PURPOSE — SEGMENT 01

Chapter 3.1

~

Purpose

~

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

===================   B E G I N  ===================

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

 

Something stirred…

 

Avery saw shapes moving in the dark.

 

He couldn’t move…but he didn’t panic. Something deeply soothed him.

 

There was a voice in the dark, accompanied by a warm light, like the sun. The voice was deep, with a tinge of…love to it.

 

“Do you hear me…Avery?”

 

“I…I do,” Avery said quietly, trying to look around. “I…can’t move.”

 

“Mmh…nevermind, you’re safe. It’s natural to not move when one is tired from a long journey. And yours has been long…so far from home, so bravely out here, even as a longer journey stretches before you…”

 

“…Where am I?” Avery asked quietly.

 

Avery’s head felt as though it were…released, which let him look around the inky black void. All that could be seen is that orb…and flickers of light surrounding, brief and faint. He could have sworn he could hear a faint, feminine voice…somewhere. But the voice from before drowned it out as it spoke.

 

“Where it began…where you first entered this world. Here in Paradise. Do you recognize my voice?”

 

“…You were here, yeah,” Avery answered quietly. “The orb. You were the orb, asking me questions.”

 

He paused…some part of him felt unsure. Was this the same voice? Everything about that void felt so hazy and distant. Still, he stuck with his answer. “…You…are the orb. I guess.”

 

“…short term memory is working.”

 

“Good, my child, good…you may have heard my name before, for I am

…Arceus.

I brought you to this place, this land where poke’mon make their home. This world is now your world…for a time.”

 

There was a shuffling sound. The orb moved.

 

“For you’ve been brought here for a reason, a purpose, a destiny to fulfill that I have personally chosen you for…”

 

“…You’ve…chosen me for a destiny?” Avery repeated. There was a slight anxiety welling in his core. “…What…A-Arceus, you…”

 

He swallowed. His mouth felt dry. “What destiny?”

 

“…deterioration…stim needed…”

 

“To protect this place. These lands are special, precious to me. These poke’mon will soon need a hero to guide and save them from grave danger. And of all humans back at your home…you were deemed the most fit, the most capable and able. Though you may not feel it now…you are just who I need.”

 

The orb moved again.

 

“But the hardest step in all quests is the first, so this I shall help with. Tomorrow, when you arise from bed, you will find a woman…you ‘friend’ will know the name:

‘Olistia’.

Remember this well, ‘Olistia’, for she is my instrument whom I talk to directly. She will wait for you by my instruction…and set you upon your path.”

 

Avery’s frown deepened. There was another voice, in the back of his head. Was it the cold one…? He couldn’t make out what they were saying. Besides…him? special? Out of everyone? The most capable? That couldn’t be right…that couldn’t be right, that couldn’t be right-!!

 

“Olista,” Avery repeated, again. “…Are you sure you have the right person? I don’t even remember who I was where I’m from. I don’t even know- what is the grave danger?”

 

“…heartbeat…administer…se…ate…”

 

Arceus’s voice spoke softly, the sound rumbling around Avery, soothing his anxieties, all the worry melting in the flow of that voice.

 

“Please trust in me, if you cannot trust in yourself. Your compassion and wellspring of love shall guide your through this land, and in making friends you shall overcome everything. This is how I know my choice was not in error.”

 

The orb moved again.

 

“And trust that there is a reason you do not remember. Take comfort in your clean slate, in this unburdened chance at opportunity. All that you will need is here. So says the god of this world, Arceus.”

 

Avery heard him sigh, almost like an audible smile.

 

“Child…you shall do me proud. None will stand in your way. Your strength will overcome all. But our time runs short…morning will come….and you shall awaken where you were, greeted by that friend. Find Olistia, let her guide you, and save everyone.“

 

[[ EJECT ]]

 

Avery’s eyes shot awake, a quiet gasp escaping him.

 

‘The name. What was the name…? Olistia. Olistia.’

 

He rubbed at his eyes, and slowly slid out of bed, looking for somewhere to write the name down so he didn’t forget it.

 

“Olistia, Olistia, Olistia…” Avery mumbled to himself.

 

The sun shone through the window, a rumble of life outside, the sounds of a city. The living room had a warm, inviting feel, the morning light bathing everything in gentle glows. There was a shuffle in the next room, the patter of tiny footsteps, as Vizon passed the living room’s entryway, a sack over his shoulder. He glanced toward Avery, eyebrows raised seeing the plusle awake.

