FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Sol hammered his fist against the door once he arrived at his brother's residence, and he continued knocking until the door finally opened. In the doorway stood Luna, dressed in an apron and holding a spatula in his left claw. He looked quite irritated at first, but the second he saw Sol's face, his frown quickly turned into a look of sheer joy as he leapt up and hugged around Sol's neck affectionately.

"Hey bro!" He exclaimed with a happy giggle, rubbing his cheek against Sol's repeatedly, much to the Typhlosion's annoyance.

"Fucking- How many times do I gotta tell you?? I don't do the whole cuddly bullshit!" Sol growled, pulling his head away to try and stop Luna from snuggling up to him, "Fucking hell, when are ya gonna get it through that dumb skull of yours?"

Luna pulled back, flustered and tapping his claws together absently. "I-I'm sorry, I'm just... You know I'm always happy to see you, Sol. Especially now that you're back living in Azure again."

"I ain't exactly..." Sol paused, before he groaned and rolled his eyes. "You know what, never mind. You got a moment?" He asked as he practically barged into Luna's house, not waiting for an answer. "I gotta talk to you about something. It's, uh... Pretty damn important."

"Oh! Well, I'm just in the middle of cooking lunch for Nami and Tyde, but you're more than welcome to make yourself at home!" Luna answered, gesturing to the dining room. "Go on, have a seat! We can talk while we're eating!"

"Yea uh... I think I'll pass." Sol answered with a dismissive wave, "I'll just wait in the living room 'til yer done. After my last visit, I don't think yer boo and the kid are too fond of me bein' here." He remarked as he headed for the sofa and flopped back against it with a heavy sigh.

"Oh... Well alright, if that's what you'd rather have," Luna answered, feeling a little downtrodden, but he respected Sol's wishes and went straight back into the kitchen to finish preparing lunch for his family.

From the living room, Sol could hear Luna and his family sharing a fun conversation and a few laughs from time to time as they dined together. It made him grimace slightly the more he listened in, as it reminded him of times back before he was exiled... Especially back when he too had a lover, and the fun times they would share together before she was ultimately taken from him.

He specifically remembered the day he felt he was ready to fully commit to the young Flareon, and all the build-up he had planned during his proposal to her... Before it all went up in smoke by a surprise attack that left her dead at his feet. Such an image made him shake his head furiously, trying to get that image out of his mind so that he could focus on what he was here for.. But the image persisted, and Sol found himself covering his eyes with his paw, trying to hold back the tears that came with the memory...

"Sol?" Luna's voice echoed in the living room, making the Typhlosion perk up and look toward the foyer. The young Zangoose was standing at the archway with a plate of food in his claws, a concerned expression on his face as he walked closer and set the plate of food on the table before him. "A-Are you alright?"

"Tch... I'm fine." Sol grumbled, shaking his head dismissively and looking at the plate presented to him, "The fuck's this shit?"

"I-I uhm, I figured you might be hungry, so I made an extra serving of lunch." He answered timidly, once again poking his claws together submissively as he waited for Sol to at least try the food. "I hope you like it... I-I know you said you didn't want to have any of my food again, but I've been getting better at cooking thanks to Nami."

Sol snorted again, staring at the plate of food in front of him before he leant in and took a bite of the food. He paused for a moment as he let the taste settle in, chewing idly before tilting his head back and swallowing the morsel.

"...It ain't bad." He remarked absently as he continued to eat Luna's food,"Better than the stuff you served last time, at least."

Luna's ears perked up after hearing that, his cheerful grin returning as he walked over and hopped up on the sofa to sit next to his younger brother. "That makes me so happy to hear, bro!" He said, watching the Typhlosion eating his food, waiting until he was finished before speaking up again. "So, what brings you by today? You said you had something important to tell me?" He asked while tilting his head curiously.

Sol wiped his arm along his mouth before he gave his answer. "Look. I'm not good at this sorta thing, and you know that, but... Because you and I are getting back on better terms now, I'm gonna try to stomach my pride and tell you something I never thought I'd hear myself say in a million years,"

Then with a heavy sigh and a slump of his shoulders, he finally said what he needed to say. "Luna, I... I need yer help. We all need your help".

Luna's reaction was exactly what Sol had expected. The Zangoose's jovial expression turned into a look of complete shock after hearing him confess that he needed help... His help no less! He took the claim very seriously as he slowly nodded to Sol, getting the impression that if even Sol was asking for his help, it must have been serious.

"What do you need, bro?" He asked in a firm manner, "Name it, and I'll make it happen."

The Typhlosion scoffed. "A while back, I went on a mission with the Fuzzball and my Cap's team to rescue one of their comrades from the enemy's clutches. I mentioned 'em to you before. That Dark Blaziken and all that jazz," he went on, "Well, the short version is we did get him back, but... We fell into a trap, and we almost bit the dust, at least until another team came in and literally pulled us up from being buried six feet under, but that's beside the point."

He turned to look at Luna square in the eyes. "Right now, we're all taking time to train and become stronger than we currently are, so that when we do hafta face that Blaziken bitch again, we'll be ready, but even a berserking meathead like me can realize when I'm in over my head sometimes, and... This is one of those times."

Sol then placed both his paws on Luna's shoulders. "I'm literally asking you... One brother to another... Will you help me fight against this fuckwitt?"

Luna's expression soured slightly when Sol asked him if he was willing to fight at his side. He turned his head away and flattened his ears. "Sol... I wanna help you more than anything, but... You know how I feel about fighting, and now that I have my own family to look after, I can't just drop everything and go off to fight against the next big bad guy that shows up... Their well-being comes before my own." He replied regretfully.

That made Sol's ears prick up and his gaze become fierce again, his grip on Luna's shoulders tightening to the point where he cried out in pain. "Damn it, Luna! Don't you fucking get it?" He exclaimed angrily at the Zangoose. "If this fuckwit gets what he wants, yer family's gonna bite the dust! If yer that hellbent on protecting them, then fucking fight in this war with me, that way you can live in peace with yer boo and yer kid fer as long as you want!!"

"It's not that simple, Sol!" Luna shouted back, yanking himself free from Sol's grasp and scooting away from him. "You know I hate fighting! Sparring and training are one thing, but the only time you'll ever catch me in a fight is if it's a do or die situation, and even_then,_ I don't wanna do it! Can't you respect that at-"

"THIS IS A FUCKING DO OR DIE SITUATION!!" Sol roared angrily back at Luna, his neck vents igniting with fire as he stood up and towered over the cowering Zangoose. "For fuck's sake, stop being a fucking coward! That's what I fucking hate about you!!" Sol exclaimed, taking a step toward his brother threateningly.

