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Chapter Text

There was a time in my life where I found it difficult to sleep. High school, college, the drama and challenges that came with it. Being sleep-deprived made said challenges all the more of a burden. But that was a while back. Now I could usually reliably pass out like nobody’s business. I still didn’t know which way my life was headed really, but I didn’t let that stress me out. After everything that happened, I figured I needed a break.

Tonight, however, was a strange outlier.

It started with me sitting up in bed, which was a bizarre occurrence. It was the time I’d usually go to sleep, but I sat awake, like I was waiting for something. I had no idea what the hell came over me. I shrugged after a few minutes, getting cozy under the covers.

Then I had this strange dream. A brilliant golden glow was in the distance, and little else. I was a tad befuddled, as usually my dreams either didn’t make any sense, or had me being chased around by zombies or other such horrible monsters from the small amount of horror media I consumed.

“Welcome to my land, located beyond time and space….” The glow spoke, startling me. It sounded high-pitched, yet aged and wise. “It is well thou art here…I am that which humans call Arceus.”

Wait, what?

Somehow, Arceus already knew my name. “Soon thou shall find thyself in a world strange to thee….” It went on, “A world inhabited by wondrous creatures that humans call Pokémon…seek out all the Pokémon, and thou shall find me once more…”

I wanted out, I wanted out of this goddamn dream. Sure, little kid me would be overjoyed at the prospects of this, but I was relatively rusty on my Pokémon knowledge, having taken a small break from the game for a couple years or so. Nothing personal, I was just doing other stuff at the time.

Why was this dream so weird, did I eat something that didn’t agree with me? I got disoriented as my body twisted and turned, floating around, like the laws of time and space suddenly didn’t matter. My phone floated in front of me, the tiny blue device getting further and further away. Wasn’t the newest model, but I reached out for it like my life depended on it.

Sparks crackled around me, more like fireworks. Even around my distant phone, sparks cracked. My phone was bathed in a golden light, as a silhouette of Arceus could be seen. Soon, the golden light consumed me as well, and everything went dark.

“Wake up!”

“Do wake up, will you?”

The voice was incessant and loud, too early to tell if they were annoyed or actually worried about my safety. My eyes fluttered open, three Pokémon right in front of me. A small gasp escaped my lips as I moved back.

“Are you alive, my boy?” The voice quieted down a little, seeing as I had stirred.

As my vision cleared more, I noticed a man standing near the three Pokémon, a strange yellow emblem on his coat. Wait a minute, white lab coat.

Was this guy a professor?

I stood tall, which was easier said than done, given how woozy I was. I looked around briefly. Seemed were on some kind of beach, kind of beautiful too.

This was the weirdest dream I’ve ever had, none of the other ones usually came close to this. And why was this one so long?

“You gave me quite the shock, falling out of the sky like that.” The professor crossed his arms, “But thank goodness, you seem unharmed!”

Wait a fucking minute, I fell out of the sky? How am I even alive? Surely the sand didn’t break my fall?

My breathing quickened, I looked around again, like that would help me. I saw the Rowlet, Cyndaquil, and Oshawott in front of me, all curious and inquisitive about the new visitor, then I looked back to the smiling man. For good measure, I crouched down and grabbed a handful of sand, feeling it slip through my fingers, probably looked insane to this guy already.

But right then and there, I determined that this wasn’t a dream. This was real, somehow.

“Who are you?” I hated how nervous my voice sounded. I suppose anyone would be nervous at meeting a new person, especially given these circumstances. Didn’t mean it wasn’t annoying, despite that. I used to be horribly timid, and the only reason I spoke up at all was five years of retail hell teaching me that whether I liked it or not, good or bad, I had to learn to talk to people. “Where am I?”

His smile dropped to a face of concern, “Why, this is Prelude Beach, of course…dear me, did the shock of your fall addle your memory?”

Prelude Beach. Yeah, that sounded like something out of a Pokémon game. Should I panic even more now?

The professor looked me up and down, “I must say…your clothing is a little, unusual. You wouldn’t happen to have an acquaintance in these parts, would you?”

My clothes? What the hell was wrong with my clothes? I mean, yeah, they weren’t pajamas entirely, but it was loungewear. Sweats and a hoodie. Didn’t exactly think I was going out to meet the Pope today or anything. Thank god I had slippers on, thinking about running around out here barefoot or with only socks on gave me a shudder.

Then his question finally registered. “I…uh, no…I, uh….” What the hell do I tell him? That I came from another world? Yeah, god, he’d eat that up, for sure.

“I see…you seem to be in a bit of a pickle.” The professor noted while I rambled aimlessly, “Perhaps I can offer you some directions, where do you live?”

“Not uh…not anywhere around here….”

“So you don’t know anyone here, and you don’t even know where to spend the night….” He summarized, which may have just been nerves, but it sounded bleak the way he phrased it. “Well…this is a proper pickle indeed. Are you quite sure you’ll be able to survive?”

If there were three Pokémon in front of me here, stood to reason there were probably more, wild ones out there. Ones that wouldn’t mind having me for a snack. I gave a dismayed laugh, as the reality of my situation started to settle in, “Probably not.”

“I see.” He found his smile again, “Well, no gentleman would abandon a person in such need!” The Pokémon peanut gallery he brought along with him hooted, chirped, and squeaked in agreement. “Oh my! I’d completely forgotten, I had just caught up to these three runaway Pokémon when you tumbled out of the sky….” A small chuckle, “Almost like they knew you’d appear here.” He faced me again after fondly smiling at them, “Ah, but do you even know what a Pokémon is?”

Finally, I could answer a question and not look like a bumbling moron. “Course I do.” I offered the three starters a smile as well. I should probably reel it in though. Playing video games was one thing, but this was real life. I fuck something up with a certain Pokémon, and I wouldn’t see the light of day ever again.

“Ah, that’s a relief, though you fell from the sky, it seems we have some common ground, eh?” His grin grew. He sounded way too happy, I knew I should’ve kept my mouth shut. “Yes, well…these Pokémon belong to me. Mysterious creatures, they are!” His smile remained, “So what might your name be?”

God, this was really all happening. “CJ.”

“Oh, I see, an interesting name, I don’t think I’ve heard one quite like it.”

“What about your name?”

“Oh, I dearly apologize, I didn’t even get to introduce myself!” A proud smile, “My name is Laventon. I’m something of a Pokémon professor!”

I wonder if that’s some kind of tree. He definitely had a fashion statement compared to some of the other professors. A purple wool hat with a puff on the end, some striped pants, dark boots. And a little bowtie. Though I had little to no room to judge other people’s clothes right now.

“That is to say, I am a scholar seeking to deepen our understanding of Pokémon.” He went on. “Pokémon such as these three—”

Seems the trio of rascals have had enough of the professors lecturing, they ran off in the distance.

Laventon’s jaw dropped, “Oh, blast and bother! My darling Pokémon! Why must you run from me again?” He wretched his hands out, turning back to me, “I’m terribly sorry, but do you think you can help me out? I beg you!”

Slightly perplexed at this, I raised a brow. Maybe he was an expect at observing, but not taming? Nevertheless, if I wanted this guy’s help, stood to reason I should help him in return. “Yeah, sure thing.” I nodded.

He nodded back, “Wait, you three! Wait!” He ran after the trio.

I meanwhile took one final look around the beach. There was a wooden dock to my left, a dinky wooden rowboat beside it. Up ahead there was some kind of supply shed, but for where? I still couldn’t see a sign of civilization no matter where I looked. Whatever, it wasn’t a problem right now, my only other sign of human contact ran off in the distance, I should do the same.

As I moved further inland, towards a meadow, I found something sparkling in the dirt. I got on my knees to dust it off. It was my phone, my phone made it here? But something wasn’t right….

My phone, previously blue, (at least the case was), was now white, with a yellow spiked spiral around it, very much like Arceus’s design. Great, what the hell did this mean? Could I even contact my family with this thing? Well, I guess depending on the family member, I was actually glad they couldn’t reach me.

It suddenly beeped, causing me to jump slightly. I knew better than expecting a text from anyone, though. Although I did get a message.

“I bestow upon thee this Arc Phone and thy mission: seek out all Pokémon.”

I didn’t even know how to regard this strange device, or strange mission. It may have hardly been my phone anymore, but I stashed it in my pocket anyway. That was something my overwhelmed brain could comprehend later.

Luckily, the professor wasn’t that far off, he seemed to be throwing Poké balls, although his aim left a lot to be desired.

“Blast…yet another miss….” He sighed, brightening in expression once I had caught up, “Aha! I’m glad you’ve come to my rescue, my new friend from the sky!” He shook his head as he looked ahead, “I tried catching my little runaways by throwing Poké balls at them, but I’m not the best at it, you see….” He held a hand out, “I’d love to give you a go at it, but perhaps I should tell you about these three first?” He pointed at the owl Pokémon wandering around, “That one is—”

“Rowlet.” I answered, my Sun and Moon playthrough coming back to me. “Grass and Flying type, right?”

The professor turned to look at me, “My stars, you…you know Rowlet?”

I played it off with a chuckle, “Told you, I know what Pokémon are.” Keep your mouth shut, keep your mouth shut or he’s going to send you out in the wild to catch them yourself next. I kept thinking to myself. But the glee at seeing living, breathing Pokémon was too exciting for me to contain myself.  

Laventon put a hand to his chin, “Well, did you know that Rowlet can photosynthesize like a plant?” He challenged, “And it apparently battles using it’s sharp feathers.”

I chuckled again, “I knew some of that stuff, but not all of it.” I admitted, “You’re the professor, not me.” I joked. Anything to lower his expectations so he would stop looking at me like I was the reborn Jesus fucking Christ.

Laventon nodded towards the little flaming rodent, “That Pokémon is—”

“Cyndaquil.” I noted, “And that one over there was Oshawott.” I gestured towards the otter Pokémon running to the lake. Shit man, keep your mouth shut! “Go on though, with the explanation.” I added politely, “Promise I won’t interrupt again.”

He still looked quite surprised I was able to clock each Pokémon species as they came. Maybe these three were rare around here or something, “Cyndaquil, as you can see, can sprout fire out of its back, whenever its confused or angry. And Oshawott can use the shell on its belly as a weapon.”

It actually was fascinating, observing them from afar. Maybe I took the wrong major in college, maybe I should’ve been a zoologist. I also had a mean dinosaur phase when I was a kid, maybe it was that.

“Oh my! I nearly forgot to cover the most important thing!” Laventon turned to me, “How to catch Pokémon!” He handed me a familiar red and white ball, “Here you are, my boy. Poké balls! Throw these at Pokémon to catch them!” When I looked down nearby him, it seemed the professor had a sack overflowing of the tiny devices.

But something wasn’t right. The Poké ball was unlike anything I had seen in any of the games I played. And I played all eight main series generations, sure, my memory was fuzzy, but…this felt, stone? Well, there was a plant component too, or a nut at the very least. On one hand, combing stones and nuts together to make something as advanced as a Poké ball was quite impressive. On the other hand, why bother?

Seemed Laventon caught onto my slightly stunned expression, “Oh, but that won’t do for an explanation at all, will it? I do apologize. Let me be more thorough.” He started, “I’ve mentioned before that Pokémon are strange, marvelous creatures. What’s so strange about them, you ask? Well, every Pokémon is able to shrink itself down to miniscule size! And that’s where Poké balls come in!” He smiled. “Poké balls are a recent invention, you see…throw one of them at a Pokémon, and the Pokémon will shrink down inside the ball, comfy as can be. And with that, you’ve caught a Pokémon!”

Wait, did he just say recent invention? Oh no, oh no oh no oh no. I looked down at my hands, one of them holding this, let’s face it, neolithic Poké ball. If this was state of the art to them, what did that mean?

It meant that I wasn’t just in a world where Pokémon existed, but in the distant past, no less.

Professor Laventon seemed to pick up on my apprehension, so he softened his tone slightly. “I know we’ve just met.” He conceded, “But I’m afraid I’ve got no one else to turn to.” A hopeful smile, “I’d be awfully grateful if you could catch my three runaways!”

Right, catching Pokémon, forget about the fact that I had no idea where I was, where I would go, and what sort of technology, or lack thereof, there was in this world. Again, little kid me would be overjoyed at the prospect of catching three Pokémon, three starters no less. But I was practically shivering, as I held the lone Poké ball in my hand. The bag of likely fifty or so more Poké balls to the side, meaning I could Mulligan as much as I wanted, was of no comfort.

“So just…throw it, right?” I asked. Wisely I decided to keep my knowledge on the capsules hidden for now. Given how excited he looked when I clocked what these three starters were, it would set off a dangerous precedent.

“That’s right, take aim, and let the ball fly! Simple, really.” The professor enthused, “Though….” His smile weakened, “Far be it from me from say so…given my lack of skills in the area.”

I crept slowly towards the Pokémon, having a feeling that charging at them like a wild bull would cause them to run further inland and as a result we’d have a very upset professor on our hands.

Now, what perplexed me the most, was what region this was. Was it a region in the distant past? Because let’s face it, Rowlet was from Alola, Cyndaquil was from Johto, and Oshawott was from Unova. So in other words, it made absolutely no sense for all three of them to be in the same place at once. Unless it was far enough back in the past. Maybe it was like a Pangea deal, where multiple regions were smushed together.

I chose to sneak towards Rowlet first, chucking the ball when the owl Pokémon wasn’t looking. A surprised hoot was heard, as it was trapped inside the capsule. The ball tumbled around for a moment or so, before it clicked, and a little celebratory spark flew out. Strange, how it was similar, yet different, to Poké balls of the future.

“Good show, my boy! You’ve captured Rowlet!” The professor cheered as he pumped a fist.

Oshawott was the next closest, so I grabbed another Poké ball from the professor’s bag and threw the ball again, catching the otter Pokémon with little to no difficulty. Damn, something wasn’t right. As the professor congratulated me again, I felt a strange sensation. Surely it could’ve have been that easy, right?

Cyndaquil was last, and I threw another Poké ball, surprised at my accuracy. I suppose I did play a lot of catch with my siblings growing up, as well as friends during recess. Damn, would I ever see any of them again?

Cyndaquil was not having any of it however, as the ball burst open and the little rodent skittered off. Needless to say, this broke my worried reverie, and I swore under my breath, as I tried to catch up to the damn thing. At least it didn’t seem to be going too far. Snagging another Poké ball from the bag, I tossed it ahead. This time when Cyndaquil was ensnared, the ball sent out its celebratory firework. I gave a sigh of relief.

“You seem to have a natural skill for this.” The professor congratulated as I walked back over, “Jolly useful skills to have around here.” He looked me over, “You were hardly afraid of them either.” He noted a bit more quietly.

The fuck does he mean, I was terrified! I thought to myself.

“I could hardly believe my eyes. Most people I know are too scared to even approach a Pokémon, let alone catch one! Thank you so very much indeed, it’s good to have them all back.” He said, as I handed the three Poké balls back.

“Hey, if it weren’t for your fine invention, I wouldn’t have been able to get them back in the first place.” I complimented.

“Well, they’re hardly one-hundred percent foolproof.” He sighed, must’ve been referencing Cyndaquil’s great escape.

“Yeah, but what invention is?”

He chuckled modestly, “You see, those three Pokémon only just recently arrived at our village. They won’t yet listen to anybody.”

I nodded respectfully. Village, okay. And it was likely close by. I definitely wanted to take a look at it, see how advanced, or lack thereof, this time period was, and a village was definitely a good place to start.

“They bolted from the village, almost as if they knew you were coming.” Professor Laventon crossed his arms, “But I was quite taken aback at how well you adapted to the Poké balls.” He smiled. “How is it you’re able to catch Pokémon so adeptly?”

“My world had Pokémon too.” I settled on the perfect half-truth, at least for now. “It was different but…same principals applies, by the looks of things.”

Naturally, the scholar looked intrigued, “I see, you must tell me about it some other time.” He nodded eagerly, “One can’t help but think there’s a reason you appeared here and now….”

Before I could interrupt his semi-spiritual statement, my Arc Phone beeped, “Seek out all Pokémon….”

Oh dear god, if I show this guy a goddamn phone, is he gonna have me burned at the stake?

“What in blazes was that?” The professor leaned in, curious.

I nervously showed him what used to be my phone. “When I woke up, it was right next to me.” Another half-lie, I wanted to distance myself from technology as much as possible, anything to ease suspicions. “It’s called an Arc Phone or…or something….”

“What an odd device.” He looked confused, but not overly hostile, as I had feared. “If you’ll indulge me a moment, there is something I’d like to share with you. You see, I have this dream, to compile this region’s first complete record of Pokémon. We in the field call such catalog a Pokédex.” He explained. “A proper Pokédex is a wonderful work of research, containing detailed entries of all the Pokémon found here.” A pause, “But, in order to properly document Pokémon, one must of course, catch them.” He sighed, “And therein lies the problem, I’m afraid. Poké balls have only recently been invented, and not many have mastered the skill of using them.” He looked at me, determination in his eyes, “Enter you…a person with a clear talent for catching Pokémon! Your goal is to seek all Pokémon, and my goal is to have them all caught. A situation ripe for teamwork, wouldn’t you agree?”

Hot damn, I was going to help make the first-ever Pokédex. Little kid me would be jumping for joy.

“Come now! What do you say? Shall we help one another out, my boy?” He grinned.

I finally found my smile. I had no idea where I was, or what exactly was happening. But I think my best bet was to stay close to this guy, the professor. What other choice did I have? Chance it out in the wilderness without a single Pokémon to my name? This guy had tons of Poké balls and research to help me catch whatever the hell I wanted, I could have an army. The choice was obvious.

“Sign me up, professor.” I nodded.

He was full of glee, “Then whoever and from wherever you may be, I welcome you with open arms!”

Chapter Text

“First things first, let’s get these Pokémon back to the village!” The professor was still all smiles as he led the way, “Then we’ll sort out your lodgings and find you some proper clothes and a meal and all that.”

I stepped at his side, or a little bit behind, as he knew where he was going, whereas I did not. I had earned my meal ticket, at least for now. Hopefully I’ll be able to survive out here, although it still could be extremely challenging, given what I was working with already.

One thing was for sure, this was definitely in the past. How far in the past, I had no idea. But, the nature here, it seemed, well, it was hard to eloquently put it. It didn’t seem used up and discarded by mankind. The air smelt fresher here, the grass, leaves, looked brighter, livelier. Pollution didn’t make its mark, which was for the better.

I looked over, seeing a huge gray wormhole. It was almost like a blackhole, but going in the opposite direction. It was situated over a tall mountain, looked to be the tallest mountain in the region. Did I fall out of that? If I did, then how the hell did I end up here?

“So where exactly are we headed?” I asked, “What’s the village called?”

“Jubilife Village.” He answered, a calm smile on his face. He seemed to be a rather happy go-lucky man, given how often he beamed.

That name, now that sounded familiar. From one of the DS games, right? Diamond or Pearl, Platinum too. Was it coincidence? I doubt the regions translated so closely. I gave a polite nod as we headed forward. The rest of the journey silent, as it wasn’t all that long a walk.

The more I saw of the village, the more cemented it was that we were really in the past. There was a large guard gate, made almost entirely out of wood. Two men were at either side of the entrance, the clothes a little different than anything I was used to, barring possibly the wide-brimmed rice hats they wore. Spoke volumes that was about the only thing I could recognize.

“Thank you for your tireless work, keeping us safe, good guardsmen!” Professor Laventon smiled at the pair of guards.

Then, to my horror, he started introducing me to the pair of wary, likely paranoid guards. “This young man was of great assistance to me and my Pokémon, so I hope you’ll forgive me bringing him into the village for a little while.”

The guardsman’s only response was a stoic nod. Seemed that was the only permission Laventon needed to be pleased enough to move forward. I slowly took up the rear.

I was a little overwhelmed with the culture shock at first. More guards, dressed like the first two, could be seen occasionally. But there were also villagers going about their daily activities. Some young, some old, some children, some elders. They were all dressed for the time period. I was starting to get why my clothes stuck out like a sore thumb, at the very least.

There was no sign of roads, or even asphalt here. Just dirt paths. So, cars weren’t a thing, I guess. Or if they were, they weren’t around here. As I half-nervously followed the professor, I noticed some light fixtures on some of the houses. Seemed electricity wasn’t up to snuff yet, either. I wondered if they lit those lamps themselves, or if they had Fire Pokémon to do it. Likely the former, given how Laventon went on and on about how fearful people were of Pokémon.

“This way, if you please!”

Thank god I had Professor Laventon leading me around like a lost duckling, or else I’d be in for it. “Jubilife Village has come a long way thanks to the Galaxy Expedition Team!” He said, as if I was going on some tour or field trip. “The road we’re on now is referred to as Canala Avenue!” I nodded as I glanced around the area. Seemed like a residential section.

It was inevitable I’d get stares. Some of the more immature children would even point at me.

“The village was built around two years ago. There’s a lot to do, and yet not many to do it.” He tried to get quieter on the next part, “And since we know so little of the local Pokémon, people hesitate to step foot outside the village.” The murmurings of the villagers was starting to grate on my nerves, making it hard to pay attention to the professor.

Up ahead was a rather large building, my thoughts drifted to a school, or, some kind of military academy? “That impressive building up ahead is Galaxy Hall, headquarters of this entire outfit!” Laventon explained, as if he read my mind.

He stopped in front of a wooden bridge over a river, “Oh botheration, I’ve nearly forgotten!” He turned around to face me, “I need to report back and tell them that we’ve recovered the escaped Pokémon!” He looked over my shoulder, “Might I ask for you to wait at the canteen? It’s just past this bridge to the left, the Wallflower, it’s called.”

Retracing my steps, I followed the professor’s directions, making my way to the Wallflower.

“Is that normal getup where you come from?” A villager jeered.

I looked at the older man, not able to tell if it was curious or hostile remark. Thanks to retail, I had more conversational intelligence than what I had in high school, but I didn’t have the charisma to bounce a witty or self-depreciating joke back at him. I also figured deriding or insulting him back would be a bad idea.

“Newcomer to the village?” A woman guessed, sweeping away with her broom, “Well, nobody eats for free. You have to work for your keep, here.” She lectured.

Yeah, I figured Laventon would be the exception, not the rule.

This had to have been the Wallflower, there were a few outdoor tables to sit at. And I swore I smelled food from inside the building. Something starchy. A man stepped outside of the kitchen, most likely the chef. He had a tiny little green moustache, a beard as well, though that was fading white. “Well now, aren’t you awfully suspicious?” He rasped.

“Look…I…I don’t mean any trouble.” Again, a nervous tremble in my voice.

“The Wallflower’s for Galaxy Team folk only! We don’t have seats for outsiders! Move along!”

It caused me to jump. Why the hell were all these people so trigger-happy? I get they were all scared of Pokémon, but I sure as hell wasn’t one!

“Wait, Laventon sent me, I….” But it was too late, the old man turned his back to me, going back into the kitchen with the righteous slam of a door. Holy shit, was I transported here just to starve to death?

I heard footsteps next. “Who are you? I’ve never seen anyone dressed like you here before….”

That voice. I turned around, and fucking Dawn from Pokémon Diamond and Pearl comes walking up to me, chin held high. My jaw dropped. Holy shit, was this an older version of Sinnoh? Or was it coincidence again?

“What if you were attacked by a Pokémon? You’d be minced meat in those flimsy clothes!” She put a hand on a hip, using her free hand to gesture at the outrageousness of my sleepwear.

She must’ve registered the look on my face, the slack jaw. As she was suspicious enough before, but now she was even more incredulous. I was familiar with Pokémon anime. As much as I was with the games at least. And this was definitely Dawn, or, a progenitor or great ancestor of her. It was the blue hair. The hair that coincidentally matched most of her uniform and her bright blue eyes. Only real difference was that her hair was tied up. Couldn’t believe Dawn was laying into me about my goddamn clothes. That wasn’t on my interdimensional-travel-to-another-world bingo sheet.

“I’m aware, alright?” I half-snapped, taking a breath to collect myself. “Not exactly from around here, in case you didn’t notice.”

She still seemed to regard me with suspicion. “If the guard let you through, you must have ties with someone in the village.”

“Yeah, Professor Laventon.” I answered. Well, now was the time to see what status he held in this village. Was he an esteemed professor, or some quack who these paranoid, Poké-fearing cretins shunned at every opportunity?

Dawn seemed to like him, if her pleasant hum had anything to do with it, “Professor Laventon…he’s actually from a faraway place.” She noted, “His Pokémon do get away from him at times. Makes me worried about him.” She looked at the ground, “I suppose I’m hardly one to talk…I’ve had some trouble with Pokémon myself.”

I shrugged. I had to admit, I was a little surprised she was opening up to me. Perhaps regretting getting heated with her. “Happens to the best of us.” I said nonchalantly.

She shook her head, seeming to disagree with my noncommittal sentiment. “It was bad. I was hit by a move called Thundershock some time ago…I was in the infirmary for a while after that one.”

I met her eye again. Mother of god, were people just roughing it out there, taking on Pokémon by themselves? It’s a wonder I haven’t run into a massive cemetery yet, if Pokémon were as numerous here as they were in the games.

“And you didn’t die?” I asked bluntly.

“No, no…it wasn’t that bad!” She swatted a hand, though I could tell she was still nervous about the ordeal.

“Sorry about that.” I said, trying to sound a bit more genuine. Two friends were better than one, after all.

“The professor is just as clumsy, maybe even clumsier.” She tried to play it off with a laugh.

“It’s just as Akari says, unfortunately. I’m a very clumsy fellow, put mildly!” A familiar voice called.

Shit, Akari, right. Guess it wouldn’t make sense for her name to be Dawn too, now that I thought about it.

“Professor, there you are.” Akari greeted warmly.

Laventon nodded and smiled back at Akari, “Everything will be quite alright now.” He gestured my direction, “CJ here has agreed to help us with our Pokédex!”

Oh dear god.

Akari’s mood soured in an instant. The glare came back, towards me, and the professor, “Excuse me? You plan to appoint him to the Survey Corps?”

I had figured there were other employees or whatever, that I’d have to eventually introduce myself to. But man, did I shoot myself in the foot here. Laventon probably already paraded me around like the second coming, and I was real afraid it was going to piss a lot of people off.

“You can’t just slap a badge on whoever you’d like without Captain Cyllene’s position!” Akari continued, holding a fist up in passionate fury.

“I’ll allow it.”

The voice was cold, low, calculating. As if I couldn’t be any more scared.

“Captain Cyllene?” Akari’s voice suggested that she was surprised her supervising officer would be out here now of all times.

And I was, too. The hair, the face, the expression. I hadn’t played any DS game recently. But I knew Cyrus when I saw him. Or, or her, in this case. I stumbled back in fear, cowering. Was I on the bad side?!

I was met with three stares. Cyllene raised a brow, “Assuming said individual can contribute to the Survey Corps, that is.”

“Are you alright, lad?” Thankfully Laventon took pity upon my social faux pas, tossing me a figurative rope out of the hole I’ve dug myself.  

“Yeah, yeah, fine.” I panted. I had actually worked myself up to panting, because I was that scared. “Just…I don’t know, got a little overwhelmed, is all.” First Dawn, now this? It had to be Sinnoh. Maybe, at least.

She crossed her arms behind her back, “I am Captain of the Galaxy Team’s Survey Corps, you may call me Cyllene.” Like her future descendent, not a shred of emotion or feeling was in her face, or her speech.

I gave a respectful nod, “Yes ma’am.” I was never in the military, but those four years of marching band came back fast.

A pause, but only as slight one. “Professor Laventon has told me how you helped secure his Pokémon when they slipped out of his control.” Cyllene went on, all business as I had expected. “And now it seems he would like us to feed and house you in exchange for your ongoing labor.”

Really didn’t like how she phrased it like that. Was Cyrus this robotic? Probably, I hadn’t played those games in almost a decade or so. “I’ll do my best, ma’am.” I promised.

“Caught two of them on the first try.” Laventon beamed, “He also identified all three on the spot!”

“Really?” Akari ghosted.

Shut the hell up, Prof! You’re not helping my case here!

“However, we can’t simply take in a stranger who wanders in among us, without any idea of their skills or origins.” Cyllene looked at the setting sun briefly, “Tomorrow, we shall see if you can prove yourself worthy.”

I felt a lump in my throat.

“A most reasonable decision, Captain!” Laventon’s smile remained. For helping me out of one hole, he was quickly shoving me down another.  “Now, would you like to join us for a meal? I’m sure you have plenty of questions to ask for our visitor!”

“That’s quite alright.” She dismissed, much to my relief. “I prefer to eat alone, so that I may appreciate my meal without distraction.” And with that, she walked off.

I was in a similar boat, I usually liked to eat alone too, for almost the same reason. Well, that and I was overjoyed the scary captain lady who could probably kick my ass ten ways from Tuesday was leaving.

“Aloof as always, I see.” Laventon shook his head. No, please don’t bring her back here. There was nothing wrong with being a loner, I should goddamn know. “Well, no matter! The rest of us can share some pleasant conversation then, eh?” Sure, whatever. These two, I didn’t mind so much. Laventon raised his voice, “Beni, old chum! The usual potato mochi, if you will! But make it for three, today!”

Shit, I didn’t even think about the food here, how would that work? It was probably old timey food, maybe, right? Japanese food? Pokémon was made in Japan, but, but this world, ugh, too many damn questions.

“Good luck with that….” I muttered, “He didn’t want to serve me.”

“Ah, no worries. I’ll give the old chum some convincing.”

I don’t know how the hell he did it, but no sooner and the three of us were all seated around a table, steaming hot, uh, potato mochi, out for all three of us. I didn’t know what to make of it, never seen the stuff before in my life. Sure did smell like potatoes. Maybe it was my stupid Americanism showing.

“Wonderful stuff Beni, much obliged!” Professor Laventon complimented, “Your potato mochi never fails to please!”

Beni just gave a quiet nod as he departed. He was probably pissed at having to serve me. I couldn’t quite pin his age. He seemed older, but I wasn’t sure how old. While Akari and I were young adults, Laventon in his thirties or forties perhaps, maybe that put Beni at fifty, pushing sixty? Christ, I can’t believe I was thinking of such mundane stuff right now when there was some weird trial I had to do tomorrow.

The heated eyes Akari had on me hadn’t left throughout the wait for the meal. If I was still a stupid, hormonal teenager, I would’ve come to a different conclusion. But I knew she still didn’t trust me. No one in the village had a reason to, as much as it annoyed me.

“Professor Laventon, where exactly did you meet our…visitor here?”

Please stop glaring at me like that.

“Ah, well, you know that great hole in the sky, the one they call the great space-time rift?” The professor asked, “Our new friend fell right out of it!”

Couldn’t tell if this was helping my case or not.

“You can’t be serious.” She frowned.

He gave a nod, “Come now, I’m a scientist…it’s my job to observe and explain any and all phenomenon. I only concern myself with facts!”

“It’s true, by the way.” I interjected, “Look, I know it sounds crazy…but, one minute I was in my own world, then…I was transported here.” I explained, though Akari wasn’t having any of it.

“There are many Pokémon here in the Hisui region.” Laventon noted. The abrupt change in topic threw me for a loop.

“I know that.” Akari replied, “In grass, trees, caves, water, wherever. It’s our job as the Survey Corps to research them and find out what kind of creatures they are.” Yeah, she was definitely pissed about some up-and-coming recruit coming to steal her job.

For once, a solemn look crossed the professor’s face. “Pokémon are terrifying creatures.” If someone from a video game said that, I’m not sure how quickly I’d take them seriously, depending on the circumstances. But out here, in the wild, in the past, there was definitely weight to his words. “It’s impossible to predict what sorts of powers they have, what sorts of things they can do. That’s where CJ will come in! He caught three Pokémon, and identified all three on the spot!” He praised, “Nobody in the Galaxy Team is capable of doing that. This means we can finally begin our Pokémon research in earnest.”

“So, you did catch all three.” Akari’s expression softened. She too looked concerned, “We have trouble enough catching one, especially with wild Pokémon, who aren’t afraid to fight back.”

“Well, they were the professor’s Pokémon.” I said, “Much more docile than the wild Pokémon, most likely.” I tried to bring these two back down to Earth.

That look of suspicion came back, “How did you know what all three of them were? You fell from the sky, right?”

A heavy sigh, “The world I came from….” What the hell do I tell these two, that I’m from the future? That they were a game? “Had Pokémon in it.” I bit out. “I liked to…to read a lot about them.” Sure, reading, sure as shit not telling these two about video games, not sure they could wrap their minds around that, given the technological state the village was in. “So, the hands-on stuff might come slowly to me but….” I tapped the side of my head, “I’m like a steel vault.” A rusty steel vault, sure. When the hell was the last time I played a Pokémon game, or even opened up a competitive battling tab on a web browser?

Professor Laventon’s eyes lit up, “Most splendid! Not only are you brave enough to approach Pokémon, but you’re like a fountain of information, what good fortune!” Akari was still looking at me with mild distrust throughout the professor’s praise.

Beni’s voice scared the fuck out of me. “Do the Survey Corps have the leeway to be enjoying a leisurely meal with an outsider?” He asked from behind me. I looked back at him, trying badly to hide a glare. Didn’t this guy have anything better to be doing?

“Your captain just ordered ten servings of my potato mochi.” Beni went on, “The slow progress of that Pokédex of yours clearly has her on edge.”

“I’m sure we’ll start to reign in the captain’s stress eating habits soon.” Laventon smiled. Yeah, sure, please just keep hyping me up like there was no tomorrow. “With CJ here, make sure you eat up, CJ! And think, if you get accepted into the Galaxy Team, you’ll never have to worry about a meal again! The team provides for all its members’ needs. Even if said member fell out of the sky!”

The potato mochi, while I was notorious for being a damn picky eater, was actually pretty damn good. The texture was a lot fluffier, the inside at least. It reminded me a little bit of hash browns, though I suppose that’s typical of potato products.

“That was quite delicious! Quite delicious indeed!” Laventon smiled, the night sky now fully out, as opposed to the sunset during the meal.

“Don’t forget about CJ’s trial.” Akari nodded towards me.

“Not to worry.” The professor’s grin grew, “I have complete confidence in CJ’s abilities.” At least one out of the three of us did.

“Let’s hope it’s not misplaced.” Captain Cyllene joined us again. She addressed me once again, “CJ, was it?” She asked, “For tonight at least, we will provide you with a place to sleep. You may use our quarters over there.” She nodded in the direction of a building adjacent to the massive Galaxy Hall. “But, if you fail to pass your trial tomorrow, you must move on. You will be expelled from the village to meet your fate…and perhaps your death…in the wilds.” Lovely. She even walked away after that. Fucking great.

Even Akari felt bad about that, it seemed. “Captain Cyllene’s somewhat like Hisui, in that they’re both harsh.” The joke did little to comfort me.

“Now, now, she simply puts on a stern front to keep us all safe.” Laventon said. I was starting to think that anyone could be this guy’s friend, that nothing could get to him. “At any rate, I think it’s time we turn in for the night, eh? It’s a good thing one can’t fall out of futons. I think our friend has had enough falling in one day!” He had a good laugh, departing. “I bid you both a good night!”

Akari stood at my side, “Fell from the sky, huh?” She looked at the rift in the sky. Part of me wondered if it could be seen all over the region.

“Yeah.” I answered, looking her over. “I’m sorry.” Didn’t exactly know what I was apologizing for, “I’m not going to hurt any of you…I’m not going to do anything, chancy. I just want to eat, to survive. We all want that, right? None of you have any reason to distrust me.”

She raised her chin, “Guess the trial will prove that.”

“Fair enough.” I gave up, heading to my quarters, “Goodnight Akari.”

“Goodnight CJ.”

I couldn’t really afford to be picky with my quarters either, as I stepped inside. Seemed to be half a kitchen, half a living or bedroom area. Thank god, there was plumbing, and even a stove. Although the latter seemed a bit more old-fashioned than what someone from my timeline would be accustomed to. There was a trunk, some cabinets and dressers, for clothes I didn’t have.

And the piece de resistance. The futon, this must’ve been what the professor was talking about. I picked up the relatively thin blanket. Damn it, how the hell was I supposed to sleep on this? I had trouble sleeping anywhere other than my own bed. Sleepovers not at my house were my kryptonite when I was a kid. But I had no choice. Sleep deprivation meant failing the trial. Failing the trial meant shitting in the woods and being mauled to death.

I took off some of my loungewear, getting as comfortable as I could in the futon. Interesting that the region was called Hisui, and not Sinnoh. Had a nice ring to it, though I thought for sure it was Sinnoh, given Akari and Cyllene. Whatever happened, I hoped my stay in Hisui wouldn’t be a short one.

Chapter Text

“Good morning CJ!” Akari’s muffled voice came through my front door, “Are you up? Quite some lightning last night, wasn’t it?”

I sat up with a small groan as I rubbed at a sleepy eye. So there was lightning last night. Some kind of bad storm most likely. Thought it was some kind of dream.

Speaking of dreams, I thought this entire world was one of them. But, as I rose to my futon, I was still here. In Pokémon land, in ye olden times.

“Today’s the day of your trial so, um…let’s give it our all!”

I heard footsteps departing, so she must’ve left. Good, didn’t exactly want her to barge in on me, half-naked. I stretched as I stood tall, head banging with all the chaos from last night, and the erratic sleeping schedule. Why couldn’t it have been Hoenn?

When I was introduced to Pokémon, generation three was at its peak. My LeafGreen and Emerald cartridges probably had thousands of hours on them each. I did go back and play generations one and two, but I don’t think I ever beat either of them. Maybe Gold I beat. I knew enough about the first generation to know that it was broken as all hell, and the memes encompassing that, at least.

Sinnoh was, a weird time for teenage me. Generation four, I suppose it was at a time when I didn’t understand what loss, or moving on really was. I didn’t want Emerald to stop, I wanted to keep playing it, keep playing that Battle Frontier until my fingers fell off. But everyone was talking about the hip, new, Sinnoh region. Diamond and Pearl. For many years, I resented the fourth generation, because they kicked out the games I’ve grown to love. Ironically, like fate playing a cruel trick on me, I now had to face my demons of the Sinnoh region, if Cyllene and Akari were of any indication.

I put on my loungewear, fumbling around for my glasses, as I gazed back at my short blonde hair and blue eyes in the mirror. Thank god these people knew what glasses were, I didn’t really have the patience to explain that one away, as I had with everything else.

Well, here goes nothing.

Turns out Akari was waiting for me, maybe she just walked off a respectful distance. “What lovely weather we have.” A small smile. “I hope you had a nice sleep, even if this world is new and strange to you.”

I didn’t. Felt a migraine coming on, maybe felt like I wanted to die. “Slept fine.” She seemed to sleep off some of the distrust. Which was for the better because I wanted as many people in this village liking me as possible. But as much as I wanted to dwell on small talk, I didn’t want a reputation for being late. “Think you could show me around Galaxy Hall?”

She nodded, “Captain Cyllene’s at her desk.” She led the way.

I was just as overwhelmed by the inside of the hall as I was the outside. Everything seemed grandiose. Red carpets, with golden accent, nice windows, clearly a headquarters of high prestige.

“The Survey Corps offices are here on the first floor.” Akari said, her small smile still there.

“Don’t give up! Keep your eyes open!” A woman cried from an adjacent room.

“The…the wild Pokémon, they were everywhere….” A man rasped from the same room, “Attacking from all sides…I…I sent out my partner Pokémon…but, against a whole pack…we were outnumbered!”

“That’s what happens when you stray too far away from the village!” The woman chided, “But, don’t worry, the Medical Corps will set you straight!” She said cheerily.

My throat bobbed, “Christ.”

Akari looked over my direction, “That man’s with the Security Corps. And even with a partner Pokémon, he took quite a beating.” She noted, “Without a partner Pokémon of your own, you may find this trial…particularly trying.”

They were trying to kill me.

Seriously, if soldiers couldn’t chance it against wild Pokémon, what hopes would I have?

And then, like feeding me to a live pit of sharks, Akari led me towards what I assumed was Cyllene’s office, what with the immaculate desk and the overflowing paperwork. “Captain Cyllene, CJ’s here.” Yeah, great, thanks. Feel free to fodder me off.

She looked up from an important document, “You may enter.” As Akari and I walked in, Cyllene rose from her chair, crossing her arms behind her back formally, “Let us get straight to it.” She prefaced. “If you wish to join the Galaxy Expedition Team, prove yourself capable by going out into the Obsidian Fieldlands and catching three different species of Pokémon. Bidoof, Starly, and Shinx.”

I gave a respectful nod, seeing an Abra floating passively in the corner of the office. Was it hers?

“Catching three Pokémon from the start? No one from the Galaxy Team has ever managed to do that.” Akari seemed surprised.

“Did this stranger not catch three Pokémon yesterday?” Cyllene countered.

Figured that would be her answer, and as a result, I wasn’t surprised at all by her challenge. Clearly it was some weird dick-measuring contest she was proposing, to see if my recapturing the starters was a fluke or not.

“My trial should be simple enough for him…if the professor wasn’t exaggerating things, that is.” She said, “The Galaxy Team cannot afford to provide to those who only take without giving. If you wish to stay, you must prove beyond any doubt that you are an asset to the cause.” She looked directly at me.

And I responded in kind. “Of course, I accept your trial.” Another nod.

She picked up a bag from her desk, handing it me, “I will lend you one of our Survey Corps satchels to carry whatever you may need in the field.”

I carefully put the satchel on, looking sort of ridiculous given my modern-day sleepwear. Of course, Akari felt the need to air this out. “Doesn’t exactly match your um…style of dress….”

“Thanks, didn’t notice.”

My sarcasm was met with silence, as Akari was the target of it, and Cyllene was Cyllene. “Akari.” The captain looked over at the other woman. “I expect you to step in, should anything go awry.”

“Yes ma’am, I won’t let you down.” Akari smiled. Couldn’t tell if she was actually enthused to help out, or if she just wanted to embarrass me if I screwed up.

“Pardon me CJ! Would you mind coming this way a moment?” Laventon called from the lobby.

Akari and I exchanged a glance, as the pair of us went his direction. “Something the matter, Professor Laventon?” Akari asked.

“Well, in order to complete the Pokédex, and to…well, really survive, in this unforgiving land…CJ must absolutely pass this trial!” Professor Laventon enthused. “And, as a professor of Pokémon, I’ve got just the ticket to help us accomplish that!”

He threw out three Poké balls, revealing the starters from earlier, “Go on CJ, pick the Pokémon that strikes your fancy!” He beamed. “With a partner Pokémon of your own, you’ll be able to fight off Pokémon outside of the village!” He explained, “These little darlings are very dear to me…but it’s plain to see that they’re rather curious about you!”

I was stunned to silence. Nerdy, child me was momentarily put on life-support from excitement.

“Well, my boy, which Pokémon would you like to keep as your very own?”

Well, I wasn’t a monster, so obviously Rowlet.

Although video games were one thing. I wasn’t too gung-ho about animals in my world. Maybe observing them from afar, but up close? I slowly crouched to Rowlet’s level, “Hey there, buddy….” I tried, holding my arms out, or, did he want to sniff my hand first?

Rowlet hooted happily, trotting into my arms. Damn, he was so soft! Were these the same feathers he fucked other Pokémon up with?

I recalled the Grass-type into its Poké ball after our happy meeting, standing tall. “Well, that Pokémon’s yours to keep now.” Professor Laventon promised.

I smiled at the Poké ball in my hand. I actually had a fighting chance now. I would pass this trial and make a great Pokédex, show them all. “I can’t thank you enough, professor.” I smiled back.

“No trouble at all.” Professor Laventon crossed his arms, “A word of advice though…make sure you pay attention to which Poké balls are empty and which are not…especially when you’re out in the field!”

Cyndaquil and Oshawott chirped and skittered at me from the side. “Looks like they’re cheering for Rowlet.” Akari giggled. “Or maybe they’re just jealous.”

Trust me Akari, I’d take all three of them if I fucking could. I’d catch every Pokémon in the damn world if I had to.

“Well, not to worry, you two…I’ll have you assist with my research, for now.” Laventon got down to their level, patting their little heads.

“By the by.” He stood tall again, “What species has Captain Cyllene charged you with capturing?”

“Bidoof, Starly, and Shinx.” I answered, “Think I can handle that, to be honest.”

“Smashing! Those can all be found in the Obsidian Fieldlands!” He reached in one of his pockets, “Let me give you some Poké balls to use for the trial.”

Over a dozen Poké balls were put into my satchel, I couldn’t believe my luck. Maybe things were going to turn out for the best, after all. Although, the Obsidian Fieldlands did sound rather sinister, I should still keep my guard up. “Thanks again, Professor.”

“They may be handcrafted, but they work a treat, as you’ve already seen!” He grinned. “You’ll have this trial cleared in no time!”

Akari seemed a little less optimistic, a little more grounded, “Well, we’ve made our preparations, at the very least.” She said, “Here, I’ll show you the way to the Obsidian Fieldlands.” She opened the double doors of Galaxy Hall, and I followed her out.

The pair of us made our way to what seemed to be an exit gate. It wasn’t the same way I came in, but it looked similar enough. The walk was quiet. I was nervous enough, and hell, maybe Akari was too.

We were stopped in our tracks by a blonde man in blue and yellow garb, a little hat too. As well as a ginormous backpack. “Oh, what curious getup you’ve got there.” He commented in a light, airy voice. “I can already tell you’re quite the character!”

A little over-the-top, but friendlier than most other greetings I’ve gotten, “Right…and you are?”

“I’m Volo, of the Ginkgo Guild…the go-to choice of any of your mercantile needs here in Hisui!” Volo smiled, “I’ve heard a little bit about you from the villagers. Fell from the sky? Now that is a tale I would certainly like to hear.”

It wasn’t really much of a story, to be fair.

“Didn’t catch your name.”

“Ah, it’s CJ.” I replied.

“CJ, I for one love solving mysteries, and what better way than a Pokémon battle?” He propositioned. “You do have a Pokémon, right?”

Now he was speaking my language. But I still had to be careful, as this wasn’t a game. I smirked, “Count me in.”

His smile grew, “I like you better and better!” He got excited, “What a delightful find!” He exclaimed, “I also heard about this trial you’re undertaking. So, all the better to get your blood pumping before you head out!”

I took a few steps back, assuming the Pokémon would need room to duke it out. “Less talking, more battling.” I smiled, holding up my lone Poké ball. Akari gave us both space, looking at me like I was insane.

Volo gave a soft chuckle at my newfound bravado, “Go, Togepi!”

The tiny egg Pokémon revealed itself, beaming to no one in particular.

“Rowlet, go!” I sent my Pokémon out next, and the owl Pokémon squared up against his new opponent.

“Togepi, use Tackle!” Volo ordered, the egg Pokémon charged fourth, chirping happily as it charged into my Rowlet.

I winced as Rowlet was knocked back. Was Togepi a Normal type in this world, or a Fairy type? It was hard to say for sure. More pressingly, what did Rowlet know? Shit, I couldn’t tell what level anything was, was I going to lose my first ever battle?

Rowlet flapped his wings angrily, trying to fend off Togepi. I narrowed my eyes, looked like he was trying to whip some winds up, rather than simply fly. I took a shot in the dark, “Gust!”

Togepi was blown back with quite the gale. Volo ordered another Tackle. Really, I was right? Why do I feel like Rowlet didn’t start with Gust? Did he in Alola? Shit, I couldn’t remember.  Were move sets different in the past too? Stood to reason they could be.

Gusts and Tackles were traded back and forth, but by some divine luck, Togepi fell first. Volo smiled as he recalled his Pokémon, “It’s always good fun to have your Pokémon battle, don’t you think?”

And just like that, it was all over, I won. I was stunned. Akari was floored.

“As they battle, they’ll learn new moves and get even stronger!” A shrug, “But so few people have their own Pokémon. If only they knew how to use a Poké ball.” He stepped towards me, “At any rate, let me help our two little battlers recover from their little exercise.” He used some sort of salve to heal both Pokémon, “And to you, my sky-fallen friend, I present some Potions in thanks!”

He handed me five jars of what looked to be some sort of lavender lotion. Damn, my satchel was getting filled to the brim already.

“I’m hoping you’re successful on that trial of yours.” Volo said, “More Team Galaxy members means more customers for yours truly after all.”

And with that, he walked off. Akari was still slack-jawed as she looked over to me, “How did you…what did you…you…you actually won!” She stepped towards me.

I crossed my arms, “Told you, read up about Pokémon back in my world.”

“But that doesn’t explain—”

“Look, it wasn’t really that difficult, to be honest.” I cut in again, “We both were using fairly young Pokémon, and they each only had one move to their name. Wasn’t exactly—” I was about to say ‘rocket science’ but I figured I was suspicious enough as it was, “A difficult challenge.”

Although she did raise a good point. Why did I take charge so quickly? How come I was so fearless, when any other time, I was scared out of my mind? Was I that at home with Pokémon battling? Did it come back to me so much, that I could do it even in the real world?

Maybe it was because that Togepi belonged to someone. It was tamed, and it wouldn’t hurt me or anyone else, it was just doing a battle. I had a feeling the wild Pokémon would be a little more vicious. That my bravery would curb once I saw a few particularly nasty ones.

Speaking of which, “We should keep going, to the Obsidian Fieldlands.” Akari said, leading the way once more, “Impressive showing though. For your first battle in Hisui.”

There was something in her tone, she was quieter. Maybe it was apologetic, from being dubious the previous night about me. If I was optimistic, I’d put stock into it. I took the compliment anyway. “Hey, thanks.”

A small nod in return, “Whenever you leave the village, make sure you tell Ress, the guardsman.” She nodded towards a soldier by the gate, “Tell him where you’re going. That way, if you get knocked out by wild Pokémon, someone can rescue you.”

I nodded attentively. Though ideally, I really didn’t want it to come to that.

We both approached the gate, but Akari was silent. I guess she wanted me to do the talking so I’d learn. “Hey, uh…so I’m heading out to the Obsidian Fieldlands.” I informed timidly.

“Right.” Ress nodded, I was assuming the red uniform and wide-brimmed rice hat meant he was part of the Security Corps, like the two men positioned at the other gate in the village. “CJ, I believe? I was informed you’d be passing through to take your trial. Please do what you can to come back alive.”

A short nod, Christ these people weren’t doing anything to help my nerves whatsoever.

Naturally, it was a lot quieter when the two of us left the village. “Hey….” I started.

“Yes?” Akari asked, easily answering faster than my train of thought was able to keep up with.

So I was a little speechless. “Got any tips for this?” My mind settled on.

“A few.” She smiled at me, “I’ll try to be as helpful as I can…without, you know…being overbearing. After all, the point of this is to make sure you’re good enough to join us.”

“I know.” A rather long pause, “Guess the quiet was getting to me.”

“Are you nervous?”

Well, I fuck this up, I starve to death in the woods, so, what do you think? “Just a tad.”

Her smile faded a little, she was really looking me over, “I really don’t understand you.” She admitted, “You weren’t nervous at all during that Pokémon battle….”

“Well, there weren’t any stakes. That was just for fun.” I debated mildly. “Volo’s just, some guy, right? A merchant? Not exactly the same as a trial.”

“I suppose.” She said, “Be sure not to let those nerves get to you. You’ll need one-hundred percent focus to pass.”

The pep talk annoyed me, but she had a point. If I didn’t calm down, things weren’t going to go so well.

Wasn’t much longer and we came across a few tents, a trunk, as well as some gadgets and tools, equipment I didn’t know the first thing about. There was a guard from the Security Corps nearby too. “What’s all this?” I wondered.

Her ponytail swished in the breeze as she looked my way, “This is our base camp…the last safe haven before the wilds.”

I looked ahead, and it took my breath away. Plains after rolling plains were out in front of me, with some hills, and mountain ranges in the far-off distance. Trees scattered about all over the place, fauna I mostly didn’t recognize. Rivers in the great distance. I both heard and saw Pokémon too.

Akari giggled at my speechlessness. “Bidoof, Starly, and Shinx, right? Don’t forget!” She chided through snickers.

“U-Uh-huh….”

“Well, are you ready?”

Chapter Text

“Wait!” A familiar voice called, as Professor Laventon hurried to catch up with us.

“Oh, Professor?” Akari looked over at the panting man, “Is something wrong?”

For once it seemed he wasn’t all smiles, “Well, you see….” He sighed, “Captain Cyllene got ahold of me after you left. She said I bear full responsibility for whatever happens to, well, ‘our sudden guest.’” He murmured, “Her words, not mine.”

My face hardened. Suddenly, I wasn’t so scared. Was it really because Laventon’s ass was on the line now, in addition to mine? Was helping a friend out all I needed? Maybe it was just nerves, adrenaline and fear mixing together into some kind of unholy combination.

“That’s our unsparing captain. But what help can you offer out here, professor?” Akari asked.

He rubbed the back of his head, “Well, emotional support, my dear girl!” He grinned, “After all, I’m confident CJ will pass the trial.”

Akari smiled too, although it was a weaker one, “I think I believe in CJ, too.” She looked at me, “No use being negative now.”

I gave an eager nod, “Don’t worry guys, I’m going to do my very best.” I promised. I was going to do my best if it killed me. Because if I didn’t, well….

Akari took a head start, walking off further than my nerves were comfortable with. “Remember, if wild Pokémon start to attack you, run quickly to safety!” The professor patted my back with one last bit of advice.

Yeah, running, hiding, didn’t need to be told that twice.

The more I stepped out into the wild, the more amazed I got. “This is Aspiration Hill.” Akari noted, “All the species of Pokémon you’ll need are right here in this area.”

Ah, so was it like a subarea within the greater Obsidian Fieldlands? I looked around. Bidoof, Starly, and Shinx. Maybe this really was a prehistoric Sinnoh. All three of those are early route Pokémon in Diamond and Pearl, if I recalled correctly.

I squinted down the slope, “Think there’s a couple Bidoof down there.” I zeroed in on the little brown beaver Pokémon.

“Mmm-hmm!” Her face lit up, not having seen my Pokémon identification abilities in the flesh yet, “I’ll stay right here and watch while to make sure you catch one.”

“Right.” I nodded, getting out an empty Poké ball, beginning to head down the hill.

“Make sure you aim carefully.” Akari called, “Well, not that…not that you need my advice, I suppose.”

The closer I got, the more I got that sinking feeling. The, this is too easy, feeling. Of course, most of the people in the village were scared to death of Pokémon. But none of the Bidoof around seemed to give a flying shit about me walking up to them. I chucked the Poké ball at one of them. And in just a few seconds, it was caught.

“Well done!” Akari caught up to me, “Now onto the next one!”

I looked at her critically, “That was really easy.” I pointed out, wondering if this was some kind of trap.

“Well, Bidoof has a very mellow disposition.” She explained, which wasn’t too hard to believe, given how I was barely a few feet away from one when I threw the ball, “I’m afraid it only gets harder from here.”

We only had to go a bit further until we came across the next Pokémon. “Here’s Starly.” Akari nodded towards the black and white tiny bird.

“Right.” I nodded, not surprised at all. Sure enough, it was exactly as I remembered from my Diamond playthrough all those years ago.

Akari narrowed her eyes. A look of part-playful, part-challenging on her face. “What type is it?”

“Normal and Flying.” I answered quickly at the sudden quiz, “As opposed to Bidoof who’s only Normal.”

Her jaw fell open, “Is there anything you don’t know?”

“Yeah.” I stepped forward, “Not yet, but yeah.”

“Wait!” She grabbed my hand to stop me, and we both momentarily flushed. Akari raised a finger to her lips, “Starly are very skittish! They’ll run if they see you.” She whispered.

“Then what the hell do I do?” I whispered back.

She let go of my hand. “Stay low, stick to the shadows, the tall grass.” She nodded to the side, “Make it so they can’t see you.”

“Fair enough.” We parted ways, I crept down low, into some tall grass. I prepared another Poké ball, once I was close enough, and once the Starly had it’s back turned to me, I gave it a throw. Thankfully, it was caught, the ball sent out a celebratory firework.

I gave a sigh of relief, getting out of the grass, “Wow, there’s only one more Pokémon to go.” Akari gave a nervous smile.

As we walked, we passed a couple of trees, “What grows on those?” I nodded towards them.

“Apricorns, berries.” Akari listed, “Your partner Pokémon can knock them right out of the tree, if you were in the mood to collect them. They grow back really fast.”

Hmm, I wonder if the berries tasted good.

Akari abruptly stopped walking, “We’ve reached the final hurdle. Shinx.” She said after a small silence. “Shinx has….” She went pale, “An…an aggressive disposition.”

I looked at her, and suddenly the trial didn’t matter so much. Maybe it was because I was two thirds of the way done. Maybe I was getting cocky, arrogant. What was her deal? “You good?”

She shook it off, “The key to catching aggressive Pokémon is…usually battling them with your own Pokémon.”

Ah, the old-fashioned way.

“Because once they get mad, they’ll knock aside any Poké ball headed their way.”

“I see, what if I sneak up on one, though?”

“Well…I suppose then you could catch them…but, it’s a lot easier said than done.”

“Well, wish me luck.”

Again, she seemed more nervous than me about this, as she retreated to peek behind the nearest tree. Perhaps taking a risk, I snuck through the tall grass again, readying an empty Poké ball.

At least until I stepped on a particularly loud twig. Shit.

The tiny black and blue feline gave a cute chirp as it looked in my direction. Though I shouldn’t have been fooled. That thing could possibly electrocute me to death for all I knew.

“Create some distance!” Akari called from several feet away, “Get away from it!”

I fumbled as I booked it away from the charging Shinx, swearing up a storm as my sweat pants caught on a pricker bush, “Son of a bitch!”

Fumbling through numerous Poké balls, I finally came upon the one I wanted, “Rowlet!” I pleaded, throwing his ball out.

The grassy owl Pokémon came to my aid. I was stunned at how Shinx quickly shifted its focus from me to my Pokémon, like a moth to a Rowlet-shaped lamp. The electric feline quickly darted forward, smashing into Rowlet with no second thought.

I frowned as Rowlet was knocked back. A rather fast assault, I wondered if the move used was Quick Attack. Leaves scattered from under Rowlet’s wings, as if the tiny owl Pokémon was trying to tell me something. “Leafage, go!” I ordered. Memories of Sun and Moon promotional material came back to me as I recalled Rowlet’s move.

Leaves flew out and cut through Shinx, the opposing Pokémon winced. I wasn’t going to stand around any longer. Not wanting my Rowlet to faint, or worse, to get mauled myself. I tossed a Poké ball. A bit daring, perhaps, but without knowing the level and health bar, I didn’t have time to be precise.

Seems the recklessness paid off, because the Pokémon was captured. Knocking it down from full health was all it took.

“You did it….” Akari half-gasped, slowly walking towards my side. “You…you’re amazing…incredible!” She was starstruck, “I…I don’t believe it.”

I was stunned, too. Maybe not Akari’s level, but damn close. I felt a little sore, a little worn down. Maybe I was a little out of shape. I had a mild case of asthma, that probably didn’t help either. But it usually didn’t flare up unless it was subzero temperature, or I was running a marathon. Or both.

But I did it, I actually did it. I almost felt stupid for even being worried. “Yeah, jeez…looks like I passed the trial….”

“I…I….” She was still speechless, “The Pokédex…it….” I could really tell, from the look in her eyes. That she thought the Pokédex was some joke or pipe dream the professor pitched. But now with me here, maybe it could be a reality.

“This is wonderful!” Akari cheered, “I’m still curious as to why you fell into our world, but for now, let’s tell the professor the good news!”

I wasn’t going to argue with that. We retraced our steps, heading back to the professor. Akari was all smiles, and to be honest, I probably was too.

“Oho! I said you’d pass the trial with flying colors, didn’t I? And it seems you went and did just that!” Professor Laventon enthused. “Congratulations CJ! You’ve taken your first step towards seeking every Pokémon!”

I chuckled, “Thanks to all your help, that is.”

He chuckled back, reaching for a tiny old timey camera, “This calls for a commemorative photograph!” He grinned, snapping a shot before I could even consent. I think I was making an okay face, at least.

“I suppose with skills like yours, this was a foregone conclusion.” Akari noted with glee.

“Now then, we’d best report back to Captain Cyllene. Time to head back to Jubilife Village!”

Professor Laventon was walking a little bit ahead of us, while Akari was still at my side. “So like, what if I just…catch a bunch of Pokémon at once?” I asked, half-humorously, as the success from the trial was definitely sending me to cloud nine, “Surely I won’t be able to carry all of them.”

“There are pastures over there.” Akari nodded to the left, “Where you can keep your extra Pokémon. Although, they haven’t been put to use yet, really, since we have so few Pokémon at the village.”

“Come now, you two…don’t dillydally! Captain Cyllene is awaiting the results!” Professor Laventon chided with a smile.

“I bet she’ll be pleased.” Akari grinned, picking up the pace.

We all headed inside the building at different times, but I was surprised I couldn’t see either Akari or the professor when I stepped inside. No matter, I needed to be able to converse with the captain on my own anyway.

Cyllene looked up as I stepped in. “I see we won’t have to leave you to die, after all.” She said. How did she know already? Did one of them tell her? “Congratulations. You’ve passed your trial. You can hold onto that satchel.”

“Of course.” I said formally, “Means a lot, ma’am.”

“I must admit, you’ve impressed me.” She said, “I set a high hurdle to judge whether a stranger like you could be worthy, and you’ve cleared it.” She rose from her chair, presenting me with what looked like a change of clothes. “This is yours…official uniform of the Survey Corps.”

I couldn’t help but smile. Not that I didn’t like the clothes I landed with, but they were clearly more trouble than they were worth, with the unwanted attention and the impracticality of doing fieldwork with them. “Thank you very much.”

“Get changed in the room you used last night.” She directed, “Then, you’re to report to the third floor. Present yourself in uniform to our commander. This is your first official order as captain.”

“Yes ma’am.”

The walk back to my quarters was quick. I wasn’t going to lie, I was pretty excited to change clothes. The color was nice, but I was a sucker for anything blue, regardless of shade. And it helped me fit in with the village a little, too. Felt nice, soft, snug, the red scarf was a nice touch. The sandals I could go without, but anything was better than sweats and a hoodie. At least in terms of researching Pokémon. Adjusting my glasses, I took one look at myself in the mirror. Once I was satisfied, I headed back out, back to Galaxy Hall.

When I entered, Akari was nearby, to the point where I was surprised I didn’t accidentally smack her with the doors. “Oh, I think that suits you very well.” She complimented.

I nodded, “It’s nice to be part of the team finally.”

“I see you’ve changed.” Captain Cyllene’s monotone voice came from not too far away, as she entered the conversation. “Regarding your accommodations, you may continue to use the room you were sleeping in last night.” She held out a red hat, “You may wear this as well.”

I gently accepted the hat from her. It seemed to be a splitting image of what the player character from Diamond and Pearl wore, making the implications all the clearer. “I appreciate it.” I put it on.

She nodded back, “Now….” She gestured towards the stairs, “Present yourself to the commander.”

I nodded again, swallowing hard. Third floor, right? I nervously headed up the stairs, Akari and Cyllene watching me as I went, at least until I was out of view. If the captain was well, Cyllene, then who the hell would the commander be?

The third floor seemed only to host this commander’s office. Though said commander was standing in the center of the room, not at his desk. A lot of the people in the village were wearing old-fashioned, Japanese clothes or robes. But this guy seemed to be dressed extra traditionally. The dark hair and bushy moustache were two other rather defining features.

“I’ve been waiting for you.” He beckoned me inside, sparing no time once I let myself in. “I am Kamado, leader of the Galaxy Expedition Team!”

I gave a formal bow, “Pleasure to meet you sir!” I tried to meet his enthusiasm, his vigor. Tried. “I’m CJ.”

“CJ.” He repeated back, “I’ve been briefed on your situation, that you fell from the sky.” He held his arms out, assuming some kind of fighting stance? “Now then…let us see what you are made out of!”

“I…I beg your pardon?” I took a step back.

“Face me in combat!” He challenged.

This had to be some kind of joke, right? But there he stood, still as an oak tree, not backing down. My throat bobbed, I charged at him, although my heart wasn’t completely in it. And perhaps he knew that, but he still fought back, knocking me back to the ground.

He laughed, “I see you’ve got some fight in you!”

What the hell just happened? I’ve watched anime less goofy than this!

“Sumo skills need work, but I see the potential.” He went on. As I stood up wearily, feeling the back of my head, he said. “Don’t expect a warm welcome from everyone. Naturally, some will be slow to trust an outsider who literally fell right out of the blue.”

I hope nothing bruised. Yeah, I get it wise guy. Everyone in the village hates me. This isn’t exactly news.

“The superstitious among us could even see your arrival as a portent for disaster!” Kamado warned, then his tone warmed, “But you have passed your trial. No matter how odd you may seem, you’re part of Jubilife Village now.” He looked me straight on, “Dedicate yourself to the work of the Galaxy Expedition Team, and complete the Pokédex!”

“Yes sir.” I nodded eagerly. That was something we seemed to have common ground on.

“But I must warn you, CJ. Pokémon are terrifying creatures.” There was something in his eyes. He seemed to be speaking more from personal experience than even Professor Laventon was. It was the same statement, yet two very different ways of saying it. “Keep your wits about you during your fieldwork.”

After reporting to Kamado, I returned to Cyllene’s office, where the captain, the professor, and Akari were all waiting for me. “So the commander has also accepted you.” Cyllene said.

Well, in his weird special way, yeah. Did the others have to sumo wrestle to get in?

“But know this.” She continued, “You start out small here, a low ranking. Perform well as a member of the Survey Corps, and you’ll rise through the ranks.”

“And rising through the ranks can be done by helping us with the Pokédex.” Professor Laventon added.

I was almost relieved I started at the dead bottom, obviously not wanting to upset any kind of power rankings in play here.

“Here, you will need this.” Captain Cyllene handed me a little slip of paper.

I squinted at the writing, “The hell is this?” I asked, flushing and covering my mouth after realizing I swore in front of the captain.

If I offended her, I’d never know. I was convinced her face was made entirely out of stone at this point. “Akari, you’re an expert at crafting. Teach him everything he needs to know.”

“Of course, Captain Cyllene.” Akari nodded.

“Ah, and here are some funds, to help you get started.” The captain handed me what I assumed were Pokédollars. Weird how I’ve collected so much of this currency throughout eight generations of Pokémon, and yet here I’d be scraping for every penny to keep up with the others.

“Much appreciated.” I said.

“Now, as the experienced craftsperson, let me explain a bit to start with.” Akari prefaced. “We may be able to buy our supplies, but we can also make them with our own two hands, thus saving money.”

Crafting. I played a few crafting-style survival games. But with my own two hands? I was always that kid in art class who was the last one done, even sometimes a project or two behind. And my work looked like shit. I was not uh, talented, with the visual arts. So I had no idea how I would do in this regard. Would they kick me out if I was bad enough? Even though I passed my trial? Hopefully Akari would be thorough in her lesson.

“You can even make your own Poké balls!” She smiled.

Now that was kind of cool.

“Let’s head to the craftworks.”

Chapter Text

I tried to hurry after Akari. After all, I had no idea where the craftworks were and even though I passed my trial, I wanted to keep up with the others as best as I could.

“Well done earning a place on our team.” A woman’s voice I didn’t recognize said. Politeness forced me to stop trailing Akari, as I looked at the woman approaching me. Her kimono was purple, and I swore there was something I recognized about here. The glasses, the tied up dark hair, with a blonde streak through the middle, “My name is Anthe, I’m the local clothier.” In her arms was a folded outfit. “The professor asked that I prepare a change of clothes for you. So here you go! I hope they fit.”

I was surprised at the sudden gift, accepting the clothing in my open arms, “I…I don’t know what to say…thank you very much.”

A small nod in return, “I do hope you’ll be able to visit the village’s humble shops.”

I assured her I would, as she walked off. A rather nice change in pace, compared to Beni trying to run me out of the Wallflower yesterday. Perhaps, slowly but surely, the villagers were starting to trust me more. A pit stop to my room was necessary, as I wanted to put these new clothes away as soon as possible.

I unfolded the clothes as I pulled a dresser door open. Seemed to be a kimono and a set of trousers. Something I could wear on days I wasn’t working. And it would really help me fit in with the villagers. They were neutral, inoffensive colors. White, gray, perhaps I could buy some more clothes in the future, when I had more than three-thousand Pokédollars to my name.

I tried to be quick on my way back out. But Akari already had a worried look on her face, “Did you get lost?” She called, “Craftworks are this way!”

Damn, our uniforms were near identical, course, they could’ve been sized a little bit differently, but it briefly brought me back to my marching band days. “Anthe gave me a set of everyday clothes.” I explained as I walked up to her, “Wanted to put ‘em away real quick.”

“Oh, well that was nice of her.” Akari looked at the clothier’s shop, practically on the other end of the street compared to where we were headed. She led me to the craftworks, a familiar looking table with tools and gadgets lined around it. “Alright, so this is the workbench.” She explained, “Free to use for anybody, so you can craft stuff before you go out.”

I looked at the workbench, not a smile on my face, as I was a little overwhelmed. A hammer, some sharp implements. This just really felt like I was gonna end up being four-finger CJ after a couple trips here.

“And…here.” Akari reached into her satchel, “I’ll give you some materials, so you can make your own Poké balls. Think of it as my way of saying congratulations for joining us!” She handed me what looked to be some nuts, likely Apricorns, and red stones. “Save your money for clothes, or, whatever you find necessary.”

I nodded, taken aback, as this was quite a bit of supplies. I apprehensively stepped towards the bench, crouching down to set everything in place. “Alright…s-so….” I was probably more nervous for this than I was my damn trial.

She hid a giggle, quickly getting to my level to help out. I swore I caught a blush from her at the sudden proximity. “Alright, so….” She grabbed an Apricorn. “You take one of these…cut about…here.” She got out a tiny knife, demonstrating herself, “And just…give it enough leeway for this part.” She grabbed one of the red stones.

“But what are those things?” I asked, “Those glowing rocks?”

“Tumblestones.” She explained. “It’s um…it’s where the magic comes in, you could say.” A chuckle, “The Apricorn shell is, really just that shape it needs, I guess you could say.” She was moving way too fast, already done with a Poké ball in her short explanation. I guess they didn’t call her the best crafter on the team for fun.

“They rare?”

She furrowed her brows in thought, “Not really.” A shrug, “You’ll find them a lot in the wilds. But they’re like big…bunches of stone. Bright orangey-red. You can’t miss ‘em.” She gestured a size with her hand. “You can use your Pokémon to break them up into smaller pieces, which is what we use to make the Poké balls.”

So it was like getting Apricorns from the trees. Who would have thought that both components would be just out in Jubilife’s backyard?

“So were you ready to try?”

A nervous chuckle, “You’re going to have to show me again. Maybe slower this time, I didn’t get it all.”

“No need to worry! We’re not leaving here until you make a Poké ball!” Then we might be stuck here all night. She started working on another ball. “Maybe we could craft one together? At the same time? Would that help?”

As good a suggestion as any. “Sure.” I picked up an Apricorn.

I tried following her lead, though I could tell it was such a routine for her, that she definitely caught herself, and tried to slow down accordingly, so that I could keep up. “Oh, be careful with that part.” She pointed at the front of my work in progress. “That’s the clasp, it’s kinda the most important part. Make sure you’re thorough.”

“Right, got it.” I gently hammered the nut to shape it how I wanted, cutting along the same direction Akari was next.

A breath of anticipation as I held up the finished product. “How’d I do?” I asked, although I could already tell my creation looked sloppier than anything Akari made.

“Oh, that’s good!” She smiled, couldn’t tell if she was being optimistic for the sake of it. Maybe she was happy there was an area of expertise where I was woefully unprepared for compared to her. “You’ll get even better with practice!”

I would hope so. Might as well call this damn thing a Poké oval.

“How’s the crafting going along?” Professor Laventon’s voice sounded behind us.

“Good, Professor.” Akari smiled, as we both stood tall, “CJ made a Poké ball!”

“Wonderful! I was going to give you this as well.” Laventon handed me a blue notebook, empty, for the time being. “It will be your Pokédex, you can record any information you’d like about the Pokémon that you catch!”

I was again daunted, as I held the notebook in my hand. A little bit different from the technological encyclopedia in the games, eh? “I…look, I hate to be a burden again.” I was annoying enough during the crafting, as I was met with two stares, “But my handwriting is uh….” Utter chicken scratch. Complete shit. “Not the greatest.”

“Ah, no worries, I’m sure I’ll be able to decipher it.” Laventon swatted a hand. “Well, I’ll be in the Obsidian Fieldlands if you wish to start helping us with our research!”

Professor Laventon took quite the lead over us, already heading through the gate by the time the two of us packed everything away to go after him.

“Hey, excuse me…CJ, right? I couldn’t help but overhear….”

I looked over, seeing a member of the Security Corps, the one who stood guard in front of Galaxy Hall. I waved Akari ahead, and she walked off. “What’s up?”

“My name is Beauregard. If you’re going to the Fieldlands, would you mind doing a request for me?”

I approached the guard, “Sure, I mean, I’ll do what I can.”

“Great, great.” He nodded, “So there’s this Pokémon called Wurmple, have you heard of it?”

A nod. I haven’t seen it in Hisui yet, but he didn’t need to know the technicalities.

“You see, I was having a chat with Professor Laventon, and he told me that after certain Pokémon get strong enough, it will sometimes change it’s appearance and evolve.” He said, “So I decided to get my very own Wurmple and evolve it.” He resolved, “You’re part of the Survey Corps. If you catch a Wurmple, can you let me have it?” He asked, “I’ll make it worth your while, I promise.”

I see, a little side gig I could do to make some more money. Or, if money wasn’t the objective, perhaps supplies or other trinkets to help me out. I saw no reason why I wouldn’t accept the guard’s request. Now when I stepped out to the Obsidian Fieldlands, it would be with purpose, with a mission, both big and small.  

“Alright, here are my notes on Bidoof, Starly, and Shinx. The three Pokémon from the trial. Oh, and Rowlet too, for the hell of it.”

Professor Laventon glanced at my notes, all the while recording the Bidoof I had caught with some measuring tape. “Would you mind catching me another Bidoof, my dear boy?” He asked, sticking his tongue out a little as he held the tape at an awkward angle.

“Another one, sir?”

He small nod, “I think you’ve caught a male. Try and see if you can catch a female.” He stood tall, my Bidoof chittering quietly as he looked at me. “Or anything will work, I just want to see a difference within species.”

“Got it.” That shouldn’t be too hard. Bidoof were tranquility personified. I could catch an entire bunch of them and they wouldn’t care. I was kicking myself as I went back to the fields. I was used to the games, where you just caught a Pokémon and that was that, entry complete. Stood to reason it might work a little bit different here.

I returned about ten minutes later. “Alright, here’s another one.” I tossed the Poké ball towards the professor. “Is it female?” I asked, “If not, I’ll catch like, five of ‘em or something.”

Professor Laventon opened the Poké ball, letting the new Bidoof out, “Ah, no, I think it’s…um….” He got his tape out. “Aha! The tail curls on this specimen are completely different than on the previous one!” He fumbled for his camera for a picture. “Perhaps males have a poofier tail for mating purposes!”

I chucked. It really hit me right there that I was practically on some kind of animal science journey with these guys, learning about Pokémon from scratch. But that wasn’t the only reason I was out here.

I had no idea where a Wurmple would be, and I didn’t want to stray too far away from camp. Not yet anyway, didn’t want to get myself killed, at least.

But I supposed taking baby steps wouldn’t hurt, at least. After all, these fields just seemed so vast. I would need to likely cover every inch of them in order to find all the Pokémon there were.

To my fortune, a reddish pink worm was rather easy to spot in a field of green. I crept down low, finding mobility a tad easier in my uniform. I fumbled for a Poké ball, throwing it at earliest convenience. The ball clicked as the Bug-type Pokémon was caught, and I celebrated silently to myself with a little fist pump. I stood tall again, heading back to the professor. Wouldn’t hurt to have him look at it before I give it to Beauregard.

“Nice catch!”

I jolted in fright, as I’d mistaken the sudden exclamation for a Pokémon attack. “Akari?” I asked as she stepped back from behind a tree, “How long have you been there?”

“Not long.” She stepped towards my side, “Just long enough to see you get that Wurmple.”

I looked at the Poké ball, “To be honest, it’s for Beauregard.” I said, “He wanted one.”

“Oh really? That’s nice of you.” She said, “Make sure you let the professor have a look first.”

“Yeah, I was headed to do that right now.”

“Maybe I’ll come—”

She gasped, stumbling back, and practically hiding behind me. My eyes fluttered, I tried to keep up, “What’s wrong?”

“S-Shinx….” She pointed with a shaking hand.

I noticed the tiny electric feline bounding towards me. Like before, I was able to call out Rowlet in time. After my Pokémon got hit by a Quick Attack, I called out, “Leafage!”

More Quick Attacks and Leafages were traded back and forth, but eventually the opposing Pokémon fainted. I called back my Rowlet, pausing, hands at my side. “Shit, I should’ve caught the damn thing…would’ve been helpful for our research.”

“It’s alright.” She answered quietly, “There will be more.”

“You okay?”

Akari shook the nerves off, “Yes, sorry. Um…Shinx was the one who…who got me with Thundershock…put me in the infirmary.”

Well now her flakiness at the end of my trial made sense, “Shit, you should’ve said something.” I looked at her, “If I knew how uncomfortable they made you, I’d like…I dunno, warn you.”

“No, no….” She shook her head, “If I’m going to help complete the Pokédex, I need to overcome my fear.”

“Yeah, but…I don’t know, it sounds fairly recent. If I got barbecued by a Pokémon, stands to reason I wouldn’t like being around it very much.”

“Did you want to go back to Professor Laventon to show him the Wurmple?”

I shrugged, “Fair enough, why not?”

Professor Laventon smiled as we approached camp, which we reflected in kind. “We got a Wurmple!” Akari informed.

“Ah, really? I have yet to observe one up close.” Professor Laventon took a step forward as I sent out the Bug-type Pokémon. “Interesting.” He got down to it’s level.

I badly hid a yawn, “Jeez, is it that late already?” I looked at the sky.

“You probably worked yourself up so much from the trial, huh?” Akari half-teased.

“More than likely.” I said. Didn’t exactly get great sleep either. I couldn’t believe the battle with that merchant, the trial, and meeting the commander all happened on the same day. “Maybe after we’re done measuring and taking notes for Wurmple, we could head back?”

The professor nodded, “Righto, with the Security Corps escorting us, it will be a nice, safe trip back to Jubilife!”

Turns out Beauregard wasn’t going to be alone in asking me for requests.

“You’re the newcomer who fell out of the sky, correct?” A woman asked me, Marli I think her name was? “With the Survey Corps now, are you? Working on a Pokédex? Can you kindly do me a favor and find out all about Starly?”

A slow nod, “I can do that.”

“Pokémon are such terrifying creatures.” She mused. “But, when I see Starly, I simply feel whole! Not that I’d actually want to touch one, mind you.” Baby steps were baby steps, I supposed. “Please let me see Starly’s Pokédex entry the moment you finish it!”

“Will do, ma’am.” I nodded, continuing my way through the village.

“I know Shinx’s ears have odd markings on the inside, but what were they?” A villager muttered, walking past me. “Gah, it’s no use! It’ll keep me up all night if I don’t remember!” He lightly tapped my shoulder, “Hey, you’re in the Survey Corps, aren’t ya? If you catch a Shinx could ya come show it to me?” He asked, “I gotta see one with my own eyes! I can’t remember for the life of me what it’s ears look like! It’s driving me up the wall!”

Well, this guy was in luck. “I actually have a Shinx on me now, if you were interested.” I figured keeping the three Pokémon I passed the trial with on my team for now wouldn’t hurt. And it seemed like that was already paying off.

“You do? Whoa, aren’t you ahead of the game!”

I looked around, making sure Akari was nowhere to be found, before I called Shinx out. He looked around, confused as he didn’t see an opposing Pokémon.

“Alright, let’s take a look at those ears.” The villager grinned, as Shinx turned around to face the two of us. “Aha!” The villager snapped his fingers, “A yellow cross pattern, like a star!” He exclaimed, turning to me, “Can’t tell ya what a relief this is. Felt like I couldn’t get my mind off it!” He handed me a few Potions, “Here, thanks for all your help.”

A small smile crossed my face, “No, thank you.”  Speaking of which.

Beauregard was still standing guard in front of Galaxy Hall, “Still want that Wurmple?” I asked.

The soldier smiled, “You bet, did you get one?”

I handed him Wurmple’s Poké ball, “All yours.”

“Wow.” He was excited, “That was so quick! You must really be as good as the rumors say!” He threw the ball, calling out Wurmple. “I think I’ll name it.” He decided, as Wurmple crawled around, looking from me to Beauregard, “It evolves into Beautifly, I believe. So I should give it a name with that in mind.”

“Actually, it can evolve into—”

“Beauticia! Got it.” He snapped his fingers in triumph. “It was a difficult decision to make, but I knew I’d come up with something.”

I stared at the Wurmple in front of me, and it stared back, eyes cute, vacant, almost blank. You’d better evolve into a goddamn Silcoon.

“Well, thanks for your help.” Beauregard smiled, “Here, I guess I won’t be needing this anymore!”

All the honey Beauregard gave me went great with tea.

It was something I could relax with, have a sip of intermittently as I scribbled down notes into my Pokédex in the privacy of my own quarters. I needed to learn how to fend for myself anyway. On certain days, Laventon would take Akari and I to have potato mochi at the Wallflower. But it was difficult to get three schedules to line up perfectly. Sometimes one or more of us were busy. And I wasn’t stupid enough to try and ask Beni for a meal myself. I could pay him double and I doubt he’d serve me. The food was a bit different than anything I was used to, but not learning how to prepare it myself wasn’t an option.  

As I fixed my futon, got it all ready, I hoped things would continue being alright. I was getting paid to catch Pokémon, the ultimate dream. I got to work on a Pokédex. As long as things stayed calm, I never wanted to leave.

Chapter Text

All things considered, it was going to take a lot of work, getting used to this new sleeping schedule. I was a night owl, through and through, and getting up early in the morning was definitely doing things to my head. Amongst other things, giving myself a nasty tea addiction. My morning routine included a cup of the stuff, as well as a simple breakfast, usually noodles of some kind. When was the last time I had breakfast in the actual morning? I’d have to consult the historians on that one.

Tap, splash.

“Damn it.”

Tap, splash.

“Shit.”

Tap, splash.

An annoyed sigh through my nose. I was never going to get chopsticks down.

Like a prize just out of my reach, I’d nearly get the noodles towards my mouth, only for them to splash into the broth. I sighed again. At least I could mess this up in the comfort of my room. Didn’t really want to get embarrassed in public.

My Starly hopped over to my side. She was transfixed by the strange ritual of me picking my noodles up, only to drop them back into the broth. She pecked the side of my bowl, “Hey, that’s not for you.” I gently nudged her back.

In front of me was the Pokédex, rather, my notes of Starly were specifically sprawled out on the floor at the moment. I heard the Pokémon in question chirp, as I watched my Starly hop around. Yeah, that brought back memories to Diamond, alright. Couldn’t run a few damn seconds without running into them in the wild grass. Here it seemed the opposite, they ran from you.

“Are you in there, CJ?”

I moved my now empty bowl of soup aside, next to my empty teacup. I needed to conserve that honey because it was damn good. My Starly perked up and looked towards the door.

“Yeah, I’m in here.” I called back.

“Oh, good! You hadn’t come out yet, so I was worried.” Damn her. She must be a morning person. Obviously, this would be a feud the likes of which Kyogre and Groudon would even shudder away from.

“Yeah, I’m fine Akari.”

“Where were you headed today?” She wondered, “I could go to a different area so that we could cover more ground.”

I held my forehead, “Akari, why don’t you just come in here?” I asked, annoyed at carrying this conversation through the door.

This obviously never occurred to her, given the silence, I assumed. I swore she muttered something underneath her breath, that I couldn’t catch due to the distance, and the sound barrier. “Come in?” She asked, voice incredulous with awe.

“Yeah, I mean…unless you want the whole village to hear us.”

There was another silence, where I almost wondered if she just left. But she slid my door open, timidly stepping inside. After she closed the door behind herself, she gave a polite bow. “Thank you very much for…for letting me inside your abode.”

I raised a brow. I probably wasn’t much to look at right now, all things considered. In my casual, everyday white kimono and gray pants, a used teacup and bowl to one side, papers sprawled out everywhere, with notes written on them in horrible chicken scratch. “I think you’re reading way too much into it.” Starly hopped into my lap.

Unlike me, she was already all dressed up in her uniform. She sat beside me on the mat, “What’s all this?” She wondered, not really sure which part of the bizarre scene in front of her to ask about first.

“My notes for Starly.” I grabbed one of the sheets, one that had a weak sketch of the bird Pokémon. Professor Laventon drew it, not me. “Today I wanna try and see if I can improve it…maybe fill it out a bit more.”

“Oh yeah?” Akari asked, “Why specifically Starly?”

“Uh…some woman in the village wanted me to fill out a Pokédex page on ‘em.” I shrugged, “Don’t even remember her name, to be honest. She just said she wanted Starly’s entry complete.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, she wasn’t the only one.” I noted, “Some guy wanted to see what Shinx’s ears looked like. And then there was Beauregard. The guard who wanted the Wurmple.” A small smile, “Seems like we’re really helping people overcome their fear of Pokémon. I think if we keep working on the Pokédex like this, things will really turn out for the better.”

“I think so too.” Akari smiled back, “So…in order to add notes to Starly’s Pokédex page….”

“I’ll need to catch a bunch more Starly.” I finished. Or I could witness it in battle, but I tried to avoid battling the wild Pokémon when I could. There was also Starly’s skittishness to consider. “And I mean, for Bidoof, catching a bunch of them is easy…but, Starly….” I shook my head, “Have to be careful not to scare the flock off.”

Akari glanced at the Starly, still in my lap. “Needed company?”

“Yeah.” I pet the Starly’s head feathers, “Thought she could give me some inspiration maybe.” I shrugged, stretching my arms, “Go on, I’ve written enough, maybe you can tell us about yourself for a few pages.”

Starly tweeted to no one in particular, hopping out of my lap and trotting around the room. Akari snickered, “Alright, I think I’m gonna head out.” She stood tall, “Were you coming?”

“Yeah, I’m sure I’ll be out there around noon.” I yawned, recalling Starly to her Poké ball.

“Noon?” Akari frowned, “I’ll have you know members of the Survey Corps are supposed to out in the fields bright and early!” She half-joked.

Damn, she really was a morning person. And she could get loud too. “Look, quality over quantity, alright Akari? Once noon hits, there won’t be any Pokémon left.”

“Yeah, we’ll see about that.”

I panted as the umpteenth ball clicked in succession, a celebratory firework popping in the sky, “Alright.” I wiped my brow, “That…that’s probably enough Starly, for…for now.”

As I was headed back to the Fieldlands camp, I noticed Akari off to the side. “How’d you do?” She called, walking towards me to close the distance.

“Professor’s gonna have his hands full, let me put it that way.”

“Why, how many Starly’s did you catch?”

“…‘bout five.”

“Five?” Her eyes widened, “That’s um…thorough….”

It was kind of an understatement, and considering how skittish Starly were, and how quiet I had to be when approaching them, the process was quite time-consuming. “I mean, the larger sample size the professor has, the better, right? This is good.”

“You’ll be putting those pastures to use, alright.”

I had a toothy grin as we went back to camp, “Hey Prof, got some Starly for ya!”

“Oh?” Professor Laventon asked, “Some Starly?”

I sent out all five of them at once, they chirped and hopped around, looking at nothing in particular. “Maybe I’ll have him run these to the pastures after you’re done.” I nodded to the guard off to the side.

“Oh, my stars.” Laventon was a mix of happy and surprised, though he got straight to work, measuring and observing the five Starlys. “I see…seems the female’s head and the male’s head have a different black to white ratio.” He squinted, “Excellent work, CJ! This is most illuminating!”

“Better watch out.” Akari jested, as a guard came by to recall the Starlys and take them to the pastures. “CJ said he’s going to catch so many Pokémon, there won’t be any left.”

If anything, it made Laventon even more enthused, “Excellent! That’s the enthusiasm I like to hear.”

“I was going to work on another Pokémon next.” I informed. “Maybe try to fill out another page.”

“Jolly good, keep up the fine survey work!”

Akari was a bit more surprised, “Really? You’re going to catch more Pokémon?” 

Yeah, until I was rolling in it. “What did I say this morning, quality over quantity, right?” I gave a sarcastic wink, Akari rolled her eyes as I departed.

My next target was Wurmple. I could likely catch a few of those as well, maybe keep one or two of them in my party so I could get a Silcoon and Cascoon each. And then I’d really be raking in the dough. More Pokédex entries, new Pokémon, new data. I couldn’t believe I used to be scared of going out here.

Unfortunately, it seemed I was only able to get two or three for now. Better than nothing, but I had a feeling it was hardly going to be conclusive. Maybe I was getting ahead of myself. Although I felt like a fool bragging to Akari earlier.

There was always Shinx’s and Bidoof’s Pokédex entries too that I could work on. There was also the matter of training my own Pokémon. Rowlet, Starly, Shinx, and Bidoof seemed to be like a good makeshift team for now. A Wurmple or two for spot five and six would work, until they were ready to evolve into Beautifly and Dustox respectively.

“Poison Sting, Wurmple!” I called, as Wurmple shot purple needles towards a Shinx unfortunate enough to engage it in battle. Shinx and Bidoof were my usual targets, as Starly was too skittish and often flew away, while Shinx I found helpful to clear out for Akari’s sake.

“Another Poison Sting, go!” Sometimes, it was nice to switch it up to take notes from battle, rather than simply catching the Pokémon. Sometimes I was able to learn quite a bit more. I could take plenty of notes on Wurmple’s Poison Sting, at least.

I knelt down to the worm Pokémon’s side, noticing that my Wurmple was a little banged up, a little bruised, from constant Quick Attack onslaughts from all the Shinx in the area. “Here, lemme help you out.” I sat in the grass, checking around for any wild Pokémon, but there didn’t seem to be any around. I held Wurmple close as I fished in my satchel for a Potion. As I took a bottle out, I stared at it stupidly. I guess expecting a nozzle or spray would be kinda dumb in these time periods.

Now that I remember it, from my battle with Volo, it was more like a cream, or a salve in these times, wasn’t it? I made a face as I got some of the lavender lotion on two fingers, damn it was cold. I tried applying it to the bruises, but Wurmple immediately squirmed and twisted around, dumb little eyes looking up at me. “Damn it, hold still! I’m trying to help you!” It was far from easy, but gradually, Wurmple took the hint. Maybe I’d give her the break the rest of the day, use Rowlet instead. I could just as easily take notes on how Leafage works.

I stood tall, making sure I had Rowlet’s Poké ball ready. I’d be more worried about my finite supply of Potions, but Akari mentioned that they could easily be mixed with some Oran Berries and some of those Medicinal Leeks I’d been mindlessly picking each trek out in the fields. Though if my lack of skills making Poké balls was any indication, I was worried I’d poison my Pokémon to death, rather than heal them.

Though I guess it was something I had to get used to. I mean, it’s not like there was a Pokémon Center in this world. There was an infirmary, but that place was busy enough without me clogging it up with frivolous injuries.

By the time Rowlet had finished off a few Shinx’s, I noticed that it was getting quite late. Not pitch-black, but the sunset was dyeing the landscape a beautiful orange and crimson. I supposed now was as good a time as any to finish up any last-minute notes and head back to the village.

Apparently, my handwriting was enough of a problem.

Not a huge problem, and I’m sure if I looked back, I would laugh and laugh at the absurdity of it all. My handwriting had always been perfectly legible to me, but barely so to anyone else. When Professor Laventon dismissed the worry, I heeded his words and that thought popped right out of my mind.

Our good captain, on the other hand, almost experienced her first emotion upon reading my hieroglyphics.

From then on, I would orally report my findings to the professor, or Akari, whoever was nearest, and they would write it down. Either that or I’d scribble up some preliminary notes that they could transcribe better. Luckily, that was a few days ago, and the three of us have caught up to speed since then.

“They live in fields and mountains, gathering in large flocks. Their cries can be quite obnoxious. Though small…their wings are strong. A strike from them leaves pain that persists for a week.” Cyllene half-murmured, half-read the tail end of Starly’s page which we compiled together. “Well, your handwriting may leave a lot to be desired, but I cannot deny the work put into this detailed report. I think you’ve earned yourself a star.”

I ignored all the SpongeBob memes flying around in my head about gold stars, and just nodded attentively.

“It will help measure your ranking on the Galaxy Expedition Team, the number of stars you have.” She explained, rising from her desk, “You’ll also receive a raise in compensation.”

Holy shit, a raise? For catching two little Wurmple?

“Have this as well. It is a recipe for another type of Poké balls.”

I nodded, “Thank you, ma’am.” Akari had already given me the crafting recipe for Potions, as well as my own crafting kit. But I’ll take another kind of Poké ball.

I read her writing over. Heavy balls? What the hell did that mean? Were they only effective on heavier Pokémon?

“And a recipe for Revives, as well.”

Now that I recognized right away, although the ingredients I didn’t. The Medicinal Leeks I was starting to have plenty of. But what the hell was a Vivichoke? Come to think of it, I don’t think I had the necessary materials for Heavy balls either.

Captain Cyllene crossed her arms behind her back, “That a stranger like you should fall out of the sky and flourish among us like this is a testament to your talent and hard work.” She said, “Most people prefer it when things are simple enough to be judged on face value alone. And proving your worth by moving up the ranks is something anyone can understand. Keep at it, and even if you did fall from the sky, people may be more willing to accept you.”

I nodded once again. We were on the same page about that, it seemed. I’d do whatever it took to be accepted around here. Seeing as going back home wasn’t really an option right now. Did I even want to go back home?

“Working your way through the ranks will also be helpful if you wish to make a life here.” As if she picked up on my thoughts. Maybe it would be better just, living here. Sure, the technology sucked, but I got to dick around with Pokémon all day, for money. What’s not to like?

“The Professor and Akari are headed to the Wallflower, I believe.” She turned back to sit at her desk, “If you go now, you may catch up with them.”

It was déjà vu, in the sense that we were eating here again in the evening, down to the exact same seating positions. Just like the first night I arrived here, though now at least I was hopefully fitting in a little better.

“CJ, my boy.” Professor Laventon smiled, “I believe a jolly good congratulations are in order! Well done on getting your first star!”

I thanked him in kind, but I was still a little confused. Did Akari or the professor have stars? Or anyone else on the Survey Corps? Or was this just Cyllene trying to judge my worthiness?

“Potato mochi tastes so much better when you have something to be happy about.” It was Akari’s turn to smile. You know, the more these two talked, the more I felt like an idiot for ever being scared of them. They were just a lovable pair of dorks, in the end. And I suppose with me here, we were a trio of dorks.

“That lady will be happy Starly’s entry is done.” I looked back, out towards the village, “Though it’s sunset so…maybe I’ll bother her about it tomorrow. Captain Cyllene liked it, at least.”

“Hmm? What lady?” Professor Laventon asked.

“Someone wanted CJ to complete Starly’s Pokédex page.” Akari filled in, “More like someone commissioned CJ.” A snicker.

“Yeah, guess I shouldn’t be so surprised.” I said, “We seem to be the outliers, everyone else in the village is like…terrified of Pokémon.”

“Ah, I cannot believe that didn’t occur to me.” Professor Laventon said, looking at me, “In addition to getting asked in person, feel free to check the blackboard in my lab! There is a request section, and sometimes people fill in written requests.”

I nodded. More jobs were more jobs, after all. As long as it wasn’t anything too asinine, I’ll take it. “Thanks for the info.”

We had dinner, and once the sun was completely out of the sky, Professor Laventon bid us farewell as he left for the night. “Goodnight Akari, night professor.” I waved.

Akari was glued to her spot, “You’re really getting comfortable here…I sort of envy you.”

I looked back, a little confused, “I mean, yeah. You guys seem okay. What’s there to worry about?”

“I, uh…you’re right.” A small smile, “Sorry, that…guess that’s kind of a weird thing to say.”

A shrug, “Don’t worry about it.” I started walking again, “See you tomorrow for another day of Pokédex Survey Corps completion.”

As I slid my door shut, changing out of my uniform, I couldn’t help but notice that Akari had a point. Why was I so comfortable here now? I actually kind of liked it here, if anything. I mean, sure, there was no Internet, no TV, video games, so that was driving me nuts. But I had a solid job, I got rid of the baggage of the people from my world. I got to do something I loved. But I supposed staying alert wouldn’t hurt. I had a feeling Hisui still had many more things to throw at me.

Chapter Text

Once again, I badly hid a yawn, not that there was anyone to hide it from. I was in the safety of my room, writing down line after line about Shinx. Pretty sure I defeated enough of them to fill up a decent entry.

“Generates electricity by shaking it’s body.” I wrote. “Its nature belies its aggression….” I smirked, “One must be patient to tame this Pokémon….”

I yawned again. I was really burning the candle on both ends with all of this, huh? I heard the flutter of wings as my Rowlet hopped onto the desk, nudging my elbow, “You think I should go to bed too, huh?” I asked, “Well, ‘bed’ is a bit of a misnomer.” I grumbled. I thought I heard from somewhere it was actually good to sleep on your back. But if anything, my back hurt like hell after that futon. Maybe after a promotion or two I could ask for a bed. Unless beds weren’t really used in the village. That could’ve been possible.

Regardless, I needed to go to sleep, there’d be a hard day of work tomorrow.

“Oh, have you completed Starly’s Pokédex entry, please let me read it!” Luckily, the woman who submitted the Starly request was relatively easy to find, usually spotted around Choy’s general store.

“Sure thing.” I handed my blue notebook over.

“Wow…male and female Starly have different appearances….” Her eyes excited scanned the pages, her voice in hushed amazement. “Ah! So it’s down to the markings on their foreheads, that’s how you tell!” When she was finished, she handed the notebook back, “Well, I had no idea. Thank you for letting me read.” She smiled, “Maybe one day…um, emphasis on, one day…I could have a Starly of my own!”

I smiled back, “Glad to hear it.”

“You don’t…happen to have a Starly you could show me, could you?” She asked timidly, “I just…want to observe, from afar.”

I shrugged, having my well-trained Starly on me, of course. I tossed the Poké ball out, and Starly revealed herself.

The villager stepped back, but she was still in awe. “The smooth curled feather on its head. Those lovely, round eyes…oh, it’s lovely through and through! I love it down to the last feather! Hello there, Starly!”

Seems my Starly finally got the uptake, turning and looking up at the woman singing so much praise of her. “Want to try petting her?” I asked.

“No, no!” She shuddered and took another step back, “I…I still think I’m satisfied with…with observing. Don’t want it to attack or anything….”

“Suit yourself.”

“I thank you…for allowing me to see it, however.” She took a sigh of relief, “Only the Survey Corps could be brave enough to approach wild Pokémon!”

In a way, I understood how that woman thought, as we parted ways, and I recalled Starly. Information could be a powerful tool. How intrigued, interested, and happy she looked while reading Starly’s entry, I knew how it felt. I could spend hours online, reading Wiki articles about this and that. If we kept filling out Pokédex pages, it would definitely be a step in the right direction in terms of making the village a better place.

I entered Galaxy Hall, briefly greeting anyone nearby with a good morning. I entered the Professor’s lab, exchanging a couple pleasantries with him as I scanned the noticeboard. Cyndaquil looked relaxed, and Oshawott was even in a little tub of water.

“Hmm…a request…a request not claimed by anyone else.” I squinted, “Zubat’s eyes?” The request was written up by a woman named Clarissa, part of the Security Corps. So Zubat was in this region, huh? Briefly, I daydreamed about having a Crobat, destroying my enemies with one of my favorite Johto Pokémon. Right, CJ, back to earth. Request time. She was part of the Security Corps, so she was likely on patrol now, in other words, it would be easy to find her.

It was not easy to find her. Everyone’s outfit looked identical, how the hell was I supposed to tell which one is Clarissa? Just, ask random women in the Security Corps until I found her?

I only had to ask a guard or two, until I was pointed in the right direction. “Hi, Clarissa of the Security Corps, that’s me.” She introduced professionally, “Thank you so much for taking my request.”

I nodded, “So Zubat?”

She nodded back, “I need you to catch a Zubat and show it to me so I can take a look at its eyes.”

Wait, did Zubat even have eyes?

“Odd request, I know. But I have a good reason for it.” She said, “Zubat never seem to have trouble flying around in pitch darkness. That means their night vision must be top notch! I work a lot of night shifts, so if I could learn to see like them, working in the dark would be a breeze!”

I wish I could work nightshift. But, wait, I feel like not a lot about this task makes sense. They didn’t have eyes, and even if they did, what was she going to do, stage a transplant on the spot? You know what, stop asking questions. Just get her the godforsaken Zubat.

“So I’m counting on you. Catch me a Zubat, will you?”

I nodded, “Will do, Clarissa.”

Headed to the gate now, I noticed a villager near the pastures. Looked like he was going to go on some kind of backpacking excursion. “All right.” He muttered to himself, “If a Pokémon sees me, I’ll just throw an Oran Berry, then run while it’s distracted. I just have to stick to the plan….” He turned to look at me, “Oh, you’re the new guy, right? From the Survey Corps? I was heading out to the Fieldlands. You wouldn’t happen to have any Oran Berries, would you? Pokémon love them, so it’s easy to distract one with it if you need to get away in a pinch!”

Oran Berries were incredibly easy to come by. I’ve had my Pokémon picking them for days now. “How many did you want?”

The villager’s eyes widened, “Uh, I’ll take as many as you’ve got. Say, five?”

“Here.” I handed him five of the little blue berries.

“I can’t thank you enough! You sure are nice for someone who fell out of the sky…I won’t let your kindness go to waste, wish me luck!”

“Anytime.” I nodded, heading towards the gate.

“Heading out?” Ress, the guard by the gate asked, “Just be careful, kid.”

I was grinning like an idiot, with the tiny gold star etched onto my uniform. If Captain Cyllene was trying to appeal to some silly, honor-bound keeping up of appearances to keep me hooked, then it was working. I just felt more official, more important.

There was some guy I’d never seen before, not too far from the outskirts of camp. “Ah, you’re that person who joined the Survey Corps, aren’t you?” He asked, putting his fists on his hips in a self-important matter, “Morel’s the name, and I’ve got a great mushroom cake recipe. It’s taken twenty years of mushroom foraging know-how to make such a winner. Problem is, folks around here just aren’t catching on to my recipe’s amazing potential.” He smiled, “But you’re the talk of the village! If people see you making my mushroom cake, famous as you are, I’m sure they’ll give it a go too!” He handed me a little slip of paper, “I’ll even give you the recipe, so you can start making ‘em!”

I blinked a few times. This was a lot to take in at once. An unlike the other requests, he didn’t even know if I was going to accept or not.

“You’ll need the ingredients too. ‘Scrounge not from the forages of thy fellows’ as the old saying goes! A Springy Mushroom is all you’ll need!”

“Right, I’ll…I’ll get right on that.” A slow nod, as I had lots of other things that I wanted to do first. Although finding a mushroom shouldn’t be too hard.

“Poison Sting!” My Wurmple (one of many) knocked out the enemy Shinx, and it finally gained enough experience to evolve, as the worm Pokémon began to light up bright light.

Unlike my other evolutions, Akari was actually not too far off for this one, “Hey, Akari, come check this out!”

She hurried over, “What’s up?”

My Wurmple’s about to evolve.” I had to catch more of the damn things, because I kept getting Cascoons. So I needed some Mulligan Wurmples to just, keep evolving them until I’d get a Silcoon. Needless to say, I think I had enough information for a good Wurmple entry.

And thankfully, as the glowing light wore off, a pure white cocoon sat in front of me, with red eyes looking all around, “Jeez, thank god…Silcoon, finally.”

Akari watched the nigh-immobile Pokémon, “Too bad the professor didn’t see.”

“Yeah, I didn’t really think about that.” I admitted, “Guess it’d probably take him a while to leg it down here, though. Well, he’ll be happy enough at the new Pokémon species.”

“What are you going to do now?”

Curiosity got the better of me as I scanned the fields, “What’s down there?” I nodded towards an area I haven’t been to yet. One with a few small rivers and other bodies of water, which would hopefully entail new Pokémon. 

“Those are the Horseshoe Plains.” Akari informed, “I…I don’t go down there too much.”

“Lot of Shinx?”

“No…just, it gets more dangerous the further you go.”

This nod was accompanied with a smirk, “I think I’m ready.”

“Wait, hold on, CJ.” She held a hand out, “Are you sure about this?”

“I mean, if there’s like, a huge problem down there, I’ll just run back.”

“Yes, but—”

“In and out, real quick Akari.” I started walking, looking back, she still seemed rather worried, “You know, there is safety in numbers, right?” I threw out.

“You want me to come with you?” She frowned.

“I mean, if you want.”

“Ugh, fine, fine.” Her words and body language didn’t match up. Despite her grumblings, she gladly walked at my side. “Instead of endangering one member of the Survey Corps, how about two?” She muttered.

“It’s not gonna be that bad.” I said, “First sign of trouble, we bolt.”

“I just think it’s a silly idea.”

I didn’t. I was tired of Bidoof, Shinx, Starly, and Wurmple, I wanted something else. And it seems like yet again, my recklessness rewarded me with spotting something orange off by one of the coasts. “Is that a fucking Buizel?” I booked it.

“Wait, CJ, slow down!”

The closer I got, the more I could confirm that it was indeed the sea otter Pokémon, “Nice.” I pumped a fist, “You’re mine.” It wasn’t even for Pokédex purposes, the teambuilder in me was frothing at the mouth for a Water type to help balance my team. And I usually had a Floatzel on numerous Diamond playthroughs.

Said Buizel actually looked pretty pissed at me. It shrouded itself in water, diving at me pretty quick. I was only barely able to dodge, “Alright, want a fight?”

Of course, there wasn’t only one Buizel.

“Look out, CJ!”

But it was too late, I was crashed into from behind by another Buizel. The impact sent me sailing, my uniform soaked as I tumbled across the dirt.

“Damn it….” My outfit was absolutely filthy. And doing laundry in this world was a pain in the ass without a washing machine to use. “Son of a bitch.” I got out an empty Poké ball, tossing it at one of the Buizels, but it smacked it aside.

“CJ, did you already forget?” Akari’s eyes widened as a Buizel honed in on her. But she was light on her feet, able to dodge the watery tackles Buizel was charging at her with. Stood to reason she was probably in better shape than me. “When a Pokémon gets aggressive, you can’t catch them without battling them!”

“Shit, right.” How could I endanger both of us so quickly within minutes of assuring her everything would be fine? Well, my outfit was already soaked, but I wasn’t going to let them hurt my teammate. Think, CJ, think. Self-loathe later!

“Go Shinx! Thundershock!”

For now, I didn’t need two Buizels. I quickly worked to fend one off, while I was trying to lob Poké balls at the other one like a madman. A few Thundershocks and Aqua Jets were traded. I eventually defeated one Buizel, and caught the other.

