Firewall

The plan sounded good when Kyrie explained it to him. Loop de Loop's evolution would be a big event, with all the eevees gathered as Kyrie presented the fire stone. Maybe they would even give a speech, he thought. His trainer, not Loop himself–he didn't talk.

It was a wonderful plan, an event he would remember forever, and it would be a lot better if it happened sooner.

Loop eyed the evolution stone on the table, lashing his tail back and forth. A growl escaped him. He puffed up his mane and tried to compose himself while Kyrie got all the eevees into the room.

"Are you nervous?"

He jumped at the quiet voice and spun around to face the speaker. Dame tilted her head, adorned with a new ribbon after she had somehow lost her old one.

"Sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Loop de Loop snorted and shook his head.

"You weren't scared?" Dame said. "Oh, okay. Are you nervous, though?"

He shook his head again.

Dame nodded. "So you're not scared, and you're not nervous… you're definitely feeling something, though. Anything I can do to help?"

Loop rolled his eyes and pointed at the evolution stone before tapping his paw on the ground, like how Kyrie would tap their foot when they were impatient. That was all it was, he thought: impatience. He could have been a flareon already had he just grabbed the stone in the cave.

"I understand," Dame said. "Don't worry, Loop, you'll be evolved by the end of the day. Think of it like a roller coaster."

Loop tilted his head.

"On a roller coaster," Dame said, "you're not in control. You're on the ride and you can't get off until it's over–but it will be over, and it'll be really fun! So don't worry about it."

It felt more like he was in line for a roller coaster. Loop growled again and turned away.

"Didn't help?" Dame gently headbutted his side. "Well, I tried. Shouldn't be too much longer."

She walked away and disappeared into the darkness. Loop went back to staring at the fire stone.

Kyrie burst into the room, surprising Loop and every other eevee. "Guys!" they said. "The Digital Age is missing!"

Loop jumped to his feet. In the corner, Prez and Aether ran forward, their fur bushed up. Firefly, Green Ninja, and Lili stared with wide eyes, while Snow Queen and Quill glanced up, then lowered their heads again to resume their conversation. Dame stuck her head out from the shadows, catching Sweet Potato by surprise.

Kyrie took a deep breath, one hand on their forehead. "We're gonna need to form search parties," they said. "I mean, I don't want to be dramatic, but I'm really worried about them. Groups of three, okay? Who's coming?"

Prez and Aether promptly surrounded Snow Queen to get zir in their group. Quill rolled their eyes and walked over to Green Ninja and Firefly. Lili walked over to Dame and Sweet Potato, who nodded and made space for eir.

Loop frowned. There was no one for him to group with.

"You're with me, Loop," said Kyrie. "Not a group of three, but… whatever. Let's hurry!"

The three groups darted out the room, leaving Loop de Loop and Kyrie alone. His trainer gestured at the door, and Loop followed them outside.

---

Kyrie had searched the area around their cabin already, so they and Loop went to the park. Loop sniffed the ground for the Digital Age's scent, harsh and metallic.

"Anything?" Kyrie asked, looking up while shielding their eyes from the sun. "I don't see them in the sky…"

Loop smelled plenty of different scents, belonging to all sorts of pokémon. None of them were the Digital Age. He whined and looked up at Kyrie, his ears drooping.

Kyrie took a deep breath. "Okay," they said. "Let's check the forest."

There was no sign of the Digital Age in the forest. Loop kept his nose to the ground, hoping the wind would carry their scent to him. The trees rustled in a gentle breeze.

He looked up, his ears sticking straight up. Could he hear an electric hum?

Kyrie glanced down at him. "Hear something?"

The hum faded. Loop de Loop took a cautious step forward, sniffing carefully. A metallic smell, clearly artificial, but carrying the scents of their family, too.

Loop started running.

"Loop!" Kyrie shouted, but he couldn't wait up for them. He dug his claws into a tree trunk and scaled it as fast as he could. Now he could see the sunlight reflecting off silver metal, darting through the leaves. Loop jumped from branch to branch, as fast as he could, took one last leap–

He crashed right into the Digital Age.

Their speaker emitted a burst of static as they fell. Loop and Digital hit another branch, leaves flying everywhere, and landed in a bush. The Digital Age tried to escape, but Loop put his front paws around them and held them there until Kyrie caught up.

"Loop, that was dangerous!" his trainer exclaimed. "You both could've gotten hurt!"

