Ch.101: Settling into our Roots! Hal's Decisive Request!

It was meant to be a normal breakfast for Team Ravenfield with Vivian, as the Sylveon past about stacks of pancakes for the team to enjoy. Nothing was particularly wrong in the morning, far from it. However, it was hard to eat with no one addressing a new development that practically blindsided most of the party.

Wes and Vivian took the opposite ends of the table while Ella, Griffin, and Tony took to one side. They had bites taken out of their pancakes, but stopped halfway through to stare at the Flareon and Mew occupying the other side of the table. They were the cause of this distraction.

Flint kept his eyes down, awkwardly smiling from the attention. Gwyn, however, blissfully ignored the stares as she continued to snuggle up against Flint's side. Both their faces were bright red for different reasons. There was practically a pink glow emanating around them.

Ella had her fork up to her mouth before deciding to drop it. She settled her chin in her paw and smirked at the two. "So…any problems this morning, you two?"

Gwyn grinned and tittered through her teeth. "Nnnooo~!" Her tail wagged excitedly.

Tony smirked and joined in with her. "Ooh…anything you two want to share with us?"

"Hee! Maaaaaybe~!" Gwyn burst into erratic giggles, then wrapped her arms around Flint, rubbing her cheek against his. His face brightened, as did his smile.

Flint rubbed behind his head and laughed. "As…you can all obviously tell…Gwyn and I spent some time alone the other day and…kind of, sort of…hooked up."

Vivian covered her mouth and grinned excitedly. "Does that mean…?!"

Flint smiled warmly. He knew his mother always wanted to hear him say this. "Mom…I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Gwyn."

Gwyn giggled and played along, holding her hand out. "Hiya, Mrs. Ravenfield!"

"OH, my baby boy's all grown up!" Vivian wrapped her feelers around Flint and hugged him tightly. "I'm so happy for you!"

"Agh! Mom!" Flint gasped.

Tony slapped his knee, laughed, then raised his fist. "Woo! Yeah, Flint! Finally took charge for once!"

Ella rolled her eyes and smirked. I'll just leave out my meddling in this. Flint looks like he could use the ego boost.

Flint grinned uneasily. "Y-Yes, well…"

Griffin sipped on his yache juice. "It's not usually my concern, but…I guess, congratulations, you two."

Vivian clasped her paws against her cheek. "Oh my stars, tell me it was just as magical as I pictured it! Were there fireworks?"

Gwyn tilted her head. "I didn't hear any outside."

"I-It's an expression, Gwyn…" Flint mumbled.

Wes smiled tiredly at his brother. "Heh…I'm just glad you two aren't awkwardly stumbling around each other anymore."

Flint awkwardly replied, "Heh, still…adjusting to this whole relationship thing, so…expect more of that soon…"

Vivian squealed and pulled Gwyn to her side in a loving hug. "Oh, I just know you and my baby boy are going to make each other happy!"

Gwyn grinned and hugged her back. "Aww, thank you, Mrs. Ravenfield!"

"Sweetie, I said call me Vivian!"

"Alright, Vivian!"

Ella smirked. "So…when's the wedding?"

Flint spat his milk onto his pancakes and slammed his glass down. "Alright, hold on there for a second-!"

"What? Didn't you two talk about it~?"

"You were eavesdropping!"

"Is this a new revelation to you?"

Vivian grinned. "Does that mean I get my grandchildren?"

"MOM!" Flint exclaimed.

"Oh, how many should I be expecting?"

Flint groaned and slapped his forehead. "Goodness sake, Mom, you're making Gwyn uncomfort-!"

"I want five kids!" Gwyn exclaimed cheerfully.

Flint's jaw dropped as the color drained from his face. "F-F-F-F-F-Excuse me?!"

Gwyn giggled. "I always wanted a big family, so…!"

"Oh Gwyn!" Vivian laughed and hugged the Mew. "You're going to make me happy in my old age!"

Flint stared out into space, ears flopped over his face, white as a sheet. F-Five…Five…what?

Tony cupped his hands under his chin and smirked. "Well, I think it's safe to say you and Gwyn are going to be having plenty of…private time together." Flint promptly threw a wet pancake into his face. "…I regret nothing."

Flint groaned, tears streaming down his face. "MOM! We haven't been together for more than sixteen hours! Can we have this discussion some other time?!"

Vivian giggled. "Oh, alright~!"

