//I highly recommend listening to the video attached during or after reading the story for an added effect, just saying ~

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"Here are your Pokemon! All healed and healthy!!" the nurse said as she handed me all my Pokeballs.

I said my thanks, took them, and immediately rushed out the door, taking out a specific Pokeball, saying, "Arcanine, come out!"

Arcanine let out a small roar as he stretched himself after being sent out. After he settled down, I scratched him behind his ear and carefully got onto to him.

"Another day, buddy..." I muttered mostly to myself.

I patted Arcanine on his side and held on tight as he sniffed around the air for a brief moment before pulling back, then going into a full sprint.

Everyday it's always like this. And every night, it would always have the same result. And each time I lay awake in bed, I would constantly hope and wish for it to be different someday soon.

Today, as I ride my Arcanine, I hope for it all to be better -- for me to find you.

And to have a second chance of being your trainer.

A few hours passed and we stopped by a riverbank to get some rest and refill our energy with some food. I sent out all my other Pokemon -- Honchkrow, Blaziken, and my fairly new members, Marowak and Nidorina.

As they all ate, I couldn't help but smile sadly to myself. How there were only five Pokemon in my team now, when I could have had six.

I gazed down into the riverside's water and saw a reflection of my own self -- My thoughts then started to float back to the time when I was in a Pokemon tournament I entered and won about two years ago.

It was a very close fight, but I managed to win with my Pokemon in the end, as I remember training them almost non-stop.

It was then I saw the other trainer from across the arena, still smiling and praising his Pokemon despite his loss. I remember meeting up with him a lot along the road, and whenever he'd challenge me to a battle, he'd always lose, but he still kept that kind and warm demeanor towards his Pokemon. I first thought that he was just playing a nice facade... like I used to... so his Pokemon would trust him and work hard for him, but that was until I once saw him nearly fall off a cliff just to save his injured Sentret.

I helped him get up, seeing as I was the only one around, but he persisted that he would not grab my hand until he had a hold of his Sentret's. I grew furious with him and had Blaziken out to help me pull him up. He got his Pokemon just in time though, so I was thankful at that time that I would not be dealing with an angry kid.

He thanked me, naturally, although I asked him on why he would risk his own life over such a weak Pokemon as Sentret. He gasped at me, but calmed down and told me that, "There's no such thing as a 'weak' Pokemon y'know!! Every Pokemon is special in their own way, you just have to believe in their own strengths and love them like a good trainer should!!"

And what would you know, months shortly after that encounter, I saw him again, now with his evolved Furret. I approached him and asked him on how he was so patient and calm towards his Pokemon despite losing at most times when it comes to stronger opponents.

He just looked up at me and told me calmly that, "Winning isn't everything! Pokemon are your best friends! They're always there for you when you need them, and love and obey you almost without question! So it's only natural to treat them with the same love and care, right?"

It was then I was jolted back into reality when Arcanine nudged me softly by the arm with his nose. He looked at me with some concern in his eyes, along with my other Pokemon behind him. It was then I realized that I had tears rolling down my cheeks during my reminiscence.

I promptly wiped them away and gave them a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, don't worry," I said, and then got up to my feet.

I returned everyone except Arcanine back into their Pokeballs and got onto Arcanine, and continued our search.

Arcanine went on a bit slower this time, but it was fine as I had time to look at the natural scenery around me. We happened to pass along a somewhat familiar pathway, it was near a forest of sorts.

I felt my heart sink with melancholy and regret just seeing it, along with the bad memories I had associated with this place. Arcanine seemed to have sensed it and started to run faster. I silently thanked him, and I was elated to have finally arrived out of that route.

We continued further down the road, still constantly filled with anxiety and yearning as usual.

Suddenly, Arcanine perked up as he barked towards a certain direction.

"What is it buddy? Did you pick up something?" I asked him earnestly, and he nodded.

I felt my chest become filled with hope, and wasted no time in telling him, "Well what are we waiting for, buddy? Go and follow that scent!"

He barked in response and immediately sprinted forward through some shrubs and trees. I hung on tight and bent low, hope still surging through me. But at the same time I felt nervous. How could I not be? After what I was like... after how I treated her two years ago...

Before my thoughts were able to drift on further, Arcanine came to a sudden halt near the riverbank.

"Is... is this the place, buddy?" I asked him somewhat reluctantly.

He paused for a brief moment before nodding his head. I then got off of him and walked towards the riverside.

"H-Hello...?" I called out in a shaky voice, looking around in high hopes of seeing her.

I even carefully looked around the bushes to try and see if she was hiding somewhere, but to no avail.

Eventually, I looked back at my Arcanine saying, "Buddy, there's nobody here--"

At which I was interrupted by an old woman who approached us, asking who we were looking for.

At first, I was hesitant to reply, but I figured that she may be my first and only lead at this point.

