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"Stupid trip, stupid Berry Festival, stupid Lucario…" Skye continued to gripe as he trudged behind the rest of the group.

"It doesn't matter how much you complain Skye," Hope flicked her tail in Skye's direction to keep his attention, "You're staying with us the entire time, that was the deal."

Skye snorted but continued to walk a good 5 feet behind the rest of the group along the plain dirt road. With Skye and Matt's battle, they had to wait for them to recover a little before heading out. But before long, everyone was happily ready and making the long trek to the Berry Festival.

Tim and Tam were having fun chasing each other around their father's feet. Rick himself laughed along with them, occasionally reaching down and plucking one of them off the ground in a playful manner, pretending he was a monster who was going to eat them when he did. Hope watched them all carefully, making sure none of them got hurt and calling out to one of them whenever she thought they seemed to get a little rough. Skye grumbled and rolled his eyes, wishing every second he could be anywhere else but there with his 'family'. Matt on the other hand was only half paying attention to what everyone else was doing. His thoughts kept wondering to the back of his mind where he repeated the same questions over and over.

'Who am I? Was I ever really a human, or am I just insane? Will I ever change back if I was? What were those images I saw before? Why in the name of Arceus can't I remember anything?!'

No answers came to him the more he thought about it. He felt lost, like he was stuck in a dark cavern with no light and no chance of escape. Not even the happy laughter of the Pichu twins and their father helped to brighten his spirits as he absently looked down at his feet that kept moving just barely consciously.

"Ray dear, you seem a bit pale. Are you alright, how is your wound? Hope asked.

Matt shook his head and put on his best fake smile before replying.

"I'm fine, really. Still just sore from my battle."

Only about half of that was true; He was indeed still feeling a little achy from a lot of bruises, and his right arm which had a nasty gash from the time he had woken up burned with pain as Hope had to rebadged it after his battle.

"We can stop for the day and continue on tomorrow then. Here, let me take your pack," Hope offered with an open paw to receive Matt's backpack.

Matt gripped one of the straps in one paw and raised the other up defensively, "No, it's ok. I can carry this."

Matt could tell Hope was certainly not one to take 'no' for an answer, so instead of arguing with the Raichu, Matt thought quickly and changed the subject.

"Um, Hope, I was wondering. Before I woke up, where did I come from? I think if I heard where you found me, I might remember something."

Hope dropped the previous argument to collect her thoughts, "Rick had found you just off the main roads of 'The Spring of Willpower' or what the humans call 'Valor Lakefront'. Do you know what humans are, Ray?"

Of course he did, he used to be one; or at least he thought he used to be one. Though the point was he at least knew what a human would look like if he saw one. So he just nodded his head to show his understanding and allowed Hope to continue.

"You were severely injured and had lost a good amount of blood when Rick found you and brought you to our home. I believe it was on Arceus will that you survived, and we're all glad that you did."

'The Spring of Willpower', 'Valor Lakefront'. Matt thought about the names of the path, trying to unlock any part of his mind that might remember those names or the place…nothing. If he did know what might be along 'Valor Lakefront', his mind wasn't going to let him have it.

"Did you remember anything?" Hope asked as Matt's face furrowed in concentration.

"*sigh* No, I'm sorry." Matt breathed, utterly disappointed.

"Don't be," Hope said, "It is not your fault- Timothy, let go of your sister right now! Rick, do not encourage them to roughhouse like that!"

Hope stalked off to pull Tim, who was pulling on his sister's tail, off of Tam. She also gave them and her husband a firm lecture on not roughhousing which set them all straight for the rest of the afternoon.

Night settled in pretty quickly and the group set up a little campsite in the tall grass next to a large maple tree. They all ate dinner made up of fresh berries that they had packed and got ready to settle down for the day ahead. Hope and Rick nestled together, hugging the twins between them in the perfect image of two adoring parents and their children in deep slumber. Skye on the other hand, had pushed himself as far away as possible from the group, but otherwise remained within sight on Hope's stern command.

Matt's feet were exhausted from the tireless walking; he couldn't remember anytime, if there was one, he had traveled so far in a single day. He curled up as best as he could, using his backpack as a pillow against the grassy earth. His fur bristled against the cool night air, it wasn't cold, but a pleasant breeze that stroked his body, willing him to sleep. Matt yawned, obviously tired, but still couldn't fall asleep as he thought about something.

'Was I ever a human, or am I just crazy?'

He yawned again and rolled over to his other side. As much I he wanted to believe he at least used to be a human, he grew more unsure as he stared blankly at his paws. The black silhouette of his 'hands' remained the same as he turned them over multiple times; they were the paws of a Lucario, his paws. He couldn't stay awake anymore and quieted his mind for some much needed rest.

