Frontier Town Traveller's Haus - Guest Rooms

[Ambyssin]

The end of the workday still brought with it soreness. Nova got the sense he was getting stronger just from the simple construction job — he was able to use Aerial Ace to quickly get something up to a higher ledge on site today, which no doubt surprised a coworker or two given his bulky frame — but not by that much. He wanted to lie down. Nova could grab dinner later if he was feeling up to it. Otherwise, there was some jerky and trail mix he'd decided to get from the general store. Decent enough protein... and dried fruit to boot. The others probably gawked at the stuff. But for someone who hadn't eaten in a literal millennium, it was all delightful.

Nova slowly made his way to his room. Stairs were quickly becoming his mortal enemy in this world.

 

[Cresselia92]

Sitting on the bed of his room, Silver was working on an impossible task: learning how to braid with his claws. He glared at the lock of long fur, which he had carefully gathered while cleaning the floor of his employer’s place and tied together with a rubber band. But it turned out that focusing the weak telekinesis on four tiny tips simultaneously was a strenuous task.

Huffing in annoyance, he ran his paw through the lock once more… only to find out that there were knots everywhere now. That fact drained what was left of his patience.

“Uuugh! Stupid missing fingers!” Frustrated, he marched toward his door and flung it open, before stomping out of his room and hissing to himself. “I need some fresh air before I make a mess!”

 

[Butterfree]

Dave stumbled back to the Traveller's Haus, vision swimming. Gerome's cactus whiskey really had had a kick.

He'd been a couple of drinks in when Odette, the Mawile from the minecart, had sidled up to him and asked if he'd caught what she'd been saying back at the dining hall. Well, no, he hadn't, but she'd clearly wanted him to find out.

Supposedly, then, this Sonora person was some lovable rogue type who wasn't even planning to steal anything, just hoping to nobly sabotage the mayor's slimy gentrification plans about buying all the land out from under the locals. If she was to be believed, anyway. Who the fuck could say? Wouldn't the highway robber approaching normies for help claim to have some noble motivation? Didn't have to mean shit. Something about her knowing Brisa, the Escarpa kid Gerome had mentioned. So what. None of this fucking changed anything. If grass cat Robin Hood over there knew what was best for her and her little gang she'd stay the fuck away. Publicly crashing the party of the judge-jury-executioner-mayor was just childish fucking noise that'd get them all killed, and for fucking what? Stupid motherfuckers.

She had also supposedly said the point was this gala thing was going to be full of rich types from out of town that the mayor wanted to impress so they'd finance his bullshit. From out east, then? The Commonwealth? Were those the human supremacist types they were supposed to stop? That was the bit that kept spinning around in his head. Something to do. He could go to the fucking gala and see who these fuckers were. Maybe tell them why they should not give all their money to the guy who'd spend it building statues of himself and sentencing people to death for petty crimes.

Fuck.

He crashed on his bed. He'd be pretty fucking hungover in the morning. Morning. Wasn't there somewhere he was going to go in the morning? Fuck. Fuck.

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[Keleri]

After the fight at the river, Tarahn had retired to a comfy spot in a crawlspace under a building to sleep off his injuries, and now he was awake and nosing around town to see what his buddies were up to. One building in particular seemed to be the nexus of a lot of familiar smells and tasty ones. For reasons known only to him, he scaled the side of it to a window left slightly open and shoved and wriggled his way in, thumping onto the floor to the dismay and grim resignation of its occupant.

"Hey Corey," Tarahn said, picking up his now-somehow-more-filthy hat off the floorboards. "You seem sad! I won't try to hug you because we fell down really hard that other time. What are you sad about?"

 

[Cresselia92]

Silver walked into his room, humming to himself. Small strands of fur of all kinds littered his own pelt, but that wasn't in his mind at the moment.

It had been a productive day, way more than he expected. With so many last-minute requests of new fur styles for the tonight’s gala, he had gathered his own little fortune out of generous tips from high society 'mons. So, the countdown to the celebration had been beneficial for him, too.

He placed the pouch of gold on the table, accidentally jolting a loose coin that rolled toward the other side of the table. With swift reflexes, Silver slammed his paw on the table to stop its journey. By doing so, the tips of his claws brushed a familiar paper piece, and he immediately retracted his arm.

There it was, the invitation to the gala. Its brilliant ink seemed to stare back at him, mocking silently. Grumbling to himself, Silver grabbed the ticket, holding the extremities between his pairs of claws.

What compelled him to get that invitation, anyway? It's not like he fancied expensive business parties and the limitless fakeness surrounding them. Heck, that kind of party only dredged up bad mementos…

Spoiler: Memory: Madame Boss’ Ambition

Alone. Despite being surrounded by fifty or more people, he felt so alone. The atmosphere was stifling and lifeless, and the ten-year-old Silver felt so out of place with those elegant-looking men and women. All of them chatting about all kinds of questionable business, drinking expensive sake and savoring Qwilfish sushi.

And those glares. Countless poker faces staring down at him. Silently studying every single movement. Waiting for a slipup, a simple mistake to latch onto him like a pack of famished Houndoom.

Home. He wanted to go home. Why was he there? Why couldn't he be anywhere but there? It wasn't his business. He didn't want it to be his business. He just—

“…Are you sure about that, Madame? The Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town?”

Silver winced as he was dragged back to the present. Hesitantly, he looked up, his gaze landing on the apprehensive expression of the admin beside his grandmother. Then he glanced at her. She looked bored.

“They are just a pile of dusty graves,” she said, her tone as cold and emotionless as ever. “Such a waste of valuable space. Those worthless remains don't deserve an entire tower dedicated to them.”

“But Mr. Fuji—”

Madame Boss interrupted the admin with a swift glare. “Mr. Fuji will not be a problem.” Then she sported an unsettling smile. “I have my ways to persuade that old bleeding heart.”

“But if the Pokémon Tower will be torn down, then what will be built in its place?”

At hearing that question, Madame Boss’ smile shifted subtly, from cunning to calculating. “Well, I have heard that the radio business has become extremely lucrative as of late…”

…And she did just that. Mr. Fuji couldn't do anything to stop her ambition and the much more modern Radio Tower replaced the ancient cemetery. A monument from Kanto’s past… destroyed mercilessly. Just because it wasn't lucrative enough. And by doing so, Madame Boss extended her own clutches further, gaining a sizable profit out of radio programs as a sponsor. The sponsor who crushed the memories of helpless citizens… for power.

Disgust and dread gnawed at Silver’s guts. Everything about that gala felt like one massive déjà vu. Lands and landmarks stolen through morally dubious legal ways. Greedy business men — ‘mons — gathered to gain even more money and power. All at the expense of people who sacrificed sweat and blood for some food and a roof over their heads.

However… was it really his business? That world wasn't his world, and he doubted that Cloud brought him and the others there to solve some political tussle. Unless matters were so desperate that the local population wasn't enough to stop that madness. But again, a bunch of random humans and ‘mons plucked from random worlds wasn't exactly the best way to solve that situation, was it?

