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Chapter 3.5 (Intermission)

'I requested to start a journal, and at least I was given that. Here I can write down my thoughts privately without the Elders needing to nitpick into every little detail. I barely got them to let me keep those books from the Library by complaining about how I'd walked all the way there and they said I could have them…'

A black haired boy of about eight years writes in a black and white mottled journal, wearing a pair of glasses upon the bridge of his nose. His hair ended in a few sharp angles towards the right back of his head and had light blue eyes that were almost always half lidded in a sharp passive focus. As he focused on his writing, he looked as if he was half asleep while sitting at his desk.

He wore a plain, white and blue t-shirt with waved patterns and buckled, brown pants; some of the least modernized wear he was even allowed to have, asides the basic living amenities. A bed with comfortable and plush blankets, his desk, and dresser with a medium sized large monitor television. The walls however, were caked, dried mud. There were paintings hung here and that were done by one of the few Smeargle the village owned. That really just made it really splotches of color in attempts of imitating several houses next to farmlands and forest, but it helped. It was a mud house, raised and molded up from the ground by water into clay and then dried into setting.

Against the TV were a few large books that Jack checked out from a Library; from that town that was stone's throw away of about twenty five miles- when the librarian found out where Jack lived and how he was so far away from home, they knew it hadn't been by car that he'd gotten there. He was about six at that time. They helped him and gave him the books he wanted and told him not to worry about a return date. That was probably more because the books he had chosen were technical ones, they likely wouldn't be missed by others. Jack enjoyed the logic of science because that alone meant the books were now his by that logical thought pattern. He had known exactly that the book's wouldn't be missed by anyone, so it'd been easy to get them given to him.

The Elders scolded him when he explained that to him. That was greedy, they told him. After he'd complained about the walk to get them, they'd all known exactly what sense of logic Jack had followed to get them.

'I'm really tired of the Elder's close-mindedness…we're literally a stone's throw away from a town with far more comfort. The only reason we even have TV's here now is because they had to run their cable lines close by as they developed.'

'Despite their adversity towards advanced technology, they have no issue in letting news and other interested interviewers come through and film our village. I've seen the program… “A village filled with people who prefer a more primitive lifestyle-aided by pokemon hand." Yeah…sure…preferred. Don't get me wrong though, the documentary made us seem enjoyable as a lifestyle, I'll give it that. I don't hate it here.'

Jack was born into the Corsova. His mother had died in childbirth because of the lack of ready care, given that the nearest town with a hospital was a good two hundred miles away. A pokemon's healing ability was limited towards a human. His father had died of illness shortly after his conception. Jack had been taken in by two others in the clan who hadn't quite yet had a child of their own, Oscar and Lilian.

'But what I saw last week…ugh. They're disgusting, so directly hypocritical…I can't have books but they accept those payments with smiles. They have us live in these conditions but accept loads of money from news stations for documentaries about us or to let students of pokemon research come visit. They try to learn how it is that our pokemon become so powerful without needing to battle others. Heck I still don't know that though, but I suppose that's something I'll learn once I have my companion?'

'Anyway, “Traditions" and all that. At least there's private schooling. Our clan has been like this long before I was alive, long before any of the Elders have been. I know what that money is used for, we buy clothing for ourselves and food when it can't be covered during harder seasons, but most everything else we have is made by our pokemon. Our homes are made by Dugtrio and Mudkips. They also dig our well from nearby rivers and help us in our farming. If we had a Sunflora we could speed up the growth of the plants but well, no one here ever received one as a companion pokemon…that kind of strict rule requirement makes that probability harder to find. The rest of that money is used to pay breeders who try to sell us pokemon who hatch on those days…'

The rule of a companion pokemon being born on a clan member's 10th birthday was something that was well known for their region, at least among Pokemon Breeder's in it. While some breeding did go on within the Clan between pokemon, those eggs that hatched weren't kept within it, they mingled about in the wilds and forests just around it instead. The pokemon themselves seemed to recognize family, but who was let into the homes of the clan was just Companions and only them.

The Corsova didn't participate in pokemon battling, and yet their pokemon evolved and grew just the same as those raised by Trainers. There was a mystery behind it that while not used for battling, their pokemon could instead grow their skills by use for community. The Dugtrio for instance could hoist up mounds the size of small hills, while the Mudkips could keep a stream of water going from their mouths for over five whole minutes.

'But well…and this I'll just write here because I need to put it somewhere…when the last TV crew came yesterday, I snuck into their truck. They had strings of light there and a generator. It was the kinds of lights they put up during Christmas, different colors and they'll blink and stuff! I did a lot of thinking and took them and hid a few long strings and the generator under the house. We have an electric pokemon here. If I get Joltik to charge it I bet I can light up the village at night! It'd help take off the fire types needing to light all the torches. They get really tired needing to do it every night.'

