Decisions

The next morning, Max was on his way to the pokemon center with Scarlet to visit May. Despite the fact that she could just teleport them at any time, he decided to go to Oxgard on foot to get some exercise. They had just reached the edge of the city and were passing by pedestrians on the sidewalk, with Scarlet changing her color to that of an ordinary gardevoir to avoid attracting unwanted attention.

"I really hope she gets discharged soon. I miss pinching her cheeks on that cute little face of hers."

{She must have been feeling really bad if her own physical health deteriorated because of her mood.}

"Yeah. It was kind of an ongoing chain of bad news and tragic events. May is still pretty young and rather sensitive. I think the worst one was with that asshole she had been abused by coming back, opening up an old wound. Bad memories re-emerging and our encounter with Qsalyla on top of that…"

{At least we won't have any more problems with him, ever.}

"If I remember correctly, didn't you erase his memory the first time we dealt with him?"

{Yeah, but I didn't go very deep into his mind so the chances of him recovering were low, but not zero. This time, however, it would take a miracle for him to remember anything about May. As we speak, he's probably trying to remember how to breathe.}

"Good. I hope he forgets and chokes to death."

{Oh my, such anger and hatred. I am almost jealous of you.} She jested.

"I'm sorry, but I have no pity for people who sink that low. Hitting and abusing such a small and cute creature like May, much less a little girl? Unforgivable. It's like kicking kittens."

{I don't know, I don't especially like kittens.}

"You don't? What kind of monster are you?" Max joked.

{I didn't say I hate them either, geez. I just don't care.}

"If you ever come across someone abusing kittens or little pups, can you please punch them for me?"

{*Sigh* Sure. Whatever you say.}

"Thanks."

They then walked a little further without speaking.

"So, have you thought about it?"

{About what?}

"The gothitelle. For, you know…"

{...What will it change if I tell my backstory to someone who probably won't even care? Everything will be the same.}

"I feel you, but… what if she helps us become happier?"

{I already am since I have you.}

"I'll take that as a no then."

Shortly after, they arrived at the pokemon center. Unfortunately, this time, the nurse was already dealing with someone. Sitting in the waiting area, they patiently waited a couple of minutes before she could help them.

"Oh, hello. How are you this morning?" The nurse greeted him when she saw them near the counter.

"Hey. Not too bad, actually. I slept better than ever last night." Max answered, briefly looking at Scarlet.

"Glad to hear."

"Is May getting better? Do you think she could leave today?"

"She should be able to get out today, yes. She's recovered very quickly and should be well enough to go with you."

"Awesome," Max replied with a big smile appearing on his face.

"I also have another piece of good news. The gothitelle we talked about arrived yesterday, late last night, in fact."

"Oh, that's great."

"I also took the liberty to arrange a session with your mawile this morning. Right now, your pokemon must still be in consultation with her."

"Oh, okay. That's nice I guess. How long do the sessions normally take?"

"Hard to say. Since she's not on a tight schedule, she can pretty much take all the time she thinks she needs."

"Damn. It could take a while then."

"If you want, I can go tell them that you're here to speed things up a little."

"No, no. It's okay. If May really needs it…"

"We can always rearrange another session with another time. I recommended Phanny to a few other trainers that seemed to have unhappy or distressed pokemon, but not a lot of appointments were made, so she's pretty flexible."

"Phanny? The gothitelle's name I guess?"

"Yes."

"Pretty name for a pokemon, I must say."

"Isn't it?" The nurse replied with a smile.

{Not as majestic as Scarlet, though.} Max's gardevoir proudly commented.

"Haha, indeed." Max agreed. "Alright. You can tell them that we're here, but let them know that there's no rush."

"Of course." The nurse acknowledged.

Leaving the counter, the nurse went to the back part of the pokemon center while Max and Scarlet returned to the waiting room. Surprisingly, they didn't have to wait for long before they saw the nurse returning with a nice-looking gothitelle and May, who immediately spotted him.

{Master!} She exclaimed, quickly running towards him.

"Hey, Sweetie. I'm so happy to see you." He said as he kneeled to take May in his arms.

{And I'm even happier to see you.} May replied, hugging his neck as hard as she could without choking him.

"Forgive me. The second I mentioned your name, she just couldn't wait to see you." The nurse apologized.

"It's okay. I sort of guessed it would happen." He assured, gently patting the back of his mawile's head. "And you must be Phanny, right?" He said, looking at the gothitelle.

[Yes. Nice to meet you.] The black psychic pokemon answered with a rather melodic voice, bowing slightly.

"The feeling's mutual."

[So you're Max, the pokemon trainer May seems to have such a deep affection for.]

"Yeah. I can't thank you enough for trying to help her."

[It's only natural. I hate seeing humans and pokemon be so sad or angry, so I do my best to change that.]

"Quite noble of you. So, May. Are you ready to go see where we're now staying?"

{Huh? We are not at the bed-and-breakfast place anymore?}

"No, a few things happened while you were hospitalized."

[If I may, before you go, Max, I wish to speak with you for a short moment.] Phanny proposed to Max.

"Well… I guess." Max replied, briefly looking at Scarlet, who didn't show much of a reaction. "Can you wait here for a moment, Sweetie?" He asked May while putting her on the floor.

{You're leaving already?} The mawile sadly asked.

"Don't worry, I'll be right back."

{...Okay.}

After joining Phanny, the gothitelle led him into a small office that probably belonged to her for the time being.

"Is something wrong?" Max asked, closing the door behind.

[No, don't worry. This won't take long.]

"Alright."

[Now, I'm sorry if I sound a bit cavalier, but Miss May and I talked for several hours and she told me a little about you and… I really wish to help you as well.]

"Help me?"

[I would understand if you think it's a bit too soon. Normally, I shouldn't be talking with someone very close to another patient, but given that the circumstances aren't normal, I suppose I could make an exception this time. I'm not forcing you, but I'm confident that I can help you as well.]

"Well… I appreciate the thought, but…"

[She told me that you're a really good trainer and, pardon my lack of professionalism, that's something I like and respect a lot. However, just like her, you haven't been very joyful as of late. She also mentioned a few parts of your past and… I'm sorry, but as I said earlier, I don't like to see someone so hurt and depressed, unable to enjoy life. I personally think you deserve better.]

"Okay then. How much did she tell you?"

[Miss May? I can't really say everything due to a privacy policy, but since the two of you are very close, I know what kind of relationship you and your pokemon have.]

