Pyxis saw as Simone finished texting whoever they were testing and then put the phone down and kept preparing something that smelled like tea. It'd been a few minutes since they'd dragged her here and tended to the wound on her hand. Simone's sister, a girl of Pyxis' age named Kilika, had left for her room after a small while of unsuccessfully trying to play video-games on her phone comfortably while she lay on her wheelchair. Now it was just the two of them. And yet the silence didn't feel heavy. It was… relaxing. So much so that Pyxis almost jumped when Simone spoke.

"Sorry 'bout that," they said. "Pal of mine said she was coming over and I had to text back. I'll try to have this ready quickly."

Simone's voice was rich and deep, like honey sliding down leather, and Pyxis was always a second late to reply, too busy basking in it.

"It's… it's fine."

"How's that hand holding up, by the way? Been a while since I did any first aid so–"

"N-nono, it's okay," Pyxis hurried to say. "Thank you… it feels a lot better now."

"That's good to hear."

Pyxis shrank into herself, sheepishly holding onto her bandaged hand. She'd had a few opportunities to excuse herself and leave, but hadn't taken any of them. It wasn't just Simone; it was also this place. It reminded her a lot of the house she'd grown up in, and that was the problem. A bit worn and tightly packed, more resembling a small apartment, but it was far warmer and cozier than the spacious, empty rooms back in Galactic HQ. The place was covered with little doodads and decorations most likely bought at the local craft market. A Sigilyph dream-catcher hung above the table, occasionally hitting her in the face with its feathers. A collection of wood-carved Turtwig rested atop the ant table in front of the T.V.

Maybe they're not bought, thought Pyxis. Their accent sounds Unovan, and those features… wouldn't surprise me if they come from a native family. Would explain those designs…

She looked over her shoulder. The wall behind her was plastered from top to bottom with pieces of paper of different sizes, each one bearing a distinct drawing or design, all hand-drawn. Judging by the multitude of tools and parts sprinkled over the living room table she was sitting next to, they must've been tattoo designs.

Pyxis kept looking around like a kid seeing their friend's house for the first time, because it beat having to think about what was happening. About her current situation. About the cold and dread trying to pull at her from her throat down to her stomach.

Synn above, why did this have to happen to her, and now of all times? Not just collapsing in the middle of the street. Someone like Simone, someone that nice and considerate and… ugh! Why did they have to find her!? At any other point in time Pyxis would've been delighted to meet someone like them, but right now kindness was the last thing she needed. Because kindness was the one thing that stifled that oppressive heat inside of her. And without it… all that was left was that cold, that apathy.

Without it, how could she do her job?

She glanced toward Simone again, then swallowed. Despite it all, she couldn't be mad at them even if she tried. How could she? Simone was the kind of stranger you accidentally bumped into in a supermarket while having a bad day, and their smile and the pat on the shoulder they gave you let you know that it was okay. That it would be okay.

Then again, that experience might not be as universal as she thought it was. Pyxis had a bad habit of momentarily falling in love with random people she ran into once and then never saw again. It was the kind of habit she could really do w–

Talking. Pyxis perked up, feeling a jolt. Simone was talking; she'd already missed half of what they were saying.

"-nd of a bother, I'll clean it up right away. Probably put them on the couch for the time being."

Pyxis blinked a couple times. "I'm… sorry, clean what up? I was kinda out of it for a second."

Simone let out a wonderful chuckle. "I don't blame you. I meant the tattoo equipment there; I know how bad it looks just sprawled everywhere over the table like that."

She shook her head, then realized Simone couldn't see her. "N-no, it's okay. I was… actually looking at them. I've never seen tattoo equipment before," she admitted. "You… er, I guess it'd be dumb to ask if you're a tattoo artist."

"There's no such thing as a stupid question. The people who'd have you believe that are assholes," said Simone. "And yeah, everything's a mess 'cause I'm in the middle of moving all my equipment and stuff to this hangar I'm renting now near the docks. Used to work here in the living room, but it was a pain for my sis. Small place. And I can't say I was a big fan of having every random asshole in town knowing where I live and what the inside of my house looks like."

Pyxis gulped, then looked down. "I-I'm sorry. For the bother."

"Hm?" Simone looked over their shoulder, confused. Then they laughed. "Oh, no honey, I don't mean you. I meant the kinds of guy that were… more eager for the artist than the artwork, let's say. That's as kindly as I can put it."

