----------------------------------------

Kangaskhan didn't want to admit it, but she was getting on in her years. Her vision began failing a while back, and there wasn't much she could do to fix it. She was mostly fine with it—she didn't plan on leaving Treasure Town.

She rather enjoyed it here, and loved being able to help a variety of Pokémon with their storage needs. And, if she was being honest, she was pretty good at it. She had to be; she'd been running the place for over forty years after all.

Now, with her son taking over most of the operations, she knew it was in good hands. She'd taught him herself and he'd been doing a fantastic job.

She just wished he'd let go of his rather unfortunate view of some Pokémon. Ever since he'd found out his father had turned to… less-than-legal activities, he'd had a strong resentment toward Pokémon who were the same species as a wanted criminal.

If there was an Arbok on the wanted list, any Arbok would be refused service. It didn't matter how many times she told her son off; he would treat them poorly when she had to take a break.

Damn her aging body requiring more time off. The Sitrus tea Leafeon brought helped her feel a little younger; spritelier. He was such a dear.

The whole situation with her son brought her to today. She'd been horrendous toward a new member of the city and hadn't any idea until her son dragged her back into the shop.

Kangaskhan hadn't meant to be rude. She'd wanted to be supportive of Artemis, especially after her rather long string of difficulties over the last couple of years. And… if she was being honest, Kangaskhan was telling the truth at first. She did want Silvally locked up and shipped away at that moment.

There had been many Pokémon who'd gone out to take on the criminal, only to come back broken and battered. Each new group would pull out all the items they could from their storage in preparation. They would be confident that this time they were going to be the ones to catch him.

None of them were ever successful.

Arceus, some of the teams had given up on hunting outlaws entirely. She knew of at least five Pokémon who'd moved to another continent after getting beaten down. They couldn't chance living in a place where someone like that was on the loose.

And for nearly two years that had been Kangaskhan's only frame of reference. It was no wonder she thought of this Silvally as nothing more than a dangerous criminal—something that needed to be locked up and shipped away. She'd seen too many Pokémon come back battered and demoralized, handing her their materials in shame before slinking away.

Of course, the Outlaw was standing right behind Artemis, beyond her range of vision. And, from what she'd heard from Leafeon, Lucario, Aurum, and several more Pokémon, Silvally was an absolute sweetheart.

She'd heard the children playing a little way from her storage depot, but hadn't been able to see what was happening. What she'd heard though… Some Pokémon had expressed concern and talked about getting the authorities, while others sounded relieved about Silvally's actions.

Lucario's presence also calmed them immensely considering his record of helping in town. That, and using his aura abilities to figure out who'd been stealing from her depot and the market all that while back.

People trusted him, and that extended to his judgement.

That'd finally pushed her into action. She had a Stamina Scarf wrapped around her neck, and in her hands was a single cup of Sitrus tea. The pick-me-up for this early in the morning was definitely needed.

Kangaskhan was waiting outside of the storage depot, right next to the path that led by Kecleon Market. To the north were the fancier houses that explorers and merchants usually lived in.

She kept her ears open for any changes and idly sipped at her tea. There should be two specific Pokémon making their way up the path sometime soon.

The familiar click of claws on the stone brought a smile to her face. Her sense of time was still accurate.

"Oh! Good morning, Kangaskhan," Del, the Delphox, greeted her.

"Good mornin', Miss K!" The Mienshao, Zyra, said.

"Good morning, dears," Kangaskhan said, turning to face the two. "I hope you two had a nice night." From where she was standing, she could barely see the two, though they couldn't be more than a dozen steps from her. Damn her eyes. "I don't suppose I could ask a favour from you, could I?"

"Sure you can," Zyra said. The Mienshao walked right up to Kangaskan and gave her a grin. Del was right beside her, the two hand-in-hand. "Whatcha need?"

Kangaskhan flashed them a smile. Good for them, they deserved to be happy.

"Could you two dears help me to the guild? I need to talk to someone, and, well…" Kangaskhan raised an arm and waved her hand in front of her face. "Old age," she huffed.

"Of course we will," Del said. He swept around to one side of Kangaskhan and offered her his hand. Zyra stepped around to her other side and looped her arm through the older woman's, careful of the tea in her grasp.

"Don't you worry about a thing, we gotcha," Zyra purred.

Kangaskhan was glad to know she was in good hands.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

Silvally yawned, shifting to a better spot on his bed. His eyes followed the trail of sunlight slowly making its way down the wall. Waking up early had its perks. Unfortunately, he couldn't enjoy any of them due to his current situation.

Still, one of the things he could do was draw. And, he supposed, practice rewriting those symbols Artemis tried to teach him last night.

Tried being the key word. Her success was… debatable. At least now he knew what they looked like. None of them made any sense to him, but that was to be expected.

Silvally couldn't deny Artemis was determined if nothing else. She'd written out all the possible symbols on a chalkboard and then just told him what they were. That was… questionably helpful, but he could see what he was working toward.

He had a lot of work to do.

Artemis was far from a patient teacher, however, and her mannerisms could use some work. He'd never say that aloud for fear of drawing her ire. At least she wasn't a telepath…

She wasn't, was she? She did have psychic abilities…

The way Artemis taught seemed as if she thought he'd never seen a book before; like he'd been raised by animals. It was mildly insulting. Of course he'd received an education!

Well... He couldn't remember if he did or not. But he thought he did; it certainly felt like it. Silvally knew things that he was sure he hadn't picked up anywhere in the wilderness.

He just… didn't know how he knew them.

A soft creak from the entrance of their room drew Silvally's attention. He watched the wooden door slowly open, wide enough that the edge of the wood caught against the stone.

Artemis's ears perked up and swivelled around to face the door. She shifted in her bed, angling herself toward the entrance. The noise had likely woken her as well.

A small bat-like creature poked its head into the room and looked at the two. The Pokémon took a breath, and-

"Good morning!" Noibat bellowed.

Both Silvally and Artemis jumped from the thunderous shout. Artemis instinctively whirled her tails around and hurled a volley of snowballs straight at the recruit.

"It's- Wah!" The bat ducked low to the ground, eyes wide. Snowballs peppered the door with loud thunks and whizzed between her ears. If she had been even slightly taller, Noibat would have ended up with a face full of high-velocity snow.

Silvally groaned, the sudden jump straining his mess of a body in all the wrong ways. Artemis leapt to all fours, her fur and tails bristling from the surprise.

