"Don't ask me how, since I wasn't hatched yet, but that's the day everyone found out Clefairy was a Fairy-type," Roo continued to Lyra and Bon Bon. "That discovery was followed by Mawile, Granbull, and Gardevoir, in that order. At least that's what Felix told me." Roo would have continued, but she saw that Bon Bon was falling asleep and Lyra was dozing off. “Oh, I must have started monologuing again...” Roo then got up, walked over to Bon Bon, and tapped her gently on the head.
“CHURROS!” Bon Bon shouted as she leapt backwards and landed flat on her back, the sound of the impact jolting Lyra awake as well.
“What's going on?” Lyra asked as she saw Bon Bon lying on her back and Roo standing on the table at about eye-level with the unicorn, the Pokemon looking slightly sheepish.
“I'd guess Bon Bon was dreaming about churros,” Roo replied.
“Yes, and it was a rather pleasant dream, too,” Bon Bon grumbled as she got back to her hooves. “How long was I asleep?”
“I think you fell asleep around the time when Roo was talking about that garbage bag thing,” Lyra replied. She then turned to the Pokemon. “Really sorry about dozing off, by the way.”
“Oh, it's no problem,” Roo replied. “Like I've said before, I have a problem with talking too long too often.”
Bon Bon simply smiled at this. ”Just like a foal,” she thought. ”Give her a topic, and she'll talk until trees stop producing oxygen.”
“Wait a second, what time is it?” Lyra asked. She then turned around to look at a clock that was hanging on the wall. It was about 8:45 in the evening.
“Oh no!” Bon Bon shouted. “The reservation was for 9 o' clock! There's no way we'll be able to get ready, get out the door, and get there in 15 minutes. Plus, what would we do with Roo?”
“Sorry,” Roo said. “I'm guessing it's because of me that you two won't be able to make it to your dinner.”
“It's ok,” Lyra said. “If I remember correctly, that restaurant is pretty lenient with postponing reservations. Besides, even if this date won't be on our anniversary, the sentiment will be the same. Right Bon Bon?”
“I guess that's true,” Bon Bon said with a sigh. “So much for proposing tonight,” she thought.
“Wait a second,” Roo said. “You said something about dinner, reservations, and I distinctly heard the word 'anniversary.' Are you two mates?”
“Well, sort of,” Lyra replied. “Not officially yet, but we are in love with each other.”
“Okay,” Roo replied.
“Wait, you're not even going to question the fact that we're both mares?” Bon Bon asked.
“I don't know what a 'mare' is, but I'm guessing that means 'female,'” Roo replied. “But no, Felix told me about humans who like others of the same gender before. He never had a problem with them, and while it's a kind of odd concept for Pokemon, me and the rest of Felix's team were taught to accept these kinds of relationships.”
“Oh, good,” Bon Bon said. “Now we don't have to kick you out of our house.” Both mares laughed a little at this, and Roo just kinda laughed nervously. “Oh calm down, I could never abandon something as adorable as you.”
“Speaking of, nopony's come by looking for her yet,” Lyra said. “I'd have thought someone would show up by now.”
“I know Mamma and Felix are looking for me,” Roo said. “Every time I get lost, all I usually have to do is hang out, stay calm, and wait for them to find me. Oh! I should tell you about this time when I got lost in Pinwheel Forest.”
“No, that's alright,” Bon Bon quickly said. “We can save that story for tomorrow. I think it's about bedtime now.”
“Is it?” Roo asked. “Funny. Usually by the time 8 o' clock rolls around, I'm out like a-” Roo wasn't able to finish her sentence before she quickly fell flat on her back, sound asleep.
“Aw,” Lyra said with a smile. “I'd heard stories of foals doing that, but I didn't think it actually happened in real life.”
“She is pretty adorable,” Bon Bon said. She then turned to Lyra. “Hey... if nopony comes around looking for her, do you want to adopt her?”
Lyra turned and looked at her marefriend with a shocked expression. “R-really?” the unicorn asked. “But I thought we planned on adopting a zebra foal.”
“Well, yeah...” Bon Bon said. “But we've talked over and over again about how complicated that would be. But here, right here in front of us, is a child who needs us right now, and all we need to do to take her in is just promise to take care of her.” Lyra was looking down while thinking about this, but Bon Bon walked up to the unicorn and lifted her chin up. “Hey, there's nothing to worry about. You and me, there's nothing we can't manage together, and there's no doubt that includes taking care of Roo.”
Lyra returned Bon Bon's smile. “You're right, Bon Bon,” the unicorn said. “Why would I doubt that we'd make great parents?” Just then, a thought occurred to Lyra. “Oh, I should head out to that restaurant and reschedule our dinner.”
Bon Bon smiled and kissed her marefriend on the cheek. “Is there any limit to how sweet you could be?” she asked.
“Not as long as I can keep seeing that smile of yours,” Lyra replied, returning the smile. She then turned and trotted out of the building. “I'll bring back some takeout.”
