Just a Caretaker

"Welcome to the Pokemon Center! How can I help you?"

May let out a sigh of relief, her feet aching as she walked inside of the Camphrier Town pokemon center. It had been some time since she started her journey through the Kalos region, beginning her conquest of the Pokemon Contests there. This hadn't been her first time through Kalos, but it had been some years since her last visit. New Coordinators rose to fame, posing new challenges for the young woman to face again. May was all for facing new challenges in the contests she loved so much.

She had taken to the idea of traveling by foot again, wanting to revisit her previous days on the road. As May had risen in her own glory as a Coordinator, much of her time before had been spent traveling by bus or pokemon or whatever means possible to make it to many different contests in a timely manner. At first, she would admit, it had made things easier and was a welcome idea. But as her life became engulfed in Pokemon Contests and only that, she was beginning to feel her previous passion fizzle somewhat. Even her own Pokemon were beginning to show signs of fatigue, growing tired of the non-stop schedule.

So, wanting to breathe life back into her dream and her pokemon, May set out to Kalos, where her influence and fame as a Coordinator had all but waned. People might recognize her, but the region had a good number of its own Coordinators that were far more renowned. It gave May the breathing room she desired. She wouldn't rush from one contest to the next. She would take her time, travel with her Pokemon and just have fun like she had did so many years ago.

"Hi there. I was hoping you could heal my team for me. We've had a long trip." May said, giving a polite smile.

"Alrighty then! Just hand them over and I'll take good care of them," Nurse Joy said, placing a small tray in front of her. May placed her pokeballs in the tray, watching Nurse Joy take them to a healing machine and placing it inside. "Feel free to take a break in our waiting room. We'll bring you your pokemon shortly. There's a shop and food court there if you're hungry."

"That sounds absolutely lovely…" May gave a nod of appreciation before walking off. She was thankful that her stomach refrained from growling until she was out of the nurse's sight, saving her from an embarrassing moment. There were a few others in the waiting area, allowing her a short line at the cafeteria to grab her meal. She sat down at a table alone, scarfing down a double stacked burger and fry combo without a second thought.

"What a final match! Truly a spectacular display!"

May's eyes trailed up, a TV resting against the wall. Several other patrons had their eyes glued to the broadcast. May swallowed the bit of food in her mouth as she turned in her seat to watch for herself.

"Despite his valiant effort, it seems that Ash Ketchum was unable to topple our current champion! But no one here can doubt the sheer ferocity and strength that he and his team of Pokemon showed here today! Let's hear a round of applause for our challenger!"

May felt a small, albeit somewhat sad, smile stretch across her lips. It was often now that she saw Ash on TV, pursuing the Pokemon League each year in different regions. He was coming closer and closer each time, but there always seemed to be someone out there who he couldn't overcome in the end. Ash had yet to win a single League in the past eight years.

"Let's get a few words with our challenger! Ash, you really put it all out there today, and no one doubts that you have what it takes to become a champion! How are you doing after that close battle?"

"I'm doing alright. Honestly, it just goes to show that me and my team have got to keep growing!" May heard Ash's voice. It was a bit tired, but she could hear the genuine strength in his words. "I keep finding so many different and strong people as I travel. And it just shows me that I've still got a lot to learn. So no matter how many times it takes, I'll keep pushing until I win. Just you all wait!"

That's the Ash I remember, May thought, her smile becoming more endearing. She stood from her seat and tossed out her trash, feeling her spirits lift. And just like him, I'm going to keep pushing forward and become a Top Coordinator! But I'll do it without sacrificing my team's and my own happiness.

"Excuse me?" May's eyes trailed to the side, seeing Nurse Joy approach her with a bright smile. "Your team is all healed up and ready to go! I do hope you have a wonderful day and come again!"

"Oh, thank you!" May said, taking the tray of pokeballs and smiling. She carried it over to her previous table, soon releasing every Pokemon she had. "Alright, everyone! Who's hungry?"

Shooting out beams of red light, she watched as her team materialized before her eyes. Blaziken, her long time partner, let out a satisfied chirp. Among her team were several old faces, Snorlax, Glaceon and Delcatty, as well as two new ones she caught on her journey through Kalos, Fennekin and Kirlia.

"Alright, get in line everybody! I'll give everyone their favorite pokeblocks for the long walk here," May said, her pokemon all letting out happy growls and squeaks in answer. She went from her starting line-up to her newly obtained pokemon, feeding Fennekin and Kirlia a newly devised pokeblock she made just for them.

"How are you guys doing? Are you having fun with us?" May asked them, kneeling in front of the tiny pokemon and rubbing their heads. Fennekin and Kirlia let out cute, delighted squeals, pushing into her hands. "Good to hear. We're happy to have you guys join us."

May sat back at her table, allowing her pokemon to relax as they nibbled on their food. She set out several bowls of pokemon feed as well, making sure that each one was getting well fed. "Get your energy up, everyone. We finally reached our destination. If the rumors are right, we'll be able to set out and nab that Diancie!"

Her pokemon let out grunts of cheer before returning to their food.

While May's primary objective was still to hit more contests, May also desired to mix up her team a bit. Since arriving in the Kalos region, she heard of a beautiful pokemon called Diancie that had a body like a jewel and the cuteness of a flower. Since it was her first time really adventuring in a while, she decided to make catching one another one of her goals while in Kalos. They were very rare, but May was listening closely for rumors of such a pokemon's sightings. That had led her to Camphrier Town, as it was the final stop before route 7 where it was rumored to be seen.

"Come on, guys. Don't make a mess," May chuckled, picking up any small scraps possibly left by her Pokemon's now finished meals. She gathered the bowls and stacked them on a tray, taking it to the rack by the trash cans.

"Ah, officer Jenny! Good to see you!" May heard nurse Joy from the front, though not thinking much of it at first. "What brings you by?"

"He's back at it again, that's what." Officer Jenny's tired voice sighed, causing May to hesitate somewhat, curious. "Had a couple run in with some trainers and... Well you know how it goes."

"Oh, he's close by?" Nurse Joy's voice conveyed a bit of excitement as well as concern. "What are you planning to do?"

