To say that my night was filled with bad dreams couldn't be further from the truth. I slowly woke up from the deep, peaceful slumber my body had fallen victim to, and let out a gaping yawn before I could even begin to care about my surroundings or the time of the day. Having spent my most restful and peaceful night in months now, my eyelids felt numb and heavy, so I turned around, trying to find a more comfortable position to prolong my sleep and delay my inevitable rise from the soft, silky bed I was currently resting on…Until I recounted last night's events, and remembered that instead of said bed, I was supposed to have fallen asleep in Rikiya's arms.

My mind flared up, as I suddenly straightened my upper half until I could properly take a look at the bedroom's empty wall. Rikiya's imposing silhouette was nowhere to be seen. I frantically turned my head around, trying to locate him, but to no avail. Wasting no time, I got up and put on the borrowed slippers I found in the owner's wardrobe yesterday, before heading to the living room with haste, turning the lights on and calling upon my host's name:

“Rikiya? Rikiya, are you here?"

Hearing no answers, I scanned the room left and right, until my eyes detected a large note folded in half on the mahogany table around which we both shared a meal yesterday. My legs brought me towards it at a brisk pace, picking it from where it laid, and I was able to make the words “To my little buddy" on the front. A note from Rikiya.

Opening it made me surprised at the quality of the handwriting, or rather paw-writing: despite the words being twice bigger than usual, it remained perfectly legible, written in a mastered cursive displaying its familiar loops all around. It could easily be mistaken for the craft of a veteran writer or copyist. I then mentally slapped myself for forgetting about what I learned from Rikiya's various gigs, especially that he was doing his interpreter job on paper, which would explain him getting hold of a good hand…paw-writing given enough time. Not planning on waiting any further in case this might be important, I started reading the memo:

“Hey, buddy! I hope you slept well!

I'm sorry I left without saying anything, but I had work scheduled for today. I won't return until the evening, when I'll bring my friend together with me, so I got two plates of berries ready for you in the kitchen to eat during breakfast and lunch.

You might want to go outside and look around, but if you do, don't get too far away from the house. The wild Pokemon aren't accustomed to your presence, so they might think you want to invade their territory and attack you. Otherwise, don't hesitate to watch some TV, or browse the study's books while I'm away!

I'll see you this evening!

Rikiya

P.S.: I'm really happy you agreed to sleep together last night."

A smiling emoji facing me punctuated the message, drawing a chuckle out of my mouth. Nonetheless, I felt touched by Rikiya's depiction of that symbol on a physical piece of paper. Given that emojis are mostly used in electronic communications nowadays, rarely do people actually go all the way to put them on an actual letter. This little attention from him made me swoon, a small flock of butterflies parading around my stomach for a brief moment.

“That's really sweet of you," I muttered to myself.

I decided to follow his advice of not going outside today, especially since I'd rather have him by my side in case I actually sign up for a tour of this strange and mysterious island. It definitely seemed as though, between the TV, the bookshelf, and the computer, enough distractions were at my disposal until Rikiya's planned return. Confirming once again that the day was still in its early hours, I steadily prepared myself to kick back and enjoy my day away from all my now distant worries, trapped in the just as distant Goldenrod City with no way to reach me. I stretched my limbs, and motivated myself to get started:

“Alright, let's check the kitchen first!"

It didn't take long to find the two aforementioned plates laying in the fridge, in a state almost identical to my meal from yesterday, ready to be tasted. Taking one of them out and heating it in the elevated microwave oven, I made my way back towards the living room, then booted up the gigantic TV screen, probing around and trying to find a familiar channel or program than the ones I saw back at home.

I quickly stumbled upon a crime series I used to watch as a child, set in an alternate universe where almost no Pokémon existed, and only a few people, like the main character, kept one of them as a pet at home and traveled around various places where only humans lived to solve mysteries. As someone who wasn't really familiar with Pokémon, this was one of the rare shows whose plot I could understand without many issues. Just as the intermission started, a peculiar chime rang from the kitchen, signaling that my meal was now ready for consumption. Doing a quick round trip to the kitchen to retrieve the plate, I set myself comfortably in one of the large bean bags around the living room, and prepared myself for the next thrilling episodes.

About an hour passed before the channel switched to a program much more focused on Pokémon. Deeming that as my cue to turn the TV off, I brought the plate back into the kitchen, intent on washing it myself. I spent a few minutes trying to reach the sink, which stood at around two meters tall, delicately tilting the now empty plate inside and putting it away.

I let out a sigh of frustration, re-evaluating the kitchen. Despite realizing how it seemed exclusively reserved for Rikiya's use, it hadn't dawned on me yet how impractical such a room could be for a human, compared to the other rooms. I had expected to find some kind of stool, or support, to elevate myself and make the navigation around the kitchen a bit easier, but nothing substantial came in sight. It seemed wiser to leave this room alone for now, so I headed for the study, interest growing in surveying the owner's book collection.

The bookshelf was just as imposing as when I'd laid eyes on it yesterday, exuding a vintage aura that complimented the rest of the study's elaborate furniture to perfection. I took in its fancy design once more, before opening the sturdy door of glass and mahogany, which protected the books from dust and moisture accumulating over time, and began to check the titles, which all seemed to be part of the same collection given their classy, yet identical designs:

“Let's see…'About Competitive Battling', not this one…'Rare Species and their Habitat', neither this one…"

I had an inkling that this place would be riddled with advanced publications aimed at skillful Trainers, as I passed over some book titled 'Advanced Methods of Training', but I believed deep down that there had to be something even I could read without feeling lost on the first pages of these written behemoths. My suspicions were proven right when I finally stumbled upon another leather book, slightly worn up on the edges, titled “The basics of Pokemon knowledge."

As a kid, we had barely touched upon the subject of Pokémon at school, with the most interested people joining specialized facilities around middle school to further their understanding, while we'd undertake a more “traditional" education. Furthermore, my parents were adamant about not welcoming any of these creatures at home, therefore limiting my contact with those.

I'd never thought much about them until now; neither did I find any satisfaction from learning about it behind a desk in a noisy classroom. I grew up as an adult thoroughly ignorant of how Pokémon lived and integrated in our world, without any regrets nor qualms. That is to say, I wasn't the only one; many other people didn't care about learning about this part of our world, or had made a fresh start after interacting with Pokémon during their youth, and my workplace was one of the places where such people ended up gathering for the most part. One could say that, alongside my almost innate lack of interest, it prevented me from garnering any speck of robust knowledge.

Yet as I held this large, heavy book in my two hands, a strange sensation started to tickle my heart, my brain, my soul, vividly encouraging me to start delving into a realm that I had rejected for so many years. My encounter with Rikiya wasn't unrelated to this newfound interest, as the big Dragonite had surprised me in more ways than one, forcing me to wonder if I didn't miss something along the way, something that perhaps, I'd end up finding a liking to, had I taken the time to invest into it, and that may have transformed my life for something that I couldn't fathom.

