April 28th
Violet Eevee Clan grounds - Johto Region
Celes couldn't have asked for a more beautiful morning.
A crisp blue sky covered the heavens like a rolling sea stretched across the horizon, with pure white clouds drifting lazily across its endless expanse. A bright yellow sun smiled down upon the world, offering its gifts of warmth and light to the creatures scurrying around in search of food or other necessities.
The Flareon walked at a leisurely pace, taking in the vibrant, soothing atmosphere. Lush green grass cushioned her paws with every step, and a gentle breeze caressed her fur, bringing with it the sweet fragrance of fresh flowers that hung around her like a natural perfume. She breathed deeply, savoring the spring air, and her fluffy tail swished in a rare instance of high spirits.
Over the past couple of days, Celes had tried to make it a part of her daily routine to take a walk every morning after breakfast. It was hard to believe that walking with no set purpose or destination could help relieve stress and improve her mood, but Aqua and Lin both swore by this technique, and after trying it a few times, the results didn't lie.
Celes paused as she reached a junction in the path, her ears twitching in an effort to pick up any subtle noises in the distance that would indicate the presence or activities of other Pokemon. After careful consideration, she opted for the right-side fork, which she knew would eventually loop back towards the clan grounds.
A week had passed since the meeting with Kuro, and although Celes would have liked to be actively searching for her brother, she ultimately agreed with Sorin that it would be a more productive use of her time and energy to remain at the clan for now.
She had gone with Sorin and Lin to check out the lakeside clearing where Blaze had allegedly been staying, but that venture hadn't accomplished anything of value. Lin's inspection of the surrounding area uncovered possible evidence that a lone Eevee had been residing in the area, but the trail had gone cold from there. If Blaze had been staying at the clearing, he had since moved on, and it was unclear how long ago he might have left, or where he might have gone.
Not that this had come as much surprise to Celes. Kuro had made no secret of the fact that it had been a few weeks since he had last confirmed the Eevee's whereabouts, and Celes wouldn't have expected her brother to permanently settle down in such an open and frequently traveled area. Blaze had detested their home clan's general lack of privacy, and Celes knew better than anyone the hoops Blaze would jump through in order to obtain peace of mind.
They had returned to the clan afterwards to discuss their options. After some discussion, the group agreed that their next most promising lead was to try and get in touch with one of the three Pokemon that Kuro claimed would have known Blaze's whereabouts had Celes thought to ask them about him. In her defense, Celes had only met Ember and Avis during the immediate aftermath of the Charmander getting her tail thrashed by Inferna, and it hadn't seemed appropriate at the time to press either of them for information on her brother. That didn't fully excuse Celes for failing to approach Aureia on the subject, but Lin was quick to point out that even if Celes had questioned the fellow female Eeveelution, Aureia had displayed numerous signs of acting purposefully unhelpful, and Celes found it hard to disagree with that point. Between the Vaporeon's incredibly snarky responses whenever her trainer asked her to do something, and the nonsensical use of syllables in lieu of actual communication, there was no guarantee that Aureia would have coughed up any information of value if questioned. Sorin likewise agreed that Aureia was typically withdrawn and behaved in a borderline hostile manner towards people or Pokemon that she didn't trust.
On the bright side, all three Pokemon were owned by the same human trainer, so if they could find one of them, they would find the others, and they even knew who that trainer was...but then Sorin admitted that Adrian had an unfortunate habit of relocating to a different city and temporary occupation every few months, and that he had neglected to keep tabs on where his daughter's caretaker presently lived.
Celes took a deep breath, and began walking a little faster, temporarily banishing the feeling of frustration that gnawed at the pit of her stomach. Sorin had reassured her that he could still obtain Adrian's current address from his trainer records by talking to Matthias again, but that it would require another trip to Goldenrod City. He went on to note that if Celes or Lin insisted on traveling to the large city with him, the journey would take longer, but that if he went alone, his ability to fly would drastically cut down on the travel time. However, he would then need Celes and Lin to remain someplace where he could easily regroup with them once he had the information.
Aqua had graciously invited them to stay at the clan for as long as they needed, and Celes couldn't be bothered to try and protest the arrangement. After months of aimlessly searching for her brother, she was finally starting to feel like she was making real progress. There may still have been a number of setbacks and inconveniences, even after teaming up with Sorin, but at least now she felt like she was closing in on Blaze, rather than fumbling around in the dark and hoping to come across someone who might have seen him. There was nothing productive about slowing Sorin down by insisting she go with him, and remaining at the clan provided a number of different advantages.