"Not sure. I was thinkin' of blockin' off route 7 while me and the girls try an' track him down. Might cause quite a few problems for trainers if he runs wild, you know?"

What are they talking about? A strong pokemon? May thought, leaning in a bit closer to listen. It's rare that they would block off an entire route because of that.

"Of course, I understand. Do you know how long you might have to block it off?"

"It really depends on how long it takes to find him. We can't do it for too long, but a couple days if we have to."

A few days?! B-But I can't wait that long! Diancie could run off somewhere, and I have a Contest to try and make it to! May thought in panic, biting her bottom lip in concern.

"Well, I hope you can resolve it soon. I'd hate to see trainers build up once you start blocking it off." Nurse Joy said.

"Yeah. We'll see if we can't knock some sense in that guy, but I doubt it. We both know how stubborn he is," Officer Jenny laughed with a bit of humor in her voice. "We'll probably put up the blockade tonight. Gotta make sure all the trainers are out of there first and see if we can find him now."

Tonight? Darn, then I really don't have much time! May thought, turning and walking back toward her Pokemon as she decided to stop eavesdropping there. But if they're going to start clearing out trainers now, then going immediately isn't a good idea either… I'll have to sneak past them tonight, then. It'll be risky, but I'm not going to let Diancie get away!

With that thought, May pumped a fist in front of her with silent determination, puffing her chest out and stomping toward her pokemon team. Caught in her own thoughts, she didn't hear the rest of Jenny and Joy's conversation.

"Um, if you do catch him… do you mind bringing him by the center?" Joy asked, twirling a finger in a pink lock. "It's been a while."

"Hey now, don't think I'll let you just try and snatch him up if I do nab the guy," Jenny laughed, causing the nurse to blush. "But I'll keep that in mind. Don't know if I'll be able to find him just like that, but we'll see. We're due a visit, anyway, and I'll arrest him if I have to."

"That seems a bit harsh, but… I guess once wouldn't be so bad." Joy giggled in answer.

I could get in so much trouble!

May tiptoed quietly through the field, keeping a careful eye out. Night had fallen and just like she had heard, the local police had cleared the trainers out of Route 7. May decided to bide her time and wait for things to calm down. Once night had fallen, the officers started to clear out, only leaving a few out to patrol in the night. While they were somewhat alert, May found a few gaps in their patrol that let her sneak through their blockade.

Alright, calm down, May! Just… Just pretend it's a safari! A safari tour at night hosted by moi~! May told herself, a small smile stretching across her lips. Yeah! May's late night safari! On the hunt for Diancie!

May felt confidence and excitement return, pushing forward and continuing to sneak past the officers. Once she made it to the brush just outside their blockade, May let out a breath of relief. She stayed low, but was able to move much quicker with the officer's no longer close by. She waited until they were just out of sight before rising to stand, feeling safe.

"Alright! That wasn't so bad!" May said, placing her hands on her hips. "With that out of the way, now we can begin pursuit of Diancie! Yay~!"

…

…

...

"Where… exactly was it?" May muttered aloud, feeling a bead of sweat trail down her brow. It was true that she heard rumors that Diancie had been sighted in Route 7 recently, but the problem is that she didn't know exactly where in Route 7. And it wasn't that small of an area.

May scratched the back of her head under her bandana, letting out a sheepish laugh. "Guess I… didn't plan this out completely." But she shook her head, putting on a determined face. "That doesn't matter. I'll just have to look everywhere! Yeah!"

And so, May did. She wandered around Route 7 digging through the tall grass, scanning the trees and walking by the rock face of the cave close by in her search. She remembered to keep in mind that there was still a supposedly troublesome pokemon nearby that concerned the police, but brushed the thought off.

I'm not like most other trainers. I have plenty of battle experience and should be able to handle myself just fine.

Finally, May approached a nearby pond, scanning the water and beach for any sign of the rock-fairy type pokemon.

"Still no sign of it, huh..?" May sighed, biting the inside of her cheek as she glanced around the area hopefully. "I really hope that the rumors were true, otherwise I'll have wasted a ton of time for nothing…"

May suddenly heard a splash in the water, eyes snapping up to the noise. To her disappointment, she only saw a Croagunk poke its head out of the surface. She let out a small sigh before giving the purple frog pokemon a smile.

"Hey there, Croagunk. Think you could point me in the direction of that Diancie I've heard so much about?"

May wasn't expecting any sort of answer, just a neutral expression on the Croagunk. But to her surprise, the pokemon gave her a pointed glare. May took a small step back, raising a brow at the strange intensity she felt from the Croagunk.

"Okay~, I'll just leave you alone, then." May said, turning on her heel and getting ready to leave. She stopped dead in her tracks though, eyes widening when she saw a pink light refract the moonlight.

Just ahead of her was none other than Diancie, the pink diamond body sparkling brilliantly. The pokemon was several meters ahead of her, seemingly taking no notice of May as it sipped at the edge of the pond. May felt a grin plaster across her lips, fighting the urge to let out an excited squeal. What luck! It actually came to me!

May didn't want to give up the element of surprise, silently reaching for a poke ball on her belt. She took a couple quiet steps closer, trying to get within better throwing range of the Diancie. Right here should be perfect! Okay, now…

"Croa~k!"

May let out a squeal, her concentration broken. The Top Coordinator's head snapped to the left to see the Croagunk from before now closer to the beach, glaring more intensely than before. It seemed displeased with her presence by its pond.

"H-Hey! What's your-" May began before suddenly realizing what she just did. She shifted her gaze back to the Diancie, the small fairy type pokemon looking at her in great alarm. As May opened her mouth, it immediately turned and floated away. "H-Hey! Come back!"

May bit her bottom lip, seeing that the Diancie might lose her in the brush. She quickly raised her poke ball, not wasting any time and throwing it forward. It was a good throw, aimed at where the Diancie was heading and looking likely to capture it. May felt a smile creep on her lips, but that smile soon disappeared when she watched something knock the ball away in a blur.

May blinked, soon realizing that the poke ball she had thrown was now pierced through by an arrow and stuck to a tree. May felt her jaw slack for a moment before a glare found its way on her face. "Okay, who's there?!" She called out, pulling Blaziken's poke ball out from her belt and getting prepared for a battle.