Plus, I wanted to repay his kindness in some way; as proven just a moment ago, due to our difference in size, I couldn't help him with the chores, or anything else around the house that involved using my physical body, so I wanted to at least learn the most I could about his species, or Rikiya himself, or any other information that would help us find more to talk about. I wanted to maintain our friendship, the first genuine bond I was ever gifted, and that I found myself treasuring more than I ever thought I would.

Settling on that book, I headed for the wide, empty mahogany desk, flicked on the fancy lamp to my right, giving me enough brightness to look at the pages without putting too much strain on my eyes, and started exploring that unknown, massive side of the world I'd avoided since my childhood, making myself comfortable on the old, robust chair.

A few hours had passed now, during which I had taken a break to eat the lunch prepared by my Pokémon host before resuming the task at hand. Yet despite the time spent reading, my fascination never dwindled; as I delicately turned each page of the precious volume, it burst with new information, my mind drinking it all and asking for more, like a glutton never satiated. I remembered the vague stuff I'd learned in grade school, with more context, better explanations, the flow of knowledge making a smooth entrance through my brain and settling in my memory. I had barely initiated the fifth chapter on Pokémon types, but still could not contain my excitement at the idea of learning even more.

In the confines of that book, everything changed. Obligations, deadlines, schedules, constraints, expectations, every and any of those held no meaning, no weight that interfered with my brain. I could just close the book and do something else if I ever got tired, yet I had no incentive to, as if the very concept of that permission being bestowed upon me renewed my passion to keep on assimilating, finding something new and riveting to learn about, in the same way a child would discover their latest toy.

Until a loud 'THUD' resonated in the walls, making me jolt and stand upright. The mindset I put myself under while browsing the reference book had now shattered, taking me back to reality; I looked around, trying to find the source of the noise, and it dawned on me how it matched the metal gate acting as the entrance to the house. It was unsettling, because it couldn't have been Rikiya, since I'd have heard him come in by now. Checking my wristwatch and seeing that it was barely past noon only confirmed my suspicions.

My head peeked out of the study, eyes darting around the living room and finally settling on the thick iron door, afraid to look elsewhere now, lest I lost sight of a potential intruder. Recalling what Rikiya had said about the mist surrounding the island, which deterred anybody coming from the sea, it couldn't be an intruder from outside. I considered the sound being caused by the weather for one instant; being unfamiliar with this island's climate, it could have been caused by a big hailstone for all I knew. Yet, this hypothesis proved to be false, as no other noises, however faint they could be, echoed throughout the walls of the house.

I shivered thinking about the most likely explanation, arms wrapped around myself. It had to be a wild Pokémon, from this island. The idea of going outside to ascertain my judgment seemed even more alien by the second, especially with Rikiya's warning fresh in mind. I wondered why he didn't tell me that wild Pokémon could stumble directly in front of his house, but perhaps they didn't dare to when he was in here. He did say he was bigger than average for his species, and I myself could testify about his silhouette being intimidating at first glance.

In that case, maybe the good call was to pretend this didn't happen at all, and ignore the situation outside until the Dragonite returned. But what if it did happen again…? What if the situation worsened, and by some streak of events, whatever was outside broke in? What if it was something serious that requested my attention, so I could at least tell Rikiya later?

I hesitantly approached the door, cursing these reckless thoughts and human curiosity of mine, and tried to steel my resolve. At the very least, I needed to know the cause of that noise; if only to dissipate my current fears and what my imagination would likely try to conjure up later.

Pressing on the human-sized handle and opening slightly the smaller door, I glanced outside in the most careful way I could, my wide-open eyes darting around restlessly. Yet, nothing came into view, or earshot for that matter, besides the tall and lush trees delimiting the nearby forest, and the rustling of the leaves swayed by the wind. I opened wider, slightly relieved at the absence of any strange creature, when the door blocked suddenly and something like a metallic yelp reached my ears, stopping me in my tracks. My heart skipped a beat, and I timidly shuffled around the small gap, looking at the outer side of the door and braced myself for the biggest discovery I'd have made so far.

“Astonished" would perfectly describe my reaction; when I expected to find a gigantic monstrosity scary enough to make me wet my pants, what graced my eyes turned out to be a rather cute and small Pokémon, almost harmless at first sight. Reaching around the height of my thighs, It was quadruped, with small legs made of what looked like bright silver-colored iron. Its head took the shape of a big, oval-shaped mask matching its legs in color, with two round holes making room for what I inferred to be its eyes, displaying a bright red sclera and black pupils. Another iron plate covered its back, a dull appendage completing it at the rear, while its underbelly was darker, leaning towards a sea green color, and appeared to be made of some kind of rock separated by thin gaps.

But what shocked me the most was the fear in its red eyes, as well as the bruises spread all over its small body, the biggest wound being a noticeable gash in the left side of its mask. There were a few more holes, deep black, dotting its body all around and covering the iron plates, but they matched the ones where its eyes poked out, leading me to assume that those were natural. It was splayed out on the ground, looking at me with the expression only a helpless stray creature could produce; endearing enough to effortlessly annihilate every remain of my initial fears and vigilance, and drawing out my most earnest feelings of compassion.

I figured the biggest priority for now was to tend up to its wounds, the faster the better. By the biggest of misfortunes, Rikiya was not set to come back until a few hours, meaning I would have to take matters into my own hands, especially since it looked like an emergency. Perhaps the thing that wounded this little guy still lurked in the vicinity, so moving him inside would be the best next course of action. I circled around the door slowly, trying my best to not set off the little Pokémon, and instinctively kneeled in front of it in order to convey more easily feelings of sympathy, as I would have done with a little kid:

“I-It's okay…I'm not going to hurt you, okay? Can you understand what I'm saying, little guy?"

Shaky at first, I managed to stabilize my voice, and reached a hand to pet its head, but stopped when the little creature immediately recoiled. I doubled down on my comforting words, aiming to earn its trust:

“Don't worry, I want to help you. You have nothing to be scared of, okay? I want to treat your wounds, but for that, I need to move you inside. I know I am a complete stranger to you, but I need you to trust me on that. Can you do it?"

I had little faith that, like Rikiya, this creature could understand the words of someone who had basically no experience dealing with Pokémon. Yet, through some kind of miracle, it gradually started to let its guard down, its body releasing built-up tension and splaying further on the ground. I took this as permission to touch the poor thing, my hand slowly approaching until my palm made contact with the surface of its mask, trying to avoid any bruises in order to not stimulate the pain.

Affectionately, I rubbed my thumb on the material, starting to get accustomed myself to the alien feel of its body; it was as cold and smooth as any other iron I touched before, yet way sturdier and denser, like it had been compressed several miles underground before being excavated. The iron creature let out a slightly perky squeak, relaxing further into my touch and encouraging me to caress it elsewhere. After a few seconds, estimating to have gained its trust, I put my arms around the creature and lifted it gently off the ground, surprised at its deceptively light weight considering its size and the apparent composition of its body. As it let itself quietly be carried, I went back inside the house, all the while reassuring it:

“Thank you for trusting me, little guy. I mean it. Don't worry, I'll make sure you'll get better, okay?"

