The sky was pitch-black when the cruise ship arrived on the shore. Unlike other times, the shoreline didn't come attached with a city or town. Past the brown sand, a dark, foreboding forest cast a shadow over the beach and the carriages waiting to greet them.
Flareon Light walked out on deck last. He put all of his effort into getting ready this time. He wore the same white, silk robe that he first arrived at Lao Shen in. A red rope went around his waist and tied the robe to his body. He shined his white star earring before wearing it, and spent an hour or three getting his fur ready.
After all of that work, Light's eyes widened and blinked when he came out on deck. The other pokemon looked the same as they always did. The only exception was Sky-Forme Shaymin Ariel trading out her white cape for a silky smooth white coat. Before he could question whether or not he made the right call, Ariel turned from her conversation with Galarian Ponyta Nadia and Mienfoo Robin and stared at him.
After a short second, she broke away from them and ran over to him as he exited the double doors into the brisk night air. Light stood still and braced for impact, but she stopped shy of tackling him to the ground. She stuttered over a few words, hopped in place, and gave him a bear hug.
"You're so cyoooooot," she mumbled. Ariel released him with her paws resting on his shoulders. "Are you ready, angel cake?"
"Yah," Light said. His tail wagged behind him as a smile grew itself on his face.
"Okay. Let's go!"
The other pokemon already started to stream down the ramp to the carriages on the beach. Ariel followed Light as he walked down behind them. The ramp was still high off the ground, but he was confident Ariel would catch him even if he did fall. It was the first time he felt completely normal walking down from the ship.
A small line of carriages waited for them at the bottom. Light's carriage was made obvious from a white roof with a gray star painted on top. White streamers and ribbons hung off the sides and corners. It managed to sparkle in the miniscule amount of light coming from the sky.
As the others entered their carriages, Ariel took the lead and politely opened the back door for him. Inside, there were two white cushions and a blue cushion across from them. The light overhead hit Light's eyes like a soft sunset. Two tiny windows overlooked the inside of the carriage from either side wall. The wooden floor was littered with unopened snacks and beverages in hard plastic bottles.
A blue Meowstic sat on the blue cushion leaning back against the wall. His eyes popped open, then he stretched out his back and sat up.
"Eyo," Meowstic said, "nice to meet like this, right? No ropes, no cave... No overly-dramatic giant swans."
"You...?" Light mouthed.
"I mean, I told you we'd meet soon. I think. Maybe I forgot, but, eh."
Ariel slipped next to Light. Glancing at her face, her reaction seemed to be the same.
"You?" Ariel asked.
"Yes, me," Markus said. "That's my name. Take a seat. We're heading out."
Light and Ariel glanced at each other. She seemed to be more apprehensive, so Light stepped inside first. He sat on the innermost cushion while Ariel closed the door and walked to sit next to him. As they stared at him side by side, Light's shoulders stiffened into stones.
"How are you... here?" Ariel asked.
"Well, I ran away from home. Took a random ship and landed here. Became chief of police because random things happened. So, that's how I ended up being your escort tonight."
"So, Empress Chingyang sent you?" Light asked.
"Yyyyyyup. And if you have a scratch on your face, I'll be executed. So, uh, steer clear of the soda cans if you don't mind."
The carriage started to move. The shift made Sky-Forme Shaymin Ariel's shoulder touch Flareon Light's. Unlike other times, she didn't grow a grin on her face. She kept staring at Markus.
"Airy? You okay?"
"Uh, yeah," she said. "Just, uh, surprised."
Markus and Ariel shared a look. Light didn't understand what was behind it. He glanced between them.
"So," Markus said, "you ready for Chingyang's shenanigans?"
"Uh, shenanigans?" Light asked.
"She made a festival for the whole town. But, she's keeping that a surprise. And since I blew it, I guess she might execute me." Markus covered his mouth with his paw, stared down, and nodded to himself. "Damn."
"Uh, we'll just act surprised..."
"Thanks," he mumbled.. He rested his arm back down on the cushion. "So, are you ready? And I mean, really ready?"
"I mean, how bad is it?"
Markus turned and grimaced at the carriage wall. Light leaned forward a little more.
