RECONNECTION — SEGMENT 02

Chapter 37.2

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Reconnection

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Vizon hopped off the chair, stretching his arms as Kipuuna and Lahnae began moving the other chairs out of Aquashock’s room. Loshjno and Ganisus, meanwhile, tended to the snacks. Nivanee took a deep breath, turning to her two teammates with a wide and happy smile.

 

“It’s nice to have you home, Vizon, Avery.” She said.

 

Avery looked back at Nivanee, turning in his chair…And hugged her for a moment.

 

“It’s good to be back, too. Good to see you out of that hospital.”

 

Nivanee…nodded, hugging him back.

 

“You heading out, Avery?” She asked. “Visiting a friend?”

 

“Mm…” Vizon hummed but made no query of his own,

 

Avery leaned back, sighing.

 

“Yeah. I don’t think anyone has told Kellixae and Sekura.” The Plusle sighed. “On the small chance I don’t come home until late or the morning, that’s where I’ll be, hah. But I know you worry, so I’ll try to be back soon. I just figured I’d tell them the good news, plural, you know?”

 

Nivanee, however, didn’t have one iota of worry on her face.

 

“Okay!” She said merrily. “Give them all my best! They sound like they’ve been very good friends to you.”

 

“Mm…” Vizon hummed again, stepping away without a word with his chair in hand to help Lahnae and Kipuuna clear the room. Nivanee glanced at the Riolu and shook her head as he vanished.

 

“And hey…you gunna be okay…?” She whispered quietly. It was clear what…and who…she was referring to.

 

“… Time’ll tell,” Avery said. “…I hear him humming every time they’re brought up, but…”

 

He deflated a little bit thinking about it.

 

“… I hope he’ll be okay. Make sure to check up on him too, alright…? Vizon… He’s going through a lot too. He needs support, same as all of us. And…you’re really good at calming us down. “

 

The Eevee nodded.

 

“I know he does. Everyone needs support, even if they go their separate ways…and even if that support means steering them on a better path.” Nivanee sighed softly, lifting a paw to your shoulder. “I know he’ll be okay…this is a big change for both of you, I suppose…”

 

She deflated too, looking a little sad.

 

“It’s…always hard, seeing a rift like this occur, even if it’s for the best…” Nivanee’s voice was softer now, almost like she were half talking to herself. “Like anything…it’s a change. And you and he will adapt.”

 

She gave another warm smile.

 

“So…! I hope I’ll see you later tonight.” She said, letting Avery go.

 

“…Even if Vizon and my bond is different, Niv…” Avery gave her a little hug again. “…I still think of us as family. I don’t think much could happen that would change that. I hope that Vizon and I will become close again, but…I don’t see anything coming in between you and I, at least. Or…you and Vizon.”

 

Nivanee gave a last squeeze. Avery let go again, and made his way to the door.

 

“…Everything will be okay. I promise.”

 

“I know, Avery. I trust in us…”

 

With that final word, Avery turned to leave, heading out to visit Kellixae and Sekura.

 

As he went down the guild hall Avery saw Kipuuna and Lahnae getting things put away, with Loshjno getting a satchel ready for an outing. Estaloni was fluttering about, putting away the ceremonial torches, the hall returning to normal in the blink of an eye.

 

Avery caught Lahnae glancing in his direction, that guilty look on her face again.

 

He didn’t want her feeling bad. The relationship falling through was his own fault. She didn’t do anything but be there for him, like everyone had been.

 

…Avery would talk to her about it. But for now, he just gave her a little smile, before continuing up the stairs, and out into the city.

 

The rush of chilled air billowed against Avery as the doors opened. There’s a semi thick fog outside, the smokey haze illuminated by the many torches that surround the guild and the castle.

 

It was a practiced walk Avery took now, one he’d been down many, many times before.

 

The walk however was a little…different this time.

 

As Avery made his way from the guild, taking his normal route that would go through the One Truth Square, instead of the usual quite nighttime street leading there he was greeted with a new sight.

 

 

A blockade, the market district road closed down and guarded by a trio of Escavalier city regulars. A good few pedestrians were being barred entry, making for a sizeable crowd of Pokémon, local and visiting, trying to reassess their route (or fruitlessly air their grievances to the guard).

 

‘…Oh good. Escavalier guards on the way to the Illaminian district is never a good sign. But…I remember the guild mentioned something about riots.’

 

Avery approached a guard, not…wanting to spend too much time on this.

 

“… What’s going on, sir…?”

 

The guard immediately glared on Avery’s approach, one of them busy shooing away an angry pedestrian. The one in the center gruffly answered with aggravation, though spoke as cordially as possible.

 

“Riots, sir. One truth square’s closed fer investigation. Only authorized folks are allowed through.”

 

“My APARTMENT is right behind the barricade, you big lug!” A bulbasaur yelled. “I’m trying to go home!”