I put the small Pokémon, whose name or species I still ignored, on the closest beanbag I could find, and rushed back to the study, aiming for the book that was still wide open on top of the table. Before interrupting my study session, I had noticed a section in the summary regarding the treatment and healing of Pokémon, which I now estimated to be my most reliable lead in order to solve the issue at hand. I hastily started to read out loud the contents, looking out for any bit of information that could help me. Fortunately enough, it was proven to be fruitful, as I ultimately found out about the curative properties of Oran and Sitrus berries, which could apparently help dealing even with external wounds through ingestion.

Having memorized the berries' shapes and colors, I did a quick detour by the kitchen, and searched for them in the fridge, where I noticed Rikiya was keeping his fresh ingredients when I ate this morning, and retrieved them, depositing the basic assortment of fruits inside a clean wooden bowl I managed to find in the cabinets, and brought it all back to the small Pokémon, sitting on the ground next to its little frame so I could feed it more easily. As it slowly opened its red eyes and looked at me with a half-pained, half-curious expression, I mustered a reassuring smile and picked up one of the round deep blue berries, bringing it in my palm, in front of its maw: 

“Can you try eating this? It should make the pain disappear. If you can't eat at all, we'll try to find another solution, okay?"

But despite the composure I appeared to show, my nervousness had remained at the same level; there was a chance that the iron Pokémon wouldn't eat anything no matter how it was presented, leaving me stumped in doing so. I dreaded that prospect, wondering what would be the next steps if this ended up happening, and if I would actually be able to be of assistance to my sudden patient in time.

My eyes watched with apprehension as the creature struggled to reposition itself in what I assumed to be its sitting position. Now on its four limbs, it stared at the Oran berry in my hand for a few seconds…then leaned forward, without hurry, and plucked the fruit in its mouth. It started munching with renewed vigor, letting out what I deemed to be happy squeals at the taste of the food. The sight prompted me to let out a sigh of relief, as I addressed the small creature once more, putting the full bowl in front of it:

“So you like it! Don't hesitate to ask for more, little guy, okay? I'll just go take my book and come back here, I don't feel at ease leaving you alone in case your condition worsens."

Following my word, I was back to its side in a matter of seconds, the lifesaving volume opened back to the initial chapter I was intending to read. As my little patient kept on eating, I noticed its vitality gradually increasing and its mood improving, the proof of the berries' effect unfolding in front of my astounded eyes. In a fascinating display, most of its wounds were beginning to disappear, and even the big gash disfiguring its mask was showing signs of mending naturally, giving no room to doubt that it was getting better, both physically and mentally. Soon enough, the bowl turned empty, and the Pokémon looked at me with a satisfied expression, before letting out a happy metallic squeal. I strayed my eyes from the book and returned a smile of my own:

“You're welcome, little guy. I'm glad everything turned out for the best. Can you walk around?"

The iron Pokémon didn't seem to acknowledge my query, as it turned its head around, looking at the metallic entrance intently. That's when it suddenly dawned on me: despite its cute appearance, it did not change the fact that it was a wild Pokémon. Therefore, wanting to go back outside, in the depths of the island…back where it usually lived, was only natural. The idea of having to say goodbye so soon pulled strings at my heart, given I had started to grow attached to the small creature, and because I didn't feel reassured letting it out so soon after being this bruised.

However, my feelings didn't matter in the slightest. This Pokémon was a living being, and I didn't have any right to force it to stay here against its will, nor did I want to betray its trust and potentially get hurt by doing so. I decided to ask away and gauge its reaction, my voice starting to quiver:

“D-Do you want to go back outside? R…Right now?"

The little creature looked back at the sound of my voice, its red eyes exuding a strange feeling, reminiscent of curiosity. For a moment, I was wondering if it was testing my reaction to its own behavior. I spoke further, minding my words and trying to avoid antagonizing it:

“You're still wounded, you know? You can stay here and rest for a bit before going back…I wouldn't mind at all. But if you still want to go outside right now, I-"

I didn't even have the chance to finish my sentence before the small creature took a few steps forward, and climbed on my lap before crouching down, to my utmost amazement. The rest of my body didn't dare move a muscle, watching with awe as the little Pokémon simply made itself comfortable, until it looked at me again and let out another joyful noise. I guess I was overthinking it. I let out a chuckle and lowered my hand down to pet the creature's iron mask, carefully avoiding the healing bruises and nicks on the surface, and inadvertently expressed my wistful thoughts out loud, while it leaned into the touch:

“Pokémon really are funny…Whether it's you or Rikiya, you all are full of surprises…It feels like I've missed out on a lot…"

The passing of time quickly resumed its course, and the next hours were spent on going further through the enthralling volume in my hand, while the other hand absent-mindedly petted now and then the peculiar creature lightly snoring in my lap. After finishing the chapter on Pokémon types, I quickly figured out that this little guy was most likely a Steel type; it explained the sturdiness of its body, as well as why some vital parts of it, like its face and legs, were made of iron.

As it turned out, we had met by a mysterious turn of events, one that I still couldn't explain at all. Why did a wild Pokémon appear just in front of the owner's house? Why was it covered in bruises? Did it have any other health issues? Those questions about the little Pokémon's true nature roamed around endlessly in my head, complementing the ones I periodically asked myself in accordance to the book's current topic:

“I still don't know anything about you…What's your species…? Do you have a personal name…? How do you live in the wild…? Could you end up speaking in the future, like Rikiya…?"

It all felt like this Pokémon was a small riddle that tugged at my curiosity the more I looked at it. Reading the book had been one thing, but interacting with one of those creatures in the flesh further stimulated my desire to learn more, to actually understand the relationships some other humans seemed to have forged with them. That's when it dawned on me: deep down, I hoped to build a strong, unbreakable bond with it, like I had already started to do with Rikiya. I hoped so simply because its very nature had touched me. The realization brought another smile on my lips, and I resumed petting the little creature's metallic mask, wondering if it felt the same way.

As I was pondering about my feelings, its red eyes suddenly opened and it raised its head towards the metallic door, now fully awake, almost ready to dash at a moment's notice. I looked in the same direction, wondering what could've brought that change of mood, until the distinct sound of the handle being pulled down, followed by the sharp noise of the larger door's hinges screeching, with a familiar voice making itself heard:

“Hey, buddy! I'm back! Are you here?"

I closed the book and answered at once to confirm that I was indeed inside and fully awake:

“Good evening, Rikiya! Welcome back!"

