Ash was in a bit of a daze as he was carted around by his mother, greeting everyone and receiving their best wishes for his birthday.

How did this happen? How had he managed to completely forget his birthday?

Well, alright. He knew how, he'd been focused on his exams and had perhaps let that focus occupy too much of his attention, but still. It seemed unbelievable to him.

A familiar couple approached him, the portly man moving in to shake Ash's hand.

"Good to see you Ash, you're growing into a fine young man!"

"Thank you sir, It's good to see you again." Ash responded, keeping a firm grip while his hand was enthusiastically dragged up and down.

Ash liked Kylie's parents, they were always good to spend a bit of time with, but her father always seemed to do his best to tear his arm off. Kylie had told him that he had done a lot of sports in his younger days but an injury had cut his activities short. Ash was a bit leery of that version of events, the man had a strong grip.

"Oh my, fourteen already! Soon you'll be away on your journey. You must come join us for dinner some time soon!" Kylie's mother swooped in, embracing Ash as she always did in a happy hug.

"Mum!" Kylie hissed, a hand coming up to her face in embarrassment.

'Every single time.' Ash thought as he accepted the embrace. Kylie and her mother had this little back and forth each time and Ash was certain the mother was enjoying it.

Ash moved on from the Turners, leaving Kylie to complain to her mother and receive nothing but amused laughter from both her parents. He dropped in and out of conversations, greeting everyone and catching up with them, thanking them for coming and occasionally accepting gifts which his mother thankfully took to store for later.

"So this is where you were Professor." Ash said as he approached the oldest person at the party, the man helping himself to one of the home-made cupcakes laid out.

"Ah yes, Gary let me know the three of you dropped by the lab earlier. Sorry about that, I offered to help your mother set up." Oak responded, his eyes closing in delight as he took a bite of a baked treat.

"I bet. And I'm sure that had nothing to do with having a few extra cupcakes before the other guests arrived?" Ash asked, raising an eyebrow in amusement.

The Professor simply chuckled as he savoured his treat. "Guilty as charged Ash, but you know how wonderful a cook your mother is. How could I resist?"

Ash had to agree, and deliberating on having one himself, decided to take the plunge. It was his birthday after all, right?

The sounds of raucous laughter and merry banter echoed around the Ketchum home as the party thrived into the evening. Music had started up at some point, a full sound-system appearing as if by magic, no doubt prepared by one Delia Ketchum.

Ash suspected his mother – who by that point was very merry – because she immediately dragged him over to dance. Embarrassed as he was by his mother's antics, he would be lying if he said it wasn't lots of fun as all the parents around them followed his mother's lead. Seeing Jim being dragged around by his own mother was fantastically entertaining, not least because of how red the shy boy's face ended up getting. He also briefly saw Kylie being whirled around by her father, fighting to keep the smile off her face as she desperately pretended she wasn't enjoying it.

The food his mother had prepared had been a smash hit. All around the house were empty serving trays, only fragments and crumbs left over, a testament to his mother's skill. Ash had spotted Mankey helping himself some time earlier, craftily making his way between chatting guests as he smuggled his fruity contraband back upstairs. It was enough to leave Ash and his friends in tears seeing how serious the normally playful Pokemon had looked. It was only after he had calmed down that he voiced his concern about Mankey making a mess, which only led to his friends laughing once again, this time at him. He had huffed in annoyance, insisting that they hadn't seen the monkey Pokemon pig-out. Their laughter had only increased, but Kylie had given him a reassuring pat on the back.

Most of his friends had gotten him gifts. They ranged from simple trinkets, all the way up to good quality equipment that would be invaluable when he left town. His mother had taken most of them away, storing for him to look through later, but for his closest friends he had opened them immediately.

Jim had gotten him an encyclopedia of Bug-type Pokemon, the depth of information contained within stunning Ash as he looked through it. He liked to think he had a pretty good general knowledge, but a specialised book like this would be very helpful, especially with all the forests in the area. Lenny had surprised him when he presented a fantastic travel-cookware set; it contained all sorts of useful cutlery and containers with which to cook as well as a light-weight gas stove. While his skills in cooking were still mediocre, Ash could already see the huge amount of variety such a selection would allow. Each piece was designed with travel in mind as well, taking up minimal space while being surprisingly light-weight. As strong as Ash was, carrying the essentials with him on his journey wouldn't be a problem.

