Platinum couldn't sleep that night. The stray strands of straw clung to her fur stubbornly as she tossed and turned in her sleep. Her partner, who was a Riolu named Sterling, had left last night after she had a spat with him about how to utilize her Dimensional Scream ability. The thought alone made her blood bubble with anger.

The Shinx got up from her nest and slowly walked down the hallway, tiptoeing past her sleeping guildmembers. She may need to get some fresh air, she always hated sleeping alone ever since Sterling found her on the beach months ago. She didn't know what it was like to sleep alone, but every time she had to, it terrified her.

She quietly began to climb her way up the ladder to the second floor. Platinum was about to continue her ascent, but a pale blue light caught the corner of her eye. She blinked a few times as she adjusted her eyes to the darkness until she realized she saw the barely visible form of Dusknoir sitting at Chimecho's desk near the outlaw bulletin board.

Platinum blinked again as she rubbed a paw over her sleepy eyes a few times. The ghost Pokemon's poncho was dimly illuminated by wispy blue flames circling around him as a source of light. He was leaning over the smooth wooden desk with a bag sprawled open to reveal open books, dungeon exploration supplies, and papers scrawled in a language Platinum couldn't understand.

"I know you're watching. Quite rude of you to not even give a friendly hello."

Platinum felt indignation prickle at her pelt. A spark or two worked its way free of her claws as she cautiously began to approach him. Dusknoir's eye kept itself trained on the papers he was going through, mumbling a few things softly to himself.

The Shinx glanced at the papers quietly until she finally decided to speak and break the silence. "So, what are you doing up so late at Chimecho's assembly station of all things?"

"She let me borrow it for the night. I needed a place of solace to pour over my studies." Dusknoir explained quickly in that usual matter-of-fact professional voice he had.

Platinum sat down near him, looking over the pages and notes. It was those footprint runes she saw back at the Groudon statue that Sterling was able to read. She herself couldn't understand it, however. She had Sterling read all the job notices to her since all that mattered to her was getting it done. She didn't usually care for the nitty gritty details such as the reward or the difficulty rank. Platinum only found herself concerned for getting the job done.

Dusknoir's bright red eye gave a sideways stare to Platinum. She took note of this and met his gaze. He went on to speak, "And why are you up at such an unholy hour, may I ask?"

"Couldn't sleep." Platinum was quick to reply with an agitated tail flick. "Sterling and I had a disagreement so he went off on his own tonight. I've no clue where he's gone, though. So I've been left on my own tonight."

He looked back to the papers and closed one of the books. Platinum couldn't even glance at it, but she swore she caught a glimpse of a frayed pencil sketch of a Time Gear on the page. She paid no mind to it when Dusknoir's firm and confident voice spoke again. "Have you known him a while?" He asked.

Platinum shook her head. "No. Only for the past few months. But essentially all my life."

He looked puzzled until the gears clicked in his head. Dusknoir gave a faint nod. "Of course. Your amnesia."

Her ear flicked in response, deciding to change the subject. Platinum didn't want to let her mind wander on the subject of Sterling for too long. She glanced at the book he closed earlier. "What were you studying?"

Dusknoir paused. He seemed unsure of how to respond to such a question. The Pokemon turned his attention back to the papers sprawled on the desk and began to place them neatly back into his shoulder bag still open on the desk. "Research regarding the Time Gears and cultures of this region."

Platinum blinked, staring at the bag for a good while. It was such a vague response, something about it set her off somewhat. "Where are you from?" Her gaze suddenly shot back to him, narrowing her eyes. "And don't give me those undercooked half-truths. If you're going to be staying at the guild, I'd like you to be upfront with me. Heck, you've even dodged the question about you knowing Grovyle."

The ghost pokemon seemed taken back by the small Shinx's sudden pointedness at him. Even the ghostly will o' wisps around him flickered somewhat. His red eye darted across her a few moments before he sighed. "I cannot tell you as of yet. But I do plan on telling everyone in town tomorrow."

It's that important? Platinum thought to herself.

He cut her off because she could speak again, "You said you've known Sterling all your life?"

Platinum realized his desire to change the subject so she obliged. The topic of his origin seemed somewhat sensitive. Even if she disliked his roundabout explanation of things, she still didn't want to push him. She did admire him somewhat after all. "Yeah. I say that because of the memory loss. He and I were able to deduce that I've got to be somewhere in my late teens, though. He himself is about seventeen. What about you?"

Dusknoir glanced mindlessly at one of the floating balls of flame circling around him. "Early twenties. I've lost count a long time ago."

The Shinx blinked in surprise. "Are you serious? But you're so worldly and knowledgeable of nearly everything. You can't be so young."

He seemed to smirk and gave an amused chuckle. "Comes with experience and study. You will understand tomorrow upon my announcement, however."

Platinum even gave a wry smile followed by a loud lawn, even her tail trembled from it. "Smartass. You don't intend to tell me anything, do you?"

"My apologies."

"You better be sorry, your oh-so-important speech you have planned tomorrow better make everything about you crystal clear." Platinum was simply amused at this point, having fun teasing the huge ghost pokemon.

