Heptagonal Ring

by EntropyWing

In the middle of a faraway desert lies a peculiar metropolis inhabited only by pokémon, an almost utopic paradise with a bit of an unseemly obsession with number seven. If you'd kindly lend an ear, this humble troubadour will tell you a tale from its past, about eight eeveelutions and how their paths would cross when their region faced a crisis unlike any other.

21. Winners

Welcome back.

Finally, the day the whole Warbler had been waiting for had arrived, the last day of their tournament, they day when the next leader of the Cerulean Warbler would be chosen. After a series of battles involving all kinds of skilled combatants – both from inside and outside the node – only four experienced fighters remained, and one of the four would be crowned with the title of champion, an honor without peer in the battle-obsessed Cerulean Warbler.

Oh, and they could also opt to become the next leader, I guess. But I have this feeling that was secondary to them. It was truly surprising how different the philosophies of the nodes could be, even when they were right next to each other and – Oh dear, I'm digressing an awful lot.

Now, let us resume our tale.

---

"This is where we split up," Scylla said to the Flareon and the Jolteon before her. There was also a familiar Ninetales right beside the Flareon. "I have to go with my troupe to make sure everything is okay."

"Oh, you have to go?" Zephyr said, frowning. They had walked with Scylla and her troupe all the way from the Amber Crane to the Cerulean Warbler – taking the route through the Conflux – and had hoped to spend the rest of their day with her and the others.

"We have to take care of some things, sorry," Scylla said, offering them a polite nod of courtesy. "But it will be just a few hours! Once the tournament actually begins, I'll be free to be with you guys. I'll look for you later!"

Agni reluctantly nodded, understanding. If she had duties to attend to as one of the organizers of the event, there wasn't anything they could do about it. They'd just have to accept it and wait for the Vaporeon to finish her task. "Okay, we understand. We'll likely be around the arena." Well, of course. Why go to a tournament if not to see the matches?

"Okay, I'll see you later then. Bye!" Scylla waved them goodbye and followed after her troupe, glancing around with curiosity as she marched, observing the many different pokémon that had attended to watch the competition. The streets of the Warbler were very boisterous right now, even though it was really early in the morning.

"Well, I should probably take a tour around the place," Opal said, observing her surroundings with interest. She only ever saw this many pokémon gathered at the Conflux. "The show doesn't start for a few more hours, right? No point standing here, sitting on our asses doing nothing."

Zephyr looked around, absentmindedly "I agree. I should probably go look for Kizzie."

"You two just can't stay idle," Agni complained with a drained smile. He didn't like waking up so early. "Aren't you tired from the trip? Because I am. I kinda want to rest my legs for a little."

"Rest, then," Opal said. "I won't go far anyway, and we know we can always meet at the central arena. It's not like we can get lost here, even among all these people."

"Yeah, and I'll probably find Kizzie quicker if I go alone," Zephyr said. He could run really fast – like any Jolteon – and it would be impossible for either of them to follow his pace. "Once I find her we'll go to the arena to meet with you."

Agni sat down, resting his frontal legs in his bushy tail. He didn't feel like walking right now, maybe later. "Okay, I'll sit for a little while to recover and then I'll go to the arena too. I'll meet you all there."

After exchanging goodbyes, Zephyr and Opal went on their way.

---

"But I never figured you'd like this sort of thing, Dad."

"You know I don't, Ivy, dear, but as the leader of the Beryl Calandra it's my responsibility to attend to this ceremony, since a new leader is going to be elected. It's mere courtesy."

Ivy and her father talked while Safira and Higure tailed after them, not speaking a word but heeding their conversation. Linze had come as a representative of his node, the Beryl Calandra, with the Scizor Higure as his bodyguard. He never went far without a trusty defender like him. Ivy and Safira were also there, although their reasons had nothing to do with the Calandra. They just wanted to meet with the others. They had arrived with Kizuna, but as soon as they set foot in the Cerulean Warbler she darted off to search for Zephyr.

"Still, I'm sure you'll end up liking it, Dad," Ivy said. "Battles can be very interesting, especially when the defenders of the Warbler are involved."

"Ah, sorry, Ivy, but I'm afraid you inherited your appreciation of battle from your mother. I have never been too enthusiastic about combat," Linze said. It might be because he was just a Linoone – far from the strongest of fighters – or maybe it clashed with his tranquil and calm personality, but Linze simply didn't like fighting. He shared this trait with his younger daughter Safira, while Ivy took after her mother and had a fondness for battle.

"Whatever you say, Dad. Anyway, we should probably go look for our friends, they must be around here. You're coming, right, Saf?" Her younger sister gave her a quick nod, not thinking about it twice. "Cool! Then we're off. See you later, Dad, Higure!"

Linze observed as they left, feeling overcome by… pride, perhaps? Oh, they had grown up so fast… They were so broken and hurt when their mother passed away that he feared they might never recover, but they seemed to be doing fine now. That was good.

Ivy shifted through the crowded streets, Safira walking close to her, and both of them paying close attention to their surroundings, trying to find anyone familiar among this multitude of people. Ivy in particular wanted to find Skoll – but anyone else was okay too.

The first other eeveelution they chanced upon in the Warbler was one they actually hadn't had much contact with: the Flareon, Agni. He was walking with a bored expression on his face, frowning with his eyes half-closed as if he had just woken up. They took notice that he was alone. Strange, Zephyr always seemed to be with him.

"Hey, Agni," Ivy called the Flareon as she approached him. "Weird to see you all alone, man."

"Ah, you two…" Agni eyed the two recently arrived eons, which he identified as the daughters of the Calandra's leader. He wasn't sure how to act. Should he be more respectful, since they came from a noble family? They seemed very informal in the past when they were all together, but he had never been alone with them. "Um, Zephyr left to look for Kizzie – for Kizuna, and my sister Opal went to… take a stroll." Not too formal, not to casual. It should do.

"Funny, Kizzie also went to look for Zephyr," Ivy said. And who else did he mention, someone called Opal? Oh, that was his Ninetales half-sister, right? "So your sister is here too, uh? She didn't come to the tournament last time."

"She wanted to see the finals, since she's a defender herself and all."

"Uh-huh. So where were you going? Are you looking for the others too?"

"No, I was going to the central arena. That's where Zephyr and Opal said they would go, and I'm guessing everyone else will end up gathering there too."

"Oh, that sounds like a good idea!" Of course, why hadn't she thought of that earlier? Everyone would go to the main arena to watch the competition, so they couldn't miss them if they went there too. "We'll go with you."

Agni showed no opposition and resumed his promenade, Ivy walking by his side while Safira trailed after them. It was a mostly uneventful walk to the central arena, except for a single encounter further down the road.

A canine pokémon – that neither of them was acquainted with – stepped before them, blocking the path. "You're Ivy, aren't you?"

"Uh? Yes." The Leafeon saw no reason to lie.

But who was this pokémon in front of them? It wasn't familiar. He – for his voice and physique were definitely masculine – looked like a big black dog with an orange snout and underbelly, and he almost doubled them in size. Of note were the two big gray curved horns on top of his head and the many bone-like designs around his canid body. His species, as they would later learn, was known as Houndoom.

"Who are you?" Ivy asked, stepping closer to get a better look at the Houndoom. He was imposing, but that didn't seem to faze the daring Leafeon.

"Ah, yes. I should introduce myself." He brought a paw to his chest, letting them get a good glance at his sharp claws. "My name is Barghest, and I will be the next leader of this node."

His comment drew a few gasps of surprise from Agni and Safira and a skeptical glare from Ivy. "Oh? So you're one of the defenders participating here?"

Barghest's voice was smooth, but at the same time firm and strong. It came off as intimidating, even. "Yes and no. I'm participating, but I'm not a defender." So he wasn't a defender? He definitely looked the part. He was as brawny as one. "I wanted to talk to you from future leader to future leader."

Ivy smirked. "So you think you're gonna win the tournament, uh?" The Houndoom looked strong, that was undeniable, but Ivy wasn't sure he would be on the level of the rest of participants. "You're already assuming you'll be crowned leader."

"No, you don't understand." Barghest laughed, showing off rows of pointed fangs inside his mouth. "I never said I would win. That doesn't matter. It's not the winner of the tournament who becomes the leader."

"Uh? I thought it was," Ivy said, her eyes widening in astonishment. That's what she had been told.

"The winner gets the chance to become the next leader," Barghest said. He punctuated most of his words, continually opening his maw and showing off his fangs. Was he doing that on purpose…? "The winner can reject the position. There's four fighters left – me among them – and I've talked to all other three. None of them is interested in the position of leader, but I am."

Oh, that changed things. Then it didn't matter who won. Even if Barghest didn't win the tournament, as long as the other fighters renounced the position of leader then the privilege would fall to Barghest, who would accept. He wasn't bluffing; he was indeed going to be the next leader of the Cerulean Warbler, no matter what happened in the tournament.

"Oh. Then I guess I should congratulate you." Ivy cocked her head to the side as she offered him a cordial smile. If he was going to be a leader too, she wanted to be in friendly terms with him. In fact, it was almost good news! The Houndoom looked around her age, if slightly older, but much younger than any other present leader. Ivy had feared she would be the only young leader in the future, but it seemed like that would no longer be the case. "I wish you good luck as a leader."

"Haha, thanks. I wish you the same." Barghest laughed again, showing off his pointy fangs once more. Okay, it seemed like the guy was a bit of a show-off, but everybody had defects. Ivy preferred not to bring attention to it and just ignored it. "I know the Beryl Calandra doesn't neighbor the Cerulean Warbler, but I'd still prefer it if there was a cordial relationship between our nodes."

"Oh, naturally!" Ivy nodded with enthusiasm. She was of the same opinion; distance shouldn't be an excuse for their nodes not to get along. They had an amiable relationship with the Warbler back when Zvonimir led it, and it seemed like that would not change with Barghest. She gave a brief look back at the other two eons. Agni was looking around, seemingly not caring, and Safira was watching them in silence, looking a little scared. Well, the Houndoom did look intimidating.

"That's good to hear. The Cerulean Warbler is a very strong ally, and one you definitely want by your side. It's good to know you agree."

"Ah, yes. The Warbler is invaluable to the Heptagonal Ring." Ivy knew that all leaders loved their nodes and hearing talk about their nodes, and flattery went a long way in solidifying relationships between nodes. And it was true – all nodes were necessary for the Heptagonal Ring.

"Yes! The Warbler is important, that's what I'm saying!" Barghest happily nodded his head with a grin from cheek to cheek. "Everybody says our node is full of barbarians, but I know that's not the case! It's thanks to us that criminals are stopped and outlaws apprehended. If it weren't for us, the whole Ring would be in chaos."

He wasn't entirely wrong, but the Garnet Oriole also gave a hand with that. Ivy didn't mention it, opting for further flattery. "Yes, indeed. We're very thankful to the Warbler."

"I know great things can come from our nodes cooperating together. We'll make sure the Beryl Calandra remains safe, ensuring the protection of its citizens and leader figures."

Oh, that sounded good and nice of him. But weird. The Warbler and the Oriole collectively protected all seven nodes, so it was weird of him to single one out like that. Still, Ivy appreciated it. Maybe he just didn't have a way with words. "That'd be great."

