Standing completely motionless in front of a reinforced glass was a Riolu. He stood alone, watching as the being on the other side of the crystal slept on the hard floor, its chest rising with each breath. Whatever else was in that room didn't matter; it was just him, the crystal and the Archen. Everything else was meaningless.

Ari extended his paw to touch the glass. It felt cold. He wanted the Archen to wake up and be the usual Nimb that he knew and loved, but he knew that was not the case anymore. He knew his heart would downright break if he woke up and still acted as a feral, so it was better if he stayed like that.

There were no more tears left to cry. Ari had forgotten when was the last time he had drunk water, and the rough feeling of his tongue on his palate was a big indicator that he was pretty much dehydrated. He didn't pay attention to that, anyway.

Quiet footsteps approached from his side, but he didn't take his eyes off Nimb. Whoever was coming, he didn't care. The figure, however, didn't say anything at first, and only stood right beside him. He could feel the deep breathing, air whistling through a sore throat that he immediately recognized.

"He looks so peaceful…" Ari finally decided to break the silence.

The Decidueye beside him wrapped a wing around him, slowly tucking him in as the Riolu turned to bury himself on his mother's feathers. Ari was quietly sobbing now, even as his eyes were dry and nothing came out of them anymore. Maia, on the other hand, just looked lifeless. Numbness overtook her body, even after mourning the loss of her son for a whole day.

It still felt like nothing was real.

"I should have known…"

Maia pressed him tighter and shook her head. "No, stop blaming yourself. No one wanted this to happen…"

"But it happened. Now he's gone… and I don't know what to do. It hurts…"

The irony. Ari had convinced himself that Nimb needed him at first, then he realized it was the other way around. Now he knew it was mutual. In just a few months, he had become so attached to this Archen that he casually found in the forest, and now he wondered many things.

He wondered if things could have gone differently if he had found Nimb earlier back then, before he encountered Neo. He wondered if there was someone he could blame for this, make them pay, and feel better. And he hated that thought.

He wondered if all that pain he went through was worth it. If getting attached to Nimb was worth it, knowing this would be the outcome. And he hated every single part of that thought.

There was silence as Maia kept the embrace for longer, and Ari wanted it that way. He didn't look at her face, so he didn't know how she was feeling, but he already had enough with his own feelings to deal with someone else's.

A tear ran down the Decidueye's face, but she quickly wiped it. Ari could hear a sniffle, and that was all. Her voice came out hoarse but firm.

"It will be alright, Ari… I'm here. This will hurt for a while, but I promise you everything will be… okay."

The Riolu felt his breath hitch. He looked up and finally met Maia's gaze. Ari felt a sense of safety in those eyes that stared at him with conviction, but he also felt wrong. He felt like his heart was being pierced with a sharp needle, as if he was betraying the love of his brother.

Why was Maia saying that now? Didn't she care? Was she really okay with all that happened? It wasn't fair. She should be crying, but there she was, acting like everything was fine. It wasn't fine, it shouldn't be fine.

Before he could say anything, however, a third pokémon entered the room, and they both turned around to see a Cinccino wearing a small lab coat weirdly tucked between his long tufts of fur.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but… Are you their family?" The Cinccino said.

"Yes, we are," Maia answered, letting go of Ari. "What's the matter?"

He took a deep breath and spoke hesitantly. "We've decided that… we're going to take him to the facility's terrarium for now, but… things are tough right now. The number of ferals that have been caught from the past attacks in town and the operation yesterday is concerning, and we barely have room for more."

Maia frowned. "What does that mean?"

"It means… That we're making an exception with him, but we don't know for how long we can have him here. Eventually, we might have to make the hard decision of… releasing him along with other ferals in a mystery dungeon."

"WHAT?" Ari and Maia yelled at the same time.

Cinccino flinched and nervously fidgeted with his fur. "I-I'm sorry, the situation is unsustainable… We're keeping here those with families that have come looking for them, which are mostly wild pokémon, but they are too many!"

Ari shook his head desperately. "But mystery dungeons are eventually going to stop containing ferals! They'll end up escaping, it'll be a disaster!"

Cinccino cringed. "I know, I'm sorry… B-but there's nothing else we can do; until we get the new measures approved and funded by the government, this is our only option…"

Ari couldn't believe it. All those pokémon… they were being treated like pests, sending them back where they came from and ignoring the issue. And knowing Nimb got to be one of the privileged who got to stay there for now… Did that mean others were being sent to mystery dungeons already?

Who decided he deserved it and not others? Was it right to be in that position?

A look of horror was exchanged between Maia and Ari. Neither wanted Nimb to be released; that would mean losing him forever. But what was there to keep from him at this point? Having him in a terrarium wouldn't bring him back. But having him gone would mean never seeing him again, even if that might be a blessing considering the state they were seeing him in.

Ari wanted to cry again. He buried himself on Maia's belly and whimpered as she enveloped him in wings. The researcher just watched as they both stayed like that, until he decided his job there was done. It was too painful to watch.

The next few days passed like a blur to Ari. At first, he didn't go to classes, and Maia didn't pressure him to do it either. She knew she needed time to accept it, and even she took a couple of days off herself, at least to be with Ari. She didn't want to leave him alone in a time like that.

Feeling the love of a mother was the only thing that kept Ari mostly sane. She was always there for him, be it with her hugs and affection, listening to him whenever he needed it, or cooking the best meals she could make. During that time, Ari didn't see her cry once. He still couldn't understand that.

His friends were also devastated at the news. Everyone visited them at least once to make sure they were okay. Well, everyone except Asher, who was still hospitalized. Luckily, he was slowly recovering and he would be able to go to classes again pretty soon.

Sanah was probably the most affected of them, and even Ari could see she was holding back the tears when she went to see him. At first, she didn't say anything, and she just hugged him for a long moment. Ari knew she didn't want to speak because her voice would break and she would start crying.

Mylo was furious. He blamed himself for not being there, but Ari kept telling him he couldn't know. However, the Toxtricity was a great support for him. He stared into the Riolu's eyes and told him that he would be there no matter what. He promised they would make the Forest Guardians pay for all that they did.

Velia didn't look too affected, but she had the decency of offering her support. She was sad, even if she didn't like to show it. Her voice was a clear indication, being softer and uncertain, which was weird to see in her.

Cora didn't cry, but she looked grim. It was clear all of it was hard to digest, and similar to Kyle, she didn't know what to say or how to feel. The shock was more apparent than the sadness, but Ari didn't blame them for that. He knew how they were like. And he knew they cared.

For some days, life was just that. An endless loop of waking up, turning to see nobody there, then going to get food. Not bothering to cook anything, lying on the cushion and staring at the ceiling. Then stay like that for the whole day. Sometimes go outside and walk for a bit until the annoying sound of people living their lives like nothing was happening eventually made him anxious and he decided to go back home.

It was unbearable.

Every time Ari thought of visiting Ren like he used to do every day, an intrusive thought crossed his mind and he decided against it. He missed him, but at the same time he couldn't bring himself to talk to him. Not now.

