Chapter 39: Multiple POV's

Neptune's POV

I watched as Satoshi carrying his prickly Pikachu walked out of the room with his hands clenched into fists. It was lamentable that he was so affected by the sight of an unimportant creature like the test subject. However, that instantaneous loyalty and desire to protect were some of the very qualities that made him the perfect soldier. I would just have to remind him that his loyalty to me was much more important than a worthless pokemon.

My thoughts were interrupted by a pair of strong hands being planted firmly on my hips and I felt myself be tugged back against Proteus' large chest. Annoyance flared inside me but was quickly replaced with smug satisfaction as I relaxed back against his chest and played teasingly at the cuff of his lab coat, stroking the back of his wrist gently.

"Something the matter?" I asked in a voice barely over a whisper. 

Proteus let out a low growl as he wrapped his arm fully around my waist and leaned his forehead against the top of my head, which was a reach for him since he was bigger than an Ursaring.

"Are you trying to make me jealous?" he huffed into my hair and I couldn't help a grin curling at the edges of my lips.

Hmph, he's so easy to manipulate. It's your own fault for letting yourself get distracted, idiot, I thought inwardly, but I made sure to gently pat his arm in a soothing gesture.

"Why would you think that? You have been complaining about the grunts bringing back nothing but eggs and Celeste doesn't have time to whip them into shape with her recruitment schedule. Satoshi is clearly the best candidate to move our plan forward more smoothly," I explained in a quiet voice, looking straight forward. Proteus turned me around and gripped my waist, lifting me up and onto his work table where he sat me down gently and leaned down so that we could be eye to eye.

"You're sure that's it?" he asked in a hard tone, meeting my eyes. I could feel my annoyance reaching a crescendo inside of me but I gave him a sultry smile and cocked my head to the side.

"Are you seriously feeling threatened right now, Proteus? I thought you had more confidence in yourself," I said with a sigh, raising one of my hands and inspecting my nails in the classic 'unimpressed' position. Proteus flinched at my subtle insult and grabbed my hand, pulling it to him and planting a kiss on my palm.

"I'm the only one for you, Neptune," he declared brusquely and I smiled as sweetly as I could manage at him.

If I had more time in the day to complete your chemistry and genetic experiments myself then I would have dumped you long ago, I snapped inwardly at the pathetic man but kept up my sweet facade for him.

"Then stop doubting it," I ordered with a regal sniff. I promptly pulled my hand from where he had laid it against his cheek and stroked the metal bars that were keeping my newest creation safely contained.

"She's beautiful isn't she?" I asked with glee as I raked my eyes critically over the new pokemon.

"Not as beautiful as you," Proteus said with obvious infatuation. I inwardly sneered at his dreadful attempt at a compliment; how dare he compare me to a pokemon destined to be enslaved to a trainer? But I just smiled slightly in acknowledgment of his words and continued staring at the creature.

"Make sure to test it at least four more times on different Eevees to make sure there aren't any compatibility features we are missing with this test," I ordered and Proteus leaned back, switching into work mode and writing my instructions in his notes.

"It will take me some time to gather enough ingredients to create the rest of the Rock Evolution stones. Is there anything else you'd like me to work on in the meantime?" he asked as he tapped in a command to his control pad. A robotic arm came over to pick up the cage with what I would call Soleon inside and lifted it off to a separate lab where experts would inspect every minute detail of the new pokemon and its abilities.

"As a matter of fact," I said while touching the miniaturized pokeball resting in my jacket pocket. "Do we have any Ponyta in our sample pool?"

Proteus pulled up a list before nodding once. "There are only two of them though," he explained as he dismissed the list and I frowned slightly.

"Two won't be enough. Put it as a high priority for the grunts to catch more Ponyta for experimentation," I ordered, surprising myself when a genuine smile played at the corner of my lips.

Memories of a past where my parents and I would talk in length about the pokemon team I would have when I grew up came to mind. I had always insisted I wanted a Ponyta as my fire type, but my parents had been equally insistent that there were far superior fire types to choose from. Obviously after their death and being raised by my Grandpa all dreams of being a normal pokemon trainer had evaporated, but somehow Satoshi had brought me the one pokemon I had always wanted since I was a little girl.

Too bad I'm not a little girl anymore, I thought to myself wickedly as I looked up to meet Proteus' expectant gaze.

"What result are you hoping for this time?" he asked with a wolfish grin. I met his grin with one of my own and I thought of the image that had come to my mind the second I had seen the sweet little pokemon Satoshi had chosen for me.

