A Home Like No Other

Chapter 7

The next few hours of Amy's morning were busy. Not as eventful, but certainly more involved. It hadn't been an exaggeration to say that another minute alone in the patient house doing absolutely nothing would have driven her mad. Even at her lowest of lows, she couldn't stay curled up for long before getting restless. That was why she'd decided to help Gallia with chores, or at the very least accompany her since the former human was left wanting in the opposable thumbs department. It wasn't to keep her mind off of how bad she still felt, but because she had to do something.

Doing the dishes, hand-washing dirty linens, and even tending to Gallia's vegetable garden behind her home. Amy had helped where she could, but it still left her frustrated because it didn't feel like the… paw... she was lending had been enough. If anything, the Gardevoir was only hampered by having to tote around Amy's egg wherever they went.

"Don't be upset over it. Quadrupeds have always had trouble doing what bipedal species can. And don't feel guilty over me carrying your egg, either. The company is more than worth whatever 'extra work' you perceive; I'm usually stuck doing these things by myself with Sirden out and about."

That had been Gallia's only response to Amy's complaints on the matter. It didn't help how she felt, but she also figured that there was no pressing the matter, nor was there anything she could do to remedy such a thing. The two proceeded to sweep much of the patient house before breaking for lunch back on the porch. The meal consisted of some potted venison, which Amy had learned was from a Sawsbuck, paired with the last of the flatbread that the Gardevoir had baked this morning. After enjoying the food and wandering a short ways into the woods for her first bathroom break in the world of Pokémon, they moved on.

That led to the here and now, with the pair sitting under the shade of a nearby tree and doing something that Amy knew would be coming for her sooner or later, just not this soon.

Learning.

"Let's start from the most basic idea, the one concept that every civilized Pokémon understands. You see, Miss Amy, we aren't just creatures of biology, with physical organs and what have you—we are also beings of energy."

Gallia spread her arms wide in a grandiose manner as if revealing some great secret of the universe. The effect was mitigated by her sitting on the ground, however. Amy sat snuggled against her egg, now free of its basket, with the blanket it had been nestled in turned into something to lay on. It almost felt like a picnic in that regard. The young woman cocked her head.

"Energy?"

"Yes, energy. It goes by different names from species to species, such as how Lucario or other Fighting-types refer to it as Aura, but it's all the same. This energy is the basis from which most of our capabilities are derived. I assume you're… unfamiliar with the idea?"

Translation: 'I'm going to guess that humans don't have this'. Amy shook her head.

"Mm, doesn't ring any bells. It uh… sounds cool, though. And I have this energy too?"

"Oh yes. If you didn't, nothing would've happened when you became upset with me earlier."

"I still am, by the way."

Amy fixed the Gardevoir with the flattest look she could muster, which wasn't too hard given the many circumstances surrounding the events earlier. Gallia shifted a bit.

"Right, moving on. Just as important as understanding that we partly consist of this energy is knowing that said energy doesn't just come in one flavor, as it were. There are several affinities, to use the proper vocabulary, each with their own qualities and interactions with the world. When a species primarily produces one or more of these specific energies, we say they are of a certain type. Are you following along so far?"

Ah, so this is where that word comes into play. Amy stirred from where she was laying. It was really starting to feel like she was back in school again. She nodded.

"Yeah. So I've got this energy inside me, and it's a... specific type. Psychic, if I'm guessing right… Right?"

"That would be correct. It's also crucial to understand that while any given Pokémon generates the one or two energies that designate their typing, they are also able to produce and manipulate—to a far lesser degree—several other energy types. This is why Pokémon are able to use moves derived from types they themselves may not be."

"...Moves?"

That didn't sound familiar. Amy gave the Gardevoir a dubious look, and her new teacher was only too willing to explain.

"Yes, moves. It's a more colloquial term, but that's beside the point. In short, moves are techniques that a Pokémon can perform by channeling specific energies in certain ways. You've seen at least two, I'd wager. One being Ember from Fury, if my scorched window is any indication, and of course, this."