Flint covered his face and shuddered. Gwyn smiled sweetly at her fluffy Flareon and snuggled up to him. "Aww, I'm sorry for embarrassing you, Flinty. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Flint sighed, then smiled at her. "…Well…in a way, I don't mind…" He narrowed his eyes. "But if ANY of you bring up marriage or kids again-!"

Ella raised her paws. "I won't say a thing…" She smirked. "At least until you two have been together for more than a year."

"…That…That, I can deal with…"

Wes scooted out from his seat and took his plate to the kitchen. "Well, this has been fun, but…I got to go meet with Hal."

Vivian frowned. "Sweetie, while I do like Hal, you've…been spending an awful lot of time at his place. Is everything alright?"

Wes shot a wide, toothy smile over his shoulder. "Everything's fine! Don't worry! I'm just doing some training with him!"

"Wes…you've been here for a few days already and…I haven't been seeing much of you." Vivian's ears drooped. "…Are you sure you're okay?"

"I-I'm fine…I promise…" He pulled his hat over his eyes and went for the door. "W-We can…hang out later tonight. I-I promise." He turned the knob and let himself out. "See ya…" He shut the door behind him.

Vivian stared solemnly at the front door, then sighed at her pancakes. "…That's what you said the other day…"

Flint frowned, causing Gwyn to stop snuggling against him. "Mom…"

"…Flint…you were telling the truth when…you said everything was alright with Wes…right?" She blinked twice with tears forming in the corner of her eyes. "…I've seen him act like this only once before…"

Flint and Ella's ears drooped at that. They have seen it, too, over five years ago when Garret was killed. They exchanged a knowing look to each other, wondering if it was best to tell Vivian about it now. She still didn't know the full circumstances of what became of her late husband, nor the stress Wes has been beating himself up over. When Wes got into these moods, he completely shuts himself out from all forms of contact.

How far will it go this time?

The rest of their party felt the somber air in the dining room. Tony sighed, then pushed himself up from his seat. "Mrs. Ravenfield…maybe you should rest for a bit. I'd be more than willing to do the dishes before I head out for training."

Vivian rubbed her eyes. "I can't ask you to…"

"I feel obligated to pay you back for letting us crash in your home. I don't mind." He gathered up her plate. "I'll…put your pancakes in the fridge for later."

"…Thank you."

Flint helped Vivian up from her chair and guided her to the couch, with assistance from Gwyn. "Wes just needs a little time to himself right now. I'm sure he'll eventually come around and talk to you." He helped her onto the couch. "In the meantime…I never did tell you how we met the others. I'm…sure you would like to know how Gwyn and I met."

Vivian sniffled, then smiled a little. "I'd…like that."

Griffin glared at the three as he sipped on his yache juice. Ella gathered up the remaining plates with her telekinesis when the Grovyle said, "I sensed a lot of rage in Wes' heart. I remember you mentioning the last time he felt like this. I don't think it's the same as that time."

Ella glared. "…Wes is going to give his mother gray hairs if he keeps avoiding her like this. I swear, that idiot can be really selfish sometimes."

"Should I chain him to a chair?"

"Probably not the best option in his current state." She guided the dishes over to Tony as he washed up the plates. "…Although…"

"What?"

"He said he was visiting Hal…" Ella narrowed her eyes curiously. "…I wonder…"

Wes sighed as he walked in the direction of Hal's place. He had the shop closed for the day so he could focus on helping the Umbreon train. He didn't have to do that for the treasure hunter, but Hal promised he was going to help him out.

Still, Wes felt a little guilty leaving the way he did. He could see the hurt in his mother's eyes. A part of him knew what he was doing was rude, but…he just couldn't get over what happened back at Ironworks Kingdom. So much destruction to take the keys. Even if Margo made it clear he shouldn't give up, he couldn't stop feeling hurt over his mistake.

Was it selfish of him? Probably. Like the others said, he wasn't the only one in this. It could've happened to any of them.

Still, what tore up in his stomach was the Shadow King's blasé attitude towards the Umbreon. Someone that powerful with a god complex shouldn't be allowed to obtain that much power, especially for someone as morally corrupt as him. Wes was leagues under his strength, and he was supposed to be the one to lead his team into battle. If he wanted to prove he was an apt leader, he will have to go beyond his current state to vanquish the Shadow King.

He wasn't going to let that monster have the last laugh.