"You trainers are all the same. You can't just leave a creature in peace."

May raised a brow as she watched a figure walk out from the brush. She felt her guard start to lower for a moment, her eyes going wide while her jaw slackened when she could make out his details. It was a man over six feet in height. He wore a black tank top with black pants and boots. His skin was tanned dark and his hair a silver sheen, spiked and slicked back on top of his head. He was extremely fit, well toned muscles defined under his clothes and bare for May to see in his arms. He was handsome, to say the least. Enough to paralyze May for a moment.

W-Whoa, this guy's smoking hot! May thought for a brief moment as a blush adorned her cheeks. But she quickly batted the thought away as a bout of embarrassment came over her, the Pokemon Coordinator finding her sense again.

"H-Hey, what's the big idea?! Putting an arrow through my pokeball like that!" She exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at him.

"You were trying to capture that Diancie. I was making sure that you didn't." he answered, his voice deep and masculine.

"O-Oh, is it… your pokemon?" May asked, wanting to make sure she wasn't getting upset over something of her own fault.

"No, it's not. I just happened upon it at the same time."

"T-Then you're just trying to catch it for yourself!" May snapped, glaring in annoyance.

"I have no interest in catching it. I simply didn't want to see you enslave a pokemon with one of those things," he retorted, slinging the bow in his hand over his shoulder.

"E-Enslave?! People catch pokemon all the time! We're not enslaving them!" May said, placing a hand on her hip and tilting her head in disbelief.

"You catch pokemon and force them to do battle. You might consider them something like pets, but you're still making them fight." he said, his tone even as his eyes narrowed at May.

"W-What are you talking about? I don't force my pokemon to do anything!" May said, glaring back at him. "My pokemon choose to fight for me and with me! We have fun together and work hard to get better! Besides, I'm more of a Coordinator than an actual trainer."

"Regardless, it's still the same idea. You catch them with those pokeballs, and they're suddenly inclined to work for you." He pointed out, causing May to blink.

"What do you mean by that?"

The man stared at her for a long moment before letting out a sigh, shaking his head. "Forget it. You trainers never listen. Trying to explain it won't do anything." He said, turning around and getting ready to walk away.

"H-Hey! Don't just leave on a note like that! Get back here!" May called out in frustration, confused and annoyed by his words and attitude.

"Just let it go. You'll never actually-" as the man turned back to her, his eyes widened in alarm. "Hey, watch out!"

"Huh?" Before May could process his warning, she felt a sharp pain stab into her back, her body tingling with pain as she was knocked several feet forward by the force of the blow. May fell to her knees, gritting her teeth in pain as she reached back and massaged the spot that was hit.

"Croagunk!"

May widened her eyes, looking back to see the poison type pokemon from before now standing on the bank. It was glaring down at her and its three fingered hand glowing purple.

"W-What..? Why would it…" May mumbled before her head started to become dizzy. The purple energy made it clear that the Croagunk had used poison jab, and May had taken it full on.

M-My head's swimming… I feel like I'm gonna throw up… May thought, her vision becoming blurry for a moment. But as the Croagunk started to stalk toward her, she could make out another figure stepping between them, and the sound of a fight breaking out. Darkness soon consumed her sight as sleep took her.

Ugh… my head…

May slowly rubbed her forehead, her face wrinkling as she rubbed away the grogginess she felt. It took her a moment to recall what happened before blacking out, when it suddenly hit her. May sat up with a fright, something she immediately regretted as she was hit with a wave of vertigo. She groaned as she tried to let her head level back out.

"Took you long enough."

May froze, peering one eye open to see who spoke. It was the same man from before, sitting some ways away from her next to a fireplace. As May regained her full senses, she spared a look around, seeing that she was inside a small log cabin. A blanket rested over her body with a bowl of cold water sitting next to her bed.

"W-What… happened?" May mumbled cautiously, kicking her feet out over the edge of the bed.

"You got too close to an angry Croagunk's pond," he answered, his eyes still fixed on the fire in front of him. "It attacked you with Poison Jab and knocked you out. Don't worry, I gave you an antidote and let you rest. You shouldn't have any other problems, now."

"I-I see… how long was I out..?"

"Since last night. That would make about twelve hours," He said, his eyes trailing over to her finally.

"Okay... um…" May took a moment, prepared to give her thanks. That was until a thought came to her. "W-Wait, where are my pokeballs?! Where are-"

"On the table. I let your pokemon out of them to relax outside." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder, May following it to a table at the far edge of the cabin. "You can take them and go whenever you're ready."

May pursed her lips, slowly standing from her seat and nodding. "Okay… thank you. For helping me, I mean."

"Just take your pokemon and go." He said shortly, seemingly uninterested in continuing the conversation. May rubbed her arm awkwardly, unsure what else to say. She recalled his words from the day before, his remarks about pokeballs and how resentful he seemed over them. May wasn't sure why he felt that way, but wasn't sure how to answer. Instead, she decided to walk outside, wanting to see her pokemon before doing anything else. She left her belt of pokeballs on the table to show she wasn't leaving just yet.

"Blaziken? Snorlax? Fenniken?" May called out as she exited the cabin. After walking outside, she saw just how secluded the cabin was. There was a modest sized pond in front of it, but large, thickly brushed trees surrounded the area, making it impossible to see too far from the cabin. To her surprise, there was a wide assortment of pokemon close by, all different species that May was unsure were all native to Route 7.

"Blazi~!"

May smiled when she saw her Blaziken running to her. The rest of her team soon followed with Snorlax at the back, the Top Coordinator giggling as she was crowded by her pokemon. She looked up, a few of them eyeing her with concern while the rest only seemed to brim with happiness.

"Hey, guys! Sorry if I made you worry. I guess I should have taken one of you out to protect me," May said, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. "Has grumpy been treating you well?"

"Nice thing to say about someone who saved you," she heard the dry voice of her host drawl, looking back to see him walk out of the cabin. A good number of the different pokemon in the area seemed drawn to him, crowding close to him like her own had done.

"So these are all your pokemon?" May asked, looking around with some amazement.

"Not in the same sense as you and yours. I didn't catch them, I just saved a few that needed help," he said, kneeling in front of a Smeargle and rubbing the top of its head. "I have a few companions, but they like to patrol around and keep an eye out for trouble."

