This morning had started off about as well as Frost could have expected. He awoke slightly later than usual, which was a surprisingly rare occurrence, even with other factors in play that might justify it. Even when he was young, he had built a very consistent morning routine for himself that enabled his internal clock to be impressively synched with the rising sun, regardless of the surrounding weather. It was one of those little benefits of growing up in the snowy mountains, with clouds veiling the sky almost the entire day, and weather conditions being as sporadic as Sinnoh could get.

What was somewhat odder was that Shadow and Leaf had both gotten up before he had. Okay, so the only odd part was Shadow being up before him, for Leaf had demonstrated that he was prone to waking at dawn. Then again, Shadow had gone to bed earlier than he and Leaf had, so it sort of balanced out in some form.

The more pressing matter that morning, however, was not Shadow's inexplicable absence from the den when Frost awoke, but rather the persistent soreness that had infiltrated much of his body. This was not an entirely unusual sensation, for Frost found that doing particularly intensive training caused his muscles to experience inflammation for a day or two, but this soreness was different, but required little wonder as to the cause. His battle with Lin had been one of the most intensive battles he had ever experienced, and the soreness was little more than a cruel reminder of just how much further he had to go before reaching her level.

Leaf had gleefully taken the opportunity to bask in the sun, which conveniently distracted from wondering about Shadow's whereabouts. Frost had decided to join the Leafeon in this activity, not because he found sunbathing to be enjoyable on its own merits, but because he knew he had to give his body a full chance to recover before resuming his training, and possibly a more intensive regimen.

A/C had gone to her workplace shortly after waking up, so Frost had had little opportunity to talk with her, but he expected that she would return sometime around midday. It was crucial in his eyes to make his request, but he needed Shadow to return for Leaf's sake first, so A/C's absence amounted to little inconvenience, and he was able to focus on other, much more troublesome matters that gnawed at his thoughts.

Lin was so much stronger than he remembered. He expected her to outclass him, and had no doubt she would meet those expectations. Really, he'd have been very disappointed if he had defeated his former mentor back in the Ruins, but to discover that he was no match for her at all...it infuriated and frustrated him, try as he might not to show it. He had spent the better portion of a year honing his skills and practicing against a variety of opponents of different species, seeking the strongest and most challenging Pokemon he could to match his skills again. All of them had fallen short, but he taken that as an indication that he was making rapid progress and perfecting the methods that Lin had trained him in.

Granted, he could hardly imagine Lin slacking off in the intervening time, but her reaction to him was...far more negative than he could have imagined. He always imagined that if they had met again since parting ways over a year ago, that she would note his various improvements and offer a few firm pointers on further improvement. As pathetic as it seemed to crave the Weavile's approval, he couldn't truly deny that he had been taken aback by the negativity of her criticisms.

Nothing had ever escaped her eyes. She was able to read an opponent in a matter of moments, every little detail observed, analyzed, and calculated into her plan for attack. As an eager Eevee, Frost had been laughably easy to defeat, but each loss spurred him on to learn from the Sneasel, despite the difference in their battle styles and body types. His enthusiasm and genuine interest had won her over in the end, as well as his fascination with Sneasel culture.

Lin had confided at one point that she was different from many of the other female Sneasel on the mountain, and that for his own safety, he was not to tangle with them. Sneasel, she had eventually explained, had a society that valued strength and cunning. They viewed one another as rivals and sought to overcome one another in an unending drive to improve themselves as battlers and contributers to the pack as a whole. In this vein, challenging a member of the other gender to a battle was a form of flirting. It allowed them to push one another to their limits in one climactic show of power, speed, and intelligence. It was against pack rules to force another to fight, or to attack an unwilling opponent, but there was a significant amount of peer pressure to accept all challenges.

Lin had also explained that Sneasel in her pack hated to fight weaklings, but likewise despised those who preyed upon the weak or helpless. They valued strength, but a lack of strength was not a lack of value.

Frost scowled to himself. Lin's words back in the Ruins still rung in his ears. She had called him arrogant, and that his attitude towards his strength was limiting him from reaching his potential. While she had proven herself to still be his unquestionable superior in battle, he still didn't fully grasp what she had meant. He did not believe himself to have become arrogant in the time that had passed since they last met, but he knew her ability to read people far exceeded his own. After all, she had taught him the skill, and she was always better and more precise at using it.

