Ch.65: Reconnecting with the Past! A Step Towards Maturity!

A few days have gone by after Tony's defeat against his father, as Team Ravenfield used the time they gave themselves to plan for their counterattack. Though, planning hit a few bumps since doubt was pretty evident in the air. Given what they know about Tony's own abilities, fighting against the man who not only had the same abilities, but better, meant some unfortunate risk taking they'd rather not take.

Speaking of the Dewott, Tony seemed to be doing better, though apparently, he's still too weak to pry himself from bed. He was eventually moved back up to his shared space with Flint. For the most part, his dark mood seemed to have been lifted, as he was cheerily making quips and even picking apart their attack strategies just to mess with them. Annoying, but helpful advice.

Wes let out a low yawn, covering his open mouth behind his paw. "Man, I'm beat…it's getting late."

Tony lay on his stomach and kicked his legs in the air, smirking. "No, no, keep going. I wish to hear more about this riveting plan of yours." He has since ditched his bandages, but, as mentioned, still seemed to be too weak to do extraneous activities.

Wes smirked at him. "No more nitpicking from you, thank you."

Ella yawned as well and rubbed her eye. "Wes' right…we should start turning in soon."

Tony rolled onto his back and stared at them upside-down. "Feeling confident about taking on my jerk of a father?"

Ella sighed with a weak grin. "Sadly, I can't take part in this exciting bout. Unless I can summon up psychic fields to sponge blows, I'll be more comfortable observing from the sidelines."

Flint, who sat on his bed with Gwyn sitting on his left, smiled at his friend. "You're still not bummed about that, are you?"

Ella rolled her eyes and grumbled, "It's annoying as hell and I'm slowly trying to relearn how to write with my mouth…" She took a deep breath and pushed the stress out of her system. "BUT…it's cool. I'm a patient Espeon. I know how to manage without my psychic abilities…sort of."

Griffin, who sat off in the corner and polished Endless Regret's blade, looked at her. "Have you had any formal combat training?"

Ella bit her lip and darted her eyes up. "Err…may…m-maybe…sort of…" She smiled sheepishly. "Mostly self-taught…" Griffin rolled his eyes. "Oh, don't give me that! I didn't exactly have the luxury of attending combat classes!"

Griffin didn't want to agitate her further over the matter, even if for a friendly jab. She divulged a part of her life to him that she didn't even tell her two childhood friends. He will respect that. He went back to polishing his blade. "Even so, you could ask me for training tips. Otherwise, you're dead weight on the battlefield that'll only serve as leverage."

Tony smirked playfully. "Hey, no need to be rude to the young lady, Hothead."

Ella raised her paw and lightly chuckled. "It's fine, Tony. I actually agree with him on that." She sighed. "Thanks Griffin, but I don't think your fighting style benefits my own."

"Do you even have a fighting style?" the Grovyle asked.

"Well…I did…" she grumbled, tapping her red gem. "Given that psychokinetic abilities are one of the few original types that can match magic, I feel like I've taken a step down in efficiency."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, El," Tony said with a smirk. "Heck, I'm faster than all of you, but I wouldn't want to make you angry. Besides, you still have a role on this team."

She raised her brow. "Is that so?"

"Yeah…you're the sanest!" he exclaimed, guffawing aloud and pounding his fist on the bed.

Ella sweat-dropped with a dry smile. "Gee, thanks."

He wiped a tear from his eye and nested his head in his arms. "Heh…I'm serious. You're pretty good at keeping a cool head out of all of us. You don't give yourself enough credit. What's strength, speed, and raw magical power without a calm spirit to tie everything together?"

Ella tapped her chin, then smirked. "Hmm…you during one of your episodes?"

Tony's eyes widened, leading the others to suspect he would get mad after the previous battle, but relaxed when the Dewott just laughed it off. "Yeah, got me there."

Gwyn narrowed her eyes curiously on the Dewott. "Um…Tony? I…have to ask. You…seem to be doing a lot better from a few days ago."

Tony smirked at her. "That's that little thing called 'healing,' Green."

"I don't mean physical healing." She twiddled her thumbs meekly. "Are you still upset about your loss?"

Tony narrowed his eyes at her, which made her a little tense and perhaps scared, but the Dewott followed it up immediately after with a heartfelt laugh, even slapping his knee in his amusement. "You're a good friend, you know that, Green?" He smiled reassuringly. "Chill…I'm fine. No need to worry about me." He pointed around the room. "Same goes for all of you."

Flint tilted his head. "Are you over it, though?"

Tony sighed and bowed his head. "I will admit, I was…upset when finally seeing my father after so long. It was hard…to not get emotional and bitter with everything we had to go through." He folded his arms together. "Fact is…it just means I have to get stronger. Stronger than I ever was. If I want to contribute to this team, I'll have to learn to keep my eyes on the true objective. No more slip ups. I need to get smarter."

Ella smiled. "That's…surprisingly mature of you, Tony."

"Don't get me wrong, though." Tony punched his palm, then cracked his knuckles, showing an infuriated smirk. "I still want to sock that no good bastard in the cheek just for being a flaky jackass!"

'There it is,' the team thought with narrowed eyes, though with amused smiles, too.

Wes shook his head and stood up. "Best we turn in for the night." He yawned and walked out. "Come on, Griffin."

