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Chapter Text

"Calypso, what in the vastness of space and time are you doing?" Akari put on a show of looking upset by giving the Alpha Mismagius in question a pout and a shake of her head, though she didn't bother hiding the laughter in her tone or the way her eyes shined with amusement.

Akari had been attempting to sketch the newly caught Cresselia in her journal when Calypso had drifted away from her usual spot in the Pokemon cuddle pile to inspect the legendary with curiosity. The Alpha Mismagius was spinning in happy circles in what Akari guessed was an attempt to get the legendary to play, crying out quietly to avoid drawing too much attention to themselves. The Cresselia blinked at the Alpha but otherwise stayed perfectly still.

A quick glance over to her right revealed a mildly annoyed Sylveon at having had the blanket taken away, though Akari's Mantine was quick to remedy this by taking Calypso's place. The Sylveon's ears twitched a few times before eventually settling back down and falling asleep, clearly satisfied with this temporary solution. The sight made Akari yawn involuntarily. It was getting late into the night. From what little she could see of the moon past the light fog and heavy clouds, it was already past its high point and was slowly making its descent towards the horizon. 

Akari and her team were camping in a small corner of Fabled Springs on the other side of the river, out of sight from the Alpha Clefable that roamed the area. It was risky staying in the Highlands for too long when Ingo and Lady Sneasler lived close by, but the battle with Cresselia had worn her Pokemon out and she wanted to give them a chance to rest before making the long trek up to Lake Acuity. She felt confident enough that Ingo would be fast asleep at this hour and that Lady Sneasler would be too busy looking after her newest clutch of eggs.

Cresselia blinked a few more times before moving forward, slowly circling the Alpha once with a mix of confusion and hesitation. The Mismagius cried out in delight, a little bit too loudly, as she waved her cloth appendages at the legendary before attempting to get Cresselia to chase her. Akari internally winced at the volume, she had been trying so hard not to get caught or seen by anyone but as she looked at the pure joy on Calypso's face, she couldn't bring it in her to stay mad. 

She felt a little bad for leaving so suddenly but it was just too hard to stay at Jubilife Village. Akari couldn't take the stares and whispers, they had only gotten worse since she had fixed the rift. Rei and Professor Laventon, even Cyleene to an extent, did their best to help distract her. By making sure she was more involved and asking for her help for the littlest of things so she knew she was wanted and needed. She appreciated and was touched by the gesture but it just wasn't quite enough to drown out the voices that she was different. Other.

Ingo had told her that she could come by his home any time she liked but she couldn't do that either. She wasn't going to risk overstaying her welcome, having him get annoyed and hating her. Ingo hating her would be the final push over the edge. It would break her. 

Akari couldn't help but wonder just how many people were out looking for her and how many had written her off as a lost cause like Commander Kamado had when he exiled her. The sudden memory of that day caused her to shiver. She knows Ingo will be mad for sure. He was always telling her to follow safety measures and procedures, but in her defense she did technically tell someone where she was going. Volo knew she was out gathering plates. Even though she knew Ingo didn't like the merchant - he never said why exactly, only that he found the man suspicious - Volo still counted as someone.

When Volo offered to hide her at Cogita's home once more while she searched for the plates, she jumped at the opportunity. She'd do just about anything to have an excuse to stay away from Jubilife for a while. Volo even went as far as to steal the plate Kamado held in his office for her, knowing that she found the Commander scary.

Cresselia had indeed started chasing Calypso and was happy to do so judging by the way the two were crying out in glee. When the legendary caught up, it was the Alpha Mismagius' turn to give chase in some sort of game of tag. The two were having so much fun that Akari couldn't help but smile despite the situation she found herself in, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.

Ingo. She hadn't seen him for over a month. Akari really missed Ingo. She missed her dad. She was doing this for him, she had to be strong. Volo had promised her that she could meet Arceus once she had all the plates gathered. Volo said Arceus would grant her a wish. Volo assured her that she could send Ingo home to his family. She had to. She had to send Ingo home to make up for all the times he had helped her, even if it meant possibly getting separated from him and potentially never seeing him again. 

She missed her dad so much.

Akari hadn't even realized that she had been crying until she felt the soft familiar pressure of her Alpha's cloth appendages on her shoulders. 

"C-calypso?" She grimaced slightly at the way her voice cracked and wavered. At her trainer's acknowledgment, Calypso shifted her appendages so that they were loosely wrapped around the girl's neck in an attempt at a hug. 

Akari sniffled at the gesture, pulling her knees up to her chest to hide the way her body shook and burying her face as she bit her lips to muffle the sobs building in her throat. Instead, she chose to focus on the gentle weight of the Alpha as Calypso enveloped her small frame, crying out softly in an attempt to soothe her trainer. Exhaustion slowly seeped into Akari and despite how hard she fought it, she found herself slowly starting to doze off.

Akari's head snapped up in alarm when she heard a slightly unfamiliar Pokemon cry, only to startle again upon seeing Cresselia on the ground beside her and staring at Calypso - When had the Alpha moved to lay on top of her? How long had she been asleep? - who cried back in some sort of conversation. The rest of her Pokemon team were awoken instantly at Akari's surprised yelp and while they quickly realized there was no immediate danger, they each moved closer to their trainer, not wanting to take any chances.

The legendary let out a quiet muffled cry which Akari turned her attention back to, noticing the feather Cresselia held in it's mouth. When the legendary caught her eye, it leaned it's head forward and let out another muffled cry.

"Is this… for me?" Akari asked as she gently took it, sitting back up with her eyebrows furrowed. Cresselia let out another cry and spun in several happy circles, mimicking Calypso. The girl giggled in response and reached out her other hand, which the legendary leaned into. Akari gave Cresselia several pats before stifling a yawn.

