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Chapter 1-Farewell[]
A Forest In The South Of Hoenn[]
The young Ralts raced through the forest shadows, running as fast as she could, trying not to trip over the long silky membranes that fell down around her feet like a long gown. The pack of Mightyenas and Poochyenas that had attacked her and her mother had struck out of nowhere. Ralts's mother was busily fending the majority of the pack off, but Ralts was very young and couldn't even begin to fight yet, couldn't even teleport away to escape as the one vicious little Poochyena that had peeled off from the pack to chase her drew ever closer.
She tripped in a clearing and heard a noise, a sort of barked noise, and then the Poochyena was there in the clearing. Ralts rolled onto her back and tried to scramble away from the vicious little thing then all of a sudden the Poochyena's eyes flicked up past Ralts as a shadow fell over them. Ralts felt a presence behind her but couldn't see it well with her fledgling psychic abilities, she could sense the fear radiating off the Poochyena though as it shrank away and prepared to bolt back to the safety of its pack.
Suddenly there was a chirping sound and the Poochyena was gone. It hadn't run away, it was just, gone. A gentle hand scooped Ralts from the ground, and held her in the presence's arms, fingers gently checking her over. Ralts could feel the being's concern and was puzzled as she realized the concern was for her. Suddenly something touched her and there was that chirping noise again, then everything went blank.
The young trainer smiled at the pokeball in his hand and grinned at his father's Shiftry, "Well Corrigan, I'd say I've got my starters." Corrigan smiled, "Sure do." There was a suden screech from the woods as Ralts's mother, a Gardevoir, lunged from the trees. Without missing a beat Corrigan conjured and slung an Energy Ball attack into the Gardevoir. The Gardevoir crumpled and Corrigan looked at his young charge, "Try."
The young trainer nodded and threw a pokeball. It bounced off the narrowly conscious Gardevoir and then opened, spewing red light. A moment later Gardevoir was caught. The young Trainer slapped Corrigan a high five, "I got three pokemon! Corrigan you're the best!" Corrigan grinned, and they started back home through the woods.
Half an Hour Later, Near Hoenn Route 102[]
"You got two fairy types?" Draco asked with the raise of an unimpressed eyebrow as
Draco
Corrigan munched berries in the corner. "Shut it Draco," Morty grumped, "I got a Poochyena too! And I'm giving the Gardevoir to dad!" Draco shrugged, "Still though, a psychic/fairy double type? Kinda going against tradition there little bro." Morty growled and sat back in his chair irritably crossing his arms as he glared at his older brother over the tops of his three pokeballs. Then he grinned, "I teach the Ralts how to use Fire Punch and all my dark types' weaknesses are covered."
Morty
Draco blinked and sat forward, thinking for a second. Then he snorted with laughter, "You're right little bro. You won't have anything super effective against fairy types, but you'll have one of your own. That's pretty good thinking." "What's good thinking?" their father Louis asked as he came through the door, the costume he wore in his job as Gym Leader of Petalburg sagging on his frail frame. Morty and Draco leapt to help him to his chair as his Mightyena Eddy padded in behind him, snorting at Corrigan in greeting as he walked past.
"I caught my pokemon Dad," Morty said happily, "A Poochyena, a Ralts, and one for you, a Gardevoir!" Louis raised up slightly a surprised smile spreading across his face, "A Gardevoir? Really? That's an impressive catch for one of your first pokemon!" Morty smiled and handed his father the pokeball containing Gardevoir, "This is it." Louis took it and raised the pokeball into the air in front of him before opening it. There was a flash of red light and then a surprised looking Gardevoir appeared.
Louis, Draco and Morty all immediately felt an explosion of worry from the Gardevoir as she panicked searching for her daughter. Morty smiled and casually opened the pokeball containing the young Ralts which leapt to hug her mother. The two embraced and Louis sat forward, straightening his top hat over his white and silver hair, "So what shall we call you two?" He looked at the Gardevoir which was hugging Ralts to its chest looking around in fear at the two dark pokemon and three equally dark looking humans.
Louis hmmed, "You Gardevoir, look like a Lily. Will you accept this name?" The Gardevoir nodded, biting her lip as she felt the compulsion of being bound by her pokeball to the will of such a powerful man overriding her ability to resist or escape. Even in old age and failing health, Louis Grimsley was still an extremely powerful trainer.
