Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Alright, it’s time for bed!”

At her mother’s voice, the little girl bounced up to her mother, book in hand. The child stood in front of her mother, holding out the book to her.

“Can you tell me the Story of the Pangoro and the Zorua again, Mommy?”

“Haha. Alright, I will.” With a small chuckle, the mother took the book from her child’s hands and together they made their way to the bed. After helping the girl onto her bed and tucking her in, the mother took her place beside the child and opened the book, as she had done many times before.

“There was once a lonely Zorua living deep in the darkest of forests. He was a mischievous one, transforming into other Pokemon and beings that lived around. He would often use this ability to trick others into handing over food, or using their homes to sleep in. Because of this, he didn’t have many friends. I’m sure you can piece together why?”

“But one day this changed when Zorua met a powerful Pokemon named “Pangoro”. They were fighting over a rare and coveted golden apple. Many hours later, their fight came to an end, and no victor was revealed. They knew they were evenly matched; one could not take out the other. With both staring at each other intensely, they knew that they were destined for friendship. The two became quick companions. They were two peas in a pod, if you will.” The mother paused.

“They travelled the world together. Overcame hardships. Went on thrilling adventures… Life was good for the two of them… until one day, Zorua went too far...” She paused for dramatic effect, quickly getting into character.

“Zorua planned a devious prank on Pangoro. “I shall transform into Pangoro’s fallen mother! That would surely give him a spook!” Zorua said. “It’ll be my best prank yet!” Zorua said. So, while Pangoro was looking for food, Zorua put his malicious little plan into action. When Pangoro returned home, he was greeted with the sight of his dead mother. Paralyzed with a mixture of extreme emotions, Pangoro dropped his collection of food to the ground. In that collection of food was…” the mother trailed off.

“A golden apple!” her daughter exclaimed excitedly.

“Haha, yes. That’s right, a golden apple. When Zorua saw this, he transformed back into his normal state, looked down at the food and said, “Hey! Where did you find this golden apple? It looks fresh and incredibly delicious!” Zorua raised his head to see a face filled with fury, sadness, but most importantly, disappointment. Zorua quickly realized he hurt Pangoro very deeply and tried to apologize. But Pangoro wouldn’t hear any of it and ran into the forest. Shaken and worried, Zorua ran after him, but Pangoro was nowhere to be found. Zorua finally realized he had repelled his only friend with his selfishness. And Zorua became lonely once more.”

Having finished the story, the mother closed the book and looked at her daughter, who was barely awake by now. A small smile spread across her face as she slowly got up from the bed. Book in hand, the mother bent down and place a light kiss on her daughter’s temple.

“Sleep tight, Maria.”

Sleepily, the daughter replied.

“Goodnight, mommy.” And with that, Maria’s eyes slowly drifted shut.

Slowly, tiny blue eyes opened. With a yawn, Maria sat up in her bed and stretched. Sunlight peered through the window of her room. Groggily, the young girl peered around her room.

“Morning already?” she said. “Better get up!”

Maria leaped out of her bed and quickly made her way out of her room and down the stairs noticing that her mother had left the storybook they had read last night on the table in her room.

Racing down the flight of stairs, Maria sped towards the kitchen, passing the bookshelves filled with numerous algebra and calculus books, the easy stuff.

“Mommy!”, the five-year-old cried as she made her way inside, “I’m up! I’m up!”

Her mother startled at the cry, and turned towards her energetic daughter, smile spread across her face.

“Ah! Good morning Maria! Did you sleep well.”

Maria nodded enthusiastically. Her mother smiled.

“That’s good. I’m preparing breakfast right now. Do you mind fetching your father? He’s working in his study.”

Maria beamed. “You can count on me, Mommy!”

With that the young girl rushed off, running past the ornate, family portrait of them. Looking at it, a small smile spread across the little girl’s face.

I love this so much! She thought. I remember when we took this.

Off to one side of the portrait had her mother in a gorgeous green, black and white dress. White gloves covered both of her hands and in her hair stood a black bow. Her mother had a soft smile on her face as she faced forward in the picture, hands laying on the chair. Off to the other side stood Maria’s father, dressed in a white suit with a black undershirt and a green tie. The man’s face remained serious as he stood behind the chair with hands behind his back. No traces of a smile were apparent on his face. In the middle sat Maria, bright smile apparent on the young girl’s face as she sat between her two parents. She had worn a black and white dress that day and two white bows at either side of her head.

After a few minutes of staring, Maria seemed to remember her objective. I need to go get daddy!

Yet it truly is such a feeble thing, the mind of a child, because not two minutes after remembering her objective, did she once again get distracted, finding herself in another room, the one leading to the basement. Many times, she found herself in this room, each time with her father. She was never allowed down there and normally it was locked when her father wasn’t in the room. Yet there it was, unlock and ready for her to go and explore. And there she stood, right above the stairs leading to an area she’d never seen before, and no one there to tell her she shouldn’t.

Maria momentarily wrestled with her conscience, remembering all the times her father had scolded her for trying to go down there, before the call of adventure won her over.

Maria made her way down the stairs.

Once down the stairs, Maria quickly took in the view. Across from the stairs stood a table with several books. Going over and picking up one of them, the red one, Maria opened the book. In it were several inexplicable images. The little girl flipped through several pages, each containing similarly ominous photos, and she couldn’t help feeling scared. The book frightened her. Quickly, she closed the book and placed it back on the table, turning away from it.

Then, Maria notice a door to another room. Not wanting the adventure to end quite yet, she made her way into the other room. She never expected what she found inside.

In the middle of the room stood a large dais with what appeared to be a circle with three lines running across the center, each crossing in the middle where there seemed to be a smaller circle.

Slowly creeping up to the pedestal, Maria was uncertain what to make of the scene that lay before her.

“What… is this?” She asked no one in particular. She was at a loss for words, her small child mind not quite comprehending what she was looking at. Maria took a few small steps away from the ominous pedestal before she turned around and broke into a full-blown sprint back up the stairs.

Once upstairs, Maria took several minutes to recollect herself before finally calming down, deciding to finally get on with retrieving her father.

Making her way out of the room, Maria quickly made her way to the room next door and slowly opened the door, revealing her father sitting pensively in front of the table. Slowly, the child made her way towards her father and lightly taped him. At her touch, the man jolted in surprise and swiftly turned towards her. It seemed to take him about a minute to realize who he was staring at.

“Ah, Marian— ...Maria. How are you doing?” He said, catching himself.

“I’m good.” she said before continuing. “Mom said breakfast is ready so get your butt out of this room and have good food!”

“I do love your mother’s cooking.” He said with a smile. “Alright, I’ll be out in a few short moments. Go tell your mother that, y’hear?” And with that, he turned back to his work.

Maria quickly made her way out the study and back to the kitchen and informed her mother of what her father had said.

“Dad said he’ll be right out.”

“Did he now? Well there’s no use rushing him, I guess. You should go upstairs and freshen up. I’ll have your breakfast ready by then.”

“Okay, and then we get to play outside afterwards, right?” Maria asked.

Her mother chuckled. “Of course! Now go on, Maria. I’ll be waiting for you down here.”

With a nod, the little girl quickly raced back to her room. However, upon entering her room, an odd sensation passed over the young girl. Her surrounding lit up in a bright blue before fading just as quickly.

“…What was that…?” She wondered.

Suddenly, a loud crash resounded from downstairs.

“Mom?!” The young girl cried.

“Mommy?” No answer.

Fearing the worst, the little girl quickly made her way back downstairs.

“Mommy??” The young girl cried once more upon reaching the bottom of the stairs. There was still no response. She made her way to the living room.

“Mom—”

Before her stood a masked woman, adorned in red, grey and black armor and a red cape. She wore large heels and a sword remained strapped to her side. Cautiously, Maria made her way closer to the mystery woman.

“Who… are you?” The little girl questioned lightly, voice quivering. She was scared. She wanted her mommy. Where was she?

“How many times?” The voice came with a metallic echo to it. She seemed angry, her voice sounded distraught and annoyed. About what, Maria had no clue, yet the regret was palpable in the woman’s voice.

“Wh-what…?” Maria asked, confused.

The woman ignored her, seemingly focused on forces unseen. “How many times are you going to make this little girl suffer? How many times are you willing to put her through this chaos?!” The woman stated, voice elevating and frustration palpable.

Maria was confused. “I.. I’m… I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

“I’m not talking to you.” The woman stated, finally addressing Maria.

Embarrassed, Maria stammered. “O-oh… well, do… you know where my parents are?” She asked.

“…” The woman hesitated, before telling her, “They’re downstairs.”

“Oh…! Okay, well… I’m going to go to them now.”

Maria turned and made her way towards the basement.

“Maria.” The mysterious woman called out. Maria paused in her step and turned towards her once more.

“Yes…?”

“No matter what happens. Don’t you dare lose hope.” The woman stated firmly, her eyes gazing straight into the young girl’s eyes through her mask. Determination radiated off her. “Don’t lose who you are, and don’t you dare forget what’s about to happen. You understand?”

Sensing the urgency in the woman’s voice, Maria nodded.

“Y-Yes, I understand!”

Her response seemed to have pleased the woman.

“Good. Go to them now. They’re waiting.”

“O-okay”

And just like that, the little girl rushed off, on her way to find her parents.

Dashing down the stairs and heading straight for the room with the weird pedestal, Maria didn’t know what to expect when she entered.

Inside, Maria’s mother lay atop the dais as her father shuffled through the numerous volumes that lay on the bookshelves in the back of the room.

“Mommy!!” The young girl cried as she rushed towards the prone form of her mother.

Her father had made his way to the middle, back facing her as he refused to acknowledge her presence.

“What are you doing to mommy?!” The little girl cried. She shook her mother and continued to do so when she refused to wake. “Mommy wake up! Mommy wake up! Mommy wake up! Daddy get out of the way! Get out! Why won’t you say anything to me?! Why?!”

All of a sudden, an echoing voice resounded around her.

“Marianette, your father wishes to see you now.”

Confused, Maria wondered what the voice was talking about. She asked as much.

“What… are you talking about?”

“Marianette, your father wishes to see you now.” The voice repeated.

The feeling of hands on her overwhelmed her. “What are you doing?!” She cried out.

Suddenly, the scenery around her shifted and changed, and she no longer found herself in that room in the basement.

“Marianette!” The voice called out, exasperated. “Marianette! Marianette!”

Startled, the young girl’s eyes shot open as she stared at herself in the mirror.

“What?!”

From the corner of her mirror, she noticed as the maid approached her. She quickly turned towards her.

“Now, for the fifth time, Marianette… your father is waiting for you in the East Wing. You’re making him wait longer then he has time for. So, get to it.”

