The drive to Fuschia city was filled with me going into everything that happened on the adventure once again.

“So then I spent the morning with Milotic going through the caves full of water looking for Feebas! It was really nice. Gyarados was so happy that we got to spend some time together going up the mountain.”

“Well it’s good that your Gyarados is gentle with you.” Mama offered, and I just smiled.

“Gyarados is a sweetheart Mama. I didn’t get to spend a lot of time with him in Kitakami, the cave we found wasn’t big enough for him. So it was the first time all trip we spent any time together.”

“Well swimming up a mountain would be an interesting experience.” Mama said with a bit of sarcasm in her voice.

She still wasn’t comfortable with Gyarados, and that was fine… But swim? I blinked realizing my parents still didn’t know about my Blue Hearts special ability. I felt my lips twitch into a smirk. They were going to lose their shit when it finally came out.

But then the happiness slowly seeped out.

“Do you think my friends will be okay… In the system I mean?” I asked, because it felt so bad for them to be locked away into the transfer system.

“The pokemon transfer system stasis locks the pokemon in it Vicky. They won’t even notice something happened until they are sent over.” Papa said and I felt my foot tapping.

“Are you sure? What if they do notice that time passes and can’t get out?” There were sci-fi stories that had that as a terrible fate!

“There were a ton of tests done by Bill before the system was allowed. A lot of trainers had similar fears Vicky. They are fine, it’s completely safe.” Papa assured me, his eyes catching mine in the rear view mirror. “Trust me.”

“Okay.”

“I still can’t believe you found so many dragon types.” Papa said, changing the subject as he drove us along.

“It’s not that hard when you have a dragonite and Arcanine to ride around on. Also we asked Lucario where to find the Kommo-o, so that was even easier.”

“And a Lucario!” Papa gushed. “I’ve only ever heard of them before! They are supposed to be the best police support pokemon in the world!”

“Yeah their Aura ability lets them sense emotions and they can track from like a half mile, or a mile? Something like that.” I added and Papa only looked more interested after that.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you this excited about a new pokemon in a long time dear.” Mama said, sounding very amused.

“Well I mean! I train Growlithe for the police, of course I’d be interested in another dog pokemon that could be incredibly useful.”

“Hehe!” I just giggled at Papa’s obvious excitement. “Well Papa, maybe you can help me train them? Lucario only joined me, because she wanted training for Riolu, even if Riolu is a brat. So I’m going to be training them.”

“Oh? That’s right you did say that… Well I can definitely help.” Papa added looking excited at the challenge.

“Alright enough you dogs!” Gram Gram added giving Papa and I a glare which we both just sort of laughed off. “We are here.”

And we were. Papa was pulling the car into the small parking area outside the clan compound. I stepped out in a hurry but slowed once I was out of the car because…

It still felt weird. The clan compound. The Clan thing in general.

“C’mon Trouble. Let’s go up to the main house. That’s where the pokemon transfer device is set up.” Papa said, throwing a heavy arm over my shoulders and I nodded.

Time to face the Clan.

We passed through the entrance. The old Persian at the entrance glanced up at us, from his cute little stone lantern cat bed, but he didn’t even raise his head just ignoring us as we passed through.

We walked forward and to my continued surprise, everyone saw Papa and Gram Gram and everyone was delighted.

“Aunty!” Voices called out waving at Gram Gram earning scoffs, but hugs from her nonetheless when they approached, and many of them men around Papa’s age would walk over and thump Papa on the back delighted at seeing him here.

Mama and I were a bit more awkward, but we both got attention still. Plenty of people were delighted to meet Mama, and lots of older women greeted me happily too.

Super awkward. We were stopped multiple times on our way towards the main house, until it felt like we were stuck entirely. People swarming Papa and Gram Gram.

I managed to take a few steps away from the gathering for a moment to catch my breath only to notice a little boy, sitting on the steps of a shop glaring at me from above the head of a Meowth that he was clutching to his little chest.

Both of them shared the same glare.

Cute!

“Is that your Meowth?” I asked, because talking about pokemon was easier than talking about family history I had no knowledge of.

“Meowf doesn’t like you.” He said firmly, and I smirked because I knew exactly how to handle Meowth.

Before either of them could react, I settled into a crouch and used my instant kill move.

Double cheek scritch!

A move I perfected on Persian and Meowth Gram Gram would raise.

The Meowth made to swipe at me, but then melted and started purring.

I knew the secret spots!

The little boy looked surprised at my actions and then glared.

“Meowf doesn’t like outsiders.” He grumbled, and I just chuckled.

“I’m a member of the Ferrous Clan too.” I said and he blinked.

“I’ve never seen you.”

“Yeah I live in Viridian city. I’ll be around more often though. My pokemon are being stabled here. I’m Victoria. Just call me Vicky though.”

