WARNING: Almost all of this tale will involve mental issues. There are mentions of discrimination and past trauma, but no aspects of gore will show up here.


Misericordia de Acheros

Sometimes, there exist days where most Pokémon need some form of break. Whether it involves a vacation to a particular location or a simple rest at home, their minds certainly enjoy these fleeting moments. After all, a perfect mix between work and rest provides the optimal cycle a creature's brain needs to function at a proper level. This concept is what makes Acheros step into the many streets of the Quintessence.

The guild, just like many other places, contains a town dedicated to supplying recruits for their missions. Fortunately, it also exists for them to relax whenever they are free, allowing them a chance to rewind after a long day. With the amount of Pokémon within the Quintessence, many places are packed for so many hours, even when night arrives. Even if the workers appear exhausted, they always smile upon seeing a returning customer or two. A positive trait for these spots includes the ability to establish bonds with many recruits, even to the point of elites and mentors.

As of right now, the Squirtle was located within the Nourriture District of the Quintessence, containing many spots for cafes and antique shops. The pathway was built using a combination of black stones and electric gems, with the latter utilized as a form of electric wiring. If a Pokémon were to examine the road at night, they would witness colored lights flowing through the streets and entering facilities. Speaking of the latter, many of them were built out of many materials, ranging from wood to iron to rocks. Each material varies between countless colors in addition to many different types of textures. Almost every facility showcases a different appearance, with some representing tents and some appearing like forged homes. Some buildings also hold some form of culture too such as pyramid-shaped rooftops and walls crafted to represent a certain Pokémon. With the number of facilities in addition to the electric floorings, this street entices anyone into a wandering state of awe.

Stretching his arms above his head, Acheros was currently seated on a green, wooden bench, watching many creatures live out their daily routines. He was currently alone at the moment, not expecting anyone to accompany him for a fun day out in town. Pyxis and Iovia were currently on a mission regarding an outlaw spotted in Great Canyon, with the two deciding to handle things by themselves. They believed the Squirtle should have a day off, especially after how much he had to do in terms of missions and operations. While he was a little sad that he wasn't with them, that feeling quickly disappeared for excitement instead.

'Man, am I pumped up for a little pick-me-up around town! It's too bad Pyxis and Iovia can't join me, but it doesn't matter. I trust them completely to handle that criminal, and they trust me to relax for the whole day. But… what am I supposed to do for the time being?' Acheros questions himself, unable to decide on which facility he wanted to explore first. The possibilities appear to be almost endless for the boy, even though he has been here a couple of times. The Nourriture District was the street closest to him, and its size was the second largest compared to the other locations within the Quintessence.

Deciding to just simply walk around, the Squirtle pushes himself out of the bench, letting his feet touch the stone pathway. Walking down the road, he figured a smoothie could serve as a good start for his free day. Although, a new question now arises: Where would he get a smoothie at? There were countless places to choose from in the Nourriture District, and most of them offered amazing drinks. How could he expect himself to pick out only one of these potentially lucky-?

Something bumps into Acheros' back, causing him to slightly lean forward from force. His momentum wasn't too strong, so he placed a foot forward to prevent himself from falling down. However, he could feel something drip down the back of his shell. Unable to turn his head back to figure out the source, he moves his body to fully face whoever pushed him. What he saw made him blink his eyes a bit in surprise.

Sitting on the ground was a green, plant-like Pokémon resembling a plant bud. Its body was wearing a green bib underneath its face. Said face is colored yellow with its eyes possessing slit-like properties. Their triangular legs were the same color too, although they were a bit stubby. The main feature of this creature lies in the two vines curled together atop their head. Should they open up, they can release pollen depending on the season. This substance is rumored to cause either typical allergies or make a Pokémon sick from poison. Regardless of the effect, the two vines, upon opening up, each possess a big spot colored red or blue.

This creature is known as a Budew, a type of Pokémon easily established as a baby within this world. In terms of differences, her body appears to be surrounded by a line of movable, brown prickles. By raising them up to resemble a crown of thorns, she can protect herself from getting grabbed by ruthless creatures. In addition, her vines also possess a small spot shaped in the form of a seed. Colored purple, she can emit additional vines made out of darkness.

Noticing the spots, Acheros' eyes widened a bit upon seeing a Pokémon that held the same power as him. Glancing down, he saw shattered pieces of a waffle cone lie across the floor, too dirty to continue eating. Near his feet was a blob of pink ice cream, containing cut pieces of strawberries as a form of topping. Shaking in sadness, the Budew looks at the Squirtle with tears threatening to fall out of her eyes.

"O-Oh no! I-I-I'm so sowwy, m-mister! I-I didn't mean to b-bump into you on p-perpise! I was just… I-I was just…" The baby Pokémon shakily says. Her eyes began to release tears while she did her utmost best to repress her choking sobs. Knowing this to be an accident, Acheros kneels down towards her level with a gentle expression.

"Hey, it's ok. I understand it was an accident, so you're not in trouble," he states calmly, watching as the Budew gradually calmed down through deep breaths. "That's it. Just breathe in and let yourself relax. I'll clean this up for you, ok?"

Guiding her towards a nearby bench, the Squirtle sits her down as he turns towards the mess in the street. Grabbing the broken pieces of the waffle cone, he scoops up the ice cream before directing his attention towards the nearest trash can. Walking towards it, he dumps the ruined dessert inside before he cleans his hands with Water Gun. Satisfied, the boy heads back to the Budew, who appears to have calmed her mind a bit better.

"Are you feeling better now?" He asks, staying vigilant in terms of comfort strategies. Thinking for a bit, the baby Pokémon frowns as she shakes her head as a response.

"No… I weally like your kindness, mistaw, but… I don't know what to do now. I don't know where my mommy is, and it's weally scawwy now. She promised to show me awound the Quintessence, but now I don't know where she went. I… I want my mommy so much!"

Feeling tears ready to fall down again, she turns towards Acheros and dashes towards him, muffling herself on his shell. Alarmed, he wraps his arms around the smaller creature, pulling her in for a comforting hug. While she was much smaller than Iovia, the Squirtle did his best to provide his brotherly support upon this baby. While he held her, a small thought pestered within his mind.

'This poor child, separated from her mother with no one to guide her… Does anyone even know she is part of the Bells of Calamity?' He thought, worried if they were intentionally ignoring her because of this.

In P-018, countless Pokémon live within these types of factions, each possessing some form of role within this world. Some factions focus on training creatures as fierce warriors, while others prefer to expand their minds when it comes to orzon. Some of them appear to be common in the present day, while some Pokémon exist within rare factions. Acheros and this Budew are members of the Bells of Calamity, a faction leaning on the rare side of the spectrum. Granted the power to wield darkness, these creatures live on the ideology of freedom, allowing themselves a variant lifestyle of controlled chaos. They also hold a strong emphasis on family, protecting each other whether they share the same blood or not. This faction holds a pedestal of respect from the other groups, especially those that focus on strength.