"You always think you're sooo much better than everyone by being the better man and not getting involved in fights and shit! Well news flash, bitch! That ain't gonna fly anymore!! You can try talking yer way outta fighting against that bastard all you want, he ain't gonna listen to you! He will kill you, then kill your family, then fucking raze this town to the ground until there's nothing left but demolished buildings and the corpses of the townsfolk littering the streets! Is that what you fucking want to see?!"

Luna whimpered in response, already starting to tear up as Sol reamed at him. The sight made Sol sick to his stomach. He hated seeing his brother this upset, but his unwillingness to see the situation from his perspective was really getting under his skin, and it was forcing him to play his hand.

"I can't believe I'm even related to you," the furious Typhlosion went on, "All that training we went through together to hone our teamwork, the powers you and I worked so hard to attain together, and yer just gonna let it all go to waste because you can't even be bothered to stand up and fight to protect what matters most to you...Yer one of_Nido's_ kids, Arceus dammit! Protecting what you love should be surging through yer veins, even if it means flexing those claws and running them through whatever's threatening to kill em!"

Sol slowly calmed himself down after getting his frustration out of his system, and turned his back on Luna, his flames withering away. "Whatever man... I came to you fer help, but you clearly don't want to, so I'm just gonna quit wasting my time and leave," he growled, stomping toward the front door.

As he flung it open, he looked back to the living room where Luna was still cowering in fright after Sol's outburst. "Just remember, Luna... When that day comes, and it will come... Don't come crying to me to protect you, because I'm just gonna give you a big fat 'I told you so.'" He added before slamming the door shut behind him.

Sol found Minato and Tristan practicing at the house when he came looking for Volcan. They told him he had gone to train in the woods today, and Luke was at home with their adopted son. They had begun a rotational system where one went to train and the other watched over Ignus. Sol skipped over that part, and went on to locate his captain, walking briskly as a wave of emotions surged through him - emotions he did not want to acknowledge at that moment.

He arrived in the clearing where he guessed Volcan might be, but he wasn't there. However, off in a nearby group of trees he could hear wood crunching, repeatedly. Thinking it was him, Sol turned toward the sound and stormed over toward its source, not even caring about being subtle about his approach. After his episode at Luna's house, he was not in a good mood, nor would he take no for an answer should the Blaziken deny his request.

He arrived to find Volcan boxing a tree trunk. His fists were wrapped in sports tape for protection, and he pounded away on the stump with a vengeance. He struck it repeatedly, occasionally switching out to using his legs before reverting to his fists again, shifting on his feet as he circled it.

Sol stepped through the foliage, stopping only to watch Volcan work on his attacks against the trunk and scoffing silently. 'You fucking kidding me...? Hitting a log ain't gonna prepare you fer the big fight ahead...' He thought to himself as he began his approach again when he wasn't looking.

Volcan continued striking the log, putting more force into each of his blows as time went on, stopping only to deliver more kicks. He didn't notice Sol until the Typhlosion was less than a meter away. Hearing Sol's heavy footstep, he whipped around, leg raised to strike, but he paused before he could even begin the kick, blinking in surprise.

"Sol?" He asked, lowering his leg.

"...Not gonna follow through, eh?" The Typhlosion remarked as he watched him lower his leg to the ground again. "Shoulda kept going, Cap. If I were someone else lookin ta end you, that woulda cost you yer life."

"If you were someone else, you'd have a concussion right now," replied Volcan in jest, catching his breath as he addressed the Typhlosion. "What's up?"

"So, remember when I said the last time I needed yer help with something that it was gonna be a one-time thing only?" Sol asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest and looking away from him. "Well... that may have been a lie."

Volcan looked concerned. "You need to go see Luna again?" He asked.

"I just came back from seeing him again," Sol answered, his scowl deepening, "I went to his place and pretty much begged him to help us against that Dark Blaziken bitch, but being the fucking coward he is, he came up with every excuse in the book to say he didn't want to fight... And of course, being the berserking rage machine that I am, I went off on him fer his cowardice..."

"You what?" Volcan demanded, then slapped himself in the forehead. "Sol... Why would you do that?"

"Oh, I dunno, maybe because I was thinking that we could use more numbers on our side? Maybe fer once I was trying to think with my brain instead of my fists and figured I could add another of my Dad's kids into this fray?" Sol remarked, shooting Volcan a stern glare his way. "Maybe, just maybe, I decided to take a page out of YOUR book and think outside the box!"

"I meant why would you go off on him for saying no," returned Volcan. "We do need more numbers, yes, - we need all the help we can get. But that has to come from people _willing_to fight. That's a choice they make for themselves."

"Well, let me put it this way," Sol remarked, stepping closer to Volcan until they were practically nose to nose with each other, only Volcan had to lift his head slightly so they could meet each other's gaze, reminding him once again how massive Sol was for a Typhlosion - certainly taking after his father for that, he guessed.

"This whole time we've been fighting against this fuckwit on his grounds, where he has the home field advantage. Who's to say that one day he won't decide to fight on our turf?" He pointed out sternly, "He knows we're onto him. We've taken away one of his chances of gaining even more power, and he's no doubt stark raving pissed about it. Take it from me, when you're so blindly pissed off like that, yer gonna_do something that rash, and the townsfolk _will get caught up in the crossfire, including Luna's family."

"And you think I don't know that?" Volcan asked, "I've already been working with Luke and Kage on an evac and battle plan if the Crusade shows up here since we got back from the isles."

Sol hadn't known about that, and it further infuriated him that he was left out of the loop. His paws clenched tighty at his sides as his temper started to flare up once again. "And when exactly were you gonna tell us this nifty bit of info, asshole?" He growled threateningly.

"When it was ready, Sol," replied Volcan. "The plans are still a work in progress. If I told you them now, and reconsidered them later, we'd be having repeat discussions about them, filling everyone's head with information that might not be relevant when the time came. That leads to confusion and mistakes. Strategy one-oh-one, brief your team with a complete plan, not a half-baked one. That make sense?"

Sol scoffed angrily, taking a step back from Volcan and sucking in a deep breath to try and calm himself down before he ended up snapping at the Blaziken. "Well, then I guess I fucked up yet again, didn't I?" He growled as he began to turn away, "Whatever, then. Go on and keep hitting that trunk fer all the good it'll do you..." He added before he began to take his leave.

"Sol, hold on," Volcan called after him, following the Typhlosion. "What's really eating at you here?"

He stopped walking when Volcan popped the question, and his composure started to deflate noticeably as he gave his response. "...We almost fucking died,_man," Sol answered in a softer tone, "The last thing that went through my mind when I went under was seeing that Dark Blaziken standing over Luna's body in a sea of blood... I _know Luna hates fighting, but when that fuckwit decides he wants to attack Azure, the last thing I wanna see is what I pictured during what I thought were my last moments, and that I wouldn't be there to bail him out."