Was he arrogant? Did he think his strength made him better than other people? He wasn't sure what to think on that front. At times, he noticed his thoughts becoming dismissive of those he felt were weaker than him, but that was more because...wait, justifying such thoughts would only confirm Lin's assessment. That was a trap he was not going to allow himself to fall into. Was he disrespectful to people he pegged as weaker than him?

The Glaceon heaved a quiet sigh. He didn't have the answer to that, because he had rarely taken notice of that question before. It was difficult to assess his behavior if he wasn't looking for it originally.

And Lin's criticisms had continued to be harsh after defeating him. She had refused to defeat him properly, insisting he surrender instead. Such a demand was grating beyond belief. Did she really think so little of him? But she had answered that, hadn't she? She thought very little of those who fought for no reason...and his reason for continuing was that he wanted to be defeated properly. Petty...yes, a little bit. There was nothing at stake other than pride...and his wish to be defeated officially was only to satisfy his pride, an inarguable confirmation that she was better than him.

It still pissed him the hell off, though.

"You lack purpose. You need a reason to grow stronger. Something that will drive you to keep going in the face of adversity. As it is, you fight only for your ego and pride, and you are satisfied with your strength so long as you keep winning."

Purpose...something to drive him to grow stronger. Was that truly what he lacked for now? Lin's advice was always trustworthy, but it usually was a bitter pill to swallow. Yet the more he reflected on those words, the more they bothered him. He was helping Leaf and Shadow train so that their improvements would drive him to improve further. So Lin must have been onto something. On his own, Frost wouldn't get anywhere because he was better than the majority of his opponents.

That was the same approach Lin's pack had used. They were all rivals to each other, spurring each other to keep surpassing their limits and expectations. Yet Lin's drive had once been so petty and selfish. She had wanted to choose which males had the right to court her, but when Frost had pointed this out, she noted that things had changed.

If that was the case, what was driving her now? Why was she infinitely more powerful than he was? For that matter, he didn't even know the story behind her evolution. Only the pack alpha had been a Weavile, from what Lin had once told him. Yet Lin was a Weavile now as well, but no longer a part of the pack, it seemed.

The Glaceon had no doubt that Lin would share the details with him. She wanted him to reflect on her words when they were no longer fighting one another. It was the way she had mentored him as an Eevee, and even moreso after he evolved. He was to find his own answers and learn from the pieces she gave him before she'd consider sharing the solutions. By not sharing the details of what was driving her now, she was leaving it up to him to find out what his purpose would be.

"You two are ADORABLE," a familiar male voice commented. Even without looking up, Frost could easily picture the amused smirk on the Buizel's face.

"Hello, Raze," Frost muttered. Leaf's ear twitched, but he remained still, savoring the sunshine.

"Well, that's a disappointing reaction," Raze chuckled. "I go MIA for a day, and you just say hi as if I never left."

"I'm used to you doing that," Frost retorted, carefully sitting up so as not to agitate his sore body. Raze noted the struggle with a curious expression. "I'm just feeling sore, Raze. It's what happens when you get your tail thrashed."

"I thought you beat that trainer's Luxio yesterday," Raze said. Frost blinked and gave the Buizel a bewildered look.

"What are you...how do you know about that at all?" he asked.

"He went into the Pokemon Center after the fight or whatever, and I heard him muttering about a Glaceon that utterly tore his Sparky apart," the Buizel answered nonchalantly. "I can't imagine a different Glaceon in the area that'd fit the bill."

"What were you even doing at the Pokemon Center? Wasn't A/C working at the time?" Frost wondered.

"Yup, she was. What I was doing is much less interesting than how you got your tail thrashed, though. What happened?"

Frost scowled slightly. "I ran into a familiar face. We fought, and she won."

Raze raised an eyebrow, but he was smirking now. "Really? See, the girls who recognize me usually don't want to pound my face in. Got to be the rhethorical questions doing you in, Frost."

"Trust me, I'd never be dumb enough to flirt with Lin," Frost said blandly. Back when she had taken him under her metaphorical wing, she had warned him that she had a zero tolerance policy towards any suggestive or flirtatious movements towards her. This was before she had explained her pack's philosophy, so he had initially assumed she was paranoid that he'd have difficulty controlling his developing hormones when working in close proximity with a bipedal female. Whether or not this played a role in her giving him the warning upfront, he didn't know, but the warning made more sense after the explanation of her pack culture.

