Ch.130: The Spark of Life Flickers Brightest! Our Protector, Flint Ravenfield!

"Alright, it's been decided!" Wes announced.

Having arrived only a few days ago, Team Ravenfield took the time to arrange their battle with Vernon and decide on their representative. The battle was scheduled for tomorrow.

His team looked up from their lunches, confused. "Uh, what's been decided?" Ella asked.

Wes stamped his paws down. "I've officially chosen the representative to face Vernon.

"Is it me?" Tony asked. "Be kind of nice to fight one of the mages without getting my butt whooped. Twice."

"You'd find a way to screw up again," Griffin said, sipping his yache juice.

"You want to take this outside?" Tony retorted, standing up.

"We are outside."

Wes clapped twice at them. "Team, focus!" He cleared his throat and continued, "I've given it some thought and decided that the one to face the Life Mage will be…Gwyn!"

Gwyn's eyes widened. "Me?"

"Why Gwyn?" Flint asked curiously.

Wes smiled. "Simple, because she'll be in her natural element. All she needs to do is tap into her godly reserves, turn the entire Swamp Zone against Vernon, and—BAM—we got ourselves another key."

"You're hinging our victory solely on that?" Ella asked.

Wes turned away and chuckled awkwardly. "I mean, maybe?"

Ella sighed and held her cheek. "If you weren't such a lovable dork, I might smack some sense into you."

"It sounds like a fine decision." The team acknowledged Ava and Morgan approaching them. Ava nodded at Gwyn. "You'll do fine, my dear. You did excellently against Margo, correct?"

Gwyn smiled bashfully. "I guess so?"

"If you can manage in Ironworks, you'll be more attuned out here," Morgan added. "Just as Wes said."

"Exactly!" Wes agreed. "See, I think things through."

"If you say so," Griffin mumbled before sipping his juice.

Flint sighed, then smiled wearily at Gwyn. "I'll do my best to cheer you on. It's the least I can do, right?"

Gwyn smiled back, though forcefully. "Y-Yeah, of course. Yeah…" She looked away, frowning.

Flint frowned at her. "Still not ready to accept me leaving?"

"Can you blame me?"

"Sorry, Gwyn."

She shook her head. "It's your decision. I understand." Her face betrayed her statement, still sitting in a downcast.

Wes sighed. "It's for the best, Gwyn, we know that." He smiled at his brother sadly. "Who knows? Maybe when we find the idol, I'll use it to fix your leg."

Flint laughed. "Might be better for me to find a medical magician than risk that. Just focus on getting Gwyn ready for tomorrow."

Wes nodded. "Right. We should probably go over some strategies. We still don't know much on how Vernon fights." He looked at Ava and Morgan. "Any insight from you two?"

Ava crossed her arms. "Normally, I would let you figure it out in the moment, but we can't afford to play games. I've seen Vernon fight before, so I have some knowledge."

"Sounds good."

Gwyn stood up. "I'm ready when you are."

"Alright. Come along, dear," Ava said before heading back inside the caravan.

Gwyn lingered back for a moment to look at Flint, frowning at his glum expression. She teetered awkwardly on her toes, glancing back and forth between Ava and Flint. She took a deep breath and approached Flint, leaning in and giving him a quick peck on the cheek. "I love you, Flint."

Flint's ears shot up and face went deep red while Gwyn followed after Ava, Morgan, and Wes. Ella and Tony immediately leaned over and filled the Flareon's ears with an obnoxious, "Ooooh~!"

"C-Cut it out!" Flint yelled, pushing them away.

Tony smirked. "That's the first time I've heard that exchange. Guess you've progressed from dating to loving~."

"She just said, 'I love you', don't make a big deal over it," Flint grumbled.

Ella laughed. "Oh hon, though they are but simple words, we derive off the meaning they carry. To some, they are words that carry no magic. For folks like me, those are the words that make you swoon."

Flint glared. "Of course you would say that. Have any fun with Wes recently?"

"We were in the moment!" Ella argued.

"Or you're easier to manipulate than I thought."

"Oh, stuff a sock in it, anti-Casanova."

"First time I've been called that."

"Jokes aside," Tony cut in, still holding the smirk, "I think Gwyn's the one trying to manipulate you."

Flint raised his brow. "How so?"

"She clearly doesn't want you quitting, so of course she would choose now to dump that little bomb on you. She wants you to stay and travel with us."

Flint sighed. "Is this a half-baked theory of yours?"