Much to Amy's surprise, an example was provided. Gallia's face grew more serious as she concentrated, her eyes once more lighting up with that telltale cyan glow. She reached out to the edge of Amy's blanket and crooked a finger, the corner raising in response as a halo of light in the same color enveloped a portion of the fabric. The Gardevoir held it up like that, speaking as her eyes continued to shimmer.

"This is Psychic, the most recognizable technique from which our type got its name. By focusing Psychic-type energy outside of my body and weaving it around an object, I'm able to move it using thought alone."

The light left her eyes as she lowered her arm, the corner falling back to the ground.

"Its versatility is unmatched, making it ubiquitous across multiple types and species despite the time it takes to learn and how taxing it can be on energy reserves after extensive use. Speaking of, let's bring the conversation back to energy itself. There's still one more important use for it apart from moves. As it happens, this too is about to be demonstrated."

Gallia waved past Amy, who turned her head in response. The newly-minted Psychic-type felt her heart skip a beat as she spotted several shapes coming their way. She was tense at first, but soon relaxed when she spotted a face she recognized among the Pokémon. Tiran looked just as genial as he had earlier, taking a moment to wave back before hurrying along with the others he'd come with. There were a pair of small beaver-y Pokémon with incisors not unlike the Rattata, a fawn (that made Amy immediately regret lunch) whose pelt was pink of all colors, with long ears and a yellow tuft on its head resembling a flower, and another Pokémon that vaguely reminded Amy of a raccoon, a brown and cream raccoon with a zigzag motif in its bristled coat. A… 'Zigzagoon', if the former human were to give it a name.

Pfft, as if that would actually be what it's called.

The group continued to make their way to where the pair sat, looking at Amy and chattering excitedly among themselves like the children they were. It was with that observation that the young woman finally realized what was going on. These were the children that Gallia was supposed to teach today. The Gardevoir rose to her feet with a smile on her face, clapping her hands once to draw the children's attention away from Amy as she addressed them.

"Good afternoon, everyone."

"Good afternoon, Miss Gallia!"

The five young Pokémon chorused as one, arranging themselves in a rehearsed semicircle around their teacher and away from Amy. Still, they couldn't help but turn and cast furtive glances at her and her egg. Gallia spoke up again.

"As I'm sure you've noticed, we have some company sitting in on today's session. Let's begin by introducing one another, shall we?"

With that, all gazes turned to look pointedly at Amy. She squirmed under the attention in a way that was reminiscent of Fury but cleared her throat. They were just kids, after all

"H-hello, I'm Amy. It's nice to meet you all."

There was an awkward pause between the two parties as the children traded looks with each other. A silent conversation seemed to be taking place. Finally, the zigzag raccoon put a paw on Tiran's back and scooted him towards Amy. The little rat Pokémon blinked, grinning sheepishly.

"Hi, I'm Tiran! You definitely haven't met me already! Not at all!"

Judging from the unimpressed look he was receiving from Gallia, he hadn't done a good job of pleading his case. It did break the silent spell, however. The other children were quick to follow suit, with one of the beaver Pokémon waving from where it sat, motioning to the second beaver who looked like it wanted to be anywhere else but here.

"Heya, I'm Bibi. And this is my brother, Deppo."

"Hi…"

The brother and sister duo sat back as the pink deer Pokémon bounded forward, surprising Amy with a decidedly male voice. Quite young, yes, but male nonetheless.

"Hi, I'm Scout! The most awesome Deerling you'll ever meet! Can I touch your gem? My dad said it was good luck and—"

"Hey, wait your turn! I wanted to touch it first!"

The raccoon began stomping over to Scout. Amy's brow rose at hearing her voice—the same one she'd heard alongside Tiran's when she'd woken up. The Deerling shot her a glare.

"Nuh-uh, I wanted to touch it first! You didn't even know it was good luck until I told you yesterday."

"Settle it down, you two. We're not having a repeat of last week."

Gallia chastised the pair, fixing them with a look of her own that made them reconsider whatever they were about to do. Scout trudged back to where he'd been previously, leaving the raccoon Pokémon. The child stared intently at Amy, almost appraising her. Finally, she nodded and puffed her fur out in a prideful flaunt.