He turned to look at Volcan dead in the eyes. "That's why I went to try and convince him to fight... We just started getting back on good terms with each other, and... Truthfully, I don't want to see him hurt. That said, I refuse to be his bodyguard twenty-four seven, because I also know just how powerful he is. Luna needs to understand that if he doesn't step up to the plate, he's gonna lose everyone he fuckin' loves."

Volcan moved to stand before Sol and rested a hand on his shoulder. "That is not a decision we can make for him," he said, keeping his tone level and respectful to the Typhlosion, "Luna wants to be where he can watch over his loved ones, to be there with them if danger comes. That doesn't make him a coward. He's a coward if he runs out on them to save his own life or hides behind them. Does he seem like the type who would do that?" He asked the question with all seriousness.

He slowly shook his head in response, his gaze kept toward the ground even as he gave his answer. "He'd rather die than bail out on 'em..."

"Then there's nothing more to do but prepare ourselves," said Volcan, "He made his choice, as all of us did when we chose to fight. Not everyone is as willing to leave their loved ones or put their own lives in danger like we are, not without a really good reason."

"But I've seen Luna fight before!" Sol suddenly perked up, "Hell, I've fought_with_ him at one point! He's strong, unbelievably so - you wouldn't think so with how passive he is but he's crazy powerful, and really good at it! Our old man was a born fighter, and we both got that from him. He just chooses to repress it because he's scared of hurting anyone, even his enemies!"

"Not everyone seeks to live up to their parentage, Sol," Volcan said, speaking with certainty in his voice, "Some just want to be their own man. Luna is strong , but he'd rather use that power to protect his loved ones, not hurt others."

"Isn't that what you do for a living though?" Sol suddenly asked, "I thought the whole point of being in the guilds was using your power to protect everyone else, putting your life on the line for them?"

Volcan shrugged. "That's a choice I made," he said, "I wanted to defend my home island, and I wanted to put my martial arts talents to good use while making a living. I didn't count on being pulled into a war. It just... happened. They took my home from me, and now I want to stop the one who did it. I could have decided to end my career then and there; to give up and just wait for this whole thing to blow over. But that's not who I am. I am a fighter, and one who wants to be useful, and defend those the crusade would bring harm to."

Sol let out another heavy sigh, feeling like he was getting nowhere in this conversation. "Look, can you just... At least talk to Luna about it? Yer better at talking to people than I am, maybe you can make him understand that he needs to be ready fer a surprise attack. Right now he'd much rather just play dumb and pretend it ain't gonna happen..."

"If I go to speak to him, Sol, it will be to warn him that an attack is possible. But I'm not going to ask him to fight," said Volcan, crossing his arms, "He knows the option is there, and if you told him so he knows this town could be targeted. But, what he does with this information is his own choice."

"Fine, whatever." Sol dismissively remarked, "Just...when yer there, tell him I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry I went off on him and that I'm just worried for him..."

"Nah-ah," Volcan returned, poking a finger into Sol's chest, "If you owe your brother an apology, you give him one yourself - at least send him a letter if nothing else. Though, probably not at this moment. Give him some time to calm down first, while you figure out how to make up for your own actions."

"...Fuck's sake. Can't even do me that one little favour," Sol growled, rolling his eyes irritably. "Why do you have to be such a fucking goodie two shoes?"

"It's because I am that you're not still in prison," Volcan reminded with a confident grin.

"Oh fuck off! Don't remind me of that!" Sol exclaimed, turning his head away and snorting angrily. "Fine, whatever. I'll... I'll think of something to say to him later..."

"Why don't you join me for a bit?" Volcan offered him, "Exercise is a great way to burn off steam. It'll help clear your head. I have a couple of hours before I'm due home."

"Peh, you sure you'll even last that long against me?" Sol asked, though his defeated demeanour started to turn into a confident smirk as he cracked his neck a couple times.

"I meant for beating on that stump back there," he said, gesturing behind him, but then he smiled, "But if you want to spar, I'd be willing to go a couple of rounds."

"The way I see it, you only get stronger by fighting other people, not hitting logs or punching bags." Sol remarked, stepping away from Volcan and hunching forward so that his arms hung in front of him. "So hit me with your best shot before I knock you flat on your face."

"Beating on that stump does more than you think," he said as he unravelled the tape from around his hands. "Building stamina, honing my striking power, developing pain tolerance." He freed one of his hands, flexing his fingers. "And practicing some of my techniques against a static target before moving onto a living target." Once his other hand was free, he faced Sol, shifting his posture to a more defensive position.

The Typhlosion chuckled. "Oh yea? Well then show me what you've picked up since last time," He growled, then in a flash he launched himself forward, curling up into a ball of sorts and rocketing toward Volcan with a Flame Wheel attack at full throttle.

Volcan launched himself at Sol with a Flame Charge, and then at the last second, he sprang, leaping clear over Sol in a somersault, before he turned and rocketed after the Typhlosion with a second Flame Charge, managing to collide with the Typhlosion as he uncurled and began to turn around. Sol quickly straightened up, unharmed by the attack, and turned just as Volcan was on top of him, taking a punch from the Blaziken and making him skid back somewhat as the Blaziken's fist drove into his cheek.

The Typhlosion looked back at the Blaziken with a squished smirk, still holding his ground despite the heavy hit he received. "That all you got...?" He asked as he grabbed at Volcan's wrist with his other paw, then lifted the Blaziken over his head and hurled him to the ground in front of him before hopping away and punching his fists together, "You got speed, I'll give you that, but if that's all the strength you have, yer gonna be a mess of bruises after we're done here."

"I'm just warming up," Volcan replied confidently as he reverted to his previous stance, "But try not to make your attacks too predictable. I'll wear you down long before I get those bruises you speak of."

"Unlike you, I can take a hit or two." Sol remarked as he rushed in again, this time on his hind legs only rather than with another Flame Wheel.

Once he was in range, Sol started throwing heavy punches at Volcan, swinging wide and hard just like a true berserker would. His fighting style, as powerful as it seemed, had several holes in it. He was wild, unfocused with his attacks, and any attempt to follow through with another attack was met with a counter from Volcan, breaking his flow and causing him to snort angrily before trying again. Volcan deftly evaded every swing he threw, landing jabs and kicks when Sol overextended himself, and easily disengaged before Sol could catch him.

"We'll need to work on your technique!" Volcan said as he pivoted out of the way of a punch from Sol, turning on his heel and landing an axe kick on Sol's back before he could regain his balance. It didn't hurt too much, but the Typhlosion was sent sprawling.