“What do I do?” Silver murmured to himself, flipping the invitation over and over. “Should I really get myself involved in this mess?” He closed his eyes and took a shuddering breath. “Even then, what can I do? Should I… even do anything…?”

“Why should I listen to the words of an egotistical jerk who would have let a sick Ampharos die? I’m going into that Rocket base because it's the right thing to do, and you can't stop me!”

Silver tensed. Even after all those years, Kris’ admonition and recklessness haunted his mind from time to time. Against better judgment, he replied to that memory, “It’s not like… I don't want anyone to die! But… Should I get myself involved and risk potential consequences, or…?”

“But what do you know, anyway? Have you ever cared about anything or anyone but yourself?”

“Of course I care!” Silver screamed at the phantom voice. “I’m not that heartless!” He paused, his breathing raspy. “I’m not… heartless…”

Uncomfortable silence filled the room, with only the random squeaks of Maus offering some faint ambience. Heartbeats reverberated in his lone ear, making it harder for him to traverse his own internal turmoil. After minutes of pondering, he breathed out, hard.

“…Gods.” He shook his head. “So, I’m really gonna do it, huh.” A soft chuckle slipped out of his lips, equally amused and kicking himself for his decision. “I guess attending those business parties and learning about dress code wasn't a total waste of my time, after all…”

Sound of mind and heart, Silver reached out for his brush. He needed to get ready for his party, and his fur and attire needed to be immaculate. Attending the gala might not have been his business nor in his best interests, but he was going to make it his, if he had to! Consequences be damned!

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[Mr.RMA]

Still plenty exhausted, and more than a little irritated from the lingering, painful burns, particularly around his well-bandaged face, Corey could do little more than lay down on his bed and try to get his thoughts in order once more...

He hoped Lorenzo wouldn't put him in some kind of massive debt, especially since he needed to buy himself a new, more practical outfit for this rough lifestyle he was increasingly getting involved in. Moreover, the words his 'guide' had spoken to him were also running through his mind on constant repeat.

Yet, above all else, he just wanted to be left alone for a little while. The embarrassment he'd suffered at the gala was just something he was having difficulty letting go, even with the knowledge that he'd played a vital part in Ignatius' defeat. He felt he'd let the other human-turned-Pokemon down by having them all outed like that... and those who were Pokemon to begin with would have the stigma of associating with them as well... To say the least, he was feeling mighty guilty about the entire matter, and these injuries ultimately felt like a karmic reminder he'd be stuck with, even as they faded, leaving plainly visible scars in their wake.

 

[Tetra]

It was your plan. You did this. A shaky sigh escaped him, his chest aching again. If only he could just get a pokemon to use hypnosis on him. Did it work like that here? Every time he closed his eyes, his thoughts traveled back to the wagon, the fire, those eyes and the sound of the Rattata-.

Drungfield had advised him to take it easy for the next few days, and he was too tired to really protest. Not like he had somewhere better to be. No team to go back to, or journey to get back to. Just sleep, hopefully. He stared at the wall, trying to distract himself by thinking of anything else...

 

[Tetra]

It took Koa a long time to finally fall asleep. He kept tossing and turning, trying to find a way to lay down that didn’t make his chest ache. Eventually he settled for lying awkwardly on his side, but couldn’t quite get his mind to stop racing. It was exhaustion that finally won him over into blissful sleep.

Fire woke him up. He jolted to his feet, wincing reflexively to see orange flames licking at the walls, and more dancing orange lights outside. No... He sprinted for the door, shoving it open and stumbling onto the stony ground. Harsh wind blew between the sparse trees and he shivered. Even his Electrike fur didn’t seem to keep out the chill. Rocky hills rose around him, cold ridges of stone before him. In the distance, fire painted the skies red, smoke blocking out the stars.

A shadow fell across him and Koa whipped around.

Entei towered above him, gazing down on him with an empty white gaze. Its gaze. Lightless embers fell from its pelt, its mane oozing off its body in pools of dark smoke. Run!!! He moved backwards, his limbs dragging unnaturally slowly. He opened his jaws to call out for his team, but his voice came out a parched whisper.

Entei took a step towards him, emotionless as ever. Then it opened its jaws, more dark flames gathering within. Move move move- He threw himself to the side at the last moment, a bolt of black flame exploding where he stood.

He got to his feet, only to see Entei once more, gazing down at him. Koa was rooted to the spot, its gaze boring into him.

You don't belong here.

It spoke without moving its mouth, the voice ringing, ringing in his head- Chains, wrapped around him-

Koa lurched and his eyes shot open. Just a dream, just a dream- “Echo?” he whispered.

Four small walls instead of a tent, a bed that wasn’t his. And no cheery Crobat or calm Joltik. Just a too scratchy blanket and a too warm room.

The dream memory lingered. Already the details were murky in his brain...

You don't belong here.

Koa’s blood turned to ice. The memory stung. Like his brain had brushed against a hot iron. It felt real. Like something had actually spoken to him. He shivered and buried his face into the pillow. Just a dream. It’s right. You don’t belong here. Except somehow it reminded him of how it felt when the Voice spoke in his dreams. It had been so... clear.

A dull ache settled in his chest, deeper than the wounds he’d received. The room felt emptier than ever, and he would have given anything for his crowded tent back home. To feel Hazard’s gentle weight on his head, Echo sprawled across his chest like he would do as a Zubat. For Rascal’s attitude or Flurry’s peppiness. No Anubis, keeping the tent warm. There would be no Scrapper prodding him awake at the crack of dawn to train.

He closed his eyes, fixing Echo's grin in his head. He wished the Crobat was here. Echo would probably lick his face and try to get him to cheer up. He would give a little chirp and do one of his loops and push him along, tell him to stop thinking so hard. Tell him not to lose hope, and that he had to keep trying. Hazard would tell him to be smart and figure out the problem. And Rascal would probably bite him. A small smile crept across his muzzle. Exhaling, he let the spiraling thoughts fade. Resolve crept through him, pushing out the fear. Okay. I hear you.

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[Tetra]

Koa rapped lightly on the door of Ridley's room - or at least, he was pretty sure it was his. It'd be really awkward if it wasn't, but after the other night... he had to check on the others and see how they were doing. Maybe ask about that weird voice. "Hey Ridley, its me. Uh, Koa," he called, not trying to draw any outside attention to himself. "You there?"

 

[Ambyssin]

The meal was nice. Though Nova hadn't really eaten in front of other people, so he couldn't shake that awkwardness that came from forcing the food in through the small slit.

All the while the guilt and shame kept festering in the back of the null's head. At how little he did to help the others. How they forced themselves to put on smiles and give him pats on the back. It was pity. It had to be. Nova tried similar gentle touches with some people he worked with. Particularly Gene.

... Now he understood why the mewtwo wasn't a fan of this approach. It felt degrading.

Nova eventually found his way back to the Haus and lumbered back toward his room. The dungeon incursion was over, which meant he'd have to get back to work soon enough.

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

It was a sign when the lines of the mayor's ledger were beginning to blur together in Steven’s vision. A sign that it was far too late into the night for him to still be awake.

