He started life as a perfectly normal Riolu, hatched in the arms of a young girl one afternoon. The girl, Emily, adored him since he was her only Pokémon, and the only one that her parents would allow her until she was old enough to become an actual trainer. She gave him his name, and what would come to be his mannerisms.

She was a little odd, quiet but intensely creative, and Farnsworth spent most of his time with her, acting out various pretend games and scenarios. They echoed legends that she heard before she went to sleep; Farnsworth playing the role of the fierce Raikou or Entei or Latias, and Emily playing the kind human who helped them. Emily would be the foolhardy young woman who would wander and get into mischief, and Farnsworth would be her long-suffering yet ever faithful servant. He was her older or younger brother, a father figure or a wayward son or daughter, all of it depending on the game but he was always present in some way or form. More often than not he assisted in her fantasies rather than directed them. This suited him perfectly well, and the role of the stalwart and loyal butler protecting his young master became his most familiar.

He spent a lot of time at tea parties in fancy hats, at grand balls in Emily's spare dresses, hosting fabulous soirees with restricted access indicated by strings of yarn. He would rescue her from dire situations ranging from committing a terrible social faux pas in front of the Grand Arch Duke of Pokétopia to swooping in to pluck her from the jaws of a thousand angry Groudons. They spent almost every waking hour together, and at night Farnsworth slept curled up at the bottom of her bed.

Like all Riolu, Farnsworth could read the auras of other people, and his limited telepathy made him a fitting playmate in any child's fantasy, as well as easy for her parents to communicate with. He wasn't very good at it so far, but he'd get better with practice, he was sure.

His time was spent idly, his only thoughts devoted to making Emily happy. He thought of her as his friend more than his master, and while he knew that Emily was technically his owner, he couldn't recall ever being in a Pokéball. He'd never even seen one in the house, although that may have been because it was kept out of reach of children. The only sign that he belonged to her was the little tag she'd clipped to his collar with their address, in case he got lost. They were both still very young back then, and it was a possibility that worried both Emily and her parents, although Farnsworth had no intention of ever leaving them.

Farnsworth adored her just as she adored him, and while he was a small Riolu, he could feel her care giving him strength. Her parents often told Emily that if a Riolu loved someone enough, they could evolve, but Emily was not interested. Farnsworth was perfect just the way he was, and besides, if he evolved, he'd be too tall to play with her. Farnsworth felt likewise.

His early life was idyllic, but it wouldn't be long before his luck changed. Perhaps a sick recompense for the years of happiness he spent with his little girl, he wasn't sure. He would never know.

The two of them were exploring the hills behind Emily's house. The light was fading slightly, and Farnsworth was about to tell Emily they needed to go back when something burst out of the foliage towards them, fierce and terrifying. It made a hoarse screaming noise, all white and black fury, and Farnsworth felt himself moving without thinking. Emily was in danger and his first instinct, the first thing his tiny body did was move to protect her.

Emily was screaming and gasping, and Farnsworth stood in front of her, breathing hard and already prepared to give his life to protect her. It was an instinct so strong and natural that he did not even think to question it. Nothing would hurt her while he was here, not as long as he could do something about it.

The white and black creature in front of him snarled, hissing and spitting and Farnsworth growled in response. He knew from the shows on TV that he and Emily watched now and then that some Pokémon knew specific moves or abilities for battle, but Emily wasn't a trainer, and Farnsworth didn't know what to do.

He could feel her behind him, her aura spiked through with terror so strong he could sense it without trying. "Farnsworth, don't let it get me!"

I won't!

Its aura indicated malevolence and anger...they may have intruded in its territory by accident, but he was sure it wouldn't let them leave without a fight.

The white and black monster rushed towards them, letting out a shrill cry as the black spike that protruded from the side of its head began to glow. Farnsworth shut his eyes, focused every iota of strength and courage he had, and dashed forward to meet it.

He could hear Emily screaming in fear as his paws struck its forehead, he felt the impact and heard it howl, and then it tossed its head, the spike catching him and hurling him out of the way. He hit the tree hard, but quickly struggled back on his paws, feeling something warm running down his chest. Farnsworth realized that the spike on its head wasn't a spike but a blade, and he was bleeding.

The creature came closer to Emily, intolerable and Farnsworth rushed towards it, calling out shrilly and causing it to turn and face him. It narrowed its eyes, glaring with a kind of hate that he'd never seen in real life, he never knew how afraid it could make him feel but he fought it back, kept it back because he could not afford to be afraid now, and he raised his paw for another strike as he came nearer.