Having somewhere to stay without fear of being forced out of a territory was a blessing that Celes cherished more than she could possibly say. She hadn't felt so safe since she had left her home clan, and Aqua was still permitting her to use the Alpha's Nest, which provided an even greater sense of security without shunning the company of others entirely. She had been staying at the clan long enough now that shadowing the Vaporeon as she went about her daily routine was no longer beneficial, and the Flareon really didn't want to appear over-dependant on the alpha, so she had to find her own ways of keeping busy during the rest of the day.
That's why she had started taking these morning nature walks, and she had even started doing battle training again for the first time in forever. At her home clan, most Eevee learned basic battle skills and techniques before they were a year old. Since the kits were grouped into a youngling community and raised together, battle was one of the earliest forms of play that they experienced, although it mostly consisted of playful wrestling and similar. It usually wasn't until an Eevee was being mentored by one of the clan leaders that they were taught more elaborate and competitive battle styles.
Celes hadn't forgotten about her poor performance in the match against Inferna, back when she first met Sorin. The Altaria made it clear that he hadn't expected either of them to be a match for the vicious Charmeleon, but that was no excuse for Celes to slack off. She was no longer at her home clan, and if she was ever going to find her new place in the world, then she would need to improve herself. Growing stronger would lend itself to improving her confidence, and reduce the anxiety she felt around humans and other Pokemon.
Lin had even volunteered to assist her if she wanted some pointers, an offer that the Flareon accepted, but rather than troubling the Weavile to oversee all her training sessions (which probably would have just made her feel more self-conscious), she did most of the training on her own, and then had Lin evaluate her progress later in the day, and make suggestions on what she should focus on improving next.
Unsurprisingly, Lin's first recommendation was for Celes to improve her stamina, and she even made a few small suggestions as to how the Flareon could go about doing that, as well as what she should avoid doing. Stamina training apparently wasn't all about pushing to surpass her limits or records, but also put focus on eating, staying hydrated, and getting enough rest.
Celes' ears twitched again, and she caught the distant, familiar sound of bubbling water. She took a deep breath and then broke into a sprint, selecting the water source as her destination. There was no need for her to keep count in her head, or otherwise track her time, because her exercise routines didn't focus on surpassing her previous time. Her main focus was just to get into the routine of gradually intensifying her workouts.
The Flareon was out of breath by the time she reached the water's edge, and she glanced around quickly to confirm that none of the clan members were converging on this spot. The advantage of this clan's size compared to her old home was that most of the clan members spread out across the grounds during the day, and congregated in smaller batches, so even if a few did come by, it wouldn't be in the form of a massive crowd.
Celes slowed her pace to a jog and circled the pond, uncomfortably aware of the rapid thumping of her heart, but Lin had warned her not to stop moving abruptly, and instead take a few minutes gradually reducing the intensity of her exercises before stopping. After her second circuit of the pond, Celes sat down, panting heavily, but feeling oddly content, despite her exhaustion.
She glanced around self-consciously before lowering her head to drink, taking care to keep her fluffy tail modestly curled around herself. The one thing she disliked about the present arrangement was that the clan was in the midst of preparing for the upcoming courting season, and because she was a relatively new face at the clan, she had already received a fair amount of attention from males. Nothing too forward, mind you, which immediately made it an improvement over the system at her former clan. The attention was actually rather flattering at times, since all the advances had been conducted in a respectful and somewhat playful manner, but she rejected the invitations and gifts all the same.
Also noteworthy was that she didn't have to be particularly forceful when rejecting a potential suitor, although there had been one or two Eevee that had been a little more persistent. If not for the fact that Celes had bigger concerns on her mind than courtship rituals or relationships, she might even have allowed herself to indulge in the harmless flirtations offered. Some of the little gifts had actually seemed rather sweet, but the Flareon hadn't wanted to encourage the efforts, or take advantage of the courting ritual if she had no intention of reciprocating the interest.
Aqua had even offered to formally request that the clan members leave her alone, but Celes put her foot down right away. She may not be interested, but she didn't want to appear like a spineless wuss that needed an authority figure to act as her guardian, especially when the attention was kept polite and overall harmless. It would not be necessary to get the alpha involved unless she was being harassed in some manner.
