"It did what?" Ms. Raifort asked as Allie finished her report. "Ok, I didn't realize this would be so dangerous. Shit, I'm glad you had an entire crew to bring the thing down." Amara pulled the Ultra Ball from her boxes and held it out.
"Ma'am, we didn't defeat it," Allie muttered. "Amara caught it." Ms. Raifort's eyes widened at this news, and she led Amara, Penny, Arven, and Allie through campus to the training yard, where she practically begged Amara to see the creature. Amara obliged and tossed Wo-Chien out onto the field, making sure to avoid any plant matter in the yard. Wo-Chien burst forth and let out a low rumbling cry. Ms. Raifort looked the creature over, then turned to Allie.
"So, this Pokémon represents the tablets. Interesting, and you said it kills any plant life it touches?" She turned back to Wo-Chien, who readied its blighted vines. Amara called for it to hold, and to her surprise, it put its vines away and continued with Ms. Raifort's examination. After she finished, Amara returned Wo-Chien to its ball, and put the ball back in her boxes. Ms. Raifort bid Amara, Penny, and Arven be on their way, while she briefed Allie on some new information she'd gathered. Amara, Penny, and Arven made their way back to Dragontongue and all settled down in Amara's room. The three of them got cozy, then Amara went limp, and a second later, Elaina smiled at Penny.
"Hey." She said softly. Penny responded by pulling her into a massive hug and kissing her forehead. Elaina hugged Penny back as Arven sent a couple of texts. Penny and Elaina held one another for what felt like hours until Allie poked her head through the open dorm door. "Hey, I'm back. 'Layna, it's nice to see you." She came into the room and took a spot between Elaina and Arven and hugged Elaina and Penny.
"I've missed you so much." Penny whispered to Elaina before cuddling up beside her. "So, what's the plan? Are we watching a movie or are we just taking a minute before we all leave?" Elaina asked. "I've been in the back brain for a while, what's been going on?" Arven, Allie, and Penny filled Elaina in as best they could of the last few weeks' events, then Trish and Nemona walked into the room and Elaina's jaw dropped. "You look absolutely radiant, Nemona." Elaina said, awestruck as Nemona walked through the bathroom door in a white, lacey, flowing negligee.
"We didn't expect you to be back up here." Trish noted as she wrapped her arm around Nemona. "Oh, hey, 'Layna. Missed you." The third couple took a seat beside Penny and Nemona cuddled up to Trish. "So, are we watching a video or something? If so, I vote for Mimikyu's Multi-Fright Night Abridged." Elaina pulled out her phone and mirrored the screen onto her tv. "That sounds awesome, honestly. How long is it?" As she put it on, the group of friends found joy and solace in each other's company. As the episode came to an end, all of them looked to one another with smiles on their faces.
"You are some of the best friends I could have ever hoped for." Elaina said gleefully. Penny cuddled closer to Elaina and said, loudly enough for everyone to hear, "My relationship to you and Amara is my greatest treasure." Arven clapped, and soon the group was applauding as Elaina kissed Penny. "I love you, 'Layna." Penny cooed as the kiss ended. "I don't want this to end."
"We hadn't planned on ending this relationship, Penny. We want you to be with us for quite some time." Elaina released Penny and stumbled to her feet. "Though, floor cuddles do start to hurt after a while, full disclosure." The group agreed, and after giving everyone farewell hugs. Elaina, Allie, Penny, and Arven made their way out of Dragontongue and into Mesagoza.
"Ms. Raifort gave me the approximate locations of the other shrines, so I should be able to find the other stakes. I'll call everyone whenever I find the last one and we can take the treasure down together." Allie disclosed to the group as they walked toward Cortondo. "Arven, are you still on your way to Casseroya Lake?" Arven affirmed that the final titan Pokémon myth puts the titan there, so that's where he'd be going. Amara and Penny noted they were heading toward Alfornada, then toward Glaseado mountain, so they'd be able to stop at the shrine and the lake after the gym battle. As their walk faded into companionable silence, they found themselves enjoying the sun, the walk, and each other.
Eventually, the path diverged between Alfornada and Casseroya Lake, hugs were given, and Penny and Elaina headed south. After a few minutes of walking. Elaina said softly to Penny. "I'm sorry I haven't been out, Penny. I love you and I want you to know that I love you a lot more than I like fronting. It makes me feel like a bad girlfriend." Penny responded by squeezing Elaina's hand and reassuring her that it didn't matter how much or how little Elaina fronted, Penny still loved her and was really happy to be her girlfriend. A tear ran down Elaina's face at Penny's words. Penny wiped the tear away, and Elaina spoke again.
