Things had been quite relaxed after Mylo's trial for a while. A couple weeks had passed and everyone seemed to be doing mostly fine since no one was in danger, or in jail, or fighting with other teammates or family. It was almost too good to be true, and Ari wasn't trusting that. There was always something going wrong, it was a matter of time, he thought.

But maybe for now he could relax with his friends and forget about that. It's not like he didn't appreciate seeing everyone being happy for once. Nimb was feeling better about his family situation and was used to his new life with Ari and Maia, and Sanah had been getting better grades lately and she was really proud of herself for once.

She had to admit she was being as distrustful as Ari, after all, she wasn't used to success. But even if she was doing good, she couldn't just change how she felt about her life with all that had happened to her so far. Her father wasn't doing any better, and she couldn't just unlearn all her behaviors that were caused by her early school days.

"I just wish I could go back in time to punch them in the face and make them regret that," Sanah said as she demonstrated by extending her fist upwards from the cushion where she was lying. "Fucking bastards…"

"Maybe you'd been better if you ignored them back in the day," Ari commented, also lying on a cushion with his paws resting on his belly. "That way they would have become tired or they'd see you're not as bad as they think."

"Too late for that."

"Well, at least it's over," Nimb added with a sheepish smile.

Sanah sighed. They were spending some quality time just the three of them in Maia's cottage, but the mood quickly went down as Sanah started thinking about all that. Those thoughts had been coming back in recent days and she couldn't help it.

"I don't know, I can't get over with it. I feel like whenever I run into them in the academy they're still judging me and giving me those looks. I just wanna feel normal for once, but I've already messed up for so long and there's no going back…"

"Well I'd say you started over this year in our class, and everyone is fine with you now," Nimb reassured as he stretched a bit. "Maybe you need to focus on that."

Sanah shook her head. "It's not that easy, I'm not even that close to the rest, we're just classmates, and Mylo is… well, we're still getting there. I don't consider him that much of a friend yet."

"So you feel lonely?" Ari asked with a tilt of his head, now looking at her.

"I guess you could say so…"

"But you have us! And your father too," the Riolu said.

Sanah winced at that and Ari realized it might not be a good topic to bring up.

"Ari, my father is… well, he's my father, not my friend. And still, he's not doing precisely okay."

"Huh? Did something happen?" Nimb asked, now a bit concerned.

Sanah sat on her cushion and stared at the floor with a frown. "He gave me a scare this morning. When I called him for breakfast, I heard a thump and went to check on him. He had fainted from exhaustion, and it took a while for him to wake up."

Ari and Nimb gasped.

"Oh fuck… I hope he's better now," Ari said with a concerned look.

"Kinda… But this is getting serious. It's happening more frequently now, and I'm super worried…"

"And you still didn't get any lead on what's going on with him?" Nimb asked. Sanah only hugged herself and cringed, making the answer a bit obvious. The Archen pouted. "Oh… I'm sorry."

Ari stood up and approached Sanah, resting a paw on her shoulder. "Sanah… Are you doing okay?"

Sanah opened her mouth to speak, but she stopped, fearing a breakdown if she spoke. However, she was barely holding up at this point. She didn't take long to start shaking and tears ran down her cheeks.

"No, I… I d-don't want him to die…" She suddenly broke down, turning her back on them and crying while she tried to wipe her tears. "D-don't look at me…"

Nimb stood up and looked in panic, unsure of what to do, while Ari quickly kneeled down beside Sanah and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Oh, Sanah… We're here, it's okay…" Ari soothed. He saw Nimb hesitating and addressed him. "Can you leave us alone for a moment, Nimb? I think she needs to be in private."

"Okay… I hope you feel better soon," Nimb said with a frown and then went to his room after giving one last look at them. He wasn't good in these situations, and he could only comfort Ari whenever something like that happened.

Once they were left alone, Ari pressed Sanah closer and tried to soothe her.

"I'm sorry Sanah, I know this is hard for you…"

Sanah coughed and hugged Ari tighter, burying her face on his neck and speaking with a muffled voice. "Y-yeah…"

"No matter what happens, you'll manage. I know you're strong."

She sniffled. "I don't know about that… If I lose my dad, I'm going to be alone! I c-can't be alone…"

Ari brushed the fur on her head and shook his head. "You're not alone, you have friends to support you!"

"Even if that were the case, I can't even open my heart to the rest, you're the only one I feel comfortable sharing this with… Ari, you're the only one I trust enough," she said, giving him another shaky squeeze.

Ari felt a warmth in his chest upon hearing that, but he chose to focus on cheering her up. That was more important.

"If I'm the only one you trust, then you already have someone!" He pulled away from the hug and carefully wiped a tear from her face, resting then his paw on her cheek. "You can always count on me."

Sanah sniffled one more time as a blush overtook her face but then smiled. She wiped her tears and turned away in an attempt to hide the blush, and spoke with a shaky voice.

"Thanks, dude. I… I really appreciate it, I don't know how I'd be if you hadn't shown up in my life."

"It's nothing, really… you're one of my best friends after all!"

Sanah chuckled a bit. "Yeah… Sorry for dumping all of this on you. I pretty much killed the mood."

Ari shook his head rapidly. "No no! If you need to vent, then that's fine. I'm just concerned that you have so much going on…"

"Well it's not like I'm usually so affected by everything. Most of what happened to me isn't that big of a deal, but when many small things combine, it's just…"

"Too much?" Ari finished for her.

Sanah nodded, fidgeting with the cushion she was sitting on with her claws. "My dad's condition wouldn't affect me that much if it wasn't because I'm already feeling lonely most of the time. I wish I could have more pokémon who I could be myself with."

Ari crossed his arms in thought. "Hmmm… If you're not that comfortable with our classmates, maybe you would benefit from meeting new pokémon as well. Having new friends is always nice."

"Ugh, I can't just do that… You already know how much I'm struggling with those thoughts because of the bullies from years ago."

Ari frowned. He knew there had to be some way to deal with that so she could be a functional pokémon again. But how…?

Then, he brightened. "Oh wait, I know! You should try therapy!"

Sanah perked up. "Huh? Wait, what?"

"Yeah, that's going to help you for sure! I know there's a place with a new therapist that's giving out the first session for free, so you can always back down in case you can't pay for more!"

"Huh… I don't know, are you sure that's going to help?"

Ari leaned closer to her and grasped her claws, making her flinch. "Come oooon, trust me! That therapist is really good, I'm sure you're going to learn a lot from the experience!"

Sanah stared at him in the eyes for a long moment, surprised by his determination and the glitter on his irises. She couldn't say no to him, and she knew. Eventually, she let out a defeated sigh.

"Aaaalright, I guess… Take me there."