Griffin set Endless Regret back into his arsenal void and followed him out. "Night," he mumbled.

Ella got up and stretched. "Forgive me if I decide to sleep in." She followed them out.

Gwyn hugged Flint. "Nighty-Night, Fluffy!" She dashed out with Ella.

Flint blushed in embarrassment as Tony laughed behind his back. "Fluffy, huh? What an adorable nickname for-" Flint's Guardian's arm manifested by his side and chucked a pillow into the Dewott's face.

"Go to bed, Tony," Flint said with a wry smile before heading to the room's bathroom to change.

Tony sat up and threw the pillow back onto Flint's bed. "Hehe, just teasing." Once the bathroom door shut, Tony glared and looked out the window, seeing that the storms were picking up once more. His fingers were itching with anticipation. Another night. I need another shot at this.

The Dewott waited sometime in his bed, arms crossed and eyes closed as he pretended to drift off into the land of slumber. He kept an attentive ear out for anyone walking about in the halls or anyone daring to enter the room, a routine he quickly grew accustomed to over the last few nights.

Waiting about an hour, Tony pulled himself from bed and gently stepped over to Flint's bed. He curiously loved over the Flareon's body and examined his face. Eyes shut and face relaxed, with air rhythmically flying in and out of his nostrils. He was definitely asleep.

"Good…" Tony walked back to his bed and snagged his vest from off the side. I'm not leaving here until I get my shot at beating that bastard. He slid his vest on and buttoned it up, then bunched up his blankets into a cocoon to look like he was wrapped under them, then threw the end of the blanket over his pillow to hide where his head should be. He dusted his hand off, then tiptoed to the window.

Undoing the latch, he lifted the window and felt the rain slap against his face. Thunder boomed into the room, making Tony flinch. He took a quick glance over his shoulder and saw, while disturbed from the thunder, Flint remained asleep. Tony sighed in relief, then crawled out the window and shut it behind him.

"I've been making progress," he told himself as he climbed down the side of the temple. "I just need to keep working on my technique. I know I can beat him if I just try."

He reached ground, looked around quickly, then dashed off towards the woods.

Though, his sneaking didn't get the desired results he wanted this time. In the room next door to Tony's, a Grovyle was looking out his window and peeking out from the side to avoid detection, even keeping his aura low. He crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall.

What are you up to, Sparky?

An hour after his escape, Tony got to work. Over the last five days, Tony has been sneaking out in the middle of the night and returning just before the crack of dawn. He had to thank his injuries for hiding his drowsiness. It gave him an excuse to sleep in the middle of the day without raising suspicion.

For what reason? To master his training faster than ever.

Tony stood in the center of a clearing in the woods, trees rustling against the winds, as he stared down the rocks placed around him in differing heights and angles. He had his eyes shut as he focused on the roaring winds and blazing lightning, trying to feel his center connect with the storms.

That spell of his…it felt incredibly advanced.

He couldn't shake off that odd feeling that went through his leg when he struck his father. For a Pokémon like Grimer or even a ghost, it was normal for attacks to pass right through them. That's how their bodies were. But a Samurott? Flesh and blood. No tricks like a Vaporeon to turn into a completely different element. At least, natural tricks.

It felt like I was standing in the presence of a deity.

His father greatly surpassed him in magical talent and strength. That unknown spell, alone, revealed all Tony dreaded to know: he was no closer to surpassing his father than he believed. The gap was simply too wide to think in reasonable assumptions.

To transcend a physical form…and become one with the storm itself…

Tony channeled electricity through his finger and held it up to his face, eyes remaining closed. His whiskers twitched with each crack of lightning, before the thunder followed after. His fur glowed, buzzing with electricity and trying to mirror the intense precision of the storms.

I can't close the gap in power…but I can close our difference in skill!

Tony's eyes shot open as he sprung in the air. He torqued his body and spun in the air. "Lighting Shot: Lotus Bullet!" Lightning Shots fired all out from him, nailing his targets dead on and sending them flying in smoldering heaps of char. Tony caught himself on his hand and continued to spin, shooting down the remaining rocks with a focused mind.

I won't rest until I surpass you! I have to try and close the gap!

Tony bounced back onto his feet, then finished off by firing a shot straight through the center of a tree. The back blew out in a light blue explosion, leaving a smoldering hole through the tree.

The Dewott lowered his hand, then sighed. "It's still not enough…" He leaned back and fell on his rear, resting his arms on his raised knees. "He has me beat in every category. His connection to the storm greatly surpasses my own…" Tony pressed his hands together and rubbed them, creating sparks with the friction. "Storm Magic…any magic…if one wishes to master an entire class of magic, they need to feel a strong connection with that class itself. Green has that down pat. Hell, nature bends to her will. Hothead's basically given an entire set of spells he's attuned with. What about me?

"I should be feeling this strong connection with the storm that surges inside of me. How can I let an obstacle like this get in my way? I'm the risktaker who makes his own bets and sets them all up so only my team and I win. And yet, I took a big gamble on my father and revealed all my hands." He sighed and slouched his head forward. "There's got to be something I'm doing wrong…"

"I'm not an expert on parental issues…" Tony's head shot up as the familiar voice of the Grovyle spoke up behind him. "…but I do know a thing or two about revenge…and self-loathing."

