“Hey Riolu. Where’re your teammates?” The moronic man who was guarding the venue put his palm right in my face, “We really ain’t joking about changing up the rules this year. Teamwork is important. Just get them or you’ll be forfeited.” Ugh. Whatever, looks like I could not venture on my own, let alone reuniting with Mommy. Guess I was stuck with those three dummies. But Scarlet had taught me the importance of following the rules, and I knew what would happen if I didn't...thinking about that honey runaway incident gave me the shudders, so I had to oblige anyway…

“Oh, Aria! What a good punctual girl you are!” From not too faraway, I saw Scarlet waving her arm at me, with her three children tagging along. She continued, “Your dad Dagger is going to visit Alola just to watch you and your si…” However, she quickly paused at the forbidden s word when I gave a frustrated pout so that she wouldn’t mention her kids. I didn’t even want to bother hearing their names. She was slightly upset at my pouting, but she maintained her calm and kneeled down to meet my sight, “Aria, it is hard to have new siblings when you have become accustomed to being yourself. I’m not judging you for wanting attention, maybe I really need to improve on giving you the acknowledgement you yearn for. But I don’t give you two sisters and one brother just to make you get left out, sweetheart. The more the merrier, and teamwork is dreamwork, since there are many adversities you cannot force yourself to overcome alone. Just give this new format a try and maybe you three will find something in common, deal?”

If Scarlet was so courageous enough to save me to teach me about how rules function and even kindly gave me a new dad who was on his way to watch me potentially succeeding, then...ok...I appreciated that...even if it meant enduring her three seemingly superior kids. I would even be grateful of her if I got the chance to get hold of the magic tickets and managed to return home. I obeyed and briefly walked away from the competition starting point to fetch the triplets...this was gonna be fun.

(Approximately 30 minutes of practising time later…)

“Ready, set, go!” Announced the referee excitedly. I watched the giant rectangular screen displaying the different contestants from the front lines dashing speedily, including Poniard, who was struggling to balance our plate. Instead of anticipating my turn I groaned at his clumsy performance in disdain--Sucks that I was being placed at the final spot. I knew instinctively that this race was going to be cutthroat when I saw an Alolan Raichu floating by confidently when I was stretching my legs. Ugh! Why did Scarlet birth three kids in a row with Poniard being the weakest of the bunch?! I tugged my ribbon to vent my anger and thought, “Back when I was the one and only Riolu—!”

“Aria. I know your feelings…but before you want to talk about Poni—” Scarlet leaned onto the bars in an effort to talk to me, hoping to convince me to carry on waiting for her son. I half-heartedly perked one of my ears, and she paused her speech, turning into a sigh as she knew I wasn’t ready to listen yet. I decided to seize the chance to exert all of my excess fury. It seemed much healthier to burst it than to bottle it up, according to Mommy. Mommy was always right, as I tended to feel better whenever I followed her advice. Sorry Scarlet, I really needed to rant about your kids.

“UGHHHHHHH I CANNOT BELIEVE HOW CLUMSY PONIARD IS!” I yelled out loud and kicked the dust and sand into the air, “What a low speed he has! How old is he?? A toddler?! Boys at his age aren’t supposed to be super slow, yet he’s slower than a freaking—slug thing! Now he’s making us lose!” I even pointed at the ranking board, “Look at us! Seventh place! We’re such losers, and my mommy won’t be appreciative of his sloppiness!”

“Aria! How dare you insult your brother!” Scarlet was quite defensive to Poniard, to be honest. Her smokes of rage were hissing from her nostrils. Clearly Scarlet was as pissed as the other wild Bisharp who attacked Mommy before Mommy and I were separated. If that Lucario witnessed her being this furious, he would be mocking me for committing such a mistake of provoking a Bisharp and taking me away in no time since I had nowhere familiar to hide! OMG, I had rarely felt so terrified, but at the same time, I had never seen her extremely angered like a sizzling sausage. Her roar only raised in volume, “Do you know having brothers and sisters is something precious and irreplaceable?! Ok, if you’re not accepting this abstract concept, take your time! But will you please consider the siblings’ feelings before jumping into conclusions that they’re gonna better you?!”

A sudden thought shocked me like a jolt of electricity, “Scarlet and the triplets...had known what I thought about the triplets the entire time?” Then I caught sight of Beryl, the middle Pawniard girl who had both of her arms clutched onto a bottle of water, and looked at me with strong sadness. It didn’t look like she was going to one up me...particularly when she approached me, handed me the water bottle, and kindly explained to me about Poniard, “Sorry Big Sister Aria...Poni has been feeling sorry that he cannot meet your expectations...the reason why he participated is because he wants you to be happy and give you many pancakes. That’s something about him—being kind and nice. Even if he is clumsy, he always tries his very best. Look how he runs, he is learning to get his balance now.” Looking at Poniard getting his balance back and regaining speed did remind me of something Mommy told me…

“Oh Aria sweetie, you’re clumsy, but you’re getting closer to success!”

Mommy giggled that when I was first learning how to dash at a straight line. I abruptly saw my past self within Poniard. Now I began wondering if the purpose of having siblings was to help them with something good from my past…

“Big Sister Aria! Thanks for looking out for Poni. I was scared for a while that he might not be safe on the road,” It was Vikki-Toria behind me, “those other contestants are so enormous! Nobody knocked him down?” I was taken aback by her being so nice and grateful to me, so I stuttered, “Of...of course...he is fine! He is learning...fast!” Her sunshine smile almost melted me when she enthused, “Ooh, Dada and Momma are gonna be proud of you teaching him!”

Taught Poniard how to run like the wind? When had I taught him? Unless...he watched me dart and admired without me knowing? Just like how I observed Mommy when I was learning the methods of running...and when Poniard arrived and passed our plate to Vikki, he was genuinely beaming as a way to thank me. There was no sign of him wanting to best me. He even helpfully reminded me, “Big Sister, you can get ready at the final lap spot now.”

“Aria, time to get ready for training now, don’t forget about punctuality!” Mommy used to prompt me to do stuff on time, since I used to be much more forgetful and overslept a few times before I knew how to protect and help her. All of a sudden, Poniard, even though he is a boy, kind of felt like a mini Mommy or part of my family now. I squished my ribbon, and this thought had never felt realer. It was like he had acknowledged my punctuality this morning. What tremendous joy and appreciation had I perceived from his aura! However, I still couldn’t really grasp why kids as young as them knew how to have one another’s back—I thought it was merely a privilege that most adult parents knew how to apply to their children.

So when VT was on her run, I asked with lots of doubts to Poniard, “Why are VT and Beryl being super accepting to you even though you three are all so young and not having much experience in life? Only adults with many experiences have the capacity to be open minded with your flaws, haven’t they?”

He meekly responded, “It’s hard to say, but we just naturally love one another, and Momma also has taught us how to cope with one another and understand their strengths. Overall, I cannot give a full explanation. Maybe it’s because the three of us see one another as important and like looking out for each other?”

His answer sounded boggling to me. Was that the same as Mommy loving and keeping up with me unconditionally? But there was no time to question him further, since it was my turn to fetch the plate that would lead us to our aim. This time, our opponent was...a Pachirisu! I sensed a newfound tingling feeling of my purpose in participating in this race...I hadn’t gripped on the reason behind it, yet it was clear that I wanted to run not just for Mommy...it seemed that Scarlet was right, her kids were worth running for, considering how they appeared to have good intentions. Though my bigger objective right now was to prove that I was far better than a squirt squirrel, since I had been apt in swiftly collecting stashes from them! The triplets may start getting impressed by my flying colours against a pathetic squirrel, and then I may fully come to terms with them never trying to oust me after all.

3,2,1!

(Around 20 minutes later…)

Cough cough... cough cough...desert checkpoint, one of my least favourite locations...sand was sorta clogging my throat and irritating my nose which was having runny snots...thank goodness I had prepared those things called goggles...but where the heck had that pesky Pachirisu darted to? A while ago I was so close to it, able to go ahead for a few inches! Yet it just wouldn’t give up despite my efforts to deter it, and now it had outstripped me! Mommy always complimented me being a better sprinter than any Pachirisu! Unless…

...I didn’t heed the triplets’ warnings about this particular squirrel, because I deemed them as usurpers. Not too long prior to the competition and of course way before Poniard gave me his answer for me to ponder, they told me that I should be listening to their mom, who is obviously Scarlet, on what contenders she had figured out would be on the list. Despite sensing their urgency, I chose to ignore them purposefully...Scarlet was right about the importance of listening to the young ones sometimes, as I suddenly had a spark of recognition for the Pachirisu. The announcer briefly mentioned “Trainer Park” when I was struggling to keep up with it...oh no! Not the famed trainer Park who was famous for his double battle victories! No wonder the Pachirisu bolted like a shooting star!

Staring at the vast desert, a sensation of regret welled up inside my throbbing heart. I shouldn’t have been so distrustful of the Pawniard triplets, which was what Scarlet used to repeatedly reprimanded me for. It was the very same acute pain from one of my dreams, how I fell off a broken wooden plank into the gap of a canyon when I was playing tag with Mommy who couldn’t come along. I knew that was just a dream, but the hurt lingered and looking at the desert’s boundlessness only intensified it. I now realized I couldn’t lose Scarlet, as I would also lose the triplets… I must carry on—

AWWWWWW! Who just slapped me with a big black paw in my forehead? The touch of the plastic plate seemed to have left me as well...and having lost my balance, I collapsed into the hot sand, now struggling to regain my stand. Although I felt that my head was spinning around, my blurring sight did not prevent me from glimpsing the tall blue figure with yellow torso and black “mask” with cruel red eyes… and his low rough voice affirmed my biggest fears, “I knew that you would recklessly participate in this rat race, pipsqueak. Chasing an unattainable fantasy like your mother always does. ‘If my mother gets healed, we can enjoy pancakes together!’ She literally thought of the same when she was escaping from me with her gravely wounded prostitute mom, oblivious that this pipe dream of hers would never come into fruition. Now you’re not returning to your accomplices that have lowered your dignity. Those corrupted knights are too dark for your taste, and your mom wouldn’t be proud to see you hanging out with them.”

I didn't even have time to question him why he knew my late grandma was wounded severely before she died. He slammed me down with his strong paw, then snatched my goggles and divided them into halves with me watching in tremendous shock. He subsequently carried my plate of pancakes and disappeared in the veil of blowing sand...Feeling dizzy…maybe I was blacking out…

**********Scarlet POV**********

The rays of sunlight were already gradually fading away, and the temperature was clearly cooling down. Just like how the race was reaching its end, my teammates’ exhilaration was also apparently waning, rambling for quite a few times about when they could return to the residence of Jasminka, our host, just to pig out for a feast. Their palpable moaning was incredibly high pitched that I had to frustratedly cover both sides of my head with my steel hands so that their piercing noises wouldn’t penetrate my ear drums.

The only exceptions amid my fretfully whimpering team were my triplets and I, with Dagger who met up with us not too long ago. (He probably came at an hour after the race commenced, but this wasn’t an important detail) Rather than whining till our throats may get coarse, we were treading back and forth, with nervously twitching eyes. It had been nearly two hours since Aria made her lap, and since a Riolu has the matching base speed with my children’s, she should’ve been punctually returned, judging by how she always intensively drilled herself to build up high speed and stamina. But...if it wasn’t about how fast she was, then why was she still missing?

This was when we all began doubting whether allowing Aria to participate in this cutthroat competition was a good idea at all.

Particularly when Beryl pointed at the leaderboard screen, “Momma, look! A Pachirisu who’s number one comes first rather than Big Sister Aria!” Beryl was indeed correct; the elated Pachirisu was prancing up and down upon learning its victory while being escorted to the podium, and this spelled two possibilities: either Aria repeated her old practice by refusing to accept the triplets at best, or at worst...being abducted. Hoping to find out the root of Aria’s disappearance, I reckoned that asking my three kids might help me gather some clues.

I gave a clear whistle signal and then tentatively approached my kids when they all obediently assembled themselves in front of me, “Kids, do you think we have done something that has provoked her dissatisfaction with us and...considers running off again? I hope this trust issue of her mistaking all of your good intentions for letting her take part as a mockery isn’t a catalyst…”

“Leave?” Beryl tilted her head in confusion, “I know she was just a bit grouchy at first, ranting grumpily about Poniard, but I saw her expression change after I explained to her about how Poniard was working hard…she appeared to be quite sorry and surprised that she probably mistook Poniard as someone who wasn’t being a good boy.”

Vikki-Toria concurred with Beryl, “Yeah I don’t believe she was ticked off with us any longer. In the beginning she was unhappy, but afterwards she seemed to have loosened up and eh, vitalised, when she received the plate. She apparently implied that she never thought we were going to support her until then.”

Poniard even remarked, “I noticed that she was even quite surprised with widened eyes when VT informed her that I had been learning how to run by observing her...I doubt she would want to ditch us if she knows how hard I have been trying to catch up with her.”

I lowered my head in shame, upon realising that I...really still knew too little about Aria and didn’t have adequate faith for her. I literally mistakenly thought that she would be stubborn enough to not change for the triplets. But if she was able to start obeying me after I saved her from the stalker Lucario even though she made a mistake by taking away our expensive honey, then she wouldn’t sneak away from the triplets so easily...unless it was the worst case scenario-abduction…

“Erm Scarlet,” Jennie apparently approached me and briefly poked my shoulder to notify me, “bad news: it was already terrible enough that we had dropped our ranks, now we just got forfeited from the match as the judges claimed that Aria evolved midway… Seriously, even when watching from a distance I have been wondering how you and your kids hit the jackpot.”

I raised an eyebrow. Aria evolving midway was pretty much like if a Spoink could fly. Evolving a Riolu fundamentally is like hitting a difficult jackpot. Particularly considering that Aria still hadn’t hit the pinnacle of the friendship scale yet due to her original defensiveness and is still physically and psychologically immature for evolution. There were also no other Lucario members from our team, and Aurora-Alissa was still hospitalised...the only Lucario we had acquainted was…

There came the familiar hoarse male groan from a bipedal blue canine, “Dammit! That pesky Pachirisu depended on its size and speed to make it superior to me and robbed me from the pedestal, just like how that pipsqueak’s grandfather who is a Bastard-sharp! I won’t hold back on skinning that squirrel like I did with the bastard-!” He halted upon recognising my entire team who was puzzled about him wanting to potentially mutilate the champion and almost instantly played nice, but me and my family didn’t take a blind eye for this. If he had the intention to kill a Pachirisu, then this would not exempt him from potentially not only maul me and my family, but also most importantly...abduct Aria!

