Route 213 - 11PM

Metchi bit down on the cottony bread of her sandwich, and every cell in her body cheered in joy.

Shamefully, she accepted the truth: stolen food tasted just as delicious as regular food, if not more. Part of her expected the shame of her actions to somehow haunt the sandwich like a ghost with a lot of free time. It would've meant she really felt bad about what she'd done, but at the same time she hadn't enjoyed a good lunch in weeks.

Prosciutto and Parmesan? Gotta give it to these pompous assholes, they know how please a girl's palate.

So what if her refuge was some run down building, ready to fall on itself? So what if she could hear the cheers and screams of those rich douchebags in the distance, enjoying their stay in Sinnoh's most prestigious hotel? The only thing they had over her was a comfier bed, which she could do without.

Her eyes moved to the frame of the shattered window at her right. Moonlight filtered into the room, along with a hearty gust of wind. The beach sat just under her, nothing but glistening white and gold until it met with the water. The moon cast a pillar of white light which tore the ocean in half. She allowed herself a smile. So what if she was spending her night there? In the end her view was much better, and she hadn't paid a single penny.

She finished two thirds of the Footlong Deluxe (as the wrapping of the sandwich had called it), and wrapped the rest. For the first time in days the beast in her stomach stopped growling, instead switching to a low, almost imperceptible rumbling.

"You should eat all of it, Metchi."

And there it was, in time just like the fucking trains during the war. The sun rose in the morning, the plants grew and Azelf used every opportunity it got to nag at her.

"I'm already full," she said, her voice echoing in the empty room.

"I can feel everything you feel, and you're lying. Eat the rest."

"Get off my ass."

"You're saving it for him, aren't you?"

She shifted uncomfortably against the concrete wall behind her. How the hell was one supposed to awkwardly ignore the question of someone who lived inside your head? Or… soul, or whatever.

Looking out the window again, her eyes caught the slightest glimpse of something orange scurrying out of view. Still following her. Still pretending he wasn't.

A deep sigh resounded inside her head, coming from Azelf.

"Not only have you uselessly wasted most of my power reserves to save that Monferno, but now you're saving food for him. Even after he's tried stealing from us twice."

Indeed, her brave plan hadn't worked as she expected. The fire Pokemon had run away as soon as he could stand, taking with him some of the food she'd been able to gather.

"It's not stealing if I want him to have it," she argued. "This would be a lot easier if he accepted my help."

"He's too prideful for that. You're wasting your time by offering him help. As opposed to the other myriad of ways in which you're used to wasting time."

She rolled her eyes. "Great. I have an asshole of a roommate and a stalker with anger management issues. Am I back in high school or what?" She laughed at her own joke, since no one else did. "Seriously, though. What crawled up your ass and died?

"I assume your question is meant to ask why I'm acting this way toward you. If so, I think it's clear that I find your actions to be extremely illogical and emotion-driven."

"I mean, yes? I am a human, as you so often like to remind me. According to you we're all a bunch of thoughtless idiots who only got this far because we're the exception, not the rule."

"Your kind hasn't given me ample reason to think otherwise."

Metchi rolled her eyes. "Jeez Azelf, way to be the heart of the party," she said, shaking her head. "You know what you need?"

"No, and I'd rather not get that answer from you."

"You need to get laid."

There were a few moments of silence, followed by the most confused she'd ever heard Azelf sound.

"Ex…cuse me?"

"Yeah!" She clapped her hands together. "Trust me, I know your type. You're clearly waiting for another dashing legendary Pokemon to come and sweep you off your feet, teaching you the real meaning of love and how not to be a fucking asshole."

She wasn't sure if the silence that followed was due to Azelf being too surprised by her words or too offended by them.

"Let's see, what would be a good match for you?" Metchi stroked her chin contemplatively. "I think a bright eyed optimist would be best, since your opposite personalities might attract and you could learn from each other! Ah, so romantic…"

"Metchi, this is the most painful conversation I've ever been a part of. Please stop."

"Fine, fine," she sighed, leaning once more against the cold of the wall. "What a wet blanket."

"I don't have time for your foolishness, girl. Furthermore, that was not even close to what we were discussing before."

"Yeah I know, you just can't waste an opportunity to badmouth my species." She stared daggers at the empty room. "Look, my point is, you keep acting surprised every time I do something stupid or illogical. It's like you haven't met a human in… I don't know, hundreds of years."

There was a long silence, followed only by the rustling grass outside.