"Oh, great," Max replied, getting embarrassed.

[I don't judge you and there's nothing to be embarrassed about. Pardon my lack of professionalism again, but I personally think it's beautiful. Seeing how love doesn't have a race or species… anyway, let's not lose ourselves. What I was mainly wanting to propose is if you would want to consult me as well.]

"Well…"

Max then hesitated for a short moment.

[Is it because I'm a pokemon?]

"No, not at all. Well, not entirely. I mean, it's not specifically because you're a pokemon, but I just have trust issues in general, that's all."

[I understand. If it can reassure you, it's something we can work on. Again, you have the final say in this, but I really wish to provide aid to you.]

"At least we can say that you take your job seriously."

[I love my job. You have no idea what I had to go through to prove my capabilities as a therapist for both humans and pokemon.]

"I easily believe you, especially since a lot of people still see pokemon merely as intelligent animals."

[I assure you that discrimination isn't unique to humans, but I persevered and managed to get a license to practice psychology. I'm not using my life story to persuade you, I just want to share that I'm someone you can trust, as what I do is very close to my heart.]

Max wasn't sure if it was his intuition or not, but he couldn't help but feel the sincerity behind Phanny's words. He then remembered that certain psychic types like the Ralts line were proficient in sensing the emotions of those around them, and wondered if spending so much time in a close relationship with Scarlet had made him slowly develop the same ability. He would have to wait until later to ask her about that.

"I… just don't want to waste your time if it doesn't work."

[At least I could say I tried if that were the case.]

"Well…"

[I'm sorry if I sound too insistent. I don't mean to, but…]

"I understand, don't worry. You're not the only one with strong beliefs."

[You can take your time to make a decision if you wish. Miss May agreed to see me at least once a week. Maybe you could give me your answer when we next meet if you make a decision.]

"...Alright. I'll think about it."

[Thank you. Just considering it makes me happy.] She happily exclaimed.

"Oh, and by the way. If talking telepathically is getting too tiring for you, you can speak normally. I understand pokespeech."

[I know. Miss May told me about that as well. Thank you for considering that.]

"Alright. Goodbye then."

[Goodbye. May's next session is booked for nine in the morning on Tuesday, see you then. Of course, if you need, you can visit me earlier than that.]

"Next Tuesday, got it."

And with that, Max left Phanny's office and returned to his two pokemon who were waiting for him.

{Anything I should worry about?} Scarlet asked, standing up from the chair, as well as May.

"Not really." He answered as all three of them headed outside.

"Have a good day." The nurse wished.

"Yes, you too. And thanks for everything."

"It is my pleasure." She said, waving at them with a smile.

"...She just proposed to me the same thing you all did," Max mentioned, now outside.

{And what was it again?} Scarlet asked.

"*Sigh* Schedule a therapy session with her and let her get inside my head to see what the problem is."

{If you really don't want to, she can shove her offer up the place I'm thinking of.}

"Don't be rude, she clearly cares about helping others as much as she can. She sincerely wishes for me and probably everyone she sees to live a healthier lifestyle, mentally speaking."

{How can you be so sure?} Scarlet asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know. I guess spending so much time with a psychic-type pokemon I deeply bonded with made me develop a small ability. Well, 'ability' would be a strong word, but more like a honed instinct for that matter."

{I see. So, what are you gonna do then?}

"I don't know. Seeing her so hyped and eager to help me… I couldn't just say no on the spot."

{So you said yes?}

"I didn't say yes either, just that I would think about it."

{...Alright. Personally, I don't see what she can do that I can't, but…}

"She studied and specialized in pokemon and human psychology for many years. No offense to you, Scarlet, but she probably has more knowledge and experience than you for that."

{Pfft. I've read a few books about psychology.} Scarlet retorted, sounding offended.

"So you're implying that you can help me by saying what I need to hear or telling me what I need to say from a neutral point of view?"

{I… yeah. I… guess. Maybe.} She replied, unsure.

"Right, you really sound like someone with a psychology degree."

{*Sigh* Fine, whatever. Just go with her then, see if I care.} She replied, sounding upset.

"Why the sudden jealousy?"

{I'm not jealous.}

Not buying it, Max simply stared at her.

{...What?}

"You're hiding something. She's not even a gardevoir, so what's even the problem?"

Not replying, Scarlet only looked away while floating next to him. After sighing, Max didn't ask anything else before he finally realized it.

"Don't tell me it's because you…"

With her still looking away, Max felt that he found the problem.

"I'm sorry, Scarlet. I didn't realize…"

{...I just thought that maybe I could find a way to help you. I spent the last few nights in that library, trying to find an answer. Looks like you found it before I could.}

Upon hearing her, Max stopped, shortly followed by May and Scarlet.

"I… I haven't decided yet, so I think I'll decline for your sake."

{...Master…}

"How could I be so inconsiderate? I'm just a-"

{Master!} Scarlet cut in, putting her hands on his shoulders. {If you think it's the best for you, then you should go to her.}

"But… you worked so hard and…"

{So what? If it means you can be happy again, I don't care if I waste days or months reading books. If you think she can really help you, then go for it. Your well-being is far more important than my pride.}

"Scarlet…"

A bit touched, Max, pulled her into a hug.

"...Thanks, Scarlet. You're just too… Thank you."

{Don't mention it.} The gardevoir replied, returning the hug. {Your well-being is my well-being, so I'm not that much of a saint, you know.}

"We all do things for our own interests at some point. Some are just more honest about it than others."

{Thanks, master. For understanding me.}

Scarlet then broke the hug.

{And… I wanted to apologize.}

"For what?"

{For… what I said back there, at that hotel.}

"The hotel? Oh, you mean the bed-and-breakfast."

{Whatever. I… Once again, I lost control of my emotions and my actions were beyond reasonable. You say a lot about yourself, but I too wonder how you endure someone like me. I can be nasty and selfish and even cruel sometimes, and the fact that I can't keep myself in check is what makes it worse. I got tired of seeing you convincing yourself how worthless you are, yet instead of helping you through it, the first thing I did was leave you alone with your problems. Heh, that says a lot about me, doesn't it?} She explained with a morose expression.

"I'm not gonna lie; yes, that was mean and inconsiderate. However, I keep doing things that are just as bad, while knowing all too well the kind of pokemon you are. You're not the only one at fault in this story."