"Uhh, we're looking for a Sylveon, ma'am," I said, scratching the back of my head.

"Ah!" she blurted in response, at which I brightened up and had my wading hope restored.

"D-Do you happen to have her? She's my lost Sylveon you see! A-And I've been meaning--I've been searching for her for quite a long time now and...!" I babbled on, to which the old woman just nodded slowly at me.

"I see... please... follow me then," she said afterwards and started walking near the riverside, gesturing for me to follow her.

I did so eagerly, and couldn't settle my thoughts down as we walked silently by the riverside, with Arcanine following along of course. He looked excited too, and I was sure I felt the same aura come from my Pokeballs -- we were all excited.

But that still did not calm down my own anxieties. What if she doesn't want to be with me anymore? What if she has a new trainer... what if this old lady was her new owner...?

What if... she was happier here...?

What if she doesn't even want to see me at all anymore... and I would just be resurfacing some horrid memories to her now-peaceful life... What if...

Just then, a picture -- a memory -- of myself sobbing, flashed into my mind. I was with that other trainer and he was comforting me.

"Look, it's okay! People make mistakes," he told me in a soft and gentle voice.

"No!! It's not okay!" I shouted back, looking down, "I'm a horrible person! I'm a horrible trainer!!" I managed to say while crying.

It had been about months at that time since we last saw each other in the Pokemon Tournament, and by that time, about a year has already passed since I abandoned her...

Since I abandoned Sylveon.

He tried to comfort me still, but I only replied back in a loud, cracked voice, "You don't understand!! I shouted at her!! Shouted. I got angry and furious at her!! I told her I didn't raise her right... and worser still was that I acted like I really loved and cared for her when I actually didn't... I..." it was then that I was cut off with more uncontrollable tears.

But amidst it all, he told me, "It's never too late, buddy, you can always find her again. As long as you're turning over a new leaf, I'm sure things will only get better from now on,"

And he was right. Ever since I started caring for my Pokemon, everything felt so much easier. I admit, I had a lot of hard time coping with losing sometimes but... I managed to do so over time.

Winning and strength and looks really isn't everything.

And that's something I aim to do on my second chance with you.

Just then, a tower started coming into view, and the old lady had been ahead of us for quite a far distance already. She seemed to have stopped in front of something, however. When I got to where she was... I felt my heart sink.

"I'm so sorry young man, but..." she started, gesturing towards the tombstone beside her, "...I'm afraid your dear Pokemon passed away about a few weeks ago," she told me with a sad yet sympathetic expression.

"Wh-What...?" was all I could mutter.

"I keep seeing her near the riverbank a lot... mingling with other smaller Pokemon. And whenever trainers or people would pass by, she'd quickly retreat into the bushes or the forest,"

I just stared at the old woman, refusing to believe what I was hearing.

She continued, "About a month ago however, she seemed to look fairly ill and weak... I tried to offer her some food to eat, but she just wouldn't take it... Eventually, the time came when she no longer moved away from that spot and her eyes were forever shut..."

At her last line, I could feel all the pain clogging up in my throat. She told me lastly that she was the one who laid Sylveon to her final resting place.

"I'm so sorry for your loss dear boy... but I'm sure your Sylveon was a very lucky to have had you as her trainer, right?" The old woman added, to try to cheer me up, I suppose, but I knew all too well that that was not the case.

I then fell to my knees and stared at the grave before me. Tears started to stream down my cheeks as I said out loud in a torn voice, "N-No... she didn't,"

And that was when I broke. I was sobbing horribly, knowing that it was all my fault, that I was the one who caused it... That Sylveon could've lived a longer and happier life it wasn't for the way I treated her... if it wasn't for me.

The old woman bent over to me and tried to comfort me, asking what did I mean when I said "she didn't," but all I could reply back were more angry sobs of regret and self-hate.

Arcanine then laid right next to me, tears pouring out of his eyes. I could feel that everyone else was weeping for their friend, too. But I know that I could never look at them straight in the eyes anymore knowing that I did this. I did this to her...

"No, no, no...! Why? WHY?"

The things I said two years ago...

"I wanted an Umbreon! Not some pink girly thing!"

It was what drove her to this...

"I didn't raise you to be like that!!"

It... it was all my fault...

I thought that if I would be able to find her again... I could make it all better and start anew but... it's too late, it's all too late... that was what all I wanted...

...A second chance... to be a good trainer for you...

A trainer you deserved.

That night, we camped out near Sylveon's grave. I asked the old lady permission to do so, and she agreed and said it was perfectly fine no matter how long we stayed. I let everyone out of their Pokeballs, too. Just so they can say goodbye to their friend. We all mourned that night, and they didn't seem to be angry at me, they all hugged me tight, except for Nidorina who just licked my face so I wouldn't get poisoned by her accidentally. I ended up crying even more, just knowing I had the best friends in the whole world right with me, and I treated them so horribly back then...

