Chapter 42: Different Lives

A part of Dewott wondered if dropping his own problematic past onto Ezera right after learning he was sick was good timing, or selfish on his part. He didn't want to be a burden. On one paw, he should wait, because Ezera might not be in the right headspace to hear him out. On the other paw, his courage waned like the tides, and tomorrow Dewott could feel like never speaking it out loud ever again.

He knew better than that, didn't he? The longer he waited, the more it would hurt. He witnessed that firsthand when Litleo hid her humanness.

Dewott gently scooted himself out of his team's group sleep position and sat upright, unclipping his scalchop. The low morning light obscured the weapon, so he ran his digits over the ridges and grooves of it, imagining one in both paws. He'd only been a dewott for the better part of a month before his other scalchop got taken away.

At least then I know what you guys would be like if circumstances were different.

What if circumstances were different, indeed. Ezera's words in front of the academy stuck with him all throughout yesterday, like a joltik that made him their new energy source, constantly zapping him reminders. It made Dewott realize that… he was a different 'mon than who he used to be. He was different before his banishment, he was different after meeting Ezera. He was going to be different again after telling Ezera how he got kicked out of his home.

Ezera might not do anything crazy like shun him, but how could it not change his perception of Dewott? Their daily interactions could change— what a terrifying thought. He wanted it to stay the same.

If only Dewott could say something to him. Really say something to him with his voice, because as helpful as signing was, he missed the directness that came with audible speech. What would Ezera think of that?

Dewott opened his mouth, his vocal cords tightening as he tried to form a word, any word. Even a whisper would do. His paw traveled up to his neck, scratching at his fur.

"..."

'I can't,' Dewott thought. He hadn't used his voice in years, why would it change now? There was still much to prove before he could talk again. It'd probably sound like a squeak too with how inactive it'd been.

Dewott put his scalchop back and hugged himself, sighing into his scarf. Back to the original matter.

Ezera was going to leave one day. Either by returning to his world or… by sickness. It was now or never. And when Dewott unveiled his mistake to him, he wanted Ezera to know everything about it, not just the short or simplified version Litleo and Roca knew.

Why? Dewott's heart pranced out of tune for a moment. It was better to say his feelings toward him… were best discussed another time.

'Are they still asleep?' Dewott peered over Ezera and Litleo's faces. 'Seems so.' He carefully tiptoed out of their room. Since it would be time to get up soon, he figured he could get them some breakfast. Full stomachs helped the mind, or so he'd heard.

The stillness in the halls and main lobby were to be expected. Dewott could appreciate the calm before the storm— there was a certain beauty in seeing normally populated areas empty.

"Oh, cinnamon sticks!" a familiar voice cursed, followed by a muffled thud of something heavy.

'Hm?' Dewott went to inspect the courtyard. His chef mentor hopped beside a toppled barrel of produce, apple quivering from annoyance or the cold, he couldn't tell. The lid had come off, meaning a variety of vegetables colored the otherwise green grass.

"I told them to put it in baskets, is it so hard to make multiple trips?" Applin complained. "What I'd do for Dewott's strong paws right now…"

"You called?" Dewott signed, kneeling beside him.

"I did! Weird, that sounded like he was right here…" Applin paused. His eyes shot up as he twirled like a spinning top. "Dewott! How did you know I was thinking of you?"

"Lucky timing."

"I'm lucky alright. If you wouldn't mind helping me gather everything and take it to the kitchen…?"

Dewott nodded. He knew the drill— he used to do this weekly, after all.

They collected the scattered vegetables into the barrel and shut the lid. Then, with a grunt, combined their strength to slowly roll it towards the mess hall. Although, it was mainly Dewott rolling and more Applin throwing himself against the barrel.

It was the thought that counted.

While they went, Dewott couldn't help picturing his days of starting out in the guild. When he joined, he sure as heck didn't trust himself to do a commission alone, so his only choice was to ask other Fledgling members to work with him. Back before Reuniclus helped modify his Linkbead to translate sign, every 'mon he talked to would end with him playing the equivalent of charades. It worked for a little while, but as time went on less and less were keen on teaming with him.

Could anymon blame them? Why work with the mute when you could easily find another speaking member two feet away? He became known as the silent but friendly dewott who hung around the premises. A reassuring face that made the others think, 'Hey, at least I'm doing better than this guy.'

"Sometimes I think I shouldn't evolve," Applin said as they reached the kitchen, "cause if I did, I couldn't make you push it for me!"

Dewott gave a half-smile in response since his paws were occupied. He turned the barrel upright and exhaled.

"Many thanks, Dewott. I hate to bother you more, but since you're already here, do you think you could help me unload it into the pantry too?"

"I can do that," he signed with a thumbs up.

Thinking about it, Dewott's first day in the kitchen started like this too. On one particular morning of standing around in the lobby, Applin approached him and asked if he could help carry in the weekly shipment of produce. With nothing better to do, Dewott agreed, thus setting off the chain of events that eventually led to him getting a spot in the kitchen staff.

At first Dewott told himself he'd be there temporarily. The work was easy, albeit mindless. Endless cutting, serving, stocking, gathering… He never minded how much busy work Applin gave him. It made him feel like he was good at at least one thing. Plus, Applin liked doing all of the talking.

Dewott's plan was to use the experience to build up his confidence. But then as he saw new recruits rise up through the ranks despite joining some time after him, like Rockruff and Litleo, hesitation turned to discouragement, and discouragement turned to resignation.

That's where he would've stayed until Ezera showed up.

Applin knocked open the pantry door, watching Dewott put some celery away. "I haven't had a chance to ask, are you enjoying being out in the field? Is it everything you wanted?"

Dewott had to take a moment to reflect. He felt wanted. Ezera and Litleo always made sure to include him, even if that meant getting caught in their little squabbles. And they liked his opinions.

"It's been nice, I'd say," he signed.

