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He could feel her stare on his back. It was now common to him after a battle when the wild pokemon survived. He couldn’t really stop himself from tending to the pokemon, making sure it would be able to live after he left, besides he could still use wish, oddly enough. She never really seemed to judge him, she just watched with the most perplexed look on her face. He understood her confusion, all of them were needing to get used to the new him. And he had to get used to them again as well, he had to get used to no longer fighting, to only commanding. To teaching them how to fight, teaching them the moves, teaching them how to be a cohesive team, and yet never joining in himself. But to what end, just to bully more wild pokemon, what if they had family and homes. The upcoming competitions were a his original goal but he had lost his love of them, even if some of his team were looking forward to testing themselves. He couldn’t stand to see them get hurt, possibly die, just to see how strong they might be. He shook his head for the moment at his thoughts then noticed the morelull under his care started to come to, he smiled and shhhed to it a moment, as he began to speak in his fenneken accent.
“Don’t worry, yes you lost, but I made sure you’ll heal and get better. Be careful about picking fights with strangers, especially those who carry these balls like I do. Especially if they have a fire type at their side. I’ll leave you here to heal and be on my way. You fought well.”
As he started to stand up he sighed as he began to hear the morelull speak..like so many he had heard before that he healed.
“You speak as one of us? Never mind, please you seem to have taught those with you well, how can I become stronger, can you make me strong as well? I want to join you if you’ll let me.”
These talks never went well. Especially since at one time he would have jumped at the chance at any pokemon that would willingly enter into contract to train with him, any species he’d take...any at all. If it meant training them to be stronger, fighting wild pokemon...but even this battle where he was attacked and merely defended himself made him feel sick in his stomach. He did what he could to explain he was having issues training..that something happened, something big, and his will to train as he once was has largely been lost, that the team with him now he made a promise to before and planned to keep, and that was the only reason he kept them.
He felt bad leaving behind another pokemon that actually wanted to work with a human trainer, but he just couldn’t make that commitment anymore. Taking the chance of making another pokemon friend who might only wind up dying due to an accident in a battle later. Besides the morelull reminded him of Shii who lived on that island. He didn’t want Shii on his mind while he battled.
He turned back to her finally, still watching..her face still contorted in odd thought. He walked over and gave her a light hug, and he and his delphox continued on their walk to the next town. She finally started to speak up.
“Was it really necessary to use our supplies on a pokemon you don’t plan to train?” She quieted down a moment to think then started up again. “I do not mean this to call into question your methods of training, I just wish to know what you are thinking. What happened to you. Why do you toss and turn as you sleep constantly now?” She went quiet for a few seconds again, “Why can you now understand us, all of us? And you can speak like a kit. Gleam, please I wish to know what happened to my partner who I started this journey with.”
Gleam listened, he was used to some of this ranting before. He didn’t expect to still understand pokemon when he came back, but he did. That was a pleasant enough surprise, but when he discovered he could still speak like a fennekin. Well that really made all of his pokemon, especially Pele look at him in surprise. So this rant wasn’t new to him, he paused though as she finished. If he still had his ears they would surely be perked up right now, he never expected to hear that again...partner. But isn’t that what she was in this world, he started his journey with her, she helped him capture his first few pokemon, and has always been at his side, in this world. Just like Flint, he missed Flint sooo badly, he shook his head quickly he didn’t need think on that pup. He looked back to Pele a moment, nodding, giving her a hug taking in a breath.
“I understand I.” He shook his head, looking around, then strolled off the path and motioned her to follow. He hmmd a little bit, looking to her again, then his pokeballs. After a moment of thought and checking the area he tapped them releasing his 5 other pokemon. He took a breath and put on a smile, “I know it’s a bit early in the day but we’ll make camp here. I think it’s time we all talked.” His various pokemon, an agron, a vikavolt, a ribombee, a crabominable, a klefki, and of course Pele all sounded out their agreement. At which point he started his newest thing with them, giving them tasks for helping set up camp. It took awhile but they got used to the idea, now they naturally went off to their various tasks. Soon enough camp was set up, a pile of logs ready to go, each of the pokemon having their own area to relax. He even purchased extra tents, the pokemon getting to rest in them as needed.