"Tch, Damnit!" Sol growled after he fell on his face again, quickly shooting up to his feet and turning to swing at Volcan with a heavy haymaker punch in retaliation.

Volcan stepped back out of his reach, before striking back with a well-placed switch kick. Sol took the kick to his face, throwing his head back from the recoil. Then Sol's paws shot forward and grabbed Volcan by his shoulders before he swung his head forward for a headbutt against the Blaziken's cranium, sending jolts of pain through both of them as they stumbled away from each other.

"Oof!" Volcan grunted, rubbing his head, but smiled. "I wouldn't do that with Tristan. You don't know hard-headed until you butt heads with an Aggron."

"Good thing I'm fighting you instead," Sol growled, rubbing his head and grinning back at Volcan.

He started feeling something welling up inside of him as he sparred with Volcan, like a fire that was being fed more fuel with each blow they landed on each other. Whatever it was he was feeling, it felt good, and Sol wanted more of it. He let out a roar as he rushed back in again, this time he spat out a Lava Plume as he rushed in, then drew his fist back for a Mega Punch when Volcan dodged out of the way of the initial attack.

Volcan did something unexpected then. He dropped, landing on his back and lifting his legs as Sol swung over him, catching the stumbling Typhlosion on his feet, and then throwing his legs out full force, launching Sol over himself with enough force that his feet left the ground for two seconds at least. Sol cried out as he felt himself fly over Volcan after he launched him into the air with his legs, landing with a hard thud onto his back and knocking some of the wind out of his lungs from the impact.

Volcan leapt back to his feet, reaffirming his stance and waiting for Sol, giving him as long as he needed to stand and reorient himself. The Typhlosion was coughing hoarsely as he rolled onto his front, grasping his stomach as he pushed himself back to his feet, taking several moments to quell the pain in his stomach before he turned back to Volcan.

"Well, aren't you just full of surprises?" He asked before hocking a loogie at the ground next to him, "You weren't this creative last time you and I scuffled..."

"I've been training pretty hard," replied Volcan, "I learned from that battle and started working on new techniques. Not specifically to fight you, of course," he added promptly.

"Well, it's working, whatever yer doing," Sol remarked. "Fer now anyway." He added, then he rolled into a ball again and charged forward with a Flame Wheel toward the Blaziken again. This time however, he uncurled himself prematurely and used his feet to jump into the air, turning himself parallel to the ground and lashing out with his feet when he got close for a punishing Double Kick.

Volcan was caught off guard by the unexpected attack, receiving the first kick, knocking him off balance, and the second sent him hurtling backward, falling onto his backside slightly winded. "Ow..." he growled, rubbing his chest where he had taken both kicks.

"And that's a point for me." Sol stated, flexing his arms in triumph. "We're even now."

Volcan chuckled. "Now that," he said, "was good. Never show your full hand, as they say, and I sure as hell didn't know you knew Double Kick."

"Known it since I was a Cyndaquil." Sol remarked as he walked over and extended his paw down to Volcan, "Was an egg move I inherited from Dad."

Volcan grasped Sol's paw and let him hoist the Blaziken up. "Good execution," he complimented.

"Yea, well... You ain't so bad yerself with that somersault kick." Sol admitted, still keeping a firm grip on Volcan's hand even as he stood back up. "Yer alright... Little too goody goody fer my tastes, but yer gettin better..."

Volcan chuckled. "Then I guess I must be growing on you," he said.

"Or maybe I'm thinking you as more of a friend than I was willing to admit before." He countered. "That, and I still got a promise to uphold..."

"I can live with that," he said, reaching up and patting Sol's shoulder, "Being your friend, that is."

Sol's smirk turned more into a softer, more genuine smile as he lifted his own paw up and clapped it over Volcan's other shoulder. "...Friends." He repeated with a nod, that heat within him building up immensely as he accepted Volcan as his first real friend and not just another obstacle for him to overcome later.

"So, ready for round two?" He asked as he hopped back from Sol and shifted his posture to a fighting stance again.

"You think I'll ever turn down a chance to kick your ass?" Sol responded as he hopped back and hunched forward again, rolling his shoulders a few times as he got ready.

"Let's see if you can make lightning strike twice," said Volcan, "I won't fall for the same trick a second time."

"Trust me, pal... The next time I land a solid hit on you, yer gonna be seeing Staryus." Sol remarked confidently before he rushed in to attack Volcan once again with another Mega Punch.

But it was Sol seeing Staryus, when Volcan lunged at him with his signature attack. A Low Sweep first, before following it up into another attack. Not a problem, thought Sol. He'd seen Volcan practice this maneuver. All he had to do was hop over his leg, which he did, and in the second Volcan needed to do his Jump Kick, Sol could easily...

Volcan did not jump... he flipped. He used his momentum from the failed Low Sweep, throwing his legs up to carry himself airborne, upside down and whirling into a somersault. His leg connected with Sol's head; not a hard but certainly unexpected blow, before the Blaziken fell, caught himself on his hands, and swung around to catch Sol with a Headhunter kick. The technique, Sol realized, was more akin to something Calhoun might have used, blended seamlessly with his own maneuver. But it was unpracticed, as the kick itself fell short and missed Sol's nose by inches.

Still, he felt the wind of Volcan's kick as he recovered from the flip kick, and that was all he needed in order to react accordingly. Sol grabbed at Volcan's leg with his paw before he could pull away, then with a furious roar he yanked the Blaziken up and socked him hard in the chest, then threw him up in the air and tried his own fancy manoeuvre by falling onto his back and thrusting his legs upward toward Volcan as he fell. Alas, like with Volcan's attempt, his rising Double Kick fell short, only glancing Volcan's hip and making Sol overextend himself and fall on his back again.

Volcan landed flat on his back just inches from Sol, grunting. "Okay, that didn't work," he said, sitting up and rubbing his back. "Shoulda seen that coming."

"Guess we both got something to work on." Sol grumbled, rubbing his jaw and rolling onto his side so he could push himself back up again. "Fuck... Got me good there. Any harder and I'd be speechless for a while."

"Got you? I missed," said Volcan, "I'm trying to make a new follow up to my Low Sweep. I realized that a jump kick is only going to work if my opponent takes the sweep or doesn't know it's coming. So, I'm trying to carry it over into an axe kick. Instead, I ended up doing my best Golbat impression. Tried to improvise, and it didn't work. That last head-hunter kick was an attempt to compensate but I really haven't practiced that one much."

"Well..." Sol looked up to the sky, seeing that the sun was only just about to set, but still leaving them with enough daylight to continue. "We still got time." He added with a grin.