"Oh! S-sorry! Habit," Noibat laughed sheepishly. "Um, you have visitors. Outside. Outside visitors. Of the guild." The Pokémon slowly retreated, flinching as snow fell from the door and splattered in front of her. "Hope I didn't wake you- I mean, I did mean to wake you, but- ack! Sorry!"

The little bat ducked out of the room and slammed the door.

…

The door swung open again briefly, and Noibat peeked back in.

"Good morning!" She said. "Again!"

Thud.

Both Artemis and Silvally watched the door closely, waiting for another interruption.

But… nothing happened. It was silent again, save for the ringing in their ears and the sound of their hearts beating from the wake-up call.

"…Gah," Artemis groaned. She stumbled, turned around, and fixed Silvally with an exhausted look. The fur on one of her cheeks was stuck at an odd angle; the other was completely flat against her face. "I swear, I'm gonna freeze the doors shut at night," she grumbled. "Force them to climb through the window to wake me up."

While the thought of being trapped in a room with Artemis was extremely unpleasant, uninterrupted sleep and a solid barrier between himself and the rest of the guild was appealing. If he had any other roommate, he'd probably be receptive to the idea. As it was… The thought of being trapped with her spiked his anxiety.

Silvally turned to grab his Treasure Bag, settled it into place at his shoulder, and made a rather pleasant discovery. He placed more weight upon his back leg. Then he really ground it into the floor, shifting side-to-side. Silvally took another deep breath, and let out a long, slow exhale.

He didn't hurt anymore! At least, nothing that didn't usually hurt. It could have been the obscene amount of Oran berries he ate yesterday while collecting them for the hospital, but his recovery had been pretty linear.

This body was all sorts of weird. A curse and a blessing at the same time.

"Are you coming?" Artemis asked.

Silvally turned and found her waiting in the open door. The snow that had been melting was now long gone, and small wisps of steam rolled from her body. He gave her a nod and fell into step behind her, keeping himself out of her reach.

"Who do you think it is?" Artemis asked as the two walked. She looked over her shoulder to Silvally. "I can't think of anyone we upset recently. Well…"

There was one. Last night. Due to someone's frustration and giving up on a certain literacy lesson.

"Maybe Emerald, the librarian? I only set fire to a few papers, and put them out right away. I don't see why she'd be upset…" Artemis trailed off. "Oh, Arceus, did the library burn down?"

Silvally wasn't sure if it was possible, but Artemis seemed to pale. How she managed that with near-white fur was a mystery to him.

The two made their way to the top of the guild and stepped outside. A quick glance around revealed no one at the top of the stairs. Instead, they were all the way at the bottom, near the crossroads. At least, it seemed that way, considering the trio looking up at them.

"Oh, okay, I didn't burn down the library." Artemis breathed a sigh of relief. "That's Kangaskhan from the storage depot. And those two… I've seen them around town and the guild. I wonder what they want." She glanced at Silvally and then gave her version of a shrug.

The descent down that massive staircase was entirely too quick. Silvally's thoughts flickered between his previous interactions with unknown exploration teams and the only time he came close to meeting Kangaskhan.

Neither had been friendly.

Still, he wasn't going to jump to conclusions, though he was more than ready to defend himself. He took a breath to rid himself of his nervousness… or at least stuff it in a corner and ignore it for the moment.

No feelings. Just neutrality. Stay calm and think things through.

"Good morning," Artemis greeted. "Is everything alright?"

Artemis stepped off the path and came right up to the trio. Silvally kept himself further back, observing them all.

"Good morning, you two," Kangaskhan greeted. "I'm sorry for bothering you this early, but could I speak with you, Silvally?"

Both Artemis and Silvally were taken aback by that. Why did she want to talk to him? Especially after what happened the other day—not really the best first impression.

Silvally nodded, and sat down, fixing his gaze on the older woman. He was willing to hear her out, even if most Pokémon wouldn't give him the same courtesy.

…

There was a long, awkward moment of silence. Kangaskhan waited for a response from Silvally, while Silvally was waiting for Kangaskhan to continue.

"He nodded, Miss Kangaskhan," Artemis spoke up. "He's not big on the talking thing."

"Oh, sorry, dear. My eyes aren't what they used to be. Old age, I'm afraid." The older woman gave a wistful sigh. "Oh, yes, where are my manners? Thank you, Del, and Zyra. You don't have to stick around and listen to little ol' me, I know you have your own things you need to do."

"Are you sure? We don't mind," Del said.

Zyra made an affirmative sound and planted her hand on Del's head with a soft smack. She grinned at the "Ack!" of surprise from the fox, and the frustrated huff he let out.

"Oh shush. I'll stay right here and you can do your thing. If you really want to, you can come back and help me home," Kangaskhan replied.

"C'mon Del, let's go grab a request real quick," Zyra said. She'd already grabbed Del by the wrist and started dragging him up the stairs. Quite literally. He was facing backward, being pulled along by the fighting-type, up the steps.

Artemis and Silvally both watched the duo disappear over the top of the stairs, Del still struggling the whole time.

"Right, where was I?" Kangaskhan asked. She squinted and turned to face Silvally, bringing her hands together and holding her mug close. "Silvally, I… Would like to apologize. I said some things I regret, and I didn't know you were there. I wanted to support Artemis and I went about it the wrong way."

Silvally sat quietly, watching the older woman. Her fingers tightened around the mug, and she turned her head away as if embarrassed or ashamed.

"What I said, I… I've heard things about you from many Pokémon over the years. They came back hurt, so I had poor thoughts of you," Kangaskhan said. She tapped a foot on the ground anxiously and drummed her claws on the cup. "I think a lot of Pokémon around town do- did. They used to."

Silvally winced. His talons curled up and started carving into the ground.

He'd been defending himself all that time. He always held back when he could so that they wouldn't be hurt too severely. And that was after he tried to run from them. All he wanted was to be left alone, and despite his best efforts, it still came back to bite him.

Why? What did he do wrong? What should he have done differently?

"I heard what you did for Aurum, and for the hospital. Leafeon talked to me about some things too, and I heard the fun the kids were having. What I said… I regret entirely. I was mortified when I learned you were there," Kangaskhan gave a soft laugh. "Of course, my son dragged me inside and closed the gate to 'keep me safe', or so he says. I'll talk with him about that, but…"

The old Pokémon leaned in closer but remained respectful of Silvally's space, which he greatly appreciated.

