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The crews had been at work for more than a week and had laid the structure's foundations, for what would become their new home. The workers that Chen had hired from Westport City were following their specifications to the best of their ability, but the materials that the brothers had originally wanted to use did not seem to be available in the east continent - such as an abundance of stone. Most of the Eastern Continent was forested, with the mountains far away and quarries far between - the closest being in the city of Hadleigh, but that was a quarry for marble, better suited to carving statues than as building material.

Even what little quarried stone they were using was focused on the foundation and proved quite expensive, forcing the brothers to reconsider their original design for something that would make better use of local materials, which were much less expensive and, in the case of lumber, could be harvested on-site. Pine trees were stretching for miles in every direction, but they wanted to put the dojo close to the sea as well; Chen wished to be able to add fishing to the activities that they and the future students of the dojo could enjoy. As such, the land selected for their dojo was located by the roadside, between Westport and the town of Port Azure, with the ocean only a short hike away.

"It's coming along well so far," said Chen with approval, his large paws on his hips as he regarded the progress of their new home, "I think we chose a fine location to begin anew, brother." He took in the landscape beyond. "The forests of the East Continent are a tranquil and peaceful place, not to mention much more hospitable than the North, wouldn't you say?"

When Zheng didn't answer him, Chen looked at his elder brother, concerned. The moment he saw Zheng's face, he knew immediately that his brother did not share his optimism.

Zheng was staring off at a thousand yards, his eyes not focused on anything in particular. Just looking off into space. Chen knew the cause of Zheng's discomfort, knowing it was nothing to do with the dojo itself or the expense of its construction - it was indeed expensive, but it was manageable for them as they had rescued many treasures from their former home and been generously funded by King Calyrex. When Calyrex was charitable, those involved wanted for nothing.

No, it was not the dojo itself that bothered Zheng...

"I know you were... Reluctant, to be starting again this soon," Chen said.

The Water-type Urshifu let out a heavy sigh as the issue was addressed, pinching the bridge of his snout muzzle between his thumb and pointer finger. "I am just... unsure if I can take on another apprentice, brother," Zheng answered honestly and with mild trepidation in his tone. "The events that led up to our Monastery's destruction at the hands of my precious student still haunt me to this day... I still see it in my dreams; the fires, the screaming, the pain... And most of all, our failure to stop him."

He shut his eyes, tilting his head back; Chen wondered if his brother were about to shed a tear, but none flowed from his eyes as he lamented their troubled past. "Why? Of all the Pokémon in the world, why did it have to be Calhoun? My most promising Protege turned into a monster..."

Chen turned to face Zheng. "Brother," he said, speaking gently as he placed his paws on Zheng's shoulders, "What happened to Calhoun,nothing could have prepared us for it. But it was not your fault. In a way, it was not even his fault. He did not know what was up there; none of us did. These were events beyond our control or our understanding. I know it seems like you are being punished, but you aren't.You did nothing wrong, Zheng."

Zheng sighed again. "Be that as it may... It will take some time before I feel I am ready to start teaching again," he said. "I only hope I will recover before the construction of our dojo is complete... It would truly be a sad sight to have a dojo where only one master actively instructs aspiring martial artists while the other broods away in the shadows..."

"Well, if you are planning to go that route," Chen said, crossing his arms and smirking, "At least do me the honour of finding someone to teach the Rapid Strike style. Not everyone will be coming to the dojo for my teachings." He turned his head to look to their side, "Besides. You still have one who longs to live up to your legacy."

Zheng followed his brother's gaze. Further up the road, he saw Qiang, just out of earshot of their conversation. Even now, the young Kubfu was still practicing, his paws whirling through the air as he did his best imitation of his father's signature attack. His expression was determined, steadfast, and confident. Zheng remembered that when Qiang had begun training, he had once thought Calhoun an obstacle to him in his goal of becoming his father's successor. In a rather heated, more heart-wrenching moment Qiang had once even accused Zheng of favouring Calhoun over him - his son.

They had smoothed things out since then, but Qiang still sought to prove himself a worthy successor to his father, even without Calhoun as his nemesis.

"...I suppose you do have a point." Zheng relented, "On the topic... I do wonder how our newfound friends are fair since last we spoke to them. Their hometown isn't too far away from our location. Perhaps we could surprise them?"

"That is a fine idea," agreed Chen with a smile, "I'm eager to meet the rest of their team as well. Volcan mentioned he has a swords master as part of his Team Phalanx."

That seemed to catch Zheng's interest, "Ah yes, I recall. And young Luke mentioned there was an aspiring swordsman living in his town, taught in both the ways of the Ninja and the Samurai. A rather curious approach, I'll admit, but one I would like to see in action."

"It seems our minds are made up, then," said Chen, "We go to Azure."

"Agreed," Zheng returned, then he turned and called out to his son, "Qiang! Pack a bag for yourself; we are heading out on a trip!"

"Yes, father!" Qiang called, running to grab his belongings before joining them.

The journey took them the better part of the day, arriving as the sun began to set. The port town of Azure - a fishing community above all else, seemed a peaceful place as they entered the vicinity, seeing the boats coming in from making their daily catch. The town's architecture was simple but practical - a rather modest architecture typical for a fishing town and added to the feel of an isolated yet internally prosperous community, where everyone knew their neighbours and that all tension was put aside for the betterment of others.

"Hard to believe," said Chen, "that three, promising warriors come from such a... Well, at risk of sounding pompous, rather unremarkable place."

"I suppose they truly are men of simple pleasures, brother," Zheng answered, "It is also a matter of perspective as well. To us, it may seem rather dull, but to them, it is home, regardless of how large or small it is."

"A fair point," agreed Chen, "Now, to find where they live."

"If they are as renowned as they claim, I imagine the townsfolk will know," Zheng offered as they began their trek into Azure's borders.

They walked into the marketplace and began making inquiries, asking if anyone knew where to find the captains of Team Valiant or Phalanx. Surprisingly, they received a consistent answer from most residents - that the home of Captain Luke was rumoured to have been destroyed recently. They knew he still lived in town but did not know where. Eventually, a Pelipper postman told them that he knew of several Lucario in town that he knew were family members of Captain Luke, having delivered mail to all of them on multiple occasions.

The nearest one they could find would likely be found at the town clinic, where he worked as a doctor. Chen did not wish to enter a place of healing and disturb a physician just to find his brother, so instead the Pelipper directed them to two other possibilities. One house was located in town, and the other outside of it - the first belonged to another brother, and the latter he _believed_to be Luke's older sister.

Since the former was closer, they started with the house in town. Chen knocked on the door and waited. No answer came, and he huffed. "Perhaps they went out," he suggested. "I guess that leaves the last one to ask."

At Zheng's agreement, they left the town square and followed the Pelipper's directions to the house outside the town's boundaries. It was not out of sight of the village, but far enough away to be isolated from the bustle of the community. The house was a little more decorated than the other houses in town though not so much as to stand out, having a well-tended garden in front, freshly cleaned windows, and a property free of litter or debris.

As before, Chen approached the door and knocked while Zheng and Qiang remained behind, waiting patiently. The door soon clicked as it was unlocked from the inside, and the door opened to reveal a rather young and strikingly beautiful female Lucario standing at the doorway. She eyed the visitors curiously, not recognizing their species. Chen's thoughts immediately drifted to Luke upon seeing the female, for she was so much the image of him she might have been his twin, but she was more lithe of figure and had very slightly different hues to her fur than the Lucario that Chen had come to know.

"...Good evening." She said with some mild suspicion in her tone, "Pardon my bluntness, but what brings you to my doorstep?"

