Johto was steadily coming to life as the morning sun rose higher into the sky. Warm rays of light massaged away the stiffness and fatigue of the previous night, and most people and Pokemon were starting their day.

Spring remained the time of year that Lin appreciated the most, as her sharp red eyes observed the diligent movements of the local inhabitants. Birds were singing and chirping, swooping from the branches of trees to snatch common insects from the air to feed the hungry mouths occupying the nests they had worked so hard to build during the previous weeks. Lin silently noted that the individual roles of the parents appeared to vary by species. In Sinnoh, rarely were both parents absent at the same time. If a Staravia mother was collecting insects, one could be sure that the newly-hatched chicks were at least under the watchful eyes of the single Staraptor that ruled over a flock of its kin, even if it was perched far away, out of sight. The moment a wily predator drew close to the nest, the majestic bird would swoop down and strike without mercy, driving the threat away. Here in Johto, Pidgey seemed to gather in smaller flocks, and Lin was skeptical that the nests were adequately protected.

She was not about to test this theory, however. The Pidgey and occasional Pidgeotto occupying the trees were giving her the evil eye as she passed, and it was unlikely that a lone predator would be a match for a small swarm of bird Pokemon, no matter how docilely they traditionally behaved. In any case, Lin lacked her species' usual taste for eggs. Having grown up on Mt. Coronet, eggs were difficult to come by, and the pack endured by hunting small Pokemon as prey, or thieving from travelers.

Celes and Sorin weren't exempt from receiving hostile looks from the local Pokemon, either. In the Altaria's case, it was most likely a concern about territory, as the Dragon Pokemon bore the likeness to a bird, but with significantly more mass and firepower. In Celes' case, most of the Eevee evolutions had a predatory nature and a Flareon's element could easily flush out potential prey with smoke or fire that could additionally pose a threat to the surrounding environment.

"Keep your distance from the trees, if possible," Lin warned, drawing the trailing ends of her scarf into another loop around her neck, so that the ends rested near her waist, rather than her knees. In the event that their presence provoked a hostile response from the cluster of bird Pokemon, the dangling fabric would be a liability. By shortening its length in this manner, the scarf better preserved the Weavile's most vulnerable point, the throat, while simultaneously keeping the loose ends closer to her center of mass, which were easier to defend than her legs.

"Easier said than done," Sorin noted dryly, and Lin hid a smirk of amusement. The Altaria's wingspan alone nearly stretched across the entire width of the path, and adjusting his course in either direction risked coming too close to the bird Pokemon perched in the lowest branches. The path here was so narrow that they had to travel in a single file line just to remain on the path.

"Is this sort of passive hostility normal?" Celes whispered, her dark brown eyes darting about the surrounding trees, but her attention was closer to the ground, rather than the branches overhead.

"In less frequently traveled territories, definitely," Sorin answered, glancing over his shoulder at the Flareon trailing behind him. "On more traffic-heavy routes, local Pokemon are usually more accustomed to passerby and only accost travelers if they feel threatened."

"The sense of paranoia is significantly heightened when there are newborn chicks or kits in the area," Lin added, wrapping her scarf into another loop around her neck, despite the fact she was starting to feel uncomfortably warm and top-heavy. "The potential danger posed by our respective species justifies the caution, and frankly, I suspect that we've only been left alone because we're in a group. I can almost guarantee you that if I were to walk this same path alone, there would be at least four Pidgey dive-bombing my head to accelerate my departure, and retaliation would only ensure the rest of the flock following suit."

"You're probably right," Sorin admitted. "Celes would have the best chance of coming and going unpestered, and while I probably wouldn't get the divebomb treatment, there would at least be displays of aggression to warn me not to linger. As an outright predator species, there's almost no way Lin's presence would be tolerated."

"Sneasel and their kin also hunt in pairs or groups," Lin mused. "Experienced parents and fighters would make every effort to repel individual threats before they can get into an advantageous position."

"Where do humans fit into this?" Celes wondered.

"Humans are not as severe a threat to a Pokemon's nest, and would probably be allowed through without incident, provided they don't wander through protected territory," Sorin said, shrugging his wings before remembering that such gestures were a bad idea in such a narrow space and while they were actively being used.

