A new discovery
When they got to the outskirts of the town, Nick and Kyla stopped. Nick took Kyla's hand and the two slowly walked into town, but Kyla was still very scared.
_"Nick, I changed my mind. Can I please go into my pokeball?" _She asked nervously, and Nick nodded before recalling her.
Nick then started looking for the poke-mart, which was a small building sitting beside the equally small poke-center. Nick walked into the poke-mart and instantly grabbed a backpack, sleeping bag, and enough food to last himself and Kyla for about a month, just in case they got side tracked. He also grabbed a map, just so they didn't get lost. He walked up to the counter, paid, and quickly left the town, so that Kyla wasn't in her pokeball for too long. Even though he just met her the day before, he didn't want her to feel uncomfortable.
When Nick took Kyla out he smiled at her, and she smiled back.
"You ready to go?" Nick asked, and Kyla nodded. She was happy to go whenever Nick was.
As they started walking Nick heard a sound coming from a little ways up the path on his right. Nick and Kyla stopped, Nick in front of Kyla and Kyla hiding behind Nick's legs. After a moment a young boy and a grovyle were thrown out of the bushes and across the path.
The boy stood up, looked at Nick and Kyla, smiled, and said "Stay back."
It was then that Nick noticed the little bit of blood on the boys shirt and that he was holding a knife, that was covered in blood. The boy and the grovyle jumped back into the bush, only to be thrown back across the path. This time they didn't jump back into the bush, but started walking towards Nick and Kyla, but they stopped when they saw that Kyla was scarred.
"Sorry 'bout that. Had a little difficulty with the local wildlife. My name's Jack, and this is my girlfriend Ruby." The boy, Jack, said, indicating that the grovyle was his girlfriend.
"My name is Nick, and this little one is Kyla." Nick said with a small smile. Jack crouched and looked at Kyla.
"Sorry 'bout scaring ya. Normally no one uses this path." He said with a friendly smile.
Kyla looked at Jack, then Ruby, then back to Jack, this time staring intently at his strange eyes.
"Ral?" She asked, not expecting what she got as a response.
"I know my eyes are strange. My mother said I have them because of my split personality. Sometimes I'm safe and friendly towards everyone, and sometimes I'll attack anyone that mistreats a Pokémon in any way. Some call it "bi-polar", I call it "I don't like people who mistreat pokemon" Jack said with a shrug, causing Kyla to stand there in shock.
"How can you understand her?" Nick asked.
"My father was a mew, so I can understand any pokespeak. Listen, we need to go. But if you ever want to take a break, we have a small cabin a little ways west of here. Stop by sometime if you want" Jack said, right before he and the grovyle ran back into the forest, going west.
_"That was weird." _Kyla said, and Nick nodded slowly.
"Well, I guess we just met my half-brother." Nick said with a smile. The two started walking, being careful near where Jack and Ruby had been thrown across the path.
After a few hours Nick and Kyla started getting tired, so they found a clearing and set up for lunch. Nick started the fire, not startling Kyla as much as the last time, and began cooking pancakes.
_"Nick," _Kyla said in his mind, causing Nick to turn around, _"why do you have a knife?" _She asked, and Nick gulped.
"I have the knife for personal protection." Nick said, hoping she would buy it, which she did.
_"Ok!" _She said with a smile.
Nick let out a sigh of relief. Truthfully, he had the knife because it was all he had left of his ma, who had died the previous year because of old age.
_"Nick, do you think that we could visit your half-brother eventually? He seems like someone you should get to know better." _Kyla asked as Nick gave her a plate with a couple pancakes on it.
"Sure. We can stop by whenever you want." Nick said with a smile as he sat down beside Kyla.
The two started eating, but Nick stopped when he heard a twig snap behind him. Nick put his plate down, stood up, drew his knife, and got into a fighting stance. A moment later a girl stumbled out of the forest, followed by a pidgey.
"I come in peace!" The girl yelled when she saw that Nick was ready to fight.
Nick didn't ease up, but instead looked at Kyla, who got this as a hint that she should read the girls emotions.
_"Ok Nick. She's scarred, worried, and violent. I don't know if we can trust her. What do you think?" _Kyla asked, and Nick could tell that the voice in his head was scarred and worried.