Gleam stood before them after a bit, “So…” He paused, “Honestly this is a bit hard for me to start on. But you guys have been my partner” He nodded to Pele, “My team. My family really, we’ve been through a lot together. And it’s only fair I give you all an explanation for why I have...changed so much. And part of it is I have a new realization on what exactly all of that means, and just how true it is.” He lets out a breath and sighed, “To start off, most of you seem to accept I’m capable of truly understanding what you say now, and that I can even speak to you like I am now. I think we can start off with a demonstration of something else I’ve kept quiet about because, well, you guys I feel it’s ok to know, but other humans I’m not quite sure how revealing this would go.” He walked over to the fire pit, concentrated a moment, then put out his hand and shot an ember into the pile of wood lighting it on fire.
Immediately his pokemon were all abuzz talking amongst themselves, “Wait you used an actual elemental move?” “He used a move?” “I thought the humans one weakness was they couldn’t use moves?” “Owne--I mean Gleam how did you do that?”
He let them go for a bit then asked them to quiet down gently, “My ability to use moves, to talk as a pokemon, and to understand pokemon. They are all gifts. When I disappeared, I was sent somewhere to help a lot of pokemon in need. In that time I was gone I had only them to rely on, no other humans, and yes I could talk with them.” He paused a moment, letting that sink in, his Crabominable spoke up, “Sent somewhere? Where were you sent?”
Gleam nodded a moment, “Oh right Snift, It’s hard to explain but, remember the whole thing with ultra beasts? How they came from another world through a wormhole? Similar idea, but this world had more pokemon, who had built their own little town. And...these special dungeon type areas that I don’t want to bother to explain. Since none of you will ever see it.” Snift nodded
His Ribombee was up next looking to him, “Gleam honey how did you ever manage to do it without us though. So many other pokemon, and none of us to fight with you.” he just smiled a moment then sighed, “When I first woke up there, there was a rockruff named Flint. He found me clinging unconscious to a log that just washed up in a cave he used as his personal hideout and home. He helped me greatly, he.” Gleam paused a moment, looking to Pele then to the rest, “He pretty much became my partner in that world, helped me understand how it works, and it was with his help we finished why I was there..and I got sent back.”
Pele frowned a bit, lately her personal favorite position had been hugging with him, or holding him in some way, she pulled him back close to her, “So you pretty much spent all of your time learning how to talk with pokemon, then with the help of this rockruff did something as big as the stuff with the ultrabeasts here?” Gleam chuckled, “Well honestly there is a lot more to it than that I’m, leaving out more than a few things because, well, honestly I’m still trying to figure out how to say it, like why my accent is fennekin. Why they trusted me if no humans were ever there. I want to tell I just, it all sounds so impossible and fantastical. I’m just.” he shook his head, “I’m glad all of you trust me enough to not see me as bein--” Pele shushed him at that point, pulling his head to her chest, “Now now, stop that. You’re our trainer...you see us as more now but you’ve always been our trainer. I just..I miss spending time with you and I wo----”
She was cut short as a portal opened up near the group, a celebi popping out of it, looking around quickly then spotting the small campsite. Pele had already moved her trainer off of her and was getting ready to fight when the celebi waved and Gleam put a hand on her, “Pele hold back, this is a...friend.” He looked at the celebi who nodded then began to speak, “Finally I remembered when and where you were Gleam. I’m sorry I took so long to find you again but I came to offer you something...a reward..a way of saying thank you. It would also be a favor to myself. I was checking up on the islands, the pokemon there miss you greatly, and could use a bit of direction still.” The celebi scratched the back of it’s head a bit unassuredly, “And looking through a bit of time I have seen how unhappy you have been here. I don’t need you to save the world...but instead to help rebuild a society.”
Gleam was already starting to perk right up even as the celebi spoke, a chance to go back, to see his friends again. To get away from the expectation to put his friends lives on the line. To instead help those back in the world..then he paused looking to Pele..looking to the rest of his team. He went quiet, shaking his head, closing his eyes as he considered more. “I would love to but, I still have those here who count on me, who need me. And my partner here would miss me too.” he gave Pele a hug.
She looked up at celebi, “You’re the one who took him away from me? And you wish to do it again after he just got back?” She took out her wand, Gleam put his hand over her wand, celebi frowned. While the other pokemon watched the rukus, wary, but not as drawn to attack..