While the Bells of Calamity do receive respect, there exists a very small percentage of locations who fear the members. This fear expresses itself in the form of discrimination, ranging between isolation or even physical assaults. While the Quintessence bans any form of faction discrimination, some of the trainees here have experienced some form of it. Acheros could remember his experiences within his hometown, which happened to be part of the percentage who hated his lineage and family. After all, how could he ever forget the hateful scorns, the bitter pranks, and the malicious attacks… oh, the ruthless, blinding attacks…

The Squirtle shakes his head out of his mind just before he thought about that particular day. He could reminisce about it for another time, but now was not the right moment. Now was the time to help a baby Pokémon find her mother!

"Hey. It's all going to be ok, alright? Do you want to know why?" The boy questions. Upon seeing the Budew nod her head in confusion, he gives her a confident, yet gentle smile. "I will take you to her. If she's still here within the Nourriture District, then she couldn't have gone that far! Do you know how long it's been since you last saw her?"

The baby Pokémon tries her best to remember the time. "Ummm, I think awound two and zero minutes?" She responds, causing Acheros to lightly giggle at her answer. Through a little deduction, he figured they got separated about twenty minutes ago. Allowing his smile to widen a bit, he hops down the bench and looks at her with a happy gaze.

"If that's the case, then she should definitely still be here! Do you remember the last location you two were at?" He inquires, which results in the Budew nodding with a hopeful gaze. "Great! Let's get going, shall we?"

Nodding, she allows herself a small smile at how friendly the Squirtle was being towards her. "Ok, Mr. Squirtle! Umm, is that your name?" The baby Pokémon shyly asks, making the boy giggle once more. While he did trust her enough to reveal his name, they were also within a rather big crowd of strangers. Before he could give his answer, he decided to test her first.

"Well, let me ask you this question: Can you keep a secret well hidden?" Acheros asks, resulting in the Budew nodding with excitement. Smiling, he leans his face closer to her for a quiet whisper. "You see, when we're around crowds like this one, I'm usually referred to as Mystic, ok? But if we're around creatures I trust, then you can call me Acheros. Does that sound like something you can do?"

This idea was something he and his siblings were incorporating into their missions. Even if they weren't well known among criminals, they could figure out their identities which could lead to devastating consequences. As a measure of safety, the three decided to pick out code names that mean a lot to them yet provide enough vagueness for protection. The Squirtle chose the name Mystic after Pyxis commented on how his powers and abilities held some form of divine beauty. The Charmander, meanwhile, decided on the name Nova because of how his flames always shined so bright with tremendous energy. For Iovia, they picked the name Crescent in respect to both their scar and how they usually leave their enemies with slash marks.

Seeing the baby Pokémon nod in understanding, Acheros smiles as he helps her get down on the ground. "Good girl! Let's begin our search for your mother, miss…" He trails off upon noting how he doesn't know her name. Before he could ask her for one, the Budew answered for him.

"Rosabel. My name is Rosabel, Mr. Mystic," she answers with a smile. In her eyes, he gave off an aura resemblant of her own father if he was her big brother instead. It may not be as strong as her bond with him, but it was certainly enough for the baby Pokémon to trust him.

Patting the top of her vines, the Squirtle kneels down once more to her level. "Ok then, Rosabel. Ready to begin this awesome adventure?" He questions in an excited tone, trying to keep her spirits high. Seeing her nod with a bigger smile, he gets up and proceeds to walk with the Budew by his side.

Glancing around, the two keep their sights in place for a discerned mother. During this time, Acheros would be guided by Rosabel in terms of where she last walked. Traveling up along the road, they keep their eyes on the lookout within this massive crowd of Pokémon. Yet almost all of the creatures they see possess no instances of worry within their expressions or postures. Despite the odds, though, the boy maintains an optimistic viewpoint, knowing for certain that she would still be within this street.

Soon, he stops when the Budew points out a particular building to their right. Glancing at it, his eyes light up in recognition of this place. The building is structured like a big box, able to carry many Pokémon of different sizes. Its main material is light pink wood, creating the walls with the corners made out of steel beams to provide a sturdy ground. The walls also contain circular, enforced windows to allow customers inside to glance out for relaxation. The entrance doors, colored blue, are centered directly at the front. Some pink tables with white edges are placed outside to allow creatures to eat during a perfect day. The roof of this building resembled whipped cream flawlessly swirled up to create a delicious, sweet shelter. To top it all off, an olive-green sign hangs just underneath the roof, written in strawberry pink words: "Cremie's Cookies & Cakes".

"I wecognize this place, Mr. Mystic! This was where me and mommy got ice cweam fwom! Maybe she'll be heaw looking fow me!" Rosabel exclaims in excitement, believing her mother will be sitting within one of the seats inside. Finding this place to be a good start, Acheros looks at her with a positive smile as they begin to walk inside.

"Perhaps so. I know a really good friend here, so perhaps she can help us find her!" He states honestly. Being good friends with the manager of this cafe will certainly help the two out, especially since she works with her employees.

Stepping within the building, the two children are greeted with a friendly and energetic atmosphere. The Pokémon here are sitting within blue booths supported by light brown wood to contrast with the pink walls. The floor appears to be made out of white marble with black stripes, providing a stylish appearance. Surrounding the place lies gray, wooden railings positioned to guide customers to various locations and booths. On the other side of the room lies a glass counter showcasing many types of desserts and ice cream flavors. Above the glass hangs a line of three signs with the same color as the one outside, each supported by an iron chain on each edge. All three of them contain writings regarding the food offered here in addition to special deals and offers. Behind the signs and counter lies many stoves and tools for creating these desserts, with a few Pokémon wearing pink aprons currently operating them.

Walking over towards the counter, Acheros easily spots a particular creature working on a vanilla ice cream. At first glance, it appears as though they were made out of nothing but whipped cream, which just so happens to be the case. Their head holds several clumps of cream stylized to resemble hair, with support being their sides each having a loop-like bang. Their lower body appears to be made out of two dollops of whipped cream, resembling some form of clothing like a dress or robe. From there, they have two stout arms with three fingers extending between the two body balls.

This Pokémon is known as an Alcremie, a species always identified as a female. In terms of unique appearances, her bangs each hold some form of sweets. While her kind does have this trait, this one holds a different sweet per bang. The right one possesses a star sweet while the left one contains a clover sweet instead. Below those toppings lies more sweets near the end of her bangs, with the left having a ribbon and the right holding a flower. For the upper dollop, a heart sweet is embedded in the center, with the right side containing a blueberry and the left a strawberry. Her eyes are mismatched colors, with the left one being green and the right one being yellow. Finally, the color of her body is dark gray, with the edges of her bangs and hair lighting up in terms of shading.

