Chapter Text
“Okiro!” The shout, sudden and loud as it was, had Gaige's eyes shooting open, consciousness coming abruptly and not all that pleasantly either. She jolted in response, which in turn made her very aware of the aches and pains spread throughout her body. “Oh… do wake up, won’t you?” The voice—a man’s, with a British accent—pleaded in a more dismayed tone. Gaige groaned, partly from her aggrieved muscles, but to also let the man know that she was indeed awake. “Ah! Are you alive, dear girl?”
‘Depends. Do corpse’s groan?’ She thought irritably, before reconsidering the man’s disbelief. Sure, she felt sore, but nothing close to anything that would suggest she looked like a dead body. Worried, Gaige carefully pushed herself up onto her hands and knees, a wave of vertigo making her dizzy and unsteady. Blinking to clear her blurry vision, sand soon came into focus. She frowned, letting her fingers curl against the warm shoreside grit, catching pebbles and broken shells. Easing backwards to sit on the ground, legs folding awkwardly at her sides, Gaige glanced over her gloved hands, now covered in sand, furling and unfurling her bare fingers. Besides a killer headache, she felt pretty okay.
“Rowlet?” A cooing voice, not the man’s but another’s, reclaimed her attention. Looking past her hands, Gaige spotted three creatures before her that absolutely should not exist. 'Did I hit my head...' She thought numbly as she gaped at the trio of hallucinations. The closest one, who stared up at her in what seemed to be curiosity, was a little brown and white owl that was a dead ringer for Rowlet. Shuffling behind the owl, was a bright blue and white otter—Oshawott—which seemed to be gnawing on its shell nervously. Off to the side a Cyndaquil seemed to pay her no mind as it happily dragged its paws through the sand. Gaige blinked stupidly at the fictional creatures for another moment before pinching herself hard enough to leave a mark.
She did not wake up in her bed, ending this oddly realistic dream.
“Anata wa ikite iru!” The man cheered in a foreign tongue from just behind the Pokémon. He seemed to be middle-aged, a little overweight, wearing a white lab coat with a golden insignia over the left breast pocket. Under the coat he wore a dark brown vest with gold buttons, a purple dress shirt, and a black bowtie. He had black dress pants with gold strips tucked into brown and black boots. Finally, the man had saw fit finish his ensemble with a purple knitted beanie with an overly large white pom-pom. Frankly, Gaige thought the hat made him look a bit silly.
“I’m sorry?” She replied while rubbing the side of her head in search for a bump or lump creating this very realistic delusion. “I didn’t understand that.”
“Oh! You speak Galarian, that's a surprise.” The man said, once again speaking English. ‘Galarian? What–’ “Although, that not nearly as surprising as your fall from the sky, I must say.”
“…I fell out of the sky?” She repeated, feeling completely lost. Was she being pranked?
“You did!” The man reaffirmed, a smile easily forming onto his whiskered face as he crossed his arms. “It’s simply miraculous that you survived! And to not even be sporting an injury! I confess, it has me baffled, but I’m certainly relieved to see that you’re alright.”
“…Where am I?” Gaige asked while carefully climbing to her feet and peering at her surroundings. They were standing in a narrow bay, judging by the tall rocky walls that embraced the shoreline and eclipsed the horizon. A few yards ahead, the sand was replaced with grass which led deeper into a flat valley. “And who are you?”
“I should like to ask the same of yourself, but as for where we are, this is Prelude Beach.” She stared at him for a moment, but the name, as simple as it was, left no recognition.
“And where is Prelude Beach, exactly? What’s the nearest the town called?”
“Oh my… I don’t think that–” The man began, his voice underlined with something uncertain as he scratched at his chin. “The nearest settlement is called Kotobuki Village. This is the Hisui Region, my dear girl.”
“…I’m…” She hesitated, swallowing dryly. “I’m unfamiliar with everything you just said.”
“Yes, I suspected as much.” The man replied gently. “Your clothing is unusual, to say the very least." Gaige glanced down at herself, wondering what was unusual about her outfit. True, she was wearing her parkour gear, but they weren't that different from workout clothes. Her sleeveless zip-up hoodie—colored red with bold yellow accents—was partially unzipped, revealing the black and grey BodySheild crop top she wore to protect herself without impeding her movements on her runs. Her gloves, which were a light brown with white highlights, were reinforced and designed for better gripping. She had black compression sleeves on her elbows, with a brown and white elbow pad on her right arm. White joggers sat comfortably loose around her thighs but tapered tightly against her waist and legs. Her streamlined sneakers were black with white soles. A quick check revealed that her backpack and kneepads were nowhere in sight. "I don’t suppose you’d have an acquaintance in these parts, hm?” The man continued before shaking his head, answering his own question. “No, no, of course not. If you’ve never even heard of Hisui before…”
“I don’t remember—” Gaige forced out in a strained tone and the man frowned. “I don’t know how I got here.” She continued, not even able to recall that last thing she did before waking up on this beach. The man made a commiserating noise, and she resisted to start shouting. She swallowed back the urge to deny that Pokémon at their feet weren’t real, to accuse him of merely being a figment of her imagination, but…
But the wind against her bare arms was brisk and it carried the salty smell of the sea behind her. The sand that had breached her clothes itched and irritated her skin. The sunlight, weak as it was, enveloped her in a warm embrace. The soft scritch-scratch of Cyndaquil’s digging was quiet but clearly present, along with the muffled sound of Oshawott nibbling on its shell, and the soft ruffling of Rowlet’s feathers.
“Did you hit your head when you landed perhaps?” He reached out towards her, likely to search for an injury and she automatically took a step backwards. “Ah, apologies my dear. Sometimes I forget myself—” He stopped and grimaced at himself.
“It’s fine. I have a headache, but no serious cuts or bumps.” Gaige admitted, her self-checking proving that nothing was amiss. Somehow, her long brown hair had managed to stay in a neat ponytail even though she’d supposedly just fallen out of the goddamn sky. “There’s nothing physical to explain my memory loss.”
“Well, you are in quite the pickle, aren’t you my dear.” The man remarked with a frown. She startled slightly as something suddenly brushed her leg, and she looked down to Rowlet rubbing its head against her shin. It hooted up at her, as if in comfort, and the man smiled as he clapped a closed fist against an open palm. “A fine example you set, Rowlet! Why, a gentleman such as I cannot abandon a person in need!” Oshawott chittered softly, pulling the shell away from its mouth, while Cyndaquil made a triumphant noise as it pulled a half-broken shell free from the sand and showed it to Oshawott. The man’s expression suddenly went from joyful to mortified. “Oh my, I’d completely forgotten! You see, I was trying to catch these three runaways when you fell out of the sky. Now, come here you troublemakers, into your new Poké Balls!” As the man moved to grapple with the spacious pockets of his lab coat, the Pokémon took this as an oportunity to book it. “Ah! Wait, wait! Come back!” He took a few steps after them before glancing back at her. “I hate to dash off, but those Pokémon–”
Gaige got the hint, breaking into a jog to catch up to the man, keeping apace with ease as he huffed and puffed. They left the beach, running through the meadow and darting around the occasional rock formation. Thankfully, there were few trees and not much foliage in the area, so it was easy to keep the fleeing creatures in their sights. As she ran, Gaige half-listened as the man explained his situation. Apparently, the trio of Pokémon were freshly delivered to him only hours earlier, sent by colleagues to help further his studies. He’d gotten so excited to start documenting the Pokémon at his lab, he’d failed to capture them in Poké Balls beforehand, thereby allowing them to easily flee from Kotobuki Village.