"Hello, I'm Lizzie. It's nice to meet you, too."

Lizzie turned and sat herself back down. With the quick introductions out of the way, Gallia began to pace back and forth. Amy listened intently as the Gardevoir put all her attention into her students, lacing her fingers behind her back while her gaze swept over the five.

"Alright, everyone, let's begin. I realize that class is smaller than usual, given that the others are helping their parents tidy up the clearing for the traders, but I still intend a fruitful day."

Amy observed a collective grumble from the children, Gallia didn't seem to care, going on as if she'd heard nothing.

"That said, we're going to have a bit more fun. Your lessons today will be less about what you know about energy theory and more about its application in battle."

A silence fell over the children, processing what the Gardevoir had just said. Amy, likewise, was left speechless. Battle? The former human knew next to nothing about Pokémon, but hearing that word in this context? Now knowing they were capable of shooting fireballs and moving things with a mere thought? She could only imagine the worst. She glanced down at her egg, her precious, likely fragile egg, and felt a pit opening in her stomach—made only worse when she saw the excited looks on the children's faces. Even the reluctant Deppo had cracked a smile. Much to her relief, Gallia seemed to be a few steps ahead of everyone, cutting the celebration short.

"That said, we're not actually sparring today, only running very safe and controlled drills to evaluate the progress you've made on the assignment I gave you last time."

The silent cheer became a collective groan. Once they were done, another glance was traded among the children before mostly turning their attention away from one another. It was a mixed bag of reactions, with the two beaver Pokémon looking pretty neutral, Tiran perking up, Scout staring intently at Lizzie, his features smug, and said zigzag raccoon suddenly becoming fascinated with the ground between her paws. Gallia looked between them all and nodded to herself.

"Well then, I suppose we should get started. First, though, let's move so we can give Miss Amy and her egg some breathing room."

The Gardevoir began walking away, the children obeying as they followed. The group came to a stop not far from where they'd previously been and Gallia got everything underway. Sure, Amy had seen a few things Pokémon were capable of, but what came next was… ridiculous.

It started with Tiran. He was the youngest out of the children present and, coincidentally, not too far ahead of where Amy was in regards to her crash course. The Gardevoir knelt beside the little rat, giving him one-on-one tutelage. With her new ears, Amy was able to listen from where she'd remained as Gallia instructed him.

"Now then, manifest your energy for a guard and refine it like I demonstrated last time. Show me how far along you've gotten over the past few days."

"Um… okay. Is this good?"

Tiran's face screwed up in concentration as he did… something. The former human saw no visible change, but Gallia nodded approvingly.

"Impressive! You're getting close, but too much energy is still leaking away. Let it emanate from your body while also keeping it close enough to remain in your control."

"Oh! So like this?"

"...Almost, but you're still putting out more energy than is needed. Just dial it back some and—perfect. Now stay focused and hold it just like that. I'll be back shortly."

It was a cute scene, if Amy was being honest with herself, especially when the Rattata gave a mock salute in response. Gallia went to the others, observing them and giving personalized instructions after they'd paired up. The two beaver siblings were meshing well, unsurprisingly, but Lizzie and Scout seemed to barely tolerate the other's existence. Most of what was being said and instructed didn't make sense to the young woman, but she also figured she wasn't meant to follow along. The Gardevoir returned to Tiran, circling him with a critical eye and prodding him in places, examining that same something that Amy couldn't see. She nodded again.

"Your output doesn't seem to be changing, that's a very good sign and a marked improvement from the last lesson."

"Ooh, ooh, does that mean you can do that throwing thing to me? Y'know, the thing that you did with Lizzie that she told me about?"

Amy tilted her head at the question, not understanding what Tiran was asking. Gallia, on the other hand, looked rather concerned. She bent down and began having a much quieter conversation with him. She seemed to be explaining something to the Rattata, her features becoming sterner as she went on. Tiran looked disappointed, so Amy assumed that was the end of it, but when Gallia turned and met her eyes, something changed. The Gardevoir's expression became more thoughtful. Suddenly, the teacher had a change of heart. She turned back to Tiran to murmur something else, and the child's face lit back up. The conversation kept going and the child's expression became uncharacteristically serious as he nodded. Gallia glanced back to Amy, presumably to see if she was looking, and then began glancing about in a way that didn't sit well with the former human's maternal instinct.

