Surgeon General's warning: chapter contains fluff levels higher than your recommended daily allowance. Consult your doctor before reading.

Chapter 69: The Bond Phenomenon

~Cosmic Cavern~

After one of the deepest sleeps in Gallian's recent memory, he awoke to cloth bristling his fur. He shifted on the straw bed and noticed a dark gray blanket draped over his back. Gallian wondered where it came from.

"Morning, Absol," Zoroark greeted, jolting Gallian to attention. He turned around to find Zoroark sweeping up the floor in front of him. "I didn't wake you, did I?" Zoroark said.

Gallian shook his head. "How long was I sleeping for?"

Zoroark walked over to a closed window and opened it. He glanced outside, craning his neck to look up toward Totem Decidueye's house. "Hmm… with the way the light looks it's probably early afternoon," Zoroark said.

"E… early afternoon?!" Gallian gasped. He really was slipping away, then. If Zoroark hadn't found him, he'd probably be dead.

"Oh, hope you don't mind the blanket, by the way," Zoroark continued, not noticing the worried look on Gallian's face. "I was about to lie down and go to sleep when it occurred to me that no one had really dried you off. I didn't want you to catch a cold so I warmed that blanket up and draped it over you."

Gallian blinked slowly. He lowered his head, trying to stop Zoroark from seeing him blush. Of course the first guy he would meet would be super nice and good-looking. Gallian figured it was going to be even harder to avoid another Vaporeon situation.

"It's alright," he said. "I'm still sore, to be sure. But at least I can move around."

"That's a relief," Zoroark said, smiling. "But don't overdo it, okay? Anything you want, you just let me know." He scratched at his right ear. "Which begs the question of what happened to you to put you in such a sorry state." Zoroark squatted down so he was eye-level with Gallian. "Do you think you could tell me?"

Gallian flinched. This guy was good at puppy dog eyes. It must've been a perk of his species. Still, Gallian wasn't sure just how much to tell Zoroark.

"All I can say… is that I traveled a great distance across Horizon. I wanted to find a quiet, tucked away place like this, but I ran into trouble. I ended up in the Midnight Sea… and scaled a cliff up to the path you found me on," he explained.

Zoroark frowned. He wanted to help, but couldn't fault Gallian's caution on the subject. "Okay, I won't pry any further, then," he said. Zoroark walked out of the room, leaving a bewildered Gallian sitting on the straw bed.

That conversation went poorly. Gallian was sure of it. He stayed too tight-lipped and now Zoroark was pissed at him. 'Nice going, dumbass! This guy's bending over backwards for you–'

He cut his thoughts off with a cringe. That was a poor choice of words. Now, Gallian had to clear that image out of his mind. Zoroark was going out of his way to help. He couldn't push Zoroark aside like a piece of dirt. Gallian was thinking up a way to apologize when Zoroark walked out with a bowl in his hands.

"I took an oran berry and boiled it in ginseng," Zoroark said, setting the bowl down. "Totem Decidueye's done this for me when I've gotten hurt in the past. Hopefully I did this right, but if you, like, turn green or something, then I guess I'll have my answer." He laughed nervously.

Gallian stared at his "breakfast" as if it was ready to sprout legs and walk away. A bubble pooled in the soup-like liquid. Gallian leaned down just as the bubble burst. Red juice splattered across his face, drawing a chuckle from Zoroark. Gallian thanked the gods the juice was red to hide the blush falling over his cheeks. He lowered his head back toward the bowl and lapped up the piping hot mixture. The oran berry's juiciness was backed by a surprisingly potent kick, which Gallian suspected the ginseng.

"Wow, this thing's pretty strong," he whispered, lifting his head up and repetitively puckering and unpuckering his lips.

"Hmm… might've used too much ginseng," Zoroark said. "I could add some water to weaken it, if you want."

"I'm okay," Gallian said, slurping up more of his meal. "It's making my insides tingle, but in a good way. Like, the fatigue's fading away a bit, if that makes any sense."

