I hugged the cute pink Pokémon I ended up picking and couldn't take my arms away from it! It's so cute! "This is so cool! A Dragonair!" I laughed.

"You two are a perfect match" Alder laughed "It was a Dratini last year when I could had offered it to you, but you got yourself a Dragonair"

"But dragon types are hard to train! Why would you offer me a dragon type? Not that I mind it, but you're really going to give me a powerful Pokémon like this?" I asked.

"The one thing between Pokémon and people is that they chose each other. A bond can't be forced, but Dragonair likes you, so there's no objections" Benga said "If one of these Pokémon didn't want to choose you, we wouldn't be giving it away to someone it doesn't want to be with" I looked at Dragonair smiling at me.

"I'm honored... You're so beautiful" it smiled and squeezed my body while wrapped around me "Oof! Too tight" everyone in the building ended up laughing, including Alders students who were in the dojo.

"Why don't we have a battle?" Benga asked "Like last year in Black City?"

"Sure!" I turned to Nate staring at Benga "Nate-kun! Can I battle?" He looked at me confused as I was playing with the fact that he doesn't remember, yet had it printed on his head.

"Uh..." he didn't know how to respond "I guess..?" I giggled and faced Benga.

"Let's do this!" He nodded and walked beside me.

"Great! I know I'll win this time" he suddenly slapped my butt. I froze "Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you got a new-" due to the trigger, my arm ended up flying right into his face and knock him on the ground, making Alder laugh so hard that he fell on the ground with him. I cupped my mouth in shock and looked at my hands. What was that..? I'm so strong...

"Ow! What was that-?!" Nate ended up pressing his foot on Benga's chest.

"That's sexual assault, buddy" I felt the anger escaping his body "You know I'm a cop, right? I don't really care if you could do something like that in Black city, but you don't touch girls like that" Benga freaked out and apologized over and over. Alder came up to me and patted my shoulder, still choking in laughter.

"Forgive my grandson. He's a handful. I'll straighten him out, but I think Nate will beat me to it" I frowned at Nate pulling Benga's shirt to talk close to Benga's worried face "That was an impressive punch. I didn't think a small girl like you can throw a punch like that" I blushed and looked at my hands.

"Well I... I took martial arts when I was little" this still doesn't explain why I was able to throw the punch so hard.

"Your strength and Darkrai's strength were similar, but they were not the same" Cresselia said "You built your own strength" I nodded. That makes sense... I just didn't think I'd still have any strength since Cresselia was helping me stand on my feet.

"I'm sorry! Don't arrest me!" Benga begged. Nate was still defending me without realizing that his anger was coming from the emotions he felt from the stories I've told him. I went to tap his shoulder and moved away when he looked at me.

"Thank you, Nate" I smiled "You can calm down now" Nate dropped Benga like it was nothing and faced me.

"Are you okay?" I nodded "That's good" he reached to pet my head with the scarf on. I stared at how calm his smile was "Glad you're safe" he blinked confused at what he was doing and backed away, staring at his hand. I smiled and faced Benga.

"Let's battle now!" Dragonair cheered with me. Oricorio flapped her wings "Two on two battle!" Benga smirked.

"Why... don't mind if I do!" Our battle ended up taking over an hour to complete. By the end of it, I was so tired and so were my Pokémon. I collapsed to the floor and held myself up with my hands.

"It's a tie!" Alder yelled. I looked at Benga sitting on the floor, tired himself "Good battle, you two! You fought hard!"

"Dragonair doesn't compare to how strong that other pink Pokémon you have. I could have sworn it was purple last time" Benga said. I smiled and went up to Alder after catching our breaths.

"Well? How do you like Dragonair?" He asked me.

"It's great! Very smart and so cool!" I looked at my Pokédex "An amazing Pokémon..." Nate took my Pokédex to look at "H-Hey!"

"Where did you get this from?"

"Cheren gave it to me from Professor Juniper!" I pouted, upset "You shouldn't take things that aren't yours! I worked hard to fill that up!"

"But you've always been indoors. How did you fill this up?" I flinched "I'm confiscating this" he walked away.

"N-No! You came with me so you can get help with Rosa, but you're finding an excuse to take away something I'm proud of?" I glared. He looked a bit surprised.

