#ALSO it's implied that Sonic lived in his cave for a while?? after the events of the first movie??

[guardian-of-da-gay]

for various reasons I feel pretty confident that in the Knuckles show/Sonic 3 they're gonna reveal that Knuckles and Tails are sharing the attic with Sonic, but honestly? tf they mean this house doesn't have ONE spare bedroom???

[tenebraevesper]

Sonic Prime (My Interpretation of The Ending)

So, I have seen a people scratching their heads over the ending of Sonic Prime. The general consensus seems to be that the ending is either confusing or unsatisfying, leaving people with more questions than answers. However, don't take my word for granted, this is just what I heard through the grapevine.

This is why I decided to thrown in my own thoughts out in the open. Once again, I do not speak for the community, these are just my personal thoughts and my own interpretation of the ending.

We clear? We clear.

What happened?

During the finale of Sonic Prime, after Nine repaired the Paradox Prism and the Shatterverses, and after Sonic and Shadow got back to Green Hill, we return back to the time just before Sonic shattered the Paradox Prism. Sonic is clearly fine and happy to see his friends again (and also happy to see Eggman). As the fight resumes, Shadow appears, Chaos Controlling the Paradox Prism away so it couldn't be used by Eggman. Eggman curses the day and leaves, while Sonic and his friends go to have a relaxing day on the beach. When they hear another explosion in the distance, all of them go back into action to fight whatever this threat is.

Do Sonic and Shadow remember the events of the Shatterverse?

I can say, with absolute certainty, that yes, Sonic remembers what happened after he had shattered the Paradox Prism. It is implied multiple times that he remembers that event, both in his dialogue and general behavior.

As for Shadow, it is not as clear cut as Sonic, but I do believe he also remembers the events of the Shatterverse. Note, unlike Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Rouge, Big & Froggy, and Eggman, Shadow escaped the shattering of the Paradox Prism, making him an paradox in the same sense as Sonic even if he didn't have the Prism Energy (something that was pointed out in the final episode).

So, yeah, the most likely answer is that Sonic and Shadow remember the Shatterverse.

What happened to the Paradox Prism?

In the finale, Shadow Chaos Controlled the Paradox Prism to someplace unknown. It is never answered what he had done with it, but given Shadow's character in general, we can conclude that he placed it somewhere safe; a place where no one will be able to find it.

Also, going by Sonic and Shadow's silent interaction in the cave, it appears that Sonic was aware of Shadow's plan and approved of it. Both knew what the Paradox Prism could do if it fell into the wrong hands or was broken apart and neither of them wanted to repeat what happened.

It is up to the viewers to speculate where Shadow had hidden it.

What happened to the Shatterverse?

Now, this is a question I cannot answer, but I can speculate about. There are two outcomes for the Shatterverse situation and I think it depends on the viewer's interpretation and wishes.

The first outcome is that the Shatterverse still exists in some way, and New Yoke City, Boscage Maze, No Place and The Grim now co-exist with Green Hill within The Void, meaning Nine and the other Shatterverse Variants are free to live their life in their own Shatterspaces. Whether travel between the Shatterspaces is possible is unknown, as we know that Shadow couldn't go into the Gates, while Sonic could due to the Prism Energy. Whether the Shatterspace Variants could do the same without the Prism Energy or opening a portal, I don't really know (if someone has information on this, I'd be happy to change my statement).

The second outcome is the more... bittersweet one. In this outcome, the Shatterspace has ceased to exist and all of the Shatterspace Variants have vanished, or perhaps unified with their original counterparts. Evidence for this is that Sonic and Shadow were sent to just before the Paradox Prism was shattered (with Shadow having the Chaos Emerald that was previously lost to The Void), meaning that if Sonic doesn't shatter it, the Shatterverse wouldn't come into existence. It is a bit complicated to explain, especially with no clear evidence, and the only thing I have is going by my own logic.

If you want to understand where I'm coming from, please watch Reploid Revo's Time Skimmer EXTRA - MegaMan World video, where he explains the complications of a paradox cycle.

I believe that the fate of the Shatterverse has been left vague on purpose, as people would certainly be upset to hear that the likes of Nine, Dread, Rusty Rose and so on have been erased from existence. However, I also offer another solution based on the video above, combining it with the first outcome.

Sonic and Shadow obviously changed the timeline by not letting the Paradox Prism get shattered, meaning that, by this logic, the Shatterverse in this timeline should not exist. However, there is still a possibility that the Shatterverse exists in a different timeline, one that cannot be accessed anymore (or maybe it can, this is the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise we're talking about after all). In short, the Shatterverse itself would be a paradox, because it keeps existing even though by all logic, it shouldn't exist.

It is also very possible that Sonic Prime's situation is similar to that of Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), where the whole timeline with Mephiles and Iblis had been erased. However, as said above, this is all up to fan interpretation.