Seemingly satisfied, Gallia reached down and scooped up her student, who still tried to look serious despite the derpy grin on his face. She lifted Tiran to chest level, adjusting her grip so that she held him in one hand. Wordlessly, Amy watched as the Gardevoir pulled her arm back in a wind-up that was surprisingly accurate in form to a quarterback about to pass a football, and promptly flung the Rattata as hard as she could, straight into the air.

"Oh my God!"

The cry was reflexive. Amy shot to her feet, eyes nearly popping out of her head as the purple rat spiraled through the air. The other children stopped what they'd been doing to watch the little Pokémon soar. Ten feet up, twenty—reaching the highest boughs of the surrounding trees at the top of his arc. She could only stare in horror as Tiran began his plummet straight down, breaking into a tumble and going head-over-tail several times in the process. He hit the ground with a whumph, landing at a funny angle that made everyone wince.

Amy stared at the Pokémon lying motionless on the ground, still in a stupor at the sudden turn of events. Her body was trembling, ready to run to him, but Gallia was already by his side. She knelt by him and held out a hand, her eyes taking on the faintest of glows as she examined him. With a satisfied grunt, the moment of silence passed and Tiran clamored to his feet, giggling like a madman.

"That was fun! Do it again! Do it again!"

"No, I think not. That was just a demonstration for Miss Amy."

Gallia stood and dusted herself off, looking back at the young woman who'd been watching, gaping like a fish out of water. It was only then that Amy realized that chucking the child had been a purposeful move. She let out a shaky breath and somehow managed to not scream at Gallia as the Pokémon started a lesson surely meant for both her and the Rattata.

"Like we discussed when we went over the everyday uses for a Pokémon's energy, using it as a shield is by far the most common application—even ferals do this when fighting. Upon demonstrating how effective it is at protecting the body, it's no wonder why every Pokémon does this. If I'm not mistaken, Tiran, that spectacular landing should have left you with multiple broken bones and a concussion, yet you're uninjured upon feeling at everything with my Psychic. Do you remember why that is exactly?"

Gallia looked down expectantly at the rat-child, who frowned in thought.

"Umm… isn't it because you said that our energy gets around all of our body parts?"

"That's the general idea, yes, but can you elaborate?"

Amy wasn't sure if Tiran even knew what 'elaborate' meant, but much to his credit he did just that.

"Umm… you said the energy gets in and around our whole body. It protects us like armor and makes it really hard to get hurt until all our energy runs out and we faint."

"Exactly. Now let's start with the drills I have for you today. You can pair up with Miss Amy for what we'll be doing."

Amy did a double-take at hearing that, a panic quickly rising in her chest upon seeing the look on the Psychic-type's face. She hadn't been expecting this! Her eyes flicked between Gallia and Tiran, spluttering.

"U-uh, Gallia, are you sure this is a good idea? You know I don't do this sort of thing. A-and my baby…"

She replied carefully, hoping that Gallia understood. She either missed it or worse, didn't care as she waved her hand dismissively.

"Nonsense, Miss Amy, your egg will be perfectly safe for this exercise—though I'd be more than willing to watch over it if you insist."

Amy tried to protest further, but it was all for naught. Tiran had already scurried over and made himself comfortable at her side opposite the egg. In the back of her mind, she couldn't help but think this was some sort of petty payback from the Gardevoir for picking that fight with her earlier. She took one look at the Rattata and felt any hope of truly getting out of this evaporate. So she put on her bravest face and gave in.

it didn't help that a teensy part of her had also become curious.

"So, what are we doing, then? You're… not gonna hurl me through the air, are you?"

Gallia laughed and shook her head.

"No, nothing that exciting. I'm just going to have you two working on manifestation drills. That is to say that you and Tiran will be practicing to improve the speed at which you two can summon your guard."