"I see. So you're like a pokemon caretaker, huh?" May asked, giving a small smirk. Well, if pokemon like him enough to stay around him, I guess he can't be too bad.

"That might be pushing it…" He mumbled in answer, his eyes cast to the side in doubt.

May raised a brow at his response but only shrugged before looking at her own pokemon again. "Well, thank you for taking care of them… I'm May,, by the way. Sorry for the late intro."

"... Emiya." He answered slowly, somewhat hesitant but giving in.

"Emiya, huh? That's a nice name," May said, stroking the top of Glaceon's head. But why did you let mine out, anyway?"

"Keeping them locked away in those pokeballs seemed cruel, considering the circumstances. They need to get out with you out of commission."

May hesitated, hearing a bitter edge in his voice. May narrowed her eyes, turning around and placing her hands on her hips. "Are you trying to say I'm cruel just because I keep them in pokeballs?!"

"Maybe not intentionally. But the design of pokeballs seems inherently cruel on its own," Emiya stood at full length and crossed his arms in front of him.

"Wh-What?! That's insane! Pokemon aren't hurt while they're in pokeballs! It just gives them a chance to rest while people move around!" May said, the very idea making her angry. She would never hurt her precious pokemon, and what he was implying was just that.

"More like a chance for the trainer's hold over a pokemon to reaffirm itself."

May blinked, raising a brow in wonder. "Wh-What do you mean by that?"

Emiya stared at May for a moment before letting out a breath. "You'll probably answer like everyone else, but I'll tell you since you asked. I've been observing behavior of pokemon and their capture within pokeballs for some time. I don't have anything conclusive as of yet, but I believe that pokeballs inherently brainwash whatever they catch."

"B-Brainwash?! Th-That's ridiculous!" May snapped in disbelief, gritting her teeth. "What could possibly make you think that?!"

"Some pokemon accept their trainers, it's true, but some aren't quite as voluntary. Tell me, can you say with complete certainty that every pokemon you've ever caught has wanted to battle or compete in contests?"

May opened her mouth, but found herself hesitating. It was true, some pokemon didn't always desire to be caught. Some didn't seem to mind, but others did run rather than battle. But still, May never treated them badly. How could he call it brainwashing? It sounded inhumane!

"I-I would never do that to them! How could you even-" May began, but hesitated when she saw two bright red eyes peering through the brush behind him. A low gurgling growl echoed from them, the Top Coordinator watching as a rather large Haxorus stomped out from the greenery and glared at May. Blaziken was quick to step up next to her, taking a defensive stance as it prepared for a fight.

"Haxorus, stop." Emiya ordered, looking back at the dragon type pokemon and narrowing his eyes. "She's a guest here."

"You too, Blaziken! I'm fine!" May said in a panic, putting a hand on her first partner's shoulder and trying to get it to relax. Both pokemon glared at one another in challenge, but eventually listened to their partners, taking small steps back but staying close to May and Emiya.

The silver haired caretaker sighed, rubbing a hand on Haxorus' head. "Forget I said anything. There's no use arguing over it. I doubt I can convince you differently anyway."

May looked back at him, conflicted feelings swirling in her gut. She understood what he was trying to say and that it was in concern for the pokemon, but May couldn't agree with the idea at all.

"If you're hungry, I had lunch cooking while you were asleep. You're welcome to have some before you leave." Emiya offered, walking away from the crowd of pokemon to the side of his cabin.

May opened her mouth to reject his offer, but was abruptly cut off by the growl of her stomach. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment, causing her to laugh sheepishly. "W-Well… I guess I wouldn't mind some lunch. If you don't mind."

"Help yourself. I made curry and rice." He said, walking up to a fire set in the ground, a large pot and a small one suspended over it.

"T-Thanks…" May mumbled, following him awkwardly. But despite her hesitations, the smell of his curry immediately disarmed her, an intoxicating aroma filling her nose as she stepped closer. "Oh, wow… I don't think I've smelled curry that good in a long time."

"I've got plenty, so help yourself," Emiya said, handing her a plate and fork that was sitting on a wooden table set close by. May took it a bit greedily, but restrained herself from taking any first out of courtesy. After Emiya collected a portion for himself, May quickly stepped up and nearly shoveled a mountain of rice and curry onto her plate. She quickly took a seat on a tree stump next to the fire, her eyes sparkling as she looked down at her plate.

"... s-so much…"

"Hm? What was that?" May asked innocently, tilting her head in question as she looked at Emiya.

"N-Nothing…" He answered, a small bead of sweat rolling down his cheek as he shifted attention down to his plate.

"Oh, okay! Thank you for the meal!" May said, quickly digging a fork into her food pile. The moment she took a bite, her eyes nearly bulged out of her head, her taste buds exploding with pleasure. "Oh my gosh~! This is even better than it smelled! You made this from scratch?!" She asked, staring at Emiya in awe.

"Y-Yeah… I make all my food from scratch." Emiya mumbled, looking somewhat baffled at the pokemon coordinator.

"Well, you're a great cook, that's for sure!" May said, her voice muffled as she forked another scoop into her mouth. "I don't think I've had curry this good before!"

"Thanks… glad you like it." Emiya said, raising a brow before looking back down at his own food and eating again.

Silence fell as May focused on her food. She chewed away at the meal happily, almost forgetting their heated argument as she let herself get absorbed into the curry. She soon felt a small nudge on her shoulder, sparing a look back to see Blaziken nuzzling her shoulder. May only giggled, setting her plate down on her lap and rubbing the top of its head.

But as she stroked her first partner's head, Emiya's words returned to her mind. Her hand hesitated and her smile fell. She looked up at Blaziken with some doubt, the fire type bird tilting its head in question as it sensed her concern. May truly loved her pokemon, but she couldn't stop the insecurity from building in her mind.

What if he's right? Am I forcing my pokemon to do this? Do pokeballs actually brainwash them?

May looked around at her team of pokemon, each one gathering close behind her as they picked up on her worries. She felt genuine care for each of them, that was a fact. And she believed from the bottom of her heart that they felt the same.

"I… I won't let this go." She found herself uttering.

