FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Author's Notes: A wild chapter appears!? Yeah, I'm surprised as well. My friend has been swamped with college work, so anyone won't hear from him for quite some time. Unless he bugs me enough to know the status of this whole experiment. So yes, unfortunately I'm the only one that spell-checked all this. Most know what that means, but I'll apologize anyway in case there's anything I may have missed.

Just to clarify, it wasn't due to burnout that this chapter took so long to post. I just didn't feel very comfortable posting without feedback. When my friend called and said he couldn't find the time to do so, I was forced to do the best I could and green light it for what it is. Hopefully the next chapter won't take forever and a day. Thank you, everyone, for your patience.

Also, bugger me and tags, alright? It's annoying to fit a few things in when none of the other characters are prominent and I have to make some shenanigans up. I hope this doesn't happen very often.

Beta's Note: I'm sorry, my bad....?

Disclaimer: Pokémon is copyright of Nintendo, Game Freak, etc. Individual characters are my own imaginening, and are not intended to be any part of main cannon / plotline. Individual characters like Aaron, Song, Zin, etc, are my own creations, so please ask before using. Thank you.

Chapter 16 - Awry

We landed in Jubilife City later the same day we left Oreburgh. We quickly managed to secure a room at the Pokémon Center before they were booked. Apparently, some show was starting up that was popular among the kids and it was sold out or something. Joy let out a high pitched squeal when the Nurse Joy of the center confirmed her question.

"So wait, what's going on again?" I asked her as she explained herself for the fifth time in a row.

"It's the Catch-Em's!" she screamed happily at me. "I've always wanted to see them live since I was a kid! Oh my gosh! We have to go!"

I raised an eyebrow at Jonathan, who shrugged at my reaction. "I have no idea," he said simply.

"You two know who I'm talking about. They're famous!"

"I'm sure they are, Joy," I said, raising a hand to stave off her excited speech. "But remember, we're here only to take a flight to Johto as soon as possible, not to spend more time here than we need to."

She stared at me like if I was stupid. "You don't get it, do you?" she asked. "This is probably the most famous band in the world, and you don't care?"

"At least we can agree to disagree," I said with a shake of my head. "Yes, I'm saying that I don't care, and that we're leaving as soon as possible. What part of this don't you understand?"

She groaned out loud. "I honestly hope that your flight is delayed," she fumed nastily. "Just to spite you, I really hope so."

"You don't mean that. I honestly hope you don't mean that," Jonathan said, startled.

"Oh, I do," she said with a smug grin.

"Whatever," I said with a shake of my head. "Let's just go to the airport, Jonathan. You'll book your own ticket, Joy."

"That's IF I want to tag along," she said, as if reminding us.

"Remind me again who almost got choked to death by a certain Pokémon and who is it that came after your screams."

She looked over at me with a barely contained fury hidden within her eyes. I almost wanted to laugh. Almost. I know I pushed my luck as far as I am going to be able to today.

====================//////////////////////////========================

This was not happening. It was as if the universe decided to make me the butt of the joke that it was surely in. I was just the scapegoat for everything. I did not just wake up at seven in the morning for this.

"I'm truly sorry, sir, but all our flights are unable to accommodate you," the attendant said. She was a rather attractive lady, with round lips and clear blue eyes. I would pay more attention to her face if I wasn't so frustrated.

"Alright, that's the fifth time you've said that," I said, taking a deep breath. "When is the next flight to Johto?"

She began typing on the keyboard in front of her. Fingers were making the familiar clicking on keys, before she shook her head. She frowned for a moment, before her fingers flew to her mouse and clicked a few items. After a moment, she looked back at me.

"The soonest we can book you in is two weeks," she said with a faint smile. "I'm really sorry, but all previous flights are booked."

I sighed. I looked over to Jonathan, who nodded and patted me on the shoulder. "I got it from here," he said. "Go study for your exam while I handle this."

I sighed again, but nodded. With Jonathan handling business here at the airport, I exited the building. The loud whine of engines whirling behind me and the figure of an airplane passing through the sky almost made my skin crawl. We could have been in there. Our luck was definitely not holding up to expectations. I headed straight for the Pokémon Center, avoiding looking at people directly. I'm sure that I looked like someone who wanted to pick a fight, and didn't want that at the moment.

I took deep breaths as I stepped inside the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy waved at me, and I forced a smile. She beckoned me over to her before I could duck into the hallway towards our assigned room.

"What's up?" she asked. I quickly explained our sudden problem, but she shrugged.

"That airport is ridiculously busy," she said with a smile. "You're lucky you got bumped up so early. Most people are complaining that they have to book months in advance! Trust me, you'll find plenty of stuff to do in Jubilife while you wait."

I nodded, feeling slightly better about our hold-up. "Thanks, Nurse Joy," I said, smiling genuinely now.

"Any time," she said with a smile. "A friend of a sister of mine is my friend, too!"

She giggled after that, before turning to one of the Chansey that aided her. She excused herself as she had to go take care of her patients. I nodded in understanding, and silently hoped that nothing serious was going on. I walked inside the room to see Joy going over a few books. She looked up as I closed the door behind me, and she grinned at me.

