Kyo's Nuzlocke Adventure

[shadowkurama]

pt.1 Introductions aren't needed

Moving day, not the most looked forward to time for youngsters. While adults may appreciate the new scenery, children, specifically teenage children, hated having to move to a new area. Losing the friends they'd grown attached to, being forced to learn strange new surroundings, and the work of packing then unpacking. It went without saying, Kyosuke, a thirteen year old boy with an average body aside from his white hair, didn't enjoy the move to Littleroot Town.

"Ugh," he grunted in complaint. "What is the point of moving anyway? Nothing is going to change."

He slumped back against a stack of boxes, maintaining his balance well in the moving truck. Assorted household things he never understood why they owned, jingled and jangled inside the boxes. He could hear some of the glasses clinking off each other. The newspaper his mother used to wrap them may have kept them from breaking, but it didn't stop the glasses from making an annoying racket. The whir of the engine was more pleasant than the noise they made. The driver from the moving agency had to be taking the most bumpy roads he could choose on purpose to be a greater annoyance, Kyosuke thought so anyway.

"Kyo," a voice similar to a small girl no older than five, came from a box to his right. "Isn't this fun? It's like a fun park ride."

"If I didn't know you, I'd call you crazy."

The voice returned a giggle to Kyosuke's joking insult to which the lad could only sigh. Just as he opened his mouth to speak again to the voice, the moving truck came to screeching halt. Stumbling forward, Kyosuke lost his balance, face hitting the box which the voice came from. The light giggle turned into a near hysteric laughter.

"Shut it!" Kyosuke punched the box hoping to rattle the voice.

The door to the back of the truck slid upwards, letting in the bright rays of sunlight. It was as if he were being welcomed into a whole new place, with a brand new attitude. The welcome didn't need to be so blinding, keeping him from seeing anything outside the truck without first stepping out into the world. With a sigh, he took his first step into his new town. He shielded his eyes from the sun's rays, giving his vision time to focus. The town didn't look that bad, actually, it didn't look like a town at all. There were only three buildings, one obviously being his new home, so two places he didn't know of. Assuming the driver of his truck parked in front of his new house, the place across the way must have been another house. That meant the large building was the lab he overheard his Mom talking about with his Dad on the phone.

He heard the door to the house open, stealing his gaze away from the new area. His Mom exited the house, coming up to him with an excited look on her face. She was always cheerful, happy about one thing or another. Very rarely did she lose her smile, and when that happened, he knew exactly what caused it. Grabbing his hands, she pulled him to the house.

"C'mon Kyosuke. Come look at the new house."

"I'm coming just stop pulling me."

After dragging him into the house, she let go of her son's hands. At first glance, it didn't look too bad, a pretty nice upgrade from their old house. The living room was spacious enough, big enough for the large pokemon the moving company used to run around without touching each other. All the work of moving was at least taken care of, though learning the surroundings relied on him alone. His hands slid into his pockets, turning back to his Mom.

"The movers are great aren't they. All the packing and unpacking taken care of for us. And you thought you'd have to do a lot of work."

His Mom poked his cheeks, trying to get him to smile. The flat, detached, otherwise uninterested, expression he wore normally stayed fast on his face. It wasn't that he couldn't show emotion, or that he didn't care, things just didn't affect him as much as everyone else. There were very few things, far fewer than what upset his mother, that he felt strongly enough about to change his expression.

"Your Dad bought you a clock," his Mom said with an even more cheery tone. "It's up in your room. You should go set it."

"Alright," he said plainly.

Doing as he was told, Kyosuke walked across the living room, up the stairs, and directly into his room. He turned around, looking down the stairs as if something were wrong. Looking into his room again, he realized there had been only one room upstairs. Was this his parents way of saying stay out of trouble, or didn't they expect to ever be home? His Dad may have never came home, always busy handling his gym, but his Mom wasn't like that. She would never leave home for so long he'd forget what she looked like, or her name for that matter. He may have always called her Mom and nothing else, but he knew her name was Izumi. Half Japanese, half American, he was happy to be given a Japanese name like his Mom.