"Morning, Celes," Lin stated unexpectedly. Celes flinched, incorrectly swallowing her mouthful of water in the process, and she spent the next few seconds coughing profusely. Once her throat managed to clear the obstruction, she shot the Weavile a nasty look. "My apologies," Lin said, stepping up beside the Flareon. "I was trying to announce my approach, ironically in an effort to avoid startling you. Are you going to be alright?"
"Fine," Celes muttered. She tried to take a deep breath, and coughed again. "Where did you even come from?" she wondered, glancing around the clan grounds. The huntress' black fur might be able to blend in with nighttime shadows, but the crown of red feathers and the distinct blue scarf draped over her shoulders tended to make the Weavile stand out during the day.
"I was training in the forest," Lin answered simply, pointing in the direction of the thick line of trees that made up a portion of the clan's natural defense perimeter. Celes cast a wary glance in that direction, but decided that the trees were far enough away that they would be a poor vantage point for someone to be observing them from the shadows.
"How did that go?" Celes wondered, not even sure what that sort of training might entail. First thing she could think of was as an obstacle course or something, but that seemed weirdly risky and impractical.
"Well enough," Lin replied vaguely, frowning at her reflection in the pond before untying the scarf from around her neck, revealing a collar of wide red feathers underneath that matched the ones on her head and ears.
Celes did a double-take, bewildered by the realization that there was actually something underneath the scarf, which made the Weavile's use of the apparel seem even more bizarre. If anything, the Flareon might have expected some sort of disfiguration or scar, but Lin's neck looked completely normal, unless it was unusual for her species to have that collar.
Evidently aware of the Fire-type's gaze, Lin looked over at Celes and raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "Something on your mind?" she wondered, absently picking at a smear of tree sap clinging to the blue fabric.
"Um...no," Celes replied, a little embarrassed to have been caught staring. "I think this is just the first time I've seen you without the scarf and...I'm not sure why you wear it?"
Lin smirked knowingly. "Expected a scar or burn mark?" she asked, lightly brushing her claws along the feather collar, revealing that even the skin beneath the collar was unblemished. Celes' cheeks flushed, and she silently cursed herself for reacting in such a bizarre way. "I took this scarf as a trophy for a battle I won a few years ago," the Weavile explained, still smirking.
"So...it's just a fashion statement?" Celes wondered.
"Precisely," Lin answered, sounding pleased at how quickly the Flareon had figured this out. "My pack valued trophies as proof of status, and my scarf helped me to stand out among the rest, to the point that it's considered an identifying feature to those who know of me."
"I guess that makes sense," Celes admitted, watching as Lin dipped the scarf into the pond and began scrubbing at the fabric. The scarf may have started as a way to stand out from her peers, but it had since evolved into a part of Lin's personal style, so much that it was probably difficult to imagine the Weavile without her scarf.
"Excuse me," a male voice stated from behind them. Celes sighed and glanced wearily in the direction of the voice, expecting another flirtatious Eevee, but she did a double take upon seeing a vaguely familiar Umbreon coming over to them instead. "I hope I'm not interrupting."
One of Lin's ear feathers twitched noticeably, and she looked over her shoulder at the Umbreon. "Did you need something, Dominic?" she asked, wringing out the excess water from her scarf, and replacing it around her neck. Celes experienced a small jolt of understanding at the mention of the Dark-type's name, quickly recognizing him as Aqua's personal bodyguard, and the one she trusted to manage her daily schedule.
"I was asked to find you two," Dominic answered casually. "Sorin got back a little while ago. Pearl volunteered to get you, but Aqua said that probably wouldn't be a good idea," he explained with a grin.
"Give us a few minutes to finish washing up," Lin replied curtly. Dominic shrugged and sat down, gazing around idly. The Weavile fixed the Umbreon with an unamused look. "That's not an invitation," she informed him seriously.
"Right, forgot who I was dealing with," Dominic sighed, rolling his eyes. "Head towards the main area when you're ready, I'll meet you there," he said, and a teasing smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Don't take so long I need to check up on you."
Celes watched the Umbreon warily as he walked back the way he came, and then looked over at Lin. "Am I missing something?" she asked dully, nodding towards the departing Umbreon. Lin had no more tolerance for males intruding in her personal space than Celes did, yet Dominic's antics, for lack of a better word, hadn't seemed to bother the Weavile nearly as much as it probably should have.
"We've sparred every other night or so this week," Lin explained, cupping water into her paws and swiftly splashing her face before gently scrubbing the wet fur with her claws. "I told him off for your sake more than mine."
