Chapter 20 – Broken Bonds (Leon)

"Is there anything to do today?" Leon asked aloud.

He faced the window of his own dorm room, overlooking the training field. Outside, several other guild members were running, training, or just hanging out. All of them were in pairs, or groups of three or more. Anyone who wasn't out there was probably doing fieldwork with their teammates. Or getting lunch with their peers. Or exploring the town with their friends.

"I can't think of anything," Leon continued. He and Chase had already finished two jobs this week– the mountain rescue on Monday, and then settling a dispute in town on Wednesday. Aleister allowed his apprentices to rest on days between jobs. Even though it was Friday, he didn't have any tasks for them today. The Lucario said that he had to help his own team with a 'private issue.'

But since Leon overheard him talking with other mentors about a 'problematic apprentice,' he had a sinking feeling that he knew who the private issue was.

"This just… isn't right," Leon concluded, shaking his head. By all accounts, he was an early success in the guild. Not only did he become a full-time member, his fieldwork and training had both been going well enough to garner praise from his mentors. Despite that praise, despite staying on top of his goals and proving himself, Leon wasn't happy.

"It shouldn't be just for me," Leon said, finally looking over his shoulder. "Why won't you talk to me?"

There was no one to answer him. The chairs and beds of the room were all empty.

Ever since they talked in the medical wing on Monday, Jacob had resolutely cold-shouldered Leon. And Leon had no idea what he was supposed to say to him. All he wanted was to form a team with Jacob, like he had said. Like they had planned when they left to join the guild. What was so bad about that?

"He thinks you're hogging him," a quiet, contrarian voice echoed in his mind. "He can't make new friends if he's with you."

"Why would he want new friends?" The Totodile glared at his reflection in the window, challenging his doubts. "We've always been best friends, always had each other's backs. Every time someone else gets thrown in the mix, that's when it goes wrong!"

That's exactly what happened during training, when Jacob got roped into stealing food from the pantry, and almost got busted. Leon did what he could to keep it from happening again, and now… Well, it led to what happened on Monday.

Their first day of fieldwork. Jacob was mad at him and didn't want to team up. So while they took on separate jobs, Jacob got hurt. And Leon didn't know until he found him all bruised up in the nurse's office. Still, Jacob wanted nothing to do with him.

All Leon wanted was to make sure Jacob didn't get hurt, to work with him and succeed together. Why was Jacob so put off by that?

"He wants to prove himself, too," his reflection said.

"Yeah…" Leon conceded as he lowered his head. "I know that feeling."

But that wouldn't mean anything if Jacob got kicked out of the guild. And if that happened, then… Actually, Leon didn't want to think about that. What was he supposed to do? The idea that either of them would have to go all the way back home, after all they–

"Wait a minute," Leon lifted his head. "Home."

After all this time, a realization finally struck him: he hadn't written a letter to Mom and Dad since they arrived in Wolfhaven. He mentally kicked himself for forgetting, but maybe now would be the best time to reach out to them?

Granted, something might happen before the letter even gets to them. But they deserved to know what was happening regardless. And if there was any way they could help, Leon ought to give it a try.

So he turned around, walked over to his desk, and opened the top drawer as he took a seat. Inside laid a journal, sheets of loose parchment, an inkwell, and a writing quill. He pulled out what he needed, flattening a sheet on his desk and dipping the quill into the inkwell.

Once Leon was ready to write, he found himself staring at the paper for a while before realizing he wasn't doing anything. It was almost amusing, how easy writing was in his mind, and how hard it turned out to be once he tried to start. So he shook his head and forced the words out.

"Dear Mom and Dad," he spoke aloud as he wrote.

"It's Leon. Sorry I didn't write to you guys sooner. It just slipped my mind. I know that Jacob and I leaving has been hard for you. I wish I could tell you that it's all going well for us. I mean, it's not all bad. We passed training and became apprentices. But I'm getting off track. The thing is, Jacob's not doing so well. I wanted to write this letter with him, but…"

He paused, tapping his chin with the writing quill. How should he explain what Jacob has been up to? Should he be completely honest? Would that help, or would that just make them worry?

"…But he's been avoiding me. He's mad at me. Basically, he's been hanging out with other apprentices who I don't get along with. And something's going wrong with his training, but he doesn't want me to help. He thinks he relies on me too much."

