[OOC: This takes place immediately after Kwatoko's backstory ends.]

Kwatoko stood at the crest of a small hill, watching his former trainer disappear over the horizon. The Combusken been with the young man for many years, since he was a newly hatched Torchic, and thought nothing could be stronger than the friendship they shared. And yet…

He glanced over to Gypsy, the Zebstrika who stood beside him. He wasn’t sure if she was also looking out at where his old friend had gone or just lost in her own thoughts, but she’d stayed by him as he kept a sort of vigil over the young man’s departure. She seemed to know without being told that he needed the time to say farewell and come to grips with the change in his life. She knew him quite well now, as he did her. Yes, the only thing Kwatoko could ever imagine being stronger than the bond he had with his former trainer was how he felt for Gypsy.

She noticed him looking at her and turned her head to return his gaze. She tilted her head and quirked an ear, conveying a question she had no need to voice: Are you ready to move on?

And “move on” would be the right term for it, in more than one sense. Moving from this spot meant not only leaving this location, but leaving behind a long and happy chapter of his life. But as he gazed at Gypsy he reminded himself that there was another chapter waiting to begin, one that had the potential for even more happiness. So he nodded at her firmly. Time to move on.

Her eyes softened and she leaned down to nuzzle him tenderly. In return he stretched up to run his beak through her mane, the only fur on her that was long enough to preen. In some ways, things would not change for them. They would continue to do as they had since the moment they met: travel, gather plants, learn their uses, use them to heal any needy pokemon they came across. But they would do it together, now and forever.

As one they turned and walked down the hill to where Anise and her other pokemon waited. They couple was ready to continue their life’s journey.