Chapter 37

Reconnection

"GUILD! AT ATTENTION!"

"AYE!"

The sharp voices of the guildmates thrummed over the stones of the guild hall. Tall torches burned brilliantly, each with a different color, from purple to black to green and cyan, each for the Poke'mon types.

There, before the three at the front, stood Sarfallinus, a stoic look on his face, hands behind his back as he looked down at them. Beside him, Olistia stood tall. Despite the events that morning days ago, the two maintained professionalism during the ceremony.

Present, betwixt the torches, were Kipuuna, Loshjno, Lahnae and Ganisus. There with them stood several elites, white coats fluttering in the soft breeze blowing through the hall.

Conspicuously, none of the elites that had interrogated the guild were present. Instead, Avery could see Team Clockwork, the Mightyena and Scolipede both looking like they might break down and cry with joy at any moment. Across from them stood another elite team; a Whimsicott, an Archeops and a Chandelure, along with another team, a Floragato, a Hatterene and a Skarmory.

At Avery's sides were his partners. Vizon to his left and Nivanee to his right, both of them standing at attention.

"Team Azure!" Sarfallinus called in a booming voice that shook the flames. "Your service to the guild, the Conduicy, Arcea and her Poke'mon has been recognized."

He lifted a hand to the team, beckoning the Plusle.

"Approach, Avery of Azure."

Avery raised his head high. He was still...nervous. He was still apprehensive about all of this. But he knew this was a big deal. With elites present, he couldn't be weird.

And...they'd done something huge. With everything that happened, everything that Vizon and Nivanee and he had been through, they'd gotten a Pearl. The Thieves Guild...or 'Santurini Guild' was stopped from whatever plan it had.

For now...for now, they were safe.

He gave his teammates on either side of him a smile, tired, but satisfied...and stepped forwards, to stand in front of Guildmaster Sarfallinus.

"Ai, ai, Avery of Azure. Vizon of Azure. Nivanee of Azure." Olistia spoke first. "For the defense of the cartographer and protection of the Kessi Ruins, the Arceali Board of Historical Research wishes to present you accolades: 'High Defender of Golden Truth'."

Sarfallinus produced a thick box, opening it. Olistia reached within, producing a medal to place upon Avery's chest. Then Vizon's. Then Nivanee's.

"The Bureau of Arcean Law recognizes your dedication against those that have fallen from the light of Arceus, upon Windscorch Mountain, across the mountains of Rocky Hills, through the southern Marsh and over the delta, over Breezy Plain and Lightning Wastes and beyond, you are awarded the Iron Bisharp Award of Steel Justice."

She produced another medal to place upon Avery's chest. Then Vizon's. Then Nivanee's.

"The Duke of Souljraan has presented his highest honor, the High Honor of Souljraan, for service to him and his citizens."

A third medal was placed upon Avery's chest. Then Vizon's. Then Nivanee's.

"The Village Master of Taeriana has bestowed upon you his highest honor, the High Honor of Taeriana, for service to him and his citizens."

There, a fourth medal on Avery's chest. Then Vizon's. Then Nivanee's.

"And it is with great pleasure that today I give you the Conduicy's greatest accolade, for venturing down into the cloying, screaming dark with naught to shine you forth but love for your fellow Arcean and want to see them safe. To plunge to horrors unknown or unthought of. To see what none others have and stand above it victorious. You, and all of Team Azure, are hereby honored as Svygunn Arkenali, Paragons of Arceus."

She then lifted three wreaths of gold, placing them around each of their necks.

The torches flared. The elites and guildmates clapped heartily for the three of them.

"It is now, with these honors, we have our final accolade to give."

Olistia lifted her head and raised a hand out toward the crowd.

"Presenting to Team Azure, I summon Team Ganusi, Elite Team of old to welcome the upcoming team of elites to the next rank."

There was a shuffling behind them.

The medals had weight to them on Avery's chest. The wreaths of gold sparkled and shined in the torchlight.

In the back of his mind, he felt it. He felt that nagging voice, that all of this was wrong, to look for some angle for everything to be horrible. That these awards were insular, only Arcean, they sought to divide them from Illaminians and others.

...But there were two sides to everything, too. And...they had done hard work. They'd done good work.

They'd protected the cartographer. They'd opened the border at Souljraan. They'd saved the Delta from a regime that should have been taken care of years ago. They vanquished a beast that took the lives of sailors for decades.

...Theyd brought the guild together. Kipuuna, Ganisus, Lahnae, Loshjno, Rikzyod, Nivanee...they'd done good work.

And ulterior motives of Avery's superiors or not, nothing could get in the way of that.

Team Azure turned to face Team Ganusi.

Behind stood the Whimsicott, the Archeops and the Chandelure. Avery saw Nivanee's eyes sparkle at the sight of them. Vizon, too, perked up at the team's name.

The three larger Poke'mon stepped up to the front. Sarfallinus and Olistia backed away to let them stand before the honored Team Azure. The Whimsicott looked upon Avery, Nivanee and Vizon with a warm smile, an excited twinkle in her eye.

The Whimsicott hesitated, as if unsure where to begin. She held a hand to her chest, trying to calm herself. The Archeops pet her on the back, to which she gave a thankful nod.

"Team Azure...you may not know me but I certainly know of you." She said. It was clearly a rehearsed line. Thoroughly rehearsed, from the way she practically took and anxious breath between every word. "I am Vinae of Team Ganusi, and we of the Team...Elites Commission..."

She paused at her flub. The Archeops softly held her hand.

"...elites commission would like to present you with your next step towards graduation. Team Azure...!"

Avery could hear Kahrei blow her nose tearfully.

"You are now rank 2, Sophomore Elite, Double Prong...!" Vinae said at last. She lifted with both her hands three badges, golden and shimmering with 'TZ' on them. On the bottom of the circular badges, where once there was only one spike now there were two.

Prong...two prongs.

Carefully, Avery took his badge and looked down at it. He didn't entirely know the consequences of this. But...this was what Team Aquashock was when they'd first joined.

The Plusle's thumb brushed against the two prongs on the badge, and he became acutely aware of how hard his heart was beating. This was huge. He knew this was huge.

Avery looked to Team Clockwork. To his guildmates.

To his team.

"Thank you, Vinae. Thank you, Team Ganusi." Avery looked back. "...Thank you, Guildmaster."

Vinae bounced a little, looking relieved to not be talking anymore. She immediately began clapping for the three, which the Archeops followed up with as well as the Chandelure (who, while not clapping, gave a happy sway). Kahrei and Euno clapped and whispered a cheer, mimicked by all the other guild.

In so short of time...Team Azure had ascended to the 2nd rank.

Team Ganusi took a step back as Sarfallinus and Olistia stepped forward.

"The report, teams." Sarfallinus said, standing up straight. "It is with great pleasure I now announce the safety of Arcea from the Pearls crisis."

Another applause followed.

"With the Water Pearl safe and secured from what was a near loss, the legendary birds have been rendered forever dormant." The Infernape continued. "Just as they belong. Xamao will find no use in his Thunder Pearl, and we can all finally breathe easy as we continue our search for the ones that initiated this attack on the peace of this land."

There was an affirming murmur and clapping. Olistia, herself, clapped politely...though her gaze had a hint of...

...something.

"Guild." Olistia continued from there. "With this crisis averted we can now flex back regular time off lost due to the crisis. Three uninterrupted days of rest are being imposed as of tomorrow, with resumed regular time off."

Avery could hear the guildmates sigh with relief. Even Kahrei and Euno sighed.

"I thank everyone here for their service." Olistia said, clasping her hands together. "And I look forward to continue working with everyone here."

There was one final round of clapping as Sarfallinus stepped forth.

"GUILD." He bellowed. "DISMISSED"

"AYE"

The torches blew out.

With that, the multicolor lights fell, leaving the guild to its normal lighting. The stain glass window was dark, nighttime having long overtaken the city.

The mood immediately relaxed, somewhat, among the guild members. However, it was a different story for Sarfallinus and Olistia. The Gardevoir gave her earnest regards to the guildmaster and moved to a pair of Bisharp that had accompanied her, preparing the return to the castle. No more teases or jabs, she was strictly business with Sarfallinus. The guildmaster frowned but made no move of his own, simply standing, Estaloni fluttering at his side.

The guildmembers broke from the line, coming up to Avery, Vizon and Nivanee with warm looks of their faces.

"Excellent job, you three!" Kipuuna said, hugging around Vizon who returned the gesture. "Though I suppose it's your second time around, huh, Nivanee?"

"As Team Duskwalker, maybe! But Team Azure is different for me." Nivanee said, beaming. "I'm...really proud of us, how far we've all come."

"YEAH, DUDE." Lahnae shouted, nudging into Avery with a cheeky smirk. "Loshjno n' me have been here three years and the only award I ever got as a golden thimble for worst team leader!"

"But if I remember correctly you still proudly displayed it on the nightstand." Loshjno said with a smile.

"Well yeah! It's my award for being the #1 guild try-harder!" She said, almost like she was fiercely encouraging herself! Loshjno laughed, patting her on the back good-naturedly.

Vizon, meanwhile, only stared down at his two-prong badge in amazement. Nivanee sidled up close to Avery, looking at each of their chests to look at the glimmer of the golden 2-prong badges.

Avery nudged Nivanee back, pinning the badge to his chest. His heart was starting to speed up.

"Honestly, after all these medals and everything I'm mostly psyched about the days off. Like... We did it. We did it!"

He brought his hands up, looking at his guildmates.

"We were all there! Even though... Even though Xamao showed up, even though he tried, we got it. We won!"

Avery gave Vizon another look - despite everything else that happened during that event...

"...You stood up to Xamao."

And that was amazing.

"I did." Vizon said. With a smile, he pat his chest proudly, puffing it out. "And I...we...sent that bad guy packing."

"Yeah! I totally saw!" Lahnae cheered, bouncing around the three. "That punch you SLAMMED into him was SICK! Guess that big bad loser's just a big bad WIMP!"

"At the very least...he sure won't be causing us any more trouble, I'm sure!" Nivanee giggled, swaying side to side. "More than anything...I'm glad I found you guys. I've been worried sick for days."

"No doubt, ugh..." Kipuuna shivered. "Here I thought that debacle on the River Delta was your most dangerous escapade. Now it probably doesn't even break the top three..."

Everyone perked up at the sound of approaching footsteps. Nivanee's ears lifted, a wide smile on her face.

"Vinae...!" She cried, stepping forward to hug into the Whimsicott. The elite, Vinae, merrily snuggled the Eevee, giving a high-pitched squeal!

"Nini! Aw, I'm sorry I haven't been around! " The Whimsicott cried as the Chandelure and Archeops walked around.

"Heya, Kip." The Archeops said, nudging the Piplup's shoulder. "Heard you dropped back down to one-prong."

"Yeah...we're wanting to get it the old-fashioned way." Kipuuna replied, glancing at Avery. "We had sort of a...team reinvention."

"Awww that's adorable, Kip-squeak." The Chandelure said, almost joke-mockingly. "You might actually apply all that bulk you built moving crates around, huh?"

Kipuuna blew a raspberry, but Ganisus gave an tiny amused smile and the ribbing. Vizon was just amazed seeing the elite team, while Lahnae looked on in confusion.

Avery chuckled - he was about to reply to Kipuuna's remark about the danger of the mission, but...

"...Kip-squeak, huh~?"

"Gh-!" Kipuuna flushed, his feathers bristling. "Avery, you had better not use Shantai's crude nicknames against me, I'm warning you...!"

"Ehh calm down, Kip-Squeak." The Chandelure bopped the Piplup on the head, making the Piplup go even redder.

Nivanee pulled from her hug with the Whimsicott to look back at Avery.

"Avery, Vizon! Do you know Team Ganusi?" She asked, bouncing. "They were at the guild when Janus and I first joined! They were our senior guild members next to Infinity!"

The Whimsicott, Vinae, giggled softly, lifting and fluffing the Eevee's fur.

"Mhm! We only graduated what...Equiros, was it 5 years?"

"4 years ago." The Archeops replied back.

"Awww, Vinae, some team leader! You're forgetting our anniversaries!" The Chandelure playfully jabbed.

"I, hah, I've heard the name," Avery said with a mildly uneasy grin. "But I'm really bad with current events so don't take that as a slight."

"Aw, that's okay. Avery, right?" Vinae gave a warm smile, waving away your remark. "We're still kind of the fresh faces at the elites! Actually, I think we're still the youngest elites. Nobody's graduated after us yet!"

"Nini sure was close though." Equiros the Archeops said, his voice a long drawl. "Was kind of a shame to hear about what happened. You both would've made great elites."

"Yeah and we need someone to boss around already!" Shantai joked. "C'mon, don't leave us on the bottom rung forever!"

Nivanee giggled at that, snuggling back into Vinae who hugged Plusle snickered and elbowed Vizon.

"Well, even if I'm not familiar...This guy can fanboy for the both of us, right?"

"Yeah! Team Ganusi was an old guild team, even older than I am!" The Riolu said. "They joined back when Karniqus was still guild master back in 6th Turn, 34."

"Ah, Karniqus...he was an amazing leader..." Vinae sighed wistfully. "A silent, imposing Conkeldurr that always knew just how to whip any rag-tag group of street urchins into the finest elites of Arcea..."

"And boy were we a bunch of street urchins!" Shantai snickered. "Heck, I was only going into the guild for fun when we started!"

"Oh, if it makes you feel any better, the only elites I know of by heart are Kahrei and Euno," Avery said, putting a paw on his chest and raising the other. "And that's only because we were working with them for the first half-"

He paused.

"First...fourteenth...of the mission at Yahneri Port. My pop culture knowledge is that bad. I only just found out about Team Moonlight."

Avery looked down at his badge again.

'Two prongs. Three prongs, and we graduate, right? And...and join the elites.'

"What do you guys do that's different from us here, anyway?" Avery asked, looking over at the Whimsicott. "The first time I saw elites really on active duty was at the port."

A lie. But Avery figured it was probably best not to bring up the interrogation.

"Ohhh, you're interested?" Vinae said with a sparkle in her eye. "Well, not a whole lot is different, I suppose. We're afforded a lot more autonomy as elites, taking whatever work and requests are available. We maintain our own records and files on ongoing issues and collaborate with other elites as needed."

"And take the commission money directly." Equiros put in.

"Well! That's more just a big tip to incentivize us." Vinae added after that. "Really, all the work we do is, by all accounts, a free service the Conduicy provides to Arcea and her Poke'mon. Stopping outlaws that have run beyond Arceliaze jurisdiction, big threats, and sometimes even small jobs!"

"Then dumb stuff like this Pearl stuff happens and the commissioner starts getting all uppity." Shantai huffed. "Bossing us around and telling us what jobs to do like we're guildies again. Direct command periods are SO LAME. We don't even get paid for it! Well, not extra, we only get the standard castle salary!"

"Oh well...bigger projects are sometimes dropped in our to-do box by the commissioner, if it's urgent." Vinae said. "But those also tend to have no added stipend..."

Vizon clicked his tongue, looking impressed. A base salary was certainly an improvement from the nothing Azure was typically raking in with all these emergency missions.

