It was sunset as they were leaving the Tech, but they came along a fork in the road where they saw Joe running to catch up with them.

"Where's the fire?" Austin asked at seeing Joe with a backpack.

"I'm going back home to start from scratch with Weepinbell just like you did." Joe said with a smile. "Today was a real wake-up call for me."

"What about your parents?" Yellow asked as Joe looked down.

"I'm sure they'll understand." Joe said giving a nod. "I'll become a great trainer and make it up to them, I can promise that."

"Any chance at seeing you at the League?" Austin asked holding his hand out for a handshake as Joe accepted it.

"Probably not, but I'll try." Joe promised as he went to leave only to hear another voice.

"You're not leaving without saying good-bye are you?" Giselle walked up to Joe.

"Uh yeah?" Joe asked looking a little confused at how she was talking to him.

Giselle picked up on that and sighed. "I owe you an apology." She said making him perk up. "I shouldn't have said all of that and I wish you luck on your journey."

"It's fine." Joe said giving a smile. "Thank you."

"And I hope you do make it to the League." Giselle continued as she held out her hand. "Be sure to call."

"I will." Joe promised as Austin gave a slight smile.

At least Joe's crush grew a change of heart with him.

"Well, see ya." Joe said as he ran waving good-bye.

As he left, Giselle turned to the group. "Thank you for the lesson you taught me Ash." She said to him. "I wish all of you luck on your journeys."

"Just make sure to keep that ego of yours in check." Misty said as Giselle laughed.

"I deserved that." Giselle said before she heard her name being called. "I should get back to the school, I hope to see all of you again."

"Bye." The group waved as she ran off.

"Well today was a delightful day." Brock commented before he frowned. "But I still wasn't able to make those Crepes and Tea."

"Well we do have firewood." Austin said as they were passing by where they dumped theirs. "What say we set up camp nearby to get ready?"

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That night after everyone was asleep, Austin was by himself away from the camp, even Pikachu wasn't with him as he sent Fearow out.

"Row!" Fearow cried out before blinking at seeing the night sky.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Austin asked as Fearow gave him a glare. "You know sometimes I like to look at the stars and imagine what it's like to be up there… You're lucky in that regard with being able to fly."

"Fear." Fearow cawed at him.

"Fearow I'm sorry." Austin finally said as Fearow gave him a weird look. "When I started this journey I used you in a lot of battles because I thought you loved them and I never thought about having you out without a battle unless you count those nights in Viridian Forest. I messed up."

Fearow just turned his head away, but he was still listening.

"It might be too late to make up for it, but I'm not going to give up." Austin said to him with a smile.

Fearow was silent before Austin sighed.

"Feel free to fly around all you want." Austin said with a sad look.

He was actually risking the chance that Fearow would fly away for good, but in order to make up for not bonding with him, Austin felt like he should show some trust.

That actually caught Fearow off guard as he turned to see Austin walking back towards the camp.

After waiting for a few seconds, Fearow took to the air, flying into the night sky with a cry as he used his Keen Eye ability to spot the camp and he saw all the other Pokemon out, sleeping near their respective trainers.

He could leave and never see them again.

But as he flew, Fearow remembered how this trainer raised him and helped him learn moves a lot quicker than he could've by himself.

Fearow scoffed as he shook his head.

He was only staying for the free food.

But no matter how much he told himself that, he kept a lookout over the camp.

...

Austin's Pokemon Team

Pikachu (M) Ability: Static. Moves: Thundershock, Growl, Tail Whip, Quick Attack Iron Tail, Electro-Ball, Thunderbolt, Agility, Brick Break and Dig.

*Combo* Ion Tail (Iron Tail and Electro Ball), Sword Strike (Iron Tail and Quick Attack), Electric Impact (Thunderbolt and Quick Attack), Burrow (Dig and Quick Attack) and Counter-Shield (Electric-Style)

Fearow (M) Ability: Keen Eye. Moves: Peck, Leer, Focus Energy, Fury Attack, Aerial Ace, Steel Wing, Mirror Move, Assurance and Agility.

*Combo* Aerial Wing (Aerial Ace and Steel Wing)

Raticate (F) Ability: Guts. Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Quick Attack, Focus Energy, Iron Tail, Dig, Hyper Fang, Sucker Punch, Attract, Thunderbolt *Not Learned Yet*.

*Combo* Sword Strike (Iron Tail and Quick Attack), Burrow (Dig and Quick Attack)

Butterfree (M) Ability: Tinted Lens. Moves: Tackle, String Shot, Bug Bite, Harden, Confusion, Poison Powder, Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, Gust and Psybeam.

Pidgeotto (F) Ability: Tangled Feet. Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Gust, Quick Attack, Steel Wing, Twister, Aerial Ace and Double Team.

*Combo* Aerial Wing (Aerial Ace and Steel Wing)

Scyther (M) Ability: Technician. Moves: Wing Attack, Quick Attack, Slash, Brick Break, Aerial Ace, Agility, Fury Cutter and Razor Wind.

Clefairy (Clefy) (M) Ability: Magic Guard. Moves: Pound, Growl, Sing, Disarming Voice, Magical Leaf, Double Slap, Defense Curl, Wake-Up Slap, Metronome and Heal Pulse.

*Combo* Angel's descent ( Defense curl + disarming voice + magical leaf )

Pokemon Seen: 46

Pokemon Owned: 7

Badges Obtained: Boulder Badge and Cascade Badge.

Yellow's Pokemon Team.

Kakuna (Kitty) (F) Ability: Shed Skin. Moves: Poison Sting, String Shot and Harden.

*Combo* Poison String (Poison Sting and String Shot)

Doduo (Dody) (M) Ability: Run Away Moves: Growl, Peck, Quick Attack, Fury Attack, Rage, Pursuit and Aerial Ace.

Brock's Pokemon Team.

Onix (M) Ability: Rock Head. Moves: Bind, Tackle, Harden, Mud Sport, Curse, Rock Throw, Rock Tomb and Rage.

Geodude (M) Ability: Sand Veil Moves: Defense Curl, Tackle, Mud Sport, Rock Polish, Rollout, Rock Tomb and Magnitude.

Zubat (F) Ability: Infiltrator. Moves: Leech Life, Supersonic, Astonish, Bite, Wing Attack, Confuse Ray and Air Cutter.

Misty's Pokemon Team.

Staryu (M) Ability: Natural Cure Moves: Rapid Spin, Water Gun, Water Pulse, Swift and Scald.

Starmie (F) Ability: Analytic. Moves: Psyshock, Power Gem, Thunderbolt and Signal Beam.