Zoroark smiled. "Great, that means it's working." He sat down in a chair a few feet from the bed. "I've still got awhile before I have to start my guard shift, so if there's anything you want, just let me know."

"Um… can I ask you a question?" Gallian wondered.

"Technically you just did," Zoroark said, a wry grin on his face.

Gallian snorted mid-drink. More juice splashed across his face, this time striking his forehead and leaving the faintest red tint in his dirty white fur. Zoroark's grin widened. "Okay… you got me there," Gallian said, trying not to let his embarrassment show through. "Can I ask you several questions, then?"

"I don't see why not," Zoroark said.

"It's about this place, actually," Gallian said, gulping down the last of his breakfast and pushing the bowl away. He lay back down on the bed, hoping Zoroark had good things to say about his home.

"Cosmic Cavern?" Zoroark asked.

"Ah, yeah. Spaced on the name," Gallian said. "Have you… um… lived here your whole life?"

Zoroark raised a brow. "That's a bit personal, don't you think?"

Gallian stiffened. "Oh… oh gods… I'm sorry! I shouldn't–"

"Relax, Absol," Zoroark said, holding his hands up. "I'm not upset or anything. Judging from what you said earlier, I take it you don't really want to leave when you're healed up, do you?"

'Wow, he's good,' Gallian concluded. "I guess I wasn't doing a good job hiding it," he said, picking at the straws around him.

Zoroark twirled a lock of hair around in his claw. "In that case, I don't see the harm in talking with you about the village," he said, to Gallian's delight. "I've lived here most of my life, but I wasn't born here."

Gallian bit his lip. Zoroark was living alone. Did that mean he had no family in the picture? Gallian glanced toward the shelf on the other side of the room, looking for anything that offered a vague hint. All he found were book spines and oddly-shaped rocks.

"Um… so… it's just you here, then?" Gallian asked.

"Yeah," Zoroark said. "Lemme guess… you want to know about my family?" Gallian winced, but Zoroark waved him off. "Don't get yourself worked up. I don't have any trouble talking about those assholes."

The harsh language was a surprise. "Did… did something bad happen?" Gallian said.

"My moms were notorious outlaws. When I told them I didn't want to take up the family business, they tossed me into the Midnight Sea and left me for dead," Zoroark said stoically. "I can assure you, I'm happy Officer Magnezone's team caught 'em and put 'em behind bars. It's where they belong."

"Y… you're kidding," Gallian said, his jaw dropping. Zoroark's family abandoned him, too? The similarities were getting creepy. It's like the gods themselves arranged their meeting. Gallian's neck fur prickled and he settled himself with a deep breath. He had to avoid making things awkward.

"Totem Decidueye rescued me from the Midnight Sea and brought me here," Zoroark continued. "Well, okay, technically he didn't bring me right here." He pointed down to the floor, drawing a chuckle from Gallian. "He took me to his house and raised me until I evolved."

"Wow, that was really generous of him," Gallian said. "The only Totem Pokémon I've met who I can remember is Toucannon. She… wasn't really a fan of me."

"I hear you there, Absol," Zoroark said, ears drooping.

"Gallian."

Zoroark's tilted his head to the side. "Galley-what?"

"My name… it's Gallian," he said, poking at the empty food bowl. This routine hadn't gone over well last night, but he figured he owed it to Zoroark to say something about his personal life.

"Your… name?" Zoroark raised a confused brow. "I've never heard 'Gallian' used to describe any physical attributes, before. You look like a 'Sharp-Scythe' to me," he said, sticking a claw up over his head.

"There's a Lucario in my family," Gallian said. "Apparently, it's a species custom to give everyone a name. I never questioned it."

"If it makes you feel more comfortable, then 'Gallian' it is," Zoroark said, shrugging.

Gallian wondered how one Pokémon could be so accommodating, then kicked himself for letting his thoughts run wild again. "Err… what were you saying before we got off track?" Gallian asked, clearing his throat.

"Oh." Zoroark sat up straight. "Well… um… it's nothing."

"Did I do something wrong?" Gallian said.

"No, of course not," Zoroark said. "Your Totem Toucannon comment… reminded me of something, that's all."