The little boy nodded, “Jamesth.” He added with a lisp that made me want to giggle but I made sure not too. “Alright. See you around.”

“Bye.” He muttered quietly, but seemed pleased when his Meowth didn’t follow after me, and instead rubbed its cheeks against him wanting more pets.

Papa had been distracted by a group of men, three of them dragging him over to some sort of workshop where the men were talking about some project they were doing. Mama was being chattered at by a group of women, being introduced to children and family.

Gram Gram was absolutely lambasting a kid that had gotten muddy, even as she had a handkerchief out and was cleaning him up.

And there I stood, feeling suddenly very alone.

I didn’t feel like I was meant to be here. The people were all strangers, despite everyone in my family seeming to fit in like a piece in a puzzle that had been missing.

“Hey.” The voice casually calling out to me, made me tear my eyes away and there was Elizabeth. Looking much more casual in her clothing than I had ever seen her before. Shorts flip flops and a T-shirt.

“You look different.”

“I don’t dress up all the time.” She muttered grumpily. “And shouldn’t I be saying that?” She asked, playing with her hair which made me reach up to my ruined ponytail.” I pouted and stopped fussing with it and she went on. “I heard from Grandpa that you were back. Did you catch something?”

“A lot actually! Kitakami was kinda crazy. Pokemon were really aggressive, and the people had no battling culture.”

“What really? What do they do?”

“Tricks I think? One guy had pokedolls that he used to run away with.” I answered back and then the two of us actually had our eyes met.

You know. It was something I hadn’t really thought about before but Elizabeth and I had very similar eyes. We were different everywhere else, but we had similar eyes.

“I’m… Sorry I guess?” I answered and that came out totally wrong. Fuck.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“Sorry?”

“No, sorry that… It came out wrong. Um… Your dad, Uncle Leo, when I mentioned Kitakami he was trying to get me to take you with me, but I didn’t. I took my friend Ivy… Sorry. For not bringing you along.”

She looked me over for a while before snorting. “Don’t worry about it. No offense, Victoria, but we don’t really get along.”

Our eyes met, and an understanding passed.

“True. I didn’t not invite you because I don’t like you or anything. I just wanted a fun adventure with my friend.”

Elizabeth nodded. “Maybe next time, but I accept your apology, even if it’s not needed. Papa often tries to push me into things without actually asking.”

“Great… I mean, cool. I’m going to… Go I guess? We are waiting for my new pokemon to be released to me.”

“Hmm… I’ll show you where your transfer system is. Papa set it up in the office. Come on.”

“Thank Arceus, I was super worried I would have to search around for it.”

“It’s fine. Everyone is distracted anyways.”

“Yeah they really are. Is that usual?”

“Your dad… Uncle Victor is kinda infamous. His whole thing… I don’t really know, let’s just say that despite him being excommunicated, he never really strayed from being a major topic of conversation. I heard just as many stories good and bad about your father growing up as I did about mine.”

“Well they are brothers, so I guess most stories would have them both in it.”

She didn’t say anything to that, and we continued walking on, a few kids waved at Elizabeth but she just bowed at them in apology as we passed, something she had done last time too. Up to the main house we went, and then to my amusement into the same office that Grandpa Roy had led me to before. With the PC on the table.

“The PC is set up for the transfer system. The actual device is here.” And she opened up a cupboard that was along the wall and there it was.

A transfer device. Just like the ones Koga used in his Gym.

“Oh? I see Elizabeth already showed you where it is little Vicky.” Grandpa Roy called out standing at the door.

“Yep! Everyone got a bit distracted, but Elizabeth showed me.”

“Good. Good job Lizzy. Proud of you.” He offered as he stepped in, and patted her hair to my amusement doing it carefully so he didn’t mess her hair. That was the movement of a man that had been chewed out for that before.

“Great. So I’ll just wait until they send them.” I confirmed firmly as I walked over to the chair and pulled it over and then settled down into it. Staring at the machine.

“Eager to get your pokemon are you?”

“I don’t really like that they made it take so long… Some of my new friends are a bit sensitive.”

“I see. Well, I’m sure they will send them over soon. You don’t have to wait here Victoria, there is an alert if anything gets sent over.”

“I’ll wait… I want to wait.” I said firmly. Grandpa Roy nodded.

“I understand. In that case let me grab a chair, maybe you can fill this old man in about distant… Kitakami?”

“Sure. I can tell you about it.” I agreed, and to my surprise Elizabeth settled in as well, the three of us chattering as I talked about the journey.

—---

I was rather happily telling about the Garchomp nest when there was a beep that went through the entire house.

“Oh that’s the transfer alarm.” Grandpa Roy said and looked at the machine, where suddenly pokeballs started appearing. They appeared in a small groove set into a tray that rotated letting another pokeball be pushed through. When the pokeball reached the final space it was pushed off and into a hopper where the balls were locked away.