Leon sighed. That description barely scratched the surface. But he had only so much space on the parchment.

"It's… complicated. But I can't pretend like everything's gonna be okay, cuz it's not. He won't even talk to me, and that hurts. Did I really do something wrong? Am I being selfish? I honestly don't know, and I don't know what to do or who can help. I'm all alone here. All I know is that I don't want to lose–"

Leon paused, taking a moment to wipe a tear from his eye.

"…I don't want to lose my best friend."

He stopped writing, feeling like he just unraveled himself. Now his doubts started to take over. Would this letter just make them worry? Should he start over and try again? Leon shook his head– arguing with himself wasn't going to solve any problems. He tightened his grip on the quill, dipped it into the inkwell, and continued writing.

"I don't know when this will reach you. I don't know if there's really anything you can do to help, and I feel bad for making you worry. But, if there's some way you can help, I'd really, really appreciate it."

That was pretty much the gist of it. Maybe he could add more, but Leon was getting close to the end of the parchment.

"…I wish I had more to talk about. But this is all I can think of. I hope you guys are doing alright. And I hope to hear from you soon. I miss your cooking, Mom. Love, Leon."

With his name signed he set the writing quill aside and stood up, darting his eyes over the letter and mumbling the words to himself. Then he read it a second time, and a third time, making sure he conveyed exactly what he wanted to share with his parents. Yet there was also something therapeutic about reading his own, written thoughts, even if they were sad.

"Never thought the first letter home would be like this," Leon said as he folded the parchment, then tucked it into an envelope. Once that was done he walked out of his room and toward the main hall, bound for the mail room.

Sometime past noon, the guild was strangely empty. Hardly any noise passed through the building, and even the front desk attendant seemed to be away.

"Guess the weather's too good to be cooped up inside," Leon said. "Just hope the post office isn't on lunch break."

He sauntered down the staircase, meandering right to reach the mailroom. Thankfully, it wasn't deserted. There was at least one worker at the front desk: a Smearagle who busied himself with a small book.

"Excuse me," Leon said as he approached.

The mail clerk darted his eyes up for a moment, then returned to his book. His senses caught up with him after a split second. "Oh– uh, yes? Can I help you?"

"I uh, have a letter to send," Leon said, presenting his envelope. Though even now he had second thoughts. This might just stir up more trouble. Would Jacob get even more upset with him?

"Oh, sure," the Smeargle grabbed the envelope, laying it flat on the counter as he prepared his own tail to write on it. "Where's it going?"

"Bethany," Leon answered automatically.

Smeargle marked the envelope with his ink, writing the name of the town and adding a symbol to the corner. "To whom?"

"Michael and Marie. My parents." As he uttered their names, Leon's face twisted as he imagined their reactions to the letter. How hurt would they be?

"Feraligatrs, I assume?"

Leon nodded.

"And what kind of house are they in?"

"Single-story. Northwest edge, near the creek."

As Smeargle inked out more text and symbols, Leon distracted himself by thinking of the old creek where he and his parents would swim in. They'd laugh, splash, and spray each other with Water Guns. And later on, Jacob joined them, too, watching from a safe distance. Those days seemed so far away now.

"Got it," Smeargle said as he finished. "Anything else, sir?"

Leon's urge to yank the letter back seized him, but he willed himself to keep still. "No," he shook his head. "That's all." He laid five coins on the desk to pay for the postage, which Smearagle accepted.

"Flock should have it down there pretty quick," he said.

"Alright, thanks," Leon nodded, and he spedwalk his way back into the main hall. Nothing had changed, as the tall, grandiose room was still empty.

Just like his own schedule.

"So, now what? Do I just go back upstairs and… wait for the day to go by?"

Leon shook his head. No, that's pointless. If anything he felt strangely invigorated. Maybe writing his thoughts down helped to bring them into focus, and render his worries into something concrete. Or maybe he got a second wind by doing something about his problem for a change. Either way, he knew what he'd do next.

Around the corner, he walked through the front doors and out into Wolfhaven. Right away he spotted an Escavalier, Thievul, and Froslass– mentors, Leon guessed, sitting at the bottom of the short stairs.

"After I caught him with the bottle," Escavalier said, "my apprentice said he bought it from someone, but couldn't see their face."

"This has to stop," Froslass said. "They shouldn't even have those drinks in the first place– one of my own literally rolled down the stairs this morning!"