With a weary hum, he closed the notebook and let his eye rest for a moment. The Haus was quiet, and had been all day. Even the Maus seemed to be taking a break from their usual hustle and bustle. But he couldn't sit idle with the meeting with Nolan looming. He needed to read through the ledger again, to make sure he would be prepared, or maybe uncover something new, something useful.

There was a slight scuffle in the walls of his room, and Steven opened his eye. Perhaps the Maus were back to work after their day off. He wouldn't have thought twice about the sounds if there wasn't something different about them.

Curious, he followed the scuttling with his eye around the walls of his room, from one side to the other. The sounds were clumsy, unwieldy… Too loud to be the Maus.

“Hello?” Steven ventured, wondering who could be sneaking around this late at night. Surely they had a good reason not to simply knock at his door.

 

[Namohysip]

Her bucket was too small again.

She'd been lamenting this fact for a while now, staring at it thoughtfully, cursing her new size and stature. Small and unnoticeable was favorable in an environment where they'd been so weak and against so many great threats. Now she dwarfed her bucket, and getting one to fit her new self was going to be cumbersome... And she'd probably evolve all over again anyway. Kicked from her metallic, watery nest all too soon.

Alas, life was never caring for one's individual plight. She was evolved, leafy, lanky, and bucketless. She would donate it to a needy Dwebble, perhaps. Or a hungry... Well, there was probably some Pokemon that ate metal. And getting the tub of a cute Treecko probably sold high if she found the right, depraved buyer...

Choices, choices...

And so Mhynt stood in the hall, staring down her old bucket, providing no explanation to passersby.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Gladion sat on his bed, doing something to his threadbare red bandanna he'd gotten when he first arrived. It wasn't holding up so well, and whatever he was doing to it seemed to be doing more damage to the remaining good fabric instead of fixing it. It was something to keep him busy, keep his mind from lingering too fully on what had just happened. He needed, now more than ever, a simple project to keep him occupied.

Between shadows and radiance, he'd unearthed some uncomfortable thoughts. He didn't have regrets per se, it had all turned out reasonably well, but he couldn't feel good about it either. He'd figured evolution would go differently for him. Now, the memory was stained by the same all-consuming mental ache that so many of his others inspired. Left to be as much a painful one as a pleasant one. At least they'd managed to save Ark. That was the most important part, but it was hard to call a victory when it was probably inevitable anyway.

 

[canisaries]

Asleep or awake - Andre couldn't tell which he was, but whichever it was, it kept changing. Images of the bed he lay in melded into the darkness behind his eyelids, melding further into snapshots of people with blurred faces with voices familiar and unfamiliar. Every now and then, he was on his bed, and other times, he was standing, walking, sitting, pacing, struggling to stay upright, all in a human body back on Earth or something similar to it, at least.

He was with Katie, he was with Ellie, he was with Sakura, and everything was alright for a moment, but then, he was with ??? again. That someone he knew he knew but couldn't place. That black-haired someone who always brought with him a sense of peril and a stinging across Andre's back. When he was around, Andre had to watch his words, yet his words were also constrained by something else, restricted like his body sometimes was, rope coiled around his body.

This person was clearly dangerous. It didn't matter that Andre never saw him attack. That person must have threatened Andre to keep him in line. It was the only reason the two were spending time together.

Was it?

There was another feeling. A sense of moral obligation - Andre knew that feeling well. And a sense of... curiosity. It came with that book he saw over and over again yet couldn't read. The words he spoke but couldn't remember. Something... something ancient.

??? grinned, emitting warm, sunny aura. It felt nice. But it shouldn't feel nice, no. This person was... extorting him. Why did he feel... sympathy? Pity? Concern? Like the young man's actions weren't his own? Like he didn't deserve to die even though he was --

He was what? He was what? What had he done? What was he doing? Who was he?

Everything got tighter. The harder he tried to think, the more difficult it became to make sense of anything at all. Maybe this was all just a dream. Maybe this person didn't exist. Maybe he was from a movie or TV show. A comic. A story. A hypothetical.

Andre let go...

...and that's precisely when it came to him.

The young man's face. His eyes, his eyebrows, his nose, his mouth. His character. His insistence, his delusions, his god, his aggression, his fear. His crimes - he had killed, he had killed more than once, he had carved Andre's back and for none of it did he show shame or regret.

Andre remembered wanting to forget, but knowing that he shouldn't. That he alone was the one who could fix the situation, to get the young man to realize the gravity of his actions and the trickery of whoever had told him to go through with it all. So that he would confess. So that all those people could have justice and peace. So that the young man would be taken somewhere he couldn't hurt anyone again.

What was his name?

Andre remembered, and he spoke it aloud to make it real before it could vanish again.

"...Red..."

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[canisaries]

Doing another day of his mailmon job was good for Andre. He supposed it was, anyway. A return to normalcy after the terror of the Comb.

He had carried the same worries with him the entire time, though. Since the visit to Evil Fucking Cave, he'd scarcely had a waking moment where he wasn't stuck thinking about the best way to make his case to whoever he would tell, and who those people would be.

And how many? Ridley had said "a few". How many was a few? Andre didn't know. He hoped, however, that he could ask again once he'd told the first person. Hell, maybe that one person would be enough.

Either way - the week's time limit was approaching. He simply had to get this started, go with his best plans and best candidate for now. That candidate happened to be Dave, the grumpy mightyena. It was true that they'd only shared one conversation, even if it was nice, but when Andre thought about telling the people he'd talked more with, like Mhynt or Nova, his stomach turned. Sure, maybe they would have been more likely to see things Andre's way, having killed people themselves, but there was also a considerable chance that they'd hate him. Surely Dave would hate him, too, but since Andre didn't know him that well, it wouldn't hurt as much. And Dave was a very pragmatic guy. Andre could be able to convince him not to tell anyone else - after all, it would only create unnecessary unrest. Or something.

So, on this fine evening, Andre approached the room that was supposed to be Dave's according to the people he'd asked around. He took a deep, shaky breath, raised his forehoof and knocked on the door.

"Dave, are you there?" he asked. "I'd like to have a word with you. In private."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Jade lay back in her bed, staring up at the ceiling, restless thoughts drifting through her head. Mostly the Comb tonight. And what Brisa had told them, at the end there...

"Saints and stars," she swore, softly, "I can't reckon much sense of it, but some chatter about buildin' a lighthouse kept comin' up. Sounded like a figurative sense of the word, not a literal physical structure, if y'get my meanin'...? Somethin' about how, if they couldn't commune with the Beacon, they'd make their own. To light the way."

Betel was artificial. It explained everything. Why the Wayfarers were their first summons to Forlas. Why Powehi had no idea where Betel had come from. Why Betel knew everything about Forlas, and yet had experienced none of it. It made sense.

She also knew that she'd have had no clue how to process that, if it'd been her in that spot.

"Hey, um, Betel? You there? I was wondering... uh, how you were doing. Ever since the Comb."

 

[Tetra]

Exhaustion made sleep come easy, but with peace came strange dreams....

