Abuja was a land of vibrance and nature; a mammoth of a landmass that boasted both the world's largest desert and jungle. The equator cut clean through it. On Light's continent, they referred to a pokemon's strength as energy; in Lao Shen, chi. In Abuja, they simply called it power, and it had a value in the multitude of societies and tribes that spread all the way across the continent. There were at least three small, active wars happening across the continent. Moving around could be complicated.

Not only did it have some of the most intense, warm ecosystems on the planet, but it also had the world's largest concentration of Wilderbeasts; most notably, the Wilderbeast Sage. Flareon Light couldn't find out much about this sage as he surfed on his phone on a couch next to sleeping Sky Shaymin Ariel, According to multiple articles, they controlled a vast ecosystem across the mountains by themselves.

Ariel began to stir. Her back arched as she yawned. She looked around with her eyes half-open, resembling Mei for a moment. She stared right into Light's eyes for a blank moment.

"Good morning," said Light.

Ariel wasn't a morning person. Her still eyes told Light that she didn't even register what he said.

"Show me the goods," Ariel blurted.

Light blinked and held out his paws. Ariel held his right up to her cheek and nuzzled it. A smile grew.

"I wish I had fur this soft," she said dreamily.

"You should join me for my morning routine," he suggested.

"You have a morning routine for your fur?"

"Yah, when I can, and not all the time. First, I wash with only a little oatmeal based soap. I don't want to destroy my fur using a lot of it every day, just enough to get the grime out. Then I alternate between natural moisturizers like honey, coconut oil, buttermilk, and aloe. On some days, I trim my fur's edges to keep it nice, too."

"So," said Ariel, "you're telling me you have a whole beauty routine that includes rubbing honey on yourself?"

"U-uh... it... sounds weird when you put it like that… But, uh, sometimes."

"Let's do it."


Flareon Light guided Sky Shaymin Ariel to the spa room. No one else had ever come to use it, at least while he did, so it was a first. He knew Nadia liked to use it on occasion, but she never touched anything he used.

Entering the room through the glass door, Light had changed the layout a tad. He set down a row of moisturizers around the water pit resting in the center. The lights cast white glares on the wood floorboards, but not on a brown carpet he had moved into the room in front of the pit. Most of it was still barren, and Light didn't have any ideas to fill it.

"I'll let you fill up the pit," said Light. "Pick a temperature you like."

"Okay," Ariel said.

As Ariel filled the pit with water, Light picked out what to use. Ariel's fur had always been messy, so he needed to figure out what style she wanted if she could pick anything. Light had been improving at it, so he might be able to do what she asked for.

"What style do you want?" Light asked.

Ariel stared at the bubbling water as she thought about it.

"I don't know," she said. "I don't think I really know myself enough." She turned around with a smile pointed at Light. "You pick."

Light nodded and got to work. Depending on the shampoo and moisturizers he used, the outcome would be different.

Ariel put a lot of stake in how she looked. Light understood that beauty standards in Lao Shen didn't match her. She was only starting to grow out of it. Pride is all in the spirit, but it couldn't grow from nothing. He had to give it his all.

Once the water pit filled, Light had made his choices. He threw in a short stream of shampoo into the water, then rubbed some on his paws. Ariel reclined back against the round, stone surface. Light rested his tail on the edge so the hard surface wouldn't bother her. Once he coated his paws in shampoo, he reached for the bush of green fur on her head and rolled it around. He extended his claws and rubbed it along her head and ears.

"Oh fu- dang," Ariel stammered. "Your paws are so soft. And warm. And, ah, words."

Light put the weight of his arms into it and rolled his paws on the sides of Ariel's head. She murmured and purred. He picked up some tricks online and from the spa they visited, specifically with Ariel in mind. Since she trained so hard, Light noticed her small pains and decided to help her like she helped him. From what he felt and researched, most of her tension was wound up in her neck.

After a few minutes, Light emptied the water pit and refilled it. Ariel stirred from her stupor, but not much. Light kept his paws massaging the back of her neck to keep her calm. He wanted it to be a surprise. She stayed still as it refilled.

"So Light," said Ariel, "what do you think of your grandad and aunt?"

"I think my aunt's a little crazy," he said, "but at least that means I can see who she really is. My grandad…"

"Intimidates you?" she asked.

"He doesn't scare you?"

"I think you're just jumping at your own reflection. It's hard to see what you're feeling sometimes, too. You'll get used to it."

"How?" he asked curiously.

"Just look at actions," she said, smiling. "Right now, I can't read anything from your face or your eyes. You always look distant if I just use my eyesight. I can tell you care from how you're using your tail to cushion the edge of the pit for me. From you, I learned that when you're talking to someone with the Acuitan blessing, you have to pay closer attention to the small things and really work for it."