They eventually came to a stop around a bend, where the man soon bent over, hands braced against his knees and panting for breath. Gaige hovered at his side, waiting for him to catch his second wind, and eyed the three Pokémon in the small valley. Closest to her was Cyndaquil, scratching away at the ground again as if trying to make a burrow. A little further off to her left was Oshawott, who was happily splashing about in a tiny pond. Lastly, at the back of the valley, perched on one of the few trees present, Rowlet was helping itself to some sort of fruit.
“Oh, blast and bother.” The man groused as he peered at the Pokémon, looking extremely put off. He turned to her, a finger scratching at the bridge of his nose. “I’m terribly sorry about this, but do you think you could help me round them up? I’m not the best at this sort of thing, you see…” His cheeks flushed pink. “I can’t throw a Poké Ball to save my life.” He gave a small chortle. “And I mean that quite literally. Hm, but perhaps I should tell you a bit about these three first?” Gaige shook her head.
“No need. I’m familiar.” She pointed at each Pokémon in turn as she listed their names and typing, still working under the theory that she was hallucinating. As she spoke, the man’s face became both surprised and pleased. Idly, she noticed that he had quite a few inches on her, with her eyeline just reaching the top of his slouched shoulders.
“Oh! I nearly forgot to cover the most crucial thing—how to go about catching Pokémon!” She watched the man riffle through his coat once more. “Aha, here we are! You need only throw these to capture them!” He pulled out a large Poké Ball, which looked different from ones in the games and anime.
It was made from a mishmash of materials—some sort of light brown shell made up the bottom half of the ball, while the top seemed to be carved out of some type of red-orange stone that was polished with no rough edges to speak of. The band around the middle of the ball, connecting both halves, was made of a dark grey metal with a latch welded on the front that could easily be flicked open with the swipe of one’s thumb. At the very top of the ball, was a curious metal nodule with a hole and some sort of powder pact inside it.
“Now, I mentioned during our little jaunt that Pokémon are strange, marvelous creatures. As such, studying them has been quite difficult, and that’s where Poké Balls come in. You see, they’re a rather new invention, only having been created in the last few years in the Jōto Region. You simply throw one of them at a Pokémon, and why, the Pokémon will shrink down and fit inside the Poké Ball, comfy as can be. And with that, you’ve caught a Pokémon!”
‘…They’ve only just been invented?’ Gaige thought with a frown. ‘Haven’t Poké Balls been around for years?’ She shook off her confusion. ‘I'm just gonna take as more proof that I’m suffering from a psychotic breakdown.’ With a mental shrug, she awkwardly accepted the other two balls the man handed her, which thankfully she was able to squeeze into the large, stretchy pockets of her joggers.
“Now, I know we’ve just met, and you’re far from being in a position in which I should ask for aid, but I’ve no one else to turn to. If I return to Kotobuki Village for help, I have no guarantee that these three will remain here, in which case, I’d probably never see them again.” He bowed as he pleaded his case. “Please, I’d be awfully grateful if you could catch my three little runaways.” Gaige eyed his stooped form before glancing at the Pokémon. Truthfully, she wanted to see how far she needed push this delusion to make it unravel.
“Alright, leave it to me.” She announced and he beamed. Gaige noticed that he had lavender-colored eyes that set off rather nicely against his olive skin tone. Not to mention his goofy hat that just made him seem even more harmless. ‘Fuck me, could this guy be any more wholesome?’ She thought in amusement before scanning the area again to figure out a plan of action. Seeing as Cyndaquil would spot her easily if she came right at it, she crouched and made her way over to the small pond where Oshawott seemed to be sunbathing, floating along on its back.
Taking a breath and adjusting her grip on the Poké Ball, she threw it with a feeling of familiarity. The weight was a little more than what she was used to, but the size perfectly matched that of a softball—and she’d been a pitcher all throughout junior high and high school. While Gaige may not have played a game in years, her muscles had no trouble recalling how to perform a decent pitch. With no arc at all to be seen in her throw, the Poké Ball hit the top of Oshawott’s head with an audible thump. It didn’t even have a chance to let out a noise before it was consumed by a bright light, which was sucked into the Poké Ball. As the ball fell back towards the water, a flare shot up from the nodule in the top, which exploded after traveling a few feet into the air like a miniature firework. The bang was about as loud as those trick noisemaking firework novelties she used to play with as a kid.
“Brilliant!” The man shouted. “You caught one on your first try!” Unfortunately, since the valley’s size was so small, and the other Pokémon were close by and were thus startled by the firecracker-like noise. Rowlet let out a surprised hoot and nearly fell from its tree, while the fire on Cyndaquil’s back burst into existence as it turned onto Gaige, hackles raising as it growled. “Oh dear…” The man muttered, his form immediately tensing as his arms raised into the air in a placating gesture. “Calm down, little one. We’re not going to hurt–” The man’s words were cut off as Cyndaquil released a barrage of fire at her. Gaige immediately recognized the move as Ember even as dove forward into a roll to avoid the attack. “Look out!” The warning was unneeded though, because just as the Fire-type unleashed a second wave of Ember at her, it was batted back by a sudden gale of wind.
“Rowlet!” Glancing up from where she was still partially crouched on the ground, Gaige spotted the Grass/Flying-type Pokémon soar overhead and take a defensive position in front of her. “Rowl!” Cyndaquil hissed in return, and she could hear the man mumbling something frantic off to the side, but all Gaige could focus Rowlet, who had come to her aid. Where her heart had pounded in alarm at Cyndaquil’s show of aggression, it now raced with something akin to exhilaration. Cyndaquil shot off another Ember, but this time it was aiming at the other Pokémon.
“Rowlet, fly under Ember and hit it with Gust!” She ordered swiftly and Rowlet didn’t hesitate to follow her command. The Grass Quill Pokémon dipped under the attack, its wings beating hard as it caught the wind and redirected its wings downwards to launch its own attack at the Fire-type. Cyndaquil cried out as it was batted into the air, and she pounced on the opening. “Use Leafage!”
The spiral of glowing leaves, while probably not strong enough to damage Cyndaquil normally, could knock the already airborne Pokémon into one of the nearby rocks jutting out of the ground. Cyndaquil slammed into one, hard, causing it to cry out in pain. Retrieving a spare Poké Ball from her pocket, she threw it just as the Fire Mouse hit the ground. The ball gave a halfhearted wobble before another mini firecracker went off with a bang.