Calypso made a concerned cry as she sniffed Akari. Lowering herself more to the ground, the Mismagius gave her trainer a questioning look before wrapping her appendages around Akari's wrists and pulling the girl to her feet, then guiding her to her tent. 

"Calypso, I'm fine. Really. I need to finish this sketch first." When Akari dug her heels in a little in protest, the Alpha gave a gentle but persistent tug, letting out a cry reminiscent of the tone Ingo often used when scolding her. The last of the fight left her and she gave in, allowing the Mismagius to gently push her into the tent and into a sleeping position. Calypso gave her a satisfied, if not playfully teasing look before draping herself over her trainer.

The Cresselia settled down next to her as well, making soft chiming noises that sounded suspiciously like a lullaby. Before Akari could question it, she felt her eyelids grow heavy and she yawned deeply. Subconsciously she hugged the feather tight to her chest, falling asleep almost instantly in the comfort and safety of her friends as they watched over her.

May your dreams be pleasant, sweet child of Hisui. May your dreams be pleasant and you find peace, however brief it may be.

Chapter Text

"Akari, what happened?" Ingo asked gently as he used the handkerchief he was holding to wipe some of the blood off of her cheek. She had come knocking on his Pearl Clan cabin, shivering from the cold with three bad scratches that ran along the right side of her face. 

Akari gave a small pout and looked away. Her eyes were red and puffy as if she'd been crying and she was making a valiant effort to hide it. Ingo gently cupped her left cheek and guided her face back towards him. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to Akari, I'm just worried about you and want to make sure you're alright."

Akari's lip quivered as a few stray tears ran down her face, causing her to wince a bit as the salty tears made her wounds sting. Ingo carefully brushed them away before opening his arms up in a silent offer which the girl gladly took, throwing herself at him.

"They hurt her." Akari finally replied after she had calmed herself somewhat, her voice barely above a whisper. "The Zorua, they hurt her."

"Who is her Akari?" Ingo asked as he gave her an encouraging squeeze.

"The Zorua!" Akari pulled back from him with a shout and an angry expression before flinching at her own volume. After forcing herself to take a few deep breaths she tried again. "The Zorua, they hurt the Zorua."

Ingo was immediately concerned but tried not to let it show as he gently coaxed her. "And who were they?"

Akari looked away again, hesitating. "The… other Zorua. She was a different color than the other ones. Most Zorua are white and red but the one I saw was gray and blue. The normal Zorua were attacking the other one and I protected her. Calypso and Hades drove them away. But when I went to check on her, that's when she scratched me."

Ingo stiffened before forcing himself to take a few deep breaths of his own. He reached out to turn her face towards him once more before laying his hands on her shoulders. "Akari-"

"I know Ingo, I know. Zorua and Zoroark are dangerous." She sighed quietly. "I just hate that they were bullying and signaling her out."

Ingo watched her for a moment, choosing his words carefully. Finally he left out a sigh and lifted one of his hands to rest it on top of her head. She smiled a bit as she leaned into his touch. "You have a very kind heart Akari."

The Gabite let out a roar in rage as it charged forward in one last attempt to attack.

"Hades, Infernal Parade! Strong Style!" Akari shouted out from where she was sitting several feet away. She wasn't too badly injured but she had managed to twist her ankle running from the Pokemon, causing some pain when putting pressure on it. The rest of her team surrounded her protectively. Before the Typhlosion could move, a gray and purple blur shot forward towards the Gabite.

The Zoroark let out a snarl of her own as she attacked the wild Pokemon unprompted, a Bitter Malice Agile Style then another one in Strong Style. The Gabite staggered back, letting out another roar, though half heartedly this time. The Zoroark's purple mane flared angrily, preparing to attack again, even as the Gabite gave up and retreated. 

Hades walked up to the Zoroark and placed a paw on her shoulder in an attempt to both calm her down and hold her back. The Zoroark, in her blind rage, whipped around and attacked the Typhlosion instead. Hades snarled, his own ghostly mane flaring to life.

Sylveon ran over to break up the argument, wrapping her ribbons around each of their paws. The Typhlosion settled down instantly but the Zoroark was still hostile, yanking her paw free. It was only when Mantine came over as well, the three of them working together, did the Zoroark eventually come to see reason.

Hades let out a commanding cry, pointing to an injured Akari then to a path that led further up the mountain.

Akari was sitting on the cot in Ingo's home as he checked her over in worry while occasionally glancing at the Zoroark who hovered nearby. The rest of Akari's Pokemon were returned to their Pokeballs to make room in the small home but the Zoroark downright refused.

"-never seen a Gabite that big before, though it didn't have red eyes so I don't think it was an Alpha." Akari was recalling to Ingo how she had ended up in this situation but he was only half paying attention.

Ingo blinked, still eyeing the Zoroark warily but forced himself to relax. "This Zoroark, is it the same Zorua pup you talked about before?"

"Yes!" Akari nodded once, beaming brightly. "I named her Venus."

"You caught her?" Ingo's voice had a slightly alarmed tone which he tried to hide as best he could, though the Zoroark still picked up on. 

Venus let out an aggressive growl and in a sudden burst of energy, shoved herself in between Ingo and Akari. Ingo immediately backed away and instinctively reached for one of his Pokeballs. The Zoroark responded by shifting into an attacking stance, though made no move forward just yet, sticking protectively by Akari.

"Ingo!" Akari cried out as she suddenly broke out in tears. "Ingo it's okay! She won't hurt us! She's a good girl, I promise! Please don't hurt her Ingo! Please! She can't help that she's different, it's not her fault!"

Ingo held his position, frozen still as he watched Akari hug herself with a heart wrenching sob and the Zoroark as her mane once again flared with angry energy.

