Chapter 96 - Power Restored


Several hours later, Serenity left Chris's room alongside Alicia and Rose, the three looking at one another with a nod before making their way down the corridor. "I must say, that spot of rest certainly did the trick." Alicia smirked while lifting Chris's coat up, clutched within her vine. "It certainly is odd, him waltzing about without this rag on." she added. "That not rag!" Serenity shout, snatching it from Alicia with a growl. "If not respect it, not carry it." she lectured while folding it and holding it in her arms. "You not respecting cause mess in first place." she added. "Excuse me?! What am I supposed to do about his self loathing?!" Alicia asked in irritation. "I'm not a psychiatrist. And besides, these are issues he's had long before I poked a bit of fun at him. I can't be blamed for his self loathing, rather you should be thanking me for helping in bringing it out of him. At last now we know something he'd been suppressing" she muttered, facing away with a scowl. "Y-You know, I think both of you are right." Rose point out causing Serenity and Alicia to stop and look back at her, both asking "what?" simultaneously causing the rabbit to laugh nervously with her hands up. "E-Easy, just hear me out." she coaxed before letting out a sigh. "Serenity's right about the respect stuff. If he's got something going on in his mind like that, I mean, feeling unimportant and all, feeling small, he needs to know it's not Ninetails that makes him special or strong, and it's up to us to make him realize that! After all, if anyone can get through to him, who else but us? He's made it pretty clear how important we are so..." she explained. "Alicia's right about bringing it out of him. So her teasing isn't completely bad when you think about it. We do kind of owe her for learning about a new side of him. Otherwise he would have suppressed those thoughts forever and they would've just gotten worse and worse. Now we can help him before that happens... Maybe Alicia didn't mean to do that, but we still owe her anyway. Being who she is has helped us find a new way to help Chris out!" Rose point out, causing the snake to blink at her while Serenity faced Alicia before glancing away with a scowl.

 
"Yes, well, thank you for that." Alicia nodded. "Yeah... Guess snake okay." Serenity added before walking on, clutching Chris's coat and grumbling. "Oh now what's her problem?" Alicia scowled. "I think she's just frustrated. The thought of you being the reason we're able to help him instead of her probably just strikes a nerve deep down. You two are pretty much rivals after all." Rose reminded, Alicia putting her nose up. "Oh please, her a rival to me? No competition whatsoever." she replied smugly. "I hear that!!" Serenity shout back. "Good!!" Alicia hissed before slithering along the corridor, both Pokemon now grumbling and glaring at one another with sparks between their eyes while Rose sighed and followed. "You know, even though I said that, don't you think Chris would prefer it if you two got along? He kinda made that clear too." Rose point out. "Not my fault snake obno... obnoise... Upnosi..." Serenity struggled. "Obnoxious? Why yes, you are rather hard to stomach, aren't you?" Alicia laughed haughtily causing Serenity to twitch an eye while forming a dark claw around her hand. "C-Come on, that's the opposite of how you should be! Even though you're rivals, you could still be a bit more friendly and peaceful about it, right?" Rose asked. "Friend?! With her?! I save life, she not thankful!! Still treat bad!!" Serenity argued. "Oh come now, must I really worship everyone's feet for whatever they do for me?" Alicia asked with a scowl. "You saved me, well, need I remind you so has he? You don't see Chris whining, he knows how to appreciate whatever recognition I show towards him. You would do well in learning such humility." Alicia replied with a smirk.

 
"I learn humility?! You need more than me!! You act snobby before, now you evolved, you even worse!! You lucky Chris like you snake. If not you be..." Serenity threatened, cutting herself off and letting out an agitated "ooohhhh" while waving a finger at Alicia before walking ahead, leaving Alicia with an irritated look of her own, twitching an eye while the tip of her tail flickered rapidly. "I-Is it just me or are you two getting worse?" Rose asked, inching back cautiously as Alicia turned to her. "Please, it's expected to vent whenever he's not around. You've any idea how hard it is having to restrain ourselves constantly when by Chris's side? It's natural for our kind to loathe one another when it comes to certain things such as..." Alicia replied, glancing away and murmuring with a slight blush on her face. "Listen little bunny, you know as well as I how complicated and uncommon our relationships are with him. Not only are we all circled around the same male, but it's a human of all things. When we choose someone, that certain someone is our intended for life. For most of our kind anyways. And that holds especially true for MY kind I'll have you know. It's an utter disgrace to copulate with the same male others are doing the same with, even worse is doing such a thing with a human, yet..." she went on, glancing away and cutting herself off once more. "Sounds like you have a lot on your mind too..." Rose replied with a smile. "I think I kinda get why you act the way you do towards Serenity, do you mind if I try to guess?" she asked, Alicia raising an eyebrow at her before sighing and slithering ahead. "If you must." Alicia replied while Rose walked along next to her.