"I'm sorry for what I said about you. You are a good Pokémon and a good person. You're always welcome at the Depot," Kangaskhan said. "I, um, hope this doesn't seem insincere, but I did put together a little kit of sorts for you, if you would like it. Just some exploration supplies and extra things I had around the place." Kangaskhan smiled and stood up a little taller. "Sorry I don't have anything fancy for you, dear."

Silvally remained quiet, listening to her words. He shifted in place, multiple feelings racing through his mind, a swirl of confusion, concern, and anxiety filling him. He thought they hated him—other than a select few.

Now some Pokémon actively wanted to help him?

What was happening? He didn't understand; none of this made sense. These 'civilized Pokémon' were so confusing.

Still, this older Pokémon made the trip all the way out here just to apologize to him, because she learned she'd said negative things about him to his face. She didn't have to do that. Then she went and prepared him something as well.

Kangaskhan seemed genuine, and it sounded like she regretted her actions. He… Didn't know what to say. What would he want someone to say to him if he was in her position?

"…It's okay," Silvally finally said. "Thank you." He coughed lightly and grimaced, working his jaw. Stupid body.

Both Artemis and Kangaskhan blinked in surprise. Evidently, they hadn't expected him to say anything, let alone thank Kangaskhan for the gift.

Time to surprise them further.

"Thank you for- for say-" Silvally coughed, cleared his throat, and tried again. "I forg-" His voice broke, and he let out a frustrated growl, clenching his jaw. Silvally tried again with no success and broke into another coughing fit. He brought talon up to his neck and rubbed at it, a low huff escaping him. Finally, he managed a soft "It's okay," the sound barely more than a whisper.

The only thing this Pokémon had done wrong to him was say something rude. She apologized, so there wasn't really anything he couldn't forgive. Kangaskhan was willing to try, and he appreciated that. She'd even put together a kit for him; she wasn't a bad Pokémon.

"Oh, you poor dear," Kangaskhan said. She looked down at her near-empty mug and hummed. "You know what? I know just the thing for that cough of yours. You should go talk to Leafeon about his Sitrus tea, it does wonders. Actually… Tell you what. Why don't you both come by tonight and I'll make you some? And don't you worry, it's not a bother at all."

Silvally blinked; it was his turn to be stunned and caught off guard. She was inviting him to her home just like that? To make them tea? Things were progressing far too fast. What was he supposed to do? What should he say? Was he supposed to say no? Or was he supposed to say yes so he didn't seem impolite?

It seemed like Artemis caught his hesitation because she stepped in for him.

"That's very sweet of you," Artemis said. "We're not too sure how today will go, but we'll try to make it by sundown if we can. Please, don't stay up waiting for us, just in case today takes a rough turn."

Silvally appreciated her stepping in, though he hoped her talking for him wasn't going to become a regular thing. He was caught by surprise when, instead of ignoring him, Artemis turned and gave him a little tilt of her head.

"Oh, of course!" Kangaskhan laughed. "I know how things can go with you explorers. The world's a scary place sometimes, and I'm glad you two are around to help us."

Artemis gave a neutral answer just in case they couldn't or didn't want to go. Silvally wasn't sure if it was for his benefit, Kangaskhan's protection, or Artemis's regular answer to invitations.

A pair of footsteps from the stairs of the guild drew their attention.

"We got the perfect one!" Zyra shouted from halfway up the stairs, holding a piece of paper up. Del was stumbling down the steps after her, trying to keep up with her near run down the slope.

"Why are you yelling? They're right there-ack!" Del tripped and stumbled down a few steps, managing to catch himself on the Mienshao in front of him. He clung to her, allowing Zyra to do all the legwork.

"You all good, Miss K?" Zyra ignored her partner and came to a stop near the trio. "Want us to help ya home?"

Del gracefully removed himself from Zyra's back and stood upright, acting as if nothing had happened.

"You two dears have wonderful timing," Kangaskhan said. "I think we were about done? If you don't mind, that would be wonderful."

Silvally looked between the three, confused. This was the third time he'd seen Pokémon in town willingly helping one another. Did they only help their own?

Why didn't they help him when he needed it?

Why was he different?

Pop!

"Heya!"

Del shrieked and leapt backward from Mew. The sudden appearance and the mental greeting terrified the poor Delphox.

Artemis jumped, and fire flickered between her jaws. Her fur stood on end in an instant, leaving her a little more fluffy than usual.

Silvally jumped as well, and, as if by reflex, changed his type. Electricity zipped over his fur and various parts of him started glowing yellow.

Kangaskhan gasped and jolted backward, the sudden move causing her empty mug to fly into the air.

Zyra immediately dropped into a combat stance, her fur whips at the ready, and paws raised. She was too focused on Mew to notice the mug that dropped from the sky and bounced right off her head.

All this caught Mew off guard, who let out a little surprised gasp of her own, the sound reverberating through all their minds. She turned around in a quick circle, taking in her surroundings.

"What the- Mew?" Artemis asked.

"Artemis!" Mew whirled around with her arms spread, her tail flicking around happily.

"Mew?" Silvally asked.

"Silvally!" Mew turned toward him and gave him a big smile.

"Is that Mew?" Kangaskhan asked, squinting at the pink blob before her.

"Kangaskhan!" Her mental voice was a little more uncertain, but she still recognized the older Pokémon.

"Mew?" Both Del and Zyra asked at once.

"I don't know you, but you two!" Mew cheered, pointing at the duo.

…

"…Nope," Del said. "Come on Kangaskhan, let's get you home." He shuffled toward the older Pokémon, facing Mew the entire time. He blindly grabbed for her hand, missing repeatedly. "Let's go, Zyra, I don't want to tempt fate today."

"Wha- But Del! It's Mew! Aren't ya even a lil curious?" Zyra asked. She looked between her partner and the legendary Pokémon, torn.

"Nope, not at all!" Del started pulling Kangaskhan away while walking backwards. "I've heard stories. I know what happens when you tangle with myths and legends. You're going to get turned to stone, or… or sent to an alternate future, or transformed into a ghost! I want nothing to do with it!"

Mew turned to face Artemis and Silvally, and gave them a sheepish grin. She raised her paws in a helpless shrug, then turned back around.