Currently concentrating on her work, she scoops up a sizable amount of ice cream to place on the waffle cone. Once the ball is properly secured, she applies some toppings onto the surface, ranging between small chunks of dark chocolate and strawberries. After examining her creation a bit, she hums with approval and hands it to the customer in front of the two children.

"Here you go, sir! One vanilla cream waffle with dark chocolate and strawberries. Hope you savor that sweet flavor for the rest of the day!" She cheerfully remarks with a wink. Lightly giggling, the customer, a quirky Pachirisu, places some Poké into the tip jar before he heads off towards an open booth. Waving, the Alcremie turns towards her next customer. "Welcome to Cremie's Cookies and Cakes! How can-"

She stops upon noticing Acheros standing here, smiling with a joyful expression while Rosabel hides behind him in a shy manner. Taking a few seconds to acknowledge that it really was him, she breaks out into a huge grin as she leans out a bit over the counter.

"Well, do my eyes deceive me or not! Quite a surprise seeing you here, sweet plum!" She states with a fond tone, knowing this specific Squirtle quite well. Rubbing the back of his head, the boy looks at the Alcremie with a happy expression.

"It's nice to see you too, Meline. Seems like you're holding down the fort here quite well!" Acheros remarks with a grin, causing the creamy creature to laugh in delight.

"Damn right I am, good friend! I mean, look at how much my arms have grown!" She jokingly says, raising her arms up for a big flex. Rosabel lightly gasps upon hearing her swear with the D-word. "Gotta show my employees here why mama's the role model around here. Isn't that right, boys?!" She questions, turning her head towards them for an expected answer.

The employees near Meline cry out in approval, heavily looking up to her thanks to her kind and laid-back nature. Smirking at them with pride, she turns back to the children with a friendly gaze. "See? But, that's enough about me for now. Is there anything I can get for you, sweet plum?" She asks, ready to serve one of her number one favorite customers.

Lightly shaking his head in response, Acheros glances down near the Budew. "Well, I might get something, but I'm actually here for a different purpose," he explains, slightly moving his body a bit to reveal the baby Pokémon to the Alcremie. She gasps upon noticing her, as though she met her before. "I was curious if you saw the mother of this Budew here? They got separated from each other, and she mentioned how they got ice cream here last time."

Not wanting to sound rude, Rosabel looks up to Meline with a shy expression. "H-Hello again…" She says quietly. The sound was loud enough for the owner to hear, causing her to smile upon seeing her once again.

"Hello to you too, sweetie! How was the treat I made you? Did its taste implant itself within that cute mouth of yours?" She asks, hoping it made the child's day. Upon remembering what happened to it, the Budew looks at the floor in shame.

"W-Well, i-it tasted weally good, M-Miss Meline. But… I-I bumped into Mr. Mystic when I got s-sepawated fwom my mommy, and I dwopped i-it on accident. I-I'm so sowwy! Please fowgive me!" Rosabel cries out, bowing her body down in order to be as respectful as possible.

Upon hearing what happened. Meline certainly did not feel angry at the Budew for this accident. "Aw, it's nothing to fret about, dear! Many customers make small mistakes like that, including me on certain occasions! As long as you were able to taste it, that's all that matters to my sugary heart! Heck, I can make you another one if you want, sweetie! Free of charge!" She suggests, genuinely wanting to do this for the baby Pokémon.

Shocked, she looks towards the side in a shy manner. "I-Is it okay with you, Miss Meline?" Rosabel questions in a small form of fear.

Hearing that cute response from her mouth, the Alcremie couldn't help but coo at her over her polite attitude. "Absolutely! Here, let me make it for you while I talk to the sweet plum over there, ok?"

With that said, she pulls out another waffle cone and scoops up a glob of pink ice cream. While she does this act, she focuses her attention back on Acheros. "Sorry for making you wait, but here's what I know so far. When this girl's mother left, a short amount of time passed by until she came back here again. She wanted to know where her child was, but I never saw her pass by here until now. When I told her that, she decided to leave for another part of the Nourriture District, even though I said it was a bad idea. But nope, her lovely maternal instincts decided to slap my words back into the fiery pits of my stove! However, she did say she'll come back here if she can't find this cute Budew here. So if you want my suggestion, stay here and wait for her, ok?" Meline explains, causing Acheros to nod in understanding.

"If that's the case, then we don't have to do a stupid goose chase around town. That… actually makes me really relieved, you know?" Acheros murmurs, causing the Alcremie to laugh at how true that statement was.

"You bet your arse that's the case, sweet plum! And you know how this wait can go even better?" Upon seeing the Squirtle tilt their head in confusion, her smile widens as she points towards the ice cream flavors. "A nice, big scoop of ice cream to fill your stomach! Shameless plug, I know, but you did say how you'll maybe get something for yourself, right?" She asks, remembering hearing that part from the boy's words himself.

Laughing at her answer, Acheros nods his head as he remembers his exact words. "I did mention that, and I am getting a bit peckish… aw, screw it! Might as well take the bullet and eat some of your delicious desserts!" He states, causing Meline to fist bump the air in victory.

"Heck yeah! One win for me, zero for you! Now, what do you want for today?" She inquires in a joyful tone, excited to serve her favorite customer.

Deciding to check out the flavors, Acheros notes a particular one standing out to him: seaweed abyss. Curious about its flavor, he decides to get that with melted marshmallows and waffle cone pieces as toppings. Waiting for the Alcremie to finish up Rosabel's treat, he watches as the Budew takes it with a black whip. From there, the owner begins to work on the Squirtle's dessert, utilizing a medium-sized wooden bowl instead of a cone. Checking on the baby Pokémon, he watches her take slow licks on the ice cream, careful not to let any drip onto the floor.

"How does it taste, Rosabel? Just as good as your last cone?" He questions, wanting to make sure she can enjoy her dessert. Looking up at him, she nods her head in a joyful manner.

"Yep! Miss Meline is a pwetty cool lady, Mr. Mystic. I hope I can become just like hew and mommy and daddy when I gwow up!" She states, her eyes lighting up with delight at the thought of her future. Laughing a bit, Acheros pats the top of her head gently.

"If that's the case, then be sure to eat as healthy as possible! Although… you could be a bit lenient when it comes to candy and ice cream. Keep that a secret between us children," he says, winking his left eye as a sign of trust.

Nodding her head in understanding, the two watch as Meline places Acheros' dessert on the counter. The ice cream itself appears mostly blue with little green waves of lines filling the rest of the space. Melted marshmallows line up along the bottom of the scoop, making it resemble sand within the ocean. As a final feature, the pieces of the waffle cone lie stuck within the ice cream, assembled to represent a breaking ship.

