Chapter 32: The Answer

"You think he's alright…?"

"…Didn't you already ask that earlier today?"

"Yeah, but just look at him…"

"…You're right…"

He still sat on the couch, either contemplating on the situation, or only staring at deep space.

"…Hell, I'm not gonna ask."

"Alright then…" He walked on forward. "Hey there…you—"

"Go…away."

He walked back. "No, I think he's still pissed."

Lenard had left a few hours ago, and having Leaf, Ivan, and Absol leave to their places, leaving Alex and Glaceon alone with Luke. They felt somewhat awkward being left alone with Luke in the situation, even after Alex asked him if he were okay.

Sorrel walked toward and looked up at Luke, Luke not saying anything about her. He looked down for a glimpse of her, and then looked back to wherever he looked up.

"Don't worry about me," he said to her, "You have a long life ahead of you…" Sorrel tilted her head, trying to get her head around to where he was getting at. He kept her eyes at him for several moments before walking back to Alex and Glaceon. Both were sitting on either side of the three-seat couch. Sorrel jumped up on the couch lowly, catching on to the edge of the middle seat and slightly struggling, tugging on to the seat trying to get on the couch. Alex slightly chuckled at the view and helped her up, holding on to her as she had all her paws set on the couch. She ran up to Alex's lap, lying down on him.

"So what do you think made Ray leave so early?" asked Alex, slowly petting the head of Sorrel.

"I don't know," Glaceon responded. "It could've been anything, really. Though…it must've hit him hard… Did you hear something earlier today?"

"What?"

"Like a thunderstorm or something…"

"But it was clear out, hardly any clouds out in the sky."

"You sure?" Glaceon looked out at the night sky. "…Eh, whatever. Sounded close to come, but I guess it was a onetime thing…"

Alex slowly nodded, petting Sorrel, quickly blinking, rising and lowering her head.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow," said Alex. "Seems like Sorrel's getting all sleepy…"

"What? Can't stay up?" asked Glaceon.

"No…" responded Alex, "can't risk it…barely had any sleep last night… Only earlier today did I found out how I could at least sleep a little more…"

"Doin' what we never did?"

"What?"

"Sleep with the child?"

"You never did that with me?"

"Trust your hairless body—hell no, that bed that's still in your room was about the same one you slept on in your early years."

"…Ass." He walked up the stairs with the sleepy Vulpix up the stairs.

"Heh, at least I was telling the truth…" Glaceon said to himself. He looked up at Luke, flinching at the fact that Luke was now staring at him, as if he were a royal that bore him. Glaceon coughed and looked away from the glare Luke gave.

Alex remembered what Luke told him earlier that day, and tried to tie it to his head, to at least…give him enough sleep.

Sorrel cuddled up to as near as she could with Alex, slumbering under Alex's arm and blanket. With him sound asleep, it seemed he didn't mind sleeping close with Sorrel every night, having at least someone to cuddle up with…that he couldn't get when he was younger to that limit. Sorrel, tossing around to feel comfortable, managed to be on top of Alex's chest. She stopped tossing around, still within the blanket, sleeping with ease.

With the door opened more than ajar, Luke leaned on the side of the door, seeing the dark sight of Alex and Sorrel. Thinking back, he never really slept with Alex as a little child like them two together. Taking care of him was hell for him, but it was one commitment he could keep; not being able to even try to sleep with him to not have him wail out every day was one commitment he couldn't keep. He remembered most of the moments he had with Alex that were actually…enjoyable. Zoning out upon it, he came back on the thought of what could've been…

Shaking his head after a few minutes, he left for his room to rest up for the night.

Sorrel woke up the second he left, looking around. She looked at the open door, no longer feeling a soul at the door. She wondered who was at the door, wondering if it even was anyone around the door. Not knowing if there was anyone, and finding herself on top of Alex, lowered her head back down on his chest and fell back asleep.

The next day…

"Whoa…when the hell did you get here?"

"…About a minute ago…"

"Really? Never mind."

Glaceon walked in the kitchen seeing the surprise guest of Luxray in the kitchen, already sitting on the table.

"Scratch that, how the hell did you even get in here?"

