Chapter Text
Adaman and Volo had always been distant. They had no business in being in each other's lives– not even as enemies. Adaman was the leader of the Diamond Clan with no time to waste and Volo was a seemingly forgettable Ginkgo Guild merchant. They hadn’t crossed paths much, and even when they did, their professions always pulled them apart before any sort of bond would form.
Well, that was the case, at least.
Now, the world was practically in the hands of a 15-year-old who fell from the sky. They had revolutionized and completed the Pokedex Professor Laventon of the Galaxy Expedition Team was working on and solved every issue that was started. They even caught all of the Legendary and Mythical Pokemon in the region and kept them contained, which even included the god of all Pokemon, Arceus.
They disappeared soon after, never being seen again, taking all of that power with them. They left the stories of the people around them to what felt like an end, a happily-ever-after of sorts.
But, was everyone happy and content? Of course not.
Volo had his one goal in life crushed and the fact it was even slightly justified haunted him. It haunted him to the point of not wanting to step foot into Jubilife Village for the rest of his life, just to avoid seeing the face of the one who ruined his dreams of creating a better world. Even if his plan was selfish and destructive, it still hurt him to have his whole life's work be thrown away like trash. Plus, most people in Hisui know of what happened in the Temple of Sinnoh, so he became infamous and was shunned by most, even if he was genuine with his kindness.
Adaman on the other hand felt as though he got the short end of the stick. Irida always spoke of how her clan was always aided by the stranger from the sky, almost boasting about it to him despite their improving rivalry, and she was right. The stranger never paid much attention to the Diamond Clan when they were still around and gave more care to the Pearl Clan. Even when Adaman was willing to drop all of his duties to help them when Commander Kamado kicked them out of their home, they still chose Irida. All he learned from them that was positive was that he isn’t a false prophet and that the Almighty Sinnoh his clan knew was a real being, but even that was purely a coincidence.
No matter what experience anyone in Hisui had, their world was turned upside down by the strange person, whether it be good or bad. Little did they know, however, that their influence would reach much further than they all expected…
It had been months since Arceus was captured, and it felt like a normal day in the godless world in the Diamond Clan. The wardens were away watching over their nobles while Adaman stayed back to watch over the settlement with nothing good to do. He felt like he was wasting his time on uneventful days like this, even though he had his partner Pokemon Leafeon as company.
“I wonder what our wardens are up to right now… it's probably a lot more enjoyable than this.” He spoke to himself, stroking Leafeon’s head gently.
The Leafeon, as happy as it could be, let out its species’ signature cry. It made Adaman look down at it and smile, reminding him of the whistling and chirping of the forests he traveled through in the Obsidian Fieldlands when he was a teenager. He always loved to hear it, and listened closely for it whenever he was with his companion, this time no different.
“Adaman!”
His head jolted up. That was not the sound of his Pokemon. But rather…
“Oh, Volo.” He muttered, not amused.
The merchant looked.. Ragged. His clothes, which were not his usual Ginkgo uniform, were slightly torn by the edges and his pants were much more faded in color. His large backpack looked dirty and damaged. What tied the awful look together was his hair bun, which was very messy and sloppily put together. It looked unpleasant.
“You should go back to wearing the Ginkgo Guild uniform, you have no sense of fashion.” Adaman scoffed.
“Well… I can’t,” Volo shook his head as he continued, “I was exiled from the Ginkgo Guild. I’ve barely been living on my own for the past month or two.”
Adaman’s flat look didn’t budge. “I wouldn’t doubt that in the slightest. You almost destroyed the world, didn’t you?”
Volo simply glared at him in response.
Adaman sighed. His time was certainly being wasted now, even if he wasn’t bored anymore. Why would Volo even come here?
He decided to question Volo further. “I don’t care about the silent treatment, trust me, but what do you want from me, exactly?”
“I just need a place to stay, that's all, I'd rather not die to the world's dangers right now. The Diamond Settlement seems to be the perfect place for that!” There was a hint of desperation in Volo’s voice, and Adaman picked up on this.
“So you expect me to take you in despite your actions?”
