Chapter Text
Spring, 2004
Midnight, Mt. Moon
Miguel let out deep, deranged breaths. He felt like he was at the end of his rope.
This was it.
He was going to die here, empty-handed.
This would be where his collapsed and forgotten body would lie. He probably wouldn't be found for at least a few days.
He had no family. No friends. He was nobody worth remembering. His name would end here, and he'd still have nothing to show for it.
He tried to push those thoughts down. Miguel at least knew that letting himself spiral wouldn't be any help. Team Rocket was hounding him to hurry, and he was beginning to break under the pressure. He just needed to find those fossils and go home.
Home.
He scoffed at the notion.
He didn't have a home. He had a crappy motel room in Saffron City.
Soft drips of water echoed in the cave; trills of the nightlife added to the unease. Miguel had to keep reminding himself that not every ekans that slithered by was a grunt sneaking up on him, ready to beat him to a pulp.
Oh, Ho-Oh, he wanted to go home.
Even if it was just a lousy motel room.
The cave was cold, bitingly so. Dark and damp, he was sure a pack of zubats would fly at him at any moment.
Man, he deserved this. This was his punishment for being born. It had to be.
Team Rocket had been toying with Miguel like a meowth to a rattata. The damn bastards knew the power they had over him.
He was just a desperate gambling addict. A loser who had gotten himself into some deep debt, and the only option he had was to turn to Team Rocket for the money.
And now here he was.
It had been nearly two weeks since then, and Team Rocket was losing their patience. They had already halved the money they promised him, and if he didn't find anything tonight, he might as well kiss his life goodbye.
He pawed at the walls and scoured the ground. Every sound made him jump.
"Just get this over with and leave. Just get this ov-"
He paused, dropping his digging tools. He found something.
It felt cool and jagged.
Like bone.
He fumbled for his flashlight, trying not to let his pounding heart grow too hopeful.
There they were, clear as day under Miguel's flashlight.
His hands trembled in awe as he finally found what he was looking for. Holding back an exhausted laugh, he gathered up the fossils carefully. They were cold and felt fragile.
The second he had them secured, Miguel attempted to flee the cave. Only to find he didn't know where he was.
◯ ☽ ◑ ● ◐ ❨ ◯
Spring, 2004
5:48AM, Viridian Forest
Most of the forest had begun to wake up around Alice as she pedaled. Pidgey, which had just replaced the hoothoot that thrived during the night, circled the skies, hunting for the weedle and caterpie that littered the ground.
There were abandoned spinarak webs that stretched across the branches. Dewdrops bound to the silk glistened in the sun and allowed Alice to dodge them.
The trilling of bugs and birds sounding warnings to their prey surrounded her.
Sometimes, if she were lucky, she'd see a herd of pikachu passing by. They resided deeper within the woods, preferring the company of their own rather than people. Still, they knew the presence of people often meant food, and the occasional sighting of one always made Alice wish she had a berry to give them.
The serenity of the forest had always brought her peace of mind.
Alice pedaled faster through the woods, careful to stay on the designated path. Viridian Forest was nothing but wilderness, and danger lurked even during the day.
The carnivine was one of those dangers Alice avoided... their vines allowed them to hang very low on the trees, blending into the foliage.
A good telltale sign a carnivine is near is the sickly sweet scent of their agape mouth, patiently waiting for prey.
One nearly bit her leg off just a few months ago.
Alice wrote about it in one of her reports.
She was so lost in her thoughts, she didn't see it. Carnivine weren't even known to be so out in the open the way this one had been. The sound of branches snapping and the eerie screech that erupted from its maw were the only warnings she was given, and it was enough to make Alice reconsider her Second Star ranking.
She was met with many odd stares after getting her rank upgraded; for most, it wasn't necessary for any rank above a second star. The ranking allowed anyone to own basic-level Pokémon and the first stage of a starter Pokémon.
Typically, only those who wished to pursue Pokémon training tried to move up.
Still, she rationalized to those around her that it was necessary for her work. She argued it showed her dedication and that it would allow her to go into more depth about Pokémon biology. The woods were dangerous, after all.
Alice wanted to travel deeper into the forest, and the limited lab-provided Pokémon were no longer cutting it. She needed something better.