Description
"Stupid trip, stupid Berry Festival, stupid Lucario…" Skye continued to gripe as he trudged behind the rest of the group.

"It doesn't matter how much you complain Skye," Hope flicked her tail in Skye's direction to keep his attention, "You're staying with us the entire time, that was the deal."

Skye snorted but continued to walk a good 5 feet behind the rest of the group along the plain dirt road. With Skye and Matt's battle, they had to wait for them to recover a little before heading out. But before long, everyone was happily ready and making the long trek to the Berry Festival.

Tim and Tam were having fun chasing each other around their father's feet. Rick himself laughed along with them, occasionally reaching down and plucking one of them off the ground in a playful manner, pretending he was a monster who was going to eat them when he did. Hope watched them all carefully, making sure none of them got hurt and calling out to one of them whenever she thought they seemed to get a little rough. Skye grumbled and rolled his eyes, wishing every second he could be anywhere else but there with his 'family'. Matt on the other hand was only half paying attention to what everyone else was doing. His thoughts kept wondering to the back of his mind where he repeated the same questions over and over.

'Who am I? Was I ever really a human, or am I just insane? Will I ever change back if I was? What were those images I saw before? Why in the name of Arceus can't I remember anything?!'

No answers came to him the more he thought about it. He felt lost, like he was stuck in a dark cavern with no light and no chance of escape. Not even the happy laughter of the Pichu twins and their father helped to brighten his spirits as he absently looked down at his feet that kept moving just barely consciously.

"Ray dear, you seem a bit pale. Are you alright, how is your wound? Hope asked.

Matt shook his head and put on his best fake smile before replying.

"I'm fine, really. Still just sore from my battle."

Only about half of that was true; He was indeed still feeling a little achy from a lot of bruises, and his right arm which had a nasty gash from the time he had woken up burned with pain as Hope had to rebadged it after his battle.

"We can stop for the day and continue on tomorrow then. Here, let me take your pack," Hope offered with an open paw to receive Matt's backpack.

Matt gripped one of the straps in one paw and raised the other up defensively, "No, it's ok. I can carry this."

Matt could tell Hope was certainly not one to take 'no' for an answer, so instead of arguing with the Raichu, Matt thought quickly and changed the subject.

"Um, Hope, I was wondering. Before I woke up, where did I come from? I think if I heard where you found me, I might remember something."

Hope dropped the previous argument to collect her thoughts, "Rick had found you just off the main roads of 'The Spring of Willpower' or what the humans call 'Valor Lakefront'. Do you know what humans are, Ray?"

Of course he did, he used to be one; or at least he thought he used to be one. Though the point was he at least knew what a human would look like if he saw one. So he just nodded his head to show his understanding and allowed Hope to continue.

"You were severely injured and had lost a good amount of blood when Rick found you and brought you to our home. I believe it was on Arceus will that you survived, and we're all glad that you did."

'The Spring of Willpower', 'Valor Lakefront'. Matt thought about the names of the path, trying to unlock any part of his mind that might remember those names or the place…nothing. If he did know what might be along 'Valor Lakefront', his mind wasn't going to let him have it.

"Did you remember anything?" Hope asked as Matt's face furrowed in concentration.

"*sigh* No, I'm sorry." Matt breathed, utterly disappointed.

"Don't be," Hope said, "It is not your fault- Timothy, let go of your sister right now! Rick, do not encourage them to roughhouse like that!"

Hope stalked off to pull Tim, who was pulling on his sister's tail, off of Tam. She also gave them and her husband a firm lecture on not roughhousing which set them all straight for the rest of the afternoon.

Night settled in pretty quickly and the group set up a little campsite in the tall grass next to a large maple tree. They all ate dinner made up of fresh berries that they had packed and got ready to settle down for the day ahead. Hope and Rick nestled together, hugging the twins between them in the perfect image of two adoring parents and their children in deep slumber. Skye on the other hand, had pushed himself as far away as possible from the group, but otherwise remained within sight on Hope's stern command.

Matt's feet were exhausted from the tireless walking; he couldn't remember anytime, if there was one, he had traveled so far in a single day. He curled up as best as he could, using his backpack as a pillow against the grassy earth. His fur bristled against the cool night air, it wasn't cold, but a pleasant breeze that stroked his body, willing him to sleep. Matt yawned, obviously tired, but still couldn't fall asleep as he thought about something.

'Was I ever a human, or am I just crazy?'

He yawned again and rolled over to his other side. As much I he wanted to believe he at least used to be a human, he grew more unsure as he stared blankly at his paws. The black silhouette of his 'hands' remained the same as he turned them over multiple times; they were the paws of a Lucario, his paws. He couldn't stay awake anymore and quieted his mind for some much needed rest.