As I swim through the cold ocean, pondering the mysteries of the world, I remember back to the days of the Celadon Game Corner, and smile, realizing how lady luck has smiled on me.

My name is Ilis, at least, it is now. My old name was 'That old Dratini in the back'. You can see why I like Ilis better, I hope.

At the Celadon Prize exchange center, they generally took good care of their pokémon, but I was never liked. When they brought me in, I was the weakest Dratini in the shipment, and people who went to exchange their coins for prizes never wanted me. Why should anyone want the weak Dratini locked up in its Pokéball anyway?

I must confess. I loved my Pokéball. It was my own safe heaven against the disgusted looks of trainers who wanted to select their new pokémon. My pokéball was my own little secret world, where I dreamed of a loving trainer who would take me to the beach, where I could swim all day long!

But no matter how safe my pokéball was, it still did not protect me from the strong emotion I have now rid myself of.

Hate.

I hated humans. I hated them for plucking me out of my safe haven of a lake when I was a tiny baby dratini. I hated them for isolating me in the back of the prize center. I hated them for never choosing me. For looking at me with their disgusted faces, as if I was the worst pokémon they had ever seen, who's only purpose was to make Magikarps look a little bit more appealing.

I hated the fact that I had never known love. That I had never known what it was to have a family, to have friends... That I had never known what a forest was, what the sea was, what a home was...

I hated the fact that I was weak. That I was not strong enough, strong enough for the picky trainers who came in with their arms laden with coins, walking out with their brand new pokémon, the fact that I even existed vanishing from their minds within seconds. Not once, did any of the trainers who saw me have pity in their eyes. And for that, I hated myself.

I became a spiteful, bitter Dratini. Who though she dreamed of a loving trainer, in reality, felt contempt for the trainers of the world.

After about a year or so of sitting unwanted in the prize center, of life alone, of knowing only hate, I met Daemon. He was sixteen years old at that time, and had just finished playing slots for a long time. I'd seen him once before, when someone was looking me over, debating whether she should take me or an abra (took the abra, of course).

Well, anyway, he was looking over the pokémon. He already had a Porygon (he sure was addicted to those slots, I must say), and he was looking for something new. Well, they picked up my pokéball, hoping that they could finally get rid off me. They called me out onto the counter, and I looked woefully into his eyes.

And I fell in love for the first time in my life.

He had these wonderful big blue eyes! (I've always loved blue) And his hair was the blackest of the black of the black! His teeth were sparkling white and perfectly aligned! His clothes were neat, and I loved the way his hair, short in the back, with long bangs in the front, fell over his eyes so he had to flick it back every now and then with a smooth move of his hands. And... he was just the most perfect human I had ever seen!

Forgetting my hate for the human race, I flung myself into his arms, and snuggled up in them.

"Dratini!" I called out sadly.

"Hey there." He said softly, picking up my head in one of his gentle, yet strong, hands. "Been here a long time, huh?"

"Tini." I agreed in a quite voice.

"That dratini's been here for over a year, Daemon. You don't want her." One of the prize guys said, but I could tell that he was slightly awed by everything, and hoping Daemon would take me anyway.

"Tiiiiini?" I said pleadingly, which would translate as 'Pleeeease?"

He laughed, and petted my head. "I'll take her!" He declared, and poured the exact number of coins onto the counter. Then, I wound round his neck and fell asleep. For the first time in my life, I was truly happy, and content.

When I woke up, I was on a pillow. I snuggled further in it, for it was the softest thing I had ever slept on. Then, after a few minutes of sheer bliss, Daemon walked into the room and laughed at the sight of me rolling around happily in that big soft pillow(which he actually sewed my name into later on. He's such a dear human).

He walked over to me, and picked me up, letting me take my place on his shoulders. "Tini, Tini, tiiiini!" I said happily, snuggling my head under his chin.

He laughed and petted my head, then he frowned suddenly. "You need a name..." He thought out loud, looking at me. "Ah, Ilis!"

"Tini?" I replied tentatively. "Dra-Tini!" I really liked that name, and I still do.

"Ilis it is."He responded. "Now Ilis, meet my Pokémon." He walked over to a wooden case, with gold lettering, and he opened it. Inside were several pokéballs. He pressed the buttons on each one, then stood back.

I swear, I'd never seen so many pokémon out of their balls at once. (Growing up secluded as I did).

"That's Snap, my Charizard."

"Char, char."The Charizard said in a form of a greeting.