The ground blurred beneath Koa’s feet paws, his legs thrumming with energy. A streak of orange raced ahead, leaving sparks in its wake. The Roaming Cyclone. He was keeping pace with him, racing across grasslands and scrubby deserts, practically flying. He was easily as fast as the Saint, maybe faster.

They were chasing something... Someone...? High above, he saw a brilliant prism of light and color carving a path through the skies, slicing the clouds. Ho-Oh.

Impossibly high up, so high even the clouds seemed unable to reach its majestic form. With a howl, he collected all his energy, focusing... and leaped-! Higher, he could go higher, so high he was flying. Punching through clouds, soaring with the wind, simply willing it and the sky responding in turn.

Crimson and rainbow feathers flashed into his vision, and he reached out, touching Ho-Oh’s wingtips, its massive form filling his vision. For blissful moments of time, he soared alongside the legendary. Eventually he glided back down to the ground, landing lightly on three paws and clutching a feather in the fourth, feeling light as air. Free.

Koa licked his lips. He needed... a drink... Yes, he was thirsty. With the feather tucked behind his ear, he trotted to the lake nearby. Leaning down, he lapped up several mouthfuls of water, though oddly it felt as if he were drinking nothing at all. Not even air. Just nothing.

The oddness slid away and instead he found himself staring down at his own reflection, expecting - a human boy - a shiny blue Electrike wearing a Ho-Oh feather. A Manectric stared back at him. He tipped his head. The reflection tipped its head. Oh right, he’d evolved... When...? Of course. Must have just evolved recently... Right. Yes. During the battle maybe.

He was a Manectric now, but shiny. Darker blue almost black fur, familiar spiky fluffy hair and amber blue eyes... Blue..? But... He blinked and leaned closer. His reflection moved closer. Blue, not brown, eyes stared back at him. Blue, just like-

Recoiling, he bared his teeth in a snarl. The Manectric in the reflection snarled back at him, blue eyed and cold and unfeeling. Koa lashed out, blindingly fast, at himself the water, dashing the reflection. The water rippled and distorted, the image vanishing into a blob of color. He stared, and stared, as eventually it resettled.

A blue-eyed Manectric stared back at him. He reared up, slammed both paws into the water as hard as he could, feeling a rush of satisfaction- A blur of blue-black and yellow exploded toward him, something sinking into his neck and pulling him in-

Koa’s yelp was cut short as black water closed over his head. He thrashed in the grip of the Manectric, flailing awkwardly, trying fruitlessly to shock him to no avail. He smashed Manectric across the head with a glowing golden paw, his grip loosened and he wrenched himself free.

He hung in an endless expanse of black water, no sign of up or down and no sign of Manectric. Alone. He could see by a faint light emanating from his own body, except the only thing visible was darkness. Water pressed on all sides and every breath was like breathing through a straw.

Out he needed out he needed more air and solid ground. He began to kick, swimming... swimming... Up? was that light? The surface? His limbs brushed against something in the void-like blackness.

Kicking away, he pushed upward. His paws jerked abruptly to a halt. Blinking in confusion, he looked at his limbs. Thick black manacles connected to chains wrapped around his legs and neck. He jerked and fought, but they only grew more taut. That wasn’t right... Twisting around, he looked down, following the chains ever downward...

Lightning blue eyes sparked in the shadows. He stared down at them, at the form gripping the red chains. Yellow and black fur, lightning black stripes and a feline face twisted into a furious glare. Zeraora.

With a gurgled yelp, he began to kick and lunge and thrash in a wild frenzy. It did nothing. The Red Chains drew him inexorably downward, closer to the furious legendary, further and further into thick shadowy darkness. He could barely see his own paws anymore, only the ever closer form of Zeraora...

Too slow... why was it so hard... He made one last feeble attempt to get free, slashing at the chains, but his limbs felt like lead and he couldn’t muster any force behind the movement. It was getting so hard to breathe down here, was the water getting heavier?

Some people can’t be saved...

His thrashing ceased. He saw himself, watched the Manectric dragged down until he could see nothing but black-

Koa lurched, then kicked out, his mind in an addled daze as he thrust his blanket off himself and sucked in a breath of air, then another. He blinked blearily, looking around his darkened room. His tangled sheets lay in a heap on the floor, and his mind slowly connected the dots. Just a dream. He must have pulled the blanket over himself. Something like that was in his dream, wasn't it? Watching, drowning in dark water. He’d been dreaming of...

A hazy image of red chains and a blue-eyed Manectric flashed through his thoughts, along with a foggy recollection of... flying? With a Ho-Oh? What a ridiculous dream. He shuddered, then glanced out the window. Early dawn light peeked through the curtains.

Good. Good, it was almost dawn, he could stick to his old routine. Well, mostly, he’d go for a nice walk and skip the training so he could give his aching limbs a break. He glanced down at himself. Still an Elektrike...

Suppressing another shiver that he attributed to the changing seasons, he hurried through his morning routine, put on his jacket, and headed for the door.

Without stopping to look, he turned the small mirror on the dresser facedown and continued out the door.

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[Shiny Phantump]

Once she’d bid Gladius goodbye, once she’d promised that she’d see him again soon even though she couldn’t live anywhere like Aether, and once she’d made contact with Gladion and agreed to speak to him, once they’d established a waypoint and made their way back to Frontier Town, Lillian prepared for a meeting she’d been anticipating for four years now. Some of the impact had been taken out of it by meeting Gladius first, and by speaking to each other mentally. But the fact remained: She was going to see her twin again.

She knocked, waited for an acknowledgment, then pushed open the door to his room. Inside was a Silvally looked exactly like the illusion that Gladius had worn, down to the necklace.

“Hey,” he said in a voice that she could’ve mistaken for indifferent or terse if not for her ability to sense the same kind of nerves radiating off him as she felt in her own gut.

“Hello. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Because he ran away. No, not because he ran away. Because he left her behind. Saved the Null, and left her behind.

“It has. It’s Lillian now?”

“Yes, Gladion. It is.”

She placed a slight emphasis on his own name. Gladion, of all people, did not get to be annoying about her not using the same name he’d called her when they were younger.

“More mature?”

She nodded. At least he remembered that much. On the other hand, it made it sting more that he hadn’t expected her to be using it by now. Emotions radiated off him: Twofold concern and amusement. She couldn’t infer how they fit together.

“You don’t have to take her word for it, you know. There are plenty of adult women named Lily, and almost certainly some who even spell it the same way you do. Mother Dearest isn’t even here in this universe. Live a little.”

Lillian grimaced. “What is it with you two and assuming it’s about— Augh. Maybe I’ve just changed in the last four years, too!”

Gladion took a half-step back and held up a talon in a gesture of appeasement. “Listen, sorry, didn’t mean anything like that. I just…”

(Let him think. Imagine: Your twin, actually thinking before speaking. That’s new.)

“…I was worried, you know? That she’d do too good a job shaping you to be her successor by the time we met again. If it’s what you want, it’s cool.”

“It’s… what I want.”

(Great work selling the confidence there, Lillie!)

“Alright, cool.” (Said as if you can’t sense his apprehension.) “How bad a first impression’d Odette make?” (Said with no surprise at all. If anything, he was amused again. She wished she could tell why.)