What was the explosion at the end?

At the very end, we see a blue energy pulse spreading through Green Hill, with an ominous shadow covering Sonic and his friends. Sonic is clearly exasperated while his friends are surprised/shocked, and they get back into action.

We do not know what this explosion was (it did have similarities to the explosion at the very beginning, when Eggman lured Sonic into finding a way to the Paradox Prism) and we have no indication to what the ominous shadow was.

It literally could be anything, but my interpretation is that it was Eggman being up to something once again.

Where is the 24th Episode? Will there be a sequel?

As you had probably noticed, we got 23 episodes instead of the promised 24. I don't know whether there will be a 24th episode, and while I sincerely hope for one, I doubt it. My friend suggested that 24 episodes were listed because the 1st episode was 40 minutes long, meaning the 1st episode could be counted as two. I can understand the logic behind it, but why don't they tell us that we'd get 22 Episodes + a 40 minute introduction episode? Maybe something changed during production and they decided to just not address it? I don't know.

As for the sequel, according to the grapevine, I don't believe that there will be a sequel. Sonic Prime seems to be a one and done story, with a cliffhanger hinting at a possibility of a sequel if they ever decide to pick it up again. Not to mention, this is a Netflix show. I think we should be happy that at least the full story has been told instead of getting cancelled.

Why didn't Sonic and Shadow interact more at the end?

I have seen people asking for at least a conclusion to Sonic and Shadow's relationship during the show, and yeah, I'll be honest, I'm also one of those people. Like, seriously, couldn't they even add a conversation between the two once Green Hill was restored? Maybe have them acknowledging what happened in the Shatterverse and looking back on their adventure?

*sigh* Hey, fellow writers, could you recommend me a fic with that kind of premise? Thanks in advance!

Is Sonadow now canon?

Despite what certain images lead you to believe...

Just kiss already!

...Sonadow is not canon and will never be. SEGA's official stance is that no romance will be happening besides Amy's crush on Sonic and Vector's crush on Vanilla (officially, Tangle and Whisper are VERY close ''friends''; but fans know better), which I don't mind. Having an official couple might lead to brutal shipping wars of the magnitude that were present during Archie!Sonic (if you don't know, ask at your own risk), and frankly, I don't think anyone wants to be part of that.

Instead, it is best to leave things to fan interpretation (with Sonadow Prime providing us with a LOT of content for that) or maybe ask Ian Flynn for his interpretation of how certain ships would work on the Bumblekast Podcast. After all, he did a whole episode on Sonadow.

As for Prime!Sonic and Prime!Shadow, I'm certain that they appreciate each other more and have a deeper respect for each other. That, and Shadow definitely freaked out when Sonic wasn't anymore in his arms after they landed in Green Hill before realizing what was going on.

Sonadow Prime AMV (Enjoy!)

Do you plan on writing a story based on Sonic Prime's ending?

Yes, I do, but it won't be a rewrite of the ending as some other people did. Instead, I'm planning on writing a sort of epilogue, mainly based on Sonic and Shadow's thoughts, feelings and relationship after the whole Shatterverse adventure. I don't know when it will be published, since I'm currently working on the new Sonic Cyber Revolution chapter (which also features Sonadow moments), so there's that.

#Sonic the Hedgehog Analyzer (Masterlist)

[bundleofyarrow]

chapter 6 is up!

the latest chapter of my Milo x Reader fic is live, and it really sets the stage for the story! if you didn’t see enough Milo in my last post, you might be satisfied with what you see here! it’s below the cut or you can read it (or any chapter!) on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29087343/chapters/72127755

i’m also open to write scenes and imagines related to what’s going on in the Bundle of Yarrow universe, so feel free to send me an ask if you’re interested in getting something!

Chapter 6: Dappled Grove

Pattering on leaves. Dripping from bark. The rain sings its own music from the canopy of the forest. Branches of the trees here reached out to one another, creating a secluded corner of the Wild Area. Mushrooms thrived in the damp, muddy floor of the grove and apples swayed further up in the wind. Unlike the wide open fields you just ran from, there were ponds and creeks, and reeds of tall grass lining small lakes. Songs from the Pokemon within them harmonized with the rain.

Opening your eyes, the world is sideways. As feeling returns to your body, you feel the cold, sticky mud against the left side of your face and body. When you attempt to rise from the ground, a dull, thudding pain vibrates down your front. You’re able to support your body weight with your arms, though your elbows feel like they could give at any moment.

Looking back, you see the raised root of a tree, and further into the distance, the border between the Rolling Fields and Dappled Grove. When it doesn’t seem like you’re being followed, you begin to pick yourself up from the ground. Spotting some of your things in the mud, you grab some stray Pokeballs and leave the berries you picked earlier for some lucky scavenger. It wasn’t long until you noticed your phone, its screen bright and, if you were to listen for it, constant low vibration. You wanted to leave it there, but your better judgement compelled you to pick it up and wipe it down. It wasn’t a mystery who was trying to get in contact with you, but you couldn’t think of two people you didn’t want to talk to more right now.

