So, here's where we were in the morning.

Lucas was avoiding all eye contact with me and not saying a word. The dark expression I'd seen on his face yesterday was there still. He stayed near us, thankfully, so I didn't have to worry about where he was. Violet bruises still circled his wrists from the day before. They hurt to look at.

Dawn's confused expression went away overnight. I'm guessing Lucas told her while I was asleep. I couldn't tell if she was siding with me or Lucas, but Lucas wasn't talking to her either, so I wanted to think it was me. Also, I just wanted to think it was me.

As for me…

I think when I woke up, it finally hit me that Lucas had been kidnapped. I was on edge constantly, trying to keep checking on Lucas even though I knew he was right there, my hands shaking, heart beating a little more loudly than usual. And still I was mad that he'd put himself in danger so recklessly, like literally we were just trying to get out of there jumping into the fight was so unnecessary…

We communicated by bodily gestures. Lucas stood by the door with his shoes on; we went down to eat brunch. Dawn put her scarf on a chair to signal which table we'd be at. Afterwards, I pushed my chair out slowly and stood up even more slowly, and they got the message and we made it outdoors to train.

It was relatively effective, considering we weren't talking.

Also, it sucked. We weren't even talking.

Faith kept mumbling about spruce and rosewood. Hope wouldn't stop chirping. Promise tried for ages to get Hope to calm down and was now getting impatient. Trust kept looking at me with the same expression of worry I used to look at Lucas.

By now, mid-afternoon, I'd figured it out. I'd been thinking about yesterday constantly, and I finally had yesterday's events sorted out. If Lucas hadn't come back with Looker's natu, I don't know how I'd have made it out of there. Him staying behind to protect me when Faith wouldn't resurface was a little bit extra (though nice too), and him continuing to fight was very extra, but I hadn't even acknowledged the part where he came back for me.

It started eating at me like everything else. I was working with Faith on sucker punch, and suddenly a wave of fuuuuuuuuuuck just sort of washed over me… I'm sorry-not-sorry. That's the best way to describe it. Like suddenly everything in me screamed in frustration.

"Okay. Everyone, gather round. Team huddle."

I sat down cross-legged in front of Promise and Hope. Faith and Trust came over a little warily (it's not like I'd ever called a team huddle before.).

"Okay," I said. I was still shaking like I'd been all day; my teeth were chattering. "So, here's th-the plan. We're gonna see if they're up for battling Maylene, because the three of us aren't in any s-state to stay together much longer. I need to know if you guys are ready to fight her, though."

Trust and Promise nodded immediately, Promise with an affirmative "Bui." Hope wasn't battling, but she chirped anyways. Faith looked unsure.

"How about this: Promise and Trust fight first. They'll do their best to keep the battle to just them. If we absolutely need to, can you step in, Faith?"

Faith looked at them.

"You can do it," I encouraged her. "Have some… have some faith in yourself," I said, with a little chuckle.

Somewhat reluctantly, Faith nodded. "Faith."

"Thanks, Faith."

I pushed myself to my feet and withdrew Trust, Promise, and Faith. Hope hopped into my arms.

I breathed. I steeled myself and strode directly towards Lucas.

"Hey."

He turned his head half towards me. He did not look me in the eye. I could not remember the last time he hadn't looked me in the eye.

I forgot what to say.

"Um, sorry for… for blowing up. You… You had the right idea, and I wouldn't have gotten out of there if you didn't come back, and I was just so worried about everything still that I… I was still worried about you… and… yeah."

He nodded in acknowledgement. I couldn't read his expression.

"Also… I was thinking we should battle the gym. So we don't have to follow each other around this town anymore."

Lucas stood still for a moment. "Yeah," he said, recalling his pokemon. My heart relaxed and sank simultaneously; he'd responded positively, and it was only so that we wouldn't have to stay in each other's company.

We told Dawn, who was down, and headed to the gym.