The day was dark. Well, at least it was for the male Meowstic who was still locked in his room with the curtains closed, lying on his bed with nothing to do, nor any motivation to think of something. Just like every single day.

Terrel had been doing a bit better, sometimes going downstairs to eat instead of having his family bring him the food. He was even responding more now, but he was still locked in his room most of the time, enveloped in darkness.

Terrel sighed and took one of the books lying on the floor, eyeing it while he pondered if he should read it again or not. That one was called "Borderline Looker", it was something about a Charmeleon who was stuck in awful jobs and got dragged into a big conflict without being supposed to be there. Terrel liked the story because it was kinda realistic, until the part where the moon started doing backflips.

Yeah, another story that will always be just a story. Reality was just boring, and he should just accept it and read something more focused on slice of life, like "Entwined Legs", a story about a Spinda that kept stealing money from a philanthropist Archen with a weird accent. That one was funny, but Terrel was worried that it might get into romance territory eventually.

Ugh, romance. Why was everyone so obsessed with it?

His thoughts were interrupted when someone knocked on his window. Wait, what? There was no way anyone could knock on a window on the first floor, right?

Terrel stood up, startled, and ran to open his curtains in confusion. He opened it and squinted his eyes as the light blinded him for a long moment until he adjusted to it and saw a face right in front of him. Terrel blinked twice until he finally flinched and fell back on his rear.

"W-what the…? Nout?"

It was the Zoroark he met that one time. After their first hangout during that whole cemetery investigation, they had only met again a couple of times, and it was because Nout decided to drop by and visit him in his room for a bit. They just talked about books they liked or food, and that was it. Terrel didn't go out with him, since he always said he didn't have the energy.

Terrel opened the window and frowned. "What are you doing here? And why did you climb all the way up instead of using the door?"

"Hey there, Terrel!" Nout responded with a wink. "I just thought I might pay you a visit, but to answer your question… let's say I don't think your older sister likes me."

Terrel tilted his head. "Velia? You sure?"

"Yeah, she keeps giving me those looks like she's analyzing me. It gives me the creeps." He shivered to demonstrate. He almost lost his balance but gripped the window frame just in time. "But since I don't wanna be in here I thought… Well, you might want to come with me! What do you say?"

"... I don't know about that," he responded, going back inside and sitting on his bed.

Nout followed him inside and stood in front of him, bringing his claws to his hips.

"Come on, you're not going to feel better by staying here forever! I've visited you a couple of times but I'm sure there's much more we can do if we go outside!"

Terrel yawned loudly and turned his back on Nout. "And why are you even interested in hanging out with me? I'm literally a walking corpse."

"Because I like you, of course!" He gave him another wink. "There's just… something cute about you and the way you pretend like you don't care."

Terrel flushed. "H-hey, I'm not pretending! I'm just constantly tired, that's all."

Nout elbowed him teasingly. "Come on, let's go for a walk together! There's a new waffle shop nearby, we could get some. And I promise I won't be too obnoxious."

"Huh…" He thought about it for a long moment. Waffles… That didn't sound too bad. He could just get them and quickly come back home. Nout could do all the talking and carry the conversation, so that was an extra point. He sighed and stood up, finally. "Okay. But you're paying for those waffles."

Nout grinned. "You bet I am! Great, this is a date, then."

Terrel deadpanned. "What."

Ari, Nimb and Sanah arrived at the counseling center in just 20 minutes. The entrance was a cozy room with some plants and two couches around a small table, and a bigger desk where the receptionist was supposed to be, but there was no one in sight.

"This place feels nice… What's that smell?" Ari asked, pacing around the room with curiosity.

"Hmmm… I think that's some kind of incense," Sanah said. She was a bit nervous since it was her first time in therapy. What if she opened her heart and the therapist got scared of whatever shit she says?

Nimb coughed and pouted at the smell. "Well, that incense is making me a bit dizzy…"

"Really? I think it's nice," Ari said. "Reminds me of those candles that Ren liked so much."

Sanah brought her claw to her chin and hummed. "Hm, I didn't imagine that guy to be into that…"

"Never trust appearances, haha."

Another voice interrupted the conversation, coming from a hallway further inside. "Excuse me, our receptionist isn't here right now so I didn't know we had visi-"

The source of the voice stopped. The visitors stopped. Everyone stared at the Seviper that stood there on the other side of the room.

"YOU?" Sanah yelled.

"Sanah?" Lyla jumped as well. "Wait, what are you guys doing here?"

Ari cringed and moved between Sanah and Lyla as if a fight could happen at any time. "Ehehe, we're just here for therapy! I'm so glad to see you're adapting well to your new job, now that you've been released from jail!"

Lyla narrowed her eyes at him, suspicious. "Uh… thank you, Ari, but um… Who's the one that's coming with me?"

Nimb moved closer to the exit just in case, while Ari smiled sheepishly as he tapped Sanah on the shoulder.

"It's her! Hehe…"

Lyla's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to complain, but Sanah beat her to it.

"NO WAY, fuck this, I'm leaving."

Ari quickly gripped Sanah's arm and begged. "Pleaaase, Sanah! Just try, I'm sure this will help you!"

"You're kidding me, right?"

"Ari, I didn't agree to this either!" Lyla said, coiling around herself uncomfortably.

"But isn't this your whole thing? It's your job, so it's the right thing to do!" He insisted.

Lyla winced. "B-but… Arceus damn it…"

Ari turned to Sanah, gripping her shoulders and giving her a desperate look. "Come on, you don't even have to talk about your relationship, this is just to talk about yourself. You'll feel way better once you're done!"

Sanah had to stop herself from slapping him. "Ari, you know I hate her! Why are you doing this?"

"Because I care about you! And I think nothing would make you feel better than actually fixing things with her… Uhhh I mean, and also having therapy! I know for sure she knows what she's doing and, she's very professional so you don't have to worry about anything!"

Lyla sighed. "Yeah, it's not like I have any other choice…"

"Ari, I don't know about this…"

"Pleaaase, do it for me!" Ari said and looked at her with puppy eyes.

She couldn't do anything against that. She was fortunate to have thick tufts of fur on her cheeks, otherwise, her blush would be too obvious. She eyed him for a long moment, then Lyla, then Nimb, who was hiding behind the exit door. She then sighed deeply. "Ari, for the love of… Uggghhhhh fine! But you owe me one."

Ari beamed. "Great! Then I'll leave you two to do your thing, we'll come back in an hour!" He approached Nimb and waved from the door. "We'll see you later! Have a nice time, byeeee."

Sanah couldn't say anything before Ari and Nimb were already out, and she was left there with a dumbfounded Lyla. She turned to her and narrowed her eyes. "I can't believe I'm doing this…"

Lyla sighed. "Me neith- uhhh I mean, come with me." She turned around and gestured with her tail for Sanah to follow her. They both entered a room further inside, neither saying a word at first.

