A/N - I hope you all had a lovely Christmas! =D I didn't post last week to give myself a little break, as we had family visiting. It was great fun!

Thanks for all reads, reviews, faves and follows! Happy New Year, everyone! Have fun, and please be safe and sensible!

64 - An Encounter in the Dark

Faith was woken from a light slumber. She propped herself up on one elbow and rubbed her eyes as she gazed blearily at the curtain of the tent. Soft sobbing came from outside, barely audible over the breeze rustling the fabric walls. But the sobbing was unmistakable. That's what had disturbed her sleep.

Faith cast her gaze over her sleeping companions. Cleo lay curled up beside her, with Spark snuggled in her twin tails. Mischief lay near the door, a small cotton ball that rose and fell with his steady breathing.

Faith pushed herself up and crept silently across the tent. The cool night air washed over her as she stepped out onto the moors. Harlequin lay curled up on the grass and the sobbing lessened as the zorua flicked her ears back towards Faith.

"It's just me." The mawile sat down beside her and placed a paw on Harlequin's back. The zorua tensed for a heartbeat but relaxed as Faith ran her paw over her coarse, shaggy coat.

"Did I wake you?" Harlequin mumbled into her paws.

"I hadn't been asleep long."

Faith looked up at the dark sky. The half moon was visible between the clouds, a smattering of stars surrounding it. As far as she could tell, not much time had passed at all since she swapped shifts with Harlequin.

Faith turned her attention back to the zorua. "Is something the matter?"

Harlequin didn't look up at her, but Faith could make out the tears glinting on her fur and shimmering in her sapphire eyes.

"Is it Enigma?" Faith's words were soft, but Harlequin flinched at them. It was all the answer the mawile needed.

Faith edged closer to Harlequin and let her paw rest between the zorua's shoulders.

Fresh tears streamed from Harlequin's eyes and she took in a long, ragged breath. "I was just thinking about him." Her voice wavered with each word. "That's all."

Faith nodded and gazed at the starlit sky. She could still picture Enigma stood at the top of Stonehaven, staring into the square, his gaze fixed on Harlequin's small form.

"I never saw you both together," said Faith. "But I could tell you were close friends."

Harlequin's body shuddered and she curled into herself, flicking her tail over her nose. A strange sound left her throat which Faith took to be a 'hmm'.

"If you like, you can talk to me about it?" Faith offered. "It might help. But there's no pressure."

Harlequin shifted, but made no efforts to speak. Faith let her gaze wander over the moors. The grass stretched away from them into the distance where it was swallowed up by deep shadows. Large, wiry trees jutted up from the earth, splintering large rocks that rose up around their trunks into jagged mounds. It looked lonely and empty, emphasised further by Harlequin's soft sobs.

"I miss him." Harlequin's voice drew Faith's eye. "He was… my only friend."

Faith trailed her paw along Harlequin's back. "I know it's not the same… but you have friends here too. We're here for you."

Harlequin swiped her paw over her nose and glanced up at the mawile. "Thank you."

Faith nodded stiffly and let her gaze wander over the landscape again. Her words had felt a little hollow. Of course it wasn't the same. It wasn't as if any of them could just replace Enigma. Harlequin had been friends with him for a long time. Faith, Cleo, Spark, Mischief… none of them could just magically make the pain go away.

"He was always scared of dying."

Faith looked back down at Harlequin again. Her sobbing had eased, but tears still flowed over her cheeks.

"How must he have felt," Harlequin went on, "knowing that it was coming?"

Faith had nothing to say. Her claws idly brushed through Harlequin's fur as she listened to the former assassin continue.

"It seems ironic really." Harlequin gave a single, bitter laugh. "Pokemon all across Estellis were terrified he'd come for them. But in the end he was mortal like everyone else." She closed her eyes. "He took way too many risks… I was always terrified this would happen."

She buried her nose in her paws as her entire body shook with sobs. Faith had no words. She shook her head slowly and let her paw come to a rest on the zorua's back.

"I knew him before he got his monstrous reputation," Harlequin went on, her voice muffled with sobs. "I saw him change. He was never like that, but he just lost it. He became careless, and ruthless. But behind that sadistic mask was a pokemon in so much pain."

Faith closed her eyes. She'd guessed as much. 'I'm no hero'… What had he gone through to get into such a state?