"Good, good! I thought so. You look happier," Applin replied. "In case it needs to be said, you can always come back here if things are overwhelming for you."

'Like right now?' Dewott thought. Did being overwhelmed by his own doubt count?

"I always hoped you'd find a place to belong. It's part of why I picked you to help me in the kitchen. You were very lost back then."

Applin could see that? On second thought, who wouldn't? Being one of the only 'mon to linger by themself, it was no surprise. Dewott walked over to the barrel. "It's a good thing you took pity on me. I might've left the guild."

"Hey now, that wasn't it," Applin said, putting himself between Dewott and the barrel. "It wasn't out of pity I extended the offer; it was understanding."

Dewott stopped, meeting his mentor's tiny eyes. "Understanding?"

"I know a thing or two about being the odd 'mon out. Why do you think I'm in the kitchen?"

"You've never seemed to have any problems to me."

"I wish that were true, my friend. You know how I am. I've been told to shut up many times in my life!" Applin laughed. "My school bullies even gave me the nickname 'Yapplin.'"

Dewott frowned. "How did you deal with that?" he signed, moving past to put some more veggies away.

"I told my parents and the school authorities. I was lucky and they took action against the bullies, but they also suggested that I ought to learn to be more aware of other 'mon. So, really, it was a nicer way of telling me to be quiet."

Ironically, Dewott's mom wanted the opposite out of him. According to her, he didn't speak enough.

"Mind you, their words weren't entirely baseless," Applin continued. "I did share too much on occasion, but still, those words stung. That was who I am. Had to wonder why no 'mon seemed to appreciate that." He faced the barrel, leaves atop his head drooping slightly. "It affected me for a while. I said less, got quiet. But the funny thing is, eventually, some started asking me why I had nothing to say. And they missed it!"

'Like how they could be missing me back home.'

"I learned it's for those few 'mon I should keep being myself. I can't please everymon. Who's going to voice what I know, but me?" The chef turned around once more, his apple standing to attention. "All that is to say, I understand you, Dewott, as mentor and friend both."

"Thanks. I wish I had a voice to speak with," he signed, closing the pantry.

"You do have one! I think your voice is one of the strongest ones I've gotten to know."

"Not to me. I'm always afraid that what I have to say is wrong or bad."

"What's there to be afraid of?"

"It changing things for the worse."

"Doesn't everything we say change something?" Applin pointed out.

Dewott turned on the sink and washed his paws. Once he dried them, he signed, "That's what I dislike. Why can't there be neutral ways of getting your point across?"

"You'd be no better than a rock out on the path. I don't see why it has to be such a big worry, unless you're talking to a 'mon you're thinking of asking out or something-" Applin paused, noticing the way Dewott's fur raised. He jumped onto the counter, reaching eye level. "Are you asking somemon out?"

Dewott couldn't look his mentor in the eyes, but shook his head rapidly and leaned on the counter.

Applin nudged his arm, a smile hidden under the fruit. "Okay, not there yet, but you really like them. I can guess who."

He tugged his scarf, ignoring the impulse to pull it all the way over his head.

"I think you've found your lifelong friends, Dewott. Change will happen to them with or without you saying anything, so take it by the bouffalant's horns. Then you'll have some control in how it turns out. That's the benefit of having a big flap like mine!"

His paws fell to his side. There was a grain of truth to it. How could Dewott forget he wasn't the only one changing? It wasn't like he was the only one in a river swimming downstream while everymon else was rooted in place. They moved at different paces too. By speaking up, he increased their chances at moving together.

So the question was, did he want to continue by himself, or with another?

"If your flap's so big, how come I can't see it?"

"I'm a little apple with a big voice."

Dewott patted the top of Applin's head. "You need to evolve."

"One day, my friend." Applin went to the floor. "I think all the teams should be waking up now. Time for you to go back to adventuring duty!"

"I'm going to take a couple fruits for breakfast if that's okay."

"Take as much as you need."

Scooping up some pears and bananas, Dewott held them in his arms as he exited the kitchen.

"One more thing," Applin said.

Dewott looked back.

"I know I said you can always come back to the kitchen. That'll never change. But… I hope you never have a reason to. That way I know, you've moved on to greater things." The chef did a little shake of his apple— his way of cheerily waving.

'Greater things. Working with you WAS one of the greater things I'll cherish.' Dewott responded with a resolute nod. He hauled himself back up to the second floor, overhearing Ezera and Litleo mid-conversation.

"…not snoring," Ezera stated.

"Yes you were. It was so loud I think Duraludon is writing up a noise violation about it," Litleo rebutted.

"Wow, maybe I should think about advertising my services as an alarm clock. Could make decent- Oh, morning, Dewott," Ezera said as he entered.

Dewott placed the fruits in front of Ezera and Litleo. "Hi." He remained standing, drawing the stares of his teammates. None of them said anything for some time, prolonging the awkwardness.

"Did something happen?" Litleo asked, slowly bringing a pear to her.

"No, I wanted to ask Ezera…" Dewott clasped his paws. His mind raced. He had to calm it if the right thing was going to come out.

"Yeah?" Ezera prompted, giving Dewott his full attention.

"Can we talk later this evening? There's something I need to share with you."

"Oh- uh, sure. Just between us or…?"

"If that's okay."

"Fine by me. I'm sure Litleo won't mind the quiet time."

"You know it." Litleo briefly raised her eyebrows at Dewott, seemingly saying 'you have my support.' "But we still have a day to get through."

"True. We can eat, then head down for roll call." Ezera raised a banana to Dewott. "Thanks."

Dewott took the offered fruit with a slight smile. No turning back. He wouldn't let Ezera leave without knowing who he was… or who he used to be. He was going to be different.

Litleo could assume well enough that Dewott was going to tell Ezera about his banishment. 'Good on him for finally doing it,' she thought. As a team, they needed to all be on the same page. Especially after yesterday's information.

