A Very Twisted Journey

~ A Promise ~

"My Lianara, did you have a good time in Kanto? I bet you caught many Pokémon there; did you make some friends there, too?"

Lia couldn't take it. It had been only a few months since her tenth birthday and starting her journey in the Kanto region, but after hearing that her mother was deathly ill and wouldn't live much longer. She hurried back as fast as she could and seeing her mother now, she couldn't hold it in anymore. The poor child was only ten years old and was now losing yet another parent.

She burst into sobs and latched onto her mother as she lay in bed. "Mommy! *sniff* Please, *wheeze* Please hold on! We'll find the medicine for you! You'll get better! You have to!" she cried harder as she held on.

"Pika," Pikachu whimpered as he patted Lia's back in his own tears.

Her mother smiled sadly at her and reached out to stroke her daughter's head.

"My sweet Lianara, I don't have much time left for you to find me any medicine. Not even my herbal remedies could help."

Lia felt sick to her stomach; it was just too painful to bear. "But! *sniff* You can't go! I don't want to lose you! *sniff* I don't want to go anywhere without you here! I don't want to be alone. . ."

"But sweetie, you're not alone. You have Leon, Hop, our neighbors, our Pokémon, and our stars. And as long as the stars still shine, I will always be with you."

At that point, everyone in the room except Kaitlynn was in tears. Never should a child go through the pain of losing a parent, let alone the only one she has right now. "I know you might think your father is an uncaring man right now, but he was here while you were away."

"He *sniff* was?"

'He was?' both the doctor and the nurse questioned. They've been there since they've been assigned.

"Indeed, he says he's sorry for not being there for us and not seeing you off at the start of your journey. But believe me, he does love us with all of his heart and will continue to do so. He has a lot of responsibilities back in his homeland, and he tries to make time for us."

"What's so special about his homeland that he'll abandon his wife and child!? Is getting ill to death all he needs to come back!?" Leon shouted. For some time, Kaitlynn has been friends with his and his brother's parents for as long as he can remember, to the point where she's practically family to him. The thought that she married a man with no background or origin to where he came from made him skeptical, but he never questioned her decisions since they've always been making her and Lia happy. That is until now.

"Leon, I understand that you are frustrated. But Brandel's job in his homeland is no different than a champion's here. He carries a great weight on his shoulders that he doesn't want us to be involved in, so he won't bear the guilt of losing us. I'm the one who's leaving so suddenly. But at least I can see you all one last time."

Kaitlynn then turned to her daughter and smiled the best she could. "Lianara, you're an exceptional and talented girl and will do great things in the future, I'm sure. But I still haven't been able to tell you or show you some things. And I don't know if your father will either."

She suddenly started coughing violently, spooking everyone. "Mommy!"

"Pika!"

"Aunt Kait!"

"Madame!"

"There's not much time," Kaitlynn looked back to Lia and her Pikachu, "Lianara, there will be a time when you will have to face things that are different and difficult to understand. But will pull through with the bonds you've made."