~Leaving My Life

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It was a Sunday. I hate Sundays, doesn't everypony? I mean, it's really meant to be some supposed God's day, when everyone goes out of their way to worship some fictional character who promises to help; who is apparently supposed to bring salvation-

Everypony here is the same way, waiting for the end, pretty much. Though, with the exception of my father and I, we hope to be somewhat of iconoclast characters with what we plan to do, on such an ironic day.

We're going to leave our history here to die and start anew, as father and daughter.

I've heard only stories of some of the feats that ponies and Pokemon have accomplished together; from building a prestigious bridge that connects two whole islands in the neighboring Unova region, to simply saving lives using electric Pokemon as an emergency power source-

It's all so amazing...

Everything I know about Pokemon--and I barely know anything--leaves me in an endless wanting to break away from this doomed society, in the middle of the ocean, for goodness' sake. We're totally oblivious to anything else segregated by fog; whatever adventures lie ahead of us, and I'm more than ready for them.

I'm ready to experience anything and everything that's new.

My name is Flutter May Shy, and I can't wait to leave my life...

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The Kalos region had never been blessed with the simple gift of Pokemon. There have been tall tales of a legendary Fairy Pokemon as an overseer of this land, a protector; a God. But we're-

No...

They're just an insane cult with no guidance.

I'm really sorry to say this, but it sucks to be them.

"Hey Fluttershy." My father called my name, my real name. With a simple response, I instantly answered him.

"Yes?"

Our house was cluttered along with the rest of the homes in a mundane single-file line, with not much space between each one. The interiors of each were all the same, but ours was different. My father took it upon himself to construct and add a hallway and a whole other room that was adjacent to mine.

My view fell from my bed, which I had neatly made for no real reason other than habit, to the kitchen right across from my room. The living room was actually own my room technically, and, while it was awkward for the kitchen to be visible with no trouble on my part, I accepted it. The couch might have been a bit more comfortable than my bed, which was pushed against a half-windowed wall in the same room, but sleeping on it just never seemed right to me.

My dad was still in his room; the one he had built himself.

He still hadn't responded.

"Dad?"

"Hey, have you ever given the whole Fairy Pokemon thing any real thought?"

He finally came out of his room and peeked out from the hallway, making his stature apparent as he walked the rest of the way out. He was of average adult height for a male, and his greyish beige fur was wet and still a little drippy from the shower he had just taken. He had a long brown mane and a short tail of the same color-both also; both of which were still a bit damp.

His name was Prezzi.

"Not really. Have you?"

He gave me a half-toothy smile as he took in a lungful of air. But he didn't seem very definite in his answer.

"Well, it makes me all the more eager for that ship to get here, that's for sure."

Was he sighing? Either way, I continued elaborating on my attempts to decide on what and what not to pack. A saddlebag could only carry so many things...

"You said that's your ship, right?" I said, as I felt the situation turn a bit awkward. "I don't know if you bought that before mom died or not, but I think I remember you saying that it was."

"You've got the story straight, yeah. I bought that thing when you were just a cute little foal. I mean, you're a cute little thing now, but-" He stopped himself; the situation had definitely become a bit awkward, that was for sure. It could have been because I mentioned something I felt I shouldn't have, but I couldn't make out why, exactly. "Yeah, that's it."

My mother, Snaps, committed suicide about a decade ago when I was only two or three. She's the reason why me and dad were so adamant about leaving and sticking to our plans.

She wasn't afraid to be the only indifference in an entire society, but the fact that her death was caused by such in-differences, the additional fact of where she died--the ocean--got us to thinking that this society isn't worth saving. It was best to trade our lives here for something new. And I could only hope she would be proud of us if she were still with us.

We'd take her along, no problem, and we knew she would have liked that very much.

After talking a bit about our eventual destination, we picked up our pre-packed bags from the night before and headed out the front door. He made his orange duffel bag look like it weighed nothing. It was a silly thought, but maybe he didn't have much in there.

Impossible. He, much as I, would need as many things as we could take with us, at least for safe keeping. But again, I merely dismissed it as an overly exaggerated thought.