"Good evening, madame," Chen returned, putting his paws together and bowing respectfully to her, "My name is Chen. This is my brother Zheng, and my nephew, Qiang," he introduced the two ursine Pokémon accompanying him before he continued. "I am a friend of Captain Luke of Team Valiant. I am told you are a relative of his. We came to town to visit him, but his home was recently destroyed and no one seems to know where he lives now. I was hoping you would be willing to assist us."

The female's expression seemed to soften when they mentioned her son, and she nodded to them in response. "Well, as it turns out I happen to know where he resides currently. Ifyou can just spare me a minute, I can take you to him. They are likely due to having dinner soon, so you came at a good time; they will be home."

"We appreciate your assistance, young lady," Zheng answered with a bow of his own, "Take as long as you need; we will wait."

With that, she shut the door and quickly finished up her housework, then she was back outside and gestured for them to follow behind her as she led the way to Luke's residence. During the trip, she struck up a conversation with the Shifu brothers so that she could find out more about these new visitors. She introduced herself as Luminara, before asking her first question.

"How exactly did you hear about Luke, if I may be so bold to ask? Judging from your mannerisms and the way you look, I'd venture to say you aren't from the Eastern Continent." She pointed out.

"You are correct," replied Chen. "We hail from the north, from the monastery formerly belonging to the Order of the Fist," He frowned, "Sadly, it is... Well, it has seen better days. We encountered Luke while he was on an expedition, searching for answers regarding a former pupil of ours. His search led him to us."

"I see... And I'm correct in assuming he has helped you in some way or another?" She inquired.

"More than you can imagine, my lady," Chen replied, sharing a glance with his brother.

She chuckled. "That boy... no matter where he ventures to, he just can't help but offer his services to others, even strangers." She added with a sigh. "Like father, like son I suppose."

Chen looked at his brother again, seeing his solemn expression. "We owe him dearly if I am to tell you the truth of it," replied Chen. "He saved my brother, Zheng, here. At no small risk to himself." He turned back to Luminara. "You have a fine little brother in him. I'm sure your mother is proud of both of you."

At that, Luminara stopped short, looking back toward Chen and Zheng with a confused expression. They both looked back at her, seeing the smile stretching across her muzzle as if Chen had made a joke she had found amusing, more so when she let out a light-hearted laugh. She then looked at them and spoke with all seriousness in her tone.

"I am his mother."

Chen gaped, his eyes going wide as he stared back at Luminara. Zheng and Qiang both stood equally dumbfounded, neither of them had expected this revelation. But, before Zheng or Qiang could think to make any sort of comment, Chen dropped to his knees, hands together and head bowing.

"My deepest apologies!" He exclaimed. "The postman who directed us to you... He said he thought you were Luke's sister! I meant not to assume!"

Again, Luminara laughed. "Oh, no harm done, Chen. It is a more common mistake than you might think," she assured him, beckoning him to rise back to his feet. "I'm older than I look. As to why, well... I just take very good care of myself, that's all."

"So it would seem. You barely look a day over twenty-eight seasons." Zheng complimented. "Surely you must have some secret that helps to keep your youthful appearance."

"That's for me to know, Zheng~" She answered with a wink before she turned and faced forward again. "Their house is just over this way. Volcan's teammates also live in the immediate area, so you might be able to catch them as well." She directed before resuming their trek.

Rounding a bend and ascending the short incline, they came upon the row of newly built houses. It seemed that the teams had not quite settled down for dinner yet, as when they arrived, they saw a training battle taking place. A Blaziken and an Aggron traded blows, the former much faster than the other and delivering strikes more often while the Aggron endured, taking every blow from the Blaziken with barely a hint of discomfort. Behind them, a clang of swords filled the air, as a Lucario in a long black coat and a familiar Samurott sparred in a controlled duel, carefully measuring their strikes so as not to inflict harm. Lined up along the houses were a variety of other Pokémon, giving the four combatants room for their sparring session.

"Seems we are in time for a show," Chen remarked, watching as the training battle progressed.

"Quite," Zheng agreed, smiling softly as he watched each combatant closely, admiring each of their fighting styles with keen interest.

The duel between the Lucario and Samurott, whom he recognized as Katsumoto, especially held his interest. He had never properly seen Katsumoto fight, as he was tainted by the Shadow Energy when they had traded blows themselves, so watching him engage in a duel with a fellow swordsman was quite a treat for the Rapid-Style Urshifu.

As was getting to see Volcan fight for Chen. He had taken an interest in Volcan's fighting style before but could not properly study it in the heat of the moment when they had been fighting to save Zheng. He watched the Blaziken's sharp movements, and the power focused on each of his attacks, which were by no means slow. His eyes narrowed as he watched the Blaziken fight, and he felt a sense of familiarity.

"Brother, look at how Volcan moves," he said, bringing Zheng's attention to the Blaziken just as the Aggron lunged at him for a punch, only for Volcan to step back, snap his leg forward and strike him back in the side of the head with a well-placed switch kick. "Doesn't that style look familiar to you?"

"...It does, actually," Zheng answered, eyeing the Blaziken keenly. The way he moved when he struck, dodged, and countered, brought back memories of practitioners of that very same style coming to train at the monastery, a few of whom Zheng had the honour of duelling himself. "If my memory serves correctly, that style matches the Art of the Eight Limbs."

"It has been some time since we saw someone using it," said Chen. "The last one was about five years ago. He was a splendid fighter," He narrowed his eyes. "Volcan could not possibly be his student, could he?"

"I suppose there is only one way to find out." Zheng returned with a nod, then looked to Luminara next to him. "Our many thanks for your assistance, miss."

"Oh, it's no trouble. Actually, I was thinking about heading to Luke's place to join him for dinner tonight when you two showed up," She answered.

"How very convenient," remarked Chen, smiling at her. "Let's announce ourselves then."

Tristan chuckled as he sat up from Volcan's last kick, rubbing the side of his head. "You got me good with that one," he said, "Hope ya didn't break your leg on my noggin."

"Not quite, but, ouch," said Volcan, rubbing his shin, "You really _do_have a hard head."

Meanwhile, between Katsu and Minato, they were engaged in a deadly dance of the blades when Volcan and Tristan finished their bout. Katsu was strong, but Minato had precision and dexterity on his side. He didn't outwardly try to block the Samurott's strikes head-on, but rather he moved his blade in a manner that Katsu's strikes slid off Minato's sword and crashed into the ground next to him. At one point, Katsu came in with an overhead strike with both blades, and Minato went to block it, but instead, he let the blades connect briefly with his sword before he stepped out of the way and let them crash into the ground again.

As he moved, he spun in a way that allowed him to feign a slice along Katsu's abdomen and finish while facing away from the Samurott, before spinning his blade once and holding it at his neck.

"And that's your head." He commented calmly before he withdrew his sword and dematerialized it.

"Ah... curses," Katsu muttered as he pushed himself back to his feet, quickly sheathing his Seamitars back into his sleeves. "It seems I still have much to learn. Well played, my friend."

"Hey, don't sell yourself short there, big guy," Minato commented as he patted his shoulder. "There's no question you're a skilled swordsman, but you're too focused on power strikes. It's not always about who hits the hardest. In a duel, it's whoever lands the killing blow first that decides the winner." He commented, giving Katsu some criticism to help him improve. "That said, you did keep me on the ropes for a while, so you have that going for you at least."

"Aye, I shall take this experience to heart and use it to better myself," Katsu remarked as he lowered his head respectfully to Minato.