"Those are Flutter, Flitter and Flap, my Butterfree, Pidgeotto and Fearow."

"Freeee!"

"Eeotto!"

"Row."

"This is Blur, my Rapidash."

"Dash, dash, dash."

"These are Tyke and Tyler, my Oddish and Poliwag."

"Dish!"

"Poli!"

"And my newest addition to my family before you, Orion, the Porygon."

"Pory." The porygon said, waddling up to Daemon, who patted the nervous pokémon.

"Well, that's the whole group. Guys, this is Ilis. She's going to be living with us. Be nice to her, okay?"

They all nodded, then looked at Daemon, waiting for their instructions. Daemon simply grinned, then pretended to be angry. "Shoo! The lot of ya! Go run off or something!"

They all looked back at him with fond looks on their faces, then ran, flew, or waddled off. All except the Porygon.

I looked at the Porygon, Orion, and fell in love again. I always had this ability to fall in love with creatures that had large, kind hearts. "Ti?"

"Gon."

"Ti???"

"Gon."

"TI!?!?"

"Gon."

"Ti..."

Daemon looked at us, confused. "What was that about?" He asked me, even as he attempted to grasp the meaning of our short conversation.

"Tini, dra dra, ti ti dra ni. Tini, dratini..."

"Hold on." He said as it finally dawned on him. "Orion'd also been left in the back like you?"

I nodded frantically.

"Poor little guy." He patted Orion on the head again, and picked him up. "Well, we're gonna have to take extra good care of you guys, huh?"

"TINI!"

"REE!"

He laughed again. Daemon has always been such a cheery fellow, and I'm sure he knew that we were little more than babies at that time. Me and Orion were full of youthful exuberance, and we knew nothing about concealing emotions, for we never had to conceal our feelings.

"Common you two. Lets go for a walk."

I exchanged puzzled looks with Orion, but we allowed Daemon to carry us off. We arrived in a small forest, where he set Orion down.

"This is my sanctuary." He sad softly. "Its usually quiet. So peaceful..."

We looked around. Daemon was so right. It was the most beautiful place I had ever seen in my life. The trees were tall, their leaves a beautiful healthy green. The forest floor was voered with grass, and beautiful flowers, my favorites the blue forget-me-nots. "Tini?"I asked carefully.

"Yes." He nodded. "There are pokémon that live here, but they will not attack me. We are friends."

I nodded, not wanting to fight at that stage.

"Common, there's something I want you two to see." He started walking, and Orion waddled after him.

We reached a statue of a man, who looked strangely like Daemon, with a Pidgeot that had a collar around its neck. "That's my father." Daemon said quietly. "His life was saved by that very Pidgeot three times... He died saving Flit's egg. Flit also died not too long after..." He paused and walked up to the statue, gently touching the hand of his father's statue. "That egg hatched into Flitter, my first pokémon." He looked at the two of us. "That is why I have pledged my life to taking care of pokémon. One of them saved my father's life thrice... So I must do something to return the favor." He patted our heads absently. "Now, I don't want you to ever have doubts about whether you will stay with me for your whole lives. We will all die old, and toothless, in our beds, you hear me?"

We both 'smiled' and nodded our heads rapidly.

"Good, now lets go home and eat." He said, running off to his out of town house, me tightening my 'grip' on his neck for dear life, and Orion frantically waddling behind us, finally resorting to travelling through cyberspace.

A few months later I evolved into a Dragonair, and I have vowed to stay at this form. Why? I like riding on Daemon's shoulder, and a Dragonite is a bit too big to perch on Daemon's twenty-six year old human body. Even now, I am a little too heavy for him, but he bears my weight aound his shoulders with good grace.

We've been together for ten years now. Me, Ilis the dragonair, Orion the porygon, Flutter the butterfree, Flitter the pidgeot, Flap the fearow, Blur the rapidash, Snap the charizard, Tyke the Gloom, and Tyler the Poliwhrath. Not to mention, my very own private family, Ilia the dratini, my daughter, and Ilan, my mate, also a dragonair. And my foster son, Flip, the Seel. We live near Celadon, and we constantly visit the prize center, making sure all weak pokémon find good homes. However, I wish Daemon would find a human mate, to complete our family.

And now, I shall continue swimming through the cold blue ocean, pondering the mysteries of the world, remembering the harsh reality of the prize center, and the warm, loving heart of my trainer, Daemon, and my family. Of the wonderfully complex, yet at the same time simple, emotion called love.

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