 
"So the problem is, he's a human, and it's in your nature not to like that kind of thing, right? Being with a human I mean." Rose began. "It's deplorable to have such feelings and fantasies for a human. I've already acted on them a time or two in the past, the fact I've yet to do so since should tell you something." Alicia replied with her nose up, also remembering the time she was intimate with him alongside Serenity causing the snake to shudder. "That was one moment of truce and indulgence that shan't happen again." she muttered. "What was that?" Rose asked curiously, only for Alicia to slither along silently, ignoring the question. "O-Okay then... So that, and the fact Serenity has been with him that way more than you... Is that the problem?" Rose asked, causing the snake to blush and face away. "I haven't been that way with him whatsoever. There has been no actual copulation between us." the snake replied, showing a slightly somber look. "...If it's so deplorable then why do you look that way? Plus, you kinda flirted with him in that kinda way earlier, remember?" Rose point out, causing Alicia to jolt and clear her throat. "I understand how you feel, trust me. At first, it felt weird to me too, it did feel kinda gross, we're different species and it was really, REALLY confusing, but after I pushed myself into finally taking those kind of steps with him, once it actually happened... Those feelings of it being wrong and all just kinda vanished. Didn't you feel that way when you tried to do things with him too? Didn't it feel even just a little more natural when you flirted with him?" Rose asked. Thinking back, Alicia nodded silently in response. "You're struggling with your nature. Struggling with what's wrong and right. I went through the same thing you're going through, and I'm sure Serenity did too. You're just having a harder time with everything because of your species. It's literally in your blood to completely reject how you feel about him. So... It's going to be harder for you to push yourself into that kind of relationship, into doing those kinds of things with him." Rose added.

 
"It's complicated, I'll admit that. Seeing how easily the two of you go about things with him, how you two keep doing things right in front of me, it's infuriating to say the least." Alicia confessed. "That's what I don't get... We've both done things with him, so why do you treat me so differently compared to Serenity?" Rose asked, tilting her head while Alicia looked down at her before facing forward. "The way you go about behaving around Chris, for the most part you seem more... Respective of me. You don't flaunt your passion the way Serenity does. You're not butting in between the Chris and I constantly. Your mannerisms, your personality, you're too harmless to feel much spite towards. You don't make it a habit to fling mud in my direction, you don't look down on me. You show the kind of behavior I'd expect of someone by my side, you show the kind of respect I look for, thus I've no reason to be bitter towards you. Annoyed from time to time perhaps, but by and large there's a vast difference between you and her. You are preferable as a companion, basically." Alicia explained, both jolting and jerking back when they nearly bumped into Serenity who had stopped to look back at the two. "I not like you, but that not because you are who you are. I not like you because you not honest. You hide too much. You get over Serperior fear, that good for you, but you too stuck up to show Chris respect HE deserve. You too stuck up to show love HE deserve. You save Chris life, but way you act, not tell if you save him because love, or you save him just to make you look good, to make you feel proud of self. If you be more honest, I still not like you much, but I not be AS mean to you." Serenity explained, both Alicia and Rose looking at Serenity silently as she spoke.

