“According to the authorities, the castle of Plasma was built decades ago. It seems to date back to a time when kings still ruled over Unova. However, how it was brought underground by Team Plasma is a mystery to most. Some assume that some Pokémon helped, others believe in a technical miracle.”

  Sitting cross-legged on my swivel chair, I look at the news images on my desktop. Reporters and camera Rotoms show the castle from all sides. They have even dared to look inside, albeit only in the first four rooms. The rest hasn’t yet been released by the police.

  The search for clues has been going on for ten days, exploring everything and removing suspicious odds and ends. It seems as if this castle is a historically important find. But the truth is, nothing else has changed. You could almost think the threat posed by Plasma never happened. People are still going about their daily lives and nobody cares more than necessary about what has happened. Sure, some are now constantly looking at their Rotom Phones to follow the news, but apart from that, everything is the same.

  “By questioning some members of the thieving organisation, it has been confirmed no one can say exactly how the castle went underground. Few claim it was a collaboration between Sandiles and Digletts, who made sure this part of our history was hidden at someone’s request,” the reporter continues. “Apart from that, according to external sources, the castle was probably revealed by the power of a legendary dragon, which triggered mechanisms installed afterwards with an earthquake. Unfortunately, we were unable to catch any images of the Pokémon in question, so we can only speculate as to whether there is any truth to all this.”

  An amused snort escapes from my throat. They’ve tried to photograph Zekrom more than once. But instead of getting decent pictures, the results were completely oversaturated. They shared the snapshots with the crowd on the internet, hoping to get information from outsiders, but only a small portion of Unova’s population realised that something was going on.

  Especially those who live near the league have inspected the castle. But the waves of excitement have barely reached Castelia City and only the news coverage has kept the masses up to date.

  Meanwhile, the internet forums are overflowing. There is irritation and speculation about what has happened. Almost everyone knows the legends of this region are based on two legendary dragons, and while they have failed to capture images of Zekrom, a Rotom was at least able to photograph Reshiram’s mighty white belly. So at least people know that something big has happened with the legends of Unova rising.

  “It’s strange that we live in a world with so much technology, but when it comes down to it, there’s a lack of pictures... It’s like nothing works when you need it to.” Mouth agape, I tilt my head back.

  “Maybe because Rotom is Pokémon,” Mirra starts. She sits next to me on the desk, her attention focussed on the screen. The others are scattered around the room. “Rotom afraid of legends and didn’t take any pictures.”

  A soft grumble escapes my throat. That’s an idea. If no human presses the button for a snapshot, then the responsibility lies with Rotom. And you can’t say these Pokémon are armed against everything. Fear of the dragons is imaginable and probably the only theory that makes halfway sense.

  “We would also like to add that you should all keep your eyes open. If you come across this man,” the reporter gallantly points to a picture of Ghetsis, “please contact the police.”

  The next sigh leaving my lips reminds me that Ghetsis has disappeared, just like Natural. There is no sign or word of either of them. The leader of Plasma has disappeared without a trace since the incident in the castle and Natural doesn’t even seem to be on their radar, even though he was the one who confronted the Elite Four. Presumably, this is thanks to Alder.

  Still, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry because it doesn’t look like they’re on to Ghetsis. He’s probably gone on the run and even settled in another region by now. It’s not as if you can simply close a country’s borders. In the worst-case scenario, he hops on the back of a flying-type Pokémon and disappears without a trace. And then, in maybe a year or two, no one will look for him when he comes back – unless the media keeps this incident alive, which is unlikely, given the news flooding one’s head every day and no one being interested in it by the following day.

  Tense, I run both hands over my face before my Rotom makes a whirring noise. In the next breath, it tries to make a beeping ringtone, as if it can’t decide which one to choose. It’s Mirra, who pulls a black claw out of her costume and reaches for the device on my bed. She saves me from getting up and as she hands me Rotom, an unfamiliar number smiles at me on the display.

  Raising my brows, I click on the incoming message, only to be surprised by a picture of Natural smiling cheerfully. Behind him, people are bustling around various stands and even if I can’t quite place it, I’m almost certain that he’s in Nimbasa City.

  Below his little snapshot, he has left a few words that tug at the corners of my mouth.

  Hello Domino.

  Or do you start these messages with a “hey”?

  “Have a marvellous day”, as my father sometimes says?

  Whatever it is, here I am.