You slip the phone into your bag and scan your surroundings, pulling your soaked and muddy hair out of your vision. Despite hearing a chorus of Pokemon calls, you couldn’t see any in sight. They must all be hiding snug in nooks among the trees while it rained. 

Right now the best thing to do is to find some sort of shelter, so you can get dry. First you needed to get back to the cliffs, and then see if there any empty caves you could stay inside. After the rain stops, you can begin to make your way back to the train station along the southern border of the Wild Area, and head back to Postwick.

The vibrations of your phone against the contents of your bag is audible to your ear as you take a few steps into the grove. You’re not entirely sure what direction you’re going in, but you know you should hit the cliff walls eventually. Raindrops and the squishing of mud beneath your footsteps are all that accompany your scrambled thoughts of recent events. And your phone. constantly. going. off.

At this point you feel too deep into this to admit that you’re acting unreasonable. Sure, maybe you shouldn’t have dashed into the middle of a Diggersby vs Piloswine turf war, and sure, maybe running in the complete opposite direction of safety because of petty grievances was a little extra. You can’t really explain your reaction to knowing Sonia and Leon were rekindling their intimacy, but the way Leon treated you like the plague for the past day only to be back to his good ol’ Champion self after spending the night with her just felt wrong. You felt cast aside, like moment he realized you weren’t after his body, you were just a risk to his reputation.

Your feet stomped through the mud as your thoughts compounded upon themselves. Whenever you could hear your phone vibrating, begging for you to pick up, your movements became more erratic. Your brain recalls all the things Leon said to you in your closer moments, and you can’t seem to completely push them away. And that vibrating just gets louder, and louder, and-A large splash erupted from your periphery, and a loud burst knocked you back screaming off your feet. Your ears rung and you felt dizzy, trying to get back up but stumbling. In front you was a creature with glowing red eyes and strange vibrating protrusions all over its body. You assumed it was a water Pokemon of some sort given that it was blue and came from the marsh you were passing by. You would check your Pokedex but your phone probably slipped to the bottom of your bag by now. Trying to look at it through the dim lighting of the grove, it was terrifying and making this constant, oppressive vibration noise. You didn’t need to pull out your Pokemon to sense it was strong, way more than you could handle.

You slowly backed away from it, and you began to notice small tadpole-like Pokemon hop out of the tall grass and around the larger one, shrieking high pitched trills that pierced your hearing. It seems like you walked a little too close to a nest of these Pokemon, so you were hoping if you just left everything would be okay. Turning and running, you put your all in getting away from the Pokemon so you can survive this disaster of a trip. But you hear a rumbling, and before you know it a powerful cry yells out and you feel a sticky liquid hit your right leg. It immediately seizes up, causing you to fall and shout a curse out into the trees. Looking to your leg, you see muck covering it as the muscles convulse, making you scream as the Pokemon stalks towards you. You attempt to get up, but the pain of the Pokemon’s sonic attacks and losing control of your leg makes you fall forward again.

Is this it?

You don’t know why this Pokemon is so determined to hunt you. Crying out, you hear nothing. No one. Sonia’s shoulder bumps and hugs flash through your mind. Leon shielding you from the Onix. Dragging yourself away, you realize how much you don’t want things to end here. Despite everything, you did have people out there, waiting for you. Wanting to know you’re safe.

The padding of the Pokemon’s footsteps pick up in speed, you try crawling faster but you can tell, it’s not enough. You look back just in time to see it lunge at you with its fist.

Never enough.

A bright light flashes between you and your assailant, rippling just inches from your face where it made contact with the punch attack. This knocked the Pokemon back, which stumbled in shock. It looked up in the distance behind you, from where you could hear foot steps.

“GIGA DRAIN!”

The Pokemon begins to glow green, which starts to surface on its skin as small globes of light. Then all at once, they shoot from it and back towards the voice, promptly causing the Pokemon to faint.

It was hard to process what just happened, your brain preoccupied a range of stimuli and concerns related to your safety. A headache sets in when you realize your ears have been ringing this entire time. There’s running and yelling coming towards you, but it hurts to concentrate on them. Rain continues to fall on your face. Your leg throbs. Only makes sense that you pass out.