"Please Ingo, don't hurt her. It's not her fault she's d-different." Akari hiccuped as she forced the words out. "She just wants somewhere to b-belong and fit in."

A minute passed by incredibly slowly in an almost painful silence save for Akari's crying. Eventually Ingo raises his hands placatingly in subtle movements, not wanting to further agitate the Zoroark. As carefully as he could, he inched towards Venus, the Pokemon still growling and watching his every move with a sharp intensity but made no move to attack him.

Ingo, still moving as slowly as possible, knelt down slightly to Venus' eye level. He pulled up his coat and tunic sleeve revealing three long scars along both his arms and silently held them out for the Zoroark to see. Venus held eye contact with him, still bristling, before settling into cautiousness rather than hostility.

"I was attacked by a Zoroark once." Ingo lowered his volume as much as he could as he spoke. Venus blinked at him then shifted her gaze down to look at his scars. She reached up as if wanting to touch them but seemingly decided against it, flexing her own claws a few times deep in thought before lowering her paws back down and looking back up at Ingo.

"For the longest time, I was a little afraid of Zoroark and Zorua. I found myself avoiding them as much as possible. That isn't right though, is it? There are good and bad Pokemon, just like there are good and bad humans." Ingo shifted his gaze from Venus to Akari, who was still crying on his cot and hugging herself, eyes shut tightly, before continuing. "Everyone deserves to feel wanted. No one should be forced to suffer alone, regardless of if they are different or not."

Akari let out a small whine and hugged herself tighter but otherwise made no sign of whether she had heard him or not.

Ingo turned back to the Zoroark. "I am deeply sorry for judging you so harshly Venus." He apologized, still trying to keep his voice soft and quiet. He slowly rose to his feet and gave a small bow of respect. "Thank you for protecting Akari and bringing her here for safety."

After a moment of silence, the Zoroark mimicked the gesture with an unreadable expression before sitting on the floor and looking up at her trainer on the bed.

Ingo reached out to Akari but stopped just short of actually touching her. He looked over towards Venus who tilted her head at him in confusion. "May I?" He asked the Pokemon, who blinked at him slowly, processing his words, before nodding once and backing away to give him room.

Ingo sat down next to Akari and slipped an arm around her shaking shoulders. She made no indication that she registered the touch. Ingo shifted back so he sat more on the cot and pulled Akari into his lap, one hand cupping the back of her head and holding it to his shoulder as the other gently rubbed her back soothingly.

Akari eventually came to, letting out a small quiet sob before letting out a sudden wail, her arms wrapping around Ingo tightly as her body shook with renewed intensity. "I'm sorry, Ingo! I'm so sorry-"

"It's alright, my deerling. It's okay." Ingo reassured her, going from rubbing her back to combing his fingers through her hair.

"But-"

"It's okay deerling." Ingo repeated, giving her a small squeeze as he closed his eyes. Akari let out a sniffle at that, settling down in his comforting hold as he softly hummed to her. 

He felt small vibrations on the bed and opened his eyes to see Venus patting the cot to get his attention. He met the Zoroark's eyes and she immediately dropped her paw down, backing away several steps respectfully before tilting her head in a silent question.

Ingo's lips pulled upwards at the corners. He didn't need to speak Pokemon to get what she was asking. A mutual understanding between the two had been reached. "Yes, you may."

Venus, in slow movements much like Ingo had done before, climbed on the bed and curled up beside them, making sure to leave enough space so she wasn't directly touching Ingo.

Chapter Text

"Uncle Em, help me." Akari whined.

Emmet was sitting at the kitchen table filling out paperwork while Akari had settled on the couch in the living room to watch tv. Ingo and Elesa had gone out grocery shopping, leaving the two of them alone except for the various Pokemon scattered throughout the apartment.

He glanced over his shoulder and let out a chuckle at the sight before him. Ingo's Chandelure was laying in his niece's lap. Akari gave Soleil a playful but gentle shove in an attempt to get the Pokemon to move but to no avail. She then looked back up at Emmet, gesturing to the Chandelure in mock annoyance.

He let out another chuckle, moving the chair so he could face them more fully. "I am Emmet. You should have thought of that before you sat on the couch."

"Uncle Em, please. Before she falls asleep." Akari pleaded. The Chandelure closed her eyes and let out a soft chime that sounded like a snore, causing the teen to draw in a sharp gasp in mock horror and Emmet to burst out in full genuine laughter. "Soleil! I know you're not actually asleep! Soleil move!"

Emmet's ever present smile grew slightly bigger as his laughter slowly died back down. "Just pick her up and move her Akari." 

Akari shook her head. "I can't do that."

Emmet's expression softened. "I doubt Soleil will hate you Akari. She loves you verrrry much, I can tell."

"I know that." Akari gave the Chandelure a fond pat before schooling her expression into something serious. With as much of a straight face as she could manage, she said, "Moving Pokemon off of your lap when they're comfortable is illegal. I don't want to get in trouble, that's why I'm asking you to do it."

Emmet blinked at her a few times before bursting out into laughter again. After a few moments of suppressing her giggles, Akari bursted out in laughter too, very pleased with herself for having gotten a reaction out of him.

Emmet stood up and sat next to Akari on the couch, giving the Chandelure a light prod. "Soleil, please divert your tracks. Akari wishes to get up." The Chandelure turned to look at him, blinking once before slowly turning her body side to side in an effort to mimic shaking her head. Emmet nodded in understanding, giving his niece's shoulder a pat before standing up. "I tried. Good luck Akari."

"Uncle Em!" Akari let out another whine.

"Moving Pokemon when they are comfortable is illegal." He parroted back to her. "Besides, you should have a lot of experience with this because of the little Sneasel kits."

Akari shook her head. "Dad had more experience with the Sneasel kits than I did. And he never moved them either."