In his inner monologue, Wes found himself before Hal's place. A pretty normal house until you got to the lawn ornaments, complete with pirate ships, skeletons, a treasure chest (fake, obviously), and a skull and crossbones for a door decoration. Only with Hal could you find something like this and not be utterly terrified.

Wes stepped up to the door and knocked thrice. He waited a moment before Hal threw the door open, apparently having just woken up. Wes knew this because Hal had the eye normally covered by his eyepatch closed while he was in crumpled pajamas.

Hal rubbed his eye and looked down at the fox. "Ah…ye're here already." He yawned and let the Umbreon inside. "Already had breakfast?"

"Yeah, before I left…" Wes sighed. "So…you sure I can still use the back to train?"

"Just don't blow holes in me fence again." Hal went to his kitchen and went to pour a cup of coffee. "I'm only closing the shop for today to take some time off, so if you need anything, just holler. The training dummies should be set up out back."

"Thanks a bunch, Hal…" Wes went for the backdoors when the Krokorok stopped him again. "Huh?"

Hal sighed and leaned against the counter, holding his coffee under his snout. "Boyo…are ye feeling alright?"

"W-What? Of course I'm fine!"

Hal glared. "…Ye've been coming by me place a lot, ever since ye got back. I'd think ye'd rather hang out with yer friends."

Wes shook his head. "They're busy with their own training, too. I don't want to bug them."

"Aren't ye taking part in a team tournament?" Wes' ears flopped as his paw touched the backdoor. Hal set his coffee down. "Boyo…what the hell are ye getting yerself into?"

"…Hal, I'm fine, don't worry…"

Hal snorted. "I heard that same excuse from one of me crewmembers back in the day. Turns out ye can't hoist the sails when ye accidentally break yer arm. But no, he decided to push on through because he wanted to prove he wasn't worthless. Ye know what I told him? Ye'd be more worthless dead than incapacitated."

"I'm not hurting myself, Hal…"

"Ye sure about that?"

Wes began to scowl. "Yes…I'm sure…"

Hal glared at the tense Umbreon, taking a small sip from his mug. They had their glares locked with each other, with Hal's stone-cold demeanor bouncing off Wes' heated eyes.

"…I'm going to train now."

"…Yeah…ye do that…"

Wes let himself outside, closing the door behind him. Hal slurped down his coffee, placed it down, then headed upstairs. He pulled off his pajama shirt, balled it up, and threw it into his hamper. He entered his room and pulled through his clothes.

"That stubborn Umbreon is in over his head, I swear…" Hal pulled out an eyepatch and strapped it over his eye. As he did, he took a glance at a photo taped to the back of his closet.

An entire shot of his old crew, all gathered in front of the camera with their stupid, drunken grins. He remembered the lot of them. He took the photo off the wall and backed into his bed, plopping himself down as he gazed over the photo. He ran his finger over the familiar faces.

"That boy has a little bit of everything that I saw in ye idiots…if he were a little older and…not the son of me once sworn enemy, he would've made a pretty handy first mate. Heh…Wes as a pirate…that's a laugh…" He pressed his finger against the photo. "When was this taken? Hmm…oh right, it was after that big raid on the vineyard in the…ooh, it's coming to me…right, the vineyard in the Storm Zone! Ah, good times!" He laughed softly to himself.

"Heh…Zola certainly loved making her own wine for the crew. Yeesh, that dangerous woman…I swear, she got us so drunk, I lost two days of me life. Couldn't remember for shit…" He chuckled. "Breok and Pelham weren't any better. I think Pelham puked over the ship. Hahaha…"

Hal dragged his finger across the photo, then stopped on a young Darumaka wearing a striped shirt and bandana over his head. "Ah…and there's little Jaime. That little twerp…haven't seen him in ages. Been on the crew for twenty years and still somehow stayed the most sane out of all of us. I'd hate to see what he saw when we were all drunk off our asses…hoping he's doing well like the others…"

Hal set the photo aside, then exhaled. It was no wonder he found himself attached to the Umbreon. He was the right amount of nonsensical that he missed from his old pirate days. Now to see him in this dark mood, he felt worried for the Umbreon's health. Wes was an emotional guy. Facing the man who murdered his father couldn't be good for the poor guy.

Hal grunted. "Tch…but what the hell do I do about it? I ain't good at that whole 'friendly' talk stuff. The little shit won't listen to me, anyway. He hasn't even been training. Just wailing on me dummies until they've been turned to dust. The Umbreon needs to let off some steam…"

Hal glanced down at his fake arm for a moment, then narrowed his eyes curiously. He twisted it open and pulled it off, gazing at his own reflection in the blade. The sword lit up in a haunting blue and green aura, reacting to his covered eye.

