Leon had decided to take a few days off running the battle tower after that incident with Miko a couple days prior in case he DID tip off the scientists in Alola so that he could help watch over me, and their mother decided it best that I go no further than Motostoke from now on; granted as long as I had Hop or Leon with me, of course. I hadn't been asleep in Leon's room as of then either, and I did most of my journal writing at the kitchen table, telling about Sonia's new studies as Professor, tales Leon told me about Galar's history and his childhood, or even meager things like what I ate, or did with my friends! Today, however, was really slow, and we didn't have much planned to do today. Hop was with Sonia at the lab in Wedgehurst, leaving myself with Leon and their folks at the house, and I sat in the lounge watching T.V. with their grandparents. "Lele, dearie," their Grandmother began, knitting away on the sofa, "You haven't left the house in a long while! Is there something on your mind?" "Hm? Oh." I sighed, giving her a quick glance before turning back to the comedy show they were watching, replying, "There's not really much to do in Postwick, OR Wedgehurst, and I can't go to Motostoke without the boys because of what happened in Circhester! I just wish I could live a peaceful life back at Alola without fear of being whisked away; never to be heard from again..." ""Alola"! "Scientists"! You're NEVER going to live peacefully, if all you think about is the negative." Their Grandfather began. "Now William-" the elderly woman began, setting down her knitting with a sigh. "No! I'm serious! All this nonsense about missing home and getting kidnapped; it's enough to drive one mad. She's got friends and a roof, hasn't she?" "Dad, PLEASE!" Their mom begged, but I couldn't hear anymore as I leapt up, and ran out of the house. I kept on going, past the gate, and onto the road, with Leon calling out to me as he ran to catch up. "Lele, PLEASE! He didn't mean it, honest." ""All this nonsense about missing home, and getting kidnapped" he said. "Driving him mad" he said! It's easy for you Galarians because you HAVE nobody chasing you out of YOUR homes." I yelled, stopping to kick the fence out of anger, and scaring a couple Wooloo eating grass in the process. "Now you stop this at once, young lady!" Leon snapped sternly, taking me by the shoulders to face me towards him. "Well if all I'm doing is driving people up the wall, I'll go to the wild area then! I have less a chance to be found THERE than I do HERE." I snapped back, trying to shake his strong grip from me, but eventually giving in after breaking down into tears. I threw my arms around Leon as I sobbed, "It's not fair, Leon! I'm not meaning to sound ungrateful if I am, but I'm about to give up. I just wish for once someone else knew what it was like to be ME! I want to swap lives with someone, and then THAT'LL show them." Leon hugged me back, patting me on the head as he said, "Don't say that! Just because your life is hard now, doesn't mean that it's going to remain that way. Wishing this fate upon somebody else doesn't really accomplish anything either!" "But Leon-" "I KNOW, Lele. I can't say anything because I'm not going through what you're having to go through, but I've had my moments too. There have been times where I envied, and wished, and gave up, but I had someone who cared enough to tell me to keep trying, and to be happy with what I had! YOU have got someone to tell you to keep going, and to be happy with what you have." "But how long, Leon?" I asked, scared and trembling, "How long must I wait to go home? How long until they take you all from me!? No, I can't have it. I can't BEAR it Leon; it's killing me!" I said, pushing him away from me to continue walking. Leon grabbed my arm and begged, "PLEASE Lele! Let's see Sonia and Hop, and we can all settle in and collect ourselves, yes?" I looked back at him, sighing exasperatedly as he said again, "Please?" I stood silently in thought for a minute, keeping my eyes to the ground, and Leon gently put my arm in his as he escorted me down the long, dirt covered road. In the silence I could hear the braying of the Wooloo, and the chirping of birds above peacefully before being interrupted by the noise of the small town. "Look! It's Leon!" Someone said quietly, and I looked over to find a couple women his age as the other said, "Isn't that the Ditto girl from Ballonlea? Ew! What is she doing walking beside Leon?" "Leon must be her trainer!" The first sneered, and the two laughed as my heart dropped. Were they?!.... No, it COULDN'T be! I kept my ears open, and everywhere we went I heard snarky comments like, "She's not worthy to be in the presence of the great Leon!" "Ew it's that Ditto!" "What a pretender. I can't believe Bede would KISS that thing!" I rushed along ahead, practically dragging Leon behind me as I threw open the lab doors, pulled Leon in, and slammed it behind me, breathing heavily as I tried to calm my nerves. "Lele? Lee!? What are you doing here?" Hop asked, making Sonia look from the top balcony of her little library in concern. "The people here are talking about me like they know! They