Jack stopped his writing there as he realized what it was he'd been writing and lightly placed the pencil between the pages and then closed it. He knew he shouldn't have done that, cause the idea was to make sure no one knew it was him who did it. He already anticipated the reaction, but he hoped that if he set it up one night while everyone was asleep, then the Elders would just leave it once they saw it. He had to wait a few more weeks before he did it though, that TV crew had just been there.

It was in the darkness of the night about a week and five days later that Jack was sneaking through the village. A number of about fifty houses of somewhat varying sizes depending on the family number that lived there. Your house didn't reflect status, it just reflected family size; all the rooms were similar just for private space. However, personality still held, some of the houses were draped in decorations. Clothes woven from Mareep by the hands of a Gardevior using their psychic power.

So, why not lights too? Jack thought that anyway while he was stringing one of the long ropes across the walls of the house, laying it across window perches and then across streets between homes to other roofs by requesting help from one of the village member's Pidoves. It was strange, Jack thought to himself at that moment. If it was against the rules, why would Pidove help him hang them up?

Course…that was just how he thought then. As clever and oriented towards the sciences as he was…Jack still was only 8.

___________________

“What is this? Who put these up?"

The gruff and grumbled voice of one of the Elders, the forth, lightly rumbled among the gathered Clan members.

All around them, the houses of the clan were strewn with the twin cords of lights, one flashing white and green with the other red and blue, the just under two hundred members of the clan looked around between themselves in thought as the questions were asked. The gentle rumble of a generator was the only thing that broke the silence of the night.

The five Elders were usually the oldest of the Clan. As each one died, the fifth became the forth and so on, while the oldest member that wasn't yet a part of the seats joined them. Age led to wisdom for them. As such each of them had that old man kind of look, wrinkled with white hair but eyes of calm and knowledge.

“Come forth now. There's no need for any punishments. I am merely curious as to the reason right now." The Eldest of them, the leader of the Clan spoke openly.

Jack couldn't help himself as the First Elder finished.

“I did it." He answered from where he was standing next to Oscar and Lilian.

Oscar was a somewhat plump sized orb of a man, but his work within the clan kept his arms and legs well muscled. He was unfortunately just a naturally plump kind of person despite that work. Lilian was a thin woman with short hair and soft features. Beside Oscar, a Midday Lycanroc sat calmly, and beside Lilian a Ferret stood up tall in an alert fashion.

All eyes turned upon him and a voice in Jack's head immediately screamed out. It was supposed to be a secret! But…he was worried they'd take them down, and the way the Eldest had said what he did gave him a moment of hope he could get them to stay up. He wanted to tell them why he'd done it.

“The fire types are tired of needing to light torches all the time every night. We have a lot of those and that's a lot of energy to them. Voltik was more than happy to charge a generator enough to last a night. Maybe they can take turns?" In his chest, his heart pounded, trying not to let the attention get to him. It wasn't the first time he'd been the target of eyes. It happened a lot in class. He asked lots of questions to the teachers about why something was the way it was.

Whispers ran across the clan that tickled across Jack's ears and he inwardly frowned. He tried to ignore them as he stared towards the Elders in the middle of everyone and the forth who had asked the beginning questions sighed, reaching up to rub a hand through his beard.

“These lights…I don't know where you got them, but you know our laws. No objects made by human hands."

“I don't know if they're made by human hands." Jack said quickly.

“That you don't know means the possibility remains." One of the other Elder's stated.

Jack just frowned.

“The generator you used for them at least." The first Elder continued on, “Is doubtfully to have been made by a pokemon."

“It could be." Jack countered, fists clenching. “That you don't know means the possibility remains." He just returned it sourly.

“Jack…" Oscar mumbled from beside him, but Jack ignored him. The first Elder chuckled warmly with a smile growing on their face, while the second scowled towards Jack.

“Many are things that change in our Clan." The first Elder nodded lightly, “We recently have things that our Clan would never have taken part of such as Television, if not for the thoughtful insight of several nearby towns that understand our desire. I've seen it myself, young Jack. Every TV we have here was made by pokemon hands, even if it was humans who taught them the method. That to us makes it truly natural. Even the cable that runs through our village was made by pokemon, as we requested. That is simply our way of life, and we are fortunate that nearby towns are willing to work through that requirement. Perhaps one of them can train a pokemon to make us some lights."

Jack's fist clenched again. “Yeah…" He already knew what was going to be done.

The third Elder spoke, “We understand your point, but we cannot let these lights remain without knowing what their origin is."

The five Elders asked each family to begin removing the lights from their homes. Jack fumed and he stomped off as he neared his house, leaving Oscar and Lilian to reach and grope for them as he slid behind and slumped against the wall near the small hole that led under the house. It was a storage crawl space, it had been where he had hidden the lights and generator.