"He used intimidation as a defence, and it worked." Harlequin paused to take a breath. "He'd just take lives, sometimes without even being ordered to. Sometimes it would mess up Hydreigon's plans. I often wondered if he did it just to get on Hydreigon's nerves. If I challenged Enigma on it, he'd just laugh it off." Harlequin trailed a paw over the grass, leaving small grooves in the soil with her claws. "Over time, pokemon became so scared of him they'd run at the mere sound of his bell. To be honest, I think even Hydreigon was scared of him. He was quick to make Enigma into one of his aces."

Faith rubbed her arm absently and stared off into the distance. "What exactly happened to him? For him to turn like that?"

Harlequin looked away from her. "He lost his mate."

Faith stared down at the zorua. Harlequin's ears drooped and she took in a long breath. For a moment, Faith thought she was going to say something else, but she simply sighed.

"I'm sorry." Faith closed her eyes as a wave of sadness washed over her. There was nothing else she could say.

"It broke him," Harlequin told her. "A part of him died with her that day. It was an awful battle we should never have run into. He couldn't save her, and he never forgave himself for it. He never said, but it was obvious. After that, he just spiralled until it felt like I'd lost him." She shook her head and let her chin fall onto her paws. "I could never bring him back from it." Tears flowed from her eyes again and she huddled into herself. "I'd hear him at night crying. He wouldn't stop blaming himself."

"But it wasn't his fault."

"I know. I was there."

Faith hugged her knees to her chest. She felt helpless. All she could do was listen to Harlequin sobbing beside her.

"I miss him so much," the zorua choked.

"I know." Faith let her paw rest on Harlequin's back again. "I'm so sorry."

"I never got the chance to tell him the truth."

Faith inclined her head on one side. "That you're female?"

"Yeah." Harlequin nodded. "The whole Shadow Lands believe I'm male. They have to. I know what happens to the girls there, and I won't let it happen to me." She took in a few gasps to steady her sobs. "Kera knew the truth. She'd guessed, and I couldn't hide it from her. But Enigma wouldn't believe her." She laughed and shook her head. "She really mocked him for that."

Faith's eyes lit up with amusement. "Why wouldn't he believe her?"

Harlequin shook her head and let it fall onto her paws again. "I don't know. He was stubborn." She closed her eyes as tears threatened her again. "But I wanted him to know. I just couldn't bring myself to admit it. I was too scared everyone else would find out, and as each day went past it just got harder and harder. So I told myself I'd tell him when the war was over." A howl left her throat and she buried her nose into her paws. "When the war is over!"

Faith huddled into Harlequin's side and leaned her head against hers. The moonlight shimmered and Faith blinked back tears from her eyes. She became aware of movement behind them and she looked back to see Cleo and Spark peering at them from the tent. Cleo pointed to herself then to Harlequin.

Faith mouthed a 'thank you' to Cleo and gave Harlequin's shoulder a gentle shake. "Come on. Cleo is offering to take over your shift."

Harlequin sniffed and raised her head. "I… think I'll be okay. I just…"

"No." Faith shook her head and rose to her feet. "Get some rest."

Harlequin gave a reluctant nod and dragged herself trembling to her feet. Cleo gave her a sympathetic look as Harlequin nosed past her into the tent. The zorua sank into a heap in the spot where Cleo had been lying. Spark hopped onto the zorua's paws, drawing a look of surprise. Spark twitched her whiskers at her and huddled against Harlequin's ruff. The zorua sighed and let her head rest on her paws. Faith settled down beside her and caught Mischief's eye.

The whimsicott stared at them for a moment then curled up into a cotton ball once more.

Faith closed her eyes as a lone tear leaked over her cheek. Harlequin, Spark, Cleo, Mischief… all pokemon who's lives had been torn apart by war. Everyone she'd met so far had suffered in some way. Was there anyone who hadn't?

A lump rose in her throat and she tried to swallow it back. She wiped her paw over her damp cheeks and curled up into Harlequin's warm fur. This awful war needed to end.

...

The small wooden houses and market stalls slowly came into view as Cleo and her friends drew closer to the town. The morning dew soaked through their paws as they marched over the grass, chatting amongst themselves. Harlequin seemed a bit happier after a good night's sleep, although the distant look in her eye suggested her cheery demeanour was a facade.

Spark sat on Cleo's shoulder, munching on a dry oran berry. Their supplies were running low, and Cleo cast a hopeful eye up at the berry trees that dotted the outskirts of the town. As expected, they were bare save for the odd decaying berry that lay on the ground.

