Bonefire

A confusing and palpable silence filled the room as everyone looked at each other, shocked by Max's proclamation.

{You're… kidding, right?} Aurora inquired with wide eyes.

"No… no, I'm not."

{This isn't a time for jokes, master.} Scarlet said, not believing him.

"I'm not joking."

{You're... actually serious?} Bonny questioned, lost like everyone else.

"Yes, I am."

Again, everyone looked at each other, realizing that he wasn't joking.

{But… why?} Dusk asked in a very concerned tone. {We all worked so hard to get here and… what about your dream to win the Regional Tournament?}

"I'm sorry, but I just don't have what it takes to be a trainer. I'm careless, dumb and I'm tired of being unable to properly take care of my companions. You girls deserve better than me." Max expressed, looking at the ground.

{...So you're really giving up? Just like that? After all, we've been through?} Scarlet said, sounding upset.

"It's too hard. I'd rather give up on my hopes and dreams if it means you have a better life. Aside from potential death, you have no future with me."

Quickly, Scarlet reached out with her hand, raised his chin, and slapped him across the face.

{Stop it! Stop talking about yourself like this!} She almost yelled. {You know what I'm tired of? You, always belittling yourself, always hurting yourself, always saying that you're worthless and how you don't deserve us! Do you have the slightest idea of how much it hurts me?! How much it hurts all of us?!}

As soon as Max raised his head while holding his cheek, her deep-blue eyes weren't expressing anger, but profound sorrow, crying rivers already.

{Why can't you just understand?} She said while dropping her head, closing her eyes, and clenching her fists. {I love you, Max. So much that it almost hurts. You're the only one I care enough for to say that every day, but when you say things like that, it's like if you're denying that love and spitting it back in my face.}

Again, everyone was lost at words before the scene.

{I've always kept to myself since I know you're suffering from a painful loss, but I can't stand it anymore. If you truly don't care about my feelings for you, then…}

{Don't do it, Scarlet.} Aurora tried to stop her. {It's not his fault. He's just-}

{He's been doing this from the very beginning, constantly selling himself short and beating himself up with harsh words. I swore to protect him at all costs, but what am I supposed to do if the one who's hurting him is himself? Why do you think I tried to kill myself in the first place?!}

Upon hearing that, the others got shocked again.

{You… what?} Bonny inquired.

{Seeing you in that state after Jade's death was too much for me. I thought I was strong, but…}

"..."

{If this is how you want to spend the rest of your days, then I don't want to be a part of it. I'm sorry, but this is where we part ways. Farewell, Max.}

{Scarlet, wait!}

Aurora tried to stop her, but she was already gone, disappearing into the void, probably for the last time. Again, the atmosphere got even worse.

{Well? Don't just stand there! Do something!} Aurora urged Max.

"...Do what?"

{I don't know! Run after her and apologize! Say you'll try to be better! Anything!}

"What would it even matter?" Max said, dropping his hand between his legs with his head down. "She already made her choice."

{So that's it? You're just going to give up on everything you worked for? On Scarlet? Your dream? Your very life?!}

"I just… can't. What else do you want me to say? I'm not good enough."

{...Rhh! I swear, I just want to punch you and send you flying across the room right now.} Aurora snarled.

"What's stopping you from doing so?"

{Alright, that's it, you little-}

Aurora stood up to jump on Max, but Luna stopped her with one arm.

{It's not worth it. He's already an emotional wreck, so do you really want to kick a man when he's already down?}

{I… Ghaa!} Aurora growled, angrily pushing her arm away and went to look outside the window.

{I think it's best we all turn in for the night.} The zoroark said, looking at Max with a disappointed face.

"Good idea. You girls take the bed, I'll be sleeping on the ground." Max announced, looking depressed.

{Don't be like that, there's enough space for all of us.} Bonny pointed out.

"That's not the point. I just want to be alone for tonight."

{Then we too will sleep on the ground.}

"Do whatever the fuck you want, just leave me alone!" He angrily said, standing up before leaving outside.

{Master. Please don't-} Bonny started until he was already back outside. {*Sigh* Things are just getting worse and worse.} She stated, sitting on the ground at the feet of the bed.

{What's… gonna happen now?} Dusk asked, getting anxious.

{...I honestly don't know.} Luna replied, lying against a wall. {If he does quit being a pokemon trainer…}

{Then he will have no use for us?} Aurora finished, still looking outside.

{I'm afraid so. If he's serious about how we deserve better, we might have to seek a new goal for ourselves. Maybe even a new trainer or just… live like any wild pokemon.}

{No… I don't want any of that.} Dusk said, starting to cry. {I want to stay with him.}

{I do too, but what can we do? Surely you don't expect us to stand in his shadow and do nothing for the rest of our lives, do you?} The lucario pointed out.

{Well… if that's what it takes…}

{Come on, Dusk. I know you love him, but that's not a way to live.}

Not replying, Dusk tried her best not to burst into tears.

{It can't be the end... Not like this!} She bemoaned.

{We were putting our whole lives on the line for him, and now he wants to throw away all of our efforts!} Aurora growled in her corner.

{You're being a bit too hard on him. He did the best he could… he just didn't believe that it was enough.} Luna mentioned.

{This goes to show that he just goes along with the first idea that pops in his head. 'This journey is becoming too difficult, so it's time to give up'.}

{It's easy to accuse him, but are we really any better?} Bonny said, with her arms crossed over her legs. {I thought you were more mature after that month with Fushiu.}

{I… tsk. Look, I'm not blaming him for wanting to give up, but I just think he threw in the towel too soon and should have put a little bit more fight into it.} The lucario replied, followed by a brief silence. {I know I've been coming off as heartless recently, but seeing him hit rock bottom like this pains me just as much as the rest of you. That's why I don't want to see him this way. If he gives up, he's gonna prove to himself what he's been saying this whole time; that he really is a loser. We can't let that happen.}

{Those are inspiring words, but what exactly can we do to get him out of rock bottom? We can't just give him a push and immediately expect him to continue.}

{And it won't be much better if we leave him alone, either.} Luna pointed out.

{I know that.} Aurora growled. {But… there must be something we can do.}

{...If we stick to the idea of taking a break here for a while, he might change his mind eventually. I believe it's the only thing we can do.}

{And what if he doesn't? How long are we gonna wait until he makes a move?}

{I'm afraid that I can't answer that. All we can do is wait and see what happens.}

{What a great idea, Luna. Let's not forget the fact that Scarlet decided to leave after telling us that she tried to kill herself, without even giving us any sort of explanation. Yep, this journey really is done for. It was fun while it lasted.} She said, leaving the window to lie on the bed. {Might as well get some rest, we'll have to reorganize our whole lives tomorrow.}

Without saying another word, everyone went to sleep. Luna ended up leaving the room as well, not wanting to be alone and spending the night indoors. Once outside, she spotted Max sitting on the few stairs before the entrance door.