"That's because I haven't."

It was a good thing she wasn't still eating the sandwich, or she would've choked on it.

"What?" she asked, incredulous. "You can't be serious."

"I always am."

"But..." She furrowed her brow. "That doesn't make sense. There are tons of stories and legends about the Lake Guardians helping people all throughout history, even outside of Sinnoh. Laniel, the Slave Knight, Vera the Thread of Fate…" She listed the names of the heroes off the top of her head, without trouble.

"If you paid more attention to those stories you would realize I'm in none of them. My siblings are the ones who enjoy your kind's company."

She ran the list through her head again, trying to remember the details. There had to be at least one myth about a human bonding with Azelf, right?

"Mesprit is enamored with humans. Addicted to the praise they give it and sees you as entertaining at best, and toys at worst. Uxie thinks it can do well for your species, and constantly tries to influence a worthy champion to change the world for the best. Idealistic idiots, the both of them."

Feeling raw emotion through Azelf's words was almost impossible, since it had no actual voice. But at that moment it hit her entirely. Anger, sorrow and something deeper that she couldn't quite make out.

"So… you haven't bonded with a human ever since Nyss?"

Five heartbeats went by before Azelf spoke again.

"Only once."

Part of her wanted to ask, but she knew it would've been a bad idea. It was clear Azelf didn't want to talk about it, and pressing the matter would only make things worse.

"Then… why are you still one of the guardians?" she asked. "You're supposed to be the protectors of humanity's spirit, but you seem to hate us."

"How about you? You're trying to save everyone, even though you don't have friends or a home. Do you enjoy this job? Does it bring you pleasure and levity?"

"No, but someone has to do it," she argued. "And besides, I don't hate the people I want to save."

"That's irrelevant. You have a duty to perform, and ambition to carry you forward. Your feelings and your past don't factor into it."

Metchi placed her bandage-covered hand on her knee. The persistent itch of dirt and grime stung through the broken fabric of her jeans. She would've done anything for a scalding shower, save for murder. Her gaze moved outside, toward prettier things than the concrete box around her.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"That sounds like a shitty way to live," she said to the empty room.

Azelf didn't refute her, which said more about it than it desired. A strange pulse grew from her insides, burdensome. It tugged her shoulders down and made her drowsy. Exhaustion.

"I'll focus on healing you further. Don't bother me again."

She nodded absentmindedly, choosing not to remind Azelf that it had been the one to bother her first. Pale gold evaporated from her eyes, bringing back their usual blue. The warmth left too, alerting her to just how cold it was.

Mist spiraled into a few strands of pale grey as she exhaled. It would be a harsh night to sleep through. Looking toward the window she caught that orange blur again, and sighed. With effort she pushed herself to her feet, the remaining third of her sandwich on her right hand. She walked to the frame and stopped just an inch from it. The wind carried her voice all throughout that part of the beach.

"You can come out," she said, eyes only half open. "Seriously, you can have the sandwich. I don't care."

No reply. She scratched her cheek in thinly veiled frustration.

"I don't know if this is a pride thing or like… you want to hunt your own food, but you can't afford to keep at it like this," she said. "I'm a big girl, but I can share."

The low rumble of a growl made its way from somewhere close, but out of her sight. Had she offended him?

"It doesn't have to be charity! Look, you help me make a bonfire and I'll give you food. An agreed exchange; that's how society works."

The sound stopped, and a tentative silence set over the freezing air outside. It smelled like sea and fire and frustration.

"It's pretty cozy here. Concrete is good at absorbing heat, you know."

She waited for what seemed like an entire minute, and just when she was ready to give up the Pokemon stepped into view. The flame of his tail burned meekly, with the pale red of autumn leaves. His snout shook slightly, and his eyes were a strange mix of tired and angry.

He looked barely able to keep himself awake, and Metchi had to try hard not to show how bad she felt for him. That would only wound his pride.

She stepped to the side and gestured an invitation. Slowly, he walked towards the frame of the window and hopped in, all the while avoiding looking at her. He stood still for a few seconds, unsure. As subtly as possible she handed him the wrapped meal, which he took after moments of consideration.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" she smiled. "That's how you make friends. And it's also how we're gonna avoid freezing to death tonight."

The shadow of a smile flashed over his eyes. He nodded as energetically as he could, and turned towards a small pile of paper and leaves in the middle of the room.

His fire was weak, but it would be enough to get them through the night comfortably.