"Call that round a draw then?" Volcan asked.

"Fine, whatever." Sol remarked with a shrug. "Let's just keep going before yer boo starts getting antsy."

The next day, Volcan and Sol met up in the morning just as the Blaziken was leaving for training. He met the Typhlosion just outside his door as he stepped out, his paw raised to knock. Behind Volcan stood Luke, their adopted Rockruff cradled in his arms, all three sets of eyes falling on the Typhlosion. At first Volcan thought Sol wanted to join him for practice again, but when he asked, Sol took him aside and explained his real reason for coming. His answer surprised Volcan.

With that, they were on their way to Luna's house. They were in sight of it when Volcan turned to the Typhlosion. "So, thought of what you're going to say to him?"

"More or less." He responded, rubbing the back of his neck slightly, "Had Rayne help me out a little here and there too... So, yea. I think I'm ready to speak to him again..."

"Then let's do it," he said. "But I'm only here as support. It's you he'll want the apology from."

"Yea, I know, I know. Fucking made that clear last night," Sol grumbled.

They approached the house. Sol stood before the door, mustering his courage to knock, unaware of what was brewing behind them. It was Volcan first to notice that their presence seemed to have drawn a crowd of Azure's citizens. Dozens of people, coming toward them. They all seemed to be up in arms as they drew closer to their location, with more gathering up behind the main crowd and chanting incoherently at first, but quickly started coming together in unison as they shouted the same phrase over and over again.

"Out with the Devil! Out with the Devil!!"

Sol's ears twitched as the phrase reached him, making him tense up and look over his shoulders to see the approaching mob gathering outside Luna's house. "Oh, _fuck_me sideways..." He grumbled as he turned to fully face the mob and stood behind Volcan with his paws clenched. "Now of all times...? Really?"

"Just keep it together," said Volcan in a low voice, "They're only here to provoke a reaction from you. Don't give it to them."

"You know they won't leave unless I give 'em what they want," Sol replied, "After the shit I've done, it ain't no surprise they'd eventually revolt... Just why the hell did it have to be now?"

"I won't let it come to that," he promised, looking back at Sol briefly. He saw a look in Volcan's eye that promised he meant it, and whether or not he could keep that promise he would try his best.

Volcan faced the mob, stepping forward until he was halfway between them and Sol. "Please," he called out, "Remain calm. What is the problem here?"

"Move aside! Our business isn't with you!" One of the townsfolk, a Bayleef, spoke up and stepped forward, "It's the Typhlosion we have a problem with! He's caused so much destruction before he was given the boot by his father!"

"I am aware of Sol's background, and I understand his presence worries many of you," Volcan stated, "But Sol is rehabilitated and currently on probation, officially sanctioned by the guilds, serving in Team Phalanx and that makes me his Captain." He tapped his fist against his chest. "Anything concerning Sol concerns me as well."

"You?" Another piped up. "Then you know how dangerous he is! That bastard destroyed my shop during one of his rampages!"

"Mine too!!" Another shouted.

"My girlfriend was injured while we were out on a date and he went berserk!!" Another exclaimed angrily, stepping forward threateningly, "That Devil doesn't belong here anymore! If you're gonna defend him, then you're no better than he is!!"

"I'm going to defend him because he is my teammate, and he is here to serve the guilds and atone for his crimes," Volcan explained, "What he has done in the past, I cannot fix - no one can, but his actions today and henceforth are my responsibility and to serve his community, to make up for the wrongs he once committed, as per his probation."

"There's no redeeming that monster!" Another protestor piped up, followed with a unified roar from the rest of the crowd, "He should have stayed out in the wild where he belongs! His family should be disgraced that they had a kid like him!!"

That comment made Sol's blood boil and his rage started to bubble to the surface. His neck vents ignited as his temper grew, which made the protestors step back in fright. He was about to speak his mind to the protestors... When a bolt of lightning suddenly struck the earth between Volcan and the mob, silencing them as they jumped back in fright.

From the place where the bolt struck stood Luna once the flash was gone from everyone's eyes, wearing a fierce glare on his face as he addressed the crowds, "Don't you dare speak about my brother like that!!" He shouted at the top of his lungs to the protestors, electricity crackling around his claws, "If anyone's to blame for his actions, it's me! Take out your gripes on me - I will take it all but leave my brother alone!"

"The fuck are you doing, Luna?!" Sol hollered at the Zangoose.

Luna looked back at Sol, and in his eyes burned a fierce determination that Sol had never seen his brother have before. At first, it was alien to Sol, making him question if it was really Luna he was looking at until the Zangoose spoke. "Doing what I should have done all those years ago," he answered firmly.

Volcan turned to Luna, seeing the determination on his face, then turned to the crowd again, waiting to see how they responded. They stood there with stunned expressions on their faces, trying to process that Luna was standing up for the Typhlosion that had destroyed their homes countless times due to his own uncontrollable rage.

"Like Volcan said!" Luna piped up again. "Sol's past actions can't be fixed, and he's caused lots of destruction because of his rage, but deep down he's not_a bad Pokémon! If anything, he's the sweetest guy I know! I'm _not ashamed to call Sol my brother despite his atrocities, because I know what kind of Typhlosion he is! He'd give his life to protect me, his friends, his family!"

He then took a step forward, stomping his foot firmly on the ground and causing a small discharge to spread out around where he stomped. "So back off already! He's a changed man and he's trying to do what he feels is right! At _least_give him the benefit of the doubt!"

The townsfolk all started looking at one another in confusion, unsure of what to make of this situation. Volcan looked back at Sol and gave a wry smirk on the corner of his mouth, then turned to the people again, waiting to see what they would do.

After a long, uncomfortable silence, they all slowly started to disperse, leaving Luna's residence and going back to their daily lives. Some looked as though they had more they wanted to say, but thought better of it and followed the examples of their neighbours....

Sol stepped forward, his neck flames extinguishing as his temper faded away. "Bro, that... You didn't-"

"Save it, Sol." Luna cut him, keeping his back turned to the Typhlosion. To have Luna act so aggressively once again left Sol speechless. "I did what any older brother would do, and I don't regret it one bit... Even after what you said yesterday, I'd still stick up for you over and over again."

The Typhlosion's ears wilted. "...Yea, about that," he began, looking to the side as he began to formulate the apology he wanted to give. "Look bro, I'm... I'm sorry fer what I said to you, and how I reacted when you told me you didn't wanna get involved."

He took in a breath before continuing "It's just, during that mission I told you about, when I was about to get buried, you were literally the last thing to go through my head... I got..."