"You're just in time," she said. "Pull up a chair, you're going to need some help if you want to ace that test."

"Huh?"

"Don't play stupid with me, damn it!" she yelled at me nastily. "I know what you're doing and I'm not taking no for an answer."

I was confused, but neither was I going to say no to the help. She motioned for a chair, and I complied. I sat in front of her, as she passed a book to me.

"One Hundred and One Ways to Breed your Pokémon," I said out loud, reading the tittle of the book. "Joy, you've got to be kidding me."

She shook her head. "Nope, I'm not. This is probably the best resource book you can get, unless you've had firsthand experience in the subject."

I could feel my cheeks begin to warm up at the implied comment. "Well..."

"I know what you've done," she said. "You've told me. That's fine, great even. We can go over that one later. It isn't as explicit as you think it is."

I raised an eyebrow and she sighed. "We're going to go over a lot of technical jargon, so you know what you'll be getting into. Also, just to warn you, there will be a practical exam. At least, there was when I took one. Be prepared for that."

"Practical?" I asked, honestly sounding worried. "Like what?"

She shrugged. "They're made up on a case by case basis, or so I was told. I had to milk a Miltank that was behaving ornery. Long story short, there was more to it than that, but that's part of the test."

I nodded grimly. "Fine, so what can you help me with?"

She grabbed another book and flipped it to a page. "Here," she declared, handing the book over to me.

"How to Tell Symptoms of Abuse," I read the tittle of the chapter aloud.

"We're going to start small. Trust me."

The book is about as thick as my head.

======================////////////////////////==========================

"Joy?" I asked, looking at the building in front of me.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Are you sure this is the only way?"

"Yep. Now come on. Don't tell me you're gonna pussy out on me. Not after the three days I put in for you."

I frowned. She was blackmailing me, and she was going to milk it for all it was worth. Sighing, I followed her inside the building. The doors slid open silently to reveal a large open room. The floors were tiled white, the peach colored walls with paintings depicting peaceful landscapes for decorations. The ceiling was white as well, with lamps lighting the room. Potted plants were on display around, giving a bit of more color to the almost monotone room. People were moving around the reception area, either dressed in formal attire or casual. Doctors and nurses in traditional medical garb could be seen ducking in and out the room, as well. Multiple doors were along the walls, and I could see at least two hallways that led deeper into the building. A man was sitting behind a desk ahead of us. It wasn't until Joy pushed me did my feet start walking toward him.

The man looked up as we approached, shuffling a few papers into place. He has dark hair, a prominent jaw and a hooked nose. His green eyes made a bright contrast with his tanned skin. "Hey Joy! Welcome back!" he exclaimed, extending his hand to shake hers.

"Hey Dan, nice to see you again," she said, grasping his hand and squeezing tightly. Dan winced, rubbing his hand gingerly after Joy let go.

"Still murder on me after all this time," he said with a laugh. He looked over to me, and extended his other hand. "Welcome to the Breeder's License Bureau, sir."

I took his hand and shook it firmly, but without Joy's bone shattering grip. "Thank you. My name's Aaron."

"A pleasure meeting you, Aaron. Now, what can I do for you?"

"We're here for him to get a breeder's license," Joy stated without preamble.

Dan raised an eyebrow for a moment, but shrugged soon after. He turned to face me. "So you were told what will happen?" he asked.

"Sort of," I said with a shrug of my own. "I understand that I won't be able to go through the gym challenges and whatnot."

"There's more to it, but that's one of the major notes," he said, pulling out some forms. "There are a few legalities that we need to do. Background check, a few tests, all kind of fun stuff. Do you have time today?"

I looked over at Joy who nodded. "Yeah, we've got plenty of time," I said.

"Good. Have you studied for the tests?" he asks.

I nodded again. "Yeah. I've been studying for the last three days."

"Wow, that's some dedication," he said, his eyes wide and with surprise in his voice. "Most people just cram it at the last second."

I shrugged. "It was pretty interesting, in all honesty. A bit dull at some points, but overall it managed to keep my attention just fine."

"That's good to hear," he said with a laugh as he pulled some more paperwork. "Probably Joy made it a bit more interesting for you."

I don't think he meant that as something more than I thought he meant, but I shook my head. "She was kicking my butt every time I messed something up, or started to fall sleep."

I felt the punch on my shoulder before I heard Dan laugh. "Sounds about right," he said, wheezing slightly.

"Watch out, old man, or your asthma will kick in again," Joy warned.

"Very funny," he said after gaining control of himself. "Anyways, Aaron, are you ready for your tests?"

I nodded. "About how long this will take?" I asked. "Just curious."

"Depends on the results of your written and practical tests. Could be a few hours, or it could be a few days."

I didn't have the time to gamble on 'days'. I nodded. "Lead on."

I parted ways from Joy, with a promise that if I didn't pass this test I'd get a swift kick between my legs. Dan laughed as we went through one of the doors. The doors revealed a hallway, doors lining the sides as far as I could see. He guided me onwards in silence for a moment, as we walked forward to wherever he was leading me.

"Don't worry," he said suddenly. "She won't have to."