 

“Oh, I was gunna let you sleep in. You awake?”

 

“…I…had a dream,” Avery said, looking away for a moment. It was starting to sound ridiculous. “…I know nearly everything I’ve said so far is weird, and you’ve been humoring me a lot, but…Olis…Olista…stia…? That’s…that’s a nonsense name to you, right…?”

 

“Huh? The Conduit?” Vizon asked, a look of realization coming over his face. “Oh! You remembered Olistia? Is your memory coming back to you?”

 

He waved Avery over to follow him.

 

“C’mon, tell me on the way to work!”

 

“R-right, I…I didn’t remember anything per se,” Avery said, quickly scuttling after Vizon. “I just…had a dream. And Arceus said…you’d know what the name was. I-in the dream.” Avery frowned. “So…not real Arceus, just…head-Arceus. They…said a lot of things.”

 

“Arceus talks to you in your sleep now?”

 

Avery shrugged. “It was a dream. I’m taking it with a grain of salt.”

 

Vizon sighed, shaking his head.

 

“That’s fine…I can believe that more than you being a human.” Vizon opened the door outside, leading out out into the streets. “So why was he gabbing off about the Conduit, Olisita?”

 

“It’s…stupid,” Avery said, rubbing at his arms as he tried to pick up the pace to keep up with Vizon. He cursed his stubby legs… “Said I was chosen out of aaaall the humans where I’m from in order to be…a hero for some grave danger. And I was supposed to seek out Olistia, that you’d know who she was…”

 

His words fell off as he looked out into the city.

 

 

Immediately, the atmosphere was different from the night before. A crisp morning air flowed around them both, rumbling voices and distant shouting punctuated a living city. Beautiful white stony buildings with red shingled rooftops surrounded, their architecture decorated with archways and statures and flowing spiral patterns flowing into carvings of plates representing the pokemon types.

 

The stone road lay ahead, pokemon of all shapes and sizes walking to and fro, with intimidating looking Bisharp and Escavalier guards standing at the ready by the buildings.

 

And there, high above the buildings, were sheer hills, surrounding the city on all sides, to the point the one could only describe the city as being in a deep, deep crater. The treeless hills had villages that looked as specks from this distance, with paths snaking from the top all the way down into the city.

 

The visage was breath taking.

 

This was Arceliaze.

 

 

Avery looked around, taking everything in. There was…a lot here. He didn’t know exactly how to take it all in, but it was…it was really pretty. He’d never seen a place like this before…

 

Vizon’s eyebrows raised, the Riolu now looking at the plusle with interest.

 

“Chosen? Hero?” He said, continuing the conversation. Avery was broken from his awe-struck trance, looking back to Vizon at once. The Riolu’s voice had changed…having now a subtle tinge of…wonder? “Sounds like Arceus was vague about this danger. But then that’s how all great quests start, huh?”

 

Strangely, Vizon seemed to take to this tidbit about disasters and being a hero much quicker than anything else Avery had said.

 

“But…he said to seek out Olistia? I mean, she kind of lives in a castle, you can’t just go see her unless…” Vizon paused, looking up. “Waait…wait wait, are you pulling my leg? Did you remember she’s having a visitation in the One Truth Square today? We could find her there, easy!”

 

“…One…Truth Square?” Avery asked, slowly. “I don’t know what that is…”

 

“Very selective amnesia, huh? It’s the most important place in the heart of Arceliaze! And not a stone’s throw from…” Vizon trailed off, a wistful look in his eye. “…Sarfallinus’s guild…“

 

He’s quite a moment before coming back to reality.

 

“Oh, but…yeah! Every so often, Olistia comes from the castle…remember? She stands in the square to hear the requests of normal pokemon like you and me, hearing messages to bring up to Arceus. She talks to him directly, you know!”

 

Avery puffed his cheeks out in mild indignation. “I only know who Olistia is because of a dream.” He paused. “Though…I’ve never once wondered what a Plusle or Riolu or Arceus is…So I guess it is selective. I just can’t remember anything about myself, or…where I am.” Avery tilted his head in thought, mulling over what Vizon said about Olistia.

 

“Arceus did say that this ‘Olistia’ had a connection to him specifically. I can’t…remember exactly, but…something like that.”