  I bought a Rotom Phone and looked at how these Pokémon

  settle into the otherwise lifeless shells. Did you know they love to

  connect with technology of any kind? The only problem is that most

  technology doesn’t have enough power to satisfy a Rotom,

  which is why they are mainly found in smaller devices, such as cameras,

  mobile phones and computers. They are even being researched for use

  in cars, refrigerators, and ships.

  And the Rotoms do this completely voluntarily!

  They love the work, the activity, and the love they get, because

  humans like technology. I would never have thought that a Pokémon

  could be so happy. On top of that, most of them can socialise via

  anything connected to the internet.

  That’s why they are pretty quiet and only speak up when you need them.

  It reminds me of the Rotoms we used to get to the Rising Volt Tacklers faster. They increased our speed considerably, and it was only thanks to them we could take a defeat that I don’t even want to think about.

  So I turn my attention back to Natural’s text.

  The people are generally very nice, and they appreciate their companions,

  even if I had to point out to a few children, you shouldn’t

  throw stones at a Pidove. As punishment for their behaviour,

  Zoroark turned into a child too and stole their school books.

  It took me a whole four hours to convince him to return them!

  But now I am sure that these children will no longer throw stones at Pokémon.

  Zekrom has taken up residence in a Poké Ball. I told it that I don’t

  want to change anything, but I want to get to know this world.

  It agreed with this decision and now watches over me in silence.

  I have released all my other partners to give them a chance at

  a life that doesn’t tie them to me.

  Only Zoroark haunted me for an entire week, so I gave in.

  You should know we’ve been friends for ages.

  That’s probably why he stayed.

  I hope to see a lot more and I wish you were here, to experience

  all this with me. It would all be better together. But I know you want

  to pursue your goals and I want to follow mine. So today I’m going

  to sneak into one of Plasma’s old hideouts and get some of my clothes.

  How have you been the last few days?

  Once again, I scroll up to the picture and look at it. You can see that he’s enjoying the ice cream and doing his best to make up his own mind. The only thing that stands out a little are the circles under his eyes. Rotom got him in such a way that you can barely see them, but as soon as you spot them, they dominate his face.

  Ultimately, he’s kind of on the run and I can’t tell if he’s sleeping well or if something is bothering him. There are probably a thousand things that go through his head at night. He’s certainly not like me, who has left her father behind and can thank other people for halfway decent nights when there are memory lapses.

  Slowly, I skim over the text again and finally catch the last two sentences of his message.

  In two days, I will leave Unova and venture into the world out there

  to welcome a fresh start. I hope that one day we will meet again out here.

  It sounds as if he released the Rotom shortly after this message and threw the phone away. But it’s probably purely because he’s not familiar with this kind of communication and has never had much access to these things. At least I couldn’t find anything in his bedroom that would have allowed contact with the outside world.

  What I can take from all this, however, is that things are looking up for Natural.

  With nimble fingers, I save his number and reply with a few lines about how I’ve been watching the news for ten days, that Ghetsis is still on the run, and that I hope he stays safe. Apart from that, just a summary of my next few days, which I’ve planned out reasonably well, and a brief confession that I haven’t lifted a finger since we separated. I really haven’t.

  Just as I’m about to put the Rotom aside, it vibrates again – it seems to have decided – and when I see another unknown number, all I can do is press it away. Whoever is behind this incoming call, everything in me is sure I shouldn’t answer it.

  Presumably, my father is behind this number. He must have noticed I’ve blocked him.

  It’s strange, but part of me wants to lift this block. After everything that’s happened, I feel a little less constrained by his desire to drag me home. Besides, if something important happens, he has no chance of reaching me right now. And if he accepts my stubbornness, I’ll never find out about his decision like that.

  Is it worth it? I can just continue to ignore him and avoid his calls. But can I really do that? Can I keep looking at the display, wondering what else I can do to convince him that everything is okay?

  I could tell him about Ghetsis and make him realise he no longer needs to be afraid of the world I see. However, I am almost certain he will freak out when he hears about this encounter. Worse still, he might then do everything in his power to get me back – even with his own hands, if necessary.

  No matter how I look at the circumstances, it seems impossible to believe in anything good between us, which is why I ultimately don’t change my attitude. Still, my shoulders weigh heavy as I put the Rotom aside and run two fingers over Mirra’s costume belly – the area I actually think is her body. She bobs up and down happily, the Zorua head bobs back and forth, relief spreads through me, and all seems right with the world.

  Until there’s a knock at the door.