Emmet let out a scoff, reaching over to fondly ruffle his niece's hair before heading back to the kitchen table to finish his paperwork. "What am I going to do with the two of you?"

"You know you love us Uncle Em." Akari called out from behind him.

"That I do." He replied as he pulled the pen cap off and started writing. 

Akari playful stuck her tongue out at him, even though he couldn't see it, shaking her head fondly.

After about a few minutes of complete silence, Emmet stopped writing mid-sentence, shifting around in the chair to look back at Akari. When she had first arrived at the home station with Ingo around half a year ago, she hardly spoke a word. She had no trouble speaking when she was completely alone with Ingo and the still slightly strange Lady Sneasler, but with anyone else it was a struggle for her to even form one word responses. 

After putting her in therapy and working with her, her bubbly personality was starting to resurface. Around strangers and especially huge crowds she would get overwhelmed and sometimes completely shut down, but she had come a long way with Emmet and Elesa. Akari struggled a bit around Skyla still, but that would fix itself with time. Skyla wasn't offended and was more than happy to be patient with the girl.

While the silence between them seemed comfortable, a part of him couldn't help but be a little concerned anyway. He made a mental note to bring it up to Ingo later. For now, Emmet would have to do his best to help her himself.

"Are you okay Akari?" Emmet asked gently. His niece was leaning forward so that her hair fell in front of her face, though he didn't need to see it to know she was crying. Her shoulders shook with silent heavy sobs, Soleil chimed sadly at her, trying to get the girl's attention as the Chandelure nuzzled her stomach. Akari leaned further forward, wrapping her arms around Soleil and holding her close, not saying a word.

"Akari?" Emmet tried again. His smile didn't fade but his eyebrows furrowed deeply. He hesitated for a moment before moving to get up, the chair scraping against the tile with a loud noise. It must have startled her for Akari's head shot up with a snap, looking at him with wide eyes. He hesitated again as they locked eyes. "Akari?"

She shook her head vigorously and waved her hands in front of her at him. She tried to make an effort to speak but all that came out was a choked noise, which she immediately winced at and buried her face into her hands.

"Take your time, favorite niece. There is no need to rush down the tracks." Emmet wasn't nearly as good at comforting her as Ingo was but it seemed to have helped at least a little bit, for the shaking of her shoulders slowed down.

After taking a few breaths to calm herself she spoke though her voice was quiet, hesitant. "I miss… I miss Hisui." Akari shook her head, voice louder this time. "I'm really happy staying here with you and dad, the happiest I've ever been. I just- I mean," She let out a frustrated sigh. "It's-"

"I think I understand." Emmet's smile grew smaller, but more genuine. "You are grieving."

Akari shook her head at him. "I am sad that everyone I knew there is dead now but that's not it."

"Grief is not just for the people in our lives that are long gone. One can also grieve over missed opportunities, over trauma. You lived in Hisui for over three years, yes? And you have no memories of your life before then correct?" When Akari nodded in a silent response, he continued. "You are grieving over having your memories ripped away from you against your will. Over moving away from the only home you had ever known. Over realizing that, despite how much you want to, you can never go back to change what happened to you, good or bad. Your grief is normal."

"Ingo is still grieving, as am I. Elesa too. All of us are grieving, but we can get through this together as a family."

Akari sniffled, rubbing at her eyes with her sleeve to brush away the last of her tears. "I love you Uncle Em."

"I love you too Akari, my most favorite niece."

Akari remained stuck until Ingo and Elesa came home, the Chandelure jolting up to greet Ingo by spinning in happy circles around him as he did his best to navigate around her so he could put the groceries on the counter without dropping them.

Chapter Text

"Warden Ingo, go take a break for a little while. Get some fresh air." Irida said as she came up beside him. After a few moments of silence she sighed softly, dragging over another chair to sit beside him. Irida knew he was highly uncomfortable being touched by anyone other than Akari and while he would most likely never openly say anything about it if someone did, she wasn't going to push his boundaries regardless.

"Warden Ingo, Lady Sneasler is getting worried, both about Akari and yourself." She tried again. "Why don't you go talk with her for a little while, perhaps go and visit the Sneasel kits for a few days while you're at it?" Still no response from him.

"Ingo." Irida had never dropped the title nor used that tone of voice with him before. She hated to do so, but it had the intended effect.

He snapped up from where he was leaning forward in the chair towards the young girl resting in the medical bed, holding one of her hands in both of his own. Ingo's eyes were dull and out of focus when he turned to look at Irida. It took a few blinks before recognition flickered in them, though the dullness remained. "Ah, Lady Irida. I apologize for-" 

Irida's stern look and tone softened as she met his eyes. "Please take a break, Warden Ingo."

Ingo's eyes briefly flickered back over to Akari's sleeping form then back to Irida. "I hesitate to leave the station when the safety of my passenger is uncertain."

"I'll check on her while you're gone, Warden Ingo. I'll make sure she's safe, I won't let anyone harm her."

Ingo looked back over to Akari one last time before nodding, seemingly to himself. As he stood he adjusted his hat and coat, some of his bones popping from having sat in the same position for too long. Ingo did his signature pose, pointing forward towards the medical cabin door with one hand and down to the ground with the other. "All aboard!" He called out, though much quieter than usual due to the sleeping girl behind him. "I will be back in exactly an hour."

Irida stood as well, whirling around and reaching out to his retreating figure before sighing and letting her hand drop back down. That was not what she meant by taking a break but she knew better than to try and fight him on it. After seeing how upset he looked when he had first brought Akari here about two days ago, she didn't particularly want to either. Plus she remembers, with a small pang of guilt, the look on his face when she warned him not to go looking for Akari after her exile.

It was as clear as the vastness of Hisui that they both deeply cared for one another. If they wanted to stick together, who was she to deny them? They both deserved to have some happiness after all that they had been through over the years, Akari especially. She had literally saved the world after all.