“Alright,” Bon Bon called back. Lyra then walked out of the door, leaving Bon Bon alone with Roo, who was still fast asleep, but now curled up into a tiny ball. The earth pony walked up and looked down at her. Much to the pony's dismay, though, she saw that the young Kangaskhan was crying softly in her sleep.
“Felix...” Roo mumbled as a tear streamed down her face. Bon Bon had no doubt Roo was dreaming about her missing family. In response to this, Bon Bon gently stroked Roo's head. Fortunately, this seemed to calm her down a little.
“Don't worry, Roo,” Bon Bon whispered. “If nopony comes for you, Lyra and I won't abandon you.”
”Kangaskhan, go. Take our child and get out of here. I'll be fine.”
“But Meganium-”
“GO!”
Kanga was reluctant to leave her mate, but the Team Rocket grunts were closing in fast. With a nod, Kanga turned and ran into Glittering Cave at top speed with her newborn snug in her pouch. She wasn't able to get far enough away to hear the pained cries of Meganium, though. She also heard the shouts of the humans he was fighting, but even Kanga knew that Meganium was woefully outmatched.
Suddenly, there was one final scream. Then... silence.
Kanga jolted awake quickly, sweating and panting from the nightmare she just had. She sat up and looked around. She, Felix, and the others had chosen a small clearing to rest for the night. Much to the Kangaskhan's relief, she saw that the nightmare wasn't real. She was still there. Pinky and Shelly were sleeping not too far away to her left, and Butters and Breeze were sleeping in a pair of branches not too far above her. But when she looked to her right, where she expected to see Felix curled up and sound asleep, he wasn't there.
“Felix?” Kanga quietly called to the night.
“He woke up and went for a walk about fifteen minutes ago,” Kanga heard Pinky said. The Kangaskhan turned around to see that Pinky had stood up and was rubbing her eyes. Kanga looked up at the moon to try to tell what time it was. About 1 o' clock, she guessed. “He told me he had a 'strange dream,' and wanted to find somewhere to clear his mind.”
“His memory's fixed now, isn't it?” Kanga asked. Pinky nodded slowly. Kanga simply sighed. “Then I guess he knows everything I said before.”
Pinky walked up and put her hand on Kanga's shoulder. (Which was a bit of a stretch for the Slowbro.) “Kanga, it was you who told him everything,” she said. “What makes it so hard to admit it all of a sudden?”
“You know about Roo's father,” Kanga replied.
“And why would that make a difference?” Pinky asked. “You don't know this, or maybe you've guessed because you know how nosy I can be, but I know how you've thought on more than a few occasions that Felix was like your old mate but in a new body.”
“And that's what makes it that much more awkward,” Kanga replied. “I can't just walk up to him and say 'Hey, Felix, I wanted you to know that Roo's deceased father was also a Meganium and he had the exact same personality as you. And while we're on the subject, let me mention that that's the primary reason why I love you.' Can you imagine how creeped out he'd be?”
“Well, you don't have to word it quite like that,” Pinky said. “Maybe you could just try talking to him. Don't bring up Meganium just yet if you don't have to. Your relationship with Felix at the moment is shaky enough as is. Focus on stabilizing the raging maelstrom that makes up his thoughts at the moment, then go from there.”
Kanga was silent for a moment before replying. “You know, that just might work,” she finally said. “Thanks, Pinky. I didn't think you could give such great advice.”
“Well you just never listened to me,” Pinky replied with a slight smile. “Now go. I think he went that way.” The Slowbro pointed to a trail to her east.
“Thanks,” Kanga said. She then turned and headed in the direction Pinky indicated.
Meanwhile, not too far from where the two Pokemon had just finished their conversation, Felix was sitting in another clearing, this one smaller, with a Weedle sitting on a rock next to him.
“I'm not crazy, am I?” Felix asked the Weedle after he finished explaining his dream. “There's no way it actually happened, right? I mean, sure I've been a big help with raising her child, but for her to basically ask to be my girlfriend?”
The Weedle was silent for a moment before replying. “Wait, was I supposed to be paying attention?” he asked.
“No,” Felix replied. “I was talking to that patch of moss you're standing on.” The Weedle looked down to find that he was, indeed, standing on some moss. “Well you don't have to use such harsh language,” Felix continued, this time to the moss.
“Hey, can I answer your first question for you?” the Weedle asked. Without waiting for Felix to reply, he said, “No, you are very crazy. String Shot!” The Weedle then used the move it called and fired some sticky string onto Felix's face before turning and scuttling off.
“Both of you, huh?” Felix asked as he used Vine Whip to wipe the string off his face. Just then, he heard a twig snap behind him. The Meganium turned around quickly, ready to defend himself against whatever was sneaking up on him, only to find that it was Kanga who was behind him. “Oh... hi Kanga...” Felix said as he looked down and away from his Pokemon.