{Beautiful night, huh?} She engaged, sitting next to him. {It's sad to know that with winter approaching as the weather won't be as pleasant as it is now.}

"Yeah."

His trembling speech gave away that he was crying just now. She could still hear a few sobs here and there.

{I say that now, but for me, it won't be that bad. A lot of prey will be hibernating, ready to be gathered.} She added, without Max saying anything. {I doubt Scarlet was being serious, you know. She probably just wanted to be alone for a while.}

"It's understandable. *sob* Who would want to be with a failure like me? My own family didn't want me around."

{But we are your family.} Luna assured, putting a paw on his head, gently stroking his hair. {And we always want you around.}

"I meant my biological one."

{I know, but my statement remains absolute. Who cares about those who don't see the beauty within you?}

"What beauty?"

{This one, and this one.} She said, pointing at his forehead and his heart respectively.

"I doubt Scarlet would agree."

{She does, but she finds it extremely painful seeing you deny that. Just try to imagine if your roles were inverted. Would you like it if Scarlet were to constantly call herself weak or worthless?}

"...I guess not. *Sob* But it's easy for me to answer since it's not true."

{Same goes for you, little pup. I felt her when she said that she couldn't stand not being able to protect you, as you are the one hurting yourself. She can't eliminate that problem like she usually does, so all she can do is just stare, powerless to do anything while watching you destroy yourself little by little.}

"Do I really belittle myself that much?"

{…Would you prefer a lie or the truth?}

"...Nevermind. It kind of answered it by itself."

No one spoke for a short moment afterward.

"So what now? You're not gonna try to convince me to keep going?"

{I may be 31 years old, but I'm not your mother. You do what you think is best for you, but you should do it for the right reasons.}

"Which are…?"

{I'm not the one to make that call, you are. I won't dictate your life and tell you how to live it. Only you can decide what's next for us.}

"How will I know if I made the right choice?"

{You can't until enough time has passed, but you can try to anticipate the consequences by visualizing the future in the long run. Like everything in this world, there is no easy way out nor are there any shortcuts in this life. All you can do is try to avoid its traps and get back up after triggering one. However, if you stop after stepping on one due to the fear of triggering others, you will never see the end of the said tunnel, nor will you know if there might be a treasure waiting for you.}

"Treasure, huh? One that has been stolen from me for a while now."

{And what about those that you've gathered along the way?}

At that, Max couldn't reply and only briefly looked at Luna.

{I won't bother you any longer.} Luna said, standing up. {I just wanted to check up on you. Good night.} She wished before jumping away, vanishing into the darkness of the night.

Max stayed outside for a while longer, pondering on everything. Knowing that it was impossible to think clearly right now, he stood up and headed inside. Now back in his room, he just sat on the ground against a wall and faced the bed, where he could see the girls sleeping.

As he thought about how he managed to get to this point, his eyes were slowly getting heavier until he finally fell asleep. Early the next morning, he had awakened to the soft sound of someone knocking on the door. He noticed that the sky outside was getting clearer, but still without the slightest hint of sunshine.

"Excuse me, sir? I'm sorry to wake you up this early, but there's someone who wants to see you. Says it's very important." Said the receptionist behind the door.

"...Coming."

Still feeling tired, Max stood up with a bit of difficulty. Still dressed, he immediately went towards the door after seeing that the girls were still sound asleep. Opening the door, Max saw the person in charge behind it.

"They are waiting by the entrance."

"Who could be asking for me at this hour?" Max wondered, following the receptionist towards the entrance.

"A nice lady and a butler I think."

"A butler?"

Before he could guess who they were, he arrived at the main hall, where he saw Helene and Mike waiting for him.

"Ah, there you are, Max." Helene engaged, getting closer to him.

"Oh, uh, good morning. What brings me the honor of being visited by you, Miss Spencer?"

"Well, some good news, actually." She started with a smile.

"Oh, really?" Max replied without much enthusiasm.

"Yes. Last night after you left, I called my husband. We talked for a bit regarding you and your situation."

"Okay."

"And he believes that he can help you."

"Help me? How so?"

"Well, technically he's helping all of us, starting with a solution to our home's security against that gardevoir you talked about."

"Are you sure about that? I don't think that will be necessary, that gardevoir has been dealt with."

"Oh, did you and Scarlet talk about it last night?"

"Well, we did talk, but not about that."

"I see. Last night at dinner, she mentioned the possibility of that gardevoir coming back for revenge. She said that she didn't want to expose us to such dangers, so she decided not to stay."

"I see. She has a point, but I'm surprised that she… nevermind."

"Anyway, Aristide said that he will bring someone along to help us come Sunday night."

"He did? Who are they?"

"He didn't specify much as he wasn't sure if they would make it here, but he assured me that if the negotiation goes well, our home would be one hundred percent secure."

"One hundred percent?" Max repeated, a bit astonished. "What kind of person are we talking about? Someone who commands Arceus himself? Or herself? I don't know, actually."

"I guess we'll have to wait until Monday morning."

"I… it's kind of hard to believe, actually."

"Perhaps that's true coming from your perspective. My husband has a lot of connections across the world. I wouldn't be surprised if he managed to convince the F.B.I or a S.W.A.T. team to secure our home."

"Considering how dangerous that pokemon can be, we might need both."

"So, what do you say? Would you like to come back?"

"Well…" Max said, rubbing the back of his head.

"You will be given food, clothing, entertainment, and shelter free of charge. You will also have rooms for yourself and your pokemon, all cared for and cleaned by our maids."

"That's… very generous of you, but…"

"And you can stay for as long as you want."

"I really appreciate the offer, but I don't want to feel like I'm living off somebody."

"Haha. Oh dear, even if you tried to vampirize our fortune, you wouldn't even scratch the surface of it. That is, unless you try to buy an entire continent, which is too much even for us."

"What would I even do with a whole continent all to myself?" Max said with a chuckle.

"You tell me."

"...Well, I still don't know. We would still be exposed until Sunday night."

"It's only two days, I'm willing to take the risk."

Sighing, Max considered the offer.

"I don't want to force you, but it would please a very worried old lady if you accept. What kind of person would I be if I turned my back on someone who really needs it?"

Walking around, Max put some more thought into it.

"If I accept, I want you to give me things to do around the mansion. I don't want to be a burden."

"Strange request, but okay. I wouldn't mind if you took that time to rest as much as you want."

"I feel like I will explode soon if I don't keep my mind busy. There is way too much happening right now."

"I understand."