Irida waited a few moments to make sure Ingo wouldn't come back in before turning to the girl laying in bed. "He's gone Akari, you can get up now." Akari winced a bit, eyes opening as she tried to sit up but Irida was quick to put a hand on her shoulder to push her back down. "Take it easy Akari, you were badly hurt." 

"How did you know I was awake?" Akari's voice was small and raspy, as if from overuse.

Irida gave a quiet laugh. "My older sister was the same way. She was a pest sometimes but I loved her anyway."

Akari slightly tilted her head questioningly before the pretense registered in her mind. "Oh. I'm sorry." 

Irida shook her head as she smiled softly. Once she was satisfied that Akari wouldn't try and get back up, she sat in one of the chairs to be more at eye level with her. "What happened, Akari? Where have you been for the last three months?"

Akari opened her mouth several times in an attempt to speak but no words came out. Instead she just shook her head. Tears were starting to form in her eyes.

"We're not mad Akari, just concerned. Warden Ingo-"

Akari immediately reacted to that by jerking her head the other way and folding her arms over herself.

Irida blinked, a bit taken aback by the intense negative reaction. As far as she knew, nothing bad had happened between the two so she was at a loss as to what had caused the younger girl to get so upset. It was always possible that Ingo just hadn't mentioned it, like that month and a half after Akari's return from her exile. Irida was under the impression that they had made up since then though, and that their relationship was even stronger now because of it. She'd have to ask Ingo about it later.

Irida reached over to place a hand on Akari's shoulder. The younger girl jumped a little though didn't pull away, which Irida took as a good sign. She gave Akari's shoulder what she hoped was a comforting squeeze.

Akari took in a shaky breath in and out a few times before speaking quietly, voice still raspy and barely above a whisper. Irida had to strain to hear it, contrast to Ingo's ever booming voice. "D-do you… I think Ingo hates me, Miss Irida."

"No." Irida responded immediately with full confidence. " Warden Ingo would never hate you Akari."

Akari sniffled, half turning back towards her but still not looking her in the eyes, choosing to stare at the ceiling instead. It was a start. "You don't know that." She argued, voice still quiet.

"Yes I do." Irida gave her a nod, though she doubts Akari saw it. "You weren't awake when Warden Ingo brought you into camp with Lady Sneasler. You didn't see how upset he looked. Warden Ingo may not express his feelings much or all that well but when he does it's always genuine. With how much he struggles, he would have no reason to fake it. You know that as well as I do." 

Akari gave a noncommittal noise and fell back into silence.

After a few moments, Irida laid her hand on Akari's shoulder again. She could tell the subject was getting to the younger girl and decided to change it. "You've been unconscious for a few days. When did you finally wake up?"

Akari shifted again, this time facing Irida fully and looking at her directly. Past the deep exhaustion in the teen's eyes was the faintest hint of mischief. "Just a little bit before you came in."

Irida laughed despite herself. "You really are a lot like my sister."

"If… what was your sister like? If you don't mind me asking. You don't," Akari hesitated. "You don't have you if you don't want to. If it's too painful."

Irida shook her head and gave Akari a fond smile. "I don't mind." Irida slightly shifted to get more comfortable in the chair before continuing.

"Ah, Miss Akari." Ingo greeted her as he walked back in. His facial expression didn't shift much but his eyes seemed much brighter compared to earlier when he took in sight of Akari, Irida noted fondly.

She remembers when she had first come across Ingo, how out of it he was when Lady Sneasler brought him to the Pearl Clan camp. How dull his eyes were. Having his memories ripped from him, being in an unfamiliar land, had left him a hollow shell. That first year and a half had been rough.

It was only when Akari entered his life that he began gradually growing more lively. To anyone who didn't know him well, one could say he hadn't improved at all. The man could be intimidating sometimes due to his limited facial expressions. To Irida, it was a major improvement. While Ingo seemed to truly love his Warden duties and Lady Sneasler, he was happiest when he had Akari by his side. His eyes were never dull then.

"How long have you been up, Miss Akari?" Ingo asked her as he reclaimed the empty seat in the chair next to her.

"She woke up just a few minutes ago, Warden Ingo. You have good timing as always." Irida lied, giving the younger girl a small nod.

Akari nodded back, then reached out to Ingo to distract him before he could question it.

"I see." He fell for it easily enough as he took her hands and gave them a squeeze, eyes crinkling at the corners in his version of a smile. "It is good to see you finally awake, Miss Akari."

Irida's heart warmed at the sight. "I'll let you two have a moment. I'll come by with Warden Calaba later to check on your injuries. For now, just rest and take it easy."

Chapter Text

"Happy birthday, my deerling." Ingo held out a pokeball to his daughter. "I got a special gift for you."

"Thanks, dad." Akari smiled warmly at him and reached out to take it but a snort from behind her made her stop to look over her shoulder. 

Aunt Elesa and Uncle Emmet weren't even trying to hide their quiet laughter. Aunt Skyla was at least making an effort to suppress it, though she wasn't succeeding very well.

"What's so funny you guys?" Akari asked as she frowned at them.

Both of them laughed a little louder. Skyla elbowed her girlfriend in the ribs and whispered something quietly to her causing Elesa to calm down almost instantly and turn on Emmet. She was scolding him if Akari had to guess based on her expression but whatever she had said only seemed to make him laugh even harder. When Elesa slapped his arm and said something else to him, he gave Akari an apologetic look before turning around to try and control himself.

Skyla looked over to the teen with a soft look. "We aren't laughing at or making fun of you Akari, I promise." She assured her.

"Yeah," Elesa cut in. "We're making fun of Ingo, not you." Skyla elbowed her again but Elesa brushed it off and gave Akari an encouraging and fond smile.