"Yes, yes, it's so good that you can tell how useful our node is," Barghest said, grinning and showing off his teeth – why did he always do that? Maybe it was a subconscious act. "Adamantium has become really scarce for us since our old leader decided to sit in the middle of the Conflux, and we need Adamantium to properly function as a node. I'm sure something can be arranged once we both ascend to power, since the Calandra is the node in charge of distributing Adamantium to the rest of nodes. You know, we help you, you help us."

Mmh. It's understandable they'd be vexed about the recent shortage of Adamantium, but it affected all nodes, not just theirs. Ivy's father always stressed the importance of not showing any preference towards any node. Ivy forced an awkward smile. "Yes, it's unfortunate, but all nodes are going through the same. Let's hope the Oriole gets Zvonimir's issue sorted out soon, uh?"

"Forget the Oriole! We don't need them. I'm sure we could do this by ourselves if we had the resources, and you can supply those resources. Think about it, we've got so much to win from this, both of us."

"I… We can't really do anything about it. The Calandra must distribute resources equally to all nodes, we can show no preference." Ivy's tone didn't waver, but the Houndoom's demanding attitude was starting to irk her.

"C'mon, you shouldn't fear reprisal from other nodes! I said we would protect you from anything." Barghest tapped Ivy's forehead with his paw, showing a certain air of condescension. "I saw your battles during the first rounds of the tournament – nice fighting, by the way – and I knew you wouldn't be as passive as your father. I know you're a clever girl that knows that the strong ones should side together. You must know how important it is to gain a strong ally, and how much more important it is to avoid making a strong enemy."

"What…?" Ivy stared at him with wide eyes. That… wasn't a threat, was it?

Barghest turned around with a sinister grin on his face, facing away from them. "Oh, but don't worry, Ivy. I'm sure we'll get along just fine. You're a clever girl, so you know what's good for your node and your people. Now, I should go get ready for my next match." He strutted away in direction to the arena, leaving them behind. Not like they wanted to follow him.

After a short period of silence while they stared at him walk away, Safira nudged Ivy. "Sis…"

"I know. That's one of the fakest smiles I've seen in my life." There was something off about the Houndoom, but Ivy couldn't exactly pinpoint what. "And the way he talked…"

"He seemed polite enough," Agni said.

"Uh? Well, yes, but the way he talked was kind of… pompous, you know?"

"That could have been," Agni said, not feeling argumentative. "He's from the Warbler, though. He's just a warrior, so maybe he's bad at expressing himself."

That was a possibility. From a young age both Ivy and Safira had been taught how to act in a dignified and refined manner, but since Barghest was a warrior he most likely had never been taught anything about protocol. Perhaps he was just trying to be nice but had trouble finding the correct words. It was hard to judge the Houndoom based on just one encounter.

Agni didn't seem to be giving it much importance. "Anyway, my cousin is acquainted with many fighters from the Warbler, so maybe he knows the black dog. We'll ask him when we see him. Let's go to the arena now."

If they kept fooling around they would be late for the tournament and potentially miss the others, so they wasted not another second and resumed their walk to the central arena.

---

After exploring the whole left half of the Cerulean Warbler looking for Kizuna, Zephyr's trot turned into more of a saunter as he looked around the right half. He was running out of time, the tournament would begin in a matter of minutes, ten at most. Zephyr decided to drop his search for Kizuna and go to the main arena, since he would likely find her – and everyone else – there anyway.

As Zephyr walked towards the arena, his gaze stopped on a pair of familiar faces. He hadn't managed to find Kizuna, but he had at least found two other eeveelutions – an Umbreon and an Espeon. The duo was looking at a board of sorts, which was where the matches and their order were announced, Zephyr figured.

He approached them, hoping he wouldn't be much of a bother. They didn't seem to be doing anything anyway, they were just chatting. "Hello, guys. Good seeing you two here." He wasn't surprised they were there. They seemed to be in exceptionally good terms with Vetr, so of course they would come see her.

Skoll greeted him with a smirk as he poked his shoulder. "Hey, Zephyr! How's it goin'?"

"Ah, hello, Zephyr." Lumis smiled and waved a paw at him, his greeting tamer by comparison.

"Aren't you two going to the arena?" Zephyr asked. "The match will start soon. I'm guessing we'll find everyone else there too."

"We were on our way to the arena, actually," Skoll said, turning back to the board behind them. "We stopped to check who the remaining contestants were. Vetr is one of them, no surprises here. I'm not sure I know the other ones, though."

Luckily for them, since Zephyr was a registered member of the Cerulean Warbler and liked to go there to spar every now and then, he was well acquainted with all the most powerful fighters of the node. "Well, let's see who the remaining participants are." Zephyr approached the board with curiosity, since he hadn't bothered to take a look before.

"First is Koa," Skoll said, pointing to the name written on the upper left corner. "I know that one, and I've even traded blows with him once or twice. A pretty powerful Breloom, easily on Vetr's level."

"Is he really that strong?" Lumis asked, looking back at Zephyr.

"Oh, he is! Koa entered our last tournament to choose a leader – the one Zvonimir won – and he made it to the quarter-finals, losing only against Zvonimir himself. And he was even younger than us back then! He's much stronger now."

Lumis stared at the Jolteon with astonishment, his eyes widening. So Skoll wasn't exaggerating after all. "That's amazing…"

"That's not all! He helps – he used to help Zvonimir every now and then with his leader duties, so some people in the Warbler considered him a subleader of sorts for the node."

"So he actually joined the tournament to become a leader?" Lumis' eyes broadened, surprised at the prospect of a Warbler defender entering a tournament not for the sake of fighting.

"Actually, I doubt it. I've heard him say many times that he doesn't want to become a full-fledged leader. It's evident that Koa likes the node and wants to collaborate and help with anything he can, but he isn't the type who would pursue a leadership position and leave his fighting days behind."

"A fighter to the bone, like our Vetr," Skoll said, grinning.

"Koa will certainly reject the title if he wins, but he will still likely help the new leader, just like he helped our old leader Zvonimir. If there's something Koa loves more than fighting, that's the Cerulean Warbler. Well, so who's Koa fighting first? Vetr?"

"No, someone called Ceza," Skoll said, narrowing his eyes as he looked at the board. "But I can't say I've heard than name. That's what I was telling Lumis when you arrived."

"Ceza, you say?" Zephyr got closer to the board to get a better look at it, noticing the name of Ceza's species written right next to his name. "A Scrafty… I think I might have met this guy once or twice, but I can't really tell you much about him. He must be strong if he has made it this far in the tournament, but I don't recall ever sparring with him so I can't tell you anything more. Sorry."

"Well, it doesn't matter," Skoll said, shrugging. "We'll find out when the tournament begins."

"He's gonna have a hard time if he's pitted against Koa, though," Zephyr said. "Well, if Koa is fighting this Ceza, who will be Vetr's opponent? Who is the fourth participant left?"

Skoll looked with a mild grimace at the lower right corner of the board, where the name of Vetr's adversary was written. "That'd be… Barghest."

"Barghest?" Zephyr inadvertently raised his voice at the mention of the hound, his whole body jerking. "The Houndoom? That Barghest?"

"The one and only," Skoll said with a forced grin.

"I didn't even know he was participating." Zephyr seemed a little shocked by the news, looking at the board and rubbing his eyes to ensure he was seeing correctly. "And he has gotten this far? I mean, I'm not exactly surprised, but…"

"So who is this Barghest?" Lumis asked, since it seemed like he was the only one not acquainted with that name. "Do you know him, Zephyr?"

"Uh… Well, everybody in the Warbler knows him, that's for sure." Zephyr acted in a hesitative manner, carefully choosing his words, waffling. "Barghest is a Houndoom from our node, and he's… well known around the place."

Someone well known in the Cerulean Warbler? That could only mean one thing, Lumis figured. "A strong defender?"

"No, he's actually not a defender at all," Zephyr corrected him, shaking his head from side to side. "He's a… how to put it… a tycoon, a magnate."

"A rich and successful merchant, you mean?"

"Rich and successful, yes. Merchant… kind of."

"But how could a merchant be so strong?" Lumis asked. Barghest had reached the semifinals, which meant he had defeated all competitors before him, many of them trained defenders. How could a measly merchant match veteran defenders evenly in battle?

"He lives in the Warbler, so he's picked up a trick or two in his time here. And again, he's not exactly a merchant, more like a…" Zephyr fell silent, unable to find the word he was looking for.

Skoll decided to help him out. "A gang leader. A syndicate boss."

Lumis stared at his friend wordlessly for a moment, expecting him to reveal he was just joking any second. The Umbreon made nonchalant sneering comments like that one constantly, but in spite of his wide smirk, he seemed serious this time.

The Espeon's body jolted, his tail standing straight up as he turned to Zephyr for confirmation. "Wait, seriously? A criminal?"

"No, not a criminal," Zephyr said, emphasizing his words. "There's no way we'd have a criminal roaming around in a node filled with defenders. Barghest's activities are always within the Oriole's laws. That said, the… morality of his affairs and dealings could be up to debate."

Lumis cocked an eyebrow, intrigued. "Could you offer an example of those dealings?"

"Well, I don't know, it's not like I'm involved in those worlds myself, but from what I've heard…" Before continuing, Zephyr took a look around for caution, to make sure nobody was eavesdropping. "Things like, maybe, offering you a moderate sum of money for a very expensive item, or trading you a mediocre item for a valuable one."

"If the trade is unfair, why wouldn't you just refuse?"

"Uh… no, you don't refuse one of his offers."

With his head low and his ears flattened, Lumis spoke in a low tone. "Extortion…?"

"Not quite. I've never heard of Barghest retorting to violence." Zephyr knew well that he was giving them second-hand information, but from his interactions with other Warbler defenders who had met Barghest, he didn't think he could be too far off. "It's just that he holds a lot of power – he has many followers, both inside and outside the Warbler. He has no need for extortion, because you wouldn't want to get on his bad side to begin with."

"From what I've heard, he's very subtle about the way he acts," Skoll said, adding his two cents. "He's very influential – especially in the Warbler but also outside – so he knows no one will try to cross him for no good reason. If you don't confront him, he won't confront you, so most people just try to pretend he doesn't exist and hope he never gets his eye on them."

"Oh…" Lumis bowed his head. While he wasn't scared, hearing talk about the Houndoom wasn't particularly reassuring. Still, what would someone influential like Barghest want to do with them? They were likely beneath his notice. "So he's fighting Vetr?"

Skoll looked at the board again to check. "That's what it says here, unless my eyes are failing me. Also, according to this, the battles will start soon. We should get going already."

The main arena was right next to them, but they would be late if they kept dawdling.

---

And thus, the semifinals began. According to the energetic Ludicolo commentator, the two rounds of the semifinals would happen in succession, one after the other, and then there would be a pause of a few hours before the final round began. That way the participants would have some time to rest in between rounds.