To say Litleo felt genuine rage toward the world would be an understatement. What did Ezera do to get diagnosed with an inevitable early death? And why did she pick to be friends with not one, but two pokémon that somehow were on the list for dying early? Maybe her taste just sucked.

"Dismissed!" Rapidash announced, ending roll call.

Litleo watched Sirfetch'd and Rapidash linger on the podium, likely discussing town affairs or plans for when Piksqueak and Ace got back from their recon. They didn't even know the clock was shorter than they imagined, and it was going to stay that way. Rebound wasn't going to tell anybody about Ezera's condition. That was their concern.

"'Sup guys! I'm glad you haven't left yet," Kubfu said, strolling up to Rebound.

"Hi Kubfu," Ezera greeted. "Are you still joining us today?"

"If you wouldn't mind having me! There's something I had an idea about."

"What is it?"

"Okay, check it. Calyrex runs on belief, right? And Kaiyo Town is full of it. If we could do something that will show them she's nothing to believe in, poof, there goes her power," Kubfu explained.

"I can't see how we'd do that unless Calyrex herself admitted she was evil in front of the town," Litleo commented.

"That's the thing! We could lure her out here somehow- or convince the townsmon of everything we saw!" Kubfu went on as if it was that easy.

Litleo shared a puzzled expression with her teammates. "...We don't even know where she is. And the townsmon don't exactly have the highest opinion of us right now." 'Not a whole lot going on up in her head,' she thought.

"I didn't say we had to try it now! But something to keep in mind for later, yeah? When we have to fight her," Kubfu said, jabbing the air.

"If livestreaming existed we could just catch her in the act," Ezera murmured.

"What's that?"

He waved his hand. "Oh, nothing we can use. We'd need a camera for that. And internet. And a screen."

His foreign words were scratching some sort of itch in Litleo's brain. 'Internet… did I…?' "Ezera, was the internet something common?"

"Oh definitely. It was used all over the world and connected a lot of people. I'm sure you used it plenty, unless you lived in some no man's land but I doubt that. Why?"

Connecting people, that sounded about right. "It just sounds a little familiar. Normally when you bring up this stuff it makes my head hurt, but after Rockruff… It's like my mind doesn't outright reject hearing it anymore."

"I'll have to talk more about stuff I used. Could ring some bells for you," Ezera said. "Combine that with your new meditation thingy, you could probably remember your first days as a baby."

"Very funny." Litleo took a step toward the commission center. "Can we decide what we're doing in the meantime?"

"On your right!" Litleo shouted as she slid to a fiery stop.

"I got him!" Kubfu exclaimed, socking the pinsir with an icy fist.

"Oagh!" The pinsir flew a couple feet across the dirt patch. Ice covered his legs while he laid on the floor, groaning all the while.

"He should be done resisting," Kubfu announced, shaking her arm.

"Let's hope so," Litleo said, approaching their target.

'We need to get paid extra for this,' she thought. What was supposed to be a plain item retrieval turned into a chase after the pinsir didn't want to part with said item. And instead of negotiating, he would rather run into Free Frolick Fields. On the bright side, it made the mission exciting.

Kubfu stood over him. "You've lost, dude. Give us the gold bangle."

"I can't. I threw it while I was running," the pinsir answered gruffly. He jerked his head to the left. "Might be over there."

"Really?" She took her eyes off him to check.

Meanwhile, a tinge of green began to gather in his horns, something Litleo didn't miss. She stepped on the pinsir's back and bit his arm, twisting it into an uncomfortable position.

"Ow- ow ow OW stop!" the pinsir yelled. "You're gonna break my arm!"

"Wait, you were trying to trick me!" Kubfu realized, turning her focus back.

Litleo let go of his arm. "Never let your guard down. And I'd rather break your legs so you can't run anymore," she said to the pinsir. "Where did you throw the bangle?"

"I'm not saying anything. If it's lost to the wilds, so be it!" the pinsir insisted.

"You have to be kidding me-"

"We found it!" Ezera shouted, appearing from a hedge of flowers with Dewott. In his hand was the shiny object they discussed.

"Oh. Good," Litleo sighed.

"A nice flower looking pokémon pointed me to it," he explained.

"Just like that?"

"I may have told the…" Ezera glanced at Dewott. "Flabebe? That their flower was super pretty."

'Of course he would.' Litleo flicked her tail, getting off the pinsir. "I'd normally call the cops to come get you, but you didn't do anything technically illegal so we have to let you go. But if there's a next time, you're going to wish it's somemon else catching you."

The ice on the pinsir's legs had thawed by this point, allowing him to stand up. He shot a disgruntled look at the four before hobbling away into the patches of floret.

"Wicked, how do you do that?" Kubfu asked, somewhat starry eyed.

"Do… what?" Litleo said, raising an eyebrow.

"Be all cold and cool like that!" Kubfu crossed her arms and put on a frown, trying to mimic Litleo's tone. "'You're going to wish it's somemon else catching you.'" She put her arms down. "See? You make it sound so threatening!"

Ezera giggled as he put the bangle in their bag. "She's had years to practice her cold and cool routine."

"I'm not even trying to be cool, that's just how I am…" Litleo muttered, rolling her eyes.

"That's what I'm saying dude, you're naturally cool!" Kubfu said.

"I don't really care about being cool."

"That's something a cool 'mon would say."

"You're all saying cool so much the word is starting to sound weird," Dewott signed, wiggling his digits by his cheeks before tapping his ear and drooping his paw.

"Would you rather be cute? Cause I like being cute." Kubfu accentuated this by touching the bows behind her head.

They started leaving the area. Litleo found herself at the head of the group, having to twist her head as she said, "I don't mind it sometimes."

"We should totally plan some cute activities," Kubfu suggested. She checked the sun's place in the sky. "There's some time before evening. Maybe stuff like styling our fur?"

'She's just assuming I want to hang out with her. Not that I don't want to, but what she's suggesting…' Litleo quickly made a sour face. "No."