Even in old age and poor health, Louis Grimsley was still a powerful trainer
Louis smiled, "Good, and Morty, what shall we call Ralts?" "Lily" set down her daughter and Ralts toddled over to Morty who picked her up gently with a warm smile, "Well little one? What shall we call you?"
Ralts tilted her head and an image of the sea flashed through Morty's mind, "Sea, sea, Celia?" Ralts smiled happily and made a cheerful little noise and Morty grinned, "Alright then! Celia you shall be!" Louis, Draco and Corrigan smiled at the two of them as Eddy wagged his tail. Morty held Celia in the crook of his arm, tight against his chest, crouching down as Louis smiled, "Now your Poochyena." Morty nodded and opened the last of the three pokeballs, releasing the vicious little Poochyena.
The little Poochyena looked around in confusion and then, spotting Celia snarled and tensed like it was going to spring. Before it could, Morty's hand snapped out and slammed into the Poochyena's neck, immediately pinning the vicious little mutt to the ground. A terrible aura started oozing off Morty as the Poochyena looked up at him in fear, "There'll be no brawling without my permission, got it?" The Poochyena whined compliantly and Morty let it up, "Your name is Fen, got it?" "Fen" barked an affirmative and Morty rubbed his ears with a smile, the terrible aura gone.
Louis suddenly coughed, "Boys, there's something I want to give you." Morty and Draco looked at their father as he sat up a little straighter with a wince. Morty and Draco sat down in front of their father, giving him their undivided attention. Louis took a deep breath, "As you boys know, today I am officially retired. I've had a long run, from the League to taking over the gym here in Petalburg. I'm very proud of my life, but I'm a thousand times prouder of you two. Draco, you've already begun your journey as a trainer, and you're making excellent progress. You're already better than I was at your age, and you're already preparing to head off on a world tour with your abilities."
Draco beamed with pride as Louis turned to Morty, "Morty, you are today starting on your journey and I know you will make me as proud as you always have." He suddenly started unwinding his yellow scarf and before either of his sons could react he handed it to Draco, "Draco, for your gambling, I want you to have my lucky scarf. I hope your gambles will always pay off." Draco accepted the scarf in numb shock.
Louis lifted his top hat from his head and set it on Morty's head, "And for you Morty, my thinking cap." Morty peeked out from under the brim of the black hat he had always loved so much as Louis smiled, "A little something for your strategizing. I hope that no matter what mess you're in, you can always think your way out."
He burst into a coughing fit suddenly and took a shot from his inhaler, "I'm sorry my medical bills have burned away so much of what we had," he whispered sadly, "I wanted to give you two a better send off." Morty and Draco surged forward in unison to hug him. "It's the best send off we could've ever hoped for," Draco said quietly. "We love you dad," Morty mumbled, trying to hold back the tears as Louis smiled and hugged his boys. They were all acutely aware that the next time they saw each other after this, Louis might be on his death bed or in a casket.
An Hour Later[]
Draco stopped as they walked towards Petalburg, "Hey little bro, bring out Celia." Morty shot him a quizzical look and Draco pulled a little blue thing out of his pocket and held it up, "Rare candy. It'll raise Celia a level. She's at level three now, she'll learn her first psychic attack at level four. Give her this and she'll be able to fight."
Morty called Celia out and quickly fed her the empowering candy. She squeaked delightedly as her psychic powers grew and Morty patted her on the head before returning her to her pokeball. He rose and shook his big brother's hand, "Thanks big bro." "You just be sure you take care of yourself," Draco replied with a grin, "And come hunt me down when you get strong, we'll have a match." Mort grinned at him, "A match? Brother our battle is going to shake the earth!" Draco laughed, "Alright, a battle to shake the earth then! You're on!"
He stepped back and called out one of his longest standing partners, his Honchcrow, "See you around little bro! Let's go Al!" Al flapped his huge powerful wings and caught Draco by the shoulders, quickly lifting off and flying away. Draco flicked a light salute to Morty as he rose into the sky and Morty waved at him. Once Draco was out of sight, Morty let his hand drop and wiped his eyes, "Goodbye, brother."