Grass gave way to bare earth, which the grass was slowly encroaching over. The soil was mushy, saturated with snow melt and dew. Silence enveloped the town, bringing the group's voices to a halt. Cleo had half-expected to hear the bustle of busy pokemon and shouts from the markets, but the town was barren. The wooden houses were beaten by the cold season, their walls splintered. Doors hung open on rusted hinges that creaked as the breeze blew against them. The tables around the market stalls were covered in blankets of decaying leaves, filling the air with the musty scent of the forest.

"Argh." Spark sank down on Cleo's shoulder. "Just as I feared. Empty."

Cleo gave a non-committal grunt and pushed her way through the town.

"This is where we met." Mischief pointed towards one of the market stalls. "You were standing over there. And I slipped a rock into your bag to steal your coin pouch, hoping you wouldn't notice."

A small smile spread across Cleo's muzzle. "Stealth wasn't exactly your strong suit."

"One of my first memories." Mischief rubbed his paws together as he looked around at the barren town. "Now it's like this. What… what's happened?"

"It's not been attacked if that's what you're wondering," said Harlequin. "There'd be clear signs of that. So let's be glad it's not met the same fate as that little village I took you too."

Mischief grimaced and closed his eyes briefly. "But this place was once filled with pokemon." He glanced back at the market stalls they'd passed. "I was expecting it to be no different."

"It's easy done." Cleo adjusted her bag as she stepped over a splintered wooden beam. "But these towns never last long. They're built in a hurry, pokemon flock to them for safety, then they move on."

"So this is normal?" Faith's voice was distant as she looked over the decaying down. "It's so heartbreaking. Nothing like Stonehaven at all."

"The further north you go the more you'll see of this," Cleo explained. "Unless nature has taken them back."

Spark looked back at the mawile. "The general idea is you keep heading south. Far, far away from the Shadow Lands."

Faith's small nod indicated she'd understood the dedenne's hint. Pokemon fled south in search of New City.

"I'm actually wondering if there'll even be any Outcast towns further north," Spark continued. "Like… are there any of us even left up there?"

"I doubt it," said Cleo. "I'm gonna guess Windflower is abandoned by now."

"Windflower?" Faith asked.

"A small town Spark and I helped during the cooling season," Cleo explained. "We drove off some jangmo-o. That town was prone to attacks from the Darkness. I doubt it'll still be there now."

"How far north was it?" Harlequin asked.

"Three days from here," said Cleo.

"Then it's unlikely." Harlequin's words carried little emotion. "I'm gonna guess it fell under attack again no sooner had you left it."

Cleo's mouth went dry. She tried not to think about it, forcing her mind back to their task. The sky was growing dark as stormy clouds drifted before the sun. She froze, her gaze wandering to the sky. The air felt humid as if a storm was about to break.

"That looks nasty," said Spark.

"We need to find shelter," said Cleo, urging her friends on. "Head to the woods and we'll set up our tent."

"Quickly," said Spark. "My whiskers are tingling."

Cleo trotted over the wet earth. Mud clung to her feet, each step creating a sucking sound. It was hard enough to walk on despite her cast, making her leg ache and forcing her to hobble more than she already was doing. The oncoming darkness made each step sound oddly loud. Her fur prickled with anxiety and her eyes flitted left and right towards each shadow. Something felt very wrong. Very amiss.

A large shadow moved ahead of them, drawing the meowstic's frantic eye. Icy blue eyes peered at them from between two small houses. A cold fear washed over Cleo and she took a step back, her tails brushing against Faith's legs. The mawile tensed, her violet gaze fixed on the shadow.

"Cleo…" Spark's voice wavered. Static electricity tickled Cleo's whiskers.

"Well, well, well." A velvety voice oozed as the large shadow slipped out from between the buildings. "After all the trouble you've put us through, I've found you."

A massive black bird stood before them, its feathers streaked with red. Sharp canines glistened in its beak in what Cleo guessed was meant to be a smirk. But its identity was unmistakable. It was a lot bigger than she'd expected, roughly the same height as Reshiram. Its long, feathered tail snaked behind it over the ground. Two massive arms were tucked in at its sides, but long fingers curled back along them feigning the appearance of a bird's wings. Its icy gaze locked onto the five travellers, framed beneath a pair of curving black horns.

Spark's cheeks crackled, making static dance over Cleo's fur. "Yveltal."