I raised an eyebrow at him, curious of his statement, but he shrugged in response. We only passed a few doors before he opened a door to our right and taking a peek inside. He nodded, opening the door further and motioned for me to follow. Inside were two small desks with chairs, with a clean white board along the wall. The room didn't have a window, but there was enough light to make it not matter. Dan closed the door with an audible snap of a lock clicking into place.

"Alright, now for the boring stuff," he said, sitting down. "Go ahead and get comfortable. Do you have your Pokédex?"

I nodded, pulling the device out of my pocket and passing it to him. "Here you go."

"Perfect," he said with a smile. "We can get a lot done with just this. This will help us find your most recent medical records, and we can get your background check going."

He nodded, passing a packet over to me with a pencil. "Here's your first test. Just do your best and we'll go from there, alright? I'm going to step outside and get these files started, and bring over some water."

I nodded. "Thank you," I said as he opened the door. He waved at me with a friendly smile before closing the door behind him. I looked down at the paper in front of me, feeling my heart skip a beat when I saw how big it was.

I flipped through the pages, seeing the last question being one hundred fifty one. I sighed. This was going to be a long day.

==========================///////////////////////=======================

Dan came in sometime during the testing phase. I was around question seventy eight on the second pamphlet when he disappeared through the doors the second time, this time with more papers in hand. The scratching of pencil on paper and our breathing were the only sounds in the room. The questions seemed to become easier as I went through them. Maybe all that studying was beginning to pay off. Before I knew it, I was at the last question. My pencil paused as I read it.

I knew the answer, that wasn't the problem. The question is what bothered me.

'What is the most common reason many trainers are arrested for having a breeder's license?'

I frowned, sighed, but wrote in the one word that wanted me to gag.

'Poképhiliacs'.

I sighed, as I closed the packet and placed my pencil down. I stood to turn in my test to find Dan fiddling with my Pokédex. "Done?" he asks.

I nod. "Yeah, just finished," I said as I passed the test over.

"Good, now that we have that handled," he said, putting it at the top of the pile. "I have a few questions for you."

I blinked. I was confused, but nodded.

"How long have you been a trainer?"

I frowned, closing my eyes in thought. "Two, three weeks?" I offered. "It's been a crazy trip so far."

"How many Pokémon do you have registered?"

"Six, though one isn't with me at the moment. She's at a monastery training."

"Was this forced on her?"

I shook my head briefly. "It was her decision, though she wanted my approval."

"How long have you known Joy?" he continued. I heard the scratch of writing as he spoke.

"I met her soon as I entered the Mount Coronet cave system, which wasn't long since I started," I said. "So, about the same time as I started, but take a few days. A week, I'd say."

"Anyone else with you and Joy?"

"There's Jonathan," I said. "He's said that he's from Blackthorn."

He nodded. "Everything checks out quite well." He then grabs the test and looks it over for a moment, before shrugging and putting it back down. I raised an eyebrow at his actions.

"You're not grading that?" I asked.

"Nope," he answered with a smile and a shrug. "The written exam is more to see how well you know the material. That's fine and dandy, but we don't really care about that. Most breeders follow the major rules. By the way, you got all of the questions right."

"So, all that studying was a waste of time?" I asked, feeling rather silly after all that.

"No, it wasn't," Dan said sternly. "You still need to know and follow the law. We don't bar you from not knowing, but ignorance isn't an excuse. If you would have scored less than expected, we would have taught you the law until you knew it by heart."

I nodded, feeling relief. Good thing we didn't have to go through all that. It was mostly common sense.

"So yes, now we move on to the practical part of the exam," Dan said with a grin. "You're going to hate us afterwards."

"I think I can handle it," I said with confidence.

"That's what they all say," he said, with a laugh. "Everyone says that, and yet they still end up hating our guts."

"What's the test?" I asked

"Follow me," he said, standing up with a cup of water in hand.

I followed as he closed the door behind us. We continued deeper into the labyrinth that was this gigantic building. "How big is this building?" I asked.

"It's pretty big, as you can imagine," he said with a smile. "It has five floors, mostly research and files, with the first, second, and third floors dedicated to practical testing and rehabilitation."

"Rehabilitate?" I asked, concerned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, sometimes there's trainers that don't want the responsibility of having to take care of a Pokémon that is beyond medical care," he explained with a sigh. We stopped in front of a door, his hands rubbing his eyes for a moment. "I've seen things that make me want to strangle some kids."

I stayed quiet, and his face changed immediately. "No, I have a good feeling about you, Aaron. It's just that others have left a bad taste on me. I've seen trainers abandon their Pokémon here or at the Pokémon Center just because they didn't have the right hair in place. It's a little disgusting."

"Why do you have a better feeling about me than others?"

"First of all, Joy came with you. That alone says a lot about you. She's one of the top breeders in the world, currently, but she takes care of any Pokémon under her care. She might come off as brash and very uncaring, and she can be. But under that, there's a heart that really cares about others, especially Pokémon.

"Also," he continued, giving me a grin, "I managed to get hold of the Nurse Joy of Solaceon. She told me how your Pokémon chose you instead of the other way around. And not to mention the hundreds of volunteer hours that you've put in to help her out. All that matters."