May shifted her gaze back to Emiya, the silver haired caretaker raising a brow in question. "What?"

"I can't let go of what you said!" May declared, setting her plate aside and standing to her feet before pointing a finger at him. "I'm going to prove you wrong, somehow! Pokeballs don't force pokemon to do anything! They're our partners, and we're theirs!"

Emiya's eyes minutely widened, showing a small amount of surprise. He set his plate off to the side, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms. "And how do you plan to do that?"

May blinked. A nervous bead of sweat formed on her forehead, the pokemon coordinator letting out a sheepish laugh. "Um, well I uh… don't exactly… have a clue, yet."

Emiya let out a lone, deep chuckle before leaning forward on his knees. "I see. Well, there is one thing you can do, but I doubt you'll be willing to try it."

"Oh, there is? How?!" May asked, taking a step toward him.

"Release the pokemon in your party."

May's breath hitched, her pupils shrinking after hearing the idea. "Wh-What?"

"I have this theory that pokeballs effectiveness at controlling what they catch wears off after a certain amount of time. It's true that, after being released, some pokemon will stay with their trainers and wish to remain. But I think that's possibly an imprint on their mind left by the pokeball, encouraging them to stay by their master's side. Releasing them might break the complete brainwashing they went through, but the side effect is still there." Emiya explained, linking his fingers together in front of him. "That's been my hypothesis since looking more into pokeballs. So if you want to try and prove me wrong, then I propose a wager."

"A wager?"

"Yes. So far, from what I've seen in pokemon behavior after releasing, they will become fully detached from a trainer after a week from being released. I believe the imprint wears off, and they no longer feel compelled to remain with their trainer. If you want to prove me wrong, release what pokemon you have in your party and let them remain that way for seven days. If they all decide to remain by your side, you'll win the bet." Emiya proposed, a small smirk playing at the edge of his lips. "But if one or multiple of your pokemon don't wish to return to you, you have to let those pokemon go completely."

May's face was covered in concern, her eyes darting back to her pokemon. She was confident that they would stay with her, wasn't she? They had come far together, especially the older ones like Blaziken and Glaceon. They wouldn't leave her so easily. Each of her pokemon watched her curiously, likely not understanding the conversation for themselves.

May took a deep breath before giving a confident smile, turning back to Emiya and placing her hands on her hips. "Alright! I'll take that bet!"

Emiya responded with a frown, seemingly taken off guard. "I was almost sure that you would back out. You're that confident in your team?"

"I am! We've been through so much together, we'll get through this!" May declared, pounding a fist against her chest. "And when I'm done, I'll make you admit defeat!"

Emiya crossed his arms, his expression becoming thoughtful. "You're willing to go pretty far just to prove you're right."

"It's not about that! It's about showing the genuine bond between me and my pokemon!" May shook her head, her brow knitting together. "I love my pokemon and won't stand to let you make it sound cheap!"

Emiya stared at her for a moment before a small chuckle escaped his mouth, smirking at her. "I see. You're a pretty headstrong girl, huh? Not that I dislike that."

May felt her cheeks heat up a bit at his words, but quickly regained her composure. "Don't think you can sweet talk me so easily! If we're doing this bet, you have to put something on the line, too!"

Emiya gave a shrug. "I guess that's fair. What do you want if you win?"

May opened her mouth for a moment before pausing, looking up in thought. "I guess I don't have too much, but…" Her eyes trailed to the pot of curry. Then they trailed to the assortment of pokemon playing in the pond. "Um... do you really live here?"

"No. I just stay here when I'm in the area. The pokemon stay here and wait for me but get on fine without me," Emiya said, sparing a glance around before raising a brow. "Why?"

May felt a smile cross her lips as an idea came to her. "Then… as my reward, you're going to be my personal cook while on the road! At least until I get to a few different towns for contests! How about that?"

Emiya raised a brow, surprised by the request. "Didn't think you'd want something like that. But fair is fair. If you win, I'll travel with you for a time, then."

"Yes!" May cheered, pumping a fist in the air. "Delicious meals every night~!"

You're certainly confident in yourself." Emiya chuckled again. "So, do you have everything you need?"

"Everything I need? For what?" she asked, pausing mid cheer.

"To stay here. Do you have enough clothes and toiletries?"

May stared at Emiya for a moment before her cheeks dusted red. "Wh-What?! W-Why would I stay here?!"

"To prove you're keeping to your part of the bet," Emiya said casually, not bothered in the slightest. "While I have an inkling that I can trust you, I also want to observe the pokemon's behavior over the week that they have been released. Assuming they don't run away the moment you do, of course."

"They won't! Don't even joke like that!" May snapped, crossing her arms with a huff.

"If you say so. But still, that's my terms for this bet. Don't worry, I'll sleep on the floor and you can have the bed if it bothers you so much." Emiya said, the idea making May blush again.

She squirmed a bit in place, hugging her hips before letting out a grunt. "Fine! But if you decide to get a little handsie, I promise that you'll be missing that hand!"

"Heh. I'll keep that in mind." Emiya chuckled, standing to his feet. "Well, if you're ready to start, we can begin now."

May blinked for a moment before understanding, turning back to her pokemon and frowning. She walked up to them, petting Blaziken and Snorlax's heads. "Alright, guys. Just know that I'm not really letting you go. We're still a team and we can get through this together. Okay?"

Her pokemon let out resounding chirps and growls in answer, giving May reassurance. With a deep breath, she recalled her pokemon to their pokeballs, before hitting the setting that released them from their lock. The pokemon came back out, some looking confused while others remained firmly in place. May spared a worried glance over them all, but the pokemon sat firmly in front of her. May felt relief fill her, walking up and hugging her Blaziken and giggling. "Alright! Looks like we're doing this!" She spun around, pointing a finger confidently at Emiya. "I hope you're ready to cook for a while, Emiya! I've got a big appetite."

"Heh. So I've noticed."

Three days had passed since the bet had begun. May was feeling confident about her chances at this point, her entire team making sure to stay close. Despite her reluctance at staying in a cabin with a man she barely knew, things with Emiya were starting to become more relaxed. He kept his promise and didn't try to make any moves on her, acting courteously even if a bit short on words. Still, May couldn't complain. Because he made breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. And to say that she didn't look forward to each meal would be a lie.