Slowly, Jack let himself slide down to sit on the ground while looking down at the ground between his legs and struggling to stamp down the bubbling frustration he felt in his stomach and chest. He heard the sound of the generator go out and the village suddenly sunk into inky darkness with the moon in the sky being all that shined upon it.

'Maybe I was wrong on what I wrote in that journal. Maybe I do hate it here…'

A light crunching noise made Jack jerk his head up to see another of the Clan looking around the corner of his house at him, but it was their age that didn't send Jack into a fit. He knew them from his classes, they were just a little younger than him.

“H-hey. Jack…" The boy stammered out. Jack's eyes focused on them as he recognized them further in the soft light of the night, now that the lights had been taken down.

“Oh…hey Tod." Jack muttered. Tod was just a few years younger than him, they were in the same class together. The sandy blond boy shifted around the corner of Jack's house while watching him and stopped to lean against it. Slightly smaller than him, Tod looked down at Jack as the older boy sat on the ground still.

“I uh…I l-liked it. It was…p-pretty." Tod stammered on. Jack knew from classes, Tod had a bit of a stutter, every answer he did in class had them. It wasn't something no one seemed to mind or care about though.

A dull thud pounded through Jack's chest as he stared at his classmate. “Oh." He said it again, another thud following it as he tried to recover, “Did you? I'm glad…I guess. Just wish they'd leave them up…" He hadn't expected to hear something like this…

“It'd be n-nice for the fire types to get a b-break. Like you said." Tod nodded a little, but at this point a nearby voice yelled out his name and he whipped his head around his shoulder. His own family called for him now that the lights had been taken down and everyone was going back home. He looked back to Jack and smiled.

“S-see you at class Jack! Don't l-let it get to you!" He said quickly before turning around and running off back to his parents.

Jack watched as Tod then turned and ran back around the corner back towards his home.

Jack tapped his head back against the wall behind him and lifted up one leg to rest his arm on it while looking up at the stars of the night above him.

…

Maybe it was better that the lights weren't there. The stars would be harder to see…

But still…at least that had been nice to hear.

'Nah…I don't hate it here…' Jack smiled as he thought it. 'Just kind of SUCKS…can't wait to be able to go on my journey…'

_________________________

As time went by-

As part of the teachings of the Corsova, there were many lessons. Writing and reading were heavily focused on as simply a necessary tool for communication and understanding. Other lessons focused upon the multiple ways pokemon had helped people in the past and how their abilities covered what humans lacked. There was a partnership between human and pokemon that the Corsova charised. It was because of these views and old teachings that they were still successful as a village.

To the rest of the pokemon world, it was strange and mystical. The Elder's were all particular about what came into the village and what was allowed to go out, aside from travelers or tourists. They were the ones who held the most power in the village in more ways than one. Their own companion pokemon were usually the most powerful ones of the village. A news special Jack had once watched on his TV likened the strength of one of the Elder's Machoke's to that of a high level gym range-perhaps near 7th badge level.

Occasionally but not entirely often, the village was visited by pokemon researchers and students of such study. The Elders were always welcoming to these people and answered questions readily, but when faced with the question as to how their pokemon became as powerful as they did, the only answer that would be given was something that ended up repeated often in the clips of such interviews Jack saw in news specials.

“We of the Corsova don't battle pokemon. Bringing harm onto others is a cruel thing to do. While we understand the point of pokemon battling; that it strengthens and builds the power of champions who would then protect the weak, we of the Corsova find more meaning in building something with our pokemon instead of butting heads. It's simply the repetitive nature of that building that empowers them, our own form of training."

Jack had realized, it didn't matter which of the Elders it was, the answer was the same and then they'd give a warm laugh afterwards.

For Jack, that had never felt like it made sense. It was entirely up to fate on what pokemon the Clan received, given their rule of the pokemon needing to be born on a 10th birthday. He'd seen what a lot of his clan's pokemon were capable of. Their current home building relied heavily upon a Dugtrio and a few Mudkips.

As it turned out, most of the pokemon that actually came to be the companions of many members provided some purpose to help the community, while a few odd ones out provided little to none. Oscar's Lycanroc was one. Like a large number of the pokemon in the clan, it could only really help in farming; grinding a large rock through the dirt to break it up when it was time to plant new produce. When this service wasn't needed though, it seemed little more than a pet.

Lilian's Ferret helped in digging through the ground to then plant seeds, and it also helped in digging out the storage areas that were underneath the many homes of the village.

But if there was ever a wild pokemon attack on the village, they all were super powerful and beat back the aggressors on their own. Their human companions didn't need to be there to give them commands to beat them back in battle, and so it “By definition of pokemon league rulebooks" was never an actual battle. Just pokemon being pokemon.