I realized I really had a lot to thank that trainer for. Next time we meet... I hope I can tell him just how much he's made me and my Pokemon's life better...

I only wished I could have done the same with you, Sylveon...

After I had made supper and everyone ate, we all eventually turned in for the night, laying underneath the starry skies.

After everyone else had fallen asleep, my eyes started shutting close themselves, and that was when I had fallen into sleep, and started delving into dreams.

I was somewhere, alone, everything around me seemed like a creamy brown blur, and amidst it all... I heard a voice...

"I...h...p..."

"He-hello...?" I tried calling out, as well as trying to walk--float--closer to wherever that voice was coming from. I just felt like I had to find it, it felt so familiar, just from the aura that it was giving off.

"Is anyone there? Please answer me!!" I tried calling out again, and the voice sounded clearer this time,

"I... hope..."

I gasped, "Hope? Hope what?" I tried harder to float to wherever that voice came from, and I saw a somewhat shaky silhouette become clearer and clearer as I got closer.

"I hope... I've made you proud, my dear Master,"

That was when I realized whose voice it belonged to.

"S-Sylveon!? Is that you!?" I cried out to her, reaching towards the silhouette, until finally I was able to see her... and it really was her, but she looked faded and transparent. But her crystal blue eyes looked so full of life and emotion.

"I hope I've made you proud, my dear Master... I only wanted to make you happy... and this death of mine... can finally give you a chance to replace me... to start over and get what you truly wanted and deserved..." she told me in a ghostly and echoed voice, smiling at me with the sweetest of smiles.

And that was where I broke yet again, I reached out to her and hugged her, tears already streaming down my face for almost the third or fourth time this day.

"No!! I..." I started, my voice all cracked from the sobs I have been trying to hold back, just so I can tell what I've been wanting to tell her.

"I-I... I came to try and meet you, and tell you I'm sorry... you didn't know how lovely you are... I had to find you, and tell you I needed you... and I still do... I'm so sorry... I'm sorry for everything I did and told you," I then held her by the cheeks with both of my hands and looked at her straight in the eyes, "You are a beautiful Pokemon, and I never should've abandoned you like that, I was wrong, I was wrong wrong wrong wrong...! I'm so sorry, it's all my fault, Sylveon, it's... it was all... my fault..."

"And all I wanted... was a second chance... to make things right with you... to start with a new journey... but it was too late, everything was too late... I was too late... and I'm so, so, sorry..." And that was when I couldn't hold it back any longer, and I cried then and there like a child, still hugging Sylveon tightly. And the fact that she still wanted what was best for me... even after I've treated her... it only made me hate myself even more.

I then felt something wrap around my arms, and Sylveon pulled herself away from my messy state.

"Please don't cry anymore master..." she told me, tears flowing from her eyes as well, but she was smiling, "You'll be a great trainer than before now! All I want is for you to be happy... so please don't cry, Master!! At least... you're a better person now... and that's enough to make ME happy!!"

I just kept silent, not really knowing what else I can say to her.

"So please don't be sad anymore, Master! That's the only thing you can do for me now..."

I nodded my head as another sobbing fit overtook me, and I embraced her close for one last time, for as long as I can... and she hugged me back just as long until everything started to slowly fade to white.

Morning came, and I woke up with my face full with the feeling of dried-up tears. What happened last night was certainly not just a dream, I know it.

The rest of my party woke up, worry clearly written over their faces, but I greeted them all with a smile -- a very bright smile that I never have done or made before. I just felt so elated, and I gathered them all in one big group hug, much to their surprise, but they all warmed up shortly after, of course with Nidorina still being careful with her poison points.

When we had everything packed up and were ready to go, I looked back at Sylveon's final resting place. I felt so happy, but at the same time so sad. I was lucky to have had a Pokemon like her, but I didn't take notice of it till it was all too late.

I left a bouquet of flowers I gathered around the area for her and started to make my way back onto the route.

I rode Arcanine and waved goodbye not only to the old lady, but also to my best of friends...

Although, at least... in some way...

"Nobody said it was easy"

...I was able to have a second chance with her... even... for a little while...

"Oh, it's such a shame for us to part"

It was all I needed... after finding out what had happened to her...

"Nobody said it was easy"

And she still cared for me, rather than herself... all that she's ever wished for...

"No one ever said it would be so hard"

But... thank you, Sylveon...

"I'm going back to the start"

Thank you...

As we stopped by a different riverbank hours later to get something to eat, I let out the rest of my team.

I looked at all of them, and I couldn't help but smile -- both happily and sadly -- on how there were only five Pokemon in my team, when I could have had six.

But as I gazed at my reflection in the water, I very well know that Sylveon is there with us...

And that there will always be six party members on my team.

Always.