Akari's anxiety eased only to be replaced by confusion. "Why would you be making fun of dad?" Emmet let out another snort at that. Akari turned back to look at Ingo who shook his head and held the pokeball back out to her.

"Try to ignore them, Akari." Ingo laid his other hand on her shoulder for a moment, then raised it to her cheek to cup it and brushed his thumb under her eye.

Akari smiled and leaned into the touch before taking the pokeball from his hand. "Thank you dad. How big is it? I don't want to accidentally break anything in the apartment again."

Ingo was quiet for a moment before giving her a nod. "Go ahead and let it out, we just have to be careful."

Akari released it and the Pokemon materialized with a beam of red light. She was instantly gushing over it, cooing at the Pokemon with gentle words as she let the creature sniff her before placing a hand on their head and lightly ruffling the fur between the Pokemon's ears. "It's so cute! I love them already! Thanks dad!" She ran over to give him a hug which he instantly returned.

"Happy birthday, deerling." Ingo repeated, pulling away and slightly bending down to place a soft kiss on top of her head.

Akari giggled at the gesture then turned her attention back to the Pokemon, who had taken the opportunity to check out their surroundings. Once they caught her eyes the Pokemon let out a small cry and walked over to Akari, giving the girl another sniff. "What type of Pokemon is this dad?"

"Deerling."

Both Elesa and Emmet bursted into laughter again and not even Skyla could manage to suppress it this time.

"...what?" Akari looked back to Ingo then the Pokemon several times with a deeply confused expression.

"They're called Deerling. Their forms change with the seasons." Ingo told her. He wasn't laughing like the others were but there was a slightly amused tone to his voice. "I know you've been wanting to get a new Pokemon for a while since you had to leave your old team behind and I figured a Deerling would be a good choice for you while you wait for the egg to hatch."

Akari turned to face him fully, her mouth opening and closing several times as she blinked at him in confusion. "Wait… what?"

This time Ingo really did laugh.

"Lady Sneasler, look!" Akari beamed as she showed off the pokeball to the Noble.

They were at a small park in Nimbasa. Akari had wanted to spend some quiet time with the two for a bit before the group settled down to watch movies and play games the rest of the night. Emmet, Elesa and Skyla understood, staying behind to get everything set up and ready by the time they got back.

Ingo himself was standing a few feet away, leaning against one of the trees and watching them quietly. It was already starting to get dark so luckily there weren't too many people to question Lady Sneasler's presence. Neither Ingo or Akari wanted a repeat of the last time.

Lady Sneasler gave the pokeball a curious tap with the back of her claws before tilting her head at Akari and giving a questioning cry.

Akari lightly jumped on the back of her heels in barely contained joy before releasing the Pokemon. Rhea materialized with a cry and was immediately at Akari's side, nuzzling and sniffing her. "Look Rhea, this is Lady Sneasler." Akari politely gestured to the Noble and the Deerling turned to look at her as well. "She's super nice so the two of you should get along perfectly."

Lady Sneasler let out a purring rumble as she walked over to place a paw on Akari's head, careful to mind her claws. After a brief thought, she let her hand drop and lowered it to slightly above the Deerling's height. Rhea looked at Akari then back to Lady Sneasler's paw. With a small cry the Deerling slightly reared back onto her hind legs to headbutt into Lady Sneasler's paw. Lady Sneasler lifted her other paw to her face and let out a rumbling cry in what Akari had come to realize over the years was her way of laughing.

"Dad said they're called Deerling."

At that, Lady Sneasler looked over to Ingo who shrugged and gave Akari a fond look. Lady Sneasler let out a series of rumbling cries before sitting on the ground.

"I know, that's what I said too." Akari told her as she sat down as well. Ingo let out a laugh behind them but she chose to ignore it. 

After a moment of hesitation, Rhea laid down as well, legs folded underneath her as she listened to her trainer talk with her and to the Noble until Ingo told them it was time to head back home.

Chapter Text

Akari stopped halfway up the steps to stifle a yawn and rub the sleep out of her eyes, trying to look more presentable. Cyleene had knocked on her door in the dead of night saying that Commander Kamado had wanted to meet with her about something. Something that couldn't wait until morning.

She had just gone to bed less than an hour ago, having difficulty sleeping over the nightmare that was Lord Avalugg. All the frenzied Nobles had been scary and tough, but none of them could ever compare to the sheer size Lord Avalugg had been when he was in his frenzy.

Akari had chickened out the first time, having made it all the way up to the Arena before fear overcame her and she fled, quickly pulling out her flute and calling on Lord Braviary to whisk her away to another part of the Icelands. It took Irida and Gaeric about a day to find her and even more before they could coax the young girl back into trying again, this time Irida sending word to Ingo if he had the time to join them, knowing Akari felt a little more at ease in his presence, who did so gladly.

It was only after Hades forced his way out of his pokeball, draping himself across her middle like a heating pad to expel the last of the lingering chill from her, did she slowly start to fall asleep before startling awake a little while later.

With another stifled yawn, she shook herself before climbing up the last of the stairs that led to the head office. "Was there something you needed, Commander Kamado sir? Miss Cyleene said it was urgent that you talk to me." 

"You need to leave the village. From this point on, you are hereby exiled until further notice." 

If Akari wasn't awake before, she certainly was now. The whiplash of emotions felt like a Wake-Up Slap to the face.

The Commander stated bluntly, not bothering with the fake pleasantries this time. "You have until the sun rises to gather your personal things and whatever else you feel you might need. If you're still here by that time, I will have you imprisoned."

When Akari failed to respond, too taken aback to fully process what was going on just yet, Commander Kamado continued.

"Had the decision been solely left to me, I would have made you leave as soon as you returned from Alabaster Icelands. It was by Cyleene's suggestion that I at least let you prepare first to avoid stirring up the villagers too much."