The clock came off the wall, the thought of dropping it and breaking it came up. He didn't want a gift from his Dad, and it wouldn't have been a clock if he asked for anything. At least he had the decency of giving him his best friend, replacing the lack of a Dad in his life. After setting the clock, he placed it back on the wall. He heard footsteps on the stairs, his Mom came walking into his room.

"Mom why is there only one room?"

"Never mind that, go check your desk then come quick, your Dad's on TV."

"Do I have to," Kyosuke questioned with an obvious unwillingness to come downstairs for that.

"Now Kyosuke, he is your Dad and he got us this house we are in. Would you rather have stayed at our old house where you constantly got into fights?"

"It wasn't anything I couldn't handle."

"Your Dad may be a gym leader, and I know you are strong, but there was no reason to battle your pokemon everyday. I heard how many pokemon and people you and Lucy injured badly."

"The shouldn't have challenged us," he said under his breath going to his desk.

"You don't always need to take on challengers, you aren't your Dad."

"I don't want to be him," he spoke under his breath again, coming back to her so they could go downstairs.

Going back downstairs, his Mom walked Kyo over to the TV. The interview on his Dad just ended. A sigh of relief came from him, looking over to his Mom with a sort of "oh well" expression. She glared at him, knowing that he was happy it was over. Regaining her smile, she fell back onto the couch in front of the TV.

"Guess it was over," she said defeated but in her normal tone. "Oh well, you can still go out and see your Dad's friend, Professor Birch. His house is next door, go say hi. Remember try not to do any serious battling, or at least don't hurt anyone. Please."

"Alright."

"Where is Lucy anyway?"

His mom looked around, unable to see Lucy anywhere. It was very unlike her to not be at Kyosuke's side. They were inseparable, doing anything and everything together. They were more like brother and sister than trainer and pokemon. The door to the house flung open, an overly energetic houndour running inside. His mom laughed while Kyosuke rolled his eyes.

"Kyooooooo," the houndour cried tears pouring down its face. "Why did you leave me in the truck?"

"I didn't leave you, you were just having so much fun, I thought I'd let you play."

"Oh," the houndour stopped crying and smiled, jumping up and hanging on Kyosuke's back. "I was having fun wasn't I."

Kyosuke placed his palm over his face, a deep sigh muffled though audible coming from him. His Mom laughed at them, always getting a kick out of their actions. After having a good laugh, she took Kyosuke's free hand and placed a potion she had sitting on the table in his palm. Uncovering his face, he looked down at it, then back up to his Mom.

"It isn't for you, it is for whoever you battle with."

"I thought you said no battles Mom?"

"You think I don't know my son?" She shook her head, pushing him towards the door. "Now go meet our neighbors."

He walked outside, looking over to the neighbors house. It really was a house just like his, looking nearly identical. He wondered if it also had only one room, thinking that he never got his question answered. Standing in front of the house, he knocked, shaking the houndour off his back.

"Lu get down, we don't want to make a bad impression."

"Alright alright," she said hopping down and standing next to him.

The door opened, a woman welcoming the two inside. She explained that her husband, the Professor Birch he was supposed to meet, wasn't home. She went on to explain her daughter was probably upstairs. Them being around the same age apparently meant they would become friends, and that it was okay to walk into a girl's room unannounced. For some reason, the mother insisted, not letting Kyosuke deny going upstairs. It felt more like she wanted to find her daughter a boyfriend than a new friend.

Finally he gave in, walking upstairs, Lucy directly behind him, and directly into the girl's room. What was up with these houses? Why were there only one room, and why did it belong to the kids? Maybe she was like him, having a dad that was never home. Birch probably stayed at the lab all day like his Dad that stayed at his Gym. It turned out she wasn't upstairs, or she wasn't up there first, running up the stairs behind him. She was pretty nice, cute, telling him about her dreams of meeting lots of pokemon. Lucy eyed her curiously, then wagged her tail and smiled. May, as he found out her name was, pardoned herself. She needed to help her Dad with something. So much for having a relationship with her Dad like he did with his.

Kyosuke shrugged it off, tapping Lucy on her head to follow after him. He waved to May's Mom, leaving the house just as he came, not really caring too much for what was happening. He didn't meet Birch, but he managed to meet his family. His Mom would have to accept only that, he thought as he starting walking back home.