A glowing white light, a flash of heat and he felt something hit his outstretched arm, and a flare of pain that was blinding. He heard Emily call his name, but he could barely think of anything after that. He fell to the ground, body racked through with agony and he heard something hit the ground moments later. He forced his eyes open and saw his arm in front of him, severed neatly at the elbow and still spurting blood.

"Farnsworth!" Her voice was shrill, panicked and horrified. He couldn't think, comprehend, understand now because there was something infinitely important that hung in the balance and he could not let anything happened to her. The rush of adrenaline through his body, a kind of stubborn strength let him push himself up on trembling legs and stand despite his dizziness, how the loss of blood made him feel lightheaded. He shut his eyes and focused his weak powers, reading the auras and the Wave as it was called in the books they had read together, and he rushed towards the glowing form of the creature that he saw without seeing because he had to stop it, he couldn't let it hurt her. He would fight through the pain because he wouldn't let this thing hurt her, he couldn't, he wouldn't...

He felt a line of snaps along his spine, like when Emily pulled one of her dresses off him too quick, and a strange spark of aching pain that spread through him quickly like when they put food coloring in water. He stopped moving because he could think of nothing else but the sensation, his body shutting down to help accommodate the oncoming change and his mouth open in wordless agony. He could feel his bones begin to move and snap on their own accord, shifting through his body in ways that should have been impossible and that was made clear quickly enough because it hurt. They shifted and changed, attaching to new muscles that moved under his skin. He could feel his spine lengthening through jarring, click-like sensations, accompanied by loud pops, and his tail likewise growing the same way. The bones in his face began to change, the movement fluid and unnatural and horrible, and he closed his eyes and his ears began to stretch, things moving, everything rearranging and he would have panicked had anything else been able to get through the overwhelming change that took precedence over all thought. Everything stretching like slow torture and a burning that made him call out, a light blinding that blocked everything else.

He thought of her, he thought of her and saving her and he fought through the pain and he could move again, whatever it was now over and he was farther up off the ground than he used to be. He stumbled to try and catch his balance, his new longer tail helping to keep him steady, and he pushed through his initial clumsiness because he had to save her and he rushed again at the black and white creature, an incoherent sound ripping through his throat. It whirled on him, now much smaller but no less frightening, and leapt towards him, that blade glowing fiercely again, and the strike cut through one side of his face. He closed his eye in hopes of protecting himself, he could feel skin breaking and the pain and it was suddenly difficult to hear from one side.

He fell back, unable to open his eye and panicked for a few seconds before he remembered. The Wave, he could read its Wave, he didn't need to have his eyes open to do that. He heard a faint buzzing as he accessed his power and found that the world had greatly expanded, colors enhanced, things were visible that he hadn't even thought possible before, but he didn't have the time to appreciate it. He found the Wave of the creature, glowing in the darkness and he ran towards it as fast as he could and tackled its side. The two rolled for a second, the monster up first and it snuffled, hesitating for a moment as if deciding if he'd still be worth it, then fell back. Perhaps it was surprised that he was still standing, but either way it finally ran back into the brush.

Farnsworth stood there, panting and bleeding. He did it, he'd done it! He'd managed to save the day, just like they'd always pretended he could! He turned to look at Emily, and saw that she was lying very still and her eyes were empty.

He managed to kneel by her body, see the wounds on her neck and touch her cooling skin before the pain and stress became too much, and he passed out.

No one blamed him for what happened. It was obvious that Farnsworth had done the best he could to protect Emily, and the story he told was too sincere to be a lie. The injuries he'd sustained were evidence enough. The nurses at the Pokémon Center did the best they could, but in the end there were some things they could not fix. Half an arm, one ear gone, and one eye now useless, blind. A jagged scar running down his face over his dead eye.

He did everything he could, and it wasn't enough. They buried Emily, and Farnsworth stood with her parents, part of their family. The world works in cruel ways, and Pokémon could be enemies as well as friends. It was the way of nature and the world, and something that one must accept. A tragedy, but no one's fault. Words that Farnsworth wanted to believe, but it was difficult for him. He tried as hard as he possibly could, given everything he had but in the end he couldn't save her. Her love and belief in him had given him the form he had now, and still he had let her down.

Her parents leaned on him for support afterwards, now that his telepathy was more developed and he could communicate more effectively. When they asked he told them of her final moments, he listened when they wanted to talk to him, and he wept with them. Their shared grief helped the pain a little, but Farnsworth still felt empty inside. Losing Emily left him with...no purpose, no drive to do anything anymore. His life had revolved around her, and without her...he was aimless.