~*~*~*~

The first thing you notice is that it’s still raining. But instead of it falling on your face, you hear its rhythmic tapping on a fabric of some sort above you. As sensation begins to return to your body, you realize that you’re not lying in mud, but against your back is something padded. Something is vibrating…

Your eyes spring open and your breath quickens with the image of red eyes and vibrating skin in your mind. Instead of seeing the forest canopy, you find yourself inside a green tent. Turning your head hurts when you go too quickly, so you slowly look around and see your bag next to you, and noticed you’re lying on your sleeping bag. Confused, you rise up into a sitting position, rubbing behind your ears attempting to ease your headache. As you do, your right leg slips out in front of you, and you see that it’s been cleaned and dressed with a bandage. It feels numb but not as bad as it did before, and the camphoraceous smell implies someone applied medicine to your injury.

Speaking of someone, who brought you here? You look around and spot someone else’s camping gear, including a sleeping bag, first-aid kit, what looks like snacks for Pokemon, and a lantern hanging from a hook in the center of the tent. You don’t recognize any of it, meaning a charitable stranger must have saved you from that Pokemon.

It dawns on you that you’re still in your muddy clothing, but the mud that was on your skin and in your hair was gone. You spot a washcloth browned with mud on the floor by the first aid kit, and blushed thinking of someone touching you with such care. You decide to quickly change into new clothing before anyone returned. As you pull out your clothes from your bag, your phone lights up to show the countless amount of notifications you’ve gotten, all from Sonia’s phone. You begin to feel guilty, especially now that you encountered danger, but can’t bear to talk to them just yet.

Just as you pulled on fresh clothing, you hear heavy footsteps approaching the tent. You’re not exactly sure what to do, pretend to be asleep? Wave hello? Go out to meet them? What’s the proper etiquette of being put up in a stranger’s tent?

While weighing your different options, you hear the zipper to the entrance open, making you freeze up. Whoever it is, they are large, starting to frighten you a bit. But soon they stick their head in enough for the lantern light to glow on their face.

“It’s… you!?”You see the wet but same friendly face of the man you met back at Route 1. Unruly rose-colored hair, eyes as green as Galar’s fields, freckles dancing across a boyish face. Fumbling since you still don’t know his name, you make room for him to enter. “You’re awake!” He clambered in and quickly zipped the tent shut. His wide frame made the space seem smaller once he settled in. “Thank Arceus that you’re recovering.”

He has that smile on his face again, warm and gentle. Your cheeks heat up just imagining him carrying you back here to the tent and treating your wounds. It’s not hard to see the contours of his chest through his wet, white shirt, and the impression of mud against it where your head must have been. He begins to empty his pockets of a gnarled looking root that it seems like he dug up in the grove. Before he could explain anything, you leaned forward towards him on your left hand, looking him in the face as if committing it to memory.

“Please,” Your voice is a mix of trembling and dreamy, probably because you’re still fighting exhaustion. “your name. What is your name? I’ve wanted to know ever since we last met.”

The man pauses, taken aback at the sudden attention. His gaze shifts between each of your eyes, like he was struck with some sort of realization. It might have been a trick of the light, but his freckles seemed more pronounced and his cheeks a shade more pink.

“M-Milo, I’m Milo! Mighty rude of me not to introduce myself before, my apologies.” His eyes look away from you, like he was embarrassed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Milo.” You repeat his name to yourself, and smile at him, offering your name in return. “I’m so happy to see you again.

”He pauses for beat, as if he was expecting a certain reaction that never ended up coming. His face softened and he smiled back again.

“Looked like you were in a tad bit of trouble there for a second with that Seismitoad. Thankfully I heard ya and was able to make it over in time.” Milo’s eyes travel down to your injury. “How’s that feelin’?”

You pass a hand over your injured leg, your mind momentarily flashing to when that muck covered it. “It’s a little numb, but at least it’s not twitching anymore.”

Milo puts out his hand and shows you what he collected while you were unconscious. “My poppa always told me to make tea out of this here root if I was ever hurt in the Wild Area, and it’s never failed me. I’m gonna make you some and it’ll fix ya up, good as new!”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that for me.” Your gaze drops to the floor. “I’ve been enough of a burden already.”

“Hey now, chin up.”

You look back up at him and his soft expression. “Don’t say that about yourself, looks like you’ve had quite the rough day. I’m happy I found you, if only so we get to cross paths again.” He pulls off his cap, running a hand through his wet hair in attempt to get it out of his face. That’s when you realize he’s just in from all that rain.

“Milo, you’re soaking wet! Don’t you think you should get out of those clothes?”

You look at him with some concern as he starts to turn a bit red. Is he getting a fever?“

I, ah,” His eyes look away from you, not at all able to keep his usual friendly eye contact. “I wouldn’t wanna m-make ya uncomfortable…”

It took you a second to get what he meant, mostly from the slight squirming he was doing while under your gaze. You briefly imagined him peeling off his wet shirt in front of you, eyes widening and definitely getting a full blush.

You scramble to turn around as fast as you can, looking completely away from him. “S-sorry! I can leave if you want! This is your tent.”

“Don’t be silly.” A chuckle accompanies his words, and he seems to rummage in his bag. “You’re fine right there.”

