Team Snagem HQ (Mt. Silver)

[Requiem of Whyspers]

Wren smiled at Keiko as she began to relax before waving to Sub. "Try not to dwell too much on the sadness of the past. It distracts from the happiness in the here and now." He told the man with a somber smile, thinking back on a few memories of his own he wasn't too pleased with. But after that, he seemed to cheer back up fairly quickly.

"It's good that you're not scared of going crazy anymore." He told Keiko, though it wasn't like he didn't know how she felt. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around whatever this 'Channeling' thing is, myself." He admitted, his tone of concern returning slowly.  

[Cecile Silverstone]

||Ulla Hanabi||

Riolu felt Keiko pat his head as he looked up at her. "I knew that. I've grown up with her. And, it's okay. It's not like we knew Hybrids could talk to us Pokemon either. There really isn't a need to apologize." He said as he looked at Togetic who was starring at him. "...What?" "I know." "Pardon?" "I knew that. Shouldn't it be 'I KNOW that'?" Togetic said with much concern as Riolu realized what he was saying as he looked to the side.

"...Don't tell Master Ulla. But, this virus inside me. You guys know the gist of it. It locks a Pokemon's heart up. It took me awhile to understand what that meant. But seeing her injured after that self-destruct...I understood what that meant. A Pokemon's heart is locked up. It can't feel emotions....I couldn't feel happiness, when I saw her wake up. I couldn't feel terror, when I saw Master Ulla with such serious injuries....When I showed you Keiko...that image. My body felt the need to cry. But, my heart...couldn't feel that sadness." He said as he put his paw over his chest. He closed his eyes very frustrated. "I am able to see...or feel...your guy's emotions through aura. But, I can't feel those emotions for myself. My body, just acts how the emotions would feel like. So, when you said not to mind Master Ulla's quirks. It reminds me, of before this virus. When I was able to feel emotions for myself. Master Ulla reminds me, of those times so much. That's what keeps me hanging on. Keeps me from going completely insane. Her memories, her smile, her quirks...So I rely on her a lot." He admitted.

While they were having their chat Ulla watched as Sub walked off to who knows where. She then looked at Wren who was speaking about Chanelling. "Have you talked to Odd about your Chanelling? He seems to know a ton about it seeing how he has a good grasp on his Ghost Chanelling. Well. Somewhat. Somewhat of a good grasp." She said as she remembered about him eating an entire human soul. She then turned her attention to her Riolu who seemed troubled. She walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "You seem more talkative now than usual. Seeing how Keiko is able to understand you. Is everything ok?" She asked as Riolu looked at her and back at Keiko. "...Please. Do not tell Master Ulla. Not right now. Not while there is so much we don't even understand about this Shadow Virus." He pleaded as he turned his attention back to Ulla and messed with her hair to relieve some of the tense tension he had. He smiled, even though it wasn't real. Something in him, made him feel a little more. At ease.  

[Requiem of Whyspers]

Wren nodded to Keiko when she asked about going upstairs. "I'd be glad to. I kind of want to get to know people here a bit more. Everyone seems to be pretty nice, given the nature of this lot." He told her. "And no, I haven't asked him. I didn't even know I was one until the other day when that Sub guy explained what Channeling even is." He responded to Ulla. "I'm still trying to really understand what that means."

Looking down at his own Hemlock, he took pause for a moment. "Especially because he mentioned an Artifact tethering a human to their primary partner... I'm... a bit confused..." He admitted as they followed Keiko upstairs. "Both Hemlock and Aconite are very close to my heart and they both helped me make this." He stated as he held up his left wrist and showed her the silken bracelet he wore on it. "I don't know which of them would be my Channeling partner..."  