Light had never really considered that they might have been similar like that. Ariel opened his eyes.

He grabbed a bottle of moisturizer and sprayed it into the water. He coated his paws with it and ran them through the mess of green fur on Ariel's head. He had a few options for styling it. He considered how Ariel wanted people to see her.

He needed something heroic, a classic. Her hairstyle could embody what she wants to become. When he pictured it for her, his paws started moving on their own.

Once he finished, Light grabbed a white towel for Ariel to dry off. He handed it to her when she stepped out. Light fixed the fur on top of her head one last time before her mirror reveal.

Light stepped in front of the mirror first. He reached out his paw and took Ariel's as she stepped in front of it. She gasped in awe.

"I never expected this," Ariel mumbled. "No way. I mean, way. This is the way, that you chose. Yes."

"Do you like it?"

Ariel swiveled on her feet and faced Light, giving him his first straight on view of her new style.

Light had pulled and manipulated the green fur on her head into a wave rippling on the right side of her head and pulling away from her left. The rest of the fur on her body became sleek and shiny.

"Uh, sorry," Light said. "I didn't know what to pick."

"You made me look like a playboy," she said. "Trying to say something, angel cake?"

"No…" he mumbled.

"Oh yeah?"

Ariel dipped her head low and snaked closer to Light's face.

"You picked up some tricks at the spa, didn't you?" she asked. "I feel good."

"Uh, yah," he said. "Feel free to ask. I mean, I'm not a professional…"

"I will," she whispered. "It felt great."

Ariel pecked Light on his forehead. She smiled again and turned around. Light's face warmed.


Through text, Flareon Light called for a short meeting in the social area. He curled up on a cushion underneath Sky Shaymin Ariel's arm as everyone gathered and woke up. As the morning sun rose, his fur warmed. The fresh air and open space soothed every nerve in his body.

Once everyone came, they gathered around their table. Manaphy Jewel and Slowking Chad both smiled. Mienfoo Robin and Galarian Ponyta Nadia glanced and smiled towards Ariel, much to Light's relief.

"We're just going to be talking about how to train today," Ariel announced. Her deep voice rumbled pleasantly in Light's ear.

"Before anyone asks," Umbreon Amadeus said, "I will not be training him for personal reasons."

Light looked up from Ariel's fur. The air paused for a moment.

"Can we know why?" Meowstic Markus asked. "Acuitan warlords are kind of famous. Wouldn't it make sense for you to train him?"

"I used to think of us highly, too," he said. "Back in my grandfather's generation, Acuitan warlords began training when they were of age four. It began a balancing act of destroying your own body in training and being able to have something left to give on the battlefield. And once you were spent from all your conquesting, you would go home, spawn more, and raise them like a fungus."

Amadeus drew all eyes on him. Light listened intently, like Ariel told him to.

"The only reason I'm alive is because my right arm was injured," he explained. "I had three siblings, and all of them permanently damaged themselves and died before they turned thirty. After I raised my sons, they scorned me for not letting them do the same and left, except for Percival. I promised him that we would never raise another warlord again, starting with Light's cousin, Gawain.

"And besides, the effectiveness of what I would teach him would be limited. Warlords use their body to harm their enemy at any cost. If we tried that against the Glass Reshiram, it would overpower and kill us."

"Right," Markus filled the silence. "Then we'll focus on Courtain. Light's the only one here who can use it, so let's use it wisely."

The same, rectangular black container floated down on top of the table. Once again, Amadeus took off the multiple metal coverings to reveal the silver sword.

"Let's be honest here."

Emolga Alisha's voice drew attention. Light pushed harder against Ariel. She always tended towards the aggressive option. Her leading statement didn't help.

"Light's the weakest link," Alisha said. Light's stomach fell. "And, he happens to be the one able to wield Courtain. Both of these things mean that he's the most important player in this fight. We all need to take notes from Ariel and train to protect him."

At first, Light thought Alisha had returned to insulting him. His heart rose a little.

"It's true," said Amadeus. "No single person can overpower the Glass Reshiram. That's why, for today's training, we should all take turns battling Light to learn his preferences, what he can do by himself, and how we can cover him. This will also give him practice using Courtain."

"That sounds like a plan," said Ariel.

"Ariel, you won't be joining this practice."

Sky Shaymin Ariel blinked at Umbreon Amadeus, waiting for an explanation. Light was, too.

"You already know him well…" he said. "If we want to be efficient, we won't hold anyone back because the others haven't caught up. You will be training with me."

"With you?" she questioned. "As in…"

"You want to protect him, don't you? Then take it to the next level. Go up to the top deck. If we start soon, we'll finish by sundown."

"You're training Airy, but not me?" Light asked.

"Ariel enjoys battling, and she has the mentality, strength, and skill she needs to take it up a level."