  Briefly, I look over my shoulder before pushing myself out of my chair and letting the door sensor open. It’s strange, considering I still have to stand up despite all the technology. The only difference to a normal door is there is no handle or knob. Just this sensor and me and the person on the other side, who turns out to be Conia.

  “News from Amethio?” is the first question I get out, but she shakes her head.

  “I just heard you’re planning to meet up with Fennel and ... we all think it’s safer if someone accompanies you. After all, no one knows where Ghetsis is and it’s still too early to be safe.” She purses her lips. “Besides, the order to move in teams still stands. You’ve ignored that once before.”

  And that got me into endless trouble – all because I wanted to get Amethio some treats so he’d recover faster. Good things just aren’t appreciated by the outside world.

  “All right.” I have no clue what time it is. The sun is low in the sky, but we’re approaching the end of the month and I can safely say summer is retreating with each passing day. The light is getting less and less, the nights grow longer, and we probably don’t have much time left before it gets dark.

  So I slip into my shoes a little more hastily and brush the creases out of my uniform. Then I signal to my team it’s time to go and they all get stuffed into their balls without protest. I divide them between both skirt pockets – two in one and three in the other – before grabbing my Rotom and shoving it into the less full side.

  The Light Stone I leave behind, well stowed in my travelling bag – along with all the Z-Crystals I don’t need. Then I turn to Conia and push my way into the corridor.

  Together, we begin our walk to the exit and just as we reach the lift, I pick up my previously switched-off thoughts. “What’s Amethio doing?”

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  I shouldn’t ask about him, but since I realised how I feel about him, it’s hard not to spare a thought for him now and again. Knowing you like someone just makes it much harder not to get hung up on it. It somehow grows in importance. And I can’t say I like what’s building up inside me.

  “He’s training,” Conia replies. “He ... thinks he needs to get a lot stronger. But you don’t have to worry about that.” She waves it off. “This time he’s taking breaks and paying more attention.”

  Her sideways glance reveals she knows something. She’s probably asked him why he’s being so much kinder to himself all of a sudden, and maybe he’s revealed we’ve agreed on something. The thought alone makes me sweat so much I don’t dare to ask. I don’t know how my heart would react if it learnt he was thinking about our agreement and, therefore, also about me.

  The lift takes us downstairs in the meantime and when the heavy metal door slides aside, it is Spinel who confronts us. With some papers in his hand, he seems to be on his way to someone important and when he sees us, a honey-soft smile forms on his lips.

  “Domino, I haven’t seen you for a while.” He tilts his head. “I heard you’ve been busy getting closer to the legend of Unova.”

  I’ve already opened my mouth to confirm it when Conia interjects. “At least that’s what we thought. However, it turns out that Unova’s legend is nothing more than that: a legend.”

  “Really?” Spinel remains unfazed. “The pictures on the web say otherwise.”

  “The oversaturated images?” Conia raises her eyebrows.

  “More like the white belly of a gigantic dragon nobody knows how to categorise.” His smile widens. “And it seems Hamber is holding back some information that could be harmful to the Explorers.” He lifts the documents in his hands. “That’s why I’m turning to Master Gibeon with a brief report. I’m sure he’ll be just as interested in certain details as the rest of us.”

  Whatever I could say in those seconds, it wouldn’t fit here. The fact Conia lied, when she should surely know better thanks to Amethio, points to something I shouldn’t get involved in. After all, I promised Amethio to reduce my time with Spinel and I don’t think giving him information that even Hamber didn’t tell him is out of the question.

  “Maybe someone has more detailed information about it,” I finally say, before shrugging my shoulders. “Hamber will certainly let us know if anything comes to light.”

  “I didn’t expect you to enjoy games of this kind, Domino.” A soft laugh escapes from Spinel’s throat. “Maybe I underestimated you.”

  “Because I’m usually easy to see through?”

  “Because you usually try not to take sides.” He reaches out a hand to brush the white hair behind my ear. “I’ll be sure to bring a few things to light and let you know.”

  My next words die on the tip of my tongue as Spinel steps past us into the lift and disappears moments later. Conia and I are left in silence, caught up in the situation that has knocked us off our rhythm.

  “Do you think it was a good idea to lie to him?” Finally, I turn to her. Mouth pursed, I try not to judge. Still, Spinel is my friend and the last thing I should do to my friends is lie.

  “It’s the only way we have to stay out of trouble,” Conia replies. “If Hamber and Master Gibeon wanted Spinel to know about you and Reshiram, they would have passed it on to him. If necessary, information is shared, as you know. But that didn’t happen. So we should keep this information to ourselves until we have permission from Amethio or Hamber or even Master Gibeon to discuss what happened with the others.”