I sighed with relief as the celebratory firework sounded off. “Thank Christ.” My uniform was still dripping. But that could’ve been a lot worse. Least it was water. I had a feeling if it was a Poison or Fire attack that hit me, I’d be wheeled to the infirmary right about now.

“Are you okay?” Akari asked.

“Yeah.” Now that I had a Buizel, I was. “Let’s keep going, I think I see another Pokémon.”

“Seriously?” She hissed, keeping up with me anyway.

“Yeah, look, over there.” I lowered my voice, creeping through some tall grass, and beckoning for Akari to do the same. “It’s a Ponyta.”

While it hadn’t seen us yet, a flaming horse was rather hard to miss. “And what do you plan on doing?” Akari whispered, keeping her voice down too.

“Catch it, obviously.” I whispered back.

“And if that doesn’t work.”

“Well, ideally, it won’t see us.”

“And if it does?” She raised a brow.

“I dunno, maybe it’ll dry my clothes for me.” I tossed a Poké ball up high, it made contact with the Ponyta and it was trapped inside the ball. Thankfully, unlike Buizel, Ponyta was caught without a fight.

“Well, that’s more research for the professor.”

“I really think we should go back.” Akari said.

“You’re probably right.” I said, not really wanting to push my luck a third time. “Might need your help with something though.”

“Oh yeah?” She stood tall.

I rose to a standing position as well, “This guy wants me to find a mushroom for him, to like, make a cake or something? A mushroom cake, which…sounds really gross. Said he wants a Springy Mushroom, and I have no idea where the hell that would be.”

“I’ll take a look around for it.”

“Thanks a bunch.” I said, “Really should have thought before accepting that request.” A beat, “Although he didn’t really give me much choice. I figured something like this was your forte anyway.”

“I’ll get right on it.” She ran off.

I made a slower trek back up the hill to camp, just in case there were any new Pokémon I might’ve missed. Nah, nothing really, just some Bidoof roaming around, carefree as ever.

Well, at least I thought they were all Bidoof.

I heard a cute little chirp, seeing a familiar furry Pokémon with adorable ears perk up from its nap. Holy shit, Eevee! My jaw actually dropped. They could be found out here too? I had to have an Eevee. I could evolve it into whatever I’d like, Eevee was versatility personified, just what I needed.

Seemed the evolution Pokémon heard me, as its ears perked up and it started running for the hills. I was quite far away, too. “Wait, no, Eevee!” I bolted after it. But the more the chase went on, the more it was readily apparent that Eevee was leagues faster than me.

“Wait, come back!” The final nail in the coffin was me tripping over something and falling forward. By the time I looked up, Eevee was gone. I panted angrily, laying on my back. Probably looked like I was cloud gazing or something. “God, I am really out of shape.” I panted.

“CJ, is everything okay? I heard screaming.”

I sat up as Akari came running back over, “Yeah, fine…lost a Pokémon I was chasing….” I huffed.

“It happens.” She said sympathetically.  

“Did you get a mushroom for wiseass up there?”

She pointed to a brown mushroom she was holding, “Ta-da!”

“Ah, you’re a lifesaver.” I stood up, trying to wipe the dirt and muck off of my uniform. “Did you want to hand it in, or should I?”

“I mean, you did take the request.”

Yeah, but you did all the work. “I’ll hand it in, but I’ll split the reward.”

“Oh, now that’s a Springy Mushroom if I ever did see one!” Morel grinned, I was just glad he wasn’t heckling me for how dirty I was. “I’m glad I chose you to take my request! By the by, did you know that Springy Mushrooms multiply? That’s why you can find so many of them out here! They’re versatile too…fry ‘em, stew ‘em…they’ll taste great either way!”

I wasn’t much of a mushroom guy, but sure, whatever.

“Now all you have to do is follow that recipe, and you can make some Mushroom Cakes, beloved by Pokémon all over the world!” Morel went on, “Here, I’ll give you some cake bases to get started!” He handed me the reward, which seemed little more than puffy, white, foodstuffs. “Now I’m counting on you to make my recipe famous!”

“Well, it sounded like we all had quite the eventful day today!”

Professor Laventon was all smiles, heading to the Wallflower with Akari and I, a beautiful sunset illuminating the village. He was likely happy at all the new data I’d collected for him.

“Well, if it weren’t for Akari, I don’t think I would’ve solved that mushroom guy’s request.” I joked.

“I mean, they’re pretty easy to find.” Akari noted, “By trees usually, or under logs.”

“That reminds me, Akari. Weren’t you approached with a request?” The professor asked, “What did it entail?”

Her smile faded entirely. “Well, about that…I was thinking CJ would do a much better job.”

I shrugged, “I mean, you helped me out, so why not?”

“It involves a lot of battling, so….”

“Oh, awesome, count me in.”

“Ah yes, the request came from Mai of the Diamond Clan, did it not?” Laventon mused.

Wait, Diamond Clan?

“The people of the Diamond Clan have lived here in Hisui much longer than we of the Galaxy Team have.” He explained, “If we could establish good relations with them, I’m sure it will be an excellent learning opportunity. Both to learn about their culture, and to learn more about the Pokémon in this region.”

Throughout dinner, the professor seemed optimistic about this new request. Akari was a little nervous, and I was practically silent. Even going through the motions and heading to my quarters, I was still a little shaken.

Shit, these guys really trusted me enough to try and bridge a gap between other nations or whatever? I mean, sure, I had a star to my name now, and I played tons of video games about uniting or befriending foreign nations. But this was real life. I supposed I was up to the task.

As I laid back in my futon, I stared at the ceiling. I can’t believe how much had happened over the course of several days. Have I even been here a week yet? And they were already trusting me to handle matters of the Diamond Clan? Also, the name diamond just seemed odd to me. This really must’ve been ancient Sinnoh. Regardless, I’d better not screw anything up tomorrow.

Chapter Text

After my morning routine was done, I decided to go shopping, this time it would be more than just window shopping. “Welcome.” Anthe smiled.

“I was just looking for a hat.” I nodded towards one I was looking at, similar in shape to the red one I was already wearing, “Can I get that one?”

“The indigo one? Of course.” She held it out, “One-thousand Pokédollars.”

I pulled out the bills from my pocket, “Thanks.” I put the hat on, opting to keep the red hat Cyllene gave me safe in case I ever needed it.

“CJ?” Akari asked with a smile, once the transaction was over. “I like your hat!”

“Thanks.” I chuckled, “I thought it paired with our uniform better.” Although the red hat and red scarf paired nicely too. Bah, I could always switch hats depending on how I felt that day.

She walked toward me, “You’re up early.”

“Yeah.” I shrugged, “Figure I wanna make a good impression to the Diamond Clan.”

“Well…um….” She crossed her arms behind her back, “Since we have extra time, did you…wanna help me with something?”

“Sure, don’t see why not.” I said.

“Okay, meet me at the training grounds.” She said, starting to walk off.

After putting my red hat away in my quarters, I went back outside, nearly getting lost, because I had no idea where the training grounds were. There were off towards the end of the street, it seemed. There was a dirt field, otherwise resembling a Pokémon battlefield like I’d seen in the games. A big building accompanied it. Not as big as Galaxy Hall. Was this where the Security Corps bunked?

“So what are we doing here?” I grinned, “Having a nice cup of tea? Some scones?”

My joke didn’t land, she looked too deep in thought for it, “Listen…I’ve just had an epiphany!”

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. Didn’t exactly know how to respond to that.

“To tell you the truth, I’ve got a partner of my own. We may not get along too well, but…I can’t keep watching from the sidelines, I need to help complete the Pokédex!”

I was a little confused, “Hold on, we are working together.” I felt the need to correct. “Just cause you’re not a battling juggernaut like me, doesn’t mean you’re any less helpful.” I said, “I mean, look at crafting. I’d probably be an amputee if it wasn’t for your help. We all have our different strengths. If we keep practicing, we’ll get better at our weak areas.”

She nodded, reaching in her bag for a Poké ball. “I want you to meet my partner, Pikachu.” Out came the little yellow rat everyone’s known and loved for the last twenty years.

I couldn’t help but chuckle. Dawn with a Pikachu, it was funny, ironic almost.

“When we were attacked by those Shinx, I got too scared to think straight. I couldn’t battle as a team. Ever since that, my partner has refused to listen to me.” She looked at Pikachu.

Oh fuck, they could do that? Without badges, what would make them obey you?

“And if I’m being honest…I’m not even sure how to guide him, how to order him in battle. But after seeing how often you battle, how good at it you are, I knew I have to become that good too!” She looked directly at me, “So please! Have a battle with me! I want to learn how to fight effectively.”

I nodded, “Alright, I can go easy on you, if you’d prefer that.”

She shook her head before I even finished my sentence. “No. Give me everything you’ve got. The wild Pokémon give no mercy. You shouldn’t either.”

A small smile crept on my face. If she wanted me to bring out the big guns, I was going to bring out the big guns. “Go Rowlet!”

The plant owl flew out from the Poké ball I threw, and I felt a surge of excitement within me. Maybe it was the battle, maybe it was because I got to be on a larpy Pokémon battlefield and really let loose. Maybe it was because I could be seen as a teacher to some of these people.

“Alright, you got this Pikachu, use Quick Attack!”

Before I could even comprehend, Pikachu smacked into Rowlet, knocking my Pokémon back a little. “Leafage!” I called.

Rowlet spread out sharp leaves from underneath his wings, knocking Pikachu back for quite some damage, given how long it took for Pikachu to get up.

“You can do it Pikachu, Thundershock!”

I see she was bringing out the big guns too. Pikachu’s red cheeks lit up with electricity, and it fried my Rowlet for a few seconds. He shook it off, still ready to fight. She was lucky my Pokémon was Flying in addition to Grass, thus doing neutral damage. I was lucky my Rowlet didn’t get paralyzed, as I had foggy memories about which moves caused which status conditions.

“Leafage, again!” I called.

Seemed that was all it took, Pikachu didn’t get up after that one. Akari quickly ran to her Pokémon’s side, fishing in her bag for a Potion. She looked up at me momentarily, “You are just…completely in synch with your Pokémon.”

I felt guilty anyway, even though she told me to go all out. “Did you want to use one of mine?”

“No, no, it’s okay!” She insisted, gradually healing Pikachu. “Thanks for battling us.”

I nodded, “Good of you to try and get over your fear.”

She grinned, as she stood tall, “I think Pikachu and I are understanding each other a little bit better too.” She turned to her partner Pokémon, “Right Pikachu?”

Pikachu turned it’s back to her.

She sighed, “G-Guess I was wrong….”

I really didn’t know what to say. Anything reassuring would eventually end up sounding patronizing. After all, what did I know about taking care of a Pokémon in real life? Lucky would be a good word to describe my time here so far. That, and the insider knowledge I already had.

Which is why I was nervous as all hell about meeting this mysterious Diamond Clan. I feared my luck would soon run out.

“Ah! Pikachu, don’t lick at the lotion! It’s healing you!”

I snorted, trying not to laugh as Akari tried semi-fruitlessly to stop her disobedient Pikachu. “We just have to bridge some gaps, is all!” A cheery, embarrassed smile. She stood tall, every so often checking Pikachu, “So Pokémon have these things called, types, right?”

I nodded, “Yeah, knowing how types interact is pretty effective towards winning a battle.”

“I see. The professor knows a bit about Pokémon types. There was somebody else, too.”

“That’d be me.” A deep, unknown voice said.

I looked around, not seeing where that voice was coming from, “So you’re the new recruit everyone’s been talking about?” While the voice was low-pitched, it was also quite friendly sounding.

Eventually, she approached, a tall redheaded woman, who looked strong enough to bench me without breaking a sweat, “Name’s Zisu. Captain of the Security Corps.”

Well that made sense. “CJ. New recruit of the Survey Corps.” I greeted back.

“I see you’ve got some fight in you. So I figured I’d stop by and give you some advice.” Zisu said.

“Captain Zisu is a master of martial arts, especially ones involving Pokémon moves.” Akari explained.

“Now listen…if your Pokémon has mastered its move, it can use them in different styles!” Zisu smirked, “There’s strong style, which deal more damage, but it will take your Pokémon longer to act. Or, you can do the opposite, agile style.” She noted, “Weaker than using moves regularly, but it’s faster, sometimes so fast your Pokémon might be able to attack twice!”

A slow nod, as it was something I definitely would have to consider, “Interesting.”

“Of course, which style you use really depends on the battle. You gotta make sure and pay attention to the circumstances.” She said, “Oh, and one more thing, if you want your Pokémon to be tutored some moves, just let me know!”

Ah, so she was a move tutor. Now that was a term I was familiar with. “Oh, trust me, I certainly will.”

“The moves Zisu can teach your Pokémon can be crazy powerful sometimes, or so I’ve heard.” Akari smiled at the captain, “If you don’t mind, I think we’ll be heading off to meet Mai now.”

After letting Ress know we were leaving, we started walking through the Obsidian Fieldlands. I felt a little daunted that it was just me and Akari. I mean, we were both grown-ass adults, twenty-somethings, it’s not like we were defenseless. I suppose Professor Laventon brought a certain kind of calming wisdom with him. Even though he could be just as klutzy, so maybe it being the two of us was for the best.

“So did you and Mai have some kind of meeting place set up, or…?” I started.

“At the foot of Aspiration Hill.” Akari answered, “We should probably hurry down there.” She started jogging ahead.

“Wait, Akari!” I held a hand out, not in the mood for running unless absolutely necessary, “Goddamn it…we’re already early enough….”

“Boo!” A man’s voice yelled behind me.

I could give some pretty dramatic screams when I felt like it. Although my voice was so low-pitched, they were more like bellows. I whirled around, “Volo? Scared the shit outta me….”

The merchant chuckled at his little prank, “Guess I surprised you, huh?” He snickered, “Did you know that there’s a secret technique to catching Pokémon?” He asked, suddenly serious.

I raised a brow, “Yeah, what is it?”

“It’s what I call the secret back strike technique!” He held a finger up, “Hitting a Pokémon in the back will surprise it, making it easier to catch or start a battle with!”

I supposed that made sense, a Pokémon with its guard down would be much easier to deal with. That’s why in the games, status conditions were so important, especially a sleeping or frozen Pokémon.

“You are part of the Survey Corps now.” He smiled, “So I hope my advice helps. Maybe one day you’ll catch every Pokémon here in Hisui.” He started walking off, “I’m looking forward to the day you achieve that!”

I stood there and watched him go, then I shook my head. I had to hurry and catch up to Akari. I headed towards the bridge at the foot of Aspiration Hill, where there was a guard from Security Corps waiting for me.

“Careful, the Pokémon can be a little bit stronger beyond this point.” He explained, “But, you’ve recently gotten a star, so I think you should be okay.”

I nodded as he stepped out of the way, “Thank you, sir.”

I didn’t have to walk much longer, as I noticed Akari speaking to some mystery woman, who I assumed was Mai. “Ah, good, you made it.” Akari had a nervous smile, as she looked to the other woman, “Mai, this is CJ.”

So, this was a member of the Diamond Clan. Most of her clothing was navy blue, with different Pokémon designs etched into it. The boots were nice, black with red accents.

And then she opened her mouth and my mind blanked for a solid few seconds. “My, my…a new face in the village?” It was as deep as mine, maybe even deeper, and silky smooth. Her black hair was tied up, and her dark blue eyes were rather striking as she looked me over. “Not that it matters if you’re new. If you’re here, I assume you’re ready to help.”

I hope these two would attribute my small pause for nervousness, and nothing else. “Yeah, of course.” I said, my voice coming through for me unlike nearly every person I met when I landed here, where I would stammer or sound awkward.

She crossed her arms, “I am one of the wardens of the Diamond Clan. You may call me Mai.” A small pause, “Although I suppose you don’t even know what a warden is, if you’re new to Hisui.”

“Uh-huh, care to explain?”

“Such talk can wait, I’d rather we get straight to the point.” She said, “I have a problem that I need help solving, but the important question is this…do you think you can confidently lead your Pokémon in battle?”

Better than anyone else in Jubilife Village, most likely. “Yeah, I would say so.” I crossed my arms, part of me insecure for how quickly I imitated her posture.

She grinned, and I honestly didn’t know how that made me feel. “That’s good to hear.” She hummed, “That Security Corps of yours certainly weren’t up to the task.” She looked down at her side, it was then I noticed she had a Pokémon alongside her. “This is my partner Pokémon, Munchlax. We were raised together like siblings.” Some family. First I run into Pikachu, and then Munchlax? Was this the Hisui region or season eight of the Pokémon anime?

I tried to hide my distaste. I never really cared for the Snorlax line. Obesity as a Pokémon concept just never really gripped me. That, and they were a nightmare in battle, both competitive or casual play. They had quite the vast move pool, and if you didn’t have a good Fighting-type, or good physical attack to deal with it, you were up shit’s creek without a paddle.

“He battles at my side by choice, without needing any silly little balls like you use.”

My brow raised, as my lips tugged downward, “Excuse me?”

Akari raised her hands, like she didn’t want tensions to escalate on either side. Mai meanwhile narrowed her eyes, “Care to watch and learn?”

Oh, it was so on. I was gonna wipe that arrogant grin off her face. Or hate fuck her. Damn it CJ, stop being down bad. “Don’t mind if I do.” I grabbed a Poké ball from my satchel. “If this is your way of testing me, then I accept.”

Seeing as how her Munchlax was already out, ready for battle, I tossed my Poké ball, “Go Rowlet!” As I didn’t yet have a Fighting-type, I’d just have to hit fast and hard with my favorite and likely the strongest Pokémon on my team.

The Snorlax line was not known for its speed. Incredible bulk, sure, but I must’ve had the first move. “Leafage!”

Rowlet spread out sharp leaves from under his wings, cutting through Munchlax, though the gluttonous Pokémon hardly seemed daunted by the damage.

Mai gave a soft chuckle, which I would be very distracted by if we were not in the midst of battle. “Rollout.”

Munchlax snarled, going deceptively fast as he rolled quicker and quicker, knocking my Rowlet incredibly far back, like a living bowling pin.

My eyes nervously slid towards Rowlet, as he hooted in pain and went back quite a distance. Rollout?! I momentarily glared at the opposing Pokémon, the super-effective damage left both my mind and my body numb. Since when the hell could this little shit learn Rollout?!

People were taking advantage of Rowlet’s Flying typing left and right. They were going to be so in for it when he became Ghost-type instead.

I didn’t have much time to dawdle. If Rollout worked like it did in the games, Munchlax was stuck using that move, but that was hardly a bad thing in this case, as Rollout would get stronger each turn it was used. What the hell did that Zisu chick say?

“There’s strong style, which deal more damage, but it will take your Pokémon longer to act….”

Right, and if Rowlet was going to faint next turn anyway, I might as well boost the power of one of his moves to make sure Munchlax goes down first.

“Gust.” I ordered, “Strong style.”

Rowlet hooted angrily, whipping up quite a powerful gale. Munchlax screamed as he was blown back, quite a distance. A small smile crossed my face again. Consider this revenge.

But of course, the enemy Pokémon still had some fight left. “Rollout.” Mai commanded.

It was not pretty to watch. Rowlet was flattened by Munchlax’s might, when the attacked ended, Rowlet showed no signs of moving, or getting up.

To my mild credit, I wasn’t slack-jawed. But I probably didn’t move or speak for quite a few seconds. I mean, for all intents and purposes, I just lost. Like, she didn’t have any more Pokémon with her, given how she didn’t believe in Poké balls. Should I send another team member out? Would that be dishonorable? Was it a one-on-one fight, or could I do whatever the fuck I wanted?

Both girls were quiet too. Fuck it, might as well test the waters, “Go Shinx!”

Mai chuckled, “Rollout.”

Shinx was knocked back, sure, it wasn’t super-effective, but given how it was turn three of Rollout, I was amazed the tiny feline survived, “Quick, Thundershock!”

Shinx hissed, electrocuting Munchlax, as a result, it stumbled back.

“Rollout.”

Holy shit, I remember why I hated this evolutionary line. Thank god it finally fucking missed. “Thundershock, again!”

At long last, Munchlax fell over, knocked out. I was panting, like I was doing the battling, rather than my Pokémon.

“You did it CJ, you won!” Akari jumped for joy.

I still felt incredibly bitter. “Hardly.” My blue eyes locked with Mai’s. Definitely a tenseness between them. “My Pokémon fainted first.” I recalled Shinx.

Munchlax looked up at Mai, a certain sadness in its eyes. Mai lowered herself to Munchlax’s side, reassuring the Pokémon as she got a Potion out from one of her pouches. She stood tall again, “You really aren’t one of the usual Galaxy buffoons if you could defeat my partner….”

Holy shit bitch, I don’t need your pity. Good god, this was going to be insufferable, wasn’t it? But there was little I could do about it, if Akari’s body language was any indication. Burning bridges with the Diamond Clan was not an option. As much as part of me wanted to brag and brag about how “well actually, Poké balls are actually the norm in the future”, that would probably make me look insane.

Munchlax whimpered again, hugging Mai’s leg, “You fought well, Munchlax.” She cooed softly. I’ll fucking say. “Here.” She stepped towards me, handing me a few Potions, “For your Pokémon who battled.” We were only about a foot apart from each other, and of course my cheeks had to turn red right then and there.

“T-Thanks.” I shook it off, making sure my Rowlet and Shinx were fully healed.

“I’ll let you have these as well.” She handed me some plants. A kind of flower, maybe? Blue and yellow in color. “You people make all sorts of things with your crafting, don’t you? These should prove to be useful materials.”

“Thanks.” I nodded, eyeing Akari, “The hell are these?”

Mai held a hand to her mouth as she snickered, “Vivichokes.” Akari answered with a small smile.

Ah, I could craft my own Revives. Glad to see I got something out of this.

“You and your Pokémon fought well, all things considered.” Mai complimented, though I was still wary about this chick. “Rather like the legendary hero of old. The one we tell stories to the village children.” Her smile grew, “I think you’re indeed the one for the job.”

I dunno buddy, that Munchlax was a menace, I’m sure it could solve any Pokémon-related problem out there. “Right.” I crossed my arms, “And this job, why don’t you fill me in a little?”

“You see, I need someone to deal with an alpha Pokémon causing trouble up on Deertrack Heights.” She explained.

Great, I got to look more like an idiot. Alpha Pokémon? Deertrack Heights, I assumed, was a location maybe up ahead. “What’s an alpha Pokémon?”

“It’s a large, fearsome foe, like any alpha…but you’ll come, won’t you?”

The sultry purr in her voice was getting very hard to ignore. Alpha Pokémon, huh? Definitely a mechanic I wasn’t familiar with. I wonder if it was like Mega-Pokémon in generation six, Z-moves in generation seven, or Dynamax Pokémon in generation eight. That it was some concept I’d need to keep up with if I wanted to stay alive.

And then my goddamn Arc Phone started vibrating.

Wincing, I took the thing out, and it seemed to resonate with something around here. “What…what is that?” Akari gasped.

Great, were these people going to go full Salem witch trial on me now?

“My, my, what a curious device.” Mai looked it over. “Is that one of those Galaxy Team inventions I keep hearing about?”

Yes, sure, whatever. “Something like that.” I put it away, “Might be resonating with the alpha Pokémon.”

Akari gently tapped my shoulder, “I’m gonna leave this in your hands. You’ll do great out there…I know it!”

She ran off before I could really say much. “Seems you’re quite the asset to the Survey Corps, newcomer.” Mai smiled, “Though…before we continue onward, I must ask. Do you know about almighty Sinnoh?”

I had a few guesses. “Not really.”

“I suppose that’s to be expected, allow me to sketch out the basics….” She started, “Almighty Sinnoh steers all time. It is said to have created the very universe using its power over time’s flow, and this land of Hisui was born in the process. It’s by the grace of almighty Sinnoh that Pokémon can live and thrive.” She explained, “We of the Diamond Clan are descendants of people who crossed the sea and settled here in the Hisui region to venerate almighty Sinnoh. However, it stole away from the world long ago, hiding itself from our sight…almighty Sinnoh is rarely seen by humans, if the old tales are to be trusted. But there are still Pokémon today with a connection to almighty Sinnoh. And it is the duty of wardens like myself to tend to their needs.”

So that answered the earlier question. As well as several others. But it left many more questions in its wake. Like what exactly was this thing they all blindly worshipped? It sort of reminded me of religion back in my world, and both the good and bad associated with it.

“The Pokémon that graces Deertrack Heights is one of those honored few. It is directly descended from a Pokémon blessed with almighty Sinnoh’s protection.” She started walking off, beckoning me after her, “Follow me, and you may understand.”

There was a beautiful sunset as I walked alongside her. God, it felt quiet here without Akari chirping about this or that. Tense. I mildly cleared my throat, “Gonna be a long walk?”

“Not really, it’s just up a bit.” She nodded ahead, smiling at me, “Nothing you can’t handle.”

I couldn’t tell if it was supposed to be a compliment, or some sort of hidden challenge. Had no idea what this chick’s deal was. As we were travelling through a new area. Well, new to me at least, I noticed some new Pokémon. There were quite a few Kricketot wandering around. “Hold on one sec.” I said, “You can keep going, but…I want to test something real quick.”

If she responded, I didn’t know about it. I snuck into the nearest patch of tall grass, readying a Poké ball. There was one Kricketot with its back turned to me, maybe asleep, maybe daydreaming. I wasn’t going to stand around and find out. I lobbed the Poké ball high, quickly capturing the Bug-type.

I picked the ball up, “Alright, thanks.” I walked alongside her again.

Mai smirked, “My, you’ve got quite the arm on you.”

I shrugged, “Given the work I do, you learn pretty quickly how to throw these things.”

“Still….” She looked ahead, “I can’t help but find it, strange, distasteful even.”

How the hell did I debate this without just appealing to the future? Maybe I should just keep my mouth shut, let her comment hang. Fuck it, Akari wasn’t here to reign me in anymore. “I get it, it seems…a little barbaric. But I feel like if the Pokémon didn’t like it, they’d leave. Or roast us, electrocute us, kill us somehow?”

“Not if they don’t know another choice.” Again her eyes fixed on me.

“Pokémon are a lot smarter than people give them credit for.” I said, “Mysterious too, there are still a lot of things we don’t know about them.” Even back home. She didn’t answer, for quite a while. Which honestly bugged me more, because I had no idea if this is a huge blunder on my part to even talk about this shit. Maybe I would lighten the subject matter. “Haven’t seen Kricketot yet.” I said, “Not in this world, at least.”

“Tell me about this world of yours.”

No. “It…it’d take too damn long to explain all at once, let’s just say it’s…drastically different than anything from here.”

She chuckled, “I suppose Pokémon aren’t the only mysterious ones.” She commented on my vague answer. “Were they in your world?”

Sort of. “Yeah.”

“Quite the turn of fortune.”

I stopped walking, “The hell is that noise?”

Mai scanned the area, “Ah, a pair of Geodudes.” She noted, as two of the rock Pokémon growled angrily at our presence.

“Ha.” I got out a Poké ball, “Haven’t seen Geodude in this world yet either.”

“Would you like some help defeating them?”

“Don’t worry about it, you go on ahead, see if you can keep an eye on that alpha Pokémon, thing.” I smirked, “Geodude are four times weak to Grass, this won’t take long.”

Rowlet easily dispatched the first Geodude using Leafage, but the second one went after him with Rollout. It missed luckily. Rollout was not a move I wanted to think about right now. I chucked a Poké ball at the remaining Geodude, capturing it.

That was two more Pokémon for the Pokédex, but more importantly, I had to catch up to Mai. She was up a little hill, said hill had the remains of stone stairs jutting out of it, like ruins. This must’ve been where almighty Sinnoh’s great grandson or whatever resided.

“I have to admit, your knowledge on Pokémon is…rather acute.” Mai looked me over.

I shrugged, “Did a lot of reading.”

It seemed like she was still looking at me, but she was actually looking past me, “Oh, is your professor coming along?”

“Huh?” I looked back, surprised at the man in the lab coat jogging up the stairs, “Professor Laventon?” I was much more shocked than Mai was, or at least I sounded it.

“Thank goodness I got here in time!” He panted, “As a Pokémon researcher, how could I miss my first chance at observing an alpha up close?” He got out his trusty camera, the same one he snapped a picture of me with.

“I suppose that’s your business…just, make sure you stay out of the way.” Mai directed. She turned to the open area in front of us, “This is Deertrack Heights. This is the area where I’ve long come to pay tribute to the Pokémon descended from the ancients blessed by almighty Sinnoh.”

I heard quite a racket, sounded like a drunk guy playing a string instrument, as a familiar red cricket Pokémon zoomed around the area. It was a Kricketune, only something was wrong. Its eyes were glowing a horrid red, it’s already bizarre cry sounded quite distorted.

“That’s not it.”

I would hope that’s not the Pokémon you worship, looks like it’s quite under the weather, for lack of a better term.

“That’s the troublemaker.” Mai said, “And that’s what you’re here for, CJ.” She looked at me, “To drive that interloper from it’s place.”

I stepped forward, “Should be simple enough.” Kricketune was a Bug-type, so I would just have to plan accordingly.

“Wait.” Mai held an arm out in front of me, and goddamn it, I blushed again. “Do your Pokémon need to be healed? You fought through Geodude to get here.”

“Don’t worry about it.” I shook my head, “I already took enough of your supplies.”

“My word, what a large specimen.” The professor couldn’t keep his eyes off of the irritable alpha Pokémon. “Little wonder alpha Pokémon are feared across the land if they’re as fierce as this one!”

“Exactly.” Mai warned, lowering her arm in front of me. “But they’re not only big, they’re strong, and usually have access to powerful moves. Usually, they’re naught to be trifled with.” She smirked at me, “But I believe you’re stronger.”

“Be careful, CJ!” Professor Laventon held a hand out as I stepped closer and closer towards the alpha, “Size is a potent weapon in itself, no doubt this alpha is a strong and hardy foe. Make sure your Pokémon are prepared!”

I got out one of my Poké balls, “Go Rowlet!”

The Kricketune didn’t wait for any permission to start fighting, it flew in and slashed through my Rowlet twice, in a rather specific direction. Definitely Aerial Ace.

I swore under my breath as Rowlet flew back. I was thinking my Pokémon was safe from Bug attacks, but I didn’t think about Flying attacks. Maybe I should stop relying on my starter all the time.

“Gust, strong style!” I pointed.

Rowlet whipped up a gale, Kricketune fell back from the winds, but it was quick to retaliate, slashing through Rowlet once more and knocking him out.

But unlike my battle with Mai, I didn’t stop or falter. I immediately called Rowlet back. This thing wanted to take on all six Pokémon I had with me? It was more than welcome to. “Go Starly!”

“Aerial Ace!”

Starly slashed through Kricketune, but Kricketune quickly struck back, with either Slash or an Aerial Ace of its own.

“Aerial Ace, again!”

The bird Pokémon and cricket Pokémon kept exchanging blows, but in the end it was my Starly who fell first. Kricketune gave a loud taunt.

“Fucking Christ.” I recalled Starly, “Go Ponyta!”

I haven’t used the flaming horse much, but the type matchup would be in my favor, “Quick! Ember!”

It seemed that was all that was needed, the alpha Kricketune fainted. I took a sigh of relief, recalling Ponyta, and letting it know that it did a good job.

The night sky had made itself known by the time the skirmish was over. “I’m surprised you didn’t try to catch Kricketune in one of your little balls.” Mai taunted, standing at my side.

“And risk it getting out and mauling the other half of my team?” I shook my head, “I was playing it safe.”  

She hummed, “It was still quite impressive. Beating an alpha like that, it reminds me of the legendary hero of old.” She reached into her pouches, “We’d best make sure your Pokémon are healed after facing such a foe.”

This time I wouldn’t argue, anything to make my Pokémon feel better.

After we healed Rowlet, Ponyta, and Starly, a loud cry startled me, startled everyone but Mai, as I flinched and stood up.

“W-What in the world?” Professor Laventon stammered.

“It’s the great Wyrdeer.” Mai smiled proudly. I followed where she was looking, seeing a fluffy white deer-like Pokémon standing on one of the higher cliffs. I was floored. I had never seen this Pokémon before, what the hell? I guess it was kind of stupid of me to assume I’d recognize every single Pokémon. Some are undoubtedly going to be different in the past.

Wyrdeer took a gallant leap down to our level, slowly trotting towards us. It took an especially long time staring at me. Wait a minute, those antlers…I know those antlers from somewhere.

“He looks upon you with kindness, CJ.” Mai seemed excited, her normally subdued eyes wide.

Did he? How the fuck did she know that? What was I supposed to do? Thank him? Thank Mai?

The Wyrdeer turned around and calmly walked off. Mai crossed her arms, “I’d say the great Wyrdeer has taken a liking to you.” Citation needed. “This is fortunate.”

“Of…of course….” I nodded nervously.

“He is an esteemed Pokémon that can dash across the expanses of Hisui while bearing a human on his back. One he deems worthy, at least.” Mai explained, “He is a blessing to us all.”

“Remarkable! Truly outstanding stuff!” The professor grinned, “A Pokémon that lets people ride on it. Why, it’s just like the ride Pokémon of Alola!”

Wait, the Alola region existed in this world? Was it old timey, too?

“Professor Laventon! CJ!” We heard a familiar voice, as Akari ran to catch up to us, “Captain Cyllene sent me. She said that once CJ finishes up this request, that we can set up a base camp here.”

“Ah, right.” The professor politely approached Mai, “I know this was already a joint decision between Adaman and the commander, but…is it alright for us to set up more base camps like this?”

“The Hisui region is a land created by almighty Sinnoh for the sake of its Pokémon. As long as your goal is to coexist and thrive with Pokémon, then I imagine you should be allowed to use this land.” Mai said. “The great Wyrdeer has taken a liking to CJ as well. That’s a good sign.” She turned to me with a smile, “You have my thanks for what you did today. Our clan leader will hear about how you aided us. I’ll come to show my appreciation with a proper reward as soon as I can.”

Don’t like how vague she left that ending bit. Who am I kidding, of course I do.

“Anything to help.” A small nod from me. 

The three of us watched as Mai departed, “If we’re going to coexist and thrive with Pokémon, we’re going to have to get over our fear of them.” Akari said once she was gone, “And completing the Pokédex will help us with that.”

I was a little more at ease now that it was just us three. “So what now?”

“Well, the Construction Corps should come by soon enough to set up a base camp.”

“A base in Deertrack Heights….” The professor mused, “I shall call it, the Heights Camp!”

I smiled at his enthusiasm. It would be nice having an extra place to camp out and relax, as the Obsidian Fieldlands were quite large and vast.

“We all did nice work today, why don’t we all head to the Wallflower?” Akari smiled.

Chapter Text

I made sure the wooden clothespins were neatly lined up, as I hung mostly every piece of clothing I had. Couldn’t believe it was still morning and I already felt wiped out. Washing clothes by hand was an experience and a half. Even though my arms were a little tired, I couldn’t just stop there. While my tea and breakfast were heating up, I would exercise to hell and back.

“CJ!” Akari burst into my quarters, very unlike her polite, professional self, “I…I heard panting, and grunting, are…are you under attack?”

I sat up slowly, from the worn-out position I was in, “Yeah, I’m fine.” I chuckled, “Just…trying to do sit-ups.”

“Oh, that’s a relief.” She closed the door behind herself, noticing how tired I looked, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah…I…I tried to shoot for twenty…bad idea, I guess.”

“I mean, you shouldn’t overdo it, right?”

“I know, it’s just…I need to get in better shape. I may be good at battling people, but if a wild Pokémon is chasing me through the woods, I gotta be ready, right?” I rose to check if the tea was ready. I grabbed myself a cup and handed one for Akari.

She didn’t know how to respond for a moment, as she gently took the teacup, “For…for me?”

I shrugged, “You show up here often enough.”

“T-Thank you…CJ….” A polite nod.

“Maybe I’ll make you breakfast one day, too.”

“I…I assure you, that isn’t necessary.”

I chuckled, “It wouldn’t be like, a five-course meal or anything…it’d probably just be noodles.” I sat at my desk, “You mind coming here and checking my notes?”

I had been working on these notes for a while. On Rowlet and Wurmple, at least. I was proud of them, I meant to have them looked at earlier, but then all the Mai stuff happened and we kinda got sidetracked. I parsed some of the papers so Rowlet and Wurmple’s entry could be shown.

Flies noiselessly on delicate wings. It has mastered the art of deftly launching dagger-sharp leaves from those same wings.

Likes sap and is abundant in the wild. Why it evolves into various different forms is unknown. One cannot tell from a Wurmple’s appearance which form it will take when it evolves.

Akari seemed puzzled, “What’s that word?”

My expression dipped, “Delicate.” I followed along.

“And that one?”

“…abundant.”

“And that one?”

My brow twitched, “The!”

“…starting to see why Captain Cyllene doesn’t like your handwriting.”

I crossed my arms, an overexaggerated pout on my face. “Professor Laventon never complains about my handwriting.”

She laughed, “Yeah, it takes a lot to bother him, in case you haven’t noticed!”

I snorted, “Yeah, guess so.” It was hard to shake the request out of my head. The proper request. Mai’s request. I couldn’t shake that loss from my head. And yes, I considered it a loss, as she fainted my Pokémon first, and probably would’ve knocked out my entire team if that Rollout didn’t miss. And the look she had during that battle. The look she had during all of it. No. Forget about her, and keep working on the Pokédex.

I closed my notebook, “Where’d you get Pikachu?”

Akari blinked at the sudden question, “Where did I get Pikachu?” She mirrored, “Um…well, had to have been local, relatively speaking, at least.” She mused, “Near Deertrack Heights? Maybe?”

“In the Obsidian Fieldlands?”

“Yeah, oh yeah. Definitely there.”

“Hmm…I’ll be on the lookout for them. More of them will get us a better Pokédex entry.” I noted, “There’s a pre-evolved form for it too, Pichu.”

“Really?” She looked surprised, “I’ll have to keep a close eye out, then.”

I took the last sip of my tea, and noticed Akari was nearly finished with hers. “I’ll let you get a head start then, I might take another fifteen minutes or half hour to get ready, myself.”

I took a brief stop at the farm, which was so out of the way compared to where my quarters and Galaxy Hall were, I didn’t even know we had a farm at first. There was one plot, empty at the moment, maybe the growing season just started. A lot of the farmers were cutting down trees or trying to plow more plots of land. I spoke with one of the farmers, Colza, and he and I came to a little agreement about me planting some of what I found foraging. Since I was getting so many plants and berries from my excursions, we planted as many as we could right away. More food for people and Pokémon was always a good thing. After that, I headed back towards the gate, lest I want an earful from Akari.

“How goes the surveying?” Beauregard waved from where he was standing guard in front of Galaxy Hall.

“Pretty good, I’d say.” I smiled back.

“We’re getting along here great, been training a lot.” He grinned at his Wurmple, Beauticia, I should say. “Huh….” He looked over at the worm Pokémon, who was now suddenly glowing white, “W-What’s happening to Beauticia?” He panicked.

“Look like it’s evolving.” I chuckled.

The white flash cleared, “Beauticia evolved! Finally…it’s become Silcoon!”

Oh dear god.

“Just a little longer, and it’ll evolve into a Beautifly. You can do it, Beauticia!” Beauregard looked excited.

The Cascoon happily did a little bounce, at a future that would never come to pass. I quietly excused myself, practically speed-walking out of the village.

“Take care of yourself out there, kid.” Ress nodded towards me as I left.

As I headed to camp, I noticed some lady standing nearby. Perhaps she had a request? That Morel guy did the same thing, float around camp until I brought back his precious mushroom, or more accurately, Akari did the scavenging.

“Hmm…that marvelous, rich tone! How is it produced? I must know!” She exclaimed, looking at me. “You’re from the Survey Corps! Wonderful, just what I needed. I want to learn more about Kricketot. You must be curious about them too, right? I mean, how do they make those sounds? It’s a musical mystery!”

I nodded, “Right, I’ll drum up a Pokédex page for Kricketot as soon as I can.”

“I would be in your debt if you did, so I…er, I mean…we could find out the secret!”

The more I advanced, the more I knew it’d be inevitable I’d run into Akari, who usually always got here before me. “Hey.” She waved.

I nodded ahead, “I’m going to Deertrack Heights.” I said, “There were a lot of Kricketot there, think I’ll see if I can flesh out a Pokédex entry.”

“Why Kricketot?”

I looked back at camp, “Some lady wants me to do it.” I said, “Also, I might stay away from Beauregard for a little while.”

She seemed even more perplexed, “Why, what happened?”

“I uh…his Wurmple evolved into a Cascoon instead of a Silcoon, but…he thinks it’s a Silcoon.”

“…I don’t follow, didn’t you explain to him that—”

I didn’t have the patience to explain the complexities of branched evolutions to Akari right now. Especially one as confusing as Wurmple’s. “Look, I’ll tell ya later, right now, I’ve got Kricketot to deal with.”

Kricketot could be quite skittish, as I eventually learned, but as long as I stayed hidden, the red cricket Pokémon would make for an easy capture, especially if I used the back strike. I even tried to engage a few of them in battle.

“Good job, Starly!” I cheered, as Starly defeated yet another one.

Starly began to glow white, as her body changed and grew bigger. My jaw dropped, as the only other Pokémon I had evolved in this world were a bunch of Wurmple at this point. Having a Staravia on my side would be nice. The now larger black and white bird tweeted happily, flying circles around me.

“Nice.” I recalled Staravia, hearing a familiar growl from not too far away. “Well…I caught a bunch of Kricketot…might as well catch a bunch of Geodude too.” I smirked.

Having a Water and Grass-type on my team made taking them out as simple as can be, but I made sure to catch a few, for research purposes. God, the amount of Poké balls I was trying to keep track of were insane. There were the empties, the ones I would need transported to the pastures, and then my six ‘party’ Pokémon, at least for now. Okay, Rowlet, check, Staravia, check, Shinx, check, Buizel, check, Ponyta, check…Bidoof…check.

I was about to head back to camp, but I noticed some guy on the lookout for something, “Hey there, mind helping a fella out?” He asked.

I shrugged, “Yeah, what’s up?”

“I’m after some Cheri Berries, you know ‘em? The shiny red ones!” He smiled.

I did. Although they weren’t nearly as common as Oran Berries.

“They grow on the trees around here…but I don’t have any Pokémon that can reach them for me….”

“I’ll get ‘em for you.” Seemed simple enough.

“Many thanks, friend! I’ll take three.”

I could easily get more than three. “Go Bidoof!”

I strolled around the lower area of Deertrack Heights, having Bidoof roll into any tree I came across, and snagging any Cheri Berries that fell. “Alright Bidoof, that should probably be—”

I looked back, surprised that now Bidoof was glowing with a white light as well. I watched in awe as it grew in size, getting a much bigger, flatter dark tail, bigger teeth. I now had a Bibarel, which was part Water, if I recalled. How come everything was evolving all of a sudden, was there some kind of energy leak, that was causing all Pokémon to evolve?

It could just be that my Pokémon are around levels where they would evolve in the games. It would make sense for Starly, I don’t remember it taking a particularly long time to evolve into Staravia. I never really used Bidoof much, so, jury was out on that one. I was so excited to go back and start taking notes on my data that I almost forgot about the Cheri Berries.

“Ooh, did you get the berries?” The villager asked. I nodded and handed them over, “Thanks! These are real convenient in distracting wild Pokémon!”

Dude repaid me with fifteen Poké balls, so maybe I should get him berries more often. But it was time to go back to camp with my findings.

One of my favorite parts about being in the Survey Corps was the three of us, sitting in a circle by the camp, compiling and comparing notes. Which was now more of a requirement if anything, since I usually collected the most research, but either the professor or Akari would have to translate it into something that didn’t offend Captain Cyllene’s eyes.

“Alright, so how about this?”

Akari grabbed my notes on Kricketot. “Okay, so I have some questions.”

“Here we go….”

“What’s that word?”

I squinted, “Marimba.”

“And…what’s a marimba?”

“It’s like a….” I looked from one person to the other, “It’s like a percussion instrument…there are like…these different bars, of all shapes and sizes, that produce different sound if you hit them with a mallet. It’s a musical instrument, damn important one too.”

Akari still looked lost, but the professor nodded in remembrance, “You know, I think I recall seeing some over in Alola.” He smiled.

I smugly crossed my arms, like the favored child, “See, the professor knows what I’m talking about.” Akari rolled her eyes and handed back my notebook.

I checked over Kricketot’s entry too, making sure it made sense. When the trees take on new hues, more of these Pokémon appear. The tone they create by striking their antennae together resembles that of a marimba, an instrument of foreign lands.

It brought me back to all those band classes I took, explaining to Akari what a marimba was. I remember being terrified of the goddamn thing in high school. It, the xylophone, the vibraphone, the bells, anything associated with it. For the longest time I didn’t know how to play them, and trying to learn and memorize the different notes was quite an ordeal. But I did learn, and I got pretty good at it. There were a lot of concerts where I’d be playing the good ol’ vibes. But now I’d probably be shit at it, that was years and years ago.

“What about Geodude’s entry? You said that was done too?” Akari’s voice brought me back to reality.

I read the page I wrote. Makes its home in mountainous regions, using its arms to climb along harsh mountain roads. Can be troublesome…carelessly kicking one will cause it to fly into a rage and chase after you. “Yeah, here, it’s good to go.” I said, “Or, well…it’s good to go, content-wise…not uh…handwriting-wise.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll pretty it up for you.” Akari snickered.

That reminded me, there was that lady, the one who wanted to see Kricketot’s entry. Once the page was finalized, I headed over to show it to her.

“You’ve completed Kricketot’s page? Good, now quickly! Let me have a look!” I handed her my notebook, and she slowly read it over, “Oh, so Kricketot can make that curious noise by hitting their antennae together? Hmm, I wonder if Anvin from the Supply Corps could put together an instrument with a similar shape to those antennae….”

I shrugged with a small smile, “I mean, anything’s possible, right? Sky’s the limit?”

She nodded, “Well thanks for going out of your way to solve this tonal enigma. Here, take these!” She handed me a trio of Vivichokes. Great, more Revives would never hurt. “For such a hard worker!”

I was just lucky that none of this really felt like work yet. I feared the day that something like this would bore me. But for now, I hatched up a plan, to deal with another request of mine.

I should’ve figured Hisui would look eight-hundred percent scarier at night.

Calm the fuck down, CJ. It’s night, the sun’s gone, alright? Big deal, does that every night, and we all live. I felt a nervous chill.

Akari yawned as she walked next to me, “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

Since I was a night owl, I was hardly daunted. Sacred as shit maybe, but not tired. “Zubat only come out at night.” Can’t believe it took me that long to remember that different Pokémon come out at different times of day. “I need one for Clarissa’s request.” And I also really wanted a Zubat.

“Can’t see we’ve ever done work out at night.” She commented sleepily.

That made this all the more important, who knows how many Pokémon we were missing out on? “Here, you stay back by camp…I’ll go out and look for a Zubat. If I can’t find one in say, ten or twenty minutes, we’ll leave, sound good?”

She gave a weary nod, hanging back at camp while I marched ahead, undeterred by the nighttime. Well, aside from tripping a few times, because I couldn’t see a damn thing.

I had to make it all the way to Deertrack Heights, but I saw what I was looking for. The little blue bat Pokémon, there had to have been at least a dozen of ‘em, all flapping around, and I would catch them all.

I think I ended up catching like, three or four of them, others caught onto my presence, and initiated battle, but it was nothing my Shinx couldn’t handle, with super-effective Electric-type attacks.

The more I caught, the more it was starting to get pretty obvious. I knew these things didn’t have eyes. Didn’t know what the hell Clarissa would think of that. Between her and Beauregard, the Security Corps were going to have quite a few disappointed soldiers in their ranks. At least I could run back and tell Akari the good news.

As if my luck couldn’t get any better, I noticed the floating balloon Pokémon, Drifloon. I readied a Poké ball, giving it a toss. It struggled, but I was able to catch the damn thing. Yes! I sprinted back to base, this was all going great!

At least it was until I noticed I was actually running in midair.

I gasped, screaming as I plummeted a great distance. I died, I had to have died from that height, right? But, why was I still alive?

Voices from my past began to bombard me. Teachers, customers, parents. I shuddered, trying to speak back, but no words came out. Where the hell was all of this coming from?

Pain wracked through my body, as I fell for real this time. It wasn’t too-too high a distance, but it left my body scratched and bruised regardless. A trio of Drifloon were the culprit, and with three of them attacking at the same time, I wasn’t sure I could contend with them all at once.

I kept slipping back in an out of reality. Getting bombarded by more and more memories, most of them not very pleasant. Some of them were twisted or outright false. I gave a piercing scream, wanting out of this madhouse. “Shinx! Use Thundershock!”

My Shinx fried the nearest Drifloon, but it only enraged the other two. Shinx snarled, evolving before my very eyes. Was this part of the dream? I didn’t know anymore….

My Luxio used Bite and Thundershock intermittently as it tried to drive off the remaining Drifloon. But by then the damage was already done. My body was sore, my mind absolutely shattered. I wearily stood up, nearly tripping and falling over again. I was a pale enough guy, but I was sheet-white at this point. I shakily grabbed a Poké ball, recalling my Luxio, in a shaky voice, I was finally able to speak, telling him that he did a good job.

After thanking Luxio twelve more times, I heard it. “CJ!”

Akari sprinted towards me, suddenly not tired at all. I suppose I did scream twice, “What, what happened?” She looked extremely concerned, helping me walk when I was quickly unable to do so myself.

I pointed ahead with a shaking finger. “…village….”

“What did this to you…?”

“D-Drifloon….” I coughed.

Once we were near my quarters, I gently took Akari’s hands off of me, slipping into my room, and shutting the door behind myself. I undressed myself and got into my futon, shuddering underneath the covers. I didn’t want to talk, I didn’t want to recount it, I just wanted to sleep now, if that was even possible….

Chapter Text

In the nearly two weeks I’ve been here, this has been the strangest morning yet.

I was sitting on the covers of my futon, sipping from my teacup with shaky hands. No exercise, no chores, no Pokémon out to chat with.

I knew it was inevitable, as my door slowly slid open. “CJ?” Akari asked, shutting the door behind herself, as she sat beside me, “Is everything okay? Did you want to talk about it?”

I sighed through my nose. “Those Drifloon attacked….” I restated, knowing she knew this already. “They were using Ghost moves, or Psychic moves…moves that made me see things that weren’t really there…I hallucinated.”

“They can do that…?” She gasped in horror.

A slow nod, “I’m lucky I only fell down a hill…if they blinded me at the right spot, I could’ve fallen from a higher spot, drowned, walked into a nasty Pokémon.”

“Look, CJ…no one would think any less of you if you just…took a day off.”

Swear to god, if she put the word out and made me a goddamn charity case to the rest of the village. “I would.” I stood tall, a fire in my voice for the first time in nearly twelve hours. “No. I’m not gonna let this get to me.” I decided, wincing as a bruise on my leg decided to remind me of its existence. “I mean, I made a stupid mistake. I’m not gonna go out at night again until I’m prepared. I can acknowledge that I fucked up, but I can’t give in to fear.”

“Yes, but…you can’t go too hard on yourself either.” She argued mildly, “Like, you probably shouldn’t go out in the Fieldlands at all today.”

“I’m not gonna be deadweight, Akari.”

“And you don’t have to be.” She wasn’t backing down either. “The village itself needs plenty of help. You can still be helpful without endangering yourself.” She said, “There are some Bidoof that are causing problems in the village lately, for instance. It’s on the noticeboard.”

Bidoof wouldn’t try to nuke me with mind-raping attacks from three different directions, at the very least. “Alright, I’ll take a look at it.” I said, “But after that, I’m going out.” She frowned as I said this, but it lessened when I said, “But, I won’t go crazy. I’ll just…look for Pikachu, train my Rowlet, nothing too painful.”

We departed not much longer after that. I don’t know where Akari went, probably out in the fields, but I headed towards Galaxy Hall. I wanted to see what this Bidoof request was all about.

“Morning, professor.” I greeted briefly.

“Good morning, CJ.” He smiled back. Seemed like everything was business as usual, which I would much prefer over Akari blurting the incident out to anyone who’d listen. It’d be different if I got injured badly, but as it stood, I was just banged up.

There were actually two unclaimed requests on the blackboard. Three if you counted the one Clarissa gave me a while back about the Zubat. But since she worked nights, I hadn’t run into her yet to deliver the news, or lack thereof.

I read the Bidoof entrant, which was actually titled Bothersome Bidoof. Seemed similar to the accounts Akari provided. And it looked like a woman named Tsumugi from the Security Corps is the one that posted the request. Alright, guess it was time to play guess-who again with these soldiers.

But then another request caught my eye.

It was from Beauregard, and it seemed to be about his “Silcoon.” Goddamn it.

I mean, the guy guarded the outside of the Galaxy Hall, there was no way I would be avoiding him. I just really didn’t want to break the bad news to him.

Out of the frying pan, into the fire, I headed outside, “Hey Beauregard!” I greeted, possibly a littler over-friendly, but fuck it, I didn’t want to make this uglier than it had to be. “What’s up? I noticed you had a request for us.”

“I just…I just don’t believe it!” He seemed a little distraught, “Professor Laventon seems to think lil’ Beauticia here is a Cascoon. But, er…hello? It’s clearly a Silcoon!” Cascoon hissed from the side with glee. “You’re making some kinda Pokédex with the professor, right? You gotta help me out, talk some sense into him!”

I sighed, “One second….” I headed to the pastures, “Wait right here….”

I swapped one of my Pokémon out with the Silcoon I raised a while ago, coming back and sending it out, for a side-by-side comparison. I was going to dispel this misconception once and for all.

Beauregard put a hand to his chin in thought as he observed both Pokémon, “Ha! It’s exactly how I thought! They’re both the same!”

“Dude, one of them’s fucking purple.”

Maybe my words came out a little bit more bluntly than I intended them to. “Hmm…now that you mention it, they’re not exactly two peas in a pod.” He was a little downcast, “I never would expect two Pokémon that look so similar could actually be different species.” He said, “Pokémon are curious creatures, huh?”

“Yeah….” I gave him a couple seconds, “So you’ll likely end up with a Dustox…I don’t have one myself yet, but, I’ll be working on it soon.”

He crouched down to his Cascoon’s level. “Beauticia…I didn’t know the first thing about you, did I? I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings.” He said, “You sure you’re still happy to have a goof like me as your partner?”

Cascoon bounced happily, I wasn’t even aware cocoon Pokémon could emote so much.

“Beauticia you lovable rascal!” Beauregard smiled, “You really are the only Pokémon for me! This dynamic duo will stay together forever!”

I smiled as I recalled my Silcoon, “Glad I could be of help.”

“Here, this is for you.” Beauregard stood tall again, reaching out to hand me something. “For your troubles.”

“Thanks.” I nodded, looking at my prize as I headed out. Was it one of those experience candies? The ones from generation eight? I stashed it in my satchel, for now I would save it.

“Excuse me, sir? Do you think you could lend me a hand?”

One of the villagers waved calmly at me, standing outside of her house. I walked over, “What’s up?”

“Splendid, you came along at a good time.” She smiled, “I’m looking for a pickling stone, you see. It needs to be the right size to fit atop one of my pickle pots, and heavy enough to put a nice, firm pressure on the pickles while they’re fermenting.” She explained. “Although…I suppose it will be difficult for me to lift such a heavy thing from the pot. The best thing would be for the stone to lift itself up, ideally.”

I was wondering what the hell this request had to do with Pokémon, or the Survey Corps. Now it just sounded like a riddle of some kind. A stone that could lift itself up? Wait a minute….

“Say no more.” I nodded, “I got just the Pokémon in mind.”

“Right, I’ll wait inside.” She headed inside her house.

It would be my second short trip to the pastures, as I had plenty of Geodude to spare for a task like this one. Once I got a Geodude, I returned to the villager’s house. “Alright, you might wanna stand back a little.” I threw the Poké ball.

The Geodude looked around for a moment, observing its surroundings. “Oh my! Would you look at that!” The villager exclaimed, “Geodude, right? It really does look like a rock! It seems to be the ideal weight too.” She gently coaxed the Rock-type over to her pickling pot. “Ah, simply perfect!” She gushed, looking at me, “Thank you, young man. With this Geodude’s help, I’ll surely make some scrumptious pickles!”

I stopped by the farm after getting my reward and waving goodbye to the lady. I wanted to see how the crops were growing, when a nearby farmer stopped me, “I saw the darndest thing, Survey Corps recruit.” He said, “I was scouring the Heartwood for crops we could grow in the fields when I saw it…this Pokémon called Cherrim changed appearance right before my very eyes! It was in the evening, lights were getting dim. All of a sudden, Cherrim’s petals closed right up and it looked like nothing but a flower bud.” He noted, “I thought I witnessed the miracle of evolution, but…but the next day, Cherrim was back into full bloom! Why would it bloom just to close up later? Is that how evolution works? Or did I see something different?” He asked, “If you finish Cherrim’s Pokédex entry, let me have a look, will ya? Can’t get my mind off it!”

Well, I knew it was a form change, but he likely wanted physical evidence. Guess I’ll add that on my list of ever-increasing things to do, as I assured the man I’d take a look. What the hell was I doing before all this pickling, farmer Cherrim, and Beauregard stuff? Oh, right, the Bidoof.

I had to be pointed in the right direction again, but it turned out that Tsumugi guarded one of the gates to the village, the same one Ress guarded, funnily enough. “I heard you not only passed your trial, but got a star too.” Tsumugi greeted with a smile, “Congratulations. I have a job that’s perfect for someone like you. See, I need help—”

Our attention was diverted as rustling could be heard behind us, followed by a trio of joyous Bidoof frolicking through the village. “Arg! It’s those darn Bidoof again!”

I was a little worried too. All lot of the village weren’t comfortable with Pokémon yet. Would these Bidoof scare the villagers? I had no idea the Bidoof were this brave, wandering into the village.

“I look away for one second, and those little scoundrels waltz right into the village!” Tsumugi clenched a fist, sighing, “Oh, I’m a complete failure as a member of the Security Corps. How can I face Captain Zisu like this?”

“Want me to see if I can round ‘em up?” I offered.

A shaky nod, “Get ahold of yourself, Tsumugi! If we catch the Bidoof, it’ll be fine!” She tried to calm down, “Still…three Bidoof is kind of a lot. Two more than I think I can handle on my own…in fact.” She thought about it, “Wait! I have an idea! I’ve heard these particular pests get easily distracted if other Bidoof are nearby and end up letting their guard down around humans!”

They didn’t have much of a guard to begin with.

“So, if you use a Bidoof to catch their attention, I can seize that chance and catch the troublemakers! Voilà, the perfect plan! If we combine forces, we’ll get all three caught in no time at all!”

I shrugged, informing her that I’d have to go to the pastures real quick to get one of the Bidoof that I caught. Afterwards, the pair of us starting searching for the Bidoof. I supposed we had to be quick, in case they scared a villager.

A chomping sound reminded me of a possible second problem they could cause. A lot of the structures in this village were made out of wood, the buildings, even the fences to the pastures. If enough holes were bitten into the wood by the Bidoof, we could have a disaster on our hands.

Corralling the three of them back into a group was more tedious than I expected, but using one of my Bidoof, it gradually worked itself out. Tsumugi was all smiles. “Nice work, the troublemakers are all in our custody now!”

“But now what?” I asked, “What do we do with ‘em?”

“Give ‘em the old heave ho! Obviously.”

“Hold on!” A woman’s voice cried.

I looked over, seeing some woman I’ve never met before. She had blueish-silvery eyes which matched her wavy hair. “It’d be a shame to just send those Bidoof back into the wild, no? My Construction Corps could find a use for ‘em.”

“Who’s that?” I muttered under my breath.

“Sanqua…leader of the Construction Corps.” Tsumugi murmured back, addressing the other woman, “You want to keep them? These naughty nibblers have caused so much trouble for the Construction Corps!”

“They’re just Pokémon being Pokémon. How are they supposed to know our village is a strict no-chewing zone?” She argued mildly, “Shows good taste on their part to come all the way here to gnaw on our woodwork too.” She smiled, “But, if they’re going to stay here, they’re going to have to help with our work!”

I wasn’t going to argue. Tsumugi still looked like she wanted to kick them out, but I wasn’t going to argue.

“They’ve got guts to come into the village, and teeth to gnash through trees and rocks…just what our corps need!” She got to their level, “How about it, little ones? Meal tastes better after a hard day’s work, you know!” Her smirk grew as the Bidoof chittered happily, “Just what I wanted to hear!”

“Hmm….” Tsumugi muttered, “I’m not convinced this lot have it in them to do an honest day’s work…but if Sanqua’s watching over them, I’m sure it’ll work out alright.” The guard turned to me, “So I guess it’s all settled, thanks again for your help!”

My reward was a rare candy, a proper rare candy. It was good to see that my candy stash was increasing. I wonder how they taste to humans? I shook that thought off, as much as I wanted something sweet, visiting the Fieldlands wouldn’t hurt. I wouldn’t do too much, I would just fill out Pokédex pages maybe. Maybe catch a few more Bidoof to work on its entry. Low-hanging fruit, for sure, but I promised Akari I wouldn’t do anything too stupid.

Made me wonder how often misfortune befell people before I got here. Like Akari got barbecued, and surely the Diamond Clan weren’t perfect either. What did they even do, anyway? The Diamond Clan? They didn’t seem to be researchers, they seemed content to wallow in their pseudo-intellectual, religious dogma. Was Mai ever thrown for a loop? Attacked by some Ghost-type Pokémon? I’m honestly surprised she didn’t have a Ghost or Dark-type, that seemed much more up her alley that Munchlax. Like, if she were in the modern-day, she’d probably be some kind of goth girl maybe? Don’t know why I was so sold on that.

Holy shit, CJ, get your head out of the fucking gutter and focus! There was a rather large ore deposit up ahead, and I could use the Tumblestones. “Go Rowlet!” I sent out the owl Pokémon, “Can you break those rocks for me?”

I retrieved the Tumblestones, but was absolutely shocked when a Graveler hopped up out of nowhere, aggressively heading towards me.

What the fuck? I didn’t know Pokémon could be inside the ore deposits! I didn’t know it could be something as strong as a Graveler! Fuck me, was it going to Rollout my entire team to death? Crush me to death? Why can’t I keep a single promise to Akari without something stupid happening? I was finished!

Unless…

“Rowlet.” I stood firm, “Leafage, strong style.”

Amazingly, the Graveler fell with one hit, even though it likely had levels upon levels of experience over my Rowlet, who was likely not going to be a Rowlet any longer, after defeating a foe of that caliber.

A white glow surrounded my starter, as it grew taller, the white glow wore off, revealing Dartrix. I grinned, getting down to his level to give him a hug, “Good job, buddy!”

“Alright, here…I have a Zubat to show you.”

“Thanks.” Clarissa grinned, looking the bat Pokémon over, “I’ll just take a look at those peepers, if you please!” Zubat looked saddened as it wilted, “Wha? Don’t tell me…where are the eyes on this little guy? It…it doesn’t have eyes!”

“Yeah…I…I meant to tell ya, uh….”

“But, that means Zubat flies around while being completely blind!”

“Yeah, it probably uses sonar, sound waves…for like, echoes and stuff. Feels the vibrations of the sound and…that’s how it knows where to go.” I recalled what little I knew about bats from my world.

“So like a secret sense?” She asked, sighing, “That’s amazing, but it hardly helps me. What am I going to do about my nighttime shifts?”

“You could always catch yourself a Zubat.”

“Oh, that’s a good idea!” She found her smile again, “No need to go it alone. That’s that, then. I’ll get my own partner Zubat, thanks for the advice!”

After receiving payment, I headed into Galaxy Hall, figured Cyllene would like an update on my Pokédex.

She scanned over the pages as she sat at her desk. I could tell she was impressed with my work, or, well, impressed as Cyllene’s stony façade could allow, as Pokédex pages were being filled out at quite the rapid pace.

“Hmm. You’ve made quite a bit of progress. Seems you’ve earned yourself a star.”

“R-Really ma’am?” I’ve barely been here two weeks, and I’m already getting two stars?

“At two stars, you’ll need these recipes for crafting.” She handed me two slips of paper, one for Super Potions, and one for Feather balls.

Interesting, I knew enough about Super Potions, but did I have Pep-up Plants? Feather balls also seemed like an interesting device I should go after.

“Continue to dedicate yourself to the Pokédex if you wish to rise higher in the ranks.”

I wondered if tonight, the potato mochi would taste extra good. Professor Laventon had a big smile as he waved me over. It was hard to tell exactly what we were celebrating. My second star, my Rowlet evolving, the overall good fortune with the Pokédex. I learned not to question the merriment at this point, at least not when I was among friends.

“Beni, old chum. The usual potato mochi, please! And make it for three today as well!” Professor Laventon requested, as Beni departed back into the kitchen.

“Alright, so Bidoof and Zubat’s entries are as good as gold, I’m pretty sure.” I started, “I mean, I’ll need one of you to look at it.”

“Ah, most excellent! That’s two more Pokémon with completed pages!” Laventon beamed.

“Did you all hear the grave news?”

Beni came back out to set out dishes for us, leaving and returning with the potato mochi, “That frenzied Kleavor from the rumors…it mauled some of our Galaxy folks who went to investigate it this morning.” He shook his head, “The Medical Corps has had a hard time getting the injured back onto their feet….”

“Ah, the Kleavor struck by powerful lightning, yes?” Professor Laventon asked, “I did hear he’s been behaving most erratically since then. Still, if further investigation is in order, the Survey Corps will be up to task. A certain amount of danger is inevitable when researching unfamiliar Pokémon.” He smiled, “But I’m sure CJ can handle things just fine!”

Akari gave him quite the side-eye, “Are you sure about that? I’ve heard Kleavor is so mighty, not even alpha Pokémon compare to him.”

Nice to see that Akari was coming from a desire of wanting to keep me safe, rather than pure distrust this time.

“Now, now, you forget that the strengths of Pokémon are key items of information that we of the Survey Corps are duty-bound to research! And since this duty calls for a clear head, and a fighting-fit physique…I do believe we need to have a good meal, and a good night’s sleep in order to prepare!”

My brain was a little fuzzy as I got ready to go to sleep that night. Kleavor. Another Pokémon I didn’t know about. Worse still, I had to tame it or something? It was on a rampage? Tasks with wild Pokémon were always hit or miss, I’d much rather just battle a person over and over again.

I pulled the covers over myself. I would just hope things would go as well as they did with that alpha Kricketune.

Chapter Text

“CJ!” She practically screamed, roosters everywhere should be ashamed. “You should hurry to the commander’s office before he decides to use you for sumo practice!”

As usual, my weakness was hardly anything Pokémon-related. But rather getting up on time.

Fuck. Kleavor. Shit. I scrambled out of my futon, getting ready in record time. Morning routine be damned, I sprinted outside of my quarters, panting quietly as I saw Akari, who at this point had developed a special talent for waking me up.

“Sorry, overslept.”

Akari snickered, “I’ll say, what else is new?” She asked, “C’mon, we’d better hurry to headquarters.”

“Look who’s being punctual!” A deep baritone sounded, “Finally realized you’re wasting almighty Sinnoh’s time by bowing to a sham!”

“There you go again!” A light, dainty voice fought back. “Insisting your false image of almighty Sinnoh as ruler of time. My people follow the true almighty Sinnoh…the font of all creation and the ruler of space!”

Akari and I turned to watch the ringside show. Two rather colorful figures were having quite the passionate argument. To the left was a man dressed mostly in black and blue, with wild hair, mostly multicolored in different shades of blue. His deep blue jacket was to die for, and so were his dark boots. Man dressed nice, I had to admit.

The woman he was arguing with dressed rather differently, but just as showy. Her preferred color seemed to be pink. It went with her blonde hair rather well. She had blue eyes, while the man’s were more umber-toned. She was showing fairly more skin that the man she was arguing with, and most of her clothing I couldn’t quite figure out. The bracelets, headbands, the anklet, the shoes, and that strange, back sash, that covered her rear and the backs of her legs. She looked like some kind of Legend of Zelda NPC, or a major supporting role.

“Ha!” A dry laugh from the much taller man, “You could have all the space in the world and still not know what to do with it!”

She raised a hand over her mouth, clearly offended, “Excuse me? Are you really suggesting that we make better use of your time than we make of vast Hisui’s space?”

“Better than some! It’s a miracle you showed up on time, oh mighty leader of the Pearl Clan.” He rested his hands on his hips, voice dripping with sarcasm. “I was worried you’d get lost in that pointlessly vast space you’re so fond of and never show up!”

“Me? Get lost? In almighty Sinnoh’s great gift to the Pearl Clan…in our world’s very basis? You wish!”

“I wish I hadn’t let myself get dragged into arguing with you. Almighty Sinnoh forgive me…what a waste of time!” He turned towards Galaxy Hall, “I’m off to Commander Kamado’s office!”

“I believe it was you who started this.” She snipped back, as they both entered the building, not speaking any further.

Akari shook her head, “You can always feel the tension when those two show up….”

Yeah, and what kind of tension would that be, Akari?

“You haven’t met them, have you?” Akari looked at me, “Well, the woman with reverence for space is Irida, leader of the Pearl Clan.” She explained, “The man who was going on and on about time is Adaman, leader of the Diamond Clan.”

“Shit….” I ghosted, barely audible, “I…I didn’t know the leaders of both clans could just show up like this….” I said. I didn’t know there was a Pearl Clan either until today, but I sort of saw it coming at this point.

“The Diamond Clan and Pearl Clan grudgingly coexist at the moment. Apparently, things used to be less peaceful.” Akari said, shaking her head, “But the boss…I mean, the commander is waiting…we can talk about this more later.”

Was Kleavor so bad that he was bending all three factions out of shape?

I hurried into Galaxy Hall, not wanting to be any tardier than I already was. The closer I got to the third floor, the more I heard voices. Or Adaman, Irida, and the commander, debating over the matter, it seemed.

My foot stopped once I reached the last step. What if I wasn’t needed yet? What if I said something stupid, what if I got in the way? Was I ready for the grown-ups table in there?

“What do you intend to do about that Kleavor, Commander Kamado?” Adaman asked impatiently. “He may be a warrior descended from almighty Sinnoh, but look at the mess he’s causing! We can’t sit back and let him rage on!”

“You do get straight to the point, don’t you Adaman?” Kamado noted, as I continued eavesdropping, because I liked having my heart nearly beat out of my chest I suppose.

“Time wasted is lost.”

Jesus fucking Christ.

Seemed the commander was at a loss too, “Well, tell me…what would you have us do? Kleavor is a precious Lord to the Pearl Clan, is he not?”

“That’s the point.” Adaman shook his head, “My clan can’t intervene directly where a lord of the Pearl Clan’s concerned. If my people were to do anything, our two clans might go back to being at each other’s throats! Just like we used to be….”

Dialga and Palkia.

My brain suddenly thought. How much would I ruin their lives if I just went out there and told them that both their almighty Sinnohs were real, and likely in this world? Or would I start a new age of undisputed peace because both clans would get along now? Maybe it was for the best if I keep my mouth shut, as usual, to reduce suspicions.

“But even the folks of the Galaxy Team have been wounded, haven’t they?” Adaman continued, “Seems someone’s gotta do something here…”

“Who then?” Irida challenged, “Would the Diamond Clan have the Pearl Clan bring down one of its own honored nobles?”

Adaman smirked, “Don’t believe I said that. Thought it, maybe.”

Irida bristled, “You might as well have said it, you fool!” She frowned, “Look, we don’t even know what drove Lord Kleavor into such a violent frenzy!”

He held his forehead, “I’d like to know that myself. This is a first for as far as my clan knows too.”

It was then that Commander Kamado noticed me in the doorway, standing awkwardly like an idiot. “Hmm, seems you’ve arrived.” I took that as an invitation to let myself in the room. I was shaking, why was I shaking? I nervously tried to stand still, hoping the two gold stars on my uniform would at least make me look somewhat official. “This is CJ, newest member of the Survey Corps.”

I held a hand out, willing it not to shake, not to show fear. “Honor to meet you both.”

“Ah! I hear from Mai you earned Wyrdeer’s favor!” Adaman was at least pleased to see me, “Good to finally meet you, stranger from the rift!” Christ, even their handshakes were opposite. Irida barely touched my hand, hardly wanting anything to do with the gesture, while I was almost positive Adaman broke a finger or two in his death-lock.

“I’m Adaman, leader of the Diamon Clan, if you want to be formal.” He went on, “But that’s a mouthful. Just call me Adaman.”

Irida studied me closely, “If you came from the space-time rift…could you be from space where almighty Sinnoh is said to reside?”

Sure lady. “I mean, it’s possible…?”

She looked me over again, “I’m Irida, leader of the Pearl Clan. Caution and foresight are my watchwords.” She introduced, “Which is why I have trouble believing in such a tale. Could you have really passed through the rift?”

Commander Kamado intercepted before I had to justify my existence. “I have a proposition. Why don’t you send this one to study Kleavor to see what needs to be done?”

Ah, the old, ‘have an outsider do it.’ It would keep the Diamond and Pearl clans playing nice.

Irida was not having it, “You’d send this stranger, who supposedly fell through the rift, to study Kleavor? This newcomer with no experience?”

“Says the leader with almost no experience.” Adaman jeered quietly.

“Being a good leader isn’t a matter of time.” Irida snapped back, “It’s a matter of embracing Hisui’s vastness without fear!”

Gah, this was so frustrating. I could brag about my Pokémon know-how, show them that I wasn’t all-that new. But it would fly in my face, because I didn’t know who the hell Kleavor was.

“Well, then, there you have it.” Adaman argued, “If how new you are doesn’t matter, then give the kid a chance.” He grinned, “I’m sold! Commander, let’s do it your way!”

I was relieved Adaman seemed to have my back. So relieved in proving myself, that I forgot that this was a mission involving foddering the new guy off to a very deadly, unknown Pokémon.

“This should be fun. I’ll get to see how good you Galaxy folk really are, with all your weird ways…putting Pokémon in strange balls and what have you.” Adaman said.

“That whole practice bothers me!” Irida seethed. “Almighty Sinnoh made Hisui vast so Pokémon could live freely throughout! We’re meant to stand alongside Pokémon! Not count ourselves above them!”

“We do not use Poké balls from a desire to control our Pokémon. Only so that we may live together. Allow us to show you what we can do.” The commander pleaded.

I was surprised Kamado was trying to debate with them about Poké balls, and it wasn’t just me against the world. But it was obvious both clan leaders weren’t having it. And why should they? From their point of view, without any knowledge of the future, we might as well be overindulgent slave masters.

“This is your mission, CJ.” Commander Kamado addressed me. “I order you to study Kleavor and help us find the truth of this situation!”

A solid nod, “Yes sir.” I quipped back.

“Remember that you are a stranger who appeared one day out of the very sky above us. People are naturally suspicious of your presence here….”

I narrowed my eyes, hoping it was subtle enough. They don’t seem too crazy about you either, dear commander.

“If you wish to be accepted and trusted, you must work hard. Work yourself to the very bone.”

Adaman grinned, “Well that settles it, and there’s no time like the present!”

“The Lord of the Woods…Kleavor…is descended from a Pokémon that was blessed with almighty Sinnoh’s power.” Irida explained, “No Pokémon you’ve encountered yet can compare to his strength. Be warned.”

The two leaders showed themselves out, leaving just me and Kamado. “Listen to me.” He seemed slightly more urgent now that it was just the two of us. “The Galaxy Expedition Team has come to Hisui as a group of outsiders. Some might even call us interlopers.”

“The village was built around two years ago….”

Ah, so were we the new kids in town? Nestled between two semi-opposing factions? I played video games with this very premise, and things didn’t usually turn out well for the new faction.

“We mustn’t do anything that threatens our relationship with the Diamond Clan or the Pearl Clan, understand?”

Sure, send the new kid to hand out your olive branches, whatever.

“Join me downstairs, CJ.” Cyllene’s voice made me jump, “We’ll discuss the details of your mission.”

I gave a brief farewell to the commander, as I headed downstairs. Cyllene sat at her desk, while Akari was already in the office, waiting for us.

“Ah, good, you’re all here.” And now Professor Laventon entered the room, so the gang was all here.

“Professor Laventon, the briefing, if you please.” Cyllene requested.

“Yes, let’s get right to it. So CJ….” He started, “I understand you’ve been tasked to find out the cause of Kleavor’s frenzied state. But, as you already know…Kleavor is a mighty Pokémon, nigh invincible even!” He sighed, “The Security Corps tried throwing Poké balls at Kleavor when they were attacked but I’m afraid they didn’t even come close to catching him. Seems he’s ten times worse than even the most aggressive species!”

“I’d like to be perfectly clear on this point.” Cyllene looked up from her papers to look directly at me, “This mission will put you in extreme danger. Do you think you can handle it?”

I shuddered. Did I really have a choice?

“Yes, I can handle it. It’s worth a try, at least.” I finally said.

“Very well. Then let us go over the particulars.” Cyllene said, “The Diamond Clan and Pearl Clan revere their nobles because they believe these Pokémon serve so-called almighty Sinnoh. They leave offerings to express their gratitude towards these Pokémon in locations they call the nobles’ seat.”

Professor Laventon crossed his arms, “So perhaps a good starting point for our research could be to find out what sorts of offerings they normally leave for this Kleavor.”

The room was quiet as we all mulled over what the professor said. Laventon hadn’t smiled once this entire conversation, so it must’ve been extremely serious. Akari looked like she wanted to say something, but I heard another voice first, followed by footsteps into Cyllene’s office.

“CJ, we need to speak with you.” The audio chocolate of Mai’s voice gave me a different kind of shudder, as she and Adaman were behind us.

“Listen.” Adaman prefaced. Damn, did everyone in the Diamond Clan have such deep voices? Maybe I should fill out a registry. “That rift in space time seems like it connects to this world to a whole other world.”

Well, kinda. I had to come from somewhere.

“That world might be where the almighty Sinnoh itself resides. The true almighty Sinnoh, that is. The one that rules over time!”

Maybe he was onto something. There was something linking our two worlds together. But if anything, it was him. Arceus.

“So….” Adaman walked towards me, but it wasn’t a hostile look I was getting, far from it. “If you fell through the space-time rift. That might mean…you traveled through time…by almighty Sinnoh’s own power! Think about it! You must be swimming in its divine might!”

“It could be possible.” I found my voice, “My world was in a much different time period compared to this one.”

Adaman seemed even giddier, “Well, I have a favor to ask you, oh mighty time traveler. Don’t just study Kleavor, quell his frenzy!”

“Well, you’ve certainly come at a good time, young Adaman.” Professor Laventon found his smile. “We were just discussing our next step with this whole Kleavor situation.”

“Ah, you must be the that Galaxy Team scholar I’ve heard so much about.” Adaman offered a hand, “Good to meet you, Mister Professor.”

After the handshake, Adaman looked back at me, “Now, let me elaborate a little…those Pearl Clan types have a lot of respect for Kleavor. You heard his title…Lord of the Woods.” He said, “I’m sure they’d rather get this under control too. But it’s hard for them to come right out and ask those of the Galaxy Team, of all people, for help.” A sigh, “And the truth is, we of the Diamond Clan have a similar problem on our hands…with Pokémon frenzying. Now, there’s certainly bad blood between us and the Pearl Clan, but still. We’ve all got to share Hisui. That means we ought to tackle our problems together.”

I nodded. It was obvious I had quite a bit more rapport built with the Diamon Clan at this point. And Adaman’s sentiment was simple to follow. “I wholeheartedly agree. We’re all in this together.” I smiled.

“There aren’t many capable of standing up to such powerful Pokémon, however.” Mai spoke up, “You’re the best hope we’ve got.” She said, “You’ll find Kleavor at the Grandtree Arena. That’s in the very heart of the Heartwood.” Ah, so that was where the farmer found that Cherrim. “His warden is a boy named Lian. Lian is a brilliant child, but can also be a bit…well, sometimes brilliance can be blinding, you know? He’ll tell you about his beloved Kleavor, whether you wish him to or not.”

You mean a warden is going to be obtuse and a giant pain in the ass? Gee, I didn’t see that one coming.

“I’m sure you’re up to the challenge…so we’ll be counting on you! See you later!” Adaman waved.

The two Diamond Clan representatives left the building. Akari shook her head, “He certainly left quickly once he was finished talking. Guess he really values his time.”

“Adaman and Mai weren’t wrong, you know.” Professor Laventon said, “If you’re to study and perhaps even quell Kleavor, you’d best visit his abode.”

“The Heartwood, right?” I asked, maybe if I was lucky, I’d be able to nab a Cherrim or two as well. “Where is that, exactly?”

“Past Deertrack Heights.” Akari explained, “If you keep going south, you’ll be bound to meet up with it.”

I nodded, starting to head out, “Wish me luck.” I waved.

I had already planned on swapping my Bibarel out for Zubat. I wanted a Crobat yesterday. Once I made the necessary preparations, I headed out, letting Ress know exactly where I was heading, in case something were to happen.

But as long as it was broad daylight, nothing would happen to me, I was sure of it.

I tried to go up and down Deertrack Heights as quickly as I could. But I steeled myself to be careful, as this was uncharted territory. I flinched as, in the distance, there was an alpha Bibarel romping around. I winced as it gave a chittering roar.

I really did not have time for this thing. As sand crunched underneath my sandals, I tried to hide behind a few stray rocks to keep out of its sight. Noticing a forest up ahead, I darted ahead, escaping the alpha Pokémon.

So, this is where Kleavor lived. It was definitely a mysterious, mystical forest, or it had the feel for one. I saw Wurmple crawling around, Psyduck playing in the water, Buneary hopping around, even a few Silcoon were passively resting against trees.

I shook myself off. Forget about the new Pokémon for now, you can fill out eighty Pokédex pages later. Right now, Kleavor needed to be tended to.

The ruins, the stone steps, the torches, it seemed like a similar area to where Wyrdeer was. So, I must’ve been getting closer. I climbed the stairs as quickly as I could.

Jeez, I thought Mai was exaggerating, or telling some kind of joke. But this warden really was just some kid. He was wearing enough pink for me to guess where his allegiance lied, though he announced it anyway. “I’m Lian of the Pearl Clan, warden to Kleavor, Lord of the Woods!”

What could be seen of his hair was auburn, and his eyes were dark. And the wide-brimmed hat he had on definitely reminded me of a cowboy.

“And you…I’ve already deduced that you’ve come here to meet Kleavor. I’m right, aren’t I?”

Sure kid, want a cookie? “That’s right.” My tone remained neutral.

“Of course I am! I can see it so clearly. After all, the powerfully awesome Kleavor has become even more awesomely powerful!” He cheered, “Perhaps that strange lightning was almighty Sinnoh’s divine power. Whatever it was, it struck my lord and left him imbued with awesome might!”

“Yeah, and he’s mauling people. So, we should probably put a stop to it, right?”

He frowned, “Unfortunately, I must turn you away, even if it pains me. It’s too dangerous for you to meet Kleavor right now.”

I frowned back, “Look, kid. I appreciate you looking out for me.” Which he likely wasn’t, probably just didn’t want an outsider getting involved, “But I was ordered to see this to the end. I need to see Kleavor, even if it’s from afar.”

He was a little surprised at this, “Oh! Such earnest desire to meet mighty Kleavor! I have to admit, I’m struck by your passion, but, well…I’m afraid your passion is not the real issue here.” Lian said, “I have been ordered in no certain terms by Irida, that I am to let no one near Kleavor!”

Holy shit, was there that much miscommunication, or was this kid just being an ass?

“I will fight you off myself if you insist!” Lian took a step forward. “Stop now while you still have the chance. Or else you will have to face the wrath of my Goomy!”

Goomy?!

I grabbed a Poké ball from my satchel. “It you want a Pokémon battle, I’ll happily oblige.”

Chapter Text

“You don’t even realize I’m turning you away for your own safety!” Lian boasted, “How sad you are….” Sure enough, the little lavender ball of goo slithered towards me, “Go Goomy! See if you can ooze some good sense into this troublemaker.”

I tossed my Poké ball, “Go Dartrix!” The owl Pokémon landed in front of me, adjusting his leafy bowtie. “Gust!”

Goomy was knocked back by a considerable gale from Dartrix’s wings. But Lian was quick on the counterattack.

“Acid Spray!” Lian ordered, “Strong style!”

Goomy opened its mouth, letting out a practically neon purple acid, which caused Dartrix to flinch and growl in pain. Steam rose from his body as the acid burned him.

Shit, I forgot how many Poison moves the Goomy family got leveling up. Not to mention how blind-sighted I was by Goomy in general. Despite how this region was ancient Sinnoh, I had to mentally prepare for outliers from time to time.

But wait, Lian just used a strong style move, right? That means I might be able to go twice.

“Dartrix, Gust again!” Dartrix knocked Goomy back with some more fierce winds, “And now…Gust, strong style!”

It was practically inevitable that Goomy wouldn’t be able to withstand the constant barrage of attacks, no less of such strength. The Dragon-type Pokémon fainted.

Lian was at a loss, “H-How can this be…?” He asked, sternly looking at me, “I may have been defeated, but my point still stands! It’s too dangerous to meet Kleavor now.” His shoulders slumped, “The only welcome you’ll get if you approach is a flurry of devastating blows.” He walked over to a stone slab, where there seemed to be a basin or two for food. “Normally, I’d simply try to make him an offering…a nice heaping helping of his two favorite foods, served up with respect by his loyal warden…which is me, of course…and that’s usually enough to please him and soothe even the prickliest of moods! But even I…Kleavor’s loyal warden, cannot get close enough to give any offerings now…not with the way that Kleavor is rampaging and running amok.”

I looked up from healing my Dartrix. I felt guilty. Sure, the Pearl Clan was pissing me off recently, but this kid seemed pretty sad that the Pokémon he was looking after is a nutcase now. Seemed like they shared quite the bond. And maybe he was worried about my safety. If Kleavor attacked other people, why not play it safe?

Before I could reassure Lian, or say anything really, I heard a familiar light voice from behind me. “The ancestors of Kleavor, Wyrdeer, and their cohorts drew on almighty Sinnoh’s own power to protect people and Pokémon alike…so it’s said. It’s by their grace that our clan…that any of us…still live in Hisui today.”

“Irida?” Lian’s jaw dropped, “What are you doing here?”

I was sort of wondering the same thing, but for now, I remained quiet, regarding her with a neutral expression.

“As you say, Kleavor’s grown stronger….” She walked closer to join the two of us in conversation, “But I’m afraid that strength poses a problem for us. If he indeed was struck by lightning…could the bolts have been sent by the false Sinnoh that the Diamond Clan bows to?”

Oh my god, just what we all need, some ridiculous crusade over the ‘almighty Sinnoh.’

“Kleavor means so much to our clan…I’d hoped we could bring this situation under control ourselves, not throw our hands up and ask some outsider for help.” She looked down, “But we must save Kleavor from this frenzy, every moment it continues, the danger grows. If more people and Pokémon are attacked, it will lead to conflict with both the Diamond Clan, and the Galaxy Team.”

Lian looked me over, “You! Stranger from beyond the sky! Tell me…could you Galaxy people actually fix this? Could an outsider really figure out a way to quell Kleavor’s frenzy?”

“I don’t know.” I admitted, and this earned me questioning looks from the duo, “I won’t know unless you let me help you. You’re better off swallowing your pride and forgetting about the fact that we’re from different groups. Unless you’d rather Kleavor start building up a body count. Now, I don’t know much about the Pearl Clan’s mythos or ethics, but I doubt you want that.”

“Very well.” A half-stressed sigh from Irida, “Lian and I will gather foods that please Kleavor in hopes that we may be able to get close enough to make a proper offering. As for you…find a way to quell Kleavor’s frenzy, even if you must search every corner of vast Hisui!”

I nodded, “I’ll be as quick as I can.” I turned around to depart.

Something vibrated in my pocket as I began to depart. Shit. I hid behind the nearest tree, seeing that my Arc Phone resonated with the nearby area. The Pearl clanmates were luckily too busy conversing and foraging to really pay attention to me.

Arceus, this lightning…did you do this? To Kleavor? Is this some kind of divine test?

I shook my head. Damn it all, now I was getting superstitious too!

Professor Laventon was at the Heights Camp, waving as I arrived. “Good to see you, CJ!” He said, “How’s your research for Kleavor going? Swimmingly, I expect?”

“Uh…sort of….” I muttered, “Look, Irida and Lian are getting a bunch of food that Kleavor supposedly likes…to try and see if they can calm him down.” I sighed, “But if Lian himself couldn’t give Kleavor food…I don’t know, feels like it’s a race against the inevitable.”

“That’s quite the tidbit.” Laventon rested a hand on his chin in thought, “So a serving of his favorite foods will normally make Kleavor quite agreeable?”

“Normally, yeah…but…I mean, I don’t know if it’s going to work this time.”

He furrowed his brows, “Why don’t we think this over at the lab?” I was about to argue, saying that time wasn’t on our side and that we have to act fast before Kleavor started claiming more victims. But the professor was already on his way. “Come on, dear boy!”

Akari was in the lab waiting for us as the we entered, for our supposed joint-brainstorming session. “So according to the information you were able to get from Irida and Lian of the Pearl Clan, Kleavor could usually be calmed by a nice array of his favorite foods. I do wonder if there are some components in the food that could not only calm Kleavor, but also draw him out of this strange frenzy?” The professor proposed.

“Don’t look at me, I’m no culinary genius.” I muttered.

“By your own report, even Kleavor’s warden…who looks after Kleavor and knows him well…cannot approach him in his current state.”

“Yeah, like I said before…it’s like some damn riddle.” I huffed, “And we can’t afford to mess this up.”

“I suppose it would be a fool’s gambit to get close enough to offer him food.” He mused, “Give me a moment, I need some time to ponder over this! There ought to be something in my research notes that can help!”

I stood back with Akari, while the professor started to turn his office upside down to look for some notes pertaining to the situation. I kind of felt useless just standing here.

“How are you feeling?” Akari asked.

I looked at her, a little confused at first. Ah, the Drifloon. “Fine, fine.” I smiled, “But ah, thanks for asking.”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“Let’s hope Kleavor doesn’t do anything worse.” I joked.

“Yes let’s hope.” She said, letting a small pause pass. “You’re really important to the team, after all.”  

My eyes darted around, “Should we help him, or…or something? Kind of feels weird just standing here. Or is…is he like, really organized? Would it piss him off if we went through his shit?”

Another silence, this one filled by Oshawott happily splashing in the background, “Well, usually—”

“Eureka!” The professor yelled triumphantly. “We’ll simply have to throw the food! You’ve got quite the arm for throwing things, don’t you CJ?”

Well, yes, but.

“Might I suggest you take Kleavor’s favorite foods and throw them at the Pokémon?”

Motherfucking shit, he was serious. Yeah, Irida and Lian would take this well.

“It’s all coming together.” Laventon nodded, “We’ll use our skills in Poké ball crafting to shape Kleavor’s beloved foods into balls, then throw them for the same calming effect, but from afar!” He exclaimed, “A brilliant invention, if I do say so myself. As for what to call these yummy projectiles…well, how about Teatime balls? Puts one in mind of a nice, relaxing afternoon tea, does it not?”

“Why wouldn’t you simply call them Laventon balls, professor?” Akari wondered.

He wilted, “Oh my. With a name like that, it’d sound like I’m the one being launched at our frenzied friend.” He tried to keep drumming up ideas for a name, “In any case…we can rely on the Pearl Clan to gather the necessary foodstuffs, correct?”

“Yeah, they’re probably hoarding a lot of it now as we speak.” I confirmed.

“Then you should probably head back to the Grandtree Arena and let them know of the plan.” Akari smiled.

Oh joy, they were going to love this idea, weren’t they?

I was walking pretty fast through the village, wanting to get to the Heartwood so I could inform Irida and Lian of the plan. “How are things, my good friend?”

I turned around, seeing the smiley Volo making his way over. Compared to the rest of the Ginkgo Guild, who I’d buy from occasionally, Volo seemed especially cheery. “I certainly hope you’re putting that secret back strike technique I taught you to good use.”

I smiled, not wanting to dwell on small talk for too long, but also not wanting to be a dick either. “You bet, it’s really been helping me out a lot. And I have you to thank for that.”

“Oh, I’m so glad to hear it.” His grin grew, “Here, let me give you some Super Potions, for your travels!”

“Really? I…I don’t wanna take from your stock or anything, man. I can cough up the Pokédollars, if you want.”

“Oh, think nothing of it! Having the Survey Corps out and about studying Pokémon is great for business, you know.” He said, “Supporting you is actually a great investment for me.” He handed the bottles over, “And now I must depart. There are ruins calling my name!”

I watched him walk off. The Super Potions might be worth my while. I had no idea how vicious Kleavor was going to be, so the extra healing for my Pokémon would be appreciated.

There was another familiar face at the gate, “Mai?” I asked, “The fuck are you doing here?”

That cool smile she had seemed to be just as permanent as those subdued, yet striking blue eyes. “My, my, that Galaxy Hall is one fine building, even from the outside. The Galaxy Team’s certainly got a nice headquarters, I’ll give them that.”

“Yeah, well, that’s great, Mai. But I got somewhere to be.” I tried to move around her, “No time for small talk.”

Every time I tried to step around her, she’d step in front of me, like some ridiculous, middle schooler’s ploy. I nearly crashed into her thanks to her stunt, our faces were inches apart, and I hated how much mine turned red

“Look, did you forget about Kleavor?” I hissed.

She chuckled, “You’re cute when you have a fire under your ass.” She turned around and beckoned me to come along with a finger, “Come along.”

The blush went down my neck, it felt like I had a fever. But I shook it off, running after her anyway, though I was annoyed I was going to give her the satisfaction of listening to her.

The two of us walked in silence, but only for a moment, “Look, I hate to be an ass, but can you cut to the chase?”

“I want to show you something.”

I raised a brow, “Yeah, thanks. Not vague at all.” I grumbled, “What, exactly? A rock? A Pokémon? You gonna flash me out here or something?”

She hummed, “That’s an interesting first-rendezvous idea.”

I sighed, “Fucking Christ….”

“Who?”

I wiped a hand over my face, sighing loudly again, which she evidently found quite funny, given how she laughed. “We’re heading to…what did you end up calling it? The Heights Camp?”

I was silent the rest of the way there.

To my surprise, Adaman was there, as well as Wyrdeer. “I spoke to Wyrdeer about what was going on.” He explained, “I told him that you’ve been trekking all over the Fieldlands to find out a way to quell Kleavor’s frenzy.” A beat, “All this for someone who’s not even from our clan or the Pearl Clan. Just some wanderer who fell from a rift into our world.”

Wait, I thought I was a godly time-traveler, what happened to that?

He put his hands on his hips, “And hearing that…this is how he responded!”

“I trust you appreciate it.” Mai smiled, like whatever the hell the previous conversation we had didn’t happen.

Appreciate what? What the hell were they talking about?

“Wyrdeer’s found you worthy, you see.” Adaman explained, “Which means you need a flute, like we have.” He looked at his warden, “Mind demonstrating for him, Mai?” She nodded back, “This is important, so listen well!”

Mai got out a silvery flute, playing a series of fluttery notes which soundly very familiar.

“That’s a Celestica Flute which Mai just played.” Adaman said, while Wyrdeer hummed happily in the background at the tune. “It’s a precious instrument that can be used to call on Wyrdeer so that you may ride upon him!”

Shit, I had to learn that song? Is there a Celestica drum I could use?

“It’s said that Celestica Flutes were gifts from almighty Sinnoh itself…and now, this one’s yours!”

I was surprised as he handed me a flute, looking identical to the one Mai held. “I…wait a second….”

“It’s not that grand a gesture, really. I can’t play one for the life of me.”

I won’t be able to, either!

“See if you can play that melody yourself.” Mai crossed her arms.

Ask a percussionist to play a wind instrument, what could possibly go wrong? I nervously held the flute. It was beautiful, ancient. But there weren’t any buttons, how the hell did they play this thing? Magic? Please tell me it was magic.

Alright, time to play the opening to the first wave of Pokémon DS games, not too painful, right? I tried to play the tune, but it didn’t come out right, causing the three onlookers to wince. “Sorry, I…uh….” Should I explain asthma to these people? “I have bad lungs. Sometimes it’s hard to breathe or…uh, direct air…really.”

A small pause, “Here.” Mai stepped over, “Try standing like this when you play, and move your hands along here, like this.” She guided my hands with hers, and I turned pink briefly, at how gentle and accommodating she was being. A complete one-eighty from earlier. Maybe she just wanted to look professional in front of her leader.

When I played it again, it didn’t sound as crisp as the way Mai played it, but Wyrdeer seemed to like it nonetheless. The deer Pokémon trotted up to me, a mystical pink plate materializing in front of me. I grabbed it.

Plates? These were hold items in the game, right? Wait a minute, Arceus….

“Now you’ll be able to traverse the lands much faster.” Mai smiled, “With the great Wyrdeer helping you along.” One last nod, “Good luck with Kleavor.”

“Right, thanks a lot, both of you.” I uneasily mounted Wyrdeer, trying to get my bearings on this thing. Once I was comfortable enough, I rode away to the Heartwood.

I dismissed Wyrdeer once I got close enough to the Grandtree Arena. “So did you Galaxy people come up with a way to draw Kleavor out of his frenzy?” Lian crossed his arms.

Here goes, time to get laughed off the face of the earth. “Yeah…so what we’re gonna do is….” There wasn’t even a good way to phrase it, “Throw the food at him. We’ll crush his food into little balls that we can throw. Like Poké balls.”

“What? You’ll mash up Kleavor’s food into balls so you can throw offerings at him?!”

“Yeah, I know, a hare-brained scheme, but it’s our best option.”

“Well, that’s quite an unorthodox approach.” Understatement of the century. “You Galaxy people…your inventiveness just blows me away!” Alright, so he was convinced, but what was he, like, ten? Irida was probably going to give me an earful.

“I mean…now you can make offerings to Lord Kleavor…from a safe distance!” He was hyped, “I’ll lend you my aid if it means we might provide Kleavor with his offering! Let’s begin at once!”

“Hold on Lian. Don’t get so ahead of yourself.”

I turned to see Irida walk over, looking quite pretty with the sunset illuminating her features. “Whatever the plan is, you’ll need Kleavor’s favorite Plump Beans. I’ve brought them as promised.” She lowered a bag full of beans on the ground. Although unlike Lian, she was either neutral or against this idea.

“Gah! That’s right. My apologies, Irida…I’d completely forgotten about you!” Lian wilted.

“I admit, as we haven’t been able to solve this ourselves, we seem to have little choice but to turn to the Galaxy Team.” Irida looked at me, “But I still have my doubts as to whether we should trust such a thing to an outsider. The Galaxy Team don’t share our customs or values.”

“Don’t do this.” I frowned, “Not now. Don’t you understand what’s happening? Just swallow your damn pride!”

“Prove to me that you’re worthy to stand in the presence of our noble Pokémon!” An icy Pokémon leapt down from high above the trees, “You may order your Pokémon around in those little balls…but on my side, I have a Pokémon who’s close to me, as a sister. As one of my blood!” Her Glaceon stood in front of her, “If you can defeat Glaceon and me, I’ll reconsider.”

“Holy shit.” I swore under my breath, “Alright, fine.” I got a Poké ball out, “Let’s hope you’re more of a challenge than your warden.”

Lian frowned at the comment, while Irida gave a dry laugh, “I knew you were just a brute, and nothing more.”

“Go Ponyta!”

The flaming horse stood opposite of the icy blue and white variant of Eevee. “Swift.” Irida ordered.

Bright yellow stars shot out and crashed into my Ponyta, but I knew the Fire Pokémon was far from done.

I narrowed my eyes, “Flame Wheel.”

Ponyta galloped ahead quickly, the fire on her mane going crazy, until it was a pure wheel of fire. Glaceon was knocked back quite a distance, hissing in pain. I’m surprised it didn’t faint, though I didn’t want to risk strong style, as I’d be at the risk of multiple attacks if I did that.

“Swift, again!”

More stars pelted Ponyta, she gave a weak neigh as she stumbled back. I frowned, “Flame Wheel, one more time!”

The super-effective damage seemed to be enough, as Glaceon fainted after the battle.

The smile I had was small, but it faded altogether when I noticed Ponyta limp back towards me, “What’s wrong?” I asked, heading towards her side, “Is it your leg?” I knelt down, reaching for one of the Super Potions Volo gave me, “Here, just…hold still.”

Irida was tending to her Glaceon as well, but more than once, she watched me gingerly tend to Ponyta’s wounds.

“I see now.” She said suddenly. Sudden enough where it jolted me from Ponyta’s leg. “Poké balls are simply a tool of choice, not products of disregard for Pokémon.” She said, as if a realization of sorts washed over her. “You still understand the Pokémon you’ve caught and treat them as partners. Did you need help with that?”

“Nah, I think I’m basically finished up here.” I recalled Ponyta into her Poké ball.

“I feel better putting my trust in you now, I think.” She looked at me attentively, “Now, can you explain to me the Galaxy Team’s plan? What do you mean to do with these foods?”

I wondered what angle I should frame it, be more optimistic this time? Like a snake oil salesman? “We’re going to like…crush the food, into little balls, so we can throw the offerings at him.”

“So…you’ll keep your distance as you give him offerings.” She raised both hands to her mouth, “Interesting….” She lowered them, “So you’ve developed a soothing balm.”

“Yeah, it’s a long shot, but I think it may have a chance at working.”

“Very well…let’s put our hearts and souls into making these balms!”

Chapter Text

“Who the hell has the Plump Beans?”

“I do.” The bag of beans was unceremoniously pushed my way, “Will it kill you to pay attention?”

“Lay off, kid, there’s like…four different ingredients being passed around. A minute ago, Irida had the beans, I’m just trying to keep up.”

“Well keep up better!”

Irida nearly cracked a smile on more than one occasion from Lian and my bickering, although it would quickly go back to a serious expression, as we kept making the balms. I supposed it would be a rather humorous sight, three of us seated around a massive burlap sack of balms, trying to make them as quickly as we could, using what was left of the sunset to help us see better.

Damn, I wish Akari was here.

“God, some of these foods just…shouldn’t be mixed together.” I grimaced. Beans, honey, shrooms? “But like…I guess we’re not like…making him food. We’re trying to make the scent snap him out of it.” A small silence, “Also, if there’s honey leftover, I’ll gladly take the rest home.” I half-joked.

“If anything, you should be the last to be considered.” Lian gave me a look, “I thought you Galaxy people were supposed to be good at crafting, you’re slower than either of us!”

I tossed a newly made balm into the sack, “I know…I’ve only been in Hisui for like…two weeks, alright? I’m not gonna know how to do everything right away.” I started working on another, “But when it comes to battling, I’m an expert. Unless you’d care for another demonstration.”

He eyed me warily, “Don’t do anything lethal, alright? You’re just trying to snap Kleavor out of his frenzy, nothing more, nothing less.”

“I know, I know.” I insisted, “Don’t worry, I’m not going to be too forceful.” I was surprised that I finished another balm. We were working like a production line, like some well-oiled machine. “Guess we all want the leftover honey, huh?” I asked, “I like to put mine in my tea.”

“Well, duh, who doesn’t like honey?” Lian frowned.

“Fair enough.” I shrugged, looking over at the leader of the Pearl Clan. She’s been exceptionally quiet the entire time. It was obvious these two still hardly trusted me. But honestly, I wasn’t doing myself any favors.

“I knew you were a brute, and nothing more.”

Was she guilty? About our sparring words? Is that why she was so quiet, because she was reconsidering everything? Guess it was presumptuous of me to assume. I let my emotions get the better of me today too. There was really no point in either of us feeling guilty.

“What about you, Irida?”

“Hmm?” She looked up, “What about me?”

“Do you like honey?”

I was met with a silence. A brief one. “I do.”

I softly chuckled, as I worked on another balm, “Should’ve figured as much. You look like you like sweets things.”

“Oh, and why is that?”

Suddenly I wanted to go back to being utterly silent during the crafting. What the hell do I say? Because she’s sweet? That would be fucking weird as hell. “Don’t know.” I cleared my throat, “Just uh…you just seem like a person who would like sweet foods the most.”

“And what about you?”

I blinked, “What about me?”

“Do you like sweets?”

“I mean, yeah.” I shrugged, “Although I’m not sure if it’s my favorite taste…it’s up there but, I feel like…if I had to choose, it would be—”

“Salt.” Irida said, all without even looking up from the balm she was making.

My jaw dropped, which Lian must’ve found funny, because he laughed. Was salty even a colloquialism in this world? Was she playing 4D chess on my ass? “I…I mean, probably…I like potato mochi, and some of the noodles and breads in the village.” I tried to fight for her eye contact, but she was immersed in the balms, “What…what the hell gave that away?”

“Don’t know, you just seem like a person who would enjoy salty foods the most.”

Was she fucking with me? Actually fucking with me? Before I could engage further, Lian stood tall, dusting his hands off, “There! A veritable mountain of balms! This should please Kleavor! If anything can….”

I couldn’t believe how much work we’d done, the sack was nearly overflowing, and it was just as well, because we were just about out of raw materials.

“Now then…ready yourself! And I will summon Kleavor, mighty Lord of the Woods!”

“Alright, let’s do this.” I took a deep breath.

Lian stepped towards the heart of the ruins, “Oh mighty Kleavor, Lord of the Woods…though it isn’t time yet for the ceremony, we’ve prepared an offering of your favorite things.” He announced, “Benevolent lord who works his might between heavens and earth, we offer our gratitude. And beseech you…reveal yourself to our eyes!”

“CJ, make sure you watch Kleavor’s movements carefully.” Irida looked at me, while Lian resumed praying. “He’s extremely fast, keep yourself safe. And make sure those balms hit their target!”

I gave a shaky nod, starting to feel considerably jittery. Shit, this is exactly the situation I feared the most, dealing with a rebellious wild Pokémon. I just had to be careful and avoid doing anything stupid.

I heard a loud roar as I stepped in the heart of the Grandtree Arena. A bright yellow blur rushed past me, I guess Irida wasn’t fucking kidding when she said how fast it was. Kleavor literally ran circles around me, cutting a tree down in one swipe that got in its way.

I swallowed hard as Kleavor landed right in front of me, well, I understood where it got its name from. It seemed to have giant meat cleavers for arms. And I couldn’t gauge much else from it, as it was covered in an erratic, golden light.

Shit, what the hell type was this thing? What the hell type was this thing? Someone? Anybody?!

Kleavor looked down at me with pure malice, carving its arms against one another, before sprinting at me with both arms out. I gave a bloodcurdling scream, running as fast as I could the other way. Until it became obvious he was out-speeding me, at least, and I dove for cover.

“CJ!” Irida shouted over the chaos, “Kleavor’s stunned, see if you can use one of your Pokémon to battle him!”

