She watched them walk past the orphanage with an expressionless face.

A Chespin. A girl of my own age. And an older boy. They must be on a journey. Wonder what it feels like. Mom had said that it would be very exciting.

She could have done that too. Been a normal girl with a normal life. She could have set out for her own journey with a pokemon by her side. She could have gone on a journey and seen the whole of Kalos. Maybe the world, too.

But she couldn't. Because of stupid Team Flare and stupid Kalos Crisis and stupid -

No. Don't think about him. He doesn't deserve it.

"Verity?"

Verity turned to see the manager of the orphanage. She stood up. "Good morning, Mr Ross."

"Good morning to you too, Verity," the man replied. Mr Ross was a young man in his late twenties, with dark blue hair and amber eyes that sparkled in the sunlight from the window.

"I take it that Finnley and Clara were adopted, then?" Verity asked, and Mr Ross gave an affirmative nod. "Good for them," she said monotonously.

Mr Ross frowned. "Verity, you-"

"No, Mr Ross. I think we both know that I will never be adopted," Verity interrupted him quietly. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

Verity was the oldest orphan, having been brought to the orphanage a month before she turned ten - the age at which, normally, she would have gone on her own journey. Before the Kalos Crisis changed everything, that is.

"Not now," Mr Ross said, but Verity wondered why his eyes were sparkling brightly. "I just wanted to ask something. Would you like to go to Professor Sycamore's lab?"

.....

Professor Augustine Sycamore looked at his visitors from the Lumiose Orphanage. He had shaken hands with their manager, Mr Jeffery Ross. However, he hadn't expected the man to have a teenage assistant.
Sophie took the orphans to see the lab pokemon. The girl - she must be about Mairin's age - quietly went with them, her sea green eyes sad but curious. Professor Sycamore turned to Mr Ross.

"Your assistant is rather young." he remarked .

Ross frowned. "What assistant?"

"The auburn-haired girl-?"
"Verity? She's not my assistant. She's an orphan as well."
"But isn't she a bit too old to be an orphan? I didn't see anyone else above the age of six."

Ross smiled rather sadly. "Verity was one of the children orphaned...