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Route 214 - 5PM

Leaving Veilstone turned out to be difficult for reasons other than the gut-wrenching pain in Inyssa's… well, gut.

The whole thing had been rather grim, even with Barry's mom trying to cheer them up. But not even Sarah's unwavering -and she imagined somewhat faked- optimism could dispel her son's shadowed expression. Inyssa had tried her best, too. She even showed him the new and improved Hao, who cracked a few jokes on her behalf. He found it interesting, and even smiled a couple times, but in the end it wasn't enough.

She'd been useless again. Starting to get used to the feeling.

They'd bought their provisions and escaped through the city gates just before they closed them, and now they walked through the middle of Route 214. At their right the massive wall which was Mt Coronet blocked all but a sliver of sunlight, while from the forests on their left filtered a misty, freezing air which turned her hands pale and her skin stiff. The road was built on slightly higher ground, leaving the tall grass and less traveled routes a few feet from them.

Barry walked next to her, hands on his pockets and gaze lost someplace else. A few feet ahead was Pedri, shoulders squared and prepared never to let someone get the jump on his trainer again. At her left Kuro walked lazily, without a care in the world. He nuzzled her leg occasionally, looking for a scratch behind his ear and a treat.

"So…" she said, clearing her throat. "I heard there are some cool Pokemon around. We could go down to the tall grass and see if we have some luck."

He came back to reality in the middle of her sentence, and it took him a few moments to decipher the rest through context.

"I… don't know if I'm feeling up to it right now." He smiled, his eyes droopy. "But I can wait for you here if you wanna go. I could prepare some snacks."

It's not fun without you, though.

Those words didn't leave her mouth, even if they were written all over her face. Still, she couldn't stop trying just after one failure. It was her job to cheer Barry up when he was feeling down, and she'd accomplish her task even if it killed her.

She looked at him, fists clenched.

You're gonna have fun and be happy, goddammit.

"Here, I have an idea," she said, smiling. "We can…"

A flash of light cut her words short. The ground rumbled as a column of flame and smoke erupted from the nearby forest, not too far from them. It climbed the air up toward the sky for a few seconds before dissipating with a dying roar. Kuro almost jumped out of his skin, and the small discharge of electricity he released hit Inyssa's leg, making her flinch.

The heat wave rustled the leaves and grass as it traveled towards them, making their eyes water from the intensity. As silence fell over the route once more she turned to Barry, who looked like someone had dumped a bucket of water over him.

"Do you think that was…" he whispered, eyes flashing gold for a moment.

"Enma," she said, desperation clear in her voice.

"O-oh. I meant Team Galactic."

The bridge of her nose wrinkled as she stared at him, worried. The idiot was trying to put on a facade of bravery even though he was quaking in his… were those things boots? Well, whatever footwear he had on it didn't matter; she would make sure nothing happened to him or his Pokemon.

"Have you guys considered that it might've been something else? Something you don't have to get involved in?"

Hao's voice came to life from the device on her wrist, and she almost jumped from the surprise. It would take some time until she got used to it.

"It never hurts to check," she said.

Barry nodded. "Someone could be in trouble."

"You're killing me, Ni Ni." Hao's avatar shook his head. "Fine, I'll have the emergency beacon ready just in case."

"What would we do without you?" She smiled. "Also stop calling me that."

Barry helped her down to the tall grass, and with caution they approached the opening to the forest, Pokeballs in hand.

The stench of burnt leaves and dirt stuck to the ground as they advanced. It was slow and methodical, mostly because otherwise every step would've felt like an arrow to the stomach to Inyssa. Pedri and Kuro walked at their sides, their senses sharpened to their limits as they formed a shield for their trainers.

It was a good thing they had some sense of self control, otherwise the person they ran into might've been severely hurt.

Pedri extended one fin to stop them, frowning. He gestured in front of them and pointed at his ears. Indeed, as soon as Inyssa concentrated she heard the sound of crunching leaves approaching from the east. Both trainers moved closer unconsciously, ready to unleash the rest of their teams at a moment's notice.

A dark silhouette appeared between the trees, and it stopped as soon as it saw them. Silence wormed its way through the darkness of the forest for a few seconds. Just when her patience was about to run out a voice met them.

"Oh, hello there!"

A woman's voice, probably. Rich like honey, and full of strength. It hit Inyssa like a gust of wind and the simple sound of it eased her nerves without her realizing it.

She walked a few steps, revealing herself to the sunlight leaking through the branches above.