"Painting our claws?"

"Definitely not."

"Accessory shopping?"

"Look, I don't need my memory back to know I wasn't that into dressing up."

"I'm going to be real with you Litleo, you aren't giving me much to work with here."

"I know, I know, sorry," Litleo sighed, biting her lip.

Kubfu tilted her head. "Then why say you like being cute sometimes?"

She chewed on that for a moment. Litleo did like being cute. On paper, anyway. "I suppose I like the idea more than reality."

That statement seemed to drain some of Kubfu's normal enthusiasm. "I get that really well." She cracked her knuckles. "What do you think you liked as a human? Are human hobbies that much different?"

"You'd have to ask Ezera about that."

Suddenly, three pairs of eyes were on Ezera. "Uh," he stammered, "I'd say there's a lot of similarities and differences. We've got things you guys don't have, like what I said earlier about internet. There's video games. TV. But then we share things like gardening, sports, reading…"

"I'd want to see you as a human doing any of those things," Dewott signed.

"It's not as interesting as you might think. Don't ask me what my hobbies were. I was- Or maybe still am a very one track kinda guy. Haha…"

Litleo tried picturing herself doing any of that stuff Ezera mentioned. The stuff she knew, at any rate. If her few hobbies in this world were anything to go by, maybe she liked outdoors stuff? "I could've liked sports."

"I could see it," Ezera said.

'But why do video games feel like something that's close to me?' There was some connection in her old life there. Next time she meditated she'd focus on that word.

The rest of the trip was filled with chatter about the different things humans enjoyed. Ezera had to explain that humans were very frail and not resilient or full of powers like pokémon, so they invented lots of tools to do things for them. They also coexisted with other species and sometimes told them what to do.

"These species… don't speak?" Kubfu asked.

Ezera shook his head. "Not really. Not like we do. Most of it is like, grunts or growls that we interpret."

Dewott pointed his paws outward from his head. "Why don't you teach them?"

"It's harder than it sounds." Ezera rubbed the back of his head, awkwardly laughing. "They're… how do I say this, physically incapable of speaking."

"Naaah, I don't believe that. Everymon can speak! They just have to keep at it!" Kubfu stated with a pumped fist.

"Um, yeah, maybe that's it."

The group of four reached Kaiyo Town's main path, but a massive crowd blocked them from passing through, somehow denser than what they witnessed during the Dyna Festival. More pokémon were trying to get in than get out.

"What's going on?" Litleo wondered. 'A crowd like this, either some announcement is being made or it's trouble.'

A nearby graveler spoke up without even looking at her. "I got no clue, some rubbish about Calyrex coming to town."

Litleo took a step back out of instinct.

A chargabug squeezed their way out of the crowd, chiming in, "It's true, it's true! I saw her trying to get to town hall myself! She was riding some pokémon I've never seen before, but gee, she's as regal as the tales describe!"

"I can't believe she's alive!" Another servine added. "This year we'll have good luck for sure!"

The pit forming in Litleo's stomach grew larger and larger. That couldn't be true. Why would she show up at the town? Why now? Was she by herself? Was she looking for somemon?

Swirls of emotions burned in her mane and her chest. Fear, fury, surprise, confusion. Calyrex had to be planning something. And if she was really here, Litleo could confront her… Put her paws on her, rip at her for all the shit she inflicted…

Ezera, Dewott, and Kubfu bore similar expressions of concern.

"Calyrex showing up at Kaiyo Town wasn't on my bingo card," Ezera commented.

"Sirfetch'd and Rapidash should have heard about this. I wonder what their plan is," Dewott signed.

"I want to have a few words with her," Litleo coldly said.

"Wait," Ezera interjected. "You aren't planning on doing anything, right? You know what'll happen if she sees you?"

"I'm going," she repeated in the same tone.

"I know that look. You're the one always getting on my case about being reckless. I would know, don't let your emotions bait you."

Litleo admitted she wasn't entirely rational. She couldn't guarantee that she wouldn't try pouncing on Calyrex the moment they saw her. But Ezera was right. A confrontation would sadly have to wait. She took some deep breaths, letting out a puff of smoke.

"How about we glean what we can from a distance?" Dewott signed.

"How? The streets are packed," Kubfu said.

Dewott pointed to the rooftops.

"Eh…?"

"This way." He led the group to an empty alley, and upon prompting grabbed Ezera to Aqua Jet onto one of the store's roofs.

'Smart,' Litleo thought. After Dewott repeated this for the other two, she lightly clambered toward the top, now able to see the massive horde lining the streets. "We'll have to be careful we don't drop or damage anything up here."

"I think we all got light enough feet," Ezera replied. "So what's the plan? Are we just trying to catch Calyrex?"

"From a distance, yes," Litleo begrudgingly said. "Let's see if we can spot her on the way."

The roofs were close enough to each other that they could hop from building to building. The few flying-types they encountered up there were surprised, but luckily ignored them otherwise. At one point they had no choice but to Aqua Jet over a gap in the road. Litleo was afraid they'd get noticed, yet the mob was too busy talking and fawning over the possibility of seeing Calyrex to observe a jet of water flying above their heads.

Gradually they made their way to the road toward town hall. Litleo hoisted herself up onto a tall store's sloped roof, liking it since it was the closest building to the street.

"We're running out of buildings to go on pretty soon," Ezera noted as he looked to the right. There were only two more before it turned into gardens.

"I hope we didn't do all this just for her to be inside already…" Litleo muttered.

"You don't need to hope anymore. I see her coming this way," Kubfu whispered, peeping over the top while laying on her belly.

Litleo slid up to her, mane getting warm again. The crowd had seemingly quieted as well. About three buildings down was the hard to miss legendary's white fur and green bulb. She rode an icy stallion, one that Litleo could've called an ice-type rapidash or something. Duraludon and a band of police members steadily marched beside her, clearing the pokémon from their path.