They came across a couple of human travelers heading in the opposite direction, and earned a pair of bemused looks as they passed. Lin could hardly blame them for such a reaction. An Altaria, Flareon, and Weavile traveling together in a group was a bizarre combination to say the least, and to encounter the trio out here, almost an hour's journey south of Violet City, probably came across as a scenario straight out of some weird dream.

"We're almost there," Sorin announced, a few minutes later. The forest had gradually thinned, and the number of hostile Pokemon observing them had become similarly infrequent, which allowed them all to breathe a little easier. "There's just a small human settlement up ahead, not even large enough to be considered a town," Sorin explained with a chuckle. "It's only notable because it's a resting point for travelers planning to explore Union Cave or who are en route to Azalea Town," he explained.

"And that's where Adrian lives?" Celes asked, a note of skepticism evident in her tone.

"He rents an apartment nearby, yeah," Sorin answered seriously. "It's not a tourist destination, but gets enough traffic to justify keeping the Pokemon Center and a few shops running, but it's also smack dab in the middle of nowhere. It's cheaper to live there because you have to walk a fair distance to reach anywhere relevant."

Lin nodded to herself thoughtfully. There was probably something to be said for living in a more isolated part of the region, particularly since Adrian looked after Pokemon with troubled pasts and unstable emotions. Larger cities came with a lot of traffic and noise, and that was potentially very stressful for Adrian's Pokemon to experience on a regular basis. Living further away from that sort of stimulation would allow Adrian more freedom in raising and interacting with his Pokemon, rather than keeping them cooped up inside their Pokeballs for the majority of the day.

The settlement, as Sorin had labeled it, was little more than a collection of smaller buildings. What Lin found most interesting was how the Johto cities seemed to actively oppose the aesthetics of modernization. Both Ecruteak and Violet City had kept the design of their structures simplistic and old-fashioned. Technology was still incorporated into everyday life, but Johto architecture focused on integrating the structures into the natural surroundings without demolishing everything in the process, and the results were rather pleasing to look at.

The buildings had been constructed upon a foundation of natural dirt and stone, rather than the paved or cobbled roads that was commonly utilized, and most of the buildings were fashioned from wood and similar materials, as opposed to artificial concrete or steel. A Pokemon Center was prominently featured, and a bunch of smaller businesses lined the unmarked street, including a medicine and supply store, and even a traveler's cafe.

Celes hesitated when they went nearer to the buildings, and Lin lightly touched the Flareon's shoulder with her claws, a wordless reassurance that there was little to fear. Humans were dotted about the area, most of them travelers accompanied by their own Pokemon. Some were sitting on the grass in small groups, animatedly talking with their companions while their Pokemon either rested in the sun or played amongst themselves.

"Try to relax," Lin told the Flareon seriously, earning a brief glare in response that she chose to ignore. "Tensing up will only draw suspicion. Act like you belong here and you'll likely be left alone."

"I know that," Celes grumbled, and she took a deep breath before resuming her earlier pace. Sorin glanced back at them to make sure they were keeping up, and led them past the row of small stores. They earned the occasional curious glance from the nearby humans, but no one made any attempt to stop them.

"The apartments are just up this way," Sorin said, steering the two females towards a large building on the far end of the settlement. Celes' expression grew increasingly apprehensive as they went closer, and Lin kept a watchful eye out for any signs of danger. She was confident in her own strength and ability to engage opposing trainers, but proceeding uninvited into a structure designed to house dozens of humans was an area she had no experience with.

A pair of glass doors marked the entrance into the complex, causing Sorin to pause and awkwardly glance towards Lin. The Weavile stepped forward, her claws possessing the dexterity necessary to pull the door open, and the Altaria squeezed his body through, with Celes slipped in after him.

The next obstacle was a second door just inside the entrance, but when Lin tugged on the handle, it refused to budge. Her eyes darted around quickly, and she soon spotted a sign advising visitors to use a nearby keypad to contact the resident they intended to see, and be allowed entry.

"Oh crap," Sorin groaned. "I didn't even think about the security measures."

"What do you mean?" Celes asked, her expression darkening slightly. She wasn't angry yet, but she was definitely aware that whatever Sorin had said wasn't good news.

"I forgot that most apartment complexes have a system so that strangers can't just walk into the building," the Altaria admitted carefully. "Residents have a key, but visitors have to punch in the resident's room number on this keypad, which lets the resident know someone's at the door. If they don't know the person, they're not supposed to let them in."

