Erin

  —

  "Nurse Joy, I told you, I do not need a full checkup! I just need a piece of metal out of my butt-cheek! Please!" I mean, yes, I could probably use one, but I wanted to sleep!

  There's pushing yourself, there's pushing yourself further, then there's practically sprint-sneaking through an underground Team Rocket base while decapitating and stabbing as much as possible! Let's not forget the part where they eventually wised up and it became an actual battle! Adrenaline dumps wear off, and they make you crash!

  What did I do when I crashed? I kept fucking going, because those fucking pigs were herding me! ME! I wait in an interrogation room for an hour, fury rising, then Lance finally shows up! Okay, to be fair, he had rushed, thanks to Alex, but still!

  Then I have to talk! About fucking everything! I am so physically and emotionally exhausted right now I don't know how I am functioning, so mentally exhausted I might actually be having a waking nightmare, and I just wanted the bullet out of my ass!

  "Dear, I'm going to have to insist you go with the Nurse for a full checkup." Nooo!

  I turned and glared at mom. It was a very weak glare, unfortunately…

  "I will pass out on my feet! In fact, I'm honestly not sure if I am awake, or if this is some horrible nightmare where two kind, caring individuals somehow torture me! You know I don't lie! I am seeing swirls in my vision, mom! I need this bullet out, a pain kill- no pain killers, I need a bullet out, and I need to sleep!" She was looking worried now, but I fucking knew what her response was going to be from the look in her eyes.

  "That wasn't a request, Erin."

  Fuck!

  I just want to sleep!

  —

  Patricia Greenwood

  —

  "-ectly healthy. She's in amazing shape for a fourteen year old, in fact. The bullet was removed and the entry wound stitched up, but she is not going to like sitting down for a week or so. She's currently asleep, actually. We were wondering…" The Nurse assistant trailed off and I smiled.

  "We'll move her, yes." She breathed a heavy sigh of relief and I almost laughed at the poor woman.

  Erin was… worse than she had been when I had met her the first time. Her aura-tinted mind made her basically a tiny Leto, and people could feel it when she wasn't reigning it in, like when she slept… She wasn't like Charizard, or even Maddy, but she radiated danger. Considering her current kill count, and the powerful scent of blood on her jacket, I didn't blame them for not wanting to get close to her.

  I mean, I wasn't scared of her aura, but I wasn't going to move her, either! She had those damn Blades back on! For all I know she would lash out in her sleep, might have trained to! Almost certainly not, considering how they all slept together in a cuddle pile of all things, but still! Let Hecate or Cerberus do it.

  Cerberus was thankfully completely calm and affectionate with Erin, but with us? Well, one head was basically the old Cerberus, and sure, he loved us. The other, newer head?

  It didn't hate us, not quite, but it was not happy when anyone other than Erin's team came close to her, even us. Lance had told me that head was more or less Cerberus' instincts, and even with whatever aura craziness Erin worked on her Pokemon, Zweilous were insanely dangerous for very good reasons. That head was every bit of aggression, fury, bloodlust, everything that we never saw from Cerberus… Cerberus obeyed me, sure, but only half of him liked me right now. They should have been fighting each other, and they had almost fought to eat more than the other when I took them to the cafeteria, but somehow they didn't… It was very close, though. Very.

  Terrifying, too. Also very.

  I really could not wait for Cerberus to Evolve again. Zweilous were insane!

  Seraphina was ecstatic. There was no other way to put it. The tiny runt of a Salandit had gone from barely a foot long to almost eight feet long in a day, and she couldn't be happier. She moved around on all fours, but could easily stand up and walk bipedally, if slightly awkwardly. It wasn't all good news, however. She had it completely under control now, but she had accidentally released some pheromones when we picked up their food… Nothing happened, and nobody was hurt, but that poor employee was so embarrassed.

  I felt really bad for him, honestly…

  Hecate had always been a delight at all times before this, but now? She was so adorable, sweet, and thoughtful you forget she was now an Alpha Psychic that can and will apparently just lift a table out of her way instead of simply walking around it…

  The poor thing wanted to talk to us, too, but she knew that we had to get used to the sensation. She didn't have full control over it like she would as a Hatterene, so it caused us quite a bit of pain. Not Erin, of course, but she wanted to talk to us so badly now that she finally could… Hopefully soon. It was a well-documented phenomena that the mind would adjust, it just didn't feel great doing it.