I frantically looked around, having no idea what the hell she was talking about. But then I spotted him. Kleavor cleared the entire arena in about five seconds, so intent on cutting me to ribbons that he crashed into a wall. He was dazed, or at the very least, dizzy.

I changed tactics, now running towards the thing that could easily murder me. I ungraciously fumbled for my Poké balls, not even knowing where the begin. Not so suave when you don’t know everything, huh? A snide part of my brain felt the need to remind me.

If I was going to figure this Pokémon out, I was going to do it with the Pokémon who trusted me the most. “Go Dartrix!” I called out my starter, “Leafage!”

Dartrix shot out leaves from beneath his wings, it knocked Kleavor back, likely doing neutral damage.

Alright, so that narrows it down a little, but to what?

Kleavor raised an arm, pointed rocks floated all over the place.

Stealth Rock? Yeah, whatever buddy, I don’t need to switch.

The rocks all crashed into Dartrix at once, dealing super-effective damage.

“What the…?” Shit, shit. Stealth Rock works different in this world! Alright, so is it a Rock-type?

I feared my Dartrix didn’t have much time left in this battle, “Use Leafage, strong style!” I ordered.

Kleavor was again cut by sharp leaves, but it wasn’t finished yet. It slashed a gust of wind forward, which I assumed was Air Slash, and Dartrix fainted.

I recalled Dartrix. So, it’s Rock and Flying? I guessed. Surely, I had another Pokémon good against the dual type on my team, “Buizel, go!”

The sea otter Pokémon came out to my aid, “Quickly, Aqua Jet!”

Water surrounded Buizel’s body, as he crashed right into Kleavor. Kleavor seemed to take enough damage, falling back onto one knee.

“Alright.” I recalled Buizel, grabbing my first balm, “It’s Teatime.”

Balm after balm clonked onto Kleavor, releasing a smell of all the foods Kleavor liked. “C’mon Kleavor! Snap out of it!” I yelled.

It feels like I threw a good portion of them, but Kleavor came to, and he immediately went for my head. I stumbled back, barely avoiding the strike.

Back to running. I supposed, as Kleavor kept trying to chase me down. I looked back, seeing him rear back, and then whip out an Air Slash with my name on it. I grunted, avoiding the slash, but the dodge was rather crooked, so I tumbled through the dirt.

I got up as quick as I could, dirt and scuffs on me now. “C’mon bastard.” I frowned, trying to recall how it got stunned the last time, “Crash into a wall.”

Kleavor seemed hesitant to try that again, as he would stop short now, learning from his previous mistake. I looked around frantically. There weren’t really many surroundings I could take advantage of. Just a big tree in the center of the arena. Unless….

As Kleavor dove for me again, I rounded a bend around the tree, as quick as I could. That seemed to work, as Kleavor smashed into the tree, dazed and confused.

“Alright, go Buizel! Use Aqua Jet!”

Buizel was fast on the uptake, rushing into Kleavor with a watery tackle. Kleavor shook the assault off, diving in for an Aerial Ace, by the looks of things. Buizel squeaked in pain as it was smashed back. The attack seemed to do a lot of damage.

“Damn it.” I fumed, “Aqua Jet, again! Strong style!”

This time when Buizel struck, Kleavor was downed again. I lobbed as much Teatime at Kleavor as the motherfucker could handle. But after the barrage of honey and beans, the Kleavor still looked like it was ready to fight.

Rocks started to sprout out of the ground as Kleavor roared. I shouted in fear and ran away. Jesus Christ, I just had to swap Bibarel out for Zubat, didn’t I? If Buizel fainted, I was in a huge amount of trouble. Three of my remaining team members were weak against Rock. This could get ugly once I lost the Pokémon doing the most damage to him.

More rocks sprouted up out of the ground. This attack wouldn’t render Kleavor vulnerable. I needed him to come after me again. What was this Legend of Zelda weak-point nonsense I had gotten myself into? One thing was for sure, I was starting to feel Link’s pain.

“Hey asshole!” I thundered, lobbing a balm right at Kleavor’s face.

Kleavor didn’t take that too well, which is what I wanted, as the noble Pokémon dove straight for me. And luckily, I got it to crash. I fumbled for my Poké balls.

“Buizel, Aqua Jet, strong style!” Buizel probably only had one more good move left in him, I had to make it count.

Kleavor was knocked back significantly, but all it took was a Stealth Rock attack for Buizel to faint as well. I recalled the otter Pokémon. Well, now it was time to see if Kleavor was really Rock and Flying.

“Go Luxio!” The Electric feline revealed himself. “Thunder Fang!” Luxio bit into Kleavor, doing a decent chunk of damage, from the looks of things, but Kleavor was still in the fight.

What the hell type was this thing?!

Kleavor retaliated with another round of Stealth Rocks. Luxio flinched as jagged stones pierced into him. “Thunder Fang, again!” Electricity shrouded Luxio’s mouth as he leapt up high, knocking Kleavor out when the bite struck.

“Alright, good job Luxio.” I started pelting Kleavor with even more balms. But the noble Pokémon stood tall once again, even after my onslaught.

No fucking way.

“Starting to think this idea isn’t working!” I blurted, so frazzled I barely had enough time to recall Luxio into his Poké ball. Although my comment was likely unheard, as I was running and there was a lot of background noises of Kleavor roaring, and rocks crumbling all around me.

I had to stop somewhere, go and heal my Pokémon. Luxio only had a hit or two left in him. And all my other Pokémon would likely get one-shot by Kleavor’s Rock attacks. The next time he stunned himself, I would prioritize reviving Dartrix and Buizel.

I didn’t see him crash, but I felt the entire arena vibrate. I didn’t waste any time. “Dartrix! Buizel!” I sent them both out, getting on my knees and pulling out what few Revives I had. “Alright, wake up guys, I need you.”

“CJ! Look out!”

I turned around and stood up. Kleavor was rampaging towards me. I guess he didn’t crash. He was either going to swipe at me or my Pokémon, something had to give. It wasn’t a hard choice.

Vaguely, I remember holding my arms out, like some martyr or some anime protagonist. But now I was at least ten feet away from that spot, pain wracking all over my body. My back was against the tree I thudded into, a horrid red scar drawn all the way across my chest.

Every time I spoke, I tasted blood, “God…god damn it….” I rasped.

“CJ!” Irida and Lian were about ready to step in.

“Stay back!” I yelled, then coughed. My vision blurred, but if one of those Pearl nitwits lost their goddamn head, I wouldn’t hear the end of it. Besides, the immediate problem was my Pokémon. Dartrix and Buizel were still laying in the dirt, at Kleavor’s mercy.

“Hey! Don’t you wanna finish the job?!” I shouted. The golden Kleavor turned towards me, and I chucked one last Teatime ball at it. A crack could be heard.

I winced, holding my arms in front of me as the golden light crackled off of Kleavor in a bright flash. When I could see again, I saw Kleavor, his body no longer obscured by that golden light. Well, now I could see he was a Rock-type, at least, as he was all shades of brown. And he looked significantly calmer too.

A plate materialized in front of Kleavor, this one a greenish color. I gently accepted the plate. Not much longer after that, and Kleavor made his grand escape.

“Are you okay, CJ?” Irida asked, as she walked over with Lian.

“Fine.” I spit blood to the side, shakily reaching out for my Poké balls so I could recall Buizel and Dartrix. “Kleavor’s better now…I did the job I was assigned.”

“But…but how?” Lian watched his lord run off, “Some kind of light erupted from Kleavor’s body! Has Lord Kleavor’s frenzied mind been truly put at ease now?”

“Does this confirm the strange lightning was to blame for Kleavor’s unnatural power?” Irida wondered.

“Good a guess as any….” I rasped.

“If anything, it’s the only explanation.” She said, “That strange lightning …from the space-time rift. It must’ve driven Kleavor into a frenzy after all.”

“The lightning came from the space-time rift?” Lian asked, “But if almighty Sinnoh really does dwell beyond the space-time rift, then the strange lightning…it was indeed almighty Sinnoh’s power?” He looked cynical. “Were we even right to interfere?” He asked, “I happily went along with this plan to create some balms, as if I knew what I was doing…like some kind of thoughtless fool! Outrageous!”

I was way too drained and in pain to entertain the sentiment, or tell the kid where to shove it, as I badly hid a cough.

“Calm yourself Lian.” Irida frowned, “Remember, the Lord of the Woods has long been our protector, keeping the Pearl Clan safe from dangerous Pokémon that might harm us. Would power sent by the true almighty Sinnoh have driven Kleavor to turn on us and attack people and Pokémon indiscriminately? I doubt it.”

“What CJ did, it needed to be—”

I never heard the end of her sentence, as the blood loss caused me to embrace the darkness at long last.

An ugly wheeze as my eyes opened, taking in the sights of a soft red, almost pink room. I’ve never been here before? Was this part of Galaxy Hall?

Ah, shit, the infirmary.

“CJ?” A gentle voice asked, as who I was guessing the lead Doctor walked over, “My name is Pesselle, I’m the captain of the Medical Corps. How are you feeling?”

There were a lot of similarities to the Pokémon nurse, from the games and anime. Nurse Joy, right? “I….” I coughed, “Shit, how long have I been out?”

“You’ve been drifting in and out for a while now.” Pesselle informed, as she walked towards her desk where some of her notes were, “Kleavor did quite a number on you. Broke a few of your ribs.” She looked me over, “We had to stitch you up while you were unconscious, you were losing a lot of blood.”

I peeled back whatever the hell medical gown they had me in, noticing quite a bit of stitching going all the way up my chest. “Holy shit….” I tried to speak more, but I only coughed weakly.

She held a hand out, “Try and relax.” She instructed evenly, “Stay calm. You…you really need your rest.”

“Is…is Kleavor okay?”

A small smile, “Yes, Kleavor’s okay.” She left the room.

My head clonked against the bedrest. I felt a dull pain all around my chest. I must’ve been out for a while then. I overheard Peselle’s voice, a room or two over.

“He’s awake.”

I heard footsteps towards the infirmary, Professor Laventon looked quite pleased to see me. “CJ, you’re up.” He cheered, though he was mindful of his tone, “Well done and bravo, my boy! Lord Kleavor is at ease once again.”

“CJ, we thought you were dead.” Akari still looked quite concerned.

I tried to keep my breathing even, “I’m fine Akari, alright? You don’t need to worry about me.”

Her hands were balled up into fists, “You need to be more careful.”

I was dumbfounded, as I didn’t know what to say immediately. Of course, my brain played defensive at first. Like how the hell was I supposed to defend myself against that monster? I had to battle it like, fifty times, and throw ten times as many balms to get it to calm down! But, she was right. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I got overwhelmed, I was making stupid mistakes, that really seemed to have cost me in the long run.

“Sorry.” Is what I decided to say.

“He really needs his rest.” Pesselle insisted, “I had to break the reunion up, but…closing remarks, please?”

Akari seemed too emotional to stay any longer, she left first. The professor put a hand on my shoulder, “Rest up CJ. When you’re out, we can all dine at the Wallflower together!”

I gave a dopey smile, as well as a slow nod as he departed.

“CJ? Um…CJ?” A beat, “Perhaps I should leave, you sound very deep in sleep.”

My eyes fluttered open, I tried to sit up, “I-Irida…?” I coughed.

The leader of the Pearl Clan smiled. “Five minutes.” Pesselle clipped as she left the room briefly.

A weak chuckle, “Sorry to put you on such a timer.” I said, “And…also sorry for…well, I’m not much to look at right now.”

“No, no! Don’t apologize.” Irida smiled, “I never got to thank you, for what you did to Kleavor. Thanks to you, there will be no further strife between us, the Diamond Clan, or the Galaxy Team.”

“If…if I didn’t do it, someone else would’ve….”

I could tell she was about to argue, argue that there weren’t many in Hisui who could stand up to Kleavor the way I did. Even though in reality I just ran around like a buffoon and nearly got myself bisected.

“How’re your Pokémon?”

I sat up, “Shit. Dartrix, Buizel, I’m coming guys!” I wheezed, trying to get out of bed.

“Wait, wait…don’t move!” Irida gently put a hand to my shoulder, “They’re fine, they’re fine. I promise. Cross my heart.” Our blue eyes met.

“H-How…?”

“I healed them.”

“You healed them?”

“Well…stands to reason they fought just as hard as you did, did they not?” She smiled, retracting her hand.

“I….” My mind was blank, “Just feel bad that you wasted so many of your supplies on my team.”

“Nonsense.” She dismissed, her eyes darting around for a small moment, “I…I apologize for being so rude to you.”

My mouth opened, but no words came out. “Don’t worry about it. Water…water under the bridge, right? I was a dick to you too…so, let’s just, let bygones be bygones.”

“I got you something, think of it as a gift from the Pearl Clan.”

“What? No, no gifts…Irida, I feel guilty enough.”

“Here.” She handed me three yellow berries, “Sitrus berries. Are you familiar with them?”

Hundreds of hours in the Battle Factory in Emerald made it impossible for me not to know an item from generation three or earlier. “A passing familiarity, yes.”

She smiled, “You know, I’m starting to believe you actually did fall from the sky.” She mused, “Though I can’t imagine the reasons at play.”

A weary laugh, “No on can.” I snickered, “Including me.” She laughed as well.

The hospital visits made me feel guilty. These people had lives, things to be doing, and they visited me instead? Akari or the professor was one thing. But goddamn leaders of entire clans?

The stiches were coming out soon, and then I was home free. Well, sort of. What was it, a week in here?

“Congratulations on quelling the noble lord!”

My newest visitor was Volo. “Yeah, thanks.” I smiled.

“I saw the pretty lights going back into the sky when you did it.” Volo smiled back, “I also couldn’t help but notice…those plates. The fabled plates of old. I hope you don’t mind me having a look!”

“Sir, please keep your voice down.” Pesselle frowned.

Volo nodded, holding out the pink and green plates I got, “There’s writing on them, you see. Where all creation is born, that is the being’s place of origin.” He read the plate aloud, “Sounds like it’s from a very old myth. Where did you get these from?”

“It’s a long story.” I answered, “I befriended a Wyrdeer, the one the Diamond Clan pray to, or whatever. That’s where the pink plate came from. Then I befriended Kleavor by saving him from that lightning, and he gave me the green one.”

“I see…so when you impressed those Pokémon, they gave you the plates.” He pondered it over, “That is quite something indeed! My heart is alight with excitement!”

I smirked, “Fancy yourself a historian?”

“Of sorts.” He shrugged, “But if I had to guess, I bet they’re more of these plates scattered around Hisui.”

Fifteen others, at least. Maybe even sixteen.

“If we gather all of them together, we might uncover a huge secret. Something absolutely amazing!” He enthused, earning another look from Pesselle. “The mysteries of the past, oh how they tickle my curiosity! What a joy to be alive in such times!” Volo started to make his way out, “Good luck, and speedy recovery.”

I laid back in bed, coming to the conclusion that I could learn a thing or two from that merchant. What a joy to be alive indeed.

Chapter Text

It felt like it had been decades since I last climbed these stairs, when in reality, it was only about a week. Walking felt a little bit slower, a little clunkier. There was a bite if I breathed in too much, or too quickly. Getting used to fieldwork again was going to be a chore, but I would take care of myself.

“Well done.” Commander Kamado nodded as I entered his office, “Your exploits have been most prosperous, quelling Kleavor’s frenzy very much restored peace to the minds of Hisui’s people.” He said, “You are a stranger to us…one who fell out of the very sky. Yet you have served the Galaxy Team admirably. I admit you’ve earned yourself some degree of recognition.”

I gave a soft nod. Hopefully I wouldn’t have to do something like that again.

“But things are not settled yet.” Kamado sighed, “I’ve received word that there are other Pokémon nobles who have fallen victim to frenzies elsewhere in Hisui. So, carry on and prove with your research and survey duties, and prove that you are an asset to us.”

“Yes sir.” I said quietly.

“That is all. You are dismissed.” He said, “Your fellow Survey Corps members are at the Wallflower. Feel free to join them.”

It felt nice to be outside again, breathe in some fresh air, even though there was a sting associated with it. Akari and Professor Laventon were seated in their usual spots at the Wallflower, as I took a seat across Akari. “Beni, old chum, the usual order! Three servings of potato mochi, please!” Laventon requested. “Oh, and if there’s anything else you’d recommend, by all means, bring it out!”

“The whole village here is gossiping up a storm about our young friend here, you know?” Beni was all smiles, for once.

Though I certainly was not. Oh, so now I’m your young friend, huh? How things have changed. What if I gave Kleavor an arm, or a kidney? Then how special would I be? Would I be your fucking messiah?

“He must have quite good fortune to make such a speedy recovering after quelling Kleavor.”

Speedy is not a word I would use to associate with this, either.

“I always had faith that CJ would recover quickly.” Laventon nodded politely, “Not to mention best Kleavor in battle in the first place! All in all, it was a great show! A victory well-earned!” He smiled as Beni left to go prepare the food, “And now that we don’t have to worry about getting mauled by Kleavor…we can explore the Obsidian Fieldlands without fear!”

While it was nice to finally sleep in my own futon, sleeping on my back was a certain kind of hell. I’d been side-sleeping all my life, which was something I was very quickly trying to unlearn, at least until my ribs healed.

Bidoof has an unsophisticated face and is rarely flustered by anything. There have been incidents of Bidoof wandering into villages and gnawing on houses without a single care.

Writing notes for the Pokédex was a rather simple task for me to do right now, at least until a combination of boredom and cabin fever forced me back out into fieldwork. I should really take it easy, or at least, try to.

Makes its home in gloomy caves. Atrophied eyes have left this Pokémon blind, so it scans its surroundings via sound waves that it emits from its mouth as it flies.

A tense breath. I reached for a little porcelain cup of roots, crunching on one of them, as I sighed again. I was to alternate between those roots and tiny calcium tablets, on Pesselle’s recommendation. The former was a pain reliever, while the other was just overall good for bones.

I wish they tasted better. The root was incredibly bitter, I’d spit the damn stuff out if it wasn’t the very thing allowing me to breathe and move without feeling a constant dull pain. The tablets on the other hand had an odd zing of mint to them. I supposed I was spoiled by twenty-first century remedies.

It moves freely in the water by spinning its forked tail for propulsion. The resemblance to the screw of a steamboat is coincidental.

Now that I had compiled the completed entries, I could figure out which entries I should tackle next. Pikachu and Pichu were ever elusive. Akari said she found hers in the Fieldlands, but I hadn’t seen one yet. The Wurmple line was an option, as aside from its base form, I didn’t have any data down for them. There was also Ponyta, who was unfinished. Not to mention the plethora of Pokémon in the Heartwood who I didn’t even have a chance to capture.

There was Drifloon.

I held my head, still writing away. Akari hadn’t really spoken to me much since the injury. Was she pissed at me? Strange how empty it felt now that she didn’t show up.

I got hurt because I didn’t know Kleavor’s type. I got hurt because I wasn’t battling at one-hundred percent. I got hurt because I turned my back to it. I got hurt because I was so, so, embarrassingly stupid. I always had excuses for myself, but they all seemed to reroute back to the same conclusion.

I needed to get out, take a walk. The self-loathing got pretty unbearable, so maybe a change of scenery would take my mind off of it.

I didn’t envy the Construction Corps, nine times out of ten, they always seemed hard at work, building extensions to the village. Maybe that trio of Bidoof were helping them out.

“Oh, hey! Survey guy!” A youngster pointed at me. In fact, it was probably the same kid who pointed at me when I first came to the village. He was playing with a few other kids his age, by the looks of things.

Honestly, I felt sort of bad for these kids. I mean, sure, when I was their age, the computers and gaming systems were rather archaic, by modern standards, but these kids had nothing. No TV, video games, the hell did they do for fun?

“Know what you need to do to be a super awesome member of the Galaxy Team?” The kid quizzed me.

“Eat your greens?”

“No.” He frowned briefly, “I mean…I guess that’s also important….” He muttered reluctantly, “But you need a partner Pokémon! With a great partner Pokémon backing you up, you’ll be as strong as one-hundred people!”

Depending on the Pokémon, he had a point.

“I really wanna catch a Pokémon of my own someday, so I’ve been throwing balls to get my aim spot-on. Now I think I’m ready to practice with real Poké ball!” He looked giddy, “I bet you have loads of ‘em! Since you’re in the Survey Corps and all. Do you mind if I have like, five of ‘em? Please?”

I suppose five wasn’t the end of the world. “Sure, here you go, kid.” I handed them out.

“Woo-hoo! Now I can catch a partner Pokémon of my own!” The boy cheered, “Here, I’ll give you something in return, some Grit Dust! It was super hard to collect, hope you like it!” He handed me a couple tiny bags of dust. “If you wanna know what it does, ask Captain Zisu, she knows all about it!” He excitedly held a Poké ball out, “I’m gonna go practice now!”

“Remember, aim for the back.”

My stroll took me to one of the security gates, not the one heading to the Fieldlands, rather, the one that led me to where I first landed here. Prelude Beach, I think?

“Can Pokémon of the same species really come in different sizes?” A guard by the gate wondered. “I know the professor says they do, but I’ll have a hard time believing it until I see different sized ones lined up side-by-side.” He gestured to the Buizel beside him, “If there really are Buizel bigger than mine, I’d love to see one right next to the one I have for comparison’s sake. And you’re a natural when it comes to catching Pokémon, right? I bet you can see where I’m going with this.” He said, “If you catch a Buizel bigger than mine, would you let me have it? I’ll make it worth your while!”

I nodded, “Sure thing, I’ll see what I can do.”

Well, so much for taking it easy. Buizel could get highly aggressive, and not only did I have to catch one, I had to make sure it was bigger than the one that guard already owned. At least it wasn’t urgent. If the Buizel were giving me a tough time, I could always try again some other day.

It was nice to be in the Obsidian Fieldlands again. Buizel were quite a bit out, however. The Horseshoe Plains, I believed. Professor Laventon gave me a kind wave as I walked past camp, but I still hadn’t seen Akari anywhere.

Was she really holding a grudge? The silent treatment? No, I refused to believe she was that childish. Surely it was coincidence. I’d address that later, now I would focus on trekking down to the Horseshoe Plains.

Although, I did have Wyrdeer.

I had his blessing or whatever, and learning how to ride him effectively would probably make my life a whole lot easier in the long run. So, I played the small fanfare on my flute, and Wyrdeer came galloping along. I hopped on as carefully as I could, guiding him towards the plains.

His fur was rather soft, I wondered if he was an Ice-type, as I hadn’t seen too many of them yet.

When I reached my destination, I let Wyrdeer go, for now. I tried to catch as many Buizel as I could, but there were usually only a duo or trio of them near any given coast. And sneaking up on them was quite difficult. Inevitably, Dartrix and Luxio had to get involved to battle them.

After my Buizel-catching excursion, I took a brief pit stop at the Heights Camp, though I couldn’t help but notice a rather animated man standing nearby it. Rather than it being a simple request. The man offered me a challenge, to see if I could pop the most balloons while riding on Wyrdeer through a course he orchestrated.

The score he challenged me to get was seventeen, and I easily got that, but I was still annoyed I wasn’t able to pop every single balloon and get a perfect score.

“Whaddya know?” The man grinned, “You beat the target of seventeen balloons! Well done, you!”

“Is it possible I could ever try this course again?” I wondered, still atop Wyrdeer.

“Of course, I don’t see why not!”

This could be the perfect training course to teach me to ride Wyrdeer around better. Obviously Wyrdeer went way faster than a human, so he would be vital to escaping wild Pokémon that are a bit too much for me to outrun alone.

I got fifteen Feather balls and a rare candy from the little balloon challenge too, which brought a smile to my face, and that seemed harder to do these days. I turned Wyrdeer back towards our Fieldands camp, hoping that the guard would be pleased with his bigger Buizel.

Sadly for me, it turned into the biggest wild goose chase of my life. Every Buizel I showed him was either smaller than the one he had, or it wasn’t big enough. As a result, I had to keep fleeing back to the Obsidian Fieldlands to try and grab some more Buizel.

I felt extremely bad for the professor. Felt like I was running him ragged with all the damn measuring.

We finally came across one that was two-foot nine-inches. It was taller than any other Buizel I had caught, so the guard better be content with that, or I’d shove a Buizel up his ass.

“Here, check this one.” I called out the newly caught Buizel, and like I predicted, it towered over the Buizel belonging to the guard.

“Wow, look at them, side-by-side…it looks like the bigger one is the littler one’s older sibling.” The guard smiled, “Look how the tip of the little one’s snout points up when it looks at us. What a precious little thing!” He chuckled, “And the big one’s flotation sac, there’s something reassuring about how large it is, don’t you think? Funny how Pokémon of the same species can look so different based on size.” He looked at me, “Thank you for the favor! I know the Survey Corps’ work is no joke, so keep at it!”

Never mind, he gave me a shit ton of honey as a reward, all is forgiven.

I was a little behind on crafting, so I stopped at the craftworks and emptied part of my satchel, working on some Poké balls, as well as some Potions. Because in order to make a Super Potion, you needed a Potion.

Alright, now take the Oran Berry and just…squash it against the, hold on, damn it. And then the Medicinal Leek goes…ah, fuck it, I’ll just stir it with the leek itself.

“You there!” Anvin of the Supply Corps came out of the building. I feared he would heckle me or backseat craft, as he sometimes did, but this wasn’t one of those times. “You seem like someone who enjoys a bit of crafting! Do you think you could help me out with something?”

I’m not very good at crafting, in case you hadn’t noticed.

“I’d be very grateful if you try to craft something using a special recipe I came up with.” Anvin handed me a small slip of paper, “So without further ado, here’s the recipe. It’s for something I call Pokéshi dolls! I invented them, you see, as special items we could make in the village. I would love to have you make one and show me. I look forward to seeing what you come up with!”

Damn, this guy really trusted me to make a wooden doll with my bare hands. Must be certifiably insane. Maybe Akari could…

Ah, right, I hadn’t seen Akari much recently. Well fuck it, now I needed her for two reasons.

And just like that, I spotted her coming back from the Fieldlands. “Hey, Akari!” I called, “I need you for a second.” Wordlessly, she walked towards me, and I moved closer to my quarters, “Can we talk?” I nodded towards the door to my room.

She nodded, and I led the way in, hearing the door close behind me as Akari entered as well. “Look, I need help with something. And I have a feeling you’re pissed off at me, so I wanted to settle both of those things now.”

“I’m not mad at you.” She decided to say after a small silence, “Just….”

I looked back at her, a brow raised, “Just?”

“I’m worried.” She stressed, “Worried about you, about all of us, just….” Her voice shrunk, “I’m worried it’s going to go back to just me and the professor again.”

I sat back at my desk, staring at her, letting her words hang for a moment. “Look, I’m not that stupid.” I spoke up, “Kleavor was going after Dartrix and Buizel. If it wasn’t going to be me, it would’ve been them.”

“You get the point though.” She said, “If you were hit at just a different angle, at a different time, we would’ve lost you….”

“I know, Pokémon are dangerous creatures. I don’t think it’s ever going to be easier on any of us.” I said, “You should know, I mean, for Christ’s sake, a Shinx electrocuted you. It was inevitable something like this would happen to me. That, and the Drifloon. I mean, who’s to say something worse isn’t going to—”

“Don’t say that.” She frowned, “We were having enough trouble as it is. People could barely leave the village, we barely had any progress on our Pokédex. And then you fell from the sky and changed all of that. But you can’t leave just as suddenly as you came, I won’t let you.”

“I know, I’m sorry.” I said, “I don’t know how else I can apologize to you. I know I fucked up, big time. I’m reminded of it practically every waking second. Every time I breathe in, every time I have a goddamn root or tablet or whatever the hell else, I’m supposed to eat….” My voice started to break, “Like, yeah, Kleavor’s fine, but there had to have been a way to soothe him without nearly getting my spinal cord split in two—”

“CJ.” Akari stopped my ever-increasing depressing statement. “It’s alright. We’ll just, be more careful, all of us. And I’m sorry, if I stressed you out.” She looked away, “You’re valuable to the team, is all. And it would be horrible if we lost you.”

I let another silence hang, “So, I need your help with crafting.”

She snorted, falling into a fit of giggles at the sudden mood change, “I should’ve expected as much. What did you need help with?”

I got out Anvin’s schematics and laid them out on my desk. “New invention. A Pokéshi doll.”

“A what?” Akari walked over to my desk, reading it over, “Hmm…interesting, what does it do?”

“I think it’s just a decoration.” I shrugged, “You know, it’ll just sit there and look pretty.”

“Uh-huh….” She mused, still immersed in the notes. “You have the wood?”

“Yeah, I have the wood.” I answered, “Can I shape or cut it into the desired shape? Likely not.”

“And what, you want me to just make one for you?” She teased with a smirk.

“Pfft, yeah, and you can have the reward.”

“CJ, you need to learn how to craft on your own.” She chided.

“Was I hallucinating, or did we just have a big emotional talk about the dangers of me not injuring myself?”

“This is different.” She snickered, “I’ll be supervising the whole time, alright?”

“But the Pokédex….” I wilted in my chair.

“Get out your crafting kit, it won’t take too long.”

An exaggerated huff, “Fine, Mom….” I reached into my satchel for it, getting the crafting kit out and the three pieces of wood necessary to make the doll.

I slowly began work constructing the Pokéshi doll. Akari would give me pointers and guidelines throughout the project, sometimes intervening herself whenever I wouldn’t get the advice a second or third time.

“And…here…try cutting it like that.” Her hands were over mine, as she tried to guide me through the perfect way to cut with a knife so small. She turned a little pink and backed off, “Gosh, I’m like…hovering over you…I’m sorry. I uh…I myself learn best by doing, so….”

“No worries.” She was much more embarrassed about it than I was. I gave a confident grin as I finished. “How’s that for a pair of eyes?”

“Pretty good.” Akari smiled back, “I think you should show the finished project off.”

“I think so too.” I stood up, “Thanks again for the help, Akari.”

“Anytime.”

“Hmm? What’s this?” Anvin asked as he was closing up shop for the night, “Why, that’s a Pokéshi doll if I’ve ever seen one! Let me have a look!”

“Sure thing.” I handed it over.

“Amazing! Look at how smoothly you’ve carved these curves! Your attention to the carving shows you put love and care in your handiwork! And these colors! You’ve definitely given it a vibrant look, that’s for sure! Yes, these hues must be the very shades of your inner strength and passion! Not to mention, this Pokéshi doll is perfectly balanced! At a glance, you’d think it’s sure to fall over, but it stubbornly remains upright!” He slowly handed me the doll back, “Thank you. I’ve savored the Pokéshi doll to my heart’s content. We used the same recipe, and yet your Pokéshi doll has a completely different feel to mine.”

Well, I had Akari helping me out, so it was almost like we both made it, technically.

“Here, I’ll give you a Pokéshi doll I made. I took great care in crafting it, so have a look, and see how it differs from the one that you made.” Anvin handed me a Pokéshi doll.

I smiled and thanked the man, as I headed back to my quarters. Maybe I’d put up both dolls side-by-side in my room. A little further décor would never hurt, especially if it had memories behind it.

Chapter Text

Apparently, the balloon guy had another challenge. This one didn’t involve Wyrdeer, however. It was about how many balloons someone could pop with balls until they got ten-thousand points. I did significantly better in this challenge than the first one, but it was nice that I could practice with my throwing arm whenever I needed to. I also wondered where this guy got the creativity for all these challenges.

The challenge took place on Prelude Beach, and I wasn’t going to deny that it made me feel a tad nostalgic, even though I haven’t even been here a month yet, it brought me back to waking up in the sand, Professor Laventon and three starters from different regions in front of me. Even my walk back to the village, I was overcome with memories.

My next stop was Galaxy Hall, I wanted to see if there were any requests up. While Kleavor may not be the only noble affected by that strange lightning, we haven’t heard anything distressing yet from the other clans, and honestly, I hoped it stayed that way.

“Morning, Professor.” I greeted as I headed into his lab.

“Good morning, CJ.” Laventon smiled back, “Ready for another joy-filled day of Pokémon research?”

“Of course, of course.” I read over the board. There was a request about Drifloon, but I was going to wait on that one, for the moment. Another one read A Peculiar Ponyta. “What’s up with this Ponyta request?” I wondered.

“Ah, Yota’s request, correct?” Professor Laventon walked to my side, “You can usually find him up near the farm. He’ll have the details.”

“Right.” I nodded, “Thanks for the tip.” I headed back outside.

Yota was crossing the bridge when I ran into him, he looked rather busy, carrying a couple full buckets, likely on the way to the farm. “You Yota?” I asked.

“Ah, yes, that’s me.” He responded, “Are you going to take my Ponyta request?” He asked, “Well, to make a long story short…a Ponyta no one’s ever seen before has appeared in the Horseshoe Plains. It looks so different than the other Ponyta, it’s a little scary, to be honest! But when I told the professor, he got all excited about researching it. So, we agreed to have the Ponyta surveyed to see what’s what. If you go to the Horseshoe Plains and catch that Ponyta, it would really help us out.”

Ponyta had a regional variant, didn’t it? So maybe it was that. “Yeah, sure…I’ll catch it for ya, no worries.” Curiosity got the better of me as I left the village, letting Ress know where I was headed, as usual.

Thanks to Wyrdeer, I was able to make my way down to the Horseshoe Plains in record time. A hopeful part of me wanted to find an Eevee again, but it seemed they were exceptionally rare. But other than that, I wasn’t able to find any Ponyta other than the usual ones. I was about to leave and figure this guy full of shit when I saw it, and my jaw dropped.

With a blue flaming mane, a Ponyta walked towards a small pond, having a little sip of water. No way. So this Yota guy found a shiny Pokémon?

Well, spotting the damn thing was easy, actually catching it was likely going to be another story, especially if I made a stupid mistake. I snuck around the body of water, trying to line up a shot to the back as I readied a Poké ball, once I lobbed one ahead, the Ponyta was ensnared in the Poké ball. The ball tumbled around for a moment or so, before it finally let out a celebratory firework.

I gave a sigh of relief, immediately hurrying to the ball. “Alright, let’s go show you to Yota.”

“Here.” I tossed the Poké ball forward, revealing the blue flaming Ponyta.

“You already caught it?” Yota was shocked, “Wow, you Galaxy folks sure don’t mess around!” He looked the Ponyta over, “You know, a friend of mine from Galar was surprised when he saw the Ponyta herds out in the Fieldlands. He couldn’t wrap his head around their fiery manes. At the time, I thought it was an odd thing to be amazed by. But, now that I know that some Ponyta have blue flames, it’s not such a stretch to think there might be all sorts out there. And mind you, I’m not just talking about Ponyta! Who knows how many differently colored Pokémon there are in the world!”

So Galar existed too, huh? There must’ve been older versions of all the regions around here. Alola, Galar, I wonder how many the professor had visited. “Yeah, always good to keep your mind open with these sorts of things.” Should I tell this random guy the term for shiny Pokémon?

“Well, I hope the Survey Corps does it’s best to keep researching out there!” He gave a small wave.

I waved back, heading through the village. I should probably get to work on the Pokédex. it’s been a while since I’ve had at it.

“Excuse me, sir? Do you think you could help me with something?”

I turned to a woman standing by her house, “Sure, what’s up?”

“I saw something out in the wilds, it was incredible!”

“Okay, so…what was it?”

“It was a Will-o’-the-Wisp! A bright red ball of fire!” Her eyes were quite animated, “When I was walking through the Windswept Ruins the other night, it leaped at me with quite the startling cry!”

So, was it a Bug-type Pokémon? Or a Ghost-type Pokémon?

“At it again with this story, huh?” One of the village kids walked by, “Don’t listen to her mister.” He swatted a hand, “My big sis always gets carried away with her fairy tales.”

“Oh for goodness sake, I’m not making it up!” The woman argued, “I saw that Will-o’-the-Wisp with my own two eyes!”

“Oh yeah? Why don’t you show it to me then? Heh! Good luck with that!”

She frowned as her little brother ran off, “It is so frustrating that he won’t believe me! I honestly did see one!” She sighed, but her expression was quick to brighten again, “Say, you’re with the Survey Corps, right? And I hear you’re quite the prodigy! I bet you could easily catch that Will-o’-the-Wisp! Do you think you could catch the one I saw and bring it back here?”

I felt a nervous shudder. I honestly didn’t want to be dealing with Ghost-types right now. “Yeah, yeah…sure, I’ll see what I can do.”

Damn it, I don’t know why I accepted this request so readily. I should’ve denied or postponed it, I didn’t want to take any chances, not while I was still recovering. I spotted Akari coming back from the Fieldlands, so maybe I could air out my grievances with her.

“A Will-o’-the-Wisp?” She repeated after I summarized the request, “Don’t tell me, that’s some kind of Pokémon, isn’t it?”

“I don’t think so.” I said, “It’s probably some, Ghost or Bug-type causing trouble.” My shoulders slumped, “I’m not sure dealing with Ghost-types is such a good idea for me right now.”

“Do you think it’s Drifloon?”

“I don’t know if I wanna take that chance.”

“Well, it’s okay CJ, anyone can do a request.”

“I don’t know about that. If it involves catching or potentially battling a Pokémon, I should do it.” I said, “Just makes the most sense, I mean, there’s no use endangering anyone else for this.”

“When was the last time you took a break today?”

“Well, uh…let’s see, I caught a shiny Ponyta, before that, I was working on my Poké ball throwing game.”

“Did you want to grab lunch?”

A shrug, “Yeah, maybe I’d be more sensible if I wasn’t hungry.”

She smiled, “It won’t take long, don’t worry.”

As we walked through the village, I checked all the different stores and places of business. “Sheesh, I feel like I’m never gonna get used to this place.” I said quietly, “Like, there’s so much about the village I don’t know about.”

“Well, if you need help, you can always ask me.”

Let’s see, I was familiar with the general store, Choy and I have chatted it up occasionally as I bought things. There were the craftworks, which I knew about. There was Anthe, the clothier. And there were always occasionally a few merchants from the Ginkgo Guild here, selling exotic goods. “What about that place?” I nodded towards a building not too far away from my quarters, “What do they sell?”

“It’s actually a photography studio.” Akari looked up at me, “Did you want to take some pictures together?”

‘No’ was the word that was about to fly out of my mouth. But what would the harm in it be? In my world, I wasn’t one for pictures. I hated them, shying away from them more often than not. I was very reclusive back in my world, rarely opening up to others about my life or any of my experiences. I guess that came with being a guy in a society where men were supposed to work to the bone first and ask questions later. But there was always time to unlearn that.

“Sure, I don’t see why not.”

An older man was in charge of the studio, smiling kindly at us as we walked in. “What can I help you with, today?”

Thank god Akari was doing all the talking, “We’d like a picture together.” She smiled back.

“Were you going to have your Pokémon accompany you?”

“We can have our Pokémon in the picture?” I asked quietly.

Akari nodded, “Did you want to?”

“Sure, that sounds cool.” I grinned.

“Maybe we’ll do one each, just to keep it simple for now.” Akari said, calling out her Pikachu.

“Alright, let’s go Dartrix.”

Dartrix gracefully landed in front of me, he and Pikachu exchanged a few pleasantries, hooting and squeaking at one another.

“What backdrop did you want to use?” Akari wondered.

“Blue.” I instantly went for one of my favorites.

“Um…wouldn’t we blend in with that…a little too well? Given our uniforms?” She asked.

“Oh yeah….” I swatted a hand, “I’ll let you pick, makes no difference to me.”

Once we settled on a neutral color that wouldn’t swallow us within it, Akari and I took position. Dartrix and Pikachu would either take a relaxed pose, or a pose like they were in the midst of battle.

“C’mon CJ, smile!”

I chuckled at her, “I am smiling.” I affirmed, although looking at her briefly, her smiles seemed a lot more radiant than mine were.

The old man seemed happy, leisurely taking shots of us. Depending how many good ones came out, I could put it right next to the first picture Laventon took of me when I passed my trial.

I was trying to keep a sharp eye out for this Will-o’-the-Wisp. The village was a lot different at night, although I felt safer here than in the fields. Akari, and most of the others in the Survey Corps were likely dead asleep. But I would rather deal with this on my own. And if it was a Drifloon, I had Pokémon to battle it with. Drifloon wouldn’t attack me as long as I had a Pokémon out. It sounded cruel, but I was paranoid about sustaining another big injury.

Although I suppose my sneaking had much to be desired, as I bumped into someone on accident. Their scream was a little overdramatic though.

“Shit, I’m so sorry, Miss Sanqua….” What the hell did I call her? Miss Sanqua? Captain Sanqua?

“Don’t scare me like that!” She growled.

“I apologize, I wasn’t looking where I was going.” A formal bow.

“It’s hard enough getting sleep around here as it is.” She turned to her door.

“Wait, hard enough getting sleep…is everything okay?”

She was still frowning, likely ready to tell me to piss off again. “Hmm…maybe a Survey Corps type like you can figure out what’s causing this.”

A slow nod, “Yeah, sure, anything to be of help.”

“Look, when I’m in my quarters trying to sleep at night, it feels…it feels like I’m not alone in there!” She started, “Sometimes, there’s this crackling sound. I’ve found burnt berries a couple of times, and once in a while, I hear something clatter.” She nodded towards the door, “So, Survey Corps kid, survey my quarters! Figure out what’s happening!”

I took a deep breath, here goes nothing.

“Check every nook and cranny, if you have to!”

She’s putting a lot of faith in me, to throw privacy to the wind, no less. The inside of her quarters seemed relatively similar to mine, in terms of wealth and structure. Reassuring to know that I wasn’t getting any special treatment one way or the other. I crouched down to undo my sandals, figuring the last thing Sanqua would want is for me to trail dirt or sand all over her stuff.

It was a hard smell to pick up, because at first all I got was a whiff of the perfume Sanqua must’ve used. But as I got closer to the dining area, there was a citrussy smell. Berries? She did say that she was finding berries in her quarters, so maybe there was a Pokémon in here.

Just like that, I heard a clattering sound next, towards the front door. I bolted over, quickly deducing that the culprit was likely hiding underneath a cloth over a dresser. I pulled the cloth back, and was surprised as I saw a few weak sparks followed by a blur rushing past me.

Well, sparks, berries, and clattering. Check, check, and check. I ran back towards the other side of the room, paranoid that I was making too much noise and I would either wake some villagers up, or worry Sanqua. I pulled back a dressing divider, and there it was.

A little Pichu, cutely looking up at me.

“Survey Corps kid, are you alright? What’s going on in there?” I heard the door slide open. I winced and held a hand out, as Pichu was obviously spooked, and it went to run and look for a place to hide.

Time was not on its side, however, as Sanqua made it in just in time to see the Pichu. And Pichu was for all intents and purposes, stuck, Sanqua on one side of it, and me on the other.

“Wait a minute.” Sanqua was confused as she looked at the little Pokémon, “This Pichu…could it be?” She then looked at me, “It might sound absurd, but…I think this might be a Pichu I found injured in the forest a while back”

Pichu cheered at being recognized, darting up to Sanqua with a little berry in its hands.

“A berry, for me? What, cause I fixed you up?” Pichu nodded sweetly, “So, wait…the thing haunting my quarters was just…a grateful little Pichu?”

I chuckled, “Yeah, that’s what it looks like.”

“Guess all that worrying was pointless!” A relieved smile, “To think, I was so scared it would be a spine-chilling monster or something.” She reached into a nearby jar to hand me a few berries, “Regardless, I owe you! Have a token of my gratitude!”

After pocketing the Nanab Berries I got from her, I left, wishing her a good night’s sleep. It was great that I could help out the Captain of the Construction Corps, but I still had my primary mission, that damn Will-o’-the-Wisp.

Maybe riding on Wyrdeer had a calming effect about it. I felt safer on him, and if I saw anything, I could have him run like hell.

Alright, now Windswept Ruins, that’s kind of near Deertrack Heights, the hell was this lady doing out here this far?

I stopped as I noticed a few trees nearby, although one of them seemed to have a flame glowing at the top. I made a clicking sound with my tongue, and Wyrdeer stopped. I gently dismounted, “Stay here, alright?” I asked gently, “If things go to shit, I want to make a quick getaway.”

The flaming glow intensified as I got closer, and a creature leapt down to face me. Chimchar screeched as it prepared for battle.

A Chimchar?! The fucking Will-o’-the-Wisp is a Chimchar?!

“Go Buizel!” I sent the otter Pokémon out, as Buizel could wall off the Fire attacks while I try to catch this thing.

A Chimchar in reality was a great find. I mean, sure, I was more of a Torterra or Empoleon man myself, when it came to my Sinnoh games, but in somewhere as rugged as Hisui, picking your absolute favorites was not a luxury I could afford right now. Not my first choice for a Fire, Fighting-type, but he would fill in some gaps my team was missing. Infernape was definitely a Pokémon you wanted on your side. Even as someone who’s favorite Pokémon was Blaziken, I had to admit the Fire starter after him was equally powerful.

Chimchar was stubborn, it took more than a few Poké balls to catch him. I made sure Buizel was chipping away at Chimchar, but with ineffective Normal-type moves that wouldn’t faint it outright. Eventually, a Poké ball clicked in succession, and the celebratory firework popped out.

Yes, I caught a Chimchar! Oh, oh yeah, and, and that lady’s request, right, that too.

“Hey, I got that Will-o’-the-Wisp you saw!” I headed towards the lady, calling out Chimchar.

She raised a brow, “I…but I don’t understand….”

“Here, you’ll see.”

Chimchar happily greeted us with some chittering and chirping, before climbing up the nearest tree. It was hard to see how high up Chimchar was, but it was easy to see the flame.

“Oh…t-that’s it…t-that’s the Will-o’-the-Wisp!” Her shoulders slumped slightly, “But it was a Pokémon all along…well, in any case, you caught it just like you promised. You Survey Corps folks really are a talented bunch!” She rubbed the back of her head, “Now, how am I going to explain this to my little brother? Can’t say I’m looking forward to that.”

“Gah!” A scream, “A Will-o’-the-Wisp!” We both turned to see the brother in question, running for his life, “Ah, Mom, Dad, sis, save me!”

I chuckled, “Guess he won’t need convincing too much.” We both laughed.

With an unceremonious yawn, I headed back to my quarters. Originally, I would never be tired at night, with how much of a night owl I was. But since my sleeping schedule was constantly getting fucked over by this and that, it was safe to say I was going to sleep like a rock after this.

“CJ….” A little girl’s voice said.

I turned around, surprised. Who the hell was this kid? Have I ever seen them before? I mean, far be it from me to expertly point out one rugrat in this village from another.

“I’ve been waiting for you, CJ. My name’s Vessa.” She introduced, “There’s something really important I need to tell you, would you come with me?”

I slowly nodded, and she led me to one of the bridges, a calm river running nearby us. “Um…this is kind of a secret, right? But, something terrible happened, Hisui is in a lot of trouble!”

“It…it is?” I tensed up, did another noble Pokémon go crazy or something, what happened? Why does this little girl know before Kamado?

“Hundreds of years ago, a being that brought calamity to this region was sealed away by someone using a powerful, strange magic. But now, for some unknown region, the magic has come undone and the seal is broken.”

When did I start playing Skyward Sword?

She looked down, “I hate to think what might happen at this rate…so please, CJ, hear me out…I need you to restore the broken seal.”

“Wait, wait, hold on…are you sure we shouldn’t just like, tell someone else about this? Someone in charge? What use is it gonna be if it’s just two of us against the world?”

“You’re the only one capable of doing this CJ. You have to believe me! I’m going to give you this Odd Keystone.” She handed me a really strange rock.

Odd Keystone, why did that sound familiar?

“After the seal was broken, a whole bunch of wisps scattered across Hisui. A hundred and seven of them in total. But with the Odd Keystone, you should be able to find them all.” Vessa said, “Normally, the wisps are invisible, but not to the holder of the Odd Keystone.” She looked across the river, “You have to start collecting them as soon as possible! There’s one right over there you can start with, see that glowing purple flame? Collect it!”

I looked ahead, still half-convinced this little girl and everything she said was a dream, as I walked across the bridge, collecting the first of many wisps….

Chapter Text

“Alright, so check this out.”

I threw the Poké ball out, and Chimchar revealed himself. He looked around for a moment or two, maybe confused at the setup of the lab, but he still generally looked happy to be here.

“My word, what an interesting Pokémon!” Professor Laventon walked over, “A recent catch?”

“Fairly recent, yeah.” I nodded.

“Where did you get it from?” Akari wondered.

I smirked at her, “Remember the Will-o’-the-Wisp?”

“Mmm-hmm.” She answered, “Wait….” She pointed at Chimchar, “This Pokémon was the Will-o’-the-Wisp?”

“Yup. Not a Ghost-type at all.” I chuckled.

“Good work, CJ, another entry to the Pokédex is no small feat!” Laventon smiled.

“Well, he might be rare, so I was actually going to go out and take a closer look at his moves, see if I can jot some notes down on ‘em.” I said, figuring finding a future starter Pokémon for this region wouldn’t be an everyday occurrence. “Were you guys headed out to the Obsidian Fieldlands?”

“Not to worry, we’ll be right behind you!”

“Chimchar, use Ember!”

Chimchar screeched as fireballs spewed out towards the opposing Shinx, making short work of it.

A small sigh of relief, “Good job.” I recalled the monkey Pokémon. Alright, that was probably all the notes I could take for Ember at the moment, Chimchar’s entry was far from complete, but it was progress.

I wanted him to catch up with the rest of my team, in all honesty. Fire and Fighting were two highly offensive, versatile types that I couldn’t really go without right now. No disrespect to Ponyta, obviously, she served me well, but Infernape would be a better pay off in the long run. I couldn’t afford to mess up in a dire situation again.

Speaking of teambuilding, I wanted Dartrix to evolve as soon as possible. I wasn’t going to run him into the ground or anything, it was just a goal of mine. I needed a Ghost-type, for coverage. Not only that, but Dartrix still being part Flying-type was starting to cause problems. At the moment, I had three Flying-types on my team, so evolving Dartrix would solve that problem. And honestly, once Staravia evolved, I was considering switching her out too. Once I had enough notes on Staravia, and later Staraptor, when she evolved. Sure, Staraptor got Close Combat, but Infernape would too, and Crobat was more valuable, especially if I had to deal with a troublesome Fairy-type.

Well, I probably trained my team enough for now, the rest of the day I could use to catch some of those Pokémon in the Heartwood. I got out my Celestica Flute, summoning Wyrdeer for a bit of extra speed.

At the Heights Camp, I saw Professor Laventon chatting with one of the guards, as well as Akari, munching on some lunch by the looks of things, looked to be a rice ball. “Hey, I’m heading to the Heartwood.” I notified, “There are a lot of new Pokémon we haven’t recorded over there, I was just busy with Kleavor and everything.”

Akari nodded, giving a wave, “Alright, good luck CJ!”

I gently patted Wyrdeer’s side, and we sped off. I made sure to be careful on my descent down the mountain, avoiding the alpha Bibarel when I crossed into the Heartwood.

I dismounted Wyrdeer, dismissing the deer Pokémon for the time being, as I crept silently through the forest. Ahead of me was a Psyduck, and I supposed that would be my first target.

I caught the Water-type rather quickly, seeing two more in the distance. I crept over, lobbing two Poké balls their way. Both balls tumbled around, but it seemed they both escaped. And they seemed pretty pissed about that.

Shit. I started to make a beeline in the opposite direction. But the Psyducks were giving chase. I turned my head to the side. A Buneary, I didn’t get that one yet! I fumbled for a Poké ball, but it had seen me a while ago, already bouncing away.

“Wait up!” I called, but I was splashed by a huge blast of water from behind, tumbling to the ground. I held my chest in pain, as the tumble to the ground hurt a lot more when regularly I would be up in a few seconds. Not to mention my uniform was dripping wet.

“Fucking bastard.” If I had to guess, that was a pretty powerful Water Pulse that hit me. I whipped a Poké ball at the offending Psyduck, but it knocked the ball away. Shit, forgot.

“Go Luxio!” I sent the Electric-type out, having him use Thunder Fang on the duo of Psyduck.

By the time the Confusion-Thunder Fang war ended, the Buneary I was after was long gone. Shit. I shook my head. I’d have to make a mental note at how skittish Buneary is.

Although, maybe now was the perfect time to test out these Feather balls.

Sure enough, the light blue balls sailed much faster and further than regular Poké balls. I was able to catch a Buneary immediately, and I moved as quickly as I could to catch more.

I noticed quite a few Wurmple around, as well as Silcoon, but I had a feeling I could catch a lot of those at some other time, my priority at the moment was scouring the forest for any new Pokémon.

The closer I got to the Grandtree Arena, the more memories flooded back of what happened a week or so ago. It felt weird being in this forest all alone. Without Lian to snark my goddamn ear off, or Irida to raise her chin at me.

“A brute and nothing more….”

“I apologize for being so rude to you.”

“I’m starting to believe you actually did fall from the sky…though I can’t imagine the reasons at play.”

I felt my cheeks burn red, and I raised a hand to feel my face. What the hell, CJ? You might as well forget it. She’s the leader of the goddamn Pearl Clan, and you’re just some Galaxy Team super soldier. Don’t read into any of this.

A shaking tree caught my attention. It was moving around quite a bit. As I looked around, I realized this wasn’t the only shaking tree in the area.

Slather honey on the tree, and…

A Diamond and Pearl memory came back to me. I wonder if the same principle applies. This might be where Cherubi, or Cherrim could be found. And I could finally turn in that request. God, that farmer asked me to do that a while ago. Before Kleavor, I think. “Go Dartrix!”

Dartrix knocked all the berries out of the tree. And a honeycomb-shaped Bug-type with three faces flew out to greet us.

Another Diamond and Pearl memory came back to me. Being disappointed in Combee hogging all the honey trees.

Whatever, it was a new Pokémon, I would have Dartrix weaken it, and then capture it for the Pokédex.

I searched for as many shaking trees as I could, but they were all Combee. I at least encountered a female Combee, so I could always evolve it later into Vespiquen to start a new entry.

Wasn’t long before I noticed I was in an area of the forest I didn’t recognize. I tried to keep my bearings, after all, Wyrdeer was a merely a flute’s song away in case things went to shit. I heard a few Shinx in the distance, but I didn’t really feel like bothering with them right now.

And then a green blur whooshed past me. What the hell? I tried to keep track of where it was flying to. Scyther? I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, given how many Bug-types live in the Heartwood. I readied a Poké ball.

Though largely, that was easier said than done. As Scyther seemed to be both stubborn in terms of staying in the Poké ball, as well as highly aggressive. I had Zubat fight the ones that started going after me, and I caught however many I could. Turned out to be only two, but it was better than nothing.

Maybe it was time to take a little break, report my findings to the professor. I could always come back here, if I wanted to do a more thorough sweep. I got my flute out, summoning Wyrdeer.

I rested at the village for a little while, grabbing a bite to eat, recording what I could in my notebook, and overall recharging, before I would set out again. I stopped at the farm briefly, to work out more trades with Colza, the guy in charge, but another farmer approached me first.

“Hey, you’re in the Survey Corps, ain’t ya? Just the feller I was lookin’ for!”

I raised a brow, “Need something?”

“Well, I’m workin’ to make these fields here bigger, but the ground is hard to plow. So, I’m lookin’ for someone to lend me a hand!” He said, “More fields means more food, which means everyone’s happy! Even the Survey Corps! We all in this together, after all!”

Couldn’t exactly argue with that logic.

“So, if you have a Ground-type Pokémon, could I borrow it?”

A Ground-type, surely I had another Geodude lying around in the pastures, right? I know I gave one of them to that pickling lady. “Sure thing, I’ll be right back.”

It only took a few minutes for me to return with a Geodude, “Here you go.”

The farmer smiled at the rocky Pokémon. “Your Pokémon sure will be a big help expanding the fields! Might as well get started!”

Geodude quickly went to work, tiling the fields and expanding the farmland. “Wowee! It’s turnin’ this gritty ol’ soil all soft an’ fluffy like nothin’! How’s it doin’ that?”

Honestly, I had no idea, so I just watched the Geodude work in half, or potentially a quarter of the time a human would.

“What a trooper!” The farmer cheered. “This is some fine work! Any crops here will do great, and it’s all thanks to you two!” He turned to me, “You mind if we keep your Geodude here as our resident fieldhand?”

I shrugged, “If it’s helping the village, I don’t see why not.”

“Ah, good, good…you could always switch out this Ground-type with a different one, if you want to!”

“Got it.” I waved to the farmer before leaving.

Back atop Wyrdeer’s back, I had a specific mission when I returned to the Fieldlands. Well, two actually. The first was that I wanted to explore more of the area. There were definitely some unexplored locations I haven’t gotten around to yet, and I’m sure they had plenty of new Pokémon for the Pokédex.

And the other, was that it was finally goddamn time for me to get a Pikachu, a Pichu, whichever I would see first. Seemed like everyone else was having luck with them except for me. Sanqua, Akari, well, soon I would have one myself.

So, I would just keep riding along the edge until I had to turn back, pretty simple, all things considered. I would be careful, however, as recklessness had its time, but I really had to take it easy.

I came across another shaking tree, sending out Dartrix to deal with it. And this time, a Burmy popped out of it. I made sure to battle it carefully, putting it in range to be caught by a Poké ball. Once the bagworm Pokémon was mine, I continued riding through the fields.

There was a small channel up ahead, one I hadn’t bothered with, because I didn’t want to get soaked, but now that I had Wyrdeer, I could easily hop across to the other side. As soon as I landed, however, I quickly had to run around the alpha Snorlax that could probably steamroll my team if it wanted to. Once I caught my breath and determined I was safe enough, I kept riding ahead.

At first, I wasn’t seeing much new, Shinx, Wurmple, Pokémon I could write pages and pages about front to back, but as I got far enough, I noticed a rather large gathering of a certain clownish Psychic-type Pokémon.

Mime Jr.? I clicked my tongue, guiding Wyrdeer to a halt. I dismounted and dismissed him, as now I had a new pet project to be working on.

Being as stealthy as I could, I caught as many Mime Jr. as possible, liberally using Feather balls to achieve a greater distance. When I caught a decent handful of them, I stood and wiped my brow. Today would be a happy day for the professor, I was giving him a lot of new Pokémon species to look at.

I did a double take as I saw a pinkish-purple mist zip from one point to another. Surprised, I blinked a few times. Was that who I thought it was?

Turns out, there were a few Abra over here too. Only they were quite perceptive, warping away long before I got a chance to throw a Poké ball. I frowned, wondering what my next point of attack should be. Until I noticed a Kadabra floating around nearby too, and I really wasn’t in the mood for pissing of powerful Psychic-type Pokémon after the whole Drifloon incident.

A Mr. Mime was staring at me as I crept away from the Kadabra, and I stared back at it. He seemed to be chill with me standing here, so why not? I threw a Poké ball at it. Said Poké ball clacked harmlessly off of it.

What the…? Wait a minute, is he making a screen? I stepped back, trying to get out of Mr. Mime’s sight. Once I was able to sneak around it, I threw a Feather ball at its back, and luckily, he was caught.

I kept sneaking through the tall grass, seeing more pink Pokémon from afar moving around, which I at first assumed were more Psychic-type Pokémon, since this part of the Obsidian Fieldlands seemed to be filled with them.

Turns out, they were Shellos, the pink variant, enjoying the coast, by the looks of it. I even saw a few Gastrodon as well. Well, I might as well round off the trip with these two species before heading back in for the day.

“Look, no hard feelings, alright?”

I gently pet Ponyta’s head, unable to tell if this was helping my guilt or not. “I think you’ll be safer here anyway, doesn’t that sound great? No more hurt legs. You can run around here as much as you’d like.”

Ponyta nuzzled her head under mine. I was surprised, happy, yet also careful, as I didn’t want to be set on fire. No matter how much I tried to justify it, I’d always feel guilty swapping Ponyta out for Chimchar. I supposed the Pokémon wouldn’t care either way, but it was different when instead of a PC, you had to see every Pokémon you ever caught out in the pastures. Were they pleased with their peaceful lives, or resentful that I caged them for research purposes?

There was a man standing nearby, observing me parting ways with Ponyta. Belamy, if memory served. He was usually standing on one of the bridges, pontificating about this or that. Had no idea why he was over here today.

“You really remind me of my grandmother.” He said out of nowhere, walking towards me with a smile, “She was always so friendly with her Pokémon, just as you seem to be. I feel that same aura from you.”

“Oh yeah?” A small smile, as Ponyta galloped off to go play with some of the other Pokémon.

He nodded, “I’d be curious to see what the Pokémon on your team think of you, if you’re interested.”

I chuckled at his polite challenge, “Alright, what does Dartrix think of me?” I sent the owl Pokémon out.

Belamy smiled as Dartrix regarded me with a warm expression, “Well, it’s obvious that its pleased to be travelling with you. You two are true friends, that much I can tell.” His smile grew, “My grandmother was precisely like you…the type of person who could understand the minds and hearts of Pokémon.”

That might be putting it a little bit extremely, but I appreciated the sentiment.

“I grew up watching how she interacted with them, so I have a bit of a knack for sensing how compatible a person and a Pokémon are.” He said, “If you’d like, you can come show me a Pokémon again, I’m happy to inform you at any time how they feel about you.”

I nodded, “Right, thanks for the tip, Belamy.”  

Wearily, I closed the door to my quarters behind myself, it sure was a long, full day, that was for sure. Maybe I’d just fill out some notes on the Pokédex until I felt tired.

All things considered, I was making a pretty good turnaround for myself. We had a lot of new Pokémon, a lot of new data for the Pokédex. Of course, I never was able to get Pikachu or Pichu, but I’m sure my luck would turn around on that too.

After undressing, I got into my futon, staring up at the ceiling, as I had practically no choice but to lay this way, as much as I hated it. The taste of the calcium tablet was still strong in my mouth. At least it was minty.

I had run out of energy dwelling over the past at this point. What happened with Kleavor, happened. There was no use going any direction but forward. Keep helping people out, helping the Pokédex, there was no need agonizing over past mistakes, better to face the future trying to prevent any.

Did I ever want to go back home? Could I even go back home? I mean, it was no secret there were plusses and minuses to both sides of that. Sure, the technology level was much more preferable back home, and Pokémon weren’t trying to perform open-heart surgery on me. But I had a lot of bullshit to deal with in my world. But there were also people I missed. Sure, the shitty people usually outweigh the good people in our lives, but it’s quality over quantity, isn’t it?

I supposed anything was possible. A Pokémon, Arceus, brought me into this world. I’m sure if I encounter another legendary Pokémon, I could have the option to go back.

Chapter Text

My hypothesis as to why Buneary rolls its ears up is that its hearing is far too keen. I surmise that the Pokémon protects its hearing by limiting the sound that may enter its ears.

God, I feel like that’s stupid.

I played with my pencil, wondering if I should drum up a better idea, or if I should wait until Laventon or Akari could compile more research from the little bunny Pokémon. I had no idea. “Luxio, don’t play with that.” I sighed, “I’m not a fan of those sandals, but I kinda need ‘em.”

He tackled me over, straight out of the chair and back onto my futon. I gave a weary cough, even on a good day, that would’ve winded me, “Hey, easy, easy!” I laughed, gently moving Luxio’s paws off my chest, “Gotta let my ribs heal, okay? It’ll just be a few more weeks, then you can have at me!” I gave him a loose hug. Luxio purred back, rubbing my face.

I heard my door slide open, followed by a giggle, “Sorry to interrupt such a tender moment.”

“Nah, it’s alright…Luxio is just telling me how much he loves me.” I pet him, “Think I’m gonna take you to Zisu today…and you’ll learn…Ice Fang, and…Fire Fang maybe. And Play Rough.”

“You’re going to take him to Zisu?” Akari asked.

“Yeah, I cleared it up with her before, asked what Luxio’s capable of learning.” I tried to sit up, but with Luxio’s still partially on me, I supposed I would keep talking to the ceiling. “Have to be a chump to not teach him at least one or two of those moves.”

“You spare no expenses, huh?”

“Not when it comes to Pokémon, nope.” I said, “Or, or feeding myself. Or buying a cool hat….”

“I almost forgot, I meant to give you something the other day.” She set a slip of paper on my desk.

“Huh?” I gently nudged Luxio so that he would get off, “What is it?” I stood tall, examining a slip of paper.

“A recipe for Smoke Bombs, Beni gave it to me.” She said.

The old chef guy? “Beni?” I was incredulous, “What the hell was he doing with this?”

A small shrug, “Figured I’d share it with you.”

Maybe the old bastard was making a recipe for something and he botched it. It was the only explanation I could come across. “Hmm, don’t recognize the plants needed to make it.” Of course, I didn’t know what the hell Vivichokes and Pep-up Plants were, for Revives and Super Potions, respectively, but as I explored more of the Obsidian Fieldlands, I was eventually able to come across them.

“Well, they might not be from around here.” Akari noted, “There’s more than just the Obsidian Fieldlands, you know.”

It could be seen as redundant, but I supposed she had a point. Even if I explored the Fieldlands from top to bottom, that wouldn’t mean I was necessarily done, in terms of Pokémon to catch, at least. How vast was the Hisui region?

“Anyway, I wanted to check on how your notes were doing.”

“Oh yeah?” I sat at my desk, “And by ‘check’ you mean ‘judge my handwriting and then leave.’”

“That’s not true.” She flipped through my notebook. “Wow…you really went all out yesterday.”

“I know, it was quite a bender.” I admitted, “I really wrung the Heartwood out for everything it was worth. After that I took a different route. I took the Fieldlands Camp, but…instead of going down Aspiration Hill, I veered right, and then followed it.”

“You went all the way down to Sandgem Flats?”

I blinked at her, “Why are you looking at me like that’s really far away?”

“Gosh, you’re incredible.” She was reading my notebook attentively, “I guess that’s why there are so many new Pokémon in here.” She paused at an entry, “Who…who is this?”

“Oh. Mime Jr.?”

“He’s so cute….” She cooed, “Do you…do you think you could help me catch one?”

I shrugged, a little excited that Akari wanted a new team member. “Sure, sounds fun.” I said, stopping to correct myself, “Ah, maybe I should check the notice board first. See if there’s anything pressing. Then we’ll ride down there.”

“Wait, ride down there…?”

“Later Akari!” I recalled Luxio into his Poké ball, heading towards Galaxy Hall.

As I entered the Professor’s lab and greeted the man, I noticed there was a new request, in addition to the Drifloon one. It was titled Back-alley Mr. Mime.

Oh joy.

Apparently, there was a Mr. Mime living in Jubilife Village, but its unnerving one of the villagers, Andra. Now, wasn’t he the fellow who I gave those berries to? This sounded like the Bidoof thing all over again.

And then there was the Drifloon request. Miku of the Security Corps has spotted a Drifloon playing with the village children.

Damn it, that was, not very good. I couldn’t let my fear get in the way of this. I had to tackle this head on. I didn’t want a kid getting hurt, or worse, on my watch.

I headed outside, not knowing which task to tackle first, honestly. Andra was closer, and I could recognize him, same couldn’t be said for Security Corps lady. “Hey, Andra!” I walked over, “What’s going on?”

“Oh, hello again. Thanks for finding me those Oran Berries.” Andra smiled, “I had a wretched time in the Fieldlands, getting hassled by Pokémon left and right. They even got me with some of their moves…but, thanks to the berries, it was a lot safer this time around! I even got to have the last few as a snack!” He chuckled, “So, helpful soul, are you here about my request on the professor’s board?”

I nodded, “Something about a Mr. Mime?”

He nodded back, “He’s taken up residence in the village. A Pokémon living in the village is scary enough, but this one is just so…eerie. The Security Corps refuses to handle it, so I’m asking the Survey Corps for help.”

“Have you seen it recently?”

“Actually, it’s right over there.” He pointed to the culprit, standing in a gap between a row of houses, an olden back-alley, if you will. “See what it’s up to, will you?”

I confidently walked towards the Mr. Mime, surprised as I smacked into an invisible wall. After shaking myself off, I ran around it, trying to find another way to interact with it.

“Wait, where are you going?” Andra asked, “He’s right there…why are you playing around?”

I snuck up behind the Mr. Mime, poking it on the shoulder.

The Mr. Mime was startled, as it ran away. “It went that way!” Andra frantically pointed, “Means it probably has something to hide!” Andra ran after it. I tried to follow suit. We were led to an area near Galaxy Hall. “Alright, have at it!”

I looked at Andra, then I walked ahead, this time slowly holding my arm out. Sure enough, I touched an invisible wall. Frowning, I ran around the entire Galaxy Hall building.

“Again with this?!” Andra asked.

This wall was much more of a pain in the ass to get around. Maybe Mr. Mime learned from its previous mistakes. Once I got to it, it turned around, frightened of me, as it ran off.

“It ran that way!” Andra pointed, looking me over, “You have a really roundabout way of trying to get up close to Pokémon. Are you secretly scared of them or something?”

An exasperated sigh, “It’s these invisible walls it keeps putting up. It’s a Psychic-type, so that means—”

“You’re joking.” He chuckled, “Well, that calls for further research!”

Andra and I ran towards where it was scampering off to. “There, there it is!” Andra pointed, stopping short. Mr. Mime was hanging out by one of the front gates. “Go see if it’s really making walls!”

It is! I ran towards the Mr. Mime, who looked it was about ready to run again.

“Wait, you! You’re not going anywhere!” Andra ran up, but he was mysteriously stopped in place. “Whoa…I, I can’t go any further!” He seemed confused, “There’s definitely something here I can’t see!”

“What is it, Mr. Mime?” Ress walked over, “Looks like something’s got you in a panic.”

“What? Ress? You know this Mr. Mime?” Andra was flabbergasted.

“Yup. Helps me guard the gate sometimes.” He explained, “When it does those eerie little movements, wild Pokémon can’t get in. It’s like a barrier or something. It’s docile, and it helps me with my job. So, I just let it do as it pleases.”

Andra shook his head, “Who would have thought…?” He flashed me an awkward smile, “Sorry to make you go through all this trouble. But it did give me peace of mind, if nothing else.” He thought for a moment, “But, if we’ve got invisible walls cropping up all over the village, people better keep an eye out. Or, not an eye, but…whatever one does to look out for invisible walls!”

I got paid, so I couldn’t complain too much. Now to look at the potentially more urgent job, the Drifloon.

At least since I was getting to know each Security Corps member by process of elimination, it wasn’t too-too hard to find this one. “So, you’ve come to accept my request about Drifloon?” Miki asked, “I can’t tell you how much of a big help that is!” She said, “Let me fill you in, we’ve been getting reports that a Drifloon was playing with one of the village children on Prelude Beach in the evenings. This seemed like odd behavior for a Pokémon. So, all of us in the Security Corps are worried its true intentions could be to hurt the child in some way. Thankfully, the village children were all safe and accounted for when we went to check in on them. But there was one curious thing…none of them knew a thing about Drifloon! But so many people have seen it, so we can’t pretend it isn’t an issue here. And since this calls for some investigation, I figure the Survey Corps will be our best bet. We need you to find out the truth about Drifloon.”

“It comes out in the evening, right?” I asked, “So I’ll stop by then.”

I remember horrible things in Drifloon’s Pokédex entry in the games. That it kidnapped children or something. So this could easily be a case of seeing it happen in real time. Well, after I helped Akari catch a Mime Jr., I was going to have to investigate this.

“Are you sure about this CJ? This is nerve-wracking!”

“You think I wasn’t nervous when I first rode this thing?” I asked, already atop Wyrdeer, “We’ll get there a lot faster this way, it’ll save us time.”

“But…I’m not worthy, compared to you….”

“Look, is this about the Diamond Clan?” I frowned, “Cause if you ask me, it should be Wyrdeer’s decision, and he really doesn’t seem to mind. If the Diamond Clan dislike the idea of me giving my friends a ride, they can shove it.”

Akari sighed at my vulgarity, as she nervously climbed up and took a seat behind me, “Where…what should I grab?”

“You can hold onto me.” I shrugged as I gently urged Wyrdeer forward.

She turned scarlet, timidly reached her arms out to wrap around me, “I hope this doesn’t get too complicated.” She mused, “I mean…it felt like it was ages ago when I caught Pikachu….”

“Well, I’ll be around in case things go wrong.” I reminded.

“Thank you so much, CJ.”

“I mean, you help me with crafting stuff, so…I don’t know, we kind of fill in each other’s weaknesses nicely.” I squinted ahead, “Also, hold on for dear life.”

“Hold on?”

She gave a cute scream as I had Wyrdeer leap over the river. I grunted, as it felt like she broke my ribs all over again. “Sorry….” I panted, “Uh…gotta jump that. Also, heads up.”

“Heads up?”

This time when she was startled, she went stark white, too scared to make any noise at all, it seemed, as I maneuvered around the rampaging alpha Snorlax.

“Was that a…?” She whispered.

“Yup.”

“Did you…?”

“Not in this lifetime. And probably not ever.”

I rode to Sandgem Flats, and once we were there, we both dismounted Wyrdeer. “Alright, so here’s what I’m thinking.” We didn’t see any Mime Jr. yet. But I figured it wouldn’t be hard seeing pink in a field of green. “You go and find the Mime Jr. you want, and I’ll use my Pokémon to battle whatever gets in the way.”

“Right, got it.” She nodded, “Thanks again, CJ.”

“I wouldn’t thank me until you catch one.” I noted, as we started walking, “Ah, here we go, there are like three or four of ‘em over there. Pick your favorite. I’ll take care of anything that gets in the way.”

She watched them as well, “They don’t seem like they’d be violent.”

No, but Kadabra was. “Just, take your time, pick one you like, I’ll keep watch.”

Of course, of course, the moment she initiates battle to catch a Mime Jr., “Go Pikachu!” A motherfucking Kadabra comes at me like I killed half its family. Maybe I did in one of the games or something? Well, at least I was partially prepared for this.

“Go Zubat!” Kadabra’s defense was ass, so hopefully I could get a quick Bite off and faint it before it knocked out my Zubat in return.

Luckily, my predication came true, or I got a lucky critical hit. Either way, Akari was safe for now. And Zubat was surrounded by a white glow, as he grew and evolved into Golbat.

By the time I turned back, Akari was jumping for joy, “I did it! I did it! I caught Mime Jr.!”

Seems I missed nearly the entire thing, but Akari seemed a distance enough away where she couldn’t tell. My Golbat and I exchanged a look, and I smiled. That went smoother than I expected, which meant I could mentally prepare for this Drifloon nightmare.

It might’ve been evening by the time we got back. Was it evening? Great, I was now going to have an existential crisis about what evening meant now because of this goddamn request.

“Ah, just the person I was looking for!”

The old photographer approached me, I regarded him with a small smile, “Can I help you with something?”

“Well, there was a Pokémon I was hoping you could bring me.” He explained, “I’ve been trying to offer the groundbreaking experience of having your photo taken with Pokémon, but, no one around here aside from you and your friend seem to understand the appeal. Perhaps they’re all just too afraid of Pokémon to get over their reluctance…but, I happened to catch a glimpse of a Pokémon in a photo, and it gave me a brilliant idea.” He pulled out a photo of what looked like a glimpse of a poofy Pokémon in the Heartwood. “See how fluffy it is? How adorably soft? How irresistibly, impossibly cuddly? Once people see a Pokémon like this, they’ll all want to have their portraits taken with it! But I need a better shot than this, if you find the Pokémon in the picture, can you bring it to me?”

That was likely Buneary, and I likely had about five of them. “Yeah, just gimme one sec.” I ran off, towards the pastures.

When I came back, I guessed the man went back into his photo studio, so I bolted inside, “Here it is.” I threw out Buneary’s Poké ball.

The older man was delighted, “Oh, it’s even fluffier and lovelier than I imagined from the photo! This is it! This is absolutely it!” He got his camera out, “Let’s get a proper shot!” He took a half-dozen photos, “Ah, good, good. I was able to get just the shot I needed, thanks to you. This should go a long way towards getting villagers over their fears and into some photos with Pokémon!”

Speaking of which, it was time for me to face my own fears. Quietly I stepped out of the village, towards Prelude Beach, there was a beautiful sunset off the coast.

“Survey Corps guy! Over here!”

That was definitely a kid’s voice, I hurried over, seeing a kid and a Drifloon. Said Drifloon wasn’t acting outright malicious, it seemed. “What the hell?” I asked, “What the hell are you doing behind this shed?”

“Hey, um…I wanna go home but, Drifloon won’t let me go!” He pleaded, it was then I noticed Drifloon had one of its tails tied around the kid’s wrist. “Can you help me?”

A shaky nod. The key was being gentle, so I would hope, at least. I stepped towards the boy, gently unraveling and untying the tail around his wrist. The Drifloon flew off not long after that, and I took a sigh of relief.

“Yay! Now I can finally go home!” The kid cheered. “But um….” He took a more serious expression, “Drifloon didn’t mean to be bad. It always played together with me…it’s real friendly! So, I kept it a secret from everyone.”

Honestly, I couldn’t blame him. A village this paranoid would likely vanquish first and ask questions later. “Alright, you mind telling me your name? I should report this so people know you’re alright.”

“Um, it’s Taki, see you around!”

Taki ran towards the village first, while I walked after him. As soon as I saw her, I waved to Miki to get her attention.

“Have you found something out about the Drifloon?” She asked.

I nodded, “Turns out it was just playing with the kids. I talked to one of ‘em, Taki. His wrist got tied up with one of Drifloon’s tails. He lied to make sure Drifloon wouldn’t get in trouble.”

“I see, he wanted to keep Drifloon safe.” The guard mused, “All the same, he was in considerable danger! Without your help, goodness knows where Drifloon would have taken him by now….” A sigh, “I’d be remiss if I didn’t follow up on this troubling incident. I’ll urge Captain Zisu to post extra Security Corps guards on Prelude Beach at once! For now, I’m thankful the situation was resolved without any harm. Thank you, truly, for keeping everyone safe.”

Well, I think I fucked over any Drifloon who wanted a playmate on Prelude Beach. A sigh, I should’ve figured that would be inevitable. But, as the moon began to rise high, I would get something out of tonight.

I would complete Drifloon’s Pokédex entry. I wouldn’t give in to fear.

“Suffers perpetual headaches.” Cyllene read quietly to herself, “If the agony grows too great, Psyduck’s latent power erupts, contrary to Psyduck’s intent. Ergo, I am exploring ways to ease the pain.” She looked up at me, “Have you come up with anything?”

“Well, not yet, but….” A shrug, “It’s gotta happen for a reason, right?”

“You’ve been working quite hard, recently.” She noted evenly.

“Yeah, guess you’re right.” Last few days have involved a lot of exploring and overall working on the Pokédex.

She rose from her chair, “I think you’ve earned yourself a star.”

I learned to stop questioning at this point. Would my uniform have so many stars on it, they’d trail off the fabric? “I see…uh, thank you very much, ma’am.” I wasn’t going to turn down yet another raise.

“Here, you’ll need this.” She handed me a new recipe. This one for Great balls.

Sweet! My eyes lit up, as I had played more than enough of the games to know that kind of ball. I’d probably have to have Akari show me how to make one, however. “Pleasure to be of service, as always.”

“Continue to dedicate yourself to completing the Pokédex if you hope to rise higher in the ranks.”

Chapter Text

The indigo boots fit nicely, I had to admit. Thank god Anthe had some in stock, as I much preferred them over the sandals. As I took a few steps in my quarters to test them out, I was only more pleased. It was great that I had footwear that agreed with me, but I should probably ease up on the spending for a little while.

In addition to the boots, I bought a lot of new moves for my Pokémon. Luxio and Golbat were among the two most expensive, but I went all out with any teammate I could. Golbat could get Zen Headbutt and Leech Life, two moves that I thought would complement him nicely. He didn’t have a Poison move yet, but if I recalled anything about the Crobat line, that was usually par for the course. I would have to be careful with my earnings for a little bit, but it would be worth it in the long run. And it was better than keeping track of a bunch of TM’s, or worse, HM’s.

I was running a little late this morning, (if it was even still morning), so I bolted out of my room, the boots complemented my uniform nicely, least I thought as much. Someone seemed to be going as fast as me however, and it resulted in quite the collision. I was floored, falling on my ass immediately.

I grunted, feeling my backside. Better that than falling on my recovering ribs, I guess. The fall still hurt a little regardless. “Shit, are you okay?”

As I looked up, I was momentarily blinded by the morning sun. Vision now blurred, I tried to fix my eyes on whoever was talking to me, adjusting my glasses. A pretty redhead was looking me over, offering a hand.

“I’m fine.” I dismissed her, “Don’t worry about it. I can get up.”

“Wait, your notebook.” She panicked, as a strong breeze started to carry it away. She dashed ahead to grab it for me, “Here!” I thanked her and took the notebook back, and she offered a hand again, “Sure you don’t need help?” She smirked, “It’s free.”

I grasped her hand, rising to a standing position. I took a step back in surprise as I looked her over. The blue sweatshirt, those boots, which still looked damn nice, even nicer than mine. A Diamond Clan member? The fuck is a Diamond Clan member doing here?

“Wow.” She looked at a nearby shop, “The Galaxy Team hairdresser is…dare I say, cutting edge.” While there were similarities to how she and Mai dressed, there were also some differences too. Mai’s stockings were dark, with various Pokémon designs etched into them, this chick on the other hand had red stockings, which lightened and turned a purplish color the further down her legs it went.

She seemed to recognize who I was, and was just as surprised at seeing me as I was with her. “Wait…you’re CJ, the guy who quelled Kleavor, right?”

A small nod, and a weak smile, “That’s right.”

“Ah, I knew it! You’ve got quite the reputation, you know.” She said, “I mean, you quelled one of almighty Sinnoh’s chosen ones! Some people are actually kinda scared of you for doing something so bold.”

To be fair, it didn’t take much to scare people in this time period.

“I’m Arezu, by the way.” She smiled, “I’m a warden of the Diamond Clan. But when I’m not doing that, I like to give people haircuts. Nice to meet you!”

So, this chick was a warden too. And she seemed to be the nicest one I’ve met so far. “Nice to meet you too.” I wouldn’t question it.

“Oh snip!” She substituted a word, as a few kids ran by, “I came here to talk to Mister Kamado, actually! See you around!”

I watched as she walked off, a pit of dread forming in my stomach. A warden coming here to talk to Kamado?

“But things are not settled yet. I’ve received word that there are other Pokémon nobles who have fallen victim to frenzies elsewhere in Hisui.”

Ah, Christ, just when I thought my life here was turning around. I took a deep sigh, pretty much preparing for the inevitable, as I headed inside Galaxy Hall.

In perhaps a flagrant repetition, I snuck up to the third floor, overhearing the conversation at hand.

“Hmm…so it’s come to Ursaluna as well….” Kamado mused.

Aw great, who the hell was Ursaluna? I was familiar with Ursaring, but not Ursaluna. Perhaps the two were connected?

“This suggests that even Pokémon who are not nobles can be frenzied….”

Wait, what? Does this mean that one day randomly my Dartrix is going to light up gold and attack me?

“I have received no word from Adaman or Irida about this, but this is not something we can simply ignore.” Kamado resolved. “In any case, you have my thanks, Miss Arezu. You did well to inform us of Ursaluna’s situation.”

“No problem!” I heard Arezu’s peppy voice. “Adaman’s got his hands full running our clan and all, and Ursaluna’s warden wouldn’t even give me the time of day…so the Galaxy Team are the only ones I can turn to for this.”

“Ursaluna’s warden is Mistress Calaba of the Pearl Clan, is it not?” Kamado asked, “Of all the wardens, she is by far the most narrow-minded…uh….” The commander cleared his throat, “I mean, bound by tradition.” He corrected, “She likely does not take kindly to outsiders meddling in her affairs.”

Like before, the commander noticed me by the door way, he beckoned me in, “I have a new mission for you, CJ.” He said, “I order you to study Ursaluna in the Crimson Mirelands! I permit you to show your strength if necessary!”

I tried not to make my nerves obvious. Great, now they wanted me to wrestle a goddamn bear? How the hell was I supposed to survive this? I barely made it out alive with Kleavor! Arezu seemed stoked, obviously having the legendary hero who stopped Kleavor was boosting her morale, and I wasn’t really in a position to let them down, was I?

“Yes sir.” I nodded.

“This is going to be great! I can’t thank you both enough!” Arezu smiled.

I went downstairs next, as Captain Cyllene wanted to give me further briefing on the mission. “The next area you will be sent to investigate is the Crimson Mirelands.” She explained, sitting at her desk. “You will find the Pokémon living there to be more fearsome than the ones living in the Obsidian Fieldlands.”

Great, the ones in the Obsidian Fieldlands were fearsome enough, thank you.

“Even the landscape itself is harsher, with fierce ravines and seaside cliffs. It is not welcoming. But, at your current rank, you should be able to handle the Crimson Mirelands on your own.” She must’ve been referring to the three stars on my uniform. “Here is what you need to know. Your destination is a place within the mirelands known as the Solaceon Ruins. That is where you’ll find Ursaluna’s warden.”

Ah yes, the warden who ‘didn’t like outsiders meddling in her affairs.’ This should go swimmingly.

I set out towards the gate, ready to check out these Crimson Mirelands. Sure, I was nervous as all hell, but at least I’d maybe get to see some new Pokémon.

Akari was nearby the gate as well, “Hi CJ.” She waved.

“Did you hear the news?” I smirked, “Another Pokémon’s gone nuts, so I have to quell them.”

“I…I heard.” She looked me in the eye, “Did you want to have a battle first? So we can both get a little stronger?”

I shrugged. Wouldn’t hurt to blow off some steam, get rid of some of these nerves. “Sure, why not?”

Akari got out a Poké ball, grinning, “I want to get closer to my Pokémon, don’t hold back, CJ!”

“Trust me, I won’t.” I smiled back. A battle in front of the gate, it reminded me of my battle with Volo, weeks and weeks ago.

“Go Mime Jr.!” The little pink Psychic-type revealed itself, ready for battle.

“Go Chimchar!” I sent out my Fire-type. “Flame Wheel!”

Flames surrounded Chimchar until he was a wheel of fire, crashing right into Mime Jr.

“Confusion!” Akari called out, “Agile style!”

Shit.

Mime Jr. called on psychic powers, launching Chimchar back with a telekinetic blast. “Confusion, again!”

Chimchar cried out in pain as he was knocked back. At first, he showed no signs of moving, “Wait, Chimchar, are you okay?” I rushed to his side.

Chimchar wearily got up, snarling angrily.

If this were the games, Blaze would undoubtedly take effect.

It then occurred to me that I hadn’t seen an ability active in this world yet. Did they even exist?

Never mind that, I had to move now. “Flame Wheel, strong style!” I ordered.

Chimchar screeched as flames went all around him again. When he smashed into Mime Jr., the little Psychic-type was defeated.

Akari seemed a little saddened at the loss, but she recalled her Pokémon, “Good job, Mime Jr.”

A white glow surrounded Chimchar, as slowly he evolved and grew larger. I smirked, as Monferno readied himself, “Alright, time for Pikachu to get his ass kicked.”

A determined look crossed Akari’s face, “Go Pikachu!”

I had to think fast. I knew Akari would try to get a Quick Attack in, fainting my Monferno immediately, but, if this was anything like the games….

“Mach Punch!”

Monferno raced ahead, slugging Pikachu in the fast with a quick punch and knocking the opposing Pokémon back. Akari was taken for surprise, “Q-Quick Attack!”

Pikachu slammed into Monferno next with top-notch speed. And my Pokémon seemed to have taken enough damage from all the combined attacks. I recalled him into his Poké ball as he fainted, “Nice work, I’ll heal you after the battle.”

“Did…did I do it?” Akari’s eyes widened, “I did!” She grinned, “I knocked out one of CJ’s Pokémon! Yes!”

I chuckled, “I wouldn’t celebrate too early.” I threw out my next Poké ball, “Go Dartrix!”

The owl Pokémon came out to my aid, but it seemed Akari had a countermeasure in mind.

“Pikachu, Thunder Wave!”

Pikachu’s red cheeks lit up with electricity, it sent a jolt through my Dartrix, as a result my Pokémon became paralyzed.

I swore under my breath, Akari could easily win this back, depending on how unlucky I got. “Quick, use Leafage!”

Dartrix knocked Pikachu back with some sharp leaves, but my opponent was still ready to fight, “Thundershock!”

Dartrix was forced back, shaking himself off. God, these people were gonna be so sorry when he became Ghost-type. “Leafage again, strong style!”

This time, Pikachu was knocked out. Akari gave a weary sigh as she called back her Pokémon, “I think I got caught up in which move to pick…I have to think quicker than that.”

“Don’t worry about it, I think you did a lot better.” I said.

“Thank you.” A small smile, “Although, I don’t think Pikachu is going to be too happy with me.” She joked.

After we healed our Pokémon, Akari handed me a slip of paper, “I have another crafting recipe for you.”

“Hmm, Stealth Spray?” I looked it over, again not recognizing any of the plants used to make it. “Sounds useful.”

“I’ve also been working on studying those strange space-time distortions.” She revealed.

“Space-time what now?”

“They’ve been appearing around here and there lately, little pockets of inter-dimensional space. They seem to hold rare items, and Pokémon too. But the Pokémon are really strong. Even…even for you.”

I nodded back, “I’ll make a note of that.” I said, “But I should get going to the Mirelands Camp.”

“Wait, let me come with you!”

I looked at her, “Alright…but, you should probably stay by the camp…Cyllene made it sound like it was pretty dangerous.”

“CJ…please, please be careful this time.”

Yup, wrestle a bear carefully, got it. “I will.” I promised, we both told Ress where we were headed, and we walked off, towards the Mirelands.

They weren’t kidding when they said how different it was here. The air seemed denser, it was foggy in some areas. There was a lot of water, swampy is what I would refer to this area as. Everything seemed a little bit dirtier, muddier.

Professor Laventon took up the rear, joining us at the Mirelands Camp, “Well, here we are, my boy! The Crimson Mirelands! An area teeming with Poison-type Pokémon! And many others!”

“The Solaceon Ruins should be that way.” Akari pointed at a wooden bridge leading to a stone set of ruins.

I nodded back, “Got it.”

“I’m counting on both of you to complete your survey work as best as you can.” Laventon smiled, “But be mindful of your limitations, yes? If Pokémon are giving you trouble, there’s no shame in retreating back here.”

I could tell Akari was feeling a bit restless, and I spotted a new Pokémon up ahead, “Hey Akari, I know what you can do, while you’re at camp, you can try and see if you could catch those Budew.”

“Hmm? Bidoof?” She misheard.

“No, no, Budew.” I said it slower, “They’re like, little bulb Pokémon.” I nodded in the distance, “I’ll head to the ruins, and you can do that.”

She nodded in agreement, and I summoned Wyrdeer, riding around the swampy area. I noticed a few yellow blurs, but at closer glance, they were just Psyduck, which I had enough information on, for now. I think I spotted a Carnivine in the distance too, but I would catch new Pokémon later.

Once I crossed the bridge and got to the entrance of the Solaceon Ruins, I dismissed Wyrdeer, stepping into the stone tunnel. My footsteps echoed as I did so.

There seemed to only be one other person in here, a Bibarel at her side. This must’ve been that warden. She was wearing mostly pink. I was surprised at how old she was. She had a gray bob-cut, and there was a massive stem poking out of her bag, ending at a leaf above her head. Some kind of makeshift umbrella?

Given how loud my entrance was, it wasn’t long before she turned to face me. “I am Cabala of the Pearl Clan. Warden Calaba to you.” She said bluntly, glancing down at a flute near my satchel, “Ho, would you look at that, you have a Celestica Flute. You must be the one they say fell out of the space-time rift.”

I crossed my arms, “That’s right.”

“I see.” She mimicked my posture, “I’ve already heard about you, how you quelled Kleavor in his frenzy.” A grunt, “I’m sure many people were saved by your actions, but I can’t help but wonder if there wasn’t some other way to handle the situation….” A glare, “What you did is hardly different from bullying a Pokémon into submission, after all. Given your people’s reputation of catching Pokémon up in those little balls, I’m not surprised.”

Rage twisted my face. Didn’t help that this woman reminded me of some of the older, nastier customers I had to deal with on a nigh-daily basis.

I gave a short, dry laugh. “You’re right, granny. I guess instead, I should’ve let Kleavor maul people to death. What was I thinking?”

She had quite the nasty scowl of her own, “Get out of here.” She spat, “I don’t need any help from your sort, or the Diamond Clan either.” She turned away, “That young lady, Arezu offered to help, but associating with the Diamond Clan, it just won’t do.” A beat, “Be on your way. There is much I have to do, and I would prefer not to be distracted any further.”

I turned around, bitterly heading out of the ruins. Why, why was it always old people? The boomers. Some of the elderly were either the nicest, sweetest customers I got back in my world, or they were irritable shrews who would throw tantrums over an expired coupon that would make a toddler blush. But I let my emotions get the better of me too. Would I have to go back, tell them I failed? Kamado would be pissed. But what could I do about it? She wouldn’t deal with Arezu, so there’d be no shot she would deal with me either.

“Ah, CJ! Fancy meeting you here!”

I blinked in surprise, the ruins of an ancient civilization, yes, it was fancy meeting Volo here. My expression softened, but only a little, “What are you doing here?”

“I was wondering if you were up for a battle?” Volo propositioned, “I would like to see the strength that could quell a frenzied Pokémon!”

I shrugged, a battle in a stone hall like this would be pretty cool, “Sure, why not?”

“Excellent! A battle with you might let me experience a fraction of the power that the noble Pokémon wield!”

“You’re on.” I got one of my Poké balls out, and Volo did the same.

“Go Togepi!” The egg Pokémon revealed itself again, although this time, I had a much better counterstrategy.

“Go Golbat!” I sent my Poison-type out, although he didn’t have a super-effective move against Togepi, hopefully it would a defensive enough choice to turn the tide in my favor.

“Air Cutter!” Golbat sent out blades of air, slicing through Togepi and knocking it back.

“Calm Mind!” Volo ordered.

Togepi took a deep breath, glowing with magical energy as it’s power rose.

“Shit.” I swore under my breath, “Air Cutter, again!”

Togepi was knocked back again, but it steeled itself well. “Draining Kiss!”

Ah, so it was a Fairy-type. Togepi darted towards Golbat, kissing him right on the face and regaining life force from him. It wasn’t very effective, but Togepi strengthened itself with Calm Mind, so I couldn’t afford to slack off.

“Air Cutter, again!”

“Draining Kiss, once more!”

Ironic that my bat Pokémon was getting his life force drained, rather than the other way around. But I was kind of in a pickle. Fairy resisted most of Golbat’s other moves, and Togepi’s strengthened defense, and it regaining it’s health back must’ve been why it was still standing. I would’ve tried strong style, but Golbat hadn’t mastered that with Air Cutter yet.

“Air Cutter!”

“Draining Kiss!”

“Air Cutter!”

Togepi finally fainted, but my Golbat looked considerably tired from the war of attrition we just had. I narrowed my eyes. Did he have another Pokémon?

“Go, Gible!”

Gible?!

The tiny blue land-shark revealed itself, raring for a fight.

“Air Cutter, quick!” I ordered, and Golbat summoned blades of air once again, forcing Gible back.

Volo smirked, “Dragon Claw!”

Holy shit. Blue and red fire surrounded Gible as it sped forth, slashing through Golbat with such force that the bat Pokémon smashed onto the ground, tumbling back.

I was shocked, as I quickly called Golbat back, “Buizel, go!” I sent out the otter Pokémon., “Ice Punch, go!”

Ice and frost shrouded around Buizel’s paw, as the otter Pokémon quickly moved ahead to punch Gible back. And the four-times weakness spoke for itself, Gible fainted.

Volo chuckled as he recalled his Gible, “You’re quite adept at instructing your Pokémon in battle. Goodness, that was fun!”

A white glow enveloped my Buizel, as the Water-type grew and changed until it was a Floatzel. “Ha, nice!” I cheered.

“You’re quite strong, I’ll give you that. Now here, let me help heal your Pokémon.” Volo offered, again, having no qualms about using his own supplies to heal both our Pokémon. “That settles it, then.” He stood tall, “I must ask your help in retrieving the stolen wall fragment. With your skill, it should be a cinch!”

“Wall fragment?” I raised a brow, “The hell are you talking about?”

“Well, some bandits pillaged Solaceon Ruins and made off with one of the fragments of the wall engravings!”

I looked back, seeing the sacred tile Calaba was glancing over with remorse. Hadn’t occurred to me that a chunk of it was missing, guess I was too busy arguing with her.

“Have you not heard of the notorious Miss Fortunes?”

I looked back at Volo, “Can’t say that I have.”

“They’re a trio of bandits that have even hit us Gingko Guild merchants more than a few times! Not the kind of regulars I like to have, let me tell you!” He shook his head, “Mistress Calaba is doing everything she can to try and get it back, but at ninety-nine years old, there’s only so much you can do. It can be hard to chase leads all over the place.”

Ninety-fucking-nine years old?! What was up with the Pearl Clan? First they had a preteen guarding Kleavor, and now they have someone who should be relaxing in a home somewhere doing all this?

“So, what do you say, kind sir? Why not help find the fragment for the warden?”

I considered it. Maybe if I helped her, she’d help me in return, so I wouldn’t have to go back to the village and risk a demotion of some sort. “I’ll do what I can.” I resolved.

“Naturally, I’ll be happy to help lend a hand!” Volo grinned, “Those sisters swiped my wares too, and I’m no Gingko Guild merchant if I take that lying down! And far be it from me to let them just get away with vandalizing the precious ruins of this region!”

Ah, right, I forgot how much this guy was into history. Well, it explained why he was here.

A rare serious expression crossed his face, “You know, I did see the remains of a campfire near the Mirelands Camp. Perhaps worth looking into?”

I nodded, it deserved looking into anyway, even if it wasn’t the bandits. “I’ll get that fragment back, Volo.” I started to head out of the ruins.

Chapter Text

I opted against using Wyrdeer on my way out of the ruins, as I would likely be moving too quickly to spot an unused campfire when there were so many trees, plants, and brush it could easily blend in with. Apparently, that was our only lead, for now.

“The Miss Fortune Sisters…a trio of bandits….”

Briefly, I pictured an old timey, all women group of Team Rocket from the anime. As goofy as the image seemed, they sounded familiar enough where a connection was warranted.

It only took several minutes for me to find this campfire. Seemed freshly put out, too, with improvised stump chairs gathered around. Were these bandits…roughing it out here in the wild? Something about that rubbed me the wrong way. Like, sure, they were criminals, but I mean, they weren’t just born in the wild, right? What happened to them to end up this way?

“Now who might you be?” A deep woman’s voice asked, “Not some stray traveler, from the looks of you.”

As if I needed anymore confirmation. I turned around, greeted by three distinct women. Their clothes were a little on the tattered side, and they had some kind of makeup or war paint on their faces.

“There’s only one reason people go poking around here in the middle of nowhere!” The chick to the left bemoaned in a high-pitched voice. Who…looked like Candice the gym leader from Diamond in Pearl? The black braids were a dead giveaway, were they ancestors too? “You’re after us three, aren’t you?!”

Something was off about her outfit, other than how worn down it was. There was a lot of blue, and the boots, those were Diamond Clan boots, I was almost sure of it. Black, with red accents, had to be.

“Sisters, we should introduce ourselves properly.” The chick all the way to the right with blue hair said, in a middling tone compared to her two sisters. “Before we show this poor fool how wrong he was to assume he could ever beat us.”

I took a step back, silently watching each sister, I couldn’t pin who the other two chicks were descended from for the life of me.

“I bring good luck to my sisters wherever I go…and ill luck to anyone who crosses our paths. I’m the eldest, and I’ll be your unlucky Charm!” The low-pitched sister boasted.

The Candice look-alike went next, “Thought you spotted a four-leaf clover? Well, I’ll have you seeing double! I’m the middle sister, and I’m one Clover you can’t pick!”

The lady with blue hair went last, “Heads, I win, and tails, you lose…you’ve got no chance in this game of fortunes. I’m the youngest, Coin, but I’m definitely not your good-luck piece.”

They struck a bizarre, yet elaborate pose, “We’re the infamous bandit trio, the Miss Fortune sisters, and your luck’s just run out!” Charm declared.

Shit, this really was Team Rocket. Part of me was excited for my own anime moment in the limelight. “Give the stone tablet back.” I stepped forward.

I was met with condescending giggles. “Let me handle this, sisters…I’ll only hurt him a little.” Coin stood opposite of me. “Come on Toxicroak, let’s douse this fool in poison!”

Wait, she was using a Poké ball? But, only the Galaxy Team and the merchants used those. I narrowed my eyes as the blue poisonous frog Pokémon was sent out. Bitter memories of having trouble with this Pokémon in my playthroughs of Diamond and Platinum came back to me, because I never had a good-enough Psychic move to wail it with.

I grabbed one of my own Poké balls, “Go Golbat!”

Golbat revealed himself. Luckily, Volo was kind enough to heal my Pokémon so that Golbat could perfectly counter this chick’s Pokémon.

“Zen Headbutt!” I ordered.

Golbat’s head glowed blue, as he torpedoed himself right into Toxicroak. The opposing Pokémon couldn’t take the assault, as it was four times effective, and it fainted.

A silence.

Coin recalled her Pokémon, sighing, “I’m not fond of this outcome, but at least it’s still better than plowing fields for the Galaxy Team.” She shrugged.

“Wait, what?” I took another step forward, “You were from the Galaxy Team?”

“Hmm, what’s it to you?” Coin answered angrily, “They’re still spoiling things for me even after I left!”

Golbat turned bright white, changing and growing in size, until the purple four-winged bat, Crobat, was revealed.

I smiled warmly. Something similar to this happened in Emerald. I caught a Zubat in one of the early caves, probably the one in Dewford Town. After it evolved into Golbat at level twenty-one, it evolved again at the next level. I remember being daunted, because Pokémon evolving by happiness wasn’t something you could necessarily control, but it seemed I was in more control of it than I thought.

The three Miss Fortune sisters moved back at the sight of the evolution, “Just take your blasted fragment and go.” Coin hissed.

“Yeah, that weird writing on it made us think the stupid thing was some kinda treasure.” Clover said, “But it turned out to be a worthless slab of junk! Tch! All that effort for nothing!”

“Tell me…why are you even seeking us out? What set you on this path?” Charm asked.

“I wanted to take the fragment back to help out the Pearl warden.” I responded, “And everyone really, seems this missing fragment affects a lot more people than I thought.” I looked at all three of them, “But I want to help you too. Were all three of you from the Galaxy Team? What happened? Why are you out here roaming around in the wilds now?”

“Goodness, how selfless of you…to go so far out of your way for the sake of another.” Charm said, looking a tad bit surprised, “Not all of us have the luxury of affording such kindness to strangers. For some of us, simply surviving another day takes all that we have.”

“But I can help you.” I pleaded again, “Please, just give me some answers here.”

“Enough. I have a score to settle with the Galaxy Team…which now includes you!” She took a calming breath, closing her eyes, “Remember what those ancient verses tell us….” She looked at me again, reciting the lines, “Why is it, in the days of spring, beneath the soft caress of the sun, the blossoms tremble and fall, spirits lashed by uncertainty?” A glare, “Your days are numbered, Galaxy fool.”

I frowned back, “Look, no one deserves to be living out in the wilderness, or, whatever the hell you guys have going on. But if you go after someone I care about, you’ll have hell to pay too.” Crobat hissed at them after my statement.

It was hard to tell if they heard what I said, as they all ran off.

Wordlessly, I called back my Crobat, trying to figure out what to make of those three, couldn’t help but feel bad for them.

Wait a minute, the sandals. Charm’s sandals.

They were exactly the same as the ones those in the Survey Corps wear. The ones Akari, Captain Cyllene, and I used to wear. She was actually part of the Galaxy Team. I felt a sinking feeling, as the question of what the hell happened to the three of them was bouncing around my mind for nearly a minute now. Did all three of them live in Jubilife Village, or with one of the other clans? What happened? Why were they outcasts now?

As much as I hated to admit it, I had to forget about that for now and lug this goddamn tablet back to the ruins.

The trip back up there took longer than I cared to admit, “Alright, here it is.” I wheezed, “The…the stone tablet.”

“Good work, very good work indeed, CJ!” Volo smiled, “You got the fragment back safe and sound!” He enthused, “I…I’m well aware of Cabala’s reputation. They say she’s stubborn, too old-fashioned, and so on…but she’s given the Pearl Clan all she’s had, ever since she was young. She lived her prime years here in the Hisui region, trusting in the guidance of almighty Sinnoh. I don’t think she hates the Diamond Clan or Galaxy Team…rather, I think she simply loves the Pearl Clan very, very much.”

I was starting to see similarities in the professor with this guy, in that nothing and nobody could bother him.

“Anyway, I do hope you’re able to calm Ursaluna’s frenzy, CJ!” Volo waved, “A raging Pokémon definitely isn’t good for business, I assure you.”

“Right, see ya.” I said, as Volo started to leave. Well, I suppose there was only one thing left to do now.

I kept hauling the stone tablet as I approached the warden and her Pokémon. “Oh, so you’ve come to bother me again? Well, come as often as you’d like, but it won’t change my mind.” She spat.

Turn around, grandma. I made a show of clearing my throat.

“Did you hear me?” She snapped, turning around, but the anger slowly melted into shock. “What? You went and retrieved the fragment from those bandits?” A pause, “Why go out of your way like that for a complete stranger like me?”

I let another silence hang, “It’s about making things right.” I said simply, “Doesn’t really have to do with me or you. I just want this back where it belongs, it wasn’t right of them to steal it.”

She hummed, “You’re that eager to calm Ursaluna, hmm?”

“If it’s possible, yeah.” I said, “People or Pokémon ideally shouldn’t have to suffer, regardless of what the cause is.”

She looked me over, “I’ll admit, I didn’t expect someone else to truly care for Ursaluna. Well then, let’s see that wall fragment.” The two of us gently pressed the fragment back into the tablet where it belonged. “Ah, there we go, good as new.”

I read it over a few times. It would take me a minute or so to understand it. It was written in Unown characters, if I recalled correctly. And they were just letters. Not as difficult as the braille I needed to translate for the Regi trio way back in the early two-thousands. (Although now it was much more than just a trio).

“Let me read what it says.” Calaba volunteered, so that I wouldn’t have to go through the effort of translation. “All lives touch other lives to create something anew and alive.” For the first time since I’d met her, the old woman smiled, perhaps feeling nostalgic, “I see.” She sighed, “I suppose it means people helping each other, like you helped me with the fragment. I’ve read this passage many, many times. But this is the first time I’ve truly understood what it means. Maybe this is almighty Sinnoh’s guidance?”

Sure.

She looked up at me, a warmer expression on her face. “What’s your name then, boy?”

“CJ.”

“I see.” She nodded, “Please, lend me your strength so that we may help Ursaluna.”

“Yup, that’s what I’m here for.” I nodded back.

“While it’s true Ursaluna has become enraged, he doesn’t seem to be in an utter frenzy.” She noted, “I think he will return to his normal state if we just give him some medicine.” A shaky sigh, “I could never bring myself to engage Pokémon in battle. But that’s something I can rely on you for, is that right?”