"Here you go, sweet plum! One serving of our seaweed abyss ice cream scoop! Now, unlike that cute Budew there, you have to pay up some Poké for your plate. Think of it as a consequence for losing to my hypnotic techniques!" The Alcremie proudly states, clearly joking in terms of 'hypnotic techniques.'

Sighing a bit, Acheros reaches into his shell and pulls out a small pouch containing a hefty amount of currency. "Geeze, I sure do feel the love today, Meline. Lucky for you that I'm willing to sacrifice some of my hard-earned Poké for a simple scoop of ice cream," he dramatically says, pulling out many coins for this payment. Handing them to her in exchange for his dessert, the Squirtle raises his hand up as though he was stopping something. "Don't even bother handing me change or telling me I paid too much. You can think of it as payment for the Budew's treat or just a thank you gift for the kid, ok?"

Nodding her head, Meline smiles wide as she takes the Poké, splitting some of them into jars regarding payments and tips. "I'm just going to pick the latter option for how much it warms my creamy heart. Hope you enjoy your stay, sweet plum!" The Alcremie states, facing another customer as she proceeds to get their order.

Grabbing his plate, Acheros walks over to Rosabel and proceeds to sit on the opposite side of her. With a spoon nearby, he digs into the ice cream and places a small scoop into his mouth. Upon doing so, his taste buds detect a salty feeling mixed in with the flavor of cotton candy and mint. The texture feels mixed, ranging between the rough waffle cones and the soft walls of the ice cream. Overall, this dessert was something a bit odd for the Squirtle to normally get, but he welcomed this change of food.

'Rosabel's mind should be distracted from the current situation so far. As much as I want to personally go look for her mother, waiting sounds like the better solution here. Worst case scenario, she'll be within one of the other districts of the Quintessence, but she'll still be here in town. I'll trust in her to find her way back to Meline's cafe. That being said, though, I'm curious to see what her mom is like…' The boy thought to himself, wanting to make sure she learned her mistake and move on from this experience.

The next few moments were filled with mostly silence, save for the sounds of the children eating their desserts. During this time, they thought of many scenarios regarding where Rosabel's mother was located, and what her current feelings must be. Once they finish their desserts, they place their plates near a stack on the counter, leaving them to the employees for washing them clean. From there, they headed back to their booths and waited for time to pass. The two did converse based on whatever came to their minds, but those moments arrived few in-between.

Soon, the sun reached a little over its center point, but Acheros was feeling a bit tired to analyze the current time. Just as he was about to stretch and check up on Rosabel, he heard a voice from outside, calling out a familiar name. The sound of that voice sent a haunting chill down his spine. It wasn't malicious nor deceiving, but it did bring back recollections of a past the Squirtle recently remembered. A past so trauma-inducing his brain had no choice but to repress towards the edge of his mind.

"Rosabel? Where are you, Rosabel?" The elegant voice shouts out, her tone full of worry and fear. Upon hearing it again, the Budew pushes herself out of the booth and proceeds to rush outside the cafe.

"MOMMY!" The baby Pokémon cries out, disappearing from Acheros' viewpoint. While he wanted to follow her out, his legs refused to move any form of muscle or nerve. Hell, his whole body practically screamed at him to just stay here and miss the reunion, believing Rosabel will just forget him. However, a small part of the Squirtle's mind pleaded with him on how much she cared about him. Her mom will want to know who helped her out, after all, and Meline will certainly tell her the truth. Both cases lead to an inevitable conclusion: he is going to regret what happens next. The only choice he can affect is the amount of time left before the truth is revealed.

Sighing rather heavily, Acheros could feel himself regain control of his body. With thoughts of resignation filling his mind, the boy walked towards the entrance of the cafe. If he was forced to see a familiar person, he might as well do it as quickly as possible. After all, the Budew will be too overjoyed to see her mother, right? Praying for this scenario, he steps outside to view a heartwarming moment for the residents passing by.

Rosabel was being hugged by a green, tall creature possessing some plant-like traits. On its head lies a scarlet flower with white spots on its petal. Within said flower exists golden filaments with red anthers, shaped in a way to make it resemble a crown. Underneath the flower lies dark green, linear leaves with a lighter shade of the same type below them too. The light green leaf on the back of its head is shaped to resemble hair, with two smaller leaves hanging around one side of her face. Their head and abdomen are colored white, with their eyes being a light shade of scarlet, resembling seeds. They happen to have a large, light green, tulip-shaped collection of leaves, making them appear to wear a dress. Their back sprouts out two long, dark green, linear leaves which extend down to the bottom of said dress. Two golden sepals pop out under their neck in addition to being underneath the collection of leaves, with the latter representing feet. Finally, they have two dark green, linear leaves which act as arms for the creature.

This Pokémon is known as a Lilligant, another species who are only exclusive to females. For differences, she wears a variety of flowers all around the sepal on her neck such as tulips, daffodils, lotuses, etc. In addition, there were pink lilies sprouting from her leaf tulip, providing a fragrant smell that soothes other Pokémon. Although, the stigmas are actually exposed, wrapping around her dress and connecting near the back. As a result, it provides her look with an enchanting sight for any creature to behold. Unfortunately for males, she was already taken by a special Roserade, but that doesn't stop them from giving out compliments.

While Acheros does note how pretty she is, that thought gets empowered by a creeping presence slowly enveloping his mind. As much as he wants to deny it, he knows this Lilligant from a certain hometown. A place that chose to reject him and his status as a part of the Bells of Calamity. The Squirtle never viewed the mother as an evil creature, especially considering her daughter is a member too. Yet, that itching thought within his head injects a form of primal fear into his heart. A fear that caused him so much agony, but was the key towards his survival. Why he even made it here to the Quintessence. So why does it hurt…?

"Oh, sweetie! You don't know how worried you made me! I thought I lost you within this crowd forever!" The Lilligant cries out, happy to see her bundle of joy safe and sound.

"I-I'm so sowwy, mommy! I twied my best to stay by you, but evewyone kept pushing, and… a-and…" Rosabel couldn't finish her sentence before falling into tears, unable to keep them in anymore. Despite how much she held it in, the presence of her mother allowed her to freely express those feelings. She always comforted her during bleak times, and she always lured her into warm, comforting hugs that caged her from despair.

"Shhhh. It's all ok, Rosy. Mommy is here, and she'll guide you back home amongst the grassfield," she comforts her daughter, reminiscing how the presence of the grassfield always calmed her down.