A quiet comes between you two, enough to hear the rain tap against the tent and the vibration of your phone in your bag.

“Your phone’s been goin’ off ever since I found you. Seems like someone’s quite worried.” You turn to face Milo to respond, only to catch him trying to pull his head through a dry shirt. His well-built chest and torso were rather exposed, you could tell that he regularly does physical work to have that physique. Your eyes can’t help but notice he has some freckles on his shoulders and in the center of his chest. You felt a wave of heat travel through your body as you quickly looked back away.

“O-oh do you think so?”

“Are you not gonna to check?”

He continues to rustle around, and you have a permanent blush trying to not think of him changing his pants. You attempt thinking sobering thoughts, about the amount of worry Sonia and Leon must be feeling right now, not if his freckles trail all the way down his body.

You let out a long breath after pausing to think of what to say. “Milo I…” Your voice trembles and you can feel the emotion rising to your eyes. “I messed up. I really just… made a mess of things.” Putting your hands to your face, you try to calm your breathing, but it doesn’t seem to help much.

A gentle weight places itself on your shoulder.

“May I?” Milo asks softly.

Nodding, you turn to him, rubbing at your face as he lightly rubs your shoulder, now in dry clothing with a small green towel hanging from his neck. “You always seem to catch me at my low moments, I must seem like such a bummer.” “I don’t think that at all. Not one bit.”

You look at him through your hands and misting eyes, and he has that genuine, reassuring expression. You try to smile, if only to show that you appreciate the positive energy he is sharing with you.

“C’mon, you can tell me all about it.” He turns to small gas stove, which he must have brought out while he fished for his new clothes. It was big enough to hold a small kettle, which he poured water in from a canteen. It also looked like he had a paring knife and shallow bowl set next to him. “I’ll prepare your tea while you do.”

You’re not really sure where to begin, and you don’t necessarily want to gossip about Leon and Sonia to Milo. In a way, you didn’t want to disturb the gentle warmth he radiated.

“Well, after I met you, I decided to take Wooloo on an adventure.” Milo would look up and nod every once in a while as you spoke, just to show you he was still listening while peeling and cutting the roots. “My cousin, Gloria, she just got her first Pokemon. So did her neighbor friend, and they both were determined to enter the Gym Challenge. I figured, if someone so young could set out into the unknown, why can’t I? It was a good excuse to get out of Postwick and see the rest of the country. I didn’t know really what I was doing- well, I mean, I still don’t know what I’m doing, but I figured, I had I fight my fear of failing and just try.”

Saying all that out loud reminded you of how you were planning on returning to Postwick. Was that still the best thing to do?

“It’s brave of you to step outside of your comfort zone. You should be proud of yourself!” Milo regards you with another smile, lifting the top of the kettle to check that the water was boiling. Satisfied, he carefully slid the chopped root into the kettle with the edge of his knife and replaced the lid.

You feel a bit bashful. “Are you always this encouraging to everyone?”

In your mind it was supposed to be a whisper, but Milo clearly heard you given his stammering. “N-no, it’s just, y’know, the nice thing to do! It’s part of my j-” He’s clearly blushing, and you can tell he’s trying use the towel to hide the color in his cheeks.

Milo’s reaction makes you chuckle a bit, it’s satisfying to see that he’s not completely composed and measured all the time.

“Anyway!” Is that a bit of a pout you see? “I guess you made it out here because you’re on your way to Motostoke for the opening ceremony? Are you joining the challenge too?”

His eyebrows raise a little as you shake your head.

“Honestly, I don’t really know much about the Gym Challenge. I don’t think I’m really that strong, or if I’m any good at battling or training Pokemon. It’s not that fun seeing them get hurt… But I do like spending time with them though! With Wooloo, and Yamper, and now Vanillite. I feel they all want to be with me, like they just know I’m someone they like.” You say that last part a little quieter. “And when I set out with new friends, and new Pokemon, all I could think about was the memories we would make together.”

That faint smile returns to Milo’s lips as he tips the kettle, pouring the tea into two ceramic tumblers the color of sage. “Sounds wonderful to me.” He slowly picks up one of the cups by the rim and moves it towards you. It’s a wonder how delicate his hands are despite their size. “Careful now, it’s hot.” You take it from him, brushing fingers with him as you do. If he noticed you blushing from that, he doesn’t show it. “It’s quite bitter, but it’ll heal ya up right quick, I promise!” He picks up his tea and gestures it towards you. “To good health!”

For a few moments all one could hear was the rain and the both of you blowing on your tea to cool it down. When you heard more vibrating, you reached into your bag and set it to silent before returning to the task at hand.

Milo looks between you and your bag a few times. “You sure you don’t wanna answer it?”

