Seek, and you shall find.

"I didn't know you had a Ralts, Wally," Citrine mused, crouching down to meet the little, humanoid white Pokemon with a cute green bowl cap head, rubbing it tenderly. "Or a Kecleon, or any Pokemon at all. When did you grow up?"

The Ralts was compliant and almost seemed to blush slightly, standing meekly in place.

It was very gentle.

"Oh, she... isn't mine," Wally was a little hesitant about it. "A guy I met back in Petalburg borrowed it to me... and well, there was this earthquake and we got separated... so I still have it with me now."

Citrine was quiet-- that was Ruby,  wasn't it? So this Ralts was Ruru.

Whismur was interested in the other Pokemon, looking at it close, eyeing it from every possible direction, rubbing its head against the equally-sized Pokemon, who seemed awfully troubled.

"They're getting along," Citrine breathed out in relief. Unlike when Whismur instantly antagonized Geodude-- maybe because this Ralts was Gentle and patient?

Wally's Kecleon tilted his head to the side, curious about the new person in the house. Then, it met eyes with Citrine's Lotad, (who flinched,) and began chasing it around the house.

Lotad was tearful, scrambling for its life, while Kecleon, giggling in a jolly manner, probably thought they were playing tag.

"And I guess those two are getting along too," she decided.

"Really?" Wally didn't agree. He was rather tempted to return his Kecleon into its ball.

  ー  

The forest was hiding, the wind was a chill. The mountains in the morning, brimming with only the freshest air, was very worth the early climb.

Citrine sat beside Wally at the edge of the cliff, their feet dangling off the edge, and their hands holding a warm cup of morning tea as they watched the sun rise.

"Is it true that you can't feel pain?" Wally spoke up nervously, not too sure if this was an insensitive thing to ask about. His eyes turned to the numerous scratches he found on the older girl, patched up with band aids and disinfectant.

"It's true!" Citrine didn't seem bothered by it at all. In fact, she found it something boast-worthy against a boy like Wally, "pinch me, punch me, I wouldn't notice a thing!"

Citrine had met Wally a number of times before, either from trips to Petalburg-Rustboro, or visits from Wallene. It was hard for them not to get close, as they weren't too drastically apart in age.

"That's nice..." Wally sulked. He would do anything to not be able to feel pain. His condition was what rendered him so sickly and crippled, after all-- "but, it doesn't mean you're immortal, are you? You still get hurt."

Citrine nodded, grateful Wally understood. 

"But, I won't let it hold me back," Citrine gripped her fist, turning to the younger, "my Pokemon are strong, after all! I trust them to protect me, and to help me if I'm harmed."

Wally paused, "trust?" he seemed foreign to the topic. He turned to his Kecleon, who stared back stoically.

Citrine chuckled, rubbing Whismur on the head as if purred and leaned in for another nap.

"Pokemon live and dwell with us. We fight with them, we live with them-- but they're a little more than just pets we keep around," she explained, "to me, they're my guardians, my protectors, and also my siblings. I look after them, and they take care of me."

That actually made Wally stop to think. "So your Pokemon, to you, are family?" he inquired just to receive some sort of extra confirmation.

Citrine hummed, positive about it. "To others, Pokemon are comrades. Partners; or even friends. It's different for everyone, and not everyone can have special relationships with their Pokemon," she turned to the sky, "to me-- they're like younger brothers and sisters."

"Brothers, huh," Wally rubbed the Poke Ball in his hand as Kecleon returned to it, looking at its trainer in the eye. Wally had no way of knowing or understanding his Pokemon-- but somehow, he felt that Kecleon was telling him something.

Something, and Wally could only guess.

"Bonds are built on love and trust," Citrine said firmly, "that's how it is for humans, and that's how it is for Pokemon as well. Well, don't think too hard about it, Wally! It's something that comes by before you even notice."

The girl, closing the hot water flask, slung it over her shoulder and stood up. Picking up the chilled storage box of berries, she glanced at Wally once, expecting him to catch up.

Wally got up quickly, ready to follow her on the trip out of the forest. 

Whismur retreated into its Poke Ball without being told to-- and here, even whilst she walked without a single Pokemon standing by her side-- Wally felt she was untouchable.

There was a strength of confidence flowing from her-- one that called not to be defied, one that only the brave could dare to fight against, yet couldn't be sure to emerge victorious.

Her Whismur and her Lotad weren't strong enough to be feared like this.

It was her unmistakable belief that nothing could harm her, that made wild Pokemon falter at the sight.

Maybe-- Wally found himself wondering, spotting three Poke Balls on her belt-- it was because she had a personal bodyguard right by her side.