  "In fact, I'll go ahead and go move her." The Nurse assistant gave me a grateful look as I turned and walked towards my daughter's exam room, Hecate following me.

  I tried not to think too much about Erin and her… issues. I hadn't been all that surprised by her confession, really. She had spilled so much to me, because there was nobody else to spill it to… I wished she would forgive herself, or at least attempt to, but she had hated herself, and still felt so guilty… I hoped Rotom was right about it just taking time, both to forgive and to adjust to this world, not to mention Erin's views on reality being wrong… and I think Rotom was, about all of it, but I still couldn't help but worry…

  Uselessly.

  —

  "As her mother, I have full authority over any rescues she may 'acquire'. I am also the owner of a Rescue Ranch I built specifically to help the victims she saves. So please, tell me why you cannot release those same rescues to me. Please speak very clearly so that Rotom here can hear you. I am very interested in why a police officer is attempting to stop me from helping victims!" My voice grew louder as I practically snarled out my next words.

  "I don't trust this department one bit, and especially not to do the right thing! You already held my daughter illegally once, and I do not trust your incompetent, corrupt department to not somehow 'lose track' of them before the interviews tomorrow! That is why I am getting them all right now! So please, enlighten me, Jenny!" I was furious.

  She just glared at me harder.

  "I cannot in good conscience release over two hundred rescue Pokemon to you! You would die! So no, I will not be releasing them to you. Smaller batches, I can't stop you. All at once? I can and am!" I smiled at her. Like Erin. Even if she was trying to do the right thing, IF, I was not in the mood for it.

  At all.

  "Rotom, Lance is very busy dealing with other incompetent, corrupt police, so did you already send that to Professor Oak, or is it just… hanging out?" Her face paled as Rotom giggled.

  "Oh, I already sent it, Ms. Greenwood! It looks like someone saw the message, it's marked as read, and he should be watching the video right now, so… give it a minute…" I truly enjoyed the look on the officer's face as Rotom just kept going with a huge grin.

  "Any… second… now… soon… this is going to be good… Ah! Hello, Professor!" It turned and I briefly saw the very irritated face of Professor Oak.

  I think this Officer Jenny needed a change of underwear…

  I forget how powerful the man is sometimes, especially when he drops by simply to record Petals dances! Or to interview Wukong about controlling his rage! Or just for dinner when Charizard manages to pull him away from his work! Lower realm, Hell, higher realm, none of the above, it didn't matter, Erin's recipes were delicious…

  —

  I was grateful I had made my Ranch so large… I also needed a lot more sleeping space. I had thought I may get thirty or so Pokemon in one 'batch', not two hundred and sixty two! I had already called Mrs. Maple to have her ask Wukong to hunt more, and Petals to add some more plots to the non-hill areas. We could use a lot more food, and soon.

  I wasn't going to release them now, of course. They were in full stasis at the moment, there was no need to make them worry overnight, or endanger anyone. Tomorrow we could interview them and work on the contracts with Hope and… Stabby.

  I knew Erin was brave and vicious these days, even more than she had been before, but the casual ease with which she interacted with fae these days was not easy to deal with, aura-tinted mind or not. Not that Leaf was any better, but Leaf owned Hope's soul, and Hope wouldn't let anything happen to Leaf.

  Stabby liked Erin, though. A lot, actually. In fact, Leaf had used the word love, and so had Erin when referring to him… They were both… killers. They were also not… bad people. I had no problems with what Erin did to Team Rocket, I was more worried about what it may do to her. Stabby might enjoy stabbing people, yes, but mainly Cleffa and Clefairy poachers.

  I had no problem with that either, honestly.

  I might still not like fae in general, but Hope, and Erin, really, had kind of opened my eyes to how they weren't a monolith. Erin had the most reason to hate that Evolutionary line out of anyone I knew, Clefable especially. Did she? Not at all! She was good friends with Hope, she had invited over a dozen wild Clefable to celebrate Hope's naming, and she had gone hunting with Stabby and killed an apex predator in its own habitat, during its hunting time! While Stabby used his fae magic, probably to hide my daughter completely while she stabbed that Persian in the base of its skull with her damn Hidden Blade!