However, it was Vikki-Toria that caught me and Dagger off guard. She couldn’t help but shouted intuitively, “I know he is not Big Sister Aria right off the bat! We cannot let her die in the wild! The harsh conditions will harm her, and she is too important as our older sister to die so early! We have to search for her!”

“Vikki! You are gonna drag us into a crisis! What if that Lucario catches sight of us? We’ll be ripped and teared! So why don’t we assess the situation first before leaping into the search for Aria and wait until he has left?” I protested, as I wanted to reduce the risk as much as possible.

This didn’t sway my kids’ mind though. They all looked at me stubbornly with teary eyes, and VT, who is the most vocal of them all, protested something that swung my stance… “But Momma! You stated siblings and parents look out for their members! We always look after each other and we really want to protect Big Sister Aria like you do! Please please please let all of us find her!” My oldest child winced, almost on the verge of wailing. Coupled with some advocacy for the triplets from Dagger, it was conspicuous to me that...we had to take the risk of being hunted down if it meant saving Aria. “Ok fam, since we love Aria in unison, it’s definitely the right thing to fetch her as soon as possible, let’s start from the finish line and—!”

“Stop right there, you hardy knuckleheads! You’re not going anywhere!” The Lucario yelled instantaneously, tarnished the plate of pancakes right onto the dusty ground and bolted towards the finish line like lightning. Much to my kids’ immense shock, he mercilessly thrusted Dagger, who then shouted agonisingly upon having to endure the brute force from his palm, onto the rough road, and with one of his arms he wrapped across my chest, my movement was halted and his sadistic glare looked

straight into my sight. I had been held hostage, and he was trying to suffocate me!

Worse, it just wasn’t satisfying for him to have beat down Dagger and trying to physically harass me...he then grinned in a malicious way and spoke to my kids cruelly, “There’s no use in your wild goose chase for your asinine Aria. Guess what? It was incredible fun that I could fk the st of her in that daunting desert. Look out for one another? Pfff! A child’s play! She doesn’t deserve any of you pathetic piss who always defend and justify her misdeeds for being part dark type. I won’t allow you to foil my plan like her grandfather did to me now.”

Part dark type? What nonsense was he blabbering about?! But...he did bring up something desultory to our species like… “B-sharp”. It must pertain to his unreasonable hatred for Aria...maybe I should abort this mission and summon our friends and even the authorities…

Be that as it may, my three kids just didn’t have the intention to back down. I could tell from their eyes which were already streaming with running flows of tears that were basically mini waterfalls. In fact, VT stomped her little feet and yelled at the Lucario at the top of her lungs, “You’re just spitting out wrong garbage, you cunning canine! Aria is the best big sister we have in the world! You cannot shake this fact! We can’t forgive you for hurting her! Let Momma search for her!!” This was followed by Beryl and Poniard chanting, “Demand justice for Aria!”, and all three of them kicked up dusts with the aim to deter him. “They truly care about her…” I thought while tears started flowing from my eyes...I just wished that Aria was here to watch them rooting for her, and could prevent the Lucario from generating and aiming a fiery sphere at them who were soon cowering in immense fear…

*************Aria POV**************

Was I dead? How long had my head become outer space? Was the match over? I couldn’t be stuck in this dormant condition...because when I was struggling to wake up by clenching onto my ribbon, it felt like sending me a message from Mommy even though she was being faraway, urging me to get to the finish line for Scarlet and the triplets...it was just that I still hadn’t figured out why…

“Hey! You’re not supposed to be dozing off in the desert without protection goggles! Axel! Hold her steady so I can give her some medicine first.”

Huh? Who was that unfamiliar voice? Who’s Axel? I had been snoozing off in the desert? Though their concerned tone reminded me so much of Mommy who sometimes gently “chided” me, and...now I remembered that...Scarlet always said this type of advice when she found me being “rebellious”, like when I used to deliberately ignored her practical training advice (she reminded me less frequently now, but still). Even the triplets had picked up such a way of speaking, and I used to get quite exasperated with that as they sounded like Rebekkah nagging me.

A spiky and angular object was then being placed into my mouth by that unknown person. Ouch! All those unrefined edges poked my tongue! It wasn’t the first time I had to take in such a nearly inedible and rugged rock no matter how I strongly detest it, since Scarlet always explained that it was an effective panacea to heal me from my frequent injuries, especially when she reiterated that I tended to scare them a lot whenever I passed out, so they usually had stacked up these medicines with them...then again, whenever I got rejuvenated by such a rough rock medicine and slowly opened my eyelids, I honestly would begin to feel grateful for them upon noticing how they smiled at me, even though I normally brushed them off afterwards.

“Ah, glad that you’re awake. Me and Axel were on the edge even after we fed you that Max Revive. You have a trainer?” The young boy smiled when I finally managed to open my eyes although with some difficulty. Why did I abruptly feel a strong surge of warmth when I saw his relieved face, even though I only knew him for the first time? It did remind me of...somebody...like Mommy who used to smile the same whenever I woke up from my slumber...Scarlet ...used to beam in such a way...even her triplets got influenced by that...whenever I was glum, they attempted to cheer me up smiling from ear to ear-even if their eyes are invisible.

Suddenly, I felt like being more appreciative of what Scarlet and Dagger had taught their children on how to treat me...it was as warm as the refreshing effects of the medicine I just took...they have no blood relations like Mommy has with me, but that had never prevented them from being kind to me like that unknown person who fed me medicine just now. Sometimes, their nagging was like its bitterness, which I didn’t like to listen to, but every time when I was in a pinch, they seemed always there to help.

Now I recalled that time I almost thought I was going to drown when we went fish-catching, after I accidentally slipped and fell into the water. I kept shrieking in a panic, “Help help!”and if I remembered clearly, they dashed towards me quickly than an Arcanine which was already a swift dog. Those eyes of theirs...blue, green and red...were all full of instant concern, coupled with their fretful shouts of “Big Sister! Hang in there! We’re going to save you!” VT and Beryl struggled to tug me with both of their thin arms while I was frantically flinging and swinging my arms to catch my breath and not sink underwater, and Poniard tried to grab me with his knife-hand in a fleeting second. After a while when they managed to pull me up from the rushing waters which strained their limits, they looked at me and all sighed in immense relief, and Poniard was even about to hug me with open arms and teary eyes. But rather than thanking them and Scarlet for letting them save me, I instead went bananas and ungratefully shouted, “Get off! You cut my paw! If you hadn’t dragged me into such a dangerous activity, I wouldn’t have a near death!” And I even pretended that I didn’t know how upset they were even though they all lowered their heads…

How could I be so ungrateful? They had been supporting me as my actual teammates, including during the entire race as well. I had never felt such warmth from my previous “team” when I was with Rebekkah. They must be all concerned about my safety all over again right now…

“You want some help with returning to your trainer?” The young human boy and his Pikachu lent me their hands. However, I turned them down by shaking my head. I didn’t want to depend on others’ help, as I wanted to fix my mistake for being ungrateful to my siblings. They had been supporting me the entire time, and I couldn’t thank Scarlet for giving me three of them. I could not afford losing them at all.

“I think I can make my own way back. Thank you for helping me.” I gave them a wave after getting my repaired goggles from them, before braving my way into the unknown that may lead me to the finish line.

“You be careful out there! Stay safe and keep your head in the game!” the Pikachu shouted, with a lot of energy. Almost like they’re supporting me too...

Large innumerable amounts of sand all blew up onto my face. Some even went into my nostrils, which caused me to sneeze and had a runny nose. I wouldn’t deny how uncomfortable this was. But this would never deter me from paving my way back to Scarlet and the triplets at all! I must continue!

************Scarlet POV***************

“Your pathetic pawns are just as foolish as that reckless Riolu and her moronic mother,” Sneered the Lucario who still had his thin yet muscular arm around my chest to restrain my movements, as I struggled to break free from his grasp in order to prevent him from edging towards my poor children who were all recumbent and trembling in immense fear. The rest of my team had arrived to check me and my family out, but they were too threatened to take any action due to the sharpness of the Lucario’s crimson glare.

“What the heck is wrong with you?! I never treat my children as minions! You don’t have to tar every Bisharp with the same brush!” I was honestly incensed and upset with how he had assailed me, Dagger and most importantly my children, “We, especially my kids, had done nothing wrong! It had already been a day and age of different Pokemon assimilating and getting to know each individual of different kind, so there’s no need to stalk us and Aria just to “learn more” about us while framing and attacking!”

“Because we are two rivalling species after all!” Lucario suddenly snapped at me with more hostility than before, “Watching the descendant of the lovechild between a Bisharp and a female counterpart of my species revolts me! We are destined to fight against each other, not one party feigning kindness to justify their crime on assimilating my brethren, namely robbing my girlfriend! It disgusts me greatly when I watch you and most importantly your minion children assisting that impure lineage pipsqueak Aria to succeed in anything! She deserves NOTHING! Not even pancakes with her mother! Her grandmother made me wait for nothing! I’m not letting this kid get off the hook easily yet you nuisances just have to intervene all the time to be her accomplice!”

He then gave my children a menacing smirk with his sharp white fangs showing and condescendingly scoffed them, “Big Sister to you, amirite? You have your brains leaking juices lately. Frankly, she’s nothing but the byproduct of your stinky species mating with my brethren. She should not be living with you scums. Say goodbye to her forever.”

I was in boundless horror when he generated another Aura Sphere from his palm. My only thought was clinging onto the faith of “Aria...please save them! Even though we are two different species born with different natures, I know you all have something similar when my children have resolutely decided to believe in you as their sister! I know in fact you are feeling the same sentiment to a certain extent! We believe in you loving us!”

“HEY! What in the world is wrong with you! Back off from them!!” Shouted a high pitched and incensed yelp with the tone of a young child. The Lucario was alarmed and swerved his head to the source of the voice. And the owner of the voice didn’t put me and my family and friends off at all, evident by how my children were now glowing in joy and relief at the sight of the young canine…

Aria had come back for my children and the rest of us.

*********Aria POV***********

I felt intensely burning shock and anger boiling inside me, like raging blazes I could not contain. The last time I sensed such turbulence was when I could not protect Mommy from that Bisharp and his pack fast enough when Mommy got lured into the woods to pick berries. But right at this moment when I finally managed to reach the finish spot, I could not believe what I saw—the triplets were so brutally injured and all laying on the ground, Dad Dagger moaning in so much pain, and Scarlet was being held hostage. I am NOT a dummy who knew NOTHING about what a hostage was. And I could not believe HE, who is a grownup of my kind, would have the guts to commit such an atrocity to…my family.

“Why so ‘angy’?” He looked at me with a condescending smirk and started to guffaw, “Be grateful that I had helped you wipe out those rivalling soldiers. Now go home and tell your mother that she had been wrong the whole time on trusting a Bisharp who are all weaklings against us Lucario-kind. I will help you in eradicating those accomplices of those soldiers.”

But I didn’t get duped. I had been smartened up to prepare for what he said.

“Of course...I would not believe you so easily...you audacious moron! I know that from the start, you have wanted me to have no family, haven’t you?!” I mustered up my courage and interrogated him, “WAS THAT YOU WHO LURED MOMMY INTO THE SPOT WHERE THOSE WILD AND UNTAMED BISHARP WERE LURKING?!?”

His eyes widened. He must have not expected me to see through his crafty schemes on trying to eliminate Mommy. Only this time he tried luring my Pawniard siblings and Dagger and Scarlet into his trap by making me missing in action, wasn’t it? Then I watched his face turning from blue to shades of hot red as if he was like a demon, and he snarled at me as if he was a hellbent Houndoom. I knew he was going to lash out at me.

And my prediction didn’t fail me.

“I don’t see anything wrong with letting her meet the wild steel soldiers even though yes I was the one who committed that!” He, while extracting his sharp glistening claws, yelled indignantly like a kid who couldn’t get something he wanted, “It is your mother’s problem for accepting a Bisharp! I want to teach her a lesson, a painful one! Stop living in your fantasy about her, pipsqueak, and just admit how imperfect she is!”

“Enough with your lies!” I retorted while generating an Aura Sphere, “This doesn’t justify you from not only trying to prevent me from safely going home with a ticket, but also attempting to kill my siblings that Scarlet and Dagger have given me! What the heck is wrong with your brain!”

He retaliated by impelling himself at me with a Bone Rush and said fiercely by gritting his teeth, “I would like to repeat that you should stop living in your wonderland! Life isn’t about you striving for something to reach someone you love and you will accomplish it! How come your moronic mother who has already experienced the failure of trying to achieve her pipe dream! Pretty sure she only told you that dreaming of pancakes would be a gateway to get you back to her, just like how your grandmother lied to her that trusting a Bisharp as her mate and some unreliable humans could obtain hope for the future! No it’s NOT! Trusting another rivalling species is plain betrayal and the certain beginning of doom! Just give up already!”

I wasn’t convinced at all, and used all my might to launch my Aura Sphere at him determinedly, “Go away! This doesn’t justify you hitting them for doing nothing wrong?! Why are you following me and my family around and terrorising us!! I just want a happy life! Why’re you doing this creepy stalking?? You cannot change the fact that...they...are feeling...like...Mommy...to me! I don’t care who Mommy trusted, I don’t care what my grandmother did to you, I don’t care how my Pawniard siblings and Scarlet and Dagger are different from me, because to me my family has no wrongdoing! I’m sure Mommy's love has brought me to them! Now go away!”

I knew I must save my family. If I couldn’t save them, it would be just as terrible as how I was unable to save Mommy from the wild pack of bad Pawniard and that Bisharp. But I knew instinctively that Scarlet and her family, despite being different species with Mommy and me, are good folks. I must save them...with a 100 percent accurate attack.

In front of the interested but also shocked people as well as our teammates, my Aura Sphere went straight for him, and THUD! It was strong enough to knock him down, causing him to roll for a few inches on the ground. But he had no intention of backing down and still managed to regain his stand, and posed me something ryptic, “So you declare that your mother’s love has brought you and a rival species together, huh? Well! If your mother ever cared about you, why did she not even bother to come to Alola? Just like her mother, who didn’t bother to stay with me and chose some cock secretly instead? As a result she and I lost everything in common! So sad!”

He then remarked as he released Scarlet and pushed her onto the ground, “And one day you’ll realise this family is not good as you think, sucker! You’re going to be doomed like both of your women, pipsqueak! Fine, I’ll be leaving you and your steel knuckleheads for now, but you’ll soon realise the truth that there’s nothing good in them, just like your superficial mother who feeds you with ‘white’ lies!”