 
"Chris do everything for you, for us. He let us do what we want, say what we want, be who we want. But not right to take advantage like you do. He give you freedom to be happy, he give good life to you. And what you do? So you save Chris life. If that only reason you stay, to pay back, then you pay back, you can leave now. We get off ship, you go away." Serenity said while turning to face Alicia completely. "But if love Chris, if really love, stop lying, stop hiding. Be honest. Treat him like love him. Not play game with him. You keep insulting, you keep hurting, you keep causing trouble, then you see what happen. Chris have to cover for you again and again, always say sorry for you, always clean up mess you make. You act like big spoiled baby. You evolve, but you not act mature. You think you mature, but you not. I younger than you, and even I more mature than you." Serenity point out. "I act way I do with Chris because love him. I not want him see bad sides of me more than have to. But when he not around, not have to hide bad side. You shape up snake, or one day you find out what I can do when he not around. I not asking much, just asking you to be honest with Chris, be nice. Not care if call name sometime, can tease now and then. But need to show you respect him more, show you love him more... I not like sharing Chris any more than you. I hate having other female with him, hate you being with him, hate Rose being with him." she point out, looking at the rabbit.

 
"But... I look past hate if he treated good, if he happy. If feel you treat him right. That why, even though Rose do things I hate, I still let her be with Chris, let her get closer. She make him happy, she treat him good, so I allow things. Talk about respect, that what I do. Rose good, so respect her." Serenity went on, rubbing Rose on the head. "You do same, be more like Rose, stop acting like Chris lower than you, I respect you." she explained. "If want to stay, you get over problems. Have to get past what feel wrong. If can't, you wasting Chris's time, you wasting our time. Wasting my time. Get over self, get over blood. He worth it. If you know that deep down, if feel same for him as we do, as I do, show it or go away. You Serperior now, you change form not supposed to change how you treat Chris, you bigger than him, but you not better. You never be better. You not be Serperior without him, and I not letting you forget that. Know place snake, you not as great as think. Without Chris, you be nothing, you be dead, we all be that way... You even know why necklace you lost important? I think you care about necklace for different reason than us, even though you say it because of him... Need to prove you feel way we do or go away." she finished, looking up at Alicia before continuing her trek ahead of them along the corridor, Alicia facing down silently while Rose felt the top of her head, blinking in surprise before looking up towards her forehead and showing a small smile. "You know, she's not wrong... She's a lot more blunt than me, but she's not wr...!!" Rose tried to say, cut off by Alicia saying "shut up" before slithering ahead of the rabbit, leaving Rose wide eyed. "Sh-Shut up?" she muttered, drooping her ears with a somber look on her face before silently following.

 
Eventually, both reached the final corner leading towards the Grand Staircase lobby, turning only to find Serenity standing still at the end of the corridor. "I wonder what's wrong..." Rose muttered. "Probably waiting for us so she can get more off her chest." Alicia replied while they continued along. However, once they reached her side, both turned still as they looked around, noticing everyone busily hurrying about, with Chris at the center of everything holding a clip board filled with papers, both Captain Rostron and Captain Smith by his sides listening as he point out different things, instructing people, Pokemon, and the Yamask in countless directions. "Look at him go..." they heard a quiet voice say nearby, turning to see Sally and Victoria watching the same as them. "Indeed, he never stops once he's begun a task." Victoria nodded before they faced the girls and smiled. "He's been at it ever since he returned from your room... Pokemon and passengers throughout the ship have been recovering quickly, and from what I hear it won't be much longer before we have power restored throughout the ship as well." Victoria added before the two faced Chris once more. "Okay, so the plan's a little off, but tending to the Pokemon and all first was definitely the right call. The Yamask had more energy left than I thought, so that helped us eliminate some of the processes." they heard Chris say. "Aye, going by the blueprints and reports, connecting the electric Pokemon directly to the points here, here, and over on that side was a lucky break... The officers report we'll be at full charge before long and we'll have enough to power the Guardian in its entirety, even in its current state. A stroke of luck for sure." Rostron point out, now in a wheelchair. "My crew and passengers all report everything's going smoothly. There are Pokemon in need of medical aid, but by and large most are recovering well. Nobody has passed out yet, and if anything all the action has energized them all the more. After a hundred years of moping, getting to help others has really driven an extraordinary spark of life back into the lot of em'." Smith added with a grin.

