"Penny!" "Penny!" "Pe~nny! Where are you, Penny?" Ellis and Mew called out back and forth for Penny as we explored the forest behind my house, searching under every tree burrow, in every branch, and checked every pleasant stream that passed through for the yellow mouse with a blue flower tucked next to one ear. We had been searching now for about an hour, and no luck. Ellis paused as her stomach gave a groan, and she lurched over, "Oh~... My tummy hurts, Ben..." "Are you hungry at all?" Mew said, hovering over her. "Just a little..." Ellis said, blinking absent-mindedly at Mew. Mew nodded, digging into the knapsack at my waist, pulling out a small baggie of Reeses Puffs. She stopped before giving them to Ellis, and looked at me with an unsure look, "...Reeses...?" I shrugged, "That's all we have in the house. It was either that or Raisin Bran..." "But... Reeses..." Mew continued, "That's like... really weird- I'm sorry. But, I've never heard of anybody eating Reeses for a snack." "That's okay- I can have it..." Ellis said, taking the baggie from Mew and tugging it with her to a place on the path to try and open it. The wrinkling sound of the baggie proved not only annoying, but also its plastic shell made it hard for Ellis to get into. She began to whine, trying desperately to get at the artificial peanut butter balls. I sighed, "Here, let me help." I opened the baggie really quickly, placing a dozen in front of her- six chocolate, six peanut butter. "There." I said, putting the baggie away, "That should do you for a snack." Ellis nodded, crunching the nuggets happily, "Mm-hm!" "...Ellis! Ellis? Ellis!" Ellis stopped, looking up, "Who's calling my name?" I looked at Mew, Mew looked at me, then we looked up ahead, and gasped, "Ellis...! I think that's got to be Penny!" "Penny...?!" Ellis's eyes widened as she strained to look around herself while the Reeses Puffs were kept at her feet. "Penny! Where are you?" "Over here!" A voice called. Quickly, I dashed behind a tree to avoid being seen by our visitor who we thought was Penny. Mew kept herself next to Ellis, hovering for a bit to see who was there. I peeked from behind the large tree I hid behind, and looked out to see a familiar face looking at me. "Hello, Ben." "Yeaaak!" I jumped back, falling on my bottom. The face, a Pikachu, was that of Penny all right, and she looked happy to see me... ...or was she? "Just thought I heard some voices, and came to see who they belonged to. Surprised to see you here, Ben. And why is Ellis and Mew here?" I readjusted myself to be in a squatting position so I could face Penny better, "Penny, please let me explain..." "...And what was all that about 'getting on with your life?' Did you change your mind?" "Yes..." I blurted out. I caught myself, and tried to correct my response, "I mean-" "Ben, that was the most heartless thing you ever did to me!" She said, her face dropping a bit, looking a bit hurt, "How can you say you've come to change your mind, and expect things to be all over... just like that?" Penny said, snapping her fingers as a tear formed in her eyes. Mew flew over, placing a paw on Penny's shoulder, "Penny... Ben has been feeling very depressed since he abandoned all of us. He came to fix up the past, and wants us to forgive him for his foolishness." Foolishness...? I felt my jaw cringe at that word. But it didn't matter- Mew was on my side now, and I was closer to regaining friendship with one of my all-time favorite companions. Penny looked up to see Mew, and now the tears started to fall, "But... Think about my feelings! Don't you think I feel different now that my own master threw me out? My own friend deserted me for things that he felt were more important than friendship?! Ben ordered me to get out of his life, for pete's sake! I can't imagine a more horrible thing happening!" "...What about not forgiving?" Ellis interrupted, walking over towards Penny. "...Penny, Ben was going to throw me out, too... He felt too bad to do so, and later asked me to forgive him..." Penny was already in tears, though, as she looked at Ellis. Ellis didn't always think very advanced for her age, but she was still smart enough to bring out the tears in everyone. Penny shook her head, "Oh... Ellis..." "I think that the time has come for an apology..." Mew said, turning to me. "No..." Penny said, shaking her head, "Never again will I allow something like that to happen to me again..." She raised her head to face me with a tear-stained face, "Ben, I challenge you to a battle!" "A battle...!?" Mew exclaimed. "Ben, you beat me before. If you can beat me this time, I will believe that what these two are saying is true, and then I will believe and forgive you! I have gotten stronger now, and with your absense I have gained the ability to do things on my own! I feel I have no need for you now Ben, but if you can prove to me that you are stronger and better than I in battle, then maybe I will consider you as a friend again! Do you accept my challenge?" I sensed a great anger in Penny, but felt that it was time to do what I had to do. I nodded, "Penny, I won't lose to you. I will win!" "...Then let's get this thing started!" Penny leered. She took a jump back as Ellis and Mew