Eventually, Maia convinced Ari to go back to classes, since staying at home for so long wouldn't make him get any better and he needed to return to a normal life, despite everything. Ari didn't want to go back, but he couldn't argue with that, so he complied.

And so, Ari returned to the academy and everyone welcomed him warmly. Everyone except Asher, who still hadn't shown up in class again. Ari thought he probably still needed time to heal, but it was still weird to him. The injuries weren't supposed to be so severe…

The empty desk next to Ari felt out of place. Every now and then, Ari would turn to it like he was about to talk to someone, but once the realisation dawned, his heart ached. Everyone else noticed, and the general mood of the class was grim for a while.

The next day, it was the same. And the next. And two more days.

Ari blinked, and he realized he had spaced out again. He had lost track of time, but he was pretty sure he was in the middle of class. What was the subject? … He wasn't sure. He didn't care.

A look to his left, and that very same empty desk was there. However, he finally paid attention to something else. The desk in front of Nimb's, Asher's desk, was still empty.

Maybe that was for the best. After all, if Asher hadn't-

No. He couldn't have that thought again. He hated himself for it.

Recess started. Good, it was a perfect moment to sit on a bench and get lost in his own mind without teachers calling out on him. Ari nibbled on his pecha berry, staring at it with an expressionless face, alone. Without Nimb by his side, like it'd been all week.

Everyone was playing with their friends in the backyard, chatting happily and running around without a care in the world. Ari just watched, and kept giving small bites to his berry. It was dripping juices all over his fur, but he hadn't even realized. His paws were sticky.

His attention snapped back into reality as two pokémon approached him, and he perked up. Sanah and Mylo stopped in front of him with empathic smiles, and then sat next to him on the bench.

"Hey, Ari… How are you doing today?" Sanah asked softly.

Ari barely looked at her. "Hey… Well, just like always."

Mylo rested a hand on his shoulder and gently stroked it. "You should clean your paws, you got all dirty with that berry."

Ari looked down and saw the mess. "Oh… Oh, right."

Sanah pulled a handkerchief from her bag and offered it. "Here, let me help."

The Riolu watched as she cleaned the stains on his fur, and his mind went blank again. Then, he looked up and saw Cora, Kyle and Velia chatting amongst themselves not too far away from them.

"Where is… Asher?" Ari eventually asked. "Shouldn't he be already fully healed?"

Mylo crossed his arms. "That's what we'd like to know… I haven't talked to him since I visited him at the clinic, but Cora said she's planning to go see him."

"I see…"

Another silence. Sanah finished helping Ari get cleaned up and tossed the handkerchief back in her bag to wash it later. She fiddled with her claws, thinking on something to say, while Mylo didn't seem to mind the quiet, just enjoying the company without a word.

Sanah couldn't take it.

"So, Ari… Would you like to hang out sometime?" She eventually said.

Ari didn't respond. Sanah waited a bit, but she noticed he was staring at the rest of their classmates in the distance, and she waved a paw in front of his face, trying to grab his attention.

"Huh? What?" Ari blinked and looked at Sanah.

"Ari, I just asked you something. What's gotten into you?"

The Riolu sighed, and turned her stare back to the others.

"It's just… I dunno. Seeing Cora, Velia and Kyle just acting like nothing happened… How can they be so happy?"

"You don't know if they are that happy, Ari," Mylo responded. He gave Ari a gentle pat on the back. "And it's been days already."

"Yeah, eventually you just gotta… move on, you know?" Sanah said with a frown. "Life isn't over for you."

Ari didn't want to hear that. He clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes. "It's easy for you to say that. Your brother isn't fucking gone."

Sanah felt anger rising from her throat, and she raised her tone. "Hey, have you forgotten my dad's sickness? You think you're the only one suffering or what?"

Ari only stared back with a frown of his own, but didn't find the words. Mylo looked ready to step in, in case things escalated, but fortunately Sanah calmed down, sensing it wasn't the best moment for that.

"Listen…" Sanah sighed and looked away. "I get that feeling. You feel like you'll never get over this, but it's possible! You need to live your life, that's what Nimb would have wanted… So just try to open up a bit. Let's just have fun with the others…"

"But…" Ari shook his head and stood up, standing away from Sanah and Mylo and turning to them with a scowl. "You can't just pretend this isn't happening! Everyone has gotten over it so quickly, while Nimb has been turned into… that!"

Mylo and Sanah stared back at him with pitying looks. Ari hated it.

"Ari…" Mylo began, but he shook his head and looked away.

"... I can't see things like this. I need space," Ari said before he turned around and left.

Sanah extended her arm, trying to call for him, but Mylo stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"Leave him be for now. He might take longer than we anticipated to move on."

She hesitated. "But… Ugh, I wish I could do something…"

Once again, Ari lay on his bed staring at the ceiling, head empty. He had no motivation for anything, and just fiddled with one of his aura tassels. Sometimes, he'd pull it like he wanted to tear it off, but he'd always stop, not finding the courage to do so. He'd had so many similar thoughts lately, and it was starting to scare him. Ari promised himself and the others he'd never go back to that.

What could he even do at that point? Oh, right, there was homework to do, but he'd do it later. Maybe. It's not like it mattered.

The silence was like a second bed he could lie on for the whole day. It was comfortable, it let him think about the good times, short as they were, and forget about the stupid laughter of the kids outside. All of them having fun and enjoying the time they have left before the world decides to take it all away from them.

The silence, however, wasn't gonna last forever, as someone knocked on the door and Ari was startled. Whatever, Maia could go check herself-

Oh right, she wasn't home. Guess he had to do it himself. With a sigh, he slowly stood up and left his comfy bed, got outside of the room and heard the door knocking once again before he could reach it.

"I know, I'm coming…"

He opened the door and saw a Brionne smiling at him under a cloudy sky, waving her flipper more slowly than usual with an empathic smile.

"Hey Ari… How are you doing?"

Ari blinked. "Oh… Hi, Cora. I… Fine, I'm fine."

Cora knew he was pretty much not fine, judging by his lifeless expression. "Yeah… I see…" She shook her head. "Aaanyway! Wanna come to my house? My mom has made some cupcakes!"

Ari narrowed his eyes at the Brionne's bright smile, thinking about it for a moment. "I… Don't know about that, I don't feel like doing anything right now. I'm sorry."

He went to close the door, but a flipper grabbed his arm before he could do it.

"You're coming with me! You'll see, those cupcakes are lovely!"

"Cora, I already said I don't wanna…" He stopped as Cora started dragging him, almost making him lose his balance and fall over. "What are you doing?!"

"You need to leave your cave, I WON'T let you rot in there for the rest of eternity," she said as her expression turned harsher and her grip unrelenting.

Ari wanted to complain, but Cora was kinda scary when she got like that, and they were already outside of the house. He didn't have time to say anything else as he was already midway towards the Brionne's house. With a sigh, he gave up and let himself get dragged with a tired face.