"My own team is looking into it," Thievul said. "Call it a hunch, but I think it might be one of the new apprentices."

Leon considered asking one of them if they had seen a Charmander anywhere, but promptly decided against it. They probably hadn't seen Jacob, anyway. So he walked past the trio, making his way into town.

The red-brick road complimented the blue sky above, with wispy clouds and a cool breeze. As expected many townsfolk were out and about, enjoying their Friday afternoon as they strolled between stops. All of them were oblivious to Leon and his plight.

Two questions loomed on his mind. First and foremost: where would Jacob be, out of all the places in Wolfhaven? And once he did find him, what should he say first? As he walked past the mini-museum, he recited his first pitch.

"Hey Jacob, what's up?"

But he quickly tossed that idea aside. If he was casual, Jacob would just get mad at him for not taking the problem seriously. Maybe he could start by apologizing for whatever Jacob is upset about– no, that won't work, either. He shouldn't start things off on a bad note.

Wait a sec, is that Jacob over there? At the beast statue in town square, he spotted a warm-colored mon sitting on the edge of the big fountain. So Leon scurried ahead, weaving past other townsfolk walking left and right. The orange mon came into focus through the crowd.

"Jacob?" Leon called out. His heartbeat picked up as he gathered his words… But he stopped.

The warm-colored mon turned out to be a Growlithe, sitting next to a shiny Rockruff, and the two were sharing ice cream.

Disappointment washed over Leon, but so did a little nostalgia. He could see him and Jacob sitting in their place, sharing ice cream. Like they meant to do on the day they had arrived.

"Maybe we'll do that," Leon proposed as he walked on. "After we patch things up."

Time ticked away as he circled around the center of town, keeping his distance from the others. So many strangers, no sign of his brother. Leon huffed with impatience, questioning if he had somehow missed Jacob.

Eventually, he decided to finally ask for help. So he walked into a nearby hotel, wading his way through a small crowd of travelers, and eventually reached a Politoed receptionist at the front desk.

"Excuse me, sir?" Leon said.

"Hmm?" The Politoed stood up straight. "Oh hey there. Are you the guy that sells scout cookies?"

"No…? I just wanted to ask, have you seen a Charmander anywhere?"

Politoed snapped his fingers. "Shoot. Well, Charmander, you say?" He pressed his hands against the counter, peering over the room. "How 'bout that fellow over there?" The receptionist pointed to someone to their left.

Leon turned and spotted a spec of orange among the mosaic of guests. Once again he navigated his way through the crowd. "Jacob?" he called, once again debating how he'd even open a conversation with him.

"Jacob, I–"

"Hah?" The mon turned around, making Leon stop.

"Who the hell's Jacob?" the grouchy Flareon snarled.

"Erm, nevermind…" Leon replied.

"Pfft. Keep walking," Flareon rolled his eyes. "And get some glasses, dumbass."

Leon scowled. "Yeah? Screw you, too." Though he felt vindicated for avoiding strangers, his motivation fizzled away. With a sigh, he promptly left the hotel lobby and continued his search through town.

As more time went on, Leon's confidence eroded with the daylight. In his head he kept imagining how his conversation with Jacob might go… Though each daydream had a worse ending than the last. And that was all assuming his search led anywhere– it felt like an hour had passed yet he made no progress.

Shadows creeped along the ground while noon slipped away. Leon stopped for a break in a tranquil park, sitting down on a bench near the flowerbeds. Maybe he'd have a better shot trying to catch Jacob at the dining hall around dinnertime. Or he could just see him in their shared room later in the evening?

"I beg your pardon."

Leon shook himself, realizing that someone wanted his attention. He glanced slightly to the right and spotted several, electric-blue eyes cast in his direction. A sizable, fuzzy, yellow spider raised his head up.

"Can I… help you?" Leon answered.

"I would hope that you can," said the Galvantula, who paused to click his mandibles. "You see, I am searching for a particular individual. Have you, by chance, seen a Charmander in this settlement?"

Leon's heartbeat jolted and he tightened his grip on the bench. He had spent the day looking for Jacob, and now this odd-talking wanderer just so happened to be looking for a Charmander too? Why?

"…I'm sorry," Galvantula spoke again, clicking his mandibles. "Shall I interpret your quiet as 'no'?"

Leon shook his head and hardened his glance. "Well, I gotta admit that's kinda suspicious. What do you need to find J– this 'Charmander,' for?"