  I already thought so, but the way Conia says it poses a completely different problem. “Shouldn’t we work together in this case and exchange ideas?”

  She waves me off with a sigh before moving, and I follow her leisurely to the exit. “Before anyone here willingly reveals their cards, we all face the end of the world.”

  I’d be lying if I said I didn’t somehow expect it. However, I don’t want to believe that the Explorers are a group in which no one talks to the other. I wouldn’t even be surprised if there are members within this organisation whose names are completely unknown because they are irrelevant background noise. I’m almost certain Conia could never tell me the names of the people who brought our things from the airship to the headquarters.

  Yet there’s no point worrying about it. In the end, it’s not like I can erase the problems between the members with a snap of my fingers. That would be too easy. Far too simple. And far too nice.

  The outside world of Castelia sweeps my thoughts into the background. The hustle and bustle is the same as on the day of our arrival. People are on their phones, rushing around, tripping over the cooing Pidoves and swearing when one of these Pokémon is out to steal the daily lunch. Following Conia gives me the chance to look at the side alleys as if in a trance – where the rubbish piles up and the resident Meowths hiss dangerously. Posters advertise brilliant hair and great legs – represented by the lower half of Tsareena and the silky fur of a Furfrou. There are Pokémon-related things on every corner, which only come into focus when there’s time to look around.

  I don’t know how much I missed out on here, but looking at Castelia, I’m sure I also blanked out on many wondrous things in Alola simply because I was so desperate to get away. Even at Amethio’s side, with Conia and Zir, I couldn’t wait to leave. Now I’d like to know what I missed there.

  Our journey to the Join Avenue is followed by silence. Conia doesn’t even have to ask for directions to keep the lead and worm her way past the people. She and presumably all the other Explorers seem to know Fennel already. Probably thanks to working with Spinel and other Explorers on our side. It’s strange, but even though I’m part of this, it feels like I’m the last one to be filled in on everything.

  As Conia turns to take us to the living area, my miserable musings are interrupted by Fennel. She’s leaning against the entrance to her apartment block, some documents in her hand she’s flicking through so quickly they probably rival any whirlwind. Her eyes are glued to the lines, and she doesn’t even notice us when we approach and stop a few steps in front of her.

  And yet, before either of us can say anything, she raises her index finger. Silently, she asks us to wait while her lips form soundless words. For a few breaths, she devours the text. Immediately afterwards, she looks up and gives us the widest smile she can put on her narrow face. “I see you’re with company!”

  I nod slowly. “For now, it’s better if we stay in teams.”

  “And you didn’t think to ask Spinel to come with you?” She raises a hand in a flash. “Nothing against you, Conia!”

  The latter merely puts her palm to her head. “You still have your eye on Spinel? Really?”

  “What do you want me to say? He’s a handsome man.”

  “And for the last two years, he hasn’t paid you any more attention than he has to...”

  “He’s just shy!”

  My gaze wanders indecisively from one to the other. I know Spinel well enough to know he’s anything but shy. He has no problem with interaction, otherwise, he wouldn’t have spent so much time by my side. On top, it’s hard to believe she’s been crushing on him for two years now, when he probably rejects her every time they meet, as he did in Striaton City.

  “Maybe he’s just not interested in older women.” Sighing, Conia shrugs her shoulders, causing Fennel to purse her lips. All she knows to counter is an undefinable mumble, out of which a suspicious fragment of “only six years” can be made out.

  In the next blink, she adjusts her glasses and turns around. “We should go inside. They’ve announced a sandstorm coming up outside and the grains reach here far too often.”

  In unison, we make our way into the stairwell, up to her small flat, where we settle down close to each other. Conia and Fennel sit on the sofa while I settle on a cushion on the opposite side. Simultaneously, my attention wanders almost immediately to Unfezant, who is lying on her pillow by the window.

  Her last encounter with Coro didn’t go as he had imagined. But maybe he can change something in this reunion – improve it. I can’t help but pull out his ball and let him out, so that now, in his new, graceful form, he finds space on the table and stretches his head. He knows exactly where we are and how to make an impression on Unfezant, even if he is still smaller than her.

  There is little delight in his cooing. Instead, he looks at her from his narrowed eyes, as if he wants to see if she still remembers the Trumbeak she rejected. And indeed, Unfezant lifts a wing in front of her beak and makes a sound vaguely reminiscent of laughter.

