This is the journey of a man named Chris, who had dreams shared by many, yet lived experiences known by 
so few...  There are many people in the world of Pokemon, who come in just as many varieties as these 
strange creatures. And you are about to discover, perhaps, one you may just consider the rarest of all...


Chapter 22 - Abandoned Past


Sitting in silence for a few minutes, Chris suddenly stood and grabbed his things. "Well then... Snivy doesn't
want me to touch her now... Guess we did something wrong Kirlia..." he said, picking her up and getting a
sudden wide eyed and bewildered expressions from the both of them. Sitting her on his shoulder, he looked
towards the town, putting a hand in his pocket. "I dunno... I can't help but feel deep down Snivy might try
to compare me to her past owner along the road. After all, we're pretty much starting out the exact same
way she and he began... Isn't that right Snivy?" he asked her, looking down as she looked up at him, wide
eyed for a moment until slowly looking away. "You two had a pretty great thing going at first... Really
cared about each other it seemed... Then something that seemed so perfect led into being one of the worst
things to happen to you in your life... Maybe you're worried it'll be the same thing all over again?" he
asked, turning to face Snivy as she curled up again, turning her face all the further away from him. "Well,
its not very fair to have that thought towards me when it was you who came to me in the first place... Had
to be a reason for it... I think I've done pretty well at showing I'm not like that guy. But... You've got
a pretty big wound inside you, so I'm not surprised if that experience made you wary of others, even people
like me..." he said, turning away and walking towards the top of the hill. "Hmm... Dunno... Should we let
her come along still, even though she'll be picturing me in the same light as that other guy along the way...?"
he asked Kirlia, continuing to take steps away, getting a shocked and panicked reaction from Kirlia as she
flailed her arms and pulled against his hair, wanting him to stop. Although the hair pulling hurt, he kept
a straight face, taking step after step away from Snivy.


Behind him, she suddenly went wide eyed once again, quickly reaching out, opening her mouth as if to try
and say something, only for silence to come out as she looked towards the ground. "Yep... Sure wouldn't
be any fun traveling with a Pokemon who worried over our relationship being like the one it had before... I
can't think of much else that would hurt my feelings more... Do you ever compare me to, or think of me as,
YOUR past partner Kirlia?" he asked glancing towards her, getting a rapid shake no in response as she
waved her hands in a panic, shouting nervously as if saying "no way no way!!" repeatedly. Stopping at the
top of the hill, he took a deep breath and sighed, suddenly smiling with a chuckle. "Since how thing's
begin between us concerns you so much... Why don't we just start from the end instead?" he asked, slightly
turning as he looked back at Snivy. "Yeah... If you see him when you look at me... Why don't I play that
role for you as well...?" he told her, getting a bewildered expression from Snivy in response. Clearing
his throat as he turned back all the way to face Snivy properly, he picked Kirlia up off his shoulder and
set her down next to him, standing straight and crossing his arms as the sun reached a point just high
enough to shine behind him as it peeked over the hill. As the wind blew past him, he suddenly shouted at
Snivy, demanding she quickly sit up straight when spoken to, causing her to jolt and immediately obey,
Kirlia suddenly standing straight with a jolt as well, hearing him in such a loud tone for the first time,
with Snivy slightly struggling yet sitting up nonetheless, her body trembling nervously as she looked at him.


"There's nothing I can't stand more than a Pokemon that endulges in its own self pity! For a Pokemon to
travel by MY side, it has to let go of its past and face its FUTURE head on, head held high with a smile
on its face! Only a FOOL thinks weakness comes from ones size! Only a FOOL allows another person to ruin
them and determine their worth! So what will YOU be Snivy?! Are you going to be a FOOL? Are you going to
allow yourself to be weakened by the words and opinions of another?! Or will you prove it all WRONG and
make something of YOURSELF?! What does evolution matter when you have the spirit to fight and win without
it?! What does the opinion of another matter when YOU see value in YOURSELF?! What are you, a Pokemon or
a PUPPET?!" he shouted, sneering at Snivy as tears welled up in her eyes, Kirlia facing up at Chris in
shock as she took a step back from him, unsure of how to read the situation. "Snivy!! I can't stand the
thought of having a puppet by my side!! If you intend to be a puppet, get out of my sight!!" he scolded,
Snivy inching back nervously as tears dripped from her eyes, Kirlia quietly making noises as if to say
"g... go easy..." only to have him ignore her. Watching Snivy face the ground in shame and start turning
away, he suddenly grinned, putting his hands on his hips. "BUT!!!" he shouted, getting Snivy's attention
again as she jerked her face back towards his direction. "If you can prove you AREN'T some puppet, if you
have the will to prove you ARE your own person, with your OWN feelings... Ambitions... If you have what it
takes to truly be yourself as you travel alongside me and get over the POINTLESS scars some NOBODY with
a self centered personality left behind in your mind..." he told her, suddenly holding out a hand as he
squat down, smirking at her.