"Bzzt! Back up! Failure to do so will result in your arrest!" a few magnemite repeated.

'She's really here…' Litleo's claws unsheathed into the tile. To think the bastard was within their reach and they couldn't do anything because the townsmon revered her. Kubfu's earlier suggestion about trying to defame Calyrex would be great at this moment.

"Forgive me for saying this again, but it truly is a shock that you're- that you're here," Duraludon stammered as they came into hearing range. "To my knowledge, your species was… wiped out after the Days of Ruination."

"I wanted you mortals to believe that, yes," Calyrex coolly responded.

Her voice shot pinpricks through Litleo. She wished the legendary sounded like Eternatus— like a monster. How she sounded now? Far too normal for a pokémon that heinous.

"But something has come to my attention that warranted I come out of hiding."

"You don't perhaps mean-" Duraludon began.

"Calyrex!" From town hall's direction, an aggron forced himself through the crowd, knocking bystanders to the side.

"Bzzt! Halt your advance!" two magnemite ordered.

Various Thunder Waves flew out towards the aggron. His momentum remained undeterred as he thudded onward.

A galvantula scuttled up and spat a sticky web of electricity, trapping the aggron's upper body.

"Guuuuuh- no!" he yelled, succumbing to the move's paralysis and falling down several feet away from Calyrex.

Hushed whispers rippled across the street. What was this aggron trying to accomplish?

"P-p- please you work miracles, r- right?" the aggron stuttered. "My family is st-struggling with health and mo- money, could you advise us on what t- to do?"

Calyrex studied the aggron's desperate face, her own emotionless and unflinching. "…I'm sorry, I don't have time to assist you with your struggles," was all she said.

"Who do you think you are, approaching our founder with such lowly class? Take him away! Fine him to the highest degree!" Duraludon seethed, waving his arms all over. He just as swiftly turned to bow to Calyrex. "I deeply apologize you had to witness such gross behavior."

"There is no need to go to such lengths, for me or for him." Calyrex motioned for them to continue on. "I am enthused by how fondly you still think of me."

"Well- well of course! You started our great town, saved us from becoming like the uncivilized wilds."

'Look at her acting like she cares what happens to them. And they're eating it up! Ugh!' Litleo inwardly growled.

Calyrex and her ride stopped a little ways ahead of the building Rebound was watching from.

"Is something the matter?" Duraludon asked.

"I sense a familiar presence." Calyrex shifted herself to stare up at the roof.

Litleo and the others made themselves small and ducked, stilling their breaths.

"Are you sure you aren't sensing me?" a new rich voice said, presumably the unknown ice pokémon.

"No. It's powerful, dense. Like…"

'Shit, is she flying up here?' Litleo's tail squirmed back and forth. She could feel Kubfu and Dewott's arms tense up on her sides. A flame built itself in her throat.

"…Nevermind. It matters not. I'll see them eventually."

"Wh- who?" Duraludon said.

"Some… colleagues. Our meeting is inevitable."

The heavy march of the police and Calyrex resumed, but Litleo dared not peek again until at least a minute had passed. Once it had, she slowly raised her head, spotting Calyrex walking halfway through the gardens. She shook out her wound up tail and legs.

"She knew we were here," Ezera observed, exhaling. "How?"

"Must be some psychic-type razzle dazzle," Kubfu guessed. "That aggron was something though. Poor dude."

"I'm confused why he'd think Calyrex could be a financial consultant."

Litleo narrowed her eyes, not taking them off the legendary. "It's cause they see her as their savior for everything. Some stupid crutch they can keep using as their excuse."

"She mentioned something catching her attention… That could be a lot of things," Dewott signed. "What if it relates to the whirlpools?"

"Calyrex could care less about the town. It's something else." Litleo huffed and moved away from the roof's edge. "We'll expose her somehow. That's inevitable."

Their meeting wouldn't be peaceful, that was for sure.

Dewott anxiously snuck peeks at Ezera as the two journeyed to find a cafe or something similar. Litleo and Kubfu went on their own to the guild, giving them the opportunity to have their one on one chat. Talking to Ezera could've happened inside the guild, but Dewott wanted someplace nice where they could have food or drinks too.

Finding an open cafe was troublesome after the commotion that was Calyrex's appearance, however. Seemingly everymon had come out of their homes to celebrate her arrival, meaning less seats and long wait times just for a slice of bread. The busyness tempted Dewott to call it a day and do the talk later, but it was yet another reminder of how prone circumstances were to changing. The relative calm he had today could be chaos tomorrow, and his team could be off fighting for their lives.

'What happened to being different, huh?' Dewott thought.

Evening took over by the time they encountered a small cafe called Tea or Not to Tea on the outskirts of town. It was dainty and a bit weathered, sporting tacky purple wallpaper, chipped wooden seats, and an overall vibe that radiated 'elderly.'

Neither of them cared much for tea, but more importantly, it was empty.

Dewott and Ezera entered the cafe, picking to sit in the corner. No sooner did they seat themselves that a polteageist zipped over to them, menus in psychic hand.

"Customers! Tea!" she happily exclaimed.

Ezera, wide eyed, delicately took the menu from her. "Um, hi. Do you only serve tea?"

Polteageist tapped the words on his menu. "Tea!"

"Oh, lovely," he deadpanned.

'That's peculiar. Starting to see why no 'mon comes here, decoration aside.' Dewott read through the list of drinks. "Can I have Bittersweet Euphony?"

Polteageist nodded fervently. She hovered over Ezera expectantly.

"Ummm… I'll try… Rosy Finesse?" he said.

"Teaaa!" Polteageist collected the menus and rushed off.

"If we drink this stuff and come out loopy afterward, I'm blaming you," Ezera quipped, raising his brow.

"At least we'll be loopy together," Dewott signed as he drew circles around his head.

"Do drugs exist in this world…? Nevermind, I'd rather not know."

