The car lurched slightly as Celia's foot instinctively pressed the brake, the tires giving a faint screech against the asphalt before settling back into a controlled glide. The sudden deceleration sent a small jolt through the cabin, enough to shift Arceus's weight as he pushed himself up, still disoriented from the abrupt transition between two worlds.
Celia twisted halfway in her seat, one hand still gripping the steering wheel while the other braced against the headrest. Her eyes widened, relief flooding her expression so quickly it almost looked like panic melting away in real time. "You're awake… thank heavens," she breathed, her voice trembling just a little despite her attempt to sound composed. "Oh my god, I was starting to think—"
"Wait, wait…" Arceus raised a hand, his voice rough and sluggish as if it had to climb its way out of his throat. He blinked several times, trying to steady his vision while sitting up slowly, his body still remembering the cold, the fall, the run. "What's going on…? Why am I… in your car?"
The seatbelt tugged lightly across his chest as he adjusted himself, the faint scent of fabric softener and Serestia's perfume still lingering around him, grounding him just enough to feel real.
Beside him, Serestia let out a long breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Her shoulders sank back into the seat, tension draining from her posture as she turned her head slightly, casting him a sideways glance that carried equal parts relief and leftover worry. "Long story short…" she began, her voice steadier now but still edged with concern. "We came to check on you. I wanted to talk to you about… earlier. You didn't answer when we knocked."
She paused briefly, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her jacket before continuing. "So… we opened the door. And you were just… there. Lying on the bed like—" she swallowed, her brows tightening, "—like you had just dropped dead. You didn't respond to anything. Not calls, not water, not even when I slapped you."
Arceus blinked again, slower this time, the words settling into place one by one. "I… what?"
Celia turned her gaze back to the road, her grip tightening slightly on the steering wheel as she spoke, her tone firm, almost defensive, as if justifying her decision to herself as much as to him. "We thought something might have happened back at the Spirit Valley," she said. "That spirit… the one attached to you. We couldn't take the risk."
The car hummed softly as it moved forward, the rhythmic sound of the engine filling the brief silence.
"So we're taking you to the hospital."
Arceus straightened immediately, the movement sharper this time, his hand instinctively going to the seatbelt as if to anchor himself. "Wait—what? I'm fine," he said quickly, his voice gaining strength. "Seriously. I think I just… slept really deeply."
Celia didn't even look at him this time. "People don't sleep like that," she replied, her tone unwavering, eyes fixed ahead. "Not without responding to anything. Just sit tight. We're almost there."
Arceus opened his mouth again, ready to argue, but something at the edge of his vision caught his attention.
A faint glow.
***
He paused.
***
In the corner of his sight, the system interface flickered faintly, dormant but present, like a quiet observer waiting to be acknowledged.
His brows furrowed slightly.
Open Notifications.
***
The translucent screen slid into view, hovering silently before him.
***
Ding!
[First Training session completed.]
[+5% Cold Resistance (Passive)]
[New Passive Skill: Adaptation]
***
"…Uhh… what?"
***
His eyes widened slightly as another window expanded over the first.
***
New Side Quest Unlocked!
[Defeat the Guardian of Snow Villa Mountain]
Reward: Snow Villa Mountain, Twin Daggers of Xuanwu]
***
"…Sh*t…" he exhaled under his breath, the word slipping out before he could stop it.
***
"Huh?" Serestia turned toward him immediately, her brows knitting together. "What happened?"
Celia's eyes flicked briefly to the rearview mirror, catching his reflection for a second before returning to the road.
***
"Nothing, nothing," Arceus said quickly, forcing a small smile as he dismissed the panel with a thought. "Just… remembered something stupid from a dream."
He paused for a fraction of a second, then added casually, as if to redirect the conversation, "By the way… you smell nice. Is that Whisper Rain?"
***
Serestia blinked, clearly caught off guard by the sudden shift.
A faint blush crept up her cheeks.
"Yeah…" she admitted, her fingers brushing lightly against her sleeve as she looked away for a moment. "How do you know that? You use it too?"
***
Arceus rubbed the back of his neck, already aware that he had stepped onto a dangerous line, but there was no taking it back now.
"No," he said lightly. "My ex used to wear it. She was… pretty particular about brands."
***
The air shifted.
***
Serestia's expression changed, curiosity lighting up her eyes as she leaned slightly toward him. "Your ex?" she repeated, her tone carrying a spark of interest. "First the ice cream… now perfume. She sounds like she has the same taste as me."
***
Inside his head, Arceus groaned.
Of course she does. It's because it was you.
***
But outwardly, he only smiled.
"She was a monster trainer too," he said, keeping his tone calm. "Not a high rank or anything."
***
"Oh?" Serestia leaned in just a bit more, her curiosity now fully engaged. "What else did she have in common with me?"
***
Arceus didn't miss the tone.
Didn't miss the opening.
***
He took it.
***
"Well…" he began slowly, his gaze drifting toward her, softening just slightly. "She had beautiful eyes. And delicate fingers…"
He paused, his mind briefly slipping into memory, images overlapping with the present.
"…but her smile was the best part."
***
For a moment, his voice carried something deeper.
Something quieter.
***
"No matter how bad things got… how much stress I had… just seeing her smile made everything feel lighter."
***
His lips curved faintly, but there was a shadow behind it now, something unresolved flickering through his expression.
***
Serestia noticed.
***
Her blush faded, replaced by a more conflicted look as she studied him.
"What happened to her?" she asked softly. "Why did you break up… if you don't mind?"
***
Arceus leaned back into the seat, the leather creaking softly under his weight as he let out a slow breath. His eyes flickered briefly, as if watching something only he could see.
***
"I was twenty," he said finally. "Not mature enough."
***
A pause.
***
"I messed things up after I found out she was bisexual."
***
The words settled into the car like a stone dropped into still water.
***
"By the time I understood…" he continued, his voice quieter now, "it was already too late."
***
"She left. Went abroad."
***
"…Eh?"
***
Serestia froze.
***
Her expression went completely still, as if the word itself had caught her off guard in a way she hadn't expected.
***
Celia's eyes narrowed slightly in the mirror, though she said nothing, her fingers tightening just a bit more around the steering wheel.
***
Silence stretched.
***
Then, softly—
***
"Do you still love her?" Serestia asked.
***
Arceus shook his head, a small smile forming again, lighter this time, more controlled.
***
"It's been four years," he said. "Of course not."
***
He paused.
***
"But I did decide something back then."
***
His gaze shifted slightly, just enough to meet hers.
***
"If I ever meet someone again… someone I really like… and she turns out to be the same…"
***
A quiet breath.
***
"I won't make the same mistake."
***
Serestia stared at him.
***
Her thoughts moved quickly, pieces clicking together, emotions rising and falling in quiet conflict.
***
Beside her, Arceus glanced at her from the corner of his eye, a faint, almost invisible smirk tugging at his lips.
***
Good.
***
The message is planted.
***
Outside, the city blurred past in streaks of light and shadow, the hum of traffic weaving into the steady rhythm of the drive.
***
Arceus leaned back into the seat, closing his eyes briefly as he checked inward.
***
His summons—
Safe.
Resting in the pet inventory.
***
He exhaled quietly.
***
For now—
***
Everything was under control.