{...I guess. I just hope… that our relationship won't start to revolve around doubt and mistrust}

"We haven't known each other for very long, you know. Even though it's been half a year since we met, we are still trying to adjust ourselves to one another, and given the pasts we had, it might take a while longer before we adapt and adjust ourselves correctly."

{...Maybe. I just hope I'll be strong enough. I mean, I'll have to be, but… You know that losing you is like the end of the world to me.}

"I can get behind that, seeing as it's the same for me."

{So… to reiterate, do what you think is best for you. We'll look into the other stuff another time.}

"...Alright. I just wish that you were the one who found a way to help me."

{You say it all the time yourself; we don't always get what we want.}

"Well, at least you have an unparalleled memory, right?"

{You know that one of us has to be smart.} She jested with a smile.

"And that's a smile that surely isn't full of itself, is it?"

{I don't know what you're talking about.} She innocently replied, still smirking.

"I think you do, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt this time."

{Look at that, I won again.}

After some more bickering, they headed back to the mansion, with May being held in Max's arms, by her request. On the way there, they explained to her what the mansion was all about and how they ended up staying there. They also mentioned their catastrophic encounter with Mad-Ji, the crazy military gardevoir now residing in the mansion.

{...What a big meanie.} May commented, upset.

"Maybe, but please May, don't let her hear you say that." The advice came out of his mouth almost in a pleading tone. "She's merciless and insane, so I don't want anything to happen to you again."

The mawile shook her head fervently. {But… I can't just let that bully hurt you guys like that.} She insisted.

"I'm sorry, May, but this time, you'll just have to let it go. It's not like we can do anything to stop her, she beat all of us at once without even breaking a sweat. I don't want to lose you for another few days again."

{But…}

"Promise me you won't try anything, okay? That means no insulting, no fighting, don't even look at her funny."

{What? But I… But she… Grr! Fine.} May finally accepted, swallowing her own pride.

"Thanks, May."

{And what about you?}

"We'll all be fine, as long as we don't provoke her in any way."

{*Hmpf* Same goes for me. I don't care how strong she is, hell is going to break loose if she pisses me off.} Scarlet commented.

"I doubt she will stop at a simple beat down next time."

Max then felt that his words were directly hurting her confidence and pride a little.

"But then again, I guess she will learn that you're not someone to mess with either."

{Exactly. I won't make the same mistake twice}

Luckily, he managed to repair the damage before it could have started another argument.

"But since she's mostly alone, we shouldn't really be at risk."

They then arrived at the mansion after a few more minutes of walking.

"I don't know where the others are, but I'm sure they'll be very happy to see that you're back," Max said to May, dropping her.

{Whoa! This place is huge!}

"Right? Don't worry if you get lost at first, it happened to me a few times, but if I can get used to it quickly, so can you."

{Well, I suppose it's time for me to go.} Scarlet said.

"Thanks, Scarlet. For last night, and today."

{Don't mention it. If I can soothe you even just a little, it makes my day.} Scarlet replied with a tiny smile.

"You're so sweet, Scarlet. You're simply the best gardevoir ever."

{*Ahem* W-Well, see ya later then.} She replied, blushing before quickly teleporting away.

"With girls like you, I still wonder why I ever feel down," Max said, beginning to walk with May.

{There are things that even us pokemon can't help you with.} May replied, looking around, impressed.

"Yeah. You're strong and amazing, but I guess you're still mortal creatures. Then again, this world is still covered in mysteries, so you never know for sure what's possible."

{Yeah. There are also the legendary pokemon, so who knows what they're actually capable of.}

"Assuming of course, that they actually exist."

{I'm sure they do. Just because we don't see them doesn't mean that they don't exist. Otherwise, we wouldn't have heard of them.}

"True. I guess it's part of the reason why they are called 'legendary' pokemon. But seriously, being able to control time or space? Having your own distorted dimension? Personally, that seems a bit too far-fetched to me."

{I don't think I'm in a position to say what's possible or not. Anything is possible in my opinion.}

"Well, it's not like I'm the second coming of Arceus, so I could be wrong."

{Same here.}

"Anyway, what you girls already do is amazing, so no need to look further," Max said before a short silence settled. "So… Do you want me to show you around?"

{I would like that. But… is it possible that I… I kind of missed this.} May shyly requested.

"What are you talking about?" Max asked, not following.

{...You, holding me. Do you think I can sit on your shoulder while doing so?}

"Sure thing. I will be glad to do so."

{Yay!}

With a wide smile appearing on the mawile, Max grabbed her and put her on his right shoulder.

"Alley-oop!"

Even though it was short-lived, May's joy was slowly starting to come back, making Max wonder what Phanny could have discussed with her to make her feel better. For a moment he thought about asking May but decided against it as he wanted to respect her privacy, even though he suspected that she would tell him if he asked her. Putting that aside after a little while, Max walked around showing May every corner of the mansion, including some new rooms he had discovered recently. They had seen quite a lot by the time he arrived at the bedrooms that Helene had let them stay in.

"And here's my bedroom," Max announced, opening the door to his room for them to enter.

{Your… bedroom?} May asked, a bit confused.

"It was the girls' idea. They thought that after what happened, I should have a little space for myself."

{I see. But… do you think we can still… you know...}

"Sleep together? It's not forbidden, May. It's just that I kind of agreed that I need some alone time at the moment. But they all insisted that if I really, really need to see you, I'll call you over. The bed is big enough."

{Yeah. I'm sure everyone could fit on a full-sized bed, even with Luna.}

"It could be possible, but with Luna, we'll probably be a little cramped. Sure, the bed is big, but it's not that big."

{True. Luna's really big.}

"Try not to say that when she's around. She might take it the wrong way."

{I doubt it. Nothing ever seems to make her angry. She doesn't seem to take what people say at face value.}

"Good point. She's very easygoing despite her appearance, but let's not test her patience, shall we? Anyway, before touring the garden, all that is left is your room. You all share the same one, but you all have your own bed. I hope you don't mind."

{Not really. As long as I have a comfortable place to sleep, I couldn't care less.}

"Alright. Let's go then." Max said, leaving with May.

A couple of steps later, he opened the door next to his and entered. Once in, he saw Bonny lying on her bed.

"Hey, Bonny. Look who's back."

Sitting up, Bonny faced them.

{Bonny!} May exclaimed, jumping down from her trainer and onto the lopunny's bed.

{M-May!? What a surprise!} Bonny said, now smiling while gently tapping the mawile's head.