A few moments pass by, with the mother continuing to sooth her child in her arms. During this time, Acheros could practically feel his heart trying to break past his body. Each heartbeat results in a collision within his chest, his heart ramming into rib cages in order to free itself. It may not have looked bad outside, but the Squirtle so desperately wanted to run. He felt absolutely furious with himself over still experiencing a small amount of fear from the past. He's already conquered it, he's already accepted the truth, so how come it still clings on to his deteriorating thoughts?

Acheros was still fighting against himself when the Lilligant ended the hug, setting Rosabel back on the ground. "Are you feeling better now, sweetie?" She asked, making sure her safety was her number one priority. Upon seeing her nod in confirmation, she smiles and strokes the Budew's face with her right arm. "Good. Now, if you don't mind me asking, where were you?"

Smiling wide, Rosabel directs her attention towards Acheros, ignorant of his dilemma. "Well, I was lost at fiwst, but then this nice tuwtle guided me back. He's my new fwiend now, mommy!" She states with pride, which unfortunately fell down the boy's ears. His sight was slightly beginning to blacken around the edges. Was he still breathing, or did he stop? He couldn't figure it out over all this panic.

Giggling, the mother leans down a bit to her daughter's level. "If he's your new friend, then will you allow me the pleasure to meet him?" She asks to which Rosabel nods in excitement. With permission granted, she directs her attention towards the Budew's babysitter, intending to thank them with something. "Sorry for not noticing you there, but I have to thank you so much for-"

The Lilligant stops talking as she stares at Acheros with wide eyes. Never in a thousand years did she expect to see the young boy again. Not ever since the guard assault within their hometown, the one that took many lives both young and old. The last she heard of him, he was spotted running away with a certain Blastoise, but no info was revealed to the public about it. Now, here he was, standing at the entrance with his face going pale. It certainly was shock that he's experiencing, but was it happiness for seeing her or… fear?

"Ac… ros…?"

No matter how hard the Squirtle tried, he couldn't hear anything from her. The only sound he could focus on was a weird static enveloping him into the deep abyss. The Pokémon around him were blurring out, turning… metallic? That… couldn't be true. No! They shouldn't be armed… right? Did he… really gloss over that obvious mistake?

"-ey… yo… obbl… ng aro… ple… and sti… el… fa… wn…"

'S-Stop it… l-leave me alone. I don't need your help. You weren't there for me… YOU WEREN'T THERE FOR ME!'

The shadows were proceeding to draw a bit closer to Acheros. Or was he trying to walk to them? What business does he have with spirits like them? The only thing he wanted was to go to bed now. His dad would throw a fit if he couldn't allow himself to rest, after all. Yet, why wasn't he near him at all? He normally doesn't take this much time to grab some simple groc-

'N-NO! Stop it, brain! Don't you make me remember that god-forsaken memory! I DON'T NEED TO BE REMINDED OF IT! PLEASE!'

The boy began to grow confused upon feeling his limbs lock up. He never found a particular electric move hitting him, right? So why was his body beginning to feel restrained by some unforeseen force? Were the shadows keeping him at bay? And… why was there something pressed against his right cheek? Was he lying on the ground, or-

'STOP IT, NOW! I CAN'T HANDLE THAT EXPERIENCE AGAIN! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!'

He felt himself face the sky, bright blue with an ever-growing mass of clouds. His right cheek began to burn up a bit, forcing the boy to close his eyes shut. How could he handle a burning experience on his cheek when he couldn't even check it himself? Perhaps he could use Water Gun to quench the pain, but why were the shadows gathering above him? They appeared to be colossi compared to his size, yet their limbs were small enough to gently grab his throat and-

'N-NGH! GYYYYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH! LET ME BREATHE! I BEG OF YOU! LET THE PAIN EVAPORATE FROM MY SKIN! STOP MAKING IT WORSE! PLEASE! JUST GET OUT OF MY BLODDY HEAAAAAAAD!'

Everything was now starting to black out. The Squirtle's adrenaline was starting to wane throughout his body. All he could do was lie down. Lie down and witness the sky give him one last image. A detailed formation of a broken shell, its owner never to be seen again.

'WHY?! WHY DOES EVERYONE HATE ME?! WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE A PUNISHMENT LIKE THIS?! ANSWER ME, ArCEuS! IT'S NOT FAIR! FAIRFAIRFAIRFAIRFAIR! PLEAse telL me THe AnsWER! I nEEd it… I cAn't moVe On wiThout It… please… why Is everyone tOo mean… to give me the truth…

I…

i…

*Drip… drip… drip…*

Acheros could hear the sound of something dropping, presumably a liquid. Was it water, or was it another chemical substance? He wasn't sure what was what, but he does know for certain that he's now up thanks to the loud dripping. Lightly groaning a bit, he groggily opens his eyes to find himself in a strange, but familiar room.

The space the Squirtle was in is really messy, containing tossed plates and dirty leftovers of food. The walls appeared to be made of nothing but dirt, as though this location was positioned underground. Adding support to this theory lies in the walls containing no windows or even paint. All that existed within them were a clock telling time through wires connected to a nearby tree, and occasional posters regarding propagandas for explorers and war recruits. As for the content, the room contains a kitchen counter for preparing food in addition to two wooden couches with white cushions facing each other. Separating them was a wooden table with a candle for light and blankets for preventing any food spilling. On the far side of where the boy was at, two doors face each other with different pathways. The left door headed up to the surface while the right door led to a secret spot outside where mail can be retrieved. Overall, this room would turn off almost any Pokémon from living here, with the exceptions being criminals or nomadic groups.

Despite the absolute filth of this place, Acheros found himself relaxing a bit, knowing a certain creature who decided to live here. Looking around himself, he found that he was wearing a brown blanket around his body, procuring a rather musky smell. Even if it was a bit old, the boy at least appreciated how warm he felt underneath its radius. From where he was at, he was resting against the wooden couch that faced the right door. Glancing to his right side, the Squirtle found a hand mirror lying a bit far from him, positioned at an angle towards him.

It's thanks to this angle that the boy is able to look at himself, which almost causes him to recoil in shock. He still had the same appearance as his present self, but he happened to look a bit younger. His eyes, instead of being a purple-red color, now appeared a pure purple shade. Although, the most significant change regarding his appearance lies in the scar on his right cheek. Instead of it being a star, it showcased two perpendicular slash marks, combining together to form a curved X shape. Lying in front of the mirror were cut up bandages, each of them containing some varying amount of blood. With the information presented to him, the Squirtle could only think of one scenario: he was back in the past.

Suddenly, Acheros heard the right door open up, catching his attention. The creature who entered the room was a huge turtle, bearing some resemblance to the young boy. A blue body mostly covered by a sturdy, brown shell. White ridges surround the holes where their arms and legs can pop out of, in addition to a stubby tail. Their head possessed triangular ears black on the inside, with a cream-colored lower jaw and small, brown eyes. Their shell belly was cream-colored too, having four horizontal lines spread evenly across for equal distribution. Their thick arms have three claws per hand in addition to three claws per foot, with one more positioned at the back. The biggest trait of this creature lies in the two cannons protruding from the top of their shell and over their shoulders. Able to be withdrawn or extended, they can fire out shots of water capable of piercing steel and concrete.