  That wasn't a suspicion I had, that was fact! She had been storing the hides she skinned in her expensive Stasis Ball to send to me at some point, and I had checked specifically to find out how she had done that! She had assassinated that Persian!

  Because she trusted and loved Stabby, immediately upon meeting him, somehow, and he loved her too… Somehow! Maybe they were just that similar? I know fae could evaluate a person, it just usually hurts and takes, but not Erin these days…

  Actually…

  Maybe that's why he requested to be her Pokemon? Well, the first time he probably evaluated her, he was just saying hi at a celebration, but today… He had actually come running, or that weird fae Teleport that some can do, to her side when Hope had told him she was in distress… He had also stabbed her, but to be honest, it had worked, unlike poor Lance's attempt… Huh… Wow, I think he does love her, actually? Fae don't lie, of course…

  Poachers abducting Cleffa and Clefairy? Let Stabby have his fun… Apparently he had, too… Quite a lot of it, in fact. He had never been someone's Pokemon before Erin, but he had been named… By a poacher.

  …

  Good for him.

  All that was to say, I still had time before tomorrow, so I was smiling as I opened the door to my daughter's huge room. I was exhausted, and I just wanted to sleep. Leto was surprisingly comfortable, and I could use a chance to talk with Leaf and Alex before I fell asleep.

  I really hadn't been expecting Looker to be there, to be honest.

  Neither had Erin, considering she was somehow awake and sitting up instead of on her side, Cerberus's heads propping her up like deadly armrests.

  Radiating rage.

  —

  Erin

  —

  "What. Do. You. Want. While. I. Try. To. SLEEP?!"

  I was ready to kill someone! Not anyone, but Looker was looking real sliceable right now!

  ""Be nice! He's nice!"" Yeah, he is, Hecate, but I am exhausted!

  "I'm here to check on you, Erin. Hello to you, too." He knew what he was doing! I glared at him, then shifted my glare to his belt. I pushed out with my aura…

  ""That's an interesting trick you have there, Erin. Maybe listen to Looker? No? Why no-"" He shut up when I slapped him with my aura. Not hard at all, I liked him, but hard enough, and Alakazam popped out, giving me a surprised look.

  "I am grateful for your concern, but I literally don't believe you when you tell me that, Looker, because I can feel your deception with my aura. What is it? Let me guess, actually, you just got an alert that someone somewhere put a price on my head, correct? It's fine, I'll murder Giovanni and anyone that comes even close to me or mine if I have to! Is that it? Can I fucking SLEEP?"

  His eyes widened in surprise, but I just kept right on going.

  "Thanks for trying to find me a therapist, too. I know you didn't forget, actually looked and still couldn't find anyone, so that wasn't sarcasm. Truly it isn't, thank you. I can feel your guilt, as well, so we're cool on that, don't feel guilty. All good, Looker. I already unloaded all my issues on my family and friends… and Lance. So thanks for trying, honestly, but it's too late. Could still use one for everyone else, I guess, but I think I'm fucking done with that for now. Maybe I'll change my mind when I have SLEPT!"

  His frown deepened, and I could feel his guilt, but fuck it. I was serious, I knew he had tried, and I didn't blame him.

  "Is it about a secret you kept from me that is going to bite me in the ass? Oooh, let me guess! You can't stop Rose, at all! Just like you can't stop Giovanni! Just like every incompetent fuck in seats of power in this pitiful world! It's okay! Fine! Maybe I'll go kill him myself! Then maybe I'll take out Oleana! Then maybe I'll release Eternatus myself! Maybe I'll strike a deal with the Gigantic Legendary from space! Maybe I'll go remove a fucking monster or two! I do not lie! Nobody listens! I keep saying this! I am so tired I am seeing stars! Your face is literally swirling before my FUCKING EYES! I am far too pissed off and exhausted to deal with whatever fuckery you're bringing me, Looker!"

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  He stood there silently for a moment, and I felt so guilty. Because I did not need to unload that on him. At all…

  "I'm sorry… I… That was wrong of me…" I hung my head, but he didn't speak for a long moment. When he did, his voice was steady and calm.