Along the way, Ari didn't register what Cora was telling him, and before he knew it they were already there. They entered the rocky white building and ran into a certain Floatzel, who was writing something in a notebook while sitting in front of the dining table. He raised his head and perked up upon noticing them enter.

"Oh, Ari! Nice to see you here, I hope you're doing good!"

"Oh, um. Yeah. Doing fine."

Malik the Floatzel squinted his eyes. "Huh… Are you sure about that? You look like you just saw someone die."

Ari winced.

"OKAY DAAAD BYEEEE WE'RE GOING TO MY ROOM" Cora interrupted as he dragged the Riolu further inside before more interactions could happen. Malik just watched with amusement as he waved, returning to his tasks.

Cora and Ari entered the corridor, the Brionne still not letting go of the Riolu's paw as they reached the room at the end.

"You'll see, those cupcakes are sooo good! Oh, and there's also another surprise. Guess who I brought here as well!"

Before he could answer that, Cora opened the door and a big pokémon could be seen sitting on the floor with a plate with cupcakes in the middle of the room.

"Ah, Cora, what took you so long? I thought… Oh."

It was Asher. His face of surprise at the sight of the Riolu felt like there was something else that he didn't want to show.

"Asher? It's been ages since I last saw you!" Ari said, finally showing the faintest trace of emotion on his face.

"A-ari, it's you… Uh, hi…"

Ari and Asher stared at each other, the latter showing a bit of distress and eventually turning back to the plate with the cupcakes. The Cyclizar kept his mouth shut tight with tension, something the Riolu noticed.

"What's going on…?"

Asher shook his head. "No, it's nothing…"

"Come on, sit down!" Cora said as she pushed Ari. He relented and sat down in front of the plate, opposite to Asher, and the Brionne sat between the two. "I'm so glad we're finally together again! We barely had time to enjoy ourselves lately, right?"

"Right… Even if you literally forced me to come here," Asher said with an awkward chuckle.

Ari tilted his head. "She forced you too…?"

"Ugh guuuys, don't complain so much! You both needed to socialize for once, I'm doing you a favor!" She took a cupcake and gave it a small bite. "Hmmmm, you should try these! Asher, it's nothing like you to leave such tasty food unharmed!"

The Cyclizar gave her a side look and then he took one of the cupcakes, eyeing it with slightly less interest than what was usual for him. It was a brownish cake with vanilla cream on top.

Ari, similarly, took another cupcake and held it between his paws. He just stared at it and said nothing as Cora waited for any of them to take a bite. And she ran out of patience.

"Eat alreadyyyyyy!"

Both sighed and bit at the cupcake. The texture was soft and moist, like a sponge but drowned in the tasty cream that decorated most of it. The sweetness was a welcome change for the Riolu's tongue after going without desserts for quite some time.

"It's… good." That was all Ari said.

"Yeah, I really like it," Asher added.

Cora didn't seem too convinced, and she squinted her eyes at them as she expected a better response. However, she smiled and brought her flippers together as she spoke.

"Great! Anyway, I'm gonna go check something with my mom. You guys can talk while I'm out!"

With that, she left the room despite Asher's pleading look he was giving her to not leave them alone. Once the door closed and they were once again in complete silence, Asher sighed.

"So… Cupcakes, huh?"

"... Yeah. Been a while since I had one," Ari responded. He didn't even look at him directly, instead focusing on the pastry.

Asher fidgeted with his own cupcake, rotating it on his claws as he thought of what else to say.

"It's also been quite some time since I… ate this. It's nice."

"Mhm…"

Asher grew more uncomfortable the more they stood in silence. He needed to say something. Whatever came out of his mind.

"I wanna cook stuff like this again, haha…"

However, Ari didn't respond to that. Instead, he chose to go for the option that was in his mind for a while.

"Why did you skip classes these days? You look healthy now."

Asher flinched, looking even more uncomfortable. "I… Well… You know, I wasn't fully healed yet, and… I still needed to mentally recover from what happened. J-just like you, right? Cora told me you also skipped classes for a few days."

"I did, yeah, but Maia kinda pressured me to go back to classes."

"I see… I guess there's why, heh. I didn't have anyone to force me to go back, so I didn't."

Ari nodded, he could understand that. After all, he would have stayed at home for even longer otherwise. But that also brought up another question.

"Did it really affect you that much? All that… happened that day, I mean. No one else seems to be," Ari asked, finally looking at him.

Asher seemed to tense a bit when their eyes met. "Well, o-of course I'm affected. Nimb was my best friend, and it was… really painful to see."

"Right…"

He didn't say anything else. He understood that feeling, but a part of him wondered if Asher really knew his pain. He wondered if it could even compare to what he was going through. Especially him.

The Cyclizar only grew more uncomfortable, noticeable by the way he tapped his claws on his other arm while looking at everything but the Riolu in front of him. Ari wondered about that, but before he could ask, Asher stood up.

"I'm sorry, I… I need to go."

"Huh? But…"

Asher didn't wait for Ari to finish his sentence as he was already heading for the door, and he was out in an instant. The Riolu stared in confusion, and his initial reaction was to just stay there, not moving an inch, despite being concerned for his friend.

However, an argument coming from the living room made him snap back to reality, and he knew that was Cora trying to stop Asher from leaving. The voices became quieter, until they could barely be heard from the room. Ari didn't know what to do. Actually, that was a good chance to go back home. He could leave through the window, which was more like a glass door.

As tempting as that was, Ari was starting to become a bit worried, which was at least a different emotion to what he'd been feeling the whole week. He decided he wanted to see what all that was about, so he stood up and left the room, reaching the living room and finding Cora's mom staring a bit concerned at the main door, until she noticed him.

"Oh, hi Ari… If you're looking for Cora and Asher, they're outside ," the Primarina said.

"Hi… Thanks, I'll check on them…"

Ari opened the door and walked outside, only to find Cora desperately trying to drag Asher back inside.

"Come oooon! Don't… leave… just yet!" She said as she wrestled to keep the Cyclizar from leaving, pulling from his tail.

"No, Cora! Leave me alone, please!"

"Guys?" Ari interrupted, making the other two stop and turn to him in surprise.

Cora looked between the two, as if deciding on what to say, until she groaned and let go of Asher.

"Okay that's it! You two are going to talk, you really need it! I'm going inside to let you talk in private, and don't mess up again!"

"Wait, Cora!" Asher called, but it was too late. Cora ignored him and went back inside, closing the door with a loud slam. Her mother could be heard scolding her for that.

Ari crossed his arms and met the Cyclizar's gaze. He looked tired. Just like him.

"What's all of this about? What does she mean?" Ari asked.

Asher stood on his hind legs, rubbing his arm with a claw uncomfortably. "I… Well, it's nothing, just…"

A long moment of silence came, and Ari grew impatient.

"You know, I could read your aura, but I prefer you to tell me what's going on. Are you… okay?"

"I'm… I'm fine, it's just that I can't…"

Whatever came next was barely audible, and Ari narrowed his eyes as he put a paw behind his ear.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you."