The young woman worked her mouth, but no sound came out. She couldn't even think of a way to disguise what she was actually meaning to ask. She glanced sideways at Tiran, then back to Gallia, and just said it.

"...And what makes you think I can do this energy stuff?"

"Apart from what happened when you lost your temper? Perhaps the fact that there probably isn't a Pokémon alive who can't manipulate energy. It's instinctual to the point that even a baby fresh out of the egg can put up a guard, weak though it may be. Stay still and observe."

Gallia was in front of Amy before she could even reply and bent down, their eyes locking for a brief moment before the Gardevoir's face was obscured by her own arm. She placed a hand on Amy's head, right between her ears, and her eyes lit up for the umpteenth time that day. The young woman made a sound as she felt a sensation pressing on her skin. It was like the pins-and-needles of a limb that had been sat on for too long, but different in ways that couldn't be put to word. She felt it continue down, making her eyes fly open wide as she felt the force push past her skull. The Psychic energy sat physically inside her head now, the same prickling sensation emanating from deeper and deeper within. What was—

Amy gasped as a new sensation sparked to life from even deeper within. It was like a pressure running from the center of her brain to just behind her forehead—no, her gem. It shot out from those points, arcing down from the base of her skull to the twin tips of her tail before fanning outward. All the strange feelings stopped thereafter, but Amy had gained a new... perception. She could make out a presence that defied all senses, yet the young woman vaguely grasped that whatever this was... it was a part of her. It radiated out just beyond her fur, whatever definition she was perceiving growing fuzzy at its edges. She blinked down at herself and looked back up at Gallia, awestruck.

"W-whoa, that's... weird. Is this what I used this morning?"

Probably not. Amy didn't see that telltale cyan light tinging the edges of her vision. Gallia straightened back up, answering with a vague gesture.

"Yes and no. While the energy you're manifesting now and the energy from before were both Psychic-type, what you were putting out earlier was more focused. It was ready to be shaped into a proper move. This energy is less so, diffused throughout the body, and only suitable for protecting you. Your technique is cruder than I'd like, but it's good enough for what we'll be doing"

"Huh. That's uh, pretty neat."

Amy glanced back down to inspect herself again, but still found that nothing had outwardly changed. She even went as far as to bring her tail around and prod it a few times with her paw. She felt nothing, yet an unshakable supposition remained that she was still cloaked in this strange new power. Her eyes slid sideways and she found Tiran still sitting there, though he looked a bit confused.

"You didn't know how to use your energy, Miss Amy?"

Amy hesitated but shook her head.

"N-no. Where I come from, we didn't really need it."

Or have it.

"Oh, okay."

He turned away, pleased with such a simple answer. Amy sighed inwardly, thankful for the simple mind of such a young child. Instead of acknowledging the fact that everything happening thus far had probably been by the Gardevoir's design, she let out a huff, resigned to her fate as the Psychic-type's newest pupil.

"So how do I turn it back off?"

As it turned out, the drills were more for Amy to catch up to Tiran than anything else. As it also happened, manifesting and dismissing her energy wasn't nearly as difficult as she'd thought it would be. Returning it to its inert state was as easy as relaxing herself. Once her nerves were more or less under control, she was rewarded with the peculiar sensation of the power receding into her head, which was where many Psychic-types apparently generated their energy from. Putting her guard back up was almost as easy. Now that she was fully aware of the energy within her, that strange perception had become a constant thing. She could now—albeit with difficulty—manipulate this new aspect of herself as if it were some kind of limb. All you had to do was just... move it, expand it until you were fully cloaked. It unsettled her how quickly she'd caught on.

It was just another reminder that she was no longer human. So instead of focusing on that, she concentrated on the drill. It was just as Gallia had said: her exercise consisted of trying to set up her guard as fast as possible from an inert state.

Easier said than done, as Amy soon learned. The target time for most was around one second to manifest after willing your energy to do so. Tiran was getting a consistent time of just over two seconds. Her? Between six and seven.

The young woman had been at it for what felt like half an hour, but try as she might, there was no improvement. Gallia had advised her to be patient with the process, but the frustration was beginning to mount up again. Just like with the chores, she was feeling less useful by the second… no pun intended. She was just getting in the way of Tiran learning something. Gallia was probably sensing her mood too with how she kept shooting her a look whenever she came around to check their progress.