 

“Apologies, Miss, we’re trying to get a certified credentials vetter as soon as possible but for now we cannot be certain who is and isn’t with the Thieves Guild.”

 

“Will you COME OFF of that?!”

 

The guard to the right lightly pushed a disgruntled market district Pokémon, making them back off with a fearful shout.

 

Avery’s badge shimmered in the torchlight.

 

“…”

 

The Plusle stepped forward.

 

“If it’s a concern,” Avery said, keeping his voice civil. “I can accompany this person back to their apartment. It’s late. People are tired. Would that be alright?”

 

He knew it was just one person. He wouldn’t be able to help everyone. But maybe he could at least help this person, here and now.

 

He wasn’t sure if the fact that the Water Pearl was secured was confidential or not…Avery wanted to tell them that this conflict was over.

 

“No indeed, sir, I cannot and will not let just anyone through.” One of the guards said, his face showing his frustration and want to snap. “I cannot even let the O.O.I district manager through. So I most certainly cannot let a-“

 

“Oi, oi, OI, Kean! Cool y’tongue, mate, lookit his chest. That’s an Arceali Guild badge.”

 

“That’s a…?!” The guard immediately recoiled upon glancing at the shimmering badge on Avery’s chest. Like magic, the two guards stepped aside in a panic.

 

“Oh, terribly sorry f’the confusion, Master Avery.” The second guard recovered at once. “Don’t mind Kean and I, hard to see who’s who in the dark street, yannow.”

 

“Prescription glasses coming in next week, Master Avery!” The first guard stammered. “Won’t happen again.”

 

The Bulbasaur grunted in relief, stepping up closer to the Plusle.

 

“We won’t mind if you escort them in. Feel free to pass on by if’n you need, Master Avery.” The second guard added.

 

The other Poke’mon in the crowd glanced at Avery with interest, seeing an esteemed guild member among them. There were looks both impressed at his status and incredulous at his privilege granted as he was allowed through.

 

Avery looked at the others behind him with an apologetic smile. He couldn’t spend all night getting them home. But he could at least do this. He gave the Bulbasaur a little nod, and looked to the guards.

 

He walked forwards with the Bulbasaur a little more, then when they were out of earshot –

 

“Where are you situated?” Avery asked. “I can take you there. Wouldn’t want you left in the lurch all night.”

 

The Bulbasaur kept close to him, an eruption of argumentative voices starting again as they moved down the street.

 

“Oh, just around this corner, sir.” The Bulbasaur huffed, wiping a wine over her brow. “What a night. Gone from worrying if my apartment is getting busted up, to worrying if I’ll be sleeping in the rain, to meeting a celebrity.”

 

She let out a dainty laugh, as though she were trying to dampen down the budding anxiety she’d been building.

 

“I certainly won’t get one-upped during my friends’ tea time, of that I’m certain.”

 

“Please, I’m not a celebrity,” Avery said with a little laugh. “Though…I guess you probably know me by name, so you have that on me. Can I have your name?”

 

“Ah! Well, my friend circle certainly disagrees, especially with how often Team Azure gets put in the news in just the last few weeks.” She laughed softly. She, at least, didn’t seem embarrassed or shy, just making conversation. “I would know, I’m a 2nd Tier Arceliaze councilmember for the Printing Guild! Ah, and…it’s Qula, if you’re really curious.”

 

She looked to the side, stepping a bit closer to the Plusle as a pair of passing guards patrolling the locked down road eyed the both of them. Avery glanced back at the guards and sighed.

 

“I understand what they’re doing, but I wish it didn’t have to be so disruptive to others. I’m sorry about all that.”

 

“Oh, it’s hardly anything new.” The Bulbasaur grumbled, trying to not make eye contact with the Escaveliers. “The worlds become a bit more violent and the guard’s gotten more aggressive right back. Especially the last couple of years…once upon a time they’d only shut down a thin strip of road, not a whole block. Times have changed.”

 

“Have they?” Avery sighed. “Gosh, that’s horrible to hear. I just hope I can do whatever I can to make the next few years better for everyone,”

 

Avery gave the passing guards a little nod as they passed.

 

“But…the Printing Guild? Do you print the periodicals? I haven’t kept up on those as of late…but then, maybe it’s not good for me to read about myself-!”

 

“Well, more like we advocate the interests of printing companies, both public citizen owned ones and private noble owned ones.” Qula explained with a laugh. “We are partnered up with the Souljreini Printing Company and they’re the ones that do the periodicals.”

 

She perked up, smiling.

 

“Actually, I think the newest one should be coming out tomorrow, that’ll be the first one with Team Azure in it!” She said with a sing-song laugh. “And my, what a first periodical article to have! A storied track record right out the gate in just a few weeks! Even in the Karniqus days of the guild that sort of performance was rare to see, and you don’t need my position to predict that tomorrow’s release is going to be the best selling periodical in almost twenty years.”

