Momma's Girl

Three years in the cage. Three years behind bars. Three years since Lucid was freed. Literally freed. Freed from anything at all. Freed from anyone who stood in her way. All she wanted in the world was to be free. She hated this jail cell. She sat there looking at the wall. Her ears suddenly perked up to the sound of the bars opening. She turned her head. It was Lorietta.

"Lucid, you're free to go." Lorietta said with a smile.

Lucid glanced at the floor. "Go where? I ain't go no home, remember?"

Lorietta smiled. "I'm taking you to MY home. You'll like it there."

Lucid glared at Lorietta. She couldn't even trust her the day of her arrest. How could she trust her now? "How do I know you ain't gonna throw me up the river to make me sleep with the fishes?" Lucid asked giving her the stink eye.

Lorietta gave a half-lidded look and rose a brow. "Because I'm not like the other cops in here."

Lucid glared at her for another few minutes before silently accepting Loretta's offer. She slowly rose up from her spot and walked out the prison walls. Lorietta smiled and followed behind her. She had a special plan in store for her. She had hoped and prayed each night that this certain plan would fully reform her heart from evil and blackness to one of purity and kindness.

---

A young female Riolu sobbed intently as the pain in her knee worsened. Her father gently put his paw on her cheek and wiping away the tears, trying to calm her down. "Padi, it's okay. It's just a little scrap, it's nothing bad." He tried his best to comfort his daughter all while trying to keep a smile. He hated to see his child in such pain and distress. "Hey, hey, Padi. Look at me, look at me." He lifted the little Riolu's chin and they looked into each other's eyes. "It's alright, it's not that bad." He used a thumb to wipe away his little girl's tears. "It's alright, sweetheart. It's alright. Remember what I said about toughening things out. Sometimes bad things happen but when the going gets tough, the tough get going!" Padi said not a word, but smiled at her father and wiped away some more of her tears. "There's that smile I wanted to see." Obi then gently placed a bandage over Padi's knee injury and kissed her on the forehead.

"Is Padi alright now?" A red-haired Lucario asked. Obi smiled. "Yeah, just a little scrap, it isn't so bad."

The female Lucario smiled. "She kinda reminds me of me when I was a little girl."

"She reminds me of you when you were a baby." Obi replied.

"Dad...please...don't...embarrass me..." The Lucario said worryingly.

Obi smirked deviously. "And I want you to remember two things kiddo."

"Daaaaad!"

"Caitlin Hope Roarston, while Sugar, Jeeves, and Cornelius weren't around. I was the one that had to change your diapers and let me tell you; you were quiet the little stinker." He then busted out laughing. Padi did the same.

"Daddy!!! Evil!!! EVIL!!!" Caitlin shouted in embarrassment and anger, flailing her arms in a freezy. Just then Lorietta entered the room. "I'm home, everyone. And I brought someone with me." Lorietta revealed Lucid behind her. Obi and Caitlin's jaws dropped. Caitlin was in pure rage, Obi was in the same boat. Padi just hid behind Obi. "Oh no! NO! I refuse to let that she-demon in this house!" Obi yelled.

"Remember what she did to us?! She almost killed us!" Caitlin nearly screamed.

"Yes but...Caitlin...can you take Padi upstairs into her room?" Lorietta asked.

Caitlin wanted to refuse but obeyed her mother's command. Lorietta looked at Obi with a somewhat sinister smile. "Listen, I know you haven't had much time with Caitlin as she grew up, but I think this will help both you and Lucid. It'll only be for as long as you both want. And as long as Lucid is going to be able to be reformed."

"Hah! Lucid, reformed? Reforming her will be like teaching Sheldon how to be a vegan in his werelucario form!" Obi laughed. Lucid ignored it as Obi being his old overconfident self like usual. "Obi," Lorietta started again. "I'll have you know that if Caitlin can reform Base's stone heart into one of gold, you can do the same to Lucid. It's her influence that you had a change of heart in the first place anyways."

Obi was about to say something, but was stopped immediately after thinking it over. If Lucid was actually reformed, that would mean he'd be free of Lucid's bullying, even from their childhood. Obi smiled. "Alright, but just this once. So, what's your plan?"

"I'd thought you'd never ask." Lorietta smirked and whispered into both Lucid's and Obi's ears. Obi already liked the idea of the plan. Lucid however felt uneasy at this point.

---

Caitlin entered the kitchen after returning home from her day at the art-studio and saw a specialized sundae and smiled. "Awesomeness." She sat down and immediately ate it with a heart filled with joy. The second she finished it, she suddenly felt dizzy and lightheaded. Maybe it could've been from too much work or something more. She shoved it aside of her being tired and headed straight to bed and laid there until Obi came into the room. "Hey, babygirl. You doing alright?" Obi asked in a normal cheery voice.

"I'm fine, I just feel exhausted, dad." Caitlin said as she sunk deeper into her sheets. Obi smiled and sat down at her bedside. "Must've had a big day then. You just get some rest and I'll see you tomorrow--" He's train of thought was interrupted by Caitlin's soft puppy-like snores. "...Morning." Obi smiled and brushed his paw through her hair. "Goodnight, babygirl."

"So, now what?" Lucid asked bluntly as she entered the room. Obi smirked. "Phase one is complete, now for phase two."