"Help," he heard a girl call from the distance.

Nothing better to do, he walked over to see what the commotion was. The girl told him she heard cries coming from up the road, but she lacked a pokemon and was afraid to go out herself. Kyosuke was no hero, and he made sure to let her know this, but he wouldn't just let it go uninvestigated. He may not have showed to care about many people, however he was still human.

"Let's go Lu," he nodded his head up the road.

"Right!"

Lucy ran ahead of Kyosuke who walked calmly, hands in his pockets again. Just up the road, they found a person in a white lab coat running in circles. Behind the person, a zigzagoon gave chase. Clearly it wasn't trying to play, the person's cries for help meant it was attacking him. It seemed he didn't have a pokemon, and couldn't defend himself against the one chasing him.

"Can I Kyo?" Lucy's voice became more sinister, vastly different than her normal girlish voice.

The gleam in Lucy's eyes had been something he'd known all too well. While she was adorable and looked unable to hurt a fly, when it came to battling a pokemon, she was anything but docile. A small fire lit in her mouth, a little came out from the sides. She'd always been this way ever since his Dad gave Lucy to him. If there was a pokemon to fight, she'd fight it, giving it her all without regards to the trainer or the pokemon itself. He only fought when challenged, his way of keeping her out of fights, but he couldn't avoid it in this case.

"Go ahead, and make it quick."

Kyosuke walked by the pokemon, getting its attention and prompting it to attack him instead. He completely ignored it, walking towards the person now yelling for him to watch out. Without turning around, he called to Lucy.

"Ember," he said softly.

Having already been waiting for the command, Lucy let loose a few flames at the pokemon. The flames connected, setting the fur of the little pokemon ablaze. Not enough for it to stop the pokemon, though the critical flames burned it badly. It attempted a tackle on Lucy, missing completely and falling over from its burns. Lucy stood over the pokemon, watching it cling to life with trouble breathing.

"One sec," Kyosuke said turning to go the pokemon's side.

The potion his mother gave him ensured the pokemon survived, though the condition was still pretty bad. After treating the pokemon, the look in Lucy's eyes returned to normal, licking Kyosuke's hand before walking with him back to the person. The person asked for Kyosuke to follow him, which Kyosuke shrugged and did as he was asked. The person travelled back to Littleroot, Kyosuke and Lucy behind him, and into the lab. Kyosuke figured he worked there from his outfit, but he didn't know that he was in fact Professor Birch. That wasn't the best way of meeting him for the first time.

Oddly enough, Birch didn't pay too much attention to exactly what happened in the battle. If he did, he'd probably had some things to say to Kyosuke's Mom like everyone else. He was just happy to be saved, explaining that he was doing some research when the pokemon jumped him. Birch went on to compliment him and his father, comparing how well they both did battle. Kyosuke's face expressed his dissatisfaction with the comparison momentarily, before wiping the scowl from his face.

Birch gave Lucy a few pets on her head, scratching under her chin, and thanking her many times for helping. Lucy wagged her tail, basking in the praise. Kyosuke only shook his head, keeping quiet for the time being. The professor welcomed the two again, asking if he'd met May. Why was she so important? It had to be some goal of their parents to get them together, he was sure of it now.

"Thanks for the welcome, I'll go track her down I guess. Come on Lu."

"Okie dokie. We'll come back so you can pet me again later," Lucy said to Birch before running after Kyosuke who already left the lab.

Finding May could wait, forever if he could choose, though he was now curious enough to wonder where she'd been instead of helping her Dad. Kyosuke would go take a nap, today was already more of an annoyance than he thought it would be.

[shadowkurama]

pt. 2 This was all planned

Kyosuke returned to his new home, opening the door while letting out a deep yawn. He wasn't tired, merely bored enough that he could nap. Lucy, his houndour, followed after him skipping. After walking upstairs, he sighed that his Mom wasn't at home. She probably went next door to spend time with May's Mom. Up in his room, he found a note from his Mom left on his desk.

"Don't stay in the house all day. Go to the town just over route 101. Oh and to make sure you went, I'd like you to buy me a potion from the pokemart there. Don't try to give me the one you keep in your room, that was the one I gave you earlier"

"Sigh," Kyosuke physically said while doing the action.