He exited first, and just as I was about to, I took a glance at my bed, neatly made. A stuffed doll of my own figure sat upright against the wall. It was heavily slept with, as my mother had it for me. It was a treasure to me.

Call it a childish instinct, but I just had to run in and get it. I grabbed it in my hooves and slipped its midsection under the strap of the saddlebag on my back. Then, I started to walk back outside, but before I could finally feel the warmth of the sun, I swore I heard something call out something that sounded like my name, like a whisper.

Was it Mother?

"Mom?" In turn, I spoke to none other than myself, because there really was no one else in the room with me. My dad was outside, gladly waiting on me, and perhaps taking some final glances of his own, hoping to spot something he'd like to take with him.

Nonetheless, however, I spoke to her, and I made myself as clear as ever if she was even here with me. if she could hear me--if she was listening at all.

"Are you proud of me, Mom?"

My mother and I were of an above average relationship. Despite how little time I had spent with her, the majority of the walk to Coumarine's piers was spent discussing both of our relationships with my father.

"I know she'd be proud of you, Fluttershy." I wasn't sure why he always addressed me by my birth name the whole day thus far, but I really didn't think too much of it at the time, as excitement had consumed me, and would consume me entirely.

I felt respected when he did that, anyway.

"Yeah, I know she would too."

"You know... " Prezzi stopped himself, as if he couldn't find the right words to say. His mouth was open for half a second before he came forth with them. "She always wanted to go to Sinnoh..."

"That's where we're going, right?" I don't know exactly why I asked such a thing, but I guess I was just wanting a little more information.

"Yep, and I've got a memento of hers that she'd probably like us to take there."

"Really? What is it?"

At some point, hindered a bit by a detour down a scenic trail filled with pleasant chat, we had reached its end, coming clean from the urban road and traversing onto cold, concrete ground. There were plenty of stands around the edges of the enormous stone platform we now stood upon, but it was either too early for the owners to operate and sell their wares, or they had just simply traded their business for their beliefs.

"Look at this," Prezzi instructed as he reached for his bag and pulled out a brightly hued object. "I don't remember if I've shown this to you or not."

It was a huge chunk of some kind of mineral. It gleamed with its strong, bright orange transparency, and it radiated a special glow. Just looking at it made my mind grind its gears against each other--it was so beautiful.

"Wow, no you haven't!" I slurred, excitedly. "What is it exactly?"

"Your mom found it on one of her mining expeditions in the far east. I think she said it was a cave by Couriway. Anyway, one of the Elite Four is actually from Sinnoh, and she explained the purpose of two other special stones that were found in the same expedition.

"I had no idea she was into mining."

"Oh yeah. Made her feel like she was doing Kalos good."

"Hehe, so what's it called dad?"

"They don't know. They do know it's not from this place, though. I just call it your mom's Rock." I couldn't help but giggle a bit at that.

Afterwards, I was going to tell him how I could see my mother's spark from her rock--the one that only added to my inspiration and resolve to leave this place with no regrets. On our trip, I almost knew in my mind that I would remind myself of at least two or three other reasons, too.

But then, I was cut off by the bellows of my dad's ship that was coming closer and closer, piercing through a thick fog that failed to slow it down.

Ponies of all ages were seen coming out, snapping photos and pointing at the apex of Prism Tower, highlighting other curious areas of the region they were about to explore and possibly call home. Cheers were becoming more and more clear as we waited on the sidelines for the ship.

"There she is!" Prezzi called, aloud. "Glad to see it's still in one piece! Heh."

I felt like I should have waved at the coming tourists, so I did. It didn't feel weird at all, seeing as how I was going to be a tourist myself, soon enough.

Finally, the ship cruised between two piers that even surpassed the ships length, and a minute after it stationed, ponies started pouring from the mechanically extended walkways. It took about ten more minutes for the walkways and piers to be cleared and empty.

It was time to leave.

"Are you ready?" Prezzi asked me, and he then made some sort of snorting sound, accompanied by my look of silly confusion. "Pfft, what am I talking about, you're-"

"I'm ready, dad."

