Never Lost

Two: Friends Forever

Months had passed now and Fall had come. Luke was pushing Luca on a swing out in the garden.

"Hey Luca?" He asked as he held onto the ropes, slowing her down.

She turned back to look at him. "Yes Luke?" She asked back, also using telepathy. Over time she had developed the ability to talk to him with her mind as well. Which was nice since they could speak that way through the vent between their bedrooms late at night without getting caught by her father or Miss Kari, the housekeeper.

"Will you be my friend forever?" He asked as tears welled up in his eyes.

"Of course I will! I promise! Nothing will ever happen to us... we are best friends for life." Tears welled up in her eyes too. "You miss your parents don't you. I miss my Mama." She turned a bit more and embraced Luke in a hug. "We will take care of each other forever and ever." She then rubbed her nose on his nose.

He rubbed his nose on hers in return. That was something they did when they comforted one another. He then wiped his tears away and smiled. Tapping her on the shoulder he darted off towards the other side of the garden. "Tag! You're it!" He called out to her as he laughed in his mind.

"I'm going to catch you!" She wiped her eyes in a hurry as she set chase after him. "If I win you have to eat all of my vegetables for a week!"

"Ewwwww that's gross! I'll never let you catch me now! Then you'll have to eat all of mine for a week!" He laughed again.

"Ewwwww, yeah that is gross! Why can't they just serve meat and potatoes without the vegetables?" She laughed with him as she attempted to catch up.

Luca was still running when out of nowhere an arrow landed right in the ground by her feet.

"Look out!" Luke called out to as he ran towards her, pushing Luca out of the way as another arrow landed right where she had been standing.

"See?" Said a voice out of nowhere. "I told you he'd run for her."

Luke and Luca looked up to find two men standing on the top of the tall wooden privacy fence. They knew that style of clothes.

"Those are Poké Hunters!" Luca said in shock mentally.

"Hey little girl." One of them men said to her. "Give us the Riolu and we will go about our business.

"Leave you big meanies! Before my Papa gets out here! He's the caretaker of this preserve and you are trespassing!" She got between Luke and the men.

"We don't want to hurt you child. But we will if you don't give us a choice. Give him to us and you can go back to playing." The other one said.

"Luca, I don't want you to get hurt." Luke said to her. He was afraid, but also very angry that these guys were threatening his best friend.

"Fat chance you jerks! I'm not giving him to you! Leave now!" She backed up as both men jumped off of the fence and landed just ten feet away from them. "We need to run into the house, fast!" As soon as she had said it she took his paw and made a dart for the back door of the house.

The men perused them as they tried to make their break. They caught up to them easily enough and each took one by the shoulders, spinning them around.

"Nice try kid." The one that had her stated. "How'd that work for ya?" He said as he laughed, the other man joining in.

"LUCA!"

"LUKE!"

They both shouted at each other as they grabbed each other by the hand.

Both men took a step back in surprise as not only the little girl, but the Riolu's eyes began to glow a bright blue. As though both of them were possessed by magic, they stood there with calm expressions on their faces. The child raised her left hand as the Riolu raised his right, there other hands still clasped between them. Blue spheres laced with white began to form in their palms. Then the child spoke with what sounded like two voices, one female, one male.

"YOU WILL NOT TOUCH MY FRIEND!"

Ranger Hart dashed out of the back door after hearing the commotion in time to see both Luca and Luke in perfect synchronization. Aura in their eyes and palms. Facing what looked like a couple of lowlife scumbag poachers. The voice that came out of his child could have only been their combined telepathy causing her to speak for the both of them.

"What is that?" One of the men asked in fear. "I know what that furball is doing... but... but that kid is doing the same thing?!"

"Hey man! I didn't sign up for this crap!" The other one called out.

"LEAVE! BEFORE WE MAKE YOU LEAVE!" The aura was growing bigger to the point where the spheres were larger than her hand and his paw.

Both men didn't say a word as they hightailed it back over the fence, ripping holes in their clothes as they fumbled.

Once they were out of sight the glow from both of them started to die down. Exhausted, Luca and Luke collapsed to the ground out cold.