The first match was between the Scrafty Ceza and the Breloom Koa – clearly the crowd's favorite, judging by their effusive cheering of the grass-type. In spite of the clear type advantage Koa held due to being a fighting-type, Ceza still managed to put up a fight, although he ultimately lost. It was evident – even for someone with no battle experience – that they were both very skilled fighters, but Koa proved to be superior in the end. The Breloom's type advantage only made it easier, but given the way he dominated the battlefield, he would have probably won even without it.

The next fight started right after the first one, separated only by a short respite of roughly five minutes. As the Ludicolo commentator introduced the two next competitors, Barghest and Vetr, the ovation the Weavile received from the public made it obvious who of the two was the crowd's favorite, although it's worth noting that Barghest was also met with mild applause.

The fight was more even and balanced than the previous one. Neither of the competitors held a clear supremacy over the other and it was hard to tell at first glance who would be the victor. The eeveelutions watching – Ivy in particular – noticed that Vetr wasn't playing around like she did during her match against Ivy, she fought seriously from the get-go, not missing a single chance to land a blow on the Houndoom. It was a very evenly matched battle, but thanks to a mix of luck and slightly more dexterity, Vetr ended up winning.

Of note were the different reactions of the losers. Ceza had an annoyed grimace on his face, his head and shoulders hanging low, upset he had lost, while Barghest took it in stride, smiling at the public without a care. Barghest wasn't a defender, so he didn't care much that he lost a battle.

Anyway, now that the semifinals were over, the Ludicolo commentator – the leader of Scylla's troupe – announced a little recess of three hours until the final match between Koa and Vetr began. This would be a good time for the eeveelutions to try to find each other, since they correctly assumed they would all be gathered around the arena.

The little group formed by Skoll, Lumis and Zephyr discussed what to do now, whether to try and find the others or wait there for the others to find them. Before they could arrive to any decision, someone came to them. Not an eeveelution, but a Weavile.

"So how was it?" she asked.

"A breathtaking spectacle," Skoll said, smirking at her. It was true. For a trained defender like Skoll, these battles – not only hers, but also Koa's – were a greatly enjoyable display of matchless skill and years of training, and he was sure Zephyr thought alike. "You did great against the hound. Good job."

"Indeed. That seemed like a hard battle," Zephyr said. "I thought you would lose for a moment."

"I myself thought I was gonna lose at some points during the battle too," she admitted. "He's got tons of brute strength, and I'm not good against fire-types." Ironically, even though fighting-types were her greatest weakness, the Warbler was full of them so she had grown used to fighting them, rarely having much trouble battling them. It was other scarcer types she had more trouble with, such as fire-types.

"Congratulations on your victory, either way," Lumis said, smiling politely. "I might not be an expert when it comes to battling, but I can tell it was well-earned."

"Ha, thanks." Vetr looked aside, disregarding the praise, and she caught glance of an approaching group of eeveelutions. Or rather, a single one followed by two others lagging much behind. "Hey, look who's there."

Ivy was running towards them at full speed, while Safira and Agni just followed after her at a more relaxed walking pace. It took her just a few seconds to reach their side, stopping to pant once she did, feeling a little tired from her hasty dash.

"I knew we'd find you if we followed Vetr," Ivy said in between pants. "We figured she'd go see you first thing."

"Ah, yes." Vetr gave her a nod. "I caught a glimpse of them among the crowd while I was fighting, so I made a mental note to come see them once the battle ended. I got a good eye. You need it as a defender."

"Congrats on your win!" Ivy praised Vetr. "That was a really exciting match! Oh, and the one before yours too." She had no complaints about any of the four semi-finalists. It was evident they were all very skilled in combat. They had only gotten so far by their own merit.

Agni and Safira finally arrived, not keeping up with the Leafeon's fast pace. Agni stepped forward, looking at the Weavile. "I commend you for your victory."

"C-Congratulations," Safira timidly said, not wanting to be the only one not congratulating the Weavile.

"Thanks, thanks." Vetr barely knew those two, so she felt a bit weird being praised by them, but she figured they might feel just as awkward praising her. "I just had a bit of luck. Barghest could have won."

"Please, don't undermine your victory," Barghest said… because he was there with them now, apparently. They had failed to notice his arrival, in part because he was quite stealthy for his strong complexion. "We played fairly and you won. You're a superior battler. I can accept that."

"Ah, Barghest…" Vetr stared at the Houndoom for a moment, not sure of what to say. They had never interacted before. "You fought well too. You really gave me a hard time."

"Well, you don't get this far in a tournament if you aren't a little strong yourself." The Houndoom quietly scanned the assortment of eeveelutions surround Vetr, the sight of Ivy in particular bringing a grin to his face. "I had come just to congratulate you, but I see I'm not the first. Are you acquainted with the Beryl Calandra's next leader? Are you friends, perhaps?"

"Something like that," Vetr said, looking aside with unease. "We have mutual friends."

"Fascinating." After nodding to the Weavile with a big smile, his glance set on the Leafeon once again. "So Vetr is one of your friends, Ivy? I see you like to surround yourself with strong people. Very sensible."

"We're… friends, yes," Ivy said, a weak frown tainting her face. Was he implying something? It's not like they were friends only because Vetr was strong. They were friends because… well, only because of Skoll and Lumis, actually, but it wasn't out of convenience like the Houndoom seemed to be suggesting.

Barghest turned to Vetr once more. "I also wanted to ask you for your help and collaboration. I know you've occasionally helped Zvonimir with an errand or two, and I would really appreciate it if your help also extended to me."

He was asking her for assistance? Now that was weird. Vetr wondered what he meant exactly. "Help? With what?"

"With my future leader position," Barghest said, drawing more than a few stares of shock from those who didn't know of his intentions.

"You want to become our leader?" Vetr asked. That was the question they all had in mind.

"Yes, I do. That's why I joined the tournament," Barghest said. He seemed to marvel at their reactions, laughing politely. "Like I was saying, I'd highly appreciate your collaboration. Koa will likely help, he's always been devoted to our node, but I need all the help I can find to make our node the greatest of them all."

"Excuse me…" Zephyr stepped forward. This affected his node, so he needed to know. He tried to be polite, no need to enrage the Houndoom. "Why are you assuming you'll be the leader? You… well, you're no longer in the tournament."

"You're not wrong." Barghest smiled at the Jolteon. Nice set of teeth. "The champion will be either Koa or Vetr, but neither of them wants to be the leader, so that responsibility will fall to the third place. Me."

"There's still Ceza," Zephyr reminded him.

Ceza, the Scrafty that Koa fought during the semifinals. He was in the same position than Barghest, so he'd have to fight him to decide who deserved the bronze, and thus the right to become the next Warbler's leader.

"Ceza? No, he's not interested in the position either, so there's no need for a fight. I know he'll just politely relinquish the position to me," Barghest said, grinning with conviction. "He's one of my strongest men. My right hand, even. He joined because he loves a good fight, but he wants to see me crowned as a leader as much as I do."

"Oh? So he was one of your flunkies," Skoll commented in a low voice.

But Barghest had a good ear. "Boy, I don't have flunkies, just allies. If other people recognize my superiority and decide to follow me, I'm not at fault."

"Ah, yes, sure," Skoll conceded, if begrudgingly. He wasn't in the mood to argue, not with the Houndoom.

The Houndoom didn't feel argumentative either, so he just let it be. After firing a quick glare at the Umbreon, he turned his head back to Vetr. "So what do you say, Vetr? Will you kindly lend me a hand? I'm sure you'll find that our collaboration will bring us nothing but power and prestige, to both of us. We can make the Cerulean Warbler shine like it has never before."

"That sounds good," Vetr said with a half-smile. She had no objection to anything he said – it all seemed sensible enough – but the Houndoom didn't enjoy a good reputation, and that made Vetr hesitate.

"It fills me with joy to hear that," Barghest said, smiling, making them wonder if he even knew how to smile in a non-threatening way. He did genuinely sound happy. "With your help, Koa's, and Ivy's, I'm sure we can make the Heptagonal Ring a much better place, with our Warbler and Ivy's Calandra on the lead. My men have already elaborated some preliminary proposals on proportional distribution of resources prioritizing our two nodes. If we follow them, I'm sure we can create an unprecedented golden age for the Heptagonal Ring."

But the Beryl Calandra couldn't afford to do something like that. Ivy had always heard his father insist how all nodes were important and how none of them should be disregarded. "Barghest, I already told you we can't –"

"I know, I know. The Calandra evenly divides Adamantium and other resources between the seven nodes. That's how your father does it, but you're not forced to follow his steps. If there is a more optimal method, it's only normal you'd choose it. Your father is too timid to show favoritism for the clearly superior nodes, but I know you're not like that."

"Barghest, I think you're misunderstanding my father's intentions." As much as Ivy wanted to, she couldn't just yell at a future leader. That would only complicate matters in the future. Besides, Barghest was at least being polite, he didn't raise his voice. "His method ensures there are no wars for resources between nodes, and encourages collaboration and commerce between all seven nodes."

"We wouldn't give up on any of that. We are the strongest node, so it would be easy to impose order on dissenting groups and revolting factions. Besides, we wouldn't completely kill off supplies for the rest of nodes; just limit them for the nodes that are less essential to the Ring."

"And what nodes are those?" Skoll asked, giving the Houndoom an unfriendly scowl.

"What node are you from?"

Skoll briefly wondered whether to answer or dodge the question, but he figured there would be no harm answering sincerely. The Houndoom didn't scare him. "The Azure Nightingale."

"Heh, lucky." Barghest grinned. "That one, along with the Crane and the Sittella, are the ones I would deem necessary. They give us medicines, materials and food. They're the cogs the Heptagonal Ring needs to function. But let's not go crazy, they should only be given enough to fulfill their purpose. Any more than that would be a waste of resources that could instead go to a more important node, like mine or Ivy's."

"And how, pray tell, does one determine what nodes are, ahem, important?"

Barghest leered at the Umbreon, a grimace contorting his face. "I hope you're not misunderstanding my words. All nodes are important to the Ring as a whole – I'm well aware of that – but some are more essential than others. Don't complain, at least your Nightingale is useful, I'll happily admit that. There are much less vital nodes out there, like the Lilac Kiwi."

"The Kiwi?" Ivy raised her voice, making Barghest turn to her. "Is anything wrong with the Kiwi?"

"Not in principle," he said. "But I'm sure you'll admit, Ivy, that their services are less fundamental to the Ring than, say, the Sittella's food collecting or the Crane's material gathering. The Kiwi's efforts are appreciated, but they're not strictly indispensable to us."

Ivy refused to comment. She wasn't going to start comparing nodes. Her father always said that the most important quality a leader of the Calandra could have was impartiality. The Beryl Calandra was, in some manner, the central node of the region, in charge of supervising the rest of the nodes and providing what each needed. As such, any form of favoritism would be heavily frowned upon, and the perfect recipe to make conflicts arise.

"Barghest, that's something I really can't do," Ivy said in an almost pleading tone. "I know the Cerulean Warbler is having trouble, but so are all other nodes, and I can't afford to disregard any of them. If you want, the Calandra can help you devise a plan to manage the Warbler's current resources more efficiently. We can't provide more resources, but we'll assist all nodes with their problems in any other way we can."