"I want something terrifyingly beautiful. Something that people will think had leaped right out of a nightmare," I said as I considered my current team and how to round it out.

"Changing it into a dark type should be no problem," Proteus said with a confident shrug but I shook my head, feeling my lips pull apart slightly in a devilish grin.

"Not Dark Type. Ghost." Proteus flinched at this declaration and I narrowed my eyes at him. "This is non-negotiable."

He nodded in reluctant agreement and let out a small sigh. "You know the risks with changing the DNA of a pokemon into a ghost type. More often than not they..." Proteus trailed off as I smiled at him and hopped off his work table.

"I don't care how many trials it takes. Do it."

Proteus shook his head at my stubbornness but nodded his understanding. Feeling satisfied with my day's work (and the success of my plan to make Proteus jealous of Satoshi so that he would refocus on giving me the results I wanted), I turned to leave the lab.

"Hold on," Proteus called, reaching out and grabbing onto my upper arm. I whipped my head around and glared at him fiercely, causing him to drop my arm quickly and look slightly to the side. He knew I hated to be grabbed like that and I wouldn't tolerate it unless absolutely necessary.

"Did you need something else?" I asked stiffly as I tried to calm my inner annoyance at his clinginess. Proteus looked at me, his expression changing from apologetic to something much spicier.

"I want to see you tonight," he declared boldly and without preamble. I didn't hate this blunt part of his personality, but he could be exhausting to keep up with.

My mind went back to the calculation Satoshi had walked in on me puzzling through. I want to finish my calculations sooner than later... but Proteus can be such a toddler if he doesn't get his way at times like these. Especially after I brought his manliness into question...

"Hmmm," I intoned noncommittally as I met his greedy expression. "I've been working on the calculations for the creation of the final piece to the plan. You are going to have to be VERY persuasive to pull me from it."

Proteus' eyes glittered with the unspoken challenge I had just given him and he closed the distance between us in one giant step. I didn't resist as he bent down, cupping my cheek in his hands and covering my lips in a deep, sensual kiss.

"Don't underestimate me," he whispered once we had broken apart and I smirked at him. Turning without a goodbye I left his lab behind and gingerly wiped the back of my hand against my mouth.

Poor sap, I thought with mock sympathy. However, my mind quickly turned to the complicated string of equations I had to solve before I would finally crack the last piece to my dream of banishing this detestable world from existence. Everything is falling into place now.

Serena's POV

"No, I don't want you to go, Serena!" Jeremy wailed petulantly as he gripped my waist in a surprisingly fierce hug for such a small boy.

"Don't be silly, Jeremy. Serena has to keep competing so she can make it into the Grand Festival this year," Bethany pointed out soothingly from behind him.

It was the day after the festival race and my unexpected run-in with Satoshi. We had all stayed an extra day in Walkerville because the townspeople had insisted on throwing a special thank-you party for Bree and me. It had been a little awkward for me, but Bree lapped up the attention and everyone enjoyed themselves at the community luncheon. Jackson had already gone back to the rehab center with a much brighter outlook on life and an autographed photo of me which Bethany had requested. It was still a little weird for me to have someone close to my age as a fan, but I couldn't say no to Bethany after all she did for Bree and me.

I hugged Jeremy back tightly and I knew I would miss him a lot. But having Satoshi begin to teach Shinx that new move was getting my head spinning with possibilities of how I could use it in a contest and I was eager to get to practice. Glancing over at the stables set off to the side of the inn, I felt a pang of sadness for leaving the beautiful pokemon behind. I would miss riding Delta, especially after the race, but I knew that Delta wouldn't be happy competing in contests instead of tearing through the forests in the races that he loved. With a small sigh, I turned away and gave Jeremy one last squeeze before letting go and going over to give Bethany a hug.

Bree and I had just started walking away when a banging sound came from the stables. Instinctively, I turned around and blinked rapidly when I saw a small body dashing through the half-open stable door. The familiar sound of "Ni-heek" sounded and I felt my eyes begin to fill with tears. Squeaker ran past Bethany and Jeremy, heading straight for me. Just as I had done many times this past week, I fell to one knee and opened my arms wide. Squeaker ran right into my chest, wrapping her neck around my shoulder and laying her cheek against my back, which caused Majestoat to swiftly move her long tail away from her flaming mane.

"Oh, Squeaker," I sighed sadly, running my fingers through her flames for what was probably the last time. Footsteps caught my attention and I looked up to see Bethany and Jeremy walking over to us hand in hand.

