With his first week back at school finally over, Liam wanted time alone. Time to think. And he had plenty to think about. So after dropping off his bag at home, he composed a quick email to Cass, collected his Pokeballs and set out in the direction of Bookwood Street. He had been many times on his own since Mori had first taken him, and—with a little trial and error—he had discovered a public bus route that dropped him off just outside the famous walking street.

Bookwood Street was a unique place within Everspring: an oasis of foreign culture, food, and shops tucked away in a narrow side road just a short walk from historic Jade Lake Park and Nanzo University. It seemed to have a bit of everything. There was Santiago's—a coffee house and bar where students and families from the international school rubbed shoulders with pot-smoking backpackers and globe-trotting college kids. A few meters further down was The Box—a hole-in-the-wall restaurant serving liquor, loud music, and authentic Unovan pizza. The former was Mori's favorite, and latter was Vasilio's, but Liam passed them both by and found his way to a small, second-floor restaurant on the end of the street. He wasn't sure what it was called, but it served pad thai, curry, pineapple rice, and other specialities of the regions south of Nanzo, and it was cheap.

As Liam nibbled on his plate of pad thai with Sneasel peering hungrily down from his shoulder, he thought a lot about home things had changed since last year. It wasn't just that he was missing Cass so much it made his stomach hurt, despite his best efforts to convince himself (and Mori) that he was over her. It was the fact that he had returned to school as an insider. He was suddenly aware that younger students not only knew him, but looked up to him. Even his relationships with his friends had changed. Much of the mystery that initially surrounded Mori Shaw, for instance, had disappeared. Liam realized in retrospect that her snarky comments and flirtatious jibes were just her rough outer shell, and now that they were really friends, she didn't feel the need to keep him at arm's length. Vasilio was another matter. A few months of spending almost every day with him had convinced Liam that he was exactly what he seemed on the surface: responsible, funny, and straightforward, with an integrity towards others and himself that never faltered. Where Mori and Liam were often conflicted, Vasi was consistent. It made his behavior with Rebecca all the more confusing—to have a vaguely-defined relationship with a girl Liam was sure he was only sort of interested in wasn't like Vasilio at all.

After paying for his meal, Liam turned onto the sidestreet that branched off Bookwood—the inconspicuous road leading to Tobias' gym and the bootleg TM shop. He stopped as usual to listen to the old, bearded Nanzonese man playing a plaintive melody on his erhu. Sneasel and the old man's Snubbul peered suspiciously at each other, but the music's calming effect quickly took hold. After listening for a few minutes, Liam left a small tip in the man's case and strode on. He had one more stop before heading home.

The wooden, dusty shelves of the bootleg TM store held a special place in Liam's heart. Later in the evening, the labyrinthine shop would be filled with the pulsing sounds of Tobias' band in the gym next door, but now it was quiet, tranquil, and weirdly separate from the rest of the bustling city. Liam flipped through rack after rack of bootlegged TMs and beautifully-packaged (if equally illegitimate) CDs. The selection was both eclectic and impressive—the mismatched numbering systems revealed technical machines copied from disks originating as far away as Galar, while the albums on offer ranged from black metal to post-rock to trance. Liam chose a CD by Cradle of Muk—Mori's favorite band—along with TM29 for Espeon. He laid what felt like a criminally small amount of money on the shopkeeper's wooden desk as she bagged his purchases. Compared to Johto, everything in Nanzo was cheap.

Thinking about Nanzo naturally led to thinking about Cass. Liam wasn't sure if he had loved her first or Nanzo first, but her deep affection for the region's people, culture, and Pokemon had been contagious. He loved that about her. For someone who had spent barely two years in Nanzo, she felt like a local, and had a local's passion for sharing her favorite sights, spots, and tastes. She probably would have liked the long walk back to White Gardens from Bookwood Street if her physical condition would have allowed it. It was just her kind of ordinary happiness.

Liam sometimes ended his walks back from Bookwood Street on the bench below the apartment where the international youth group met, but tonight he didn't feel like it. Going out for shaokao—usually the only thing that could really tempt him—wasn't appealing right now. He needed to get his thoughts out.

He wanted to email Cass.

From: VengeanceOfSneasel

To: CassInTheCleods91

Subject: Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re: Hi ;)

Hi Cass,

The first week back at school was good. I got the Sweet Hearts from Taylor. Thanks for sending them. Sneasel, Espeon, and all my Pokemon really enjoyed them. I've almost run out already, but I don't know if I'll be able to throw away the empty bag. I know we can't be… it feels stupid to even write it, so I won't. But it still hurts. I went walking today at Bookwood and all I could think about was you and how much you loved Everspring.

Sorry, that probably just sounds weird.

On a nicer note, I saw Chelsea Whitaker a lot this week. She's gonna join Team Virtue. It's made me think about what happened with Team Power at the Woven Bowl. I feel like I'm cashing in on your heroism, but it's cool to see that girl who was afraid to talk to us last year standing up for herself.

There's one more thing. Chelsea got this weird note in her locker. Something about Team Power looking for "Rasmus." I have no idea what it means, but it's really been bothering me. I don't know. I'm probably just being paranoid.

I really like the Noctowl City song you sent. I downloaded all of Ocean Eyes and I've been listening to it all week. I'm sending you a song that makes me think of you and how much you loved all the simple things in Nanzo.

I miss you,

Liam

File Attachment: RiseAgainst_Swing_Life_Away_mp3

Hi Liam ;)

So, I know who Rasmus is!

You know Silas, right? Well, he used to go to Everspring Academy. He graduated before I was a student, but I met him a few times. Anyways, there were only five kids in his graduating class, and they were really tight. They called themselves the Blackwing Crew or something like that. They had all been together since, like, 4th grade, and they had always wanted to beat the Pokemon League, and after they graduated they actually did it. It was a really big deal when it happened, and pretty important for the school. Silas became the champion and his four classmates became the elite four. Their record was ridiculous, too. Nobody could beat them.

Sorry, this is a long-winded way of telling you Rasmus was one of Silas's classmates in the Blackwing Crew. I think he went by Raz when he was a student. I don't know much about him other than he's not part of the elite four anymore. I think he did something, I don't know, really bad, and Silas and the rest of the crew had to deal with him, but even that was before my time.

You should probably ask Liz or Taylor about it. They both know Silas, and they can remember way further back than I can.

Oh, and I LOVE the Rise Against song you sent me! I remember you listening to it at the Orphanage.

Be safe :3

Cass