"No, that's not what I intend-"

"I grew up with Pokémon hating me. With that Pokédex, I can be closer to something I couldn't control. Don't take it away from me!" I opened my hand so he can place it on top. He just looked at me wide eyed "If you want to see what I've experienced and almost died through, look at what I encountered!" He checked the Pokédex and widened his eyes when seeing the end of the list with the legendary Pokémons. I snatched the Pokédex away and continued my glare "Don't you dare take this away. If you want confirmation, we can go to Cheren right now!"

"I can just call him" I flinched and took a step back. No... He won't be able to remember me if he called "Why did you look scared? Afraid you got caught with something you couldn't have seen?" I snorted, getting annoyed that I have to explain myself.

"Screw you" he paused "I've been through enough... I don't need this" I threw the Pokédex at him "Leave me alone, why don'tcha? Forget helping you. I've done enough of that" I jogged away as far as I could, finally letting out the tears I wanted to shed after he pissed me off.

"Idiot... What does he know?" I slowed down my running when I got to Virbank city "Why am I making it hard for myself? I should be holding him and have him remember everything, but that's not how I want it to be"

"Aaa" Dragonair spoke, still wrapped around my body. Banette spat out what I asked for and I stared down at the badge Skyla gave to me...

"I can't just stay here and wait for something to happen. I have friends out there who don't remember me. I need to go out on my own... Nobody following me. I have to become strong"

"That's a good way of putting it" Melanie smiled at me "You should travel again, but without Team Plasma getting in your way. This journey alone as a new person will help you find what you are meant to be. You lived to protect people, so find something that can help" I nodded and squeezed the badge in hand.

"I won't be able to be with Nate anytime soon... and that's okay. My love for him is still strong" I sighed and looked up at the sky becoming dark "It's going to rain soon..."

"Camie?" I looked down to see Rosa walking up to me after walking out of a car that was supposed to be taking her home "What are you doing in Virbank? Are you alright? You seem upset" I shook my head and smiled at her.

"Hey, Rosa?"

"Yes?"

"I had many friends out in the region" she nodded "I want to go see them" she was about to speak, but was too confused to ask a question "I've been trapped in a body that wasn't mine for years. I wanted nothing but freedom, and now that I'm alive again... I want to find a purpose. I want to travel again"

"You want to leave again?" I chuckled.

"No... I'm not leaving right now. I'm going to travel without Nate. He really pissed me off because he took my Pokédex... I don't want him to remember me and the time I spend filling that thing while I'm still weak with this body" I looked at my hands "I want to grow stronger. It's time I really get to live" Rosa sighed and walked up to me to take my hands.

"Then go and live..." I nodded "but I don't want you to disappear again"

"I promise I won't" I held her cheeks "I'm going to stay in this city to challenge Roxie. That will be another friend I'll encounter that doesn't remember me"

"Camilla!" I turned around to see Nate running towards us with my Pokédex in hand "Why do you keep leaving? I'm suppose..." he looked down "I... I..." Rosa smiled at me before walking up to Nate and take my Pokédex back.

"Come on, Nate. My sister is busy. She needs to be alone"

"Alone? But..." he frowned at me. Rosa tossed my Pokédex back to me.

"You go on by yourself, big sister... I'll see you home, okay?" I nodded and watched her take Nate's hand to drag him into the car.

"Wait a minute!" Nate reached out to me "I can't leave you by yourself!" I smiled and waved.

"I'll be fine... The contract is lifted. You don't have to do a thing" he looked devastated as Rosa forced him into the car and drove away. I waved them goodbye and headed out to find Roxie in her gym.

"He doesn't even know why he's upset... Do you really want to leave him like that?" Melanie asked.

"It'll be okay... I have to focus on myself anyway. He's a cop. He'll be too busy to think about me" the gym was the same as when I first came here. Roxie was singing on the stage without her guitar with her band mates and guards listening to her.

"Excuse me, miss. You can't be here" a guard came up to me as I was watching her singing. He touched my arm and instantly backed off, remembering that Roxie was my friend.

She was singing differently than her punk rock music. It was unlike what I heard the first time, but her voice was beautiful. She was singing a song that matched her voice wonderfully. I couldn't help but sing with her as she was getting close to the chorus.

"Isn't it lovely, all alone..." Roxie noticed me and kept singing as I followed her "Heart made of glass. My mind of stone. Tear me to prices... skin and bones. Hello... welcome home" she walked away from the microphone and jumped off the stage to come up to me.

Song: Lovely by Billie Eilish

"Do I know you?" She asked. I smiled.

"Yes. It's been a long time though. It's nice to see you again" I offered my hand to shake hers. She took my hand and instantly gasped, but didn't say anything "You have a lovely voice. I last heard you sing punk rock, but this is lovely as well" I giggled at the reference.