"And I don't?"

"You do," he said. "You can take it up a level as a tactician, as a commander. To survive, we have to use everyone's gifts to the fullest. You might think that the flashiest power is the most desirable gift to have, but take it from me. It's overrated."

Light's anger had been shut down, leaving an empty pit in his chest. His ears and tail drooped. Ariel leaned her face down by his.

"Hey," she whispered. "I'll need you out there, partner. Why don't we… hang out after sundown?"

Light stared into her eyes and nodded. He wanted to train with her, but maybe she was on another level. The ship would arrive in Abuja soon. He didn't have time to screw with other people's preparations because of his own confidence issues.

"Right."

Ariel nuzzled Light's forehead.


Once everything had been worked out, Flareon Light walked to the main training area with the rest of the Guild. Sky Shaymin Ariel smiled until Light had walked inside and out of sight. Umbreon Amadeus sat on his haunches next to her.

Ariel kept an eye on him. She never trusted foreign royalty, except Light. The fact he singled her out instead of Mei lent him some credit that he didn't have some ulterior motive, but she couldn't be sure. She didn't have a read on him.

"How much are you willing to give for my grandson?" Amadeus asked.

"Uhm, sir?" she turned to him. "What do you mean?"

"Depending on your answer, there'll be a different level of training that you can mentally handle."

"Well, take your most brutal regiment and kick it up a notch."

Amadeus smiled and nodded. "That's why I picked you. Now let's get to work."

Ariel followed Amadeus.

After going down a floor, she followed him through the hallways. He became talkative as they walked up around the spiral staircase to the top deck.

"I'll let Light train with you for flexibility," he said. "He may not be strong in my eyes, but he's agile. If you were as agile, that'd be more than enough."

"What was the real reason you didn't want to train him?" Ariel asked.

"I see you have experience understanding people with the Acuitan blessing." Amadeus turned his head back. "I don't know how to make warriors or raise children. I only give people the power of monsters. Mei gave me the rundown of what happened on Mount Ài. Along with Courtain and the rest of the Guild, we have a chance if a strong Scion like you were to be ready."

"So, why aren't you also training Mei?"

"Giving people power also gives them temptation. Mei's conniving, which can be useful, but I only trust you with this."

"Are you saying I'm not good at planning ahead?"

Amadeus turned back forward and continued walking. "To be frank, I think you're nice and a little dumb, which is an excellent combination for this."

"Uhm… thanks?"

"If it's any consolation, I still think you're smarter than most people."

"Uh… thanks?"

Cool morning air wafted across the roof of the ship. Ariel breathed it in. Amadeus didn't seem to react. He walked forward toward the dark blue ocean and bright blue sky.

"So," said Ariel, "am I leading off with a thousand pushups?"

"That's the easy part," he said. "especially for you. Strength will come. I need you to have a higher understanding of reading the enemy and techniques. There's only one way to train for that."

Umbreon Amadeus rolled his head in a circle. He arched his back and opened his eyes wide. Ariel thought him frail, but her view shifted in seconds. His eyes ignited with the focus of a hunting tiger. Ariel tried to match his intensity, but couldn't manage to be as intimidating.

"When Light gives you a command, you can't just punch or fire at what he points at. The best soldiers-no. The best warlords… are flexible and easy for tacticians to direct because they can and will fight anything. Fight me and show me your weaknesses."

"I was personally hoping to show you my strengths," she said quietly. "But alright."

Ariel had no clue where to begin fighting a warlord. Amadeus probably had half a dozen ways in mind to kill her in a single digit amount of hits, and he probably adapted like a computer as a fight went on. She made her first decision out of fear: she didn't want to be near any of that.

Ariel whipped her ears and used Air Slash, and combined it with Energy Ball from her mouth; the same onslaught that turned away the weakened Reshiram.

Amadeus snaked through the attacks and closed the short distance. Ariel floated in the air and raised her right fist. She held and faked out a punch right towards his head. He didn't flinch. He only moved when she slammed down for real. He dipped below and uppercut her stomach. She blocked it with her left arm.

Amadeus' paw gripped down. His left arm hooked underneath her right and grabbed her ear. He threw her to the ground.

Ariel lost her breath when her back bounced up off the floor. His foot came down on her chest.

"That little delay was nice," Amadeus said. "You're filled to the brim with swagger and confidence, it's just unsharpened. By the time I'm done training you, you'll be able to beat me, so think about that right now. Ice cream can wait."

Amadeus lifted his foot. Red-faced, Ariel rose back to her feet. She slouched her head a little lower.

"That move is a counter to overhead strikes. You'll be practicing it one-hundred times in a row now. It'll be harder than push-ups."


Sunlight arched through windows high in the metal dome over the Wayfarers heads. The open space left more than enough room for practice.