"Alright, everyone," Volcan called, rolling his shoulders. "I'd say this makes for a good spot to call it for the day. Let's-"

"Volcan, think fast!" A voice called from behind him.

Volcan turned sharply, rounding just in time to see a large, dark figure rushing at him. He reacted on instinct, stepping back just as his unexpected attacker threw their punch and slapping it aside with his hand, only for them to twist, and Volcan froze dead in his tracks as he saw who his mock assailant was, not even caring when their other fist touched to the side of his head

"M-Master Chen?!" He exclaimed, stunned.

"Good reaction, but always expect a follow-up," replied the Urshifu, lightly tapping his knuckles against Volcan's head before lowering his arm.

"Aha! Master Chen!" Katsu hollered gleefully as he approached the Urshifu in question. "How wonderful to see you again!" He announced before he bowed respectfully to the Urshifu.

"Eh? Have we met this guy?" Tristan asked as Chen stepped back from Volcan.

"Well, no, but remember what we told you about when Luke and I went north?" Volcan asked the Aggron.

"Most of it, I think," he replied, scratching his head. Then he remembered. "Oh,right!" He looked at Chen again. "This is the guy you said was Calhoun's teacher?"

"A little more tact, Tristan," Volcan scolded him. "But no, that... Was him." He pointed past Chen as three more figures, one of whom they recognized as Luminara, stepped up to join the Single Strike Urshifu. "Master Zheng!"

"Good evening, Volcan. Katsumoto." Zheng answered with a smile. "I see you two are hard at work in honing your skills. It was quite a treat being able to watch you fight."

"Aye, but alas, we still have much to learn before we can proceed further," Katsu answered. "I find each day I am discovering more about myself I did not previously grasp, and that I must keep growing stronger to overcome my faults."

"You will reach it," Chen promised. "You are well on your way."

Volcan turned toward the closest of the houses, cupping his hands around his beak. "Hey Luke!" He called. "If you have a sec, come outside! You'll never guess who's here!"

"Just a second!" Luke called back from the house, then the sound of plates clattering on the ground could be heard, followed by several yips. "Ack! Ignus, no! Stop running along the counter like that! Oh come on, I just washed these!"

"Uh oh..." Volcan said. "Uh, sounds like he could use my help. Be right back."

With that, Volcan strode into the house, leaving the others to introduce themselves to the two Urshifu brothers, while Volcan went to assist his betrothed. He arrived to find the young Rockruff zipping along the living room like a bolt being fired from a crossbow, with Luke standing in the kitchen with a mess of plates scattered along the floor around him, thankfully not broken.

"Cripes, Hank wasn't kidding... That pup's just _full_of energy..." He muttered as he quickly picked up the plates and began setting them back in the cupboard above the sink. "Now I get what Tristan means when he speaks of Caulin having endless reserves of energy..."

"Need a hand?" Volcan asked, running up beside his lover.

"Ugh, yes, please. Can you find Ignus' meal syringe? It's his dinner time, but he won't sit still long enough for me to put it together. Everytime I turn my back, he's off running around the house and knocking things over." He explained.

"Sure thing," replied Volcan, heading over to the fridge. "Is it in here, already filled?"

"Yea, just reach in and grab it while I-" He paused as he heard another crash, making him wince and turn toward the living room again. "Oh for - Ignus!!" He exclaimed, having seen that Ignus had run into the wall so hard that it knocked the painting of Team Valiant and Phalanx off the wall and broke the picture frame after it hit the floor - though thankfully the painting itself was undamaged. The Rockruff was off again, this time heading for the door. Volcan called after him, but he was too far away to intercept the excited pup.

He was just about through when Luminara walked in, curious as to what the commotion was all about. She saw the Rockruff leaping toward her, and instinctively she reached out and caught him in her arms gently, looking down at the excited puppy curiously.

"Well hello there, little one," she said in that motherly tone of hers. "And who might you be, hmm?"

Volcan retrieved Ignus' dinner from the fridge and walked over to Luminara while Luke went to clean up the broken glass from the fallen picture. "Uh... Luminara?" He began, bringing her attention to him. "Meet... Ignus. Your grandson."

Her ears stood up once the word 'grandson' reached her ears, her body becoming rigid as the word echoed in her mind. She cast a glance down at the Rockruff, who was now gnawing on her chest spike as if it were a chew toy. "My... Grandson?" She asked in a bewildered tone. "Since when did you two decide to adopt?"

"Just recently, actually," Luke answered as he swept up the glass and moved to the kitchen garbage to dispose of it. "We found him when we were down at the South Islands."

"We were saving it as a surprise," said Volcan, gently taking Ignus from Luminara and offering him the syringe, coaxing him to bite down on the end to begin sucking from its contents as Volcan slowly pressed the plunger, pushing out a meat-smelling pate into Ignus' mouth, which the Rockruff eagerly lapped up. "We wanted to tell you, Luke's brothers, and my mom and my brother too once we got him settled in," He chuckled, "Don't quite have the wild side out of him yet. He was part of a Lycanroc pack in the south." At that, Volcan frowned." Sadly... his mother died in a battle with some Warband."

"Oh, the poor little darling," Luminara said softly, petting Ignus' head lightly as he ate, "I take it this was Luke's idea to adopt him?"

"It was Hank's, actually," Luke answered as he returned from the kitchen. "But, we agreed to it. I figured I'd be up to the challenge, considering I've fathered two children before Ignus, and every one of Volcan's friends believe that he would make a good father one day, so... Here we are." He said with a helpless shrug.

"Oh, Luke... You are just so selfless it's heart-warming..." She said with a hint of pride in her tone. "You really are just like your father, sweety."

"Yea... it's too bad he's not here to see it," he replied with a bit of melancholy in his tone.

"Or mine for that matter," replied Volcan, sighing. "Heh... Look at us. Two aspiring fathers, who know nothing about having fathers." He drew back the half-empty syringe and turned him over to pat his back. "Are we even qualified for this, I wonder?"

"No one is ever truly ready for parenthood, Volcan," Luminara answered. "Take it from me, when I had Rigel, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing at first. Mathias and I struggled during the first several months of Rigel's life before we finally understood what made him click. After that, Mikhail and Luke were born, and we were better prepared for the trials to happen all over again."

"I guess I could say the same when I adopted Striker... I couldn't just leave him there, but I had no idea what to do. I just did what I could to help him become the Tyranitar he is today." Luke added.

"I suppose that makes sense," agreed Volcan, hearing Ignus let out a startlingly loud belch for a Pokémon of his size, and then cradling him again to resume feeding him. "When I babysat Caulin for Minato and Linda, I was pretty nervous that I wouldn't know how to handle him. At first, I was right; I could barely keep up with the crazy little scamp. He couldn't sit still for five seconds. But my mom gave me some helpful advice, particularly about how she handled Lighris when he was that age. Over time, I found ways to help him expend that energy without him getting into trouble, and he really liked it when I read him to sleep once he was ready to settle in." He chuckled. "Considering I was looking after him like, once a week, give or take, I guess it's no surprise he started calling me uncle."

"Well in all fairness, you and Minato are as close to being brothers as they come, given how long you've known him," Luke pointed, stepping up and watching Volcan feed their boy with a smile on his face. "Little rambunctious pup indeed... But you're our little rambunctious pup, and I wouldn't give you up even if the world was coming to an end..." He said in a whisper before he leaned down and gave Ignus a light peck on his head.

Volcan smiled at Luke and then lifted his gaze to Luminara. "Do you want to hold him?" He offered her.

"Well, considering he jumped into my arms as I was walking in, I don't see why not," She said as she held out her arms for Volcan to pass Ignus over to her.