The large bird chuckled, and his eyes flashed with cold fire. "So you know me? That makes things a bit simpler."

Cleo's mouth was dry. Words struggled to form in her throat. Every limb felt heavy and unable to move. Her gaze was locked on Yveltal as he strutted towards them, stalking around them like a predator taunting his prey. It made her heart gallop, every fibre of her being screaming at her to flee.

"Now, tell me," Yveltal said slowly. "How do five little pokemon give Hydreigon such a hard time? What's so special about you five?" He paused besides Faith and snorted at her mega stone. "I see we have some primordial ooze from the Fairy Garden?"

Faith balled her paws into fists. Her eyes blazed with rage, watching Yveltal's every movement.

"And the famous whimsicott!" Yveltal went on, meeting Mischief's fearful eyes. "The one with the power to take down a dragon! Rumours or fact? Because right now it looks like you couldn't even tickle a cutiefly." The large bird turned his icy gaze onto Harlequin. "And a renegade. Oh, how Hydreigon would like to have a word with you." Yveltal clicked his tongue as he raised his head. "But I'm afraid he won't get the chance."

Harlequin's eyes never left Yveltal as she slipped her nidoking horn from her bag. The massive bird strutted before them, stretching his long arms.

"You see, the funny thing about hibernation is it makes one so very, very hungry." His eyes flashed as he turned them back onto the Outcasts. "I guess I'll just have to owe Hydreigon an apology that his delivery got a little… lost in the mail."

The familiar sound of shattered glass exploded behind Cleo. Warmth washed over her as the energy of Faith's mega evolution radiated out over them. Faith stepped forwards, stretching an arm in front of Cleo.

"I don't think so, Yveltal." The mawile met the massive bird's steely glare. "You lost this fight a long time ago. You have no power over us."

"Oh don't I?" Yveltal's beak twitch with amusement. "Because the fear radiating off your friends says otherwise."

"Screw that!" Spark leapt from Cleo's shoulder, dodging the meowstic's groping paw. She landed beside Faith and rose up to her full height. "I ain't scared! I'll fight you!"

Yveltal laughed and inclined his head on one side. "You? Fight me? Don't make me laugh, runt!"

"Runt?!" Electricity danced over Spark's little body. "Why I aughta…"

"Spark," Cleo warned, her voice wavering.

"You should be scared," Yveltal went on. "Don't large birds eat little mice?"

"Yeah, what of it?" Spark narrowed her eyes. "I've taken down hundreds of murkrow! And I'm not scared of an overgrown snake like you!" She cast a sideways glance at Faith. "'Primordial ooze' indeed."

Yveltal lowered his head to her level and crooned, "Allow me to demonstrate why a tiny rodent should indeed be scared of a snake."

Spark's whiskers crackled as she prepared to meet his challenge, sending static washing over her friends.

Cleo's heart was in her throat. She watched as Yveltal raised his head, his eyes blazing with fury. He hadn't expected them to stand up to him. Darkness leaked from his beak and he opened it wide, sending out a beam of red and black energy.

Faith threw up her arms, and the air around them flashed. The beam broke away at an angle, clipping the overhanging branches of a tree. The bark turned a ghastly grey, and the leaves crumbled away like ash.

"Faith!" Cleo gasped.

Spark looked up at Faith with a start, her large eyes impossibly wide.

The mawile lowered her arms, her shoulders heaving with exertion.

Yveltal looked back at her and tutted. "I always hated you fairies." He pulled his head back and his jaws gaped as he readied another attack.

Harlequin rushed from Faith's side, her weapon poised to strike. Yveltal jerked his head towards her and lashed out with a wing, catching her across the ears. Harlequin yelped, releasing her weapon, and landed in a crumpled heap in a doorway. Cleo watched her helplessly. The meowstic's body just wouldn't obey her silent pleas to fight. Her paws turned clammy, and her gaze locked back onto Yveltal. It took every ounce of self control not to turn and flee.

The large bird hissed, craning his long neck to examine his wing. He shook it a few times as he turned his livid gaze onto the rest of the group.

"You are becoming a real thorn in my side!"

Before he could act, Spark's whiskers discharged electricity. It arced towards Yveltal. The black bird leapt aside, knocking into an old house. The walls shook, causing the weakened roof to cave in. Spark's attack landed in the dirt, fizzling into nothing. The dedenne muttered under her breath, her cheeks crackling as she charged another attack.

