"V, how have you been? You look really good" Falkner asked. I giggled, flattered.

"Oh, look at you flirting with me" he quickly cleared his throat, not expecting me to say that. His face got extremely red "Thank you for noticing. I'm settling into my new home perfectly. I've been doing very well" he nodded "I didn't know you were a cop"

"Sorry, it was secret" I shrugged.

"To be honest, a lot in what goes on at the club is a blur to me, I wouldn't have remembered even if you told me"

"Right, since you don't even remember my own name" I sweat dropped "The color from your face looks more healthy than before. I've always seen you in a bad state even when we first met"

"I know, but I couldn't do anything about it. You met me 5-6 years ago and I wasn't the easiest person to be around with or handle. Though you were barely around, you always made sure I wasn't taking it too hard" he nodded.

"I worked here in Johto more often, but the only reason why I worked for that place was because I was told to look after a girl with long silver hair who may be a victim of abuse" I blinked a few times "Nobody in that place seem to have a problem with working, but there was a particular girl who always looked like she hated working" he was referring to me "I didn't know if you were that victim, so I only worked every so often to come back and check on you"

"What are you-..?" I was shocked "Is that why you freaked out when I was in my apartment?" He nodded "Who told you about..?"

"The girl we saw when Ronan was getting arrested" Sabrina? "There could had been other people who could do the job, but she stated that they wouldn't accept. She knew I would though. I was the only one, apparently" I looked down, hugging my arms, shaking "I'm... sorry I never realized the truth. I needed more proof in order to help you" I looked down.

"N-No... You're fine. I wouldn't have took your help anyways" he sighed "At least you cared for me like everyone else... I don't know how I got so lucky" a pair of paramedics walked in through the door and got escorted by Falkner pointing at Elm still slouching with Gold and the other cop beside him "Thanks... Falkner. I'm sorry I never acknowledged you" he pet my head.

"Don't worry about it. It's not like you made it obvious. You never seemed abused, but you did look broken" I bit my lips, ashamed how I made it that obvious to him. He walked off to talk to the paramedics while I just stood there looking at the floor, having Chikorita frowning at me and Pichu leaning down to look at me.

"To think he only worked there to protect me... Why does Sabrina do this? She didn't even know me, did she?" I shook my head to snap out of it and approached Elm getting carried on a gurney "Hey, you think you'll be okay?" He groaned with a chuckle.

"Yeah, I hope so. That guy really did a good kick on me. Must be from my old age"

"Age has nothing to do with a injury someone else caused. Get better soon, okay?" He nodded and got carried out. Gold came over to me.

"V, I told the cops you saw the guy who did this" Falkner and the other cop with a notepad came up to me.

"Could you describe the person you saw?" Falkner asked "Did he threaten you?"

"He was just a kid. What can he do?" I sassed. He sighed at my smart mouth and listened "He was pretty young, probably 16 or something. He had long red hair and big brown eyes" which was a lie, since he had regular silver eyes "And a round face like this!" I cupped my hands over my cheeks to make a chubby effect "and he was a bit on the heavy side!" Falkner sweatdropped, almost like he knew I was lying, but Gold was cracking up at the description and the other cop was busy drawing.

"V..." Falkner cleared his throat "Is that your final answer?" I nodded "well, what can I say to that? It better be a good description" I nervously laughed "Either way, whatever"

"Is this the boy, ma'am?" The other Officer showed me a very funny drawing I wanted to laugh to so hard, but kept it in and said yes. Falkner pet my head again, confusing me

"Thanks. We'll be going now. Here" he gave me a business card "If you need to get in contact with me, here you go" I looked at the number on the card. Which reminds me. I need to buy something I can use to contact someone, like one of those new Pokégear things.

"Thanks!" I smiled. He smiled and took my shoulder unexpectedly "Hm? Falkner?"

"I never seen you smile so much" I blushed with a pout "Wear it more often. It looks good on you" I smiled again.

"I will! Nothing will take me down now that I have my Pichu back!" He looked at Pichu and pet her head.

"It's good to see Pichu in good health as well" I looked at him confused as he walked away from me "Anyway, We're heading out. Are you going to be going to Violet city one of these days?"

"I... plan on it" he smiled.

"Alright. Look forward to seeing you again" he turned to walk away.

"Wait a minute!" I reached out to him "Do you know Pichu?" He didn't look back at me.

