”Cass… I’m worried.”
The Lapras turned his head curiously, looking back at the little Pokemon who lounged on his back. Phione was lying back on Cassiel’s shell, staring up at the sky with with eyes, an atypical frown set on his little face. ”What troubles you little one?” The Lapras said, turning his head back to maintain his course though his attention remained with the little Water Type on his back. ”The day is warm and sweet, the sea is cool and calm: all is well.”
Phione continued to stare up at the clouds, pleased by the sound of his friend’s voice but still unhappy. ”Clive came to visit yesterday. He said that Riley went back to the Guilds too.” His words were somewhat wistful, and filled with the sadness that came with missing one’s friends.
”But isn’t this a good thing? Sereni told us that Erinn was joining too, if you recall. Perhaps the two will be able to re-establish your Team in the future.”
Phione shook his head, something that Cassiel could sense rather than see, and he spoke up again. ”That’s the problem. Riley made a Team with Keiran, and Clive’s going to join up with them soon. Erinn’s on a different Team. He won’t like that…” The little Water Type shifted to a sitting position, staring out at the waves that lapped against Cassiel’s sides quietly, thinking about his friend’s predicament. ”I’ve told you about Erinn, Cass. He doesn’t like to be alone, just like me.” But Phione had it far easier than his Paras friend and he knew it; the son of a Legend would always have friends wherever he went. Daddy always looked out for him: because of Daddy he had Seri and Nox and Cass and so many other friends with him all the time. Erinn didn’t have that. ”He must be feeling so lonely…”
Cassiel frowned thoughtfully, listening to Phione’s tale. It was an unfortunate set of circumstances, to be sure, and the young prince was always so concerned for his friends that it had doubtless been weighing on his mind ever since the Vaporeon who brought the news had parted ways with them; he had been awfully quiet since that point, now that the Lapras thought about it. ”You really think his new partner won’t be sufficient?” Cassiel said after a moment. ”They will be living together after all, and partners often become close very quickly. Your Era and Ethfael are a sign of that, surely.”
”Era and ‘Fael are special,” Phione said, smiling at the thought of the two. ”But you’re right, it’s normally a good way to make friends; the trouble is Erinn isn’t good with change.” The Paras had never been one to adapt to new situations with any sort of ease. After they’d finally settled down into their new home after all of the bad things that happened, it took the Paras over a year to really seem like he felt at ease with the place, and that was when he’d been surrounded by friends and encouragement on all sides. Being in a new Guild with an unfamiliar partner and separate from his former Team entirely, that would be a trying experience for him. ”Erinn needs to know that he’s not on his own. He needs a friend to help him.”
”So what do you intend to do?” Cassiel said, hearing the stirrings of an idea in his young companion’s voice.
”I need to send Erinn a friend. Someone who can help him and let him know that we’re still there for him. Clive can’t do it because he needs to help Riley, so that leaves me.”
Cassiel paused, looking back at his passenger with interested eyes. ”You can’t go on your own dearest Phione, you know better than that. Imagine what Nox would do.”
”I know I can’t go,” the little Water Type said, the same strains of longing in his voice as before. ”But I can send him the best friend I can manage.”
”Who will you send?”
”Would you do it Cass?”
Phione stared up at his Lapras friend with hopeful eyes, placing a gentle flipper on his friend’s neck and rubbing it fondly. ”I know it’s a lot to ask, and I hate to see you go, but I know Seri and Nox won’t do it, and you’re my very best friend along with the both of them. I know that Erinn would be taken care of if you went to stay with him.” Wrapping his flippers around the Cassiel’s neck in a hug, Phione clung to his friend tightly. ”Please won’t you Cass? I don’t know what else to do.”
Lowering his head, Cassiel placed a gentle kiss on Phione’s head. ”If that is what you wish, I’d be happy to do so.”
”Really?”
”Really.”
Reply