"Del, you're being paranoid!" Zyra called.

"No, I'm being reasonable," Del replied. "Sorry, Mew, I don't mean to be rude, but I'd like to stay far from all that."

"Del, this could be a once-in-a-lifetime thing!"

"I'd like it to be a nonce-in-a-lifetime thing, thank you!"

Silvally looked at Mew, then turned to Artemis. Mew was giggling to herself, and Artemis had a smirk on her face. Apparently, these things were not normal. That was good to know.

Though how far from "normal" this was had yet to be determined. Unless he had somehow stumbled his way into the "weird Pokémon" category of civilization. That would be his luck too, wouldn't it?

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

"What? But Del, I- You can't just- Gah!" Zyra clenched her paws, growled, and then took off after the Delphox. "I'm gonna kick your ass, Del!"

Silvally sat quietly and watched the three Pokémon disappear into Treasure Town, both Del and Zyra helping Kangaskhan along.

"…I teleported to the crossroad to avoid causing a scene," Mew giggled. She twirled around to face Artemis and Silvally. "I missed you!"

The little pink Pokémon darted forward and buried herself into Artemis's neck, nuzzling against the fox. Artemis's nine tails curled around and fell over Mew, burying her in a blanket of fluff.

"I missed you too, Mew. It's good to see you again," Artemis said. "Hope you've been keeping out of trouble."

"What? Me, trouble? Never!" Mew replied. She let out a little giggle that definitely didn't inspire confidence in her answer.

Mew managed to wriggle her way free of the ocean of fluff that was Artemis's tails and floated back. Her tail gave a little wriggle when she turned to face Silvally, as if ready to pounce.

Silvally fought back a grimace and tensed. He waited for the speeding blur of pink to hit him. But… Nothing happened.

"Don't worry, I didn't forget. Is it okay if I hug you, Silvally?" Mew asked. Her tail curled around, and she held it in her paws, giving it a little squeeze as she looked at him. "If not, that's okay too!"

His sudden nervousness over being tackled and touched faded. Instead, it was replaced with an odd appreciation and warmth. He recalled her fondness for physical contact, and how gentle she was last time.

Surely, he could do it for her. After everything she's done for him, he could put up with a little discomfort.

Silvally dipped his head in a nod, and braced himself for the impact. Instead, Mew slowly floated over to him, watching him closely for… something.

One of her little paws reached out to brush his fur, but he held still. Then her other paw pressed against him. When there was still no negative reaction, Mew shoved forward and nuzzled herself into his fur, her small body pressed against his neck and chest.

It was uncomfortable having someone so close to such a vulnerable spot. It was potentially dangerous, but… he owed it to her. She helped give him this chance to work toward his freedom. Toward a life where he didn't have to look over his shoulder every minute. Where he could live far away from all this.

Then, her paws started to brush against his fur, and Mew started to purr. Her tail coiled around one of his forelegs and squeezed gently.

It was… warm. And that gentle brushing motion against his fur… Something felt right about this. Sure, it still felt wrong having someone so close, someone who could lunge at his throat and try to end him. But, at the same time, it felt…

Different. Unfamiliar, but not in a bad way.

Slowly, Silvally raised a foreleg, hesitating. Then, he moved his leg to return the hug awkwardly, earning himself a surprised squeak from Mew.

"Are you okay?" Her words echoed in his mind, her tone soft.

"I'm okay," Silvally breathed.

Mew pulled away seconds later, wriggling herself out of his grip. Silvally realized he'd been tense through the whole hug, and took a breath to relax himself.

As uncomfortable as that whole thing had been… it wasn't as bad as he remembered. It was warm and felt… secure? Like when he managed to find a secret room inside a forest dungeon and built himself a fire.

He didn't understand.

"How are you feeling? Is your leg okay? Are your ribs bothering you?" Mew asked. She started to fly circles around Artemis and Silvally, looking over them both. "What about you, Artemis? Not hurting anywhere? You didn't sprain your tails?"

Silvally shook his head and stood on all fours to demonstrate that his leg was fine. He didn't really want to start running around to prove that he wasn't in pain, because he was—he still ached from that surprise in the morning, and the recent scare from Mew.

So, instead, Silvally reared back on his hind legs and stood tall. He balanced himself upright, looking down upon Mew and Artemis.

…Were they always so small? Silvally quickly realized that, besides his appearance, other Pokémon might be wary of him because of how large he was. Sure, there were probably other Pokémon bigger than him, but those seemed few and far between, and didn't seem to live inside Treasure Town.

Curse this body.

Silvally dropped back down to all fours, looking at the two stunned Pokémon.

"I'm better," Silvally explained. Realizing that could be taken the wrong way, he turned and gestured to his leg and lifted a paw from the ground.

"I'm fine, Mew. The worst thing we ran into was a mud trap," Artemis huffed. "Despite my brush with death, I survived."

"Ack! Your poor fur!" Mew scrunched up her face and poked out her tongue. "I wanna hear all about what you two were up to this week once we head out."

"Head out?" Artemis asked. "We haven't picked a request. If you had something else planned, today won't count-"

"I've got my own request! Which reminds me! I'll be right back, I need to go bribe- er, talk, with Wiggles," Mew giggled, and pulled a sheet of paper out of thin air. Then, with a pop, she vanished.

Not even two seconds later, a terrified scream from Chatot could be heard through the guild windows. Wigglytuff's excited cheer followed soon after.

Silvally glanced at Artemis, and she looked back at him.

"What do you think she's up to?" Artemis asked. Then, she blinked, and cleared her throat. "Er…Don't tell anyone she said she was going to bribe the Guildmaster. Just… for legal reasons, that was a joke."

Silvally nodded.

The duo waited patiently for Mew, their eyes on the guild. They heard Chatot's voice from far away, but couldn't make out what he was saying. He seemed to be getting louder and squawked a couple of times.

Moments later, an enthusiastic cheer erupted from Wigglytuff. It was loud enough to startle the Wingull and Pelipper on the beach, causing them to soar overhead.

Pop!

"We have permission!" Mew cheered. She held up a paper with the Guildmaster's stamp of approval on it and performed a little loop in the air. "I knew it would work! Here you go."

The paper fluttered out of Mew's paws and floated over to Silvally. He raised a talon to catch it and awkwardly manipulated it to look at it. Then, he blinked and turned it to face Artemis, who let out a soft huff.

