Buddy Silas? Um…Hey?

I groggily wake to eyes of flame in my face. I nearly jump in surprise, but manage to catch myself before the events in the cave flood my mind. “Hey,” I mumble, slowly pushing myself up. Kid backs away half a step and looks up at me as I reach a sitting position.

Someone is outside, Buddy Silas.

“Oh, okay,” I say, stifling a yawn. “Good job, thanks. I’ll check it out. Buddy? You up?” I turn to the tuft of fur still nestled in a ball at my pillow. I get no verbal response, but Buddy uncoils and stands up, stretching forward and backward, lolling his tongue out as he releases a yawn of his own.

The tent isn’t large enough to stand in, so I pull my legs out of my sleeping bag and crawl over to the front of the tent. Buddy beside me, I unzip the entrance and am blinded by the light shining through the canopy, pulling the sleep from me completely. I crawl out, get to my feet, and rub the sleep from my eyes as I stretch and spare a glance to the surrounding area. Not seeing anyone, I give a quiet hollar out to the area. “Someone here?”

I get no response, and I frown. Giving a little hmph, Buddy sniffs the air and stretches again, facing me with a head tilt.

I do not smell anything, Buddy. Is someone here?

“Yeah, Kid said someone was,” I say. “Kid? What did you hear?” The Charcadet shambles out of the tent behind us, covering his flaming eyes with his short arms to hide from the brightness of the natural light.

Um, someone asked if I was okay.

“Uh huh,” I say. Strange. Asking that to a zipped-up tent? “I don’t see anyone. Recently?”

It just happened, Buddy Silas.

“Huh,” I grumble. Looking around again, I see nothing barring the trails, the trees, and the river a bit to the west. There’s some trilling and chirping from bird Pokemon, presumably, hiding in the trees, but beyond that, nothing.

Until there is.

Stepping out from behind a tree that definitely wasn’t large enough to hide her body, I see Suicune in all of her glory.

“Greetings, Messenger of God and his aide,” Suicune telepathically communicates. “It seems you were successful.”

Not being awake enough for this, I gape a little before shaking my head to regain my senses. “Yeah, I guess so,” I say. “Not to be rude, but there’s some…. damage that needs taken care of.” I lower my voice a little, trying to be cognizant of what Kid is going through. “We sent that Umbreon you sent to us towards a friend of mine to help get everything situated. I dunno how long we’ve been asleep, but I’m hoping they’ll show up soon.”

Ruff… Yes, we saved the baby. Buddy was very good, and so was I.

“Excellent,” I hear in my mind, clear as a bell. “It is good that you accomplished your task so quickly. There was not much time remaining before it would have been too late.” I feel like I see a ghost of a smile pass Suicunes face in acknowledgement. She approaches us at a casual pace, both Buddy and I freezing up at the invisible Pressure in the air that comes with her presence. “You, young child,” I can hear in my mind as she faces the Charcadet. “I am sorry for your loss. What will you do now?”

Kid tilts his head, clearly not as intimidated as Buddy and I, and turns his head down and puts his hand to his chin.

I don’t know. You sent Buddy Silas and Buddy to help me?

“I did, at the behest of God,” Suicune majestically says. “Will you remain with… Buddy Silas Green?”

Kid looks at me with an emotion I can’t figure out, given his features. Perhaps some sort of melancholy? That makes sense given the situation.. And this is a big ask for a kid, isn’t it?

Can I…stay with you, Buddy Silas? Buddy?

Before I can even think about his request, which I admit I partially expected, I’m interrupted to my musings by Suicune’s voice in our heads.

“You may if that is what you desire,” Suicune says. “But know this. The Messenger of God and his aide will be tasked with potentially dangerous requests, one not necessarily conducive to your well-being. If you remain, you will grow strong, I am sure. But you are under no obligation to do so, and I would be willing to ensure you have a safe place to reside if you would prefer.”

At Suicunes answer for me, I hesitate a bit before nodding in agreement. “Thank you for your generosity,” I say with a small bow of my head. Better take this in stride, I suppose. “Kid, the decision is yours. Though I think it may behoove you to stay with Suicune for a little… I’m not sure what’s going to happen when the Ranger shows up and I…” I cut off, not wanting to talk about what happened inside the cave any more than Kid wants to hear it.