"...Alright then." Max finally accepted.

"Splendid! I really appreciate that." Helene exclaimed in joy. "Just go get your companions and we'll be on our way."

"I'll go wake them up, give us a few minutes."

"Great. We'll wait in the car."

With Helene displaying a wide smile, both she and Mike left the building to enter their luxury car. In the meantime, Max went back to his room to wake up his pokemon.

"Wake up girls, I got some news."

{Hmm? What is it…?} Bonny mumbled, not moving.

"Helene invited us again to her mansion."

{What? But… Scarlet said that-} Aurora started while rubbing her eyes.

"It might be dangerous, I know. Helene just told me. But she seems to have an idea to make the place fully safe and secure." He explained, sitting on the chair.

{What? How?}

"I don't know exactly, but she said that her husband will bring someone to ensure our security. And from what she told me about them, it's someone who could even scare Qsalyla."

Upon hearing him, Bonny and Aurora looked at each other skeptically.

{I wonder if it's really possible.} Bonny said.

{Why not? There is a lot of Pokemon way stronger than her, not counting the legendaries.} Aurora mentioned.

{Yeah, the pokemon that are hardly seen by anyone.} Bonny stated while moving to sit at the edge of the bed.

"That's why they are called legendaries," Max said. "In any case, I'm kind of intrigued to see who he or she is."

{I will admit that I am curious as to what kind of person or pokemon can assure the safety of all of us on such a huge property.} Aurora said, jumping down from the bed.

{I'm inclined to believe that it's more likely a pokemon we're talking about.} Bonny replied.

"It would make sense, but it can also be bodyguards specialized in dealing with dangerous pokemon."

{I think you're rambling now.}

"Maybe. Well, what do you think?"

{Honestly, I understand Scarlet's worries, but personally, I doubt we will hear from her soon.} Aurora answered.

{That's exactly the kind of thinking that got us in this mess.} Bonny pointed out.

"I'm afraid she has a point. We got careless, and we paid the price. We can't afford to let history repeat itself."

{True.} Aurora conceded. {I guess we could go back.}

"In a sense, it will be safer for us there than here on our own."

{Let's wait to see our 'protector' first before making any assumptions.} Bonny said.

"Let's wake up the others then, Mike and Helene are waiting outside."

As Max was packing his stuff, Aurora awakened May and Dusk.

{May? Wake up, we gotta go.} The lucario asked, shaking the mawile.

Despite her long face, Dusk opened her eyes and lazily moved at the edge of the bed. However, even with Aurora shaking her, May didn't seem to open her eyes. Her breathing was a bit irregular and loud with her body covered in sweat.

{Max? I think we have a problem here.} Aurora announced.

As soon as he raised his eyes and understood what she was talking about, he immediately became worried and quickly moved next to them.

"What's happening to her?"

{I don't know. I'm trying to wake her up, but she's not reacting.}

"Fucking hell, this is not happening." Max cursed, putting a hand on her wet forehead. "Shit, she's burning up."

{It must be a fever.} Bonny guessed.

"No, I can't lose you too. I won't allow it!" He said, grabbing the mawile in his arms and dashed outside.

With Aurora taking the backpack, all three of them followed close behind. Once outside, Mike was waiting outside the car leaning against it when he saw Max running out of the building in panic.

"What is wrong, Mister Max?"

"May, my mawile! She's sick!"

"Oh no! Just jump in. We'll make a quick detour at a pokemon center." He told him while quickly opening the backdoor for him.

As soon as he and the girls got in, Mike buckled up and immediately drove in the direction of the closest pokemon center.

"What happened to her?" Helene asked, worried.

"I don't know. She was like this when we tried to wake her up a minute ago."

"Oh lord. I hope she didn't contract anything."

"I really hope not, because I'll give that bed and breakfast a piece of my mind if she did."

"I'll come with you if it comes down to that."

With Mike driving a little above the speed limit, they arrived at the pokemon center rather quickly. He wasn't even fully parked when Max stepped outside and dashed inside with May in tow. After passing through the automated door, he ran to the counter even faster.

"Help me, please! It's an emergency!" Max shouted before the nurse could say a word.

"Set her down here. I'll do a quick examination." The nurse instructed, moving some items off the counter.

After Max dropped the mawile, the nurse examined her by checking her pulse and temperature.

"Her pulse seems normal, but her body temperature is way too high. We'll figure out what she has and see to it that she's recovered. Do you entrust her to us for medical care?"

"Yes, just please help her." Max urged.

Taking the mawile with her, the nurse disappeared behind another door.

"What did the nurse say?" Helene asked after she joined him inside.

"Her body temperature is too high, so they'll be taking her for medical care," Max answered, his head dropped above the counter.

{She will be okay, Max. She's in good hands.} Aurora assured.

"Seriously, I'm this close to reaching my breaking point. I can't take much more of this." Max growled, with no one saying a thing for a short moment.

"...We can wait with you if it reassures you." Helene proposed.

Not answering, Max left for the waiting room, where he sat and grabbed his face with his elbow on his legs.

[That would be very kind of you, but maybe you have other things to do other than staying with us.] Dusk said to Helene.

"Nothing's more important than this." She replied, walking to the waiting room as well with her high heels.

With Max's companions joining them, they waited for almost an hour until the nurse returned, approaching them with a notepad.

"Well?" Max urged, jumping off the chair.

"I have good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"

"I could really use some good news right now."

"Your mawile's life isn't in danger anymore."

"Thank god. That's a relief. Wait, what do you mean 'anymore'?"

"Which brings me to the bad news. She's been stabilized, but I don't know if it will always stay that way. You see, your mawile isn't physically sick, but some recent mental traumas seemed to have caught up to her mentally, deteriorating her overall health. If you hadn't brought her here in time, she could have fallen into a state of catatonia, or worse, a coma."

Sighing heavily, Max pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I don't know what she has been living through lately, but it proved to be too much for her mental health to handle."

"Between the death of a friend that got killed before her very eyes, her previous trainer coming back to beat her up again, and seeing her family fall apart, I'm surprised this didn't happen sooner."

"Oh my god! Did she really live through all of that?" The nurse asked a bit horrified.

"I did my best to spare her any of that, but I failed in the end."

"Well, if you tried, we can barely accuse you of anything. Regardless, she will have to stay here in observation for a while. We'll give her the necessary treatments and medicine, but it might take a while, as mental illnesses aren't as easy to heal as physical ones."

"Do your best. I don't want to leave her here all alone, but if it assures her survival…"

"Don't worry, she's in good hands. We won't let anything else happen to her."

"As soon as you have news, call me," Helene said, giving her her cell phone number.

"Of course. We'll stay in touch."

With a nod, the nurse walked back through the door again, with a colleague taking her place at the counter.