Silvally's ears folded back at that.

He was going to learn eventually; it was just going to take time. He had to associate all the symbols of this new written language with the one he knew. Maybe he could make some sort of cheat sheet or a little translation page.

Mew caught sight of the little exchange as well, and her tail tip flicked with curiosity, but she remained silent.

"…Mew, did you really?" Artemis asked. She looked disappointed, though she was smirking, turning away from the paper to look at Mew.

"Did I what?" Mew asked. She twirled around, acting as if nothing was wrong. The lilt in her voice betrayed her innocence.

"You wrote up an escort mission to Apple Woods, but listed it as a guild resupply."

"Yes? Everything is all there, officer," Mew taunted. "I even have the stamp of approval!"

"You actually bribed him with Perfect Apples, didn't you?"

"No, I just said that if we found them, I'd get as many as we could carry!"

"That's called bribery."

"That's called friendship!"

"Mew, that is literally bribery. I'm surprised Chatot isn't throwing a fit right now."

"He tried." Mew grinned, and her eyes flashed a lighter blue. "Besides, the Guildmaster approved it, which means it's very official and authentic."

"Because you bribed him!"

"Because I friendshipped him!"

Silvally listened to the two bicker and caught sight of the wide smile on both of their faces—they were having fun. Silvally's ears swivelled to track the two as they darted back and forth, Artemis chasing after Mew.

This was… Not unpleasant. If this was to be a recurring thing once every few days… Well, maybe this wouldn't be so difficult to get through after all.

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

The trio wandered through Apple Woods, Mew's teleportation turning an hour-long walk into a two-second blip of dizziness. They'd jumped straight from Treasure Town to the forest, so the sun was still just barely in the sky.

"Teleportation is cheating," Artemis huffed. "We have to walk for hours and you don't even need to touch the ground."

"Then learn to teleport and fly, silly!" Mew replied. "It's easy, you just do this!" Mew blinked out of existence, appeared on Artemis's left, and performed a flip as she flew over her. "See?"

"I can't teleport or fly, Mew." Artemis rolled her eyes, fighting back a grin.

"Have you tried?" Mew asked.

…

The silence that followed just further proved Mew's point. She twirled out of the way when Artemis swatted at Mew with her tails.

Mew giggled at the little huff Artemis made and floated ahead for a moment. She glanced up at Silvally, who was leading their group through Apple Woods, and then turned her attention back to Artemis.

With a quick thought, Mew severed the mental link with Silvally, leaving only herself and Artemis connected.

"It's just us talking now, Artemis. Are… things okay?" Mew asked. "I know I didn't have a lot of time to ask the last time we talked."

Artemis blinked, and Mew could feel the brief flash of confusion from her before she settled back in.

"Yeah, things are okay. I'm not sleeping as much, and don't have coffee because one of the major shipping docks was destroyed. Hopefully, that will be fixed soon. Other than the whole… this," Artemis gestured to Silvally, "everything is pretty normal. Kind of."

"I meant with you. Are you okay?" Mew clarified. "With everything going on, I know you've had your fair share of changes too."

"I… yeah. Yeah," Artemis sighed. "I'm missing home more than I thought, which is funny because it's just down the road. Can't go there, though. I'd rather not show him where my house is. I know that everyone knows where I live, but I just… I don't want to risk it at the moment."

"Artemis…" Mew sighed. "He's not a bad Pokémon. I'm sure if you-"

"Mew. I am not letting him anywhere near my home," Artemis ground out. "Mom and Dad left it for me, and I don't have much of theirs to begin with. I need to keep it safe and clean if- when they come back." Artemis let out a breath, steam rolling upward from her jaws.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just-" Mew cut herself off. "Right, sorry, bad topic. I… Sorry, Artemis." She curled her tail around and held it in her paws, giving it an anxious little squeeze.

The topic of Artemis's parents was something Mew tried to avoid. Everyone knew they'd been gone for a while, even other legendary Pokémon. Their disappearance caused a near world-wide search for about three weeks, and then it just... stopped. Despite two of the most well-known Pokémon in the world going missing, life went on. It was old news to most at this point.

The topic still caused Mew's heart to clench a little tighter.

For Artemis though, she had to live with that every day, not knowing if her parents were okay or not. No notes, no clues, no goodbyes. Nothing to give even a glimmer of hope. Just silence and a lack of progress regarding their whereabouts.

"It's… It's okay. Sorry I snapped at you," Artemis sighed. "I… It's hard to-" She cut herself off again.

Mew could feel the internal struggle within her, flitting between the desire to tell her everything, or just clam up and keep quiet.

"…What about you?" Artemis suddenly asked.

"What?" Mew tilted her head, and her tail gave a curious little flick.

"Are you okay?" Artemis added. "We haven't talked in a while, and I have no clue what you've been up to."

"Oh!" Mew blinked, then hummed. "Well, normally I'm making sure the forests are healthy, or visiting my children and grandkids-"

Artemis inhaled sharply and choked.

"Grandchildren!?" Artemis spluttered.

"Yes?" Mew let out a little giggle. "How old do you think I am?"

"Well, I used to think maybe forty-something-" Artemis was interrupted by another laugh from Mew, who performed a lazy twirl in the air. "How old are you?"

"Oh, you know…" Mew completely ignored the question with a wave of her paw. She also ignored the little growl and eye-roll from Artemis. "Oh, and I helped Moltres with some ghost-types trying to swarm his island. Easy stuff."

"Is he-"

"He's still very upset about the volcano," Mew giggled.

"Look, he said it was under control. It wasn't," Artemis huffed.

"He brings it up every time he sees ice and snow."

"Oh, that big feather-brained baby," Artemis laughed. "You beat down some big important bird once, freeze his volcano, and now he won't stop crying about it."

The two smiled and shared a moment of laughter, falling into a much more comfortable silence. They continued following after Silvally, watching him to make sure everything was alright. Other than the occasional snack of apples or berries, he kept going without pause, leading them through the maze-like forest with precision.

Mew hummed softly, realizing that Artemis was reluctant to talk about how she'd really been. She'd admitted to loneliness and being homesick, but she kept away from what bubbled under the surface and seemed to be truly bothering her.