"How do they know who's at the door?" Celes asked blankly.

"There's an intercom where they can talk to the person," Sorin explained, nodding towards a speaker panel near the top of the keypad. "You're supposed to identify yourself...but humans can't understand Pokemon."

"Do you think Adrian's Pokemon ever use this if they came from outside?" Lin wondered thoughtfully. The keypad was low enough to the ground that a child could probably reach the buttons, and many Pokemon weren't too much smaller than that.

"Yeah, but I don't think any of us can masquerade as a Charmander, Vaporeon, or Snivy," Sorin said, rolling his eyes. "And that assumes Adrian doesn't have all his Pokemon with him."

"We wouldn't have to," Celes interjected, her fur bristling slightly. "You would just identify yourself. Adrian's seen you before with Ember. You can just say you're visiting her."

"But he can't understand me," Sorin said blankly. Celes looked for a moment like she was on the verge of slamming her head against the wall in frustration. To spare the Flareon the headache, Lin snapped her claws, drawing Sorin's attention back to her.

"Sorin, even if the humans can't understand the specifics of what you say, if Adrian has any of his Pokemon present, they could probably relay the message to let you in," she said seriously. It was maybe a bit of a stretch, but she remembered how Adrian had repeatedly asked Aureia to relay messages or speak with unfamiliar Pokemon on his behalf, during the small incident back in Ecruteak City. "At the very least, he might wonder why there's an Altaria at the door, and then come to the conclusion himself."

"Hm, that's a fair point," Sorin sighed, not sounding particularly convinced. "I'm going to need one of you to type in the numbers, though. My wings aren't really suited for that."

Lin smirked and stepped up to the keypad, swiftly pressing three buttons as Sorin recited them. There was a moment of silence, followed by a droning sound that lasted for a second before cutting out, and then repeating. With each repetition, Sorin grew increasingly antsy.

"Maybe he's not home," the Altaria suggested uncomfortably, on the eighth or ninth ring.

At that moment, the droning buzz cut off, and there was a clattering sound in the background before a male voice spoke. "Ahoy-hoy!"

Sorin's forehead creased in confusion. "Did you push the right numbers?" he asked Lin, concerned. The Weavile nodded curtly.

"Hello? Anyone there?" the voice on the other side of the speaker called, sounding slightly confused. Lin gestured sharply for Sorin to respond, and the Altaria shook himself to refocus.

"Um...hey? It's Sorin," he answered awkwardly.

There was a short pause, followed almost immediately by a distinct buzzing sound coming from the door itself. After a moment's confusion, Lin experimentally tugged on the door handle, and found that it opened easily, allowing them into the main complex. A gentle click from the intercom speaker indicated that the call had disconnected.

Sorin exchanged a baffled look with Lin, but nevertheless squeezed through the open door and into a long stretch of hallway, with Celes and Lin right behind him. Several doors were placed on either side of the corridor, with a three-digit number labeling each door.

"His apartment should be on the second floor," Sorin said, already heading up a flight of stairs located right beside the door. The second floor appeared almost identical to the first, except each room number started with a 'two' rather than 'one'. Sorin led them down the hall, casually checking each apartment number as they passed. Near the end of the hall, the Altaria paused, and turned back towards them. "Here it is," he said, nodding towards the number of the door, which matched the numbers he had instructed Lin to type into the keypad earlier.

"Should we knock first?" Lin asked, grasping the door handle and gently rotating it, only to find that it stopped abruptly less than a quarter turn later. "Oh, it's locked," she murmured. Without waiting for Sorin's answer, she rapped on the door firmly. They obviously weren't going to just stand there awkwardly, and if the door wouldn't open on its own, then knocking was a necessity.

Several seconds passed without a response, and Lin pressed her ear against the door. In spite of her excellent hearing, the Weavile found that very few sounds bled through the barrier, and the bits that did come through were muffled to the point of incoherent. Lin was just about to try knocking again when she heard the click of the door lock disengaging, and the apartment door swung inwards.

"Sorin!" a jovial voice called, and the entire group did a double-take. Rather than the expected human answering the door, there instead stood a familiar bipedal Pokemon with a bright yellow body and white belly. It stood almost a foot taller than Lin, but had weirdly stubby arms considering its height. Its neck and cone-shaped ears had three black stripes, a design that was later repeated on its tail. The most distinctive feature was the bright red orb set on its forehead, with another at the tip of its tail.