Gary had been next and Ash had not been surprised in the slightest at what it was. "How to be a Pokemon Trainer: For Dummies" Ash had read aloud, levelling a flat stare at Gary who only wore a shit-eating grin. He did the same damn thing every year. No, that wasn't strictly true, Gary wasn't that predictable. Instead he picked an equally childish, and it was childish, joke gift to give for each of Ash's birthdays for the last five years. At first it had annoyed him, but now it was just part of the routine.

As the group of friends laughed at Ash and Gary throwing petty insults back and forth, Delia poked her head out into the garden where they had been sitting.

"It's getting late everyone, I think your parents might be looking for you." She called, making sure they had heard before retreating back inside.

Gary was the first to stand, stretching his arms up high as he yawned. "Man, I'm beat. Great party Ash, make sure to read the book, alright? You have over a year to get through it!"

Ash chuckled, able to find the humour in Gary's insults after dealing with them for so long. "Sure thing Gary, maybe I'll get you one when you learn to read."

Gary scoffed before turning on his heel and walking away, holding his hand up in farewell.

Following his departure Jim and Lenny stood as well, the smaller boy practically asleep on his feet. He probably wasn't used to this much activity, Ash realised.

"I'd better make a move as well, my mum was pretty drunk..." Jim said, making the face of a man heading to his doom.

"Same. Well, not the drunk part, but still." Lenny agreed, giving a single wave before exiting the same way as Gary.

Ash stood to return the goodbyes, watching as his two friends retreated back inside.

Stretching once himself, he reclined in his seat, letting his gaze drift up into the night sky. The dark canvas was as expansive as ever, not a single spec of it obstructed by clouds and illuminated by countless little dots of twinkling light.

"It's a beautiful night."

"Sure is." Ash agreed.

Kylie sat in the seat beside him, leaning back and staring up at the sky as well. He had noticed she hadn't made a move to leave, as well as the fact she hadn't given him a gift. He wasn't one to feel entitled, but it had just seemed like out of all the friends Ash had made at school, Kylie would be the one most likely to give him a gift. Still, he certainly wasn't going to ask about it, figuring whatever reasons she had were enough justification.

The two teenagers sat there for a while, tired but still content to let their bodies rest as the comfortable atmosphere descended around them.

"I think...I can see Mankey in the stars." Kylie idly noted.

"Really? Point him out to me." Ash said, leaning over to her.

Kylie obliged, tracing a lazy line across the sky with her finger as Ash followed it, neither minding how close they were.

"You know..." Ash began after she had finished, "I think you're right, nice job spotting it."

"Why, thank you. It's a talent." Kylie replied easily, a grin on her lips.

"I am very envious."

"As you should be." Kylie said, tilting her chin up slightly as if to emphasise her superiority.

The two looked at each other for a moment, both failing miserably to suppress the grins on their lips, before gentle laughter echoed out into the night. The sort of laughter that doesn't really come from particularly good humour, but rather good company.

At last, Kylie seemed to come to a decision and placed her bag onto the table where she began unzipping it. Moments later, she had revealed a package, blue in colour with silver decoration, and handed it over to Ash with a small smile on her face.

"Happy Birthday." She said softly, the words Ash had heard fifty times that night somehow sounding much more genuine.

He accepted the gift, treating it with care as he slowly began unwrapping it. He went about it methodically, unwilling to risk damaging whatever the wrapping paper concealed, until at last the gift was in his hands.

It was a sketchbook, one that opened horizontally with a ring-binder so that you could flip each page over easily. The front cover was entirely dedicated to a breathtaking rendition of Pallet Town in the sunset, brought to life by Pokemon of all different types populating the landscape. There were soaring Pidgeotto swooping through the blue skies, packs of Mankey swinging off power-lines and all sorts of others, both native to the region and from further afield. He had to resist the urge to immediately start looking through the rest of the pictures, instead turning to thank his friend.

"Kylie...this is amazing." Ash said, his voice tinted with both gratitude and awe.