Maria was confused as she took in the room around her. She was no longer in the basement. Instead she found herself in a dimly lit room standing in front of a mirror. On either side of the mirror stood a large plush Pokemon, one a Pangoro and the other a Zorua, just like her mother’s story. Three large pillars ran along either side of the room and a long black carpet ran from the mirror to the door across the room that stood behind the maid. She stared quizzically at the stoic woman before her, wondering how she had managed to find herself in this situation.

“Wh-What? What am I doing here again?” She asked.

The woman looked at her sternly and Maria shied away from her gaze.

“Marianette, I won’t say it again. Just hurry along then.”

Marianette’s voice turned small. “M-My name’s not Marianette… It’s Maria…”

The woman said nothing as she briskly turned around and exited the room. Marianette didn’t linger around the room much longer and quickly left as well.

Marianette made her way through the halls, stopping near two maid who where in the middle of discussing something.

“What are we going to do about… you know… the problem Indriad told us about.” The first maid asked.

“We’ll deal with it when the time comes.” The second replied before raising her voice a tad. “For now, someone should stop being an eavesdropper and get to their father.”

With a squeak, Marianette ran along, stopping by another maid.

“Can you feel it, Marianette? The end is near… All it takes is one more person. Just one more.” The maid stated ominously. Marianette opted to slowly walk away from her.

Making her way to what she assumed to be where her father was, as the other path was being blocked by a particularly rude maid, Marianette made her way through the doorway.

Making her way up, Marianette noticed the multitude of maid that stood at attention around the room, as well as how the room appeared to be surrounded by water and how in the center of the room, standing atop a dais just like the one in that basement was a maid. Behind it stood her father, cloaked in odd black and grey ceremonial garb.

Marianette rushed forward at the sight, the memory of her mother laying atop the dais still fresh in her mind. The girl remained silent. Before she addressed her father.

“Where’s my mom?!” She demanded.

“Mommy is sleeping with our lord now, Marianette.” He told her in a hollow voice.

“Stop calling me Marianette!” She cried. “It’s Maria!”

A look of irritation crossed his face. “What is with this disrespect?” He called out. “Your name is no longer Maria.” The man sighed heavily before turning his attention back towards the maid on the dais. “Now, as I was initially planning to do—"

“No need for explanation, sir.” The maid stated, interrupting him. “Demonstration may be key to this girl’s mind.”

He scoffed. “Hmph. Very well.” With that, he raised his hands in the air and began chanting.

“Arceus! Capremdum Garuganisu oru’ma’! A’d seberus L’orufogeo!”

Their surroundings shook at his words and all of a sudden, the maid on the dais disintegrated, disappearing into thin air. Marianette stood in stunned silence as she took in the sight before her. There were no traces left of the maid that had stood there. Nothing. It was as though she had never existed in the first place.

“She’s gone now, Marianette.” He told her. “She is with the lord now. She won’t need to suffer the calamity that soon befalls this earth.”

She tore her gaze away from and stared at the man.

“Marianette, it’s your turn now.”

Fear washed over her being as she shook her head vehemently. As she spoke, her voice shook.

“No, you can’t make me to it…”

A frown spread across his face and he gestured towards the maids.

“Maids, bring Marianette to the altar.”

Two maids quickly surged forward and grabbed each of her arms before she could run. She struggled fruitlessly in their grasp as they brought her atop the altar.

“Let go of me! Let go of me!”

Her efforts proved fruitless and she found herself on the dais. Her focus turned towards the man, her father. Anger and hate burned passionately in her eyes as she stared as the man she had once called her father.

“You said the same to my mommy!” She yelled. “She’s gone because of you!”

Something flashed briefly in the man’s eyes before his expression turned bored.

“Enough, Marianette. Go with dignity.”

“I don’t want this!” She cried, tears that she refused to shed welling up in her eyes. “Just let me go!”

The man ignored her, raising his hands up once more as he began chanting.

“Arceus! Capremdum Garuganisu oru’ma’! A’d seberus L’orufogeo!”

“I hate you! I hate you!” Tears fell freely down her face as she yelled. “Someone, please! Don’t let him do this to me! Someone, please, help me! Anyone! Mommy!”

And just like that, the scene slowly faded away.

Chapter Text

Aboard the S.S. Oceana

“–scuse me.”

What was that?... Who was that?...

“Excuse me, miss.”

Akino looked up at the receptionist, startled.

With a strained smile, the woman gestures to one of the pc’s and said, “Next please.”

The pinkette belatedly realized that she had been, in fact, holding up the line and gave a quiet “Sorry” to the receptionist before making her way to the vacant pc box.

Settling down on the chair, Akino’s thoughts began to drift back to the weird scene, vision(?), that she had born witness to in the line. It was odd, to say the least. It had seemed so real.

This wasn’t the first time something like that had happened to her, but it was the first time it had ever seemed so vivid. Usually, they were a lot more cryptic, only thoughts or words, sometimes even just vague feelings. This was different. It was as though she had actually been there, as though she were actually Maria, Marianette(?).

But that wouldn’t make any sense. She knew who she was. She was Akino Itsuki, Nancy Itsuki’s daughter... right? Akino wasn’t sure why, but it felt as though something she was once so sure of now didn’t seem as certain.

That didn’t make sense, however. She couldn’t remember a time when she wasn’t with her mother. They were always together for as long as she could remember. Her mom had always been there for her. It was partially because of her mom that she hadn’t already started her journey. After all, she was all she had, and while she’d always planed to go back home to her after her journey, she couldn’t bear to think of leaving. But, ever since they’d decided to go to Aevium, she’s been feeling off. Like somethings been missing her whole life, yet she hadn’t noticed til now.

Akino shook her head, clearing away those thoughts. She would question the feeling later. For now, she’ll just focus on her application.

Turning her attention to the screen, the pinkette made to boot-up the system. The screen came to life and the blurred face of a young woman appeared on it.

“Hello? Can you hear me?”

The woman seemed to fiddle with her end before the screen became clear. She appeared to be a young woman with light brown skin and black hair with crimson tips. She wore a simple white turtleneck shirt with a black jacket over it. Her brown eyes seemed to pass over the monitor once more before focusing on the screen.

“Ah… that’s better!” A wide smile spread across her face. “Hey, my name is Amanda! I’m what you call a scout— For the Aevium League, of course!”

The woman, Amanda, made herself more comfortable before continuing on. “It’s my   duty to guide newcomers like you into the league challenge! Before we start, how has your trip been so far.”

Akino quickly made to inform her that the trip had been great so far.

“That’s wonderful to hear.” Amanda said with a smile. “Now, we should talk about the Aevium League’s expectations and requirements.”

“As you are no doubt aware, the Aevium League is set up a bit differently than other regions. There are 18 Gym Leaders for you to defeat, alongside 8 members of the Elite Four. Not to mention, pokemon here refuse to grow if their trainer isn’t in tip-top shape! If that happens, you’ll just need to collect another badge!”

“That’s the general idea of it, anyway. I’m sure someone will give you the full scoop eventually!”

Akino raised an eyebrow at that.

Isn’t it your job to explain to me those things?! She didn’t voice her thoughts, however.

Amanda chuckled, as though she had read her mind. “Normally it would be my job to inform newcomers such as yourself on how that whole system works, but I feel as though it’s better for you to learn as you go. Plus, it’s way easier on me if I don’t have to explain it.”

Akino deadpanned at the statement, then shook her head. She supposed she had a point.

Amanda chuckled once more before pulling out a clipboard. “Now, let’s get your Trainer Card set up! This is important! First things first, let me send over this form for you to fill out! When you’re done, just insert the form in that slot to the bottom left of the pc, just right under this screen, and we’ll process it. After that, we’ll take your picture for the Trainer Card and send over the card. This should all be done in a couple of minutes.”

With a nod, Akino quickly grabbed the form that was sent over and looked it over. After a quick glance at the content, she hurriedly completed the form and sent it back. If she had hesitated when writing down her name and gender, then she didn’t acknowledge it.

Amanda smiled brightly and gingerly received the form. “Alright! Now on to the photo. Now just do me a favour and sit still real quick as we take it. Aaaand there~! Great job, now just give us a sec. All we have to do is process this and we’ll get back to you with your new Trainer Card. After that, you’ll be on your way and I will see you when you arrive!” With that, Amanda quickly headed off to go verify her application.

No more than a minute passed before she came back, smile still in place.

“Congratulations, Akino! You are now registered in the Aevium League! Once the S.S. Oceana docks, meet me at Gearen Laboratory! From there on we’ll pick out your starter Pokemon and then you’ll be on your way to great things! Before I go, is there anything else you would like to ask me?”

Shaking her head, Akino thanked the woman for her hard work and bade her farewell.

“See you then!” Amanda called before the screen turned black. Akino turned off the pc and stood, grabbing her bag that she’d dropped. The receptionist at the counter looked up from her computer and turn towards her.

“Are you done with your registration? Please come here so that I can print out your Trainer Card.”

Akino quickly made her way to the counter where the receptionist printed out her Trainer Card and handed it to her.

“This Trainer Card isn’t verified yet.” Said the receptionist. “You’ll need to verify it at Gearen Immigration. Good luck out there, Akino!”

Akino thanked her then made her way outside of the room. Once out of the room, the pinkette heard a cheery voice call out to her. Turning her attention towards the stairs, Akino watched her mom descend towards her, bright smile gracing her lips.

“Ah, there you are Akino! Did everything go smoothly?” said her mother as she made her way towards her. “Since you’re done registration, do you mind taking a quick stroll with me?”

“Not at all”, she told her mother with a gentle smile, “I love spending time with you.”

A short giggle escaped her mother’s lips as they went to walk around the ship, making small talk along the way before they stopped in front of two large doors.

“Do you see these doors?” She said, gesturing to the large doors leading to the dining room. Akino nodded. “When the ship is close to docking at Gearen City, a feast will be held behind them.” To that, Akino’s eyes shone, excited to see what kind of food there will be.

When she saw her face, Akino’s mom chuckled, knowing full well that the best way to her daughter’s heart was through her stomach.

“Unfortunately, we still have time before we get to that point,” she said. Akino looked to the ground dejectedly.

Her mom looked at her fondly before she had an idea. Clapping her hands once and keeping them together, she addressed her daughter.

“Why don’t you go and finally visit my friend Augustus?” She said. “He’s actually the captain of this ship! I think he should be free right about now. Actually, he used to be a powerful trainer back in his day, but he’s retired now. I’m sure you can find out some neat details about the Aevium Region by talking to him.” She finished off with a smile.

Akino looked towards her and nodded slowly, still down about having to wait before eating. Her mother shook her head fondly.

“There’s still time before the banquet. Why don’t you look around the boat one last time, then you can go and meet with my friend Augustus.” She grabbed one of Akino’s hands and held it, smiling gently.

“Go have fun, okay? Explore and meet new people!” With that, she let go of her hand, and turned towards one of the stairs leading towards the rooms.