"Well," Markus said, turning back to him. "If it goes according to her plan, you'll have an engagement chain so tight around your neck you won't last two minutes."
"Well... the plan was that I would say it's because of age," Light said.
"Okay. You're going to need a new plan. Something a little more... grounded."
"Uhm... okay. Like what? That's she's not... my type?"
"Eh," he shrugged, "well, whatever the reason, just make sure it's strong enough where she can't get mad. You'll be fine, though."
Light let out some air he had been holding.
"How's the Acuitan blessing been treating you?" Markus asked. "Feel like you noticed anything ever since you realized?"
"Not really," Light said. "But, uh, I honestly don't know the specifics..."
"It's more... complicated than just a set that comes with every newborn. Everyone experiences it differently. I'll help you out with it sometime."
The carriage took a hard bump. For a split second, it felt like Light was airborne. He looked left and right of his body.
"They're going double time," Markus said. "Won't take long for us to get there. Might want to save your voice."
Noise shook the carriage walls three minutes later. It was distant at first, but now Flareon Light felt it pressuring his eardrums. Before the stress could bulldoze over his body, Sky-Forme Shaymin Ariel grabbed his paw and gave him a bit of her usual smile. As she did, Meowstic Markus scratched the back of his neck and stood up.
"Okay," Markus said, "I'm gonna be on top of the carriage looking out and stuff. The doors are going to stay open, and we're marching right to the royal palace."
"Is there anything specific we have to do?" Light asked.
"Nah. Just smile, wave. Autographs, maybe. Just relax."
Markus walked to the doors and cracked them open. As soon as he did, the noise coming in doubled. Once the doors opened, it tripled from sudden shouts and roaring. Markus floated up over the top of the carriage to the roof.
A Mandibuzz and Mienshao walked along with the carriage from behind. Both of them wore velvet scarves with white etchings of fire and a dragon's head on them. A few paces past them, the opposite side of the dark woods shadowed over small buildings and an outer wall that stretched past Light's sight. Pokemon swarmed both sides of the street.
Strings of lights and round lamps hung between the buildings. Just like in the carriage, the city and buildings were lit up like sunset. Red flags with a long, snake-like black dragon hung from curved, red rooftops and street signs.
Light retreated further back into Ariel's arms. He didn't like all the noise shaking him through his bones.
"This is going to be a long night, isn't it?" Light asked.
"Yeah..." Ariel huffed. "C'mon. Just try to relax. For all we know, some of these 'fans' might actually want to join the Guild."
"Yah, that's a good point..."
Ariel wrapped her arm around Light's back and walked with him to the edge.
"Airy," Light said, "did your home look like this?"
Ariel didn't answer. Light turned his head up and to the side to see her. She had frozen in place. Her chest rose and fell at a rapid pace.
"Airy!?" Light asked. "Hey!?"
Ariel snapped out of it and met Light's gaze. "Oh, uh, yeah?"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I'm just worried."
"Well... Could you try to relax with me?"
"Yeah, yeah. Sorry. I'm here."
A Watchog approached the back of the carriage carrying an egg in her arms. Light opened his arms and accepted it. He kissed the egg and slowly gave it back to the Watchog as the carriage continued.
"Bless your heart," Watchog said. "Thank you."
Light nodded and turned his gaze up. A dozen more eggs were on the way.
The carriage kept up a brisk pace. It also didn't make any turns, so Light predicted the ride would be short and eventful.
In between blessing eggs, Flareon Light waved to the calmer faces in the crowd. After ten or so minutes by his estimate, they passed a long wall of pokemon wearing similar red scarves to the Mienshao and Mandibuzz. Curious, Light turned his head to look around at the front of the carriage.
Up ahead, a curved, wooden bridge illuminated by lamp posts on its four corners led to a palace. Long, cement walls protected the inside from Light's eyes. He could see half of a circular entrance leading into a wider plaza with cobblestone.
With the end so close in sight, Light gave a last big wave towards the crowds. The crowds waved back and reacted with a few last closing shouts as the carriage bumped going across the bridge.
