Nori was in his friend Rashid's trailer early Sunday morning. It was furnished with little doodads and ornaments from the Middle East. It was a base strategy to temporarily escape from people who would probably be looking for him, but it was working thus far. At the very least, it didn't hurt to be here, and he needed to anyway.

"Norcar!" his friend called to him not a minute after he sat down. It was just the two of them inside. Nori sat in the middle whereas Rashid was rummaging through the bed cabinets over the front seats. "There are no parents. Would you like to see the latest Cynthia–"

"No," he firmly interrupted, moving his face closer to his laptop to avoid having seeing them at all. He didn't care for those creepy nude magazines, especially ones with the most disgustingly promiscuous Champion in all of human history. Especially someone related to someone he hated even more!

His friend harrumphed and turned up his nose. "Why you always say no?" he fussed. "Are you a gay?"

Nori felt his throat clench for a brief second. "I just don't like those magazines." He liked girls. But he wasn't sure how Rashid would respond to the fact that at least a few guys had hit on him. And that at least once, he didn't hate the idea. Weren't Rashid's people sometimes strict or even prejudiced about that stuff? Also, gay marriage wasn't even legal in Japan.

"Ah, so you would rather see the real thing!" Rashid assumed. It was true enough that Nori nodded a little at it. "Any luck with the girls?"

"None lasting or worth it." He was selective about who he'd date at this point. It was one thing he learned from Claris Willins, a former child actress. Who…he could've dated, if he hadn't screwed things up, but this was not the time and place to angst about that. "I haven't thought about it myself."

Rashid chuckled as he climbed down from his bed. "Man does not find love, love finds man!" Nori had to roll his eyes at that point. His friend was obviously just quoting things he'd heard on a TV show or something. "But I will be your wingman if you need a woman!"

"Already got one," he replied with total honesty. "A wingman, that is."

Rashid stood there for a few seconds with his eyes wide open. "Really?" He recoiled back vaguely. "Who?"

"Talking to her now." Which made her a wingwoman, but still.

"Her?"

Well, it made sense. Who would know girls better than a girl? He was Arumi's wingman for the same reason. Though it was more of a standing offer on her part, and he hadn't had to help her with her love life in months.

Rashid flailed his arms. "Hold on, why–"

The Pokemon Rehabilitator raised a finger. "In a second. I'm reading this."

She had replied to his email. His heart had fluttered in anticipation before he clicked in. "Hey, Nor! Hope everything's been going well besides! I am so MAD at auntie about this! I saw the article, it was sensationalist garbage! SMH. _ If I had more pull than her in the family you can bet I'd be calling her out! I defended you on my blog and Tweeter right after the report came out! Got a lot of likes! :D"

A small warmth rose in Nori's chest as he saw what she had written. He could always count on his best friend to have his back without even having to ask. If she was ever in a situation like that, he'd do the same for her quicker than a Ninjask! He continued reading with a wide beam.

"Because of what auntie did, you may wanna get ready to respond to folks about it. You should know how to handle publicity stuff! :) Walk away and let your actions speak if you have to! Just don't get mad and lash out like you sometimes do!

"I've been doing fine. School's been getting busy. Club's been kinda dull without you around. Headline of our most recent paper was on Pete Stephens, and I bet yours was too~ ;) Guess you got a conflict of interest on it on the new development now though, huh? lol

"Anyways, that's it. Hope things go well! Good luck! ^^ Arumi signing off!"

Nori chuckled over that one part. Walking away sometimes went without saying, he learned that lesson in Sunyshore. He was trying to get better about his temper. It was going well, but some people still tested his patience. He got to typing up his reply.

"Thanks man. Appreciate the advice. I already had to respond to one jerk who wouldn't let me walk away, she wants to battle Qwilfish over it. Not sure if I will or not. Already had to handle the public a little after she confronted me, just said they'd see my results in time. I've met with Qwilfish a couple times now. It hasn't gone well both times but I don't think she's bad. I'll keep you updated on what happens. Hopefully things stay good.

"We did write about Pete Stephens! Two of our members really like him, though. One of them, Terrance Lee, he really came out of his shell for it. I'm kinda worried what they'll think. Haven't talked to any of them yet, so first I'll find out is tomorrow. And yeah, probably going to do the same as I did with Pawniard, not involving myself in the next edition. Mom's mad at the Officials. To be honest, I think I'd rather things be dull right now. No news is good news, right? I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens for both of us."