"O-oh…" Pyxis recoiled, making a disgusted face. "I'm… sorry you had to deal with that."

"It's alright. Most of the time it just came down to me giving them The Look. You know, the one that says 'I don't care how much business you bring me, I am not going to sleep with you'."

Pyxis laughed. "Can't say I know what that looks like."

"And hopefully you'll never find out," said Simone, then they slammed something on the kitchen table. "A'ight, here it is."

She was presented with a concoction that looked like if someone were told to make tea but accidentally switched the water to herbs ratio. It was served in the hollowed out gourd of a Belue berry and there was an iron straw sticking out of the tightly-packed leaves, over which Simone had poured out a bit of hot water from the thermos. Pyxis had never been a picky eater or drinker, and she was curious. Taking a sip, she expected the leaves to come through the straw, but they didn't.

"I was gonna say careful with the first sip. It's hot." Simone sat across from her, a tired smile on their face. "How'd you like it? I know it's not everyone's cup of tea."

Pyxis licked her lips. She'd drank all the hot water in only a few sips. "It's… bitter."

"Yeah, sorry I–"

"I love bitter," said Pyxis, smiling up at them. "I was expecting some sugar like with tea, but I'm glad there's none."

A surprised look crossed over Simone's face. They nodded absentmindedly and took back the gourd, pouring some more hot water in.

"Some people put sugar on it but… they're weird. I'm glad you like it, though. It's a local thing we make from this one herb that grows near the marsh," explained Simone. "It's real good at giving you a lil' boost of energy. Not as much as with coffee, but it lasts longer. Shame that only us Pastorians seem to like bitter."

Pyxis nodded. "Everyone thinks all bitter is the same, but that's like saying everything that's sweet tastes the same. There's depths to the flavor, and this one has a lot of it." She hadn't noticed, but she was getting into the conversation, the worries of a few minutes ago seeming distant. She was even smiling. "What's with the small serving, though? I only took a couple sips and it ran out."

"That's the idea. It's a drink to be passed around in a group of friends," said Simone. "Besides, the leaves get too mushy and lose their flavor if you pour too much water."

"I see… I like that." Pyxis smiled. "Wish we had this back at–"

She froze, a shiver of panic running down her spine. Shit, what did s–

"Your job?" offered Simone.

"Y-yes, my job. Yeah."

Thankfully, Simone did not press on the issue, nor did they ask what kind of job was it. They just nodded and took another sip, finishing it and then pouring some more for Pyxis. She gulped and took it from their hands, a hint of redness rising up her cheeks.

"Now I wish I knew how to make it," she muttered.

"The herb grows everywhere in Pastoria, and even if you don't feel like picking it up I know a few people that sell it packaged," said Simone. "You can look up the rest. That shit's all on the internet now; there's tutorials for everything, from growing your own farm to hot-wiring a car."

"Speaking from experience?"

"I'll leave that up to your imagination."

"Heh. Thanks. I'll… keep it in mind."

She felt bad for lying to Simone like that. There was very little chance she would leave this city, much less alive.

"Anyway, I'm glad more young people like you like bitter," said Simone, leaning back on their chair. "It's not the kinda flavor you usually find in the supermarket. Whenever I go all they sell is fizzy, colorful drinks that taste like if someone had mixed half a pound of sugar with the insides of a glowstick. It's disgusting. I'm sure if it were up to the people running those markets they'd have us drinking processed sugar and eating frozen lunches and shit full of trans fats every day. Easy to process, easy to consume, no fuckin' flavor at all."

"Y-yeah. A friend of mine survived almost entirely on instant ramen and frozen pizza for as long as I've known him. Been telling him for a while to cut it out. Make some real food, y'know?"

Not like you'll ever see him again, a voice said inside her head. Orion already made it clear which side he's on.

Something froze in her throat. Keeping up the smile was a lot harder all of a sudden. Luckily, Simone didn't seem to notice, or if they did then they kindly didn't comment on it.