stepped from between us to the sidelines to watch. I placed two fingers on my forehead- index and middle finger, and performed my transformation, becoming a cat-like Meowth to battle Penny. "I want you back as a friend, but if this is how it's got to be, then I'm ready!" I said, standing for an attack. "Ben, you've done it for the last time! I will defeat you! Haaaaaaaaaaa...!!" Penny yelled, coming in for a Mega Kick attack. The attack was swift and fast, and I was thrown from the battlefield a ways before sliding onto the ground. I felt my lip, noting that I'd cut my lip, then rose back to my feet. I came running in, executing a Pound at Penny's face, but she ducked quickly, giving a sharp uppercut to my unprotected belly. I gasped, then felt myself thrown again as Penny tossed me like a rag with her Seismic Toss. Bruised, I shook as I brought myself back up to my feet, and coughed as Penny delivered a Mega Punch to my chest. I struggled to breath, then she withdrew her fist. I stood for a moment, eyes wide and jaw dropped, before I collapsed as a heap on the ground. I tried to bring myself back to my feet, but was too weak to do so. I could barely breath as it was, and could only mutter slight words, "I... I can't...! Y-you're... too strong...!" Penny snorted, "Too strong? You're the one that's weak! You're not the same Ben I remember! You're too slow, and didn't put enough energy behind your attacks! You've fallen now because you are what I feel you are- worthless! I have no need for somebody with the likes of you!" I wrinkled my face, rolling over in the dirt to hide my face from Penny and the others. "Ben~!" Ellis yelled, rushing into the battlefield by my side, and tried to help me up by nudging my face. "...Ben! Come on, Ben! You can't stop now- don't lose!" "Forget about it, Ellis." Penny said, turning away, "He's lost all will to fight, and is not strong enough to earn my respect. I refuse his friendship, and am afraid I will have to do the same with yours." Penny began to walk away slowly now, leaving the three of us behind her, when Ellis spoke up, "...And you're not the same Penny I remember! Ben was never really strong, but you still admired his courage to take up the things that none of us could! He took you in when you ran away from your life of royalty when he could have brought you back! He comforted you when you were hurt with a boo-boo in a fight, and he helped us become great friends, and taught us to believe in others and to believe in ourselves! If you trash-talk about him, then I guess you aren't thinking things all the way through!" "Ellis, don't get involved in such matters you're not concerned with." Penny said. "Well... If we're not friends anymore, then I guess you're a meanie! Ben taught ME to stand up to them, so I will stand up to you!" Ellis gulped nervously before continuing, "I'll fight if I have to!" Penny stopped, hesitating for a moment. She gave a glance over her shoulder to face Ellis. Ellis stood brave with her small face, a slight pout expression on her mouth, standing by my rattled mass. Penny blinked, "Do you really think that you stand a chance?" "I don't know, but I'll know when I try!" Ellis said, ready for Penny to accept a fight. Penny looked at Ellis with an icy stare for a moment, then sighed, looking down at the ground, "I can't fight you, Ellis..." "And why not?" Ellis said, "Are you afraid you're going to lose?" "No, it's just that I don't want to have to hurt you when I fight you... You're too weak to battle. Just stay out of it, Ellis..." "No! I won't! And if you think that you've won, then you're wrong! The real Penny I remembered wouldn't give up any fight and was willing to do anything to prove how good she was!" "That was then, this is now." Penny said, returning her face back to the road she'd been traveling on. "May our paths cross again, and may your heart guide you. Farewell, Ellis." Ellis gritted her teeth, her eyes watering in anger. She turned me down! I heard her thoughts say through Mew, She thinks that I'm weaker than her! ...Oh- why doesn't she want to fight me? I won't cry when I lose... Ben, do you hear this? Mew said, passing me a thought. I sure do! She sure is brave! But Ben... Why don't you get up and fight? Don't you have any strength left to do so? I do... Just a little... But its definitely strength... Well, use your strength to get up and challenge Penny again! I'll keep her occupied! ...What!? I passed a thought to Mew, I can't beat her--- didn't you see how badly she whomped me? I don't stand a chance against her! Don't worry! Mew sent a thought, I'll help you out! Help me out...? Wha... What do you mean? Trust me! You'll see what I mean! Everything will be okay- you'll get her back with you! Have I ever lied to you before? Finding strength in Mew's words, I began to rise slowly while Mew spoke to Penny, "So you believe that the ends justify the means?" Penny halted again, this time not turning to face anybody, "I have done what I've come for, and am now returning to my home. If you wish to speak to me-" "...Penny." Mew added, "What makes you think that you're stronger and better than Ellis, hm? Surely you must realize that you've never pitted yourself against her in a