prJackWalker does not own Pokemon.

X&Y

After the battle, the group of Ash, Pikachu, Brock, May, Max, Dawn, Michael, Frankie, Lunick and Drew went and rested at the local police station. Officer Jenny had offered them to stay for the day in the station's lobby. The other officers took advantage of this by questioning them for the days past events. After exhausting every answer they could from the group, Officer Jenny shooed her co-officers away to let the kids rest.

AC, DC and Ben were arrested without a fight and stayed in their cells while awaiting transfer to a maximum security prison.

Nurse Joy said she could still heal their Pokémon if they wished. They gave her only the ones that had battled previously; they didn't want to break down the machines any further than they were.

They couldn't decide what to do next. Most were tired and hungry, but they couldn't really do much in the police station lobby. Mew had floated off after the battle, probably to get rest himself. Frankie paced around the tile floor, his feet echoed in unison with the second hand of the clock.

"So Michael," he said, "what's your plan this time?" Frankie stuck his hands in his pockets while he leaned up against the wall; eyeing Michael exhaustingly. Michael looked back up at his friend and smiled.

"I'm thinking of taking a break from the band, doing something different...getting back with the family, you know." He bent his head backward toward his older brother, who was standing behind the couch he was sitting on. "If you don't mind if I do bro."

Lunick was astounded at what he was hearing. His younger brother had ever rarely asked anything from him or anything to do with his Pokémon Ranger occupation. The only instance he could remember was the last few days when he came into his arms and wept when their mother was with them. Lunick couldn't remember an instant where Michael had done that before their father had passed away.

He had taken up music as a way to forget about their father and anything to do with him. He hadn't had a change of heart until the last few days. Or better yet the last few hours. What was happening to him? What Mew had said, could it be true?

"Ar-Are you saying what I think you're saying Michael?" Lunick stammered.

Michael stood up and walked in front of his brother. Lunick had forgotten how tall he had gotten. Over the past few days he hadn't really noticed. Only on one day, was he small enough to fit into his arms to be comforted.

"Yeah," Michael nodded, "Maybe I haven't really wanted to let myself, but it has always been a dream of mine to be a Pokémon Ranger. Just like dad. So if it's not too much trouble I'd-"

"You'd like to join the outfit in the Fiore Region with us?" Lunick answered for him.

"Yeah, I really would." Michael smiled and hugged his older brother; everyone else seemed to approve of the idea. "It'd be really great to see Solana again."

"Yeah it would. Well, you certainly proved yourself Ranger material bro. If you really want to, you should go and pack your things."

"Wait, you guys are leaving already?" Max walked up to them, his eyes looking back and forth between them.

"Yeah we do actually," Lunick nodded, "I only came to check up on Mom and Michael and to see that no harm came to Arceus, Uxie, Azelf, Mesprit and Mew. And everything seems to be well taken care of. I have to get back to my duties."

"When are you guys leaving?" Brock asked.

"In the morning probably," Lunick replied, "we can rest up, eat and get a fresh start early tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," Michael worryingly groaned, "I have a lot of packing to do, man."

Ash put his hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about your packing just yet Michael, why don't we get something to eat first, then I'll help you pack?"

"Sounds like a plan Ash," Drew spoke up as he stood up from his chair. Ash was surprised to hear Drew speak to him. He hadn't really heard him say anything remotely grateful to anyone except May. But Drew no longer felt the need for the jealousy he once had. Now, he had the jealousy for a worthy adversary.

"Well let's get going then, I'm starving," May exclaimed, standing up and heading for the door.

"Yeah me too," Michael began to follow her but stopped, "Hey wait, where are we going to eat again?"

Dawn fumbled with her dinner fork. Her meal lay half eaten. She had her head down and her hat was pulled down to the point where she could barely see. Everyone else ate their meals in peace; Ash was discussing with everyone the matter of whether they should get back on the road after Michael, Frankie and Lunick left. Drew was downheartedly ate his meal quietly. Max did as well, only with more joyfulness in his heart. And May was talking to Dawn about something that happened to her when she was younger but Dawn wasn't really paying much attention.

They had decided upon having dinner at the brothers' house. They insisted when they couldn't find any restaurants close by. They weren't very good cooks, but they managed to whip something up with Brock's help.

"So Frankie, are going to come with us when we leave?" Michael asked him, taking a bite from one of hamburgers he and Lunick had prepared.

Frankie shook his head. "No man, I couldn't leave the band behind, besides I'm not much of a Pokémon trainer; Or Ranger at that."

Michael was glad that the band wouldn't be left alone but he was sort of disappointed that his best friend wouldn't be joining them. While he'd give anything to be a Pokémon Ranger, he still wasn't too thrilled at it being just him and his brother. Even though they were family, this was the most time they had really ever spent together.

"All right," Michael patted his friend on the back and let the thought end right there.

"You'll have to start off with your basic training bro." Lunick told him, "You know, how to use your Capture Styler, choosing your Pokémon partner, know which Pokémon like which kinds of food and berries, which Pokémon are more aggressive than others- are you listening to me?"