After looking it over and fixing his typos, he added one more thing. "Until next time! Nori over and out!" He hit send and leaned back into the seat. There was little time to relax, however, as the pacing Rashid spoke up right after.

"Done?" Rashid was tapping a finger on the wall.

"Yeah." Volkner had replied to his email as well, but that could wait for a minute.

Rashid cleared his throat. He stood tall and crossed his arms. "Now the question. If you have a girl as a friend, why not her as a girlfriend?!"

He almost looked right back down at his laptop over that. "Guys and girls can just be friends."

"And they can become more later!"

True enough. Nori would prefer it that way himself, to know someone for a while before making a decision on taking things further. Still, the way Rashid put it made him unable to contain himself. "This is why you haven't found a girlfriend yet, Rashid," he bluntly told the older teenager. "Friends to lovers doesn't always happen."

Sometimes unfortunately, like if the sides are too nervous to take the first step, like Reiko and Terrance at this rate. Or if you screw things up too badly, like he did with Claris.

"I have had some!" Rashid boasted. "But hanging onto them is the tough part. It takes work!"

Nori blinked. Maybe he underestimated Rashid a little. Now he just had to put that into practice, and hope none of them found those Cynthia magazines of his or didn't care he had them. The boy smiled and nodded before going back to his email.

With this, he clicked into Volkner's reply. "Hey," was how it opened. Volkner usually opened conversations that way. In fact, being around him so often made Nori pick that up as a habit.

"Things are fine. And I heard. Seems off. But no problem.

There's no one solution for training aquatic Pokemon out of water. It varies by species. It starts with getting them used to being out it. Weaning helps. That's easy. Need to keep some moisturized. Teaching them how to function is the hard part. Keep them hydrated. Most fishes learn to move with their fins. Don't know how a Qwilfish would. It's probably tough. Warutsu might know specifics since he's trained an Overqwil. Ask your Kannagi friend if you can get in contact. Know you can do this."

It was good to get a vote of confidence. Nori was forming the reply in his head as he read it, and wasted no time writing it. It was quick and simple.

"Thanks, Volkner. I'll ask Prema when I can, hopefully he'll be willing. Some jerk at my school wants to fight me and Qwilfish, don't know if I'll bother. But what do you mean it seems off, though? Just wondering.

"Expected you'd say that when I asked how things are going. But no news is good news, right? Thanks again, I'll keep you posted."

He clicked send, then stood up and stretched. Now all he had to do was wait for the replies.

"Finished completely?" asked Rashid. "Want to hang for a bit?"

"Pretty much." He was tempted to wait just in case they answered quickly or just hunker down all day. If only that were possible. "Even if I wanted to stay, it's Sunday, so I can't." Besides, he preferred being productive rather than hiding out.

"Ah, yes, the outdoor meeting with the senior man." Rashid looked out the window. He pursed his lips as he turned back. "Oh, but the weather is not good!"

"It really isn't." Not that he minded the rain. He loved it, in fact. "He's just too stubborn to change the time and place."

"Is that maybe why he got demoted?"

"Could be." According to the woman who taught him Officials' stuff (before she quit), they reserved this sort of thing for lower-ranked agents. Studd had to be good enough to become an official in the first place. Maybe this really was a test to see if he was responsible enough? If it was though, Nori couldn't imagine Studd was doing well.

"Leaving now, Norcar?" Rashid held out a fist.

Nori passively bumped it. "Yeah, once I get my raincoat from home. Maybe wearing it will fool people, so they don't bug me." He went to put his laptop in the backpack.

"You are welcome anytime, my man!" The older teenager grinned. "Folks are fine with it."

Rashid didn't have much of an opinion on the matter, and it was good to know that his mom and dad felt the same. "Thanks," he replied. Better late than never, he added, "And don't tell anyone where I'm headed this time."

Rashid blinked. "But everyone knows where you are headed on Sunday?"

Nori winced at himself. Yeah, that was true. Way too true. That was why they needed to change the time and place! But that was besides the point! "I mean, that girl from yesterday wasn't my friend. Don't tell anyone who isn't if I'm going somewhere different."

"The big tittied girl?" Nori had to stop himself from grumbling too loudly. Emi got to him exactly the way he thought and expected, and it still bothered him. "I will remember that for next time."

"Please." Emi was going to find him at school anyway, but he didn't need her interrupting him on Saturday. "There's few I can trust right now, and I don't want to have to not trust you."

"So if someone comes asking, who should I be telling?"