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Barry gasped.

He'd never been good at remembering people. Like most complex things, they tended to slip through the broad cracks of his memory if they didn't leave a lasting impression. Subjects regarding numbers and words? Those were a lot easier, and it was the reason math was the only class Niss had never been able to beat him in.

But she recognized the woman in front of them even before she showed her face. He didn't mention it to Niss out of fear she might think him crazy, but he had a hunch it was her. It was as faint as a sheet of ice, but the moment he heard her voice he knew it was right.

She waved at them, almost lazily. A golden sheet of hair fell from her head towards her hip, one strand covering her left eye.

"It's you!" he said, perhaps too loudly. "Cynthia, right?"

Niss turned towards him, one eyebrow raised. "You know her?"

"Y-yeah, from Hearthome," he said. "I ran into her at the church, that time Fantina invited you to her room."

The woman approached them with such ease that neither Pedri nor Kuro even considered trying to stop her. It was as if she were nothing more than a fallen leaf, dancing down toward them.

"Barry, if I'm not mistaken," she said, smiling. "What a delightful twist of fate to find you here. And you…" Her stormy grey eyes fell on Niss, whose entire body shivered under their weight. "…must be Inyssa, or the Child of Thorns as people have been calling you."

Niss's eyes went wide, and he had to press a hand against his mouth to stifle a laugh. It'd been a long time since he'd seen her so offended.

"Is that really what people are calling me?" Her voice was half a plea and half a growl of anger. "Because if so, I'm walking back to Hearthome right now to shove this Relic Badge up Fantina's…"

"Niss!"

Cynthia's pale lips curled up in amusement, and Barry suddenly felt glad he was already blushing from before.

"There is no need to be angry; I think it's a lovely title," she said, raising her left palm delicately. "Besides, I believe you have earned it. Bought and paid for it, if your recent showings are any indication of it."

Now it was Niss who was blushing. She gulped, probably not knowing how to react to people complimenting her without insulting them.

"The same can be said for you, Barry." She addressed him with a smile. "I can feel the strength of your spirits by just standing here, and I am impressed. I'm sure you'll both grow up to be incredible trainers."

He and Niss exchanged a look which boiled down to:

Was she this weird when you met her?

Weirder, actually.

"T-thanks," he muttered, bowing to her slightly. "But… we came here because we saw that fire and thought someone was in trouble. Do you know what happened?"

Cynthia's brow furrowed, and she let out air through her nose. The childish gesture looked almost comical coming from a woman her age.

"I'm afraid that was my fault." She shook her head, placing her hands on her hips. "I was on my way north when I ran across a lovely fire Pokemon. I might have… gotten a bit too excited about that." She smiled awkwardly. "And I accidentally let her steal an item from me which intensifies the power of fire attacks."

Barry narrowed his eyes. "How do you… accidentally let someone steal from you?"

"In any case, the fire you saw was one of the Pokemon's attacks." Cynthia sighed, ignoring him. "She escaped my grasp, I'm afraid. A shame, because I would've loved to catch her for my team."

"Was…" Niss took a step forward, eyes wide open. "Was that Pokemon a Monferno?"

Cynthia was somewhat taken aback by the desperation in her question. She tried to form a soothing smile and replied.

"I'm afraid not."

Her shoulders fell. "Oh…"

Barry grabbed her hand softly, almost palpably feeling her disappointment. He was glad to be wrong, too.

"Well, I'm glad you could escape that thing safely," he told Cynthia. "Though… it might be dangerous if that Pokemon's still running around with something that makes it so strong."

"Wait, that's it!"

He slightly jumped at the volume of Niss' voice. Color seemed to return to her face.

"We're going to catch that Pokemon for you!" she assured, clasping his hand strongly. "You don't have a fire type yet!"

"What?"

Cynthia clapped her hands together, eyes gleaming with excitement. "Oh, that would be so lovely! I wish I could stay to see both of you fight."

"Hold on, I don't know if…"

"Alright, it's decided!" Niss punched her palm, showing a smile full of determination. "Sorry old lady, but I'm afraid me kicking your butt in a battle will have to wait for next time."

Cynthia raised an eyebrow, amused.

"If you say so," she whispered, as though she knew something Niss didn't.

Barry didn't even have time to protest as Niss grabbed him by the arm and walked into the deep of the forest. He barely saw the outline of Cynthia as she waved them goodbye.

"Have fun, kids!" she cheered. "Try not to get yourselves brutally mauled!"