"…Hmm…"

Since Flint, Gwyn, and Ella weren't in the mood to train today, they were willing to stay and spend some time with Vivian and the circus. They figured Angel and Cheri would help brighten the Sylveon's day, a recommendation by Tony, of course.

Tony has been making sure to use his time wisely to spend it with his mother and sister. Just last night, in fact, they went perusing around the village before eating at a local shack. Not the fanciest place to spend dinner, but he didn't come from a particularly fancy family.

It has been a while since the family went out for a bite to eat, not since Angel started getting sick. To see his Raichu mother with her usual spring and energy again made Tony's heart soar with delight. Even if her puns brought him no end of misery, seeing her happy made him happy, as did Cheri's happiness.

Still…recently, something has been gnawing at the Dewott's head…something that he didn't want to think about, but needed to asked…

These feelings kept at the Dewott as he practiced learning the Nebula Rider with his father. The Samurott sat on his own cloud, arms crossed, and observed the Dewott as he started with the first step to summoning the spell: forming a cloud. It was a learning process, so Tony wasn't going to get it down in one day.

…Then again, Tony has pulled off more surprises than Leroy was willing to admit.

Tony stood in a squat stance whilst trying to summon the Nebula Rider through his feet. He can send electricity into his feet and channel it outward, but he was having trouble extending it out into the shape of a cloud. He has experience using the wind side of his Storm Magic, but summoning a cloud to ride on was out of his range of expertise.

Leroy narrowed his eyes, then floated down to his level. "Perhaps a rest is needed."

Tony smirked irritably. "Oh, you would just LOVE that, wouldn't you? Thinking I'm going to quit now? On something so basic?"

"I never implied this was a simple spell." Leroy closed his eyes. "We still have the better part of the month left to train. Time is of the essence, yes, but there's no reason to push yourself into mastering this spell."

Tony glared, then took a deep breath and canceled the imperfect spell. "Alright…"

"Something is troubling you."

"Gee, what gave you that impression?"

"You haven't been scowling at me quite as much."

"…Ah…"

Leroy stepped off his Nebula Rider and dismissed it. "Perhaps you wish to talk?"

Tony glared. "Is this a father-son exercise?"

"Is that no?"

"…Ugh, fine." Tony plopped down and crossed his legs. "Wes is still pretty beat up over the loss in Ironworks."

"Did he say that?"

"You haven't known the guy as long as I have. He doesn't do the whole 'speak his mind' thing all that much." Tony glanced to his right. "He's got his mom worried. Frankly, the rest of the team's pretty worried about him. Hell, we tried explaining to him that the whole key business wasn't his burden alone. I think he's still pretty ticked with the Shadow King. Can't say I blame him. The bastard's the reason his father's dead…"

Leroy sat down. "Garret Ravenfield. A remarkable fighter from what I remember of him. It is a shame he is no longer with us…" He glared. "Have you tried reasoning with Ravenfield?"

"Thanks genius, why wasn't that my first instinct?" Tony asked sarcastically.

"You and that attitude…"

"Look, Wes isn't going to listen to anyone but himself. Ella thinks he's in another one of his…depressed moods." Tony's whiskers drooped. "…Maybe we should try something to cheer him up, but…not much we can do for him now."

Leroy stroked his beard. "Pardon me for asking, but…why bring this up to me? Do you wish for me to talk to him?"

"No, but…with how much he's worrying his mother…it did remind me of something…" He glared at the Samurott. "You…still need to talk to her."

Leroy blinked. "Talk to who-?" He stopped, thought for a moment, then looked away. "Ah…your mother…"

"And your daughter," Tony added sternly.

"Your training comes first."

"A wise asshole once told me two minutes that 'time is of the essence, yes, but there's no reason to push yourself…' Great fighter, but I heard he's a shitty parent…"

Leroy sighed, then scratched behind his head. "I…I can't speak to them…"

Tony smirked. "How come? Last I check, you all spoke the same language, unless you're not fluent in excessive puns, in which I'll give you lenience."

"You know that's not what I meant…"

"What I'm hearing is a coward trying to find the excuses to not speak to his wife and daughter, one of which having never seen your face before. I ask, whether or not you cooperate, why you seem to have your feet rooted to the ground on purpose?"