"What species is she?" Raze asked.

"Weavile, but I knew her as a Sneasel," Frost replied curtly. Raze winced.

"Ooh...yeah, smart man," he muttered, shaking his head. "Anyway, so if you're sore, you think I could spar with the little guy again?" Raze asked, nodding towards Leaf, who had started to stir and shift his position while the two of them had been talking.

"Shadow needs to watch," Leaf said, stretching and sitting up. He had a peaceful, contented look on his face now that he had gotten his fill of solar energy this morning.

"Oh, that's right, I promised he'd watch your next training session, huh?" Frost mused, glancing around the area. If Shadow had wandered off somewhere, he sure was taking his sweet time getting back. It was amazing how quickly time passed when one allowed themself to soak in the sun, indifferent to the passing of the day.

"I wouldn't hold my breath," Raze chuckled. "He's on a date."

"What?" Leaf asked blankly. Frost cocked his head, wincing as another spasm of discomfort shot through his neck muscles. He began to massage his neck with one paw, keeping his eyes on Raze.

"I ran into him on the way here earlier this morning," Raze explained nonchalantly. "Walked with him, was just asking how his tutoring's been going, and found out he was meeting up with his fiery lover."

"Oh, I thought their talking date went terribly, but maybe they just rescheduled," Frost mused. Raze shrugged in response, whereas Leaf was looking confused and mildly irritated at being excluded from the conversation.

"I'm not sparring until Shadow watches," Leaf said stubbornly.

"It's fine, little guy," Raze chuckled, patting Leaf on the head gently. The Leafeon twitched slightly, but soon relaxed, his eyes closing in enjoyment. The Buizel then shifted his attention back to Frost. "So how long do you plan to stick around here?"

Frost considered the question for a few moments. He didn't have a specific destination or goal in mind at the time being, and was still far too restless to remain in one area for a long period of time. He supposed he had no objection to continuing to aid Shadow and Leaf, but there was no guarantee that Shadow would be open to him remaining with them for a prolonged period of time, either. In the aftermath of his fight with Lin, however, he did feel a strong need to set a goal for himself to further test and hone his skills before rematching her.

"I'm not sure yet," he answered finally. "I will remain for a little longer yet for sure, if only to recover and perhaps to ask a favor of A/C, but after that, hm...it depends on whether the other two have something in mind."

"So Shadow is tying up everyone's plans today, huh?" Raze chuckled. He paused for a moment, then raised an eyebrow. "Wait, what kind of favor?"

Frost sighed. He had hoped that Raze would overlook that part of his answer, because he still wasn't too keen on going into details.

"Nothing too interesting," he said, allowing a bit of dismissiveness to enter his tone, in the hopes that Raze would drop the subject once his basic inquiry was answered. "More a matter of saving me on travel time. We departed from the Mt. Coronet area sooner than I expected to, so I have a number of minor loose ends to tie up there."

"Like good-byes and stuff?" Leaf wondered, catching Frost and Raze by surprise. The Glaceon had nearly forgotten Leaf was sitting there, but from the looks of it, the Leafeon had been silently observing the conversation.

Frost paused thoughtfully, directing his next statement to the young Leafeon. "Something along those lines, yes."

"Oh good," Leaf said, nodding his head approvingly. "You should always say good-bye before leaving." The young Leafeon's smile faltered a little and he cast his eyes downwards, one of his ears drooping a little. Raze and Frost exchanged puzzled looks.

"Something wrong?" Frost asked tentatively. He had noticed that Leaf was prone to mood shifts now and then, usually relating to the weather, but coupled with his surprisingly thoughtful and perceptive remark, he really wasn't sure what to think.

"It's nothing," Leaf sighed, his body language blatantly communicating the exact opposite of his words. Raze continued to look blank, but something started to click within Frost's mind, from when he had first met the two Eon brothers. He hadn't really paid much attention at the time, but he distinctly recalled Leaf lamenting about missing the opportunity to say good-bye to someone.

"Did you have many friends back home?" Frost wondered, keeping his tone casual. Previous interactions with Leaf during their training sessions had taught him that Leaf was very difficult to get a direct answer from if one was too direct with asking questions. Like many young Pokemon, he was very stubborn and didn't like being hounded for information, and Frost had noticed that Leaf was perfectly willing to outright say he didn't want to discuss something. Shadow was capable of making similar sentiments, but more passive and roundabout with it, usually trying to redirect the conversation entirely.