"I'll be glad to have an amazing Pokemon like THAT by my side... Wadaya say...? Ready to be a somebody
again?" he chuckled. "I may hate puppets... But I really DO love Pokemon! If you wanna be on a team that
doesn't worry about pointless stuff like evolution and mindless obedience, that demands you be who YOU
are at all times, and do what YOU feel is right every step of the way... Then hurry up so we can get a
move on!!" he grinned, suddenly laughing as Snivy's lips quivered, more and more tears falling from her
face. "Show me the incredible Snivy we know you can be!!" he shouted, keeping his hand held out. Slowly,
Snivy began to work her way onto her feet, her body trembling all over as she struggled to find her own
balance, but slowly... Ever so slowly... She made it up onto her feet, panting as she faced his direction.
"Well? That isn't enough to impress me!! Get over here!!" he shouted, smirking as he suddenly put his arm
out to stop Kirlia from helping Snivy, causing her to walk right into it with an "oomph!!" sound. In a
whispered tone, he faced Kirlia and told her he knew she would do that, and said Snivy had to do it on 
her own. Sweating nervously, she faced him with a nod, taking a step back as she listened.


Still trembling all over, Snivy finally started walking towards Chris, wobbling constantly along every
step of the way. "Come on!! Is that all the will of a Pokemon like you can show me?!" he shouted, Snivy
gritting her teeth in response as she started sweating badly. Stepping along faster, she fell several
times along the way as a result, repeatedly tasting the dirt as it began showing all over her face, mixing
in with the sweat covering her. She tried to crawl finally, but Chris shouted at her, telling her to get
back up and reach him properly, driving her to show more and more anger, yet determination as well as she
picked herself up, walking along once more. At one point, Kirlia started trying to cheer for her, only to
have Snivy shout out as if saying "shut up!!" in response, making Kirlia jolt in shock and turn red from
the insult. But slowly... Slowly yet surely, she made it to Chris, glaring into his eyes as she grit her
teeth, as if asking "that good enough for you?" in silence. 


"...Looks like you're in..." he grinned, the two suddenly shaking hands as Snivy grinned back, both
nodding at each other as they felt the same level of pride. "Still worried? Do you still see that man
when you look at me...?" he asked her as Snivy faced up at him in silence. Looking at his face, sure
enough the comparison was fading, and as she thought of his words, the human she knew faded completely,
with only the face of her new companion grinning down at her. She smiled and suddenly shook her head,
holding onto his leg and giving it a hug. "Ha ha... There you go..." he responded, giving Snivy a gentle
noogie. "Now this is what I call one tough Pokemon, wouldn't you say Kirlia?" he asked, facing her with a
smirk as she faced away, still irritated by Snivy's rude response to her. "Ahh... Right..." he said with
nervous sweat showing on his face, rubbing the back of his head while laughing. "Handfull is an understatement."
he smirked, suddenly pulling Kirlia in for a hug too, causing her eyes to widen with a blush. But her split
second moment of joy was ruined as she heard Snivy letting out a quiet growl, glaring at Kirlia as she
clutched his leg. Kirlia puffed out her cheeks in response and growled back, suddenly pulling down one
of her eyelids and sticking out her tongue, Snivy doing the same in response as he watched them from above.


"Leeeeeets just... Get going..." he told them, wanting to split up the two for the time being as he lift
Kirlia onto his shoulder and scooped Snivy up in his arm. "I see a town close by with a bunch of food just
waiting to be bought for two amazing Pokemon like you!" he laughed, finally moving forward and leaving the
hill behind them. For just a moment, Snivy looked back at the top, before suddenly crossing her arms and
sticking her nose up proudly, looking up at Chris with a sudden look of respect towards the human she was
setting out on a new adventure, and a new life with, facing towards the town ahead while silently nodding
in approval of him.