The entire living room was filled with the light clicking of claws on tile. All of this created by Flocon pacing back and forth throughout the room in thoughts that kept him awake. Was it late or was it early? Was he tired or alert? Had he slept? Did it matter? Either way, he hadn't the slightest idea. His shawl was washed and left to dry as it was every night due to how dirty he tended to get himself.

But soon enough the sound was cut by a clopping. Flocon looked up and saw a gentle orange glow fill part of the room. "Frukkshin? What are you doing up at this hour?" he asked in a low voice.

Frukkshin jolted up a bit and looked around before noticing Flocon standing in the darkness. "Oh, it's just you Flocon." he said in a relieved voice before pausing. "I could ask you the same thing, I always wake up in the middle of the night."

The two stood apart from each other for a moment. Flocon already figured he knew where the conversation was going and said, "Earlier today, I had this odd… out of body experience. I'm not sure how to explain it other than that." He looks off to the side.

Frukkshin walked around the table and picked up a carafe of water by a handle before turning it around and setting it on the table. "I think we'll be here for a while." he said as he went back to pick up a pair of cups and set them on the table.

"I don't think I need any water." Flocon remarked as he watched Frukkshin fill the cups.

After setting down the carafe with a soft thunk Frukkshin told him, "I think I don't need it either, but it might help." He paused and let out a sigh. "What was it like?" he asked.

Flocon looked up and sighed. "I felt… weird? Like I was able to see my own body, no, I definitely saw my own body." he said as tears began to stain his face.

Frukkshin froze, a look of sheer confusion and slight terror plastered on his face. "You saw your own body? From an outside perspective?" he asked with an air of disbelief.

"Y-yeah… I was standing over myself. What does it mean?" Flocon stuttered out as he looked away. "But even after all that, I guess I'm just worried… I was thinking… what if you, Sylpheed, Irukan or anyone else die? It's just starting to feel more like a 'when' rather than an 'if'."

Frukkshin thought about what Flocon was telling him until he eventually nodded and told him, "That's a risk that's always been here. I joined knowing I likely wasn't going to make it to sixty." He looked off to a random corner of the room. "Yeah…" he said in a wistful voice.

Flocon paused for a few moments. "I guess I'm just not ready for that then," he admits as his voice started to rack. "I look up to you guys, I don't want you guys to… to…" he started to break down, his face wetting itself with tears. "I-I just. I don't. No." he sputtered out.

Frukkshin paused and walked over besides him and put a hoof on his back and let him cry for a few moments. "It'll all be alright Flocon. Just do what you can now to the best of your abilities, okay?" he asked as he laid down next to the sobbing Ninetales.

"But you jus-"

"-I know what I said. But it's just a fact of life really." Frukkshin said as he flicked his head back and forwards to fling his helmet onto the table. "If you do your best and things don't work out, who can blame you?"

Flocon nodded slowly as he looked up before going stock still as he stared at Frukkshin's now revealed face. He didn't know what he was expecting but the Rapidash's visage was that cross between intimidating and beautiful that's only found every once in a while. "Uhh… yeah." he said with a slight stutter.

Frukkshin gave the wide-eyed Flocon a very confused look and asked, "Is everything okay?"

Flocon perked up and immediately looked away. "I guess I've just never seen you without your helmet." he said as he looked Frukkshin up and down. I thought he was hiding some gruesome scar or something. But I couldn't be more wrong. he thought as he gulped audibly.

Frukkshin paused to think and his face slowly became one of resigned realization before saying, "Right… but do you get what I'm saying?" His mane flickered a bit in mild annoyance as to whether what he said actually even hit Flocon's ears.

There was a slight panic in Flocon's face as he visibly jumped a bit. "Yeah, do my best, got it." he said quickly with the expression of a clueless college student woken up in the middle of the lecture.

Frukkshin sighed. "Look, let me ask you this then," he began as he got up and walked to sit besides Flocon. "why are you here?"

The Ninetales looked up confusedly and responded very deadpan, "Well, I have to be here." He looked around before resting his head on the table.

"Then let me ask you again, do you really? Why am I here? Why is Irukan here? Why is Fringe here?" he asked. "As far as I'm aware, nobody's forcing you to stay here."

There was a long pause where Flocon said nothing. I guess that's right. Fringe never really said I had to stay here. So… why am I here? he pondered as his eyes darted around the room. I mean… I like the others a lot. Even Ohm can be nice at times. he considered with a slight smile. "I mean, yeah. I guess not."

