A woman in a tight white dress and red hair had ran into the room to kicked me down "we can't let a brat like you do as she please forever" she glared at me, towering over my body on the floor while my Pokémon growled at her "it'll hurt Team Rocket's pride over and over again" she huffed at me like I was an insect "So it's time to finish you. However strong you may be, I'll guarantee I'll be victorious. You have no chance in stopping me! No one can stop me!" she send out three Pokémon to face my own.

"Girls..." I frowned at my Pokémon. Even if they witnessed the worse side of me, they still bother to protect the monster I am "I... I can't fight" they looked back at me, making the woman laugh out loud.

"Hold it!" Lance came out of nowhere and stood in front of me with his Dragonite "a three way battle? Are you out of your mind!?" Lance flipped his cape "That is so unfair!" The woman snorted.

"Unfair? Does it really look like I care?"

"Typical of Team Rocket to break the battle rules like that. If that's the case, I get to join the battle to break the ice" he turned to me "Valerie, are you alright?" I turned away, ashamed at myself.

"So you had an accomplice?" The woman asked me "Where is your sense of dignity?" I bit my lips. The woman groaned "As interim boss in place of Giovanni, I'll show you how wrong it is to meddle with Team Rocket!"

"Bring it on!" Lance fought against the woman one on one instead of three on one in fear that they might knock down the ceiling. I remained on the floor while hugging Pichu, thinking back on what I did earlier. I couldn't even help Lance fight... I'm so pathetic...

"I hate to say this... but I'm struggling here" Lance told me. I looked back at the battle where his Dragonite was heavy breathing "Dragonite can't go on with this machine" Pichu ran towards the battle field.

"Pichu..?" I reached out "Stop..." Pichu stood between the Dragonite and the woman's Arbok. Everyone stood still. Pichu seemed like she was trying to push something. My eyes widened "P-Pichu!" I reached out again "Stop!" Pichu let out a thunder shock and shot Arbok hard enough to paralyze it. Pichu fell back and passed out. I shakily got up to hold her in my arms "Pichu..." her electricity... It really is back after so long.

I looked back at the woman glaring at me and send out a command I couldn't hear due to being overwhelmed by everything. I shouted the first thing that came to mind "Shadow ball!" Clefairy floated towards me and shot at Arbok, knocking it down "Ancient power! Destroy the machine!" Togetic came out her ball and created large boulders to throw onto the transmitter.

"No!" The woman shouted. I hugged Pichu tightly.

"Meganium! Vine whip!" Meganium grabbed Arbok and threw it against every wall she could before throwing it back at the woman. Lance came up to me when I felt my body slowly falling back.

"Hey" he whispered "Your Pokémon did awesome" he smiled, petting my Meganium "Tiny isn't the word I'd use with such great power" I smiled and relaxed in his arms while the woman got up after pushing off her Pokémon.

"Whatever! The broadcast experiment was a total success" she stood up and dusted herself off "it doesn't matter what happens to this hideout now. We have much bigger plans" she snorted "You'll come to appreciate Team Rocket's true power soon enough. Enjoy yourself while you can..." she giggled, flipped her hair, and walked pass us.

"Lance... aren't you going after her..?" I asked. He picked me up bridal style and walked us through the hideout.

"No, this wasn't the intention in the first place. The plan was to take care of the radio waves causing a problem. With your quick thinking, you did the job. I'm getting you out of here. I'm sure the cops are here by now" I was too tired to refuse him to do this.

"T-Team Rocket..."

"It's okay, they won't get away next time. You deserve a break. I'll take you to the Pokémon center"

"You can do that, but I'm not staying" he looked at me starting to cry "I...I want to go home" I sobbed onto his shirt "My egg is still at the Pokémon center. If you must... Let me grab my last egg and take me home" I cupped my face "That will be enough..." he nodded.

"Okay, Valerie. I'll do what you want. Let's go" we gathered my egg, returned all my Pokémon, and made our way back to NewBark town with his Dragonite. He set me down when we arrived and pet my head.

"How are you feeling?" I didn't respond "Did... something happen..?" I shook my head and I walked off without saying a word. Even if Lance had carried me the whole time, I couldn't bring myself to say anything.

I walked to my house with Lance following me. I had just reached my house and saw Auntie watering a new garden that wasn't there before.

"Miranda?" Lance called. Auntie looked over at us and gasped with a big smile before frowning when she saw me. She put down the water hose and rushed to take my shoulders to have me look at her.

"Valerie? What is it?" I didn't look at her "What's the matter?" I moved pass her and went into the house, wobbling to climb the stairs and headed to my room and set everything down before going into my covers and cry myself to sleep...

I couldn't even count the amount of times Auntie came in to talk to me. I haven't said a word and Lance stood by her side the whole time, trying to help. He must be the fiancé I heard so much about.