"Noblesse?" Sorin blurted, unable to hide his expression of surprise at seeing the Ampharos.

"In the flesh," the Ampharos replied with a cheeky grin. "A pleasant surprise, I hope?"

"I thought this was Adrian's apartment," Sorin said, frowning uncertainly.

"Oh, it is," Noblesse replied, turning his attention to Lin and Celes. "Good afternoon, ladies," he stated pleasantly. "I was just debating what manner of trickery had enabled Sorin to use the keypad. It's quite a treat to see your lovely faces again."

Celes and Lin rolled their eyes in unison, which prompted a chuckle from the Ampharos.

"Come in, come in," Noblesse insisted, stepping away from the door and gesturing earnestly for them to enter. Celes glanced uncertainly at Sorin, but complied, crossing the apartment's threshold warily, as if she expected a trap to be sprung the moment her paw touched the carpeted floor of the apartment. She then pressed herself against the nearest wall, too uncomfortable to venture deeper into the dwelling on her own. Lin came inside next, keeping to the center, and gazing around with a sharp eye.

The apartment was little different than the house where she and Kaito had stayed back in Ecruteak City, but it was much smaller. There was a small corridor ahead that led to a closed wooden door, and a second door on the right side that lay open, a small glance inside confirming that it was a lavatory, complete with a sink and shower. To the left was an open room with a small wooden table with chairs placed around it, connected to a small section that served as a kitchen and food storage room.

Lin glanced back as the door gently clicked shut, and she hastened to move over so that the larger Altaria had enough room to maneuver. Noblesse slipped past the cloud dragon, practically grinning ear to ear.

"To the right here is the bathroom, bedroom's straight ahead," he stated, gesturing to the doors before continuing into the open area. "Dining room, kitchen, and over here is the living room," he said, walking into a second, larger open area that contained an armchair and a couch large enough for two or three people to sit upon, with a small television stationed on a stand in the corner, and a small wooden table next to the couch for people to place their drinks or snacks. "And I'm not sure what that room's for," he admitted, pointing towards a side room on the right-hand side.

In place of a door like the previous entrances, the side room instead used a sliding curtain, heavy enough to remain closed even in the presence of a draft, but light enough to be pushed or pulled to one side without too much effort. It was a small room, but the pull curtain implied to Lin that it was probably a visitor bedroom, large enough to set up a cot or mattress, but far too small to contain many of the personal effects or furniture she had seen in the bedrooms back in the Ecruteak City house.

The room didn't contain too much, aside from a large, padded basket that was placed upon a large, cushioned platform. Upon further inspection, the room also contained a bizarre assortment of other objects with no clear correlation to one another. There was a small shelf containing a number of fireproof towels and blankets, with a laundry hamper beside it, as well as a heavy-duty scratching post in the corner that reminded Lin of her pack upbringing. Young Sneasel were often provided a similar object so that they would have a more constructive outlet for their natural urge to scratch things. This habit usually died down once they got older, but she nevertheless found it entertaining that humans manufactured similar designs for their own Pokemon's use.

"Oh, this must be where Ember sleeps," Sorin mused, after only a quick glance at the room's furnishings.

"Why do you think that?" Celes wondered.

"Well, the prevalence of fireproof material and the scratching post are kind of a giveaway, but the basket on top of an ottoman is definitely an Ember thing," Sorin answered with a fond chuckle. There was a pause as the other three Pokemon exchanged blank looks.

"I don't think I follow," Noblesse stated pleasantly. "The fireproofing and scratching post, certainly, but what's the significance of the pet bed?"

Sorin blinked at the Ampharos. "Ember's always preferred isolated areas that are higher than most of her surroundings, like a tree stump, or the top of a hill. On an instinctive level, she feels safer, like her nest is harder to access, even though in practice, it really isn't. It's just part and parcel with her dragon instincts."

"Fair enough," Noblesse chuckled, glancing around the room briefly. "But I guess she's not the hoarding type, huh?" he asked.

Sorin shrugged his wings impatiently. "I'm not really the best person to ask about that. I've never personally seen her show interest in hoarding trinkets or similar, but that doesn't mean she doesn't."

"Makes sense to me," Noblesse answered, making his way over to the living room couch and stretching out across it. "So what brings you three out here?" he wondered, folding his arms behind his head.

