Focusing his attention on his own adventures did help Hideo get his mind off his own anxieties regarding the Border. He'd check it out at some point, but there was still that fear of having to confront his losses and failures yet again.

"I, uh…" He paused, putting a hand to his chin. "...I actually didn't think about what to do if we find Azelf. Seems like it's something we should do, since it's part of the Lake Trio with Mesprit and Uxie. I guess we make sure it's safe and sound?"

The absence of their gems hadn't been something he'd paid much mind to. Uxie had seemed fine enough without it. "Maybe reuniting them will tell us how to fix the gems?" He could only offer a shrug with his own suggestion - he was spitballing it at this point.

It was the best he could do, with how vague everything about the Lake Trio had been, even now that they were directly cooperating with the two.

"I guess wishing for it is another option…but who knows when Jirachi will wake up again."

Eris Halla

"Yeeeeeah, those headaches sucked. Only got to feel it once, but it felt like my head was gonna explode." Not a pleasant feeling, and one he was glad he could barely remember.

Even if the circumstances for why he barely remembered weren't pleasant.

As Eris went off to get something, Hideo recalled his Magearna, his show-and-tell done. He could feel Uxie float onto his head, finished with its gummy treats. "You are gonna tell us how to help you at some point, right?" Hideo asked, reaching up to pat Uxie on the head.

The answer he received was a playful pat on the cheek by one of Uxie's tails. Just another of its constant non-answers. Hideo could only brush away the tail as Uxie giggled.

Though his attention was taken by the offer (and scent) of fresh cookies. As was Uxie's attention. As was his Beheeyem's attention, who floated just high enough so that its eyes were poking from behind the couch. "Heck yeah I do!" he exclaimed, before receiving a Telepathic notice from his Beheeyem. "...I mean we do!"

His Beheeyem and Uxie nodded in sync.

"There's enough for all of us, right?"

Eris Halla

No sooner did the "Mimikyu" grab a couple cookies, did Uxie float over, lifting up a couple cookies with psychic energy - delivering them straight into its mouth, one at a time.

Another pair of cookies were psychically lifted up - this time, floating towards the Beheeyem with an outstretched arm. One cookie floated into Hideo's hand, the boy taking a big bite out of it. The other cookie floated in front of the Beheeyem, only floating towards its face once the Beheeyem made sure Hideo was enjoying his own - which he was.

"Sho good!" Hideo exclaimed, swallowing what was in his mouth. "I haven't had a homemade cookie right out of the oven in a long time!" Best he could get was stuff from a bakery, and that wasn't nearly this warm or gooey.

"I'm almost kind of jealous. You can make stuff like this whenever you want! I don't always got access to an oven to use." They only had so much at their treehouse, and he didn't tend to stick around Melody Miro 's house long enough to make cookies.

And he feared what would happen if Melody tried to make any.

Eris Halla

"Maybe I'll take you up on that offer sometime!" Hideo exclaimed. "If I get the time, I could pop in every now and then!...though I'll let you know ahead of time, at least." Another place he'd be splitting his time at, but at least he wasn't getting told that he had to stay overnight.

He already had one person making him stay at his house overnight.

And how could he say no to dinner? "'Course I'll stick around for dinner! Been a while since I got to eat dinner with other people." Most meals were just with his Pokemon. He'd occasionally share breakfast with Melody Miro when she was awake, but that was it.

Thinking about it…had he shared dinner with anyone since he'd left home? Two years now, and he'd made his own dinner, or bought them. He could still recall the dinners he had at home, made by his mother or his father - or even one of his siblings when his parents were out - and all the little conversations they had mid-meal. He couldn't talk with his Pokemon like he did with his family.

Hideo slumped slightly on the couch, head perched on his hands, the smile on his face fading somewhat. He wouldn't mind doing that again - eating with a family. Even if it weren't his own family.

He didn't even think about snagging more cookies, Uxie taking a chance to get some more for itself.

Eris Halla

Hideo's melancholy thinking was interrupted by Eris bringing up exactly what he'd thought. Uxie nodded as it munched on some cookies agreeing with her assessments - both spoken and unspoken.

He could feel the bulky hand of his Beheeyem patting him on the back. Even Elga could see it.

"I…guess," Hideo answered, shrugging. "I'm glad I have the freedom I got, but there's stuff I miss. Like someone doing my laundry for me."

A small joke, to try and deflect off thinking about everything he didn't have now. He never had to worry about having enough food, or if it was safe to sleep at night. Or worry about what to do if he or his Pokemon didn't feel well. He'd managed to iron out most of those uncertainties when he first started, but there was a lot he had to consider.

The offer that came after was a familiar one: a home to visit when he wanted, even throwing in food, the ultimate temptation. And this wasn't one that forced him to stay overnight. "...well, I can't say no to an offer like that. I'll try not to just get one of my Pokemon to teleport me inside out of nowhere." He had at least that much decency. "I'll try to drop you a text before I come in. Or maybe your pa. Maybe I'll even give him the jokes when I ask to come in."

He did want to talk to Chu-e Choi about a lot. Some of which might have been better if Eris wasn't around to hear.

"I do want to talk about stuff, but it's hard to find time with everything going on in Hoenn." There was a lot he wanted to talk about with people, but sharing too much with John Sullivan would worry him, and he hadn't known where Andy Blackadder was since he'd left for Galar. Melody Miro was already worried enough for him as is.

In a sense, that just left Eris as the closest person he could talk freely with. "I wouldn't mind talking with you. About stuff."

Eris Halla

"You know I won't not take that offer!" Hideo said with a grin. "Waiting for it to dry is the worst part. 'Specially when my sweaters can hold so much water in them. My Pokemon try to help, but I've lost more than one sweater to that. Not even just because they get burned."

There was a brief rush of joy through Hideo, being able to discuss this kind of stuff without harsh judgement. His parents would've used that as proof that he'd get himself burned if he were out alone, and Melody Miro would probably force him to do all his laundry at her place if she caught wind of it.

…did she even have a washing machine?

Once Eris offered the floor to him, Hideo took a moment to think. He was well aware there was probably a lot more to what Eris was up to, but getting that from her wasn't going to be easy.

One step at a time. He could talk about himself a bit.

…

Well dang, how long had it been since he had a casual conversation with someone around his own age?

"Well, I guess I'm planning to go from Minor League to a full-on Gym Leader." Definitely something fun to talk about. "My Minor League stuff's been going pretty well! Already had someone for the traditional and the non-traditional, and both liked it a lot. I just gotta find a way to get approved for becoming a Gym Leader."

There was a brief pause, the grin on his face diminishing.

"Which means getting a signature from my parents."

Eris Halla