"...You think so?" She asked happily, if a little nervously.

"Of course! You're such a great artist, did you really make a sketchbook just for me?"

"Well, yeah. It's your birthday, after all. I couldn't think of what to get you."

Ash chuckled to himself. "Couldn't think of what to get me- she says, Kylie, this must have taken you ages!"

"It didn't take that long!" Kylie protested, both extremely happy at Ash's reaction and unwilling to reveal just how long it had taken her. Ash didn't need to know it had been a several month project.

"Not sure I believe you. Can I look through the rest of it?" Ash asked, bouncing in his seat with excitement.

Eyes glinting with amusement, she nodded as she shuffled her seat closer so they could look together.

Each image Ash saw was a masterpiece. Not that he had much of an eye for artwork, but he did know one thing: Kylie's works were incredible. The way she brought things to life, both people and Pokemon, was enough to stun him. For each new picture Ash couldn't help but stop and stare, taking the time to just see it. Following that he'd heap praises on Kylie again, who was growing noticeably more flushed with embarrassment. Sometimes he'd comment on the image, recognising the scenery she had brought to life or being vaguely familiar with a technique she had used from his attempts to improve his own drawing ability.

"Oh wow...Arcanine." Ash whispered as they turned the page. On the canvas before him the Fire-type powerhouse took centre stage as it sprinted through a fiery landscape, great wisps of flame framing its powerful stride. In the background Ash could see a volatile landscape, with trails of blazing lava and explosive eruptions cascading into the sky making for an impressive backdrop.

"I really enjoyed this one." Kylie commented, tracing the image with her fingers. "I had so much fun with it, but I basically ran out of red and orange."

Ash chuckled, "Yeah, I bet. Those flames look wild. I'd love to meet an Arcanine one day."

"Well, if Gary's half as good a trainer as he thinks he is, then you will." Kylie replied, smiling.

"Oh yeah, good point. Ugh, but that means Gary will have an Arcanine..." Ash grumbled in realisation.

Kylie gave him a gentle nudge, "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get a super cool Pokemon too."

Ash looked at her, horrified, "Hey, I already have a super cool Pokemon. Thank you very much."

Kylie rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, you know what I mean."

Ash let his smile return, mollified as they went back to browsing.

It was as another page turned, and Ash saw the image that he paused. Blinking once, then twice, he spoke. "...This is me?" He asked softly.

Kylie nodded, leaning into him slightly as he appreciated the image.

It was a forest glade. Streams of gentle sunlight pierced through the canopy above, shining down on two figures. There in the centre, asleep against a broad tree trunk, was the image of himself and Mankey, the white-furred Pokemon huddled against his side. Their faces were totally at peace, Ash with a gentle smile and Mankey snoring lightly as if nothing in the world could disturb them.

It was such a strange experience, to see himself portrayed in such a way. The drawing was so accurate, but the feeling that was put into it, the peaceful atmosphere Kylie had tried – and succeeded – in capturing, was incredible. Looking at the drawing, he felt as if he himself was really there, asleep and completely at ease. The sentiment had been portrayed so well that it was affecting him in reality. Then, another thought occurred to him as he recognised the clothes.

He turned to Kylie, "When…?"

"Last month, we were out exploring. I think you had been training with Mankey pretty hard that morning, and by the time I arrived you were already tired," Kylie began, her voice tinted with fond remembrance, "It didn't take long for me to notice, so I suggested we take a break. Before long, you and Mankey had curled up against a tree, deaf to the world. And so I...seized the opportunity. I hope you don't mind." Kylie finished, a little embarrassed as she looked down.

Ash softly laughed in wonder, "Mind? Kylie..." She looked up, her eyes hopeful, "I love it. Really, I do." He said, trying to relay just how happy he was with the picture.

A brilliant, beautiful smile erupted onto Kylie's face, the beaming visage contagious as Ash's own grin mirrored it.

"This is the best present," He began, placing an arm around her as he pulled her into a hug, "Thank you, Kylie."

She returned the embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist and pulling him close, enjoying the warmth and intimacy. Their embrace lasted for only a little while, to Kylie's secret annoyance, and soon they broke apart still wearing their happy smiles.