"I CAN'T EVEN LOOK YOU IN THE EYES!"

Ari frowned. "Wait, what?"

Asher started trembling. "You shouldn't be talking to me, all what happened to Nimb was my fault! I noticed how Maia looked at me that day, she hates me, a-and you should too!"

The dark cloudy sky seemed to turn even darker as the wind started blowing, whistling through the windows of the nearby houses and shaking Ari's aura tassels.

"Asher… That's why you didn't go out all this time? You couldn't… see me because of that?"

The Cyclizar crouched and covered his head with both claws, not daring to look at him.

"What other reason there could be? I watched Nimb turn into a monster because of my stupid mistake, because of my irresponsibility! I… should have been kicked out of the academy!"

Ari's frown deepened as he watched him descend into a trembling mess.

"Asher… It's not your fault, I don't…"

"No, Ari! You know you're angry at me, admit it! I destroyed your life!"

Ari took a step forward. "Okay I… admit I was angry at you, but that doesn't mean I hate you or blame you for what happened! He was infected by someone else, and you couldn't have known this!"

Asher slammed a fist on the ground, startling the Riolu. He gripped some blades of grass and started tearing them off, trying to focus his frustration somewhere that wouldn't hurt anyone else.

"If I hadn't taken Nimb away, you would have seen the results of the analysis on time to make sure never to separate from him again. I killed him. I'm a monster…"

Ari was starting to get scared of his reaction. Despite everything, he took another step forward and extended his arms to try and calm him down.

"You're not a monster, please… It was an accident!"

Asher teared up. "AN ACCIDENT THAT RUINED LIVES!"

A strong gust of wind blew, and perhaps that was the last push Ari needed to lean into Asher and wrap his arms around his neck in a strong embrace.

"Asher, stop! Please, I don't like seeing you like this…"

Tears welled down the Cyclizar's face as he pulled Ari closer, returning the hug. He spoke in choked gasps.

"B-but why? I don't deserve it, I don't deserve your kindness, and I don't think I can ever compensate for what I did… I can't go back to seeing you or Maia anymore…!"

Ari teared up as well. His neck fur brushed against Asher's neck as he shook his head.

"Maia doesn't hate you either! Asher, please… I don't want you to suffer as well, it's already painful to see Nimb like that…"

Asher sniffled. "D-do you… really care? After all I've done?"

"Of course, dude… You're my friend, no matter what. I'm sorry that you felt that way, I've been blind to think I was the only one suffering…"

"Ari… Thank you…"

He pressed him tighter, and both of them hugged while crying in a silence that was only perturbed by their quiet gasps and the whistling wind.

They stayed like that for a long moment, for once feeling a sense of relief after all the stress and bad thoughts they'd had for a week now. Finally a moment of peace of mind.

The wind howled as it became dangerously strong, the rustling of leaves shaking violently being now louder as ever.

And the moment was gone.

"Hit me."

The wind tore a branch off a tree, and it crashed down next to the duo.

Ari slowly widened his eyes. "...What?"

Asher leaned his head back and looked at him with a smile of insanity.

"Hit me, please! Just… With an Aura Sphere o-or a Rock Smash!"

Ari stepped back with shock. "WHAT? W-why would you want me to hit you?"

"I just need you to hurt me so I can feel I at least get what I deserve… J-just one move, it'll be quick!" He pleaded, taking a step forward, while Ari only retreated.

"Asher, I don't wanna do that! What's gotten into you?"

Another step from Asher, mimicked by Ari. He looked horrified.

"I need it… If you do it, I'll go back to my usual self! I'll be able to look at you again… So please, hurt me, hit me as strong as you can!"

He lowered his head in front of the Riolu and closed his eyes. Ari froze.

"I… How could I ever…?"

There he was. He was offering him an option, a way to compensate for what happened. It was right there, and he only needed to do one thing.

'He's the reason Nimb is gone.'

Ari gritted his teeth as he looked at the Cyclizar with a mortified look.

'It was an accident… What am I even thinking?'

'He did it. Doesn't he deserve just a little punishment?'

Ari raised an arm.

'It would feel so good…'

'This wouldn't be fair. He's my friend, I don't wanna hurt him!'

'I was raised like this, after all. When you make a mistake, it's only fair you get hurt for it. Shouldn't it be the same with him?'

Ari's paw glowed with blue energy. He pointed at his friend.

'I was a bit mad at him, but I know he doesn't deserve it!'

'But I wanna do it so bad. Just like my parents taught me.'

His eyes widened.

'I would be just like them.'

"NOOOOOOO!"

CRASH

Ari was sure he didn't attack him. First thing he noticed was that he had brought his paws to his head as a terrible headache made the world spin around him. But he didn't shoot that aura sphere. Instead, as he opened his eyes, he saw something he wasn't expecting.

Asher was several feet away, lying next to a downed tree that Ari was sure wasn't completely split before. Another sharp pain assaulted his head, and he squinted his eyes. Once he had recovered from it, he lowered his arms and looked at his paws, fearing the worst.

They were glowing. The same red glow that came with his psychic powers.

He had done that.

"What's going on?"

Ari snapped back into reality as he heard the Brionne's voice calling. She had gone outside once he heard the tree breaking, and found what looked like a battlefield.

"I… I'm s-sorry, it was an accident! I couldn't control that!" Ari yelled desperately.

Asher didn't say anything as he tried to recover from the blow, but Cora was already approaching him to try and help him.

"Asher, are you okay? What the hell did he do?"

Ari took two steps back as he looked at them with distress and guilt. The wind made his fur bristle and his spine was freezing.

"I didn't want to… I'M SORRY!"

Without a second thought, he stormed off the scene, leaving Asher and Cora behind as they called for him, but their voices were muffled due to the shaking trees and the turmoil in the Riolu's mind.

He couldn't look back.

Ari couldn't believe he had just done that. He hurt a friend, because of his stupid powers. He never wanted those powers in the first place, so why was life turning him into a murderous machine? It was so unfair.

Now it was him who couldn't look at Asher in the eyes anymore. Even if he literally asked to be hit.

Ari opened the door to Maia's cottage and went on autopilot to his room, failing to notice there was someone else there.

"Hey, I'm calling you, can't you hear me?"

Ari jumped, stopping and turning to the source of the voice. A familiar Noivern stood in the kitchen, alone.

"Emeric? Where… is Maia?"

"We both arrived a moment ago, but she had to go get groceries, so I'm cooking in the meantime. I'll be staying for lunch today, I hope you don't mind."

Ari sagged. The last thing he needed was more company; he just wanted to stay in his room and avoid everyone, but life wasn't so merciful, once again.

"I… I don't mind. I'm just gonna go to my room now," Ari said, and turned to enter his room.

However, he was stopped as Emeric addressed him again, approaching.

"Wait. Why don't you stay and keep me company while I cook? That way I can also get to know you better."

He took a deep breath. Whatever happened, he couldn't lash out again.

"Honestly… I don't feel like talking right now, sorry."