The Pokemon of the Corsova clan were not bound by pokeballs. They were free. As they began to understand their human companions after their births, they recognised the significance of their birth and being chosen as a companion to them, and seemed to willingly stay in the village of their own accord. If anything, such a birth and connection to their human companion was also seen as a reason why they became so powerful.

But Jack had also seen many other things on the TV. Pokemon Battles from Leagues all over the world were also broadcast. He found them fascinating. Tactical combat that pitted teams against each other, in the search of glory while at the same time strengthening each other.

To a Trainer, their team was like their family, yet having the right pokemon in it was just as important. You shored up weaknesses of one with another, while covering that one with another. It was possible to shake up the expectations of your opponents with nasty surprises though.

Recently, Trainers had learned it was possible to combine and fuse moves into new moves entirely. As more combinations of such were discovered, they began to be named “Custom Moves"

Battling had turned into a growing field of attention once more since then. Trainers had ideas that they wanted to try and see if they could get their pokemon to learn! As it turned out however, only a pokemon who held a very personal connection with their Trainers could achieve them. This meant that a Trainer usually only ended up with one or possibly two pokemon who could use Custom Moves. These were usually starters or their first caught pokemon afterwards. Ones that held a special place to them on their team.

A fascinating one Jack had fixated on was that of a Lucario. They had combined the moves Bone Rush and Thunder Punch into something they called “Lightning Spear." In the League that the Trainer challenged, it shook up the ranks as the attack was somehow effective against ground types despite being a hurled spear of lightning. The Trainer explained that he believed it was the still ground typing of Bone Rush that allowed it to do so, adding the electric type Thunder Punch to it simply kicked up its power!

Jack had always liked watching the pokemon battles. He knew it was against the clan's beliefs, but as entertainment, it was an open market. Being a Trainer was a lifestyle.

It was as this explosion of battling occurred in the world and its focus upon the TV that brought Jack to the conclusion of what he wanted to do when he went on his journey.

He wanted to be a Pokemon Trainer, he wanted to grow his companion into a champion. But he knew the Elder's would never allow it.

So in his desperation, Jack mentally prepared his arguments over the next year before his 10th birthday ceremony.

_________________

Jack sat alone before the rest of the clan with a large bonfire in front of him. It was his 10th Birthday. He'd been given a white robe to wear for the occasion and sat cross legged in front of the fire with its warmth cascading over himself. His face had become somewhat red after just a few minutes of the heat. Having grown a little older and close to the cusp of budding maturity, he'd recently gained nearly half a foot in height and his muscles had begun rapidly developing from farm work.

A lengthy moment of silence was required for this “ceremony", but already it'd been nearly an hour. Now it was the middle of the night.

What were they waiting for? For one of the pokemon eggs other clan members were watching over outside the gathering to hatch. The first one that did would be brought to him to become his companion.

As mentioned before, nearby Pokemon Breeders knew of these ceremonies, and they made a concerted effort on knowing when a member's 10th birthday was arriving to try and breed and time an egg hatching to it. The Elder's would pay large sums of the money they received from their other doings with TV and Researchers to pay the breeder of an egg that hatched on the right day. If none of them did, then the Elder's instead put out a call for a pokemon born on that day to be brought before them-to see if they would instead be compatible with the Clan member. This kind of situation didn't happen much though.

Jack at first found it a strange kind of relationship between their clan and the rest of the world. Was a companion really something meant for you alone when so many purposely tried to target it for a reward?

Still…it was nerve wracking for Jack to sit through. What if none of them hatched…? He didn't even know what pokemon the eggs held. What was it he was going to receive?

About thirty minutes later the clan members walked in holding an egg in their hands, mottled with soft brown spots with jagged edges in the vague shape of a circle. It appeared that the top part was cracked. The egg had just started hatching.

They sat the egg down just in front of Jack while it was bundled up in cloth and after just a few seconds it began to glow white.

Jack felt his heart freeze, a moment of time he couldn't even fathom as the egg burned into a bright light, like the same of pokemon evolution, and then reformed and shaped itself into a bright white body lying within the blanket cloth. That light carved a shape upon itself which encased the light and then, it shattered apart into a flurry of sparks to reveal–

A Rockruff. The newly born pokemon's eyes opened up to look up at Jack, and Jack looked back at them.

In all his time up to that point, Jack had fathomed what pokemon he may receive. He had, of course, already thought about what it'd be like to also have a Lycanroc like Oscar had.

Yet, in looking at that Rockruff as it smiled and lightly swished its tail, and then let out a bark of its name to him, Jack's previous thoughts about how dull it'd be to receive something he was already familiar with were thoughts so far away that they couldn't stop his smile, or how he reached to the pokemon and picked it up into his arms.