I stood there, slightly dumbfounded as I was inundated by information. Dan smiled, patting me on the shoulder. "You alright, Aaron?" he asked, concern clear in his question.

I nodded after a moment. "Yeah, I'm fine," I said, sighing. "I've never been told that I'm a good person before. Except mom and dad, but parents say that to their kids all the time."

"Well, let me tell you that unless you totally bomb the practical test, there's no reason why we should bar you from getting a breeder's license."

I smiled at that. "Alright. Thank you."

"Hey, just calling it as I see it," he said with an easy shrug. "It's not often you get to meet someone that has a similar mentality."

I nodded. "So, what's the test?" I asked.

"This is where it gets good," he said as he opened the door and motioned for me to enter. I did so, as he followed behind me. Inside was a small room with another door across from us. A mirror adorned one wall, while the other was just the same as the walls outside. The floor was carpeted in this room, with a wooden table and two chairs made of wood with no decorations that I could see. Other than that, the room was quite empty.

I looked over at Dan, who was grinning. "Yeah, everyone does that, too," he said with a laugh. "This glass is a one way mirror. We'll be observing you from the other side. We'll bring you some water and the Pokémon that you'll be handling for this test."

"What's my objective?" I asked, confused. "I don't really understand what I'm supposed to do."

"You'll see," he replied enigmatically. "If you can get her to calm down, that'll be a huge improvement to her overall mood. Oh, and before I forget, you'll probably want this."

He pulled out my Pokédex from one of his pockets and passed it over. I quickly looked over the device, but didn't notice anything out of place. I nodded and gave Dan my thanks.

"Don't sweat it," he said with a smile. "Just get comfortable, you'll be on the spotlight soon enough."

I nodded. "I'll bring in some water soon, too," he said. "You'll probably need it."

He left the same way we came in, and I decided to pull a chair and sit down. I fumbled around with my Pokédex for a while longer, but nothing else changed. The room began to get a bit chilly, when I noticed that the air conditioning was being turned to a colder temperature. I frowned. Was the Pokémon more comfortable in colder environments? And a more important question is why wasn't I given a jacket? I was beginning to shiver, though I did my best to suppress it. The door behind me opened as Dan reappeared with a bright yellow jacket in one hand and a pitcher of water in the other. He placed the pitcher down on the table as he dropped the jacket on my lap.

"You'll probably need this," he said with a smile. "Having problems?"

"Other than the temperature," I said with a laugh. "Trying to figure out why the room needs to be cold. Other than the Pokémon feeling comfortable in such environments, I got nothing."

Dan looked over at the one way mirror and grinned. "Told you he wasn't stupid!" he said loudly. I raised an eyebrow at his comment.

"There were a few others that were betting you wouldn't figure out why it was getting colder," he explained as he patted my back. "Thanks to you, I just made double my pay today."

"You're sharing, right?" I asked with a grin.

"Nope! Though I might treat you for some ice cream afterwards," he said with a laugh.

I laughed with him, as he shook his head. "Your exam partner will be here in a few moments," Dan said, nodding. "She'll be quite ornery, so be prepared. Wear that jacket, too."

I nodded as I began to slip it on. It was a loose fit, but as soon as I was zipped up, I could feel warmth encase my entire torso. My face was slightly numb, but I could deal with that. Dan grinned at me.

"I'll be leaving now," he said suddenly, as the other door began to open. The door behind me opened and was promptly slammed shut as a Weavile walked in through the door ahead of me. It was quietly shut as the Pokémon approached. As much as I wanted to hear what the Pokédex wanted to say about such a graceful Pokémon, I decided to forego it for the moment.

The Weavile had a midnight black coat, with a single jewel on the forehead. From my angle, I could see that the jewel was slightly cracked. From what, I couldn't tell. The fur around the neck and on top of the Pokémon's head is a vibrant red, but the ends were colored yellow. She also had three tails, similar to the Pokémon's previous form, instead of the normal two of a Weavile. Sharp white claws adorned the majority of her hands, which gleamed in the light. I hoped that she didn't intend to use those on me.

Her eyes were studying me as much as I was studying her. She looked confused, though her mouth revealed sharp fangs as she cried in anger. "Weavile! Weav!"

I sighed and shook my head. I stopped myself before I said something that sounded more appropriate out of Joy's mouth. "Hi," I said with a smile. "My name's Aaron."

"Weavile!" the Pokémon said, still sounding frustrated.

I frowned. I think I've been taking advantage of the fact that most of my Pokémon can communicate with me more easily. I haven't done this charade game in a long time. I held up my hand, hoping to stave off more of her angry cries.

"Alright, I can tell you aren't happy about this," I said, as I stood from the chair and sat on the floor. We were now more or less equal height. "I'm not a doctor, if that's what you're worried about."

The Weavile deflated slightly as her claws rubbed against each other. Was she embarrassed? I shrug inwardly. "I don't really know what's going on. But maybe we can get along? It would be kinda boring if we didn't."