“Right.” I said, “But don’t worry, I won’t do anything too drastic, I’ll just see if I can weaken him a little, until he accepts this medicine.”

“Ursaluna prefers to stay at Sludge Mound, please join me there when you’re ready.”

“Got it, I’ll meet you there.”

Meeting Calaba at Sludge Mound was a lot easier said than done. Apparently, that area was very far away from where I was, and there were hostile Pokémon of different shapes and sizes all over the place. Bogs and marshes ruled the area, so even when I was riding Wyrdeer, I was moving at a slow pace. Wild Pokémon were at every twist and turn, ones I’d love to catch at another time, but right now, with the urgency of the situation, they were just another annoyance. Paras, Croagunk, Stunky, the Hippopotas line, you name it, it was complete hell.

I gently tugged at Wyrdeer to veer left, as I dodged another douse of poison spewed at me from a Croagunk. “Shit!” Wyrdeer cried out and coughed as his hooves were stuck in muck and dirt. “C’mon, c’mon!” After some urging, Wyrdeer freed himself. I looked down at him, feeling incredibly guilty, as most of his fur coat was now brown. God, if I were a Pokémon and my white fur was brown, I’d be pissed as hell.

I dismissed Wyrdeer, stepping up to Sludge Mound where Calaba was waiting for me, “Sorry I kept ya waiting so long.” I said, “A bit treacherous over here….”

The old woman chuckled for a moment, “I’m sure you’ll get used to it, CJ.” She turned away, “Ursaluna is enraged, yes. But he still must recall his long relationship with the Pearl Clan. He never fails to show up the moment I play my Celestica Flute.” She got out her silver flute, playing the same tune I had been accustomed to.

In less than a minute, a large brown bear Pokémon charged over. I swallowed hard, I could definitely see the resemblance to Ursaring, but this Pokémon looked even stronger.

“Now, should your strength to Ursaluna!” Calaba nodded firmly, “But remember, Ursaluna is a Pokémon very dear to the Pearl Clan. I will not permit you to catch him with those blasted balls!”

I snorted, “Right, don’t worry, I won’t.”

I stepped forward, preparing a Poké ball. What type even was this thing? Did it retain typing from its evolutionary line? “Go Monferno!”

“Mach Punch!” Monferno darted ahead, slamming Ursaluna with a speedy punch.

Ursaluna gave a roar that nearly shook the ground around us, slamming both it’s paws into the ground and fainting Monferno immediately.

What the hell? Was that Earthquake? Or Bulldoze? I wonder…

“Go Dartrix!”

Dartrix swooped in next, “Leafage!”

The owl Pokémon shot out sharp leaves at Ursaluna, and the bear Pokémon reeled back in pain, super-effective damage.

Does Diggersby have a friend these days?

Ursaluna retaliated by slashing through Dartrix, knocking my Pokémon back. “Leafage, again!” I called, “Strong style!”

Dartrix cut through Ursaluna with more leaves. I was about to call another attack, but Calaba stepped onto the battlefield. “Ursaluna, my poor darling. You must be exhausted from running around like that. Come, let me make you feel better.”

“Uh….” I was a little taken aback as she approached the downed, yet stressed and angered Ursaluna, “I would be careful…ma’am….”

“I know what I’m doing.” She dismissed, reaching into her bag of herbs and remedies. “I have here a special medicine of the Pearl Clan.” She said, “It’ll clear out any poison in a Pokémon’s body. If poison’s what’s causing Ursaluna to rage, then this will surely calm him down. We call it…Toxi-Gone!” She lowered herself to administer the medicine.

Ursaluna wailed. Apparently it didn’t taste very good, given how much he was howling.

An uneasy smile from the warden. “It’s so potent we can only use it on tough, resilient Pokémon like Ursaluna.” She gently patted Ursaluna, “There, there, dear…all better now, right?”

Ursaluna shook himself off, looking overall normal, all things considered.

“This is all very strange though….” Calaba narrowed her eyes.

“You’re right.” It took me a minute to follow, but then it hit me. “He wasn’t glowing. He wasn’t golden. Kleavor was golden, and…well, I guess Ursaluna was mad, but Kleavor was bonkers. You could barely use other Pokémon against him or else he’d slash them to ribbons.”

She hummed, “Very astute of you, Galaxy Team recruit. When you quelled Kleavor’s frenzy, I could see the strange light rising into the sky all the way from here.” She said, “But…no strange light came off of Ursaluna, nor was he glowing.” She made a face as she brushed at Ursaluna’s fur, “And what is this clinging to Ursaluna’s coat? Some kind of powder?” She asked, “That girl from the Diamond Clan, Arezu, now why did she of all people find the need to come tell me about Ursaluna, I wonder?” She turned to me, “Oh, but I almost forgot something important. Play your Celestica Flute for me, won’t you?”

I nodded, taking my flute out and playing it, the same song I played for Wyrdeer.

Ursaluna gave a kind roar, cutely looking me up and down. A brownish plate materialized out of thin air, into my hands.

What is this, the Earth plate? I wondered.

“Ursaluna is very good at finding things buried underground.” Calaba explained. “We say that he’s digging for treasure, even if sometimes that treasure may not always glitter and gleam.”

“You…you’re letting me use Ursaluna?” I was a little surprised.

A small nod, followed by a smile, “Now go and let your commander know what has transpired here, Galaxy Team recruit.”

I gave an eager nod back. I couldn’t believe it, I fulfilled my mission without hurting myself at all, really! I mean, yeah, riding back to camp was going to be a pain in the ass with all this rain and muck, but once I made it back to the village, I was home free!

When I crossed the village gate, Akari ran up to me, not a smile to be seen on her face. “There you are! You’d better hurry to the commander’s office!” She ran off.

“Wait, Akari!” What the hell? What, did I take too long or something? What was everyone’s deal? It wasn’t like Akari to leave me high and dry on the details. I headed up to the third floor as quickly as I could, seeing quite the group of characters up there.

“CJ, we got a situation here!” Beni barked at me the second I walked in. I tried to hide my grimace back, as I still wasn’t too fond of the old man.

“Let me explain.” Adaman faced me next. “Lilligant, our clan’s Lady of the Ridge, is in a frenzy….” He growled, “And Arezu knowingly kept this from me!”

“Wait, what?” I asked, “I just finished calming down Ursaluna, there’s another Pokémon that frenzied?”

“Yes, it’s our noble Pokémon.” Adaman replied uneasily, “It’s just like with Kleavor.” He huffed. “I’d like to find out what Arezu was thinking, but she’s nowhere in Jubilife Village.”

“Last I saw her, she at the Wallflower, polishing off a big ol’ plate of potato mochi.” Beni noted. “Not that I blame her…my cooking’s simply irresistible, after all.” He concluded confidently.

“If Arezu of the Diamond Clan was somehow involved in that situation with the raging Ursaluna of the Pearl Clan, it could lead to the two clans going at each other’s throats again!” Commander Kamado worried.

“Tell me, Commander. If we do end up in a struggle with the Pearl Clan, what will your people do?” Adaman challenged.

Kamado turned his back to him, “We would be forced to remain neutral….”

“Meaning what?”

“If we were to support one side, it would put us at odds with the other. We came here to create a new home for ourselves, not to take part in tearing the land apart….”

“Right, of course.” Adaman held his head. “After all the work you’ve put in to get us to treat one another as equals and keep us from fighting…I suppose it’s no surprise you’d refuse to intervene if trouble were to break out again.”

“We don’t have to engage in that hypothetical.” I cut in, causing all three men to look at me. “If I quell Lilligant, all is forgiven, right?”

“Yes, but what about Arezu, there’s her whereabouts to consider.” Kamado pointed out.

I thought about it for a moment or so. “Ursaluna.” I suddenly said, “If he could somehow get a whiff of something belonging to Arezu, I could track her down, maybe.”

“Or maybe he’ll just smell the potato mochi on her breath.” Beni threw out.

“Ursaluna?” Adaman repeated, “So he and Warden Calaba found you worthy then? That’s perfect.” He seemed on board with the plan. “Ursaluna should be able to sniff her out.”

“Good, excellent.” Kamado looked at me, “After locating Arezu with Ursaluna, you shall quell Lilligant’s frenzy as well.”

“I’ll head to Lilligant’s seat then, the Brave Arena, it’s called. If you’ll excuse me!” Adaman left the room, Beni followed not long after, muttering about going back to work.

“Listen well, CJ.” Kamado said before I could leave too, “You must quell any Pokémon that could cause harm to the people of Hisui. Always remember…we came here to make a new home where we could live without war or strife.”

Ursaluna trailed her into the Crimson Mirelands, which I supposed wasn’t a surprise. As much as I wanted to really feel like Wolf Link from Twilight Princess, sniffing out a potential lead, it was a certain kind of nightmare when wild Pokémon were trying to bombard me with different sorts of attacks left and right. Cyllene was not kidding when she said this place was more unforgiving.

It was also a bit different, riding Ursaluna compared to Wyrdeer. He had a great sense of smell, and could probably dig me up a mountain-full of treasure later, but he was much slower and more awkward to ride around compared to the deer Pokémon. It would be like going from a sedan to a pickup truck. I made sure to keep him safe from the wild Pokémon, but at this point, it just felt like I was going around in circles. What if I never found this chick?

But in the distance, after what felt like hours, I found her. A large basket of balms at her side. But she didn’t look so good….

Chapter Text

“Motherfucker…Arezu…what the hell happened?” I was at a loss, as I tried to pull on Ursaluna to get him to buck, like I occasionally would with Wyrdeer, but then I remembered that this Pokémon was likely hundreds of pounds heavier. Carefully, I got off the bear Pokémon, dismissing him.

“CJ….” She looked up at me, “How did things go with Ursaluna?”

“I mean, you just saw me riding him.” I pointed out, “He’s fine…what about you?”

She kept trying to rise to a standing position, but she would grimace at the end every time. Was it one of her legs? “How did….” A little grunt of pain, “How did you even find me out here?”

“Ursaluna, funny enough.” I answered, “You had potato mochi before you left, right? I just had him follow that scent.”

“He tracked me all the way here by the scent of that potato mochi I ate?” She seemed surprised, “That Ursaluna sure is something. I know he’s descended from one of the Pokémon blessed by almighty Sinnoh, but…wow!”

“Yeah, alright, I don’t need a history lesson right now.” A small smile as I got to her level, “It’s my turn to help you up.”

A nervous laugh, “I don’t think it’s a matter of helping me up, CJ….” She said, “My luck’s run out.” She winced, “I got chased by a Pokémon and sprained my ankle pretty badly while I was running away.”

That explained why she was trying to get up with only one leg. “Which Pokémon?”

“I don’t know….” She swatted a hand, “There were like, three or four of them going after me at once…it was a total mess.”

Guess that was the Crimson Mirelands for you.

“It’s almost like the world wants to punish me.”

“Don’t say that.” I was quick to blurt out, I glanced at the basket of balms nearby, “Looks like you were hard at work, at least, don’t beat yourself up about this.”

“Ah, there you are. Arezu, right?” I heard the aged wiry voice of Calaba behind me.

Arezu let out a little squeak of fright, and I stumbled back, trying to close the mistakenly-intimate distance I imposed on the two of us. “M-Mistress Calaba…I…I….” Arezu stuttered.

“I owe you an apology.” The older woman interrupted. “I treated you with disrespect, thinking you were just some whelp from the Diamond Clan. I’m sorry for that. I should’ve been more respectful.”

“Wait…but….”

“It’s not your fault that Lilligant became frenzied, nor that my Ursaluna was so enraged. You were trying to help them both, weren’t you?” A sigh, “I didn’t even have the courtesy to listen to you. You’d think someone who’s lived as long as I have would be more patient.”

“It’s okay…I didn’t really do a good job explaining myself either.” She sighed as well, “Ursaluna only started acting weird after he got too close to Lilligant and smelled her perfume.” She shook her head, “She was already frenzied at that point, so I’m sure that’s what caused it.”

“Ah, that explains the strange powder I found on Ursaluna. It must’ve been powder from Lilligant.” She took on a look of concern, “But what happened to your leg, dear?”

“I was gathering ingredients to make balms…but…but I fell and sprained my ankle.”

“She was like this when I found her.” I backed up her story, “She was escaping wild Pokémon.” I fixed my gaze at the redhead, “But…but how did you already know how to make balms?  I thought only the Pearl Clan and our group knew that, since that’s how we helped Kleavor.”

“Well, that’s one of the reasons I went to Jubilife Village.” She explained with a small smile, “I wanted to help Ursaluna, and I wanted to learn about crafting. While I was there, I bumped into Professor Laventon, and he told me about the balms you guys used to help Kleavor. So…I thought I’d make some for Lilligant using her favorite foods.”

I smirked, “Clever.”

“You Galaxy people know all sorts of things, I’d like to learn more from you, really.” Her smile grew warmer.

“Well then we’d better take care of our lady and get this mess resolved first!”

“Adaman?!” Arezu went pale.

“What were you thinking, doing all of this by yourself? Did you think I couldn’t help you?” He lectured as he walked over. “Though…no one would blame you for thinking so. Not much of a leader, am I? I’ve never even seen almighty Sinnoh with my own eyes…and I failed to imagine Lilligant would become frenzied too.” He looked at me, “CJ, I think you and I should take the balms Arezu made and head to the Brave Arena, settle this once and for all.”

“Don’t worry Arezu, CJ will calm Lilligant and that will be that.” Calaba smiled, “Things will settle down.”

“But what about Arezu’s ankle?” I wondered.

“Arezu will be taken care of just fine.” She got onto her knees so she could rifle through her bag, “My dear Bibarel and I will make sure she reaches her lady.”

Adaman was already heading off, and I probably watched a little bit too long as Cabala gently started to take Arezu’s boot off. Some people had all the luck.

Damn it brain, go to horny jail. Talking with another dude would sober me up. The esteemed leader of the Diamond Clan, no less. I bid Calaba and Arezu farewell as I ran off to catch up with him.

He had a certain swagger to him, I had to admit. “You want help with that basket?” I offered.

He shook his head, “Everyone else has done enough, it’s my turn to pitch in.” Adaman said, “Besides, you’ll have your hands full soon enough.”

“Lilligant, you mean?” I asked, a small pause went by, “Grass-type, right?” I kept up the conversation, “What can you tell me about her?”

“She’s strong.” He said, “Has a couple different kinds of spores that can really make things messy. But she knows powerful offensive moves as well.”

Right, Lilligant was a Grass-type, a special sweeper, if I recall. So, what, she would likely try to set up Quiver Dances and then try to fill my already fucked lungs with pollen. Somehow this didn’t seem as bad as with Kleavor. “Well don’t worry.” I took a shaky breath, not sure if I was saying this to myself or to Adaman. “I’m going to save her, I’ll end her frenzy.”

A chuckle, “Those Galaxy folks must be teaching you a lot about Pokémon, huh?”

“Well, there were actually Pokémon in my world.” I revealed, “Although I just read about them. Never did anything as action-packed with them as I am now.” A beat, “But I have a gameplan for Lilligant, at the very least.”

“Hmm.” He looked me over. I couldn’t tell with suspicion or not, but I had a feeling the Diamond Clan had better relations with me personally, so I took that risk. “Interesting.”

We climbed up an olden set of stone stairs, which immediately brought me back to fighting Kleavor in the Heartwood. In front of us was an arena, again similar to the one in the woods.

“Should we get started?” I asked.

“No.” Adaman held an arm in front of me, “As much as I hate wasting time, Arezu should be here for this.”

A small silence went by, “Well, thanks for coming out all this way to help us.”

He snorted, “It isn’t really all that far.” He noted, “Just a short walk from our settlement.”

I looked at him, momentarily stunned, “Your clan lives out here?”

“That’s right.” A small smirk, “You expecting somewhere else?”

“No, I just….” I fumbled, “I just didn’t think I’d ever see where either of the clans lived, is all.” A nervous thought occurred to me, “Am I allowed to know where you live?”

“Eh, you’d figure it out one way or another. Especially at the rate you keep gaining favors with the Pokémon descended from almighty Sinnoh.”

A nervous shudder. Just be quick on your feet, but also careful. Don’t do anything stupid. “Let’s hope I’m just as lucky with Lilligant.”

“She’s a beautiful Pokémon to behold, even in her frenzy.” Adaman sighed.

“I hope we didn’t keep you waiting.” Cabala said from a few feet behind us, she and Arezu joining us. “All it took was one of my poultices to get Arezu’s leg feeling better.”

“Calaba, ma’am…I’m deeply sorry we had to lean on your help so much, especially as we’re from different clans.” Adaman said.

She shook her head, “Arezu tried to solve this entire situation herself. I daresay she bit off more than she could chew, but her heart was in the right place. And that’s what counts.”

Arezu had her eyes fixed on me, even though the subject matter was literally about her. “Listen CJ, the Lady of the Ridge is like a dancer…always in motion, always moving. Watch her real close so you know what’s coming!”

Didn’t have to tell me that twice.

“That’s right, maybe you could tire her out that way, leaving her open to a Pokémon battle.” Adaman mused, he then sternly looked me over, “Don’t let me down!”

“I won’t.” I started walking up the stairs, stepping into the arena, the three onlookers watching on with mild nervousness.

The fog in the area cleared, as a thin yellow dancer appeared in front of my eyes.

“What the…?” I saw the resemblance, but. “This Lilligant looks different than the one back home.” I said, more to myself than the others. No matter, I should’ve expected the odd curveball at this point.

Poké ball in my left hand, basket of balms to my right, I took a deep breath. Showtime.

Lilligant started stepping and stomping around, as energy coursed all over her body. I suppose it did resemble dancing. I thought I would take advantage of her largely staying in one place, chucking balms at her.

“Hey, snap outta it!” I called, but it was futile, as always. Well, it was worth the try.

When she leapt in the air, I did not see that coming. A gasp escaped my lips, as I barely rolled out of the way in time. My ribs hated me for it, but it was a good thing I dodged. When she landed, the entire ground shook.

She tried that stunt again, trying to smash all of her weight on me, but I kept playing evasive, only throwing balms when she had to rest.

Her dancing grew quicker, as did her attempt to crush me to death. But I remained attentive, and it seemed to pay off.

“CJ, she’s dazed!” Adaman called.

I turned around, getting a Poké ball ready. Since she was a Grass-type, I had a lot of options, here. “Go Dartrix!”

My owl Pokémon came to my aid, but Lilligant was fast on the offense. She launched a bright green ball at Dartrix. But it hardly did any damage.

“Aerial Ace!” I called, and Dartrix slashed through Lilligant twice, immediately stunning her.

I was shocked. That was it? Kleavor needed to be beaten the shit out of for the same outcome.

“Well, don’t just stand there!” Adaman called, “Throw the balms!”

“What kind of tea to you like Lilligant, green?” I asked, throwing balm after balm at the dancer Pokémon. I got a whiff of salty mushrooms from the projectiles I was throwing.

After being pelted by a numerous number of balms, Lilligant shook herself off, readying for battle again. I immediately ran back, recalling Dartrix as Lilligant prepared a high jump.

She leapt at me a few more times, but this time she had a different move up her sleeve. Energy coursed through her, as Lilligant released an aromatic shock wave that traveled along the ground, extending from her.

Ah, well this was PlayStation 2 101, I jumped over the shockwaves, and from there it was a matter of waiting for Lilligant to tire herself out from jumping around. Lilligant typically had the first move, but it seemed all she had to throw at Dartrix were four times ineffective Grass moves.

“Go Dartrix!” I called, “Aerial Ace again!”

Again, it took one shot, and that was all I needed to keep using the Teatime balls.

She must’ve been getting enraged, because after that volley, she was moving a lot faster, shifting between her two attack methods in erratic ways so I couldn’t follow a pattern. One of her jumps nearly knocked the wind right out of me.

I wasn’t hit directly, but I tumbled in the dirt. I got up as fast as my ribs would let me. “C’mon Lilligant!” I yelled, “Snap out of it!”

At lightning-fast speeds, she tried to pounce on me again, but I was running for my life, too quick to be pinned. When she tired herself out again, I sent Dartrix out. “Aerial Ace, c’mon!”

She was downed, and I threw more Teatime balls at her. And then I heard a crack.

Lilligant fell to one knee. The golden coating around her began to crack off, heading to the sky in a brilliant light. My jaw dropped.

I did it. I actually fucking did it.

“Dartrix I….” A weary laugh, as my eyes grew wet, “I did it, we did it. We did it without me getting hurt!” Dartrix happily hooted, flyting around me. I caught the owl in midair, giving him a hug. Lilligant chirped cheerily as she watched us, doing a little twirl.

A plate materialized in front of her, floating towards my hand. The Meadow Plate?

I heard footsteps behind me, “Hey…thank you.” Adaman spoke up first. “You didn’t just save Lilligant…you saved Arezu as well, I appreciate it.”

I nodded back, “Don’t mention it. Just wanna keep doing the right thing.”

“First Ursaluna, and now Lilligant? You’re amazing, you know that?” Arezu cheered, stepping towards the leafy Lilligant, “Being frenzied didn’t suite her one bit. I’m so glad she’s back to her old graceful self.”

“Arezu.” Adaman frowned, “You still owe someone an apology.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it.” Calaba dismissed, “A young one like her is bound to get caught up in trouble from time to time. Remember what is written in the Solaceon Ruins. All lives touch other lives to create something anew and alive. There’s wisdom in those words, I imagine they’re the teachings of almighty Sinnoh itself.” She looked at me, “Of course, I’d completely forgotten about them until a certain someone helped me remember.”

Adaman nodded, “We owe you one, ma’am.”

“Don’t try to solve everything by yourself, Arezu.” The older woman noted, “You’re a warden. Of all people, we should know how to stand in solidarity with others. It’s our job to stand side-by-side with Pokémon, after all.”

“Yes, I know…I’m sorry.” Arezu somberly looked down.

“Well, I can hardly start yelling at you after Calaba wrapped things up so nicely.” Adaman said, “But one more thing, Arezu. I know you were trying to do what you thought was right, and I appreciate that. But from now on, do it without keeping things from me. Agreed?” She gave a small nod back, “Other than that, nothing else needs to be changed. Well, maybe put in some training.” He half-joked, “If anything else happens to Lilligant, I need you to ready to protect her like the warden you are!”

“Understood.” Arezu found her smile again.

“Let’s work together to keep the mirelands safe, Arezu.” Calaba smiled as well, to all of us, “I’ll be sure to inform Irida that the Diamond Clan and the Galaxy Team helped save Ursaluna.” She looked up at me, “You did well, CJ, all our different groups joined forces to work together on this day.”

I smiled too, “Of course, and there’s nothing wrong with that. We get a lot more done that way.”

“I admit, I had my fun, but it’s time for me to be going on my way now.”

Adaman had a thoughtful silence, “I worship almighty Sinnoh, ruler of time. And time is all about change…we can’t live in fear of that. We can only try to help the time we live in change for the better.”

“Thank you for everything CJ. I think I’ll stay here and keep Lilligant company for a little while.” Arezu said, walking over to the Grass-type. “What happened Lilligant, why’d such a kindhearted Pokémon like you get all frenzied, huh?”

Yes, why indeed.

“Although, I’m not perfect myself. I lied and hid things from you and everyone else, I couldn’t even keep you safe. I’m really sorry about all of this.”

As we all went our separate ways. One burning question remained for me. Why?

There was a beautiful sunset as I returned to Jubilife Village. “You’re a real wonder!” I heard a voice from behind me, “I saw the light disappearing into the space-time rift. Quelled another frenzied Pokémon, haven’t you?”

I smirked back at Volo, “Yeah, something like that.”

“We still don’t know what’s causing the lightning that frenzies these Pokémon. But you! You go on and rescue them! With a hint of trepidation!” He smiled, “You might even change the course of history here in Hisui…and I definitely want to be in the good graces of someone like that. Let’s stay in touch, friend!”

I wished the commander’s praise of me would equate to Volo’s, as I headed to Galaxy Hall.

“Smashing work with Lady Lilligant, CJ!” Professor Laventon greeted me as I walked in, “Akari and I are going to reserve a seat for you at the Wallflower!”

I waved back as he departed, heading upstairs to the commander’s office.

Beni was coming down the stairs from the third floor, “Caught her by the scent of my mochi, did you? Of course, you did.” He smirked confidently. “When you have my level of skill, your handiwork can be recognized a mile away. Remember to be thankful when you eat such masterful mochi later for dinner.” He departed.

Yeah, sure pal. Something tells me if it were up to you, I wouldn’t be eating it at all.

“So, you successfully calmed Lilligant.” Commander Kamado said as soon as I walked into his office. “Excellent. There may be times when the Galaxy Team is forced to fight against Pokémon, but it is all for the sake of creating a new home for ourselves, free of war and strife!” He looked me over, “A stranger fell from our world through the space-time rift. Then frenzies are induced by strange lightning, likely falling from that very same rift…but you have no connection to that lightning, isn’t that right?”

A cold silence. Why did I hear something in his tone. A ‘you’re useful to me right now, but the second you’re not, I’m going to take advantage of old-timey paranoia and have you executed’ in his tone.

No, no CJ. You’ve played too many political-intrigue video games. Hell, I’m pretty sure it was September or October when I was thrown into this world, Spooky month. Meant I was playing a shit of Vampire the Masquerade. You’re just being paranoid. He’s probably just making a joke.

I chuckled, “I mean, that wouldn’t make any sense, yeah?” I asked, “I mean, I wouldn’t have a Pokémon rip me open if I could control it, right?”

He chuckled back, “Yes, yes, I suppose not. Although we should likely investigate that rift, to prove that you are beyond impugning.”

I was a little quieter at dinner than usual. Was he actually being serious? Akari and the professor were chatting about this and that, happy as could be. But I had a hard time finding my smile. I quelled a frenzied Pokémon, with hardly a scratch on me. But suddenly that didn’t matter at all.

“There you go…piping-hot potato mochi, fresh from the stove.” Beni delivered our meal.

“Now this is the life, eh?” Laventon smiled, “Enjoying tasty potato mochi with friends, sharing the latest findings of our Pokémon research. And topping it off with a good night’s sleep…truly, who could ask for anything more?”

“I don’t disagree….” Akari said, “Yet, things are changing, and I feel like I keep staying the same…am I really making a difference?”

It was selfish, but I didn’t have it in me to cheer Akari up right now. I was busy with my own internal crisis.

Luckily Laventon was here, or else that thought would just awkwardly be permeated into the air for all of time. “Come now…don’t worry yourself, my girl! As a wise man once said, ‘trust in yourself, and you will find the way!’ Those words are worth taking to heart! As long as we truly believe in ourselves, I’m sure we’ll even get the Pokédex completed someday!”

I was a little slow compared to the others, in terms of digging in. But not slow enough to rouse suspicions. Why did I end up here? Why were the nobles getting frenzied? Why did I never feel safe?

Chapter Text

After a while, lying on my back to sleep wasn’t so bad. I was starting to get used to it.

Could’ve just been because there was so much to think about. Unlike some, the more occupied my brain was, the easier it was for me to fall asleep. Sometimes, I had to flood my brain with thoughts, but other times, like now, they came rather easily.

Professor Rowan. That was Kamado’s descendant. I’ll be damned that it took me this long to figure that out. But my memory of the Sinnoh games were rusty, so there were likely other ancestors I didn’t know about. Lately that comment he made seemed to be consuming my mind.

That, and the Miss Fortune sisters. I believed restorative justice had a place in the world. Or at the very least, I wanted answers on them. They all seemed to have a history with the three factions, with Charm and Coin outright stating they were part of the Galaxy Team, down to Charm wearing the exact same Survey Corps sandals. Something about that bugged me. Why was no one talking about them?

It also meant that Kamado, or, whoever else oversaw the sisters, had free reign to kick anyone out if they were seen as a problem. Which meant I wasn’t necessarily safe either. As much as I’d love to bring it up with Akari, or the professor, I feel like me poking around into the gritty history of Jubilife Village wouldn’t be appreciated.

Would I even care if they were dudes? If it were the Mister Fortune brothers, would I be as eager to help? Maybe it was some sort of paternal sexism that compelled me to lend an ear to three thieves.

The staring contest with the ceiling continued. If I kept it up, there wouldn’t be any morning left. Pokédex wasn’t going to write itself.

Known to turn up in bustling marketplaces now and again. It mimics people much as a child would, then watches how they react, eyes sparkling.

I winced as I had another bitter root. Just a few more weeks of this, and then you’re home free. I prayed I wouldn’t have to deal with another noble Pokémon. Or if I did, they would be as straightforward as Lilligant, I really seemed to luck out with her. Well, the warm bowl of soup and the steaming tea nearby would get the taste out of my mouth.

Regularly basks in sunlight to gather power…presumably due to the frigid climate. Nonetheless, the edges of the blade quills set into its wings are keen as ever.

Dartrix really came through for me during that fight. He stood his ground and wouldn’t even let the damn noble fight another member of my team. We’ve come a long way, haven’t we, buddy?

As much as I hated to admit it, I should probably show myself to the rest of the world. Which meant exploring the Crimson Mirelands. Ugh. Hello cleaning mud off all my damn clothes and getting rained on.

“Morning, sleepyhead!”

At first, I thought it was Akari, but I was a bit surprised when Arezu came to greet me as I stepped outside my quarters. “Arezu?” I asked, “The hell are you doing here? Uh…not that, not that you’re not welcome, or, or anything. Far be it from my place to decide that anyway…um….”

“You’ll never guess what!” She spared me from my rambles. “I’m gonna start working at the hairdresser’s shop! Now you’ll be able to try out my own original hairstyles! Isn’t that super exciting!”

I raised a brow. I had to admit, her enthusiasm was a little contagious. “But…like, no offense, but you’re a warden, how are you going to have the time to—”

“Oh, I’ll still be Lilligant’s warden and all.” She answered. Seemed like she thought about it. “I’ll be burning the candle at both ends. But I can make it work! Don’t you worry!”

“I am pleased that Edith found a worthy successor to her shop.” A proud voice announced, as my commander stepped into the conversation.

Damn, sure was rare to see him outside of Galaxy Hall. Arezu was even paler than I was, “Mister Kamado…sir, about t-that whole Ursaluna situation….”

He held a hand up, “If you are to work in Jubilife Village, then you are family to us. No matter who you are or where you’re from. Welcome, Arezu.”

She nodded, “Thank you, Mister Kamado.”

He nodded back, walking off. “Keep up the good work, CJ.”

“Stop by the hairdresser shop when you have a chance!” Arezu beamed, “I’ll give you a killer new look!”

I’m not sure how keen I was on a new haircut, but I smiled politely and waved as she walked off anyway.

I stopped by at the general store to see if there was anything I could sell. As, more often than not, I sold more stuff to this place than I bought. The stardust I got from solving the Drifloon request sold for a-thousand Pokédollars, which helped nicely with my financial situation. “Everything alright, Choy?” I asked, “You look kinda down in the dumps.”

He faced me, like he had to get something off his chest, “Valued customer! Wouldn’t you rather I had more wares to choose from?”

A small shrug, “I mean, I guess? It’s not the end of the world though, we’re all doing what we can.”

He shook his head, “Unfortunately, Tao Hua refuses to provide me with any new goods to offer.”

“Tao Hua?”

“The captain of the Supply Corps.” He explained, “He won’t listen to a word I say, would you persuade him for me? I’m sure you’ll get somewhere if you bring him some Hearty Grains as a token of goodwill. Two or three stalks ought to do it, but I think you should go with three to play it safe!”

I gave a slow nod. Seemed like a roundabout request. I was used to having to catch a Pokémon or something, but I was also pretty sure the grains were found in the Crimson Mirelands. I could easily grab some as I was exploring and catching some of the new Pokémon.

The weather wasn’t absolutely disgusting so I tried to take advantage of that as much as I could. I knew that Akari started working on the Budew entry, but maybe I could help finish that up.

A Poké ball clonked against Budew’s head, and it didn’t fight back much once inside the ball. I heaved a sigh of relief, though it was a tad bit lonely here without Akari.

Given our differences in Pokémon battling, Akari wasn’t allowed in the Crimson Mirelands unless I was there with her. But I think at the moment, she was in the Obsidian Fieldlands, training up some of her Pokémon.       

As I moved further into the swamp, I noticed a familiar reddish-orange Bug-type Pokémon. Paras. These things were a nightmare while I was trying to help out Arezu and Ursaluna, constantly trying to poison or paralyze me. Well, now I had a chance to catch them, and I would, as long as I was careful.

I was only somewhat careful.

I barely rolled out the way as poisonous sludge splashed the ground next to me, “Fucking bastards….” I growled. Maybe trying to catch nearly a half-dozen of them was biting off more than I could chew. “Monferno, use Flame Wheel!”

It might’ve been raining, but the Fire attack still did quite a bit of damage to the opposing Paras. My Monferno being ganged up on hardly mattered since he could one-shot them all with ease.

After I had enough of Paras, I traversed down towards one of the southern bogs, not at all excited about the potential of being accosted by Croagunk or Stunky. I noticed an older man in the distance, I think he was from the village.

“Hello there.” He greeted, “You’re the Survey Corps kid who quelled those two nobles, right?”

“That’d be me.” I responded.

“Think you can help me set up our new base camp? We’re making one by the bogs.”

Ah, two camps, just like in the Obsidian Fieldlands. “Sure thing, I’m not busy.”

“Our Odo could sure use someone as capable as you. He’s a fresh Construction Corps recruit, still learning the ropes.”

I nodded, “Sure, I’ll go up there and see if he needs help.” I headed up the slope.

“Oof, what a stench!” Odo was much younger. He was pinching his nose. “Whoa there. I would keep your distance, if I were you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just look at these bothers!” He gestured to three Stunkys not too far away, “They’re taking up the spot where I was going to set up a base camp!”

Yeah, they seemed like a nasty bunch, as they peered up at the two of us with beady little eyes. I could also now smell what Odo was talking about, and it was far from pleasant.

“Just one Stunky would be a headache, but three is a full-blown migraine!” He sighed, “Maybe I can get someone else on the team to help. Someone good at battling….”

“I’ll save you the call, I’ll take care of ‘em.”

“Are you sure? They stink something fierce….”

I reached for a Poké ball, “Yeah, don’t sweat it.”

“Well, if you insist…it…it is three-on-one. You realize this, right?”

“They’ll need all the help they can get.” It now occurred to me that I didn’t have a Ground-type to easily deal with these skunk Pokémon, as that was their only weakness. “Go Luxio!”

Type matchup or not, a good enough Thunder Fang was enough to sink one each turn. And they weren’t doing much in return. Sure, Luxio suffered chip damage form the Poison Gas and other minor moves hitting him from different angles, but it was a victory on Luxio’s part.

“Whoa…you weren’t kidding! And your Pokémon was brave too!” Odo smiled, “I can’t believe you took on three Stunky without getting smelly!”

Yeah, the laziness to blow off laundry really powered through on that one.

“Now I can start to set up camp.”

I helped him out with some of the supplies, figuring I might as well assist while I’m still in the area. “It’ll feel a lot safer here with this camp. And there’s not a whiff of Stunky either!” Odo was pleased, “Stop by anytime!”

I heard footsteps joining us, “This makes a second base camp we can use in the Crimson Mirelands!” Professor Laventon exclaimed. “Perhaps some Stunky will pop by for some fun and games sometimes, eh? Wouldn’t that be a treat!”

“Professor Laventon?” I asked, as Odo walked off to make sure he didn’t miss anything. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, I wanted to stop by and see how the Pokédex was doing, of course!” He said, then his smiled faded, “Er, CJ…I think there’s something stuck on your back….”

Dread filled me inside-out. I twirled around like a madman, paranoid some little Bug-type clung onto me and started poisoning me to death. “What, where is it?”

The thing on my back flung off, and I recognized it immediately. Thin black body, singular eye. It was an Unown.

“Is that a Pokémon?” Laventon was intrigued.

I nodded, “Yup, haven’t seen it in the flesh yet.”

“You know, I remember Volo telling me about the carvings in the Solaceon Ruins…that it was written in an odd matter of script. But it seems to me like the symbols are the likeness of that Pokémon!”

I was about to run after the Unown, but I felt a buzzing in my pocket. “Ah, is that your Arc Phone again?” Laventon smiled, “It must definitely be a Pokémon then, and that will be a Pokédex entry I will make sure to pay special attention to!”

“Oho, if it isn’t the Survey Corps recruit who quelled two noble Pokémon. Here as Choy’s errand boy, are you?” Tao Hua seemed to be a stern older man, looking down at me through the lenses on the bridge of his nose.

“That’s right, I thought we could work out a little—”

“Don’t waste your breath!” He snapped, “I’ve got nothing to sell to him and that store anyway. Now go on, scurry off!” He grunted, “Pestering me for goods when I’m already tearing my hair out trying to get Hearty Grains…the nerve!”

“That’s…what I was trying to say.” I reached into my satchel, holding out plenty of them, “I have Hearty Grains here.”

“You…you do?” The old man looked surprised, “Would you let me have some? Please? Just three stalks!”

“Sure thing, here you go.”

“Ah! Hearty Grains! The Crimson Mirelands’ finest treasure! The sway of those golden-brown stalks across the landscape…it fills me with a yearning for home!” He closed his eyes in memory, “I’d wager if you combined them with other ingredients, it would bring out tasty aromas, ones surely to attract Pokémon!”

And people. Damn it, now I was hungry.

His eyes opened, “Alright, I won’t send you back a failure, since you so kindly brought me these Hearty Grains. Tell Choy I’ll set him up with some new wares.”

I nodded, heading upstairs from the basement to go tell Choy the good news.

“That nostalgic and unmistakable fragrance. If only I could smell it again….” My attention was diverted by a woman mumbling to herself near Cyllene’s office. “I wonder if the herbs from my home region can be found here as well.”

As predicted, she locked onto me pretty quickly, “Oh, you’re from the Survey Corps, right? Maybe you’ll be able to find what I’m looking for. It’s an herb that looks like a bluish vine. I’ve heard it clings to a specific Pokémon. Please let me know if you manage to catch a Pokémon that has blue vines hanging off it!”

“Right, I’ll get to it as soon as I can.” I said, although it was late tonight, a little too late for me to go back out all the way to the Crimson Mirelands. I did have enough time to talk to Choy about his new wares, however.

“Choy, I’ve got some good news for you.” I smiled, heading to his shop.

“Yes!” He celebrated, “We’re going to get new goods in stock, all thanks to you!” He rubbed the back of his head, “I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with all of this. Tao Hua and I have had some…complications, before. But thanks to you, we’ve got excellent new items to offer! Do buy some!”

“Trust me, I will.” I smiled back.

“Can I come in?”

“Knock yourself out.” I turned a page in my notebook. Akari usually visited in the mornings, rather than evenings, but I wouldn’t turn her away. I hardly saw her all day anyway. The last couple days, honestly, with all the Lilligant chaos.

“How were the Crimson Mirelands?”

“Gross and muddy. How were the Obsidian Fieldlands?”

A pause as she giggled, “Nice.” She stood over my desk, watching as I flipped through the Pokédex. “I don’t think I really got to properly congratulate you on quelling Lilligant.”

I quirked a brow, “Yeah you did.” I said, “Remember, last night? The Wallflower, me, you, the professor? Pretty sure that was a congratulations of sort. Or not, guess Laventon will look for any excuse to indulge in his precious potato mochi.”

“I was actually going to ask you that.” Her smile faded, “You seemed distant at dinner last night. Distracted, is everything okay?”

My mind burned for me to tell her about it all. About Kamado, about the three thieves. She had to have known something, unless she was relatively new to the village too, but I doubted that. I would get some clarity on things, that was for sure. But it would also rouse suspicions, and that was the last thing I needed right now.

“Think I was just tired.” I lied, giving a shrug, “I mean, running around like a madman trying to save people and quell a frenzied Pokémon does that to a person.”

“Right, right.” She bought it, a sympathetic smile. “Well, make sure to take it easy.”

“Don’t worry, I will.” I smiled as I stood tall, “Wanna read the latest entry?”

“I thought you didn’t like when I read your work. Because I make comments on your handwriting….”

“Read it before I change my mind.”

“Okay, okay.” She half-laughed, “Don’t see what the….” She stopped talking, reading the entry quite slowly.

Said to lure away young children and carry them off to the afterlife. Some whisper that Drifloon are formed of reincarnated human souls, but these rumors are as yet unconfirmed.

She blinked, “This is….”

“Yup.”

“When did you do this?” She looked at me.

“Figured being afraid was holding me back.” I said, “It was…it was just bothering me. So I went Drifloon hunting, thought I’d understand them better if I caught a few of them, and I did.”

“That…that’s really impressive CJ. First the noble Pokémon, and now this.” She had a giddy look on her face, “The Pokédex isn’t gonna know what hit it!” She stepped forward, ambushing me with a hug. I let out an involuntary grunt, as my ribs cried out in protest. “Oh, gosh….” Akari backed away, “CJ, I’m so sorry…I forgot….” She flushed pink, “I…and…well, even if you were healthy…that was a little…over affectionate. I’m sorry.”

I shrugged, “No worries. I come from a family of huggers, I get it.” I plopped back down on the desk, while she still looked horribly embarrassed. “Trying to think of what to write for Budew and Paras…caught a lot of them today.”

“Oh yeah?” Akari asked, calmer than a few moments ago. “You caught more Budew?”

“Yeah, guess we can put our heads together with the professor tomorrow.”

As we conversed about how to phrase each Pokémon’s entry, and which Pokémon to go after next, I figured I had it down pat. As long as I had a good collection of people in the village who liked me, and if they outnumbered those who mistrusted me, I would be safe for the time being.

Chapter Text

“How are the boots treating you, CJ?”

“Pretty good, Anthe.” A polite smile.

“Those clothes you were wearing when you entered the village….” She smiled back, “I don’t know how, but it was like I was somehow gazing into the future….”

I chuckled, “If you think that was shell-shocking, you should see what some of my friends and family wore. Most of them dress way better than me.”

“But you’re passionate about fashion too, no?”

In a weird, roundabout way. I had fun making Sims and dressing them up. 

“Well, I have a duty of making this village more fashionable. Let us study fashion together!”

“Um…okay? How do we go about doing that?”

“Well, you’re from the Survey Corps, so I was wondering if you could lend me some of your talents.” Anthe said, “I’ve been told that Hippopotas, in the Crimson Mirelands, have different appearances based on gender. I feel like if I were to see and compare them, it would inspire me to create new designs for my clothing. Please, can you show me both a male and female Hippopotas?”

I was heading down there anyway, “I’ll see what I can do.” I assured her, heading towards the gate to inform Ress of where I was headed.

My work was more than cut out for me. I liked Anthe, and I wanted to do her request justice. But getting some Hippopotas sounded like a goddamn nightmare, especially with so many irritable wild Pokémon that could easily get caught in the crossfire. And then there was that other lady’s request. She was talking about a Tangela, I had realized after a good night’s sleep. And maybe in addition to that, I would catch some of the Carnivine stalking the swamp, they were kind of asking to be caught and researched.

There was a lady standing near the camp, which only meant one thing at this point. “Hey there! You’re that go-getter from the Survey Corps, right? I’ve got a request from you, if you’ve got the time!”

Politeness overrode my urge to blurt ‘I’m busy’, “Course I do. What can I help you with?”

“I’d love to know more about a Pokémon called Roselia. It has these gorgeous red and blue flowers for hands…such a gracious Pokémon!” She smiled, “I often come to the Golden Lowlands to admire Roselia, but just watching them from afar isn’t enough for me anymore! Do you think you could complete Roselia’s Pokédex page and show it to me?”

A slow nod, “Of course, I’ll do it as quick as I can.”

Alright, damn, so now I needed to be on the lookout for Roselia too. Christ, should I start a list or something?

Out of the four of my targets, Carnivine and Tangela were the closest. Besides, I could use Staravia to battle them, who I hadn’t used in a while. Or Crobat. Hell, I don’t think I used Crobat since the battle with the bandits.

It would be easier said than done, as Carnivine were highly aggressive. But I paced myself, trying to fight or catch only one at a time, using the tall grass to hide myself. Once I got enough of them, I nabbed a Tangela for that woman back at Galaxy Hall.

And up next was, dear god, Hippopotas. They were in a further back bog, right? The Scarlet Bog, near Sludge Mound. Oh, this was going to be an escapade and a half. Should I even bother calling Wyrdeer? Last time I was surrounded by so many goddamn Croagunks, Stunkys, and the aforementioned hippo Pokémon it made my head spin. Well, at least there wasn’t anything dire on the line this time, I could always book it if things didn’t turn out so well.

As I suspected, it wasn’t easy. I dodged another hideous mud ball spat my way. I’m sure the mucky projectile would be painful, but the real pain would be trudging back to Jubilife Village in a muddy uniform. I used Dartrix to fend off any of the Hippopotas nearby, but with an alpha Tangrowth on one side of me, and an alpha Hippowdon on the other, I was really trying not to catch their attention at the same time.

I was trying to catch the damn things without being spotted, but since they were half-buried in sand nine times out of ten, the Poké ball wouldn’t hit them, it’d hit the massive sand shell caked around them, resulting in more fighting. It took quite a bit of time, but I eventually had both a male and female Hippopotas for Anthe, and my uniform was only slightly dirty.

And Roselia, right, she was a ways off. I mean, I could encounter the odd alpha Roselia near the Budew by camp. But I really didn’t feel like watching half my team get slaughtered, I would have to take the long way, Cloudpool Ridge. It was practically next door to Lilligant’s arena, so maybe I would ride Wyrdeer for this one.

Like its pre-evolution, Roselia was fairly docile. Which surprised me, as most of the other Poison-types in this biome wanted to kill me on the spot, so it was a nice change of pace, collecting enough data to fill out a Pokédex page.

Professor Laventon and I hunkered down at the Mirelands Camp where we tried to compile a Pokédex page for Roselia, all the while, the woman who requested the page watched us with anticipation. Luckily we had finished up Budew’s page not too long ago, so we at least had some preliminary data on the evolutionary line to borrow from.

“How’s this?” I tried, handing Laventon the sheet.

“Ah, I see….” He read it over, “But let me add, this to it!” He scribbled something down.

I read it over. Though beautiful, it has highly poisonous thorns. There is an old tradition in my homeland wherein one would send these thorns to an opponent to challenge them to a duel. The first sentence was me, and the rest was his doing. “Is…is this true?” I asked, “Did that happen in your homeland?”

“Well, a friend of mine’s homeland.” He swatted a hand, “Anyway, you’d best show that eager woman the finished results!”

I nodded, walking over to the woman, “All finished, ma’am.”

“Ah, seems you’ve really learned a thing or two about Roselia! That didn’t take as long as I expected, let me see.” I handed her my notebook. “What?” She gasped, “Roselia’s poisonous? But…but it looks so fragile and gentle…I…I can’t believe it.”

“Yeah, it’s more docile than some of the other Pokémon found here, but it’s still poisonous.”

She nodded, handing me the Pokédex back, “I was able to learn a lot more about Roselia thanks to you. Please accept this reward from a gracious Roselia fan!”

I wouldn’t question experience candies. “All in a day’s work.” I smiled. Speaking of which, I had at least two more requests to turn in at the moment.

“Got the Hippopotas.”

“Ah, excellent.” Anthe smiled, “Please, one at a time, can you show me the male Hippopotas first?”

I nodded, throwing out his Poké ball. The sandy-colored hippo Pokémon looked around, then he met Anthe’s eyes.

The clothier hummed with interest. “And the female?”

I threw out the next Poké ball, and a darker-colored hippo Pokémon joined the sandy-beige one. The gender difference in the Hippopotas line always confused me when I first played the Sinnoh games. Took me a while to realize it was just that, a gender difference.

“Wow….” Anthe exclaimed softly, “I never thought such a simple change in color would lead to a different impression of the same Pokémon.” She smiled at me, “I have definitely found this inspiring. You can expect a new lineup of clothing shortly.”

“Good, good.” I smiled, departing with a wave. I didn’t exactly have the funds for clothes shopping at the moment, but I definitely wouldn’t mind looking at the available options once I was more comfortable with spending.

As I headed inside Galaxy Hall, I tried to make sure I had the right Poké ball with me. “Did you find the Pokémon? The one with blue vines on it?”

“That’s right.” I called out Tangela.

Her eyes widened, “Just look at it! A solid lump of vines!” The lady exclaimed. “And the aroma…this is the scent I remember! Yes. These are the herbs from my home!” She chuckled to herself, “I didn’t expect the Pokémon to be absolutely covered in herbs, I, I mean vines. And the vines are moving, too. I wonder what the Pokémon looks like underneath all those vines….”

Don’t look at me. One of the seven natural wonders of the Pokémon world. Right up there with ‘does Diglett have feet’ and ‘is Wobbuffet’s tail in control of its body’.

“Thank you for finding it for me!” She smiled, crouching down to Tangela’s level, “Don’t worry, I’m just going to take a little bit of your vines to use as herbs.”

“Just…just be careful….” I warned, as she seemed eager to do it anyway. Would it hurt? Didn’t really want this Tangela strangling the poor woman to death. Or maybe it was more akin to getting a haircut?

By the time I was done pontificating over it, the deed was done. “I have an idea, if I caught a Pokémon like you, I’d be able to enjoy this aroma every day!”

I chuckled at her enthusiasm. Let’s hope she wouldn’t get sick of it.

“How’s it going?”

“Oh, hey CJ.” Akari waved, “What are you doing out here?”

“Eh, thought I’d take a break from the Crimson Mirelands.” I shrugged, “Caught enough Pokémon out there to fill up my entire living area, most likely.”

“Oh yeah?” She smirked, “Here to cool down a little?” She joked.

“Oh yeah, this place seems a lot easier by comparison now.” I went along with it, looking ahead, “Don’t think I’ve been here a while, since before the whole Arezu-Ursaluna debacle, at the very least.”

“Well, I think there are some leftover rations back at camp.”

“I’m not here to eat.” I clarified. “Actually, I need you. Come on, let’s start walking.”

“Wait, what?” She seemed puzzled, “Where are we going?”

“Where’d you find Pikachu?”

She snorted, “Oh, that. You got me all nervous! I thought it was something, a little bit more dire than that.”

“This is extremely dire.”

“Alright.” She muttered, “Well, it was near Deertrack Heights.”

“Right. Should we hitch a ride on Wyrdeer?”

“No, no…that…that’s completely fine. We’re…we’re within walking distance anyway….”

The other side of Deertrack Heights was interesting. There were a few Staravia flying overhead, as well as some Bug-type Pokémon nearby. I don’t think I’d ever been in this area for too long. Or if I was, I was rushing to the Heartwood to either quell Kleavor or catch Pokémon there.

Paras was in this biome too? How the fuck didn’t I notice that? “Shh, shh….” I stopped suddenly, holding an arm out in front of her.

She crouched down next to me in the tall grass, “Did you find one?” She whispered.

“No.” The Kricketune buzzing around caught my attention, I threw a Poké ball towards it, “But I don’t think we have Kricketune recorded in the Pokédex.”

“Here, I think it was further along this way.” She crept ahead, beckoning me forward.

“Right, right….” I followed her along, “Lots of Kricketot here too, but we already have enough of them.”

“Oh, CJ…quick, over here!” She whispered urgently, “One of each, hurry!”

“I’m going as quick as I can.” I lumbered over, readying a Poké ball, “Huh…would you look at that.” It was a Pikachu and a Pichu. The former was grooming itself, and the latter was even asleep.

Akari perked up, “I think there’s a Paras or two coming…I’m gonna go fight them off.” She left my side.

“Damn it Dawn, don’t be a hero…Paras can be dangerous!” I warned. I get that she wanted to replicate the situation where I fought off attackers while she caught a Mime Jr., but I felt like the same principles didn’t apply.

Although I froze up a little bit more than she did. Did I just call her Dawn?

My brain threw me back into reality, and I threw a Poké ball at the Pikachu. Pichu was notably further off, so I got out a Feather ball for it. Luckily I was able to catch both rodent Pokémon.

“Alright, we’re good, let’s get moving!”

It looked like whatever Paras were hounding Akari, she took care of them. Nice to see that she was improving. It was quiet for a moment as we walked through Deertrack Heights. “God, I gotta be careful with my Poké balls.” I noted, “I only have a few Great balls, and it feels like the money I’m making from catching Pokémon is quickly being eaten up to buy more Poké balls because the Pokémon in the Crimson Mirelands are such a menace. Harder to catch too, so they use up more ammo, so to speak.”

“Well, you could always craft more.” She elbowed me, a little concerned when I reeled back, “Oh no, your ribs, CJ…I forgot again!”

“It’s fine.” I held my chest anyway, “You make a good point, crafting is important. Can’t just run away from it.”

A small silence, other than our footsteps. “So who’s Dawn?”

Bah, so she did hear. I really didn’t want to talk to her about it. “Someone from…from my world.” Not entirely false.

“Do I remind you of her?”

“Kind of.”

“…was she a friend? Girlfriend?”

“No, no, no, no, no…nothing like that.” A rare moment where I was flustered, rather than her. “There’s just, a resemblance, is all.”

My opinion and history of the Sinnoh anime was similar to the games. I was barely a teenager at the time, and I didn’t really know how to cope with moving on. I was mad that the games and anime were moving on to a new region, moving on to a new world of Pokémon. At the time, I disliked Sinnoh, I really didn’t like Dawn’s character, I wanted May back. Didn’t help that she was one of my first cartoon crushes. But at least now that I’m an adult I can look back and say that for better or for worse, Sinnoh was just as important to my life as Hoenn was. The anime was written damn well too, compared to other seasons. I still remember Ash and Paul’s rivalry to this day.

Of course, wasn’t necessarily easy to explain all of this to Akari.

At a clearing, I saw a new species. Or, new to Hisui, some of Hisui, I guess. That’s when it hit me, “Stantler. That’s who Wyrdeer is connected to!” I noted, “I wonder if it’s similar to Ursaring and Ursaluna….”

“Connected?” Akari repeated.

“Yeah, just look at the antlers.” I prepared a Poké ball, catching one of them. Though the rest of the herd ran off. Just like deer in real life. “Stantler is a Normal-type, but I have no idea what Wyrdeer is, whether it stays the same type, or…if it changes type.”

“Do Pokémon change type when they evolve?”

“Sometimes.” A shrug, “Alright, let’s bring our new findings back to camp. Think the professor will be happy.”

I was thankful they had showers. Sure, they were a little more simplistic than the ones back home, but we were lucky enough to have hot water. I’d been showering a bit more frequently lately, as after hours and hours of excursions in the Crimson Mirelands, it wouldn’t hurt to be thorough.

My Pokédex was waiting for me on the desk, maybe I’d get a little after-dinner snack too for the hell of it. I deserved to take it easy, we were finding all sorts of new species, things with the nobles seemed quiet, I didn’t badly injure myself dealing with Lilligant. And the village seemed happy, more bustling with life. Or perhaps that was just my perception of it. I could tell Arezu felt welcomed too. She would usually be sitting out in front of her shop, advertising for hairstyling, one leg would be crossed over the other, damn, I couldn’t get over how nice her boots looked. And I couldn’t tell if she was brave or carefree, maybe both. To come to another faction’s place of living and lounge back like that, offering business. It was kind of hot.

My face lit up. Fucking Christ, CJ. Don’t fuck this up now. The village is actually starting to like you now. The Diamond Clan is pretty fond of you, hell, even the Pearl Clan thinks you’re not half-bad. Wonder what’ll happen if I start screwing one of the wardens? Nothing good, I bet. Maybe it was the hot shower, it was making me even hornier than I usually was.

I stepped out of the shower, making sure to dry myself off thoroughly as I put on my more casual blank kimono and trousers. There were a few entries I needed to finish up.

When the sun’s light strengthens, the bud atop this Pokémon’s head opens. This is a sign to the people that the harsh winter is over, and the season of budding has begun.

Come on, would Arezu really care if we did something on the down low? It’s not like she hated me or anything. It was worth the ask, what, would she say no? Risk is worth the reward, I think.

I scowled, annoyed with the distractions, as I kept writing. Sometimes seen at the foot of trees in humid forests. The mushrooms on its back…called tochukaso…are not present on infant specimens and instead emerge as Paras matures.

Alright, two more completed entries down. There were a boatload more to work on, but I think I would collect more data before going in guns blazing. The Crimson Mirelands was a cornucopia of new Pokémon, I’ll give it that.

But I needed to take care of myself…maybe Arezu could help with that. She seemed casual, chill. Maybe she’d even step on you, if you asked nicely.

An annoyed huff, as I tossed my pencil to the side, it nearly rolled off the desk. God, I needed to go to sleep. I threaded my fingers through my blond hair. Hair that, was actually getting a tad bit long now. I suppose I have been here a month.

I could get a haircut, see where it goes from there.

Another sigh. Holy shit, fine. But if she’s not interested, I’m fucking bolting. I could get in a lot of trouble for this, just for fucking around, literally.

As I got comfy in my futon, I wondered if I could sleep on it. Maybe come morning time, I wouldn’t want to go through with it anymore. I had plenty of work to do, Pokémon to catch. It wasn’t going to be worth it in the long run.

Chapter Text

The request board was rather, er, busy, for lack of a better term. There were at least three or four requests on there, enough to give poor Professor Laventon’s handwriting a run for his money.

They all seemed to be from rather interesting characters too. Morel had one about a mushroom. Great, I should’ve expected as much. Did, did that say Pesselle? And Odo, that new Construction Corps recruit?

Well, Pesselle was the closest, and I also wanted to pay her back for her expert medical care. Wasn’t going to lie, when I entered the infirmary again, I was hit by a wave of anxiety and memories, from being laid up nearly an entire week after the Kleavor incident. Hopefully I wouldn’t have to burden the Medical Corps ever again.

“Hey.” I greeted softly, trying to be mindful of the patients who were resting. “You posted a request?”

“That’s right.” Pesselle gave a small smile. “It’s about Croagunk. A member of the Diamond Clan told me that they make medicine by diluting Croagunk’s poison.” She explained. “Medicine from Croagunk’s poison can apparently relieve pain in the lower back. I’d love to give some to Buck. The poor gentleman’s bedridden from back pain.”

Sheesh, I do not envy Buck.

“I’m an expert at medical production, so all I would need is Croagunk’s poison.” She smiled, “That’s where you come in.”

Guess it was time for another trip to the Crimson Mirelands, “On my way.” I nodded, leaving Galaxy Hall.

Now, where the hell did this Morel guy live? After asking around, I was able to find it. I knocked on the door to his house, and he quickly answered, “Phew, thank god I have the right place. You wrote a request?”

“Come in, come in.” He stepped back to give me room, “It seems my fellow mushroom enthusiasts are looking into a fungus that sprouts from the back of a certain Pokémon.” He noted, “Parasect, I believe it’s called. If you manage to catch one, I’d love to take it off your hands and do some research of my own. As a mushroom-foraging veteran for twenty years, I aim to keep my finger on the beating pulse of all fungal fact-finding endeavors, after all.”

Parasect and Croagunk. Right, today was a new type of shopping list, and neither Pokémon really had the reputation for being friendly. But if I could catch some Hippopotas surrounded by two alphas, I think I could handle a Parasect and a Croagunk.

I think Parasect was closer, at least, closer to the Mirelands Camp, while Croagunk could be found in the bogs. But Croagunk was a much higher priority, poor man was laid up and it looked like the only way he’d feel better was if I caught a Croagunk. Hopefully, nabbing Parasect would be fast.

While hostile, I caught a Parasect as quickly as I could. I would have to catch extra later, as Morel might’ve wanted the one I just caught, so the professor would lose out on a long-term study specimen. Croagunk was next, and I had a feeling it was going to be a pain in the ass.

It was difficult trying to corral the Croagunk in such a way that I would be only fighting one at a time. Damn near impossible, and stealth was hardly an option, because they had eyes like hawks. So while I was trying to battle one Croagunk, I was avoiding toxic blasts of sludge from others nearby. Needless to say, when I caught one of the little fuckers, I took a break at the nearby, newly-constructed Bog Camp.

I took a load off, munching on some berries as a snack. Professor Laventon walked up next to me, “Were you aware of Odo’s request?”

“I skimmed it real quick, why?” I asked.

“I believe he’s nearby.” The professor said, “Just saw him walk by a few moments ago.”

What the hell was he doing out here? Didn’t he know how dangerous it was in the Crimson Mirelands? Well, I could see what his request is about before I go back and help Pesselle. “Alright, I’ll go investigate.” I stood tall once I had a few berries.

“I’ve been waiting for you, buddy.” Odo smiled as I arrived. Yeah, the guy was like ten feet away from camp, at most.

“More Stunky?” I guessed.

“No, no…but it is Pokémon related.” He nodded ahead, “Have a look at that Sudowoodo.” I followed his gaze, “It was acting sort of listless, so I gave it a whole bunch of berries. But even though it gobbled them all up, it’s still like….motionless! Isn’t that odd?”

I haven’t seen a Sudowoodo in this world yet. I looked at the mimic Pokémon, seemed fine to me. Vibrant, if anything, but anytime Odo looked over, it froze stiff, like a tree.

“So then I figured it must be parched. After all, it’s like a plant, right? It must need to be watered.”

No, dude, it’s just fucking with you. “Uh, well…about that….”

“So if we fire off a good Water Pulse, it’ll be healthy in no time!” Odo grinned, “Bring a Pokémon that knows Water Pulse so we can get Sudowoodo feeling right as rain again!”

Didn’t think Floatzel fit that bill, he knew a lot of physical Water moves. I’d have to swap him out for Bibarel for a few seconds. “Be right back.”

There was also the morality of attacking a Sudowoodo for no reason. Regardless of what that guy thought, I knew the truth. It seemed to just be playing a harmless prank on Odo, and now it was going to pay for it.

“Alright, I’m back.” I said, throwing out Bibarel’s Poké ball.

“Get ready Sudowoodo! All your troubles are going to be washed away for good!” Odo was excited.

A resigned sigh, “Guess we’re really doing this….” I inched closer to Bibarel, “Hey, Bibarel…your weakest Water Pulse, on that Sudowoodo, got it?”

Bibarel seemed a little puzzled by the specificity, but he went through regardless. Strength didn’t seem to matter in the end, Sudowoodo got irritated anyway. It began a battle, but I was able to fend it off with my Bibarel.

Odo seemed horribly confused, “Maybe…it doesn’t like to get wet?”

“Yeah, that’s what I’ve been trying to say.” I pointed out, “It’s only pretending to be a tree. It’s actually a Rock-type.”

“Gosh, I guess I really rained on your parade, huh? Sorry Sudowoodo.” He addressed the weary mimic Pokémon. He then turned to me, “And I’m sorry for involving you in all of this too. I thought I was helping, but in reality, I didn’t understand Sudowoodo one bit.” He said, “Keep working on that Pokédex to help out poor fools like me, okay?”

I flashed a grin, “Will do.”

I knew I had to get back to Jubilife Village to help Buck, but I spotted something out of the corner of my eye. Ruins? Maybe visiting them for five minutes tops wouldn’t hurt, maybe if I was lucky enough, I’d have something to impress Volo with.

They seemed different than the Solaceon Ruins, in that they were mostly destroyed. There were a few new species of Pokémon too, a couple Lickitung, and a Ralts as well.

Wait, hold everything.

I prepped a Poké ball. Just one catch, Buck, then I’ll come back. Not only was Ralts a Hoenn Pokémon, but it was one of my favorites. I know Gardevoir had tons of memes and rule thirty-four jokes out the ass, but when I was younger, it was one of the first Psychic-types I’d ever used in a Pokémon game. (The first likely being Alakazam). Maybe this Ralts would be a permanent team member.

Seemed they were rather skittish, I was right to hang back and be sneaky about my approach. The second I caught one, I headed back to the village, beaming.

“Here….” I panted, “Came back as quick as I could.”

Pesselle smiled as I entered the infirmary, “Do you have Croagunk?”

“Yup, right here.” I threw out Croagunk’s Poké ball.

“Oh, my. So, this is Croagunk?” She looked the frog Pokémon over, “Has a charming little face, hasn’t it?”

To some. I was always going to be wary of these things in this world, after fighting so many of them off.

“I need a smidgen of your poison, please, Croagunk? Wouldn’t you be so kind?” Croagunk grunted something back at her request, when she held out a vial, it secreted some of its toxins into it. “Thank you, now, to make the medicine.”

It took quicker than I expected. She must’ve made most of it already, waiting on me to deliver the last ingredient. “There we go, that should be super effective.” She noted, and I swear I saw Croagunk laugh at that statement. “Pokémon come to our aid in surprising ways, don’t they? I bet we’d be able to help even a greater range of people and Pokémon if we could set up some kind of…aid facility where Pokémon worked side-by-side with us. Of course, we’ll need to learn more about Pokémon. I think the Survey Corps are helping us in ways none of us imagined.”

“Pesselle, my back!” A man rasped from one of the beds.

“Hold on, I’ve got just the thing for you.” She smiled at me, “It looks like we’ll have Buck up on his feet again thanks to you and Croagunk!”

I smiled back, “Happy to be of help.”

Though this is a plant Pokémon, it has a gluttonous and unruly temperament. Carnivine attacks its prey with its cavernous maw wide open.

The Pokémon from the Crimson Mirelands were really kicking the shit out of me, so I called it early after today’s excursion, getting changed into something more comfortable and jotting notes down for the Pokédex.

It is cloaked entirely in blue vines, preventing any glimpse of its true identity. The vines impart a refreshing sensation when chewed…they’re useful as a spice.

Anthe came out with a new, patterned line of clothing, vaguely resembling the Hippopotas I’d shown her, only coming in a lot more colors. Naturally I bought a top and trousers, just to vary things up a little. The aqua-blue kimono I had on fit nicely, and the material was quite soft.

Though large and languid, Hippopotas is difficult to detect due to its tendency to burrow into and lurk beneath the soil. When agitated or excited, it expels sand from its nostrils.

Look at me, getting all dressed up for my haircut. ‘Haircut.’

I shut my notebook. I deserved this, goddamn it. Or I at least deserved a break of some kind. I’d been working my ass off recently, no shame in relaxing.

Yeah, we’ll just use every euphemism in the book, won’t we?

I closed the door to my quarters behind myself as I stepped outside. Judging by the position of the sun, it was late afternoon, or early evening. Sure enough, Arezu was sitting outside, advertising haircuts.

“My hairstyles are bold and stylish!”

You know what else is bold, Arezu? What I’m about to do.

I gave a small wave as I walked over, “Hey.”

“Hey there!” She grinned, “In the mood for a style change?”

A chuckle, “I’m not sure about that, but I will take a haircut.”

“Sure thing.” She outstretched a hand, “Five-hundred Pokédollars.”

Cheaper than I expected, in fact, I don’t think I’ve ever been charged for a price so low, barring except maybe some supplies at the craftworks. “Here.”

“Thank you.” Her smile grew, as she pinched the bill between two fingers. “Now come on in.”

I was a little taken aback as she let me in, “Damn…it’s like…almost bigger on the inside.”

She chuckled, “Have a seat.” She gestured.

There was a mischievous look in her eyes. Although that was probably just her resting face. Maybe she was more of a devout Diamond Clan member than I thought, and she was going to slit the Galaxy recruit’s throat with a pair of scissors. Maybe I watched too much TV.

“Alright, what did you have in mind today?” She smiled.

“Nothing too outrageous.” I said, “Just a trim. I prefer it short.”

A hum, as she grabbed a nearby pair of scissors. “Sure you don’t want anything more exciting than that?” She joked.

“Maybe after I live here for a few years.” I snickered, “I’ll set a few fashion trends.” I usually either wore my hair short or I sported the occasional buzzcut. With a razor, I’d be damned if it took longer than ten or fifteen minutes. Without one, it would likely take a bit longer.

The parlor had quite a few empty seats, in case there were multiple appointments, I supposed. Did she and Edith work together, or was she fully retired? Was retirement a thing in this village? Were we the only two people in here? I flushed, and thanks to the goddamn gigantic mirror, it was pretty obvious to her too.

“How’s the survey work going?”

“Uh…uh…fine.” I found my voice, the occasional snip, snip of scissors could be heard as she would lightly direct me to turn my head so she could get a new area. “Kinda been working my ass off, really. I need to pace myself better, don’t wanna burn out. Doesn’t help that the Crimson Mirelands can a be a little…unforgiving.”

“Oh yeah?” A smile.

It then occurred to me that she was a warden of the Crimson Mirelands. “Uh, well, I’m sure I’m just not used to it.” I said meekly, “Didn’t know the Diamond Clan settlement was there.”

“Oh yeah, it’s a nice place to live.” She said, “It’s almost like…a privilege. Living so close to the area where I have to watch over Lilligant. Some of our wardens don’t have it as lucky.”

I was going to question her about where the Pearl Clan lived, but I figured it wasn’t my place to ask.

“Damn dude, your hair is like, really blonde.” She looked at a piece she cut off, “It’s like, pretty.”

I hated being so fucking pale. Every time I blushed, it was clear as day. CJ, stop being down bad for ten minutes.

“I guess.” A modest chuckle, “Your hair looks nice too. Red hair is a very, well, a vibrant color, right?” Although there were people with blue hair walking around, so maybe redheads weren’t as much of an outlier here.

Snip, snip. “You came from the sky, right? Another world?”

My chest tightened. “Yeah, yeah, that’s right.”

“What was it like?”

Was. Because no one in this world knew if I was ever going back. Not even me. I could be stuck here forever. Did that bother me? “Different. Very…very different.” A beat, “Pokémon were the same, largely at least. That’s why I knew what to expect with Lilligant so well.” I rambled, “Kleavor, not so much. That got a bit bloodier….”

“Hmm, interesting.” She thought about it, “Our worlds being so different, and yet Pokémon were the one constant.”

I nodded, wincing as the scissor tapped lightly against my ear.

Arezu picked up on my nerves, “It’s okay, CJ, I’m an expert.” She said, “I’m not gonna cut your ear off.”

“I know, sorry.” I let her keep working, “Bad experience, is all.”

“What, did someone cut your ear off?” She raised a brow.

“No, uh…they would just…joke about it…a lot, when I was a kid.”

“Well that’s kinda shitty….” She muttered. “Don’t worry, I won’t cut your ear.” She reassured.

After a bit more small talk, she was finished, “Ah, there we go.” She smiled, “Oh, wait.” She plucked a flyaway out of the air with masterful precision, snipping it away, “There. Now we’re done. Looks good, right?”

Shorter than before, but not too short. It would be easier to dry off after a shower, and that was all I really cared about. “Can’t thank you enough, Arezu.”

She got a broom and a dustpan to start sweeping up the hair. “No problem.”

“Did you want help with that?”

“Nah, don’t worry yourself. Just doing my job.”

I watched her clean, “Got…got anything else going on after this?”

“Don’t think so.” She answered, “Or I might…I should check the appointment sheet.” She muttered, “But other than that, I dunno, I was going to…talk to the professor, the folks in Galaxy Hall, go watch after Lilligant…uh, relax.” A pause, “What else do you guys do in the village for fun?”

I didn’t think. Maybe that’s why it flew out easier. “Fuck.”

She snorted, “Oh yeah?”

“Well, uh…actually…I don’t…uh, I was…uh…I was actually.” I took a moment to rest my lips, as they clearly weren’t going to cooperate, “I was wondering if you wanted to, ah….”

Her eyes widened, “You and me?”

Real smooth, Romeo. “Y-Yeah….”

She leaned in with a grin, and thank god she was wearing a sweatshirt, because I really didn’t need her tits dangling in my face to sway me further. “Has the resident time traveler taken a liking to me?”

I felt like I was inches away from a panic attack, my breathing shallow, “Look, Arezu…you should know…I…I’ve never uh, done it before.”

The surprised expression returned, “You’re a virgin?”

I flushed, “Y-Yeah….” My shoulders slumped, as I sunk into the chair, “I could just go….”

She shook her head quickly, “No, it’s okay.” A beat, “Does it bother you that I’m not?”

Fuck no, I needed someone more experienced. “Not at all.”

“Sweet.” Her smile returned, “Why don’t we go somewhere a little uh…more private?” It was a rhetorical question, as she took me by the hand and led me to her quarters,

“Oh, damn…you live here.” I noted, “It’s like…all connected.”

“Uh-huh.” She looked me over, “So have you ever kissed anyone?”

“Uh, n-no…sorry.” I blushed yet again. High school was not a forgiving time for me. I was a nerdy kid, raised in a rural, conservative area with no social intelligence or grace to speak of. A textbook nice guy. Took me nearly half a decade to unlearn that. And retail hell, but that was a different story.

“Don’t apologize!” She laughed, “So nervous, relax hon.” She stepped closer, “Or, or don’t relax…it’s kind of cute to see you so shy like this…complete opposite of how you are when you’re out battling.” She cupped a hand on my cheek. I was taller than her, but not by too much. “I think a hands-on approach works best….” She pressed her lips to mine, lightly wrapping her arms around me as we took it slow for the moment, which I appreciated.

She kept things extremely chaste at first, introducing her tongue as the make out session grew more heated. My brain had completely turned off at this point, and I surrendered to her. My ribs were bitching at me for how much she was hugging me, squeezing me. But I could give a damn, I needed this, the passion, the heat, the comfort and the contact.

But eventually she held me too tightly. Damn, she was even about to wrap a leg around me, but I winced and fell back, “Ow, ow, ow…Kleavor….” I hissed.

She stepped back, a little spooked, “What? What’s wrong?”

“Uh….” I was scarlet, “Kleavor, he uh….” I drew a line over my chest, “He got me real good…it…it’s still healing, to be honest. I…I’m sorry Arezu, I don’t know how far we can really go….”

She thought about it, “I mean, there has to be some way we could like, bang…get each other off.”

My eyes kept falling to her boots, “Well, I know of a way to uh…help myself….”

She saw where I was looking, but she wasn’t connecting the dots, “Huh?”

“Your ah…” I said it into my hand first, before giving up the ghost. “I can lick your feet. That’ll be plenty of foreplay for me.”

She laughed, and I couldn’t tell if it was at the bluntness or the weirdness of the request. “Well, that’s a first for me.” She reached down to take a boot off, “Uh…you mean my feet, right? Or did you want to lick my boots?”

Well now she put the idea in my head. I’d take a rain check on that. “Your feet, that, that will be plenty.”

“Sure.” She took her boots off. “So…should I….” She sat back on her futon, stretching her legs out in front of her, “Like this?”

My throat felt dry, and I was already at half-mast, “Y-Yeah…p-perfect….” I knelt down to her level, gently lifting one of her legs. Looked like I was fucking groveling to her. Hell, maybe she’d get off to it. Turning my brain completely off, I started licking her sole with reckless abandon, trembling with lust as I did so. She was either just a little ticklish, or not ticklish at all, watching me curiously as I kept licking.

She gave a soft sigh as she tried to relax into it, which only turned me on more. “Enjoying yourself?”

It was asked sweetly. Christ, this woman was a godsend. My mind kept shouting at me to stop, that this was unpractical, a waste of time, I needed to catch more Pokémon, make money to feed myself, but a different part of my body had long since taken over. “Fuck….” I shuddered. I felt a throb down below, but I wasn’t going to nut into the trousers I bought like, hours ago.

A breathier sigh came from her as I practically crammed her foot into my mouth, or, as much of it as I could. “Careful.” She curled her foot in, “Don’t choke.”

My only response was a sigh back, as I switched to the other foot, making sure all was fair and balanced, as my tongue went over her sole.

She leaned back a little, “If I knew how much you were going to go at it, I would’ve gotten something to read.” She teased.

Yeah, damn, I didn’t think of that. She didn’t even have any TV to watch, or games to play while I was doing this. “Sorry.” I finally remembered the English language. “That…that’s probably enough worship for one day.”

“You can keep going, I was just kidding.”

“Nah, I think it’d benefit all parties if I stopped.” I wobbly stood.

She seemed puzzled, then she stared at my giant boner. “Wow, shit dude. That…that’s fucking big.”

“I…I know.” I was embarrassed, “Sorry.”

“Don’t be.” She grabbed the hem of my pants, a devious smirk on her face. “May I?”

“I would be flattered.”

She gently pulled my pants down, “Holy shit.” Her eyes widened, “You’re big.”

“I know, I know.” I hissed, “What the hell do we do? I’m about to burst, and I haven’t like…how do you…I don’t know how to eat a woman out…like, can you—”

“Slow down.” She sat in front of me, curling her legs around mine as she opened her mouth and took quite a bit of me in. Yeah, this chick has definitely done this before.

“Ah….” I did not mean to moan so loud. Hopefully the windows were shut, plenty of kids in this village and I didn’t need them asking questions. “A-A-Arezu…I…ah, that’s not an a-answer….”

She moaned, but unlike me, my cock was muffling most of the sound, so she could likely be as noisy as she want. She knew exactly what she was doing. The feel of her mouth around my dick, tongue pressed against it too, it was too much for me to bear.

I didn’t last very long, which part of me was embarrassed, but I think I’d be guiltier if I made her jaw sore. I blew my load straight into her, anchoring a hand to the wall as I thrusted even harder than before. A lot of conflicting thoughts were bombarding my brain at once, but damn it, an attractive barefoot woman was sucking me dry, and nothing else mattered right now.

I heard a pop as she moved back and stood tall, licking her lips clean of me. “That feel good?”

Felt like I ran a fucking marathon. “Amazing.”

“Whoo….” She teasingly ran a hand across her stomach, “Lot of you to drink.”

“You could’ve spit.”

“Eh, but like…then I’d have to like, run and find a place to spit, and like…that’s a lot of work.” She joked.

“Alright, well…now that…you’ve given me all that…it’s time for me to…to give back.” I panted.

Her eyes brightened in remembrance, “Shit.” She said suddenly, “I just remembered, I do have one last appointment today. They’ll probably be here in twenty.” She looked at her feet, then her hands, then she licked her lips again, making sure all the fluids were off her face, “Think I’m gonna go clean myself up, later CJ.”

“Wait, but Arezu!” I called, “What about you!” She left the room, presumably to go to a bathroom or shower. I felt a sinking feeling, but I also didn’t want a customer to walk in while I had my pants down around my ankles and my dick out. I redressed myself, hurrying back to my quarters.

Chapter Text

Ralts fell yet another Shinx with Confusion. I reassured the Psychic-type, telling her she did a great job. I wanted her to catch up with the rest of my team as soon as possible. But, therein lied the problem.

Dartrix, Staravia, Luxio, Floatzel, Monferno, Crobat, Ralts. That’s seven Pokémon. I could only hold six, so Ralts was an interloper of sorts. More and more it seemed to be Staravia who was drawing the small straw. The last time I used her in a serious situation, was when she was a pre-evolved Starly. Against that alpha Kricketune. She came through for me back then, but Crobat filled every niche Staravia had, but better. Maybe I would train Staravia, level her up real good, so I could milk a Pokédex page out of her, and then when she would evolve into Staraptor, I would try to get an entry on her as well. And then, she would graduate to the pastures.

It wasn’t an easy decision. I felt bad enough letting Ponyta go. Well, it wasn’t like I was releasing her. But it still stung.

Or maybe it was the previous night that left me feeling so down in the dumps.

If I was more of an idiot, I wouldn’t think anything of last night. I got off, so what was the problem? But fucking propositioning sex to someone in the Diamond Clan, a warden, no less. Taking my time to feel good, and then leaving her high and dry with nothing. Didn’t exactly feel like the most feminist thing in the world to do. Douchey didn’t even begin to describe it.

I hadn’t seen her since then. I mean, we both had jobs to do. Should I apologize? Or would that make things more awkward? Was I going to get in trouble? I sort of implied that it should be kept on the downlow, maybe. Just feel like that would benefit both of us right now. The up-and-coming Galaxy Team recruit screwing a warden, sounded like gossip of the ages. And I wanted to stay on Kamado’s good side, obviously.

It was then I noticed Akari had asked me something, and judging by the look on her face, she’d asked me the same question possibly three or four times by now. “What, what is it, Akari?” I asked.

She was a little jolted, “I uh, I was just asking what brings you here….” She rubbed the back of her head. She must’ve meant the Fieldlands.

Ralts nervously hid behind my leg at the sight of a new person. I crouched down to reassure her, then I stood tall again, “Training Ralts, I’m trying to get her to evolve.”

A small smile, “That looks like an interesting Pokémon.”

A nonchalant nod, “Yeah, one of my favorites from my world.” I tried to scan for more Shinx or Bidoof, hell, even Starly would do, but they usually ran at the sight of battle.

“Are you okay, CJ?” She approached, “You’re like, zoning out a lot.”

“I’m fine.” I dismissed quickly, “Crimson Mirelands can be a bit much sometimes.” Wasn’t even that much of a lie.

“Right.” She stepped close, so she was standing at my side, much to Ralts’s chagrin. “Make sure you’re taking care of yourself, okay? Don’t be afraid to take breaks from time to time.”

‘Taking a break’ is exactly what got me into this mess. “Loud and clear, Akari. As soon as Ralts evolves, I’ll go have some lunch.”

That probably wasn’t the answer she wanted to hear. “Alright, well…I’ll go look for some…um, crafting materials then. Or I’ll see if I can catch some Pokémon. I’ll be around.” She gave a little wave as she ran off.

After a bit more training, and even some experience candies, a while light surrounded Ralts, and she evolved into Kirlia right before my eyes. She did a happy twirl as she smiled at me. I bent down to give her a small hug. Maybe now I should work on training Staravia up.

As much as I bitched about the Crimson Mirelands, they were giving me a lot of content in the Pokédex to work with.

Mushroom-lacking specimens of this Pokémon lie unmoving in the forest, lending credence to the hypothesis that the large mushroom is in control of Parasect’s actions.

Shit, Morel. He wanted his hands on one of the Parasect I caught. Well, I had plenty by now, I could afford to give one up to him.

A poison wielder with a dastardly personality. Despite such qualities, this species is afforded a measure of popularity due to its peculiar cry and comical features.

I hastily scribbled something down for Croagunk, I’ll jot something down for Ralts later. I know it’s only been a day or so since Morel gave me the request, but I didn’t want the Survey Corps to get a bad rap due to my tardiness.

Morel was a bit surprised, and he had all right to be, considering the fact that I just barreled into his room. “Oh, do you…do you have that Parasect?”

“Yeah, here….” I tossed out a Poké ball, and Parasect revealed himself. Sort of….

Morel blinked, “This is a lovely mushroom and all, but where’s the Parasect you promised me? Is this some kind of joke?”

“Wait for it.”

Parasect stirred, its little insect legs clittering around as it turned to face Morel.

Morel gulped, “The mushroom turned around….” He went pale, and I couldn’t blame him, Parasect definitely had a creepy side to them. “Er, no…it’s a Pokémon, not a mushroom.” He rested a hand to his chin, “And yet, call it forager’s intuition, but twenty long years of picking tells me something is amiss. Yes, what’s looking at me right now, it’s definitely a mushroom.”

I mean, it made sense, given how glazed over Parasect’s eyes were.

“Ha! Fooled you! Please forgive my shroom humor! But, could you imagine if that were actually the case?” He shook his head, “To think, a Pokémon that’s controlled by a mushroom, sounds like the stuff of fiction…right?”

I find it’s best to keep your mind open to this kinda stuff.

I bid the mushroom maniac farewell, maybe it was worth checking the noticeboard to see if there were any requests. “Excuse me, you’re from the Survey Corps, right?”

Apparently, I didn’t even need to go that far, “Yeah, that’s me. Can I help you?”

“Thank goodness you came along. Can you fetch a plant for me? I need to use it to make some medicine.” She smiled, “The plant I’m after has three leaves and is bitter enough to make you dizzy!”

Damn, that didn’t sound familiar. Maybe I could ask Akari about it.

“Unfortunately, I don’t know where it grows…try asking Anise of the Medical Corps, she’ll be able to point you in the right direction!”

I nodded, I’d take all the help I could get, although figuring out where this Anise woman lived was another issue.

Once I was guided to the correct house, I politely knocked on the door. Anise was an older woman, she gave me a kind smile. “Oh, hello dearie. Shinon sent you out looking for a medicinal plant, hasn’t she?”

I raised a brow, “Yeah? How did you know?”

She swatted a hand, “She mentioned something about tasking the Survey Corps to look for some herbs.” She said, “That’ll be our little three-leaved helper, then.”

I blinked in confusion, “I’m lost.”

“You see, Shinon doesn’t know this, but…the ‘plant’ is actually a Pokémon that lives in the Crimson Mirelands. Poor Shinon would be quite startled if she found out the truth, so when you find the Pokémon, bring it me instead, if you please.”

“Right, got it.” I nodded.

“Best of luck on your search, dearie.”

A three-leaved Pokémon? I would have to figure that riddle out later. For now, I should check Galaxy Hall in case there are any other requests.

I was stopped again by a worried looking man in the lobby. “There you are! You’re the one, right? The one they’ve all been talking about…the Survey Corps recruit who’s been exploring the Crimson Mirelands!”

A small nod, “That’d be me.”

He gave a shaky sigh, “My sister Wanda is in the Security Corps, you see…she went to the mirelands too. But she never made it back! You managed to track down that Arezu woman in the boggy mirelands, right? So could you find my sister Wanda too?”

I suppose if it could work once. “Yeah, sure, you got anything with her scent on it?”

“You plan on using Pokémon to find her?” He asked, “Would her favorite kerchief help?”

Gross, but I guess it would work.

“I’m counting on you! Please find Wanda wherever she ended up!”

“Got it, I’ll look for her immediately.”

Finding Wanda was obviously a huge priority, as her safety at the moment was unknown. And given some of the Pokémon here, it was smarter to act fast. Kind of felt like Déjà vu, riding on Ursaluna again to find someone. All the while, I had to be careful to avoid the attacks of certain Pokémon headed my way.

Ursaluna gradually led me towards an area south of the Grapejaw Bog. And luckily I was able to find a woman in a Security Corps uniform.

“Which direction was it again…?” She looked around hopelessly. “A…a person! Another real-life human being! Oh, thank goodness!” She exclaimed as she looked at me.

“You must be Wanda.” I dismounted Ursaluna.

A frantic nod, “I was on my way back to base camp when I was attacked by some wild Pokémon. I managed to get away from them, but I got completely lost when I was running…and, um…please…can you tell me how to get back home?”

“Up north.” I nodded in the direction, “Way up north.”

“North? Great, thank you so much!” She turned around, walking the opposite direction. If she kept going, she’d walk straight into a river.

“Your other north!” I called.

“Oh, er, right! North!” She whirled around, “Right, I…I knew that!”

I watched her as she walked off, hopefully in the right direction this time. I would probably have to go back and talk to her brother, but I haven’t explored this lower area of the Grapejaw Bog, and I wanted to survey the area, check and see if there were any new Pokémon.

I saw a familiar blue and white squirrel Pokémon. Pachirisu, guess it wouldn’t hurt to catch a couple of those.

After my excursion, I rested at the Bog Camp. But identically to before, there seemed to be someone in need of assistance. This time someone from the Security Corps. “Say, could you lend me a hand?” He asked.

“Sure, what did you need?” I walked over.

“I was on my way here from the Mirelands Camp when an alpha Hippowdon came after me.” He said, “I got away, but I dropped the charm I was carrying. And now I can’t find it anywhere! I’ve just got to have it back…if you find a charm in the swamp, can you bring it back to me?”

I nodded, “I’m on it.” Would Ursaluna help? I summoned him anyway, if nothing else, to traverse the swampy areas a little bit better. The nearest areas were either Sludge Mound, or Grapejaw Bog, so I’d have to search those areas thoroughly.

A sparkle caught my attention, as it could’ve been the charm the guard lost.

The second I reached for it, a massive thundering of sands could be heard, as an alpha Hippowdon surfaced and roared, nearly toppling me and Ursaluna over. Christ, I’d seen and heard a lot of documentaries where a hippo practically made a meal out of its predator, and I didn’t want to end up like that. The Hippowdon was so enraged, it was practically driving off all the other wild Pokémon.

I dismissed Ursaluna, “Go Dartrix!” I called, “Leafage!”

Dartrix shot out sharp leaves at the alpha Hippowdon. It did good damage, but I could tell it was going to take a lot more than that for it to fall.

Hippowdon charged ahead, ice shrouding its mouth as it bit into Dartrix, who fainted immediately at the four-times weakness.

Damn it. I was taking advantage of Dartrix’s temporary Flying-type to avoid a Ground move, but it seemed Hippowdon took advantage of it too. I was reminded of Mai’s words when I fought that alpha Kricketune.

“They’re strong, and they usually have access to powerful moves.”

Great, so this thing could have moves outside of its level-up moveset. “Floatzel, go!” I sent out the sea otter Pokémon, “Aqua Jet!”

Floatzel crashed into Hippowdon, but the enemy Pokémon fought back, hurling a massive ball of mud towards Floatzel.

Fuck me, I needed to shell out cash to teach Floatzel a better Water move, “Ice Punch!”

Floatzel punched Hippowdon with an icy fist, but Hippowdon quickly fought back, launching another mud bomb. But there was something about the wild Pokémon’s stance, the power behind the move.

Shit, the alphas can use strong and agile style?

Floatzel was down for the count too. I growled, recalling him quickly. Yeah, this was turning into a reenactment of the Kricketune fight, alright.

I didn’t have too many options. The only positive right now was that Hippowdon would undoubtedly move last. My remaining Pokémon were either weak to Ground, or Ice, or had fragile defense, like Kirlia.

Well, maybe I could kill two birds with one stone here. “Go Staravia!”

“Aerial Ace!” The bird Pokémon flew in and cut through Hippowdon. The hippo Pokémon’s counterattack was interesting, in that it actually went to sleep.

Shit, it just restored all of its health. I have to take this thing out fast while its sleeping before it raises hell and knocks the rest of my team out.

I had Staravia attack it over and over again, bombarding it with more Aerial Ace’s than I cared to count.

“Finish it with Double-Edge!”

Staravia crashed into the alpha Hippowdon with everything she had, and finally, the opposing Pokémon fainted. Sure enough, Staravia started to evolve in front of me.

“You sure are something, taking on a big angry Hippowdon like that!” I heard a voice, as the guard called from the other side of the swamp, Staraptor giving and eagle-tier screech in the background as she flew around happily.

I trudged through the muck, handing him his charm, “Found it.”

“Ah, my charm! There you are! It’s really you! Welcome back!” He smiled at me, “Means a lot to me that you went toe-to-toe with that Hippowdon on my behalf. You’d better believe I won’t go losing this charm anymore…not after you went through all that trouble to get it back for me.”

“No problem, anytime.”

The iron chunks for crafting were appreciated, I think they were needed to make Great balls. As I made my way back into the village, I headed to Galaxy hall, hopefully Wanda’s brother was happy that she came back to the village. Unless she didn’t and her sense of direction was so horrible she got lost again.

Fortunately, I saw Wanda and her brother, and they both seemed pretty happy, “Wanda made it back home safe!” He celebrated, “Boy am I glad I asked you…you’re just as good as everyone says you are!” He looked back at his sister, then to me, “Wanda’s new to the Security Corps, and she’s flighty at the best of times, so I can’t help but feel worried about her.” He said, “If it’s not asking too much, could you continue to keep an eye out for her?”

“Stop it, Zeke…you’re embarrassing me.” Wanda cut in, “I just got unlucky this time!”

“That’s what you say right now, but ever since we were kids, the second I took my eye off of you, you’d be lost somewhere in the bushes!”

She looked like she wanted to keep arguing, but she offered me a small smile instead, “Well, in any case, thank you CJ. I appreciate your help.” She said, “I knew there was a lost and found for items, but I didn’t think there was one for people. Or that I’d be part of it! Goodness, you Survey Corps people really are great at finding things!”

I nodded, bidding them farewell. Although a bittersweet part of me couldn’t help but wonder. How were my siblings doing? Did they miss me? Were they doing okay without me? Did they even notice I was gone?

Later that night, I was in Cyllene’s office, as she was giving me one of her typical Pokédex evaluations.

“Tends to prefer people with a chipper disposition to those who are gloomy, but it has shown no discrimination with regard to age or gender. Needs more research.” She read my entry for Ralts, flipping the page slowly. “It resembles a maiden in appearance, but it wields strange powers to project visions of paradise. I suspect the crimson ornaments on its head are the key to its abilities.” She passed the notebook back, “You’ve taken extra care in those two entries.”

I nodded, “They’re a personal favorite of mine.”

“Well, you’ve made significant progress. Seems you’ve earned yourself a star.”

Originally going from three stars to four would make me jump for joy, internally, at least. But now my mind was stuck on Arezu, the nobles, my family. The pause I took was nearly too long, “Thank you very much, ma’am.”

“In addition to a raise, you will now be able to use Leaden balls.” She explained, handing me a slip of paper, which was likely a recipe for them, no doubt. At a close glance, they seemed like the upgraded version of Heavy balls, similar to how Great balls were the upgraded version of Poké balls. I didn’t use the Heavy balls much, I preferred balls that flew out far, like the Feather balls.

The recipe for Hyper Potions, was a bit more convenient. It composed of Super Potions and Vivichokes, I’d have to ask for Akari’s help for that one later.

“Thanks again.” I nodded.

“Continue to dedicate yourself to completing the Pokédex if you hope to rise higher in the ranks.”

Chapter Text

The Poké ball clonked against the sleeping Lickitung’s head. Luckily the damn thing was asleep, so it was practically mine. That was the second Lickitung I’d caught, but I didn’t see any others, so those two would have to do for now.

I continued onward, trying to explore the swampy Crimson Mirelands as best as I could. Were there any other new Pokémon in the area I was forgetting about?

There were a lot of Stunky up ahead near the bogs, but I wasn’t sure if I was in the mood for getting slashed around or pelted by Poison attacks. Or worse, having all my clothes smell like shit.

Up ahead, I saw a rock snake Pokémon moving about. Onix? I prepped a Poké ball, trying to sneak up close. My stealth failed however, as Onix roared at me. I quickly ran out of sight, hiding behind a nearby boulder. Trying to catch my breath, I waited until its back was turned, and then I chucked my Poké ball, catching Onix.

There didn’t seem to be any others. Although I suppose if Onix traveled in groups, it’d be quite the noisy herd.

Over a cliff, I saw a trio of Teddiursa. As adorable as they looked, I didn’t want to deal with the alpha Ursaring three feet away from them. If they were anything like the bears back home, I wasn’t going to fuck with their cubs.

I went up a rockier path. There was a slight incline, as well as a Graveler rolling around, in addition to another Rock-type I hadn’t seen yet. Rhyhorn. I tried to hide behind what minimal rock cover I had, as I didn’t need clairvoyance to figure that Rhyhorn were likely aggressive.

I was able to catch a couple of them. But I didn’t want to get greedy and risk battling a horde of Rock-type Pokémon.

There was a path up ahead, two torches lining either side for a distance. Curious, I followed the path, and I was led to a smattering of blue tents, with a lot of folks in blue wandering around, going about their day.

The Diamond Clan. Shit.

It was too late for me to turn back, because some of them already saw me. “Unusual to have a visitor up here.” A man murmured.

I was kind of glad I wasn’t riding on Wyrdeer. Would that offend them? “Uh…I’m just passing through.” I cleared my throat, “I don’t mean to cause any trouble.”

I was received with a few nods. On the other hand, the hell was I so nervous about? Adaman, Irida, and the wardens waltzed into Jubilife Village a-okay. Why couldn’t I do the same?

A trio of kids ran past me as I was observing the settlement, playing tag or, some kind of similarly structured game.

“I’m gonna be just like Adaman when I grow up!” A boy smiled.

“Well I’m gonna be like Mai! She’s so cool!” A girl grinned.

I chuckled, as I started walking again. I didn’t get very far, however.

“So you’re from the Galaxy Team?” A small group of Diamond Clan members watched me inquisitively, “Led by that Kamado fellow?”

A nod, “That’s right.”

“And you’re working on a…what do you call it? A Pokédex?” A man asked, “I’d like to see it when it’s done.”

“I don’t know why you would.” A woman chided quietly, “They capture Pokémon in those little balls, must be torture! How horrible!”

“You came from the rift in space-time.” An older man muttered, “Let’s hope that’s not an ill omen.”

“How’s Arezu doing?” A chipper woman asked.

“Good, good.” I smiled.

The small crowd dispersed. Some of them singing praise of me, some of them more distrustful. A lone man was all that was left, “Is it true you have the favor of two Pokémon descended from those blessed by almighty Sinnoh?”

A modest pause, “Yeah, but…it’s no big deal.”

“Of course it is!” He argued politely, “What Mai said, it must be true then, you’re like the legendary hero!”

I raised a brow, “Care to explain a little more?”

“Well, legend has it that there was an ancient hero, who traveled the lands of Hisui with ten Pokémon who were dear companions to him.” He said, “This, mind you, was long before either our clan or the Pearl Clan came to be.”

Ten Pokémon? Wish I could carry that many around with me.

“Thanks for the info.” I started making my way out of the settlement. After all, I said I was just passing through, I didn’t want to raise suspicions.

“You’re from the Galaxy Team, yes?”

I turned around, seeing a distraught woman with a trio of Psyduck surrounding her tent. “That’s right.”

“Do you know of a medicine that can cure headaches? I need it for my Psyduck.” She explained, “I live together with these little ones, and I can tell they’ve been suffering terribly. I wish there was something I could do to help, but none of the medicines I’ve tried work. There are so many people in the Galaxy Team, surely you must have some kind of healer…please, can you ask them for some medicine?”

I nodded, “Worth a try.”

Going all the way back to Jubilife Village would take a while, but if was to help that woman’s Pokémon, I would easily do it. I barreled into the infirmary as quickly as I could, lightly tapping an older woman’s shoulder, “Hey, you see Pesselle around lately?”

“I’m afraid not. Did you need her for something?” She asked.

“I need medicine for headaches.” I said, then I realized I wasn’t being specific enough, “For, for Pokémon. Not for me.”

“Hmm? You’re after a medicine that can cure Psyduck’s headaches?”

How the hell did she know? “Yeah, that’s right.”

“Well, you’ve come to the right person. Take this, it’s a Secret Medicine that only those from my hometown know how to make.” She handed me a small bag of what felt like pills, “As you’ll soon see, it’ll work wonders! Give it to any ailing Pokémon, and they’ll be right as rain! Even a Psyduck’s headache will clear up, I’m sure!”

“Where does the medicine come from, exactly?” I wondered.

“The apothecaries in Cianwood City.” A small smile, “You best run along now.”

Cianwood City, from Johto? I shook it off, hurrying back to the Crimson Mirelands.

“Here.” I ran up to the woman, “Got some medicine that I think might work.”

“Well, let’s give it a shot.” A timid smile, as she carefully administered the medicine to her three Psyduck. It took minute or so for it to take effect, but gradually, the Psyduck seemed a lot calmer now, wandering around the settlement. “Wow, they look better already!” She exclaimed, “What a relief.” She grinned at me. “Thanks for finding this medicine for us. You know, I was a little nervous about the Galaxy Team before, but after you’ve so kindly helped us, I’ll have to reconsider.”

“Don’t mention it.” I smiled back.

“And what was that remedy called…Secret Medicine? You Galaxy folk sure are innovative, I’ll have to visit someday!”

Near the settlement, there was a Sudowoodo, perhaps trying to blend in with the Roselia or other Grass-type Pokémon around. They didn’t seem too-too skittish, only pretending to be a tree when seen. I caught a few of them, then I kept exploring the area, having never done so from the Diamond Clan settlement’s vantage point.

As I further explored the area, I came across another new species. Petilil. Well, I guess it made sense, seeing as how Lilligant reigned here as the noble.

Wait a minute, three leaves! I had to contain my excitement, hiding in the tall grass because the little Grass-types seemed highly skittish. All I need is one for now, I could always catch more later. As soon as I caught one for Anise, I started heading back.

Nightfall hit much quicker than I expected. Seemed like for whatever reason, the goddamn sun moved faster whenever I didn’t want it to. Last thing I wanted to be is caught out here at night, in an unfamiliar area, no less. I just had to be careful, stay away from any Ghost-types.

Speaking of which, I noticed a cluster of Gastly floating around. Which was a find in itself, as I remembered using Gengar for my playthrough of LeafGreen. For now, I’d only catch one, as I didn’t want the rest of the flock to ambush me.

I heard wings flapping nearby me, and I looked towards the distance, seeing a Murkrow. Readying a Poké ball, I gave it a throw.

However, it missed, clonking into the nearby tree. The crow Pokémon was plenty pissed off, attempting to dive-bomb me with what I assumed was Aerial Ace.

Motherfucker. Guess detailing Murkrow would have to wait, I wanted to make it home safe more. I bolted out of its line of sight, once I made it back to camp, I took a breather for a few moments, before going back to Jubilife Village.

I was notably more tired than I usually was when I came back. My schedule was a bit thrown off. I typically came back much earlier, not when it was pitch-black out.

Arezu was watching me as I walked by, nursing a cup of tea, “CJ, hey!” She gave a small wave, “You busy?”

I blinked stupidly. I had some sort of apology drummed up, or at the very least, something to clear the air. Yet, here she was, not only initiating conversation, but potentially inviting me in. “Not really, no.”

She slid the door open, beckoning me in with a hand. Wearily, I followed her inside. “Would’ve made you a cup too, if I knew you’d be in the area.” She noted.

I sat down at one of the stools, having no qualms with making myself at home, as I doubted she would get a patron at this hour. “You…were going to make me tea…?”

“Yeah, why not?”

A long silence hung, “So…about the other night….”

She was having a long sip of her tea at the moment, “Hmm? What about it?”

My brows furrowed, “I…I’m sorry?” Came out more like a question. “I don’t know, I don’t…I don’t think you really got a chance to get off, so…I felt kinda shitty.”

“I mean, I forgot I had another haircut scheduled, if anything, it was my fault.” She shrugged, then smirked, “Besides, I thought you’d come back here anyway.”

“I see….” I sighed, likely one of relief. “God, I was…that was eating away at me….”

She snorted, “It was? Why worry about something like that?”

A nervous chuckle, as there was another pause. “So how many of the other wardens are as…uh…sexually active as you?”

“More than you think.”

I chuckled, “What about Adaman?” I asked, “Is he getting it? Or is he more chaste?”

“Pfft, take one look at Adaman and you tell me whether he’s gotten it or not.”

I snickered more, “Alright, guess that was a stupid question.” I said, “Visited your settlement today, funny enough.”

“You did?” She smiled, “How was that?”

“Interesting, definitely interesting.” I mused, “Surprised Mai wasn’t there, or Adaman…I dunno, thought I’d run into a few familiar faces.” I knew for a fact I was paranoid about Mai pulling some kind of elaborate prank on me.

“I mean, well yeah, a lot of us wardens have work to do, work that’s quite a distance away from the Crimson Mirelands.” Arezu reminded with her ever-present smile, “I’m lucky in that Lilligant lives there.”

Another pause, “So, you don’t care about this?” I asked, “Us like…having a quick fuck whenever we’re both free?”

She finished her tea, setting the cup aside, “Don’t see why not.” She said, inadvertently leaving me in suspense beforehand.

“And you’re fine with…like, keeping it a secret?”

“That’s probably for the best.”

Thank god I didn’t have to justify my position. “So should we get started?” I asked softly, “Maybe this time, we start with some treatment for you. I would, I would love to learn.”

She made a thoughtful expression for a moment, “I’m not sure about that. How about we start with you again?”

“What? No.” I refused, “I don’t want a repeat of the other night. You should get a turn first.”

“Hon, you look like you’re about to fall asleep.” She smirked, “Not sure that would make for a great teaching moment.”

“But I’m going to feel guilty if I’m the only one who—”

“You didn’t let me finish.” She teased, stepping towards me to lean in, “Tonight, we’ll do…um, something similar to the other night. You look like you’ve been through a rough day, and if you need a little…excitement before falling asleep, well I won’t judge. Next time, however, we’ll…go more all out, so to speak. I mean, Kleavor injuries notwithstanding, I’ll participate with you.”

A small smile, “Like a third date.”

Her smile faded, and she turned away, “Um…um…yeah! That…that’s definitely a word for it.”

I sat up, a little concerned, “I’m sorry…ah, that was a shitty joke, I guess…I didn’t mean to, uh….”

“No, I…um….” She rubbed the back of her head, “Guess I didn’t tell you, really.” She finally turned back to make eye contact, “I don’t really, uh…do romance. It’s just, you mentioned like, secret flings, so…I didn’t think I’d have to—”

“Oh, oh my god…right, right…no, you’re right.” I was quick to interrupt politely. “Yeah, no, no…just friends with benefits, is all.” Was that a common term here? “Friends who fuck. I’m completely fine with that. God, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, Arezu.”

She smiled at my nerves, “It’s okay, you didn’t mean it.”

“Yeah, I…there doesn’t have to be any romance involved whatsoever, my bad.”

“Mmm-hmm.” She led the way to her quarters, “Shall we?”

I quickly got up to head after her, “You’re sure that…you don’t want anything tonight?”

“Yeah, you look like you’re gonna drop off any minute.” She snickered, taking her boots off. Which naturally dropped my attention span to a negative value. “Lucky for you I showered not too long ago, so.” A beat as she thought, “Unless you like them dirtier. Did I already fuck this up?”

“No, no.” I was quick to say, “Cleaner the better, please.” I met her eyes, “Can we make out, first?”

“Oh, sure.” She wrapped her arms around me as we started kissing. I could tell this wasn’t her usual style. That she was rougher, more carefree and passionate. But I also knew she was being mindful of my injured ribs. “Sorry….” She said quietly in between kisses, “You probably taste the tea on my breath.”

I snorted, “Yeah…goddamn audacity of you to have honey on your breath. It’s the last fucking straw, Arezu.” I reached around to fondle her ass.

A surprised, muffled groan as she bit her lower lip, no doubt taken by surprise. She kissed me harder, lightly knocking me into the wall. “Haven’t gotten to do this with you in uniform.” She chuckled, “Kinda makes it hotter.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Mmm-hmm….” She traced a finger along the four gold stars, “I feel like there are more of them here than before…I think there were just three when I met you, right?”

“P-Probably….”

“What do they mean?”

“They’re uh…how well I do at filling out the Pokédex.” I explained, “Cyllene awards them to me.”

“I see.” She moved back, taking a seat near her futon, “Alright, have at ‘em.” She stretched her legs out.

I crouched down, she was right, I was getting tired. But my cock demanded tribute. I hesitated, “You know, last time…I didn’t even bother asking which one was the bad ankle.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it.” She swatted a hand, “Warden Calaba used some of her medicine and stuff and it doesn’t really hurt at all anymore. That, and I’ve had quite a few days to heal. It’s not as bad as what you went through with Kleavor.”

I didn’t need any further permission to start lifting one of her legs slightly so that I could run my tongue along the sole of her foot. Her shoulders decompressed as she relaxed, “Would it be better if I was naked?”

“I’m not sure.” I took a break, “I like you clothed…makes it feel more…uh…like I’m being disrespected….”

Her brows raised, as a grin flashed onto her face, “You’re dirty, I love it.”