"It's simple deduction I can see with both my eyes, genius." Tony glared. "I was pretty upset after what happened to you, don't get me wrong. I may pick on you from time to time, but I would go to Hell and back if anything happened to you."

"Seconded," Griffin joined in.

"And Gwyn would do the same," Tony continued. "However, consider this for a moment. Gwyn was the last of us to see you before you got ambushed by Zaros."

Flint immediately connected the dots. "You think she—"

"—feels partially responsible? A little, yes." Tony shrugged. "Who can blame her? She's crazy about you. She was pissed when we last saw Zaros. Probably would've murdered him if she had the chance." Tony frowned. "She was the last one to see you. Even though you told her it's not her fault, that guilt is still present. Maybe she doesn't think she's at fault, but stray thoughts are stronger when left to their own devices."

Flint sighed, pressing his paw to his cheek. "I should talk to her."

"Maybe not now. She shouldn't have any more worries on her mind if she's really going to fight Vernon tomorrow."

"I guess."

Ella reached over and held her paw over his. "Flint, you are sure you want to go home, right? None of us want to push you, and we agree it's for the best, but are you sure?"

Flint looked away, pulling his paw away to gently rub his foreleg. "I…think so."

"You don't sound sure," Griffin pointed out.

"I do feel a little guilty."

Tony shook his head. "Don't think like that. We just want what's best for you, that's all."

Flint narrowed his eyes. "What's best for me…"

Ella patted his back. "We'll have you on your way home in no time. Just focus your energy on cheering Gwyn on tomorrow. She'll need all the moral support she can get."

"Yeah. Yeah, I'll be sure to do that." Flint stood up and gently stretched his weak leg. "I'm going to get some sleep."

"This early?" Griffin asked.

"I didn't get much sleep these past few nights." Flint headed inside the caravan, shutting the door behind him.

The remaining three looked at each other and sighed. "He's obviously going through some rough stuff," Tony said, playing with his drink.

"I hear you, but there's not much we can do," Ella said. "We can't force him to stay."

"I mean, we could," Griffin mumbled.

Ella glared. "No, we're not."

"You said we can't, not that we shouldn't."

"You know what I meant."

Tony tapped lightly on the rim of his glass, then asked, "Flint was bullied a lot in high school, right?"

Ella was briefly caught off guard by the question, then eased up. "He got picked on a lot. People called him a boring chatterbox who was the prime target for jerks. Of course, we knew about it and tried to help him, but it never really stops. Can't say Flint was physically assaulted, but he never had much to be proud of, save for his academic achievements."

"I would never believe it given how he is now," Tony said. "He seems mostly chill nowadays."

"Well, a change in setting can do that to you. Things got easier once college rolled around. People grow out of that jerkish mindset afterwards and pursue their futures." Ella took a moment to sip her water. "Though, I was around when he and Wes went through…some heavy stuff."

"Their father's death," Griffin stated. "You met their father. What was he like?"

Ella smirked. "Take the dominant traits of his sons and you got a pretty good idea. Still, I respected him. He and his sons just exude some natural charisma. Flint might've developed it after he got accepted into college. I swear, though I've known only three, all Ravenfields seem to act alike. Bound by blood, live by heritage. Considering Garret's parents died doing crazy stuff, it's no surprise everyone in that family is some form of insane.

"But Wes and Flint held a special place in their hearts for him. I noticed how bad it hurt them. Wes became obsessed with adventuring and Flint tried harder to please people. His death hit them pretty badly, and all I could do was try and offer support."

Griffin glanced at the caravan. "Guess Flint never fully moved on."

"We're all getting stressed out with this quest," Ella said. "I'm sure we've all contemplated quitting at some point—"

"Not me," Griffin interrupted. "I won't rest until I kill Voss."

Ella deadpanned at him. "I don't count undying bloodlust."

Tony leaned back. "Give it time. Flint needs to recover and get away from it all. Who knows? Some time back home without the threat of death might do him some good." Tony closed his eyes. "Might do us all some good. Being a part of a team has been stressful. Can't imagine if we were forced to separate now."

Ella nodded. "You're right." She raised her glass. "All we can do is hope for the best for Flint."

Tony and Griffin raised their glasses. "Agreed," they said before clinking them together.

Their deep conversation left them unaware, however, to the illusion casted by the caravan door. The illusion of a door shutting, hiding the still Flareon hidden within the invisible, orange bubble. A feeling had arisen in him, telling him to stay a moment. He had casted the illusion and intended to stay for only a minute.