“I will have to eventually, and when I do it’ll make me sad.” You blow on your tea a couple more times. “I’d rather enjoy this moment with you right now.” He looks down towards the tea in his lap, enough for his cap to cover his face. “I’m enjoyin’ this moment with y-you too.”

It’s your turn to offer him a smile. “Milo?”

“Y-yes??” He looks up to you, seeming a bit distracted.

“Do you believe in fortune-telling?”

Milo is caught off-guard with that question, tilting his head as he tries to puzzle out what you mean. “Hmm, well, my Gran reads my tea leaves whenever I visit. There are times I think my Wooloo’s sleeping arrangements can predict the weather. And my family gives each other good luck charms as gifts all the time. So a little I suppose!”

You reach into your bag, feeling around for something in particular. “I talked to a fortune-teller before I left on this trip, and she offered to read my fortune. I wanted to know what my adventure was going to be like. Know what she said?” Milo tilts his head again in curiosity when you look to him. “That I’m going to find love when I least expect it.”

“R-really?” His green eyes blink a few times as he processes what you just said so forwardly. “Ain’t that somethin’…” Milo leans into his towel again. “Didn’t know someone could go on an adventure lookin’ for love like that.” He desperately tries to busy himself, deciding to refill your cups with tea as he avoids eye contact.

Your hand finally finds what’s you’re looking for, and you pull out a bundle of sticks wrapped in a worn silk scarf. “I do a bit of fortune-telling myself. Or really, I like to do some self-reflection.” You place it between the two of you and unfold the silk, letting the small sticks roll out a bit. “These are yarrow sticks.”

“Yarrow, huh.” He rubs his chin, intrigued.

“It’s a bit complicated to explain, but you can get messages through grasping the sticks and counting the amount you have. After you go through it a few times, it indicates special symbols that will give you your fortune.” You look up to Milo, who is giving you his attention and looks mystified. “As thanks for saving me, can I read your fortune?”

He nods eagerly. “Only if you wanna, of course! You don’t owe me anythin’.” You smile again and begin the process, closing your eyes, picking up a bunch of the yarrow, then counting them. “This does take a bit, how about you tell me a story? What are you doing out here in the Wild Area?”

“Well,” Milo considers his words. “Mostly for training really. Thought I could use some extra practice with my Pokemon. Been swamped with work and haven’t had as much time for battlin’.”

“So you’re not just a Wooloo rancher, you’re also a Pokemon trainer?”

You’re not looking up at him, but you could tell Milo was stumbling over what to say.

“Th-that’s right, yeah. And with the Gym Challenge starting up ‘n all, there’s gonna be a lot more fightin’ ‘round these parts. The Wooloo have been hoggin’ all my attention lately that my other Pokemon are gettin’ a tad jealous.”

“I can imagine Pokemon and people alike fighting for your attention. You have that kind of aura.”

“I-is that so?? I’m not sure, just a regular ol’ lad here. Nothin’ special!”

You find his consistent modesty rather charming. It’s not hard to imagine Milo’s genuine nature attracting a lot of people. He must have his hands full. Looking up to him for a second, seeing his gaze cast down to his fidgeting fingers, you reply simply with “I’ll have to disagree with that.” You’re not entirely what’s going on with him, but for a man of his size he tries to hide himself often. You enjoy his reactions and earnest manner, which makes you want to get to know him better. “Are you ready for your fortune?”

“Yes!” He says maybe a little too eagerly, staring down at the different piles of sticks. “So you arranged ‘em into piles of different amounts. And they all line up to mean somethin’?”

You nod and stare intently, counting the different lines and trying to remember your studies. “It describes your current situation, a catalyst for change, and how that will influence the future.”

He nods some more, looking up and down the row of piles.

“It looks like… right now, you’re going to be a part of a gathering. Where you’re a leader of some sort.”

Milo fumbles the cup in his hand, panicking a little trying to catch it and not splash tea all over the place.

“Is everything alright??” You ask, alarmed at the sudden reaction.

“Y-yes, sorry, I just wasn’t expectin’,” He gulps. “this to be so precise ‘n all.”

You give him a bit of a puzzled look and he rubs the back of his neck with an apologetic smile. Maybe it’s better to let him tell you the details on his own time.

“Hmm, well, the emphasis is on feeling tasked to bring people together. But eventually, that will change.”

Milo leans in some, curious to hear what you have to say and amazed these simple sticks could conjure up such meaning.

“It seems like you’re being indecisive about something, and that’s creating confusion. The people around you are expecting more action, but you’re unsure of your social standing.”

He doesn’t say anything, but the intense look in his eyes tells you that the reading is really sinking deep. This is the first time you’ve seen him look so serious.

“Because of that, it looks like you will follow a new path, or really, a new person. While it seems like you should be the one leading, you have to learn what it’s like to let someone else take the lead for you. The main piece of advice is: be completely open and sincere. Though it can be tough, that is the best way to navigate your relationships during this change.”

