After everyone ate lunch and took a short break to decompress from the trip up to Moonbyul’s place, Mrs. Moon hustled them out the front door and down to the bottom of the street where the Pokémon shelter had been built.

It sat on the edge of the Moon Estate and was a set of three small but modern-looking buildings that overlooked several enclosed fields and pens where Pokémon could roam free. A short path led from the back of the main building down to the beach where another fenced-in area had been placed for those Pokémon that enjoyed the water.

“How long has your family operated this shelter?” Seulgi asked as the group of them approached the building.

“I wanna say seven or eight years? This place isn’t as big as some of the region-run shelters so we’re almost always at full capacity. Volunteers count as most of the workforce and some of the other neighbors in the area look after the shelter too.” Moonbyul swiped a keycard in front of the locked door and opened it up, ushering everyone inside.

Once everyone was inside, Moonbyul shut the door behind them and some of the lights. “This is the intake building, if a Trainer finds they can no longer take care of a Pokémon, they can bring it here to find a new home. We also take in injured wild Pokémon and have a separate building for them so they can recover without feeling overwhelmed by people.”

The lobby was nicely decorated and felt homey, with several plush couches lining one wall. A large bulletin board detailing some of the shelter’s happy endings hung from another. Seulgi read a few of the happy letters that had been pinned to the corkboard and smiled. Lucky, a three legged Leafeon found his forever home with ten-year old Hayley, who says that in a few years they’ll be the new Kalos Champions.

Thank you so much for taking in my grandfather’s Sawsbuck after he passed. I hope Rudy finds a Trainer who will love him as much as my Gramps did. And just under that letter was another one. Rudy’s doing fantastic with our program, he’s really taken to working with the patients in Physical Therapy and he’s so gentle with them. Forget having one loving Trainer, Rudy has eleven!

“Come on back, guys! There are extra work clothes and a place to put your things just down the hall.”

Hearing the summons, Seulgi tore her gaze away from the bulletin board and followed her friends into the back rooms. A set of work clothes were already laid out for her and while they were a little big on her, they were comfortable enough and soon she was standing in a large kennel attempting to stifle a squeal as she saw a litter of the cutest Poochyena playing with each other.

“I knew you’d like this room, this is where the little ones stay until they’re old enough to be placed with new families. These little guys were found by the side of the road in a cardboard box, it’s a miracle none of them got injured,” Moonbyul knelt down and was immediately accosted by the puppy Pokémon. She laughed as they attempted to climb all over her.

“Who would do such a thing?” Seulgi asked as she followed Moonbyul’s lead, giggling when one of them started pulling at her shoelaces, letting out the cutest growl. She picked it up and plopped it in her lap, scratching behind its ears.  

“Plenty of people, to be perfectly honest. When Mom first got them in here she noticed that all of them had been extremely well bred. Now I’m not one to make any judgements since we don’t actually know why they’d been abandoned, but it looks like some Trainer was breeding a ton of them in an attempt to get a shiny one.”

Seulgi’s hand stilled, and the sudden lack of attention caused the Poochyena to tilt its head back to look at her. “That’s barbaric.”

Moonbyul hummed in agreement, picking herself off the floor and displacing the puppies that were surrounding her. She offered a hand to Seulgi who gladly accepted, gently placing her newfound friend back with its littermates. “You’ve seen how much money some shiny Pokémon sell for, that doesn’t make it right but what matters now is that these little ones are safe. We even have the Academy’s security division coming out here next month to test the pups and see if any of them would make good guard Pokémon.”   

“Well I for one definitely think you have a few good candidates here.”

Moonbyul chuckled. “I almost forgot, we met for the first time at the kennels. I still don’t approve of the way Irene treated you, but I have to admit, if not for her I don’t know if we would have ever gotten acquainted.”

The two of them joined back up with the rest of the volunteer party who were busy cleaning up and repairing a section of broken fence in one of the play areas. Seulgi picked up a pair of work gloves and a hammer, falling in line next to Jihyo and getting to work.  I wonder what Irene’s doing right now?

XXX

A few hours later, Leeteuk’s black town car stopped in front of a familiar set of wrought-iron gates.

“Why do I feel like I’ve been tricked?” Irene grumbled as the car she was riding in drove smoothly down a familiar tree-lined road. She thought Leeteuk would take her to one of the local League buildings but instead she found herself right outside of the Moon estate.

Leeteuk shot her a small smile. “I know you haven’t been spending a lot of time with your friends recently, so I figured what better way to reconnect with them? Besides, you and I both know that Moonbyul’s mother won’t take no for an answer.”

Irene had to agree with the last statement. Moonbyul’s mother was everything her father wasn’t, and it admittedly left her more than a bit jealous to see the Hoenn Champion with her family, talking and joking around. “I suppose this isn’t the worst idea you’ve had…”

The car came to a stop outside of the manor, and Leeteuk helped Irene take her things out from the trunk. Moonbyul’s mother hurried outside to greet them with a huge smile on her face that Irene couldn’t help but return. She was quickly swept up in a warm embrace, which made Irene’s heart ache with longing.

“Joohyun. I’m so glad you decided to join us after all! It wouldn’t be the same without you.”

“It took a bit of persuasion on Leeteuk’s part, but I’m here now. Are Moonbyul and Solar here yet?”

“They got here this morning, along with the rest of their friends. Everyone’s down by the beach right now, they deserved a break after I made them volunteer at the shelter.”

Irene smiled genuinely for the first time in what felt like months. She remembered visiting here for the first time with Moonbyul, and immediately being put to work by the Moon matriarch. Hard work is the best character-builder out there. I started Moonbyul early and look where my baby is now. Champion of the whole Hoenn region!

“I’m sorry I missed it, Leeteuk and I had a few things to do before making our way over here.”

Mrs. Moon tutted, “Nonsense, there’s plenty of time for you to visit the shelter later this week. You did make it in time for the Beachside Festival though. Why don’t you set your things down in one of the guest rooms and then help me get started on dinner?”

“Aye-aye ma’am,” Irene grinned, grabbing her suitcase from the back of Leeteuk’s car. She had to admit, Leeteuk knew how to make her day. “Leeteuk are you staying for dinner?”

Leeteuk tried to brush off the request but one look from Moonbyul’s mother had him stepping back in surprise. “I guess I am. I have to warn you though Mrs. Moon, I am not a good cook whatsoever.”

XXX

“Whoa, something smells delicious,” Seulgi stopped in her tracks at the good smells wafting through the house. The seven of them had just come back up to the house after playing at the beach, and while she was bone-tired from their work at the shelter she was too content to let it bother her.

“This entire day we’ve been in heaven and it’s just gotten better,” Wendy agreed, turning her head in the direction of the kitchen. The two of them let their noses lead the way and before they knew it they were standing i