The air was filled with tension and a lot of incense.

Terrel munched on his waffle, his muzzle morphing into a delighted smile as he savored the treat, drawing an amused look from the Zoroark.

"Wow, you really like waffles, huh?" Nout commented with a smirk. "I'll take a mental note of that then."

Luckily for them, the waffle shop was empty at that moment, only the workers going in and out while they enjoyed a moment of quiet inside the fancy building. It had yellow walls with flower patterns all over it, and there were circular tables all around the place, like the one they were sitting at.

"Mmmhm. What do you mean by 'mental note'? You're taking notes of what I like?" Terrel asked before he took another bite.

"Of course! I gotta learn how to make my moves, you know."

Terrel stopped and narrowed his eyes. "... Are you flirting with me again?"

Nout snorted and leaned closer to him, wrapping his arm around his shoulders. "Of course! How could I not with a cutie like you?"

"Nout…" Terrel took a deep breath and removed Nout's arm from around him, his blush turning into a frown. "Stop with that already. Is that all I am to you? You just… see me like some prize you have to get?"

The Zoroark's smile slowly banished, replaced with a confused frown. "I… I thought you liked that. Don't you find it charming?"

"Ugh, I don't know. Don't get me wrong, I like the way you are, but I don't like how it feels like I'm just one more guy on your list of conquests. And you're flirting all the time!" He turned to him with a serious look and slammed his palm down on the table. "Have you ever considered that we barely know each other yet?"

"But… That's…"

"Are you really interested in me? Because it seems like you just like my looks."

Nout flinched hard. He had a point there, he was trying to go after someone from the very moment he met him, and he was just getting to know him now after a whole month.

"I never thought of it that way… Maybe you're right, I was too focused on flirting without actually trying to get to know you more… But hey, I'm genuine when I say I was interested in your love for waffles! I do want to learn more about you, it's not only about your looks."

Terrel looked away, instead locking his gaze on the half-eaten waffle on his paws, and broke it into two pieces. "Then prove it."

Nout blinked. "Uh… Okay. I'll start with a single question then: why are you always locked in your room? What made you… like that?"

Terrel slumped. "Starting with the big ones, huh? Fair. I've been like this for years, after slowly realizing that life is just boring and stagnant. I didn't enjoy school, I didn't like the options I'd been given for a future job in this town. I don't like anything."

"So you got depressed because… you thought you had no future?" Nout asked, leaning closer without touching him this time.

The Meowstic nodded. "I'm getting there. But it's taking me a lot to accept that not everything has to be that way. I know there are other options, it's just that I never saw myself leaving this town alone."

Nout thought about that for a moment and then perked up. "Hey, who says you have to do it alone? I'm also really bored here, we could go somewhere else together! Uh, I mean, once we know each other enough, that is."

"Huh… You really find it that easy to leave it all behind, don't you?" Terrel asked, and he finished his last bit of food. "I don't know about that…"

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Terrel and Nout, a wild Velia watched them from the exterior of the building, spying through the glass in a really creepy way.

"Look Mom, what's that girl doing?" A kid asked his mom.

The mother took her son's paw and walked away in a hurry. "I don't know, don't look at her."

Lyla coughed. The room usually had a comforting ambiance that soothed her patients and made everything go smoothly every time. Now it was just tainted by negativity as she tried to gather her words with an impatient Zangoose sitting a meter away from her. Her natural enemy, just on a reclining seat in front of her like nothing ever happened.

Sure, times changed and the usual rivalry between Zangooses and Sevipers was merely a forgotten instinct, but it still sometimes flared back into life when they least expected it. They knew it was an unfounded hate, but it's not like they could do anything against it. Also, these two specific individuals had their reasons for being mad at each other.

"So… Um, tell me. What's the reason you came here?" Lyla asked with hesitation.

"... You already know." That was the only response Sanah gave.

"Duh. But I have to do my job, so be more specific, can you?"

Sanah rolled her eyes and grunted in annoyance. "Okay, fine. It's those former classmates, they keep looking at me that way. And I can't just forget about all that they did."

"So they have resentment towards you… I wonder why," Lyla responded, a bit dryly.

Sanah frowned. "Hey, what are you implying there? Are you going to do the same or what?"

"Ugh, no, no. Okay, I'm a therapist now…" Lyla took a deep breath and tried to concentrate. "Okay. You think you could change the way they treat you?"

"I don't know. You're the therapist, you tell me."

"Um. Right." Lyla took some notes, holding a pen with her tail in a weird manner. "If you want others to treat you well, you have to do the same. Try being nicer."

Sanah gritted her teeth. "You think I'm not doing that already? I'm..!" She stopped herself, lowering the volume of her voice. "... Trying to be nicer now. I've been like that since… Well, since I met Ari."

Lyla frowned at that but decided to push that thought away for the moment. "Then what's the problem? Have you been nice to those old classmates? I assume you're talking about them… After all, we were in the same class."

"Yeah, and well… I haven't talked to them again, but that's not the problem. I don't wanna talk to them, but I… I can't get over it. I keep thinking about how they made me feel, I can't move on."

Lyla arched an eyebrow. "You're too focused on the past. Don't you have new friends now? That's not enough to you?"

"... I guess it's not? I'm not close to many, only Ari and maybe Nimb."

"Then you're probably generalizing. You feel like your new classmates could be thinking the same things about you as your old classmates?"

Sanah shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "I… Maybe? I guess I haven't thought of that. In a way I feel like I already messed up with them, and that they don't like me but they're hiding it."

Lyla took more notes. "But all that is in your mind. If you're so concerned about that, you should try talking to them. Instead of making up fake scenarios."

"Yeah, whatever, I know that already! Is this what therapy does? Just say the obvious?" Sanah complained.

The Seviper only coiled on herself, trying to remain calm. "It might be obvious, but even if you know that you refuse to accept it."

Sanah's eye twitched. "What do you know about me? Don't act like you're so smart."

"I know a lot about you, in fact. And I know what I'm talking about since I studied psychology. You know, my job, the reason why both of us are here now."

"Uggggh," Sanah said as he brushed her paw against her face. "I'm only doing this for Ari, okay?"

"Of course, you wouldn't do it for me."

The Zangoose removed her paw from her face and deadpanned. "Is that something all therapists say?"

"... Right, um." Lyla reviewed her notes and was reminded of her awful writing skills. "So. You get the feeling like most pokémon are still wary of you, right?"

"I… guess, kinda."

"And how does that make you feel?"

Sanah only stared back. That hour couldn't pass fast enough.

"I must admit that waffle was delicious. I don't regret coming here in the end," Terrel said as the waffle shop gate closed behind him.

"Yeah, I knew you'd love it! But… you could say you're enjoying the company too, right?" Nout asked with a hint of playfulness.