Sky-Forme Shaymin Ariel walked back to Light's side from further inside. When Light glanced at her, she seemed like a wreck compared to her usual self. Her eyes were dried out, and she slouched.
"You hungry, Airy?" Light asked.
"Well, uh... yeah," she answered. "Right."
"It'll be good, yah?"
"Yeah. Of course."
After the carriage entered through the circular entrance, two gates closed just in front of them. Light tensed from the banging noise. Next to him, Ariel tensed more.
"Airy," Light whispered. "Trust me. What is it?"
"Light..."
Light stared up to her green, shaking eyes. She forgot to respond. Meowstic Markus floated in front of them. He glanced between them with a steady, neutral face.
"You two ready?" he asked.
"Yah," Light said.
"Alright. Follow me."
Light hopped down on the cobblestone. Ariel followed behind him.
Following Markus, Light walked around the edge of the carriage. Up ahead, a small entrance led inside a building with gray cement walls. The top rims of the walls were dashed with red, and the pillars inside were red with white paint shaped like rising flames. At the apex of the four curved sides of the roof, Lao Shen's flag rippled in the wind on a black flagpole.
Right underneath it, a white flag with a gray star waved in tandem. Sky-Forme Shaymin Ariel caught Light gazing up to it, bringing it to her attention. Markus glanced up at it too.
The throne room was inside past huge, red steel doors with yellow, white, and red artistic patterns painted on. They followed behind the other Wayfarers as they filed into the vast open space. The floor was carpeted in pure, looming velvet.
An enormous, hardwood table covered in a velvet tablecloth took up the center of the space. The throne sat two cement stairsteps higher than the rest of the room. Four simple red pillars surrounded it with pale white curtains drawn over it on all sides. Complex tapestries riddled with dark, bright, and moderate colors surrounded the entire room. On the ceiling, there were intricate art pieces with hundreds of small details. Light wasn't sure what to make of such a huge painting.
Two white cushions sat on the bottom edge of the table. Markus nodded them in the cushions' direction and walked off to the side. Flareon Light and Sky-Forme Shaymin Ariel took the right and left respectively. The other cushions down the table were further away from Light and Ariel but closer to each other, as if to isolate them from being able to whisper.
Slowking Chad sat next to Manaphy Jewel. Arcanine Zhen rested on his other side. Mienfoo Robin and Galarian Ponyta Nadia sat next to each other on the opposite side of the table, as close to them as possible, but still further away. It became harder to see pokemon that sat further away, except for the occasion they leaned over the table.
Light recognized the Mienshao that walked up the two steps in front of the throne as the guard that followed the carriage. Her sleek fur shone under gentle light from the ceiling. The other guards, Markus included, lined up with their backs facing the door they entered the room from and stood around under the walls' tapestries.
"Greetings," Mienshao announced. "We would like to thank the Wayfarers for their timely arrival here in Lao Shen. And to all of the brave pokemon who decided to take on the world's largest bounty hunt to date."
The guards clapped quietly. Light nodded and tensely smiled to a few of them. They smiled back.
"To the White Star," Mienshao continued as the room quieted, "we would like to personally thank you for your service to Kaigan, Lao Shen, and the world at large in proving the existence of such a horrible monster. And the continuation of that service as the Glass Reshiram has come to our homeland renders us speechless with appreciation. And even more speechless, for what you have done for this palace itself."
Light didn't know what she meant. He glanced towards the guards, but couldn't find any clues on their faces.
"The Chingyang family has been torn apart by tragedy and grief. For Her Grace, the birthdays, holidays, and her whole life have been filled with spurts of grief as she struggles to celebrate them alone. And when Glass Reshiram flew and terrified the entire planet, Her Grace included, relief and joy washed over her like never before.
And it is with great honor, and relief, that we are able welcome back our Lady, Ariel Chingyang, after her many years abroad."
The entire table turned to Ariel as the guards clapped again. Light's stomach dropped.
Judging from Mienfoo Robin and Galarian Ponyta Nadia's wide, crazy eyes, they didn't know either. Slowking Chad glanced her way with wide eyes, then let his eyes fade down. Most of the table did the same thing. Dewgoing Nathan squealed under his breath.
