The day has finally come. I hope you all enjoy, and thanks for being a part of this wild ride. But don't worry. This isn't The End. This is only the beginning.

Chapter 52:

The day had come.

Jude and Lucy were making their way towards his teams' home, with Jude wearing his backpack. He hadn't told Lucy what his decision was, as he planned to drop the news at base. Before she jumped to conclusions he explained he brought his backpack for both options, and that she should wait until he announced his choice.

After walking in silence for a bit, they arrived outside of the house, with Jude's team waiting for him. Infernostar was wearing a pack of his own, the rest of the team preparing to send him off. He motioned in Judes direction when he saw him, causing the entire team to turn around as they approached.

"The time has come" Infernostar said, adjusting the straps on his pack. "What is your decision?"

Jude stayed silent, just long enough to Lucy to turn her head toward him. Please, make the right choice was all she could think, before he opened his mouth to answer.

"…I'm coming with you."

Lucy's eyes widened in shock, as she held back a gasp. WHAT?!

"I am glad to hear it. Though I see someone was not given the news beforehand." Infernostar replied, drawing attention to Lucy. Flustered at them noticing her reaction, she tried to shake it off as she looked over at Jude.

"Sorry I didn't tell you sooner. But after running the idea through my head countless times, I came to the conclusion that this is the best option."

Lucy tried to think of something to say. She was worried that this would be his choice, and had been praying to herself that he would decide to stay. What can I do? I want him to stay, but…He'd rather go back.

"Please listen." Jude said, snapping her attention back to him. "I know full well that I would most likely find happiness, regardless of which side I chose. But if I were to stay, I'd be giving up my freedom for safety. And to be honest, that's not something I am willing to let go of."

His freedom… Lucy pondered that statement. If he had stayed with her, she'd do everything in her power to make him happy, regardless of what it would take. But, the lengths she was willing to go didn't mean anything if he didn't feel that he could decide for himself. The world as Lucy knew it was, without question, not going to give him that freedom he desired.

"…If that is what you really want, then I will agree with it." Lucy replied, staring into his eyes as her own started to water. Jude's red eyes lacked their usual anger or passion, and seemed…strangely, sad.

"Thank you" Infernostar said, as Stark approached them, carrying some paperwork. "Stark here has the necessary paperwork to transfer ownership of Jude to me. Please sign here and we may depart." Infernostars voice did not carry any scorn or malice. His voice was neutral, showing he meant no ill-will to Lucy about the outcome.

Slowly, Lucy signed the papers, with Infernostar soon adding his own as the new guardian of Jude. To top it off, Jude signed the bottom of the page, signifying the transfer as complete. With that Stark placed the paperwork inside of one of the compartments on Infernostars pack, sealing it inside.

"The time has come. Shall we?" Infernostar said, gesturing with one of his arms towards the forest.

"One moment." Jude said, stepping towards Lucy. She wasn't sure what he was going to do, when he suddenly hugged her. "It hurts to say goodbye, so I won't." He whispered to her, as she wrapped her paws around him, tears starting to run down her face.

"If you won't, then I won't either." She replied, sniffling slightly, as she looked him in the eyes, and smiled. Jude reached up and wiped some off the tears off her face, smiling right back.

Jude didn't say another word to her after that. Once they broke free from the hug, he moved over to Infernostar, who asked a 2nd time if he was ready. Jude nodded his head, and the two slowly made their way into the woods, eventually disappearing from sight.

…

Lucy went home soon after that. She had to keep focused to not let any more tears fall on the way home, not wanting to draw any unwanted attention. It just wouldn't be right for an Officer of the HAA to be seen crying her eyes out in public.

Soon she arrived home and quickly let herself inside. As she moved into the kitchen to start work on dinner, she noticed something.

There was an envelope on the countertop.

Quickly she nabbed the letter and sat down on her couch, ripping it open and pulling out the letter inside. Oh my Arceus, there's more she thought, as she started to read it.

Dear Lucy,

By the time you read this, I'm already traveling through the woods with Infernostar. First, I wanted to say I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. But I knew if I did you'd do everything in your power to try and convince me to stay.

"Well…He's right about that." Lucy said to herself.

I choose this path because I want to be free. The world is no longer safe for someone like me. If I stayed with you, even if you didn't, the rest of the world would expect me to be nothing more than a child to you. I'd be unable to make my own decisions, and I would never truly be happy knowing that.

"Of course…"

But that doesn't mean the decision was easy to make.

"What?"

Regardless of those downsides, I was in a constant struggle to decide what I wanted to do. I will have likely said before leaving I'd rather be Free than be Safe. But if it meant getting to stay with you, I would still be willing to make that choice.

"Gasp"

I didn't leave because I wanted to leave you. I left because I wanted to leave the world you were in. If it weren't for that, my final decision would have been very different.

"…" Lucy couldn't even comment, fresh tears beginning to fall down her face.

You showed me a New Perspective, that not every Pokémon was all but ready to take control and treat humans like babies. You will never catch me saying this out loud, but I can do it here.

I love you.

At that point the tears went from a light drizzle to a cascading waterfall, Lucy no longer being able to hold them back. Before breaking down, she forced herself to finish the letter before fully losing it.

One last thing you should know. This isn't goodbye. This is only See You Later.

Love, Jude Sparks.

…

"Jude?"

"Yes?"

"You wrote the wrong last name on the form."

"No I didn't."