Besides, becoming a Pokémon Trainer was a dream Alice let go of a long time ago.
Instead, she worked as a Pokémon researcher at the Pewter City Museum of Science; that is where she studied fossils and assisted with collecting data.
It was a dream Alice could work with.
𖦹
6:32AM, Pewter City Museum of Science
Silence followed her as she parked her bike and walked into the building; her footsteps echoed, and the darkness only added unease. Large displays of long-extinct Pokémon fossils filled the first floor with their ominous shadows.
Exhibits of all sorts of Pokémon were gathered on the first floor. Fossilized amber, fossils of omanyte, kabutops... it wasn't just ancient Pokémon, either. The museum had all things to do with old findings. Moonstones also were on display, but they were much more common.
So much so, the museum's gift shop even sold moonstones to trainers and Pokémon handlers.
Mt. Moon was where all the findings came from. Groups of scientists were often sent back there in hopes of more fossils, more moonstones, and more research.
As of late, though, the local police had been heavily discouraging expeditions through Mt. Moon. Only certain areas were allowed to the public, and all activity was prohibited after dark. Alice wasn't really sure why, but nobody else seemed to ask those questions either.
The hallway smelled like cigar smoke and ash. Alice's nose scrunched from it, but admittedly it didn't smell as terrible as it tended to. The yellow tint of the walls was obviously not the original color, and it paired terribly with the green carpeting.
Mister Callahan's voice rang in Alice's ears as she walked down the hall. His office door wasn't even open, but Callahan had the ability to carry his voice much further than most people. Honestly, she had no interest in what it was he had to say, and the fact he wasn't even speaking to her and she had to listen to him made her clench her jaw.
The museum relied heavily on its expeditions through Mt. Moon. Alice even recalled a meeting Callahan called for recently. He insisted that there was some possibility to make those expeditions available to the public. It was shot down almost immediately by the head of research, Doctor Blythe.
That was a particularly embarrassing meeting.
As the minutes passed, more and more staff arrived. The silence was eventually replaced with idle chatter. Alice sat down quietly at her desk behind the counter; maybe if she looked like she was busy, no one would talk to her.
This is where she would spend the rest of her day drafting up research papers. Then walking to the filing room and back to her desk, where she would draft up another paper... then back to the filing room.
Got to get exercise somehow...
Since Mt. Moon had been shut, the museum was experiencing a much slower workload than usual. Alice had tried to use the opportunity as a way to push for more research in Viridian Forest, but her efforts were always shot down by Callahan.
She was just an assistant, after all.
Alice had many Pokémon research volumes in her possession, and many she had worked on herself. Though... those have never been published.
The first time her name was printed on a published paper filled her with a level of pride she didn't think possible.
She was finally beginning to make something of a name for herself. Sure, it was on the back... and the price tag covered her name. But it was there, and that was enough to keep her going.
𖦹
5:00PM, Pewter City Museum of Science
"Oh my Mew, hi Alice!"
Alice winced internally at the sound of the girl's voice; then, she leaned over the counter and caught her eyes.
"Hey, Alivia." Alice sighed, masking her annoyance. "Five o'clock already?" She muttered and looked down at her wristwatch. Great.
She had been dreading her touring shifts lately.
For weeks now, a group of little boys would sneak—well, more like walk right by—into the museum and wreak havoc. Alice often had to spend most of her shift cleaning up after them and kicking them out.
Alivia was the typist that allowed kids to sneak past her. Alice couldn't pick up on any real malicious intent behind it... more just general obliviousness.
Alivia was seventeen years old, four years younger than Alice. The two of them were the youngest females in the building and yet had nothing in common.
Alice didn't have a lot in common with anyone, really.
She watched as Alivia took the seat behind the secretary desk, instantly logging into some online social group. Myspace, maybe? Alivia had tried to get Alice into it before...but it just wasn't for her.
Alice couldn't understand Alivia's online obsession. She never used the internet for anything other than research and basic networking.
Maybe like...
Friendster... or something.
...ew.
Alice couldn't recall how many times she had talked to Alivia about it.
It wasn't uncommon to find her updating and refreshing her Myspace profile for the millionth time of that day.