“That is wise,” Suicune says. “Child… no, Kid. Please, come with me. The man the Messenger of God is speaking of will be here shortly. I will feed you and introduce you to my children, while the Messenger is otherwise occupied. You can think upon a final decision in the interim.”

No!

I’m stock still at his loud exclamation at the legendary aurora Pokemon, noting the hesitance and fear in his voice.

I don’t want to… leave..Buddy Silas and Buddy.

I sigh, and consider this. That makes sense, given everything he went through, but I can’t help but think this is better for him. As much as I want to respect his wishes… “Kid, I think you should go with her for a little while,” I say. “If you want to stay with us, that’s fine, but let us handle this first. I know you don’t really understand the concept of being arrested, but I might…get in trouble. Because of what I did with those other humans.”

Kid looks conflicted and in pain, thinking of the humans I mentioned, having witnessed what they did to his parents.

Kid, Buddy and I will be back, I promise. Ruff…. Go eat, and play. Be a good boy, okay?

Kid looks at Buddy and lets out a defeated sigh.

Okay… you’ll be back though? Buddy? Buddy Silas? You…promise?

Ruff…yes. We will be back. Suicune is a good girl, you will be okay.

God, I can’t even. It’s hard to lie. I might not be able to actually come back. But…Buddy cast the die. “Yeah, don’t worry. It might take a little bit, but we’ll be back,” I say. I finally take my eyes off Suicune and kneel down, tentatively putting a hand on Kids head, noting that I can’t feel the heat of the flame on his head at all. “Just give us a bit, okay? And…try to relax. Let Suicune take care of you.” Kid looks down at the ground, and lets out another sigh.

Okay… I’ll be a good boy. I’ll be waiting though! You better keep your promise!

“If that is all,” Suicune says. “Come, Kid. We will be on our way. Messenger of God and Aide, we will meet you here when your work is complete.”

Without sparing Buddy and I another glance, Suicune turns around. One of her…ribbons? Flesh tendrils?... extends over to Kids hand, and he grabs it, following her southeast into the forest. Buddy and I watch them leave as a mist rises out of the ground betwixt the trees, and both Suicune and Kid disappear.

I put away the tent, leaving the backpack on the ground. Buddy seems like he’s able to use the bag too, sticking his face inside and pulling out our dishes and food for our breakfast (what the hell does he see with his face in that void???), and helps set us up. After cleaning up, eating, and cleaning up again, Buddy barks and points out a figure approaching us from the east. It’s very clearly Mark riding his Rapidash, and they reach us in short order. Mark slides off his Pokemon, gives her a pat on the back, uttering a quiet “thanks,” before turning to me and letting out a heavy sigh, shaking his head and clicking his tongue at me.

“Can’t even go a day, eh, friend?” He asks. “So. Poachers. Let me ask you before we even get further into it, ‘cuz I don’t want to arrest you.”

He straightens up his posture, and gives me a serious look, pausing to collect his thoughts.

“Sounds like you hurt someone,” he says. “Are they either maimed or dead? And can you prove to me they were in the wrong and there was nothing else you could have done? Because if they are, and you can’t, I’m gonna have to bring you in to get a statement and detain you while I investigate. I’d appreciate you being honest here, which I expect you to be if that letter was anything to go by.”

I release the breath I didn’t realize I was holding, and speak. “Yes. There were two, and they’re dead,” I admit. “Proof is… maybe. We saved a Pokemon from them, but not until after the damage was done and they killed the Pokemons parents and damaged some internals of Mount Mortar.”

Mark takes in what I say, putting a hand to his chin and nodding. “‘Kay. You’re in the clear if we can prove they killed Pokemon and had their kid. Am I going to regret not detaining you now, Silas?”

I shuffle my feet a little, and look down, thinking seriously about his query. “I don’t think so. I’m not going to fight you if you do decide you need to arrest me, though, I promise you that.”

Mark glances at Rapidash, and his Rapidash whinnies, which I understand to be truth, all. Mark nods, and looks back to me, as I stand in shock. Can he understand them too?