"Alright, everyone! Lunch time!" May called out to her pokemon, filling several bowls with food. Emiya provided fresh ingredients for her to use. She watched her pokemon start to run up, all looking eager for a meal.

"I'm starting to wonder if your pokemon or you are more excited for meals," Emiya chuckled behind her, stirring their lunch in a pot over the fire.

"Hey, don't be mean!" May spun around, sticking her bottom lip out. "So I get a little happy whenever I smell the next meal. You should take it as a compliment!"

"Heh. I suppose. I don't think anyone's enjoyed one of my meals this much in a long while." He shrugged, pouring her a bowl before handing it over.

Despite their somewhat rocky start, May had to admit that she was warming up to Emiya more and more. As she spent more time with him and watched him take care of the local pokemon, she saw that he truly cared. Emiya might have been a bit gruff, but his attitude lightened up with time. He didn't regard May with a guarded attitude so much, now seemingly relaxing enough to make friendly chat and banter with May. She liked this part of him.

"Well, that sort of happens when you seclude yourself with just a bunch of pokemon. They'll usually eat whatever you give them," May giggled, taking a seat. She spared a look at her pokemon, watching them chow down on their own meals. That was until she noticed one of them missing. She stood up, tilting her head in question.

"What's wrong?" Emiya asked, raising a brow.

"Nothing, it's just… looks like Fennekin didn't come." She said, walking back around the house. "Fennekin! Fennekin, lunch!"

May felt a brief moment of worry come over her, eyes darting around for her latest addition to her team. To her relief, she soon found Fennekin playing with a Rattata, eliciting a sigh of relief.
"There you are, Fennekin! Come on, it's lunch time!" She called out, drawing the fox pokemon's attention.

Fennekiin looked up at May for a moment, considering her words from the look of it. But then it returned to its play with Rattata. May blinked in surprise, opening her mouth to call out again. But she hesitated, almost afraid to call out. Was this it? Was Fennekin losing interest in her?

May spared a look back at her other pokemon, ignorant to her worry. She released a breath, unsure how to feel about her former fox pokemon's resistance. She decided to not think too hard on it, going back to her seat and picking up her bowl.

"Having some issues?" Emiya asked, raising a brow curiously.

"N-No, nothing like that. I'm sure Fennekin's just not hungry right now." May waved it off, putting on a smile.

"Maybe. Or it's enjoying having its freedom," Emiya shrugged before taking a sip from his soup.

"Oh, stop it! She'll come when she's ready!" May snapped, letting out a huff before quickly digging into the soup in hand. She tensed, the urge to squeal in delight coming over her. But she fought it, not wanting to admit to how good it was after his comment.

"How's today's lunch?" Emiya asked knowingly, a small smirk on his lips.

May quickly swallowed her food, clearing her throat before turning her nose away from him. "I-It's okay, I guess… could be better…"

"I see. I guess you don't want seconds, then. I'll help my-"

"I didn't say that!" May yelped, her eyes becoming big like a sad puppy as she pouted. "I-I'd like more!"

Darn stomach! I couldn't stop myself.

"Okay, if you insist. There's plenty in there," Emiya chuckled, raising his hands in surrender.

May lowered her head in shame, feeling defeated after all but admitting she liked the soup. Still, that didn't stop her from spooning a bit more into her mouth. SIlence returned, the two focusing on their food for a moment. But May's thoughts returned to her Fennekin, doubt once again filling her mind. She looked up at her pokemon still feeding close by.

"Hey…" May finally spoke, her eyes still focused on her pokemon. "Do you really think pokemon don't want to be our partners?"

"... Not all of them, at least." Emiya answered after a moment, speaking honestly. "Some definitely seem to like it and have a good dynamic with trainers, much like yours do. But there's no doubt quite a few forced into it without their own desire to do so, in my opinion. And to me, it seems like they only become more willing to do so after being captured in a pokeball."

"I see…" May mumbled, her eyes trailing back to her bowl. It wasn't as if she hadn't seen pokemon forced to fight, before. People like Team Rocket forced all kinds of pokemon into their service. But that idea was something she would only associate with bad guys. But now she couldn't help but question if that rule wasn't limited to them, even if indirectly.

"Kirlia~!"

May was pulled out of her thoughts when she felt something rub against her leg. She looked up to see Kirlia hugging her shins, bringing some relief back to May. After Fennekin, Kirlia was one of her newest pokemon. So it was a relief to see that it wasn't acting distant so far.

"Could you tell I was a little worried? Thank you, Kirlia. It means a lot," May said, reaching down and putting her hands under the pokemon's arms, picking it up and putting it on her lap.

"Well… one thing is for certain, at least." Emiya suddenly spoke, drawing May's attention to him. "Regardless of the pokeball's influence… you certainly care a lot for your pokemon."

May smiled, giving a firm nod. "Of course! They're all important to me." She said, leaning her chin on Kirlia's head. "I just want to travel around and have fun with them, you know?"

"I have no doubt about that," Emiya nodded, his eyes falling to the flame under the cauldron. May watched him for a moment, struggling to understand what was going through his head. And so, she spoke.

"So… what is your big problem with pokeballs, anyway?" May asked, not unkindly though. "There are plenty of people that train hard and travel like me. They and their pokemon are really happy while doing it. So why do you think they're being controlled like that?"

Emiya was quiet at first, his eyes trailing to May slowly as if assessing whether to answer. His eyes trailed back to the fire, and he didn't speak. May felt her hopes of getting an answer slip away.

"Let's just say… I have some experience in being controlled."

May's head lifted up again, eyes wide as a Hoot-Hoot's as she stared at him. Emiya didn't continue though, instead focusing on the food in hand. As the silence persisted, May began to feel that she understood Emiya even less.

The final day of the bet had arrived, and May couldn't help but be a bit nervous. Fennekin had continued to show signs of being resistant to her call at times, even disobeying when they would play together. The only reassurance she got was when Fennekin would answer her. The fox type pokemon might have been somewhat distant, but it wasn't completely running away from her.