Leroy pinched between his eyes, suppressing a rising bubble of anger deep within him. "…Tony…what you're asking of me is something I can't bring myself to face…"

Tony glared seriously. "Mom knows about the keys and the idol…I couldn't go on this mission without telling her, first. She knows their importance just as well as I do. I don't think you're giving her enough credit."

"And what is our relationship turning up as? I sense the grudge you still hold for me, boy. You speak it through your mocking words. How would I know if your mother wishes to see me? For all I'm concern, my presence is but a bad memory of anguish." Leroy clenched his eyes shut. "The suffering I must've put her through…"

Tony leaned back on his hands. "Wow…you actually do have a heart…" he grumbled.

"You haven't forgiven me fully for abandoning all of you. Why should your mother grant me any sort of forgiveness?" Leroy bowed his head. "I am the Mage of Storms. My duty was to keep the Key of Storms safe from harm. I made the decision to take the position without warning. I couldn't even pay for you all from far away. I made that decision because I knew I wasn't cut out to be a father…all I knew was battle…"

Tony continued to glare, but it did ease up out of respect for the man. He supposed he couldn't be too rough on a guy who was thrusted into a lifestyle unbefitting of his own, even if it was his decision to fail on. That's why the Dewott tried so hard to be the breadwinner of the family. He didn't want to end up like his father.

"…Look…" Tony started. "I can't say I'm ever going to drop what you did and sweep it under the rug. What you did was pretty shitty, and I won't forgive easily for it." Tony glared. "That said…you should know your own wife better if you think she hasn't gone a day without missing you."

Leroy glared at the ground, avoiding his son's stare.

"Mom somehow still found a place for you in her heart. It annoys me to no end, since I still fail to see what she sees in you half the time, but she does care." Tony pointed at him. "If you're offering this training to me, then I need compensation for the trouble. Sooner or later, preferably sooner, you need to meet with Mom. I'm not having anymore of this bullshit about you being a coward."

"…She misses me, huh?"

"Somehow, still don't know." Tony sighed. "…I want Cheri to have a father figure in her life, too. The closest she has is me. Cheri and I are close…closer than most. We spent a lot of time together in that dinky old hut. Even if I don't like you, she doesn't have the same impression on you as I do." The Dewott waved his hand around. "Take it while you can…maybe you'll have one child who doesn't hate your guts."

"…I suppose so…" Leroy looked away. "…But I'm not ready yet. I…still need time."

"You better do it eventually…or else."

Leroy sighed. "You have a bit of your mother and me inside you…that stubborn, joking nature of yours…"

"I refuse to say I inherited any of your crummy personality…"

"Then let us hope it is my skills in battle that you inherited."

"…And while the Drunken Goblin can't actually attack, it's useful in diverting an opposing monster's attention away from your other monsters," Faye explained, setting down the card before Griffin. "Plus, it has this nifty secondary effect that causes that opposing monster to be stunned for one turn."

Griffin scratched his chin. "I see…"

"It's not a particularly popular card, but I've found uses for it whenever I get a chance to play the game." Faye gathered up her cards and shuffled them together. "Kind of a shame Holly and Mack didn't join us."

"They wanted to hang out at the bar. I'm not much of a drinker, personally." Griffin grabbed his glass of yache juice and sipped it.

Faye smiled awkwardly. "You…don't have to hang out with me if you don't want to. I'm sure you'd rather focus on training."

"I have, actually." Faye blinked in confusion. "I figured I could use my time to train at night. Not like I do much at that time."

"Uh…what about sleep?"

He shrugged. "Something I can't quite overcome, otherwise I'd just train all night."

Faye bit her lip. "Um…I'm not getting in the way of your training, right?"

Griffin waved it off. "Don't think too much into it. I personally prefer the silence at night to practice. I needed the time to practice with Land Shift."

"Is…that the one that causes earthquakes?" He nodded. "Huh…I thought I felt the caravan shaking the other night." Faye shook her head. "Well, anyway, thanks for…taking an interest in my game. It's hard finding others to take part in it." She chuckled quietly. "I can be a bit of a geek…it's why I would never take part in a circus act. I'm more comfortable working with the special effects and props."

Griffin crossed his arms over the table. "Does everyone alienate you because of it?"

Faye shook her head. "No, they're all great in their own rights. It's not like they're mean to me. It's…kind of like talking about sports to a guy…who doesn't like sports. Just not something they're interested in." The Sliggoo rubbed the back of her head. "No offense, but…you don't look like the type of guy who plays card games. I figured you would try and leave the second something annoyed you."