"But, honestly, don't worry about not knowing us." Vinae assured softly. "Elite activities are usually a little more...hush-hush than the grand, extravagant and exciting adventures of young and spunky Arceali guildmembers like yourselves! Enjoy the spotlight while you can, you know! Once your an elite, you can't as much afford to broadcast your every move to the enemy, right?"

Vinae laughed softly, releasing Nivanee, whom she had been lovingly squeezing like a plush toy.

"Still, it's a massively increased workload...which is why we haven't been able to visit hardly at all." Vinae sighed.

"An increased workload?" Avery asked, tilting his head. "But you just said you set your own hours...unless you've been under like, direct orders for a while now. I know the map we got had something to do with that...?"

"Weeell, you know how it is! We dictate our own hours but you gotta put in some justification for your share of the castle budget~!" Vinae giggled softly.

"Yuck, don't even mention that." Shantai gagged. "Last performance eval gave me so much anxiety I thought I'd hurl on the commissioner's desk."

"Hurl what? You have no mouth!"

"We both would have found out!"

Everyone laughed lightly at that, especially Vizon, who seemed to be really cozying up to the senior team.

Avery shook his head.

"I don't know whether I'm interested or not yet," He clarified firstly. "I was just under the impression that it was the only option after going three-pronged, you know? It's like...what's expected. Everyone's talking about graduates from what I'm hearing so I'm thinking 'hey, I should probably do that at some point, right?"

'At the very least, these guys seem more human than most of the elites at the port were.

...bad word choice.'

"But I'm really glad that we're going to get some actual, real time off." Avery said. "We got some pretty nasty injuries from last time, and we only got a day off. Guess it takes being stranded for two weeks emaciated on an island to get some PTO, huh...?"

"Well, as it just so happens, a lot of elite teams have been awarded the same PTO!" Vinae said with a smile and a little twirl of her poofy cotton. "Clockwork got some, Team Dust...and yours truly~!"

"Oh, excellent!" Kipuuna said with a perk. "That'd give us lots of time to catch up, huh?"

"Of course!" Vinae said with a smile. "Plus, I really wanna get to know the new guildies! I've seen how earnest Team Spade is!"

The Torchic beamed proudly while Loshjno only nonchalantly put his hands behind his back. The Whimsicott turned her attention to Vizon.

"And you, Vizon!" The Whimsicott said with a sunny smile. "From what's being said, you're a real spitting image of the classic guild!"

"...I am...?"

"Sure! Steadfast, strong, brave, and unflinching!" Vinae nodded. "When they say Team Azure sets the example, they certainly aren't kidding...but, of course, we all know the reality: it's a team effort! You've learned from your guildmates just as much as they have from you!"

Vizon's eyes sparkled at the compliment, looking up at the elite as she pat him softly on the shoulder.

"You're doing great, Vizon! I'll be happy to get to know you!"

...Once again a little voice spoke in Avery's mind. Faint and small.

Something was wrong.

Avery knew the thought that was creeping in his mind, that of...persuasion. Suggestion.

Indoctrination.

The Plusle took a breath, trying to banish the thoughts. He surely couldn't think that of every Elite. No, perhaps...these elites were just workers. Just some Poke'mon wanting to do good for their country, their fellow citizens.

Yet even as he calmed, the voice remained, quiet and teasing in the far back of his mind.

"It feels good that all of this is finally over," Avery agreed, speaking at last. "I think...yeah, I think we've only done, uh, three missions that didn't have to do with this Pearl business? It'll be nice to do stuff like move boxes-"

He cleared his throat.

"-like Kip-squeak recommended all those days ago...!"

Kipuuna shoved Avery's shoulder, redder than ever, the Chandelure elite giggling at his expense. Vinae bounced again, nodding to the Plusle.

"Believe me, you both have earned some easy jobs as much as anybody could have!" She said, patting Avery's head. "Once work starts back up, we'll have to be sure to do our best and be at our most efficient, even for small jobs nobody thinks about!"

"Yeah!" Vizon concurred with a fist pump. "We learned that from Nivanee! 100%, no matter what!"

"That's the spirit!" Vinae giggled with a soft swish of her cotton. She looked up, seeing Kahrei and Euno across the room looking hopefully at her and the Ganusi team members. With a laugh, Vinae rose to her feet. "Okay, well, we should get going soon. Clockwork probably wants another game night and it's hard to say no to Kahrei."

"Don't give me puppy-eyes, girl, you're supposed to be an elite!" Shantai snapped at Kahrei who was doing her best to look pathetic.

"Guuuuyssss, you promised!" The Mightyena whined.

Vinae hopped up, gently floating over the heads of the guildmembers. Vizon looked up in awe.

"We'll see you soon! Hey, if you wanna do anything together, we'll be around the castle, ok?" Vinae offered, giving a friendly wave as she made her way over to Clockwork, followed by Equiros and Shantai.

Vizon's eyes sparkled.

"Yeah! Er, I mean...!" The Riolu recovered, smoothing back his hair. "We'll think about it...!"

Nivanee sighed wistfully, watching the team go.

"Gosh, that was nice. It's been so long...Janus and I always looked up to them so much. Clockwork, too, a bit, but they graduated years before we joined." Nivanee's tail was swishing as the other guild members dispersed amongst themselves. "Vinae was practically a mentor. Besides Sarfallinus, of course!"

"It's nice to know that they're still doing well," Avery said, a little absently. "They're not nearly as...stuffy? As a lot of the other elites seem to be."

"Mhm! Some part of me always worried that graduating would change you." Nivanee said. "Like you'd get all serious and stuff...but that's really only the older teams in the elites. Vinae and Shantai seem perfectly happy and haven't changed a bit! Equiros is...well, a little closed-off, just as he ever was."

"That's about how they seemed in the periodicals." Vizon added, still watching the elites as they climb the stairs and vanish. "Between them and Clockwork, though, I'm wondering if they're less professional than they're written about."

"Well, they're still just regular Poke'mon, you know! Just like us!" Nivanee giggled, eliciting a nod from Vizon. "Guild work would be a lot easier if we were the perfectly oiled machines the Souljreini Printing company portrays us as!"

There's a laugh between the three.

Avery felt a bit like a fish out of water, being the only one that didn't know who Team Ganusi were. But the elite team was friendly. It was really easy to think of all the elites as faceless enforcers. And they probably played a part in razing that forest and bringing down the port's people.

...But they were people too. And they were friends of his friends.

'Because we're all mini-enforcers at the end of the day.

Shh. Just...just for now.'

"In any case..." Avery mumbled, stretching, "Is there anything else to do tonight...? Vizon and I had a lot of food when we got back, but we're supposed to pace out how much we eat overtime and my belly's telling me it's time for round two, heh. What're you all going to be up to...?"

Loshjno and Kipuuna broke off from the others, approaching the three, hearing that last question.

"Well, actually, there is one thing!" Kipuuna said, almost looking...excited. Loshjno gave a broad smile to match.

"We've fixed up Aquashock's room into something of a meeting room." The Squirtle said, looking back at Lahnae and Ganisus. "We've been taking a few nights to do some guild meetings. Or...maybe more group therapy sessions. Just communication time to help iron out any issues that crop up or give life updates."

"It's been years since I've felt like this..." Kipuuna put in. "I never realized how much Janus held us together until now...looking back we were downright dysfunctional for seven straight years."

Nivanee's ears folded back.

"That's certainly an understatement...but, we pulled through, right? And now we're closer than ever!" Nivanee took a deep breath, her ears lifting again. "No matter what happens...we'll always have each other at the very least."

"A group therapy room?" Avery repeated. "...Oh. Oh! So that's what you were doing when you were getting furniture all those days ago!" He clapped his fist into his other hand, connecting the thoughts. "... Jeez, yeah, therapy sounds nice after everything I've seen..."

Avery looked down the hall.

"Plus, y'know. It'll...just be nice to do things as a guild together. I want to learn how to play that war game. Or even like..." Avery furrowed his brow. "...Does Arcea have a 52-card deck?"

"52 cards?" Vizon mused. "No it's more of a 60 card deck, isn't it...?"

"The point being, Avery..." Loshjno continued. "We were just about to have our session before splitting off for the night."

Nivanee's tail swished excitedly. It was obvious she was already in love with these sessions.

"Yeah, considering how long you've been away we've got to catch you up." Kipuuna concurred. "...and I'm just...really happy you're okay, guys."

Vizon gave a smile at that.

"... O-oh-" Avery brought a paw to his chest. "...Yeah. Yeah I... I'd love to come."

'They'd started while Vizon and I were...

...jeez.

We'd been gone for two weeks. They didn't know whether we were alive or not. What had those first sessions been like..?'

Avery looked to Vizon.

"... Shall we, then?"

"Sure enough, partner." Vizon concurred, looking back and gesturing Avery to go first.

Just partner. Guess that clinched what happened on the island.

"Hey, Lahnae!" Kipuuna called back, grabbing her attention. "Grab some chairs from the storage room, we got a guild meeting tonight!"

"Sure, dude!"

"Here, follow me." Loshjno offered, waving them all along. Ahead, Ganisus was down the hall, unlocking the door to Aquashock's room.

'...Hoo boy. Yeah.'

Hopefully this would be good. It was odd for Avery to think...him and Vizon might have been brought up in previous meetings.

But...Hopefully everything would be fine. Hopefully everything would be better.

As they followed after Loshjno he led them into Aquashock's room where Ganisus was already getting set up.

The inside of Aquashock's room was certainly...stuffy. Clean white sheets, polished floor, an organized desk and bookcase with storage box. An Arcean patterned rug lay spread on the floor, looking like it was cleaned regularly. Picture frames showing maps and awards hung on the wall, perfectly lined up.

It was funny. Despite her being a year Aquashock's senior, Nivanee's room was so much more simplistic.

On the large rug sat a circle of cushioned seats which Ganisus was pushing into place. Loshjno stepped out of the way of the door to let Lahnae and Kipuuna through as they carried in two extra chairs, for Avery and Vizon.

"Yo, who's got snacks this week?" Lahnae asked, dropping the chair on the carpet.

"Ganisus should have it covered."

"...what?"

"The...the snacks, Ganisus."

The Shinx lifted his head, squinting in thought for a second.

"Oh."

Without another word he reached in his satchel. To the relief of everyone Ganisus pulled out some boxes, jars and liquid containers, enough for everyone, setting them out in the center of the circle. Avery could see glazed sweet treats, wheat chips, cheese, what looked like a sauce and steaming sweet smelling drink from a thermos, with wood cups being laid out on the floor.

"Woah, hey hey, Ganisus...!" Kipuuna stammered, waddling over. "Table! Put it on the table, not the fine Arcean...!"

"...why did you even shell out so much money on something you step all over."

"Because it looks nice! Sure paid off now that we're all gathering in our room, huh?"

"I guess so."

"You guess so? Loshjno, C'mon, tell him!"

"I was unaware I was considered the carpet aficionado." Loshjno smirked with a laugh. "Perhaps I just didn't want the meetings in my room..."

"Whuh...?"

"I'm just messing with you." Loshjno nudged the Piplup before hopping up onto a seat, Vizon and Nivanee following suit.

Avery took a few sweets from the center before stepping up into his own seat, finding himself between Nivanee and Loshjno.

Subconsciously, he curled his knees up onto the chair, making himself a little smaller.

He knew these were his friends, but...he hadn't been here for the first meetings. He didn't even know how many there had been. They were going to catch him up, but...

All seven of them were together. The Arceali guild, just like we had been in the bar, right before he and Vizon had left. That was the night they-

'...eight silhouettes, swaying in the wind.'

Avery shut his eyes. He was done with that, that wasn't happening- He couldn't even talk about that...!

"Oooohhh...kay, everyone." Kipuuna said, scooting his chair forward. A nice wood table now sat in the center with all the snacks placed on it, making the Piplup much more comfortable. "I appreciate everyone coming again to this to help make this a more regular thing."

"Honestly, this is more like our first real one now that Avery n' Vizon are here!" Lahnae cut in, beaming at the Plusle.

"Ahem, remember we take turns to speak." Kipuuna said, making Lahnae cover her beak. She gave a quick nod and let the Piplup continue. "Anyway, Loshjno, could you recall what we talked of our last meeting?"

"Yes, yes I believe that was...two night ago, being out at sea looking for Azure as we were last night." Loshjno said, leaning on the table. "Let's see...well, we mostly expressed worry for Avery and Vizon and Subordinates, venting our concerns..."

He nodded to Nivanee to which she gave a quiet 'thank you' before letting the Squirtle Continue.

"We also expressed a few thoughts on the wave of new applicants...then a heated debate about the riots and an even more heated debate about Janus."

Kipuuna and Lahnae winced. It was easy to imagine what a 'debate' between them would look like.

"After that was resolution to form a search party for Team Azure and here we are."

"Sound about right to everyone?" Kipuuna asked.

"Yup!" Nivanee said.

"Totes!"

"...what?"

Vizon gave a thoughtful nod, paying close attention to what was being said. At last, Loshjno cast a glance around the whole table.

Avery raised a hand carefully. It felt...odd to do, but he didn't want to speak out of turn..

"...R...Riots?"

"Ah, right, I almost forgot." Loshjno chuckled. "No worries, Avery. It was apparently just some street scuffles that happened a few days ago while you were out."

"Street scuffles? What about the house that caught fire in the Lower Market District?" Kipuuna asked.

"Yeah, and I heard a rumor while we were riding back into Arceliaze that things got a little more serious while we were out looking for Avery and Vizon!" Lahnae chimed in. Loshjno shrugged.

"All I know is we're not being involved yet." The Squirtle said.

"Yeah." Kipuuna concurred. "The only reason we'd have anything to do with it is if it got especially out of control. Until then, the guard is handling it. I don't think it's anything besides smashed windows and looted shops right now. And a bit of vandalism."

They seemed to tactfully avoid the question of who it was that was rioting.

Avery guessed he'd see what that was tonight. At the very least, he was glad that they were being tactful about it. He didn't have the energy to start a fight over it all.

"... So then... How do these work?" Avery asked, shifting in his chair. "What do we...do?"

"Well, Avery...we just try to talk." Kipuuna said with a shrug. "And if we get into an argument we try to just...talk more instead of storming off like we usually do."

"It's proven helpful so far." Loshjno said with a grin. He glanced to Nivanee, nodding his head. "Nivanee, why don't you lead us off?"

"Oh! Ok!" The Eevee said, nestling in her chair to get comfy. Lahnae took a chip with some cheese, prompting the others to start their grazing of the food. "Why don't we begin our updates with Lahnae?"

"Yessss!" The Torchic pumped a wing, sitting up. "So, good news, everyone! While out doing our missions about three days ago, Losh and I met this Skitty girl, Cashavae, who wanted to join our team! So we got a NEW SUBORDINATE FINALLY!"

"Heyy, good job, you two!" Kipuuna said, clapping his flippers. "It's been a while, huh?"

"Since the last one bailed." Ganisus drawled, earning him a nudge from Kipuuna. "...what?"

"Wait, really?" Avery perked up. "That's cool! Where's she from? What's she like?" He leaned forward excitedly. "Tell me about her."