{I missed you.} May happily said.

{Me too. I'm so glad to see you back on your feet.}

"Just got her from the pokemon center. As you can see, she recovered quite well."

{I'm sorry if I made you all worry.} May apologized.

{It's okay. You're out and in better shape now.} Bonny reassured her.

"Where are the others?"

{Aurora and Dusk are probably outside in the garden.}

"Understandable. I don't know if you've noticed, but Dusk seems to be isolating herself as much as possible lately. I wish I could do something, but…"

{Yeah. Being invasive won't help at all.}

"Indeed, but I believe that reminding her that I'm here for her at any time can't do too much harm."

{I don't know, she really looked like she wanted to be alone this morning. She didn't even help in the kitchen today.}

"*Sigh* Let's wait a bit until she feels a bit better, then."

{That would be wise.}

{She hasn't gotten any better, huh?} May said, a bit sad.

"Not really. But… maybe seeing you could boost her morale a little. We planned on going outside next anyway, and Aurora would be happy to see you as well. Do you want to accompany us, Bonny?"

{I don't know. I'm not really interested in many things lately.}

"You should try to do things you really like so that you don't get even more depressed."

{The only thing I love doing the most is training and having sex with you, but it seems as though neither of us is really into that these days.}

"...Well, there are probably other things you enjoy, right?" Max guessed, with Bonny shrugging her shoulders. "...I'll let you think about that, then. You coming, May?"

Before moving, the mawile looked at Bonny, who just nodded and motioned her to follow Max. With a worried face, she joined Max and they left Bonny alone, who laid back on the bed again. Soon enough, Max and May were now arriving at the patio, where they saw Dusk and Aurora sitting next to each other on the stairs.

"I have a surprise for you girls," Max called, getting both of their attention.

{What is… May!?} Aurora exclaimed upon noticing the mawile.

{I'm back.} The mawile announced while walking towards them.

{Wow! It's so good to see you. You're the first piece of good news in a while.} The lucario remarked with a smile.

{Hihi.} The yellow pokemon giggled with a wide smile.

{I'm glad to see you've recovered.} Dusk said, smiling as well.

{Same.}

{We were so worried about you.}

{I'm sorry. I just… I couldn't take it anymore, I guess.} May shared, looking a bit morose.

{It's okay. What matters now is that you're well and back with us.} Aurora said.

{And I'll try my best to keep it that way.}

Behind, Max looked at them hugging each other.

"Well then, I think I'll leave you three to catch up," Max said.

{Already? But we just got here...} May replied.

"I know. I'm sorry, but I have some thinking to do."

{But Max…}

"See you later." Max finished, turning to leave.

Suddenly, half of May's joy seemed to have vanished.

{Don't worry, May. It's still a hard time for him. He just needs to figure out what he wants to do next without any disturbance.}

{I know…} May conceded, looking at Max disappearing inside with a sad face.

{How about I show you a few hiding spots in the garden? We could even play hide-and-seek if you like.} Aurora proposed.

{...I guess. But I'm hiding first.} The mawile agreed, slightly more enthusiastic.

Back inside, Max was on his way upstairs to his room. Before reaching the staircase, he felt a little peckish and decided to make a quick stop in the kitchen for a snack. Even though he knew that Helene allowed him to live here as it was his own home, he was still a bit uncomfortable about being given the rights. However, he thought that having a little something to eat won't make much of a difference, since he's not gonna take much. Once he arrived, he noticed the fridge's door was open with someone already going through it. Upon closer inspection, he realized too late that the hand on the fridge's door belonged to the last individual he wanted to see, Mad-Ji. Stopping to look at him, the yellowish-green gardevoir moved away from the fridge and immediately glared at him with a box of a beverage he never saw before in her hand. Not moving, Max only stood there, staring at her in silence.

{You got a problem, scumbag?} She angrily asked while smashing the fridge's door closed.

"N-No, ma'am. Not at all." He replied in a cold sweat.

Not even unlocking her gaze from him, she grabbed a can from the box and chugged from it a short moment.

{*Hmph*… Right answer.} She threatened before passing by him, taking other jugs.

While doing so, Max noticed that she was maybe just one inch taller than him. Even when she wasn't trying, her presence alone was terrifying, sending an intense chill throughout his body.

(That one has a grain, that's for sure. I didn't do anything.) He thought while opening the fridge himself.

A second after he opened it, a large splash of cold water appeared from above and landed on him.

"...Fuck." he growled, wiping the water off of his face. "I keep forgetting that she's a gardevoir, too."

Before rummaging through the fridge's contents, he grabbed a small towel and dried the floor as well as himself. Now back at the fridge, he grabbed a jar of pickles and dug in with a fork. After digging in, he was already on his second pickle when a maid entered the kitchen.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you."

The maid was the cute young one, who was always smiling at Max.

"Don't worry about it, I'm just here for a snack."

"Okay. Well, I was supposed to sort out and clean the fridge, but I guess I'll come back later."

"Why? Am I that unaccommodating?" Max jested.

"N-No. N-Not at all. Quite the opposi-… I mean, n-no." She stammered, slightly red.

"Haha, relax. I'm just messing with you."

"R-Really? Well, that wasn't very nice." She pouted.

"Hehe, yeah. I have the tendency to do that a lot with people I meet."

"O-Oh… I'm… sorry." She replied, feeling a bit bad.

"No big deal. I had twenty-one years to get used to it."

"T-Twenty-one?" She repeated.

"Yeah. You know, my age."

"Oh… I see."

Without Max noticing, the maid began to play nervously with her hair.

"So… um… have you… decided how long you were going to stay here?"

"Not yet. As long as needed for me to figure out our next move, I guess. It could take a while, or it could take no time at all. I can't really say for sure, actually."

"I see. Is there… anything I could do to… help? I don't want to impose, but… I'm good at listening and helping others…"

Max was now starting to see through her game. He wasn't really interested in her, but he didn't want to give her the cold shoulder and tell her about his pokemon.

"That's nice of you, but I think I already have everything I need."

"Oh… O-Okay then." She replied, sounding slightly disappointed.

"But knowing that there is someone else who cares about me helps out a lot. I appreciate that, thank you."

"N-No problem. H-Happy to help." She said, flustering. "W-Well then, I should get back to work. I'll come back to clean out the fridge another time. S-See you later."

With a red face, the maid left the kitchen with Max waving at her.