"They will do everything in their power to heal her," Helene assured with a hand on Max's shoulder.

{Don't worry, master. She'll be back to normal soon.} Bonny tried to reassure.

While rubbing his face, Max did his best to not burst into tears again.

"I suppose there's no point in staying here."

With a sigh, Max followed Helene outside with the girls.

"Will she be okay?" Mike asked Helene when he saw them.

"She'll be alright, but it may take a while for her to get back on her feet. I can't even imagine what they have been through the past few days." She explained while Max was getting back in the car.

"Saying that they've had it rough would be a huge understatement."

"Indeed. Even though we allow them to stay in our home, I wonder if it will be enough to actually help them."

"I'm sure that we'll come up with something if we put our minds to it," Mike assured her.

"You're right. Thank you, Mike."

"My pleasure, lady Helene." The butler replied with a slight bow.

After Helene joined Max in the back of the car, Mike put the car in drive and drove back to Spencer's residence. After arriving and stepping out of the vehicle, they began to head towards the entrance door, with Aurora stopping Dusk, Bonny, and Helene.

"Is there something wrong?" Helene wondered.

{Do you think you can translate for me?} Aurora asked Dusk.

{S-sure.}

"What are you doing?" Max questioned, noticing them behind.

{Just go ahead. We'll join you in a minute.} The lucario answered.

"...Okay." He replied, not in the mood for insisting, before heading inside with Mike.

"What is it?" Helene asked again.

{Ask her if she could reserve a separate room just for us.}

{What? Why?} Bonny asked, confused.

[Aurora asked if you could make a separate room just for us.] Dusk translated.

"I suppose it is possible, but may I ask why?"

{We all love and respect him greatly, but I think Max needs a bit of his own space. Ever since we joined him on his journey, he didn't really get a lot of time for himself.} Aurora explained, with Dusk repeating that to Helene.

"Do you really think that being away from his supportive pokemon could help him?"

{We'll still be there for him, we just want to give him a bit of privacy. He needs to be alone for a bit to deal with his own emotions instead of constantly dealing with ours. But if he gets really lonely one night, we can still join him on his demand.}

{I understand what you're trying to do, but do you think he will see it that way?} Bonny inquired. {In his current state, he might think we want to be more distant from him, especially after what happened with May's previous trainer.}

{If we clearly explain it to him, he should be able to understand as well. It's more of a suggestion than a demand, so the worst he can do is say no. He needs his space, Bonny, we have to give him some room to breathe and take things slow.}

{Yeah, but…}

"Anything you want, my dear friends. So long as everyone is comfortable with that, I'll see to it that the proper arrangements are made to your liking." Helene mentioned.

{Thank you. It will be much appreciated.}

With Helene nodding, all went inside the mansion.

{I take it that you want to be the one to ask him?} Bonny wondered.

{Not really, but if none of you know the best way to tell him, I'll do it and take the blame if he gets the wrong idea.}

{I don't know how you're gonna do that, but you're gonna get sick as well if you keep going on like this.}

{I dealt with my own share of pain for years, so I can manage, but I will admit that it was nothing like what Max is going through. Most of the time, I want to smash everything around me, but I tell myself that there is a time and a place for that. Besides, I doubt any of you would want to deal with my emotional breakdowns.}

{I get it. But try to not overdo it anyway.}

{You got it.}

"Alright then, mi casa es su casa," Helene announced. "Feel free to do as you please, while I go and prepare the second room for you all."

[Thank you very much.] Dusk said.

With a smile, Helene went upstairs.

"Your master is outside in the garden if you're wondering," Mike told them before following her.

{You girls can go, I'll take care of him.} Aurora said.

{Go do what?} Bonny asked.

{We can help get the room ready.} Dusk proposed.

{...I guess.}

With Bonny and Dusk following Helene upstairs, Aurora headed towards the garden area on the other side of the mansion to speak to Max. Passing through a few doors and hallways, she found him through the double glass doors leaning against the patio fence. After staring at him for a bit, she passed through the doors to join him.

{Well, looks like we got ourselves a temporary home.}

"We are more like guests than residents." Max pointed out.

{Helene seems to consider us as more than that.}

"Yet, we are not part of this family. She's not our mom and we haven't even known them for more than a day."

{But at least we have a nice and comfortable place to stay, right?}

"I suppose so."

{Honestly, you should try to look at the bright side of things more often.}

"I'm sorry, but I'm not really in the mood for sunshine and rainbows."

{That's…fine, I guess. But I'm talking about when you're in a good mood.}

"Yeah, I know. I'm never in a good mood, that's why Scarlet left me."

{Well, her reaction was understandable, but I'm sure she didn't leave you for good.}

"Luna already lectured me about that, I don't need to hear it from you either."

{*Sigh* Alright. Anyways, I wanted to tell you something.}

"Hm?"

{First, I want you to understand that I'm sharing this idea because I genuinely care for you.}

"Okay."

{I would like to suggest that maybe it would be good for you to have your own space for a little while, or as long as you need. By that I mean we have separate rooms for you and us.}

Not replying, Max only looked forward.

"I see. That's actually not that bad of an idea."

Aurora was a bit surprised that he took it that well.

{Heh, I admit that I got scared for a second there. I was ready to explain to you that it's not because we don't love you, but the opposite.} Aurora chuckled a bit.

"I guess I'm just tired of taking things too seriously, defending my beliefs, or whatever grinds my gears. If that's what you want and think is the best for everyone, then go ahead. I just don't see the point of having and voicing my own opinions anymore."

{Max…}

"But we'll be living under the same roof, so it's chill."

For a minute, none of them spoke.

{So, we're gonna have our own guardian in a few days, huh? I wonder what we'll be dealing with.}

"Probably someone who has a lot of spare time if you ask me."

{Haha, in that we agree.} She said before another very short silence. {Say, if you gave up being a pokemon trainer, why did you even come here?}

"Isn't it obvious? I have nowhere else to go. Besides, you'll all be comfortable and pampered here."

{Not exactly what I wanted, but sure.}

"What do you mean?"

{I can't speak for others, but I don't especially want to be pampered with gifts or fed high-quality meals or whatever rich people give their peers. Traveling across the region with you and the girls, always getting stronger to face more and more challenges while spending some 'quality' time with you, that's the life I want to live.}

"Like before we came here?"

{Well, I admit that I wish we could skip a few tragedies and live happily anyway, but I'm sure you understand what I mean.}

"More or less."