 

“Well…” Vizon started, adjusting the weight on his shoulder. “…we’ve got some time, it’s on the way…we can stop by the One Truth Square. What would you want to ask her?”

 

As he spoke, Vizon led Avery through more and more glamorous streets. The rough stone turned to smooth stone slabs, clean and beautiful, with statues looming above on the sides of buildings. Citizens stood at beautiful fountain statues, buckets held aloft to take water poured from the mouths of enormous stone poke’mon. Towers loomed overhead, bright flags atop billowing in the morning wind..

 

 

The noise was incredible. Merchant counters built into the sides of the buildings stood, with food and leatherers and drinks and potions and items and news pamphlets and tools and banks and collectors, loaners, officers, wood workers, apothecaries, on and on and on, line after line, interwoven between spiral-pattern pillars, every edge trimmed with spiral, flowery patterns.

 

It was a marvel, every step of it.

 

And Vizon barely batted an eye at any of it.

 

“I guess…if the dream has any veracity?” Avery said, trying to keep focused, even as his words slowly tapered off. “What I am, how I’m…here.”

 

Avery frowned in thought. But that stopped, and he began to slow down as he looked at the city around him. He slowed…and slowed….and stopped.

 

He just took it in, spinning in a slow circle to watch, to look, to take in everything about…what was this city? Arceliaze? It…sounded a bit like Arceus, didn’t it? He might have lost track of Vizon, but thankfully the Riolu stopped as well, looking back at Avery with an amused expression as the plusle nigh made himself dizzy. It was such a beautiful city…

 

“Well, we at least know you’re probably a country boy, huh?” Vizon chuckled, eyes wandering around the sights. He gently guided Avery to the side of the road, in the shade of a tall, ornate building, to let foot traffic pass. “You look like you might pass out!”

 

Avery stumbled after Vizon, looking up at him for a moment as his face flushed somewhat. “I…I can’t say where I’m from, but I can say that I’ve never seen a place like this…”

 

Vizon gave a warm smile, holding Avery’s hand softly.

 

“It can be pretty confusing, these roads can get very wind-y. Just keep close and you’ll be just fine…” Vizon thought a moment as he gently pulled Avery along, the both of them re-entering the flow of foot traffic. Avery gripped his paw a little tighter as he led him through the streets, the Plusle’s eyes darting along the Pokémon they were passing by.

 

“Jeez, everyone here is…huge…”

 

“Are they?” Vizon mused, eying the pokemon that surrounded. “Could be you’re just…well…not.”

 

He chuckled to himself as the both of them rounded a corner. The sound of a massive crowd roared in the air as they both stepped out into a massive square. An ivory pillar on an engraved slab stood in the center, surrounded on all sides by the most opulent buildings yet, adorned with flags and statues dedicated just to the businesses that managed to have such a prestigious spot in the city.

 

 

A crowd gathered around the pillar, enormous, tightly packed and loud. Vizon hissed under his breath.

 

“Ohhh there’s no way…we’ll be fighting through that crowd for hours…” He moaned, guiding Avery towards it anyway. Even from here Avery could hear the cries for ‘Conduit Arceali, Conduit Arceali! Olistia! Look here!’ Avery grimaced, squeezing Vizon’s hand a little tighter. That…was a lot of people. He took a step backwards.

 

“I don’t- That’s…that’s too many. How often does she come here…? Can…is it like this every time…?”

 

“It’s only once a month, so…this is your one chance unless you want to wait a while.” Vizon replied, squeezing Avery’s hand in turn, urging him on. “Come on…we’ll make it, somehow.”

 

The both of them approached the crowd. Already, a wall of larger pokemon blocked the way, but Vizon simply ducked between two of them, gliding through the crowding bodies with experience. His small stature was clearly a fact of life for him, one he’d grown most accustomed to.

 

The shrieking, yelling voices were chaotic.

 

‘Olistia! Olistia! Why don’t you say anything? Is something the matter?’

 

Avery heard a shout.

 

‘Oi! Back!‘ A gruff voice commanded.

 

A pop. A crack of a pokemon’s attack, punctuated with yelling.

 

Vizon grit his teeth as he guided Avery between pushing, shoving poke’mon, the noise pounding at Avery’s skull.

 

“Good poke’mon, Arceans one and all!” A woman’s voice called out over the roar, projecting powerfully. “Today’s communion must be prefaced by a request of my own! I am looking for a poke’mon.”

 

Vizon’s brow furrowed as the crowd questioned in their flurry of voices.

