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Chapter 1:** Syne**

A blinding flash shot straight into my eyes. I tried to shake the light but I was helpless against it. Something was holding me down, I was... Tied down? The light turned off and I tried to correct my view, only to see the black spot in my eye where the light had been. I sighed heavily, feeling that the whole scenario was all too familiar.

"I can't believe you just sat there and didn't accept my help!" That voice... The one thing that nearly caused my demise. "This all could've been avoided!" I growled towards the noise.

"I told you to leave me alone, and you didn't. So, if anything, I only have you to blame for this!" I relaxed the muscles in my neck, the soft surface I rest on was as welcoming as it was disturbing. "Now, are you going to listen to me this time? Or should I blow a hole in the wall and make the building to fall down?" I figured that I was in a pokémon centre. The only question now was, where?

"Alright, I'll leave. I still want to ask you a few things though. Seeing as I'll be back tomorrow, and you won't be going anywhere for at least a week, you should either start talking, or, learn to keep yourself entertained." The voice quietened down, finally, and I was left to my thoughts. Again.

There were only two things that I knew. I was at a pokémon centre, and, that I was no longer a free pokémon once more. I had a master, again, and I had to share a room with the thing that wouldn't leave me alone. I gathered my thoughts, remembering what happened last time I was captured this wasn't the best way to begin what was going to be a forced and near permanent connection with the pokémon that had just left my presence. I admit, there were many other things I could've done to make it leave me alone, but, that would've made becoming friendly with that thing again so much harder to do. I sighed softly, enjoying the feeling of the much larger pillow than the one I slept on during my time alone. But at least this time, if I get back, the view would've changed a lot.

At least now I knew what I was getting myself into and how I had to act around the others, if there was actually another pokémon I was going to live with. I wanted to try and remain passive around them anyway. But, it could've been worse.

* * *

"Are you actually going to listen to me now?" My soon-to-be roommate of a pokémon had returned, like they'd said they would yesterday. "Or are you just going to tell me to go away and leave you alone?"

"I have lived more than you know, but yes, I will talk, only if you answer whatever questions I ask along the way." I hadn't opened my eyes yet as the day had just begun, but, I wanted to know who, and what, I was going to share this part of my life with. "But, to start, you can call me Luyo."

"Alright Luyo, I am Syne." There was a brief silence between us, as I adjusted my position on my bed.

"Come around this side, so I can see you at least." I said quietly. There wasn't that much I wanted to know about Syne, I figured that I would learn it all eventually, but, for now, I just wanted to know what it was that I was talking to and about to live with.

I heard a few light footsteps and silence not a moment after. "Why are you so unfriendly towards anything trying to find assistance or shelter?"

I opened my eyes to see a light purple Espeon sitting before me. A dark red gem sat in the centre of its forehead and it's pointed ears were perked up to what looked like almost vertical. And, like every other one of its species, the split-ended tail waved from side to side behind it. "I have my reasons. Maybe I'll tell you one day if we live amongst each other for that long." I continued to look over the similarly aged pokémon. And despite rarely having seen another psychic type I could pick up slight masculine details over its form. The first assumption was the colour of the gem, but I had nothing to base that theory off, yet, the longer I looked at it, the more I figured it we male. Although I had originally ignored the voice, it held no notifications to which gender it belonged to. It was just soft and serene. If only it was as easy to pick as Nion's. His had a slight edge to it that defined him as-

"Why are you staring at me?" Figures, I was never able to finish a thought without getting interrupted around Syne.

"I am putting together what it is I am to be living with in the near future. I'm sorry if-"

"Wait, wait. 'it'?"

"If I wanted to be that open ended, yes. You are a thing, aren't you? A breed of pokémon, yes? I can define you as an 'it' if I so choose to. I am, you are, we all are. Whether you like it or not." The Espeon tilted it's head slightly, as if putting together what I'd just said. "Surely you can figure that out. I thought all psychic types were supposed to be super-intelligent."

"No, I understand. It's just strange to hear something like that from a pokémon that isn't psychic." Syne tilted his head back to its normal position. "You just surprised me, that's all."

"Quite." I took a deep breath and glanced around the area visible before me. "What town are we in?"

"A town? That would be an understatement. You are inside Veilstone Pokémon Centre. One of the largest cities in the region." I glared at the violet pokémon, as if it could read my mind. "I'm sorry, you didn't see any of the journey here, did you? You were, and still are, in pretty rough shape." The Espeon corrected his rudeness before I fixed the problem permanently.

"Thank you for telling me."

"If you'd accepted my help we would be at home doing this."

