The days spent in Celestic Town passed in the blink of an eye.
Heiduo returned to the Gym and, before Umbreon could ask, told it about everything that had happened recently.
"Seriously? Hush money?"
Umbreon gave Heiduo a suspicious look. The more he talked about it, the more Arceus's lofty image seemed to crumble.
"Why would I lie to you? Didn't you see it yourself?"
Heiduo pointed at the wheat sprouts breaking through the soil before them.
"But that doesn't mean it was hush money. Why couldn't it have been a reward Arceus bestowed upon you for your sincerity? Just like those people in Origin Valley."
"That's why I'm only guessing," Heiduo said matter-of-factly.
Umbreon narrowed its eyes and said nothing.
It still believed in Arceus's grandeur, even if Arceus had looked a little embarrassing in that exclusive movie.
Heiduo shrugged. He had only been tossing out a theory, anyway.
For the time being, they put the matter behind them.
Umbreon said again, "So Garchomp isn't coming back?"
"Do you think that's possible? He went off to make little sharks." Heiduo rolled his eyes. Of course, making little sharks was only part of Garchomp's goal. The other part was trying to sweet-talk that female Garchomp into coming over.
Heh. Stupid big shark.
He just hoped Garchomp would not end up getting sweet-talked into going to Cynthia instead.
Heiduo did not have much faith in Garchomp's clumsy seduction attempt.
Still, he would definitely support him.
"Heeey... Another one of your Pokémon is about to settle down and start a family?" Umbreon's feelings were complicated.
It felt as though all the Pokémon under Heiduo's care were starting families, Heiduo included, while it, with the body of a Pokémon and the heart of a human, might spend its entire life "dying alone."
Sigh.