 
Looking around, Serenity and the girls finally noticed how dim things had actually gotten, with the sun now setting giving the interior and orange-ish red glow, making things appear as that of a painting around them. "We stayed in the room a lot longer than I thought... We were so distracted and all I hadn't noticed." Rose point out, Serenity and Alicia nodding in response. "Alright! Everyone looks good here! I need you over here, some of you there..." Chris began instructing, the Yamask and Guardian crew gathering around to hear Chris out before nodding and hurrying off towards other portions of the ship while the remaining Pokemon in the lobby started standing and moving about. "Looks like we've got another area finished with..." Chris muttered, checking off several papers in his clipboard. "Toss it here a moment." Rostron said, motioning for the clipboard. "What's on your mind?" Chris asked, handing it over. "Just going over things one more time." he replied before pressing his fingers against the communicator in his ear, requesting information on the structure of the ship and marking things down on the blueprints. "Alright, as far as reactivating the ship, looks like these are the safe zones. There are several locations best left off, but none that would affect passengers. The sections we've placed the electric types seem to be holding together pretty well, with the charge still progressing without a problem. I'd say come the time we reach the bridge, what's left of it mind you, we should be able to start the girl up." Rostron point out. "I can't tell you how greatly we appreciate the aid lad. We're short on numbers with so many in need and so much needing done after all the action. Using the Yamask like this, stretching out the Pokemon, you're a smart one." Rostron praised with a smile.

 
"Ha ha, it's nothing. Believe you me, I've just been doing the easy part. It's everyone else who's doing the real work." Chris replied before looking over the papers once more, this statement causing the girls to face one another. "Hey, uh, Smith sir? You ever find out about the missing Yamask?" Chris asked. "Oh, uh, aye. Just went off to have a look see was all. Some curious exploration, same as the others." Smith replied, waving off the subject. "Huh... Sally told me the same thing basically." Chris replied, raising an eyebrow before shrugging and continuing his conversations between the two while they turned and head off towards the stairs, Smith using his abilities to lift Rostron, chair and all, safely up the steps. "It's hard to say how I feel about being toted about like this... It's a tad degrading, but then again I'm being aided by THE one and true Captain Smith." Rostron laughed. "I may be old, but never doubt the strength of a man. How one appears on the outside is never a true determination of what they're capable of on the inside." Smith grinned. "Ah ha ha... Not that you could tell my age in this form I suppose." he added. Watching them head up the steps and disappear through the exit, the girls quickly followed behind, Sally about to reach out and call them only for Victoria to put a hand on her shoulder and shook her head. "It can wait my dear. There's a more appropriate time." Victoria point out, Sally looking up at her before looking down at her hand, clutching a sparkling object within and nodding before the two head off in the opposite direction along the corridor, Sally looking back curiously while her grandmother pushed her along with a silent smile on her face.

 
"Alright, so we've got these sections taken care of. Most of the Pokemon are moving around, and the passengers have been tended to as well. There's still a few places where Pokemon need aid, but for the most part everyone's taken care of now. We just need to keep a close eye on the Pokemon sent off to the centers in the ship and make sure they come along okay, that goes for passengers too as we've got quite a few needing some extra TLC..." Chris point out, Rostron nodding while Smith grunt, looking over the papers with him. "I've been in contact with the chefs and their crews, we've lost a fair portion of food due to the attack, things knocked about here and there, frozen and cooled food exposed when doors and latches flew open, but even with that in mind we've still plenty left to tide us over until aid arrives. So we've nothing to fear supply wise." Rostron point out, Chris nodding. "I'll work with Captain Smith and his passengers and crew to deliver food to everyone. They'd probably be the faster option, and with all the Yamask being so small they wouldn't be in anyone's way compared to having all the staff running all over the place. That will free people up to handle other things like cleaning up the damage and nursing. Sound good?" Chris asked, both men agreeing as they reached the bow and looked up at the bridge. "This is the moment of truth then..." Rostron said before turning on his communicator. "Alright men! Everything good to go up there?" he asked, the group watching as several officers walked up to the exposed section of the bridge and waved at them. "Good, good. All we've gotta do now is give them the approval to reactivate." he nodded, before wheeling away from Chris and Smith to check in with other crew throughout the ship once more.