Griffin sighed. "I apologize for by brash behavior."

"Hey, hey, it's cool! Like I said, it's not for everyone!" Faye then frowned and looked down at her cards. "…I…actually know about what happened in Monsoon Village."

Griffin's eyes widened. "Wha-?"

"My uncle knew a guy from your village and told me some of the…shadier parts of your history, like how the Grim Ash Clan used to be heartless killers who misused their power and stuff. Not to say that was my first impression of you, just…I'm glad it's not true anymore."

The Grovyle relaxed, then leaned back into his seat. "Parts of my family history are best to be forgotten. And yes…I did lose my home a long time ago."

"You must've been, like, ten years old." Faye grimaced. "What kind of horrible person DOES that to a village?"

"You'd be surprised…" Griffin mumbled. "…I saw a lot of people die back then. I…haven't been able to look at the world the same ever again."

"It must've left a scarring impression…"

"That's just the half of it…" Griffin held his cheek and huffed. "It's hard for me to…really give much reason to trust others. First time I met those jokers I call teammates, I was set on killing them. Hard to believe I now consider them my friends."

"I…can't say I've ever been in your situation…" She tapped her hands together. "…Griffin…if it's alright for me to ask…are you happy with your life?"

The Groyvle scoffed. "Happy? That's a loaded question."

"It doesn't have to be…"

"…I frequently asked a lot of people I'm about to kill 'What does life mean to you' and see where it goes from there. If you lose something so precious to you that the world itself becomes meaningless, what reason do you have to care for the lives of others?"

"I'm not sure I understand…"

"That question was the very one an old friend told me…before he slaughtered my people."

Faye covered her mouth. "Oh…Oh my…"

"Now I'm out here, chasing him down, and still trying to wonder what to do with my life." Griffin closed his eyes. "…I was young when I set out on my revenge quest. It's all I know. There's nothing else that has kept me motivated for so long. Even now, my true goal is to find and kill the man who slayed my village. Maybe I am a killjoy…I can't find anything else to give me purpose…"

Faye lowered her hands and frowned. "What about repairing your village?"

"I do plan on rebuilding it…and running it…and repopulating the clan, though…that last one may take time. I'm not sure if I'll ever find a suitable mate."

The Sliggoo's eyes widened, then she snorted. Griffin raised his brow at her as she withheld her chuckles. "Heh…s-sorry. Mate? That's a pretty archaic way of saying 'lover' or 'wife.' I think we only use that word to refer to friends. I don't think I've heard it being used like that since before marriages were an official thing."

Griffin narrowed his eyes. "What's your point?"

"A little advice if you ever decide on dating: don't start a conversation off by saying 'Will you be my mate?' It…might give the wrong impression if you're not careful."

"…That so?"

"Honestly, it sounds more like you're only interested in having offspring than…having someone to love."

"That is my goal, though."

"I get that, but…was anyone in your village like that?"

Griffin narrowed his eyes and looked to the side for a moment. "…A long time ago before our clan was…organized." He sighed and scratched behind his head. "I really don't see the purpose in finding a life partner for that reason. I still have trouble fully grasping the point of love, especially during breakfast."

"What happened at breakfast?"

"Two of my teammates…well, became a unit…" he tried to explain awkwardly.

Faye blinked, then smirked. "Couple, bounty hunter."

"Yeah, that word." He then continued, "Sure, they looked happy, but…I just don't get how a couple can be that happy for the rest of their lives."

"They're probably just in the honeymoon stage of their relationship. Trust me, they'll tone it down once they get more comfortable with each other." Faye smiled. "Really, marriage and that kind of stuff is just finding someone who is willing to put up with you twenty-four seven. It's expanding your family. Friends can only put up with so much of your crap. Family, however, gets on each other's nerves, yet still find the reason to keep coming back to each other. That's because, no matter how a family gets on each other, they understand you better than anyone ever could."

"…That so?"

"I've had siblings and cousins who were utter twats, but I never stopped loving them. I even saw it when one of my cousins got married. She and her husband had their fits, but they understood each other. If your two friends are willing to start something together, I think that means they understand each other on the same level as family."

"…" Griffin looked down at the table. "…I have that sort of bond with Mack and Holly."

"Hey, if you ever need help picking up girls, I could always give you some advice, maybe even set you up with someone."

Griffin glared at the playful grin on her face. "…That's not happening."