 

She smirked, raising her eyebrows at Avery.

 

“To think I’d ever see the revival of guild interest in my lifetime…!”

 

“Yeah, I heard about that,” Avery said, tilting his head. “That before I got here, the guild was in a bit of a dry spell. I’d like to think that we’re entering a new age, at least. The guild definitely feels different now than it did when I first joined. For the better, I think!”

 

He looked down at his badge.

 

“…Actually, you might know this – it’s a bit embarrassing for me to admit, but I don’t really know the time frame for these things…is four weeks or so an average amount of time it takes to get two prongs? I’m still…not entirely clear what the two prong status means beyond just…being closer to graduation.”

 

“Two prongs?!” Qula nearly shouted, stepping around and squinting at the badge. “That’s almost as incredible as it is frustrating; the periodical is already outdated!”

 

She laughed in amazement, tilting her head to look at it.

 

“No, indeed, no, no! Two prongs in four weeks? That’s almost unheard of, but also not a surprise considering the daily adventures Azure was getting up to! Aquashock only got up to second prong sometime in the past two years and they’ve been in the guild…almost ten?”

 

The Bulbasaur backed off, shaking her head.

 

“Honestly, even with as much of an All-Star team as Duskwalker is they reached 2nd prong after a little over a full year of service. Not…that it matters much considering Nivanee is on Team Azure now. I’m surprised you didn’t know any of this considering you managed to get in!”

 

“Hah,” Avery scratched the back of his head. “Well, you know about my memory problems, right? I’m sure that was in one of the brochures…I’ve got amnesia. They can’t find any records on me anywhere, either. Arcean, Illamini, Quayoffi, otherwise. I don’t know much about Arcea past what I’ve been learning the past month. A friend introduced me to Team Moonlight the other day for the first time – that’s how little I know…!”

 

He smiled a little.

 

“It’s a huge honour, to see ourselves grow this much. Vizon, Nivanee, Rikzyod, Jolvia…and the guild, of course. I wouldn’t be here without them.”

 

“Hah, were it I had a notepad. I’m certainly no journalist but going to have to commit this surprise interview to memory and get it to S.P.C.” Qula joked light-heartedly. “Maybe a Team Azure spotlight would be appropriate. Get some testimonials, thoughts, insight into the daily life…oh, and the drama. Poke’mon always adore the drama of the guild. The love triangles, the heated fights and make-ups.”

 

She laughed again, shaking her head.

 

“They all go so professional when they become elites and they certainly don’t share much with the press at all.”

 

As Avery and Qula walked, they could see a Gloom and Oddish standing outside a lit building with the door open, the pair peeking out towards the One Truth Square.

 

“Ah, here I am.” The Bulbasaur said, stepping ahead and waving to the pair. “I do appreciate the escort, Avery. And mind you stay safe on the streets tonight. It was probably foolish of me to be out right now.”

 

“I will, thanks,” Avery said with a little smile. “Have a good night, Qula.”

 

He gave her a little wave, and one to the others at the door, and went off his own way to continue to the Illaminian district.

 

That was pleasant, at least…

 

Turning down the road to go along his usual route would bring Avery towards the One Truth Square from the east side, as it always did.

 

Already, as he got closer, Avery could see a few guards standing in front of ornate stands and painted doors, woodchips, ash and broken glass festooning the street in front of a handfull of the establishments. He could even see one or two Bisharp guards, an extremely rare sight out in the city, even in the Market District, as they walked up and down the road, nodding to Avery as he passed.

 

It wasn’t until he finally reached the square itself that he could see the extent of what happened.

 

 

The square was a mess. The stone was cracked, cratered and broken in many places. Trash and debris littered the street, with stains of discarded and stepped on fruits and berries left behind. The One Truth monument sat covered in splotches of rotten juice splattered on its marble white surface, a torn Arcean flag fluttering on one of its carved sections.

 

And, of course, even from here it was easy to see graffiti, written in bright blood red, words and insults in Illaminian.

 

Here now there stood not only Bisharp but a handfull of white-cloaked elites surveying the damage. A few other non-law enforcement Poke’mon took notes, like for setting up cleanup and repair. A cleanup crew stood on standby on the far end of the district while the investigation neared its end.

 

‘…I see.’

 

This…Avery knew that they were unhappy. He knew that. But…at the same time, this was sad to see. He supposed it got their message across. Hopefully nobody was hurt in the riots.

 

He continued on his way, his head hung a little lower. This…was a pretty good metaphor for the state the city was in.

 

Continuing south, Avery passed more guards, keeping an eye to make sure nobody else was allowed entry into the one truth square, or even allowed near it.

 

They looked…very bored.

 

Avery’s route continued down the road, past another blockade and past another disgruntled group of Market District Poke’mon. As he walked, he could see more indicators of what had happened, ghosts of an event long over.