I questioned him, “What does this have to do with Mommy?”

He snorted before running off into the unknown, “Which mom? The B-sharp or the ignorant Lucario big girl? That’s your problem to know. Believing in a fantastical pancake reunion won’t solve anything sad in your miserable life. Bye! ”

I was beyond puzzled and furious of what he had done to me and my family, most importantly making me lose the chance to get the ticket back to Kalos to find Mommy and give her pancakes, so I yelled at the top of my lungs, “YOU COWARD LEAVE ME AN ANSWER! You will pay for—!”

But then six arms wrapped around my hip, and I saw...my Pawniard triplets, who were all looking at me with relief. They must’ve worried about me for so long when I was stranded in the desert. For the first time, I sensed the aura of being cared for by siblings so powerfully...it didn’t come in ripples, but instead it came in surges...

And then Scarlet, who managed to help Dagger to stand up, approached me, and gently ruffled my head fur as she knelt before me, “Welcome back my dear. Let’s head to a cafe and celebrate with pancakes, shall we? ” She was like a mother who was pure glad that her child was safe. She looked like...Mommy more than ever.

So I gave up my chase for that Lucario. I knew it wouldn't be worth pursuing someone who was spitting garbage when I had people that I felt warmth from, just like how I used to feel from Mommy. I even told them the story of how I got saved by that boy with a Pikachu-if it wasn’t because of his help, I wouldn’t have been able to return to everyone and realised they all mean something to me, like how Mommy means the world to me. They, especially Scarlet, Dagger and the triplets, were so grateful of him, it was such a pity I didn’t get to know his name.

But those cryptic words from the Lucario still troubled me on the way, turbulent inside my brain. What did he mean by my current surrogate family and especially my original Mommy not being as good as they seemed? What did he mean by Mommy feeding white lies? What did he mean by I was as ignorant as Mommy just like how she thought the unreliable doctor humans would save grandma? What did he mean?

*********Just outside the cafe***********

“Come, Axel. Let’s look around and then find some place to stay.”

“Well said. I’m tired…”

Chapter Text

************Aria POV***************

Among the darkness, I peeped out through the crack of the door of Scarlet’s room, and through the little speck of light, I could tell that Scarlet, the triplets and the rest of the team were all gathered at the front of the doorstep, all waiting for me to join up with them and feel their excitement. I could totally understand how thrilled they were, for tonight was one of the rarest nights of the mystical Family Orbs that illuminate brighter than the stars in a clear night sky, which would only appear once or twice a year. Through sensing the ripples of their auras, I could predict that Scarlet and the triplets were the most exhilarated of the bunch, for this was my first time I would officially partake in one of their family bonding activities. Scarlet even chirped that my new daddy Dagger would be joining us to witness me becoming part of their family by collecting our very own special orbs to solidify our love for one another. I did appreciate their kind gesture, it was just that...I wasn’t and still hadn’t felt ready yet...because...how should I articulate this…

I then rummaged through the back cupboard of Scarlet’s room, trying to find the memento that I had been borrowing her cupboard spaces to store for, until my stubby fingers felt the touch of a glass jar after getting through some of her prized flyers (she told me that she collected those during her heyday as a performer for the sake of reminiscing her career, but this is unrelated), which I used to conceal it from the curious eyes of my current teammates. I carefully and gently pulled it out of the cupboard, and gave it a gentle kiss, “Nice to bring you out in the open again, my jar of glowing orb family.” Inside the transparent jar were three beautifully glowing orbs, one yellow-which symbolized Daddy, the other one blue-which represented Mommy, and the last one was for the one and only me…

These orbs had become more and more precious to me ever since I had to separate from Mommy after I almost finished off Bro Rockstar’s wife, Roxanne and her unborn egg. They had been giving me a feeling of being at home with her. I wasn’t trying to deny the fact that Scarlet, Dagger and the triplets had been breaking the mold with me--after all their kindness, I had realized that the Pawniard and Bisharp could be different from their stereotypes--, but I could not ignore the discriminating eyes toward me relationship and ties with them in the neighborhood. Under those judgemental eyes, I had been feeling like I still am not part of their family, because it would mean...I would be abnormal.

I still could not forget how once Scarlet brought me to go to the market with her to purchase some fresh produce. I wanted to enjoy the amazing sight of all the produce being laid out in lots of baskets in front of my eyes and imagine that they were parts of a beautifully painted picture, but as I examined my surroundings, the humans and their Pokemon’s eyes were all in disbelief or curiosity. Scarlet kept telling me that we could care less about them, but I could not put off my mind of their gazes and my heart soon began to sink into the bottom of the ocean. The last straw on a Camerupt’s back finally broke when we stopped our footsteps at a stall that sold Berry jams, where there was a middle aged human woman as its owner and a mother Lopunny with her Buneary child as the woman’s assistants. Scarlet was showing me the variety of fruit jams and allowed me to select a favourite, when we both heard a sneer, “Creamy, don’t look at them, I don’t want you to know what the world has come to, because it has ruined the perfect family image we have always learned. Only the same species can be a family.” Immediately, Scarlet became quite livid as the color of her face changed, knowing the source of the voice was from the Lopunny to her Buneary, but despite her coming to my defense, I couldn’t really recall what she said to rebuke her, as I could no longer hold back my tears from starting to stream down and wet my whole face, and the woman simply allowing the Lopunny from spouting such hurtful words hurt me even more. I had never felt so alone even when being somebody who showered me with all the affection she had, and all I wanted to do was to give in to a flight response if given the choice between fight or flight. I then felt myself getting shuffled away by Scarlet. I could tell from her aura that she was just as sad as I was. But there was nothing we could do at the time. It was a simple shopping trip. Did it need to be difficult?

Back then when I was living with Mommy, everything was different. Everywhere we went, people and Pokemon always complimented us for being a matching pair. Some even laughed that they mistook us as sisters. Nobody discriminated against us...I tucked my ribbon when reminiscing this part of my past, and refrained my tears from falling. I could not let Scarlet sense my sadness, as Mommy had always been part of my private business.

“Aria, time to leave,” it was Scarlet summoning me, “Don’t need to be reclusive, and time is running out. Most importantly, we want to cherish the precious time we have with you, so don’t reject this chance, please?” Not wanting to further concern her, I quickly grabbed a cloth from somewhere in her room to cover up my jar so as to pretend that none of my orbs were inside it. It would be better to pretend that I had nothing that reminded her of my family since after spending so much time with her and that she had sacrificed so much for me, she apparently had started to regard me as someone she had birthed to. Besides, I could excuse myself when they were all occupied with collecting orbs later on, as there were rumours amid the team that we would be heading to the field full of these Family Orbs which was actually located near my old home, and it wouldn’t be too far for me to check Mommy out.

I thought as I lightly pushed the door open, “I just want to bring these orbs to Mommy and tell her that, ‘Look Mommy, I am trying to keep the memory of us and Daddy together by looking after these orbs properly, and I hope you’re okay…’” Scarlet smiled as I stepped out of the room. That warmed my heart at least. I told myself quietly, “I can’t bear to make the same mistakes with my new family again, after all.”

*********Scarlet POV*********

After a road trip that lasted more than an hour, me, my family and the rest of my squad had finally reached the field where everyone was anticipated for. The sky wasn’t brightened up at first, as when we arrived it was still earlier than the time when the orbs got released, but a few minutes after Jennie brought us out of the car, specks of glows began to get released from the field and into the sky, therefore illuminating the site. We could hear more and more clamours with the number of orbs increasing incrementally, and we could assume that these clamours were from different families that were equally thrilled like us. After all, the reason why so many of them yearned to collect these rare orbs was to have something to signify their familial relationships and forge a collective happy memory between them, wasn’t it?

With that being said, Kung Fu and Sila, hand in hand with their son Manon, quickly leaped into the fray, and soon enough Tanzanite and Amythest were joined by Amber the Kantonian Ninetales, who is Amythest’s husband and Tanzanite’s father. It turned out that Rebekkah, Amber and Aurora-Alissa’s trainer, was also partaking in this activity, and she had brought her whole squad to accompany her and us. “I guess this activity not only encourages families to bond, but also fosters friendships as well,” I happily told myself.

It wasn’t until Cuddles asked in a confused manner, “Scarlet, I see everybody relishing in this whole orb collecting frenzy, but why is Aria standing there all alone? She is being the oddball on purpose and I wonder why?” I immediately chided my Swirlix friend, “Don’t be thoughtless! If she isn’t in the mood, just leave her be.” But I quickly got equally bewildered when I lifted and swerved my head to the direction that Cuddles was pointing toward with her whole levitating body; Aria was indeed standing alone in the field and clutching onto a jar that I had never noticed before, while trying to cover it with one of the cloth I recognized (apparently it appeared to be a shawl I used to wear during my old career, but that was trivial).

“Care less about which garment she took from you, Scarlet!” My inner self gave me a slapping, and my concern shifted to her being alone in the wide open. Although this place right now was in a bustling atmosphere thanks to all the excited families who were visiting here, a child without the company of any guardian would still draw unwanted attention from child abductors. Moreover, I still hadn’t forgotten the last instance of that stalker Lucario following us all the way to Alola just to target Aria! And what about him hurting her when she was trying to run to somewhere else with only a bottle of honey and a bag? These instances could’ve gotten her killed! How could I convince her to join the pack though, hmmm…?

So I approached her and hoping to not offend her, I tentatively asked, “Aria my dear, it’s nice to know that you’re enjoying the bath under the illumination tonight. Would you like to let us mingle with you?”

However, she didn’t answer my question and instead replied to me with something that puzzled me, “Scarlet...do you know what it's like to be in a normal family?” I tilted my head in confusion, as I failed to understand what was abnormal between us. “Is it because we still haven’t gotten to know each other’s preferences, hobbies, interests or even personalities well enough?” I pondered. So I answered, “I’m not very certain with what you are talking about. The term ‘normal’ is really subjective, and I’m afraid I cannot give you a definite answer for what a normal family means, since each family’s experiences vary…”

It wasn’t until Aria nudged my arm and pointed to the families who were frolicking in the field with faces glowing with bliss and felice. At first, I remained puzzled at what she referred to as “normal”, until I began observing each and one of them. Then I realized what she meant with the term “normal”. Those families mostly consisted of members of the same species or the same evolutionary lines, such as a family of two Furret parents and their Sentret child racking up a bottle of their three orbs, and an Espeon father, an Umbreon mother and their Eevee child prancing and chasing after the orbs they aimed to catch. “See? Even Tanzanite and her parents are normal,” Aria added, “They might have different physical appearances, but they are still the same kind, at least that was what Mommy taught me…” Mentioning her mother appeared to irritate her tear glands, yet she still put up a brave face in front of me, pretending she was feeling alright…

“Aria…” I kneeled down and gently stroked the fur of her head, “I used to be in a family that wasn’t the same species as me too. I will disclose more about my past when you have decided to completely open up your heart, but the most important thing is regardless of how others perceive your family as too different from the social norm, they are always the ones who love you—“ However almost immediately, my words were rudely interrupted by a girl who raised her pitch, “Scarlet! Just stop acting like Aurora-Alissa who is always glossing over the fact to Aria about their family history! Make her face the music and push her to straight up accept it!”

As the girl approached closer to me, my family and my team’s vicinity, we soon recognised her by her sand brown hair, white complexion, purple irises and red round earrings—it was definitely Rebekkah, the owner of Amber and of course my dear friend Aurora-Alissa the Lucario. I wagered that she must be using the chance of us visiting this field near her home to meet us and check on how we had been looking after Aria, as I believed that she wasn’t as terrible as Aria described her to be even though she literally gave up her responsibility for looking after Aria to us.

Anyway, Dagger, my three Pawniard children and I waved at her in a friendly way, but Aria greeted her sarcastically with a hostile snarl, “Oh hi, Rebekkah Linn, glad to meet you again.” Within less than seconds, Rebekkah’s friendly smile was twisted into a teeth-gritting glare fuelled with intense rage, and with them hostilely glaring at each other, I worried that an impending fight was going to break out anytime soon. In order to placate both sides, I said while nervously sweating, “Don’t talk about family histories at the moment! Why not tell us how Ali is doing? I’m pretty sure she’ll be happy to know we’re frolicking around…”

Except that I idiotically forgot that Ali was charged to hospital. This only paved way for Rebekkah to continue with what she intended to say, “She’s NOT doing alright, folks, and that’s why it’s about time to reveal the truth of her family before it’s too late!” Aria instantly retorted defensively, “There’s nothing wrong with Mommy and Daddy, so don’t you dare disparage them with your lies!” Before I could try placating them again, Rebekkah had already descended into fury- her hair spiked up, her eyes widened with tremendous anger and her face being utterly redder than an inflated red balloon.

“WHAT I’M TRYING TO SAY!!!” Rebekkah shouted, managing to get everyone to be silent. “Your family is not as normal as your mother always says.” She trailed off. Now it was complete silence.

We looked at Aria, who was now frozen in utter shock. She was trembling in total denial, refusing to believe what Rebekkah yelled at her, “NO...My family only consists of Mommy, Daddy, and Granny…!” But Rebekkah’s expression remained the same. She was dead serious. I could tell. Then she said sternly, “What your mother didn’t tell you was your grandfather who wasn’t the normal one.”

This was when all the families had their attention drawn to Aria, who was under extreme stress. She was on the edge of having a flight response. I could understand why she was in so much emotional turmoil—no child would want someone to label their family members as ones against the social norms. Yet, how should I tell her that even if there was a possibility that her family is somewhat different, there is nothing wrong with that and it won’t make her abnormal?

But before I could approach Aria and soothe her, she was already too agitated to even listen to me, as she yowled while clutching the cloth to cover the object she wanted to keep away from our sight, “GO AWAY! I am normal! I am normal!” Rebekkah then kneeled down to the Riolu and spoke in a somber tone.

“Aria…” she paused, as if to reconsider her actions, but then maintained her composure. “Did you ever know about your grandfather?” Aria yelled, “I don’t care! Right now you’re insulting my heritage and...and…!” the Riolu stuttered. She didn’t know what to say to argue back. Rebekkah seemingly knew this would happen eventually. “Your heritage? YOUR heritage? Aria. Don’t forget that I’m your original trainer. Your family has been under my wing for a long time. I knew them FAR LONGER. Long before you were even inside an egg! And you’re saying that I’m insulting you over a heritage that you don’t even KNOW too well?! If you think I’m insulting you, then listen to yourself! You’re insulting your own family! Especially the one I’m about to reveal!!!”