On countless occasions, Alice had gently coaxed her into paying attention, only to revert to ignoring everything again ten minutes later.
Her teenage flippancy was something Alice wasn't equipped to handle.
And it was maddening.
Everything was fine, though. She needed to remind herself of that.
Everything is fine.
𖦹
9:23PM, Pewter City Museum of Science
Those boys hadn't made an appearance—yet. Alice wasn't so quick to completely write them off.
Outwardly, there was nothing wrong. But the muted ambience of the museum made Alice's instincts scream something was wrong.
She pushed it down; it was just her nerves acting up. Quiet nights like these always made her uneasy.
Regardless of those boys.
On nights like this, Alice and Alivia had a system.
Tour groups were small, and the time between each group grew as the night went on.
Usually, Alice would stand, all prim and all proper, by the touring stand. She would give tours in thirty-minute intervals, come back, and be ready for the next group.
Instead of standing in the front, like how Callahan always insisted, Alice would sneak off to her desk to write up more reports. She trusted Alivia enough to tell her a group was waiting for a tour, but not enough to ever attempt this on a regular night.
No, they had to be dead in order to pull this off.
"Alivia, I'll be in the filing room if you need me." Alice waited for her response.
Alivia threw her a quick thumbs up, not looking away from her screen.
Alice glanced at the entrance of the building one more time.
Just in case...
The cigar smell was stronger than this morning; Alice wondered why it didn't seem to travel. She had brought up to Callahan several times the risks of compromising certain exhibits because of his smoke. She worried about smoke staining, and cleaning already required gentle care.
He didn't want to hear it.
On that day, he walked around all over the museum with a lit cigar. When it ran out, he was quick to light another. All just to prove a point to Alice.
Alice swore after that day, everything had a faint yellow tint to it.
She just needed to drop off her papers in the filing room, and she could get on with her night. It was further down the hallway, just past Callahan's office. The door was always shut, and as long as she was quiet...
"-reports of Team Rocket, sir. The police -"
Alice stopped in her tracks.
Team Rocket?
"Do I look like I give a damn ab-" Callahan's voice boomed through the door. It made Alice jump, and she quickly pressed her back against the wall.
"Mt. Moon is closed now, sir. Even small expeditions aren't possible."
Was she hearing that right?
Talk of Team Rocket wasn't common in these parts...
What could Team Rocket have to do with anything in Mt. Moon? Honestly, what did Team Rocket have to do with anything? It wasn't something anyone around here dealt with...
A moment of silence passed. Alice could imagine the look of frustration Callahan no doubt had. It was a look she had been on the receiving end of many times.
"Sir, we cannot go on with future research until the police finish their work."
Another long silence.
She heard him grumble at the notion.
Great.
She so couldn't wait to have to deal with this later in the next meeting.
Mt. Moon was permanently shut until further notice.
Not my problem.
Alice pushed herself off the wall.
𖦹
9:38PM, Pewter City Museum of Science
"Alice," Alivia quietly got her attention, motioning at the small group standing by the touring station.
Alice quickly got up from her desk, smoothing out her uniform before making her appearance.
This tour group was significantly smaller than the ones Alice had been giving all night; to her, this suggested it was almost the 10:00PM closing time.
Alice greeted the group politely. It consisted of three older gentlemen and four older women, the typical age of most visitors.
They toured the building, upstairs and downstairs. Few people asked questions, but Alice was happy to just talk about what she loved without interruption.
This was the first day in a week that Alice didn't have to deal with those punk kids, and she forgot how good it felt to just work. To talk to people who cared about what Alice had to say, people who wanted to hear her theories and ask questions. They were what made her feel like her work meant something.
She desperately needed it to mean something.
The last tour was an easy one, just like they had all been.
But something still just felt... off.
It had to just be the Team Rocket talk... it was a conversation she wasn't even meant to hear. She couldn't let her mind run wild on something she barely understood.
She wouldn't.
"Thank you all for visiting today," Alice spoke as they reached the entrance once again. Quickly, she glances at the clock. The time now read 9:58PM, confirming her suspicion.
"The exhibits will reopen tomorrow at 7:00, and we hope to see you again." Alice said her goodbyes to everyone. She smiled and waved politely at the leaving patrons, shutting the door behind them.