"*Sigh* Poor girl. I hope I didn't give her the wrong idea." He mumbled.

After getting a few more pickles, he put them away and headed back to his room, where he resumed his newfound favorite activity: lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling.

A few hours later, he hadn't moved much as he was ruminating the whole time. He then took out Jade's necklace and stared at it. Every time he looked at it, he couldn't help but remember the time they had spent together, something he wished he could do if she was still alive. Obviously, he couldn't stop thinking of her without remembering her gruesome death. He tried convincing himself that it wasn't his fault and he couldn't have predicted that something like that would happen, but regardless of how he perceived it, he thought that he could have done better, maybe even preventing that horrible moment from ever happening. After realizing that thinking of Jade's death was only pulling him down, hindering whatever progress he made to improve his self-esteem, he sighed and lowered the necklace so it was now lying on his chest. After lamenting for a few seconds, he then stood up before placing the necklace back on the nightstand.

"Alright, that's it." He mumbled before leaving his bedroom.

When out, he looked for the first maid or butler he would encounter.

"Excuse me," Max called when he came across two maids. "Have either of you seen Mike?"

"Yes. He's in the music room repairing the piano." One said.

"Okay, thanks."

With them smiling, Max headed towards the said room. Shortly after he left, he could hear them softly giggling. A moment later, he reached the room and entered.

"Mike? Are you there?" Max called out, not seeing him.

"Over here, Mister Max." A voice from the back of the room responded.

Traversing the room filled with all kinds of musical instruments, he went further in and saw Mike's hands working inside a rather big piano.

"You're really a do-it-all kind of guy, aren't you?" Max engaged.

"Well, I do have a few special skills here and there, but 'do-it-all' might be a bit of an exaggeration. Anyway, what can I do for you, young man?"

"Would you mind… taking me to the pokémon center?"

"Not at all, but isn't your mawile already back? I thought I saw her a moment ago."

"She is, but it's… for something else."

"...I see. Well, if that's what you wish, then sure. Let me just finish here and I'm good to go."

"Are the piano keys not working right?"

"Bah, you know things like that? I suppose I can't really complain though. The last time I had to repair it was maybe about ten years ago. But every time, I have to take a moment to remember what needs to be done."

"I see. It must be complex."

"Not really. It may look complicated at first glance, but it's not so bad after getting to know how it works."

After a few more maneuvers, Mike closed the panel.

"There we go. Should last another ten years, I hope."

"I've always wanted to learn how to play this," Max told Mike, tapping on a few notes.

"Really? Well, maybe Rika could give you some lessons then."

"Rika?"

"Yes. The young green-haired maid that has been eyeing you for a while now."

"What? I… don't know what you're talking about."

"What do you mean by that?" Mike asked, looking at him suspiciously.

"I… nothing, of course. I'll… I'll think about it."

"Uh-huh. Anyway, you wanted me to drop you off at the pokemon center, right?"

"Y-Yeah. Ready when you are."

"Let's go then," Mike said, to which they both headed outside and into the car.

A little while later, they were back at the pokemon center once more.

"Thanks, Mike. I'll get back on foot later." Max said, stepping out of the vehicle.

"Understood."

At that, Max closed the door before Mike left and walked inside the building. Once in, he saw the nurse sitting behind her counter, looking busy on a computer.

"Hi." He greeted her with his hands on the counter.

"Hello there. Oh, it's you. What brings you back here?" She asked with a smile, briefly paying attention to him.

"I… have something to ask Phanny."

"I see. If you remember where her office is, you can go straight there."

"Alright. Thanks."

"You're welcome." She said, looking way too focused on her computer.

Taking the same path as earlier, he arrived at Phanny's designated office. With the door wide open, he stepped past the threshold and noticed her writing things down on papers with her psychic abilities. Quickly taking notice of him, she stopped and dropped everything on her desk.

{Oh. Hi Mister Max. Have you considered my offer?}

"Actually, yes, and…"

Phanny waited a moment for Max's response but quickly noticed him struggling to say it.

{I know it's hard to admit these kinds of things. Why don't you sit so we can understand why?} She proposed, gesturing towards a chair in front of her desk.

"Eh. I gotta say that it's a bit weird seeing a pokemon behind a human desk." Max engaged while sitting.

{I bet it is. It's something quite peculiar in some ways.}

"Yeah."

{So, Mister Max. What made you change your mind?} Phanny started, her arms crossed on the desk.

Sighing heavily, Max rubbed his face.

"I… don't really know. I… really want to help my girls, but according to them, I guess… I have to work on myself first."

{I see. It's obvious that you're a really devoted trainer. Like I said earlier, it's something very respectable. But tell me, why do you believe that you're that responsible for them?}

"Responsible? Well, I'm their trainer, or friend and lover if you may, so… it's kind of my job."

{Your job, you say. You are correct, in a sense, however, why do you feel that you're the only one who can help them? Why are you taking so much weight on your shoulders alone? Having such a load on a daily basis must be really difficult for you mentally.}

"It's… yeah, kind of. But it's something I'm willing to endure."

{Is that so? Are you sure about that?}

"I… yeah…"

{So by coming here, you confirmed that it's true?}

"I…"

For a moment, Max searched for a reply, but couldn't come up with a solid answer.

"I… I don't know."

{You can tell me everything. Rest assured, whatever we talk about here, even if you were to complain about your pokemon, will stay between you and me.}

"I would never…"

{I know.} Phanny said with a comforting smile.

"I… don't even know if I'm right or wrong, or if I do things correctly or not. I sometimes wonder if I made the right choice to be in that kind of relationship with all of my pokemon. Sure, it was more or less their choice to be with me like that, but I'm overwhelmed by this chain of events and feel like it's too much for me."

{Have they ever told you or confronted you on such a thing?}

"Well… not directly, but… somehow I just know how they feel."

{I see. Probably not from nowhere I believe. But maybe your perceptions are a bit misleading sometimes, don't you think?}

"I don't know. Whether it's the case or not, I can't just say no to them. That's just how I am."

{How you are... How about we talk about that for a bit?} Phanny proposed.

"What do you want to know?"

{Who you are, the choices you've made, and what path you have forged for yourself so far. I could get a better understanding of what kind of person I have in front of me.}

"*Sigh* Here we go again. Alright…"

For almost an hour, Max narrated everything he recalled, from his oldest memories to his most recent ones, with Phanny barely saying a word as she was listening so intently.