“Rebekkah, please! Don’t hurt her feelings!!!” I screamed in horror.

“Stay out of this,” Rebekkah said sternly. None of her Pokemon dared to stop her. She was basically sending Aria to execution in a metaphorical way. Then she finally revealed the truth that Aria never wanted to know.

“YOUR GRANDFATHER IS A BISHARP, like Scarlet and Dagger! If you can accept them, THEN ACCEPT HIM! Your mother wouldn’t exist without him, you know!”

A loud gasp from the families in the vicinity could be heard when Rebekkah spat out this truth. Me and my family and team were too staggered to say anything. Then naysaying began to emerge like bamboos that sprout in spring after the rain, but not in a good way. The full context of what the families were muttering was kind of intelligible, but the key words, to name a few, included, “Mutt”, “Mongrel”, “Fighting-type traitor”, “Impurity”...all like a Decidueye’s arrows cruelly and acutely aimed at her. Aria had her eyes drifted away from me, hoping that pretending to not know me could dismiss the stigma that others were shoving down her throat, even though we both knew that we had already forged a bond with each other. It was unfortunately difficult for me to tell her that the discrimination towards Dark-types isn’t going to fade so easily even if I officially adopt her, and my guilt amplified when my psychic made me glimpsed a snippet of the fond memories…

Aria was dwelling in the happy past that was intertwined between her and a beautiful female Lucario. It must be her mother. Part of her mindscape had her head being gently ruffled by the Lucario, another fragment had them playing flicks and fistbumping each other, one more had them catching goldfish Pokemon at a large lake joyously, and most importantly...Aria receiving the pink ribbon from her mother. At that moment, I finally had a realization on why she had always been tucking this ribbon, because...it was a token that she had wanted to keep her memories for her mother alive, and that what she had been regarding as normal was how nobody spewed insults at them for being...different species that weren’t even supposed to be paired in the eyes of the norm. That love was being accepted for being unconditional when they were together…

I solemnly thought, “Maybe I can never replace the mother in Aria’s heart for being a species that is destined to rival each other, especially when Aria is already having difficulty to accept the truth of having a mixed heritage that involves my species”, when suddenly my psychic detected an ominous presence. Startled, I swerved to check who was at our back as I figured out the red and sinister aura that I sensed was very familiar, and I was afraid that he had been spying on us, particularly Aria for a long time. “They might stalk her if she decides to suddenly break away from us and harm her…” I deduced, “We better calm Aria down first before she does something irrational…”

However, the naysaying families’ discussions had no signs of declining. Instead the number of naysayers proliferated. More vicious words echoed across the fields and they only grew louder and louder. Only Sila, Kung Fu and Manon as well as Tanzanite, Amythest and Amber were the only families who tried to advise her from listening to the noisy murmurs, with Manon using sign language to comfort her, but none of their advice had the desired effect. Aria became more and more of an emotionally defensive mess as she continued clutching onto the object hidden by the cloth, but as she could no longer control herself and used an edge of the puckered cloth to wipe away her tiny drops of tears, I finally noticed what she was hiding the entire time. It was a jar. But it wasn’t the convenient occasion to ask her, and worse...a huskily rough male voice behind our back actually had the guts to say “I’m sure this Riolu’s mom isn’t biologically Lucario at all and must be a vicious Bisharp the whole time! How gross!”

My family, friends and I recognized that voice straight away. It must be nobody other than the stalker Lucario who now only wanted to instigate stigma aimed at Aria! But before I could warn Aria that this voice could potentially be a trap set up by an adversary, Aria couldn’t stand the naysaying anymore. She finally bursted, “I DON’T GIVE A DAMN CARE ABOUT YOU HORRIBLE MEANIES’ PRATTLING HERE! SHUT UP AND STOP DISPARAGING MY MOMMY! I WILL PROVE TO YOU THAT I HAVE A MOMMY AND YOU WILL ALL PAY, ESPECIALLY YOU REBEKKAH!” With that being said, she dashed away with the jar in her paws, and before we could hold her back, she had already disappeared into the night…

That stalker Lucario, having his wish of seeing all the other families occupied with gossiping and disparaging Aria, would be catching up with her sooner or later…

***************Aria POV****************

My heart didn’t stop pulsing during my entire run. Just like me, it was desperate to reach Mommy as fast as it could. I couldn’t stand being ridiculed for no longer being in a “normal” family anymore, it had made me sick and tired, even though I wouldn’t be denying that Scarlet had been looking after me well. At least my feelers were telling me that I was getting closer to my old home, and I could get Mommy out of this congested house full of a way too bustling team of Pokemon and an obnoxious human named Rebekkah so that we could play together and relive the old days. Maybe I could tell her I had been living okay and preparing to reunite with her once and for all.

I then proceeded to sniff for the scent of the spacious yet old house and tried to identify the notable features of it. If I remembered correctly, it had a wide and large front yard with several things that Mommy called “recliners”. It wouldn’t be too difficult to find if I ever spotted a recliner. And my intuition was correct! It only took me a while to notice one obvious recliner, telling me that I must be getting closer to the front yard! Then I spotted the easily recognisable bayview window with light purple cloth that Mommy referred to as “curtains”. Even though Rebekkah had been my arch nemesis, I had always known how obsessed she had been when it was about the colour purple that she decorated the whole house with, be it stuff she called “paper on the wall” and “furniture”. “Yes!” I couldn’t help but praise myself, “I have such astute eyes! Now all I need is to break into it and free Mommy from her small room, and show her that I have been looking after the orbs well too! She will be proud of me! Carrying this jar might be heavy but it is worth it if it means getting Mommy to smile again and we can live happily ever after!”

After struggling to unlock the handle of the front door, I resorted to shattering the glass and breaking into the house with the subsequently cracked hole I made while carefully clutching onto my jar of orbs. They had been very precious to Mommy and I ever since Daddy, who collected them with us during one night just like tonight, had died. As for the house, I had never once imagined it to be so empty and large at the same time when I looked around it. Maybe it was because it had housed so many teammates of Mommy as well as Rebekkah and her parents as a limited unit.

Keeping the jar clutched against me, I slowly walked through the house I once called “home”. I thought back to those days before Jennie took me in. When Mommy would let me do whatever I wanted without limits. I could train at my own pace, unlike the rest of my old teammates who have to go under Rebekkah’s command for training. I remember Amber would always berate me for not joining my teammates, only for Mommy to come to my defense. Mommy would also scold Ximena the Zorua when the latter spat on me by bragging how she had control over her illusionary abilities better than my “attitude”. What do my teammates know about me? Nothing! At least, that’s what Mommy told me. I remember one time, Rebekkah attempted some Ranked Battles. She always swapped her team around three at a time. Eventually, it would be my turn to be put on a team. I was pumped and ready to show what I could do. This particular opponent was tough. Eventually, both Miss Forrest and Bro Rockstar were defeated. It was just me left. I didn’t mind because I felt ready. This battle was going to be all mine! Rebekkah wanted me to use Bullet Punch, but I decided the best plan is to use Aura Sphere! Alas, I probably should’ve realized that my opponent was an Ivysaur. Fighting attacks aren’t effective against Poison. But at the time, I was confident. Besides, Rebekkah had been my sworn nemesis so I had no obligations to listen to her gibberish. So in the end, Rebekkah got pissed off so badly that she threw a babyish tantrum and quit the match. I was unhappy. I barely got to show off my true potential! At least Mommy told her off and she sulked afterward.

Anyway, I continued to knock and crash every door of each room of the house, but each of them had no sight of Mommy being in there. I thought, “Maybe Mommy was out for a stroll or I hadn’t reached her bedroom yet.” So I persisted to sniff every waft of air in every corner to trace where her bedroom was since I had sort of forgotten where it was after I left this house. However, with each step I took, an ominous voice behind my back grew louder in volume, saying something like “Your efforts of your blindly determined search is futile, foolish child”. But I ignored it, because I firmly believed what Mommy had once taught me: “Being determined can help you reap and harvest the fruits of what you seek for”. And I was certain that Mommy would be the shining fruit waiting for me to pick from the tree. I could care less about that naysayer behind my back...even though it sounded oddly familiar with its male pitch. It did sound in the lines of a grown form of my species… In truth, I could not bear to admit that this familiar male voice was a premonition to my safety being threatened, because thinking so would deter me from focusing on retrieving Mommy back.

Finally, I recognized a mint blue nameplate embroidered with white doily patterns on it hooked onto one of the doors. Silly me, I must have forgotten the possibility of Mommy having probably switched rooms when I was away. I still thought she would be pleasantly surprised when she realized I was giving her a surprise visit to take her away and be proud of me for being a big girl who managed to protect the orbs we collected with Daddy. She might even have praised me that Dad would be equally proud of me. Until I opened the door…

I was beyond shocked. There was no sight or scent or aura of Mommy except a blue and white tatami with a cushion filled with dried blood stains. Did somebody hurt Mommy and caused her to bleed? How could that be possible??? I felt like I was going to descend into panic while rummaging through every corner of this room! What was going on??

“Are you ever going to quit trying?” I heard the threatening male voice behind my back, and as I turned my head around...no...IT WAS HIM. This Lucario! How come he predicted that I had planned to get Mommy back in the first place? Such a pest he had been! But I still refused to give up. Mommy must be only playing hide and seek with me! ＂Maybe if I try a little bit harder, Mommy will show up!” I clinged onto the last bit of hope I had, “My efforts won’t be flushed away like that!”

“Except that what you have been doing is nothing but useless.” This was when he crushed my soul with one cold stone. I felt that I froze at the same spot when he spat this out so casually. “There’s nothing more you can do here. Because I know the full extent of where your mother is now.” He said with a cruel smile. I wanted to strike him so I could stop him from continuing saying something so heartless, but he pinned me onto the ground, and spilled out the horrible truth I never wanted to know at all...

“Your mother has been taken into hospital. Have you been living under a rock?”

I didn’t want to believe him. But the fact that there was nobody home… the blood stains on the cushion… And then he remarked that, “I saw her coughing out blood not too long after you have been sent away. So glad that her recovery journey after being attacked by the wild Bisharp and its Pawniard who I attracted to her has gotten her to nowhere. It was so bad, no ordinary Pokemon Center can fix her. She was pretty much doomed to be infected by bacteria from her semi-mortal wounds, and she is going to die soon anyway no matter how the doctors and nurses and especially her moronic trainer and teammates are desperate to heal her. Hahahahaha! What a masterful plan I have concocted for her! Those fools are just like you, mistakenly thinking that she can be healed for having scars all over her body!”

I could not utter a single word. He...really devised a whole incident to hurt Mommy by manipulating a species that she had trusted as a friend, just as I once worried about that day when we went to pick berries...and I wanted to cry… Being too overwhelmed with emotions, my cloth could no longer hide my jar, and...he smirked after he saw it. Then he aimed one Aura Sphere at it, and...there was no way I could stop him…

The glass of my jar was blasted and shattered into fragments...and he said, “Now your parents’ orbs are free.” To my horror, the lights of Mommy and Daddy's orbs were actually dimmer than I expected. I must’ve not checked them for a long time. Then, with me out of their reach, they began to fly away despite illuminating the dark room. I started screaming in pain, “MOMMY! DON’T GO WITH DADDY YET!” But he then said, “You are truly an ignorant child who is trapped in a fantasy. Don’t you know that these family orbs tend to fly away when an individual that represents the respective orb dies or is about to die? You claimed that you are a child with normal lineage, but the truth is your thoughts are immaturely abnormal!”

I wanted to deny what he had cruelly disparaged me and my family...but...but…I couldn’t think of anything to say or do. I felt… defeated. I was never normal at all...the only thing that made me feel slightly normal was...the ribbon that Mommy gave me…

*********Scarlet POV**************

After Aria bolted off on her own volition, we headed off to the other side of the fields to look for her, all worried about her safety. However, after minutes of frantically searching and yelling out her name in the wide open, there was still no sight of her. I had been telling myself to retain my patience as I had the belief that she would not be hiding anywhere too far away from the area, but I soon noticed that my family and friends were on the edge of getting fidgeted.

“Rats! RATS!!!!” Rebekkah finally yelled in extreme frustration, “I hate this little untrammelled brat! Why would Aurora-Alissa give birth to a daughter who is nothing but capricious and has deaf ears?? There is no use crying out her name loud in the dark, she is not going to bother listening to us at all!”

“Beckka, I know we have been searching for Aria for half an hour and it is frustrating,” Jennie said, “But you shouting like this is going to drive us crazy even further. Besides, Aria isn’t a bad kid. It’s just that you threw a curveball at her and it is certain that she is not going to adjust to it too well.”

“NOT A BAD KID?? WHAT THE LEGITIMATE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT??” Rebekkah was only further provoked, “I have a long history with this bratty pup ever since she was born! Aurora-Alissa has been preventing me from teaching her the way society works and functions! That’s why I have sent Aria-Angelica to all of you, and you should be all grateful for having an easier job tackling her than I used to!”

Suddenly, I felt a surge of anger rushing through my reins and my body was heated up with my hot blood. What Rebekkah spouted was downright tone-deaf! It was understandable and indisputable that dealing with a child like Aria had always been a hassle to both of us who were originally unprepared for her, but how she had been regarding Aria was really irresponsible and uncaring to Aria’s feelings. It must have been hard for a child to be separated from their beloved family and both Aria was no exception like me, and even though society has been advancing, there are still outdated perspectives on how a family should be formed and that assimilating into an adopted family is never a walk in the park. We should be focusing on finding ways to help her realize that she was never alone instead of endlessly blaming her for everything regardless of how I would not condone her behavior easily! In a fit of rage, I rushed toward Rebekkah and covered her mouth, as well as giving her an intense glare that I rarely showed in my normal life. Then I squeezed all my might and let out an indignant shout with a hot red face, “THEN WHAT ABOUT YOUR ROLE, REBEKKAH, OTHER THAN COMPLAINING ABOUT HER NOT ASSIMILATING INTO SOCIETY???”

“You have only focused on how Aria has always failed to meet the society’s standards of normalcy, but have you ever considered what is in her mind?” I continued. Rebekkah was fazed, but remained adamant, “That’s because the world doesn't revolve around her, battling or not! Her mother had spoiled her rotten and always accommodated her. I just don’t understand… Aurora-Alissa was one of my best Pokemon.She listened to me and helped the team through some tough situations. A real TEAM PLAYER. When Aria was born, I thought her mother would teach her the same tricks I taught her. But no! Instead it’s nothing but constant pampering! I don’t want Aria to live in a sugar-coated fantasy anymore! I know Aurora-Alissa’s past, and I don’t want to fake it anymore like she does all the time! Aria needs tough love to understand how reality works!”