Gallian considered pressing further, but didn't dare risk upsetting Zoroark. There was a knock at the door before he could say anything.

"Oy, Fuzzhead! Open up, you git! I got words for you!"

"W… who's that? He sounds upset," Gallian whispered, sitting up.

"Midnight Lycanroc," Zoroark said. "He's one of the other guards. We, uh, don't get along well." He sighed and got to his feet. "Stay there. I'll go see what he wants." Zoroark marched up to the door and swung it open. His frame blocked the doorway, preventing Gallian from seeing Lycanroc for himself.

"What's this I hear about you taking Absol into your care, Fuzzhead?" Lycanroc snarled. "If he's all patched up, then give him the boot. I'll be damned if I let Absol spend another minute here!"

Gallian winced and shrank down onto the bed, burying his head in straw. Zoroark glanced this out of the corner of his eye and spread his arms out to keep Lycanroc at bay. "I'm nursing him back to health, Midnight," Zoroark said.

"Yeh? Well, you're a drongo for wanting to keep him around these parts. None of us want him here. So, tell him to buzz off!" Lycanroc said, red eyes flashing.

"No," Zoroark said, leering at Lycanroc. "I'm not about to turn my back on a Pokémon that needs help. That's why I chose to be a guard."

"Bugger off with that nonsense," Lycanroc growled, shoving Zoroark. "You're a guard because we don't want you around us any longer than you have to be, you root rat." He tried to peer over Zoroark's shoulder but Zoroark stood tall, using his mane to further block Lycanroc's view. "And that goes double for Absol. Piss off, Absol! You ain't wanted here!"

Crimson energy crackled across Zoroark's claws. "You're the one who needs to 'piss off,' Midnight. You've got a problem with what I'm doing? Take it up with the Totem. He already approved this, so I doubt he'll see things your way."

Lycanroc swung a glowing paw at Zoroark, who caught it and smushed Lycanroc's arm against the doorway. "Let… go," Lycanroc grunted. "I'm… trying to keep… the village safe."

"No, you're not. You're trying to spite me… like always," Zoroark growled. "I'm giving you one chance to walk away."

Lycanroc wrenched his arm free. He stepped back, brushing a paw across his snout. "Tch. Fine. Keep the mutt. It's only a matter of time before you end up in the Tree of Life with every sorry spirit that ever trusted an Absol," he growled. Lycanroc turned and stomped away from the house, casting nasty looks back in Zoroark's direction.

Zoroark closed the door and turned back around to Gallian, frowning. "I'm sorry you had to see that," he said. "Don't listen to him. The guy's a dick. He picks fights with anyone in town who so much as looks at him funny. And he holds grudges for the stupidest reasons."

Gallian stared at the floor in disbelief. They hadn't even known each other a day and Zoroark was willing to stick up for him like that. Guilt welled up in Gallian's gut. He didn't deserve something like this. All he had done was run away from home.

"You didn't have to stand up for me like that," he whispered.

"It's not a big deal," Zoroark said, shrugging. "Nothing Lycanroc said was new to me."

"What do you mean by that?" Gallian wondered.

"You don't know?" Zoroark said. "It all goes back to Dark Matter's attack." He slumped over, resting his forearms on his thighs. "With how easily Dark Matter was able to control Yveltal and Nuzleaf and get them to do its bidding… dark-types got bad raps once things died down."

"We did?" Gallian squeaked.

"Yeah, of course," Zoroark said. "Were you living under a rock before you came here? How could you have avoided running into trouble for so long?"

Incineroar came to mind. Gallian's dad must've shielded him from getting treated badly. The realization only intensified Gallian's guilt. He couldn't even muster up an answer for Zoroark.

"The short version is that there are plenty of 'mons out there who think dark-types are trouble. They must believe we're, like, secretly working to bring Dark Matter back," Zoroark explained. "In my case, when I try to be nice to the villagers, some of them assume it's because I'm looking to hurt them or steal something." Zoroark leaned back on the table, lying on his mane and sighing. "You'd think after all these years this wouldn't happen anymore, but it does."