Now, he stared at the ground with a look of grief. He clenched his eyes shut and headed inside the caravan with his friends blissfully unaware of his presence.

Night had risen over the village, with the local carnies slumbering in their stationed caravan. Team Ravenfield was sound asleep, getting rested up for the next day. However, Flint remained awake long after his male teammates fell into their dreams. He sat in his bunk, staring at the floor in his pale blue pajamas with blue vertical stripes. He occasionally played with the nightcap every time the pompom fell in front of his face.

Flint wasn't sure how long he had been staring at the floor. Ten minutes. Thirty. Maybe a whole hour. Time seemed to move slower when you stared at a stagnant object. Flint would rather sleep, but his thoughts wouldn't allow it. The last few nights have been nothing but brief nightmares and conflicted thoughts racing inside his mind. Sitting and doing nothing seemed to be the only answer now.

Still, though negative thoughts dominated his mind, he was quite bored with nothing to preoccupy the time aside from the occasional snoring of his three roommates.

Flint looked to the window ahead, noting that past the trees was a beautiful, nearly dark blue sky littered with clusters of stars. Though travel was made easier for them, Flint admittedly missed the long journey by foot and camping shenanigans shared amongst the team. Fond memories could be made around a campfire.

Flint narrowed his eyes and looked around his sleeping quarters. Wes, Tony, and Griffin were in a dead sleep. They wouldn't notice a thing so long it wasn't something life-threatening.

Flint exhaled through his nose and slid off the bed. "Screw it."

After grabbing his camping gear from Wes' bag, Flint had snuck from the caravan and traveled deep within the woods. He trekked carefully, not use to the weight of his gear with the weak leg, but he got a fair distance from the caravan to find a nice, open spot of land with a clear view of the sky.

He got his tent set up, a sleeping bag, and got a campfire going in less than fifteen minutes. Upon making sure the fire was safe, he sat down and breathed in the fresh, albeit swampy air.

And he sat. He sat on the rough, hard ground, staring at the starry night sky. There he was, sitting there. Now what?

Flint longed to camp outside again after so long, the tranquility of setting up a tent and building a fire. It was nice, but now it felt hollow. It was a lot more fun with company. Would it be impolite to ask Wes or one of the others to join him?

Flint sighed and shook off the thought. Best not to disturb them. It would be rude. Instead, he just stared at the stars and enjoyed the silence.

He smiled a bit. "Heh. Good view out tonight. Constellations are as brilliant as ever." He lifted his paw and traced the stars, connecting them into the constellations. "There's Dialga. There's the Sword of…hmm, Zacian, I believe. And that one's Mew."

Flint's paw hovered on the last constellation. He frowned, remembering how that very cluster of stars representing the Legendary's tail was Gwyn's father. He wondered if Mew was watching over her. Back in the Immensus Library, when they met Uxie, he stated how cases like Gwyn were the reason Arceus forbade the Legendaries to interact with their children. It was a harsh rule, denying Gwyn a chance to meet her father.

Flint sighed. "I hope you've been keeping an eye on her, Mew. That's what any good parent would do." He closed his eyes. "Just like my dad."

Flint moved his weak leg again, grimacing at the aching in his muscles. He could barely flex his digits or feel any of the muscle. Though he could walk, any pressure on the leg would have him collapsed on the floor in seconds. For a quadruped to survive in a fight, any damage to one leg was detrimental. Moving, dodging, running: all impossible in a life or death match.

"Bet Dad wouldn't let that stop him," Flint mumbled. "He'd just power through it and fight the pain." He smiled sadly. "What good am I? Wes was always the golden child when it came to fighting. I got your brains, but not your brawn. Is that really such a bad thing? I always valued intelligence, but…maybe there's something more to incorporating both."

Flint took a deep breath and stood up. He gently stretched his weak leg. "Well, might as well give it a shot."

Flint bounced on his toes, testing the limits of his leg. Nothing bad, just a little aching. He grew bolder and took tiny hops, careful not to add pressure on the leg. On all threes, it made balancing tricky. Even so, it was manageable.

"Hmm, wonder how high I can jump." Flint jumped as high as his three legs could take him, getting quite a decent few inches off the ground.

However, the second he landed, he accidentally placed pressure on his weak leg. It buckled instantly and toppled him onto his rear while a scorching pain shot through him.

"Agh!" Flint grasped his leg and massaged it, seething through his teeth. "Stupid, stupid, stupid." The muscles quivered for a moment before calming. Flint had pulled muscles in his leg before, either from overexerting himself or stretching too much, and this outclassed the pain of those times.

