After getting our rooms, separate for once, and having a greatly appreciated shower, we met back up to discuss our further plans.

“I want to check out the Gym and get the details for Badge-registration,” I told Claire, once we sat in the Pokécentre’s reading nook.

“Fine with me, please tell me later,” she asked, sounding oddly serious. “I’ll go and get checked out, just to make sure the poison didn’t cause lasting damage,” she added and I felt a twinge of worry in my gut.

“You’re fine, aren’t you?” I asked, trying to remember her behaviour the last few days. She hadn’t acted as if she was still in pain, but had I missed something? The only response I got was a shrug, not terribly reassuring and my plans the visit the Gym suddenly withered.

“Let’s get you checked out. The Gym will still be there tomorrow, or whenever we have time for it.” I stood, grabbing her hand and pulling her up, not letting her get in a word edgewise.

“It’s okay, you can go to the Gym.” she tried to persuade me, but I ignored it, feeling terrible at having missed my friend’s pain.

“Doesn’t matter, I promised to take care of you,” I replied, shaking my head and urgently ringing the bell at the countre.

The reply came quickly, just as it had earlier, and the same frazzled attendant reappeared.

“Hold your Pokéballs, I’m here,” she waved me off, before frowning when she realised I was causing the noise. “You again? Anything wrong with the room?” she asked, sounding confused.

“My friend, she breathed in some of the Gastly-Gas, do you have a nurse on duty?” I asked, ignoring the squeeze Claire gave my hand, maybe trying to reassure me.

“We do, I’ll take her.” the frazzled woman nodded, looking over to Claire.

Claire stepped past the countre, turning to face me, “I’ll be fine.” she assured me, her demeanour giving me a very different impression. “We’ll meet for lunch, okay?” she asked and I could only nod, realising that she didn’t want me to follow her to the nurse.

Letting out a sigh, I stepped away from the countre, my hand habitually going to my belt, trying to touch Charm’s Pokéball, only to come away empty. He was still getting treatment, leaving me utterly alone.

Not quite sure what to do with me, I started pacing back and forth, the sudden worry about Claire sitting in my gut like a rock. Why hadn’t she told me if she had been in trouble, or did I really miss any signs? My mind went over those last few days, her behaviour, her voice, trying to find meaning in the smallest details. There had been a few coughs and she had taken a little more time than normal, but I had thought it had been due to the elevation.

“Your friend will be fine.” the attendant assured me, returning to the countre.

“Do you know anything?” I instantly asked, only to get a wry smile and a negative shake of her head in response.

“I don’t but even if I did, I wouldn’t be allowed to tell you,” she added, causing me to sigh once again.

“But your partners are done with their treatment.” she told me, nodding towards a tray with Pokéballs.

“That was quick,” softly muttered, giving her the chit and getting my Pokéballs back.

“Maybe you should keep busy, so you don’t wear down the floor with your pacing.” the attendant joked, making me grimace. I didn’t want to be busy, I wanted Claire to be fine. Wanted her to be fine, starting last week. Sadly, it would take some major shenanigans to pre-pone treatment. A memory of the gleaming Lord of Time flickered through my mind and I wondered what it would take to get it to help Claire, before discarding the idea.

“Go:” the attendant told me, her voice gentle but commanding.

Pushing past the worry gnawing at my gut, I went, following her directions to the Gym, my hand resting on Charm’s Pokéball, drawing strength from the cool metal. Claire would be fine, everything would be fine.

As I walked, I almost bumped into a teenager, a few years younger than me, stepping out of a side street. I had been utterly lost in thought and it looked like, he hadn’t been any more alert than I had been, causing us to almost collide. We both dodged back, roughly at the same time and exchanged an embarrassed look.

“Apologies.” I automatically told him, trying to sidestep and continue on my way.

“I’m sorry,” he replied, speaking at roughly the same time, but continuing to speak. “Are you a travelling Trainer?” he asked, causing me to stop for a moment. He was about Claire’s size, maybe a little taller, with the gangly frame of a teenanger who had yet to stop growing. A mop of brown, somewhat long and wavy hair sat on a slim body, while his face gave me an apologetic smile. Around his neck was a pendant, but I was unable to make out the details, the chain disappeared below his shirt.

“I am,” I nodded, not quite sure where he was going with that. “Why are you asking?”

“Could you give me a moment of your time?” he asked, sounding almost pleading. For a moment, I considered blowing him off but decided against it. If nothing else, it might be a good distraction.

“What do you have in mind?” I asked instead, curious what was going on. If anything, it might give me something to think about while Claire was getting treated.

“Some questions for a homework assignment. I’d like to hear a different perspective compared to mine and I think yours would help me a lot,” he explained, causing me to raise an eyebrow.

“What is the assignment?” I asked, certain that it would have to do with Pokémon, but not sure if I would be able to help. Cynthia and Joyce had given me a lot of training, but it had been focused on the practical knowledge I needed for my journey, not theoretical. There had been those few sessions with Lucian, but they had been… confusing.

“It’s in a philosophy class, we have been discussing the Church of Freedom and their stance,” he explained, getting a nod from me in return. I remembered their protest in Jubilife and hadn’t been impressed.

“That is a wide topic,” I raised an eyebrow, hoping for more details.

“It is. I don’t have a problem discussing the church but I need to understand the other side. I considered asking at the Gym or Pokécentre, but if you’d be willing to help…?” he suggested, shrugging his shoulders.

Closing my eyes for a moment, I let out a sigh and nodded. “Why not. Not like I’ve got anything better to do at the moment.”

“Awesome,” he grinned, “There’s a cafe nearby if you’d like to sit?”

“Works for me.” I agreed, following after the boy. The cafe was a simple affair, an old-style building sitting near the edge of the lake with a terrace going to the waterline. On it were some tables and the boy headed straight for one of them, putting his backpack down. The table sat near the waterline, giving us a gorgeous view across the lake and to the mountains on the other side.

“There’s no table service. What do you like to drink, I’ll invite you,” he explained, only for me to wave him off.

“No need, I’ll get my own drink. I can’t have a child pay for me.” I explained, getting an affronted look in return.

“I’m not a child, I’m already fifteen.” he protested, causing me to chuckle.

“There you go, a child. A child I don’t even know the name of yet. Mine is Dani, as you surmised, a Travelling Trainer of the Pokéleauge.” I formerly introduced myself, raising an eyebrow as I waited for a response.

“I’m Kai.” he paused for a second, “A student of Eterna City?” his voice sounded a little insecure as if he wasn’t used to a formal introduction.

“Well met. Now, you mentioned drinks.” I walked towards the building, noticing a bar inside.

Getting drinks was easy, sadly they didn’t stock the tea I had liked at Professor Rowan’s lab, leaving me to get a normal citrus tea. Kai, on the other hand, ordered a cup of black coffee, to my surprise.

We each paid for our drinks and headed back out, taking our seats across from each other. For a moment, I looked across the lake, enjoying the reflection of the sun and the peaceful wind that blew across. Letting out a sigh, I pushed away the nagging knot of worry, focusing on the present.

“Now, what is the question you need a different perspective on?” I asked, studying the boy across the table.