Chapter Text
When Akari awoke, she expected to be in her quarters. Laying on her futon, surrounded by the many strange mechanical objects that her Rotom seemed to love. She expected to hear the usual days start for the people of Jubilife Village - Choy selling his goods to the townsfolk, Colza, and his crew racking away at the fields, Beni telling his customers that their order of potato mochi was ready.
Instead, she was greeted with a cold sea breeze, sounds of waves crashing, and bits and pieces of conversation from fishermen.
Had she gone to the Cobalt Coastlands yesterday and forgotten?
Akari finally opened her eyes and realized she was not in one of the tents the Expedition Team set up. She pushed herself off the ground and reached for her Arc Phone - only to end up grasping at air.
“Did I blackout?” Akari muttered to herself. It would explain why she can’t remember how she ended up here or why her Arc Phone isn’t on her. Still, the Expedition Team should have found her by now….
The rank ten-star member brushed off the dirt on her clothes, started walking, and tried to remember what happened. She had completed Pokedex - completely and fully. Professor Laventon was able to document something for every pokemon in Hisui (and the mysterious ones who appeared in the space-time rifts), Cyllene had presented her with a charm, there was a celebration, and the next morning -
“Wherever our research takes us, I look forward to sharing our discoveries together!”
She hopes Rei isn’t too worried about her.
Still, Akari knew the land of Hisui like the back of her hand - she should be arriving in Jubilife Village soon (sure some trees and rocks along the way were gone but some Alpha Pokemon probably just got mad) and she’ll apologize to Rei over potato mochi - her treat of course.
Except, when she expected to see the gate towers, they weren’t there. Akari felt her heart drop and she started sprinting - was the reason she blackout because a pokemon attacked Jubilife Village while she slept?
Akari ran and ran and ran until she reached her destination and with big heavy breaths she took in the sight before her.
Houses, but painted and different looking than what was here yesterday. A single giant red bridge instead of the three small ones to get to the field lands, pastures, and Galaxy Team building. The small river had expanded and there were boats resting in the waterway now. And finally, right in front of her a simple sign.
Welcome to Canalave City!
The city reflected upon the water!
“W-What?”
Akari stood there trying to wrap her mind around what was going on. The name sounds familiar, sure, but she knew this is where Jubilife Village should be, and she doesn’t have her Arc Phone to help out of this situation or at the very least to explain what’s going on.
Still numb from everything that’s going on, Akari stumbled the (un?)familiar city trying to avoid crashing into people. It takes her a moment to really look at the people surrounding her. Their clothes aren’t anything like what the citizens of Jubilife Village would wear, and she can’t imagine the Pearl or Diamond clans having such strange outfits either. No, the only attire Akari knows that is remotely similar to these strangers’ style is the torn and damaged shirt that’s kept in the bottom of her storage at her quarters - what she wore when she fell from the sky.
“What’s with that girl?”
“Mommy, why is that lady dressed like that?”
“Hey isn’t that-?”
Great, now she’s drawing attention to herself. Nothing new for Akari but having townspeople staring at her reminds her of-
Scary…
Can it really be true?
How could anyone do such a thing?
I guess we should’ve expected this from a stranger who fell from the sky…
….Anyways she still needs to figure out what’s going on. Luckily, Akari still has six pokemon on her, she can fight her way out of this if necessary. Maybe if she did cause a commotion she could get some answers from someone.
But as it turns out, apparently Akari doesn’t need to cause one herself. One of the bystanders who made a comment about her was now talking to a gruff-looking man with magenta-colored hair and wearing - Akari squinted at the man - is that a cape?
Said man was now looking in her direction and his mouth dropped and eyes widened. Akari shifted and started to turn away from the way in a panic - why was he looking at her the same way villagers did when she rescued their loved ones from the wilderness; the ones they thought to be dead.
Akari could hear the man chasing after her and she didn’t get much time to rest after running all the way to this strange town so she could tell he was gaining on her. She grabbed her Azure Flute from her satchel and played a melody she had performed countless times before.
Yet Basculegion did not appear before her.
She played Braviary’s tone. Nothing.
Wyrdeer’s. Silence.
Snealser’s. Ursaluna’s. Akari played every melody the Wardens taught her and yet none of the Noble Pokemon showed themselves before her.
“Hey! Wait!” The man screamed at her, growing ever closer to her.
Akari grunted in frustration and put the Azure Flute away - she’ll figure out what’s wrong later. She continued to sprint and soon the exit of this city was in her sights. Akari pushed herself as hard as she could-
“Wait! C’mon kid, er, Dawn!”
-only for her head to pound and heart to seize in pain. Akari came to a complete stop and the man took no time to catch up to her.
The seeming miner grabbed Akari’s shoulders and let out a sigh. “Geez, kid. You sure gave me a workout - but that doesn’t matter right now. Where in the world have you been all this time?!”
“W-what are you talking about? Who’s Dawn?” The name made Akari's heart well up in panic once more and she shook the man off her. “And who are you anyway!?”
The man was seemingly taken aback by her response, but it only took him a moment to regain his composure. He then reached into his pocket and grabbed-
“An Arc Phone?” Akari questioned but it looked different from hers - like how it was before Arceus spoke to her for the first time. The man, however, continued on, ignoring her comment.
The man was silent, waiting for something seemingly, and then spoke. “Professor?.... Yes, it’s important, why would I call you if it wasn’t?..... I found her, but uh-it seems like something has happened to her.”
Akari wasn't sure what was going on, but suddenly the idea of going back to Jubilife Village seemed a million miles away.