For better or worse, the Gardevoir never got the chance to say anything about it. Her focus was shifted back to Lizzie and Scout, whose pairing had devolved into a conflict.

Thus went Amy's first foray into Pokémon battling.

"You're not even doing it right! I can't even learn the move and I can tell you're messing it up!"

It began with Scout mouthing off to Lizzie during whatever they had been doing. Amy paid it little mind, determined to focus on her own work. That quickly changed with the Zigzagoon's heated remark, however.

"Shut up! You're just a weed with hooves! What do you know about learning Extreme Speed anyways?"

"Enough to know that you'll never get it down. I bet Tiran could do better, and my dad told me he can't learn it, either!"

"You're gonna think that when I slam into you fast enough to break bones!"

The Deerling snorted.

"Yeah, your bones…"

"That's it! You're gonna need a Sitrus Berry after I'm done with you!"

"Hey, cut it out you two! We're not doing this in front of Miss Amy."

Gallia was crossing the distance to the pair, but too slowly. With a battle cry, Lizzie charged straight at Scout. Amy thought she saw the very faintest trace of a white glow enveloping the raccoon as she hit the other Pokémon, and was quite surprised to see Scout leave the ground and go sprawling despite his size advantage. Gallia threw out a hand and grabbed Lizzie in the middle of a second pounce, holding her by the scruff of the neck. Unfortunately, she was unable to do the same to Scout, who had already scrambled upright and made a mad dash for his opponent. He pivoted around, his rear legs blurring as he unleashed a pair of kicks at the raccoon. Lizzie let out a cry and struggled against the blows, but the Gardevoir was able to keep the smaller Pokémon in her grip as she nabbed a squirming Scout with her Psychic.

"Enough!"

Gallia snapped, patience running out. Her eyes flashed—literally—and she hoisted the two children so that they were both at eye-level to her. She fixed them both with a glare, her face clouded with wrath.

"I don't know what has gotten into the two of you, but I'm not going to stand for it another moment! Scout, you're going to apologize for heckling. Lizzie, you're going to apologize for instigating a fight. Is that clear?"

"...Yes, Miss Gallia."

The two grumbled their understanding and Gallia set them down. They muttered their apologies, but Amy wasn't fooled. It was obvious that they weren't sincere; the pair were the textbook picture of what you'd see between two feuding children forced to apologize back on Earth. Gallia appeared to see it too, but what happened next was something neither one of them saw coming.

No sooner had the Gardevoir and Deerling turned away than Amy saw it on Lizzie's face. If looks could kill, the glower she sent Scout would've landed her on death row. Her body once more gained the halo of light around it, but this time it was far less discrete, far less controlled. Gallia must've sensed the intention in the raccoon's emotions because her eyes widened and she whirled back to face the two. Again, too slow. Amy didn't fault her for that, though, because she'd been watching the whole thing unfold and still failed to see the actual attack. One moment Lizzie was standing where she'd been put down, the next, the young woman was staring at an afterimage.

A clumsy and unpolished Extreme Speed, as Amy would soon learn to call it, struck Scout with enough force to send him careening through the air like Tiran earlier. The only difference was the lower arc and direction he'd been sent in. Scout flailed uselessly through the air, expression frozen in shock as he reached the apex of the lazy arc and fell.

Straight toward Amy...

The world seemed to slow to a crawl. Tiran had reacted the fastest, already scrambling to make way for the Pokémon-shaped projectile. In a snap decision, Amy gripped her egg clumsily and gave it a shove away from the impending doom, sending it rolling a good ways away. In the same moment, she felt her energy ripping through her at record time, spurred on by the instinct to protect herself.

The Deerling hit the ground just in front of Amy and bounced, striking her as if she were a bowling pin. He was far heavier than he looked, his momentum pulling her into a tangled roll that ended with the young woman knocking the back of her head against the tree she'd been under. The force of the impact rattled her teeth, but the pain itself was largely muted. She couldn't even feel where a knot might form, though that may have just been her.