The puppy rock type closed its eyes and relaxed in his arms, almost immediately passing out to sleep, as most other newly born pokemon were known to do. Hatching was theorized to use a lot of energy and new born pokemon would need to quickly recharge in a safe location.

There were, of course, several different theories as to why a pokemon just born would be immediately comfortable in relaxing in someone's presence. Breeder's attributed it to the pokemon at first seeing that person as a parent; something a pokemon would likely only later come to understand as they matured that wasn't the case–yet the affection remained. For the Corsova though, it was in that being on their 10th birthday. Somehow, that made that pokemon meant for them.

“It seems…" The voice of the First Elder snapped him from his own reverie and Jack looked up to the Elders who were sitting on the left side of the circle so that they could be in his vision and that of most others at the gathering. “That you certainly feel an instant connection to that Rockruff."

Jack stammered out, his eyes darting over to and than away from the old men as he looked back down at the Rockruff. “It…he…is a gift I'll always cherish. To the bottoms of my heart…"

For Jack, this was not just…a companion. This was a new, immediate family. Oscar and Lilian were loving, they took care of him, but knowing he had no actual family. Of course, Jack knew he wasn't the first of the clan to be born in or have that kind of upbringing. And perhaps, he thought at that moment, that was why having a companion like this was such a deep thing, to all of the Corsova…

The First Elder smiled at Jack, “Tell us now then, Jack. What is it you wish to be able to be with your companion?"

This was it…he'd practiced this. Yet, his heart wouldn't slow down.

“I…I…" He tried to just spill it out, and he took a moment to take a few hard breaths as he tried to steady himself. Even while he neared something akin to panic, the Rockruff in his arms remained calm. Its presence was…an anchor…

Jack steeled his focus, told himself to focus on it and on the fire in front of him and on the words being said. 'You thought about this…'

“I want to be a Trainer." He said it out firmly.

The whispers of a few clan members were immediate, but Jack ignored them, he launched into what he had already prepared himself to say. “I've watched the shows and seen parts of the towns near us. Battling…is not wrong. It strengthens pokemon and the bond between their humans, just like we focus on. Together they become stronger to face the obstacles that challenge the world and its peace and help each other build wonderous things. I wish to explore that connection. I…I sense amazing things that can be possible through it…"

The Five Elders had all remained silent, and the First, still smiling, just dipped his head forward while lightly saying, “What you desire goes against everything our clan believes in…non-violence, avoiding conflict."

“And what should we do if conflict comes upon us anyway? Our pokemon fight off wild pokemon to protect us, on their own…We all just trust them to handle it and ignore that they fight each other. Pokemon battling is natural. They do it on their own. What difference does it make if I wish to join in to protect us as well?" Jack asked back. Honestly, most everything he had ever prepared had already been thrown out and he was just bringing up points he had focused upon in his own ruminations. He forgot everything in desperation. The emotional high drove it instead.

“When the world around us leaves us behind…why do we willingly stand idle…?" He questioned the Elders. “Why do you ignore what it is that they have?"

“Because what they have was not meant for us." The Elder answered. “It was meant for them. Just as that Rockruff you now hold was meant for you. Would you give it up if it meant you could have everything the outside world holds?"

Jack's arms gripped on the newly hatched pokemon. His eyebrows furrowed hard as he frowned and looked down while curling forward a little.

“That…That answer isn't fair…There's no…" He managed to growl it out. He had to take a moment to even think of the word through his frustration, “There's no precedent to that."

Jack snapped back up to look at the Elder's “What is it you would have me do instead? Go on a long walk to look at mountains and oceans and then what…come back here to -farm- the rest of my life?" He scowled out the last word.

The First Elder's smile remained. The other four Elder's hadn't said anything. It infuriated Jack to no end. Had they also planned for what they had believed he might say? It had never been a secret that Jack was one who edged the teachings…

“Pokemon die in pokemon battles Jack." He lightly reminded him.

“In extremely rare cases." Jack admitted. “Trainers that aren't careful and don't realize when they're out powered against wilder, more powerful, territorial species-"

“And who is it that pays the price for that?" The Elder interrupted, then pointed at the Rockruff in his arms. “You hold who would pay that price right there…that pokemon…is yours, it gives itself to you…You would put him at risk? I'm sure you know exactly what kind of torment a Trainer that gets their pokemon killed goes through."

Jack shivered and scowled further. Curse them! Of course they were prepared…they had years over his own knowledge. They knew he watched the TV; they did too! Even stuck here in this little village they knew all about the world outside…the kinds of things that went on out there.