"There's one more thing, something I want you to do." Kylie said, as she flipped the page.

To Ash's surprise, this one was blank.

"I want you to fill these in," Kylie said, looking him in the eyes. She noticed his confusion, and continued, "After we all leave, we aren't going to see each other for a while. I want you to draw pictures of your journey, for me." She explained, trying not to let her emotions bubble up to the surface. Thinking of Ash's departure was not a happy subject for her.

Realisation dawned on Ash's face, as he glanced back to the pages. He looked unsure as he replied, "I wouldn't want to ruin the book though, I mean you know how useless I am..."

Kylie shook her head in denial, "Ash, I don't want them because they're good. I want them because they're from you." She explained, embarrassed but intent on getting him to agree.

Ash gulped, his cheeks reddening a bit, before he responded with a smile, "Then I guess...I'll have to get better at drawing before I leave, huh?"

"I mean...it couldn't hurt." She conceded.

"And the truth comes out..." Ash said, letting his head droop in mock-depression.

"Just a joke!" Kylie replied quickly, the two already descending into giggles once more.

The night ended soon after that, Kylie's parents were still waiting for her and couldn't be kept all night. After some brief goodbyes and one more hug Kylie demanded from Ash, much to all present adult's amusement, it was time for the Turners to depart.

As the door closed, and they faded from sight, Ash let out a long sigh. He was truly exhausted, mentally and physically. He could not have picked a worse time to get a poor night's sleep – well perhaps the morning of his departure next year – but that was unlikely to ever happen.

He noted his mother sweeping the floors, and decided to help her, figuring it was the least he could do. If he was tired, then he couldn't imagine how she felt, planning and preparing all this! He had absolutely no idea it was coming, his mother was truly one of a kind.

"You outdid yourself mum, the party was amazing. Everyone loved it." Ash said as he collected another broom and began sweeping from the other end of the living room.

"It was such fun! I haven't let loose in a while, and seeing everyone laughing and smiling together was wonderful. I can't wait till next year!" Delia chirped happily, apparently still riding a bit of a high.

Ash knew his mother had a bit to drink, but it wasn't the alcohol's fault. She was just a really good host, and got a kick out of people enjoying her events.

"Expectations will be high..." Ash said ominously.

"And I'll rise to them! It'll be the last party before you leave..." She had started her sentence with vigour, but trailed off in the second half.

Ash supposed he would have to accept that his mother wasn't going to just be okay with his leaving. Still, it was over a year away. No need to focus on that.

"That just means we'll have to make the most of it, plus it's not like I won't be around for parties after that. We'll be able to celebrate even more with all my prize money!" Ash had big plans for his future, and one of the driving forces behind his desire to win was the wealth it would give him to improve his mother's life. Sure, they were doing alright by themselves, but Ash was sure there were lots of things his mother would like to do if money was no object.

"Oh my! So confident!" Delia teased, a hand resting on her cheek.

"Look forward to it."

Delia just hummed happily, appreciating her son's attempt to cheer her up. She would have to avoid getting too down around him, the last thing she wanted to do was make him feel guilty. There really was no avoiding it though, life without Ash around would be so dull. She'd have her garden to tend, and her friends to catch up with but it wouldn't be the same. Perhaps she could take some part-time courses? Thoughts for later, Delia decided as her son spoke up again.

"You know, Lenny got me some cookware made for travelling. I'll need more lessons over the next year, think you can mould me into a half-decent chef?"

His mother's gaze turned stern. "I absolutely will young man, no son of mine is going travelling around without knowing how to properly feed himself."

Ash chuckled sheepishly, scratching his head. "Right, should have figured you'd say that." His mother took cooking extremely seriously after all.

"Plus," His mother continued, "From the few lessons we've had you are making good progress. I'm certain you'll be ready in time."

"Thanks, mum."

They chatted about little things while they cleaned, moving on from sweeping to collecting dirty dishes before Ash carried the bags full of rubbish outside, ready to be disposed of. The four black sacks, full of plastic cutlery, paper plates and serving trays were a testament to just how much food was prepared for the party. He was secretly hoping there'd be leftovers in the morning, but knowing how good his mother's cooking was it was unlikely.