Once his leg came to rest, Flint collapsed on his back and covered his face. "I can't even jump a few inches off the ground without breaking down."

Right as Flint went on to chastise himself, an orange glow illuminated from his lower half. He lifted his head, peaking out from his paws, and saw a strange, shimmering orange aura coated around his leg.

"That aura again." Flint sat up and clutched his leg. "What is this? Certainly not my aura." He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "This is the same aura that kept me alive. I don't get it. Is this some kind of spell? I don't remember learning anything like this. Where did it come from?"

Curious, he flexed and stretched the weak leg out a couple times. The aches that accompanied him were numb. He felt their presence, but the pain felt like it was suppressed. It felt, though temporary, stronger.

"What is this magic?" he mumbled.

His ears perked up to the rustling of branches behind him. Taking his attention off his leg, the glow subsided. Flint squinted through the darkness just as someone parted the branches aside, rubbing their eyes.

"Gwyn?" Flint called out, identifying her aura.

The green Mew stepped into the light of the campfire. "Hey," she greeted with a yawn. She was dressed in a white nightgown. Her tail dragged behind her, leaving a line in the dirt.

"What are you doing out so late?"

"I could ask you the same thing." She gestured to the bare space beside him. "May I?"

"Oh, uh, sure."

Gwyn sat down, stretched out all her limbs, and yawned. "Strategizing is exhausting. Your brother comes up with some pretty crazy plans."

Flint laughed. "Magic's probably the one other thing he's passionate about. He can get pretty in depth when it comes to that stuff. Nervous about tomorrow?"

"Not particularly." Gwyn grabbed a stick and poked at the fire. "I really should be asleep, though. I can barely keep my eyes open."

"Then, why are you out?"

"Couldn't sleep."

"That sounds like a serious case of insomnia."

"Oh hush, I'm fine." Gwyn sighed. "Just…have a lot on my mind."

Flint frowned. "Ah." He stared at the flames, then scooted closer to her. "I understand."

"You still haven't answered my question. Why are you out here?" Gwyn scanned the site again. "Are you having a campout without us?"

"Heh, a little, yes."

Gwyn pouted. "Aww, but why? You should've invited us."

"This was a last minute decision. Besides, I couldn't sleep, either."

She smirked. "Sounds like a serious case of insomnia."

Flint rolled his eyes and playfully shoved her. "Oh hush." He leaned his head against her and sighed. "We did this when we were children."

"We?"

"Wes, me, sometimes Ella…and my dad. We'd camp out in the backyard and look at the stars. Wes didn't care for it too much, but I loved learning about the constellations. Do you know any?"

"No."

"Here, let me show you." He scooted behind Gwyn and took her wrist in his paw. "Extend your index finger and look through your dominant eye." She nodded and followed his lead. "Now, do you see that that star your finger is pointing at?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, now you follow along like this…" He guided her arm and drew out one of the constellations with it. "Do you see the shape we're making?"

Gwyn smiled. "I think so."

"Do you know what it is?"

"Looks a bit like…my tail?"

"That's the constellation for Mew."

"My dad, huh?" She grinned and waved at the sky. "Hi Dad! Hope things are well! Wish I could meet you!"

Flint chuckled. "Funny. Given how Tony treats his father, it amazes me you hold no resentment for yours."

Gwyn shook her head. "I don't hate Mew. Sure, it would be nice to meet him for once and, you know, get to know him, but I'm happy where I am. I trust that he's been looking out for me."

"You're too pure for this world, Gwyn."

"Aw shucks, you flatterer."

Flint leaned back on his paws and inhaled the swampy air, then let out a deep sigh. "Things were simpler. I wish I could go back and relive my days as a kid. No responsibilities, no expectations, no pressure. Just my family, my friends, and me."

"Can't say I share your sentiments exactly," Gwyn said, wrapping her tail around her waist as she pulled her legs over. "Most of my childhood was a mess."

"A shame my dad couldn't take you with him."

"He only honored my mom's wishes. She feared what the world would do to me if they knew there was a Mew running around."

Flint narrowed his eyes. "At least you've combatted your fears."

"I haven't."

Flint glanced at her, surprised. "Come again?"

Gwyn sighed. "I'm not shy like I was before, but I still worry about what the world will think of me. A Legendary among mortals. I know not everyone will be accepting of me. It's only a matter of when I meet those people." She closed her eyes. "And I still haven't gotten over my fear of witchcraft. Callista…scares me."