"Alex left with Sorrel when I came in."

"Oh…then never mind." Glaceon jumped up to a chair and sat up straight, looking at Luxray. "So what brought you in here?" He asked.

"N-nothing…" Luray responded. Before he could add more, Glaceon cut in.

"You know Absol's not here," Glaceon cut in.

"Can you shut up about that?" Luxray asked, raising his voice.

"Alright, alright…so what brought you in here?"

"J-just that—is Luke here?"

"No, he left long before, like even before any of us woke up. Why?"

"Okay…I think I know who did all of this."

"All of what?"

"All of the mess! That saying, the Pokémon, the murder- all of that!"

"I wasn't part of any of that—"

But you were talking about it just yesterday!"

"Oh, right. Is that why you left suddenly?"

"N- …Kinda…"

"Well then spit it out!"

"I'm trying to but you keep stopping m—"

"I don't care ju—"

"SHUT UP!" Silence… "Alright…putting everything together…I think I know who did this…"

Alex went out with Sorrel, frolicking around Alex, to wherever Alex planned to head off. It was still before noon, so Tracey was still in school. Luke…he didn't where he headed off to. He left Glaceon alone with Luxray, unknown to what he wanted to do with him. Anyone else he knew he didn't know personally, or knew where they lived, so he was on his own.

He walked toward the park, looking on forward, knowing that Sorrel would follow him, still frolicking around his feet. He walked in the grassy land and walked up one of the lowly hills, free from anyone around standing there. He sat down at its highest point and looked around, seeing the no-so busy streets of the street across.

He looked down at Sorrel, still running around in continuous circles, almost as if she more energy than she could waste. Alex decided to stick his hand out, Sorrel standing on two paws trying to reach for his hand. He playfully lifts and lowers his hand, seeing the little jumps Sorrel can make, trying to get something of her guardian she can't rip off.

"Having fun?" a voice beside said. Alex quickly turned, seeing it was Leaf sitting down beside him.

"Yeah," Alex responded, smiling. He continued on lifting and dropping his hand for Sorrel to keep up getting his hand.

"Handling a child difficult for you?" Leaf asked.

"Not as difficult as I thought," Alex responded. "Though I can't say it's easy. Then again…it's only been a few days…"

"Well, handling a child is different for everyone. Some are difficult, some ease around."

"Yep…" Alex retracted his hand from Sorrel. She stopped reaching up and starting to roll around. "…Yeah…"

"She's really the preppy one…" Leaf commented. Alex only nodded, looking at Sorrel still rolling around in place. "So why are you out here?"

"Keeping her healthy, keeping her on the run, like every day…"

"Okay, I get it." She smiled, looking down on Sorrel, lying down for a moment, and continued on rolling in place. "Enjoy having her around?"

"So far…yeah, I don't mind it. Having a child like her…" he lifted a hand at Sorrel for a moment, who was still rolling around until lying back down, "…feels special… As if it was supposed to be or something…"

"Who knows? Maybe it was." Alex slowly nodded, picking up Sorrel in his lap. "Feed her yet?"

"This morning?"

"…Sure, but what I meant by that was…have you fed her yet?" Alex stayed quiet with a confused expression in his face. "…Feed her like any other baby. Breastfeed her?"

"Oh—" Alex blushed and looked away. "No…no…c'mon, we're not the legitimate parents here…We probably need formula for that…"

"I think Tracey was taking care of that today—"

"You already talked with her about that?"

"Yeah."

"…Whatever."

"What have you been feeding her?"

"Not formula, that's for sure… Some meat…ate it all up, some other stuff around the house that seemed suitable for her." He started petting her again, not energetic anymore from the calm stroking of Alex's smooth hand.

"Well Tracey could take care of that," Leaf responded. "She said she would get a bottle and formula for her after school ends today."

"Alright, that's good."

"It'll be good for her and for you…if you know how to feed her right…" Alex looked at her. "Well, I have to go. I'll see you later."

"Alright, see you later." Leaf walked off from the hill and into a nearby street.

"Alright, c'mon," Alex said to Sorrel. He stood up and walked a different direction than of Leaf. Sorrel followed him to wherever he went.