“Hi Felix,” Kanga said, walking forward and sitting next to Felix. The two sat in an awkward silence for a moment before Kanga made a desperate attempt to break it. “Is... something on your mind?”
Felix glanced at Kanga, but his head was still angled down and he wasn't making eye contact with her. “Yes,” he finally said. “But I don't really want to talk about it.”
Kanga sighed. “Talking might help-” she started.
“I said I don't want to talk about it,” Felix replied in a tone slightly louder than normal. “I just... wanted some time alone. To think about it, I mean.”
There was another pause before Kanga spoke up again. “You know why I said all of that, right?”
“It was for Roo, I know,” Felix replied. “But even for her, for us to be... I thought I told you I didn't want to talk about it.”
“Felix, the sooner we can get over this issue, the sooner both of us can get any restful sleep,” Kanga said. “You and I both know that.” When Felix didn't speak up, Kanga continued. “Felix, there's something else you need to know. About Roo's father. That might put this situation into perspective.”
“That was a little bonus Pinky added in when she fixed my memory,” Felix replied. “At least at this point, that's what I'm assuming happened. I know everything about him.”
“Oh?” Kanga asked. Then, with a slight growling tone, she said, “Remind me to thank that lying little Slowbro of yours next chance I get.”
Felix turned around and faced Kanga. From this angle, Kanga could tell by his expression that he was both confused and exhausted. “Kanga...” Felix said. “I can understand where you're coming from with all of this. If our lives and situations were switched, I have no doubt I'd consider asking the same from you. But the thing is... a relationship like ours just wouldn't... work.”
“Wouldn't work?” Kanga asked. “How so?”
“Because you're a Pokemon and I'm, or I used to be, human,” Felix replied. “And even still, even with this new body that I got from who-knows-where, I'm still a human on the inside. I'm sorry, but... I just don't feel like it would work. I just... can't. I can't think straight... hell, I can still barely comprehend everything that's happened today. This, you confessing your love to me, it just doubles up everything that's on my plate right now. I don't blame you for any of it by any means, but....” Felix finished his sentence with a stressed groan. “Look, I just don't want to deal with any of this right now. I just want to sit here, alone, in this clearing, look up at the moon, and let my thoughts settle down before I deal with any of them, alright? I've had a bad day, and all I want to do is-”
Felix wasn't able to finish his sentence. He wasn't even allowed to process the thought anymore. Kanga could see that his trainer was in dire need of consolation. He didn't know what to do, and quite frankly, she didn't either. So, without thinking her action through, she leaned forward, grabbed the back of Felix's head with both her arms, and pulled him in for a kiss. The Meganium's eyes were flung wide open in surprise, but even so, the kiss felt... comforting. At least that's what Kanga guessed since he wasn't resisting. Kanga held the kiss for a few more seconds before finally breaking away. She opened her eyes to see the startled expression on Felix's face.
“I can understand if you don't have the same feelings for me,” Kanga said. “I can understand if your life feels like it's falling apart, if you're confused and you don't know what to do, but I just can't stand to see you in this much stress.” When her trainer didn't speak for a moment, she continued. “Felix, I want to help you. You need to know that. Even if you don't want us to be together, I at least want you to accept me as someone who's here for you.”
“Kanga...” Felix said, still looking a little dazed. “I... I'm sorry.” Felix then quickly got up, turned and ran off into the woods.
“Felix!” Kanga called. But it was too late. Her trainer was gone, and it would take a lot more than Kanga could manage to get him back. “Ahh, why did I kiss him?” she scolded. “Why couldn't I just... gah!” The Kangaskhan threw her arms into the air in exasperation and sat there silently scolding herself for a moment longer before she got up and headed back to where Pinky and the Butterfrees were.
“So... how'd it go?” Pinky asked Kanga as the latter walked back to the clearing. Kanga simply glared at the Slowbro.
Breeze was woken up when Kanga shouted “Dizzy Punch!” Butters was woken when the tree he and his brother were sleeping in was shaken violently by a Slowbro getting knocked into it.
With the exception of Pinky, whom Kanga knocked unconscious, no one else in the group slept very well for the rest of that night. Kanga because she was afraid of how badly she'd ruined her relationship with Felix, Felix because of the torrent of thoughts and emotions raging through him, and Butters and Breeze because they could pick up the hostility in the air and were unnerved by it.
Meanwhile, two little ponies and one baby Kangaskhan were sound asleep far away from the others. But even in her dreams, Roo could tell that something was wrong with her family. She didn't know what it was, nor did she know how she could pick it up, but her dreams clearly involved something happening with her mother, and Felix was involved as well. She wouldn't know about the disturbance when she awoke, but at that time, she did know now that, somewhere, something was happening. Something that would affect her on a monumental scale.
But she wouldn't know tomorrow, when it would count. She'd dismiss it as a dream, and it would be forgotten until she faced the reality for herself.