She looked startled for a moment. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at me. She shook her head, huffing as she turned around. I frowned as the Pokémon turned her back at me. I sighed, my breath condensing in front of me. I was suddenly very grateful that Dan handed me the jacket earlier. My hands reached for my Pokédex, grabbing it and flipping it open. My fingers felt slightly numb, so I slowed down so I didn't push a button by mistake.

My Pokédex revealed little information on the species as a whole. Other than being incredibly intelligent and that they used their own brand of written communication, very little else was provided. Useless to this scenario was the average height and weight of the species. I shrugged as my hands closed the device once again. I found myself staring into the Weavile's gaze, and my heart skipped a beat. Startled, my body jumped off the floor slightly but it didn't seem to faze the Pokémon. She pointed at the device in my hand.

I tilted my head curiously, and she pointed at the Pokédex again. I raised an eyebrow, but obliged by showing it to her. Her claws pressed against my skin, and I was surprised by the strength of her grip. Maybe it's the thought that they can probably slice me to pieces if she so desired. I have no idea. She looked at me again, as if asking permission and I nodded. Her claws took it off my grip, the device opening to her touch. I was surprised that she knew how to do so.

It looked like the Weavile wasn't a stranger to the technology, as she pressed buttons skillfully. A few beeps later from my Pokédex left her with a confused look. I didn't want to interrupt her, though I was glad she didn't look angry. She looked curious, but not angry at the moment. I would think that her eyes would start glowing if that was the case.

Her eyes relented their staring at the device, only to look up at me with expectation. I wondered what she was looking at. Voicing my question, she pressed the Pokédex against my arm. Looking at the screen, the Weavile had pulled up information on all my current Pokémon. Well, everyone that is with me at last count. The silhouette of Song was the one that stood out the most. The Weavile pointed a claw at the display.

"You're pretty smart, aren't you," I said softly. It wasn't a question.

I sighed. "She's not here right now," I continued. At her curious look, I explained further. "She wanted to stay behind where we were last. As much as I thought it probably was a bad idea, it was ultimately her choice. It isn't like I can make her do what I want."

The Weavile stared at me, her eyes making me feel like the temperature around me dropped even further. I suppressed the shiver that ran through my body as best I could. Her eyes narrowed even further, the feeling of that my reaction wasn't missed forefront in my mind. She pointed at the device again, then at me. Her eyes were still narrowed, but not as menacing as before.

"What is it now?" I asked, curious to her actions. She pointed at the five pictures individually, and then shrugged her shoulders.

"You want to know where they are?" I asked, hoping I read her body language correctly. She nodded.

"Well, they're at the city Pokémon Center right now," I said, smiling. "They deserve some downtime."

She looked at me curiously, and I smiled back at her. She waved her claws at me, silently demanding that I continue. I quickly settled on a believable story. It was close to the truth, anyway.

"One of my traveling companions is an explorer from Johto," I explained. "He suggested that we go to the southern end of the Mount Coronet mountain range. It's taken... a week? Maybe a little more, but around that time, yeah. Anyway, we haven't had a chance to rest for a good while, so that's why we're here."

She tapped her foot, before jabbing her claws against the jacket. "What about me?" I asked, guessing at her question. She nodded again.

"What do you want to know? I'm sorry, that's a bit vague," I responded, smiling at her. She concentrated for a moment, before pointing her claws at me again and smiling.

"You want to know about me?" I asked. She nodded.

"Well, my name's Aaron. I've lived in Solaceon all my life, until I became a trainer," I said. "My parents are archaeologists. They're studying the underground, mapping it and finding any interesting bits of old fossils to study. Not necessarily Pokémon fossils, but sometimes we've found a few of those around. I helped whenever I could, if I wasn't too busy sticking my neck inside the Pokémon Center."

I thought for a moment, making sure I didn't miss anything critical but shrugged all the same. "It's been an interesting trip, to say the least. I'm just glad I've had friends with me all this time."

"Weavile?" she asked, taking a step back. She looked surprised at my use of words.

I smiled at the Weavile in front of me. "You heard right," I said with a chuckle. "While all I ask is that they listen to me, they mostly tell me what to do."

She gave me a curious look, as if determined to know if I was lying to her or not. A soft blue glow came from around her claws, my eyes focusing slowly on the white ball when the glow disappeared. Weavile threw it up into the air before catching it a few times, before throwing it directly at me. My mind screamed to dodge, but my hand came up and caught it immediately. I was surprised to my quick reaction time, but it didn't help me when my face was covered in soft snow.

I blew out what cold flakes I could out of my nose, wiping off what was left of the projectile from my face before it slid inside the jacket or my shirt. I wiped what I could from my eyes, seeing the Weavile barely containing her mirth. My shoulders shrugged, double checking my Pokédex to make sure that no frosted water damaged the device. Satisfied with my quick inspection, I went to place it on the table, but another snowball pelted my face.

I could tell how someone would get irritated quickly due to this treatment.

Turning around, I saw the Weavile chuckling to herself. After placing the Pokédex on the table, I grabbed what I could from the snow on my face and threw it back at her. While she was quick enough to dodge the attack, she glared daggers at me. I chuckled back in response.

"You seemed to become a little comfortable there," I said easily. "I just wanted to surprise you."