I teared up as I confirmed my passion behind my own words. Now that the situation was actually in front of me, I might have been scared, and I might have been more anxious than I could handle. I could have been guilty or angry or absentminded...

I didn't know what I was. Yet, when I trudged my legs forward toward the ship, and just before I was going to climb up the walkway-

"FLUTTERSHY!!"

Someone from the far distance behind me called my name in clear desperation. I didn't recognize the voice at first, but I could at least tell it was feminine. The figure was coming at me so fast to where it wasn't a question anymore as to who it was.

That blonde mane and tail flowing freely in the gusts she created. The heavy hoof steps she trampled the concrete with. Those emerald green eyes now only a few feet in front of me...

It was my best friend, Applejack, from Camphrier Town.

"Applejack??" I was shocked, really. I didn't think we were good enough friends for her to come all this way to see me off. She knew about my leaving, yes, but I soon found my deductible reasoning was futile, as I was aware of how capable she was, both in her body and in her mind.

"I took today off so I could see you off. Heheh..."

"Oh, Applejack..."

Alright, here's where the Shy part of my name comes into my life.

Friends...

"I really appreciate that. It means a whole lot, but you- I mean, it must have taken you a long time to get here."

"Please, I wouldn't miss your going away for the world."

The ship then signaled that it was getting close to its time of departure. I was close enough to it that I didn't have to worry about that. Applejack continued. "So, uh... Sinnoh's an awfully cold place, you know..."

"I just hope I'll find a nice cute Pokemon to cuddle up with." I tried to joke around, but Applejack took it the wrong way and started crying under the warm-looking cap she was wearing. "Oh gosh, Applejack I'm sorry..."

"No. No, it's not you. I just don't... I just don't want to see you go, now that it's already happenin'." She wiped and flung her tears to the side and looked back at me with a hearty, confident chuckle. However, I could see tears coming, reflecting the color of her lustrous emerald eyes with help from the sun behind me.

"I'm really going to miss you, Applejack. I'm sorry I didn't arrange a final sleepover or something nice like that."

"Heeyyy..." She stopped to think, and quickly. "Here."

She took her warm cap off of her head and set it on my own, fixing and positioning it just right. I just let her do it as I looked at it in a strange sort of awe, eyes rolled upward. It was a solid color green with an image of an apple embroidered into the lower-left of its thick base. "You'll need it more than I will."

"Applejack, no-"

"Even so, I could ask my granny to make me another one. On her time, O' course."

"Well then, I guess that's okay..." I looked up at her with my own eyes, as enormous their expression was. "Thank you so much! I'll wear it al-"

And then she kissed me. It wasn't forceful, but it was sudden. It lasted for about six whole seconds, then she released me, blushing as she saw that I was doing the same, only with a brighter tint of red.

"...I'll always wear it." Blushing profusely, I had lost my train of thought, overtaken by the delicate contact that our lips just shared. "Oh my... I don't know what to say."

"I love you Fluttershy. If, ahem, ya couldn't tell before. Hehe..."

"Oh, I knew something was up, but not really something as strong as the kind of love where kissing comes in." I chuckled just as she did. "I love you too, Applejack. I always will."

At the worst of all times, the ship had to clear it's smog in the sky, bellowing and echoing its voice all around.

And now it was time to leave the one I loved...

"Write to me, okay?" Applejack cried a bit more, but then looked back up at me and gave a huge, contagious smile, almost forcing me do the same as I looked up at the deck to see if my father was watching or waiting on my. I couldn't see him, though.

"I will, Applejack!" My eyes gleamed. "I'll take so many pictures and send them all to you, and I'll tell you about the whole place and everything, anywhere and everywhere!! I'll even tell you about the Pokemon I see!!!"

"I'd like that very much, Fluttershy. But... I s'pose it's time for you to get going, now..." Applejack had the sweetest smile, and she shared one with me out of nothing much other than respect for me, and the promises I made for her.

"Yeah..."

At the last second, before I boarded the walkway, I gave Applejack a quick kiss of my own. She knew I really meant it, but she also knew I just didn't have the time to make it as long as I wanted to, even though I honestly tried to. Applejack gave me one last glance before she turned away and ran back the way she came.