Gallian's chest grew heavy. "So, the reason you joined the guards…"

"… is because I wanted to help the village," Zoroark cut in tersely. He sat back up, scowling. "I thought I could hold my own in battle after evolving, so joining the guards was a natural conclusion for me.

"Got it," Gallian said, wincing. 'Way to piss him off, idiot. Say something to fix this.' He fiddled with straw at the edge of his bed. "Um… for what it's worth… I think you're nice," he said, regretting his inability to come up with something better.

"I appreciate the thought, though you'll have to forgive me if I think you might be a little bit biased considering what happened yesterday," Zoroark said. Despite his comment, he smirked at Gallian, who wasn't sure if he should laugh.

After a moment of indecision, Gallian smirked back and said, "Guilty as charged, I guess." He yawned loudly and sank down deeper into the straw. "Ugh… the sluggishness is back."

"You're probably still fatigued," Zoroark said. "You should get some more rest."

"But I've already slept so long, I–" Gallian started, only for another yawn to cut him off. His eyelids drooped and his blinking slowed.

Zoroark closed his window, shrouding the room in darkness. "I'll give you the room," he whispered and retreated to the kitchen.

An invisible force weighed on Gallian's chest again. "No… c-come back," he said, but his voice was so hushed there was no way Zoroark could hear him. Gallian blinked a few more times before his eyelids stayed shut and he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

This pattern continued for the next several days. Gallian would sleep through most of the day and night, awakening in short bursts to take in a meal. Sometimes Zoroark was there, in which case Gallian would pepper him with questions related to his guard work and the Mystery Dungeon he got to patrol. All the while, Gallian tried to keep his thoughts in check and his gaze focused on Zoroark's eyes, fearing what would happen if he let it drift somewhere else. Other times, Gallian would wake up to find himself alone, with a berry placed on the table next to a note from Zoroark.

Eventually, Gallian was able to get himself out of bed and walk slowly around the house. At which point, Zoroark led him on walks through Cosmic Cavern's entrance tunnel. They'd proceed in silence, with Gallian staring mystified at the light crystals. With each walk, Zoroark did his best to judge Gallian's energy level. Whenever Gallian slowed down, Zoroark turned him around and took him back home.

Three weeks after his arrival in Cosmic Cavern, Gallian finally made it out of the cave. He and Zoroark stepped out onto the mountain. In front of them lay a sprawling sunset. Orange light twinkled through the rippling waves of the Midnight Sea. Off in the distance, storm clouds formed a single black spot in the orange sky. Smoke trails rose into the air, creating a foreboding scene that sent a chill down Gallian's spine.

"This is… wow," Gallian whispered. "All these mountains are breathtaking. We never had a view like this at Ae–" Gallian caught his mistake and cut himself off. "I mean… we never had a view like this back home."

Zoroark shot Gallian a curious look. By the sound of it, Gallian was from Aeon Town. Zoroark wanted to follow up, but sensed Gallian still wasn't ready to talk about his home. Instead, he took a deep breath and said, "Yeah, I like taking shifts out here because of this view. It's nice. Makes you appreciate what the Tapus have given us."

"Yeah," Gallian said. "Um… you think we could walk a bit further?"

"Are you sure you're up for it?" Zoroark asked, a look of concern on his face.

Gallian nodded. "Seeing this gave me a second wind. Come on." He smiled at Zoroark and walked along the mountain path. Zoroark went along with him. They proceeded in silence at first, until Gallian said, "Zoroark, I'd like to be a guard."

"You do?" Zoroark said, freezing mid-step.

"Yes, I've made up my mind. You were spot-on when we first spoke. I do want to settle here," Gallian said. "The quiet caves… this incredible mountainside view… this is what I was looking for. A secluded place to start anew."

"Well, I appreciate the offer," Zoroark said, scratching his right ear, "I'm just not sure you're healthy enough to do that, yet. And… um…"

"You're worried about what other villagers will think of me, aren't you?" Gallian said. He should've known better. Why had he opened his trap?