Tony glared over his shoulder, spotting the Grovyle leaning against a tree with his arms crossed. His head leaf was drenched with rain and plastered against the back of his jacket. Tony looked away and smiled in annoyance. "Alright…how long?"

"I wasn't suspicious of anything until last night. Woke up early and went about polishing my weapons." Griffin closed his eyes. "I didn't sense your aura until you got back. Plain and simple."

Tony sighed. "So much for being sneaky…"

Griffin remained silent for a moment, then walked towards Tony with his arms still crossed. "Walking out on us so you could train in private. You must be exhausted."

"Tsk…shows what you know." Tony rubbed his hands together, generating more sparks. "I'm not tired at all. I can keep this up all night."

Griffin looked up at the storms clouds as they flashed with lightning. "…yeah, I'm sure you can." He sighed and glared at the Dewott. "And yet, you could've had the other option of assistance. Why not train with one of the others?"

"Because this is for me and only me." Tony crouched down and picked up a rock. "Enhancing what I already know the best I can. I need to be ready for a rematch with that fool."

"You gave your word not to engage another fight with Leroy," Griffin reminded. "Orders from our team leader."

Tony scoffed as he bounced the rock in his hand. "I respect Wes as a leader, but you shouldn't trust the word of a thief." He chucked the rock in the air, then blasted it into dust with his Lightning Shot. "I'll make a hundred promises and break a hundred more, just so I can finally have some semblance of ease."

Griffin glared at Tony for a moment longer, then closed his eyes. "Those aren't the words of a team player. We all have our part in defeating the mages and claiming those keys."

Tony picked up another rock. "Despite me being booted out of the rematch because I'm a volatile liability?" He chucked the rock and blasted it down like the previous.

"Well, when you put it like that, that's exactly the case."

Tony turned around and jabbed Griffin in the chest. "You know something, Hothead? You're a real smug prick. If you came all the way out here just to tell me I'm a burden for this team, you can take your ass back to the temple and go back to bed."

Griffin stared back at the Dewott's annoyed glare, then swatted his hand away. "Perhaps if we were still enemies, I would in fact acknowledge your unhealthy risk taking habits, your obnoxious and rather vulgar attitude, and your lack of emotional stability when personal matters are stabbing you in the heart."

Tony rolled his eyes and turned away. "That all you got? Want to talk about my unprofessional behavior next? My life as a thief? Want to make fun of me being poor next?"

"No…it's your outlook on life that needs to be called into question."

Tony crossed his arms and pouted. "Oh joy, a philosophy lesson from Mr. Weapon Head himself. Should I be taking notes?"

Griffin rolled his eyes before sitting himself down, legs crossed and hands in his lap, taking a meditative form. "Sit."

"Why?"

"I said sit."

Tony inwardly groaned, but obliged to the bounty hunter's demands, albeit reluctantly. He sat down and lifted one knee, resting his arms on top of it. "Fine, I'll bite. What's wrong with the way I look at life?"

Griffin closed his eyes and inhaled through his nostrils. "…have you ever thought of yourself as narrowminded?"

Tony raised his brow. "You trying to make me insult myself?"

"Answer. The question."

Tony groaned and slouched forward. "Okay, okay…" He closed his eyes for a moment before answering, "Not really."

"Answer truthfully."

This shit is already getting on my nerves. Tony sighed in irritation. "Fine! I may have a tendency to not think ahead of things, but that's only really-!"

"-when you get angry," Griffin finished for him. "We've noticed. All of us. Despite your unruly behavior and how you carry yourself as the fool," Tony rolled his eyes, "there's an intelligence in that mind of yours that could greatly surpass even my own."

Not the words he expected to come out of the Grovyle's mouth. Tony relaxed himself a bit and huffed. "Is that so?"

"Thinking of strategies in the middle of tense conflict is not as easy as some demonstrate. You have to come up with notable countermeasures on the fly and have a back up plan should your strategy start to derail." Griffin opened his eyes. "You are not only a fast learner, but a quick planner. When it comes to strategizing, I see that you prefer to come up with a plan in the midst of battle. For most, that's not the best way to carry out missions. For you, it works."

"Uh huh…are you just going to list off my best traits?" Tony grumbled, before smirking vainly. "Do you wish to talk about my charming looks?"

Griffin sighed. "You'd benefit from advice better if you learned to keep your mouth shut." Tony frowned and grumbled under his breath. "Everything about you revolves around speed. You want to get things done as quickly as possible. That's how you fight. And, for you, it works because of your particular battle style."

Tony glared. "Will you get to the damn point already?! I don't see what this has to do with anything!"

Griffin glared back. "For someone who refers to me as the 'Hothead,' you're no better with that temper of yours." Griffin scratched his cheek. "I keep my reserved persona so that I can focus solely on the objective. I have accepted this team, even you, as a new circle of allies I can call upon, even the luxury of referring to you all as…my friends. Even so, I continue to stay reserved because the objective of the keys comes before anything else, even if my own personal objectives might cloud my judgment."