 
"He sure is thorough." Chris chuckled. "The Rostron family, they are a renowned bloodline. He has much to live up to, and I'd say he's doing just that admirably." Smith point out. "What do you think of your descendant? He's like... Your great, great..." Chris began, Smith scowling more and more with every "great" Chris said before raising a hand to cut him off. "That's enough lad, every time you say that word it feels like my back shatters to pieces. I'm not THAT old. I mean, yes I'm OLD but, you get the picture." Smith point out, Chris laughing and apologizing. "Just foolin' with ya. But what do you think of Chief Smith?" he asked. "A fine man. A pity we couldn't have met when he was in better health. I respect his perseverance however, despite being confined to a bed he has the same relentless drive to see to his duty as I did. Good to know some good things remain from these ol' genes of mine." Smith chuckled. Looking at Smith, Chris still had his research running through his mind as well, trying to think of the best way to explain the way the world currently portrays him and about to bring it up when Rostron suddenly called out to the two, wheeling up with a grin on his face. "We're ready to reactivate the Guardian! I'd like you to do the honors lad!" he told Chris, causing him to jolt wide eyed. "M-Me?!" he asked, the Captain nodding while Smith pat him on the back. "Lookie there! The good Captain's giving a passenger permission to start his own ship!" Smith congratulated, Chris stumbling forward from the patting and laughing nervously. "Y-You sure? I think I've caused enough damage being at the controls." he replied jokingly. "Bah, go on lad. You deserve to be the one who brings the light back to everyone. Although, then again I guess you've already done that, haven't you?" Rostron laughed, giving Chris a nudge before Captain Smith engulfed the two in his psychic aura and lift them towards the bridge, the girls walking up where Chris stood from where they'd been listening from.

 
Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - The Rekindled Guardian
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x36rgbp_clannad-ost-shining-in-the-sky_shortfilms


"He's so caught up in everything he hasn't noticed us at all." Rose said somberly. "That just how he is. When mind focused on someone, or something, that all he pay attention to." Serenity point out. "Well, hes certainly been doing an impressive job I suppose. Sounds like he's got everything back to normal for the most part, with help of course." Alicia nodded. As the three looked up towards the bridge, after a moment they suddenly heard a sound as if the ship had taken in a sudden gasp of air, causing them to look down curiously before seeing the lights around the bow flicker. "Ship coming back on?" Serenity muttered, and next thing they knew the lights let off a bright flash before the sound of the entire ship reactivating could be heard all around them, the rest of the Guardian flashing section by section until the electricity was flowing smoothly throughout her structure, the lights slowly dimming down to a normal glow as the speakers began clicking and ringing back to life. "Attention everyone!! We have power!! I repeat, we have power!! The Guardian is back!!" Rostron's voice echoed throughout the ship, and as the girls smiled at one another and nodded, the sound of everyone throughout the ship cheering could be heard as countless people leaned out the windows to whistle and chant, others rushing to the decks to show their excitement from having the power brought back just as darkness began slowly engulfing the sea while the sun set before the bow, the kids and their Pokemon running about all over the deck and pointing out the lights. "You do good, you do good." Serenity nodded with a smile while returning her focus to the bridge above. "He's spent the whole time we were resting doing all this... Even after everything he's done so far." Rose muttered, looking at all the lights as well as the Pokemon running around with the humans surrounding them. "Too bad he not believe he do as much as we know he has." Serenity point out, Rose nodding in response. "He hasn't tried to rest at all because he feels like he doesn't deserve to. It's really sad... It's good for everyone else that he hasn't stopped working for their sake, but at the same time it makes me feel really bad for him." Rose said somberly while her ears drooped.

 
"Do you think pitying him will really help him either?" Alicia point out with her nose up. "You talk so high and mighty towards me about how I treat him, but to my credit I've never pitied him, and speaking as someone who hasn't, neither should you." she affirmed, poking Rose against the chest with the tip of her tail. "You in no place to tell how to treat him. You still on thin ice." Serenity reminded. "Oh would you leave me be?" Alicia replied, hissing her tongue out at Serenity before facing the bridge. "Speaking of, there he is." Alicia point out, the girls turning to see Chris standing at the edge of the bridges exposed deck, looking over the bow before Smith float up to his side and motioned towards his back, the girls watching as Chris nodded and climbed on before Smith made a leap off the bridge and lowered himself down to the girls level, landing on the bow ahead of them and helping Chris climb off his back and stand by his side. With him now so close, the girls were about to make their way up to Chris only to find themselves pushed aside by an endless crowd of passengers and Pokemon alike that quickly ran past, the Yamask from throughout the ship swarming around as well overhead to greet Chris and Captain Smith, eagerly shaking their hands catching the two off guard as they smiled nervously and shook as many as they could. "Y-Yeah! N-No problem! Glad to be of servi... Oh! Thanks! Y-Yeah! You too!" the girls heard Chris saying, struggling to keep up with everyone around him as people spoke simultaneously, countless people holding papers and notepads in the air wanting signatures from the two. With the bow continuing to swarm with more Pokemon and people by the second, the girls were forced further and further away from Chris until they were finally squeezed out of the back of the crowd, standing together wide eyed and silent before showing somber expressions and backing away.