The last thing I saw of her, however, was the swaying of her hair from my rising perspective, all as I walked up to the ship's ground floor.

But just like the way I had seen her out of the corner of my eye from then on, I'll always have a deep place for her in my heart.

~Overwhelming Fantasy

View Online

My hope

The pitiful island that was the habitat for my old life didn't escape my sight until it completely disappeared, becoming more and more of a spec in the dense fog that surrounded us once again. As I had resolved before, and had just taken the first steps toward my said promise, I had left my old life in place of a new one. One that was unknown and waiting for me.

I just wished Applejack hadn't made me feel so guilty about doing so…

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I kept my head down as I scanned and navigated the deck, but my eyes were looking up for Prezzi. My ridiculous bangs protected them from the slight sting of the dew in the air, manifested by the fog all around the ship I boarded. An enormous green carpeted walkway almost greeted me at my hooves. It was roofed by a slab of thick concrete supported by many blue pillars that were very close to each other. It went on until about a foot before the walkway ended to the outside area, whereas the other end led to a wide sliding glass door into the interior.

On each side, and in front of its end, were an array of activities. There was a gigantic gated pool dead ahead of me. It was in the shape of a huge and simple circle, and it looked like the deep ends of it went down pretty far. To the left of it were closed-in tennis courts will the balls scattered in an almost curious manner, and to the right of where the pillars ended was a wide line of chairs where ponies could just sit down and relax—take a good look at the scenic diorama they would traverse across.

The parallel east and west ends of the body came together at the north, hosted by a lifelike statue of what I believed was that of a Pokemon. It was a serpent-like creature, and it's coat of scales represented a rainbow, and it shined as brightly as the fog would allow it to. Adult-sized rails bordered those edges of the deck and drew the line from where you could lean and sightsee. The shimmering colors gave off the slight sight of a rainbow or two, as all the colors pierced though the thick moisture in the air:

And that very sight was what led me to him.

I finally found my father on the enormous deck and started heading toward him immediately, smiling as the iridescent gleam flashed my gaze goodbye. He was to the left, where another break area—more chairs—area was, and he had his head leaning out toward the ocean view, his upper body weighed on his forelegs, also weighed upon the railing in which he gripped it.

"There you are!" I called "This thing... it's huge!" I had never been on a ship as big as this one; not in my lifetime. Until now.

"Isn't it? It's all that remains of my pride and joy...after you, of course."

I knew he meant well, and I always feel so incredible when he tells me stuff like that, He didn't sound too confident with his words, but I didn't think much of it. "Thanks, dad. Are you feeling okay?" It was a clear sign that something was up.

"I'm sure I feel fine, Fluttershy. Are you okay?"

He used my actual name, almost casually and without thinking. "Missing mom..?

"No." He dodged my question. More signs. "The question here is if you're okay. I don't know about you, but you have the kind of face that you get when we run outta decaf. I'm wondering if you have the mood to match."

Oh gosh, it was true. I was a little addicted to coffee. And despite that, I decided to drop my investigation due to my father's shell hardening. "Hehe, yeah I'm fine. But it's just a little sad because I had to tell my best friend that I'd never see her again."

"Listen."

"Well, I didn't tell her that, exactly-"

"Hey, listen."

I shut my mouth. My father was the best person for adolescents like myself to talk to for advice and stuff. But if he ever interrupts you like he just did me, then you'd better listen the heck up.

"Hm?" No doubt my ears were open. "Lecture time?"

"Heh, yeah, it is."

Not ironic at all—and actually quite poetic—he kept his ocean gaze as his long mane lightly swayed in the cool winds. The breeze was so brisk, he had to close his eye, and his left was the only one I could see. He looked like he was meditating or something. "I don't know what it's like to be a brand-new teenage girl with a father that gives her everything she could ever want." I giggled because that part was actually true, "But I do know, or actually believe, you did the right thing back there."

"I'm seriously going to write to her every day."

"And I don't doubt it at all!" He blushed just a bit, maybe remembering how he was in his past.