Tony raised his brow. "Voss…"

Griffin clenched his fists, but didn't show change in his expression. "Emotion…is like the flame of a candle. Brightly lit and steady. Affected by the winds around, but resistant unless met with a stronger breeze. If the flame continued to resist against the breeze, wearing down its integrity, soon that flame will go out. To protect that flame, one must have the barriers to keep it intact. Never let the harsh winds wear it down.

"But…let's say that flame didn't go out. Instead, the flame only grows with the wind. The wind's intensity blows harder and harder against the resisting flame." Griffin raised his hand. "All it takes is one spark to separate from that flame," he snapped his fingers, "and start a fire that'll rage out of control."

Tony blinked, then looked down with an uneasy smile. "Huh…so, I really am a volatile hothead. Shit…"

Griffin lowered his hand. "Closer to the truth, but not to say the reservation of emotion means certain victory. Sometimes, a wildfire is what we need to achieve victory. A controlled wildfire created by your hands."

The Dewott clenched his teeth. "Don't let your emotions run wild, but sometimes you should?"

"Controlled wildfire," Griffin reminded. He tapped the side of his head. "Hatred Anima, out of all the Emotion Anima, is the most volatile of the five. Raw power and destructive capabilities at the user's disposal. That's not something to make a joke of. And it's not magic to take lightly. If I let my rage get the better of me, someone could die.

"But, to release that anger in a controlled setting, one can achieve far greater abilities than they are capable of. Your rage, for better or worse, is a strength and a weakness. It's called ambition, and you have a lot of it."

The thief narrowed his eyes, then looked down at his hands, observing the magic around them. "Then what am I doing differently? Fighting angry clearly isn't how I fight." He rubbed his hands together, generating more sparks. "I don't want my emotions to run wild."

"Exactly. Because that's not the key to battling for everyone," Griffin pointed out. "One's internal instincts rely solely on how they interpret a scene, then react. Emotion is that drive to survive. That's why famous legends have corny endings like 'power of love' or 'I fight for my friends.' It sounds stupid, but there's some truth to them if you think hard about it. We all have reasons to fight. Even the most selfish and distant of us who seek to live have something that keeps them from falling victim to Yveltal's grasp. That's the controlled anger. Not rage, but that motivation to continue. And you have one reason to fight. Or rather…two reasons."

Tony gripped his pants as his eyes shimmered. "Mom…Cheri…"

Griffin closed his eyes. "The topic of vengeance. Immoral action? I don't see it as that, so long as the motive has purpose. Vengeance comes in many forms. Maybe that mean kid keeps kicking you, so you sabotage his bike as payback. Maybe some mugged you, so you track them down and deliver some well-deserved payback. Maybe…a ten-year-old child sees the annihilation of his entire clan, scarred by the events for years…so he trains to hunt down the murderer and avenge his fallen people.

"Revenge is born from anger, but it's how that anger is formed and controlled that determines if your cause has meaning." Griffin opened his eyes and looked up at the rain. "My reasons are just…not just to avenge my people, but to keep others from meeting the sad fate of loss or death. But you?" Griffin held his hand out and let the raindrops drop into his hand. "Well…there's much to pick apart.

"I suppose how your anger was formed is just. It's normal for a child to grow bitter, especially given the circumstances of your childhood." He let the droplets roll around in his palm as he stared at them. "But to say you were in control would be a lie. No, your anger showed you weren't in control. Because of that, you let your feelings run wild and harbored a deep-seated hatred for your father that festered into a rage that could've been treated years ago. Instead…you just let the problem grow out of control."

Tony gazed down on the ground, eyes half-closed. His suspicious were true. The Dewott really has been letting the anger get to him. Is his anger misplaced? No. He's well justified in hating his father for leaving the way he did, without giving a hint of his more selfless actions. But Griffin picked apart the root of his problem with surgical precision.

The Dewott sighed and crossed his arms into his lap. "Then what am I supposed to do?"

Griffin glanced up at the sky, then shrugged. "How should I know?"

Tony snapped a glare at the Grovyle, teeth bared into a snarling smirk. "Oh, so now you know nothing?!"

"I mean, I can't know the answer to your troubles. You don't cure another's sadness with what brings you happiness. Rather, you must know what brings you happiness." Griffin raised his knee and rested his arm on it. "What I'm saying is that you must understand what it means to be you. Reevaluate your anger. Consider your goals. Choose your path."

Tony relaxed himself, then looked down. "Reevaluate myself…" He narrowed his eyes in thought, considering his options, but was caught off guard when the Grovyle placed something in his hand before getting up and walking back to the temple. "Huh?" He looked at the given item.

It was his crystal orb.

The Dewott narrowed his eyes in confusion, then looked at the Grovyle as he left. "What's this for?"

Griffin didn't look back. He gave a simple wave of his hand and stated, "Don't know. Figure it out for yourself. I'm heading back to bed. I expect you to return that in the morning." He slid both hands into his jacket pockets and trudged back to the temple.

"Figure it out…" Tony looked back at the orb and stared at his reflection. His gaze was hard and focused for a moment, then it softened, gaining the sudden feeling of homesickness. No…that wasn't the right word. Something else…

Comfort…

He gripped the orb tenderly. "Thanks…Griffin…"

His voice was too low to be heard, though Griffin stopped just before leaving the spacious area. He stood there for a moment, doing nothing, then continued on his way.