The Meowstic deadpanned. "... Maybe. But well, now that we're done here, I guess I'll go home."

Nout stood in front of him nervously. "Wait, already? Could we not…? Um… Wait, is that your sister?"

Terrel turned around and saw Velia hiding behind a tree near the building. She flinched as she was discovered, but didn't hide further back. Instead, she slowly poked her head out as the duo stared back.

"Uh… Velia? What are you doing here?" Terrel asked.

Velia recovered her serious look and approached them steadily. "Hello, you two. I was just watching you."

"What? Are you serious?" Terrel asked with a frown.

"That's kinda creepy," Nout added, but he looked more amused than anything.

"It's not! I'm your older sister, Terrel, so I have to look after you. And it's my duty to make sure you're not being a victim of some hoaxer."

"Hey, I'm not a hoaxer! I'd say I'm more like a charmer." He smirked.

"How can I be sure of that?" Velia asked and then turned to her brother. "Terrel, did he do something weird to you?"

Terrel crossed his arms and huffed. "What? No! We were just talking and having waffles. He might be trying to flirt with me, but he's not bothering me."

Nout cringed. "Maybe you could have skipped that part in front of her…"

Velia hummed, bringing a paw to her mouth. "So… You're going after my brother, huh?"

"Are you… against it because I'm a guy?" The Zoroark asked.

"I couldn't care less who it is if it makes my brother happy. But I'll be watching you, so you better treat him well…" Velia said, narrowing her eyes even more than they already were. She then started walking backwards, getting lost in the crowd of pokémon wandering around the streets of Bismuth Town.

Terrel and Nout just watched her leave with amusement. Nout then elbowed him and spoke with a neutral expression.

"Is she always like that?"

"Crazy? Yeah, she is. I don't know why she followed us just for this, though."

"Maybe she just felt like she hadn't been showing up enough in the recent chapters?"

Terrel frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Nout shrugged. "Dunno. Wanna go for a short walk before you go back home, then?"

"Uhhhh…" He thought about it for a long moment, looking at Nout, whose grin kept growing, until he sighed. "Okay… But let's go elsewhere with fewer people."

"Yay!"

They left the commercial district of town and walked for a while, talking about their recent encounter with Velia and then switching to other topics to try and forget the weirdness of the situation. The southwest part of town was peaceful and quiet enough to enjoy the walk, even for Terrel, who usually just preferred staying home.

"I don't know, I still feel like I don't have enough reasons to go outside. Why would I?" Terrel insisted.

"Well. I think it's neat to walk down these streets. Especially with the right company," Nout said and then turned to smile at him. "And you know what I'm going to say about that."

"Yeah, yeah… I guess this part of town is nice. I suppose I don't usually have anyone that I enjoy being with. And going for a walk all by myself is boring either way, so… well, you know."

Nout perked up. "So you admit you like having company?"

Terrel tried to hide his embarrassment while he looked away. "I… guess so. Not as much as you do, that's for sure."

"Hehe, yeah…" He stayed silent for a long moment, staring at the path ahead while they kept walking. Eventually, he continued. "I don't know if the company is really what I need. Sometimes… I feel like I'm just a clown."

Terrel turned to him. "Huh?"

"It's just… I've always felt lost. It's like I always need to have someone by my side because that's the only way I… feel like I'm worth it."

"So the only way you value yourself is… if someone else does?" Terrel asked. Actually, that was quite common, he thought.

"Mhm. I guess that's why I'm always flirting. Acting like a total moron to hook someone up. I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable."

The Meowstic eyed him with curiosity, noticing how they had stopped walking now, and rubbed his arm. He had always seen him as just the guy who tried to flirt with him, always acting so self-confident, but he was a pokémon just like him after all. There was a lot more buried under many layers of eccentricity.

"I… don't think you're a clown."

Nout's eyes widened at that. "You… huh?"

Terrel shook his head. "You might act all weird, but at least you're always nice to everyone. And, well… You managed to get me out of my house. That's quite the achievement."

"Wow, uh… Thanks, I'm just glad you're taking it that way," Nout said as a blush overtook his face. "You know… I'm glad you called me out on that earlier. Now that I know you better, I like you even more! But not in the superficial way."

This time, Terrel's blush was more noticeable, and a warm sensation invaded his chest. Why was he feeling that way? And why now of all times? It didn't make sense, he had always been uninterested in romance, and he was definitely not attracted to Nout… right?

He just hoped Nout hadn't noticed. He didn't need more heavy flirting.

Lyla kept taking notes and asking questions, but that was only making Sanah more uncomfortable. That was definitely a bad idea. She didn't feel right telling her insecurities to someone she was mad at, and each note Lyla took was another chance of it being stuff like 'I hate this bitch' or whatever.

"And uh… all this time you've only had your dad as a moral support?" Lyla asked, taking more notes.

"Kinda. I mean, not anymore. But yeah." Sanah was starting to tap her claws on the armrest impatiently.

"I see."

"... How many questions are you going to ask? And what the hell are you writing there?"

Lyla rolled her eyes. "I'm just doing my job, I have to take notes of what you're telling me."

"It's that all you're going to do? It's so annoying."

"Well excuuuse me, princess, but that's something I have to do before telling you whatever advice you specifically came here to get! So just calm down already!" Lyla said with a scowl.

"Okay, fuck this!" Sanah stood up suddenly and started heading for the door. "I'm not doing this, I'm sick of you!"

The Seviper whipped her tail in the air with annoyance. "Yeah, go ahead! That's the only thing you do, leaving without giving any explanations!"

That made Sanah stop. She turned around and growled. "I don't have to give YOU any explanations! You think you're so smart and you know what you're doing, just because you have an office to yourself?"

"Ugh, I never said that! What's your problem?"

"No, what is YOUR problem?"

Lyla finally snapped. "My problem? My problem is that YOU LIED TO ME! I thought you loved me, but then you crapped all over it, Arceus damn it!"

Sanah's throat went dry. "And I DID LOVE YOU! But I regret it so much because it was never mutual!"

"... What? What are you talking about?" Lyla was so confused now. "Of course I loved you too!"

"Then why have you never done anything?"

Lyla stopped and stared back for a long moment. "Did… anything? What?"

Sanah was about to yell again, but she stopped herself and turned her gaze to the ground, gripping her arms to the point of almost drawing blood. Tears formed in her eyes. "Everyone… was being mean to me. I get that I was too much sometimes, but even when I tried… they treated me that way. And you?" She looked back at her with angry tears. "You never defended me."

So there it was, the reason she wanted to know so badly. Lyla's eyes went wide as she processed that.

"I… did that?"

"YES!" Sanah's tears started welling down and she broke down. "I was always treated like a monster, and whenever that happened you just slithered away like you weren't related! You never tried to say anything, you didn't fight back for me, even if I always did so for you!"