No matter how many times I was asked to talk, I refused to say anything and remained in my sheets, only to come out to eat. I had promised to eat more and not skip meals as often anymore, so I only sit up to eat with my Pokémon, but anything else, I refused and went back to my sheets.

It wasn't fair to my Pokémon to see me like this, especially how they saw me the other day, being a monster... They still bother to stick by my side and protect me, eat with me, and try to talk to me. I don't deserve these Pokémon. They shouldn't be with someone like me... The mere thought of having such Pokémon made me cry again, finding how I have so many blessings and I don't deserve them.

Something small jumped me over the covers and started sniffing around. Clefairy and Togetic don't stand in all fours, Pichu doesn't sniff that loud, and Meganium was too heavy to just jump me like that.

I sat up and looked at my mystery Pokémon standing on my lap, wiggling it's bum and waving it's tail back and forth like it wanted to play. I frowned and picked it up to have it sit down so I could pet its blue and black fur.

"You poor thing... You have to see me in the worse possible state" I hugged it "You see me all pathetic... I'm so happy you didn't see the scariest part of me" I sniffled "You've been wanting to play for so long, but everyone is not really up to it. I'm sorry..."

"Zo!" It barked, wiggling it's tail again.

"Zoe..." I smiled "Just like my last name... What a coincidence that you happen to be with a trainer that is similar to your own name" I thought for a moment "Though I don't know your full name yet" the Pokémon shook it's fur and jumped off the bed to jump and down while spinning.

"You're very energetic" I moved my legs to lay on the edge of the bed "Must be nice to be carefree. You don't have a worry in the world" I looked at my hands "I have a lot on my plate... yet I'm here all depressed. It would be wrong of me to say he deserved it... but I wasn't any better than he was" I squeezed my fist.

"Friends had came to speak with me, but I didn't want to see anyone. Monty apologized for not seeing this sooner, Falkner didn't say a thing, knowing I wasn't going to talk, Jasmine spoke words of encouragement, and Gold kept apologizing for not staying in the HQ with me even if I asked him to leave" I sighed. The only reason why everyone had came was because Monty told Falkner about what happened, them only knowing what really happened, and Gold saw Jasmine's number when she called the other day. Gold was responsible for letting everyone in.

I sat on the floor and watched the mystery Pokémon continuing to jump and spin like it was dancing. I watched it trying to cheer me up, so I leaned on my bed and watched it do so, liking that it was having fun despite everyone's mood.

My eyes slowly looked at the rhythm of how the Pokémon was spinning. It almost reminded me of my own dancing. She continued to bounce around and give me a show, in which had made me smile.

All of a sudden, my room changed scenery. I freaked out, along with my Pokémon seeing the same change. A field of flowers had flashed before my eyes, blowing a beautiful breeze through my greasy hair. I gasped at the beautiful colors of the field and looked back at the mystery Pokémon bouncing around the flowers.

"Zo!" It barked "Rua!"

"Zo...rua..?" Oh! "Zorua!" I got up on my feet and followed Zorua around, wanting to dance with me. I couldn't contain the happiness I held from learning it's name and the happiness it wanted to give me. I joined Zorua in her dance and spun around in the breezy field for what felt like hours before the field disappeared. Zorua has stopped dancing from being tired. I was exhausted myself and kneeled down to give Zorua a hug.

"Thanks for cheering me up... I've learned from my mistakes. I shouldn't let it get to me. You dancing with me reminded me of how I use to dance alone and how I've avoided anyone's help. At the moment of hurting Petrel, I had seen myself as the same girl before and forgot I could depend on my Pokémon for help. As soon as I saw them looking at me when I thought they turned away... I woke up" I hugged Zorua tightly "I dance for myself... but I have partners who are willing to dance with me" I looked at my Pokémon surrounding me "Meganium... I had asked you to remind me to eat, and I've done so without missing a meal or snack. Everyone... I have to ask you. If I were to do something like that again, do something" everyone nodded. I smiled and set Zorua down and walked up to the newest mystery egg on my counter next to the picture Silver left with me on accident.

"I can't keep staying here crying... I've done enough of that. This egg won't hatch by itself" I picked out some clothes so I can finally shower after days without doing so "I wish I had asked you to help me before, but it's too late" I huffed "I'm still not over what I did, but I can reassure it'll never happen again. I better get back on my journey" everyone in my room supported me.

I went to take a shower and got dressed in my adventure clothing before packing up again and let Zorua follow me while everyone else was returned to their Pokéballs. I went to the living room to see auntie on the couch cuddling with Lance holding her stomach. I blushed when seeing them together like that and went to the kitchen to find something to eat.

"Valerie!" Auntie gasped, getting up from the couch "I thought I heard the shower running! How are you feeling now..?" She nervously asked, holding her hands hopefully.

