Chapter 23: Stronger Together!
The conversation was now over, the meeting of the new Epsilon Committee had brought about initial plans. But now Aurora found it a little difficult to leave. Marshadow was still busy, she had to make the journey home alone. But that wasn't what worried her either. Rather, it was what would await her back in her home. She knew, even though she was nervous, that the time had come for a serious conversation with Kel. Even though she didn't really want it at that moment, out of nervousness and also out of fear, she knew that she would never be able to find peace until the fronts between her and her former and maybe future team partner were clear.

But she had also already made all the preparations neccessary. This time Aurora had made sure that Kel couldn't avoid her all day again, couldn't hide away again. The whole way back she thought about what she could and should say. And even when she stood in front of her own front door, now closed, which meant that Kel was already here, since she had left the door ajar for him so that he could theoretically return alone, she still didn't know. But she was determined nonetheless. And after a final thought, she entered her house.

At first she didn't see Kel anywhere. The door above the stairs was closed, there was no trace of a Pokemon anywhere else. The Arcanine had immediately retreated again, as expected. The house owner quietly walked up the stairs and knocked gently on the door.

"Kel, can we talk?"

The answer was no louder than the question, but the tone of her voice was noticeably more agitated.

"There's nothing to talk about."
"Yes there is. And we will talk."
"I'm not letting you in!"

For a moment Aurora was annoyed by her current roommate's defiance, but she quickly pulled herself together and opened the door quietly.

"You don't have to, because I hid the key myself this morning so you wouldn't lock yourself in again."

When she entered the room, she saw Kel standing at the window, looking up at the sky. A moment later, however, he turned to her.

"So that was really you! But... I can't blame you for not trusting me..."

Now was Aurora's last chance to sort out her thoughts before she started talking.

"Listen, okay? I didn't do this because I don't trust you, I did it for your own good! You can't just try and like... flee from reality!"
"And why not? It's best for everyone involved!"

Instead of continuing this discussion, which she knew would be pointless, she simply sat down next to Kel.

"I want to talk to you about what happened at the iceberg. And I want the whole truth, no matter how brutal!"
"Okay. I have nothing left to hide."

When the question finally came, however, he seemed completely unprepared.

"Did you abandon me because you saw that I was only using you for my own gain?"

It was obvious that Kel didn't have the words to answer this question. After a moment, however, he seemed to find them.

"Well, it's... yes and no, I think?"

Aurora looked at him confusedly.

"Well... I didn't trust you. That's true. From the very first meeting. I had no idea why you would help a stranger, but when you brought me to Team Fossil, I thought I understood. I suggested that whole team thing to keep you happy and for my own benefit. After that, I tried to keep only the most necessary contact with you. The argument before the trip seemingly was proof on why I did so. But... when we were close to the top, when you apologized to me... for a moment I began to see things in a different light. For a moment I believed that Team Polarna vatra was more than a relationship of convenience for your own benefit. But ultimately..."

To his surprise, Aurora finished his sentence.

"...ultimately, your experiences have shown you that it was just another lie and that you can't trust anyone but yourself."

Somewhere, Aurora was happy about the things Kel had said. Because now she could stop telling herself that she had actually been such a terrible team partner. But at the same time, it confirmed her fears about Kel's mentality from his past life.

"That's just the way things are. In a world where the strong survive, you can't show weakness."

The only answer he got was a blow to the back of the head.

"Ouch! What's up with that all of a sudden? Is that going to become a habit now?"
"If you're constantly becoming detached from reality, then yes it is. Kel, I have no idea what the human world is really like. I can only guess and estimate and see that it's a bad place. Horrible even. I don't know what it's like there. But... what I can promise you is that this world is different! So don't tell yourself that crap! Of course you can show weakness! Everyone can! Everyone should. You can't do everything on your own. And if you hide behind a facade, you scare away everyone who can and wants to help you! So listen to me, Kel: Your emotions are not weakness. I'm here to talk about everything."

For a moment, her teampartner paused. His voice seemed brittle.

"But... why? Why are you like that? How... why don't you just give up on me even though I left you behind?"

Knowing that her words reached Kel, Aurora continued.

"You left me to die, I even died... but that's still insignificant in my eyes. I'll never forget it, because those who forget only repeat old mistakes. But I understand your motives and just want to give you another chance."

The expression in Kel's eyes combined many emotions. Sadness, relief, but above all surprise.

"You... didn't you tell Marshadow that you didn't believe him about you dying on the iceberg?"

Only now did Aurora herself notice her slip-up.

"No... yes, I mean..."