“Oh my, oh good gracious!” Turning, she spotted the man jogging towards her, face full of disbelief. Her attention, however, was quickly reclaimed by Rowlet as the little owl Pokémon decided to make itself at home by perching on her left shoulder. Her heart was beating in her throat as she looked at it. Its little feet and talons certainly felt real against her skin, the slight weight of his body present and pushing lightly on her shoulder.
“…Hey there, buddy. You did really great.” Gaige whispered as she cautiously raised a shaking hand to softly trail her fingers down its soft plumage. She inhaled sharply, feeling the small heartbeat emanating from Rowlet’s chest. It was real. Somehow, she ended up in a place—a world, a dimension?—where Pokémon were real. “Thanks for coming to my rescue.” Rowlet cooed at her praise, his little body all but melting under her gentle ministrations.
“You—and Rowlet—and Cyndaquil—I just—how did–” The man stammered, and she laughed loudly to hide the hysteria that warred against the awe growing inside her.
“Was there a question in there?”
“You can battle with Pokémon.” The man finally stated, and she nodded, still chuckling.
“Looks like it.”
“No, you don’t understand.” The man replied as he shook his head. “You didn’t hesitate. Not when throwing a Poké Ball at Oshawott, or in dodging Cyndaquil’s Ember, or in commanding Rowlet in battle!” His voice grew louder the longer he spoke, excitement replacing astonishment. “Most members of the Ginga-dan have trouble simply interacting with their Pokémon, but you’ve clearly bonded with Rowlet here in a matter of minutes. I’ve never seen anything like it before!”
“If it helps, I doubt Cyndaquil is my biggest fan right now.” Gaige said shrugging her right shoulder since her left was currently occupied. ‘Also, I was pretty convinced that my real self was in a padded room stuck a drug-induced fever dream.’ She shifted her head to look at Rowlet, who seemed to be close to falling asleep thanks to her petting. “I don’t suppose you’d get into your Poké Ball without giving me any grief, would you?” She asked and the Grass/Flying-type gave her a considering look before nodding. Grabbing the remaining Poké Ball and ignoring the man’s sputtering, she gently tapped the ball against the bird’s leaf bowtie. “Have a good rest, okay? You’ve earned it.” Like the others, it devolved into light that was quickly encapsuled by the Poké Ball. It gave no wobble, the spark and crack of a successful capture ringing out overhead.
Wordlessly, she handed the Poké Ball to the speechless man before moving to collect the others. Cyndaquil’s ball was easy to recover, while Oshawott’s required her to roll the cuffs of her pants past her knees as she dragged it from the small pond with the aid of a fallen branch. Upon returning the other Poké Balls, the man tucked them away in his lab coat and gave her another smile.
“Thank you.” He said as he reached out to take her hands into his own. Gaige noticed that he had a few callouses along his palms and ink staining his fingers. “Thank you very much, indeed! I can’t tell you what a relief it is to have them all back. Why, two of them are slated to be handed off to the latest members of the Survey Corps tomorrow morning! I don’t know how I would’ve explained the situation to Captain Shimaboshi if I’d actually lost these Pokémon.” He visibly winced at the thought. “But I must say, I’m thoroughly taken aback by just how well you were able to use the Poké Balls. With your innate talent, and with how you ended up on Prelude Beach, I can’t help but think there’s a reason you appeared here and now…” He paused before looking out into the distance. She followed his gaze, spotting a towering mountain in the distance, and above it–
“What the hell is that?!” She asked staring at the sinister black hole in the sky.
“That,” the man answered lowly. “is a space-time rift, my dear. It came into existence four months ago.” He closed his eyes and folded his arms across his chest. “Caused quite the panic it did. People were on edge for weeks, their gazes locked onto the sky, fearing it might all come tumbling down at any moment. However, the only change we’ve noticed so far is the emergence of space-time distortions, and their slowly increasing durations.” He opened his eyes to stare at Gaige thoughtfully. “The rift is where you came from, my dear. I spotted it—a shooting stream of light racing across the sky. The Pokémon seemed to be following its path and that’s when I found you on the beach, a white glow fading from your body.”
“…I came out of that?” Gaige asked anxiously. ‘How the hell did I wind up in there in the first place?’ The rift was ominous in nature, a swirling dark vortex broken only by the occasional flashes of lightning spawning from with white crack-like marks at the very center of the rift.
“It is rather foreboding, isn’t it?” The man conceded with a thoughtful expression. “But you’ve given me no reason to treat you poorly.” He went quiet for a moment, and Gaige waited patiently for him to continue, doing her best to ignore the rift above. She wasn’t sure how she’d even missed it in the first place. “If you’ll indulge me for a moment, there’s something I’d like to share with you. You see, I have a dream—to compile this region’s first complete record of its Pokémon!”
“Like a Pokédex?”
“I—yes, exactly.” He answered with some confusion before shaking his head. “Yes, a proper Pokédex is a wonderful work of research, and I want to make the first one containing detailed accounts of all the Pokémon to be found in Hisui! Creating such an encyclopedia has been a dream of mine for years.” His determined look quickly turned sheepish. “But, ah, in order to properly document Pokémon, one must, of course, capture them. And therein lies the rub, I’m afraid.” He sighed. “As I’ve said, Poké Balls have only just been invented, and not many have mastered the skill of using them, yet they seem to give you no trouble at all! Now, as I understand it, you don’t have anywhere to stay, correct?”
“Looks that way…” Gaigee answered unsurely, resisting the urge to warp her arms around herself. She was beginning to get cold, now that the adrenaline born from confronting and catching real, live Pokémon was starting to fade.
“I mentioned the Ginga-dan earlier—in Galarian they’re called the Galaxy Expedition Team—it’s an organization made up of people from other regions across the world who have come to set roots in Hisui. There are different corps within the Galaxy Team, each specializing in different areas. The Survey Corps, which I’m a part of, are tasked with exploring the region and its Pokémon.” He sighed, his proud stance, which he had taken up upon explaining the Galaxy Team, gave way to slumped shoulders. “Unfortunately, there are very few members of the Survey Corps. It’s just me and Captain Shimaboshi, but due to our jobs, we’re often stuck at headquarters rather than in the field.” Here, he gained a tired smile. “Fortunately, we’ve recently had two youths join the Survey Corps.” His lavender eyes seemed to gain a sparkle as he looked at her. “But you my dear, you have skills that will not need to be honed. You performed better than most members of the Galaxy Team!”
“You want me to join your group.” She concluded and he nodded. 'Galaxy Team? Where did that get that name from? Sounds like Team Galactic being rebranded, like Rainbow Rocket. Hisui doesn't sound familiar at all though.'
“I would be a fool not to offer you a position amongst the Survey Corps.” The man replied. “With the Galaxy Team, you’d be given a safe place to stay, food, supplies—medical aid, should you need it. As unfortunate as your situation is, there is no denying it’s not ripe for teamwork, don’t you agree?”