Me, my family and my entire team were beyond flabbergasted. For months and almost a year after Rebekkah sent Aria to us, we had no idea that she had been my best friend’s daughter the entire time, and that Aurora-Alissa was holding back her past by glossing it over to Aria! What Aurora-Alissa had been doing was nothing normal as she tried to fabricate to her daughter. Instead, she was moulding an outcast of the society, and now Aria, who had run away, was potentially going to face grave danger.

I calmed myself after inhaling a deep breath, and decided that it was time to prioritize what to do next. Then I began to ponder which place was the most possible spot that Aria had decided to seek refuge to and asked Rebekkah, “Beckka, I heard that this area where the orbs are produced is near your house, is that true?” Rebekkah was confused by my question and thought I was playing dumb, “Of course, Scarlet, you dummy!” But before she was going to chide my “dumb” question further, I quickly reckoned the destination that Aria had gone to, and shouted, “Guys, it must be Beckka’s house! There might be a suspicious adversary that we know who has followed her there! Quick, and no delays!” Why did I ascertain that? Because that stalker must be the Lucario who had been spying on Aria for years if he knows that she is Aurora-Alissa’s daughter! And sometimes the safest place can still be the most dangerous…

************Aria POV**********

“Get your hand off that worthless ribbon, dimwit,” snarled the Lucario in a gloating way. He and I had been having a standoff when he noticed that I was still clutching onto my precious ribbon. I could tell that he thought pinning me onto the ground and destroying my beloved jar of orbs weren’t enough to dispirit me. I told myself that I could not get emotionally wrecked by him any further, because I had always firmly believed that whenever I clung onto something that resembles a vestige of Mommy, I could always persevere. But after knowing that Mommy had been sent to the hospital and that I was never a purebred that is accepted by society, I could feel that my hope was slipping away. “Why, Mommy…” I thought while refraining my tears from leaking out, “If you love me and give me this lovely ribbon, why would you lie to me about grandpa?”

However, just as the Lucario smirked cruelly and was about to give my paw a merciless stomp…

“STOP RIGHT THERE YOU SON OF A BASTARD!” There came an incensed but firm shout that startled the Lucario. My eyes weakly looked around the vicinity, and to my own shock, I couldn’t believe who had come to my aid. It was Scarlet looking at me lovingly with her cerulean blue eyes, and she assured me as she kneeled down to me, not fearing the Lucario’s threatening glare, “You are never alone, my dear Ari. We are here to help you.”

Why...why would she be so accepting to me? I had brought about much unwanted stigma to her. Bisharp is a much detested species in our society. I had been aware of this harsh fact since I started going out to city centres with Mommy. They are categorized and characterized as bloodthirsty, heartless, brutal and vicious who only strive for survival by slaying their opposers in all of the storybooks I had come across in many bookstores, and I guessed that was why Mommy never told me I had a deceased Bisharp as my grandpa. Maybe she felt that it was a blemish to my parentage and didn’t want me to be discriminated against by the uncaring society...and her giving me my precious ribbon might be her affirmation that she would try her best to shield me away from it… But now the cat was out of the bag and Mommy was in hospital fighting for her life the whole time...why would Scarlet bother to protect me when she had been hated by the society?

“Come on you dumb kid! Quit struggling futilely and let me destroy this ribbon! It has no meaning to you anymore! It’s like you are holding onto a withering flower and pretending that it is not going to fade away!” Growled the Lucario as he was about to step on my paw once and for all. But just as he was about to do so again, he suddenly was being stopped as he felt a twisting pain and yowled while holding onto his injured leg, shouting, “WHO THE HELL HAS FRACTURED MY AWESOME LEG WITHOUT SCATHING IT???! WHO THE HELL??!”

And there came the answer from Scarlet, “Yes, it was me who did this, and I’m not tackling you alone.”

“What’s the use of protecting this dumbass bratty pipsqueak when you are already being stigmatized by society?” The Lucario plastered a simper on his face as an attempt to mock and discourage Scarlet. But Scarlet showed no signs of backing down from him. Instead, she gave out a speech that came off as surprising to me…

“Yes. I was once stigmatized by society for what I look like. I’m well aware that my species’ reputation has been rather damaging to me and my family as a whole. However...what society deems as ‘normal’ isn’t always the right label to determine a person’s true self. In fact, I never believe that stereotypes are beneficial to relationships and growth of a child, especially when it makes Aria come into contact with narrow-minded losers like you, stalker! What the majority of the society doesn’t understand is that true familial love has no boundaries between species, and there is no shame for a child to be adopted! Me and my family and my friends will show you and make you taste rainbows!”

Right after she finished this inspiring speech, the darkness behind instantly seemed to fade away. With a glowing flame of a torch and a fire blast that the Lucario barely dodged, I realized that Scarlet had not only brought Trixie the shiny Braixen and Amber the Ninetales along, but she had also gotten Dagger, the Pawniard triplets, and a union of Rebekkah and Jennie’s teams! And they all looked ready to crack their knuckles and kick the Lucario’s butt...just for me. Even though I considered myself a dirty-blooded creature…

“You don’t have to be ashamed of yourself, my dear Ari,” Scarlet then looked at me kindly once again, “because through bonding with a team, you and I realize that you don’t have to force yourself to be regarded as normal by society’s standards, but instead you can display your true self to the teammates you love, because they are your family. That’s the point of being in a team as a team player. Now, I will gladly demonstrate the strength of teamwork, my dear!” And then she gave out a resolute command, “EVERYONE, CHARGE!!!!”

Everything that happened next was much swifter than I blinked my eye, and faster than I could see a flashfire. Tanzanite and her mother Amythest were the first to spring into action, by unleashing a combined Moonblast at the Lucario, which reminded me so much of Mommy. She used to join in with my training so she could teach me how to consecutively punch. Next was Trixie the shiny Braixen who torched him with the flame from the tip of her stick, causing him to yowl hysterically when he started burning. His burning didn’t cease, as to my surprise, Amber actually decided to step in and breathed out a scorching Fire Blast that almost incinerated him. He had no intention to give up of course, as when I tried to stand up and regain balance, he attempted to strike me from behind me with a pounce, but this sudden sneak attack was fortunately prevented by Kung Fu who successfully landed a High Jump Kick that I could hear his bones cracking under the powerful stress of Kung Fu. Then Jennie waved her hand to summon more teammates to join in with Rebekkah’s team, much to my disbelief that they all nodded at one another in unison with much solidarity. Mommy said that she had always wanted me to one day be able to mingle with a team with her...even though she admitted that she hadn’t been cooperating with her team much now as she had to spend more time looking after me…

After a brief discussion as both teams huddled up to devise a strategy, they finally came up with a plan, even though I noticed that the Lucario still refused to retreat and wanted to attack me again. But then much to his flabbergast, Scarlet was fast enough to detect his cunningness, and with her sharp eyes, she quickly ordered everybody to turn around and retaliate in a firm voice, encouraging to fight back...not because they regarded the house as the most important property, but because…”Aria is an invaluable member of ours! There is no way for you to disregard her purpose in life even if society doesn’t accept her. Because we accept her and that is all it matters!”

And before the Lucario could react, every Pokemon unleashed their best attacks, be it Psychic, Drain Punch, Leaf Storm or anything that severely inflicted damages on him, to the point of him getting bruised, scratched and battered. He was humiliated that he got outnumbered, but even his wounded pride didn’t stop him from wanting to eliminate me once and for all, as I watched him glaring at Scarlet with tremendous rage, aiming to deal with her with a Bone Rush. I shivered-- he was targeting her as his archenemy! There was only one thing for it. I slowly got up on my feet, stumbling a little. I couldn’t allow anyone to harm the ones who were willing to sacrifice for my sake, whether I initially treated them with respect or contempt. And the fact was crystal clear...it was just that I still wasn’t ready to frankly admit it… Scarlet resembled so much of Mommy to me…

“For everyone who has decided to protect me...time to release my best move…” I told myself quietly...I could feel a warm aura generating from my palms...and just as the Lucario was about to hammer Scarlet with his bone, my Aura Sphere shot out of my paws straight at him without giving him any warning…

Even though I originally treated everybody with so much contempt...they still gave their all to me...and I thought, “Maybe after this, I won’t be a burden to them anymore when I atone for my mistakes…”

**************Scarlet POV*************

“Let’s get this asshole the hell outta here, guys!” Shouted Kung Fu who was dragging the fainted Lucario with the help of Gemm, “Now who wants to do the job of throwing him out?” And everyone raised their arms without any hesitation. It was conspicuous that we all had had enough with this guy and just wanted him to be gone as far as possible. So with our combined efforts and strengths, he was flung into the darkness somewhere faraway from our vicinity.

However, just as we were going to celebrate our victory, I noticed Aria sulking. She was staring at one of the rooms in this house of Rebekkah’s, and as I approached, I finally realized how saddened she was… not only was it badly damaged during our fight, but she also was on the brink of breaking down as she kneeled onto the tatami, and immediately I spotted the dried blood stains and recognized their familiar scent. They really did belong to Aurora-Alissa...guess it wasn’t the appropriate time to thank her for helping us.

But as I walked out of the room, I felt a tug on my arm. I turned my head around, and it was Aria. She didn’t want me to leave her behind and her pleading eyes seemed to want to tell me something she had been storing inside her heart. Was it her fear of the Lucario resuming his stalking on her, or was it associated with Aurora-Alissa? So I gently prodded her head with my thumb and said, “It’s alright, my dear. Tell me anything you want.”

And she said gingerly, “Why...would you and the others regard me as normal just like Mommy used to, even though Mommy and I weren’t having normal blood? Also, why does everyone , including you, fight for me with their lives, even though I used to have so much contempt for them, especially Rebekkah? Just...why?”

I kneeled down, gently stroking her head reassuringly. “Aria,” I began. “We regard you as normal, because that’s what every family does. This is OUR norm. It may not be looked at that way by other families. But we’re normal. And so are you.” Right after I finished, she finally let loose of her tears, and leaned her stout close to my thigh to dry her snots. Then I heard her muttering, “You are just like Mommy...I wish Mommy could see you right now…”

I wanted to admit to her that “Sweetie, I feel the same, I miss your mom too. She is both of our best friends, isn’t she? She’s in fact the sweetest person in the world…” but I chose to keep these words to myself, and gave her head a kiss. “Maybe it would be best to tell her when she has gotten ready to face the harsh reality that her mom may or may not be discharged at any time soon…” I thought. Then after she tied her ribbon back onto her head, we scooped her orb from the shards of her jar, and joined in with the rest of the group back to the fields, as they decided to care about Rebekkah’s wrecked house later.

Back at the fields, most of the families, be them Pokemon or humans, had already left to return to their abodes for slumber, but there were still a few who remained to spend the night together in tents. Some of them were looking at Aria in an unfriendly way, but she cared less about that. Then, to her happiness, it turned out Dagger, the triplets and I had brought an even larger jar with our orbs inside, and it had room to contain hers too!

With her tears of joy glistening under the stars and her wide smile that shone brighter than the moonlight, Aria gratefully and happily allowed her cherished orb into our jar, accepting us as her family. I saw Rebekkah looked at her, and instead with anger, she was full of happiness just like Aria. I wish we could watch Aria’s smile just a little longer...and I also wish Aurora-Alissa could be here to witness her beautifully smiling...

Chapter Text

***************Aria POV************

So...for everybody who manages to reach this point, you must be wondering how I’ve been doing with Scarlet. Well, everything was alright. Our bond has strengthened through all the events you have read before. However, something terrible had come without warning, and...it had pained me so hard. It was about Mommy.

Regarding my bond with Scarlet and her family, we did begin to spend more time with each other and one another. They had been very encouraging and supportive of me whenever I wanted to train, but they also told me that there was a necessity to learn new techniques, not just punching offensively. And to signify my role as their daughter, Dagger suggested Scarlet to pass down the method of learning their family psychic, which Scarlet strongly agreed since she had wanted me to not only be able to protect myself but also them with strong barriers; according to her, the psychic that runs in their family is the glue that connects them, and it can also make me feel the same sentiment. At first, it was quite difficult for me to get the ropes of it when I had to use it to levitate objects and create barriers and shields, but soon enough I was able to master it, much to their pride and joy. Even the rest of my current teammates were cheering for me and regaling me with sincere compliments when I demonstrated how I had gotten the hang of using such mystical power.

Other than that, I started spending more time with my new adoptive siblings- the Pawniard triplets. Vikki-Toria, Beryl and Poniard all differ in personalities, but they are very gregarious and caring towards me. They have been my supporters ever since they started watching me sparring with the neighborhood kids, but they have also taught me that I shouldn’t be a sore loser as not everyone is supposed to easily give me a win even though I want it so badly. Thanks to them, I got to mingle with my peers, such as Tanzanite the shiny Alolan Vulpix who acts as the big sister among us kids in the team and treats me nicely as well as being my frequent sparring partner and Manon the Sneasel who is hearing impaired but is very naively friendly and kind, and through Tanzanite I got to meet her best friend Muro the Buizel. Whenever I played and had mock battles with them, Scarlet said that it always put a big smile on her face.

Additionally, both my current team and Rebekkah’s squad have been treating me quite well, as they regard me as part of their families. Rebekkah also began checking on my progress more often, and Jennie once informed me that she was becoming less hostile to me now.

But for a long time, I wished Mommy could see all of this. Yes, even though I had adapted to my new life, part of me missed Mommy greatly. I was hoping she’d miraculously recover as she promised me that she would become the strongest for me ever since Daddy died so he would be proud of both of us. “She doesn’t deserve to be in a cold and sterile hospital,” I always told Scarlet. If it wasn’t because of that Lucario, she wouldn’t have ended up there. Although Scarlet was resembling more and more like Mommy to me, always telling me her experiences including her past in in a Unovan forest and how she used to be a glamorous celebrity performer, she knew that something was still missing from me, so quite often she told me a lot about her friendship with Mommy, and affirmed that she loves me not solely due to Mommy and Rebekkah entrusted me to her, our family and our teammates, but also because she sees me being as awesome as Mommy. Whenever she had heart-to-heart talks with me, she did seem very motherly just like Mommy used to talk with me.