This pokemon in his arms…of course he wouldn't try to put it into danger…

They already had him. He knew it. They'd all discussed what kinds of things he'd might say prior. They had to have…

Jack held out upon the last words he had settled upon that would be his closing argument. “It's because of fear of losing him that I wish to make him strong…"

At this though, two of the Elders sitting together chuckled lightly. Jack's eyes narrowed as he remained looking at the ground in front of him.

“Jack…We of the Corsova believe in life done aside pokemon. There is good in it. There is peace. Remember one of the key points. Human and pokemon were once one and the same. There is an understanding between us to forever look for that oneness to return."

“And so we live and work together…but we don't fight." Jack continued. He knew the base. “The forces of Nature that are pokemon clash, while the presence of humans invite cooperation. It is how many species come together and live in harmony as they do with us, rather than becoming prey and predator, as they do in the wild…"

Suddenly, something clicked to Jack. Wait a moment…

The First Elder smiled and nodded, “I'm glad you do at least remember your schooling. Now though…given it, I'm sure you understand why we cannot allow your request."

Jack's response was immediate. He grasped upon this idea he just realized. “No…I don't." He looked over at them.

“In the wild, pokemon fight, they bicker, they claim territory. They kill each other as means of food. When they are with us, they calm, they become patient with others, and they respect all manner of life, even our own. Wild pokemon may kill a Trainer's pokemon, but pokemon between two Trainers fight in mutual growth. It is far more rare for a pokemon to die in battle between Trainers, even though their power levels have become multiplied to what would have been possible in Nature. These are the kinds of things pokemon researchers continue to study upon even now. I don't believe your argument holds against what those odds are."

Before any of the Elders could respond Jack kept going, “I understand…I understand quite a few things…I understand that there's some kind of viewpoint that you see that I quite don't. But that alone means I have a viewpoint that you also don't quite see."

Jack steeled himself as he laid out his new weapon. “Our bases claim that we and pokemon were once one and the same. But it's here I'm seeing that you've become unable to do one of the things pokemon do best."

He let silence hang and as he thought, one of the Elders; somewhat satisfyingly the Forth who had been so snarly to him on the night of his lights, huffed out. “And what is that?"

“Evolve." He said it evenly, while staring directly at the First Elder's eyes.

A silence hung upon the gathering once more, as for once, Jack got to see that smile drop on the First Elder's face. A spatter of mutterings flowed through the gathered clan members as Jack suddenly stood up.

“I thank you for the gift of this Rockruff…what I said is true…I will cherish him. But…" He steeled himself once more as he turned away from the fire while holding the now sleeping Rockruff in his arms and began to walk away from it, approaching the gathered circle of clan members.

“I'm leaving the Corsova."

The mutterings exploded into a more wild assortment of noise. Just as Jack reached the circle and the members there were both parting to let him through and also leaning closer to try and stop him the First Elder called out to him.

“Jack. Think about what it is you are doing."

Jack stopped between the third and fourth ring of the gathering and he paused. “I have…Elder…just as I'm sure you and the other four have thought about what it would be I might've tried to ask for tonight…It's only now that I'm realizing that the thought wasn't one I gave attention to at the time. This was an option I just simply didn't want to have to come to…"

“And yet here you are. Doing it anyway." Another of the Elder's tried to say, his tone conveyed understanding and concern. “You are a smart child Jack. Your ideas for those lights…we understand that view."

“And it's been three years since then, and we still have no lights." Jack pointed out, looking over his shoulder at the five Elders.

“You live aside towns and cities filled with wonder, yet are satisfied in what you believe you have been given by being born into the Clan. One's birth does not dictate one's existence."

“Yet that is what you'll place upon your pokemon. It's birth dictated to be your companion, and now you turn your back upon those traditions that made it so." The First Elder said, dipping his head again and a sad smile touching their face.

Jack stared at the Elder, who took a long breath and continued, “There is nothing that is easy, young Jack. Everything takes effort. A comfortable life among pokemon. That is the goal of our bases. What it leads to will lead to it on its own if you just but trust in it."

Jack tried to understand what it was the Elder was trying to get across to, but it failed to impress upon him. His previous statement held fast in his mind. These people had forgotten what it meant to live. They clung to old verses and words on paper…

He turned himself once more and shook his head, “I'm sorry…but in that, I see no purpose for myself or this Rockruff…"

And in the silence of the crackling fire behind him, Jack took the last few steps over the legs of the last few clan members of the circle and padded away from the bonfire towards his now once home to gather his things.

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Jack shoved clothing from his bedside drawer into a backpack rapidly, the newly hatched Rockruff still slept in the bundle of cloth its egg had been delivered in. His face had returned to an even stare while staring straight ahead. His own heartbeat pounded in his ears from the quiet of the night. He wanted to get out of there so badly, the silence had become deafening as a result. The constant noise he remembered of the city he had visited only a few times in his life felt like it would be a great distraction from this.