"Midnight's already told the rest of the village about you," Zoroark said. "Totem Decidueye assured them that everything's fine… but I've gotten more nasty looks than usual."

Gallian felt stupid. How could he not think about what his decision would do to Zoroark? He stopped walking and turned around. "I'm sorry," Gallian said. "That was a rude suggestion on my part. I've… already imposed on you a lot. Cosmic Cavern is your home. I couldn't bear the thought of making it uncomfortable for you… especially after all that you've done for me."

To Gallian's surprise, Zoroark walked up to him and put a paw on his shoulder. Gallian jumped, his heart racing and his fur prickling. "Easy there, buddy," Zoroark said. "It's nothing I haven't dealt with before." A warm smile crossed his face. "Besides, I'm grateful to have had your company this past month."

"Th… that's good to hear," Gallian said, trying not to think about Zoroark's claws brushing his fur.

"Tell you what? Why don't I bring the idea up to Totem Decidueye?" Zoroark said. "I'm not really sure what you're capable of in battle, but the Totem isn't one to look down on a generous offer. Does that sound good?"

"Uh… yeah! Totally! One hundred and twenty percent!" Gallian shouted, his voice cracking. He quickly turned away from Zoroark, aware he was acting like a total buffoon.

"Great," Zoroark said, chuckling. "For the time being, though, let's enjoy the sunset." He gazed out over the Midnight Sea. "It really is beautiful this evening."

Zoroark failed to notice Gallian staring at him, focusing on his mane gently swaying with the sea breeze. "Yeah… it really is," Gallian whispered.

~Cavernous Depths~

After a prolonged back and forth, Totem Decidueye agreed to Zoroark's proposal and added Gallian on as a town guard. This turned out to work quite well. Totem Decidueye partnered them up, meaning Zoroark no longer had to take shifts with Lycanroc. Instead, Lycanroc worked with Dusk.

Their first few assignments were basic patrols of the mountain and proved uneventful. After a week of official work, Totem Decidueye gave the duo the okay to explore the Cavernous Depths. He requested they do a routine patrol and make sure nothing bad was happening to the wild Pokémon. Zoroark led Gallian down into the dungeon, guiding him through tunnels filled with sparkling rocks and light crystals.

"This is surprisingly pretty for a cave," Gallian said. "I like how the crystals kind of look like stars."

"Oh, good, you noticed it, too," Zoroark said, smiling at Gallian. "When I made a similar comment to Lycanroc my first time down here, he just brushed it aside. Glad to see I've got a partner with a good eye on him." He winked at Gallian, who turned to examine a nearby rock.

The sounds of rocks scraping together caught both their attentions. Zoroark held up his left arm and crept forward. "I'm seeing a few Geodudes up ahead here. Give me a moment." Zoroark lowered his arm and took a deep breath. A red ripple raced down his body and he disappeared before Gallian's eyes. In his place, a Geodude sat on the floor. His galvanized bristles poked out of his light blue head, adding extra light to the area.

This was Gallian's first time seeing Zoroark's illusion powers in action. They were every bit as impressive as he expected. Zoroark rolled down the tunnel and caught up to the other Geodudes. He conversed with them, turned away, and rolled back up to Gallian. Zoroark led him down a side path, then dispelled his illusion.

"Ugh, I hate having to roll around like that," Zoroark grumbled, grasping his mane and furiously blowing on it.

"That was amazing! I saw you transform, but I was still completely fooled," Gallian said, running up to Zoroark. "It must be so awesome having illusion powers."

"Yeah," Zoroark whispered, his voice lacking in enthusiasm.

Gallian's smile vanished. "Is there something wrong?" he asked.

"Huh? No, no, not at all," Zoroark dismissed, returning his attention to his dirty mane.

"Is it something about your illusions?" Gallian asked, hoping he hadn't stumbled on a touchy subject by accident.

"I just… I don't like using them. I hate that everyone expects me to use illusions all the time because I'm a Zoroark," he growled, crossing his arms.

"I thought it was pretty cool," Gallian whispered, poking at the ground.

