Jake was sitting on the edge of Route 114, dipping his feet into the river's water. Under his hat, Cleffa was sleeping, tired after the trek through Meteor Falls.

"Man, Cleffa sure saved us. I wonder how she managed to beat that Bagon."

"Who's Cleffa," a girl asked, poking her head out from under the water.

Jake was taken aback, falling over backwards. The girl pulled herself onto the ground, her clothes and hair soaking wet.

"Hey, are you okay," she asked, their eyes meeting.

"Yeah, I'm alright. You just surprised me."

"That's good," the girl said, offering her hand to Jake.

Jake grabbed her and and pulled himself up. "Thanks...I'm Jake, by the way."

"I'm Aqua, nice to meet you," the girl said, wringing out her dark red locks with her hands.

"Wh-where did you come from, why were you underwater," Jake asked quizzically.

"Well, I like to swim, and for the first...I don't know. All I remember is waking up in the forest, alone, tired, cold, and hungry."

"Oh...I'm so sorry..."

"It's alright, that was 3 years ago. Jade came to my rescue."

An Eevee popped its head above the water, paddling afloat in the river.

"Vee," it asked curiously.

"Whoa, an Eevee?!"

"Yeah, she's my pet of sorts," Aqua said, picking Jade up and setting her down.

Jade wasted no time drying her fur by shaking herself, spraying water all around her.

Jake giggled as the droplets hit him.

Jade smiled at Jake, her fur all poofy.

Aqua smiled and picked Jade up. "Seems you two are already good friends. Anyways, Jade needs her fur brushed, shall I take you to our home?"

"Sure, that sounds nice," Jake said with a smile.

Aqua nodded and led the way to her and Jade's home. The group ended up at a small cave, which had a bag laying against the wall.

"You live here? Seems a bit small."

"Not for a human and an Eevee."

"Oh, right."

Aqua nodded, taking a brush out of the bag and brushing down Jade's fur.

"Eevee? Eevee Eevee vee?"

"Well, he seems to be nice. I think we can trust him."

"What," Jake asked confused.

Aqua looked to Jake, before looking down. "You...you heard that, didn't you..."

"Yeah, I did. What was that about?"

"Jake...Jade, say something."

"Vee, Eevee!"

"What did you hear her say," Aqua asked.

"Vee, Eevee," Jake responded.

"I thought so...I heard 'Hi, I'm Jade.' "

Jake raised an eyebrow.

Aqua sighed. "I can understand Pokémon. Where you hear them saying their species, I hear the words they're saying."

"Oh, I see."

Aqua nodded, sighing again. She began to sob, causing Jade's ears to fall.

"Eevee..." (Not again...)

Jake moved to sit next to her. "What's wrong?"

"I...I'm a freak...maybe that's why I was left in the woods...because I'm a freak that can talk to Pokémon."

"You're not a freak, that's really cool what you can do!"

"R-really," Aqua asked, looking at Jake, her sea green eyes glistening with tears.

"Yeah, it is! I wish I could do that."

Aqua, overcome with emotion, hugged Jake, crying into his shoulder.

Jake hugged Aqua back, patting her back, when something fell out of her pocket. He picked it up and read it. It read 'Aqua Ventus, Age 6.' It was from Mossdeep City.

"Hey, you're from Mossdeep City too!"

"Mossdeep City?"

"Yeah, it's where I live. Or used to. My sister and I lived with our aunt in Rustboro, but I hated it there. I'm going back to my home, my real home."

"Please...take me with you..." Aqua begged.

"Eevee!" (Me too!)

"Of course I will," Jake said with a smile.

Jade tackled Jake, licking his face, before curling into a ball on his chest and purring.

"Jade and I will get you there. I promise."