“It was her gun being waved around.”

The amusement drained from Gladion. That had not been the answer he was expecting.

“Shit. Figured she’d probably just insulted someone. You know, I used to hate her when we first arrived. Called me some methhead’s gyarados-assed creation. Assumed it was something like that.”

“She didn’t have bullets in it, at least. But she pretended to. Pointed it at us. Or, we’ll, Gladius was her target, but…”

He’d been worried about it hitting her, at least. That had been enough to make her worry. It didn’t seem to sufficiently worry Gladion.

“Pointing a gun at Gladius is an understandable reaction, honestly. This whole time… Or, when we first arrived—”

Voice even and explanatory, he told her of the old mayor and Esperanza’s sister, of the disappearances and the path to Terminal Two. With rage boiling in his heart and bleeding into his tone, he told her what they’d found there. He told her about woman who couldn’t take anything seriously, what she’d done to the Null and how she’d used them to fuel the horrors she’d subjected her other victims to. How he’d summoned one of those victims from her home for them. He told her about Articuno and Matthias, the hunt for the renegade Coven faction that had cooperated with Cipher and their own deep labs where they’d made their Null.

The feathers on his neck stood up in a reflexive kind of threat display. She’d been braced for what he was going to tell her since long before he’d reached that point.

“It was him. It was. All. Him. We have to stop him, before he hurts even more people and tears apart the fabric of reality in the process.”

And so, she didn’t flinch away at his reveal, and had decided how to respond in advance.

“Be that as it may, I still care about him. He’s hurting, and he wants to go home. He needs help, not someone to hurt him even more. He’s family—”

“We are not related to him.”

“—to me in spirit. I want to save him. Even if that’s from himself.”

For reasons she would never be able to understand, that answer frustrated Gladion. Why? Why did he want to hurt another version of himself?

“Fine. You’re not unwilling to fight for this world, at least?”

“That’s correct.”

(Had that ever been in question to him?)

“But also… you did metal work?” She felt sheepish saying this, but she had to ask. “Is it possible for me to… get a sword?”

Gladion rolled his eyes, and Lillian failed to recognize an avian smile behind it as he started talking to her about various realistically-attainable nonferrous metal options, while failing to sound uninterested. The tension between them ebbed for a time. At least some things hadn’t changed between them.

<><><><><>​

 

[Cresselia92]

In the dead of night, when most diurnal Pokémon slumbered peacefully in their homes, a young Lopunny jolted awake, her eyes snapping open and her mouth morphing into a silent scream. Kotone shivered and unconsciously wrapped her ears around her chest, breathing deeply through her twitching nose to try to soothe the dread latching onto her frantic heart.

“By the gods by the gods by the gods—!” she blabbered her soothing mantra, covering her face with her ears in a fruitless attempt of shielding herself from the after-mirages of her night terrors.

“What the—?!”

«𐌁𐌋𐌀𐌀𐌀𐌀𐌐𐋅𐌀𐌀𐌀𐌍!»​

“Kotone, get outta the way—!”​

—sssshbBLAAAM—​

“SILVER!!!”

Kotone whimpered, her breath itching and her heart hammering harder against her ribs. She huddled herself, desperately trying to drown out the memories and to dive into her mental happy place — happy thoughts happy thoughts think of happy and cute thoughts; Cleffa and Igglybuff playing in the snow; Lapis swimming in the backyard and in the sea, pulling me away from the burning ship-no!! Happy thoughts happy thoughts—

Despite her best efforts, the iciness in her mind didn’t melt completely. It clung tight, an uncomfortable darkness wrapping around her skull like a famished Arbok, preventing a safe retreat to her inner sanctuary. Kotone exhaled a tight, squeaky breath before letting her ears droop by her sides, and her eyes wandered to the ceiling.

“Seems like sleeping is outta the question for now…” she murmured at last, her tone more bitter than she expected.

Kotone sighed and hopped off her bed, hugging herself with her arms for some faint comfort. Still tired but also reluctant to return to her dreamland so soon, the Lopunny walked to the mounted mirror by the desk and stared at the other teen-sized rabbit, who silently returned her gaze.

Whoa, what terrible bed hair—or, well, bed fur! Without thinking, Kotone adjusted her messy tufts, scattering tiny pink sparkles in the process. The light show made her giggle softly — why were Lopunny so unbelievably adorable? Although she used to be so much more kawaii as a Buneary… Not that she minded evolving, of course! Not at all! Still, considering why Buneary evolve…

“Could this be considered some sorta love confession?” she wondered for what might be the bajillionth time. After all, her evolution had happened so quickly, too quickly, and it was more than obvious that she got a growth spurt as a stress response to seeing Silver like… like that, a vulnerable, carbonized, near lifeless heap again—

Kotone flinched and shook her head, frightened by her own mind. What was happening to her? Where did those dark thoughts come from? They had never been this persistent until—ah, until she was visited in her dreams by the patron of negative thoughts and emotions, who also gave them all a painful reminder:

I will remove you only once these greater matters are dealt with.​

Remove… which meant that her and Silver’s time in Forlas was reaching its end. (Such a short time!!) It meant going back home… back to that silent, sterile hospital room… back to her mission of finding her missing friends… back to the sight of his comatose body, wondering if when he was going to wake up—

“Fresh air!” she shouted at last, shaking her head furiously to clear those terrifying images, and her eyes darted around her room. The more she looked at the walls, the more stifling they felt, her sudden claustrophobia revealing a trap ready to spring into action. “I-I need some fresh air!”

Without another thought, Kotone bolted out of her room and into the lonely (yet equally dark) corridors.

---

“Uuugh! Why’s tonight so damned hot?!” Silver hissed under his breath, before sticking out his tongue to huff and pant to cool himself down, much to his immense chagrin. He growled, displeased, “Stupid… cursed torrid winds!”

By the gods, how much he missed having freaking sweat glands — he was literally cooking under his pelt! Why the hell did Arceus or whoever got the idea of creating Sneasel and its evolutions as a species give them useless stink bombs for organs instead of an efficient cooling system? At least there wasn’t anyone around — the last thing he needed to complete the terrible night was to be surrounded by a crowd glaring at him in disgust or discomfort.

Pah! Whatever! The kitchen wasn’t far, so maybe he could sneak in and snag some—huh?

Another set of footsteps echoed in the corridor, snapping Silver out of his heatwave-related grievances and making him freeze on the spot. His ears twitched as he quickly tried to assess who was approaching. The steps were swift, moderately heavy, so definitely not a ‘Maus. Another guest, perhaps? He sniffed the air to get more clues, then his eyes widened — he knew that scent!

“What is she doing here?” Silver asked himself, walking toward the other ‘mon. A few seconds later, the familiar Lopunny hopped from around the corner, and she immediately gasped and stumbled back when she spotted him, her own eyes widening in shock.

“Wh—Silver?!” Kotone blurted out, flabbergasted. The girl began toying with her dewlap while giggling softly, clearly embarrassed. “Err, um… Fancy meeting you here, heh! I, huh, didn’t expect to meet anyone this late… or extremely early, if we’re talking ‘bout nocturnal species!”