"Don't get me wrong. It's a great technique," Zoroark said. "It's very useful against wild 'mons." His shoulders sagged. "But relying on them frustrates me." He leaned against the cave wall. "Illusions are so… so fake. Why should I have to hide who I am from others? If I don't use my illusions, people treat me badly. If I do use them, then the interactions I have with others are meaningless. I'll never know how they actually feel about me."

"And while some 'mons value me for my illusion powers, those same powers make them act guarded around me." Zoroark threw his paws up in exasperation. "I'm stuck in this endless cycle where, no matter what I do, I feel detached from everyone around me." Zoroark sank down to the ground, burying his head in his thighs. "I'm so sick of it, but I don't really know what I can do about it. I've tried to show people that I don't mean any harm. Only Totem Decidueye really trusts me, but he can't be around all the time."

Gallian was by Zoroark's side in an instant. "I… I'm so sorry. If I'd know, I'd never would've brought it up."

"Don't be sorry. You've done nothing wrong, here," he said. "Frankly, it's… nice to have someone giving me attention like you do."

"Err, well, I'm really glad you've helped me out so much," Gallian said, his heart skipping a beat. "And… uh… you strike me as a genuinely nice guy. I don't think any of this is an act."

"I appreciate that," Zoroark said, smiling at Gallian. Silence fell over the duo, their gazes locked on one another.

Gallian's heart raced. Zoroark was looking right at him. It wasn't just some casual smile. There was a sense of knowing behind it. Gallian was certain! Had he slipped up? Did Zoroark think he'd developed a crush?

"Gallian," Zoroark whispered, "I… uh…" He shook his head and got back to his feet. "I think we've dawdled here long enough. We should really get back to our patrol."

"Huh?" Gallian said. "Oh… right. Yeah, that's a good idea." All the adrenaline that had built up during the silence rushed out of Gallian's system, leaving him standing there, legs trembling.

"You feeling alright?" Zoroark asked. "You look pretty out of it, all of a sudden."

"I'm okay," Gallian lied. In reality, he had blown the perfect chance to say something. How hard was it to look Zoroark in the eyes and say that he loved him? Gallian watched Zoroark walk down the tunnel and hung his head.

'I'm never going to be able to tell him, am I?'

~Cavernous Lagoon~

A couple more weeks passed, during which time Gallian and Zoroark continued their guard work. On lighter days, they opted to trek down to the end of the Cavernous Depths and spar by the small pond. For Gallian, it was a good opportunity to improve his moves and dodging abilities, since he hadn't battled too much in his time at the guild. While Zoroark mopped the floor with him initially, Gallian gradually showed improvement.

After another quiet patrol through the Cavernous Depths, Gallian and Zoroark made their way down to the basin. The small pond twinkled under the glow of the star-shaped light crystals. At the other end of the pond, a stream trickled toward a cloud of black fog. Gallian already knew from his conversations with Zoroark that that fog hid a tunnel leading to Circadian Coast. He figured the stream led out to either the Midnight Sea or the ocean.

"Up for a little spar?" Zoroark asked. "I was thinking we would try something different."

"What did you have in mind?" Gallian said.

Zoroark repeatedly moved his arms and forth, crossing them over his chest. "The winner will be whoever can pin his opponent on their back for three seconds," he said.

"Doesn't that give you an advantage? You have arms… I don't," Gallian said.

"The point is to make it a combination of standard attacks and a physical struggle," Zoroark said. "You never know if an opponent may get up close and personal… leaving you no time to use a proper attack."

Zoroark had a point. Gallian just wished he'd phrased it differently. "It's still easier for you to do stuff like that," he said.

"Okay, fine. You can have an added win condition: if you knock me in the lagoon, I'll count it as a pin. Sound fair?" Zoroark said, rolling his eyes.

"Would we be disturbing any wild Pokémon swimming in there?" Gallian said, glancing at the water.

"Pretty sure there aren't any in there, but I'll check to be safe," Zoroark said, walking up toward the edge.