"Calm, Ivy. You don't have to take any decision yet." In spite of the Leafeon's reiterated refusal, Barghest looked remarkably unworried, smiling openly. "Your father is the leader right now, not you, so it's not like you have any power as of yet. But everything will come with time. You'll get your time to shine, and I'm sure you'll make the correct decision when the time arrives."

"Well, I'm not a leader yet." While Ivy refused to agree with the Houndoom, she knew she couldn't spurn him outright. Whether she liked it or not he was going to become a fellow leader, so she'd have to make sure not to mar their relationship, lest it affect the friendship between their nodes. "Let's leave this discussion for when I am."

"Sensible words. I wouldn't expect any less from you, Ivy." Barghest added a polite bow after his words, which both Ivy and Safira reciprocated. "I'm afraid I've taken far too much of your time already. I just wanted to congratulate Vetr on her victory and ask for her collaboration, but I didn't expect to find Ivy here too. Anyway, I should now go congratulate Koa for defeating Ceza, and talk to him about the future of our node. I'm sure Koa will have no objections to helping me."

But just as he was about to leave, two other pokémon were about to arrive.

Actually, one had already arrived. And her bows were tightly enveloping the unsuspecting Jolteon, who made no efforts to escape when he saw the Sylveon.

"Zephyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy–" Kizuna fell silent for but a moment, opening her mouth full to catch some much needed breath. "Where was I? Ah, yes – yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyr, I missed you so much!"

"Kizzie!" With a grin, Zephyr returned her loving caresses, his nose tenderly nuzzling her neck. "I looked for you everywhere."

"Ditto! I searched around for you, but I just managed to find Scylla! We agreed to come to the arena and look for you here, and thank goodness we did!"

"Scylla." Barghest, who was about to leave, suddenly stopped when he heard the Sylveon say that name. "A Vaporeon… You must be the daughter of Charybdis."

Both Scylla and Kizuna looked at the Houndoom, the only pokémon present they weren't acquainted with, although they had seen him fight Vetr. While Kizuna's position as a chronicler gave her some insight on the Houndoom, Scylla wondered who he was. It struck her as odd that he would recognize her by her mother. Sure, her mother Charybdis had been a popular star during her younger days, but the Houndoom here didn't look old enough to have lived thought that. Given the Houndoom's age, she would have expected him to be a fan of his, not of his mother.

"Yes, I'm Scylla," she said with a wide, warm smile.

"I figured. You see, my father was a great admirer of your mother." Oh, so that's why. That made more sense. "Well… My name is Barghest. It's been a pleasure meeting you, I guess."

Barghest offered Scylla his paw, which she happily shook. "The pleasure is all mine! Please, make sure you come see our show if we ever come to the Warbler in the future."

"Mmh. Maybe I'll think about it." Barghest gave a nod, smiling… or at least his facial expression looked like a smile. "But I should really go see Koa now. If I delay, he might go too far and I'll have trouble finding him. Goodbye to everyone. Please, make sure you enjoy the rest of your stay in the Cerulean Warbler for the duration of the tournament."

This time he truly left, walking with no haste, but he left. They all waited until he was out of sight before speaking, and Scylla was the first one to do so, her gaze focusing on Ivy. "Damn, what a stud, uh? And he seems pretty nice too."

"He's a jackass," Ivy replied, not thinking about it twice.

"Uh?"

"And that's putting it kindly," Skoll added.

"I repeat, uh? He seemed very polite."

"He is polite, yes." Lumis looked at the distance before continuing to make sure Barghest was no longer around. "He's far too demanding, though."

Agni nodded. "I can understand where he's coming from, but I'm not sure that's the way to go about it."

"So can someone tell me what the matter is?" Scylla asked. Vetr then explained to her how Barghest was going to become their next leader, as well as his ideas about an uneven distribution of resources among the nodes. "Oh… I can see why that could be a problem."

"Yes, it could turn out to be a… nuisance," Vetr said. "But it's not that bad, is it? Whatever Barghest says, it's the Calandra that decides how Adamantium is divided. Your father still calls the shots."

"No, this can actually be a pretty serious hassle," Ivy said in a tired voice, one of her ears droopy. "Dad can be a bit of a pushover at times, and that guy seems quite charismatic."

"It's worse than that," Skoll said. "You guys really haven't heard of him? Barghest is a very powerful… dealer, let's call him. He's got tons of contacts in every node, and he's not really someone you want to provoke. He has ways to get what he wants, whatever it is."

"What are you saying…?" Ivy's eyes widened as she stared at Skoll. "That almost sounds like… a gang leader or something."

"Well, you said that, not me." Skoll took a quick glance around, scanning his surroundings in search of Barghest, or Ceza, or anyone suspicious. You can never be cautious enough. "From what I've heard, he has tools to… force you to compel."

"V-Violence?" Safira asked, her face pale.

"Not quite. Again, he's very powerful and influential, so if he doesn't want you to succeed, you just won't."

While everyone stared at each other mutely, Vetr crossed her arms in a defensive position. "I've heard things like that too, but I don't know… Do you really believe all that? He's a dark type, so I figured people were just scared."

"Just ask Zephyr," Skoll said, turning to the Jolteon, who was happily cuddling with Kizuna. "When he's done snuggling, anyway."

Zephyr pushed Kizuna softly with a paw and she stopped her loving assault, although her bows still coiled around the Jolteon. "Barghest, uh? Haven't heard many good things about him. At least he's not known to be hostile for no reason, so as long as you escape his attention…"

"You're talking about Barghest? Why?" Kizuna noticed just now that every other eeveelution was present, and Vetr too. It was hard for her to notice anyone else when Zephyr was present, and she had in fact missed Barghest completely.

"He was here a moment ago," Zephyr said, being a little more attentive. "He said he was gonna be the next leader of the Cerulean Warbler."

"Oh. That is… a bit of a pickle." Her usually cheery expression turned neutral, her smile all but vanishing. "He can give us a headache."

They didn't fail to notice that, as a chronicler, she should know more about the Houndoom than any of them. Ivy thought to ask her. "So are those things that are said true? You should know."

"Of course I know, because I am a chromhmh–!"

Zephyr's paw promptly silenced her. Vetr didn't know the Sylveon was a chronicler, and they preferred it to remain like that. "Because you are very knowledgeable about lots of things!"

Thankfully, Kizuna caught the hint. She made a mental note to be more careful about it in the future.

Ivy asked her once again. "So what can you tell us about Barghest? Is he as bad as he's painted, or is he actually a jerk with a heart of gold?"

"No. If anything, he's a jerk with a heart of imitation gold. Like, copper or bronze." She looked down for a moment, gave Zephyr's cheek a quick lick – why? – and resumed speaking. "He's got lots of power and influence, that's true. Definitely a fat cat! Well, a fat dog. Well, a lean dog. But he can absolutely influence your life – for good or for bad – if he wants to, and he's done it quite a few times in the past. He can destroy or make careers almost at will."

Ivy frowned. "Not sure if I like the sound of that. Then if my father or I were to reject his, um, suggestions, what would he do, exactly?"

"He could easily give you some serious trouble, like attacking your credibility and reputation, hindering any projects you might have or simply turning your own people against you."

That sounded like quite the quandary. Linze was a Linoone and Ivy was a Leafeon herself, and neither of these two species was particularly imposing when it came to pokémon. Dissension and discontent among the members of the Calandra could cost them dearly, so they'd have to avoid incurring the Houndoom's wrath no matter what, as that would spell their doom as leaders of the Beryl Calandra.

"We'll manage to deal with him somehow," Ivy said with a bowed head, her tone failing to deliver conviction. "It can't be that bad."

"You can count on us, too," Skoll said, putting his paw over her shoulder. "Our node – and all nodes, in fact, wouldn't let him do as he wishes. The leaders of the Ring are no pushovers. I know our Soren looks like one, but that old snake can really bare his fangs when he has to."

"There are many powerful defenders in the Crane, like Opal," Zephyr said. "They wouldn't let Barghest or anyone else trample all over them. The same is true for the Oriole and its defenders."

"Don't you think you guys are taking this out of proportion?" Agni asked. "He did seem to have the interests of the Ring in mind, even if his methods were disproportionate. Maybe you just need to talk it out with him."

"It didn't sound to me like he cared about the Ring at all," Skoll said. "He only seemed to care about himself."

"Well, that's not entirely accurate," Kizuna said. "Barghest genuinely loves this node. He would put the well-being of the Cerulean Warbler before his own. The rest of the Heptagonal Ring, however, is secondary to him." Her feelers fluttered about as she kept speaking. "He also genuinely cares about his family and those that follow him. However, anyone who dissents… uh, he does not care much for those."

Oh… It was good to hear that the Houndoom wasn't just a heartless monster, but that didn't actually change much. They still opposed his ideas, and that was something the Houndoom didn't tolerate. Ivy couldn't help but fear retaliation, not just for her, but for her family. That was what scared her the most.

"Is it really that bad?" Vetr asked, fidgeting with her claws. "Is he really gonna give you that much trouble if he becomes a leader? Aren't you exaggerating a little? It's just a single pokémon, what can he do?"

"He has a strong network of contacts in every node," Kizuna said. "He's not alone. That's precisely the problem."

"But let's not worry." Skoll nudged Ivy, who looked a little worried, in an attempt to cheer her up. "Ivy is strong! That hound ain't gonna hold her back. Besides, he'll have to trample all over us first to get to you."

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right!" Ivy gave him a strong, firm nod with a bright smile. The Umbreon was right, she had nothing to fear! And it was really unlike her to be down. "This is nothing but a minor hiccup."

"Is it really that big of a problem…?" Vetr asked once again. She wasn't sure she saw the problem, but Ivy looked very worried, which was uncommon in the usually cheerful Leafeon.

"Ah? No, it's… it's just fine. I knew I would find obstacles and complications as a leader, I just didn't expect them so soon. But, uh, it's still fine. I can deal with this."

"We can deal with this," Skoll said, a smirk ever apparent in his face. "But really, you will be a strong leader, Ivy. That hound will be the least of your worries, I'm sure."

Vetr's gaze focused on Skoll and Ivy, the Weavile crossing her arms as Skoll tried to cheer Ivy up. No matter what Ivy had said before, worry was evident on her face, the Leafeon's subtle frown and bent ear betraying her own words.

"Vetr," Zephyr called her out. "Shouldn't you go get some rest? You'll be fighting Koa in a few hours, and you must be exhausted from your battle with Barghest."

"Ah… yes, you're right. I should take a quick nap to recover." Her eyes stayed on Skoll and Ivy for a handful of seconds before she turned around to leave. After taking a few steps, she suddenly turned around. "Oh, goodbye, guys. Make sure you watch the final match between me and Koa, okay? Well… later." She waved her left claw to them, her eyes scanning them all before focusing on Ivy in particular. A subtle, short-lived smirk appeared in her face, but it vanished just as quickly as it appeared. Ivy did manage to catch it, though.

Just as Vetr left, her smirk reminded Ivy of the little conversation they had a few days ago. She looked to her side, to the Umbreon still standing beside her openly smiling at her, and brusquely shook her head aside, fleeing his gaze. Right, she was supposed to tell him today… but there's just no way she was confessing in front of everyone! Surely they'd find a moment to be alone later. She'd just have to wait for her time.

