In case it isn't obvious, I don't own Pokémon.
Presenting the December 2025 revision, now. Thank you, everyone.

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There was sand everywhere. Even though it's sweltering hot here, I wrapped myself up in a shawl I'd brought with me from home; just so that I could pull part of it over my nose and mouth to protect myself from the incoming sand. I felt bad for Dewott; getting stung by the sand. Eventually, I decided to return him to his pokéball so that he could rest.

"Sorry, Dewott. I just don't want you out in this storm."

~It's okay. Be careful though.~ It's quiet after that. Every now and then I saw some Trainers toughing out the storm, but no one approached me. Cheren and Bianca were probably halfway to Nimbassa by now.

As the storm kept going, I'm glad I'd changed back into my sandals. The running shoes would've been full of sand by now if I didn't. I wandered through; encountering a couple of wild pokémon, but they scurry away. After several hours, I stumbled over something in the sand. I quickly got back up to see what I tripped over. In front of me lay a little darumaka, curled up in a ball. I reached out to the small red pokémon, but it creeps back.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to trip over you," I said. Darumaka stood up.

~Eh, it's fine... Just go on your merry way, now please...~

"No, really; I'm sorry." He scooted away from me again, and I saw him holding his stubby arm at an odd angle. Did I accidentally break his arm?! "Are you okay?"

~No! My arm hurts, and its your fault!~ He groaned. ~Just leave me alone...~ What's up with him?

"No, you're hurt. I'm really sorry. But you should get that checked out at a Pokémon Center."

~Listen! I don't need anyone's help, much less that of a stupid human like you. So just go.~

Dewott burst out of his ball in a flash of light. The otter faced the injured pokémon, snarling. ~You don't get to speak to Corona like that,~ he snarled. ~You're hurt; we get it. But don't you throw it back in her face like that!~ Darumaka crouched close to the sand, terrified. I laid a hand on Dewott's shoulder.

"Please stop. You're scaring him, Dewott." My blue partner nodded and backed away. To Darumaka, I said, "I understand that you don't want to go to a Center, but your arm needs help. If you'll trust me, I can place you in a pokéball so that you can get treatment. Afterwards, if you want to come back here, I'll bring you back." He scoffed.

~And how would you know what I even want? It's not like you understand what I say at all.~

"I do. I'm talking to you right now." The zen charm Pokémon jolted back.

~You, you understand me...~I nod. ~But, but.... How?~ I sighed.

"I don't know. Will you just trust me though? Please."

~Okay, okay. I'll come with you. Just don't make me battle; got it? If I want to battle, I will.~ I nodded.

"Okay. Sure. I don't make Dewott battle unless he wants to either, so okay." I pulled out an empty pokéball. "Ready?"

~Sure,~ he grunted. I threw the ball, and its light enveloped the little red pokémon. The capsule wriggled once, then clicked loudly. I gently placed the pokéball in my bag, then returned Dewott. From there, I sprinted through the desert, hoping to get to Nimbassa City soon.

"Look old man; we know you run the Day Care. We know you have access to all those pokémon. Just give them all to us already!" I walked towards the shouting. Three Plasma grunts have surrounded an elderly man.

"Never!" The old man shouts. A grunt grabs his collar.

"Do it, or we'll make take them by force," he hissed. Another grunt snatched a brown and tan pokémon off of the man's shoulder. Furret screams. I grasped Dewott's ball.

Furret shrieked. ~You leave my Master alone! This is assault! You are not the saviours of Pokémon; you are thieves! Unhand me, you brutes!!!!~

The grunt with Furret screamed as the Pokémon sank her teeth into the grunt's forearm. "The stupid rat bit me!!!"

I released Dewott and cued him. Go. He tackled one of the grunts holding the old man. I kicked the other in the shins. In seconds, all three grunts took off running.

~Cowards,~ Dewott growled. I turned to the man and Furret.

"Are you alright?" Both nodded quickly.

"Yes, thank you for your help."