She had started this conversation in the hope of finally finding inner balance again, but instead she felt her resolve breaking. The Arcanine next to her was shocked at how much his question seemed to break Aurora.

"I... I believed him. From the very beginning. It all made too much sense, I'm not that stupid! I knew from the beginning that he was right. But... how am I supposed to carry on with this awareness and convince others of my ideals? Every day I doubt whether I am really doing the right thing! And now, knowing that I owe my life to Epsilon... how am I supposed to carry on? How am I supposed to not question my own ideals? My enemy is the being to whom I owe my life to!"

As much as he suffered from his own feelings, Kel knew that he could not and should not remain idle this time.

"Aurora... don't you think I've thought that same thing before? Hell, you know I did! After all, we are similar in that way. Epsilon gave me a second life too. Only he didn't owe me anything. He took your first life to give you a second. You owe him nothing! Instead, you have to make him regret his decision!"

The words caught Aurora off guard. How had this conversation turned so quickly? She had come to help Kel and now it was him who was giving her words of encouragement. And at the same time, the words did not seem empty. What he said made sense. And he was right.

"I... I owe him nothing. On the contrary. He didn't give me a life, not because of me, but only because of his own fanaticism. Kel, you're right! He will pay!"

The adrenaline in her veins faded again.

"Thank you... I really needed that."

Spellbound and silent, Kel looked at the sunset.

"I... know. I noticed. I saw that you needed someone to talk to. Just like you just said. And I think... that it's no different in my old home. Even there, you needed others. But there was no one I could trust there. Not anymore... but... Pokemon are different. Maybe. I don't know yet. But what I do know is that you are different from the humans I knew."

Both Pokemon fell silent for a moment.

"I just want every Pokemon to be happy. That includes you! It took me long enough to understand what loneliness can do to someone. Without the Plot, I probably wouldn't have become any different from what you became in the human world. But the Plot guided me."

Flames suddenly shot out of Kel's mouth, his eyes were filled with a strange shimmer.

"No! Not! Not him!"
"Kel? What... what's going on?"
"The..."

He suddenly fell silent. A light, orange glow appeared in his eyes.

"NO!"

With all his might, Kel threw himself against a wall, which withstood the blow as Kel fell to the ground.

"What's going on? Kel? Are you alright?"

The Arcanine opened his eyes, filled with tears.

"What's inside me... it doesn't want me to tell you. Aurora, I know so much more since it took over me, I've learned so much but... I just can't say it. Please! Be careful with your actions! But..."

He spoke very carefully, obviously afraid that he could be stopped again.

"Epsilon is an enemy. We have to take him out. That's the most important thing... for now."

Although Aurora didn't really know what to make of what had happened, she knew that there was little she could do at the moment anyway. Instead, she helped Kel up again.

"I will. Or we will. That depends: Will you help me? For real this time?"
"Yes... I will definitely try. Now that I think I understand this place better, I want to make up for my mistakes. But..."

He lowered his gaze again, his voice sounding worried.

"With this... being inside me, I have no idea if I can do it. Who knows how long I can keep control?"
"For now, it's fine, as long as you don't talk about something wrong, right?"

Kel laughed dryly.

"But just about. I hear the voices all the time. Like a whisper in my subconscious. The voices that want nothing but death and destruction. They've been robbing me of sleep ever since you freed me!"

The connection to his appearance was clear to Aurora.

"If they're bothering you so much... maybe I have a Sleep Seed lying around somewhere. Maybe you can find some peace today at least."
"I have no idea what exactly that is, but... I can try. Just... one thing."

She looked questioningly at the second founder of her team.

"If it ever gets too strong... take the armor and do whatever needs to be done to stop me, okay Aurora? I don't want to cause any more harm. I don't want to cause anyone any more pain."

For a moment Aurora was at a loss for words.

"Please, promise me that. I... can't cause any more harm. I don't think I could live with the thought of..."
"But... you know what, Kel? Fine. I promise! But I won't let it get that far! I'll make sure I never have to keep that promise!"

For the last time, both fell silent. Aurora knew herself that there was nothing more to say. Ultimately... things could have gone much worse.

"So... if you don't have anything else to say then... then I'll go and see if I have a Sleep Seed and otherwise I'll leave you alone for today."

There was no answer, so Aurora left the room. After a short search, she found the seed, which might give Kel a night of rest.

When she came back into the room, the Arcanine was still sitting silently at the window.
"You're... a little better now, are you?"

When Kel turned to her, she was surprised to see his eyes filled with tears. This time, they were not of pain. His voice seemed happy.

"I... really need to process everything. But..."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"I haven't felt this free in a long time."