"So what now?" Agni asked, now that Vetr had left.

"Let's have some super-fun!" Kizuna – who else – proposed.

While Agni wondered what the difference between super-fun and regular fun was, Zephyr escaped Kizuna's embrace – eliciting a whining groan from the Sylveon – and extended a paw to a close-by deserted area. "Why don't we go over there? We could use this time to train a little, now that we're all gathered together."

"Wait, you want to train?" Ivy raised her eyebrows, not hiding her astonishment. "How strange of you, Zephyr. I know you're a defender from the Cerulean Warbler but… you didn't seem too fond of their philosophy."

"I'm not. Too obsessed with fighting, these guys," he admitted. "This isn't for me, though. It's Kizzie who wanted us to train."

"Kizzie?" Scylla turned to the Sylveon with questioning eyes, immediately approaching her. "Since when are you interested in fighting?"

"Well, with the Beacon out there, it doesn't hurt to be prepared," she said. "Besides, it means spending more time with Zephyr! Also, tons of physical contact. This is a win-win situation if I've ever seen any. A win-win-win situation, even."

Skoll stepped forward, looking to his side to Ivy. "Well, whaddya say, Ivy? Wanna give the Sylveon here a master class in how to overwhelm foes?"

Her? Zephyr and Skoll were trained defenders, but she was merely a – Actually, she had been training with Higure since she was very young. Maybe her training couldn't compare to a defender's, but it was close. "Yeah! Why not?" It sounded like fun, after all. It was always a joy sparring with Skoll and Zephyr, and adding Kizuna to the mix would only make it all the more delightful. "What about the others, though?" She didn't quite want to leave her sister alone.

"They can come and join us too," Zephyr said. He looked at his Flareon cousin. "Especially you, Agni. Some training would do you good."

"Me? Why are you singling me out?" He looked to his side, to the Vaporeon, the Espeon and the Glaceon near him. They had all happened to gather close together. "None of us four has any experience fighting, anyway."

"Wrong." Zephyr walked towards Agni's group, stopping before the Espeon. "Lumis, for instance, has some experience using extrasensory powers, I can tell. It's clear to the naked eye that he doesn't have a strong musculature – although he has decently agile legs – but take a look at the texture of his fur."

"My fur…?" Lumis pulled his head away, not sure if he appreciated the Jolteon's attention.

"Doesn't it look really silky? You can tell how experienced a psychic pokémon is by how velvety their fur looks. Many psychic-types use their hyper-sensitive fur to sense even the slightest shifts in air, letting them anticipate actions around them. In a psychic-type, groomed and glossy fur is usually a sign of high proficiency with mental skills."

"Uh… Well, I do use my psychic skills in the laboratory all the time so…"

Zephyr pointed at the Espeon's branched tail, which was weakly wagging behind him. "His tail is a very clear example of what I'm saying. From a quick glance, you can tell that the fur on his tail is notably sleeker than anywhere else in his body. I'm guessing the tail must be where an Espeon's more sensitive fur is located, and it must act as a channeling center of sorts for their psychic abilities. Am I correct?"

Now he was amazed. That was an impressive display of knowledge. "That's fairly accurate, yes."

"From what I know, all psychic-types have a body part acting as a channeling center or intensifier, and I figured an Espeon would be no exception." Zephyr looked now at the Espeon's face, at his forehead. "Also, that gem on his forehead is particularly round and shiny. Usually, in pokémon that have some sort of orb, this means a regular and systematic use of their powers."

"That was something." Skoll walked to his side, eyeing the Jolteon with awe. "Yes, I spar for fun with Lum every now and then, so he's picked up a trick or two. While he's not on the level of a defender, he's most definitely a step above a random civilian."

"I'll admit I'm impressed." Lumis stared at the Jolteon with wide eyes, in stupefaction. "How in the world do you know that much about psychic-types?"

"It's not just psychic-types," Zephyr said. "Whenever I fight with someone new, I like chatting with them a little after the battle to learn more about them and their battle styles. I've learned a lot all these years just by listening to different folks from many different species, hailing from every node." His head turned now to the Glaceon standing by the Espeon's side. "Safira also has some minor training in battle, I can tell. Ivy may be much more athletic, but the way they flex their legs when walking or running is nearly identical. I'm guessing you both had the same trainer."

Ivy, who had walked to her sister's side, nodded her head. "Higure trained us both in basic self-defense since we were little."

"Thought so. Also, look how unwrinkled and smooth her fur is. Normally, unexperienced ice-types unconsciously lower the temperature around their bodies, not fully controlling their powers, so those with fur will have that fur standing on end due to the cold, as if frozen. In order to keep your fur unruffled like hers, you need to know how to self-regulate your own temperature. If she had no experience whatsoever with ice skills, her fur would be a little spiky."

Safira's gaze fled the Jolteon's, finding comfort in her sister. She didn't think she deserved any praise for something so simple. "I-It's nothing, really."

Ivy spoke in her behalf, since the Glaceon didn't seem to appreciate the many eyes on her. "Just like me, she's been training with many of our defenders – some of them ice-types – since young. It's just that she doesn't have much interest in fighting, so she only really bothered to learn the most basic self-defense tactics."

Zephyr nodded, and then turned to the last one, the Vaporeon. Upon noticing his gaze over her, she let out a giggle. "So it's my turn now, uh?"

"There's not much to say here. You've all seen how nimble and limber she is during her shows. She moves in a very… splashy manner, so I'd guess she was taught all these moves for exhibition and not for combat, but they wouldn't be too difficult to adapt. Also, your fur seems to have a healthy level of dampness. If it were too wet, that would indicate a lack of control over your water skills, and fur too dry would mean an excessive use of water leaving you almost dehydrated, or an inability to control your body's humidity."

"Woo. I had no idea you knew so much," she said with a surprised coo. Zephyr had never struck her as the intellectual type.

"Fought many water and ice-types in my life, so I've learned a thing or two about them. And about most every other type, really." And finally, Zephyr turned to Agni, making the Flareon suddenly tense up. "Agni, sorry to say but these three are in a much better shape than you are. It would really do you good to come with us to train a little too."

"Just like that? I don't even get a rundown on my physical appearance?" Agni said with a sneer. He was well aware that he had no combat experience, but he was a bit hurt that everyone else seemed to have at least some. He thought they were in his same situation too.

Zephyr humored him, because why not. "Your fur is a little puffy. Not much, but it's noticeable if one gets closer. In a fire-type, puffy fur typically means you're accumulating too much heat inside your body, and should learn how to keep a cooler temperature. As a fire-type you have many different mechanisms to release excess heat, like fluffing out your collar. You could learn from Opal, she's a fire-type too and her fur flows smoothly."

"Man, you're quite the battle connoisseur," Skoll said, giving the Jolteon a friendly poke as he eyed him with curiosity. Probably what shocked him the most was that in spite of the Jolteon's encyclopedic knowledge about combat, he wasn't actually… that good himself. It's not that Zephyr was a bad fighter – by no means – but he seemed more interested in the theoretical concept of battle than in actually battling. It reminded him of Vetr in some ways – no wonder they got along. "Well, how about we go spar a little, then? Not just Kizzie, but all of you too."

"You can count me in!" Scylla said, mincing to the Sylveon's side, beaming. She had little interest in fighting or learning any fighting tricks, but it was a good excuse to pass some time with them all. And, who knows, if she learned any graceful move or skill, she could even include it in her future shows. "You three are also coming, right?" she asked to the triad behind her, consisting of Agni, Lumis and Safira.

"Yes, come with us, Saf!" Ivy urged the Glaceon. "I can't remember the last time we play-fought."

All young cubs take part in the noble art of play-fighting during their younger and not so younger days. Not only does this teach them valuable combat skills, but more than that, it also helps them strengthen social bonds – whether between siblings or friends – and lets the young kits let out some stress, allowing them to adjust their own stress response in a non-threatening setting, preparing them for adult life. Also, it's cute to watch.

The memories of the two sisters having mock fights when they were little Eevee brought a smile to Safira's face, along with a little embarrassment. "Okay." Maybe it could be fun? And anyway, Lumis and Agni were likely going too, so it's not like she had any other choice. What else could she do? Go back to her father and Higure? Nah, she saw them back at home every day. Plus, she felt and odd tingle of pride being on her own – well, with Ivy – and not under her father's caring but overbearing supervision.

"You're coming too, right, Lum?" Skoll asked.

"I guess." The feline shrugged, not caring much. If Skoll was going, then he'd have to follow. After all, Vetr was resting so Lumis didn't want to bother her, and he didn't have any other acquaintances here in the Cerulean Warbler. He might as well try to make the most of it and get some training done. Lumis might not have been a defender, but that didn't mean he wanted his skills to turn rusty. Plus, after Skoll, Zephyr and Ivy, he was the most competent fighter of the bunch, although he was close in skill to Safira and Scylla.

Agni figured Zephyr would ask him next, but he had a preemptive question of his own. "What about Opal? Aren't we gonna look for her?"

"We saw her before," Scylla said. "She was talking with some defender colleagues. She said she'd look for us later, after the tournament ends."

"Oh…" Agni looked down, fearing he might have run out of excuses. Tch. Oh well, it couldn't be that bad. He started walking in the direction Zephyr had pointed to before. "Let's go then."

As they walked – with no particular haste – an idea popped into Scylla's head. "You know? We could gather like this more often. Like, at weekends or something."

"The eight of us, you mean?" Skoll asked, a smirk giving away he liked the idea.

"Yeah. We could also help Kizzie train or whatever." But more than anything, it was a good excuse to make sure they would all meet each other every week. She expected no one to object, and no one objected. "We could meet at… say, the Lilac Kiwi."

A spacious, beautiful node like the Kiwi seemed like as good a choice as any other. Ultimately, it was the company that mattered, not the place.

---

"Funny." Agni turned to the Sylveon by his side while the others sparred before their eyes. "We are supposed to be two weakest ones, and here we are watching the others fight while we rest."

"I don't need them to turn me into a super-warrior. I'm okay with just some basic self-defense," Kizuna said. "And aren't you tired? I am." She had never really fought against that many varied opponents before, having spent her whole life in the Observatory. It was fun, but exhausting for her untrained body.

Two more pokémon joined the sidelines, a Vaporeon and an Umbreon.

"I'm beat," Scylla complained, sitting between Agni and Kizuna. "I'm used to acrobatics of all kinds, but all that running around is exhausting."

They had expected Scylla to withdraw, but it was strange that Skoll, a defender, had left the sparring grounds. "Don't look at me like that. It's not like I can practice my poisoning in a mock battle. And hey, sometimes I just want to watch too."

Skoll sat beside the Flareon, his gaze affixed on the Leafeon and the Glaceon trading blows in front of them. For some reason – perhaps the Umbreon's puckish smirk – it didn't seem to Agni like his eagerness to watch was motivated by a noble wish to learn more about battle. Oh well, nothing to do with him.

