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"You're far from the only one thinking that. I'd hope the same in your case, though after a fight like that, fighting a cold should be a much easier endeavor." After Sol had said that, though, he noticed Veronica leave. Seemed quite a few had their concerns, he thought. If anything could quell them for a second, it'd be that bit of reassurance.

It wouldn't be long before someone else came over. Seeing Amaranth poke her head in the room, Sol motioned for her to come on in. His Xatu was close behind, being a bit of moral support for the other hybrid.

"Your Xatu... said you were in here." She spoke up, still looking shaken up. "Is it over?"

"Depends on your definition." Sol commented. Much as he wanted to dip into his usual way of answering, it was almost always lost on Amaranth. So he didn't bother. "The situation's seemingly dealt with for the time, but there's the matter of recovery for a lot of us. Sub and Ceramew moreso. Are you doing any better?"

"I guess... why did you have me leave?"

"I could tell, you weren't ready for something of that magnitude. Loathe as I am to admit it, there can be times where you might have to fight someone you're close to, for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, even to the death. It's not an easy choice at all, and for most, an impossible one. Close as you two are, not to mention you're still like a child in several ways, it's by no means a choice anyone can expect you to make yet. It wasn't safe there either, so I had Xatu make an escape while there was a chance."

Amaranth was silent at that explanation. It wasn't something she understood. She couldn't see why one would fight another if they were like family. To her, it'd be better to reconcile somehow, but she had yet to grasp that sometimes, reconciliation wasn't possible. Be it because of conflicting views or because what one saw wasn't truly the same person they got to know. After a moment, she finally spoke again. "Then... why did you remain to fight?"

"As I said, a hard choice. It's hard if you're merely close to the person, harder if you're related to them. A part of me in that fight would've wished it hadn't come to that. As a parent, there's rarely a pain more harsh than having something really bad happen to your child and it's something you can do little about. Let alone having to fight that child with the realization that you might have to responsible for its death." Sol explained. "Just the day before, I and others had to make that choice versus what could happen if we didn't. I'm sure some will want to go after me for such a choice, but after taking a punch to the face, I'm sure I can handle what anyone else can deliver. But, one thing still gets me."

"What's that?" By now, Amaranth was starting to come around.

"Just how those two managed to survive the ordeal. Sub's chi was nearly depleted, but he's recovering. I was worried that he'd not last either, but I have to remember the sheer tenacity of humans in general. I was one myself, after all. But that child... surely you've noticed how unusual her chi is after you learned how to sense it?"

Seeing Amaranth give a confused look, Sol figured to just continue. "It was a lot like a swirl. A mixture of several kinds at once, seemingly coming together and breaking apart on a whim. She's been unstable like that for most of her life, Celestial chi being the only common ground, but it was never something I noticed until becoming what I am now. Or, I should say she was like that. With all that happened, I imagined the chi would end up dispersing, that she'd simply cease to be. Instead, it's that common ground that managed to hold up. That pink Pokemon you see, Amaranth, is called a Mew."

"Mew...?"

"It'd be a long explanation. But she had part of that DNA to begin with, a large part of it I'd guess, judging by appearance. While I shouldn't be surprised that it'd be the one part to remain when the rest of the chi dispersed, it's not a common sight. Though, I have to wonder how she'll take her new form. Or what else she might have to deal with."

At that point, there wasn't much more said. Sol watched as Amaranth and Xatu both went to the nearby bed, both of them looking down at the Pokemon that lay.

"Tried that." I said. "But if you knew the circumstances to it, you would see why he has a pretty hard time grasping the concept at times. Let's just say its just as profound as what you experienced." I said.

Jude considered it. If the boy's history was half as tumultuous as yesterday, it was perfectly plausible might have been a little touched in the head. "Maybe," he said. "I think it's only right I should tell you he tried to tell me of his streaking escapades out in the wild. It was awkward at the time, and I've even got a few of those stories of my own."

Something about Tails' posture seemed off to Jude. The way he sat was like he wasn't used to the proportions of his limbs, his adept movements on all fours, even how incredibly lithe he seemed for a boy. Maybe, even, this explained more than Blizzard had aimed for. "Then, do you think that's why he went catatonic when I told him I don't much like meat and chocolate?"

Jude laughed that fay laugh, and for a moment quieted himself with another sip of tea. "It was actually kind of...I don't know. Heartwarming," he finally said. "That they accepted my liking men without batting an eye, but it's vegetarianism that's weird to them? Your parenting seems a little odd, what with Tristen's heavy clothes, but you're doing very well for them I think."

"Come to think of it, I saw Tails-boy skulking about the infirmary," Jude mused into his tea. "And another fox kid. I'm not sure -what- he was but he had the ears. Is everything really alright in there?"

"I doubt he'll have gone far," Jude said, and chanced a glance toward the door. Nothing. "I don't suppose you have some sort of ritual for summoning them?"

Jude wondered what Blizzard was up to, until he smelled that rich chocolaty-milk aroma. Scrunching his nose a little, he moved to the seat furthest from the stove.

But, just as Blizzard had predicted, the Vulpix-boy's head peered around the door frame, his eyes keened on the stove as if he'd just found a particularly juicy Rattata. Or even a Torchic. But he shook the look away and scampered to Blizz's side. "There you are, Blizz. I'm glad you're okay," he said.

Then, another glance to the pot. "And not because you're making your hot chocolate."