"Still looking for my brother," Celes answered with a sigh, sitting down near the foot of the couch. "We went up to the clan you mentioned, but he wasn't there, and Kuro said he hasn't seen Blaze for a few weeks, but that Adrian's Pokemon would have known where he was had I thought to ask them in the first place."

The Flareon's voice cracked slightly at the end of her statement, and Noblesse winced sympathetically. Lin leaned against the door frame of the side room, observing the Ampharos with a critical eye.

Sorin cleared his throat softly. "We're trying to get in touch with Adrian to find out whether any of them know where he might have gone, or where he might be now," he explained, his beak mouth curving into a perplexed frown. "Not to change the subject or anything, but if this is actually Adrian's apartment, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"Rachel and I are house-sitting while Adrian's out of town," Noblesse replied nonchalantly. An expression of alarm flitted across the Altaria's face.

"What? When did he do that?" Sorin sputtered, his cloud-like wings bristling.

"Oh, at least two weeks ago," Noblesse answered, looking slightly incredulous that Sorin was just learning this information. "Visiting his brother in Sinnoh for a couple weeks. Hm, I suppose he finalized the plans sometime after you last saw him."

"How do you know so much about it?" Lin interjected, folding her arms across her chest. The mention of Sinnoh had definitely gotten her attention, if only because Kaito and the rest of the group had decided to head back to Sinnoh at about the same time, although it really would not have been surprising if the return trip had been delayed by a few days.

"Well...aside from Adrian arranging for Rachel to watch over the apartment during his absence, Rachel also pulled some strings to reserve the travel tickets," Noblesse answered, rubbing his chin.

"When is he getting back?" Celes snapped impatiently.

"Patience, my lovely cirrus," Noblesse murmured, and Celes let out a huff of annoyance. "You may not need to wait for his return to get your answer."

"What do you mean?" Celes growled, clearly not in the mood for games, and even Sorin wasn't making any effort to rein in the Flareon's confrontational tone.

"Rachel has Adrian's contact information," Noblesse explained with a grin. "I'm sure I could convince her to give him a call..."

"Uh-huh," Celes retorted, her voice dripping with skepticism. "And what's the catch? What do you expect in return?"

"Hm?" Noblesse blinked at the fire Eeveelution. "I don't expect anything in return. It is my duty and responsibility to assist those in need-"

"Then forget it," Celes snapped back. Noblesse flinched, his eyes widening in bewilderment.

"I...beg your pardon?" he inquired.

"I don't trust selfless intentions," Celes stated bluntly. "I won't accept any offer that puts me in debt to you. Even if you claim I owe you nothing, an unreturned favor is a debt one can use as leverage."

Sorin shifted uncomfortably, but Lin personally sided with Celes on this matter. True, the Flareon had a tendency to behave in a prematurely suspicious or hostile manner at times, but under these circumstances, her wariness seemed justified in Lin's eyes. Noblesse was not a trustworthy source of information, partially due to being closely associated with the enigmatic Zoroark. He had a flirtatious nature that irked Lin and was similarly despised by Celes, and considering that Eevee clans were preparing for their courting season, it was wise for the female Flareon to be cautious of males acting like they were 'nice guys'. It would be presumptuous to assume any untoward intentions, but it would be far more foolish to ignore the potential for others to use emotional manipulation against them when one was already approaching a vulnerable period.

"So...you won't let me help you find your brother...unless I want something from you?" Noblesse asked, speaking slowly in an attempt to process the Flareon's position.

"Exactly. I need to know the price that will make us even," Celes answered crisply.

"How odd. You did not insist on such terms last time," Noblesse noted.

"I helped thaw you in exchange for knowing who you recommended Blaze to meet," Celes said stiffly. "What do you want in exchange for this next favor?"

"Hmm," Noblesse murmured, sitting up and twirling his paw thoughtfully. A playful smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Share a bath?"

"No," Celes retorted promptly, without a hint of humor in her eyes.

"Movie night?"

"No."

"Dinner?"

Celes heaved a sigh. "Only if we make progress," she relented. Noblesse smirked in triumph, and Lin rolled her eyes. It was abundantly clear to the Weavile that the Ampharos had deliberately started the negotiations off with something outlandish and sure to be rejected so that his subsequent bids would seem more reasonable. Celes appeared equally aware of this tactic, judging by the absolute deadpan tone she had used when dismissing the suggestions, as well as having the foresight to set up a loophole to nullify the 'contract' if it ultimately amounted to nothing.

