Being in a capsule was annoying.

It was artificial. Too comforting. Not what she liked. She did not know how that rodent or even that epafasu functioned. She tolerated it by circumstance. Carino made a point. Too many manhs were uncomfortable around her. Not that she cared. If he got a bigger living place, she would want to be out more. And she would find a way to make him know.

It was always good to get out. The fresh air in her lungs. The feeling of earth – in this case, wet cement – beneath her feet. The chill of late autumn against her skin. It was always disorienting to be somewhere different. Being vaguely aware of the world outside while within changed nothing.

She took stock of her surroundings. Smell: wet pavement, exhaust in the distance, some sort of manh-made bread, Carino. Sound: running water, wind, vehicles, a few birds in the distance. urWmt: nothing unusual. Sight: buildings, stairs, unoccupied chairs and tables, Carino leaning against a wall with his arms crossed. Warming himself. He kept looking between her and some elevated pool of water.

He said nothing. She tapped her front left paw. He spoke after twenty beats. "Hi, Demon," he greeted.

She liked that name. From what Pachi told her, it described her well. It literally meant a wicked and harmful spirit, yet it could express respect for skill. They didn't use names in the wild. They had titles. She was o'Fyma to her former colony. Esteemed mother who gives birth. She refused to live up to it.

Carino spoke on. "{Hesitation. Asking for help with something non-specific.}"

That was uninformative. Was this the outside of some fighting place? "Yes," she answered. He would only hear a bark, of course, so she bobbed her head up and down as well.

"{Proclamation that he will send out 'Qwilfish' into the water.} {Asking to help talk to her.}"

Qwilfish? It must have been that murderer. Her ears slanted upright. She had choice feelings about that fish. None of them were positive.

She let Carino know how she felt with a low growl. Did he figure out she knew a small amount of the language of water dwellers? No. There was no way. He assumed. Or he guessed. No, he had hoped. He hoped a lot. Well. He must have asked Pachi first. Now he asked her. His eyes and frown told the story. She would try. Since he asked.

"Fine," she snorted. She added another head bob. If she was his only way around the language barrier, she'd put up with it. For him. Even though she expected they wouldn't get anywhere.

Carino slumped yet smiled. The sight of his relief was nice. He took out a light blue ball and opened it into the water.

The Demon approached and propped herself up on the ledge. She could sense the fear of this 'Qwilfish' thing as they locked eyes. Primal fear, like prey to a hunter.

The fish blubbered some gibberish that she got only a few words out of. An old friend before she was declared an AkepWwd – a race traitor – had taught her aquatic words. Enough to hold a basic conversation. The inflection was hard for her mouth to make. It was like a specific series of a small set of syllables, in an abnormal order. But she spoke.

"Hello."

Stop. The Qwilfish floated there. She answered something to the effect of, "You can {?} me?" Demon figured the word she was unfamiliar with was something like 'understand.' Or close enough to it.

"I speak little," was the gist of her reply. As far as she knew, they had no equivalent of "Syl A'ruKo umt?" But that old friend had told her saying that would work.

The reply came. It was chaotic. There were a few familiar words. "Little" was echoed. Then she stayed quiet. Waiting for clarification. Maybe.

"One taught me little," she sounded out in the abyssal tongue. Hopefully this Qwilfish had the brains to recognize to talk in simple words.

It took some time. But she answered. "Who are you? What is happening?"

She tried to remember the tones. This was going to be degrading. Not that she cared what this murderer thought. "I am Demon," she said, saying the last part in her own tongue. She gestured to her leader. "He is Nori. He is help. He is good. Who are you?" It was the best she could do.

"I am," was the beginning of the answer. A calm answer, mercifully. As calm as this neurotic fish could be. "Spike," she awkwardly sounded out. Then she said something else. From the words she recognized and context, it was what the manh who caught and – evidently discarded her – called her.

She could not help but snort at that. That was the same name as one of Carino's enemies from that other city. An impotent one. A male's name too. This was a female.

The fish went crazy for no reason. At least, Demon didn't sense danger. She swam up and went off about something. Angry about something. Then questions, it sounded like. What? Why? What?

This was hopeless. This idiot needed a native speaker to talk to her. Or one of those diviners. Maybe that old trainer did something to scar her. It wouldn't surprise her. They were generally scum as far as she saw it. Not that her fellow Akeresa couldn't be, either. That freak teammate, for example. If there was one good thing that the worthless progenitor did for her, it was let her meet Carino. Or maybe it was their idea of a sick joke.

She turned away from the idiot and shook her head at Carino to convey her dismay. She tuned out the Qwilfish thing. It was mostly nonsense to her anyway.

He moved up. He stayed near the wall like he was trying to avoid predators and shrank away from the water. "What happened?" she heard and understood. She knew a little of his language. Not that it made a difference because of the ability of any Akeresa to understand the gist of what any manh said, and the trouble of actually speaking it. "{Asking what she said.}"

She scraped her paws and stared. How was she supposed to express that she only knew a little and this dumb bitch wouldn't talk on her level? She glanced back at the still-rambling fish and gave a snort and a toss of the head.