He swallowed hard, trying to suppress his pride before he continued. "I got fucking scared, okay? I got scared that if I wasn't around and you got attacked, you wouldn't make it outta the fight alive... I know you'd just try to talk your way out of the fight, but you haven't seen what that Calhoun guy is capable of. Hell, he even tried to recruit_me_ into his ranks when he broke me out of prison, and when I refused, he tried to turn me into one of his puppets. The only reason he didn't was because..." Sol trailed off, unsure if he should reveal to Luna his secret.

Luna's response caught both Sol and Volcan off guard, casually looking over his shoulder toward his brother. "Because you're Blessed, right?"

Volcan shared a surprised look with Sol, and then looked at Luna again. "How did you know?" The Blaziken asked, voicing the question both of them had.

Luna turned to fully face them. "I know because I am too." He answered, "I'm the chosen Blessed of Rayne's counterpart, Zekrom... or Zephyr as she likes to be called."

"S... Since when??" Sol blurted the question.

"It happened while you were away, bro. I went through the ritual not long after Dad kicked you out," he answered, lowering his gaze to the ground, "I was already bonding with her, and we grew really close to each other - enough that she felt I was ready to partake in the final step... At least, until you went on the rampage that got you kicked out... I almost didn't go through with it after that."

Volcan looked at Sol, studiously. The Typhlosion was utterly speechless yet again as he processed the figurative bomb being dropped on top of him. His mouth hung open, but no words came out.

Luna turned to Sol then, and took this opportunity to step forward, standing before Sol and lifting a claw to touch his chest. "Sol... I get it. You acted out of impulse yesterday because you were scared, and I know that's not something you like admitting. You've always come off as this strong, powerful badass that's always the first to meet a challenge head on, and it's one of the many things I've always admired about you... You say that I'm better than you in every way, but I'm not... because I can't be as confident as you are." He added before he stepped in and hugged his brother tightly in his arms.

Sol stared down at Luna incredulously, his paws raised as if he were ready to push Luna away. He caught the glare from Volcan, who seemed to know what he was thinking. The Blaziken gestured to Luna, but never took his eyes off Sol, as if to say "come on, dude. it's your brother" without actually saying it aloud.

Sol groaned and lowered his arms, letting himself fall to his knees before he started wrapping them around Luna's back, trying his best to comfort the Zangoose as they shared in the embrace together. Luna slowly lifted himself up onto his toes and lightly kissed Sol's forehead before pulling back and smiling softly at him.

"I love you, Sol. I always will, even if you become your old ragey self again." He whispered softly. "Though... I did talk to Zephyr about what you said after you left, and... I think you're right. From what you've said, this Calhoun guy sounds like real trouble," he admitted, making Sol jerk his head back in surprise.

"I still won't actively join your fight, Sol. My decision hasn't changed; knowing someone like that is out there, I can't leave Nami and Tyde. I wouldn't be able to stop worrying about them... However, if he does decide to try and attack Azure, I promise that I'll do everything I can to protect the town from him," he said reassuringly. "I'm the town's hero after all." He added with a cute giggle.

"Peh... I guess I'll take it," Sol relented, rolling his eyes as Luna giggled. He hated how cute he acted while in his presence, and yet... It was reassuring to hear that Luna still thought the world of him even after his outburst the previous day.

Volcan stepped over to the two and laid his hand on Luna's shoulder. "I owe you thanks for stepping in there. The people know you way better than they know me, and I really didn't want to have to fight them. So, thank you for your help, and for agreeing to stand with us if we have to protect Azure." He stepped back and offered Luna his hand to shake.

"I think I'm the one who owes you thanks, Volcan." Luna answered. "For taking care of my brother and helping him find a better path in his life... and for bringing him home again." He added, stepping up to Volcan and brushing aside his hand, instead leaping up and hugging the Blaziken tightly like the sweet cat Pokémon he was.

Volcan let out a grunt as Luna hugged him, momentarily caught off guard, but he laughed and returned the embrace, "I'll keep looking after him. He's my friend now, after all, and my teammate," he promised.

Luna smiled more after hearing that, eventually releasing Volcan and dropping back to his feet again. "I should probably get back inside," he said softly, looking between the two of them. "But, maybe later if you're not busy... Would you mind if I come watch you guys train? I think it'd be kinda fun watching you guys in action, especially now that Sol's with you."

"Thought you said you didn't like fighting." Sol remarked.

"I don't, but training and friendly sparring I don't mind. How do you think I got as far as I have today?" He asked. "C'mon Sol, you of all Pokémon should know that about me. We used to spar together all the time."

"Heh, alright then, but if yer gonna come watch, I got a challenge for you," Sol answered, "I want the guys to see you in action in return. You keep sayin' yer the hero of this town, but all I hear are words, bro. You wanna keep holding onto that title, then you gotta prove yer worthy of it."

"Only if we're fighting together," Luna countered.

"Done," Sol answered, then the two of them clapped their paws together in agreement. "See you later this evening then, 'hero.'" He remarked with a smirk.

Volcan smiled as he spoke. "I bet the others will be glad for a new sparring partner," he agreed, "Hope you're ready though, Luna. Team Phalanx is no pushover." He said this with confidence.

"I'm looking forward to meeting them~" Luna answered happily.

"Meet us this afternoon then. I'll go swap parenting duties with Luke so I'm free then," he offered. "Meet us up by the new houses, north-west side of town. Luke and I live in the last one on the right."

"Alright! See you then, guys!" Luna called back, waving them off as he disappeared back into the house.

"Let's take the long way back," said Volcan, "Make sure the embers in town go out on their own."

"Yea, good call." Sol agreed, walking with Volcan around the town's borders and sighing heavily. "Well... That went well." He remarked with mild sarcasm in his tone.

"I think so too," he said, and smirked when he saw Sol's puzzled look, thinking Volcan had missed the sarcasm in his voice. "He forgave you, didn't he? And, you know he's ready to step up when we'll need him. Luna may not be a field man, but he's a guardian type. He may not want to fight but he knows it can happen, and he'll do it when it's time."

"Yea, I guess so," Sol returned with a shrug, "I guess it's refreshing to hear he still has my back even after everything I've done to him... Just wish I could return the favour."

"Someday you will," promised Volcan, "Just don't feel like you owe him. He's your brother, and clearly his love for you is unconditional."

"Kinda like you and the Fuzzball?" Sol asked.

"More like Lighris and I," replied Volcan, "I never had to earn Lighris' love, nor did he have to earn mine, no matter how much we drove each other crazy growing up. We're blood, and we look out for each other when the going gets tough." he looked at Sol, "Familial ties can't truly be broken, but like any relationship it's up to the ones with those ties to keep them from fraying."