"Same for my sis and my buddy Zachary. He's such a bad influence on her…" Simone knitted their brows and sighed. "Still, not like it's the fault of people that buy that stuff. It's the fault of the assholes that make them so much cheaper than actual meals and ingredients. Had to buy them myself a few times. Sometimes the farmer's market is closed or you just don't have the money or the time to cook up a whole meal, y'know?"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Pyxis swallowed down the lump in her throat and nodded. That's how it'd been when she'd lived with her mother; healthy, homemade meals were a rare delicacy, not by choice but by necessity.

"Yeah… I know the feeling." She took another sip, rolling the bitter taste around the inside of her mouth before swallowing. "You must be extra busy now, with the moving and the concert and all that."

"You've no idea," they muttered. "But Zach asked me for help setting it up, and when a friend asks for your help you drop everything you're doing and help them out. That's the rules. Besides, my sister can get by for tonight. I made tripe hot pot yesterday and there's enough leftovers to feed a Snorlax."

Pyxis' expression softened. "Your sister's lucky. To have someone like you taking care of her."

The look of appreciation that crossed Simone's face, while brief and subtle, was like a splash of fresh water across Pyxis' weathered face. Immediately, her own smile returned. Simone just had that kind of face that made you want to make them smile.

"Dunno how much I can keep playing the role, though. She'll be eighteen soon. She must be looking forward to leaving this dump. Go on her trainer adventures and all that."

The next words left Pyxis' lips before she could process them. "Don't worry. No matter how far she travels or what crazy stuff she experiences, she'll always need you to be there for her. That's what family's for, right?"

"…Yeah. I sure hope so."

For a few seconds, Simone simply looked ahead, pensive, arms folded, as though mulling something over. Then they nodded and addressed Pyxis again.

"Thanks. You're… very kind," they said. "You know that, right Pyxis?"

Pyxis almost choked on the next sip. The hot water burnt her tongue and she had to put a hand over her mouth to cough, eyes tearing up from the sudden pain.

"Dear Synn above, are you allergic to compliments or something?"

Despite the teasing tone, there was no mock or malice in their voice. That, coupled with their previous comment and Pyxis almost asphyxiating from too much coughing, her face was as red as the shell of a Scizor.

"I'm not, I j-just… that took me off guard," she excused, grabbing the gourd closer and glancing away from them. "Y-you're one to talk. Who brought me here and bandaged my hand and gave me something to drink?"

Simone shrugged. "Anyone would've done the same."

"You don't believe that."

There was a moment of silence, then Simone let out a dry chuckle. "No, I guess not. But I'm not nearly as selfless as that'd lead you to believe."

Neither of them said anything for what felt like an entire minute. Pyxis had her suspicions from the moment that look of familiarity had crossed Simone's face, but for some reason she wasn't nearly as afraid or panicked as she should've been. Simone wasn't the kind of person that would turn her over. Still, it was time to come clear with it.

"You know who I am, don't you?"

Simone just nodded.

"Did you know when you came over to help me? When I collapsed?"

"I… no, not right away," they said. "I figured it out when I brought you back and got a good look at your face."

Pyxis smiled. "Then how can you call what you did anything but selfless?"

Simone didn't have a retort for that. Pyxis finished what was left of her drink before speaking again.

"I'm guessing you saw my 'daring' exploits on T.V.?"

"Not just that. But yeah, I definitely saw it." Simone let out a puff of air, shaking their head. "That took some guts. I've been in my fair share of shitty situations and I don't know if I could've done what you did."

"The secret is to be really, really fucking angry."

"Oh, I know, I've been there," said Simone. "You can always count on young people to use their anger productively."

Pyxis needed a moment to gather the courage and say the words she'd been meaning to say for a while.

"You… don't hate me?" she asked sheepishly. "Don't hate Team Galactic?"

Why do you care? she heard in her mind. You'll never see them again after you leave. What's their opinion worth to you?

A lot, for some fucking reason.

"Those are two very different questions," said Simone. "Are you, Pyxis, the entirety of Team Galactic?"

She didn't answer.

"Let's see… my pal Zachary's not a big fan, I'd wager there's no love lost between him and Team Galactic. His grandparents were caught up in the Veilstone attack. They got out unscathed, thankfully, but still."

Pyxis looked down, ashamed. "I'm…"

"My other pal Rory has a bit more sympathy for you guys. She's just that kind of person," they said. "And… well, I can't say I appreciate or agree with a lot of the things your people have done. Mt. Coronet, for example. Or the father of one of my friends being killed in a confrontation with someone affiliated with Team Galactic. All three of us are of the same mind on that.