“Rapidash said yer tellin’ no lies, Silas,” Mark says, giving Rapidash a pat on the neck. “So lead the way. Lesgo.” He begins walking down the trodden dirt path towards Mount Mortar, and I lightly jog a bit to get even with him, Buddy hot on my tail.

“Sorry Mark. Thanks. Uh, quick question though. You understood him?” I gesture at Rapidash.

“Well yeah,” Mark casually says, patting Rapidash again. “He’s a psychic. Spoke right ‘n me noggin. His fairy talent helps him pick up lies and truths too. He’s good at this.”

I continue walking in silence, shook at learning that a Rapidash is psychic. Fairy too? Wow. The colors make more sense now, I guess. Well, those regional variants do change type, like with Growlithe also being a rock type. I didn’t realize they could be so drastic though. The more you know, I guess.

We walk for a while before reaching the entrance to the cavern, only breaking the silence to ask about the Umbreon. When I begin my explanation by saying that it’s a little complicated, he rose a hand to my face and told me not to worry about it. “I’ve seen it ‘round here before. Usually takes food from the station but both Rapidash and Gogoat like him. Just wondered how you hooked up with’m, thasall. But don’t worry ‘bout that right now.”

Upon arriving at the entrance to the cave, Mark steps ahead of us, examining the lights mounted on the wall. “Was this here when you showed up first?”

“Yeah, I thought it was strange,” I say. “Didn’t make sense. I saw the entrance to the mountain over by Mahogany town. It had a sign, but no lights. Not having a sign here but having lights stood out, but I didn’t know what to think of it at the time.”

“Yeah, shouldn’t be here,” he says, pulling out a portable camera and taking photos of the wall. “I’ll have to get ‘em down, but not yet. How deep in are we going?”

“It’s…. I dunno. Buddy? What do you think? An hour? Less?”

Ruff…. Your bath, Buddy. That much time, I think, ruff.

“Maybe about half an hour of walking,” I say, nodding at Buddy and looking back to Mark. “There’s some parts that get convoluted, but I tried to make a map so hopefully we can make it straight there. We didn’t have trouble getting out.”

Mark looks at me with a questioning look, glancing at Buddy for a second. Oops, I think. I was trying to keep that to myself, but I clearly just understood Buddy in front of him. I quickly decide it doesn’t matter, not in this situation. I pull the map and my flashlight out from the side pocket of my Devon bag of holding, and step into the cave.

About half an hour of stumbling through the darkness later with only a few words between the four of us (only stopping to point out where the wall was cut down and caved in), we arrive at the scene. I hesitate before rounding that final corner, but push through and step forward. Everything is unchanged since we left. The box, the corpses, even the fire is still lit, though barely. Mark takes it in, shaking his head in disgust at what he sees, and lets out a deep sigh.

“Walk me through this, Silas.”

“Buddy and I were around this corner,” I point. “I peeked over to see those two Pokemon stacked on top of each other, and I presumed they were dead. I saw their child, a Charcadet, locked in that cage over there. Those men were both sleeping. They were laying right about where they are now, and I only moved them once to try to find the key to let the Pokemon out.”

I continued. “From that, I took some time and determined that those two must have killed the two Pokemon, and came here with intent to kidnap their child, as the best case scenario. Worst case, they came for all three and maybe more. I also determined that…” I hesitate, recalling the vivid scene of my own actions, replaying in my mind. “...that if they had something that could kill Pokemon that strong, Buddy and I wouldn’t have a chance. So I made the decision to strike first.”

Mark regards me and the scene in contemplation, receiving a positive affirmation from Rapidash, letting Mark know that I’m telling the truth. He eventually nods, and asks “So where’s the Pokemon they had in the cage? Charcadet, you said? You catch it?”

“I did, but only to get him out of here without having to look at this,” I admit. “I made it clear he’s free to do what he wants, and he wanted to go in the ball after I shared my intentions and showed him what it was like by recalling and releasing Buddy from his. He’s…not here now, though.”

“So where is he?”

“With another Pokemon,” I quickly tell him.

“He safe? Who’s he with?”