Flint wrapped his foreleg around her shoulders. "Oh Gwyn…"

Gwyn huffed through her nose, then smiled. "But I've managed just fine thanks to you guys. I would've never broken free from my doubts without you guys, especially you." She nuzzled her cheek against his. "I've always admired that about you. Your kind heart."

Flint smiled. "Thanks, Gwyn." He sighed and looked to the fire. "At least you have confidence in me, unlike myself."

Gwyn frowned. "Come on, Flint—"

"I'm sorry, it's just…I don't know what to do with myself anymore."

"Maybe you can start by not being so hard on yourself."

"Easier said than done."

"Says who?" Gwyn pulled his foreleg off and faced him. "I think you're amazing."

"I appreciate that, but it's not enough."

"What qualifies as enough?" She caressed his cheek. "Flint, I really am worried about you. I can't help it."

Flint frowned. "You said you were understanding of my decision to leave."

"And I still am, but that doesn't mean I can worry for you. Do you really believe you're not good enough for the team, despite everything we've said about you? You are amazing."

Flint shook his head. "I can't even hold my own against one of their lackies. How can I possibly stack up against the Shadow King?"

Gwyn glared. "Do you think any of us are ready to take on the Shadow King? I remember fighting him back in Ironworks. He outclassed us, no matter how many attacks we landed on him. At our current stage, we're not ready, but that hasn't deterred us yet."

"Doesn't mean I'll be of any help."

"Are you really going to live the rest of your life letting what Zaros said get you down?" Gwyn grabbed his shoulders. "It doesn't matter how strong Zaros is. You don't need his or anyone's approval to know you're special. They don't know what they're talking about."

"But they do," Flint said softly. "I've always looked up to teachers and experts for advice. If they say I'm doing great, why shouldn't I listen to them? Despite what Zaros said, I can't compare to him. He's better than me in every way imaginable."

Gwyn frowned, then pulled away from Flint. "Maybe he is. Maybe he is." She glared softly. "But, what gives him the authority to say those things? A higher authority doesn't mean they should be your standard of living. No one should tell you what you can or can't do."

Flint's eyes glistened with tears as he stared into the fire. "But I…I don't believe my judgment."

"But I do." She wrapped her arms around him. "I do. And so does Wes, Ella, Tony, Griffin, Ava, Morgan, and every one of our friends. We look up to you, Flint. We always have. You don't need to be flashy or brilliant to be recognized. You just need to have integrity in your beliefs. I learned that from you."

Flint blinked through his teary eyes, then glanced at her. "But how can I ever fight again like this? What if I get hurt worse? What if I let you all down?"

Gwyn smiled. "That hasn't stopped Tony, has it? Hasn't stopped Ella, Griffin, and especially Wes. Hasn't stopped me, either. If you get dragged down, we'll pick you back up and help. That's what friends are for, right? We don't let each other get dragged through the mud. We either help each other or go down together."

Flint blinked quietly once more, eyes dipping toward the ground. His heart pounded against his ribcage. His face flushed with embarrassment. "Did you mean what you said?"

"Of course I did. We would never let you down—"

"N-Not that. Earlier today, when you said 'I love you'."

Gwyn blinked, then looked away with a light blush. "Oh, that." She smiled. "Of course I meant it."

"Why did you say it? Why then?"

She shrugged. "You looked like you could use some cheering up. How could I not? I hate seeing you all gloomy." She looked away sheepishly. "Annnd, I was hoping it would persuade you into not leaving. Sorry."

"Dammit, Tony."

"What?"

"Nothing." Flint sighed, then looked Gwyn in the eye. "You…really do love me?"

She smiled and held his cheek. "Of course I do. Isn't it obvious?"

Flint smiled back. "I guess so." He sighed. "I'm really sorry for the way I've been acting."

"And I'm sorry for not being there when you needed me the most."

He shook his head. "I told you before, that wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known."

"It still hurts knowing I was the last one who saw you," she said sadly. "I don't know what I would've done with myself had I lost you. I would've…" Gwyn closed her eyes, trying to ward off her tears. "It's hard to think about."

"I'm sorry, Gwyn." Flint pulled her into a hug and patted her back. "I'm really, really sorry."

She hugged him back, chuckling as tears dripped from her eyes. "I guess we're both a couple of sad sacks."

"We're happy sad sacks."

"Happy sad sacks who love each other."

"Yeah…" Flint paused, staring at the ground as they held onto the hug. When was the last time…I wanted something for myself?