"Right now?" He tapped his chin. There were really only three or four, come to think of it. "Ma, Yumi, and Prema or Priestess Satomi if either stops by." It was doubtful anyone else he would want to hear from would come to the trailer park looking for him. And in Maylene's case, he didn't want to drag her into this mess.

"Understood!" Rashid flashed a thumbs up. "See you later, Norcar."

"Later, Rashid." Nori put his backpack on. After peeking outside the windows to make sure there was no one waiting for him, he opened the door and hurried into his own trailer.

Reiko Azuma and Terrance Lee had known each other since they were little. They were neighbors living in the same apartment complex several blocks to the west of their school. They were moderately luxurious suites with only slightly less space than one would find in the average Japanese household. Visiting was as easy as stepping outside and going to the next house over. They could also talk through the two-meter-tall fences in their backyards.

The only reason they had not spoken sooner was because she needed to work on a History report on Saturday, and that was the day his family always went to eat at a restaurant. But with those things out of the way, Reiko wasn't going to dilly-dally any longer.

She put on her boots and a black hooded coat. She stepped outside, marched the four meters to her friend's front door, and pounded on it.

After about twenty seconds, there was an answer. A man with thin balding hair and round-framed glasses answered the door. His narrow eyes were as gray as his hair. He wore a long-sleeved sweater shirt that was a grayish blue and darker (near black) jeans, and equally monochromatic socks and slippers. Was gray a theme with him? Not that she cared about fashion or anything.

"Hey, is Terrance there?" she asked, getting straight to the point. "Need to talk to him about something."

"Of course." Her friend's dad motioned. "Well, take your shoes off and come in. He's in the dining area."

The Lee household was furnished very plainly. Reiko's green eyes drew to one of the picture frames. In the lower right corner of it was a photo of Terrance and her as babies. They were playing with toy Poke Balls and stuffed dolls, pretending to be trainers. She always dreamed of going on a journey with him some day, but her parents' strictness and his health issues prevented that from happening. Maybe someday.

The living room was a somewhat cramped space. Most of the area was taken up by the seats, plants, or the foldable white sofa. A tea table was right in the middle. The television was around two meters long and rested on a cabinet stuffed with DVDs, Blu-rays, and a few video games. It was right in front of the window, blocking some natural light from filtering through. Terrance himself was sprawled on the sofa gazing at his laptop, which was placed on a wooden footstool level with the couch. From the beeps and chimes coming from the speaker, he was watching a streamer playing one of the old Pokemon video games.

Reiko waved her arm over her head to get Terrance's attention. "Yo," she called out verbally.

Terrance let out an "Ah!" He not only jumped a little, but he clutched at himself in reflexive defense. He leaned up slightly at first, sitting up all the way when he saw it was her. His voice was a little shaky as he asked, "Uh, hey. What's up?"

Reiko smiled and gave him a quiet nod of reassurance. "Came to see you." She turned her gaze to the laptop. "Doing anything?"

Terrance glanced at the screen. "Just watching this guy play Green. Pokemon Green!" he stated before turning back to her. "It's really just on the side…"

"All right." That was enough of an answer for her. He wasn't really busy. She moved to sit on a low-standing wooden chair backed and bottomed with white cushions. However, her friend scooted over and moved the laptop to make room on the sofa. After a moment of hesitation – nervousness actually, though she would refuse to admit that – she took him up on the offer and plopped down to his left.

There was no point in beating around the bush with any more niceties than necessary. Reiko delved straight into what she wanted to say. "So you probably heard about what's new with Carino."

Terrance bristled at the mention of their club leader. "Yeah," he let a sigh escape him at the same time he spoke this word. "It even got brought it up in the chatroom."

That was little surprise. Nori Carino was something of a celebrity. How could he not be after what he did in Sunyshore? People knew who he was. Some were even jealous that they knew him. Reiko always appreciated that Carino never acted high and mighty like a lot of famous people. He could be stubborn and headstrong, sure, and even made some dumb, irresponsible decisions. In that sense, the two of them were actually a bit alike.

But he'd crossed a line. She had been holding in her frustrations since late Friday. Now that she was with Terrance, she was finally able to let it all out to a listening ear. And she had no doubt he wanted to talk about it as well. "I can't believe him!" she snapped, only stopping herself from screaming entirely because of Terrance's other neighbor. "What the HELL was he thinking?! He's rehabilitating the goddamn Qwilfish that killed Pete Stephens! He should've known better than to go through with this!"