"I almost didn't recognize you. You look more alive than the last time I saw you. Where have you been? You've been a stranger"

"Sorry. I've changed since the last time we met. I came here as a new woman and came here to not only see you again and hear you sing, but to battle" she looked surprised before smirking.

"Where's that boyfriend of yours that kept you from doing that?"

"Don't worry about him. This is about me. Shall we?"

"Alright" she lifted her chin confidently "Go heal your Pokémon by the dj booth and get ready to rock" she went back on stage to grab her guitar "I don't want anything getting in the way of battling a cool chick like yourself"

"I'm flattered. Let's do this" I was tired from the last battle I did earlier, and even if I healed the Pokémon I used last, I don't want to overwhelm them. I ended up using Chandelure, Jellicent, and Rotom. Needless to say, I was shocked that I ended up winning.

"Awesome!" Roxie strummed her guitar "That was fun! Alright!" She jumped off the stage and grabbed my shoulder to shake "Not bad for someone who started a journey without a Pokémon! You really shined through! Good for you!" She dug in her pocket "You totally earned this, girly" she handed me the toxic badge "I had a lot of fun. Don't be a stranger next time. Alright?"

"Of course not. I had fun" she stared at me "What is it?"

"I remember last seeing you as a bit sinister, if I'm being honest. Being next to you seemed kind of off, but..." she smiled "You really out shined yourself. You look happier. I'm happy for yah!"

"Awe!" I blushed "You're so sweet" I made my way out the gym since it was getting dark and walked back home while it was raining. I didn't care if I was getting wet. Banette was protecting everything and I kept her under my scarf as she was tucked behind my neck.

"I'm getting stronger" I smiled while watching the rain "There's some potential in my future, but it's so weird traveling without Nate" I sighed "I should apologize for yelling at him. I can just look for Cheren at school tomorrow and get him to remember me so Nate wouldn't see me as a thief" I stopped walking and looked up at the clouds "but even if I'm really alive now... I'm still a criminal. Can I really forgive myself after all I've done?"

"Ban..." Banette frowned at me. I looked down and looked at the badge Roxie gave me.

"I'll find my purpose in life... even if I have to go through it alone. I'll be fine..." the rain suddenly stopped with a figure standing in front of me. I looked up to see Nate holding an umbrella that Rosa had earlier, over my head.

"Hey" he said.

"Hey..." I looked away.

"I'm sorry for what I did... Rosa told me that Pokédex was yours. She reminded me that her cousin was the hero of Unova, so I didn't think you'd be using her Pokédex" that's one way of convincing him that it wasn't me that filled it if he knew I was inside all the time "I take my job too seriously... I'm sorry" I sighed and nodded, remembering Looker telling me about this.

"Why do you take it so seriously?"

"I don't know..." he took out a towel from his backpack and placed it over my head "Probably because I feel like if I don't keep my mind on one thing, I start to wonder why I have a feeling like something is missing" I looked down "This..." he took out the picture we took together in the amusement park and saw that it was laminated after water drops landed on my face and blurred it "Every time I look at that picture, I feel empty... I have a sense that I'm suppose to be doing my job, no matter how hard I work, the feeling never goes away"

"How do you feel now?" I peaked back at him looking at the rain "Do you feel like you're doing your job correctly this time?" He looked back at me and nodded.

"Strangely... I do. We just met a few days ago, but I felt like I've known you forever" he chuckled "even if you often hide your face" I smiled and walked off. He hurried to follow me with the umbrella over our heads.

"I hope you continue to work hard, Nate. That empty feeling will still be there, but I'm positive you'll find the reason why you feel like this" I smiled at him "Even with the contract gone, I'm happy it's living in its own way"

"Contract? You mentioned that earlier" I giggled "Hey. You seem pretty cool. The way you punched that guy was awesome" he smiled "I can't believe Rosa didn't tell us about you. You may be a nervous wreck like she mentioned, but you're really cool" I bit my lips to hold back the tears "I hope we can be friends"

"We are friends" I giggled "And I'm happy you came after me in this rain"

"Well, I just had the feeling I wasn't suppose to leave you alone. So I came running with the umbrella Rosa gave me. I was upset that she pulled me away, and I thought all I wanted to do was be close to her, but I just wanted to come and get you out this rain" I touched his cheek with my sleeve covering my hand.

"Thank you for coming to my rescue" I giggled "as always..."