"...So yeah, I guess I do have some reasons to be anxious about things, especially my girls' well-being. It's like-"

{You're compensating for your lack of care with them. Does that make sense to you?}

"I… guess. I want to give them the good life that I never had."

{It's completely understandable, but wanting to give them a better quality of life can be unhealthy if not moderated.}

"How so?"

{If you spend all of your time and resources taking care of them, who's taking care of you?}

"Well… them, I suppose."

{Naturally, but who knows you better than yourself? And if they take care of you, who's gonna take care of them?}

"Well, like I said, me and…" Max answered before stopping upon realizing the pattern.

{You just realized the vicious cycle that you're putting yourself through, right?}

"..."

{I can understand that you don't really see what difference it makes, as long as everything is taken care of. However, it makes all of you too dependent on each other, with no one being able to care for themselves.}

Sighing, Max dropped his back on the chair, staring at the ceiling in annoyance.

{I think that will be enough for today. Now that I know who you are, we can really get to work on you next time.}

"Yeah. I was starting to get a bit uncomfortable."

{I know. But before you go, I want you to work on something for the next session. Before you take a step out of that cycle, ask yourself, what can you provide for them that doesn't take away from what you provide for yourself?}

"What can I do?" Max pondered.

{You want to do everything for your pokemon. It's very noble of you, but don't you think you should start taking care of yourself as well? Just think about it and tell me what ideas pop in your head. And if you're still drawing blanks, then we'll come up with something together.}

"...Alright."

{Does next Tuesday after May's session work for you?}

"Yeah. I think I'll make it."

{Good. See you next Tuesday then.} Phanny said with a smile.

"Sure," Max said, standing up.

{Oh, and one more thing.} She interrupted as Max was turning the doorknob. {If you think your companions need someone to talk to, you can try to convince them to have a quick session with me. It would be my pleasure. From what I've heard, their confidence could use a bit of a boost.}

"I'll talk to them about that."

{Great. I also must ask you to respect the confidentiality policy. It's fine if they are willing to tell you what we talked about in our session, but you have no right to demand that from them. I could legally sue you if you do.}

"It's okay, no worries. I respect my girls' privacy." Max replied, a bit defensively.

{Good. Sorry if I just sounded a bit aggressive, but I'm somewhat forced to tell you that kind of thing if I want to keep helping humans and pokemon alike. I hope you understand.}

"I do, don't worry."

{Keep in mind that I shouldn't even think about doing that. I'm counting on everyone's discretion.}

"Eh, as if I will be on the wrong side of the law."

{I hope you aren't, for the most part. With that said, I won't hold you here any longer. Have a nice day.}

"Thanks, you too." He said back before leaving.

While passing by the nurse, he noticed that someone was talking to her with a rattata on the counter and two other people waiting in line behind. Once outside, he looked up at the clear, blue sky before taking a deep breath, briefly taking in the scenery. With his hands in his pockets, he left the pokemon center's perimeter and headed back to the mansion. Lost in his thoughts, it took him a bit of extra time to reach the mansion, close to an hour and a half in fact. After a few seconds of standing in front of the gate, it opened automatically, allowing him to enter. Returning to his thoughts, he didn't even notice the few houndooms had to come to check who was entering, two of them staring at him for a moment. After a moment, it was like he realized where he was and stopped. Not feeling like going inside yet, he decided to trail off the road and head into the thick woods. Since there was no distinct pathway, he was stepping over a rather hazardous forested ground, soon being joined by one of the houndoom.

{Hey there handsome, are you lost?}

By the way, the comment was worded, Max guessed it was from a female.

"Not really. Just spending some time in the wilderness is all."

{Ah, got a wild side, huh? Good to know.} The houndoom replied with a small grin. {I'm Svetlana by the way.}

"Max, Nice to meet you.."

{So that's your name, Max. The new good-looking human in town. If you want, I can take you to a small pathway, so you could enjoy your walk without any branches getting in your face.}

"Thanks. How do you know I understand you, by the way?"

{News does travel fast around here.}

"I see."

{So… What brings you here?}

"That's a good question, one I'm not really sure how to answer. Life, I guess."

{That's… strangely vague.}

"Told you."

{No way to be more… specific?}

"Maybe. I don't really know actually."

{...Oookay then.} The female houndoom replied, not insisting. {You're kind of weird.}

"Yeah. I get that a lot, but I'm actually not that bad once you get to know me."

{Know you, huh… any way to… know you a little better?}

"I guess. What do you want to know?"

{Ugh! You're a dense one, aren't you?}

"I'm…not sure I follow"

{Goddamnit. Listen here; I'm horny as hell and I like experiencing new things, so is there any way to make you drop your pants and screw me…. peacefully?} She demanded, stopping behind him.

Raising an eyebrow, Max did the same and turned.

"Straight to the point, I see."

{Not really. I've been giving a few hints, but it's not my fault if you missed them.}

"True. Anyway, I'm very flattered and… I admit that under normal circumstances I would probably have accepted since you're quite attractive yourself, but I haven't really been in the mood for that lately, so I appreciate the offer, but no thanks."

{Tsk. Look, I'm not really into rape most of the time, but strangely, you seem to make me hornier than usual. So either you willingly lay down, or I make you submit.}

Raising his eyebrow higher, Max crossed his arms.

"I'm sorry to have made you feel that way, but trust me, you don't want to do that."

{Oh really? You're just a human. What can you possibly do to stop me?} She inquired with an arrogant face.

"By myself, not much, I admit. However, I have six marvelous female pokemon that won't be pleased by that, half of them being merciless and unforgiving creatures. I would think twice about this if I were you."

{Is that so? I don't see anybody here besides you and me.}

"First of all, since one of them is a psychic-type, she doesn't need to 'see' me to come to rip off the heads of those who annoy or threaten me. And secondly, there's actually one who's pretty much always watching me. She's probably hiding in the shadows right now, waiting to slice you in half if you try anything."

{I'm not afraid of any psychic-types.}

"You should. But I doubt she'll be needed since my zoroark is more than enough."

{Your zoro-… wait, she's with you?} The houndoom asked, surprised.

"Why yes. Luna is one of my most precious companions that I love very much, and the same could be said for her. " Max retorted confidently.

{I never see her with you, how did you even… Ghrr! You know what, never mind. You probably have a tiny dick anyways. Fucking tease.} She growled before leaving.

"What about the path you were supposed to show me?"

{Just go forward and die on it for all I care.} The black pokemon spat.

