All Quiet On The Homefront

"Good job everyone! All in the days work for The Hydroflames!" Ian exclaimed. He turned around to face his exhausted classmates, who had just reached the gates of Serene Village. Everyone collapsed to the ground, except for Espurr.

"So tired..." Deerling said.

"Can't feel my legs..." Goomy said.

But you don't even have legs. Ian thought.

"Why didn't you tell us that we'll be fighting a Salamence?!" Pancham asked.

"You never asked." Ian said, much to the panda Pokemon's annoyance.

It wasn't actually such a difficult mission with the six of them. It's just that everyone was taken by surprise by the intimidating sight of a dragon Pokemon that everyone started panicking, unsure as to what to do. After Ian had reorientated everyone while dodging Dragon Pulses left and right, they managed to take down the Pokemon.

"But all things considered, it was actually pretty fun!" Espurr said.

Everyone looked at her with a confused expression, but remained silent.

Everyone got up and decided to go their separate ways, waving the mudfish goodbye and heading home to end the day, leaving the mudfish Pokemon in the village plaza. The sun had already begun to set, rays of sunlight still loom over the horizon, but still a few more hours before he had to be back home.

Perfect, I sill have time.

He started jogging towards Patience house, hoping that Carracosta had already let her go. When he arrived at Patience's house, he approached the door and tried listening in.

"There! I'm finally finished!" Patience exclaimed. "Can I go out now?"

"Hmm, sloppy work here, sloppy work there." Carracosta said. "But I'll let it slide, fine you can go out. But don't stay out for too late or I'll make you clean the village!"

"All right Pops! See you later!" The fire fox Pokemon happily exclaimed.

Ian didn't even notice Patience running out quickly and stopping when she saw him by the doorway.

"How long have you been there?" Patience asked.

"Not long. Just wanted to see if you were already done." Ian replied. Upon closer examination, he noticed that the fire fox Pokemon was no longer in bandages and look much better than she was yesterday.

"I see you're looking better." He said.

"Yup. Pops gave me a few Sitrus Berries to heal my injuries. Boy, it sure works miracles!"

Ian mentally breathed a sigh of relief, glad that she was alright.

"So what do you want to do now?" Patience asked. "I'm pretty sure it's too late to play or anything."

"Don't worry, I have just the thing to do. Follow me."

Ian ran off and Patience followed shortly, unsure as to where he was going. Ian had been planning to do this for quite awhile now, and after what happened yesterday, there was no better time than this.

"Here you go kids, two Serene Village specialty tea" Kangaskhan said, placing two cups on the table.

"Thank you Kangaskhan." Ian said, grabbing the cup and taking a sip. It tasted slightly sweet and it was warm, just how he liked it.

Ian had took Patience to the Café Connection for a drink. "Relax." He had said to Patience. "Sit down, enjoy a drink and chat.

There were a few other Pokemon besides them in the café, they were all chatting loudly and laughing, all having a fun time.

"Did you kids hear? They found Mr Farfetch'd!" Kangaskhan said.

Ian looked at Patience awkwardly, unsure at how to respond to that.

"Is that so?" Ian said. "How was he found?"

"Well... No one actually found him, someone just saw him coming out of his house this morning, as if nothing had happened."

"Did he explain why he had disappeared?" Patience asked.

"He said the ghosts that had been haunting the village had been nothing more than wild Pokemon playing pranks, pretty anticlimactic but I'm glad this problem has been finally solved."

Ian wanted to tell her so bad about what really happened, about the Litwicks, their motives, everything. But he had made a promise with Farfetch'd, his classmates and especially Patience, no one but them will ever know the truth.

"By the way, something funny just happened to me just now." Kangaskhan said. "I was trying to find some Oran Berries that I had misplaced but i suddenly found them placed neatly on my counter. Funny huh?"

"Yeah... It is." Ian said, trying his best to look uninterested on the subject.

At least they kept their word.

"Well, I'm going to be closing up soon. So you kids better finish up and head back!" Kangaskhan said, as she left the two Pokemon be and attended to her other customers.

"Ain't that a coincidence." Ian said.

"I'm glad they are keeping their promise on helping people as well." Patience said, sipping her tea.

Ian stared at her as she continued drinking. He can't help but notice Patience has been acting different, in a good way, since yesterday. He noticed that the fire fox Pokemon seemed more... matured, like yesterdays incident had changed her views on certain things. Sure she might still be playful and hyperactive like any kid would be, it felt like she was taking her first steps into being responsible for her actions.

"Hey! Earth to Ian? What's with the look?"

Ian snapped back into reality and realized he had been daydreaming.

"Oh uh, sorry about that, was just thinking about a few things."

"Right..." She said, unwilling to push this further.

"I just realized, it's been almost half a month since we met." Ian said.

"Is that so? Wow, time sure flies huh?" Patience said.

"It felt like it was only yesterday that I met this energetic Fennekin who seemed really annoying at first."

"Hey!" Patience reached over the table and lightly punched the mudfish Pokemon, causing him to laugh. "I didn't know that at first that this Mudkip could be such a jerk."

"Heh, looks can be deceiving eh?" He said. "But no hard feelings, I don't know where I would be without you."

"Likewise, "bestie"." She said, softly giggling.

Ian simply smiled at that remark. He felt comfortable enough to call Patience his best friend as well, even though they've only known each other for a month. He raised his cup towards Patience.

"To an everlasting friendship." He toasted.

Patience, confused at first grabbed her cup at raised it as well.

"May we continue to not only be partners in crime, but be friends forever!"

The two then drank their tea and finished it, their lips burned from the warmth of the tea, but it was worth it. The two smiled at each other and laugh.

Ian wouldn't have it any other way.