Tony sighed, then stood up, heading the opposite way so he could get out of the rain. He plopped himself under a tree and wiped the orb down until it was mostly dry. He stared at it for a while longer. He had so much he wanted to say. He wanted every word to count. Working up his nerves, he inhaled deeply, then waved his hand over the orb.

"Call…Morgan Tenebris."

It was late at night for the traveling circus troupe. Almost everyone was in their rooms, sound asleep. Only one soul remained awake, as he took the time to clean himself in the peace in quiet.

Morgan sat before a mirror, dressed only in his pants and white tank top, as he was wrapping gauze around the upper part of his left arm, occasionally looking over his shoulder to see if anyone was wandering about at night. He had the gauze snuggly wrapped around his arm, too, to prevent it from coming undone.

Nearing his task, he heard his crystal orb humming on the nightstand. He narrowed his eyes before walking over to it. He generated some magic threads from his fingers to finish tying the gauze on as he reached for the orb with his other hand.

"Answer." The orb revealed the image of a Dewott. Morgan smiled lightly. "Tony…wasn't expecting you to call. Especially this late. Isn't it still dark over there in the Storm Zone?"

Tony smiled back weakly. "Heh…yeah, I'm just out late, that's all. I'm not bugging you, am I?" He tilted his head as he saw the Hypno's threads barely in view, working on the bandages. "Uh…are you doing okay?"

"Don't have anyone to talk to this late." Morgan shook his head. "One of the cons of not sleeping." His threads finished tying down the gauze. "Don't worry about this, either. Just hit my arm against the wall and cut it." Morgan dispelled the threads. "So…Wes and the others told me what happened."

Tony narrowed his eyes. "Yeah…did you know about this?"

"Know about what?"

"Don't play dumb, Pops. You know the mages more than I do." He glared. "You purposely sent us here because you knew who the Storm Mage was."

Morgan shrugged with a wry grin. "Heh…not like your paths were never going to cross. But I felt you could use the little shove."

"Well…guess it worked." The Dewott bowed his head a bit, averting his gaze from the Hypno. "…Losing to my father was…hard on me…as a fighter and as a person. I feel like I've been losing my way. I think I need advice."

Morgan raised his brow. "From me?"

"…no. Someone else."

Morgan blinked slowly, then sighed before standing up. "You know she's probably sleeping right now."

"I wouldn't call unless it was important."

The Hypno shook his head and chuckled, then walked out the trailer and towards Nebula's room. "Doubt she would mind, anyway."

Nebula was sprawled out in her bed, snoozing silently while her roommate, Angel, took to the floor in an air mattress, blankets set over her as she snoozed with great ease, much better than when she slept in Fuego Village. Her ears twitched periodically from the quiet sounds around the room, but she was not disturbed by them.

Though, her sensitive ears picked up on the trailer door opening up. Her eyes opened weakly as she saw a figure enter the room, leaving the door open a crack. "Huh…?" She rubbed her eyes as the figure walked towards her and kneeled down. She looked up weakly, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness. "…Morgan?"

The Hypno smiled lightly. "Yeah…sorry to wake you," he apologized softly. He held his crystal orb down for her. "But someone wants to talk to you."

Angel blinked through her half-closed eyes, then smiled warmly as she saw the face of her son smiling back at her. "Tony…" She took the orb from Morgan and sat herself up. She yawned quietly, making sure not to disturb Nebula. "Hi, sweetie."

Tony smiled apologetically and pressed his hands together. "I'm really sorry. I know it's late and all, but I had to talk to you."

Angel smirked tiredly. "Oh, no issue. You'll just owe me a hundred birthday and Mother's Day gifts, that's all."

Tony smirked with playful annoyance. "I knew I got my wit from someone."

Morgan stood up and let himself out. "I'll leave you two alone to talk. Goodnight, Angel." He quietly shut the door behind him.

Angel walked to the other side of the trailer to keep from waking Nebula and sat herself down. "You better have a good reason for calling so late, night now," she quipped with a wry smile.

Tony sighed with an exasperated smile. "Can you cut it with the puns for one night?"

"Well, my wit is too sharp to simply stop, but I'll give you a break." She giggled under her breath and sighed. "Okay, I'll be good…for now." She sat herself in the corner and held the orb up. She yawned. "Seriously, sweetheart, it's pretty late out."

"I know, I know. First things first, how are you and Cheri doing?" he asked.

Angel smiled sleepily. "Getting better every day." She sighed with content. "Feels great to be out of that ashy air. Cheri's doing fine, too. She's getting along well with Ava's kids." She chuckled. "Warms my heart that she finally has friends of her own."

Tony smiled as well. "Yeah…I feel bad that she couldn't interact with kids her own age. But…some things had to be sacrificed." He frowned and narrowed his eyes, looking down at his lap.

Angel raised her brow. "You seem to be in a glum mood." Her ears twitched, leading her to lean in closer to the orb. "Is that rain in the background?"

"I'm in the Storm Zone." He sighed. "Actually…I'm just outside the Storm Mage's temple." He glared softly. "Mom…you remember how Dad left us? He left without saying anything about his reasons? He just…took off?"