[Cecile Silverstone]

||Ulla Hanabi||

"H-Hey Riolu! Why must you always mess up my hair?!" She said as she made him stop ruffling her hair as she started to fix it herself. Riolu looked at Keiko, making sure she had enough time to compress her feelings and wipe her tear away. When Togetic was put down, he stared at Riolu with much concern. Riolu just simply nodded, to signify everything was going to be okay. As long as they stuck together, and that Ulla was safe. Rowelt helped the little girl fixed her hair as she finally got it to where it was before. "Channeling does seem a little odd to me. But, it seems like it would be a very big deal. Like your something important." She said to Wren as the little girl and her Pokemon followed the adults back up towards the lobby.

As they reached up to the lobby, Ulla saw the little Eevee jump up to Keiko as she awhed. "You got a little Eevee! It's so cute! Did you get it during that last mission-" She asked as she felt her body fell weak as she leaned against a nearby chair. Riolu quickly rushed to her side as she waved with a small smile. "I-I'm fine Riolu. My body just gave out on me for a second." Riolu sighed as he grabbed her hand and started pulling her to her room so she may rest. Rowlet yawned as he was pretty tired too as he went into her bag and clicked on his Pokeball. Everyone would see a faint glow as Rowlet went back into his Pokeball. "Riolu there really isn't a need to pull me. I'm fine. Just my legs got a little tired from all the walking and running we've been doing. Just let me sit down with everyone and I'll be fine." Riolu looked at her and sighed as he looked at Togetic for some assistance. Togetic just raised it's arms as if he couldn't really do much, seeing how Ulla had an agenda all on her own.  

[Requiem of Whyspers]

Wren was suddenly reminded of something, himself, when he saw Keiko's Eevee and heard mention of her catching it in the last mission. "Oh! That's right!" He exclaimed, suddenly recalling he'd caught a Pokemon of his own and had yet to properly greet it and see how it felt about the sudden change in ownership.

Pulling the Nest Ball from his pocket, he pressed the button on it and released the Pokemon inside. The Flabébé appeared from inside and, at last, he realized she had a blue flower. He'd been so distracted before that he hadn't noticed her flower's color. The battle had been rather obscured thanks to Hemlock's Sandstorm, after all.

"I'm sorry for what happened back there. Your trainer should have recalled you and run when I started winning." He told the tiny Fairy type.

"Bébé?" She asked, looking around. Upon seeing her surroundings and the distinct lack of Flare members, she danced around in the air, happier than she could remember being in a long time.

"Was she that bad to you?" Wren asked as the Pokemon floated over and settled on his shoulder. "I'll take that as a yes. How about I give you a name, then? To solidify our new friendship?"

"Bébé!!!" Flabébé exclaimed, dancing around on Wren's shoulder.

"Alright, alright! How about Hyacinth?" The man suggested. The newly dubbed Hyacinth nodded happily and floated up to tuck her flower into Wren's dreadlocks, behind his ear. "I'll take that as a 'yes'?" He laughed. Hyacinth cheered again.

Once he was done with the greetings, he nodded to the invitation to get food. "That actually sounds great. I hadn't noticed how hungry I was..." He admitted with a small growl emanating from his stomach.

Upon seeing Ulla stumble and catch herself with a chair in the main lobby, though, he crouched down and offered to let her climb up onto his back. "Let me carry you to the kitchen." He offered, looking at her Riolu. "When you evolve and you're big enough to hold her up without any trouble at all, you can do this when she needs it instead." He assured the small Fighting-type, certain from it's actions that it wanted to. It was just such a small Pokemon, he had a hard time believe it could carry her without struggling just yet.  

[Cecile Silverstone]

||Ulla Hanabi||

Riolu looked at Wren and back at Ulla as he started pushing him towards Wren. She sighed as she climbed onto his back. "Thank you Wren. And Keiko, I would love to help you to make food. I can make you guys malasadas. I'm pretty sure my Pokemon are pretty hungry too. They probably haven't eaten ever since we got back. Am I right?" She said as she looked back at Riolu and Togetic. Both of them were guilty, none of her Pokemon could have eaten because they all just wanted her to wake up. They looked away from her gaze as she merely giggled. "It's okay, I know you were all concerned for my well being. I probably couldn't leave your guy's side either if that were the case."