Hearing my reply, Rikiya's imposing silhouette stepped inside, followed by another Pokémon, which I guessed was the friend he was supposed to bring here to discuss my issue. However, his appearance was completely different from what I expected to witness, and in a way entirely contrasting with Rikiya's: although the Pokémon barely reached my height when standing, he had a wide sturdy body made of turquoise-colored steel, with the central part shaped like two soup plates assembled together to form a disc, from which four large clawed legs jutted out, linked through ball-and-socket joints; allowing him to stand on the ground. His face was directly carved inside the metal body, with two eerie eyes displaying a deep red pupil and black sclera not unlike the little creature's, as well as a wide, linear mouth on the seam of its upper and lower body, showing the most impassive expression ever. A silver metallic cross completed his look where the nose would usually be.

While I was focused on analyzing this unknown being's features, both him and Rikiya approached slowly, their eyes fully open in my direction. It was as if they had seen a ghost, utter incredulity decorating their gaze. Before I could ask what was the matter, Rikiya spoke up, a strange curiosity in his voice:

“Uh, buddy…What is that behind you?"

I quizzically looked around, only to find the wild creature I'd saved hiding behind my back, an anxious pair of eyes draped over its iron mask. Figuring out that the presence of Rikiya and his friend had rattled him, I slowly put my hand on its head and petted it, before turning back to the pair of imposing Pokémon and showing a reassuring smile before explaining the situation, trying to ignore their awestruck gazes in the process:

“It seems to be a wild Pokémon from the island. I was reading a book in the study around the afternoon, when out of the blue I heard something banging on the door. I thought this was weird, so I decided to take a quick look and keep inside if this turned out to be dangerous, but then I found this little guy on the floor, covered in bruises. I didn't want to leave it like that, so I carried it inside and after looking up a way to heal him in this book, I gave him some Oran and Sitrus berries. It's doing a little better now, thankfully."

I stole a glance at the small Pokémon in question, who seemed a bit less on the look-out, put the book on the modern table, and stood up from the beanbag in order to continue my explanations, a now apologetic look over my face. After all, it didn't change the fact that I let someone inside his and his trainer's house without his permission, and it warranted at the very least an apology:

“Rikiya, I'm sorry for bringing a Pokémon inside your home without asking you. I wanted to talk to you about it first, but I didn't know how to contact you, and it seemed life-threatening when I found him, so I panicked."

The Dragonite and his metallic friend didn't say anything at first, their attention mostly on the little creature, the latter remaining behind my back, afraid of moving around. Rikiya then approached me slowly, until he was just a few steps away, towering over me with his intimidating body. Trying not to let it get to me, I kept going:

“I didn't want to nurse it outside either, since whatever hurt him might've still been around. I understand if you and your trainer think that I broke your trust, so-"

Out of the blue, my words were cut off clean as I was lifted off the ground in an impromptu fashion and brought in a tight hug by the large orange Pokémon, his arms both wrapped around my back. Despite my best efforts, I failed to understand the meaning of this at first, thoroughly expecting him to be angry at me, but his next words took me even more off-guard:

“You're awesome, buddy! I'm so proud of you! You're not even a trainer, you sounded so clueless about Pokémon yesterday, and despite that you're already befriending a wild Pokémon! And without my help! Only the greatest trainers can boast about that, you know!"

Confronted with so much praise, I stuttered for a bit, clueless about how to respond, before pulling myself together and raising my face to look up at my friend, who was returning down a radiant, beaming smile:

“So…You're not mad? Really?"

“Of course I'm not! I thought I'd need to escort you in case you wanted to see the wildlife around here, since you yourself said that you know next to nothing about us. And you managed to heal him by yourself too! That's amazing!"

His second wave of praise, as well as the hug tightening a bit, managed to get a blush out of me, which I tried to hide by lowering my face inside his now familiar beige neck, large enough to cover it all. I timidly stammered back:

“T-thanks, Rikiya. I'm still not sure if what I did is that incredible, but…I'm glad that you're not angry at me. Still, uh…Could you put me back down, please? W-we're in public, this is embarrassing."

I didn't know why I asked him that only now, and not earlier. Perhaps it was a result of the relief that I hadn't betrayed my new friend's trust, or perhaps I wanted to enjoy the hug more than I wanted to admit. Nevertheless, the kind Dragonite complied to my demand with a just as flustered apology, and a few seconds later, my shoes came back in contact with the hard, flat stony ground of the secret base.

Rikiya had barely released his paws from my body, before a new voice made itself known in the room. Monotonous, robotic in nature, but louder than ours, as if it originated directly from a high-end speaker, it only formed one lone, heavy word before letting room for silence:

“FASCINATING."

I turned my head around, trying to pinpoint the source of the voice, before reaching a stop, my eyes settled on Rikiya's enigmatic friend. He had moved around and gotten closer to the little masked creature, looking at it with an enthralled stare, its deep red eyes dancing in curiosity. The little guy recoiled in turn, intimidated by the turquoise metallic Pokémon. Without any kind of warning, it immediately darted outside, taking advantage of the fact that the door had been left open all this time. I rushed to the metallic entrance just after and shouted in its direction, asking it to wait, but it was too late; it had already disappeared into the lush and thick foliage, my pleas left unanswered. 

Disheartened, I made my way back inside the secret base, Rikiya taking a small glance outside and closing the door after me. He landed a comforting paw on my shoulder and attempted to cheer me up:

“Don't worry, you'll see him again! He's a wild Pokémon, so his survival instincts are still extremely strong. But you saved his life and managed to befriend him, buddy! Pokémon don't forget that. It's just a matter of time before he comes back!"

I mustered a weak smile and looked back up at him:

“Thanks, Rikiya…I offered it to go home earlier if it wanted, so I was prepared for that little guy to leave at some point, but still, going away in a flash like that…It stings a bit."

My heart was assaulted by a festering sadness and melancholy, but I resolved to not dwell on the event any longer and let that disappointment get to me. Rikiya could be right, and maybe I'd end up reuniting with the little guy later down the road. I had to take him on his word for now. Whether he sensed my negative feelings, the large Dragonite decided to crack a joke in order to lighten the mood, a devious smile on his face:

“Hey, if you want to blame someone, you should blame Kouji! He's at fault for that!"

Hearing that, the Dragonite's friend had come to a stop directly in front of me, gauging me with its deep scarlet eyes. I gulped a bit at this strange creature's behavior, but tried to keep a composed demeanor, waiting for it to elaborate on what was so 'fascinating'. It wasn't long before he answered my expectations:

“I BEG YOUR PARDON? WHY WOULD I BE THE TARGET OF YOUR BLAME?"

“Well, you got close to the poor thing as if it was some weird creature on display. Of course he's going to be afraid and flee the first chance it gets!"

“WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A MALE ARON, FIFTY PERCENT LARGER THAN AVERAGE, WITH A SHINY ATTRIBUTE, HAVING JUST RECOVERED FROM POSSIBLY LETHAL INJURIES. AND AN AVERAGE-LOOKING HUMAN, WHO IS NOT EVEN A TRAINER MANAGED TO BEFRIEND HIM AND GAIN HIS TRUST? IT IS ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING. THERE WAS NO WAY I COULD HAVE REMAINED STILL. ALSO, FOR THE MATTER, YOU WERE LOOKING AT HIM THE SAME WAY I WAS, RIKIYA."