"That's not… I'm…"

But Sanah wasn't done. "I'm not hearing it! Y-you never cared for me as much as you care for your dignity! Even when we were together, I felt… alone…"

Sanah had to turn her back on Lyla to wipe her tears, but she couldn't stop crying. Lyla could only watch as a wave of guilt washed all over her. All this time she only remembered the moment Sanah snapped at her and told her all kinds of nasty things, ditching her out of the blue, but she never thought there was a reason behind that.

"You're… right. I never thought of it…"

Sanah didn't say anything, but she was listening while she whimpered.

"I was too scared," Lyla continued, and some tears formed in her eyes as well. "I didn't want to suffer the same bullying as you, so I just… turned a blind eye to it. I… did fuck up."

"You…" Sanah sniffled. "You did."

Lyla approached her slightly, hesitant. "Sanah, I'm… I'm sorry. I know this is kinda pointless now, but I didn't want to hurt you…"

Sanah wiped more tears and looked away. A long silence followed, and then… "I don't know. Worst of it is that… I know I shouldn't be mad at you. I d-don't have the right to. It was my fault, after all, for being such a jerk."

She couldn't take it anymore and broke into tears again. Lyla waited, watching her cry while she left her notes aside, deciding the counseling was over for now. She had been so obsessed with looking for someone to blame, but all this time she could have just talked to her and found out what was wrong. She didn't know what to do anymore.

Lyla stared at the floor with a sad expression and asked the only thing he could think of. "And… h-how does that make you feel?"

Sanah didn't even have the energy to get mad anymore. "I feel… bad. Betrayed. Unloved." She sniffled and wiped another tear. "Guilty. Maybe spiteful, and… definitely sad."

Lyla nodded slowly. "Would you ever… forgive me?"

"I don't know… Would you? D-does it really matter now?"

Another silence. Lyla thought carefully of her next words. She didn't have anything that could help, neither as a therapist nor as a friend, if she could ever consider herself that again. There was nothing she could say now that would be helpful. So…

"Can I… give you a hug?"

Sanah eyed her for a moment, with a hint of wariness, and turned her gaze away immediately, keeping her arms closed like she was freezing. She didn't respond; instead, she just shrugged.

Lyla decided to take that as a yes. She approached her slowly and wrapped her tail around her, gently nudging her, and Sanah stood there, unmoving. But only at first. Once she felt the Seviper fully wrapped around her, she leaned into it, wrapping her arms on her neck, like she was desperate for touch.

It felt… wrong in many ways. They were hating each other just a moment ago, but they knew they needed this. They were both hurting from what happened between them, even if they tried to let it go. It was an important part of their life, after all. So in the end, even if it felt wrong, it also felt… good.

"I was a terrible girlfriend…" Lyla eventually said, tears welling down her face. "If only I had tried to understand…"

Sanah shook her head. "It's not like you had any chance. I never let you talk to me again, I just ran away like a fucking coward… That's what I always do. All that happened to me, I did it to myself. It's all my fault, and I'll always have to carry the consequences of that."

"Please, don't say that…" Lyla pressed her coils tighter around her, just enough to ease her a bit. "You were right, you've changed a lot, and I failed to see that. I was jealous because Ari managed to bring your good side out of you, but I never could. My only thought at that was that I failed you."

"Nobody else could. I wish I could go back in time and… stop myself from hurting so many people, like… like you," Sanah said with a crack in her voice. "I'm sorry…"

Lyla shook her head. "No, I'm sorry."

"I guess we were both bad girlfriends…"

"You could say so…" Lyla pulled away a bit, just to look at her. "We failed in the most important part of a relationship: communication."

"Yeah…" Sanah rubbed her arm, deciding to finally look back at her. "I guess we were too young as well. I don't think either of us knew what we were getting into."

"Hah, maybe that's true…" Lyla took a deep breath and wiped her tears with her tail. "So… What are we going to do now?"

The Zangoose shrugged. "I don't know… I just know that no matter what we do, we could never work out as a couple. Not after what happened."

"Fair… I wouldn't want us to suffer again. It's the best thing."

Sanah didn't know if therapy usually gets so intense, but she was definitely emotionally exhausted after that. They still had half an hour before the session was over, but she felt like she could collapse on her bed already.

After a long silence, Lyla smiled a bit at her. "You know… I'm glad you came here."

Sanah could only snort at that. "Yeah… I guess I do too. You're not as bad in your new job as I thought. I guess you made the most out of your time in jail."

"I suppose you could say that. But as you can see, I'm not less of a jerk than you were. I betrayed my friends and ended up in jail, after all."

"Damn… We're beyond salvation, aren't we?" Sanah said, and she couldn't suppress a chuckle. "We're kinda fucked up."

"Hehe, yeah… But we can only go up from here." Lyla was starting to carve the floor with her tail out of anxiety, so she raised her tail and went straight for the question that was lingering on her mind. "Do you think we could at least… be friends again?"

Sanah's smile dropped as she thought about that. Was that okay, after all they did to each other? Was it really going to be different this time? Well, she definitely wanted it, at least. Time could only tell.

"... Yeah, that would be nice. Just… let's take it slowly."

They both smiled at each other, feeling a huge weight being lifted off their chests, and they leaned in for another hug. It was a weird sight and an unexpected one, but it was definitely worth it. Sanah was eager to see the faces of Ari and Nimb once they learned about it.

Ari and Nimb strolled through the village, not going to the most crowded areas as they killed time until Sanah was done with her therapy session. Ari couldn't help but worry that something could go horribly wrong and he shouldn't have forced those two to talk, but it was too late to back down. He could only hope now.

"You should have thought about that before," Nimb commented. "I told you it was a bad idea. And you literally set a trap for Sanah, she's going to be mad at you, probably."

"I know, I know, but… I feel like she needed it and… Wait, is that Velia?"

Indeed, the female Meowstic was hiding behind the corner of a building, like she was spying on someone, which she definitely was. Ari and Nimb approached her from behind and the Riolu decided to touch her shoulder.

Velia immediately jumped and turned around while showing her claws, which made them flinch. Once she could see who they were, she relaxed. "Oh… It's just you."

Ari sighed in relief. "Uh… Velia, what are you doing here? You look suspicious."

Velia pointed beyond the corner, and Ari and Nimb followed with their eyes, finding Terrel and Nout talking casually. "I'm just watching those two. I don't trust the Zoroark in the slightest, and I have to take care of my brother just in case."

Nimb frowned. "But isn't that like… Terrel's only friend? Why is it so bad that he has someone who he can hang out with?"

"Because… Well, he might be trying to take advantage of my brother in some way, you never know with zoroarks, they have a reputation for being deceptive!"