Galvantula took a step back, tilting his head. "Have I said Charmander? Ah, I meant to say 'Fuecoco.'" He bowed his head. "My mistake. Thank you for your time, good sir."

As the spider walked away, Leon promptly hopped off the bench. He didn't like the idea that other people were looking for his brother, too. Not one bit. He patrolled the town again with renewed energy.

He found himself wandering the same streets, with still no sign of Jacob. His thoughts started to turn bleak. What if Jacob left town? He wouldn't just up and leave without saying a word, right? Yet as the day rolled between late afternoon and early evening, his motivation steadily diminished.

Eventually, Leon returned to the guild with his gaze cast down. He pictured going to the dining hall and having dinner, alone. Then retreating back to his room, alone. Then getting ready for more fieldwork on Monday. Alone.

Though before he reached the stairs to the front door, a few pinecones rolled past his feet. He traced their trail to the right, spotting a steep, rugged hill a short distance away from the guild hall. A rocky path carved its way up said hill, snaking around stone ridges and pine trees.

"Well, that looks familiar," Leon said. He wondered how he didn't notice it before, but this particular hill looked a lot like a certain place from back home.

Rather than head inside, he turned and walked toward the trail leading up the knoll. The path snaked between several tall pine trees, and more pinecones fell and rolled downhill. Before long, Leon arrived at a bramble of bushes near the hilltop. Past the foliage, the hilltop had a lone, barren tree next to a smooth rock. And upon that rock sat a two-legged lizard with orange scales and a flame-tipped tail, his back turned.

"Jacob," Leon breathed. He hadn't even meant to say his name aloud, but after all this time he didn't think he'd find him. Leon took a moment to look over his shoulder, remembering that weird Galvantula who was apparently looking for his brother. All the way down the hill, no other mons were in sight.

It was just the two of them. He had searched all day and finally found his brother. And now… Leon hesitated.

"This might make things worse," he thought. "What if he's even angrier now? …No, sitting and waiting isn't gonna solve anything. It's not how explorers make maps. It's not how warriors win battles."

With a deep breath, Leon parted the bushes and walked toward the rock his brother sat upon. He quietly cleared his throat, then finally spoke up.

"Hey, Jacob."

The Charmander turned to him with a surprised expression. His face relaxed.

"Oh. Hey Leon."

Leon stilled his nerves– this was it. "How are you feeling?"

Jacob looked away and shrugged. The flame on his tail was dim. He seemed down more than anything.

Leon's brotherly instincts started to kick in. "Is it okay if I sit with you?"

Jacob lowered his head, then scooched a bit to the side.

Leon took that as a 'yes,' and clambered onto the rock with him. His brother was avoiding his eyes, but it was progress.

"So…" Leon tapped the stone with his fingers. "Are you still mad at me?"

Jacob raised his head, meeting Leon's gaze with tired eyes. He sighed. "I don't know, honestly."

"Well, is there anything else on your mind?"

"A few things, I guess."

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

Silence lingered as clouds rolled by overhead. Jacob let his hands and feet fidget, thinking things over. Leon waited patiently, not wanting to exert any pressure.

"…I dunno why things keep going wrong," Jacob began. "But they do. I feel like I can't do anything right."

"Is this about fieldwork?" Leon asked. "You and your team?"

"Kind of. Devrim says I'm… sloppy." The last word fell out of Jacob's mouth, as if it hurt him to say it. "I just can't think straight. I thought the guild and stuff would be, you know, fun adventures. But…" He shook his head. "I dunno. It's not like how I imagined it."

Jacob starred ahead. So did Leon. In front of them was a dusty, dried-up pit, with cracks in the ground criss-crossing each other. It was another part of this hill that reminded Leon of a place from back home.

"Jake, do you remember the day we met?"

"What about it?"

"I was just thinking, how we went around town looking for Charizards, then I took you up the steepest hill to show you something. A place that kinda looks like this." Leon gestured to the dried-up pit before them.

"Oh? Oh yeah," Jacob's tail brightened. "That wishmaking pond?"

Leon nodded. "Cerulean Crater."

"And it had those shiny stones," Jacob recalled, and his flame grew. "What were they called again?"

"Chroma Cobble," Leon answered, smiling as he recalled the memory. "I told you that story about the meteor crash, how it split into those cobbles and people used them to make wishes. And that led to the town being founded."

