Auntie and I had spent the night in a hotel room talking about random things. We spend time with each other's Pokémon and hung out like we never did before, and we never had.

I've known my aunt for only half my life. I was taken away when I was only 7 after my parents died in the fire. By the time I was 13, I was allowed to roam wherever I want and visiting the hospital was always somewhere I always went. Before that, I was always supervised by Ronan's employees so I can visit Pichu when I could.

When I was 13, I was able to go on my own and see Pichu, and I always spoke to a woman about billing issues when it came to my Pokémon. She always asked about my parents, but I never answered and always promised to pay what I can. She took everything as it was and always gave me time, for years... I called her Miss Black, not because that was what she was called, she just always wore a lot of black. I never cared to remember her real last name.

She always helped me out and volunteered to give me lunch and spend time with me when I had nothing else to do. I'd spend time with her when I wanted to get away from Ronan and the club. She was the only motherly figure I had. She was beautiful and patient. She never got mad or annoyed with me. She always greeted me with a smile.

She had always asked for my name. I didn't tell her my real name until I was about 15, when I started working as a dancer at the club. She questioned why I barely told her my name, but it was just personal reasons. I just had forgotten my name for the longest time until I came to the realization that I deserved a name and didn't deserve the treatment I took. Before, I never said a word and kept to myself, doing as I was told and never spoke back.

I told her my name, and she looked at me for the longest time for some reason, but didn't say anything. I was going to be on my way before an ambulance came rushing to the hospital and two paramedics came with a gurney, having a Pokémon egg on top. It had been the first time in so long since seeing one.

The woman I grew up with had urgently asked what was wrong with it. When they told her it was dropped, I needed to follow and see what was going to happen. I wasn't allowed where the adults were going, but I went anyways without being noticed and ended up alone with the egg.

For some reason... No one was around in the room. I was left alone after they glanced at me for a moment and walked out. Feeling like they were going to get the police on me, I quickly did what I wanted to do and started my operation with the proper tools set up on the side. Even after a few hours, no one came back to check on me or the egg.

I wasn't focused on anything but the egg, so I didn't notice how much time had passed. When I was done, I kissed the egg goodbye and left without saying anything.

The next day, I pretended like nothing happened and wanted to visit Miss Black, but instead of seeing her, I was approached by a few medical staff and Miss Black coming towards me with smiles.

They congratulated me and thanked me for a successful operation. Apparently Miss Black had asked everyone to leave the room to observed me. She wanted to see what I'd do, since she had a feeling about me since day one, from what I was told. I met up to her expectations and after I was congratulated, they had asked me for my real name.

"Valerie Zoe" I told them "I come from a family of Pokémon egg experts" from that moment then, I found out that Miss Black wasn't just a lady who worked secretary and treasury for the hospital, she was a Zoe who worked on eggs whenever they arrived to the hospital... She was my aunt.

When I found out she was my aunt, I was excited, but knew it was for the best that it looked like it didn't matter to me. I didn't want to involve her with any of my mess, and I explained to her that it was best that nobody else knew we were related for secret reasons. Again, she didn't question me and offered help as frequently as possible, but I didn't take it.

The first operation I did helped me pay for part of Pichu's bill, but in time, more pressure was pushed on me to pay the bill and I wanted to do everything I could to help Pichu. I got physical when the hospital noticed I wasn't paying my monthly fees and was forbidden to enter any higher floors over the lobby.

Around that time, Pichu would had been taken from me long ago if it wasn't for my aunt... She's the greatest motherly figure I have now, and I'll be grateful to her forever.

Morning had came around and everyone was still asleep. I was already wide awake and looking at the poster I had in my bag about the radio broadcast that won't be happening for another few months.

This doesn't seem like a public announcement. It looked like it was intended just for Team Rocket members "Something will happen at that tower soon... intended to find the boss or something" I can feel myself getting upset about the word boss, knowing he was someone who was involved in something I don't want to talk about, but because I took my medication, I didn't feel like I was going to explode. Feels great not to snap at a sudden second that can even catch me by surprise.