Dewott put down his paws since he was going to answer that. How to transition to the topic… By all accounts it could be interpreted that what he and Ezera were doing was a date. It was a confession, just not in the romantic sense.

"So what was it you wanted to tell me about?" Ezera carried on.

Always the conversationalist, he was. Dewott quelled the spike of nervousness that cropped up, whiskers twitching erratically. "Before that, I wanted to ask how you feel now about… your condition."

"Oh." Ezera adjusted himself by bringing his legs in. "I mean, it sucks, but I'm hanging in there. It's not immediate so… I'm not gonna worry about it too much. I'm gonna focus on you guys and do what I've been doing."

"Tea!" Polteageist bounced up to them, white teacups floating alongside her. The cups levitated down to the table. "Good tea!" She went off to tend to another couple that entered the cafe.

Ezera sniffed his. "Surprisingly fast service. Smells good too."

Steam billowed out of both their cups. In the center of Dewott's was a yellow froth shaped like a music note. There was a tang of lemony sourness as he sipped, followed by heavy notes of vanilla.

"I like mine," he signed.

"I hope mine tastes better than victreebell drool…" Ezera muttered.

"If it doesn't?"

"I'll be swearing off tea for life."

Dewott laughed a little at that.

Ezera smacked his lips after he drank. "Tart. And fruity. Definitely better than drool." He noticed Dewott's distant expression. "Sorry, did I offend your tea tastes?"

He shook his head, biting back a smirk. "No. I just wonder, how do you stay so… happy about things?"

Ezera looked into his drink, as if the answer laid in the pinkish liquid. "I wouldn't call it happy, but I guess I do seem that way, huh?" He tilted his cup and swirled the colors around. "When I was seven, there was a time I fractured my arm playing sports at the park. The other kid wanted the ball and pushed me, I fell on it wrong. Wasn't until after I went home that I realized I couldn't really move it." Ezera put his right hand on his left elbow. "That was one of the worst pains I've ever felt. Just a constant throbbing from my elbow, feeling like it was going to die."

'Is that what Mioki's feeling? They can't put him in a cast,' Dewott bitterly pondered.

"After I got out of the hospital and they put it in a cast, I worried a lot about how I'd do things. If you asked my parents they'd tell you I mainly worried about how I'd play video games, heh." He winked at Dewott's quizzical glance. "In the end it wasn't that bad. All it took was adjusting how I did things and voila, there was the solution."

"Are you saying things are never as bad as they seem?" Dewott signed.

"That, and I figure looking at the bright stuff is better than staying in the bad. You just kinda bring down the mood for other people if you keep moaning about it. Call it corny, but I also like thinking about all the heroes I read in the stories and games I played who put on brave faces. That's cool."

Heroes. That's really what Ezera was. A summoned human, and one who decided Dewott should be his sidekick. He'd had have to prove that title. "I like the hero in front of me."

Ezera choked on his tea while he drank. He roughly set down his cup, splashing some of the beverage on the table. "No, nuh-uh, I am not a hero. My strength is crap. If anything, you or Litleo could be heroes. I'm happy sitting in the back."

Dewott's posture slumped as his paws froze next to his chest. His eyes shut, navigating through the torrent of thoughts urging him to sign something else. Once this was out there...

He imagined himself confronting a massive tide. Either he'd get lost in it and run like he had been, or try to resist. Where was the courage he had this morning? Did it leave him to get swept away?

'No… it's there. I just forget to look.' Applin already told him this morning his team would change regardless. And Ezera… Ezera wouldn't be here forever. Dewott was storming into the tide.

Bit by bit he thawed his paws, moving one outward over the other. "Can I be a hero if I was banished from Bubula Lake?"

"Hm?" Ezera scooted forward in his chair. "You were… banished? You? But I can't imagine you doing anything that would… Can I ask how?"

"Do you have siblings?" Dewott started.

"No, my parents only had me. I remember Riivez saying you had some?"

"A younger brother and sister. Haano and Mikyla. My mom, Amara, currently leads the tribes at Bubula Lake. Because I'm the oldest, she spent so long trying to build me up to be a leader to take over." He picked up his cup and drank the cooled off tea, a light clinking rattling off the cup hitting the plate since his paws shook.

"One day, a bad storm caused multiple dams in the slither…" Dewott frowned. He snaked his paw in a curving line. "River, to start flying-" He balled up his paws, annoyance springing to his chest. An erratic mind and incorrect sign was the last thing he needed here. If only he could just speak!

"You don't have to tell me if this is too much-" Ezera began.

Dewott kept on shaking his head. He was going to sign even if it meant ripping off his Linkbead and dunking it into his tea. "The dams started failing. My mom sent me and a couple others to fumble- fix one. I didn't know that when I ate- tumbled-" He repeated the motion until he got it right. "When. I. LEFT, one of my neighbors, a mudkip named Mioki, had secretly followed me until it was too late to send him back. He promised he'd stay out of the way…"

Dewott hated how easy it was for him to revisit the scene.

Soot black thunderclouds loomed overhead, showing no sign of relenting to clear weather. A streak of purple and pink bolted across the sky.

CRACK!

THRUMMMMBLE!

"We have to carve the pieces and put them in quickly," Dewott said, shielding his eyes from the pelting rain. He, Stu, Rinn, and Mioki stood on the riverbank, next to the stack of large logs the tribes had prepped for situations like this. "With how the river is I don't know how long we have until the dam collapses. It's leaking quite a bit."

"You're the 'mon," Stu, a blastoise, said. "Between cutting, placing, and packing, who's doing what?"

"Stu, you and I will cut. Rinn, you can place them," Dewott told the poliwhirl. "We can help with placing and packing once we're done up here."

"I can help with packing too!" Mioki added, tail wagging.

"No, Mioki. The currents are too strong," Dewott responded. "Whatever you do, you have to stay here. You promised you wouldn't get in the way, remember?"