“He’s safe, yes,” I say, hesitant to say he’s being babysat by a literal legendary Pokemon. What with Marks equine lie detector, though… “Uh, the Pokemon that sent Umbreon to me to help, that’s who he’s with. It’s not my place to specify further than that, though.”

Mark looks at me questioningly, but receives another mental and vocal prod from Rapidash, sharing that I have told the truth yet again. He lets out a sigh, and I can tell he wants more details, but… I just can’t. Even with Rapidash confirming, I’m afraid that saying Kid is with Suicune is going to make him think I’m lying regardless, finding a way to bypass Rapidash’s skills. Eventually, he nods at me, and starts taking notes on a notepad he pulls out from his back pocket.

He works in silence for a while, continuing taking notes and photos. After noting the Amarouge and Ceruledge in his notes proper, he taps them individually with Pokeballs and catches them (Didn’t know that was possible), letting me know he’ll make sure they’re put to rest properly. As far as the men, he leaves the corpses where they are, saying that he’ll have to get someone out here to handle that, and that leaves us with…

“So this box,” he says. “It’s weird, yeah? Big, metal. Don’t wanna open it, it feels off. D’you know what’s in there?”

“Charcadet said that the box is what killed his parents,” I say.

“Charcadet said?”

“Yeah. I can understand Pokemon. I figured you might have picked that up earlier,” I admit. “No point keeping it to myself in this situation anyway. It’s too much of a problem for me to worry about myself.”

He takes me in, and I hear Rapidash whinny

Truth! Really? Then what am I saying? The goat is a shithead!

Mark boops Rapidash on the nose, and turns to me…expectantly.

“You want me to repeat that?”

“If you don’t mind,” he says. “Never heard of someone who ain’t a psychic that can understand ‘em. It’d help corroborate. Not that I think yer lyin’, ‘xactly, friend, but…”

“He said the goat is a shithead, though I disagree.”

Holy shit, Mark!

“Yeah, holy shit,” Mark says with wide eyes. He narrows them quickly enough. “Right. So that’s the weapon. I did wonder, I saw they didn’t have Pokemon or even trainer belts on ‘em. Unless you took ‘em?” I shake my head, and he continues. “Any idea what it is that did ‘em in then?”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“No,” I say, looking down with a grimace. “I didn’t look in there at all. And… their bodies were just lifeless. You saw. I’ve no idea what could have done that and… honestly, I’m afraid to even know.”

“I’m with ya, so…hm,” he thinks. “All right. We’ll have to leave it here for now til I get backup. I…see no reason to keep you here, and I want to let you go. Sounds like a shit ride you rode, friend. I believe ya, and you’re my friend too, so don’t worry no further ‘bout this.” He gives me a clap on the back. “Let’s get outta here for now.”

I nod, holding back the rollercoaster of multiple emotions I’m feeling. “Thanks,” I whisper, while Buddy nuzzles against my leg.

“Yep,” he replies. “I’d like Rapidash to talk to the Charcadet though when we’re out, just so I can let you go without havin’ to worry about ya after I report this. It’d be a lot easier to justify lettin’ ya go with a victim report. Can you swing that, friend?”

We walk away from the crime scene, into the darkness. “I think so. I’ll try.” He claps my back again and we work our way out of the cave, into the midday sun.

Taking a deep breath of fresh air after finally making it out of Mount Mortar (again), I release the tension in my shoulders. Turning to Mark, I speak. “I’m not super certain how to get the Charcadet back here, but I’m pretty sure my best bet is to go back to where the path split from the main one to here, where I camped.”

“S’fine,” Mark replies. “I’m gonna radio in what’s here. S’long as you’re not gonna run, which I don’t think you will, go ahead. I’ll either be here or I’ll catch up with ya and wait for ya there. Do yer thing, friend.”

I smile in reply. “Thanks, Mark. I won’t run. I…told you about my daughter, yeah? Running wouldn’t help with that, even if this whole situation is pretty…absurd.”

“I getcha, ‘n you can say that again,” Mark replies, a melancholic grin on his face. I give him a nod, and turn with Buddy, heading back to our old campsite.

We reach it soon enough, with nothing of note in view. Not that I expected anything.