He spent a lot of time brooding by himself, reading the auras of creatures outside and hoping he would find the monster that had killed his best friend. It was an Absol, they told him after he had described their assailant. A Pokémon said to bring disasters. That was true enough...Farnsworth's life was effectively ruined, as were the lives of everyone who knew and cared about Emily.

Months went by, and the pain did not ease, although his days did slip into a routine. Her parents were slowly adjusting but would never be the same again, and neither would he. Still, her parents were concerned about how Farnsworth spent so much time by himself, alone and dwelling on his failure. They cared for him, after all, and hoped to help him through this just as he'd helped them. All he needed was something other than himself and what had happened to focus on, something to give his life some kind of meaning now without her. So they suggested the Assisted Pokémon Living program to him, and Farnsworth reluctantly agreed, because he didn't have anything else.

A society that matched Pokémon to people who needed them, depending on their disability. A noble cause, to help a human who truly needed help. Farnsworth wasn't sure if he could help anyone now, in his current state, but if he could...he knew Emily would want him to try.

When people came in, they would look at him but never choose him. After all, if you want a Pokémon to assist you, you don't want one that looks like it needs assistance. Farnsworth cut a pitiful figure, with his one ear and eye and arm, even after Emily's parents had given him one of Emily's ribbons for his ear (they said she would have wanted him to have it) and a monocle that he and Emily used to play pretend with, to try and draw attention away from the ugly scar along the side of his face.

Farnsworth sat and waited, but didn't think anyone would choose him. He couldn't even save the person who loved him most, after all.

There were some other Lucario in the program, all able-bodied and strong, and they pitied him. This Farnsworth did not like, and he found himself keeping some distance from them. His family had never pitied him for what had happened, and it made him uncomfortable. Enough so to prick up some of the pride that he thought he'd lost. He didn't need anyone's pity, all he needed was her and it was too late. She was gone, and he was here.