Alice leaned back against the door, her eyes closed as she replayed the events of the day in her head. That sinking feeling still hadn't gone away, no matter how much she tried to rationalize it.
Something had to be wrong.
"Alice!"
Alivia's voice rang loudly in her ear, and she jumped at its suddenness.
"Yeah?" She responded after a deep breath, trying to mask her nerves as she turned Alivia.
"You're going to be so proud of me," she declared from behind her computer screen. Alice held back the urge to roll her eyes. For what, doing her job?
"Oh yeah?" Alice played along.
"M-mm hmm," Alivia hummed and shot up from her desk. "You know those boys that come in all the time?"
Alice's heart dropped, and her hand tightened on the door handle.
Oh, Ho-oh...
"What about them...?" Alice tread the question carefully; her heart was beating hard against her rib cage. Was there a brown bag anywhere?
"I kicked them out."
Alice cocked her head.
Oh.
That's certainly not what she had been expecting.
"I didn't even know they were here..." Alice muttered and pushed herself off the door. "When?"
Alivia pursed her lips, staring off as she seemingly tried to find the answer.
"An hour ago... maybe...?" Her uncertainty didn't give Alice the greatest peace of mind. But regardless... she was proud of her for taking a stand.
"Oh... well," Alice paused for a bit and smiled. "Thanks, Alivia."
𖦹
10:21PM, Pewter City Museum of Science
The unease Alice felt disappeared.
Still, she wasn't sure what it was there for to begin with. She trusted herself enough to know something had to have been wrong. Perhaps it's something she's better off not knowing.
No matter what it was, Alice wasn't going to ignore it.
Alivia had left a short bit ago, and Alice was one of the few people left behind. The lab was still bustling with all the real lab attendants, leaving her alone in the dimly lit lobby. She usually stayed behind just a few minutes later, checking behind Alivia and making sure everything was properly taken care of. There have been more than a few times when Alivia had completely forgotten to lock the front door.
She was a sweet girl, but the equivalent of a magikarp. Alice wasn't even sure how she still had this job.
The door shut heavily behind her. She pushed back against it, ensuring it locked.
The dark night welcomed Alice as she made her brief walk to the other side of the building. She had a long way ahead of her, and the sooner she got to her bike, the sooner she could get home.
Turning the corner, Alice stopped abruptly.
The sinking feeling she felt all night suddenly made sense.
Her bike was gone.
"Son of a—" Alice winced to herself as she kicked the wall she had her bike leaning against.
It would seem that she had a very long journey ahead of her, regardless if she wanted to.
𖦹
1:19AM, Pallet Town
Alice kicked off her shoes the moment she approached her door. They lay haphazardly on the porch, and she'd no doubt hear about it from her mom in the morning. But as for right now, she didn't care.
Her legs hurt, her head hurt, and her clothes stuck to her body—she didn't even want to think about what she looked like. She just wanted the comfort of her bed.
Careful not to wake her mom up, Alice crept quietly through the hallway until she made it to her bedroom. It was the smaller of the two, but she made it work by adding more shelving. The shelves held Alice's countless research journals and surveys. Some were published by more legitimate resources; some were just her personal collection.
Maybe it was a bit more than necessary for most people, but it was perfect for Alice.
Which is why she immediately noticed when one of her journals was missing.
Not just any journal.
It was her personal journal. The one she probably would have written about the night she had in it, if she wasn't so damn tired.
Oh, this was all just so great.
First her bike, and now—
Ugh.
But unlike her bike, Alice knew who had her journal.
𖦹
11:06AM, Pallet Town
She slept in.
Alice wasn't usually one to sleep in, but she did. She needed it for what she'd have to deal with when she woke.
To say she was upset was the understatement of the century.
This wasn't the first time her mom had gone behind her back to read that journal, but it for sure was going to be the last.
That was her personal journal. It was full of her completely unadulterated and raw thoughts about everything. At times she felt like it knew her better than she did.
No, Alice was livid.
How could her mom do this?
She stared at herself, anger brimming in her blue eyes as she brushed her caramel-colored hair; it was a miracle her hairbrush didn't break in her tight grip.
Shortly after, she dressed in a traditionally long skirt and blouse, the expected attire of most Kantonian women her age.