"But then the other day… we saw you there. What you did, and what you said. I'm not the best at reading faces, but I know guilt and pain when I see it. You… didn't know, did you? None of you did."

Pyxis shrank into herself. "Does it make a difference?"

"It does to me," said Simone. "Let me guess. They offered you food, shelter and people who were of the same mind as you. Made you feel like you finally had the power to take back what had been taken from you. But all along, the people in charge didn't give a shit about you. All they needed was cannon fodder, and you were the perfect fit."

Shocked was a light way of putting Pyxis' expression just then. "H…how'd you–"

"Heard the story a million times before," said Simone. "The more amazing and outlandish these people's promises are, the more full of shit they are. Wish I'd known that when I was your age."

"I…" Pyxis swallowed, looking down. "Yeah. Me too."

Then, Simone did something that startled her and almost made her jump. They reached over and grabbed her hand with theirs, gently. A shiver ran up Pyxis' arm. When she looked up, eyes wide, she saw something in their eyes that made her seize up.

"I don't hate you. And neither does anyone I know," they said. "Hell, Zachary might be a bit cross if he met you, but he once made friends with a Luxio that tried to gnaw his leg off. I'm sure he'll warm up to you in no time."

"W-what? What do you m–"

"You might've made some mistakes, might've trusted the wrong people, but you never lost sight of what you wanted, did you? It might be just a side-effect of all the horrible things your superiors did, but…" They glanced for a moment toward the hallway leading to the rooms, then back at her. "…but at least that exposed to the surface the problems we've been clamoring about for so long. Who knows, thanks to you and the others that really believed in what they were doing… maybe by the time this all blows over I can send my sister on her trainer journey without bankrupting myself. That wouldn't have been possible before."

"I–I had nothing to do with that," Pyxis said defensively.

"Do you really believe that?"

Again, Pyxis said nothing. She was frozen, split into two feelings, both of them trying to pull her in different directions. Part of her wanted to get up and run. Leave. Go back to looking for Inyssa, looking for a way to end herself. But then… this felt good. Sitting here, having her hand held, being told that everything she'd done hadn't been for nothing. That she was… she was…

"I… I should leave," she said, voice shaking. "There's something I have to do."

Simone raised an eyebrow, but didn't let go of her. "Sure, I can let you go. But first you have to tell me, straight to my face, that I'm not going to regret it if you do leave. Swear it to me."

Pyxis swallowed. "I–I can't do that."

"Why? Do you really want to leave and do… this thing you have to do?" they asked. "Truly?"

"It doesn't matter what I want," said Pyxis. "This is the only thing I can do. It's just… right."

Simone sighed. They let go of her hand and leaned back against their chair, looking pensive. Pyxis took her hand back and unconsciously pressed it against her chest.

"Pyxis… have you ever seen a Pokemon die?"

"W-what!? Where did that come from?"

Simone paid no mind to her shock and continued. "I was… a few years younger than you at the time. This was before I left Mistralton, before I told my parents to fuck off and took my sister with me to Sinnoh. That day I was out on Route 7, exploring the forest like I usually did, trying to find cool sticks I could play with and pretend they were swords. Then I heard a whine. The cry of a Pokemon calling for help. I started running before I even realized what I was doing. After almost a full minute I get to this… clearing around a small pond there in the middle of the forest. I get there just in time to see this young Deerling jump into the water to escape the pair of Zangosse that were hunting him."

Pyxis listened, enraptured, despite still not understanding the point of this story.

"Of course, it's not like the Deerling could escape by jumping into the pond. All the Zangoose had to do was wait 'til he reached any part of the shore and jump him. The Deerling must've realized this, because he kept swimming in circles, crying out desperately for anyone to come help him. He couldn't hold on for long. The pond was too deep; he'd drown as soon as his strength ran out. And he must've gone too far from his pack because no other Pokemon came to his rescue. I was the only one there, the only one that could do anything. But I hesitated.

"What would you do in that situation? I felt bad, yes, but all my life I'd been instilled with the truth that the circle of life and death is something that can't be ignored or fought against, nor should we want to. Life dies in order to give more life. The Zangoose weren't hunting the Deerling out of cruelty. They probably just wanted to feed themselves and their family; did I have any right to intrude on that? A hundred more Deerling would die the same way when I weren't looking. Interjecting wasn't just pointless, it was disrespectful to nature itself."

