=Prologue Pt 1=

(The Pokemon and The Child)

It all started one evening near Littleroot Town… when a Pokemon decided to test the spinning wheel of fate.

This Pokemon had witnessed the good in Humans, but had seen the bad in them, especially the bad.

To him, all Humans cared about the gift they shared, Pokemon, as much as they cared about a hammer or a letter. To Humans, he thought, Pokemon were nothing more than tools for convenience or weapons for power. Some even considered them nothing more than a means to an end, easily disposable and replaceable. There were quite a many that even considered them a commodity.

It was as he was contemplating, whether or not there was truly any hope for his dream… when a small boy came across him… as he wandered near a stretch of woods and tall grass near his hometown of Littleroot.

(?'s PoV)

He walked slowly through the woods near the human town of Littleroot, having just left the realm he was dwelling to walk among those lesser Pokemon, and especially the humans. *Just why do they treat them… us… like this… as if we're tools… objects to collect and trade.*He thought bitterly as he used his powers to avoid all the wild Pokemon in the forest. *Pathetic trainers… they squander the gift of the Pokemon they pretend to train. So many treat them as little more than toys, collectable, playable, disposable.*

As he walked through the woods, he paused to once again look at the silly item the first trainer he ever encountered face to face that actually had the power to summon him, him. (He was so pathetically weak, and he had the nerve to dare try and stuff me into that pathetic excuse for a Pokeball?) He said savagely, using his powers to crush the flute into nothingness. (As if a mere human of his caliber was capable of wielding my powers. I may have given them this gift… but they still do not understand it! Why…)

He resumed walking, hearing a pack of Mightyena barking in the distance, apparently about to conclude a hunt that they had started. Yet he paid it no mind, instead continuing to try and figure out the problem he was confronted with. He had seen so many trainers over the course of Pokemon and Human's history, and observed so many bonds formed and broken, forged and shattered, tested and tried. Yet through it all, his mood was still the same, and the picture he saw was one where Pokemon were abused, enslaved, and treated unfairly. While humans profited off of them for their own selfish gains, reasons, and philosophies.

Sure there were a few exceptions, like that one kid from Pallet Town, whatever his name was, but one single trainer does not save his hopes.

Or does it?

(I just want to see if it's possible… truly possible, for Pokemon and Humans to join together… united toward a single goal, and truly understand one another.) He said as he heard the Mightyena's barks getting louder. (All it would take is one trainer, just one single trainer… and maybe then the picture I see can finally be shattered. But there is no such trainer; there are no trainers that can change the views of so many. To humans, Pokemon are nothing but dolls… living breathing dolls for them to collect and trade when a shinier, prettier, better doll comes along.)

He thought about the trainer that tried to capture him, and how he had crushed his 'team' with little effort. How the trainer had desperately tried to capture him with that yellow and black striped Ultra Ball, as a last resort before he could get away. As the memory came back, he remembered the words the trainer spoke, blaming his weak Pokemon for failing to weaken him enough to capture. He once gain seethed with anger as he remembered the words he spoke to the trainer.

(Flashback)

(You seek to capture me but you are the one too weak to do so!) He declared as he used his powers to take the flute away from the trainer. (The Pokemon you sent fought their hardest for you, yet you would use them just to capture me? If you cannot see past the failures that are yours, than it is you who should be considered weak, not they!)

With that statement made, he used his powers and took the flute that had been used to call him out, and left the Hall of Origins, leaving the pathetic excuse for a trainer to find his own way out.

(Flashback Ends)

In truth he would not have minded being captured by a truly worthy trainer, but he was never going to allow such a pathetic personality of a trainer to even attempt to capture him. He only appeared because of that accursed flute, and what the flute represented at one point before it was tainted by that trainer.

The Azure Flute was created by him, and was only to be used by a trainer who had achieved a deep bond with Pokemon. It was originally meant to be a gift, a gift enabling them to speak to him, to ask him to break the final barriers between Pokemon and Humans. He hoped that the representative, trainer or not, would have forged a bond with his Pokemon so that he could attest to how far the two have come in their world together.

Yet no, the trainer he assumed was the prime example of a Human's willingness to connect with Pokemon as a whole, turned out to be a greedy trainer who wanted to capture and use his power for their own goal. The truth was in how the Pokemon had fought for him. They battled for him, but only out of fear, to not hear his terrible words and think they were too weak for him.

(Why can't I meet a trainer like the one I dream, a trainer that treats Pokemon as equals, friends, family… anything besides a collector's item?) He said as he exited the woods.