"R-Reiko, calm down!" Terrance suddenly cut in. His head jerked towards the hall, eyeing it warily as if a Houndoom might come stomping out of it. It would be his parents, but they were usually understanding. Her friend sighed after several moments before he turned back, throwing his hands together in a plea. "Relax. It's nothing…"

"It is not nothing," she firmly replied. Terrance shrank back a little at her words and tone. Was she being too intense again? She leaned back against the couch and spoke more gently, "I know you, Terrance. You're uncomfortable about this just like I am."

"It's not…a big…" he began to speak, only to trail off. He turned away, although Reiko could still see his eyes, and there was a look of absolute dejection in them. It was exactly how she thought. "No, y-you're right," he rasped. "I just don't know what to think. This isn't like the Blackout Killer's Pawniard."

Reiko nodded. "Yeah, exactly."

Rehabilitating a Pokemon they had written a news article about the first time was a coincidence. Even she had to laugh about it in retrospect. But it wasn't like that Pawniard had affected them. Now he was doing it a second time, with something that had struck close to the heart.

"Is he doing this to get attention?" she asked. It was rhetorical. Twice was suspicious. Terrance didn't have an answer, so she added, "Plus, I read on Trainer Report last night that he had a battle with Emi Pikaru over it. So he's committed to the thing."

"Maybe she provoked him." Terrance pressed his fingers together while continuing to avoid eye contact.

Reiko thought about it. "Could be that too, yeah," she conceded. From knowing Carino, it could've been over something other than the Qwilfish. It was definitely that from her end, however. "But either way."

Terrance now turned to her. He gripped his legs tightly. "Have you spoken with any of the others?"

She gestured in the negative. "No, and I think I'm going to wait until Monday for it." Terrance was the only person in the club she was close enough with to call a friend, anyway. Whenever she spoke with the others, it was for club business.

"I wonder what Mitsu thinks?" Terrance said, gazing vacantly at the floor.

"Probably pissed. You saw how he ranted about that Qwilfish on Friday." Chisaka was always aloof and off in his own world like ninety percent of the time. But he felt strongly about Pete Stephens; he put almost as much passion into their article as Terrance did. "We'll see how much and what he does."

"As mad as you?" Terrance chuckled, albeit nervously.

That would be a sight. "Well, I'm also mad at the Officials for throwing this at Carino. That Qwilfish needs help, sure, but why with him? And I'm mad at him too. Why the hell did he accept?" The first thing she wanted to do at the club on Monday was to give Carino a piece of her mind.

"Could…ask?" he squeaked out?

She crossed her arms. "That was rhetorical."

"O-oh."

"He had the choice not to. It was as simple as saying no. Like I said, he should've known better. It would've saved us a lot of grief and drama." Takao was likely going to take his side, as always. Between the rest of them, that was going to divide the club.

A hush fell over them. Terrance looked up, and asked her a question she wasn't expecting. "Did you like Pete Stephens too?" There was caution and wonder in his tone.

Reiko blinked. "A bit, but it's more about you guys." This was about standing up. Terrance certainly wouldn't, and it was a coin toss whether anyone else would. But they couldn't just let this go and let the issues boil like a Croagunk in the sun. "He should've known it'd upset you and Chisaka!"

"I'm not that upset, it's just…" Terrance's words choked away. He sniffed and wiped an eye. "It does bother me, I guess. I don't know how I should feel about him, though. He's our friend, but…"

He was finally being honest with himself. "Yeah, I get that." The question was how much of a friend or even acquaintance was Carino? One thing was for sure. "Monday's gonna be interesting."

"I know."

She looked at him, this time, with serious determination. "Want me to say anything to him for you?"

"Not much." His eyes widened and he waved his hands frantically. "Don't do too much, I mean!" he clarified.

Reiko closed her eyes. Her temper could get the better of her sometimes. In the heat of the moment, anything was possible. But if he was asking, she would make the attempt. "I'll try."

She knew in her heart that it was a promise she wasn't going to be able to keep. Whenever she thought about the situation, her head burned, her chest tightened, her fists clenched, and her brow burrowed. It would be nothing short of a miracle if she was able to restrain herself.

Terrance reached out and grabbed the footstool his laptop was atop and moved it to be between them. "Want to take your mind off it?" he asked, with that dorky smile she loved so much. His brown eyes flicked invitingly to the game being played on the screen.

Reiko found her chest tightening again, but for a different reason. "Yeah," she sharply agreed, hoping her face wouldn't betray her. She turned away for a few seconds just in case.