"Yeah, I am." Michael nodded. He wasn't really. His eyes were searching around the dinner table. On one end, Ash and Brock conversed happily together, probably still about the same subject. Pikachu and Piplup ate their Pokémon food at their own places at the table. They were trying to include Drew, who seemed more content when he was left alone while he was eating.

On the other end of the table, May was still talking to Dawn, only Dawn seemed lifeless. Her eyes were looking at May. Only seemingly though. Michael slouched down over the table, as Lunick kept talking. Dawn stared back at him and he stared back at her. Both May and Lunick's voices were white noise in the background to them.

When May took a pause in her story and turned back to her dinner plate, Dawn mouthed the words 'I need to talk to you' to Michael and pointed to the bathroom behind the kitchen. Michael only nodded.

"May, I'll be right back. I just need to use the restroom." She said.

"Ok Dawn, I'll wait for you." May replied.

Dawn slightly nodded and stood up to go. She kept her eyes on Michael as she walked off. A few minutes later, after Lunick had stopped talking, Michael sighed and followed her into the backroom. She was waiting for him just outside.

"What is it?" he asked, sticking his hands in his pockets.

"I need to know," she began, "What do you remember?"

"Look, Dawn, I told you before, I don't remember anything. How I got here, who you guys are, or how my brother got away from his Pokémon Ranger job to come here. I mean, it's great to see him but it's all pretty weird, I seem to be adjusting to it ok I guess."

"That's not what I mean," she said. Michael crossed over her and took a seat on the couch in his living room. Dawn followed him. "I mean do you remember anything about us?"

He shook his head and picked up a book on a table nearby. "Only from what everyone has filled me in on."

Dawn lowered her head, "Well, you know, we did love each other once; whether you believe me or not." She quietly whispered.

Michael put the book down and walked up to her. "Dawn, I do believe you." He said. She looked up at him with bewilderment in her eyes.

"You do?" she said.

"Yeah," He nodded "I mean, even though it feels like I've only known you for a few days, I still trust you as if I'd known you my whole life." Dawn's eyes glittered with hope and her heart skipped a beat as she wrapped her slender arms around his neck.

"Oh Michael," she squealed. Michael didn't embrace her in return though. Not even while he felt the warmth of her own body or when he caught the distinct aroma from whenever one of her Piplup's Bubblebeams touched her hair. They seemed familiar to him. Familiar, yes but know them, not at all.

"What's wrong?" she noticed that he didn't take her into his arms as he once did. She slid her arms down across his shoulders and braced herself for the worst.

"I-," he began, stumbling on his heavy bearing words. "I hardly know you. Other than what I'm really sure of. Over the past few days I've learned what I know now. Your name is Dawn. You have blue hair, a cute sense of style...you're very beautiful. Sadly, that's it." He sighed. Michael stopped when he noticed her eyes beginning to water. "I wish, I mean I really wish, what we had, that we still had. I wanted to remember I really did. Maybe it's...for the best, like this."

"Give me, one good reason how this is for the best." She whispered this time, not even bothering to raise her voice. To pound him with her fists as hard as she could, to shed every tear her eyes could hold, and scream as loud as she ever had, her secret desire. This time she didn't use her ruse. She was too tired, too weak, too finished.

"Maybe," his voice rang throughout her ears and shook her. "Maybe, where one thing starts another begins. There's a gap in between where I end and you begin. I feel sorry for us, for what was once us."

Dawn nodded and hugged him gently, not as passionately as before but with the same amount of love as she ever had for the boy. She could tell he was hurting as much as she was. "I understand- I'll love you forever," she whispered to him. As she once did and did one last time.

He could only stand breathless; trying one last time to remember, anything at all. He didn't want to lose this gentle and carefree girl that was in his arms. All he could accomplish though was to churn his heart, which was filled up like a landfill. He could only watch but not take part where this part of his life would end and where hers would start. X would mark the spot in the future, like parting waves.

He pulled her slim waist closer to his own, pushed her hair behind her ear and whispered into hers as she did with his own and said, "I'll love you too," He kissed her on the cheek and parted ways with her. Dawn watched him walk away until she couldn't seem him anymore.

Michael walked back into the kitchen and found out that everyone had long since finished eating. He and Lunick invited everyone to stay at their house. Everyone found a place around the living room near the T.V.

Brock, Lunick, Frankie and Drew sat on the couch and un-passionately watched the T.V. Ash sat on the floor and Pikachu huddle closely on his lap. May sat next to him and laid her head on his shoulder. Max sat next to his sister and she wrapped her arm around him before they fell asleep. Michael remained in the door way, Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Dawn pull her hat over her eyes and lay down on the couch in the other room. Piplup jumped up on her stomach and fell asleep with her.

Around 12 A.M. everyone had fallen asleep. Michael was the only one left awake. He stood up and turned off the T.V. He put on a pot a coffee for his brother, not knowing how early he would wake or if he would wake him while walking around. Lunick was sort of a light sleeper.

That early morning, he packed up his things and changed his clothes all the while hoping not to melt away. He suddenly remembered he had forgotten to brush his teeth and that he was out of toothpaste. But he didn't open his bag again; he could probably borrow some from Ash or Brock the next morning.

Final Chapter: Parachutes