know what I am Hop!" I panicked, sinking to the floor to place my head on my knees. "B-But that's impossible! There wasn't anything recording, so how would anyone know about what you are?" Hop asked, leaving the desk to console me. "She's probably imagining things," Leon began shaking his head, "Grandpap really laid the platter on her a while ago! Stormed off in a rage and mum sent me to follow her." "Are you joking?! Gah!" Hop growled, shaking his head in anger before saying, "Gramps is just an honest sort, though he needs to control himself to avoid shooting off at the wrong sort. He didn't mean to be offensive, Lele!" "B-But Hop-" "You're fine! Here, come off the floor and settle in this chair." He replied, gently helping me to my feet as Leon pulled out a chair for me. Once I was sitting in the chair, I nervously fiddled with my skirt in fear, and looked about at all the tools in the lab; heart racing and blood pumping as I imagined them ALL being used on me, and making me tremble violently! "Here, have some tea." Hop said, breaking me out of my imaginative state to hand me a cup of tea, but in my quaking fear, more of it ended up on the table than my mouth. Hop refilled the cup again, and, steadying my hands, he brought the cup to my lips to take a sip. He set the cup back onto the saucer, and I coughed a bit, some tea going down the wrong pipe as Sonia asked, "Are you alright?" "No, I'm not Sonia! My ex just turned me in to the Poké Researchers again while telling me that he was the reason I had to flee Alola, and why my mom and dad hadn't been seen in months and years. NOW I have to worry about them coming here, and hurting all of you in the process! I just want this to stop so I can find my mom, go home, and be at peace with my friends back at the Pokémon school." I set my head on the table as I harshly cried, feeling more helpless and afraid for the future ahead. "Hmm.... My Gran may have Kukui's contact still. Maybe you could chat with them in person?" Sonia suggested, and my head shot up hopefully as I asked, "R-Really?! May I?!" "Sure! If it helps you calm down, we'll see if my Gran still has Professor Kukui's digits. Besides, I was going to close the lab up early to take Hop here on an expedition in the wild area, if you'd like to join us after." I grinned from ear to ear, hardly believing what I was hearing, and I popped from the chair, coming over to Sonia to fall into her embrace as I cried. It was happy news, and so my heart felt overjoyed by the idea of hearing my teacher's and classmates' voices again, though my classmates and I were never really close. We all left the lab, and continued through the streets of Wedgehurst, making sure to keep close to Hop as endless eyes seemed to be staring me down, and I tried my best to keep my head up as the possibility of getting a small slice of home rushed through me. We ended up at a beautiful, lavender colored house, covered with ivy, and a huge tree overhead, and Sonia knocked on the door. Professor Magnolia opened the door, and with a delighted laugh, she hugged Sonia tightly as she said, "Sonia dearie! I wasn't expect you to drop on by sweetheart." "Hello Gran! I've brought Hop, Leon, and Lele along with me if you don't mind." Sonia said, stepping to the side to reveal us, and Leon waved as he chimed, "Hello, Hello!" "Ah! How are you children doing this lovely evening." The professor began, taking us all into an embrace as Sonia explained, "We were just wondering if you, perchance, have Professor Kukui's number? Lele here has the rattles, and I believe that hearing his voice may help ease them." Professor Magnolia's face fell, and she replied, "I do, yes. But there's a problem with that request!" "Wh-What is it, ma'am?" I asked, my stomach churning nervously. "Lele, dear," she began, taking my hands into her cool, bony palms, "I'm afraid it can't be done." "Wh-What? Why?" I asked, feeling myself coming to tears again. Professor Magnolia shook her head, and replied, "When the Professor of Alola released you into my care, he gave me his number should anything come up, but I'm never to let YOU contact him should the conversations be bugged, and a third party be eavesdropping." "So that's it? I just don't exist in Alola anymore?! To ANYBODY?!" I cried, feeling betrayed, and angry about the idea of no longer just existing, and I ripped my hands away from her, running out of the yard as Hop chased behind. "Lele? Lele!" He called, and I threw myself onto a bench as I sobbed. "I'm not EVER going back, am I!? I'm all alone in this place, and I don't even know if my mommy's okay." I continued to sob as Hop placed himself beside me, and I threw my arms around him as he tried to shush me. "I bet they don't even think about me. "Out of sight, out of mind" is all I am!" I burbled between gasps of air, and digging my face into his shoulder. I felt another pair of arms around us, but I didn't look up to see who it was. I felt crushed, knowing that I was gracefully just banished from my home region, and I wasn't sure what to do about the information given. Inside wanted me to beg, but on the outside I just wanted to rot! We bid Sonia's Grandmother farewell