"And if you'd left me alone I would still be at my home."

An awkward silence held in the air for a second. I knew it wasn't the best thing to say at the time, but, he knew that was how I felt in the first place.

We held our tongues for a while, waiting for the other to come up with another question to ask or piece of our life to reveal.

"Does your trainer have any other pokémon?"

"No. I'm her one, I guess you make the second. Although it wasn't exactly what you would've called the most successful capture. She carried you to a safer location, after we'd dug through the piles of stone to find you in the first place. She healed you to a stable condition just outside Celestic town. After which she called for assistance. It just so happened that rescue crews were on their way because of the landslide you caused. Reports said that it would've taken a fair amount of power to create such an effect."

"At least you know what I'm capable of, so I won't have to prove anything to you."

"Prove? Who said I wanted to fight you? The only thing I ever asked of you, before today, was how to get out of the rain, I only fight if it's absolutely necessary. But if you're capable of something like that, I don't want to be on the receiving end of any of it."

I smiled inwardly towards myself. At least I can't be the cause of this pokémon leaving the world. "You don't want to know how good it makes me feel to hear that." The Espeon gave me a confused look, as if there was something else on his mind at the time. "Do you know how long I am going to be in here for?" I wanted to get away from that subject as quickly as I could. The less he knew about my past the better.

"It says that you'll be fine to leave in a day, but the centre will want to keep you for longer. I'll try to convince Saria to take you home after the second day."

"You can talk to her?"

"Yes, it is the ability of all psychic types to be able to speak with their mind." Syne turned his head off on an angle. "Do you know anything about other types?"

"I know the types of where my home is. Well, was. I never had the problem of facing a psychic type up in the mountains. The hardest battle I have ever faced was an electric type, but that isn't something you need to know, nor is it something I want to tell you." I yawned slightly, glancing out the nearest window to see nothing but a clear blue sky. "Maybe for another day."

"No, you are quite right to keep such things to yourself. I can tell you that I have had a close encounter with a fire type before, but she didn't know when to stop. I didn't have a choice in the end." Syne turned away, unsure on how to continue.

I continued my stare out into the world, enjoying the softness under my cramped neck. I wish they hadn't tied me down. "Do you know why I'm tied to this bed?"

"To be honest, no. But I can assume that it's because of what you are. Believe me, if I knew what you were when I asked for help I would've turned the other way. But all I could see was the glow of the attack you used to start the avalanche."

"I can believe that." I looked back towards Syne. He seemed negligent to actually start a conversation on his own free will, and although I wanted to make good with him from before, I had to continue as I was. Although he was actually smart enough to not want to fight me. "When is your trainer coming?"

"She should be here shortly, just filling out some paperwork at the front desk. Probably just a form saying that she will take care of you, since you were never technically captured."

"Story of my life." I muttered quietly to myself. Syne pricked his ears up slightly at my comment, but I assumed that he didn't hear me. "One whole day you say."

"Yes."

"Then what day is it today?"

"Thursday." Again Syne gave me a funny look. "Why do you keep track of the days?"

"I didn't. Not when I was in the wild, but, I was once before a trainer-owned pokémon."

"Then why were you in the wild again?"

"I'd rather not say." The Espeon nodded his head slightly, I watched as he glanced back and forth between my head and the rest of my bed, as if checking on something. "What are you looking at?"

Syne snapped his head back to look at me again. "Hmm? Sorry. What?"

"What were you looking at?"

"It's because I can see Saria outside. She's just talking to the Chansey. That, and, I don't think it's fair to have you tied up like that just because of your species."

"Don't worry about that, I'm used to it. As long as we don't have to walk past many people on the way to your. Our, home we should be fine. Or at least our ears will remain intact."

"Don't worry, I've had it all. Although it had been on the other side of the scale. Have you been torn in five different directions by screaming kids wanting to get a pat of the Eevee? While you're not allowed to do anything but sit there because if you attack them, you're the one who gets in trouble."

"I think that evens up our positions a little." I heard the automatic doors open behind me, I lifted my head up as well as I could, only to rest it back down when I remembered I couldn't see anything.

"Hello Luyo, are you feeling any better?"

She stood at the foot of my bed so I couldn't see her at all. I looked at Syne. "How does she know my name? Did you tell her already?" Syne then looked at Saria, then back towards me.

