This is Kompy's fault. There. I said it. She wanted me to submit it here or else she would not submit the complete artwork of it. She is a ransomer and evil and god damnit she is also a good friend.

This is an ooold as hell story. It, essentially, kickstarted a pretty long collab story between my own Melody Lovelace and Heist Irving with Kompy's Nigel Garkirl and Charla Rey. Anyway, because it was so long I figured "why the hell not, let's talk about it and bring up the context".

Context was: Nigel Garkirl, a Gardevoir, was meant to evolve into a Gallade instead thanks to a Dawn Stone. However, drama ensues, and he sells his own broken stone to a pair of Banettes who wanted to follow their adopted daughter's wish to become a Froslass, and buy it cheap in a moment where they don't have the necessary funds for an intact stone (Nigel cracked his in a fit of rage).

Fast forward a few years. Nigel moves to Viridian City to the Poké-Combat Academy. There, in a fit of very lazy writing of my part, he chances upon Melody who used his own stone for her evolution. The story was a chance to tell a story Kompy wanted to tell, and it made for an interesting link between our characters.

In the meantime, we have Charla Rey and Heist Irving. Charla, Luxray, is Nigel's childhood sweetheart, and of course she is also studying in the PCA. After a boyfriend or two of Charla's part she and Nigel become an item. That's it. Moving on a little.

Heist Irving, hailing from Snowpoint City in Sinnoh, grew up with precious few friends (he was rumoured to being cursed thanks to his albino fur) and very limited knowledge in social interactions. When Heist makes his first friend in Melody he becomes very protective over her. Melody confuses it with romantic feelings, and when Heist doesn't respond she feels dejected.

Just before this story's events, Nigel and Charla have an argument, and Charla takes a time out between their relationship. Melody is caught in a moment where she realizes that, in the end, she is becoming more and more a burden to her own team. Heist, unable to let go of his past and struck with survivor's guilt (which is another stupid idea I thought was good at the time) finds himself having trouble resting. In a moment in which the four students are feeling particularly vulnerable, they have a dream.

...And the story starts right here.

A few stories later, what happens is a Lucario with terrible understandings of social interactions feels guilty for his teammate and tries to make up for her... By almost ruining another relationship entirely in the process.

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Whew.

So there we have it. That was ages ago and reading back I see several things I would have changed in the story, but to preserve its integrity when I first submitted I decided against doing a "remastery".

At least for now.

hint hint