One, two, three, I waited and counted, Some white premier balls, and a lot more normal red ones, which had me grinning. Goomy!

Then the machine shut down and processed the rest of the balls into the hopper.

“How do I get them?”

“Ah there is a password.” Grandpa Roy said with a wink and walked me through accessing the panel, although he struggled with getting the password in a few times as the technology seemed to confuse him,

Eventually it opened up like a safe, and there they were, all my pokeballs on tray after tray.

I quickly started grabbing them, but didn’t have enough arm space.

“Why don’t we help out.” Grandpa Roy offered with a laugh, and started shrinking them down so I could carry them easier, and he helped out. Even Elizabeth grabbed a few.

“I forgot they did that.” I muttered, too excited to wait as once I had them all I rose up and sort of took a few steps forward and then a few sideways then stopped.

“Ah! The stable! Right it’s out back.” I muttered and this time I knew where to go. Ignoring Grandpa Roy’s laughter.

I was just excited!

I passed by Gram Gram who was sitting seiza in an open Kantonese style room facing the back of the building where the stable was located.

“Hi Gram Gram! Bye Gram Gram!” I shouted as I ran right past her and nearly leapt off the wooden porch.

“Careful Trouble!” She called after me, but I wasn’t stopping!

I made it to the stream where the Milotic now lived. I was noticed immediately, and calls of delight, trilling musical sounds as the Milotic greeted me. I quickly found a spot and dropped all the pokeballs into the grass as Milotic came out to greet me.

“Hi everyone!” I greeted and was quickly dogpiled in Milotic happy to see me. “Do you like your new home? Are there any problems? Is it warm enough? Does it get too cold?” I demanded and just received trilling laughs in return.

“Jeeze. Slow down.” Elizabeth muttered as she caught up and just dropped the pokeballs next to me.

“Never.” I said simply mostly muffled in Milotic flesh. “Okay! I got new friends to introduce!” I called out and that earned a lot of attention. Milotic that hadn’t jumped out of the water to greet me, now did so. And I was surrounded by the prettiest eels!

“Such pretty fish!” I exclaimed in honest love of how they all looked, and I received many proud looks as they spun in the air and showed off their sparkling scales.

I shook my head to refocus.

“Okay! Let’s get everything sorted. Come on out everyone!” I called, releasing my team.

Arcanine immediately became my backrest, cuddling up behind me showing off how excited she was with her tail thumping. Dragonite and Milotic both cheered when I released Dratini and that caused the entire Milotic flock to cheer and dance in delight at the family's reunion.

I gave them some time as I just watched as they cuddled and hugged, and I could tell from the way Milotic and Dragonite chattered that they were telling Dratini all about the adventure they had gone on.

The way he turned then, looking to me, for perhaps the first time I saw something in his eyes.

He wasn’t a baby anymore I realized. It had been a few months since his birth. He had grown well, everything about him looked like a fully actualized pokemon.

I nodded to him, acknowledging that fire in his eyes.

Dratini was ready for training. Ready for battle.

I smiled.

Once they settled around I noticed what Chansey and my Blue Heart were up to. Chansey was going around giving everyone check ups, although the Milotic were mostly just flowing around her in delight, spinning her around as they rubbed against her in greeting.

She had a smile on her face, but the way her flippers were twitching told me, if the Milotic didn’t knock that off they were going to get tossed around a bit.

Gyarados flowed into the water as he was summoned, and was mostly just looking at me, hanging high over our head, looking calm and happy.

Blue Heart still seemed at peace after our morning flight.

I would have to do that more often.

Then I grabbed one of the new white pokeballs.

This one I knew. And I released it.

“Ku? Kukukku!” Mimikyu called out as he realized he was on grass.

“Mimikyu… Welcome home!”I greeted him when he finally noticed me, and there was a moment of stillness, before my little cry baby burst into happy tears and charged at me.

He slammed into my chest and I just laughed, not at him, but with him because Mimikyu! I had a Mimikyu!

I grabbed another pokeball, and this time it was Jangmo-o who popped out, he looked around, and then quickly started tippy tapping his feet as he looked around at all the new pokemon and the new space!

He didn’t run to me like Mimikyu, instead rushing around to each pokemon and squaring right up to them and barking a greeting before rushing to the next one.

Completely fearless, he even ran up to Gyarados.

Blue Heart bent down to look and the little Dragon didn’t flinch despite his size making him less than a morsel for Gyarados, and then Gyarados greeted him with a grunt.

Jangmo-o’s tail wagged and he rushed to the next pokemon.

I felt soothed at the noise of Milotic and just pokemon noises, everyone was happy, and excited.

The faint flakes of red on the next pokeball were enough to have me sit up.

“Come on out Gible.” I called, and a moment later my least tame pokemon popped out onto the grass.

Her mouth was already half open as she took in the sights around her. The many large pokemon.