 
"Well, at least this way maybe he won't need our help after all to feel better. Maybe he'll realize how important he is on his own with this kind of stuff going on." Rose point out with a small smile. "C-Certainly, it's hard to ignore so many wanting to praise you for your deeds. Perhaps it will do his ego a bit of good." Alicia nodded. Standing between them, Serenity watched silently as Chris signed countless things and shook hand after hand, her grip on his coat growing tighter and tighter with her eyes wide without a blink to be seen as people continued crowding Chris, eagerly pushing their way among one another while he struggled to keep up with the onslaught of signature demands and outstretched hands. "Easy there, don't lose your grip on sanity now." Alicia reminded, having noticed Serenity's behavior and expression. "They aren't hurting him, it's just a bunch of fans." the snake assured, Serenity taking a step back while her clutch on his coat tightened all the more. "E-Easy, if you're not careful you'll ruin it." Rose warned, causing Serenity to jolt and loosen her grip. "If we see any sign of him being harmed because they're overly excited rest assured we'll intervene. Until then perhaps this medicine will work just as well as what you..." Alicia said, pausing before looking at Chris and sighing. "What we had in mind." she nodded, Serenity glancing up at her before returning her focus to Chris, the scene striking countless nerves within her yet maintaining her restriction nonetheless. Eventually, despite the continuous onslaught of starstruck passengers, Chris managed to gradually inch himself through everyone over time, until he finally popped right out of the back of the crowd and landed on the deck right in front of the girls, letting out a groan while raising up, noticing the girls in front of him and blinking in surprise before waving with a nervous laugh.

 
"H-Hey! U-Up finally huh? How was your na...!!" he paused, freezing when he felt the eyes of everyone on him as the crowd turned around, quickly rolling onto his back and inching his way back from them and closer to the girls. "Th-That's all for today everyone!! Th-Thanks for the praise and all b-but really!! It was nothing, n-nothing at all!" he affirmed, noticing Smith suddenly shoot up from the center of the crowd shouting "gad-zooks!!" and quickly rushing off towards the bridge with a panicked expression, noticing Chris and shouting "good luck lad!!" while leaving him behind. "Th-Thanks a lot!! A r-real hero!!" he shout back as the crowd started pleading for him to sign things once more, reaching their hands out eagerly towards him causing his eyes to widen. "P-Please!! P-Personal space folks!! I-I really could use a break!!" he panicked with a nervous smile, breaking out in more and more of a nervous sweat. As they pushed their papers and hands further and further towards his face, Chris's nervous state gradually turned into fear, until next thing he new something massive slammed down onto the deck before him, smashing the wood causing the crowd to jerk back and turn silent and pale, countless people having nearly lost their hands. "T-Tail?" he muttered wide eyed, looking along its length before trailing his eyes up towards Alicia's face as she glared down at everyone. "That's quite enough." she warned. "It's one thing to show your appreciation, another to show a disturbing obsession." she lectured before coiling around him. "Y-Yeah! It was nice at first. But you're all starting to act creepy! You even chased off that Captain guy!" Rose point out, stepping in front of Chris while the crowd looked at one another and faced up towards the bridge.