Gently, Volcan passed Ignus to Luminara, placing him in her arms as he spoke softly to the Rockruff. "Ignus. This your grandmother," he said as she cradled Ignus as he had been doing. "Say hi."

The Rockruff looked up at Luminara, tail wagging underneath him and panting happily as he snuggled up in her arms. He then started to bark again, though in between those barks, they all heard him attempting to form a coherent word.

"Hhhh...Hhhhhiiii..."

"Well look at that~," Luminara said with a smile. "Not bad for a first attempt. You boys clearly are doing something right," she added with a chuckle.

"Mother... " Luke mumbled, feeling her words carrying a bit of sarcasm in her tone, but he didn't say anything about it. She was more or less joking, he knew.

Luminara also took note of the ring around Volcan's finger when he handed Ignus off to her, and she cast him a wry smirk. "So, when were you two planning to tell me you were also getting married soon?"

Volcan looked at his ring. "Oh, yeah," he said. "We were also planning on timing that for when we introduced you and my mom to Ignus." He chuckled. "I guess everything ended up getting accelerated, didn't it?"

"Well, be that as it may, I'm happy for you two. You have bright futures ahead of you what with this new house and a child to call your own..." She went on with a warm smile. "Needless to say, you have my blessing, Volcan."

He nodded to her. "Thank you, Luminara... " he then smiled and added. "Mother."

Both she and Luke laughed softly, then Luke stepped closer to Volcan and embraced him lovingly around his waist. "Gonna take some getting used to, hearing you call her mother like that. I certainly hope Degra doesn't get jealous~" He teased.

"You'll be calling her 'mom' too, same as me, soon enough," Volcan reminded. Then he perked up. "Oh right! I was going to show you. Master Chen and his brother are here! They showed up with Luminara."

"You're kidding!" Luke exclaimed, then bolted out the door without even waiting for a response to his exclamation.

Zheng noticed Luke flying down the steps to meet them, a proud smile present on his face. "Ah, and the saviour arrives at last." He said with a chuckle as he put his hands together and bowed to Luke. "How fares you, young one?"

"Oh, lately I've been on cloud nine," Luke answered with a bow of his own. "Broken pictures and plates notwithstanding, of course."

"What exactly was going on in there?" Chen asked, arching a brow.

"Our son," Volcan replied as he came up beside Luke. "Our adopted son, that is."

"You never said you were foster parents," Chen remarked.

"It literally happened right after we left you guys," Volcan replied.

"And that's not all either," Luke said as both he and Volcan lifted their hands and displayed their rings to the brothers. "We're finally tying the knot."

"Aha. So you two have finally decided to commit to one another," Zheng said with approval. "Good for you, young ones. I pray your ceremony will be a joyous one."

"Hey..." Volcan had a thought and looked past Zheng to see Qiang, ever-present at his father's side. "Master Zheng, has Qiang made any friends since you got here to the east continent?"

"Unfortunately, not," Zheng answered. "He's been very focused on his training as of late. While I am proud of his progress, I fear he's putting too much time into training and is neglecting social interaction with others."

"I need no friends," said Qiang, turning up his nose at the idea and crossing his arms. "I am a student of a master. It is all I need to be."

"Ah, but they say competition is healthy for those who dream big, right?" Volcan asked, knowing the Kubfu's type and how to appeal to it. "I think there's someone you'd like to meet; someone who I think you'd get along well with. And," he smiled, playing his card, "He'd make a good practice partner for you."

Qiang's ears twitched and he arched a brow at Volcan, considering his words, but eventually nodded. "Very well," he said.

Volcan turned. "Hey Lashanne! Where's Caulin right now?"

"In the house, studying!" She called back. "I've got him on a history curriculum, since all he's been learning from you two," she looked at Minato, "Is how to beat people up," she said with a playful smirk.

"You think he could spare a few minutes to meet a new sparring partner?" Luke called out, loud enough for the Riolu to hear even from inside the house.

"Sparring partner?!" They heard Caulin shout, his voice coming clearly through the open window on the second floor of Minato's house.

With that came the sound of books being thrown on a desk, and a door banging against a wall as it was flung open. Within seconds he bolted out the front door and skidded to a halt, looking around frantically for this so-called sparring partner. "Where is he?? Where's he at??" He exclaimed with frantic excitement.

"Wow, that might have been a speed record," Tristan remarked, "I should've brought a stopwatch."

"Hehe, doesn't take much to entice him to a fight," Minato muttered under his breath.

"Just like someone we know," remarked Serena, standing off to the side with Katsu but giving Minato a wry smile when he looked at her.

"Hey, leave the sass to Lashanne, Serena," Minato countered.

Volcan ushered Qiang forward, and together they approached the Riolu. Volcan knelt as Caulin met them halfway. "Caulin, this is Qiang, son of Master Zheng back there," he said, gesturing to the Urshifu watching them. "Qiang, this is Caulin. Son of Minato and Lashanne." He gestured to the Lucario and Delphox watching from the other side.

Qiang put his paws together and bowed. "Nice to meet you," he said, cordially.

"Nice to meetcha too, Qiang!" Caulin replied, quickly taking the Kubfu's paw in his and shaking it quickly. "So, we doin' this? C'mon show me what you got! I'm rarin' to go!"

"Caulin," Lashanne spoke reproachfully, "They just got here."

"Ah, let him work up an appetite. We'll all be having dinner soon," reasoned Volcan.

Lashanne cast a glance at Minato, though she suspected she knew what he'd suggest. He gave a helpless shrug and a smirk back to the Delphox before he gave his response. "Kid's got to get his exercise too. A healthy body is part of a healthy mind, too."

Lashanne sighed and gave her nod of approval. "Give 'em some room, guys," she called out.

"Father?" Qiang asked, looking back at Zheng.

Zheng smirked lightly, giving his son a small pat on his back. "Go teach him a thing or two, son," he remarked, giving Qiang his permission to spar with Caulin.

"Show us how all your extra training has paid off," Chen chimed in.

Qiang nodded to them and then turned to face Caulin, shifting his stance into a combat-ready position. "For our new dojo, then!" He spoke in a declaration, "I shall be victorious!"

Caulin performed a backflip before landing in his stance, rubbing his nose with his paw as he hopped on the spot. "Ohoho this is gonna be fun!" He said, unable to contain his excitement at the prospect of fighting someone new, and within his age group too. "Ready when you are, Qiang!"

"Go get 'im, sport!" Tristan cheered for Caulin.

"Make us proud, kiddo!" Volcan added as he went to stand between Luke and Luminara, the latter still cradling a full and happy Ignus in her arms.

Qiang made the first move, lunging toward Caulin with both fists tucked close to his chest, almost like a boxer. Then, as he closed in, he whipped into motion, jabbing repeatedly at Caulin with a series of quick punches. Caulin was quick to counter though, as he already had one paw up to slap away the incoming jabs away, then he leaned back when Qiang went for a punch and kicked him in his chest with his leading leg, using the Kubfu as leverage to side flip away and re-stance himself again.

"Gotta do better than that~" He stated with a smirk. "I was trained by my dad, and he's the strongest Lucario in the world!" He boasted.

"Well, my father is the strongest warrior in all the world!" Qiang returned, before he lunged forward again, whipping into a flying drop-kick toward Caulin.

"Typical boys, always wanting to say their father's the strongest," Serena remarked as the two continued.

"Ah, but as Volcan said. Competition can be healthy for those aspiring to achieve greatness, even if it isn't directly related to them," Katsu remarked, having lay down around Serena and watching the battle from her perspective. "Without it, there is really no incentive to improve, and we all become stagnant as a result."

