“The goal of separating two sides that belong together?” I raise my eyebrows in disbelief as I scrutinise the guy in front of me. His hair is as green as a fresh meadow in spring and at least as unruly as my Zoroark’s mane. “Isn’t that excessive?”
“It’s exactly what we need to give the Pokémon the world they deserve. Otherwise, they are ... exploited, betrayed, and abandoned. Every day.” He seems in thought as he reaches for the long necklace with a strange black pendant dangling from the end. “Pokémon need to be freed from trainers.”
He probably sees the world a little more bleakly than I did after Mimikyu was injured. The daily news reports are unpleasant, I can’t deny it. Deaths are soaring every day, many trainers show no understanding and some missteps by the big names at the top add fuel to the fire – but I also know this is only one side of this world. Amethio and his sidekicks all look after their Pokémon carefully and lovingly. Lillie has given her all to save Nebby, and even Lusamine, despite her bad choices, has given many endangered Pokémon a home in Aether Paradise.
“Some of them for sure,” I finally reply. “If we put accidents and wrong actions aside, there are certainly some Pokémon better off without humans. But that’s not true for all of them.”
“You think there are Pokémon that like to live under the control of their trainers? Rather than in freedom?”
“I’m sure there are as many opinions as there are Pokémon in the world.” I shrug my shoulders briefly. My point of view from back then remains unchanged: For me, it’s enough if I don’t contribute to the bad statistics on TV. “All I know is my team belongs to me and it probably wouldn’t be happy if I set it free and expect it to forget about me.”
“Anyone would say that.” The grip on his pendant loosens, causing his arm to fall weakly.
“And if you look closely, you’ll know who’s telling the truth and who isn’t.” I look up one last time at the man, whose short, white-blonde hair makes his gaunt face look even more haggard. “Instead of preaching about a world that doesn’t favour either side, you should think about changes in the right places. Everything else is just ... over the top.”
In the end, I turn away from the stranger and make my way back to the headquarters. There’s no room for me in this place. I can’t share the opinion of this crowd and my wishes won’t be fulfilled if I put down roots here.
Painstakingly, I push my way through the crowd once more and let out a relieved groan as I emerge on the other side. My purchases are intact and the conversation fades into the background. Instead, I turn my attention to my walk back – which eats up a whole twenty minutes of my day. The sun is already casting its last rays of light over the city when I arrive at the headquarters and drag myself inside, exhausted. I don’t encounter anyone in the corridors and the card Spinel gave me allows me to ascend to the first floor quickly, where room doors are widely spaced. On my card stands number seven, so I follow the small numbers stamped into the walls until I stop in front of the right doorway and swipe the plastic card through a reader, which allows me to enter my realm.
Three wide windows on the opposite side let in the last light of the day and the stuffy smell, because the windows have probably been closed for a while, scratches my throat. However, it is clean here, a large bed has been covered with light blue bed linen and a bedside table on each side features a globe to serve as my lamp. My box and backpack have been placed in the centre of the room, so the two shelves and the expansive desk appear bare. Next to it, in a wardrobe, hangs the same uniform that Conia is wearing.
Before I can concentrate on anything else, I have no choice but to make these four walls more attractive. So I clear out the box, fill one shelf, stow my clothes next to the spare uniforms in the wardrobe, place notepads on the desk and look several times at the almost gigantic computer screen, which seems like a foreign object in my world. The two eyes at the top follow my every move, so I nod at them once before they blink. There can only be a Rotom in this shell.
It’s already dark outside when I throw myself onto my chair and look at the distant lights behind the windowpanes. They are bright enough that I don’t need to switch on a lamp. A glance at the clock reveals seven in the evening and the growling of my stomach awakens the desire to push myself to my feet and stroll into the kitchen. However, my body weighs so heavily, I remain motionless in my seat and lean my head back.
Briefly, I close my eyes. The day creeps through my thoughts once again. The encounter with Juniper brings a smile to my lips, while the conversation with the stranger makes the corners of my mouth turn downwards. I can understand his views, but I hope that one day he will realise how much we all benefit from a proper balance. Perhaps these people who are now pleading for separation can one day contribute positively to change. Ultimately, it’s just one of those spectacles you watch from the outside.
“Out...”
A twitch runs through my muscles, so I sit up straight instantly and survey my surroundings. It takes two breaths before I realise it’s a sound in my head.