While she didn't respond vocally, she launched herself up to the table, making another snowball in her claws. I rolled out of the way as soon as one of the snowballs flew at me, juking her second throw by a hairs breath. The frost left my cheek feeling numb. I was very grateful that my body was able to keep up with the demand. I even managed to grab a few throws and retaliate. My aim was horrible, but it still kept the Weavile on her toes, so to speak. Her aim, on the other hand, was impeccable. I was mostly blocking the shots with my arms. Otherwise, my face would be covered with snow.

The barrage halted abruptly, and I gambled on looking for the snowball hurler. She was still on top of the table, but she also had a larger snowball in one claw, and my Pokédex in the other. Before any words formed, she shoved the device inside of the compact sphere, before she enlarged it and threw it to the opposite corner of me. Afraid of the device getting water damage, I hurried over to the snowball only to be bombarded again. I ignored the impacts as much as possible, but the jacket could only do so much. And not to mention that my pants were beginning to be as soaked as if I just pulled them out of a washing machine.

Speaking of laundry, I probably should do that when I get out of this place.

In my brief moment of deep insight, a snowball flew at my face, rightfully covering my right side of my face with its cold numbness. It. Is. On.

Noticing that my immediate surroundings had an awful good amount of snow, I grabbed a handful of it. Without taking the time for a flashy display, I compressed it as lightly as possible but still keeping a spherical shape, and threw it at my oppressor. To my utmost surprise, it nailed her right in the face! The momentum knocked her backwards. She didn't fall, much to my relief, but it did make her take a step back. When she faced me, however, her eyes were almost narrowed points and glowing menacingly at me.

I wish I missed that throw.

Blue spheres began to materialize around her, slowly condensing into snowballs. I counted fifteen before I gave up as more were made. The barrage happened without any preamble, the spheres pelting my body without any mercy. I did idly notice that she wasn't aiming for my face, so I took a gamble on attempting to catch and throw what I could back. While it didn't look like she noticed or cared, I did my best to give back as much as I was taking. Though I know it was a useless endeavor, it was either that or be drowned in snow.

I only moved when my immediate area was covered in snow. I wanted to reduce the risk of slipping as much as possible. Footing was still treacherous, but I did my best given the circumstance. By the time I moved twice, a quarter of the room was already covered in white. Halfway through, my arms were sore and I couldn't feel my legs due to the cold. My lungs felt frozen as the temperature constantly dropped the more ice Weavile created.

By the time we made full circle, I was exhausted. Her throwing had tapered off at one point, the impacts against my clothes becoming more spaced as time wore on. She sat down, waving at me as if saying that she's done. I chuckled, my legs giving out from under me as I fell on the soft ground cover underneath me.

"Weavile!"

A sudden pressure on top of my chest made me fearful that she was going to try to jump up and down on my chest, in an effort to get me to breathe. I turned my head sideways and coughed, my body shivering slightly. I shoved my hand inside the snow, trying to find my Pokédex with no luck. Weavile climbed off me, diving in through the snow. When she reappeared, my Pokédex was held with her claws. When she passed it over to me, she looked almost apologetic. I smiled at her as she released her grip on the Pokédex. She placed one of her claws against my free hand, her eyes meeting mine.

I have no idea what she was thinking, but she seemed content enough with what she saw. She cried out at me, tugging at the jacket for me to get up. I complied, only to make sure that my lower body didn't freeze. Weavile insisted that I sit down on a chair, and wasn't going to take no for an answer. I complied, only to be surprised when she jumped on top of my lap. My body tensed for a moment, but relaxed when all she did was lean her body against me. I took the risk of bringing my arms to my lap. Weavile placed her claws on top of my hands, insisting that my hands lay against her fur. I was surprised to feel that it was a soft coat, her skin feeling oddly warm against my fingers. I looked down, seeing that her eyes were closed against the wet jacket. I opened the jacket slowly, lifting her off my chest as gently as I could, before resting her head against my chest. Placing the flaps of the jacket around her, I sighed, closing my eyes for a brief moment.

I wondered what those people thought. The odds were that they were silently judging everything that went on in this room. Wonder if they're going to frown at the snow mess we just made. Was this even what was required of me? The goal was quite vague in that respect. The air conditioner was still on, as the low hum of the machine became audible now that the room was quiet. The snow wasn't helping, that's for sure. My lungs burned slightly, the cold air's bite stinging through my throat. I was just glad that my breath was visible.

I looked over to the one way mirror, imagining at least five or ten people sitting on the other side with bewildered faces. My thoughts wandered over to Dan, and if he was there as well. Would anyone be surprised at Weavile's actions? I shrugged, silently hoping for the best possible answer to that question. Not entirely sure what is the best answer, but I'll take a positive response. Someone walking in and telling me I did a good job would be a start.

The sound of a door opening shakes me from my thoughts. I see Dan walking in with a towel and a cup of something hot. Or at least I hope it's hot, as I see steam coming from the mug.

"I thought you'd enjoy some hot cocoa after being locked in here for two hours," he said with a soft chuckle.