It made sense. Mew hadn't seen her in nearly five years and saw her parents maybe three years ago. Things changed. People changed. Artemis wasn't that bouncy little Vulpix anymore. Not that she wasn't aloof to strangers in the first place, and she'd been going hard after outlaws even in the earlier days of her guild training. But now…

Well, Mew wasn't exactly a close friend of hers now. She had to establish that connection again, somehow. What better way to do that than being brutally honest with her?

"I didn't really answer your question, did I?" Mew asked, catching Artemis's attention. "I guess… my biggest concern recently was you two."

Artemis's questioning gaze prompted her to continue.

"For about… twenty-five years, everything has been pretty peaceful."

"Ha! Peaceful? You should come get a job for the Expedition Society," Artemis let out a little chuckle.

"I'm serious!" Mew laughed, then bopped Artemis over the head with her tail. "When we finally beat D-" she cut herself off there. "When the Tree of Life was finally saved… that was it. The world has been relatively safe and stable. Other than natural disasters, there's not really anything to worry about." She glanced at Artemis. "Nothing world-ending to worry about," Mew clarified.

"Oh, well, we can't have that. Why don't we go visit Jirachi and wish for something exciting to happen?"

"NO!" Mew shouted.

Artemis flinched back from the volume, and Mew laughed nervously.

"Ow," Artemis grumbled.

"Oops, sorry. Let's try to avoid anything like that. Please?" Mew squeezed her tail anxiously.

"I thought that was just a myth," Artemis admitted. "Do I need to be worried about that?"

"It's very real. It's just, well, it probably wouldn't work," Mew admitted. "I'll take boredom over some world-ending thing any day. Boredom is good." Mew huffed, and took a breath, shaking away her nervousness. "Okay, where was I?"

"The world isn't in danger?" Artemis supplied.

"Right!" Mew pointed a paw at Artemis and smiled. "With everything stable, I'm just… I guess gardening? Yeah, that fits!" She performed a celebratory loop in the air and giggled. "So, new things are exciting. You and everything we did when you were a Vulpix was exciting because it was new! And Wiggles invites me out on adventures sometimes, and that's always a mess!"

Artemis laughed with Mew. They both knew just how… eccentric and excitable the Guildmaster was.

"After I caught Silvally and looked through his memories-" Artemis frowned at her. "I don't normally do that! I was just curious about the helmet and things spiralled!" Mew defended herself from Artemis's gaze and crossed her arms in a huff. "Anyways, after everything I saw, I just… I had to help. I couldn't leave things like that. And then you were involved, and I was worried about you too. Then Wiggles was, well, himself, and put you two together. Then I had to worry about you fighting."

"Hey, it's okay. I… You don't need to stress about us." Artemis softened her gaze and looked away for a moment, conflicted. "I did what you asked."

"What do you mean?"

"I gave him a chance. Just one. And… well. He's got issues," Artemis said bluntly. "But… he's doing better than I thought, and I…" Artemis huffed and looked away. "I don't think he needs to be locked up. Not yet, at least. It hasn't been that long; he could be faking it."

Mew could feel the conflict within Artemis. The swirling mess of thoughts all combatting one another.

Part of Artemis still wanted Silvally locked away from people, and herself, so she wouldn't have to deal with him again. Another part of Artemis seemed to think with cold logic and facts. Her time with Silvally led her to believe he would likely be fine. Probably.

"What issues?" Mew asked. She once again found her tail in her paws.

"He spaces out often; talking is painful; he is visibly agitated and nervous near others," Artemis listed. "He refuses to leave the helmet behind and takes it everywhere, even if it doesn't make any sense. He can't read Modern Rune, and he won't let me near him. He's always shying away, and the one time I did touch him, he had a panic attack over it for some reason." Artemis huffed in frustration. "Oh, and can't forget the townsfolk that blatantly hate him."

Before Mew even had the chance to interrupt and start prying answers from Artemis, she continued.

"But… he listens well. He doesn't intentionally cause issues. And, he doesn't steal food like most Pokémon from the wild do during their first few months," Artemis sighed. "Then he goes and plays ball with children in the middle of town, and he's completely relaxed. He even stopped one of them from being hit in the face. He was very gentle with the kids."

Mew bit her tongue to keep from interrupting the begrudging positivity. She wanted to ask so many questions but remained silent.

"Things don't add up, Mew. They don't make sense. So, I got a copy of his file; I'm going to try to read through it, maybe it'll explain some things," Artemis said. "Oh, and before you ask, no, I didn't take him to go after outlaws. I'm not stupid."

"Was that for him, or for you?"

"…Both."

Mew frowned, and her tail gave a little twitch of irritation. Still, she could see the logic behind it. Regardless of the reason, not putting Silvally into a situation like that was the best scenario.

"Look, I don't care if it's selfish; I'm not doing it. He's already reluctant to fight wild Pokémon coming after us. I doubt he'd take well to going after someone who could try to convince him they're innocent. And, well, I'm worried he might have partners out there that would take the chance to jump me together," Artemis explained. "I'm not risking it. It's for his benefit too: no fighting and nothing too stressful."

"…Thank you," Mew replied. "I know it's probably not easy, but it means a lot that you're trying."

"Yeah, well, it's my job," Artemis huffed. "I'd still rather not be here at all. I want to go hunt down more criminals, or… or just go out for a week-long dungeon surveying trip. Anything to keep me busy."

"I know. Is there anything I can do to help?" Mew floated lower, right in front of Artemis, and watched her closely. "Something I can do to make things easier on you both?"

Mew almost immediately regretted her decision when Artemis's eyes snapped to her, and a grin made itself present on her muzzle. That little glint in her eyes… Something bad was going to happen. Mew recognized the signs of a sly vixen trying to pull a fast one on her.

"Yes. Yes, there is," Artemis purred. "How's your teaching?"

"…What?"

~{O}~{O}~{O}~

After delivering their "definitely not bribe apples" Mew unceremoniously teleported them to some hill in the middle of a grassy field. Artemis sprawled herself out, enjoying the lush grass and the soft breeze.

Artemis didn't actually know where they were. It didn't feel like the Grass Continent, and there was almost nothing recognizable around. Those trees and mountains in the distance suggested the Water Continent, but she wasn't completely certain.

"You know this isn't the horrific thing you think it is, right?" Mew giggled and poked her tongue out at Artemis. "All you have to do is read to him, and let him follow along."

Artemis huffed and rolled her eyes, but remained silent to avoid interrupting them. She eyed Mew and Silvally, both lying down on the other side of the hill. Mew was actually lying down in the grass, a short distance away from Silvally.

