The day had been long and uneventful. People had come and gone, he and Sunshine had walked around town, gone out to eat, enjoyed the rays of the sun while they were to last. But it had been mundane, boring. Kaguya was eager to return to the Guildhall. To see how his team was doing, to check if they were alright.

To check if they saw him as a monster-

A growl escaped the young man as he lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling above him. His daughter was already long asleep, snoring quietly atop his chest as he was unable to follow her example. His mind had been in many dark places since the... incident within the cave. Old memories had been dredged up, and questions he'd thought long answered resurfaced in his mind.

Perhaps they had been right, after all. Once a beast, always a beast.

Of course, in his heart he'd known all along. They'd taught him that, after all. He just put on a very convincing act of being like those around him. That he was a Pokemon, and not a monster. He always hated looking at his reflection. Because no matter how much he washed and scrubbed, the red stains wouldn't go awat.

Another low growl ripped from his throat, before he silenced it. Afraid he'd awaken his daughter. He didn't want to think like this, he wanted to sleep. He wanted to close his eyes in the dark, and open them again when the sun beat down upon them. But no matter how much he tried, no matter how much he willed it. Sleep would not come.

The Glaceon sighed, absentmindedly stroking down his daughters back, eliciting a small purr from the sleeping Eevee. Since sleep evaded him, his mind began to wander. With a sigh, he laid back against his pillows, and allowed his thoughts to take him away.

"SURPRIIIIIIIIIISE!"

The startled Glaceon, leapt backwards from the now well lit room. When he'd gotten home that evening from moping around by the stream at sunset, he'd found his house deathly quiet. Alarms began to ran immediately upon the discovery that the front door was ajar, and the lights were off. That newborn kit he'd found out in the woods a few days prior had been sleeping at home, but he'd left the lights on for her just in case she awoke while he was out.

Understandably, to find them suddenly off sent him into a panic. He knew he had enemies, a LOT of them. But to take it out on a child? Could anybody be that depraved? Silently, he crept into his own house. Keeping vigil in the knowledge that around every corner could be somebody vying for his head.

Needless to say, when he'd crept into the silent living room, only for the lights to flick on and a jolly Espeon and ecstatic Eevee kit to scream as loudly as they could at him, he'd unceremoniously panicked, done a half hearted jump backwards and flopped gracelessly onto the floor in a crumpled heap.

"Mister , are you ok?!" The newborn kit rushed over to the thoroughly embarrassed Glaceon, who offered a lopsided smile to the young girl.

"Don't worry, little one. I'm fine, besides my heart pounding out of my chest. Let me guess, this as your idea wasn't it?" The pointed accusation was shot towards the Espeon giggling in the corner.

"Well, somebody needed to remind you of your birthday! You weren't gonna remind yourself, obviously! So, happy birthday Kaguya! I've got something for you!"

The blue Eeveelution scowled, picking himself up off the floor with deep breath to settle his nerves. "I didn't ask for anything, Selene. Not from you, or the child, or anyone else. You didn't need to-"

"You're right, I didn't! But I wanted to. You're my friend, you have been for years. So, close your eyes!" Selene winked at the boy with a playful smile.

Kaguya sighed, rolling his eyes as he glared at the Espeon. "Selene, come on. I'm serious, I-"

"Please? Don't you trust me?" The Espeon put on her best 'Aren't I adorable, how can you deny me?' look. Unfortunately for him, Kaguya was never very good at resisting that look.

"Ugh, fine. Just stop... looking at me like that. You know I hate it when you do that." A giggle was his answer, as the girl beamed.

"Alright, now close your eyes! And don't you dare open them until I tell you to, alright? No matter what, no peeking!"

"I promise it's a good thing, Mister! You'll like it! A-and I hope you like mine, too!" The recently evolved Glaceon sighed deeply.

"She roped you into it too, kid? You didn't need to get me anything, you know..." Selene giggled at the boy, who had done as she asked.

"We wanted to, Kaguya. Arceus knows you deserve it after..." The Espeon trailed off, unable to finish her thought. "Well, you need something to smile about, right?" She meekly offered.

A strange shuffling filled the room, presumably from the two girls preparing their presents. Kaguya wasn't sure what to think. On the one paw, he was touched that the two cared so much to remember (Or in the kit's case, learn about) his birthday, let alone celebrate it. On the other, he was conflicted on them wasting their time and money on somebody like him. Why was Selene being so nice to him anyway? After all, he'd-

"Ok, we're ready. You can open your eyes now." The Espeon's soft voice met his ears again and with a soft sigh, he complied.

The first thing he noticed was the new fashion statement Selene was making. In the brief time his eyes had been closed, she'd donned a deep violet cloak with white fur trimming around where it rested upon her neck and shoulders. Elegant gold weave patterns flowed from top to bottom, creating a very striking piece of clothing. She held out a wrapped present in her paws towards the boy.

"Happy birthday, Kaguya. This is from me. Please, accept it." Kaguya hesitated. It wasn't often he heard such sincerity in Selene's voice. She was quite a prankster when it came down to it. But she was being genuine this time. This meant a lot to her, and she was hoping it would to him too.

Slowly, Kaguya accepted the wrapped object. It felt rather heavy for it's size, but also surprisingly soft. With a small nod from the smiling Espeon, the boy carefully began to unravel his present, trying not to tear any of it. It felt wrong to do something like that, given how much work Selene had put into the careful wrapping. Unravelling the paper around the object he'd been handed, it became clear why she'd suddenly donned the cloak she now wore.