Absol's reputation was well-earned...his life was ruined.

~~~

While Radic had spent a good amount of time in the new Sinnoh region, he'd found to his dismay that only two Pokémon had awoken the Feeling so far. His Turtwig was sleeping in her ball, and Yanni the Chatot sat on his shoulder, singing a little tune every now and then and chattering on about this and that. But apart from them, no other Pokémon had made the connection. Radic was beginning to lose hope...maybe this just wasn't the region for him.

So Radic wandered, contacting Red occasionally to see how he was doing. Red had a full team, as usual, and seemed to be adapting rather well, and was already on his way to challenge his fifth gym leader. Far from being ready for a battle with Red, since that would be the outcome of when they met again, as they'd agreed, Radic wished him luck and contented himself to just wander and search on his own, sure that he'd find his other Pokémon someday.

While he was traveling, he heard about something interesting...something called a Wave that was like a person's aura, something that could be seen without seeing, given the proper training. That sounded intriguing and, given his blindness, incredibly useful.

He traveled around, asked some questions, and eventually was directed to an office for Assisted Pokémon Living, which sounded like they could at least tell him where to find a Wave-using Pokémon, if nothing else.

With Yanni on his shoulder chirping directions in his ear, Radic made his way to the front desk.

"Excuse me..."

"Yes, may I help you?"

She sounded female. "I'm here because I've heard about this thing called a Wave...it lets you see without seeing? I was hoping you might know a Pokémon that knows about it..."

"Yes, I see. Are you blind?"

"Yeah." It still felt strange to say it.

"I can definitely see a Wave-using Pokémon being useful to you then. That's the specialty of a particular species of Pokémon, a Lucario. Do you know about Lucario?"

"I've heard about them..."

"About them," Yanni parroted perfectly.

"They're very skilled at reading people's auras, and are also telepathic which makes it easy to communicate with them. I think a Lucario may be just the Pokémon for you. We have a few here that we may be willing to assign to you, if you'll come with me..."

Radic waited, and rather than take his hand, she walked around the desk and kept talking, her voice a low drone that was fairly simple enough to follow. He didn't really listen to what she said exactly, since it was a history of the building and organization and really, it wasn't important. He waited and followed her until she finally stopped.

"Here, I'll introduce you. Erin, will you come here?"

He heard a short purring sound, and the sound of paws coming close.

"Erin, this is...what is your name?"

"Radic."

"Yes, this is Radic. He needs some help seeing."

I understand. The Lucario's voice entered his mind. Radic, is it?

"Yeah..."

You have a very kind aura, Radic. He could sense her smiling. I would like to help you, if I can. Through proper training, I can teach you how to see the auras of other people around you. It's not the same as seeing with your eyes, but it is far better than nothing at all.

Something about her seemed...it didn't click. Radic shook his head.

"I'm sorry, but..."

"Yes, of course. Erin, if you would..."

That's alright, it's important you choose someone you feel comfortable being with. She didn't sound upset at all...very professional. They must have all been trained.

Excuse me, miss?

"Oh...Farnsworth, I...well, this is Radic." The woman seemed taken a bit off-guard. "Did you hear what I told Erin?"

Yes, miss. May I speak with the young master?

Something about Farnsworth's voice was intriguing enough...refined but not honestly so, like someone was imitating the correct inflection on each word. It reminded him of Fauntleroy, but imperfect...a sincere imitation but not real. Radic wasn't sure what to make of it. He reached out a hand. "Can you come over here where I can...can you come closer?"

He heard the Lucario walking closer to him, then a paw gently touched his outstretched hand. Yanni made a short surprised sound before he took off from his shoulder and moved to Radic's hat, grumbling at the Lucario in a variety of dialects.

"Farnsworth, you should really say something before you touch someone who can't see. You may startle them," the woman admonished, but not that harshly. She still sounded somewhat disconcerted. Apparently this was a scenario that she hadn't really expected.

You can't see me, young sir?

"No, I can't really see anything," Radic said with a slight smile. "Kind of part of the blind thing."

Of course, sir. I may be able to grant you some sight for a moment if you'd like. I think that, in my particular case, you should probably know what you're getting into before agreeing to be assigned to me. Was that bitterness? I'm sure that someone with an aura of your caliber will be unconcerned, young sir, but I think it best to follow protocol.

"My aura?"

Yes, your aura, sir. It...it's pleasant. It reminds me of someone a little. Something of a tremor in his mental voice for a moment, and Radic felt a twinge in response. He hoped he wasn't upsetting him...

I can sense that while you may not have a great deal of skill, sensing Wave is an ability you can at least accomplish, sir. Once at that point it will be up to you to refine your abilities through practice, although I will help you through as long as you require my services. Now, if you would simply relax your mind and allow me to reach you, I will see if I can let you sense me, and... Farnsworth paused. Well, you'll see, young sir.

Radic relaxed, and gradually he felt a presence edging into his mind. Thanks to his earlier experience with raising a psychic Pokémon, he was able to fight down the immediate instinct to rebel against the intrusion. He took a deep breath and let it move further, and gradually he could see something in his mind's eye, a dim glowing outline of the Pokémon in front of him faintly coming into focus. Farnsworth was taller than he was, all thin muscle and gangly limbs. He had one long ear and the stub of what must have been his other, and one thin arm held primly at his side. The other arm seemed to end rather abruptly, and Radic realized what Farnsworth must have expected, and why he wanted Radic to "see" him before he agreed to work with him. No doubt Farnsworth expected Radic to move on to a different Lucario once he saw what shape he was in, but instead Radic felt that warm glow inside him again, that call that he always heeded because it had never steered him wrong so far.

"Farnsworth, right?"

Yes, sir.

"Can I...?" Radic reached out a hand, and Farnsworth made a slight questioning noise, then moved forward enough so Radic could touch his chest. His fur was soft and fluffy...a spike coming out of his chest? That was odd...he ran his hand up towards his face carefully.

"You're...this is..." He hadn't gotten the Feeling in such a long time, and its strength sometimes robbed him of his more sensible words. "Can you come with me?"

Me? He could hear the surprise in his voice.

"Yeah, come with me." Radic smiled broadly. "You're just who I've been looking for, I know it. I know we can be good friends."

"Marvelous," the woman said nearby, who had been watching the whole exchange. "I'll get the paperwork."

You want me to come with you? Farnsworth still sounded a bit shocked, his more dignified air now completely gone, and he tilted his head to deliberately guide Radic's hand to one area. Radic's fingers glanced off fur-less, naked skin, rough and hard and he could tell immediately it was a scar. He followed its trail...it ran across his eye.

"So you can't see either...?"

I can see alright, Farnsworth said a bit awkwardly. Just not from that eye. And the other isn't very strong either...that's why I have a monocle to help me.

Radic hadn't felt the monocle yet. It suited him though, and he could picture him wearing it. Radic's voice was strangely quiet.

"You must have been a great battler."

He could feel the awkwardness, unhappiness rising in his own mind from their telepathic connection. Not...really.

"Well..." If he hadn't gained these injuries in battle...than how? Radic shook the question away. He was sure that Farnsworth would tell him someday when he felt comfortable enough with him. There was no need to force it now. "You fought and you lived...that's what makes a great fighter, isn't it? One who walks away." Radic smiled again, softly.

Farnsworth didn't say anything for a while, but Radic got the distinct impression he didn't believe in that philosophy.

Why do you want me to come with you?

"Well..."

I...felt something from you when you saw me for the first time.

Well, Farnsworth did have some psychic abilities...maybe he could sense it. "I just...it's this feeling I get, you know? When I see certain Pokémon...I know we're supposed to be together. They're the ones that I'm meant to be with. It's just...it's never steered me wrong before, and now I feel like you're one of them."

Me? The surprise in his voice was clear enough, and Radic knew that now he heard Farnsworth's real voice, timid and unsure. Instead of some normal Lucario that's got both his arms? Farnsworth tried to sound disdainful, but it wasn't something he was familiar with or good at, and instead he only sounded confused. I'm...I'm not normal. I...

"I don't care. Believe me, I've had a lot of experience with abnormal Pokémon." Radic laughed slightly.

Farnsworth lowered his ears, and Radic ran his fingers along the one that was still intact.

I don't understand. You...you don't even know me, you didn't raise me. How can you just take me in like that?

"You don't know a lot about Pokémon training, do you?" Radic found the ribbon tied around his ear tip. "What's this?"

A rush of unhappy, conflicting emotions from Farnsworth. A gift from...a friend of mine.

"Must be important..." Radic said, more to himself, and he moved away from it. "So what do you think? Want to come with me?"

You really want me to come with you?

"I know I do."

I'm not a fighter. I can't...I don't know any techniques. I won't be able to fight for you.

"I don't care." Radic's fingers lingered on the scar across Farnsworth's eye. "It's not all about battling, you know."

He could feel his surprise again, thick and strong. Farnsworth hadn't expected that. Well...I want to talk to my family first, I want to know if it's okay...

"Oh sure, of course. Anything you need to do."

I...if there's a battle, I don't know if I can protect you...do you want a Fighting Pokémon that can't even do that?

"Well, if you can't protect me, then I'll protect you!" Radic smiled. "How about that?"

Farnsworth stared at Radic a long while, studying the colors flicking around him, and he sighed.

Alright, but let me ask first.

