Aries

Interlude One: Tate and Liza

"You seem worried, Mr. Mikuri.. what's up?" Liza sat in a meditative pose, fiddling with her white ribbons while Tate brushed Xatu's feathers idly. Wallace leaned back, holding a palm over his forehead. "I mean, it's nothing for you to worry on."

Tate perked up, glancing around Xatu. "Actually, as gym leaders-"

"We have a responsibility to protect people, that includes you!" Liza finished. Tate walked to meet his twin, holding her hand as they did in their gym battles. Wallace laughed softly and shook his head. "I mean, you know it best. Brendan would be so handy to have around right now, but of course they are training in what- Kalos?"

"What's up?" Tate chirped. "You do need to tell us more than wishing those strong trainers were here.." Liza finished.

The older man hummed in consideration before looking over at where his Milotic's Pokeball seemed to weigh his hand down, releasing the beautiful Water type. He cooed and nudged his trainer a few times, while Lunatone and Solrock floated to meet the Milotic. Tate and Liza waved to Milotic happily.

"Oh, are you still being all fussed about the hatchling.." Milotic scolded his trainer while bopping him on the head gently. "You know your... "friend" will look after him."

Wallace didn't need to speak Milotic to know what he meant. The context clues were there. Solrock's eyes glowed blue as Tate nodded in understanding. Lunatone glowed in a similar fashion. Liza placed her hands on her hips. "A hatchling? Why are you upset over a baby Pokemon?"

"He's not a Pokemon, Liza." Tate spoke gently. "He's a human! Why else would Wallace be bothered?"

Liza hummed in agreement at that comment, whispering something into Tate's ear before pulling Wallace over to a table. "We'll do a tarot reading for you!"

"...What." Wallace laughed nervously, staring at the deck of cards with imagery of the sun and moon printed on the back. Tate nodded. "So you won't be all worried about the future. We'll do a reading for the friend you are all worried about!"

Wallace stared at the deck.

"...Sure, how- how do you plan on doing it exactly?"

-

"So, we'll pull one card that represent his past, one card of his present, one card of his future, and Tate and I will use our psychic ability to reach out to him. Deal?" Liza explained, shuffling the deck of tarot cards as she closed her eyes and Tate held Wallace's hand. The twins had little candles around the room, incense to apparently "clear the energy", kicked all the Pokemon out and insisted that Wallace followed every instruction.

Liza placed three cards face down on the table, pushing them forward a little. She flipped the first one up- one Wallace was reminded was supposed to represent his past. It depicted a Gengar holding a Scythe, with the word "DEATH" written on it. Tate hummed, staring at the card.

The next card had a Giratina on it with stylized horns- THE DEVIL, apparently, for his present. The final card, when flipped up, depicted Cresselia- THE MOON.

Tate studied the cards, looking to Liza, who seemed to be equally entranced by them. "Death, for his past. Likely suffered great loss, a great ending, a great change and rebirth of some kind.. it could really be a lot, you know. But I would say a great loss hurts him, wounds his soul.." Liza finished, staring at the Gengar.

"The Devil could be reflective of destructive tendencies.. or a temptation. Perhaps he is being tempted to do something he shouldn't be, facing a decision, or is desperate for something or somebody. Maybe he's desperate to meet or being with who he lost. His vices are playing against him." Tate continued. Wallace studied the cards himself, despite not knowing what they meant.

"The Moon means his future is uncertain. Even the cards cannot predict how they will go- his future is changeable and in his palm to be different. He may have to face something, but.. I cannot tell." Liza laughed softly, before bringing the cards back together.

Wallace looked down. Not many answers, but it was clear he would have to help Steven- it didn't come across as positive.

"Don't worry, Mr. Mikuri! You'll be A-OK!" Tate seemed to notice how he was still upset, then, Wallace noted. Liza moved to a box filled to the brim of gemstones they must have collected with Steven sometime, and grabbed a piece of raw amethyst, pressing it into his palm. "Take this!"

"...Thanks?" Wallace laughed nervously.