I didn’t respond to her comment right away, I was too busy licking and sucking her foot, damn anything that would stop me. After a couple minutes, I switched to the other one, giving it a nigh-identical treatment.

She sighed, “Let me know when you’re about to burst….”

“Yeah, I’m uh…I’m getting kinda close….”

“Alright.” She watched as I stood tall, she got on her knees briefly, to position herself in front of my cock, “I get to suck off a man in uniform.” She snickered, “Boy does that do things to me.”

She didn’t provide any further remarks, first smoothing her hand along my cock, pumping it a few times, which drove me nuts by itself. Once her mouth was all around me, I thought I was going to nut right then and there. Come on, CJ, fucking pull yourself together! I tried to last as long as I could, but the treatment she was giving was driving me mad.

I only lasted another few moments, blowing my load straight into her mouth. In love with the sensation, I let out a soft sigh, my shoulders relaxed as I started bucking more fiercely, until all my energy faded away and exhaustion took over.

She pulled away, hiccupping as she rose to a standing position, “Damn, shouldn’t have had dinner right before that.” She joked.

I gave a long yawn, “I will once again remind you that you can spit.”

She lazily considered it, looking me over, “I should probably hose myself off again.”

“Sure you don’t….” A yawn, “Sure you don’t want….” Another one, “A turn?”

She laughed, “Yeah, I’m good for tonight. Next time, though, don’t worry. We’ll spice it up.” She couldn’t stop snickering, “Can you even make it back home?”

“Y-Yeah! Course I can….” I wearily reached for the waistband of my trousers, pulling them up slowly. “G’night Arezu.”

“Uh-huh, night CJ.”

Chapter Text

I slept really well last night.

It gave me plenty of time to catch up on some Pokédex pages I’d been meaning to attend to. They form remarkably large flocks and are constantly fighting amongst themselves. I suspect that those with magnificent plumes on their heads are the strong ones.

Maybe it was because I let Luxio out to sleep in the same room as me. Proudly uses its electrified claws as weapons. It seems to be a gracious Pokémon, evenly sharing the spoils of the hunt with others of its kind.

Maybe it was because I was feeling quite sexually gratified these last few nights.

God, I wanted to see her again. But I probably shouldn’t, didn’t want to look fucking desperate, we both had plenty of other shit to do anyway. No, today should be all business, if I kept working on the Pokédex, it’ll help everybody out.

A small knock, “Can I come in?”

“Yeah, sure thing Akari.” I said, as I kept jotting stuff down.

My door slid open. Akari wore a tiny smile on her face. “I hear you’ve been blitzing out Pokédex entries lately.”

I chuckled modestly, “Yeah, guess you could say that.” I noted, “Exploring a new area can do that.”

“Must’ve been why you were promoted recently.”

I instinctively looked down at my chest, even though I had on my neutral-colored kimono at the moment, and not my uniform. “Yeah, sorry we’ve been missing each other so much.” It kind of just occurred to me how little I’d seen Akari in the last few days.

“No need to worry! I get it, you’re busy.” She looked over at Luxio for a moment, who was busy curled up in the corner, grooming himself. “Which, which is kind of good, the more the village knows about Pokémon, the better off we’ll be!”

I nodded in agreement, “Yeah, village seems like a bit of a friendlier place now. Least it does to me.” A shrug, “We took Arezu in with open arms, and she’s from another clan, so…definitely a step in the right direction.”

A small silence, “You’ve been spending a lot of time with her.”

My mouth fell open. I tried to preserve a poker face, as I didn’t know which way to take my reaction at first. “Yeah, I like her.” I played it off, “She’s cool. And she gives killer haircuts. Highly recommend it.” I looked at her briefly, “Well, if you’re in the market for a haircut, that is.”

“It’s just…she’s in the Diamond Clan…so, so I thought….”

Maybe she was referring to my interactions with Mai. “Nah, nah…this chick’s different. She’s the nicest warden I’ve ever met.” Which wasn’t even a lie. Mai was, while not entirely unpleasant, a bit odd, she liked to play head games with me which I couldn’t keep up with. Lian was kind of a little shit unless you were directly helping him. And Calaba was nasty until I got that tablet for her. So it wasn’t even much of a competition. Arezu was the only one directly friendly to me from the get-go.

It was hard to read the expression on her face, “I see…maybe I should head out, see if Professor Laventon needs anything.”

“Ah, just to let you know, I might be in the Obsidian Fieldlands a lot today.” I notified, “Especially at night. Professor wanted me to get more Golbat. He’s only looked at one specimen, and was going on the other day about how he swore the female ones had different fang sizes.”

“Right, okay…oh, I almost forgot….” She placed a little slip of paper on my desk, “A new crafting recipe.” She gave a little wave, departing. “Bye CJ!”

She left quicker than I expected, I read the slip over. Scatter Bangs? My mind wandered, but it wasn’t too hard to figure out what it was from context clues alone. Likely something to emit a loud noise and scare off Pokémon. I didn’t recognize many of the ingredients, so I’d bug Akari with that later.

Although before I leave, it wouldn’t hurt turning in that Petilil to Anise, while I was still in the village. I took a quick trip to the pastures to get the little Grass-type.

I knocked politely on Anise’s door, being let in shortly afterwards. “Ah, have you brought our three-leaved helper?”

Here’s hoping there isn’t another Grass-type with three leaves on its head that I need. “Yup, right here.” I called out Petilil.

Anise walked over with a smile, “Ah, there’s no mistaking those lovely leaves. This precious darling is the one that we need! Now then, Petilil dear, would you be so kind as to share a few of your leaves with us?”

The door opened again. It was Shinon. “Hello again, young man. Did you find that plant I asked you for?” She asked, but quickly upon seeing Petilil, she backed away to the wall, notably paler, “A…a Pokémon?” She gasped.

“Oh my. Seems we’ve been discovered.” Anise chuckled, “Petilil here is just sharing its leaves so that we can make our medicine, Shinon. No need to panic.”

“T-That’s i-i-impossible!” She was still a wreck, “The medicine ingredients came from a Pokémon this whole time?” She frowned, “You know how scared I am of Pokémon. I can’t make the medicine if…if this is where it’s coming from!”

Anise sighed, “This phobia of yours has gone on long enough. Pokémon scare you because you know nothing about them. But your ignorance should worry you far more than the unknown, my dear.” A quick glance my direction, “The Galaxy Team even set up the Survey Corps just so we could learn all about Pokémon. Would you have their efforts go to waste?”

Shinon relaxed, or at least she tried to, “I get what you’re saying…but, I can’t just get over my fear right away. Though I guess…I guess the Survey Corps works hard out there in the wild areas too, even though it’s scary.” A heavy breath, “Alright, I’ll do my best to get over my fear.” She timidly stepped towards Petilil, “I’ll start by learning more about this Pokémon and really getting to know it!”

It was nice seeing our work impact the public in real-time. I bid my farewells to the pair, leaving and heading out to do some fieldwork.

A white flash of light glowed around the area, as Kirlia evolved in front of me. Gardevoir turned to look at me when the light cleared, a small smile on her face.

“Ah, sweet!” I pumped a fist out, “Good job, Gardevoir!”

I’d been training Ralts, and then Kirlia in the Obsidian Fieldlands a little bit each day. And now all the training finally paid off. However, it seemed upon defeating one Staravia, I pissed off an entire flock of them. Angry tweeting could be heard, as the black and white bird Pokémon started flying towards me.

Shit, she may have just evolved, but Gardevoir was no match for so many physical attackers at once. Although I did have another candidate in mind. I recalled Gardevoir into her Poké ball, shifting to a different one.

“Go Luxio!” I sent out the electric feline, “Thunder Fang!” He dashed ahead and bit into one of the opposing Staravia, defeating it immediately.

Of course, him being bombarded by the remaining flock made me a little nervous. That nice lady from the Diamond Clan gave me a Max Revive for helping with the Psyduck, but ideally I would save that for emergencies. “Thunder Fang, again!”

Luxio downed another Staravia, and then a third. After which, he was consumed in a bright light too. After a few moments, Luxray stepped out of the light, roaring so loud, he scared the rest of the flock off.

“Yes, you did it Luxray!” I cheered, as the feline turned back, running towards me with a grin of his own, “Wait, wait…don’t pounce…remember, I’m still recovering!” Luxray purred, settling for nuzzling his head gently against my chest. I gently pet his furry head, smiling, “Don’t worry, I’m gonna make sure you keep getting stronger and stronger.”

“Ren from the Security Corps is trying to think of battle strategies to use with his Pachirisu. Talk to the chap, see what he needs!” The professor’s words rang into my head as I jogged through the Crimson Mirelands, trying to find this guy. It was a request I agreed to do not too-too long ago. But I still felt like I was late on the uptake, and I didn’t want to take any longer.

Apparently, he was by the Mirelands Camp. “Hey, you’re Ren?”

A small, meek nod. “I’m glad you’re here. Captain Zisu has instructed me to do all sorts of training. But…I don’t think I’m really improving at all. So I came here to train with my partner, Pachirisu.” He nodded towards the blue and white squirrel Pokémon beside him, “But I can’t come up with a winning strategy.” He looked at me, “But I’ve heard tales about you and your strength in battle. Could I ask you to show me how a Pokémon like Pachirisu can truly shine in battle?”

A shrug, “I could give it a try.”

He nodded eagerly, “I want to see you battle with a single Pachirisu. No more, and no other Pokémon. If you think you can show me how it’s done, I’ll be waiting.”

Now this was an interesting challenge. I guess he wanted me to empty my team out, aside from Pachirisu. Luckily, I caught quite a few earlier in the week, so I had some varied options to pick from.

I came back, holding a lone Poké ball, “This should do it.”

Ren gave a timid smile, “Ready to show me what Pachirisu can do? Let’s see it battle…a mighty Ursaring!”

My eyes widened. Okay, this guy wasn’t kidding around. Might be hard to win against a fully-evolved Pokémon.

“You’re on.” I said anyway.

“That’s the spirit! Now follow me.”

He led me not too far away from camp, where there was an Ursaring prowling around. I really wanted to catch it for the Pokédex, but this guy’s request came first, so ultimately, I’d have to defeat it.

“Good luck!” Ren stepped back, keeping his distance, as the Ursaring quickly took notice and advanced towards me.

The bear Pokémon roared, like it was demanding a tribute. I threw my Poké ball out. This time I would be the one with an alpha on my side. “Go Pachirisu!”

Damn, alpha Pachirisu was nearly the size of the Ursaring. Kinda killing the David and Goliath battle vibe I thought this battle would have. “Spark! Quickly!”

Pachirisu shrouded itself in electricity, tackling into the Ursaring. Ursaring was knocked back, but it quickly retaliated by slashing Pachirisu with its claws, and the squirrel Pokémon fell back considerably.

I frowned, “Spark, again!” I ordered, “Strong style!”

The electricity surrounding Pachirisu was stronger, fiercer. It was a tad reckless, as if this attack failed to knock it out, Ursaring would likely get two attacks in, and that was more than enough to faint Pachirisu.

Perhaps using the yellow ring on its torso as a bullseye, Pachirisu nailed it, and the Ursaring fainted, much to my and Ren's shock.

“Astonishing! That’s really amazing! You defeated an Ursaring with a Pachirisu!” Ren praised.

I did, although I wouldn’t recommend going at it with a regular Pachirisu. Daresay I cheated.

“And your Pachirisu looked so pumped up and eager for battle! It looked like it was fearless!” Ren was all smiles. “You directed your Pachirisu with such aplomb in battle…it was clear how well you understood it! I guess all the work you Survey Corps members put into learning about Pokémon pays off. But…we won’t be outdone!” He declared, “We’ll work hard to reach that same level of understanding!”

I chuckled, recalling Pachirisu, “Well, good luck to you both.” I said, heading back to the Mirelands Camp.

I used to take really long showers back in my world. It was something I had to unlearn really fast here.

Water consumption was a big factor, as this poor little village wasn’t as well-off as my modern-day world was. I didn’t want to put any more strain on it than I had to. Didn’t make the coldness of the air after my warm shower any better.

I diligently dried myself off, making sure to be careful with my chest. Really, it could’ve been colder. If anything, it was temperature, warm in Jubilife Village. A nice beach nearby. If I wasn’t up to my eyeballs in Pokédex pages, and if I was a bit more respected by the village, I’d find it a romantic vantage point. I’d take someone out on a date near Prelude Beach, if it were ever applicable, show them where my head hit the sand when I arrived, if it was still there.

As I approached my desk, I chewed on a bitter root. My grimace from the taste lessening more and more over the weeks, although I was quick to chase the horrid taste out of my mouth with a minty calcium tablet afterwards. I then grabbed the sharpest pencil I could get my hands on, flipping to a relatively empty page of the Pokédex.

A species related to the Pikachu line. Though Pachirisu is a calm Pokémon, it still presents a danger should one touch its electrified tail or cheeks.

I still felt like I cheated that guy out of the information he needed. He wanted to learn how his Pachirisu could fight better, and all I did was show off with an alpha Pokémon I caught. Well, what the hell was I going to do, give the Sitrus berries he gave me back? They were probably better off with me anyway.

Sitrus berries, first time I was given those was…by her.

“Think of it as a gift from the Pearl Clan.”

Damn it CJ, you don’t have time to think about that.

“I’ll be sure to inform Irida that the Diamond Clan and the Galaxy Team helped save Ursaluna.”

I wonder what she thought of that. Was her heart moved by hearing my name again? After everything with Kleavor, maybe some people would assume I’d throw in the towel. What did she think about me still kicking, still fighting?

Damn it CJ, just stop.

I kept writing my notes down. It sinks its sharp fangs into other creatures and slurps up their blood. A closer look at the fangs reveals that they are hollow and akin to straws.

Its hind limbs have become another set of wings. Crobat expertly maneuvers its four wings to dart in exquisite fashion through even the most confined caves without losing any speed.

Thinking about Golbat and Crobat, it reminded me of those thieves, the Miss Fortune sisters. I wondered how they were doing. Whether they were roughing it out there, or if they were actually living it up quite well. That was doubtful, considering the condition of their clothes.

Seemed Jubilife Village had more of a clouded history than some would admit. Although Charm and Coin made it seem like they left of their own volition, rather than Kamado or someone of near equal authority kicking them out. But was that any better? That implied that things were even more rigid here than it was when I first arrived, and Charm, Coin, and possibly Clover too, had to deal with it.

That was it, they were either banished, or they left because working conditions were so bad. This was assuming any of them were telling the truth at all. The curious side of me definitely wanted to ask someone, ask as many people in the village as I possibly could. But digging something like that up, it could be seen as suspicious. For now, I would keep working hard, working diligently. Earn their respect that way. Then they wouldn’t think twice about trusting me, disclosing personal information to me, treating me with more respect.

Another idea to go hand-in-hand with that one was strengthening my team up. I needed six dedicated Pokémon, ones that I could stick with, and I needed to make them as strong as possible. Feels like I’ve been just scraping by a lot in this world. Sure, with Lilligant I caught a lucky break. But she was a Grass-type, who my team was easily prepared for. And I knew that Pokémon already, unlike Kleavor. But I wanted my team to be more powerful. So encounters like the noble Lilligant were the norm, not a lucky exception. No one would fuck with me that way, person or Pokémon.

I straightened out my futon, undressing most of my layers to get cozy in it. Carefully, I laid on my back, facing the ceiling. Sometimes I still couldn’t make out how I felt about this world.

Pokémon were real, I could catch them, battle them. I was having sex. I wasn’t a virgin anymore. But was that all that mattered? I had family back home, friends. Although sometimes it was pretty much all or nothing with them. I had some family members that I honestly wouldn’t mind never seeing again. But there were some I knew that missed me, as I missed them dearly.

Didn’t seem fair to dump all this emotional weight on Arezu. Although it was obvious the woman could keep a secret. Sharing emotional baggage with her didn’t seem like a good idea. She wanted something casual, which I totally respected. There was Akari. I considered her a good friend after being here for a month. But we’ve been missing each other left and right recently. I suppose that should come with the territory, seeing as we’re now assigned to different areas. Maybe I could chat to Professor Laventon about it. If nothing else, the man was a surefire way to get the optimism and pep back in your step. I didn’t really talk to Kamado and Cyllene much if I could help it. The latter just stared back at me with cold, emotionless eyes, and the former would just want me to get back to work. God, was I working in retail again?

I glanced at the Arc Phone for a fleeting second. For the moment it was lying against the wall. Arceus, he, it, whatever the hell you want to call it, brought me here. This was all his doing. But why? What was going on with the nobles? Why was I acquiring plates, plates meant for Arceus? Why the hell was I even here? I hope I could come across those answers before the wrong people did.

Chapter Text

My exercise routine was a little different, since my ribs were still healing. But I at least tried to work out a little bit each morning. The more I did so, the better off I’d be when danger struck.

I had bought a second pair of indigo boots from Anthe. Think I liked the first pair more, but having extra footwear wouldn’t hurt, especially if something happened to one of them.

I hosed myself off after the workout, changing into my uniform and heading outside to greet the day. Maybe today would be the day I spend another night with Arezu. I looked over at the hairstyling shop. Currently, she was engaged with a customer in conversation. God, yeah, maybe I’d squeeze that in tonight while no one’s looking.

“CJ, you will come with me.” I heard Commander Kamado’s voice. Startled me a little, I had to admit. He didn’t even stop when he said his statement, he was still walking. “Come. To Prelude Beach.”

A brow raised. I know I said I’d want to have a date with someone on Prelude Beach, but this isn’t what I had in mind. “Yes sir.” I said quickly anyway, running to catch up with him.

At the edge of the coast, there were a little more than half a-dozen people gathered around. Seemed they just landed here. “These people have just arrived here in Hisui.” Kamado confirmed my suspicions. “They will live with us in Jubilife Village.”

We both stepped towards the group of settlers. “When we of the Galaxy Team first arrived on this land, we came ashore to Prelude Beach. It is where everything began. This is where a new life for all of you will begin as well.” Kamado addressed them.

One of the older settlers regarded us warily, “We’ve heard that the Hisui region is inhabited by many powerful and frightening Pokémon….”

“But we’ve also heard the Galaxy Team knows a great deal about Pokémon and uses their mysterious powers to help Jubilife Village grow.” Another man said.

“Indeed, you have both heard correctly!” Kamado answered jollily. “The reasons such tales reached your ears is in no small part due to CJ’s actions. He’s one of the Survey Corps recruits.”

I flushed a faint shade of pink. Was this why he needed me here? To show me off? I mean, looking back, I’d be flattered. But right now, I wasn’t sure how I felt being put on the spot like this.

“Through the combined efforts of all of our team members, let us continue to develop our village and thrive in the land of Hisui.” Kamado smiled.

“We look forward to doing our part, commander.” The older settler smiled back.

The settlers made their way into the village, I had to admit it felt a bit nice. Both not being the newest one here anymore, and also the fact that our village was growing.

This left just Kamado and I at the beach. “The advancement of our understanding of Pokémon, thanks to the Survey Corps, has expanded the areas where we can operate safely.” He noted, “That is what allows us to welcome in newcomers like them.” He turned to face me, “CJ, you truly love Pokémon, don’t you?”

The one constant in my life at this point. “Of course.” I regarded evenly.

The pause was a little too long. What the hell did he expect my answer to be? “Hmm…Pokémon have done grave injury to many of our allies here in the Galaxy Team.”

Well yeah, if your men are running around, spraying water at Sudowoodo, what do you expect?

“And yet you still find love for these creatures in your heart. I suppose that is a necessary quality for one in the Survey Corps.” He narrowed his eyes, “Remember this though…Pokémon are terrifying creatures. It is imperative that we study them and learn all that we can about them…whether we wish to live alongside them.” A glare out to the sea, “Or not.”

‘Scuse me?

“Be warned…as leader of the Galaxy Team, I am prepared to make harsh decisions in order to protect Jubilife Village.”

I tried to hide my shock. Okay, starting to think this guy has a screw loose. How drastic of measures are we talking about here? What about the people in the village who already have Pokémon? What, would we just, give those up?

“Commander?” I heard Akari’s voice, followed by footsteps in the sand, “Irida of the Pearl Clan has arrived.”

Irida? And suddenly my brain fogged over. Such important questions could be addressed later.

Kamado nodded, “Good, I believe I know what she’s here about.”

And then I felt a pit in my stomach. Great, which noble went insane this time?

“CJ.” Kamado looked at me, “I think it would save time if you were to just come along with me to my office.”

A rare moment where we were in agreement. The three of us left Prelude Beach.

Kamado made it to the third floor first, while I exchanged a few pleasantries with Akari and the professor. Seemed the building was abuzz with news ever since Irida arrived. I hurried up to Kamado’s office, where he and Irida were waiting for me.

“I commend you on your research of the Pokémon living in the Crimson Mirelands.” Kamado praised.

A slow, respectful nod, “Anything for the team, sir.”

“Your next orders are to begin the survey of the Cobalt Coastlands.”

“Right, and where is that, exactly?”

Instead of answering my question, he provided me with another. “I will let you know in advance…there are no noble Pokémon in the Cobalt Coastlands.”

Well, that threw me for a loop. “What?” I was even more puzzled.

“Allow me to explain.” Irida cut in, folding her hands, “We did have a lord in the coastlands…until a few years ago. A tragedy took him from us.”

A small silence, which I took advantage of. “Sorry for your loss.”

“Now, we’ve had some reports of seeing strange, shadowy figures on the island the lord used to call his home.” Kamado continued. “We have also received word from the Security Corps and the Supply Corps. It seems some of their members were attacked by a ghost while they were out gathering materials from Firespit Island.”

“These are serious concerns…and moreover, my clan will not tolerate this desecration of our late lord’s seat!” Irida frowned, “Normally, I would entrust this with our warden in the coastlands, but her situation is…complicated.”

“I trust my intentions are clear by now.” Kamado announced, “I hereby order you to investigate these reports.”

I nodded, “Yes sir.”

He crossed his arms, “You have nothing to worry about, Irida.” He looked at the clan leader, “With someone as talented and hardworking as CJ by your side, this should be solved rather quickly.”

Irida didn’t smile, in fact, her mood has been off. Of course, we were in Kamado’s office, so everyone was being professional, myself included. But she seemed colder than usual. “I’ll meet you at the gate, CJ.” She remarked before leaving.

I stopped by Cyllene’s office before leaving the building, as she wanted to brief me on my mission. “The next area for you to investigate will be the Cobalt Coastlands.” She informed from her desk, “It is farther afield than the Crimson Mirelands…much farther…and the path is long and trying.” She looked me over, “With your current rank, you should be capable of braving the Cobalt Coastlands. Your mission, to investigate Firespit Island.”

I nodded, “Yes ma’am.”

This seemed like an important mission, so I swapped out Staraptor for Gardevoir. As long as Dartrix was part Flying, I would keep the Flying-type count to two, with him and Crobat. I didn’t get much further after that, however. “Ah, if it isn’t CJ.” A young voice sounded.

I turned around, quite surprised, “Lian?” I asked, “The hell are you doing here?”

“I suppose it’s to be expected I run into you in your home village, after all.” He grinned, “Where are you going to study Pokémon next?”

Should I even be telling him? “The Cobalt Coastlands.” I answered.

His smile faded, and a somber experience took over. What the hell happened at the Cobalt Coastlands? Did a Pearl Clan member die or something? “The Cobalt Coastlands, eh? Palina’s certainly in a bit of a situation over there.”

“Right, and Palina is…?”

“She’s a warden, yet she has no noble Pokémon to attend to.” He shook his head, “There are even some in the Pearl Clan that speak ill of her, though not to her face.” He cleared his throat, “But ah, perhaps I shouldn’t be airing dirty laundry. Hey! Did you know that some Pokémon are drastically affected by different kinds of stones. With the right stone, you can evolve certain Pokémon!”

My eyes fluttered from the change in subject. Well, Eevee existed, so it was no surprise to me, at least.

“You need look no further than Kleavor for proof of that!”

Huh? Kleavor? That thing evolved by a stone? But it was Rock and Bug type, what stone correlated to that? Come to think of it, what was Kleavor’s evolutionary line, anyway?

“If you and the Survey Corps want to learn all there is to Pokémon, the stones you’ll find in Hisui will be very important. There’s even a tale that tells of a stone that contains the power of creation…the very same power almighty Sinnoh used to create the universe!”

Alright kid, history lesson is nice, but I can’t keep Irida waiting forever.

“I trust you’ll take my information to heart and not underestimate how important stones can be.” Lian said, “I’ll even give you some as a gift!”

I accepted the Grit Pebbles he gave me, and we both parted ways. I then hurried to gate, where Irida was. “You ready to go?”

She gave me a soft nod, already walking off. I looked at Ress, “I’m headed to the Cobalt Coastlands.”

“Take care, kid.” The guard responded, as I quickly tried to catch up with the Pearl Clan leader.

Cyllene wasn’t kidding when she said it would be a long walk. I didn’t use Wyrdeer, because Irida would likely find it sacrilegious if a Pearl Clan leader rode on a Pokémon looked after by the Diamond Clan.

We were silent for most of the walk, until I had enough.

Fuck this. “Look, don’t worry Irida. We’re going to put a stop to…whatever’s going on at Firespit Island.” If anything, it was a nice change of pace from quelling a noble. “You know me, I like to think I’m pretty thorough.”

She kept looking ahead, “How are you feeling?”

I wasn’t stupid enough to assume she meant a daily pleasantry. “What, you mean Kleavor?” I raised a brow, “Irida, that’s ancient history. Don’t beat yourself up over that on my account. Once I take my medicine, I hardly know the difference.”

“You…you’re taking medicine.” Her blue eyes looked over me.

Damn it, should’ve kept my mouth shut. “Yeah, but…it’s no big deal, alright? Just a little something to keep me in the game. Besides, I’ll be off the stuff soon, I’m really starting to feel better.”

“And during this mission, when you get hurt again?” She gave me a fierce look, but it didn’t last too long. She gave a shaky sigh. “I’m so sorry I dragged you into this, CJ….”

It went quiet, partially because I was so surprised. “Look, I’m an expert on Pokémon. Let me do my job. I know Kleavor fucked me over big time, but I was a lot stupider back then. Like to think I’ve improved a little.”

“And from where does this expertise come from?”

Well, I told Adaman, might as well tell the other leader. “From…from my world.” I let out tensely. “There were Pokémon in my world.”

“There were Pokémon in your world?” She asked in a hushed voice, “How similar were they to…?”

“Nine times out of ten, pretty similar. I read a lot about Pokémon from my world, so, I’m well-informed on the topic.” I answered, “Kleavor threw me off, never saw him before…I think that’s why I did so poorly. Lilligant I knew, that’s why I had an easier time with her.” I looked at her, she still seemed shocked at the reveal, “See? You don’t have to worry about—”

My remark was cut off as we made our destination. Lush greenery ended where sands began, and a gorgeous ocean as far as the eye could see. “Christ….”

“I know, beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Understatement of the century.” I looked around. Fuck Prelude Beach, this was a romantic getaway waiting to happen.

“CJ! CJ!” A voice called, “Oh, I do hope I’ve made it in time!”

I turned around, shocked at who joined us, “Professor Laventon?” Damn, how was this guy constantly getting the drop on me? He was stealthier than anyone else at the village!

“A simply lovely corner of Hisui, isn’t it? Sea and sky as far as the eye can see!” Laventon praised, “What kinds of Pokémon await us here? Water-types, maybe Flying-types? Ooh, I simple can’t wait to study them all!” He got his little camera out.

A weak smile, “Neither can I.”

“I knew you’d be just as excited as I am! But, let’s not forget the reason we’re here. You’ve got a mission to accomplish!”

It was then I noticed that Irida had gone ahead without the two of us, and my smile faded altogether. But I had to focus on the mission. “So…this Firespit Island…how would I even get there? It sounds I’d need some sort of sea travel.”  

“Hmm…indeed, Firespit Island is an offshore volcano.” Laventon explained, “You’ll need to cross the seas to reach it. I’d advise you to speak to a fellow called Iscan. He’s one of the Diamond Clan wardens, he’ll know a way to get to Firespit Island.”

“Got it.” I started walking again, while the professor stayed back by camp. I fixed my gaze on Irida, however. I was almost more worried about her than I was about Firespit Island. Never would’ve expected missing her smiles this much.

My footsteps stopped when I heard a song played on a flute. It was a bit more complex than the tiny fanfare played for the blessed Pokémon. It seemed to relax Irida as she brought the fluttering tune to its conclusion.

“That was beautiful.” I said, after giving a respectful silence.

“I do love the flute. It feels as though its tones reach the very edges of space.” She sighed, turning to face me. Glaceon was at her side, as was another Eevee. “But here I am. And so are you. So now I’m going to focus everything I have on battling you!”

Mildly surprised, I reached for a Poké ball, “If that’s what you want to do, I won’t stop you.”

“Very good.” She looked determined, “You who have seen the vast space-time rift…here I come!”

I tossed my Poké ball out, “Go Monferno!”

“Glaceon, Eevee, go!” Irida ordered, and her two Pokémon surrounded Monferno.

The monkey Pokémon’s tail brightened with flames. Two versus one? Guess it wasn’t like she was breaking the rules. There were no rules yet, were there?

“Quick Attack, both of you!”

Monferno was pelted from different angles by two speedy attacks. I frowned, “Monferno, use Flame Wheel!” I declared, “At Glaceon!” Almost forgot I had to specify which.

Fire shrouded around Monferno, as the wheel of flames crashed into Glaceon, knocking her back significantly.

“Quick Attack, again!”

Monferno was stuck twice more both by Glaceon and Eevee. I had to act fast and get rid of one of them before the damage would add up. “Flame Wheel on Glaceon, again!”

The Ice-type opponent was taken out this time, so all I had left to deal with was Eevee.

“Quick A-”

“Mach Punch!” I cut in, “Strong style!”

Monferno dashed ahead with considerable speed, slugging Eevee back such force that it tumbled into the dirt.

A small pause. “Sorry.” I said, “Kinda went overboard.”

She gave a tiny smile, “No, don’t worry about it. I should’ve expected as much, honestly.” She stared at the sky briefly, “The world is vast…and I am small within it.” She knelt down, near Glaceon and Eevee. “Let me tend to Monferno. I initiated the battle, it’s only fair.” Once our Pokémon were all healed, she stood tall. “Thank you for that. I needed to…needed to distract myself for a couple moments.”

“Distract yourself from what?” I asked, “What exactly is going on around here? You seem like you’re really upset.”

A sigh, “I suppose with you, I can be frank.” A silence as she considered her words anyway. “I cannot afford to look weak in front of the Diamond Clan’s leader, or your commander. But…in truth, I sometimes wonder how I ended up with the burdens I bear….”

“Is…is it about Firespit Island?”

She shook her head, “We have a warden in the coastlands, as I mentioned before. A lovely woman named Palina.”

“…some in the Pearl Clan speak ill of her.” Ah, alright, so there was more context to this.

“But she tends to no lord or lady. And she refuses to raise a successor to fill the late lord’s empty seat.” Another sigh, “Some people have even started to question her worthiness as a warden at all. But Lina…er.” A mild blush, “Palina, that is to say. She’s very dear to me, no matter what anyone might say. We were both in the running to become leader of the Pearl Clan. We strove to surpass one another, but…she taught me a great deal, too.”

“So you two are longtime friends.” I summarized.

A small nod, “And so, I have a favor to ask of you. Please help her raise the Pokémon she looks after into a true heir to his father…the late lord!”

I swallowed hard. I get that she was distraught, but what the hell could I do to help? This sounded like religious and cultural bickering that I shouldn’t get myself involved in. Not to mention it had nothing to do with my task regarding Firespit Island. At best, it sounded like a problem she was trying to pawn off on me.

“With the help of your strength, I think our late lord’s heir would grow into quite the worthy successor. And if he succeeds, it should silence Lina’s naysayers.” She said, a hopeful look in her eye, “I don’t know of anyone I’d trust more to help with this than the person who helped quell Kleavor’s frenzy!”

“Alright, I’ll go talk to her, see what I can manage.” I kept my agreeance specific, because my luck with the Pearl wardens was nonexistent, and I really didn’t want to get her hopes up.

She looked towards a cape in the distance, “You’ll find Lina up on the headland. Head down this hill and turn left, you should find a slope leading up onto the ridge.”

“Right, got it.” I started moving quickly, on my way to solve this mismatched pair of missions.

Chapter Text

Gray cat Pokémon bounded around me as I made my way to the cape. Glameow. I’d have to catch them later. There were some Skorupi too, but whereas the Glameow seemed skittish, these things seemed more hostile, so I opted to move quickly.

The view was even more beautiful from up here. I was quick to notice a woman and a pair of Growlithe observing a headstone. My footsteps stilled, as it was one thing to hear stories, another to see a Pokémon’s grave up close. Naturally I hesitated.

The two Growlithe noticed me first. The bigger one barked at me nonstop.

Hmm, something was different about these Growlithe. Different from the Kanto ones, at least. But Lilligant taught me to expect a Hisuian-form Pokémon from time to time.

“Hush now, settle down.” The woman spoke up. She turned to face me, wearing the typical pink Pearl Clan clothing, although hers was suited for warm, no, hot weather. There was a pair of goggles around her neck, and her purple eyes looked over me a few times.

“I’m Palina of the Pearl Clan. And who might you be?” The brunette introduced. While Irida’s voice was light and fairy-like, this woman’s voice was more middling, a bit cooler.

Should’ve expected that this chick would be Palina. “CJ.”

“Ah, so you’re that Galaxy Team recruit everyone keeps talking about.” She smiled, “I’ve heard about how you quelled Kleavor and Lilligant while they were frenzied, when no one else could. Your strength is incredible, and yet…you have such a gentle face.”

Gentle face? I don’t know where that came from. I feel like my resting face didn’t exactly go one way or the other. Maybe I should just take the damn compliment and be happy I don’t have resting bitch face.

“So, what brings you to the Cobalt Coastlands?” She asked, “We have no lord here, no less a frenzied one for you to quell.” Her smile faded, “Our precious lord…was swallowed by the waves. He was rescuing his young pup that had been swept out to sea, and he ended up giving his life to ensure the pup’s safe return.”

I felt a chill. Had no idea how he died until now. “My condolences.”

A smile reappeared, “If you had to guess, which of these Growlithe would you say is the previous lord’s child?”

I only thought about it for a second or two, “That one.” I nodded at the smaller pup.

“Oh, you have quite the good eye.” She seemed impressed by me winning a figurative coin flip. “This quiet, skittish Growlithe is the child of the previous lord.” The little poofy Growlithe gave a few happy barks. “I have no doubt this little one has the potential to be a fine lord, but witnessing his father’s demise has left deep scars in his heart.” Her eyes hardened, “There are those that would expect me to train him more strictly and force leadership on him before he is ready…but I could never bring myself to do that.” She looked back at the Growlithe, “No matter what the rest of the Pearl Clan says, my mind is quite made up. I’ll stay by this little one’s side and let him live as he wishes.”

I fell silent, not expecting a speech of that impact. Although it finally put into perspective what all this drama was really about. Couldn’t help but admire the bravery, going against olden doctrines and whatnot.

“So, I will ask again, what is your purpose in coming to the coastlands?”

Fuck it, Irida you’re on your own. I wasn’t gonna tell this lady to whip her grieving dog into shape. I had a job to do. Maybe the three of us could put our heads together later after the ghost of Firespit Island is dealt with.

“Commander Kamado ordered me to take a look around Firespit Island.” I found my voice, “Said some weird stuff is going on there.”

“A survey of Firespit Island? I see…well, there are rumors the place is haunted by strange shadows these days.” Palina said. “You’ll need the aid of a Pokémon called Basculegion if you wish to cross the sea. “ I followed her gaze to the volcano at the island not too far off. “You should speak to Iscan of the Diamond Clan. He should be able to help you.”

It was the second person to recommend me to go to him. “Right, thanks for the help.”

“There have been a lot of strange things going on at Firespit Island.” She mused, “Those shadowy figures are concerning, of course. But there’s also that odd lightning from the rift in the sky.” She sighed, “Lightning is a sign the heavens are angry. I worry that we may have offended almighty Sinnoh somehow.” She looked at me, “In the past, the Diamond Clan and the Pearl Clan were locked in combat over which side revered the true almighty Sinnoh. Even if we’ve reached an uneasy peace, the true almighty Sinnoh must be angered because there are still those who worship a false image of it.”

Or maybe there’s more than one almighty Sinnoh. Maybe the lightning isn’t even connected to them! I tried to cut into her religious ramblings as politely as I could, “Where exactly can I find Iscan?”

“Ah, yes…I’m sorry, I got distracted.” She said, “You can find him on Aipom Hill, just past Ginkgo Landing. That’s where he lives.”

“Right.” I turned away, starting to leave, “Thanks for everything, Palina.”

“Mmm-hmm.” She hummed, one Growlithe looking much sadder than the other as I departed.

Apparently Aipom hill was to the right of camp, while the cape was to the left. So I quickly tried to backtrack. I assumed the lone blue tent was where this Iscan guy lived. Must get lonely, being away from the rest of your clan.

“Why hello there, Mister CJ! Fancy running into you here!”

I turned around, smiling at the familiar merchant, “Hey Volo. How’s it going?”

“I’m just on the hunt for some plates! How’s your plate hunting going, friend?” He asked.

“Eh, got two more since the last time we’ve talked about it. So, four in total.”

He considered it for a moment, “You receive these plates when you quell nobles, or when you gain the favor of special Pokémon, is that right?”

A slow nod, “Something like that, yeah.”

“Hmm, something about you collecting these plates, it reminds me of the ancient hero. The one that’s said to have battled against almighty Sinnoh. I have been wondering, those ten Pokémon that are said to have followed the ancient hero…their powers are supposed to have come from almighty Sinnoh itself. Why would they side against it and fight with the hero, then?” He let a thoughtful pause pass, “Perhaps we’ll have more answers when we get more plates.”

“Maybe.” I shrugged.

“Well let’s do our best to find more!” He cheered, “Although, please pace yourself. I’d hate for something to happen to one of the guild’s most loyal customers!”

I chuckled as Volo started walking away. He was starting to grow on me. Seemed unlike a lot of other people here, he was looking into the old legends for historical purposes, rather than just blind worship. Which is something I could definitely get behind.

Well, I could think about that later. I approached the lone shelter, knocking on the door.

“Do…do I have a visitor?” A meek voice asked, “I…I’ll be right out…j-just one sec!”

I stepped back to give him room. The door opened as he walked out. He was a bigger guy, at least compared to me. He was dressed in the typical blue Diamond Clan clothing, with short black hair, even shorter than mine. “I…I’m Iscan, of, of the Diamond Clan.” He looked me over curiously, “A Galaxy Team member, with a Celestica Flute?” He asked, “So you must be CJ then, right?”

“That’s right.”

“H-Have I done something to warrant your visit?”

“Yeah, that’s right, I need—”

“Well, sudden visits do give me quite a shock.” He quipped nervously, “I do hope next time you give me some advanced notice.” 

Trust me, I was pretty introverted back home, I know the feel.

“So…um, why are you here?”

“I need to get to Firespit Island.” I explained, “And so far, you’re the only one who can help me.”

“Then in that case, you’d need Basculegion’s favorite snack. That should help him warm up to you.” He smiled, although it soon faded, “But, preparing his favorite food…it…it’s very difficult. Extremely difficult, more like…i-impossible, let’s just go with that.”

“Impossible?” I raised a brow.

“Well…I-I have the right materials…b-but…but then you, then you…see, the next part is something I could never manage. You need to catch this one Pokémon that appears at night.” He explained.

“Which one?”

“You r-really want to know?” He shuddered, “Don’t you value your own life?!” He kept quivering, “It’s D…D…Dus…Dus…Dusclops.” He swallowed hard, “Ooh, even saying its name fills me with dread.”

Dusclops, it could be a difficult Pokémon to capture, but I’d do it, for the sake of the mission.

“You n-need to imbue the ingredients with flavor from Dusclops’s Dark Pulse.” Iscan trembled, “That’s the only way you can make Basculegion’s favorite food.”

“Right, so catch a Dusclops, basically.”

“Wow, is everyone in the Galaxy Team just like you? Your nerves aren’t just steel, they’re titanium!” He shook his head, “Positively frightening how…fearless you are.” He said, “Dus…argh, don’t wanna say its name again. The Pokémon with one eye can be found wandering around Deadwood Haunt. Deadwood Haunt looks like a hand on your map. You’ll know you’re there when you see a bunch of wrecked boats. I-I try to avoid those one-eyed Pokémon, so I know a lot about them….”

“Alright, I’ll go look for one, once nighttime falls. Then I’ll return in the morning, and we can continue on with this, sound good?” I asked, and Iscan nodded, “Cool, later.”

Deadwood Haunt was filled to the brim with Ghost-types at night, including the aforementioned Dusclops, and its pre-evolution, Duskull. But they weren’t the only ones, Drifloon, Drifblim, they were floating around too. And the only reason I wasn’t swarmed by any of them was because of the tall grass I hid in.

As much as I was nerding out about all the new Pokédex entries, I needed Dusclops, all I need is a Dusclops for now, to make Basculegion’s food. I could always get the rest later.

One carefully prepared back strike later, and Dusclops was mine. I decided to sleep at camp, rather than disturb Iscan at night. I would have a clearer head to explore Firespit Island if I was well-rested anyway.

“D-Did you bring it…?” Iscan swallowed hard, “You know…the Pokémon with a name that uh, sounds like…sounds like dust bops.”

“Yeah, I got it.” I reached for the Poké ball inside my satchel.

“Wait, wait.” He flinched, “No! Don’t bring it out yet!” He only calmed down when I put the ball away, “R-Right…now l-let me do my part…seeing as you’re so…determined.”

I’d be more annoyed with the guy for being so scared of Ghost-types, but after the tangle with all those Drifloon ages ago, I couldn’t really blame him.

“Usually I um, I usually ask Palina for her Growlithe’s help with uh, lighting it.” He looked at an empty fireplace, “But…but I suppose I’ll set that up myself.” He looked at me, “Once I give the signal, you tell that dust bops of yours to use Dark Pulse.”

It only took around several minutes to prepare, and I had to admit, the beans cooking over the fire smelled good. No, damn it CJ, the food’s not for you. Dusclops was patiently waiting next to me, and Iscan humorously kept quite a distance from the two of us.

“Okay…three…two…ah, it’s too frightening!” Iscan panicked.

I rubbed the back of my head, “Maybe counting down isn’t the greatest idea….”

“You’re right…counting down just makes the anticipation and terror worse.” Iscan admitted, “Just…just do it when I say ‘go.’”

I nodded, seemed simple enough.

“And…go!”

“Dusclops, use Dark Pulse!” I commanded.

Dusclops unleashed a horrible dark aura, concentrating the shot at the food cooking over the fire. Damn, somehow it smelled even better.

Iscan walked over to the concoction, folding it up in a neat little wrap. “The aroma and shape are…perfect! It’s the perfect ball of Basculegion food!” He gingerly handed me the treat, it was still quite warm, “Let’s make for Ginkgo Landing, I can summon Basculegion easily from there.”

The two of us walked quietly towards the shoreline. “God, I can’t get over the view.” I said, “Must be nice living out here.”

“It, it has its nice moments.” Iscan rubbed the back of his head, “It’s a beautiful area, for sure.”

I stopped short, as the only way we could go further is if we started swimming, “So, right here would be a good spot?”

“I think so.” He nodded, reaching to get out his flute, but a voice interrupted us.

“Hello Iscan.” Palina greeted warmly.

His jaw dropped, as the Pearl Clan warden joined our conversation with her two Growlithe. “P-Palina?” He asked nervously, “I…I thought you said we shouldn’t be seen together?”

“I’m sure CJ can keep a secret.” She smiled. “Besides, both Growlithe pups and I were eager to meet the great Basculegion again.”

“I see…well, in that case, let me summon Basculegion.” Iscan got out his flute, playing the same familiar tune I was used to by now.

A massive black and green fish with red accents swam to the shore, giving a prideful roar. “Damn….” I gasped, “Bigger than I expected.”

Iscan chuckled, “Well, you know what to do…give him the food.”

I nodded, holding the ball of food. Had to be a little bit more careful, as instinct forced me to nearly throw it like a Poké ball for a second there. I gave it a softer throw, and Basculegion gobbled up the little food ball with glee.

“Oh my….” Iscan took a step back.

Palina snickered, “He sure was hungry, wasn’t he?”

Basculegion gave a happy cry, swimming around in a circle.

“Thank goodness….” Iscan took a sigh of relief, “I was worried whether that would work or not.” He gave me a weak smile, “Well CJ, go ahead and play the rhythm.”

I nodded as I got my flute out. I’d been playing the song so much for Wyrdeer and Ursaluna, it came a lot easier than it did all the way back in Deertrack Heights when I first played it. Basculegion hissed happily, a blue plate forming out of the air, and into my hands. Splash Plate.

“Now you can ride Basculegion across Tranquility Cove and towards Firespit Island.” Iscan informed with a smile.

“Congratulations CJ.” Palina smirked as well.

As with the other Pokémon who I gained favor with, it didn’t really feel like I did anything. “Thank you.” I said anyway.

Iscan looked at her expression, “Did…did you wanna tell him?”

“I mentioned to you before how the previous lord rescued his pup.” She started, “During that incident, Iscan and Basculegion saved my life as well.” She looked over to the Diamond Clan warden with affection. “Since then, I’ve grown quite fond of him. I truly adore him.” A pause, “But, I know there are those who speak ill of me behind my back. So I meet with Iscan in private, to preserve his reputation.”

Iscan was flushed, and honestly, who wouldn’t be in this situation? “I…I was just doing what any decent person would when I saved you….” He rubbed the back of his head.

Wait, were these two fucking?

My heart was aflutter with the realization, the forbidden love. Two people from opposing clans forming some sort of close-knit relationship. Maybe this world wasn’t as closed off as I thought it was. If we could get more people thinking like these two, then, maybe Hisui would have a chance.

“Perhaps…but nonetheless, after that day I found the strength to accept Growlithe as he is and not force him to be the next lord.” Palina said. “And it was thanks to the courage you showed me, Iscan.”

At this point Iscan was nearly beet red, “Maybe we should save the praise for another time!” He squeaked meekly, to which Palina had a good laugh.

“I bring good luck to my sisters wherever I go…and ill luck to anyone who crosses our paths. I’m the eldest, and I’ll be your unlucky Charm!” An awfully familiar voice announced.

“Thought you spotted a four-leaf clover? Well, I’ll have you seeing double! I’m the middle sister, and I’m one Clover you can’t pick!”

“Heads, I win, and tails, you lose…you’ve got no chance in this game of fortunes. I’m the youngest, Coin, but I’m definitely not your good-luck piece.”

The trio struck a rather elaborate pose. “We’re the Miss Fortune sisters, known across the frigid land of Hisui…and your luck’s just run out!”

“Now hand over that Growlithe!” Charm demanded.

“Like hell.” I stepped forward, “You guys again.” Once more, I was stuck with the bizarre realization that this felt like a Pokémon anime episode. “Let me handle them.” I volunteered, “They talk big, but they’re not too great at battling, least not compared to me.”

“They…they want to take my partner?” Palina seemed confused, giving the three thieves a daring look. “If your aim was to pester us with bad jokes, those ridiculous introductions of yours were more than enough!”

“Yeah, what she said!” Iscan timidly added.

Charm shook her head, like they’d already won, “Now Gengar!”

Gengar?!

From behind us, a Gengar leapt up from a shadow, nabbing one of the two Growlithe and warping away through the shadow, reappearing with the Miss Fortune sisters.

“Shit.” I gritted my teeth. These chicks have a Gengar?

“Thanks for the Growlithe, fools!” Clover stuck her tongue out.

“Hey, this isn’t funny.” I snarled, “Give ‘em back now.”

Charm scoffed at my request. “We three can’t live the kind of lives we want because of narrow-minded groups like the Diamond Clan and the Pearl Clan. If we want to live freely in the great land of Hisui, we need powerful Pokémon by our side.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll make sure this pup grows up nice n’ strong!” Clover grinned, “We’ll even make him a lord for ya!”

“Let’s take this mutt back to camp and get to work.” Coin looked towards the sea, “No one will bother us in a place so miserably hot.” Gengar created the perfect diversion by emitting a dark flash. When it cleared, the thieves were gone.

“What? No, Growlithe!” Palina reached a hand out.

“No! This is an emergency!” Iscan quivered in fear.

“We have to go after them.” I growled, “I have no idea what they’re planning, but it can’t be good.”

“W-Well uh…you see…I’ve never actually battled with Pokémon before….” Iscan admitted quietly.

“Please CJ, you have to help us.” Palina pleaded, “That Growlithe is very, very dear to me.”

“They said they’re going to a place where no one would bother them.” Iscan deduced, “It has to be Firespit Island.”

I nodded, “Strange shadowy figures, ghost sightings? Yeah, sounds like they fit the bill alright.”

Iscan’s eyes widened, “Right, you just got Basculegion’s favor! Now you can travel over the water after them!”

“Yup.” I nodded, “I’m going to see if I can stop them. You two can catch up, if, if you can.” How would they get to Firespit Island without Basculegion? I supposed it was a question for another time.

“Thank you CJ, I won’t forget this kindness!” Palina assured.

I summoned Basculegion as quickly as I could. Although I had to admit, even with a little seat strapped to him, I was a little shaky guiding him through the ocean. I wasn’t really the best swimmer, living in a heavily wooded area in my world. I barely experienced much water to begin with. I wouldn’t say I had a phobia of the sea, but, damn near close enough. Of course, there were all sorts of Water-types, Mantyke and Mantine galore, but I didn’t have time to catch them at the moment.

After making landfall to Firespit Island, I dismissed Basculegion. Mothim were flittering around near the base of the volcano.

To my surprise, Iscan wasn’t too far behind, “Whew…Firespit Island…sure is hot enough to feel like a sweat bath, eh?”

“How the hell did you…wait, where’s Palina?” I asked.

“I thought it’d be a better idea if she stayed with little Growlithe while we get big Growlithe back.” He said, shuddering, “Second thought, maybe I should’ve had her come with us, to help with these ghosts and bandits…on top of all this heat….”

“Hey, don’t worry about them. I can handle the bandits and the ghosts.” I reassured. Although I had a feeling fighting a Gengar wouldn’t be easy.

He swallowed hard, “Lead the way, please….” He squeaked meekly.

Aside from dodging a few fiery blasts from Magmar, we were both in the clear. We found the three sisters by an arena that was packed with lava pools.

“Hey, you three!” I yelled, “Give us back that Growlithe!”

Chapter Text

“Come on…evolve already!” Charm barked.

“We’ve done our homework! Any Pokémon that’s gutsy enough to stand in this lava field is supposed to evolve!” Clover complained. “So get on with it already!”

“You will evolve, like it or not.” Coin frowned.

Gengar snickered, intimidating the opposing Growlithe, who was cowering and whimpering from the Ghost-type Pokémon.

“Hey!” I charged ahead, Iscan bringing up the rear, “Quit ignoring us!”

The trio of bandits turned to face me, “Oh look, it’s this pest again.” Charm deadpanned.

“Stand back sisters! I’ll take care of him! Abomasnow, smash this fool to pieces!”

Sure enough, the Candice look-alike sent out a Pokémon I would expect her descendant to have. The large Ice and Grass-type looked ready for battle.

Iscan shuddered, but I almost chuckled at her challenge, “Monferno!” I chucked his Poké ball out, “Flame Wheel!”

Monferno screeched, charging at Abomasnow covered in flames. The opposing Pokémon stumbled back, nearly toppling over altogether.

Clover clenched her fists, “Icicle Crash!”

Abomasnow roared, as groups of massive icicles crashed onto Monferno. But it was resisted damage, so it could’ve been a lot worse.

“Flame Wheel, again!”

Monferno charged into Abomasnow, fainting it with this attack. Angrily, Clover recalled Abomasnow into its Poké ball. “How did I lose?!” She huffed, “Ya know, Abomasnow can’t fight at full power in crazy heat like this! It wasn’t a fair battle…in fact, how dare you make Abomasnow battle in such a stupidly hot place!”

“You’re the one who sent out Abomasnow, sister.” Coin muttered. She got a Poké ball out, “Go then, Toxicroak, douse our unwelcome guests in poison.”

The blue poison frog Pokémon revealed itself, but its time in the battlefield would ultimately be short-lived. “Go Crobat!” I sent my bat Pokémon out, “Zen Headbutt!”

Toxicroak fainted just as quickly as it was sent out. Coin was a mix of surprised, and disturbed, as she called her Pokémon back. “How could I let myself lose….” She sighed, “Well, I guess you lose the coin toss, sometimes.”

Charm frowned. Gengar moved away from antagonizing the Growlithe, stepping towards its owner. “I warned you, didn’t I? That I had a score to settle with the Galaxy Team?”

“Yeah, and I’ve got a score to settle with Pokémon thieves.” I frowned.

She reached for a Poké ball, “All the pain and suffering I experienced after coming up here from the Kanto region to work…I’m going to make you pay for every last slight!” She tossed the Poké ball out, “Go Rhydon!”

I was a little taken aback, as the Pokémon selected caused the ground to shake a little. “Go Dartrix!” I sent out my owl Pokémon, “Leafage!”

The Rhydon roared in pain at the four times damage, but Charm didn’t look daunted one bit, “Stealth Rock.”

Sharp stones pierced through Dartrix, causing the owl Pokémon to hoot in pain. I swore under my breath. I knew I should’ve used Floatzel instead.

“Leafage!” I ordered, “Strong style!”

Miraculously, Rhydon fainted at the second barrage of sharp leaves. Dartrix hooted happily, gliding up in the air, as a white glow surrounded him.

Charm took a step back, “No….”

Iscan looked happier, “It’s evolving!”

I tried to mask my surprise, as the Decidueye in front of me was a bit different than the one I was used to.

Hisuian Decidueye?

“Gengar, Venoshock.”

Decidueye was covered in a horrible poison spewed from Gengar’s mouth, and my started fainted immediately. I went pale. That was super-effective damage. What type was he now? I looked at my fainted Decidueye, calling him back and ignoring Charm’s smug grin.

“Go Crobat!” I called, “Zen Headbutt!”

Crobat’s head shined blue as he crashed into Gengar with all of his might. “Hex, Gengar!” Charm ordered. Gengar shot out a shadowy aura, knocking Crobat back.

“Zen Headbutt, again!”

Gengar couldn’t handle two super-effective moves in a row. It fainted. “What a disgrace….” Charm growled, as she called her Ghost-type back, “How could all three of us have lost?!”

“Hey, Charm!” Clover sang, “I healed up Abomasnow and Coin’s Toxicroak, we should be good as new!” She stood tall after putting her supplies away, “Now we can keep battling!”

Oh, so they wanted to play it like, eh? Well, if they wanted to keep losing, fine by me.

I heard fierce barking, as a littler Growlithe ran up to my side. “What the hell?” I asked.

“Hey, no one invited you here, tiny!” Clover snapped with a frown.

“You’re really going to insist on getting in our way, little runt?” Charm asked.

Growlithe kept barking, wanting to save the bigger Growlithe, from the looks of things.

“Take him down, Toxicroak.” Coin glared.

“I know it’s hot out here Abomasnow, but crush that little runt!” Clover ordered.

“Growlithe, please stop! You cannot take down such foes!”

Iscan and I were quite taken aback at seeing Palina enter the fray too. “P-Palina…what are you doing here?” The Diamond Clan warden hissed, “I thought you were hanging back with Growlithe!”

“I was! But then he jumped into the ocean and swam all the way here!”

Palina’s words shocked me. A Fire-type taking a swim through the ocean, sounded like a death sentence to me.

“But the ocean swallowed up the former lord, his own father…wouldn’t he be terrified of it?” Iscan wondered.

There was an odd noise which could be heard from the volcano, it almost sounded like a resounding roar. A white glow went around the littler Growlithe, as he started to evolve.

Palina, Iscan, Crobat and I watched on with muted shock. “Looks like he finally found his courage.” Iscan gave a timid smile.

“The late lord’s child…he’s evolved!” Palina clasped her hands together.

“But how is he evolving without a Fire Stone?” I wondered quietly to myself.

“His true bravery lay not in crossing the sea, but in finding the strength to face hardship head-on.”

Alright, I guess magic, in other words.

“You gotta be kidding me!” Clover snapped, “How come the runt’s evolving?”

His coat was a little bit different from the Arcanine in Kanto, I had noticed, a bit browner. Maybe it had a different type.

Coin’s eyes widened, “Um…sisters…something isn’t right.” She pointed at the sky.

Some kind of wormhole opened up, which looked eerily similar to the space-time rift. Yellow lightning crashed down onto the newly evolved Arcanine. We all had to shield our eyes from the bright flash. When the dust settled, a golden, frenzied Arcanine stood before us all.

“What the hell?!” I stepped forward, Crobat flapping at my side, “No, it can’t be…how did, what did…?” I sputtered. It was my first time seeing the lightning firsthand, rather than just hear it, or hear about it. How the hell was I supposed to quell this thing without melting?

“No….” Palina went pale.

“Palina, stay back!” Iscan shouted.

“W-What’s happened to him?”

“The strange lightning hit him!” Iscan hissed, “He’s become frenzied, just like all the other nobles…ooh, this is exactly why I didn’t want to come!” He hid behind a rock.

“Ugh, everything was going just fine before that awful mutt ruined everything.” Charm huffed, “Enough of this. Sisters, we make our leave. We won’t be making a living without our lives.”

Palina snarled, “Hey, wait! This is all your fault!”

“We need to get out of here Palina, otherwise we’re fair game to Arcanine!” Iscan panicked, “You too, CJ, let’s hurry!” He grabbed one arm each and practically legged us down the mountain, or at least out of Arcanine’s range.

The three of us, as well as Growlithe and Crobat were catching our breath. I recalled the bat Pokémon, hearing a familiar voice. “Lina!”

“Irida?” I asked, watching the Pearl Clan leader join up with us.

Concern marred her features, as she addressed her warden, “What are you going to do about Growlithe…I, I mean Arcanine?”

A determined look on her face, “That dear little Pokémon is my responsibility! As a warden, it is my duty to protect him with everything I have!” Palina turned to me, “CJ, what do we need to do to quell his frenzy? Please, tell us everything you know!”

I sighed, “Well, it’s kind of a long story.” I started, still trying to figure out how I’d get through this without getting barbecued alive. “You need to battle. A lot. And between the four of us, that responsibility will fall to me, but that’s not all we need, we also need—”

“Balms. We need to make balms.” Irida interjected, a serious expression on her face.

“Balms, Irida, what are you talking about?” Palina raised a brow, “This isn’t a joke.”

“I’m serious Lina, we need—”

“And stop calling me that.”

Iscan and I exchanged a glance. “She’s right.” I cut through the tension, “We need to like…take a bunch of Arcanine’s favorite foods and mix them into little pouches. The…the smell or, the memory of the food, it helps break the frenzy.” I explained, “Takes like…a-fucking hundred of the damn things, but…it works.”

Palina looked distraught at the news, “But where will we get Arcanine’s favorite foods at such short notice?”

“U-Um…actually, I always carry some of Growlithe’s favorite food with me.” Iscan said, getting out his bag, “So I can thank him for helping me cook….”

“Iscan, once again, your thoughtfulness saves the day!” Palina smiled, “Now we can make those balms!”

He blushed, “Y-Yes, let’s get right to work!”

The four of us got straight to work crafting balms for Arcanine, using the supplies Iscan had, with nothing but the night sky illuminating the land below. Well, three of us, anyway. I was trying to heal my Pokémon. Monferno and Crobat were done, at least. Decidueye was the one who needed the most work, as he was the one who outright fainted.

“Like this, Irida?” Palina asked.

“That’s right.” Irida nodded, tossing a finished balm into the basket, “Funnily enough, Arcanine’s tastes are similar to Kleavor…minus the honey. So, it makes it easier.”

“This isn’t so hard.” Iscan decided, preparing balms speedier than the others.

Palina chuckled, “To a culinary genius like you, perhaps not.”

Iscan flushed, “C-Culinary genius…I…I wouldn’t go so far as that!”

“Alright, can you move this shoulder?” I asked, Decidueye grunted, shaking his head. “Ah, alright…no worries….” I rubbed some of the salve over it. I couldn’t help but notice how different Decidueye looked compared to the ones from the Alola region. Red accents, rather than green, to compliment his beige coat. He wasn’t part Ghost, that was for sure, as Venoshock fainted him. So what was he instead? Pure Grass? Maybe I’d consult his moveset before fighting Arcanine.

“You did great.” I smiled, “I’m proud of you.” I tended to the last of his injuries, “You always go above and beyond. I’m glad we have each other.” I gave the owl Pokémon a hug, both of us being mindful of each other’s injuries.

Irida watched the heartfelt display for quite a while. Palina must’ve said her name twice by now. “Hmm? W-What is it?”

Palina looked from Irida to me, a small smile on her face. “I wanted to ask about the quantity.” She said, “Whether CJ’s number was…accurate or not.”

“More accurate than you think.” Irida said, “It…it can take a while.”

“We won’t be wasting food?”

“Certainly not.”

“Here…let me actually help you guys.” I sat around the basket with them, getting my hands on some ingredients. “Sorry that took so long…I’m also sorry that…crafting is not my strong suit. That would be battling.”

“You seem to have quite the bond with that Decidueye.” Palina noted.

“Uh…yeah, he was the first Pokémon I saw when I was transported to Hisui.” I said, “Professor was kind enough to let me have him. I, well…he’s one of my favorites.” A beat, “Although, I may not use him against Arcanine. Grass-type versus Fire-type isn’t really a good idea.”

Irida closed her eyes and took a sigh, “Please, please CJ.” She turned to me, those striking blue eyes looking me over, “Be careful.” She said, “If something happens to you, I’m not going to be able to forgive myself.”

“I know.” I said, “I promise, I won’t do anything stupid…like, heal my Pokémon in the middle of a brawl.” I attempted a joke.

It wasn’t long until everything was prepared. “Looks like everything’s all ready.” Iscan noted.

“Alright, wish me luck guys.” I looked ahead, seeing Arcanine romping around by the lava pits. “Er, maybe not, don’t want those thieves coming back.”

“Please CJ, do your absolute best to save my dear Arcanine.” Palina pleaded, “He may be a lord now, but it’s obvious the frenzy is causing him great pain.” She said, with Irida too nervous to comment.

The arena I stepped in seemed to be about half rock, half lava. Arcanine was quick to notice me, stepping through the lava as if it were nothing, not helping my nerves at all.

Arcanine roared, rearing back to charge into me. I leapt out of the way at the last second. The charging reminded me vaguely of Kleavor, though I desperately hoped that would be the only similarity. “Arcanine, wake up!” I pelted him with balms, but that only seemed to make him angrier.

He kept trying to charge at me, but I was too evasive to be caught. Unfortunately, this wasn’t enough to stun him. How the hell would I get him in range for a Pokémon battle? At least I could passively chip away at him with balms while he would prepare to charge.

After another miss, Arcanine reared back, fiery balls appeared above his head. Shit, it he gonna nuke me from orbit with those? I tossed a balm at him. Interestingly enough, when the balm hit, one of the five fiery balls disappeared. I threw another balm, and the second one vanished.

Oh, it’s teatime, motherfucker.

I kept throwing balms, when all three flaming orbs went out, Arcanine stumbled back, dazed.

Alright, here goes nothing, “Go Floatzel!” I sent out the otter Pokémon, “Aqua Tail!”

Floatzel smacked Arcanine with his watery tail, it seemed to do massive damage as Arcanine stepped back.

The noble Pokémon countered by summoning large boulders to fall and crush Floatzel.

Rock Slide? What the hell? “Aqua Tail, again!”

Arcanine couldn’t take more after that, I recalled Floatzel, throwing balm after balm at Arcanine while he was trying to regroup.

Once he tried to charge me again, I dodged out of the way. The dog Pokémon had one huge advantage. I had to mind the lava, so I wouldn’t burn my feet off. Arcanine had no such problem, and could traverse the battlefield wherever he liked.

When I least expected it, he leapt in the air. I felt a lump in my throat. If it weren’t for Lilligant’s fight, I might not have avoided the pounce in time. Only the difference was Arcanine’s pounce. Even when it missed, left a massive column of fire in its wake. I just had to keep staying evasive, wait for Arcanine to unleash his fiery orbs.

The second they showed up, I lobbed balms at him, trying to pop all five flames. Once I did, I sent Floatzel out again.

“Aqua Tail!”

I was thankful Floatzel was quicker than the Arcanine. He could keep getting devastating attacks off, which was really helpful to the team. Arcanine retaliated by sending out more boulders, but Floatzel was luckily able to avoid the attack.

“Yes, great! Now use Aqua Tail again!”

Once the attack was made, I went on the offense with more teatime balls. Arcanine looked like he’d been through a lot, but he still had more fight left in him. Which didn’t really surprise me at this point.

Flames leaked out of Arcanine’s mouth, as over half the battlefield was set on fire. Never mind half of it being lava already. This severely limited my options of movement. And Arcanine seemed to take advantage of this, charging directly at me.

I avoided the first charge, but I wasn’t so lucky with the second. I fell back, tumbling on the rocky ground.

“CJ!” Irida cried out, while the two wardens were quieter in their surprise.

“I…I’m fine.” I coughed, slowly getting up. Didn’t want those three to roast alive for my sake. Besides, could’ve been worse. It was a rough impact, but I was only covered in scuffs and bruises, as well as minor burns. I held my arms at an angle when I was hit, preserving my ribs. I coughed again, damn, I was jostled more than I thought. Or maybe it was all the smoke in the air.

Arcanine summoned five flaming orbs once again. Aha. I ran ahead with some balms, knocking Arcanine into a dazed state.

“Floatzel, go! Aqua Tail!”

Unfortunately, Floatzel seemed to not have much vitality left, Arcanine was able to bite into him after the first Aqua Tail, and Floatzel fainted. Which meant I was left with a choice to make. I knew the thing had Rock Slide, and Crunch, as well as Fire moves, most likely.

Throwing caution to the wind, I tossed out a Poké ball, “Go Decidueye!”

The three onlookers were surprised at my choice. “W-What?” Iscan asked, “I thought he said he wasn’t going to use a Grass-type!”

Arcanine had the first move, he cloaked himself in fire, crashing into Decidueye. My starter gave a pained grunt as he fell back. I felt a pang of guilt, as I had just healed him earlier. But I wasn’t thinking analytically anymore, I was thinking with my feelings.

The Pokémon I loved the most, versus the Pokémon Palina loved the most. Two Hisuian variants, evolved on the same island. Maybe it was less mechanical than I thought. Maybe love really was the key to breaking these frenzied Pokémon free.

And if I was lucky, Arcanine was part Rock-type.

I clenched a hand into a fist, pointing at Arcanine with my free hand, “Triple…Arrows!”

Decidueye perked up, sprinting towards Arcanine to deliver quite the kick. Arcanine yipped as he was forced back, but Decidueye didn’t stop there. He shot out three sharp arrows which all pelted Arcanine, leaving him open to some balms. As sore and burned as I was, I wouldn’t stop chucking the teatime balls, relieved when I heard the familiar cracking sound.

When the last balm hit, the golden light shattered off of Arcanine, flying back upwards. I panted heavily, and so did Decidueye, “You…you’re alright Arcanine, okay? You’re okay now. Everything’s okay….”

“The strange light…it…it’s heading back into the space-time rift!” Iscan pointed.

A plate materialized in front of me, red as the dying embers around me. The Flame Plate. It was a little bit darker out now, with the fires dying down.

“What could possibly be on the other side of that rift, I wonder.” Palina mused.

I had no idea. Some guesses, but no idea.

As Iscan and Palina joined me, with Growlithe and Arcanine playfully greeting one another, we heard another roar in the distance.

“What?” Palina seemed puzzled, “Was that…two different Arcanine cries I just heard?”

I looked up at the summit of the volcano, seeing a second Arcanine up at the top, if only for a moment.

Palina caught my eye, “Ah, I understand now.” She smiled, “My little Growlithe.” She walked up to the former frenzied Pokémon, “Ah, I misspoke, Lord of the Isles, Arcanine! You and I must live apart now so that we may attend our separate duties.” Arcanine whimpered, leaning in to nuzzle his head against Palina, “Now, now, all will be fine.” She chuckled, “You’re very strong, far stronger than me, in fact.” She gave him a reassuring pet, “From now on, we will strive to fulfill our duties as lord and warden.”

“So…was I the only one who felt like they heard the cry of the previous Lord Arcanine?” Iscan wondered.

“How odd. I certainly didn’t.” Palina teased.

“W-Wait…was…was it actually a ghost?!”

“Could’ve been.”

“Oh no…just what we need, more ghosts….”

She laughed, “Relax Iscan, I’m just kidding. I heard him too.” She admitted, “I suppose he was watching over his pup this whole time.” She looked at me, “CJ, you have my heartfelt thanks for helping my little one, the new Lord Arcanine.”

A weak nod. I would probably sleep well tonight, given how wiped out I was. “No worries, just doing my job.”

Palina cast a glance at Irida, who was hanging back by the outskirts of the arena, “Make sure you look after Irida too, alright?”

I practically turned crimson, “W-What?” I asked, “Uh…yeah, sure…of course!”

Irida gave me a questioning look as I stood by her side without the others. “Those two need a moment.” I said, quickly clarifying, “With Arcanine…we might as well make our way home before…before it’s fucking midnight.” I gave a yawn. “Maybe I should have Pesselle look at me quickly first.”

It was quiet on our descent down, at least at first. “CJ….” Her shoulders slumped, “I wasn’t much use just watching from the sidelines, was I?”

I looked her over. “You have a Glaceon and an Eevee. No offense but they wouldn’t do too great against a Fire and Rock-type. I’m the best battler out of the four of us, it’s only natural for me to take center stage.”

“When Lina wouldn’t raise Growlithe to be the new lord and people in our clan were starting to doubt her fitness as a warden…I urged her to put Growlithe through the proper training, but she snapped at me.” She wasn’t in tears, but she sounded emotional about it, nonetheless. “This poor Pokémon saw his own father die.” She recalled Palina’s words, “Is it a warden’s duty to force a child in such pain through training?” She shook her head, “I’m such a fool!”

“I mean, you made a mistake. Hardly worth getting so down about, especially since there’s a resolution now.” I started, although my mind and body were running on empty. My heart however wanted to keep reassuring her until the moon left and the sun came back out. “I know it…it must be hard, being a leader. You have to please so many people at once, and they can all have different wants and needs. Some of which can be diametrically opposed to each other.”

“Even when Arcanine became frenzied, all I could do was watch.” She frowned bitterly.

“Well, what about the balms?” I asked, “You helped us with that.”

“Please. All I did was come late and mention the balms…something you easily could’ve done without me. Is that so praiseworthy? Do I deserve to be recognized for such a slight contribution?”

The starry sky was a lot clearer when we reached the sandy coast, without all the smoke in the air.

“Says the leader with practically no experience.”

I didn’t envy this chick one bit. She looked to be about the same age as me, give or take, and she was in charge of so many people. At least Kamado looked to be in his thirties or forties, maybe even older. He had that much more experience on his side. But Adaman and Irida weren’t as lucky.

Maybe it was just who I was. I was a follower, not a leader. In marching band, I shirked any kind of leadership role, even in my senior year. I hated getting promoted to a supervising position at my retail job. More money, sure, but more responsibility so I couldn’t fuck it up.

I crossed my hands behind my back, “I think you’re too hard on yourself.” I said, “You gotta…you gotta learn how to give yourself some wiggle room sometimes, you know?” Burning myself out in college and work throughout my early-twenties, I hope my words had some weight to them. “If you’re too strict on yourself all the time, it bites you in the ass. Be fair to yourself.”

A respectful silence, as she absorbed my words, “Were…were Iscan and Lina…?”

“Yup.”

She looked at me, “Really?” I nodded, “That…that’s unheard of…someone from the Diamond Clan and Pearl Clan…um…well….”

“I think it’s needed.” I said, “How can we live as one with Pokémon when we can’t even live as one with each other?” I questioned, “It shouldn’t matter where you’re from, people should just be able to care about whoever they want.”

She stared at the ground, “I suppose I shouldn’t keep you here any longer…we should leave this oven of an island.” She muttered.

She didn’t have to tell me twice. I was sweaty before the battle with Arcanine even begun. “See you later, Irida.”

“I’d like to battle you again someday.” She fixed her gaze at me again, “I want my Glaceon to get stronger.”

“Right, sure thing.” I said, “I can even use different Pokémon, to help Glaceon train better.” I started walking off, “I hope we meet again soon.”

“Splendiferous, my boy! Make sure you tell Kamado the good news! We’ll be saving a seat for you at the Wallflower!” The professor’s words echoed in my head as I traveled to the third floor.

“You did well on your mission to the Cobalt Coastlands.” Kamado noted when I entered, “Your efforts aided not only the Galaxy Team, but the Pearl Clan as well. I do hope your efforts will have an impact on the space-time rift, however.” He mused, “If we’re able to get rid of that, it may clear any lingering doubts about your origins. Though how we may actually close the rift, I haven’t the slightest idea.” He admitted.

“Neither would I.” I said evenly.

“Remain true to the mission.” He said, “Continue working on the Pokédex.”

Even though the three of us were gathered at the outdoor table of the Wallflower, my mind couldn’t stop playing that conversation I had with Irida in my head over and over again. Though this time I would pay more attention, I already zoned out the last few times we had dinner.

“If you notice that today’s potato mochi tastes a bit different, well, that’s because I used a Pokémon’s flames to roast ‘em! Bon Appetit!” Beni chirped as he went back into the kitchen.

“The birth of a new lord Pokémon…what a sight to behold! If only I had journeyed to Firespit Island to witness it myself!” Professor Laventon smiled.

Fought hard, that was for sure. But Pesselle had my wounds treated in no time. Nowhere near as bad as what happened with Kleavor.

“I have a hard time imagining you on Basculegion’s back, professor.” Akari snickered.

“Ah, that is true. My coordination is so bad, I couldn’t even hit my own foot with a Poké ball! And I can’t dodge Pokémon attacks to quite literally save my skin!” He noted, “That being said…we’d all do well to remember these wise words. The ever-striving soul is rewarded in the end.” He recalled, “And strive I shall! For the sake of my research, I will surely ride a Pokémon one day and record the experience in the Pokédex for posterity. Just you wait!”

“Maybe we’ll even get Captain Cyllene to crack a smile at that entry.” I smirked, and the three of us laughed.

Chapter Text

“Hey, what’s that Pokémon up there? What’s its name? What’s it do?”

Was that little girl talking to me? I peered at her, not used to unsupervised children in my world, although here village kids seemed to just wander around and play.

“That Pokémon?” I looked at the statue atop Galaxy Hall, “It’s a Magikarp.”

“Magikarp? Why is it called Magikarp? Is it a cool Pokémon? Is it strong? Can it fly?”

“I don’t…I don’t think it can fly….”

“Why can’t it fly? Aren’t those flappy things its wings? Tell me, tell me!”

I chuckled at her enthusiasm, “I’ll have to catch one and show you then, won’t I?”

“I wanna know more about Magikarp!” She cheered, “Can you show me its page when you finish it in your pokey-dex?”

“Sure thing, kid.” I smiled.

On my way to the farm, I noticed Buck. Rather than doing his farming duties, he was chiseling out a statue of Croagunk. “I’m going to honor the Pokémon who helped my back!”

“You do that.” I gave a small wave, noticing another farmer lost in thought.

“Ah…what a remarkable tail that was!” He reminisced, “The Pokémon it belonged to was a wee little thing. It was hiding behind some rocks when I found it, with naught but its tail sticking out. But it was a tail I’d give anything to see again!” He looked me over, “Think you could catch the Pokémon I’m talking about? Its tail was elegant and swirly, like a spring. Come show me after you catch it and I’ll give you a nice reward!”

Was it Glameow? I actually knew where they were, although the same couldn’t be said for Magikarp. “Right, will do.”

“Nice to see ya again, Mister Survey Corps! You got great timin’ as always!” One of the farmers waved, “I wanna make the fields bigger, see, but we don’t have enough helpers to keep ‘em watered.” He said, “If you lend us a Pokémon that knows a Water-type move, we’d be mighty grateful!”

I nodded, “Be right back.” I went to the nearby pastures, returning with a Pokémon who I thought was suitable for the job, “Alright Bibarel, you’re going to keep these fields nice and watered.”

“Yer Pokémon will sure be a big help expandin’ the fields!” The farmer grinned, “Might as well get started.”

The two of us watched on as Bibarel started watering the crops. “Wowee! Yer Pokémon’s an irrigation sensation! Now I’m all pumped up! Sit back…ol’ Miller’s gonna make the fields bigger than ever!”

Watching the farmers, my Geodude and my Bibarel work together was rather amusing. “And…done!” Miller grinned. “That was some fine work. Any crops we grow here will do great, and it’s all thanks to your Pokémon!”

Sure enough, there were now three fields, rather than two. “Hey, you helped too.” I reminded.

“We’ll keep yer Pokémon here, but holler if you want to swap out a different Pokémon to do the waterin’!”

I should probably get going to the Cobalt Coastlands, see if I can nab a Glameow or some Magikarp while I’m there. A quick stop at the craftworks and the general store likely wouldn’t hurt.

“Arg, that Tao Hua….” Choy grumbled, “Ah, hello valued customer, you’ve just arrived in the nick of time.” I regarded him with a nod, already having a feeling as to what the fellow wanted. “I’m afraid Tao Hua is refusing to do business with me again…he won’t listen to a word I say, so would you try and persuade him for me…again?”

A smirk, “What does he want this time?”

“I’m sure you’ll get somewhere if you bring him three Pop Pods as a token of goodwill! Perhaps after this, he’ll actually accept me….”

A rather odd feud the two of them had, but if it resulted in more goods at the general store, I’d find those Pop Pods. Now I believed they could be found in coastlands, along with everything else on my shopping list for the time being. I headed to the gate, letting Ress know where I was going.

Coming back to the Cobalt Coastlands was weird. Strangely nostalgic, although all of that Growlithe and Arcanine stuff only happened yesterday. Didn’t stop my appreciation for the scenery of this place. Not one bit. Almost seemed like the Great Bay area from Majora’s Mask, or, there were similarities at least.

Quite a few Glameow were nearby. I readied some Feather balls, not even going to bother with any other models, as I caught as many of the cat Pokémon as I could. Next on the agenda should be Pop Pods, and maybe Magikarp, but I had no idea where they were.

Spheal and Sealeo were dotted along the beach. There was also and alpha Walrein. Good and bad news I suppose, the good being three new Pokédex entries, the bad being, well, alpha Walrein.

And just my luck, the Pop Pods were located on the coastline right where the giant walrus Pokémon was romping around. I tried to move quick, being stealthy even though there was no tall grass to hide me.

One, two, three…okay, you can get more Pop Pods later, run CJ, run! I booked it out of there, going so fast I was nearly up Aipom Hill.

Right, Aipom Hill, surely there must be some of them around here. Iscan’s tent was nearby too, but I hadn’t seen him or the accompanying Pearl Clan warden either. Although I suppose I should’ve expected as much. Wardens were likely very busy people after all.

I looked back on my time yesterday and the day before rather fondly. Unlike some of the wardens, I actually wanted to be friends with Iscan and Palina. They seemed like pretty cool people to be around, like we could shoot the shit and just have a good time, clans be damned. And Irida, well, my ambitions for her were a little bit more than platonic.

I liked Arezu too. She was a good friend to have. Even if we weren’t plowing, I’d like to think we’d still have a decent friendship. And then there was Akari. I hadn’t seen her much lately. Even after Lilligant, I feel like I haven’t seen her much. I hope she wasn’t taking it personally.

Deadwood Haunt was almost unrecognizable in the daytime. I had only been here at night, where Ghost-types came out to play. But in the daytime, there were a lot of Flying-type Pokémon, that and the occasional Golduck meandering around.

“Excuse me!” I heard a woman’s voice, and it definitely looked like someone who lived in the village. “Have you seen a fellow in the Construction Corps named Yorrich?”

I raised a brow, “‘Fraid not.”

“Gah, this is hopeless! Where could he have gone?” She lamented, “Would you mind helping me track him down?” She asked, “Here, this way!”

She led me further into Deadwood Haunt. And aside from all the Staravia and Beautifly flying around, I did notice a new Pokémon. Chatot, the multicolored parrot Pokémon. I’d have to catch a few of them when I wasn’t wrapped up in errands.

We ended up pretty far out, where the ‘hand’ Iscan described on the map was. “Was this where you saw him last?”

She nodded, “He and I came out here to set up a base camp, but then he went off on his own to get a lay of the land, and he hasn’t come back! He ought to be nearby, please, see if you can find him!”

Well, where the hell would he even have gone? I could keep going outward, maybe check each of the metaphorical fingers. I hoped this guy was alright.

“Arg! A talking Pokémon! Help me!” I heard an older man cry out.

“Help me! Help me!”

“What’s the problem?” I ran over.

The older man, who I assumed was Yorrich, cowered, “S-Stay away!” He hissed at the Chatot hounding him.

“Away! Stay!”

“Gah! Why is this Pokémon talking?!”

“Talk! Talk!”

I chuckled, “It…it’s uh, a Chatot. It does that.” I looked from Yorrich to the Chatot, “Actually I’ve never seen the sensation up close like this. Kinda seems fun.”

Yorrich’s jaw dropped, “Far from it! Help me!”

“Help me!” The Chatot begged as well.

Chatot flew at me, but I quickly sent my Luxray out to distract it. I battled it for a little while, eventually catching the parrot Pokémon in a Poké ball.

“Thank goodness!’ Yorrich had a sigh of relief, “I don’t know if I would’ve survived without you!” He shook his head, “No one told me there were Pokémon that could talk like people here, what a fright!”

The woman from the Construction Corps seemed happy I was able to find Yorrich. “Back where I grew up, folks said that if you hear someone talk when nobody’s around, it’s not a ghost playing tricks…it’s just a Chatot.” She smiled, “Thank you so much for finding Yorrich, now we can set up camp!”

The duo had a lovely camp prepared not much longer after that. “I’m going to have nightmares of that Pokémon mimicking me….” Yorrich shuddered, “Well, thanks for your help, Survey Corps recruit! I owe you big time! Use this camp here as much as you like!”

It sounded less appealing to use this camp in all honesty. An area infested with Ghost-types? Why the hell would I want to sleep here? Although having a break here in the daytime wouldn’t be so bad, I suppose.

“What a splendidly scenic base camp!” Laventon commented as he walked over. “This ought to be quite convenient location for surveying Pokémon that live out on the waterfront.”

I just gave a nod. Didn’t have the heart to tell the professor that my relationship with riding on Basculegion was shaky at best, and I wasn’t comfortable with catching Pokémon who live out on the open seas yet.

“How’s the Pokédex coming along?”

“Good, good.” I smiled, “I’ll be back later so that we can compile research together.”

The balloon race guy was back, this time with a more aquatic-themed track. The course was a nightmare for me to traverse, as I would constantly have to shift between Wyrdeer and Basculegion, as it would constantly switch between land and sea. I didn’t do so well at first, but luckily I could retry it as much as I wanted. I guess it was the Zelda paranoia of having to cough up five or ten, or however many rupees necessary to keep trying. Besides, this could be a good way of overcoming my fear of riding on Basculegion, much like the earlier balloon race with Wyrdeer.

As for what to do after the practicing, I had a wealth of options. I could catch some more new species. I could also strengthen my team, as that was something I wanted to do for a while now. And the Pokémon here seemed stronger than they were in the other two areas.

I felt like Gardevoir was lagging behind, she didn’t seem nearly as strong as the rest of my team. Maybe I should prioritize training her, although I wasn’t eager to sic her on strong Cobalt Coastlands Pokémon. Floatzel was an option. He was strong enough, I like to think, after his show with Arcanine. But I needed more research down for the otter Pokémon, so I could get a page filled out. There was also Monferno, maybe if I worked on him, he would evolve. He had to be close, since Dartrix evolved, and they were ideally around the same level.

Grass and Fighting. I’ll admit, it took me by surprise. That wasn’t a common type, aside from Breloom off the top of my head. I had some friends who really liked that Pokémon, while I never got around to using one in any of the games. I know of its reputation, with Technician, and Poison Heal being two incredible abilities for it to have. There were even some vague similarities between Breloom and Decidueye. Maybe I should train my starter instead.

Christ, I was going to be here until the sun went down, wasn’t I?

“Did you find that Pokémon with a tail I was looking for?”

Sure enough, the land was lit up orange by the lovely sunset, “Yeah, here it is.” I tossed out Glameow’s Poké ball.

“Yes! This is it! This is just as I remember! The elegant sway of the tail!” The farmer was pleased, “The charming spiral shape! And the enchanting way it bobs about like a leaf in the wind! Simply remarkable!”

Glameow looked at us both, giving a rather loud meow.

“Aw! Its little meow is adorable as well!” The farmer stepped towards it, “Have you gotten attached to me, kitty?” He hesitated, “Ooh, the dilemma! Pokémon are scary, but maybe this one and I will get along just fine—”

Glameow reared a paw back, swatting him in the face.

“Ah!” He reeled back, “Darn thing scratched me!”

“Shit.” I looked from Glameow to the farmer, “Are you okay?” Couldn’t believe I’ve been here over a month and nothing like this has happened yet.

“Eh, I’m okay.” A weary smile, “Thanks for showing me…I liked its tail, at least. Maybe one day I’ll find a Pokémon perfectly suited for me, and we can become friends! Just like you with your Pokémon!”

“Yeah…Glameow can be…uh, can be a bit of a brat.” I recalled it to its Poké ball, “Well, if you ever need anything else, let me know!”

My next stop was the basement of Galaxy Hall, where the ever-so grumpy Tao Hua stood. “Oho! If it isn’t the Survey Corps recruit who quelled three noble Pokémon. What can I do for you?”

At least he was giving me recognition. “I have an offering from uh…from your rival.” Was that an accurate word for it?

“Running errands for Choy again, eh?” He asked, “Sending a customer to negotiate for him once was bad enough…but twice? Where’s his spine? Pestering me for goods when I’m already tearing my hair out trying to get Pop Pods. The nerve!”

“Well, uh…good news.”

“You…you have Pop Pods?” His eyes brightened, “Can I have some? Just three?”

“All yours.”

He grinned, “Ah, Pop Pods! The Cobalt Coastlands finest feature! You’ll often find these fine sea vegetables washed ashore. They’re best known as a key ingredient in Scatter Bangs, lively items for scaring off Pokémon.” A sigh, “Alright, I won’t send you back a failure, since you so kindly brought me those Pop Pods. I’ll set Choy up with new wares.”

I headed out of Galaxy Hall, waving to Choy, “Good news!”

“Ah, yes, we’re going to get new goods! And it’s all thanks to you!” He celebrated, taking on a more serious tone, “I realize all this must be a bother to you. Hopefully after this, things cool down between the two of us. But now we’ll be much better stocked, buy whenever you can!”

Wait, where the hell was Arezu? She wasn’t sitting outside of her hairstyling place like she usually was. I was practically ogling her when Choy was yammering on about how Tao Hua was up his ass for the eightieth time, but now she’s gone. Maybe she went to bed or something. Damn, I was kind of looking forward to seeing her.

Although, she wanted me when I wasn’t tired out from Survey Corps duties, so maybe it was better this way.

I had to make a smooth recovery from the blank stare I accidently gave Choy, “Ah, thanks pal, I’ll see you around.” I waved, walking off.

There was a familiar head of blue hair at the Wallflower, finishing off a bowl of soup, by the looks of things, “Akari?” I asked.

She pushed her empty bowl forward, giving me a small smile, “Hi CJ.”

Her eyes were really pretty. I always went on and on about how nice Irida’s eyes looked, but Akari provided some tough competition.

Where was I going with this? “Sorry, I uh…feels like we’ve been missing each other.”

“It’s fine.” She dismissed, “It must be rough in the coastlands.”

A small silence, “Why don’t you come with me tomorrow?”

“Wait, what?” She stood up, “Am I listening to you right? You…you want me to come with you?”

“Sure. We never hang out anymore like we used to. Figure this might help with that.”

“But…but it’s the Cobalt Coastlands.” She restated, “I…I don’t think I’m authorized.”

“Well, what did Captain Cyllene say about the Crimson Mirelands?” I asked, “You’re not allowed to go unless I’m with you. I’m sure the same applies for the coastlands.”

“Are…are you sure it’s safe?”

A shrug, “I mean, I won’t do anything stupid. I’ll look out for you. Feels like I’ve been getting a lot stronger since when I first started out, so, there’s that. You’ve gotten stronger too.”

A rigid nod, “Um…so, so, when would be the best time? I’m assuming sometime tomorrow, right?”

I chuckled, “Hey, relax.” I said, “I was thinking around noontime, maybe.”

“Noontime?”

Another shrug, “Usually I like to spend my mornings writing about the Pokémon I encountered. You’re welcome to join me for tea, or even tea and noodles.”

“I will, I will definitely think about it, CJ.” Another nod.

“Hey, and if this works out, I’ll bring you along more often.” I joked.

“I wouldn’t mind that.” She smiled, “Goodnight CJ.”

“Yeah, goodnight Akari.”

I shut the door to my quarters behind myself, taking a decompressing sigh as I readied myself for bed. That was the missing piece. I needed someone to talk to out there during fieldwork. Sure, there was Laventon, but he usually stayed back by camp, and given his clumsiness, that was probably for the best. I think I was underestimating Akari’s skill anyway, she was just as capable of a recruit as I am, we were just proficient in different areas.

Six plates were before me. Mind, Insect, Earth, Meadow, Splash, and Flame. Would I actually end up getting all of them? Volo made it sound like it was a certainty. And then there was that mysterious goal.

“Seek out all Pokémon.”

Would assembling all the plates, or seeking all the Pokémon lead me to Arceus first?

Chapter Text

I had to be prepared today, I was going to fill out as many Pokédex pages as I possibly could, hopefully Akari will be able to provide some company.

Bewitches humans with its helical tail and piercing gaze. Its hidden claws are quite sharp as well, making this Pokémon an exceedingly tricky opponent if antagonized.

I heard a small knock on the door, it slid open when I beckoned them in. “Hey.” I greeted, still writing.

“I’m so sorry I’m late.” Akari apologized, “I was at the craftworks, and then Captain Cyllene wanted to talk to me, then the professor, then—”

I chuckled, “Relax, I’m not mad.” A beat, “Your uh…tea and soup might be a little cold.”

“That’s okay, I still appreciate the gesture.” She picked up a teacup.

A versatile performer skilled in the imitation of human speech. It is said that older, more experienced Chatot can even understand the meaning of the words they mimic.

“You ever see a Chatot?”

“A what?” She looked at the in-progress Pokédex page, “Oh…seems interesting.”

“Just uh…letting you know…they can imitate human speech. Not an exaggeration.”

“Right.” She perked up, “What’s that sound?”

I didn’t know what the hell she was talking about at first, but then I heard smacking, eating. And I didn’t have any of my Pokémon out. “Aw, jeez!” I got up and ran over to the source of the noise, a Wurmple guzzling through my honey jar. “No! Not in my honey!”

Akari snorted, then pointed and laughed as I pulled the sucker away from the honey. Wurmple looked at me with its adorably stupid, honey-covered face. All it could think of was recklessly trying to stuff its head back into the jar. “Look at that, you have a new friend now!”

“How the hell did you get all the way from the pastures to my fucking house, eh?” I frowned, “I’ll have to put him back, once I do that…and once you’re done eating, we’ll head out, okay?”

“Sounds good.”

“Are you two heading out?” Anthe asked as we passed by.

“Yeah, that’s right.” I looked back, “Need something?”

“Well, there was a certain Pokémon that I thought could help inspire me for some new designs.” She said, “It’s the Pokémon Shellos. You see, it has different forms depending on where it lives. Very different yet equally eye-catching colors! If you can, try to find the ones that live in the Obsidian Fieldlands, and those that live in the Cobalt Coastlands.”

A nod, “Will do.” We headed to the gate to tell Ress where we were going.

“Wow…it’s….”

“Breathtaking, I know.” I stepped towards the beach after giving her a moment to enjoy the view. “We might as well get to work.”

She was slow to keep up with me, still taking everything in, “Where do we even start?”

“Well I could get those Shellos for Anthe.” I supposed, “And then we can go from there.”

“I don’t think I’ve seen that Pokémon.”

“I caught the pink variant already.” I informed. “Back in the Obsidian Fieldlands, it would just be a matter of getting the blue one, which I assume is out here somewhere.”

“You already have one of the variants?”

“Yeah, remember where we got Mime Jr.?” I asked, “It was along the coast there.”

She nodded, “Any hunches on where the blue variant would be?”

“I’m probably gonna have to use Basculegion….” I muttered, “Which I’m not excited for….”

“Well, we could collect more new species first, then worry about that later.”

“Maybe, just…be careful.” I warned, “There’s usually an alpha Walrein along the coast here.” I said, “And an alpha Drapion along that coast there.” A beat, “And an alpha Octillery further off. And even an alpha Machoke sometimes.”

“…I won’t stray too far.”

The pair of us started exploring the coastlands, after some surveying, we were stopped by a villager. “Oh, two Survey Corps members, thank goodness.” He looked me over, “And, and you’re the one quelling all those nobles, right? What luck!”

A small smile, “Need help?”

“Listen to this…a couple of Aipom stole my bag!” Sure enough, Akari and I looked over, seeing a pair of Aipom just off in the distance, “I’ve been chasing them for a while, but…obviously I’m not fast enough. And I think they know that, they’re teasing me. And I haven’t got a hope of catching them.” The villager sighed as the pair of Aipom darted off, “You know how to deal with Pokémon, do you two think you could get my stuff back?”

“Will do.”

“Got any ideas?” Akari wondered as she looked at me.

“Guess we’ll just run after ‘em, hope we can cut them off.”

It was far from easy, as they would dart off in another direction if they saw either of us coming. Eventually I had to break out the big guns. Said big guns being Wyrdeer, as I continued to chase them in an effort to corner them.

“Akari, over here!” I called, “Try to outmaneuver ‘em!”

It worked in our favor, as when cornered, the Aipom went on the attack. “You take that one, I’ll take this one.” I dismissed Wyrdeer, getting a Poké ball out.

Akari nodded, “Go Pikachu!”

“Go Monferno!” I threw out his Poké ball.

The Aipom were rather fast and daring, but we both won our battles in the end. My Monferno was even able to evolve at long last, into Infernape. “Yes!” I celebrated.

“Well, well, I see you’ve chased down the Aipom.” The villager from earlier walked over, glancing at the defeated Aipom.

“Here’s your bag back!” Akari chirped, handing it over.

“Ah, thank goodness!” He beamed, “Now, what to reward you guys with?” He pondered it over, looking back at the Aipom, “Hmm? Why are you looking all meek of a sudden? Are you…remorseful, for what you’ve done?” One of the Aipom sadly chittered back, “Oh, alright, alright…no hard feelings! Just stop looking so sad…it’s making me feel bad!” He sighed when the Aipom looked overjoyed, one of them romping off, “Alright, just no more pranks, do you understand—”

He flinched as the second Aipom tried to nab his bag again, but he stepped back, “You couldn’t even wait until I was done scolding you?!” He shook his head as they ran off, “Just goes to show, you can’t keep your guard down around Pokémon.”

“So what now?” Akari asked as we parted ways with the traveler.

“Guess we got a little sidetracked.” I chuckled, “Look, I’ll ride around on Basculegion, you hang back, catch what you can, but if it gets to be too much, go back to camp with the professor.”

“Right. Good luck CJ.”

It took a bit of riding around to find where Shellos lived, as I was distracted by plenty of other Water-types. But I didn’t want to waste the supplies with a shoddy aim due to mild hydrophobia. After some time, I found a large island where a lot of them were gathered, as well as some Gastrodon too. The blue variant of both, so maybe I’d get two Pokédex entries out of this, as I prepared some Poké balls.

“Got ‘em.” I reported as I came back to camp.

“Ooh, great!” Akari smiled, “So what’s next?”

“I was actually gonna ask you if you wanted to come to the Crimson Mirelands with me.” I said, “Couple entries there I wanted to flesh out.”

“Of course, CJ.”

“Which Pokémon did you want to try and catch first?”

God, I already missed the coastlands. “Uh…Graveler and Rhyhorn…there were quite a few of them quite a ways off, and I think I was busy when I encountered them first. There’re some Lickitung up by a set of ruins too, we could work on that as well.”

“Did you want to show Anthe those Shellos first?”

“Nah, later tonight maybe, or tomorrow.” I said, “She’ll know that I’ll come through. She had a similar request with the Hippopotas.”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah, it’s why I finished the entry for Hippopotas so quickly, connected to a request.”

“I see.” She smiled, “So what’s the plan?”

“We’ll stick together, obviously. We’ll catch what we can, if one of us needs help, the other can pitch in.”

It was a very fruitful afternoon of Pokémon-catching. Part of me was surprised we weren’t wiped out after visiting two areas and cleaning them out for what they’re worth. But I supposed such tiredness would come later.

“How are you doing?” Akari grinned.

“Pastures are uh…gonna be busy, let’s just put it that way.” I said, and we both chuckled.

Akari paused, stepping back, “Ooh, what are those?”

I squinted ahead, “Ah, Yanma…I, uh…I tried to catch these things, back when the Lilligant stuff ended…uh…they can be nasty. They’re good at breaking out of Poké balls. And they’re fast too. But, I guess that was days and weeks ago.” I considered, “We could try to catch a few, but if we’re overwhelmed, we’ll run for the hills.”

We were notably more successfully as a team than I was when I was on my own. “Damn, looks like you’re pretty good to have around.” I snickered.

“Well, if it weren’t for my Smoke Bombs, we would’ve had a lot more trouble on our hands.” Akari glanced at me, “You do know how to craft those, right?”

“Uh…sure…you just, take the…take the fern, and…the…the flower…thing, and you…tie them together, and…and….”

“CJ.” She rolled her eyes, “Maybe tomorrow we’ll just spend all day at the craftworks, making sure you know how to make this stuff.”

“Yes, please…I need all the help I can get.”

“Wait a second…did that grass just move?”

I narrowed my eyes, “What? Wait, it’s Turtwig!” I exclaimed so loudly, the nearest one ran off.

Akari chuckled, “Nice going.” She tugged my sleeve, “Here, there’s tall grass this way.”

Even though I scared one off, I could see at least two more wandering around. Damn, a starter Pokémon, two of them, just roaming around.

“I take it you’re familiar with this Pokémon….”

“I mean, I’m familiar with like, ninety-nine percent of them.”

“Well, I meant extra familiar with this one.” She said.

“Oh yeah, I fucking love Turtwig.” I beamed, “Let’s catch these two, then bring them back to Professor Laventon.”

“Sure thing.”

It took us quite a bit of time to trudge through the swampy lands back to camp. “That was a lot of fun.” Akari smiled, “But, I was wondering if you’d like to help me with something, back in the Obsidian Fieldlands.”

“Sure, what did you have in mind?” I asked.

“I wanted to try catching a new Pokémon for my team.” She explained, “I might not need help, but the company would be nice.”

“Alright.” I shrugged, “There’re a few Pokémon in the Obsidian Fieldlands whose entries need work, so, I’ll come along. Might wanna stop by and talk to Zisu about some new moves I was in the market for, but I’ll meet you there.”

If I knew it was a goddamn Starly, I would have offered her one of mine. Although I doubted Akari would accept the gesture. And I’m not sure I would either. At least in this world, there seemed to be a certain kind of pride in catching your own Pokémon.

“Well, you have a lot of options.” I whispered from behind the tall grass.

“Mmm-hmm.” Akari nodded, chucking a ball forward. It was a back strike, so Starly was caught quite easily. “Yes!” She cheered quietly, “Thank you CJ!”

“I didn’t really do anything.” I shrugged, “I mean, guess I provided emotional support.”

“What did you need to do here?” She asked.

“I think I’ll just, look around, get a feel for what Pokémon need their entries touched up.” I said, “If I need you, I’ll find you.”

The first area I went too was Horseshoe Plains, had a bit of a score to settle. I first noticed a couple Bidoof, knowing that there’d be Shinx, Ponyta, and Buizel further back.

Ah, there it was, the ever-elusive Eevee.

You’re mine, this time. I readied a Feather ball, clonking it on the back of the head. I almost cheered out loud when I caught the damn thing.

After carefully transporting Eevee back to the pastures, I went back out in the fields. From there, I scoured the area for Pokémon I needed to catch. I noticed I was a lot braver, more comfortable in this area, compared to the other two. 

Eventually a thought occurred to me. I could use Basculegion to travel to areas I wouldn’t normally be able to make it to using the waterways. Well, I supposed I was feeling particularly daring today.

There was a rather large island that caught my attention. I noticed a man, a member of the Diamond Clan at that, knelt down in the flowers, “Whoa…you got Pokémon with you!” He noted, “What are the odds? Fate must have my back today, bringing you here! Look, I know we just met, but could I ask you for something? I need a Pokémon…gah, what is its name? The one with a scythe on each arm!”

Scyther? I had a couple of those, in fact I aspired to catch some more today. “Yeah, sure, what do you need it for?”

“Never mind that, hurry!”

“Alright, I’ll be as quick as I can.” I departed for the pastures, taking the long trip back to the island.

“Okay, here’s Scyther.” I sent the Bug-type out.

The Diamond Clan member’s eyes lit up, “Ah, look at those keen blades! They’ll make short work of this!”

“Short work of what, exactly?” I wondered.

He gestured with a hand, “You see those Ramanas roses blooming all over this island? I’m going to gather every last one!” He explained, “I’ve been trying to pluck every last one of them myself…having this ah, Scyther help out will make things much smoother.”

I raised a brow. This seemed to fly in the face of the Diamond Clan’s ‘one with Pokémon, one with nature’ schtick. “Isn’t that a little…I dunno, extreme?”

“They’re for my wife, you see!” He giddily informed, “She told me she wanted to fill our gardens with these Ramanas roses. So I’m gathering every last one here to fill that garden right up for my darling!”

They say love makes you crazy, but I’ve never seen anything worse than what this guy was exhibiting. “Uh…look, I don’t think fucking with the flora of this island is a good way to…there’s gotta be a better way to make your wife happy. Feel like if you came back with a bunch of roses, it would kind of rob her of planting any herself, right?”

His eyes widened, he held his forehead, “Oh, you’re right…I…I didn’t think of that…maybe I’ll plant seeds with her instead!” He started walking away, “I’m glad you came by before I plucked every rose on this island…what a severe misunderstanding! Take care!”

I rode Basculegion back to Sandgem Flats, where Akari gave me a wave, “How’s it going?”

“Uh, fine, fine.” I dismounted the large fish Pokémon. “Just…gave some last-minute marriage counseling and whatnot.”

“Marriage counseling?” She raised a brow.

“But I’ve got better news than that.” I grinned, “I caught an Eevee.”

“You did?” She smiled back, “Good job, how did you…?”

“Feather balls.” I noted, “Came in clutch, they did.” I squinted ahead, “Hey, what’s up this way?” I asked, “I don’t think I’ve ever been this far back.”

“Lake Verity.” The second she said it, my eyes widened.

Before me was a rather grand lake, sheltered by a tall wall of natural rock. Off in the distance there was a tiny cave. “No one knows who or what lives in that cave.” Akari continued.

I did. One of the lake spirits. Out of all the legendary trios, I found them middling at best, but, I wonder if I could catch any of them? Surely that would be a boon both to the Pokédex and my overall strength.

There was also a smaller, yet dire discovery to be found in the lake. “Magikarp!” I looked back at Akari, “I’m gonna go see how many I can catch. Gotta get some for a request.” I filled in quickly, heading to the edge of the lake.

“Is Magikarp’s page filled yet? Tell me, tell me!”

“Yup, got it right here.” I handed my notebook to the little girl.

She read it over slowly with excited eyes. When she saw enough, she thrusted the notebook back towards me, “I know everything about Magikarp now! I’m a Magikarp professor!”

I chuckled, “Glad I could be of help.”

“Now it’s my turn to tell you something! Sanqua told me a secret!”

I leaned in, wondering if it was really my place to hear this, “Oh really?”

“Sanqua said that she made those Magikarp statues! But she really wanted to make Gyarados statues instead!” She chirped, “She said that Gyarados is super strong! And cool! And it can fly! And Magikarp can become Gyarados!” She crossed her arms behind her back, “You’ll learn more about Gyarados too, right? Please!”

I snickered, “I’ll do what I can, kid.” I started heading to the clothier’s shop, “See you around.”

“Got the Shellos you were after.” I gave a small smile.

“Ah, can I see the pink one first?” Anthe asked.

“Sure, sure.” I tossed out the Poké ball.

She studied the Water-type closely for a moment or so, “And now the blue one?” I obliged, sending out the other variant. “Hmm…it’s quite beyond me why Shellos would have different colors. But I think it’s absolutely charming that they change things up depending on where they live!” Anthe mused, “We in Jubilife Village have also journeyed far from where we used to live…maybe a change in the color of our clothing is just what we need, just like Shellos.” A firm nod, “Yes, I’ve got it. I think I’ll have the perfect new lineup. Please, come see it when I’m finished.”

“Trust me, I likely will.” I recalled the pair of Shellos, giving Anthe a wave as I headed to my quarters after a long day of work. I looked back at the Magikarp statues. Now that I thought about it, I did see a lot of construction and drafting designs or blueprints in Sanqua’s residence when I helped her with that Pichu. And she was in charge of the Construction Corps. There were a lot of talented people in the village.

Maybe tomorrow I’d buy a new set of clothes from Anthe, and then take it easy.

Chapter Text

I deserved a break. I deserved a break.

This treetop dweller possesses a tail as dexterous as a hand. Ancient writings describe this Pokémon as a one-armed oddity.

My pencil continued to scratch against the paper. After all the writing this morning, I deserved to take care of myself.

Found in abundance on seashores bordering warm waters. Shellos are unexpectedly friendly and will crawl toward any person they see. Take care not to get coated in mucus!

Found in abundance on seashores bordering cold waters. When pressed upon, the Pokémon will secrete from its body’s surface a purple fluid that will stain one’s clothes.

I don’t even know why I wrote this shit anymore. Maybe it was better off just to do it orally. Although Laventon didn’t seem to struggle with my handwriting, unlike everybody else. I hope he wasn’t just saying that to be nice. I hope I wasn’t still a burden to these people after all these weeks.

Eats beach sand for nourishment. Should one Gastrodon encounter another of a different color, a fierce battle will inevitably ensue.

Found more often on the land than in the sea. More active when it’s cloudy or rainy out than when the weather is fair.

A bite of the bitter root, a small grimace after.

Dwells in holes dug into sheer walls of stone. It enjoys rolling down slopes as though it were a boulder during a rockfall, so keep an eye upward while traversing mountain roads.

The taste was quickly chased out by a calcium mint.

Ludicrously strong…when it butts heads with a mountain, it is the mountain that shatters. But its short legs struggle with turns, and it is incapable of stopping unless it collides with something.