Frukkshin gave him the Ninetales a light nudge with his side and said, "There's the Flocon I'm more used to seeing." There was a slight smile on his face as he got up once more and looked around before walking to a bookshelf.

Flocon looked back at the table and paused on Frukkshin's helmet. There was a small and aged embroidery on the cloth lining.

Return home safely, we'll be here waiting for you.

Flocon stopped to wonder who it might've been that put it there. He looked over and saw Frukkshin glaring at him. "I'd rather you restrain yourself from looking into my personal life in the future." he said in a stern voice.

Flocon looked away and, with his tails dropped, meekly said, "Sorry." He tried to distract himself with other thoughts, Is this what Sylpheed was telling me when I first joined? Who stitched the embroidery to begin with? But the twinge of guilt didn't leave no matter how much he tried to distract himself with other thoughts. …I shouldn't have done that…

Frukkshin visibly shook his head and clicked his tongue a bit. "You better not be getting all mopey on me again." he joked as he gave Flocon a light shove.

The Ninetales looked up with an extremely confused expression before observing, "You don't seem very upset at me. Why is that?"

The Rapidash patted Flocon on the head. "Sometimes I forget that you just don't know any better to be quite honest. I'll let it slide this time." he says as he brings his hoof back down to the ground. "Now let me ask you again: why are you here?"

Flocon wasn't expecting to be asked the same question twice and it showed as he stammered over his words, "I uh-yeah, well…" he looked off for a moment to gather his thoughts, a slight look of shame spelt across his face. "I don't really know, all this time I never really considered what we were doing, or why we were doing it." he mentioned as he looked up at Frukkshin in hopes of an answer.

The Rapidash frowned thoughtfully. "Then what exactly have you been doing, what do you fight for?" he paused for a moment to let it sink in. "What do you believe in?"

Flocon froze up. What do I believe in? he mentally repeated. "What… do I believe in?" he asked aloud to no one in particular. If he could sweat then his brow would already be glistening. "I don't know. I've just… I guess I've wanted nothing more than to find my past, whatever that past might be." he admitted.

Frukkshin lifted a hoof and patted Flocon on the head, much to the latter's confusion. "Well, think about it." he said as he got back up and stretched a bit before picking his helmet back up in his mouth. With a flick back and forwards it was on his head once more.

As Flocon watched Frukkshin start to walk, he asked, "What is it that you fight for?"

There was a small chuckle as Frukkshin turned around with a warm smile. "Now you're starting to figure things out?" he said as he began to walk back to the table. "I fight so that others don't have to." he said as he looked Flocon in the eye.

Flocon looked at him, completely lost.

"The world is dangerous, pokemon are scared of the mystery dungeons. Marais Morte is only the largest example." Frukkshin began. "Not many are willing to risk their lives for others, that's why I'm here. Fringe's goal is to bring back the guilds from the old days, something that was taken for granted long ago." He gritted his teeth and reconfirmed, "That's why I'm here."

Flocon nodded. "I see," he said. "I'll give it some thought then." He looked back down at the table as he took a sip of his water. "Thank you."

Frukkshin paused at the exitway and without turning said, "Anytime Flocon, just promise me you'll get some sleep tonight."

"Uhh, yeah, right." Flocon replied sheepishly as he got up and followed him. "Mind if I sleep in a bit?" he asked with a nervous smile.

Frukkshin started to say something before closing his mouth and shaking his head. "I'll let you get some shuteye and come to you just before we leave, but you better be ready by then." he ordered.

Flocon nodded and started to wag his tails. "Sounds great to me, thank you." he said as he bounded towards their room.

Frukkshin watched him run a bit and smiled warmly. There's something different about him, but this time it seems to be for the better. He paused to gaze out one of the high windows, the stars dotting the night sky. Maybe it's time I made a change too.

So, minor/major update: I talked with someone a little while ago about this fic in particular and I brought up a few things to them that I want to tell everyone reading this.
This fic's original incarnation was that of a webcomic, but I lacked the ability and confidence to make one. But now I do and I find myself almost constantly regretting my decision on making it into a fic so it may end up being turned back into a web comic but it also may not. I'm not sure what I exactly want to do yet but I might take a week or two to decide on that. I'll post a chapter as an update on what will be happening to it by next week, thank you all for the support and taking time to read this if I end up going through with this idea.