"I can't really tell you... I don't even know how I feel" I said truthfully "But I'm done crying, that's for sure..." I looked down "Zorua cheered me up"

"Zorua?" Zorua rushed over to her to jump on her leg "Oh!" She picked her up "So you found out what this little one is called?"

"She told me" Auntie nodded. Lance walked to her side.

"I'm glad you're up and talking now, Valerie" he said. I dumped a tea bag the monk in Ecruteak City gave me in a hot cup of water and looked at Lance, unable to provide a smile I wanted to give him.

"Thank you for taking me home, Lance. I should had thanked you before" he waved his hand.

"Don't worry about it! It was the least I could do for saving the Pokémon! You truly are a fantastic trainer!" He smiled "I was happy to take you back home. It was a coincidence that you happen to be the girl Miranda was talking about. When you said you were an egg expert, it kinda gave it away, but I wasn't really thinking clearly. I didn't think I'd meet you so soon" he rubbed the back of his head. I adjusted my sleeveless flowy shirt that looked like a very short dress, but my aunt never seen this outfit before since I always wear it in my adventure. She hasn't questioned me yet that I was leaving soon.

"Neither did I... She wouldn't even tell me your name, wanting us to introduce ourselves first" I snorted a little "I thought I was going to meet you here, but instead you asked a random trainer to help you with a investigation"

"Because you made a large Gyrados fall asleep with a tiny Pokémon's voice! Not just any Pokémon can take down something so big! They have to be strong in order to do something like that. Seeing that alone showed a lot"

"I can't argue with you on that. My Pokémon are much stronger than they appear. It shows how the saying 'don't judge a book by its cover' is still relevant" I managed to chuckle.

"There are trainers who think more bigger than you, but big words can't compare to actual hard work. You show that you don't need strong looking Pokémon to be victorious. It takes a big person to train their Pokémon with the most respect and love instead of forcing them to be the best" I felt like he was talking about Silver just now "I may seem like I only train dragon type because they're all big and tough, but it takes a lot of work working with them, and it's worth all the hard work" he looked at Auntie.

"Because of his love for Dragon types, he fell in love with me" Auntie winked. Lance blushed.

"Her Exeggutor is a dragon type... Believe it or not. To find a woman who can handle a dragon type as tall as that Pokémon... I couldn't help but admire her" he blushed more when Auntie rubbed his shoulder "I always admire a strong trainer, so I trusted you to help me with the investigation. We were successful because of you" I looked away.

"I appreciate you trusting me, but I wish we didn't separate the last time we met up with each other" I closed my eyes "All of this could had been avoided... but it was my call to separate"

"Valerie... Can you explained what happened..?" Auntie begged. I looked at my hands, noticing at that moment that Lance understood what happened.

"My anger got the better of me... That's all I can say" I admit, ashamed "I don't want to talk about it in detail"

"Did... It get worse?" I didn't want to answer "That's what I thought it was. Lance told me what happened before you headed to the hide out. Don't worry, Valerie. Things will get better. I-"

"Yeah, I know they will be. For the mean time" I drank my tea "I'm going back on my journey"

"What?!" Auntie freaked "No you're not!"

"I'm not?" I expected her to say that, but I didn't expect her to freak out.

"No! I don't want the same thing happening when you come home in a depressed state and stay in bed for a whole week without saying a word to me!" She argued "I already arranged a therapist for you to meet" oh...

"I really appreciate it, but I don't have time for that right now"

"It's best for you to stay away from a journey for you to recover" Lance said "You should stay"

"I'm not done. I'm not throwing away my opportunity"

"Your opportunity?" Lance questioned.

"Don't think I don't know what you're doing" Auntie walked up to me finishing my tea "You will not get involved with Team Rocket again!" I furrowed my brows.

"You don't get it"

"I might not get what they did to you or what they put you through, but what I do get is that they're poisoning your mind! I get that you want revenge, but this system you're setting yourself up is hurting you! You're not going anywhere!" She glared at me, showing me a side of her I've never seen before. She grabbed my arm and yanked me to my room, where Zorua followed as Auntie slammed the door closed, locking me inside.

"You're not going anywhere!" I pounded on the door.

"I understand that you're worried about me, but I can't let it end yet! If I'm not the one to stop them, I won't be able to live with myself! I've gone this far!"

"Forget it! Tomorrow you're going to go see a therapist and that's final!" She stomped away. I sat on the floor and covered my face.

"Now what..?" I dug in my bag to take out the poster of the radio broadcast from Goldenrod "time is ticking..." Zorua whined and leaned on my leg "I should had not wasted time..." My Pokégear had received four messages. I looked at them and saw they both came in at the same time, two times coming from two different people. Morty and Sabrina.