Sol thought back to when he made up with his father and all the things he said. He remembered how remorseful he sounded, and how he was always thinking about his safety while he wandered the world all on his own, while Sol only held a misguided resentment toward his father.

He sighed heavily, his expression softening before he spoke up to Volcan in a downtrodden tone. "...I miss him, man."

"Who, Luna?" Volcan asked, and then perked up, "Or... Do you mean Nido?"

"Yea, I mean my Dad," he returned softly, "Startin' to wonder if I shoulda ever come back in the first place, ya know?"

"Sol, it isn't your fault he left," said Volcan, nodding, "He's just needed to get out for a while, but he'll be back someday. His family is here, after all. He just got his son back, too. I doubt he's willing to give you up so soon."

"Maybe... I guess we'll have to wait and see," Sol remarked absently, looking up to the sky and getting lost in his own thoughts.

"So... what can we expect from your bro tonight?" Volcan asked.

At that, Sol grinned an almost malicious grin, casting a sidelong glance to Volcan. "Now why would I spoil that surprise?" He asked with a foreboding chuckle.

Luna indeed managed to surprise everyone.

As he had requested, Luna was paired up with Sol, and their first opponents were Tristan and Volcan. Tristan charged in first, flanked by Volcan. Halfway toward the brothers, Volcan used the Aggron as a springboard to launch himself into a High Jump Kick, aiming for Luna while Tristan diverted course and charged Sol, using Volcan as a distraction.

In response to this, Sol outstretched his arm for Luna to perch on, then with a powerful roar he launched Luna toward Volcan at breakneck speeds, to which the Zangoose cloaked himself in a surge of lightning and met with the Blaziken's kick with a Crush Claw. Right as they made contact though, Luna suddenly vanished in a flash of lightning, reappearing behind Volcan and expertly as though he had teleported.

"What the-GAH!" Volcan shouted before he felt the kick, hitting the ground hard.

Back on the ground, Sol had followed through with his throw just as Tristan closed in, holding a Focus Blast in his paw and shoving it into the Aggron right as he drew closer. Tristan skidded, throwing up a Protect as Sol hurled the Focus Blast at him, and then lunged, throwing his weight behind him as he charged at Sol with a Head Smash. With the blast failing, Sol instinctively fell back, hitting the ground and letting Tristan pass over him. He then used Double Kick to send the Aggron up a little into the air where Luna was waiting.

The Zangoose landed on his back and discharged a powerful electric current along Tristan's body, strong enough that even he felt the current rock his nigh impenetrable body. With him stunned, both Luna and Sol stood beside each other and readied a Brick Break and Mega Punch respectively, slamming their attacks into their opponent while he was still recovering from receiving the literal shock of his life.

But before they could follow up, both of them felt a kick to their backs that sent them staggering - with Sol actually tripping over Tristan's prone form. The Aggron rose, seizing Sol by his legs before he heaved; Sol clawed at the grass in vain as he felt himself being pulled, and then flew - arms flailing, at Luna who couldn't get out of the way in time, sending both of them tumbling.

When they pulled apart enough to stand, Volcan and Tristan were on approach again, this time the Blaziken staying behind the Aggron until he was ready. Sol shot a Flamethrower at Tristan, who defended himself using Protect while he kept running at him. But stopped, turning on his heels as Volcan jumped up, and Tristan and Volcan grasped hands before the Aggron spun and hurled Volcan at Luna, forcing the Zangoose to duck to avoid the flying Blaziken.

The distraction of Volcan being used as a projectile bought Tristan the time he needed to close the distance, barrelling into Sol with a Head Smash and sending him flying. The Aggron rolled back to his feet and ran at Sol as the Typhlosion picked himself up, rising on all fours as his neck vents flared to life again, and he shot a Fire Blast at Tristan; the Aggron was too slow to move out of the way, and the hot, five-pointed flame projectile washed over himself, causing his plates to turn red hot with the heat.

"Yeow! Toasty!" He yelped, rolling on the grass to try to cool off his plates.

Volcan and Luna were still going at it, their blows mirroring one another as they carried on However fast Luna was, Volcan was not lacking in speed himself, and following a few Flame Charges that gap in speed narrowed further. Amid their fight, Volcan managed to catch Luna's claw as he swiped at him, and Luna caught the punch he threw in retaliation. The two grappled with one another, testing the other's strength; Volcan was taller, but Luna was surprisingly strong for his size, once again showing the power of the genes he had inherited from his father.

"For a pacifist... You sure know how to scrap, Luna!" Volcan stated as he tested his strength against that of the Zangoose.

"Thanks. I get that from my dad," Luna remarked, gritting his teeth as he tried to overpower Volcan, "For a fire type, you're taking my lightning attacks well. I thought you'd be paralyzed by now with all the zaps you've taken up till now."

"I've developed a mild tolerance to taking a charge every now and then," replied Volcan, "I had to, considering my brother's a Zapdos."

Luna's eyes widened at that claim. "Your brother's a Zapdos??" He repeated, a broad smile crossing his features, "So you have a badass sibling too! That's really cool!"

"I'll introduce you sometime. In the meantime!" He then released Luna's paw and pulled his fist free before whirling into a Low Sweep for his signature combo.

Luna's reaction time was unbelievably fast, however. The second they released each other he was already handspringing away from Volcan to gain some distance, dodging the Low Sweep. He then held his claw behind him and created a surge of electricity within it, molding its shape into what appeared to be a four-pointed Shuriken composed entirely of lightning.

"What the-?" Volcan started to ask - for the second time that hour.

The Zangoose leapt into the air and spun once before he threw the projectile, leaving sparks in its wake that zapped anything that was within its range. Reacting quickly, Volcan jumped over the shuriken's trajectory, flipping through the air before falling into a drop kick, aimed at the still airborne Zangoose.

'He can't fly. He has no way to maneuver. Long as I don't miss, this will do it!' thought Volcan.

Despite his situation, Luna smirked confidently even as Volcan's foot was inches from his face. The Blaziken might have thought he had Luna dead to rights, but he forgot to take one thing into account... A very angry little brother. Said little brother appeared behind Luna, a glowing green orb of solar energy held between his paws that he outstretched and discharged into the Blaziken at point blank range, catching him in a Solarbeam.

"Fuuuu-!" Volcan cried out before he was hit by the Solarbeam, blasting him back from Luna and sending him hurtling toward the ground.

Both Sol and Luna landed next to each other after Sol's Solarbeam hit, with the Typhlosion calming down until his neck flames vanished back into their vents.

"Yea! Nice one Sol!" Luna exclaimed as he held up his claw for a high five. Sol smirked and slapped his paw against Luna's claw, then bumped elbows, then hips, and finally ending with a fist bump at the end of their little handshake.