 

The patrols thinned as Avery reached the Lower Market district, the guards’ attention clearly more focused on protecting the more pristine Market District. Here he could see glass shards on the side of the road in swept-up piles and broken or burnt wood stacked up, out of the way.

 

Bars with small streams of light shining through the cracks of boarded up windows sat open, their tenders standing outside and calling to passerby that they’d re-opened. Here and there a Poke’mon would be sweeping the road.

 

Cleaning up. Recovering for a new day.

 

Despite the wounds…Arceliaze bounced back. Life went on.

 

In the distance, rising over the rooftops, the Ivory wall silently loomed over the quiet district.

 

‘…Still. The One Truth Square was a huge symbol for these people, both figuratively and literally. And the fact that it had been vandalized like that…’

 

Avery shook the thought off for now. He just needed to get to Kellixae and Sakura, tell them that he was alright, and head home for the night. The streets felt different- A lot must have happened in the few weeks he was gone…

 

“Woah, son, which way y’ going?”

 

As Avery tried to turn a corner going to the Illaminian district, a fluffy red tail swung in his way, stopping him. There, standing in front of a quaint little restaurant was a Thievul. He swished his ‘moustache’ from side to side, looking the Plusle up and down.

 

“That way goes down t’ the Illaminian district, donye know?” He said, his X-Eye District accent light, but present.

 

Avery stopped, looking up at him.

 

“I know, yeah. I just got back from a long, uh…trip, and I wanted to tell a few people down this way that I’ve returned, is all.”

 

“Ohhh, got friends down in there, do ye?”

 

Though Avery might’ve worried the statement was accusatory, the Thievul’s tone was more curious and his look more concerned.

 

“Dunno if it’s wise to approach right now. The citizen’s guard over there’s bein’ prickly after that scuffle with NAM.”

 

“Scuffle…” Avery mumbled. “NAM’s been active too, huh? Guess I missed a lot.”

 

He sighed.

 

“…Well, I’m not planning on aggravating them, at least.”

 

“You might be, but I sure am.” The Thievul snickered, motioning his head toward a shattered window on his establishment. “One of my own regulars was huckin’ stones during the worst of it all a-cause I opened me door to Illamini Op Arceali when the streets weren’t safe.”

 

He smirked, his eyes wandering behind Avery, towards the end of the street. There, a Poke’mon with an armband was being shooed out of a bar.

 

“Then the boy comes back ’round tonight and tries to tell me it was an Illaminian what did it. Musta though I was born stupid, as if I wasn’t lookin’ im in the eye when he did it.”

 

“…” Avery frowned, looking at the NAM being shoved away. “Throwing stones through windows. And they try to pass it off- Blegh.”

 

Avery paused, furrowing his brow.

 

“…Wait, citizen’s guard?”

 

The Thievul’s ears perked up at your question and he gave a head tilt.

 

“Yeah, citizen guard. What, don’t you go ’round the Illaminian District if’n y’ got friends there? They got an armed force down there, patrolling the streets. Scares the willies out of the NAM boys on account they never stop babblin’ about it.”

 

Avery stuck his tongue out.

 

“Citizen guard…it’s sad that they even feel like they need that, but with the way I’ve seen the guard treat ’em and NAM being NAM…”

 

Avery looked down at his guild badge, flicking it idly.

 

‘Should I take it off…? It…it feels dishonest to think about.’

 

“Thank you for the tip though. And…” Avery looked to the window. “Sorry about your bar. Will it take much to fix?”

 

“Nothin’ I’m not ready to pay…and pay again.” The Thievul shrugged, his tail swaying behind him. “Still, though, if you’re insisting going down to that district just mind yer manners and don’t be offended if they ask you t’leave fer right now.”

 

He seemed to speak from some far-off experience. If anything that only raised more question, but before those could be asked he gave Avery a nod.

 

“You have a good night, Avery of Azure.” He said with a wink, glancing at the Plusle’s badge.

 

For a moment, Avery was taken aback by him. But a sheepish smile creeped onto his face.

 

“…That’s…the second time tonight I’ve been recognized, hah…I hope you have a good night. And…thanks.”

 

With that, the Plusle was allowed to pass, continuing down the road, toward the bends leading to the ivory wall.

 

The roads were cleaner here, scorch marks being scrubbed. As Avery got closer, the cobblestone road turned to dirt. Vines crept up the walls in dim torchlight, with boards, old barrels and discarded wheels left forgotten in narrow alleyways.

 

In the corner of his eye…Avery could see them. Those hooded figures, lurking in the shadows. Watching him, briefly, before moving on to whatever it was they were doing. Some would stare at him longer than others…then seemed to confer with one another before darting in the opposite direction.

 

Avery saw one – gave a small wave of acknowledgement, but didn’t move after them, or look at any of the others. He figured it was at least proper not to look at them if they were…well, being so secretive.