I felt a bit hurt at being called “average-looking", but more importantly, the Pokémon had uttered a few strange words that didn't go unnoticed to me:

“Err…'Aron'? 'Shiny attribute'?"

Rikiya cut in the conversation, explaining to me the meaning of these unknown new words:

“The little guy's species is called 'Aron'. I see that you've begun reading the 'Basics of Pokémon knowledge'," he said, pointing at the book. “Have you learned about Pokémon types yet?"

“Yeah, I finished that chapter a few moments ago." I nodded, and proceeded. “Is this little Aron a Steel-type? Given his body, I was suspecting that he might be."

“You got it, little buddy! But he's also a Rock-type! Oh, oh, by the way, I'm a Dragon-type and Flying-type! And Kouji over here is also a Steel-type, but he's a Psychic-type too! I can't believe it, I'm so happy my little buddy is taking an interest in us, I'll help you learn anything you need!"

With a hardly containable excitement in his voice, not far removed from a child who seemed to have unexpectedly found a new playmate, he pointed his quivering paw at his quadrupedal friend, whose name I could now fully commit to memory. I smiled endearingly at the boisterous joy Rikiya now displayed, a joy that I now realized was even stronger than the already impressive cheerfulness he had shown back when we first met. It was true that reading that massive book had given me a newfound interest in Pokémon, and that I thrived to learn more, but Rikiya's enthusiasm being what it is, it started to infect me as well, and my curiosity only expanded, now even egging me on to go back to studying the book at once and ignore my surroundings.

“EHEM. I HOPE I AM NOT INTERRUPTING SOMETHING."

The robotic voice suddenly blared in my head, as I abruptly landed back from my daydreaming and looked again at the blue creature with shaken eyes, who now addressed me directly, his monotonous tone still leaving an impact in my ears:

“WE HAVE NOT BEEN INTRODUCED YET. MY NAME IS KOUJI, AND FOR REFERENCE, I BELONG TO THE SPECIES CALLED 'METAGROSS'."

Returning to my senses, I rolled the species' names in my mouth several times, trying to accommodate myself to their pronunciation. Once satisfied, I returned the Metagross' greeting, giving out my name in the process. A small detail was lingering on my mind since I had laid my eyes on the new arrival, but I hesitated to inquire about it, not wanting to get off to a bad start with the Pokémon that potentially had the solution to my problems.

“SOMETHING SEEMS TO BE ON YOUR MIND, HUMAN. GO AHEAD AND ASK, I DO NOT LIKE PENDING QUESTIONS."

I gasped at the sudden interception, and looked bewildered at Kouji, who still had his signature poker face plastered onto its body, although it now looked more like annoyance. I then shakily asked for confirmation:

“Are…are you sure? I wouldn't want to be impolite."

“POSITIVE. NOW AWAY WITH IT."

“E-Excuse me if that sounds offensive, Kouji, but…Just to confirm, you're a male, right?"

A short silence, but heavy nonetheless, fell over the room, before Kouji curtly replied:

“WRONG. I AM GENDERLESS. NEITHER MALE NOR FEMALE."

“Genderless?" I shrunk a little from the unexpected information. “Then, uh…since you have a masculine name, should I refer to you with male pronouns?"

“I DO NOT CARE ABOUT SUCH TRIVIALITIES, HUMAN. YOU MAY REFER TO ME HOW YOU FANCY BEST, I HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN TAKING OFFENSE AT HOW YOU CALL ME."

Although the way of putting it was way blunter and snarkier than I hoped, I didn't press further on and simply acknowledged his response with a quick nod, resolving to keep using male pronouns like I did so far. He then switched back to the subject of the mysterious Aron:

“MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT IS MY TURN TO ASK YOU SOMETHING. YOU SAID YOU CARRIED THE ARON INSIDE THE HOUSE. COULD YOU TELL ME HOW EXACTLY YOU PROCEEDED?"

Raising an eyebrow at the peculiar question, I gave a short reply nonetheless:

“I…didn't do anything special. I just picked him up in my arms and went back inside. Although I have to admit that he was extremely light, it surprised me."

“THAT SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE. AN AVERAGE ARON WEIGHS AROUND SIXTY KILOGRAMS; DERIVATING FROM THIS PARTICULAR SPECIMEN'S SIZE, I CAN ESTIMATE HIS WEIGHT TO APPROACH A HUNDRED KILOGRAMS."

“A HUNDRED?!!" I shouted, almost falling over at the unbelievable information. “B-But he wasn't any heavier than a feather! How come?!"

“THAT IS…OH, BUT OF COURSE, HOW CARELESS OF ME. IT MUST HAVE USED 'AUTOTOMIZE' TO BREAK OFF FROM HIS ATTACKERS."

“Auto…Atomize?"

“Au-to-to-mize, buddy!" Rikiya interjected. “It's a move, or technique, that allows its user to increase their movement speed and reduce their own weight in the process."

“THE REDUCTION ITSELF AMOUNTS TO A LOSS OF EXACTLY ONE HUNDRED KILOGRAMS. THAT IS WHY IT DIDN'T WEIGH ANY MORE THAN A FEATHER. YOU CAN CONSIDER YOURSELF LUCKY IN SEVERAL WAYS, HUMAN. HAD IT STAYED ANY LONGER ON YOUR LAP LIKE WHEN WE CAME IN, THE EFFECTS WOULD'VE VANISHED AND YOUR LEGS WOULD'VE BEEN CRUSHED ON THE SPOT."

My eyes widened at the last sentence, but Rikiya chuckled and retorted:

“Oh come on, Kouji, don't scare him like that! You told me before that you used to sit in your trainer's lap just fine as a Beldum, and that it prevented her from moving around so she could fawn on you!"

“I WILL TEASE HIM AS MUCH AS I SEE FIT. THAT IS THE MINIMUM I CAN ASK FOR, AS COMPENSATION FOR HELPING HIM FIND A SOLUTION TO HIS PROBLEMS."

The Metagross' less than palatable tease had left me extremely displeased, and while a few well-deserved quips of my own were crossing my mind and burning my tongue, I ultimately settled on being the bigger person and letting it slide for now. However, I wanted first to confirm something that had been itching in the back of my mind for now:

“Right…We still have that matter to discuss, but I had a last question before we delved into it."

“WHAT IS IT, HUMAN? IT BETTER BE SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT THIS TIME."

Ignoring his answer coated with sarcasm, I nonchalantly continued:

“What is a 'Shiny attribute'? You said that that Aron possessed it."