 

“A plusle walks among you by the name of Avery!” The woman’s voice punched through the noise.

 

‘Just Avery???’ A voice next to Vizon shouted.

 

“I understand he’s in this very city.” The woman’s voice continued, echoing over everyone. “Have any unknown plusles been seen?”

 

‘Oi, my cousins a Plusle!’

 

‘My sister!’

 

Vizon glanced back at Avery, a sparkle of disbelief and deep curiosity in his eyes, but nonetheless he continued pushing forward, now with renewed determination. Avery swallowed, stumbling forward as Vizon dragged him through the crowd, keeping his head down.

 

‘So many eyes. So many people staring at me. I can’t look at any of them…’

 

Avery’s ears pulled down against the back of his head.

 

‘They’re going to be pissed. Everyone’s going to be pissed I’m interrupting something-‘

 

The pair finally reached the end, the voices now alight with confusion and wonder as to who the ‘Conduit’ spoke of.

 

And there, between the legs of an Ursaring being held back by an Escavilier, Avery saw her: The Conduit Arceali,

 

Olistia.

 

A proud, tall Gardevoir stood at the base of the Ivory pillar, her crimson eyes scanning the crowd, face blank, hands behind her back.

 

It hardly took any time. Her eyes swept once, twice over Avery…then the third…she locked eyes with him at last.

 

Her gaze, neutral, was burning, piercing, intense and commanded respect.

 

She stared at Avery for a moment, then two moments. Then he saw it, a smile, faint and small, spread across her otherwise featureless face. She whispered to herself, a guard nearby nodding at the silent command.

 

‘Oi, you, Ursaring!‘ the guard bellowed.

 

‘What, me?!’ The Ursaring in front of Avery roared.

 

‘Yes, you, you big oaf! Back up! Let them through!‘

 

‘Who? Let who-?!’ The Ursaring looked down, his furious eyes locking with Vizon and Avery. ‘I’ll have you know I’m-!’

 

‘Back!‘ The escavilier rammed his shoulder into the Ursaring, the massive poke’mon tumbling back into the crowd, pokemon screaming in protest as the way cleared for Vizon and Avery.

 

‘Hey! You can’t do that!’

 

‘You lot are out of line!’

 

‘Not one more word from you!‘ another guard shot back, raising his spear-hands.

 

Vizon looked terrified, practically shaking, tightly gripping Avery’s hand for his own support. The Escavilier glareed down at the both of them.

 

‘You’ve been summoned by the Conduit Arceali.’ The guard rumbled, tapping a spear-arm on the ground in an insistence they move with haste.

 

Olistia, meanwhile, stood by, never taking her eyes off Avery.

 

‘This is a nightmare. This is awful, I don’t want to do this anymore-‘

 

Avery tried to pull back, but…he wasn’t as strong as Vizon. His legs were small, he was short, he wasn’t a Fighting Type. Eventually, Avery relented, and moved forwards, past the Poke’mon, into the open. He was still looking down, trembling.

 

Avery was half-expecting the crowd to descend upon him in a fit of rage as he spoke.

 

“…I…I’m Avery,” he said, trying and failing to keep his voice level.

 

Olistia’s eyes glimmered hearing that. The Gardevoir brought her hands to her front, her expression slowly softening, a warm smile forming on her face. All at once the overwhelming roar of the crowd silenced.

 

Not even a muffle.

 

All was quiet.

 

A shimmer surrounded the three of them now. Beyond the shimmer, Avery could see the crowd shouting, stomping, screaming, the guard holding them back…but the scene made no noise.

 

All was quiet. Peaceful.

 

Avery looked up at last, glancing at the bubble…and the furious crowd outside.

 

“Better, Avery?” Olistia spoke, her voice soft and kind as she lowered herself to her knees to talk to Avery at a more even level. Vizon looked around in disbelief at the silencing bubble.

 

“I’m…going to have to go back through that,” Avery whispered to myself, still staring at the crowd. But, for now, he tried to calm himself down, and look at Olistia.

 

“Not alone you won’t.” Olistia replied to Avery’s whisper, hearing it. She tilted her head and Vizon began to slowly relax.

 

Even on her knees, she was taller. She was taller than Vizon by a bit, and Avery by more than that. Even like this, she was still imposing.

 

‘What should I even say…?’ Avery thought, still silent before the conduit. After a moment, the gardevoir took initiative.