"I'll make it a habit, like brushing my teeth. All I need is twenty-one days." Prezzi and I laughed at the possible coincidental thought of me writing a letter while brushing my teeth that clearly showed off my love for coffee.

Now how in the hay would that work?

"I don't see her around a lot. Applejack, right?"

"Mmhmm. She lives in Camphrier. In the berry fields right by the town."

"She must be a hard worker then."

"Oh yeah. I've seen her work... "

After a while, my father gave me a smuggy kind of half-grin and his ears perked up suddenly. "So you two have something really special, I know and respect that. But is she your girlfriend or something?" I wondered if he was thinking about my relationship with Applejack during the whole silence spent watching the

Heh. "Maaayybeee..." I was obviously apprehensive to flat out tell him I had a crush on her. There's nothing I needed to hide from him; nothing to fear.

"Cuz that'd make even more sense since you kissed her."

I blushed and turned a little."You saw that?" I instantly forgave him with a flustered turn of my face as I pretended to look out at the gentle waves the ship was carving its way through. In the end, I joined him in actually taking a good look at that very sea we were crossing over. But then, and almost so suddenly, the blanket of fog around the ship ceased its honestly annoying presence and exited into beautiful weather, similar to Northwestern Kalos— especially Shalour City.

Speaking of Shalour City, there was a time when me and Applejack took it upon ourselves to take a tour all the way up the Tower of Mastery, just to have something to do-and when we made it up to its apex, the sun turned in for the day, and it's rays bounced and distributed along the ocean so beautifully.

That was when I told Applejack how I felt about her...

Prezzi and I both felt the ship catch up on its speed as the sun warmed our coats. In the distance ahead of the ship's front, we saw some sort of movement in the water, as the shallow waves on the surface proved it was something big.

"Do you think that could be a Pokemon?" I asked him. "Like, an actual Pokemon, dad? "All he did was keep his eyes on the water as he spoke back.

"That's a pretty big one if it is!" He was clearly impressed; the details he provided told me so. "Looks like it could be a lot of them instead of just one big fish." With that, I started to look in other directions to try and spot some other similar happenings.

Trust me, I was very excited.

"Fluttershy look at this!" Prezzi called out at the scene he was witnessing, and I looked into the same general direction he was. I don't know how I missed it. "It's..."

It was so beautiful.

In the distance, both just past the view from the rails and farther, there was a vertically arched family of manta rays leaping out of the water and diving back in. It didn't look like they would have been able to fly as they were, however briefly, but I suppose that a valid explanation was because they were Pokemon, and they were magical.

Underneath either one of their wings was another smaller, different looking creature that nuzzled its protector close. They were both so happy together, with their cries of happiness and appropriately assumed smiles on their faces. The droplets of water they let off bent the sunlight and resulted in a small rainbow for as long as they were above the surface of the ocean. Prezzi took a well-timed picture of this and showed me as soon as it was developed through the cameras auto printing feature. Quite handy, really.

But the picture, sorry to say, couldn't compare to the real thing.

"This is incredible!"

I was able to see many reflective rainbows behind the first one, according to my view of the phenomenon. Copious amounts of moisture still floated in the air, assisting in the immersion of the gorgeous scene. Seconds later, all around me and my father, ponies came out from the inside of the ship's lobby to witness the happening with much greater clarity. Children cried out in awe as they looked up and pointed at the sight and either just let their jaws hang or hugged their parents in a dose of overwhelmed emotions that they could even understand clearly.

I certainly wasn't the first to conform with their actions, or the creatures', far from it. I happily embraced the moment and reached over his back, resting my head on his shoulders, still watching them. "Thanks dad."

I'll also happily admit that I started to tear up again. It was from both the thrill of seeing real Pokemon for the first time, as well as the symbolism in their actions however everyday they were for them. those Pokemon had just then given me. "Thanks for taking me on this trip with you..."

"Fluttershy..." He feel quiet until he leaned his head against mine, the two of us taking every bit of this wonderful scene in our memories forever.

"I wish mom was here, so much," I said, low. This real, moving image was symbolic to my memory of her—she would take a photo of anything beautiful. She was able to see the beauty in life.