~I don't know what would have happened to us if you weren't here. I wouldn't have been able to fend off all three of them. So thank you. ~

"You're very lucky Furret was with you, Sir." He nodded.

"I know. I'll have to thank my Granddaughter. She trained her." I returned Dewott and ran in the direction I saw the grunts go. I'd take Darumaka to the Center as soon as I was done.
The path led me into the amusement park. That couldn't be right. I turned around to leave, but bumped into someone's white button down shirt. A green ponytail cascades to his waist.

"I feel like we're always running into each other, Corona." I looked up. N. He helped me get stable on my feet.

"Thanks," I said quietly before trying to go on my way. N stepped in front of me.

"You're looking for Team Plasma, right?" I nodded.

"How did you know?" He shook his head.

"I saw them run through here." He grabbed my hand. "Come on!"

With my hand in his, I ran, keeping up with his quick steps. Eventually though, I began to wonder if he really saw them. He was just running us around the amusement park in circles. He stopped in front of the Ferris Wheel, sweat slipping down his brow.

"I don't see them anymore," He said after catching his breath.

"Are you okay... N?" The greenette readjusted his cap.
"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you though." He opened the door for the car.

"Come on! We might be able to see them from the top of the Ferris Wheel!" Not a bad idea. At a certain height, I could probably see for miles around. I stepped into the car, and N followed.

"I love Ferris wheels," he murmured out of the blue on the way up. I looked at him. "The circular motions... The mechanics... They're like collections of elegant formulas..." He looked at me expectantly.

I sighed. "I don't really understand those things. I never learned that stuff." N tilted his head.

"What? I thought everyone else was taught that material as part of the curriculum..." He looked at me thoughtfully. "I know! Maybe you just haven't covered it yet! How old are you?"

"Seventeen. And that explains it. I was homeschooled," I said quickly. Without knowing much about N, his goals, or anything else, I find it hard gauging what information to share.

He acted like he had ulterior motives, but when I look past those cool grey eyes... I see a mixed past. I see a hurt look; not unlike that of an abused pokémon... Longing... Determination... But I kept going back to the hurt...

"Corona?" N asked suddenly when we're near the peak. I glanced at him.

"Yes?"

Nervously, he asked, "if I tell you something about me, will you tell me something about you?"

"Sure." He relaxed on the seat as he exhaled the breath he must've been holding.

"I was raised by pokémon. Not people," he said quietly. No wonder he doesn't seem comfortable around other people very much.

Just... Just like me.

He watched me for a reaction.

What reaction was he expecting? I only nodded. "Okay."

"You... You don't think it's strange?"
I shrugged. "The ones who raised you, raised you. Simple as that. It doesn't really matter whether they're human or Pokémon." N looked relieved. I wonder if anybody told him he wasn't equal to them; just because he was raised by pokémon.

"So which pokémon did you grow up with?" I asked. His face lights up as he gets into detail.

"I don't remember everything... But I recall a lot. It was mainly Darmanation who raised me, but there were these woobats who played with me. And a Zorua was my best friend..." His eyes closed as he remembers. N looked so peaceful. I felt something in my chest. When I looked back at N, he's looking at me.

"Alright. What about you, Corona?" I sighed.

"I was raised by pokémon as well."His grey-green eyes widen in surprise. "They found me in a forest fire; then took me to their home... And raised me as their own." I knew it was one fact in exchange for one fact from the other, but I wanted to tell him. Not everything. Just a little more... I took a deep breath. Here's to the second person knowing.

"I understand Pokémon as well."

"What? But in Accumula Town... Why didn't you say anything?"
I shook my head. "It isn't something you can tell just anybody. My family taught me that." From the way his eyes glistened, I know N understood. "I asked Dewott when he was an Oshawott to not say anything."

"So... You know exactly what he said that day?" I nodded.

"I was touched. I had only known him for a few hours at that point, and..." I couldn't finish. N surprised me by wrapping his arms around me slowly. Gently, cautiously. Surprising myself then, I let him. His fingers gently brushed against my hair as he lifted my chin up.
"Our pasts are nearly identical..." He murmured. "I thought I was the only one." I shook my head.