Lucy ran circles around him, wondering what was on his mind. She knew anytime he said sigh, there was something he wanted to refuse, but cared too much about the person to deny them a request. Along with his Mom, she'd been on the receiving end of that sigh a great many times in the three years they'd been together. Looking back, she remembered the last time happened when she asked for a rare food from a distant pokemart back at their old house. His sigh lead off his muttering of complaints while he walked to retrieve her food.

"So what are we doing Kyo?" Lucy didn't stop running around him.

"Mom wants us to go to the pokemart and buy a potion."

"Don't you have one already? Give her that one."

"She thought of that."

"Oh, she's good." Lucy darted off down the stairs.

Left without an option, Kyosuke followed after his pokemon companion. The two left the house, headed up the road, and into route 101. He remembered the professor being chased by the zigzagoon earlier, shaking his head at how silly he'd been. Everyone knows that pokemon tend to dwell in tall grasses. Pokemon of any and every type enjoyed tall grass, a freak coincidence. No matter, if a pokemon showed, Lucy would be able to take them down quickly. Fortunately, no pokemon were spotted on their way to the next town.

"Welcome to Oldale Town," a person standing near the pathway into town called out. "You look like a travelling trainer, follow me and I'll show you to the pokemart where I work."

Well that was convenient. Kyosuke followed, Lucy at his side, all the way to the blue roofed building. All pokemarts were the same, nothing special, like the red roofed pokecenters. Anyway, all he had to do was buy a potion.

"As a promotional item, here, have this potion." The person handed him a potion from the store.

"Um, thanks," Kyosuke said eyeing the person suspiciously.

Lucy and Kyosuke walked away, both looking at each other in a confused way. Neither could understand if it were a stroke of luck, or his Mom set him up. It wasn't something he couldn't see her doing. All he needed to confirm the set up, was to.... see... May. His head turned following the girl he met back at town. Yup definitely a setup, or fate was pulling at him. She walked up into the route above town.

"Isn't that -"

"May," Kyosuke finished Lucy's sentence. "Yeah, someone has to be really pushing us to get together."

"Should I scare her away?" The gleam in Lucy's eyes flashed for a moment.

"No Lu, I'll just go see what she is up to. Seems to be what I'm meant to do anyway."

Kyosuke tapped Lucy on her head affectionately, calming her since she'd gotten more excited than normal. Walking in front of her, Kyosuke followed after May. Coming to where she stopped, she looked preoccupied with something. A tap on the shoulder startled her, though she turned around and smiled once she saw who approached her.

"Hey Kyo," May said waving.

"Only I call him that," Lucy growled, Kyosuke pushing her behind him with his foot.
"Your pokemon is really energetic. I heard from my Dad that you two saved him. Care for a battle, I'm pretty good as a trainer myself?" May called out her mudkip assuming he'd agree.

Lucy jumped around Kyosuke, standing in front of him, gleam in her eye, flames falling from her mouth. Once the challenge was made, he couldn't turn it down. Even if he wanted to go home without a battle, old habits died hard.

"Can I Kyo?" Lucy's voice changed again, her head tilting and looking up at him.

"Sigh, go ahead Lu."

The battle was on, mudkip versus Lucy. Without waiting for Kyosuke to call out an attack, Lucy lunged at May's mudkip. He really couldn't stop her now, giving in, he called out the attack.

"Ember," he said plainly.

The flames in Lucy's mouth shot out, hitting May's mudkip, though not doing a lot of noticeable damage. She had type advantage after all, May made sure to tell him this as if he didn't already know. Her mudkip jumped from the small flames it had been hit with, tackling Lucy as May told it to. Lucy skid back across the dirt, not wasting any time in using ember again. Trading an ember for a tackle each time, Lucy caused May's mudkip to fall over unable to battle. As May called her mudkip back into the ball, Lucy let out another flame, not nearly as strong as her ember, but a spitfire nonetheless, at May's hand that held the ball.

"I'm sorry," Kyosuke apologized for Lucy's extra attack.

"Oh it is alright," May nervously responded her eyes locking with Lucy's.