Alice saw her mom in the kitchen, her back turned to her as she descended from the stairs. Her mom turned around as Alice reached the last step, an innocuous smile at play on her lips.
"Good morning, hon—"
"Where is it, Mom?"
Alice cut her off. She didn't have the patience to sit through pleasantries. She rooted herself at the end of the breakfast table with her arms crossed.
"Honey, I don't—"
"Mom!" Alice was exasperated and threw her arms up.
Her mom sighed, setting down the coffee pot like she knew the jig was up.
"Alice, you can be as mad at me as—"
"You stole my journal, Mom!" The betrayal dripped from her voice as her fists clenched and her nails dug into her palm.
"Alice..." Her mom spoke calmly, and all it did was infuriate her more.
Alice opened her mouth, but her mom cut her off.
"Listen to me. Professor Oak wants to see you." Her mom returned her attention to the coffee pot.
Alice's anger faltered.
Professor Oak?
"I—what?"
She bit the inside of her cheek in thought. The gears in her head slowly shifted into movement at the realization of what her mom had done.
"Mom, are you serious?"
She didn't answer right away, silently insisting that she finish filling her mug first.
"Mom, what about—"
"Honey, just take the favor, okay?" She raised the mug to her lips, sipping with her eyes closed.
Alice stayed still, dumbfoundedly paralyzed.
No way... this was real...
There—this can't be possible...
"I'll be outside if you need me," her mom said casually as she tightened her robe around her. Alice barely watched as her mom stepped into the back patio.
Alice was going to be a Pokémon Trainer.
◯ ☽ ◑ ● ◐ ❨ ◯
Two days later
Barking laughter filled the research lab as Alice stood in front of its source. She inwardly sighed at Mr. Callahan's exaggerated display of humor. She bit the inside of her cheek, waiting for him to get over himself.
"Yes, well—"
"Alice," Callahan dismissed.
Her fists clenched at her side as she silenced herself again.
Callahan reached into a drawer of his desk and pulled out a cigar. "You mind?" he asked briefly, as if he actually cared about her opinion on smoking. She shook her head politely, but he was already attempting to light it before she answered.
"Now, I'm not going to stop you from quitting—" Alice raised her eyebrows at him as she watched him fail to light his cigar a few more times before finally getting it. "But I am highly—and I mean highly—discouraging you to..."
He leaned forward over his desk, using the now lit cigar in his hand to motion to her.
"I mean, let's get the obvious out of the way." He took a drag and admired the burn it gave before speaking again. "You're more than likely not going to be a successful trainer."
Oh, Ho-Oh, Alice could hear the laughter bubbling beneath his words.
She didn't butt in.
"Let me be vulnerable with you, Alice." He leaned back once again. "I wanted to be a trainer, too. Trust me when I say: Not happening. Every kid with dreams thinks they're the exception. What makes you think it'd be any different for you?"
Callahan paused for a moment, watching his cigar burn in deep thought.
"You know, Alice... you do good work here. Why throw it away for a fleeting dream? You need to ground yourself in reality, just like the rest of us."
Alice would've scoffed if she could.
Yeah, good unappreciated work...
"Right, well..." She muttered, glancing away from him as she tried to hold her breath. Smoke began to fill the room, making breathing uncomfortable.
She had already thought about her decision. She didn't care about Callahan's input on anything before; why should she start now?
"I'm just letting you know that I won't be—uh, you know... working here anymore." The strong smell of smoke filled her lungs. "But I—um, appreciate the advice, Mister Callahan," Alice spoke in brackets as she tried to hold her tongue against him.
Callahan waved her off, shaking the ash of his cigar into the ashtray.
"Yeah, yeah..." He muttered as Alice moved away from his desk and back towards the door. Her eyes narrowed as she gripped the doorknob.
"Hey, Alice," Callahan's voice called her once again.
She didn't respond, just turned to face him again.
"We'll still have a spot open for you when you come back." He barked out another laugh as Alice slammed the door shut behind her.
Still... that didn't go as humiliating as she expected. She could still hear his dying laughter from the other side of the door. She wished she could just shove a sock in it and shut him up.
"Is it true, Alice? You leaving?"