"Thanks. *Sigh* Well, now with that out of the way." Max mumbled, continuing forward.

A few minutes later, he finally reached the path leading out of the woods, spotting Luna lying against a tree close by.

{You know, I'm fully convinced that you simply have an innate ability to attract trouble. You're like an absol with oncoming disasters, only that they target you specifically without you knowing.} She commented with crossed arms.

"Tell me something I don't know." Max half jested.

{Well, you handled yourself quite well back there. Didn't even need to intervene.}

"I don't have to be the damsel in distress all the time, you know."

{True. And I gotta say, seeing you being so confident made me a little… well, a bit exhilarated.}

"Sorry, that wasn't my intention."

{Hihi.} She giggled.

"Say, Luna, now that you're here, would you like to join me?"

{Of course.} She replied before getting up from the tree to join him.

As soon as she did, Max resumed walking with her next to him.

{So? How was the therapy session?}

"We didn't talk much apart from me telling my life story again. Now that I think about it, I could probably make a book out of it."

{Hehe. If you ever do, I hope you'll make me as elegant as you can.}

"I would rather make you an evil zoroark that always tries to eat me."

{Well, since it's not completely false, that could work too.}

"I wonder if I won't even make you taller."

{Geez, you're gonna make me look like a real monster.}

"You are a monster, but a sexy one."

{Nha ha.} Luna denied it with one claw. {That kind of flattery doesn't work with me.}

"Worth a shot, at least," Max replied with a tiny smile. "Anyway, other than that, she kind of gave me a bit of homework to do."

{Which is…?}

"*Sigh* About what I can really do for you girls without neglecting myself. Honestly, I didn't really understand her. Who cares if I neglect myself a little if it means the best for you? We are a team, we all have each other's back."

{You're right. And I think you see us even more as a family than just a simple team.}

"Exactly."

{But… she does have a point.}

"How so?"

{It's true that you do so much for us, but… it's mostly at your expense.}

"What do you mean?"

{In between cities, I don't see you taking a lot of time for yourself to do anything. You mainly just give it all to us.}

"Well… you're right about that, but…" Max replied before a short silence settled.

{Max?}

"Yes?"

{I'm very sorry if I sound rude or inconsiderate, but I think what she meant to ask was; 'Are you sure you can handle giving them 100% of your time, attention, and love, leaving absolutely nothing for yourself?'}

Her question was rather blunt and unexpected. He truly believed that he was right to think that, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized he was wrong and missed something.

"'What can I do that benefits both myself and them?' That was the question she asked me before I left. I'm… I think I'm starting to understand, but I don't know if I can answer it. I do everything in my power and knowledge to give you girls the life I never had."

{Maybe you should try replacing 'you girls' with 'us'. Maybe you'll find the answer that way.}

"I… I guess so."

{Honestly, even I'm not sure of what to suggest to you, but what I am sure of is that you'll do just fine.}

"Yet, it never seems to be enough."

Sighing, Max rubbed his face in annoyance.

{How about you take your time to think about it? None of us are in a rush, so we can wait until you know what to do.}

"It could take forever. And how are you so sure that you all think that way?"

{Because I know them. Besides Aurora, who I'm sure is eager for you to find an answer as soon as possible, the others will go wherever you go.}

"What about you? What's your take on this?"

Not answering, Luna looked away.

{The reason why I agreed to travel with you is that I found you interesting. I was curious about how you would progress and which path you would take in life. It may not look like it, but I don't have a set goal of mine. Maybe I should, but… I just want to take life as it comes and not bother with anything else. If I can appreciate the little things I like to do in life, I don't really care where I am or who I am with. If you really decide to settle down here for good, maybe I'll go seek a nearby territory to conquer and resume what I was doing before I met you.}

"By the tone of your voice, it's not something ideal for you."

{Ha ha, busted. Yes, if I were to choose, I would have liked traveling to new places and discovering new things. Our little misadventures are also stimulating. In a sense, you prevent me from being an overly lazy zoroark.}

"Don't say that. With a body like yours, you can't be that lazy."

{When I'm not chasing anything or fighting other pokemon for dominance, I am. I'm a really laid-back dark-type.}

"Ah. Who knew that my big, tall illusionist was hiding a very simple pokemon?"

{Not my fault if you assumed there was more to me than meets the eye.} Luna replied nonchalantly.

"I guess." Max conceded with a tiny smile. "Though your outbursts of anger can be quite scary."

{Are they? I don't remember you seeing me properly angry since I joined you.} She said, thoughtful.

"A few times, actually. If I were to mention only one time, it would be the time where that gang tried to mug us on our first 'date'."

{That? Oh no, I was just mildly upset. Same when you were helping that pichu.}

"Just mildly upset?"

{If you thought I was 'angry' back then, then you clearly never saw me really angry.}

"Your presence alone is intimidating and you get terrifying when you're 'upset'. I don't want to imagine that then."

{No, because it isn't pretty. In that regard, I have nothing to envy from Scarlet.}

"Glad that you have a rather calm temper then."

{If only you knew. I worked hard on it for years now.}

"Let's try to not make that happen then."

{Don't worry. Like I said before, it takes a lot to make me lose control, and I mean a lot.}

"Still. Anyway, thanks for being here for me. You and Aurora are mostly the only ones helping me stay on my feet."

{When someone is down, it is not the time to be pessimistic or critical. Two people drowning doesn't help very much.

"Good image. *Sigh* I guess I have even more thinking to do." Max stated while putting his hands behind his head.

{I believe in you.}

"Thanks."

For almost half an hour, Max and Luna did a bit of trivial talk while they walked down the path. Eventually, they arrived at the end of it and were back at the mansion's perimeter, closer to the back. With Max wanting to go inside, Luna accompanied him to the entrance.

"Are you sure you don't want to come in?" Max proposed.

{I would love to, but you know that I don't like being stuck inside.}

"I know, it's just that I wish to see a bit more of you."

{Then you know where to find me.} Luna replied with her paws on her hips. {I'll always be glad to spend time with you, even if it's just some walking and trivial talks.}

"Alright then."

{Take care of yourself, Max.} Luna wished while Max was opening the door.

"I'll try. Promise." He replied with a tiny smile before going in.