It went without saying that by villagers, he meant Professor Laventon, Rei and Zisu specifically, who would no doubt worry and protest on her behalf. Ingo, who had left earlier that day - having accompanied her in order to make sure she got home safely after her injuries before heading back to Lady Sneasler's den to help babysit and take care of her newest litter of kits - wouldn't be back for at least a week and a half. She was completely alone here.

It wasn't by coincidence, it was by design, Akari thought bitterly. All the tension and fight left her as her shoulders sagged. With no one around to help advocate for her, she had absolutely no chance of convincing Commander Kamado to let her stay, so she didn't bother trying.

"Why are you doing this?" Akari finally spoke up to ask. Her voice wasn't shaky or wobbly, despite the tears threatening to fall, like she had anticipated. Instead it had just sounded tired.

"I assure you I did not reach this decision lightly. I have spent countless hours trying to come up with different scenarios and outcomes; this was the only logical solution."

"I'm only twelve." She whispered as she hugged herself, fighting desperately not to cry in front of him.

"Yes, I am aware of that." 

 "Why?" Akari repeated again.

"It's not something someone as young as yourself would understand easily." Kamado half turned to pick up a photo frame from off of his desk. He studied it hard for a minute before setting it back down and turning back. "Being a leader means you're directly responsible for the lives of the people in your charge. They depend on you to ensure their safety and protection. Something I failed to do once. Something I will not fail to do again.

"I have found myself between a rock and a hard place. You are technically a resident of Jubilife Village and that means you fall under my protection as well but the many must take precedence over the few. The rift is just far too suspicious. Now that all the Nobles have been quelled, who's to say what will happen next. Child or not, I will not save one life just to endanger the rest. Perhaps one day when you're older, you'll understand.

"For what it's worth, I am truly sorry it had to turn out like this. I won't tell you to stay safe; I know you can survive out there, you're a very capable young girl. You had to be, for all you've accomplished by yourself. Maybe even capable of fixing the rift. On the off chance that you do, we can discuss your return."

Akari opened her mouth to speak but when no words came out she shut it with a snap, gaze turning down to the ground as her hands fell to their sides as she curled her fingers into fists to prevent them from shaking. "Okay." She forced the word out, then turned on her heels to leave.

When Kamado awoke to a loud boom outside, when he watched as the rift in the sky exploded, bruising the sky with various shades of reds, blues and purples, he knew he had made the right decision.

When the villagers rushed the Galaxy Hall in concern and fear over their livelihoods, louder and drowning out the concerned and worried voices of Professor Laventon and Rei over Akari's whereabouts, he knew he had made the right decision.

No cost too great.

Chapter Text

At ten years old, Akari wakes up on Prelude Beach and looks up at the giant hole in the sky with wonder and confusion. She had no memories to speak of except for her name.

She opens her eyes to see two creatures of some kind - Oshawatt and Rowlet the man in the beanie hat tells her - staring at her with wonder and curiosity. The third, a Cyndaquil, stands a foot or so away from her. Though the creature's eyes were closed, Akari got the distinct feeling she was being critically judged.

When the three run off, the man asked if she would help catch them. The Oshawatt and the Rowlet go back into their ball devices easily enough but the Cyndaquil makes her work for it, dodging out of the way at the last second and refusing to stay in when caught. She's absolutely exhausted by the time Cyndaquil seems satisfied enough with his little test.

///

"I don't think the Commander likes me very much, Professor." Akari admitted quietly as she sat with him in his office, the door closed. It had been a week since she had first joined the village and became an official resident of Jubilife, though with how the others constantly whispered about her, sometimes it was hard to know for sure.

"He's just wary of new people, that's all. I'm sure Commander Kamado will warm up to you in no time." Laventon turned around to face her with a smile, then let out a warm laugh at the sight in front of him. "Just like little Rowlet here."

Said Rowlet was happily perched in her lap as she sat down while a slightly less happy Oshawatt was curled up next to her. Over the past few days as she regularly visited his office the two Pokemon constantly fought over her attention. More often than not, the little bird Pokemon won. The Cyndaquil from before was still pointedly sitting away from her. 

///

Prelude Beach is a place of beginnings, Professor Laventon tells her, that it was fate that she happened to show up right when she did.

When Professor Laventon later offered to give her one of the three Pokemon she had helped catch, her initial instinct was to reach out for the Rowlet but to everyone's surprise, the Cyndaquil spit a weak fireball in warning towards the bird Pokemon before shoving himself into her open hands instead.

Professor Laventon gave a slightly strangled yelp in surprise before hurrying forward as if to take the Cyndaquil from her. "I'm terribly sorry, Akari. I don't know what came over this one, he's never acted like this with anyone else before." Cyndaquil let out an angry cry at that, the flames on his back flaring up for a brief second as soon as the Professor got too close causing another surprised yelp.

Akari blinked at the small Pokemon before standing to her full height and lifting the Cyndaquil to her eye level. The Pokemon turned back to face her at the gesture and let out a determined cry.

Akari blinked a few more times, then gave a small nod. "No, it's okay Professor Laventon. I think I get it now. I pick this one." 

"Are you sure?" He asked with concern.

Akari gave the faintest of smiles. "Yes, I want to pick this one."

At thirteen and a half years old, Akari looks up at the stars in the sky with a strong feeling of loss and sadness. If everything went according to plan, this would be here last night here in Jubilife Village, her last week in Hisui. She hadn't wanted to come back at all but there was something very important she had to take care of.

Inside her trembling hands was a special pokeball, the one that held her very first partner. With a shaky inhale she released the Pokemon, who materialized beside her. The Typhlosion scanned the area around them, ever alert, before realizing where they were. Hades immediately turned to Akari and forced himself in front of her, letting out a protective growl in the direction of the village.