"So what now?" Sorin asked, casting Noblesse a disapproving look, but otherwise acting as if the exchange over negotiations hadn't happened. "We got to wait for Rachel to come back from somewhere?"

"No, she's here," the Ampharos answered, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "She had just gotten out of the shower when you buzzed. Should be out shortly, just takes forever to get her hair ready."

"I'm guessing she has no idea we're here, then," Sorin sighed, shaking his head.

"Nope," Noblesse confirmed with a grin. "I'm kind of looking forward to seeing her reaction, truth be told."

As if on cue, there was the click of a door opening from the other end of the apartment, and the pattering of light footsteps. Noblesse reclined against the couch, placing his paws behind his head again, his eyes twinkling with playful amusement.

A vaguely familiar female human came around the corner and entered the living room. "Noblesse, do you happen to know where I left the..." the young woman was saying, only to break off her sentence with a startled cry the moment she caught sight of the other three Pokemon present. She recoiled, grasping the wall for support, only to slide along it and fall to the floor in an undignified heap.

Lin found it difficult to keep a neutral expression as the young woman scrambled back to her feet, her face flushed with embarrassment. Rachel had shoulder-length, raven hair and was wearing a modest, yet comfortably fitting blue blouse with denim shorts, although she was noticeably barefoot.

"What the hell?" Rachel demanded, and she shot Noblesse a disapproving scowl, seeing as the Ampharos was doubled over in silent laughter. "You're such a jerk sometimes," she grumbled, and it was clear from her tone that she would have preferred to use a different description.

"Least you were dressed," Noblesse replied, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes. Lin had a hunch that this was not the first time Rachel had come across unexpected Pokemon guests within a private residence.

"You really should have told me you let friends in," Rachel continued, giving no indication that she had understood her Pokemon's words. She turned her attention to each of them in turn, and then did a double-take. "Wait...aren't you two-?" she sputtered, rapidly pointing between Celes and Lin, taking particular notice of the Weavile's scarf. "From Ecruteak City, right?"

Lin provided a curt nod of acknowledgement, and Celes rolled her eyes. Rachel nodded slowly, although she regarded the females with greater caution than before.

"I'm not sure this is a good idea, Noblesse," she told the Ampharos seriously. "I don't think they're tamed Pokemon, and Adrian shouldn't be stuck paying damages if something happens."

"It'll be fine," Noblesse chuckled, waving his paw airily. "I'll keep an eye on them."

"Absolutely not," Rachel said, crossing her arms sternly. Just like back in Ecruteak City, Lin got the impression that Rachel and Noblesse had a strong enough bond that the young woman could get the gist of what her Pokemon was saying, even if the exact words were unclear. "Remember what happened the last time you tried flirting with them?"

"Yeah, but this time, I got one of them to say 'yes'," Noblesse protested, gesturing to Celes, who shot an annoyed look in his direction. Ignoring the Flareon's reaction, the Ampharos widened his eyes innocently. "Call Adrian and get his okay," he insisted, putting his paw to his ear and shaking it slightly.

Rachel scowled, but then turned on her heel and headed back down the small corridor. Noblesse reclined back against the couch, smirking smugly. Sorin shook his head incredulously.

"You're weird," the Altaria noted bluntly.

"I prefer the term 'eccentric', thank you very much," Noblesse replied, unfazed. Further discussion was halted by Rachel coming back into the room, carrying a slim, silver tablet of some kind under her arm. She set the tablet down on the dining room table and lifted the lid, exposing a keyboard and display screen. "Wait, is she doing a video call?" Noblesse asked, straightening in his seat and squinting across the room at the fraction of the display that was unobscured by Rachel's head. "Interesting choice..."

As if in answer to the Ampharos' question, a window popped up on the screen, displaying the face of a vaguely familiar young man. Lin recognized his face from the brief encounter in Ecruteak City, but as she moved nearer to the computer to get a better look, she noticed a few concerning details. The young man looked exhausted, as if he had barely gotten any sleep the previous night, and his brown hair was noticeably untidy, and even his clothing seemed wrinkled, as if he had just rolled out of bed without bothering to groom.