"Stars are beautiful out tonight, eh, boys?" Garret asked as he played around with their telescope. He and his sons had tents set up in the backyard with a campfire going.

Wes, laying flat on his stomach, groaned. "Boring."

Flint, meanwhile, was enthusiastic. "They're really pretty."

"Yes, yes they are," Garret agreed with a chuckle.

Flint tilted his head. "Uh, Dad? You're pointing the telescope at the house."

"Oops, you're right. I have it pointed at my bedroom window." Garret looked toward it and yelled, "Hey Vivian! Last chance! Get on out here and join the boys and I!"

The window opened, with the tired Sylveon glaring down at him. "Are you crazy? It's cold out here!"

"We got a fire going!"

"And I'm not sleeping on the ground, either."

"I'll pull out an air mattress for you."

Vivian groaned. "I'll pass." She raised her brow. "Wait, why are you aiming the telescope at our window—Garret!" she suddenly exclaimed, face bright red as she clutched her bed robe.

Garret snickered. "Something wrong, dear—" Vivian threw a pillow out the window and clonked him in the face, knocking him down.

"Heaven's sake, Garret, don't do that with the boys around!"

Garret sat up and smirked. "Can't I appreciate my wife's beauty from the comforts of the backyard? After all, you enjoyed camping with me when we were alone~."

Vivian's whole face turned cherry red. "Garret, you…!" She took a deep breath and sighed. "You know what? I don't care anymore. Just don't wake the neighbors." She closed the window for a moment, then opened it again. "And for the record, you can just ask me instead of using a telescope like a creep." She shut the window completely.

Garret whistled. "Man, I love that woman."

"Why was Mom angry?" Wes asked.

"And what was she talking about?" Flint added.

Garret patted their heads. "You'll both understand once you're interested in girls."

"Gross," Wes gagged.

"Doubly gross," Flint groaned.

Garret spun the telescope around, aiming it at the night sky. "But seriously, stars are looking great tonight. Who wants to take a look?"

"Me, me, me!" Flint squealed.

Wes groaned and dragged himself inside the tent. "I'll pass. Wake me up when we do something fun."

"You snooze, you lose, Wes," Garret said before pulling Flint over to his side. "Alright buddy, think you can point out some of the constellations for your old man?"

"Yes sir!" Flint peeked into the telescope, standing on the tippy toes of his hindlegs. "I've been reading all the astrology books you gave me. I can pick out seven on my own so far."

"That's my boy." Garret ruffled his head. "What do you see?"

"The Crest of Dialga is right over there. Oh, oh, that's the Shaymin constellation. There's Arceus' cross wheel."

Garret nodded. "Right so far."

"And that's, uh..." Flint hesitated as he tried to produce an answer. "I don't know what that one is."

Garret patted his head. "Let me see." He peered through the telescope, then smiled. "Heh, the Tail of Mew."

"I knew that!" Flint said defensively.

Garret smirked. "Sure you did." He sighed. "Quite a fascinating constellation."

"Why's that?"

Garret narrowed his eyes. "No reason. It's just…that constellation has been on my mind these days."

"Oh."

Garret shook his head, then smiled. "You're getting better at identifying the stars, Flint. I was worried this old telescope would be locked away in the attic for eternity."

Flint wagged his tail proudly. "They're just so cool. Did the Legendary Pokémon really form their images in the night sky?"

"According to legend, yes. Arceus wanted our mortal realm to be graced with their visage, so they carved the night sky with stars as reminders of their presence."

"Wow." Flint then blinked in confusion. "Wait, how can you carve the sky?"

Garret laughed. "Who knows? Legends never make any sense, like a god holding up the sky. Best not to question it too much."

"Okay."

Garret and Flint looked up at the starry sky in a mutual silence. Flint scooted closer to his dad and leaned against him. Garret, in turn, wrapped his foreleg around the Eevee.

"Hey Dad."

"Yeah?"

"I want to be like you when I grow up."

Garret smiled. "Oh? And why's that?"

Flint pulled away and beamed. "Because you're the coolest dad ever! I want to explore the world and hunt for treasure just like you!"

"You and your brother sound so much alike." Garret gently brushed back some strands of hair from Flint's face. "But why do you want to become a treasure hunter? Is it for the money? The fame? The women~?" he added teasingly.

Flint stuck his tongue out. "Eww, no!" He shook his head and grinned. "I want to learn about Mysto!"

Garret raised his brow. "Learn about Mysto?"