 

They, at least…did not seem hostile.

 

Soon, the grand ivory wall of the Illaminian district towered over him, like a hard cut off border between there and the rest of Arceliaze.

 

However, there at the archway leading within Avery saw a group of five Poke’mon, each of whom stood before a barricade of sandbags and a hastily tipped over wagon. The guards weren’t Escaveliers or Bisharp. They were citizen Poke’mon, some holding pitchforks or tools as weapons. It was clear to see none of them had any real combat experience yet they stood guard all the same.

 

One of them, a Hitmonlee, saw Avery approach, nudging the Meganium he stood beside.

 

“Eyey, tve essowepfu raemdapu…” The Plusle heard him mutter.

 

“Ijo, djo i raimmu?” The Meganium called out to Avery in a loud voice. “Tio Illamini?”

 

Avery stopped once the guards began talking to him.

 

“Hello,” Avery called back, keeping a small distance. “I’m sorry, I don’t speak Illaminian.”

 

Avery was going to say he was Arcean, but…he wasn’t. He was pretty sure that’s what they were asking with ‘Tio Illamini’ anyway.

 

“Is it okay if I pass through? I’m going to see some friends in the district.”

 

Avery didn’t show off his badge. But he didn’t take it off, either. He didn’t want to be dishonest.

 

“Ey…?” The Maganium was taken aback a bit, squinting at Avery. His voice took a sharper tone. “Dji debbu do geo rao, Arceali?”

 

“Ey, qesmo Arceali,” A Dewott in the group said back to a Furret. “Dute je fivvu?”

 

The Furret frowned, looking from the Dewott then down to Avery. She stepped up, the Hitmonlee and Meganium standing aside for her as she spoke.

 

“What doing, Arceali?” She asked, Illaminian accent thick. “No outsider. Go away.”

 

“…Right,” Avery said, nodding. He didn’t approach. “I was told that I might not be allowed in. I just wanted to go see some friends. Kellixae and Sakura…?”

 

His heart was still beating quick. He was nervous. Because he knew if they lashed out, he wouldn’t fight them. But hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that.

 

“Is it alright if I go see them?”

 

“Sst…haesfe om tau qivvu… i fimme Homfe Arceali.” One of them muttered to another, pointing to Avery’s chest.

 

“Homfe? Dji debbu waumi me homfe fe puo?”

 

“Shh, shh…” The Furret hushed her compatriots as she processed what Avery said.

 

The guards gripped their weapons tighter, looking increasingly worried. It seemed like they were thinking something similar: if Avery lashed out, they’d never beat him.

 

“You…Avery…?”

 

“Averini…?”

 

Two of them looked to one another. Another just fixed Avery with an even harder stare.

 

“Pup onqusve ti i ap enodu fo Sekurini, me homfe i homfe.” The sterner Poke’mon muttered.

 

“Pup gesi poipvi fo tvaqofu. Wauo apemvse qashe? Tveo hoa, debbu.” His friend said to him, batting his arm with a firm look.

 

“…Yeah, that’s me. Avery of Azure.” The Plusle said. Time number three. “…I am guild. But-“

 

He brought a hand up slowly.

 

“…I won’t go against you if you don’t want me going inside. I’m not going to fight. Promise.”

 

The Furret chewed on her tongue a little, looking deep in thought at his words. The other guards looked anxiously at her as she turned to face them.

 

“Errr…i Averini fo Azurini.” She said to the others. One of them nodded, the others only looking thoughtful. “Fodi dji waumi ipvsesi i… raemdute ta fo mao dji pup ipvse. Pup duncevvise?”

 

“Averini…pup i femme putvse qesvi? Ju tipvovu dji essitve qistupi fim NAM…?” The Hitmonlee muttered.

 

“Ji fof upi vjoph. Pu ipvsz, tipf jon exez.” The Meganium said sternly. The Furret shook her head with a frown.

 

“Pup jeo tipvovu?” She replied. “I ap enodu fo Sekurini.”

 

“Eneme duni quvsio, i tdoudde e gesi enodoboe dup raimmo dji do addofupu.” The Meganium said with a stomp. “Pittape homfe.”

 

The Furret hesitated…then nodded solemnly, looking back at Avery.

 

“No guild.” She said. “…Sorry.”

 

Avery’s ears fell a bit…but he nodded.

 

“…Then…could you send a message for me? Can you tell Kellixae and Sakura that I’m…well…alive? I just don’t want them to worry.”

 

The Furret nodded, listening close to your message.

 

“Tell Sekurini, Kellixini…Avery alive. Yes?”

 

Another nod.

 

“Yes. And…hopefully I can see them tomorrow. That’s all.”

 

Avery turned for a moment, but paused, and turned back to the rest of them.

 

“…Stay safe, all of you. Okay?”