Angel was a jokester, but she had her smarts. She read her son's face like an open book. Even in her drowsiness, she understood why he was calling at such a late hour. Her ears flopped against her head as she frowned. "Oh…honey…" She sighed. "So…that's where he has been…" She closed her eyes. "…that…explains a lot, actually…"

"…yeah, it does…" Tony's head slouched forward. He exhaled a defeated sigh, then pressed the back of his head against the tree. "Mom…I lost to him a few days ago. I…lost…I failed my team…because I let my anger overwhelm me…" He closed his eyes. "I denied it, but…I was only focused on teaching that bastard a lesson…but now I see…it was pointless."

Angel caressed the orb as if trying to comfort her son. "Oh sweetie…don't make that face. I don't like that look on you."

Tony smiled weakly. "Mom…" He lifted his head and stared at the orb. "…you've taught me every practical skill I would need to live on my own. And yet…the real skill I should have been working on…is humility." He bowed his head and sighed. "I'm lost…a storm brewed with raging winds in my heart, now it's all scattered around, and I can't find my way back…not on my own."

Angel shifted around in her spot, then raised the orb up so she could look up at Tony. "D'aww, my baby boy still needs his mother to help him…"

Tony chuckled with a softness in his voice. He scratched his cheek. "Don't say it like that…but yes, I do. I need…closure. Actual closure." He breathed in, then sighed. "…I still don't know the full story. After…being the uncaring jerk he was, I need to know the truth.

"Why…Why did you love him? What about him attracted you? How did you two even marry if he's an unfeeling jackass?"

Angel actually lifted her hand to her lips to prevent laughter from escaping and waking her roommate. She sighed once her fits were calmed. "Oh dear…I was hoping we could have shared this as a big family, but…I suppose a pep talk will have to do." She cupped her tail to hold the orb, then rested her hands on her stomach. "Don't think poorly of your mother, dearie, but…" She snickered. "I sort of made a bet with your father."

Tony raised his brow. "A bet?"

She shrugged. "Oh, I was like any aspiring teenager at the time. Worked to get my degree in college, went around the town with my friends…and then I see this hunk of a Samurott training out in the fields with his battle buddies. And, oh boy," she fanned herself with shocked face, "I was swooned~."

Not even a minute in and Tony was rubbing his temples. "I think I'm going to be sick…"

Angel snickered. "Oh, but there is ill more to the story." Tony glared at her. "Hehe, the puns return." She crossed her arms over her stomach again. "So, yes, my friends and I were…taken in by the muscular, handsome warriors right in front of us. They dared me to talk to Leroy and…well, I was always the risktaker in my family, so I went at it with my brimming confidence."

"Just how much did I inherit from your side of the family?" Tony mumbled.

"Hehe…" Angel sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Your father…was as reserved as he was when he left. Constantly fighting and training to be the better warrior. He took battle very seriously. It was never some game to him. Sparring meant giving your bare minimum of effort while going all out. Doing as much as you can without maiming your partner. I'd hate to see what a serious fight with him is like.

"He brushed off my advances, but I wasn't one to just quit after one try. I kept bugging him all day until he told me to get lost. We…'argued,' though it was mostly me pushing his buttons with him getting annoyed. He didn't enjoy the buzzkill comments, though he pretended they didn't bother him. He said he wasn't interested in a date, so I made a little wager with him."

Tony crossed his arms while still holding the orb up. "This bet you mentioned."

"The deal was, if he could beat me in a challenge of my choosing, I won't talk to him ever again. If I won, he had to accompany me on one date."

"Annnd…how did that go?"

"Well, I had you and Cheri, so you tell me." She giggled. "Though, maaaybe I wasn't being fair…I actually spoke to his sparring buddies first and…may have rigged the bet a bit."

Tony's eyes widened. "You did…what?"

"I learned your father was a genius in battle, but…not the best at basic skills like cooking or cleaning, something even a rebellious teenager would know how to do." Angel waved her hand around with a shameless smile. "So, I challenged him in a cooking competition. I wouldn't call myself the best baker in the world, but I make a darn good peppermint cake. Now, your father, on the other hand, ended up baking…well, I assumed it was a black and gunky soup…t-turns out he burned his cake batter…and tried to mask the taste with vegetables." Angel scratched her cheek. "So…yeah, our panel of judges, being my friends and his battle partners…yeah, I won by a landslide."

Tony's jaw was dropped in disbelief. "You…tricked your future husband into dating you by taking advantage of his own weaknesses? Have…Have you no shame?!"

Angel shrugged with an innocent smile. "I don't know. Leroy didn't take it too well when he found out I purposely tricked him. Though…after he ranted about it, he…actually took some pride in such a deliberate and thought out strategy." She giggled. "He kept his word and accompanied me on one date…followed by several more after that before I ended up proposing to him years later."

Tony scratched his head. "That long?"

"I told you before, your father wasn't comfortable in a social setting that was outside of combat. I told my puns and got him to warm up a bit. When you pick apart that rock hard exterior of his, he's actually an awkward, yet surprisingly humble gentleman." She rolled her eyes playfully. "He even attempted a sweet gesture and tried to cook for me."

"…you ended up eating out, didn't you?" Tony guessed.