Mioki pouted and sighed. "But Ca-"

"No buts. Not this time."

"Okay…"

"Let's hurry."

Stu hauled one log over, and Dewott set to work slicing the lumber into medium sized pieces. Rinn took what he could and jumped into the river to reinforce the dam.

"Two logs should be enough," Dewott said while Stu brought another.

His arms were getting tired by that point, but he had to keep going or else their efforts would be wasted. Good thing he had two scalchops to make it faster. He worked through the soreness and finished getting the log to sizable pieces.

"Okay, going in."

"Be careful!" Stu warned. "I'll start placing on the other side."

Dewott clenched two pieces of wood between his arms and dove into the stream. The current easily pushed him toward the dam, right where Rinn was filling the open gaps with compact dirt.

"Where else does it need replacement?" Dewott signed.

Rinn pointed to the left corner of the dam. "It's weak over there."

Dewott nodded and swam to it. He lodged the wood into the gap, using his tail to settle it in. Then he grabbed some nearby sediment to narrow the gap even further. Repeating the process again for other holes, the dam definitely seemed sturdier than before.

"I'll go check out the other side. This side looks good," Dewott signed to Rinn.

Rinn gave him a thumbs up.

Dewott climbed onto the riverbank to grab more wood.

"Can I please place just one? And pack it? I can do it really well!" Mioki insisted, latching onto Dewott's hip fur.

"I told you it's not safe," he replied, dragging his leg.

"I've done it with my dad before!"

"Not in this weather."

"You can protect me, just like you do when our pranks get found out. Hold my paw and I'll be okay! Please?"

"N-"

"Pleeeeeaaaase!"

Dewott should've listened to his better judgment. But with one side done, he figured it was safe enough. "Just one, okay?"

"Yay yay! Okay!"

Dewott and Mioki walked to the other side of the dam and plunged into the river, the former gripping Mioki's paw tightly. The current was weaker here thanks to the dam, but he needed to cover his bases. Stu gave a passing nod as he exited to retrieve more timber himself.

Mioki swam to the very middle of the dam, nudging a space missing some material. Dewott inserted the piece of wood in. Twisting his body, the mudkip slapped it with his tail until it was snug, beaming at his handiwork.

"Needs some sealing," Dewott signed, motioning below them.

BANG!

White light flashed inside the water.

"Lightning?" Mioki signed, making a jagged line with his paw.

"Yeah." His whiskers tingled. Something wasn't right. They needed to get out of the water. He pointed upward. "Got to get out." Dewott kicked hard, pulling Mioki with him.

However, during their ascent, the dam exploded.

BWOOOOOSH!

A wall of wood, mud, and smaller substances cascaded over the two tiny water-types. Dewott shielded Mioki from the blast, but unrestricted, the river's speed increased tenfold. Hard and sharp materials battered his back, and the mudkip was subsequently torn from his grip. Dewott panicked as his view backflipped multiple times. Everything became a swirl of brown, gray, and blue.

What happened?

Mioki- where was Mioki?!

He didn't know how far downstream he was traveling, only that it was pulling him and attempts to break free were thwarted by more crap restricting his movement. Something grabbed Dewott by the scruff of his neck and yanked him out of the water. He rolled onto the grassy bank, hearing Stu's voice.

"Thought we almost lost you! That lightning- it struck the logs and sent them into the river!"

Dewott rushed to his feet. "Did- did you get Mioki?"

"No, I couldn't see him."

"We need to get in there! The rapids are coming up!"

"If Amara knew we endangered you-"

Dewott took off along the riverbank, scanning for any sign of bright blue or orange.

"Wait-!"

Mioki was a good swimmer. He could at least surface. If he did that it would be easy to get him. Dewott ran and ran, thunder roaring in the sky and rain obscuring his field of vision. He ignored the warm trickle down his head, or the pricks in his chest from breathing air far too cold— This was his mistake. His honor on the line.

Still no sign of the mudkip. Had Mioki been buried underneath? Or was he still floating along?

Was that a hint of orange Dewott spotted?

Mioki's head sprung up about ten feet away, clinging to a log for dear life.

Dewott called out to his friend. "Mioki! Come to me!" He had to reach him.

Mioki looked to him for comfort. He scrambled along the log, trying to reach its edge in an effort to get close to Dewott. A dip in the river caused Mioki to go under again.

Dewott threw himself back into the current. It was so dim underneath the water. The lack of sunlight and shadows cast by the debris made the riverbed look like an aquatic nightmare.

He kicked- paddled his arms- flailed his tail- but no matter the action he couldn't gain enough ground. Up ahead Dewott could barely make out a murky round shape. One sitting smack dab in the middle of the oncoming rapids.

It was clear what collision course awaited.

Mioki needed to pay attention to what was coming, but he kept moving and focusing on Dewott. Dewott shouldn't have said anything. He should've kept his mouth shut.

Dewott tried his damndest to reach out— to save him, to take his place.

He couldn't make it.

He couldn't… make it.

Air bubbles escaped Dewott's mouth as he screeched Mioki's name. He helplessly watched the inevitable as the logs sandwiched the mudkip between the rock, crushing his body.

The scream was silenced by the water's rapids, but the image of him going limp remained loud and clear.

Dewott fought the sting in his eyes, sniffling as his paws clenched tightly around his scalchop. Any harder and he might end up snapping it.

How could he sign the rest of his story with his mind and emotions this frantic?

"Hey, take your time," Ezera assured, squeezing Dewott's arm. He had moved midway through the story to sit next to him.

Setting his scalchop down, Dewott zeroed in on the fact Ezera was still here and not running away. That reassured him enough to take a deep breath. In, and out. In, and out. Enough to get his message across.

"Stu and Rinn helped me dig Mioki out of the mess. We rushed back home and took him to our doctor. When Mioki woke up, he was in so much pain. But the worst part, he couldn't move or feel his back legs."

