Virizion blinked in surprise, queasy at the mention of his name aloud.

   "You're mad at... Keldeo?" Virizion echoed.

   Espeon's cheeks flush. "Yeah, I am. He... he's hurt you so much. I just, I just can't stand it!" Espeon is on her paws . "You deserve so much more than that! You can forget him and be happy!"

   Virizion's breath was held for a moment.  She looks at the panting Espeon, exhausted from the flow of shouts. She realizes that her face feels hot. Two emotions conflict her. One is directed towards Espeon. It is warm, profound, infinite. It doesn't have a name.

  Then there is how she feels towards Keldeo. "But I..." she says as her breath releases. "I don't want to forget Keldeo... He's my best friend." Virizion watches Espeon's face mellow and drop.   Her lavender shape sits down, head hung in shame of her outburst.

  "Right... That's right." She sounds trampled, tired. Then her gaze shoots up to meet Virizion's.  "Even though he sent you that letter?" Her voice is deeply confused, edged with a judging tone. Virizion straightens into a sitting position, staring out at the horizon.

   "He did... And I guess I'm holding on to all of the memories, how close we were. He was so important to me. Then he sent me that..." A glance to Espeon. "I felt awful but, I still held on... Even after I disowned the world, I still cling to those memories." Virizion shakes her head. "Even if the frism is the real Keldeo, I don't even know if I'd be able to find him..." 

  There is a long silence. 

  "Virizion."

  A chill crawls up Virizion's spine. The light touch. A soft exhale. Espeon's paw is on her leg.

   "I'm sorry for being sharp. I understand how you feel now." Espeon looks deeply into her amber eyes. "It's just- I care about you, Virizion. I don't want to see you hurt, or lose you..." 

  Virizion pulls her hoof away. A look of disappointment and dread falls over Espeon as she feels the warmth leave her paw pads. Her eyes leave Virizion's face, over her own shoulder, to keep the green Pokémon from seeing the guilt in her eyes. She had acted foolishly and selfishly.

  "Oh, Espeon..." Her head lifts at her name. In a second she sees Virizion rise into a kneel. The next she feels her friend's large forehead connect with hers, colliding with the force of tender love. "Keldeo may have been my best friend but... You're so special to me."

  Espeon pulls away, eyes misty. "I'll help you find him, so we can get to the bottom of this, I swear it." The next thing she does is give the bridge of Virizion's nose a kiss, not long or short. They stand for a while, bathed in moonlight, before Virizion walks Espeon to her room at the inn.