battle, so it is impossible to say that you've won already. Ellis is brave enough to challenge you, and I don't think that making her cry would bother her one bit, would it Ellis?" Ellis, surprised at Mew's knowledge, nodded, "Um... Yes. I mean, no- I wouldn't mind crying... I'd be doing it for Ben, and to make us all friends again..." "Well, Penny. What say you? Care to challenge Ellis or Ben again? This time, no holding back?" Penny paused, then gave a slow sigh, "I don't wish to battle right now. I have too many things I'm thinking of right now and don't want to talk about my feelings right now Just leave me alone. I have already discovered that Ben is not worth the friendship we once had through battle, and I am ready to return home now..." "I'm not done yet." I said, out of complete nowhere. Penny gasped visibly, then turned to face me, "What...?" "Penny, I didn't say I gave up. I was still willing to continue the battle. I'm still strong enough to continue where we left off." Penny studied me, noticing that my lip was still bleeding, and I still had bruise marks all over. She shook her head, "No. Not right now. I have things better to do..." "...Like something more important than mending a friendship?" Mew said, meeting Penny face to face, startling her. Penny blinked, then thought it over, turning to study me again. She gave another sigh, then nodded, "Very well. I guess I'll have to, seeing you are ready to be punished again. But don't expect me to hold back this time." "Oh believe me- I won't." I squinted back at her. Penny nodded through closed eyes, then came at me quickly. With the help of Mew, I was able to forsee this, and had time to step aside, barely avoiding her quick-striking Agility attack. She stopped herself, then turned, "A mere mistake. I didn't mean to miss. Then again, it'll be my last...!" She came at me again, this time I leaped above her, delivering a Scratch to her neck. She gasped, feeling her neck, then turned to come at me. I felt Mew powering up my senses in a psychic manner, and was able to stop Penny's Mega Punch with a fist, holding her paw in my paw. She hesitated for a moment, then twisted herself to deliver a kick, which I ducked, and proceeded to flip her over on to her back. Penny pulled herself back up, shaking her head, and managed to gasp as I attacked her in a Fury of Swipes across the face, scratching her, and rendering the flower into a tattered mess. Penny pushed me back, and gritted her teeth, "You've wrecked my flower, you freak! Well, wreck my Thunder Wave then if you're so good!" Electrical impulses proceeded to emit from her body, but I had prevented it with Mew's Safeguard- veiling myself in a psychic shield. Penny grunted in anger, "Urrg! What the heck is going on!? Why didn't that one stop you?" Penny glanced at me for a moment before disappearing in a flash of light- the Extreme Speed attack! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to predict that one, and milliseconds later was struck by a powerful combination of a physical and an electrical shock attack. I gave a yell, and Penny powered it up even stronger, changing it into a powerful version of the Spark technique. I felt my body twitching to and fro with the electricity bugging my body, unable to do a single thing. Unleash it within you...! Came the sound of Mew's voice. Suddenly I felt on the inside a Hidden Power rise within me, raising my strength temporarily. The electricity didn't seem to bother me as much, and I felt twice as strong as before! Like a game of pea knuckle, I pushed my force against that of Penny's, and returned her electrical Thunder Shock back at her, zapping her with her own attack. She gave a shriek, then fell to the ground sizzling. I rushed over to her side, trying to help her up, when she pushed me away, "Get back! I'm not done yet!" She said. I stepped away as she began to visibly charge her electrical generators in her cheeks, only to have them short circuit. She tried again, and again, but to no avail. "No...!" She looked frustrated, and began to water in the eyes, shaking her head, "No... No! No- I can't lose!" "Penny, I think it's over now..." Mew said softly. "No it's not! I... I can still win this! I still have plenty of fighting left within me! I can still win, if I try..." Penny continued to charge and short circuit, becoming more and more visibly frustrated and unable to attack. She finally fell on her knees, and cried. "Is it over...?" Ellis asked. "Ben..." Penny wept, "Why did you leave me...? I hadn't done anything wrong, and yet you abandoned me... Why...?" I sat a paw on her shoulder, "I didn't want any of you to feel pain... Lance the Dragon Master told me what to do, and I had to do it... I didn't want to hurt you, so I let you go back to the life you once had out here in the wild. I thought it was the life you wanted." Penny was looking off to the side. "The life I wanted..." She turned towards my eyes, "...was with you..." We both kept silent for a moment- a Meowth and Pikachu both sorry with each other at the other's doings. Finally, I extended my paw, and Penny grabbed it, throwing herself onto my shoulder in a fresh set of tears. "I'm sorry..." I said. "I forgive you..." Penny wept.