The sun shone high and bright above Celadon City, mid-autumn breezes winding around the buildings and through the seasonal outside market amidst the city square. People bustled here and there, examining tables and booths alike, their surfaces covered in anything from tiny oddments to fresh fruits and vegetables. Children and pokémon ran about with candy smeared faces and smiles as they shouted and played with whatever they could get their hands on. They were happy, and fully unaware that among them, in their happy shouts and liveliness, was the world's only hybrid.

Amber couldn't help but smile at those around her as she walked through the market, a small basket in hand. Already, it held smaller fruits and few vegetables and as she continued on her way, she came to a stop at a lesser stand, its small decorations catching her eye.

"See anything you like, dear?" The caretaker asked her, an elderly woman dressed all in purple and a small bow in her hair to match. Her voice was soft-spoken and Amber looked from the tiny glass ornaments on the table to meet eyes with her.

There was still so much about people, and about the world she didn't get. Yet, despite her upbringing, and the life she had, Amber could see that people had a common good about them. She had feared that they would be just like Giovanni, cold and threatening, a fear that even Ash's kindness hadn't been able to completely overshadow and when he had announced that he was returning to the Johto region to revisit that fear arose tenfold. And while he had informed her she was more than welcome to join him, she had politely refused. She might be nervous but she wanted to see and experience the world for herself, starting from where she had first began to regain her hope for freedom.

Ash and his friends had done so much for her, that when they had escorted her back to this city she had promptly refused monetary help of any kind in spite of their attempts. In truth, she had done without a real shelter for so long that she doubted she ever would be comfortable in one place for very long, and with that fact, the money she earned from doing small deliveries in town, usually with the bike shop, she had enough to get by easily enough and she was more comfortable spending nights on the rooftop or a field. Not unlike her fully Pokémon counterpart, Ash had pointed out with a grin, who had departed the night before they had arrived in the city, though that didn't mean Amber didn't meet with Mewtwo from time to time. With the Pokémon being the only real teacher the hybrid had available to her now, Amber sought Mewtwo out from time to time for small lessons. While she had significantly better control over her powers than she did previously, she still found them unpredictable at times and was slowly learning to control them and better herself.

And so, she was able to blend in with the townspeople as if it were second nature almost flawlessly.

"My goodness, you have such pretty eyes." The woman said, snapping Amber out of her thoughts suddenly, then smiled at the hybrid.

Amber returned the smile somewhat awkwardly and briskly moved a stray strand of long azure hair from her face. "Thank you, and I think I'd like this one please." She said, carefully picking up a sleek, pale yellow pikachu figurine, the glass catching the sun's rays enough that it gleamed proudly.

"My, my. So polite, tell me dear, where are you from?" The woman asked courteously, without taking her own pale blue eyes off Amber.

"I…" Amber hesitated for a moment, unsure how to answer this question. "I'm from Cinnabar Island."

The woman let out a small gasp, worry apparent on her face. "Oh my, I heard there was an accident there only a few months ago. I do hope neither you or your family was hurt."

Amber shook her head. "No, everyone is fine." She assured with a small smile.

"Well, that's very good to hear, but what in the world has brought you all the way out here, dear?"

"I'm sightseeing. The island is so small after all. And I've heard wonderful things about this city and all the places around it," Amber replied honestly.

"I understand," the woman nodded slowly, the smile returning once more. "You remind me a lot of myself when I was younger. So full of adventure."

"Well life is wonderful," Amber said delicately. "And I don't intend on wasting it."

This made the woman laugh cheerfully, and Amber grinned as she watched the older female wrap the figurine with skilled hands before handing it to the hybrid, insisting she take it as a gift and wishing her luck in life and all its adventures. Amber thanked her and continued on her way, rethinking on what the woman had said.

Family.

The word was new, and foreign to her. She could still recap AmberTwo's memories of her family, her father and mother, and wondered if she would ever have such a thing. But then again, what is a family exactly? She thought. Was it not just a group of people with a connection beyond simple blood? Was it experience that drew people into this sense or a promise? If that were the case, then hadn't Ash and his friends each made a promise to her? Had Mewtwo not made a promise to both her and Ambertwo? And she knew she would be lying if she said she didn't want to fully return each of those promises to the best of her abilities as well. After all they went through, they had formed something that would last a very long time, she knew.

Because together, they defeated the horrible past that plagued her and Mewtwo and, with the help of friends both old and new, won their freedom. Each of them had fought, each of them had prospered.

That is their bond.

That is their family.

AND THAT IS THE END. whoo! Finished at long last~

For those of you who have stood by me since the start, I thank you so much! I know it was a hard road, despite what most of you say :P But we've reached the end!

And even if you're a new reader, thank you anyway!

As always review and tell me what you think/thought!

REMEMBER: Life is Wonderful. Don't waste it.