  "I forgive you, Erin… You're right, anyway. Yes, I did want to check in on you, but I could have done that over Rotom… And yes, you do have a bounty on your head. A decently sized one, in fact." I snarled.

  "I am about twelve hours of sleep away from calling Dragonite to drop me off in Viridian. Team Rocket will be so easy to deal with without its leader… Well, probably not, but I do not give a fuuuck. Let me guess, it's for friends and family as well?" He nodded.

  My family? My friends?

  Hoooooo, boy. That 'little' evil side of me is about to fuckin' PLAY!

  "OKAY then! Giovanni just fucked up beyond his WILDEST comprehension! If he's not arrested by the time I get to his Gym? I will make his death the longest, most painful one in this world's history! I will cause Giratina themself to descend from the Distortion World simply to bear witness to the atrocities I will unleash on that monster! I will trawl the depths of my depravity for something so heinous it makes ME tremble in terrified, awestruck horror, and then I will IMPROVE upon it! We had this thing with two rowboats and HONEY! I will flay him al-"

  Thankfully I didn't get slapped this time. Or punched.

  Hugs were much nicer, sure, but I enjoyed being able to breathe, too. I idly pushed Cerberus' angry head down with my aura. He wasn't going to attack my family, his family, hell no…

  "Dear, how about you let Looker talk before you make threats like that…" I pulled away, at least enough to breathe and speak!

  "Sure, but I don't lie! Those were not threats, they were promises! If he's not arrested by the time I get to Viridian, he will have a long, long, LONG time to regret his poor choices in this life before he gets to come back as a Gulpin! I swear it on my SOUL! So go ahead, Looker. Tell me how you can't find anything on him, still, can't do anything, still, and offer me whatever help you can, like the good person you are. If I sound bitter, it's because I am, but not at you! I truly appreciate you, I do! I'm just bitter at life, the universe, my sleep schedule, the bullet wound, and shit, I'm also a little bitter about the fact I wasn't able to dismember that informant who had me illegally held!"

  He cleared his throat a little and gave me a direct look.

  "Erin, I came to bring you a replacement kukri, and two spare blades." Fuck, he was telling the truth. Not all obviously, but enough…

  "I also came to drop off protection for your Ranch. They won't try anything right now, but soon? You'll be grateful to have them." Also the truth…

  "I also dropped by to tell you that we have stepped up our investigation into Giovanni. Your information wasn't all that accurate, but it was accurate enough. There's plenty more people out there to worry about, but for now? We want him gone, too." I frowned at him. He hadn't told me the whole truth. That wasn't all…

  "Rose is… almost untouchable, so no, we haven't had much luck…" Fucking fate… it better not be fate! I would kick fate's ass!

  "Thanks for telling the Indigo Champion, by the way!" I growled at him. It probably wasn't very effective, considering mom had not let the hug go.

  "Maybe I should have done it sooner? Apparently it took that to get Interpol to act like real fucking professionals instead of an incompetent, bumbling parody from a fucking children's cartoon, like the Jenny's! Nothing on Rose? I bet he's about to break that fucking mural, or really, poor manipulated Bede is! Just go record it! Fucking bug him! Send your own fucking assassins! I know you have them! Technically, I am one!"

  He glared at me, but I didn't give a shit about his little glares.

  ""Be nice!"" 'I'm being as nice as I can, Hecate! I just want to sleep!'

  "He is innocent, Erin! We don't kill people who have good intentions and mess up! We don't kill people who by your own admission aren't evil, just misguided!" I laughed, bitter and angry.

  "Rose? Yeah, he might not be evil, but he's close enough for wetwork! Just going to let some other kids deal with that mess in Galar, just like Red?! Like how Ethan or May stopped the Super Ancient Pokemon from killing us all?! Lucas or Dawn? When they saved space and time, and thus the universe itself?!"

  "Will you just let Victor or Gloria and fucking Hop decide the fate of so many lives?! HOP?! Noooo, it's FATE! It all works out, no matter how many people die when the Darkest Day happens again, when a fucking Wooloo Dynamaxes in the middle of Wedgehurst and goes insane, so why should you act like a real fucking agent?!" Harsh, but true, and he knew it!