"No," Leaf said, but Frost noted his tone was more one of puzzlement than annoyance or anger. He was legitimately baffled by the question.

"How old are you?" Raze asked, thankfully following Frost's example and using a casual tone.

Leaf made a noise to indicate his uncertainty and shrugged. Frost had to bite the inside of his cheeks to keep from laughing at the way the reply sounded, and Raze was fighting a smirk unsuccessfully. Fortunately, Leaf himself didn't seem to realize they were amused at his expense.

Frost took a moment to consider the two responses. Leaf was fairly outgoing when he was in a good mood, and had a very close bond with his older brother. However, if he didn't have many friends previously, then in all likelihood, Shadow was the closest thing to a friend the young Leafeon had, which certainly would explain his borderline clinginess towards the Espeon. His receptiveness to strangers at least suggested that he hadn't had bad experiences with strangers previously, whereas Shadow's behavior at times hinted at the opposite.

The two were genuinely fascinating to Frost, and good test subjects to hone his perceptiveness, but that value would doubtlessly fade with time. As things were now, Shadow and Leaf still kept some details under wraps, but once those details were revealed, it would be so much easier to read them with certainty. Still, Lin had always advised Frost to practice his skills to improve them, and not to get discouraged if he was uncertain or inaccurate - the goal was never to fully know someone perfectly, but rather to get a feel for them so one would be better prepared to handle them, whether it be negotiation or battle.

Shadow's behavior and reactions to certain subjects all but confirmed the lack of parental figures, but Leaf's young age threw a bit of a wrench into Frost's analysis. The Leafeon probably was still under a year old, because the acknowledgement of one's birthday tended to be a big deal at that age, so if Leaf had passed the year mark, he would certainly have been made aware of it by either his brother or parents. Both of the brothers had evolved extremely recently, judging by their lack of familiarity with their abilities and minimal battle skill. This conclusion meant less since Frost had known those details already, but they added to the bigger picture.

"Do you enjoy traveling?" Frost asked. Actually, this was probably going to be an obvious answer, but he rarely got an opportunity to talk to Leaf about more personal subjects outside of their sparring practice, and Leaf was usually impatient or distracted during those. Besides, talking a little would help time pass quicker.

"It's okay," Leaf said, after a short pause. "Except when it rains and stuff."

"I like the rain," Raze mused. Frost rolled his eyes, whereas Leaf blinked.

"Really? Why?"

The Buizel chuckled. "I'm a Water-type, little guy. We love water. Rain making the ground wet and slick is also pretty useful in battle, because it gives my feet a little extra glide and might slip up my opponents. So I actually move faster when it's raining. It's probably pretty similar to you and sunlight - makes you feel refreshed and alive, right?"

"Yeah!" Leaf confirmed, his tail flicking enthusiastically. "And I didn't know about the rain thing making you faster. Show me that soon."

Raze scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Er...maybe one of these days. We'd have to wait until it's actually raining, though, and you probably won't be too happy if it is."

"Don't you know Rain Dance?" Frost asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nope," Raze said simply. This time, Frost got the impression Raze was hiding something, despite the carefree smile the Buizel was wearing. Then again, he hadn't known Raze long enough to have gotten the Buizel's life story, nor did he have any particular desire to explore it at this time.

Frost refocused on Leaf, regarding him thoughtfully for a few moments. He wanted to figure out the right wording for his next question, so that Leaf would provide the answer he was looking for, but still be able to tie it in with his other questions without being too abrupt about prying. Granted, he didn't necessarily need to use such tactics with Leaf, but it would still be beneficial for him to use tact when navigating difficult subjects.

"Was Shadow your only sparring partner before you met me? You mentioned he was teaching you, right?"

Leaf nodded. "Yeah, he taught me how to tackle stuff, that's when I evolved!"

"You evolved by learning how to tackle?" Raze asked, raising an eyebrow incredulously.

Leaf cocked his head uncertainly. "Yeah? I think so. I was fighting against Bee-Bee's brother to help him evolve, and then I evolved."

"Against...who? What?" Raze asked, looking confused.

"Bee-Bee's brother," Leaf repeated, speaking a little slower.

"We don't know who Bee-Bee is," Frost reminded the Leafeon.

"Oh! She's a Beedrill I made friends with just before Shadow evolved! She's really nice! Shadow can't understand her, though," the Leafeon explained, his face lighting up. "I helped her little Weedle brother evolve, and then I evolved!"