A smirk crossed Gallian's lips. "Big mistake, tough guy," he whispered. Gallian released shadows from his mouth. Zoroark's ears twitched and he dove to his right without even looking back.

Gallian charged forward, his horn brimming with green, bug-like baubles. Zoroark raised a paw, shooting a black beam of his own. Gallian lowered his horn, trying to absorb as much of Zoroark's attack as possible. But the green baubles quickly faded and the remaining dark energy struck Gallian's face.

Zoroark hopped away from the water. "I can't believe you tricked me like that!" he said, his voice a mixture of shock and laughter.

"Well, I can't believe you actually fell for it," Gallian said, grinning cheekily.

"You ass, I'm gonna get you back for that one," Zoroark said, eyes flashing red.

"Oh, crap," Gallian groaned, crouching low and preparing to move. Four Zoroarks fanned out around him. Gallian shuffled backward, wincing when his tail struck rock. The Zoroarks launched fireballs at Gallian.

A gleam twinkled in Gallian's eyes as an idea formed in his head. He jumped up and spun around, digging his claws into the bedrock. The fireballs passed underneath him, grazing the tip of his tail. Gallian crouched down and sprang off the wall. He soared over Zoroark and his duplicates. Gallian landed and lashed out, slicing through the clones with a blade of dark energy.

Only the real Zoroark remained, raising glowing arms high. Acting on instinct, Gallian spun around and kicked Zoroark with his hind legs like he was a white-furred donkey. Zoroark stumbled backwards, gasping for air.

Like earlier, tiny, bug-shaped energy pellets coated Gallian's horn. He jumped to Zoroark's side and speared him in the gut. Gallian jerked his head upward at the last second, flinging Zoroark into the air. Zoroark sailed backwards, limbs flailing. He fired a black beam at the ceiling, but failed to change his momentum.

Zoroark threw his arms up over his face seconds before he splashed down. The resulting water plume made Gallian wince. "Huh, that worked a lot better than I was expecting," he said, walking up to the edge of the lagoon. "Yo, Zoroark, you okay in there?" he called.

A few seconds of silence passed, then bubbles formed on the surface of the water. Zoroark popped out, his drenched mane plastered over his face. He spat out a mouthful of water and tried to brush his mane to the side. It flopped back against his snout, sending him under the surface again. Gallian burst out laughing, his eyes tearing up. Zoroark resurfaced and swam toward the edge.

"Okay, you got me there," Zoroark said. "Your Megahorn hits a lot harder than I remember it. Have you been practicing on your own?"

"I was just extra motivated today, I suppose," Gallian said.

Zoroark paused at the edge of the lagoon, treading water to keep himself afloat. "Oh? What… did my little rules change fill you with sudden determination?"

A flush fell over Gallian's face. The answer was yes, but he'd be damned if he said that out loud.

Zoroark blew on his mane, but it failed to budge. "I get it. You just wanted to see me all dripping wet, didn't you?" he said. "Well, go on, get your yuks in. Laugh it up, fuzzball."

Gallian turned away, trying to compose himself. Why was Zoroark always able to read him like an open book? "Actually, I just wanted to mess up your mane after you spent so much time brushing it this morning," he said.

"And now I'm gonna need another hour of brushing to get these new tangles out. So, thanks for that," Zoroark said, pouting. "Now, you gonna give me a paw here or not? This water's a lot deeper than it looks."

Gallian stuck a foreleg out and Zoroark grabbed hold of it. He dug in his heels, attempting to give himself traction to hoist Zoroark out of the water. Only, instead of Zoroark rising out of the water, Gallian found himself being pulled toward the water. He caught a mischievous glint in Zoroark's lone visible eye. Gallian tried to yank his forepaw free, but to no avail. Zoroark had an iron grip and used it to drag Gallian over the edge and hurl him into the lagoon.

Zoroark hoisted himself over the edge and sat there, daintily crossing one leg over the other and swishing his soppy mane around in one paw. Gallian surfaced, white fur from his forehead having fallen over his eyes. Like Zoroark did earlier, Gallian tried blowing his fur out of his face. His vision was too blurred by the water to see the giant, shit-eating grin on Zoroark's face.