I opted to go third and requested the use of Maylene's computer.

"Hey," I said when Megan picked up.

"Hey. What's up?"

"Storytime."

It required a little backstory, just so I could explain why I was going out to get Dawn ramen, and it stretched all the way up til the present. She frowned. "Is he still mad at you?"

"I'm not sure…? I thought apologizing would change things, but he still hasn't talked to me much since."

"Hmm. Maybe he's just being stubborn. It might wear off."

"I hope so."

"Are you battling Maylene soon?" Megan asked after a lull in the conversation.

"Yeah. It'll be right after Dawn and Lucas finish."

"Good luck."

"Thanks."

"You won't need it, though." A little smile lay on her face.

I laughed. "Thanks."

Lucas won his battle. Dawn had more trouble, as she hadn't trained in a few days, but she won hers as well.

Rafael was refereeing (Rafaelreeing?). "This will be a three-on-three battle between the gym leader, Maylene, and the challenger, Evelyn Meyers from Twinleaf Town. Only the challenger may make substitutions. Battlers, are you ready?"

"Yep!" Maylene was surprisingly pumped for someone who'd just been beaten twice.

"Ready."

"Battle… begin!"

"Meditite!"

"Promise. Sonic boom."

"Detect!"

"Keep attacking until the detect misses." Because I knew this battle style. It's annoying as fuck and it's such a basic "Ooh look I can strategize!" move that gym leaders occasionally pull it on trainers just to make sure the trainers can beat basic people. Rant rant rant.

Detect eventually failed, and Meditite was hit. "Stay back and use watergun," I said.

"Meditite, confusion!"

The water came screeching to a halt in front of her – I'd seen this before recently. I couldn't remember what I'd done then.

"Keep using watergun," I decided. Promise went for it, and the meditite caught the water. The bubble kept growing. I figured she'd lose control of it, or… oh.

"Sonic boom on the meditite!"

"Detect, last second!"

The instant before it hit, Meditite tossed her massive psychic water balloon upward and got the move to miss. The water hit the ceiling and came falling back down.

"Aqua jet through it!"

Promise took a running leap and entered the water bubble. Without having to worry about placing the energy source – the part he always had trouble with – he rocketed through most of the water before it hit the ground, and flew at Meditite upon his exit.

"Dete–"

They weren't ready enough. Prom barreled into Meditite with enough force to smash them both into the wall. "Punch her if she's not unconscious," I called out. But I didn't have to worry. It was a hell of an impact.

"Meditite is unable to battle. The match goes to the challenger."

"Interesting, interesting," Maylene said, recalling the pokemon half-embedded in the wall.

I gave Prom a thumbs up. "Next battle should be more your style, okay?"

"Bui." He got me.

"Machoke! Focus energy."

"Get in there. Tackle."

Promise essentially headbutted him and rebounded. The machoke seemed unfazed.

"Brick break!"

"Water punch!"

Prom jumped to punch and got slammed down instead. "Go from behind," I told him. He darted around back and tried again, but Machoke swung his elbow back and knocked Prom away.

"Rock tomb!"

"Jump!"

Prom leapt up, narrowly avoiding getting snagged in the rocky jaws beneath him. "Get in there," I said. "All the way in."

Promise darted forth, dodging a swinging fist, and climbed up the machoke's body. Machoke tried to grab him, but Prom made it to his back and started pummeling his head. Snarling, the machoke caught hold of Prom and pulled him to the front of him. Prom bit his hand – was that crunch? – and the machoke howled and slammed him into the ground.

"Watergun!"

Prom twisted his head and shot at nearly-point blank range. The machoke struggled to keep holding on to Promise while withstanding the torrent.

"Step back!" Maylene commanded. "Rock tomb!"

Machoke leaped back, and almost immediately Promise sank into the ground. Crap.

"Watergun at the ground."

He shot water at the rocks enclosing him. It loosened the ground enough for him to climb out.

"Great! Get close!"