"She is, Fluttershy," he told me. "She is, and she loves you."

I sniffled. "Oh dad..." And then I let loose and cried into his coat.

I was the type who would, unfortunately, let my insecurities get in my way...

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"Fluttershy?"

"Mmm, that'd sure be...nice. Appletree, I choose you..."

I had fallen asleep with my face—and my speech words—muffled in my dad's super warm coat. I awoke only for Prezzi to tell me I was only out for three hours. I was sitting down now, all curled up in a chair. "What'd I miss?" I asked. "Where is Bloomberg?"

"Bloomberg?"

"The tree. You know. You were there." I slurred in my speech as I was still majorly groggy. Whatever I was dreaming about, it involved AppleJack again.

"Well, you haven't missed much. They stopped a few minutes after you fell asleep, and then I took you over here to sit us down. But I think you should catch up on your sleep if you can."

"But I'm comfy right here," I teased.

I sure was lovable back then...

"I have a weird feeling we'll be there at noon tomorrow. Not sure why, but maybe I'm just itching as much as you are."

"You know it," I mimicked.

"Okay. Inside, then." His coat may have been as soft as a thin fur pillow, but it wouldn't smell very comfortable if it was wet. Heh.

----------

When we approached the motion-sensored glass doors, they opened for us, and when we started hearing our hoofsteps on the bright yellow carpeting underneath us, so did my eyes.

The tower-like hub looked incredible from the outside, but it's interior obviously didn't need to compare. The golden carpet encompassed a center pedestal that praised a pillar reaching all the way to the top of the tower. From there, the floor was raised by five steps, and in three compassed directions were different service departments.

There was a wide-open dining area to my left, a very expansive souvenir shop to my right, and quite a distance from where the merchant stood was the lengthy base of the fantastic spiraling staircase that surrounded the great pillar. And all around, everything seemed to glisten under the many chandeliers and luminescent, holiday-style lighting that adorned the fronts of every counter and the end of every hallway, and the middle of every conversation, in an essence. The ponies here weren't stuck up like I imagined they would be, like in any stories, or even in my own mind, given my experiences with society.

I'm sure there was even more than my eyes met. But ahead of me, mostly diverting my attention, was the call of my father's name:

"Prezzi?" the stallion said, sounding very surprised. "Why, what are you doing here, of all places?"

"You can call it one helluva coincidence," my dad responded. "It's so nice to see you again!"

"Quite a surprise, sir!"

Prezzi met the strange elderly stallion to the left of the room and gave him a brohoof. His acquaintance slower, but succeeded. I hesitated to follow behind, but I did so with a smile on my face, awed by absolutely everything. "Indeed it is. How've you been?" he continued.

I wasn't shy enough to the point where I would isolate myself from life itself, but I had that potential inside me. Deep within me.

"Oh, nothing other than the usual. You know, surviving and such." The two of them chuckled briefly, and then Prezzi introduced us to each other.

"Rowan, this is my daughter, Fluttershy." I pretended not to notice my dad smiling at me as I walked up to him as he did me, and extended a friendly greeting, as well as a hoof. He took it and held it tightly for a while before letting go. Gotta be confident in myself.

He was a slightly shorter adult than what I was used to seeing. He had a very light blue coat, and on his right flank was image of three red and white objects that resembled common fishing lures. The color from his short mane and short tail had been aged out, but his mane, more than anything else, was ruffled beyond initial understanding. But it didlook awfully stylish, anyway, all rigid the way it was in a few areas.

"Another young one, I see. It's really nice to meet you, Fluttershy. Truly!"

"Fluttershy, this is my old teacher before he became a professor of Pokemon, Rowan. He used to teach biology in Geosenge town. Still would be grounded there if he hadn't taken that up as a hobby instead."

"Oh, Hi..." I blushed when that last part registered, but I also became anxious and excited. "Oh, hi!" It must have been the mention of Pokemon again.

"Well, hello again!" Rowan laughed once more.

