"How are you feeling?" Shino asks after the Chimecho leaves the trio alone.

He and his two friends are inside the guild's second-floor recovery room, where there are barely any other Pokémon inside.

Vixie chuckles. "I'm fine, don't worry." She looks around. "Just weird that we're here once again. I feel like we're the regulars here, don't you guys think?"

Shino laughs awkwardly while Cindy hangs her head.

Vixie frowns. "Cindy, it's okay. I already forgive you, even though it wasn't really your fault."

"But it was," the fire-type argues. "I took a mission that was too much for us. I didn't listen to you guys." She looks away. "I was selfish."

"It was your turn to pick a mission anyway," Shino says.

"Still..."

"Cindy," the Vulpix calls, but her friend refuses to look at her. "I'm fine, so don't—"

"What if you weren't?" Cindy asks, finally facing her. Despite her closed eyes, her two friends can tell she's glaring at the ice-type. "Let's face it. I put us all in a situation where we all could have been killed if we didn't have these damn badges to save us!"

"We're lucky to have these then," Shino says, flinching after the Cyndaquil focuses her 'glare' on him. "W-what I'm trying to say is that, er, a-all's well that ends well, right?"

"It didn't end well for Vixie!"

"Cindy, please," Vixie says with a frown. "Calm down."

The fire-type grits her teeth and groans.

The Eevee blinks at the rescue badge he has received from the Bellossom. "This thing can really do that?"

She expected that question. Almost every Pokémon that wanted to start a team always asks that. She nods her head automatically as she continues on her work. "Yes. If any or your entire team gets wiped out, your badges will protect you until another team rescues you, so make sure you don't lose them or get them broken during your adventures."

"In suspended animation?" the Eevee mumbles to himself as he turns his badge around. He puts it back in his newly-acquired rescue bag, which also has some sort of magical powers that can store up to a certain amount of items without gaining any weight.

"All paperwork is done for your team," the Bellossom says as she starts to neatly pile the forms. "Come back tomorrow or the day after for your team to be officially recognized by the guild."

He nods. "Thanks."

She looks at him. "Would you like to join the guild's training program?" she asks with a bored look on her face.

He blinks. "Uh, what is the training for?"

She shrugs and goes back to her work. "It is what it is. Training. Just an optional thing if you want to see if you're really capable of becoming a rescuer."

He puts a paw on his chin, thinking it over. It sounds good, but his only purpose is the bag anyway. He shakes his head. "Eh, no thanks," he answers as he jumps off of the chair and heads toward the exit, but stops and looks over his shoulder. "By the way." No response, so he might as well continue. "Is there like a library here?"

"Second floor," she replies automatically. "Go to the main lobby and take the stairs."

"Thanks again." He exits the room and heads toward the main lobby.

Cindy shakes her head. "It still doesn't change the fact that I put ourselves in danger."

"Look on the bright side," Vixie says as she grabs her badge. "We're bronze rank now."

Shino chuckles and shakes his head. He then turns to the fire-type. "Hey. She's taking this well, so you should stop beating yourself up."

The ice-type nods in agreement. "And what was it you told us before?" Vixie asks, smiling at the fire-type. "We should try to be as happy-go-lucky as you are."

Cindy groans.

Vixie chuckles as she slides off of the bed.

Her two friends blink at her.

"Are you supposed to be out of bed already?" Cindy asks.

Vixie shrugs. "I feel fine, I think." She approaches her and gives her a hug, surprising her friend. "Thanks for worrying about me." She tightens her hug when her friend's about to say something. "Just make up for it if you really feel bad about it."

Cindy sighs and resigns herself into the hug. "I hate how forgiving you are sometimes," she says. She sniffs.

"I feel left out," the Shinx comments, receiving a soft glare from the ice-type, making him chuckle.

"Then join us, you pervert," Cindy says.

Smiling, Shino joins in on the hug, cherishing the moment as an Eevee stops outside the door, blinks at the scene, and continues on his way.

The three friends then break the hug, the Cyndaquil wiping away the tears flowing down her eyes.

"But seriously though," Shino frowns. "Let's not pick something that we cannot handle."

"I learned my lesson," Cindy nods her head. "But Vixie's right. At least we're bronze rank now."

Shino rolls his eyes and shakes his head as Vixie puts their badges back inside the bag. "You and your eagerness to climb the top ranks." He turns and smiles at the chuckling ice-type. "It's your turn to pick a mission now, Vixie."

"Maybe we should take a day off?"

"Sounds good," the Shinx nods in agreement.

The Cyndaquil sniffs and nods her head as well. "Yeah. Oh!" She smiles. "You guys want to get some massages? I hear there's a new parlor that just opened not too far from here."

"Really?" Vixie asks as the trio starts walking out the room.

Shino's smile grow wide. "Is that the one I heard where they're offering something 'special'?"

Cindy groans and shakes her head.

Vixie blinks, her smile fading. "Wait, on second thought..."

The trio heads down to the main lobby, their conversation mixing with the other Pokémon around the large, spacious area. They stops from their tracks as they notice three Pokémon who are about to exit the building.

"Heads up," Shino says as he looks over his shoulder and smiling slyly at the ice-type. "Mister handsome's back."

Cindy frowns at him. "Shino, she just recovered. Stop teasing her."

Shino rolls his eyes. "Oh, so if you do it, it's okay, but if I do it, it's suddenly not okay?"

As her two friends start to argue, Vixie stares at the trio who are having a very lively conversation as they exit the building. She takes a breath, exhales, and starts walking towards them, leaving her two confused friends behind.

They share a look.

"Is...she actually...?"

Cindy quickly runs after the ice-type. "I am not gonna miss this!"

Smiling, Shino runs after her.

The Vulpix stops a few paces behind the group. "Hi, you guys," Vixie greets the trio, who stops and turns to face her. A wave of nervousness washes over her, but she braves on. She opens—

"Vixie! Hey!" the Growlithe greets her back. He blinks. "So how was your mission? I heard you were wounded bad."

"Y-yeah," she replies awkwardly, looking away. She shakes her head and looks back at him. "But I'm fine now, and we managed to capture her, against all odds."

The Nincada whistles in awe.

"I admit, I was surprised to hear you were able to complete the mission," the Blitzle says in awe. She looks down and smiles at the Growlithe. "Looks like we need to do some catch up." She leans her head down to nuzzle the Growlithe.

The Growlithe chuckles as he returns the gesture. "Heheh, you said it." Their show of affection over, he looks back at the ice-type with a large grin on his face. "Just you wait! We'll catch up to you guys soon!"

"I..." Vixie starts with a strained smile. "We'll look forward to it."

The Growlithe chuckles and offers his paw. "This race isn't over yet!"

Vixie awkwardly bumps her paw with his. With that done, she watches the trio turn around and continue on their merry way. Ears drooping, she sighs and hangs her head as her two friends put a comforting paw on each of her shoulders. "The race is already over though..."

Shino throws a glare behind him, and the small crowd start to disperse in silence.

From the library window on the second floor, an Eevee blinks at the scene down below. "I wonder what all of that was about?" After looking on for a few more seconds, he shrugs and continues on his reading.