"I remember." The slightest smile snuck up on Jacob's face. "After you told me, I thought I saw some cobble in the tree, and I climbed up after it."

"You sure did. Then you lost your balance, and I dove in the water to catch you." Leon chuckled. "That was a good time."

But Jacob wasn't smiling anymore. In fact, he glanced away with a sad expression. A passing cloud cast a shadow over them, darkening the hill.

"W-what's wrong?" Leon asked. Their talk was going so well, did he make a mistake?

"You had to catch me because I messed up," Jacob answered in a low voice.

Oh right. He's been beating himself up over making mistakes. "I-It wasn't a big deal, really," Leon insisted. "I had no problem catching you."

"But I still had to be caught. That's the problem."

Silence wedged itself between them again. The barren branches of the tree swayed in the wind. Leon combed his thoughts, looking for some way to pull Jacob out of his downtrodden mood.

"Well, still." He scooched closer to his brother. "It wasn't all bad, was it? We had a lot of good times, didn't we?"

Jacob glanced back at Leon, offering no words, but still gave him a chance to keep talking.

"Like, you remember when we went to Haystack Hills?"

"You mean that one time we went exploring with the other kids at school?" Jacob recalled.

"Err," Leon scratched the back of his head. "I guess? I'm more thinking about the part after they ditched us. You know, that feral attack."

"Oh. Right."

"But then we got to meet that Drampa, remember? Grumpy?"

Jacob snorted at the Drampa's nickname. "Grumpy, heh."

"His house was so cool," Leon beamed. "All those antiques and nicknacks from the mons he met over the years, like the teacups made of obsidian. And the Decidueye arrows!"

"He had that big 'Dragonfather Clock,' too," Jacob added. He shifted slightly, reaching into a side pouch and pulling out a long, copper chain.

"Your pocket watch," Leon remarked as his brother popped it open. Its soft ticking offered a gentle, steady rhythm, keeping the silence at bay.

"I was gonna give it to him," Jacob recalled. "But after I told him about it, he said he couldn't take it."

"Cuz it's too important to you."

"Yeah. It is."

More gray clouds loomed overhead, snuffing out the blue hue of the sky.

"I think he was trying to teach us something," Leon said.

"Like what?" Jacob asked.

Leon took a breath through his nose. He had to make this count. "…That it's important," he spoke carefully, weighing each word. "To keep the things we care about close to us. Not just items, but friends and family, too. That's what keeps us going."

He lifted his head up, smiling warmly at his brother. "When you're on any kind of adventure, it's one thing to go with someone you hardly know. But when it's someone you've spent a long time with, who cares a lot about you? Someone you can share your best jokes with, stay up all night talking about whatever you like? Someone who wouldn't hesitate to take a hit for you? That makes all the difference in the world."

Leon paused, watching as Jacob's eyes glimmered.

"That's why we make such a good team," Leon continued. "I know you wanna get better on your own, and there's nothing wrong with that. But… I'd do better with you on my side. We both would, and we'd be happier. Like we planned before we left home. So, Jacob?" Leon sat up straight, moved even closer, and gently placed his arm over his brother's shoulder. "What do you say? Can we go back to the way we were?"

Jacob shifted his attention between Leon, his pocket watch, and the scenery as he pondered. Meanwhile, Leon beamed at him with hope. All the drama this past week could be just another bump in the road. They could go back to normal. It all depended on Jacob accepting his offer.

"Leon," he finally spoke. "If all you said is true, like… sticking with family makes us stronger. Then, why did we join the guild? Why not stay home with mom and dad?"

Leon tilted his head. "Well, the guild teaches us new skills. We get to do things we couldn't do at home."

"But why get training from strangers? Wouldn't we do better by learning from mom and dad? We know them better than guild members, right?"

A chill ran down Leon's back. He retracted his arm. "I-I mean, it's something we had to do. We couldn't stay in Bethany forever. Chasing our dreams meant we had to leave at some point."

"Then why are you talking like we're meant to stick together forever?" Jacob stared at him with piercing eyes. "It's like you wanna move forward, but keep some bubble around us where things never change. How are we supposed to be adventurers who never work with anyone else?"

Leon's mouth opened and closed as he struggled to think of a response. It was as if the line between his mind and his mouth just broke. "…So, what do you mean? You don't wanna stick together?"