May wasn't intimidated by Lucy, though she became conscious of the other side of Kyosuke's houndour. She wasn't sure just what that was, but she knew it was there. Lucy snorted, walking back to Kyosuke's side, smiling once he could see her face. Tapping her on the head, he shook his head, reaching for the potion in his backpack with his free hand.

"Does your mudkip need this?"

"Oh no, we'll be fine. We will rest at home. You should come back to town with me, I'm sure my Dad would love to hear that you handle trainers just like you handle wild pokemon."

He was going to go home anyway, so with no reason to disagree, Kyosuke followed May back to Littleroot. Lucy bounced happily the entire time, keeping a close eye on May, and making sure to jump between them whenever she got too close to Kyosuke. Back at the lab, Birch was very pleased to hear of his battle skills coming through again. Seeing as he had the skills, Birch gave him a pokedex like the one his daughter had. She recorded pokemon for him, and hoped Kyosuke would be okay with doing the same. Again, stuck without a choice to really say no, he sighed and accepted the pokedex.

"Maybe now I can go home and relax," Kyosuke said to himself after leaving the lab.

Go figure that he was wrong, his Mom came running out of his house with a brand new pair of shoes. She praised him on getting a pokedex from Birch, saying the running shoes were better for travelling than his old shoes. That confirmed it, this was all planned by his family and their friends. It made sense to only have one bedroom at home, his Mom would be the only one there. They could have at least told him.

"Alright alright, I'll go travel around finding pokemon for Professor Birch."

"You are just like your father, and I know you can become a great trainer without harming pokemon senselessly."

Oh that is what they were getting at... Kyosuke thought to himself. Lucy jumped up on his back again, happy that they'd be able to travel around alone. With each other, they didn't need anyone else. If becoming a stronger pokemon meant more time with Kyosuke, she gladly accepted the challenge.

"Don't compare me to my Dad. I already said I'd go. I'll behave and make you proud Mom. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Don't be such a smarty," she said pinching his cheeks. "But yes."

"Alright, can I go take a nap first? I'll leave when I wake up."

His Mom nodded, and his journey began. Destination unknown, but he knew it would start with a nap. Bet moving days weren't so eventful for other teenagers.

[shadowkurama]

pt.3 The Journey Begins

"Huh... what?"
Kyosuke blinked a few times, attempting to dispel the darkness cast over his eyes. No matter how many times he blinked, the darkness just wouldn't go away. Sitting up, the darkness, or what caused it, removed itself from his face. Looking down at the sleeping houndour, Kyosuke couldn't help but roll his yes and shake his head. She was cute, and did this often enough for him to not be upset, but sleeping on his face wasn't something he could ever get used to. Now laying in his lap, Lucy stretched, letting out a small yawn.

"Kyooo," she whined, "why you no let me sleep?"

"I wouldn't have woke you up if you weren't sleeping on my face again. I told you that before."

"But your face ish so comfy."

He shook his head again, rubbing behind Lucy's ears. She giggled and titled her head into his hand. Being petted was one of her favorite things about her life with Kyosuke. Back then, petting wasn't something she could ever receive, nor dream about. Her life consisted of fighting, hurting, killing, and asking nothing of her trainer. She was a tool for violence and intimidation, flying the red and black colors wherever she went. Things were different now, yet the urge to battle stayed in her. Kyosuke controlled her urges well, making her ask for permission before battling, although he couldn't stop her once the fights got started. At times, it didn't look that he tried that hard anyway.

The nap didn't last as long as he'd liked, a hour at best, but it would have to do. His backpack, hanging open, stuffed with pokeballs was evidence enough of his mother's preparation for his departure. He didn't even need pokeballs, Lucy was the only pokemon he wanted. She was the only pokemon he could see himself handling for that matter. He never had the dreams of becoming a pokemon master, fighting gym leaders and trainers around the world, or meeting every pokemon that roamed the land. Kyosuke had simpler dreams, like having a dinner with his Mom and Dad, Lucy too. Dreams don't always come true though, something he came to terms with quickly.

"Lu let's go. I don't see any way of talking Mom out of this."

"Are you going to catch other pokemon?"