"I'll be expecting that day, but who knows when will the next activity will take place" I looked at my Pokémon sleeping "I need to train them as much as I can before that happens, but I also need to think about my own health and their happiness" I sighed and rubbed my face "Why is this so difficult for me?"

"Looks like those pills are not doing their job" Auntie got up from bed.

"Did I wake you?" She shook her head, yawning "Good morning"

"Morning!" She got up to join me on the window frame "How you sleep?"

"Not very good" She patted my head.

"Well, the pills do that to you, that's why I don't recommend them. The start of a better life is better sleep" I snorted. How can I sleep when I'm stressing all the time?

"I'm fine. I feel just fine" I said honestly "I have a battle coming up later at the Pokémon gym"

"That's exciting! Sorry I can't be there to watch you" Auntie is going to leave in about an hour back to Kanto.

"Right. Why are you leaving so soon again?"

"As much as I'd like to take a vacation and go to the house over in NewBark town, I have a patient back in the hospital that needs some attention. I trust the doctors to take over for me, but I can't be gone for too long"

"An egg?" She nodded "What's the story?"

"Apparently, it belonged to a foreign trainer who left the egg at the airport. When they got in contact with him, he said he didn't want it because it cracked when he dropped it before heading to his flight. The crack was new, so it got to the hospital just in time before any damage could really effect it. I patched it up quite well if I do say so myself" she winked "I am an expert, after all"

"How can people be so cruel to babies..?" I frowned. She wrapped her arm around me and looked out the window.

"There will always be someone who understands more than the other person. That someone has strong beliefs and will do anything to make what they know to be right. The world will always need people like that, because the world needs someone to know more about one thing while someone else knows about another thing. That's how the world goes round and round"

"You have a point" she looked at me.

"Shall we head out?" I nodded and started getting dressed for the day. I was dressed in a long purple dress with flowers on it. Auntie thought it to get it for me because it matched my hair, which was silver with a hint of lavender.

"You look so cute!" Auntie awed when we stepped outside with the sun shining on us "I knew it'll look good on you. Isn't it cute, Pichu?"

"Pe!" Pichu nodded from my shoulder. I snorted and shrugged.

"I don't really care about fashion, but I like wearing new clothes, so that's a plus" I do admit, it's a very pretty dress and I could get use to wearing one. But I wouldn't consider it a transitional dress when it's down to my knees and not my ankles. It's suited for a journey since I had shorts underneath and it was pretty flexible.

"I'm just glad I got the right size! You did get a little more chubbier since I saw you" I flinched. She just laughed "In a good way! Before you were so skinny, but you look like you bloomed. Did you find someone?" I turned a dark shade of pink.

"No" she thought for a moment.

"Did you find that boy you were looking for?" I looked at my Pokégear to look at the call I made to him last night. I did it just to do it, to hear his voice if I was lucky, but the voice mail said there was no connection.

I frowned and looked down "No, I haven't... but I'm not anywhere near my goal, so I won't be seeing him anytime soon"

"He shouldn't be something to make you think you have to be up where he is to see him" I shook my head.

"No... I want to be better for myself, and..." I blushed hard "Maybe show off that I grew up because of what he did for me" Auntie smiled and hugged my head.

"I never knew you were such a kid" I pushed her away as she laughed "but I get what you mean. There's nothing wrong with that. As long as you focus on yourself right now, all will be good at the end" she turned her head towards the street "Valerie?"

"Yes?" I looked at her.

"Do you know that person that's running towards us?" I looked over and saw the same guy from yesterday!

"Team Rocket!" I gasped. As soon as she heard that, she glared and send out her Exeggutor.

"Back off, thug!" She yelled out. The grunt stopped running when seeing the large Exeggutor that was as tall as a palm tree... That's exactly what the shape of it was.

"Wh-What is that?!" The grunt panicked. Auntie pointed at the grunt.