"You're not alone, N. I don't know why you were left with pokémon, but they raised you, didn't they?" He nodded. "The pokémon were there for you when humans weren't. If you ask me, the ones who raise you are your family. Blood means next to nothing." N looked at me strangely.

"What?" He brushed a stray violet strand of hair out of my face.

"Nothing. It's just, it's funny. We're both Trainers, but at the same time, we're both questioning the relationship between people and Pokémon." He looked straight at me and backed away.

"You told me you didn't know before... What about now?" I'm still confused, but not as much as before. I'm not as naíve as I was when I first left Pinwheel Forest.

"I think every partnership is different, N. You have humans who hurt the most gentle pokémon. But... You also have kind, patient Trainers; who will put up with an angry, stubborn pokémon; taking the attacks themselves to prove that they mean no harm. I don't think one can just divide the world into good and bad. It's going to be a mix wherever you go." N seemed thoughtful.

"You bring up good points, Corona." He leaned forward, looking a bit guilty. Why is this? "I feel like I should tell you..."

"I am the King of Team Plasma," he whispered. I looked at him with a shocked expression. "Please don't hate me."

Arceus, I'm so stupid. Why didn't I think of that? He believes in everything Team Plasma preached. But, N didn't strike me as someone who would toerate hurting a pokémon. Any pokémon. I struggled to see this new version of himself that he presented, a king of Team Plasma. Maybe he'd been sucked in by Ghetsis, and thought he was actually going to help pokémon. My mind searched, looking for a reason, any reason why.

I placed my hand on his gently. He looked at me in surprise. "I don't hate you. I think you're making a mistake; but I don't hate you."

"Why not?" He asked, barely above a whisper.

"You probably thought you'd be able to help pokémon all over the world. I actually agreed with some of the concepts myself at first," I admitted. Before he could ask, I added, "but then I saw the grunts kicking Munna in the Dreamyard. All for one little vial of Dream Mist."
N stiffened, but I kept going. "I watched them shout orders to pokémon who were afraid of them. I saw how they kidnapped Bianca's pokémon." I looked at him. "Her Munna loves her, N. They were so happy to see each other again when they were reunited." I was about to tell him about Furret when he cut me off.

"I was only aware of the Dreamyard incident. I made sure they were punished. I didn't know about the others." The Ferris Wheel stopped, and we got out. N looked at me apologetically.

"I'm sorry, Corona. But all this time, its only been to stall you while my grunts got away. And it seems I must stall some more. I challenge you to a battle! "

This whole, heartfelt conversation was just a ploy to waste my time? I got on this amusement ride, this, beautiful contraption of steel circles and gears, for nothing? I could've had Darumaka at the Pokémon Center by now if it weren't for that long conversation! And now he wants to waste more of my time with a battle?

I felt the palm of my hand make contact with the side of his face before I'd had a chance to comprehend all of the thoughts racing through my head. A twist of guilt went through me when I saw the red streak across his pale face, but then I thought of Darumaka and his broken arm. I gently picked his pokéball up and saw him inside, curled up and cradling his little arm. N's face paled at the sight of the fire type.

"I needed to bring a pokémon to the Center," I growled. "His arm is broken, N. I only came here to make sure the grunts weren't harassing another old man and his pokémon. Instead, you had to take me on a long goose chase."

"But Corona! Please, understand! I have to protect my followers!" I turned on my heel.
"Don't worry; I'm not going after your precious grunts. My pokémon are more important to me."

"Corona! Please! I didn't know! I'm sorry!" He plead, but I looked away.

"Sorry doesn't change anything. I can deal with the fact that you are the Leader of these really bad people; but I can't ignore that you completely wasted my time when there was emergency for one of these pokémon." I ran without looking back. N could still be there for all I know. I didn't care. Either way, I couldn't look back. I was too ashamed to let anyone see the slow tears that were rolling down my cheeks.