Returning inside, he gave his mother a hug as he thanked her again for the party, before bidding her goodnight and returning to his room. He needed to sleep, he was going to pass out at this rate.

Stepping inside, he immediately noticed Mankey splayed out on the floor surrounded by banana peels, apple cores and various other bits of fruit. He could only sigh at his partner's contented snoring, realising he had probably spent most of the last thirty six hours asleep. Carefully stepping over the gorged Pokemon, Ash relinquished his t-shirt and wiggled out of his jeans before collapsing on his bed, eagerly embracing the rush of unconsciousness.

Kylie was in a good mood. It was early morning in Pallet Town and she had decided to go for a stroll, always being one to enjoy the crisp freshness in the air. Getting started early had been a habit of hers for years now, and had only been reinforced after meeting her friends at school. She didn't have any plans right now, dressed casually in her usual sporty style; black leggings, trainers, a sports-vest with a loose pink t-shirt over the top.

It was half-way through the summer vacation, the time flying by as she spent her days playing sports, hanging out with her friends and going trekking with Ash. She was looking forward to school starting up again, the thoughts of whipping the Football team into shape before she left on her journey filling her with determination. She needed to find a replacement captain as well, someone who was – if not her equal – at least reasonably passionate about the sport.

As she walked she couldn't help the small smile that kept pulling at her lips, the memories of Ash's birthday playing over and over again in her head. It had been such an incredible feeling, to have something she put so much effort in be truly appreciated. Others had commented on her art before of course, and she'd had plenty of praise. But from Ash, it just meant a lot more. That sketchbook was probably the best thing she'd ever produced, and she thought that a big part of that was the reason she had made it – as a gift for Ash.

There had been moments then where she had considered confessing, especially after he had just kept praising her and then there had been that hug! She had come really close to just blurting it out. But thankfully she had resisted the urge, knowing that her choice was the right one. There would be time for romance later.

Besides, how would it even work? Once they left there wouldn't be any time to spend together anyway. Sure, they could travel the same Routes for a while, but eventually their differing goals would split them apart. It would be so much harder to leave Ash's side if her feelings had grown even stronger.

Up ahead, she noticed two figures in the distance approaching, their speed indicating they were moving fast. One was a lot smaller than the other, and it was with a smile she realised it was Gary and Growlithe, out for a morning run. Deciding to cheer them on she stepped to the side as they approached.

"Woo, go Gary! Go Growlithe!" She clapped as they jogged passed, Growlithe giving a happy bark and Gary managing to look irritated even in motion. She laughed to herself as they continued on their way, no doubt having some distance still to go.

Gary was taking Growlithe's rehabilitation very seriously, spending much of his recent time with the rapidly improving Fire-type. Gary could be abrasive and arrogant, but none of them doubted that he cared very much for the Pokemon under his watch.

Reaching the outskirts of Pallet Town she came to a stop, slowly twirling around as she decided on a direction. She could head back the way she had come, the markets would probably be opening by the time she arrived and she could do a bit of shopping. Alternatively she could go for a little adventure in the forests, something that was always fun. Normally, she only ever went with Ash but occasionally she had ventured forth on her own, experiencing a taste of what being a Pokemon Ranger would be like. The very thought of it filled her with excitement, and made her choice easy.

'Then again...' She hesitated, looking down at her clothes. She wasn't exactly dressed for a trek. If she went, she'd have to take it slowly and not go too deeply. This area had been mapped by her and Ash pretty thoroughly since it was so close to the edge of the town, so she was confident there would be nothing too dangerous.

'Better to be safe than sorry. I'll let someone know where I'm going.'

Happy with her decision, she withdrew her phone and sent off a message to Ash and her mother. In the message to Ash she included a map reference which would indicate exactly where she had entered the forest, something only he would understand. If the worst case scenario occurred, they would know exactly where she was. It wouldn't be strange if Ash came to join her anyway, what with him being equally as enthusiastic about being out in nature.

With that done she entered the forests of Pallet. It was easy going to begin with, the foliage being sparse and the trees skinny but then steadily, the further in she went, progress became more difficult. It didn't help that her loose top was rather annoying, always getting in the way. She was sure it would be torn before the day was over.