Ari crossed his arms, not believing any of that. "There's something more, isn't there?"

The Meowstic looked away in embarrassment and sighed. "There's… nothing wrong about that Zoroark. I tried to make my brother go outside for so long, and I wanted to be the one who got to hear him talk like that, and just be close, like a family. And now, a pokémon he just met a month ago gets to do all that? It's unfair."

"Ah, I see…" Ari eventually said. "So you're jealous?"

"... I supposed you could say so." She turned his back on them to stare at his brother in the distance once again. "But it's not just Nout. Kyle also got him out, and I didn't."

"Right, I guess you have reasons to be upset," Nimb said, and Velia looked back at him. "But that doesn't mean anything."

Velia tilted her head. "How so?"

Ari smiled. "Nimb is right, that's just how things work. You're still his sister, but you can't always be there for him. He needs to meet other people as well, and that's how he's going to grow. You're still close to him, but… Letting him go is the best you can do for him."

"And I'm sure he really appreciates all that you did for him," Nimb added.

Velia eyed both of them hesitantly as if analyzing their words. After a long moment, she nodded. "I should be the one saying these things, but… I appreciate your comments. You're probably right, as much as it pains me."

"Yeah… Come on, why don't you leave those two alone and join us for a walk? We were killing time while Sanah is in therapy," Ari proposed, gesturing for them to move.

Velia started walking away from the corner where she was watching, falling into pace with both Ari and Nimb. "Alright. But, um, what's that about Sanah being in therapy?"

"Ari tricked Sanah into having therapy with Lyla," Nimb said, giving Ari a disapproving look.

"... That doesn't sound very nice out of you, Ari," Velia said with a shake of her head.

The Riolu threw his arms upwards and groaned. "Okay, okaaaay, I'm sorry, I'll apologize to them later! I just wanted to help…"

Ari suddenly stopped in his tracks as a familiar sensation entered his mind.

"Exi.. town… th..t path…"

Nimb and Velia turned to Ari with a confused look, while he just looked around as if he was trying to find something he knew he wasn't going to find.

"Ari? Something wrong?" Nimb asked.

"I… heard the voice again. It told me to get out of town through there," Ari said, pointing at the path they were already walking on. They were really close to the town limits. "It's been quite some time since I last heard it."

Velia perked up. "Oh, so that's the famous voice you talked about? It talked to you again?"

Ari nodded. "I still don't know what it wants out of me, but… I guess I'll have to find out. You guys are coming with me?"

"Obviously," Nimb said.

"I certainly don't wanna miss this," Velia responded, already walking ahead of them. Ari and Nimb quickly joined her and followed the path leading to the outskirts, south of town.

It didn't take them more than five minutes to be outside, and they followed the path in silence while their eyes stood vigilant of any sign of movement, friend or foe. The trees extended infinitely through the forest, leaving just enough space for the sunlight to bathe the dirt path ahead.

Eventually, a rustling could be heard between some bushes, away from the main path, and the trio decided to go take a look. Leaving the path behind, they entered the dense foliage in a tense silence, pushing the leaves away while they tried to not make much noise.

Before they knew it, they reached a clearing where a certain quadrupedal with green marks and a red hexagon waited for them to arrive.

"We meet again, Ari," he said, not moving an inch to even emote.

"Zion! You called me?"

"W-why he only says your name? W-we're here too…" Nimb murmured, hiding a bit behind Ari.

Velia seemed interested, but she was also clearly displeased with the way she and Nimb were ignored. "So you're the source of that voice?"

Zion shook his head. "As I already told them, that wasn't me. Now, if I may, I have a reason I wanted to see you, Ari." He took a few steps forward. "I wanna test something. Let's battle, just you and I."

Ari had to double-check in case he had misheard. Then, he flinched. "What? Fight you, just like that? But… I don't like fighting!"

Zion stomped his foot on the ground, which made the Riolu jump. "You'll need to fight if things get dangerous for you, which could happen at any moment. You will fight, otherwise I'll attack the three of you either way. And trust me, you don't want me going all out."

Ari swallowed nervously. He didn't know his species at all, so he had no idea of how strong he could be, but he didn't want to find out. He gave a look at his companions, but both of them shrugged, which didn't help much. It was a tough choice, except because Ari knew he didn't want to put Nimb and Velia in danger for his sake, so…

"Alright, I… I accept." Ari took a step forward and balled his fists. "Let's do this, I guess."

"What? Ari, are you sure?" Nimb asked, but he didn't dare approach them, rather saying close to Velia.

"Yeah, I don't have a choice here. You two just stay there."

Nimb and Velia exchanged concerned looks but did as told and stepped back, leaving the place clear for the battle to take place.

Zion nodded. "Okay. I want you to use everything that you have. And with everything, I mean everything. I wanna see what you can do."

Ari tensed. "Alright, so…"

But he couldn't finish his sentence, since Zion was already upon him. In a flash, he was mere inches away from his face, and he barely had enough time to react by forming a protect barrier that stopped the quadrupedal from biting him.

Ari took his chance and punched him in the face with a rock smash, but it barely made him stagger. However, it was enough to give the Riolu some time to distance himself a little from Zion.

"S-sorry! I panicked, and-"

"Focus!"

Zion suddenly generated a barrage of green arrows that were launched upwards, and Ari looked up only to freeze at the sight of a deadly rain falling upon him. Ari shook his head and tried to avoid the arrows with sheer speed, using quick attack to move as fast as he could. However, there were too many and he got struck by one of them, being sent to the ground with a sharp pain in the back.

"That's all it takes? Come on, I know you can do better than that," Zion reprimanded.

Ari slowly stood up, trying to ignore the pain, and ran with another quick attack to get close to him. Zion evaded the attack, but that wasn't Ari's plan. Instead, the Riolu jumped on a tree trunk and landed on his feet, using them to take impulse to launch himself on top of his foe.

Once he was on top of him, he perched himself around his neck as tight as he could, while Zion shook violently to take him off. Ari managed to hold on for a bit, enough time for him to stabilize and bite his neck, to which Zion didn't even react like he didn't feel it.

Zion jumped and did a quick spin in the Air, launching the Riolu against a tree, who couldn't bounce from it this time. He fell with a groan and quickly rolled to the side to evade a huge laser that he figured was a dragon pulse.

"D-damn, you have really strong moves!" Ari complained, quickly standing up again.

"That's why you have to dodge. Come on, you're barely using a fraction of your power. Why are you hesitating? You'll never achieve anything like that."

Zion launched another dragon pulse, which Ari dodged with a quick attack running to the side, but Zion kept going with the attack turning his neck around. Ari had to run circles around him, and Nimb and Velia had to crouch to avoid becoming collateral damage.