  “Is it just me or could it be your Toucannon has a soft spot for Unfezant?” Raising her brows, Conia leans forward a little.

  Before I can answer, Fennel sets drinks on the table and takes over the conversation. “That is indeed the case! However, they didn’t get along after their first meeting. They seemed to have had a disagreement. But what do we know?” She settles down next to Conia once more. “They seem to understand each other much better this time.”

  I can’t deny any of her words. Maybe it’s because Coro isn’t just a Trumbeak anymore. His gorgeous, colourful beak draws attention, and it’s no secret that Unfezant has an eye for pretty, colourful boys. Coro is probably letting her know he is now all grown up and has a lot of self-confidence as a good-looking bird.

  Half in thought, I reach for a glass Fennel has just filled with green tea. The smooth flavour on my tongue carries a calmness that settles heavily on my shoulders. Toucannon, meanwhile, shuffles over to Unfezant and no matter how I look at it, he’s genuinely interested in her. I knew it before, but right now it’s obvious he’s in love. And as she nuzzles her head against his beak, it becomes clear he isn’t alone with this affection.

  “Did you know there have been more and more riots in Hoenn lately?” Fennel finally distracts me from my observations and breaks the silence that has spread between us.

  “Hoenn?” Mouth twisted, I put the glass to my lips.

  Fennel nods. “My research has been passed on to a laboratory there that wants to inspect the Dream Mist for medical purposes. They’re funded by the Devon Corporation, so they’re one of the limited partners I can work with, thanks to the Explorers.”

  Conia catches my puzzled look in the same breath. “The Devon Corporation is a partner of the Explorers. We finance each other, depending on which projects are on the agenda. They’re one of our customers for evolution stones and artefacts, while they supply us with the latest balls and remedies. In addition, a few of our researchers have been working there for around three years now, studying Mega Stones. Spinel ... will no doubt have told you a thing or two about it.”

  A curt nod overcomes me. The conversation about buffs such as the Z-Move and Terastallization has stayed with me. He mentioned some regions have their own means of bringing tension into a fight.

  “Spinel had also been doing research there until a year ago. However, his interest quickly turned to Rayquaza and Terapagos after he heard about them.” Conia’s shoulders slump before she turns to Fennel. “I hope this trouble has nothing to do with them...”

  “I wouldn’t say they’re responsible,” Fennel puts a hand to her chin thoughtfully, “but from what my research partner told me, a group of environmental activists was recently taken over by two men who are more radical than they’re used to.”

  “So?” Conia doesn’t know what to say, either.

  “Well, they filled someone’s home with a load of rubbish after they saw them throwing paper into the sea.” Brows drawn together, Fennel lowers her hand. “They’re violently promoting a better world where you don’t throw rubbish into the sea and where you stop destroying Pokémon homes. They have also attacked two Devon Corporation laboratories, claiming the chemicals produced there are bad for the environment.”

  A restrained groan escapes Conia’s lips, while all I can do is listen. If anyone attacks the Explorers’ allies, it will probably mean work for us. The Devon Corporation will surely request the Explorers’ strength, and most of us are currently busy hunting Rayquaza and Terapagos.

  “Means there may be delays in some deliveries.” As Conia catches herself, her gaze slides to me. “And it also means Master Gibeon will send a few Explorers to Hoenn to devote their time to protecting the Devon Corporation, which in turn means our workload could increase. Right now, you know our goal, and even if you haven’t had to do much yet, we may involve you in paperwork and purchases and negotiations.” She lowers her eyelids. “However, I hope it won’t come to that. Master Gibeon wants you to pass your exams to become a professor. Everything else shouldn’t matter to you.”

  That’s probably why I felt like an outsider most of the time. Everything Conia mentions are tasks she usually takes on with Zir. Amethio most likely handles the negotiations, while Conia does the paperwork and Zir watches over the Rising Volt Tacklers. They’re a busy team. I, however, am an extra that might help out if needed.

  The only problem is that I bring more worries than I clear up. The mess with Natural probably tops off my personal chaos. It wouldn’t even be a stretch to say I’m responsible for some delays. Because of me, Amethio had to help in a situation that consumed his time.

  Then again, Plasma was more or less messing with the Explorers. No question, we had to do something about them. If I try to think as positively as possible, I might even have saved them a bit of trouble. Less paperwork. Maybe.

  “We’ll see what happens,” I finally reply. “The Rising Volt Tacklers go first... Right?”