'Pleeeease don't be a child-'

"She's this girl I met while going to my favorite bar down in the X-Eye district!" Lahnae said, excitedly. "She like...just came from Illaminamo a few days ago, by boat! She was visiting family and looking for work so I just OFFERED."

"Yeesh, just like that? Is she even able to fight?" Vizon piped up.

"Dunno! We'll teach her either way!"

"And aren't they gunna be busy with that extra job thing they do?"

"Well no, she doesn't live in Arceliaze!" Lahnae said with a smile. "She opted to take daily carriages to and from Yahneri port. It's just with the Water Pearl lockdown she'd been unable to go home."

"Poor thing..." Nivanee huffed while Vizon only crossed his arms. "But you haven't said what she's like yet!"

"Oh! Well she's super TOUGH. Like I swear I think she could BENCH ME or something but she acts like she's fragile?" Lahnae cocked her head to the side. "She's really sweet and we kinda hit it off well! She even helped my Illaminian a little!"

"Wh-...you know Illaminian?" Vizon asked, almost aghast.

Lahnae snickered.

"Foewumu to, mu geddou! Am qu...!" Lahnae said. Far, far less gracefully than Kellixae or Sekura...but still Illaminian.

Vizon shrugged.

"Cool I guess." He said.

"Oh...!" Avery perked up, in contrast to Vizon. "Well, hey, I've been wanting to get some actual training done on a day I'm not busy or injured, so...maybe I could get Rikzyod or Niv or-"

He looked over to Vizon for a minute.

"...Or someone to come by the dojo with you guys to train together." Avery recovered from the pause. "Like...believe it or not, before we joined this guild, Vizon and I had...no battle experience. So for all I know I might be screwing myself over by getting basic fundamentals wrong."

"Well, you guys have fun with that!" Vizon said merrily. It was, at the very least, polite. He was clearly done being antagonistic about it. "I'm sure you guys will get them up to being a great teammate!"

"Actually, Avery, I've got a few slots free that I was going to use to train Cashavae." Loshjno piped up with an offer. "Why don't you bring one of your subordinates, like you said? I'd be happy to go up against Rikzyod or even...Jolvia, was it?"

Vizon sighed.

"What?"

"We'll tell you when our turn comes up." Vizon said with a shrug. Nivanee gave a sigh of her own, which seemed to make the rest of the guild squirm.

"Oh no no, she's ok!" Nivanee assured, making everyone but Vizon relax. "Just going in a different direction."

"Oh...well that's a shame."

Avery shrugged, his mood fallen a little when remembering Jolvia.

Remembering...everything.

"It's okay," Avery said, a little more sullenly. "She helped us get the Water Pearl back, and vanquish the Beast of Yahneri Cave, so...it's a good way to go out, right?" He paused, seeing the looks of horror flashing across everyone's face. "...not 'go out'...She's. Uh. Still alive. She's gone back to being an accountant."

"Oh, PHEW. Don't scare me like that, man!" Lahnae huffed with a smile. "I'd feel like TRASH if anything happened to the girl that saved Niv!"

Vizon's gaze hardened more and more the more Jolvia was talked about.

"Come ooon, let's move on!" The Riolu insisted. "What've we missed? You guys complete any missions yet?"

"Ah...well..." Loshjno rubbed two fingers together, looking a little sheepish. "In truth...nnnno. We haven't. Not solo missions."

"I've never seen lightning strike twice in the same place..." Lahnae muttered. "Especially not TWENTY times in the same place."

Loshjno shrugged with a smile and a sigh.

"It just means electricity defense and rubber raincoats for next time." He said, Lahnae giving a nod.

"Next time!"

Kipuuna winced, shaking his head.

"At this point I'm wondering if there'd be more success in manipulating the system," Avery said with a chuckle. "Making your 'official' goal something lofty, and then a subgoal something you actually want to get done."

He sighed.

"But I'm thinking you've probably already thought of doing something like that, Losh."

"Bad luck always finds a way." Loshjno replied with a chuckle, folding his hands together on the table. "But I'll simply be equally tenacious."

"ATTA BOY, LOSH!" Lahnae yelled, making Kipuuna jump in his chair...and grabbing Ganisus's attention for a whole half second.

Avery, in truth, wasn't looking forward to their turn. Vizon was...going to make it unpleasant. But at least Niv would be here.

Nivanee. Who didn't know yet. Nobody knew here but Vizon and Avery.

With a smile, the Squirtle turned his head to the Piplup.

"Other than that, nothing much else from us." Loshjno concluded, gesturing to Aquashock. "Kipuuna, why don't you take the floor?"

"Guh...right..." Kipuuna...squirmed a little, taking a cracker but only fiddling with it, not actually biting into it.

He was silent, glancing at Ganisus...then to Avery.

"I just need to vent my anxiety a bit."

"Go ahead."

Kipuuna took a deep breath.

"I feel like I've crawled a little bit more into my shell, so to speak." Kipuuna said, sheepishly smiling at Loshjno who only nodded. "The double whammy of Nivanee being injured and Cam and Vizon going missing has been..."

He swallowed, the cracker snapping in his grip

"Kinda...hard." Kipuuna admitted.

"...yeah...we got in a fight last mission..." Ganisus drawled bluntly, looking at the ceiling, making Kipuuna flush.

"I was trying to ignore the bubbling worry and tried to go for a treasure guild mission but I...locked up." Kipuuna let out a shuddering breath.

"...you really wanted all your buffs back."

"I...I just think that even if we're going somewhere dangerous preparedness doesn't...hurt, right?"

"...but we couldn't go back when we were already there, Kip." Ganisus's yellow eyes fell on the Piplup.

"And I know that...!" Kipuuna huffed. "And I know we did the job okay...lots a few of the guys."

"Most of them..." Ganisus sighed.

"But it's just...it's hard." Kipuuna twiddles his flippers. "Between worry for us, worry for Vizon and Avery, worry for Nivanee, it was just a lot and I was feeling scared and overwhelmed...and you weren't being there for me..."

Ganisus's eyes flicked away...Avery could see the pang of guilt in the Shinx's eyes.

"Sorry..." Ganisus said. He looked like he wantes to say more, so much more, only the words never came.

"I know we couldn't have controlled it, but...I'm sorry we made you worry, Kipuuna," Avery said. "If...you want, I could go over some exercises I know to calm my nerves and center myself. It...mostly involves deep breathing. Sometimes I assign numbers to breathing in, holding, and letting out. Concentrating on something like that can help me...not concentrate on things that don't need concentrating on. But...I know you said you just want to vent, so-"

Avery put his hands up, chuckling awkwardly.

"If you don't want my advice, I won't take any offense to it. There's...something to just venting, too."

Kipuuna looked like he was holding his breath. He let the breath out at the Plusle's kind words, as though relieved he wasn't in trouble.

"Okay..." Kipuuna said. "I'd like that, Avery...I really would love to learn sometime."

Ganisus took a sigh of his own, leaning in to nuzzle Kipuuna.

"I'm sorry..." he repeated again. Kipuuna returned the nuzzle with a nod.

"It's fine. We just gotta remember next time..."

"...yeah..."

Loshjno and Lahnae nodded. Nivanee looked like she was going to cry and turned away to wipe her eyes.

The Piplup heaved a sigh.

"Other than that...nothing new." Kipuuna said. "We just managed through that mission and we're going to try and take another...maybe with just a few buffs?"

"...fine, I can sprig for a few." Ganisus conceded with a miniscule smile, one that Kipuuna returned. The Piplup now...turned to Avery, Vizon and Nivanee.

"How about you guys?" Kipuuna asked. "Nivanee are your...night terrors getting any better?"

Avery turned to Nivanee. He vaguely recalled her mentioning night terrors, back they visitied her at the hospital...he thought he was the only one plagued by bad dreams. But...he guessed that made sense. Considering everything they'd seen in a month and a bit, and how long she'd been serving here, there'd be a lot to live in the girl's mind to torment her.

"Um..." Nivanee fidgeted, her tail drooping. "...no, actually...they're getting kinda worse."

"Is it the same dream?' Loshjno asked.

"Y-yeah...lots of fire...lots of screaming...I assume it's that place way down below Lightning Wastes." She said, looking back at you. "Avery, you...mentioned you were down in a fiery pit of lava right? I don't remember a whole lot from when I was down there, basically my memory kind of starts with us climbing the stairs out, but...I guess I'm dreaming about the fire pit I was stuck in until you found me."

Vizon stared at her...as did Lahnae. The Riolu glanced at Avery.

'...fire pit?'

"...You were stuck in a fire pit?" Avery mumbled, frowning in thought. "I...I guess it's not important to think about the details of where you were, since...you got injured either way."

'We didn't find her in a fire pit...we found her in a dark sand cave. But...I shouldn't try to correct her, right? That wouldn't be good manners when she's talking about her night terrors.'

Nivanee tilted her head curiously at that, ears folded back.

"Not important? I mean, I guess not." She said, eyes wandering away.

"Yeah, all that matters is that you're okay now." Vizon assured with a soft pat on her back. "I really hope you can recover from this."

Nivanee was quiet, her tail unmoving.

"It just...feels like there's more to it."

"Sounds like cut and dry trauma. Fire and us screaming, like when we fell, right?" Vizon asked.

"No..." Nivanee muttered. "It's not any of you that's screaming..."

A hush fell over the group.

"Well, Nivanee..." Kipuuna began. "You know we're always here for you."

"If...you want, I can tell you what I remember," The Plusle said gently. "I just didn't want to interrupt or tell you you're wrong if that wasn't something that would help."

Avery looked down.

"But I'm glad you're here. We found each other down there, and... And all of us got out."

"Yeah, I..." Nivanee hesitated, her voice going soft as the sound died. She leaned over, softly pressing her cheek into Avery, lifting her tail around both him and Vizon. "I think...just losing you both like that...put a lot of strain on me and that's why it was getting so bad..."

She huffed out a little breath, as if thinking.

"May I ask...? Who was screaming, Avery?" Nivanee asked quietly. Lahnae and Loshjno leaned in, Kipuuna looking to the both of them, confused. "When you found me, I mean. No...gross details just...maybe if I just got some clarity, that'd help, too."

Vizon frowned deeply, looking as though he wanted to...lie.

"...It was you, if I remember," Avery said quietly. "After Lahnae and I found Vizon in a river room, we went back to the nexus, and then found Jolvia, Starly, and you. It wasn't the fire pit. It was...this pitch black room filled with sand. You were...you were in a really bad way. Starly, Jolvia, Lahnae, everyone who was there helped. Except...I couldn't. But you had...broken bones to be set. A wound to be cauterized. And...and I didn't see, but...it sounded painful."

His eyes stung a little, remembering it. Remembering how...useless he'd felt.

"...I'm just glad that everyone there helped you come out of it alright." He finished. "I was...I was really scared."

Nivanee frowned listening to Avery, hearing the fine details she had forgotten.

Listened to how none of it lined up with her dream.

She glanced up at Lahnae who nodded then up at Vizon who...grimaced but nodded as well. She pulled away from Avery slowly, shifting in her seat again.

"But that..." She muttered. "That doesn't..."

Silence fell onto the conversation. A deep contemplative silence.

"Well...maybe it's metaphorical?" Vizon offered right away.

Nivanee said nothing. She only shook her head slowly, looking down at the table. Avery could see the look in her eyes, as though she were recalling a memory.

A vivid memory. A detailed memory.

She lifted her head, ears perking up.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I spaced out a little!" She said, putting on a perky voice. "I think this might be...a mystery for another time!"

"Are you sure, Nivanee...?" Loshjno offered.

"Yeah...you're guild, we can talk about this more if you need." Kipuuna jumped in as well. But Nivanee shook her head again.

"Next time. I need a day or two to think, maybe..." She said with a wobbly smile. Her tail slowly swayed behind her...but it looked a deliberate motion, putting on the appearance of perkiness. "We should let Vizon and Avery have their turn, too, after all!"

Avery put a hand on her back.

"...We'll be here when you're ready," He said gently.

But...right.

Avery turned to Vizon.

"...I'm pretty sure I know what you're going to talk about, so...is it okay if I go first...?"

Vizon took a deep breath...and nodded, crossing his arms and sitting back. Everyone turned their attention to the Plusle fully, leaning in slightly.

"...Vizon and I had a falling out on the island," Avery said, looking down. "We're still a team, but...we re-evaluated...who we are to each other."

He looked up to everyone else.

"...We, uh...we broke up. Romantically speaking."

A wave of sympathetic looks spread over the guild members. Nivanee put a paw over her mouth in worry. Lahnae and Kipuuna both looked heartbroken. Even Ganisus broke his gaze from the ceiling.

Avery's gaze returned to his lap.

"Ever since first coming here, I've felt...like I've been rushing. The last time I felt like I could take my time with something was...well, when I was getting to know Vizon on the carriage into town. He gave me a place to stay, and...and then ever since Olistia gave me the letter of recommendation, everything's gone...so fast. So fast. And..."

He turned to Vizon for just a moment.

"...I think that...us being together, that was something I rushed into, too." Avery continued. "I didn't know you well enough, but I pushed you into that relationship. And that wasn't fair."

Vizon kept his arms crossed, eyes closed.

"And..." Vizon began, as though letting out a long exhale. "I didn't treat the relationship...with the respect it deserved...and regarded it like a prop for our team."

He shrugged, shaking his head.

"Maybe I was too quick to call you buddy and boyfriend...maybe even...I guess...manipulative of me to strongly imprint on someone because they were getting me in the guild."

Everyone was quiet.

Vizon's eyes opened.

"That's why...we're keeping things strictly professional between us for now." Vizon said.

"Professional...?" Nivanee said in a low voice.

"What like...just...co-workers?" Lahnae muttered. Kipuuna frowned.

"Yeah...basically." Vizon confirmed. "We...had to be honest. We didn't know each other and still don't really. If we become friends that's great but..."

Vizon looked down at Avery, a look in the Riolu's eye as though he were staring at a faraway speck at the other end of a gulf.

"...if we don't...that's that. That's just who we are."

Everyone glanced at Avery to confirm if that...was really true. Nivanee's ears drooped even more, the Eevee biting her lip.

It was clear what she thought of the news.

Avery brought his head down. The two of them already weren't friends. And he could feel that gulf growing bigger every minute.

'He's disgusted with me.'

"...Yeah. We're...starting from scratch. Just, people who work with each other. Being friends would...would be nice-" Avery went to look at Vizon again, but stopped himself. "...But...if not, then...not. I guess."

"But..."

Nivanee's voice died in her throat. Everyone else was silent, watching as the Eevee only lowered her head silently.

Nobody said a word for a while. Vizon's grip on his folded arms tightened.

"Ok..." Nivanee whispered.

"...ok..." Lahnae nodded, sighing. She looked down at the table...almost guiltily. As though she knew how she factored into this.

Loshjno had a contemplative look on his face, then leaned forward, propping his head on his chin.

"Well...it sounds like a new beginning for you both." He said with a smile. "Either which way it goes...I think it'll be healthier for you two. No more twisting and forcing to be something you're not, no more stressing..."

Kipuuna looked uncomfortable.

"If anything...I hope this brings you to those that truly make you happy." Loshjno continued, leaning back. "...this will be for the best, ultimately, whatever bumps and bruises we sustain along the way."