Emeric leaned closer and gently gripped Ari's shoulder. "Don't be like that, come on. Is there something in your mind? We can talk about it."

"No… No, really, I don't wanna talk."

"You're still dwelling on what happened to your brother, right? I understand, it must be painful."

The wooden plank under Ari's feet creaked as he twitched.

"Why- h-how could you understand?"

Ari was starting to feel the headache again. He looked down and saw his paws glowing faintly, and he took a step back and crossed his arms in an attempt to hide it.

He needed to control it.

"Look, I've experienced the loss of my father, everyone experiences loss sooner or later, so you're not alone in this."

"Ugh, even if that's the case, I said I don't wanna talk right now! I wanna be left alone!"

"You shouldn't isolate yourself, you're only going to get worse, believe me," Emeric said as he tried to approach him again.

Ari stepped back but hit the wall next to the door. The glow on his paws got brighter, and the headache stronger.

"Stop trying to control what I do! As much as you're trying to insert yourself in my life without being invited, YOU'RE NOT MY DAD!"

Emeric frowned deeply. "Hey, watch your tone, kid! Being sad doesn't give you the right to be disrespectful."

The headache got unbearable. Ari brought his paws to his temples and yelled.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

CRACK

Once again, as Ari opened his eyes he found that his psychic powers had gone crazy. And it was worse than he imagined.

The wooden floor had a massive hole where Emeric lay, as if gravity had become way stronger and it had pushed him down. Emeric groaned in pain, with his eyes closed as he tried to move, setting aside some wood scraps.

Ari whimpered. If his powers could do something like that, he was becoming dangerous to everyone around him. The idea alone scared him so much.

"I… N-no, I didn't want to…"

"Ari… What the hell was that?" Emeric said as he opened his eyes.

The Riolu stepped back. "I'm sorry… I-I…"

He wasn't having this again. Before thinking twice, he ran away, heading for the door and leaving the house, once again ignoring the desperate calls of the Noivern as he set foot on the windy exterior.

The dark sky was now showing signs of an approaching storm, as loud thunders hammered Ari's troubled mind.

He didn't know where to go, but he knew he wanted to leave town and avoid anyone that could be hurt by his stupid powers.

Ari had been running for a while, reaching the end of town to the south and entering the forest where the sound of rustling trees and bushes was deafening. Not a soul could be seen around there, especially with that weather, and Ari took that as an invitation to stay.

He was tired of everyone. But he was also tired of himself. His thoughts, his reactions, his powers… Everything was too much for him.

As he was now out of sight from town, he slowed his pace and rubbed his arms, trying to keep himself warm despite the weather. It wasn't the best moment to run out of town on his own, and he feared it might start raining at any moment.

The pine trees shook violently, and Ari had to avoid some falling branches, but he was determined to keep walking. At least no one could see him now.

"Ari."

He stopped. Of course. Of all moments, it had to be now.

He turned around and faced the strange black and green quadrupedal that stood in the middle of the path.

"Zion… Why are you following me?"

He took a step forward. "Because you're making no progress, even though your powers are developing. You were supposed to train that psychic power… But I've seen what's happened. You can't even control it. You're letting your emotions get in the way."

Ari frowned. "That's what you care about? My emotions are making my powers hurt my friends, yes, but what can I even do? Do you even know why I'm like this?"

Zion hesitated. The silence was filled once again by the nature being shaken by strong gusts of wind.

"I know. But you're being too emotional."

That made him snap. "Emotional? Forgive me if I'm emotional over THE LOSS OF MY BROTHER!" He stomped a foot on the ground, and a thunder clapped in that exact moment. "Do you even know how that feels? Or do you only care about that stupid destiny or whatever it is?"

Zion opened his mouth to retort, but he seemed to wince slightly from that accusation. That caught Ari by surprise. However, that moment of vulnerability was gone in mere seconds.

"You clearly don't know who you're talking to. You're lucky you're important, otherwise I wouldn't be so merciful. Don't overstep your boundaries."

That's just what Ari needed to hear. Zion didn't care about his situation, that just confirmed it. But what triggered him the most was a new thought that suddenly came to him, and his eyes slowly widened as realization hit.

"You… You knew about my powers… About me… So did you also know that I had the power to prevent him from turning into a feral?"

Zion's green appendage fluttered in the wind as the red hexagon on his neck reflected the flash of another lightning.

"... I did. But I didn't know the Archen was infected."

Ari's paws glowed again. His breathing accelerated, and he clenched his fists as the headache returned.

"You… you could have told me and none of that would have happened! ALL BECAUSE YOU KEEP BEING SO SECRETIVE!"

Fallen branches, leaves and pebbles suddenly moved as if attracted by an unknown force, rising from the ground enveloped in a reddish glow, and in a matter of seconds, they were shot on every direction.

Zion swiftly avoided the flying objects with a few jumps back and forth, but Ari couldn't see it coming and was hit on the face by a branch, which made him stagger and fall on his rear. He rubbed his face, hissing in pain, as he slowly realized that it had happened again.

"You're only making it worse," Zion reprimanded. "Now you're even hurting yourself."

Ari stood up and scowled. "I know, I know! I just… This wouldn't happen if I was left alone for once! Ugh, I'm done with this!"

Once again, the Riolu ran away in a random direction, leaving Zion behind, who didn't bother following him or calling out. Ari was glad he wasn't trying to stop him, because he was sure there would be no escape from that battle machine.

He didn't look back. He didn't know where he was going, and he didn't care, as long as nobody followed him. His feet splattered dirt around as he ran, getting to a slippery terrain where he was thrown off by a gust of wind, and met the ground face-first. Luckily, he fell on top of a patch of grass, which cushioned the fall.

Ari groaned, but quickly stood back up and moved onwards. He was starting to get tired, despite his strong Riolu body, and once he spotted a big rock on a clearing, he decided he was going to stop there.

Panting, he slowly approached the rock and sat on it, letting his shoulders sag. He lifted his head and stared at the darkened sky. A small droplet fell on his head, and he silently cursed. That was just perfect.

It was fine, nobody would disturb him now.

…

How did he get to that situation? All his life had been a constant struggle. Since he was a little kid… well, he didn't remember anything from his early years, but after that everything had been awful. His parents, school, those stupid sports clubs…

Then losing his best friend and teammate, going to look for him, being useless to his new team. Meeting new friends, being bullied by one of them at first… He was surprised things went better after that, and it was great for a while, until it wasn't anymore.

It was a matter of time. His life was cursed since the moment he was born, and someone up there didn't want him to be happy. If Arceus was real, then he would like to have a word with them.

Another raindrop fell on his face.

He had pushed everyone away. After all they've done for him. They've been a bit annoying, yes, but he'd been a bigger burden to them. He needed rescuing from that nightmare that almost trapped him forever, and they had a really bad time because of it.

He needed rescuing from the Rising Bandits when they tried to kidnap him, all because he has some weird destiny that's putting everyone in danger. And he's a magnet to ferals, which was probably the only reason why Nimb was so attached to him. Just because of his stupid power.