An invisible wall prevented Light from pushing his eyes to look up at Ariel. He didn't know what to call the feeling that drowned his body other than stress. His body temperature stuttered up and down.
"Her Grace is very excited to meet you," Mienshao said, "So, without any further delay, Her Grace Mei Chingyang the Second."
Mienshao walked and pulled the front curtain open, revealing the throne itself.
It was made out of pure, shining gold. The back of the throne was engraved with Lao Shen's symbol of a long dragon. The cushion was a deep velvet in contrast.
A Land-Forme Shaymin stood up and hopped down from the throne. Gold bracelets and rings adorned sleek, white fur her arms and paws. A short, gold tiara with a deep, green emerald covered her forehead and cast a glare over her green eyes. The guards in the room bowed their heads and took knees. She smiled, bringing her paw up in the air. As she did, the guards lifted their heads and stood back up.
"Truly," Land-Forme Shaymin Chingyang said, "you have no idea how much this means to me to see my sister again. I find myself grateful for that most of all."
Chingyang walked forward and took an elegant leap to the top of the table. Every step closer she took, her paws and arms curled up and fell like raindrops.
"First and foremost," Chinyang said, "I would like to thank the White Star myself."
Chingyang lowered her head. Unlike before, the guards against the walls fell to the ground for a brief moment. As she stood, they all stood back up.
"Admittedly, I find myself nervous in your presence," she continued. "But... I find it desirable as well. And sister. We have much to discuss. But first, a banquet of celebration. It shall be brought in shortly."
As Chingyang lowered her gaze, Light felt able to move again. He wrapped his tail behind Ariel. Her face had turned red, surrounded by the room's silence. Chingyang sat down far away on the other side of the table, but she still managed to have an invisible, intangible grip around his neck.
"Are you intrigued by these tapestries?" Chingyang asked. "They tell the story of our dynasty. That we began in the shade of Mount Ài and swept across the war-torn land as uniters. It's really quite disgusting, but I'll need a replacement for them."
Chingyang turned her head up as a Combusken set a plate down in front of her. Pokemon streamed in from outside with plates, set them down and streamed out. The table waited for the noise to die down as they left.
"Pardon," Ariel said, "if I may, I'd inquire about the reason behind your summons."
"Ah, the proposal," Chingyang said. "I had it occur to me that it would lend you enough motivation to come here."
"So, your intentions were for me?"
"They have been for a long time. Both before, and after you left."
"I feel it necessary to say that I shall not be staying," Ariel said.
"Oh, yes you are," Chingyang laughed. "If you don't, I'll just... simply throw you in the dungeon myself. And as for your boyfriend, well... Without you there next to him, he seems rather appetizing. So... You may wish to wait and speak with me after dinner because... Well, truth be told, I haven't eaten very much today."
Chingyang raised her paws and laughed with thin eyes. She glanced down the rows of pokemon sitting at the table and rested her paws back down. Drizzle Kenta's mouth hung open.
"Airy," Light whispered, "whatever you do, please don't get me killed..."
"She's just trying to scare you," she whispered back.
"I am scared."
Sky Forme Shaymin Ariel looked back towards Land-Forme Shaymin Chingyang as she patted Flareon Light's back.
None of the Guild members reached to eat. Most of them shivered between Ariel and Chingyang's stare-off, Light included. Emolga Alisha and Talonflame Roxanne glanced at each other from across the table.
"Well?" Chingyang said. "It's not like I poisoned the food. Come now. The ginger-soy steamed fish is delightful. You still like sweets, don't you sister?"
Light looked down at the plates in front of them. They were brimming with white cake, yellow ice cream, almond cookies, and other red and brown desserts he couldn't name.
None of the other pokemon even reached over the table. Even though Arcanine Zhen and Roserade Storm usually had an air of intimidation about them, but their strong postures had shriveled up. The entire table glanced between Light, Ariel, and Chingyang for anything they could get from their faces.
"Oh," Chingyang said. "So it would seem I'm making you all uncomfortable." Chingyang looked down the rows of pokemon again. She sighed to herself. "Well, alright then."
Land-Forme Shaymin Chingyang stood up. She walked to the right away from the table.