 
"A-Alicia... Rose..." Chris muttered, blinking in surprise at the two before letting out a long sigh and slumping over Alicia's tail. "Thank you." he groaned in relief, the crowd looking at him before stepping further back. "You mind yourselves and go about your business now. You've made your appreciation clear, and hes shown his thanks, now be on your way and let him be." Alicia ordered, the crowd nodding before leaving the group, many apologizing along the way. "I didn't see that coming. I thought I'd have Smith come down here with me so we could be alone and I could tell him the stuff I found out, but next thing I knew we were surrounded and those people just kept getting crazier and crazier!" he explained before leaning back and taking a slow, deep breath, feeling along Alicia's tail and looking it over. "Huh, ya know, this is actually kinda comfortable." he muttered, causing the snake to face away with a slight blush. "No, seriously! This actually does feel pretty good. You've got a great body." he praised, stretching and relaxing. Glancing down at him, Alicia scowled with a slightly shy look in her expression. "What do I look like, a recliner?" she asked. "No, but you definitely feel a lot better than one." he chuckled, causing Alicia to clear her throat and face away while he rubbed his hands. "Yeesh, haven't wrote that much in forever. How do famous people do it?" he muttered before looking around, noticing Serenity standing against the wall behind them. "There you are! What's with the distance?" he asked, looking at Serenity as she faced down, clutching his coat against her. "Huh, something wrong?" he asked curiously. "They've been... Going through the motions." Rose point out with a nervous laugh.

 
"You girls fought AGAIN? Come on, you were supposed to be taking it easy!" he lectured while coaxing Alicia into letting him stand before facing the two. "Rest assured, we didn't get physical. Just an exchange of words. A few harsh ones perhaps, but nothing more than that." Alicia explained. "Besides, it's not just that bothering her at the moment I believe." she added, Chris tilting his head before walking up to Serenity. "Hey, what's up?" he asked, reaching out and rubbing her head. "Not know." she replied. "Well, if you don't know, then there's no reason to look so down! Come on, show me that pretty face." he grinned causing Serenity's eyes to widen and a slight blush to appear before quickly shaking her head and glancing away. "N-Not now. Lots on mind." she replied before holding out his coat, pressing it against his chest while keeping her face down. "It dry, you take. Put on." she told him, letting him take it while tilting his head confused. "Come on, tell me what's on your mind." he coaxed, reaching out and rubbing her head once more with a smile. "Did you sleep well? Are you sore anywhere?" he asked. "Is it your stomach maybe? You haven't eaten... Crap! That's right!! I told you girls I'd find you something to eat!! Ah geez, I'm sorry!" he apologized with a nervous laugh, facing the others and slightly bowing apologetically. "You got my word, that's the next thing on my list! I'll get right on it, alright?" he assured, giving Serenity another smile only to jolt when she suddenly ran into him and gave him a tight hug. "S-Serenity?" he asked, looking down at her and blinking bewildered. "O-Okay, now I know something's goin' on. What's the deal?" he asked, Serenity digging her nails into his clothes as she clutched him.

 
"Humans, humans, too many humans!!" she shout. "Want stop, not stop! Alicia stop! I not stop!" she added, Chris looking at her all the more bewildered before facing Alicia, the snake giving an "I've no idea" look in response, shaking her head before facing Rose, the rabbit shrugging. "E-Easy there, come on, reel in the emotions and get your thoughts straight." he coaxed, giving her a hug and rubbing her back. "If I do something you like, think you could settle down some and explain things clearly?" he asked, Serenity clutching him silently before slowly nodding. "Good, well then..." he paused before holding his coat out and wrapping it around
 Serenity, backing away from her with a grin. "How's that? Feel better?" he asked, Serenity blinking at him before feeling his coat and looking herself over. After a moment, a small smile appeared on her face as she looked at him, replying with "stupid" in a loving tone before leaning against him. "E-Er, okay?" he laughed nervously, doing his best to work with what he could get out of her. "Now then, come on. Tell me whats got you so out of wack all of a sudden." he coaxed, rubbing her on the head again as she glanced away with a scowl. "It all those humans. They get too close, too many. They push you, shout at you, grab you. Not like it at all. Way they treat you. Not treat you like person, treat you like meat." she explained, Chris blinking at her before snickering and laughing, Serenity jolting and puffing out her cheeks. "HEY!! Not laugh!!" she shout. "S-Sorry. It's just that comparison got me is all, especially the way it's pretty spot on. Guess I was like a chunk of meat there, huh?" he chuckled, poking one of her cheeks. "Alright, so you're upset because of how many people were around me and how I was treated. I know you hate humans getting all close like that, so I understand your frustration there, but keep in mind they were just really excited is all. Remember, everyone thought they were going to die! That aside, anything else?" he asked, Serenity glancing at Alicia. "It that snake too." she muttered. "Excuse me?" Alicia asked. "C-Come on now, take it easy." Chris coaxed nervously. "What about Alicia?" he asked, putting his hands on Serenity's shoulders so she focused on him.

