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--Wendy--

It had been difficult for me to sit by, listening to Tempest cry, the night before. It hurt in a way I'd never felt before. To be so powerless. So useless. I knew she was in good hands, and I knew that she wasn't alone. But it still hurt to know that there wasn't anything I could do.

I had resolved myself instead to move forward for her, no matter what. Staccato I kept in the pokeball. For once I didn't need him to carry me.

Annabelle, the lucario who had, to my understanding, rather ungraciously volunteered to guide us, met us in the twilight hours before dawn, and outlined the plan. It was straightforward enough. She knew the lay of the land well enough to have a good idea of where a strong psychic type might seclude themselves, and if nothing else, she could ask around as we went.

I was grateful for the last bit of translation he'd offered, as he stirred a pot of oatmeal, with bleary, tired eyes. If he thought anything of Annabelle's presence, or her of his own, they kept it to themselves and didn't waste any energy arguing. It was clear she didn't like him, from the way she stood, but he just seemed too tired to care.

Tempest pulled him into her arms, after the meal, and held him for the longest time. Annabelle seemed to bristle at it, but kept quiet. As she let him go, he brought his hand to her cheek, an affection she leaned into, and he bade her be watchful, and to come back safely.

As we departed, I was the only one to spare a backwards glance, Tempest resolutely followed the lucario, and the two seemed to be sharing a muted, but not unfriendly conversation. He looked defeated, as he sat by the glowing embers. Shoulders slumped, head down, knees held to his chest. He looked small. For the first time since we met, he looked small to me.

He was really counting on us. Counting on me.

I promised myself that I wouldn't let him down.

The first hours seemed to crawl. The stillness of the air, the humidity, the warmth. I could feel my shirt clinging to me from the sweat. The day was only just starting and I'd have already just about died for a breeze.

As the first real sunlight filtered through, I realized that the sounds I'd been hearing for the past hour were slowly growing. A stream nearby, maybe a proper river. I had no idea, and for a moment I could have kicked myself for neglecting to study the map. Doubtless, he would have. He seemed the type.

But Annabelle knew where she was going. Quiet, confident, a little bit fast for how I was feeling, but … but maybe it was time I tried pushing myself, a little. Maybe it was time I stopped expecting anyone to slow down, or carry me.

So as she pushed, I pushed. We were making good time, but it was a little worrying to not know quite where we were making good time to.

---Tempest---

I had to hand it to her, the girl wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty. I thought she was weak, soft. I was wrong. The look in her eyes was pure grit. She really wanted to do this. So I didn't bother trying to slow her down. She'd push, and find how far she could. It was good to know. It was good that we all knew.

Annabelle and I spoke briefly about the lay of the land. We were following the path to a lake. We could ask around, it wouldn't be hard to find others. But I knew as well as she did, the girl was going to make it a problem.

Nobody there was going to want to talk to a human. They probably weren't going to want to talk to Annabelle, either. Since she spent so much time with Gwen. Truth was, we'd be lucky to get much help. Still, she was owed a few favors, and what she was asking wasn't much.

Wasn't much. Maybe not to her. I couldn't help but clutch the cage that held my beloved tight to my chest. A necessary thing, tragically necessary now. I missed the days we roamed freely. I loved that about him, that he rarely kept us locked away from the world. I loved that he didn't want to keep us locked away, if it could be helped.

We had been walking for hours, it seemed. The reality was that we'd been going even longer when Annabelle lead us over the crest of a hill. It was a pretty sight, the view spilling out below us. A broad, open field, a blue band of water meandering across it. The trees parted, blue sky walled by mottled green and brown.

Annabelle sighed, as she brought us to the water's edge, the glimmer of the evening sun casting hues of gold across the rippling surface. She turned and met my gaze with a hard edge to her expression. “It feels like a betrayal to bring you two here. He should be grateful for your fondness for him."

“He is grateful for all of us. Insult him again, and we will both learn something about ourselves. I promise you that." I couldn't help it, just biting back the anger was as much as I could bear.

When Wendy stepped between us, a hand on my shoulder, I realized how close I'd come to doing more than just speaking. The tension in my hand, so much that I could feel the strain all the way up my arm, it was a close thing.

I sighed, she sighed, and without my trying to explain the situation to her, even if I could have, I saw in her eyes that she understood.

“Annabelle," She said, turning slowly. “Whatever problem it is you have, this isn't the time, or the place. Let's do what we came for, then you can go right back to judging what you don't understand or care to know."

I didn't need to look. I could feel the lucario bristle at that. It brought a smile to my face. A nasty, antagonistic smile. “Not far from the mark. He's better to us than you could ever understand, Annabelle. We'd die for him, and we gladly live for him. And nothing you or anyone else could ever say would take that from me. You want to fight? Fine. But I'm not fighting because I care what you think. I'm fighting because I won't let anyone treat him badly. Understand?"