 

“Do I frighten you? I’m sorry, I don’t mean to.” She began, offering a hand. “If I may? My name is Olistia. I believe you’ve already talked to me…mhm…’friend’, Arceus, yes?”

 

Vizon’s eyes widened.

 

“He…Avery? He wasn’t lying…?”

 

“And who is this, Avery? May I ask?” Olistia inquired, casting a warm glance to Vizon. “Have you made a friend already?”

 

“…This is Vizon,” Avery said, turning to him. It was as good a place to start as any. “…I was caught in the dark in the fields nearby after I…a-after I fell here. He was in the wagon that let me get on. And Vizon gave me a place to stay for the night.”

 

“Oh…thank you so much, Vizon.” Olistia spoke to the Riolu with a nod, who only nodded in response, the look on his face still utterly flabbergasted this was even happening. Olistia turned her attention back to Avery, letting the plusle continue.

 

Avery was quiet a moment, trying to think of what to even mention at this point.

 

“…The…the orb, in the vision I had. They mentioned that…that there’d be a Riolu.”

 

“Yes, that orb…that was Arceus himself, the very same I speak to, the very same that presides over and blesses these lands and Paradise itself. And everything he told you is true.”

 

“Even the part when he’s a human?” Vizon asked, his voice laced with utter disbelief.

 

“Yes, indeed, oh, but, Vizon, you need not fear dear Avery. Humans aren’t quite what you may have thought.” Olistia giggled gently. “You can trust in Avery, as he’s come to trust in you.”

 

With a nod, she continued.

 

“As for who you are…well…I’m afraid some things are a mystery even to myself.”

 

Vizon looked thoughtful.

 

“Wait, but Avery has amnesia. He can’t remember anything!”

 

“Mm…oh is that so?” Olistia mused.

 

“But, Conduit Arceali…you’re all-powerful, aren’t you? The most powerful physic in all of Arcea!” Vizon said, excitedly. Something in him seemed to be stirred, the sheer weight of what Olistia was saying hitting him. A fantastical look glistened in his eye. “You can help him remember, right? Right?”

 

Olistia was quiet, folding her hands together, looking deep in thought. At last, she turned to Avery.

 

“Is that what you’d like, Avery…?”

 

Avery took a breath, considering.

 

‘Remember? Of course I’d want to remember, right?’

 

“…I…if it’s not against what Arceus wants, I…don’t really know how having my memories gone would be a good thing. I keep having to ask Vizon these questions, like…what the planet in the sky is, where we are…if I don’t have to ask that stuff, that’d…be good, right?”

 

Olistia smiled.

 

“Well, I’d think your human memories would hardly help there. But perhaps you can at least remember where you’ve come from…who you are.”

 

Olistia lifted a hand gingerly to Avery’s head, her warm fingers tracing the fur upon it. She looked at him very seriously.

 

“No matter what, Avery…I should think you’d never wish to lose who you are. It’s fundamental to your self…” She spoke. “…though your body is a pokemon, your heart is human. Never lose that.”

 

Slowly, a glow began to shine from Olistia’s hand, her crimson eyes turning a deep purple. Avery felt a haze over his mind, something blocking something else. At once he could feel something else: the sensation of having lost something. Now instead of there begin simply nothing…he knew there used to be something, some part of himself long lost. Could it be a home? Old friends? A life long forgotten?

 

For the first time, he felt his amnesia. The pang of loss hits Avery’s heart.

 

But alas, though he knew something was missing, he could only only remember one thing, and he held onto it: his own humanity.

 

Olistia winced, the fog vanishing as she pulled her hand away with a soft huff.

 

“Indeed…there’s locks. Many locks. Ones even I can’t break.” She said, shaking her head. “Try as I might…I’m afraid I can’t unlock these memories…”

 

“… I… I know that my life didn’t start in that field, at least,” Avery said quietly. “… Thank you, though, for trying. Really.”

 

He was silent for just a few moments, but turned his gaze up to her. “… Arceus said that I was hand selected, to… To be a hero in the face of grave danger. Is that… Is that true? I don’t know how good I’d be at that.”

 

“Aw, now, Avery…” Vizon began, but Olistia continued for him.

 

“You’re more capable than you know, Avery. Trust in Arceus that he saw something grand in you, and that will be what carries you.” Olistia smiled softly, a hand gently petting Avery’s head. “And know that I believe in you, too.”