Flareon Light stood in the center of a wide circle. The sword Courtain quivered in his small paws. He held it up in Slowking Chad's direction, standing across from him on the metal floor. He volunteered to go first.

"Don't stress out about it," said Chad.

"Are you sure I won't blow up the ship?" he asked.

"My old partner couldn't blow it up with Lobera, and according to our knowledge, that sword is a lot more violent. By all means, I'm used to taking blows from it."

As promised, Light swung Courtain in Chad's direction. He didn't expect a giant laser or fire and brimstone, but he expected more than a cool wind. Chad closed his eyes as it passed over his face. His typical smile didn't flinch.

"That actually felt quite nice," Chad said. "It really can get hot in here."

"For those of you who don't know," Meowstic Markus spoke up, "the Acuitan blessing affects the body based on mental state. It makes it harder for Light to try and attack people he doesn't actually want to hurt. We'll train his power a bit of course, but what he hits you with will be far from the be all end all."

"Hardly seems like that matters."

Light turned around to see Sky Shaymin Mei.

"We're trying to get to know how he works as a commander so we can have some natural idea of what he wants on the fly. If fighting him won't work, then let's just try something else."

"Maybe," said Talonflame, "Light should try talking to us. Since, you know, he probably doesn't even remember my name."

"It's… uh…" Light struggled. "Rrah… Roxy?"

"Roxanne. Closer than I thought, I'll give you that. But you still hang out with Ariel more than all of us combined."

"It's true," said Manaphy Jewel. "It's like we're just side characters. I mean, that's crazy. Right?"

"That's a good idea," Chad said. "Let's all take turns and tell Light what we're good at and how we can help."

Light turned back to Slowking Chad. Chad put a hand on his chest and bowed.

"My name is Chad Longfellow. Lord Verity assigned me to protect his daughter when her identity was leaked to a group of dangerous pokemon, which I've already dealt with. I planned to return her soon when the Glass Reshiram appeared. As most of you know, I used to lead the Wayfarers and have plenty of experience. I'm still a touch slower than I was in my hay day, but I can do plenty."

Roserade Storm walked joined at Chad's side with his arms folded behind his back.

"And my name is Storm," he greeted. "I'm Chad's long time friend and Wayfarer. I joined him at Kaigan. I'm good at combat where I can use my vines to move more quickly, such as forests and cities."

Arcanine Zhen sauntered forward. Zhen and Storm moved to the side back to the circle to give him space.

"My name's Zhen," he stated. "I used to compete in Lao Shen arenas. As a Wilderbeast, I excel at messy, close range fights."

Zhen nodded and walked off. His replacement: Sky Shaymin Mei. Per usual, she only looked half-awake.

"My name is Mei Chingyang," she sighed. "I'm not that great for battle, but I can fly well. I'll deliver messages and cargo that needs to be delivered. Honestly, I can't say I really plan on dying on this little adventure. I have people who'll need me. Just keep in mind I have a few 'tricks' up my sleeve."

Light nodded to Mei. She dipped her head and rejoined the circle

Meowstic Markus passed by her on his way in. He passed her a passive glance as he took her place.

"My name is Markus Valor," he introduced. "I ran away before my Royal Parade. I don't plan on dying either, but I can fight. Learned a lot of defensive battling and survival as a Valorian prince, but I prefer to be on the attack after my days as a cop. Chad and I spar a lot, so I'm somewhere around his level."

Markus talked fast. He walked back towards Pachirisu Susan. Light turned in a circle until he heard footsteps.

Mienfoo Robin walked into the circle from behind.

"My name's Robin," she said. "I've studied a lot of Kaiganese fighting techniques, but I'm no master. I can't handle opponents who are twice as strong as I am, but everything else can be done. With Ariel and Nadia, we used to act as explorers at Kaigan as a team called the Valkyries. We're used to fighting together."

Robin bowed out. On queue, Galarian Ponyta Nadia sauntered and replaced her.

"My name's Nadia," she stated. "I'm really used to fighting with Robin, but I'm honestly pretty meh on my own. If I'm not with Robin, I'm good at making deliveries too. I'm also good at healing injuries, but the bad wounds should be left to Xiang."

Ribombee Xiang glanced left and right as Nadia re-entered the circle. She smiled and flew forward.

"My name is Xiang," she said. "I'm first up if someone gets really hurt out there. I've been working on moving faster so I can help you all more quickly. I have plenty of experience, and you'd be surprised at some of the wounds I can turn into scrapes. I hope I can get faster to help make myself useful."

Xiang flew back to her spot. Dewgong Nathan and Zangoose Fernand came forward into the circle together. Light kept his stare somewhere in between them.