"Squeaker doesn't want you to go either," Jeremy announced miserably, clasping his mom's hand tightly in his. A pang of guilt went through me for a moment, but Bethany's tender smile quickly helped me relax. Bethany knelt down next to Squeaker and gently pulled Jeremy over to Squeaker's other side.

"Jeremy, I know that saying goodbye is never easy," Bethany said soothingly while stroking Squeaker's back. "But if the people we love see us acting sad when they leave it will make them feel bad. So we have to do our best to smile for them, right?"

Jeremy sniffled for a few minutes but then nodded. "Like when we said goodbye to Daddy in the hospital?" he asked, still sounding miserable. 

My throat squeezed tight at this unexpected news. Bethany had never mentioned her husband before and there were no pictures in their humble cottage, so I had always been curious about what happened to him... but this was much worse than anything I'd imagined.

Bethany smiled and for the first time, I realized how much sadness she was hiding behind that kind expression. My admiration for her shot through the roof as I watched her gently stroke her son's cheeks, wiping away his tears lovingly.

"That's right. But what do you think about letting Squeaker go with Serena on her journey?" Jeremy and I both stared at Bethany with wide eyes, obviously feeling the same amount of surprise and shock at this unexpected development.

"But I couldn't..." I started to protest, not sure if I could bear taking yet another thing from Jeremy's life. However, Jeremy's face split into a beaming smile and he turned and looked at me with sparkling eyes.

"That would be great!" he exclaimed exuberantly. I cocked my head to the side, thoroughly puzzled by his reaction, and Squeaker also eased off of my shoulder to look at her best friend. "I mean, it would be just like Squeaker got her mommy back! You have the same name, and Squeaker loves you a lot. Plus, if you take Squeaker with you then you have to come back and visit us so I can see how Squeaker is growing up."

Jeremy sounded so proud of the idea you would have thought he had come up with it himself. Bethany just silently watched with an approving look in her eyes so I turned back to look between Jeremy and Squeaker.

"But.. are you sure you won't miss her too much?" I asked, wanting to be absolutely sure. Jeremy's shoulders slumped and he gave me a smile filled with many emotions, but he shook his head firmly.

"Squeaker was always going to have to find a home somewhere else eventually. I want her to go with you. Can't she?" he asked, his eyes going big just like a begging Growlithe pup. There was no way I could resist those eyes, so I turned to look at Squeaker.

"How about it, Squeaker? Would you like to join my team and compete in contests?" I asked the small fire type. Squeaker looked at me, then at Jeremy, and then back to me before she let out a happy, squeaking whinny and began to lick my face.

"Ack! Squeaker, stop that," I said with a laugh, pushing her slightly away and then rubbing my nose against the tip of hers. "I'm so sorry that I'm not your real mom, but I promise to love you just as much, okay?"

"Niii-heek!" Squeaker responded with a happy expression. I pulled off one of the empty pokeballs on my hip and tapped it gently against the bridge of her nose. Squeaker was surrounded by a red light for a moment before she disappeared inside the pokeball, which only shook once before the small "ding" of a successful capture sounded.

I immediately released Squeaker so she could say her last goodbye to Bethany and Jeremy. This time when Bree and I turned to leave, Jeremy's face was shining with excitement, since I had promised to come back to visit him as soon as the Grand Festival was over. Glancing down around me, I felt my spirits rise as I watched Shinx and Squeaker walking side by side while enjoying their version of a conversation and I had the feeling that he was explaining what a contest was like. Majestoat seemed content to just lounge across my shoulders and when I brushed my fingers against Feebas and Absol's pokeballs I couldn't help but feel like I was surrounded by a family. Especially with Bree right next to me teasing me mercilessly as I had always thought an older sibling would.

Ever since Satoshi had left for his job, Bree had been incessantly pestering me about whether I liked him or not. It was embarrassing to think about, and since I didn't have any real way to contact him I didn't WANT to develop those kinds of feelings because there was nothing I could do to act on them. Still, when she asked me whether I liked Satoshi in the same way as Aryan, I had known instantly that my feelings were not the same for the two boys. Aryan made me feel comfortable and safe, like an older brother. I really wasn't sure how to describe my feelings for Satoshi, but it felt more like the admiration you would have for a superhero rather than fluttery feelings toward a romantic interest... At least that's what I told myself.

It was nearly sunset before Bree and I decided to stop for the night. To my delight, there was a large river running past our campsite. After we had taken care of meals I immediately released both Absol and Feebas and I waded into the water to join Feebas for a long-awaited training session. By the time the sun was setting, I was thoroughly chilled from the river water, but Feebas had gotten so good at following my hand motion commands she even started doing flips when I called for it. I'd kind of forgotten about teaching her Tackle, but it was a lot of fun splashing in the water with her.