"Hehe, we still got it." Sol remarked, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Off to the side, the spectators to the battle were watching in complete awe at what they had just witnessed. "Wow, those two kicked their asses," Lashanne remarked to Minato after, "I didn't think Luna would be able to outpace Volcan of all people - I thought only Luke could do that."

"I'm a bit surprised myself. I knew Zangoose were relatively fast Pokémon on their own, but it seems Luna's mastered his control over lightning so well that it augments his speed and overall fighting abilities..." Minato replied. "Couple that with Sol's tenacity and brute strength, and you have yourself one hell of a tag team."

"And here I thought we prided ourselves on that," Serena remarked half-heartedly.

"Hey, Serena!" Tristan called. "Can you hose me down? My plates are still hot!"

"If I do, Tristan, they might crack!" Serena called back, "You have to let them cool on their own!"

Volcan sat up, groggy and rubbing his chest. He looked up to Sol and Luna as they approached. "Well, that tears it. You clobbered us," he said, chuckling.

Luna smiled happily and offered his claw to Volcan. "Don't sell yourself short. You did well back there," he replied, "I haven't had a good sweat like that in a long time, and it really tested how well Sol and I used to work together."

"Used to? I'd say you haven't lost that much," said Volcan as he grasped Luna's paw and stood up, "You guys are even more in sync than my team is, and that's our whole deal. We could learn a lot from you."

"Well, I mean I can always offer some tips on how you guys can improve," Luna offered. "Though... Sol and I are brothers. We've spent years training together so that we could work in complete tandem with each other. He knows what I think, and I know what he thinks." He went on to explain, "I guess the real trick is just having complete trust in your partner, or partners in your case. Still, don't sell yourselves short! You and Tristan did really well!"

Tristan let out a laugh, coming over to stand by Volcan. "Ya should have seen us in Hadleigh against that army," he remarked, lightly jabbing Volcan's shoulder. "Even running with only half his memories he still knew all our maneuvers, and we made mincemeat outta them."

Sol looked curiously at Tristan, arching an eyebrow at the Aggron. "...Wow, did I really hit you that hard on your jaw or something? How the fuck do you have only half memories? That doesn't even make sense, even for you."

"He means me," said Volcan, "It started before you and I met, Sol. See, when I first landed in Azure, after I got this," he turned his back to show his scar - receiving a gasp from Luna when he saw the grotesque remnant of what had to have once been a terrible wound, before the Blaziken faced them again.

"I was pretty weakened. I think I passed out while near the controls or something - I can't recall, but I ran my boat aground and took a nasty blow to the head when I went through the window. I had amnesia for a while - including at the tournament where you and I first met," the Blaziken nodded to Sol as he rubbed his head, "Still don't think I've remembered everything..." Then he smiled and shrugged. "But it doesn't really matter anymore."

"That's right," Luna piped up with a firm nod of his own. "You may have lost your old memories, but from what I can tell, you're making new ones here in Azure. You're moving forward with your life, not staying in one spot and _that's_what really matters."

"And there's nowhere else I'd rather be," agreed Volcan, nodding, "I've made friends and even started building a family of my own here."

That caught Luna's attention. "You're a family man too?" He asked before chuckling a bit. "Jeez, it's almost like I'm looking at a distant cousin of myself. You're a fighter, a lover, and a father from what I'm hearing. What's next, a street performer?" He added with a laugh.

"Funny you should say that," said Volcan with a chuckle. "I play guitar, and I did do street play when Luke and I were stuck out west. Had to earn a little money to get ourselves home." He hummed.

Luna's expression went blank for a few moments, blinking a few times before he was able to give his response. "...Are you sure we're not related in some way?"

"Please, just one of you is bad enough..." Sol remarked off-handedly, which made Luna's ears wilt as he looked back at his brother.

"T-That was mean," he whimpered.

"Oh, suck it up, buttercup."

"Well. that's about the limit of what I can do. That and I play chess," Volcan added with a shrug. "Unfortunately, my guitar got crushed when Grom knocked Luke's house down, so I haven't been able to practice lately."

"Grom?" Luna asked.

Tristan answered for them. "Big Emboar; used to be from Arc like us," he explained, "blamed Volcan for the loss of our home, so he kidnapped him, and brought Luke's house down in the process."

Luna scowled at that. "What a mean thing to do! Where is this guy?"

"Serving a sentence in Hadleigh now," replied Volcan, "He was put on trial with a Guild Tribunal; they disbanded his team and now he's doing hard labour in the quarry there."

Luna crossed his arms. "Good riddance! That house was built for Luke by my dad! Grom ought to consider himself lucky that dad isn't the one who punished him."

Sol scoffed. "Pig couldn't even take it from the Fuzzball; dad would've destroyed him."

"Having seen Nido myself, I think I'd agree," Volcan commented with a chuckle. He clapped his hands together before asking, "So, what next?"

"Sadly, that's about all the time I have for today." Luna answered. "I promised Nami that I'd take Tyde down to the beach after I was finished here, and it's already been longer than I realized." He added before smiling up at Volcan. "That was fun though! If you ever want some more exercise like that, drop by anytime! I'll make time for you and your friends."

"You bet," said Volcan, offering a fist bump to the Zangoose. "Looking forward to it."

Luna quickly bumped fists with Volcan, then turned to do the same with Sol. The Typhlosion rolled his eyes a little, but he complied nonetheless and bumped fists with his older brother before he darted off in the direction of his house, leaving a small static trail behind him as he moved.

"Good bro you got there," said Tristan to Sol patting his shoulder as he passed, heading over to join Lashanne, Minato and Serena.

"Hmph... He's just a softy," the Typhlosion remarked abrasively and turned his gaze away from the others. Despite that abrasive attitude, Sol couldn't help but smile somewhat. He never admitted it out loud, but deep down he was glad that Luna was still in his life. It was as if a missing part of him had finally returned, and he felt whole once again... Even if he did hate how timid he always acted.

"Well, we still have some practice time left. What do you say we work on a few maneuvers?" Volcan offered.

"What'd you have in mind?" Minato asked as he got to his feet and dusted his coat off a bit. "Something new? Or a rerun of some of our older formations?"

"We need to work Sol into one as well," said Volcan, "He might be our Ballista but he's also good for backup muscle. Let's try seeing if we can substitute Tristan with Sol for charging maneuvers. Not so much for defense - Tristan is still our armour."

"Sounds fair. If he's really going to stick around, we'll need some combo or two for him to be a part of," Minato remarked. "Well, no time like the present."

"Alrighty, let's get started," said Volcan, clapping his hands together in anticipation as he looked at Sol. "You game?"

Sol huffed but offered a small smile as he answered. "Bring it on."