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[This will be N's first time on the network, but it's with good reason that the normally reclusive Daycare owner is actually showing his face.

It may be difficult to tell given how his mostly placid expressions usually read, but he's fairly distraught. If anything it comes through in a hoarse voice, tired and quiet. Next to him Zoroark is standing, head down and ears folded against his darkly colored fur.]

My wife, Hilda, has left the castle. I... I can only hope she is safe back in one of the worlds we have been in before.

[He can't say "home" because last he knew Unova was no longer accessible to them, either by its destruction or by other means.

If nothing else he can hope that she gone back to the world that the Bastion's restoration created.]

She and I, along with AZ, run the Pokemon Daycare. I will still be tending to it and allowing adoptions. My name is N, for those who have yet to meet me.

[He's quiet for a moment, glancing at Zoroark who looks up and nuzzles his snout against N's fluffy hair.]

I'm... not the most social person, but I will do my best to accommodate anyone interested in Pokemon adoption. Thank you for your time.

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[... AZ has been avoiding people, too. He feels a bit under the weather, but Hilda disappearing has made him feel even worse.]

[He has bonds now, though. One look at Floette reminds him of that. So even as awful as he feels, he has to keep going.]

[He sits down next to N and Zoroark, glancing over at the teen and his companion. Floette hovers nearby, worried.]

... It's all right to feel... however you're feeling.

I'm not sure what I feel.

[Mourning and grief he knows well, but this is loss on another level that he's never truly experienced before. It hurts in a way he just can't quantify or even parse in to words. It hurts so bad he can't even bring himself to fully feel it all at once. It comes and goes in waves, overwhelming to the point of numbness.

For all the places they had been together, he thought that was how it would always be. He had put away any equation where Hilda wasn't at his side, and now he doesn't know how to handle it at all.]

And that's okay, too.

[He's experienced loss before, and though the absence of this bond makes his heart ache... he's ached before, too. Maybe it makes it easier, even if the grief still hurts.]

But I'm here. All of us are here, and we all care about you. We'll keep our eyes open for her. ... We'll keep things in order until we can find her again, right?

[N stays quiet for a time, not sure what to say in response to that. It's difficult to know where he stands on all of this given how he still doesn't know how he feels. All he does know is that everything tells him she's not in the castle.]

... where do you think she went?

... I could lie, and tell you that I know for sure she's at the Bastion, but I don't know. All I can say is we can hope she's there.

[Floette floats over to N to sit on his shoulder.]

'Wherever she is, I know she's thinking of you.'

Right...

[He knows it's true; there's absolutely no guarantee that she would have gone back to the Bastion. He does want to hope, though, and not just for his sake. To return to a destroyed world...

Would Hilda even be able to handle such a thing?

He doesn't want to consider that a possibility.

He doesn't smile, but there's a gentle pet for Floette on his shoulder.]

I'll come by a little later to help out a bit.

We've got a lot that we'll need to talk about. I can't cover everything, some of it is way beyond me, but I can tell you what you need to hear right now.

["What he needs to hear"? N frowns slightly, but there's a reluctant silent nod from the young man.]

All right. Three facts.

One. You love Hilda. Hilda loves you. Anyone who's been around can see it, even if they aren't familiar with different mindsets.

Two. Love endures. You'll have to take my word for this one, but my father spent five decades searching for my mother when she vanished. He dove into hell for her, and came out with her in his arms. And his first slaying of an omnipotent being under his belt.

[There may be a bit of family pride there.]

The point being, you keep your love alive, keep Hilda in your heart, and you will see her again, and pull off some amazing feats in the process.

And the third fact. Right now? You need time to recover. You've got friends who will do their best to help you get through the hard stuff.

All you need to do is let them.

Now, me? I'm willing to do as much as I can to get you back to her. It will take time, but this is not beyond me. If you want my help, it's yours.

I won't pretend I'm not... upset that we weren't both taken away from this place, but if I am still here then there must be something I'm still needed for in this equation.

[Even if it's just something as simple as still letting others adopt Pokemon that may be useful to them in their own endeavors.]

But. Thank you for the offer. I will keep it in mind, if it comes down to that.

[Minako's heart clenches with empathy.]

I'm sorry to hear Hilda left. She was a wonderful presence to have around the castle. I'm sure she's safe, wherever she is now.

I know we're not very close, but... if it would be some comfort to have me, or Ori or Tekigo come visit, I'd be happy to.

That's all I can hope for, honestly...

[He knows it's foolish to bet on it, but he can hope that she's safe.]

I would love to see them again, if you don't mind.

I choose to believe it's true.

[She's stubborn like that.]

Not at all! I'm sure they'd love to see you, too!

[She will come visit later that day, pokebabies in tow.]

[It's hard for him to smile right now, but there is a sense of relief in his voice. Pokemon always make things a little easier for him...]

Thank you.

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