"So...are you coming back from your research in Kalos or something?" I asked, my question not exactly following the logic of the situation I had just overheard. Again, I'm sure I was excited because I was going to hear more about Pokemon. I was sure that was it.

"I'm actually coming from Unova, from the past route this ship took. When I heard there was a rare occurrence of DNA splicing between two legendary Pokemon, there was no way I could pass up the opportunity to bring the study back to the northern regions. But yes, research!"

"That sounds awesome!" I squeaked.

"I heard about that too, with Unova right next to us and all. It froze about half of the region over!"

"Eheh, let's just say i'm glad my work there is done. Even though that has been remedied, It's going to be nice to be back home for a while."

"You deserve a break," I said, still intensely excited. "You have no idea how much I admire guys like you!"

"Fluttershy's never seen Pokemon before. You know how Kalos is..." Prezzi made a quick frown, but retaliated with a confident smile. "But the two of us are going to start the greatest adventure of our lives there in Sinnoh."

"There's nothing not dislike there. I know you two will love it!" He gave a comforting smile as well.

"Hm..." Prezzi was thinking out loud, with vocals. "Do you think you could help her start off when we get there?" Professor Rowan gave a wide smile at him.

"Of course! That's part of what I do." He then gave me the same look. "In fact..."

At that moment, the bottom of the central pillar shed three outer sheets of its structure to the left, sliding around to the back. Inside the core laid three of those similar circular looking objects; the red and white ones. Also, at that moment, the waiters in the dining area and the mare at the souvenir shop, and anyone else with almost nothing to do, both with nothing to do, watched the scene in front of me, hooves at their sides, almost entranced by what was transpiring.

"I can give you one right now if you'd like! Professor Juniper over in Unova took the liberty of breeding the three starting Pokemon of the region for me, and I'd be more than glad to let her know that one of her Pokemon is out on an adventure with you, Fluttershy. Serving a great cause, it would!"

My heart sunk. It seemed like Rowan was putting on an act, but still, my heart...

I had no idea what to do or what to say, or how to do it or how to say it, whatever I would have said at the moment. I only knew I couldn't be happier, and I would definitely agree. But I had so many thoughts reigning my mind at once.

There were three of them, after all.

"Holy--wow!" Prezzi held his breath but filtered his shout of excitement for me through his lips. "Fluttershy, this is incredible! Thank you, Rowan!"

"Heeeeeyyy." Rowan's modesty concealed his pride. Maybe he was a little embarrassed by such praise that we were both giving him "I'm taking her under my wing, aren't I? Kind of?"

"Yeah." I think it was the same for my dad. He had no words also.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my GAAAWSH!!"

Professor Rowan suddenly swung his head gently to his left, and a white lens flew in front of his right eye. Underneath his crazy mane, the was a compact headset-looking device that consisted of nothing more than the lens, the clip that swung all around his right ear, and a microphone that curved in front of his mouth at its anatomy's end. Nothing could be seen at the opposite side of the lens that I saw. He then looked at the objects inside and merely said a single word.

"This is Snivy." A transparent hologram then appeared in our circle for me and Prezzi to see. It was the image of what appeared to be a bipedal snake or lizard. Rowan read from his eye lens. "Snivy is the Grass Snake Pokemon. Intelligent and composed, they photosynthesize by bathing their bodies and tails in sunlight, and when they aren't feeling well, their tails droop."

He then looked at another one of the objects and spoke again. The hologram that appeared was of a pig with ears in the fashion of a tied resembling a 'V'. It had the curly tail like a pig, too.

"Tepig, the Fire Pig Pokemon. It can deftly dodge its foes attacks while shooting fireballs through its nose. When afflicted by a cold, its fire becomes pitch-black smoke instead."

Once more he read. The third image was of a cute otter Pokemon with a seashell clipped to the thin fur on its chest. I was looking all around me, at everyone who was watching the presentation. Then I took a good look at the digital Pokemon showing off its moves.

"Aww!" It was so adorable.

"Oshawott, the Sea Otter Pokemon. It fights using the scalchop on its stomach, made from the same elements as claws. It removes it to retaliate quickly by slashing."

"Wow..." I mumbled out loud. "They're all so..."