 

…things were getting worse. He wouldn’t be alone in this. But Avery would have to do his part, too. He had to help.

 

“Ey, ey!” The Furret called before Avery left. She had a more sympathetic look in her eye than the hard stare of her Meganium companion. “Sekurini at work — morning! Can enter with!”

 

Avery stopped to hear her. So he’d need Sekurae to get in. That made sense.

 

Despite the quiet feeling of dread in the bottom of his gut, Avery smiled a bit.

 

“Alright.” He called. “And…thank you. Have a good night, okay? Stay safe.”

 

“Dute hmo tveo fodipfu?” The Meganium asked, looking down at the Furret suspiciously.

 

“Errrr…Hmo tvu fodipfu fo pup vuspesi neo qoa.” The Furret replied to the Meganium with a sheepish grin. “To, to, neo.”

 

The larger Poke’mon grumbled, eying Avery suspiciously. The Furret meanwhile flashed the Plusle a small smile and a nod.

 

It was funny, seeing the two side by side. The Meganium looked so much older and haggard than the clean and peppy Furret girl. Like Avery were looking at Sekura and Kellixae themselves.

 

Almost like two different Illaminians.

 

‘Deep breaths…in and out.’

 

Things would get better. Somehow, they would.

 

The other guards watched Avery closely as he left, looking scared as though he’d suddenly change his mind and attack.

 

At least Sekura and Kellixae were safe, and the Illaminians were doing their best to protect their own.

 

Leaving the ivory wall behind…turning back to go into the Market District, with his message en route to his friends.

 

So…back to the guild, Avery supposed. There was a lot of clean-up going on, and…he’d promised Nivanee that he’d be back tonight. He didn’t want to keep them waiting.

 

As Avery moved through the streets, backtracking, the cobblestone roads of the Lower Market district seemed so…

 

…still. Quiet.

 

Though he passed by groups of Poke’mon, there was only a quiet tension. But the city was, for now, at a standstill.

 

NAM heralds were silent. No chanting or fighting.

 

But there, on his route to the guild, just as he was coming up to the entrance of the Market district, Avery saw something…mingling among the crowd.

 

A group of Poke’mon surveyed a destroyed wood stand, picking up some of the splattered fruit…

 

…and Avery could just barely see a swishing brown tail among them.

 

Swishing brown…? Was that-?

 

Avery approached carefully, trying to make himself obvious so that he wouldn’t be sneaking up on the crowd.

 

As he approached, he could hear many of the Poke’mon in the group humming to themselves. There were sounds of scrubbing, rotten fruit being thrown into buckets to take away.

 

And there, brush in her mouth, scrubbing at painted letters across a wall that read “Nusvi emm Arceali”…

 

…was Nivanee.

 

That seemed…odd, almost.

 

The Eevee lowered her head to dip the brush into a pail of water, her eyes lifting just a bit to look at Avery, a surprised look crossing her face.

 

“…Hey, Niv,” The Plusle said, tilting his head. “…Do you need some help with that…?”

 

Her ears perked up, a soft smile given as she let go of the brush into the bucket. She laughed softly, scooting the bucket closer to him. Inside was another brush.

 

“I’d love the help, of course, but…what are you doing here…?” She asked. “I thought you were visiting your friends at the Illaminian District…?”

 

The Poke’mon around them didn’t bat an eye, too busy with their cleanup to notice.

 

“I was,” Avery said with a little nod. “But there’s a guard at the border. They didn’t feel comfortable letting guild in without Illamini accompaniment, so I asked them to send Kellixae and Sakura a message instead.”

 

He picked up a brush, and began to scrub alongside her.

 

“I’m going to see them tomorrow, anyhow, so as long as they don’t have to spend another night thinking I’m…y’know…I’m happy.”

 

“Guards…?” Nivanee said thoughtfully with a frown. “I’m guessing not Arceliaze guards, then…”

 

She was quiet a second, lifting her head to look up at the graffiti on the wall…then around at the smashed windows, the broken stand…then the direction of the now-ruined One Truth Square.

 

“…sounds…defensive.”

 

Avery nodded.

 

“It seems that we missed a lot,” He said. “…It’s a little scary. I saw some other stuff down there. But…the guard wasn’t aggressive at the gates to the district. Defensive, but…”

 

He rolled his eyes.

 

“I did have to use my guild position to help someone through a barricade.”

 

Nivanee snickered at that.

 

“Reminds me of my early days at the guild when I’d get get pushed aside by guards…until Janus and I became a household name.” She said with a smile. “I’m glad your friends are okay at least.”

 

She went quiet after that, her smile fading as she stared into the bucket, her mirthfulness evaporating. It was only for a moment, a little smile crossing her face again.

 

“I admit…I’m out here both to do some work and…maybe do some thinking.” Nivanee said with a sigh, picking up some debris and moving it aside. “Little tasks help me do that. Normally I try to get out of my own head but…things feel a little different lately.”