"Tried to cook steak, ended up ordering pizza and sitting under the stars." Angel chuckled. "It was the thought that counted." She sighed. "I understand you don't have the best impression of your father. Over time, I've gotten used to his reserved and cold demeanor. Never once did I think he didn't love me back. He shared it in his own way." She smiled warmly at Tony. "You'd be surprised…he even took time off to take care of me when I was pregnant with you.

"Am I mad he left without saying a word? Oh, heck yes," she admitted. "In fact, the next time I see him, I'm giving him a good smacking for running off like that. But you're wondering why I don't despise him?" She smiled to herself. "Oh, your father always mocked me for being so nice, but I never had a mean bone in my body…w-well, not including people who directly harm friends and family- but you get the idea." She looked down. "To tell you the truth, I…always had a feeling he left for a good reason."

Tony glared. "You held your love for him on a feeling?"

"Tony, I've known your father for much longer than you have. That's cold fact." She narrowed her eyes. "Do you remember when you ran off that cliff years ago?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Sadly…"

"Your father…wasn't lying when he said he didn't want family, but…there's more to it than that." She straightened up and lay her arms in her lap. "He was angry at you, Tony. Very, very angry."

Tony shrugged. "So?"

Angel narrowed her eyes. "Just because he never wanted children…doesn't mean he wanted you dead. He took his role as a father seriously, even if he didn't know the first thing about child care. He was angry at you…because, underneath all those cold and bitter layers, he did worry about you. But…" She shrugged. "Maybe he didn't know it himself."

Tony's shoulders slumped. "Is that right?"

"We express anger for different reasons. Rage, annoyance, distress…fear…" Angel closed her eyes. "The truth is…your dad didn't have the luxury of being raised in a proper home. Stone cold and firm…he was raised in the Fire Zone, too. He…didn't have much. His parents were under a lot of stress and…neglected his needs.

"Unlike him, though, his parents never paid him much attention. He starved quite a number of times. Hygiene was hard to come by." She shrugged. "And…they never really gave a reason to love him." She looked off to the side. "He ran out one night to find food…then got kidnapped by bandits."

"He was WHAT?!" Tony shouted.

Angel nodded gently. "I didn't believe it myself either, but it's true. He was held captive for five days, probably in worse conditions than at home. It was a scarring experience, I'd imagine. A young mind exposed to so many criminal actions. He was eventually rescued, but…the ordeal left him with a lot to think about." She narrowed her eyes. "He was never taken back home to his parents…they were denied custody of him when the authorities found out his living conditions.

"…I'm not asking you to pity him, but understand how he must have grew up after that. Your dad only experienced family life from his own folks. As he grew up, his experiences in his home and with the bandits hardened his emotions. He took to training and nothing but training. He wanted to…be better than the people who wronged him."

Tony's eyes narrowed as things began to sink in. "Déjà vu…"

Angel closed her eyes. "And I was the one who gave him a gentle push to try." She breathed in slowly, then sighed. "…he didn't know how to deal with children…he barely had any friends he was personal with…he lacked basic skills…he just molded himself to be a talented fighter. And yet, he chose to settle down with me to give family life a chance. I bet that, if whoever offered him to become this key mage didn't say anything, we would still be the slightly dysfunctional family we were before…maybe better." She shrugged her shoulders. "That's wishful thinking, though."

Tony propped his knees up and rested his arms on them. "I see…"

"You're still mad at him, aren't you?"

"With a burning passion."

"Do you still hate him?"

"…"

"Tony?"

The Dewott blinked slowly, then looked up at the leaves as they shook in the wind. Rain slid down his face, dripping from his whiskers. He drummed his free hand's fingers against his knee.

"…I'll find out when I face him again."

Angel smiled. That wasn't a 'no.' "Good enough for me. Do you feel better?"

"…yeah…" He smiled at her. "Yeah…much better." A heaviness in his chest gradually lightened, finding it easier to breathe. "I shouldn't have been focusing so much on the past." He closed his eyes and smirked. "I've got my future to worry about. And there will be no future if I don't get stronger and stop the shadows."

Angel smiled brightly. "My little boy…you've reignited your spark."

"And I'm not even going to groan at that one!" he exclaimed with a chuckle.

Angel giggled quietly. "You will become something great, Tony. I just know it. You've been a big help to me and Cheri. You've grown so much from the baby Oshawott I raised." Her eyes watered with pride. "Oh…I'm getting so emotional…I can't handle anotter tearful memory…"

Tony's eyes drooped. "Okay, now you're pushing it."

"Hehe…your mother needs some shut eye." She yawned. "You've got a big day ahead of you, I'm sure."

Tony nodded. "I won't hold you up any longer. Get some rest." He cupped the orb around his hand, then pressed it against his forehead. "I love you, Mom."

Angel mirrored his actions. "I love you too, Tony. Make me proud…and try to find some forgiveness in your father." She pulled the orb away, then waved her hand over it, fading away in the glass.

Tony sighed, then stood up. "Forgive him…" He bounced the orb in his hand. "Tall order you're asking from me." He spun the orb on his finger before catching and placing it inside his vest. "But I'll do it for you."

He glared at the surrounding tree determinedly, then pressed his palms together. He rubbed them vigorously, generating sparks that built up in intensity with the increasing friction. He smirked boldly as the lightning crackled overhead.

"Alright, old man…I'll show you what I can really do."