“I have some stuff I need to take care of. I’ll meet you down here once I’m finished, okay?” At that, her mother made her way towards the stairs before stopping and turning her head towards her once more.

“I’ll see you soon, okay? Don’t take too long! Banquet starts at 6!” With that, she left, leaving Akino by herself. Looking at the clock, she noted that it was currently just about 2, leaving her with a good four hours to explore the ship for the last time.

I should find a good place to draw. She thought.

The girl walked around the halls of the ship in search of the perfect spot, avoiding anyone and everyone. After what felt like forever—but was really only a couple of minutes—she finally settled on a spot; near one of the fountains in the main area, just next to the residential area.

She quickly sat down next to a wall, pulled out her sketchbook and a pencil, and begun drawing whatever came to mind. Time flew as she set to her work when suddenly, she began to hear a high-pitched ringing noise. She tried to ignore the sound it quickly grew more intense. Her vision grew spotty and her head began to hurt. The pencil fell out of her hand as it flew to her head, fingers gripping her hair. The ringing only seemed to grow more intense. She screwed her eyes shut, and a pained gasp slipped through unbidden.

The sound of voices echoed in her mind, growing clearer as the ringing faded. She felt the world shift. It was a familiar feeling now. She felt as though she were leaving her body. Bit by bit, she felt herself separate from her body, leaving to view who knows what. And yet, all she could think of was that this was really getting redundant.

You’ve gotta be shitting me. Twice in one day?!

Akino braced herself for that feeling of weightlessness and discomfort.

Then, she felt nothing, not even her own body.

The scenery around her changed, and she suddenly found herself in one of the bedrooms aboard the S.S. Oceana. Something was different, something wasn’t right. Something was off and she couldn’t figure out what it was. Then, it came to her.

She was suspended mid-air with no body.

Her hands flew to her face no they didn’t, why can’t I feel anything? She stared at her hands.

They were transparent.

She couldn’t feel anything. She tried touching her arms why isn’t it working, then her legs what’s happening to me, yet she couldn’t feel anything.

Her breathing picked up at this point was she even breathing right now? She couldn’t tell. This was new. This was different. She hated it. It was one thing earlier with Maria, were she felt moderately in control. It’s another thing entirely now as she floated(?) with no form. She felt nothing at all, the usual rush of feeling was non existent. She felt suspended without time. She drowned in her thoughts with nothing to keep herself afloat.

 She was scared. She couldn’t think straight. Her thoughts were just just too loud. What’s going on?! What’s happening to me??

She wanted this to stop, she wanted it to end. She couldn’t breathe, why couldn’t she breathe?!

She needed help, she needed her mom! Where is she?! Mom!

She didn’t feel real, yet she knew she was real at the same time. What’s going on? What’s happening to me? I can’t feel anything!

She hated this feeling. She had no control. Her breathing was somehow speeding up even more. Was she even breathing?

She was panicking and she knew it, yet she couldn’t think straight.

Just then, a flash of warmth resonated from deep within her and she almost instantly calmed down.

What was that feeling? She couldn’t help but wonder. And why did it feel so familiar?

She didn’t continue her line of thought as some movement from the back of the room drew her attention. She appeared to be in one of the rooms on the ship, suspended mid-air. She noticed a woman standing beside an oddly coloured Gothitelle at the back of the room. The woman sported curly black hair with a pink bow in it, along with a white blouse with red accents and a ruffled black skirt strapped on with suspenders. On her feet, she sported a pair of red heels. For some reason, the woman felt familiar to her, as though she had met her before. Her Gothitelle was brown and cream coloured, reminding Akino of an ice cream for some reason. Despite that the pokemon gave off a sort of sinister vibe, as though it shouldn’t be trusted.

Akino watched as the pair stood in the back of the room in silence for a few minutes until they heard a knock on the door.

“Crescent...?” came a soft, familiar voice, the sound muffled through the door. “It’s me...”

“Yes, come in.” said the woman, Crescent, not looking from her spot. Akino turned her gaze towards the front of the room in order to see who came in.

Mom?!

Sure enough, Akino watched as a middle-aged light pink haired woman walked into the room wearing a white sundress and a matching wide brimmed hat with a blue ribbon. Shocked, she watched as her mother made her way to the back. Crescent still had yet to turn towards her mother.

“So,” came her response at long last, “you do understand the position you’re in, correct?”

Position? What is going on?

Nodding apprehensively, Nancy replied, “Yes, I believe so, but if I’m honest... I’m not sure if I’m ready.”

Ready.? Ready for what?

“I know what you said about me before, but I genuinely feel fear.”

Finally turning towards her, both the lady, Crescent, and her Gothitelle looked at Nancy with great intensity.

“Stop talking nonsense. I don’t want to hear about your faux emotions.” she said, anger and annoyance clear in her voice.

Faux, what is she on about? Mom is the most emotional person I know!

“All I’m interested in hearing is you telling me that you’re ready to take this role.”

With eyes looking even more intense, Crescent glared at Akino’s mother as she placed a hand on her hip.

“I’m sorry, it’s my fault, really.” She said, her voice sounding even colder than before. “I just didn’t make your position clear enough from the beginning. Either you’re ready to fulfill your duty, or you’re no longer any use to me.”

She paused before continuing, letting her words slowly sink in.

“You don’t get the option to tell me if you’re ready or not.”

As though noticing she’d said the wrong thing, her mother quickly made to apologize.

“Yes, Crescent, I understand.” She said softly.

She sighed before continuing, “I think all I need is little bit of time.”

At her words, Crescent gave a nod of approval. “Time is all you have left.”

A small smile passed over her face as she said her next words.

“All I want to see is Akino smile. That’s all.”

She just wants me to smile.? Why...? Who is she? And how does she know me?

Crescent’s face turned serious once more. She fixed her mother with a hard gaze.

“Once we dock in East Gearen City, you’re to go to West Gearen City and live normal lives. If I get even a small inkling of betrayal from you, I won’t hesitate to– “

Nancy quickly interrupted. “You don’t have to worry about that.” She said. “I have no plans to do such a thing…”

An approving look washed over Crescent’s face.

“Good. I’m glad to hear it. Now that we’re clear on what to do, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. The banquet is going to start soon, and I need to get ready.”

“I’ll be on my way then.”

With that, Akino’s mother left the room.

Dizziness assaulted Akino’s senses once more and she found herself back in the lobby. She was in her body again. The headache seemed to have stopped and the dizziness had vanished along with it. It was as though it had never happened.

Akino sat there hugging herself, sketchbook and supplies long forgotten. Taking deep breaths, she relished the feeling of being able to feel again. She sat curled in a tight ball doing nothing but breathe until she finally caught up with herself.

What was that about? Why did I see that?

She couldn’t understand what was happening to her. Why was her ability acting up like this? Twice in one day now she found herself experiencing full body visions, rather than the usual thoughts or images. Normally, the only time she’d experience a full body vision was in her dreams, and they were never not from someone’s perspective. She’d never been—

She shivered and hugged herself tighter. She never wanted to feel that feeling of helplessness and detachment again.

Akino sat there for a while, collecting her thoughts and going over what she had witnessed. Questions buzzed in her head, swirling and murmuring, leaving her a complete mess. What was that all about? Why was mom talking with that lady? What were they going on about? Plans? What plans? The questions spun in her head, getting louder and louder. She just couldn’t figure it out. And yet, one question rung louder than all the others. Why had my sight shown me that, and what does it mean?

She pondered the question for a while before her head began to hurt again. Ringing echoed from the recesses of her mind and she was once again assaulted with dizziness.

Shit...

She didn’t want this. Not again. Twice was enough, please just stop. Please just let it end. She didn’t want to do this. Just stop, let it end.

She desperately clung to wakefulness as she felt her consciousness fade. Enough! Please just stop! Stop!!

Akino’s vision went black. When she opened her eyes, she found herself yet again in one of the rooms aboard the ship. The lady from before, Crescent, wasn’t present in the room, nor was her Gothitelle. Her gaze flew to her hands. They were transparent.

NO!!

That same feeling of helplessness was back. She once more found herself suspended in mid-air. She hated this.

She screamed yet no sound came out. She sobbed and wailed until that warm feeling from earlier came back, guiding her to look round the room.

Three pairs of footsteps came through the door. Their faces where obscured by the furniture yet somehow she could picture them clearly. Three adults; two men and a woman. One of the men appeared to be like your typical pokemon lover, while the other looked like a backpacker. The woman seemed to be your typical city dweller. They appeared to be in deep conversation.

They all looked like your average citizen, yet they each gave of a sort of sinister vibe — like those thugs you see in movies that appear on screen just before something bad happens. Akino shuddered. They just gave her a bad vibe.

The three carefully checked the room before settling in. The woman sat on the couch, while the men continued to stand. Slowly, one if them spoke up.

“So, when are we gonna act out what’s planned?”

“Soon. Nastasia’s about to arrive on the S.S. Oceana.” The woman replied.

“How exactly are we going to go about this?” said the backpacker, seemingly confused. “I can’t say that I’m too good with handling explosives.”

This caught Akino’s attention. A sharp gasp escaped her lips. Explosives?! She continued to listen in intently.

The pokemon lover smirked. “Don’t worry about that then. I’ll be the one who deals with that stuff. All we have to worry about is when we get the signal. For now, let's just lay low and try not to get noticed, okay?”

A low chuckle escaped his mouth. “Well,” he said, “even if someone were here listening to us right now, they wouldn’t be able to find us. Let’s separate now.”

Akino’s surrounding grew dark once more, the ringing coming back, and the next she knew she was once more in her body. Exhaustion slammed her at full force, a mixed combination from her ability and that rollercoaster of emotion she just went through.

Bombs. They said they had bombs.

She had to act fast. She debated going to one of the workers and informing them of what she had overheard but decided against it. After all, she was only an 18-year-old teenager with barely any credentials and no authority, so why would they take her seriously. They’d likely pass it off as a prank. Wouldn’t be the first time. No, she shouldn’t think about that now. She couldn’t tell them. She needed proof.

Gathering up her things, she set out to look for proof.

Thus, there she found herself, two hours later still searching for any signs of the trio or the bomb. She turned up nothing. No matter how hard she searched she found neither hide nor hair of the three individuals. She had managed to find Crescent, however, although the woman provided her with nothing. Oddly enough, Akino couldn’t seem to find her mother either.

The search continued as Akino finally made her way towards the upper deck. Just as it was downstairs, the upper deck was also gorgeous. People chatted amicably amongst one another and laughter rung across the floor. In the middle stood a massive opening where one could gaze at the lower deck.

The sound of a piano engulfed the room, bringing Akino’s attention towards the piano near the centre. She watched as a woman with teal hair played the instrument effortlessly, accompanied by her happy Jigglypuff that danced atop the piano. The melody was soft and Akino let herself be swept up in the music, humming along to the tune. It calmed her. She desperately wanted to play as well.