Dusknoir's warm demeanor melted away, replaced by a cold tension. He closed the bag with a calculated quiet. "I best be off. The weariness of today is taking over."

The Shinx scoffed and glanced away, ears folding back. "Yeah. Me too."

Dusknoir's red eye looked the pokemon up and down. (Mostly down, considering how short she was compared to him.) He hesitated before finally speaking up. "May I propose something?"

Platinum didn't reply, only flicking up her ears in response.

"I don't have anywhere to sleep, I haven't had a good rest in ages. Though it is to my understanding that Sterling is off on his own somewhere."

"Is that to imply you want to take my partner's bed and sleep next to me?" Platinum teased, "geeze, take me out to dinner first." But the very idea made her pulse begin to race. Dusknoir in the same sleeping quarters as her? That's near impossible for her head to wrap around, and she found herself thankful for the darkness that would be hiding the blush on her muzzle.

"If it's not too much to ask." Dusknoir replied pensively with a tilted head.

Platinum's mouth opened but she struggled to respond at first. Her tail lashed across the ground a few times before she looked away and choked out a response, "F-Fine, but only for tonight while Sterling's gone."

Dusknoir gave a tiny bow that made her hate his guts even more so. Stop being so polite and enchanting, dammit. You're making me want to electrify you into a crisp.

Platinum jerked her head and began walking to the ladder. "Follow me. And be quiet. I have no idea what Chatot would think if he were to see you skulking off into one of the apprentice's rooms. I know the dang bird reveres the ground you walk on, so I'd be the one getting in trouble."

"Understood." He calmly replied as Platinum began to climb down the ladder to the bottom floor. She thudded down to the ground when she reached the last few rungs. She glanced a few times back and forth before trotting quickly across the open space to the hallway that led to the bedrooms.

As the two of them walked down the hallway, Loudred's snoring could be heard from one of the rooms. Platinum rolled her eyes and got to her own room. She was quick to glance out the window to see the gleaming moon before settling down into her nest. She motioned with a blue paw towards Sterling's nest. "Take it. It's not much, but it'll do for comfort."

Dusknoir hovered downwards until his ghostly tail lay sprawled out onto the ground (which Platinum didn't even think was possible until now) as he sat down in Sterling's bed.

He followed Platinum's gaze out towards the window to stare at the moon.

"Would it be too personal to ask what the disagreement was about?" Dusknoir said in a whisper.

Platinum hesitated, flinching at the question. She was finally able to turn her yellow eyes to meet his red gaze. She swallowed hard and folded back her ears defensively. "The Dimensional Scream. He wanted me to figure out how to get it to activate on command and use it for selfish gain. I don't… want to get into it. That's all I'll say."

Dusknoir leaned into the bedding and closed his eye, thinking for a few moments before he finally spoke. "I believe you should use it as you see fit. It is your ability after all, it should not be used as a tool for others' agendas."

Platinum huffed. "I couldn't agree more. I think it's silly of him to try and use me like that. Sterling and I got into a spat and he ran off in a huff. I appreciate Sterling and all, but I feel like he can't look past his own nose sometimes."

"Don't be so hard on him." Dusknoir replied, opening his red eye to look back at Platinum. "He's doing his best. And it would be nice… to have a partner to face the world with."

Platinum found her cold heart beginning to thaw. One look at him made her realize just how lonely he was. He did all of his exploring solo, and from what it sounds like, he's never cooperated with someone in a dungeon before. He had a lonely heart, and that made Platinum's chest ache.

Platinum finally replied. "Why don't you stay here, then?"

Dusknoir's eye widened in surprise at her response. "Excuse me?"

"If you're so lonely, then stay here in Treasure Town. Join the guild, maybe even join Sterling and I." The words kept tumbling out of her mouth without them meaning to. This heart-to-heart with him opened her up, and it terrified her. "We can work together in the guild, you can train alongside us. I'm sure you'd be good at it, considering you're so smart and competent on your own." Platinum was almost begging at this point, and she almost hated herself for it.

Dusknoir laughed, a lonesome, resigning sort of chuckle. He looked up at the ceiling instead as he raised his hands to rest on top of his belly. "I wish it were that easy. Platinum, I would want nothing more, but things just aren't that simple I'm afraid."

"Why not?" Platinum shot back, a little louder this time. Her tail began to lash in agitation. "What's stopping you? Is it Grovyle? Is that it?"

"No." Dusknoir was quick to reply curtly. "Think of it as me having obligations to attend to back where I'm from."

Platinum's heart dropped somewhat, and perhaps even cracked a little. "You're not… staying here?"

There was a pregnant pause in the air, chilling Platinum to her bones. She even shuddered before Dusknoir spoke again. "I can't."

Platinum's ears folded back apprehensively. She curled up in her nest, turned away from the ghost Pokemon. "I see. Sleep well, Dusknoir."

Dusknoir was quiet for so long, Platinum thought he had fallen asleep already until he spoke again. "Good night, Platinum. I hope our parting isn't soon."

After a pause for so long that minutes had passed, Platinum was sure he'd fallen asleep. Before she could drift off into her own personal realm of darkness, she replied in a hushed whisper. "Same, you idiot."