Volo looked down at the ground for a moment before redirecting his attention towards the clan leader. “Not really, but I can try, at least. I had talked to the Pearl Clan first, but Irida isn’t as… calculated as I hoped her to be, so I chose to leave. You, however, are much better in that regard!”
Adaman thought for a moment. Volo was definitely trying to get him on his good side, but what could he even do if he did turn on him? There was no Legendary Pokemon he could abuse– All of them were trapped in Poke Balls– and he could easily just kick Volo out of the settlement in a moment's notice with the help of Arezu and even Calaba if needed. He could find out if it was worth it in the end and it wouldn’t waste too much time.
Adaman decided to accept his offer. There wasn’t much to risk in the grand scheme of things.
“...Fine. You can stay, Volo. Just try to not cause any problems, alright?”
Volo beamed. “Ah, that’s great! Now, onto where I can stay–”
“You can set up your own tent. Even if you’re staying here, you aren’t a member of the clan, only a guest.”
Volo simply nodded, heading off to a part of the border of the settlement to place his belongings. Adaman didn’t worry much about it and simply went back on his guard duty. Boredom settled in again, and he looked over at his Leafeon, who was sound asleep. A part of him was thankful that today wasn’t a busy day, but he couldn’t find the reason why. Normally these types of days would bother him to no end, but something was different. It could be Volo’s sudden arrival, but he wasn’t sure.
He glanced at Volo, who had gotten his tent up pretty quickly. It wasn’t one for normal living and more-so for traveling, which made sense. He was putting his backpack in the tent, his back facing Adaman. He looked much worse from behind– The decorative cloth resting on his shoulder had large tears he didn’t notice before. It was from the claws of a Pokemon for sure. He started to feel bad for the guy, even if he did supposedly try to end the world. He's at least learned his lesson to not bite from the hand that feeds him, right?
Giving in to his empathy, Adaman walked into his own home and pulled out a spare Diamond Clan uniform. He took it to Volo’s tent and placed it just outside of the opening.
“I can’t have you look like a chewed-up Pokeshi Doll, so here’s new clothes for you to wear. You can pay me later, I can wait.”
Volo turned around and looked at the clothes, then to Adaman. He looked surprised.
“Oh! Thank you for your kindness.”
He took the clothes, going into the tent. Adaman walked back to where he was before and sat next to his Leafeon.
“Maybe good things could come from Volo’s stay here… but only time can tell.”
Leafeon yawned as it woke up from its nap, nuzzling one of Adaman’s legs. He looked into the sky, watching the clouds move in the air. Giving Volo a chance still seemed to be a bit crazy to him, but he had hope that it wouldn’t turn into a mistake he’d regret.
It had been a couple days since Volo set up his tent, and he seemed to fit right in. He was getting along well with the locals despite his past, and lots of them were willing to give him another chance with no hesitation. To be fair, they didn’t truly understand the scope of the whole plan Volo wanted to proceed with, but it still surprised Adaman quite a bit. He seemed to be the only suspicious one at the moment, even if he was starting to slightly lower his guard.
Today, however, was another boring one. Adaman didn’t even have work to do that day despite being the leader. It was the first day that he had nothing to do regarding work in a long while. He didn't even have Leafeon to keep him company– It was sick and was receiving medical assistance from another clan member. For now, he was looking off into the distance, lost in thought.
Volo, who was already done with talking to everybody, noticed Adaman’s boredom and tapped his shoulder. The clan leader turned around and greeted him.
“So, what do you want?” Adaman said, curious of what Volo would say.
“You seem to be pretty bored, so I thought we could spend some time together in the wilderness. Observing Pokemon and maybe even catching some– It can be a way to pay you back for the clothing, I suppose.”
Adaman shook his head. "I can't. I need to make sure my Leafeon gets nursed back to good health."
"I'm sure it'll be fine! We won't be out for long, I promise."
Adaman thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, sounds like a deal, then. But if we return later than you say, you'll have to pay for that, too.”
Volo chuckled. "Don't worry, I wouldn’t lie to you." He went to his tent to grab some things.