"Guards, follow me," Chingyang said. "Markus, you are to stay in here. White Star, after you eat, join me in my chambers. And Ariel, you would do best to come too. It's best not to abandon the people you care about."
Guards formed in front of and behind Chingyang. She walked with them down in a row back to the entrance.
"And don't even think about trying to run from me," she added. "I'd sooner let the Glass Reshiram burn this palace to the ground than let you run away from me again."
An Electivire and Primeape shut the ornate, steel red doors behind them. Now with the doors closed, Light could make out the pattern of a snake-like dragon on them. Meowstic Markus stood in front of the entrance with a plain face in his arms folded behind his back. He flashed Light a quick glance of sympathy, then his face rested again.
"Airy," Light whispered, "look, I'm not one to judge family relationships at all, but I feel like this is our last meal on death row."
"Shut up," she hissed.
Flareon Light retreated his tail from around her back. He growled and pulled his head back from her. As his tail pulled away, Ariel shot him a wide gaze.
"Sorry," she blurted. "I'm sorry. No. Ask me."
Light exhaled a puff of steam. His tail settled back around himself.
"Airy, why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't tell anyone. I didn't... plan on being here."
Light wasn't sure what to say. It was obvious she never planned on saying anything. Mienfoo Robin and Galarian Ponyta Nadia both sulked, staring down at the table. The others shifted from the nervous energy leftover in the air. Light did both. Sweet food had never looked so unappetizing.
"I've lived sixty-five years," Arcanine Zhen said, "and that was more stressful than all of them."
"Hah," Markus called, "you should stay for parties. Guarantee you'll feel twenty-one again."
"I wish I pretended we never got the letter," Slowking Chad said. "I'm just going to sit for a while..."
Flareon Light and Sky-Forme Shaymin Ariel mutually decided to leave a few minutes later. The other Wayfarers started to eat quietly, so they could relax a little bit. Meowstic Markus opened the doors as they stood up and turned around.
Ariel walked forward and led the way outside. In the dark plaza, she hung a right going past the wall of carriages that brought them here. In between the building they were in and another, cement walls provided a snug pathway leading somewhere else in the palace ground. Dull lampposts on the walls attracted swarms of small bugs high over their heads.
Light stayed quiet as they approached a long, three story building at the end of the stone path. It rested between two other dimly lit buildings. Through the second floor window, light shined through.
Markus drifted away and walked to the right of the doorway. He leaned back with his arms crossed against the wall while Ariel continued to the wooden front door.
When she opened it, color exploded in Light's eyes. The walls were cream with artwork on the ceiling and bottom of the walls. Wooden boards went over light blue water that ran from perpendicular to the room's four walls, meeting under a thick, wood pillar in the middle. Fruit lined rows of a small bar in the back right corner. On the left, cushions and tables faced towards a TV on the wall.
In the very back of the room, sparkling, marble stairs led up to the second floor. Light followed Ariel forward and around the central wooden pillar to the stairs.
Once they reached the top, Light saw the second floor: a hallway with hardwood floors, wall, and doors on either side. Another set of marble stairs at the end of it led to the third floor. Ariel walked to the second door on the right-hand side. As she placed her paw on it, she breathed in deeply.
When she pushed it open, a bedroom was on the other side. The walls kept the same cream color and wavy artwork patterns etched in white on the bottom. The bed itself was massive with curtains drawn over cream blankets and white pillows. Four black pillars reached to the ceiling on its four corners. The hardwood floor was carpeted with deep brown artistic patterns that reminded Light of flowers. In the left of the room, there was a shining, clean water pit.
Land-Forme Shaymin Chingyang looked towards them from between two large wood drawers. She turned her gaze from the dark window in the center of the wall she stood in front of. Her eyes shined with liquid.
"Oh, you're here sooner than I expected," she said, wiping her face. "I hope you ate..."
"Mei," Ariel said, "I don't want to stay here."
"Why did you leave without... anything? Why didn't you tell me? What did I ever do to you!?"
Light took a step back from the change of voice. It grew deep and raspy.
"It's because I don't like this place!" Ariel yelled. "It has nothing to do with you!"