Ari decided that the attack was going on for too long, so he coated his fist in metal and closed distance with Zion, striking his side with a metal claw. This time, Zion did flinch a little, but it was still not enough. He quickly recovered and headbutted Ari to launch him away from him. Ari landed on his feet, a bit dazed.

"You're still not showing me all that you have," Zion said. "I don't wanna see basic moves, I want more."

The moment he said that, he moved so fast that he looked like he had vanished out of thin air, and a haze covered the area in a matter of seconds. Ari looked around in tension, feeling an incoming attack at any moment. He had to act fast, but what could he do with that haze blocking his vision?

Ah, right. So that's what he meant by showing all that he has.

Ari closed his eyes, focusing on his surroundings as he tapped into his aura powers, and bluish energy surrounded him as his tassels rose. He could feel the emotions of Nimb and Velia, both tense with anticipation, but he could also feel the aggressiveness of a third pokémon, and it was approaching.

His eyes snapped open, and he started charging an aura sphere, focusing on the spot where he detected the quadrupedal. This time, however, he decided he had to go all in. After all, Zion looked like he could take severe damage like it was nothing, so it should be okay.

Ari's pearls glowed between the haze, and his body lost its blue aura, replaced with a red one. His aura sphere started getting bigger, and bigger until Ari decided he couldn't hold it any longer and threw it with all the strength he could muster.

The attack hit.

The haze was lifted and Ari could see Zion laying on the ground. It worked, he was damaged! Or at least a little bit, since he quickly stood up again and shook to remove the dust from his body.

"That power… It certainly isn't natural," Zion explained, this time dropping his battle stance. "It was similar to other moves, but it's not exactly a move. It has a different energy to it. You did well, I did feel that attack."

Ari brightened. "You mean it? So… is it enough already?"

"... Not yet."

Without any warning, Zion generated more green arrows that were launched all around him, and this time they didn't rain down randomly. They were going straight for Ari. He looked around seeing the attack come for him and not a single direction where he could run to. He thought of using protect, but that wouldn't help when the arrows were coming from all around him, and not just in front of him.

He was surrounded.

As he braced for it, he instinctively extended his arms in a desperate attempt to do something, anything. He wasn't even thinking anymore. And then, it happened again.

The arrows stopped all around him, freezing in mid-air, to everyone's surprise. Ari opened his eyes and saw the arrows floating for a moment before they fell to the ground, losing their green glow. His paws were glowing red again.

Zion perked up. "That! That's what I wanted to see."

Ari blinked, still processing what had happened. He was still trembling with the tension of the battle, but for the way Zion was approaching him at a slow pace, he thought the battle might be finally over.

"I… I did that again… What just happened?" Ari asked.

Velia approached as well, with eyes slightly widened. "That… That's psychic power."

"W-what? Are you sure?" Nimb asked, hesitantly approaching the group. "But he's a Riolu…"

Ari gasped, staring at his paws in awe. "But that doesn't make any sense! How is it that I'm developing psychic power just now? I'd expect to get the steel type once I evolve, but not this!"

"There's no doubt," Zion confirmed with a nod. "Your psychic power is awakening. Right now you can't control it, but I'm sure it will be a great asset to you."

Ari was more confused than ever, and he was even starting to feel sick. He thought it was probably because of the battle, so he paid no mind to it, but he was still flabbergasted.

"Ari, can you try to use it again?" Velia asked.

The Riolu took a moment to react, being lost in thoughts, but he did nod and extended his paw once again, aiming at some fallen leaves. He tried to concentrate, squinting his eyes and groaning like he was trying to squeeze the air. He waited… and waited…

But nothing happened.

"Ugh… I can't do it, sorry," Ari said with a frown. "So far it happened at random times, I don't know how to use it."

Zion hummed. "That won't do. You need to train it, otherwise that power will be completely useless."

"I could help with that." Velia leaned closer and took Ari's paw to inspect it. "Hmmm… I'm not sure how your body works, but if it's psychic power, I could give you a few hints."

Ari nodded. Any help was appreciated. But still… He didn't know what was going on. It was a bit scary, even if it wasn't the first time his body did weird things. It was just another thing to add to the list.

"Zion…" Ari turned to the quadrupedal with a concerned frown. "What is happening to me? W-what am I? And what do you want from me?"

Zion thought about it for a long moment, getting nervous looks from everyone, but he didn't look too eager to answer those questions. "You are… more important than you think. You clearly don't have an idea of the amount of power you possess, and that could be dangerous as well. As to what I want from you…"

He paused as he turned around, getting ready to leave. Ari took a step forward but didn't follow.

"... I want you to get stronger. Train that psychic power, and once you're ready, I'll come for you. Meanwhile, stay out of trouble, and do not try to investigate the Azure. That's a warning, just as a reminder."

"I.. B-but…"

"Doesn't matter," Zion interrupted. "And one last thing. Your body isn't made to contain psychic power. Keep that in mind."

And just as he said that, he left through the thick foliage, leaving Ari, Nimb and Velia standing there with dumbfounded expressions. Neither of them went after him since he was too fast and Ari was pretty much sure he wasn't going to get any more answers.

That sure was foreboding. What did he mean by Ari being important? And what's with that power? Ari only grew more anxious the more he thought about it, and Nimb and Velia only looked at him without knowing what to say. They were left with more questions than answers now.

The Riolu didn't want any of that. He didn't ask for it, and yet, he was being dragged into whatever mess Zion was in. Nothing made sense anymore, but something was clear: Ari was changing. And that was only the beginning.

"Well… it's been nice," Terrel said, turning around and leaving the door to his house behind him. "I think I've spent all of my social energy for some time."

"Well, I've had so much fun with you! Come here, gimme a goodbye hug, will you?"

"Uh, but-"

Nout didn't wait anymore and leaned into the Meowstic, wrapping his arms around him and squeezing him like a sponge, and Terrel could only wheeze. Oh, and blush. That too.

"Ugh… I guess it's fine…" Terrel said, a bit muffled by red fur while patting the Zoroark on the back awkwardly.

After an overly long hug, Nout pulled back and smirked. "Remember what we talked about. I'm sure we could find something we both can enjoy that also makes you happy again."

Terrel tilted his head. "I don't think it's going to be that easy, but… thank you."

"It's no problem, dude." Nout brought his claw to his chin and hummed for a moment. "You know… I kinda thought about this when I saw your sister and her investigation team, and-"

"I don't think I wanna be an investigator," Terrel interrupted.

"No, no! That actually reminded me of something else. What if we… became explorers?"

That made Terrel flinch. "W-what? Isn't that like… dangerous and hard?"

"Yeah, but for how you felt so negative about your life here I thought you'd want some excitement. And I'll finally stop being bored 24/7!" Nouts eyes were now sparkling with anticipation.

"I don't know about that…" Terrel rubbed his arm as he thought about it. "I've never battled before."