In the distance he could see the small town of Littleroot; it was a town he knew was home to maybe a hundred or two hundred humans. It was nothing special when compared to any other dwelling area of humans, but for some reason he had picked this area to appear. Why, he didn't exactly know, but somewhere deep down he figured that the only hope he had for seeing his dream come true, would come from a small town like this one.

"HEEEEEEEEEEELP!" A young voice shouted in the distance.

He looked to his left and watched as a young human, a boy by the looks of it, wearing green shorts, a red shirt, and with dark black hair was running for his very life from a pack of Mightyena right behind him. Apparently the Mightyena he had heard earlier were these Mightyena, and the pack had found their meal for the day.

He knew that the boy stood no chance of outrunning these Mightyena, and the fact that the town was so far away meant help would not arrive in time. Yet still, all he could think was, *What is a human boy doing all the way out here?*

It was as the boy was running momentarily before something caused him to trip, that something deep inside of him took over. A single thought, and overriding will that had never before happened, told him only one thing. That this boy was too young to be a Mightyena pack's meal, which caused him to rush to the human boy's rescue.

In four leaps he was right behind the pack, and in another he was right in front of them, standing before their meal and the only thing keeping them from getting at it. (If you want to hurt this boy, you will have to get through me!) He spoke to them, expecting his appearance and the power of his voice to frighten them away.

Alas it was not as he expected, apparently these Mightyena were so concerned about their prey that they did not recognize him instantly. "Get out of the way, that human scrap is ours!" The pack leader barked, bearing his fangs as he did. "He dared trespass on our territory, so he's going to become our pack's meal!"

(I will not tell you again, if you want to hurt this boy then you will have to get through me.) He declared, not fearing this pack of Mightyena. (I will not allow this boy to be harmed by you!)

"THEN YOU'LL JOIN HIM!" He roared, and pounced in an attempt to overpower his prey.

The pack's speed was impressive, and their coordination was also impressive. Against another Pokemon they would be formidable, but against him they were no match. (Cosmic Power!) He declared as his eyes glowed brightly, and his coat glowed as well, increasing his defenses.

As the move finished the Mightyena pack countered with a four way slash attack while their leader struck with Crunch.

(Hyper Beam!) He declared as he opened his mouth and took aim at the pack's leader, and fired the beam just before the Crunch could connect.

The attack struck home and sent the leader back flipping, instantly knocking him out. Meanwhile his pack had hit their marks with their slash attacks, but the Cosmic Power did its work and protected him from almost any damage, with only a single scratch on one of his legs. He had to wait for a moment before he could attack again, but it was clear to the pack that they were outmatched.

They all turned and fled, one of them, apparently the pack leader's mate, grabbed him with her teeth and fled at a much slower pace.

Once the Mightyena were gone, he turned and looked at the human boy he had just saved. The boy looked at him in amazement, as well as slight fear. "Please don't hurt me, I didn't mean to hurt anyone!" He said quickly, covering his head as though he was about to be attacked.

(Are you alright little human?) He asked the boy, which caused him to look up in confusion.

"D… did you say that?" The boy asked nervously, to which he replied with a nod. "But how are you talking, you don't have a mouth like the other Pokemon I've seen. Uh… you are a Pokemon right?"

*He doesn't know who or what I am?* He thought in surprise, wondering how any human could not have heard of him before. *I wonder…*

(I can talk to you using the power of my mind, the words you hear are in your head, and they are easily understandable to you.) He said to the boy, causing him to gaze in sheer amazement. (And to answer your question, yes I am a Pokemon.)

"Hey you're hurt!" The boy said, pointing at his injured front leg.

(It is nothing; it's just a small scratch.) He said calmly as he observed the miniscule wound.

"No it's not; you can get an infection if it's not treated!" The boy said instantly, and reached into his pocket, pulling out a Band-Aid and walking close to him. "Here you go…"

The boy put the Band-Aid over the wound on his leg, and this simple gesture touched him quite deeply, more deeply then he imagined. *He just treated my injury, miniscule as it is, yet he still doesn't know who or what I am?* He thought, which only demanded him to ask his next few questions. (Little human, tell me what is your name?)

"Oh, my name is Jacob, Jacob Beryl." Jacob said calmly. "What's your name?"

(I don't really have a name; I'm only what I call myself.) He said. (I'm called Arceus.)