…Weird. Why was she so shocked to see him? Shouldn’t she have picked up his footsteps with her acute hearing?

Silver narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms, shooting an inquisitive stare. “Right… Speaking of that, what’re you doing up at this hour?”

“I can’t sleep, so I decided to take a walk,” she replied candidly, flashing an easy smile. “You?”

“Thirsty,” he motioned to the nearby stairs. “I was gonna get myself some tea.”

Kotone perked up immediately, her eyes sparkling. Not in her usual obnoxiously saccharine way, but more… pleading. Desperate. “Do you mind if I accompany you? Maybe I could get… oh, I dunno! Definitely not milk, since that might upset my stomach, but maybe some juice!”

Yeah, there was definitely something off about Kotone, but Silver couldn’t tell what it was. Not wanting to arouse any suspicion (unlikely, considering how immensely trusting and naive Kotone was) and wanting to figure out what was going on, he merely shrugged and motioned with his head to follow, and she complied eagerly.

They proceeded in silence to not to wake anyone up, and once they got into the kitchen, they set up the necessary material for some chamomile tea and lit some Fire Gems to boil the water in a cast iron teapot. During the entire process, Kotone had been strangely quiet and got constantly lost in thought, much more than usual. She didn’t even scold Silver for lock-picking the door — yet another concerning signal.

Silver huffed; he always disliked being the conversation starter. “So, that shared dream with the red eldritch sky. Kinda freaky stuff, wasn’t it? A whole inferno-like location with a Mr. Oh-Look-How-Edgy-And-Creepy-I-Am Demonic Doggo as our host?” He snickered and looked at Kotone, a joking smirk plastered on his face. “That seemed like the kinda stuff outta some high-budget horror movie. Heck, a horde of walking dead or vengeful spirits wouldn’t have been outta place there.”

That comment got Kotone’s attention, at least. She hummed thoughtfully before nodding. “Oh yeah, that was sure something!” she exclaimed with a weary smile. “Powehi didn’t seem all that bad, though! Like, sure, he was kinda grumpy and stoic and everything, but well! I guess that’s bound to happen when you hafta carry the weight of every single negative emotion all the time! But it’s clear he’s got good intentions despite his prickly heart.” She giggled innocently. “Seems a common trait among a certain type of individual, huh?”

Oh, someone got cheeky! Silver quirked a brow, recognizing her playful jab at him and his fellow no-nonsense guys. “Hmph. If you say so.”

He glanced temporarily at the teapot, having heard the first bubbles rising, then back at Kotone.

“Why exactly are you awake?” he asked, one hand on his hip. “It isn’t because of tonight’s heatwave or because of our field trip in Powehi’s horror land, right?”

Kotone’s smile faltered, and she shook her head. “Oh no, it’s not any of that,” she reassured. “Just been… thinking a lot, ‘s all.”

Silver nodded, waiting for Kotone to elaborate. Seconds passed slowly, but the only response he got was his companion twiddling her fingers with her eyes pointed low. Countless red flags waved alarmingly in the boy’s mind: For as long as he had known Kotone, she never had any trouble speaking her mind, no matter the circumstance. The fact that she was so unusually cagey was… extremely concerning.

Silver coughed, tired of the uncomfortable silence. “Wanna, huh, talk about it?” he asked, trying to coax her. Kotone looked back at him, her lips trembling as an inner conflict waged in her mind, then she sighed and looked down again. Unsatisfied with the (lack of) response, he pressed, “You don’t have to, but I can tell there’s something bothering you.”

Kotone sighed, still refusing to look at him. “It’s that obvious?”

Oh, please! You might as well have a giant sign with neon lights spelling out, ‘Look at me, everyone! I’m 100% hiding something’!

“Yes,” was his blunt reply.

Kotone sighed again, much deeper, and her shoulders sagged in defeat. “Before I answer, huh…” She finally flitted her gaze back to Silver, a serious tint spreading in her paler-than-usual eyes. “Silver, what’s the last thing you remember from before you were summoned here?”

Hm? Now she was answering his question with another question? Why was she dancing around her obvious issue like this? Not exactly the conversation he expected, but if answering would lead to finding out what was troubling Kotone, then so be it.

“Admittedly my mind is still a bit hazy, but there are a few memories that stand out,” he started, then tapped a claw on his chin, deep in thought. “Let’s see. I remember hearing Hibiki on the Pokégear. He was very frantic, so much unlike him…”

[The ship is under attack! There are these… I-I dunno how to call them! Aliens or something! Please, hurry—]​

“I remember partnering up with Jun and Mitsuru to try reaching the deck, after the ship was targeted by those… freaks of nature.”

Long black tentacles with copper-like spikes connected to a spiky white ball.
The creature ripped the neon lights from the ceiling, casting the corridor in a half-lit void.
Then, the alien turned toward them and screeched menacingly,
«𐋄𐌵𐋄𐌵𐋄𐌵𐋄𐌵𐋄𐌵𐋄𐌵𐋄𐌵𐋄—
𐌊𐌉𐌉𐌉𐌉𐌉𐌉𐌉𐌉𐌉𐌉𐌉𐌉—»​

“I remember all those Trainers fending off those creatures, the cyborgs, the black dragon in the sky, and… ah, that Harlequin-like clown. How it freaking decapitated itself and lit its own head on fire…”

What… Is that a bomb?! But who is it targeting with…No. No! NO!
«𐌁𐌋𐌀𐌀𐌀𐌀𐌐𐋅𐌀𐌀𐌀𐌍!»
“Kotone! Get outta the way—!”​

Silver exhaled a tight breath and grimaced, his hand going automatically to his chest as a sudden phantom pain affected his ribs. Nothing’s broken, I’m alive, I’m still alive… Kotone stared at him with worry and another emotion he couldn’t decipher.

He grunted and closed his eyes, bracing himself for the discomforting finisher. “And… I remember that terrible pain. A horrifying, agonizing burning pain. The explosion tearing into my body, followed by a cold darkness, and then… nothing.”

A thick silence followed, with Silver still rubbing his chest and Kotone hugging her arms, neither knowing how to continue from there. She took a shaky breath, breaking the silence.

“So, you… remember that,” Kotone half-whispered, hugging herself more tightly. “Getting me outta the way of that b-bomb and…”

Silver limited himself to a slow, somber nod. Another stretch of silence followed when the sudden whistle of the teapot snapped both teens out of their reverie.

Are you for real, you stupid hunk of metal?!

Grunting in annoyance, Silver deactivated the Fire Gems and crammed the leaves into the scalding teapot. The waft of chamomile tea began filling the air and soothed his excited nerves, but when the whistle faded completely, sounds of choked breathing took its place.

A cold jolt coursed down his spine, and Silver slowly turned toward Kotone. The girl was shivering and staring blankly at the ground, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. He gulped uneasily, his anxiety rising. “Kotone…?”

