Rhyme and Ethan rushed out the contest hall, frantically searching for their friend.

"I don't get it. Why would she suddenly just back out of a contest just like that?" Rhyme asked.

"Leafeon had an odd look when they went in." Ethan noted. "It might have something to do with that."

That look of fear the eeveelution had looked exactly like the looks described in the stories he heard about the history of Team Star. Then there was the fact that both Leafeon and Jade were a little odd the moment they had that talk with Jade's aunt. It was clearly the fact that someone they didn't want to encounter that was causing them to be like this.

But all he and Rhyme could do at the moment was hope that nothing made things worse for Jade or Leafeon as they continued to search for them.

Rhyme checked the nearby areas right outside the contest hall but to no avail. There wasn't even so much as a trace. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Ethan's Houndour sniffing the ground. His ears perked up and suddenly he darted in a random direction.

"Hey, I think Houndour caught one of their scents!" she called out before running after Houdour, Prinplup by her side.

As Ethan struggled to keep up, Rhyme could tell that they were headed in the direction of the pokemon center. Houndour stopped at the door and through the glass they saw the duo they were looking for. Leafeon laid his head on Jade's lap as they sat on a couch.

Rhyme didn't hesitate to rush in. "Jade! We were so worried!" she exclaimed. "What happened!?"

Though it was small, Jade gave the two an apologetic smile. "Sorry for scaring you like that. But Leafeon was getting uncomfortable with everything going on and it didn't feel right to continue without him."

"I mean we get that but you should've at least had Delcatty or someone else on your team let us know where you were after you decided to leave."

"I'm sorry. I'll try to remember that if this happens again."

Leafeon lifted his head to make his own apologies to Rhyme and Ethan but the moment he looked up, he hid his face in Jade's chest, huddling as close to her as he could. Jade looked at her partner worriedly before looking up and seeing what had made him start cowering.

Just behind her two friends were her mom and aunt. Almost instinctively, Jade wrapped her arms around Leafeon and held him closer.

"If you're gonna go on a tangent about my failures just get it over with already."

Rhyme and Ethan looked over their shoulders to see who Jade was addressing and stepped to the side. Instantly they felt tension between their friend and her family.

"What makes you think I would do that?" her mom questioned.

"Cause this is you we're talking about." Jade replied with narrowed eyes.

Her mom seemed to have held in a groan before glancing at her sister. Jade could barely make out the quiet conversation between the two adults. "How am I supposed to talk to her when she's acting like this?"

"One I never said this would be easy. And two, this might not be the best time to try and talk to her."

Jade watched as her mom shook her head before turning to face her again."Well since you have nothing else to do, you might as well come have dinner with us."

"I'll pass."

"You know, there are criminals all over this world and out of all of them you choose me to send those remarks to."

"I expect to be hurt by criminals."

"What are you implying?"

Jade pointed to Leafeon as she held him closer, if that was even possible at this point. "This is all the proof I need to know that you're never gonna change."

It was then that her aunt stepped in between them. "Okay I'm going to stop this here before anything escalates. Jade, this has been a long day for you and I'm sure you need rest. Once you and Leafeon have rested, if you would consider either visiting us tonight or tomorrow, we would appreciate it.

Jade turned away, keeping her arms around her partner. Her aunt said nothing, only grabbing her sister's arm and walking out the Pokemon Center.

"I told you that she would have her guard up if you just rushed in there." she sighed. "If you want a chance then you'll need to give her space... and not react when you hear something you don't like, Eris."

"Well it seems to me that nothing's gonna change if she's just left alone." Eris countered. "How am I supposed to do what you ask when she's refusing?"

"The only reason I'm helping is because you two never had that talk before she left. Like I told you before, one of these days her patience with your restrictions was going to wear thin. Your original plan was the final strike."

**flashback**

Nira couldn't believe what she was hearing her sister say. "What do you mean you're getting rid of Jade's Eevee!?"

"I'm not having a pokemon like that running around in my house." Eris replied.

"That little guy is a gift to your daughter."

"Then it should've already been evolved into what I said before he decided to give it to her."

Nira clenched her fist. "If you go through with this then you're no better than him!"

Silence fell in between the two sisters, both of them glaring at each other. Nira finally sighed and spoke up again.

"Look, I get it. He wasn't the best dad for us and it's a mystery why he was suddenly nicer when Jade was growing up. But that's something you go to him about. Not take out on your daughter who hasn't done anything but be a kid."

"This has nothing to do with him." Eris countered.

"Well what else am I supposed to think when you got rid of all her plushies he gave her... and now you're plotting to release her first pokemon... which is also a gift from him?" Nira questioned. "Does she have anything left that our dad gave her that you didn't immediately throw out?"

Eris opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Which was all the confirmation that Nira needed.

"That's what I thought. I keep telling you that one of these days, Jade's going to have enough of this... and who knows what will happen after that. Either way, you'll end up alone."

"Then how do you propose this gets settled?"

"Let Jade keep her Eevee, give back any gifts you took if possible, and be the adult you claim to be and have a meaningful conversation with Jade. I refuse to have my niece go through the same pain we did."

Jade

Leafeon (Ability: Leaf Guard) Leaf Blade, Magical Leaf, Nature Power, Grass Whistle

Delcatty (Ability: Cute Charm) Attract, Shadow Ball, Blizzard, Safeguard

Mismagius (Ability: Levitate) Psychic, Perish Song, Hex, Confuse Ray

Umbreon (Ability: Synchronize) Dark Pulse, Swift, Shadow Ball, Iron Tail

Gabite (Ability: Sand Veil) Dragon Claw, Dragon Breath, Bulldoze, Stone Edge

Buneary (Ability: Run Away) Double Kick, Quick Attack, Charm, Double Team

Rhyme

Prinplup (Ability: Torrent) Bubble Beam, Peck, Metal Claw, Pound

Plusle (Ability: Plus) Helping Hand, Nuzzle, Quick Attack, Spark

Minun (Ability: Minus) Helping Hand, Nuzzle, Quick Attack, Spark