More raindrops fell.

All he did was cause trouble. Now everyone would hate him, and that was for the better.

'Why am I even alive?'

Nobody could see him now, so it was a good moment to cry. He was told that he should let himself cry, so cry he did. And he didn't hold back. Once tears started coming out, rain poured down on him. At least the tears would be hidden by the water, but nothing couldn't hide his whimpers, not even thunders.

All he could do was cry under the intense rain as he questioned every single thing he'd done during his whole life, and he lost track of time. It felt as if he'd been crying for an eternity, even if it was barely a minute before someone else found him once again.

"Ari…"

The Riolu flinched and turned to see who was coming, and was surprised to see Sanah standing there, despite the rain. She wore a concerned expression, and her usual chubby form looked thinner due to her wet fur.

Ari quickly tried to wipe his tears, even though he couldn't dry his face from the rain, and he tried to avoid eye contact.

"S-Sanah… W-what are you d-doing here…?"

She sighed. "I was worried so… I went to look for you, but you weren't home, Emeric told me where you had gone and I came looking… Then Zion showed up and pointed me here."

Huh, so Zion actually… That was interesting. Ari was pretty sure he didn't care, but that didn't matter at the moment.

Ari sniffled. "Y-you shouldn't be here… M-my emotions make my psychic power go crazy, I'm only going to hurt you…"

"Ari, I don't care if you hurt me." She approached him and sat right next to him on the rock. "I've hurt you too in the past, it's not like I can be mad at you for that. Besides, I'm tough. I'll be fine."

He looked at her for a short moment before taking his eyes off again, crossing his arms as if that would protect him from the cold.

"I'm… I'm s-sorry about everything…"

"Hey, it's okay." She wrapped her arm around his back and rubbed it gently. "Tell me, what happened?"

He whimpered as he tried to find the words, finding it hard to calm down as he kept crying. "I… I hurt Asher w-with my psychic power… T-then Emeric too… Asher wanted me to hit him, but I d-didn't wanna, and everyone k-kept trying to keep me around, but I j-just wanna be left alone. A-and I really miss Nimb…"

Sanah just listened and nodded, still holding him carefully to let him breathe. "I see… I'm sure everyone would forgive you, they know you're going through so much. And the wound is still fresh, you just need more time, I get it."

Ari briefly looked at her, then wiped some more tears and covered his face. "I thought everyone j-just didn't care that Nimb was gone, n-nobody even mentioned it, Maia acts like nothing happened, I… was so mad, that I… B-but Asher did care, and Emeric asked me about it, a-and that's how I treated them…"

"Ssshhh, it's okay. I'm sure the others thought if they talked about it, it would only serve as a reminder of what happened and it would make you upset, that's why they tried to move on. And Asher and Emeric probably understand what happened, either way. But if you need to talk about it, I'm here for it. So… let's talk about Nimb, if you want."

The Riolu uncovered his face and looked at the distance, as if lost in thoughts. He opened his mouth and hesitated, until proper words started coming out.

"Nimb… He was s-such a shy boy… And somehow, he was so brave. When something bothered him, t-that's when he really showed guts and spoke up. He didn't hesitate when he had to call someone out, whenever something was wrong. D-despite his fears, he was there to save me many times."

Sanah nodded. "He sure is something else. And he'd changed so much since I first met him."

"Yeah…" Ari sniffled. "And he was so nice… and cute, even if he didn't like when I said that, heh… A-and he got frustrated so easily when playing board games." The smile that was forming on his face slowly morphed into a frown again. "I can't believe I'll never get to eat ice cream with him again…"

"Hey, you know what I think? You've been talking about him in past tense, but I don't think he's fully gone. He's still in there somewhere, even if he acts like that now…" Sanah said, but she only winced at her own words.

Ari thought about that, but his frown didn't fade. "I appreciate that you're trying to cheer me up, but… I don't know about that."

"Sorry…"

He shook his head. "No, it's fine. I guess I… needed to talk about him. Ignoring it only made it worse, as much as it hurts at first to bring it up. But so far I was only thinking about the bad stuff, instead of reminding myself of the good times."

Sanah's paw kept brushing against the wet fur of Ari's back. It felt soft but cold, and it was starting to smell a bit. She guessed he might have neglected himself during those days and he needed a bath; good thing the rain was helping at least a little.

"Are you feeling at least a little better?" Sanah asked.

"Yeah… I think."

Sanah smiled. "See? Things aren't always so grim. You just needed a little push."

Ari frowned. Was he really feeling better? Nothing had really changed in the end. Nimb was still gone, and the people he hurt were still hurt. His life was still in danger and he would keep putting everyone in danger from now on.

Ferals were still a problem, and he was still caught in the middle of some conflict where he still had no idea what his purpose was. Everything was such a mess and he didn't know what to do anymore.

His paws started glowing. Oh no, not again.

Ari stood up and put some distance between himself and Sanah. He turned to her and looked with horror.

"No… Stay away from me, I'm gonna… Ngh…"

His head ached. His head ached so much.

"Ari? Is it happening again?" Sanah asked, taking a few steps forward, but Ari gestured for her to stop.

"Please, no! I don't wanna hurt you, I… Ugh, I hate this stupid power! Why does this have to happen to me?"

Then, everything around him became a mess. Branches, leaves, pebbles and berries started levitating and circling around Ari. At first it was slow. Then, it started getting worse, and it felt like a tornado had formed around the Riolu. Sanah felt the pressure of the immense psychic power pushing her away, and he had to drop to her knees to hold on.

"Ari! You need to calm down, please!"

"I CAN'T!"

Sanah tried to get a grip on the grass, but the psychic push was so strong she ended up tearing it off. She pressed her foot steadily on the ground and covered her head with an arm. A branch hit her, but she remained in place, not willing to give up.

"You… need to stop being so negative! You've seen that you can be alright, you were getting there!"

Ari covered his head. "No! No matter what I do, my life has always been a mess, and it will only get worse!"

Everything glowed red, and more objects were thrown flying. Sanah was lifted off the ground for a moment, and she flailed desperately to get back down, which she luckily did.

"So you think all that happened to you in the last few months was bad? Did the good moments not count?" Sanah asked.

"All these months…" Ari shook his head and he bit his tongue. "Guh… Maybe all of this wasn't worth it… Maybe I shouldn't have come to Bismuth Town! All of the relationships I've had since I left Progress Village… I don't know if they were worth it, if it all came to this…!"

A lightning struck nearby, and Ari was startled to the point that the psychic vortex only worsened. A tree was blown out of leaves and all became a deafening mass of flying objects that hindered visibility.

Sanah gathered all the strength she had and stepped forward, almost stumbling, but managed to step steadily. Then, she took another step, and another. It was really hard to approach Ari, but she needed to do it.

"You think all of it wasn't worth it? Then… It wasn't worth it to become friends with me?" She slipped and was pushed back a few inches, but she quickly stepped forward once again. "Ugh… Ari, do you… not value what we have…?"