Jacob then stared into his pocket watch.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

"I think we joined the guild for different reasons," Jacob replied. "You wanna go on and be famous, or something. I wanna meet people. Somewhere out in this wide world, my real parents might be waiting for me to find them. But…" Suddenly, he tightened the grip on his pocket watch. The flame on his tail bloomed. "I can't do that when you're always trying to yank me back into your freaking anti-social bubble!"

Leon recoiled as Jacob's flame flared. "Yikes!"

As the air cleared, Jacob closed his eyes and took a deep breath, calming his flame and himself. "Leon," he spoke quietly. "Don't think I'm ungrateful. I'm glad Mom and Dad took me in. You guys always treated me like I'm one of you–"

"You are one of us," Leon insisted.

Jacob glanced away. "But you're missing the point. You can go back and see your real parents anytime. Me?" He met Leon's eyes. "Going back isn't gonna help me find my parents. That's what you've been talking about this whole time: 'going back.' Being buddy-buddy again."

Leon shuddered. "So what are you saying?" he asked, even though he was afraid of the answer.

"What I'm saying is…" Jacob continued, speaking slowly. "If I do find my parents someday, what will you do? Will you let me see them? Or will you try to keep me for yourself, like you always have?"

The question struck Leon like lightning. All this time, he hadn't spared a thought toward the one thing that Jacob wanted to do ever since they met. He had been so focused on the present, training with the guild and trying to stick with Jacob, he never thought about any long-term goals.

That left him with a burning question: what would happen if Jacob found his Charizard parents? It sounded like it would be one big, happy reunion for Jacob. They'd spend a lot of time catching up, explaining what they've done without each other over the years. But after that, what if Jacob decided to stay with them? Would it really mean… saying goodbye?

"…Nothing to say?" Jacob cut into his thoughts. He scowled at Leon, curling his hands into fists. "I guess I know your answer, then."

Leon locked up from the inside out, realizing he went silent for too long. "No, Jake, that's not– I wouldn't–" He shook his head, desperately trying to focus. "Of course I'd let you meet your family!"

Yet Jacob's hardened gaze didn't falter. "How do I know if you mean that? Every time I try to make friends– at school, the guild, you get in the way."

Leon couldn't hear Jacob's watch ticking anymore. His own rapid heartbeat blocked it out. He had never felt so close to losing Jacob before. With a hand over his chest, he made one last effort.

"Jake… I'm sorry. Everything I've done, I did cuz I thought I was protecting you."

Jacob's glare punched a hole through him. "Protecting me from wha–"

Leon patiently raised a hand. "Please. Let me finish."

Jacob crossed his arms and went quiet.

"Maybe I've gone too far," Leon went on. "Done things I shouldn't have, and hurt your feelings. If you do find your family, I won't stop you from getting to them. I… I know I can't back that up with my track record. But, there's something you gotta remember." He met his brother's gaze, pitting anger against sincerity. "You're still struggling with the guild. If you get kicked out, you won't have a chance to find your family anymore."

Jacob blinked. His sinister stare fell apart like the surface tension on water.

"I wanna help you stay in the guild. So neither of us are… alone," Leon's voice cracked. "Would… would that be good enough for us to go back to normal?"

Once more, no words filled the gap between them. Jacob's expression displayed a slew of emotions: fleeting anger, surprised confusion, a flicker of sorrow. Leon sat in stasis, waiting for his brother to search his heart. Even the wind stopped blowing, as the clouds turned to an even deeper shade of gray.

"Leon…" Jacob finally spoke. He broke eye contact, looking down at his watch. "What you're saying is that I'm falling, and you're gonna catch me."

"Y-yeah! I–" Leon stopped himself, remembering how Jacob reacted earlier to their Cerulean Crater story.

Jacob took a deep breath. In, and out. "I don't wanna be carried through all my problems. I want to overcome them on my own terms. Even if I might drop out of the guild… that's a risk I'm willing to take."

Leon's heart sank like a rock in water.

After all of that effort, it still wasn't enough to win him over. "…So, that's it?" he said, his voice detached. "Are we… not going back to normal?"

Jacob's face hardened once again, cementing his resolve. "There's no point in going back if we're just gonna wind up in the same spot again."

Leon's mouth hung open. He was left with only one more question, and he was afraid to ask it. "…Are we still friends?"