Kylie made her way through as best she could, spotting familiar landmarks or 'totems' that she and Ash had constructed to guide their way. Occasionally she'd see some wild Pokemon here or there, sometimes they'd even come over in curiosity and let her play with them. She had definitely gotten a lot better with gaining the trust of Pokemon, especially ones that started off cautious. But no matter how good she got, she doubted she'd ever be as good as Ash. He just seemed to have a gift, able to gain anyone's trust, human or Pokemon.

She had been in the forests for about half an hour when a panicked screech seized her attention, making her spin on the spot. She froze, concentrating on her hearing, trying to pinpoint exactly where the noise had come from. Setting off blindly and crashing through the forests in a mad rush was a good way to twist your ankle and end up in need of rescuing. It was always safer to calmly analyse the situation.

Kylie waited for almost thirty seconds, the natural ambience of the forest all that she could hear, until finally the sound of branches breaking and that same screech echoed out again. She had the direction firmly in her sights now.

Slowly, she began to pick her way forward. Every move she made was cautious, having had the dangers of interfering with a wild Pokemon battle firmly drilled into her both by Ash and her text-books. That was the conclusion she had come to, the noise clearly one of distress and indicating something bad had happened. She knew she should head back and retreat to the safety of Pallet Town, but there was something in that piercing sound that had called out. It felt like it was pleading for help.

And so she moved forward. Adrenaline was pulsing through her, and she could feel the sweat beading on her brow as she picked her way past branches and vines. For five minutes this time, the only sounds were of her movement and the occasional skitter of a Pokemon in her periphery. It was as she inched around a massive tree, the trunk at least as thick as three of her, that she found what she was looking for.

She barely managed to stifle the startled gasp.

On a bed of snapped branches, torn leaves and bent feathers there lay a Fearow, bloody and broken as though it had been cast from the sky. Looking above it, Kylie realised that may have been just what happened as there was a clear path of destruction through the canopy. Glancing around she could see no other Pokemon. And then Kylie realised that whatever had caused this hadn't seen fit to finish the job. The Fearow was alive.

A weak, barely audible noise trickled from the beak of the once-great bird, the agony plain for her to hear. Steeling herself, Kylie stepped out from behind the cover of her tree, into the fallen Pokemon's sight. It tried to move, using what must have been the last of its strength to twitch its broken wings aggressively, but there was nothing it could do, falling still.

"Shhh, it's okay." Kylie whispered, dropping to a crouch and holding up her hands. The sharp eyes of the broken bird were locked on her own, full of fierce intelligence and unbearable pain.

Slowly, ever so slowly, she shuffled forward, calling out soft words as she went.

"I'm not going to hurt you, okay?"

She was close now, if she wanted she could reach out and touch the Pokemon's long beak. Only the knowledge that it was the main weapon of a Fearow stayed her hand. It hadn't tried to move again, but it was still making noises while its eyes followed her every move. As close as she was she could see the damage. She was no medic, not yet anyway, but from what she did know the injuries looked fatal. Broken bones, wings bent at odd angles and deep gouges which flowed freely with the life-blood of the Pokemon. Maybe if there was someone here who could help it would be different, but Kylie had nothing available for a situation like this. And so she did the only thing she could think of. She talked to the dying bird.

"I'm sorry. I don't have anything to help you."

It crowed weakly in response, not even having the strength to raise its head.

Kylie wanted to ease its suffering some how, some way, but touching the wild Pokemon still seemed like a daft idea, even if it was on death's door.

They sat there, girl and Pokemon for a time. It was hard for Kylie, watching a Pokemon die. She was under no illusions that it would be the last time, the career of a Pokemon Ranger would no doubt force her to repeat such an experience time and again. But even so, it was hard.

Movement drew her from her morose thoughts, the Fearow had begun to raise its left wing as best it could considering the damage. Kylie made her decision then, to help the Pokemon in what may be its final act. As gently, and as openly as she could she moved forwards, once more stating her intent to help. Thankfully, the Fearow seemed to understand and didn't become agitated with her attempt to offer aid. Avoiding the opened wounds and mangled bone of the wing, Kylie placed her hands underneath it, feeling the Pokemon flinch at the contact. Slowly, she began to raise it, paying attention to the bird's reactions so as not to cause any unnecessary pain. What had been concealed beneath wing stole her breath away.