Ignoring the Umbreon, Agni focused instead on the Vaporeon by his side. He had to admit, she could hold her own in the battlefield, even if her moves were clearly those of a novice. This called a question to mind: who had trained her? Lumis had Skoll, and Safira apparently received formal training by her minders in the Calandra, but what about Scylla?

"Did someone teach how to fight?" Agni asked her. She was far from a professional fighter – very far – but her movements and actions weren't random. She lacked practice, but it was clear she knew the basics.

"More or less. My father was a defender – and a water-type to boot – so I learned a few things about water-types and our skills just by watching him and talking to him." From a young age, Scylla wanted to become a Vaporeon. In fact, she had never had any doubts about it. She had wanted to evolve into a water-type ever since she could remember.

"Your father?" Agni recalled Scylla saying her mother was a Vaporeon. If the Floatzel Euria was her aunt, then her father could only possibly be… "A Floatzel, right?"

Scylla nodded. There was something odd about this, Skoll thought. "Floatzel? Aren't those bipedal? By the way you run and jump around I had figured a quadruped taught you."

Scylla arched her head and wrapped her tail around herself, her smile turning gloomy. "Floatzel can run on all fours, but… yes, I used to play with Minos all the time, and he loved teaching me all sorts of tactics and tricks. That silly big fool…"

"Oh, Minos." Skoll could still remember sparring with the Luxray in the Warbler when they came with Ivy and Safira to visit Zvonimir – back when he was still a leader – and then guarding the Kernel Ore with him during the last festival. A shame he had joined the Beacon, he seemed like a fun guy. "So you were pals with him, Scylla?"

"Yes. Minos was born in the Coral Sittella too, just like me." The memories made her sad, but it's not like she was gonna cry. "It was Euria who introduced him to me. Minos always got along with me and my family, but especially with Euria."

"Must be harsh for you…" Agni said in a low, soft tone, his eyes showing concern as he stared at the Vaporeon.

"Um. Kinda." Of course it was harsh, but she didn't want to appear weak. Thankfully, as an entertainer, hiding her emotions was easy to do. "Euria must have it much worse, though. She was the closest to Minos in the whole Sittella. You know, I always had this feeling those two were in love with each other. Heh, or maybe that was just my hyperactive imagination as a kid."

"No, you were right," Kizuna said. "Their files in the Observatory state it clearly: they love each other. As in, romantically. Like Zephyr and I do."

"Oh." Scylla didn't react with shock. It wasn't quite indifference, but it was something she had seen coming since long ago. "Can't really say it surprises me."

"There's something odd about them though." Covering her mouth with a bow she raised her head high, up to the indigo dome above, her eyes not really focusing on anything. "If you look up their entries in the Observatory… well, there are holes in them. There are parts of their lives that are simply not recorded."

Scylla tilted her head with curiosity, being the first time she had heard of this. "What? You never told us anything."

"I figured it wasn't important. I mean, every entry in the Observatory inevitably has some minor gaps here and there. Remember what I told you? The Observatory cannot record chroniclers or anyone interacting with chroniclers. If, say, a chronicler asks you for directions, those seven brief seconds you're interacting with them won't appear in the Observatory. Everyone meets with chroniclers at many points in their lives, even if they're not aware of it, so these brief episodes are not archived. This is normal." She stopped to clear her voice, and then resumed speaking. "But we're talking seconds here, two or three minutes at most. Euria and Minos have massive gaps of hours, repeated periodically every few days. This is extremely rare."

"I don't see the mystery anywhere," Skoll said, lying down for comfort, lazily stretching out. "You just said yourself that voids in the Observatory happen when you're interacting with a chronicler. There you have the solution to your mystery: they were talking to a chronicler."

"I figured that might have been the case, but it would mean they were visited by a chronicler regularly. Who would visit them, and why?"

Only leaders received regular visits from chroniclers, so Kizuna couldn't help but wonder why a chronicler would take the time to visit those two. As far as she could tell, there was nothing inherently special about either of them. What's more, since the Observatory lacked the ability to record events involving chroniclers, it was impossible to know who this enigmatic chronicler was. In the Observatory, it was easy to tell when a chronicler was involved, but not who that chronicler was in particular.

"Naamah?" Skoll thought out loud. "That would explain why Minos joined so willingly."

Kizuna promptly shot down the idea. "Nope, that can't be. I don't know Naamah's exact age, but I'd assume she was awfully young by the time these encounters happened, even younger than I am now. She'd still be under her tutor's apprenticeship, and they wouldn't let her leave the Observatory."

"Then who?"

Kizuna shrugged, both with her shoulders and with her bows. She might have been a chronicler herself, but she barely knew any chroniclers at all. Other than her tutor Tesla and Naamah, she was only acquainted with those two ghost-grass guardians at the entrance of the Observatory, and she had only met them recently. She had also heard the name Kriemhild thrown around a few times, possibly a colleague of Tesla. And lastly, she knew of their leader, the Doyen, although she didn't even know their name or species.

Whoever it was, idle chatter wouldn't bring them the answer. They turned their attention back to their sparring friends, Skoll joining them, bored of waiting.

---

"Here it is, amigos! It's the final round of the Cerulean Warbler tournament! Koa versus Vetr, two favorites fighting each other! The Breloom's fighting-type gives him a slight edge over Vetr, but then again the Weavile's ice typing gives her the upper hand against Koa! Who shall win? Who shall obtain the coveted right to become the Warbler's next leader? It's time to find out! Let the battle begin!"

And with the Ludicolo's joyous introduction, the final round of combat started. It was a display of dexterity and skill on the part of both participants, neither disappointing the fervent public. It was, without any doubt, the most evenly matched duel in the whole tournament, but after a good ten minutes of tension and action, one of the two battlers finally rose above the other.

---

"Good job, Vetr," Skoll cheered the Weavile, who was tending to some – admittedly minor – wounds on her right arm. "You gave the people of the Warbler a spectacle, and that's exactly what they wanted."

"Koa was older than you and had more years of training," Lumis said. "Don't let it get to you."

"Hey, I'm not complaining. Placing second in a tournament like this? How awesome is that?" Vetr did look a little down. Coming so far only to lose in the very last round… but she was still satisfied with herself. It's as Skoll said. She had done a good job.

"So what happens now?" Lumis asked. "How does the leader election work, exactly?"

"The ceremony to appoint the next leader should start any minute now," Vetr said. "Normally, the old leader of the node would preside over it, but since Zvonimir has deserted us, the leader of the Beryl Calandra will be taking his place as a neutral party."

They had to wait just a few minutes for the ceremony to start. Linze was at the center of the main arena where the last battles had taken place, with his daughters at his right and Higure at his left. Many of the participants of the tournament – those who had made it to the last few rounds – stood in a small group near their position, among them the four finalists.

Koa stepped forward, leaving this group to stand before Linze. He was notably taller than the Linoone, but nobody seemed to care. Funnily, even though they were about to choose a leader, there were much less spectators to this event than to the previous battles.

Linze spoke up, his voice surprisingly firm and strong for someone so small. "First of all, I'd like to express my gratitude to everyone in the Cerulean Warbler for allowing me to preside over this ceremony. As the leader of the Beryl Calandra, I shall gladly assist the new leader adapt to their new position, and I hope we may work together to strengthen the bond between our nodes. Now, let us start the ceremony…" He raised his head up to the Breloom before him. "Koa, as the winner of the tournament, you've proved yourself worthy of leading your node. You have rightfully earned the right to become the next leader of the Cerulean Calandra."

Koa bowed out of courtesy. "I'm honored to be entrusted with this right, but I shall renounce it. I consider other colleagues in the Cerulean Warbler to be better prepared for the position than I am, so I must politely decline this offer." The Breloom's good manners rather surprised the Linoone, who had expected the winner of a fierce tournament to be rougher.

"Very well. It's a decision we respect." Linze nodded his head and Koa returned to the group of combatants. Linze had already been forewarned that the winners would likely refuse becoming leaders. He wondered just how many pokémon he would have to go through to find the next leader. "May the sub-champion step in?"

It was Vetr's turn now, so she stepped forward. Her movements were more hesitative, compared to Koa's. "Yes."

"Vetr, you might be the runner-up, but that's an impressive feat in a node full of strong warriors. Since Koa stepped down, yours is the right to become the next leader of the Cerulean Calandra, which you've fairly earned."

"It's truly an honor to be entrusted with this right, which is why… I shall humbly accept it."

Um. Did she just…? Her words came as a surprise for pretty much everyone present. There had been no rumors about the Weavile wanting to be a leader. In fact, gossip vowed she had no interest in leadership, just like Koa. Even Linze was a little shocked, not expecting to find a leader so soon.

"U-Uh? Well, that's… That's all right, of course. You've rightfully earned that right." Linze quickly regained his composure. It was unexpected, but he couldn't deny her that right – nor did he have any reason to. And of course, he didn't want to get off on the wrong foot with a leader to be. "Vetr, from this moment on, you shall be the leader of the Cerulean Warbler."

"Yes." It was clear by how she acted that she wasn't quite sure what to say, fidgeting much more than usual, and glancing over where Skoll and Lumis were often. "I will lead this node to a bright future."

And… that was it. They exchanged formalities for but a few minutes and the ceremony came to an end. The ceremony ended up being much shorter than any of them had anticipated, but maybe that wasn't a bad thing. Nobody liked long ceremonies that dragged on and on, especially in the Cerulean Warbler. They had little patience for anything that didn't involve smashing things.

Of course, the first thing Skoll and Lumis did as soon as the ceremony ended was to approach Vetr, the rest of eeveelutions following behind. They were more than a little surprised.

Vetr was just being congratulated by Koa for her new position, but as soon as he caught glance of the arriving eeveelutions he decided to take his leave. "Then I shall bother you no more. I'll leave you with your friends now. Goodbye."

After offering them a polite bow, the Breloom walked away. "He's actually pretty nice," Vetr said, staring at him walk off. "He was just telling me I could count on him for anything I wanted as a leader."

With concern showing on his face, Skoll was the first to approach her. "Vetr, do you have any idea what you're getting yourself into?"

"It doesn't seem like you planned this," Lumis said, his face also filled with worry. "Please, don't tell me you chose to do this on the spur of the moment."

"No! Well, yes."

Skoll was the most vocal about his discontent. He was… not angry, but he had a frown on his face. "What's the big idea? That came out of nowhere!"

"Tell me about it," Barghest said – Oh dear, there he was again. Did the Houndoom always appear out of nowhere? Stealthy dark-types were by no means uncommon, but Barghest was amazingly discreet for his size. "At any rate, you are our leader now. I wanted to congratulate you for that. Leader." He smiled at her, not in a sarcastic or sneering manner, but with warm sympathy.

Vetr – just like everyone else present – was a little taken aback by his moderate reaction. She had expected disapproval from the Houndoom. "Thanks, Barghest. Uh… sorry, I know you wanted the position yourself but –"

"Don't mind it. You gained this right fairly. You bested me in the battlefield and proved your worth. If you could defeat even me, I'm sure the Cerulean Warbler is in good hands." He smiled once again – baring his teeth, although he didn't intend it as a threat, nor did it come across as one. "It's growing late, so I should go back home. Oh, needless to say, if you need any help with the node, just ask us. We will help you for a very reasonable price. And so, goodbye. I wish you all a good night."