"Aww, come on! I'm sure Nebula would think you're a catch!"

"The Brionne?"

"Sure, sure! What do you say?"

Griffin deadpanned at her, then flicked a card from his deck. "I believe you said this card, Pot of Secrets, removes unwanted annoyances off the battlefield."

"It actually removes monst…HEY!" She pouted as the Grovyle hid his smirk. "What do you mean unwanted annoyances?! Don't use what I taught you as a shield, mister!"

Griffin stood up and went for the door. "I believe that's my cue to grab lunch."

Faye shook her fists at him. "Don't you dare walk out on me! We're not done with this conversation!"

"Then how about you join me for lunch?"

"Maybe I…will?" Faye blinked. "Wait, what?"

Griffin pushed the door open, giving her a relaxed smile over his shoulder. "I still owe you for the drinks."

Faye blinked, then grinned. "Heh…sure." She gathered up her cards and followed him out. "I still have some cards I want to share with you. I must warn you, I get a little excited when I'm talking about Mythic Heart."

"Heh…I think I can put up with that."

"GAH!" Wes was thrown across the backyard and slammed into the fence. He dropped onto his paws and panted, glaring up at the enchanted dummies he was using. Leave it to Hal to steal expensive training dummies to adapt to your every move. Exactly what the Umbreon needed.

Although, Wes was pushing himself pretty hard. He had to take off his shirt and jacket due to the heat and sweat accumulating inside. They, along with his hat, were hanging on the fence.

Wes stamped his paw down and gritted his teeth. "RAH!" He rushed at the lead dummy and threw his weight into it. The dummy reacted and flung the fox over his shoulder, throwing him into a bush. Wes activated his Star Amulet and burst from the bush. "Mystic Beam!" He fired a low-power shot into the dummy taking its head off in the blast. "Warp Pad!" He fired himself out of the bush and tackled the second dummy. Wes pinned its arms down and glared at its featureless face.

He huffed with exhaustion, eyes burning with a rage. No matter how many times he wailed on these things, he couldn't rid himself of the mocking memory of that dark tyrant. His laugh, his higher than thou attitude, EVERYTHING about him made Wes' blood boil. The destruction brought on Ironworks was the final tipping point for the Umbreon.

"Everything I've built up for my rise…will become reality. I will not have the Ravenfield bloodline take that from me. With you and your brother, I shall put an end to the ones who made me suffer. That…is my destiny."

Wes bared his teeth. "You took my father away…you bastard…" He raised his paw. "What the hell…DID WE DO TO YOU?!" He struck into the dummies face and pounded on it relentlessly. "ALL OF THIS…JUST BECAUSE YOU HATE MY FAMILY?! WHY?!"

Wes punched the dummy, taking out chunks of wood little by little. Splinters jabbed into his paws, but he was so overcome with rage that he couldn't feel a thing. He wasn't sure if it was his own anger or some latent dark magic hanging over him, but he could hear the Shadow King's incessant laughter echoing in his ears.

Tears stung in the Umbreon's eyes, watching the dummy crumble to wooden chips. One final punch into the head caused it to split open and crumble into splinters. Wes panted, then glared at the other dummy. Unaware of its imminent destruction, it charged for the Umbreon.

"INFERNIUS!" He exhaled a white fireball that sniped off its head and turned it to ash. The dummy stumbled forward for a moment, then toppled over.

Wes stamped his paws down and panted heavily, tears dripping from his eyes. His ears hung down, completely limp. He clenched his eyes shut and rubbed them furiously.

Why…Why is this happening to us? What reason would the Shadow King want my family dead? Why are we the ones interfering with his shitty destiny?

Wes moved his foreleg away and opened his eyes. Staring at his foreleg, he forgot about his sadness for a moment to observe the cloak of purple wrapped around him. He didn't remember casting any other spell around himself. It was just there, all on its own.

It wasn't like his Mystic Burst. While it was wrapped around his body, it was more like a spiritual armor covering his body. However, maybe armor was the best description, as when Wes looked at his paw, he saw there were monstrous claws manifested around them. He narrowed his eyes and flexed his digits, with the monster claws mirroring his movements.

"Wha…?"

"Ye finally decided to cool off?"

"Ah!" Wes shook his foreleg, causing the magic to fade away. He sighed, then glared over at Hal, who was dressed in his usual wear. "…Need something, Hal?"

"Watch the attitude, bud."