There, lying in the grass, were two of the smallest Spearow she had ever seen. One of them could easily fit in the palm of her hands. They were chicks she realised and probably not even a few days old. And then it clicked.

The Fearow...had been protecting its young. It must have fought off whatever was threatening them, but the cost had been great. As horrible as it was, Kylie knew nature could be cruel, but this...

Kylie felt the tears prick at her eyes, horror encroaching as she noticed something was wrong. It wasn't only the parent that would perish from its wounds, but she now saw that only one of the chicks was alive.

"No..." She whispered, hoping she was mistaken. She lowered her head, aware of the weak cawing of the Fearow to her side, and tried to get a better look. The tears fell as she confirmed her fears.

She closed her eyes briefly, wiping her tears. There was still something she could do. The only thing she could do.

With the utmost of care, she scooped up the still living chick and brought it before the eyes of its parent, holding it so that she could see it.

"I'm sorry..." She said softly, tears falling freely now. Could a Pokemon understand something like this? Through words alone, without seeing the evidence? She knew that Ash would think they could, but she wasn't sure. And so, she gently placed the still living chick down, and scooped the other one up. She held it closely, watching as the Fearow looked upon it. She marvelled at the intelligence she could see in the large bird's eyes, and swore she could see the moment of comprehension. Its eyes closed before it let out a cry, long and heartbroken, one that Kylie would never have believe to come from something other than a human. It lasted only for a few moments before silence once more reigned.

It was close now, she could tell. The damaged Pokemon would not survive much longer, and so she held the surviving chick close, allowing them some final physical comfort.

For five minutes, the parent and child shared in their familial bond. And then it was over.

"I'll take care of her, I promise." Kylie said, watching as the life disappeared from the Fearow's eyes.

She was still sat there when Ash found her a little while later. He didn't call out to her, or ask her what happened, able to comprehend what had occurred from looking around. He sat next to her and pulled her close to him, careful of the Pokemon sleeping in her hands.

The two friends sat together for a while, Kylie occasionally shuddering with a trembling sob, and Ash rubbing her shoulder, all too aware of what it was like.

Eventually, Ash got to his feet, helping Kylie up too. She didn't resist, and simply allowed herself to be led out of the forest and all the way to Professor Oak's lab. The journey there had been a blur for Kylie, and she honestly couldn't remember if she had talked to Ash even once the entire time. When they arrived, Professor Oak had quickly agreed to check on the baby Pokemon to ensure it was healthy, and when Kylie had asked to take care of it, the Professor looked reluctant. She was about to argue or beg, she didn't know which when Ash spoke up in support. He promised to help her raise the chick, taking responsibility and that was enough to get Professor Oak to relent.

She was truly lucky to have met Ash.

The Professor did insist on keeping the chick there over night at least however, and Kylie had to accept the compromise. Kylie whispered her good-byes to the chick, promising to see her tomorrow which got a tiny caw of approval, before she departed.

After a restless night where sleep was elusive, Kylie left her house early the next morning and met Ash who had insisted on joining her. Together they made their way to Professor Oak's Lab. She had spent the night worrying herself into a frenzy about leaving the orphaned Spearow alone, and so the relief she felt upon seeing her again was palpable.

Gently, Kylie scooped up the tiny bird Pokemon from its soft bedding. Professor Oak still looked unsure, but once again Ash promised they'd be okay. Kylie agreed, knowing that she would do everything she could to ensure the baby Spearow grew up fine.

Ash and Kylie left the lab, talking about all the things they'd need to find or buy. Professor Oak had provided some books of caring for baby Pokemon, but it seemed fairly straight-forward.

Now all she had to worry about was getting her mother's permission to keep her new Pokemon. Great.

A/N: Another downtime chapter. Hopefully the characters feel a bit more fleshed out now. Next chapter will probably be another skip, possibly all the way to Ash's departure, not sure yet. I didn't really plan to give Ash a standard starter on top of Mankey, but let me know if you think I should. Also, just an FYI Gary and Kylie won't have much screen time once Ash leaves.