“Hard to argue with your logic.” Gaige grumbled as she thought. What other options did she truly have? If she really was in another dimension, then she had nowhere to go, no friends to fall back on. Where could she find a better offer, when she had nothing to her name—no money and no supplies. Gaige held out a hand, offering a brittle smile. Whether the man knew it or not, she didn’t have much of a choice in her situation. “You’ve convinced me.” He beamed, initiating a hardy handshake.
“Splendid, absolutely splendid!” His body suddenly went stiff as his smile turned frigid. “By Jove, where are my manners!? I just realized I never properly introduced myself. Professor Ely Laventon, at your service my dear, born and raised in the heart of Wedgehurst!”
“Gaige Arnoult.” She replied automatically as their handshake resumed. Wedgehurst, that was a town in Sword and Shield, wasn’t it? And he kept substituting the word English with Galarian. Maybe she should’ve picked up on that sooner. “It’s nice to meet you, Professor Laventon.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Miss Arnoult. Let us complete Hisui’s first Pokédex together!” Finally, their overexuberant handshake came to an end, and Gaige, found herself amused by Laventon’s wide grin. “First things first—let’s get these Pokémon back to Kotobuki and I shall introduce you to Captain Shimaboshi.”
Kotobuki Village, as it turned out, wasn’t very far off from the valley. She estimated the distance between the village and Prelude Beach was about a quarter of a mile. As they walked, Laventon filled what could’ve been awkward silence with personal information about his life.
He'd always been fascinated by Pokémon, even in his youth, but the day he decided to dedicate his life to studying them, was when he was 14 years old. A Pokémon he’d never seen before, small, pink, with two leaves on its head, had gotten stuck in the branches of a tree. It had been crying out for help when Laventon had stumbled upon it. The poor thing had been up there for days—bleeding, dirty, and oh so hungry. He had gotten it down, though not with any finesse, he’d admitted with a fond chuckle. After securing the injured Pokémon in his arms, the branch underneath him had given way. He ended up hurting his ankle, but he hadn’t regretted helping the Pokémon. He nursed it back to health, feeding it water and berries, and when it had recovered, he went to set it free. When it refused to leave, cooing anxiously over his bandaged foot, he thought it wanted to stay until he was recovered too. However, once he was recovered, the Pokémon never left his side.
Laventon pulled out a Poké Ball at the end of his story and in burst of light, a Jumpluff appeared by his side with a delighted trill. He went on to explain that he was the only child in Wedgehurst to have a Pokémon friend, which quickly resulted in him becoming something of a pariah amongst his agemates. This confused Gaige, because the anime and games made it clear that nearly everyone liked Pokémon. She kept this thought to herself, listening as he continued to explain his history. Even when faced with isolation and bullying, Laventon had cherished having Hoppip at his side, and when he turned 17, he applied to a schooling program in Kalos that centered around Pokémon research. Just as he’d begun delving into the story of meeting his second Pokémon, the gates to the village came into view as they reached the top of a hill.
“Ah, there it is, Kotobuki Village! It’s come a long way thanks to the fine people of the Galaxy Expedition Team.” He gave his Jumpluff an affectionate pat, that it happily leaned into, before offering a sad smile. “Sorry luv, who know how tetchy the villagers are about Pokémon within the town limits.” The Pokémon gave a gloomy response, the cotton puff on her head wilting even as she returned to her Poké Ball. Gaige watched as Laventon frowned at the ball before storing within a pocket on the inside of his coat.
“The people of Kotobuki don’t like Pokémon either?” She asked skeptically. Laventon sighed and shook his head.
“No, and even those impartial towards Pokémon, are still extremely wary.” He smiled tiredly and gestured for Gaige to follow him down the path. “They are a few exceptions to the norm, such as myself, and a few within the Galaxy Team. However, the people indigenous to this region, the Kongō-dan and Shinju-dan—the Diamond and Pearl Clans—they hold a great deal of reverence towards Pokémon. So much so that they find Poké Balls to be an abomination. Makes things a bit tricky all around.” ‘Diamond and Pearl Clans?’ Gaige mentally repeated as she silently followed the professor. Those names were far too specific to be coincidental. She slowed her pace as Laventon’s tone took on a lighter register, where he proceeded to smile widely at the two guards at the gate. “Ah, thank you for your tireless work keeping us safe, good guardsmen!”
The guards, both male and dressed in the same muted red uniforms in an oriental style, didn’t reply to Laventon’s greeting. Instead, their attention was focused solely on Gaige. The guard on the left belatedly nodded to Laventon, while the other one outright sneered at the kind man. ‘Worst Walmart greeter ever.’ She thought sarcastically while aiming a frown at the rude guard.
“This young lady was of great assistance to me and my Pokémon, so I hope you’ll forgive my brining her into the village for a bit.” The asshole guard looked like he wanted to spit at their feet. The one on the left sent his partner a reprimanding look before turning to address the professor.
“Kanojo wa anata no sekinindesu, rōjin.” He replied in Japanese, or rather Hisuian, gracing Gaige with a wary stare. “Anata no atama no ue ni sore ga arimasu.” Laventon gave a strained laugh, his hand clamping onto her shoulder. The exchange of Japanese caught Gaige off guard, but given everything she’d learnt so far, it really shouldn’t have.
“Mochiron, mochiron!” The professor responded in kind before subtly pushing her past the gate, sighing once they put some distance between themselves and the guards. “I apologize for that, Miss Arnoult. The people are very wary, I’m afraid. Makes for poor manners.”
“Gaige is fine, professor.” He smiled at that.
“Gaige it is, then. Now,” He gestured towards a long, wide dirt path before them that seemed to go straight through the town. “This is the main road through the village known to the locals as Canala Avenue. Kotobuki itself was built scarcely two years ago… there’s much to do yet and not many to do it. And since we know so little of the local Pokémon, people are hesitant to step foot outside the village’s walls.” As they trekked down Canala Avenue, Laventon dolling out trivia while channeling his inner tour guide, Gaige soon grew unsettled as she took in the village and its denizens.
Their clothes were... old? No, that wasn’t the word she was looking for—dated? Haoris and kimonos were the only style to be seen, with geta sandals made from wood or straw. The buildings were antiquated in design too, despite being freshly built, yet where the homes were wooden and very feudal Japanese in appearance, a couple of buildings boasted red bricks and iron smokestacks that reminded her of the Industrial Revolution. Things added up in her head, and she did not like the answer she arrived at.
Fact one, Poké Balls were considered a new invention and their appearance looked different from what she was familiar with. Fact two, people feared Pokémon here, when nearly every media she knew depicted them as beloved creatures that lived peacefully alongside humanity. Fact three, Laventon had commented that her clothes strange and everyone here wore outdated clothes. Fact four, there were two opposing groups here known as the Diamond and Pearl Clans, which was very suspicious. Fact five, the buildings severely lacked in modern design, and she spotted no streetlamps or powerlines.