"I want to know where magic comes from. I want to know why we developed magic, why we were gifted with it, and the origins of it. I want to learn all about it."

Garret blinked, showing genuine surprise. "That's quite a hefty goal you got there. Some of the greatest explorers of the world as still trying to unravel the secrets of the past." Garret smirked. "You sure you're up for it?"

Flint nodded. "All your stories made me wonder how Mysto developed into what it is today. It sounds so cool, I want to learn it all."

"Heh, with that kind of passion, are you certain treasure hunting is your ideal future?"

Flint tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"That sounds like the ambition of a historian, or even an archeologist." Garret laughed. "If that's your dream, I'll support you all the way."

Flint smiled happily for a second, then frowned unsurely. "But…"

"What's wrong?"

"What if I'm not good at it? What if I don't do anything important? I want to be the one to discover magic, no one else."

"All dreams start selfish, kiddo, but life's not that flexible for just one creature. Still, if you want that to be your dream, you need to work for it. Build up your integrity."

"Integrity?"

"Flint, if I can only offer you one piece of advice, never doubt yourself. Always question doubt, but never succumb to it." Garret gently rubbed Flint's face. "Never say you're unimportant, that you're worthless. You're my son. You're a Ravenfield. We are anything but worthless."

"But can I really do it?"

Garret smiled. "Our family line has always had a curious fascination with magic. When you and Wes are of age, I hope to teach that to you. But never let anyone say what you can or can't do. Only you can decide your future, decide when it's time to give up. Thought times will always be rough, I trust you'll be able to mold your destiny toward the path you choose."

Flint looked up at him, eyes shimmering in awe. "Really?"

"What do you want to do when you grow up?"

Flint lingered on the question, his voice caught inside his throat. He pondered hard, scrunching his eyes and face up for an answer. After half a minute of thinking, he flared his nostrils and looked up at his father boldly.

"I want to be an archeologist! I want to learn about Mysto and discover the origin of magic!"

Garret grinned. "That's what I thought." He ruffled the Eevee's hair, making him giggle. "I'll support you on your journey all the way. Just promise me you'll work hard towards your dream, and I'll be there to help you seek the truth of the world."

Flint grinned. "I promise!"

I promised Dad…I would never give up. He would always be there for me…no matter how rough things get. Why…Why can't I be as awesome as you, Dad?

Gwyn, still snuggled against Flint, felt something dripping onto her cheek. She pulled a little from Flint and gasped at the stream of tears dripping down his face. "Flint? What's wrong?"

Flint pressed his sleeve into his eyes, choking back a sob. "G-Gwyn…"

"Yeah?"

"I…I miss my d-dad. I miss him…so much." Flint shuddered, rubbing his wet eyes. "I-I-I don't want to leave. I want to make him proud. I want to prove…that I can make it on my own."

"But your leg…"

Flint sniffled, then faced her, tears glistening over his eyes. "I promised him…that I'll work hard towards my dream, a-and that he'll always be with me. I can't…no, I don't want to let him down. I need this…for myself. If I leave now, I'll never live with myself knowing I could've done more."

Gwyn frowned. "But…I thought you were worried about dragging the team down."

"No, not just that." Flint sniffled and rubbed his eyes again. "I'm scared I'll drag myself down. I don't want to live as a coward or a nobody. I want…I want to prove to myself I am good enough. I need to prove I'm good enough."

"Flint…" Gwyn wrapped her arms around him and pulled his face into her shoulder. "Shh, shh, it's okay. I got you."

Flint gripped her nightgown and pulled her closer, sobbing into her shoulder. He hadn't cried this hard for his dad's passing in a long time. He had to stay strong for Wes and his mom's sake. Now, all he wanted to do was mourn, something he's been holding in for too long.

He needed to let it out.

"I'm scared, Gwyn. S-Scared of being a failure. All I w-wanted was to make my dad proud, a-and—"

"Shh, no talking. No more talking, Flint." She stroked his back and shushed him gently in his ear. "Just let it all out."

And so he did. He cried, pouring out feelings and fears held back for so long. That's all he could do. All he needed was a good cry and a shoulder to cry into.

"Has anyone seen Gwyn?" Wes asked, stepping from the caravan. Morning had risen, and the team was getting ready for their fight with Vernon. Wes only just discovered Gwyn was missing.

Tony, after swallowing part of his biscuit, said, "Haven't seen her. Actually, I haven't seen Flint this morning, either."

"Where'd those two run off to?" Ella asked. "Can't imagine them to be the ones to get up early."

