"Oh?" Neptune tilted her head in slight confusion, gazing at them calculatingly. "So you decide to stop her? Why? It is not like we would intentionally kill you. All I want to do is to observe her, and I definitely do not mind fighting her, if it means scanning over and analysing her skills."

"Observers don't always have good intentions," Casten snapped. "They're only appointed because of their strength. So, there's no reason I should believe you. How do I know you're not just trying to hurt us?"

"Pluto may want a good fight, but I can ensure your safety. I understand your uncertainty but—"

"I don't think there's any space for argument here."

This did not help Bei's mood. "See, she's not even out to kill us," she sulked, "and you're playing sooooo safe for no fucking reason."

"I'm doing this for your safety."

"I don't need your protection!" Bei hissed. She skittered backwards away from Casten. "Look, I appreciate the fact that you're trying to help me and all, but I don't need it. Remember that all the times that we've sparred I always emerged as a winner. You're being a fucking overprotective lunatic when I don't need you to be. You even made me lose one potential friend, fuckwit!"

Neptune gave a bitter smile. "My, this is quite the argument."

"That's because you're being stupid, Bei!"

"I'm not being stupid! In fact, you're the one being stupid!"

Pluto sighed. "Should we just leave, Neptune? I have a feeling we're not going to get anywhere just watching them argue."

"I'm not being stupid. You're the irrational one!"

"I am not irrational!"

That might have been true, but... "They might start fighting," Neptune said placidly. "Their health is not a concern of mine, but I did say I wished to analyse Bei's abilities, and I still do."

"All you're even doing is just denying what I'm saying!" Casten was sick of all the argument already—who wouldn't be? He was too frustrated to try and rationalise properly, so his boiling anger just took over whatever he felt like saying then. "You're probably the source of all my concerns, you know!"

That one got to her. "If I'm your source of all problems, then just leave me alone!" she cried in a shrill voice—completely out of character for her, but everyone was out of character when they were under stress. "It's not like I need you, anyway! I've survived some thirteen years of my life alone!"

"Then go ahead and be my guest!"

The artificial raichu had already scuttled off into the deeper forest to hear his words. Casten huffed in annoyance, turning away and muttering a string of words, and Neptune caught the phrase "good riddance" within them. She tilted her head and smiled in confusion while Pluto scoffed at her.

"We just witnessed some break up, Neptune."

"We did, Pluto. It should be none of our concern, but after witnessing this, I just realised something quite important and would benefit me rather greatly." The espeon took a step forward towards Casten, who was glancing at the floor distractedly. "You know, if they find out about Bei… they will most likely appoint her as the new Observer because her strength is evidently greater than mine."

"So?"

"Losing my position as an Observer is quite dangerous, Pluto, and you should know why." Neptune continued. "I suppose I should just make him tell me everything about that robotic raichu so when I battle her I will definitely not lose."

"…Neptune, don't—"

Unexpectedly, Neptune tossed Casten back with a psychic. Caught off-guard, the heliolisk was flung backwards as he hit the ground. Staring at her with wide eyes, he hissed and narrowed his eyes at her, clearly demanding an explanation.

Neptune smiled. "I still did ask for a fight. You may have allowed the raichu to escape unscathed, but you should have run while you could."

"But I already said—"

"You did not say anything except for 'we are not fighting them'. However, I did not say that we are not fighting you." She advanced on him, eyes narrowed and iris eyes full of glee. "Even if you are simply a normal heliolisk, dear Casten, it is still most enjoyable to fight, because that is what pokemon are made for. Are you joining me, Pluto?"

"No way, Tune," Pluto scoffed, turning away. "It's two on one, and that's awfully boring because it's unfair. If you have some fair matches, maybe I'll accept. I'll head back to the cave for now." After some hesitance, she asked, "Are you going to capture him, too?"

Neptune stopped dead in her tracks, stiffening for a moment before glancing over her shoulder. "I simply need him to tell me everything about the raichu. Capturing him is not necessary, as they would no longer interact or communicate with each other due to their argument. I do not think Casten would care much if I kill Bei."

(If you're thinking "Casten should've just run by now", Neptune was keeping him locked down with psychic.)

"He interacted a lot with the robot. And I thought you said you wanted to capture her, so maybe we can question him on where she would most likely go to. And she might have a change of heart and try to rescue him and we can ambush her when she tries to."

"Good idea, Pluto! I knew that you could form such ideas sometimes," Neptune laughed. "Well, there you are, Mister Heliolisk. Are you going to come along quietly, or are you going to resist?"

"Are you supposed to be pacifistic?" Casten asked instead. Neptune, taken aback, furrowed her brows and shook her head.

"Indeed, espeon do usually just observe, but no, we are not pacifistic. Why would you ask that question?"

"Because you remind me of Rosetta."

Neptune stared at him like he had gone mad. "…Who?"

"Rosetta."

"Rosetta the leafeon?"

"Yes."

Unexpectedly, she smiled. Casten saw Pluto retreating away into the forest. "Oh, so you've come into contact with our lovely sister who abandoned us not too long ago. Nothing to worry about, she already been replaced."

Before he even had the chance to absorb that, Neptune immediately knocked him out.

"Stupid, stupid Casten," Bei muttered under her breath, "always telling me what to do. So… incredibly… annoying… I'll rip out his spleen and stuff it down his throat someday! Nope, actually, I don't even want to see his face!"

Timidly, the voice in her head asked, '…Mistress Bei?'

"Now's not a good time, Kaelyn!"

She could feel Kaelyn's anxiety. 'If you say so, Mistress Bei.' Silence, then, 'Was it really a good idea to leave Casten like that? You seemed to have placed a great amount of affection on him.'

Bei snorted. "Not anymore. I mean, he's always stopping me. I could have had fun! That Neptune espeon thing didn't even want to hurt me or anything, but Casten insisted that she would hurt us, so now I'm annoyed."

'…All right.'

Although… even if Bei didn't like it, she couldn't deny it, either; she did miss Casten's company. It seemed like far too long had passed since she had escaped from the other three of them. Bei tried to tell herself it was better than living with some pretentious or overprotective jerk, but she simply could not wrap her head around the fact that she just left him to the mercy of the other two.

Well, essentially, she ditched him.

He didn't seem as if he'd care too much, though. He could go and hang around Neptune and Pluto for all she cared. They didn't seem to be very nice friends, anyway.

Now that Bei thought about it, Casten didn't seem to have any friends or relatives, either. Why was he so lonely, too?

After a long night of running, dawn was already coming, and Bei was tired. After running for miles and miles, she had managed to return to the beach she'd spent most of her time with Casten. Although she disliked Casten more than she thought she would currently, it still held a lot of happy memories, and one of the safest place in that area.

She curled up and slept, alone, just like she had done for thirteen years of her life.

…

She could get used to this lifestyle again, right?