Sasha lifted her head as she heard Andre run out of the cave and into the moonlight. She tried to slip past when Honchkrow spread their wings and blocked the door. Andre needed her, but Honchkrow said he needed space. Pleading and insisting stares were exchanged. Eventually, she conceded, coiling back into a small nest of leaves in the main room of the cave. With nothing left to do but wait until he returned, she sat in silence.

But she didn't sit for long. Only a minute had gone by before she became restless and began pacing around the room. "I just don't understand. He's upset and we're doing nothing?"

"We're not doing nothing. We are giving him what he wants right now."

"Well, I don't think it's what he needs! We should be at his side like-"

"We should wait until he's ready!" Honchkrow cut her off. "I know you're worried but smothering him isn't going to help."

"It feels like I'm the only one that's worried about him." Sasha hissed as she turned her back and retreated further into the cave. Frustrated, she lashed out at the uprooted stump they used as a table and stormed to her room, slamming the door behind her.

Honchkrow sat stoically in the silence before finally allowing a single tear to fall down their face. Was she doing the right thing? How could she be sure? Was it Andre who needed space or her? Her head began to cloud with thoughts and doubts. She took a deep sigh and tried to clear her head. A distraction. She needed something to do while the thoughts slowed down. Perhaps the blades? Yes, that would do nicely.

They drifted toward the table and began examining the sheaths and hilts of the swords. The beautiful craftsmanship was still evident for supposedly spending quite a while in the ground. Under layers of dust and mud, they could see beautiful patterns woven into the emerald-dyed ribbons tied to the pommel of each blade. The carvings on the sheaths were a bit garish in her opinion, but clearly made with care. The blades had some chipping and a spot of rust here and there but were the most well-preserved parts by far.

"You really are exquisite. I wish I could have seen you when you were new."

"What, still thinking of selling us? Well too bad! We're priceless so don't you dare try!" The voice filled the room with surprising resonance, catching Honchkrow off guard. She let out a squawk and barely retained their balance from the shock.

"Saber calm down, they didn't even say anything about money. Plus, don't you think they would have sold us by now if that's what they were after?" This voice was much calmer and spoke to the other as if it were a separate person altogether. "You will have to forgive us, we have been passed around ever since we were found."

Honchkrow had to take a second to reorient themselves. From Andre's story, they knew it was some sort of ghost Pokemon, but this one was apologizing on behalf of another voice. Two spirits in one Pokemon, now that was very new.

"Oh, it's quite alright, you just gave me a startle is all! And no, I'm not going to try to sell you so you needn't worry about that." Honchkrow cautiously approached the swords again, though now there were two eyes, one in the center of each crossguard that examined the room.

"This is not where we were before. No bright lights, no cluttered shelves, no scary dogs. This place is better."

"Better?! We've clearly been stolen! We're in a cave on this sorry excuse for a table and the brown one is nowhere to be seen! If you will not act then I will!" One of the blades drew itself from the sheath and lashed out at Honchkrow.

She threw herself backward and slammed into the wall. Quickly, she recovered and readied to retaliate, only to find the second blade had buried itself into the stump and, using its ribbon, held its other half back. Honchkrow kept their stance, not poised to attack but ready to protect herself at a moment's notice. The one called Saber struggled to break free, slashing wildly at Honchkrow. In her younger years, this would have earned it a swift air cutter.

The other blade began to lose its hold on the stump table and Saber inched closer to Honchkrow who was quickly running out of space to retreat. With one last tug, the Doublade lunged toward its quarry thrusting the point of the blade straight towards her throat! Honchkrow was pinned against the wall and, with nowhere to go, closed her good eye and braced for the sting of the silver blade! But it never came.

Carefully, she opened her eye to see Sasha on the other side of the room with her tail wrapped around the scabbard, helping to hold back Saber who had fallen short by mere inches. They were pulled back once more and Saber continued its reckless slashing and stabbing, not realizing that Sasha, who was holding them back, was well within striking range.

The struggle hit a stalemate. Saber was unable to break free and advance but Honchkrow was still cornered and had no means to fight back. Sasha looked around the room, frantically trying to piece together a way to end the struggle.

"What are you waiting for? Bite us!" The other voice of the Doublade shouted out as its eye looked to Sasha. "It's gonna hurt but we'll be ok. Do it!"

Sasha panicked. "I can't, I- uh, I'm no good at fighting and-"

"Well, I'm not seeing another option and you can't hold us back forever. You have to!"

Sasha kept looking around the room, trying to find something, anything she could use to restrain or incapacitate the Doublade, but there was nothing. All of her adventuring supplies were back in her room and Andre usually did most of the fighting. Little by little, she felt her grip slipping as Saber inched forward again. She was running out of time. She was no good at planning, that was Honchkrow's expertise. Andre was the fighter but Arceus knows where he ran off to! The pressure began to build, tears forming in her eyes. Honchkrow needed her and she was helpless, worthless! Honchkrow was going to die and it was all her-!

"What in Arceus' name is going on here?!" All eyes turned to the cave entrance as Andre's voice flooded the stone room. Even Saber had paused his assault. In fact, Saber turned to face Andre and held the tip of their blade to the ground in reverence.

"The brown one has returned! These fiends kidnapped us from your care and brought us to this wretched cave! They were attempting to sell us once more." It was as if Saber had become an entirely different person.

Andre stood in shock and confusion. Kidnapped? Wretched cave? "What are you talking about? This is our home. I brought you here after finding you in the warehouse."

Silence hung in the air like a humid summer night. Saber blinked repeatedly at Andre, half expecting him to be joking. The punchline and laughter never came. If a sword could sweat, they would be doing so profusely.

"I- uh, oh dear. I seem to have made a slight error. You will have to f-forgive me, my esteemed hosts!" In a matter of seconds, Saber had gone from daring and proud to shy and embarrassed. They quickly retreated back into their side of the scabbard, and the other blade followed suit. Sasha was relieved to finally be able to release her hold on the Pokemon, and Honchkrow slowly crept out of the corner and rushed toward Andre.

He opened his mouth to ask what the hell had happened but before he got the chance, he was wrapped up in Honchkrow's wings, trapped in a feathery hug. He struggled at first trying to break free but eventually accepted his fate. Andre knew that once Honchkrow got you in a hug it was up to them when it was done. He didn't mind too much though. After the day he'd had, this was nice. He needed this.

Unnoticed amidst the feathered embrace, the fur on his left paw shifted to a light lavender as moonlight spilled through the cave entrance.