"Sorry we've been here a while and haven't talked much," said Fernand. "That's our bad. The hero types just make us nervous. We were just bounty hunters looking for pirates around Kaigan when we saw Glass Reshiram fly over our heads. We work well together, and we've been clocking in overtime getting kinda scraped up by Chad. We make a good team, too."

"We'll be ready," Nathan said. "We saw the beach first-hand. We won't let you down."

From others, Light knew Fernand had few words. Hearing him talk put him at ease.

Emolga Alisha and Talonflame Roxanne walked up next. Alisha's confrontations made Light nervous, but her realism helped conversations along.

"We're arena competitors from Kaigan," said Alisha. "Specifically, from team arenas, so we have plenty of experience teaming with each other and others."

"Both of our families lived in the area where Glass Reshiram landed," Roxanne explained. "They were so terrified, we vowed we wouldn't let it happen again, to anyone. We've been training hard, and we're good at fighting airborne. Leave it to us."

Drizzle Kenta slunk his head down as he came forward. Light eased his stare to help with his nerves.

"My name's Kenta," he greeted. "I, uh, don't have a lot of fighting experience before all this, but I've been training with Robin every day, enough to back her up. I'm trying one-hundred percent, so I hope that'll be enough for us to make it."

Kenta nodded his head in random directions and bowed out. With that, Light figured that everyone had come forward; except for one.

Heliolisk Jonathan swayed on his way forward. Sunlight fell on his dark, red burn scars and pale blue eyes.

"You know me," said Jonathan, in a matter-of-fact way. "I always have done what I needed to survive, because I believe I deserve to live." He spun around in a circle. "And so do you guys. So no matter what battle you send me into, I'll end it. And you'll survive. I swear on it."

Jonathan's face looked different. Light could only imagine what he went through after the night Reshiram appeared. With a heap of new flames festering in his eyes, he grew too nervous to ask. Jonathan walked back to the circle.

Excluding Pachirisu Susan, his aunt Leafeon Charlotte, Ariel, Jewel, and Amadeus, everyone re-introduced themselves. Charlotte and Susan didn't seem to be the battling types, but Charlotte already threw herself into studying the glass Jonathan showed everyone. It went without saying they wouldn't put Jewel in any danger.

"It's up to you what we do to train," said Slowking Chad. "What would you like to do?"

Light needed a better scale to weigh his decisions with. He needed to see everyone's strength for himself.

"I want to watch everyone have battles with each other myself," Light said. "I want to be able to… have some sort of scale. I mean, I know I should battle too, but I really want to make sure I just see…"

"Then that's what we'll do. We'll battle you if there's time leftover."

"Okay."


Across two hours, Light and the rest of the Guild participated in and observed a long series of one on one battles. He started to scrape up a tier list in his head. Not considering Ariel or his grandfather, Chad, Markus, and Zhen all took places above the rest, except for one.

Heliolisk Jonathan had transformed into some sort of monster. Every single attack and movement he did forced Light to question if it was anatomically possible. Out of morbid curiosity, they decided to pit him against Slowking Chad, Meowstic Markus, and Arcanine Zhen all at once.

The battle lasted fifteen seconds by Light's count, and Jonathan didn't even have his Grapplers. Even without being able to feel an ounce of fear, Markus' eyes popped out from surprise alone as he shakily rose to his feet. Electric tendrils danced and flew across all of their bodies. They were in ruins. Jonathan walked towards the wall of onlookers, including Light.

"Jonathan," Light breathed. "I t-thought you didn't even like fighting?"

"Not really," he called back. "But I'm willing to do it."

"Then… then why didn't you teach me?"

"Taught you how to steal, and now you want me to teach you how to kill…" His head bobbed back and forth. "I already showed you how to do too much."

"But how am I supposed to learn if no one's willing to teach me?"

Jonathan raised his arm towards Chad and the others. Light didn't understand why.

"Take a good long look," Jonathan said. "All that pain is all you'll ever be able to make with this 'gift'. People who really care about you won't want to make you do it yourself. That said, I never said I wouldn't teach you."

Light stared into Jonathan's eyes, growing a glimmer of hope.

"But right now, we need you as a commander," Jonathan finished. "I'll teach you some stuff later. Right now, we need your directions for how to keep training."

"Okay, but just… tell me. Why is everyone pushing me to be some commander or tactician?"

"Cause you're good at it. And if they don't know that, then I do. What do you want us to do next?"

Light stared at the floor. He thought about it for a quick moment.

"Let's just have normal training with each other from here," he decided.

Light would think of team building exercises later, when he wasn't distracted. What he really wanted to do was see how Ariel fared upstairs. He missed her comments and little gestures: the way she squeezed his paw to boost his confidence or pecked him to let her know someone cared about his little comment.

As Light thought about her, his eyes turned to Courtain's black case, sitting near the front doors. As everyone split into random groups, his spirits started to droop. He jumped when someone put a hand on his shoulder. Concern dripped from Slowking Chad's frown.