{Anyway, it's something I should get used to. I mean, if we were to participate in the Rados Regional or maybe even the World Championship, whether we win or lose, we won't have much to do afterward. But if we go further, someday, I would have liked to settle somewhere and live out the rest of our days in peace. You wouldn't have to travel forever, and since I don't really want us to be separated, I'll have to live the same life as you. Sooner or later, we would have ended up where we are now anyway.}

"Makes sense, but I don't want to be responsible for any eventual depression because my life's style doesn't suit yours."

{I mostly shared a preference, not what I must do. Besides, being with you is what matters to me the most.}

Looking at her, Max noticed her blushing and avoiding his gaze. Despite having grown in maturity, she retained a part of the reserved lucario he once knew.

"I guess I could say the same. If I didn't have you or the others…"

{You wouldn't be here, I know. You're really starting to sound like a broken record.}

"I know I have a tendency of rambling on like that sometimes."

{It's okay. I was just kidding. If it makes you feel better, say it as much as you want.} She assured him with a paw on his arm.

"...I'm sorry… if I broke some of you guys' hopes and dreams."

{Don't add fuel to the fire, Max. You already have enough to deal with. For now, just take care of yourself. I realize that maybe what I asked you the other day was cruel of me. Jade's death affected you the most and…}

"What matters now is that we're all in a safe and comfortable place. Well, most of us."

{Have you tried contacting Scarlet yet?}

"No, I haven't."

Suddenly, his face became a lot more morose. Sensing the drop in his mood, she took a chance and brought him in for a much-needed hug.

{She will come back, I'm sure of it. She loves you way too much.}

"That's exactly why she left."

At that exact moment, it was like the emotions he had from when Scarlet comforted him had emerged all at once. Only this time, he was able to release them as he quickly began to cry rivers on Aurora's head and was strongly grasping her figure.

"I didn't want her to leave…" He bemoaned. "I miss her already. I'm sorry, Scarlet. I'll shut up about how worthless I am from now on, I promise. Just please, come back. I need you."

{She will. She just… needed a break.}

"From me?"

{No, I… tsk, poor choice of words. I mean-}

"I'm sorry, Aurora, but I just want to be left alone, not being comforted," Max said, lightly pushing her away.

{I… okay. I understand. I…}

Aurora wanted to tell him how much she loved him and how everything would turn out okay but quickly changed her mind as it wouldn't have been something he needed to hear. She then just left him and went back inside, letting out a discouraged sigh after closing the door behind her.

{Might as well go see how the room is doing.}

After going upstairs, Aurora saw a few maids carrying simple but fancy mattress covers through the hallways. Following two of them, Aurora reached what would be her bedroom with the others. The room was very spacious, filled with eight full-sized beds with the last one getting some finishing touches. Each side had four beds lined up with a huge window in the center of the wall opposite to the door. The room was filled with various pieces of furniture, but they would end up using pretty much none of it.

"There you go, my friends. You are now settled in and you can consider this home as your own. You're free to do whatever you want, as long as you don't destroy the furniture." Helene jested.

[Thanks a lot, Helene, for offering us this opportunity.] Dusk thanked her.

"Not a problem at all, my dear Braixen. You, pokemon, aren't hard to live with and you deserve it. Just rest as much as possible."

[We'll try.]

"Splendid. If you ever need anything, just go see a servant or fetch for me directly." She said before leaving the room.

{Well, we now have our own room. This is actually pretty cozy.} Bonny commented, all three of them sitting on the beds.

{This certainly is a nice upgrade from our inflatable mattresses.} Aurora shared.

{I guess. I just hope we don't get too used to these beds, because we won't be able to sleep on them if and when we decide to leave again.} Bonny commented.

{Pretty sure we won't. So, what are your plans for today?}

{I don't know.} The lopunny replied, dropping her back on the bed. {I'm pretty tired, so I think I'll take a quick nap.}

{Alright, what about you, Dusk?} Aurora asked the braixen.

{I don't know. To thank Helene for hosting us, I think we should lend a hand around here.}

{Good thinking. I didn't like the idea of being a freeloader anyway.}

With Bonny closing her eyes, both Aurora and Dusk left the room. They searched for Helene until they found her in the kitchen, giving a pep talk to the cooks.

"I'm counting on you." She said to them before noticing the girls. "Did you girls need something?"

[Yes, Aurora and I are proposing to help you around the mansion. Is there anything we can help with?]

"Oh, well. I don't have much for you, but if you really want to… since you're a fire-type, maybe you can help in the kitchen, Dusk."

[I would like to.]

"Great. As for you, Miss Aurora… I don't have much for you. I could have suggested you help with trimming the bushes, but your paws won't help much."

{I see.}

"But why so eager to workaround? We have a lot of things you can use to keep yourselves occupied. You have a large LED TV with a selection of vast movies, a library, and video game consoles if you have the physiology for that."

[Surely, but you've allowed us to stay here and even gave us our own room. Helping out around the mansion is the least we can do to thank you properly.]

"I understand your reasoning, but I insist that you take it easy for today. Walk around, get familiar with the place and its residents, and relax. I promise I'll give you some house chores tomorrow."

[...Alright.]

"You are so charming." Helene complimented before leaving the kitchen.

{I guess today will be a 'field' day, so to speak.} Aurora commented.

{She has a point. If we want to help, we should at least know the place better.} Dusk pointed out.

{Alright. Let's just wander across all the mansion until we know it by heart.} Aurora followed before sighing.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, with Max spending most of the day outside and alone with Aurora and Dusk exploring the mansion. No news from Scarlet or the nurse at the pokemon center. At the end of the day, they were now all back together around the table in the dining room, where fancy meals were ornamenting the table. Vicky and Dimitri had joined them, with the sneasel resting her head against one paw and mostly playing with her food in a bored manner.

"Isn't Scarlet joining us?" Helene wondered, not seeing the red gardevoir.

"No. She wants some time to herself for a while."

"I see. Well, do you want to tell a bit more about yourself then?" Helene asked as everyone was munching on their food.

"What do you want to know?"

"Where did you come from? About your family. Things like that."

"My story isn't that exciting. My parents and I moved to the town of Ousa when I was five, mom died when I was ten and I grew up with an asshole as a dad until about six months ago. I never got along with many people for whatever reason and I once dreamt of becoming a pokemon trainer in middle school. After dropping out of high school and flying from job to job, my dad finally kicked me out and I ended up being a pokemon trainer despite myself. No regrets of course, but I kind of gave up the idea back then."

"Why?"

"Because being a pokemon trainer isn't as stable of a career as it used to be, at least here in Rados. Also, who would want to travel with me?"

"Oh, I'm sure there was someone who would have loved to travel with you. You seem to be a very good trainer."

"Everyone has their opinions, I guess."

A bit confused, Helene looked at his pokemon, who showed discouraged faces.

"When I turn eighteen, I want to be a pokemon trainer, just like you." Dimitri enthusiastically said.