"They could've gone ahead of us," Griffin said.

Wes shook his head. "No, that doesn't sound right, either. They would've waited for us." He sighed. "We could either search for them in the village or wait until they get back."

Tony bit into his biscuit again, then glanced towards the woods. He detected two auras approaching them, one orange and one green. "Call off the search party. I sense them over there."

The group turned and saw movement through the trees just before Flint and Gwyn emerged. They were still dressed in their sleepwear, though dirtied from sleeping on the ground. They were rubbing their eyes, probably having just woken up. They dragged behind some camping gear with them.

"Late night camping?" Tony asked with a smirk. "Or were you two having fun in private?"

After rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Flint glared at him. "Knock it off, Tony. I was just getting some fresh air and Gwyn joined me."

"Hey, I'm not teasing you, I would've done the same—" Tony paused and narrowed his eyes. "Wait, what's up with your eyes? They look reddish."

Flint immediately covered his eyes. Curse his perceptive nature. "Didn't sleep well."

"No, that's not all. The fur under your eyes looks discolored partially, almost like you've been crying recently."

Wes glared and approached Flint. "Did something happen last night?"

Flint looked away. "Err, sort of."

Gwyn rubbed her eyes. "It's a long story. Flint needed some…" She paused to let out a big yawn. "We were both having trouble…sleeping. Sleeping…sleeping…" Gwyn stumbled forward and nearly fell on her face. "Whoa."

"Gwyn, sweetie, are you okay?" Ella asked in concern.

Griffin glared. "You look exhausted."

Indeed she was. If her stance wasn't any indication, the dark rings under her eyes were the telltale sign. She yawned into her hand and said, "I was comforting Flint last night. I didn't get much sleep. I think I was only asleep for an hour. Maybe two." She yawned again, nearly tripping over herself.

Ella frowned. "Gwyn, you need to rest."

"But I n-need to fight Vernon today."

"You can barely stand," Wes pointed out. "You should've tried and gotten some rest, or at the very least told one of us you couldn't sleep."

Flint's ears fell. "It's my fault she stayed up for so long. She was only comforting me."

Wes shook his head. "It's not your fault." He turned to the others. "Change of plans. One of us has to take Gwyn's place. Tony, you might be our best alternative. Think you can handle it?"

Tony cracked his knuckles. "I'll wipe the floor with Vernon in ten seconds flat—"

"Actually…" Everyone turned to Flint, who stared at the ground contemplatively. "I have my own alternative." He looked up, glaring determinedly, if not also timidly. "Gwyn stayed up all night to comfort me, and I owe her for it. So, as my apology for the inconvenience, I wish to take on Vernon myself."

"What?!" the team exclaimed.

"Flint, are you nuts?" Wes asked.

"Dude, I'm glad you're acting confident, but baby steps are a thing," Tony said.

Flint shook his head. "I'm not confident. Actually, I'm downright terrified." He clutched his pajama shirt. "The thought of fighting still terrifies me. I can feel it lingering around in my mind. I'm worried I'll freeze up again if things get too rough."

"Then why would you volunteer yourself to fight in the first place?" Ella asked.

Flint glared. "Because I'll never forgive myself if I run away. If I'm going to quit adventuring, I want to be sure of my decision first."

"You know the mages don't go easy on us," Griffin reminded. "If you fight Vernon, he won't hold back."

"I know." Flint glanced at Gwyn, who smiled sleepily at him. He coiled his tail around hers, then sighed. "That's my choice. And that's the only choice that matters to me right now." He glared and nodded firmly at his team. "I want to be strong for all of you, as your shield. If I lose, I'll follow through with my decision to leave. But I'm not running away without proving to myself I'm a member of this team. I'll find a way. That's what Ravenfields do."

"I can't believe this," Ella mumbled. "He's delusional. Wes, talk some sense into—"

"Okay," Wes said with a nod.

Ella gasped. "Huh?"

Wes smiled at Ella. "I trust my brother, Ella. If he wants to do it, I won't stop him. He needs this. I have full confidence in his decision."

Ella blinked twice, then sighed. "You Ravenfields give me a headache sometimes."

Wes chuckled, then smiled at Flint. "You got this. I know you do."

Flint smiled. "Thanks, Wes."

Tony sighed and folded his arms behind his head. "I still say this is reckless, but who am I to talk?"

Griffin nodded. "We'll support you from the sidelines. You know what you're doing?"

"I do." Flint took a deep breath, then stamped his front paws down. "Let's get that Key of Life."