Within his paws rested another cloak of similar make. This one was a deep blue in colour, with the same golden patterns adorning it's back. Soft white down covered the inside of the cloak where it would rest upon his neck. Kaguya stared down at the cloak, marvelling at it's make before speaking. "Selene, I... there's no way I can accept this... it must've cost so much, and-"

"Money means nothing to show how much... you mean to me. How much you've always meant to me. You've been my friend since we were both children, Kaguya. You were always by my side when I needed you... when I needed a shoulder to cry on after rough breakups, or an ear to listen to me prattle on about nothing important. I remember all the time we spent together... all those night beneath the stars where we'd share our hopes for the future, our wants and wishes... those memories, those moments? They make you worth so much more than money. So I wanted to prove that... I know how you feel about... what's on your back. So, I thought... maybe I can give you something to hide it? Something to remind you that no matter how bad it was... you always have somebody looking out for you."

Kaguya was surprised when he saw the Espeon turn away, her cheeks burning brightly as she muttered softly. "That you have someone who'll always care..." The moment was shattered by an excitable little Eevee kit squealing as she ran forward to the older Glaceon.

"U-uh, um... here!" She squeaked out, holding up a small wrapped present towards him. "I'm r-really sorry it's not a lot, but-"

"Kid, kid. Relax. I wasn't expecting you to get me anything, you're still... so young. But, I'm gonna wager this was Selene's idea." The Glaceon glared at the still blushing Espeon, however the kit shook her head.

"Nope! All mine! C'mon, open it! Please?" Kaguya sighed as the small child gave him the same puppy-dog eyes Selene enjoyed using to get her way. Hesitantly, the Glaceon accepted the gift.

"Thank you, though I assure you that you didn't need to do this..." Unravelling the gift revealed a strange item to be sure. A mug. That wasn't odd in and of itself, he knew. Mugs were often gifts given, and she did know he enjoyed tea. But the mug read "World's Best Father."

"Father?" The Glaceon questioned, looking down at the small kit, who bashfully began to wring her paws.

"U-uh, um... well... y-you're the closest thing I have to a dad... a-and you're the best person I know, so..."

"Would it make you happy, kid? To have a guy like me as your dad? I mean... I'm barely an adult as is, and I have no idea how to raise a kid... I might... I dunno, really screw up and hurt you, after all I'm-" The boy was shocked when both Selene and the kit grabbed his paws, glaring him in the eyes.

"Don't say things like that. You're not what they all say. It wasn't your fault, Kaguya. It was theirs. And they got what they deserved in the end." Selene's voice was hardened as she spoke, causing the Glaceon to flinch slightly.

"C-come on... you don't really mean that Selene. I mean-"

"I mean exactly what I said, Kaguya. She deserved it for what she did to you. For what they all did to you."

"But she is- was-"

"No. She sacrificed that the moment she partook in what they were doing. There were no innocents in that damned place other than you. Not one." Selene growled softly, her split tail flicking in agitation. "I wish I'd realised sooner... I wish I'd saved you... So you didn't see her when you look at me..."

"Selene..." The Glaceon lowered his gaze. It hurt, hearing her say such things and yet... she was right. They looked so alike. It was so easy to do, and he lashed out at her every time he forgot. Was he truly so messed up?

"Papa...? Don't be sad! You've got me, and miss Selene! We're gonna be right here!" Kaguya flinched slightly at the unfamilliar word.

"Papa?" The kit nodded, beaming brightly up at him.

"Yep! You're my Papa now! You said would it make me happy, and it would! So you're my Papa!" A scoff broke past the boys muzzle, before he smiled softly, leaning down to wrap the tiny kit in a firm hug.

"Then I guess that makes you my daughter, doesn't it? Which means now I've gotta be at least three times as protective and doting. That's the rules of being a dad, you see. You've gotta spoil your kid." The Eevee kit giggled and squeaked as she was lifted up onto the Glaceon's shoulders. "Mind helping me try your gift on, Selene? I'm, uh... not really well versed in putting anything like this on..."

The Espeon giggled, walking around behind the boy as she tried desperately to ignore the still bloody bandages covering his paws and back as she set about dressing the Glaceon in his cloak. "All you've really got to do it slide this over your head, get it set comfortably on your back... and then once it's in place, just close the clasp here and voila!" Kaguya was shocked at just how soft the fabric felt on what little fur it touched. He rolled his eyes as the kit buried herself beneath the fabric, purring like a newborn Meowth kitten.

"So, how do I look?" Selene had to do her best not to blurt out her true feelings, as she tried in vain to hide her blushing cheeks.

"R-really good. It suits you." She choked out, her tail twitching nervously. Kaguya laughed, rolling his eyes.

"If you say so, now come on. It's not a birthday party without food, is it? Let's eat then, I'm starving!"

Kaguya stared down at the sleeping kit atop him, absent-mindedly scratching behind her ears as he smiled softly.

"You're the best thing that ever happened to me, you know that? He murmured softly to the sleeping girl. "I don't think I tell you that enough..." A frown crossed his face as he laid back on the pillows.

"I wish I'd been a better friend, Selene... I never deserved you... not from the day we met to the day I ran without saying goodbye... You deserved so much better..." The Glaceon sighed as he close his eyes.

"But I can't change the past. I can't make it right... so all I can do is promise myself... never again will I be that person... never again will I hurt the people I love the way I did you... I wish you knew... just how sorry I am..." Wiping away a few stray tears, Kaguya finally felt sleep coming to claim him. He'd need all the rest he could get. Tomorrow would be the day he returned to the guild. He's need his strength, it was going to be another long day. But at least it'd wear him down so he wouldn't be trapped awake.

With a weary sigh, the Glaceon closed his eyes, wrapping his daughter in a tight embrace before finally slipping away into the realm of dreams.