And here's the last chapter! I hope you guys have enjoyed this. I feel a little weird having posted the entire fic so quickly, since normally I do a chapter-a-week thing... Oh well.

On with the fic!

"Mother! Mother, help me!"

The tiny Cubone scrambled about the forest floor, running as fast as his short legs would carry him. His head was still tan, and had no bone covering around it, and he had yet to carry the weapon that was typical of his species. Glancing behind himself, he saw the Alakazam that darted toward him, eyes narrowed.

"Hypnosis!" came the human call from behind the Psychic type. Immediately the Pokémon responded, sending out psychic waves that surrounded the young Cubone in front of him.

"Moth... er..." the Cubone whimpered, staggering before falling to the ground in a sleepy daze.

The Alakazam stood over the wild Pokémon, gazing down at it with a disinterested look that clashed with his trainer's excited shouts. The human grabbed a sphere from his pocket and threw it full-force at the Cubone.

Before the sphere could make contact, a large being charged out of the brush and rammed its skull-clad head into the object. The sphere shattered, but not without creating a crack in the Marrowak's skull.

"Marrowak," came the Alakazam's echoing voice; his speech sounded only within her mind. "You do not carry a weapon. And even if you wielded one, I could kill you."

The Marrowak growled, her claws digging into the ground.

"Let the human do as he pleases, and no harm will come to you."

She didn't have to think before she worded her response. "I'd rather die than let your human steal my son," she snarled, eyes narrowing.

The Alakazam's eyes lit, and in an instant her body was contorting in pain.

It lasted for all of two seconds.

A high-pitched whine filled the air, and the Marrowak's pain ceased. She groaned, lifting her head to see what had happened. Much to her amazement, the Alakazam was doubled over, holding his hands over his ears. Though the strange noise had little effect on her, it appeared to be unbearable for the Psychic type, who was growling through clenched teeth at this point.

The whine suddenly took on a slightly higher pitch, and the Alakazam's eyes rolled back into his head as he fell to the ground, unconscious. His body was surrounded by a red light before it disappeared, and his shocked human spun around and fled.

The Marrowak lay there in shock for a moment before jumping to her feet. She didn't care about what had made the sound—all she cared about was the little Cubone that lay nearby, unconscious. She lifted him into her arms and looked him over; he was sleeping, but unhurt.

"So, you're a protector once more."

The Marrowak froze, her eyes wide. The voice was different, yet familiar at the same time... but she couldn't believe it. Slowly she turned, and gasped at the Pokémon was flying just a few feet away from her.

A Butterfree fluttered in the air, giving a smile seeming to light up his facial features. And though that face was different from what she'd known, she recognized him immediately.

"Silverspit...?"

He darted toward her before she could do the same, and nuzzled her skull helmet. "I thought I'd never find you again, Protector!"

The old name should have been welcoming, but instead it felt like a sting. She lowered her head. "Don't call me that. You know I didn't protect you."

Silverspit flew backward, giving her a saddened look. "What are you talking about?"

"That Charmeleon killed you... I can still remember it, after all these years. The only reason you're still alive is because Jirachi revived you."

"Yeah, but..." He flew closer to her again. "It was you who made the wish, wasn't it?"

"I... it... it was..." She swayed a little, causing the Cubone she held to stir.

Silverspit looked at the baby Pokémon. "When I came back, I was so happy to see my family... but I couldn't get you out of my mind. You had taken me all that way, and even when I'd told you to wish for something for yourself... you still wished to help me."

The two remained silent, watching as the baby Cubone stirred again before snuggling closer to his mother.

"...We Butterfree usually look for a mate after we leave our shells," Silverspit said slowly. "We start our own family... but I didn't want to do that."

The Marrowak looked up.

"I never forgot what you told me about your mother... and I couldn't stand the thought of something like that happening to you. I couldn't stand the thought of your child having to become a Marrowak." The Butterfree's eyes stared into the Marrowak's. "I didn't want a mate. I wanted to protect you."

Her eyes met his.

And for the first time in many years, Protector smiled.