"By learning how to tackle," Raze repeated, completely deadpan.

"Yup!" Leaf chirped, as if this answered any lingering questions Raze might have had on the subject. Frost had gone silent again, considering this new information. Neither of the brothers had shared the details surrounding their evolution, nor how this Beedrill friend of Leaf's had factored into things. It would probably have been useful to have a Beedrill ally for two recently-evolved and otherwise untrained Pokemon, so it begged the question as to why they had parted ways, and why Leaf evidently never got to say good-bye to his friend.

"Why'd you leave that area?" Frost wondered.

Leaf furrowed his brow. "Shadow really, really wanted to leave. I didn't, though. Something about it not being safe there? Hmm..."

It wasn't immediately obvious, but Frost quickly realized that Leaf was not genuinely floundering for the information to return to his memory. After mention of the safety thing, Leaf had stopped focusing, even though he had made a sound to indicate that he was thinking. The Leafeon's eyes were now trained on Raze's twin tails, when moments previously, he had been glancing slightly upwards. Several more seconds passed in absolute silence, and Frost gave a slow nod. Leaf legitimately was not going to expand on that answer, and was perfectly content to allow the silence to extend indefinitely.

"Did something happen right before you guys left?" Frost asked. "Just something that may have made Shadow decide the place wasn't safe?"

"Um..." Leaf considered for a moment, then brightened. "That human trainer!"

"Eh?" Frost blinked.

"Yeah! We were napping, and then Shadow bit me, so I bit him-"

"What." Raze just stared at the Leafeon with a deadpan expression, but Leaf didn't seem to notice.

"And then this human showed up and attacked us with two Pokemon! Shadow told me to hide and stuff, but I watched from the bushes, and he was losing bad, so..." Leaf suddenly stopped short, and his eyes, moments earlier filled with excitement, went completely blank.

"What is it?" Frost asked, taken aback by the sudden shift.

"I don't remember," the Leafeon muttered, and this time, Frost could see that the Leafeon was genuinely baffled. "I know I tackled Shadow out of the way, though, but..." he frowned to himself.

Frost and Raze exchanged confused looks, the Buizel supplementing the expression with a shrug.

"I battled them, didn't I?" Leaf muttered. "Why don't I remember doing that?"

"Eh, don't push yourself, Leaf. I got the general idea," Frost said quickly. Leaf blinked, as if abruptly aware that the other two were still there, but soon gave a small smile. Raze caught Frost's eye and gave him a meaningful look, then jerked his head slightly to the side. Frost gave a subtle nod in response, wincing again as his neck muscles ached. Raze was telling him to stop asking probing questions, and that suited Frost perfectly fine. He really didn't need much else at the moment.

"Shadow! You're back!" Leaf squealed abruptly. Frost flinched, actually crying out quietly as soreness flooded his body. He carefully pivoted his body, and sure enough, could see the ebony-furred Espeon walking towards them.

"Date go well?" Raze asked with a smirk, but the expression abruptly sobered and he raised an eyebrow at the Espeon, looking slightly concerned.

As Shadow came nearer, Frost could see the reason for Raze's uncertainty. The Espeon's black fur had been washed and given a swift grooming, giving it a lovely sheen, but contrary to expectations, there was no spring in his step. If anything, Shadow's expression was rather somber, as if he had to attend a funeral, and was doing his best to remain stoic. Yet the Espeon's silver eyes were focused on Leaf, who was sitting up and practically bouncing on his paws as his brother approached. The contrast of their moods struck something deeply uncomfortable in Frost's chest.

This feeling only worsened as Shadow reached Leaf and wordlessly embraced the Leafeon tightly, holding his brother close to him, as if afraid something would close in to snatch the little guy away if he loosened his grip. Leaf seemed taken aback by the hug, but accepted it with a happy purr, doing his best to reciprocate despite being almost immobilized by the Espeon's embrace.

"Is everything-" Frost began, but stopped short as he heard Shadow reply, but the words echoed within his head, rather than spoken aloud.

"Go away, please. Both of you. Please."

Frost looked over at Raze, and judging by his expression, he had definitely gotten the same message. Without a word, both of them got up and headed back towards A/C's den. Neither of them spoke on the way there, yet there was no doubt that they were sharing the same unasked question.

Just what was that all about?