"Arceus… what's an Arceus… and why don't you have a name, didn't your mom and dad give you one?" Jacob asked curiously.

*He really doesn't know what I am… what kind of human boy is this?* Arceus asked himself. (Tell me Jacob… what were you doing out here, away from that town?)

"I had heard from a trainer that a pack of Mightyena's Poochyena were sick from some bad berries they ate." The boy said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out an Antidote with a picture of a berry on it. "I spent my lunch money for the week to buy it so I could try and help it!"

(You mean you were all the way out here, alone and unarmed, to try and help a pack of Mightyena's sickened young?) He asked in amazement. (What could have compelled a young boy like you to do this? Are you not aware that Mightyena are territorial and will attack almost anyone entering their territory without their permission?)

The boy looked a little depressed at these words as he still held the antidote in his hand. "Yes… but I just wanted to try and help." He said sadly. "I really want to help Pokemon someday when I grow up, so I wanted to try my best and help that sick Poochyena. I figured maybe if I helped that pack, they might be friendlier to my hometown and all the trainers that come through there."

*He wanted to help wild Pokemon, Pokemon that would and did attack him without hesitation, because he hoped they might be nicer to his home if he did, and he didn't even care that he himself might get hurt?*Arceus asked himself, amazed that a small human had such a will inside him. *Is it possible… I found the trainer I was looking for?*

He sat down next to the boy so he could be on even eye level with him, and decided to ask a very important question. (Tell me Jacob… what are Pokemon to you?)

"To me… what do you mean?" Jacob asked curiously. "Like do you mean, what do I think of Pokemon? Like are they like friends and family, because this one trainer I met said she thinks of her team as her family more than as Pokemon!"

(Yes, tell me what are Pokemon to you, from what you've seen today what are Pokemon to you?) He asked, knowing that the way the Mightyena acted would definitely influence him negatively.

The boy instantly replied. "They are just like people; they have feelings and worries like we do!"

This response surprised Arceus, he didn't know what answer the boy would give him, but he definitely didn't expect that answer. (Can you explain to me, I don't quite understand Jacob?)

"Well my mom doesn't want me to get sick, and she never lets me take any food from strangers!" He said. "So those Mightyena were protecting their kids like my mom protects me! I know they aren't being mean on purpose; they just want to keep their kids safe like my mom does! That one trainer I told you is the same; she never lets anyone hurt her Pokemon and protects them as best she can!"

*Interesting… he's so young that anyone can influence how he thinks, but he's intelligent enough to has his own way of thinking.* Arceus thought, and knew that he might have found what he was looking for this entire time. *I wonder… perhaps I should teach him… and perhaps as he grows he'll take those lessons and teach others… and inspire others…*

(Tell me Jacob… how old are you?) He asked now, wondering if he had the time for what he was planning.

"Uh… I just turned seven." Jacob answered

Arceus stared at the boy sitting before him, and knew that at this age he could be influenced easily, and whoever that influence was would affect how he grew and what kind of Human he'd be when he was an adult. This was probably the best chance he could get, having not met another human who thought like this child, who wasn't already influenced heavily. He could teach his philosophy, teach everything he wanted in a trainer, and most importantly shape a future that he was almost on the verge of giving up on seeing come true.

Perhaps he might one day be calling this human his trainer. But before that day ever came to pass, he must pass many trials, and he wanted to make sure no human who ever managed to capture him, would not abuse his power. Like that one trainer that he met earlier that day, who failed to capture him.

Still first thing was first. (Tell me Jacob, do you want to become a Pokemon Trainer?) He asked probably the second most important question he had to ask.

"A trainer, I'd love to become one!" Jacob said happily.

(Why?)

"Because then I can learn more about Pokemon then I can by living here!" He said. "I can travel and meet all kinds of Pokemon, and learn what they're like and how to raise and take care of them!"

Arceus smiled, already seeing that his plan might actually work!

(Let me ask you now Jacob, do you trust me?)

This question was the most important one; he needed to know if after one encounter Jacob would trust him enough to spend time alone with him. After all, what he was planning meant Jacob would vanish from town each day for extended period of times. He needed to make sure these lessons were private, what he was offering could not be seen by any other human. Or at the very least, not yet.

"Well… I guess yea… you helped save my life, so I guess I owe you my trust at least?" Jacob said nervously. "Mom said if anyone helps me I should thank them always, so I trust you."

(Tell me Jacob, if I were to offer to teach you about Pokemon, would you accept my lessons?)