Ezera's eyes were fully widened.

"Being the 'mon Amara assigned as the leader of the outing, I took the blame. Disgraceful. Horrifying. Tarnishing, she said," he aggressively signed, feeling every brunt of those words like he did the first time. "Mom asked me what I had to say to defend myself. I couldn't answer."

Dewott remembered the stinging interrogation his mom gave at home that night. How can you ever be a leader if you can't speak for yourself? Where is your honor?

"So I shut up," he signed, touching his mouth before making a cut motion across his neck. He beat his chest and pushed outward, bringing them down in fists. "I can't be at fault if I'm not the one making the decisions. Mom couldn't look at me. She revoked my name, took my scalchop, and banished me, telling me I shouldn't ever come back unless I was ready to show her that I could be honorable. That led me here."

It was all out in the open now. How much of a failure, how stupid he was.

Ezera was silent, his eyes poring over Dewott's face. He folded his arms in pensive silence.

Dewott gripped his own wrist to keep his trembling arms to a minimum. If nothing good came out of tonight, at least he would be able to say he told the story. Ezera was the first, and likely only, 'mon he'd ever tell it to outside Bubula Lake.

"That's so… shitty," Ezera finally said, frowning deeply. "Your mom knew the weather conditions were bad and still sent you out anyway. It sounds like her trying to cover up her crap judgment. And the dam, you could've never expected that lightning of all things would start a chain reaction to make it break. I'm sorry you went through all of that, Dewott. You did-"

"Don't say I did everything I could," Dewott signed, holding a paw over Ezera's mouth. He laid his palm flat on the table, then extended his arm quickly. "I didn't. If I put my foot down, if I were a little faster…"

"You still tried. How can you blame yourself for something you physically couldn't do?"

"There had to be another choice I missed. I panicked. Mom was right that how I acted was disgraceful."

"Your mom is a piece of shit and I'm not sorry for saying that," Ezera stated, standing in his chair. "Instead of supporting you, she cast you out. How can you believe and listen to her? Like, if you saw me getting put down like that, would you say I deserve it?"

"Of course not."

"Then apply that same logic to yourself."

"She's still my mom. It's not that easy, Ezera."

"But… ugh. I guess… I'm not immune to that myself." He sighed. "Do you know anyone else who's ever been banished?"

Dewott blinked. It never occurred to him that others could've been banished before. If there were, he never heard about them. He wouldn't be surprised it was taboo to talk about those banished anyway. "I'm not sure. I've never thought about it."

Other patrons had filled the cafe now, a steady murmur of quiet conversation and clinks replacing their empty air.

Dewott pulled his scarf up, hiding his face. "I told you all this because I'm scared you'll leave without knowing who you're really working with." He rubbed his heart. "Who I am. A mess up."

"Dewott, we all mess up. Look at Litleo. Look at me. Are we perfect? Or by your home's standards, honorable?" Ezera questioned.

"Neither of you have-"

Ezera leaned over and snatched Dewott's badge. With it disconnected from Dewott, the Linkbead shut off, also stopping his sign from going through. The otter gawped at Ezera.

"Respectfully, Dewott, listen to me." His maroon irises, so stern but full of compassion, reminded Dewott an awful lot of Litleo. No wonder they were partners. His eyes locked with Dewott's. "This changes nothing. I'll still treat you like the guy who picked me up when me and Litleo were having a rough patch, or the guy who comes up with clutch ideas when we need them. I don't know what it will take for you to break that mindset of yours. I'm sorry you've internalized it for so long. But me and Litleo will never see you that way. I know how capable you are."

Ezera turned his hand over, offering the badge back. "You'll never stop being my buddy. That's what I promise you, on my honor."

The heartbeat in Dewott's ears pounded louder every passing second. That was acceptance he was hearing, wasn't he? The change he'd been so afraid of didn't exist. It was just his doubt trying to drown him like it always did.

Ezera still wanted him. That… that was the only thing Dewott needed to hear. One big exhale cleared most of the shakiness trapped in his system. He gently tacked the guild badge onto his scarf.

"Thank you. You don't know what that means to me," he signed, eyes gleaming.

"I can guess, if how much you mean to me is an example."

Dewott's face flushed. Things may have been taken from him when he got banished, and the event may have irrevocably changed how he thought and acted, but parts of him remained the same. Their friendship remained the same.

To embrace that same, but different-ness, Dewott needed to reclaim what was originally his. "Ezera… I want you to know what they called me, because I want you to call me that."

Ezera's mouth went ajar. "Wait, are you…"

"My name…"

He would be breaking his mom's rules by declaring it. But Dewott was already dishonorable, what was another? She wasn't here. And possibly, by doing this, he could jumpstart the journey to believing in himself more.

"It's spelled…" He signed it letter by letter.

C.

A.

L.

E.

M.

A wide smile gradually cracked across Ezera's face. He leaned in and tenderly put his arms around his buddy, hugging him.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Calem."

As his thoughts went haywire, Calem shut off his Linkbead in fear of it translating something weird. He wrapped around Ezera with a warm grin in return.

Author's Note: As mentioned before I didn't know what exactly I wanted happening this chapter, just that I wanted it to be centered around our favorite otter. I think taking that time to come up with this was worth it (and hopefully worth the 3 month wait).

In other news, happy new year everyone! I may be 12 days late but oh well, this marks another year since the start of this story being published. I definitely didn't publish as much as I wanted, but I did manage to reach some milestones like getting through more than a third of Stalwart's plot, and seeing everyone's reactions to big events like Rockruff's passing. Your continued readership, comments, and support give me the strength to keep going. I can't thank you all enough.

Like always I sure as heck am gonna try to not take as long (and I shouldn't since I know what's gonna be happening next chapter), but you never know. Here's to another fruitful year of these stalwart souls.

Next time, our heroes receive some news on the legendary dogs' weapons, and begin their mission to retrieve them.