I should’ve finished my tea earlier, with all these conflicting tastes in my mouth, I wasn’t going to want to finish it.

Wields its long tongue deftly, as though it were an arm. The Pokémon’s viscous saliva, once it has been collected and boiled down, yields a strong and highly useful adhesive.

I remember testing that with Laventon. Interesting way to spend an afternoon.

Its frail wings are so thin that one can see clear through them. However, during flight these wings exhibit the power to churn air with force enough to launch a house skyward.

This was a lot of work at once. Maybe I should inform Cyllene of all these new entries.

It uses its cutlass-like arms to produce sound, the melody of which varies from individual to individual. It is a worthwhile endeavor to seek out one’s favorite tunes.

The large, wickedly sharp scythes on its forearms are truly fearsome weapons. Prey’s attempts to flee are unfailingly thwarted by this Pokémon’s nimble motions.

Maybe I’d check Anthe’s selection too. Buying a new outfit didn’t sound like such a bad thing to do on my day off. I think she liked when I dressed up for her, right? Must be boring to see me in the same Survey Corps uniform all the fucking time. On the other hand, she said she liked throating a man in uniform. Whatever, maybe I’d flip a fucking coin later.

A feeble, pitiful imbecile of a Pokémon that is nonetheless very hardy. Unperturbed by turbid water, it can be found living in all sorts of places.

Damn, did I have a headache? Christ, a headache this early in the morning was not a good sign of things to come.

Captain Cyllene read over my reports carefully. Or, rather, the doctored-up versions of my reports. She had a lot more than usual to check up on. “Hmm, you’ve made quite a bit of progress, seems you’ve earned yourself a star.”

A small, formal bow. “Thank you, ma’am.”

She gave me a recipe for a new type of Poké ball, Wing balls. Loving the Feather balls, I couldn’t help but be excited at the prospects of a Poké ball that flies even further out. I made sure to thank her for the recipe.

“Continue to dedicate yourself to completing the Pokédex if you hope to climb higher in the ranks.”

I made sure to strike around evening time. After looking at Anthe’s new merchandise, I practically made a beeline to the hairstyling place. “Hey.” A small smile, “You busy?” I tried to stay quiet.

She looked me up and down, the new outfit possibly made my intentions a little too obvious. I, on the other hand, could look at her all day sitting like that. “Not really.” She stood tall and opened the door for me, “After you.”

I walked in and took a look around. What was left of the sunset dyed some of the interior a warm orange. “Empty.” I noted, “Just you and me? No more appointments tonight?”

“Nope.” Arezu smiled, “Don’t worry, I checked this time.” She sauntered towards me, lightly grabbing the soft orange top I had on. “Nice threads. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in warm colors. Or…anything that’s not blue or indigo. You look good.”

I felt my face heat up as she turned away after the compliment, heading towards her living quarters. I followed her, wondering if my timidity around her was a turn-on at this point or something.

“I was actually going to make myself dinner.” She continued, “You want any?”

“I….” I sat at the nearby kotatsu, “I don’t wanna like…you don’t have to cook for me, Arezu.”

She snickered, supporting my theory that my nerves entertained her. “I mean, I’m not gonna be able to eat all of it.” She scanned for ingredients in some of her cupboards, “You like miso soup?”

“I don’t mind it.”

She sighed as she looked at the fireplace, “Not sure I feel like lighting that.”

“I mean, I could just use Infernape.”

“Mmm, then I need water.”

“Floatzel.”

A few minutes later, there was a nice miso soup being heated over a roaring fire. “See, now you can say we both made it.” She playfully shoved my shoulder.

“Hardly.” I watched the soup for a moment, returning to sit at the kotatsu, “It was my Pokémon, not me.”

She would occasionally watch the soup, stirring it, while I was sitting at the table. “So how’s CJ?”

I was silent for a moment, as I just stared at the table’s surface. “CJ’s fine.” I said, “Got promoted this morning.”

“Oh yeah?” Her voice brightened, “So what’s that mean? Five stars?”

I chuckled, “Yeah, yeah…makes sense, if you ask me.” I muttered, “Akari and I were out there practically dawn till dusk catching any Pokémon that looked at us funny.”

“Akari…that’s the girl from the Survey Corps, right?” She stirred, “Blue hair, same age as you and me, give or take?”

“Yeah, that’s her.”

“Is she as good as battling Pokémon as you are?”

My hesitance gave the answer away. “She’s not as good, but like…she’s not bad either.” A beat, “Let’s just say I’m a boon to the people of Jubilife Village.” I mused, to her chuckles. “Her forte is definitely crafting. We’re opposites in that regard.” I said, “I, uh…whew. Let’s just say I was delighted to see that you made all the balms for Lilligant, because I suck at that. When we had to make them for Arcanine and Kleavor I…I was the weak link during that part.”

“That’s funny because that’s like, the entire Galaxy Team’s thing.” She muttered, “Well that and the Pokédex project, I guess.”

“Eh, if I had to pick one skill, it would be being able to defend myself in a Pokémon battle.” I said, “Like, it’s pretty fucking dangerous out there. I’d be dead if I didn’t have the Pokémon know-how I have now.”

“How were the Cobalt Coastlands anyway?” She looked back, “And Arcanine?”

“Eh, sure was an experience, let me put it that way.” A pause, “All three of them have been, in their own special way.” I wasn’t sure if I should spill the beans about Palina and Iscan. “I just wish there was some way we could get to the bottom of it, but it all leads back to that goddamn space-time rift.”

Small talk persisted for another few moments, until the soup was ready, and Arezu poured out a bowl for each of us. “Thanks again for this.” I readied my chopsticks.

“No problem.” She smirked, “You a good cook?”

“…sort of? I get by.”

“Yeah, same here.” She snickered, having a bite.

“I can like, make the bare minimum.” I clarified, “Like, simple stuff. Not gonna lie when I say that I enjoy the nights the three of us go out for dinner.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, me, the professor, Akari.” I said, “We all eat at the Wallflower. Usually it’s potato mochi, but sometimes we vary it up.” I thought about it, “It’s not, too-too often. Kind of a special treat. For like, a celebration. If something happens with me and a noble, or, someone evolves, or…or if we did a lot of work towards the Pokédex.” I shook my head, “Feel bad for Laventon, honestly. He always pays for all three of us. Always refuses when I offer to make it on me instead. Guy’s a saint.”

“Yeah, man…I could like, eat nothing but Beni’s potato mochi for the rest of my life, if that like, didn’t cause horrible dietary problems down the line.” She laughed.

My expression soured slightly, as I ate a little bit faster.

Her smiled faded, “Oh, sorry, do you not like the potato mochi?”

Contemplation washed over me, the urge to keep my mouth shut. It was ignored. “I don’t like Beni.”

“Really? The old guy?”

I shook my head, I must’ve looked pretty pissed, because she was silent, so I tried to explain myself. “First day I landed here…he uh…he basically told me to piss off. Told me outsiders weren’t allowed to eat at his place. Which….” I took a bite to think about how to phrase it. “I get it. I was suspicious as hell. He had no reason to trust me. But at that point, I was new, scared. Thought I was gonna fucking starve to death. Not the best first impression of the bastard.”

She nodded, “Right, I get it.”

“Like, this is going to sound like pointless bitching. But there was definitely a time where I was in Jubilife Village and I wasn’t like, king of the world, you know? I was scared out of my fucking mind. I didn’t think I was going to live a week. I thought a Pokémon would have its way with me. If they wanted to, the Galaxy Team easily could’ve sent me to my death.” I met her eyes, “And it would’ve been no skin off their nose.” I reflected. “But, it’s thanks to their kindness, namely Laventon, because no one else trusted me. Even Akari probably wanted me out of the picture. But, it’s thanks to Professor Laventon that I’m still here. He gave me my first Pokémon. And ever since then I’ve been growing stronger.”

She nodded respectfully throughout my rant, taking it all in. Then she frowned and looked down at the two empty bowls, “Feel like this was a shitty idea.” She admitted, “I mean, we’re not gonna wanna kiss each other with soup-breath.”

“Here.” I got out two green tablets, handing one to her, “It’ll make things fresh again.”

She looked puzzled as she took one, “What is it?”

“Something to help my ribs heal after the Kleavor incident.”

“But I can’t take it, can I?”

“It’s just a supplement.” I shrugged, “Calcium, helps your bones. I hardly think one tablet will do anything drastic.”

She popped it into her mouth. “CJ’s sharing his meds with me huh? We must be closer than I thought.”

“Pfft, now if I was really irresponsible, I’d share those painkiller roots with you, numb you up real good.” I joked.

She stood tall, “Might as well get on with the show, huh?” A smirk, “You gotta be rewarded for your promotion.”

“No, no, no…you’re getting off tonight, missy.” I stood as well, “I’m not leaving until that’s the case.”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll both have a lot of fun.” She led the way to her sleeping quarters.

“How kindly do the Diamond and Pearl clans take to outsiders?” I wondered.

She looked back at me at the sudden curveball. “Uh…well, I can’t speak for the Pearl Clan, but the Diamond Clan is pretty welcoming, I like to think. I guess it depends on the person.” A shrug, “Why?”

Because sometimes people like Kamado and Beni set me on edge and I wanted to get the hell away from them. “Dunno, as someone not from this world, I like to see how the three factions differ, is all.”

She sat back on her futon, a sultry smile on her face. Clearly talky time was over. Which, fair enough, I was pretty fucking horny too. Especially when she reached for her boots to take them off, making a show of it. “Let’s get you all nice and warmed up first.”

I swallowed hard, “You uh…you mind if I stay down there extra-long…? I…I could really use it.”

“Of course.” She cooed, “Take your time.”

I slowly crouched down as she lifted a leg up for me. I started at the sole, and wouldn’t be happy until my tongue reached every area of her foot. I trembled with lust the further along her foot went into my mouth. It was hard to hide my groans and swears. Eventually it became impossible.

“You’re not going to nut in those nice new pants you bought, right?”

It was hard to give a snappy retort when I was practically deepthroating her foot. “No, I’m fine. Don’t worry.” Immediately after the response, my worship continued.

I tried not to leave too much drool on her feet, but inevitably, there would be spots that I’d miss. She seemed to relax into the attention, however, softly sighing and encouraging me along the way. Which probably meant nothing to her, but I found it quite calming.

“C’mere.” She beckoned me up, wrapping me in a loose hug, as I laid over her, although I was trying not to exert any weight because it would hurt my ribs. “Damn, that sure is a nice haircut.” She snickered, “Wonder who gave it to ya.”

“Someone who charges their customers too little.” I snorted, “Seriously, for talent like this, you ought to be asking for more.”

“Pfft, you wanted a trim…I’m not charging you more than five-hundred Pokédollars.” She ran her fingers through my hair. “Maybe get something more exciting, and I’ll charge more.”

“Oh, what? Am I the boring and practical type, Arezu?”

“Wasn’t going to say practical, but….”

I grinned, “You’re gonna regret calling me that after I fuck you into next week.”

She laughed, giving me the smallest squeeze, “Damn, I wish I could like, actually hug you.”

“I know, how the hell are we gonna do this with the Kleavor injuries still healing?”

Her eyes darted around, “I mean, I could top.” She suggested effortlessly, “It would put a lot less strain on your ribs than if you did.”

For some reason, that didn’t occur to me. “Sure, sure.” We repositioned so I was laying back. “Oh, shit, right…I shouldn’t be fucking fully clothed.” I started stripping myself down as quickly as I could.

I could tell she was going to undress too, but she kind of just gave me a dumb stare. What, was there something on me? She stepped closer, “That’s a big fucking scar.”

“Oh, right.” I looked down briefly, not sure what else to say.

She loosely traced a finger along it. “Does it hurt?”

“The scar itself? Not, not really, no. It’s just…internal stuff, with the ribs and everything.” I explained.

“Damn….” She ghosted, “Like, I don’t mean to sound like an ass…but, I was dry before, but…that’s fucking hot.” She kept ogling my chest.

I snorted, “Thanks for objectifying my pain.”

“I know, I know, I’m so sorry.”

“Arezu, I’m fucking kidding.”

Her smirk came back, as she started to undress as well. Was I really that hot? I mean, I was working out more, sure, maybe it was that. I wasn’t some over-the-top, muscly anime protagonist, but I probably looked better than I did when I first landed here.

I was just as speechless when she got naked, if not more so. My first glimpse of titties in the flesh, and her hips weren’t bad either. “You…you look amazing….”

“Thank you.” She lowered herself to lightly sit over me. “Okay so…I should probably, warm myself up here.” She furrowed her brows, as she eventually settled for my hip, grinding against me.

I helped hold her steady, “Take your time, no rush.” I said, trying to spread the kindness she gave from earlier.

“Yeah, damn…when you get better, forget it. Your chest is getting fucking soaked, cutie.” She warned with a grin.

“No worries.” I smiled back, “If anything, that’d be hot as fuck.”

“Glad we’re in agreement.” Once she built up a momentum, and once I felt a little bit of her on my hip, she moved towards my cock, stroking it a couple times with her hand before hopping on.

“Wait, Arezu….” I had to stop and groan because her mounting me just felt so damn good. “What about like…what’s stopping you from getting pregnant?” I gasped.

“Hmm?” She raised a brow, “Oh, I won’t get pregnant. There’s a medicine I take to, um…well it suppresses certain hormones. Lessens periods, keeps me from getting pregnant. It’s not that hard to come by, even outside of the Galaxy Team.” She met my gaze, “Did you have something like that in your world?”

Oh thank Christ, there was birth control. “Yeah, yeah, we do…just, sorry. Got paranoid.”

“No problem.” She started to get a little more merciless with her rhythm. Finally I wasn’t the only one making noise, as she was sighing louder, they would turn into full-on groans sometimes. We both tried not to get too-too loud. But at least it was nighttime, and thus we had slightly more leeway.

After a while, she started to pant, “You’re…you’re lasting awfully long….”

“I mean, I guess, why?”

“It’s just, when I suck your dick, you come in like, a minute.”

“Cause I love blowjobs.” A pause, “And feet.” I grinned, “What’s the matter Arezu, worried you’ll come first?”

“I mean, guess it doesn’t really matter who comes first.” She kept a steady rhythm.

“See, I only have one, so I gotta make it special.”

She snickered and rolled her eyes, “Okay CJ. Well, I’m just letting you know, that I’m probably going to come soon.”

She wasn’t necessarily lying. And watching her top me, control me. Watching her come undone, hearing her mute a scream, her hair getting disheveled. She may have come first, but I followed after her in due time. She started moving even quicker, and I held her hips to give them an unforgiving squeeze, causing her to groan all the more.

“Y-You’re so beautiful….” I rasped after we finished.

“Your ribs okay?”

“Y-Yeah…I’m fine.”

The pair of us cleaned up briefly, and before I knew it, I was dressed back up, ready to leave. I felt like a train ran me over, but in a good way. I’m sure Arezu felt somewhat similar. “Damn, I feel refreshed.”

“Oh yeah?” She hung back by the doorway, a tired smile on her face.

“I mean, masturbating is only so much fun in comparison.”

She snickered, “Wait until you get better, then we’ll really get at it.”

She didn’t have to tell me twice. I’d been fantasizing about having her step on me for weeks now. “Uh-huh.” I nodded eagerly, “Goodnight Arezu, t-thanks for everything.”

“Mmm-hmm, night hon.”

Chapter Text

“Thanks for lending me a hand in getting a Buneary for that photo, recruit. Everyone in the village sure loved it.” The old photographer smiled. “I was hoping I could get your help with another task. Would you take a look at this?”

He handed me a picture. Again, a Pokémon was in the midst of photo-bombing, it seemed. This one took place at night, with a wrecked ship in the background, by the coast.

And it went without saying I knew the Pokémon in this photo too.

“Rather eerie, wouldn’t you say?” He asked, “That thing was so close, and yet I had no idea it was even there when the photo was being taken. From a shot like this…I can’t even tell if it’s a Pokémon or, something else entirely.”

“It’s a Duskull.” I answered, “I currently don’t have one, but I know where to go to catch one real quick.” I assured.

“Ah, do you?” The older man smiled, “I’d love for you to help me have a better look, when you’ve got the chance.”

Maybe I should check the noticeboard first, before I head out to the Cobalt Coastlands. If it was on the emptier side, I could shell out some time to train my team while I would wait for nighttime, when Duskull would show up. I really wanted to raise that Turtwig. Not only could I get quite a few Pokédex entries from his evolutionary line, having a Torterra would be pretty badass too.

“Hey, I hear you’re quite the Pokémon expert!” A woman from the Security Corps stopped me, “I was wondering, do you know anything about a Pokémon that has two tail fins? I saw one swimming along the other day, fluttering its two tail fins behind it. It looked so lovely…I was captivated! I’d really like to see that Pokémon again, but this time I’d like to get a good look up close.”

I nodded. Didn’t know which Pokémon she meant at first, but maybe the coastlands would have the answer. “Right, I’ll get on that.”

On my way out, I passed the pickling lady’s house, trusty Geodude at her side. “How’s everything going?” I waved.

“Why, hello again! Wonderful timing as always, I see.” She smiled, “You really came to the rescue with Geodude here. You’re quite the little helper! So, I wonder if I could impose on you again for some help with a new pickle proposal of mine.”

I shrugged, “I’ll do what I can. What did you need?”

“I was down by the sea gathering fresh ingredients recently when, wouldn’t you know it, an Octillery popped up and sprayed me with ink!” She recalled, “But here’s the thing…the ink, well, it actually tasted rather good!” I guess she missed the strange look on my face. “Inspiration quite literally struck at that moment. I know I can use that ink to create pickles the likes of which the world has never seen.” A pause, “But, making food out of something a Pokémon has spat up seems risky to say the least, no? So, research on Octillery is in order! That’s where you come in dear, if you could compile a page on Octillery, do let me know.”

“Right, well, the professor and I will put our heads together, don’t you worry.” I nodded, heading towards the gate.

I took in a relaxing breath of sea air. This was starting to become my favorite place to survey. Although the Obsidian Fieldlands had a certain first-time charm to them. And then there were the Crimson Mirelands, which were filthy and had hordes of hostile Pokémon. So I knew which area was my least favorite.

I didn’t have the heart to tell that lady how difficult it was going to be getting my hands on an Octillery, let alone collect enough data to complete a Pokédex page on it. I’d only seen one Octillery, and it was the alpha one. Not one I wanted to get myself tangled with unless I absolutely had to. Maybe there were others on another coast.

Even the other fish Pokémon would be a challenge. Must’ve been Finneon, as the fluttering tails gave it away. But I hadn’t seen any of them around. At least for now, I only had to catch one, unlike with the Octillery task. But both Water-types involved swimming around the ocean, something I wasn’t excited for. I wanted to know what kind of strange timeline I was in where the task involving the Ghost-type was the easiest.

Duskull would have to wait, it was still morning. So, I would catch whomever I could, and use whatever spare time I had left for training my team. With slight reluctance, I took to the seas.

It took some searching, but in the end, I got my hands on the coveted Finneon. Of course, catching it was a whole other set of hurdles, as obviously Finneon wasn’t the only one out here in the ocean. Tons of Tentacool, Tentacruel, and even Gyarados wanted my ass dead for going on their turf. And I had enough trouble dodging attacks in the Crimson Mirelands on my own two feet, let along clumsily riding Basculegion around. The second I saw the little celebratory firework, I hurried back to solid land as quickly as possible.

Octillery was no simpler. Since I couldn’t find any other Octillery, I had to duke it out with the alpha for now. Even using a good type matchup, Luxray, I still felt as though I was at a disadvantage. When I finally caught it after a well-fought battle, I turned and headed back to camp. I needed a little break.

“Hey there, Survey Corps recruit! I need your help catching a Pokémon!”

Christ, they were really crawling out of the woodworks today. “Which Pokémon?” I asked.

“Well, the Construction Corps is busier than ever these days.” The older man said, “Making homes for all these new people in the village. We just don’t have enough labor to handle everything. So we figured, why not try and see if Pokémon could help us out?” He looked out ahead, where there were a bunch of Machop, and even a few Machoke wandering around. “I searched around a while for a reliable Pokémon that wouldn’t need much training. And I was lucky enough to find this incredibly robust Pokémon, Machoke! Now…I’d love to get Machoke to join us, but I haven’t the faintest idea on how to catch such a strong Pokémon. I’d like to learn more about it. When you finish Machoke’s page, can you show it to me?”

Sounded like it was going to be about as difficult as Octillery. “I’ll get to it as soon as I can.” I nodded, heading back to camp.

I chose the more scenic camp out on the coast, figuring Professor Laventon and I could collaborate together for good Pokédex pages for Octillery and Machoke. Hell, maybe I’d get one for the Fighting-type pre-evolution while I was at it.

“Really?” Laventon leaned in with interest, “Remoraid evolves into Octillery?”

“That’s right.” I noted, “I know, it’s hard to believe, but I swear it’s true.”

“Mmm…have you caught a Remoraid? Perhaps you can show me an evolution firsthand!”

“Ah….” Unlike Machop, I was in no hurry to get Remoraid. Octillery at least would venture onto land, but the pre-evolution was strictly in the water. And I hated fucking around in the ocean trying to catch stuff. Half the time the ball would miss, I’d get hurt. I wasn’t ready for it. “I’m a bit strapped for time.” I half-lied, “But I promise I’ll do it soon.” I looked back, “A woman in the village wanted Octillery’s Pokédex entry done. And some guy on the other side of the coast wants one for Machoke.”

“Ah, nothing quite like a curious populace, eh CJ?”

I sighed with a smile, “Sorry about uh…taking the day off yesterday.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He dismissed, “Rest and recovery are important tenants to a keen mind, after all.”

“I just wish I could get more data on Octillery.” I muttered, “All I saw was that alpha.”

“Try Islespy Shore.” The professor put a hand to his chin, “I think I remember seeing quite a few of them there.”

“Ah, you’re a lifesaver.” I smiled, “Thanks, prof!”

It was a long ride there, but running into more Octillery to collect would be nice. Although they were rather hostile and quick to battle, but Luxray and Decidueye made it a nonissue. From there, it would be a matter of going back to the other coast to work on Machoke. Luckily, it would train Gardevoir up as well, as I was still worried she was falling behind compared to the rest of my team.

By afternoon time, the professor and I were researching what I caught. In addition to that, we tried to fill out entries for Machoke and Octillery. Part of me wished Akari were here, so that we’d be a complete trio, but I think she was either training her team or working on one of her own projects.

A sturdy creature boasting a robust physique and boundless stamina. Loves training above all else and voluntarily assists with tasks such as construction and clearing land. “How’s this?” I handed Laventon Machoke’s entry.

“Ah, good, good.” The professor started transcribing my page, “Here, would you look at the Octillery page I’ve written out?”

Given the number of Octillery I had him look at, I’m surprised there wasn’t ink all over him. While Octillery still shoots water from its mouth, the drastic anatomical difference between it and Remoraid meant that for a long time, no one believed the former evolved from the latter. I chuckled, “Yeah, looks good.” Although I did feel a pit of fear in my stomach. As Cyllene wouldn’t be happy if I didn’t have Remoraid’s entry in addition to Octillery. But I didn’t really feel like swimming out there and getting sniped off by ten of them. “Don’t worry, I’ll work on Remoraid’s entry as soon as I can. Think for now I’ll turn this Machoke entry in.”

I headed back towards the old man, “Here’s Machoke’s page. All done.”

He read my notebook over, “So it likes grains, does it? And it certainly looks powerful, strong. It would be the perfect addition to the Construction Corps!” He suddenly ran off after handing me my Pokédex back.

“Wait, sir…where are you going?” I held a hand out.

He didn’t answer. I swore under my breath, catching up with him. By the time I did, he had a Machoke at his side. “Thanks to you, I was able to catch a Machoke! Guess I owe the Survey Corps one.” He smiled.

I smiled back, looking at the Machoke, “Impressive work.”

“Well it really seemed to enjoy the Grain Cake I threw at it. I promised we’d feed it a lot of grain dishes, and that seems to be enough for it to help us!” He explained, “You know, the recent exploits of the Survey Corps are what inspired me to get help from Pokémon in the first place. Keep up the good work, okay?”

“Of course.” I smiled. Nice to see some of the folks in the village gradually get over their fear of Pokémon, going as far as catching them. Sometimes it could be a lot of work, but I’m glad there’s a payoff in the end. I supposed the next thing to do would be to wait until nighttime for a Duskull, and from there, I’d turn in all the requests.

“Oh, so you looked into Octillery for me, have you? Lovely! Let’s see what you’ve learned.” I handed her my notebook, and she read it over. “Oh my…are you sure?” She murmured, “Goodness. To think Remoraid evolves into Octillery, despite them looking nothing alike….”

“Yeah, we’re still collecting some data on Remoraid, but I’m over ninety percent sure that’s the case.” I informed.

“Mmm, but more importantly, it seems Octillery isn’t poisonous. So, its ink must be safe to eat after all! Ooh, I can’t wait to gather up some ink and try creating a lot of innovative new recipes!” She smiled, “Once my pickles are well and truly perfected, pop by for a taste, won’t you dear?”

Guess I wouldn’t mind a pickle. Especially given all the trouble this woman was going through to make the supposedly ‘perfect’ pickles. “Yeah, why not?” I waved, “Good luck.”

Now I was on the hunt for that Security Corps chick who wanted to see Finneon. “Did you bring the Pokémon with two tail fins?” She asked.

“Yup, right here.” I chucked Finneon’s ball out.

“Wow….” She was speechless for a moment, observing the fish Pokémon, “The way it wiggles its fins are so adorable! It’s like they’re fluttering in the wind!” She turned to me, “You’ve outdone yourself on this one, thank you so much for taking my request!”

“All in a day’s work.” A half-goofy smile.

“From now on, you Survey Corps folks have my full support. Keep giving it your all out there!”

The star piece was a nice reward, as that would sell for quite a bit of money. Right, now all that was left was the Duskull request for the photographer.

Understandably, it looked like the old man was closing up shop when I walked in, given how late it was. “Here, I have that Duskull.” I sent the Poké ball out.

He was a little daunted at the Ghost-type. “What a hair-raising spectacle!” He exclaimed, “Yes, I’m certain this is the Pokémon from the photo!” He held his chin, “Well, now that I’ve seen such a clear example of the real thing, I’d like to get a proper shot!” He got his camera out, taking several shots of the floating Duskull. “You know, I have to admit…I feel quite relieved to know it was just a Pokémon in the end.” He lowered his camera. “And a Pokémon with its own sort of charm. I was glad I was able to photograph it.” A small smile.

“Of course, no problem.” I assured, “You ever need a Pokémon for reference again, don’t be afraid to ask.”

Today was a long fucking day, I needed to get to bed as soon as possible. “Well, if it isn’t one of the young ones from the Survey Corps.” A man observed from the doorway of his house. Seemed to be a member of the Construction Corps, by the looks of his jacket. “I know it’s late, but could you drop by for a second?”

I shrugged, heading inside with him, “What did you need help with?”

“I need some help making friends with this Eevee. Think you can lend me a hand?” Sure enough, there was an Eevee in his house. Where the fuck did he get it? Took me ages to find one!

“My granddaughter brought this little guy home for me the other day.” He explained, as if reading my mind, “I want to be on good terms. After thinking long and hard, I decided that the best way to win Eevee over is the old-fashioned way…through tasty treats!” He smiled, “So I’ll be whipping up a special snack from my hometown. Some of the ingredients for it don’t grow in Hisui, but I found a few local berries and things that’ll make good enough substitutes. Three stalks of Hearty Grains, two Hopo berries, and one Razz berry is what I need. I’m counting on you!”

Let’s hope to god I had all that shit in my trunk. I left his house, frantically heading to my quarters to see if I had the necessary supplies. I may not have been as good a forager as Akari, but I don’t think I slouched either. I tried to pick up shit whenever I found it. Whether it was spoiled or not was another question entirely.

Thank Christ. I barely had enough, but I would worry about the problem of restocking later. I hurried back to his house, “Alright, I think I got everything.”

“You did?” His face brightened, as he took my ingredients and rifled through them, “Ah, yes, they’re all here! Look at how fresh they are!” Ah, well that was fortunate. “I’ll get cooking, don’t worry, it doesn’t take too long.”

After he finished the treats, he offered one of them to me, “Let’s have a taste before giving one to Eevee, shall we?”

I looked at the muffin curiously. I was a picky eater, but once I got hungry enough, like tonight, the lines became a bit more blurred. We both had a taste. Wasn’t half bad.

“Mmm…that’s interesting.” The older man mused, “I guess the taste is fine, but it’s just not like the muffins from my hometown….” He sighed. “I remember them being moist and having this nice, delicate little flavor to them.”

I suppose that’s what happens when you swap out half the ingredients, yes.

“Sorry to waste your time after all the trouble you went through to get the ingredients for us. But I’m afraid these mediocre muffins won’t be enough to get me in Eevee’s good books.”

“I mean.” A shrug, “Wouldn’t hurt to try.”

Eevee chirped happily, practically drooling over the platter of treats. “What’s that Eevee?” The Construction Corps member asked, “You want one? Well, don’t let me stop you, eat up!” Eevee quickly took a nibble of one of the muffins, quite literally jumping for joy at the taste. “You really like them? T-That’s great!” Eevee chirped again, “You want more?” He patted its head, “Well, that might not be such a good idea, too many and you’ll get a bellyache!” His expression fell when Eevee gave him such sad eyes, “Oh, now who could resist that cute face? I’m going to spoil you rotten!” He gave Eevee another treat, turning to me, “Thanks to you, it seems Eevee and I will get along just fine. More than fine, actually. I’m in your debt.”

“Eh, it’s no problem. Glad I could be of help.” I said.

He thought for a moment, “As for my new muffin creations…they’re not quite the same as the ones from my hometown. So maybe for now we’ll call them Jubilife Muffins instead.” He started scribbling something down, “I already have more ideas on how to improve them, here, take this recipe!”

“Thanks.” I accepted the slip of paper, “You two take care, have a good night.” I departed, as it was finally time for me to get some sleep myself.

Chapter Text

Seeing as how Turtwig got put on the back burner yesterday, maybe I would change that today. Of course, that’s assuming I don’t get bogged down by several requests at once. Although I shouldn’t complain, things could be going a lot worse for me.

Though as small as a child, it has strength enough to easily throw a well-built adult. Striving to become ever stronger, Machop trains by carrying a Graveler on its shoulders. I tapped my pencil against the paper thoughtfully. Maybe I’d see if Akari wanted to come with me. I was trying to perfect the balance of being independent, yet also have a close connection to other members of the Survey Corps, after all. And since I didn’t see her at all yesterday, maybe today I could work on the Pokédex with her.

And then there was, ahem, Commander Mars. Couldn’t believe the resemblance didn’t tip me off sooner. Some relatives I was immediately able to recognize, like Akari, Cyllene, and even Clover. But some, like Kamado and Arezu took me a slight bit longer. And I’m sure there were still some people I spoke to every day that had a descendant in the Diamond and Pearl games.

Felt weird that I was fucking Mars’s progenitor. Although not too weird. Maybe I would see her today too. But maybe I shouldn’t, I had a lot of shit to do. The occasional rendezvous was nice, but I couldn’t risk it too much more often than that. Unlike Palina and Iscan, we lived in a rather tight-knit village. I’m amazed rumors hadn’t spread yet, to be honest.

“Hey professor.” I greeted as I entered Galaxy Hall, “You see Akari yet today?”

“Ah, I believe you’ve just missed her.” Professor Laventon informed, “But I bet you can catch up to her.”

My pulse stilled as I noticed a familiar figure in the lobby, “Can you do me a favor? Next time you see her, tell her I want to work more in the Cobalt Coastlands.”

I didn’t even really wait for him to respond, I dashed out towards the lobby, “Zeke?” I called, “Everything okay?”

“There you are, I’ve been looking for you!” Zeke exclaimed, “My sister Wanda went off to the Cobalt Coastlands, and she never made it back!” He shook his head, “I asked her fellow members of the Security Corps to look out for her, but so far, no one’s found her. I’m so worried, you think you could look for her again?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“Here’s her favorite kerchief again, you can use it to track her down.” Zeke handed it to me, “Please find Wanda! She’s somewhere in the Cobalt Coastlands!”

It’d been a hot minute since I last used Ursaluna, but hopefully it would come back quickly to me. Wanda seemed a little scatterbrained, but it was best to be quick and prepared in case she was in trouble. I frantically headed towards the gate, telling Ress where I was going.

The sand crunched under Ursaluna’s paws as he strode through the beaches. Smaller, skittish Pokémon darted off at the sight of him. I’d been keeping an eye out for Wanda, but I hadn’t seen her for at least ten or fifteen minutes. Where the hell is could she have gone to? I swallowed hard as I looked at the sea. What if she drowned? Ursaluna wouldn’t guide me through water, shit, the hell do I do?

Luckily, it didn’t have to come to that. Her red Security Corps uniform stuck out in a bed of rocks amongst the ocean near the shore. “Thank Christ.” I hurried up to her, “I thought you’d be much worse off.”

“CJ? You came to find me?” Wanda looked surprised.

“Yeah. You mind telling me how the hell you got all the way out here?”

“I got the old heave-ho from this Machop, see? And…splash! Right into the sea for me. And then I couldn’t swim back to shore on my own, so…so I just settled here. So…do you think you could help me get home?”

I looked ahead. Seemed to be just enough ocean between this rock and the shore for me to have to call on Basculegion. “Yeah, we’re gonna ride on this Pokémon I have a favor with, so…hang tight.”

It wasn’t a long trip, the longest part was Wanda fiddling around, trying to clumsily seat herself behind me. “Thanks a-million for your help, CJ!” Wanda smiled when we were back on the mainland. “I’ll have to pay you back somehow.”

“That…that won’t be necessary…just, just doing my job.”

“My, that Basculegion sure is something! It zips right through the water, even with a person or two on its back. Amazing!”

I watched as she headed towards camp. Another close call. “That looked like a roaring good time.”

I jolted, as my partner in crime walked towards me. “Akari?” I asked, “Guess you got the professor’s message.”

“Mmm-hmm.” A small smile, “Wanda go missing again?”

“Yeah, a Machop chucked her into the ocean.” I started walking, with her at my side. “Which is weird, because I always thought they were rather hard to antagonize.”

“Maybe she…tripped, or, or bumped into one.”

“Yeah, guess I wouldn’t put anything past her.” We were approaching the Coastlands Camp, “You ever been to this camp?”

“I think so…gosh, it’s so beautiful.” She looked around with wide eyes.

I squinted, “Hey…who the hell is that over there?” I darted towards a woman from the Supply Corps, judging by her green clothing. There was a Piplup by her, but it didn’t seem to be doing so well.

“You two are part of the Survey Corps, right?” The woman asked, giving a concerned look to a Piplup who was practically laying in the sand. “Could you help me out? This Pokémon’s so hungry that it can hardly even move. I tried giving it food, but it wouldn’t even take a bite. I don’t know if it’s being stubborn or what. It showed some interest in Plump Beans, but it still wouldn’t eat them. What do we do? How are we going to save it?”

Those were excellent questions, “Er, I, ah….”

“We can make a Bean Cake.” Akari smiled, “I could probably craft one in a few minutes.”

“Oh, a Bean Cake.” The woman’s eyes lit up, “Hopefully the little dear will accept that. Hmm, what kind of Supply Corps member am I to forget about crafting?”

Well, I forgot too.

“In any case, a Bean Cake should do the trick. Can either of you make one for me?” She asked, “I…I don’t even have the recipe on me.”

“Leave it to me.” Akari smiled, heading back to camp, where the crafting station was.

“So, what’s the plan for today?” Professor Laventon smiled as we reached camp.

“We gotta make a Bean Cake for a Piplup.” I explained quickly.

His eyes fluttered, “…Bean Cake?”

“Stand back and watch the master!” Akari rubbed her hands together, taking a seat at the crafting station to get a cake base out.

“I can spot you some beans if you need ‘em.” I reached into my satchel.

“That would be much appreciated, CJ.” She held a hand out to take them.

“So how’s the Pokédex coming along?” Laventon looked at me as Akari got to work.

“Eh, fine. We’ve been getting distracted though, with the Wanda request and this one.” I admitted, “Which…is still Survey Corps work to be sure, but not as conducive towards the Pokédex.”

“Still rather interesting work, nonetheless!”

Her prediction of ‘a few minutes’ rang mostly true, “All done!” She held out a vibrantly green cake.

“Excellent work, Akari.” The professor cheered, “It looks delicious.”

“I’ll say.” I stared at it for maybe a little too long. “Alright, let’s bring it back to that Piplup fast, or else we’ll start eating it.” I joked with a chuckle.

“Here’s the Bean Cake!” Akari chirped as the pair of us headed back to the lady looking after Piplup. At this point, she was trying to help the poor thing sit up.

“Great! Actually, why don’t you give it to Piplup? Let’s see if it accepts the food.”

“M-Me…?” Akari asked, “You want me to feed it to them?”

“I mean, you did make it.” I said, “Unless you want me to do it.”

“O-Okay….” She crouched down, “H-Here you go, Piplup.” She held the cake out.

Piplup snagged the cake without much hesitance, turning away so it could go to town on it in slight privacy. “Wonderful! It really seems to like that Bean Cake.” The woman smiled, blinking in surprise as the Piplup sat back, satisfied, “Wow, it ate the whole thing already? Must have quite an appetite!”

I was just happy Piplup wouldn’t go hungry. “Well, that’s a relief.”

“I’ve quite taken a liking to this Piplup!” She said, “And I don’t think it’s safe to let it wander around here. I’ll bring it back to the village and take care of it.”

As usual when both of us attended to a request, we had a little gentlemen’s debate over who or how much of the reward should go where. She made it, I would argue, but I provided the ingredients, she would argue back. She also claimed that the Hyper Potions would be more useful to me, given how much I battled.

“That Piplup was so cute….” Akari muttered once our debate died down.

“I know, I need to look for one.” Guess all three of us wanted that Piplup. I was going to take it if no one said anything. Although for obvious reasons, Akari with a Piplup would be rather funny. “I might head back to Galaxy Hall, see if Wanda made it back to Zeke okay.”

“Okay, I’ll come with you.”

“Yeah, sure, cool, we’ll see if they’re any other requests to tackle.”

I gave a sigh of relief, “Thank god, looks like you guys reunited.”

“Yes, Wanda made it home safe! I can’t thank you enough!” Zeke smiled, “I knew I wouldn’t be wrong to ask you. You’re as great as everyone says you are! And that Ursaluna is amazing too! Not many can track a scent across rivers and seas.” He pondered for a moment, “I sure could use a Pokémon like that, myself. One to help me find things!”

After waving to the pair, I headed into the lab, where Akari was reading the board. “Anything interesting on there?”

“Well, yeah…there’s something about Combee’s honey.” She read, “Almous, from the Agriculture Corps posted it.”

“Combee’s honey?” I raised a brow, “What the hell could that be about?”

“Not sure, but I think we should check it out.”

I followed her out of Galaxy Hall, “You know where the hell he lives?”

“Mmm-hmm, this way.” She led the way, politely knocking on the door, before a man let us in.

“Ah, so you’re taking my Combee request?” Almous asked, “Here’s the gist of it. I’ve been gathering Combee’s honey for work, and I’m starting to think that their honey’s flavor varies depending on the Combee. I’d like to look at the differences a little bit more, but that’d mean searching for Combee hives in all sorts of areas, and I wouldn’t know where to begin. That’s where you two would come in. Bring me a Combee from three different areas please.”

We stepped outside of his house, “Well, this sounds like an interesting request.” I noted, “But it’ll be time-consuming.”

“A Combee from three different areas.” Akari mused, “Do you know three different areas off the top of your head?”

“Uh…maybe?” I thought about it, “I know there are some in the Heartwood. The Obsidian Fieldlands in general has a bunch of them. And…and there might be some in the Cobalt Coastlands? Maybe even the Crimson Mirelands too? I don’t remember.” A sigh, “Well, we can work on it while we’re doing other stuff. Highly doubt the guy expects us to get all this shit done within the day. I mean, we could, if we wanted to show off.”

“Right, what should we do in the meantime?” She asked, “Any specific Pokédex projects you have in mind?”

I looked back for a moment, seeing that Beauregard’s Beauticia evolved into a Dustox. “Well, we can always finish the Wurmple line, if we’re going to be in the Obsidian Fieldlands anyway.”

“Alright, so which did you prefer more? Wyrdeer, or Basculegion?”

“Ugh, I’m not sure, but is there any way you can ride that thing without getting me soaked?” Akari muttered, trying to dry off her hair and clothes.

“Look, cut me some slack, I didn’t know there were Qwilfish in this world.”

She stepped at my side, looking over the island we landed on, “So this is Ramanas Island?”

“Yeah, that’s right.” I started walking ahead.

“I’ve never actually been here, I’ve just seen it on maps.”

“Hmm, is that an Aipom?” I squinted, seeing a few of the purple monkey Pokémon bound around. “I didn’t know they were here. Course, I wasn’t really stopping to observe shit the last time I was here, I was trying to stop a madman from cutting down all the roses.”

“Ooh, wait, they’re not the only ones CJ, look, look!” She tugged me by the sleeve, ushering me into some tall grass so we could observe some Chimchar as well.

“Wow….” I whispered in shock, and the need to not drive the Fire-type away. “This is perfect, it’s pretty hard to fill out a Pokédex page when you only have one Pokémon of that species, and, and you evolve it too quickly….”

“Wait, is that an Infernape?”

I narrowed my eyes. It wasn’t just an Infernape. It was an alpha Infernape. “Right, right…let’s…let’s be careful, so we don’t piss it off.” I slowly stood, “Let’s just focus on the Combee’s honey for now.”

“Thing is, I don’t see any Combee around.”

“I know. Sometimes they’re not all flying around. We’ll check the trees for them.”

We were able to get a Combee, but seeing all these Aipom around reminded me of something. “Aipom Hill, I swear there were some Combee on Aipom Hill.” I said, “We’ll have to go the Cobalt Coastlands after we’re done here.”

“Should we head to the Heartwood?” Akari asked.

“Yeah, tons of Wurmple, Silcoon, and Beautifly there. As well as Combee.” I said, “So we might as well make our way.”

It was drizzling on our way there, and by the time we were in the woods, it was a full-on downpour. “Motherfucker.” I held an arm over my head, like it would help. “And you just dried off, didn’t you?” I laughed.

“What do we do?” Akari shouted over the pouring rain.

There wasn’t really a camp all that nearby. I guess I could ride Wyrdeer over to one, get us both positively drenched. I wasn’t a fan of the idea. “Here, we’ll find some shelter. Wait it out.”

We settled on Grandtree Arena, both of us sitting underneath the giant tree. It actually protected us from the rain more so than we thought. Even most of the Pokémon took cover. “Well this is a serious hitch in our plans.” Akari said.

“Eh, plenty of the day left. Once the weather clears, we’ll be as good as gold.”

“I still can’t believe how bad it is.” We both watched the pouring rain, nearly like bullets. “Can’t remember the last time it’s been this bad.”

“Yeah. This is worse than anything in the Crimson Mirelands…and it’s like…a permanent rain there.”

“Really?”

“Yeah…this is more…drastic, all at once I guess.” I said, “But the Crimson Mirelands it’s just…constant, you’re always a little wet.”

She smiled at me, “Maybe we should have a weather section of the Pokédex, for all the different areas.”

“I…I don’t know about that….” I rubbed the back of my head modestly. It was only a passing interest in the weather. But then again, I had a mild interest in animal science back on my world, and look where that got me now. Maybe I’d be Hisui’s first meteorologist.

Minutes went on. Akari stayed sitting against the tree, while I walked around under the leaf-cover to stretch my legs. “Really looks like it isn’t going to die down anytime soon….” She commented

“Hmm.” I looked ahead, “Guess we’ll have to start a new civilization.” I said, “I mean, if we’re going to be stuck here forever. I’ll live in that tree.” A shrug, “Guess I can build you a place out of dirt and rocks. What should we call this new nation?”

She made a face, “Maybe we should come up with an actual solution.”

“I mean, Floatzel likes the rain.” I noted, “So he can go out and notify the professor in case anyone’s worried about us.”

She stood tall, “I guess you’re right.” She squinted, “I suppose we could risk getting wet.”

“We’ll give it another fifteen minutes.” I said, “If it doesn’t let up, then…well…guess we’ll embrace the monsoon.”

Luckily, the rain relented, enough for us to continue working in the fields, at the very least. “Did you get the honey?” Almous asked when we returned to his place.

“That’s right.” I said, “Three separate batches.” I set out three little cups of honey.

“Ah, so which is this one?” Almous lifted one up.

“Uh, the Heartwood I believe.”

“Grueling Grove.” Akari corrected quietly.

“Grueling Grove.” I repeated.

Almous had a sip, mulling over the taste. He nodded in appreciation, “This is exactly how honey should taste. A distilled drop of nutritious, forest-y goodness!” He reached for the second cup, “And this one is from…?”

“Aipom Hill.” I answered.

He tried the sample, “Hmm, not too heavy on the sweetness…just honey, plain and simple. Good enough to serve on its own.” He mused, “And this last sample?”

“It’s from Ramanas Island.”

“Ah, I see.” He took a sip. “This honey just begs to be stirred into a cup of tea!” Don’t give me ideas. “Must be something about the flowers.” He looked from me to Akari, “So Combee in different areas make different honey! What a delightfully mysterious bunch they are! Just think how many different Combee clusters there are in the Obsidian Fieldlands alone. I’m getting the urge to collect more honey! Well, thank you both for confirming my suspicions.”

“Of course, anytime sir.” I gave a small wave.

“See you later!” Akari smiled, as we both left.

It was dark out by the time everything was said and done with the honey and the Wurmple family, in addition to the earlier two tasks today. “Jeez….” I yawned. I was beat.

“Interesting day today, right? What do you think?”

“I think I want some honey. Now.”

Chapter Text

“I’m so glad you both could make it! I appreciate the company.”

Damn my cheeks for turning pink at the sheer sight of her. Luckily Irida wasn’t looking my direction. I quickly turned to the woman addressing us both. “Of course. I don’t mind coming out here. Especially a place as beautiful as the Cobalt Coastlands.”

Palina smiled. She was sitting back on a log, her Growlithe barking happily to the side. In front of her was quite the elaborate picnic. Irida found her voice, “May I ask the purpose of this, Lina?”

“Two reasons, actually.” The taller woman answered, “I wanted to properly thank CJ for his help with the Arcanine, Lord of the Isles. And also, I haven’t seen you much recently, Irida. I worry you’re wearing yourself thin at the Pearl Clan settlement.”

“You don’t need to worry.” She dismissed, sitting on the blanket anyway. “I…I have everything under control. If anything, this is a distraction from my duties.”

“Irida, I had no idea you were such a workaholic.” Palina chided, “It’s important to be able to balance work and downtime, is it not?”

I sat on the log next to Palina. “I’m not gonna lie, the Galaxy Team are probably gonna wanna know why I skipped another day. It’s been my second day off in the same week. Not…not usually my style.”

“Oh, you both have it bad.” Palina smirked, “Don’t worry, I’ll try to teach you both what fun is, worry not.”

I looked from one member of the Pearl Clan to the other. Palina had this self-assured, yet relaxed disposition. The same look she had about her when I first met her several days ago, minus when Arcanine was in danger. Irida on the other hand looked solemn, serious. She was smiley back when Kleavor was calmed, but I hadn’t seen her as happy as she was that day in a while. Was this what leadership did to a person? Irida did say that Palina and her were competing to become leader some time ago. What if Palina became leader instead, would she be the serious, no-nonsense one?

“I made you your favorite white tea, Irida. I thought you would appreciate it.”

Irida looked up from her reverie. I could tell she was bewildered by the various snacks and treats on the picnic blanket, as well as a tea set, “Yes, thank you Lina.” She gently poured herself a cup.

“I’ll pour you a cup too, CJ.” Palina got up from the log to pour two more cups of tea.

“Uh…I mean it’s fine.” I held a hand out, “I can pour my own tea.”

“It’s alright, it’s already done.” She looked at Irida, “No Glaceon today?”

“No.” Irida gave a small smile, as Eevee peeked out from behind her, “But I brought Eevee.”

“Ah, how lovely.” Palina smiled back. Growlithe gave a friendly bark at Eevee, and the two started playing a couple feet away from the picnic blanket. “Here you are, CJ.”

I accepted the teacup, although steam was still coming from it, so I would wait. “Is Iscan coming later, or…?”

“Well unfortunately, I wanted him to join us…but he and Adaman are looking into something.” Palina sat back on the log next to me, “It was Diamond Clan business, so I didn’t want to intrude. It’ll just be you and us ladies, I’m afraid. I hope that doesn’t bother you.”

I was worried if I looked at either of them, my blush would get worse than it already was. I downed half the teacup, forgetting that it was hot and scalding my throat. But I played it off.

Irida nibbled on a cookie, “You and Iscan.” She met Palina’s purple eyes after she was done chewing, “I’m rather surprised about that.”

Palina shot me playful a look, “CJ. I thought you could keep a secret.”

“Don’t look at me.” I frowned, “You weren’t exactly, you know…being subtle.”

“I don’t know why you think that would bother me either.” Irida said, “We’re friends, after all. Besides…I think…I think our clan can afford to be less, rigid with certain things.”

We both gave a respectful silence. I had another sip of tea, this time a smaller one, and this time it was cooler. “Damn this…this tea is pretty—”

“Sweet?” Irida cracked a smile.

“Uh…well, I mean…there’s nothing wrong with…uh….”

“I’m sorry, am I missing something?” Palina inquired.

“Sorry Lina, next time for CJ’s tea, you should probably just dump at least four cups of salt into the—”

“That won’t be necessary.” I interrupted, finishing off the cup.

The brunette was further puzzled, “I’m completely lost.”

“Kind of an…an inside joke from when we were trying to quell Kleavor.” I muttered.

“How’re your ribs?” Irida asked quietly.

“They’re getting a lot better.” I said, “Hardly hurt nowadays.”

“His ribs?” Palina wondered.

“You know, speaking of the noble Pokémon.” I looked off several feet away, “The late Lord Arcanine. His headstone is over there, right?” I asked, “I never got a chance to pay my respects. Would it be okay if I did that now?”

Both women looked me over as I made my request. Why the consideration? Surely, I wasn’t the first guy from the Galaxy Team to ask this, right? “Go ahead.” Palina smiled.

I stood up and headed towards the grave. The view was incredible, Veilstone Cape seemed to take my breath away no matter how many times I visited. I reached into my satchel, pulling out a flower that was in fact, not a useful herb or ingredient for crafting, as Akari informed me. It was just a fucking flower.

I only half wanted to come here to pay my respects. I mean, it was the right thing to do, after all. But I also felt hot, and not just from the temperature. I felt jittery, and my heart wouldn’t stop thumping whenever Irida would ask me something, let alone voice her concerns about my wellbeing.

Damn it CJ, this crush isn’t healthy. The more time went on, the more I felt drawn to the other two clans. Sure, the Galaxy Team was more innovative, but I think I wanted to befriend the people in the Diamon and Pearl clans more. I couldn’t handle Kamado breathing down my neck, waiting for me to close some rift in space-time. The Pokédex could be fun, but not if I was feeding Kamado information to poach them all off the west coast of Hisui.

The more I soaked it all in, the circumstances of my life right now, the beautiful view in front of me, what almost was. Something just within grasp. I’m surprised I wasn’t in tears, because I felt horrible. I got pretty damn close with the Lilligant fight, but those were tears of joy.

When was the last time I cried, I wonder. I think it was years ago, a decade or so now. Freshman year in marching band. Band camp was sweltering with temperatures in the hundreds, and I was lugging around a heavy bass drum. I also practically had no friends to speak of and my introvert-ass wasn’t in a talky mood given the aforementioned circumstances.

I didn’t cry the first day. But I cried the second morning, realizing what I got myself into.

I should have gotten out of there the second I had a chance. But like an idiot I stayed for all four years, even though the band director was an abrasive, abusive piece of shit and I was bullied by some of my so-called ‘friends.’ I stayed because surely it would get better as time went on. It’s no surprise I suppose that I ended up in a retail job for a similar number of years with the same thinking. Nod your head and obey, don’t question anything. Just do what you’re told.

And now I couldn’t even fucking cry. Because men don’t cry. What a fucking joke.

I cleared my throat, dropping the flower in front of the headstone, where it had moderate company. “Arcanine.” I spoke quietly, “Sorry about beating the shit out of your son. But he’s alright now. Guess he’s following in your footsteps.” I looked out towards the sea. “I promise I’m going to make all of this right. The lightning, the frenzied nobles. I’m gonna put a stop to all of it. I was a fucking nobody back in my world, a dead-end life, absolutely pathetic. But now I can make a difference. I’m not going to be a failure twice.” I growled, “I’m gonna grab this world by the balls and fix everything! But not as Kamado’s flunky. I’m not going to make his dreams a reality, not if it involves hurting Pokémon. You have my word that I’m going to get to the bottom of this.”

I turned back to the in-progress picnic. Irida had taken my spot on the log, chatting with Palina. Palina’s smile had yet to fade, while Irida was passionately arguing with her about something. But it wasn’t a drastic argument. I may not have been able to hear their words over the crashing waves, but I could tell it was an argument two dear friends would have. Growlithe and Eevee were still playing and romping around. As if I needed more proof that I should be a member of one of these two clans.

Since the log was taken, I sat on the picnic blanket, “These cookies any good?” I wondered.

“…yes.” Irida supplied meekly, while Palina chuckled.

“I think Eevee’s gotten faster since I’ve last seen her.” The taller woman watched the two Pokémon play.

“Well, I only got her recently.” Irida said, “I’ve been trying to make her and Glaceon as strong as possible.”

She smiled at me, “Did you want to send one of your Pokémon out to play with Growlithe and Eevee?”

For a minute, I tried to wonder which Pokémon I should even consider. Most of my Pokémon were fully evolved, and I doubt they understood the concept of playtime. “Go Luxray!” Nevertheless, I picked the most suitable Pokémon I could think of.

At first, Luxray looked like he wanted to battle Growlithe and Eevee. “Wait, wait, Luxray, hold on!” I ran over and gently held his shoulder, “They’re friends, okay? You can just, just play with them.”

Luxray purred as he rubbed against me, “Okay, you can play with me plenty some other time.” I snickered, “Go play with them. Make some new friends.”

Thankfully, he was able to play reasonably well with Growlithe and Eevee. “You seem to have a strong bond with that Luxray too.” Palina noted as I sat back down on the blanket.

“Well, he did land the finishing blow on Kleavor.” I said, “Sorry about…about his aggression. I doubt he’s used to making friends with Pokémon outside of my team. That…that’s my fault.” I admitted, “I’m working so much, I hardly have time for…for that.”

“I mean, that’s why I brought you both here.” She maintained, “We should do this more often, help you two relax.”

Irida rolled her eyes, “If time allows it.”

“Well, now you just sound like Adaman.”

She flushed scarlet, “I do not.”

Palina stood up, “Speaking of which….” She squinted off in the distance towards Aipom Hill. “Iscan seemed kind of in a hurry when we went to go meet up with Adaman…I hope he didn’t forget anything. Especially his bag. Sometimes when he gets nervous, he forgets things.”

Irida’s blush deepened as her friend started to walk off, “You’re…you’re going to go inside his tent?”

A blank look, “Oftentimes I go inside his tent, Irida.” She blinked, “Does that offend you?”

She huffed, “Absolutely not.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

A silence, as it was now just the two of us. Part of me couldn’t help but wonder if this was Palina’s mad plan all along, if her comments from a few days ago were any indication. Irida rose from her seat, joining me on the picnic blanket, “Sorry for um…taking your seat.”

There was distance between us, but really not all that much. “It’s fine. Blanket’s nice to sit on.”

We were both facing slightly different directions, maybe that’s why conversing was so much easier for us. “…I thought about what you said, on…on Firespit Island.”

I glanced at her for a fleeting moment, “Oh yeah?”

“I think you may have a point.” She conceded, “It sounds, reminiscent about everything Lina has been saying today. Did you two plan this?” She turned to look at me, “Some…ploy to get me away from my responsibilities?”

“Pfft, no.” An easy denial. “I was up to my eyeballs in noticeboard requests before Palina contacted me.” I said, “But I still stand by it. It’s probably easy to get stressed with such an important job like the one you have. But you have to remember to give yourself some credit. And that you’re not truly alone. You have all sorts of people who care about you and want to help you.” I soon became critical of my ramblings. “S-Sorry…I doubt I have to explain all of this to you…probably sounds patronizing.”

A brief pause, “How is…how is your um…Pokédex coming along?”

“Fine.” I shrugged, feeling brave enough to follow with. “Sometimes I wish I could cheat though…like, fill in a bunch of pages with Pokémon from my world and call it a day. They wouldn’t really know the difference.”

A small smile, “They wouldn’t? Who else knows about your…your knowledge?”

“You. Adaman. Akari and the professor.” I narrowed my eyes, “One of the Diamond Clan wardens might, too. I’m trying not to just, blurt it out to everyone. Sounds suspicious as hell.”

“And how far does your knowledge go?”

I met het eyes, accepting the challenge. I looked ahead again, “Eevee can evolve into seven, no, eight different forms, depending on what actions are taken. Vaporeon, Flareon, Jolteon, Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Sylveon….” I met her gaze again, “And of course, Glaceon.”

She leaned in, her hand was almost overtop mine. “Tell me more.”

“Well, I can tell you about some of the Pokémon in the ocean nearby.” I thought about it, “Finneon is nearby, kinda of. They evolve into Lumineon. They’re Water-types, but they can learn a lot of Flying and Bug moves with their wings, so they can be tricky. But they’re actually not that strong. There’s also Tentacool and Tentacruel. Water and Poison-type. Now those can be rather strong. They can use Toxic Spikes to really give the enemy trouble, and they can learn a lot of powerful moves as well as useful utility moves. Gyarados.” I shook my head, “They’re plain nasty. But since they’re Water and Flying, a good Electric-type usually shuts them down.” I blinked, “Should…should I keep going?”

She hummed, “I can see why people think you’re suspicious.”

“But I’m not, I swear. I just, I read a lot about Pokémon in my free time. It was just something I really liked to do.”

“It’s okay CJ.” Her smile returned, “I believe you.”

“I mean, you have no reason too.” I muttered, “Sure, I’m helping you guys with Kleavor and the other frenzied nobles. But I could have my own ulterior motives, for all you know.”

“I don’t think so.” She looked at the clouds, “The way you interact with Pokémon, how powerful, yet kind you are. It just isn’t possible.”

I flushed, staring ahead. “You know, speaking of which….” I started, as Eevee trotted over, taking a break while Growlithe and Luxray played tug-of-war with a stick. “Can I pet your Eevee?”

“Of course, go ahead.”

I pet Eevee’s head, making sure to get behind the ears. “I caught an Eevee not too long ago…although I haven’t had time to raise it.” I said, “Espeon is…is probably my favorite variant. I…I like a lot of Psychic-types. And, and Grass-types.”

We watched as Eevee ran off, “You’re very close with your Pokémon.” She noted, “I…I’m just sorry that they get caught in the middle of—”

“Stop apologizing.” I said, our eyes met. I could tell she was a little jolted at my outburst. “I know a lot of shit happened in the past. I got hurt. My Pokémon got hurt. But I don’t fault any of you for that. It was the lightning. Instead of apologizing to each other, let’s just continue on with a solid friendship moving forward.”

“Yes.” She smiled, “Friendship.”

“Friendship.” I repeated, leaning in, as she leaned in as well, preemptively closing her eyes.

“Turns out he brought his bag with him, but he left extra snacks for us! Did either of you want any?” Palina called loudly.

It was a wonder Irida and I didn’t smush our faces together.

Wraps itself in thin strings of silk while it stores energy for evolution. It can’t extend its limbs and its movement is slow, but its eyes keep a sharp lookout…Silcoon is always on guard.

I can’t believe I had it in me to write in my notebook tonight. What a day.

The silk coating its body is thin but sufficiently strong. Cascoon’s silk has a luster and texture superior to that of Silcoon’s, and clothes made using Cascoon silk are regarded as top-notch.

The fact that I was close, so close to feeling her soft lips. Smelling that, likely extremely girly perfume that she wore. It drove me mad.

A colorful and incredibly beautiful but also greedy Pokémon. In an effort to keep its favorite food all to itself, it will chase away Combee as they try to gather nectar.

The practical part of me told myself to stay away.

Tends to be drawn to bonfires on dark nights. Difficult to chase away from settlements because of the way it scatters highly toxic scales.

But the romantical and lust-filled side of me egged me on for more.

They swear fealty to a queen Pokémon and work diligently to gather nectar. Each swarm produces a different flavor of honey.

One thing was for sure, I likely wouldn’t ever question taking another mental health day again, if it had outcomes like this. Sure, I wouldn’t get paid, and my lackadaisical attitude might rub some people the wrong way. But I was churning out half a-dozen Pokédex pages a workday. I doubt Cyllene minded with that kind of volume. I had to follow the advice I gave to Irida. I had to be fair to myself, keep the right people close to me as much as possible.

Chapter Text

“It will dedicate itself to defending a master it has come to adore. Its pure white dress, reminiscent of those worn by ladies of nobility, is the dress of one who is willing to risk their life.” Captain Cyllene read my page over. Well, sort of my page, my words, in someone else’s handwriting. “Hmm, you have made some progress. Seems you’ve earned yourself a star.”

Already? Felt like I just got one. Whatever, I was just happy she wasn’t grilling me about the whole Remoraid, Octillery thing.

“Here are some recipes needed for crafting.”

One of the recipes were for Ultra balls, which was beyond good fortune. And the other was for Max Potions. I squinted at the ingredients. Ah, so that’s what King’s leaves were for.

“Much obliged.”

“Continue to dedicate yourself to completing the Pokédex if you hope to rise higher in the ranks.”

After leaving Galaxy Hall, I headed to the farm to see if anything was growing. Both as ingredients for cooking, or crafting material for my Pokémon. Miller seemed to be hard at work, as usual. “Nice to see ya again, Mister Survey Corps! Ya got great timin’, as always!” He grinned, “I wanna make the fields even bigger, see? But they’re some boulders sittin’ right in the way. If you can lend us a Pokémon that can break ‘em to pieces with Rock Smash…we’d be mighty grateful!”

I think I caught some Machop a couple days back who more than fit that bill. “Be right back.” I headed to the pastures. When I returned, I tossed the Poké ball out, “Here you go.”

“Yer Pokémon sure will be a big help expandin’ the fields!” Miller smiled, “Might as well get started!”

The pair of us watched on in awe as Machop destroyed the boulders easily. “Wowee! Yer Pokémon pulverized those pesky boulders like they were yesterday’s gravel! Now I’m all pumped up! Sit back…ol’ Miller’s gonna make these fields bigger than ever!”

I stood back, watching the motley crew of Machop, Geodude, Bibarel, and the farmers expanding the field so that it was now quadruple the size of what it was when I first landed. “Damn, that’s impressive.” I nodded.

“All done!” Miller wiped sweat off his brow, “Well, you know the drill. If you wanna switch Machop out for another Pokémon with Rock Smash, just holler!”

“Right, see you around.” I waved, walking through the village until I passed the photo studio. “How’s business going?”

The old photographer smiled, “Well, I showed that photo of Duskull to the children in the village, and they all shrieked with delight. Thanks again for helping me out with it. In fact, I’d like to ask you for your help again.”

“Sure, another Pokémon picture?” I guessed.

He nodded, “Take a look at this one.” He held out a photo, “At first, it looked like a perfectly normal landscape shot.” He explained, “But take a closer look, and you start to notice something odd about the pair of leaves there in the foreground. That conspicuous pair of leaves, popping into frame like that. I’m inclined to believe it’s some kind of Pokémon, but I’ve got no proof. If you know of a Pokémon with such leaves, can you show me?”

It had to be him, Turtwig. “Got it, I’ll be right back.” Luckily this time, I could just go right to pastures. I headed inside the studio, where the old man was waiting, “Here, here’s the Pokémon you’re talking about.”

His eyes lit up at my Turtwig, “Ah, yes, that’s it! That pair of leaves on its head! I knew it was a Pokémon!” He got his camera out, “Now to take a proper photo to commemorate this discovery!”

I smiled as Turtwig calmly watched me, meanwhile getting his picture taken by the photographer. “This has been quite the learning experience for me.” He put the camera away, “I’ve been able to hone my eye as a photographer thanks to these little puzzles, that’s for sure.” He said, “But I still want to see and photograph all sorts of different Pokémon. Whenever you’ve got the time, I hope you’ll continue visiting to have pictures of your Pokémon taken.”

“Of course I will, you have a nice day now.”

“CJ, if I may.” Anthe stopped me as I was walking by, “Would it please you if I expanded the variety of clothes that I carried?”

I shrugged, “Were you after another Pokémon for design inspiration?” I guessed.

“Yes, you’re right.” She chuckled, “To seek new clothing is the true calling of any fashion-conscious person, after all. I’d like to see the Pokémon Wormadam.”

Wormadam, I was assuming like Burmy, they’d be found in the trees around Hisui. “Alright, I’ll go out and see if I can catch some.”

My last pit stop would be at the candy vendor. Someone who I didn’t have the money for a period of time ago, but now I was occasionally buying from his stock to make my Pokémon stronger. “Why don’t people like my recipe…?” He muttered.

“Recipe?” I asked, “What recipe?”

“Ah yes, before you buy a wee treat, lend me an ear for a moment, would ya, lad?” The vendor started, “I came up with this new treat using Candy Truffles, but it’s causing nothing but sorrow! Every last person who’s tried it says that it’s beyond saving! A complete disaster! Utterly terrible! I’ve had to shelve this new creation, and there it remains…in a salty puddle of bitter tears. It’ll likely never see the light of day again.” He shook his head, “Seems like I’ll never be able to pull a profit from my creation, but I’d at least like to share it with someone, lest it be forgotten entirely. You like making things with your own hands, don’t you? I could share my recipe with you. I’ve got plenty of Candy Truffles to spare, but you’ll need a Sootfoot Root, a Springy Mushroom, and a Hopo berry, got it?”

I nodded. Did he want me to make this creation? Or did he just want the ingredients? “I could go check my trunk and see what I have.” I departed, soon returning with the necessary materials.

“Ah, I’d be happy to teach you my Swap Snack recipe, in that case.” The candy vendor smiled, “Now…learn from the master!” In a rather quick display, he was able to blend and mix the ingredients together using equipment on his candy trolley. Afterwards, he handed me a small pastry.

“Hmm….” It didn’t seem that bad, “Looks pretty good.” I said. Maybe it didn’t taste as good as it looked?

“Ah, look at that! The Survey Corps recruit took to helping me out like a Finneon to water.” He exclaimed, “Swap Snacks seem to switch a Pokémon’s offensive and defensive abilities for a time. It’s a curious mix-up, not exactly what I was going for. But life gives us all kinds of surprises! And you Survey Corps folks end up fighting all sorts of different Pokémon, don’t you? If anyone could make good use of the Swap Snack, it’d be someone like you.”

“Right, thanks for the recipe.” I waved, honestly having no clue when I would use a Swap Snack, but I supposed it was a problem for a later time.

I heard a sigh, “What am I going to do? At this rate, I’ll make a huge fool of myself in front of Conlan.” A man quickly turned towards me, “Ah, hello. You’re one of those Survey Corps recruits, right? You might be just the person I need to help me with some research!”

“Research?” I raised a brow.

“Well, my boy Conlan and I are planning on heading to Prelude Beach at night to try and find some ghosts rumored to haunt the area.” Did he mean Drifloon? “But ghosts scare the daylights out of me…er, my son! Yeah, right. He’s terrified of ‘em! You’d think we could just not go. But his heart is set on this. But, er…a fellow can’t stay afraid of ghosts forever, right? It’s just too tragic, for my boy, I mean. So maybe if I study up on ghosts, I can find a way to help my boy conquer his fears. If you’ve got a Pokédex page on a spooky Pokémon…let’s say Gastly, I’d be mighty grateful if you shared it with me!”

“Right, Gastly, I’ll get right to work on that.” I nodded, finally heading towards the gate.

A white glow surrounded Turtwig, as the Grass-type grew and changed until it became the much larger Grotle. “Good job!” I grinned. I was thankful the photographer actually reminded me. I’d been forgetting about raising Turtwig for a while, it kept getting sidetracked. Since I needed to go out and look for Wormadam anyway, I thought I’d train Turtwig too.

Unfortunately, it carried some regrets with it too. As I had all intentions of having Torterra become a permanent member of my team. But I was getting fucked over by the limit of six once again. But I’d been bitching about wanting a Ground-type for ages now. And Torterra was likely one of my favorites.

It wasn’t hard to think of who to replace. As much as I liked her, Gardevoir had been falling short compared to the rest of my team. As much as I trained them, it always seemed like she was taking longer to keep up. I’d swap her out with Torterra until further notice.

Given the Burmy I caught a while back, I knew the Wormadam in the Obsidian Fieldlands would have a plant cloak. So, I’d start there, and then check the trees in the other two areas to hopefully get a complete set. And Gastly could be found in the Crimson Mirelands, if memory served, at nighttime, so I would save that for last.

After a rather long trip capturing what I can, I went to work on Pokédex pages with Laventon. Gastly was a higher priority, as it was connected to a request, but there were numerous other pages that I could fill out too, as a rough draft for the time being. On my way back to Jubilife Village, I read over some of the newer pages.

Gaseous and completely impalpable. Also highly dangerous…inhaling part of its poisonous body will cause one to faint instantly.

The professor really came through on this one. His handwriting was better than mine, I conceded. Although that wasn’t a difficult barrier to cross. The rest were in my handwriting, early drafts of development.

This Pokémon becomes more energetic the more sunlight there is. The part resembling a shell is similar to silt and is slightly damp and warm to the touch.

I didn’t spot Arezu sitting out in front of her place. Guess I wouldn’t bug her tonight.

Appears where there is clean spring water. The fruit that grows on the shrubs on its shell is sweet, nutritious, and truly delicious.

It was still something I yearned for, someone to actually share a bed with. Or a futon? Guess mine wasn’t big enough for my desires at the moment. Arezu wasn’t much of a cuddler, given that she seemed to kick me out whenever we finished. She was aromantic, which I totally respected. But I wasn’t, I wanted someone to hold. But I guess we were hardly exclusive. I could always look someplace else.

Like a certain, esteemed leader of the Pearl Clan.

No, that was a stupid idea. Arezu was a warden, a chill one at that. I took my shot and it worked out fine. But a leader might be a little bit different, especially if it backfires. Irida could easily make a scene and I could tank the reputation I’d been working so hard to earn.

But she was going to kiss you back.

I shook off the pestering thought. It’s not like I was going to see her again anytime soon anyway. We were both terribly busy.

The cloak…fashioned from plant matter…has merged with the Pokémon and is now part of the body, like fur or skin. I suspect this fusion is an effect of the energy involved in evolution.

Its earthen skin is reasonably hard…it has no problem repelling a Starly’s pecking, at least.

Its body, composed of refuse, blends in to the scenery so much as to be inconspicuous. This seems to be the perfect way for the Pokémon to evade the detection of predators.

Speaking of Wormadam, I found Anthe nearby, closing up shop. “Got you some Wormadam.” I noted.

“Hmm?” She asked, “Some Wormadam?”

“Yeah, they each have different forms.” I sent all three of them out.

The clothier blinked at all three of them, “Hmm…so this is what’s known as a plant cloak…it’s as if Wormadam has become one with the lush nature of Hisui!”

“Yeah, and the other two are the sandy cloak and trash cloak.” 

“A sandy cloak….” She stepped over towards the second variant, “The way the sand wraps around Wormadam, it’s as if the very earth is giving it a loving hug!”

“And now the Trash Cloak…” She moved on to the last one, “Well I suppose it’s living proof that there is truth to the saying, ‘one person’s trash is another’s treasure.’ I never knew Pokémon were capable of such things.” She closed her eyes, “Yes, I’ve got it! This was just the inspiration I need, thank you so much.”

“Glad I could be of help.” Now where the hell was Gastly guy?

“Ooh, gathered a lot of data on Gastly, have you?” The father asked, and I handed him my notebook. “Let’s see now…so it’s all recorded in this Pokédex, eh?” He read quietly for a moment, “Mushrooms, huh? Well I’ll be. Says here that Gastly likes to eat mushrooms of all things! Not that that’s a bad thing…mind you. Just sounds a bit tamer than I was expecting. Here I was thinking ghosts love nothing more than to sneak up on unsuspecting humans….” He mused, “It’s funny, I’m actually partial to a nice mushroom stew myself. Maybe Gastly aren’t so…ghastly after all!”

“Hey dad, whatcha doing?”

A tiny blonde kid walked up to us, “Ack! Conlan!” The father flinched,

“You talkin’ about work tomorrow? Don’t forget, you gotta take a day off tomorrow! You promised you’d take me to the ghosties on Prelude Beach, remember?”

“O-Of course your dad remembers, kiddo. And I’d never let work get in the way of our ghost hunt, I’m really looking forward to it!”

“Yay! I can’t wait to catch a ghost and show it to all my friends!” The kid ran off.

“You know, he was just putting on a brave face cause you were here.” The father said, “Well, anyway, I owe ya one, recruit. I get the feeling my boy will be just fine tomorrow.”

I nodded, waving to the father as I walked towards Galaxy Hall. Why do I feel like there was a request I was forgetting about? I know it was late, but I supposed it wouldn’t hurt to check the board anyway.

Ah, there was a request I skimmed through earlier but didn’t look into. Floaro of the Construction Corps wants advice on how to evolve his Eevee. Ah, right, the Jubilife Muffin guy. Well, he seemed to be a night owl too, given he stopped me at night for his prior request, so maybe I’d pay him a visit.

“Oh stars above, where’s he gone?!” The older man cried. Not a dull moment to be found, I guess.

“Wait, what happened?” I asked.

“Survey Corps kid, listen!” Floaro was frantic. “Eevee’s up and vanished! I was hoping to get your advice on evolving him, but I can’t evolve him if he’s gone! Please, help me find the little guy!”

“Right, right…let’s…let’s take a second to think it over.” I raised my hands, trying to calm him down. Though I more than understood the stress. “Was Eevee indoors all day? Or would he go outside sometimes? Where did he like to go?”

“Come to think of it, he did like to go to Galaxy Hall…folks there loved him.” Floaro recalled.

Right, back to Galaxy Hall it was. “Alright, I’ll take a head start and look there, you check anywhere else he’d go.”

I searched through as many rooms as I could. At first I got looks, but once I explained the situation, they were a bit more forgiving.

I barreled into Sanqua’s office, had to have been my fifth or sixth room at this point of searching. Blankly I stared at a Pokémon ahead of me. An Umbreon. No, you couldn’t.

“Hey, Sanqua?” I found my voice, “This your Umbreon?”

She looked up from her schematics, “Huh? Umbreon?” She skittered back in her chair, “No, wait, what the hell, how did it get in here?”

“Eevee?!” Floaro called, rushing into the room as well. His shoulders slumped with defeat, “Oh, guess not. My mistake. Seems Eevee’s not in here either.”

Umbreon and I exchanged a glance. “Sir, I…I might have a theory.”

“Hmm?”

“This…I think this is Eevee.”

“What?” He looked incredulous, “Well…guess there’d only be one way to figure it out for sure.” He said, “You got a Jubilife Muffin on ya?”

I might’ve had the materials. But, he wanted me to craft one, by myself? Ah, damn it, Akari was probably snoozing at this point. Guess it was up to me. Timidly, I sat at a nearby table, getting out my crafting kit and the supplies needed. C’mon CJ, craft by yourself, for fucking once. Don’t make a fool out of yourself in front of everyone.

I eventually finished, although mine didn’t look nearly as good as Floaro’s, “Here you go, buddy.” I handed Umbreon the muffin.

“Look at ‘em chow down!” Floaro grinned, “He’s the splitting image of Eevee when he does that!” He stepped forward, “So…so you’re actually Eevee?”

After he was done eating, Umbreon happily chirped, jumping up and down.

“Eevee! It is you! I missed you, ya little rascal!” They shared a brief hug. And then the Construction Corps member looked to me. “Never thought he’d evolve on his own! Though the professor did say that sometimes Eevee can evolve even without a stone.” He shook his head as he rifled through some stones, “Guess I don’t have any use for these evolutionary stones I had set aside for Eevee. Were you in the market for one of them?”

I shrugged, “I’ll take the Thunderstone.”

“Sure, sure, use it well.” He handed it over, “You can buy them from the Ginkgo Guild too, I think.”

“This touching reunion is great and all…but, would you mind doing it outside of my office…?” Sanqua raised a brow.

Floaro and I chuckled, “Sorry Miss Sanqua.” The former said, as the three of us made our exit.

Chapter Text

I shut the door to my quarters behind myself as I headed outside. I wondered which requests on the noticeboard I should work on, or which Pokédex entry I should prioritize, when I noticed a rather strange man walk by. Something about him seemed familiar, however.

“Good morning, good sir who came from the sky.” He greeted cheerily, yet rather blankly, complimenting his rather empty eyes. He wore ragged dark clothes, his coat seemed to be in the worst condition. Swore I knew this guy from somewhere, was he related to someone in Diamond and Pearl? And how the hell did he know I fell from the sky? “Commander Kamado told me to let you know he awaits your arrival in his office.”

Well that was odd. I thought, as the man walked off. But regardless, the message was clear, Kamado needed me for something. Dillydallying wasn’t an option.

Adaman was chatting with the commander as I stepped in, further cementing the dreaded feeling I had when I entered. The chatter died down as soon as I arrived. “CJ, I have your next set of orders.” Kamado started, “You must go to the Coronet Highlands to quell another frenzied noble…Electrode, Lord of the Hollow.”

“Electrode?” I was baffled, “I…I’m quite familiar with that Pokémon.” It was actually one of my favorite Kanto Pokémon. Not exactly a popular opinion, questionable design, object with eyeballs on it, et cetera. But it’s one of my favorite Electric-types.

“Then you know of its ability to store up electricity in its body and unleash it.” Adaman said, “But ever since Electrode has become frenzied…the blasts have been, well…out of control is putting it mildly.”

Commander Kamado hummed, “We’ll be enlisting the Pearl Clan’s aid in securing you safe passage to Electrode’s seat. I’ve sent word to Irida.”

Irida? Damn it, not now. Not on a serious mission like this.

“Hey, wait!” A member of Security Corps yelled a few floors below, “You’re not allowed to go up there!”

“Save it! As if I’m supposed to be stopped by the likes of you! Now get out of my way!” A haughty voice snapped back.

Briefly I caught Adaman facepalming, but my attention was quickly drawn back to the newcomer in the room. Undoubtedly they were Diamond Clan, given the blue sweatshirt and boots. Were they a guy, girl, nonbinary? I couldn’t exactly tell. The long blue hair was nice. Usually I figured myself straight, but occasionally people like Adaman and this person made me rethink that.

“Hey ho, bossman Kamado! Must’ve slipped your mind to give me an invite, so I thought I’d stop by here anyway.” The newcomer said.

“Melli, where are your manners?” Adaman growled, “We’re having an important conversation!”

“Well there’s your issue right there, Adaman! How exactly do you intend to discuss Electrode without me…its mighty warden…here to weigh in?”

Adaman shook his head, “There’s no more to discuss. CJ’s going to handle it.”

“Come on!” Melli frowned, “I can’t tell if you’re trying to humiliate me or the entire clan more!” A scowl in my direction, “How can this stringbean possibly quell Electrode?”

Never mind, I wanted nothing to do with this person.

“Quelled the last three.” I spoke up, “Think that’s a pretty good track record.”

“Commander, I…I apologize for this interruption.” Adaman sighed.

“Ah, not a problem.” Kamado pondered for a moment, “Although it seems Warden Melli did make it past all the Security Corps members…seems they need extra training, from me personally.”

Adaman shot Melli a look, “See what you did? Security Corps are gonna sob themselves to sleep tonight. Commander’s sumo moves can send even boulders flying.”

“CJ, you have your orders.” Kamado meanwhile focused on me, “See to it that Electrode is quelled!” He looked ahead again, “Warden Melli, of course we would appreciate your help if there’s anything you might assist with.”

The three of us headed towards the lobby, leaving Kamado with his thoughts. “Listen Melli. The Galaxy Team…well, CJ is amazing. And we’ll prove it. Follow me outside.” Adaman said.

There was a Leafeon outside, perking up when Adaman came out, and rubbing against his leg. “Alright CJ, go a round with me!”

Okay. Probably could’ve phrased that better. I assumed he wanted a battle, so I got a Poké ball out.

Adaman looked at his warden, “Make sure you watch closely now.” Melli’s response when Adaman faced me again was, I kid you not, looking away with eyes closed.

Something told me my experience in the Coronet Highlands was going to be painful.

“Alright, Leafeon, Eevee, let’s go!” Adaman commanded, as his two Pokémon ran out to fight.

“Go Infernape!” I threw out his Poké ball.

Seemed the monkey Pokémon stumped Adaman just as much as Irida. He was forced to either double-up on Quick Attacks, or risk using a not very effective move. Two Flames Wheels dealt with Leafeon, and a Mach Punch felled Eevee, with Infernape only suffering chip damage at best.

Adaman was stunned at how quickly it ended. I recalled Infernape, while he moved to heal both his Pokémon. “Alright, now that you’ve seen CJ in action, you’d better not give him any trouble.” Melli just audibly scoffed and made for the exit. “Well, see ya later CJ.” The Diamond Clan leader smiled, giving a little salute, “Glad to have your help, as always.”

I smiled back, as the pair began to leave, “I’ll save Electrode. Don’t you worry.”

“Don’t act out again, or you’ll get more of an earful than usual!” Adaman chided from the distance.

“C’mon Adaman, cut me some slack….” Melli whined.

Cyllene, I bet she wanted to fill me in on the Coronet Highlands. She did it with the other areas, so maybe I should go to her office next before I make preparations.

I couldn’t find her in her office, but instead I saw someone who I clearly didn’t expect. “Irida?” I blurted.

“CJ.” She greeted with a small smile, “I’ve been looking for you. The warden who’s going to help you in the highlands, appears he’s at your training grounds. I wanted to introduce you.”

Ah, the Pearl Clan’s aid Kamado was talking about. “Right, well, I was waiting for Captain Cyllene, actually.” I said, “But I have no idea where the hell she went off to. Guess we can head there now.”

She turned towards the doorway, facing away from me. “Electrode is the noble you’re to quell, yes?”

“That’s right.” I responded evenly.

A shaky sigh, “I worry about you sometimes.”

“Sounds like more than sometimes.” I stepped towards her.

She moved back to keep a respectful distance, but I took a step closer, although I made sure to give her a wide breadth of room if she needed it. “Is it wrong for me to worry about your safety?” She looked up at me.

Hmm. An office with an open doorway. Not exactly the most private place in the world. But not exactly public either. Besides, we were talking rather quietly. “No. But…maybe in case something does happen, we should talk about…ah…you know, the little…the thing, at the picnic.” I moved in closer, because fuck it, if I was going to get electrocuted to death, I was going to make it count. “Maybe we both have a different definition of friendship?” I pressed one hand to the wall, my other arm wrapping around her tiny frame, as we again attempted to lean in once more.

“CJ.” A goddamn miracle in itself I heard Cyllene’s relatively quiet, monotone voice amongst the thumping of my own heart.

We created a distance as quickly as we could in such short notice. “Ah, Wormadam, Wormadam yes. A very interesting Bug-type!” I stammered, although we were likely both crimson. “You see, they wear different cloaks depending on where they’re from! Uh…let’s see…you have the plant cloak, self-explanatory really. The sandy cloak, which are for Wormadam who don’t have access to plants, and rather rock or sediments. And the trash cloak, for Wormadam living near human settlements.”

“I see.” Irida was able to save face much easier. I guess she was a leader and diplomat of sorts, while I was just a sputtering dumbass. “And does this carry on throughout their evolutionary line?”

“Ah, well, I know for a fact Burmy has similar behaviors, but not Mothim. I’m actually working on capturing Mothim next, for, for our great Pokédex!”

Captain Cyllene blinked at us. Stupid of me to think she’d emote one way or the other. I’ll never know if she saw the intimate moment or not. “We need to talk about your assignment.” She walked to her desk.

“I’ll meet you at the training grounds.” Irida whispered lowly, leaving the room.

“Your survey work will take you to the Coronet Highlands next.” Cyllene explained after going through some paperwork. “You’ll be on the rift’s doorstep. There’s no telling what perils await.”

I nodded attentively, brain still hot and fuzzy from that interaction.

She glanced at the six stars on my uniform briefly, “Your current rank qualifies you to conduct research in the Coronet Highlands. But you will need help from a certain person to survey and ultimately quell this Electrode. They’ll be at the training grounds.”

I already knew that from Irida, but it was best to pretend I didn’t. “Yes, thank you ma’am.”

Irida was rather easy to spot in the training grounds. And the man with her was…that weird guy in the tattered black coat who greeted me this morning?

“Salutations CJ.” Irida gave a small smile, “This gentleman is Warden Ingo, who serves Sneasler. He will guide you to her domain.”

I took a step back, the information hitting me like a cinderblock. Ingo?! Warden Ingo?

What, what the hell did this mean? I mean, sure, some people here were longtime ancestors from people in the Sinnoh region. But this guy was in the present. What the fuck was he doing here?

“Pleased to properly meet you.” He held a hand out, “I apologize for the abrupt how-do-you-do before. I am Warden Ingo.”

I shook his hand. “P-Pleasure to meet you.” I swallowed hard, I definitely shot Irida a ‘We need to talk about this later’ look as I was shaking his hand. God, the more that I looked at him, the more clear it was. Sure, he was wearing the typical pink Pearl Clan colors, but he had his old outfit from the Unova region on over that. The conductor’s uniform, down to the hat and coat.

“I understand you’ll need a hand from Sneasler in order to meet Electrode.” Ingo mused, “Whether she’ll see fit to help you, however, we can only find out by making the journey.” He pointed forward dramatically, “Now let’s make a safe trip onward. All aboard!”

Holy fucking shit.

“Why don’t…why don’t you take a head start.” I looked to Ingo, “I uh…I got some last minute preparations to make. I’ll meet you at the highlands.”

Irida watched as he walked off, “He’s a lot like you, you know.” She informed neutrally. “We have no idea where he came from. Worse still, he has no recollection of where he came from or his former life. Maybe…maybe if he travels with you, he’ll get his memories back.”

Suddenly ‘later’ became ‘right fucking now’ because I was getting way too overwhelmed. The only problem was Captain Zisu was like, ten feet away from us, and a lengthy one-on-one conversation with Irida might seem suspicious, and I wasn’t going to take any goddamn chances.

“C’mere.” I grabbed her hand and took her around to the side of the building. She gave a cute squeak at suddenly being pulled. I let go once I was satisfied there were no eyes on us. “I know that fucking guy.”

Her pretty eyes fluttered, “Ingo?”

“Yeah, he…he’s….” Christ, how the hell did I explain this?

“Was he from your world?”

“Uh…kinda…it’s hard to uh….” Fuck, I really didn’t want to explain video games to these people. But what would I say instead? That I read about him in a book? “Look, I don’t get what’s happening. I thought I was the only one who fell from the space-time rift. But it looks like he did too. I…but we’re not the same. He was a beloved figure where he comes from. I was just some…stupid nobody. Where’s the correlation?” My shoulders slumped in defeat, “I…Irida, you have to believe me, I know that guy. But if he has amnesia, there isn’t really a way I can show you—”

“CJ.” She kept her voice low, as she put her hands on my shoulders, “I believe you.”

She had absolutely no reason to, but it’s not like I didn’t enjoy her touch. “I…I should go.” I finally spoke up, “I…if Electrode is in pain…I, I should hurry.”

She stood up on her toes, and I felt the warm heat of a kiss on my cheek. “Good luck, CJ.”

I turned so red I practically felt steam coming out of my ears. “U-Uh-huh…talk to you later.” I bolted, fearing my nerves were wasting precious time. I could barely coherently tell Ress where I was going, I was so flustered.

The view was nearly as amazing as the Cobalt Coastlands, only it was more mountainous and rugged. Should have expected as much with a name like Coronet. Professor Laventon gave a friendly wave as I approached camp, the Highlands Camp, I was assuming.

“There you are, my boy! Welcome to the Coronet Highlands!” The professor smiled, “I expect you’ll find all sorts of Rock and Ground-type Pokémon wandering about these craggy, boulder-strewn heights.” He looked ahead, at a massive mountain which I already had a feeling what it was called. “And up there. Right beneath that great rift in space-time is the peak of Mount Coronet itself!”

Yup, even with a fuzzy memory on the games, it was hard to forget Mt. Coronet. I remember going up that gauntlet, fighting as many members of Team Galactic as possible. I looked down at my uniform, but now it seemed the tables were turned.

“The magnetism from it may very well exert some sort of influence on the Pokémon in the area. Fascinating stuff!”

Like Magnezone and Probopass? I really liked the former, but I’d been with Luxray for so long, it didn’t seem worth replacing him.

I started to journey outward, the professor wishing me good luck on my trip to quell Electrode. There seemed to be a lot of Yanma flying around, and even the evolution, Yanmega. But I’d worry about catching Pokémon later.

Ingo was located across a bridge, near the mouth of a cave. “Sorry if I kept you waiting.”

“No worries.” Ingo shook his head, thinking for a moment, “The Electrode known as the Lord of the Hollow is somewhat different from the Electrode I remember. But its electrical discharges are similar. One wrong move around it and you’re in danger. I recommend using a Pokémon that can withstand Electric attacks.”

Brought Torterra for a reason.

“Must be difficult, being a Pokémon. Don’t you think? Especially one as irritable as Electrode. And getting frenzied on top of that….”

“Yeah, it can be really rough out here.” I agreed, “Although it’s not as comfortable as my world, I still would rather be living the way I am than…out in the wilderness, like some of these Pokémon.”

“So true! It’s a tough old life for Pokémon and humans alike!” A voice sang, as a familiar figure stepped out of the cave to meet us. “Well, well…if it isn’t Warden Ingo of the Pearl Clan! And, oh my! The Galaxy Team grunt from before! You’re punching well above your paygrade to seek out Electrode, Lord of the Hollow!” They glared at me.

I glared back. I fucking quelled three other nobles, have six stars on my uniform. Where the hell is my respect?

“But, by sheer tenderness of my heart, I’ll give you a trial to see if you are worthy.”

A frown, “What a high honor. Feels like there’s more than you’re letting on, pal.”

They scowled back, “Well then, let me give you the great Melli’s take on this situation! The frenzy of our nobles is nothing other than a mark of almighty Sinnoh’s favor and protection! Why? Because it makes them stronger! Do I really need to explain why that’s a good thing?” A dramatic hand on chest, “We must let my lord frenzy as it may, to demonstrate to almighty Sinnoh that the Diamond Clan lives as right and good. This may be…dare I say it…the very reason I’m here on this earth!” They frowned, “What business is it of the Galaxy Team’s, anyway? If Electrode lets out a few loose sparks here and there? Really, you should just slink back to that village of yours, rather than persist in this folly.” Melli turned around to leave, giving a sarcastic wave. “Bon voyage!”

“What a selfish man.” Ingo frowned, once he was sure Melli was gone. “The Pokémon under these frenzies suffer tremendously. Anyone capable of sight is able to observe as much.”

I sighed through my nose. “I don’t like the sound of this trial he has for us. But…I’m not going to leave this half-assed. Let’s press on.”

“Very well.” Ingo nodded, “The tracks ahead will be perilous, but I pride myself on safe driving!” He looked at the dark entrance, “To meet Sneasler, you’ll have to traverse through Wayward Cave. You’ll encounter a lot of Golbat and their ilk, quite at home navigating in the dark.” He started leading the way, “You’ll need to watch your step!”

I uneasily followed Ingo into the cave. So Melli was a guy. Good to know. Already seemed to dislike me, didn’t want to add ‘being transphobic’ on his list of things to dislike me for.

Damn, it was fucking dark in here. I liked to think I was slowly acquiring good night vision, what, with some of the night shifts I’d work. But I couldn’t see shit. “Well, this is odd.” Ingo noted blankly, “The torches that light the way through the cave are gone.”

Yeah, I’ll fucking say.

“Could this be Melli attempting to obstruct us?”

A frustrated growl, “Wouldn’t put it past him.”

“Well either way, there’s no need for alarm. I know the route, and I’ll conduct us safely.” I heard him shift positions, maybe he was doing that pose again. “No darkness nor foul weather will delay us! Onward!” He started walking, all I could hear were footsteps, I could hardly see the bastard. “Take care not to be uncoupled from me.”

Carefully, I walked ahead, trying to keep up with Ingo. His voice was the only reason I could in the first place.

“I recall, faintly, that I had a partner once. A precious one.” Ingo mused, “Its name escapes me, but I remember it wielded its flames with mastery.”

I looked down. It had been such a long time since I played Black and White that I had no recollection of who Ingo’s Pokémon were either. Generation five was an interesting time for me. I suppose they all were in one way or another. That was the generation I learned what EV training was. I remember losing the battle subway so many fucking times because I didn’t understand the competitive aspects of Pokémon. At the time I hated Emmet and Ingo. Funny how now I felt bad for the poor guy.

“If only it were here, I’m sure it would be able to light the way ahead….”

“Here, let me help.” I called out Infernape. “Better than nothing.” I then addressed the monkey Pokémon, “Keep lighting the way for us.”

Abruptly, the warden stopped, “Please forgive the unscheduled stop.” Infernape and I exchanged a glance. “I detect an alpha Crobat to our right. Under normal circumstances, I doubt it’d be much of a challenge for someone as competent as you. But given the poor visibility, I suggest a track change in the interest of safety. Follow me.”

Onward we went, Infernape did what he could to keep the way lit for Ingo and I. “I’m starting to recall a man who…looked like me…I think. We’d battle and discuss Pokémon….”

He couldn’t even remember his own fucking brother. Why was I spared the amnesia and not him?

“I wanna help you.” I blurted, “Get your memory back, send you back home, whatever it takes.” Since it was do dark, I couldn’t accurately read his expression.

“But…why?” He asked, blankly as usual. The tone of man who’d forgotten everything.

“Because…you…you don’t deserve this. Me? I was some nobody. But…but you’re so important. You need to go back home.”

This time I knew he was looking directly at me, “Do you know who I am?”

Chapter Text

“I….” A heavy sigh, “It’s a hunch, but…we can talk about that later. We need to focus on the mission. Electrode.”

A long pause, and then Ingo moved ahead, “We’re nearing the exit.” We started walking again. “Even if the memories have faded…I suspect they still live on in my heart….”

“That’s good.” I said, “Just keep holding on to them. When this space-time rift, noble stuff fades, I’ll definitely look into why both of us are here.”

A small nod, “Ah, we’re nearly home free.” He stopped walking, “Wait…could those be…?” The three of us observed at least a dozen unlit torches.

“Melli, so this was his work.” I frowned.

“Let’s put the torches back where they belong. It could be perilous for the next person to come through here.”

I nodded, “You can set them out, and I’ll have Infernape light them.”

It was faster than I had expected, putting all the torches in the right place. “Sorry for the delay.” Ingo checked around to see if everything was set up correctly.

“Don’t worry about it.” I said, “You were right, it’s important to keep this place safe for whoever comes next.”

“Now that the safety concerns have been addressed, we must make ready for departure!” He started marching ahead again, “If we follow the torches, we should reach the terminus of this cave.”

At long last, we reached the light at the end of the tunnel, quite literally. I gave a small smile at the fresh air of being back outside. “It was Professor Laventon who told me that you fell from the sky.” Ingo noted as the two of us kept walking, and I called Infernape back. “Me…I simply found myself here, in the land of Hisui. A region whose name I’ve never heard of before. All I could remember was my own name.”

“Yeah, I…kinda similar with me.” I said, “I didn’t know anything about Hisui either, but…I still have my memories.”

He continued to reminisce, “I stood there in bafflement until the Pearl Clan came to my aid. I showed a natural affinity for taming Pokémon, so they made me a warden.”

Damn. So this guy was literally me, but in his case the Pearl Clan found him. Part of me was jealous, but on the other hand, Jubilife Village was a bit more advanced in terms of living conditions. And I had my memory, another benefit I got over Ingo.

“But I still wonder what my true purpose is here….”

A sigh, “You and me both, brother. You and me both.”

We journeyed further through the highlands. Eventually we came across another cave, it looked like. Or no, it was a set of ruins. But blocking our way was a familiar face. And he didn’t seem too happy that we got past his impromptu obstacle course.

“What’s the big idea? Putting back all those torches I spent ages tidying away?” Melli frowned, “Do you get some sort of amusement stomping around and ruining other people’s noble deeds?”

“Rendering a cave impassible for travelers hardly seems noble to me….” Ingo muttered.

“Well, just goes to show that even we wardens don’t always see eye-to-eye.” He scoffed, “I extinguished those lights for sake of the Pokémon in the cave who prefer the dark!”

I took a more direct approach, since this time there really wasn’t a figure of authority to stop me. “Look, we passed your little trial. Are you gonna actually be helpful now or just waste all out times?”

“Hmm. All you louts did was put my efforts to waste. If you think you get to saunter on along to Electrode after that, well, you have another thing coming….” I noticed a rather large skunk Pokémon trot at Melli’s side. “The only way you’re getting through is if you defeat my partner Pokémon!”

Well, the Pokémon and the human complemented each other, in this regard. I got a Poké ball out, smirking. “Thought you’d never ask.”

“Go Skuntank! Show these louts the true meaning of silent but deadly!” Melli ordered.

Never have I been happier to have a Torterra than right now. “Go Torterra!”

Melli grinned, “Flamethrower Skuntank!”

Ah shit.

The second my Torterra was sent out, he was roasted by flames from Skuntank’s rear. Torterra grunted, then cried out in pain.

“Damn it.” I frowned, “Bulldoze!”

Torterra caused the ground to tremble with his awesome might. The super-effective damage caused Skuntank to faint.

Or was it a high-roll? Or a critical? Was I about to lose that?

Melli quickly scurried to his Pokémon to heal it. “Listen here! Neither I or Skuntank will admit defeat! Our challenge to you still stands!” He proclaimed, “I will withdraw however, to afford Skuntank some time to heal. It…it’s not retreating, if anything, it’s an advantage! I would stay on guard if I were you, we’ll be back.”

We watched as he left with Skuntank, “Never a dull moment with him.” Ingo mused. “I cannot fathom his intentions, but I suppose we should keep moving.”

Through the ruins was our next stop. Although it was much lighter than the cave we were in previously. They almost reminded me of the Solaceon Ruins, in a way. I could both see and hear some Bronzor and Bronzong floating around. “Interesting place.” I said, my voice echoing slightly.

“This is the Ancient Quarry.” Ingo explained, “The stones used to build this temple were all cut from this place. Whether by humans and Pokémon working together, or just Pokémon, I cannot say. The stones left behind here should protect us from wild Pokémon.”

I guess having a dozen Bronzong nuking your brain from afar probably wouldn’t be the best experience.

“Ah! There you are Ingo!”

I heard footsteps, as everyone’s favorite historian slash merchant joined the two of us. “Volo, was it?” Ingo asked, “Something the matter, sir?”

“Well I wanted to ask about that memory loss of yours.” Volo said, “Do you think it was caused by travelling through the space-time rift?”

A shrug, “I have no cause to think the rift is to blame…but then again, I hardly remember a thing, so it’s difficult to say with certainty. I can’t remember my home, nor my family, if I had any. I think you’d have more luck asking CJ here.”

“It had to have been the rift.” I said, “It’s what dragged both of us into this mess.”

“Mmm, well, I hope your memories return someday soon, Warden Ingo.” Volo gave a sympathetic smile. “And you CJ…do you remember what you saw when you…well, when you first arrived here? What was on the other side of that rift?”

“I…it was dark, really dark.” I answered, trying to recall sitting up in my bed one minute, and then fading into this world the next. “There was, a golden light calling out to me.” I said, “It…it spoke to me….” What? Do I just rat Arceus out? Or will they think I’m insane? “I swear it’s what I saw.”

“Interesting….” Volo pondered, “Personally, I suspect that whatever’s on the other side of that rift is causing the strange lightning that plagues us.”

Arceus is doing all of this? Maybe it was the only explanation. Maybe it was some stupid divine test to challenge me or something. After all, Arceus did want me to seek out all Pokémon. Whatever that meant. Define ‘all’ for starters.

“I did some digging too, and I found records that indicate that the space-time rift has opened above Hisui in the distant past as well.”

God, this already was the distant past. So was the era he was referring to the super distant past? I’d have to look into the Arceus theorem later, when I wasn’t so busy. It was an interesting hypothesis Volo had, and I wanted to test it, right or wrong.

“What kind of world do you suppose stretches out on the other side of that rift?” Volo mused, “It must be almighty Sinnoh’s realm. But then that begs the question…why has the space-time rift reopened, when it closed so long ago? And why have you two fallen through it? There’s still so much we don’t know….”

I nodded, “And I wanna get to the bottom of it. And I will.”

“I fervently hope you two unravel this mystery.” Ingo looked from Volo to me. “If nothing else, it would ease tensions about the frenzying nobles.” He said, “I will meanwhile work to keep this world safe for both people and Pokémon.” He started leading the way for me.

“Ah, well I’m just an admirer of ruins and little more!” Volo smiled modestly, “CJ’s the genius you want on your side, I’m sure he’ll solve the puzzle long before me!” Before I could politely argue, he gave a small wave, “Well, with that I’m afraid I must depart.”

“See ya Volo.” I waved back, hurrying to catch up with Ingo.

“It’s just a little bit further through here.” Ingo kept leading the way, “Let’s move with speed, but not haste.”

Out of the ruins, we continued traversing. As far as we reasonably could, until we came across a set of sheer cliffs. All but impassable. My jaw fell open. “Uh…so…so where the hell do we go from here?” I wondered.

Ingo smiled for the first time since we’ve met. “You would never expect to be able to climb such sheer cliffs, yes?”

“Not unless I was a Pokémon, no….”

“With Sneasler as an ally, it’s rather simple.”

Hmm, I wonder if Sneasel had a thing similar to Ursaluna going on, where in the distant past, it had another evolutionary track.

“She’s so at home at a cliff face, one might think she knew some secret…hidden move.” Ingo said, looking down as he held his hat. “What am I saying? Hidden moves? There are no such things in Hisui, surely….”

“No, but…but Ingo…you’re remembering…that, that’s good!” I encouraged, “Remember what I said, hold onto what you can!”

Given how blank his stare was, it cut through me quite easily, “Ever since we’ve been speaking, I’ve been remembering more and more. I feel as though I’m on the cusp of remembering something…just who was I before I came to Hisui? You…you likely came from another world altogether, if you fell from the sky. Perhaps if our Pokémon were to battle, it would help me remember. Will you…honor me with a battle, CJ?”

I watched with awe as he prepared himself. “You have Poké balls….”

“That’s correct, I had them on my person when I awoke on Hisui.”

So it really was present-day Ingo. “Sure, let’s battle.”

“All aboard then!” Ingo prepared his Poké ball, “Machoke, ready for departure!”

I got out a Poké ball as well, “Go Crobat!” The bat Pokémon squared off with Machoke, but the stillness wouldn’t last long. “Aerial Ace!”

Crobat sped ahead quickly, slashing through Machoke twice as the burly Fighting-type fell back.

“Double-Edge, Machoke!”

Machoke crashed into Crobat, the two of them tumbling into the dirt for a few moments, as the attack did massive damage.

“Quick, Aerial—”

“Bullet Punch!”

With fists of steel, Machoke speedily punched Crobat numerous times. “Aerial Ace!” I ordered.

Machoke couldn’t take a second Flying-type attack, it fainted. But Crobat didn’t look so good, taking both strong attacks at once.

“Go Tangela!” Ingo sent out a Grass-type.

I narrowed my eyes, “Cross Poison!”

Crobat sliced through the vine Pokémon with blades of pure poison, dealing super-effective damage.

“Ancient Power!”

Wait what?

Olden rocks rose from the ground, pelting into Crobat. Needless to say, my Pokémon fainted.

Ah. Guess Tangela had to evolve into Tangrowth somehow, didn’t it?

“Go Infernape!” I sent the monkey Pokémon out, “Flame Wheel!”

Infernape charged into Tangela, his body covered in flames. Tangela fainted after the attack.

Ingo recalled his Pokémon, “You’re as good as they say you are.”

“And so are you.” I nodded.

“Go Gliscor!”

I was surprised at seeing the purple, flying-scorpion Pokémon, but I held firm. “Infernape, Flame Wheel again!”

Infernape crashed into Gliscor with his flaming body. But the opposing Pokémon looked hardly bothered.

“Mud Bomb!”

Infernape’s defenses were never really that stellar, it was little surprise to me when he fainted from the Ground-type attack.

“Go Floatzel!” I sent the otter Pokémon out, “Ice Punch!”

Ice and frost shrouded Floatzel’s paw, as he darted forward to punch Gliscor back. I knew it had good defense, but there was no stomaching a four times super-effective move.

Ingo smirked as he recalled his last Pokémon, “Bravo! Excellent!” Another pose, “Your talent has brought you towards the destination called…Victory!” He looked up at the cliffs, “Now, allow me to call Sneasler.” He got out his Celestica Flute, playing the same tune I was used to by now.

Sneasler revealed herself a few cliffs up, giving a cry. Ah, she looked rather different than any Sneasel I’d seen. Taller, longer, the coloration was different too. White and purple.

“Allow me to introduce you, CJ.” Ingo said as Sneasler walked over, “This keen-clawed Pokémon is Sneasler. Would you be so kind to play your flute for her to hear?”

I got my flute out, taking a deep breath and replicating the song Ingo just played. Sneasler nodded along, the song resonating with her. When it concluded, a dark purple plate materialized in front of Sneasler, floating into my hands. The…Toxic Plate? Is Sneasler a Poison-type?

“I’m afraid this is my final stop.” Ingo informed. “Please proceed up the cliffs with Sneasler’s aid and quell the lord up in the mountains!”

“Of course, Electrode will be right as rain soon.” I resolved. 

“I will return to Jubilife Village. Please convey my warm wishes to Warden Melli.” He began to depart, “All aboard!”

“Thanks for everything Ingo!” I waved, “You’ve been a great help!” I then faced the cliffs, “Sheesh…is it too late to say that I’ve got a fear of heights…?” I then looked at Sneasler, “So…so how does this work exactly?”

Sneasler grunted something, pointing to a nearby basket she brought with her.

“Uh…okay, cool? Got a little backpack…that’s nice. Doesn’t really answer my question though.”

Sneasler rolled her eyes. Gently she tapped my shoulder, pointing to the basket with her other claw.

“…you’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.”