Milo seems to be struck by the message you delivered. You allow a few moments to pass, folding your hands in your lap as he contemplates the meaning.

You hear a buzzing noise of a Rotom Phone, but you know it’s not yours. Milo sits up and looks you in the eyes. “Thank you for this, it was a wonderful gift. Plenty food for thought.” He reaches into one of the pockets of his camping bag. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I have to check this.”

Nodding, you gather all your yarrow back up and bundle it with the silk it came in. You’ll have to remember to thank your auntie for putting this in your bag, it’s your favorite keepsake of your grandmother’s.

Milo is scrolling through something on his phone with a faint smile on his face.

“Good news?” You ask, putting the sticks back into your bag.

“I just got sent these!” He shows you his phone with what looks like pictures from a photoshoot. A striking woman is in all of them, posing confidently in different swimwear outfits. She clearly gorgeous, must be a model for fashion magazines. “It’s my girlfriend Nessa, isn’t she so cool?”

Oh.

You start to feel embarrassed, as all the attention you were getting from Milo made you feel a little special. But you should have caught on by now that it’s likely he’s attentive to everyone. That’s just the kind of guy he is.

“She’s beautiful, what a lucky guy you are!” It’s unclear how sincere you sounded, but you hoped it was enough. For the second time today, you’re not sure why you’re feeling as strongly as you do. Milo, at least, seems oblivious to the emotional rollercoaster you’re on, so you’re able to small talk some more before he suggests both of you going to sleep.

“We can begin hiking towards Motostoke in the mornin’, should only take us about a day or so more travel. Then you can meet back up with your cousin and see her in the openin’ ceremony!” He explained as you both slide into your sleeping bags. “Nessa’ll be there too, I hope you get to meet her!”

You turned your back to him as he puts out the lantern. For some reason, you’re not as excited as he is to arrive in Motostoke. A few moments pass in silence before you find what you want to say.

“Thank you for saving me Milo. I know you just think it was the right thing to do, and it was nothing but… It means a lot to me. I hope to be able to be there for you when you need help.”

There are some shuffling sounds, what you guess to be Milo shifting in his sleeping bag. You feel his gaze from behind, but he doesn’t make any moments towards you at all.

“You already have been.”

You both wish each other goodnight. It took you a bit longer to fall asleep that usual, even with how exhausted you were, because Milo’s presence was nearby. He kept shifting around too, but since your back was towards him, you could only speculate why. The rain continued to beat against the tent, eventually lulling you into a deep sleep.

~*~*~*~

A soft humming weaved among the sound of rain, guiding you into the waking world. Your eyes slowly opened and take in the scenery, trying to remember where you are. At first the man nearby you seems like someone from a dream, but you remember it’s Milo. He’s in his own world peeling and slicing apples, balancing his phone on a knee and every once in a while looking to it as he arranges the fruit on plates. He has such a boyish look but a wise air about him, and you find the contrast appealing. It’s clear Milo has such consideration to his strength, and pays careful attention to how he interacts with the world. Just makes you want to get to know him a little better.

You must have shifted around or had your breath pick up, because Milo looked over to you and noticed you were awake. He offers you a smile.

“Mornin’ sunshine.”

A part of you flutters a bit hearing that. Drawing yourself up into a sitting position, you let out a short yawn. “Morning~”

“I didn’t wake you, did I? Jus’ thought it would be nice to have a little bite of somethin’ before we left.” While he did have a bit of softness to his voice, it seemed like he was wide awake. 

“Not at all.” You were going to tease him about his singing, but decided you should be more cordial with a taken man. “What’s cookin’?”

“Just some apples from the grove!” He hands you a plate of apple slices after you move from your sleeping bag and over towards him. “It’s best to save the real cookin’ for when we’re able to get outta this rain and set up a campfire.” He takes a bite out of an apple slice, chewing as he thinks through something. “How’s your leg feelin’?” 

You move around and bend your leg. “It’s definitely feeling better! Still feels a little numb at times, like my leg has fallen asleep. But your magic seems to be working!”

After chatting a bit more over apples, you both get ready to leave and break down Milo’s tent. He’s able to locate a path that would take you both northeast through the Dappled Grove towards West Lake Axewell.

Soon into your walk, it’s clear that your leg isn’t back up to 100% capacity. While you didn’t really feel any pain, you noticed it didn’t have the quickest reaction time, leading you to stumble a few times whenever there was uneven footing. You try to play it off as being clumsy, but Milo notices what’s going fairly quickly. He moves to your right side and extends his left arm towards you.

“Here ya go, hold onto me for support.”