"Exactly why even in the off-times, Gladiators keep training with each other," Tristan added.

Caulin quickly sidestepped out of the way of the drop kick as the others were conversing, then followed up with a roundhouse kick of his own. Qiang managed to parry Caulin's leg as he got closer, sending the Riolu stumbling a bit and allowing the Kubfu a chance to land a clean hit. He lunged forward, fist drawn back with a Dynamic Punch, and swung straight for Caulin.

Then, the Riolu suddenly ducked low, narrowly avoiding Qiang's Dynamic Punch and swinging his leg around for a Low Sweep, catching the Kubfu's legs and tripping him up. In one swift motion, he jumped into the air, still spinning, and landed a Jump Kick on his opponent's chest with enough force to send him skidding away.

"HAHA!! I did it!" Caulin exclaimed as he pumped his paws in the air in triumph.

"Nice, Caulin!" Minato cheered from where he stood. "Good use of the old bait and switch maneuver!"

"Hey, Volc! Wasn't that your move?" Tristan asked.

"It was! And he did it beautifully," Volcan replied, nodding in approval.

Qiang jumped to his feet, rubbing his chest where Caulin had kicked him. "Impressive," he said, shifting into his battle stance again. "But I have more where that came from!"

"That's fine! I'm just getting warmed up myself!" Caulin proclaimed, still grinning from ear to ear as they readied themselves for another round. "Man, this is GREAT! Finally, someone, I can spar with without holding back!"

"Well, he certainly has a lot of spirit, that one," Zheng remarked to his brother regarding Caulin. "And his technique is surprisingly polished for one so young and wild."

"He definitely has great potential," said Chen, nodding his approval.

Suddenly, as the boys began sparring again, Ignus awoke from his semi-nap in Luminara's arms, his dinner settled in his belly and alerted by the sounds of the fight. He looked over and thought the two were playing as they sparred. The pup, eager to join the fun, started barking and scrambled in Luminara's arms. The sudden shift in her arms alerted her to Ignus rousing from his sleep, but by the time she looked down, the Rockruff had broken free of her grasp and was dashing over to the two combatants sparring each other.

"Wait! Ignus, come here!" Luminara called, trying to catch the Rockruff.

But Ignus was too far ahead of her, running at the two boys as they traded blows and even grappled for a moment. Volcan saw where Ignus was heading and called out. "Caulin, Qiang, heads up!"

The two stopped mid-attack, turning just in time to see the Rockruff leaping at them, yipping excitedly as he tackled the two to the ground, causing both to shout in unison. Caulin shielded himself as Ignus pounced on him first once he and Qiang were on their backs, licking his face over and over while yipping happily down at Caulin.

"H-Hey! Ignus, that tickles, hahaha!" He complained, gently pushing the Rockruff away as he sat up.

He then pounced on Qiang next, licking up his face as well and yipping playfully as he held him down by his chest. "Ah! What is the meaning of this? You interrupted our battle!" Qiang protested, but couldn't stop himself from giggling either when Ignus started licking his face. "S-Silly little beast!"

The entire group erupted into a cacophony of laughter at the sight as the two struggled with Ignus. "Our two little warriors, defeated in the most adorable way possible," Lashanne remarked as she laughed. "Oh, I wish we'd had one of those cameras right now!"

"Next time we're down in Hadleigh, we should look around there for one!" Minato remarked, still chuckling as the spectacle continued to unfold before their eyes.

"Haha, wow. Talk about killing them with kindness," Luke remarked, then he immediately went cross-eyed and slapped his paw against his forehead. "Damnit... I'm hanging around Hank too much."

"Like we haven't heard worse jokes than that," said Volcan, patting Luke's shoulder before he jogged over to the three, followed by Zheng. "Okay, I think we'll have to call this match a draw." He said as he picked up Ignus, petting the Rockruff to try to relax him again, while Zheng helped Caulin and Qiang to their feet.

"That, or declare it a victory for the pup," Zheng remarked with a smile.

Qiang huffed. "I could have won," he said, pouting.

"Coulda, woulda, shoulda." Caulin returned with a shrug, but he at least held his paw for Qiang to shake. "Let's do that again tomorrow! Without any interference. Just you and me!" he said as he pumped his other arm.

Qiang looked at Caulin's paw for a moment and then smiled, before putting his own into it and nodding. "It's a deal. I look forward to our rematch."

"Well, Caulin's made another friend," said Lashanne, smiling happily.

"That makes what, two in the span of a few weeks now?" Minato asked.

"Not like that is a bad thing," Serena remarked, "There aren't many children of Caulin's age in Azure. He deserves to have more friends."

"As does Qiang, judging from the sounds of it," Luke pointed out, still smiling as the two boys shook their paws and declared their excitement about their next session together. "I think he might have found a kindred spirit in Caulin."

At that, Volcan perked up, having another idea and rubbing his chin before he spoke. "Say, Master Chen, Qiang said something about a dojo, didn't he?"

Chen nodded. "We're opening one, along the road to Westport," he replied, "since we decided to start fresh, a change of scenery seemed to be a good place to begin."

"Minato," Volcan called out, beckoning his friend over. "What if Caulin enrolled in this dojo once it's built?" He suggested. "He and Qiang could be rivals and classmates."

Minato considered Volcan's proposal, lifting his paw to his chin to rub it thoughtfully. "..Huh. You know I could see him rocking a Gi and training under these two," he said, looking at the Shifu brothers studiously. "Would that be all right?" He asked calmly.

"I'd be honoured to have your son as our first student," replied Chen, before looking at his brother. "Zheng?"

The Rapid Strike Urshifu was clearly still hesitant at the idea of taking on another student, fearing that another incident like Calhoun's would happen once again while training Minato's son. Nevertheless, he did his best to push that thought away, especially after seeing how happy Qiang had been during his sparring match with the Riolu.

"I do not see why he can't." Zheng answered with a nod, "Just be warned, our training will not be as lenient as you might think. We expect your son to give it his all while under our tutelage."

"Oh, don't worry, I made sure Caulin understands that you can't get strength like a present. There are no shortcuts. You either work as hard as you can or don't bother picking up the next set of weights," he informed the two.

"I gave him a similar lecture not too long ago," Volcan added.

"Excellent. We'll have a uniform made for the dojo and bring him one when we open," said Chen. "If, he wishes to join of course. The decision is still his as well."

Volcan looked at Caulin. "What do you think, sport? You want to train under these two masters too?" He asked.

"Would I?!" Caulin exclaimed excitedly.

"I guess that answers that question," Luke muttered with a chuckle.

"Perfect, then," said Chen, "Congratulations, Caulin. You and my nephew are now officially the first students of the Shifu Brother's Dojo."

Qiang looked at Caulin. "So... I guess this means you really are my rival now," he said with a wide grin, "I don't plan on being outdone in my own family dojo, you know."

Caulin giggled, grinning just as wide and pumping his paw in front of his face. "Challenge accepted, Qiang!" He exclaimed before a shiver ran up his spine, "Whooof, so this is what it's like to have a rival... Hehehe, I like this feeling! Like I can push myself even harder than I ever thought I could!"

Volcan looked at Luke. "What do you think? Up our dinner plans a bit? I can run to get more groceries if you need 'em."

"That's not a bad idea," Luke answered with a nod, "I'll need extra carrots, potatoes, broccoli, and maybe another thick cut of meat if that's not too much trouble."

"Will do," said Volcan. "Should I grab dessert too?"

"You know what, why not?" He said as he hugged his betrothed tightly, "Grab an apple pie while you're at it."