The top of the tower, after the beating it took from his battle with Tony, had been repaired within the week. Leroy, sitting in the center of it, had his head low as a fierce downpour came down on him. He sat in a meditative silence as the lightning crackled and boom above, striking close to him, but always changing paths and avoiding a direct strike.

Leroy breathed in silently, then exhaled through his mouth. "…you've been standing there for a while."

Standing by the tower hatch was Gunnar, who had his arms crossed. The dragon closed his eyes for a moment, then looked up at the sky. "Team Ravenfield will soon be ready for a rematch against you soon…without the assistance of your son, might I add."

Leroy continued his rhythmic breathing. "I didn't think his injuries would stop him."

"His team ordered him to stay in bed." Silence between the two. Gunnar shook his head, then marched forward. "It's not in my place to say so, but you should try reconnecting with him."

"I chose to distance myself from family…" Leroy mentioned quietly.

"Once the key is in their possession, it won't be your responsibility for the time being." Gunnar held his hips. "Family means nothing to you, eh? Because it seems to me you do give a damn about his wellbeing."

"…" Nothing but the sound of lightning crackling above.

Gunnar shook his head. "Some people dream of having a loving family to go home to, you know. You've had it rough and wanted nothing to with family, but sometimes the right choices can bring more than you asked for."

"…what are you saying?"

"Apologize to your son…then maybe try to rekindle what's left of your bond with him." Gunnar opened the hatch and climbed down. "Otherwise, you might end up worse than your own folks." He closed the hatch behind him.

The thunder rumbled on, but grew quieter. Leroy looked down at the ripples of water on the roof, staring at his reflection. Through those reflections, he could see himself next to Angel, Tony as an Oshawott, and the unhatched egg that would become his daughter.

Did he even deserve a family after leaving the way he did? Tony made it clear he hated his guts. What about Angel, though? Or his daughter? What would they think?

Leroy pulled his hood back and exposed his face to the rain. He sighed tiredly. "…Is it too late to even apologize?"

The coming of dawn came over the horizon as sunlight slowly crept into view. The five sleeping members of Team Ravenfield snoozed soundly in their beds, having grown use to the low rumbles of the thunder and pitter-patter of rain against the window. The sounds were actually quite soothing. They had no interest in waking up for at least another hour.

That is, until now.

BOOM!

All seemed calm until a loud, booming wave of thunder echoed with deafening volume, blasting with the roar of a hundred, fired-up Exploud. It penetrated the dense walls of the temple and reached the previously undisturbed ears of the team.

Wes' eyes shot open in shock before immediately pressing his pillows against his ears. Griffin sprung from his bed with his Endless Regret at the ready, expecting an enemy attack of some kind.

"WHAT IS THAT?!" Wes shouted.

Griffin glared. "I've never heard anything like this before."

They both looked out the window, then blinked curiously as they saw a fading light in the woods.

BOOM!

"AAAAHHHH!" Gwyn screamed as the thunder woke her with a start, immediately diving under her blankets and shaking fearfully.

Ella sat up with a dark purple sleep mask over her eyes and bared her teeth angrily. "No one wants a cranky Espeon in the morning! Who's playing the thunder drums?!"

She lifted her sleep mask as Gwyn peeked out from under the blankets. They looked towards the window and caught a glimpse of a fading blue glow out in the woods, raising some brows for them.

BOOM!

"AH!" Flint yelped, jumping from his bed and falling over the side on his head. His eyes spun in a daze as his blanket draped over him. "Ugh…the weather here is insane…" He picked himself up and rubbed his head, then glanced over at the lump under Tony's blankets. "That seriously didn't wake you?"

Before he went to investigate why his roommate wasn't disturbed by the thunder, he turned his attention to the light blue light that was diminishing outside in the woods.

The source of the deafening thunderclap came from within the clearing Tony has been training in all night. Constant practicing and perfecting of his moves, testing the very limits of his abilities and improving the very nature of his skills. He was aiming to become the improved version of himself.

But, in that final instance of training, he did something that caught him off guard.

The Dewott, with his hands extended outward, was frozen with a stunned face, staring at the aftermath of his inadvertent attack. A smoldering black path burned from the heat of lightning with trees torn out of their roots, scorched into charred planks of wood. The path that was burned out was incredibly wide, possibly wide enough to eclipse a house.

What stood out the most from this was the light blue, glowing sear markings across the ground and charred wood. They resembled that of red hot metal after being heated, like his attack left a residual trace of his lightning's heat.

His palms smoked from whatever he did as his body slowly started to relax, but his face remained fixed on that confused stare. He blinked once, then twice, then thrice, before finally lifting his hands up and looking at the smoke that seeped off them.

"I've…never seen any Storm spell like that before…" He has read up on most Storm Magic spells. There were numerous, but whatever he did wasn't like anything ever described to him.

He has been trying to come up with new ways to improve his Storm Magic, such as using his mystically charged fur to generate more sparks with friction. That's why he has been rubbing his hands so much. Was it…possible his innovative thinking led him to perform a spell that has never been recorded in spell books?

He slowly clenched his fists as the stunned surprise slowly faded. "Did I…Did I just…" His lips stretched and curled into a beaming grin while his eyes shined with excitement and pride in himself. "Did I just create a new spell?"