  "How about Giovanni, huh? No PROOF? Don't give me that shit! Nobody can cover that well! In fact, tell me something, Looker! I can tell when you lie these days! Speak the truth to me! How many agents did you have watching him?! I have a very good idea of that number, so please, ENLIGHTEN ME!" I went silent and seethed at him. I knew I wouldn't like the answer based on how he frowned and looked away.

  I sat there, glaring at him in stubborn refusal to ignore this question. I wanted answers!

  I was still glaring when my eyes shut and I finally passed out.

  Again!

  —

  Patricia Greenwood

  —

  "I want answers, Looker. Rotom can record them so that Erin can hear."

  We stood in one of the Center's small meeting rooms, Alakazam maintaining a barrier around us for secrecy. Also possibly to contain Looker's blood!

  "Not sure why you're so surprised, Patricia. We are a large organization, but Giovanni i-" I cut him off with fury in my voice.

  "Why were there no agents at all watching that monster?! The one you knew about?!"

  Rotom spoke up with its own glare at Looker.

  "I would bet my phone that there was an order to, but there's a spy in Interpol." Judging from the return glare, Rotom was right… Oh Arceus…

  "Right you are, you little asshole. Erin might have been… emotional in there, but she's not entirely wrong. I saw her world, and we are a bit more… ineffective, than her equivalents. They were also irredeemable monsters, even to her." I glared at him. I almost tried to slap him.

  "Even to her? Looker, if I hear that come out of your mouth again I will not kill you, but you will wish for it! I won't even need Erin's help!" He leaned back a little from my anger.

  "Was there actually someone that watched her when she arrived in Kanto? Or were you using her as bait before she met Leaf?" He winced, but not in guilt.

  "I never used her as bait, and yes, she did have someone watching her the first two days… I'm not sure what you all expect me to do! I am one human! I am not my entire organization! I don't know who's compromised! I came here to try and help out the one asset I have that just wanted to help others and be a good person! I can't magically solve all of this by myself!" Oh dear, he was serious, and seriously frustrated…

  ""He has tried to help, but he is only one man, no matter how competent. One wrong word and he would be the next one with a bounty."" I gave Alakazam a sympathetic look… Because Arceus, that is not good…

  "Yeah, it's not! Do you have any idea how hard it was keeping Erin's name out of her information? Especially since Interpol knew I went to Galar, that she requested me?" So you're relaying my thoughts to him, Alakazam?

  "He is, and he shouldn't be, but I am… Not at a loss, but…" He trailed off and my worries grew.

  Looker might not be my favorite person in the world, but it was obvious he cared for Erin's well-being, even if he took every chance to poke at her. He had seen my daughter in a way that very few had, knew everything she had finally told us from the moment he had finished the mind reading… And he just wanted to help her, like he had by making me her guardian… He just wanted to help other people, and now he couldn't… Well… Actually, Indigo, at least…

  "Have you talked to Lance? He might be… him, but he is a good person, and even if Dragonite is the real Champion, he does have the title." I actually liked Lance, quite a bit, in fact, but I hadn't been lying, either.

  Lance was great fun to pick at… Erin may not have corrupted me like she worried about, but maybe Leto and Maddy and Wukong had… Because I don't think I would ever stop, unless it was to throw him off balance again…

  "No, I haven't, because he would have had no reason to believe a random Interpol agent who told him there was a Diglett in the organization… Now? Absolutely, he's my next stop, actually. I might not have been happy Erin spilled her secrets to more people, but they're her secrets, and so far she hasn't spilled them to the wrong people…"

  ""He is extremely relieved she did so, even if it worries him. It's good for her, and it gave him a powerful ally he can trust."" Alakazam was smiling as he said that.

  "Don't put words in my mouth! I mean… Close enough! Now, Patricia, I really do have to be going. Take these. Two Meowstic, a mated pair. They might warm up to you, probably will, knowing you, but they were the only option I had. They are powerful Psychics, and will viciously defend their new home. I've shown them pictures of your Ranch, and they will stay, at least for a few months. Possibly longer, I don't know. I'd say watch out for the female, but… I kind of doubt you'll have issues with them." That wasn't worrying at all, Looker!

  ""They are competent and able defenders, but don't expect them to be very friendly at first. Maybe ever, they are intense."" That didn't help much either, Alakazam!