"Cute? Aren't they?" said Rowan, now with all three miniature holograms displayed in a triad shape.

"Yeah!" admitted my I-don't-ever-think-anything-is-cute kind of father. But, again, this is all-new for him, too. I was in his exact shoes. "I like them all."

"They're all so great! And adorable!! And they all sound so awesome!!"

"Of course, we'll be arriving tomorrow afternoon, so you can think about which one you want overnight." The five-layered opening in the base of the central pillar suddenly closed.

"I think I'll do that, yeah" I said. My heart was still racing tens of times each second.

"I'll see you in the morning then, in case I forget to tell you later." Rowan started to head up the glimmering stairway. Prezzi and I followed. "I was thinking we could use this opportunity to catch up, Prezzi. Maybe tell Fluttershy a bit of our history, yes?"

"Did you see all those Pokemon outside earlier?" He had to open with that. Hell, though, I would too.

"Yes I did. The Mantine Migration is always as beautiful as the first time I saw it."

"Whoa." I thought; the only one I could muster. "You mean you've seen it more than once?"

"But it does have a tendency to make its witnesses feel a little sleepier than normal.. I assume that's why you're so tired?"

"Her sleep habit has been off for a while now. But I believe you," said Prezzi. He put his hoof on the staircase rail and yawned. "I'm definitely feeling it, that's for sure."

"I've just been looking forward to this for a long time, ever since we started talking about this whole trip, really." I felt exactly as I had described, and I honestly doubted I was going to sleep easy.

"It's a real pity that your father has lived his whole life without these wondrous creatures. And you, as well. You're still young, but you could perhaps do what most other Pokemon Trainers do when they start out and challenge the Pokemon Gyms. Given, after they make a few friends along the way, of course."

"And hey, look at this!" Prezzi piped up." We'll be right next to each other!"

"Oh that's so cool!" I could only keep myself from exploding for so much longer

"Yeah, it is!"

At the topmost level the stairway took us, the wide circular floor held only three rooms, with the walkway circumventing the sights when you were to look down, which I had done. I wasn't sure how high we had gone, as I was growing ever more tired and paying less attention to much else, but I could still see some passersby.

There was one room for me and Prezzi, one for Rowan, and the last would be unoccupied. Dad had already insisted upon sharing one of the rooms with me, as he teased me: 'I'm not gonna let you sneak out and get a head start. It was getting too dark to see anything except some lingering gray clouds below, as I glanced out the window.

"Well again, this was quite a surprise to see you, Prezzi. And it's still surely nice to meet you, Fluttershy."

"I'm so glad. Thanks for showing us the Pokemon too!" I tried to hold in a yawn while speaking. "I know I can't sleep tonight," I literally talking through it, "with how excited I am!"

"Me too, thanks teach!"

I'm sure your dad will make sure you're all rested up for what's to come tomorrowI'll see you two in the morning, then!" Another quick glace back, accompanied with a wide smile, and he slowly closed his door behind him.

"Good night!" Me and Prezzi spoke in a choir almost perfectly as we spoke and headed to our room.

"Good night!"

---------

I knew one thing for certain. Once my Prezzi's head hit the pillow, he instantly knocked out. He started gently snoring about four minutes afterward. It was quiet and tolerable, but I ended up staying up for another hour before I gave in myself. I thought about everything; from those three Pokemon and the fact that I'm still going to Sinnoh, all the way to the reason why I felt so tired so in first place—the Mantine Migration. But most of all, with all this, I knew I was trying in part to repress my feelings without Applejack.

And at the very end of the day— the twenty-third hour—I ended up crying for the half of it, and then I just nuzzled my the plush version of myself, pretending it was either a Pokemon, or her. I told myself that it wouldn't be so bad, and I did my best to stop thinking and just go to bed. I had worn myself out with all the spastic celebration I was making after Prezzi fell asleep.

--------

Success took another half-an-hour. But, just before I fell fully asleep, I heard a quiet sound against the door; I was sure of it. I couldn't do much though, as I was caught in the clutches of my drowsiness. The sound continued for another few seconds after it paused, and then it was gone.