Sighing, Max then proceeded through the mansion towards the balcony of the second floor. On some occasions, it sometimes feels that the mansion is pretty calm and almost empty since you rarely bump into someone. Now was definitely the case, much to his contentment. After a little while, he arrived at the balcony, resting his elbows on the parapet and gazing upon the view while a small breeze blew by. He then pondered about everything and nothing, but mostly about what he could actually change about himself. Was he really thinking about the girls too much? Was he robbing them of their independence at the expense of his own well-being, thinking that it's all for them? Even if that were to be true, what could he possibly do?

{What's wrong, human? Still crying in your corner?}

Recognizing the pokemon, Max didn't even bother turning around.

"Still contentious as fuck?"

{Haha. Yeah, yeah. Keep talking big.}

A moment later, Vicky the sneasel, jumped on the railing near Max, sitting on it with her legs hanging on the other side.

"Don't you have anything else to do besides being a brat?"

{Nope, especially when it comes to a loser like you.}

"Tsk. Bitch."

{At least I'm not a complete failure like you. I heard that gardevoir kicked all of your asses. Haha! What a bunch of losers.}

"If you think you're any better, why don't you go challenge her to a fight then, huh?" Max retorted, getting mad.

{What will be the point in that? I have no bone to pick with her. In fact, I think I prefer seeing her put you all in your place. Hell, I like her for that.}

"Sure. More like you're just scared of her."

{Go fuck yourself, will you? Don't make me use Slash on you.} She threatened with one paw in the air.

"If you have a death wish, then go right ahead. You can bet that all of my friends will want to have a piece of you, Scarlet especially, who will probably keep your head."

{Eh, as if your hollow threats could scare me.} Vicky replied, putting down her paw.

"They're not, trust me. You don't know who you're messing with."

{Whatever. It's quite funny, though.}

"May I ask what is so humorous, your despicable highness?"

{You talk big and all, but it's all because you have your dumb pokemon backing you up. Without them, what are you? A weak, pathetic human, that's what.} She spat.

Upon listening to her words, Max couldn't help but agree to an extent. He was indeed powerless and couldn't do much on his own without them. Not only were they completing him as a whole and satisfying his thirst for love, but he was also well protected, shielded from any unnecessary danger. Take them away, and he could even end up dead at any time.

"...Sad thing is, you're not exactly wrong. You're right, I'm nothing without them. You may not know what it's like, but their love for me has become my passion in life. Yeah, I'm just a weak human, but they don't care. Not everything is about strength and power, you know."

{Oh my god, just how stupid can you be? Of course, everything is about strength and power. Who do you think thrives and goes far in this world? Not the weak, that's for sure. The weak are just stepping stones for the strong to walk on. I can't believe you still don't know that by now.}

"Yet, do the strong really flourish that much? I doubt it. Stepping on the weak for power, fame, fortune or whatever, sometimes leads to a solitary life. Do you really believe power is worth a shallow and empty life, devoid of happy memories?"

{If you're strong, you can just create those memories anytime you want.}

"Heh, it's not that easy."

{So you're telling me that as long as you get hugs and kisses every so often, you don't mind being a stepping stone for someone stronger than you? HA! Talk about ridiculous.}

"...That's the thing, I don't plan on being on either side. I'm trying to find balance through it all."

{And how do you plan on achieving that balance, mister weak-ass-human? If you can't stand on your own two feet before a pokemon like that gardevoir, then what exactly can you do?}

For a moment, Max genuinely thought of the question. Then, like a lightning bolt, a moment of clarity struck him. An epiphany. He couldn't tell if it was a crazy or genius idea as it was a mix of two extremes, both of the same essence.

"...Do what benefits both parties. That's it! I know exactly what I must do."

With a moderately strong slap on the fence that scared the sneasel a little, Max left and went inside with determination.

"Thanks for the pep talk, Vicky!" Max shouted as he sped back inside.

{You're…welcome? *Sigh* What a weirdo.} Vicky commented to herself after he closed the door behind him.

Back inside, he looked around and hoped to find someone wandering about. After a short moment of searching, he stumbled across Mike.

"Mike!" Max called out.

"Oh, mister Max. How are you today?"

"I'm fine, thank you. Listen, can you bring me to Mad-Ji's room?"

"Y-You wish to see Mad-Ji? I… don't think it's wise to do that."

"I don't care, where is it?"

Not really wanting to answer, Mike saw a fire in his eyes, something he was surprisingly happy to see.

"What… business do you have with her?" Mike inquired, hoping to find a way to dissuade him.

"I have something to ask her, something really important."

One last time, Mike hesitated to grant his request.

"...Alright. But… I still don't think it's a good idea."

"It isn't, one even would think it's suicide. But… I need to do this."

"...Very well then. Right this way, please." The butler agreed before leading him towards the crazy gardevoir's room.

A couple of meters away, both were now at the end of a hallway.

"That room at the end, you'll find her there," Mike announced, showing him the last door.

"Alright. Thank you, Mike."

"Should I stay around, just in case?"

"I appreciate the concern, but it's something I need to do alone. I want to show her that I'm serious about this."

"...Alright. May Arceus have mercy on you."

"Don't be so dramatic, Mike. It might even not be that bad." Max replied with rolling eyes.

"Still, I wish you the best."

With a worried mind, Mike turned and left, leaving Max alone in the hallway.

"Alright Max, you can do this. Just knock on the door and ask her." He mumbled to himself while getting near the door.

He then raised a hand to knock but stopped at the last second.

"Come on, don't wuss out now. There is no turning back, what will Mike think of me if I back out now? Probably that I'm more reasonable than he thought, then call me a chicken afterward. Rah! Come on, just do it, Max."

For a short moment, Max gathered enough courage and raised his hand again, taking a deep breath in the process.

"If I'm going to die today, I might as well get it over with."

Closing his eyes, Max knocked on the door four times and backed up a step away, as if he was expecting it to explode at any moment. It took only two seconds for the door to open, but for him, it felt like his entire life up until this point flashed before his very eyes. A moderate "thud" snapped him out of his introspective reverie as the wood door met the adjacent wall. From the inside came an annoyed Mad-Ji with wet hair, smoking her weird scented cigarette.

{The hell do you want, poke-fucker?} She growled, laying a forearm against the door frame.

"I'm… terribly sorry for bothering you, but… I kind of… have something to…"

She blew smoke in his face, making Max cough a little. {Spit it out already, for fuck's sake.} She growled louder, her patience at the limit.

Shaking his head and slapping his cheeks twice, Max took a more serious posture and looked at Mad-Ji with determination.

"I want you to train me."