before traveling to the wild area, which was filled with rolling hills, grassy plains, and rocky cliff sides, just like Hop described. Seeing such a beautiful place after receiving grave news was, in a word, Bittersweet, for I didn't want to smile, and enjoy myself while the inside of me raved on about how gorgeous the sight was! Following Sonia, Hop showed me several different Pokémon inhabiting the tall grasses, and even showed me a Dynamax den as he explained, "It's a buildup of Galar Particles that crystallized, and sprouted from the ground! Pokémon of ALL sorts live inside it." "It doesn't hurt, Dynamaxing the Pokémon, right?" I asked, feeling concerned. "If they absorb too much it can, but small amounts found in wishing stars are relatively harmless when fused to a Dynamax band!" At that moment, a familiar cry came from the grass beside us, and we looked over to see a Stufful, pouncing at a tiny grasshopper on the ground. "Oh look!" Hop said, coming closer to the creature as he finished, "It's come to say hello, the chap." I looked at the small Pokémon, looking up at Hop as it asked, "What is this creature? It smells strange for a Pokémon. I'll call it a "Two Legs"! I wonder if Two Legs will be my buddy." I wiggled it's ball shaped tail in the air before leaning it's head slightly to the right. "Aww, I think he like me." Hop said, kneeling down to pet the Stufful lightly. My eyes went wide as I said, "Stufful are in Alola..... Where there are Stufful, there's Bewear!" I broke into a sprint, catching Hop off gaurd as he called, "W-Wait!" I looked around frantically for the beautiful creature, running past all kinds of odd Pokémon in the process, and I sniffed the air around me, remembering the scent of a Bewear: Sunkissed, fruity, and a splash of earth! I kept following the scent until I reached a patch of trees, and there, picking Berries from a tree, stood the gigantic, fearsome yet majestic beast, with a shining coat of pink and black, and a slight tuft to its ear. I could tell this Bewear was young by it's lustor, and the energy exhibited from it's diligent observation of the Berries picked to make sure they were ripe to eat. Seeing it made me feel overjoyed to say the least, and I cupped my hands over my mouth as I greeted cheerfully, "Alola Bewear!" the Bewear stopped it's picking long enough to look my way as I approached, and it stammered, "Wh-What do you want?" It was a female Bewear, and she sounded timid about something. "I-It's okay! I'm part Ditto, so I can speak to you just fine. I'm Lele!" I said, coming closer to the seemingly flustered creature. "S-S-Stay back! I'm warning you!" It said, when a tiny voice peeped, "Is everything okay Momma?" I looked to the Bewear's side to find a Stufful, hiding timidly behind its leg. I put my hands on my knees as I began, "Just look at you! A chip off the ole block you are." "Who are you?" The Stufful asked, peering out from behind it's mother. "I'm Lele. I'm a Ditto from Alola, and a close friend to many Pokémon!" I replied, getting on my knees as the small creature slinked over to me. "N-No! Get back here." The Bewear cried, but the curious creature kept coming, and eventually it was close enough for me to pat on the head lightly. It yelped from the act of affection, and I feared I may have accidentally hurt it as I cried, "OH! I-I'm sorry, I didn't know you were hurt I swear!" But it was too late. Hop came just in time as the Bewear roared, "Get OUT!" before lifting a chunk of earth overhead to throw it. "LELE!" Hop screeched, tackling me to the ground as the dirt debris flew over us, and we quickly stood up to run from the angered creature as it gave chase. "WHAT DID YOU DO!?" Hop exclaimed, keeping hold of my hand. "N-NOTHING! I JUST PET THE STUFFUL BESIDE IT AND IT MUST'VE GOTTEN FRIGHTENED!" I replied, jumping and dodging the Bewear's attempts to harm us. "LEON!" I screamed, breathlessly. "LEE! SONIA!" Hop yelled, and the Adults came running to our aid, mortified by the sight they were beholding. Sonia quickly threw us behind her as Leon sent out a large, orange colored Pokémon, and made it shoot a warning shot at the ground; scaring the giant Pokémon away long enough for him to turn back to us, and raise an expectant brow. "I-I wanted to pet the Stufful, and the Bewear became alarmed...." I muttered, and with a sigh, Leon said, "Let's just get a bite to eat, shall we?" once inside Motostoke, we made our way down the street toward a Café, and as we sat down I heard the muttering again from the masses: "It's that Ditto girl!" "I heard it was sweet on Gym Leader Bede." "She should just stay in her ball! If I was her trainer, I'd beat her till she stayed." I grew petrified as I sat beside Hop, and a bead of sweat dripped down my cheek as we took our orders. During our meal, a girl scoffed, "Ew! What is a Pokémon doing eating at the table?" And this time, I didn't feel alone as Sonia and Leon exchanged worried glances with one another. Leaving the Café, we rushed over to the train station, and even THERE wasn't safe! Everywhere we went, and every corner turned, there was someone having something to say about my birth lineage: some poking fun