This Pokémon is known as a Blastoise, and she harbors some interesting traits compared to her species. For starters, her right cannon is gone, rendering her with only the left one available for battle. In addition, many scars lie across her arms and legs, with her shell containing dozens upon dozens of dents. Speaking of her arms, she can move some parts of her shell towards her arms to act as shields. Although, their true purpose is to provide two smaller cannons for more firing support. This feat normally applies for Blastoise when they Mega Evolve, but this one can utilize them in regular form. In turn, this makes her a formidable opponent during battle, provided she was back in her earlier days as a recruit and explorer.

Walking towards the kitchen counter, she places some mail on the surface before noticing Acheros fully awake. Allowing herself to slightly smile, she greets the Squirtle with a rather rough voice fit for a veteran.

"Heh. Looks like you didn't need much sleep, kid," she bluntly states, plugging the pipe with a chained cork. Upon doing so, the sounds of the dripping vanish, leaving only silence to take reign of the room.

Shifting himself up, the boy looks at the old creature with a confused expression. "Gran-Gran? W-Where am I?" He asks, confused as to why he is seeing her here. In truth, the Blastoise no longer exists in the present world, and Achero knows the reason why. So, seeing her walk around and being able to hear her voice once more… it almost brought him to tears.

Checking out the mail, she scoffs at his question. "In the shittiest hospital known to the entire town. Otherwise known as my crappy hut, ok? Did they knock your brain out into the dirt or what?" She states, not expecting this kind of behavior from her grandson. While it did sorta pissed her off a bit, she also felt some form of worry regarding what the kids did to him.

Alarmed, the Squirtle looks to the side in shame. "S-Sorry. I just… don't remember much about what happened," he mentions, although he's actually lying. In reality, he clearly remembers what happened to him on this particular day. The only reason he said this was due to his knowledge not fitting in with his young self, who was currently trying to recover.

Deciding to focus her attention on her grandson, Gran-Gran walks down and sits on the couch to the left of Acheros. "I'll tell you what occurred today, squirt. What happened was your father being a goddamned idiot and leaving you outside. Because of his act, some kids decided to 'play a prank' on you, which consisted of them giving you that scar on your cheek as a form of 'permanent marker,'" she explains, spatting out their words with pure malice.

Glancing down on the floor, the Squirtle was able to remember everything in agonizing detail. Sitting on the ground and patiently waiting for his dad. Hearing footsteps come up to him. Looking up to see sinister grins on the faces of a group of kids. The struggle to pull away from their strong grip on his limbs. The realization of horror upon seeing a steel knife inch closer to his face. A… burning feeling of pain that soon trailed afterwards. A look of betrayal when the adults around them chose to ignore his cries. Soon, he lost consciousness and now here he was, in his grandmother's home.

"I-I see… um, h-how bad was the damage?" Acheros questioned, worried about how long he was separated from his parents and baby sister. Gran-Gran points towards the bandages as her answer.

"Apparently enough to cause severe bleeding on your end. I bet those bitches wanted to show off how much they hate your guts. Hell, I'd even wager the adults get off on your suffering if they had the balls to do so," the Blastoise says, feeling her attitude get much worse than before.

"I mean, at least they didn't join in with the kids. That kinda makes me a little-"

Acheros flinched upon hearing hands violently collide with the table. Looking up, his eyes met the vicious gaze of his grandmother's own. He wasn't sure if it was due to what he was about to say, but now he's about to regret it.

"Don't you dare fucking finish that sentence, kid! We both know the bullshit behind what you're trying to imply. Yes, the adults didn't do anything harmful to you, but they failed at being damn role models! Instead of stopping that mess on your cheek, they decided to become cunts and let that shit happen! Does that make you better, HUH?!"

Standing up from her spot, Gran-Gran proceeds to walk around the room. While she did this, her fuming rage gradually built up towards an alarming level.

"God… what the hell happened to this damn town? When did us residents believe that faction discrimination was perfectly legal? How would our founders react upon witnessing the atrocious acts these arseholes do? Honestly, if I ever see one of those fucking brats again, I'm going to give him a beating so hard his parents' punishments will be a shitty joke," she states, her mouth curling into a malicious grin.

Visibly frightened, Acheros tried to scoot a bit closer into the couch. "I-I don't think hurting them will do any good, Gran-Gran…"

"SO WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE WE DO, ACHEROS?! You wanna let them keep spanking your ass so much?! You wanna be these cunts' bitch so badly?! You know for a damn fact that the Bells of Calamity doesn't support this fucking life! Where is that pride of yours, huh? Where is that desire to get back up from a crappy beatdown?! Because all I'm hearing from you is shit even Garbodors don't want to swim in! God, this fucking day just loves to PISS ME OFF!"

With anger, the Blastoise points her left cannon towards the only clock within this room. Not caring about consequences, she fires a heavy shot of water towards the spot. When the liquid collides with the glass, the latter easily shatters through brute force alone. Waving back and forth from the angle, the clock almost seemed ready to fall down to the ground, slightly worrying Acheros. Fortunately, the wires were strong enough to keep it in the air, returning its position back to normal soon. Watching the event before her, Gran-Gran just sighs as she leans against the kitchen counter.

Wincing at her rant, the Squirtle looks at the ground once more in sadness. He always hated to see his grandmother upset, especially if it was due to him. "I-"

Before the boy could begin to apologize, the Blastoise raises her right arm towards him, almost like a command for him to stop taking. "Don't, ok. Don't apologize for what you said, squirt. I stepped a bit close to the edge in terms of temper tantrums, huh?" She asked, although the question seemed more guided to herself instead of her grandson. Sighing heavily, Gran-Gran looks at him with a melancholy expression.

"When I heard from your father how you got hurt, I got so fucking worried. I know kids are prone to hurting themselves, but seeing you like this… it just angered me so much. It didn't help when the local doctor refused to treat you when he only had a few patients to check on. That bastard just decided you would live and that nothing harmful would come from this experience. Tch, I could smell that pile of shitty advice from a mile away," she sadly says, pained on how cruel some Pokémon can choose to act within this world.

Acheros didn't know what to say. All he could think of was how much of a failure he was in letting himself get hurt. After all, didn't he have training to defend himself from attacks like these? "I-I tried to fight them off, Gran-Gran. But they were too strong for me to handle. I feel like such a disappointment to you…" He admits, adamant on how he failed to live up to expectations.