Yveltal roared and swung his head around towards Mischief, his beak gaping as another attack flowed from his jaws. Mischief spread his paws, meeting Yveltal's attack with a dazzling gleam. An explosion split the air, dazzling their eyes and blowing Yveltal off his feet. His tail flailed in the air as he rolled backwards, splintering the decaying house. Shards of wood rained off his body as he pushed himself to his feet. His black and red feathers were marred with dirt, and he spat muddy water onto the ground.

The wicked bird's gaze met Mischief's. The whimsicott was no longer showing any fear. He stood before Cleo, his paws clenched at his sides. With a derisive snort, Yveltal spread his wings and rose into the air.

"This isn't over!" he roared.

With a flourish, Yveltal vanished into the inky night.

Faith sighed, letting her mega form melt away. A weak groan escaped her lips and her legs gave way. Cleo rushed to catch her, steadying the mawile against her side.

Harlequin limped over to them, her nidoking horn back in her jaws. She looked up at Faith, her gaze questioning.

"I can't believe Yveltal just showed up like that," said Spark. "It feels like… just unreal, yanno?"

Mischief rubbed his arm, his eyes fixed on the sky. "He ran away…"

"He's weak," Faith told them.

Spark hopped round to face her, and exchanged glances with Harlequin. "What?"

"He's not got his full strength back." Faith took a few breaths and shook her head. "I wouldn't… have been able to hold him off on my own."

"You saved our hides." Cleo looked up at the grey branches. The boughs groaned as they struggled to hold on to the petrified wood. "We'd be stone by now if it weren't for you."

"I heard Xerneas."

Cleo's eyes widened, mirrored by her companions.

"You heard him?" Spark asked. "How?"

"Telepathy." Faith took another breath, securing her arm around Cleo's shoulders. "He told me to protect you. That we could drive Yveltal off."

Cleo opened her mouth to reply, but a huge screech split the sky like thunder. Yveltal crashed to the ground, his wings tearing at the air. His beak snapped at a fuzzy mound beneath his feet. Mischief's muffled cries jerked Cleo to her senses. The whimsicott was pinned in Yveltal's talons, his other foot digging into the ground beside Mischief's head. Tufts of creamy fur fluttered into the air and clung in bloody clumps to Yveltal's beak.

Cleo screamed, her voice joining those of her friends as they rushed towards Yveltal. "Get off him!"

Her ears flew open, releasing pink light. It struck Yveltal in the side and he howled, swinging his head around to snap at her. Electricity bounced over his wings, causing his body to shudder and stiffen. His wings flailed helplessly as Spark leapt across his back, electricity streaming from her tiny form.

Red and black energy spluttered from Yveltal's beak, evaporating harmlessly in the air. Cleo opened her mouth again as more pink light struck Yveltal in the jaws. He teetered backwards and Spark bailed from his head to land at Cleo's feet, her whiskers crackling and her challenging glare locked on the massive bird. Yveltal screamed, his eyes flashing with icy fire. He spread his wings and rose into the air, turning his tail as he glided over the rooftops into the woods.

Cleo stood panting, her heart in her mouth. Mischief lay sprawled on his front, blood coating his furry back. Harlequin nosed at his head, her nidoking horn abandoned at her feet. It had been the zorua who'd landed the final blow. Cleo gave herself a mental shake and dropped to her knees at Mischief's side.

Spark hopped to Mischief's head and shook his arm. "Dude… get up…" Her voice trembled and she exchanged a worried glance with Cleo.

Thunder rumbled overhead, and a few cold drops of rain splashed over Cleo's ears. Tears pricked her eyes and she reached out a paw to her fallen friend, but she met only resistance. For a heartbeat she resented the bracelet and yanked it to her chest, fumbling with the lock to release it.

"Is he…?" Faith sat in the dirt behind them, her voice still weak.

"He's breathing," said Harlequin with a glance at the sky. "But we need to get him out of here."

Lightning flashed overhead, making the surrounding trees look like tall skeletons. Cleo's gaze went to the woods, searching for Yveltal's shadowy form. Another rumble of thunder rolled overhead, setting her fur on end.

Cleo stood up on trembling legs. The rain fell heavier, soaking through her fur. She hugged her arms around herself and looked around at the empty ghost town. Swallowing back bile she asked, "Where?"

Spark caught her eye and Cleo followed her gaze towards a towering wooden building a short walk away. The former Guild headquarters, now devoid of it's flag, seemed to silently offer them safety. Its door was still in place, but the roof had caved in at some point over the cold season. However, its ground floor might still be safe and dry.