Ari panted, gripping his head tightly as he closed his eyes. "I… I enjoyed my time with you, but… Does it matter? I've only caused trouble to everyone… Maybe it would have been better if you never met me!"

Lightnings struck, flying objects hit both Ari and Sanah, and rain kept pouring down, forming a whirlpool around them as the red psychic energy surrounded all of it. And yet, despite everything, Sanah didn't give up.

She took another step forward.

"I've caused trouble to you too!" Sanah exclaimed. "That's just how… things happen sometimes, but it's fine! We work it out, and we enjoy the good moments! Isn't that worth it?"

Ari groaned. "But after all that's happened now, how are you even going to look at me? You'll see me differently, nothing is ever going to be the same, because I ruined it!"

Sanah took another step forward. She could almost touch him.

"That's not true! Nothing will change how I see you, because I know how you really are when you're not like this!"

"How do I know that's not a lie? The only way I could know how you really feel about me is if I use my aura, and we both know I also messed up with that in the past!"

Sanah took one final step forward and grabbed Ari's shoulders. He opened his eyes and saw her standing right there with a determined look.

"You really wanna know?" The mass of flying objects shot everywhere as she pronounced some last words. "This… is how I really feel."

Then, time seemed to freeze. The chaotic whirlpool felt like a distant buzzing in Ari's ears as everything went muffled. He didn't feel his feet touching the ground anymore, and that wasn't because of his psychic powers.

The rain seemed to come to a stop, and sunlight blinded him once Ari registered what had just happened.

A kiss.

Their lips touched and all the pain was gone. Remaining tears went away like dandelions in the wind and the memory of each other's scents replaced the echoes of all the negative words previously spoken.

It was as if all around them had vanished and the water had drained from their fur. Maybe it was because of the sunrays that were slowly leaking between the sea of clouds, or because they couldn't feel their bodies anymore. At that moment, there were no physical sensations, only emotions.

And for once, Ari's emotions were at ease.

That kiss was worth all the sadness, all the struggles, all the wait. It didn't solve all their problems, but it was a spark of joy amid darkness.

Ari closed his eyes and leaned into it, reaching with an arm to hold onto Sanah's torso, while his other arm rested on her own arm. Then, she raised her claw to cup Ari's cheek and held him like she never wanted to let go.

Sunlight fell on her as well, and she felt the warmth that made her realize what Ari truly meant to her.

Sunlike.

Slowly, both of them opened their eyes and went deeply immersed in each other's gazes. It was the only time that feeling lost meant something good. Being lost in each other's eyes meant they would never be alone, as someone was watching, caring. Protecting.

They held onto each other for a long moment, deeply flustered, but happy. Then, they slowly pulled away, and time began ticking once more. Wind blew again on their fur, and Ari's aura sensors flailed slightly. Their eyes were still locked on each other.

Everything around them was a mess with all that was scattered after Ari's psychic disaster, but at least his paws weren't glowing anymore and they were out of danger. The improving weather was also a welcome surprise.

Then, as they looked at each other for another moment, Sanah slowly realized what just happened, and she took a step back and began to panic.

"Aaaahhhhhh no, what have I done?! I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have done that, that was totally uncalled for and you still…!"

"N-no, Sanah, it's fine!" Ari reassured, waving his paws sideways. "I… I actually liked it!"

The Zangoose covered her face in shame, but then peeked between her claws as she registered that. "You… liked it?"

He smiled and leaned closer. "Yeah… I uh, I didn't know you felt like that for me, hehe… I'm k-kinda new to all this, but… it felt good. Thank you."

Sanah sighed in relief and retracted her claws, then hesitantly took Ari's paw. "I'm glad to hear that… I've been feeling like this for a while, but… I wasn't sure."

Ari felt his heart aggressively pounding as he looked at her, and he swallowed. "Sanah… I've been so blind, to think that I chose to ignore that I wasn't alone, and that… there's still people around that care about me… Especially you."

She smiled. They held their paws as they looked at each other, taking in the sight of each other's beautiful faces. Wet, but precious.

"I'm glad you're finally seeing it," Sanah said.

The Riolu took a deep breath and squeezed her paw. "So… does that mean we are…?"

Sanah went to speak, but stopped. Her bright face slowly gave way to a sad smile.

"Oh, Ari… This isn't right. This wasn't the right moment for it."

Ari tilted his head. "Huh? What do you mean?"

She traced a finger along his cheek, tenderly. "You're not in a good headspace, and I kissed you when you were in the middle of a mental breakdown. I forced this onto you, but I want your mind to be in the right place whenever you make that decision. I don't want you to cling onto me out of desperation…"

"Oh… I see…" Ari frowned and looked down. "I guess you're right, I don't wanna jump into a relationship if I'm not sure about what I'm doing."

Sanah nodded. "Besides, I don't wanna interfere in whatever Ren and you have going on."

Ari's face went red. "W-what? What do you mean? Ren and I are… just friends!"

"Are you sure? I've seen the way you two treat each other. Ari, what even are you two?"

He thought about it. The hugs, the kind words, the cuddles…

His eyes widened slightly. "I… I don't know."

She could only snort at that, and a light chuckle escaped her throat.

"Haha… it's okay, Ari. I understand. Listen," she said as she held him close, cupping his cheek. "First, you take care of yourself and do all you can to recover mentally. Once you've cleared your mind and you know what you want… Then, we'll talk about this again. Okay?"

Ari wanted it. But he was also really confused now. What did he feel? What about Ren? The only thought of him made his heart ache, for some reason. Maybe he really needed some time to think.

"... Okay. Thanks for everything, Sanah," he said with a smile.

She smiled too. "No problem, dude."

And with that, she pulled him into a tight hug. Ari didn't wanna let go, even if their bodies were still wet and smelly. At least her shampoo made up for it, kinda. He really needed to ask what kind of product she used.

Ari wasn't okay. He wanted to cling to her because he saw in her an escape from all the pain, but he still needed to work on himself.

He wasn't okay, but he would be, eventually.

It had been a while since he'd left Emeric in the middle of a broken floor. Ari was really scared of whatever lecture he was going to get once he got home, but that was inevitable. He might just get it over with as soon as possible.

Emeric had probably told Maia and she was going to destroy his eardrums. After all, she probably didn't care about anything, not his mental state, not what happened to Nimb. That's what she proved, with how easy she moved on.

Once he was about to enter the house, he stopped in front of the main door and took a deep breath. He wasn't ready for it. However, before he grabbed the knob, he froze upon hearing voices coming from inside.

Ari thought it probably wasn't a good idea, but at that point, he chose to put his ear against the door and hear whatever they were talking about. He recognised the voices to be those from Maia and Emeric.

"I don't know what else to do… I can't keep going like this for much longer, it's unbearable…" Maia said. She was crying.

"You're still in pain, and that's normal. But remember that I'll be here whenever you need me," Emeric said.

"Thank you… It's just… Why did it have to happen twice?" She stopped to cry for a moment, then continued. "And then this. I don't know what else to do for Ari, he's only getting worse…"

"You're always there for him, that's all you can do for now. But you need to think about yourself too."