"Hey, Rachel," Adrian said, stifling a yawn with his hand, but offering the young woman a warm smile, in spite of his weathered appearance. "I was just about to call you, funnily enough."

"Oh? Where are you now?" Rachel asked, craning her head in a vain attempt to see the details of Adrian's surroundings.

"Pastoria Pokemon Center," the youth replied wearily, glancing away from the screen for a moment, likely to check the time. "The boat's leaving in a couple hours," he murmured, tiredly massaging his face with his fingertips.

"Listen, Adrian, I hate to be a bother, but it's kind of important. Uh...do you remember that Weavile and Flareon we saw in Ecruteak City a few weeks ago?" Rachel asked, nervously glancing over her shoulder to confirm Lin and Celes' present whereabouts, as if she expected them to sneak up behind her while she was facing the other way. She seemed slightly alarmed upon noticing that Lin had moved closer since the start of the video call, but Lin only afforded her a brief, disinterested glance: a glimpse of eye contact to acknowledge the woman's existence, and then pulling it back.

"I think so," Adrian answered cautiously, drawing Rachel's attention back to the screen. "Why?"

"Um...because they both just showed up at your apartment with an Altaria," Rachel explained seriously. She glanced over her shoulder again. "I think it's the same Altaria that was present when I hit the Flareon with the Theater door," she added, cupping a hand to her mouth and lowering her voice to a whisper, as if the incident was an embarrassing secret.

"They're...at my apartment?" Adrian repeated slowly, scratching the back of his head in bewilderment. "Outside the building, you mean?"

"No, I mean they're literally inside your apartment right now," Rachel insisted, pivoting in her chair to cast an accusing glare at her Ampharos. "Noblesse let them in while I was in the shower," she grumbled.

"And what's going on? What are they doing there?" Adrian asked, a note of concern trickling into his voice.

"I have no idea! They're just...here!" Rachel exclaimed, throwing up her hands in frustrated confusion. "They're not really doing anything...just sitting quietly in your living room."

"Wait," Adrian said, his forehead creasing in thought. "You said they're with an Altaria? Is it a male Altaria?"

"I don't know," Rachel protested, glancing awkwardly in Sorin's direction. "Probably, because Noblesse isn't flirting with it."

"Hey there, Sorin, looking good," Noblesse said promptly, flashing the cloud dragon a cheeky grin. Sorin groaned and buried his face in his wing, and Lin stifled a snort of amusement with her paw. Noblesse chuckled softly at the Altaria's reaction, and reclined across the couch again, content with the outcome of his jest.

"Yeah, I can try," Rachel was saying, and Lin did a double-take, realizing that she had missed part of the conversation during the moment of distraction. Rachel rose from her chair and cautiously carried the laptop over to the living room. After checking to make sure she wasn't in danger of stepping on Celes' tail, Rachel knelt down and gently set the computer on the coffee table. "Adrian wants to see you," she informed the Altaria awkwardly, and Sorin blinked, but straightened up as the young woman rotated the screen to face the cloud dragon.

"Oh yeah, I recognize you," Adrian said, the youth's image offering Sorin a small smile. Adrian then glanced to the side of the screen. "Hey, Avis? Can you help me out with this conversation?" he asked. Sorin blinked, and exchanged a confused glance with Lin and Celes.

"Avis?" he repeated in a half-whisper. "Not Ember?"

Celes seemed just as concerned as Sorin did, but Lin could only shrug in response. With the possible exception of Force, Lin was the only member of Kaito's group who had not yet met the Charmander female personally, and so she had to take the others' comments and concerns about her with a grain of salt.

On the display, Adrian left his chair and stepped away from the screen, briefly exposing the Pokemon Center lobby behind him, and a slim, bipedal Pokemon took his place before the computer. Sorin blinked curiously at the screen, as though he were looking at an acquaintance who had recently gotten a haircut. Avis smiled and pivoted in place to present a better view of her profile.

Avis was a reptilian Pokemon with green scales, but a cream underbelly, and red eyes that shone with an intensity that could even rival Lin's gaze. A distinct yellow, V-shaped crest extended from her chest and past her shoulders, like a regal collar, and several leaves appeared to be growing along her spine and at the end of her tail.

"Did you evolve?" Sorin wondered, and the grass lizard nodded, delighted that he had noticed. "Congratulations," he said, offering a brief smile.