"What do you want?" Nick yelled at the girl.
It was then that the girl noticed the Ralts behind Nick. The girl smiled.
"Well, honestly, I want that little Ralts behind you."
The girl said with in a cocky voice. Nick frowned.
"Alright. How 'bout this. I'll fight you for her." Nick said.
"Alright." The girl said while reaching for a pokeball.
"Wait!" Nick yelled, causing the girl to stop. "I said that I would fight you. NOT that I would battle you." Nick said with an evil smile.
"What do you mean 'fight'?" The girl asked.
Nick twirled his knife around as he spoke.
"I mean close combat. 1-on-1 between you and me. Your Pokémon can watch, but they can't interfere. Understood?" Nick asked, and the girl nodded before getting into a fighting stance.
Nick turned his head to look at Kyla.
"Alright Kyla, you be the ref. That means you decide when the fight is over. Ok?" Nick said, and Kyla nodded nervously. She wast entirely sure why Nick wanted her to do this, but she would either way.
Nick gave the Ralts a reassuring smile before looking back at the girl.
"Whenever you're ready." Nick said, still wearing the evil smile on his face.
The girl said nothing, but instead began running at Nick, who opened his mouth and let out a large get of water. This took the girl by surprise, and she was knocked down. Nick took the opportunity to run over to her and hold her down with his knife to her throat. Nick looked over at Kyla, asking if the fight was over. Kyla nodded once, and Nick let the girl get up. The girl stood there, shocked.
"Be glad that Kyla told me to stop the fight. If she had shook her head instead of nodding, I would have killed you." Nick said, his voice dripping his voice, shocking both girls.
The girl opened her mouth to talk, but instead ran as fast as she could into the forest. Nick grinned a little before walking back towards Kyla, but stopped when she started backing away slowly. Nick realized that it was because he had told the girl that he would, indeed, kill her if he had the chance. Nick lost his smile.
"Kyla, it's ok. I wound never kill anyone without a good reason. I promise." Nick said, and Kyla stopped backing away from Nick.
_"Do you promise?" _She asked in a low voice in Nick's mind. Nick nodded.
"Why would I ever lie to you?" He asked, and Kyla started slowly walking back over to Nick. A few meters away Kyla tackled Nick, crying into his chest. "What's wrong?" Nick asked in a concerned voice.
_"That was my first trainer. She also beat me severally. When I wouldn't evolve She traded me away." _Kyla began to cry harder, and Nick started stroking her hair slowly.
"It's ok little one. I'll do everything in my power to make sure no one hurts you like that again." Nick said in a reassuring voice.
Kyla looked up at Nick, still crying. Nick smiled a little and kissed her forehead, causing her to blush a little. Kyla stopped crying and the two started eating again.
A few moments later Officer Jenny and a few other police came into the clearing and walked straight over to Nick and Kyla.
"Sir, a young lady came to us and said that you tried to kill her. Is that true?" Jenny asked, and Nick turned around, grinning.
"Well," Nick began, "ya. BUT, she beat this poor little Ralts, causing her to trust virtually no one. BUT, I stopped when this little one here told me to stop." Nick said, before he began eating again, still staring at the police officers.
Jenny shifted uncomfortably. "Ok, well then she will be punished. Good day." Jenny said as they started walking away.
Nick turned back around and looked at Kyla, who was still eating as if nothing had happened. The two finished eating in silence.
After they were done eating it started to rain.
"Alright Kyla, looks like we're going to be sleeping here tonight." Nick said as he put out the fire.
Kyla nodded and walked over to the tent and got in, while Nick was grabbing his backpack. As Nick was about to get into the tent he saw what looked like a small flame.
"Kyla I'll be right back. Stay here." Nick said as he climbed back out of the tent.
Nick took out his knife as he got closer, he saw a charmander covered in blood, it's tail flame almost out. Nick quickly sheathed his knife and gently picked up the charmander. As Nick ran toward the tent he saw Kyla poking her head out of the tent, trying to see what Nick was carrying. As Nick ran into the tent Kyla jumped out of the way and looked at the charmander.
_"What happened?" _Kyla asked, and Nick responded without looking at her.
"I don't know." He said as he cleaned and bandaged the wounded Pokémon.