i knocked out the intruder and the little one wouldn’t leave his side. sylus was supposed to be keeping watch but the idiot fell asleep.

sure. thanks, koa, i’ll take it from here.

yeah, yeah. i’m gonna go back to sleep.

[koa makes a vague gesture before heading back to the cave where they came from. as soon as they’re out of sight, rigel crouches down next to the sleeping trio and takes a deep breath.]

RISE AND SHINE, SLEEPING BEAUTIES.

I’M UP-

so, what, i have to fight all your toughest warriors or something?

ehh, eventually. but in order to understand how the ceremony works, you need to learn about our traditions first. some of the other clan members will help fill you in for that.

[as rigel leads byul and levy through the canyons with sylus bringing up the rear, they approach a couple of ‘mons in front of some sort of paw-painted mural.]

[upon hearing their name, the tall, lanky-looking luxray looks in their direction.]

odyssey will give you a little introduction, so you’d better listen to them, alright icarus?

hey, my name isn’t icarus, it’s byul!

sure, whatever. and sylus, go take vega home. i gotta finish up patrolling.

after all this time, you finally show your face again, icarus.

icarus? i think you’ve mistaken me for someone else, buddy.

don’t play dumb. you can’t possibly think you can just walk through our territory like nothing happened, and bearing a symbol of humans, no less.

[byul looks behind him and notices his exit is blocked by two more luxray who look strikingly similar to him.]

look, i don’t... i’m not here to rejoin your little clan or whatever. i don’t even know who you are. i just have questions about... who i am.

you don’t remember? do you expect me to believe that?

it doesn’t seem like he’s lying, gabriel. if we can give him answers, he may leave us in peace.

icarus.

[severus and rigel exchange uneasy looks as a dark expression clouds over gabriel’s face.]

gabriel... what’s your plan? perhaps we should see what he has to say.