Lucy jumped from his lap, letting him stand for a stretch. She looked as if something were bothering her, but Kyosuke didn't pay it any mind. There was always something random going on in her head, he'd gotten used to nearly every action she could ever do. Nothing about her surprised him, so if there were really something wrong, he would have known.

"I dunno, maybe."

Kyosuke grabbed his backpack, making sure to close the top before walking to the door. He took a deep breath, bracing himself to go out into the world of poekmon. The door opened, as well as many others in his life, and his journey officially began. Lucy tagged along behind him, the normal pep she had back. The two left Littleroot, and everything seemed like it would be okay. Being a trainer wouldn't be half bad, still he didn't want to do it, but maybe it wasn't the end of the world. A short while after beginning their journey, a benchmark event happened.

The first wild pokemon encounter.

Strolling up the path, a wild jolteon jumped out from a bush along the side. Kyosuke's eyebrow arched, turning to see how Lucy reacted. As expected, she was ready to fight the jolteon without needing Kyosuke to tell her to get ready. Although it didn't pose a challenge to them, which meant he wouldn't let her fight it. That was against his ways, and he wouldn't allow her to battle it without reason.

"Come on Lu, were -"

Kyosuke couldn't finish his sentence before Lucy snarled, firing a small ember flame at the jolteon. Too sudden to avoid, the ember hit the jolteon, knocking it down to the ground. Lucy dashed forward, ready to attack it again.

"Lu stop, it wasn't attacking us."

His words didn't reach her, rather she ignored them completely. Another ember came from Lucy, this time burning the poor jolteon. It cried out in pain, helpless to defend itself again Lucy's attacks. She really wasn't listening, just like that time when they first met. Her craze in battle went beyond reason, though he thought her past that. Lucy had been under some kind of control, stopping herself from going berserk like this for such a long time.

"Stop Lu!"

Again she wouldn't listen, using yet another ember on the defenseless jolteon. If he didn't stop her, she'd kill it. Thinking fast, he pulled a pokeball from his backpack, throwing it out to the jolteon. It disappeared into his ball, saving him from the ember that would have spelt his death. Kyosuke ran to the ball and picked it up, turning with an expression more agitated than angry.

"Lu you know you can't attack anyone that doesn't challenge us. That was our deal."

"You caught another pokemon," Lucy said in shock, snapping out of her battle craze.

" Now this pokemon is badly hurt. We've got to take it to the pokecenter in Oldale Town."

"Kyo why did you catch that?"

"Are you even listening to me Lu?! Come on, we don't have time to waste or this pokemon may not recover."

Kyosuke took off towards Oldale Town, sprinting through tall grass to get there quickly. Lucy didn't run after him, walking slowly with the shocked expression froze on her face. Kyosuke made it to the pokecenter, running to Nurse Joy out of breath. He took a deep breath to compose himself, Lucy straggling into the door behind him a few seconds later.

"This pokemon is badly hurt," he told Joy handing her the ball.

"Oh I see. I'll take care of your pokemon right away," she responded with a sweet smile, taking the pokemon into the back.

Lucy's shocked expression faded, becoming more angry after hearing Joy speak. She approached Kyosuke, nudging his leg to get his attention.

"Your pokemon?" Lucy questioned Kyosuke.

"It is a misunderstanding, you are my only pokemon. And don't look so upset, we wouldn't be here if you didn't attack it like you did."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing, blaming it on her. Even if it was her fault that the pokemon was injured, he didn't need to throw a pokeball at it. He could have carried it, although that may not have been the best idea. Still, carrying it was better than catching it. That was exactly what she wanted to avoid.

"Anyway," Kyosuke walked out of the pokecenter, Lucy following behind him. "we are going to head to Petalburg City. It isn't far away -"

"And your Dad's gym is there," Lucy added in.

"Yeah...." Kyosuke sounded less than enthusiastic.

Before leaving Oldale Town, Kyosuke went to the pokemart he visited his first time in the town. If Lucy had another outburst, he wanted to be prepared. Using his savings that he always kept in his backpack, Kyosuke purchased a few potions, and antidotes just to be safe. Who knew what pokemon they'd run into next. With his things purchased, and Lucy at his side, Kyosuke prepared to leave town. Having decided against going straight to Petalburg City, he led Lucy on a relaxing walk in route 103. He remembered seeing a waterfront when he followed May there.