There was a pause, and then Simone looked Pyxis straight in the eye. "So tell me, why did I do it anyway? Why did I run in and waved my stick at those Zangoose, scaring them away?"

Pyxis didn't even need to think to come up with an answer. She'd always known it.

"Because you felt bad," she said. "And you wanted to stop feeling bad."

"And that's all that ever mattered," said Simone. "That's the only reason I've ever needed. I don't care if it's right or wrong, I'll just keep doing things so that I can sleep easy at night."

Pyxis nodded. She… understood. A part of her did, at least. But regardless…

"Did you…" She swallowed. "Did you save that Deerling?"

Their nose scrunched up slightly, their expression sour. "No. Was too late by the time I got the Deerling out. So turns out I not only denied those Zangoose their food, but I also got scolded later when I told my dad what I'd done. It was the worst-case scenario."

"Doesn't that speak against your argument?"

"Not really. The only thing that experience taught me was to never hesitate again," Simone shrugged. "There's enough hurt and sadness to go around. I figured offering a helping hand when it's needed might count for something, even if it's just to make myself feel better."

Pyxis bit her lower lip. "Is that why you don't want me to go?"

"No, that's just 'cause I like you, and I'd like you to be my friend and attend the concert with me and my pals later tonight," they said. "Do I need a reason other than that?"

"I… left my actual friends to come here," said Pyxis, voice thin. "Why would I–?"

"Are they dead?"

"What?"

"Your friends," said Simone. "Are they dead? Did they say they never wanted to see you again?"

Pyxis leaned back, suddenly feeling her throat dry. No, as a matter of fact, they'd said the exact opposite of that. She didn't say it out loud, but Simone seemed to figure it out.

"Friends are there to forgive you when you do something dumb," said Simone. "So come on. Stay with us for tonight, then go looking for your friends. That way you'll at least get something out of your trip here."

"I…"

She opened her mouth not knowing what words would come out, which terrified her, but she didn't actually get to say them. Just as she was about to reply, a knock came at the door. Pyxis jumped like a Spoink, tensing up. Simone looked toward the door and let out a sigh, getting up to go open it.

"I was hoping I could convince you before my friend arrived," they said. "Hopefully she can do a better job than I did."

"Wh–she? W-what are y–?"

The door opened, and suddenly Pyxis felt as though there was no more air in her lungs, nor in the room around her. Something cold and sharp sank down her throat to her stomach. A girl her age walked into the room, hands hidden in her pockets. She looked different than the last time she'd seen her, mostly due to the absence of her red coat and that stupid hat she always wore everywhere.

Inyssa walked into the room, then stopped a few feet from the table. She looked down at Pyxis, the gold of her eyes sending a violent shiver down the girl's spine.

"Hey," she said. "Long time no see."

There was a blur of movement. Pyxis almost knocked the chair over with how fast she stood up, hand reaching for her pocket, heart beating furiously in her chest. But a voice like a hammer stopped her before she could do anything.

"Pyxis."

She froze in place. Slowly, her gaze moved from Inyssa to Simone, who stood next to her with their arms folded under their chest. There was no anger in their face, but there was a warning.

"Inyssa is my friend," they said. "Same as you."

Reluctantly, not fully aware of what she was doing, Pyxis took her hand out of her pocket and stood there, eyes wide, breathing harsh. Her vision almost swam thanks to the violent mix of anger and panic running through her veins. When Inyssa spoke, she almost jumped again.

"Zach told me that the dock should be empty today. It's pretty close to here."

Pyxis blinked. "What?"

"We can talk there," said Inyssa. "In private."

And before Pyxis could speak or protest, Inyssa did something she'd never expected her to do. She unbuckled her belt full of Pokeballs and let it rest on top of the table, then walked away from it.

"Just the two of us," she said. "No Pokemon, no powers. You're free to try whatever you want, but I just want to talk."

She walked toward the door and stood there under the sill, back to Pyxis.

"Are you coming?"

Pyxis did follow behind her. Not because she fully agreed with the proposition, but because her mind was so paralyzed by a bright and confusing mess of emotions that her body took over, making her walk behind Inyssa practically on autopilot.