"I am on my way," he replied, passing Ignus back to Luminara again before he turned and strode off toward the market.

"Am I to understand we're invited to dinner then?" Chen asked Luke.

The Lucario nodded. "You'd be correct. You've come all this way to see us after all. The least we could do is offer you a meal and a chance to meet the rest of our friends." Luke answered with a nod.

"Luke, there really is no need for you to stretch yourself so thin," Zheng started to politely protest. We appreciate the gesture, but-"

"Ah, ah!" Luke lifted a paw to stop Zheng from speaking further. "I won't hear any of that. You've come all this way, you deserve to be treated like proper guests, especially while you're within my borders." He said. "There's plenty of room for all three of you, I promise. Now make yourselves at home while I get things ready." He said with a generous smile before turning and trotting back into his house.

"It'd be rude to refuse him after an offer like that," remarked Lashanne.

"Yes, I agree," Zheng remarked with a chuckle. "Luminara was right about her son, to be sure. Pokémon like him really are few and far apart. I think even those back at the monastery would have been stunned by how selfless he is."

"Well, I certainly won't say no to a home-cooked meal," replied Chen. "While we wait for them, Qiang. Why don't you and Caulin get more acquainted until dinner?"

"Okay, Uncle Chen," replied Qiang.

"Caulin, why don't you show Qiang around town?" Lashanne suggested. "Take Ignus with you too, but don't let him run off."

"Sure thing!" Caulin remarked happily, then he took Qiang's paw and tugged him along. "C'mon, Qiang! I'll show you the lighthouse I used to keep watch over the town at!" He said as he broke into a sprint.

Ignus jumped out of Luminara's arms once again and chased after the two as they ran off, barking happily as he chased them into town.

"It's good to see the squirt having fun again," said Tristan, crossing his arms as they watched the trio run off. "Little guy's gotta have been lonely with us gone so much and so few other kids around."

"Well, he seems to already take a shine to Qiang as a rival." Minato remarked with a smirk, then cast a glance over to Zheng, "Which I guess would make _us_rivals by extension."

The Urshifu chuckled softly. "Well, we have yet to trade blows. We shall see as time goes on, fellow warrior."