"You'd teach me?" Jacob asked. "Like for reals? I thought only a professor or a trainer could do that!"

(I know a thing or two about Pokemon that no trainer or professor could ever hope to learn or understand.) He said. (I offer to become your teacher, and I'll teach everything I can about Pokemon that I would do for no other human, trainer or not.)

"Uh… if I learn from you then do I have to pay?" Jacob said nervously. "Mom always says that learning costs money, which is why I can't go to Pokemon School or have a tutor. Should I start saving up my lunch money?"

(No, what I offer you is free.) Arceus said, almost chuckling as the boy offered everything he had for what he was offering. (I only ask that one day, you will pass on what you have learned to others! So what do you say… will you accept and learn from me?)

"Then yea I'll learn!" Jacob said excitedly, jumping up and giving Arceus a hug. "Thank you Mr. Arceus!"

Arceus chuckled in Jacob's head, amused at the boy's enthusiasm. (My name is not Mr. Arceus, I have no name remember?)

"Then can I call you Arky for short?" Jacob asked. "So I know what to call you by, cause Arceus is… hard to remember for me."

Arceus thought about it for a moment, and decided there was no harm in the nickname, seeing as most trainers, especially the ones that truly formed a bond, named their Pokemon. (Very well, you may call me Arky.) He said calmly. (But remember; if ever you talk of me only ever call me by that name! Never speak that other name to anyone you meet. I am Arky to them and you, but when we are alone you can say Arceus whenever you want, alright?"

"Okay Arky!" Jacob said. "Uh… where should I go for my lessons?"

(Just meet me here every day by this stretch of woods at some point after sunrise.) Arceus said calmly, standing up and looking back near where he left the woods. (Don't worry about meeting me at exactly the same spot; as long as you're near here I'll lead you to where our lessons will take place. Now I have a gift that I want you to use from now on.)

"A gift?"

Arceus nodded as he used his powers to create a special bracelet with a green gem embedded into it, and allowed the boy to pick it out of thin air. (This is a special gift for you and only you to have.) He said. (It will keep you safe from any dangerous Pokemon around here, hiding you from their sight. So you will not have to fear being attacked as you walk here for your lessons.)

"Wow, thank you Arky!"

Arceus chuckled again in the boys mind, admiring the gratitude and enthusiasm, and knew that he would have to take good care of this boy for the next few years. His heart was pure, easily influenced by those around him, and whatever influence that was would change how he thought. Arceus would have to do all he could to ensure that until he was old enough to understand the world around him, he would have to keep the boy's heart from temptation and evil influences.

(Just remember to come by here every day after you have breakfast!) Arceus said as the boy put on the bracelet. (Now remember, do not tell anyone where you are having these lessons and make sure that nobody follows you her. These lessons are for you and only you; I do not share what I am offering to just any human.)

"Even my mom?" Jacob asked nervously. "But what if she asks what I'm doing and where I'm going."

Arceus thought about this problem, and knew that if he was to ensure that nobody would question where the boy was going each day, decided that he would reveal himself to only one other human. (Don't worry about your mother, I will speak to her and convince her to let you go.) He said calmly. (Trust me Jacob, I promise to teach you all that I can about Pokemon.)

"Okay Arky!" Jacob said.

(Now then, how about I escort you home?) Arceus said, lying down so that the boy could climb onto his back. (Climb on, I'll take you home.)

"Alright!" Jacob said enthusiastically as he tried to climb onto Arceus's back, but it was a bit of a challenge.

After a few minutes they succeeded in getting him on his back, and Arceus turned toward the town and as gently as he could, ran toward it in several leaps. Wanting to avoid being seen, he jumped onto the nearest roof and soared over the town, waiting for the boy to point out where he lived. (Which house is yours Jacob?)

"THAT ONE!" Jacob shouted, pointing at a tiny house with a green roof at the absolute edge of the town.

Arceus nodded and floated down toward the house, landing in front of it and allowing Jacob to climb down. (Until tomorrow Jacob, and remember what I've said, tell nobody where you are going and keep our lessons a secret from all but your mother.) He said as he prepared to jump away before anyone saw him. (I'll speak to your mother tonight and ask her to allow you to leave each day for your lessons. Don't worry about talking to her about it tonight, just relax and enjoy your day until tomorrow. For tomorrow we begin your lessons!)

"Okay, and thank you again Arky!" Jacob said as Arceus jumped and in half his leap, was already far away from the town.