"...are you sure?" Kipuuna muttered. "Does family just...quit each other?"

Nivanee looked away. Loshjno shrugged.

"Who am I to say?" The Squirtle replied with a smirk. "A family forced to be family is hardly family at all."

Lahnae and Kipuuna nodded though still looked unsure. But they, at the least, opted to not comment on the decision any more, leaving it up to Avery and Vizon.

Perhaps they figured it wasn't their place to judge.

"...sorry that happened, man..." Ganisus drawled, his gaze lifting up. "...wish it could have worked out..."

Like it did for all of them.

"Thanks, guys."

...

Avery looked up again.

To Lahnae and Loshjno. Failing more missions but determined to succeed. To Kipuuna and Ganisus, struggling with anxieties but learning to understand each other. To Nivanee, doing her best to forge a new path forward.

'...Why couldn't we have that? Why couldn't Vizon and I have something like that? Why couldn't we be better?

Did I screw up the recovery process?

Or were we just that broken from the start?'

"...You can go, Vizon. I'm finished."

Vizon was quiet for a moment before leaning on the table.

"Alright..." He began with a deep breath. "More...bad news, I guess. Jolvia is no longer with us. She..."

His brow furrowed.

His hand twitched.

The look in his eye...flared...

But he shut his eyes and took a deep breath.

"...she...can't quite reconcile her...real job...and her job with us." He said, gripping the table. "...so she's...returned...to her work and has dropped being with us."

Nivanee lifted her head, trying to brush off the bad news of Avery's break-up with Vizon.

Everyone else around the table nodded solemnly.

"Dude...that island sounds like it sucked..." Lahnae huffed, slumping in her chair.

"...m'agreeing with what you said, man..." Ganisus spoke up. "...you need some easy missions...no more of this crazy stuff."

"I'd offer to take you box-moving..." Kipuuna suggested. "But, uh..."

"...nah, I'd take 'em, no big deal..." Ganisus shrugged.

Avery was...shocked. Really shocked. Very shocked.

'He isn't going to say?

I...don't know what to make of the guy. I feel like we should tell everyone eventually, I don't want to leave them in the dark, but...

...I was expecting him to let it loose now. He's not bottling, is he?'

"...Jolvia was a good teammate," Avery said. "She helped us out a lot. We...we wouldn't be here talking to you if she wasn't part of our team. But..."

He began to wring his hands.

"...I don't know if you felt this, Nivanee, but..." Avery heaved a long breath. "I always got the feeling that...Jolvia wasn't a subordinate. That we weren't her bosses. She wasn't...loyal, first and foremost to the team. That's why she decided to leave."

Hearing Avery say it in so many measured words helped Vizon calm down a little. Avery could see the Riolu's grip on the side of the table relax.

"No, no...I admit I did feel it, a little. But I've felt it before." Nivanee said with a shrug. "Sometimes my subordinates would just be in it for the money or serving time to keep out of prison. Though...I admit I always found it odd why Jolvia bothered joining when she already had what seems like kind of a busy job."

"Yeah...I guess Jolvia finally felt the same way." Vizon huffed, trying to say less to not let it slip.

It was hard to tell why...why he'd bother preserving her image to the guild after all the distress she'd caused him.

Why he refused to tell them she was the mole.

Maybe now that she was gone it just...

...didn't matter anymore. He'd promised to let her go.

So he let her go.

Clean slate.

Maybe. Avery admired that effort. He admired that Vizon was trying. But Avery could also see it was hard for him, and he didn't want to leave Vizon in the lurch.

Avery lifted his head and connected eyes with the Riolu. He knew Vizon couldn't read his thoughts...but he could come close.

'I won't leave you alone in this.'

"So it's back down to me, Vizon, Nivanee, and Rikzyod," Avery said. "In terms of Team Azure, anyway."

"Hah...well I'm glad Rik is still around. I like that guy." Lahnae laughed softly.

"Well. hopefully we can still visit Jolvia sometime." Loshjno offered, but Vizon shook his head.

"Don't count on it. If she's smart she'll get a transfer from her bank."

Nobody pointed out his slip-up.

"Well, would there be anything else to add?" Kipuuna asked, looking to Avery.

"Well...on...a lighter note," Avery said, looking away, "You guys know up and down how often I say 'I'm not from here', right? I've been wanting to learn how to write Arcean, speak Illaminian...I started reading Team Moonlight. I've just been trying to get into pop culture. I want to...know things, you know?"

Avery looked up.

"It's a little weird to ask for pop culture classes, but...any way that I can stand out less on what I don't know, the better."

"Oh yooo, Team Moonlight!" Lahnae perked up. "I know that one!"

"Oh jeez, that story..." Kipuuna laughed, looking over at Ganisus who only stuck out his tongue slightly. "Yeah, I've read it. Not exactly a fan."

"Aw, why not?" Nivanee said, pouting. "Actually...why did you read it? I remember seeing you had a stack of all the parts and were spending a week reading it."

"Why else? It's because it was the popular thing. But man...it's just really corny." Kipuuna waved a flipper with a smirk.

"Gee...I wonder if he gets the girl..." Ganisus drawled, leaning forward to nibble one of the sweet treats.

"Actually..." Lahnae said, frowning. "Oh SHOOT yeah, I guess you wouldn't know about, like...stuff, huh, Avery? Like the popular plays and books and stuff!"

"Oh...you don't, Avery?" Kipuuna asked with a raised eyebrow. "...I guess you did mention the amnesia thing a way long time ago..."

Everyone hummed, thinking.

"Penny theatre..." Ganisus muttered to himself.

"Huh? What're you...oh!" Kipuuna smiled, standing up in his chair excitedly. "That's right! Maybe you can come out with me and Ganisus to see a play or something! Maybe the Court of Fiction...or just go to another chuckle bar, I dunno!"

Nivanee perked up excitedly.

"Ohhh...it's been a while since I sat down for a play! Or a battle tournament! Heck, when's the last time I took a night class at the education center..."

"Oo-oo! The Eye Tournaments! I love watching tournament-league games of Arbok eye!" Lahnae said.

"Your gambling with the raffle house is enough, Lahnae." Kipuuna laughed.

"I'm not PLAYING, I'd just be WATCHING, SHEESH."

"I could pass off watching battles as work for training too," Avery said with a little laugh. "Like a business expense. There's little bits and pieces I remember from where I'm from I could try to give in recompense?"

Avery looked to Kipuuna.

"Like, I know how to play a few games with a fifty two card deck. We might have to make it ourselves, but there's lots you can play with them. We always used to bring a deck camping because it's just that versatile."

"52 card deck?" Kipuuna shrugged with a smile. "Sure we can give it a try!"

"Oh oh, Avery, you'd love the battle tournaments!" Nivanee said. "It's an old sport, nothing like real fighting. Like, the opponents sort of take turns and it's just as much about strategy as it is any kind of raw strength!"

"Huh...never been to one of those..." Vizon said, shrugging. "Guess I never had time with my job back before the guild."

"Yeah! And we can still totally go to an auction or, or, the raffle house or gamble parlor or something!" Lahnae said.

"Ah, ah, gambling again?"

"It's FUN!"

"...we can do a play or something." Ganisus offered.

"Ah, but, we should remember our training in the dojo, too." Loshjno reminded with a smile. "Hm...sounds like it's fortunate we have three whole days. We've already about filled them."

"I'd be down for all of those things," Avery said, giving Lahnae a little grin. "After all, last time we went to the raffle house, I got...well, basically most of the money that we've been using, considering our jobs haven't been...paying much. That was a stroke of good luck for the both of us, huh?

"But plays would be fun! Or auctions, or battling, or even just like, a book club or something. I know the Mawile who runs the bookstore downtown offered to teach me Illaminian, but multiple sources never hurt. I just...if I'm going to be living here, I ought to know all about the culture, right?"

Loshjno's words rang true. Three full days of nothing to do became three full days of lots to do pretty quick.

"Well, I have to say..." Loshjno stood, giving the guild members a warm smile. "This certainly did feel like the first real meeting. Now that we're all here, we can start really coming together as guild."

"Like we always should have..." Kipuuna sighed with his own smile.

As the others nodded, Vizon only looked down, taking a cracker nonchalantly, seeming to only half pay attention.

"Well, if there's nothing else, the night's still pretty young." Loshjno clapped his hands together. "We can go ahead and break and get on with our vacations."

"Phew...what a relief." Lahnae leaned back. "FINALLY some days off."

"Oh, and gang!" Loshjno began as everyone started getting up and collecting their satchels. "Let's be sure to block out some time together these next three days. We can try a get-together at one of the bars again or such. Shall we reconvene tomorrow or day after for suggestions?"

"Sure, sure!" Nivanee cheered. "I'm available whenever!"

"I might be out one of these nights but DEFINITELY I'll be around for one of them!" Lahnae said, taking a few extra crackers and shoving them in her satchel.

"Same here," Avery said, getting up after taking a cookie and downing the rest of his drink. "I've got some people to inform my return to tonight, but... Thank you all." He smiled a little. "... Thanks to everyone, I'm really looking forward to our days off. And..."

The Plusle raised his empty glass.

"... We did it. Here's to ending the terror of the Pearls-! "

"AYE!" Was the unanimous cheer that answered the toast, every guildmember raising their glasses with Avery and taking a sip (or a full chug in Lahnae's case).

Vizon hopped off the chair, stretching his arms as Kipuuna and Lahnae began moving the chairs. Loshjno and Ganisus tended to the snacks. Nivanee took a deep breath, turning to her two teammates with a wide and happy smile.

"It's nice to have you home, Vizon, Avery." She said.

Avery looked back at Nivanee, turning in his chair...And hugged her for a moment.

"It's good to be back, too. Good to see you out of that hospital."

Nivanee...nodded, hugging him back.

"You heading out, Avery?" She asked. "Visiting a friend?"

"Mm..." Vizon hummed but made no query of his own,

Avery leaned back, sighing.

"Yeah. I don't think anyone has told Kellixae and Sekura." The Plusle sighed. "On the small chance I don't come home until late or the morning, that's where I'll be, hah. But I know you worry, so I'll try to be back soon. I just figured I'd tell them the good news, plural, you know?"

Nivanee, however, didn't have one iota of worry on her face.

"Okay!" She said merrily. "Give them all my best! They sound like they've been very good friends to you."

"Mm..." Vizon hummed again, stepping away without a word with his chair in hand to help Lahnae and Kipuuna clear the room. Nivanee glanced at the Riolu and shook her head as he vanished.

"And hey...you gunna be okay...?" She whispered quietly. It was clear what...and who...she was referring to.

"... Time'll tell," Avery said. "...I hear him humming every time they're brought up, but..."

He deflated a little bit thinking about it.

"... I hope he'll be okay. Make sure to check up on him too, alright...? Vizon... He's going through a lot too. He needs support, same as all of us. And...you're really good at calming us down. "

The Eevee nodded.

"I know he does. Everyone needs support, even if they go their separate ways...and even if that support means steering them on a better path." Nivanee sighed softly, lifting a paw to your shoulder. "I know he'll be okay...this is a big change for both of you, I suppose..."

She deflated too, looking a little sad.

"It's...always hard, seeing a rift like this occur, even if it's for the best..." Nivanee's voice was softer now, almost like she were half talking to herself. "Like anything...it's a change. And you and he will adapt."

She gave another warm smile.

"So...! I hope I'll see you later tonight." She said, letting Avery go.

"...Even if Vizon and my bond is different, Niv..." Avery gave her a little hug again. "...I still think of us as family. I don't think much could happen that would change that. I hope that Vizon and I will become close again, but...I don't see anything coming in between you and I, at least. Or...you and Vizon."

Nivanee gave a last squeeze. Avery let go again, and made his way to the door.

"...Everything will be okay. I promise."

"I know, Avery. I trust in us..."

With that final word, Avery turned to leave, heading out to visit Kellixae and Sekura.

As he went down the guild hall Avery saw Kipuuna and Lahnae getting things put away, with Loshjno getting a satchel ready for an outing. Estaloni was fluttering about, putting away the ceremonial torches, the hall returning to normal in the blink of an eye.

Avery caught Lahnae glancing in his direction, that guilty look on her face again.

He didn't want her feeling bad. The relationship falling through was his own fault. She didn't do anything but be there for him, like everyone had been.

...Avery would talk to her about it. But for now, he just gave her a little smile, before continuing up the stairs, and out into the city.

The rush of chilled air billowed against Avery as the doors opened. There's a semi thick fog outside, the smokey haze illuminated by the many torches that surround the guild and the castle.

It was a practiced walk Avery took now, one he'd been down many, many times before.

The walk however was a little...different this time.

As Avery made his way from the guild, taking his normal route that would go through the One Truth Square, instead of the usual quite nighttime street leading there he was greeted with a new sight.

A blockade, the market district road closed down and guarded by a trio of Escavalier city regulars. A good few pedestrians were being barred entry, making for a sizeable crowd of Pokémon, local and visiting, trying to reassess their route (or fruitlessly air their grievances to the guard).

'...Oh good. Escavalier guards on the way to the Illaminian district is never a good sign. But...I remember the guild mentioned something about riots.'

Avery approached a guard, not...wanting to spend too much time on this.

"... What's going on, sir...?"

The guard immediately glared on Avery's approach, one of them busy shooing away an angry pedestrian. The one in the center gruffly answered with aggravation, though spoke as cordially as possible.

"Riots, sir. One truth square's closed fer investigation. Only authorized folks are allowed through."

"My APARTMENT is right behind the barricade, you big lug!" A bulbasaur yelled. "I'm trying to go home!"

"Apologies, Miss, we're trying to get a certified credentials vetter as soon as possible but for now we cannot be certain who is and isn't with the Thieves Guild."

"Will you COME OFF of that?!"

The guard to the right lightly pushed a disgruntled market district Pokémon, making them back off with a fearful shout.

Avery's badge shimmered in the torchlight.

"..."

The Plusle stepped forward.

"If it's a concern," Avery said, keeping his voice civil. "I can accompany this person back to their apartment. It's late. People are tired. Would that be alright?"

He knew it was just one person. He wouldn't be able to help everyone. But maybe he could at least help this person, here and now.

He wasn't sure if the fact that the Water Pearl was secured was confidential or not...Avery wanted to tell them that this conflict was over.

"No indeed, sir, I cannot and will not let just anyone through." One of the guards said, his face showing his frustration and want to snap. "I cannot even let the O.O.I district manager through. So I most certainly cannot let a-"

"Oi, oi, OI, Kean! Cool y'tongue, mate, lookit his chest. That's an Arceali Guild badge."

"That's a...?!" The guard immediately recoiled upon glancing at the shimmering badge on Avery's chest. Like magic, the two guards stepped aside in a panic.

"Oh, terribly sorry f'the confusion, Master Avery." The second guard recovered at once. "Don't mind Kean and I, hard to see who's who in the dark street, yannow."

"Prescription glasses coming in next week, Master Avery!" The first guard stammered. "Won't happen again."

The Bulbasaur grunted in relief, stepping up closer to the Plusle.

"We won't mind if you escort them in. Feel free to pass on by if'n you need, Master Avery." The second guard added.