"Wait! Wait, wait," Carino exclaimed as he stood more upright. "{Stating he knows Akeresa have different languages because Pachi told him.} {Asking hesitantly if she doesn't speak a lot of water-dweller language.}"

At this, she smirked and confirmed. See, he got it. Without understanding a word she said. She liked that about Carino. He had sense. More than could be said about that idiot in the water. What would he call her, stupid moron? Were those the words? If they were lucky, hearing what he said would give her the message. At least she had verified that fish was just ignorant.

It made his arms go limp. "{Exasperatedly dismissing some sort of idea}" he mumbled, probably talking about having them talk. She eyed the fish, who turned away. It seemed that idiot didn't want to talk anyway. "Thanks for trying {regardless}," Carino said.

"Yes," she barked a short reply. He was too polite sometimes. Not that she hated it.

He turned to Spike. The fish swam back. She puffed up a little. It was posturing.

It took a few seconds. Carino spoke to her. "I was thinking," he started, before shaking his head and hitting himself. He spoke more confidently. "{Stating that aquatic Akeresa can do fine out of water with training.} {Stating that he knows she needs water, but that he wants to train her to be out of it.} {Quick assurance he'll still let her swim in water.}" He shuffled his feet. "I'll try. I mean! {Statement that he is willing to compromise.} If you can try. Please? {Asking her to signal yes or no like before.}"

There was no initial reply. Because she had actually shut up for once, Demon had no idea what she was thinking. It was hard to tell. She would normally use body language. But she had never seen one of these and the fish was still and stone-faced anyway. So she watched for the sign. The fish puffed up. She did not move closer, and kept eyeing her. Still wary. But Carino smiled. It must have been a yes.

"Thank you," he said, bowing lightly. "{Vocalization.} {Admitting he is unsure what to do.} {A rhetorical question that they might start with practicing breathing.}" Demon snorted. It likely made more sense in his language, but her mind interpreted it funny. She knew what he meant. It was a big thing with aquatics. Carino turned. "{A question if she will help.}"

With breathing? How was she supposed to know that? Instead, she decided to surprise him. She flashed her claws and swung them twice.

"With fighting?" Her ears twitched and she grinned. Some manh his age wanted to fight this fish, that one with the Rhydon who they crushed. Demon saw the look in her eyes. She wasn't giving up. "{Conceding that might be of help.} {Saying to Spike that she will help with fighting.} {Saying that it might be ideal because no one else will train with them.}"

Instead of responding to him, she turned to her. "You {?} help {?} me?" she asked. The tone was frantic and annoyed.

"Can you fight?" she asked simply.

"Yes, a little," came Spike's fussing. "But it is hard to move out of water! I got hurt lots. I hate being hurt." Surprisingly, Demon understood everything there.

Now she had an idea of what happened. Carino was right, she didn't have the guts to kill someone on purpose. Knowing that was motivation. "Effort. I will help." She hoped her speech was not too broken. She gestured to Carino. "He will help."

Spike studied him. She eventually puffed up for yes. Demon's heart accelerated. Anticipation. They wouldn't need words to spar. It was a good way to get to know someone. No one had to get hurt bad with sparring. Hopefully, this Qwilfish was good. And could keep under control. Otherwise, Demon would hurt her bad to stop her. Same as that freak.

Carino's hands went into fists. He raised and lowered them in front of him. "That's good! {Suggesting they try immediately.} Oh. {An awkward realization that they should not be fighting here.} {Adding that no one being around does not change that.}" He rubbed the back of his neck, before his eyes widened. He let out a yelp. "{Panic that he needs to return to where he learns things.} {Stating they will have to do it later.} {Promises of food before that.} {Frantic apology.} {A promise to meet later.}" After a few seconds, he recalled the fish to her capsule.

She could only snicker. Life was never dull with Carino. It was another reason she did not mind him as a leader. She was sure many manhs could help her get stronger, but there was much more to him. He respected her. Treated her as an equal and not as a tool to succeed at ego-driven sport. He did not want her because of her strength.

"Well. {Asking if she wanted to walk outside until they got back to where he learns.}"

She stood more upright. It was rare she was given that chance over the rodent. She was going to take him up on that. Her answer was a firm yes and to turn and start off. He laughed and went out in front to lead the way.


Nori smiled as he and the Demon raced back to school. He could tell she was enjoying their run. He knew that little square had a fountain that ran until the cold weather made sure they couldn't anymore. It was the perfect spot to talk with Qwilfish! As long as he didn't trip into it. Good thing he remembered about it. But it was further than he thought, and now he had to basically sprint if he wanted to make it in time! Stupid! But he was sure they could make it!

They passed by a pair of elderly ladies. One of them dropped her groceries in shock at the sight of the Demon of Veilstone and her trainer. Or maybe they just startled them!

"Excuse me!" one of them called with an irritated and yet disappointed tone of voice. "Nori Carino–"

"Sorry! No time, sorry!" he shouted without stopping or looking back even though they had called to him by name. He waved it off and kept running. "Didn't mean to startle you!"

There was a pause of about half a second, probably in shock, before they shouted, "Same to you!" in unison.

What was that all about?! More who hated him? If they were gonna be like that, he felt less bad about not being able to stop and help. The Demon snorted and laughed vindictively. Or maybe it was at him. He huffed before laughing a little under his breath.

Still, that little interaction between his Pokemon was promising! It didn't seem Qwilfish hated the Demon, at least! And she could talk a little! Progress and info! That's what he needed! Any tiny bit was going to count! So, first thing after school was over, it was training time!