Adaman did have the thought of trying to get paid in money for the clothes, but Volo was probably completely broke by this point, so he decided not to mention it. He would definitely charge money if Volo got the two lost, though.
Volo returned with his backpack.
“Alright. Let's get moving!”
Adaman didn’t expect to be out in the wild areas of the Crimson Mirelands with Volo, but he didn’t mind it. Volo supplied everything the two needed, which included many lures, berries, remedies, and many types of Poke Balls. Adaman preferred to not use Poke Balls to capture Pokemon usually, but he knew it’d be a hassle that’d take much longer to do without them, so he gave in. Currently, he and Volo were hiding in grass from a wild Stunky.
Adaman pinched his nose. “That thing smells awful. I don’t understand how Melli can own a Skuntank when a Stunky smells so bad…”
“That’s what separates the strong trainers from the weak ones, I suppose.”
Adaman snickered. “Oh it absolutely doesn’t, Melli has the fragilest ego out of everyone I know, in fact!”
Both had a good laugh about that. While they were distracted, the Stunky was slowly approaching them, ready to spray toxic fluids. Once he spotted it, it spooked Adaman, and he haphazardly chucked a Poke Ball at the Pokemon’s face. The ball shook twice before releasing a puff of smoke, signaling it’s capture.
Volo pat Adaman on the back in praise. “That was close! We almost lost our noses there.”
Adaman moved Volo’s hand away. “It wasn’t too much of an accomplishment.”
“You don’t need to act so humble, the next 24 hours would’ve been awful to sit through without your quick thinking.”
Adaman rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t hold back a small smile. He didn’t completely trust Volo just yet, but he still appreciated the compliment.
The two continued to venture around the area and saw many aggressive Pokemon and even got chased by a few Hippowdon. They were having a pleasant time, and Pokemon seemed to be less dangerous to Adaman with Volo around. Even if Volo was possibly only putting on a nice persona to get his way, Adaman still enjoyed it. He even wished his Leafeon could be there to join the fun.
While attempting to get through the Scarlet Bog, the two heard a faint sound suddenly.
“What was that?” Adaman whispered.
“It sounded like the cry of a Bronzor… Though they aren’t native to this area as far as I know, so I’m not sure.”
Adaman looked around some more and spotted a Croagunk that looked much different from the others. It had cyan skin and sported magenta highlights. Volo saw this as well, and his eyes lit up.
“Oh! That’s a rarer form of Pokemon! One where its colors are different, and its skin sparkles in the light. I haven’t seen a Pokemon like that in awhile.”
Adaman took out a Great Ball. “Well, it’s time to see if this thing can work on it…”
“An Ultra Ball would work better, Croagunk are much harder to catch than Stunky.”
“If I have to use a Poke Ball, I’d rather have it match the Pokemon I’m catching. We have time to take risks, at least for a little while.”
Volo only sighed and looked away as Adaman readied his aim toward the special Pokemon. He didn’t understand why people paid attention to little things like that, especially when it’s someone who hates wasting time, but he didn't mind it. Adaman threw the ball and hit the Croagunk right in the back, capturing it. Soon after, the ball let out a puff of smoke, and Adaman ran for it.
Volo looked a bit surprised. “Oh, you actually caught it– Hm, now, what do we call it and other Pokemon that are similar.. Maybe it could be called a Shining Pokemon?”
Adaman ran back to Volo, ball in hand.
“‘Shining’? That name is a bit much to say… maybe ‘Shiny’ could work better when referring to it.”
Volo shrugged. “Eh, maybe casually, but I prefer Shining. It sounds more important when put like that.”
“I can see your point there. I’m still going to say Shiny, though.”
Volo smirked.
“I guess I can say you’re pretty adamant about that, Adaman.”
Adaman barely stifled his laughter. “Okay, that wasn’t funny at all.”
“But I heard you laugh a little!”
Adaman looked away to hide his grin. He was starting to warm up to Volo a lot more than he expected to. He genuinely started to consider that maybe Volo wasn’t as manipulative as the whole situation with him summoning Giratina at the Temple of Sinnoh made him out to be. Those were rumors spread around by the mysterious person from the sky, so they could be lies. But, he wouldn’t be able to know right now.