Jacob starred at Leon. His face was unreadable. He closed his pocket watch, silencing its rhythm.

A wet droplet slid down Leon's face. Yet it wasn't a tear. He tilted his head back, seeing the first of many raindrops falling from a gray sky. Within seconds a steady hum resonated as the rain cascaded over the landscape.

While Leon felt a subtle rejuvenation from the drizzle on his scales, Jacob shivered beside him. The Charmander wrapped his arms around himself, his flame dwindling as it emitted steam.

Once more brotherly instinct seized Leon. "Let's get you out of the rain," he said, reaching over.

But Jacob recoiled from him, scooching off of the rock. "I d-don't need your h-help," he chattered through his teeth. "You w-want Will and Corvo to s-stay away from us? W-well, now I want y-you to stay away from m-me." As droplets snaked down his orange scales, he turned tail and walked back toward the hillside path.

Leon looked on as his brother blended with the shadows beneath the towering pines.

Before long, the glow of his flame vanished, too.

Leon was left on the hill.

Alone.

The evening blurred by in the main hall. Guild members came and went. They turned in reports, checked out the library, gathered for dinner, and occasionally glanced at the Totodile sitting by himself on the left staircase.

Leon didn't remember when he got there, or how long he had been sitting on the stairs. His motivation was as dried up as that pit on the hill. He didn't even have the energy to think about what would happen next– he wasted it all on trying to get through to Jacob. Getting a meal didn't interest him, and neither did going upstairs to lay in his bed.

The light in the windows darkened, and guild members retired to their rooms, leaving the main hall vacant. Leon remained. He didn't care. And neither did anyone else in the guild, as no one bothered to talk to him. They left him alone with his emptiness.

"Leon."

Until someone approached him, taking him out of his blank daydreams. Leon blinked, bringing the white and brown mon in front of him into focus.

"William?"

"You look a bit weathered," the Cubone said. Rainwater glistened on his skull helmet, though it didn't conceal his serious expression. "I know you asked me to stay away, but… May I sit with you?"

If Leon looked the way he felt, then William was probably underselling it. Normally he'd reject Will's offer, since he helped cause this mess in the first place… kind of. But after today, Leon couldn't muster any bitter feelings. And right now any company sounded good.

"Sure, I guess."

William promptly seated himself on the steps, resting his club on his thighs. "It's been some time. I believe the last we spoke was last Friday?"

Leon nodded lightly. "Sounds about right. Feels longer than that."

"Are you feeling well?"

"I mean, you said I look 'weathered.' That probably answers your question."

"I figured. But I thought I'd ask anyway, to be sure." William idly turned his strange-looking bone club over, drawing Leon's gaze to it… Did he scratch some shapes onto it?

"So, are you still upset with me?" William followed up.

Leon's mouth twitched. It was ironic, how Will was asking the same kinds of questions Leon had asked Jacob not long ago. His role had been reversed.

"Honestly?" He let his head slump. "I kind of am. But it's more like… I'm upset with a lot of things."

"Like what? Is your work with the guild not going well?"

"No," Leon shook his head. "I mean, it is going well. It's just that…" Once again the words were stuck in his thought, as if parts of himself were disconnected.

"…If it's okay to ask," William ventured, "is it about Jacob?"

A jolt surged through Leon, which he expelled with a sigh. "Yeah. He's… not doing so good. In fact, he's not happy with me. That's why I'm… yeah."

"Hmm. I had assumed that was the case."

Leon shrugged. "Is it really that obvious?"

"It's no secret that you care a great deal about him," William answered gently.

"I do." Leon bowed his head. "Maybe too much."

"What would make you say that?" William sounded genuinely puzzled.

"I talked to him earlier. We had a bit of back and forth. And the things he said…" Well, Leon was still processing his brother's points. Keeping him from making friends, helping him too much. It had his mind twisted in knots. He threw his hands up. "I just wanna make sure he doesn't get hurt, but he doesn't want me to help him."

He glanced at William, meeting his appraising eyes. "Is it really a bad thing that I look out for him so much? Am I supposed to back off and let him spread his own wings, or something? I don't know. I honestly don't know. It's driving me crazy."

William tapped his club, staying quiet for a bit before speaking up.

"I wouldn't know the answer to that, either. But I do know that it's okay to not know all the answers we seek." He waved an arm, gesturing at himself. "Speaking from experience. There's still a lot that I don't know. I'm catching up as quickly as I can."

