We spent a day by the ruins' entrance, for us to get our strengths back. Not one hundred percent, but enough for us to get the hell outta there. During that time, I introduced them to the Zubat, and I thanked him properly before he flew away for good.

Shock and Vixie were really quiet with each other though. Either one of them would immediately jump to the chance of getting away from each other during berry hunting. Just like now. I offered to go berry picking, and instead of Saur, Shock went with me.

Anyway, Saur, Fay and I weren't blind to notice the tension between the two of them. But the three of us just kept quiet. I don't know about Saur, but Fay and I have no clue of what to say to the two of them. But I'll think of something...I think...

If I recall, those two were mates for a period of time before they found me. How long or how short they were mates, I don't know. Though when I asked, Fay told me that it was only for a short while. She guessed that it was only two or three moons, and Saur confirmed it with a nod. So, Shock and Vixie were a thing for three months.

Despite them being mates at the time, there weren't really any actual mating that happened. Fay said that Shock couldn't, 'cause he was still believing, or rather, he was still trying to overcome his belief that he should only mate with his own kind.

Shock was hurt, but a huge part of him was relieved when Vixie 'broke up' with him. During that time, Shock told them that he just probably jumped to the affection that Vixie showered him, and that he also kind of liked her.

They were living in Ilex Forest, and the whole forest knew of them being mates. After the news that they were no longer mates, Lithe started pestering them, or Vixie, to be more specific.

Then the devolution happened a few moons after.

...and then they found me unconscious a few more moons after.

"Do you think," Shock said in a low voice as we picked some berries around the area. "Th-that I made things worse?"

I ignored him as I struggled to pull this pesky berry with my mouth. Yeah. Berry picking is not easy if one has no hands. That, and this berry was too high for me to use my nails to cut the ... thing that attached the berry on the tall bush.

Shock sighed. "I'll take that as a 'no.'"

Thud! I landed on the ground on my butt pinning my sensitive tail. I cringed in pain, the berry in my mouth that I finally pulled out almost bled its juices out.

"What are you doing?"

"Berry pulling," I groaned after I spat the stupid thing on a giant leaf on the ground. We've collected a rather satisfying amount already. I guess it's time to go. "So, what was it that you were telling me?"

He shook his head with a slight glare. "Never mind."

I arched him an eyebrow.

He just looked away.

I rolled my eyes then I bit the giant leaf, and started dragging it back towards our resting site.

"It's...weird..." Shock said, following me from behind. "...that there's only a number of Pokémon around here."

I noticed a Pidgey shadow passed over us. "Hrm... Mhbeeh ee's cosh of zah Unoun..." I said with a bit of difficulty.

"Guess so," he replied as he walked beside me. "Need help with that?"

I stopped and blinked at him. I shrugged and let go of the leaf.

He grabbed it and dragged it as we headed back.

Heh... Less work for me! Anyway, now's my chance to talk to him properly. I don't want this tension to last longer that I'd want it, and neither would the rest of us, Shock and Vixie included. "So, Shocky..."

"I told you so many times not to call me that."

I ignored him. "You still have feelings with Vixie, huh?"

Shock was quiet for a while.

I pressed on. "And it looked like Vixie does, too."

"...and you don't."

I glared at him. "I don't swing that way, buddy."

He blinked and looked at me, confused. "What are you—?" he stopped mid-sentence and glared. "That wasn't what I meant!"

I chuckled. "Just trying to lighten the mood." I looked ahead. "But...I won't lie. I like her, too, but..."

"You're a human. You wanna change back. You want to return home," Shock finished.

I nodded. "Yep. Kinda silly, now that I think about it..."

"Oh?"

"It's like I'm repeating history again. First was Krys' journey. Mr. Tauros confirmed that."

Shock blinked. "His name was Rumblehoof, not Mr. Tauros."

"...and now, I'm repeating your journey with Vixie..."

Shock was quiet.

"I heard that you liked her, but you were held back because you want to settle with another Pikachu. Or a Raichu. Anyway, I...guess I like her too, with all of her attempts for me to like her back. But..." I sighed, my ears drooping. "I'm a human, Shock. Was, at least. And...I'm not really into furries..."

"...another human term?"

"Er...you can say that."

"And what does it mean?"

I shrugged. "I dunno. It's just a term I learned from the internet. I didn't bother looking it up." I quickly continued, because I freaking do NOT want to explain to him what the internet is. "I just assumed that it meant that, humans attracted to ani—er, to creatures with fur..."

Shock looked ahead. "Hm... Is that related to that—" he shivered slightly, "—uh, that bestiality word?"

I shivered. "...maybe? Not sure."

Shock nodded. "I still don't believe you. You being a human, I mean."

"Yeah, I know..." I sighed. "Maybe its this Eevee body I'm using. It maybe still has it's instinct-mode turned on." I shrugged. "Probably why I started liking her, despite me not wanting to."

And we went quiet for a while.

...and I just noticed that we have been walking for a while now. Did we really went too far? Though the path we were walking felt familiar.

Shock suddenly broke the silence with a sigh. "I made things worse, didn't I?"

I looked at him and saw his ears and face drooped. "Not really. At the very least, you made Vixie stopped pestering me."

He rolled his eyes. "And I'm sure you're thankful for that."

"Hey," I looked ahead, seeing the edge of the treeline already. "At least you can get another shot at her, right?"

"What about you?"

I turned and arched him an eyebrow. "What about me?"

"You like her."

"I like to be a human more." I shook my head. "I do NOT want to be stuck as an Eevee forever."

Shock shrugged. "You can evolve."

"You know what I mean!" I looked ahead. "Besides..." I paused what I was saying as we emerged from the line of trees, and saw our friends talking with Darkrai and Celebi. "I think it's already long overdue for me to return this Eevee body that I accidentally borrowed."