"You alright?" he asked.

Light whipped around as Manaphy Jewel raced in front of him.

"What's wrong?" Jewel asked. "Why do you feel lonely? We're right here," she pointed out.

"Ha," Mei called. "Ariel withdrawal symptoms? In just two hours?"

Light turned back around. "No," he shot back. "No, just… thinking."

"Awww!" Galarian Ponyta Nadia squealed. "Light, that's so cute!"

"I told you I'm fine…"

"Oh, I'm sorry Light," Chad smiled sadly. "You've been inseparable, so even a few hours must be rough, huh?"

"Hey," said Mienfoo Robin, "why don't you go get that pendant you got on your second date?"

Light's ears clicked up and faced Robin.

"What pendant?" asked Sky Shaymin Mei.

"It's like, this little necklace," she described. "It matches Ariel's chi pattern and sort of feels like her. People use them when they're separating for a while to feel like they're still close."

"I don't… need it."

Light needed it, and an excuse for enough time to go to his room to get it.

"But," Light continued, "I need to check my phone for something, and I left it in my room."

"That was a nice try," Mei said. "Just go get it."

"But-"

"Light," she said firmly. "Just go get it and stop wasting time. If you don't, you'll just get insufferable when we're trying to train."

"Do whatever you need to do," Chad said. "We'll be here."


Flareon Light raced to his room and back.

With him he brought a ruby red, teardrop necklace. He hid it under his gray mane.

Training continued straight to sundown. Light held Courtain most of the time. Towards the end, his arms turned into noodles. The drain on his body hit hard, and out of nowhere.

The Guild retreated back to the central lobby and divided up into tables. Light sat on a cushion alone for the first time in a while, and across from Talonflame Roxanne. His mind drifted away too far for her to reach him with small talk.

"Excuse me?" Roxanne asked. "Guildmaster? You should really try taking your mind off Ariel for a bit to feel better. Please."

Light's eyes snapped back up to the table, and Roxanne's face. She frowned.

"I… Yah, sorry," he said. "It's just… having someone go through something for you is…"

Roxanne nodded. "Oh, I know. But, you have to understand, it's even harder to watch other people endure suffering for you than it is to go through it yourself. But you sometimes have to let them do it for you, especially when they want to. You have things to focus on too, right?"

"...Yah."

Roxanne smiled.

She continued by asking about his fur care. Light outlined it, and then dug into all the details. Only a tenth of the way in, Roxanne gave him a look that she didn't realize how much she had bitten off by asking that question. He skipped some parts.

Food rapid-fired out of the kitchen in Manaphy Jewel's hands. Apparently, she delivered all the food and helped Chad cook at the same time. As it did, Light looked around.

He didn't see his grandfather or Ariel anywhere. Concern grew.

"I know what we just talked about," Light said quietly, "but do you mind if I go check on Airy? She should've been back before we ate."

"True," said Roxanne. "Go ahead."

"Thanks."

Light hopped out of his cushion and rushed to the stairs.

On his way, he moved faster and faster. By the time he reached the staircase to the top deck, he broke out into a small jog. The silence worried him.

A violet sunset hung over the ship. The wind calmed down, though it still ticked Light's fur. He scanned the deck for Umbreon Amadeus and Sky Shaymin Ariel.

Ariel laid on her side gasping for breath. Amadeus wiped sweat from his forehead as he sat next to her. Light rushed over.

"Airy!" he called. "Are you okay?"

Only Amadeus reacted. He looked up with a heaving chest and open mouth. He nodded slowly.

"We're all fine," said Amadeus. "It's been years since I've battled this much. Sorry we're late, we're just catching our breaths."

Light circled around to Ariel's front. Her heavy breathing bogged down her attempt at a smile.

"First day is always the hardest," Amadeus said. "This is the worst it gets, I promise. And she did great."

"Yeah," Ariel heaved, "you know, I kinda feel good under all this… I'm okay. I could really use some of your massage, though. Ah hah…"

"I'll leave the rest to you, Light. Get her nice and settled in her room. Treat her well."

Amadeus forced himself to his feet and walked towards the staircase. Flareon Light took his place. He'd wait for her to catch her breath before helping her walk back.

"I see that necklace," said Ariel. "You remembered that…?"

"Yah, of course," he answered. "Airy, you don't have to-"

"Light," she said, starting to catch her breath. "I know you wish you were the one lying here right now, and I'm sorry. But…" she huffed, "your grandfather's right. Between what he knows how to teach, the Acuitan blessing, the Wilderbeast gene… etcetera… There's too much going on with you for it to be safe. There are so many factors, I don't even know if there's anyone that could train you. So for now, just… Endure it. Please."

Light rubbed his dampened eyes. "I… I get it. I will, I promise."