 

“I can pipe down if you need it,” Avery said, looking down at her reflection before starting to scrub away at the words. “We’ll have to clean this up anyhow.”

 

Playfully, he flicked a bit of water at the side of her face, then went back to scrubbing, just in case she preferred the silence.

 

“No. No no no, it’s actually really nice to talk to you, Avery.” She said with a warm smile, playfully splashing back. “If anything, you’re probably the one that can help me the most. Or, at least, be someone to bounce off of with some of this…stuff floating around in my head these past few days…”

 

“Well, then shoot away,” Avery said, looking to her. He wasn’t sure why she thought he could help, but…it was a nice thought at least.

 

She beamed thankfully at the Plusle…but for a moment was simply silent, as though she were contemplating what to even say first, going through what must have been an expansive list in her mind.

 

She took a brush in mouth, scrubbing at the blood red letterings on the wall, her gaze affixed to it carefully, considering it.

 

Then, slowly, she set the brush down in the bucket, only staring up at the slowly vanishing letters.

 

“Avery…why do you think the Illaminians rioted?” She asked.

 

It…felt an oddly uncharacteristic question from her.

 

“…I guess…the reason any riot happens. They’re unhappy. I’ve…heard a lot about having to work debt jobs over real jobs. Fleeing their homeland that they love, to a place where they walk into debt, and it feels like everyone who isn’t Illamini op Arceali is…ambivalent towards them at best. Their homes are run down, and…liable to be set on fire by extremists at any time.”

 

He grimaced.

 

“That’s, uh…I mean I know it’s more complex than that, but…from their point of view, it’s gotta sting, huh…?”

 

She was quiet, just listening to Avery, ears swiveled in his direction, drinking in his every word.

 

“It feels odd…” She said, almost to herself. “It sounds so obvious. Yet I just never really…”

 

She paused a moment, staring at the wall, almost through it.

 

“…thought about it. Or cared.” She mused. “That’s just how it is. It’s how it was when I was a kid, maybe even long before that.”

 

She was quiet again.

 

“A lot of things I’ve always taken for granted are just starting to make less and less sense.” She said, glancing at Avery. “Arceliaze is such a beautiful city to me. The pretty marble statues, the culture so full of life, the centuries of history. It’s so much of who I am, as much as Yahneri Port is to me.”

 

She gave him a smile. A sadder one.

 

“Arceliaze…is such a beautiful city…to me.” She said. “But Poke’mon riot in it anyway. The guild is a paragon of justice and heroism. But there are Poke’mon that despise it on principle. We all join the guild to be brave and save others. But my sister, the bravest and fiercely loving of all, saw fit to abandon it..doesn’t that all seem strange, Avery?”

 

“…It’s what I’ve been wrestling with,” Avery said, picking up a few wooden splinters. “Janus isn’t stupid. Quayslaan isn’t stupid. Diquarni isn’t stupid. And yet…people kept leaving the guild. Leaving the Conduicy. I’m…still left wondering why.”

 

“Hmhm…and that’s always been the difference between you and me, Avery.” Nivanee said with a little mirthful laugh. “You bothered to wonder.”

 

She shifted a bit, moving some wood from the street. Her ‘TZ’ badge sparkled brilliantly in the light, the twin prongs polished to a wonderful sheen.

 

“You know…Dad used to tell me that, to wonder. When he tried to teach me to read he tried using a book of Quayoffi poems.” She said softly, lost in thought. “But when he kept getting called for shipping jobs, he hired a tutor…and the first book I read was the newest Guild Periodical at the time.”

 

She looked to Avery, that faraway stare looking at him.

 

“Think of that…the first words I read were about the guild. How much good they did for others, how selfless they were. How they caught…bad guys.”

 

That smile crept back on her face as she looked down into the bucket.

 

“Some of the first history I learned? The 2nd war of Arcea, where Jyiniarno the warlord invaded Arcea and burned Old Arceliaze. I learned about how the Conduicy works, I learned about how Adelaide, the Arcean, saved Illaminians. “

 

She paused.

 

“And when I ran off with Janus, all the guild members were Arcean. Arceans walked the streets of the market district. We looked up to the elites as the coolest Poke’mon in the world.”

 

She giggled softly. But it wasn’t a necessarily happy giggle.

 

“Huh…really, thinking on it…is it any wonder I joined the guild?”

 

…Avery just listened. He dropped off a few of the sticks in a pile, and took a broom and dustpan to start sweeping up glass.

 

Nivanee, herself, had gone quiet, another pause in her talking as she finished up clearing off another pile.

 

“Are you satisfied with how the world is, Avery…?” Nivanee asked, turning to him. “I know that’s a…weird question, especially since you’re…what you are, but…I’ve always felt satisfied with how things were, or just didn’t think about what I wasn’t satisfied with. But…”

 

She gingerly lifted a paw, tracing her abdomen.