 

For a moment, she was quiet, thinking.

 

“But, now, where to begin? I know of this grave danger as well, but I suppose we’ll need to figure out what exactly it is, yes?” She nodded, taking from a small embroidered satchel two envelopes. “And I can think of no better place to start…than here…”

 

She handed both of the envelopes them, one for Avery and one for Vizon. The letters were crafted with fine paper, gold lining and sealed with a wax sigil each.

 

“Do you know of the Arceali Guild? Or, better, Sarfallinus’s Guild?”

 

Avery looked the envelope over, about to open it, but…thought better of it. Looking back at the crowd, he decided this wasn’t the place for it. He looked over to Vizon for clarification.

 

But Vizon…was gobsmack. He looked from the envelopes then to Olistia, then back to the envelopes, face locked in an expression utter disbelief.

 

“No…is this? This can’t be, is it…?” Vizon was muttering, eyes sparkling.

 

“Vizon…would you like to explain?” Olistia requested kindly. Vizon looked near to bouncing, a giddiness in his eyes.

 

“This isn’t happening…this…Avery! These! These are letters of recommendation! To the guild!” He looked to Avery, seeing the confusion in his face. “THE GUILD! The one I told you about on the carriage! The training grounds of the Arceali elites, the seat of high adventure, cultivating of heroes, the birthplace of legends! You know?! The guild of heroes that I’ve looked up to all my life and now I’m holding a letter of recommendation from the Conduit Arceali herself?!“

 

Avery was stunned from the energy in Vizon’s face, still clutching his paw as he nearly jumped up and down from excitement. He was clearly excited about this, understandbly so, and Avery couldn’t help but let the energy infect himself a bit as well. Vizon, meanwhile, had to try and collect himself but he couldn’t contain his giddiness one bit. Olistia chuckled at the display.

 

“I think Vizon might be able to say more once calmed, but, yes. I had intended for you to find a partner to form a team but…” She eyed Vizon as the Riolu bounced around Avery. “…that’s perhaps already taken care of hm?”

 

She stood, towering over the both of them, hands still clasped together.

 

“I’ll need to tend to the crowd now, but I’ll just say this, Avery: the guild will steer you right, and the places it will take you…it’ll give you the strength you need and you’ll find your purpose in time. And perhaps…”

 

Olistia closed her eyes, a confident smile on her face. Avery tuned back toward Olistia as she spoke, and his eyes wandered back to the envelope in his hands.

 

“…perhaps, journeying with the guild, you’ll find the secret to unlocking your memories.” Olistia finished. “Never stop pursuing that, never lose who you were, never let it slip away, Avery. Don’t lose your humanity.”

 

The words were sincere and practiced, as though delivered from Arceus himself. A conduit indeed.

 

‘Don’t lose your humanity.’

 

“I…guess we aren’t going to the item shop today, are we, Vizon?”

 

“FORGET the shop! Burn the shop! I’m in SARFALLINUS’S GUILD!” Vizon squealed, twirling. “WE’RE in Sarfallinus’s Guild!!”

 

Olistia smiled, whispering to herself to summon an Escavelier guard into the silencing bubble.

 

“Just remember, Avery, if you need me I’m available. After all…” She giggled, pointing to him. “The Hero of Arceus is always a welcome guest to Castle Arceali.”

 

The Escavelier guard entered the bubble, coming to attention before Olistia, the Gardevoir turning to face him.

 

“Guard, please see Avery and Vizon to the guild safely. And I do expect you to act…cordially to my friends.”

 

The Escavelier swallowed, his gruff voice taking on a much softer edge.

 

“Aye, of course, Conduit.” He said, turning to Avery and Vizon. “Kind sirs, if you would follow me? I shall see you safely to the guild.”

 

Vizon nodded, holding Avery’s hand to follow the guard, a pair of Bisharp splitting the crowd to make a path for the pair.

 

“I, ah, hope the rest of your day isn’t too stressful, Miss Olistia…!” Avery called, quickly being tugged away by…his partner, he supposed. Vizon was so excited. And the way he looked at Avery, the…

 

‘…. The way he looked at me. The way he took my hand, and pulled me along.’

 

‘His enthusiasm, the sparkle in his eyes…’

 

Avery tried not to think about it too hard, and just let Vizon pull him along.

 

 

Chapter 3.1

~

Purpose

~

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

================   S U S P E N D E D  =================

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++