"How couldn't I? I had to protect you, didn't I?" I bit my lip.

"You followed me..?" He didn't respond "Of course you did. Every one last one of you guys always had to keep an eye on me whenever I..." I looked down "I didn't think any of them would follow me to the hospital"

"They didn't. Just me" I looked back at him "They were told to check on the client for whatever, but I didn't care, so I followed you whenever it was my turn to wait for you" I bit my lips "It's nothing really. Anyways, see you soon" he walked out.

Gold walked up to me and patted my shoulder "You okay?" I nodded and shook him off.

"I'm fine. You don't have to keep checking on me" I smiled away the confusion "I'm all good" I saddened my smile a little "I'm always good" I looked back at the lab "Well, let's clean this up, shall we?"

"Yeah, we should. That damn thief" he glared, picking up a desk "I'll get that Pokémon back if it's the last thing I do!" I just sighed and picked up a broom to sweep while Gold picked up some things. Our Pokémon were standing over a table so they won't cut themselves.

About an hour pass and we left the lab after sealing the broken window with a wooden board Elm's wife had when she stayed upstairs. Aside from freaking out about what happened, she almost fainted when she found out who I was.

"You're quite popular" Gold laughed.

"I suppose" I shrugged "I better get home and make some food"

"Have you decided when you want to start your journey?" I looked at my house in the distance. Even if I would love to stay there longer, I came to this region for another reason.

"Probably tomorrow"

"Really? Me too!" He laughed "What a coincidence!"

"Is it really?" I tapped my chin "Because you already got a Pokémon from Elm and you could've left now since it's still early. You wanted to find the one who caused the destruction, but you rather do it at the same time I'm leaving?" I raised a brow. His face instantly went red.

"N-No! I'm just concerned about the professor is all!"

"Well, nothing wrong with that. Even so, if you want to go sooner, I can always check on him and give you a call" he flinched.

"N-No thanks" I shrugged.

"Suit yourself" I walked back home and introduced my new Pokémon to the place "This is where I live. Don't get too comfortable so soon. We'll be leaving very early in the morning tomorrow to start on this journey. I want to get as strong as I can get" I took out the note Sabrina made for me "The battle is not over... I have to be prepared" I bit my lip "That grunt who messed with me the other day. I have a feeling he's part of that battle... I won't let them get their way again"

Elm was stuck at the hospital in the next town over: Cherrygrove City, and had to stay there for the next few days. Gold and I went to visit him to see how he was doing. Can't say he's any better, but before we left, I was asked to carry the egg Gold had delivered on the journey to help hatch it.

I agreed and was now carrying it in my bag while purchasing a Pokégear that's pretty popular in Johto. I'm able to access a map, phone calls, and time.

"Pretty useful" I said to myself and walked out after paying, seeing Gold waving excitedly with something red in his hand "Hey there. What did Mr.Pokémon say?" Elm told us to go see Mr.Pokemon about the egg he found, but because I didn't trust Gold with the egg and I needed to purchase a device to call my aunt, he went instead while I waited in the long line in the mart. My fault for not going yesterday.

"He was looking forward to seeing you, but I told him you got caught up in something. I told him that the egg is in your hands and you'll be taking care of it" I nodded.

"Thank you for doing that"

"He was also with another professor too. Long story short, he wanted me to give you this!" He handed me the red device in his hand.

"What is it?"

"It's a Pokédex! It records and tell you about the Pokémon you encounter. The professor said to help him fill up the dex for his research"

"Huh" I walked away "I don't need it. You can have it"

"What?! But it wasn't given to me!"

"I don't have time to look for all the Pokémon and record them. If he insist it's for me, just help me out and fill it up. I'll repay you for doing that"

"R-Repay me..?" I looked at his softly blushed face.

"What do you want?" He stiffen up.

"I-I'll think of something!" I snorted at his nervousness "I didn't realize you were popular amongst the people in NewBark town"

"Well" I walked through the route leading away from the city "It's not really me that they know, it's my mom. That town is pretty small, so I'm sure everyone knows each other" Gold nodded "They knew my mom because I apparently almost look identical to her and everything. I'm sure your own mom might know who my mom is"

"Yeah, I believe you! NewBark town is pretty small, but it's family orrianted. We know everyone!" I smiled.