The teen waited until the song had ended before she went up to the woman and congratulated her for her performance. The woman chuckled and gave her thanks. Akino blushed.

“Playing the piano is something I’ll never get tired of.” She said with a content sigh. “I’ll never get tired of the wonderful audience that takes their time to listen to my music either!”

Akino blushed a little harder before deciding to ask her whether or not she had seen any of the people she was looking for. The piano lady informed her that she hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary but had promised to tell her if she noticed anything. With a nod and a thank you, Akino walked off to go look around once more.

Looking around once more, Akino shied away from larger groups of people. The feelings washing over her were becoming too much. She hid in one of the bathroom stalls until she felt comfortable. Afterward, she avoided talking to more people— save for that one older lady who was out on the outer deck that gave her a free Rare Candy. Akino spent the next hour combing the upper deck in an attempt to locate the elusive trio to no avail. Well, she couldn’t say it was all fruitless, however. Aside from the Rare Candy, she was also lucky enough to be privy to the scene of one of the sailors attempting unsuccessfully to fix an already working healing machine believing it to be a milkshake machine.

Akino sighed. This was waste of time. She couldn’t find them anywhere and it was just about time for her to meet with the Captain. And without proof, she couldn’t prove that there was indeed a bomb on the ship. Heaving yet another sigh, Akino begrudgingly made her way up to the captain’s quarters and knocked on the door. Upon hearing a quiet “Come in” from the room, the teen slowly opened the door and went inside.

The inside was a small office area with to couches on either side and a desk in the far end of the room. Behind the desk sat a well-aged man who appeared to be looking through some files before he noticed her presence. Setting the paper, he had been looking at, the older man flashed Akino a warm smile.

“Ah,” came his voice, sounding warm and welcoming, “you must be Akino, correct?”

Akino nodded.

“My name is Augustus. Augustus Briney. I am the Captain of the S.S. Oceana.”

Akino walked closer.

“How are you enjoying your voyage to the Aevium Region?”

She briefly hesitates before saying “It’s been pretty well so far.” She wonders wether or not she should inform him of her finds, before opting out. He wouldn’t believe her, just like they didn’t. They hadn’t and there were 14 dead.

“That’s good to hear. There’s a lot to do in the Aevium Region, so I doubt you’ll ever get bored.” His voice snaps her out of her thoughts. “I heard from your mother that you’ve registered as an official Pokemon Trainer? Do you know what that means for you?”

Akino nodded again.

“Well, even if you do know, I suppose I’ll lay it out for you anyway.”

Of course you will.

 He took a deep breath before continuing.

“Because of the size of Aevium, there are more than your ordinary amount of Gym Leaders. There are a total of 18 Gym Leaders, and instead of an Elite 4, we have an Elite 8.”

Akino’s eyebrows shot up at that. 18 Gym Leaders and 8 Elite Four members?!

Augustus chuckled at her reaction. “Yes, I suppose that would come as a shock. That is one of the many things that separates Aevium from other regions. Not to mention, Pokemon also act slightly different in this region. They will be obedient towards you if you impress them with your skill and potential. This can be displayed by the number of badges you’ve obtained. The more you have, the more likely Pokemon will be inclined to aid you on your journey. You can see what badge you need for certain levels on your trainer card. The requirements are etched on, so you can always refer to that.” Just then, an alarm went off on the Captain’s poke-nav, indicating that it was time for the banquet.

At the alarm’s incentive, the Captain stood up from his chair and made his way to her side.

“Now, that was such a long and boring lesson, wasn’t it?” He said. “How about we head on downstairs and start this banquet? I’m sure all the guests on the ship are just dying of anticipation to see what we have in store.”

Akino nodded enthusiastically, mind overrun by the thought of devouring some delicious food. Her mouth was watering as she quickly dashed out the room and down the stairs. Augustus chuckled at her actions and he too went out.

The doors to the buffet were overrun by a swarm of hungry individuals, all of with eager to enter. Akino stood amongst them, staring eagerly at the massive doors as though through sheer force of she would manage to open them. As it turns out, she needn't wait much longer as soon as Augustus approached the crowd, they all parted like the Red Sea in order to let the man through.

Brandishing a key, the man brought it to the doors and unlocked them. The moment those doors opened the crown flooded in, people tripping over one another in an attempt to get in faster. Akino found herself pushed to the back despite her best efforts.

Eventually, the crowd thinned as everyone made their way inside. Just as she was about to breach the doorway, a familiar voice called out to her.

“So eager to eat that you’re willing to leave your poor mother behind?”

Akino turned towards the direction of the voice, stammering in an attempt to find an excuse.

Her mother slowly made her way to her, soft smile ever present on her face as she looked at her daughter. She chuckled.

“Don’t worry, I’m only teasing you! Let’s get seated, shall we?”

The inside of the banquet hall was gorgeous. The tables were decorated with cloth and candles and there were buffet tables spread throughout the hall. In the back stood a large stage where the Piano Lady from earlier played soft melodies. Next to her stood the Captain in front of a mic, waiting patiently for everyone to be seated.

“Our table is just ahead.” Her mother said. “The banquet won’t start for a few more minutes. Feel free to wander around until you’re ready. I’ll be waiting for you.”

Immediately, Akino dashed off to the buffets, grabbing as much as she could and stacking them atop her plate. Once she was sure she was ready, she made her way towards the tables near the stage, where she knew her mother was seated. She noticed that that Crescent woman was seated at the table right next to theirs and her thoughts immediately went back to that conversation earlier.

Those two seemed to be pretending they didn’t know each other as they refused to acknowledge the others presence. That was fine by Akino, she was starving.

She plopped down next to her mother just in time. The banquet had begun. The music had stopped. Augustus made his way down the stairs of the stage and addressed the group.

“Greetings everyone!” He said. “It is my pleasure to host this lovely banquet on this magnificent day! This marks the end of our weeklong journey together. I hope that this trip will stay in your memory forever. And perhaps one day we shall see each other again!”

He raised his glass in the air. “And with that all said and done, I’d like this banquet to commence!”

Everyone stood up and applauded. Cheers erupted through the hall and Akino made to turn towards her food when—

“Sorry, but I’m going to have to postpone this little party.”

Three uniform clad individuals burst into the hall. Two men and one woman, each clad in black and red skin-tight uniform embroidered with a large X across their chest. They wore matching hats with the same sigil and masks that showed only their eyes. They each had a sinister look and Akino unintentionally took a step back.

“Who are you three?” Cried Augustus. “What is the meaning of this?”

The woman spoke up. “We’re going to need all of you to stay put and listen very carefully. We have explosives on board this ship. Any act of rebellion against us will result in a calamity none of you can afford.”

Akino was shaking. This was them; these are the guys from the cabin, the ones she’d been searching for. And now, they’re currently holding them hostage for some reason. She took a few more unconscious steps backwards and hide behind her mother.

“So, let’s just get through this nice and easy, okay?”

“Y-You’re hijacking the ship?” The Captain questioned.

The woman’s gaze was fixated on the Captain and Akino could see the mirth swimming in her eyes. “Hijacking? No, no, that’s too barbaric. We’re just here to pick someone up.” With that all three of them turned towards Akino and her mother. The teen jumped slightly at the attention.

Immediately, her mother threw her arm out in front to protect her.

“G-Get Akino out of here now!”

What?! The teen turned her head sharply towards her mother.

“Don’t make any funny movements!” One of the men yelled. “No one’s leaving this room, you hear?”

“...Hmph.” Crescent huffed.

“I said don’t move!”

Her mom didn’t care. “Get her out of here right this instant!” Her attention was directed towards Crescent, yet her arm was still outstretched to shield her daughter.

Crescent looked to her Pokemon.

“Gothitelle, you know what to do.”

The pokemon turned towards Akino and with a cry, its eyes shone.

“Goaa!”

In a flash, Akino was gone.

“...You’re all going to regret this!”

Click!

Boom!!

Chapter Text

Akino woke up in the captain’s room. Disoriented, Akino stood and looked around. Smoke blanketed the area. She saw that the lights were busted, and several shards littered the floor. The potted plants that’s decorated the room were tipped over and several holes where present in the floor. The ship was shaking. She went to inspect one of the holes when odd tentacle-like things came out from a few of the holes.

“Ah!”

Startled, Akino jumped back away. Those things were red and the ends opened up like a flower, revealing an eye that peered into her very being. She shivered. She had to run, she had to get away. Quickly, she made a mad dash for the doors and burst through.

The hallway was in a similar state to the room. Objects lay fallen, pots tipped over, holes littering the halls, those disturbing tentacle things staring at her. She ran.

Down a flight of stairs she went, dodging debris and others. She made it to the upper deck to find that two of those things were blocking the quickest path to the stairs. Quickly, she took a sharp turn, nearly falling when the ship shook once more, and descended into the main area of the deck, where she found the remains of several corpses that she could only assume where once passengers and crew. Bile rose up but she held it in; she had to get going. She had to find her mom. Tearing her eyes away from the wreckage, she was surprised to come face-to-face with the Piano Lady from earlier.

She looked a little banged up, but she was otherwise fine. She appeared to be moving away in terror from something. Looking past her, Akino saw something that one would normally only see in horror movies.

It was a dead body, one that was horribly damaged. Its body parts were mangled, limbs bending in all the wrong places. Blood pored from everywhere. The man’s face was frozen in fear, eyes bulging, mouth agape. His arm appeared to be outstretched in a silent plea for help.

Akino really did lose her lunch then. Just then, the tentacle that had been wrapped around the corpse retreated, leaving only a trail of blood. She and the Piano Lady were left shaking. The woman’s Jigglypuff ran to her side.

The two took several minutes to catch their breaths before Akino help the teal haired woman up.

“What–What was that?!” Akino finally asked, eyes still trained on the hole it had disappeared into.

The woman shook her head. “I-I… I don’t know… but it’s not the only one I’ve seen aboard this ship.”

She finally turned towards the teen and took a good look. “Hey… you’re the one from earlier. The kid that disappeared out of thin air, aren’t you? We met earlier too, right here before the banquet, right?”

Akino nodded.

“Well, I didn’t introduce myself earlier.” She grinned. “My name’s Louise, Louise Lane. Nice to meet you.”

“…I’m Akino Itsuki.” The pinkette replied meekly.

“So, what happened earlier? Actually, that’s not too important at the moment. What’s important is getting off this ship! Right after you disappeared, one of them detonated an explosive on the hull of the S.S. Oceana. Water is gushing in at an alarming rate. If we don’t find a way out soon…

“That coupled with these weird tentacle things… At first, they seemed relatively harmless, just watching our every move. It was as though they were looking for something. But then, well you saw what just happened. They attack when provoked.” Silence passed between them.

“…I need to find my mom.” Akino finally said.