"It's better than nothing," said Harlequin. "Let's get him inside before the storm worsens."

Not wanting to risk lifting him manually, Cleo engulfed Mischief in her psychic and lifted him carefully into the air. Harlequin offered a shoulder to Faith and they made their way into the abandoned Guild building.

Another peal of thunder shook the air as they reached shelter. Once the door was closed behind them it muffled the storm. The soft patter of rain made the building feel hollow, but much to Cleo's delight, the ceiling was still in place. Each footstep echoed off the empty walls, but it felt welcoming.

Spark bounded along ahead of them, stopping outside the old dining hall. She pointed with a claw and motioned them inside. The smell of stale cooking greeted them, ingrained in the wooden walls. The large table was still situated in the middle of the room, the chairs left in a haphazard fashion around it. When the Outcasts had moved, they'd seen no point in tidying up after themselves. All that had been cleared away was the old food, taken as provisions for the journey.

Harlequin set to work shifting some of the chairs to make space for them in the corner of the room. Faith leant against the wall, watching helplessly. Cleo set Mischief down carefully and stood back.

"I'm going to see if I can find anything," she said. "Food, medicine… they might have left something."

"The food would be pretty stale and rotten by now," said Spark.

Cleo shrugged. "It's worth a look at least." She shrugged off her bag and offered it to Faith. "There are some oran berries left. Please use them on Mischief."

"Save them," said Harlequin, catching Cleo's eye. "I have some I can spare."

"Thank you."

Harlequin seemed taken aback by the genuine note in Cleo's words. The zorua shifted, her gaze wandering to the walls. Then she shrugged off her own bag and rummaged through it.

Faith sat down beside her with some effort. She gathered together the wrinkled berries as Harlequin dropped them onto the dusty floor.

"Are you sure they're okay?" Spark asked, sniffing one.

"They're fine," said Harlequin. "They wouldn't taste very good, but their healing properties are still present."

Spark poked her tongue out and stood back, leaving Harlequin to her work.

Cleo watched as Harlequin pawed at Mischief's creamy fluff. "How bad is it?"

Harlequin didn't look up. "The scratches are deep, but thankfully not too serious. I think he's fainted from the shock." She cast Cleo a sideways glance. "Go and explore. It'll take your mind off things."

"I'll come with you." Spark hopped up onto Cleo's shoulder before she could object. "I'm not much use here anyway. I don't know anything about treating wounds."

"That's not true," said Cleo. "You've helped me before."

"With your direction." Spark folded her arms. "I'm coming with you and that's final."

Faith's smile returned to her muzzle as she watched the dedenne. "We'll be fine. You two go and have a look around. I'll stay with Harlequin."

With one last glance at Mischief, Cleo left the old dining hall. Her heart ached and she bit back a sob.

"Hey." Spark's tail brushed against her cheek. "He'll be okay."

Cleo shook her head. "It's my fault."

"Eh?" Spark's muzzle creased with confusion.

"I couldn't protect him." Cleo hugged her arms around herself and swished her tails with frustration. "I couldn't help anyone!"

Spark pulled her head back, her nose twitching with confusion. "What are you talking about-?"

"I was too darn scared!" Cleo flashed her canines with each word and sank back against the wall, her strength leaving her. "I was too scared to fight!"

"We were all scared," Spark told her. "I mean, come on! None of us expected to run into Yveltal!"

"But you could fight," said Cleo. "You fought well! So did Harlequin, and Faith, and Mischief! But me?" She kicked her paw at the floor. "I just stood there. Useless."

"When Yveltal attacked Mischief, you fought," Spark reminded her.

"Only because-"

"Because you were defending him." Spark placed a paw on Cleo's ear and the meowstic saw a smile form on her friend's little face. "Your strength comes from protecting those you care about. As soon as one of us was in trouble, you rushed to help. That's strong if you ask me."

Cleo gave a dry laugh. "I'm not as strong as you."

"We're strong in different ways," said Spark. "If Yveltal had tried to steal my dinner I'd have made sure he regretted it." The dedenne's stomach growled and her cheeks flushed. "Speaking of which, let's see if we can find something to eat in this place."

Cleo laughed again and pushed herself back from the wall. "All right. But I'm not promising we'll find anything."

...

Thanks so much everyone! I hope you're enjoying! =D