Arceus continued to jump in leaps and bounds, until he reached the stretch of woods where he had been walking in. Then he entered the woods and decided that, if this was to be where they would be spending their hours each day, he should make it as perfect as possible. Using his powers he first pushed a large section of the trees away so that they became impassible to all, including Pokemon. This left him a space about fifty feet wide in any direction to work with.

He turned to a small section of the space and used his powers to lower the ground and then raise Fresh Water from below up to the surface, creating a small crystal clear pond. Then he looked at the wild grass and used his powers make it shrink back into the ground. To the trees he once again looked at them and the nearest ones he made grow fruit and berries. He turned to the entrance and pushed the trees to close off the entrance, but made sure a small gap could be seen visibly from this side. Finally, he used his powers to make several cushions and pillows for him and Jacob to sit on comfortably during his lessons.

He walked through the entrance, and a few minutes later turned and used his powers outside of the forest to raise the wild grass a high as he could, so that the view inside would be obstructed. Arceus smiled as he admired his work. It was a perfect and beautiful learning environment for one who wanted to learn of Pokemon. There were trees that grew fruit and berries for snacks, a Fresh Water pond for drinking water, and plenty of space to run around and learn in. The trees were packed around its border so tight that nobody could enter it from any direction, and the grass was so tall and clumped together that you couldn't see through it. Only from the sky could one see inside the learning environment he had created. Unless someone knew exactly what was in there, and knew where to go, none could enter, but just to be safe he used his powers once again.

He cast a special Hypnosis spell on the entire stretch of woods where he had created his learning environment, one that would ensure that anyone who happened to wander close would continue onward, ignoring this area entirely. The same went for wild Pokemon, any wild Pokemon would ignore the area entirely.

(Perfect, a masterpiece if ever there was one!) Arceus said to himself as he just imagined his lessons taking place tomorrow. (Now just to convince mother to let her son come here each day.)

It was as he finished admiring his work that he wondered why he had used his powers so much tonight.

First he fought to protect a young human boy then he used his powers to speak to and even understand that boy, and then risked his appearance by entering a human village. Now he had created a practical paradise for the young boy to learn in and visit for the next few years. Why?

(I want to believe that my dream is not a lost cause…) He said to himself as he looked at his reflection in the water. (Pokemon and Humans… living side by side as equals… as friends and family… and not simply as tools for one or the other. That is my dream that I thought of when I created all Pokemon…)

=Ten Hours Later, Night time=

Once it was night time and he knew that most of the town was asleep by that point, Arceus leaped through the town toward Jacob's home. The home looked small when compared to the others around it, but Arceus didn't know how big human dwellings were supposed to be. At least until he used his powers to open the door and enter it.

The inside was quite small; the room he was in was as large as the house itself, with a low ceiling signaling that there was a second floor upstairs. He looked around and saw that the kitchen area was small, barely large enough for the cooking appliances. The living room served as a dining room, as well as where they cleaned their clothes. There was barely any room to move around with the mess of dishes, clothes, chairs, and everything else found in a home of poverty.

*No wonder he was so concerned with money, by the looks of it his family has little to spend on anything outside of necessities.* He thought as he imagined that small boy living here each day.

He heard someone walking upstairs and knew that the mother had awoken to the door opening, and decided to get on her good side by using his powers to clean and neatly stack all the dirty dishes in the kitchen area. He then used his powers to clean all of the clothes and furniture on this floor and stacked them orderly on one side. Finally he removed all of the dirt and dust on the walls and floor that had been stacking up from not being tended to.

Seconds later a woman in a white nightgown walked slowly downstairs with a bat in her hands and look of determination on her face. "Alright whoever you are, just leave now and I won't call the…" She said angrily before her eyes went wide in amazement.

Arceus figured that the sight of a Pokemon in her living room which was sparkling clean and orderly was enough to silence her. So he decided to wait a second for the scene to sink into her mind before he spoke. (Greetings Mrs. Beryl, sorry for letting myself in like this, but I did not want to wake your son.) He said to her in her mind.

"A… A… Arceus?" Mrs. Beryl asked quietly, clearly not daring to believe what she was seeing.

Arceus nodded as he stepped forward. (That I am, I'm Arceus, inside of your living room. Your eyes do not fool you.) He said to her. (I am Arceus, the Creator Pokemon.)

"Wh… wh… what's Arceus doing here in my home?" She said nervously. "I mean… why are you here of all places?"