“We have to get out of here. Unseen, before those monsters catch us,” a honey-soft voice says.
“And then? Come back at dawn so they don’t hunt us? I’ll destroy them if I get out of here! Idiots, all of them!”
Snorts thunder through my skull, and a part of me thinks I’ve heard that sound before. But so many things have been coming at me recently it’s hard to sort half of them out. Each Pokémon has its own sound, its own way of speaking, and many of them I’ve only heard a few times so far. The only creature I’ll probably remember is Nebby. Maybe because it left a different impression than Rayquaza, the Tapu, or even Moltres; maybe because we were talking to each other.
“We should calm down. Humans can be negotiated with...” interjects the soft sound of a female voice.
“Negotiate? Have you fallen on your head?” counters the snappy creature among them. “I’m telling you, we’re not here because they’re up to something good. You should take your kindness and go bury it!”
“I hate to say it, but there’s a point,” someone interjects in a low tenor.
“And this from someone who avoids fights and usually prefers to hide lazily somewhere...” Soundless laughter shakes through my bones. “That’s saying something.”
Swallowing hard, I run my hands over my face before pulling myself together. Wherever these voices are coming from, the best-case scenario is that I find their owners and help them. So I slowly make my way into the corridor. The artificial lighting is so bright it stings my eyes for a moment. I have to blink a few times until I no longer feel like I’m standing in a sandstorm. Then I force myself forward.
“Humans are nothing more than selfish creatures. It was already hard enough to find the good ones in our home. If that plague from outside hadn’t invaded-“
“She has nothing to do with it! You don’t even know her!”
A babble of voices breaks out. Everyone has something to argue, and as I step into the lift to get to the first floor, the volume rises. I want to believe I’m close. But my orientation remains vague.
“I don’t think so either,” interjects the previously most argumentative voice. “She’s kind, a little too gentle for my taste, but a girl with potential who wouldn’t make any nasty plans. She would give her life to help others. Something I have to give her credit for – even if it makes her terribly stupid.”
“That doesn’t change anything!” hisses another creature. “She’s joined the parasites!”
“I already told you she’s not clever! Are you deaf?”
“Please ... calm down. We have to stick together to get through this.”
My steps lead me down one of the still unexplored corridors. There are supposed to be conference rooms somewhere here and the door down to the labs is probably lurking somewhere as well. Maybe I’ll find someone to help me find it.
“As long as you’re arguing, I’m going to curl up in the corner here and close my eyes. It’s been a long time since I’ve been looked at with such curiosity.”
“If you sleep now, people might suffocate you in your sleep. I wouldn’t put it past them.”
“By Arceus, if I wasn’t sitting in this glass box, I’d probably smack you both!”
“We need to stay calm and work together, please!”
The throbbing behind my forehead gets so bad for a moment I have to lean against the wall as my surroundings fade into distorted black flickers. Pressing my lips together, I swallow down the growing nausea.
“Are you all right?”
When someone puts a hand on my shoulder, my whole body jumps. Hastily, I whirl around, a sharp intake of breath in my throat, my eyes wide open – until I spot Spinel. For a moment, he looks just as surprised as I am, before he tilts his head and lowers his arm.
“You look like you’ve met a Haunter.” A faint smile spreads across his features. “Are you looking for someone?”
Clenching my hands into fists, I try to suppress the shaking of my shoulders before taking a deep breath. “I ... hear Pokémon.”
“Right now?”
He takes a step closer and puts his hands on my shoulders again. The warmth of another travelling through my body calms my still racing heart. Yet I can only vaguely nod.
“What are they talking about?”
“They seem to be locked up somewhere and want to escape, but don’t quite know how ... which is why they’re arguing.” The scent of roses reaches my nose, mingling faintly with cinnamon as Spinel leans down slightly and examines me seriously.
“Can you tell where they’re at?”
I open my mouth, but can’t get anything out straight away. It’s only when I break away from his wondrously bright red eyes that my thoughts sort themselves out. “No. I try, but it’s like shouting into the forest, echoing from all sides. I can only guess which direction is the right one.”
It’s a kind of gut feeling that has already put me in an awkward position with Rayquaza in the Lush Jungle. It’s hardly any different here. All I can do is continue to guess blindly, hoping to find the path behind which the answer lurks.
“And right now? Can you still hear them, those voices?”