Ruff… Buddy, did Suicune not say they would be here?

“She did,” I reply, looking around. “But we finished pretty quick. Maybe Kid is having fun? If he is.. Hell, even if he’s just taking a nap, I don’t mind waiting. He’s been through enough.”

Yes, Buddy, I agree. Poor Kid.

Buddy and I elect to wait, sitting on the grass next to the path, taking a moment to relax. Buddy can’t sit still for that long, and ends up running laps around the general vicinity. Zoomies gonna zoomies. Gives me time to get my emotions in check, at least.

I killed a man. I basically killed two, having given the order to Buddy. I’m surprised I haven’t thrown up yet, and even more so that I’m functioning. My decision-making skills are probably off too, thinking about how trauma can affect people. Is how I’m acting normal? Could Mark tell it was eating me up inside? I… I wish I could have justified being able to talk to the poachers first. I’d be remiss to believe that there was anything else that could have been done that would have had a better solution, besides… well, maybe.. If we had rope, I could have detained them. If they’re not like, skilled martial artists, I think I could probably overpower them in a fair setting? Maybe not though, it’s not like I’m particularly good at that myself. It would have definitely resulted in some sort of physical altercation though, I’m sure. I wouldn’t have let them leave with Kid, and since they killed Kids mom and dad, they likely wouldn’t have left without Kid either.

I realize I’m not exactly familiar with the laws of this world, let alone the region, or even specific subregions that may be here. But killing a Pokemon to take it’s children is definitely a severe crime, right? There’s no way it’s not, not when everything I’ve seen so far tells me Pokemon are so tightly interwoven with what little society I’ve been in. Even if they don’t treat Pokemon like humans… Which they should, if they don’t, really… That can’t just be okay. There’s no way they’d get off with a slap on the wrist. Which means…they’d have even more reason to go against me, to prevent getting captured. Yeah, I think I’ve just about convinced myself that talking never would have gone over well, and I had no feasible way to restrain them either. Mark mentioned maiming, though? I could have injured them badly enough that they couldn’t move. That’s better than killing… though it sickens me to consider, almost as much as it sickened me to…kill them.

Oh, God. Arceus, was that really the way it had to be? I’m…not going to renege on our deal. Out of respect, first and foremost, being given even a sliver of a chance to see Taylor again… I’d do a lot for that opportunity, and I’ll continue to do so. But…also out of fear. God brought me back from death… here. Then there’s the fact…. Well, I do believe that Taylor is here. I haven’t really doubted that since I woke up on Route 43. Something about my conversation with God told me without a shadow of a doubt that it was the truth. I can barely even fathom that I might be being played, and if I am…Then what? I have nothing. Not only is it not conducive to seeing Taylor again to think like that, but I can’t help but feel there’d be nothing worth even living for otherwise.

Not that I’m suicidal. Even if presented without a shadow of a doubt that I’d never see her again and there’s nothing I can do, I’d likely elect to live my life in squalor and depression instead.

..Yeah. It had to be that way. I hope that I don’t have to do anything like that again, but… I would. For Taylor, I definitely would. Hell, I’d like to think I’d do it for a kid in the same situation Kid was in too. He didn’t deserve that, he didn’t deserve any of this…

I ruffle my hair on the sides of my face and groan, falling backwards to the grass. I hear Buddy sprinting over to me

Buddy! Are you okay?

“I’m fine,” I quietly say. “Just thinking. Are you okay?”

I am fine, Buddy. I did not fall.

“No, I meant like.. With what we did.”

Ruff…. The humans?

“...Yeah.” Buddy sits down on his rear, close to my head, looking down at my face.

Ruff…. I am okay, Buddy. I do not regret it.

“I don’t either,” I honestly say. “It makes me sick to think about, but… I think I’d do it again if I had to.”

I would too, Buddy. Ruff.. The baby is safe. And Buddy did his job, and I helped..ruff. That is all.

“...is it? But what if those guys, they…” Buddy interrupts me with a lick to the cheek.

We thought they were bad, Buddy. Umbreon told us…they were bad. Ruff… Kid told us what they did. Buddy, we did good. You are a good boy.