~~~

Farnsworth took him to meet his family after Radic filled out everything that was required and was given a Pokéball, although Farnsworth confided in him that while it was supposedly his, he couldn't really ever remember being inside it. Sensing that he might not care for the device, Radic put it away in his bag and the two of them walked together.

Farnsworth had some time to compose himself while Radic was filling out forms, and when they met each other again, he had the same refined, careful persona that he'd had when they first met. The impression of complete control and knowledge. It reminded Radic of those old TV programs he used to watch...like Farnsworth was someone's butler.

While Farnsworth said he wasn't a great battler, Radic guessed that he must have had a previous trainer, and that must have been where he got that personality type from. Kitsune was the same way, he was sure. Pokémon had a tendency to pick up traits from their trainers over time.

The couple that owned Farnsworth were delighted to see him and likewise delighted to learn that he was going to be accompanying Radic on his journey. Ushering them inside, Radic was pressed into lunch with them where he was peppered with question after question about where he was going, where he'd come from, how much experience he'd had, how long he'd been blind, and countless others. It was obvious that they were deeply concerned for Farnsworth's welfare, like he was their child, which explained a lot. On the other hand, they seemed very glad that Farnsworth was deciding to head out into the world and were generally very supportive. Farnsworth seemed unsure of how to treat the attention while Radic was nearby, and mostly kept his more refined, distant air about him.

They were set to leave in the morning and both of them were tired from all the questions they had been asked. Radic was about to go to the couch, which they had pulled out into a bed for him, when he felt someone touch his shoulder.

"He's all we have left," Farnsworth's father said, and his grip tightened on Radic's shoulder in a way that Radic couldn't miss. "I know that the life of a trainer is exciting and dangerous, but..."

Radic put his hand over the man's and he could feel it shaking.

"Don't worry, sir. I'll watch out for him."

It took a while before he responded, and his voice was a little shaky. "Thank you."

The next morning, after trading Pokétch numbers, Radic and Farnsworth set out on their way.