My gaze meets Spinel’s again and the tension in his expression seems to join the restlessness inside me. But the sounds in my head have faded. The rushing silence sweeping over my senses doesn’t let another word get through to me.
“No... not anymore...”
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》 W H I S P E R S 《
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I can barely keep my eyes open as I try to spread the jam on the toast, awkwardly splitting the slice in two. My breakfast looks as if it has made acquaintance with the cheerful aggression of a Salamence and when I drop the knife clattering next to the tray, I can only put my head between my hands. Last night was far too long.
“I see you regret not going to bed earlier.”
Gentle words nestle against my senses and as soon as I release my head from the darkness of my palms, Spinel moves into view. He sits down next to me, carrying a bowl of fruit and a perfectly prepared bread roll.
“A bit...” I return, my gaze falling back on my breakfast disaster. “But I was ... hoping to find those voices again.”
Instead of answering, Spinel gives a sympathetic hum and I’m almost glad Amethio and the other two aren’t here to provoke an argument with him. After all, he’s spent half the night looking for the Pokémon with me and discussing ways to find them. Ultimately, we were unsuccessful, but for the first time in a long while, I didn’t feel alone with the whispers in my senses. Someone was there. And that someone proved to be a nice guy who was genuinely interested in my ability and eager to help me.
“Did you sign up for your first professor exam yesterday?” With pointed fingers, Spinel grabs a strawberry.
“No,” I sigh as I break a small corner off my toast and pop it into my mouth. “I ... just let the city work its magic on me.”
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.
“I could see that.” He runs a finger through a strand of my hair. “A type change to shake off Alola?”
“More or less.” Telling him about all the things that went through my head would probably bore him. What’s more, we don’t know each other well enough for it to make sense to pour my heart out to him – even if there is something strangely pleasant about his presence.
When he holds out his bowl of fruit to me, my thoughts fade temporarily. “If you want, I can show you where to go.”
I grab a piece of apple in a flash. The delicious sweetness is nothing like the accident on my plate. “You want to come with me?”
“I’ve got some time.”
It’s not in my power to refuse his offer. Castelia City is big enough to get lost in, and even if I have Rotom by my side and can use a city map for safety, walking around with someone sounds a lot more pleasant. Whatever Conia and Zir are doing right now, I’m willing to bet they’re busy. I can’t ask them to spend a bit of time with me to give me a chance to get to know them all better. So I take him up on his offer.
He seems to be able to spend the whole day with me, so we make our way to the research institute after breakfast. Dressed in my uniform, my appearance feels strangely important and although I can’t say I’m comfortable in a knee-length skirt, I can’t say I dislike the overall impression either.
Spinel too remains in the attire that probably characterises him as an admin and although I find the dark blue short cloak almost a little exuberant, Spinel exudes a self-confidence I can’t counter. While I feel like I’m attracting everyone’s attention, he glides through the crowds like a shadow. Now and then he glances over his shoulder to make sure I’m still there and as the distance between us grows, he slows down to fall into line beside me.
“You’re not used to cities? I thought Alola had urban centres too.”
“Probably, but I didn’t have time to push my way through them.” My shoulders slump as I bump into someone and curtly apologise for not paying attention. “When you’re on the run, cities like this go by quickly.”
“Sounds exciting.”
Before I know it, Spinel grabs me by the arm and pulls me towards him before I can collide with anyone again. However, he only lets go when we arrive at a small area near the fountain, whose colourful boundaries look like a small basketball court.
“How about a friendly match?” Slowly, his fingers slide off my clothes before he glances at his Rotom. “The crowd will die down in half an hour.”
He doesn’t seem the type to get into a fight in the middle of so many people and the slightly raised eyebrows and the gentle twitch of the corners of his mouth reveal he’s only suggesting it for my sake. But it’s also a good way of letting time pass and allowing the busy crowd to fade into the background.
“One Pokémon?” While I’m still waiting for his answer, I slip backwards into one field.
“As you wish. We can also send three into battle.”
My team would probably like it if they all got a go. Lately, they only come out of their balls at mealtimes, or when I let them run free for a few hours on the side. There was hardly any room for them in the submarine. Ying has grown too big for me to keep her by my side all the time. Growlithe is too easily distracted and Mimikyu succumbs to exhaustion far too quickly. All that remains is Eevee, whose interest in me is so low he can only be roused for fights.