To my glee, Bree had her Whimsicott blow dry my hair with a gentle Gust after I changed into my pajamas. Once my hair was dry, I braided it to the side to get it out of the way and started towards the campfire where Bree and several of her pokemon were all having a sing-off. The off-pitch melodies, mostly coming from Bree, made me rethink that decision though and the sound of an electric crackle caught my attention.

Turning around, I saw that Shinx, without any direction from me, was once again trying to learn Magnet Rise. His determination made me glow with pride and I walked over to give him some encouragement. My eyes widened and I stopped in my tracks though when I saw a lanky body padding over from the edge of the river.

Absol's white fur shimmered in the starlight and I watched with fascination as the bigger pokemon padded over to Shinx and sat down a few feet away from where he was practicing. Shinx had gotten the first step down of creating the seemingly liquid electricity to drip from his ears down to his feet, but he was having a hard time splitting his focus to start a normal electric charge at his feet while the weird electricity was dripping down him.

After another failed attempt ended in a mini explosion, Shinx coughed and backed away, rubbing his nose against the grass to clear it of the smoke. My eyes widened when Absol stood up once again and walked over to where Shinx was, sitting down only inches from him. When Shinx turned to see the larger dark type sitting so close he jumped, his fur poofing out from surprise momentarily before it smoothed back against his body and he looked at the ground sheepishly.

Absol observed my young friend silently for several moments. I could almost see the sweat drops gathering all along Shinx's body, but then Absol reached out and tapped Shinx's head with the back of his paw. Shinx looked up at him and Absol let out a low huff. Shinx's little mouth actually dropped open in shock and his eyes widened like Absol had just given him the answer to the mysteries of the universe. He quickly shook his head, making his large ears flap slightly, and then he bounded over a little ways away and took a firm stance.

Absol barked out what sounded like a soft command and Shinx began to create the liquid electricity that dripped down his fur. Absol closed his eyes and thrust his head forward slightly, releasing waves of yellow electricity that zapped and popped delicately in the air toward Shinx's feet. I held my breath as Absol's Thunder Wave, which was typically used to paralyze opponents, connected with Shinx's feet.

Shinx yelped when the two forms of electricity fused together. Loud crackles and pops that looked like they might give way to an explosion any second began to sound and I gripped my hands together nervously. Suddenly a blanket of electricity began to settle underneath Shinx and he was suddenly propelled up into the air so quickly that he fell on his side and scrabbled in midair to try and right himself.

"Shinx you did it!" I squealed ecstatically, running over to where he was floating at about my shoulder level and looking thoroughly disoriented. I turned to see Absol observing Shinx with a calm expression and I grinned widely.

"Thank you so much, Absol! That was so nice of you to help Shinx like that," I gushed with a squeal. I rushed over without thinking to give Absol a hug, but he immediately stepped back, looking thoroughly uncomfortable with my display of affection. I quickly placed a kiss on his horn before letting him slip through my fingers and returning to watch Shinx as he flew awkwardly through the air on his cloud of electricity.

I clapped and cheered for Shinx as he worked out how to get around on his electrified flooring. The field of electricity sputtered out much sooner than Pikachu's had, but before Shinx could fall to the ground I reached out my arms and caught him. Several shocks went through my body which made me wince, but I ignored my slightly frizzy hair and cuddled Shinx, whispering compliments and congratulations to him.

Shinx rubbed his face against my neck affectionately and then hopped out of my arms and bounded over to Absol, yipping several times proudly. It seemed to me like he was thanking him for his help as well. Absol once again looked uncomfortable with the attention and turned his back on Shinx, stalking silently over toward the river bank. Shinx didn't seem offended by his reaction though. He just turned and ran past me to go find Majestoat and Squeaker, wherever they had gotten to, and tell them the good news. I chuckled at his enthusiasm and stretched my arms up and beyond my head, gazing at the beautiful starry sky above me.

I am so grateful that I made this choice, I thought to myself. Not surprisingly the faces of Satoshi and Aryan floated in my mind's eye and I wished they were both here so I could thank them for their encouragement. But they were both busy, so I turned my attention instead to my tent and the sleep that was awaiting me.

A/N What did you think of Neptune's POV? I don't think I'll do that very often, and honestly I had planned to stick that at the end of last chapter, but obviously last chapter was kind of super long, so I put it here instead :P Hopefully it was interesting at least!

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