She smiled. "And trust me, I'm enduring it fine."

Ariel slammed her paw against the floor and pushed herself up to standing. She raised her head high towards the sky. The flame behind her eyes grew back to full size.

"So," said Ariel, "sweetiepie, you mind giving me the royal treatment? I could use a little lovin' after a hard day at work."

Fire danced across Light's face. A short trail of steam rose over his head. "Yah," his voice squeaked. "What would you like?"

"Well, my ideal afternoon after a day of pain and suffering is you bringing sushi, fish, and cookies to eat while you rub my shoulders and fawn over me. So, let's get to it."

Something flashed through Light's mind looking into Ariel's eyes. Her day had been rough; she was relieved it was over. She looked forward to seeing him all day. Light's day had been rough, but rougher not knowing how she did throughout. He worked hard, but he couldn't focus without her.

Ariel blinked. "Candor?" she asked.

"Uh, sorry," Light said. "I didn't… It just sort of, triggered."

"That's weird. Is this the first time that's happened?"

"Yah. Sorry."

"It's okay. We should practice more with it later. Try and understand it. Since I'll be there, you'll be able to focus, huh?"

Ariel giggled as she walked past, making for the spiral staircase. Light hopped along next to her.


Flareon Light grabbed food and rushed back to Ariel as fast as he could. He bid a few goodbyes to Roxanne, who had already gone to another new table. She seemed happy enough with them.

Once Light returned to Ariel's room, he knocked twice before he opened the door.

Sky Shaymin Ariel sprawled out on her bed. She glanced towards him and smiled without moving. Light closed the door behind him, walked across the floor, reached up, and pushed her plate in front of her paws.

"Thanks," she said. "Just, climb on here. My shoulders are killing me…"

Light hesitated. He reached up multiple times before hopping on the bed. With how much space on it she took up, he struggled to find room to sit and reach her shoulders.

"Sit on my back," Ariel suggested. "It's okay. You, weigh, like, nothing."

"I… Yah, okay. True."

Light conceded and sat on her back. He brushed his paws against her firm shoulders. Pushing down felt like digging into hard clay.

"It's like you got hit with a laser cannon," Light mumbled. "How did it go?"

"We fought most of the time," Ariel said. "Every time he beat me, I had to learn the technique he used. How about you?" Ariel picked up sushi and chomped down.

"It was okay," he said. "Courtain wore me out a lot, even though I didn't swing it at even a quarter power. Everyone also sort of reintroduced themselves and battled each other so I could see how to command them in a battle. Not really sure I'm the best pick for this."

"Feeling worn out just means you're doing it right," Ariel said. "Sacred Treasures don't just create chi, they amplify it tenfold, but it's still all from the user."

"Hey Airy? What do other Guild members think about me?"

Ariel stayed still and silent for a few seconds.

"I mean, I wouldn't worry about it," she said. "Just about everyone knows you're sweet. Now me on the other hand, they think I'm using you to make Lao Shen look good. At least, they did for a bit until you started doing the puppy dog eyes."

Ariel winced. Light stopped moving his paws.

"Right there," she said. "Ooh, yeah. Yoooooou hit the spot. Yup."

Light continued. Because of the huge muscle, he had to use his body weight and lean forward. It barely worked.

"I was thinking we might need a professional for this on the ship," Light said. "Everyone's tired. If we keep training like this without help, I don't think it'll go well."

"You're probably right," said Ariel. "Just about everyone's had problems now. Xiang's good, but we need more of her."

Light found an unnatural bulb of heat and pressure next to her spine. He pushed over it until his paw slid past without resistance. Ariel broke out into purring as the heat spread out. Her entire body relaxed.

"I think I got the problem," Light said.

"Mhm," she mumbled. "Do you mind just, right there…?"

Light pushed deep on the side of her spine. She whimpered.

"He-" she huffed, "kinda kicked me there on the third fight."

"Was he rude to you?" he asked.

"No, no. It was fine. I'm all set now, thanks."

"Okay."

Light hopped off the bed in a single, short leap. Ariel turned her head down towards him as her chin rested on the bed.

"He said that you were pretty agile," Ariel said. "He wants you to stretch with me."

"Really?" he asked. "Sure. I can do that."

Ariel smiled. She patted next to her and gestured for him to hop up. He did.

Once Light hopped up, Ariel set her paw and his back and pushed him down into laying on his side. She smiled in front of the early night sky outside her window.

"You missed me pretty bad today, right?" she asked quietly. "Next time, I'll train closer to you, in the same room."

"You don't have to do that," Light said. He knew she hated to lose. He doubted she wanted everyone to see her when training with his grandfather if she lost a lot. It'd hurt her pride.

"It's okay. It'll help you think straight. But wow, I can't even leave you alone for a day, can I?"