The other Poke'mon in the crowd glanced at Avery with interest, seeing an esteemed guild member among them. There were looks both impressed at his status and incredulous at his privilege granted as he was allowed through.

Avery looked at the others behind him with an apologetic smile. He couldn't spend all night getting them home. But he could at least do this. He gave the Bulbasaur a little nod, and looked to the guards.

He walked forwards with the Bulbasaur a little more, then when they were out of earshot -

"Where are you situated?" Avery asked. "I can take you there. Wouldn't want you left in the lurch all night."

The Bulbasaur kept close to him, an eruption of argumentative voices starting again as they moved down the street.

"Oh, just around this corner, sir." The Bulbasaur huffed, wiping a wine over her brow. "What a night. Gone from worrying if my apartment is getting busted up, to worrying if I'll be sleeping in the rain, to meeting a celebrity."

She let out a dainty laugh, as though she were trying to dampen down the budding anxiety she'd been building.

"I certainly won't get one-upped during my friends' tea time, of that I'm certain."

"Please, I'm not a celebrity," Avery said with a little laugh. "Though...I guess you probably know me by name, so you have that on me. Can I have your name?"

"Ah! Well, my friend circle certainly disagrees, especially with how often Team Azure gets put in the news in just the last few weeks." She laughed softly. She, at least, didn't seem embarrassed or shy, just making conversation. "I would know, I'm a 2nd Tier Arceliaze councilmember for the Printing Guild! Ah, and...it's Qula, if you're really curious."

She looked to the side, stepping a bit closer to the Plusle as a pair of passing guards patrolling the locked down road eyed the both of them. Avery glanced back at the guards and sighed.

"I understand what they're doing, but I wish it didn't have to be so disruptive to others. I'm sorry about all that."

"Oh, it's hardly anything new." The Bulbasaur grumbled, trying to not make eye contact with the Escaveliers. "The worlds become a bit more violent and the guard's gotten more aggressive right back. Especially the last couple of years...once upon a time they'd only shut down a thin strip of road, not a whole block. Times have changed."

"Have they?" Avery sighed. "Gosh, that's horrible to hear. I just hope I can do whatever I can to make the next few years better for everyone,"

Avery gave the passing guards a little nod as they passed.

"But...the Printing Guild? Do you print the periodicals? I haven't kept up on those as of late...but then, maybe it's not good for me to read about myself-!"

"Well, more like we advocate the interests of printing companies, both public citizen owned ones and private noble owned ones." Qula explained with a laugh. "We are partnered up with the Souljreini Printing Company and they're the ones that do the periodicals."

She perked up, smiling.

"Actually, I think the newest one should be coming out tomorrow, that'll be the first one with Team Azure in it!" She said with a sing-song laugh. "And my, what a first periodical article to have! A storied track record right out the gate in just a few weeks! Even in the Karniqus days of the guild that sort of performance was rare to see, and you don't need my position to predict that tomorrow's release is going to be the best selling periodical in almost twenty years."

She smirked, raising her eyebrows at Avery.

"To think I'd ever see the revival of guild interest in my lifetime...!"

"Yeah, I heard about that," Avery said, tilting his head. "That before I got here, the guild was in a bit of a dry spell. I'd like to think that we're entering a new age, at least. The guild definitely feels different now than it did when I first joined. For the better, I think!"

He looked down at his badge.

"...Actually, you might know this - it's a bit embarrassing for me to admit, but I don't really know the time frame for these things...is four weeks or so an average amount of time it takes to get two prongs? I'm still...not entirely clear what the two prong status means beyond just...being closer to graduation."

"Two prongs?!" Qula nearly shouted, stepping around and squinting at the badge. "That's almost as incredible as it is frustrating; the periodical is already outdated!"

She laughed in amazement, tilting her head to look at it.

"No, indeed, no, no! Two prongs in four weeks? That's almost unheard of, but also not a surprise considering the daily adventures Azure was getting up to! Aquashock only got up to second prong sometime in the past two years and they've been in the guild...almost ten?"

The Bulbasaur backed off, shaking her head.

"Honestly, even with as much of an All-Star team as Duskwalker is they reached 2nd prong after a little over a full year of service. Not...that it matters much considering Nivanee is on Team Azure now. I'm surprised you didn't know any of this considering you managed to get in!"

"Hah," Avery scratched the back of his head. "Well, you know about my memory problems, right? I'm sure that was in one of the brochures...I've got amnesia. They can't find any records on me anywhere, either. Arcean, Illamini, Quayoffi, otherwise. I don't know much about Arcea past what I've been learning the past month. A friend introduced me to Team Moonlight the other day for the first time - that's how little I know...!"

He smiled a little.

"It's a huge honour, to see ourselves grow this much. Vizon, Nivanee, Rikzyod, Jolvia...and the guild, of course. I wouldn't be here without them."

"Hah, were it I had a notepad. I'm certainly no journalist but going to have to commit this surprise interview to memory and get it to S.P.C." Qula joked light-heartedly. "Maybe a Team Azure spotlight would be appropriate. Get some testimonials, thoughts, insight into the daily life...oh, and the drama. Poke'mon always adore the drama of the guild. The love triangles, the heated fights and make-ups."

She laughed again, shaking her head.

"They all go so professional when they become elites and they certainly don't share much with the press at all."

As Avery and Qula walked, they could see a Gloom and Oddish standing outside a lit building with the door open, the pair peeking out towards the One Truth Square.

"Ah, here I am." The Bulbasaur said, stepping ahead and waving to the pair. "I do appreciate the escort, Avery. And mind you stay safe on the streets tonight. It was probably foolish of me to be out right now."

"I will, thanks," Avery said with a little smile. "Have a good night, Qula."

He gave her a little wave, and one to the others at the door, and went off his own way to continue to the Illaminian district.

That was pleasant, at least...

Turning down the road to go along his usual route would bring Avery towards the One Truth Square from the east side, as it always did.

Already, as he got closer, Avery could see a few guards standing in front of ornate stands and painted doors, woodchips, ash and broken glass festooning the street in front of a handfull of the establishments. He could even see one or two Bisharp guards, an extremely rare sight out in the city, even in the Market District, as they walked up and down the road, nodding to Avery as he passed.

It wasn't until he finally reached the square itself that he could see the extent of what happened.

The square was a mess. The stone was cracked, cratered and broken in many places. Trash and debris littered the street, with stains of discarded and stepped on fruits and berries left behind. The One Truth monument sat covered in splotches of rotten juice splattered on its marble white surface, a torn Arcean flag fluttering on one of its carved sections.

And, of course, even from here it was easy to see graffiti, written in bright blood red, words and insults in Illaminian.

Here now there stood not only Bisharp but a handfull of white-cloaked elites surveying the damage. A few other non-law enforcement Poke'mon took notes, like for setting up cleanup and repair. A cleanup crew stood on standby on the far end of the district while the investigation neared its end.

'...I see.'

This...Avery knew that they were unhappy. He knew that. But...at the same time, this was sad to see. He supposed it got their message across. Hopefully nobody was hurt in the riots.

He continued on his way, his head hung a little lower. This...was a pretty good metaphor for the state the city was in.

Continuing south, Avery passed more guards, keeping an eye to make sure nobody else was allowed entry into the one truth square, or even allowed near it.

They looked...very bored.

Avery's route continued down the road, past another blockade and past another disgruntled group of Market District Poke'mon. As he walked, he could see more indicators of what had happened, ghosts of an event long over.

The patrols thinned as Avery reached the Lower Market district, the guards' attention clearly more focused on protecting the more pristine Market District. Here he could see glass shards on the side of the road in swept-up piles and broken or burnt wood stacked up, out of the way.

Bars with small streams of light shining through the cracks of boarded up windows sat open, their tenders standing outside and calling to passerby that they'd re-opened. Here and there a Poke'mon would be sweeping the road.

Cleaning up. Recovering for a new day.

Despite the wounds...Arceliaze bounced back. Life went on.

In the distance, rising over the rooftops, the Ivory wall silently loomed over the quiet district.

'...Still. The One Truth Square was a huge symbol for these people, both figuratively and literally. And the fact that it had been vandalized like that...'

Avery shook the thought off for now. He just needed to get to Kellixae and Sakura, tell them that he was alright, and head home for the night. The streets felt different- A lot must have happened in the few weeks he was gone...

"Woah, son, which way y' going?"

As Avery tried to turn a corner going to the Illaminian district, a fluffy red tail swung in his way, stopping him. There, standing in front of a quaint little restaurant was a Thievul. He swished his 'moustache' from side to side, looking the Plusle up and down.

"That way goes down t' the Illaminian district, donye know?" He said, his X-Eye District accent light, but present.

Avery stopped, looking up at him.

"I know, yeah. I just got back from a long, uh...trip, and I wanted to tell a few people down this way that I've returned, is all."

"Ohhh, got friends down in there, do ye?"

Though Avery might've worried the statement was accusatory, the Thievul's tone was more curious and his look more concerned.

"Dunno if it's wise to approach right now. The citizen's guard over there's bein' prickly after that scuffle with NAM."

"Scuffle..." Avery mumbled. "NAM's been active too, huh? Guess I missed a lot."

He sighed.

"...Well, I'm not planning on aggravating them, at least."

"You might be, but I sure am." The Thievul snickered, motioning his head toward a shattered window on his establishment. "One of my own regulars was huckin' stones during the worst of it all a-cause I opened me door to Illamini Op Arceali when the streets weren't safe."

He smirked, his eyes wandering behind Avery, towards the end of the street. There, a Poke'mon with an armband was being shooed out of a bar.

"Then the boy comes back 'round tonight and tries to tell me it was an Illaminian what did it. Musta though I was born stupid, as if I wasn't lookin' im in the eye when he did it."

"..." Avery frowned, looking at the NAM being shoved away. "Throwing stones through windows. And they try to pass it off- Blegh."

Avery paused, furrowing his brow.

"...Wait, citizen's guard?"

The Thievul's ears perked up at your question and he gave a head tilt.

"Yeah, citizen guard. What, don't you go 'round the Illaminian District if'n y' got friends there? They got an armed force down there, patrolling the streets. Scares the willies out of the NAM boys on account they never stop babblin' about it."

Avery stuck his tongue out.

"Citizen guard...it's sad that they even feel like they need that, but with the way I've seen the guard treat 'em and NAM being NAM..."

Avery looked down at his guild badge, flicking it idly.

'Should I take it off...? It...it feels dishonest to think about.'

"Thank you for the tip though. And..." Avery looked to the window. "Sorry about your bar. Will it take much to fix?"

"Nothin' I'm not ready to pay...and pay again." The Thievul shrugged, his tail swaying behind him. "Still, though, if you're insisting going down to that district just mind yer manners and don't be offended if they ask you t'leave fer right now."

He seemed to speak from some far-off experience. If anything that only raised more question, but before those could be asked he gave Avery a nod.

"You have a good night, Avery of Azure." He said with a wink, glancing at the Plusle's badge.

For a moment, Avery was taken aback by him. But a sheepish smile creeped onto his face.

"...That's...the second time tonight I've been recognized, hah...I hope you have a good night. And...thanks."

With that, the Plusle was allowed to pass, continuing down the road, toward the bends leading to the ivory wall.

The roads were cleaner here, scorch marks being scrubbed. As Avery got closer, the cobblestone road turned to dirt. Vines crept up the walls in dim torchlight, with boards, old barrels and discarded wheels left forgotten in narrow alleyways.

In the corner of his eye...Avery could see them. Those hooded figures, lurking in the shadows. Watching him, briefly, before moving on to whatever it was they were doing. Some would stare at him longer than others...then seemed to confer with one another before darting in the opposite direction.

Avery saw one - gave a small wave of acknowledgement, but didn't move after them, or look at any of the others. He figured it was at least proper not to look at them if they were...well, being so secretive.

They, at least...did not seem hostile.

Soon, the grand ivory wall of the Illaminian district towered over him, like a hard cut off border between there and the rest of Arceliaze.

However, there at the archway leading within Avery saw a group of five Poke'mon, each of whom stood before a barricade of sandbags and a hastily tipped over wagon. The guards weren't Escaveliers or Bisharp. They were citizen Poke'mon, some holding pitchforks or tools as weapons. It was clear to see none of them had any real combat experience yet they stood guard all the same.

One of them, a Hitmonlee, saw Avery approach, nudging the Meganium he stood beside.

"Eyey, tve essowepfu raemdapu..." The Plusle heard him mutter.

"Ijo, djo i raimmu?"The Meganium called out to Avery in a loud voice. "Tio Illamini?"

Avery stopped once the guards began talking to him.

"Hello," Avery called back, keeping a small distance. "I'm sorry, I don't speak Illaminian."

Avery was going to say he was Arcean, but...he wasn't. He was pretty sure that's what they were asking with 'Tio Illamini' anyway.

"Is it okay if I pass through? I'm going to see some friends in the district."

Avery didn't show off his badge. But he didn't take it off, either. He didn't want to be dishonest.

"Ey...?" The Maganium was taken aback a bit, squinting at Avery. His voice took a sharper tone. "Dji debbu do geo rao, Arceali?"

"Ey, qesmo Arceali," A Dewott in the group said back to a Furret. "Dute je fivvu?"

The Furret frowned, looking from the Dewott then down to Avery. She stepped up, the Hitmonlee and Meganium standing aside for her as she spoke.

"What doing, Arceali?" She asked, Illaminian accent thick. "No outsider. Go away."

"...Right," Avery said, nodding. He didn't approach. "I was told that I might not be allowed in. I just wanted to go see some friends. Kellixae and Sakura...?"

His heart was still beating quick. He was nervous. Because he knew if they lashed out, he wouldn't fight them. But hopefully, it wouldn't come to that.

"Is it alright if I go see them?"

"Sst...haesfe om tau qivvu... i fimme Homfe Arceali." One of them muttered to another, pointing to Avery's chest.

"Homfe? Dji debbu waumi me homfe fe puo?"

"Shh, shh..." The Furret hushed her compatriots as she processed what Avery said.

The guards gripped their weapons tighter, looking increasingly worried. It seemed like they were thinking something similar: if Avery lashed out, they'd never beat him.

"You...Avery...?"

"Averini...?"

Two of them looked to one another. Another just fixed Avery with an even harder stare.

"Pup onqusve ti i ap enodu fo Sekurini, me homfe i homfe." The sterner Poke'mon muttered.

"Pup gesi poipvi fo tvaqofu. Wauo apemvse qashe? Tveo hoa, debbu." His friend said to him, batting his arm with a firm look.

"...Yeah, that's me. Avery of Azure." The Plusle said. Time number three. "...I am guild. But-"

He brought a hand up slowly.

"...I won't go against you if you don't want me going inside. I'm not going to fight. Promise."

The Furret chewed on her tongue a little, looking deep in thought at his words. The other guards looked anxiously at her as she turned to face them.

"Errr...i Averini fo Azurini." She said to the others. One of them nodded, the others only looking thoughtful. "Fodi dji waumi ipvsesi i... raemdute ta fo mao dji pup ipvse. Pup duncevvise?"

"Averini...pup i femme putvse qesvi? Ju tipvovu dji essitve qistupi fim NAM...?" The Hitmonlee muttered.

"Ji fof upi vjoph. Pu ipvsz, tipf jon exez." The Meganium said sternly. The Furret shook her head with a frown.