“I think one is enough,” I finally reply. If I fulfil Eevee’s wish, he might be convinced to befriend me after all.
During the training sessions against the others, Lum proved his skills. Lusamine was a few sizes too big for him, but he often showed courage against Conia’s Golduck. So I dig his Poké Ball out of the barely visible pocket of my black skirt and cradle it between my gloved fingers for a moment. I hope we’ll get along better one day.
Spinel lets me go first, so I send Lum into battle without a word. His puffy brown fur fluffs up briefly before he looks in my direction, realises the circumstances, and swells his chest to face them.
My opponent looks at Eevee for a moment before an almost peaceful smile appears on his lips – as if he is remembering something. Immediately afterwards, he throws one of his balls and what I see in my next breath makes Spinel’s expression more understandable.
Black as night and marked by golden rings in its fur, the mighty figure of an Umbreon looks at us. Eevee could walk upright under it and still have room to move upwards. It’s another opponent clearly towering over Lum, but my partner’s puffed-up tail makes a difference to other fights. He has probably already realised his opponent is one of the many variants he could one day evolve into.
“Ready?” Without further ado, Spinel snaps me out of my musings. He gives me the time I need to mentally adjust to the fight and when I nod, he lets me start our battle.
“Quick attack!”
Lum’s fur seems to build up a little more before he moves. Whenever his tiny paws hit the ground, he speeds up until a soft shimmer flickers across his body and he disappears from sight. Only when he emerges behind Umbreon, ready to throw his body against his opponent’s, does movement enter the field. Without further ado, Umbreon leaps forward, then to the side to avoid Eevee’s attack. In the next blink, it lets out a drawn-out sound that thunders so violently in the ears Lum falls on his backside and presses his paws against his skull.
“Copy them!” A firm, almost meaningless command from Spinel fixes my gaze on his partner, who can’t stop itself from taking advantage of Lum’s temporary weakness and throwing itself against his body with a quick attack.
Torn from his position, Eevee flies back, hits the side and gets back on his paws in the same instant. His provocative snarl only elicits a snort from Umbreon. With his next breath, Lum no longer seems to want to wait for orders.
Bright energy bursts from his body as he charges towards Umbreon and leaps a few metres in front of it. In a gallant half-turn, he smashes the light down on his opponent in the shape of stars – without hitting it. Umbreon’s paws are so nimble it dodges with ease. Every single star smashes into the ground, kicking up dirt but achieving nothing else.
Just as Lum lands on all fours, Umbreon bridges the gap. It throws itself so hard against Eevee he is torn from his paws again, but this time he flies in my direction. Spreading my arms, I immediately drop to my knees to catch him. But he stops halfway, extends his claws and slams them into the sandy training ground. He comes to a halt two steps ahead of me.
“Lum, you can’t just attack!” We need a strategy. Umbreon is stronger than us. We need better cooperation to win. “Try tack-“
He doesn’t let me finish before plunging back into the fray. Towards Conia’s Golduck, he did everything I wanted. But this Umbreon seems to trigger something in him I can’t control. In these seconds, Lum is fighting alone. All I can do is watch.
In hasty leaps, Eevee bridges the distance to his opponent. He actually seems to try his hand at tackle and for a moment, I hope we simply had the same thought. But when he suddenly stops, jumps off and sends his hind legs crashing down on the Umbreon in a double kick, the warning sticks in my throat. Spinel beats me to it.
“Umbreon, foul play!”
Before I know it, his partner raises its front paws, slides Eevee’s legs down too far in a single touch and uses the momentum threatening to yank Lum’s upper body forward to smash a clean kick against its opponent’s fluffy chest with a light jump. The gasping sound of Eevee tugs at me, and when he crashes to the ground and stops moving for a moment, I know he can’t fight any longer.
With heavy steps, I detach from my position and push myself over to Lum. He struggles to get back on his paws, but the weakness in his muscles gets the better of him. When I lean down to stroke his slightly dirty fur, he averts his eyes. His icy rejection settles like a knot in my stomach. Then Spinel crouches down beside me.
“It seems a little wilful,” he remarks, before placing his hand on Lum’s fur and piquing his interest. “It will probably become very strong one day.”
I hope so. His goal is to become strong enough to attract everyone’s attention – or at least Conia’s. Our teamwork is sufficient. Lum usually does what he’s supposed to do when I ask him to. That’s all I get from him, I suppose, and I think it’s okay. I take him along to fulfil his wish. That’s our relationship.