The Piano Lady nodded. “You should go on ahead then. I’ll stay here to search for survivors and see if anyone needs help.”

They bade each other farewell and went off in separate directions. Exiting the main area through the other set of stairs and avoiding any of the tentacles, Akino made her way down another flight of stairs and into the lower deck. The ship continued to shake.

It was like a scene from a disaster movie. The damage was much more prominent and the bits and pieces of corpses that lied around did nothing to brighten up the atmosphere. There were more of those things down here than there were upstairs. The sound of rushing water could be overheard from the exit. There was shouting coming from that area as well. Akino approached the banquet hall and stepped in.

The place was wrecked. Tables were overturned. Holes littered the ground. The food was on the ground. Akino’s heart dropped at the sight. In the middle of the room stood Captain Augustus, looking hurt and absolutely devastated. He was cradling his bleeding arm, staring at the wreckage in the most heart wrenching way. Akino’s heart went out to the man.

She took a step forward, crushing a plate. He seemed to finally notice her at that point.

“Akino!” He cried out. “I’m glad to see that you’re doing okay.”

She hesitated then asked him. “Are you okay?”

He looked at her before following her gaze to his injured arm. He turned to her again and gave her a soft, reassuring smile.

“Ah, yes. Just got a little hurt from the blast. Nothing for you to worry about.”

His eyes cast downward. “It’s seems like... this perfect day has taken quite a turn, hasn’t it?” His face scrunched up in anguish and he clenched his arm tighter. “Who would do such a thing?”

Guilt clawed at her chest. She should have told him. She should have told him what she saw.

She decided to change the subject.

“...Augustus... where’s my mom?”

“Huh? You’re mother?” Augustus pondered. “I… I actually don’t know where she is. When the bomb went off, it knocked me unconscious. When I came to, most people were gone, save for a few survivors and…” He gestured to the corpses around them.

He sighed heavily. “Water is gushing through the belly of the ship as we speak. It won’t be long until the S.S. Oceana rests at the bottom of the sea forever. It’s possible that your mother could be searching for a way to help us out.”

He sighed heavily once more. “I think I’m going to stay here in my own misery for a bit.. There are some people at the exit of the boat looking for a way to stop the water level from rising. You should speak with them. They might have seen your mother.”

Akino felt horrible. If only she had told him what she’d heard. No, they wouldn’t have believed her, she had no proof. Maybe if she had found those people. If only she’d just located the bomb. Maybe she could’ve… What could she have done? She was only an 18-year-old with no pokemon and no authority. There was nothing she could have done. She was powerless. She couldn’t to anything. Useless, that’s what she was… utterly useless.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Save the what if’s for later, she had to find her mom. The tremors continued.

Turning away from the downtrodden Captain, the teen exited the hall and entered the hallway. Just as she was about to go see the people near the exit, she noticed a painter in front of the stairs that led to the cargo hold. As she approached him the man cried out.

“Wait, stop! You can’t come this way! The Cargo Hold is being submerged as we speak! It would be a death wish to go down this staircase. It’s not worth it!” Successfully deterred, she turned towards the exit.

The shouting grew louder as she approached. When she’d come close, she saw that the water had made it inside. Two men were wading through the water, attempting to seal the breach. Three people stood out of the water watching in anticipation. One of the people spoke up upon seeing her.

“They’re trying to block the entrance so that water won’t come in. The pressure from the water is too great, they can’t seem to do anything. What are we going to do?” The last question seemed more directed towards himself.

One of the women seemed to be panicking while the other looked distraught. Akino approached the men in the water. The tremors grew more intense.

“Ugh, the water pressure is way too strong for us to try and stop it from coming in!” One of them yelled. “It feels too futile at this point!”

“Ugh, what is going on here?! Why is this happening to us?!” The other yelled.

“There’s nothing we can do…” The first finally said. “We’re not strong enough to stop the water from entering. Our pokemon can’t do it as well. We should try to find some life rafts and escape.”

But just as he was about to turn away, the man stopped. It seemed as though he had noticed something out in the water. He surged forward in order to get a better look.

“Hey, wait… do you see that dark figure in the water?” He said.

The other guy got closer and to a look as well. “Yeah… it’s very faint, but I think I see it as well!”

Just then, two figures surged forth from the breach and grabbed hold of the two men.

“G-Gah, let go of us!”

The figures dragged them outside.

“Th-They kidnapped those two people!” Came a cry from behind her. Akino ran away from the water.

“We should head down to the Cargo Hold to hide.” Said the old lady. The other woman agreed.

“That’s a great idea!” She turned to Akino. “You, kid! You’re probably the fastest out of all of us. You go on ahead and tell that person blocking the staircase to move! We need to get down there and hide as soon as possible! Hurry!”

Were it not for the tense situation, Akino might have been miffed at the idea of someone bossing her around, but right now wasn’t the time. She dashed towards the staircase, startling the man standing guard.

“You need to move, now!” she yelled. “Something just started to attack us from the ocean! The Cargo Hold is our only option!”

“Hide in the Cargo Hold?! I-I’m not to sure how keen I am on this idea.” The man was distraught. “I mean, what if water starts to enter from above? What do we do then?”

Akino growled. They didn’t have time for this right now. That didn’t deter the man however.

“We’ll be trapped and then… well, you know the rest, don’t you?”

The teenager took a deep breath in. “Look, sir, while I agree that those are valid concerns, we don’t have time for—”

Cries erupted from near the exit.

“Eep! They’re back! And there’s more of them then last time!” Just as she said that, one of the figures surged forward and seized the man in front of her.

“Wh-What?! Let go of me!”

And just like that, they were gone.

No time to waste. She had to get down to the Cargo Hold. Dashing down the stairs, skipping a few steps along the way, Akino quickly found herself down near the hold. It was even darker down here then everywhere else.

As she approached, the ship’s tremors grew even more intense. She stumbled. Closer to the Cargo Hold, four geysers erupted from the ground and water began flowing at a faster rate. Akino made it inside the hold.

The inside was just as overflowing with water. Multiple geysers were shooting up from the floor. The water was now up to her hips. Her bag was soaked. But that wasn’t what she cared about at the moment.

There, on the elevated platform in the middle of the room stood her mother, trusty Sylveon by her side. Tears welled up in her eyes at the sight. Akino waded her way to the platform.

“Mom!” She cried. The sound of rushing water drowned her out. Her mom wasn’t paying attention.

“It’s no use,” her mother said, “the water can’t be controlled. There’s just way to much damage.”

Akino made it to the platform.

“Mom!” That caught her mother’s Sylveon’s attention. It pulled at the hem of her dress and gave out a cry.

“Sylveo!”

Nancy looked at her partner inquisitively. “What’s wrong, Silver?” Sylveon gestured towards Akino, who had just made it onto the platform and was running towards her. Her mother immediately ran to her and they embraced each other in a hug.

“Mom!” Akino cried out, tears freely flowing down the side of her face. “I’m so glad you’re okay! I was so worried!”

Finally pulling away, Nancy brought a hand up to Akino’s cheek and caressed it.

“Akino, is it really you?” She said disbelievingly. “What are you doing here? I thought you were somewhere safe…”

She pulled her daughter into a hug once more. “Regardless, I’m glad that you’re alright. All that matters is that we’re together again, right?”

Akino nodded with a sniffle. After a few minutes, the two finally broke apart.

“This ship is far too damaged.” Her mother said. “I have a pokemon that can use Surf to get us to shore, but as for the others…”

“What makes you think that you’re safe from our onslaught?” came an ominous voice. Nancy sharply turned around, standing protectively over her daughter.

One after another, four dots blipped into existence in the shape of a rectangle in front of them. Then, the dots slowly connected forming the letter N. Suddenly, there was a flash and in the N’s place stood a shady looking woman. She had short purple hair and wore sunglasses to cover her eyes. She wore a knee-length purple and red dress and a pair of knee-high boots. She fixed the two of them with a sneer. The tremors continued.

“We came here for one purpose, and one purpose only.” She told them. “And we’re not leaving until we’ve fulfilled that purpose.”

“Are you the one who’s behind this attack?!” Nancy snapped. “If you think you can lay a hand on my daughter then you have another thing coming for you.”

The woman’s face remained impassive. “Perhaps that is a possibility, but that’s not something that I’m comfortable sharing. The only thing that matters right now is your apprehension.”

Nancy’s eyes widened. “M-My apprehension?”

The woman smirked. “That’s correct. Did you honestly think that your daughter was our target?” She scoffed. “Maybe that’s what they made you think, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Nancy couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “If all you wanted was me, then why go as far as to destroy the S.S. Oceana?!” She demanded. “You’ve killed dozens of innocent people, some of them being children eager to begin their first journey! You people are monsters!”

“Oh, spare me the waterworks. It’s simple.” The woman walked closer. “Witnesses can be such a bother. It’s better if we just wipe them all out.”

“And if someone happened to get out?” Nancy inquired. “They would spread awareness.”

The woman crossed her arms and harrumphed. “Assuming anyone got out— which they won’t. Although, I must say, it wouldn’t be too bad considering most people believe us to be quite passive anyway.”

The woman uncrossed her arms and placed a hand on her hip, balancing her weight on one side. “It’s time people woke up from this dream of safety they have going on.” The ship shook once more.

Silence passed over the group. Suddenly, Nancy chuckled to herself.

“Heh, it’s going down like this, huh.”

“M-Mom?” Akino asked carefully.

“Sylveon, return!” Nancy called out, brandishing a pokeball towards her partner and calling it back.

She grabbed all of her pokeballs before turning towards Akino, holding them out towards her. Akino looked at the pokeballs before turning her gaze questioningly towards her mother.

“Mom?”

“Akino, I want you to take all of my pokemon.” Nancy gave her daughter a warm smile. There was a look in her eyes Akino wasn’t quite sure she liked.

“Mom, why are you–”

“Take them, please. They can help you escape.” Akino looked at her mom incredulously. Her mother returned her a reassuring smile. “Please Akino. I’ll be okay as long as I know you’re safe and sound. That’s all that matters to me.”

Akino held her mother’s gaze for several seconds before finally nodding, reaching for the pokeballs.

The woman shook her head. “Sorry, you can’t do it. That’s not going to happen.”

She snapped her fingers and several of those figures from before, now definitely looking like pokemon, appeared between her and her mother. Akino jumped back in surprise.

“Don’t think you’re safe.” The woman said. “I’m going to deal with you next, Akino.”

A tremor came from above.

“What was that?”

“Look out below!”

Akino looked up and dove away from the falling object in time. Her mother went the other way.

Crash!

Clang!

The figures didn’t stand a chance.

Splat!

A large piano came tumbling down from above, crushing the three pokemon-like figures like insects. Akino and her mother found themselves trapped on either side of the fallen instrument. The teen looked up.