The aggron spoke up. “I’m sorry Pele I know you missed him, we all missed him. But look how unhappy he is, even just to see us fight. He was willing to stay, for us. But having us fight, training us to fight, all of that, it upsets him now.” The aggron looked to Gleam, “I know the rest will agree, we will miss you, but if leaving will make you happy. We cannot hold you back, just as you tried to not hold us back. You have trained many of us strong already, I’m sure some other trainer would make use of us. Or we can find some other use for our skills. We will be fine, we are strong thanks to you already.” The aggron puts a claw on Pele gently, she looks to him, to the celebi, to the other pokemon who nod.
But all Pele can do is cry softly, “But we just got him back Mac can’t you see that, we were to start journeying together again. To be together again. This isn’t fair to us...to me…” Gleam sighed shaking his head, looking up to celebi, he hugged around Pele, pulling her close, “I’m sorry Celebi but, there are those who do count on me, and those I care for greatly here as well, it feels wrong to leave my partner again.” As the rest of his pokemon disagree, urging him to take his own happiness Celebi spoke up.
“I may have a solution. Due to the circumstances that might happen, it may be best if you go there with an experienced pokemon anyway. It would allow less drain on my powers. I could allow her to go as well.” Pele perked up, hugging her trainer closer, “I I’d be ok with that, just to be near him again.” While Gleam looked up, “Can you give me time to get to a pokemon center..and speak to a few people. I need to let them know to not worry about me, and to help the rest of my friends find good trainers or jobs after I leave.”
“I know I know I just got back, but I’ve been unhappy. I’m not the person I used to be, I can’t stand to watch battles anymore. To see them fight just for show. Pele will be with me, but the rest, they need good homes, good trainers, good jobs. I trust you can find them for me please? And don’t worry about looking for me.”
“Gleam, it just sounds like you are putting yourself in danger, disappearing on us, telling us not to follow, it all sounds...unsavory. What will you be doing my boy, what has gotten into yo--” The professor is cut short as a celebi comes into focus next to Gleam waving to the professor. Gleam looks over sighs, then smiles, “It won’t be horrible I promise….this is my ride to the new place. You trust him right?”
The professor finds himself relatively speechless, that a legendary such as celebi is there for his protegee, after that goodbyes are said, while the celebi, Pele, and Gleam walk out. Gleam now having just Pele’s pokeball, the three moving to a more secluded area.
“So Celebi anything to warn me about, last time I lost my memory what will happen this time.”
The celebi just laughed a moment shaking it’s head, “Don’t worry most of that was due to me giving you all of that knowledge at once, I don’t need to mess with your head again as you still remember most of it. Though I should warn you, you might not be as strong as you are used to, I didn’t expect you to need that body again. And you may have some issues for the first bit of time, both mental and physical, which is why it’s best Pele is there, she won’t need any changes to her body. And can aid you while you get your legs back under you again.” Pele looked on, this wasn’t something she had heard before, “What are you two talking about, memory loss, changes, you two are acting like Gleam is going to evolve or something.” Celebi began to talk but Gleam cut him short, “Don’t worry too much Pele, it’s easier to explain on the other side just..make sure you look out extra hard for me ok.” he looked over to the celebi, “So it’s just go back..and help rebuild what was lost right?” The celebi nodded, “I should warn you I’ll be returning you back close to where you left, it looks better now but you’ll have a dungeon to go through.” Gleam laughed a moment, “I’ll look forward to fighting the fakes again, instead of watching real mon duke it out. Come on let’s go before someone finds us.”
Celebi opened another portal..looking to the trainer and his pokemon, nodding to the two as they step through the portal. Holding onto one another, and then all became a field of starry black. As they were dragged through the starry expanse, Gleam began to groan, fighting to hold onto consciousness, holding Pele, she could feel his grip loosening, holding him tightly, “Gleam what’s wrong, gleam.” he just groaned again, ‘can’t..stay...awake, just keep a grip.” He slowly slipped out of consciousness, Pele holding onto him worriedly, as darkness overtook, his body began to feel odd to her. While the unconsciousness was truly a kindness to Gleam, so he didn’t need to experience his body actually transforming forcibly….Pele just held close to him..but soon began to see light at the end of the tunnel, the two dragged towards it...till the two left the other end.