For a moment, she stared, met my gaze, held it, frustrated, tense, and then she laughed. Laughed long and loud, and turned back to the water. “I don't want to fight. But don't think for a moment you'll ever understand. What a charmed little life you must live!"

I felt a familiar sense of anger, something dark and lingering. A shadow at the edges of my perception. Blocking out sound, light, warmth… As I moved to step in, it was Wendy pushing me back, pushing us both apart. I wanted to push her out of the way. To throw her aside and sort that bitch out, but … I could feel her hand on mine, pushing the pokeball against me. Reminding me of why I'd come out. Why I had put up with it so far.

“Tempest." She said, firmly, capturing my sight, forcing me to look at her, instead of at that spiteful bitch I was about to gut, right there by the water. “Tempest." She repeated, her hand coming to my cheek. “Sweetheart? Not here, not now. You want to prove her wrong? Want to make her eat her words?" I couldn't help but nod at that, as I clenched my jaw against the bitter, frustrated tears. “Then you remember how much he means to you. Remember how much she means to you." She said, tapping the pokeball.

It was hard, to swallow past that anger, to breathe, to think. But she was there. Her hand on my shoulder the same way his had been. The same way Claire did, when I got too agitated. Familiar warmth, and gentleness drawing me away from anger.

I felt myself smile. Felt it in my heart. “Yeah, yeah. Thanks, mom."

For a moment, I just stared at Annabelle, and finally I smiled. “So, I have to ask, why do you hate a guy you don't even know?"

--Trainer--

It had been a hard thing, watching them go. It hurt me in a way I could never have prepared for. To be unable to do anything except wait. For who knows how long. To have no idea how it would go, no say in the outcome. To have done everything I could do, and just have to wait and see.

Mira didn't leave my side at all, that morning. Not while I was gathering fallen wood for the fire. Not while I was going through the endless training, and repetition of my martial arts. Not while I sat by the fire and just stared in silence.

Cocoa busied herself around the camp, as she was inclined to do. Clearing away rocks and even setting up the clothes line to set to a little washing. She dealt with it by keeping busy, by doing whatever she could do. It seemed she found a rapport with Penance, who sat nearby and enjoyed conversation while Cocoa took to the task with vigor. Occasionally they'd glance my way, but I couldn't shake myself out of it.

Lunch was tasty, but a muted affair. Nobody asked anything of me, and for a while I was content to just sit back and let the world spin on.

I had expected Gwen to meander up from the cabin, but she didn't. I wondered if it was that she was busy, or that she really understood how I felt. It was probably coincidence, but even so I was grateful. Tomorrow, perhaps. Today was just no good.

Cocoa and I set to refilling the bottles we had, in the cool, semi-dark of the tent. We were joined by Mira and Penance, who waited patiently for their turn. It was then I finally found words.

“Thanks. All of you. For not asking anything of me today." I said, as I capped off a bottle. “For being patient." I tried not to let the creeping feeling of doubt take hold, but Mira caught it right away, and took my hand in her ribbons.

“You know how you always tell us to do what we can? To do our best and know that we did? Take your own advice." Mira said, in gentle admonishment. “You've done everything you could, including the hardest thing of all. Trust them. They can handle this."

Penance nuzzled against me, and curled up at my side. “She won't give up. She won't stop. Wendy's relentless like that. She'll see it through."

Cocoa all but tackled me to the floor, wrapping me up tight in her arms. “And it's our job to take care of you, now. You've done everything for us. It's our turn to do for you. Understand? Your vacation starts now. And no, you don't get a say in it this time."

Mira laughed, but came to me with a playful grin. “I wasn't going to say it quite like that, but you promised. You promised us. You've done what you can, so unless something changes, it's time to take a break."

Penance was momentarily shocked at it, but sat by Mira, and sighed. “You're outnumbered, it seems. And ... “ She paused, and moved in, nuzzling against my cheek. “Even I know how much you need this break. So… for everyone's sake, okay? You can't help them by being miserable."

Those words, “You can't help them by being miserable". I hated to admit how right she was, it was self-defeating. It was stupid and pointless, and I wasted a whole day sulking. I didn't do anything that would have helped. I certainly didn't help the girls who were stuck with me.

“Fair." I replied, reaching up to run my hand through Penance's thick fur. “Then that's fine, but I'll be counting on you three to keep me in good spirits, okay? How about tomorrow morning we go see if we can find a little fresh food? Maybe some berries or fish? I should probably ask Gwen if that's allowed."

Penance laughed, and nuzzled into my arm. “Hey, a girl's gotta eat. I doubt she'll have a problem."

I hoped she was right. I didn't like how little of the day I managed to experience, and I didn't want to lose a second one to wallowing in self pity again. Still, what was done, was done. There was little else for it but to turn in for the night. I stayed up long enough to get Wendy's message, and got some idea of where she was on the map. She'd gone a long way, and I couldn't help but wonder if we'd be able to help each other, if something happened. Thankfully, Mira was able to soothe away the anxiety and help me sleep. I wished I could have done the same for her, for all of them.