Louise, the Piano Lady walked further away from the edge, wiping away some of her sweat, panting.

“Huff… huff… you better appreciate me Akino.” Louise said. “Pushing a piano off the side wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. The sound of a piano crashing on the floor? That song was dedicated to you.”

She took a deep breath, and chuckled. “I don’t even know if it’s worth it in the long run. Can you escape here by yourself? Ah, but it doesn’t matters anymore, does it? Try to escape this place, kid…”

Four figures approached her from either side. She was surrounded.

“Because it looks like my time here is up.”

“Louise!”

“Akino, go!” Her mother yelled. The teen took one final look at her, and sprinted for the exit, tears flowing faster.

Up a flight of stairs and dodging the massive hole created by the piano, the 18-year-old finally made her way outside to the rear of the ship. There was a man there, waiting.

He was dark skinned, wore a grey trench coat and was definitely middle aged. He affixed her with a glare upon seeing her.

“And where do you think you’re going?” He demanded.

The woman from earlier appeared from behind her. She was cornered.

“Did you honestly think you were done with me?” Akino looked between the two of them in fear. She was shaking. She didn’t know what to do. What could she do?

Her knees were shaking.

“Be a good little girl and come with us. There’s no point in fighting back.” The woman reached towards her and Akino recoiled. She clicked her tongue.

“That will only make things worse for you in the long run.”

“Braaawww!” A piercing cry echoed from above.

“What?” said the woman.

Just then, a large orange bird swooped down from above and carried Akino away.

“What was that?!” The man exclaimed, bewildered. The woman ran towards the rails and looked in the direction she’d taken of to.

She clicked her tongue again. “Whatever, we’ll deal with her later.”

The man looked to her. “Now what do we do?”

She turned to him. “The S.S. Oceana is done for. If we stay any longer we’ll be dragged into the ocean. Let’s cut our losses and get out of here now.”

“Aye.”

Chapter Text

Oceana Pier

Rain was pouring profusely; a shallow mist blanketed the area. Dark clouds roiled overhead. The mood was somber. What had once been a happy day had turned into a nightmare. The large orange bird, now noticeably a Talonflame, swooped down and deposited the shaken girl on the western most dock.

Slowly, the girl slid off from its back and sank to the ground hugging her knees. Her breaths were shallow, and her shoulders shook. She tried to calm herself through the hiccups and sobs. After a while, it seemed fruitless. She kept replaying the events that had just transpired over and over. Just that morning she’d woken up ready to almost begin her journey. Now, there she was, sitting in a mess of tears on a rainy dock. At least the sky agreed with her.

The Talonflame awkwardly stroked her with its feathers and cooed. She tensed, heart beating faster at the touch of feathers before she forced herself to relax. This bird was safe. This bird had saved her, she was safe now. After a while, she finally managed to calm down to a sniffle. Weakly, she looked up at the large bird.

“Thank you…” She croaked, voice scratchy. She was reaching her limit.

She hesitantly reached up and pet it, gaining a pleased cooed. Shortly after, a medium sized yacht sailed into the docks. The Talonflame chirped at it happily.

“Talonflame, did you find anything?” came a voice from the yacht. Out came a long, red hair woman clad in an expensive red dress.

“Oh dear…”

Upon seeing Akino on the ground, the woman quickly rushed over and crouched down, giving her a quick once over. Noticing how shaken the teen looked, the woman calmly gathered her up into a warm hug. Akino momentarily stiffened in her grasp before relaxing.

“Are you alright?” She asked in a soft voice, not wanting to frighten the girl. Her face remained concerned. “You were aboard the S.S. Oceana, weren’t you?”

Akino nodded hesitantly.

“Could you tell me what happened?” the woman softly inquired.

Akino opened her mouth to reply only for a croaking sound to escape. Frowning, she tried again to answer only for nothing to come out.

The woman noticed the girl’s plight. “That’s alright take your time. If you’d like, we could try something else.” Akino looked at her quizzically.

“I happen to know Kantonian sign language, and even some Unovan sign as well. Johtoan sign is quite similar to Kantonian what with them being right next to each other. I am unfortunately still learning Sinnosian sign however so I might be a bit slow with that. I haven’t started Hoennian, Alolan, Kalosian or Galarian sign yet however. Hopefully, that won’t be a problem.”

Akino visibly relaxed after she suggested this. With hesitant hands, she finger spelled Johtoan to the woman. The woman beamed at her.

“Okay, Johtoan sign it is. You can start whenever you’re ready.”

Akino nodded jerkily. Shakily she raised her hands and began to sign to the woman.

“Yes. I was…” she signed. “Some thugs hijacked the ship and detonated a bomb. I got separated from my mom in the chaos. Suddenly these weird tentacle things came out from the holes and grabbed a bunch of people. I don’t think they survived.”

She shivered heavily before continuing to sign. “The rest of us survivors tried to find a way to get off the ship when out of nowhere these figures appeared from the ocean and started kidnapping the rest. It was dark and I couldn’t see really well but… I think those things looked like that one pokemon… Deoxys. I couldn’t tell. Anyway, I managed to reunite with my mom in the cargo hold when this shady looking purple haired woman came out of nowhere. I think…” she hesitated. “I think she’s the one that was behind the attack.”

She bit her lip before attempting to continue, but her hands were shaking too much to accurately sign anything. She rose her hand to finger spell instead before grimacing. Hesitantly, she opened her mouth, testing the waters, before continuing with the rest of the story. Her voice came out scratchy and rushed. “Apparently they were looking for someone. M-My mom… They… I-I don’t know why they wanted her—I swear I don’t— but they were dead set on capturing her, and they were planning on capturing me in order to get to her. They-They cornered her. They almost got me too. I only escaped thanks to this one lady, Louise, and your Talonflame.”

The woman remained pensive. “I see… so that’s what happened.” She took a good look at the teen in front of her. “Thank you for telling me.”

Akino was shivering again, whether from the cold or the memories was undetermined. Tears were once more welling up in her eyes and she bit back another sob. The woman looked at her with sadness. She gathered the young girl up into another hug and drew calming circles on her back.

“There, there. I’m sure everything will turn out alright.” She soothed. “I promise you, I’ll do everything I can to help.”

Once she was sure the girl had calmed down, she continued.

“I saw most of what happened go down. I tried my best to get there as fast as I could… Fortunately, my trusty Talonflame is fast. We got there just in time to rescue you. Do you know who they were? That might help me track them down.”

The teen shook her head. She switched back to sign. Her hands where a lot less shaky. “I don’t know… they didn’t say. Those three in the banquet hall, the ones that set off the bomb, they were wearing uniforms. Skin-tight, black and red jumpsuits with the letter X embroidered on it.”

The woman’s face turned hard. “I see… so they’ve finally made they’re move…”

They? Who’s they?

Just then, a thought seemed to cross the woman’s mind.

“Oh! I haven’t introduced myself yet. My name is Tesla.”

“I-I’m Akino.” Her voice cracked.

Tesla flashed her a warm smile. “Nice to meet you, Akino.” Her face then turned somber. “Unfortunately, that ship has sunk to the bottom of the ocean. I would have never thought that Team Xen would do such a thing. They aren’t exactly the most competent bunch, at least not usually.”

Akino quirked a brow. “Who’s Team Xen?” She was signing again.

“They’re a criminal organization that no one really knows much about. They’re usually all bark and no bite, so we simply ignored them. That’s why this is so surprising to me. I wonder if whatever they’re planning has finally gone into action.” Tesla pondered, bringing a hand to her chin. Something about her reminded the teen of her mother. She felt safe.

Tesla then looked at Akino, her expression turning soft.

“Anyway… you’re all alone now, aren’t you?”

That hurt, the reminder. She really was all alone now, wasn’t she. She was soaked, standing on the docks with puffy eyes and the bag she had kept with her. She didn’t have any family here and her mother had been whisked off to who knows where by some criminal organization. Akino bit her lip and wiped away a tear, hugging herself closer.

Tesla frowned. “If you don’t mind me asking, what do you plan to do now?”

Her voice was barely above a whisper. “I-I don’t know…” She really didn’t. She was scared and lost. She had nowhere to go and only had her bag— which was thoroughly soaked— with some money and an invalid trainer ID to help. She honestly didn’t know what to do anymore. She hugged herself closer, curling in on herself.

Tesla pursed her lips. “I see…” she started slowly. “Well, in any case, you should probably head to Gearen Laboratory. You’ll want to pick up a pokemon. They’re essential for any trainer to have plus add some extra protection.” Akino nodded in assent. She continued.

“I think I’m going to head to the wreck site and see if I can find anyone else.” She swiftly climbed onto her pokemon before continuing. “I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. Things will work out eventually if you’re patient.”

Akino wasn’t quite sure she believed that. She nodded anyway.

“Okay…”

Tesla gave her a sad smile before schooling her face into something more resolute.

“Alright Akino, we’ll see each other soon. Clear the way please!” And with that, she took off.

The pier was much more expansive than she’d anticipated. Strong wind flew in from between the warehouses. Akino quickly untied the blue sweater wrapped around her waist and put it on. Didn’t provide much shelter but it did provide comfort. She wandered around the pier confused for a while, not knowing where to go. Thankfully, a man had noticed her plight and was nice enough to point her in the direction of Gearen Immigration. She thanked him an went inside.

She was soaked, she was well aware, yet she hadn’t realized just how wet until the cold air from the air conditioner hit her full throttle. Her hair was matted and her clothes clung to her skin. After wringing out the water as best she could, still a shivering mess, Akino went up to the desk labeled “Aevium Immigration”.

“Welcome to Aevium Immigration.” Said the woman behind the desk, her name tag reading “Mabel”. “Do you have a passport?”

Akino panicked. She didn’t think this through. She didn’t have her passport on her. What if they didn’t let her in. Then she’d be stuck there wandering lost and scrounging up food for trash bins until those people found her and took her. Then, who knows what would happen. They could torture her or kill her or– she shook her head, hugging herself closer.

Mabel quirked her brow. “No? Oh that just simply won’t do~” Akino let out a small, distressed sound. “Do you at least have a Trainer Card? Those can double as passports.”

I... didn’t know that… Huh. You learn something new every day…

Quickly producing the soaking card from her bag, the girl handed it to the receptionist.

“Ah! You do! Please come with me for a second.” Rounding the counter, Mabel led her to another of the desks.

“Could you please verify and renew this young trainer’s Trainer Card?” Mabel ask the other receptionist. The other receptionist, Sable it would seem from the name tag, took the card and put it into the system.

“It’ll only take a second.” She said. The sound of typing was heard followed by a jingle. She handed it back to Mabel.

“There, all verified and ready to go. Akino is now a verified citizen of Aevium.”

“Thanks sis.” Mabel quickly ushered Akino back to her desk and began her work. She turned to Akino and handed her her card.