What was less believable? Ending up in a world where Pokémon existed, or traveling through time and space to a place where people and Pokémon were just beginning to connect? Gaige closed her eyes and took a breath, resisting the urge to scream.
“Kyōju ni tsudzuku no wa daredesuka?” A young man whispered to his companion. Now, Gaige knew a few simple words in Japanese, so she wouldn’t be completely without a means of communication, but by no means did she have a strong grasp of the language.
“Sore wa don'na fukusōdesu ka?” An old woman added with obvious derision, not bothering to lower her voice.
“Uwā, kanojo wa dokokarakitanodarou ka?” A child questioned aloud, only to be tugged away by his mother.
“Kanojo kara hanarete, Ryō!” She replied in a warning tone, aiming a dark glare at Gaige. “Watashi no kotoba o māku shite kudasai, soreha toraburu ni hoka narimasen.”
“Kanojo wa mura de nani o shite iru nodesu ka?” A man, who heard the woman’s comment, said in an equally unfriendly tone.
Gaige bowed her head against the onslaught of whispers left in her wake. She may not know what they were saying, but the tones in their voices and body language let her know that no one would be rushing forwards to welcome her to Kotobuki. She thought that Laventon was oblivious to the gossiping at first, but a glance at his strained smile and narrowed eyes suggested otherwise.
“Now, that impressive building ahead of us is Galaxy Hall—headquarters for the entire outfit!” Laventon announced too loudly, perhaps in an attempt to drown out the whispering. He suddenly came to a stop at the small wooden bridge that arced over a modest river. “Oh botheration!” He cursed—maybe? She’s pretty sure ‘botheration’ was a made-up word. “I’d almost forgotten!” He turned to her, grimacing lightly. “I need to go and report that we successfully recovered the escaped Pokémon. Might I ask you to wait for me at the canteen? Once I’ve concluded Galaxy Team’s business, I will introduce you to the captain.” He pointed to a building on their left, sitting at the corner of Canala Avenue. “It’s that restaurant right there—Imozuru—manned by the owner, Beni.” She nodded in understanding, and Laventon gave her a reassuring smile. “I’ll shall be back soon, posthaste!”
With that, he jogged off for Galaxy Hall, leaving Gaige alone in the heart of Kotobuki Village where she struggled not to react to the eyes that followed her every move. Sticking her hands in her pockets, she nonchalantly made her way across the bridge, ignoring how one man very obviously sidestepped her, and kept her eyes locked on a green banner beside the Imozuru. It had kanji going down its length, which left her feeling rather curious.
The clothes, the architect, and now the writing, suggested that she was somewhere in Japan—or rather the Pokémon world’s equivalence of Japan—which she knew to include the regions Kanto, Johto, and Sinnoh. Or, if this place spoke Japanese, then wouldn’t those regions go by their original names, rather than the English version? Was Hisui the Japanese word for Sinnoh? That would fit in with the Diamond and Peal thing.
She brought a hand up to her head, her thoughts were getting convoluted, and it was not helping her headache one bit. She shuffled towards the front of the Imozuru. There was a single table outside with an umbrella, and she was contemplating taking a seat to avoid loitering at the restaurant’s entrance, when the door slid open.
An older man, likely in his mid-fifties, but possibly older, wore a blue haori with light grey sleeves, a darker blue apron with some sort of symbol on it around his waist, and a white bandana with a blue spiral print. He had a thin chinstrap beard that was colored green, matching his neatly trimmed mustache. On his chin, a patch of his beard where it was slightly longer and less manicured, had gone grey. Gaige was taken aback for a moment until she remembered that many characters in the Pokémon verse had weird hair in both styles and coloring. The man walked slowly, his back was hunched from age—his hands, however, did not shake in the slightest. He opened his mouth to greet her, but the moment her appearance seemed to fully register with him, his courteous smile flipped into a frown as his dark blue eyes bore into her.
A lot of people had stared at her since entering Kotobuki Village, but his felt the most impactful. It was a gut feeling, one that had her warily eyeballing him in return. A second glance didn’t reveal anything more, but her attention once again returned to his hands, which had curled into fists and hovered at his side, twitching once as if he were fighting the instinct to reach for something behind his back.
“Sate, ima, anata wa hidoku utagatte imasen ka?” The man, whom she was banking to be Beni, seeing as that would be just her luck, uttered with a hint of distaste in his voice. Gaige had no clue what he said, so she forced a smile on her face while bowing her head slightly.
“Sorry, I’m afraid I don’t understand you.” His gaze sharpened in response.
“You speak Galarian?” He asked in English—Galarian—his words warped by his accent.
“I do. You wouldn’t happen to be, Beni, would you?”
“I am, though I’m curious as to how you know my given name.” There was something steely in his tone, one that made Gaige want to edge away. She forced herself to stay still and met the man’s eyes evenly. He looked unimpressed.
“Professor Laventon asked me to wait here until he concludes his business at Galaxy Hall. I hope that’s okay?” Beni frowned, his spine seemingly straightening for a moment, before hunching forwards once more.
“Hmph, well that was presumptuous of him.” Beni grunted before giving her a dismissive wave. “The Imozuru’s for Galaxy Team folk only. I don’t serve seats to outsiders.” He gave her a glare. “And you will address me by surname, Mube, understood?”
“Kono mishiranu hito wa anata o nayama sete imasu ka?” A voice asked to the left and Gaige looked to see that a pair of teenagers were heading towards her. She withheld a sigh. The language barrier was going to get old real fast.
The one who’d spoken was a girl in her late teens. She boasted plum colored hair that was pulled into a spikey ponytail. Her attire was similar to that of the guards, only her uniform was colored blue and modified to look a bit more feminine, consisting of a skirt and something similar to leggings. A long dark fuchsia scarf trailed down her back. The girl had purple eyes, which were currently pulled into a narrow glare.
The girl’s companion was a boy, who looked to be slightly younger thanks to his rounder face. He wore the same uniform, obviously with pants instead of a skirt, but his scarf was a bright red that matched the cap on his head. His hair was cut short, but from what she could see, it was a very normal black that complimented his grey eyes nicely. In the back of her mind, Gaige noticed that while the girl appeared to be an inch or so taller than herself, the boy was likely an inch or so shorter.
“I’m not trying to cause any trouble.” She stated as she raised her hands. There was a good chance the kids wouldn’t understand her, but Gaige wanted to defend herself before Beni could accuse her of something. “I’m just waiting for Professor Laventon, that’s all.”
“And why would the professor have need of an outsider?” The girl demanded, clearly possessing a stronger sense for English—Galarian—then Beni seemed to have. Gaige forced herself to take a breath and reminded herself to play nice.
“I don’t believe that’s any of your business, kid.” Gaige countered calmly. The girl bristled nonetheless while the boy decided to speak up.
“Who are you? Where are you from? I’ve never seen anyone dressed like you are.” The boy eyed her outfit doubtfully. She noticed his English seemed to be on par with the girl’s. “What if you were attacked by a Pokémon? You’d be mincemeat in those flimsy clothes!” Blinking at the latter comment, Gaige raised a hand to knock her knuckles against her abdomen. The audible thump of her BodyShield top caused the boy to lean forwards in interest.