A book was floating in front of them thanks to Mew's abilities. Artemis squinted—it was a children's book. In fact… It looked like the one Mew had brought for her to read years ago when she was little.

Mudkip's Big Adventure.

She liked that story.

Artemis shifted around in her own patch of grass, kicking her legs out to get comfy, and turned her gaze to her own reading. It was decidedly less exciting, but far more important.

Silvally's files.

She'd managed to convince Mew to keep him busy and teach him to read. Not that it took much convincing—Mew seemed absolutely ecstatic at the request. But now Artemis had the chance she had been waiting for. If Mew hadn't shown up, it probably would have involved a lot of late nights and frustration.

Artemis flared her psychic-type energy, pulled the papers free from the metal tube, and laid them out in front of herself. There was a lot there, which seemed contradictory to the insanely light punishment he received.

These files better explain everything, or Artemis was going to… well, she didn't know yet. But she'd figure it out, and it wouldn't be pleasant. Probably.

Artemis flipped to the second page. The first page was always full of warnings and security clearance things—classified documents and the like. Boring. Hopefully, this wouldn't take too long.

"Alright, let's see," Artemis mumbled, peering at the page.

Name: Silvally

Species: Silvally – (New Species*)

Date of Birth: Unknown – (Memory Loss**)

Origin: Unknown – (Memory Loss**)

First Reported By: Team Dusk

Hazard Level: (4) – (Note: Recommendation to reclassify to Hazard Level (6) has been submitted to the Expedition Society)

Known Associates: None

Observations: Nervous; Jumpy; Reluctant speech; Composed under high stress and adrenaline; Highly observant; Undernourished(?)*; Capable of functioning with minimal rest; Type-Shifting*; Physically resilient; Mentally resilient; Skilled survivalist; Skilled combatant; Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder(?); Aversion to caves(?); More to be added as daily reports from the Wigglytuff Guild are received.

* New Species – Silvally appears to be an undiscovered Pokémon. His body is composed of a variety of materials, both organic and inorganic. Memory analysis and explorer reports indicate this Pokémon is capable of changing his type at will. Pages 4 and 5 contain renditions of Silvally with estimated physical dimensions. Species regularities are unknown at this time.

** Memory Loss – Silvally displays signs of extreme memory loss. He is unsure of his own name. There is no information available regarding age, origin, education, family, friends, interests, preferences, history, or talents (beyond those displayed in the wilderness). Mental blocks, memory purging, memory wiping, psychic resistance, mind linking, and memory replacement have been ruled out. Nothing exists prior to his two (2) years of life on the Grass Continent.

Artemis looked over the page several times, just to make sure she was reading it right. There it was, right in front of her.

Extreme memory loss.

Artemis hadn't really believed Mew when she said there was nothing there. That was just… hard to believe. Even her Dad had remembered his name and that he was supposed to be human. This was after being struck by Darkrai while going through a rift in space-time, and then washing up on a beach. He'd regained his memory as he went along.

But, Silvally?

Now she had both Mew and Metagross confirming it.

Nothing. No memories of parents, family, or friends. No known associates, either. It was entirely possible he was alone out there for two years of his life.

That was…

"Fuck," Artemis murmured.

Sure, she enjoyed her long trips out to other continents; going out to explore the wilderness for a week straight without seeing anyone. At least she had family and friends to go back to, and cities to visit. People to talk to, things to do, and not stressing about when or where she could sleep or eat.

But a straight stint in the wilderness for two years while on the run?

Artemis realized she'd have to be more patient with him. He'd be experiencing all aspects of civilization for the first time. Arceus, he probably hadn't even had a proper conversation with someone before all this. At least, not with anyone that wasn't actively hunting him down.

Then another thought came to her.

Did he really have no one? At all? Other than Mew, who's been known to him for a short time. They'd talked and been around one another… what, two, three times?

And, Artemis supposed, herself. Not that she was a willing participant in everything happening. She'd still prefer not being his babysitter for three months, but it was her job. Though, she could probably be a touch more lenient.

Her ears flicked back a little, recalling her interactions with him the first few days. She made a complete ass of herself, didn't she? Trying to goad him into acting out, or just insulting him outright.

Artemis took a breath and shoved all those unpleasant feelings and memories to the back of her mind. She would just be better. More patient and more pleasant. Despite his criminal past, he was still a Pokémon, and probably not the worst person she could be stuck with.

Yes, that was it. No need to stress about what happened earlier. Maybe she would apologize down the road, but there was no need to bring it up so soon. Artemis would just need to be more patient and understanding.

Simple! Probably. Maybe.

She huffed and flipped to the other pages.

Criminal History

Summary: Evasion of Capture – 713 Days; Assault on Exploration Teams – 57; Resisting Arrest – 72; Theft of Expedition Society Property – 1; Premediated Assault – 3

Sentencing: Supervised Community Service – 3 months

Explanation: Due to Silvally's circumstances (Memory Loss**) it is reasonable to assume that he was unaware of the Expedition Society and standard operating procedures. 95% of crimes were committed in self-defense and reduced due to memory loss.

- Evasion of Capture (713 Days) is reduced due to memory loss. Silvally sought safety from harm, not escape from punishment.

- Assault on Exploration Teams (57 Counts) is reduced due to memory loss. In all but 3 cases, self-defense was the cause of harm to Exploration Teams.

- Resisting Arrest (72 Counts) is negated due to memory loss. Escape without physical confrontation was the goal in most cases. Silvally was unaware of the legal obligation to comply.

- Theft of Expedition Society Property (1 Count) is charged in full. Silvally took Team Dusk's Treasure Bag after rendering them unconscious.

- Premediated Assault (3 Counts) is reduced due to memory loss. Silvally did not seek the victims out. Once he was aware of the Exploration Teams tailing him, Silvally prepared traps and ambushed them.

Artemis blinked at the page, narrowed her eyes, and read through it again. Her heartbeat sped up, and her tails swished in agitation.

This… that couldn't be right, could it? That didn't make any sense. Was she given an incorrect copy? Maybe someone else's files wound up with his.

Artemis leafed through the pages to confirm that, yes, this was Silvally's file. It even had several drawings of him, just like the second page said.

"…What happened?" Artemis whispered.

He wasn't aware of the Expedition Society or any legal obligations? Did no one talk to him, or even try to communicate when they ran into him?

