The first sign of something going terribly, horribly wrong is the moment she opens her UI to check her map of the Steppes. She clicks the button to take her there, and then.... then the menu completely freezes.

"...Are you fucking kidding me?"

For a moment, Tuesday is stuck there, looking at the Steppes through a UI at diminished opacity. Is the static of the route making it act up? She has heard that can happen, but then again, it doesn't feel like there's much static in the air right now.

Just as she thinks this, the menu crashes, leaving her with a loading wheel until it disappears completely. Great. Just great.

The third sign that today is one of those days when everything just goes wrong is the moment she encounters one of the rare NPCs that wanders through the Steppes. It's no one she recognizes, so she assumes they must be one of the NPC Mythstar members or something, which isn't odd considering that the guild's headquarters is supposedly nearby.

The odd thing about this NPC is actually the fact that he's walking in a spire. Yes, inside it. Half his body pokes out from the side of it, and he clearly looks like he's walking in place, as if he had gotten stuck inside of it while walking on a treadmill. He seems perfectly content with his situation too, as if this were totally normal.

Tuesday stares at him for a total of thirty two seconds flat, and after those thirty two seconds pass, she makes a decision:

"...Not my fucking problem."

With that said, the Alchemist keeps on walking.

UNOVR must not have heard her about needing a break, because Tuesday doesn't get far until a light blue Nidoran approaches her. Female Nidoran, if she's not mistaken. It's cute, but Tuesday has no need for one of them. In fact, the last time she had had one, it had ended up as a sacrifice for the Precipice Shrine. This one right here looks different, though. It has a pink bow and it talks.

<'Miss, would you help me find my—'>

"No."

<'Miss, would you help me find my—'>

Oh for fuck's sake. Wait.... Is it a quest or something? This sure has quest vibes. 'Lost pet, find its owner', or something like that. Golden eyes squint at the Nidoran.

"What? Your what?"

<'Miss, would you help me find my—'>

"...."

<'Miss, would you help me find my—'>

"...You're glitched, aren't you?"

<'Miss, would you help me find my—'>
<'Miss, would you help me find my—'>
<'Miss, would you help me find my—'>
<'Miss, would you help me find my—'>

A deep sigh is inaudible behind the Nidoran's dialogue, and wisely, Tuesday decides to step away before she gets an in-game headache. Is that even possible? Probably. She sure feels like she's getting one with the more that Nidoran keeps repeating the same line.

Had Yuze been following Tuesday for easy captures again? No, not really. He had been at the Steppes, though, and in his walking through the Steppes he had heard a ceaseless distant voice, the unmistakable sound of a Duraludon's roaring, and then, the also unmistakable sound of Tuesday's yelling. So, what had he thought? Look at that, another easy Duraludon.

But, see, Yuze doesn't particularly care for getting another one of these for the Professor. He does, however, care about the deal he and Tuesday had made when they met up at Briarbane. That's why he goes over to where all these sounds are coming from, and what he finds is Tuesday fighting a Duraludon while being harassed by a doubtlessly broken NPC Nidoran.

"Got yourself a new friend?" He teases, cruel as always, but he releases a Pokémon of his own all the same. Cyndaquil, this time, who is quick to join the fight.

Interesting. Usually, Tuesday oozes friendliness even while fighting, full of charisma and charm. Usually, she'd joke and be snarky and laugh. Today, though? Today her response is closer to what Yuze's would be if he were fighting a Pokémon.

Bad day?

He doesn't ask.

Instead, while Zmey helps with bringing down the Duraludon by attempting to melt its hide with his flame, Yuze walks over to the NPC. He crouches down by it, noting how it remains fixated on Tuesday and saying the same damn thing, and leaning in, he whispers something to the ear of the Nidoran.

It shuts up.

It looks utterly terrified.

Once his work is done, Yuze stands up, smoothing down his clothes and watching as the Nidoran NPC runs away from them until disappearing into the horizon as if this were a Sunday cartoon. But, no, today is Tuesday, and Tuesday is getting really fucking annoyed.

It's weird seeing this side of her.

"Duralumin. I think it's supposed to be that." He's sure Tuesday probably knows that, she seems like the type. She does not, however, seem like the type who would be vexed by the fact that steel type Pokémon are actually made of metals other than steel. Yuze is. He hates it.

Zmey channels his hate well by shooting flames right at the Duraludon's face.

She's not exactly back to normal, but it's close enough for now. Everyone has bad days, and all that noise would have given just about everything a headache. Yuze doesn't ask about it, of course. Nor does he ask about how she's feeling.

Why had he helped? Because otherwise she wouldn't have beaten up the Duraludon or offer a trade.

Work smart, not hard. Always.

"Glaceon?" Not exactly the evolution of Eevee he has been after, but Yuze can think of a few uses for it. He ponders on the matter while throwing his Golden Pokéball "Yeah, that works."