"I know, but he's just a kid, Emeric… He needs me. I need to be okay for him, he can't see me like this. I'm the only family he has left, and having someone you care for suffering so much doesn't help… He'd only feel worse!"

"There, there. It's okay, you'll both recover from this. You can be there for each other, even if you think that's going to make it worse. It won't."

Ari stepped away from the door with a conflicted expression. He stared at the door for a long moment as thoughts spiraled in his mind. He was worried that was going to make his psychic powers act again, but luckily, they didn't.

Then, he waited. Maybe it was only a minute, maybe it was ten, but he waited there, watching the door, with a serious look.

Finally, he stepped forward and opened the door.

"I'm home!"

Maia and Emeric perked up, and Ari could see she was wiping her tears quickly so he wouldn't see them.

"Ari! Where have you been?" Maia asked, standing up from the cushion where she was, and Emeric mirrored.

"Well, a lot happened and… uh…" Ari approached the duo and looked at the Noivern with an apologetic look. "Emeric, I'm so sorry for what I did. I was… going through a really bad moment and my psychic powers went crazy. It happened before with Asher too, that's why I wanted to be left alone."

Emeric frowned. "I see… So that wasn't the first time you've done this?"

Ari sighed and looked down. "It wasn't… I didn't wanna hurt you, or tell you off, I'm sorry…"

However, he felt a claw on his shoulder and he raised his head to see the serene expression on the Noivern.

"It's okay, Ari. I forgive you."

Ari smiled, but then he was quickly wrapped in a hug by the Decidueye, who was clearly worried about him.

"Ari, thank Arceus, when Emeric told me what happened I thought you might have hurt yourself or…"

"It's fine, mom," he reassured, returning the hug. "It was just a bad moment, that's all."

She pulled away to look at him in the eyes. "But you're all wet! You shouldn't have gone out with this weather…" She shook her head, reminding herself of what really mattered. "You must have suffered a lot…"

Ari put on a smile.

"It's okay, really. I'm feeling much better now," he lied. "I talked to Sanah and it really helped me. It's hard, but I know I can move on. Like everyone else is doing."

She eyed him for a moment, and her face looked like one of relief. It seemed that hearing that really put her at ease. She smiled back, and gave him a gentle stroke on the head. Emeric just watched, not wanting to interrupt a beautiful family moment.

Eventually, Maia perked up and took her bag to search through it. She pulled out what seemed to be a piece of paper.

"By the way, Ari… Someone sent us this letter. It appears to be a job request… directed to Team Silver."

The Riolu tilted his head in confusion as he grabbed the letter. "Huh… That's strange. Why would they ask us specifically?"

"I think it might be because you were the ones who discovered the Azure. I've read the contents, and… They want you to investigate in Apex City." Her tone became more somber. "There was a sighting of a feral pokémon around, and then someone else saw that very same pokémon in the abandoned amusement park… but it wasn't feral anymore."

That caught his attention, and his eyes widened. "Huh? A feral… that stopped being a feral?"

Maia put a wing on his shoulder. "Wait, Ari. I don't want you to have high expectations of this. This could be a mistake, it might not be the same pokémon or the two sightings might have happened in reverse order."

Ari reviewed the contents of the letter, his heart beating faster as he thought of the implications of that. "I… I know it might not be it, but if it were… Then this is worth investigating."

"Are you sure about this…?"

Ari nodded. "Either way, if we find out that pokemon is not a feral anymore, then there might be a cure. And if it isn't… then we'll be onto someone that's turning pokémon into ferals in the area. It's something we can't overlook in any case."

Maia looked at him, meeting his determination, and found that she couldn't convince him otherwise. It was risky, especially knowing that they'd have to travel really far, but the feral issue was something that couldn't be ignored.

Not after what happened.

"Alright, then. You should tell the others about it, and then prepare for the trip. It's gonna be a long one," Maia said.

"I know… But you don't need to worry, I promise."

However, something came to his mind. There was just someone else he needed to talk to as well.

It had been a week since he visited. The place felt cold and sad as usual, despite the doors being orange colored. Ari passed a big amount of jail cells as he traversed the corridor guided by the Gallade guard, as usual, and then he finally stood in front of a specific door.

Once the guard opened it, he spoke in a harsh tone.

"You have a visit. Behave."

On the other side, a Weavile raised his head from the bed where he was lying, and he immediately perked up.

"Ari! It's been so long since you last visited, what happened?" Ren said as he stood up and approached the bars.

Ari sighed. "Sorry, Ren… A lot has happened."

The Weavile tilted his head as he grabbed the iron bars. "Huh? What did I miss? Are you okay? And where is Nimb? He's always with you…"

The Riolu's expression turned somber. "Nimb… He was infected with Azure since I met him, but being near me kept him going. But now… he's turned into a feral."

Those words hit one by one in a slow process, as realization dawned on Ren. His face didn't exactly express sadness, but rather… horror.

"He…? But that can't… Oh no… I'm so sorry, Ari, I don't know what to say…"

Ari noticed he was tightly gripping the bars now, and even heard a creaking sound coming from it. Some ice formed under his claws, but was quickly melted.

"Ren, it's okay. It's been some really hard times, that's why I… didn't come visit for a while. But now I've come precisely to say goodbye."

The Weavile blinked at that. Then, his expression slowly turned into concern.

"Wait, what does that… mean…?"

Ari extended his arms to calm him down. "Hey, don't think anything weird. I'm just going to Apex City to investigate. We might have a lead regarding feral pokémon; we're not entirely sure, but we'll take anything we get."

Ren sighed in relief. "I see…" He brought his claw to his chin, then he scratched his cheek as he looked lost in thoughts. Ari was about to ask him about that, but he eventually gasped and spoke. "Let me go with you!"

Ari frowned. "Wait, what?"

"Yes, I can help! All this feral mess… I've contributed to that, I need to make up somehow! And I've been with the Forest Guardians, I've experience with them. Taking me with you will benefit your team!"

The Riolu took a step back as he was caught by surprise by that. "B-but… Taking you with me? Ren, you're literally in jail! I can't just do that!"

"Come on," he insisted, with almost a pleading look. "You have a good relationship with Brynel, right? He could make an exception. He knows I can be a great asset, since I know some things none of you do!"

Ari didn't know what to say. Ren looked almost desperate to join the mission, for some reason. And deep down… He had conflicted feelings. Why? After all, it was Ren. What better company than him?

What was wrong, then?

"I'll see what I can do."

This turned out to be such a difficult chapter to write, mostly because I had to be more poetic and push myself to do a better prose. I think it turned out really well, and I feel like I'm going to hold this chapter dearly for a long time. It's probably in my top 3 favorite chatpers. Also, there is a song in the AO3 and PMDFF version of this chapter! Go check it out!

Happy PI day, by the way! Since it's 3/14. Like the number. Like Powered Investigations. It's a joke. Laugh.

Next time: the journey to Apex City begins.