Barghest left, Ceza walking by his side. His departures were as sudden as his appearances, it seemed.

"At least he's not a sore loser," Ivy commented. "I expected him to be… I dunno, angry or something, but he seems fine with it."

"That, or he's a good actor," Skoll said. As a fellow dark-type, he knew how hard it was to detect his kind's lies. But never mind that – Vetr's new position was a more pressing issue. "But… why, Vetr? Why in the world would you want to be a leader?"

Vetr scratched her shoulder, her gaze timidly avoiding the Umbreon's. "Why not? Ivy is a leader too, but I don't hear you complain about that."

"Because she's been preparing for the position her whole life!" he said. "You just… Seriously, what kind of experience do you have as a leader? None! Do you even know what you're supposed to do now?"

"I helped Zvonimir every once in a while, so it's not like I'm totally ignorant when it comes to leader's duties. Plus, Koa said he'd help me, and he does know a good deal about all this, what with being Zvonimir's right hand – and now mine, I guess. Besides, we didn't want Barghest to hold this position, right? I know I didn't."

"Well, of course not, but…" Skoll hung his head low, a loud sigh escaping his mouth. "This is not the solution. We could have thought of something else."

"Like what?"

"Well… I don't know, but still…"

Vetr crossed her arms, her lips curving into an antsy half-smile. "What's the matter? You're not okay with me being a leader? You don't think I can do a good job?"

"No, it's not that." Skoll stopped to think. What exactly was wrong with her becoming a leader? If it was what she wanted, he certainly couldn't convince her otherwise. But was she up to the task? And above all, did she really want to be a leader, or was she doing this just to keep Barghest away?

A subtle glance from Skoll was enough to notify Lumis that it was his turn to speak. Skoll had little trouble admitting that Lumis kept his nerve better than him, and perhaps was a little more eloquent. He expected the cat to do a better job convincing Vetr.

"Vetr," he begun, ", leadership is no game. You'll be tasked with leading and supervising the lives of the hundreds of pokémon that inhabit the Cerulean Warbler. As if that wasn't enough, we're going through an unprecedented crisis because of Zvonimir and the Beacon. These truly are hard times for leaders, who have to appease their population with waning resources."

Zephyr stepped in front of them, turning his back to Vetr. "If I may play devil's advocate, while it is true that all leaders have innumerable obligations and responsibilities, ever since the foundation of the Heptagonal Ring the leaders of the Cerulean Warbler had been by far the leaders who had it easier. Simply put, this node is easy to lead."

"Are you calling your colleagues simple-minded?" Agni asked, unable to keep a small grin from forming on his muzzle.

"Not exactly, it's just that they have simple aspirations in life. All they want to do is fight, that's enough to keep them happy. There are pretty much no conflicts about how to distribute Adamantium or other resources unlike in other nodes. The members of the Warbler will always agree to prioritize investments in battle-related activities or projects that otherwise promote competition and fighting in this and other nodes, so that makes it hard even for an unexperienced leader to screw up."

Skoll and Lumis listened to the Jolteon speak, a bit incredulous that he was defending Vetr. Lumis cocked his head, his tail swinging in a slow motion from side to side. "Just to be clear, you're actually supporting Vetr's decision to become a leader? As a member of the Cerulean Warbler, you would be fine with your leader not having any experience as a leading figure whatsoever?"

"It's not like any other defender here is better or worse prepared than Vetr. They're defenders; they know only how to fight. If anything, Vetr has an advantage over the rest since she used to help Zvonimir," Zephyr said. "Think about it: our leaders are chosen by their strength, not their smarts or charisma, so the leadership position must be such that those values aren't strictly necessary."

Kizuna pranced to Zephyr's side, facing the Nightingale eeveelutions along with him. "The main duty of a leader in the Cerulean Warbler is simply to keep order, that's why the position is chosen via tournament and awarded to the strongest contender. The leader proves they are stronger than anyone else in the node, and that dissuades lowly crooks from misbehaving or trying to disturb the public order."

Interesting, but this gave Scylla a question. "How about those that rank higher than the leader in the tournament but choose to step down, like Koa?"

"If they willingly renounce the right to become leaders, it's assumed it's because they consider those that ranked below them to be prepared for the position, or else they would take the position themselves. Um, like Vetr did."

A small smile appeared in Vetr's face now that she had two of the eeveelutions siding with her. They weren't Skoll and Lumis, but well. She did get along with Zephyr, anyway. "Nobody wanted Barghest to lead us, right? I just made sure he wouldn't. I, uh, didn't deem him worthy of leading us, so I took up the reins in his stead." She was trying to make it sound fancy, but at the end she only became a leader so that Barghest couldn't.

Lumis closed his eyes for a moment, his twin tails twirling as he thought things over. Now that Zephyr and Kizuna were supporting Vetr, there was not getting her off her high horse. If she shared a trait with Skoll, that was without any doubt her stubbornness. "You would accept her as your leader, Zephyr?"

"She fought fairly and won. I assure you anyone in the Warbler would accept you after that, no matter who you were. Besides, I was a little… let's say, worried, that the next leader would turn out to be some mad warmonger obsessed with nothing but fighting. At least Vetr is a sane girl."

Oh, so that's why Zephyr was on Vetr's side, because just like him, she didn't have the unhealthy obsession with battle that some of the Warbler members showed. Still, that was enough to convince Lumis. The Warbler wasn't his node, so he figured his opinion mattered little. If Zephyr – an actual member of the Warbler – accepted Vetr as a leader, then Lumis would bury his dissent.

"Vetr, if becoming a leader is your willing decision, you won't hear me protest. I just want to make sure you're not doing it out of obligation."

"I'm not scared of Barghest, really," Ivy said. "I'm sure I could deal with him. It's a little unorthodox, but if we tell my father you'd rather reject the leader title, I'm sure we could arrange something to –"

"It's not just Barghest. I also want to help my node." Her main motive to become a leader was, as much as she denied it, Barghest, but it was true that it wasn't the only one. She did want to help the Cerulean Warbler. They had given her a lot and wanted to repay them back. She also wanted to help dispel the fears surrounding dark-types, and becoming a respected leader could help her with that – while letting Barghest rule would probably only make things worse. And finally, and although Vetr wouldn't admit it, maybe there was also a tinge of… jealousy, or admiration, or both towards Ivy. "I'm a leader because I want to be one."

Skoll still wasn't entirely convinced, but what point was there in arguing? It was becoming growingly evident that Vetr wasn't gonna change her mind no matter how much they discussed it. "Do whatever you want, just… promise us you'll quit if it becomes too unbearable or if you regret your decision. You don't even need to give us a reason to quit."

"Sure," Vetr said with a smile, now that she had finally managed to convince Skoll. "I think my first measure as a leader will be… getting some sleep. I haven't had much time to rest these last few days with all the battles, so now that it's finally over… Goodnight."

It was late, but maybe still a little early to go to bed. However, given her involvement in the tournament, her tiredness was understandable. And since the eeveelutions weren't at their respective nodes – except for Zephyr, who slept in the Crane anyway – they figured this would be a good time to leave before it grew too late. Agni, Zephyr and Opal were the first to leave to the Amber Crane. Scylla had to stay with her troupe to help them tidy up. Those from the Calandra also stayed to finish up some formal paperwork related to the tournament and the new leader.

---

Leadership brought many wonderful and enjoyable, not to say gratifying, tasks. For the leader – and the future leader – of the Beryl Calandra, this meant assigning resources to different activities, promoting commerce between nodes, and overall boosting the standard of living of not only the Beryl Calandra, but the whole Heptagonal Ring. Truly inspiring endeavors.

And then there was filling in forms. Boring, tedious, and Ivy wasn't entirely clear on why it was needed at all. So there she was, filling in stupid boring papers as if there was no tomorrow. According to her father, it was necessary to fill out all these documents as a record of what took place during the tournament – but didn't the Observatory have records of everything anyway? Why were they even wasting their time with this? Ugh, and it wasn't only Ivy. Her father and Safira were also taking care of some other forms in other points of the Warbler. It was late and most people had already gone home, so there wasn't even anyone around to talk to. How boring.

"Can I help you with that?"

She wasn't alone anymore. A simpering Umbreon had just joined her.

"Skoll? You're still at the Warbler? I figured you would have gone back to your node already, like everyone else."

"Scylla said she had a show tomorrow at the Nightingale and she's gonna be spending the night there with her troupe, so Lumis and I decided to wait for them to finish so we could walk with Scylla and her troupe to the Nightingale. They're taking care of some things now, but should be back soon."

"And Lumis?"

"He went to check on some of their machinery, just in case they needed a hand with anything. I can't really help them with that so… I'm waiting for them to return." Skoll took a look at the papers lying on the floor before Ivy. She was writing on them with an Adamantium utensil she held in her mouth. That's how quadrupeds wrote, but it took a little skill so not all learned how to do it. "Say, what's that? Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Just boring forms and documents that need to be filled. Don't ask me why, I don't know either." She couldn't ask him to fill them in in her place – only representatives of the Calandra's Haecceity were allowed to – but he could still help. "You know, if you could order that pile over there alphabetically, I'd appreciate it a lot. Would save me some work."

"Oh, sure. Kizzie is helping out your sister, so I figured I could lend you a hand myself."

"Ah, thanks! It was awfully boring doing this alone." It was a menial, mechanical job that didn't require much thought, so she could hold a chat while doing it without fearing doing a bad job. So what could they talk about? Maybe they could talk about –

Wait a second.

Ivy raised her head from the papers for a moment, taking a quick glance around, scanning her surroundings in search for any signs of life. They were alone, in a rather secluded area at the end of an unfrequented path. Maybe this was a good chance to tell him about… that? It was her idea to tell him during this tournament, but she hadn't found a good time to tell him so far, so she was considering leaving it for another day.

So should she tell him now that she had the chance? Or should she just leave this for another day, since it was pretty late? No, she had to tell him now. If she put it off until a later date, she'd be tempted to do that the next time too. She would leave it for tomorrow, and tomorrow she would leave it for the day after tomorrow – She would be tempted to just postpone it indefinitely. It was now or never. She had to tell him now.

But how? It's not like she was gonna ask him if he loved her – she wasn't even sure she loved him herself. Let's start subtly. She dropped her writing instrument on the floor, since it was hard for a quadruped to talk and write at the same time. "Skoll, what, uh… what do you think of me?"

Skoll found the question a little perplexing. Where did that come from? And what did she mean exactly? He stared at the papers for a moment, and then turned to Ivy with a kind, tender smile. "Ivy, you're going to make a great leader and you know it. Why would you ever doubt it? You've got years of training and preparation, an aptitude for commerce and leadership, and it's clear you love your node. What more can people ask for?"

Okay, that wasn't what she was asking about, but it was still nice to hear. So Skoll thought she was gonna be a good leader, uh? Ivy couldn't keep a subtle grin from forming on her muzzle, and a very faint tone of pink from dyeing her cheeks. Darn, now she was even more embarrassed about asking than before. "W-Well, I'm sure I'll find many hardships and hurdles in my path, especially during my first years…"

"And what leader doesn't? But I doubt you'll find any serious issues. You'll do great, trust me." It was clear to Skoll that Ivy was anxious about something, but perceptive as he was, he wasn't entirely sure on what could it be. "Is there anything in particular you think could give you trouble?"