"Pup jeo tipvovu?" She replied. "I ap enodu fo Sekurini."

"Eneme duni quvsio, i tdoudde e gesi enodoboe dup raimmo dji do addofupu." The Meganium said with a stomp. "Pittape homfe."

The Furret hesitated...then nodded solemnly, looking back at Avery.

"No guild." She said. "...Sorry."

Avery's ears fell a bit...but he nodded.

"...Then...could you send a message for me? Can you tell Kellixae and Sakura that I'm...well...alive? I just don't want them to worry."

The Furret nodded, listening close to your message.

"Tell Sekurini, Kellixini...Avery alive. Yes?"

Another nod.

"Yes. And...hopefully I can see them tomorrow. That's all."

Avery turned for a moment, but paused, and turned back to the rest of them.

"...Stay safe, all of you. Okay?"

...things were getting worse. He wouldn't be alone in this. But Avery would have to do his part, too. He had to help.

"Ey, ey!" The Furret called before Avery left. She had a more sympathetic look in her eye than the hard stare of her Meganium companion. "Sekurini at work - morning! Can enter with!"

Avery stopped to hear her. So he'd need Sekurae to get in. That made sense.

Despite the quiet feeling of dread in the bottom of his gut, Avery smiled a bit.

"Alright." He called. "And...thank you. Have a good night, okay? Stay safe."

"Dute hmo tveo fodipfu?" The Meganium asked, looking down at the Furret suspiciously.

"Errrr...Hmo tvu fodipfu fo pup vuspesi neo qoa." The Furret replied to the Meganium with a sheepish grin. "To, to, neo."

The larger Poke'mon grumbled, eying Avery suspiciously. The Furret meanwhile flashed the Plusle a small smile and a nod.

It was funny, seeing the two side by side. The Meganium looked so much older and haggard than the clean and peppy Furret girl. Like Avery were looking at Sekura and Kellixae themselves.

Almost like two different Illaminians.

'Deep breaths...in and out.'

Things would get better. Somehow, they would.

The other guards watched Avery closely as he left, looking scared as though he'd suddenly change his mind and attack.

At least Sekura and Kellixae were safe, and the Illaminians were doing their best to protect their own.

Leaving the ivory wall behind...turning back to go into the Market District, with his message en route to his friends.

So...back to the guild, Avery supposed. There was a lot of clean-up going on, and...he'd promised Nivanee that he'd be back tonight. He didn't want to keep them waiting.

As Avery moved through the streets, backtracking, the cobblestone roads of the Lower Market district seemed so...

...still. Quiet.

Though he passed by groups of Poke'mon, there was only a quiet tension. But the city was, for now, at a standstill.

NAM heralds were silent. No chanting or fighting.

But there, on his route to the guild, just as he was coming up to the entrance of the Market district, Avery saw something...mingling among the crowd.

A group of Poke'mon surveyed a destroyed wood stand, picking up some of the splattered fruit...

...and Avery could just barely see a swishing brown tail among them.

Swishing brown...? Was that-?

Avery approached carefully, trying to make himself obvious so that he wouldn't be sneaking up on the crowd.

As he approached, he could hear many of the Poke'mon in the group humming to themselves. There were sounds of scrubbing, rotten fruit being thrown into buckets to take away.

And there, brush in her mouth, scrubbing at painted letters across a wall that read "Nusvi emm Arceali"...

...was Nivanee.

That seemed...odd, almost.

The Eevee lowered her head to dip the brush into a pail of water, her eyes lifting just a bit to look at Avery, a surprised look crossing her face.

"...Hey, Niv," The Plusle said, tilting his head. "...Do you need some help with that...?"

Her ears perked up, a soft smile given as she let go of the brush into the bucket. She laughed softly, scooting the bucket closer to him. Inside was another brush.

"I'd love the help, of course, but...what are you doing here...?" She asked. "I thought you were visiting your friends at the Illaminian District...?"

The Poke'mon around them didn't bat an eye, too busy with their cleanup to notice.

"I was," Avery said with a little nod. "But there's a guard at the border. They didn't feel comfortable letting guild in without Illamini accompaniment, so I asked them to send Kellixae and Sakura a message instead."

He picked up a brush, and began to scrub alongside her.

"I'm going to see them tomorrow, anyhow, so as long as they don't have to spend another night thinking I'm...y'know...I'm happy."

"Guards...?" Nivanee said thoughtfully with a frown. "I'm guessing not Arceliaze guards, then..."

She was quiet a second, lifting her head to look up at the graffiti on the wall...then around at the smashed windows, the broken stand...then the direction of the now-ruined One Truth Square.

"...sounds...defensive."

Avery nodded.

"It seems that we missed a lot," He said. "...It's a little scary. I saw some other stuff down there. But...the guard wasn't aggressive at the gates to the district. Defensive, but..."

He rolled his eyes.

"I did have to use my guild position to help someone through a barricade."

Nivanee snickered at that.

"Reminds me of my early days at the guild when I'd get get pushed aside by guards...until Janus and I became a household name." She said with a smile. "I'm glad your friends are okay at least."

She went quiet after that, her smile fading as she stared into the bucket, her mirthfulness evaporating. It was only for a moment, a little smile crossing her face again.

"I admit...I'm out here both to do some work and...maybe do some thinking." Nivanee said with a sigh, picking up some debris and moving it aside. "Little tasks help me do that. Normally I try to get out of my own head but...things feel a little different lately."

"I can pipe down if you need it," Avery said, looking down at her reflection before starting to scrub away at the words. "We'll have to clean this up anyhow."

Playfully, he flicked a bit of water at the side of her face, then went back to scrubbing, just in case she preferred the silence.

"No. No no no, it's actually really nice to talk to you, Avery." She said with a warm smile, playfully splashing back. "If anything, you're probably the one that can help me the most. Or, at least, be someone to bounce off of with some of this...stuff floating around in my head these past few days..."

"Well, then shoot away," Avery said, looking to her. He wasn't sure why she thought he could help, but...it was a nice thought at least.

She beamed thankfully at the Plusle...but for a moment was simply silent, as though she were contemplating what to even say first, going through what must have been an expansive list in her mind.

She took a brush in mouth, scrubbing at the blood red letterings on the wall, her gaze affixed to it carefully, considering it.

Then, slowly, she set the brush down in the bucket, only staring up at the slowly vanishing letters.

"Avery...why do you think the Illaminians rioted?" She asked.

It...felt an oddly uncharacteristic question from her.

"...I guess...the reason any riot happens. They're unhappy. I've...heard a lot about having to work debt jobs over real jobs. Fleeing their homeland that they love, to a place where they walk into debt, and it feels like everyone who isn't Illamini op Arceali is...ambivalent towards them at best. Their homes are run down, and...liable to be set on fire by extremists at any time."

He grimaced.

"That's, uh...I mean I know it's more complex than that, but...from their point of view, it's gotta sting, huh...?"

She was quiet, just listening to Avery, ears swiveled in his direction, drinking in his every word.

"It feels odd..." She said, almost to herself. "It sounds so obvious. Yet I just never really..."

She paused a moment, staring at the wall, almost through it.

"...thought about it. Or cared." She mused. "That's just how it is. It's how it was when I was a kid, maybe even long before that."

She was quiet again.

"A lot of things I've always taken for granted are just starting to make less and less sense." She said, glancing at Avery. "Arceliaze is such a beautiful city to me. The pretty marble statues, the culture so full of life, the centuries of history. It's so much of who I am, as much as Yahneri Port is to me."

She gave him a smile. A sadder one.

"Arceliaze...is such a beautiful city...to me." She said. "But Poke'mon riot in it anyway. The guild is a paragon of justice and heroism. But there are Poke'mon that despise it on principle. We all join the guild to be brave and save others. But my sister, the bravest and fiercely loving of all, saw fit to abandon it..doesn't that all seem strange, Avery?"

"...It's what I've been wrestling with," Avery said, picking up a few wooden splinters. "Janus isn't stupid. Quayslaan isn't stupid. Diquarni isn't stupid. And yet...people kept leaving the guild. Leaving the Conduicy. I'm...still left wondering why."

"Hmhm...and that's always been the difference between you and me, Avery." Nivanee said with a little mirthful laugh. "You bothered to wonder."

She shifted a bit, moving some wood from the street. Her 'TZ' badge sparkled brilliantly in the light, the twin prongs polished to a wonderful sheen.

"You know...Dad used to tell me that, to wonder. When he tried to teach me to read he tried using a book of Quayoffi poems." She said softly, lost in thought. "But when he kept getting called for shipping jobs, he hired a tutor...and the first book I read was the newest Guild Periodical at the time."

She looked to Avery, that faraway stare looking at him.

"Think of that...the first words I read were about the guild. How much good they did for others, how selfless they were. How they caught...bad guys."

That smile crept back on her face as she looked down into the bucket.

"Some of the first history I learned? The 2nd war of Arcea, where Jyiniarno the warlord invaded Arcea and burned Old Arceliaze. I learned about how the Conduicy works, I learned about how Adelaide, the Arcean, saved Illaminians. "

She paused.

"And when I ran off with Janus, all the guild members were Arcean. Arceans walked the streets of the market district. We looked up to the elites as the coolest Poke'mon in the world."

She giggled softly. But it wasn't a necessarily happy giggle.

"Huh...really, thinking on it...is it any wonder I joined the guild?"

...Avery just listened. He dropped off a few of the sticks in a pile, and took a broom and dustpan to start sweeping up glass.

Nivanee, herself, had gone quiet, another pause in her talking as she finished up clearing off another pile.

"Are you satisfied with how the world is, Avery...?" Nivanee asked, turning to him. "I know that's a...weird question, especially since you're...what you are, but...I've always felt satisfied with how things were, or just didn't think about what I wasn't satisfied with. But..."

She gingerly lifted a paw, tracing her abdomen.

"...Avery...I almost died...for this. You know?" She said sweeping a paw around toward the street, festooned with broken glass and destroyed stands. "I wasn't fighting to prevent any of this from happening or helping the Illaminians or even the Arceans. I almost died...to get a trinket for the Conduit."

She set her paw down, her brow furrowing.

"And I guess...I'm just asking myself if I'm really willing to die for this. If I'm really, truly, satisfied with the way things are. If I could die to protect this."

Avery dumped the glass shards into a nearby trash can, and came over to her as she spoke.

"...Niv...I haven't known you that long. But...what I do know...is that you're willing to die to protect something. When you were with us down in the center of the earth, when you fought in Dove Fo Uddjo, when you helped us on that island..."

He put a hand on her back.

"...You weren't doing that for some trinket. You have this...power in you. This drive. So I guess...what are you fighting for?"

Nivanee was quiet.

She looked at Avery slowly. Her gaze was no longer distant, it was squarely, directly on him. She took a deep breath, trying to collect her thoughts.

"My friends." She said. "My family. Wherever they go, whatever they do..."

The words slowly sank in for her. Her tail lightly swished from side to side.

"But that's not all, is it? That may have been my only answer a few days ago...but now there's something else." She said, her voice slow and measured. "Now...I want to fight for a better world for them all. Everyone. Everyone."

The corners of Avery's eyes stung a little bit. But he smiled through it.

"...That sounds like a good cause to me." Avery said, letting out a little sigh. "...Bit esoteric though, we should really try and put that into an actionable set of steps, huh~?"

He broke into a small grin, to show the jest in the words.

"Well, if I have you here to help that won't be a problem." The Eevee said with a sunny smile, returning his jest.

She stepped up and gave a soft nuzzle into Avery, her warm presence comforting in the heavy atmosphere of the trashed street.

"You know...ever since I started having these night terrors...every time I wake up I feel like I want to talk to...someone. Someone to tell me something." She said with a sigh. "I feel like I've wronged others, Avery. That I've spent a lifetime doing something wrong...and only now do I have a glimmer of lucidity to fix it."

She took a step back, surveying the street as the workers finished sweeping glass and scrubbing away splatters and vandalism.

"Whatever the case may be...I have this feeling in my heart. I feel ready to do better, to face anything thrown at me if it means making the world better for those I love." She said, a determined glint crossing her features. "Even if the road there hurts worse than any thousand mile fall."

For a moment, those words sent Avery reeling. For a moment, those words brought him to the gallows. To eight figures-

"Y...yeah. Nobody ever said it'd be easy. But...this-" Avery said, putting some elbow grease into the scrubbing. "This is a sign that this won't hold. Something needs to change. And if we don't want it to change for the worse, we have to change it for the better."

He paused.

"Uh. W-we, being...collective. Not...just you and I, that'd be a lot."

Nivanee laughed softly, seeing Avery get back to scrubbing.

"Many paws make light work." She quipped, moving to finish her cleaning, rubbing out the letters. "You and I is better than just you. And I suspect, we two and Janus is better still. Janus...Lahnae, I'm sure. Many, many others."

Her smile brightened.

"Even if so many other things around it change, family stays together. Family has each others backs..."

She paused.

"...with or without a guild."

Avery paused his scrubbing briefly. But immediately went right back to it.

"And...hey, if you ever want to talk about those night terrors, sort them out, I'm here, okay?" He said. "I...ah...I have bad dreams, too. I know how it can get."

"I will, I promise." Nivanee said with a soft smile.

At last, the graffiti disappeared from the wall. The street was cleared. All was well, or at least..better.

The Eevee turned to Avery with a nod.

"Looks all good here. One Truth Square is getting handled by a professional team." Nivanee sighed, rolling her shoulders. "I admit, I didn't have much else planned tonight. I was more coming to see what had happened."

She looked about...then back to him.

"Though it saddened me, it's funny...it also feels like a turning point for the better. Is that just me?"

Avery shook his head.

"I don't think so. I think this needed to happen. Like..." He looked up. "Like how if you never got symptoms, you'd never know you were sick."

"Hm...it's a relief knowing you feel the same." She said softly.

Putting his hands on his hips, Avery looked at the clean stone.

"...Should we head back for the night?"

"Mhm! Let's go!" Nivanee said, bouncing up to attention. She gestured her head to lead him along to the guild.

The night was quiet during their walk back. Poke'mon were nestled in bars, restaurants, stands and apartments alike. Few traversed the street with them. Arceliaze could finally rest.

Despite the general atmosphere of the city, he was...feeling hopeful. If Nivanee was on his side too...maybe there was hope for others.

In no time they were passing the guard checkpoints for the One Truth Square, Avery and Nivanee reached the guild again. The torches had not yet gone out, giving the front of the guild the last flickers of life for the night.

But the pair weren't alone. Standing in the torchlight by the door were two figures, Lahnae and Loshjno, ice cream cups in hand, looking like they were talking to each other about something.

"...Oh, hey guys," Avery called, waving a bit as he and Nivanee approached.

Lahnae jumped, almost dropping hers as she looked back at Avery in surprise. Odd seeing her so jumpy. Loshjno, meanwhile, just put his hand on her shoulder, patting it.

"Late night ice cream?" Avery asked.

"Yeah...! Losh and I were just taking the night to ourselves to...talk about stuff...!"

"Just 'stuff', hm?" Loshjno cheekily prodded, making Lahnae squirm with a huff.

"Yeah. Just stuff."