"Is that so? Well, if you do, you better-"

{Max…} Aurora cut, making him look at her. {Don't vent on him.}

Sighing, Max looked at Dimitri again.

"You better gather as much knowledge as possible. The more you're aware of what you're getting into, the better prepared you will be."

"Yeah!" The kid exclaimed. "I'll be the strongest pokemon trainer ever! My future pokemon will be invincible!"

"Heh, I wish you the best of luck then. However, keep in mind that your pokemons' well-being is the most important thing. They will happily give you everything so long as you give everything in return. After all, pokemon are sentient creatures with feelings, wants, and needs, just like you and me."

After hearing that, the girls were quite impressed at how well he presented his knowledge. He tried to inspire Dimitri despite having given up as a trainer himself.

"As I've always told you, son," Helene confirmed.

"I'll take care of them so they can be the strongest."

Probably having heard enough, Vicky the sneasel left the table rudely and left the dining room.

"I guess she doesn't like this sort of thing," Max commented.

"Don't pay much attention to her. She has always been like that since she lost Frederick. Don't take it personally, she's just still grieving."

"Aren't we all?" He said, followed by a moment of silence.

"So, hem… how come you ended up with only female pokemon?" Helene asked casually.

Upon hearing that question, Aurora spitted a bit of what she was drinking.

"Is it a personal choice or…"

"It just happened like that, that's all."

"I see. Some peculiar luck you have there. I hope they don't feel too lonely at night." She said, making the girls look at each other a bit nervously.

"They don't. We have our own way of keeping each other company."

"You really are caring towards your pokemon, answering to every need they might have."

"Yup. That's just how much I love them."

"Any potential love interest then?" She asked, making Max go hesitant. "I'm sorry if my questions are a bit too indiscreet, but I'm curious by nature and I love learning about my guests. Feel free to not answer."

"I don't really like talking about my love interest, but what I can say is yes, I've had some past love interests, but they didn't last long."

"I see. I think I get what you mean, but I'll respect your desire to not answer any further. Ah, youth. My husband was also a Casanova. Always ending up in some girl's bed, haha."

"That doesn't bother you at all?"

"He was young and vigorous. He had to 'release' that overflow of energy before settling down if you know what I mean." She said, making Bonny choke a short moment on a piece of food.

"You seem really open about… that kind of subject."

"I'm a really open-minded woman. I would be lying if I told you that I don't mind mildly spicy anecdotes."

"Heh, then I guess we'll get along better than expected," Max replied with a tiny smile.

The rest of the dinner went well as Helene was questioning Max about anything and everything, slowly learning about the kind of person he was.

"Do you need any help with the dishes?" Max proposed as the table was getting cleaned up by the maids.

At one point, a young and very attractive maid even gave Max a smile while taking away his stuff, to which he replied with a shy tiny smile.

"Will they need help with the dishes?" Max asked.

"No, that's okay. You don't have to do it. Besides, they are very quick and well-skilled, so it will only take a matter of minutes." Helene assured.

"Alright, if you say so."

"By the way, your room is ready as well, located next door to your pokemons', making it easy for a quick trip if you ever feel too lonely."

"Thank you."

{I wonder if she suspects anything about our relationship with Max?} Aurora whispered to Bonny.

{Hard to tell. If she does, she doesn't seem to mind it that much.}

{Well, she did say she's very open-minded earlier.}

{To what extent, though?}

{True. I don't really want to risk it. I don't especially love this place, but it's something our master needs.}

{You call him master now?}

{Huh? Did I call him that way?} Aurora asked, slightly embarrassed.

{Yup.}

{Damnit. Your habits are starting to rub off on me.}

{What's so wrong about calling him 'master'?}

{I don't really like that term. I don't feel like we're equal when using it.}

{I see.} Bonny replied, not really satisfied by her answer.

"Well, I guess I'll retire to my new 'room' to see what it looks like," Max said, standing up.

"As you wish. Your pokemon know where it is, so they will guide you."

"Thank you for the meal, Mrs. Spencer."

"Oh, please. Just call me Helene."

"Alright, Helene. And… thanks again for… everything else." He added a bit shyly.

"It's my pleasure, Max. I just can't thank you enough for saving my little boy, and… you seem to really need it. I'm a charitable person, but you can probably guess why I don't invite just anyone who has a bad day."

"So it's mostly because I saved Dimitri."

"Well, for the most part, yes. However, there is something about you that's… I don't know. It's hard to explain, but I have the feeling that you're someone worth being saved or helped."

"Oh. Well, thanks I suppose." Max replied, going a bit red.

"You also remind me of my deceased son in some way, almost as if he's looking at me through your eyes."

"..."

"Anyway, let's not ramble about that kind of stuff," Helene concluded, standing up. "There are some things I need to attend to, so I'll see you all tomorrow." She announced while she, him, and the girls exited the dining room together. "Good night." She wished with a slight bow.

"Good night." Max dittoed.

With Helene going down one hallway, Max and his three companions took the other.

{I'll assume that you want to be alone tonight, but if you ever change your mind, don't be afraid to tell us.} Aurora told Max. {You can even wake me up in the middle of the night if need be.}

"Thanks, Aurora."

{S-Same for me.} Dusk said, not wanting to let Aurora be the only one comforting him.

"I really appreciate it, girls." He said, petting the braixen. "I'll keep that in mind then."

When they arrived at Max's room, he opened the door while Dusk and Bonny continued walking towards theirs. When in, he noticed Aurora standing by the door frame.

{Well… this is a good night then.}

"Yep."

Max noticed how uneasy she was looking and standing still.

"Something wrong?"

{N-No. I just… wanted to say good night, that's all.}

He then looked at her suspiciously.

{I'm sorry.} Aurora said, holding one arm, her ears perked down. {I'm just so worried about you.}

With an amused sigh, Max kneeled before her.

"It touches me deeply, but I'm okay, Aurora, really."

{No, you're not. I can feel it in your aura.} She replied, her eyes getting watery.

Smiling slightly, Max pulled the lucario into a hug, where she began to sob lightly.

"I appreciate the concern, Aurora, but you have nothing to fear. You will still see me again tomorrow." He assured stroking her hair.

{Promise?}

"Yeah, promise."

{*Sob* ...Okay. I'll do anything for you to get better.}

"Try to take care of yourself as well. If we're both drowning, who's gonna save me?"

{I don't care if I drown, so long as you manage to get to shore.}

"Don't say that, Aurora. What's the point of being saved if I'll be all alone afterward?"

{Then we either survive together or drown together.}

"Hehe, I see you also have a bit of a dark side in you." Max jested, breaking the hug.