"I… wouldn't have minded having this back home..."

Amy lay there, seeing doubles of Scout as he struggled off of her and rose shakily to his feet, eyes still wide. She made to do the same but found that she couldn't. The same fatigue from after her very first manifestation struck back with a vengeance. Her whole body was sinking through a pool of molasses and her eyelids felt like they had weights tied to them as dark spots began appearing in her vision. The idea of just… shutting her eyes and… taking a quick nap… was… really…

Amy shuddered and went limp, fainting from energy depletion in the way that only a Pokémon could.

Several hours later, the evening was coming to an end on Amaranth. What was left of the setting sun had painted the world a dusky yellow, contrasting with the darkening purple skies beyond the canopy. In the woods not far from Merri, a train of wagons moved down the packed dirt road, snaking its way through the trees.

Over a dozen of the vehicles rumbled along, pulled by wild Mudbray and driven by Pokémon of several species. They were merchants and traders, united by the promise of profits and safety so long as they followed the leader who had united them. One such merchant hopped out of the back of a canvas-covered wagon near the rear of the train, grumbling as he began making his way to the front. It wasn't hard considering their pace, but it was annoying. They should've been getting ready to stop for the night. Instead, they were going to go another hour or so in the dark so they could arrive at the little village they were passing through to sell their wares first thing in the morning. The Breloom wouldn't have had a problem with it normally, but the glorified babysitting rotation he'd been put on for the past week and a half was chewing away at him. How was he supposed to maximize earnings if he was too drained to do his sales'mon routine?

He needed a break. Now. He arrived at the lead wagon and slowed, nodding to the Machoke driver and rapping a claw on the double doors as he walked beside it. The thing was less like a wagon and more like an office on wheels, with a finished roof and walls meant to protect precious paperwork from the elements. The Mudbray towing the thing gave him a sideways glance before huffing and returning its full attention to the road. There was a commotion from inside the wagon and the doors were pushed open. The Breloom ducked back and beheld the large Nidoking who was now in the door frame. He looked down from where he stood and grunted.

"What do you want, Lyn?"

Lyn put forward the biggest, brightest smile he could muster.

"Nothing much, Nedos, but ah… I have a quick question."

The hulking Poison and Ground-type blinked. He began drumming his claws against the frame of the door, a frown pulling at his snout.

"Is this about our little 'prisoner'?"

"Well—it's not exactly about him. I just—"

"Wanted to wriggle out of your responsibilities like some oily Ekans?"

Lyn had a misstep and nearly fell over. He hated how the Nidoking tried to call everyone out like that. He dropped any pretense of civility and scowled up at Nedos from where he was keeping pace, hoping that the waning light was making his cap cast a dangerous shadow across his face.

"I'm sick and tired of being the nanny for that fire-spitting wannabe. There are plenty of other 'mon in the caravan who can do the job, so why do I have to be stuck with him? He can't even do anything while he's chained and gagged like he is! I'm going mad having to sit still for hours at a time!"

Nedos was quiet at first, but was quick to let out a hum, which sounded more like a growl coming from him.

"You're the one who chased him down and beat his ass. I know he won't try anything stupid around you. Chains and gags don't do much to stop an angry Fire-type when he's sitting in a flammable wagon. But seeing as how you're already slacking, why don't you come in for a minute. There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about anyways."

Lyn paused, raising a brow at the Nidoking's sudden change in attitude. With a dramatic sigh, he climbed into the wagon. It was an intimate space, made all the more so by Nedos' larger than average size. The Breloom leaned himself against the wall, rather tired of spending his time sitting, and eyed the space he was rarely permitted to enter. A shutter had been popped open opposite the door to let in the dwindling light, but the room was otherwise lit by a fixture in the ceiling containing a glass orb filled with Crystabloom extract—far brighter and safer than candles and lamps.

Nedos made himself comfortable on a cushioned block of wood behind a cluttered desk opposite Lyn. His friend looked ridiculous sitting there, all things considered, but the Breloom had long grown used to such sights. The Nidoking leaned over, placing his arms on the desk as he did so. To the Grass and Fighting-type's further curiosity, a toothy grin broke out on the Pokémon's face.