"So if I wasn't here, you wouldn't have cared if he sat nearby while you washed?" Celes asked blankly. That didn't seem like something Lin would have been okay with, so the Flareon found it hard to believe that's what she had meant.
"No, I definitely would have minded," Lin contradicted firmly, dipping her paws into the water and lightly running them over the crown of red feathers on her head, adding a glossy sheen and tidying up the arrangement. "He was being cheeky. I won our past spars, so he's acting like I need him to stand guard for me."
"So...he was teasing you?" Celes asked, not entirely convinced. She recalled what Aqua had told her about her own early interactions with Dominic, and how the Umbreon had purposefully tested the boundaries to see how long it took for the alpha to scold him. Then again, whenever she saw the Umbreon interacting with others, including Aqua, he had that same casual demeanor mingling with a mischievous streak. He was probably only firm or forceful when his duties required him to be.
"Mm-hm," Lin murmured, continuing to rinse her fur with splashes of water before using her claws to scrub away any imperfections or residue. "He's not difficult to read. He has far too much respect for Aqua and individual clan members to harbor malicious intent. Also, he's an Umbreon, so he is more aware of the effect of his actions on others than you probably know. He'd be able to smell fear and anger even if your face betrays neither. It's what makes him an effective bodyguard."
Celes shrugged, not really having anything meaningful to add to the discussion. After glancing over her shoulder to confirm that no one else was approaching the pond, she dipped her own paw into the water and began grooming the collar of yellow fur that surrounded her neck. This was probably the only opportunity she'd have today to tidy up her fur without much fear of being disturbed, and the cool water felt nice after the earlier run.
As promised, Dominic was waiting for them in the main area of the grounds, and led them to where Sorin and Aqua were located. Celes wasn't sure why an escort was even necessary, considering that Sorin's bright blue body and cloud-like wings made him stand out, even at a distance, but she supposed that it was more efficient than searching for him themselves. It was also reasonable to think that this approach allowed Sorin to stay put while Celes and Lin came to him, rather than both groups going around in circles simultaneously looking for one another. The clan grounds were much larger than they initially appeared, and trying to find a Flareon was a more difficult feat than it sounded.
"What did you find out?" Celes asked, before Sorin even opened his mouth. In her defense, she had gone almost an entire week without any updates on where her brother was, and part of her was worried that Sorin was going to have come back only to say that he had no new information, or that his information was in some way useless.
The Altaria's beak-like mouth smiled, untroubled by the Flareon's impatience. "Sorry it took so long," he said, shrugging his wings. "It took Matthias a while to get in touch with his computer-savvy friend and then negotiate a favor," he said, sighing quietly and shaking his head. "On the bright side, I now have Adrian's current address, and I even took the time to scout out where his apartment complex is located, because he's not renting a place in the main city."
"I'm not sure what that means," Celes admitted with a frown, and Sorin chuckled.
"I can explain more later," he said, stretching his wings. "It's also not too far from here, which makes sense, since I saw him near the Ruins of Alph last month, and Ecruteak City afterwards, so he wouldn't be living out near Cianwood or something like that."
Celes was too excited to be bothered over the fact she had no idea where 'Cianwood' was supposed to be located. This lead was still something of a long shot, with no guarantee that any of Adrian's Pokemon knew where Blaze was now, but it was the only clue they had left. She internally scolded herself for daring to get her hopes up, but the warm fluttering in her stomach refused to heed her brain's warnings.
"So what are we going to do?" she asked.
"Well, I came back to see what approach you felt was best. I couldn't really hang out there and hope to see Adrian coming or going," Sorin admitted with another shrug of his wings. "A Dragon-type staking out an apartment building tends to make residents nervous."
"Do you know which apartment he stays at?" Lin wondered. Sorin blinked at her, but nodded. "If Pokemon are permitted on the premises, then it may just be simpler to go there directly. If we wait too long, we may miss our chance."
Celes frowned, realizing where this discussion was going. The longer they delayed, the more likely it would be that Blaze would move further away from them. The trail was already cold enough without her reluctance to approach humans making things worse. Even taking extra time to nitpick over how to approach Adrian and his team would jeopardize her entire purpose for coming this far. There was really only one choice to make.
Celes took a deep breath. "Yeah, let's try paying them a visit," she said.
"Are you sure?" Sorin asked seriously, and the Flareon nodded. After a pause, Sorin smiled slightly. "All right, then let's go."