"Well, I guess this is it. Seven days are up," May said, releasing a small breath as she mentally prepared herself. "Did you get all the 'data' you needed?"

"I think so. It was interesting having freshly released pokemon stay so close to their former master like this. Definitely gave me a different point of view on the situation," Emiya admitted, looking somewhat neutral as he crossed his arms. "It's time to see who won the bet, I suppose."

"Yeah. Just don't be surprised when you lose," May half heartedly joked, unable to hide some of her concern. Emiya seemed to see it, not saying anything but his eyes showing some sympathy.

"Alright, everyone! Gather around!" May called out. Her pokemon quickly answered, all forming in a line in front of May. Even Fennekin answered immediately, though its expression conveyed a bit of hesitation. "We're finally done with our bet. If you guys are ready, I'll put you back in your pokeballs. Okay?"

She received an assortment of growls and chirps in approval, somewhat reassuring May that her pokemon were happy to go back to her. One by one, May tossed pokeballs at them, starting with Blaziken. Moving down the line, she saw no resistance as each pokeball confirmed its catch, the soft ping of a capture slowly bringing her spirits back up. But as she got down the line, she finally came to Fennekin. The fox pokemon looked away from her, looking reluctant.

"Come on, Fennekin. We can start our journey up again! Don't you want that?" May asked, giving a somewhat fearful smile. Fennekin looked up at May with hesitation. Wanting to encourage it, May held up the pokeball. But Fennekin recoiled the moment she did. "F-Fennekin?"

"Graagh~!"

May and Emiya froze, eyes snapping up when they heard the panicked cry of a pokemon. The caretaker took several quick steps forward, teeth gritting together when he saw a Heracross that he was taking care of get netted.

"Well, well! Looks like our little revenge run's going to net us a bit of a profit, as well!" May widened her eyes when she saw several figures walk out from the brush across the pond. She remembered seeing similarly dressed people on the news before, people who called themselves Team Flare. Close to ten of the goons came into view, Mightyenna's and Houndooms as well as some Gurdurr's.

"Tch. How annoying. I didn't think you clowns would come looking for me." Emiya spoke, eyes narrowing at the goons.

"You know these guys?" May asked, looking back at him in wonder.

"Yeah. I freed a horde of pokemon they were attempting to steal a few weeks back." Emiya admitted casually, taking several steps forward.

"Did you think we'd just let you go with that?! You can't cross Team Flare and expect not to get burned!" A goon laughed, puffing his chest out. "We're going to make you pay for taking those pokemon from us by taking the ones you've got! Of course, not until after we teach you a lesson!"

"Hey! These pokemon aren't yours to steal! They're just trying to live happy lives here!" May barked, glaring at the Team Flare goon leader.

"It's all for building a better world in our image! Sacrifices have to be made, including their freedom!" He retorted, giving her a smug smile.

"I'll give you and your band one chance to drop this and leave." Emiya suddenly spoke, his eyes becoming intense as he leered at them. "If you don't, you'll be the ones paying today."

"Ho-ho~, what a scary look!" The goon leader laughed, putting a hand to his chin. "Let me take a moment to think about that… how about no?" He then raised a net gun, this time taking aim at Fennekin in front of May and firing.

"Fennekin!" May cried out, quickly picking the pokemon up and hugging it tightly to her chest. The net wrapped around both of them, causing May to fall over.

"May!" Emiya cried out, concern flashing across his eyes.

"Now! Take him out!" The leader ordered, the Mightyennas and Houndooms charging up attacks between their teeth. Emiya narrowed his eyes, quickly taking a step in front of May protectively.

"Emiya, no! Get out of the way!"

Her words fell on deaf ears, the pokemon unleashing beams of fire and energy. The impact caused a brilliant explosion, forcing May to shield her eyes from the light. When it faded, she looked up in disbelief, a sheen of smoke now left where Emiya had stood. \

"Emiya!"

"Hahahaha~! What a romantic hero! Going out in one real blaze of glory, huh?" The leader laughed confidently.

"You all should consider yourselves lucky."

May widened her eyes, watching as the smoke began to fade away. At the center of the smoke, Emiya stood, unharmed and, strangely enough, defending with a strange, flower shaped shield transparent as glass and brimming with light. D-Did a pokemon make that for him? A stray thought in May's mind came, before her eyes trailed to his free hand. In it was a bamboo sword she didn't remember him having on him, a strangely cute tiger strap hanging on the grip.

"Wh-What the hell?! How's he not at least beat up after that?!" The leader cried out in disbelief.

"If I didn't promise a friend I wouldn't, I would end all of you in a heartbeat." Emiya scathed, his words and intense aura causing the Team Flare goons and their pokemon to tense up. Before May could say anything, she heard the heavy footfall of Haxorus come out behind her, watching the dragon type let out a furious roar in anger. And to her surprise, a Lucario suddenly appeared at Emiya's left side.

"Lucario. Haxorus. Take out the pokemon," Emiya said, twirling the blade in his hand. "I'll handle their masters."

"GRAAAGH~!"

What happened next was almost a blur to May's eyes. Somehow, Emiya had closed the distance between himself and the goons in an instant, his pokemon soon following afterward. The Team Flare pokemon were immediately overwhelmed, outmatched by Emiya's own swiftly. And whatever Emiya was doing was even faster, slamming the back of his blade into the necks, stomachs, and backs of the Flare goons. By the time May had pulled the net off of herself, Emiya and his pokemon were finished, Team Flare completely devastated and lying on the ground.

"Wh-What the hell just happened..?" The goon leader mumbled, looking up at Emiya as he stooped over him. "What are you?"

"Just a caretaker that doesn't like to see pokemon abused." Emiya replied, raising his foot before stomping it down on the man's face, knocking him out instantly. He turned back around, now facing an understandably shocked May. "Are you okay?"

"Uh… yeah…" May mumbled in answer before looking down at Fennekin, the tiny fox pokemon still in her arms. "What about you, Fennekin? Are you alright?"

"Fenn~!" It answered, giving a genuine smile as it rubbed its head into her chest. May breathed a sigh of relief, petting the top of its head.

"I'm so happy to hear that…"

"We found you!"

May jumped, looking up to see Officer Jenny standing at the end of the pool. Several other officers surrounded her as well as Nurse Joy, strangely enough.