"I look forward to getting to know them all when this is over" I send out Chikorita from her ball, which Pichu heard from sleeping in the bag and got out to play with her "I have a long way to go before I can see him..."

"Him?" I didn't respond "What are you going on a journey for, V?" I sat by a near by pond in route 30 and stared out into the water.

"There's someone I knew for only about a day or so... he saved my life and kept me and Pichu together by paying a ton of money for the bill I couldn't pay" I kept my hair from blowing away "I always refused help from anyone, but I don't know what made me tell him all that I struggled with. If I didn't tell him, I would still be in hell" I smiled at my Pokémon playing together "I want to see him again and pay him back the money he didn't have to give me, but in order to do that, I have to get stronger"

"If he did it out of his own heart, you don't need to pay him back" Gold said behind me. I shook my head.

"I never accepted anyone's help, but he got his way to do it even if I begged him not to. I'm going to repay him..."

"Well..." he sighed for a moment "Why do you need to be stronger to see him?" I chuckled and got back up.

"I don't think I have to tell you. After I pay him back, I don't plan on seeing him again" he frowned, seeing something on my face I couldn't see "I..." I looked down, biting my lip "Even if I'll be stronger by the time I see him, I won't be worthy to be in his life. Even if my life isn't hell anymore, I'll always have the past stuck to me"

"The past that he saved you from?" I nodded "He's not going to care" I bit my lip harder "If a guy is doing something for a pretty girl, such as yourself, he would be doing his deed out of the kindness of his heart!" He scratched his cheek "Or wants to get in your pants" he blushed "He didn't seem that way, right?" I chuckled a little, shaking my head "So there! You don't need to pay him back, and you don't need to become stronger to see him! Just take it as it is and just meet him to thank him, at least"

"Thank you, Gold..." I played with my fingers "But I already made up my mind..."

"You met him for about a day or so. Do you think he'll remember you by the time you get to see him?" I thought bout it.

"To be honest, I don't expect many people to remember me after a one night stand" I shrugged. Gold stared at me for a moment before his face flushed and blood squirted out his nose like a water balloon "oh, sorry. Shouldn't be saying that to a minor" he waved his hand.

"T-That's fine!" I sighed as he calmed himself "I don't know, V. I can't say a Uh... one night stand is the reason why he helped you-"

"It's not" I turned away.

"Good... but like I said before. He did it from the kindness of his heart"

"I believe that" I held my chest "And I also want to believe that his celebrity status made him jump to help me because he had money, but even if it was that reason, I know what I decided to do"

"Celebrity?"

"Look, I don't want to keep talking about this. Just take it as it is, I know he did it from the kindness of his heart. Apparently I did him a favor and he was grateful for me to hear him out" I closed my eyes "You can really give some great things just by hearing people out. I'm more grateful to him than he is of me. Meeting him one last time will be enough for me. I can always call his friends, but where he is isn't a easy place to get a hold of him. I'm sticking to what I'm about to do" he slowly nodded and rubbed my arm.

"Well, you already know what you set in your mind. I'll leave you to it" he smiled big "I'm going on ahead to the next city. Be careful out here, okay?" I smiled a bit more, pushing away the conversation we just had.

"Got it! Be safe!" He smiled and waved me goodbye. I waved back and looked back at the pond and my Pokémon laughing together after they ran into each other so suddenly.

"Chikorita!" I yelled out. Chikarita jumped and faced me, obediently "Let's start training!" Her eyes lit up in excitement "We'll be on this journey for a long while until we can make it to the top. Not all the way, but enough to get me to where I need to be. Let's work together and protect each other. Starting today, we are a team" I softly patted the egg in my bag "Our team will grow. Things will get crazy on the way up, but the most we can do is keep going" I held my fist out at the same time Pichu climbed my shoulder "Ready for the journey up ahead?" Chikorita nodded fast and took out her vine to hold my fist. Pichu got on my arm and placed her small hand on it as well.

I can't wait to see what the future holds. I will keep growing until I become someone that is worth saving. I will keep growing until I can no longer be pushed around... and I will keep growing until I am strong enough to get rid of those nightmares that haunt my dreams every night, and finally... I will keep growing until I become the woman I always wanted to be. My parents would be so proud...

"Come on" I smiled at my Pokémon "Let's start!" We ran towards the tall grass and began our hours long training session.