"Oh no, Syne didn't tell me. I was told at the front desk before I even got inside. They read your name out of the chip you had inside you. It says that you live in Jubilife City, with one Draye Nortum and a Luxray named-"

"Stop!" I shouted, causing my new trainer to cease speaking immediately. "You, tell her word for word exactly what I say." I looked at Syne who nodded and turned to face Saria. "Yes, I was once a trainer's pokémon before. But that was a long time ago and many memories away. He released me back into the wild where I had lived before he caught me and I continued my life like nothing ever happened." I paused for a second to let my head catch up with what I was saying. "If I can ask one thing of both of you, it is that you never mention either of their names, or ask me of my previous life again."

Syne immediately nodded and accepted what I said. He then looked back towards Saria as if she was taking in what I had said.

"You did tell her everything exactly as I put it, right?" I asked Syne who nodded again, not breaking eye contact with his trainer.

"Alright Luyo. I won't speak of your past again. And I have had your tag re-done so it mentions us. You are officially a part of our family. I have also talked it through with Nurse Joy, she says that you are allowed to come home today, as long as you don't walk on your hind legs for the two days you were meant to spend in here." I pushed myself up towards the bed head trying to give my neck as much room as possible. I lifted my neck as sharply as I could, able to place my blade against the strap holding my neck in place. "Luyo, what are you doing?" Saria asked quietly.

I flicked my head back breaking the strap and allowing for my neck to move freely once more. "Giving myself a bit of freedom." I spoke to Syne, who I assumed transferred the message towards Saria. "It's more comfortable this way, and besides." I turned to face Saria with little struggle. "It means I can see more than just Syne and the window."

Saria had a half laugh at what I said, assuming that Syne had translated what I'd said exactly. It would've been so much more useful if I had a psychic type back when I needed to know what Draye was thinking, or at least so we could tell him what we were thinking. I sighed heavily and lay my head back down on the bed. "So we are going 'home' now?"

"I guess we are. But you have to agree not to freak out when you have to go in the carrier." Saria bent over and placed it on the end of my bed. "I was told that wild pokémon don't like it much, but, unless you want to stay here for today, and most of tomorrow, you'll be able to cope with it for ten minutes." I felt a few tugs at the restraints around my ankles and around my chest, and after a few moments of waiting, I was free to move once more, quickly making it to my feet and truly finding out how crippled I truly was. Almost immediately after reaching my feet I lay down on my side to avoid any excess damage to my hind legs. They both burned with pain like the if you just walked onto a hot stone in the middle of the day. "I really wish you hadn't broken the other strap Luyo." Saria sighed slightly as I looked around the rest of the centre without restriction. There was a slight cramp in my neck and both forelegs, but I didn't feel them beyond my injuries. "Do you want some help?" I looked at Saria who was just staring at me. I glanced towards Syne who had moved around to the other side of my bed, climbing up onto a chair beside it.

I shook my head towards Saria. I wasn't going to accept help from anyone, no matter what the situation, which was one of the many vows I took when I had first returned to the wild. The second most notable one being never to take the life of another trainer's pokémon. Especially if they meant something to me. I looked down at the bed and closed my eyes, this was going to hurt, but I wasn't going to take any help. Pushing myself up onto four legs, I balanced myself as far forward as I could, putting as much weight as possibly onto my forelegs. I took several steps forward and sat back down on my side.

"Are you sure you don't want any help?" I looked back towards Syne who was just looking at me. Not into my eyes, but it was close enough.

"Yes, I'm sure. If I say something I'll stick to it, no matter what the cost to myself is." I turned back around and saw that the carrier was mere inches before my face.

"I thought it would be easier for you." Saria answered my unspoken question.

I growled quietly and prepared myself for the short burst of pain that was soon to follow when I was to stand up again. Just quickly up and in, that's it. It took about three steps to be completely inside, but once I was, I was glad to be. Considering that I was locked in a tiny little cage, I was happy. I was leaving the strange Chansey who ran the centre who always had me tied up, escaping the helplessness of living in a pokémon centre with nothing but a bed to call your space. There was only one thing that worried me as I was picked up and taken towards the door. What would this new 'home' be like? If Veilstone is larger than Jubilife, then what would be different? Would there be more room to live in? Would Saria spend more time away from Syne and myself, so we'd have longer intervals of seclusion? I didn't consider to ask Syne about it, because then he'd probably tell Saria what I was saying.

Then the thought hit me. As Saria stepped out of the pokémon centre and the blinding light of outside filtered through the slits in the roof of the carrier, she would know of everything that we talked about, and everything that I had told Syne. He would tell her everything I had told him. I didn't want that. I enjoyed the ability to communicate with the humans, or at least the one that was caring for me anyway, but for her to know everything that I would tell Syne, that wouldn't be good. I'd have to tell him what I wanted after he and I had an agreement.

That was a definite.