“I don’t feel like a good boy,” I breathe out, looking away from him. Quietly, I add “but I see what you mean.”

Ruff… Well, Buddy, you are. And so am I. And so is Kid. We are all good boys, and we are all buddies, ruff.

“Profound. Utterly profound, Buddy,” I say monotonously. “Yeah. We’re the good boys.” I sit up quickly, blood rushing through my face from the movement. “Did you hear that?”

“Do not concern yourselves, you may remain as you are,” I hear in my head. I glance around, knowing that voice, but seeing nothing.

“Uh… okay,” I say. Buddy scoots towards me, his head on a swivel.

Suicune, ruff. Where are you?

“Staying out of sight. There is another human nearby, likely the ranger in question,” Suicune says telepathically. “Kid, go on. You see them. Off you go.”

A moment passes as Buddy and I continue to look around, expecting Kid. He shows up from behind a tree at our 6 o’clock soon enough, and he approaches us with… a smile on his face.

Buddy Silas! Buddy! You’re back!

Kid, hi!

“Hey, Kid. Told you we’d come back.”

Yeah! Auntie Suicune said you would. We ate the sweeeeeeeeeetest berries, and she showed me dad fighting when he was little, like me! It was suuuuuper cool! I wanna be like that!

That is good, Kid! Ruff, yes!

Buddy stands up and gives Kid a lick on the side of his face, panting in sympathetic excitement. Also… Auntie Suicune? Showed dad fighting?

“I would ask that you do not continue that train of thought, Messenger of God,” Suicune says. Buddy and Kid continue talking animatedly, so I quickly determine she’s only talking to me. Gulp. “Telepathy is a useful power, and I was familiar with the ghost in the past. Sharing some of it’s exploits was a simple enough task. Drop the rest.”

I give a panicked nod in the direction Kid came from, assuming she was there. I compose myself, and say aloud. “Well, thank you for watching him. I guess…that’s it? Assuming Kid made his decision.” Buddy and Kid stop their chatting, and Kid turns to me. He jumps forward, fists held up in front of his chest and his eyes blazing in determination.

Yeah! I wanna go with you, Buddy Silas! And Buddy too! So we can get strong, and make sure nobody else has to lose their mom and dad!

Kid says that with such straightforwardness that I’m taken aback. Gone is the timidness and defeated attitude, replaced with a gritty resolve. I smile at him, and nod. “You got it then, Kid. Buddy and I are still new to this…training thing. And I hope we never have to see someone put in that situation again. But if we do… well…”

Buddy Silas, Buddy, and me will save them!

Yes! Ruff, Buddy, me, and Kid will help!

I’m very quickly made aware of the hero complex Kid seems to have come back to me with, but… it’s not too bad of a trait, I think. Not.. not if God has tasks like this in mind for me, anyway. That resolve is what I think I might need to push me to do what I have to do. “Okay, okay, let’s settle down,” I say. “Let’s focus on what we can do right now. Sui…. Miss, thank you for everything. Was there anything else?”

“No, that was all,” Suicune says. “You performed admirably, Messenger of God and Aide. God will be in touch. I will leave you at this. Kid, take care of yourself, and train hard. Farewell.”

Bye, Auntie Suicune!

Goodbye, Suicune! Arooooooo!

Both Buddy and Kid howl and wave respectively, until they eventually stop. They look at each other with grins, then at me expectantly.

“We’ll leave as soon as we can talk to Mark,” I say. “Kid, he wanted to talk to you if you were up for it. He’s a good…boy,” I decide to say, after considering how much of a thing that’s becoming. “Just wants to make sure you’re okay and all that, I think.”

Okay! I can do that, Buddy Silas!

“Cool, cool,” I mutter. At that, I hear galloping in the distance, and I look and see what I expected to see, Nick on his Rapidash making a beeline towards us. Slower than the first time today, at least. Upon reaching where the trail forks, he dismounts Rapidash and eyes Kid with wide eyes. He gives an impressed whistle.

“I’ll be, a Charcadet in the flesh,” he says. “Hey there, little guy. You doin’ okay? Rapidash, translate, yeah?”

Kid looks at me with a tilt of his head.