 

“…Avery…I almost died…for this. You know?” She said sweeping a paw around toward the street, festooned with broken glass and destroyed stands. “I wasn’t fighting to prevent any of this from happening or helping the Illaminians or even the Arceans. I almost died…to get a trinket for the Conduit.”

 

She set her paw down, her brow furrowing.

 

“And I guess…I’m just asking myself if I’m really willing to die for this. If I’m really, truly, satisfied with the way things are. If I could die to protect this.“

 

Avery dumped the glass shards into a nearby trash can, and came over to her as she spoke.

 

“…Niv…I haven’t known you that long. But…what I do know…is that you’re willing to die to protect something. When you were with us down in the center of the earth, when you fought in Dove Fo Uddjo, when you helped us on that island…”

 

He put a hand on her back.

 

“…You weren’t doing that for some trinket. You have this…power in you. This drive. So I guess…what are you fighting for?”

 

Nivanee was quiet.

 

She looked at Avery slowly. Her gaze was no longer distant, it was squarely, directly on him. She took a deep breath, trying to collect her thoughts.

 

“My friends.” She said. “My family. Wherever they go, whatever they do…”

 

The words slowly sank in for her. Her tail lightly swished from side to side.

 

“But that’s not all, is it? That may have been my only answer a few days ago…but now there’s something else.” She said, her voice slow and measured. “Now…I want to fight for a better world for them all. Everyone. Everyone.”

 

The corners of Avery’s eyes stung a little bit. But he smiled through it.

 

“…That sounds like a good cause to me.” Avery said, letting out a little sigh. “…Bit esoteric though, we should really try and put that into an actionable set of steps, huh~?”

 

He broke into a small grin, to show the jest in the words.

 

“Well, if I have you here to help that won’t be a problem.” The Eevee said with a sunny smile, returning his jest.

 

She stepped up and gave a soft nuzzle into Avery, her warm presence comforting in the heavy atmosphere of the trashed street.

 

“You know…ever since I started having these night terrors…every time I wake up I feel like I want to talk to…someone. Someone to tell me something.” She said with a sigh. “I feel like I’ve wronged others, Avery. That I’ve spent a lifetime doing something wrong…and only now do I have a glimmer of lucidity to fix it.”

 

She took a step back, surveying the street as the workers finished sweeping glass and scrubbing away splatters and vandalism.

 

“Whatever the case may be…I have this feeling in my heart. I feel ready to do better, to face anything thrown at me if it means making the world better for those I love.” She said, a determined glint crossing her features. “Even if the road there hurts worse than any thousand mile fall.”

 

For a moment, those words sent Avery reeling. For a moment, those words brought him to the gallows. To eight figures-

 

“Y…yeah. Nobody ever said it’d be easy. But…this-” Avery said, putting some elbow grease into the scrubbing. “This is a sign that this won’t hold. Something needs to change. And if we don’t want it to change for the worse, we have to change it for the better.”

 

He paused.

 

“Uh. W-we, being…collective. Not…just you and I, that’d be a lot.”

 

Nivanee laughed softly, seeing Avery get back to scrubbing.

 

“Many paws make light work.” She quipped, moving to finish her cleaning, rubbing out the letters. “You and I is better than just you. And I suspect, we two and Janus is better still. Janus…Lahnae, I’m sure. Many, many others.”

 

Her smile brightened.

 

“Even if so many other things around it change, family stays together. Family has each others backs…”

 

She paused.

 

“…with or without a guild.”

 

Avery paused his scrubbing briefly. But immediately went right back to it.

 

“And…hey, if you ever want to talk about those night terrors, sort them out, I’m here, okay?” He said. “I…ah…I have bad dreams, too. I know how it can get.”

 

“I will, I promise.” Nivanee said with a soft smile.

 

At last, the graffiti disappeared from the wall. The street was cleared. All was well, or at least..better.

 

The Eevee turned to Avery with a nod.

 

“Looks all good here. One Truth Square is getting handled by a professional team.” Nivanee sighed, rolling her shoulders. “I admit, I didn’t have much else planned tonight. I was more coming to see what had happened.”

 

She looked about…then back to him.

 

“Though it saddened me, it’s funny…it also feels like a turning point for the better. Is that just me?”

 

Avery shook his head.

 

“I don’t think so. I think this needed to happen. Like…” He looked up. “Like how if you never got symptoms, you’d never know you were sick.”

 

“Hm…it’s a relief knowing you feel the same.” She said softly.

 

Putting his hands on his hips, Avery looked at the clean stone.

 

“…Should we head back for the night?”

 

“Mhm! Let’s go!” Nivanee said, bouncing up to attention. She gestured her head to lead him along to the guild.

Chapter 37.2

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Reconnection

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