Digital let out a long, low tone. Kyrie sighed and picked them up, cradling the android in their arms.

"Are you alright?" they asked. "Did you run off on purpose?"

Loop picked his way out of the bush and snorted. The Digital Age beeped and squirmed in Kyrie's arms.

Kyrie held them tighter. "I know you can't really tell me what's going on," they said, "but… can you try? I worry about you, you know."

"I worry about you."

The recording played from Digital's speaker in a clearly artificial, but human voice. Kyrie's eyes widened. Loop de Loop stepped closer, his ears perked.

"I am different," the Digital Age said. "I worry. Something is different. I worry. Loop de Loop is strong. I worried. I left."

Loop whined. He liked the Digital Age, ever since they had hatched. The eevee was bizarre, with gold wings and glowing lights, and had clearly not come from a normal egg, but they were still a newborn. Loop de Loop wanted Digital to be part of their family. He walked up to Kyrie and stood up on his hind legs, putting his paws on their hips.

"You don't have to leave," Kyrie said. "I don't think Loop wants you to leave, either. See?"

"Loop is strong," Digital said. "He can protect you. I am property of Team Cyber."

Loop pressed his ears back against his head. Kyrie looked just as confused as he felt.

"Team what?" Kyrie said. "Was this team your original owner?"

Digital beeped. "I worry."

Kyrie hesitated before they spoke their next words. "Do you have to go back to them?"

The Digital Age didn't answer.

Loop de Loop whined and dug his claws in. "Ow," Kyrie said. "Digital, listen, if you have to go back, I'll support you, and I'll do what I can to help you, okay?"

"Away," Digital said. "You will be safe."

Kyrie frowned. "Safe? Digital, do you want to go back?"

"Not safe. I worry."

Loop dropped down to four legs. Digital could talk now, but even if they spoke human language, Loop and Kyrie didn't understand what they were saying. Loop shook his head and growled. If only he could talk in any language!

"You shouldn't make this decision all by yourself," said Kyrie. "We're going back to the cabin. Loop, can you track down the search parties? I'll meet you there."

Loop hesitated for a long moment. Finally, he nodded, first at Kyrie and then at the Digital Age.

"Good." Kyrie smiled. "We'll sort this out as a family."

---

He could hear the other eevees murmuring to each other as they gathered in the cabin. Loop shook his head and stood next to the table with the fire stone, though he paid no attention to it. All his attention was on Kyrie and the Digital Age.

"I know you're worried," Kyrie said, "but I'm worried about you. What do you know about Team Cyber?"

The Digital Age beeped. "Property of Team Cyber." Their ears drooped. "Team Cyber will want their property."

Kyrie shook their head. "You're not property," they said. "You're a person. You can even talk like humans can–not that pokémon who can't do that are any less of a person, but it's really special that you can."

Loop de Loop looked down at his paws.

"Digital, do you want to stay with us?"

"Not safe to stay," said the Digital Age. "I worry."

Loop shifted from side to side.

"But what if it's not safe for you to leave, either?" Kyrie said. "If it's dangerous either way, wouldn't it be better to stay with the people who can protect you?"

A beam of sunlight illuminated the fire stone, casting sparkles around the room. Loop looked up at it.

"Not safe enough," said Digital.

Loop stood up and rammed the stool as hard as he could.

The stool clattered on the floor, along with the fire stone. All the eevees and Kyrie jumped at the noise. Loop de Loop didn't wait; he ran to the fire stone and threw himself on top of it.

His whole body tingled in the white glow. Loop felt heat churning inside him as he grew. It didn't hurt, though it was hotter than anything he had felt before; it felt comforting. He stood up and shook his head just as the white light faded, and a flareon stood where the eevee had once been.

Loop made sure he was adjusted to his new legs and bounded over to Kyrie. He stood up and put his front paws on Kyrie's leg and nuzzled his nose to the Digital Age.

"I don't understand," said Digital.

Loop barked and started chasing his own tail.

"I think I get it," Kyrie said. "You said Loop was strong, right? That he can protect me?"

"Yes."

"Well, he can protect you too."

The Digital Age considered this for a moment, their body humming. Finally, they nodded.

"Loop de Loop can protect me," they said. "I want to stay."

Loop bit down on the end of his own tail and looked up proudly at Kyrie and Digital, his mouth filled with fur. Nothing would stop him from protecting Kyrie, Digital, and everyone else in his family.