Scoffing, the Blastoise began to walk towards him. "The only disappointment to me was that damn mentor ditching you with my son's hard-earned Poké. He chose to abandon you like a sissy coward with barely any knowledge passed down to your young skull," she firmly explains, getting close to his couch. Placing the bloody bandages and the hand mirror on the table, she sits down with an audible plop as she softly looks at Acheros. "Listen to me, kid. If I could, I would personally be training you instead. Yes, my path would have been pure hell, but I could have taught you how to defend yourself from these kinds of attacks. It's a damn shame I had to get crippled during that mission…"

Acheros understood what she meant by that last sentence. It was a sore point of discussion around her, but sections of her stomach, lungs, and liver got damaged during that time. As a result, she had no choice but to retire, despite how hard her leader tried to invest their funds into medical treatments. Sighing, the Squirtle leans a bit closer into the couch, tightening the blanket's hold on him.

"What do you suppose I do, Gran-Gran? If nobody wants to train me, h-how do I even defend myself from something like this?" He sadly questions, glancing towards his X-shaped scar at that last portion.

"Hell if I know, kid. The only thing I can do for your training is watch your posture. If no one wants to train you, then you have to do it yourself," the Blastoise bluntly states. Looking at the sad expression on her grandson's face, her eyes soften before they turn resolute. Turning her body towards the boy, she places her hands on both of his cheeks, raising his head up a bit to face her.

"Hey. I need you to look at my ugly mug of a face, ok? It won't take long," she requests in a soft tone. Letting his eyes move up to her, Acheros watches as his grandmother caresses his right cheek with her claws as carefully as possible.

"No matter what happens, I need you to promise me one thing: you're never going to fucking give up, ok? If there's one thing I had to learn about life, it's the fact that it plays as one, abusive son-of-a-bitch. It doesn't give a damn about you, and it certainly won't give a damn about anyone else. The only time it will cry is when you die, and that's because a hundred more souls will pack that space instead. Want my advice? Flip it off and struggle. Struggle as much as your body can handle. Even if you're crippled and exhausted, continue to struggle. Show everyone in this fucking town why they should never push you around like their bitch. Because no matter what dumb truth those bastards inflict upon you, one ideal still remains: you matter. To me, your parents, and especially your baby sister. You matter in this world, and nobody can stop that. Never forget this, squirt. Even if I were to perish one day, defy life its damn pleasure and live on for my sake."

Acheros felt his eyes widen in awe as he continued to listen to the Blastoise's speech. Even if he heard it before, it never fails to ignite a fiery soul within his heart. A portion that screams at him to honor his grandmother's wishes; her will upon this very world. After everything she's done for him, allowing him to stay here or treating his own wounds as delicately yet swiftly as possible, he had to pay it back. If it meant having to suffer further to prove an invisible creature wrong, he would bear it until the end of time.

Feeling his eyes begin to lightly shut, he scoots a bit closer to Gran-Gran before he lies his head on the side of her shell. "I'll… try my best. Thank you for everything, Gran-Gran…"

Allowing sleep to control his body now, the boy nuzzles a bit closer to her for warmth. Just as he officially falls asleep, he hears soft laughter as something warm caresses his left cheek. This warm moment grants a soft smile upon the Squirtle's face, who wishes this time never ends for him.

"Keep fighting… for my sake… I'll always… be wat… ing… ov… r u…. Acheros…" Gran-Gran's voice rang a far distance, perhaps due to the child beginning to lose consciousness. Yet, it didn't stop him from losing his smile, knowing how she will always preside over him. His only friend, his only confidant, his only hope… Without her, he wasn't so sure if he would even be here today…

ros

Achos

Acheros.

Acheros.

Acheros!

"ACHEROS!"

The Squirtle's eyes opened up, experiencing a bright ray of light imposing upon his eyes. Groaning, he places his right arm over his eyes as he tries to take in the environment. It was too bright at the moment, but he gradually perceived a big, rectangular room. The walls were a dull white color, designed this way to contrast with the lights. The wall on his right side possessed a bright white door leading into the hallways of the Quintessence. The left side, meanwhile, held lines of rectangular, movable windows, capable of being moved to enter one of the balconies. The floors were covered by a green rug, composed to look like artificial grass. Lined along the walls were multiple beds with pink sheets and brown wood frames. The area connecting with the headboard was colored a darker shade of brown, shooting up as though it was a tree. Supporting this theory was the edges of the roof being colored green stripes going everywhere in a short distance. Starting off big and growing smaller to the size of a point, this makes them resemble leaves hanging around. With the rest of the roof being a sky blue color, it provides a serene perspective of sleeping against a tree on a bright day.

Looking around, Acheros could spot a few Pokémon sleeping within the beds. Their injuries were mostly mild, yet their treatment was enough to knock them dead asleep. As for the Squirtle himself, he was wrapped in blankets once more, lying against a pillow in a sitting position. Now fully awake, he lets his arm down as he looks around the room. Suddenly, he hears a cough to his right, letting him turn to notice a particular nurse standing there.

The creature possesses a pink coloring on their arms, back, and the top of her head. As for the front of their body, finger digits, ears, and the lower portion of their head, it holds a cream color instead. They have three digits per hand, and two digits per foot. They also have a tail in the form of a puffy, white tuft. Due to the strange pink and cream patterning on their chest, it appears as though they are wearing a jacket when they are actually not. Near their oval, blue eyes lie a thin, curled extension on the underside of each ear. These structures allow them to possess incredible hearing, utilizing their ears as a form of radar.

This Pokémon is known as a Audino, with her possessing different qualities from her species. For starters, her pink sides actually extend down, barely reaching her legs from each side. As a result, it appears as though she is wearing some form of a doctor's jacket, fitting regarding her role within the Quintessence. In addition, another white tuft of fur lies on her chest, with two feelers going down underneath it. This trait is normally seen whenever an Audino undergoes Mega Evolution, but this one already possesses it. The trick, though, reveals itself whenever she pulls those feelers, allowing her coat to tighten around herself. This feature allows her to concentrate with better healing abilities, allowing her to easily heal most fatal injuries.

Noticing his attention on her, she sighs in relief as she greets him with a soft voice. "Thank goodness! I thought you would stay knocked out, Acheros! I really didn't want to worry Pyxis or Iovia with your recent condition," the Audino states. Shifting himself to a comfortable position, Acheros turns to the nurse with a confused expression.

"N-Nekana? What happened to me…?" He asks, genuinely unable to remember much of what happened prior to meeting Rosabel's mother. Upon hearing his question, the named nurse's expression turns melancholy.