Some tension in Leon's shoulders eased. He usually wasn't on the receiving end for advice, being an older brother. He had forgotten how comforting it could be. And, merely talking about his own feelings was nice too– normally he'd do that only with Jacob.

"I don't think that'll solve my problem," Leon said. "But, thanks. That helps a little."

William nodded. "Where is Jacob, anyway?"

"Probably up in our dorm room," Leon pointed over his shoulder. "Why?"

"It's somewhat of a long story, but I'll summarize." William cleared his throat. "Corvo and I have been working on an investigation, involving some treasure thieves."

"Treasure?" Leon echoed. "Wouldn't those guys go to big cities instead of towns?"

"It seems they're targeting antiques and artifacts, specifically," William elaborated. "Our search led us to Cloudcroft, and we happened to encounter one of those thieves."

"Oh yeah?" Leon straightened his posture. "How'd that go down? Where'd you see them?"

"We were in a mineshaft, but those details aren't important right now," William waved. "These thieves appear to be working as an organized group. But more importantly, they're targeting Jacob."

"What?" If Leon's heart wasn't beating before, it definitely was now. "How do you know that?"

"He was eavesdropping on us as we spoke with a lead. I reasoned that these thieves, whoever they are, might be after Jacob's pocket watch. That's when he emerged from the shadows and confirmed it."

Leon stood up. "Did you see his face? Was he a Galvantula?"

William shook his head. "He was a Bisharp."

Leon's eyes widened, mentally putting the pieces in place. Could it have been that same Bisharp that attacked him and Jacob, outside of Moonrise Canyon? And before that, there was that Staraptor who had attacked them. Maybe he wasn't just a regular bandit…

"That's why I came looking for you and Jacob," William continued. "Corvo went to tell our mentor about this. It's become something far more dangerous than any of us could've anticipated."

Leon suppressed the acidic taste in his mouth from hearing the Snivy's name. "Then we better go warn Jacob." He cocked his head toward the second floor.

William stood up. "Agreed. I'm glad you let me tell you, I was afraid you may still have been mad and tried to ignore me."

Leon blew out a sigh. If the circumstances were different, maybe he would've ignored William. But right now, this was too important to waste time figuring out his feelings.

The two climbed up the stairs, rounding the corner into the dorms and making their way to Leon's room. An orange light glowed beneath the door's crack.

Leon reached for the door handle. He rested his hand on top of it, but hesitated.

"Is something wrong?" William asked.

Leon couldn't explain it, but a cold dread creeped up on him, like a shiver through his spine. Something about this felt off, even if he couldn't put his finger on why. Would Jacob just see this as another attempt to coddle him? "I don't know, I just…"

William placed a hand on his shoulder. It felt warm. "It'll be okay. One way or another."

Leon nodded, steeling his resolve "Thanks."

He took a deep breath, then pressed down on the handle. He opened the door slowly and slightly, and a light creaking noise droned with each inch he pushed.

"Jacob…?" he announced in a whisper. "Will's here, we've got something to tell you."

Leon leaned against the door, listening hard for a response. He heard the evening breeze outside, but no audible response from Jacob.

"May we come in?" William asked. They heard the wind blowing just outside. Still no answer.

"…Alright," Leon said. "No point in waiting around. Let's head in and talk to him." With William at his back, Leon pushed the door all the way open. "Jacob, I know you're upset, but we need to–"

He stopped.

To the right, he saw two lit candles atop the desk. Atop the desk laid two books, unopened, and a piece of parchment with a writing quill splayed over it. A trail of fresh ink droplets dotted the page, leading up to an inkwell. Behind the desk was a single, partially made bed. The flat blanket and fluffed pillow told of its emptiness.

On the left side of the room was Leon's own desk and bed, exactly the way he left them this morning. These, too, were empty and unoccupied.

On the back wall the curtains reached out toward Leon and William, animated by the night winds. The only things visible from that window were the silhouettes of trees from the distant forest, dark clouds, and the first stars appearing out of the dusk. The only audible sounds were a faint ticking and gusts of wind.

"J-Jacob?"

William poked his head over Leon's shoulder. "He's not here?"

Leon ran over to the open window, poking his head outside.

"Jacob!" he called. "Jaaaacob!"

The night replied with more of the same howling wind.