“Jack?" The sudden voice of Oscar made Jack jump and pause. When had he gotten there? Jack hadn't even heard him enter the house; but Jack just quickly silenced his own deafening heartbeat as he refocused.

“Yes?" Jack asked carefully.

“The First Elder would like to offer you something…"

Jack's chest rattled. What more could they possibly intend to say now…

“I followed you here, I have nothing to hide from you Jack, no other intentions or voices of my fellows in my ears. I want you to talk with me." The First Elder's voice called out from out of sight, but Jack could tell he was just behind Oscar in the hallway.

“All right." Jack let it out, as he attempted to calm himself, he kept his eyes on the doorway while turning to sit on the bed with the backpack. The First Elder came around Oscar to then enter, but then remained standing at the first foot into the room as he looked upon Jack sitting at his bed.

The Elder nodded lightly and looked away once before turning back to Jack, “I don't want to give you a smile…I fear you may have begun to see it as…something I'm doing to place you underneath me…"

“I get it." Jack nodded. “I am a child. Compared to anything that can be beyond my life, I am powerless. But Trainers are helped by researchers, their pokedex's record for research purposes."

The First Elder did smile now and he nodded, kneeling down and Jack stopped his intended continuation. “I understand you have many things that can tell you one way and the other how something may be intended. But the result of those actions done in rationality also come with their consequences. There are hundreds of pokemon that are made to service human cities." The Elder pointed his hands about in demonstration as he continued, “Electric types spend their energy daily to charge cities, hundreds of them alone are needed to meet the daily need of a city, maybe dozens for a town. These places created waste products-"

“Which turned into Grimer…and Muks." Jack interrupted. “And even though those Electric types expand their energy daily, they seem to appreciate the easy life afforded in the act; they have warm homes and places to rest and food given to them by their caretakers." He took a big breath of air and tried to relax again, “I'm sorry. But I don't want to argue this anymore…I have no idea what I can become for this place anymore. I want to leave."

The First Elder smiled and he looked just beside Jack at the Rockruff. He held his hands over his knee after he got down to be at Jack's level on the bed and he began with, “Then let us do…an experiment of our own between us here. I'm going to offer you something, it is up to you if you decide to take it and stay here. Before you answer I want you to know that I intend to give you something whether or not you answer yes or no, but I will not tell you what that thing is. You understand?"

Jack narrowed his eyes and looked away in confusion for a moment but he nodded. His curiosity was piqued and it drove away his desire to rush and leave a little.

“Go on your journey, but stay here to help us in hanging up those lights first. I do not want this to end on this sour note, I do not want you to leave our clan. You have a mind that sees what we cannot because of how this world has changed, because you have a fresher perspective. That final point you made hit directly at our purpose and it was a fine point. You aren't the first to have pointed that out though, or at least, not at a ceremony like this. Only recently has humanities technological progress reached the point it has, but to our eyes, it is all dangerous changes. There are repercussions for those actions. That Grimer and Muk come to exist for Nature to counterbalance their action was an effort that would have never been needed. It disrupts that balance."

“Or it was intended for assistance." Jack said back. “If we truly are partners in life, as our own teachings like to say. Isn't Nature itself a constantly shifting thing?" Jack frowned. “Our arguments always end up the same First Elder."

“I like to think of these as discussions." The First Elder smiled. “So will you stay?"

Jack looked away with a few blinks as he huffed. His feeling was immediate. “I still don't want to stay…I understand what you're offering to me, but I can't see this place as home right now."

The Elder nodded again and then reached for the pockets of his pants. “I want you to understand several things, Jack. I have noticed in the last year leading up to this ceremony you have become…sharply focused on studying from your books again. It is natural to question things you see. But there is always a purpose in what one does. I will not stand in your way, because I understand that even your focus on what you desire is your own unique drive, but I will not let you go without something to secure your well being. As is our experiment." At this, the Elder pulled out a small pocket book, handing it out to Jack.

“This is one of our Clan's bank notes. I know you find it a direct affront to our teachings as you've pointed out in class before, but right now I'll counter that our teachings never forbade the use of the word to then provide for clan and kin~" The Elder smirked at Jack, “I am also human and I know things sometimes get harder than they need to be. It was something we Elders settled on together to take advantage of. I want you to take this book and use it to provide for yourself, no matter what you decide to pursue."

Jack frowned heavily. He stared at the book in front of him heavily and considered his options. He knew that from the matter of their experiment just now this was the thing the Elder intended to give him no matter what choice he had made. Jack's eyes flicked away from the book and then to Oscar who was still standing at the door looking upon the moment.