Eventually, Eevee pulls himself to his feet. He has no injuries, is just down from the fight, and allows me to call him back to his ball without protest. As soon as he lands back in my skirt pocket with the others, I knock some dust off the fabric and get into an upright position. Spinel follows my example.
“How about something to drink?” He turns towards a kiosk just a few steps away from us. The waiting line is reasonable. “I could get something.”
“That ... would be very kind of you.”
For a moment, I watch Spinel turn away from me. The next, I settle down on a nearby bench and take a deep breath. A strange heaviness inside tugs at my previously light mood and I think part of me can’t handle unexpected resistance from a Pokémon. The last time no one listened to me, Mimikyu nearly died.
My hands feel damp as I push a few strands of hair behind my ear and try not to think about it. It doesn’t help anyone if I get hung up on past events. Even if I can’t simply ignore the memory and the feeling, at least I have the freedom to think about them briefly. I think that’s a working strategy. A compromise in which I don’t simply repress and yet don’t drown completely in all the mistakes I’ve made.
“Your Eevee seems to love fighting a lot.”
My gaze swings hastily to the side as someone who looks almost familiar sits down next to me. His wild green hair is so long it touches the bench.
“More than you, I’d argue.”
“You’re still lurking around here?” Instead of answering, my shoulders slump and I lean forward.
“I live nearby,” he returns. “You too?”
“You could say that.” I slowly cross my legs and rest my head in one hand. “You saw the fight?”
“From start to finish.” His gaze breaks away from me as he turns to the sky. “It wanted to win that battle so badly, to prove it could be better than an Umbreon. Your Eevee has firm ideas about what it wants to be one day.”
“And you could see all that in our short battle?”
“Those were its words. ‘I’m better than that.’ ‘One day she’ll look at me and hold me in her arms.’” His eyelids lower. “It pines for your love and you ... why do you have this Eevee by your side?”
“Because he doesn’t want my love,” I reply softly. “He’s on my team because he wants to get stronger by my side to please someone else.” A soundless laugh escapes me. “My affection has no value in his world.”
His attention immediately turns back in my direction. His mouth slightly open, he seems to want to say something, but remains silent. It takes a moment before I realise the circumstances between us and my whole body takes a stance.
“You understood what Eevee said?”
He merely manages a curt nod as he folds his hands in the lap of his beige-grey trousers. The three golden, angular bracelets on one side clink slightly, while the leather one on the other conveys the same silence as he does.
“Me too,” I mutter under my breath. “Not all of them. Only certain ones among them. Probably only legendary ones. But ... me too.”
His eyes widen and the throbbing in my chest, pushing my breath across my lips in gasps, clings to hope I can barely grasp. Is there really someone who can understand Pokémon? Even better than me?
“You’re the first person I’ve met with that ability...” His mouth barely moves as he throws the words between us in disbelief, his gaze fixed on me. He believes me without questioning further, so I tighten my shoulders and feel relief flutter in my stomach. “Have you ever spoken to a legendary Pokémon before?”
“I have.” My thoughts immediately turn to Nebby. “It was a ... wonderful creature that promised to help me if I ever needed its help. I think it’s discovering the world at the moment. Maybe it’s back with Lillie too... She isn’t a trainer, but she did everything she could to help it out of a difficult situation. The two of them ended up being friends.”
They certainly did. Lillie always took care of Lunala. They both travelled all over Alola because she wanted to bring it home and no one can deny they both shared deep bonds.
“Friends?” The corners of his mouth droop. “Do you really think they were friends? Or did the Pokémon perhaps just want to settle a debt?”
“I’m sure of it. What makes you doubt that a friendship between humans and Pokémon is possible?”
“The news, the cruel battles, the certainty that many Pokémon want to please their trainers because they’re afraid of the consequences.” He lowers his head. “Can we really say they want the things they do for us?”
Retorts die in my throat. I want to reassure him that these kinds of friendships exist, but I don’t have the words. Maybe Lunala really only offered its help because we helped it.
I barely noticeably shake my head.
I can say my team is on my side.
