It's our fourth day here at the cottage, and I smell the enticing aroma of a certain morning delicacy- pancakes. I'm not sure if it's just me, but it seems to be the signature food of people like us- namingly, Pokemon trainers.

I decided not to think too much of it- after all, we have our whole lives to contemplate the meaning of the universe, but I need to get downstairs right now or the pancakes will be cold and won't have that glorious pancake smell that makes your mouth water and you want to eat them as fast as possible (but then inevitably you end up choking on them).

Ferro has a Pokeball in his hand, which he lazily tosses into the air and catches again with a smile.

"What's in the Pokeball?" I ask, partly curious, partly just wanting to make some conversation.

He holds it out to me. "Well, Shika and I earn enough for a modest living off her job, so on occasion she buys me a few Pokeballs. I capture hurt Pokemon, nurse them up here, and then let them go into the wild. Sometimes they stick around, because heck, they can tell who I am. Everyone wants a piece of Ferro."

"Lovely." I say sarcastically.

"So, do you want a piece of Ferro?" He makes the suggestive eyebrows I've seen humans do before when they're flirting, so I smack him across the face.

"I ALMOST GOT MARRIED, YOU PIECE OF TAUROS DUNG!"

"Take a joke." He mutters, rubbing his aching face. "Anyways, if you're going to be hostile, I guess I won't give you this." He holds out the Pokeball. "A sixth member for your team? This is Stella. She's a sweetheart, but not very strong, so I was thinking that you could train her up for me?" Seeing the concern on my face, he adds, "Don't worry. She knows the risks and all about us. Everything."

"Well..." I take the Pokeball, then throw it at the couch. "Come on out, Stella!"

A tiny Ledyba comes out, a vacant expression on her pale face. She looks at me, her antennae pricking, slowly taking me in. She buzzes upwards, landing on my shoulder. I really don't know what it is with small Pokemon, but they seem to like to be attached to you in some way. It's like you're their anchor to the world, and they're afraid of blowing away in the wind.

"I'll take her." I say.

She whispers in my ear, "Are you sure you want me?"

"Of course." I reply, "We're getting on the road today. Do me a favor and don't freak out- I'm going to introduce you to the team."

I walk her over to the assembled Pokemon, the team of mine, Bronze's, and a few strays Ferro is taking care of (a Skitty, another Ledyba, and an Eevee, who seems to have been here awhile). "We're leaving, but first, I'd like you to meet the sixth member of our team." I say.

"Eh?" Rune looks up from a nice, large piece of Miltank that makes me queasy. I don't really know why Shika would bring meat into the house, her being the prey in Johto. Maybe Ferro didn't really have the same mindset.

Juliet is brushing Shin's fur with her ears, and Shin himself is sitting in the sun, purring softly. Geyser is munching on a berry, humming to himself. Pich is sitting on Rune's head.

"Guys..." I say again. "Listen up!"

Everyone turns my way.

"This is Stella. Stella, say hi to the team for me, please?"

"H-h-h-hii?" She waves with one of her six legs, then seems to shrink back into her shell.

"Stella." Pich hops over to her, twitters a bit, and then puts a wing over her. "Welcome."

Everyone just keeps doing whatever, but I notice ever so faintly, that Stella is smiling when Pich talks to her. It's a really, really weird friendship, especially because I know Pich has a taste for bugs. I try not to think about that as I say my goodbyes to Shika and Ferro, then give Bronze a big hug.

"What are you saying goodbye for? I'm traveling with you to Lumoise City. I thought we could go sightseeing together." He winks.

I give him another hug for good measure, and then a kiss. He blushes, and holds my hand. "Let's go, then." I say.

* * *

"Juliet! Mud Shot!" Juliet launches another ball of mud at the Flabebe, which lets out a trilling screech and then falls to the ground. A Psyduck, owned by the other trainer we're fighting blasts a Water Gun at her. She turns around, and Shruikan's in front of her, and the water splashes him harmlessly. He leaps forward, slashing out with his front left hand, and the Psyduck falls to the ground.

"I miss fighting." Bronze says absentmindedly as we stroll through the cleanly cut shrubberies, the scent of flowers in the air.

I see a Flabebe, and suddenly Rune is on it, dashing out with an Ember, a clean attack and a clean knockout.

He walks over to me, padding amiably by my side. We walk like this for a while, Bronze on my right, Rune on my left, until we see another trainer.

"My turn!" I tell Bronze, and then yell, "Pich, go!"

Pich flaps past me, pecking at the other trainer's Spewpa. It binds her in string, which she easily slices in two. She soars up, and in her now signature move, extends her wings and dives down, landing with a perfect Wing Attack.

She bows as the trainer frowns and withdraws their Pokemon. I go over to give her a nice feather ruffle, and she looks up and says, "Think I'm going to evolve soon! Good news, huh?"

"Yeah." I say, but inwardly I'm thinking, "Already?"

"We can evolve together! First two on the team." Rune says, and Pich's eyes light up. She flutters over to him and hugs him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

They're still hugging when Bronze taps me on the shoulder. "Hey, guys?"

"Yeah..." I say absentmindedly.

"I think we're here."

The hedges have fallen away, all that remains between us and the huge wall of grey buildings is a small bit of grass. When I look up, the sun burning my eyes, I see the huge tower, it's glassy hues glowing in the slowly setting sun.

Lumoise City.