But one day, during dinner, I finally voiced out that I wanted to go back to Rebekkah’s home aka my old home, because I believed that Mommy would still get discharged from the hospital anyway and it would be best if I chose to return there to look after her with Rebekkah’s team. Mommy would be glad I decided to change my attitude toward them. Scarlet and the rest froze and had indescribably complex emotions on their faces when they heard me saying that, though they came to an agreement that I could visit the ward where Mommy was staying in the hospital after I took part in one of the region-wide tournaments that was near the hospital. I was in tremendous joy when they announced that, and began to train myself day and night for around two months prior to the beginning of this tournament. Because…

...I thought Mommy could hang in there long enough to watch me succeed. Yet...it didn’t happen at all.

Sometimes, I wondered why Mommy gave me my ribbon as a gift and token for me, but I didn't fully understand its meaning behind it. Throughout my time with Scarlet, I began to feel that it was a symbol of Mommy’s love that exists everywhere wherever I go. But not until that very day that I finally understood what it meant...

************Scarlet POV***********

For those who have managed to reach this part, thank you very much. It has been a long journey for me and the others to bond with Aria, as she used to be distrusting and stubborn. But there is always a crack for a tough nut to crack, at least that was what my adoptive Gothitelle mother told me. I don’t want to brag about how I have made Aria assimilated in our team at all though, it was the combined love of everyone that made her feel she had found her place among us.

But deep down, I know that Aria has never forgotten about Aurora-Alissa. It is undeniable that they share a mutually close knit bond. They were as close as lip and teeth before they were separated, according to Aria herself. There was always a spark in her eyes whenever she mentioned Aurora-Alissa to me. I could feel the same spark too, as Aurora-Alissa had always been somebody I care about deeply, she had a hard life and deserved better. Therefore, I could understand why Aria wanted to return home one day and look after her. Even if it meant she had to leave us behind. I once even guessed that maybe Aurora-Alissa was the one who gave her the ribbon, that was why she had been treasuring it so much.

However, none of us predicted that Aurora-Alissa...our Ali...would never get to recover...because of that Lucario…

************Aria POV***********

I remember Mommy once said that time flies faster than an arrow, and it was true when the day of the exciting tournament soon approached! I woke up early out of excitement so that I had more time to train myself, and when one by one Scarlet and the others woke up too, they gave me gestures of approval, such as a thumbs up. They even said that Mommy would be glad to see my performance once she got discharged from the hospital, and proceeded to prepare some materials like foam fingers, pom poms and banners as stuff to cheer me on later. So nostalgic. Mommy used to do that too.

But not too long later, right after I washed my face in the bathroom, I noticed that Scarlet was on her Holo Caster and even though I couldn’t see her face, she seemed solemn. Jennie and Cuddles advised me not to disturb her though. I thought, “Maybe she was just pretending to be upset, so that when she brings Mommy to the arena it would be a surprise for me?”

I was too naive.

************Scarlet POV***********

Everything was originally going great during that morning before we went to the arena. Everybody was getting hyped for Aria that we all invested our best efforts and craftsmanship to make good quality foam fingers, pom poms and banners that would have the best encouraging effect when Aria got to the battlefield. Moreover, we actually happily thought that Aurora-Alissa was going to join us and recover well when a few days ago Rebekkah told us that the hospital she had been staying in was near to the arena after all. But that morning, I received another urgent call from her, and bad news struck harder than lightning…

It turned out that Aurora-Alissa...our Ali...wasn’t recovering well at all. Rebekkah was going to cry when she said that according to the doctors, somebody had been tampering with Ali’s medicines and life support and worse her illness which was caused by severe infections during the wild Bisharp pack attack only aggravated. I never thought someone would instigate my wild counterparts to attack her which made her so gravely wounded and ill. Listening to the harsh fact that Ali had no signs of improvement really broke my heart, but I had to turn my face around so that Aria wouldn’t start worrying me.

I then decided to tell Jennie that after we arrived at the arena, I would be visiting Ali’s ward, because I believed that she might try to tell me something important as she probably wouldn’t live long now. Aria was a bit disappointed that I wouldn’t be among the audience, but she said she would be waiting for my surprise if she managed to win all the battles. I could only smile wryly, as I knew that there would be no surprise afterward…

Instead, it was the sorrow that all of us had to face…

**************Aria POV***********

My eyes gleamed when Jennie brought me into the arena of the stadium. It wasn’t because it was my first time I got to cooperate with Scarlet’s trainer. More than that, I got to see everyone from the team supporting me enthusiastically with all those foam fingers and stuff while shouting my name. But strange…where was Scarlet?

I shrugged off my concern for Scarlet though. Maybe I could muse about Mommy in her position cheering for me in her seat. Or better, maybe Mommy was going to accompany Scarlet as a surprise for me later on.

With this optimism, I took a deep breath to reaffirm my confidence and prepare for my first round.

***********Scarlet POV ***********

I didn’t say a word and instead held my breath when I entered the sterile hospital. I could totally understand why Aria wanted Aurora-Alissa to get discharged from this place so badly. Ali must’ve been so lonely here especially when she had separated from Aria for this long…but the possibility of her never getting the opportunity to exit here lingered and pained me. It wouldn’t just mean I was going to lose one of my best friends, but Aria would also have her biggest dream getting crushed into nothing within no time.

Anyway I lightly pushed the door of the ward open, hoping not to startle the other patients. The best I had at that time was that Ali was awake and not unconscious, so I could have enough time to be with her, even if it was probably the last time…so that she would have no regrets of not being able to look after Aria…

After eyeing around the near silent ward and hoping that nobody was stalking me with the intent to harm Ali, I carefully walked toward one of the beds, as I managed to recognise one of the patients as Ali albeit with much difficulty. In fact, I covered my mouth in shock and had to refrain myself from crying, because for goodness sake! Ali was so pale, the vitality that used to glimmer from her eyes and fur had long vanished, and she was bedridden, now thin and emancipated. I could totally touch her bones. The illness must’ve drained her badly…I believed that Aria would be traumatized if she ever saw her mother being this sickly.

After sitting on the chair next to her bed for a while with an awkward silence, I finally spoke, “Ali…good news…Aria is adapting very well now. She now likes me, Dagger and my triplets so much, it’s just that she still misses you and wants to come back to you…”

Then Ali exerted her energy with much difficulty and weakly said, “Scarlet...you’re such...a terrific...friend. I never...regret...being...yours...too. I...hope...that...Aria...wasn’t...disappointed...when she knew...you aren’t...a Flareon....that she imagined you...to be…” That was the first time I knew that Aria once imagined me as another species, but I guessed this didn’t matter to me and Ali anymore as she had accepted me already. Ali continued with something important though, “Scarlet...maybe...it’s about...time...to tell you...more of...my past in depth...as you need to...pass on...the truth...about...my father...and the truth...behind...the aura guardian… but first...has the neighbor Lucario from my neighborhood...been stalking her and you…?”

I decided to tell her the truth about what the Lucario had been doing to both Aria and me, and when she heard everything we had experienced from him, she had her eyes frozen in shock. She then gave me the most important entrustment, “Free...Aria...from...my past...the aura guardian...is really...him...this stalker…Raymond.”

I gasped in a staggered way. I remembered Ali recounting her backstory that was about her life in Sinnoh, which involved her living in a shrine with her parents and that they were looked after by this particular guardian. But I also knew she had been withholding many specific details about her parents and the guardian, like how her mother ended up dying despite being treated by some nice human doctors. Yet as at this moment she once again retold me this backstory of hers, I knew that she was having lots of regrets of not being honest enough with Aria, only because she thought skipping certain parts would safely shelter Aria in a safe fantasy. So I patiently listened to it again, and this time, it left me in a state of extreme shock that I struggled to recover.

Her father was indeed a wild Bisharp from another region that got lost in the forest of the shrine she used to live in and although her mother was originally going to return him to his human, they soon fell in love and he decided to stay with the female Lucario. Her mother however told nothing about the Bisharp to the guardian, who was actually Raymond the Lucario, because from the moment he took her in as his protege, he had long become infatuated with her and wanted to start a family with her to carry on his pure lineage. For a long long time, Ali’s mother hid her Bisharp mate in the basement because she knew Raymond would get possessive of her and he is a huge bigot that loathes all Dark types who would do anything extreme to eradicate them. Everything was at peace between her mother and Raymond, and Raymond legitimately thought Ali was his child when she was born, until when she was six to seven years old… It happened that Raymond went to check the basement and discovered Ali’s Bisharp father. In a fit of rage, Raymond mercilessly murdered the defenseless Bisharp in front of her and her mother, and his love for them turned into hatred. He brutally injured her mother who tried to shield her, and that the two of them only barely managed to escape from him.

But Raymond had been hellbent to destroy them ever since, for he can’t accept anyone who is an individual with a Dark type parent. Apparently there were really doctors that actually tried their best to volunteer in saving her mother, who did get attacked by Raymond brutally when she went away to steal some food from a savage Ursaring, with their medicine and best effort, but it turned out what Ali didn’t tell Aria about her own mother’s demise was that she later found out that he had added poison to the medicine, probably because he sneaked into the doctors’ camp. By making the doctors give up after their failure, he successfully drove her to a vulnerable solitude that drove her into the urban areas. Worse, he lied to the city humans that Ali was a monstrosity that contained unstable genes and would make her aggressive, making her a vulnerable target to cops. This lasted for quite a few years until Rebekkah visited the city and rescued her with the help of Forrest.

Rebekkah thought bringing Ali to Kalos was a good idea to protect her, but alas, it wasn’t. Little did they know Raymond had followed them and stayed in their neighborhood for quite a long time. It was no surprise that he would gradually know my presence when I started visiting her, and soon his hatred for Aria also developed when he became aware of her birth and Aria’s father Lucas. It wasn’t until they brought Aria and watched Lucas facing him in a battle. Lucas underestimated Raymond by thinking that the latter wouldn’t beat him when he was mega evolved, but...with the burning hatred he has, he single-handedly killed Lucas in front of everyone...and that was when Ali realized she needed to protect Aria. But there was no way she could discipline Aria for being such a lenient and a far too soft mother...and when Aria’s temper, possessiveness, misconception and ignorance got out of hand, evidenced by how she tried to finish off Rockstar’s wife Roxanne, she knew she could no longer look after her…

I used to think that…things were already bad enough for Ali when she realized she had been led into a trap Raymond had set up by leading her to a place in her neighborhood’s woods that not only had plentiful berries but also a pack of Pawniard led by a merciless Bisharp, just to prove his point that no Bisharp are good…

...As for that ribbon, just like the beads accessory Ali used to own, was made by her own mother as an heirloom that served as a charm to her that reminds her that a mother’s love will always overpower the evil Raymond...and Ali told Aria that it symbolizes the love between them…

“I know...Raymond...might...find...a way...to...kill...me...soon…” Ali weakly sobbed, “Tell...my...dear...Aria...about...this...later...go...alert...her...and...you...be...her good mother…” In response, I clutched onto her hand, not wanting to let go. This would be a promise I would never break when we would never see each other again…

***************Aria POV************

After defeating several strong foes, Jennie and I finally advanced to the semi finals! How exciting it was! Mommy would be proud that I had become so powerful! I thought, “Maybe Scarlet would be excited too and that she might tell Mommy about this. That would be cool.”

Nonetheless, there was a boy and his familiar looking Pikachu that yelled at the judges to warn them to stop this competition. I recognized both of them, they were the ones who helped me when I was in the desert during the pancake race! It was weird that the boy kept insisting that somebody was knocked unconscious and got locked up inside a locker in one of the rooms called the “changing rooms” and that a Pokemon seemed to have taken his clothes to impersonate him, according to the Pikachu. Scarlet not bringing Mommy to watch my battle yet was already upsetting me, and I wasn’t in the mood to end my winning streak.

Until...HE appeared from the passageway on the other side, and immediately Jennie froze. She then shouted, “I AM QUITTING THIS MATCH, ARIA, LET’S RUN FOR OUR LIVES!!!!”

Even the rest of her team ceased cheering for me and instead were frantically pointing toward different directions of emergency exits. I almost couldn’t recognize him because he was in another human’s clothes. Almost instantly Jennie grabbed me and began to run as if the Lucario was going to kill her and me, but he quickly blocked the main exit. It was the moment that I got frightened, because he glared and smirked at me with his cruel red eyes…

Fortunately, the boy and the Pikachu I knew came to our rescue. The boy ordered Pikachu to exert a powerful Thunderbolt which the latter followed this instruction, striking the Lucario so they could paralyse him and buy us time to escape. With the Lucario collapsed onto the ground, Jennie thanked them and told them to bring us to the hospital as soon as possible. She then told me the worst thing I had heard in my entire life…

Scarlet called her earlier that Mommy...was dying….

Everything happened so fast...I was getting pursued by the stalker and Mommy was dying…

Before I could recover from my confusion, Jennie and the rest of the team had already brought me to the hospital, and when they finally paused at the ward, they turned at me with somber faces. I then noticed Rebekkah arrived but her teammates decided that they would let her enter alone. I was puzzled as I had never once seen a sad face from Rebekkah, until Jennie said, “Scarlet called her earlier and informed us that Rebekkah might need to stay at your mother’s side for a while... then you will be the next one to hear your mother’s last words.”

LAST WORDS?! That sounded unbelievable to me. I thought Mommy was recovering from her illness! She was dying for real?! Why was this happening?! I didn’t want to accept this, so I kept telling myself that Scarlet must be having hallucinations. But then, Rebekkah exited the ward with streams of tears on her fair face, and she was uncontrollably bawling her eyes out, while Auntie Neona and Bro Rockstar comforted her with their hugs and Amber wrapped her and tried drying her tears with his nine tails. Right after that Scarlet poked her head out of the ward and gestured to me, “Aria, I’m sorry about this harsh truth, but you have to stop deluding yourself. Your mother wants me to tell you her actual backstory and association with that stalker, as she is regretful for glossing over such important details. Now, do you want to stay by her side? I really hope you won’t make a decision that you will regret later on.”