“…I’m not completely without protection.” She replied with a small smile, flexing her gloved hands. “My clothes do a fairly good job of fending of bruises and scrapes, protecting my organs and whatnot. And my gloves were reinforced for both protection and a better grip.” She paused, realizing that she was getting a little carried away, and coughed to clear her throat. “Uh, sorry. I got a bit carries away there. I’m Gaige Arnoult.”
“Nobody asked for your name, outsider.” The girl snapped while the boy sent his friend a nervous look.
“I’m Teruya Rei.” He offered wanly, likely put-off by his companion’s abrasiveness. “Oh, but if you speak Galarian, then I should probably clarify that Rei is my first name.” He gave an abashed expression. “Here, it’s customary to introduce your family name first before your own.”
“Mube Annin.” The girl scoffed. “You’d best remember it.” She narrowed her oddly colored eyes. “You didn’t answer Rei’s second question. Where are you from?”
“…Unova.” She answered, hoping no one picked up on the tension in her voice. “I’m from Unova.”
“Whoa!” Rei remarked with big eyes. “That’s so far away! Is that how you know Professor Laventon?” Gaige shook her head.
“Never met him till today.” She decided it was in her best interest to leave out her fall from the rift in the sky. If people were this prickly towards her now, she didn’t want to know how they’d react to that distressing factoid. She was also keenly aware that, although Beni had seemingly dismissed himself from the conversation, he was still lingering nearby. “Some Pokémon got away from him. I helped Laventon catch them.”
“Yeah, that sounds like the professor.” Rei sighed. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve spotted him chasing after that Jumpluff of his. He’s a bit hopeless, isn’t he?”
“Like you have room to talk.” Annin jeered as she shot the boy a look. “Bedridden by a Shinx’s Thunder Shock. You’re as hopeless as Laventon-hakase.” Rei ducked his head at her chastising.
“Now, now, Annin, you needn’t be so cutting.” Laventon chided as he approached their group, tossing a nod at Beni who finally retreated into the Imozuru. “Rei is learning after all—a novice in many ways regarding Pokémon. But I know he will only get better with time.” Gaige said nothing, watching as Rei squirmed, perhaps guiltily, at Laventon’s encouragement. The boy had just called him hopeless mere moments ago. “And don’t forget that you’re a beginner yourself, after all.” Annin shot him a positively venomous glare, but Laventon merely smiled in the face of her teenage angst. “Unfortunately for me,” he continued before turning to address Gaige. “it’s just as these two say. I’m a clumsy sort of fellow, to put it mildly! But everything will be alright now. Gaige has agreed to help us with the Pokédex!”
“Excuse me?!” Annin hissed, fists shaking at her sides in anger. “Are you saying you plan to appoint her to the Survey Corps! You overstep your bounds!”
“At ease, Annin. I’ve allowed it.” A feminine voice declared, causing the group to turn once again as another person joined their conversation. “Assuming the individual can contribute to the Survey Corps, that is.”
“Shimaboshi-taichou?!” Rei blurted in surprise and Gaige took the opportunity to look over the leader of the Survey Corps. She stood a little taller than herself, wearing a modified blue uniform that matched Annin’s, but made with thicker fabrics and boasted white fur along the collar of her coat. She had short blue hair that was brushed to the side, with dark blue eyes and eyebrows to speak of. As the woman came to a stop, she fell into a parade stance, arms folding behind her back and head titled upwards.
Immediately, Gaige was reminded of another character—Cyrus, the leader of Team Galactic. She gritted her jaw, forcing herself to meet the woman’s penetrating stare. If she was in the past, then was she looking at Cyrus’s ancestor? Was the Galaxy Expedition Team the first incarnation of Team Galactic? This was another level of mindfuckery that she very much did not need.
“Greetings, I am Shimaboshi Hoshi, captain of the Galaxy Team’s Survey Corps.” Gaige nodded in return, feeling a bit intimidated by the woman’s cadence. She was very… unemotive. Her Galarain, however was as good as the kids. “Professor Laventon has informed me how you helped secure his Pokémon after they slipped off. And now it seems he would like us to feed and house you in exchange for your ongoing labor.” Shimaboshi paused. “Hmm, you look to be about seventeen or so—”
“I’m twenty-five.” Gaige interrupted automatically. There was a moment of silence as the group stared at her and she fought off well-worn frustration. Most people often thought she was a kid until she corrected them. Which usually ended with Gaige having to show them her driver’s license in the end. “Yes, I know I don’t look it.
“Well then, your quite old enough to earn your keep.” Shimaboshi continued with aplomb. “But we can’t simply take in a stranger who wanders in among us, without any idea of their skills or personhood. Tomorrow we shall see if you can prove yourself worthy.”
“Oho, a most reasonable decision captain! Now, would you care to join us for a meal? I’m sure you’ve got plenty of questions for our newest recruit!” Laventon pretended to be oblivious to Annin’s furious glare and Shimaboshi’s stiff expression, incredibly, grew a bit stonier.
“That’s quite all right.” She declined, brushing past the group to enter the Imozuru. “I prefer to eat alone so I might appreciate my meals without distraction.”
“Aloof as always, I see.” The professor muttered lowly from beside Gaige. She doubted the kids even heard him. “Well, no matter! The rest of us can share a meal and some pleasant conversation, then, eh?” He nudged her with his elbow lightly, but stopped short as Annin suddenly stalked away. “Annin, where are you going?”
“As if I would spend my time entertaining you band of fools.” She threw over her shoulder, not looking back as rounded the corner down Canala Avenue.
“…That girl has got a shitty attitude.” Gaige announced bluntly, causing Rei to choke on air while Laventon hid his laughter behind some fake coughs.
“She’s just… very eager to be seen as an adult, I’m afraid.” The professor replied, his mirth fading as quickly as it appeared. “She heard about the Galaxy Expedition Team when it was recruiting in Jōto and demanded to come along. Her parents were… not the most attentive couple from what I’ve been able to glean over the years. Beni took her in, but their relationship grew strained after she turned fifteen and expected to join the Galaxy Team. Beni forbade it, believing she was still too young and that the dangers too great.” Laventon sighed as he gestured for them to follow him to the outside table. “Last year, she applied to join the Galaxy Team but was rejected by Commander Kamado. He and Beni are old friend you see—no doubt he denied Annin as a favor. She was furious. Showed up at the Wallflower during its busiest hour and gave Beni quite the tongue lashing.”
“But she’s part of the Galaxy Team now, right?” Gaige surmised and Laventon nodded.