"You don't remember?" She asks out of curiosity. Upon seeing him nod, she sighs in sadness before she proceeds to reveal the truth. "Well, I wasn't around when you lost consciousness. But from what I gathered, you seemed to grow pale upon seeing a Lilligant reunite with her child. She recognized you, but before she could say anything, you wobbled for a bit before falling down onto the floor. Everyone around at the time tried to help you, but you would scream whenever any of them touched you. Soon, you became unresponsive, so that Lilligant mother carried you here thanks to the help of some recruits. Now, I'm sorry if I push you a bit, but were you hallucinating during this time?"

Looking at the ground, Acheros nods in sadness. "Yeah… When I saw her, I began to see shadows all around me. I tried to ignore them, but they just swirled around and pinned me to the floor. When that happened, it… brought back certain memories I didn't want to remember at the time," he says in a somber tone.

Worried, Nekana places her hands on the Squirtle's shelled shoulders. "Oh, sweetie… I'm really sorry. I didn't know she was related to-"

The Audino stops talking upon seeing the boy raise his hand to let him talk. "It's fine. You said it yourself: You didn't know that mom was part of my past. Heck, I didn't even know she had a daughter when…" Acheros feels his throat tighten a bit while his eyes try to spur tears. Despite this threat, though, he pushes himself into finishing his sentence. "…I left home."

Noticing his distress, the nurse pulls the boy towards her chest tuft, softly wrapping her arms around his head. "Shhhh. You're going to be ok, Acheros. Those jerks will never find you here, and even if they did, we'll show them why they shouldn't mess with us. Plus, you can show them how much you've improved ever since you arrived here," Nekana states in a comforting, yet encouraging tone.

Hearing her reassurance, the Squirtle wipes his eyes with his arm before he looks at her with a smile. "T-Thanks, Nekana. I feel better now, but… is it ok if I ask you a question?" He asks. Upon seeing her nod, he takes a deep breath before revealing his thoughts. "Do… you know where that mother went?"

Sadly looking down, she shakes her head. "I'm afraid not, sweetie. Once she dropped you off, she left and decided to leave the Quintessence with her daughter. That Budew tried so hard to convince her to stay, but she couldn't do anything," the Audino explains, making the boy grow a little sad. Even if she did bring back a painful past memory, he at least wanted to thank her for taking him here. Just as he was about to reply, though, he noticed a letter in front of his face. Looking up, the Squirtle sees the nurse give him a melancholy smile.

"Even if she isn't here anymore, she did leave me with this letter. I'm not sure what's inside, but I presume you're going to get your answers here," she notes, watching Acheros take the letter from her. Stepping back a bit, she proceeds to head towards the entrance door. "Well, I better let the Headmaster know you're up now. Pyxis and Iovia should be coming back soon if you need someone to talk with. Hope you feel better soon, Acheros."

With her farewell, Nekana leaves the room, leaving the Squirtle as the sole, awakened Pokémon within this space. Glancing down at the letter, he rips it apart, leaving him with a piece of written paper. Analyzing the words, Acheros could view how elegant and compact this handwriting appears. With no doubt in his mind that the Lilligant mother was the writer, he proceeds to read the letter's content.

Dear Acheros,

If you're reading this letter now, then you know I left the Quintessence. I'm not exactly the best when it comes to verbal conversation, but I can express myself through words instead. So, I hope you understand why I had to leave with Rosabel.

I haven't seen you for eight months before now, and I'm glad to see you're doing well. Yet, when I saw your eyes before you collapsed, I couldn't help but feel guilty for my treatment of you. We both know how I never joined in for your beatings, but I never stopped them either. All I did was be a coward for a kid who should never experience something so traumatizing like assaults. And then there was the attack on our hometown… To be honest, I sometimes wish it was all just a dream, a bad nightmare we could all just laugh about. But it was real, and you and your grandmother disappeared that day.

I learned of her death later on, but I never found anything regarding you, not even when my family and I went on our vacation. I want to send my condolences to you and your family, but after all I did to you… I don't deserve your forgiveness. The damage has been done, and I can never go back to change my errors. All I can do now is move forward. I promise to not tell anyone you're living here now, though I doubt they could do anything to those recruits. If we do meet again, I hope I can redeem myself enough to truly face you once more. Good-bye…

-Ragi

P.S. - Thank you fow looking afta me, Achewos! Let's be fwiends fow all time and play when we meet again! - Rozy

Acheros felt his eyes grow watery once more as he read that statement from Rosabel. Despite how messy her handwriting was, he could still read her genuine thoughts regarding him. He hoped that one day, they could meet again and maybe he could introduce her to Pyxis and Iovia when they play together.

As for the Lilligant, the boy prayed that they cross paths once more. While he did collapse from his panic attack upon seeing her, he acknowledged how the mother never hurt him physically. Sure, she never did anything to help him out, but she did regret her act thanks to this heart driven letter. If she truly wants to redeem herself for her sins, then the Squirtle couldn't abandon her on this decision. Even if it caused him more agony, he would do anything to prove to her how she deserves redemption despite his memories.

Taking a deep breath, Acheros calmly unwraps himself from his blankets, setting them back to their proper position. Picking up the letter, he heads towards the movable windows, viewing the sun beginning to settle down. Gently pushing one of them to the side, he steps out into the balcony and closes the window behind him. The location itself wasn't too detailed, consisting of a white platform with white railings to prevent any Pokémon from falling off. Yet, the balcony was positioned a bit high up the Quintessence, allowing a patient to view the districts below them. On certain days, seeing the streets with pedals flowing along the wind or colorful lights at night clicks a breathtaking sight into their memories. Glancing across the land, the boy allows himself to fall into a deep reflection, a gentle breeze softly touching his body.

'No matter what happens, I'll always remember that day. Even if you never helped me out, your feelings reveal your regrets and desire for redemption. It may be painful for me, but I hope I can help you and Rosabel…' The Squirtle thought to himself, looking up at the evening sky in resolution. Even with the trauma living in him, he knows he'll never be alone in this struggle. For now, though, Acheros continues to gaze across the landscape, watching the lights begin to shine across the districts.

'Gran-Gran… If you're listening to me, I hope you can guide me on this journey. You may be gone from this world, but I can never forget you and your ideals. Please watch over me and my siblings…'


Author's Note: And thus, the second tale of this story comes to a close. Now, I got a lot of explaining to do for why this chapter was so late. You see, I came close to finishing this chapter by the time the intended week for it ended, but certain life events forced me to wait until now for publication. For clarification, I'm actually close to finishing my education in school soon, and there are some difficult classes I'm currently taking at the moment. Due to this, I want to spend as much time as possible finishing the school year with good grades for college.

In terms of where this story is going to lie, I'll still be working on it. But if I'm taking a long while to post a chapter, there's my reasoning. I can't really say for certain when the next tale is going to be published but do expect it to show up. In the meanwhile, I hope you enjoyed today's tale, and I'll see you all in the next one!