"That's what the training's for! Besides, you don't have to decide now, I was just making a suggestion. Just… think about it, okay?"

"... Okay. Well, goodbye, Nout."

As Terrel turned around, he was stopped by the Zoroark's claw on his shoulder, and he turned back one last time.

"Hey, Terrel. You wanna… you know, hang out again anytime soon?" He asked with a sheepish smile.

Terrel thought about it. He hated going outside, seeing other pokémon, and having to walk while his mind flooded with thoughts about his pathetic life. It was exhausting. But that day… his mind didn't feel as heavy. Being with Nout proved to be somehow better than staying in his room by himself.

For the first time, Terrel gave him a shy but genuine smile.

"Yeah… I don't see why not."

Ari and Nimb arrived at the counseling center just in time for the therapy session to be over and found Sanah and Lyla waiting at the entrance. They didn't seem to be fighting, which was a good sign. But it was too good to be true.

"We're here! Sorry, Nimb and I went for a walk and then found Velia, and then… You won't believe what just happened," Ari said with a troubled expression.

Lyla frowned. "Yeah, is everything okay? You look like you just discovered some terrifying lore about yourself."

Ari deadpanned. "... Well…. Anyway, I'll tell you later. Before that." He clasped his paws and bowed, squinting his eyes like he was going to get bonked. "I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have forced you two to talk like this… I thought it could help, but I did set a trap for you two without asking first!"

Sanah and Lyla exchanged looks, but then Lyla's confused look slowly turned into a soft smile, and the Zangoose could only snort in amusement. They both looked back at the Riolu, and Sanah spoke.

"Actually… It's okay, Ari. I did need it in the end, even if I didn't realize it."

"Sanah and I talked about everything, and well… We're fine now."

Ari and Nimb perked up. They looked like they had just seen an alien, definitely not expecting that outcome with those two.

"Wait, really? Just like that?" Nimb asked, and he got a nod from both.

"So all it took was leaving you two to talk in private?" Ari asked, dumbfounded. "Wow, should have done that long ago."

"Yeah… I guess we could have done this from the beginning, but we weren't in the right mindset," Sanah said.

"Still, I'm glad we finally did," Lyla insisted. "I was missing a lot of context and I was being a bit unfair."

"I see, that's great! I'm so happy for you two!" Ari beamed, even despite the runny nose he was starting to have out of nowhere.

"But what about the therapy?" Nimb asked, but he cringed once he got weird looks from everyone. "W-what? That's what you guys do here, right?"

"Well… We didn't focus too much on that, but this helped with the main reason why I wanted to have therapy," Sanah explained. "I… Uh… I'm not too comfortable saying this out loud, so you'll have to figure out why. But Ari knows."

Ari smiled and nodded. He remembered Sanah's mention of feeling alone, and that she had barely any friends who she was close enough with. He was probably her best friend, but maybe he wasn't enough, so perhaps being friends with Lyla was going to help her. He was definitely going to ask her later about what happened there and what their whole backstory was.

However, a tail resting on his shoulder snapped him out of his thoughts.

"So, Ari. Are you going to be my next patient? Because you reeeeally need therapy too," Lyla said with a smirk. She also gave a cursory glance to Nimb, already planning on asking him too, but maybe for next time. This was more urgent.

Ari swallowed awkwardly, feeling his throat dry, and went to speak but sneezed immediately after. Once he recovered from it, he spoke. "Uhhh… Yeah, hehe… Sooo how is your schedule next week?"

Somewhere far from Bismuth Town, the Rising Bandits were taking a break from all their recent plans, taking some time to themselves inside the hidden underground base. The cave wasn't too comfy for a casual hangout, but it's not like anyone cared.

Keene the Inteleon just liked to lurk around and bother the rest with his questions, like he actually cared for them. In reality, he was just gossipy. Maybe both.

"Come on, I'm not blind. I've noticed you've been moodier lately. You're always lost in thoughts and unmotivated," Keene said.

Beside him, Ren just kept walking with an annoyed look. "I'm the same as always, I don't know what you're talking about."

Keene sighed. "Yeah, of course. Is it about your friend? Ari, was it?"

That made him tense, and he started walking faster. "S-so what? I'm just worried about him, that's all."

"It's starting to affect your efficiency. Are you going to let it stop you? Or…" Keene went serious out of nowhere. "You're not having second thoughts about our goal, are you?"

Ren stopped and turned to him. "N-no! Of course not! I'm determined to do this, no matter the cost."

Keene stepped in front of him, blocking the way. "No matter the cost? Would you fight your friend?"

"... Leave me alone." Ren didn't want to think about it, so he just dodged the Inteleon and walked away, leaving him standing there with a disapproving frown.

Keene just sighed and stood there for a moment until he noticed the two figures standing at the other side of the dark corridor, watching him.

"Oh, I didn't see you two there."

Zed approached, with his trusted advisor following right after. The former spoke with curiosity in his voice. "Tell me, Keene. What was all that ruckus about?"

"Oh, it's just Ren being all bitchy about his Riolu friend. He's been acting all weird since we last stumbled with those investigators."

Zed arched an eyebrow. "Ren's friend? Did you say it was a Riolu?"

Keene nodded. "Yeah, and he's been a pain in the ass. We were lucky that Neo went straight for him when we encountered them in Gemstone Mountain, that saved us time."

Zed and Astra exchanged looks, their eyes widening in surprise.

"Wait… You did mention that last time, now that I think of it. I can't believe we didn't pay attention to that detail…" Zed said. "Keene, what can you tell us about that Riolu?"

The Inteleon only tilted his head with confusion. "Huh? I don't know what this is about, but… right, there's something weird about him. He has this quirky look that I haven't seen in any other Riolu, with those pearls on his neck and tail. Ah, the tail also looks kinda like a star."

Astra leaned to whisper in Zed's ear. "Could it be him?"

"Hey, I can hear you," Keene said with a deadpan.

"It's too much of a coincidence to not be. I can't believe it, after all these years…

Zed walked away, thinking to himself for a moment, almost getting lost in the darkness of the corridor, until he turned around and faced the two pokémon.

"We have to make sure we're dealing with the right pokémon. Astra, I need your help with this."

Astra nodded. "Leave it to me. "

Zed then eyed the Inteleon. "And Keene. We're going to need your gang to be prepared. You're going to Bismuth Town, but this time… do not tell Ren about any of this."

Gayest chapter so far. Wanna know a fun fact? When I started planning on the story of this fic, I intended for Sanah and Lyla to get together at some point, but then I changed my mind and made it so they had been a couple in the past instead. Anyway, in case you wanna see a cool picture at the start of the chapter, check the AO3 or PMDFF version of this story!

Next time: Ari gets sick, so Nimb and Sanah take care of him. Nothing could go wrong.