Ariel locked her paws together around Light's lower back. He closed his eyes as his paws and face pushed against her chest.

"I prefer when you don't," he whispered.

Behind Light's back, the door to Ariel's room creaked. Her eyes hardened into sharp daggers as she looked over his head.

"There's…" Mei's voice started strong, then faltered. "Shrimp…"

"Any other important news Mei?" Ariel hissed.

"Uhm… No…"

"Good. Now would you mind locking the door so I could have some fucking me time?"

Light reached his paw up and rubbed Ariel's neck. Her angry frown settled down.

"Hey Mei," said Light, "would you like to hang out and eat with us? You two haven't hung out a lot, as sisters."

"Don't think she quite wants me to."

"It's alright. Right, Airy?"

Light stroked down Ariel's shoulder. She purred and smiled.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you want…"

Flareon Light twisted and turned around to face the rest of the room. Sky Shaymin Ariel kept her paws locked together around his mane. Shaymin Mei closed the door and inched forward towards the couch.

"Hey Mei," said Light, "can you stay in Sky Forme at night, too?"

"I could, but it feels strange," she answered. "Unnatural, you could say. For me."

Mei hopped on the couch and walked in a circle. She kept inspecting every inch until she chose a perfect spot near the center.

"Do you know that we're arriving sooner than expected?" Mei asked. "To Abuja."

"How?" asked Light.

"A miscalculation. Someone lost track of what day it was when we were estimating. We actually arrive tomorrow at dawn."

"Seriously?" Ariel questioned. "So, tomorrow is when we meet with them. The president of the World Peace Organization?"

"Yes. And it'll be important that we mind our manners. We're lucky I put our royal garments on the ship."

"What should I wear?" Light asked.

"It doesn't matter," Mei said. "You're the White Star. They'd probably be willing to feed you grapes from the vine if you wore one of Ariel's shirts."

"Should I test that?"

Mei smiled and rolled her eyes. Ariel leaned over Light and pecked his cheek.

"So," Light said quietly, "do you think Reshiram is already in Abuja?"

"No," Mei answered. "I calculated its traveling speed. Or, well, professional scientists in Lao Shen did. We think it takes breaks since its own fire burns itself, namely on some islands. There haven't been any sightings there, though, or we would have changed course. If it's still traveling at the same pace it did over Lao Shen, it should arrive a day after we do."

"Airy, do you think you'll feel okay enough to battle if that happens?"

"Your grandfather said I'll be fine after some sleep. He knows how to work me close enough to death to feel the burn, but not close enough for me to not train at a hundred percent the next day…"

"That sounds absolutely horrific," said Mei. "Is he even teaching you anything?"

"A lot. So much, I don't know how much will stick."

"How many times did you practice each technique he taught you?"

"A hundred. A hundred and fifty on a few."

"It'll stick quick."

For the first time Ariel and Mei were in a room together, comfortable silence filled the air. Light only held his eyes open since he had to make sure he stretched with Ariel.

A few minutes later, Flareon Light helped Sky Shaymin Ariel stretch to get it done. She showed improvement from last time, leaving her more satisfied at the end. With it completed, she patted her bed for him to hop up and cuddle again.

"I think I'm going to head to my room," Light replied to the gesture. "Get some extra sleep since we arrive early."

Light had a feeling he wouldn't sleepwalk to Ariel tonight. He felt extra tired, and relaxed. More than that, he wanted Ariel to talk to Mei without biting her head off. They were both calmer than usual; a rare occurrence for either of them. They could even be tired enough to start getting along.

"Okay," Ariel said. "Good night, Light."

"Good night."

From the couch, Shaymin Mei flashed a small glare, pleading for him to stay. Light met her eyes and dipped his head low. They both stayed quiet as he walked out the door.


Flareon Light slept.

In the morning, he woke up to a small, inkling feeling of danger. The dark, morning sky only held a hint of yellow towards its very back edge out of Light's window. Disturbed, he grabbed his phone for a flashlight and walked out.

The velvet carpeted hallways were empty. Small noises came out from some of the rooms, but Light ignored them. He walked towards the spiral staircase leading to the top deck. He stopped a few times to rub his eyes as he rose up.

No one else had come up to the top deck that morning. He walked out into the cool, ocean breeze by himself. A hint of heat in the air hung on his shoulders. He looked up to the sky to take in the view.

In front of the sun's slight, yellow shadows, a deep red star twinkled against the clouds. His eyes locked on. A familiar trail of smoke in the sky stretched into the horizon behind it.

Turning around, Light could see land, only a mile or two away. Past a white, sandy shoreline, a heap of a city made up of spread out along the water. It lacked Valor's skyscrapers and towers, but civilians were bound to be inside each and every building there. He sprinted back to the staircase.