"Brick break!"

Prom launched himself at the machoke, sidestepped the blow, and barreled into him. He clawed his way up to the machoke's face, and finished him off with a water punch to the jaw.

"Machoke is unable to battle! The match goes to the challenger!"

"Return." Maylene switched pokeballs. "How're you feeling so far?"

I considered it. "That was… Better than I thought it might be, frankly. Didn't quite go as planned, but that's all right."

She was nodding. "I like the attitude. Ready for round three?"

"Yeah. Prom, return. Trust, it's yours!"

"Lucario! Start out with bone rush!"

"Use mach punch!"

Trust lunged and hit first, but didn't move out of the way quickly enough to avoid getting hit in the back.

"Flamethrower!"

"Force palm!"

Lucario jumped over the flames and immediately sent a blast from his palm upon landing. Trust tumbled over.

"Fight with force palm! Go!"

"Go" meant spring into a fighting stance, palms loaded with energy. "Fight with mach punch, then," I said to Trust.

He got into position, and they went at it. Lucario moved faster, which I guess was from practice, but Trust's slower pace almost seemed intentional. Regardless, Lucario was quickly gaining the upper hand, nailing and evading more of his opponent's hits.

"Trust, step back!" I finally said. "Flamethrower!"

He did, but too little, too late. Lucario took the hit and sprang forward, fist raised. Trust jumped, but that only meant Lucario's drain punch hit him in the stomach, rather than face.

"Monferno is unable to battle! The match goes to the gym leader!" Rafael announced.

"Return," I said.

Okay. Well. I guess Maylene baited me into her Lucario's fighting style. That was fair. But what to do now? Faith? Or Promise, who'd fought two already?

If we were talking fighting styles, though, Promise was the best match for Lucario. Maybe more so than Trust. Prom and his quick clipped supersonic boom fighting style.

I raised Prom's pokeball to my mouth. "I hope you were watching," I whispered. "Cause it's your turn. Prom, go!"

He landed ready to go, poised on all fours. Lucario got into his stance.

Maylene yelled, "With force palm, go!"

I yelled, "Close combat, you know what to do!"

My buizel shot forward, evaded a hit, sonic-boomed Lucario in the back of the legs, jumped over another hit, kicked him in the chest. He backflipped around Lucario's force palm and landed on his feet.

This, I thought, watching Promise fight, this is his element. Trust isn't my fighting type. Promise is.

Prom danced around Lucario, nailing him with hits. Lucario was flagging, eventually trying harder to dodge than hit Promise back. Promise leaped up to Lucario's head level and snapped a final sonic boom in his face. Lucario fell.

"Lucario is unable to battle. The challenger wins!"

"Prom, great job!" I said, kneeling down as he ran over. I patted him on the head. "How did I get so lucky?" I murmured. "That was all you."

He'd have blushed, if buizels could blush. I straightened and walked with him to receive the badge.

"Nicely done," Maylene said, hand raised. We high-fived. "I didn't expect your buizel to fight like that, frankly. Even Lucario couldn't– Oh, the rain helped."

"What?"

She pointed above my head. I looked up and a water drop hit me in the face. The ceiling was dripping from when Meditite threw water up too high.

"Swift swim?" I said aloud.

"Possibly," Maylene agreed. "Not to discount your buizel's ability. You've trained him well."

"I can't take credit," I said. "I think he already fought like this."

"There's a level of trust involved in any battle relationship. You get some credit for knowing what to do."

I grinned at Promise. "I'll take it."

"Anyways! Best of skill in your journey." Maylene held her hand out for a handshake.

"Thank you." I took her hand.

"And thank you for the support," she said, quieter.

"Of course. Hope things go well."

"Thanks. I think they might. I hope they will."

Heh it's been a while. Finals are over... I'm gonna try and get another chapter out next week for the 1-year, but I also have a story due for a lit mag on the 29th, so we'll see.

Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and see you soon.