“AH, INDEED, YOU ARE NOT AWARE OF THE MEANING OF THIS YET. VERY WELL. THE 'SHINY ATTRIBUTE' REFERS TO AN EXTREMELY RARE MUTATION IN A POKEMON'S BIOLOGY. IT IS HARMLESS IN ITSELF, BUT IT HAS THE EFFECT OF GIVING THE POKEMON'S BODY UNUSUAL COLOR PATTERNS."

“How…How rare are we talking about?" I timidly asked, afraid of the rate.

“TO BE PRECISE, IT CONCERNS ABOUT ONE INDIVIDUAL IN EIGHT THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY-TWO."

“EIGHT THOUSAND?!? It's THAT rare?!" I shouted again, struggling to believe my own ears. 

“YES. BECAUSE OF THAT, SHINY POKEMON, AS WE CALL THEM, ARE EXTREMELY SOUGHT AFTER BY TRAINERS OF ALL KINDS, MAINLY COLLECTORS AND SCIENTISTS, SINCE GETTING ONE IS A TESTIMONY TO AN ASTOUNDING AMOUNT OF LUCK; THEY ARE THEREFORE THOUGHT OF AS A GOOD OMEN."

He marked a pause for effect, then resumed:

“WHEN BORN IN THE WILD, THOUGH, THEY CAN BE SHUNNED BY THEIR PEERS, WHO USUALLY CONSIDER THEIR VERY EXISTENCE A BAD OMEN AND A THREAT TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT. SOMETIMES IT IS BECAUSE DEEP INSIDE, THEY ARE AWARE THAT HUMANS WOULD DO ANYTHING TO GET HOLD OF ONE. THAT THEY WOULD NOT STOP AT HARMING OTHER POKEMON IN THE VICINITY TO CLEAR THAT GOAL. OR THEY SIMPLY THINK THAT THEY ARE HOSTS OF A TERRIBLE DISEASE. THEREFORE, IT HAPPENS THAT THEY WILL NOT HESITATE TO GET RID OF THE SHINY POKEMON BY THEMSELVES, AS WHAT THEY WOULD DEEM TO BE A PREVENTIVE MEASURE TO ENSURE THEIR OWN SAFETY."

I let out another gasp at the exhaustive explanation, a painful twinge in my heart as my thoughts went back to the poor Aron, his battered iron body and his large, red eyes full of mistrust. Not one second later, something started to click in my mind, as I put my hand in front of my mouth, pondering about the implications of this newfound knowledge. The Metagross, still observing me, resumed his monologue:

“I SEE THAT YOU ARE CATCHING ON QUICK, HUMAN. YES, THAT ARON FROM EARLIER MUST HAVE BEEN CHASED FROM HIS PACK AND ATTACKED BY HIS PEERS. THAT WOULD EXPLAIN WHY HE WAS IN SUCH CRITICAL CONDITION WHEN YOU FOUND HIM."

“That's…That's horrible…"

I was mortified, and quickly felt my confidence falter at the idea of what awful things could've happened to the poor Aron I had just befriended, of what could happen to him in the future. I immediately headed for the door, intent on following him, but the Metagross stopped me dead in my tracks:

“DO NOT BOTHER, HUMAN. HE MUST BE FAR AWAY ALREADY." 

“But…He hasn't fully recovered yet! I can't leave him be! I have to find him back!" My head jerked around and I protested desperately.

“ARE YOU PLANNING TO SEARCH AROUND THE WHOLE ISLAND BY YOURSELF? THAT WOULD BE A MOST FOOLISH ACTION. YOU WOULD ONLY PUT YOURSELF IN DANGER FOR NO SUBSTANTIAL RESULTS. NOT TO MENTION THAT BY NOW, HIS GUARD MUST BE AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT YOU COULD APPROACH HIM SUCCESSFULLY IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT YOU FOUND HIM."

Unwilling to accept the Metagross' cold-hearted answer, I looked pleadingly at Rikiya, silently asking for something, anything, any word of reassurance he could offer me, that the tiny Pokémon was going to be okay without me rushing to his side. His vibrant eyes looked down back at me, and as if he had easily read into my thoughts, he showed me the reassuring smile I had hoped to see, and spoke up with a soft tone:

“Don't worry, buddy. Even from where I was, I could see that he had become very attached to you. If things go south again, he's definitely bound to come back here. Have faith in him."

Those might have been feeble words in someone else's eyes. And yet, they helped my racing heart calm down, with as much effect as a magic spell could have had. I took a deep breath in order to relax my body, thanking my kind friend for the comforting support he just provided, and offered a genuine smile to the Dragon Pokémon, who widened his own smile a bit in return. We stayed like this for a few seconds, before Kouji's robotic voice resumed the conversation:

“POKEMON ARE TOUGHER THAN THEY SEEM. EVEN THE SMALLEST, THE WEAKEST-LOOKING OF THEM CAN SHOW OUTSTANDING RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY."

The Metagross' words surprised me; it was as if he had sensed my despair, and methodically countered it with his own words of reassurance. No pause followed this time, and Kouji changed the topic entirely to tackle head-on the reason of his visit:

“I ASSUME YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR NOW. THEREFORE, I WILL TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO MOVE ONTO THE MAIN ISSUE. YOUR FUTURE."

A loud gulp escaped my throat, acting like a cue for the bad thoughts that had so far remained still and hidden in the recesses of my mind to come back in full force. I internally fought against them, spurred on by the thought that they would not pester me any longer after this, and nodded, focusing on Kouji's words, clinging to the wisdom they potentially held.

In the meantime, Rikiya had closed the door of the robust entrance, and suggested we move back to the beanbags to be more comfortable while discussing. A proposal that was accepted by both of us. As I was slightly sinking into the mellow beanbag, almost dwarfed by the two Pokémon in front of me, Kouji resumed once again the conversation:

“WELL THEN. I HAVE HEARD THE GIST OF THE ISSUE FROM RIKIYA A FEW HOURS EARLIER, BUT I WOULD STILL LIKE TO HEAR IT DIRECTLY FROM YOUR MOUTH TO LEAVE NO ROOM FOR ANY DISCREPANCIES. COULD YOU PROVIDE ME WITH A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF YOUR CURRENT SITUATION?"

After a short pause, I nodded and complied with the metallic Pokémon's demands. I did not let anything pass by: how miserable I felt in my current job, how oppressed I felt by my finances. Most of all, how the seemingly unsolvable situation led me to put my own self in danger. The Metagross kept listening, undisturbed, asking for more thorough answers, more specific details from time to time, which I offered to the best of my abilities. During the whole ordeal, I cast a few short glances at Rikiya, who kept nodding in my direction every time he noticed, spurring me on and giving me the courage I needed.

We spent about ten minutes like this, swiping around almost every nook and cranny of the mess that I could call my current life, before Kouji deemed that he had all the information he needed. I prepared myself to be told to wait for a few minutes while he came up with a solution, but the Pokémon took me completely off-guard and said, not even ten seconds later:

“VERY WELL. I HAVE REACHED A CONCLUSION ON THIS MATTER."