Alice didn't realize she was still gripping the doorknob until her attention moved to Alivia behind the secretary desk, Myspace characteristically on her desktop.
"You heard that?"
"I heard all of it," Alivia clarified with widened eyes.
Alice huffed; she didn't need to hear it from a teenager right now. She just wanted to leave, to be alone with her thoughts.
"Yeah. well—"
"I think it's cool," Alivia interrupted and turned back to her screen. "I always wanted to be a trainer, but my mom said that it was a boys' thing..." She shrugged absentmindedly.
A boy's thing.
Alice stopped in her tracks, cocking her head toward Alivia at the revelation. It wasn't an entirely shocking one; most kids wanted to be a trainer, regardless of its achievability.
"Oh yeah?" Alice paused for a brief moment. "Why'd you wanna be one?"
"My dad was one when he was younger," Alivia answered as she continued to click around on the computer.
"Here, look—"
She motioned Alice to her at her screen as she quickly pulled up a picture of her dad from her profile. Alice arched an eyebrow but entertained Alivia and peered at her screen. Just at a glance, she could see various bits and pieces of her life. She had to have uploaded at least twenty pictures a day.
It was clear Alivia had a very active presence online, much more than Alice previously thought.
"See, he had a Bulbasaur..." Her voice interrupted Alice's thoughts once again as she clicked through a few more photos for Alice to see.
Alice watched in silence as Alivia scrolled through the images.
"Your dad, huh..." Alice murmured quietly.
She stared at the picture Alivia had pulled up. She looked strikingly like her dad. Same hair, eyes, nose... dreams too.
"He seems like an alright guy," she complimented. The images were progressively getting less and less about actual Pokémon training, turning more into general family photos. Alivia was also getting progressively younger in each photo. It was clear she and her dad had a close relationship.
"Yeah, my mom said he would've been a good trainer..."
That caught Alice off guard. "Oh, why'd he stop?"
"He died."
Time stopped for a moment as the realization settled in.
Alice turned to look at Alivia; she was remarkably unbothered telling her that. It wasn't like Alice couldn't relate, though. Alice never even got the chance to meet her dad.
"Mine too," she confessed.
◯ ☽ ◑ ● ◐ ❨ ◯
Spring, 2004
Judgment Day
The sun shone through Alice's windows, rudely waking her up from her slumber. She turned over and covered herself with her blanket, trying to prolong the start to her day.
This is what you've always wanted.
Her whole body buzzed like static, chills running down her spine.
Take a deep breath.
Finally, she dragged herself out of bed.
Alice stood in front of her mirror, brushing her hair with slow movements as she stared at her own expression. Her eyes were wide with eagerness. Her hands trembled in the mirror's reflection.
Just a few days ago, she and many others in Pallet Town would have laughed at the idea.
And laugh they did. Because why wouldn't they?
Nothing stayed secret for long in such a small, high-class town. Alice was met with unwanted stares every time she left her home. The thought of everyone watching her made her want to take it all back and return to her studies in Pewter City.
But Alice knew how big of an ask it was.
Especially something so against their norm.
"Alice?" a muffled voice came from the other side of her bedroom door. Her mom was calling from downstairs.
"I'll be down in a minute!"
Alice dressed, putting on the clothing she had picked out the night before. It was the same traditional clothing she always wore. She had briefly considered a coat to mask her shaking but opted out last minute.
Before she stepped towards the stairs, she took a deep breath.
"Morning, Mom," Alice said as she walked into the kitchen. Things were fine between them again; it didn't really feel wrong or off, just... different. It was an understanding between them, as long as neither of them brought up Alice's journal.
"Good morning, dear." Her mom called out from behind the kitchen counter. She was a shorter woman, Alice standing at least a foot taller than her. They shared that same hair, the only difference being Alice's mom insisted on keeping hers in a tight bun.
She placed the finishing touch on breakfast, welcoming Alice to sit down.
"Are you excited?"
Alice would be choosing her starter Pokémon that day.
The short answer was yes.
Of course she was excited; it had been her dream since she was small. She used to spend hours as a kid fantasizing about which starter she would choose.
The long and complicated answer gave Alice a migraine.
"For the most part, yeah." A nervous smile played at her lips as she looked at her mom.