"Then why am I the only one suffering because you left me!? Every day without you was hours longer. You left me here... to die."
"Well, I died a little every day. You just keep disowning our parents and our history from everything."
"Our history is genocide and our parents were disgusting."
Ariel stood still for a moment. Light stepped away as she stormed out of the room past him. He peered out of the hallway and watched her go down into the next door on the left. Her face seemed distraught beyond words.
Chingyang stared in Light's direction. As his stare met her own, she turned down her eyes and looked away.
"Uhm, miss..."
"Mei will do," she said.
"Mei... I, uhm..."
"Accompany me to the balcony. We'll talk."
Light stood out of her way as she walked past. Up close, he could see how big she was. A little larger than even Ariel, and only a little less muscular. Her face had enough tension to freeze him in place. He closed the door behind them and followed her to the second set of marble stairs.
The third story was a lot more empty. The gray stone walls and cold floor led to an open space at the end of it. The wooden balcony gave an even view with other red rooftops in the city. The railings were close together to the point of blocking it, but Shaymin Mei hopped on top of a small wooden table. She looked down at him, prompting him to jump up and join her side.
Mei turned her attention back out towards the city past the palace grounds. Light kept one of his eyes on her.
"It all started at Mount Ài," Mei said. "Our parents were about to lead an invasion of Kaigan and Abuja simultaneously. They went there to pray that the attacks went well, and that it was just the first step of many. It would've caused a domino effect with allied nations. The start of a global catastrophe we've never seen before. Ariel and I prayed something would stop them."
Light turned when Mei looked at him.
"You're very beautiful," Mei said. "Very... bewitching."
"Uhm... thanks," he mumbled hoarsely.
"I know why. That special power, Candor."
Light wanted to ask how she knew and what she meant at the same time.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Sweet smelling fur. That smooth high voice. Everything about you is to make other people lower their guard. And, well... obviously it's affecting me. With me taking you up here. It makes me nervous."
Mei turned back to the palace grounds.
"I know everything. Your bloodline. Scions. Even that little incident with that princess you had the other night. Markus told me. But I knew what Scions were long before him."
"But, how do you know those things?" Light asked.
"The doctor was one of mine. I was very interested to find out. And, honestly, I thought you would have figured Ariel was a Scion by now."
Light cringed in place, then tilted his head.
"It happened one night on Mount Ài. Me and Ariel made a deal with a pokemon whose shadow lies on our flag."
Light remembered the flag again. Red with a long-black dragon like a snake.
"What kind of deal?" he asked.
"A deal to save Abuja and Kaigan. The dragon gave me and Ariel a chance to try and change our parents' minds and stop the invasions. And if we failed, it would kill them to stop them at any cost."
Light fell silent. He couldn't imagine what it could even feel like. Even worse, that their parents were gone because of it.
"Ariel was very young. I was, too, but she was too young to know what dying... meant. I tried my hardest, but they didn't respect me or Ariel enough to listen. And for the second part of the deal, it cursed one of us to become it's Scion and fix the mess they made. And now, Ariel's body constantly burns with flying-type chi, day or night."
"So, becoming a Scion changed her body, and that's the real reason..."
"She's very good with secrets. I'm surprised you didn't know, even with Candor active."
"That's where Reshiram went, isn't it? Mount Ài?"
"Yes. It seems very drawn to tragedy. That beach where you fought it is where our parents were to land in taking Kaigan."
"But what about that pokemon? What about Airy?"
"After it killed our parents, Ariel promised she would never become its true Scion. Much like you. Whether or not that pokemon is crazed like the Glass Reshiram, however, I can't say for sure. We were both... too young. to remember whether it was or not.
Mei stretched her back, then sighed.
"It's late," Mei said. "Reshiram has not moved, and the civilian population near Mount Ài is nonexistent because of its status as a sacred ground. You and the Wayfarers may stay here for three days while creating plans."
"Thank you."
"If I may ask, though, check on Ariel for me. I'll... stay up here for a little bit."
"Uh... Yah. Of course."
Flareon Light nodded. As Mei continued to stare off, he hopped down from the table and moved back towards the stairs.