“He’s fine, Kid,” I say. “That’s Mark, I just mentioned him. He’s the one that wanted to talk to you. Go ahead.”

Okay, Buddy Silas. Hi, Mark. I am okay.

Rapidash whinnies his psychic translation, and Mark’s conversation with Kid begins in earnest.

“Good, that’s good,” Mark says. “I heard you went through something real tough. I’m sorry about that.”

Its…okay. Auntie said that even though they’re gone, they’re okay now. And they would be happy I am with Buddy Silas and Buddy.

Mark tilts his head, but continues to smile. “Yeah? You have a real smart auntie, then. She’s right, they’re not hurting anymore. You want to stay with Silas?”

Yes! Kid puts his fists in front of his chest again and both the fire in his eyes and on top of his head roar in earnest. We will get strong together! We are buddies, and good boys! So nobody is hurt again, like Auntie said!

“....Yeah? Okay,” Mark says, maintaining his smile but looking a little taken aback. “So listen, I have to ask you a hard question. It’s about what happened in your home. Are you okay with that?” Kid drops his fists, and looks downward in hesitation, but looks back up at Mark and nods. “Okay, first. Did you see what the bad men did your mom and dad?”

Yes.

“Can you explain to me the best you can what they did? If you don’t want to, that’s okay,” Mark says. “I know it doesn’t feel good to think about.”

It’s…okay. Well, first… they broke down my room, and chased me through the house for a long time. Then we got to the living room, and mom and dad were there, and told me to hide. Then the bad men, one of them was carrying a box. He opened the lid and pointed it at mom, then she fell. Dad ran to catch her, then he fell too. I…. think they took their fire, cuz the fire went from them into the box.

“Okay. That sounds terrible, and I’m sorry that happened,” Mark says, patting Rapidash (who was crying at the tale). “And then they grabbed you and put you in the cage?”

Yes.

“Then a while later, Silas and Buddy showed up and… did what?” Kid looks at me, then at Buddy, and back at Mark.

Buddy Silas and Buddy stopped the bad guys before they could do more bad things, and then let me out and took me outside. I visited with Auntie, and now I am going to get strong with them.

Mark looks solemnly at Kid, smile gone from his face, after receiving the translation from Rapidash. Eventually, he smiles, and reaches forward to give Kid a pat on his head. “Good job. You’re strong. Good kid. You guys are good to go. Thank you for telling me all of that, Charcadet.”

My name is Kid. You said it once, why did you change?

Rapidash laughs through his puffy face and translates for Mark, who looks confused. “Your name is Kid?” Kid aggressively nods and folds his arms.

“Yeah, it happened real fast, wasn’t even a conscious decision,” I butt in. “He took it and ran with it, though, so it is what it is.”

“Gotcha,” Mark nods. “All right. Well, friend, you’re free to go. I’ve got backup flyin’ in from the main headquarters and I’ve got your statements. If you could make sure you stay in Ecruteak for at least… say, five days after you get there tonight, just in case we have any other questions, that’d help. I know you don't have a phone yet, s’only been a little bit since you left my place.”

“Sure, we can do… We can reach Ecruteak by tonight?”

“Yeah, isn’t that far,” Mark tells me. “Might be a couple hours past the river and you’ll be in town. Nice place. Bit spooky but it’s part of the atmosphere, yknow?”

“Ha,” I let out a breath. “Cool. Thanks, Mark.” I reach out to shake his hand, and he grabs it, shaking it firmly. Buddy prances over to Rapidash and nuzzles against his front leg, and Rapidash leans down and caresses his cheek with his, bidding their farewells.

“Take care, seriously this time, ‘kay?” Mark says. “Now shoo, get outta here. I got work to do.” He flicks his wrists at us, the universal motion clear as day, telling us to move on.

I grin and start walking backwards, waving at him, with Buddy and Kid in tow. I turn, and continue waving over my shoulder. “See ya Mark!”

“Yep!” Mark shouts. I drop my arm, and continue onward to the river. Just still barely in earshot about a minute later, I can hear Mark yell “And call Tabby!”

I chuckle quietly to myself and wave over my shoulder again.

I didn’t white out.