{*Sob* That's not true.} She retorted, wiping her tears away. {...Sorry. I must look pretty weak right now.}

"No, and never will you. No matter how many times you let your emotions overflow, you'll always be my favorite tsundere lucario."

{I don't know what that means, but I have a feeling that I shouldn't agree.}

"Haha. Good call. Sleep well, Aurora." Max wished, kissing her snout before standing.

{Yeah, you too.} Aurora replied while Max was slowly shutting the door closed.

After standing a few seconds in front of the closed door, Aurora sighed and joined the other girls in their now designated bedroom. Once inside, Bonny was already laying down and Dusk was sitting on her bed, hugging her pillow.

{So, are we going to rethink our lives or…?} Bonny asked, not even turning around.

{I'm still not sure, but what I am sure of is that I don't want to leave him.} Aurora replied, sitting on the edge of her bed.

{None of us want that.} Dusk started. {But…}

{We can't just sit here staring at the ceiling, I know.} Aurora finished. {Rha! This is getting really complicated.} She added, getting slightly impatient.

{...Maybe… we should consider what we wanted to do before we met him?} Dusk suggested.

{What?} Aurora replied, sounding almost upset.

{W-Well, not in a sense we should leave him for good, but maybe incorporate it into our daily lives?}

{...That's actually not a bad idea, but I'm not sure I remember what I wanted to do before meeting him. I was mostly training at the dojo without any goals or a purpose in life. It wasn't until he came and gave me one.}

{You got that right. If it wasn't for him, I would still be back at the lab with no trainer to look up to. I remember the day he chose me as his starter. I was a bit scared at first, but the joy that it brought me...}

{I wish I could say the same, but I kind of got mad and hated him for essentially 'stealing' me out of that dojo. Of course, now I owe him everything for the chance he gave me.}

{...Seems as though we would have been completely and utterly useless without him.} Bonny commented.

{Useless is a strong word, but…} Aurora said.

{But nothing. If it wasn't for him, we all would still be wild pokemon, aimlessly wandering through the woods looking for someone who didn't even want us.}

Aurora and Dusk looked at each other.

{Are you talking about-}

{My parents, yeah. I was almost a year old at the time, but I overheard them talking about me once. They talked about me as if I were an accident, how raising a child would be too much of a burden for them.}

{...I'm sorry to hear that, Bonny.} Aurora sympathized. {You never said anything about-}

{Because you never asked.} The lopunny argued, cutting her off.

{At least you can say that you're wanted by Max. He cares a lot for you.}

{I know. That's why he's the only one I can call family, which sounds kind of weird with the things we do. I wouldn't even know what to do without him.}

{...It may sound inconsiderate, but if it wasn't for him, we probably would have ended up like many of our respective species; finding a mate, going into heat, and procreating.} Aurora stated.

{No thanks. I prefer doing it with master by a long shot, even if it means I can never be a mother.}

They all knew that, but hearing her say it out loud reminded them that being with him would mean not being able to breed and have children. Luckily, they didn't care that much since their love for him was overwhelming, but since they were all female, they felt a little sting in their hearts.

{Let's not forget one thing: Master will get better and he will be back to the way he was before.} Dusk mentioned.

{I highly doubt it. Not the 'getting better' part, but the part about him being how he was before. All the trauma that he has gone through scarred him for life. He'll never go back to the way we once knew him.} Bonny pointed out.

Dusk's ears then perked down.

{Don't do this to her, Bonny. I agree that he will change a little, but don't we all over time? I believe that he will still be the same caring and kind idiot we all loved.} Aurora retorted.

{I hope so.}

{If we all do our part, I'm sure we can save him.}

{Y-Yes. You're right. It's our turn to do everything for him.} Dusk said fervently.

{Exactly.}

On those words, both Aurora and Dusk laid down on their bed as well, shutting their eyes down for the night.

~POVC~

A few hours had passed and Max had still not fallen asleep. He was tossing and turning on the really comfortable bed, trying to control the onslaught of thoughts that were plaguing his mind. He eventually lost patience and stood up, left the bedroom, and walked around the mansion, with the only light source being the moon shining through the windows. He walked for a little while until he arrived in front of a door where he could've sworn he saw a light coming from under it. Curious by nature, he quietly opened the door and saw that it was the library. His suspicions were correct when he noticed a light in the far end of the room, impressing Max with its size and contents. Many bookshelves were efficiently arranged for optimal space, complete with a second floor that was just as organized. Getting more curious, he walked towards the light provenance, wondering who could be up reading books at this hour. He first thought it might be Luna since she was nocturnal, but he was even more surprised when he saw who actually was there.

"...Scarlet?" Max said, seeing the red gardevoir sitting in front of the table with a bright lamp on it, reading a book.

Almost jumping, she turned her attention from the book to look at him.

{...What are you doing up this late?} She asked nonchalantly.

"I could ask you the same thing, but may I ask... What are you doing here?"

{...Reading.} She replied, returning her gaze to the book.

"That's it?" Max replied a bit skeptical.

{Yeah.}

"Alright. What are you reading?"

{A book.}

Max wanted to say something in a sarcastic manner this moment but quickly put that thought aside. She still probably was mad at him for what he did, so he didn't want to provoke her any further.

"What kind of book? Can I see it?" Max asked, getting closer to her.

As soon as Max extended one arm, Scarlet moved the book away, making him look at her funnily. Sighing, she pushed the book towards him before resting her elbows on the table.

"...'Introduction to the Human Mind'." Max read, flipping the book.

Looking at her, Max saw she was looking a bit embarrassed.

"I didn't know you were interested in human psychology." He said, giving her back the book.

{I'm not.}

"Why are you reading this then?"

{Because…}

Not answering, Scarlet only stared at the table.

"*Sigh* I'm sorry for bothering you. I was actually happy to see you for a moment, but then I remembered you didn't want to be near me anymore, so I'm just gonna leave you to your studies. Good night." He wished before turning around to leave.

After a couple of steps, he heard her punching the table moderately light.

{...Because I'm stupid, that's why.} She said in the distance.

"...What?" Max asked, stopping.

{Once again, I thought about what I want without considering others.} She said before Max walked back to her.

"...So you regret leaving me?"

{It's not about whether or not I regret it. You were driving me crazy with your pessimism and talking about being worthless and all that. I couldn't stand feeling powerless by not being able to protect you from yourself. However, like always… I overreacted.}

"...Can't say I blame you. You had the same reaction as anyone else would have had."

{I've read about ten books so far, but they don't seem to help much. I can't even find two books that say the same thing.}

"What are you looking for exactly?"

Hesitant for a moment, Scarlet pushed the book towards him before using her powers to flip a couple of pages. When she stopped, Max leaned forward to read the heading.