The relaxing walk took a surprising turn for the worse, another pokemon showing up at random. This time, a milotic emerged from the water, looking down at Lucy and Kyosuke. Resisting the urge to attack like with the jolteon, Lucy paced back and forth, flames coming from her mouth. Kyosuke was very happy she had become herself again, though unhappy that the milotic attacked her instead of letting them leave. A powerful stream of water shot from the milotic's mouth, hitting Lucy, and sending her flying back.

"Lucy!" He shouted running to her side. "I know you want retaliate, but we should leave that pokemon alone. It's a water type, it will really hurt you. "

He knew there wouldn't be a way to talk her down, but he tried anyway. As soon as she recovered from the water attack, she used her ember attack against the milotic. Needless to say, the effectiveness of her fire meant next to nothing against the water type. Another water gun crashed into Lucy, throwing her to the ground harshly. Her will may have been strong enough to keep going, but her body was ready to give in, and for good.

"Lu we're leaving."

She refused, managing to make it back to her feet with a fiery, though weak, look in her eyes. The milotic let out another water gun which would bring about her end.

"LU!"

A blur dashed past Kyosuke, past Lucy, and stood directly in the path of the incoming water. When the waters washed over, Kyosuke could see just who intervened. The jolteon from before, still dressed in a few bandages from the pokecenter.

"He really didn't like the idea of staying behind. The pokemart assistant told us which way you went, and, well here we are. I gotta get back to the pokecenter, so here's your ball."

Joy handed him his pokeball which he used to catch jolteon, then left for the pokecenter again. It just saved Lu, and for that Kyosuke was grateful. It even looked ready to finish the battle for her. Despite Lucy's protests, jolteon used its tackle attack repeatedly to drive the milotic away. Jolteon walked up to Kyosuke, then turned to glare at Lucy.

"Btw, I didn't come to save you. I came only because he saved me. I wouldn't have cared if you died there, but I felt like I owed him." The jolteon turned back to Kyosuke .

"Thank you," Kyosuke bowed to the jolteon. "I appreciate you stepping in like that."

"I could... have.... handled it," Lucy struggled to say in her weakened state.

"Lu just stop it. Look, I know it may sound like a lot, but if you wouldn't mind... Would you like staying my pokemon? "

"What?!" Lucy shouted as loud as she could falling over from a lack of energy.

"She is strong, but she can't fight everything alone."

The jolteon looked at Lucy, then to Kyosuke, back to Lucy, and to Kyosuke once more. He nodded his head a few times, accepting the offer.

"I'll come with you. You are the only reason why I'm alive now. Besides, I know it will piss off Little Lu over there." He said her name in a sarcastic way.

"You may have your differences, but I don't want to see you guys fighting."

"Don't worry chief, I won't fight her. She won't fight me either. She knows she needs me around to keep her feet dry."

The jolteon splashed some of the lingering water towards Lucy, laughing at how she couldn't avoid it, and cringed as it touched her.

"Alright, I guess that means you need a name. How about Raigeki?"

"Sounds good to me."

Raigeki joined the two, and began what would become Kyosuke's pokemon team. There wouldn't be any celebrations, especially not now. Lucy needed medical attention this time, and a potion wouldn't do. Lifting her into his arms, Kyosuke traveled back to the pokecenter, Raigeki walking at his left. Nurse Joy welcomed them back, taking Lucy this time into the back. While they waited, Kyosuke and Raigeki talked about a few things. Raigeki wanted to know about Lucy, while Kyosuke just wanted to know where Raigeki came from.

Within the hour, Lucy came strolling out the back of the pokecenter. Her eyes locked onto Raigeki, and his onto her. This wasn't the way Kyosuke wanted to start the journey he didn't want to be on. At least he managed to gain another pokemon, and a less volatile one. He hoped in time they would come to be friends, a pokemon friend could have been the missing thing Lucy needed to mellow her out. The trio left the pokecenter, tensions high and headed for route 102, the route between Petalburg City and Oldale Town. Perhaps Lucy and Raigeki could bound during the trip.

Perhaps that was just wishful thinking.