I didn’t believe what Scarlet said even though she sounded earnest, until I entered the ward and got to the bed where Mommy was laying. It was shocking for me to see her being so feckless and frail...I couldn’t believe she had been battling with her illness alone when I was away from her, but judging Scarlet’s solemn face, it was becoming clear that she was fighting a losing battle. She was looking at me with much sorrow, and I couldn’t bear to look at her pale face and eyes as well as her debilitated body. I refused to believe Mommy was losing. But Scarlet, regardless of how saddened she was, turned me toward her, “We have to confront this undeniably sad truth together through this difficult time, okay? I will definitely pause my recounting of her backstory when you need some time to vent your sadness, that’s for sure… Don’t worry, I’ll be here for you…”

Reassured by Scarlet’s words, I sat next to her and mustered up the courage to look Mommy in the eye while Scarlet recounted what Mommy presumably told her. Even though I had heard of it before, I couldn’t believe that Mommy really skimmed over a lot of details. For so long, I really thought the aura guardian was an evil human the whole time. It turned out the human doctors tried their best to help. It turned out that grandpa was a loving Bisharp that loved grandma immensely and shielded her as he chose to protect her from that aura guardian. It turned out that the aura guardian spread nasty rumors about Mommy for being different and made her have a difficult life in the city until Rebekkah and Miss Forrest saved her. And the most shocking truth amid all of these was…

Raymond was the aura guardian who was stalking us the entire time...and...he...killed...Daddy...just...to enact revenge...on us...he knew all of us...he...he…

I was too flabbergasted to react to anything at that moment. There was a silence in the air until Mommy began to sob. Then Scarlet also couldn’t hold herself longer and weeped too. I wanted to cry, but I then told myself to stay brave so Mommy wouldn’t have a sad time even if she was going to die. Then Mommy weakly touched one of my paws and said…

“I know...you...love...Scarlet...are...you...ready to...accept her...as your new...mother...completely? Sorry...that...I had...been...spoiling...and...pampering...you...I...have...failed...as...your...mother...but...I...am...grateful...for your...unconditional...love...for me...you...are...always...my...beloved...Aria-Angelica...I...may...be...going...to...find...your...father...now…Good...bye…”

“No...Mommy, hang in there…” I winced agitatedly, “I now know that not all Bisharp are ferocious and aggressive...it is just the society stigmatizing them...I want you to stay alive and watch the society change their minds on Bisharp and Pawniard...I want you to watch me grow up...I want you to see me becoming the strongest fighter...please please please!!!!”

“Aria...your mother is in agony...maybe it is best for her to go…” Scarlet said in a pained voice. I still remember the day when she told me that Mommy had been her best friend, and it was understandable that she was as sad as I did.

Mommy’s pulse and heartbeat were slowly fading away. It broke my heart so badly. I never thought this was going to happen so early...she wasn’t even old at all…

But the worst just had to come along and add on to our already existing pain...because there came an Aura Sphere that came out of nowhere and...

“Aria, DODGE!” Yelled Scarlet who shielded and rolled onto the ground to dodge the incoming hit.

Then came a booming explosion and...KABOOOOOM!

When we opened our eyes, Mommy was...not breathing anymore. She was lifeless. Her bed and the equipment were destroyed. Her body was charred. Such a sight horrified me. Even Scarlet was staggered. Mommy’s life slipped out from our hands before we could even catch it.

A figure then emerged from the damaged wall that had a hole blasted through it. He stood on the rubble with his two strong legs, his arms crossed at his hips, and a cruel smirk on his face. It was the aura guardian...the stalker...Raymond.

In Mommy’s last moment, he chose to brutally end her life…

I could feel my heart being thrusted and shattered into fragments and shards…

“MOMMY!!!!!!!!!!!”

************Scarlet POV***********

I was petrified and heartbroken when the Lucario, now known as Raymond, emerged from the wall that he had blasted a hole on. The only instances in my life that I had experienced the premature loss of my family were when my biological parents were poached by hunters and my adoptive Gothitelle mother and Gothorita sister had their lives ended in the hands of my older brother. Yet I never predicted a murderer could be so close in proximity to us, even though I already felt that he had the intention to finish all of us ever since I came across him.

But for him to heartlessly murder a child’s parent and my best friend was plain unforgivable. It wasn’t only because I had lost my confidante, it was because…

Aria deserved better. She had been waiting to reunite with Ali for so long. Allowing her to return to Ali was really for the best of her mental health, because I could never replace her mother. Yet...even though Ali was initially going to pass away earlier...she should have been able to hold Aria’s paw a little longer and peacefully fall into an eternal slumber…

Jennie, Rebekkah, Dagger, my kids, and both of our groups of friends rushed into the ward with the nurses and doctors, and there they gasped in horror and shock at the sight of Ali’s charred body, the damaged equipment and bed, as well as Aria bawling over Ali’s corpse. She was hitting the heartbeat meter, probably because she thought reactivating it could revive Ali. But the sad truth was that it was nothing other than impossible. Ali had vanished for real. This was an irreversible fact.

There was not much we could do to help Aria to ease her pain of having just lost her mother. We knew if we ever made a misstep, Raymond would suddenly strike and slaughter everyone in the ward. Dagger and the triplets tentatively edged toward us and we carefully embraced Aria so as to not accidentally penetrate her body with our body’s blades, as she was getting weakened by the hysterical crying she had been having. We only dared to do that for a short time while Raymond was busy relishing in his cruel happiness that he successfully killed someone that he had a prejudice against and therefore one of his countless mortal enemies.

But just as Jennie, Rebekkah and our united groups of friends were about to join in our embrace, Raymond was alerted as he suddenly halted his boisterous laugh. His face twisted with tremendous repulse at me, Dagger and the triplets. We knew exactly why he was having such a discriminating reaction--he can never let go of his prejudice toward any Dark type, especially toward a Bisharp couple like Dagger and I, as well as our Pawniard children. That was why he killed Aria’s grandfather without a second thought or remorse. There was no love inside him, and as Aria looked at his glaring eyes that were aimed toward us, she was more aware of the reason behind his wrong persistence of stalking her and us for so long too, and she looked at her ribbon, seemingly and slowly to begin comprehending the reason why Ali had given it to her as a token, even though I hadn’t found the right time to tell it.

Then furiously gritting his teeth, Raymond stepped down from the rubble he was initially standing on and as he gradually approached all of us, particularly me, my biological family and Aria, he finally revealed his racked up grudge toward us, “For all those years, I’m angered and sickened by the fact that my lover had chosen to betray and tarnish the sacred blood of Lucario, ignoring the fact that we are a proud breed that shouldn’t mingle with any single Dark types! It is a universal truth that all Dark types are insidious, specifically Bisharp, who are all heartless killers that us Lucario are destined to fight against, and of course they are always unable to understand what love is, as even if they know the concept, they always feign their sincerity! It is disgusting that my brethrens are able to breed and have descendants with such a rancid species of humanoids! I had been calculating how to alienate the pipsqueak from her mongrel mother after killing her father who chose to be with a disgusting mongrel, but what I didn’t expect was that she would end up with some more Bisharp and Pawniard that tried to force me into changing my mind with their fake kindness!” He uttered the most radically bigoted declaration afterward, “I would rather preserve the pure blood of a Lucario than watching a traitorous descendant of my species being a mixed mongrel and continuing to contaminate the hideous blood of the steel humanoids of the darkness!” But then he eyed Aria slyly, “I will spare you pipsqueak, if you atone for your mistake of living with the corrupted dark and steel types by…”

Then he turned his attention to Rebekkah, who was angrily crying at how he had killed Ali, and almost instantaneously he caught her and all of us off guard by violently hammering her onto the ground and clenching onto her chest. At the rate, we were staggered by the fact that he had chosen to stoop so low by holding one of Ali’s dearest friends hostage, not caring that Rebekkah is a human, only because she saved Ali from his torture. And my worst fear had become a reality--he wanted to use this hostage to...sway Aria from the path of light that she had been walking with me and my family...by manipulating her emotional agony…and he knew that the previous enmity between Aria and Rebekkah was his best tool. There was no way the doctors and nurses could send out their Pokemon which were all Chansey and Audino.

At that moment, Aria was ambivalent on what to do. She didn’t want to harm Rebekkah in the slightest even though she was heartbroken by Ali's demise...but still, I believed that she would make the right choice if she had us as her guidance…

******************Aria POV******************

For a while, I was in a turbulence of emotions. Mommy died due to Raymond who was the aura guardian who had been the stalker that wanted to kill all of us because of my late Bisharp grandpa, and he had the intention to finish off Rebekkah as he knew that I used to detest Rebekkah quite seriously. This must be what convolution meant.

But the truth was, I had been adhering to the moral codes that Mommy, along with Daddy, had taught me in the past. Even though I once broke them by attacking Mommy’s Midnight Lycanroc friend Roxanne, I knew I must never repeat this same mistake. This rule was...I must never hurt any friend of Mommy’s, as they are essentially my friends too. I should’ve learned that earlier though…

However, Scarlet saw through my thoughts and without uttering a word, she touched my ribbon. This action of hers seemed to want to tell me that there must be a reason why Mommy gave it to me. I knew Rebekkah’s life was endangered, so I began contemplating quickly.

This was when pieces of my memories resurfaced. Mommy once actually said that this ribbon was all about the love that had been passed down from grandma to her, but she wanted me to share the love with humans and also the rest of the other types, specifically Dark types that had been loathed by the society, mostly other fighting types that discriminate and patronize them. The only instance that she had any mention of grandpa was when she said someone in her family was harmed because of his typing. It must be extremely terrible for her, now in retrospect, as it was actually grandpa who had been killed by Raymond in front of her, and I could imagine how grandpa was a loving father to her and therefore meant the whole world to her and grandma. Maybe that must be why she was terrified and hurt when she knew she couldn’t stop me from almost finishing off Roxanne’s unborn baby, because I judged a Pokemon like a book’s cover. And every time after I bragged about bullying Rebekkah, she was actually sad even though she would intercede or scold Rebekkah for being so strict…

“Darling,” this was what Mommy once educated me, “do you know why ribbons look like they are intertwined even though they are originally pieces of silks?” When I shook my head in confusion, she smiled and said, “This is because just like genuine relationships, they are connected with love, regardless of what species you are.”

This was what she had been reminding me the whole time with my ribbon, and I finally knew this was why Scarlet chose to let me comprehend this underlying message behind it myself. At first when I arrived at Jennie’s home, I hated Rebekkah so much as I thought she deliberately separated me and Mommy for her own amusement, and that I was greatly disappointed that Scarlet wasn’t a species that belonged to the non Dark type category. But with how Scarlet and her family and friends had been loving me since the very beginning of my new life and later she let me made up with Rebekkah by teaming up with her and made me see Rebekkah in a new light, I now realized that these intricate relationships were actually ribbons themselves, forging a new world ahead of me.

Most importantly, the love between Scarlet and me had sealed us together, like a tight ribbon. Just like a mommy and her little girl. This had been the meaning behind my ribbon. It wasn’t about solely focusing on returning to Mommy, it was finding other ones who would love me with her whole heart like she and Daddy did to me.

Scarlet had officially become my other mommy, and we were definitely not allowing our friend Rebekkah getting hurt by the paws of a fighting type who is a treacherous, heartless hypocrite!

Raymond was fidgeting as he saw that none of that were advancing toward him, and he decided that it was best to eliminate Rebekkah as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, he didn’t see how I looked faithfully at Scarlet and nodded at her that I had finally grasped the meaning behind my ribbon and how we, as well as the triplets and Dagger who gave us a boost, held hands that soon began to emanate a glow of combined energy…

I could never forget how Mommy voiced her wishes of wanting me to have a new daddy, some younger siblings, make some awesome friends, and find someone as loving as her...if Rebekkah didn’t send me to Scarlet and her team, I wouldn’t have met Dagger, Vikki-Toria, Beryl, Poniard, and the rest of my current team who treat me as part of their family...I would have no ribbons with them, especially with Scarlet…

A knot of a ribbon isn’t tied solely by flesh and blood after all, and my Bisharp-Pawniard family is a conspicuously solid evidence, because they love me with everything they have.

Together the six of us let out a powerful yell that surprised everyone as we charged our united hands, “PSYCHIC AURA SMASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Raymond was beyond jarred and then horrified even though he still refused to change his inequitable mind, “DARK TYPES CAN NEVER COOPERATE US PROUD FIGHTING TYPES, PARTICULARLY US LUCARIO WHICH ARE A NOBLE BREED! I MUST BE HALLUCINATING! THIS IS NEVER REAL TO ME!”

But he couldn’t change the fact that our hands were more powerful than his, and we retorted, “YOU AREN’T HALLUCINATING, YOU BIGOT! OUR HEARTS AND LOVE ARE NEVER DEFINED BY OUR TYPES AT ALL! IT HAS BEEN YOUR PROBLEM THAT YOU ARE NARROW MINDED AND DISCRIMINATING, AND WE ARE HERE TO PROVE YOU WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!”

With a flash, Scarlet and I felt that our smash went straight at him, and...he was flung onto a wall and was severely injured by our psychic aura impact. He wanted to retaliate, but it was already too late for him as Bro Rockstar, Kung Fu and Gemm all pinned him onto the ground to prevent him from getting up and Miss Forrest constricted him with her vines, while the rest of our Pokemon friends tended to Rebekkah to check if she was alright and Jennie and the doctors and nurses called the police humans and their dogs. Not too long later, the sirens became louder and louder, and the police humans promptly apprehended Raymond with their steel cuffs.

I couldn’t believe the terror of Raymond that had haunted my family for so long had finally been trounced. All because my Bisharp-Pawniard did everything for me coupled with the rest of my teammates.

Scarlet accepted me even though I harshly rejected her no matter how she wanted to connect with me by using her unique psychic to control and sense my aura. She then bravely rescued me from Raymond despite having a type disadvantage against Raymond and forgave me even though I stole their precious honey, because I had always been important to her. She introduced me to my new daddy Dagger who at first struggled to understand me but later proved to be a good father, and the triplets had also proved themselves to be the younger siblings I deserve after being the only child for quite a long time to me, as they all had faith in me and admired me with love. And they helped me to understand that true friends can be my family too, by uniting with them and defending me from Raymond when I had to face the truth of Mommy’s illness. Most importantly, they decided to be at my side when I was at my lowest right after Mommy died…

What happened next was...I sorta had blurred memories due to a lot of emotions I had, other than remembering how Scarlet kindly fixed my ribbon with love.

But I do recall I leaned onto Scarlet and Dagger’s legs, and I cried again. But this time it was full of tears of joy.

****************Scarlet POV***************

My family and I watched how Rebekkah managed to stand up despite having some injuries. It was a relief that she didn’t end up like Ali...and me and my family all wanted to give them a wholehearted thanks to all of our friends who banded together to stop Raymond from striking back again…

But Ali...she would never return, all because of Raymond. He had committed so many atrocities to her by luring her into a trap and made her get horribly injured by my wild counterparts who didn’t understand what love and kindness are, and that he ended her life without hesitation when she was already suffering, just because she was a mixed breed. He would always be a shame of the Lucario species. Dagger even said that none of his brethren would thank him for being such a massively murderous bigot when his crime would go onto the newspaper headlines, to which I totally agreed with.

Especially Aria.