My fear of heights was bad enough. Being stuck in a basket, facing backwards while Sneasler climbed was a certain type of hell. I’m amazed she could concentrate while I was screaming bloody murder from inside the basket, scared for my life. Must’ve had the patience of a saint. I mean, it took me a bit to get used to the rather archaic methods of transport, between Wyrdeer, Ursaluna, and Basculegion. But come on, this was just ridiculous.

After we climbed up quite a bit, I needed a break, “Okay Sneasler, I…I’m gonna dismiss you for now.” I climbed out of the basket, panting from my miniature freak out. “Just…just need to take a break…breathe some fresh air.” Sneasler nodded at my request, walking off.

It was nice to walk on flat, solid ground again, rather than panic inside a wicker basket. My ears perked up, as I heard something flying towards me, as well as a Pokémon cry.

A Gligar nearly snipped my neck off, as I barely got out of the way in time. Gligar? I shook it off. I guess this was where Ingo got his Gliscor from.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t just one, there were about three or four of them, and they all seemed quite eager to hunt me. They kept zooming in at me from different angles. But I dodged one, then another. Alright, no worries, just grab Floatzel’s Poké ball and….

I wasn’t on the ground anymore.

The second I realized what was happening, I screamed, falling from quite the height. I fumbled for my flute. But playing it was rather difficult when you were screaming during a freefall. Damn thing even flew out of my hands. “No! My flute!” My breaths grew more ragged, “Sneasler!” I begged as loudly as I could.

Luckily Sneasler was close enough so that she came to my aid regardless. She quickly scampered down the cliff’s edge as quickly as she could, grabbing my arm and stopping my fall. Only thing is, her claws were so sharp and the grab was so quick, that she tore part of my sleeve off, and I continued to fall.

“No!” I bellowed.

I awoke with a cough, with three familiar faces watching over me, in a rather familiar room.

No, not again….

“Well, he’s awake.” Pesselle moved back, “That’s rather fortunate.”

“CJ!” Akari hissed, “What happened to being careful?”

“I….” I coughed. Then I felt it. A dull yet horrible back pain that aged me eighty years, “Fucking Christ.” Needless to say, I lost my train of thought.

A small smile on Professor Laventon, “Well, we’re fortunate to have you awake, now we shall spread that hope onward, so that you may feel better!”

“You didn’t break any bones this time, at least.” Pesselle muttered, looking at her notes.

“Then why does my back hurt so fucking much?” I rasped.

“I mean…I’m assuming you fell from a rather high place.” She answered, “Ress found you on the ground, completely knocked out. Miracle you don’t have a concussion, honestly.”

“Well, I did fall from a high place.” I noted, “Fucking…a bunch of Gligar practically knocked me off the mountain….” Akari took a shaky breath and looked away, “Akari I’m sorry….I know, it was stupid….” I coughed again. My eyes widened, “Wait, my flute…my fucking flute. I lost it when I fell. I need to find it now.”

Laventon raised a brow, “Your flute was on your person…at least when Ress found you, it was.”

That must’ve been it. “Sneasler…I bet that’s why I didn’t get too badly banged up either.” I said, even though I was still in quite a bit of pain. “She grabbed me, slowed my fall down. I bet if she didn’t do that, I would’ve slipped a disk or…got fucking paralyzed, broke my spine, who the hell knows.”

“Well, you still need your rest.” Pesselle said, eyeing Akari and the professor, “Which means you two should leave, if you please.” Laventon and Akari muttered awkwardly and left the room.

I tried to even my breathing, “How…how long will I be laid up here, Pesselle?” I asked, fearing the answer.

“Well, how do you feel?” The pink-haired doctor asked.

“Like…like shit, honestly.”

“Hmm.” She thought about it, “We’ll probably let you rest a day or two.” That was quicker than anything I expected. But then I noticed Croagunk peeking out from behind Pesselle’s legs. “Remember, you helped me design a medicine specifically for pain like this.” She smiled.

“Oh…thank god.” I sighed, “I’m gonna…I’m gonna raise an entire team of Croagunk. Nothing but Croagunk. And then I’ll make another statue right next to the one Buck made….”

Pesselle chuckled, “Just focus on resting, okay? You can help Electrode in a day or so.”

I mean, I was no use to Electrode with the Hunchback of Notre Dame injury I had going on, so I wouldn’t argue. “I…I owe you one….”

“I’m just doing my job, CJ.” She said, “With a medicine that wouldn’t be possible if not for your help.”

She was right, I just needed to let go and relax for now. When my strength was restored, I would take the fight to Electrode.

Chapter Text

I definitely felt bad for the delay, but I was well-rested and ready to go now that I made a full recovery. I climbed the cliffs with Sneasler, and this time I was more cautious about the wild Pokémon, as well as my footing, especially when dodging. Eventually I made it pretty high, high enough to make it to Electrode’s seat, I’m guessing. As a certain Diamond Clan warden was smugly standing guard.

“Welcome to Moonview Arena…the seat of Lord Electrode!” Melli grinned. “Finally, about time you got here. I wasn’t exactly supportive of your arrival. But part of me did hope you would come. Call me contradictory all you’d like, Galaxy grunt.” I’d call him more than that at this point. “But such is life. Embracing the complexity of both ourselves and the world can only help us grow.”

“Nice poetry.” I grunted, “Now can we get on with this? I think I’ve proven myself more enough.”

“Proven yourself that a measly gust of wind is capable of toppling you for a couple days? Is that something to write home about?”

I seethed, “You bastard.”

He placed a hand on his chest, “As a member of the Diamond Clan, my highest calling is to please almighty Sinnoh. And right now, that means protecting my lord and stopping you where you stand!” He narrowed his eyes, “If you wish to gain entry, you and your little Pokémon are free to give it your best shot.”

“Trust me, I will.” I wanted to beat the shit out of this guy. With or without Pokémon involved.

“Go Skuntank! Show them another whiff of silent but deadly!”

There seemed to be a twist with this battle, Skuntank had a few friends, in the form of a Zubat and a Skorupi. What, was I supposed to fight all three of them at once?

No matter. I’ve been outnumbered before, and I won. I can do it again, “Go Torterra!”

Seemed I didn’t learn my lesson from last time. “Skuntank, use Flamethrower!”

Torterra flinched as he was badly burned. “Bulldoze, on Skuntank!”

Torterra shook the ground violently, but Skuntank hardly seemed bothered.

Wait, so it was a high roll? And not a critical this time?

Ah, no, Torterra was burned, weakening his attack. Because the one time one of my opponent’s get RNG on their side, it’s this guy.

“Zubat, use Gust, and Skorupi, you use Venoshock!” Melli ordered.

Like some mighty behemoth, Torterra was brought down being attacked from three different directions. I growled, recalling the tortoise Pokémon. The fuck was I supposed to do? How was I going to beat three Pokémon chipping away at me at once?

I glared at the three Poison-types ready to tear me a new one. A Steel-type would be nice, well, other than the Flamethrower.

I got an idea. It was fucking stupid, but it’d probably work.

“Go Luxray!” I sent the feline Pokémon out, “Wild Charge!” I yelled, “Strong style!” I pointed at Skuntank.

Shrouded in a lot of electricity, Luxray tackled Skuntank over, fainting the skunk Pokémon outright. But Luxray winced, as he took a lot of recoil damage. But my plan worked. Skuntank was obviously the heavy hitter, and with it out of the way, I could focus on the two small fries.

“Skorupi, Venoshock!” Melli smiled, “And Zubat, Hypnosis, if you please.”

Luxray was bombarded by the Poison attack, while he was put to sleep by Zubat.

Shit. Luxray was practically finished, trying to stay awake. But as drowsy as he was, he was too slow to attack or really defend himself at all. I was at the mercy of Melli’s weenies chipping his health away until he fainted too.

Melli laughed, “What’s wrong, Galaxy grunt? Is this truly the best your lot has to offer?” He taunted, “What happened to the strong, heroic man I’ve been hearing so much about, hmm?”

I growled. Hand shaking with rage, I threw out another Poké ball, “Crobat!” I called. I had to get rid of Zubat first, or else risk a Hypnosis. “Zen Headbutt on Zubat!”

The smaller bat Pokémon was easily taken out. “Skorupi, Bite!”

At this point, it was too little, too late. “Crobat, Aerial Ace, finish this!”

Melli snarled as his last Pokémon fainted. “Let’s make one thing clear, I didn’t lose! You may have won…but there’s a difference!”

I didn’t say anything, I just glared at him.

“I just lacked er…time! Yes, I’m afraid there simply wasn’t enough time to for me to raise my Pokémon nice and strong! Ah, could this be why Adaman always goes on and on about time being such a precious thing? My word, the Diamond Clan and almighty Sinnoh are truly never-ending fountains of wisdom!” A sigh, as he held his chin, “Yes, yes, I know what comes next. You want to know what pleases Lord Electrode so that you can make some balms for it. Well, I’m afraid I won’t be able to help you….” He huffed, “Because I have completely forgotten what Lord Electrode likes!”

Holy shit, I wanted Calaba back. At least she was just a stubborn old woman.

“What’s the matter? Upset?” He went on, “Too bad anger doesn’t make balms!”

“Melli’s really giving you the runaround, isn’t he CJ?”

The warden went pale with a mix of fear and embarrassment, while I was relieved that I wasn’t stuck here alone with this lunatic any longer. “Guess it’s my fault for not telling you in advance.” Adaman continued, “Electrode likes—”

“Adaman!” Melli whined.

He frowned, “What now?”

“I’m part of this conversation too, you know! Are you really going to tell this stringbean how to quell Electrode so easily? Just like that?” He frowned, “You’re the leader of the Diamond Clan! Why do you bother with these Galaxy louts?”

“Open your eyes Melli, haven’t you taken a look at your frenzied lord?” Adaman raised a brow, “Don’t you even feel a twinge of sadness at how it suffers, fighting to control this energy bursting out of it?”

Melli gave a blissfully ignorant smile, “I see nothing but a Pokémon overcome with joy at being among almighty Sinnoh’s chosen ones! It’s not like trials and suffering are cause for such doom and gloom. It helps us grow!”

This religious extremism was driving me mad, a cherry on top of the annoyances I had to deal with thus far. I’d heard enough. Maybe because it was an Electrode, a Pokémon I cared deeply about. “You make me sick.” I spat.

“Hmm, like I care what some Galaxy lout thinks!” Melli snapped.

“Yeah, go on, stay in denial. You’ll be the first person who gets barbecued. We can step in then, if you’d prefer.”

Adaman placed a hand on his forehead, “I’m sorry Melli, I can’t just write these frenzies off as some trial by almighty Sinnoh. That’s why CJ and I are doing our best to help out. This is bigger than what team or clan we belong to!” A frown, “I wasn’t just going to tell CJ that Electrode likes Crunchy Salt, I brought a whole sack of it with me!” He set down a rather large bag, filled with I’m assuming salt. “So all three of us are going to make as many balms as possible!”

“Fine!” Melli huffed, “At the end of the day, let no one say that the great Melli shirked his duties as a warden!”

“Sure, fine.” I said, “Probably’ll say a bunch of other shit about you, but.”

“Quiet, Galaxy grunt!”

“If anything, you should be the one to shut up!”

“Hey.” Adaman silenced us both, “We need to get to work. The quicker these balms get made, the better.”

The Diamond Clan leader worked solo at first, as Melli and I had to heal our Pokémon from the battle. But we were able to join him not long after.

“So…all Electrode likes is salt?” I wondered, “It doesn’t like…I dunno…other things we have to blend together with it?”

“Nope. Just salt.” Adaman answered, making balms rather quickly for someone outside of the Galaxy Team.

“Hmm.” It made it easier, compared to the other nobles, who needed three or four foods each for their balms.

“Well then isn’t this pointless?” Melli asked, “Why don’t we just give him the entire sack and just be done with it?”

“Nah, it doesn’t work that way…least, least I don’t think.” I paused. I suppose a buffet for the noble Pokémon would be an interesting idea.

“I suppose that makes you an expert then?” He challenged.

“Yes. What are you bitching about, anyway?” I snarled, “Thought you weren’t going to shirk your warden duties.”

Adaman watched us glare at each other, “Hey, guys, c’mon. Don’t make me do one of those awkward as hell icebreakers now to get you two to get along, like making you guys say one nice thing about each other.” A smirk, “Cause I will.”

That seemed to scare us into silence for the next few minutes at least. I stole a glance at Melli as we worked, “I like your hat.”

He made a face, “Oh, ha, ha, I get it.” He replied, deadpan. “Good one, trying to mask a sarcastic insult with a compliment, I see!”

“No. I was serious.”

A pause. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out at first. “I see, well…perhaps you Galaxy louts aren’t as…visually challenged as I had first thought.” That was the closest thing I was going to get, wasn’t it?

The crafting half-tensely continued, until we had quite a supply on our hands. “Now, don’t you underestimate my lord’s strength.” Melli warned, “I very much doubt you can even quell it.” He looked towards the arena, “So, knowing that you’re doomed to fail, you still wish to face Electrode?”

“That’s right.” I nodded, “My Pokémon and I are ready.”

A chuckle, “You have a great deal more pluck than you have sense, I’ll give you that. A word of advice, don’t stay in one spot for very long. Always be on the move, or you’ll be dead in no time!”

Carefully I stepped into the arena, noticing a massive tree. Not as big as the one in Grandtree Arena, but close. I saw a couple nuts fall from the tree. Apricorns? No, Voltorb! And then a massive one fell, the noble Electrode. Strange, why did one half of its body look wooden? One thing was for sure, the Electrode was not happy to see me, as it lit up yellow, both from electricity and the golden light coming from it.

Electrode shook overwhelmingly with power, launching a ball of lightning straight for me. I rolled out of the way. Alright, was it going to shoot another one, or…?

No, the first one it shot was turning around, headed back for me, like some kind of homing missile.

“Jesus fucking Christ….” I bolted, like running laps in gym class, but slightly worse. The two Diamond Clan members watched on, one a bit more worried for my safety than the other.

Electrode continued to shake, with a permanent snarl on its face. Multiple Voltorb began to fall right in front of me. And I had watched enough of the games and anime to know where this was going. Great, bastard’s bombing me now….

It was hard enough trying to avoid all the Voltorb. Like running through a field of land mines, but I couldn’t stop to think at all with the electrical homing blast practically right behind me. Eventually Electrode was fed up with waiting and it leapt in the air, shrouded in electricity.

“Aw shit, what the hell is it doing now?!” I screamed.

Melli clasped his hands together, eyes lit up like a kid at Christmas, “Oh, why that’s Electrode’s favorite move! It gathers a bunch of energy at once, and then unleashes it in a huge blast! Don’t die, Galaxy grunt!”

“CJ, look at the ground!” Adaman pointed.

He was right, there seemed to be a large circle under my feet, spreading out wider and wider. Must be indicating the range of Electrode’s blast. But hell, it nearly took up the whole arena. I ran as fast as I could, hoping my asthma wouldn’t flare up now of all times.

After it blew up, the noble looked incredibly dazed. I didn’t need much of an invitation to initiate battle. “Go Torterra!”

Electrode regained focus at the sight of a new target. It launched a green ball at Torterra, knocking him back considerably.

Energy Ball? I don’t remember Electrode ever getting that move. “Torterra, use Bulldoze!”

Torterra shook the ground for a moment, and Electrode flinched, but it only seemed to be neutral damage. Electrode fired another green ball, and Torterra fainted.

What the hell? What the actual fuck? Torterra was supposed to be my secret weapon! He was even weaker than Gardevoir! What the hell was going on? What prevented Electrode from frying the rest of my team?

It couldn’t have been….

“The Electrode known as the Lord of the Hollow is somewhat different from the Electrode I remember….”

“Go Infernape!” I sent the monkey Pokémon out. But since Electrode was so fast, it got to move again, zapping Infernape with a bright yellow Thunderbolt.

Infernape screeched as the attack likely took a huge amount of damage. “Flame Wheel, quickly!”

Electrode seemed to reel back painfully from that attack. I recalled Infernape, pelting him with balms during the precious grace period.

“C’mon Electrode, wake up!” I yelled. So it was part Grass. I’ve been waiting for a Grass, Electric-type that wasn’t mow Rotom for ages. Glad to see the type combination was kicking my ass now.

As I ran through Electrode’s deadly obstacle course, my brain was practically running just as fast as my body was. I had five team members left. Infernape likely wouldn’t survive another attack, and using Floatzel or Crobat was risky. And healing during this chaos wasn’t really much of an option. There were a few close calls with Voltorb exploding near my feet, but I just had to be patient and wait until Electrode tired itself out.

“Go Decidueye!” I sent out my starter when Electrode was vulnerable. Surely he could wall off Electrode’s attacks, right?

To my luck, Electrode just used Thunderbolt again. Decidueye winced slightly, but he was able to take the attack much better than Infernape.

“Alright, use Triple Arrows!”

Decidueye kicked Electrode, flying up and firing off three arrows. Electrode flinched, but it seemed just as eager to fight, launching another Thunderbolt Decidueye’s way.

“Triple Arrows again!” I yelled, “Strong style!”

This barrage of arrows stunned the opposing noble, giving me plenty of time to act, bombarding Electrode with as many balms as I could get my hands on.

Seems I was a little too eager, as Electrode recovered and clocked me with a cheap shot before I could react. I shouted in pain as I was electrocuted. A zing ran across my body and I felt dizzy. My vision blurred as I stumbled back.

“CJ! You okay?” Adaman stepped forward.

A cough, “Yeah…fine….” I still felt woozy, but I knew Electrode wasn’t going to politely sit there and wait for me to walk it off. I started running, even more nervous when a green ball of lightning came at me.

The green one seemed even faster than the ones he regularly hurled at me. And the Voltorb explosions were even more difficult to avoid given how shaken I was. When Electrode leapt in the air to detonate, it took every fiber of my being to run out of the ever-encompassing circle. But I wasn’t sure if Pokémon battling was the easy part anymore.

“Go Decidueye!” I sent my starter out again. Electrode was prepared though, blasting him with a massive bolt of lightning.

Yeah, that was definitely Thunder. I was amazed Decidueye didn’t faint. “Triple Arrows, Strong style!”

Decidueye launched his arrows at Electrode, but the noble was easily able to retaliate and knock out my starter with another Thunderbolt.

Would Infernape even be worth it? Or would Electrode move first? I sent the monkey Pokémon out anyway, but he was punished by a yellow Thunderbolt, fainting as well.

Damn it. I only had three team members left. Well, there was one who would do well. “Luxray! Use Ice Fang!”

Luxray bit into Electrode with frigid fangs, dealing super-effective damage. Electrode switched it up, using Energy Ball to knock Luxray back.

“Ice Fang, one more time!”

When Electrode was stunned, I grabbed some more balms. “What kind of tea do you like Electrode?” I asked, “You want four cups of salt in it, like mine?” I joked.

Finally, there was a crack, as slowly but surely, the golden light on Electrode flew away towards the sky. And Electrode looked considerably calmer. Or, as calm as the species could be.

The noble Pokémon rolled towards me, a bright yellow plate materialized in front of it, landing into my hands. Must’ve been the Zap Plate.

“Oh for shame! What utter calamity!” Melli sniffed dramatically, falling to his knees “I agreed to make those accursed balms, yes…but now that almighty Sinnoh’s blessed power has vanished forever, it’s just so unbearably sad!”

“Is that how you see it?” Adaman asked, “Electrode looked relieved to me. Glad its suffering finally ended.”

“Come now Adaman, seriously? That’s just your wishful thinking, and nothing more!” He frowned, “All your preaching doesn’t ruffle me one bit. But if almighty Sinnoh grows angry with me because of this…I…I don’t know what I’ll do!”

“I arrive, right on schedule!” A new voice said, as Ingo walked into the arena. “CJ, I had heard about your accident, you have my most sincere apologies.”

I shook my head, “Don’t worry about it, it was a stupid mistake on my part. If anything, Sneasler saved my life, I owe her.” Nearly didn’t know what he was talking about for a second. But I guess the little zap is making me feel a little fuzzy. Still nothing as bad as Kleavor though.

Melli stood up, indignant, “Now what did you bother coming back for?”

“I got some more of my memories back.” Ingo smiled weakly, “All from traveling with CJ.” He looked between all three of us, “Had to do with the world I came from, I think. There, most people caught their Pokémon, lived with them, formed supportive relationships with them. And then there were Pokémon Trainers. They were truly devoted to their craft. They always looked towards the next challenge and had Pokémon battles every chance they got. All to help themselves and their Pokémon grow. Through battle, Trainers formed a bond of understanding with their Pokémon, and their opponents as well, their opponents Pokémon. With everything, I suppose.” A brief pause. “If people and Pokémon work together, we can forge new paths forward. We’ll be lost to history if we go on believing only Pokémon can be strong, or if we continue fearing Pokémon.”

“And we used Poké balls.” I spoke up, walking towards Ingo. “You did it buddy, you got some of your memories back!” I excitedly held Ingo’s shoulders, although maybe my happiness was just me getting delirious. “Show them, show them your Poké balls!”

Ingo reached for one to have a look at it, “I hardly see whether that’s here or there.”

“Because you just described the future, where you and I both come from.” I looked at the Diamond Clan members, “We’re from the future.”

Adaman seemed more receptive to it than Melli, who huffed and looked away. “Interesting.” The Diamond Clan leader mused, resting a hand to his chin, “I never thought a world like that could exist.”

“Aha! Once again, the brilliant Warden Melli has realized something clever! It’s not just my Pokémon that need to be strong, it’s me as well! The greater my valor and might, the greater my Pokémon’s potential! I wonder if almighty Sinnoh will be pleased with me when I’ve achieved exactly that?” He looked towards his leader, “Adaman, share with me the wisdom almighty Sinnoh passed down amongst our clan.”

“Alright, open your ears, shut that big mouth of yours, and listen well, my friend!” Adaman smiled, “Give not into sorrow. Give not into anger. Offer only friendship to those around you. Give not into sorrow. Give not into anger. Bring not almighty Sinnoh to sorrow. For that is when time’s flow will cease. And there you have it.”

“Bravo! Excellent!” Ingo nodded, “Please, all of you, do your best and run towards your destination…an even higher state.” He said, “Now, this time I really will make the return trip to Jubilife Village. Perhaps with someone like CJ to show that Pokémon need not to be feared, the people of Hisui will have new tracks forward. I owe Commander Kamado my report, until next time CJ.” He waved, making his departure.

“Mmm, you and me both.” I muttered.

“Can we find a way to honor our past while forging a better future?” Adaman pondered, “Maybe that’s what almighty Sinnoh wants from us, after all, it does rule over time…and it created everything there is.”

“Shield your eyes, Galaxy grunt!” Melli smirked, “I’m going to polish up both myself and Electrode until our strength and brilliance is blinding!”

I smiled, offering a hand to Adaman, “Pleasure working with you again.”

He smiled back, returning the handshake, “Anytime CJ!”

I had a feeling I was going to sleep well tonight, as I trudged up to Kamado’s office. “Hmm….” The commander mused, “So Warden Melli believes that the frenzies of these Pokémon are some sort of trial set by almighty Sinnoh?”

“Yes, but…it sounds a little.” ‘Bullshit’ nearly flew out of my mouth, but I tried to avoid swearing in front of Cyllene or Kamado if I could help it. “Farfetched, to say the least.”

“Yes, we have no idea whether that’s the case or not. It does beg the question…whyever would this ‘almighty Sinnoh’ drive the nobles into frenzy?” He pondered, “Is it angered by something? Or does it perhaps want to drive a wedge between people and Pokémon? Well, far be it from us humans to fathom the thoughts of Pokémon.” A grunt, “And this space-time rift, what is it exactly? What caused it to open?” He shook his head, critically looking at my eyes, “You must be tired. Well, go on then…to the Wallflower. Get some rest. I’ve instructed Beni to serve you his finest potato mochi.”

A slight nod. At this point, it was a miracle the old man didn’t poison me yet.

“Dinner’s on Kamado tonight. Eat up!” The chef announced, heading back to the kitchen once the trays of food were set out.

“What an enticing aroma, my appetite just flew through the roof!” Professor Laventon smiled.

“Well, not gonna lie when I say I worked up quite an appetite.” I started preparing myself a plate.

“Quite a change of pace from our commander’s usual preaching about tightening our belts until things grow more stable.” Akari grinned as well.

“Well, I’ve heard that our progress surveying Pokémon has made gathering ingredients a less onerous…or at the very least a less dangerous task.” The professor noted. “And it wouldn’t be this way if not for CJ! It’s like I always say, behavior is a mirror that reflects one’s true nature! It doesn’t matter one whit where you came from, you belong with the Survey Corps and Jubilife Village now!”

A warm smile, “Hey, thanks professor…that…that really means a lot.”

The meal tasted even better tonight, with such compliments bounding across the table. When it came time for bed, Professor Laventon bid us a good night, and I was headed to bed as well.

“It’s almost like a fairy tale…how you came from the sky to help us with all of our problems.”

I turned back around, watching as Akari met my eyes with a small smile, “Well, Miss Fairy Tale, I hope you’re ready to go back to filling out the Pokédex tomorrow. We got a lot of work to do.”

“Okay, but if you’re a little worn out from Electrode, you should probably take a day off.”

“Yeah, yeah….”

Chapter Text

“Here’s Cherrim’s completed Pokédex page!” I waved my notebook at the farmer. At long last, I finally had enough data for Cherrim. Took goddamn near forever, since they were so rare, but I finally did it. Hope the guy was happy, or I’d be shoving a Cherrim up his ass.

“Hmm? Oh, oh…Cherrim, right, right…well let’s have a look!” He took my notebook for a read, “Wow, you sure went into detail, uh-huh…uh-huh…I see. So it changes form when the sun is hidden. Guess I didn’t see it evolve, I just saw it change. I see now why it helps to have you Survey Corps folks researching Pokémon.” He smiled. “Guess I’d better get back to my own work. Food on the table’s just another way to repay you. Ha!”

The five Vivichokes were nice, although getting all that data for Cherrim I felt yielded something more momentous. Well, it was more crafting material. I owed some of the shops a visit at this point anyway.

“Oh, my most valued customer, I was just hoping you’d come by!” Choy smiled.

“For my business?” I smiled back, “Or…did you need more help?”

“I’m afraid it’s the same assistance you’ve been giving me a while now. Tao Hua just simply refuses to supply any new goods to me….” He sighed, “I suppose you may be wondering why he refuses anytime I deal with him directly.”

“Comes to mind occasionally, yeah.”

“Well, he has his reasons….” His shoulders slumped, “Please speak to Tao Hua for me, would you? I imagine you’ll have better luck if you bring him some Crunchy Salt as a gesture of goodwill! At least three servings, just to be safe….”

It was same old, same old, as far as these two were concerned. And thanks to the dealings with the noble Electrode, I already had a basic idea of where to get Crunchy Salt. I suppose it was to the highlands for me.

As much as I wanted to bring Akari to the Coronet Highlands, it didn’t seem like a very safe idea. She was more than athletic enough for the area. It just wouldn’t make sense to come here without Sneasler. Without the Poison-type, a lot of the areas were closed off. I’d have to make an effort to work with her another time.

Although while I was here to get Crunchy Salt anyway, I suppose I could always catch some of the nearby Yanmega to work on its Pokédex entry.

Journeying through the highlands at my own pace, I was able to encounter some new Pokémon I hadn’t seen before in Hisui. Well, there were Gligar, but I think I would avoid them for now. Nosepass seemed like a much easier Pokémon to catch, so I using the resources I had, I caught as many Nosepass as I could.

“Ah, you’re part of the Galaxy Team, I’ve been waiting for you to come along!” I looked towards a friendly member of the Ginkgo Guild.

I looked around. I don’t think I’d been to this area before. “Yeah, need some help?”

“I came here since I heard you were planning on setting up a camp.” The merchant looked ahead, “But it seems not much progress has been made. Not with that Bronzor in the way.”

Ah, was it time to battle it, like with those Stunky in the Crimson Mirelands?

“It’s not acting belligerent, but it seems like it wants something, so we can’t just ignore it either…please, do you think you could find out what Bronzor wants?”

I shrugged, “Worth a try.” I headed forward, as having a second camp here wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. The Bronzor seemed noticeably more docile than other Bronzor I’ve encountered. “Hey buddy, what’s up?”

The Bronzor forlornly looked across the nearby river. I squinted, trying to follow its gaze. “Something over there?” I wondered. Well, a quick ride on Basculegion wouldn’t hurt.

On the other side, past a few wary Golduck, was another Bronzor. This one looked equally as depressed, or at a closer glance, in pain. The first Bronzor zoomed over suddenly. Moments later, the Ginkgo merchant joined us. “I saw Bronzor come flying this way all of a sudden. What the…its injured, that won’t do! I’ll heal it right up!”

I watched as the merchant got out some supplies to heal the Bronzor. Were the two friends, looking out for each other?

“That should do it!” They grinned, “Bronzor’s fit as a fiddle now!” Both Bronzor were doing little happy twirls, “Seems the Bronzor at the new campsite was looking for its friend the whole time. I’m glad you looked into it, otherwise we may have been too late to treat this Bronzor! This place is dangerous, even for the Pokémon who call it home. Make sure you’re careful out there. I’ll make sure to keep things fully stocked if you need anything. And the camp should be going up as we speak! So long!”

Well, now that there was a new camp set up, I might as well head back to the village once I get some Crunchy Salt.

“Oho, if it isn’t the Survey Corps recruit who quelled four noble Pokémon.” Tao Hua looked me over, “Has Choy sent you to do his negotiating again?” He asked sternly.

“That…that’s right.” I nodded, hoping the salt would shut this guy’s ramblings up.

“You’re looking perplexed. Wondering why this old man gets so stubborn over selling that shopkeeper his things?” He asked, “Well, maybe I’ll tell you…if you bring me three hunks of Crunchy Salt first.”

“Well here you go.”

His eyes widened, “Brought it to me already, did you? Should’ve expected as much. I always wished you joined my corps….” He muttered, “Ah, Crunchy Salt! The Coronet Highlands finest feature! If you see it in the wild, don’t pass it over as if it were just another rock. This translucent mineral’s great for making a potent Pokémon lure! You’ve got to break it up with a hammer, then get the chunks in a mortar and crunch ‘em right up…grind ‘em into a powder. Mix that powder with another ingredient and pack the mix together, and you’ll get a crunchy cake that Pokémon love to munch on.” He finally finished his lengthy reverie. “Well, I won’t send you back to Choy a failure, seeing as you so nicely brought me the Crunchy Salt. I’ll see to it that his wares come in.”

“So what’s the beef between you two? Er…I mean, the feud?”

“Ah, right, right. Well, that whelp made off with my dearest treasure! I’ll never let him live it down!”

Treasure? I thought, as I made my way out of Galaxy Hall, towards Choy’s general store. Really, Choy, a thief? Didn’t look like the guy had a harmful bone in his body. Did he actually steal from Tao Hua in the past? It couldn’t have been that long ago, as Tao Hua was pretty old, and Choy didn’t look that much older than me. Was he a bandit, a rival group of the Miss Fortune Sisters?

“We’re going to get new goods in stock, all thanks to you.” Choy smiled, but it faded, “But…you seem troubled, lost in thought. Is something the matter?”

I frowned, “Did you steal from Tao Hua?” I asked, “Steal his treasure?”

He looked completely baffled, not to mention confused. “Did he say that? That I took his treasure? I…well, that’s one way to put it. But I’m afraid the story’s not so simple….” He nervously looked behind me, as there were quite a few customers queued up, “Please believe me when I say that for now it’s nothing you need to concern yourself with. Given what a loyal customer you are, I think you’ll hear the full story soon enough anyway.” Politely I left, not wanting to hold the line up any longer.

That made it sound even more scandalous. What the hell happened between the two of them? Although me jumping on Choy’s case was a little hotheaded, even for me. After all, the man had all rights to change and become a better person, and who was I or anyone else to stop him? Still wish I knew what he stole.

“I’m telling you, Burmy is the Pokémon in a cloak made of leaves!”

“No, no, Burmy cloaks are made of minerals like sand and rock…I’m quite sure of it.”

“Ha! If it ain’t covered in trash, it ain’t a Burmy!”

A lively debate in the village distracted me, as three villagers were arguing about Burmy, “Well actually.” I prefaced, “All three are—”

“Well this conversation is getting us nowhere!” The younger man with glasses vouching for the plant Burmy frowned, “Are you both sure you’ve seen a Burmy before, it wasn’t some other Pokémon?”

“We might ask you the same thing.” The woman vouching for the sand Burmy frowned back.

“I’ve seen Burmy in Hisui, and I’ve seen ‘em in my home region too.” The middle-aged man vouching for trash Burmy said, “And guess what? They’re all covered in trash!”

“Oh my. You must have gotten confused somehow, my dear.” The woman chided.

“Please, both of you, we’re just repeating the same arguments at this point!” The guy with glasses snapped. It was then they all looked at me, “Hey, you’re from the Survey Corps, right? We could figure this out pretty quickly if someone showed us a Burmy. Catch one and show it to us, would ya?”

This was one of those times where I wish I could just tell them and have them believe my word. But I suppose I’d have to catch the Burmy myself, give physical evidence. Well, if I could do it with Wormadam a week or so ago, I’m sure I could do it with Burmy.

On my way to the gate, I spotted my partner in crime. “Hey Akari!” I called, “You wanna hunt for Burmy with me?”

“So Burmy has three different cloaks it can wear, just like Wormadam.” Akari looked at me with a small smile, “Correct?”

“That’s right.” I said, “Course, I already have a Burmy, and I can change its cloak…but, might be more visually appealing for the villagers if I bring three separate Burmy.”

“Burmy can change cloak?” She asked.

“Burmy can. I…I don’t know about Wormadam.” I took a moment to breathe in the fresh sea air. Even though this area wasn’t new to me anymore, I still enjoyed the breezes and the landscape in front of me. “I think by the time it becomes Wormadam the uh…the cloak like…fuses into its skin or, or something.”

“How does Burmy change its cloak?”

“Well, in my world, you had to like…battle with it, take it to different areas where it would gradually acquire a new cloak.” I explained, “Like, if you took a plant cloak Burmy out to a desert and hung around there for a little while, it would get a sandy cloak.”

“Interesting.” She nodded, then she snorted, “So what, a bunch of the villagers were just, arguing over which Burmy was the real Burmy…and you have to go out and prove it to them?”

“Pfft, we’ve gotten way weirder requests, I’m pretty sure.”

“So where do we find Burmy?” She asked, “In trees, right?”

“Yeah…which is kinda gonna be a pain in the ass.” I muttered, scanning the trees in the surrounding area. Course when I wanted them to be rife with Burmy, there weren’t any nearby. It was the goddamn Cherrim thing all over again.

“Alright we’re just going to have to check as many trees as we can.” I said after we searched for around twenty minutes with no results. “Even if it means…going to the Crimson Mirelands….” I wilted, “That alright with you, Miss Fairy Tale?”

She shot me a look, “Are you going to keep calling me that forever now?”

Akari’s side-eye was an underappreciated art. It was funny when she gave one to the professor, and just as funny being the target of it. “Nah, probably just gonna milk the name for a few days until it gets old.”

“Well have fun.”

I chuckled for a moment, “Look, I just think it’s funny, is all. Same chick who wanted to run me out of town is now calling me some…fairy tale hero. It’s funny.”

I enjoyed the look of her flushed cheeks, “I did not want to run you out of town!” She frowned, “You…you’re overexaggerating….”

“Guess it shows how people’s opinions can change over time.” I mused. When she fell silent, I added, “Look, Akari, I don’t actually mean anything by it. I’m not holding a grudge or anything. I was probably suspicious as hell to you guys. You’re allowed to think what you want.”

“You may be a fairy tale hero now…but you sure know how to hurt yourself catastrophically along the way.” Akari muttered.

“Well, that’s good. There need to be challenges to overcome, right? Pfft, what kind of story has the hero not fuck up from time to time?”

“A sensible one.”

“Fair enough.” Another snicker, “Look, let’s see if we can get these Burmy…if we’re lucky, we’ll get a Pokédex page filled out for it too.”

“Have you brought a Burmy to show us?” The man in glasses crossed his arms, “You know, the Pokémon covered in leaves?”

I was glad I was handling this now. As things seemed tense enough, there was no need to have it simmer for any longer. “Yup, here.” I shuffled through three Poké balls, throwing one of them out.

“Yup, this is a Burmy alright!”

“It’s similar dear, I’ll grant you that. But this must be a different species.” The woman frowned.

“Yeah, I ain’t buyin’ it. This ain’t a Burmy.” The middle-aged man shook his head.

“We’d like to see the real Burmy please.” The woman rose her chin, “The one with minerals all over it, mind you!”

A sigh, “Right, right.” I called back the Burmy in a plant cloak, sending out the sandy cloak Burmy Akari and I found.

“Take a good look, both of you! This little one is the real Burmy!”

“Er, I guess they’re similar. But there’s no way this is a Burmy.” The man in glasses said.

“Yeah, I gotta agree. Where’s the trash at?” The middle-aged man fumed.

“Alright, alright, I got that version too.” I called back the sandy cloak Burmy, switching to the trash cloak one.

He grinned at the pink-cloaked Bug-type. “Ah, now that’s a Burmy! Make no mistake!”

“Hmm, I don’t know about that.” The guy in glasses muttered.

“Indeed. This is no Burmy.” The woman frowned.

“We’ve seen all three of these supposed Burmy, but we’re no closer on agreeing.” He said, “Well, we’ll have Professor Laventon decide! The real Burmy will be the one he puts in the Pokédex!” He looked at me, “Once you finish Burmy’s Pokédex entry, come back and show us, will you?”

It felt like work back in my world, when my answer wasn’t enough and they would call my manager. Well, at least until I got promoted above cashier. Only this time I was one step ahead of them.

I facepalmed, “They’re all Burmy!” I flashed my notebook open, “Look, see here! They’re all different cloaks that Burmy can wear! Different cloaks, but the same Pokémon!”

The trio of villagers read over the work we all did together. “So that’s how it is.” The man with glasses mused, “Seems all our Burmy are well…Burmy! All three of them!”

“So you’re saying that Pokémon of the same species can have different forms?” The woman put a hand over her mouth, “Incredible.”

“I guess…guess that means we were all right?” The middle-aged guy asked, “Huh, we was arguing for nothin’. Sheesh, sorry I was so harsh to both of ya.”

“No, no…I’m just as much at fault. But really, this whole escapade taught me a lot about Pokémon. I’m truly glad.”

“I apologize for getting heated back there too…but it all turned out well in the end.” The guy with glasses gave a weak smile. “And sorry for getting you all caught up in this!” He looked at me, “But you did a great job clearing up our confusion! And now I’m feeling fired up to learn about more Pokémon. If you find any other curious Pokémon, we’d love to hear about them!”

I nodded, giving them a wave as I headed off. For now, I think it would be best to write some notes down and then head to bed.

If its cloak is even slightly damaged, Burmy will immediately repair it with whatever is close at hand. The Pokémon within the cloak is scrawny and vulnerable to the cold.

It creates a cloak by weaving together sand, mud, and silk it has spat out. This earthen cloak is ruined by wind and rain, so the Pokémon hides away in caves and other such places.

When confronted by a lack of other materials, Burmy will create its cloak using dust and refuse. The cloak seems to be more comfortable than one would think.

I’m glad the Burmy entrant was able to help the villagers, although I suppose the situation wasn’t too-too dire.

Has a long, rather splendid flotation sac, which prevents Floatzel from drowning even in stormy seas. One might glimpse this species around fishing hamlets from time to time.

They form packs, each having one male as leader. Legends say that when Luxray’s two eyes shimmer with gold, the Pokémon can see through anything.

The air stored inside the rachises of Decidueye’s feathers insulates the Pokémon against Hisui’s extreme cold. This is firm proof that evolution can be influenced by environment.

I had also been training up my team, not only making them stronger, but providing the Pokédex with a ton of new data as well.

Extremely violent. When hunting, it wastes none of its energy, aiming only for prey’s most vulnerable spots. Any who manage to tame this Pokémon must be of incredible bravery.

Pokédex was getting bigger by the day. Captain Cyllene would be happy. Although I should probably work on Remoraid’s entry at some point, as I wanted to bolster the Octillery entry we worked on a while ago. And then there was Mothim, I should work on that entry too, to keep up appearances. I was just talking to Irida after all, nothing else.

Irida. My pencil stopped short. I sighed, continuing to write after a moment of collecting my nerves.

Motionless, save for the occasional quiver. A rich array of Pokémon can be found gathered around it, drawn by the scent exuded from Cherrim’s folded petals.

Cheerfully active on sunny days. Immediately closes its petals and becomes immobile once the sun becomes hidden, however.

And there was the piece de resistance. Took me a while to gather enough information for this entry. Not a bad day’s work, all things concerned. Especially since I fought Electrode a day prior. And tomorrow, unless I wasn’t feeling well, I would continue working hard all the same.

Chapter Text

My peaceful walk into Galaxy Hall was thrown off when I spotted Zeke in the lobby. “Aw shit, don’t tell me.” I hurried over, “Wanda again?”

Zeke had a weak smile, “Every time I’m in trouble, you turn up…just like clockwork! Please! Help find my lost sister!” He exclaimed, “She went to the Coronet Highlands, but she never made it back! But I’ve got faith, I know you and Ursaluna will track her down for me. Here’s her kerchief, so he can catch a whiff of her.”

I accepted the worn rag as he handed it to me, “Right…thanks.”

“Please, do whatever you can to find her.”

Ugh, who was letting this chick go to all of these dangerous places? It clearly wasn’t working out! I suppose my morning plans would be put on hold until I located Wanda first.

Ursaluna may have had a good sense of smell, but given how uneven the landscape was around here, trying to find this chick was like looking for a needle in a goddamn haystack. I had to check all sorts of altitudes and cross all kind of waterways. It was harder to find her than it was the last two times, that was for sure.

I eventually found her on a large ledge halfway up a mountain. “CJ! At last! I knew you’d come to find me!” She beamed.

I was starting to feel like Mario, even though I was shooting for Link. “Yeah, um…you uh…you mind telling me how you got all the way up here?”

“Well actually I was up there.” Wanda pointed towards the top. “I got hit by a Gust from Honchkrow that sent me tumbling down the mountain. I couldn’t climb back up, but I also couldn’t go back down! So…um…please, do you think you could help me?”

I remember a time where I was nervous about letting Akari ride on Wyrdeer with me. Now I was pretty much renting blessed Pokémon out to this woman so she could save her own ass. Although she took to Sneasler’s basket more readily than I did. After Sneasler helped her to the top, she came back down to help me up.

“You’re always around to save me when I need it!” Wanda sighed, “If only you were in my corps CJ…I’d be much better off.”

“Well…least we’re on the same team, right? Everyone in Jubilife Village can help each other out, no matter which corps they’re from.”

“It’s such a relief to hear you say that! I’m glad I can always count on you!” A thoughtful pause, “Though I suppose it is embarrassing in a way. To admit that I constantly need to rely on you.”

“Eh, don’t overthink it. Just be more careful next time.”

“And I have to admit, I used to think Sneasler was a mean Pokémon. You know, cause it looks so sly and unsavory, but it helped me out in a tight spot, so I guess it has a good heart after all!”

I was starting to grow quite fond of the Poison-type too, although that was likely because I’d either be dead or have a broken back if it weren’t for her. “Make sure you talk to Zeke when you head back to the village!” I called as she walked off, “He’s worried sick about you!”

I looked back out to the highlands. On second thought, it probably would be a better idea to go back with her. Just to make sure she’d make it back okay, and besides, the noticeboard was filled with requests, requests that I didn’t get to read because I was in such a hurry. As much as I wanted to belt out some Pokédex pages or strengthen my team, it seemed a lot of people in Jubilife Village needed my help.

“Seems there isn’t anything you can’t find!” Zeke was all smiles, “I’m always thanking you, but thanks again! There’s simply no doubting your abilities! And I heard how you reassured Wanda too, she’s even calling you her savior!” Didn’t know how I felt about that. “It means a lot that you keep helping her out. As her brother, I appreciate it too. I know she can be a real scatterbrain, but thanks for always looking out for her!”

“Anytime Zeke, anytime.” I gave a small wave, heading for the lab. “Sorry I’m so late.”

“Ah, no worries.” Professor Laventon sipped from a cup of tea, “Sounds like you had quite the eventful early morning adventure!”

“Yeah, I’ll fucking say.” I muttered, reading over the blackboard. There seemed to be a plethora of tasks. One of them was about a Clefairy, and one was about a Nosepass. And coincidentally both requests came from members of the Supply Corps.

The guy who wrote one on Clefairy was closer, in the basement where the Supply Corps operated. “You Astair?” I asked.

The older man nodded, “That would be me.”

“Good, good, so about Clefairy….”

“Well back where I came from, Clefairy would come out and dance on nights with a full moon. I’ve heard there are Clefairy in Hisui, and I was wondering if they dance too. I’ve also heard you can find Clefairy in the Fabled Spring.” His eyes met mine, “Tonight is a full moon I believe, so now would be the best time to do it.”

It wasn’t anywhere near nighttime, but I’d make a note of that. “Oh, one more thing. You know where Gully is? A woman who works in your corps, right?”

The old man nodded, “Think she went out to the highlands, muttering something about a Nosepass or something.”

Ah, supposed it was back to the highlands for now, so I could help Gully. Then I’d see if there were any other notable requests that needed to be done.

Gully was near the Highlands Camp, so I saw her almost as soon as I arrived. “Ah good! I was waiting for someone from the Survey Corps to come along. I want to gather crafting materials in Wayward Cave. But I realized that I have a bit of a problem…my sense of direction is worse than useless.”

Well even someone with good sense of direction could get lost in there.

“If there’s any chance of getting lost in that cave, you bet it’s what I’ll do.” She shook her head, “But I know a way to keep from stumbling in the dark forever! See, there’s an old saying in my hometown. A Nosepass never wanders.” She revealed, “Since Nosepass always faces the same direction, people from my village would look to this Pokémon for guidance when they got lost. Though I do admit, I’ve never actually seen a Nosepass in my life…but no matter! I need to find myself a Nosepass before I get hopelessly lost! I’ll check the direction it faces against my map, and it’ll all be a breeze!”

It was a rather creative way to prevent yourself from getting lost, I’ll give her that. “Well we can skip some of the legwork.” I noted, “Because I do have a Nosepass or two.”

“Really?” Her face brightened, “You have a Nosepass you’d be willing to give me?”

A shrug, “Yeah, I mean…it’s at the pastures but…I’ll come back and give it to you, sure.”

“Right, I’ll meet you at the cave’s entrance!”

I spoke with the Security Corps guard, and he was able to help me get one of my Nosepass for Gully. I then headed to the mouth of the cave. I sent the Rock-type out in front of her.

“Wow, so this is a Nosepass.” Gully smiled as she looked it over. “Thanks for finding it! Now, as I understand…its giant nose always points in the same direction…so that means…I’ll just, line it up with my map.” She unrolled a piece of paper, “Aha! That way! It really is true, a Nosepass never wanders indeed!” She turned to me, “I wish I’d encountered this Pokémon sooner. I owe you a big thanks, it’s such a relief to have a Nosepass guide now. All the twists and turns of Wayward Cave can’t stop me now!”

“CJ, CJ, CJ….” Arezu smiled as I passed by the hair place. “Have I been looking for you, hon.”

I paused. My ‘pit stop’ at the village took a little longer than I expected, but after running to the highlands and back twice, I needed a break. I finished the cookie I was eating, “Yeah?”

“It’s Pokémon help, actually.” She hummed, “So that makes you just the guy I need. I need to come up with new hairstyles, I’m kinda hitting a wall here. So I thought a Pokémon would be cool inspiration. You ever hear of Misdreavus?”

I hadn’t seen one in Hisui yet, but I was nonetheless familiar. So I nodded.

“Well, if I could study one up close, I’m sure I’d come up with some amazing new styles! If you end up catching one, let me have a look, ‘kay?”

“Right.” I smiled, wondering how much I could milk out of this interaction, since we were in a busy village street after all. “Don’t worry. The Survey Corps always does their job, quickly and thoroughly.”

She snorted, seeming to sense my stress, “Take your time, it’s not that dire…you kinda seem like you need a breather. Take care of other people’s shit first.”

A weak smile, “Thanks Arezu.” I headed towards Galaxy Hall.

The Fabled Spring, I was assuming they were an area in the Coronet Highlands. I’d have to look at a map later to verify. With any luck, I could grab a Misdreavus on my way to see Clefairy’s dance. Seemed most Ghost-types showed up at nighttime. And by process of elimination, I hoped Misdreavus could be found in the highlands at night. As the Obsidian Fieldlands had Drifloon (and Drifblim if you got far enough), the mirelands had the Gastly line, and the coastlands had Dusclops and its evolutionary line.

“Hey CJ!” Wanda waved, “Sure you don’t want to sign up for the Security Corps?”

I snickered, “No thanks Wanda, I’m good with the Survey Corps for now.”

“Young man?” One of the medics who worked in the infirmary caught my attention, “Pesselle was looking for you.”

“Right, got it.” I nodded, following her towards Pesselle.

“CJ, how are you?” The doctor smiled, her Croagunk was meanwhile having a little nap in the corner of the room.

“Fine, great actually.” Took me a second to realize she meant how I was feeling physically. “Back feels fine, and even my ribs are back to normal. All thanks to you.”

She smiled, “Croagunk has been a big help with our medicine production. Buck is back to work chopping down trees, you’re up and running again.” She looked at her sleeping partner Pokémon for a moment, “He’s actually very nice to patients too, believe it or not.” A pause, “But as much as I wished I called you here for small-talk, I actually have a little favor to ask of you.”

“Oh, sure thing.” I said, assuming she wanted me to get her some Pokémon for her or something.

“Don’t worry, it’s rather simple.” Her smile grew, “Could you get me a-hundred Medical Leeks?”

Silence.

“Well that’s a…that’s quite the bulk order.” I found my voice.

“I know! But the leeks are well-known for growing practically all over the region. They’re also called wayfarer’s friends.” She said, “Knowing you, I bet you could gather a-hundred of them in your sleep!”

I feel like they were most commonly found in the Obsidian Fieldlands. I mean, sure, they were strewn across all four biomes. But in the Fieldlands they grew almost as frequently as the grass.

“CJ!” Professor Laventon called from the doorway, “Do you think you could come here a second?”

Damn. Today was going to be one of those ‘being tied to four different horses racing in opposite directions’ day. “Sure thing, sir.” I nodded at Pesselle, “I’ll start collecting leeks as soon as I can.”

Laventon nodded towards the noticeboard as we entered his lab. “I was wondering if you had time to look at a request I posted.”

I blinked. The professor posted a request. “Aw, why didn’t you tell me earlier? I would’ve done yours first.”

“I’m afraid it’s rather complicated, and may take some time.” He said, “Let me fill you in right away then. I was strolling along Prelude Beach the other day, when I saw something swimming a little way out from the shore. Rather regretfully, it disappeared before I could snap a picture. But I could only assume this mysterious swimmer was some sort of Pokémon.” He crossed his arms, “From the way it swam, it seemed to be drifting on ocean currents. Now if I’m not mistaken, from the seas behind Jubilife that would take it all the way to the Cobalt Coastlands! This rather leaves me wondering if the Pokémon was headed there for some specific purpose….”

“Guess we’ll never know, until I start looking.” I mused, “So what, should I just combing the coastlands, or…?”

“Well I thought if we spoke to the good Warden Iscan of the Diamond Clan, he could perhaps assist us.”

“I got your message, Professor Laventon….” On cue, Iscan timidly walked in. “You’re looking for a Pokémon that was swimming towards the Cobalt Coastlands, yes? Sorry, but…I’m not sure I can help you based on that alone. But there is one thing I can tell you. I’ve heard that long ago, the Cobalt Coastlands were known simply as the East Sea, and a princely Pokémon was said to live in the waters there. There’s even a tome detailing the legend of the princely Pokémon.”

A small pause. “Alright, how about this? Iscan and I will look into this…this tome, this princely Pokémon, see if it’s the same thing you saw.” I looked towards the professor.

Laventon smiled, “Jolly good, best of luck you two!”

The pair of us left Galaxy Hall. “Alright, so let’s talk about this tome.” I looked at Iscan, “Is it back at the Diamond Clan settlement or…or in some set of ruins…or?”

“W-Well…actually, I b-brought it with me.” Iscan tapped his bag.

“Wait…you…you did?” I blinked in surprise, “Why didn’t you mention that earlier?” I looked back. Suppose we could leg it back to the professor’s lab, but it was getting late. He could’ve been on his way to bed.

“S-Sorry….”

“Here, let’s take a look at it at my place.” I hurried to my quarters, sliding the door open, “After you.” I smiled.

The ancient book was much heavier than I anticipated, “Where should we look at it?” Iscan’s eyes darted around.

“My desk works fine.” I tapped the surface, and Iscan obliged, going so far as to take a seat too, flipping through the old, slightly dusty pages.

Iscan’s finger traveled along the words on the page, which were written in some script I couldn’t understand. Thank god this guy showed up, or I’d be fucked, even with the book. “Says here that a brave human gained the favor of a Buizel, Mantyke, and…and a Qwilfish with very large quills…and they went on a journey, through an ocean gate…over a sunset-streaked sea. Their destination…the Seaside Hollow.”

I held the back of my head, “So…maybe if I had some of these Pokémon, it would help…like, help reveal the sea prince?”

Iscan stood, pondering for a moment, “I think I can help you with the location, it sounds…sounds like it matches somewhere in the coastlands.”

“Hmm…and maybe we’ll try to shoot for sunset. Seems to be when this Pokémon comes out.” I noted, looking outside my window to coincidentally see a nice sunset.  

Wait. The sun was setting.

“Shit.” I swore, “Alright, we’re gonna have to call it here, Iscan. I forgot, I have someplace to be tonight.” I looked at him, “We’ll pick this up tomorrow. Or at the very least, I’ll start assembling all those Water-types tomorrow. If I get around to it, I’ll visit you at Aipom Hill, okay?”

He nodded, a small smile on his face, “See you then, CJ.”

Finding a Misdreavus wasn’t very hard, catching one was a different story. They were quite perceptive, able to spot me from quite far away. But it could’ve been a lot worse, nothing a Wing ball couldn’t handle.

With the professor’s help, I was able to get a location on the Fabled Spring as well. Nowhere I couldn’t get to without Sneasler’s help, and with full moon in the sky, I made my way over.

When I arrived, I made sure to stay hidden in the tall grass. As there didn’t seem to be any aggressive Pokémon around, but I didn’t want to risk anything.

Several minutes later, and I spotted five of the pink little Fairy-types. And sure enough, staring at the full moon, they began to dance. It actually reminded of a really old episode of the anime, very early Indigo League, if I recalled correctly. Ash and friends were exploring Mt. Moon if I recall.

When my reverie died down, I finally noticed that the Clefairy had long since finished their dance and had scurried off. Cautiously, I stepped forward, noticing something on the ground. Whether one of them dropped it, or it materialized there, I had no idea. I picked it up, smiling at the Moon Stone, as I added it to my satchel.

“Yup, saw their little moonlight celebration tonight.”

“Oh, so the Clefairy dance in Hisui too!” Astair seemed pleased, “Must’ve been an adorable sight to behold. I should go and see for myself one of these days. Thanks for looking into it for me, I’m excited to see what you’ll accomplish next.”

“Anytime, sir.” I nodded, heading out to go home.

I’d been getting a lot of medium experience candies from these requests, most of them would likely go to Torterra, unless something else came up. I suppose I could’ve caught some of the Clefairy tonight, but then again, running out from the bushes to hunt or battle Clefairy during their ceremony seemed a bit disrespectful to say the least.

Tomorrow I’d work on this mysterious sea prince, and maybe start the great Medicinal Leek collection while I’m at it. And then there was always the Misdreavus I had to show Arezu. Was excited for the reward on that one.

Chapter Text

“Found three more over here!” Akari called.

“Good, good.” I snatched up an umpteenth Medicinal Leek, “Figured this would be the best area.” I mused.

She stood tall after stashing the leeks into her satchel, “How many of these do we need? A-hundred?”

A tight smile, “Just a simple errand.”

“Alright, well…I’ll keep looking the best that I can!”

“Don’t kill yourself over it Akari.” I shrugged, “Like, clearly this is going to be a multi-day project.” I looked ahead, “I might just keep working on the Pokédex. You do whatever you want.”

I’m sure over the course of my time in Hisui, I had accumulated one-hundred Medicinal Leeks, but I typically used them for crafting the second I got my hands on one. Guess it was one of those hindsight bias things. It would get done, it just wouldn’t be instantaneous.

While I was in the Obsidian Fieldlands anyway, I figured I might as well get my hands on a Qwilfish, though I knew the endeavor would be far from easy. As soon as I got close to the water’s edge, I summoned Basculegion to swim through the river.

Now it was a big Qwilfish I needed, right? So I’d have to pay attention to sizes, which I had to admit, wasn’t something I typically did much. There was a cluster of them around Ramanas Island, if I recalled correctly. How I would separate one away from the rest of the pack was just about up to lady luck.

Avoiding Water Pulses and poisonous spines wasn’t the easiest thing in the world, but a combination of Luxray and my battle tact eventually allowed me to catch a Qwilfish. Although I couldn’t help but notice that Qwilfish was taking neutral damage from Luxray’s Electric-type attacks. So from there I tried to use process of elimination to see what type it was. If it was still Poison-type, it would resist Play Rough. But the Fairy-type attack did neutral damage too. Hmm, that was odd. Ice Fang did neutral damage too, so it assuredly wasn’t a Water-type. And it resisted Crunch.

That and the fact that the top half of it was black, rather than the typical blue, I realized it must be Dark and Poison-type. A Hisuian Qwilfish, I thought. Well, I tried to catch the biggest Qwilfish I could find, so I started riding Basculegion back to shore.

Who else did I need? Buizel and Mantyke. Well, I think I had enough Buizel to fill a small stadium, thanks to that guard’s request about a two-foot, nine-inches Buizel a while back. And Mantyke were found in the Cobalt Coastlands. I guess it was finally time to go catch one of those. I notified Akari where I was going, and she would meanwhile keep collecting leeks. I’d have to split the reward at this point, if not just give it to her, for all the work she’s putting in.

Mantyke were the kinds of Water-types who frequented the ocean, far from my forte. But unlike most of the ocean-dwellers, Mantyke and even its evolution had a rather simple flight pattern to follow. They’d surface briefly to glide through the air. A slow, graceful maneuver, but also more than enough time to clock them in the back with a Wing ball while they weren’t looking. .

Once I caught one, I headed back to shore, where I found the Diamond Clan warden I was after. “Hey, Iscan!” I waved, “Believe I got all the Pokémon I need.”

Seemed he was cooking himself lunch. “Good, good.” He smiled, but it faded, “We’ll still have to wait until the sunset, however.”

“Mmm, you’re right.” I looked back out towards the sea. Well, it wouldn’t hurt to finish up Mantyke’s Pokédex entry, while I got the hang of catching them. I could work on any Pokédex entry I wanted, as I had hours to kill. Or I could train my team.

“Well, I’ve been thinking about the location.” Iscan pointed to two large tall rocks out by the end of Deadwood Haunt. “And I think that’s the gate that the text is referring to.”

“Oh yeah?” I asked, “Hmm…makes sense….” Where did the gate go to, I wonder? We still had to figure out what this Seaside Hollow meant. “Alright, I’ll go work on some other projects…but I’ll be back here at sundown. Make sure you’re here at sunset, okay?”

Later on in the day, the two of us reunited after I surveyed around this area as well as some of the others for Pokémon to catch. “Alright, I think I’m all ready.” I said.

“So, how did you want to handle this?” Iscan asked.

“Well, I guess I’ll just…ride Basculegion through the gate and see what happens.” I shrugged.

I rode through the stone pillars on either side of me, trying to see if it would lead me anywhere. But nothing really happened. So, I moved towards the cape, or Lunker’s Lair, anyplace nearby where a sea prince might be. But I wasn’t coming up with anything. What, was he underwater? Would I have to invent scuba-gear for this request? Eventually I turned around and headed back to the island. Because poor Iscan had been watching me for at least fifteen minutes, and I felt like I was wasting the guy’s time.

 “I don’t get it.” I said as I walked back, “I’m not getting anything.”

He pondered for a minute, “Maybe it needs to be a more specific time?”

I thought deeply too, “Maybe my Qwilfish isn’t big enough?”

“Not just big, big quills.” Iscan corrected.

“Yeah but…surely a bigger Qwilfish should have bigger quills, yes?”

“Well….” Another contemplative silence, “Have you seen it use Barb Barrage yet?”

I wasn’t even aware that was a move. “Barb Barrage? No, why?”

“It’s what the Qwilfish are known for attacking with. Maybe if you train your Qwilfish with that move, its quills might grow bigger, stronger. Alternatively, you could try and look for a bigger Qwilfish.”

I gave a slightly annoyed sigh, “This is gonna take more time than I thought.” I admitted, “Look, I’ll…try to work out this Qwilfish fiasco tomorrow. Or possibly later. If I need you, I’ll bug you.” A weary smile, “Thanks again for all your help.”

He smiled back, “Of course, anything for the person who helped out Lord Arcanine.”

“Well, glad I could make one person happy today.” I sighed.

“Ooh, did you bring a Misdreavus to show me?” Arezu grinned.

“Yup.” I sent its Poké ball out.

Arezu stood tall, looking the Ghost-type up and down, “You know, people are afraid of Misdreavus because of how it apparently wails at night. But getting a good look at it like this gives me a really fresh perspective. Look at how it billows and sways and flows!” She rested a hand to her chin, “Yeah…uh-huh, that’s what I’ll do. Thanks a bunch CJ. This was just the inspiration I needed!"

“Oh yeah?” I recalled my Misdreavus.

“Mmm-hmm, got new styles and colorings in mind now.”

Briefly I imagined half the village wandering around with Misdreavus-shaped hair. Shaking the disturbing thought off, I looked at the sky, lucky for me it was nighttime. “Got anymore appointments tonight?”

She flashed a grin, “Nope.”

“Good. Cause you didn’t give me a reward.”

She chuckled, keeping the game up even though it was a rather quiet night, in terms of business. “Oh, so that’s what you Survey Corps recruits are after.” She sighed dramatically opened the door for me.

I immediately felt a huge weight off my chest when we were both in her parlor. Just me and her, and no one else to bother us. It was nice. “God, what a fucking day….”

“Mmm, you’ve been running around a lot the past couple days.” She mused, “I’m assuming you’d like a little rest and relaxation—”

I don’t think she expected me to charge at her for a make out session, with all the grace of a bull in a China shop. She moaned into my mouth as I shamelessly felt up her ass, maybe a little surprised at first, but she squeezed me back, returning my kisses in full force.

She was holding me lightly, gently. “Arezu….” I spoke quietly into her ear, “My ribs are all better….”

“Sweet.” She kissed me harder, locking me into a much tighter hold. Restrictive maybe, but it only got me off more, as she clawed the back of my uniform.

“I want you so bad….”

“I’ve gathered as much.” She laughed, “Do you already have a boner?”

“Well, I mean…yeah. We are making out.”

“Poor, poor, CJ….” She cooed, “Galaxy Team is running you ragged, huh?”

“Yeah, god…there’s this…new Pokémon. Some sea prince. But all I got to show for it is some complicated mystery I don’t have any of the answers to. And Pesselle wants me to get a-hundred fucking Medical Leeks.”

“The…the Captain of the Medical Corps?”

“Yeah. She and I have a decent friendship…mostly because she keeps having to treat me.”

“Well….” She drew back, “I do have a reward to give you…for, well, you know, because I asked you to do a request for me.” She smiled, “Want me to go get it?”

“That would be great.” I smiled back.

She left the room, leaving me in the parlor. I leaned against the wall. Five minutes, ten went by. I was a little curious. By fifteen I was impatient. Dick wasn’t even hard anymore. I looked around, “Arezu?” I poked into her living quarters, “Arezu, where’d you go? Not to be an ass, but it’s getting kinda late, and I—”

I peeked into her bathroom next, could’ve sworn I heard running water. But it wasn’t her taking a shower. She was taking a bath. Ass naked in the tub, she smirked at me. Seductively she stuck a leg out of the water, draping her foot over the edge of the tub. “Hi CJ.”

My dick was hard again.

“This a good reward or…nah?”

Wordlessly, I stepped forward, falling to my knees to worship her foot with my mouth. She laughed as I automatically took to it. “Take that as a yes?” She asked, knowing I couldn’t respond with her foot so far into my mouth.

After a few moments, I panted, moving her foot away, “This…this is a very creative reward….”

“Mmm-hmm, did you want the other foot, or…?”

I was conditioned to give them equal treatment at this point. “Yes please.”

She nodded, shifting her weight so she could put her leg back in the tub and swap it out for the other one. “All yours.”

I licked over the sole of her foot. All the while my cock throbbed, which was an uncomfortable sensation with my pants still on, as it was vying with my waistband for room. Feeling extra daring, I shoved more of her foot into my mouth, surprised I didn’t nut right there.

“Can I…can I please join you in there?” I eventually asked.

“I’d be sad if you didn’t.”

I tore my clothes off as quickly as I could, gingerly stepping into the bath with her. “Damn, temperature’s perfect. Nice and warm.”

“Mmm-hmm.” She grabbed a nearby bar of soap, and we spent several minutes cleaning each other off, after which, she situated herself behind me, giving me a thorough shoulder rub, “Deep breath, cutie.”

I obliged. It was by no means a bad massage, especially with how her nails pricked against my skin. I closed my eyes as I relaxed, almost able to completely tune out my throbbing boner. “Iscan’s a big help though…with…with all this sea prince Pokémon stuff. We’re working on it together, like…like two detectives on the case.”

“Oh yeah? You and Iscan?” She smirked, still invested in the massage. “He’s a big softie, that one. But, so are you in a way.”

I raised a brow, “I wouldn’t really consider our personalities that similar.”

“Well yeah, on the outside you’re like this…this tough, big-time battler, veteran of Pokémon big and small…but around me you’re very soft and sweet.” She smoothed her hands up my chest, “Or do you disagree?”

“No, guess not.” A pause, “Speaking of wardens, you wanna tell me about Melli?”

She seemed perplexed, “Ah, right, you had to deal with Electrode. Almost forgot the highlands was uh…was his domain….”

“How come he has a stick up his ass the size of an Onix?”

“Not sure…he…he’s always been like that.” A shrug, “Well, he’s nice to me. But…I mean, you’re outside of the Diamond Clan so…yeah, he probably was uh…a delight to deal with.”

Another small pause, as she kept massaging any knots out of me, moving onto my back now. “Thanks for this.” I said.

“Mmm-hmm, thanks for the Misdreavus.”

“Did you like, want it? You know, to keep?”

“What? Don’t worry about it.”

“I mean, it’s no skin off my nose.” A shrug, “I’m gonna have to catch more anyway for the Pokédex.”

“That’s alright CJ, but I’ll let you know if I change my mind.”

“…I see a resemblance between the two of you, is all.”

She smiled, “You do?”

“Yeah.” I turned around so I could meet her pretty eyes, “You both look cute, mischievous, like you’re about to pull a prank.”

“Pfft, when have I ever pulled a prank on you?”

“…guess it’s just your resting face.”

“What, do I have a resting prank face?”

“Sure.” I dove in for a kiss, threading my fingers through her beautiful red hair. “I’m going to fuck you so hard tonight.” I grinned, “I’m topping, first of all.”

“Good, I wouldn’t expect any less.” She rubbed my back, “I’ve been kinda busy these last couple days too, so…kinda just feel like bottoming tonight, to be honest.”

“Lot of appointments?”

“Well that, and I visited Lilligant today.” She narrowed her eyes, “And yesterday too, maybe even the day before that.”

“How’s Lilligant?”

“She’s fine…it’s almost like nothing happened at all.” She paused thoughtfully, “I’ve been training with her so…so that we’re both stronger…but….”

“The weird lightning and the space-time rift, yeah, I know.” I said, “I’m trying to get to the bottom of it too. Inevitably the other shoe’s gonna drop and a new noble will get frenzied but…it’s nice that I’m not alone in trying to figure this all out.” I shamelessly stared at her chest, “I want to suck on your boob.”

She snorted, “Sure, sure…go ahead.”

I leaned in and loosely wrapped my arms around her, taking her breast into my mouth as far as it could go. I gave a muffled moan, as my cock throbbed an umpteenth time, and I started to suck on and lick her tit. She braced herself against the tub, flushing ever so slightly as she let out an involuntary groan, followed by a string of curses. After enough licking over her nipple, I moved on to the other breast, and after all that it was safe to say she was far along as I was.

“CJ….” It was a half-hiss, half-whisper.

“Don’t worry, I’m on it.” My hold tightened around her, as I violently started to hump her hip.

“Wait, wait, wait….” She stopped me, wincing as water splashed out of the tub. “Not here…my, my futon.”

“Aw…why can’t we just do it here…?” I playfully begged, leaving a searing kiss on her neck.

“Trust me, finishing in here is…well, it’s overrated. So is shower sex.” She tried to get up, “C’mon, before you…before you flood my bathroom.”

“It’s going to be so cold…Arezu.”

“I know, but…I mean, what better way to restore body heat then by fucking?”

Slowly, we got out of the tub. Arezu took a moment to drain the water, and we both did a rudimentary job drying ourselves off. Dry enough so that we wouldn’t drip, but not too thorough, because we were both one stroke away from orgasm. I was meanwhile bitching about how cold it was the whole time, because my patience with anything more than slightly chilly being nonexistent.

She lightly tugged on my wrist as we entered her sleeping quarters. We kissed each other madly, she leaned back and lowered herself, laying back on the futon. I gently laid overtop her, although she was quick to give me quite the squeeze, yanking me into another kiss.

It was sloppier, wetter, hungrier than our little make out session earlier when we were fully clothed. I pumped my hand down my shaft a few times, “A-Arezu…I…I gotta….”

“Go ahead.” She nodded quickly.

“You sure?”

“Y-Yeah…I…I’m fucking sure….”

I waited for her to spread her legs accordingly, then I plunged into her, instantly she let out a low groan, one she was barely able to mute. I started out slow, gradually speeding up, but she seemed slicked up anyway from all the foreplay in the tub.

“Holy shit…CJ….” She grunted, gasping for breath, “Why the hell are you so big…?”

I paused, “Should we stop…am, am I hurting you…?”

“Keep going.”

I slammed into her harder, taking everything I could from her. Mostly because she was urging me, but also because it felt amazing. I was trembling with lust. Hearing her naturally happy, peppy voice drop an octave or two from being vigorously fucked got me off even more. She wrapped her legs around me, giving me a death-grip of a squeeze as her breathing was getting more labored by the second.

“A-Arezu….” I panted.

“…yeah…?”

“I would brace yourself.”

My warning wasn’t even remotely cryptic. As I shamelessly came inside her, hammering into her even harder than I was before. I had no idea whether she came before, during, after, maybe more than once? I don’t know man, the orgasm made everything a haze. She had a much harder time staying quiet than me, that much was for sure. And there was most certainly a period of time where we both just laid there, in a haze of post-sex stupor.

“Guess I should bring you Pokémon more often then, huh? If this is the treatment I get.”

She rolled her eyes, smirking, “Please be very careful pulling out…let’s try to minimize the mess as much as we can, m’kay?”

“Then why the hell did we do this over your futon?” I frowned, “Might as well have done it on the floor, hardly makes a difference.”

“Look, I was inches from coming down my leg, you were gonna spray and pray all over my quarters, didn’t exactly have time on my side. I just wanted someplace soft to lay on.”

I chuckled, “Fair enough.”

We cleaned up, a bit more thoroughly this time, now that we weren’t horny as all hell. I was redressing myself, notably more tired than I was when I first arrived here. “Have a good night, Arezu.”

She smirked, pulling the covers of her futon over herself, “Night CJ.”

Chapter Text

“Thanks for coming out here with me, professor.”

“Glad I could be of help!” Laventon smiled, “Although, perhaps it’s too early for that. Let’s hope a Pokémon doesn’t get me from behind!”

“Hey, don’t worry about it. A Pokémon even thinks about looking your direction, I’ll take care of ‘em.”

This was likely the furthest Laventon strayed from one of the camps, but I had sunk hours into this mystery, and for now I needed someone smarter than me to help figure it out.

We were in the Crimson Mirelands, as I figured it was the best area to train both Qwilfish and Torterra, what with all the Grass and Poison-types running around. Earlier in the morning, while training the tortoise Pokémon, I came across a small group of Goomy, one of which I was able to catch. Glad to see I was successful in that regard, but yet still unsuccessful with this Qwilfish business.

“So here’s the breakdown.” I crouched in the tall grass, and the professor did the same, because I honestly didn’t want to take any chances. “I’ve been working on this sea prince mystery…and it seems Qwilfish is one of the Pokémon I need to get an audience. A Qwilfish with very big quills…apparently. At first, I thought it meant just catching a big Qwilfish, but Iscan said there was a connection between Barb Barrage and Qwilfish’s quills.”

He narrowed his eyes in thought, resting a hand on his chin, “May I see Qwilfish?”

“Sure, sure.” I tossed his Poké ball out.

Professor Laventon stood tall to walk around the pufferfish Pokémon, “How often have you used Barb Barrage?”

“Like…often as I can. I hardly use any other moves when I train with him.”

“Have you been using strong style?”

“…sometimes, why?” I raised a brow.

“Try to use it in strong style.” Laventon said, “I remember someone on one of my travels saying that strong style Barb Barrage is the key to a strong Qwilfish.”

I nodded, taking the professor’s advice. The wild Pokémon I faced off against were hit with a strong style Barb Barrage, rather than the standard one. It was an arduous process, to say the least. Felt like I was training Qwilfish harder than some of my other Pokémon.

Just when I was about to give up, a white glow surrounded Qwilfish, as the pufferfish Pokémon began to evolve. “What? What the fuck?” I took a few steps back in pure shock, while Laventon looked much more gleeful.

When the glow cleared, Qwilfish was much bigger, spinier. Hell, he looked like an aquatic Legend of Zelda enemy.

And oh yes, his quills were huge.

“I had no idea Hisuian Qwilfish had an evolution.” I said, after a momentarily spell of speechlessness.

“Ah, this is what that fellow was referring to!” Professor Laventon got his camera out, liberally taking pictures of my Pokémon. “Overqwil I believe the name is, though I’ve never seen one up close!”

That made two of us. “That’s why the sea prince wouldn’t come out…I had the wrong species!” I grinned at Overqwil, “Soon as the sun sets, I’m gonna go take you out to Iscan, and we’ll get to the bottom of this.”

“So you’re ready this time?”

I shrugged, “As ready as I’ll ever be.” I got out my Celestica Flute, ready to summon Basculegion.

The timid Diamond Clan warden nodded, “Well, I’ll make sure to keep watch for you.”

I rode out ahead, away from Deadwood Haunt and towards the two stone pillars. This time as I went through, I heard a familiar Pokémon cry, as well as a boulder shifting in the distance. “Holy shit.” I said, though it was unlikely Iscan could hear me from the shore, “I’m gonna go head to that noise!”

Sounded like it came from Lunker’s Lair. I searched every inch of the place, eventually finding a cavern or two that I don’t think I saw before.

I rode into the first cavern, and at the end of it, there were nothing but these strange glyphs. I had no idea how to read them, as they weren’t written in Unown. They weren’t even written in braille. Could Iscan read this?

As I entered the second cavern, I dismissed Basculegion, as it seemed only the first segment of this area had water. Now walking on the rocky floor, I warily checked my surroundings.

My jaw dropped, in front of me was a Manaphy, as well as three Phione. With my obvious, echoing footsteps, they were alerted to my presence.

Manaphy? Manaphy?!

Briefly my mind was transported back to when I was a kid, the ninth Pokémon movie. The one with Manaphy in it. Apparently, it was the worst Pokémon movie, to skeptics, critics, or the Average Joe, I didn’t recall. I didn’t recall disliking the movie either, if anything, it was one of my favorites. Although I didn’t see every Pokémon movie. And also having your cartoon crush in May going through her own emotional arc with the little mythical Pokémon likely resulted in me being biased a tad. I probably saw the movie a ton of times.

And yet since Manaphy was a rare mythical Pokémon, I never got to use it very much. That was going to change tonight.

It quickly turned into a four-on-one, as all four Water-types swarmed me. Confidently, I got a Poké ball ready, “Go Decidueye!”

The three Phione were poised for offense, as they likely didn’t want their prince going down without a fight. They were doing fuck all however, with miniscule Water Pulses which Decidueye resisted. I started lobbing Poké balls recklessly, but unfortunately all four of my targets seemed to break out with each one.

My jaw dropped as Decidueye was forced back by an incredibly powerful Moonblast. Fuck. I had to act fast, knowing that my starter wouldn’t be able to take much more super-effective damage. Maybe I could do some chip damage on Manaphy to weaken it.

Decidueye unfortunately fainted after another Moonblast, and I was none the further in catching any of these damn things. I recalled Decidueye. Shit. I forgot, I didn’t have my entire team with me. In order to open the Seaside Hollow, I had to rent out three spots to the weenies I needed to tag along with me.

Although Overqwil likely wasn’t a weenie, he was probably as strong as the rest of my team, give or take. But I would save him for now, maybe I could distract them with Buizel and Mantyke while I kept trying to catch them.

Buizel fell, followed by Mantyke, and I was nowhere closer to my goal. I snarled. The more Manaphy took out my team, the more I wanted it on my team. No one would fuck with me if I had Manaphy on my side, if it was this powerful.

Overqwil was up next. I was hopeful that he wouldn’t faint as quickly, given his relatively defensive typing.

Finally, a Poké ball sent out a celebratory firework, and I pumped a fist as I finally captured one of the Phione. Overqwil was doing a great job fending off all the different attacks at once. But eventually he couldn’t take much more damage, fainting.

A short breath, “Alright, time for the big guns, go Luxray!”

Luxray was able to hold the line for just as long as Overqwil, if not longer. By the time he fainted, I was able to catch both remaining Phione, only Manaphy was left. But I only had one Pokémon left. And it was obvious that Manaphy was the strongest out of the four Water-types, so this would come down to the wire.

“Go Floatzel!” I sent the otter Pokémon out.

I had little to no Ultra balls left from all the mulligans on the Phione. Maybe I could do a little bit a chip damage with Floatzel? It was risky, as if Manaphy were about to faint, it would flee, and I’d lose out on the mythical Pokémon. But if Floatzel fainted, this thing could injure or kill me. I was in quite the bind.

Floatzel and Manaphy continued to spar, the former of which not trying to do anything lethal. My foot tapped impatiently as I got another ball out. C’mon Manaphy, if Floatzel faints, I’m done for….

“Go, Poké ball!”

The ball shook erratically on the ground, and I waited with bated breath. A firework popped out, and I cheered. I felt like I ran a marathon, couldn’t imagine how my Pokémon felt, “We did it, Floatzel!”

It was a rather triumphant ride back to the coast, “Got the sea prince.” I smiled, “It was Manaphy, are you familiar with that Pokémon?”

Iscan smiled back, “Name does sound familiar, might be mentioned in the tome.” He noted, “That thing we were doing, a w-week or so back, Adaman and I…it was actually getting our hands on this tome.”

“I see, I see.” I held a hand out, “Well thanks for all your help.”

My next destination was Professor Laventon. He was at one of the camps. “I see you caught our mysterious swimmer…so it was Manaphy all along!” He exclaimed, “Seems Manaphy is a migratory Pokémon, drifting to and fro across the seas since long ago. At least, according to legend…blast, I wish I got my hands on that tome Iscan was talking about!”

“Maybe we can work some kind of deal out.” I suggested, “Sure he wouldn’t mind if you had a read.”

“Seventy-two, seventy-three, seventy-four!”

“Akari, quit counting.” I frowned. Guess there was no need for me to be grumpy, given the circumstances. It was getting late, and a small rain started to begin. “I don’t think it’s helping.”

“But how will we know how many leeks we have?” She looked at me inquisitively.

“I don’t know, I mean…we’ll just keep collecting for a couple days, and then have extra?”

“Pfft, no, we’ll finish tonight.” She determined, walking off to go search for more leeks, “We only need like, twenty more!”

I didn’t know if I shared her optimism. After all, we didn’t have a lot of daytime left, if at all, since I went after Manaphy at sunset, and now it was considerably darker than that. The rain was picking up too, almost as bad as that day we went on a honey-gathering spree. There was no point in getting soaked when we could just as easily finish this task tomorrow.

“Akari!” I called, “This is a shitty idea, we should just go home.” No response. How did she get so much further than me? Since when did we switch places? This sounds like only I would do something this stupid. “Hey, Akari!”

A deafening boom rumbled in the distance, yet much too close for comfort. I was stilled. The hairs on the back of my neck standing up. No sound after that, aside from my heavy breathing, and the heavy rainfall. In my nearly two-months’ time here, I’d only observed a small handful of thunderstorms. But each and every one I ran back to the village and it became an indoor day, and no one thought any less of me for it. And I could kind of see why.

“Akari!” My voice was a little more desperate now, I was shoving past annoying branches or shrubs that got in my way. “Hey, Akari! Where’d you go?” Fuck me, could she even hear me with all this incessant rain? I was starting to shudder from getting so cold and wet. And perhaps it was nerves too. We needed to get the hell out of here, at best, we’d get sick. At worst, well, a flash of lightning reminded me of that.

“Akari!” I bellowed, this was a stupid idea, a stupid, stupid idea. “Akari!”

Suddenly it wasn’t so dark anymore, a bright flash nearly illuminated the entire field. A piercing scream accompanied it. A haunting bloodcurdling sound that echoed in my ears and likely wouldn’t leave my long-term memory for a while. My jaw fell open. I saw the shadow of a girl collapsing to the ground, leeks going everywhere.

I was speechless. My head was empty of thoughts, only actions remained. I bolted over towards the fallen figure as quickly as I could. I knelt at her side, seeing the pale girl stare blankly back. “Akari, Akari….” I tapped the side of her cheek, jostle her a smidge, “Akari, wake up, what happened? Did you get hit?”

I didn’t get a response. She was cold, wet, but there was something else. She was much worse off than I was, and I was practically freezing to death out here. I didn’t have time for tact or grace. I don’t think I could even really play my flute, since my hands were shaking so much. It was pitch-black out now. Which meant that Drifloon were going to come out any minute, and they weren’t above kicking us while we were down.

I hoisted her up, carrying her back to camp as quickly as possible. Paranoid I’d slip and fall in the mud, or that a Drifloon would get me from behind, I started screaming, “Help! Help! Help!” As insurance, in case I didn’t make it either.

Wasn’t long before I was met with a guard from the Security Corps, “What happened?” He asked urgently.

“I don’t…I don’t know….” I panicked, “There was a bolt of lightning and…and she went down…we, we gotta take her to the infirmary, right away!”

Next to where Akari was laying in the dirt and grass, there was a stack of over twenty Medicinal Leeks.

In a way, it felt strange to be watching the medical bed from the sidelines, rather than be laying in it myself. To be unceremoniously rushed out by Pesselle, to give Akari her rest while the doctor examines her.

This remarkable, large-bodied Pokémon would serve beautifully as borrowed scenery for a garden, and its strength is peerless. Torterra roams the wilderness in search of clean water.

The only thing I could really think to do was work on the Pokédex, while I was in the professor’s lab, and the two of us waited for Pesselle to give us an update.

Though ball-like in shape, this Pokémon is a proficient swimmer. I have discovered that if a Mantyke spends much time with schools of Remoraid, it will eventually achieve evolution.

The ordeal with Manaphy felt like it happened ages ago, even though it was really just a few hours ago.

Fishers detest this troublesome Pokémon because it sprays poison from its spines, getting it everywhere. A different form of Qwilfish lives in other regions.

Its lancelike spikes and savage temperament have earned it the nickname “sea fiend.” It slurps up poison to nourish itself.

Can be seen floating offshore during seasons when the seas are warm. Its azure body blends in with the ocean waters…logic suggests this is a defense mechanism against natural predators.

The pencil trembled out of my hands for the umpteenth time. Another shaky sigh escaped my lips.

“Perhaps it isn’t a good idea to work on the Pokédex at the moment.” Professor Laventon spoke up softly.

“Keeps my mind off it.” I muttered.

“Yes, but…we want to try and get good, accurate entries, from a practical mind, yes?”

I fisted my hair, “This is my fault, professor!” My voice broke, “She wouldn’t have even been out there if it weren’t for me! I’m to blame for this, for all of this. Akari got hurt cause—”

“CJ.” Laventon spoke softly, yet firmly, as he stood tall, and all I could do was watch. “Your guilt isn’t going to assist in Akari’s recovery. From what you’ve described, none of us could’ve anticipated something like this happening. We need to see how she is before we…well, before we form our opinions on the matter.”

I wanted to argue, but the door creaked open, revealing the pink-haired medic. “I sent her home.” She said softly.

“Sent…sent her home?” I sputtered, “What? How? What’s wrong with her?” I stood up quickly.

“Well, she wasn’t struck by lightning.” She muttered, looking from the professor to me. “But the strike must’ve been close. I’m thinking it reignited some trauma she once had in the past.”

My eyes widened in realization, “The Shinx.”

“Right, I…I’m not as much of an expert with mental health compared to physical health, but I do remember treating Akari for a Thundershock from Shinx. It’s likely she still carries a portion of that fear with her. A portion that got exacerbated when she was almost hit by lightning.” She noticed how concerned we were, so she smiled, “We’ll let her rest and take it easy the next couple days, see how she feels from there. Again, it…it’s nothing really physical, aside from a few scuffs when she fell.”

Professor Laventon and Pesselle exchanged some more pleasantries, but I tuned it all out. It wasn’t until the doctor left when I berated myself again, “This is still my fault, I’m the one who exposed her to…to her fear. I mean, she may not be hurt, but—”

“Professor Laventon.” Cyllene revealed herself next, “I need to speak with you.” She nodded to the side, “In my office.” As I watched them both leave, I suppose that was just as good an invitation as any to leave.

It was the first time I’d seen Akari with her blue hair down. Most of her form was wrapped in a towel, from when we came back from the monsoon.

I set a full teacup in front of her, “Here….” I sat beside her, “You don’t have to drink it right this second but…feel like you should…you should have something to, to eat or drink maybe.” A silence. “So these are your quarters, huh? Smells girlier than mine.”

A small snort, as her lips twitched upward into a smile.

I smiled too, but it didn’t last long, “You don’t have to talk, it’s fine.” I faced ahead, “That…what happened out there, it would scare the shit outta me too.” I admitted. “I finally know what it’s like now.”

A pause, her eyes shifted my direction.

“To…to you know, be on the sidelines, to worry. Worry a lot about another person’s safety. You’ve been doing that a lot whenever I fuck up and do something stupid.” A beat, “Well, not that I’m calling you stupid. Ugh, Christ, I’m not very good at cheering people up…so I’m going to apologize ahead of time.”

Her smile grew as she wrapped herself around the towel more, cautiously taking a sip of tea.

I stood tall, “I’m going to go…but, I’ll be back tomorrow morning. Just take it easy, alright? Don’t try to hop back into work right away if you don’t feel well.” I headed for the door, “Night Akari.”

Chapter Text

Manaphy was a great addition to the team. It was a shame I had to swap Floatzel out, as he put in good work too, but I feel as though Manaphy complemented the rest of my Pokémon a little bit better, and I couldn’t wait to dump a bunch of my funds out to see what kinds of moves I could teach it. I shut the door to my quarters behind myself as I stepped out into the village. Should I visit Akari now, or should I wait in case she was still sleeping?

“Isn’t it nice getting up early?” A heard a familiar deep voice.

I saw the esteemed pair of leaders in front of me. “Is it? It’s not as if getting up early changes what you can do with the day.”

Hell yeah, Irida, give us night owls the representation we deserve. As if I needed to fall for this chick any more than I already was.

“Uh, yes it does?” Adaman argued, “Opens up possibilities…like responding to Commander Kamado’s invitation on time.”

“Yes, well, I got the same invitation. And I had to wake up even earlier than you so I could run all the way here for it!”

“Come on…no need to grouse so much over something as simple as getting up early.” His expression brightened as he looked at me, “You coming, CJ? I think we can all assume what this is about.”

Yeah, not that it made me feel any better. But I promised Akari I’d visit her, but if I snubbed Kamado, that wouldn’t be a good look either.

Adaman had already started walking ahead. “Coming, CJ?” Irida’s gentle voice asked.

I shook it off, “Yeah, yup, I’m coming.” I walked at her side. You dick.

“Is everything okay?”

I looked at her, the temptation to just blurt out everything that happened last night was very enticing. But I had to act professional, calm, collected, if we were going to see Kamado. “Yeah, I…I’ll explain later.”

The three of us were on the third floor in Kamado’s office before I knew it. “You’ve now quelled the frenzy of four nobles.” The commander looked me up and down.

“Some were easier than others, but if it keeps the populace safe.” I noted, when he allowed me a silence.

“When word of these frenzies first started all over Hisui, I feared what would become of us.” Irida said, a smile slowly forming, “But, here we are, making preparations to quell the final lord.”

Final lord? That was it?

“Yeah, who would’ve dreamed that some stranger who tumbled out of the sky would be our salvation?” Adaman chuckled, “Life never does stop surprising you.”

Commander Kamado put a hand to his chin, deep in thought. “The only lord left to be quelled is Avalugg, which lives in the Alabaster Icelands.” He looked towards the two leaders, “He is also the largest of the nobles, according to what Irida told me.” Now he gazed back at me, “Your mission is to quell Avalugg, the final lord! And perhaps in doing so, we may trigger some change in the space-time rift as well!”

A firm nod. Let’s hope this would thwart the rift from causing any more damage. “Yes sir.”

“Avalugg may be the Pearl Clan’s noble, by my clan and the Galaxy Team will pitch in too.” Adaman said, “For the sake of a brighter future!”

“Then let us meet in the cold reaches of the Alabaster Icelands…until then.” A small smile from Irida.

I stepped back to let the two leaders depart first, about to leave myself when I heard Kamado clear his throat.

“No matter how many of these frenzied Pokémon you quell, the fact remains that you are a stranger to our world.” He said to my back. “No small amount of people regard you with suspicion and distrust. The most you can hope for is to gain the trust of as many as possible, and if you do that, you must prove yourself through your actions.”

Pretty sure I had already done that, but okay. I scowled. It was one he couldn’t see since I was facing the stairwell. No, no, calm down CJ. He’s being practical, reasonable. I’m still suspicious whether I like it or not. My chest burned for me to spit something hostile back, but I enjoyed living a little bit too much for that, so I left without comment.

My anger subsided slightly as I headed down the stairs. It faded entirely when I heard a scream from Captain Cyllene’s office, being replaced with concern.

I bolted into the room, a little confused at the scene playing out in front of me. Our good captain was on the floor, cowering from a…Wurmple?

“A-Abra! Teleport this Wurmple outside, at once!” She ordered.

The Wurmple gave me a sad, fleeting look. And I didn’t want to be discriminatory against Wurmple, but I feel like this was the same fucker who got out of the pastures to eat my honey. Abra let loose a flash of purple light, and Wurmple was gone.

By the time the light was gone, she was sitting in her desk, like nothing had happened. She cleared her throat, “So. You’re to survey the Alabaster Icelands next.”

There was a semi-challenging look in her eye. One that said ‘you don’t tell anyone about the Wurmple, I won’t tell anyone about your almost make out session with Irida.’ A deal I would gladly respect and take to the grave.

“This is the most treacherous climb you’ll face in Hisui. It would not be an exaggeration to say that you might be the only one among the Survey Corps I can task with surveying the Alabaster Icelands.” She said, “You know your orders, see your mission through.”

The pastures were my next stop. As I hated to admit it, but I don’t think Torterra would be much use in a place where Ice-type Pokémon were running around. But who to switch him with? I could always bring Gardevoir back on the team, but then again, Crobat knew a Psychic-type move, and Luxray and Manaphy knew a Fairy-type move. So, it could possibly be redundant. Maybe Goomy? He wasn’t up to snuff compared to the rest of my team, but bringing him along would make him stronger. A Goodra could pay off in the end too.

I then made a quick pit-stop to the clothier, as a bulk order was more than necessary.

“You got another layer I could wear?”

Anthe blinked at me, “Don’t you think that many layers would hinder mobility?” She asked.

“Yeah, but…so would being cold.”

“I think you’re fine with what you’ve purchased.”

“Alright, but what about gloves?” I wondered, “Or mittens…?” I looked through her selection.

I’m sure once I put everything on that I bought during my shopping spree, I would probably look like one of those bundled up comic relief characters in the winter or holiday movies. But it didn’t hurt to be careful, as I hated the cold, and wanted to take every precaution to be warm.

Professor Laventon was at the gate up ahead. “So we’re to make for the Alabaster Icelands?” He asked.

“That’s right.” I said, “To quell the final lord.”

“I see…of course, I’m well aware of the injuries done to some of the good people we have working with us due to the other nobles. There was little choice but to intervene.” He crossed his arms, “But I heard that Avalugg hasn’t harmed a soul. Does it really behoove us to go out there and subdue him?”

A shrug, “I mean, he might be docile now…but…I dunno, could cause some avalanches.”

“Avalanches don’t require Pokémon…they can happen on their own just as well.” He frowned, “I confess I still have my doubts on whether we should even be involved in this case. No damage has been done by this noble, and we’re risking your health, CJ!”

A contemplative silence, which seemed more noticeable in my warm and toasty layers. I mean, he had a point. Obviously going out in the tundra to fight some gigantic glacier monster was nerve-wracking as all hell. If it didn’t kill me, hypothermia would. It was tempting to take the easy way out.

“I know.” I conceded, “I don’t like this either…but…if Avalugg is suffering, we owe it to help him out.”

“There’s so much we don’t know about any of this.” Laventon sighed, “Are the nobles suffering under their frenzy? What does the frenzy entail? What is the space-time rift?” Another pause, “I wonder what Commander Kamado hopes to gain from all this. From quelling the nobles, surveying Pokémon in these lands. What does he hope to achieve?”

“A way to coexist with Pokémon peacefully.” It was stupid, optimistic, but I had no desire to create dissent in the ranks now.

“I certainly hope so.” Another sigh. “That is the goal of my research after all, to make sure humans and Pokémon can live together in harmony.” A small smile, “Don’t worry yourself about my ramblings, I’m just being a silly sausage. You’ve got a mission CJ, and I’ll do my best to support you through it!”

“CJ, you ready to go?” I heard Adaman’s voice, as he and Irida joined us.

I nodded, “Think so.” I said, “Just had to get myself bundled up.”

“CJ!” I heard footsteps, her voice was a little lower, more serious.

“A-Akari?” I asked, the professor and I were surprised. “You…you’re in uniform….”

“I’d like a battle before you go.” She gave me a determined look.

“I, wait…hold on…Akari…you just recovered from what happened yesterday, don’t…I mean, at the very least, I should go easy on you.”

She shook her head, preparing a Poké ball, “Don’t hold back.”

She didn’t have to tell me twice, as I reached for a Poké ball as well. “Alright…if you say so.”

The professor and Irida seemed concerned as space was made for Akari and I, while Adaman smirked and crossed his arms, “Never seen two Galaxy Team members go at it before….”

“Go Staravia!” Akari sent her Poké ball out.

Wait, when the hell did her Starly evolve? I fumbled for a Poké ball, “Go Luxray!”

“Double-Edge, Staravia!”

Yeah, that was going to hurt. Staravia charged into Luxray with everything it had, taking a lot of recoil damage in the process.

I held a mittened hand out, “Wild Charge!”

Luxray raced towards Staravia with electricity all around him. The bird Pokémon fainted from the force of the attack, but Luxray took a lot of damage in return.

“Go Mr. Mime!” She threw out another Poké ball. “Psychic!”

He evolved too?! The strong telekinetic attack was too much for Luxray, that, and all the other damage he’d accumulated. I called the feline Pokémon back.

I had an idea. It was risky, stupid, but it was an idea. “Go Crobat!” I sent out my bat Pokémon, “Cross Poison!”

Mr. Mime didn’t have the most stellar defense, so it was little surprise when Crobat fainted him with one super-effective Poison-type attack. Akari seemed slightly discouraged when she called back the Psychic-type, but she still looked raring to go.

“Go Pikachu!” She sent out her heavy-hitter.

“Cross Poison!”

“Thunderbolt!”

Crobat cut through Pikachu in a X pattern with purple, poisonous slashes. Pikachu was able to retaliate with a yellow flash of electricity, and Crobat fainted.

Hell of a time to switch Torterra out. “Go Decidueye!”

Akari narrowed her eyes, “Iron Tail!”

I was briefly reminded of the anime as Pikachu’s tail glowed with a silvery steel color. The rodent Pokémon leapt in the air, smashing Decidueye across the face with its hardened tail.

I frowned, “Leaf Blade!” I ordered.

With a sharp green blade, Decidueye slashed through Pikachu numerous times, and with that the opposing Pokémon fainted.

Now if memory served, that was Akari’s last Pokémon, unless she was going to throw another curveball at me. Her shoulders sunk, “I should’ve expected as much, honestly….” She said in a small voice.

“Wait, Akari.” I stepped forward, “Can we talk about this?”

“Good luck in the Alabaster Icelands, CJ.” She turned to leave.

“Wait up, Akari!” I sighed. The professor gently grabbed my shoulder.

“I’ll go speak to Akari. You should probably start the trek outward.” Laventon gave a weak smile, “I’ll meet you there, my boy.”

I took some time aside to heal my Pokémon that battled, after which I caught up with Adaman and Irida, and the three of us headed out towards the Icelands.

“That was quite impressive.” Adaman complimented, “You really showed her what for! Although I suppose it’s only natural, with talent like yours.” He mused, “Your battling prowess is…is really quite remarkable, a step above anything I’ve ever seen before.”

“Yeah….” I said quietly, “Thanks.”

Irida looked me over. I had to admit it was weird having the Diamond Clan leader at one shoulder, and the Pearl Clan leader at another. Like some sort of angel and devil. “Did…did something happen? Between you and…and…?”

I looked at both of them dumbly for a second. I can’t believe it didn’t occur to me until now. After all my work, all this time dealing with nobles and survey work, I had an in with nearly every important Diamond Clan or Pearl Clan member. Some better than others, but I was starting to become a god to these people. What would happen if I quelled Avalugg? The answer wasn’t reassuring to me. Meanwhile neither of them even knew who Akari was.

“Akari.” I answered, “We…we work on the Pokédex together. We’re part of the same group, the Survey Corps. Which is a subset of the Galaxy Team, eh, it’s a lot to explain.” I shook my head, “But…but something happened last night, and…I don’t know, I feel really bad for her….”

“What happened?” Adaman raised a brow.

Irida shot him a look for daring to ask, but I answered anyway. “We were searching for uh…herbal, medical supplies for, for Pesselle…the village doctor. It was late, weather was shit. A….” My voice got quiet, “A bolt of lightning struck right nearby her.” They both looked confused, “Not golden, frenzying lightning…like, regular…thunder and lightning.” I clarified. “Scared her half to death. See, she…she got attacked by some Shinx a while ago, so…she probably has like…a fear of lightning and electricity and stuff….”

“CJ, I’m so sorry….” Irida folded her hands.

I shook my head, “It’s my fucking fault. If I didn’t tell her about the job, none of this would’ve happened.”

A slight pause. “Well, I mean…she looked fine.” Adaman said, “Looked like she thought about it and really broke through her issues! Which is great! A speedy recovery, bouncing back onto your feet, that’s admirable!”

“Not always.” Irida frowned, “Sometimes you need to wait and process what happened. There is such a thing as going back out there too early. Dealing with your emotions takes time and patience.”

“Pfft, what, so she can wallow in her own self-pity all day and night? That sounds like a roaring good time. She needs something to distract herself with.”

“Ugh, I should’ve known you wouldn’t understand.”

A weak smile, “Hey, c’mon guys, be nice.” I urged, “Or else I’ll…force you to do one of those horrible icebreakers, like saying one nice thing about each other.”

Adaman snickered at the half-inside joke, half-callback, while Irida shook her head, “That won’t be necessary.” The latter said.

There was another silence as we continued walking, but Adaman was quick to break it, “So is it true you’re from the same world as that Warden Ingo?” He smirked with interest, “From the future?”

A rigid nod, “I mean, you did call me a time traveler back when we first met.”

“From the future?” Irida held a hand over her mouth.

“Yeah, you don’t know?” Adaman asked, “They come from the same world. Where Poké balls are everywhere and there are these things called Pokémon Trainers who battle with their Pokémon. To increase their bonds or…or something.” He kept looking at me, “I don’t get why he lost his memories, however, and why you didn’t.”

“I don’t either.” I shook my head, “But I’d be fucking dead if I lost my memories. My knowledge and recollection of Pokémon is the only reason I got this far.”

“So…so you know Ingo then.” Irida concluded, “Like, deeper than face value.” She acted like most of this was new information, when it really wasn’t. But we both had appearances to keep up.

“Yeah, well…he wouldn’t know me.” I corrected mildly. “Like, even if he got all his memories back, he wouldn’t know me. He was a…he was a well-known figure from my world. Larger than life. I…I was just some guy.”

“Just some guy?” Adaman smiled, “That can’t be the case.”

“Careful Adaman.” Irida pouted, “Trying to flatter him into your clan?”

“Well I doubt he would want to join the Pearl Clan.”

“Excuse me…?”

“Guys, guys….” A weary sigh, “I’m happy in the Galaxy Team for now.” I half-lied. Although it was hopeless, those two were full-on bickering now.

My eyes widened, as I felt a horrid chill. But it was physical, rather than emotional, as I stepped forward, seeing nothing but a frigid tundra in front of me. Icy peaks, billowing snow. God, the Coronet Highlands could get rather chilly when I was in uniform. But it was subzero out here. Thank Christ I prepared with all these layers.

Professor Laventon was there to greet me at the camp, supposedly the Snowfields Camp. “My word, it’s rather chilly here, isn’t it? Glad to see you made it safe and sound, in any case.” He was shivering madly, “Very few venture to these Alabaster Icelands…aside from Tao Hua leading the odd Supply Corps excursion to gather materials. But the Survey Corps must go to where any Pokémon are found, of course!” He smiled momentarily, but it faded. “From what I gather, Icepeak Arena, where you’ll find Avalugg…is rather far off, I’m afraid. Doubtless this mission to quell Avalugg will be a difficult one. Make sure you learn all that you can from Adaman and Irida to keep yourself safe.”

“CJ! Brisk out here, isn’t it?”

I looked back at Irida’s comment, seems the two leaders were finished bickering. Adaman asked the question on everyone’s minds. “How come you’re not freezing?”

“Freezing? I’m practically sweating.” Irida fanned herself off.

Adaman and I exchanged a glance.

“If you think this is bad, just wait. This is nothing compared to where we’re headed.”

Adaman shook his head, “You know, I’m beginning to think the problem between us isn’t a Diamond Clan thing or a Pearl Clan thing…it’s just a me and you thing. We’ll never see eye-to-eye on anything, will we?”

“I don’t know how we can, as long as you and your clan cling to your vision of almighty Sinnoh of a being that rules over time.” She gave him a fierce look. “Forgive my bluntness, but if such a being does exist, it certainly isn’t almighty Sinnoh.”

“Yes, yes, believe what you want. Just tell us where we have to go.” Adaman said, surprisingly being the bigger man, as I half-expected another almighty Sinnoh debate.

“We’re headed to see my teacher, and he’s only ever found in one place.” Irida answered.

“That Gaeric fellow, right? Where do we find him?”

“At Avalugg’s Legacy, obviously! Where else but a giant mass of ice could I have meant when I said we’d be headed somewhere colder?”

A slow, tortured roll of the eyes, “Where else indeed?” A sigh, he looked my way, “Ready to go CJ?” He started walking off anyway without waiting for a response.

“Sure! Stomp off without me!” Irida frowned, “This is why I can’t stand people who only care about whether time is passing them by!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” I started walking alongside her, “He’s not going to go that much further ahead of us….” I said, muttering, “Especially if he doesn’t know which way to go….” I felt a little more at ease with Irida at my side, we even had a shred of privacy, with Adaman insisting on taking a head start. But I was still nervous about facing a giant ice monster capable of freezing me to death. And I suspect that fear wouldn’t go away easily.

Chapter Text

“Look at him, marching ahead like he’s better than us.” Irida huffed, “The nerve.”

“I mean, there is a certain utility in being quick.” I noted, “Like, he’s probably worried about Avalugg, wouldn’t it make sense to save time and help as soon as possible?”

“Don’t you start too with all that time nonsense.” She frowned, “Him and his false vision of almighty Sinnoh…he just uses it as an excuse to impose his ridiculous ideals over us.”

“What if his vision is real?” I challenged, “What if yours is the fake one?” I asked, getting increasingly annoyed, “Why can’t you both have an almighty Sinnoh to worship? Who says there only has to be one?” I shook my head, “Don’t think almighty Sinnoh would approve of you two constantly having a dick-measuring contest about which god is better.”

A stunned silence, “…CJ….”

Tensely I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. “Motherfucker, I just said all of that out loud, didn’t I?” A sigh, “I…I’m sorry. Christ, I just shat all over your religion. Look, I…I can’t apologize enough. I just…I like both your clans a lot, and, and I can’t stand to see you two fighting over something largely out of our control.” A beat, “Well, that and I’m terrified of facing Avalugg….”

“You’re going to do great against Avalugg.” A small smile, “I know it.”

“I mean, maybe…I just…I don’t know about that.” I said, “That, and the whole Akari thing. I was going to like, visit her today. We were going to chill out, skip work, just focus on ourselves. She deserves it after what happened to her. But then the Avalugg shit started and…well, I can’t exactly turn my back on that.” My shoulders slumped, “And then I go and leave Akari in the dust….”

“I’m sorry CJ.”

Fleetingly I looked at her, then I shook my head. “Doesn’t excuse my outburst earlier. Guess all this fucking tension is getting to me.” I fixed my gaze on her again, this time I wouldn’t tear it away. “I like you, Irida. I want to…want to hang out with you, spend time with you…talk about some of this stuff, you know? When we’re not constantly in mortal danger. But so far, that time hasn’t come yet.” I said, “But, when it does…I…I’d like to…to talk.”

She smiled, and I’d like to attribute the small blush to what I said, because this woman was apparently immune to the cold. “I’d like that too, CJ.” We held eye contact for a blissful moment, and then she rigidly faced ahead, “But it’s not going to be easy.” She said quietly, “I…I’m the leader of the Pearl Clan, after all. There are many responsibilities I cannot shy away from. Please…don’t take it personally.”

I looked ahead too, “Yeah, yeah, totally.” I tried to keep my voice low too, as Adaman was ahead of us, but he wasn’t too-too far ahead, so it was best to play it safe. “I mean, I’m busy with the Galaxy Team too. But, maybe after Avalugg, the…the rift will close and we’ll be able to do something together.”

“Can you two slowpokes keep up?” Adaman snapped, “Feels like we’ve been wandering this icy wasteland forever!”

Irida snarled, “That’s because you’re going the wrong way!”