"You think you're just going to run towards us and not get punished for it!?" I looked at the vein coming out her forehead. She looked so angry... I never seen her like this before "I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget! Don't come near my little girl!" Exeggutor roared at the grunt, making him cower and run for his life. Auntie held her hips confidently and pet her Pokémon "good job, old buddy!"

"Auntie... You might want to return your Pokémon" we looked at a crowd looking at Exeggutor in awe, never seeing its kind that big or thin before "People are watching"

"R-Right!" She returned her Pokémon and had people approach her to know what they just saw "Oh! That was my Exeggutor" they muttered to each other confused "I had a Exeggcute awhile back, then I traveled to the Alola region, where it evolved. Frankly, there's more sunlight for it to take up and that's why the Exeggutor are so tall!" I had remembered when she left to Alola back when I was around 17 or so.

She was requested for a big project that had to do with the eggs of some Tapu guardians, or whatever it was. She didn't return for half a year and came back with the Exeggutor that had a tail with a mind of its own.

After the crowd was gone, Auntie and I went to the train station for her trip back home "I had a really nice time with you!" She smiled.

"Earlier before, I was surprise to see you hold such aggression" she rubbed the back of her head embarrassed "I must've gotten that from you"

"Oh no sweetie, you got it from your mom" h-huh? "She was way worse than me"

"W-Was she..?" I wouldn't know. I didn't know my mom for that long to really know or even remember "How did she get through it?"

"She had a loving family that made her happy" she smiled "She never had to show aggression, but back when we were younger..." she held her chin "She always had an aggression for this man who always tried flirting with her. I don't really know the story, but it wasn't your dad, that's for sure" she giggled "I wouldn't expect a monk to flirt with anyone, even if your mom was quite beautiful. She was actually the one that flirted with him and won him over. What a story, eh?"

"Y-Yeah!" It's nice to hear stories about my parents. If only I got to ask more... "It's too bad you're leaving today. I hope this egg makes it alright"

"It will. Once everything is settled, the egg will be sent out for adoption once it hatches, but eggs don't hatch while sitting in place. I can't get those people to understand that. I had thought to take it for myself, but even I hardly have time for my Exeggutor and the others. Do you want it?" My eyes widened.

"A foreign egg?" She nodded happily "I'd love to have another egg!" I smiled "Nothing will make me happier than to have one! I still need to build up my team, so a new addition is perfect!" I clapped "Thank you!"

"No problem! When everything is settled, I'll come back and give it to you personally" the person in the intercom instructed that the morning train to Kanto will be leaving soon "I better go. Good luck out there! And don't overdose on those pills"

"I won't. I'll make good use out of them! I'll take them when I need to!" I said with my foot down "B-but you'll be able to give me more after they're gone, right?" She thought about it.

"Like I said before, you have to handle your own anger management yourself instead of depending on those pills. You're going to be fine, okay?" I don't know... She has a aggression issue that came from my great grandfather that married into the family. If my mom was worse than she was, how can I possibly be any better if I'm dealing with so much?

"We'll see" our casual goodbyes fell into place. Auntie left back to Kanto and I went on my way to find the gym leader, Whitney. I had entered her gym that was extremely... Cute, in style.

"This place suits her so well" I told myself. A pretty girl approached me from the front desk.

"You must be here to battle Whitney. Sorry, but she's out right now. You'll have to come back later" I didn't respond to her and called her on my Pokégear. She answered almost immediately.

"Hello?"

"I'm here"

"R-Right! Soorry!" She hung up and came into the gym about 10 minutes later. She ran in and fell forward on her face "Ow!" I helped her up and dusted off the dust on her shirt "Thanks!" She smiled "Sorry I'm late! How about that battle?" I chuckled.

"You're adorable" She tilted her head confused "I'm ready. Let's do this!" She cheered and took my hand to take me to the battle field. To think... I would had used most of my time to take care of Team Rocket if they were really at the tower. All that energy would had been wasted. It's a good thing Sabrina messaged me before I could do something I might regret. I still don't see why she bothers helping me, but I'm happy she does.