“Wait, already?! It hasn't been even one minute yet!"

“OF COURSE, HUMAN. THANKS TO MY FOUR BRAINS, MY COMPUTATIONAL ABILITIES PUT TO SHAME EVEN THE MOST ADVANCED OF SUPERCOMPUTERS. A PROBLEM LIKE YOURS IS BUT TRIVIAL. I MAY EVEN CONFIRM I HAVE FOUND SEVERAL COUNTERMEASURES, DEPENDING ON A FEW MORE ANSWERS ON YOUR PART."

The remark regarding the creature's four brains would've usually intrigued me for its oddity, but the overwhelming joy I was feeling at that moment overrode any curiosity regarding side information. An unabashed grin found its way to my face, while Rikiya shared his own happy comment with us:

“This is wonderful, buddy! See, I told you Pokémon could solve many problems!"

“Yeah, you were right, Rikiya! I'm sorry I doubted you back then. If everything goes right, I'll be able to keep my job!"

“WRONG."

With that one word, Kouji's robotic voice paralyzed me in an instant. I couldn't even muster the strength to change my facial expression, dumbstruck in the most sudden way I had ever experienced. At that very moment, I felt like a hopeful criminal who had just been sentenced to the death penalty, feeling as their vanishing expectations slowly disintegrated and got swept away by a ruthless wind brought forth through the unwavering hammer of justice. Nonetheless, my reaction didn't faze the Metagross in the slightest, and before I could regain my senses, he followed with his explanation, undisturbed:

“YOUR CURRENT SITUATION IS COMPLETELY UNSUSTAINABLE AS IT IS. YOU ARE SPENDING MORE IN RENT AND DAILY UTILITIES THAN YOU ARE EARNING WITH YOUR CURRENT WAGE. THE LONGER YOU KEEP AT THIS, THE FASTER YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF CRIPPLED WITH A DEBT YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET RID OF. YOU HAVE TO QUIT YOUR CURRENT JOB, PAY YOUR DEBTS AND MOVE OUT OF YOUR APARTMENT RIGHT NOW, WHILE YOUR LIABILITIES ARE STILL SMALL ENOUGH TO BE DEALT WITH QUICKLY."

The mention of my circumstances helped my mind get back on its foot, and I quickly replied, displaying a shaking voice:

“W-Wait! But surely there has to be another way! If I change departments, or if I get promoted-"

“DO NOT PLAY IDIOT, HUMAN. YOU KNOW AS WELL AS ME THAT THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE. YOU ARE COMPLETELY SHUNNED AT WORK, AND WELL BEHIND YOUR COWORKERS IN PERFORMANCE. YOU EVEN CONFIRMED THAT YOU CURRENTLY FEEL UNACCEPTED BY EVERYBODY ELSE AND THAT YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE INS AND OUTS OF YOUR OWN JOB. ARE YOU SERIOUSLY ENTERTAINING THE IDEA THAT THE OPTIONS YOU OFFERED JUST NOW ARE GOING TO BE CONSIDERED BY YOUR SUPERIORS?"

I didn't want to accept it. Deep down, I knew I was grasping at straws, that my suggestions were unrealistic, yet I didn't want to acknowledge that. I didn't want to acknowledge that I may have been following the wrong path, all this time. At some point, Rikiya tried to intervene in my favor, but it ultimately ended up confirming my fears:

“Wait, Kouji, aren't you being a bit too pessimistic? Can he just not find another job at another place in the same city?"

“I DO NOT THINK THIS WILL GO WELL EITHER, RIKIYA. IT WILL TAKE TOO MUCH TIME TO SEARCH FOR ANOTHER JOB, AND EVEN IF THAT PANNED OUT, WITH HIS SELF-ACKNOWLEDGED LACK OF SKILLS, IT WILL ONLY END UP THE SAME AND SIMPLY DELAY THE INEVITABLE. HIS ONLY WAY TO GET OUT OF THIS PREDICAMENT IS THROUGH A COMPLETE VOCATIONAL RETRAINING."

“A…vocational retraining?"

Those words had crossed my mind a few times, but I always brushed them aside. The reason being, I had no way to handle a vocational retraining financially. I would get further behind in rent, and even struggle to eat. Right now, despite his self-praise, the Metagross' solution, on which I had put all my hopes, sounded extremely tone-deaf. Still, I didn't want to throw it away yet, so I let him continue to explain what he had in store:

“CORRECT. THAT WOULD BE THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION. HOWEVER, AS I JUST SAID, YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON THAT IN YOUR CURRENT LODGINGS. HUMAN, DO YOU HAVE ANY PLACE YOU CAN STAY AT FOR THAT TIME? BACK AT YOUR PARENTS' HOUSE, OR PERHAPS AT A FRIEND'S?"

I dejectedly dropped my eyes at his question, before answering him:

“I…don't. My parents wouldn't accept me back. Even when I asked advice from them when I started to feel helpless like this, they thought I was exaggerating and that everything would become better with time, or that I wasn't giving it my best. That I should just “work harder". They'll never accept me going back to live with them…and frankly, I don't want to either."

Kouji remained impassive while he kept interrogating me:

“WHAT ABOUT A FRIEND, THEN?"

“I…I don't have friends. Much less anyone who could house me right now. I wasn't able to make any friends, even during college…so I have no one to turn to."

I let out a tired sigh and buried my face in my hands, feeling the hopelessness of my current predicament. Even if a retraining sounded like the ideal solution at first glance, there were too many roadblocks to implement it satisfactorily. Then, just before I felt the shadows of my subconscious starting to close in, Rikiya's familiar voice resonated in the room:

“You have me, buddy! You can stay here, if you want!"

I slowly turned at him, eyes wide with surprise, only to meet his trademark enthusiastic smile. Although he was correct in assuming that I thought of him as a friend, I did not take this house, the location we were currently at, into consideration for a potential place to stay. The thought that he might still be trying to cheer me up crossed my mind, and warmed my heart a bit. However, I knew that it was going to be impossible. I returned his joyful smile with a defeated one, and expressed my reservations:

“I…I'm glad you're offering, Rikiya, but I can't do that. This place…it's your trainer's place, right? I already feel a bit bad for staying two nights here behind his back, I simply can't barge in for a prolonged stay without even having met the guy."

It was only in the corner of my eye, but I could swear I saw a glint in the Metagross' eyes at the mention of the Dragonite's trainer. Nonetheless, I did not give it any thought, and focused on Rikiya's rattled expression as he fumbled to answer:

“B-But…I'm sure he'll be okay with it! He's really kind! If we explain everything to him, he'll understand!"

I didn't think it'd be as easy as Rikiya let it sound like. Yet, I wanted to avoid confrontation, not to mention that he had a guest. My mind scrambled to find another reason to decline his offer:

“Y-you don't know that! At the very least, I need to meet him once before I can consider your offer! And…and even then…I'll have to pay the six months of rent I haven't paid yet, and I can't earn any money if I stay here! I-"

“I'll pay them for you! I have the money!"