Ivy was sure some members of the Calandra would mistrust her during her first years as a leader, but that was unavoidable, and all in all it didn't really worry her that much. Something that would give her trouble…? Yes, actually. There was something.

"Finding a, uh… F-Finding a…"

"Finding what? Bodyguards? Ambassadors? Chancellors?"

"No. F-Finding… a mate."

Holding her writing utensil in her mouth again, Ivy started to write in the papers, so that she would have an excuse not to look directly at Skoll. Boy, that had been embarrassing. Aargh, why did she have to say something that stupid? Stupid. Stupid. At the very least, she hoped – desperately hoped that Skoll wouldn't laugh.

Lo and behold, that's exactly how he reacted, trying to cover the grin forming on his muzzle with his paw. At least it didn't sound like a sneering snicker, but like a warm, heartfelt laugh. "Ivy, you might find some difficulties as a leader, but that? That should be the least of your worries!"

Dropping her pen, Ivy turned to Skoll with skittish eyes. "I-I know a leader has more important things to worry about." Ugh, she felt really, really silly. A leader should be concerned with her node and its people, not with… finding a partner.

"No, that's not what I meant. I meant, why in the world would you have to worry about that? I'm sure a girl like you has hundreds of suitors, and once you become a leader that number will only increase. What's the issue? Not knowing how to choose one from among all the candidates?"

"U-Uh? No, I…" As far as she knew, she didn't have hundreds of suitors. Then again, it's not like her father let any potential mates approach her, so she couldn't know what other members of her node thought about her. Maybe some liked her, like Skoll said, but didn't approach her? Well, that didn't matter. The male that had managed to catch her attention was from a different node. "I mean, hundreds? C'mon, I don't draw that much attention…"

"You aren't being attentive enough, then. Seriously – have you never looked into a mirror? You've got these strong yet oddly delicate legs, that cute tail, that bewitching face." The many ring-patterned markings all over his body started to emit a dim light. "You're a dainty flower and a fearless warrior at once. Like, I know some boys prefer their girls mellow, but telling me you would have trouble finding a mate? Really, if you're mateless it's only because you choose to remain so, because you could get practically any guy you wanted."

Oh dear. Did that mean he liked her, at least physically? If her face wasn't red before, it was now. She shifted her attention to the papers lying by her feet. Yes, they were dull and unexciting, but that's exactly what her mind needed to cool down and help her regain her composure. Why did Skoll have to be so direct, so sincere? There was no way she could tell him now.

Skoll didn't fail to notice her overly fidgety reaction to his words. He hadn't offended her or anything, right? It was true that he had been very blunt and forthright, but they were alone and Ivy had always seemed very easygoing, so he figured she would enjoy his flattery. "Have I been too frank?"

"N-No." She raised her head slightly, timidly staring into his crimson eyes. "Well, maybe a little, but I don't mind. Say, do you… really think that of me?"

Skoll stared at her with a blank face. He hadn't lied. He could have – but it hadn't been necessary, he really thought Ivy was alluring and charming, so he didn't need to lie to cheer her up. "Yes, of course. You're far more appealing than you give yourself credit for." No point hiding it.

Well, there was no doubt then. Skoll did like her – or at least he liked her body and physique. Now all she had to do was… ask him directly. Ask him if he liked her. She should stop and take a moment to think about the better way to ask him, the better way to word her question, the better way to – No, no, no. She was just dillydallying, trying to delay her awkward question. Well, screw hesitation and shyness. She was gonna ask him. Without giving it a second thought. Right now.

"Do you like me?"

Skoll's red pupils dilated as he focused his gaze on the Leafeon, both of his ears perking up to make sure he wasn't mishearing her, his tail frozen in place. Had she… misinterpreted his previous praise? Skoll was just trying to cheer her up, but maybe she thought he was flirting with her – and given the things he had said to her, it's not like he could blame her. Maybe he should have chosen his words better. Well, she had just asked him if he liked her, and he didn't want to lie to her. He didn't want there to be any confusion about his intentions.

"Yeah, I do like you," he said in an unfittingly casual tone. He didn't want her to think that everything he had said was out of pity, just to comfort her. He did like Ivy.

Ivy stood in total silence, watching the Umbreon with dazed eyes as if expecting him to reveal it was all just a joke any moment. It couldn't be so easy, so anticlimactic.

But Skoll just stared back at her with a serious, almost solemn expression. No grin. No smirk. This was no joke. Sure, dark-types were great liars and all, but Ivy was convinced that he was being completely sincere this time.

"I like you too." Curiously, she didn't stutter at all this time. Compared to the heavy atmosphere from minutes ago, Ivy felt much more relaxed and tranquil now. Maybe it was because she had already done the difficult part – telling him how she felt. Truly a weight off her shoulders.

Hearing her confession also made Skoll draw a not-so-subtle smile. "Oh, you too? That's… That's good then."

So Skoll liked her? That begged a question. "If you liked me… why didn't you tell me before?" It's not like the Umbreon was exactly shy.

Skoll glanced aside, shrugging. Ivy scanned his cheeks for signs of flushing but it didn't look like Skoll was blushing, although his rings still shined weakly. "The thought never crossed my mind. I mean, you were the daughter of a leader and all…" It's not that he was scared of rejection – well, maybe a little – but he felt like it was just a crush and didn't want to give it too much importance, especially considering it would likely go nowhere. Ivy was the daughter of a leader of a different node, so it wouldn't work out. Why even bother telling her, then? But since she asked…

"It doesn't matter if you don't belong to any Haecceity. Leaders are allowed to find a mate outside their Haecceities, and even outside their nodes," she said with a smile, coyly hanging her head. Ivy was learning that she was surprising bashful when it came to matters of love.

So… what now? Skoll was oddly silent, and that was making Ivy a little uneasy. What were they supposed to do now? She was kind of a novice in romance, and Skoll only had a little more experience. "Skoll, um, what are we supposed to do now? Like… does something change between us?"

"No, why? I think we are fine as we are now." Skoll resumed ordering the papers in front of him, as Ivy had asked him to do before. "If anything, I guess we could… spend more time together and that kind of thing."

"Yes, that sounds good." She also focused her attention on the papers by her side. Ivy didn't want their relationship to change too drastically, that would be a little awkward. She was okay with taking things one step at a time, although given the Umbreon's personality she had expected him to be a little… hastier about it all. She didn't mind, but she had expected at least a hug or a kiss or something. "But, does this mean we're… mates or…?"

"It's too soon to decide that, don't you think? Let's do like Zephyr and Kizzie. Let's start dating and we'll see where we go from there."

"Okay."

Ivy went back to filling in forms – how boring – while Skoll helped her order some of the documents. The silence was far from heavy; they found each other's company quite enjoyable.

Skoll set the documents on the floor, stared at Ivy for but a moment, and then strode to her side. She noticed this thanks to the bright shining of the Umbreon's rings. "Skoll?"

"I thought we might as well. You don't mind, right?"

"Uh?"

While initially clueless about his intentions, Ivy caught on what he was planning to do as his face drew closer to hers. He was going in for a kiss, there was little doubt, and Ivy made no attempt to flee.

Well, of course, couples kissed. Ivy was starting to think she was gonna go home without as much as a hug, but that prudishness seemed very unlike the Umbreon. It was a little sudden, but she didn't oppose the idea, and while she was a little flustered, she hid it as best as she could. By comparison, Skoll seemed calm and confident, a faint smirk curving his lips as they approached Ivy's.

Ivy closed her eyes out of instinct, a part of her urging her to fall back, and another begging her to jump to his torso and lunge her head forward. She settled up for a middle point, staying still and opening her mouth, invitingly. This was going to be her first kiss… although she had always imagined it would be a little bit more romantic than this. Still, she held no doubts in her mind. Skoll was very close to her ideal partner.

As for Skoll, this actually wouldn't be the first time he would give a female a kiss. He had had a few short-lived flings in the past, but nothing memorable. His first had been a Liepard from his node, but that lasted no more than a few weeks. Then came some others, a Delcatty, a Furfrou, and there was also this cute Mightyena defender, a colleague of his, but none lasted long. He didn't care enough for any of them. But this Leafeon here… for some reason, Skoll found the prospect of kissing her really thrilling. Her sweet scent, typical of a grass-type, made her especially desirable in his eyes – and in his highly sensitive canine nose.

Unable to hold back anymore – or at least not wanting to – he pushed his lips against her, the suddenness of this development drawing out a muffled moan from the Leafeon, although she had no intention of fighting back. Ivy felt a bit lost, lacking any experience in this field, so she let Skoll lead her. He willingly obliged.

Skoll quite liked the fresh, minty taste of her lips, much more savory than any lips he might have kissed in the past, which were dry by comparison. It was obvious the girl had no practice but, damn, was she trying. But above all, what truly enhanced the experience was her fragrant scent, sweet and fruity, with some spicy traces. Truly delectable. He let his mind wander, envisioning himself burying his face in her cream fur, dreaming about playfully wrestling with her, fantasizing about moving behind her to lovingly kiss her neck and then –

Uh?

Oh, Skoll, you horndog. I'm not narrating those thoughts. Let's swap to Ivy for now.

The Leafeon was also enjoying herself, finally shoving aside her light timidity and deciding to open her eyes. Oh dear, Skoll was so handsome, with all those ring markings gleaming bright, giving him such a dark and enigmatic vibe… Ivy had never seen the Umbreon's rings shining as intensely as right now.

The luminescent circular patterns all over an Umbreon's fur served a variety of purposes. Normally, they shone when adrenaline rushed through the Umbreon's body, so their main use was in battle, their sinister luster inspiring fear in all foes, but they could also be actively used for courtship, their enthralling glimmer highlighting their figures to help them woo potential mates. It seemed to be working with Ivy.

Skoll finally broke the kiss, much to Ivy's dismay – couldn't it have lasted a few more seconds? – but the Umbreon really needed to breathe. It was a good thing that the Leafeon was always surrounded by clean air. Skoll was rather impressed by her lung capacity. He couldn't quite recall any kiss in his past that came close to this in terms of duration. He licked his lips, still savoring the minty aftertaste of the Leafeon. Nice.

"You taste of fresh mint," he commented with a smirk, his face inches away from hers. "That's funny, because I love mint."

"G-Good…" She smiled, her tail slowly wagging from side to side. That meant he would want to go back for more, right? Neat. "S-Shall we keep working on this?"

Skoll nodded and went back to organizing papers, and after staring at him in silence for a moment with a wide smile on her face, Ivy went back to work too. What a sweet feeling… It was a shame she had to take care of these stupid papers now, and Skoll would have to go back to the Nightingale soon. But still, they saw each other quite often, so it wasn't that bad. They would meet again many times in the near future, they were sure, so they had no reason to worry. They would have all the time in the world to worry about the future later. For now, they just wanted to enjoy each other's company.