Warnings for blatant ableism and less than charitable views towards the disabled.

"Itsu-nii!" Came the near musical call and Itsuki Akagawa -Archer to his social circles- didn't even need to glance up from coursework to know Hikari had thrust her head through the doorway, small hand curled around the frame for support. "I got you something for Year's End."

Now he looked up, thankful the child couldn't see the surprise that flicked across his face, nor the way he pushed green-dyed hair out of his eyes. "You didn't have to."

"I wanted to!" She said as she swept, dance-like into the room, hands behind her back as her solosis -a gift he'd brought five years ago for her fourth birthday- trailed her. Archer didn't doubt for a second she'd briefly linked to the thing. Not when he'd changed up the room and while he hadn't been home that much -school, clubs, and other activities- Hikari knew better than to enter his room if he wasn't there. But he was here, and so she did, brown eyes unfocused and dull. "I... I overheard you last year-"

"Last year?" He arched an eyebrow and set the pen down, more to give her his full attention than not. The child deserved that much at least and, if he was honest, the coursework was mind-numbingly boring even if it was useful in the long term. Much like his family, but still an annoyance. "Many things happened last year, 'Kari..."

"I know," she said with a grin, hands still behind her back. "But… You wanted a ghost, right? To go with your derubil and okutan."

"Yes...?" Archer eyed child. He had two houndour, the octillery and desired other monsters, true, but what he wanted could and would come in time. But, if he'd been overheard talking and Hikari, naive fool she was, had heard something she shouldn't have and repeated it...

As much as he loved her... "What did you hear?"

"That you wanted a mūma and mama wasn't thrilled on it," she chirped.

"That was last year," he stated, mind a whirl. There was no way she could have done this on her own. It was Mother's work, it had to be. The woman would do anything to buy her offspring's love. Plus, she had stooped to using Hikari in the past, but Archer knew it hadn't sat well with the child. For a naive cripple within a general cloistered existence, she was shockingly intelligent for her age.

If this was yet another attempt at using Hikari-

Perhaps it would be wise to eliminate Mother, or incapacitate her somehow. It'd mean headship went to Hikari, yet given she was a cripple, it would fall to Ichirō to manage the family as regent.

"Yeah, but... I..." Hikari's shoulders slumped and Archer couldn't deny the faintest pang of guilt in his heart but more than that, there was anger.

Mother had put her up to this and the man found he didn't like it. Not when the only one allowed to use Hikari was him and even then, it was done sparingly. Too often and she'd catch on and he certainly hadn't cultivated the bond between them for nothing. Much like his brother and soon to be sister-in-law, though they were useful in ways a cripple was not.

"You what?" He asked softly when she didn't continue.

"I... I asked around, and I got you this~!" Hikari seemed to dance closer until she thrust out a premierball in his general direction. "She was bred for you, so…"

"I'll cherish her," Archer said as he gently took the 'ball from his sister. "Did Mother...?"

"No," the blind girl said with a frown that told him all he needed to know. "She doesn't know."

"I see." He wasn't sure he believed that when Mother seemed to know everything Hikari did, but that was something for later and if she had hidden this from Mother, then it was a skill he wanted to somewhat cultivate in her. "Thank you."

"Go on. Open it!" Hikari urged with a clap of her hands. "Please-"

If that had come from anyone else, he'd have ignored them. But not her. Weakness or not, he'd grown fond of her over the years. She was his (precious, but he'd never admit it) toy. "You're linked?"

Or would be for a brief period.

A blink and her eyes seemed to focus on the top of his head. "We are now."

The man nodded and a tap of the button later revealed a small ghost. No. A misdreavus. A baby one not even a foot in size and no more than a few weeks old at best, still pale grey and not yet the darkened colour the species were famous for. A small, honest smile settled onto his face. "She's perfect. Did you name her?"

"Her name's Missie," Hikari beamed brightly. "It suits her, don't you think?"

"I do," Archer said as he held a hand out. Not just for the pokemon to sniff but to gauge what kind of nature it might have. It seemed timid, shy even, but that was to be expected in a baby monster. But even if it was her nature, that could be worked with. The downside was she had to grow naturally for a few months before he could truly determine the nature and then train her. "Missie. A good name. Did the breeder say how long...?"

"Tomino-san said it's best to wait..." Unseeing eyes blinked as the link was lost (for the best; Hikari was a child. The risk of being lost in a monster's mind was higher than that of a human in their prime), while the solosis's eyes followed the pokemon as it moved around him. "Once they're mismagius, they don't learn new attacks."

"Then she won't be one for a long time," Archer said as he recalled the pokemon and hooked it to his belt. He meant it, too. This was a gift from one of the few people he truly valued and as a result, 'Missie' would be valued even though she'd eventually be trained to his standards, much like the houndour. "Thank you."

The only response was a giggle along with an unexpected but not unwelcome hug. For the sake of image (and not because a hug felt nice (or that it warmed something within him to be so loved)), Archer hugged her back.

"I'm glad you like her," Hikari whispered. "And... Itsu-nii?"

"Hmmm?"

"Will... Will you make sure I'm there and linked when Mother finds out?" She pulled away from the hug and stared at his nose. "I want to see her reaction."

Archer allowed a smile to grace his face. "Of course."

I am a firm believer that even evil has loved, or at least, cherished ones, though Archer could do without his mother, thank you very much. Age wise, he's roughly 21 and neck-deep in both useful coursework and part of the Rockets.