Welcome to Gaia! ::

Saber's eyes narrowed. It was Vahy'n who truly knew nothing. She went only by assumptions by what she had seen, and how she had been hurt.

""

Living meant he had to adjust, and Saber knew that. None of them liked what Team Rocket did, but it was a way of life.

""

"" Saber barked back, becoming incensed.

"What's going on over there?!" Asch snapped from his place on the bed. "Saber, leave her alone."

The Zoroark just growled in frustration at this and flopped down on the cushion, his back now to the Vaporeon.

Tyke ducked his head and looked between the two of them imploringly. ""

"" Tyke said softly to Vahy'n, watching her pass him by and go towards their master. He liked both his big brother and Miss Vahy'n. He didn't want to see them fighting.

Feeling a cold wet nose against his hand, Asch's gaze went from the ceiling down to the floor where the Vaporeon was. He stared at her quietly for a few moments until he lifted that hand in attempt to stroke her head, being mindful of the fins.

"I'm sorry..." he told her quietly.

But Asch didn't offer any explanation. He looked tired, both physically and mentally. It had been a stressful evening.

After petting Vahy'n a couple moments longer, he then pulled his hand back and instead used it to pull a blanket around himself. He coughed once, a scratchy feeling developing in his throat.

Turning over, the boy then tried to sleep, and did so within a few minutes.

Saber didn't say anything, and just remained where he was. He was still awake, but was now in a bad mood.

Tyke tilted his head at Vahy'n, not having picked up on the same things she had. He could tell his master was sad... but... sick?

""

Vahy'n was correct in her prediction. The next day, Asch awoke feeling terrible. Yet that didn't keep him from getting up and going to work. He'd managed that for a day, but the next his symptoms had worsened and he was sent to the infirmary. There a doctor had looked him over and sent him back to his quarters with medication and a order for bed rest.

This frustrated him to no end, but there was no denying that he felt awful. A fever then came in the following days, making the agent even more miserable as he shivered beneath several layers of blankets. It wasn't often that the red head got sick, but when he did, it hit him hard.

When he had heard about the mission to the Galactic base through email, he arose and went to Kunai, asking to be sent with his partner. He had been denied and sent back to his room, where his illness escalated to the point where he no longer had the strength to get out of bed.

It wasn't until a couple days later, right after the others had returned from the mission, that his fever had finally broke and he was able to get up again. That was when Kunai had summoned him and gave him the news of Aila's death. After paying Nakura an unpleasant visit, Asch dragged himself back to his room with more medicine and a few things of Aila's that Seth had given him. Now that his anger had calmed, the illness reminded him that it was still there.

Almost dragging his feet, Asch entered his room with a pale face and blood shot eyes. But there was a noticeable cloud of grief hovering over him. Setting down a rapier and a pokeball, he looked at the necklace that he clutched in one hand. Fingers tightened around the gold chain, teeth gritting before he turned and slammed his other fist into the wall. "DAMMIT!"

This outburst startled both Saber and Tyke, who had been napping in the corner.

Asch ignored Vahy'n at first, too caught up in his own emotions. But the gentle urgings of the Vaporeon finally got his attention and he shuffled back towards his bed where he sat on the edge, still clutching the necklace. One hand moved to cover his face as Asch closed his eyes, trying to deal with the sudden burden of grief and guilt. He could more freely express this now that he was in his room, alone with his Pokemon.

He should have been there to keep this from happening. In a way Asch felt like he had let his partner down. If he hadn't have gotten sick, he could have been there, and things could have been different. They were partners after all and were supposed to look out for each other. He hadn't been there and then this happened, and there was no coming back from it.

Tyke jumped up from his bed and scurried over to his master to sit at his feet and look up at him with sad eyes. He'd never seen his master quite like this before, and it worried him. Saber too got up and came near, the Zoroark growled softly, questioningly.

With his worried Pokemon surrounding him, Asch had to answer them. "Aila... my partner is dead."

Tyke and Saber's expressions become that of shock. They both had known Aila and her Pokemon, since they had all gone on missions together.