“The captain pushed for it.” He chuckled. “I honestly think she’s become something like a hero to Annin since that day. As far as that girl’s concerned, Shimaboshi can do no wrong. Kamado was forced to relent, especially since the Survey Corps has always needed more members. Annin was inducted into the Galaxy Team ranks two months ago on her seventeenth birthday.” The professor blinked before scratching bridge of his nose self-consciously. “But listen to me rambling on—you two must be hungry! I’ll go put in three orders of potato mochi with Beni.” As the man excused himself and headed into the restaurant, Gaige mentally reviewed everything she’s learned so far. She’d almost forgotten Rei was present until he spoke up after a few minutes.
“…Annin-chan’s not a bad person.” He said lowly, chin tucked to his chest and fingers fiddling in his lap. “She’s upset that you get to try out for the Galaxy Team so soon when she had to wait for years. She doesn’t really mean the things she says. She just feels frustrated and stifled.” She was not amused by the boy’s attempt at defending his friend’s attitude. Honestly, Annin sounded like a typical teenager with an overprotective parent.
“I’m not a scapegoat for her issues, kid.” Gaige replied as her eyes moved to study the youth. “And you’re not doing her any favors by letting her walk all over you.” Rei hunched in on himself, studiously avoiding her eye. She resisted pointing out the discrepancies she’d seen, of Rei’s overly cowed behavior, or Annin’s mean dismissiveness towards the boy. “When did you join the Survey Corps?” Rei looked grateful for the change in subject.
“Only last month, a week after my fifteenth birthday.” He answered. “Captain Kine herself asked okaasan, er, my mother, to join the Medical Corps when we first came to Kotobuki two years ago. Everyone just sort of expected that I’d follow in her footsteps…” He frowned at the table’s surface, staring hard at the wooden knots and scuffed marks. He didn’t say anymore, and Gaige withheld a sigh of relief. The kid had grown pretty close to oversharing, which was something she’d already gotten a taste of thanks to Laventon’s spiel on Annin’s backstory.
She had her own shit to worry about, she didn’t need to play guidance counselor to a pair of teenagers.
“Sorry to keep you waiting!” Laventon announced as he exited the Imozuru and headed for their table. “Beni wanted to chat about a few things, but rest assured, his delicious potato mochi will be done soon enough.” He eased himself across the table next to Rei, giving the boy a friendly pat on the shoulder. “How have you two been getting on?”
“H-Huh? Oh, we’re doing okay, I think?” Rei replied before shooting Gaige a nervous glance as if he expected her to argue otherwise. She nodded.
“Good, you too will be working together after all, best to have a good rapport!”
“Pretty sure I have to pass the captain’s test first, professor.” Gaige replied with a wry smile. He merely let out a buoyant laugh.
“Oh, I have complete faith in you, my dear! Beni, there you are good chap!” Gaige stiffened as the Imozuru owner’s arm appeared over her shoulder, setting a small stack of plates in front of her. From the side of her eye, she spotted his frowning visage, a tray balanced in his other hand. On it was a large platter of potato mochi, a steaming teapot, and three upturned ceramic glasses. “Wonderful stuff, Beni! Much obliged. Your potato mochi never fails to please!” Laventon complimented once the table was set. Beni nodded wordlessly before returning to his restaurant. “Well, dig in everyone!”
Gaige needed no further invitation; her hunger having made itself known a while ago. She may not like Beni, but she quickly decided that his mochi was mouthwateringly good. As long as she stuck with eating outside, she could deal with the guy’s crappy attitude.
“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Rei began once they’d all eaten their fill. Gaige herself was sedately nibbling on her last potato mochi. “how did you and Arnoult-san meet, Professor Laventon? There were no scheduled ships meant to port today.” She opened her mouth, a half-thought out lie about sailing the sea on a personal boat forming on her lips, when Laventon spoke up.
“Ah, well, you know of that great hole in the sky? The one people call the space-time rift?” Silently, and gesturing wildly, Gaige motioned for the man to stop talking. Unfortunately, for some asinine reason, he’d chosen to close his eyes for this explanation. “Well, our new friend fell right out of it! Ouch!” Laventon reeled back, furiously rubbing his stinging shin in confusion. “What on earth did you kick me for?”
“You have no concept off being discreet, do you?” Gaige hissed at the professor. “Snitches get stitches, pal!” He titled his head, looking not unlike a confused overgrown puppy.
“I beg your pardon?”
“You—you can’t be serious?” Rei asked faintly, his eyes darting between the two of them. Laventon’s chest puffed up as if he were offended by the boy’s disbelief.
“Come now, my boy! I am a scientist! My job is to observe and explain any and all phenomena. I concern myself only with facts!” Gaige groaned as she buried her face into her palm. As a result, her follow-up question came out slightly muffled.
“Please tell me you didn’t tell Captain Shimaboshi the truth of my arrival when you spoke with her earlier.”
“Why, of course I did!”
“Oh, good. I’ve always wanted to be chased out of a village by a mob carrying torches and pitchforks.” She grunted sarcastically. Because there was no way this wasn’t going to make her situation ten times harder. She peered at Rei to see how the kid was taking the reveal. He was eyeing her now, much the same way a few of the villagers had—as if she were about to attack him at any moment.
“Professor, a-are you sure someone like Arnoult-san would be a good fit for the Survey Corps?” She frowned at the question, but she had to give Rei credit for mustering up the courage to ask it right in front of her. Laventon, the oblivious cinnamon roll that he was, frowned in response.
“Codswallop, there’s no one more fit for the role!” He praised. “She successfully caught three Pokémon! Three in the span of a few minutes, you understand! Nobody in the Galaxy Team has completed a feat such as that. With Gaige amongst our ranks, we can finally begin our Pokémon research in earnest!”
“Three?! I have a hard enough time catching even one when wild Pokémon come after me.” Rei’s voice soon trialed off into a mumble. “Not even Annin-chan has managed that…”
“I’m sorry, but aren’t there currently only four members of the Survey Corps?” Gaige piped up with a raised eyebrow. “Doesn’t sound like there’s been much of a chance to set any records, especially since Rei and Annin have only recently joined the Galaxy Team. And don’t forget that Cyndaquil gave me some trouble. It wasn’t all smooth sailing.” Laventon nodded in concession.
“Yes, it’s true that the Pokémon you caught weren’t exactly wild, but the key to catching Pokémon is to get close enough to aim your Poké Ball well. And you have an abundance of courage to manage just that, Gaige!”
“Does the Survey Corps really have the leeway to be enjoying a leisurely meal with an outsider?” Beni’s voice was as startling as it was unwelcomed. Gaige couldn’t help jolting in her seat before she whipped around to find Beni nearby, hands folded behind his back and expressing disapproval. How long had he been standing there? What had he overheard? “Your captain just ordered five portions of potato mochi, you know. The outsider clearly has her on edge.” For the first time, Gaige thought she saw something like irritation enter Laventon’s eyes, which gave his smile a sharper edge.
“I’m sure, once Gaige starts helping me fill the Pokédex, we’ll reign in the good captain’s stress eating soon enough.” He readdressed to her with a noticeably warmer smile. “Now, have you had your fill?” She nodded as she stood.