"Heh. I figured I couldn't dodge you for too long," Emiya answered, smirking as he looked at the officer with familiarity. May felt a bit surprised as well as nervous about that, though part of her wondered why.

"And look at the mess you've made! It's like this everytime," Officer Jenny sighed, shaking her head before looking at the other officers. "Alright, men! Gather up these goons and their pokemon! We'll take them in for attempted theft and attempted murder!"

"Yes ma'am!" They answered, quickly doing as ordered.

Emiya walked over to Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy, the two doing terribly to hold back smiles as he approached.

"No matter where you go, you can't help but attract people to you, huh?" Nurse Joy giggled, putting a hand over her mouth.

"It seems that way. I honestly thought I lost track of these guys, too," Emiya sighed, placing a hand on his hip.

"Trouble, trouble, and more trouble. This is why we've been trying to get you to settle down, you know. It'll keep you from running into thugs like these," said Jenny, crossing her arms over her chest.

Those three seem close… May thought, her nervousness turning into a bit of jealousy. Wait, why am I jealous?! Do I-Oh crap, I like Emiya, don't I?! She thought to herself, eyes widening as she came to the rather abrupt realization.

"So, who's your friend?"

May blinked out of her thoughts as she heard the voices come closer, looking up to see Emiya and the girls now walking toward her. Jenny and Joy looked somewhat on guard, if May was being honest.

"Oh, you're the girl from some time ago. I saw you at the pokemon center," Nurse Joy said, eyes slightly widening.

"A trainer I ran into a week ago. She's been staying here, helping me with an experiment," Emiya explained without a care, causing both Joy and Jenny to stare in utter disbelief.

"W-Wait, a week?! Just the two of you?!" Jenny exclaimed, her hat nearly falling off from her double take.

"D-Don't get the wrong ideas! W-We didn't do anything!" May exclaimed, her face lighting up like a Christmas tree.

"She's right, don't read into it." Emiya sighed, scratching the back of his head.

"This sounds pretty fishy to me!" Jenny huffed, spinning a pair of handcuffs on her finger before pointing at Emiya. "Sounds like you need to be interrogated!"

"Not this again…" Emiya sighed, looking at her with some annoyance.

"I-I would like to hear this story, too!" Nurse Joy added this time, the girls now crowding around Emiya. May could only laugh sheepishly, unsure what she could do to help him out of the situation.

May's eyes fell down to Fennekin, who she still held in her arms. Her smile fell into a frown, the Top Coordinator kneeling down and letting the fox onto the ground.

"Fennekin… I'm glad you're okay." She said, giving a sad, teary eyed smile. "But before all this happened, you looked like you didn't want to continue traveling with me. So if you want to be free and run wild again, you can. Do what makes you happy."

Fennekin looked up at May in surprise, its eyes shining at her. Instead of running off though, Fennekin pushed its head into her legs, rubbing up against her comfortingly. May widened her eyes, reaching down and petting its head.

"Do you… still want to come with me?"

"Fenn!" It cried, giving May a smile. May swallowed the lump in her throat, giving a swift nod in acceptance. She pulled out the fox pokemon's ball, quickly tapping its head with it and catching Fennekin again. It didn't resist for a moment, the final ping giving May reassurance and relief.

"Looks like you were able to settle things with your pokemon."

May looked up, seeing Emiya approach her with his arms crossed. May smiled, pushing up to her feet and giving a firm nod.

"Yep! Looks like Fennekin decided to come with me afterall." She said, wiping the water out of her eye.

"I see. Still, it's hard to say if I found anything conclusive from our little bet," Emiya sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "But I guess it did give me quite a bit of insight."

"Wh-What do you mean?! My pokemon still stayed with me," May pointed out, puffing up her cheeks.

"Yeah, but that's on account of you. Your relationships were real, and the pokemon weren't that freshly caught. The one that was almost left, but you were able to earn their trust back," Emiya explained, causing May to narrow her eyes at him. "Still, even if I don't have anything conclusive, a deal's a deal."

May blinked, her face relaxing. "Wait… so you'll…"

"Yeah. I'll travel with you for a bit and be your cook, like I said."

May felt a spring of joy rise up in her, a bright grin plastering across her lips. Without warning, she jumped forward at Emiya and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Alright! Yes! Great meals and company, here we come!"

It took May a moment to realize what she just did, her face turning completely red before she hopped back, laughing awkwardly and rubbing the back of her head. "S-Sorry… got excited… f-for the food."

"Heh. It's fine," Emiya chuckled, giving her a charming smile that made May scream internally.

"Only met a week ago, huh?" Officer Jenny huffed, her and Nurse Joy narrowing their eyes in suspicion at the two.

"And you're… planning to travel with her?" Joy asked, using a smile to fail at masking her suspicion and annoyance.

"I made a bet and lost. I have to uphold that." Emiya shrugged. "Besides, it was about time I moved on from here, anyway. I brought enough trouble to the pokemon in the area as is."

"T-This isn't right! You're going back to Camphrier Town with us first!" Officer Jenny said, pointing a finger in Emiya's face.

"T-That's right! You have to prepare for your journey anyway, so you're staying a night in town!" Nurse Joy reinforced, swinging her fists at her side childishly.

"I already have everything I need. I don't really-"

"It's not up for discussion!"

May watched the three banter silently, her eyes glued strictly to Emiya. She felt a blush rise up on her cheeks and a smile begin to grace her lips. I… guess that nails it. I definitely like Emiya. She let out a soft giggle, giving a nod of satisfaction. Well, I guess that's decided! Before I leave Kalos, I'm going to make Emiya mine!

"What's got you smiling?" She heard the target of her affection, only giving a quick shake of her head.

"Nothing! I'm just ready to start our journey together!"

The End

Well, that was pretty fun! Not much of a Fate Series fan, but it was a cool experience writing this up for an art exchange! This story became possible thanks to my pal Alex-kellar, an artist over on Deviantart proposing a trade. I'm pretty happy with how things came out considering I've never written a fic on either series before, and he seemed to enjoy it as well! Check out his art and show him some support!

Also, don't expect more from this story unless something is worked out with Alex-kellar in the future for a continuation lol