(I performed a small token of appeasement in hopes that you will allow me to spend hours each day alone with your son.) Arceus said calmly. (I am interested in teaching him about Pokemon, so that one day he can fulfill his dream of becoming a trainer in his own right! I have other reasons but, those are merely to fulfill my own dream, and hopefully one day see a future that I once began to believe will never happen.)

"My… Jacob… learning about Pokemon… from Arceus himself?" The mother said, not daring to believe it. "But why him, what makes him so special that you would do this yourself? We're just a poor family barely getting by!"

Arceus nodded as he looked around the room, despite it being cleaned and ordered, was still the dwelling of a poor family. (He has a purity of a heart that I have never seen in a boy his age that has not been tainted or influenced by another's will.) He said. (I don't want to see that ruined, I want to see that pure heart remain the same and someday, teach others how they should treat their Pokemon like he treats them. He sees them not as monsters or creatures to collect; he sees them as equals and wants to learn about them so he can take care of them. I have a feeling he will change the world, and shape it in the way I want to see it become.)

He looked at her with gentle eyes, knowing that he was asking a mother to allow her son to spend times with a complete stranger, a Pokemon no less. (I offered him these lessons and he accepted, hesitating only because he feared he might burden you. These lessons are free, and truer than any other teaching could give him. I have already prepared a special learning environment for him to learn in if you would like to see.)

Mrs. Beryl was nervous but accepted, and minutes later they were standing before the environment he had created. "This wasn't here before…" She said.

(That's because I just made it, in preparation for our lessons.) He said as he walked through the small gap in the trees and tall grass with her behind him. (Keep close, it's not easy to enter if you are on your own.)

They entered and when she broke past the tall grass, gasped as she witnessed the miracle paradise that Arceus himself had made, just for her son to learn in. "It's… amazing…" She barely said as she looked around.

(There's a fresh water pond for drinking water, and fruits and berries to eat in case we get hungry.)He explained to her, wanting to show just how far he went. (This place is isolated and secured from the outside, no human or Pokemon can come near because of a Hypnosis spell I cast. The trees are so close together that they are impassible. And unless you knew where the entrance was and were invited by me, you would never be able to find this place. Only from the sky could one see in here.)

"All for my Jacob…?" She asked worriedly. "But why would you do this for my Jacob?"

(I told you, he's a young boy with a pure heart… one I don't want to see tainted before he's mature enough to understand the world around him.) He said. (When I first met him, he was trying to help a pack of Mightyena with their young, yet they didn't care and tried to hurt him. I intervened and saved the boy, and as you see, I was scratched by one of their attacks.)

He looked down at the Band-Aid that Jacob had placed on him to treat the small wound that had already healed by now. (He didn't care that it was a tiny scratch, and he didn't even know that this wound would heal very quickly for me. All he cared about was helping me right then, which led to me and him talking for as long as we did. I have never met another human at his age, who did not have dreams of becoming a 'Pokemon Master' or wanting to 'collect' as many Pokemon as they could, or wanting to become the 'best trainer' they could. This is why I have chosen to teach him all I can.)

Mrs. Beryl nodded in understanding, still amazed that her son had made friends with probably the greatest Pokemon in the world with just a brief encounter. "So… why are you teaching him, if you don't mind me asking?"

(I dream that one day… Pokemon and Humans will live side by side, not just in this world but with each other.) He said, once more feeling that his dream might be possible with the help of this boy. (This world is filled with pathetic trainers and even more pathetic humans, who all pretend to raise Pokemon but only so they may do battle with one another. There are some that consider them nothing more than a means to an end, and while this is not true for all it is true for many. But I envision a day in which a Pokemon will walk the streets in a human city, and not be seen as an object or someone's possession. I want to see that dream come true, and I'm willing to… as you humans say… gamble one last time on your son.)

Arceus stared at the woman with a questioning look, and asked the big question one final time. (I ask you now if you will let me teach your son the way of this world, the Pokemon world. I will not if you do not approve, you are his mother, and therefore…)

"You don't need to worry Arceus… I want you to teach my son." She interrupted with teary eyes. "Just promise me that you'll teach him well… give him the education I can't because… because I can't!"

(If you promise to not tell Jacob who or what I really am, then that is what I shall do.) Arceus said as he turned to guide her back to her home. (I have my reasons why I keep my true identity secret from Jacob, but for now he sees me as a friend and now mentor, his friend known simply as 'Arky'. He does not need to know anything more about me until the time is right.)

"You promise to keep him safe each day?" She asked finally before they left.

(I will do nothing less) Arceus said with a nod.