“Yeah, the food was delicious.” Gaige remarked candidly. As Rei and Laventon busied getting ready to leave, she dropped her voice to a pointed whisper and cast Beni a glare. “Too bad the service was rotten.” The Imozuru owner shot her a dark look, but she was already turning away. Laventon clapped a hand on her shoulder.
“Well then, consider that extra incentive to do well tomorrow! If you make it into the Galaxy Team, you’ll never have to worry about a meal again. The team provides for all its members’ needs—even if said members fell out of the sky!” She stiffened incredulously, all but gaping at the professor, practically able to physically feel Beni’s distrustful stare intensify.
“Professor, perhaps it would be best to let Arnoult-san get some sleep. She does have the captain’s trial to get through.” Rei suggested softly, radiating an aura of discomfort.
“Not to worry! I have complete confidence in Gaige’s skills.” Light spilled out onto the trio and Gaige turned to see that Captain Shimaboshi was exiting the Imozuru.
“Let’s hope it was not misplaced.” The blue haired woman declared as she eyed Gaige. “Arnoult, was it? That almost sounds Galarian.”
“It’s not far off.” Gaige admitted. Her surname was Anglo-Saxon in origin, although she had no idea what this world’s equivalent would be to that. “It means ‘ruler of avians’.” It actually meant ‘ruler of eagles’, but the closest thing to an eagle in this world was Braviary. “My first name is Kalosian. It means ‘pledge or oath.’ However, my family immigrated to Unova long before I was born.” The professor took this new bit of information with a pleasant smile. “I appreciate the opportunity to try out for a position with the Galaxy Team, Captain Shimaboshi. I understand that it couldn’t have been an easy a decision to make.”
“No, it was not.” She agreed with that same strict tone. “For tonight, we will provide you with a place to sleep in the barracks of Galaxy Hall. But know this, if you fail to pass the trial tomorrow, you will be exiled from the village to meet your fate—and perhaps your death—in the wilds.”
A cold wind blew through then, filling the silence left in the wake of Shimaboshi’s words. Gaige froze the moment the woman’s threat registered in her mind and her hands curled into fists. Beni, she saw, looked on with a neutral expression. Rei was frowning, eyes pitched towards the ground once again. Laventon looked pained, his gaze holding something like disappointment that was directed solely towards the captain. Shimaboshi herself was as unmoving as marble, and seemingly just as uncaring.
“…Nice pep talk.” Gaige spat out after a moment, unable and unwilling to hide her animosity. “To be honest, I’m not sure I want to be a part of your team, lady.”
“You’re free to leave and skip the trial entirely.” The captain replied without missing a beat. Laventon paled while Rei hunched in on himself. The threat, however, did little curb her tongue or douse her indignation.
“I’m sure the wild Pokémon couldn’t be any less welcoming than Kotobuki has been.” That comment did seem to make the captain hesitate for a moment.
“Hisui is a harsh and unforgiving region. It has made the people here grow hard as a result. Yet, there is kindness to be found.” Shimaboshi gestured at Laventon, who flushed a little. “The professor went out of his way to vouch for you. It would be the height of offense to spurn his generosity.” Gaige looked at him, considering for a long moment, before nodding.
“For him, I’ll do the trial.” Whether she’ll stay in Kotobuki, however, was another matter entirely. She would prefer to live outside the gates, perhaps in the meadow where she caught Laventon’s Pokémon. She’s no stranger to roughing it in the wilderness. Her family had been big on camping all through her life and she’d been taught a fair bit of survival skills as a result. “If someone wouldn’t mind giving directions to the barracks, I’d like to turn in for the night.” She gave the group a fleeting, sarcastic smile. “After all, it’s a big day tomorrow.”
“Ahem, allow me to show you the way.” Laventon announced after clearing his throat. “Ah, I don’t know if you’re familiar, but the beds here are quite different from the ones we have in Galar and Unova. They’re called futons, my dear, and have no bed frames to speak of. Perhaps that’s a good thing in your case—I imagine you’ve had enough falling for one day!” Gaige refrained from moaning at the awful reputation Laventon was unknowingly creating for her while Shimaboshi’s eyelid visibly twitched.
Fortunately, there were no incidents on their way through the Galaxy Hall. She instantly felt a little more comfortable inside the building, the aesthetics being much more familiar thanks to its European influence. Laventon did not give her a tour of the place exactly, but he did point out the more important areas on the first level, such as both his and Shimaboshi’s offices, which were right next to each other, and the infirmary further down the hall to their left that also acted at the Medical Corps office. They took a staircase downstairs, which housed the offices for the Agriculture Corps and Supply Corps, and the barracks.
The floor plan mimicked the first level, with the infirmary and barracks possessing a large space to make room for the sixteen futons that lined the room. There were attempts at privacy, with Japanese folding screens dividing the futons, and sparse pieces of furniture. There were trunks at the foot of the futons, made with solid wood and different kanji painted on the leads, likely depicting the owner’s name. From what she could see, a total of four futons were not in use, given the way that they were folded and put aside to take up less room.
Laventon explained what little directions there were to taking care of one’s bedding and soon wished Gaige a good night before claiming he wanted to get a bit more work done before turning in for the night. She watched him go, speaking out as he reached the doorway.
“Professor!” He turned at her impulsive call, his face open and curious even as his posture slumped with fatigue. “Thank you, for helping me today.” She wanted to express her gratitude better, but she struggled to find the words. Fortunately, her meager show of appreciation seemed to be enough for Laventon, who beamed in return.
“Think nothing of it, my dear.” He replied before chuckling. “Though, if you really want to repay me, helping me create a Pokédex would be all the thanks I need. Goodnight, Gaige. Sleep well.”
“Goodnight…” She uttered watching as the door shut behind him. She peered around the room, relieved that it was empty and flopped down onto the futon. She stared at the shadowy ceiling above, the flickering lighting provided by a few candles situated around the room and released a shuddering breath. “You’re okay. Everything’s okay.”
It really wasn’t. Somehow, she’d wound up in a world—a different dimension entirely—where Pokémon were real. She’d literally been fucking isekai’d into a goddamn video game. Or maybe this was the anime? She wouldn’t know until she spotted Ash with Pikachu riding shotgun on his shoulder. ‘Which won’t happen since I’m probably 200 years in the past.’ Oh god, did they even have electricity in this time period? What about indoor plumbing? She didn’t know whether to laugh or sob at the fact that her biggest concern was the lack of amenities.
She no family to miss her and vice versa. Friends were far and few in-between. No pets to speak of either. She ached a little at the realization that she wouldn’t be returning to work, but that was more so because her grandfather had worked where she did for 40 years before he died. Gaige swung an arm over her eyes, fighting back tears. For years, all she’d had left of her loved ones were the places her memories were tied to, and now she didn’t even have that.
Tomorrow, she promised herself, she would find the good at being thrown into a world she’d adored throughout her life. But tonight, she would grieve for her world, which she might never see again. Gaige sobbed into her pillow until sleep claimed her.