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A Place Between the Pines(A lil original Pokemon fic!)
By Relisted_
Three times they gave fresh paint to the sign by the gate.
It wasn’t broken that way.
Every couple of months, it would hit Quinn, maybe this time the words would land better.
SANCTUARY GROUNDS RULES;
-NO BATTLING
-ABSOLUTELY NO CATCHING
-RESPECT ALL POKÉMON
Painted near the borders, tiny blossoms appeared on the fresh edition. Approval came through the gaze of that untamed Deerling.
Back he stepped, eyes narrowing on what lay before him.
“Meh whatever,Good enough.”
A wisp of blue fire rose near his shoulder.
“Wiiiick.”
A stray Litwick drifted in loose loops above him, then nudged hard at the vacant Poké Ball fastened to his belt.
“Arceus damn, for the millionth time.No.”
“Liiitwick.”
“No.”
A small nudge came from the Litwick once more.
“No.”
A breathy sound escaped the spirit-type, heavy with pretend frustration.
Out came Quinn’s finger, aimed straight. It caught his full attention without a word spoken.
“You know how I feel ‘bout that stuff.”
“I should really destroy this dumb thing.” he said, looking at the round device.
A sudden tilt sent Litwick spinning through the air, then it dropped limp onto his shoulder as if drained by what just happened. It hung there, weightless and still.
“You’re not dying. Get up.”
A sudden glow rose from the wick.
“Pfft,Thought so.”
Deep inside Unova's border, thick trees covered a stretch of land turned into shelter. Not every creature there stayed forever, some arrived by choice and never left. Movement came freely; many slipped through gaps in the foliage when they wanted. Away from orders, away from fights, certain ones found quiet after leaving their trainers behind.
What mattered most stood clear; each person picked their own path.
It stuck in his mind like that. What he thought it meant never changed.
That idea lived in him for years.
Well…
Maybe not always.
Once he wore a uniform of black,blue and white standing in line with Team Plasma, thoughts clear and narrow. Speeches filled those days, slogans rolling like waves without question.
Harder now comes the times.
More complicated.
Folks once thought Pokémon couldn’t share lives with people yet he’d witnessed too many cases to doubt it now.
Few doubted the influence of that well-known trainer; he'd likely shaped opinions across continents. Wander any downtown street, spot posters, toys, mugs bearing his grin and odd cheek marks almost immediately.
Still.
Respect mattered.
Choice mattered.
Most folks just stopped remembering that part.
A bell rang out through the air, coming from the old building. The noise climbed into the sky like a thread pulled tight.
Guests.
A shape moved ahead, Quinn stepping forward while the little flame drifted close behind.
A kid trainer waited by the front desk with a bag on one shoulder.
“Welcome, to the Lostlorn Sanctuary and Inn ” Quinn said very half-heartedly.
The trainer smiled while looking out seeing a clearing of various Pokemon. “Whoa!This place is amazing.”
“Thank you.”
A hand moved toward the binder where names got written down.
A small wooden container moved across the surface, pushed by Quinn. The scrape of timber echoed just once. It stopped near the edge where dust had gathered. His fingers left it there without another gesture.
The young trainer blinked.
“What’s that?”
“Any empty Poké Balls go in there.”
“What?”
“All of them.”
Confusion showed on the trainer's face.
“Even the Ultra Balls?”
“Especially the Ultra Balls.”
A shaky laugh escaped the trainer.
Quinn didn’t, he just stared back coldly.
Seconds passed before the trainer unzipped his bag, placing a handful of balls inside the box one by one.
Click.
Click.
Click.
A twist of metal clicked shut under Quinn's hand. The lock held fast, sealed by something old and yellowed like tarnished suns.
“Your Pokémon stay with you,” he explained. “Nobody’s taking partners away. But nothing inside the sanctuary is to be caught.”
“Oh.”
“The residents are not fair game.Got it?”
A flicker crossed the trainer's face.
Understanding.
“Uh,Right.”
Quinn smiled.
“Enjoy your stay.”
Upstairs went the trainer.
A small flame hovered near the sealed container.
After that, it turned its attention toward the object.
That moment, his fingers brushed the Poké Ball hooked to Quinn’s belt.
Then at itself.
“No.”
A flicker of light wobbled in protest on Litwick’s tip.
“No.”
Round and round it turned.
“No.”
A small flame creature shot toward him, stopping right at his nose.
“NO!”
“WIC!”
Several Audino outside looked through the window.
Quinn let out a big sigh and folded his arms tightly across his chest.
“You are a free thinking being,capable of making your own choices.”
The Litwick huffed.
“You are not property.”
More huffing.
“I refuse to own you.”
Litwick paused.
After that, a soft tap came as it bumped its head on his forehead.
Quinn’s expression softened.
A shadow trailed behind, close on his steps nearly half a decade long.
Half a decade spent lending a hand at the sanctuary.
Chasing poachers took five long years.
For half a decade, he stayed perched on the edge of the table beside the bed. Heat vanished from every hearth in the structure, quietly pulled toward him.
Five years.
Right away, most folks spotted it.
Was it really just stubbornness? At times, that thought crept in. He couldn’t tell if it was strength or refusal. Maybe both. It lingered without answers.
A small flame leaned into him, warm at the neck. It stayed there without moving.
A small gust made the fire waver, just slightly.
“Not yet,” Quinn replied.
Huffing, the Pokémon showed it was irritated.
Still took root after all.
Far beyond the walls, many Pokémon moved without limits across meadows and woodlands. Among the trees and tall grasses, they roamed as they pleased.
No cages.
No battles.
No ownership.
Only choice.
Outside, the light dipped low, painting gold streaks where Quinn stood watching. Trees caught the glow just before dark, casting long shapes on the earth below.
Something inside him felt real now, maybe it was the quiet certainty that this, at last, wasn’t just another mistake. A different kind of weight settled in his chest, not heavy like doubt, but steady, like trust.
Over by his side, the little candle Pokémon gave the vacant ball another small push. Surrounded by red light, the device wobbled a few times. Quinn staring at it wide eyed, before it finally let out that familiar chime and sparkle of a successful catch.
Quinn groaned loudly.
“Oh, come ON!! Really?!!”
Victory hid between each laugh of the Pokémon, sharp and sudden. Quiet at first then louder a grin tucked behind every sound it made.
End :3!!!