"I know you didn't ask for a partner who had other people in her head," Penny stopped her. "You're not the first person I've loved who has had headmates, 'Layna. It's something that matters to me so little that I didn't bat an eye when Amara showed up, remember?" Penny squeezed Elaina's hand again as the two women walked into the tunnel that would take them the rest of the way to Alfornada. "Now, this walk has been lovely, but can we get Miraidon out here? My feet hurt." Elaina responded by tossing Miraidon from its ball and climbing onto its back. Penny climbed on behind her and the two rode through the cave up to the top of the plateau. As the sunlight washed over them and they pulled into Alfornada, Elaina began to get woozy.
"Penny, baby, I think I need to go inside." She said to the woman holding her waist. "I love you." Her body went limp for a moment and Amara squeezed Penny's arms. "Hello, my love. I'm glad you got to spend some time with Elaina." Penny hopped from Miraidon's back, and Amara did the same.
"I am too. I miss her when she's not fronting, but I don't want her to try and force it." Penny took Amara's hand and the two lovers and Miraidon walked leisurely through the streets. "There's not really a lot in this town, is there?" Amara asked as they passed a Snubbway and a Tauros Steakhouse.
"I think the gym is the standout feature of the town, honey." Penny said, then she stiffened and let go of Amara's hand. Amara looked to her and then followed her line of sight. There was an older man giving the two of them a death stare. Amara wrapped her arm around Penny and the two kept walking. The next few blocks to the gym were quick, mostly because Penny had begun to speed walk. After Amara turned in her registration forms and got her gym ticket, she was told that her gym test was a course of calisthenics in the outdoor practice yard next to the gym.
"The next session is at 3:00 this afternoon, after that the next opening for a gym leader battle is tomorrow at 11:00 in the morning. Should I put a hold on that spot for you?" Amara nodded at the staff member's words and elected to take the morning spot. "Also, you may run into some trouble finding accommodations in this town. There are a good many people who don't approve of two women in love." Amara thanked the staff member and she and Penny made their way from the gym.
"Alright, it's 2:30 now, so we need to kill thirty minutes. Do you want to hit up the Snubbway?" Penny nodded and the two waled back down the street to step into the sandwich shop. As they stepped inside, a few people looked at them quizzically, then went back to eating. Penny and Amara ordered their sandwiches, Amara swiped her card, and soon the two were happily munching on their sandwiches. "Good call, babe." Penny said between bites. "I didn't realize how hungry I was. Then the sandwich shop door opened, and Penny froze.
"What the hell is he doing here?" Amara sat still as Garrett made his way to the counter, ordered a sandwich, and then made his way past Penny and Amara before pausing.
"Penny, I'm sorry I hurt you." He said sadly and then continued walking. Penny's face contorted from fear to bewilderment. Amara looked over her shoulder to see Garrett wordlessly walking out of the shop. "The fuck was that?" Amara asked. Penny shrugged her shoulders and looked absentmindedly down at her sandwich.
"I'll be completely honest I never expected a genuine apology out of my rapist." Penny said as she took a tiny bite of her sandwich. Amara paused, then said incredulously "That was the guy who…" Penny nodded. "I wonder what the fuck happened after Mr. Vaughn got him out of the academy." Amara continued.
"I was sentenced to three hundred hours in the domestic violence shelter in east Mesagoza. It offered me some perspective." Garrett said as he walked back up to their table. Penny flinched as he approached. "I thought you left." She muttered sheepishly. "It was too cold to sit outside. I figured I'd come back in and sit. I know seeing me probably fucks you up, so I'll sit as far away as I can." He turned to walk away, but Penny stopped him.
"I don't forgive you, Garrett, but I'm glad to see you've grown as a person." Garrett smiled sadly. "You don't owe me anything, Penny, least of all forgiveness. I appreciate the compliment though." Then Garrett walked to the other side of the room and sat in clear view of Penny and Amara.
"Shit. I hope he's being legitimate." Penny muttered as she wrapped up half of her sandwich. "I'm going to take this with us, you have an exercise session to get to. "Amara wrapped up her sandwich, and the girls tucked their food into their bags and left the Snubbway. Penny took Amara's hand and a smile crept onto her face.