"Thank you," the Servine replied cheerfully, turning back to face the camera directly. She then tilted her head inquisitively. "Are you really at Adrian's apartment?" she asked curiously, craning her head in an attempt to see the Altaria's surroundings.

"Yeah, I didn't know you guys were out of the region," Sorin sighed, glancing apologetically at Celes, who was starting to fidget restlessly. "Look, Avis, before we get sidetracked, I've got a serious question for you."

"Okay," Avis chirped, bobbing her head formally and leaned forward slightly, her gaze attentively focused upon the Altaria's image on the screen in front of her.

Sorin blinked, slightly taken aback by the intensity of the Servine's gaze, but he recovered quickly. "Is there any chance you know a male Eevee named Blaze?" he asked.

"Yes," Avis answered promptly, stifling a giggle.

"Really?" Celes blurted, and Avis cocked her head inquisitively, evidently unable to see the Flareon from her end.

"Well, kind of," the Servine amended with a small smirk. "I mean...he's not an Eevee anymore, but he used to be."

There was a moment of stunned silence as the apartment occupants digested what the grass lizard had just said. Even Noblesse sat up, his eyes shining with interest.

"He evolved?" Sorin asked, bewildered. "When? Into what?"

"I'm not going to spoil the surprise," Avis giggled, turning towards the left side of the screen, facing away from where Adrian was standing. "Hey, Blaze! Come over here real quick!"

"Wait...he's actually there WITH you?!" Sorin blurted incredulously. Celes gasped, and her ears shot up, hardly daring to believe what she had just heard. Even Lin was unable to keep the disbelief from her expression. If that was indeed the case, then it was no wonder the trail had gone cold a couple of weeks ago.

"Yup," Avis replied, with a sly glance towards the screen. "Adrian invited him to tag along for our trip, since Aureia secretly likes him...well, it's not really a secret anymore now, is it?"

Sorin's expression creased skeptically, but before he could voice an opinion on the matter, a second Pokemon appeared on screen with Avis, and both Lin and Sorin did a double-take at the sight of the new arrival. Even with the forewarning that an evolved Eevee was due to make an appearance, Lin would never have expected to see a quadruped with pink and cream fur, one of its ears adorned with a decorative bow, with another bow beneath its chin, and several peculiar ribbons extending from its collar. Vibrant blue eyes with silvery pupils blinked curiously at the computer, and the quadruped started to climb up onto the table the computer was placed upon before Avis extended a vine to stop him, whispering something into his ear.

"What the-?" Sorin murmured, squinting at the screen, and Noblesse got up from the couch and circled around to take a look. Lin stepped forward, intrigued in spite of her usual reservations, and even Rachel moved closer, unsure why the various Pokemon present had abruptly taken such great interest in the monitor.

Unfortunately, the abruptness of the group huddle pressured Celes to retreat away from the laptop, preventing her from getting a good look at the display. She growled, attempting to navigate around the outer edge of the circle, but because the screen was pointed towards Sorin, and he had the most body mass, any gaps present in the semi-circle failed to provide her with a suitable vantage point.

The Flareon circled back around to an unobscured section of the table and placed her forepaws upon its surface, hoisting herself partially onto her hind legs so that her head could see over the table, only to discover that the laptop screen was still angled away from her. Sorin quickly realized the Flareon's predicament, and nodded meaningfully towards the Fire-type, gesturing with his wing to turn the computer towards her. It took Rachel only a moment to realize what the cloud dragon wanted, and she carefully rotated the laptop around so that it was directly facing Celes.

The Flareon gazed intently at the screen, and met the eyes of the Sylveon on the other end. Her lower lip quivered, and her brown eyes shimmered with tears. No one else spoke, nor hardly dared to breathe. This was a moment they all instinctively knew not to interfere with.

"Blaze?" Celes whispered, extending a trembling paw towards the screen, as if to try and caress his face and confirm that he was real.

The Sylveon's body had gone rigid at the first sight of the Flareon, and he returned her gaze with a hardened expression. Avis seemed to register that her presence was unwanted, and she surreptitiously slid off of the chair that she and Blaze had been occupying. At the mention of his name, the Fairy-type sighed, his ribbons constricting around himself in a distinctly defensive manner.

"Oh," he said flatly. "Hi, sis."