  I took the two Pokeballs from Looker with a frown. I mean, more defenses, and more Psychics? Yes, please… I just hoped they weren't too aloof…

  "Take care of yourself Patricia, and take care of your daughters. Now, it's time for me to go meet a… Champion?" I grinned even through my nerves as they disappeared with a Teleport.

  Poor Lance.

  —

  Alex

  —

  I really wasn't sure how to feel about everything I had heard. I mean, I didn't hate Erin or anything, but…

  She didn't lie… here. She had been… not an evil person, but not a good one. An addict, a depressed one… A depressed addict that had never gotten to transition, and had been unhappy her entire life…

  It made me sad for her, of course, but it worried me, too. I could easily have seen myself doing something similar. Well, falling into an addiction to escape reality and the wrong body I was stuck with…

  She wanted to be a good person, though, and so far? Up here? She had been. She might be a vicious killer, but she was a good person all the same… Even if she didn't believe it. I agreed with Rotom, that she was wrong about her views of reality, that it didn't matter if the idea to do good had been her own or a compulsion. Actions were what mattered, right?

  Not to her, because I think she was still convinced she would go back there when she died. That she would always be… out of place, up here. Worse than everyone else on a fundamental level. She had promised to try hating herself less, and I knew just how hard that was. Still hadn't fully managed it myself, despite the hormones and clothes and acceptance from those around me, even if I knew it took time.

  Now she had a bounty on her head. We had bounties on our heads as her friends and family! I mean, I wasn't really worried, especially as I could feel Leto's giant heart beating behind my head… but I wasn't not worried, either. Gym Leader Giovanni was the leader of Team Rocket!

  Also, the world had already almost ended before, not to mention the universe itself! She told Leaf about the Weather Trio, but she hadn't told anyone that, just Looker, so it was a shock! A Legendary from space? Dynamax? I knew about Galar's giant Pokemon, but for an insane one to appear in the middle of a town… It would be a slaughter…

  "Alex, you should probably change clothes… And take a shower… I think we both should, actually." Leaf made a very good point. We had just collapsed against Leto and remained there, drained as Looker and Erin argued. Well, as Erin verbally disemboweled him before passing out again…

  "You can go first. I'm still kind of… awake." Dratini was curled in my lap, Noibat thankfully quiet on my shoulder. Pointed away from me.

  "Okay…" Leaf had no energy in her voice, or her body, apparently, as she stumbled towards the bathroom.

  We hadn't talked yet, but I knew the revelations about Erin's past were on her mind. That or Lookers information, but I doubted it. She had just learned what Erin had been, what she had done in her previous life… And how her sister was convinced she would go back to a place she saw as hellish. Because she had done a good deed of her own volition for strangers she hadn't even met yet…

  The whole situation just made me so sad! I even felt bad about traveling with them now! I really didn't want her to grow to hate me or something… Just my presence would be a reminder of everything she never got to-

  ""No!"" Hecate, fucking oww!

  "Hecate, I'm sorry, but please! That hurt so much! We're trying to adjust, but that was so bad!" She glared at me with her brilliant new eyes, stick-like arms crossed as she just hung from her head, suspended in the air by her light blue ponytails.

  Actually, were the eyes new? I had never actually found out if there had been eyes under her hair as a Hatenna, but these were striking. Most of her eyes were pitch black, but her pupils were a pure, almost glowing white, with two pink blobs on the tops of them, like a Rattatas ears. They were beautiful, if a little intimidating. Much more intimidating when she was glaring at you.

  All four feet of her, because of course Erin's Pokemon turned into Alphas! It was badass, sure, but what?!

  ""She not hate you! Stop!"" Oh Arceus, I think she might kill me if she does that again!

  The Heal Pulse that hit me was welcome, even if it didn't stop the pain entirely.

  "I… I know she won't, but I can't help but feel… guilty? Like I'm flaunting it, somehow? I mean, sure, she's a girl here, now! After a lifetime of… misery…" Hecate reached out and patted my head with her actual, tiny, handless arms. They were just sticks, basically… Still, I bet she really enjoyed having them. Arms must be nice!

  The smile I got from her told me that yes, I was correct. Arms were nice, even if she didn't have digits.

  The huge head that dropped onto my free shoulder wasn't nearly as welcome!