“I’m sorry, Silver! I’m so sorry!” she cried out, startling him, and she buried her face in her hands. “It’s my fault! It’s all my fault! If I hadn’t been there, or if I w-wasn’t paralyzed by fear, or if I had trained my team better and more, like y’all guys! But I n-never thought that things c-could—And I wasn’t thinking clearly, a-and I was so scared, and then you had to—”

“Wha—dammit, Kotone, get a hold of yourself!” exclaimed Silver as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

Without warning, a dark flare erupted from her body and bruised his arm, as if someone had run a piece of sandpaper over his skin. He hissed in shock, and noticing his reaction, Kotone shrank from his touch and stepped back, looking even more guilty, and a dark veil enveloped her body.

“Oh my gosh oh my gosh! I’m sorry!” she squeaked, holding her hands over her mouth in regret. “How did I—I didn’t mean to! I…”

Silver frowned at the fading wisps on his palm, then stared worriedly at the scared girl, as a rapid succession of the five stages of grief flashed in her downcast gaze. He waved his hands in a pacifying way, showing his palms while trying to calm her down. “Hey… I’m okay, see? Barely a scratch.”

“But I h-hurt you!” The mist-like darkness around her body grew into a steady dark purple flame, her mind and emotions atwitter, and she shook her head in distraught. “What have I done?!”

If Silver still had sweat glands, he would sweat bullets right now. Instead, his feathers drooped, and he barely suppressed the urge to look away. For the first time in who-remembers-how-long, a long-lost set of emotions crushed his lungs and heart: sadness and helplessness. Worst of all, his distress seemed to make Kotone feel even more remorseful, and for once he cursed her uncanny people-reading and empathetic skills.

If only there were another Kotone to lift the spirits of his downhearted Kotone… but unfortunately it was only him and his emotionally stunted self. He barely knew how to untangle his own emotions; how could he untangle someone else’s fragile emotional state?

Ugh! Chill the hell out, Silver, and focus! There has to be something you can do!

Mental gears spun at top speed until an idea popped into his mind. He recalled Kotone helping the other Lopunny by making him vent and open up, so perhaps that same method could work now? That was pretty close to troubleshooting, right? Although unconvinced that he could pull that off, he decided to give it a shot and fix whatever issues might surface.

“…Kotone. What happened after the explosion?” he asked slowly, his voice steady and his expression neutral. “You know that, don’t you?”

The girl nodded reluctantly, and her gaze shifted to her hands. “I… yeah, I do. Which is… something you deserve to know.”

She breathed deeply, albeit erratically. It was obvious that what she was going to tell took some massive mental effort.

“A-After that… incident on the ship, we both fell into the stormy sea. Your Feraligatr rescued me while Lapis found and fetched you from u-underwater. They ferried us by using some broken planks, but…” Kotone took a shaky breath. “B-But the way you looked, with all those burn marks and wounds, while lost at sea… All I could do was pray that you would hang in there. And when you got those horrible burns in that crystal cavern, i-it reminded me of…” She sniffled, growing more uncomfortable. “And tonight, I… nightmare’d all those memories…”

A frigid, heavy weight dropped in Silver’s stomach, but he did his best to maintain his neutral expression. Damn. No wonder she was so relieved when I regained consciousness…

Kotone pinched the bridge of her nose to keep her emotions in check, yet the darkness didn’t waver. “A-Anyway, um! Our Pokémon swam for hours and finally we reached Gateon in Orre. Your condition was… no, is critical. You’ve been... un-unconscious for two weeks…”

“What…?” muttered Silver, his eyes wide with disbelief. It’s been that long?

Another shudder coursed through Kotone’s body. “A-And when I heard your voice in my dreams, back in our world, I-I didn’t hesitate! I didn’t care ‘bout what I would’ve found here or what I needed to do! I just… I…”

Tears cascaded from her mismatched eyes, and Silver’s heart sank when she looked at him with the most sorrowful expression he had ever seen from anyone.

​

“I just wanted to see you again…”

The dam finally broke. Unable to contain her intense emotions any longer, Kotone buried her face in her hands and broke down, the tears spilling copiously between her fingers and drenching her dewlap.

Silver blanched in a panic, countless knots twisting in his squeezing stomach, and his heart hammered in horror as her dark flame turned pitch black and started burrowing deeper into her soul.

That wasn’t supposed to happen! Her mood should have improved after venting her distress, not worsened! Where did he mess up? What should he have done? How could he fix that mess?!

“D-Don’t cry…” he stammered, unsure of what to do or say. His words fell on deaf ears, however, as Kotone fell deeper into her despair, her ears pressed tightly against her sides.

Never had Silver felt so utterly lost. Emotionally charged situations had always made him feel uneasy, but seeing his companion… no, his best friend crying her eyes out like that made him feel as if his heart stopped beating and was being crushed by a herd of Steelix.

The many trials that Kotone must have endured back home after his reckless action, her unnaturally speedy evolution in that accursed cavern to save him, and now the countless tears and remorse that her despair brought to the surface… Once Silver put all those pieces together, a bout of epiphany dawned into his mind: Kotone had opened her heart for him, proving how much she cared for him and his wellbeing, and now it was bleeding out.

Words alone wouldn’t help here. What she needed from him was undeniable proof of how much he cared about her. His own heart rate quickened with hesitation: Silver had kept those deep and fragile feelings carefully guarded for so long that breaking their rusted lock was legitimately frightening.

But Kotone was worth it.

Silver clawed into the depths of his soul, letting the Radiance flow out and seep into his heart, his emotions turning more fluid than water. With his mind buzzing with artificial confidence and fearlessness, he reached out and grabbed the girl’s shoulders, ignoring the stinging scratches of the black fire against his skin.

Kotone tensed at his touch, her ears twitching in alert, and her eyes filled with concern for him despite her emotional turmoil. Silver steeled himself with resolve, and before Kotone had the time to react, he wrapped his arms around her shaking body and pulled her to him, pressing her head to his chest. Corrosive darkness lashed out at him in self-defense, making him grit his fangs, but he didn’t yield.

“L-Lemme go!” she cried as she weakly attempted to wiggle free. “Please… I’ve hurt you! I’m hurting you!”

Silver responded to her request by holding her even tighter, yet his grip remained gentle. “It’s okay. I’m okay. So don’t worry about me.”

An intense golden glow radiated from his body, soothing the stinging pain, and he nuzzled Kotone on her cheek with his muzzle. At this she froze, stunned by his actions, and while she still shivered and breathed erratically, she also stopped struggling.

“Stay calm. Take slow and deep breaths and let everything out,” he murmured as he started caressing her on the back, his claws fully retracted. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere without you, neither here nor when we return home. Because I…” The radiant energy surged, untying more of the locks he still kept around his heart. “I… love and care a lot about you…”

Time stilled. Silver breathed deeply after this burst of Radiance, his mind both excited and panicked at his own confession. Revealing his feelings made him feel so exposed, elated, vulnerable, and free; his own heart started bleeding.

“…Silver…”

Kotone’s darkness grew weaker, its wisps bouncing harmlessly on his shimmering golden glow. She began exhaling heavily, her half-snorted breaths blowing through his fur, and reciprocated his warm embrace.

