Summer was not expecting the affectionate hug that Avery had to offer, but she accepted it nonetheless. Regardless of her normal bitch-like status, she could appreciate giving the attention her friends deserved.

"Your favorite rich girl wishes she was drunk right now, but there's a job to be done."

C'est la vie.

Summer's gaze turned to the Delibird, who seemed to be growing grumpier by the minute. A chuckle escaped her lips as she looked back to her friend.

"Well, perhaps we can give him a hand, and then you can get wasted with me later. How about it?"

Summer hummed contently as she felt the weight of her brother against her, reciprocating her motion. Her hand raised to run through his mess of white hair that matched hers.

Arceus, they were both messes now.

For the time being that hollow feeling in her stomach sealed itself. She wasn't afraid that she was going to lose her brother. He was right there beside her, breathing and seemingly normal. Even joking with her, she came to realize as she nearly hit her head against the wall as he told her his previous plans before meeting her.

"You're totally shitting me right now. You're a fucking liar."

Summer waited for him to say "gotcha," but it never came. She perked up, sitting on her knees and leaning closer to him.

"You were gonna do the nasty? With SAM? Holy shit, Blue!"

She couldn't help her giddy peals of laughter, trying to hide her face in her hands.

He didn't think she was using tactics?

Summer could laugh. In fact, she almost did.

"You don't think I haven't been thinking ahead this entire time? Why else would I let my Emboar be taking this much damage?"

Of course, agree to disagree. She had to play fair, lest she end up on the black list for this gym.

The Armaldo continued to be intimidated, which played in her favor. She decided to play a risky move, since using this move would make her Gyarados immobile briefly.

"HYPERBEAM!"

A flash of fire-like power was sent from the Gyarados, targeting the Armaldo who held its jaw open. She hoped with the INTIMIDATION, it would prove effective since they were at close range.

Summer nearly lost her balance from the shaking ground, managing to hold on after the Crustle slammed its body down. Her Gyarados became separated with the Armaldo, and her Emboar had taken damage from the ROCK SLIDE.

However, it seemed enough that BLAZE would be in effect now.

Emboar let out a loud roar as he targeted the Crustle again, sending another FLAMETHROWER. However, with his ability effective, it was definitely stronger than it had been before.

---

- Gyarados was caught by the Armaldo and went up with it! INTIMDIATION was used, and the move HYPER BEAM was use on Armaldo
- Emboar took enough damage to activate BLAZE! Used FLAMETHROWER on Crustle!

Summer couldn't help the scowl on her face as the girl left. Good riddance, to say the least. What a rude little thing.

"I need at least this much..."

She delved into the amount she needed for her father, plus her own personal gain. Of course, he'd be fairly compensated in the long run.

Summer had set her cup down to watch the snow again when a voice pulled her from her daze. She turned her head, spotting a woman with equally stark hair approaching her.

Typically, she despised company.

But call it Christmas spirit.

"Pull yourself a seat."

Summer took another sip, her gaze scanning over the woman who decided to approach her. She wondered why.

"What do they call you, Miss?"

The desert seemed like the furthest place from winter festivities and Christmas spirit.

However, Summer supposed that even people who lived near this sandy wasteland deserved gifts. They must celebrate Christmas time like everyone else right?

Except she fucking hated the sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere (I'll love you if you get my reference).

As she rode her Charizard in from Mauville, she spotted the Delibird as well as...

"Well, look who the cat dragged in today."

Summer's Charizard landed, sand dispersing in its wake. She slid off its back, offering it a pat down its spine. Its wings spread in pleasure.

"So Miss Avery is my partner today? Isn't that wonderful!" she said, voice oozing sweetness that she definitely did not possess.

Her brother's embrace was comforting enough to sober her down. Or at least as much as she could be from the amount of alcohol that she had ingested and the few drugs she decided to partake in.

But when he stepped back, and Summer saw red dripping down his face-

She felt a pit in her stomach, and she was falling in it. There was a fear that she was going to lose him, from the addictions and now her father.

However they go to the wall, and she sat beside him. They're both quiet, too quiet for Prescotts. Until Summer leaned against him, knocking her knees against his arm that rested over his own.

"I'm sorry. For everything I've done to you."

Martín del Mar?

Summer didn't know that her friend had knowledge about the strange Pokemon she had seen. Though, every time she thought about bringing it up, it was like some sort of paralysis came over her.

So she couldn't exactly talk about it, not even to Eris.

It was vaguely comforting that she had someone she could go to, though. Who knew about the things she was seeing.

"Shall we go pay him a visit then? I wouldn't mind getting a few answers..."

Eris scooped the Yampers up. Okay, great, whatever.

That didn't solve the literal looming tree that was running toward them.

Summer glanced at her Luxray before he released his THUNDER WAVE. She covered her eyes to avoid the small flash from blinding her.

Then she took off.

While running, her own Emboar would throw a few FLAMETHROWERS at the pursuing Trevenant. While it made it angrier, it seemed to be doing damage enough to slow it down and injure it.

"There! Go that way, toward the barn."

She mentioned the tree. Summer had heard about the tree, but she hadn't gone to investigate it with the other members of team Rocket. Her father had some interest in the tree, but he hadn't sent Summer because of her previous occupancy in other missions.

"I have been here and there. Since the Soiree, I've been rather busy."

What she had been busy with... well, that was totally up to debate. With her established relationship with Casey, some may say she had gone soft or gotten distracted.

Summer would argue she'd become more determined to protect those she cared about from her father. Like Knox, for instance.

"Rocket has taken some of my time, but so has my father's business. So I've been split between here and there."

capture attempt beedrill!

A Treecko appeared.

The sight of it warmed Summer's heart as she smiled. It reminded her of Casey's Treecko, how it had jumped and played around with Loki before Loki had evolved. That was when they had first met, when they picked berries together.

Normally, she wouldn't be inclined to capture a Pokemon like this. Grass-types were not her forte. However, she decided to use one of her safari balls to catch it.

"Maybe you and Casey's Treecko could become friends," she said with a small chuckle.