“Here Akino, you can have this back.” Akino gingerly took back the card and put it in her bag. “You can roam around Aevium without restrictions. Good luck out there!”

Bowing deeply in gratitude, Akino signed thank you to the lady and left.

Passing through the gate, Akino finally stepped foot into the city. The pinkette was skittish, hyper focused on every little detail. High-rise buildings where spread out neatly as far as she could see. The streets were wide and the path was lit by the lights that were layered into the ground and the street lamps. People walked through the streets. The view was admittedly stunning at night, but it was loud. She was uncomfortable. She was afraid.

Akino jumped in fright at the sounds of Trainers battling throughout the city. She stayed away from them. Straight across from where she was a large building with a sign reading “Gearen Laboratory”.

Guess that must be where I’m headed.

Chapter Text

Gearen Laboratory

Akino made her way inside. The interior looked spacious. There where several bookshelves spread around and a few tables to sit at. To the right of the entrance was a pokemart and to the left, a research area. A black caped woman stood waiting in front of the entrance. As soon as the woman noticed her she walk up to her.

“Oh hey, are you Akino?” She asked. Akino tilted her head in confusion.

Who’s this? She took a closer look at her face. Wait a minute… Amanda?! She looks different than she did in the video. Different clothes, longer hair. Odd…

She filed that away for later.

Amanda walked up to her, ponytail swaying side to side. Aside from the hat and the added ponytail, the woman didn’t look that much different. She still had that black and white colour, though she appeared to have swapped the collar for a tank top, and her hair still had read in it.

“What took you so long!? I thought you ditched me!”

Akino fidgeted, trying to figure out how to explain herself. How exactly does on go about explaining that their ship got hijacked by some crazed criminal syndicate that apparently wanted her mother and employed these weird Deoxys looking things to kidnap people. She opened her mouth in order to try and explain, but no sound came out. She tried to gather herself up and tried again before snapping her mouth shut with a pained expression, biting her lip. She’d just sound crazy. Amanda definitely wouldn’t believe her.

Sensing the girl’s discomfort, Amanda opted to change the subject. “Well, I’m sure it’s no biggie. Now that you’re here we can get started!” Amanda walked to the back, gesturing for her to follow.

Akino walked further in. People sat around the TVs watching the news. The news reporter was giving the details of what they knew on the incident with the S.S. Oceana. Akino sucked in a breath and averted her gaze. Amanda appeared to be confirming something with one of the receptionists when she’d caught up.

“Yeppers~! The new Trainer is finally here~!” She said in a sing-song voice.

Akino took the time to check her bag. It was completely soaked and most of the contents inside where severely damaged. Her wallet was luckily the least damaged of the bunch but… she sighed.

My Pokenav’s ruined! And my sketchbook. All of my work…crap… guess I’ll have to get a new one.

Amanda turned around and got Akino’s attention.

“Right this way, Akino.”

“Amanda.” Came a stern voice. Amanda flinched, all wound up.

“…Uh…Oh…” She slowly turned towards the speaker.

Out from the far corner of the room came a man looking similar to the guide, with dark skin and short black hair with no red highlights. He wore a black shirt and a white jacket. He looked annoyed as he fixed Amanda with an unimpressed look, crossing his arms.

“And where have you been?” he demanded. “I tried getting in touch with you for weeks now. Why haven’t you gotten back to me?”

Amanda stammered. “Also that hat is new. Did you buy it during your trip to Grand Dream City?” the man continued.

“Oh you know… I’ve been busy and stuff.” Amanda tried. “And yes I bought this hat at GDC. Stylish, isn’t it?”

He scoffed. “While you’ve been “busy” shopping, I’ve gone ahead and finished our project. I need you to deliver it to Zumi for me. She’s presently studying at Magnolia Library.”

“Oh! You know, I would, but I’m sort of busy with Akino.” The man turned his head towards Akino and quirked a brow.

“Another new trainer? I see.”

“Yep! Akino, meet Jan. Jan, meet Akino.” Jan stuck out his hand and Akino shook it. He smiled.

“Nice to meet you, Akino. I’m Amanda’s brother.” Amanda nodded in confirmation.

“Yep! My bro here co-manages the league with me!”

Jan scoffed. “If by co-manage you mean Jan does all the work while Amanda plays outside… then yeah, I do co-manage.”

“Jan.” Amanda whined. “You know I’m better with more hands-on stuff. Plus, you’re better with the paperwork. I mean honestly, is it pin me with all the legal documentation the league requires?” Jan seemed to consider before releasing a long-suffering sigh.

“…I suppose you’re right. If I left you with all that stuff you’d make sure everything burned down to the ground. Anyway, since you’re not willing to deliver this for me, I will myself.” Amanda beamed.

“Okay, you do that!”

“See you two later.” And with that he was off.

“Right, back to business! Let’s go inside the lab, okay?” Amanda went pass the desk and through the door. Akino proceeded to follow her and went to the door, only to collide with a girl around her age who was going out. They both cried out as they fell to the floor.

The girl sat up massaging her behind and cradling her head. “Owie…” she whined before peeking at Akino. “Sorry about that.”

Akino flailed her arms in front of her. “N-no! It’s alright. It’s my fault too.” She quickly stood up and offered the girl a hand, which she accepted. Akino finally got a good look at her. The girl had short chin-length hair and wore a white off shoulder shirt with a matching tank top and black shorts. It was the face, however, that caught her attention.

Maria?! Her mouth fell agape. No… it can’t be. Maria died! …I think. Plus, she was smaller and had bows in her hair.

Suddenly realizing she was staring, Akino quickly snapped her mouth shut and apologized, averting her gaze and blushing madly.

“T-That’s okay.” She assured her before looking at the time. “Shoot! Sorry, I’m in a rush. Please excuse me.” She apologized before heading towards the exit. Akino watched absentmindedly as the girl went away.

She looks so much like her. She didn’t dwell on it too long and turned back towards the door.

The professor’s office was large, she’d give them that. The pathway seemed to stretch for a while, evenly decorated with bookcases and potted flowers. There appeared to be a separate door near the entrance. Amanda was waiting for her, again.

“This way.”

They walked down the hallway and approached a desk. Behind the desk was a tall, blonde man who appeared to be in deep conversation with a red haired woman on the screen. Akino couldn’t get a good look at the woman but she certainly didn’t trust her one bit. She gave off this feeling, not unlike that woman from the ship, the one who’d taken her mother. Akino had to suppress a shiver.

“And above all else, make sure she’s there for the pickup.” The woman on screen told the man.

“…I assure you that things have already been set to motion.”

Amanda coughed. “…Professor Jenner? I brought the new Trainer as requested.”

The professor jumped and turned to them sharply as the monitor turned off.

“O-Oh, Amanda. I didn’t think you’d get here so soon.”

The league coordinator quirked a brow. “So soon? We’re technically late, Professor.”

The man was quick to wave her off. “In any case, welcome to my laboratory, Akino. I’m the lead scientist here at Gearen Lab. I was hired by Jan and Zumi—” Amanda cut him off with a groan.

“Professor, you always put the trainers through this lengthy introduction! Just skip to the end.”

“A-Ah, I suppose you’re right—” “Of course I am.” “—In that case, please take Ms. Itsuki and help her choose right away!”

Amanda turned to her with a wide grin. “Oh man, this is the best part! Let’s go!” The league coordinator grabbed the teens hand and dragged her into a side area. There were three separate areas cordoned off by metal fences, each a simulation of different habitats: a grassy terrain, a volcano and a beach. Amanda stopped in front of a computer terminal and turned to her. “Okay, we have a lot for you to choose from, but I won’t explain too much. I think it’s a better experience if you take a look for yourself! Good luck!” With that, she turned around to press a button and all three gates simultaneously came down.

The decision wasn’t hard. The moment she found out that Aevium had access to starters from all over, including Johto, she already knew exactly what starter she had wanted. What could she say? Growing up in Johto has left her a little biased. Plus she needed a bit of home right now.

The pinkette made a b-line for the volcanic field. Looking around, she noticed a small blue pokemon hiding behind a rock. She smiled and kneeled down. The cyndaquil looked at her curiously.

“Hey little guy.” She said softly. “Do you wanna come with me. I could really use your help.”

The small pokemon looked her over as though considering before it smiled and gave out a happy cry.

“Quil!” The pokemon ran over to her and she gingerly picked it up, hugging it. She gave the pokemon a quick once over and noticed something.

“Oh hey! You’re a girl aren’t you?” The cyndaquil gave her a happy nod. “Alright, I just thought of the perfect nickname for you. I’ll call you Cinder, Cindy for short. How does that sound?”

Cyndaquil cried out in glee. Akino smiled.

“Alright, Cindy. I say we should get going now. Wouldn’t wanna keep Amanda waiting too long now would we?” Akino stood, Cindy still in her arms, and walked out of the volcanic field.

The moment she stepped out; the gates immediately snapped back up. She made her way to Amanda.

Noticing the pokemon wrapped up in her arms and the calm smile on her face, Amanda couldn’t help smiling as well. It wasn’t as though the woman hadn’t noticed how tense the girl was since she’d arrived. The girl’s eyes were constantly darting around as though looking for threats and she looked as if she would run at a moment’s notice. Not to mention, she looked exhausted. The girl’s hair was all over the place and she was soaked to the bone. Amanda couldn’t help but wonder just what had happened to her. But she didn’t pry. By the time Akino made it to her, she’d already plastered a wide, proud grin across her face.

“You chose a cyndaquil? Hell yeah! That’s a nice choice, Akino!”

“Thanks!” Akino said, giving her her first, genuine smile since the incident aboard the S.S. Oceana.

“Although… we still need to see how well it’ll do in battle. How about we battle? Don’t worry, I won’t use my actual team for this.”

“Alright.”

Each one took a couple steps back and Akino set Cindy down. She looked at her pokemon in the eyes.

“Alright Cindy. I believe in you. I know you can do this. Let’s work together, alright?” The cyndaquil nodded and gave a confident battle cry.

“Quilll!”

“Are you guys ready?” Amanda called.

Akino nodded. “Yeah.”

“Alright then, let’s begin! Go! Litten!” Amanda tossed out a pokeball she produced from her belt and out came a small quadruped black and red cat. The cat gave out a cry and moved into battle stance, awaiting orders.

“Invigorated yet?” Amanda asked. “I know I am. Litten, use scratch.” Immediately the cat pounced, claws out as it attacked the cyndaquil. Akino winced.

“Cindy, you alright?” She asked. Cindy gave her a quick nod and turned back to the battle. Akino understood. Her eyes narrowed. “Alright. Cindy, use leer.” Instantly, the pokemon reacted, fixing her opponent with a glare and whittling down its defences.

Amanda smirked. “Oh, so that’s how you wanna play, huh? Okay then, Litten, use tail whip.” The black and red feline turned and waged its tail. Cindy’s defences lowered.