================///////////////////////////////==========================

"Aaron, may I speak with you?" Dan asked after a moment's silence. "You can leave Weavile there. We'll have someone pick her up."

The Weavile grabbed hold of my arm tightly. "Weavile! Weave Weavile!" she shouted, shaking her head. She pressed her head against the jacket, and the soft tearing of fabric could be heard. Dan sighed.

"Looks like I'm staying then," he said, shaking his head.

"Want me to push a chair for you?" I asked, clutching onto the Weavile gently.

"Nah, I'm good," he said. "You have to be freezing, though."

"Slightly," I said with a laugh. "This Weavile throws a mighty mean snowball."

"We noticed," he said with a chuckle. "I want to tell you that she's never opened to anyone like this before. Sure, for a little while, but then she goes back to being wary and pessimistic."

"How long is a little while?" I asked.

"Ten, fifteen minutes?" he said with a shrug. "I think that was the record. No staff would handle her on a long term basis. It seems you have a gift."

I shrugged, grinning sheepishly. "Maybe," I said. "I just did what I did when I met my friends."

"Well, perhaps we all have something to learn today," he said, grinning at the one way mirror. I blinked, confused if he was referring to himself or the others.

"I'm glad to say that you've passed with flying colors," he said with a grin. "After you sign some papers, you'll be free to go and we can update your trainer's license."

I nodded, smiling. "Thank you, Dan," I said with a smile, before a thought made me double back. "What about this Weavile?"

"She'll have to go back, until a trainer adopts her," he said with a shrug. "I really don't see-."

"I'll adopt her," I said, cutting him off. He stayed silent after that, his eyes slightly wide. "When she first stepped in this room, she was scared that I was going to do something to her. After being with her, I can't help but feel that she's just misunderstood and lonely. She needs to get out of this place, and we hit it off pretty well. I'm sure that my Pokémon can help her adjust to the outside world."

"Her file..."

"It means little to me," I said with a shake of my head. "My Gardevoir was abandoned before I adopted her. My Milotic is blind in one eye due to a previous injury she received in a fight. My Flygon... let's just say that the things she's been through would make most people curl in a corner for a week, or be sent to the loony bin.

"She has a record, woop-de-do," I continued, rolling my eyes. "It isn't going to stop me from adopting her."

Dan stood there, his mouth working a reaction but no sounds came. He finally settled on laughing. It sounded to me somewhere between hysterical and relieved. He turned towards the one way mirror, raising a single offending digit towards the reflective surface.

"I damn told you!" he laughed.

I raised an eyebrow, but decided against asking. Why are Joy's acquaintances all weird in the head?

=======================///////////////////////======================

Weavile was currently sitting on my shoulders, her claws idly grasping to my hair when I tilted slightly. I smiled as I gently touched her back, her body rumbling slightly as if purring at my touch. Dan led me through a few doors, where I was asked for a few pictures. After I signed a bit of paperwork, he asked for my Pokédex, which I handed without a complaint. We moved towards a computer, where he sat behind and began the familiar clicking of keys and mouse. Before long, he unattached my device and handed it back to me.

"Well, congratulations, Aaron!" he said excitedly. "You are now officially a breeder."

We shook hands, his grip almost painfully tight. "You are now allowed to have up to twelve Pokémon on your person, double the standard amount. You know the rest, and we'll send you the official stuff in the mail. You're here at the Jubilife Pokémon Center, correct?"

I nodded. "Yep. We'll be here for another week, too. We're trying to go to Johto."

"The paperwork won't take more than a day or two to get there," he said with a smile. "You'll receive copies of all the paperwork you signed, plus where to go for discounts throughout all the regions."

"Discounts?" I asked. "I don't remember Joy mentioning that."

"It's a secret to everyone," he whispered in a hushed tone. "Just don't argue with it."

I nodded, being mindful of the Weavile on my shoulders. He took out some paperwork, but shook his head. "Are you sure you don't want copies of her paperwork?" he asked.

I shrugged. "If you feel it necessary," I said. "If she has any medical requirements to be met, or specific diet needs, yes. I said it before, her record isn't going to stop me."

"Somehow, I knew you'd say that," he said with a grin. "We'll send it all together with the other paperwork. Thankfully, I can tell you that she doesn't have any special medical or dietary needs. Though, I will say that she likes her food cold or frozen."

I grinned. "I'll remember that," I said.

"Let's get you out of here," Dan said, standing up. "Joy is probably worried sick about you. She called while you were in the test, and I promised to tell her when you got out."

"You're in trouble now," I said with a laugh.

"You have no idea," he said with a sigh. "At least it was for a good cause, right?"

"I'll put in a good word for you," I promised. "You still owe me an ice cream."

He winced, but laughed. "Yeah, I did promise you that," he said with a chuckle. "Tomorrow?"

"If we're not busy," I said. "You can always give me the money now and call it even."

"Fair enough," he said, handing me a few bills and folding them inside my hand. "Don't tell anyone."

I nodded, grinning as Dan showed me the front door. Afternoon was beginning to turn to twilight. I looked over to him, and he gave me a shrug.

"Time flies when you're having fun," he said at my unasked question.

