Zach the Rambunctious Riolu; how about that? In a matter of months, he becomes a huge hit alongside Betty the Brionne and the other circus acts. His “accidental” stunts gain major attention throughout the whole region, prompting many to come to Heroto just to see him. Yet, Zach’s new life comes at a cost. Just like the mirror, his mentality shatters. With no one to talk to and no one to be by his side, he is descending. It’s as if the riolu is drinking poison; slowly hurting him. And the worst part? He is dependent on it; unable to break the cycle. That will all change.
One night, Ringmaster Raichu decides to thank his entire staff for a job well done by bringing them to a tavern. There, the pokemon sit, drink, and eat merrily, talking to one another in joyous conversations. All except Zach, who sits at the bar, quietly drinking and idling in his own thoughts. Not a single pokemon turns to him or approaches him.
“Attention everymon!” Ringmaster collects everyone’s attention. “I have a special announcement! We are here tonight to celebrate the success of the circus! As of today, Ringmaster Raichu’s Big Top has become the most recommended place of entertainment!” Cheers and claps happen all around. “And it was made possible by all of you great pokemon, who keep the smiles and laughs on others’ faces! Also, a big huge congratulations to our newest member for driving up interest and keeping the circus on the map! Zach the Rambunctious Riolu, you have made us all proud! Here’s to you!” The raichu raises his glass and drinks to Zach’s honor. The riolu remains silent. With that said, normal conversations resume.
“Oh!” spurts Richie. “Did you guys hear the news?! Cindy the Celebi just had triplets! And the buizel is the father!”
Betty spits out her drink. “What?! You don’t say!” Others become fascinated by his announcement.
“It’s true! The two of them fell in love and hit it off! And get this; Jay took one knee and asked her to be his mate!”
“And let me guess… She accepted?” Richie nods. “Those two are lucky.” The pokemon smile and talk about the couple more.
Zach sinks his head into his arms. His ears droop and tears roll down his cheeks. “Oh, Cindy, why?” he whispers to himself. Deciding to remove himself from the festivity, Zach gets out of his seat and makes his way across tavern. Betty takes notice as he pushes his way out the door and disappears. Curious, she gets up and decides to pursue the riolu outside. There, she finds him on the ground, leaning against the brick wall of the establishment. His entire body leaning forward and his head pointed to the ground.
“Hey…” starts the brionne.
Zach turns his head to her. “What…? What do you want…?”
“I just want to say maybe I got off on the wrong foot when we first met… Second, what’s with you? You’re not still infatuated with the celebi, are you?”
“I thought you don’t care about me.”
“Don’t think of it as caring. I just came out here to get some fresh air when I noticed you, and I’m curious. I want to know what’s going through your head.” Zach remains silent.
He looks to her. “How could she do that to me…? After all I’ve done for her! How could she go with Jay and not me?! I loved her a lot… I poured my heart for her!”
“Wake up and smell the flowers! She’s never loved you back, and I highly doubt she ever will! Don’t you think you’d have her in your arms if she felt the same way about you?!”
“I… you’re… right…” Zach turns away with tears reformed in his eyes. “How could I ever be foolish to think a girl like her could love a guy like me…?”
“She’s just one girl, Zach. There’s plenty of other women out there in Heroto.”
“Not like her… Cindy’s beauty had always attracted me.”
“So, maybe there’s another girl who’s got the same credentials. What you should do is go out and start dating. If you’re lucky, you’ll find someone better than Cindy! You can’t keep fantasizing about Cindy. You have to move on!”
Zach lets out a sigh. “Yeah… you’re right… Perhaps, Audrey may not be a bad shout.”
“Audrey?! The audino nurse in the Heroto clinic?! Why?”
“She knows me a lot. I mean, she is a nurse, but I see her all the time when she’s treating me.”
“No, no, no. You should be going out and dating women you don’t know yet. You start with a clean slate and work your way into a girl’s heart. That way, you build a relationship and trust with them.”
“W-where do I even start?”
“Welp, the tavern’s a pretty good shout. You go up to the bar, have a drink, and you start up a conversation with a pretty girl. Unless you want to be classic and set up a dinner date.”
“I… guess I could do that…”
“Yeah… Also, don’t think of this as a sign of friendship. I still don’t trust you.”
“What do you expect me to do to earn your trust?”
“Don’t push your luck. Let’s just say I was feeling bad for you, if anyone asks, okay?”
“Very well…” Betty turns and starts away. “Betty!” The sound of her name causes her to stop and look back at the riolu. “Thank you…” Betty says nothing and continues on her way, disappearing after entering the tavern.