“Then you lead!”

Irida took charge, leading the three of us through the Icelands. There were a lot of Snorunt and Swinub moseying around, as well as their evolutions, which didn’t surprise me, given the climate of the area.

We approached a massive chunk of ice, which I was assuming was Avalugg’s Legacy. There was a man waiting for us, with light blue hair, matching the light blue tattoo on his bare chest. While he wasn’t wearing the entire thing, he wore enough pink and white to signify the Pearl Clan.  

“Well, that was a real slog, fighting through those miserable icy winds to reach this desolate bit of nowhere.” Adaman grunted, “Well done, us.”

“You are in the presence of my most honorable teacher and Avalugg’s warden.” Irida snapped, “Show some respect, Adaman!”

Did he teach her how to ignore the cold?

“Let’s begin with some proper introductions!” The burly man crossed his arms. “I am Gaeric. I serve as one of the Pearl Clan’s wardens. And you must be CJ, right? Of the Galaxy Team?”

It was inevitable people would hear about me at this point. “That’s right.” I nodded.

“Answer me this, would you? On what grounds do you come here seeking Lord Avalugg?”

“To stop his frenzy.”

“That leads me to my next question…what is wrong with him being frenzied?”

My chest locked up. This guy seemed a bit more even-tempered than the last warden I had to deal with, but I was desperate to avoid a Melli 2.0, “He could cause a lot of damage, attack people, a lot of trouble which can otherwise be solved.”

“Setting aside any orders…what does your heart tell you to do?”

“To quell his frenzy.” I responded evenly.

He hummed before revealing. “Our mighty Lord of the Tundra, Avalugg has done nothing to hurt any person or Pokémon!”

What, do you want a cookie? Did this guy seriously think that was a big enough counterpoint? “Okay, right now he isn’t. But what, you wanna wait for him to maul someone tomorrow? I’m not taking that chance. I’m doing my job.”

He snarled, and we both shared a glare. Irida raised her hands, “Cool down, both of you.” She said, looking at Gaeric, “Yes, Avalugg isn’t causing any trouble now…but aren’t we duty bound to free our people from living in fear that such a colossal Pokémon may wreak havoc at any moment?”

Gaeric grunted, “There is some logic to that. But if that is what you hope to accomplish, we must judge whether this outsider is up to task.” He looked at me, “Let’s stop the grandstanding and battle already!”

Now he was speaking my language. Avalugg was probably going to be a pain in the ass later, but this was the easy part.

“My musculature is as hard and unyielding as ice! Think you can break through?” Gaeric challenged as he did a few stretches, “Glalie, Froslass! Intercept the opponent!”

Two Ice-types flanked me from either side. The angered black and gray face of Glalie, and the haunted specter of Froslass. I easily had an answer for both. “Go Infernape!” The monkey Pokémon came to my aid, “Raging Fury! On Glalie!”

Infernape’s body was covered be a massive fire, as he darted forth and smashed into Glalie, the ice face Pokémon not able to withstand the super-effective damage.

Gaeric frowned, “Froslass, use Hex!”

Froslass pelted Infernape with a shadowy mist, knocking him back.

“Raging Fury, again!”

And with that, Froslass was taken down. Gaeric was stunned that both of his Pokémon were taken out so quickly, while I recalled my Infernape.

“Outstanding! I’m as tough as an iceberg, but you smashed me through and through!” Gaeric crossed his arms as he looked at Adaman and Irida, “Alright, you can carry on. This one’s alright.”

“Thank you, sir.” Irida smiled, “Some may have their doubts about CJ, but I’ll certainly vouch for him!”

Christ she’s so sweet. Not to mention that if it wasn’t for her, Gaeric and I would’ve entered a shouting match for all eternity because I had no fucking self-control whatsoever.

“Then if you insist on quelling Avalugg’s frenzy, you’ll want to claim some of that Eternal Ice he likes and bring it to my lord’s seat. Good luck!” Gaeric smiled.

“Eternal Ice, is it?” Adaman asked, “For that, you’ll have to be able to fly, which means you’ll need Braviary.”

Braviary?

He smiled, “Long story short, you need to seek out a young lady named Sabi!”

“Tell the long story long!” Irida argued, “You’re not saving any time if we waste it puzzling out what you mean!”

“Isn’t Avalugg one of the Pearl Clan’s lords?” Adaman looked at her, “Seems a bit odd for me to do all the talking…but fine. Listen up, the Eternal Ice can only be found on top of Avalugg’s Legacy here.” He pointed at the massive, treacherous glacier behind us with his thumb. “But to get there, you’ll need my clan’s help. Not even Sneasler can climb solid ice like that, let alone a person like you or me. You’re going to have to approach by air…with Braviary’s help.”

“Gaeric once managed to nearly climb to the top of Avalugg’s Legacy, I’ll have you know.” Irida informed. “He says he made it to within six feet of the top. Might makes right, or…or at least height!”

Adaman blinked at the trivia, “And uh, about Sabi…how do I put this? Even when she’s not flying with Braviary, she’s got her head in the clouds.”

Oh goody.

“Well, you’ll understand when you meet her. Head towards Snowpoint Temple, and you’ll probably come across her sooner or later.” He shrugged, then his eyes widened as he spotted a figure on top of a smaller iceberg. “What the…? Sabi?”

Atop the icy mass seemed to be a child. So the Diamond Clan had a child warden too. She was quite bundled up, but she was wearing enough deep blue for me to know where her allegiance lied. Her green eyes matched the long flowing pair of green braids fluttering in the chilly breezes. Beside her was a Braviary that looked different than the ones I was accustomed to.

“My clairvoyance told me…that I’d lead you on a chase!” She piped up in a high voice.

Okay, starting to see what Adaman was saying.

“Think you can catch me?”

Irida looked at the Diamond Clan leader, “I see what you meant about Sabi, but why would she be up there?”

Gaeric did some more stretches, “Seems you better focus on catching Warden Sabi, and let me focus on my workout while I still can!”

I sighed, running around in below freezing temperatures was not how I wanted to spend my day. It seemed like there wasn’t a way up to the iceberg at first, but upon looping around back, there was enough packed snow where I could carefully trudge up and reach her.

“Hello!” She did a cute little excited pose. “My name’s Sabi!”

“Nice to meet you….” I panted. Miracle my asthma hadn’t flared up yet, as it was plenty cold enough.

“Nice to meet you too!” She chirped, “I’ve heard a lot about you. You’re super talented, right? I bet you’re going to be super fun to play with!” She said, “I know why you’re here too! You want Braviary’s help so you can quell Avalugg’s frenzy, don’t you?”

“That…that’s correct, yes.”

“Well, you’ll get it…if you can catch me first!” She held her arms out, her mittens almost as ridiculous and oversized as mine, “C’mon Braviary!”

I shielded my face as snow and ice particles were whipped up and they flew away. Little shit. Now I had to wander aimlessly around the tundra to fucking find this chick.

I went as fast as I could, as I didn’t want to keep Adaman, Irida, or Gaeric waiting. I also made sure to be careful. But no matter what, every place in this biome looked the fucking same. If I lost sight of Sabi’s Braviary, I was as good as fucked.

Alright CJ, just keep an eye on that bird. I know it’s snowy and shitty and cold out, but you can’t afford to screw up now. The more I followed her, the more surprised I was, as she seemed to be leading me towards an ancient temple.

Ah, the Snowpoint Temple. That must’ve been what Adaman was talking about.

So that meant this area is where modern-day Snowpoint City is going to be. And that ancient temple from Diamond and Pearl, it must the very same as the one I was heading towards right now.

I avoided every wild Pokémon that came across me. Most of them were Ice-type, but there was occasionally the odd Chimecho or Bronzong who went after me too. Eventually I walked across white bricks, taking me towards the entrance of the temple, where Sabi, Braviary, and a Pearl Clan member were waiting for me.

“Hello again, CJ!” Another excited pose. “It’s nice having someone new out here to play with. Safety in numbers or something like that! Anyway, here’s Snowpoint Temple! I’ve opened the front door for you. Just a little more chasing left to be done!” She smiled, “But the real question is…am I really having fun playing with you? Or am I getting bored? Hmm….”

Yes, please get bored so we can move on with this.

Sabi and her Braviary took off for the inside of the temple, I went to follow, looking at the Pearl Clan member standing guard.

“I heard what Warden Sabi said.” He nodded, “If you have her approval to enter, then by all means, do so. But be warned! Those who cannot solve the puzzles won’t get very far within. I heard that the trick is to pay attention to which way the stone statues are looking…come to think of it, I believe the statues have some sort of patterns on their chests too.”

I nodded, “Thanks for the advice.” I headed in.

Somehow every set of ruins or ancient building seemed vastly different, yet united by a similar theme. I walked across the stone floors in silence. I heard a few Bronzor and Bronzong in the distance, so I had to be careful not to attract their attention.

The statues were familiar, I should’ve figured as much. The Regis. On each statue, there was either the symbol of rock, ice, or steel on them. And there were plenty of statues.

As I got further in, I was stopped by a door. There were strange panels on it, resembling rock, ice, and steel yet again. “Whither the statues gaze….” Could faintly be made out on the door.

I looked back. Ah, I see. I had to keep note of which statues were facing where, and hit the panels in the same sequence. This place was giving me more Legend of Zelda vibes by the minute.

The first few puzzles were simple, but they got longer and more complicated as I went deeper into the temple. To the point where I’d forget the sequence and have to double back to recall what exactly the pattern was for the panels. Not to mention the occasional wild Pokémon, or minor puzzles or alternate paths I had to be aware of.

After narrowly escaping an alpha Gallade, damn thing nearly swiped my head clean off, I encountered a spacious foyer. Large sturdy pillars were all around. Maybe there was another entrance to this place? More important I finally fucking found Sabi.

“I guess we’ve been caught…so we’re nearly done. That’s no fun.” She frowned, “Hey, remember my clairvoyance? It showed me something else.” She revealed, “It showed me you flying with Braviary. Do you think that’ll come to pass?”

“I know it will.” My eyes hardened.

“Well, however the future turns out…flying with Braviary isn’t easy!” She pointed out, “If you really want to be able to fly high in the sky, prove to me that you’re strong enough!” An excited pose. “Gonna take us on?”

I grabbed my satchel, reaching for a Poké ball, “You bet.”

“Now get ready, cause here comes Rhyperior, Magmortar, and Electivire, all three of ‘em…go!”

I took a step back as the three large, fully-evolved Pokémon marched towards me. Alright, I suppose now was as good a time as any, “Manaphy, let’s go!” I called out the sea prince, “Water Pulse, on Rhyperior!”

Manaphy chirped, sending out a huge watery blast that knocked Rhyperior out the instant it was hit.

Sabi frowned, “Electivire, Thunderpunch, Magmortar, Poison Gas!”

In addition to being poisoned by the toxic mist Magmortar sent out, Manaphy was struck back by a powerful super-effective blow. It was still able to fight however, so I would take advantage of the momentum.

“Water Pulse, this time on Magmortar!”

Manaphy splashed Magmortar back with the Water-type move, and the opposing Fire-type fainted as well.

“Another Thunderpunch, go!”

Electivire’s fist lit up with lightning, as it once again slammed Manaphy across the room, causing my Pokémon to faint. I recalled Manaphy. “Good job.” I swapped Poké balls. “Go Decidueye!” My starter revealed himself. “Triple Arrows, strong style!”

Decidueye kicked Electivire back, taking advantage of the distance to fire off three arrows. It was enough to faint Sabi’s last Pokémon.

“Wow, you caught us and beat us. You’ve won all our games so far!” Sabi was impressed. “But Braviary wants to know you even better. Up to the roof we go!”

The two of us made it to where I assume the roof of the temple was, Braviary was there waiting for us, as was a small snow flurry, as usual. Braviary cawed loudly.

“Alright, Braviary! Why not test CJ’s strength for yourself?”

Braviary flew ahead, ready for a battle. I shakily got out a Poké ball, as I hadn’t had time to heal my team from the last fight. “Go Luxray!” Hopefully Hisuian Braviary wasn’t part Ground. Luckily, one Wild Charge was all it took to knock out the opposing Pokémon.

We took a moment to heal all six Pokémon involved in the recent battles. “I can’t believe Braviary lost!” Sabi growled, “But…that’s that. I guess I’ll go home now. Thanks for playing with me. Bye!” She chirped.

“Hey, wait!” I frowned. The hell was she going to do, jump off the roof, leave me in the dust with Braviary again?

She looked at me, “I was just kidding.” She got out her Celestica Flute, “Play along with me now!”

I have no idea how the hell she played that thing well with mittens. Didn’t she end up dropping it half the damn time? I followed along with her song, and gradually, Braviary took notice.

When he was pleased, a light blue plate materialized in front of him, landing into my hands. Seemed to be the Sky Plate.

“Thanks, Sabi.” I heard the baritone of Adaman as he joined the three of us on the roof.

“Sure.” Sabi nodded, “Having CJ to fly around with should be fun for Braviary.”

“I’m glad.” He looked at me briefly, “No matter how much I try, I can’t shake this future you told me out of my head.” He squinted at the disturbance above Mt. Coronet. “Tell me…why do you think the lightning that comes from the rift causes these frenzies? Do you think it’s almighty Sinnoh’s anger? Some trial it’s trying to put on us?”

I had no idea. I was trying to look into it. But that was easier said than done with all these nobles to quell.

“If it is a trial…and we prove ourselves worthy, quell the last noble, calm Avalugg, then…the rift should close, right?”

Was that what I wanted?

“Even if the one who seems to be clearing these trials is a newcomer like you…not one of us who’ve been living in Hisui for ages now….”

“How come you’re being so reflective, Adaman? I thought you weren’t a big thinker.” Sabi heckled.

“Quiet, Sabi! I can feel it, history is on the move.” He looked at me again, “As far as I can tell, the one ushering this new era in is you. So, if I stick with you, someday I might be able to meet almighty Sinnoh myself!”

I chuckled, “Bit of a roundabout way to look at it but…maybe.”

“Question is…does listening to Adaman fascinate you? Or bore you to tears? Hmm?” Sabi again pestered from the sidelines. “It’s time to go flying with Braviary, CJ!” I gulped, I could barely handle Sneasler, not too sure about how I’d handle flying on a bird Pokémon.

Chapter Text

“From up here, Braviary can take you just about everywhere!” Sabi chirped, as excited as I was nervous.

“Don’t forget about the Eternal Ice.” Adaman noted, turning around to leave.

I timidly stepped to the edge with Sabi. “Avalugg’s Legacy is right down there!” She motioned a mittened hand out. “Now go get a feel for flying with Braviary…when you want to land, you can always dive!”

A shaky nod, “U-Uh-huh….”

“Don’t be nervous, you’ll do great!” Sabi smiled.

One last shudder, “Alright, let’s do this.” Before I fucking change my mind.

The rig for flying with Braviary was somehow even more ridiculous and neolithic than anything else I’ve encountered so far, even the basket. With his talons, Braviary held onto a bar, which suspended a little pad underneath it, where I was supposed to lay. Sure, it might’ve been comfy, but the second we were in flight, my fear of heights alarm bells were ringing all over.

The only reason I could cope was because I was holding a hand over my eyes most of the time, “R-Right there B-Braviary…d-d-d-do you think you could land there?” I pleaded. Braviary nodded, swooping down and landing me directly on top of the mighty glacier in Avalugg’s Legacy.

The good news is, the flying was over, the bad news was the traction on this hunk of ice was ass, even with my snow boots on. I carefully steadied myself, taking a few calming breaths. Well, I was never doing that again, unless I absolutely had to.

I got closer to the mystical chunk of ice in front of me. My Arc Phone started beeping, so I pulled it out. A strange energy pulsated from it, fragmenting some of the ice, as it landed in my hand.

I then heard a laugh, causing me to jolt as I put my phone away. “At last, the summit was conquered!” Ah, seemed musclehead found his way up here. “And I see you made it too!” He walked towards me.

“That’s right.” I nodded, “Got the Eternal Ice.” I held it out. Christ dude, really need to sneak up on me like that, huh? Easily could’ve made me slip and fall to my death.

“Flew down here to get it, did you? What drives that burning zeal of yours, I wonder.” Gaeric mused, accepting the ice as I handed it to him. “I do respect the effort you’ve put in. I may still have my own doubts weighing on my mind. But I will make the necessary preparations so that you may quell my lord, Avalugg. Meet me at Icepeak Arena.” He turned to face the edge, “Now don’t try and repeat this wondrous feat you’re about to see me perform! A tall leap like this can only be managed by highly toned bodies like mine!”

We get it, you’re Chuck fucking Norris.

“Till next we meet!”

He did his absurd leap off the ice chunk. I shook my head. Guy was starting to remind me of Crasher Wake. Was that his descendant? Only one I could think of. I’d be surprised if it were anyone else. And goddamn it, I needed Braviary to get off this thing.

One tense, fearful flight later, and I made a dive for Icepeak Arena. The professor said it was far, but I suppose it wasn’t if you were riding around on a Pokémon such as Braviary like a jet. Gaeric was waiting for me there, as was another familiar face.

“Why if it isn’t CJ!” Volo smiled, “What a pleasure, finding a familiar face…or any face…in this far corner of the Alabaster Icelands. I came to bring Gaeric his order of Swordcaps and he was more than willing to have a chat about Avalugg!” He explained, “What do you say? Interested in a bit of gossip?”

I shrugged, “Sure, I guess.”

“Of course, of course, we are fellow curiosity seekers after all!” His expression brightened. “So Avalugg, the fifth and final of Hisui’s nobles.”

“That he is! And you know what, he’s an absolute beast!” Gaeric nodded pridefully.

“Well, yes, according to what I was told, not only can he barrage you with chunks of ice…he also fires off massive icicles, and he can cause sharp ice crystals to erupt from the ground below you! Doesn’t that seem a little too powerful to take on?”

There it was again, that concern for my safety. Volo for once, wasn’t all smiles. And it was a refreshing change of pace compared to earlier in my time in this world. Reminded me of dialogue from an NPC in one of the Vampire the Masquerade games. Not that this particular person cared about the player’s safety, but it was the hallmark for a highly unsavory quest.

“I’m telling ya man, whatever you’re in, get out of it now.”

“What’s more, apparently the Avalugg of old could be up to a-hundred feet tall. Doesn’t that seem too big to take on?”

I often wondered if the player character in Bloodlines could say, ‘you’re right, I think I’ll just flee the state instead, perhaps deal with the consequences.’ But alas, that wasn’t an option, nor was it an option for me to go back and tell Kamado I didn’t feel like quelling the final lord. 

“I wish I could turn around Volo, but I’ve got a job to do.” I said firmly.

“He’ll be alright, he just has to eat some Swordcaps, that’s all! Then just train as hard as possible, for pure muscle development!” Gaeric started leading the way, “Onward, to the arena!”

“Hmm, well, yes, I did want to see Avalugg. But…not if it costs me my life.” Volo said, “So I suppose my freezing digits and I will be off!”

I gave him a wave, following after Gaeric as quickly as I could. “So, we are to quell Avalugg, as you wished.” Gaeric said, “In the end, your strength and feelings won out. Or maybe the real strength is the way you walk among both people and Pokémon. Well, I suppose I better get work to making some balms out of Eternal Ice! I’ve heard how they’re made, and with muscles like mine, it’ll only be a moment’s worth!”

You know what, I wouldn’t mourn the fact that I wouldn’t be able to help this guy make balms. I think while he was doing that, I would train and heal my team, make sure they were prepared for Avalugg, because I sure as Christ wasn’t.

“And there you have it!” Gaeric announced when he was finished. “If you truly wish to quell Avalugg, then step forward! The path lies before you!”

I nervously walked ahead. It felt lonely, with it just being me and Gaeric. Was no one else showing up?

The ground rumbled once I was in the center of the arena. I swallowed hard, as a golden Avalugg that was absolutely massive opposed me. I think I was smaller than his head. Opening his mouth, a rumbling roar came out, as well as a harsh snowstorm.

I shuddered, even though I was wearing layers upon layers of clothes. With Kleavor, I open mouth screamed and ran for my life. And with Avalugg, it was pretty damn close to that as a reaction. This was it. I was dead. How the fuck was I supposed to beat this thing?

Avalugg began to breathe more snow and ice at me, apparently not content with me being mostly numb, instead of all the way numb. I avoided what I could, although moving out of the way of an icy vapor wasn’t very easy.

But I had to act fast, because icicles began to erupt from the ground next. Thank god Volo warned me, or else I would’ve been skewered right then and there.

After I avoided half a dozen or so icicles, Avalugg began to change it up again, launching them into the sky to pelt me, likely trying to aim for someplace vital. Shit, this was reminding me a lot of the Electrode fight. Hardly a good thing, as Electrode had a shit ton of pain and destruction going on for the entire battle, similar to this.

Avalugg took a deep breath, trying a new trick. He blasted out a horribly cold, icy beam ahead. One that would likely freeze me solid.

You gotta be fucking kidding me.

I barely was able to jump over it in time. And I landed so jarringly, that I slipped and my feet kicked out from under me. Nearly fell right on my ass or back. Gaeric hollered that Avalugg was dazed, however, giving me a window of time to start a battle with him.

Now let’s think. So far, every noble has either been some evolution I’ve never heard of, or a Hisuian variant. No way Avalugg was pure Ice-type, like it was in the games. I needed to test my theory. “Go Infernape! Raging Fury!”

The monkey Pokémon charged towards Avalugg, covered in flames. Avalugg retaliated by opening the ground up under Infernape, fainting him instantly.

Wait, was he part Ground?

I recalled Infernape. “Go Manaphy!” I sent the sea prince out, “Water Pulse, strong style!”

Manaphy focused, giving an alert chirp when it sent off a watery blast, knocking Avalugg into a stunned state. Ah, super-effective damage.

“Alright, time for tea Avalugg.” I began to lob balms at him as quickly as I could.

Avalugg stirred once I pelted him with a large number of balms, though I felt as though I did decent headway.

Alright, I just had to follow the pattern. It was chaotic, but there was a pattern. First, frosty breath, then the ground icicles, then the sky icicles, and lastly the icy hyper beam of death.

Dodging was great, and I was able to dodge mostly everything thrown my way. But it didn’t change the fact that I was getting colder and colder from facing such a formidable Ice-type in battle.

I looked at my shaking hands, yanking a mitten off to check. They were an ugly mix of red, blue, and purple. Basically, any color except the one it should be. Fucking hell, CJ, if you don’t keep moving, you’re going to get hypothermia out here! I couldn’t believe even with all of my layers I was still getting cold. I just needed enough body heat and energy to hop over the laser headed my way, and then he would tire himself out.

I booked it towards the iceberg Pokémon, throwing a Poké ball out, “Manaphy!” Talking even hurt, because I could taste the horrid, cold air. “Water Pulse!”

Manaphy blasted out some water, smashing into Avalugg and knocking him back. Avalugg retaliated by using a huge tackle. I’m assuming a giant Double-Edge. He crushed into Manaphy, and I’m surprised the sea prince didn’t faint right there.

“Water Pulse, again!”

This time the watery blast was able to knock out Avalugg, allowing me to throw more balms at him for an extended period of time.

Enraged, the frenzied noble went back on offense. Only his attacks were more varied and, in some cases, mixed-together entirely. The icicles that shot out in the sky flew faster. The icy breath was mixed with the erupting icicles. The ground icicles would also leave a colony of icy spikes behind. I’m assuming to be left as a trap so I could ruin a boot or blow a hole through my foot.

I dodged them all as best as I could, until I slipped and fell on my ass. The pain vibrated and ricocheted around my body. It took me nearly a full minute to get up, since my layers, mittens and other precautions against the cold were playing against me now.

When I finally got up in time that would make a turtle blush, I was nearly flattened by an icy beam, jumping over it at the last minute. When Avalugg was dazed, I rushed forward, ready to battle him with my Pokémon.

“Go Manaphy!” I sent the sea prince out, “Water Pulse!”

Avalugg was knocked back by a big blast of water. He retaliated with another Double-Edge, this time Manaphy fainted.

I sighed, thank god Avalugg was slow as shit, as it meant all of my team could likely out-speed him. “Go Decidueye!” I called out my starter, “Leaf Blade, strong style!”

Decidueye slashed through Avalugg with a green blade, once again dealing super-effective damage. When Avalugg was stunned, I started throwing balms at him again. A familiar crack was heard.

As the last balm hit him in the face, the golden shell around him finally shattered off, flying towards the sky.

Man, that throw really took it out of me. I coughed. Fuck. I’d been coughing since midway through the fight. But that cough. It was the cough. My mind was in a haze.

Briefly I was reminded of marching band. Those miserable nights in December when we’d practice for the yearly Christmas Parade. It was never anything I really cared much about. But it got cold those nights. That was the great thing about marching band, running from July to December, you got to experience the worst extremes of both temperatures. I remember having a minor asthmas attack freshman year. I mean, it was cold enough out at the time.

Once that first ugly cough fell, the rest of them tumbled out in no time. I tried to stay standing, but with my coughing and poor traction, it was inevitable that I’d fall on my ass again. The coughs were getting uglier, wheezier. Avalugg was to my left, fully quelled, and his warden was to my right.

Shit, I’m actually gonna die here…I don’t have a fucking inhaler on me! I was doubtful they were even invented yet. With no medicine, or a way to get warm, my hacking and wheezing just got worse and worse, until it became choking, gasping for breath. A dull pain throbbed through my body. Whether it was from early hypothermia, or the lack of air, I had no idea. Probably both. Swear to Christ, if I was gonna die here, with…with MuscleBob Buffpants as the only witness, someone was getting a rude haunting.

“I’m telling ya man, whatever you’re in, get out of it now.”

I tried to get up, but I kept choking too badly to really move. My eyes teared up, likely from the cold or lack of oxygen. If I didn’t get oxygen, my organs would shut down. My brain would shut down, and I’d be a fucking vegetable. These thoughts weren’t helping me stay awake.

“CJ!” I heard her voice, and my heart skipped a beat, in addition to probably compensating for the net loss in oxygen. Unlike Gaeric, who had largely chosen flight in terms of a fight or flight response, I felt Irida’s soft, delicate hands on me immediately. She righted me to a sitting position, probably not understanding what the hell was going on, but she gently held my shoulders, trying to fight for eye contact.

She was saying something. Saying words of some kind. But I was so far away from  conscious I could hardly understand. Ah, breathing, she was trying to help me breathe in and out. I nodded quickly, following her coaching until some of the pain subsided.

“I said are you okay, CJ?”

I panted heavily. First thing I did was dab at my eyes. Because men don’t cry. “Yeah…t-thanks Irida.” I wobbly stood tall, Irida doing the same, “I…I should probably get to someplace warm.”

A plate materialized in front of Avalugg, descending into my hands. It was light blue, almost the same shade of Braviary’s, although I was assuming this one was the Icicle Plate.

Irida looked over at her warden, who was likely shocked, both at the quelling of Avalugg, and at my suddenly declining and ascending health. “Gaeric sir, you needn’t be so downcast….”

“B-But seeing mighty Avalugg quelled, by, by an outsider….” He bit out resentfully. “An outsider who fell from the sky.” A glare, “Monster.”

A bitter chuckle, that likely went on for too long. “Monster?” My vision blurred momentarily, “So this is the thanks I get for solving all your fucking problems for you, you—”

Irida separated us both again, which again in hindsight was a wonderfully intelligent move, because I would’ve cursed the guy out for twenty minutes. “CJ is no monster.” She said firmly. “He risked his life without a second thought in order to quell our frenzied, suffering nobles.”

She fixed a fierce look at me, “And CJ.” Ah, she wasn’t letting me off the hook this time. “Gaeric cares deeply for the Pearl Clan with all his heart and believes in almighty Sinnoh just as deeply. So he feared getting involved with the Diamond Clan and your Galaxy Team.”

Hmm, and me flying off the handle probably wasn’t helping the unity angle we were all trying to achieve. I bowed my head. “I’m sorry. That was incredibly disrespectful.” I addressed Gaeric.

Hard to tell if the bastard was going to accept the apology. When no one else spoke, Irida continued. “This is all going to change. CJ has much to teach us.” She looked at her warden, “He’s proved that we can overcome any matter of strife, so long as we have Pokémon with us. He’s helped Glaceon grow stronger, and he’s helped me see a broader world!”

“Looks like you’ve already changed, Irida.” Again, it was hard to place Gaeric’s tone. Shit, was I going to cause some kind of Pearl Clan mutiny?

“I knew you could pull that off, CJ.” Adaman voiced, arriving to the arena with Sabi.

“It wasn’t without difficulties.” Irida sighed, “We nearly lost him.” She faced me, “Were you choking on something, what happened?”

“The bad lungs, right?” Adaman asked, giving me a sympathetic look.

When I nodded, Irida frowned, seemingly angry that Adaman knew something about me that she did not. “What are you talking about?”

“CJ has bad lungs.” Adaman shrugged, “Hard for him to breathe sometimes. Must be the cold air too. I bet that doesn’t help.”

Irida balled her hands into fists, “Why didn’t you say anything?”

I looked down, “Sorry.”

Adaman looked off towards the sky, while Sabi did her typical pose. “You’ve quelled every last noble. So is the space-time rift going to start closing or what?”

“There’s little way of knowing for sure. But it does seem smaller, somehow.” Irida noted.

“Well, with any luck, things will settle down now.” Adaman looked at Irida, “And even if the rift does spit out more of that strange lightning, we’ll be alright, as long as we have CJ.”

“Indeed. It’s good to have him on our side.” Irida smiled.

“You know something, Irida?” He asked, “We may never agree on who’s got it right about almighty Sinnoh, but you Pearl Clan folks aren’t all that bad in my book.”

Irida held a hand over her mouth, “Well, look who’s finally seen reason!”

“Anyway, now that we’ve quelled the last noble. I say we pay grim old Commander Kamado a visit.” He put his hands on his hips, “See if he finally cracks a smile for us.”

When I went to report back, I didn’t quite get the smile Adaman wanted, though he sounded proud. Slightly so. “Each of the Pokémon nobles have been frenzied, and now each of them are quelled.” He mused, “We still have no explanation as to why this calamity befell us, but I’m glad to see it put to an end. And to think peace would be restored to Hisui by the hand of our mysterious, rift-borne helper.”

“Happy to help.” I responded hoarsely, voice still recovering from the asthma attack.

“When tomorrow dawns, it will dawn on a world restored to normalcy. At long last, we will be able to return to our normal lives.” Kamado announced. “Go nourish yourself at the Wallflower and have a nice, long rest.”

“Yes sir.”

“Don’t forget, our work isn’t truly done. The Survey Corps work will only end when we can live without fearing the Pokémon around us.”

“Thanks for this nice, sizable helping of potato mochi, Beni old chum!” Laventon smiled, “Oh, and if there’s anything else you’d recommend, bring it right out!”

“Having all the nobles quelled is…is a great weight off our shoulders.” Akari smiled weakly as Beni went back to the kitchen. “Now we can focus on our survey work, although we still have to be careful of regular wild Pokémon, of course.”

“I certainly had my reservations about whether Avalugg needed quelling.” Laventon started, “But if it means bringing calm to everyone, I suppose we did the right thing.”

“Yes, someone might’ve been under attack by a noble right now if it weren’t for CJ falling from the sky.” A pause, “I still wonder…what is the space-time rift anyway?”

“Beats me.” I spoke up, “Volo and I are trying to figure it out, one step at a time, and now that I’m going to have more time on my hands without the frenzied nobles, it’s exactly what I’m going to focus on next.”

“I wonder how we’d get rid of it….” She thought, “Oh, wait, but if we did, you’d be stranded here!” She looked at me frantically.

A small silence. Wow, this was the first time someone other than me considered that. “I…Akari, if I’m stuck here, I’m stuck here. I don’t really care about getting back home anymore. I like it here.”

“Well, we can help look into the rift too.” The professor said, “I have no doubt we’ll find a solution. And if you do get stuck here, well, you always have a home here in Jubilife Village, CJ.” He grinned. “Now then, tomorrow’s soon upon us, and it’ll be another hard day’s work for the Survey Corps! Don’t forget what we’ve got our sights on…nothing less than a completed Pokédex!”

Chapter Text

My knock might’ve been a little too cheery.

“It’s open!” Akari called.

“Don’t worry, it’s just me.” I smiled. I couldn’t help but be giddy. No more nobles! No more bullshit! We could work on the Pokédex in peace now! I let myself in. “Ah, still think it’s weird, me visiting you for a change.” My nose scrunched up, “God, still think it smells girlier in here than at my place.”

She was tying her hair up, aside from that she was mostly in uniform. “It does not.”

I crossed my arms, “So…do you wanna talk about what happened these last couple days?” I asked, “Cause like…you almost got hit by lightning, slept it off, challenged me to a battle, and then left.”

She narrowed her eyes in thought, or perhaps concentration. “There isn’t much to talk about, really.” She faced me when her hair was set the way she wanted it. “I…I had a lot of time to…to think after, after the lightning.” She said, “For a while, I just felt like ever since you showed up, you were the hero for the Pokédex, while I was just some assistant. But…I don’t think that way anymore. Professor Laventon helped too.”

“Yeah, of course you’re not just an assistant. You’ve gotten crazy strong since I met you as that chick who could barely control her Pikachu.” A small smile, “I mean, sure, I might’ve helped, but there’s no denying that you’re just as capable a member of the Survey Corps as I am.” A brief pause. “It was just…weird, how you and I switched places. I was the worried one…and now I know how it feels, to be cautious, distraught at another person’s safety…no less, a close member of the team.”

She nodded, “And I know how it feels to be that person in danger. You’re the center of attention, but not in a good way. And you just feel nothing but guilt, you feel like you let everyone down….”

A broad smile, as I offered a hand, “Let’s promise each other we’ll both play it safe as we work on completing the Pokédex!”

“Of course, it’s a promise!” Akari shook my hand, “Did you want to go out somewhere together now?”

“Uh….” I hesitated, “I, uh…I was going to go out to the Alabaster Icelands today…they probably want to set up a new camp…they’re new Pokémon for us there….” I pondered over it. “Trust me, it’s cold and miserable out there, you’re not really missing much. But we can go out tomorrow and seize the day with catching Pokémon, alright?”

“Of course.” Akari nodded, “I’ll go to the Obsidian Fieldlands then, train up my team! Good luck CJ!”

“Mmm-hmm, good luck to you too.”

Once I was bundled up for the Icelands, I headed outside. Maybe I’d hit all the shops for a brief moment before going to the gate.

“Never! Never you whelp!”

Tao Hua angrily stomped past me, I gave a concerned look to Choy. “Oh…dear customer, I’m really sorry you had to see that. I asked Tao Hua to supply me with some new goods, but he simply won’t do business with me. I truly hate to keep imposing this, but would you please try and make him see reason? You’d do well to bring him a token of goodwill. Perhaps…Sand Radishes? Three will do.”

A slow nod. So the treasure thieving soap opera continues, “Right, got it.” If this was still following the trend, they’d be found in the Alabaster Icelands, as I had given the old man a trinket from all the other areas thus far.

You know, maybe visiting the request board wouldn’t hurt. Seemed every time I ventured into a new area, some of the villagers would get emboldened to do the same, which typically led to a whole slew of requests and problems.

“Morning, professor.” I greeted as I entered his lab.

“Good morning CJ.” Professor Laventon smiled, tea in one hand, pencil in the other to write some notes down.

Jesus, there seemed to be a lot of requests on the board. I wouldn’t have time to do all of them in one day. But maybe I could fixate on one or two. “Any of these requests from you?”

He chuckled, “Ah, no, not this time.”

“Hmm.” There was one about a Blissey, about some Supply Corps member wanting to meet one. That seemed painless. “What’s up with this one about a Swinub?”

“Ah, that one was sent in by Morel. Seems the mushroom hunter needs a helping hand…or, helping nose from a Swinub to seek out what he’s looking for!”

Ah, the mushroom guy again. Great.

“Well, I better get going then.” I said, “Sounds like this is going to be an eventful day.” I headed out towards the fate, telling Ress where I was going.

There was also the Pokédex to consider. There were a lot of new Pokémon I could catch out here while I was running my errands. Although maybe setting up a new camp was a bigger priority. Surely there was a Construction Corps member nearby I could talk to about that?

Out of all of the Ice-types out here, Snorunt was by far the easiest to capture. They were skittish, sure, but they weren’t actively trying to kill me, which was a huge plus in this area. I’d have a Pokédex entry written out for Snorunt in no time.

After a bit of travel, I came across an older Supply Corps member. “I came to set up another base camp, but I can’t find Craig. He was the Construction Corps member sent here. I told him to meet me near the base of the Alabaster Falls, but he’s not here!” He shook his head, “He’s usually not the type to get lost, so honestly I’m a little bit worried.” He looked my way, “Do me a favor. Find Craig for me, would you?”

“Right away, sir.” I nodded.

I rode on Basculegion across the frigid water, trying to survey the area for another Construction Corps member. When that didn’t work, I knew I’d have to…sigh…get an aerial view with Braviary. I dismissed Basculegion, summoning the bird Pokémon to fly around the waterfall a few times, hopefully I’d be able to find this guy fast, especially if he was in danger.

It took a couple minutes, but I soon found a man from the Construction Corps. I landed in front of him, dismissing Braviary.

“Oh, you’re from the Survey Corps, aren’t you? Well this is fortuitous.” Craig said, “Have you seen Brice about? Brice of the Supply Corps? He’s the one who told me to meet him at the base of the falls, yet he hasn’t shown up.”

I rubbed the back of my head, “Uh…well, guess there was a mix-up, he’s on the other side of the river.”

“What? You’re saying he’s on the other shore?” He asked, eventually giving a sigh of relief, “I’m glad you showed up, or else I’d be standing here waiting until I was a block of ice! I’ll hurry up to Brice then, so we can get this camp up and running!”

Brice shivered as the two of us made our way back, “Colder than a Cubchoo’s snot out here! How do those Pearl Clan people stand it?” He then looked at me, “Boy do I owe you for finding Craig, now we can get this camp set up.”

It only took a few minutes for the camp to be laid out. “And here you have it!” Brice exclaimed, “Our newest base camp! The Icepeak Camp! Stop by anytime you need to!”

“Goodness, I don’t know how Pokémon in this frigid place have the energy to dash around as they do….” Professor Laventon shivered, joining us at the new camp. “Do they have some insulating layer of fat perhaps? There must be some trick to it!”

Thick fat, that reminds me. “I’ll look into it, prof.” I held a thumbs-up as I started walking off, “You can count on me!”

While I was easily able to capture a few Swinub, Piloswine, the evolution, popped out of nearly every damn ball I threw. I’d likely have to try and catch one another time, as I didn’t feel like being run down by the Ice-type anytime soon.

While I was trying to find Morel, I ran into Pippa first, the one who posted the Blissey request. “I’ve been waiting for you, Survey Corps recruit.” She said, “I want to give my thanks to a certain Blissey that aided me while I was left injured in by a wild Pokémon. Help me find it, would you?”

Hmm, that would be a lot easier said than done. Finding a wild Pokémon of a specific species was on thing. Finding a specific member of said species? No way this lady’s request would pan out. “Yeah, sure. Wouldn’t hurt to look.” I agreed anyway.

There was a thoughtful look on her face. “It was a wild Pokémon that hurt me, and a wild Pokémon that helped me. It’s a curious world we live in, wouldn’t you say?” She asked, “But even to a Pokémon, one must always give thanks for the care that one receives. I’d be the shame of my corps if I failed to do even that much. Join me at Avalugg’s Legacy, that’s where I found Blissey.”

We started to make our way over. But this was still a huge shot in the dark. No way the same Blissey from before would show up just because we were here.

“I’m sure I saw the Blissey around here….” Pippa mused quietly.

“Look, I hate to sound like a jerk…but I don’t recall seeing any Pokémon from the Blissey line in Avalugg’s Legacy. Just Ice-types. I mean, sure the Icelands as a whole have a huge variety of Pokémon, but here specifically it just seemed to be Ice-types.” I said.

“But it was around here where I met it.” She reaffirmed, “But I don’t see it now….”

“When did you meet it?” Maybe time of day was a factor?

“Now, let me think…as I recall, when I was out here for a little while, I simply turned around…and there was an Abomasnow!”

Pippa turned around, and there was a familiar Grass and Ice-type roaring at the two of us. She gasped and stepped back.

“Motherfucker.” I fumbled around in my satchel, “Go Infernape! Flare Blitz!”

The monkey Pokémon was sent out, immediately smashing into Abomasnow with a massive flaming assault. The wild Pokémon was swiftly defeated.

“It’s just as I thought.” Pippa spoke up quietly, “Blissey may be one thing, but other Pokémon are still terrifying.” She winced, “Oh, it…it appears I managed to twist my ankle in all the excitement.”

Couldn’t really blame her, it was slippery here on a good day. Let alone when you were stumbling back from a frothing-at-the-mouth Abomasnow. Now, was there a camp or medic nearby?

I heard a friendly chirp, followed by a familiar pink and white Pokémon running over. “Well, this is a bit of fortune in misfortune!” Pippa smiled.

No fucking way.

“I brought these berries to thank you for your help Blissey, here you go!” Pippa reached into one of her pouches.

Blissey hummed with delight, gobbling down on the berries. It then healed Pippa by sending out a magical, healing pulse. Next it ran towards the fallen Abomasnow to do the same.

We watched as Abomasnow got back up on its feet to walk off. “Blissey is terribly kind, isn’t it?” Pippa asked, “It treats anyone who needs help, be it human or Pokémon.”

Yeah, little wonder that evolutionary line assisted the Pokémon Centers in the anime. Maybe it would behoove me to catch a few. Give Pesselle some help, and also have a reliable way to get back onto my feet if something were to happen to me again.

Jeez, I was starting to recognize some of these villagers, given how often they posted requests. It was like the regulars I had when I worked retail. “Long way from home, Morel.”

“Glad to see you made it all the way out here!” The brunette mushroom maniac enthused, “What say you a spot of mushroom hunting…in the snow!” He grinned, “The Pearl Clan told me that the shrooms growing around Heart’s Crag are quite the delicacy. But these little gems are buried in the snow, and only a Swinub’s nose can dig them out! This is where your skills come in! Catch yourself a Swinub, go for a bit of foraging, and see if you could find those mushrooms! Three would be great!”

This time I was ahead of the game, already having a Swinub on my team. I called out the little Ice-type, and it started to scurry ahead, sniffing around for mushrooms.

It wasn’t too difficult a search. I was able to find two of the mushrooms right away. With a third being coveted by a wild Snover. Whatever, it wasn’t anything a Triple Arrows from Decidueye wouldn’t be able to handle.

“I thought you were slacking, battling that Snover and wasting time…but it turns out it was the last thing in our way to get the mushrooms.” Morel smiled as he walked over to me, “You and Swinub really snuffled this out. Excellent work!”

Knew I called this guy a wiseass for a reason. “Yeah, pleasure’s mine.”

“You two looked like you had fun foraging! Pokémon and people together make a really great team!” He enthused, “I can’t wait to forage with you some other time…maybe with a Pokémon pal of my own. Though, it would be hard to top Swinub’s snuffling skills…now that I think about it, it was a Swinub who discovered the hot springs in the Pearl Clan settlement. Maybe I should just get a Swinub. Morel and Swinub, the mushroom-hunting duo. Nice ring to it, eh?”

My countenance flipped at the reward he gave me, five Sand Radishes and an experience candy large. Saved me time in the long run because I could hand three of these over to Tao Hua.

“Ah, the Survey Corps recruit who quelled all the nobles. Sorry you keep getting roped into errands on my account.” Tao Hua said, “To tell you the truth, I’d be happy to get my corps’ products out to shop for free. But that’d mean letting Choy off the hook, and the very idea of that sets my teeth gnashing.” The stern old man looked me over, “Are you bound to the Alabaster Icelands soon? Do you think you could get me three Sand Radishes?”

“Already got ‘em.” I nodded.

“That so?” He asked, “Well done gathering them in such a harsh climate!” I handed them over. “Ah, Sand Radishes, the Alabaster Icelands finest feature! If you give these bitter roots a nice, thorough pickling, it brings out a unique sweetness! Once they’re pickled, they make for a lovely, crisp, and well-liked snack! My granddaughter makes a fine pickle, I tell you what. Perhaps I’ll let her have one of these for a briny soak.” He shook his head, “Anyway, I’m sorry to keep using you as a go-between with Choy. I suppose it’s time I have a proper conversation with the whelp.”

Okay, why did I feel like this wasn’t going to end well?

Sure enough, the old man was headed off to I assumed the marketplace. Shit, part of me wanted to follow him, part of me didn’t. Their last conversation sure as shit didn’t go well, so why would this one? Well, I had to report back to Choy anyway.

“Now listen!” Tao Hua snapped, “I’ll set you up with some new goods…but as a favor for CJ, not you! Don’t think for a second this means I’ve accepted you!”

Huh?

Choy was pale, “But…but Tao Hua…sir—”

“Oh please, grandpa! I can’t believe this is still an issue for you!” A woman heckled.

The stern old man’s countenance faded, as he turned to see a woman around my age behind him. “Yui! How long have you been…?”

“What…is our little store not worthy to sell your goods? Talk about letting personal feelings get in the way of your business!” Yui frowned. “If you keep this up grandpa, I swear I’ll never speak to you again!”

He started sniffling pathetically, “B-But why, sweet Yui!” He scrambled away in speeds a cartoon character would blush at, “You swore you’d never get married and leave your old gramps!”

“Who in their right mind takes a little girl’s word so seriously?” She huffed.

It felt like my brain melted at that exchange, “Choy I…I’m so sorry. I thought like, I thought he had like…gold coins you stole or something….”

Choy nervously rubbed the back of his head, “Don’t worry about it…we’ve got so many new goods in stock now, thanks to you.”

“Sorry for all the busywork you had to do.” Yui smiled.

I nodded, “No worries. You two take care.”

I think I’d spend the rest of the night on the Pokédex. I entered my quarters, sitting down at my desk to open my notebook up.

Swinub excels at sniffing out mushrooms buried beneath grass or snow. Since ancient times, the people of Hisui have often relied upon this skill.

So the Pearl Clan lived in the Alabaster Icelands, eh? Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to visit.

Arrives alongside the first snow. It’s thought that homes Snorunt visit will prosper for many generations. By tradition, one might offer a lump of ice made from pure water at one’s front door.

Or maybe it would be the stupidest decision in my career here. Did Irida even want to see me?

Couldn’t blame her if she didn’t. The outburst after the Avalugg fight wasn’t just crass. It was embarrassing. Why would she want to tangle herself up with someone who couldn’t control their temper?

But what was I gonna do? Let him get away with calling me that?

Monster. Somehow it was more pointed than anything Melli and I argued about. But why? Why did that sting more? Was it because he was right?

Rumored to migrate across the oceans and visit Hisui’s coastal waters only rarely. Although Manaphy resembles Phione, it is also quite different. The relation between the two is unclear.

Maybe I didn’t deserve to have anything to do with Irida. Maybe I was too much baggage for a Pearl Clan leader to carry, even in secret.

I sighed angrily through my nose, slamming the notebook shut. There was no point in thinking about any of this. Regardless of her opinion on me, we were both incredibly busy. I had a Pokédex to work on, and I was doing a good job. Best not fuck that up, or else I’d lose my meal ticket.

Chapter Text

“W-Where could she possibly be…?” I heard Zeke’s frantic muttering, which I knew only meant one thing.

“Wanda?” I asked. I mean, I doubt Zeke liked to stand in the lobby of Galaxy Hall for shits and giggles.

He nodded frantically, “Just the guy I was hoping for! CJ, Wanda’s savior! I’m afraid the day has finally come…Wanda couldn’t even find her way back from the Obsidian Fieldlands, right on our own doorstep!”

Great.

“It’s practically our backyard, right? She should know her way around, so I’m worried something happened to her. I’d really appreciate some help from you and Ursaluna again.”

I nodded, “Yeah, I…I’ll find her.”

“Good, good! Here’s her kerchief again!” He held out the raggedy garment that I was surprised was still intact at this point.

On my way out of the building, I was able to run into Akari. “Hey CJ, what were your plans for today?”

I smirked, “You wanna help me find Wanda?”

“She’s missing again?”

“I know, I know….” I shook my head, the only thing to fill the silence in our conversation was Ursaluna’s paws against the ground. “This is like, what? The third or fourth time?”

“But…but like…in the Obsidian Fieldlands? How did she get lost in the—?”

“Don’t ask.”

Akari gave a slow nod, loosely holding my shoulders from behind. “Well…I hope we find her soon.” She uneasily looked down at the fast-moving grass.

“What’s the matter, motion sick?” I smirked.

“N-No….” She winced as Ursaluna climbed abruptly down a steep hill, “Maybe.”

My smile faded, “I’m sorry.” I tried to urge the bear Pokémon to slow down, “It’s just, this is the only way to find Wanda, to smell her out.”

“I…I get that.”

I squinted ahead, “Well, looks like we’re close.”

Wanda was quite a ways off, at least from the Fieldlands Camp. She was on the other side of Deertrack Heights. Although she wasn’t alone, there were a trio of Paras cornering her.

“Help! Please, oh no! I don’t wanna sprout mushrooms!” She screamed.

“Well, looks like that’s our cue.” I dismissed Ursaluna, bravely stepping forward while Akari took a moment or so to steady herself. “Go Crobat!”

“Go Staravia!” Akari sent her bird Pokémon out.

“Aerial Ace!” We both called out at the same time.

Staravia and Crobat took out two of the Paras immediately, the third one giving a Slash attack in return, but it was nothing Crobat couldn’t handle, taking the third one out too.

Wanda was surprised at our efficiency and teamwork. “Thank you! I swear I’d never survive in Hisui without you as a teammate!”

“Thanks.” I crossed my arms, “Piss off a bunch of Paras?”

“I came to patrol because I knew some of the villagers come out here to hunt for mushrooms. While keeping an eye out for them, I thought I’d do a bit of hunting myself, b-but the mushrooms ended up finding me….”

Akari and I exchanged a glance, “Yeah…Paras can be pretty hostile.” I noted.

“I guess my brother is probably a mess worrying about me again, huh?” Wanda smiled, “But you two are so good at battling, sure about not wanting to sign up for the Security Corps?”

We both smiled, “I think we’re okay the way things are.” Akari said.

Wanda started walking back to the village. “Well that could’ve been a lot worse.” I muttered.

“Did you want to go back and check in with Zeke?”

“Eh, later.” I swatted a hand, “I wanted to train Goomy out here…you’re free to do whatever you’d like. Work on the Pokédex, train your team.”

Akari blinked as I sent out the little Dragon-type. “Oh, wow…he uh…he looks interesting.”

“Adorable, right? Found him in the Crimson Mirelands.” I smiled, “Even then, I saw one earlier. Lian has one.”

She crossed her arms behind her back, “Is it…is it really true?” She asked, “Like…would you really not miss home…if you could never go back?”

Goomy and I exchanged a glance. “Not really.” I said, “I like it here. Or at least I don’t mind it most of the time.” A shrug.

“I just…I find that hard to believe. If I got whisked away to a new world, away from Hisui, I’m sure I’d be very sad.”

“I mean, yeah sure…I’ll miss some things, but like…my world is a lot different from this place.” I thought about it, “Like it’s a lot simpler here. I…there are some things I don’t want to go back to.” I shook my head, “So if I have to work on a Pokédex instead, I’d gladly take that route.”

A slight nod, “Sorry for, for prying.”

Another shrug, “Don’t worry about it.” I smiled, “Good luck out there.”

It took a lot of training throughout the morning, as well as some experiences candies. But my efforts paid off after a while, as Goomy glowed white, evolving into his second stage.

Although what I saw before me didn’t resemble what Sliggoo looked like in my head. Looked like he was living in some kind of metal tire.

I looked around for my partner in crime, “Hey Akari, come check this out!”

“Yeah?” She called, running over, “Oh my…did…did he evolve?”

“That’s right, c’mere buddy!” I gave Sliggoo a hug. Sliggoo seemed happy, but a cold soppy sensation caused me to rethink my decision. “Erg….” I backed away, now covered in the gloopy purplish fluids of Sliggoo. “Guess I didn’t think that through….” I muttered, as Akari laughed.

A hot shower and a change of clothes later, and I was back in Galaxy Hall, with Wanda and a much happier Zeke. “Thank you for saving Wanda yet again! I’m so glad we have the Survey Corps to rely on.” The latter said, “I got chilled to my marrow when I heard my sister was caught up in a Pokémon attack this time. If only she could get herself assigned to patrolling the village for a while, nice and safe….”

The star pieces were nice rewards, as I’d take anything to help with monetary matters. I headed back out to the village, wondering where Akari went off to. After all, I’d keep working with her if I could help it.

“Excuse me, mister Survey Corps!” A familiar woman got my attention, “I’ve created the perfect pickle recipe thanks to Geodude! Are you curious?”

I wanted to run off to the fields with Akari, but it’d probably be a dick move to just ignore this chick. “Uh, sure, sure. What is it?”

“Tell you what, my dear…you help me gather the ingredients, and I’ll teach you the recipe! I’ll need two hunks of Crunchy Salt, two pods of Plump Beans, and two King’s Leaves.”

Did I have all of that? I think so, “Be right back.” I headed towards my trunk.

“Do you have everything?” Her expression brightened as I returned.

“Yup, think so.” I handed all the ingredients over.

“Lovely! I already have the Sand Radishes that I need, so let’s get pickling!” She started preparing the food in one of the pots she had outside of her house. I watched calmly, with arms crossed. “Now for the final step.” She placed a lid on, “All we need to do is put Geodude on top of the pot, and we’re done!”

She placed Geodude on top of the simmering pot, and it glowed white, evolving into a Graveler right before us.

“What in the world?!” She was shocked, “Gosh! Geodude changed shape! Is this that ‘evolution’ business I’ve heard people talk about?”

A small nod. Wait, you mean to tell me I can evolve my Pokémon just by making pickles with them?

“And the pickles, let’s see how the pickles taste.” Once they were done, she reached for one to have a bite. “Oh my. This, this is twice as good as I expected. I’ll call it the…Twice-Spiced Radish! It truly is the perfect pickle dish!” She smiled, “Why, with the help of Pokémon, there’s no limits to what a cook can accomplish! Thank you so much for helping me out!”

I nodded, “Of course, all in a day’s work.”

“Sorry I took so fucking long.”

“Request?” Akari guessed.

“Uh, yeah…I was uh…seeing something through to the end.”

She snorted, “Care to make it sound less cryptic?”

“Uh…was helping a lady make the perfect pickle recipe.”

“Oh, I see.” She laughed, “I see why you kept it vague, had to pretend you were doing something cool and mysterious!”

“Alright, lay off.” I frowned, scanning the Cobalt Coastlands ahead of us. “Didn’t take that long to get here….”

“What was the reward?”

“…uh, the recipe to her pickles.”

“Do you like pickles?”

“Not as much as that lady.”

She laughed again, “Alright, so what’s the plan? What were you after?”

“Two Pokémon, actually. Remoraid and Mothim.”

“Oh.” She blinked, “I see…interesting choices. They don’t really have to do with one another, do they?”

“No, no…just, just some loose ends I need to tie up.” Wasn’t going to tell her that I needed both entries done to cover my ass, more or less.

“I see, well…I’ve seen some Mothim around here before, I think.”

“Yeah, you can go after them, I’ll grab some Remoraid.” I resolved, “Gonna involve swimming around with Basculegion, but….”

She looked at me, “We can work on another Pokémon if you want.”

“No, no…this is all about conquering fears.” I said, “We’ll split up for now, but if shit goes down, holler.”

It was a gradual process, but I was successful in catching some Remoraid. Gradual because it was impossible to catch the damn things without a battle. Same was said for its evolution, but Octillery was on land, and therefore easier to get the jump on. I suppose with Basculegion jetting around it was rather hard to catch any of these Water-types without being spotted.

After I caught enough of them, I returned to land, heading to Veilstone Cape. Which I suppose was a mistake, because I was instantly reminded of the picnic we had a couple weeks ago. Off to the side I noticed some Growlithe, wild ones. Neat, I suppose I could work on a Pokédex entry for them. I began sneaking towards the dog Pokémon.

An unfortunate twig snapping under my boot alerted the Growlithe, and they started barking at me. Shit. I bolted, as I supposed I could’ve battled them. But taking on that many at once would be a huge risk, not to mention a waste of supplies depending on who got injured. I could just as easily try to sneak up on some another time. But I’d have to be careful, or use a Wing ball, as they seemed to have excellent hearing.

There were some Glameow skittering around, but they were old news. Although there was a particular Fire-type who I hadn’t seen here before, with its six tails it was hard to mistake them. I crouched down in nearby tall grass. Maybe this time I would get lucky.

One Wing ball later, and I had myself a Vulpix. I tried to repeat the process, as there weren’t enough for me to fill out a page, most likely. But having more than one would never hurt.

After working in two areas today, I figure I should maybe head to Galaxy Hall to take a glance at the noticeboard and then go to the Alabaster Icelands. As that seemed to be where the plethora of new requests were coming from. Although I didn’t make it very far past the lobby.

“Ah, if it isn’t one of our beloved customers!” I heard someone say, turning around to see a Ginkgo Guild merchant. “Might I trouble you to help me with a little survey work?”

“Sure, that’s what I’m here for.” I said.

“In my family, we always passed around tales of some ancestor that lived in a village near the Avalanche Slopes. But I’ve never been able to find hints of such a settlement existing. I’m beginning to doubt the tales are true. But everyone wants to know where they came from, don’t they? See if you can find any evidence of people living around the Avalanche Slopes.”

I nodded, “Right away sir.” Killed two birds with one stone, as I was going to head to the Icelands anyway. After checking the board for anything, I headed to the gate.

The cold billowing winds were rather unforgiving, as I tried to keep marching forward. God I hated this place, even fully bundled up I still felt fucking cold. Like it or not, I had shit to do, however. I could always try to work on some of the Ice-types around here, depending on how murderous they were feeling.

There was also that mysterious settlement that merchant was talking about. I had no idea where Avalanche Slopes was, so I had to confer with the professor on that one. I really wanted to find the Pearl Clan settlement, but the request was more important. Besides, running to the Pearl Clan was impulsive to say the least. Seeing Irida right now…I don’t know, with my luck, I’d run into Gaeric, he’d get fucking mad and it’d create a scene.

Balloon guy was back, this time his course took up most of the Icelands. And let me tell you, it was not a thrilling experience. Well, I suppose it was thrilling, in the way that dangerous carnival rides are. As I needed to use practically every Pokémon blessed by almighty Sinnoh that I had. I figure if I kept practicing the course, I’d get over my fear of using Braviary, maybe. But even then, I still had apprehensions on using Basculegion. So, the bird Pokémon would likely take longer. At least he gave me three nuggets for my troubles.

I took a brief break at the Icepeak Camp, figuring it wise to regain my energy before I go out hunting for this lost civilization or whatever. I looked over, “You doing okay, Brice?”

Brice was sat huddled over a dwindling fire. “It’s so cold, I can’t feel my fingers! I can’t work like this! I just want to earn my way up through the ranks…but to do that, I need to at least get warm enough to feel my fingers…do you think you could bring me a Pokémon that’s good at manipulating flames? Then it could keep this fire roaring!”

I pondered over it. I actually didn’t have too-too many extra Fire-types lying around. Although I’m pretty sure I had a spare Vulpix. “Yeah, just gimme a second.”

Took a bit of talking to the guard by camp, but eventually we got one of my Vulpix from the pastures. “Here you go.”  

Brice grinned as Vulpix breathed fire onto the kindling in front of us, revitalizing the flames. “Ah, I’m already feeling much warmer, thanks to this Pokémon of yours! Now I can get back to work…though, now that I’m all warm and comfortable…my eyes are….” He fell asleep, jolting upward after a moment, “Gah! No, I wasn’t sleeping! I swear!”

He gave me an experience candy large and three Full Restores. Whether as a thank you, or to buy my silence on the sleeping thing, I had no idea.

Journeying across the tundra, I figured it’d be wise if I kept working on the Pokédex. I think there were some Chimecho by a lake or something. Maybe I’d catch a few of them. Didn’t have an inherent priority to, I just had a soft spot for Hoenn Pokémon.

Right, right, the hidden village, the hidden village. Alright, I wasn’t going to get distracted anymore. I began searching the Avalanche Slopes. Although it was a large area, so this may take a while, and it was getting sort of late too.

There were a pair of Snorunt off to the corner. It looked like they were observing something, but as my boots crunched through the snow, they scurried off. What the hell were they looking at?

I picked up the curious clue. Seemed to be an old raggedy journal. One which I could barely just make out the writing.

February 5

I was on my way back to the village when a blizzard rolled in. I decided to take refuge for the night in one of the mountain huts. I awoke due to some noise. Before me stood…a beautiful…in a kimono…our eyes met, and beauty stole the breath from…my breast…a terrible beauty. I closed…eyes…waiting for…to pass…leaving nothing but……driven snow…

Well, half the goddamn words were missing, half the pages were missing. Would I get lucky and find more of the journal out here? Maybe I could follow those Snorunt, they seemed to know something. Or maybe I was just going insane.

Which way did the Snorunt go? Luckily they were orange, sticking out like a sore thumb in these snowy condition. Ah, there the little bastards were. Got more pages for me? They ran off at the sight of me, which I suppose I should’ve expected by now.

What I did not expect was for a Froslass to take their place. She gave her chilling cry, prepped for attack. I swore under my breath, fumbling for a Poké ball. “Go Infernape!”

Froslass actually had the first move, forming a shadowy ball to pelt Infernape with. Luckily, he withstood the hit. “Flare Blitz!” I ordered. In a flurry of flames, Infernape defeated the wild Froslass. As she fled, I noticed that she dropped something. Something paper.

I hurried over, flipping through the pages. Seemed to be the same handwriting as the journal I just found.

September 1

Hard to believe it’s been years now…I’ve been living…village…I was reminded of the…I met once…in an odd way…it reminds me of…that I met that day…but I live in…real world…not…not…tales…

January 3

Why did I do it? Why did I speak…to my dear? I regret it…but…no…time for regrets now…all that remains….driven snow…

Well, something was clearly here, although I couldn’t comprehend it with so many pages missing. The Ginkgo Guild merchant would be happy. But it was getting late. Fuck this place at nightfall, I was going to bed. And the merchant was likely asleep too, so I’d have to show him this journal the following morning.

Chapter Text

Alright, after I was done with these entries, I would show my Pokédex to Captain Cyllene for a progress report. Then I’d also hand the journal in to that merchant. Looks like today was going to be another day of hard work.

Scatters steel-colored scales as it flaps its wings. Despite being observed feeding primarily on the nectar of flowers, Mothim is not often seen around flower gardens.

Wasn’t it worrisome, that all these days could potentially blend together and I’d be none the wiser? Suppose it was better than having my guts torn out by nobles.

Spits water from its mouth with incredible accuracy. It captures Burmy by shooting them down off the branches from which they dangle.

As happy as I was completing Remoraid’s Pokédex entry, I knew there were others, at least dozens more Water-types that could be found out in the ocean, which would be just as difficult to catch.

Goomy hides away in the shade of trees, where it’s nice and humid. If the slime coating its body dries out, the Pokémon instantly becomes lethargic.

I wonder what Pokémon I would go after today. After all, there were five areas, all sorts of different species. World was my oyster.

Cyllene read over my notebook carefully as I stood before her desk. “Rather thorough.” She commented after a bit of time.

“Akari and I worked hard.” I answered.

“Hmm. You have made some progress. Seems you’ve earned yourself a star.”

My seventh star? I wouldn’t question it whatsoever. “Thank you, ma’am.”

“Here, take this. It’s a recipe you’ll need for crafting.”

I read the slip over. Gigaton balls? I’ll admit my usage of the Heavy balls was quite lacking, even their upgraded variants. Still, having the option to use different kinds of equipment was never bad. “Much appreciated.”

“Continue to dedicate yourself to the Pokédex if you hope to rise higher in the ranks.”

Alright, that was done, had to hand in this journal to the Ginkgo Guild merchant next. Hopefully he’d still be waiting in the lobby like he was yesterday.

“Did you find any trace of a settlement that might once have been around the Avalanche Slopes?” He asked.

“Yeah, I got this journal…really weird…it was like, buried under some snow, some Snorunt were looking at it.” Strange, thought I put it in that pocket of my satchel. Did I put it someplace else, or, or leave at my quarters? That doesn’t sound like something I’d do, though. Man, I gotta keep this thing organized, but I didn’t think it was this bad. Where the hell was it?

“I…I don’t have it.” I said rigidly. “But…but dude, I swear I found some journal out there, in the Icelands. There were a couple Snorunt guarding it, kinda…but then they scurried off. But a Froslass came in, and I had to battle it. When she was defeated, she dropped the second half of the journal.” I realized the more I told the story, the more insane it sounded. Great, how was I going to explain this to my superiors? This really spat on the integrity of the Survey Corps.

He looked on eagerly, “Well, don’t leave me in suspense! What in the world did it say?”

He wanted me to recount a journal with half its words and pages missing from memory? “Uh…well…it sounded like some person living in…well, a snowy village. Apparently, they met this beautiful person, or, I don’t know what, in a kimono. Most of the entries that were left were referencing what they saw…the snowy kimono.”

“Hmm, that lines up exactly with the stories I heard from my old gran at the village…which means that it’s true! My ancestors really did come from a village that once existed there! You have no idea how many years I’ve wondered if I could believe those old tales or not. I really owe you a great deal for looking into this for me and clearing up my doubts.”

“Y-Yeah…sure, no problem.” I nodded, surprised I was able to make the guy so happy.

“But you still have to wonder….” He pondered, “Why would a Pokémon be carrying an old journal that once belonged to a human? And it disappeared? I wonder if…somehow, it returned to that Pokémon again.”

It was definitely something to think about, as I left Galaxy Hall. The Dawn Stone I got in return was nice, as it could help me with Froslass or Gallade’s Pokédex entry.

“Oh, CJ! Perfect timing, as always!”

I stopped short at Arezu’s greeting, as she sat in front of her place of business, one leg crossed over the other. I smiled at her. “Need something?” Yes, please keep sitting like that forever.

“I could use your help coming up with some more hairstyles. I’m hitting another wall here.” She admitted. “Now I bet I could get inspiration from a different Pokémon this time, like…yeah, Kirlia! I can’t remember how it looks exactly, but I’m pretty sure it has a real distinct style. I bet if I could study one nice and close, it would get me out of this block.” She smiled back, “If you catch a Kirlia, bring it here so I can have a look, ‘kay?”

A firm nod. Unlike Misdreavus, I think I already had some Kirlia to spare at the pastures. “Be back in a second.”

Her eyes widened as I wandered back over. “Oh, did ya already get that Kirlia?”

I tossed the Poké ball out, “Yeah, I had one in the pastures.”

Arezu paced around the little Psychic-type. “You know, they say Kirlia just loves to dance. I kinda get it…that feeling when your hair sways around you while you’re dancing…it’s the best! Yeah, yeah, that’s the sort of hairstyle I want to go for. Now, how to gather up the hair the right way? And where should it be let down? Hmm….” She thought about it, gradually smiling, “Aha, I got it! Boy, I owe you and Kirlia big time!”

“Anytime.” I flashed a grin.

She smirked, “I actually did have a reward for you. But, but it’s not here yet.” Her eyes darted around, “Think it’ll be here around, around evening time, that okay with you?”

I chuckled, “Sure. See ya Arezu.”

“Glad you’re here.”

“Your message was kinda easy to decode.” I shut the door behind myself, “Although I guess hidden enough. So where’s the delivery?”

“Look, I was just playing it safe. There are a lot of kids in the village.” She shrugged, “Figured hearing the phrase I’ll blow you tonight for the favor wouldn’t be a good thing for them to hear.”

I snorted, “No, probably not.”

She was holding two teacups, “I made you tea.” She sat at the counter.

“Ah, thanks.” I sat at the stool next to her, taking a generous sip.

“Wait, shit, it’s hot.”

I made a face, though I swallowed it down, “Ah…yes. Yes it is.”

She blinked at me, “You okay?”

“I’ll survive.” I looked around the empty parlor. “So no one else is coming tonight?”

“Nope. No more appointments.” She said, “What, want to have me to yourself all night?”

“I mean, both of us coming at the end of the night is a nice thing to have, right?”

“Maybe tonight it’ll just be me.” She smirked, “Get you back for those times I sucked you off and you ran away.”

“Sure, yeah, whatever.” I shrugged, drinking more tea.

“CJ, I’m kidding.”

“Okay, well I don’t care either way.” I said, “As long as I’m spending time with you.”

She watched me have another large gulp. “Jeez, someone’s thirsty.”

“Yeah.” In more ways than one, “Well I’ve been doing a lot of work out there…nice to just, sit down and relax.”

“Did you and Iscan ever find that—”

“Sea prince? Yeah.” I nodded, “It’s on my team now.” A smile.

She snickered, “Should’ve figured as much.”

“Recently we’ve been uh…or I’ve been focusing on the, the Alabaster Icelands. Which, which sucks cause it’s so goddamn cold.”

“Ooh, yeah…gets chilly there.”

“Pearl Clan really live there?” I confirmed, and she nodded. “God, I’d hate that.” Almost seemed like both clans picked the two most inhospitable biomes to live at. I wonder why that was?

“Guess the tea’s nice, huh?”

“You bet.” Another generous sip, “It’s also like, my favorite kind.” I noted, enjoying the green tea with a hint of honey.

A quiet snicker, “Well that’s cause it’s one of my favorites too.”

“God, things have just been crazy lately…glad everything’s finally calming down.”

“Well you did quell two nobles since the last time we spoke.”

I raised a brow, “One noble. Would’ve brought up Electrode more, it’s just that somebody decided to hop in the bathtub and distract me.”

She cackled, “Aw, was CJ powerless against my feminine wiles?”

I tried to reminisce, “Nah, but we talked about Melli though…right? Yeah, I think we talked about that, at least.”

“Right, was Avalugg worse or better?”

My shoulders slumped in disappointment with myself. “A mix, really. Like, sure, there was no Melli, but Avalugg nearly fucking killed me. I mean, I say that with all the nobles but…I’m just…I’m sick of it, you know?” I frowned, “Sick of being some outsider, someone distrustful. I mean, sure, the Galaxy Team love me…but I feel like there’s always gonna be some stragglers from the Diamond Clan or Pearl Clan who just…won’t ever like me…and it really sucks.”

She let a silence pass, “I mean, at least you don’t ever have to do that again, right? Like…you don’t have to deal with frenzied nobles. You don’t have to encroach on anyone else’s territory. You can just like, chill.”

“Yeah, this is assuming the rift doesn’t spit something worse out.” I looked at her, “Like, sure, it’s smaller, but it’s still there.”

“Well….” Momentarily she was at a loss, “I feel like more people like you than dislike you, at the very least.”

I suppose it was reassuring. I felt a chill. I looked at my empty teacup, as I finished long before she did. “Can I ask you something?”

“Mmm-hmm?”

“Can you put your feet in my lap?”

Her lips almost twitched into a smile, likely expecting some serious, heart-wrenching question. She lifted her legs and set them into my lap. One of her boots softly rubbed against my crotch. “That better?”

“Ah, ah…okay, Arezu…I, I w-wouldn’t do that….” God, I wanted her to keep grinding her boot against my clothed dick, but a practical part of me figured that wouldn’t be a good idea.

“Pfft, what, you can nut from just that?”

“Not sure. But I really don’t feel like figuring it out right now.”

She laughed, “Alright, I’ll stop.”

“I mean, feel like I’ve wanted you to step on me since like…the day we propositioned this, you that surprised?”

“I guess not.” She watched with mild interest as I gently took her boots off, taking a sip of her tea. The foot massage she somehow did not expect. “Oh…o-okay….” Her shoulders melted. “Didn’t know you were going to do that….”

I blinked. “Really.”

“Well I mean, you always like, deepthroat them…I didn’t know you….”

“Sometimes.” I made sure to get her ankles too. “Thanks for this.”

“Well I mean, thanks for getting me Kirlia.” A beat, “Not that, I mean, we’d fuck anyway, but.”

“The Gardevoir line was always one of my favorites.” I mused, “I was familiar with them, back where I was from.”

“Wait, there are Pokémon in your world?”

“Uh…yeah?” Did I not tell her? God, I really fucked first and asked questions later, didn’t I? “How else would I know what the hell I’m doing with battling?”

“What were they like?” She asked, “Were they like the ones in Hisui?”

“Some of ‘em, yeah.” A nod, “That’s why I can recognize ‘em.”

“Hmm.” She thought for a few moments, relaxing from the thorough foot rub. “Who’s your favorite Pokémon?”

Blaziken. “In Hisui? Probably Decidueye…if not, I don’t know, I’m probably being biased. Cause I’d be long dead without Decidueye.”

She nodded, “He was really cool when he fought Lilligant with you.”

I nodded back, “God, and that’s not even considering all the crazy stuff happening in the village. Choy and Tao Hua’s grudge is just because he’s a salty in-law. Can you believe it?”

“Oh yeah, I saw that shitstorm go down.” She smirked, “Did you forget my building is right next to his?”

“Hmm.” I hummed, “Maybe that’s why we haven’t been figured out yet. Because Choy and his wife are too busy fucking for us to be noticed.”

She snorted, “Pfft, sure.”

“What else happened recently?” I mused, “Set up another camp in the Icelands…Wanda went missing, again. Helped some lady find a Blissey…helped someone with a Swinub.”

“They keep you busy, by the sound of it.”

“Well actually I got promoted today too.”

“Oh yeah?” She asked with a smile, “What’s that, seven stars?”

“Yeah.” I grinned back, “What do you say we move this into your private quarters…not sure we should do anything explicit in…in the parlor itself.”

“Oh, you mean like the very innocent foot massage you’re giving me?”

“Well, I meant like, getting come everywhere, but yeah.”

She chuckled and shook her head, as we both got up. “What an eloquent, chivalrous man I’m courting with tonight.” She teased.

Our clothes got discarded liberally the closer we got to her futon. I was quick to pin her to the wall, having a full-on make out session with her. She hummed into my mouth, her back lightly banging against the wall during our kissing. She felt up my cock, grinning, “Jeez, my feet really do get you off, huh?”

“Yup.” I grunted, “Doesn’t really come as a surprise anymore, does it?”

“So like…if I stepped on your dick…with boots, without them, think you’d make it…or…?”

“I…maybe we could try that another time, Arezu…I…I….”

She was about to keep teasing, until she saw how serious my expression looked. “You’re overwhelmed, I get it.” A gentler kiss to my lips, “That’s okay, I’ll just let you take it out on me.” She lowered herself to lay back on her futon. “Go ahead.”

“I….” I carefully mounted her, “Next time, you can top, I promise—”

“CJ, it’s okay.” She swatted a hand, “Some nights, you top, some nights, I top. Don’t overthink it.”

I was bad at that. I leaned in to kiss her on the lips. I let out a sigh, gradually reaching up to fist that beautiful red hair. She relaxed at my treatment, letting out a sudden low grunt as my erection brushed up against her hips. “CJ….” She hissed.

I left a searing kiss on her neck, kissing down to about her chest. After that I rose and palmed both breasts, causing her to reel in ecstasy even more. “Is this too hard?”

“N-No….” She bit out, even though it sounded like it was. “To most women…maybe…but, but not to me.”

I’d have to ask about that later. I kneaded her breasts a little bit harshly, pressing at her nipples on occasion to really send her into a state. “Do you prefer me using my mouth, or…?”

“Use whatever the hell you want, sweetheart….” She panted.

I anchored an arm around her, moving in to suck on her tit. As my tongue went over her nipple, she grunted, raising a hand to her mouth to mute a groan while her free hand fisted some of the blankets. “God, you have nice tits….” I said as I took a moment to breathe.

“T-Thanks…ah…thanks hon.” She panted as I went back in for more.

Once I was finished with both breasts, her hips were quivering madly, seemed like she was arguably as close as I was. I moved further back, kissing her stomach dearly, smoothing my hands up and down her hips as I licked over her navel a few times.

“CJ! CJ!” She gasped urgently.

“What’s the matter?” I smirked as I looked up, “How come anytime I’m extremely horny, it’s funny, and when you are, it’s a dire situation?”

“It’s not your sheets on the line here.” She hissed.

“Fair enough.” I moved down anyway, kissing her hips, legs, inner thighs. She gave a brief groan, clawing at the blankets as she tried to stop herself from making anymore noise. My kisses grew hotter, wetter, not helping with her endurance. She spread her legs, giving me a pleading look. Just as I was about ready to go to town on her pussy, she yanked me up by the hair, a sudden yelp coming out of me in the process.

We were now face-to-face. “Hi.” I said meekly.

“Hey.” A tired smile, “Fuck me.”

“Is that an order?”

“Yes.” She clawed my ass, “Yes it is.”

I eased into her slowly, making sure not to be too rough at the beginning. At least until she figured ‘fuck it, rail me’ as she quickly fought for a faster speed. I held her close, starting to wonder if she was into being treated so harshly. “You good?”

A rather long sigh, “T-That answer your question…?”

“Guess so.” I smirked.

“W-What about you…you good?”

“Yeah, don’t worry about me…the foot massage was basically foreplay for me.”

“Course it was.” The roll of the eyes, as well as a dazed smile.

Like some competitive fiend, I waited for her to come undone first, before plowing into her harder myself. A gentle sigh escaped my lips, as I lost myself in an orgasm shortly after she did. My hands smoothed up and down her sides peacefully, rhythmically, perhaps as an opposing force to the jarring strikes I was giving her pelvis at the moment. When we concluded, we both laid there for a few moments, which was par for the course at this point.

“Christ, you’re a lot louder than I am….” I muttered.

“Pfft, only most of the time.” She argued playfully. “I should suck you off again one of these nights, that gets you real loud.”

“Well, we can’t exactly afford to be loud all the fucking time.”

“Eh, guess not.”

After we cleaned up, I redressed myself, while she got ready for bed. “Goodnight Arezu.”

“Night CJ.”

Chapter Text

“Ah, just the person I’ve been waiting for!” Keaka smiled, “My Keokeo wandered off to go play, but they haven’t come back yet. Do you think you could help me find them?” The Security Corps member asked.

Right, this guy was from Alola, wasn’t he? “Uh…just to be clear, you mean Vulpix, right?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Back home in Alola, Vulpix were called Keokeo, you see.” He looked back as he heard a quiet bark, “Oh, did you not go play with the others?” Turned out to be one of his Vulpix, but it was pure white. “This is what an Alolan Vulpix looks like.” He explained, “They blend right in with the snow given their white fur. So trying to find them all by myself would take ages. Five of them are missing, they should be by the Avalanche Slopes. Could you find them all and tell them to come back?”

Ah, this was going to be a bit more chaotic than I first thought. I had no idea what to expect from the noticeboard when I took his request. It just mentioned something about Vulpix. If I knew I had to wrangle five of them back to their owner, I would’ve prepared a little bit differently. “Yes sir, I’ll be as quick as I can.”

The Avalanche Slopes again. It was quiet the last time I was here. But then again, it was dusk, could’ve been a completely different story in the morning.

Keaka wasn’t kidding when he said that it was hard to see them because of their fur. They blended in entirely too well. I’m sure I was missing them several times as I surveyed the area. On a nearby hill, there were some Aipom, as well as the evolution, Ambipom. Although the latter could get very nasty if they spotted you, so it wasn’t a smart idea to engage with them while I was trying to find these missing Vulpix.

I found one of them sniffing at a Vivichoke. Getting down to its level, I explained that it should go back to Keaka, and it ran off. I then pocketed the Vivichoke. Four left.

Up a nearby hill, there was a Glalie floating around angrily, patrolling like some security guard or something. Another Pokémon that liked to hunt me down in this biome like the grim reaper incarnate. Knowing my luck, there’d be an oblivious Vulpix past it too.

Along my searching, I came across a greater find. A Gible wandering around. I crouched down, trying to find tall grass, but there wasn’t nearly as much here in the tundra. I wasn’t worried about tipping of the Gible per se. I was more worried about the alpha Garchomp three feet to the left of him.

I tossed a Wing ball, but the shot went wide, and Gible was quite angry, glaring daggers at me. Shit. I ran down the hill as fast as I could, not wanting to be killed. Whatever, I didn’t like the Garchomp line anyway. Getting destroyed by Cynthia’s left quite the impression on me when I was younger, flinching my Torterra (my starter) to death with Dragon Rush, and Earthquaking my Empoleon. (Got him from a friend).

At least my frantic chase led me to the second Vulpix, who I was able to guide back to Keaka.

The third Vulpix, I needed Sneasler to get up to. It was high atop a cliff. How the Vulpix got up here was beyond me, but I directed it back, same as the other two.

I spotted a Chansey a bit higher up. Ah, perfect, if I caught one of them, we could revolutionize medical practice forever. I prepared a Wing ball, trying to throw it from afar. Unfortunately, I missed again, and Chansey ran off, disappearing into the snow flurries.

I tugged at my hair. Damn it, god damn it. Why the hell am I missing so much? What is this slump I’m in? An angry huff, the good news was it didn’t take too much longer to find the other two Vulpix.

Had to admit, the Vulpix all surrounding Keaka looked quite adorable, some of them rolling around in the snow, some sitting attentively. “Thanks for helping me search for them.” The Security Corps member nodded. “They’re all back, safe and sound.”

A nearby Vulpix purred, nudging his leg, then it walked over to rub my leg. “Oh, seems this one’s taken a liking to you! You’re free to have it, if you wish. I’m sure it’ll help you with your survey work.”

I was taken aback, “Are, are you sure?”

“Positive. I know you’ll take good care of them.” He nodded with a smile.

I smiled back, “Thank you sir.”

I continued scouring the tundra for new Pokémon to catch, or materials to forage. As much as I disliked this place, I had to get used to it one way or another.

As a snowy gust of wind cleared, I saw it. Pink tents, some of which coated in snow. My jaw fell open. Was it, did I actually wander towards the Pearl Clan settlement?

“You came all the way out here to visit our cold home?” A woman judgmentally looked me up and down.

Alright, be cool CJ. Don’t say anything fucking stupid.

“What can I say.” I rested my mittened hands in my pockets, as it was the default position of mine in an area as cold as this one. “Guess I’m just a curious guy.”

“Were you just passing through, or…?” She looked ahead, seemed to be nothing past the settlement other than endless mountains, “Because you won’t be doing much passing through, if you know what I mean.”

A shrug, “Guess I’ll leave then. Don’t want to disturb the peace.”

“Well, I could…I could show you around.” She shrugged back, “You’re the Galaxy Team’s Survey Corps guy everyone’s talking about, right? The guy who quelled all the nobles? I think an exception can be made.”

“Alright, as long as I’m not causing any trouble.”

There were just as many kids playing around in this settlement as in the Diamond one. Although I quickly got stares as this woman started leading me around. “I hope you’re not hungry.” She said, “We don’t exactly have food to spare for an outsider.”

“Don’t worry.” I said, “Plenty of food back in Jubilife Village.”

A piercing look, but she faced ahead again. “I envy you. The climate you live in, I suppose. If it were not for the Ginkgo Guild, we’d be much worse off than we already are.”

“So…so why not move?”

“Move.” She sounded incredulous, “This is the exact location where our ancestors settled, where they met almighty Sinnoh, ruler of space. It would be desecration of the highest level if we moved.”

Figured it was a stupid question. “Sorry.” I said, “So, what’s your name?”

“Dominia.” She answered.

“Right, I’m CJ.”

“CJ. Yes, now I recall.” She said, “You’re the one who’s gaining favor with so many of the descendants of the Pokémon blessed by almighty Sinnoh.” She mused, “Born from the ten companions who fought alongside the ancient hero.”

And to think, I knew or at least had a passing knowledge to all ten of them at this point.

“But Irida was raised to become leader for so long…since she was practically a baby.” An old woman mused nearby, seemed I was overhearing a debate of sorts. “She never really had a…well, had a childhood. Didn’t have many friends her age growing up. I don’t think you’re considering these things.”

“Pfft, I suppose it makes it all the more obvious then.” A guy grunted, “I think Palina would’ve made a better leader.”

“Not to mention the loss of her parents…she never knew what her mother’s face looked like, even.” The old lady kept arguing passive-aggressively.

Least until they both noticed me. “Can we help you?” The man frowned.

I blinked, “Ah, sorry about that. Guess I got turned around.” Dominia practically tugged me away from the argument. “Man, I’m just surprised at how identical this place is to the Diamond Clan settlement.”

“I would bite your tongue on their name for now.” She frowned, “We are in a feud with them, after all.”

“Right, sorry.” A beat, “Guess it’s not all sunshine and rainbows over here, huh?”

“No, sometimes it feels like it never really has been.” She muttered, “I had a friend here once, when I was younger. Croagunk was her partner Pokémon. But she didn’t care for the clan much. She always insisted that we don’t do anything.” A pause, “I wonder where she is now….”

Coin.            

“Did you want to see our hot springs?”

“No, I think I’m good. I should probably get going.” I said, “Don’t want to cause anymore trouble.” Damn right I needed to get the fuck out of here. This place was just making me feel emotional, distracted me from working on the Pokédex. Last thing I needed to hear about right now is Irida. As if I needed another reason to give the poor girl a hug.

“Well, there was actually a reason I let you observe our way of living.” She crossed her arms behind her back, “I wanted something in return.”

I raised a brow, “Yeah?”

“Well, I’ve heard you’re studying Pokémon and making a little book about them.” She smiled, “Does that mean you’re also studying my dear, beloved Bergmite?”

“If it’s a Pokémon, we’re studying it.”

“No, I cannot allow it.” She frowned, “That means you’ll know more about Bergmite than I do, right?” A pause for me to answer, though I didn’t indulge the absurdity of this. “I’m absolutely convinced no one loves or understands Bergmite as much as I do! But…if you manage to complete its entry in your book, I’d like for you to show it to me. As Bergmite’s number one fan in Hisui, I’ll make sure you haven’t missed any details.”

Alright, I guess I would study Bergmite today. I suppose it could’ve been worse, as they were relatively common in the tundra. I bid Dominia farewell, heading back into the chilling wastes.

Capturing and fighting Bergmite was fun and all, but I needed to get someplace warmer. Not that the Coronet Highlands were that much warmer, but I feel like I didn’t explore this area as much as some of the other ones. And if I wanted a completed Pokédex, it meant I had to catch every new species I found.

“Spheal! Spheal!” I heard some screaming. Ah, must’ve been the lone backpacker who was on the mountain with me. “Oh, thank goodness you passed by! Please, I need you to rescue my Spheal! It’s adorable, round body is causing it to roll down the hill, and its headed straight for Stonetooth Rows and Bolderoll Ravine!”

Ah, well that sounded bad.

“There are so many dangerous wild Pokémon down there!” He worried, “You’re that awesome Survey Corps recruit everyone keeps talking about, right? Please, save my Spheal!”

“Got it.” I bolted down the mountain as safely as I could.

Spheal wasn’t the only one rolling down the hill. There were plenty of Graveler rolling down the hill as well. Though aggressive, they didn’t frighten me much, as I could always have Decidueye one-shot them with a Leaf Blade if I needed to. I was much more worried about the Bronzor and Bronzong.

Every time I got close enough to the damn thing, it kept rolling faster down the hill. And it was a rather long and winding hill too. “Fuck this.” I got my flute out, summoning Wyrdeer so I could chase after Spheal quicker. Which in retrospect was a smart move because I narrowly avoided getting my ass mauled by an alpha Golem.

“Oh, my goodness Spheal! I can’t believe you rolled all the way down here!”

I dismounted Wyrdeer, seeing as we were on flat ground now and I doubt Spheal would roll any further. “Be careful.” I warned the villager, “Still a lot of wild Pokémon out.”

He nodded, “Here, let’s meet up back at the top.”

The three of us made our way back up to the top of the mountain. “Thanks to you, I was able to find Spheal, and without a scratch too!” The villager grinned. “Here, take this for your hard work!”

Ah, among the reward was a rare candy. “Thank you.”

“You’re going to be more careful now, aren’t you Spheal?” He lowered to Spheal’s level, petting his Pokémon gently.

“Stars look really pretty at night, don’t they?”

I followed Akari’s glance skyward. Damn, even stars and constellations made me think of her. Vast space, as she always referred to it. Were constellations different in this universe? Had to be. “Yeah….” I sighed. The tall grasses of the Obsidian Fieldlands blew in the weak breezes. We were both sitting on a log not too far away from camp.

“Long day?” She guessed.

“Kinda.” I muttered, “Gotta hand this completed Pokédex entry for Bergmite back to some lady in the Pearl Clan, but I don’t know if I feel like roughing it all the way through the Alabaster Icelands just to get to her.”

“Then you’ll have to forgive me for asking why we’re out here so late, if you’re so tired.” A small yawn, “It’s past my bedtime too, you know.”

I swatted a hand, “Eh, I gotta always follow you morning people’s routine. Maybe I want some revenge.”

“Right, I forgot about your nocturnal pride.” She joked.

“I’m hardly even nocturnal anymore.” I muttered, “You people fuck with my sleeping schedule so much, I don’t even know what I am anymore….”

“Still doesn’t sound like fun…heading through the Alabaster Icelands at night, regardless of what sort of person you are.”

“Nah, I’m probably not going to do it.” I stretched my arms out, “Unless I’m feeling brave. Lot of creepy shit goes on there at night.”

“Like what?”

“…you hear of Froslass?”

“…a little? I heard things from the rest of the Galaxy Team.”

“Well, they’re Ice and Ghost-type, and they can be trouble.” I recounted, “Or…I say they, but there can only be female Froslass.” I explained, “Anyway, there was this request I did the other day…some guy wanted to see if he had ancestors living in the Avalanche Slopes. This Froslass had a journal that I…well, stole from her. But by the time I made it back to the guy…the journal was gone.”

She blinked at me a few times, “That…that’s spooky.”

“Yeah, Ghost-types are on a whole ‘nother level compared to the other types.”

“So what are we doing out here then?”

“Simple. We’re going to fill out a page for Drifblim tonight.”

“You…you just talked about how scary Ghost-types can be, and now you want to fill out a Ghost-types page. At night, with an army of Drifloon separating us from our goal.”

“Yeah. Like I said, it’s to help conquer a fear.”

“It sounds risky, is all.”

“Akari, a lot’s changed since those Drifloon got me. I know what I’m doing now.” I sighed, “Besides, anything’s better than fighting the nobles….”

“Guess you have a point there.”

“I mean, most of the time, it wasn’t even the nobles.” I huffed, “It was the…the other clans, you know? The Diamond Clan and Pearl Clan could get so much shit done, if they weren’t being weighed down by their religious dogma. And don’t even get me started on their rivalry. With us. With each other. It’s ridiculous. It’s team sports, but with extra steps.” I shook my head, “We had shit like that going on in my world, two different groups wanting to take control of a single country. And it doesn’t exactly do us any favors.” She fell silent. Maybe I shot my mouth off a little bit, “Thanks for uh…letting me vent. You’re like, the only one I can really bitch about this to.” I said, “Cause the higher-ups will just repeat that we’re not allowed to test things with either clan, and then the clans themselves don’t take reconciling their differences well.”

She watched me for a brief moment, “It must’ve been so hard…dealing with all of that at once.”

“Eh, I just want to put it behind me for now.” I got my notebook out, “Can you shine that torch-lamp over this way? I wanna see if we nab anyone else while we’re out here.”

“Sure, sure.” Akari positioned the light over us, scooting over so that we could both see the notes. We blushed faintly, as we were sitting quite closely together, but neither of us commented on it.

“Mr. Mime.” I pointed at the listings page. “I think they can be found where we’re going to go Drifblim hunting.” I noted. “Maybe I’ll try to see if I can catch a few more, so we can round out his entry.”

“I could train my Mr. Mime too.” Akari offered, “If it helps.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I nodded, “I wanna see how many Pokémon from the Obsidian Fieldlands we can work on. I figure if we have this area fully surveyed, it’ll help boost my confidence to do the other areas.”

Akari read across the listings page as well. “Have we finished Ponyta yet?” She pointed.

I followed her gaze, surprised, “No, did I…did I really not?” I asked, “Hmm…guess I caught the one, and then that shiny one…but I never finished Ponyta. Well, that’ll be easy. Then we can get Rapidash too.”

“Rapidash?”

“Yeah, Ponyta evolves into a Rapidash.” I noted, “Takes a while, I think…but there is an evolution, least back on my world.”

“Oh, this is great!” Akari cheered, “Your insider knowledge is really going to help us get this Pokédex done.” She beamed.

I nodded back with a smile of my own, “I don’t think Staraptor is done either, I’ll have to train mine a bit more.” I stood up, “Well, point is, there’re a lot of easy pickings we have that we can use to bolster the Pokédex.” I said, “Now, let’s get Drifblim hunting.”

“You completed Bergmite’s entry?!”

Yes, I went back to the Icelands. At night. I’ll probably never do it again.

“Oh, what to do…?” Dominia sighed, “I want to look, but…on the other hand, I don’t want to look. Fine! I’ll look.” She snatched my notebook. “I see…wow…really?” She read the lines carefully. “I didn’t know that! Wow, you did a good job. I like the little height and weight section here.”

“Thank the professor for that one.” I noted, “He’s the one with all the measuring tape.”

“Well, seems you all studied Bergmite well.” She smiled, “I…I already knew all of what you wrote, of course, but…what? Why are you looking at me like that? I’m still the resident Bergmite expert!” She pouted, “Still, I…I appreciate the page you wrote.”

“Anytime.” I nodded. It was probably blind optimism, but if I showed people in the two clans that we were just trying to learn more about Pokémon, maybe they’d lower their guard around us.

Chapter Text

We made out like bandits last night, least I thought we did. Better than I expected, at the very least. And with any luck, today would just be like all the other day recently, and we’d make some decent headway.

It drifts along at dusk, perfectly silent. Its transient, melancholy aspect touches some people deeply…every so often, one will come upon a song or poem devoted to Drifblim.

Seemed as though Akari was running late this morning, not that I’d keel over without her visit, we usually decided on what location we were going to hit next for maximum results. Especially after things have been so peaceful, all the more sense to work on the Pokédex.

Lives on mountains blanketed in perennial snow. It freezes water vapor in the air to make the ice helmet that it dons for defense.

Maybe she was busy. Well, then I’d work on the Coronet Highlands or Alabaster Icelands today. Both areas weren’t very safe for Akari, with or without my supervision.

The whole village seemed a little strange today. Paranoid whispering and bickering.

“Did you hear…?”

“About that strange Pokémon in Galaxy Hall…?”

“How couldn’t I? Scared the hell out of me!”

“Well, what’s it doing there? Someone ought to step in!”

The murmurings made me speed up towards Galaxy Hall. Was there something wrong? Some Pokémon attack or something?

Inside the lobby, I could finally see what all the trouble was about. I actually mistook it for a person when I first walked by, given its similar size. But I could recognize the Anubis-looking Pokémon anywhere. “What? A Lucario?”

Lucario held its ground, looking me over cautiously.

I had no idea how strong this Lucario was, so I took a step back, half-nervously. What the fuck is a Lucario doing in Galaxy Hall?!

“Something the matter, Lucario?” A guy my age walked towards us. Looked to be from the Agricultural Corps, judging by the brownish uniform. Although the rice hat he wore was typically worn by the Security Corps. “I’m Rye.” He introduced. “And you are?”

“CJ.” Why the hell have I never seen this guy before?

“Nice to meet you.”

Lucario’s eyes widened, it raised a paw towards me, a blue glowing energy emanating from it as the Pokémon waved it over me like a metal detector. “What is it, Lucario?” Rye asked, “Ah, it seems he’s sensing a strong aura from you.”

Damn, that was cool as fuck. Kind of forgot Lucario was a Sinnoh Pokémon, and therefore fair game to be found in Hisui. I was pretty good at playing Lucario in Smash Bros.

“If you’re willing to battle us, you could always meet us at the training grounds.” Rye smiled.

That sounded amazing, “Count me in.” I grinned back, and we started making our way over.

We both stood opposite of one another at the training grounds. “CJ!” Akari called, by the sounds of things she had been looking for me for a while. “What are you doing here?”

“We’re about to have a battle, Akari.” I got a Poké ball ready, “Feel free to watch.”

“A battle, against who?” She asked, going pale at the sight of Lucario. “Oh, oh goodness….” She backed away, standing at my side.

“Let’s cut the small talk and get straight to the battle!” Rye called.

“Go Decidueye!” I sent out my starter.

“Lucario, use Close Combat!”

Lucario darted ahead quite quickly, pummeling Decidueye with an all-out attack of flying punches and kicks. Decidueye was knocked back. Although I knew Close Combat lowered defensive capabilities. And Lucario was frail enough as it was. Which left me with quite an opening.

“Triple Arrows! Strong style!” I ordered.

Decidueye delivered a kick, following it up with three arrows. The super-effective damage caused Lucario to faint.

Rye ran over to help heal his Pokémon. I could tell he was slightly surprised at how quickly it was decided. “That was a wonderful battle! Seems we need to redo our training, Lucario.” He got some Potions out, “Well, thank you for the experience. I can tell you’ve met many Pokémon over your time here. And it’s made you stronger. But we’re going to get stronger too, count on it!”

I gave a wave as Rye and Lucario left the training grounds. “Who the hell was that guy?” I asked.

“Rye.” Akari looked at me, “What, did he not tell you his name?”

“No, he did.” I said, “I just, I’ve never seen him here before. And I’ve almost been here two months now.”

“Oh, well…yeah…Rye’s in the Agricultural Corps…but, he likes to travel a lot…go off on his own.” She explained, “Still, I’ve never seen his Pokémon. That looked…scary. And yet you beat it so easily. You really are something.”

“Well, did you want to have our morning Pokédex meeting, see where we should go next?”

“Midmorning Pokédex meeting. And aren’t we training our Pokémon?” She asked, “You’re training Staraptor, and I’m training Mr. Mime?”

“You want to train for twelve hours straight….”

She frowned, “It wouldn’t be twelve hours. Inevitably something will come up to distract us.”

“God, I hate how right you are.” I started walking, recalling my Decidueye, as Akari walked at my side. “Speaking of which, I was going to check Galaxy Hall first, in case there’re any pressing requests.”

“Fair enough.” She mused, “They’re always the space-time distortions too.”

“The what?”

“CJ….” She frowned, “Do you not remember what I’ve been researching?”

“I mean…no, not…not really. Come on, a lot of shit has been going down. Run it by me again.”

“It’s those weird pockets of inter-dimensional space.”

“Oh, oh…I remember. With those strong Pokémon? I don’t know…sounds risky.”

“Really? You think it’s risky?”

“Pfft, I mean, yeah? I’m being careful for a change. I thought you’d be happy.”

“You make a good point, I guess.”

“I’ll look into them eventually, I’m just…I don’t know, I don’t want myself or my Pokémon getting hurt or killed in one of those.”

“Got it.” She resolved with a nod, “We’ll keep working on the Obsidian Fieldlands, then.”

“Yeah, I mean…might as well keep things simple.” I said, “Might try to evolve Sliggoo too…but, that might be beyond my control.”

“How does Sliggoo evolve?”

“Well, I’ll have to train with him…or use some of those candies. But it also has to be raining.”

“Huh…that’s…specific.” Her brows furrowed, “Is it because of like how…how gooey he is?”

“Maybe.” I shrugged, “Like I said, beyond my control though. I’ll just have to wait for a rainy day.”

There was a familiar face inside Galaxy Hall. “Zeke.” My smile fell, “Don’t tell me.”

“Wanda snuck out of the village without telling me, and she hasn’t come back!” He exclaimed, “I heard she was all bundled up for the cold too, so I’ve got a sneaking suspicion she went to the Alabaster Icelands.”

Akari was speechless. So was I. That battle was like, five minutes…how did she already get lost? Unless this transpired long before the Lucario stuff happened, in which case I should be more worried than annoyed.

“Whatever sent her out there, it doesn’t seem like it was an assignment from the Security Corps.” Zeke continued. “But what else would make her want to go to such a dangerous place alone? I need some help from you and that Ursaluna! Use the scent from the scraps of Wanda’s old kerchief, and search her out for me.”

Alright, this was seriously disgusting.

“And this time, I’ll go look for her myself as well! I can’t just stand by and rely on you every time she goes missing. I’m her brother. I can’t let her down now!”

“Wait, Zeke, don’t do it!” I held a hand out as he started to march off confidently. “It’s suicide to go to the Alabaster Icelands without decent preparation! The wild Pokémon there will make mincemeat outta you!”

“I’m coming Wanda, don’t worry!” He left the building.

“God fucking damn it.”

“What do we do?” Akari seemed nervous.

“Alright you go…go tell Professor Laventon, some guards, as many people as you can…try to…let’s try to reign this in before it gets too drastic.”

“Are you sure we should send a bunch of people out to the Alabaster Icelands at once?”

“Uh…ah, probably not. You’re right. I’ll go alone, I’ll keep an eye on Zeke, and I’ll try to find Wanda.” I looked at her, “You stay here, just, stay alert, in case something happens.”

“Oh, my savior! I was looking for you, you know!” Wanda sang as she came down the steps.

Akari made a face, “Savoir?”

“What the…?” I pointed a shaking finger at her, “What the fuck are you doing here?!”

“What am I doing here?” Her shoulders slumped, “Doing my job? That’s kind of an awful question, CJ.”

I lowered my arm, while Akari filled the guard in. “Um…your brother thought you went missing so…so he’s headed to the Alabaster Icelands to find you….”

“What? My brother went to the Alabaster Icelands?” Wanda panicked. “Zeke. That brother? The one who’s refused to step foot out of the village ever since he got attacked by some Shinx and got totally traumatized?”

Akari shuddered at the connection, while I spoke up. “Yes! That one! If we move fast, we’ll catch him before he goes too far!”

“Yes, we’ll find him at once. Please savior, help me find my brother!”

“And stop calling me that!”

“So what should we do?” Akari asked quietly.

“You stay here…Alabaster Icelands are fucking dangerous unless you know the place.” I said, “I’ll go…go look for Zeke, I guess.” I lowered my voice as Wanda stepped out of earshot, “And make sure Wanda doesn’t also get lost while I’m finding her brother.”

She nodded, “Right, got it.”

It was a long shot, but since Zeke held onto Wanda’s kerchief just as much as she did, I was hoping Ursaluna could pick up the scent without getting lost out here in the tundra. I swore under my breath. I needed to be fucking careful. Ursaluna was kind of like a big target in a way, and the wild Pokémon here were far from friendly.

I was led to a hole in the ground, which turned out to be an icy cavern. I cautiously dropped down, dismissing Ursaluna for the time being. “You! Wanda’s savior! Please help me!”

“Zeke!” I called, our voices echoing loudly in the cavern. I carefully walked over to him, “You good, buddy?”

“Oh gosh…can you and Sneasler get me back up there?” He looked up at the hole.

“Uh…Sneasler can’t climb ice, we’ll have to use Braviary—”

“H-Here it comes again!” Zeke screamed in fear, as an alpha Glalie floated towards us.

“Motherfucker.” Running away wasn’t really an option now. We had to fight. “Go Infernape!” I sent the monkey Pokémon out, “Flare Blitz!”

Infernape charged into the Glalie covered in flames. He dealt super-effective damage, but Glalie withstood the hit, probably because it was a fucking alpha.

I shielded my eyes as Glalie smashed Infernape back with a powerful Hyper Beam. It seemed absurdly strong, Infernape didn’t look like he’d last much longer. “Quick, Close Combat!”

Infernape dashed towards Glalie, and with a flurry of punches and kicks, the alpha Glalie was finally defeated. I took a sigh of relief, calling back my Pokémon.

“Goodness, thank you for saving me from that complete and utter disaster!” Zeke gave a weak smile, “But, but it’s no good! I still haven’t found Wanda!”

“Yeah, about that….” I got my flute out.

“What? About what? C’mon, this is serious, we have to find Wanda.”

“Let’s go back to camp first.”

With the help of Braviary, we got out of that hole and back to camp, where Wanda was waiting for us. “Did you find him, trusty savior?” She grinned.

Zeke’s jaw dropped, “W-Wait…you mean Wanda was fine all along? Oh…oh good, now I can pass out in relief….”

“I’m sorry I made you worry.” Wanda said.

“Never mind that! What were you thinking, going to a place like the Icelands without telling me?”

“Well, the truth is…that I came here for this!” Wanda handed me an icy rock.

I blinked at it. If I hadn’t played some of the newer games, I would assume she was ripping me off. But I believed this was an Ice Stone, for evolutionary purposes. Never knew when it would come in handy. “Thanks.” I said.

“I came to find the stone so that I could give it to you…my savior.” She said.

“Okay, stop.”

“I was told it was pretty rare, so I thought maybe it could help you with your survey work.” She smiled at her brother, “Aw, don’t look so sad Zeke, I got one for you too!” She looked at both of us, “I really owe you both so much. My savior, and the one always sending him after me. I’m going to keep working hard to be a great Security Corps member to pay you two back for everything you’ve done for me!” She started walking off, “C’mon Zeke, I’ve gotten really strong now, strong enough where I can make it back to village just fine!”

“Uh…that’s great Wanda…but the village is that way.” Zeke frowned.

“I…I knew that!” She stammered.

Zeke leaned towards me. “I still think Wanda’s going to need us to look after her for a little while. Or more like a long while…a really long while….”

“So that’s why she’s been calling you her savior.”

“Yeah…” I muttered, “Never said I was happy about it, though. Kinda like…overromanticizes the whole thing, in a weird way.”

“Yeah, well…at least she wants to get stronger as a Security Corps member.”

“Mmm….” I hummed, “Speaking of getting stronger, think I trained Staraptor enough for one afternoon. Think I’ll switch her back out with Crobat.”

“I trained Mr. Mime quite a bit too.” Akari noted, “Professor Laventon will be happy with our findings though!” A pause as she thought, “What should we tackle next?”

“Hmm….” I looked through the listings page, “There’s still Ponyta…Eevee’s gonna be a pain in the ass…gonna need like, eight of ‘em so I can evolve them in different ways. Cherubi can only be found in trees, rarely. Hmm…trying to find easy ones here…Buneary evolves into Lopunny, and there’s an alpha one in the Heartwood…sheesh, not sure I feel like doing that. Oh, I know, Golduck! There are a shit ton of them in the Cobalt Coastlands, let’s go there next.”

“Right, got it.” She nodded.

I smiled as I closed my notebook, “Hey, Akari?”

“Yeah?”

A soft chuckle, “I enjoy working with you. It’s a lot of fun.”

She giggled, “I enjoy working with you too CJ!”

“What’s this request about a Chimecho?” I wondered.

“Seems a Chimecho has made itself at home under the eaves of one of the village houses. Ida, I believe is who submitted the request.” Professor Laventon informed, “An elderly resident of the village.”

“Got it.” I nodded, “I’ll get to work on it right away.”

I headed outside, it was getting kind of late, a beautiful orange sunset once again covering the whole village. Ida lived near the pastures.