  It was Cerberus, or at least, the head that was more or less the old Cerberus. This head was friendly, affectionate, and just the best Pokemon buddy, still.

  The other head?

  Considering it was lightly snarling at me from above Erin's head? Not so nice. To her, sure, but even with whatever… thing Erin did to Pokemon with her aura and stuff, Cerberus was terrifying. It seemed to extend only to her for that head, so it viewed everyone not her Pokemon as the enemy. That, at least, was easy to tell why.

  Pokeballs created a faint psychic link between the trainer and Pokemon, and it was relatively easy even for a blind Pokemon to sense who was a teammate. Friends, family, strangers, anyone else? That head could and would tear them to pieces if they weren't careful. Ms. Greenwood hadn't even really fed him even if she could command him a little, she had simply let Seraphina pull his food to him.

  Something that Seraphina had been more than happy to do, to be able to do! Hecate was really happy with her Evolution, sure, and I assumed that at least some part of Cerberus was, if only to get to his final, non-insane Evolution. Seraphina, though?

  Seraphina may as well have been dancing everywhere she went, practically wagging her whole body as she walked. Previously, the only part of her that had retained a 'normal' coloration was her pitch-black head. Now? The darkest thing about her was two strips down her tail from the base of her spine, and the layer of black scales that surrounded her eyes like eyeliner. They really looked like eyeliner, not going to lie, but they acted as light-absorbers, letting her peer into bright sunshine. Well, they would if she was in the badlands or a desert, I guess?

  Her markings had changed as well, with her old red markings moving from the top of her tail to the bottom, shifting into a pinkish color, with her thighs, stomach, and chest covered in purple scales, with more of her markings forming a U shape on her chest and the palms of her hands. Everywhere else she was pure, shining ivory, and she looked radiantly happy at all times.

  I mean, I would be too if my size had increased by a factor of, what, eight? She had been a foot long, a runt, now she was a stunningly beautiful Alpha that stretched almost eight feet long!

  Cerberus' head started licking me frantically. I couldn't help the giggle that broke out, and I rubbed his head. Huge head that could bite my head off or not, this one was Cerberus…

  Apparently the other one could get jealous, though!

  It growled at the other head, and I froze in fear as Cerberus snarled back… at himself… Arceus above, Zweilous are insane! This is an insane Alpha Zweilous! They're going to fight and trample me! And Erin! She's right there, in between the necks- What?

  Apparently Erin had some vague awareness of her surroundings. That, or Cerberus had woken her up a little.

  That would explain the wave of aura that slammed into everyone, and probably people in the lobby. Both of Cerberus' heads whined and retreated to her, and with a growl she snagged both of them, one under each arm, rolled over again and passed out. Onto her side…

  She wouldn't be sitting comfortably again for a good while…

  Stabby took the brief moment of peace and broke it. Because Stabby was… For sure destined to be Erin's Pokemon.

  He liked to assassinate us! It had only been hours, and I already knew that, because he had done it multiple times! It never hurt, but it was scary as fuck when a tiny Clefable would pull Erin's shit and just pat the back of your neck. When he had no right to be there!

  Like in the bathroom! It had not been funny!

  I was honestly terrified of him. I didn't think he would deliberately hurt me, at least, not much. Not at all, actually, and he seemed to like me… He was not under a contract, though, and he was not bound to Erin like Hope was to Leaf.

  I was scared of him communing with me and just taking. I knew they could do that without meaning to, so even if I trusted Stabby, which was a very big if, he was dangerous.

  I was also scared of him because he once again somehow appeared behind me, patted my neck, then floated over to the bathroom with a smile. Because of course, he was going to try and ambush Leaf.

  Hope looked over at me and smiled at my fear. It was less terrifying than it should have been, because Hope was good… A prankster who liked to hurt her opponents in battle, sure, but she was good.

  Noibat opened her mouth when I jerked. That was all that happened, because as soon as she did I returned her. I had her ball in my left hand constantly when I had her out, and she had agreed to this as training of a sort. She was seemingly getting better about controlling herself? It hadn't been that long, though…

  Stuff just kept happening!

  It hadn't even been two weeks since I started my Journey!

  Once again, badass I get to do it as the correct gender, but come on!