It is shocking to you how he says this with a completely straight face, not thinking about how your skin is going to touch his, how you’ll feel each other’s body heat as you inevitably press up against him, how to a stranger in the distance it’ll look like the both of you are-

Before the moment can completely pass, you slip your hand around his bicep, completely flushed. As you walk, each time you feel like you’re going to stumble, you’re able to shift your weight into him. His sturdy build barely moves whenever you do, he even whistles a bit during the quieter moments of your journey. It’s like all of this is natural to him.

It’s still raining in the Dappled Grove, but it starts to ease into a drizzle along your journey. Eventually you both come across a serene pond surrounded by large, flat rocks. Milo helps you down on one of the rocks to rest, and says he wants to scout the rest of the area to make sure it’s safe. “There’s Bewear ‘round these parts, and that’s a critter I wouldn’t want us to run into.”

He leaves you with the quiet sound of rain hitting the pond next to you. The ripples are almost calming, hypnotizing even. Leaves and flower petals float along the surface. As you look, you start to notice that the leafy pads of the pond are actually Pokemon, whose blue bodies are underwater. There’s a group of them floating with each other on the far end of the pond, squirting streams of water at each other and making what you assume to be giggling noises. They didn’t look to be putting too much effort into dodging each other, rather allowing the force of the water sprays push them toward and away from each other. After your encounter with the Seismitoad, you can’t help but smile at seeing the more playful side of Pokemon.

Until a stream of water hits you straight in the face.

You sputter a bit, surprised because this didn’t come from the group you were watching, but a lone one hanging by your side of the pond. It giggles shyly at your reaction. “Well two can play at that game miss!” You grab your water bottle, take a swing, and squirt back at the Pokemon. Yours was weaker and smaller, but she still let out noises that made it seem like she was entertained. You both went back and forth with your antics until you heard a soft chuckle nearby from behind you.

“Havin’ fun?”

You jump a little at Milo’s voice, and feel your cheeks heat up knowing he probably watched you act silly for bit there. He settled down next to you on the edge of the pond, offering a finger for the Pokemon to brush against.

“Do you know what kind of Pokemon this is? I don’t think I’ve seen any in Alola.” You smile at how naturally she seems to warm up to Milo.

“It’s a Lotad! Very calm and sweet Pokemon. I train with one of its evolutions sometimes.” He smiles a bit as she floats a bit in a circle. “Alright we should go now. How ‘bout you go swim with your friends?”

The Lotad gives a look to the others and then looks away, floating towards you instead.

“Aww it looks like she’s feeling a bit left out. I know how that feels.” Lotad begins to crawl out of the pond next to you.

“Seems to me that Lotad has taken a shine to ya!” Milo fishes out a green bean and hands it to you.

You smile as she allows you to feed her. “I really enjoy it when a Pokemon seems to pick me out. It’s nice to be noticed.”

Milo shifts his weight, but doesn’t say anything.

“I wish there was a way to catch a Pokemon without battling it.”

“Sometimes you can!” Milo pulls out one of his Pokeballs. “You see, all that matters is when this button here,” He gestures to the knob at the front. “presses against the Pokemon you wish to capture. If the Pokemon accepts your ownership, then it’s easy as pie and they’re snug in their Pokeball! But most Pokemon like bein’ free, so you have to weaken them first in order to catch ‘em.” He hands you the Pokeball. “How ‘bout you see how she feels?”

You look to the Lotad and hold the Pokeball out to her. “What do you say? Would you like to come along with me? There’s a whole bunch of friends who’d be happy to meet you!” The Pokemon takes one final look at the others deeper in the pond, and then nudges at the Pokeball. With a flash it opens and soon the Lotad is in the ball. With a couple light shakes, the ball clicks and it seems like she’s ready to be one of your Pokemon.“Wow you’re right!” You hold up the Pokeball, amazed that it happened. “I always thought you had to take Pokemon by force.”

“Usually, that’s the case.” Milo has his hand at his chin, looking like he’s really thinking about something. “But it looks like you naturally attract Pokemon! I noticed that with the Wooloo I gave you. Technically, we’d have to do something more official, like me releasing and then you capturing him. But he just went right over to you and accepted you as his trainer.”

You giggle a bit. “That one is still attached to my hip, I’ll be surprised if he ever wants to do anything but cuddle.” Sliding the Pokeball into your bag, you shoulder it on and stand up from where you were lounging. “I bet he’s going to be so happy to see you!”

Milo smiles as he lends out his arm again, which you take. His demeanor hasn’t changed at all, nothing is awkward about how he is around you. When you try to imagine Leon doing the same thing, it’s like he would get hives and pass out from so much physical contact with you.

“It looks like the coast is clear for the rest of the way outta here. And the rain lets up in the direction we’re headed.” You’re reminded that it’s still drizzling as water collects and drips off the edge of his cap. “I’m sure you’d like to be near a warm cozy fire right about now!”

“With you? Of course.” It’s your turn to smile when Milo mumbles a sort of thanks.

You feel like, maybe, this adventure is worth going on after all.