Chapter Three

I tightened the laces on my boots, standing up and stretching my arms.

"Are you leaving already?"

I looked back to see David, holding his kid in his arms.

I nodded, checking everything that everything was in place. Hell, I didn't even have a bag.

"Yeah, I don't want to overstay my welcome, thanks for having me, though, it was nice."

He just shook his head and adjusted little Adam in his hands, holding him out to me. I blinked and took the little guy out of his father's hands and stared at the older man with curiosity.

"Say goodbye Adam."

I looked down at the kid that was waving his hand in front of my face.

"Goodbye."

I chuckled ruffling the kids hair. He pouted and huffed which made me laugh even more. Placing him on the ground.

"See you later, kid, take care of your old man for me, okay?"

Little Adam nodded and we both ignored the indignant "Hey!" that came from David as I turned around and opened the door.

David and Adam followed me as I walked to the fence and opened the game.

"Can I see?"

I looked back at the youngest of us and chuckled at the expectant look on his face. Reaching for my belt, I removed the same sphere I did yesterday and Released the raven that was inside.

"Say hi, Corviknight."

The giant raven looked down at me first, then at Dave, and then at Adam, tilting her head curiously. Adam looked at the giant armored bird with amazement and lifted his hand up.

Corviknight bent down and let the child pet her beak.

"He's so cool!"

I chuckled and Corviknight leaned back as if offended.

"Corviknight is actually a girl, and she's very proud."

I walked closer, petting her neck as the raven looked to the side closing her eyes.

Yup, she was offended.

I chuckled, petting her twice more and walking to the side to give her some free space to offer me her wing. She did and I climbed up on her back.

"Keep in touch, Adam."

I nodded and gave a final wave before Corviknight flapped her wings and took off. As the town got smaller and smaller, along with Adam and Dave becoming nothing more than dots, I looked forward again.

That was nice while it lasted, but it wasn't for me, I couldn't just intrude on their happy family, I was just an outsider.

Chuckeping at myself, I lamented on the fact that I missed my chance at the same. I could not have accepted the invitation, would have saved me so much pain and loss, but at the time, it was the best way to do what I wanted, no, needed.

In the end, it wasn't satisfying at all.

The four months of training were mild compared to the years of combat my team and I went through.

We flew in silence for a few minutes, before my whirling mind conjured an image of a blonde-haired girl that liked to challenge me to a battle every time we met.

I blinked at the random thought and smirked in amusement, wondering where she was right now.

Taking out my phone, I activated the internet, because I was not calling the intricated program that connected the world together "Pokenet" never did, and never would.

She was good at battles, so I wondered if she went far in the world.

Searching for her name, I did a spit-take when she came up as the champion of Sinnoh.

Good for her.

Maybe I should take up training new Pokemon again, I still have two slots left on my carry limit, And I still need an electric type.

What would be a good electric type for the team?

A legendary? Why not? It would be easy to catch one, I've fought a few of those... alone.

I discarded the thought. I had 24 badges from before I started the job, but that wasn't really going to be valid if the gym leaders changed, and they have.

Should I try to take on Sinnoh again? Maybe even Kanto.

"Hey, Korviknight, what do you think about going on another journey?"

The said raven stopped flying at top speed and slowed down, tilting her head to look at me and I could practically see the twinkle in her eyes.

I chuckled and nodded, I would tell the others later, can't really call them out in the air.

"We'll tell the others later-"

I didn't even get to finish when she sped up, obviously using Tailwind to boost her flying speed. I rolled my eyes and waited patiently. We would be there soon.

My shadow shifted, visibly pulsing and I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I will, no need to rush me."

Seriously, sometimes I wonder if I'm the one that caught these guys or if they caught me.

Rolling my eyes, I propped my head on my hand as my elbow rested on my leg while my other hand ran through my admittedly long hair that came down right below my nape.

Should probably cut it, or at least get a hair-tie.

In minutes we were at our destination.

As soon as I got off Corviknight, she was looking at me expectantly. Chuckling at her excitement, I grabbed six of the eight spheres on my belt and released the ones inside one by one.

Soon enough, seven of my partners were standing in front of me, looking at me curiously.

"Zoro?"

one of them, a tall, black-furred figure with long, flowing red hair tilted his head at me, asking the question that everyone seemingly had.

"Come out."

I said plainly, looking at my shadow that has become a permanent residence of one of my more overprotective Pokemon.

Without delay, my shadow shifted, elongating for a moment as an armored figure emerged from the two-dimensional plane.

I rolled my eyes at the dramatic entrance.

"Ceruledge, welcome to the three-dimensional world."

I snickered, along with the rest of my team, getting a grunt from the knight Pokemon as he crossed his arms that were blue blades of fire.

I looked at my team for a moment, they were strong, I should know, they kept my sorry ass alive, after all.

Zoroark stood in the center, my starter, may not be the strongest, but he was the most tricky opponent to face.

Corviknight was caught when her flock was migrating and got disturbed by a Staraptor attack and grew into a majestic bird that wouldn't back down against a Zapdos.

Sceptile, that was the calmest of them all, patient, and brutal when pushed far enough.

Garchomp was first caught as a Gabite when my squad raided an underground organization that was endangering the population by taking the young Pokemon to raise them for their own means.

The death battles they made them do while in captivity were still visible through the scars that adorned his body.

Blastoise was the most durable, an iron wall that stood between his team and the danger.

Iron Valiant was the bravest, not backing down against any opponent, though I liked to call him stubborn.

Alakazam was the wisest of the team, beating many psychic types through sheer intelligence, getting us out of tough situations, and making sure that we didn't get into them in the first place.

And finally, Ceruledge, the fact that he was in my shadow most of the time, it could be said that he was the protector that I always needed.

This was my team, my family, and now...

"What do you think about going on a journey again?"

It was time for a vacation.