“Counter…I understand why you give me this gift…but…I don't…" He took in a deep breath as he tried to word his feelings. “I don't trust myself with how much I know is in those accounts, I know if I have this at all times I'll allow myself to fall to many temptations…I'll leave Oscar and Lilian in charge of them, and I'll send pokemon mail to ask them for when I need some."

“Actually, Jack–" Oscar began to say but then the First Elder looked over his shoulder at the man, “That actually is fine with me Oscar, you were planning on going with him after all, weren't you? So why not take Lilian as well?"

“What? I don't need–" Jack started to look at Oscar with narrowed eyes.

“You are still a child." Oscar huffed and narrowed his eyes right back. “Your father trusted me as your godfather, he asked me as he died of his illness, but then who could also predict your mother would die in your birth as well…" He closed his eyes in calmness, “Lilian and I fail to have a child of our own, and so protecting you is my duty, perhaps in this moment, I now believe it is my purpose for our clan to keep you protected as such."

“Trainers travel with companions often, do they not?" The First Elder enforced with a smile.

Jack shuffled his head back and forth as he thought. It was something he did when he had to consider multiple things at once. It was perhaps that he had grown up knowing that Oscar and Lilian had never actually been his parents that caused that logic to both make Jack feel a warmth and stay away from being hurt about how he'd never known his actual parents. He hadn't needed to know who had given him life to be able to enjoy it.

“You need to know what the rest of the world actually sees of us out there…" The First Elder started lightly, sighing. “I don't tell this to scare you, this was something we have begun to notice and was a reason that led us to first allowing TV crews to come in and record our ways of life."

“That we're like a cult?" Jack asked, his shoulders shrugging, eyes looking down and away because of it. He'd known, the TV stations always called their clan by name, but he sensed that was out of respect, not out of any particular sharing of their system. “We see a purpose in a life of simplicity, that is all…at least, that is my own view of it." Jack sighed. “That's why one of the things I plan to do is to buy clothing first, get rid of these old rags and pick something that I know I'll look good in…if I'm seen like any other normal person of the world's society, I won't be focused on at all."

The Elder smiled again, “And once again…I ponder if I am worrying for no reason. Perhaps there is a reason you are meant to do this." He stood up then and let out a sigh. “I feel that to talk much longer than that about this won't change your decision, and I no longer wish to. But I will say one last thing."

He pointed at Jack's chest and then pushed it forward to bump it against Jack's chest over his heart. “What you feel is true and valid. Carry that light and don't let it be dampened, let it guide you. There is no purpose that is not given without cause. When you feel something…it was meant for you. When you feel you've found what you're looking for, come back, and show it to us."

Jack realized that in the time that had passed, he had gone from breathing deep and troubled to calm and collected. He simply nodded. He didn't really know if he'd come back or not…he also didn't really know what to say in response to what was being told to him. He'd had one on one discussions with his Elders in the past but they had usually ended in sour notes.

“I will remember that." Was what he settled upon.

The Elder nodded a final time and he turned towards Oscar with the book of banknotes and paused to give it to him, holding it out with a smile at him. Oscar took the packet into his somewhat meaty hands and looked down to it than back to the Elder as the old man just continued on past him and left.

Oscar looked back towards Jack and he nodded and stood up a little more, “Lilian and I will both pack our things. Perhaps this may be a decent opportunity for us all…" Oscar said in a contemplating tone.

And so it was, that about an hour later, Jack left the village with Lilian and Oscar in the middle of the night. The Rockruff carefully carried in his arms and backpacks carried by each of them, they didn't stop until they reached the town down the less beaten trail in the wilderness that barely connected the Corsova and their neighbors.

After stopping at a bank to withdraw a somewhat medium sum to start with of 25,000poke They got two separate rooms. No stores were open at that time so getting anything new to wear would have to wait.

Jack didn't sleep, he couldn't. Somehow, he'd felt a sense of peace he didn't think was possible, and it confused him. Instead he sat upon the bed looking out the window thinking. How was it that such a confrontation brought such feelings? Was it that in the end it felt like at least the First Elder had heard him and offered help? Maybe…he wasn't yet sure what to think…it was now only just the first day of something different now.

The street lights of the town somewhat snuffed the softer ones, but he was glad to still see several stars. Until the sun began to rise, Jack spent those last few hours of night just petting the sleeping Rockruff. He would alternate from the stars to watching the pokemon in its sleep as he realized he'd yet to name it.

Jack for some reason instantly thought of the game chess…and one of his favorite pieces because of how it allowed a king to escape from harm; a move between them to escape danger.

“I'll call you Rook…you'll be my castle for me…my place of defence."

With that decision leaving a sense of completion for that night, Jack finally allowed himself to settle into the bed with Rook placed in front of himself, and then slowly fell asleep. His last thought that day was actually…how much more comfy the bed seemed compared to the one he had.

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