“Cindy, use leer again!” Defences lowered once more.

“Litten, use scratch!” “Dodge it, Cindy!” both trainers called out at the same time. The litten darted forwards once more, claws extended. The cyndaquil waited until last moment before sidestepping out of the way just in time to get out with only a nick.

Amanda stared at her pink haired opponent. She was so different now then when she came in. She looked more… at peace. Like she’s finally in her element. Amanda smiled. Yeah, that’s better.

“Cindy, use tackle!” Finally, small pokemon surged forward and attacked her opponent with her full-body.

Litten stumbled back at the impact. That definitely did some damage.

“Cindy! Quick! Use tackle again!”

“Litten! Counter with scratch!” The two pokemon collided and dealt more damage to one another then broke apart. Litten and Cindy both staggered.

“Okay, Cindy. One last time. Use tackle.” The cyndaquil ran forward and attacked its feline opponent, knocking it out cold. Amanda stared in disbelief before fixing Akino with a grin.

“You’re totally good!!” Akino looked down with a blush. Amanda picked up her Litten and walked up to the girl. “Gee willickers, Mary Ann!” Akino deadpanned. “I was blown away by your potential! Here, let me heal your Cyndaquil.” The league member took out a few supplies and tended to Cindy. After being satisfied with her work, she took a step back.

“You have a long way to go, but I know for a fact you’ll get there.” Akino nodded, still blushing heavily. “That was a good battle, through and through. Here’s a little something to get you started.”

Amanda pulled out a few pokeballs and handed them to her. “And here’s one for your cyndaquil.” She handed her one more.

Akino officially caught her pokemon. She smiled softly, blush receding to a shallow tint.

Amanda placed her hands on her hips, grin still in place. “Okay, that’s all for me for now, but Professor Jenner get you all situated.”

Akino’s face scrunched up.

Professor Jenner? That guy looks… shifty, I don’t trust him. What even was that call about earlier?

Nonetheless, Akino complied. The two walked over to the man’s desk, where Amanda bade them both farewell and left. Akino reluctantly turned back to the man at the desk.

Chapter Text

Professor Jenner had plastered on a wide smile as he said, “Congratulations, Akino! Your journey is just beginning. But that aside, I have something to ask you.” She looked at him warily. She didn’t know what to make of the man. She certainly didn’t trust him, that’s for sure, but she should at least hear him out.

“It has to do with–”

The door slid open. A young man of about her age rushed up to the desk.

“Professor Jenner, I’m back from my trip to Amethyst Cave!” he procured something from his bag and handed it over to the professor. “Here are the pokemon you lent me.”

Professor Jenner still looked mildly surprised before he straightened up and took the pokeballs handed to him. He gave the young man a smile. “Ah, Ren. You’re back early.”

The boy, now named Ren, brightened. “Yep, I got the research on all the Pokemon you requested too.” With a grin, he continued. “I told you hiring me as your assistant was a good idea! I get the job done.”

Just then, he seemed to have finally noticed Akino and finally turned his attention to her, raising an inquisitive brow.

“Oh? Who’s this? A new recruit?”

He gave her a quick look over, and she did the same to him.

He was young, most likely her age or a year younger. He was taller than her by almost head and had black hair and eyes. He wore a red scarf around his neck, a beige shirt and a grey jacket, with black pants and matching shoes.

Professor Jenner cut in. “Not a new recruit, but a new Trainer.” Ren nodded, not taking his eyes off her yet. Akino eyed him with a guarded expression. Ren noticed the wary look in her eyes.

“So you’re a new trainer, huh? Alright then, if that’s the case… Let’s see how you do in battle!”

Akino eyes widened minutely in shock. A battle? Well, couldn’t hurt.

With a nod from the pinkette, the two teens distanced themselves from the professor’s desk and grabbed their pokeballs. The professor sighed.

With a grin, Ren called out his pokemon, Akino quickly following suit.

Lights flashed as the two balls hit the floor. A blue frog pokemon burst out of one just as the fire mouse pokemon came out of the other. With resounding cries, the two pokemon got ready for battle.

He has a Froakie? Shoot, this might be bad. Gotta end him quick.

“Cindy, use leer.” She called out. The cyndaquil glared at her opponent, lowering his defences.

Ren looked at her with a smirk. “Oh, so that’s how it’s gonna be, huh? Well… beginner’s luck quickly runs out! Froakie, hit her with a pound!” At his command, the blue frog surged forward and struck the fire mouse pokemon in the chest, sending her stumbling back.

“Cindy, one more leer!” The small mouse once more glared at her opponent, lowering his defences.

“Froakie, use pound!” The frog once more leap forth and struck her.

“Cindy! Hit him with a tackle!” The cyndaquil rushed forward and tackled the froakie with her body sending him flying backwards a bit.

“Okay Froakie, hit her with a bubble!” At his command, the little frog opened his mouth and out came a stream of bubbles.

“Cindy! Dodge out of the way and use tackle!” The cyndaquil quickly moved out of the path of the oncoming bubbles. Getting into stance, a stray bubble came into contact with her, causing her to hiss in pain. Shaking off the pain, Cindy ran forward and once more tackled her opponent, leaving him staggering.

Ren’s face was hard. Despite the type advantage, it would seem as though he might lose. This girl was good, he had to admit that, but he wasn’t about to just let her win like that.

“Froakie! Use bubble again!” “Cindy, dodge then counter with a tackle.” Once more, the froakie went for a bubble and the cyndaquil moved out of the way in the nick of time, still managing to get it by a few stray bubbles. Finding her footing once more, the cyndaquil went for a tackle only for the froakie to dodge her attack. This exchange went on for a while. Ren’s froakie would try to hit her with a bubble, Cindy would dodge then tackle only to miss. Soon the two pokemon where left panting.

Both trainers had determined looks on their faces, each vying to come out on top. Ren’s grin only grew wider. This girl was good, he’d give her that, but he definitely wasn’t planning on losing that easily. He had something he needed to do and he needed to be strong in order to complete it. He wasn’t about to lose to some new trainer. Not now.

Akino regarded her opponent. He was interesting, she’d admit. After all, it’s not everyday that the professor’s assistant challenges you to a battle. Not to mention he was good. He clearly battled regularly. He had been regarding her with a determined grin for a while now, yet the pinkette could tell his focus wasn’t solely on her. He seemed troubled. That didn’t matter however. She was determined to win.

With renewed determination, the two trainers engaged in battle once more. Their pokemon were on their last legs and it was only a matter of time before they’d eventually tire, thus they had to finish this quick. This next attack would be their last.

Narrowing her eyes, Akino called out her attack. Ren did the same.

“Cindy, use tackle!” “Froakie, use pound!”

Both pokemon rushed towards each other and delivered blows. They staggered away from each other and simultaneously collapsed to the ground, K.O-ed. Their trainers stood watching in shock at the scene before bursting into good natured laughter. They each called back their pokemon and Ren walked up to Akino with a grin and reached for a handshake. Akino returned the gesture and Ren’s grin widened.

“That was not bad! Not bad at all! I didn’t expect it to end in a draw. You’re pretty good…” His sentence petered off as he realized something. “Sorry, don’t think I ever caught your name.” He smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

A small smile graced her lips. “It’s Akino. You’re Ren, right?”

He nodded. “Yup! I’m Professor Jenner’s assistant. I’m not too used to using my own pokemon in battle. He usually lends me his pokemon so I can take on more dangerous missions.”

The professor took that as his queue to jump back into the conversation. “Speaking of which, I have another task for you when you’re ready.”

Ren didn’t all too please about that. He pulled a face. “Oh… Do you mind if I take it on a little later? I promised Melia and Venam that I’d meet up with them after I came back.”

The professor seemed oddly displeased with that. He didn’t let it show openly. “You’ve done a great job so far so I suppose you can have the rest of the day off.”

Ren pumped his fist in the air. He fixed Professor Jenner with a bright smile. “Thank you sir! I’ll see you tomorrow!”

And with that, he was off. Akino watched him. The professor cleared his throat to get her attention. She turned to him, expression wary.

“Now about personal favour…” Professor Jenner hesitated before continuing. “I have a daughter named Melia.” Akino raised an eyebrow. “In a few days time, I will be sending her to Route 1 and Goldenwood Forest to help in my research. I have faith that she’ll be able to take care of herself, but…” He hesitated once more before fixing her with a determined gaze. “I’d… feel better if there was someone to look after her.”

Both of Akino’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. She can’t say she was expecting that to be his request. He has a daughter? That’s news to her. Is Melia that Maria look-a-like she’d bumped into earlier? Possibly. This brought on an even bigger question. If he’s so worried about her safety, why would he want to entrust her safety to so newbie trainer he just met?

The thought made her suspicious. He knows nothing about her. She was new and inexperienced. She’d gotten her pokemon thanks to some of her mother’s connections. She quite literally just got here and for some reason he was entrusting the safety of his daughter to her. It just didn’t add up. Was he with the guys from the boat?

She shivered. That was a possibility she hadn’t wanted to entertain. No, she shouldn’t jump to conclusions. She looked at his face again. She had a question.

“What about Ren? He seemed capable. Why not ask him?”

The professor fixed her with a pained expression. “It’s… complicated.” Akino looked at him questioningly. He sighed.

“Unfortunately, Ren had told me he won’t be available during that time, something about a personal favour he had to take care of, so that won’t work. And, Ren’s my only assistant aside from Melia, so it’s not like I have anyone else to ask. I’d love to go myself but I have a call during that time so I can’t.”

So there’s no one else. Okay… Fine… whatever, I’ll do it.

Steeling herself, she looked at the professor and nodded. The professor smiled widely.

“Thank you, Akino. I really do appreciate this.” He said sincerely. “Of course, I won’t let you do this without reward. Please take these as payment for your trouble in advance.”

Professor Jenner hands her an Aevium Region Pokedex and a CyberNav. Akino gingerly takes the items and thanks the man before putting them in her bag.

“Now then, you’re all set up now. Have a safe trip.”

Akino bade him farewell.

Making her way out, Akino finally found time to collect her thoughts. It’s been a lot today. So much happened over the course of a few hours and her mind had finally caught up with it. She didn’t know what to do. What could she do? She didn’t know. The job with the professor’s daughter was til a few days from now and she honestly hadn’t a clue on what to do til then.

She yawned. I guess I might as well find somewhere to stay the night.

She stepped out of the lab. The sound of Trainers battling still rung throughout the city. She called Cindy out of her pokeball and gathered her up in her arms, holding her closely.

She looked at her pokemon. “What do you say to finding somewhere to relax for a bit.”

Cindy let out a cry of pleasure and Akino smiled. She began to make her way through the city when—

“Hey, wanna come back to my place?”

Akino sighed deeply. This is gonna be a looong day isn’t it.