"…Sorry…" Wes narrowed his eyes. "I'm…sorry for scowling at you earlier. I was just…"

"Angry," Hal finished. He folded his arms behind him and walked up to the treasure hunter. "Aye…I know what that feels like. So much anger boiling up inside ye that it's the only thing ye can think of. What happened back with Geno and at Ironworks hit ye hard. Isn't that right?"

"…Yeah…"

"And now ye're ignoring yer friends and family just to get revenge on him. Isn't that right?"

Wes grimaced, now feeling cornered. "I…"

"Do ye feel like only ye carry this burden on yer shoulders?"

Wes closed his eyes and shook his head. "No…No, no…I know my friends are in this as well…I just can't shake what I felt when I saw the Shadow King."

Hal narrowed his eye. "Latent fear. Ye don't scare easily, lad. It takes a lot to get ye frightened. Only when yer family is on topic, that's when ye get worried. This, however, isn't like those times. This is the first time someone, an individual, has scared ye for who they are and what they've done." Hal sighed. "Ye're fighting yer own fear of him…"

"…I guess so…"

"But ye hate feeling helpless. Ye figured wailing on a few dummies would make ye feel better. That can only work for certain things, but taking an unquenchable fear out on a sandbag ain't gonna do ye favors." Hal scratched his snout. "Do ye think yer father wasn't feeling something before he went off to fight the Shadow King?"

Wes narrowed his eyes, then looked up at him. "What do…you mean?"

"Ye remember yer last goodbye to him? Hugging ye, yer brother, and yer mother like it was yer final meeting. Truth is, he didn't know what to expect. When he saw the Shadow King for the first time, it shook him to the core. I didn't know what he was babbling about when he met with me…but the pieces came together when this whole business regarding the shadows reared its ugly head. I could sense something was wrong with him…and I could sense the fear he was trying to hide…masking it under the façade of his usual smile."

Wes blinked through his tears as Hal's fingers curled tightly. It shook with great tension. "Hal…"

"…Yer old man was afraid of never seeing his family again. Worried about not being there to raise ye all like he always does." Hal sighed. "I hated yer father when I was still a pirtate…he was my sworn enemy. If I told me past self that, when the fool finally croaked, I would be tearing up at his funeral, I would've laughed in me own face. Heh…who's laughing now?

"Yer father was scared, too. I don't believe there was a moment when he went to face the Shadow King that he wasn't terrified about dying. He loved his family too much to put them through that heartache. Even so, he powered through that fear, because he had to. That asshole…always trying to look cool…"

Hal raised his arms to the sky. "Even if I hated yer father…there was something ineffable about his courage that rocked me soul. I can't describe it…but yer father would do things that others would scoff at. He couldn't be stopped. He left an impression that shook those who oppose him." He sighed. "…And that's exactly what he did when he and the Shadow King faced each other."

Wes looked down. "He…did make the Shadow King pretty angry…"

"Ye're scared…more scared than anything ye've faced. There's no shame in that…even so, this isn't how ye should be coping." Hal pointed at the Umbreon. "Ye're too young to be giving yerself gray hairs. Ye're stressing out too much, boyo. These dummies can only provide so much leverage."

Wes frowned, then covered his eyes. "I…I don't know what to do…"

"If ye want a battle that bad, then perhaps it's time ye faced a real opponent."

"I can't ask my friends to do that. Even if it is sparring, they'd just feel bad for me…I don't want to worry-"

"I didn't mean sparring, boyo. I mean an actual battle. And not with yer friends…" Wes' eyes widened as a blue and green mist suddenly came into view. It swirled around him like a protective barrier, yet it added a sense of discomfort, like the presence of a ghost passing through him and leaving behind a shivering chill.

"H-Hal…what is…?" He looked up, then gasped.

Hal had his prosthetic arm removed, revealing the ghostly glow of his attached sword. His eyepatch came off, unveiling the golden eye hidden underneath. The bright blue pupil widened with the intake of light, then settled before both eyes glared down at the petrified Umbreon.

The ghostly vapor emanated from behind Hal, like a current of light dancing across the sky or the refraction of light off the cascading waterfall. Hal ran his finger across the blade's surface, with the ghostly vapor traveling through his other arm and coiling around him.

"I gave yer father hell in me time. I may have aged considerably…but that won't stop me from giving it me all." He pointed the attached sword at Wes, who remained frozen in shock. "I shall fight ye, Wes Ravenfield…and I shall do it under the retired moniker of Captain Specter!"