at my mom, and others feeling sorry for my future! Once back at the lab, Sonia asked urgently, "How? HOW!?" "SEE?! I TOLD YOU THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT ME!" I cried, causing Hop to take me in a firm embrace to protect me. There was a knock at the door, and our faces grew pale as we immediately went quiet, looking amongst each other in the thickened atmosphere of the room. "I-I'll get it." Leon replied bravely, taking few gulps before shuffling his way to the door as his brother gasped, "NO!" Leon produced a PokéBall from his belt before taking a breath, and he quickly swung the door open as he reeled his arm back. "Leon! Wait!" Someone cried, and knowing the voice, I ran towards the door to find Gloria and Victor standing on the step, white as a sheet as Gloria held her phone in her hands. "Wh-What are you guys DOING here?!" I said, breathing a sigh of relief. "There's something that you need to see; that you ALL need to see!" Victor began, his voice shaken and urgent. We all sat down around the table as Gloria pressed the screen on her phone, and we all watched in horror as live footage of mine and Bede's match played. Everything was caught on video: the introduction, transformation...... Even that God awful tone of voice he had as he disqualified me...... Everything was caught........ EVERYONE had seen! My blood boiled as the video ended with a reporter speaking, and I quickly left the table as I spat, "He KNEW the battle was being filmed and said NOTHING! He KNEW it this whole time, and mentioned NOTHING; not even an APOLOGY!" I smacked my hand onto a desk as tears burned my cheeks, and I knew then what I needed to do next. We all took separate Taxis to Ballonlea, and I barged into the barren lobby of the Gym as I yelled, "WHERE IS HE!?" "Pardon?" One of the trainer asked. "WHERE IS HE!? WHERE'S THAT GYM LEADER OF YOURS!?" I yelled again as the others approached behind me. "WHAT is the MEANING of this?!" A voice shouted, and I spun around to find that deceiving devil walking through the doors leading to the stadium floor. I wasted no time as I marched up to him, shoved the trainer out of my way, and slapped Bede across the face with a painful smack as I yelled, "YOU UGLY, CONDESCENDING, TRASHY,- YOU KNEW THEY FILMED THAT MATCH AND YOU TOLD NO ONE! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU DID?! HOW MUCH DANGER I'M IN NOW BECAUSE OF YOU?!" I took a breath to try and calm myself as the confused and shocked boy sat dumbfounded by my action. "Do you even really CARE?" I asked, crying rivers as I doubled over. I fell to the floor crying, and Gloria came to her knees to consol me as Hop seethed, "What in Wooloo's name were you THINKING mate?" "I-I'm not to blame for THAT! I told her before that everything was out of my hands, as I was following Miss Opal's requests." "So you purposely refused to answer your phone when we explained her conditions and concerns? You PURPOSELY hid the fact it was being filmed live from her?!" Victor boomed as Hop added, "Real charming, you are! Not only did you humiliate her, you've gone and lied to her face, AND killed her!" "WH-WHAT?! I've done nothing else to her, and what I DID do I made up for!" "By calling her your sweetheart and saying how much she meant to you, or were you lying about THAT too?" "N-NO! Not at ALL!" "Oh please, EVERYONE is talking about it, Bede! "Why would he kiss a Ditto?", "That Ditto is a pretender!", "That DITTO should be beaten because it refuses to stay trapped in a TINY PLASTIC SPHERE!"" I shouted, sobbing harshly. "Lele-" He tried to say, but I interrupted, "Don't you "Lele" me! I'm TIRED, Bede. Tired of fear, and pain, and just SUFFERING." I broke down even harder on Gloria's shoulder, and she added, "If this is what you'd do to a girl, I'm GLAD you're living the rest of your miserable life with a GRANNY. You ought to be ashamed!" "You think living like this is EASY?! You think I WANT to take orders from her?! Miss Opal is INSUFFERABLE, but I manage because without her I have NOTHING! Which is more than what YOU can say, champion." Bede snapped, annoyed that nobody would listen to his cries of defense before turning away and adding, "You've no idea what it truly means to be alone until loneliness has destroyed everything you sought to hold dear. Don't come to ME, telling me what loneliness is!" He ran off into the dressing room, sobbing softly to himself as we were left in a clump in the lobby. "Yeah, you run away and cry! You were always weak anyways." Victor snorted, going to follow him when Hop grasped him firmly by the arm to stop him. "I really thought," I began, thinking about what he did in Circhester, and what he said on that country dirt road, "that he would give his all to make me happy, and comfortable with myself. I really thought he meant something by that kiss, but I should've known...." "Well," Hop began with a sigh, "just don't go starving yourself over it..." "HOP!" Gloria scolded, giving him a swift punch to the knee. I couldn't say anything more as we made our way back to Postwick, and I ran upstairs to flop onto Leon's bed, wishing to be alone..... Alone....... As I should be......