“I love you, too…”

As soon as she reciprocated the feelings, Kotone’s crying crumbled into much quieter sniffling, and her breathing finally steadied. Just like that, the horrible black flame dissipated. Silver’s relief and joy were so immense that his Radiance faded just as quickly, and they mended and brightened his now lukewarm heart.

The boy sighed, feeling lighter than air, and addressed the girl still in his arms. Somehow, he didn’t mind it nearly as much as he thought he would.

“Feeling better?” he asked, surprising himself. Not even he knew that his voice could be so… soft.

Kotone stayed quiet for some time, then nodded slowly. “Y-Yeah, a little…” she murmured, drying her eyes with a furred wrist, then gasped when she finally gazed back at him. He must’ve looked like crap since she combed his forehead to rearrange his red fur. “Oh my gosh, you look so frazzled! Sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

“Stop apologizing,” he said firmly, not wanting Kotone to descend into another self-blaming spiral. Then he added more gently, “You did nothing wrong.”

Kotone sighed unhappily. “But the ship… by the gods, I-I didn’t handle that situation well, like, at all! Y-You nearly sacrificed your life for me, and…” She bumped her forehead against his chest, fighting back the fresher tears. “I wouldn’t blame you if you were mad at me…”

“I’m not mad at you and I have no reason to be mad,” Silver replied with utmost sincerity. “It was a chaotic mess that was beyond anyone’s control, and I don’t want you to blame yourself for what I’ve done.” He placed a claw under her chin and craned her head up, earning a surprised blink. “You always preached to me about forgiving and giving myself some grace. Now I want you to do the same.”

“…Okay. I’ll do my best.” She attempted a smile, but that was interrupted by a pained wince, her body wobbling and her hand going to her forehead. Silver steadied her stance by holding her shoulders, which she thanked with a tired smile. “Uuugh! My goodness, I’m feeling so dizzy right now…”

“Jeez, no wonder! You were basically intoxicated with darkness and tearing your mind apart with negative emotions. 0/10, not recommended,” he quipped, grinning with satisfaction when she giggled back at him. After leaning Kotone against the desk, he poured the chamomile into two cups and handed one to the girl. “Here. This should help a little.”

She smiled gratefully. “Thank you.”

The teens sipped their chamomile in amiable silence, giving themselves enough time to fully assimilate what had just transpired and to calm their respective nerves. Their hearts were harder to keep in check, though.

“…I know you said not to apologize, but I still feel bad for, well, everything,” Kotone started, looking down at her beverage. “You only wanted some midnight drink, and I basically forced you to endure my breakdown.”

Silver snorted and waved his free hand dismissively. “Seriously, stop worrying about that! I’m not upset or injured or anything, and y’know I’ve dealt with far worse crap than this in the past.” Leaning against the desk, he gestured toward Kotone with his cup. “Besides, we’re a team, aren’t we? So we’ve gotta support each other during both good and bad times, but especially during the bad times.”

Kotone looked at him in awe, then began laughing heartily. While her genuine laughter was much welcome music to his ears, he couldn’t help but be confused by her reaction. He quirked a brow and asked, “What’s so funny?”

“Oh, nothing! It’s just… that’s not something I would’ve heard from you four years ago,” she explained, placing the empty cup on the desk. “You know you used to be quite, um…”

“Egocentric? Egotistical? Egomaniac?” he offered. When Kotone pouted at him, displeased with those descriptions, he shrugged and smirked, unbothered. “Hey, I recognize my flaws. It’s no big deal.”

Kotone wanted to say something else, but dispelled whatever thought she had with a shake of her head. “Regardless, I’m very proud of you, Silver. You’ve truly changed for the better.”

“Heh.” Silver noticed a stray tuft on Kotone’s face and tucked it aside to better look into her eyes, smiling fondly at her. “Let’s just say that I’ve learned something from a certain type of girl who loves talking people’s ears off with her ceaseless chatter, gallons of kindness, and affectionate personality.”

A bright and warm grin stretched across her face, making his heart swell. “Well, that ‘certain girl’ wanna thank you for being such a good friend.” She winked cheekily. “If not something more~!”

Silver scoffed and rolled his eyes, far more embarrassed than annoyed, and finished his own chamomile. “Hmph, whatever.”

Right, so whatever warm feeling they felt for each other was mutual! Both teens had suspected as much, but now that they had the confirmation, neither knew exactly how to proceed from now on. A matter for another day, they decided with a shared look and a bit of mental feedback through Betelephone.

After washing the dishes, Silver brought out his own share of fault. “By the way, err… I’m sorry for making you worry so much after my, let’s say, reckless action. While I don’t regret taking the metaphorical bullet, I recognize you must’ve gone through hell because of that.”

Kotone didn’t respond. She simply patted him on the shoulder and shook her head. ‘No hard feelings’, she said with her earnest gaze and gesture.

Sensing that she needed some final reassurance, Silver brought up another detail he had remembered recently. “Still, if it’s any consolation, it won’t take much longer for me to regain consciousness after we go back home.”

Kotone tilted her head, puzzled. “How d’you know that?”

“Ho-Oh told me.”

Kotone gaped at Silver, flabbergasted by his reveal. Countless questions flashed silently in her eyes, but before she started her interrogation, he held out a hand to chill her curiosity.

“There’s plenty we’ve gotta discuss, and I could use your insight, too. But let’s postpone that talk until you’re fully rested.” He frowned, looking Kotone over. “You’re obviously running on fumes right now.”

Pointing that out made Kotone realize how truly exhausted she was, and she reflexively stifled a yawn, her legs shaking with effort. “Oof! Seems like it, yeah, and I have to go back to my room, too…”

“…C’mere.”

Without another word, Silver wrapped his arms behind her back and under her knees, then lifted her off the ground to cradle her against his chest. Kotone meeped and stared at him with wide eyes, and he smirked when he noticed a faint shade of red on her cheeks.

“Wah! Silver?!” she squeaked, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck for stability.

“If you’re that tired, then it’s only fair for me to offer a… helping hand!” Silver puffed his chest, proud of his own physical strength, and began marching toward the rooms. “Strong and sturdy limbs are one of the best perks of being a Fighting-type.”

Amazed and touched by his kind gesture, Kotone reached out and gave a quick kiss on his cheek, feeling him jolt at the contact. “Thank you. I’m glad I’ve got to meet you, Silver…” she whispered with a sweet tone, her head lolled against his neck and her face turning into the picture of peace.

Silver trembled slightly, the blood rushing to his cheeks and his heart banging against his ribs, and gods, why was he getting so hot?! It wasn’t the obnoxious drought-related heat, but something far more pleasant and soothing for his spirit.

The boy exhaled deeply and looked at Kotone, who seemed to have fallen asleep already, comforted by his presence. He chuckled softly and held her tighter, letting a warm smile slip onto his face.

“I’m really glad, too…” he whispered back, his voice brimming with affection.

Whatever the future had in store for them, whether it was in Forlas or back to their world, it didn’t feel all that dire or difficult anymore. No matter what challenge the universe threw at them, they were going to face it.

Together.

<><><><>​