Rikiya looked at me with a determined stare, not planning on retreating even one millimeter on the issue. Little did he know, though, that it only made me even more reluctant at the idea of accepting his offer. He already helped me so much, I didn't want to keep relying on him. This was…This was on a way different scale than the simple hug we shared last night. Before I could muster up a retort, however, Kouji's loud digital voice stopped us from arguing any further:

“ENOUGH."

We both simultaneously turned at him, which he took as his cue to keep going, first looking at Rikiya:

“THIS IS A VIABLE SOLUTION. SINCE YOU GAVE ME ACCESS TO YOUR FINANCES, I WILL TAKE CARE OF FORWARDING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF MONEY TO THE HUMAN'S BANK ACCOUNT. DOES THAT SUIT YOU, RIKIYA?"

“That would be perfect! Thanks, Kouji!"

I frowned, thoroughly displeased and shocked at seeing the two Pokémon decide on my behalf. Straightening up on the beanbag, I began protesting:

“Hey! I didn't give my agreement to any of this! Stop it immedia-"

“SILENCE, HUMAN." The Metagross cut me in an authoritative tone. “SINCE YOU CLEARLY HAVE NO OTHER SOLUTIONS ON HAND, YOU STAYING HERE FOR A WHILE IS THE MOST FAVORABLE OUTCOME YOU COULD ASK FOR."

“B-B-B-But…But what about-"

“I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONFUSION. BUT FIRST, WE NEED TO TALK IN PRIVATE. RIKIYA, I SUGGEST YOU GO TAKE A SHOWER WHILE I TAKE CARE OF CONVINCING HIM. YOU FLEW AROUND FOR A GOOD DISTANCE, YOU PROBABLY NEED IT."

“Alright…" Rikiya answered, a slight uneasiness in his tone. He walked hesitantly towards the bathroom, before turning around and looking again at me, his eyes apologetic. I couldn't return it with anything other than a frustrated and lost look, although I deep down appreciated that he at least looked remorseful about forcing my hand like this. As the big Dragonite closed the door of the bathroom behind him, the Metagross addressed me once more, a more neutral tone to his voice:

“FOLLOW ME, HUMAN. WE WILL BE MORE AT EASE IN THE STUDY."

I reluctantly complied, my frown betraying my dissatisfaction at the Metagross' self-assuredness and at its rough methods. We slowly made our way to the study, closing the door behind us, where I took care of placing back the book I borrowed for the day in its rightful spot, at the bottom of the intimidating mahogany bookshelf. That small business taken care of, I turned back at the Metagross, crossing my arms and shooting him a dubious glare, before almost lashing out at him:

“What's wrong with you?! Even if this sounds like a great solution at first glance to you, I still have to give my agreement! That was completely out of line! Also, what makes you think you can convince me of accepting Rikiya's offer?"

Kouji looked back at me, his irritating deadpan stare unchangingly showing on his face:

“I APOLOGIZE FOR MY COARSE WORDS, HUMAN. I DID NOT WANT TO TACKLE THIS SUBJECT WITH RIKIYA AROUND US. HOWEVER, I INDEED HAVE THE UTMOST CONFIDENCE THAT I CAN CONVINCE YOU."

My frown mellowed a bit after hearing his apology, but I still wasn't satisfied with how the Steel-type took my permission for granted, and his last words had intrigued me:

“What do you mean? Why do you think so?"

“FIRST, CAN YOU TELL ME WHY YOU DO NOT WISH TO RECEIVE RIKIYA'S FINANCIAL HELP?"

“That's simple. I'd feel bad about borrowing money from a friend. Plus, he might need the money at some point. I don't want to inconvenience him anymore than I already did."

“IN THAT CASE, YOU CAN REST ASSURED. I CAN GUARANTEE THAT SETTLING YOUR DEBTS WOULD BARELY MAKE A DENT IN HIS ACCOUNT, SO YOU WOULD NOT INCONVENIENCE HIM IN THE SLIGHTEST."

“W-What?"

I blurted out my surprise, incredulous at the idea that Rikiya would be rich to the point that my whole six months of unpaid rent would barely harm his account, but the Metagross didn't seem to notice, and kept stating his reasons:

“FURTHERMORE, HE SPONTANEOUSLY OFFERED TO PAY YOUR RENT, DID HE NOT? THAT MEANS HE DOES NOT THINK YOU WOULD INCONVENIENCE HIM BY ACCEPTING. I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WOULD BE RELUCTANT, BUT TRUST ME WHEN I SAY THERE IS NO FASTEST WAY FOR YOU TO PAY YOUR RENT BACK."

“I…"

“IF YOU REALLY WANT TO HOLD NO FINANCIAL DEBT TOWARD RIKIYA, YOU CAN REIMBURSE HIM AT YOUR LEISURE LATER DOWN THE ROAD. HE WILL NOT PESTER YOU ABOUT THIS, AND YOU CAN GET RID OF YOUR SELF-IMPOSED GUILT. IS THAT ENOUGH?"

I looked hesitantly at him, weighing the pros and cons of such a decision in my own consciousness. In truth, though, Kouji's arguments were sound, and I was starting to blame myself for refusing Rikiya's help again, even though I swore to do the opposite not earlier than yesterday. I defeatedly hung my arms at my sides and sighed, before giving a favorable reply to my interlocutor:

“Alright. I…I really don't like relying on him like this, but…you're right. There's really no fastest way to pay my debt. I guess at the very least, I can accept that."

“VERY WELL. NOW, REGARDING THE MAIN ISSUE OF YOU STAYING HERE. IF I AM CORRECT, YOU FIRST WANT THE AUTHORIZATION OF RIKIYA'S TRAINER BEFORE CONSIDERING TO MOVE ON THIS ISLAND, DO YOU NOT?"

I nodded at his question, and he continued:

“THAT IS VERY HONORABLE OF YOU. WHAT DID RIKIYA TELL YOU ABOUT HIM?"

Pondering for a few seconds, I replied:

“Truthfully, not much. He told me that he left one day for a long trip, and that he hasn't come back since. That he also forgot when that happened. Why?"

“RIKIYA OMITTED A CRUCIAL PIECE OF INFORMATION. THE LAST TIME HE SAW HIS TRAINER, AND COINCIDENTALLY, THE LAST TIME I SAW MINE, WAS ON THE FIFTEENTH OF MARCH."

I didn't see where the Metagross was going with this, but I decided to humor him and assert what was his point:

“We're nearing the end of June, so it's barely been more than a few months, right?"

Never in my wildest dreams would I have even guessed Kouji's answer, a grave and solemn tone coating his digital voice: 

“WRONG. IT WAS THE FIFTEENTH OF MARCH, YEAR NINETEEN ZERO THREE."