Then there were all those injuries. Those were all caused by self-defense? Every team sent to the hospital, or returning bruised and defeated; he wasn't even trying to hurt them?

In the near-dozen times she'd encountered Silvally, he almost always met her head on. He'd wait in a clearing and watch her approach. Sometimes she would catch him off-guard and try to bring him down quickly.

There was only one time when he'd laid a trap for her intentionally, and all she could remember was the series of explosions from Blast seeds.

Did anyone even talk to him? Tell them the reasons they were after him?

Did she?

…

No, she didn't. She'd taunt him, threaten him, or tell him to surrender. Not once did she mention why. Artemis just assumed he knew why. After all, what kind of criminal would be on the run for two years and hunted without knowing what they did wrong?

That would be impossible. That would…

That… No. Fuck.

Maybe the details of the encounters would explain things more. She really hoped they did—something to calm her rising concern.

Artemis frantically leafed through the pages, going back to the very first encounter. All the way back to Team Dusk's run-in with him nearly two years ago.

Details of Criminal Events:

Note: Team Dusk has been requested to the Treasure Town Police Station for further questioning and clarification. Details will be updated after Psychic Memory Analysis has been completed and the evidence has been compared.

Encounter Location: Endless Beach – 17F

Encountered By: Team Dusk – Poochyena, Stunky, Sneasel (Skorupi was not part of the core team at the time.)

Details: Team Dusk was sent on a mission to chart and explore a (then) new Mystery Dungeon. The Pokémon within the dungeon consisted of only Water and Ground-type Pokémon. Team Dusk first encountered Silvally in the 17th section of the dungeon.

This was Silvally's first encounter with an Exploration Team, and the Expedition Society. Silvally heard their speech, sought help, and approached the three. (Note: Silvally's memory loss is important in the following events. This is Silvally's first time encountering non-wild Pokémon and individuals who can speak.)

Team Dusk's written records (Psychic Memory Analysis was not mandatory for another 7 months) detail that Silvally growled and made feral noises at the group. Silvally's memory confirms speech at that time was difficult and near-unintelligible (reason unknown – possible explanations: Silvally's helmet limited his speech or muffled his words).

Team Dusk, claiming fear of imminent attack, struck first, listing the use of Silver Spikes, Iron Thorns, various Dark-type moves, and claw attacks. Silvally's version of events are impossible to corroborate due to a limited field of vision at the time (reasoning unknown – possible explanations: Silvally's helmet limited his field of view).

During the battle, Silvally attempted to escape. Team Dusk surrounded Silvally, forcing him to fight—this is legal for combat with wild and feral Pokémon to avoid being outnumbered.

Following the battle, Silvally retreated with injuries and left the unconscious forms of Team Dusk behind.

Artemis couldn't feel her paws—they were cold; numb. There was a tightness in her chest that gripped her firmly. Her heart thrummed, and her mind raced, taking everything in at once.

This… That couldn't be right, could it?

Artemis read through the page once more and could feel her core growing colder. Something was gnawing at her insides. Something dark and unpleasant.

Silvally tried to ask for help.

That was it. Silvally tried to ask for help and was attacked for it. He defended himself.

Was that all it took? Was that why he was wanted?

All because he needed help?

Artemis looked at the date of the encounter, then glanced at the memory loss details. He'd been wanted for seven hundred and thirteen days. Silvally's memories only went back roughly two years.

Artemis felt her blood run cold.

Silvally would have been alive for maybe twenty days at most before everything happened. Twenty days of life before being labelled a criminal. Twenty days wandering around, confused, with a metal helmet strapped to his head, unable to remove it.

Twenty days of being alone, and lost, before his life changed forever.

All because he asked for help.

It all made sense now. Everything she'd been questioning clicked into place, and her whole body went numb with her realization.

Silvally's refusal to leave his helmet behind because it was all he had.

His nervousness around other people—all he knew is they tried to hurt him.

The refusal to attack wild Pokémon first, because… they might need help, just like he did.

How he'd tense up around her and was unable to look at her for long. Why he'd shy away, and refuse to let her touch him. His panic at-

Artemis froze. Her heartbeat was thunderous. Her chest was tight, crushing her insides, making it impossible to breathe. The world around her faded from focus, yet she took in everything. She stared through the paper in front of her, unable to concentrate.

She'd hurt him.

And Silvally was innocent.

Artemis had chased him down and attacked him over and over again.

All Silvally did was try to ask for help.

Artemis hunted him. She burned him. She froze him. She'd hit him, threw him around, taunted him, tormented him, beat him until he collapsed and was struggling to stand. She hurt him until he was screaming in agony, desperate to escape her.

And Silvally did nothing to deserve it. He was innocent. It was a misunderstanding. A miscommunication.

And she'd hated him for just trying to live his life free from pain.

She'd tortured him. Traumatized him. Enjoyed his suffering because she thought-

But she'd never asked, and-

He was innocent!

And Artemis had enjoyed watching him quiver in fear at her presence.

No… No, that's not what- she couldn't have- she didn't mean to- she just-

No. No! No! NO!

She protected Pokémon! She did! She… she helped people, and-and tried to keep them safe! She'd never-

But… she did. She did, and she'd enjoyed it.

Artemis looked at her shaky paws. She could remember her claws digging into him. Feel her teeth sinking into his shoulder. Smell the crimson that soaked into her fur with every encounter, and the scent of burning flesh.

She could hear his agonized cries. The tortured wails. Screaming in pain and agony, trying to get away. Away from her. Away from the fire and claws and teeth and relentless torture over and over and over again.

He just needed help.

Artemis tried to push herself upright, only to collapse to the ground. She forced herself upward once more and staggered, the world around her spinning.

Artemis looked down, unable to feel her body. She was an observer, watching herself struggle forward. Her vision was dark around the edges, and her heartbeat drowned out everything around her. There was a ringing in her ears, a shrill whine that muffled everything.

She felt something press upon her mind, but couldn't make out what was happening.

Artemis tried to say something—tried to say she was going for a walk. She felt her lips and tongue move but had no idea if she'd even spoken.

All she could make out was a cold numbness that filled her beyond capacity, clawing at her insides, sending all her senses into a death spiral.

Artemis put one paw in front of the other. That's all she could do. One step at a time.

She needed to think.

She needed to breathe.

She needed to get away.

Away from him.