Nivanee nodded thoughtfully, though she seemed to have something of a knowing look on her face, one laced with a bit of worry. The Eevee even glanced back at Avery.

'...Stuff? I've never seen Lahnae so...bothered before. That was odd. Should I talk to her about it? But-'

There was a gap in the conversation before Lahnae piped up just to fill space.

"What about you guys?!"

"Uh." Avery began. "Well I tried to go see some friends in the Illaminian District, but I wasn't allowed in, so... I just sent a message instead. Then Niv and I helped clean up part of the square. That's all."

"Ah, yes. I saw the state the square is in." Loshjno said with a nod. "We missed quite a lot in only a few short days away."

"Aw, no, the Illaminian district is closed up?" Lahnae tilt her head. "Man, it MUST have been bad..."

"Did you see Kipuuna or Ganisus out and about?" Nivanee asked.

"Nawp, I think they stayed in." Lahnae said.

"Everything okay with you guys?" Avery asked, looking between the two of them. "I enjoyed the therapy session for the most part...! Thank you all for setting that up."

"Of course, Avery." Loshjno said with a grin. "But if anything we got the idea from you. If not for you and your, shall we say, one-on-one therapy sessions with us we'd have likely just continued squabbling, taking jabs, making slights, all the things a healthy family loves to do."

Nivanee winced...but clearly agreed.

"But, as for how we are...well, I'm doing fine." Loshjno said, looking down at his ice cream with a smile. "The treat's nice, cool spring air...Lahnae, how about you?"

Lahnae...was quiet.

Loshjno coughed, making her jump.

"Uhm...!" Lahnae tried to begin but stopped herself, shifting about, looking away. Her face was screwed into a pained expression of...shame, not embarrassment.

Loshjno, thusly, pushed the chick out the nest.

"Well, good, I'm glad to hear." The Squirtle said with a cheeky grin. "Nivanee, would you mind helping me with Kipuuna?"

"Kipuuna? What's wrong with Ki-"

CRASH

"OW?!"

A clatter, shout and noise came from within the guildhall, making Nivanee perk up with a worried look. Loshjno set the icecream cup down on the railing by the canal while Lahnae looked increasingly anxious.

"You both don't mind waiting for us, do you?" The Squirtle asked as Nivanee was already rushing into the guild hall. "Don't want a bunch of people tripping over themselves to get him an Oran Berry."

"Oh it's just a little cut, let me...oh shoot, I left my items in my room..."

"Eeeespecially since Nivanee's locked herself out."

"Oh...oh no where's my key...?"

Loshjno sighed with a smile and began to stroll towards the guildhall. Lahnae looked fit to run after him,, but one glance back at her told the Torchic to stay put, which she did.

With a swift motion, the Squirtle was through the door and closed it with a click.

And like magic...the two were alone.

Avery stepped a little closer to Lahnae, watching the two of them go off. If he knew Loshjno, the Squirtle was doing this on purpose.

...And if Avery knew Lahnae, she wasn't.

Avery looked toward the guild as Nivanee and Loshjno vanished, just for a bit, but...considering that look the Squirtle had given her, Lahnae wasn't allowed to leave just yet.

"...Everything okay, rival?" Avery asked, turning his attention away from the stairway towards her. "You look almost pale. That isn't normal for you..."

"Urk...!"

Lahnae's eyes screwed shut. Her cheeks puffed. It was like that question was lighting a fuse of anxiety that was primed and ready to go off.

And Lahnae, bless her heart, was awful at keeping a secret a secret for very long.

"...NO...! Everything is NOT OKAY!" Lahnae blurted, like a sudden exhale, puffs of flame flickering out her beak!

She heaved a breath, gone cross-eyed, trying to recover.

With another deep breath, she lifted her eyes and looked at Avery. Best as she could, she dauntlessly kept eye contact, even though it was obvious she was...scared?

"I mean...things with you and Vizon...are not okay. And that's not okay...!" She said. "I'm worried about you! And I'm worried...that...!"

She squirmed again, swallowed...then said her final words.

"...that I screwed up things between you both?" Lahnae blurt out again. "Like...! I had tried to be there for you after a bad night but I...went to far and now you two are broken up and I feel HORRIBLE that it happened and I want to be sure you're okay and...I WANNA FIX IT ANY WAY I CAN?!"

Her voice was warbling. She was terrified. Guilty. Shameful. Horrified with herself. Miserable for Avery. But even with how wrong it could go she let it spill out in a cacophony of spoken brain dumping chaos.

Avery flinched from Lahnae's raised voice, looking about in checking for if anyone else was around. But...nobody was. He just...listened to her for a moment. And his heart sunk.

She'd been harboring all of this since she found out? It wasn't that long,, but it must have felt like an age to her.

But now that she was done, Avery let it hang there for a moment...and he hugged her. Avery could feel the tenseness in her body, feel it all melt away as he hugged her, the Torchic letting out a mournful sigh as she wrapped her wings around him to hug back.

"...Vizon and I have been broken for a long time." Avery assured with a pat on the Torchic's back. "Our time talking together might not have helped with Vizon, sure, but...if it was just our talk, it wouldn't have done it. Vizon and I, we've...there's been something between us for a long time. You just helped me through a hard night. That's all. And I needed it."

"That just...it sucks, dude." She muttered, slowly burying her beak more into Avery's fur, muffling slightly. "Even when you left for Yahneri...heck, even when all that stuff at the bar went down I was getting worried but...I was hoping there was some way to fix it. Like...some magic combination of actions and words or something to make everything better if I could just figure it out...like you always do!"

Lahnae squeezed him a little tighter.

"But it's already over...like...I think, what if it was me and Loshjno just having a hardcore falling out and I just feel like trash at the thought and I just..." Her breath hitched a little. "...man, I just hope you're alright. I'm sorry I confessed that night, that was so stupid, made things complicated and harder on you and...!"

She took a deep breath, shaking her head.

"No, argh, shoot, sorry. I'm making it all about me, huh? No, you know what, Avery...?" She said, slowly pulling back, trying to regain her own determination. "I...said it once and I'll say it again: ANYTHING you need...I'm here to help, Rival. You just say the word and I'M THERE, DUDE."

"...I'm not really sure what I need is the thing," Avery sighed, separating from the hug as she pulled back. "...Niv and I had a good talk about a lot of things. But Vizon...I can't get a read on him. Ever since we've gotten back he seems, almost at war with himself. I..."

His eyes traced his paws.

"...I don't think he and I are ever going to be as close as we were. Not that that's saying much, heh...the whole reason we broke up was because of how...fake we were being to each other."

"...fake...?"

Lahnae mulled on that word sadly. She really didn't seem to like that idea, Avery's relationship with Vizon being, of all things...fake.

"That...sounds really sad, I dunno..." She said, as though trying to grapple with the feelings herself. "I'm like...what's the word...emulating it in my head, I guess and I...really really hate the feeling..."

She kicked at a small rock, looking down at the ground. Avery hadn't seen her this dejected since her scoldings from Kipuuna.

"I dunno much about Vizon, myself, really..." Lahnae said with a sigh. "I mean, I get he was a fan of us guild members but...we've never really talked much. He always seemed glued to you and if not you then...nobody."

She frowned softly.

"Almost feels like yelling at him at the bar was the most I ever talked to the guy..."

"...I think...I haven't really felt close to Vizon since...damn, since Rocky Hills. There's always been something after that." He looked to Lahnae, smiling sadly. "And that's the thing too. Before then? I really felt like we were getting close. He took me in when I had nobody...! He taught me a bit about the world, he was..."

Avery shrugged his shoulders.

"He was so...excited about doing good. Just for the sake of doing good. But...but now whenever he talks about good guys, or being part of the guild, it just...it feels like there's so much...animosity behind it. I don't know if he was always like that, or if...I drove him to be that way because of how I am, always...looking for different angles, and everything-"

"No...no no no, that's not your fault!" Lahnae interjected at once, without even a heartbeat of hesitation. "Just being curious or wanting to be sure, that doesn't make you a bad Poke'mon! And that doesn't mean Vizon has to...do...whatever it is he's doing."

She furrowed her brow with a huff.

"So...what, he's not...into doing good anymore?"

She paused for a second.

"...is that why he kept acting weird every time you brought up your Illaminian friends?"

"That's the thing," Avery said, looking about, as if he expected Vizon to pop out from behind a pillar or something and reprimand him for talking behind his back. "I think he is into doing good. Just...for the wrong reasons, maybe?"

Avery sighed.

"His family's got some history with Illaminian people, I think. Both he and Niv were pretty against me going out to see Kellixae the night of the arson attack. Niv's...changed her mind as of tonight, but...it feels like in turn, Vizon's doubled down."

"Tch...ugh..."

Lahnae couldn't help but vocalize her disappointment, even as she proceeded to just...chew on those words, mull over them. She looked as though she were getting more frustrated, just thinking it all over.

"That's...hard." She admitted, squinting her eyes. "I mean...good that he's doing good I guess but..."

She looked up at Avery.

"...if it's all for the wrong reasons then how long until he's doing bad?"

She took a sharp breath, almost as though she didn't mean to say that part out loud.

"I mean...like...! Look, what do you think?" She asked at last. "Do you...really think this is for the best? I'm just asking and making sure because, like, I don't want it to be like this! Just something that broke and can't be fixed. I WANT to help! I want to fix this and see you both happy because you're both my friends and I really care about you, Avery, I...I..."

She was babbling, and with a grunt she stopped it short of a speech.

"...just...what now?"

"...I don't know, Lahnae," Avery said finally, shrugging helplessly. His fingers were playing idly with his arms, stroking up and down the fur as he brought his gaze up to the moonlit sky. "...I don't really know anymore."

Avery thought back to the island. To what he'd done to Vizon. To what his duplicitiousness had done to the Riolu.

"The worst things we did to each other happened because we tried to force each other to think our way. So we just...agreed to stop doing that. But that...I don't know. Maybe that wasn't the right move."

Lahnae looked at Avery sadly, looking down at his fingers brushing his arms. With a soft sigh, she stepped forward to take Avery's hands into her wings, if only so they wouldn't be alone.

"Probably better than me." Lahnae laughed. "I'd have just kept trying to convince him until I was blue in the face!"

She snickered, bouncing a little, trying to pull back the mood.

"Like...I know some Poke'mon say that, like...some are just like that. Some Poke'mon are just set in how they think and never budge..." She sighed. "When I first heard that I thought it was just a dumb excuse to not even try. But sometimes I wonder...and I hate that I wonder because I don't ever want to give up on anyone."

She sucked in a sharp breath.

"...much as he got under my skin...I never gave up on Kipuuna...he never gave up on me, either." She said. "...but does that work on everyone? I dunno...I hope so, I really do, I'll always hope and try, even if it may be they'll never change. I just want that grapevine out there, until it withers and dies and turns crumbly."

She giggled softly.

"...I bet Loshjno would call that unhealthy or something. He might be right, but that's just what I do."

"...See, you and Vizon have that in common," Avery said, squeezing her wing a little. "...You're both stubborn as hell. I just...I hope someday he can be stubborn for the things you are."

Avery took a moment to gather himself before continuing.

"And...Lahnae, I don't regret talking to you that night. The entire day was...horrible. It was horrible in ways that I told you, in ways that I haven't told you, and in ways that I can't tell you. But...just, being in that room with you, telling stories...that was the one thing from that day that wasn't marred by anything. It was a good thing."

Lahnae hesitated...then nodded softly.

"Alright. I'll trust you on that, then." She promised, sighing. "I'm just gunna trust you it was all okay that night."

She paused again, squeezing the Plusle's hands softly in hers.

"I'm always here for you, Rival. I promise!" She said, staying determined, that flicker still in her eye. "I hope the best for Vizon...but no matter what, I got your back."

"I've got yours, too," Avery said, nudging her back. "After all, we took down Thundurus together. Twice! I really feel like friend drama like this shouldn't be hitting me as hard as it is."

He shot her a grin as he began walking into the guild.

"Though we both know I got the last hit on Thundurus~! So technically the KO's mine."

"Only on the FIRST one! Wait, shoot, who DID get the last hit?" Lahnae pondered. "I can't even hardly remember what happened. Just a bunch of mud came crashing into him and...was that Loshjno or the Starly guy, technically? MANN I have no idea!"

She blew a raspberry, rolling her eyes.

"And then you go off to fight ANOTHER monster while Loshjno and I were twiddling our thumbs getting search consent forms at Steeljag Village. Booooo-riiing!" Lahnae frowned. "And Sarfallinus didn't like that we let them use their own courier service instead of taking it ourselves! Yeah as if we've EVER get those things to Arceliaze in one peace what with the sudden river flood we got hit with!"

More of Lahnae's bad luck it seemed. The way her mood seemed to just totally flip back to being playfully indignant and annoyed sure was a treat...

"Sarfallinus got mad at you for that?" Avery said, crossing his arms. "Jeez. You know what I think? I think he needs to accompany you on a mission sometime. See for himself what you guys are constantly going up against. Might show the big lug a thing or two..!"

"HAH, YEAH!" Lahnae BOUNCED with a KICK in the air! "See if he can keep up with me! Or heck, forget that, see if he keeps up with LOSHJNO! Old Loshy's been AMAZING ever since Lightning Wastes! He's always doing his absolute best, even when we still fail!"

She bounced excitedly, her face beaming.

"ARCUES, it's so COOL! No wins yet but I FEEL like an All-Star team now! YEAH!"

She pressed into Avery softly, as though thanking him for boosting her mood. With a soft nuzzle into the Plusle's neck, Lahnae spoke again.

"Oh! Hey hey hey, I was thiiiinking...y'wanna, like, do that camping thing in Souljjraan tomorrow night?!" She asked, her excitement boiling over.

"Camping in...oh! I've got some things I have to do tomorrow, but if the guildmaster's okay with it, I think I'd really like that...!" Avery nudged her a little. "Gotta make the most of our days off while we have them, right?"

"The guildmaster? Pfff!" Lahnae stuck her tongue out defiantly, shaking her feathers a little. "As if he'd stop me from hanging out! HEHE."

She gave another bounce, looking back toward the guild.

"Man, I'm excited for that...it's been FOREVER since I got out of Arceliaze just to...be out of the city. No mission or nuthin, just off work, exploring around!" The Torchic sighed wistfully.

"Well, first I'm just going to go see Sekurae and Kellixae to talk to them." The Plusle added. "Hopefully after tonight they'll know I'm alive, but uh-"

Avery scratched the back of his head, laughing uneasily.

"I'd still like to see them face to face. But after that, I don't have any plans, I think."

"Oh shoot, right! Them!" Lahnae said, like she remembered. "Tell me how they are when you do, okay?! I hope they're alright, especially after this past week..."

She nodded her head, the sounds inside the guildhall dying down as Kipuuna was finally helped.

"Gosh, yeah..." Avery sighed. "It's crazy to think I missed something like that while I was away. I just hope they're alright."

He took a moment to think.

"Actually, uh, do you know anyone in the Illaminian District? Since I'm going that way anyhow, I could see if I could bring a gift or care package or something their way while I'm inside. It's tougher to get in there now, what with the militia, but fingers crossed, Sekurae's going to escort me through, so once I'm in I could check on anyone you're worried about, too."