"'Trauma & Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence'...Scarlet…" Max said, looking back at the gardevoir, feeling a sting in his heart. "You're… doing this for me?"

{...If I can understand human psychology better and how their minds work, maybe… I can actually help you.}

An emotional surge then grew inside Max, making him shed a few tears.

"I know you don't like to hear me say this, but I truly don't deserve you. You go insane because of me, I care less about you than I should, and I always get into trouble. Yet, you…"

Unable to finish, his emotions overflew and he tried to hide his face.

{You don't have to hide it. I already saw you crying with Aurora earlier and other times, so you know that I won't think less of you for that.}

"I know, it's just…"

{You should sit before you collapse on the ground in a fetal position.} She said while pulling a chair for him.

"*Sob* Thanks," Max replied before sitting. "Sorry. I must look pathetic right now."

{Do you want me to slap you again?} She threatened softly.

"No, I'll stop. Your hands hurt like hell."

{That's the point.}

"I… I'm sorry. If you ever choose to come back, I promise that I won't say anything negative ever again."

{I see that you don't understand yet.}

"Huh?"

{Your words alone are not the problem here, Max. Sure, it's annoying to hear them come out of your mouth, but what hurts me the most is that you actually believe what you're telling yourself. Even if you don't say anything, I can still sense your true feelings. Every bad vibe you have, every ounce of sorrow, I feel it too.}

"...I didn't realize…"

{I'm the Embrace pokemon, remember? A gardevoir's abilities are both a blessing and a curse.}

"I bet that you see it as a curse right now."

{...No, not really. If I never felt your emotions in the first place, I wouldn't have been able to help you. If it were a curse, I would have still known, but I wouldn't have realized it as much. So in this case, it's more of a blessing.}

"...I take back what I said; The entire world doesn't deserve you."

{Same goes for you.} She replied, looking at him with the corner of her eye. {...I also tried to look up any tips for regaining self-confidence, but nothing solid on that.}

"I see. I guess it would help a lot of us."

{However, the more I browse these books, the more I realize how much knowledge I'm lacking. You say I'm smart, but I'm not. Not as much as you may think at least. I know next to nothing about this world.}

"There's not a lot of people who can say that they do."

{If I keep reading, maybe I could understand the circumstances of my past.}

"Not wanting to discourage you, but..."

Before finishing, Max felt that it was kind of a jerk move to say that it might be impossible while she was trying her best to help him.

"...It may be very difficult."

{It's worth a try, but before that, I need to find something to help you first.}

"That can wait. Improving your mental health will make you more efficient at helping me with mine."

{But I won't be able to focus on anything else until you're better.}

"Guess we're kind of stuck here, huh?"

{I can try both of them at once, but then I'll have to use twice as much energy and lose twice as much time.}

"And if I ask what you want, you'll choose me, right?"

{Always.}

Sighing, Max dropped his head.

"I can't really force you to do otherwise, even if I wish I could, just this once."

{Good thing you can't then. The strongest get to decide, and I decide that you're the top priority.}

"Not sure if I should be happy or mad about that."

{Either way, you can't stop me.} She assured, getting back to reading the book.

"That's a Scarlet moment right there," Max said, with the pokemon not replying. "So, does that mean that you… still want to be with me?"

{*Sigh* Yes and no. You know I'll never abandon you, despite what I said this morning, but… I think it's best if we spend some time apart for a while.}

"You think it's best?"

{For us, yes. I can't take your negative attitude anymore, so keeping my distance will prevent me from exploding on you. If I don't hear you, then I can at least stay calm.}

"...Fair enough I suppose."

Scarlet then felt sadness in him.

{Or at least minimize our time together, I don't want to stop seeing you altogether.}

"Half an hour a day?"

{At most, one hour would be okay. Then I could use the rest of my time doing some research with a free mind.}

"...Do you still think we're made for each other?"

{Yes, but we have to play it smart. You know, 'taking a step back,' as you humans say it?}

"I think I'm familiar with that phrase, yes."

{Well, it's something like that.}

Again, Max sighed loudly.

{You're wishing you were someone else right now, right?} Scarlet sensed.

"Reading my mind, are you?"

{Don't even need to, just a deduction from the look on your face.}

"Can you really blame me for wishing to be the perfect mate for you? Having all the confidence in the world and such?"

{In your position, I guess not. But you are what you are, Max, and we have to accept it. Destiny chose that I fell in love with you, and I still thank Arceus or the heavens or whatever that happened. All we have to do now is to take care of each other. That's what a team is for. That's what lovers are for.}

"..."

{I don't want a mate who's overconfident or smarter or stronger. I want you, end of the story.} She said, putting a hand on his closest arm, and Max responded by putting his own hand on hers, gently rubbing it. {Keep in mind that I could say the same about myself. Wouldn't you have liked it if I was a very kind and perfectly stable gardevoir? A philanthropist who is always patient and open-minded? The perfect 'wife' as you humans say?}

"...You're fishing for a no, I know it."

{And you took the bait. I didn't say that to prove I'm right, I just wanted to make you realize what you said was dumb.}

"Well, you are right. I just love you so much that I'm willing to be someone else for you."

{Then you're going about this the wrong way. If you did love me, then you will know that I want you as you are and do your best to keep it that way. I fell in love with you, so please don't change that.}

"...Heh, love sure is a bitch sometimes."

{Finally, we agree on something.} Scarlet concluded before a moment of silence. {You should go get some sleep, you're not easy to talk to when you're tired.}

"Ha, that sounds like someone I know."

{Have I ever pretended otherwise?}

"Tss, you're a piece of work, sometimes," Max replied with a smile. "You always know what to say at the right moments."

{...Glad I could make you smile a little.} Scarlet said, looking at him with a smile of her own, embarrassing him horribly.

"Alright." He said, standing up. "I'll listen to my girlfriend and go back to sleep. Would it… be too much to ask for a kiss?"

{Of course not. I just simply love what it does to you.}

With Max leaning forward, Scarlet raised her head and kissed for a short moment.

{Good night, master.} She wished again, her forehead resting against his.

"Good night, Scarlet."

With a last smile, Max left Scarlet alone and exited the room. Now back in the hall, he closed the door and rested his back against it, unsure of how he should feel about what just happened. Seeing her again did make him happy, but knowing that they won't see each other that much for a while saddened him a little. However, there's nothing he could do about it because she does what she thinks is best and stays true to her beliefs. From the very start, he was impressed at how she was a clever mix of independence and love dependency. She could also be quite pragmatic, a tactician even, but it was always for her own interest and for those she cares for, even if it means endorsing the role of the villain. Bearing those thoughts in mind, Max went back to his room, where he tried to get some shut-eye, hoping to get a good night's sleep for a change.