"Boy, did you walk right into that one," Zoroark said.

"I thought… you didn't like… conforming to Zoroark stereotypes," Gallian grunted, trying to doggie paddle his way to the water's edge.

"I don't… unless it's to get back at a friend who punked me," Zoroark said, wringing out his mane. "I'm just surprised your disaster sense didn't alert you to what I had in mind."

"It doesn't… work that way," Gallian said. He reached the edge and dug his claws into the rock, panting heavily. "It's not a lie detector, you know."

"Well, I know now," Zoroark said. "Come on… you got me good. And I got you back. Now we're even."

"I really didn't want to go for a swim this afternoon," Gallian grumbled. "This water's so damn cold." He shook his head dry.

"Yeah, cave water can be like that," Zoroark said. "Tell you what… how about we head for the hot springs? Everything's quiet down here and we didn't have any other assignments to do today. So, that ought to warm us right up." He offered his paw to Gallian.

"And why should I trust you to pull me out safely?" Gallian said, frowning.

Zoroark uncrossed his legs and raised his arms innocently. "Because I got my licks in. I'm satisfied. Come on… truce?" He stuck his paw out again.

Gallian sighed. "Yeah, I can't stay mad at you over this. It's pretty trivial," he said. "And… you're right. You did get me good." He added a chuckle for good measure and grabbed Zoroark's wrist. Zoroark pulled him out of the water.

But as Zoroark stepped back, his wet foot slipped. He tumbled backward with a holler and Gallian, who was still gripping his wrist, fell down with him. Zoroark landed on his mane, which squelched loudly as a puddle formed underneath him. Gallian landed atop him. His momentum made his head bonk against Zoroark's. In the process, his lips touched the tip of Zoroark's muzzle.

Zoroark sucked in a surprised gasp, his eyes widening and his pupils dilating. For Gallian, it was as if he had taken a Thunderbolt to the spine at point-blank range. "Aha ha… whoops," Zoroark said. "Should've watched what I was doing. You okay, Gallian?"

Gallian sat up, his jaw clenched and his eyes darting around the room. He thought his heart might burst out of his chest that very second. It was only an instant, but that spark was incredible! He'd never felt anything like it. Gallian was so lost in the moment that his actions failed to register until he met Zoroark's confused gaze.

'Wait a second. Our lips met… our lips… oh, gods, what've I done?! I'm such an idiot!'

"Um, Gallian? You all right?" Zoroark asked, waving an arm in front of Gallian's face. "Are you going to get off me?"

Gallian looked down at Zoroark's chest and scrambled to his feet. "S-Sorry," he said. "I… I… sorry…"

"What's there to be sorry about? I slipped and we fell. It's nothing to get worked up over," Zoroark said, chuckling.

"N… no," Gallian whispered, his gaze falling toward the ground. "I… we… that is…" He thrashed his head from side to side. "I'm sorry! I messed up big time!" he shouted, and then turned and sprinted back into the cave.

Zoroark's eyes widened. "Gallian? Hey, Gallian, where are you going? I'm the one with the Escape Orb, remember?" He waved his arms about. "What do you think you're doing? Hold up! Wait for me!" Zoroark took off running.

Review replies!

Another guest: nobody seems to like Drampa, so I don't think you're alone. Not that it matters, since he's dead at this point.

SuperOmegaGuest: I hope that doesn't happen, too. I've been seeing reports of spambots running wild in some review sections and I'd hate for that to happen here.

Anon Omega: as it stands, there are three chapters left. Yes, that pretty much makes this the longest episode in the story. But a lot of this stuff was important, so we had to get to it at some point. The last chapter will be shifting things back toward our main quartet, anyway.

Commenter: well, I'm flattered. I hope I can continue to impress!

WatermelonShark: if you've gotten to this point and see this, I'm glad you're enjoying things. I did focus a lot on the characters because I love writing dialogue, as chapters like this show. I've never seen Hot Wheels World Race, though, so I'll have to take your word for it.

Next time: from hate to date to mate!

... I'll show myself out.