I wouldn’t condone Ali’s constant pampering for her in the past. It really did seriously hinder her social skills to the point of being socially handicapped and gave Jennie and the rest of our team a tough time. But simultaneously...she didn’t deserve to experience such traumatic experiences of having to constantly live in fear of losing Ali by killing her father Lucas, getting stalked 24/7 and ultimately had Ali’s life ended with his paws. Both she and Ali deserved much much better than all these terrible events that happened to them.

Although Ali’s passing was something that we could never alter, I looked at my husband and children and we all nodded at one another. At least...we could do one thing for her to give Aria the happiness she deserved the entire time…

Seeing how Aria was mournfully watching the hospital staff hauled Ali’s corpse to the autopsy, I came near to her with Dagger and the triplets behind me. Then I kneeled down to reach her sight, and asked, “Ari my dear, may I borrow your ribbon for a while?”

Aria handed me her ribbon with curiosity, until she watched how skillfully I managed to fix it within less than a few minutes. When I returned it to her, I had nicely cleaned its dusts and scratches and retie it. She was happy that it was now as good as new. And she further knew what this gesture of mine meant when I said…

“You don’t have to refer to Dagger and me with our full names all the time now. From now on, we will always be your pillars.”

And our triplets added happily, “They are your momma and dada now!”

Hearing such warm words from us, Aria finally let loose her restraints and allowed her tears to flow out as she rushed toward my lap and leaned onto Dagger and I’s legs. Just like our orbs in our jar, we had become one big family with her.

I know Ali is irreplaceable, but from that moment, we knew we would be giving her the love that she once lost and very much deserved…

Jennie, Rebekkah and the rest of our friends cheered due to how moved they were upon realizing Aria’s wounds were going to heal when she had now become an official member of us, even though we had always been different species...

It was time for her new life to officially begin.

****************??? POV***************

“If I see that imposter again, I will gladly Volt Tackle him to next Wednesday!”

“Settle down, Axel. They’re gone now. I just wish I wondered why that Riolu and her trainer ran off so quickly.”

“But I wasn’t done with him!”

“Come to think of it. I think we’ve seen that Riolu somewhere before…”

“Hey! Were you even listening?!”

Chapter Text

**********************Scarlet POV********************

How should I begin…? I mean, for those months and nearly a year, so much had happened between Aria and our squad. The affection between her and us only heightens, which we are totally glad about. Moreover, Aria now understands that we love her unconditionally no matter what, that even though sometimes we have to chastise her for her inappropriate behavior, it is just love being presented in a tough exterior and we want her to improve. By listening and reflecting on our constructive criticism, she is now drawing out her potential as an aspiring battler on the battlefield, and the moves that she is proud of not only includes her signature Aura Sphere, but also her “psychic aura smash” which is a testament to the bond and trust between her and me. Although sometimes I have to remind her not to be cocky with both of these abilities regardless of how amazing that she is mastering both of them skilfully, I know that she has found her place within me, my family and the rest of us. In fact, she is no longer ashamed of being adopted now, as once when Dagger and I passed by the park, she along with the triplets was actually praising both of us for opening up her eyes toward Pokemon that have different typings and appearance. I never thought my family and I would impact her in a positive way, so she ended up catching me being an “embarrassing mom” that cried emotionally in front of her, but she didn’t blame me for that. I love my little Riolu girl.

As for the community around us, they have now treated Aria as well as my family and I with a more open-minded attitude. Society’s perception towards a camaraderie between supposedly rivalling species, such as the Lucario line and the Bisharp line, still require some more time to have a complete overhaul, but the majority have been rethinking whether their attitudes are right when it comes to understanding a Pokemon’s personality. I believe that it appears the shockwave that was created when Raymond the Lucario got arrested has compelled them to try changing their old minds.

It turned out that, according to Raymond’s own confession, he had been a celebrity in Sinnoh even though he spent the majority of his life in a forest where the shrine that Aria’s grandparents used to reside in was located. Nobody ever objected his ideology that had been ingrained to him since childhood, and coupled with his superiority complex that he had wanted to become some sort of hero by purging many species that humans consider evil and preventing the Lucario bloodline from being mixed, he had developed quite the serious bigotry toward Dark types and judges them indiscriminately as a whole as the embodiment of evil, but this only proved him that his judgements are all groundless when it comes to understanding other species, specifically Dark types, as the judge rebuked him that many of us Dark types who have assimilated into society can perform good deeds and be loyal companions on our own volition or under positive influence, rendering him guiltily speechless. Now his reputation has been forever tainted in all of the regions with those explosive headlines of “CELEBRITY LUCARIO COMMITS STALKING AND MURDER OF HIS OWN KIND” and “SHAME OF LUCARIO THAT IS FULL OF BIGOTRY” and is pretty much going to serve a life sentence. I really don’t want to gloat at his situation, but Aria and I agree that his crimes towards all of us can be a wake up call to society that we shouldn’t determine any human and Pokemon by our first impression of their appearances and typings.

Nevertheless, the most important thing that we have learned from Ali’s passing is that...even though it is inevitable that we will have to grieve for people who may not have the chance to grow old with us, we get to learn more about them in other ways and afterwards we let them go to a better place.

When Rebekkah and Forrest came to our house in person one day during summertime, the former tearfully told all of us that she had retrieved Ali’s body from the hospital’s autopsy and it was about time for us to organize a funeral for Ali with the rest of her team. The most regretful thing that made her think that she had failed Ali was that she didn’t forge a good relationship with Aria before and Ali who was already critically ill back then could never see her and Aria be friends. I didn’t know how to respond to Rebekkah. I was equally emotional as her, since Ali could also never get to see me and my family finally united with Aria as a unit. But Aria, despite forcing herself to put on a brave face in front of us who were all getting overwhelmed with emotional turbulences, actually said she wanted to tidy up the belongings that Ali had left, adding that it would be one last chance to understand her mother’s love for her before finally letting Ali, who had been cremated, rest in the peace of nature. We respected her choice, believing that it would be a good way to relieve our grief.

It was a rewarding experience for us to tidy up Ali’s belongings to be honest. We actually found out that she had been keeping her precious possessions inside a nicely embroidered box, and there was an extra memo for Aria that it was supposed to be her adulthood birthday gift when she would reach eighteen according to human ages. But since she had left us, we got to unravel it early. It turned out that she had a secret diary about her past in Sinnoh with both of her parents, how she became Lucas’s mate, and life after Aria was born. She had thanked her parents countless times despite knowing that society doesn’t always treat their dynamic kindly, she had always wanted to pass down their love to Aria, and that Lucas believed in the same thing as her. Aria found the story between her grandparents quite touching, and gratefully said that their love really had brought Ali and her to this wonderful world, as well as thanking me for being her second mother. It is great that she embraces her parentage now. We have decided to keep this diary for us to reread with the rest of our family and friends again and again. I will let Aria detail the full backstory of her biological family for all of you though.

After tidying up everything in Ali’s room, we gathered at the large spacious yard of Rebekkah’s home. Rebekkah forced herself to refrain from tearing up nonstop when she handed the urn that contained Ali’s ashes to Aria, but when Aria opened the lid of the urn, she ultimately gave in to her sorrows and bawled hysterically. It wasn’t just about Ali’s death, it was also about how much Aria had grown up mentally through her transferral to Jennie and my team which made her quite proud of being Aria’s ex-trainer. As Aria calmly scattered Ali’s ashes to the ground, I knew that Ali would be pleased with what Aria is growing up to be in the future.

And with this simple funeral over, Aria and I walked away from Rebekkah and her team after bidding them farewell, hand in hand. Together, we are going to continue forging a bright future that intertwines, like a ribbon.

I will continue learning how to be your good mother, Aria, and we all love you with the rest of our lives.

*******************Aria POV*******************

Thank you everybody who has been listening to the story between Momma Scarlet and me. Yes this is a confirmation that she is my momma now, and she lets me call her that way. I can’t describe how much I love her and the rest of my Bisharp-Pawniard family now. Everyday they teach me different skills, whether they are ones that we can use in life or in battles. My favourite skill is learning how to control both of my aura and the psychic that Momma Scarlet has taught and unleash it as a combined attack. It’s not just that the other neighborhood kids are impressed by such raw talent that I have, it’s also that it shows the more skilful I am when I harness this combined power, the more it reminds me of how much she and the rest of my current family and friends love us. One time when Rebekkah came to visit me and I happily showed off this skill of mine, she was in disbelief at first but soon was amazed too. Rebekkah said this was what Mommy had been striving to learn for a long time but couldn’t perfect for a long time, and that Mommy would be proud of me if she ever witnessed me performing this in front of her…

Speaking of Mommy, I still miss her greatly. At times when I stare at the clear blue sky under the shade of trees, I feel like I can see her as a spirit up in the heavens upon noticing the rays of the sunlight reflecting on the clouds. I sometimes see her ethereal figure when I look at my ribbon too. But I know she is always beside me, just on the other side of the world with Daddy, grandpa and grandma.

When Rebekkah and Miss Forrest informed us in summer that Mommy had become ashes and it was time for a sendoff, it was upsetting to all of us as Mommy meant the world to everyone, not just me, and the other person that had missed her the most was Momma Scarlet. But I didn’t want everyone to dwell in the sadness of losing Mommy for too long. This was never what Mommy wanted to see on the other side. And I believed that it would be better for me to learn more about Mommy and her family better from the things they had left behind, because I did want to understand their love for me and possibly the rest of us before Mommy’s body became part of the soil.

It turned out that when Momma Scarlet and I were tidying the room, we found the diary that Mommy had kept secret from me for all these years in my lifetime. It was a pity that she could never live to see me turn eighteen. But with this diary, I was able to learn more about my grandparents and Daddy and Mommy too. Momma Scarlet even described their intertwined story as moving, I couldn’t agree more with her.

I was surprised that Grandpa used to be the leader of a pack of Pawniard from another region and was quite cocky. He thought he was above everyone else and had metaphorically quite the long nose, thinking that no other species was as superior as him. That sounded quite similar to Raymond. However, he got quite broken after one of his subordinates overthrew him in a battle which he ended up losing badly and humiliated, and ended up wandering onto a ship that sailed to Sinnoh. It was similar to my experience too, for I had also been taken to another unfamiliar place away from the ones I know. But Momma Scarlet told me that this experience was definitely something that made him turn over a new leaf. It was because he got to encounter my grandma when he was all alone and crippled, that she didn’t hate him because he was a Dark type, but chose to show him kindness and nurse him even though she could have left him alone, and thus for the first time he realized that love is something that is without the boundary between two different species no matter what types they are. Without them, Mommy would never come to this wonderful world. I was upset that Raymond had to be a heartless person to kill him without a second thought which made Mommy very hurt, coupled with the fact that Raymond was also responsible for killing grandma with cold blood only because she loved someone he doesn’t like at all, but Momma Scarlet cheered me up by saying that my grandparents’ love for each other was what motivated Mommy to be an open minded person that accepted the love between different species, even though she was alone for a long time due to her ideals.

She wasn’t wrong about that. I mean, in Mommy’s diary, she did write that it took her quite a while to find Daddy who was someone who loved her for being who she was despite what the society thought about her, and with his open mind, their bond interlocked like a ribbon. He didn’t discriminate against her mixed heritage when he was introduced to her for the first time, and found her beautiful for being a kind person . Instead when his former trainer disparaged Mommy and called her a freak, he decided to resolutely leave them behind to start a new life with her, even though he didn’t officially live with her and her team, he actually resided in a treehouse that was located in the woods near Rebekkah’s house to check on Mommy. What a great guy Daddy was. I now admire him more than before, and maybe I can visit his treehouse someday.

You might say, “Cmon girl. They’re all dead because of Raymond who slaughtered all of them!” But it doesn’t matter anymore. Because after what happened between Momma Scarlet and me and the rest of my friends, people gradually realise the fact of how love doesn’t have to be restricted by their old perceptions and we shouldn’t judge people by their covers, especially after Raymond had been sent to jail for life imprisonments for what he had done to us. I’m sure Mommy would be proud to see this happening.

Speaking of Mommy being proud…we finally came to terms with my biological family after tidying her room and decided that we would be keeping her diary. As for the funeral, it was saddening, but throughout the course of it, I couldn’t believe that although I was sad that Mommy is no longer among us, I was calm. It wasn’t because I was trying to repress my sadness, but because as someone who firsthandly experienced her passing, I knew it must be difficult for the others who had been clung onto her tightly like a ribbon they couldn’t untie. When each teammate of Rebekkah’s team gave their respective eulogy, it was evident that they were all on the verge of crying. I didn’t blame them, and instead, I gave them pats when each of their speeches were over. Maybe that would be what Mommy does if she was still present.

The hardest part for all of us was to sprinkle Mommy’s ashes on the soil. When Rebekkah saw me open the lid of the urn she handed to me, she finally bursted into deluges of tears. I could hear from her muffled voices that Mommy had gone too soon. Yes, I was saddened that Mommy no longer had a body when I saw her ashes, but then…I let her go. I knew that I would be still keeping the ribbon she gave me as a treasure, but at that moment I also knew that it was time to untie the knot as even though she would not be physically with us, our bonds would once connect like a ribbon when I reach the other side one day. With that in mind, I calmly scattered the ashes. She would be happy to know that she was helping the plants to grow and I get to see her as flowers when I come to Rebekkah’s house sometime later.

Then when I was scattering the last ashes, Momma Scarlet smiled with Papa Dagger and the triplets, “You have done a good job, my dear.” I saw Mommy from her smile. I was and still am glad that Mommy had found me the right person to be my guardian, tying the ribbon between the five of them and me. They have cared about and loved me deeply no matter how society thinks about our dynamic, and I will cherish them like the ribbon I have.

I still remember holding my hand with Momma Scarlet and felt like embracing the bright future ahead of us, and also feeling Mommy was proud of me for finally letting her reunite with Daddy and my grandparents. I guess, me having a new life is what she wants to see for a long time, and it has now come true.

Once upon a time, there was a daddy Lucario, a mommy Lucario and a Riolu. And the Riolu is me.

But now, even though the mommy and daddy have ascended to the sky to meet up with the grandparents, they are glad that their Riolu has found a family of Bisharp and Pawniard as well as their friends who greatly love her, and she has learned that humans like Rebekkah aren’t bad after all.

Thank you, Mommy, Daddy, my grandma and grandpa, and now Momma Scarlet, my Papa Dagger and my Pawniard siblings, and the rest of my friends for teaching me the meaning behind the ribbon.

(PS: Thank you to all of you who have managed to reach the end of our story!)