He stole a last glance at Mei's form. Wind pushed and pulled the green fur on her back, but she stayed perfectly still. Even with everything she had said, she didn't say why Ariel had ran away. Maybe she didn't know.
Light went back down the stairs and back to the room he saw Ariel walk inside. He looked at the hardwood floorboards to try and see if any light came from inside, but he couldn't tell. He hesitated for a few seconds, then pushed the door open.
The room's walls were cream, but the carpet was green and white instead of deep brown like Mei's room. The bed was nearly identical along with the drawers, and the layout of a water pit and window surrounded by drawers was the same.
Sky-Forme Shaymin Ariel gazed back towards Light from the side of the bed. She walked closer one step at a time with dull eyes.
"Airy," Light said. "Is there... anything I can do?"
Ariel continued to walk up to him. Light stood still as she bent down and pecked his cheek.
"Should probably sleep if we're heading to Mount Ài soon," she said. "You can have the bed... Just don't tempt me."
"Uhm... thanks..."
Light started to feel a bit of resemblance. He went back and forth between meeting her eyes and glancing away. Her gaze sometimes felt so deep it was oppressive.
"Light," she said. "I'm sorry I told you to shut up earlier. That was wrong."
Light's shoulders released tension that flowed out of his breath.
"We should talk," Ariel said. "Have a real conversation. I want to listen to you."
"We could... Talk over some food. Maybe you can call Chad and have him bring something."
"Sure. Yeah, that sounds good."
Meowstic Markus ended up bringing the food to the room. He held it all with Psychic, floating them in and setting them down in a row. His eyes were gloomy, but he seemed relieved to be heading off to sleep himself.
Sitting on cushions facing each other, Sky-Forme Shaymin Ariel explained all of the desserts while they ate. There was mango pudding and ice cream, which Flareon Light didn't really like too much. The brown almond cookies didn't feel sweet enough for Light to really love it. Steamed pears tasted damp and strange.
His favorite was nian gao, even though he couldn't pronounce it like Ariel did. She described it as deep fried dough and brown sugar. When Light told her it was his favorite, she refused to take a single bite.
As he finished eating, Ariel turned on the water pit and dipped in the water. Steam wafted in the air and fogged up the window as it heated up the room.
Light stared at her holding a piece of nian gao in his paw. She flourished her ears and head, scattering droplets of water on the floor next to the pit. The green fur on her head flattened down around her head. As Ariel turned back to him, she cleared fur from in front of her dazzling eyes.
"You good?" she asked.
"Uh, yah..." Light said. "I just... Uhm, was wondering... Why you left."
"Stress built up. Found myself thinking about it more and more till I just broke and did it."
"Stress from...?"
"A lot of things. Trying to fix everything I didn't break and, well, got about a year or two to 'grow up'. And that didn't really work quite right."
Light set down the nian gao stalked closer to the edge of the water pit. Ariel stretched her neck back and forth below him.
"She really seems to care about you," Light said quietly. "Do you... want to have any kind of relationship with your sister?"
"I don't know." Ariel paused. "I just... don't know the answer to that."
Light nodded and turned his attention back over the water. Ariel waded closer as he sat down.
"Well, I think you should at least try and find out the answer to that question. Right...?"
"Yeah, you're right, I just... You know. I just don't feel like I even know her anymore. I mean, maybe a little."
"Spend time with her tomorrow. I mean, she could be a new person by now."
"She most definitely is."
Light looked off at the rippling, wavy water in the pit. He didn't want to stare at Ariel, but she stared at him.
"You feel a little weird?" Ariel asked. "About what she said about Candor."
"Yah. A little bit."
"It's not the only reason I like you or anything. Not at all."
"Okay... Soooo, why do you like me?"
"Are you suspicious I don't actually like you? Cause I do."
"If you say so..."
Light mirrored Ariel's nervous smile. She squinted and pushed her lips together with a tilted head.
"Now what did I say about tempting me?"
Light reacted too slow. Ariel snagged his arm and pulled him in the water. As soon as his head went under, he pushed it back over the water. Warmth washed over his body as his eyes shot left and right.
Ariel hugged him from behind under his arms. She turned him around and nuzzled his forehead. Light smiled and purred.