Soon after, the two were getting ready to return to the Diamond Settlement. The sun was starting to set and Adaman wanted to check on Leafeon.
Adaman looked at Volo. "Hey, I still don't trust you completely, but I can say that you're a great ally. Especially out here in the wild."
"I'm glad you think so," Volo heaved his large backpack onto his back, "I could say the same for you."
As the two were walking, Adaman couldn't stop thinking about what happened. He enjoyed the trip so much, he forgot it was only done as payment. This wasn't meant to be personal, yet it felt like it was. He talked to Volo like a friend, and he did the same back. He couldn't believe he was starting to get closer to the person who allegedly tried to destroy the world. Maybe he is a nice guy after all?
As night fell, the two returned. Leafeon excitedly greeted Adaman, it looked much better than earlier, which eased his worries. There was a bonfire lit, and Adaman spotted a familiar face walking towards them.
"Mai! It's nice to see you after so long. How have you been?"
Mai smiled. "I've been doing great, but I thought you were always at the settlement nowadays? I've been looking for you."
He gestured towards Volo.
"Oh, I just went out in the Crimson Mirelands with, er… Volo here."
Volo crossed his arms. "Ah, so you can only call me an ally when no one's looking? I see… Should I call you a liar?"
"And I see you try to twist my words when everyone's looking." Adaman shot a glare at the blonde.
"I'm just joking, don't worry!"
Adaman had a feeling he wasn't joking, but he chose to ignore it. He turned his attention back to Mai, who seemed to be studying Volo judging from the look on her face.
"You taking a good look, eh?" Volo said, causing Mai to blush.
She moved a strand of hair out of her face. "Uh, no, I just remembered that I was informed that someone who looked like you was some sort of villain. I don't want my little brother to take in someone so sinister."
Adaman directed his attention to his sister. "Mai, he's fine. He is the guy you were told about, but he can't do much. He's like a Magikarp out of water."
"More like a Qwilfish..." Mai crossed her arms.
"Don't pout, Mai," Adaman sighed, "Trust me. He's been here for a couple days already, and he would've left me out to die in the wilderness if he was as evil as everyone says."
Volo smirked. "Yeah, you wouldn't want to give up someone as nice as I am, huh, Mai? I wouldn't leave someone as fair as you–"
Adaman glared at him.
"Just because I trust you doesn't mean you get to flirt with her!"
Volo looked embarrassed. "Ah, I apologize!"
"I hope so…" Mai muttered.
Her Munchlax came up to the three and tilted its head at the sight of Volo.
"Oh, Volo isn't a threat, Munchlax," She squatted next to it and rubbed its cheek, which it enjoyed, "..Well, not yet, at least."
Volo rolled his eyes and began to walk to his tent.
"I need to set down my bag. Stay safe, you two," He turned to Adaman for a moment and his voice lowered to a whisper, "Thank you for your time, my dear friend."
Adaman felt his heart flutter for a moment. When Volo went inside of his tent, Mai eyed her brother suspiciously.
"...Wait, you two are friends? I haven't heard anyone say something to you like that since the other wardens used to live here."
"No, he might've gotten the wrong idea, though," Adaman shook his head, "It's a waste of time to think about it."
Mai sighed, standing up.
"Just– don't let your guard down. He doesn't seem trustworthy."
"Maybe. I'll find out soon enough."
Adaman and Mai went to the bonfire and sat down, but the clan leader didn't feel right. Why did Volo say what he did like that? And why so quietly? Did he want to keep secrets?
Questions swarmed his mind, and none of them had answers. Leafeon came to him and laid by his feet. As he petted his companion's head, he decided to not worry about it. He has time to talk to Volo about it in the morning.
Volo joined in later in the night, and Adaman still felt relaxed and enjoyed quality time with his clan. Things were different, but not in a bad way. Adaman was already a bit used to the new normal Volo brought, and he started to think that the former merchant might have a place in the clan as a member.