"So, did you hear the news coming out of Merri earlier today?"

Lyn gasped loudly, feigning shock.

"Oh tree rot and Arceus above, it must've passed me by! You know it's awfully hard to hear things when you're stuck in the back of a wagon watching a Pansear do literally nothing."

"Get over yourself. I'm surprised someone hasn't told you though. It's pretty big."

"Oh? How big?"

Nedos let out a deep chuckle. He leaned back some and fished underneath the desk, and Lyn actually was shocked to see the wine bottle and wooden cups the other Pokémon produced. Drinking while on the move could only mean one of two things: either the Nidoking was stressed or in an exceptionally good mood. If the glint in his eyes were any indication, it was the latter. Nedos went on, uncorking the bottle with deft claws as he went on.

"We crossed paths with a Herdier just before noon today, running some sort of errand. According to him, the village had a new arrival a few days ago."

"And who would that be?"

Lyn watched Nedos fill the pair of cups and stepped up to grab one with an outstretched claw when it was offered. It was when he went to drink that the Nidoking chose to answer.

"Lyn, there's a chance that we're about to be dealing with an Espeon."

Lyn's eyes bulged and he began choking on the drink. He coughed several times, hammering at his chest before looking at Nedos in disbelief.

"An Espeon?! Which one? You're not pulling my tail, are you?"

Nedos guffawed, his voice making the Breloom's earholes ring. It was a delighted sound, full of mirth. He took his own swig, draining his cup in one massive gulp and setting it down.

"Nah, I wouldn't lead you on with something this big. Unless that Herdier was playing some prank, we can only assume there's an Espeon in Merri. As to which one… he didn't give a name; he only knew that she was young and had just popped out an egg."

Lyn took another sip of the alcohol, mind whirring to life like some overcharged Klinklang. His foot began tapping on the floor as he thought.

"That doesn't sound like anyone on our list of notable eeveelutions. Did she just evolve?"

Nedos shrugged.

"It could very well be a possibility, but we're getting ahead of ourselves. We don't even know if she exists yet."

"Then why are you telling me this?"

Lyn grimaced at his friend. The large Pokémon poured himself another cup of wine.

"Because if there is an Espeon in Merri, I want you to know before you're caught by surprise. Hypothetically speaking, I'm going to need a lotta help to lure her in and earn the caravan a valuable asset."

Of course. The business'mon in Lyn was already taking the situation for what it was: a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to improve the caravan's prospects by winning over a Pokémon whose species was almost exclusively in the upper echelons of society. He was already beginning to imagine the possibilities! How much extra money could he rake in if he got this supposed Espeon to open her coin purse? Could he and the rest of the caravan get their foot in the door with other 'mon or suppliers they wouldn't have access to otherwise? A grin began a slow spread across his face, mirroring Nedos' as he took another generous sip of wine.

"If that Herdier was right, then you can consider the deal as good as struck! You know my record for these things. No one can charm quite like Lyntinula Amberspore!"

Lyn winked at Nedos, who in turn gave a nod.

"Good. I'll fill in a few other 'mon about this plan before morning, but it'll be you and me doing most of the legwork."

Lyn nodded and drained the rest of his cup as he finished up the impromptu break. He leapt out of the lead wagon and headed back to where he was supposed to be. Luckily for him, another merchant had taken up guard duty for the Pansear while he'd been out. They switched places and Lyn took to sitting across from the bound Fire-type like he'd been doing previously, mind still going a mile a minute. He had to think of ways to woo an Espeon.

Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day.

Author's Note:

And here's the next chapter! It's later than I would've hoped, but better late than never, right?

If you're wondering about An Eevee and an Ember and where that is, the short answer is on a temporary hiatus. I had gotten really close to finishing it, but then I realized that I wasn't satisfied with how it was turning out and decided to redo the whole thing from scratch. The new version that I'm working on shares a similar theme, but is essentially an entirely different story. I can't say when it will be finished, but it WILL be finished.

As always, feel free to send me a PM detailing any spelling or grammatical errors you find.

See ya next chapter!