MInato's smirk broadened into a grin. "Just name a time and place..."

~~~~~

"Here, take a look at this!" Caulin stated as he passed Qiang a telescope from the chest he had pulled out. "Mom let me use this to keep an eye out when Uncle Volcan and Uncle Luke are out on missions, and I'd watch over the ocean to see if they were back or not. You can see almost over the horizon with it!" He said before he began rummaging through the chest for anything else he felt Qiang might enjoy examining.

Qiang examined the telescope, delicately handling it with his paws before he lifted it to his eye. Caulin noticed he hadn't extended it, and stepped over to show him how to do so, increasing its magnification. He peered through the telescope, looking out to sea with it. "Wow," he said, seeing the orange glow stretching over the ocean as the sunset. "Even after spending a week sailing over it, I am still unaccustomed to the sea. It's beautiful."

"I know right? Before I ended up here in Port Azure, Mom and Dad took me to the cove and I'd just swim about in the shallows. I got to see lots of pretty-looking Water Pokémon. Heck, one time when I surfaced and was swimming back, a Luvdisc jumped into my paws. It was the coolest thing," the Riolu added with a giggle.

Qiang set aside the telescope, and he and Caulin spent a few moments gazing out to the sea. Caulin felt a nudge at his side and looked down to see Ignus panting happily beside him, prompting the Riolu to lower his paw and scratch the Rockruff behind the ears.

"So, where are you from Qiang? Uncle Volcan mentioned you guys were building a Dojo not far from here. Are you from Westport?" He asked as he sat down and beckoned Ignus to lie across his lap.

"No. That is a new location for us, for resettling," replied Qiang, sitting cross-legged next to Caulin, "We are originally from an isolated monastery in the northlands. The closest city to us was Calygrad. Otherwise, all that I have known for most of my life is the enclosure of the monastery, the surrounding hills, and the mountains that cast their shadow upon us in midday. The winters are very cold, and a true test of the warrior's spirit for the order. You will find few people hardier than those of the northlands."

He then looked at Caulin. "It sounds like you are not originally from Azure either?"

"Yea, you're right. I'm not." Caulin said, his smile fading as he looked back out toward the ocean. "I lived on Arc Island... It was a quiet town - only a little bigger than Azure, but still fairly small. But it had a lot for me to do and I had a good family there. My Mom and Dad, Uncle Volcan, Serena, Tristan, Grandpa and Gramma, Momma Bird." He said with a happy sigh. "We were a very tightly knit family back then... Before we got hit."

"I heard of the tragedy that befell Arc, during my days in the King's Palace," said Qiang. "You have my sincerest apologies... No one should have to lose their home like that." He lowered his gaze, "It is a pain that I too understand."

"You lost your home to Calhoun too?" Caulin asked Qiang. "Lemme guess... A Draco Meteor hailstorm from above and a ground attack afterward?"

"No. He did not have his army yet," replied Qiang. "You see... We were the first of his victims. Calhoun was once one of us. He was a student at the monastery. My father's star pupil, since I was but a cub." He shut his eyes, "One day he left. It was his turn to venture out to gather medicinal herbs, but he never came back. There was a landslide in the mountains; my father feared he was caught in it, and almost gave him up for dead when he and the other monks could not locate him. Weeks passed, and suddenly, he returned. But he was... changed."

Qiang's eyes clenched shut. "I do not remember much else of what happened... I fear the shock of the incident was too great for me to recall. I only know that without warning, he attacked. The next thing I remember, I awoke in King Calyrex's palace, under watch from his elite guard, while healers tended to me, my father, and my uncle, who looked as if they had walked through Giratina's realm itself."

"Jeez... Qiang, I'm... I'm sorry." Caulin replied sombrely, lowering his gaze slightly. "...Were you close to him? Before he turned?"

"I would not say close, no," replied Qiang. "If I am to be truthful, I was resentful of him. If only because I coveted my father's approval as he had achieved. Part of me might have even been happy when he disappeared, I am ashamed to admit. But for all my bitterness toward him, I never thought him capable of becoming a monster."

Caulin stared in silence at the Kubfu, feeling somewhat sorry for him and all that he went through before and after Calhoun's turn. Very gently, he set Ignus down next to him and scooted closer to Qiang, placing his paw on his shoulder.

"Grampa once told me that sometimes you never really know someone's true self until it's brought to the surface." He said as he tried to console his rival. "I thought I knew his friend, Seji well enough that I could trust him... But as it turned out, he was a really bad man. He was there when Arc Island was attacked, and he was allied with Calhoun at the time." He explained sadly.

"I don't hate him though... I still think about all the times he used to take me on walks along the island and teach me about nature and all that. He may be a bad guy, but part of me kinda hopes he'll come back one day." He concluded. "I think that's what your dad wishes too... even if it's impossible..."

Qiang nodded. "I believe you are correct," he said. "Maybe he hopes there's still a way to save his prized student. But on that, I do not know how to feel."

"Well, I'll tell you what you can do to help ya move on." Caulin remarked as he playfully punched his shoulder, "You can focus on getting stronger so you can kick Calhoun's butt the next time you see him," he said, that grin of his returning in full stride as he attempted to lift Qiang's spirits.

But Qiang was not convinced. "You say it like it will be easy," he said. "He was my father's protégé. He has always been a fierce warrior, even before he was a monster."

"Then you're just gonna have to be better than that." Caulin remarked, not letting Qiang's pessimism get him down, "I heard Sol say this one day when he was training with the others," he cleared his throat and put on his best impression of the Typhlosion, "'Strength is absolute. If you're not strong, then you get strong, or else you might as well put the weights down.'"

He coughed, and rubbed his throat in discomfort, "Ugh... That felt kinda raw..."

Qiang could not help but laugh at Caulin's expense. The Riolu's ear twitched when he heard the Kubfu laugh, and it brought a smile to his face, and he started to laugh too. "There we go! Finally got a smile outta you!"

"It was only a chuckle," returned Qiang, turning his head away to maintain his composure.

"You still smiled. That's a win in my books." Caulin continued trying to bring his spirits up. "I got a little bit of pocket money on me. You wanna grab a small snack before we head back for dinner?" He asked with more of a mischievous grin.

"What did you have in mind?" Qiang asked, looking at Caulin.

"Ever had Ice Cream?" He asked.

"I don't think I have," replied Qiang. "Is that some sort of cold custard?"

"Sort of," Caulin answered, "though I could spend all night explaining it to you; better you just try it. C'mon, let's go get some." He added as he took Qiang's arm in his paw again and stood up, practically dragging him to his feet and yanking him toward the stairs leading down to street level again. Ignus yipped when they made their exit, rising to his feet and trotting after the two, not wanting to be left out of whatever they were doing.

"Should we be having treats when dinner is being prepared for us?" Qiang asked as Caulin led him down the lighthouse stairs.

"We're only gonna get one scoop. It'll be fine." Caulin urged, "Trust me, you're gonna love it." He added, weaving through the crowds toward the nearest Ice Cream parlour. Once inside, Caulin ordered three scoops of different flavours of ice cream from the vendor; chocolate for himself, vanilla for Qiang, and an orange sherbert in a bowl for Ignus. Caulin slid his pocket change along the counter once the scoops were served, and he took each cup in his arms and led the three to a vacant table so they could enjoy their frozen desserts.

Qiang took the cup gingerly when Caulin offered it to him, looking at it and smelling it. "Smells kind of like milk," he said, looking at Caulin as he gave the bowl of orange sherbert to Ignus.

"That's the main ingredient, yeah," Caulin answered as he took a bite into his ice cream, his eyes rolling back as he savoured the chocolaty taste of his dessert. "Mmhhh... I'll never get tired of this. It's sooooo good~"

Seeing Caulin enjoying the dessert, Qiang took a chance, lifting the cup and following Caulin's example by licking it. He tasted it, and his eyes widened. "It's so sweet," he said. "But it tastes great!" He began to eat it more eagerly, too quickly. Before Caulin could warn him he suddenly pulled his head back, eye twitching. "Ah! The pain! What did it do to me?"

"Oh, that's just brain freeze. Don't worry, I get it sometimes too." Caulin said casually. "Give it a second, it'll go away. Try taking smaller bites so that it doesn't happen again." He explained, then looked to Ignus licking at his treat repeatedly, seeming to enjoy the orange flavoured ice cream quite a fair bit.

"It seems a steep price, to freeze your brain to enjoy a dessert," Qiang remarked as he rubbed his eye.

Caulin laughed at his claim, "Hahaha, no no. It's not actually freezing your brain, Qiang. It's just... uhm... well..." He tried to find the words to explain what brain freeze was. "It's... something to do with the nerves in the roof of your mouth I think. Mom explained it to me once, but I can't really remember what she said exactly," he said before shrugging helplessly. "Point is, it's not really dealing any lasting pain. It's just a temporary thing that you get from eating too much frozen food too fast."

"Oh. It's a metaphor, then," said Qiang, nodding in understanding and going back to eating his snack, slower this time.

Ignus had already finished his treat before Qiang started eating his ice cream again at a slower rate, while Caulin went back to savouring his own snack. Once or twice the Riolu had to stop and take a moment to let some minor brain freeze of his own pass before he could finish, and waited for Qiang before he looked up at the sky, and noticed how dark it was becoming.

"Uh oh," He muttered. "We should probably head back. I bet Uncle Volcan's already done his shopping and on his way home by now."

"Good idea," agreed Qiang, finishing his ice cream and wiping his paws on a napkin before discarding it into a litter bin.

"C'mon Ignus! I'll race ya!" The Riolu hollered as he ran ahead, with the Rockruff tailing not far behind Caulin and yipping excitedly as he ran after him.

"Wait for me!" Qiang called, sprinting after the two.

They returned to find everyone gathered in the living room in the house. The dining table, designed to seat six, had four seated at it with two left open for the cooks, and everyone who did not get a seat at the table had to find one on the sofas instead. In the kitchen, Luke, Luminara and Lashanne were working together preparing the meal, with Luke doing most of the cooking while his mother and Lashanne helped him with the prep, lightening the workload by peeling potatoes and chopping vegetables.