 
"I not understand her. She confuse me. Way she act, way she do things. Not tell if should let be near you or not." Serenity explained, Alicia rolling her eyes and muttering "oh, that again" in response. "When you get past humans and they try to get you, I ready to attack. But before I could, Alicia step in, she protect you. She make humans go away and let you lay on her, she treat you good. But then, she treat you bad, like dropping in ocean, calling names. She treat you bad, make me mad, then she treat you good, make me confused... Not like humans, not like her, but have to like both, it make head hurt, make want to hit things." Serenity explained while facing down. "Try not to be violent, but it hard. You not know how much hold self back for you." she went on, Chris letting out a sigh and shaking his head. "Listen, we're all wound up pretty tight right now. A lot has happened and everybody's a mess. We went thought all that stuff in the city, and what was supposed to be a vacation has just made things even more tense. I think what all three of you need is some time to settle down, some time apart even. Now that I've helped get the ship back in working order, helped everyone get a few things done on the side and all, got the Pokemon back up on their feet, why don't we see about getting you girls some TLC next?" he asked, all three looking at him curiously. "Serenity's sick of humans because she's been crowded by so many for a long time now, and she's frustrated cause she had to save them all. It can't be easy doing that for someone you hate more than anything else." Chris point out. "I think you're just ready to be away from them all, for it to just be us again, right? You want some attention alone, without any people, even without the girls, right?" he asked, Serenity facing down for a moment before nodding silently.

 
"Alicia and Rose, you girls have your own reasons to be high strung at the moment too. Rose has spent the whole trip trying to keep the peace between everyone, trying to help others. And believe you me, we all know what Alicia's done!" he smiled, the snake jolting and glancing away slightly red. "Plus after losing something so important, that's another reason I can understand her acting the way she has. And you should be able to understand that too Serenity, I mean, how would you act if you lost something like that? If you lost yours?" he asked, Serenity touching her badge while Alicia faced down somberly. "I think if you girls could just get some time alone, an actual reward for what you've done, you'd feel a lot better, even about each other. You just need a break is all, and with everything out of the way finally, I'd be more than happy to make that happen. You girls deserve it." he nodded, the three looking at one another and nodding back in response. "It'll take me a little bit to set up a few things for you, but trust me, you give me the time to do so and I promise you'll feel a whole lot better in no time." he assured with a smile before walking past and looking at the remaining sunset. "Looks like I finished all that work at just the right time too... Wadaya say we enjoy the view together for a bit, then head inside and see if we can't put a smile on those faces?" he asked, looking back with a grin causing the girls to glance away with small smiles and join him at his sides.

 
"You know Alicia, I was right." he chuckled, the snake looking at him curiously. "Those eyes of yours, even as beautiful as this sunset is, they still grab my attention. In fact, I think the sunset's just making them look even better than they already were!" he praised, giving her a thumbs up causing Alicia to jolt and quickly face away. "I-Idiot. Stop it with the eye stuff." she replied. "But you know, I think the sunset looks great in all your eyes." Chris added, smiling at both Serenity and Rose before pulling both close to his sides. "After a hard days work, this is the best way I could imagine to spend my time. Not only enjoying the sunset, but enjoying it while being able to look into the eyes of the girls I love more than anything else in the whoooole world." he nodded with a smirk, all three looking at him before Serenity rest her head against his shoulder, clinging to his coat wrapped around her while Rose leaned against his side, Alicia coiling around them and resting her chin atop his head.

 
"Thanks for everything you've done girls..." Chris chuckled, rubbing Rose on the head while giving Serenity a kiss on the forehead, turning and rubbing his nose against Alicia's. "You all did great." he praised before returning his gaze towards the sunset alongside them...  