“Then let me say that apart from Eevee, me and my team are building on each other. My Zoru- ... Zoroark has my back without me ever doing much for her. She took the first step and even now she does a lot more for me than I do for her.” The thought brings a smile to my lips. “Besides, there’s my Trumbeak Coro. When I lost a fight with Zoroark and didn’t know what to do ... he just jumped out of the meadow and threw himself into battle for me. We’d never met before that. He wanted to go on a journey, just like me. And that victory back then was our first step together.”
His head lifts and his grey eyes scrutinise me as if he wants to make sure I’m not joking. He soaks up every word I say and his attention makes me just keep talking.
“Besides, some people are very concerned about the well-being of their Pokémon. Someone gave me a Growlithe because it wouldn’t have been happy on the berry farm where it was. The previous owner knew his Pokémon liked to fight and when I helped him, he realised his partner would probably get a lot more out of life with me.” My face seems to lose its vigour as I exhale gloomily. “Not everything is bad, just as not everything is good. My Mimikyu ... struggled to survive. She was lonely, left behind, and all she wanted was someone to like her. Over time, she learnt to talk and ... as we sat together in an abandoned supermarket ... she was convinced we were less lonely as a duo.”
“You’re saying the Pokémon have a good life in the hands of humans?”
“I’m saying that we live in a cruelly wonderful world.”
Something I only realised when I started my journey. I knew I didn’t want to contribute to the statistics you see on TV. The people I met were always good to their Pokémon. Leaving Melemele proved the ups and downs of the shared world between humans and Pokémon.
Wishiwashi, whose polluted habitat led to mutation.
Lillie, who did everything she could to help Nebby.
Mirra, who was thrown aside like rubbish.
The old man who only wanted the best for Raya.
Guzma, who was worried about his Golisopod in Ultra Space.
The Nihilego, whose manipulation led to Lusamine’s fall.
There are thousands of facets behind every event, hundreds of stories that can be told. Pokémon that are said to evolve out of strong friendship or affection. Some are happy, others are not. Just as it is for some children, some adults, employers and employees. Dividing everything into black and white cannot solve colourful problems.
“I believe to get a better understanding of all this, you need to go travelling and look around. There are many scenarios you can’t believe if you haven’t experienced them yourself.”
A soft hum escapes his throat before he stands up and takes a deep breath, as if he wants to absorb all that has been said. Then he turns to me once more. “Tell me, if we’re doing so well with Pokémon, do they really need to be stowed away in balls? Don’t you think our friends’ world must be small in there? I can’t imagine it being comfortable or warm or nice in a Poké Ball. They’re probably cramped, and it’s dark. Do you think some of them stay sane if you leave them in a ball for years, collecting dust in some storage system?”
I can’t answer. Nobody knows what it looks like inside a Poké Ball. There are a lot of assumptions and many balls have unique characteristics. But I know too little about these little balls to claim the opposite of his statement. Simultaneously, Rayquaza pops into my head. A Pokémon that was freed from an ancient Poké Ball. How long did it wait in there for its trainer and friend? Was the world in which it waited really dark?
“If one day you find an answer to my questions ... will you tell me?” With one finger, he seems to want to loosen the tight-fitting collar of his thin black jumper, which almost disappears under the white shirt. The dark skin briefly peeking out looks unhealthy.
“I will.” My agreement comes with little thought. Finding out more about the world of Pokémon is one of the few fixed goals I’ve found for myself. As a professor, I can deal with anything piquing my interest. Poké Balls are therefore on a constantly growing list.
The corners of his mouth move upwards only slowly before he takes a few steps back, but continues to look at me. “I ... am N.”
“N? The abbreviation for?”
A soft laugh overcomes him. “Just N.”
And with that, he leaves me behind, turns away and heads off. Part of me wants to jump up and follow him. The conversation between us doesn’t seem to be over yet. But before my legs can move, Spinel’s mop of hair comes into view. The low heel of his blue boots shatters the strange farewell and suddenly all my focus turns to my companion.
“Is everything all right?” He holds a bottle of lemonade in front of me, which I accept with thanks. “Who was that?”
“I ... have no clue.” I know his name and appearance, but I’m not sure I can tell who this “N” is. He almost seems familiar, although he’s nothing more than a vague acquaintance. “He sat down next to me and we struck up a conversation. Nothing special.”
“Really?” For a moment, Spinel’s gaze wanders in the direction N has disappeared. He looks after a shadow. Then his world revolves around me again. “We should go. Now might be a good time to sign you up for the exam.”