“Gib.” She said, not even a greeting, or a noise of confusion. Simply a grunt.

Then she saw me, and our eyes met. She stared, but she wasn’t going fully into her instincts, she just… Was staring.

“You hungry?” I asked, and a moment later, despite not moving or reacting in any other way…

She was drooling. I snorted, I couldn’t help it, and I nodded. “Okay come here, I’ll give you a snack.” I said, patting the grass next to me, and Gible did just that walking over carefully, almost as if she was expecting an attack from a direction, but knew she couldn’t do anything about it, before she reached me, and then with a few more Gible grunts she sat down beside me.

I pulled out of my bag some berry chunks and I calmly reached over despite her focus and gently took her hand. Then I dropped the chunk into her hand.

It disappeared in an instant into her maw, hand and all, and she started chewing before she even pulled her hand out.

“Gible.” I sighed, and pulled her hand free, noticing she had definitely chewed her own hand a bit. Chansey came over and a moment later Gible was okay, but I was really going to need some work with her.

“Do you want to sit with me, or wander around and meet everyone? All the pokemon here are my friends too.” I asked, and Gible just sort of sat there zoned out. “Okay.” I said and then turned back to my pokeball pile.

The pair of pokeballs that I knew should be released together were grabbed and then I threw them out.

“Rio!.. Rio!?” Riolu gasped as she appeared looking around in surprise at her new surroundings.

Lucario said nothing, simply gaining a serious look as she took everything in. She relaxed quickly though as she realized that there was no danger, and that the pokemon surrounding her were mostly ones she had met before.

“Hey you two. Welcome home.” I offered and to my surprise while Riolu scoffed, Lucario stiffened up at my words looking at me with a serious look before she nodded. Her shoulders relaxed and she walked over. Riolu whined as Lucario settled down next to me and nodded, seemingly deciding to be comfortable as she rested against Arcanine whose tail was still wagging.

Although I knew that the reason her tail was wagging was because she wanted to fight Lucario more than anything else.

Riolu huffed and instead of settling by her Mama, she started wandering around, exploring.

I nodded, grabbing the next batch.

Milotic appeared in bursts of light, each one trilling as they looked around, some seeing me and greeting me, but soon more and more noticed the river full of Milotic and seemed to gasp hovering over to greet their shared species.

The newbies were hesitant, scared of being sent away, but I could see my old friends were all happy to see them Greeting them with trills of delight and eager wiggles.

Five new Milotic joined the flock.

That left perhaps the most sensitive release.

I grabbed a Goomy pokeball and released it. Watched as the slug materialized and then looked around. Then before it could fully process I released another. And another. They started gathering up close to each other as they were a bit intimidated by the horde of pokemon around them.

But they calmed when everyone offered them a greeting, or just gave them little attention.

Soon I ended up releasing Brave, I noticed instantly because he zooped around gathering all the Goomy into a pile and glaring at everything that was getting too close.

Then, finally the last pokeball was released.

And there it was.

An entire dollop of Goomy!

So cute! I didn’t jump up right away, instead I let them sort of get used to what was going on. Brave was still woogling around them in a circle like a guard dog with sheep, but eventually even he slowed down when no one made any motion to bother him.

Then I slowly got up and had all of the Goomy turn towards me. A few gentle steps forward and I settled back down on the grass just a bit away from them.

“Hi! Welcome to Kanto. We are very very far from where you were before.” I explained, and to my happiness one of the Goomy slid out of the dollop.

Ah! It was the one I released during the examination! I was pretty sure!

He wobbled right up to me, and greeted me.

“Goo-Goomy!”

“Hey Goomy!” I greeted back in delight, because it was great. I reached down and then enjoyed my game of squeeze the goo!

He giggled in delight, and soon despite Braves efforts to keep them in order, more Goomy wandered over to me, chattering away.

“So I figured we can show you the whole place, and find a place you like that you can call home. We have a river, and even some rocks and stuff. I can probably get a cave set up for you if you want that.” I started explaining even while I stretched out the one Goomy.

They all chattered at that seemingly liking the idea, even if Brave just glared at me.

“Goo!” He called out and slurped, and woogled over the others until he was in front of me. “Goom.” He stated bluntly, and I slowly nodded even if I didn’t quite understand.

“You're the boss.” I said and he blinked at that, before sort of wiggling in place before nodding.

“Goomy.” He said and then turned to his others. And called out, and soon there was a trail of Goomy, each of them following behind Brave as he started off towards the river, before sort of slurping along the bank as it was too deep for him.

The Goomy all lined up and followed. Like a slime train! I giggled as I watched, it might take a while to get the Goomy settled and comfortable, but I was willing to give them time.

I wiped my gooey hands on the grass… Then I did it again. “Okay I’m gonna need a towel.” I muttered, hands still covered in goo.