  Conia’s casual nod confirms me. “They’re still near the same place we left them, though. There are no changes. From what I’ve heard, they’re keeping their heads above water with odd jobs. That’s all I know.”

  That means we’ll be staying in Unova. For the time being. Unless someone gets the idea to send us to Hoenn to look after the Devon Corporation. Still, I wouldn’t mind helping and making myself a little more useful here and there. After all, I rarely get the chance to be useful – in a manner that doesn’t get in the way.

  “If you need a helping hand with the professors, I’d make a bit of time!” Hands folded in front of her chest, Fennel puts on a gentle smile and neither Conia nor I have to ask, considering she’s most certainly harbouring hopes of running into Spinel.

  “I think if it comes to that, we’ll let you know.” A smirk crosses my features. There’s a certain humour in imagining her working with Spinel. It would also give me a few tips on how to behave towards Amethio.

  So he understands I’m interested in him.

  Immediately, I press my lips together. I have no knowledge of romance and if I’m honest, I don’t even know if I’d like to go out with him. The only thing I’m sure of is that I like him, that I have Butterfrees in my stomach whenever I'm close to him, and that I would like to spend a lot more time with him.

  “Domino?”

  It would be enough if I could spend a little extra time with him every day to see if I can last longer than a day or two by his side.

  “Domino!”

  My shoulders shudder as I turn my gaze to Conia, who looks at me as if I’ve been absent for minutes. So I raise my brows and shake my head like a confused Pikipek to emphasise I’m at least trying to listen with one ear.

  The corners of Conia’s mouth twitch, almost as if she knows what’s going through my mind. Then she leans back. “You seem to be in thought a lot lately.”

  “A little.” There’s no way in hell I’m going to tell her how I feel about Amethio.

  “I’d be thinking a lot too if one of my partners was about to leave me,” Fennel interjects with a worried expression. Her attention is fixed on our Pokémon and, as I follow her gaze, I notice Coro and Unfezant.

  They are sitting together on her pillow, snuggled up close to each other. She doesn’t care much that he’s smaller than her. Whenever she looks at him, she doesn’t seem to be interested in anything else. Coro, in contrast, looks at her as if she is the only Pokémon in the world. This reunion between them is amazingly precious to them both and although I should be happy, my throat feels parched.

  I shouldn’t hope that this is a fleeting romance. I shouldn’t even think that Coro wanted to see the world with me. Sure, he’s one of my partners. A Pokémon who accompanies me and who I trust because he’s stepped in when I’ve needed him and who always takes care of me when I’m busy falling off cliffs or towers.

  I should be happy for him.

  But the thought of leaving him here so he can stay with Unfezant chokes my throat.

  Still, I force a thin smile. There is only one reaction allowed in these seconds, and that is to support Coro in the same way he always does for me.

  “Maybe we should leave him here for a few days.” Instantly, I raise my hands. “Of course, if that’s okay with you, Fennel.”

  “Of course!” The gleam in her eyes harbours hopes that worry me more than Coro’s desire. “Who knows, maybe things will work out between them and they’ll have an egg!”

  “Is that even possible?” Doubts are growing in Conia too. “Aren’t they too different for that?”

  “You never know what will happen! We’ll only find out if it occurs!”

  Fennel is so enthusiastic about her idea I let out a chuckle because I can hardly imagine what a Pokémon between Toucannon and Unfezant would look like. She’s right, you never know what’s going to happen and for one breath, that seems to be enough to give me hope Coro won’t stick around for long. Or that he’ll settle for a long-distance relationship. We could always come back to visit Fennel when we return to headquarters.

  Inwardly, I try to nod to myself. There’s no point worrying about things that aren’t up for debate. We’re still in Unova and Coro is still part of my team. That’s not changing.

  "Whispers" is the main story of "The Lost Universe", a series of fanfiction I wrote around a lot of characters Domino met on her journey. I was thinking a lot about the idea of posting every story of that universe here, but that would mean many people would have to read this story here first (except for the spin-offs who work as a stand-alone). And since I can't tag stories as a spin-off or side story, I decided to only upload stand-alones on RR, simply because I think people here aren't too fond of of little side stories or ones where you have to read something else first.

  are free to check it out here! In this instalment, we follow Natural Harmonia Gropius and his trauma, his past, and the pain he tried to swallow all those years. But beware, the story has BL-content in it since Natural learns to open up to someone who seems closer to the sun than anyone else.