Volcan sat at the table with Minato and the Shifu brothers, and Serena, Katsu and Tristan occupied the loveseat, Serena resting Katsu's lap. Minato was the first to hear Caulin, Ignus and Qiang running into the house, his ears twitching and turning to look over his shoulder to see the three boys charging into the house all at once, tumbling over each other and landing in a heap.

"Well, that was theatrical." Minato announced as he stood up from his seat and helped the boys to their feet. "I'm going to assume you boys lost track of time because of all the fun you've been having."

"Ya-huh! I got to show Qiang my stuff up at the lighthouse and toured with him and Ignus around town!" Caulin replied with a few quick nods.

"And looks like you grabbed a snack, judging by that little chocolate stain on your cheek," Volcan remarked observantly, pointing at Caulin, "Hope you didn't spoil your dinners."

The Riolu blinked, and lifted a paw to rub his cheek. His eyes widened his eyes when he saw the stain on his paw. "I uh... W-we only had one scoop each, I swear!" He protested.

"Even so, you know better son." Minato sternly admonished his son. "It's one thing to treat your friends, but not when it's so close to dinner time, so I hope you're still hungry." He then gestured for them to sit at the table, "We'll talk about this later. For now, let's just enjoy the upcoming feast."

"Minato, do you have any extra chairs we could get from your place?" Volcan asked as he and Zheng got up, letting Caulin and Qiang take their seats across from one another. "As it stands, we're filling up quickly here."

"Sure, I'll be right back. Hold the fort for me, ok?" He answered as he trotted out the door and back to his place for some extra seats.

"Better hurry! Dinner's almost ready!" Luke hollered after him as he plated the first dish of food and handed it to Lashanne. "Would you mind getting these out to the dining room while I finish up please?"

"Sure thing," she said, taking it between her paws and carrying the plate to the table. "Okay, guest's first," she said, looking to Qiang. "Let's start with you, then, kiddo." She set down the plate, letting Qiang see the arrangement.

The plate was filled to the brim with an assortment of scrumptious foods served in healthy portions. The main course being a thick cut of steak grilled to medium rare and marinated with just enough Au Jus to give it a bit of flare and zing to the cut. Around it were an assortment of vegetables, such as asparagus, mashed potatoes, and sliced carrots all neatly arranged in a precise pattern for ease of access should Qiang want to start with any of the food choices... that and it looked as amazing as it most likely would taste.

Qiang smelled the mix of aromas rising from the plate, and without hesitation he cut a piece of the steak and took a bite. His eyes lit up at the taste, a smile stretching across his face. "This... is... delicious!" He exclaimed.

From the kitchen, Luke smiled upon hearing Qiang's exclamation, bringing about a sense of pride as he passed another plate of food to Lashanne to be passed out to the next guest. "Damn, I'm good..." he whispered softly.

Minato returned with another couple of chairs for the Shifu brothers, placing them opposite of each other at the table before taking a seat himself. Lashanne finished serving the food shortly afterward, allowing Luke to finally have a seat himself next to his Blaziken, gesturing for everyone to begin their meals. Lashanne took the last chair at the table and Luminara seated herself in the armchair by the couch.

"Dig in everyone. There's still plenty more portions of anyone wants seconds afterward," Luke announced.

"Don't mind if we do," said Chen. "I don't think one night of indulging will do us any harm, will it brother?"

Zheng was already tasting his meal when Chen asked his question. The second his first morsel hit his taste buds he froze, eyes opening wide as the mixture of flavours made his heart melt. He then began devouring his meal as if he hadn't eaten in days, pausing only to swallow what was in his mouth before guzzling his food again.

"...Luke, I don't know what kind of sorcery you put into these dishes, but I'll be damned if it isn't to die for," Minato commented as he watched Zheng devour his dinner. "And here I thought I enjoyed your cooking too much..."

"I know right?! Uncle Luke's cooking is the best!!" Caulin piped up with his mouth partially full.

"Well, so far your cooking is the talk of the night, eh love?" Volcan asked as he speared a piece of meat on his fork. "And hear that? Caulin's calling _you_uncle now too~"

"All signs that our family is continuing to grow." Luke answered with a loving smile at Volcan, gently stabbing a morsel of meat and offering it to him. "And I suppose my cooking has improved lately, what with the increased free time we've had."

"When we're not all pummelling each other trying to improve our other skills," the Blaziken pointed out before leaning down to accept the piece of meat, and offering the one he'd already picked up with his fork to Luke.

Luke giggled and accepted the meat from Volcan's fork, chewing it slowly so he could savour it while staring romantically up at his mate. "Mhhh... How's it taste, Volcan? I made it with love for my beautiful hunk~" he whispered softly.

"It is fantastic as always, Luke," replied Volcan, smiling back before digging into his plate again.

"Oh, you two..." Luminara remarked quietly with a smile while rolling her eyes, then returned to her meal and ate in relative silence, quite enjoying her son's masterful cooking. The more she looked at her son and her future son-in-law though, the more she started to crave that feeling of her own. She didn't outwardly show it, but she missed having a significant other... if only she wasn't so quick to judge Sol's return, Nido would still be around...

She hadn't felt like she missed Nido until that moment; their relationship had begun to deteriorate as the Nidoking became restless, never one who enjoyed remaining in one place for too long. Now, she wished she might have enjoyed his touch a little longer... If only Sol hadn't-

"Ma'am?" Chen asked, concerned. He'd noticed Luminara's shift in mood. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh, no. Everything is alright Master Chen." She assured the Urshifu, "Just... Reminiscing on my younger days." It was a white lie, of course, but she saw no reason to burden the Urshifu with her loneliness.

He nodded, deciding against prying further, and focused on his meal.

After dinner, Volcan helped Luke clean up the dishes as the others waited for dessert. During the meal, Volcan had suggested a sleepover for Caulin and Qiang, and that perhaps they could camp out behind the house, between it and the trees - but not actually in the forest, much to Caulin's dismay.

"There is still plenty of danger out there," said Volcan, "So I want you two to stay close to the house."

Minato and Lashanne seemed onboard with the idea, especially the precaution of them staying close to the house. Zheng too was pleased with the suggestion, and it gave Caulin and Qiang more time to spend together. Caulin was already gathering up some camping gear for Qiang and himself to share during their sleepover, carrying a pair of sleeping bags under his arms while his father helped to set up their tent, making sure it was properly anchored down so that it wouldn't tumble over while the two boys were sound asleep.

"Just be sure not to stay up too late, kiddo." Minato cautioned his son as he hammered down the final peg to secure their tent. "Can't have you nodding off during your training or your studies, otherwise your mother will never let you hear the end of it." He remarked with a chuckle.

"I know dad. I won't stay up too late." Caulin bemoaned, rolling his eyes as he stepped into the tent and began unrolling the sleeping bags so that they were right next to each other.

Of course, Ignus had to join them as Qiang slid inside to join Caulin, the Rockruff coming in after him and leaping onto Caulin.

"Ahh! I-Ignus heey!" He exclaimed as he received more licks to his face from the Rockruff and some more happy yips before he turned to Qiang and leapt onto him next, showering him with affection just as he did with Caulin.

"Ah! He is relentless!" Qiang remarked, trying to cover his face to stop from getting a faceful of slobber.

"He just likes you," Caulin answered, giggling at Qiang's expense, "maybe try petting him? See if he wants some cuddles." He offered.

Hesitantly, Qiang lifted his paw and laid it upon Ignus' head, gently petting the Rockruff. His paw brushed over his rock-encrusted neck, feeling the pebbles that grew from his skin, and moved on to fur again. "He's... soft," he said. "Aside from his neck, I mean. When I understood he was rock-type, I thought his fur would be coarse, but it isn't..."

Ignus panted happily and pushed his head against Qiang's paw, then he started to walk in a circle a few times before setting himself down on the Kubfu, laying on his side and exposing his belly to him.

"I think he wants a belly rub." Caulin pointed out as he moved to sit closer to the two, reaching out and lightly petting the pup's belly. "Oohh this reminds me. You should totally meet my Grampa's Salamence, Bellator. He's super cool and friendly."

"A Salamence?" Qiang asked, joining Caulin in rubbing Ignus' belly. "What is a Salamence?"

Caulin froze for a second, his eyes widening as he stared back at Qiang in utter disbelief. "...You serious? You've_never_ seen a Salamence before?!" He exclaimed, then started to laugh a little. "Ooohh man; tomorrow you're gonna be in for a treat when I show him to you~" he added with that cheeky grin of his.

"Why does that answer fill me with dread?" Qiang asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It shouldn't! Bellator's not like any other Salamence!" Caulin remarked, spreading his arms out and waving them slightly. "Sure, he's a big, scary looking Dragon-type with huge scythe like wings, a scary look in his eyes and razor sharp teeth, but he's a real softy once he realizes you're a friend!" He then started to giggle. "He _especially_likes getting dad all covered in dragon slobber. It's a sorta... mutual respect thing they have."

"I certainly am curious to see him. There are not many dragons in the northlands. Only two or three evolution lines I know of, neither of which I've ever actually laid eyes upon. Though, Uncle Chen claims he fought a Dragapult once..."

Now it was Caulin's turn to tilt his head in confusion. "Uhh... What's a Dragapult?" He asked.

"According to Uncle Chen, it's a spectral dragon with a very wide head," explained Qiang, motioning with his paws to emphasize. "It has these two chutes on its head where it fires projectiles, in the form of its pre-evolved form, Dreepy. I would think it strange but, many Ghost-types tend to be as I understand it."

"Yea, no kidding," Caulin admitted, and then covered his mouth with a paw as he yawned, feeling the day's events catching up with him. "Wow... Guess I used up all my energy really fast today."

"I suppose we ought to sleep then," said Qiang, laying on his back and sliding into his sleeping bag. "I... Had fun tonight, Caulin. I'm glad your uncle introduced us."

"Hehe, stick with me and you'll have fun every day." Caulin said with a warm smile, crawling into his sleeping bag and settling in. Ignus curled up in between them and let out a small yawn of his own before he lay his head down and began to drift off.

"Night Qiang. Night Ignus." Caulin said before yawning again, then relaxed his body as he fell quickly to sleep.

"Good night, Caulin. Good night, Ignus," added Qiang, settling his head on his pillow and shutting his eyes.