Bruce's eyes narrowed as he stared up at the high-noon sun. Thank heaven the weather's been decent. He didn't want to imagine what would happen if it rained and his daughter was caught in it. But Cecile is right, Azar has gotten stronger in these past few years.

"Blaaass..."

Behind him, his Blastoise nudged at his back, its black eyes gazing at Bruce with interest. The veteran grinned confidently and patted the shellfish pokemon's shoulder. "Don't mind me, Kam. I'm just wondering how Azar's coming along." Bruce leaned on the wooden fence, his mind wandering into memory.

Every year, his daughter insisted on beginning her training. Every year, she grew too weak to travel. In an almost cruel twist of fate, he watched his three sons become stronger. In a few days' time they would begin their training. Kneading his aching temples, he wondered when Azar would think to call. Knowing her, she'll wait until she wins a gym badge.

Sun-warmed arms encircled his waist, and warm breath tickled the back of his neck. He closed his eyes to bask in the love emanating from her body. "Cecile..."

The shapely woman squeezed her husband tighter, trying to replace every worry in his mind. "You know, pretty soon we'll have the house all to ourselves," she said suggestively. Bruce squeezed her arm, images flooding his mind.

"What do you say we have another baby?"

And there went his relaxation.

The veteran chuckled throatily, answering, "No thank you. I'll be happy enough when these three demons are out of my house." He felt Cecile smirk against his back. "You don't fool me, Bruce. You know you'll miss those 'demons,'" she said.

We both will, thought Cecile. She thought of Azar, who was surely leaving her own mark in the world. She's too much like the two of us. Every night, she sat by the phone, waiting for a call. She recalled that it had been an entire month before she had called her own parents.

She leaned on the fence next to Bruce, letting the wind loosen her hair. A pink mass hopped to sit on the fence. "Clefa!" Giggling, Cecile stroked the clefable's pink wings, saying, "I know...we'll all miss them."

Bruce smiled as their pokemon milled around them, the aura of love becoming stronger. His children had grown up with these pokemon. It was hard enough to watch Azar leave, but how would he handle watching them all leave? He was lucky to have Cecile. She saved my life. In more ways than one. She knew about his past mistakes, his despicable relationship with the cynical Emeline Hulme, and about the daughter whose existence he never knew of.

Adaegina had appeared out of nowhere, her mother's cold eyes looking back at Bruce. Looking back, he hated Emeline. He wasn't sure how to react to the child he had fathered...that she had borne. In reality...I'm perfectly happy with Cecile, Azar, Seth, Gabriel, and Van. We don't need anything else.

Then again, he wasn't sure of anything.