I chuckled. "How is she?" I asked, pointing towards the Weavile.

"She's asleep, from what I can tell," he said. "She really likes you."

I smiled, feeling a bit of pride. Maybe it was a gift. I have no idea, but I'll take it. "Thanks."

"You just come back safely," he said. "I don't want to hear about another trainer going missing or whatever."

"Missing?"

"Don't you know? Darkrai's been sighted in a few towns recently, and I've been told that some Pokémon and trainers have gone missing."

I did my best to suppress my gasp. I took a sharp breath that I let go slowly. "We'll take care."

======================/////////////////////////=========================

Jonathan and Joy were with me now, back inside the Pokémon Center. Victini and Deoxys were with us now, back from wherever they were. Victini was hovering close to Joy, but Deoxys was sitting next to me. Weavile was currently curled up on my lap. As I had hoped, my team took an immediate shine to her. Though Zin and Akalia showed the least enthusiasm about it, both Xola and Spirit were all over the Weavile, making sure that she was comfortable. It was until she pleaded to be released from their grasp that she finally fell asleep on my lap.

"You're in the habit of picking up strays," Joy said with a chuckle. "Not that it's a bad thing. I love how she has three tails. That's so unusual."

I nodded. "I thought so," I said. "I was under the impression that Weavile have two, but Sneasles have three."

"You're right," Joy said with a smile. "Genetic mutation, I imagine."

"She's still amazing looking," I said with a chuckle.

"Didn't I just say that?" she asked, punching me on the arm lightly. "Did her file say why she was left there?"

I shrugged. "I didn't look into it," I said. "I asked Dan if she had any medical or dietary needs. When he said no, I didn't bother looking any further. He said that he would mail her file with the rest of my stuff in a day or two."

"Sounds like him, being all lazy about it," she said with a laugh. "So, are you going to make it official?"

"Well, I would rather wait for her to wake up," I said, shrugging. "How would you feel if you were asleep when a Pokéball hits your head?"

She winced. "Good point."

"Aaron."

I turned to face Deoxys, his eyes expressing curiosity. He tilted his head downwards, looking at the Weavile for a moment before continuing.

"Victini has chosen her human," he said after the pause. "I wish to choose you as my companion."

I blinked for a moment, suppressing the urge to jump off my seat. I looked over Deoxys, still trying to fathom why he was choosing me. He chuckled softly at me.

"Do you still question my motives?" he asked nonchalantly.

I nodded. "Still do."

"Will being your companion help you allay your fears?" he asked.

I shrugged. "No clue."

"Just shut up and take him already!" Victini yells, floating over to my face. Weavile jumped at the sound, hissing menacingly at the floating creature. She flinched back when Victini glared at her.

"Do you have any idea how long he's been waiting?" Victini asked me, pointing towards Deoxys. "Let me tell you. Long enough doesn't begin to describe it. Just shut up and do it!"

I looked at Joy, who shrugged. "What can I say?" she asked, shrugging. "Victini was pretty insistent on joining me. Who am I to say no?"

"Wait, you already captured her?" I asked.

"Well, captured is a strong word," Victini said with a smile. "I chose this."

I looked at Deoxys again, this time pulling my backpack from the ground and pulling an empty Pokéball. Deoxys glanced over to me for a moment as the device expanded to its full size. Without any hesitation, he pressed against the device and disappeared inside of it. The Pokéball didn't wiggle, and only made the successful hum after a second or two. I opened the Pokéball after getting over my initial shock.

"That was an interesting experience," Deoxys said when he fully rematerialized. "I do not think I would enjoy spending a lot of time inside there."

I nodded. "I'll only put you inside if you want to, or if you're in danger," I promised.

The Weavile shuffled through my backpack, grabbing another Pokéball and dropping it on my hand. She nodded when I looked at her. She pressed the button herself, expanding the ball and letting herself to be captured. Again, the ball didn't wiggle to show that she was resistant to the process. I still let her out of it as soon as the beeping sound was heard.

As she came out, she practically hugged my face to death. Happy cries were coming out of her as she snuggled against my head. I sighed as everyone laughed around me. I was even surprised to register that even Deoxys could laugh. I joined in soon after, enjoying the time we had.

It was beginning to get late, so we made sure that our friends and companions were either safely inside their Pokéballs or sleeping comfortably somewhere in the room. Variel and Spirit seemed to have hit it off and were cuddled close, while Ocelomah, Akalia, and Zin were all piled together. Me, Joy, Jonathan, Victini, and Deoxys decided to go to the roof of the Pokémon Center. We decided that we weren't tired just yet and wanted to see a bit of the night sky before tucking in.

"So, we still have a week left, basically," Joy said, sighing. "Now that you're a breeder, what are you going to do?"

I shrugged. "Maybe go out and train," I said with a shrug. "I need to get stronger. We all do."

She nodded. "Yeah, I understand," she said. "Just don't get so caught up that you forget that you probably won't be coming here for a while. You should take the opportunity to explore the city."

I nodded. "That sounds like a good idea," I said with a grin.

"Just be careful," Jonathan said. "There are always nasty sides to these places."

I laughed. "What could possibly go wrong?"