"Yeah I bet it's hard to get into...I think the only other time I saw the Illaminian District so closed-off was like...man, I must've been 11 or something. No idea what was going on...but a few friends moved away after..." Lahnae mused thoughtfully with a sigh, shaking her head. "But uh! Yeah, there's a few people I know. Like Banitus, for one. Oh! And our old banker, this Pidgeot named Varlo."

She paused, rubbing the back of her head.

"I...haven't had a whole lot of time to visit them these past few months. But I still wanna know they're ok! Heck, I'd go with you, but-!"

She shrugged sheepishly...and flicked her shining gold badge.

"...well, you know."

The Torchic picked up Loshjno's cup of ice cream and stepped towards the guild entrance, cracking open the doors and peeking inside. After a moment, she pushed it open fully, letting Avery in.

"But...all that's for tomorrow, yeah?" Lahnae stretched with a yawn. "If you need anything tomorrow, let me know. I'm probably going to...I dunno! Maybe getting stuff for the camping trip or seeing who'll go with me to...I DUNNO, SOMETHING. Anything! I gotta have STUFF TO DO, I ain't a 'sit and relax' kind of Poke'mon!"

Avery smiled, pumping an arm at that.

"For sure...! I'll be leaving for Sekurae's stall late in the morning, so if you want me to deliver anything to Banitas or Varlo, just get it to me before then. I can hang around the stall for a bit if you don't catch me before I leave the guild."

At the far end of the entrance hall they could see Loshjno and Ganisus, Nivanee disappearing down the stairs just as the two entered. That loud voice of Lahnae's made Loshjno perk up, looking back at the both of them. As they approached, Avery looked to Loshjno first.

"Aha, there you both are." Loshjno smirked. "At last."

"Hey, Loshjno! Lahnae and I are planning on going camping overnight in Souljraan tomorrow, heh." The Plusle said. A part of him was already so excited for the idea that he couldn't help but let it spill from him. "I think I used to really like camping, and...this is the first time I'm ever really going to get to do it in memory. Even during work we've stayed overnight in hotels and such."

"Camping, you say?" Loshjno said with an impressed smile as they both approached. "Funny to 'rough it' recreationally when we do it as part of our job so often."

"Yeah, but it's DIFFERENT when it's for FUN!" Lahnae cheered as she bounded up to greet him. "I mean I THINK. I dunno! I've spent so much of my free time cooped up in Arceliaze that I couldn't say!"

Loshjno chuckled which finally got the attention of Ganisus who slowly turned his head to look at Avery and Lahnae, his tail slowly swishing.

"...staying in this city too long does stuff to you." He drawled, seemingly jokingly (though it was hard to tell, as usual). "Kipuuna would probably pack our whole room before he took one step into the forest to camp for fun."

"Oh?" Loshjno mused, cocking an eyebrow at the Shinx. "So what would you do?"

Ganisus...gave a very small smile.

"Help him pack the bed." The Shinx finished. Lahnae snorted, waving a wing.

"Pah! City-Poke'mon, one and all! Tenderfoots and silver-spoons!"

"Lahnae, you're about as city-girl as they come."

"Well yeah but once I go camping then I can TOTALLY look down my nose at all the 'city slickers'! HEHEHEHE."

"D'you even know how to start a fire?" Avery asked, tilting his head at her. "...Without using a move? Or how to purify water, tie knots, that sort of thing?"

"Nope! I usually just puff embers and drink whatever Loshjno spits out!"

"Gross." Ganisus scrunched his face slightly. The Squirtle snickered.

"Water type water is about as pure as you can get out in the field!" Lahnae assured.

"I'm not letting Kipuuna spit in my mouth." Ganisus said bluntly.

"Noooo, he'd just put it in a cup!"

"..."

"That makes it better!"

"..."

Loshjno stepped in at this point, returning to Avery's question at once.

"I know basic knots...perhaps one or two advanced ones." Loshjno put in, eying Lahnae. "But I'm sure she'd be ecstatic to learn from you, Avery."

"YEAH I WOULD!" THe Torchic bounced as the group began moving down the stairs. "Oh yo, actually, good point! I need to get tents! OH, I SHOULD GET COLOR CODED TENTS, a yellow one and a red one!"

"Or you both could share a tent." Ganisus blurted, glancing back blankly.

Avery almost caught a subtle...extra redness on Lahnae's cheek. But she wasn't one to back down.

"Oh yeah! That could-" Her voice hitched. "-Be a lot cheaper!"

Avery tried to keep himself controlled.

"I mean if the weather's nice we could sleep under the stars, too," He suggested. "But camping's all about being prepared. Plus, tents are heavy - it wouldn't make sense to carry more than one. We'll just make sure we get a two person tent!"

...Avery paused. His composure broke a little.

"But, y'know. If we can't afford that, we're on the smaller side of Pokemon. So. One-person tent could probably fit us both in a pinch."

"YEAH"

Oop, too fast. Too excited. Lahnae paused...then nodded.

"Yeah-! I think that'd work okay!" Lahnae said, doing an oddly impressive job of masking...even if her feelings were still painfully obvious. "I heard Rocky Hills gets really chilly at night because of the lack of Topsoil in a lot of areas and lack of tree coverage so..."

It was pretty obvious what she was implying. Loshjno looked back and smirked...oh so knowingly. Ganisus glanced at him, almost seeming as if he didn't get it...

...but it was hard to tell with the Shinx, of course.

"Well, in either case, we've a full day tomorrow." Loshjno said, rolling his shoulders. "I've a sparring session with our new subordinate tomorrow to get her up to snuff...Ganisus, would you be free tomorrow?"

"I dunno. Maybe." The Shinx replied, not committing. "Kipuuna might wanna do stuff. We're still trying to..."

"To...?"

"Uh...bond, I guess." Ganisus drawled with a sniff. "...guess I want to fix the damage we've had to our friendship...or something."

"I thought you two hung out all the time?"

"Kinda...I was always just annoyed to be around him, but..." Ganisus shrugged...though his face was neutral...his eyes sparkled softly. "...now's just different. If he wants to hang out, I'm gunna do that."

Loshjno and Lahnae smiled warmly hearing that.

Just...hearing the old wounds mending themselves like that felt nice.

At last, they all stood in the main hall. Down the dorm hall, Nivanee stood outside Aquashock's door, talking to Kipuuna inside. Ganisus sighed, padding forward quickly to check up on the Piplup. Loshjno chuckled, looking back to Avery as the guild members slowly began to disperse.

"If you want, Loshjno," Avery began. "After we're back from camping, I could bring Rikzyod to the guild and we could spar with your subordinate to help? It'd be good for me to get some battle practice in an environment where it's not life or death, heh."

"Well, hey, I'd actually love to have you and Rikzyod." Loshjno chuckled lightly. "I'll do another early-morning sparring session the day after tomorrow and you and he can join in."

"Man, I really like Rikzyod! He's cool!" Lahnae chimed in. "I wonder how he learned to shrug off getting HALF HIS FACE BLOWN OFF like that!"

"Lots of training, I'm sure." Loshjno defused that line of thinking at once with a soft pat on Lahnae's shoulder.

"I think part of it is that he's like, a living boulder, too." Avery chuckled a bit. "Rock types are naturally defensive!"

The Plusle stretched his arms over his head as he went down the stairs.

"Actually, it's...crazy to think about, but...Vizon and I don't really have any battle experience past what we've done as part of the guild." Avery paused, looking upwards. "Unless he's lying - or forgetting - and like...I was some big scary warmaster monster or something before landing here, and that knowledge is passing through."

Avery snickered a little at that - a joke on the Arcean interpretation of humans.

Lahnae giggled like mad at the joke, while Loshjno only smiled politely, without a hint of surprise or confusion on his face. Yeah, it'd figure he of all Poke'mon would have already puzzled it out.

"Heyyy, you're right! You guys fight crazy good for having just joined the guild!" Lahnae put in. "Like! When Losh and I first joined we could hardly knock over a training dummy!"

"Mm...those first few weeks were exhausting." The Squirtle reminisced, looking upwards. "Both you and Vizon fight...very strangely well...coordinated and powerful. The coordination is the strangest part. Didn't you say you both had only just met when you joined...?"

Avery blinked.

'Oh, right, I haven't...actually told the rest of the guild that I'm human yet. I should probably do that.'

Avery's smile faded a bit at that. Coordination.

"I, uh...I think there might be special circumstances that led to that. That's actually...something I should talk to you guys about. Lahnae knows a little bit about it, but...if this is going to be a new age for the guild I should probably be completely forthright."

Avery laughed again, a little more nervously.

"I'd like to think you guys know me well enough you won't write me off as crazy or something by now."

"That you're a human disguised as a Poke'mon, brought down by Arceus at the request of the Conduit for a purpose you have yet to fully divine?" Loshjno asked, eyebrows raised. "I might've guessed."

Oh that was scary. Even Lahnae jumped at that. Nivanee perked up from down the hall, looking over in...horror? Disbelief?

"Uh." Avery blinked. "...Missing a few parts, but you got the gist, yeah-" He said, slowly. "Pretty basic deduction. Kid's stuff, r-really."

"Oh, glad you agree." Loshjno chuckled, patting Avery on the shoulder. "Never fear, Avery. For all the stories about humans you make an excellent case for the lot of them."

He glanced back at Nivanee who only sheepishly smiled back at him. The Squirtle took a step back, giving Avery a wave.

"But, it's late. I'm heading off to bed. You have a good night, Avery."

"Uh...y-yeah! I'll come, too!" Lahnae said. Before she ran off, she turned back towards the Plusle...

...and leaned over to give a warm, soft hug.

"Night, Rival. See you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," Avery said, hugging her right back. "And, uh...I'll probably have a tell-all about the whole...'everything' soon. If not with the guildmaster, at least with you all. I think it's at least important for me to get it all off my chest."

"Sure!" Lahnae said, pulling back and smiling. "I know it'll go just fine! Honestly, what's even the point in hiding it? You're a good person either way. And before you express worry about 'certain Poke'mon' in Arcea...c'mon, we really gunna scared of those losers?"

She snickered encouragingly, punching the Plusle's arm lightly.

"Alright, Avery! G'NIGHT!"

"G'night, Lahnae," Avery said, giving her a ruffle on the head in return as Lahnae bounded off happily after Loshjno, a little extra spring in her hops as she joined the Squirtle. Avery went back to Team Azure's room, receiving Nivanee in the hallway. "...Hey, uh...how's Kip? He okay?"

Ganisus muttered a 'good night' to Nivanee, closing the door. The Eevee sighed in relief, looking back at Avery.

"Oh yeah, he's fine. Just went and bumped his head on a wet floor...ceiling looks like it has a leak in the entry hall." Nivanee sighed, shaking her head with a laugh.

She was quiet a moment, sort of just...taking in the silence with a warm smile on her face.

"It's odd, listening to them now, huh?" Nivanee said. "I still can't get used to how much everyone...gets along now. After so many years of fights and passive-aggressive slights and...everything it...hardly feels real."

She sighed happily, her tail lightly swishing.

"...if only Janus could see the guild now..." She mused. "...but I guess I can tell her all about it myself..."

She smiled softly, nuzzling into the Plusle.

"Ready for bed, Avery?"

"As I'll ever be," He replied, stepping beside her. "...I'm glad I've been able to help as much as I have. This place is capable of so much, and...in a world like this, I think it needs to be. It's just..."

Avery looked at her. Really looked at Nivanee.

When he'd first met her, she was someone who was avoiding reality. Lying to herself on where her sister went, who her sister was, only forced down from the sky into the ground when the truth stared her in the face. Someone who had subscribed to an almost toxic form of positivity, keeping her eyes away from anything that was even scarcely negative, pretending it didn't exist.

And now, just earlier today, she was beside him, facing down the ugliest part of this society she was in, making a promise with him to help make it all better, a little at a time. Even without her sister at her side, she was still as strong as ever.

"...I think this guild can make a world both you and Janus can be proud to be a part of. I really believe that."

"...and finally...I believe it, too." Nivanee said, her smile brightening.

She was quiet another moment. Every pause she took over the course of this night...she had a look in her eyes, like a million thoughts flashing in her mind a second, as though seven years worth of thoughts pushed down and suppressed were uncorked all at once, roaming free, jumbled, sorted and contemplated on in a silent rush.

"Avery..." She said quietly.

Her eyes still held the thoughtful look...

...yet it also held an unwavering bravery.

Ready to face down the ugliest part of society. Of the world. Of everything.

"...I want to visit Janus a few days from now." She said with a sigh. "You don't have to come with me, of course, but-"

Avery put a hand on her back.

"Don't finish that sentence. I'll come with you if you need me. Full stop."

Nivanee...let out a long sigh of relief.

"...thank you." She nearly squeaked, nesting her head on his shoulder. "Everything's easier with family..."

She chuckled.

"...I learned that from mom. Janus and I carried it with us all the way to the guild."

With a nod and sniff, Nivanee pulled away, regaining her chipper attitude.

"Okay...okay...! No dwelling on that for now." She said, firm smile on her face. "We've earned this rest. We should enjoy it!"

Straightening herself up, regaining the posture of the guild senior, Nivanee nodded her head to the door at the end of the hall. Someplace Avery hadn't seen in a while.

TEAM AZURE

"Home sweet home." Nivanee said happily, pushing the door open to let themselves in.

"Home sweet home," Avery whispered, looking at the placard above the door.

'...First night with Vizon after...everything.

Wonder if I'll still wake up on the floor.'

He stepped inside. Nivanee peeked in, grunting a little when she saw Vizon inside already curled in bed and fast asleep. A little snore came from the Riolu.

No goodnight to Avery...or to anyone for that matter.

"Hah..." Nivanee sighed, shaking her head. "Must have been exhausted, poor thing..."

She stepped in, quietly shutting the door behind her. Vizon had, thankfully, taken the far side of the bed, his back to the door, leaving plenty of room for Avery and Nivanee.

The Eevee paused, glancing at the Plusle...as if to let him pick who he wanted to be beside.

Avery's ears drooped a bit. His partner.

"...Is...it okay if you take the middle of the bed, Niv?"

Nivanee took a deep breath through her nose...

"...sure." She agreed, understanding...even if it was clear she didn't entirely like it...like what happened.

But still...she, in some way, tried to accept it. She padded over to the bed, clambering up into it slowly and nestling in, a soft barrier between Avery and Vizon.

'...Trust me, Niv. I didn't either.'

"Thanks," Avery said quietly, holding an arm. He didn't want to make Vizon uncomfortable. The Plusle climbed into the bed, curling up as well. "...Have a good rest, okay?"

"Yeah...you too, Avery..." Nivanee whispered, nuzzling into him. "See you tomorrow, okay?"

With one last encouraging smile...she closed her eyes and curled up tight to go to sleep.

At the very least...she was on his side.

As Avery curled up, feeling the warm presence of his team there...the calm and restful feeling of sleep would begin to overtake him.

Finally...the feeling of his bed...the cozy haze. It was almost missed.

It was very easy to slip deeper...deeper...into slumber.

To let the black void of sleep take him...

...to let the world...

...vanish...

[ RECONNECTED ]

Chapter 37

Reconnection