"It's okay, buddy. I'm okay." She patted the Typhlosion to calm him, trying her best to force a small smile. "Ingo's here with me, I'm safe."

Hades relaxed somewhat at that, letting out another growl for good measure before looking around at his surroundings once more. When Akari started walking towards the pier, he followed close behind.

"Ingo and I are going on a trip soon," She started, trying her best to keep her voice light. Akari could already feel tears prickling in her eyes but she tried her best to hide it. "We're going somewhere far away so you won't be able to come with us." She turned to him, smile still forced. "I asked Rei and Zisu to look after you when I'm gone. Professor Laventon said he'd help too but I know how much you hated staying stuck in that room all the time."

Akari turned over the pokeball in her hands a few times, a few tears managing to slip down her cheeks but she quickly scrubbed them away with her sleeve before holding out the pokeball towards the Typhlosion. "I'm… I'm really going to miss you, Hades." 

The Typhlosion reached forward to place a paw on the pokeball and let out a happy cry.

"No Hades, you can't come with me." Akari shook her head, losing the battle as she slowly started to cry harder.

Hades blinked at Akari, letting out a sad but confused cry as his ears flattened. Slowly it dawned on the Typhlosion just what she had meant. In a sudden burst of energy Hades straightened up, shaking his head and letting out an angry cry. He reached for the pokeball again though Akari jerked back and tossed it off to the side.

"I said you can't come with me!" Akari shouted, fists curled tightly at her sides. The Typhlosion shouted right back, as if trying to argue with her. She let out a frustrated noise before dropping to her knees and hugging herself.

Hades' anger was gone instantly as he knelt down beside her and let out a concerned and worried noise. When she started crying, he pressed himself against her and let out a rumbling purr in an effort to soothe and comfort her. After a moment her crying slowed but didn't stop as she shifted to wrap her arms around Hades in a hug, which the Pokemon did his best to return.

"I'm really going to miss you Hades. I really wish you could come with me, I'm scared." Akari's voice was muffled as she buried her face into his fur and he let out a deep, sad rumble in return. "I don't know what's going to happen to us, I don't want you getting hurt."

The Typhlosion pulled back to smack a paw to his chest, causing Akari to let out a weak laugh.

"I know, Hades. I know you're strong, but I'm not even certain Ingo and I will make it through okay, or that we'll even be together when we get through to the other side." Akari held out her hands to the Typhlosion. "It would really hurt me if something bad ever happened to you."

Hades let out a heartbreaking cry, looking at her hands before placing his paws in them, leaning forward to headbutt Akari gently and lick the tears from her face.

Prelude Beach is said to be a place of beginnings, but now it was also a place of endings as she says her final goodbye to the oldest friend she's ever known.

Her best friend.

"Take care of yourself Hades, and I'll do the same. Thank you for being my friend." 

Chapter Text

Akari wouldn't say she hated Nimbasa City or Unova, it's where her family lives after all. Her new family. Her real family.

A family wasn't something Akari ever pictured herself having. It was something she had always dreamed of ever since she awoke in Jubilife Village, but she never thought she'd actually get. While her relationship had improved with them dramatically over the years, she knew Professor Laventon and Rei only saw her as a friend and that was fine with her. Really, it was. Cyleene and Zisu were nice enough but she wasn't nearly as close to them.

As she gradually started running into Ingo and visiting him at his home over the course of her journey, she had started seeing him as family. It was very one sided and he had no idea she thought of him as such. He never would if Akari could help it. She wasn't about to scare away the one person who she felt genuinely cared about her. Just knowing that she always had somewhere safe, someone safe, that she could turn to whenever she needed or wanted it was enough for her she thought.

Of course that all changed when they traveled back to their own time. When they had landed in Gear Station and ran into the man in white Ingo always talked about, his twin brother, he introduced her as his daughter proudly and without hesitation. Both Emmet and Akari herself had been shocked by that though Emmet recovered more quickly than she did, deciding to question it later after seeing how exhausted the three of them were and pushing them down the tracks to home station. Luckily it was at night so there weren't too many people around to question anything. The ones that were found themselves being stared down and threatened by an oddly strange but nonetheless intimidating Pokemon.

While Akari found great comfort and happiness in being claimed as a daughter by Ingo, as the adrenaline slowly wore off and the awareness of the situation kicked in, a part of her felt guilty. She was taking up space in their home. She was taking up her dad's time, Ingo's time, from his twin. He should be spending time catching up with his brother after being missing for four and half years instead of making sure she was okay. Akari could handle herself, just like she had in Jubilife. She knew how to be self-sufficient.

Ingo easily picked up on the mood change and was immediately concerned, asking her what was wrong but she simply brushed it off as being tired after everything she went through. It was a half truth, they both were tired and while Ingo looked like he hadn't fully believed it, he set it aside for now, though made sure to keep an eye on her.

Of course she couldn't get away with it for long. She awoke one night from a nightmare, biting her tongue to stifle her cries and screams as tears silently slid down her cheeks. She had been on Mount Cornet with Volo. His appearance had changed dramatically since the last time she had seen him. He went on about how it wasn't fair that she was chosen and not him. About how she was manipulative into making everyone care about her, about how even Arceus was fooled. 

When Volo made a comment about how Ingo was only using her to go home, Akari shifted her hurt into determination, beating not only his team but Giratina as well albeit just barely. At the time, she was certain Ingo cared about her in at least some capacity. She knew he probably didn't see her as family but she could say with confidence that they were good friends. When Arceus appeared after Volo had fled, congratulating her on seeking out all Pokemon before giving one last challenge and the immediate aftermath, she had honestly forgotten about the comment Volo had made. Now though, after it was all over and she had time to process everything, it was all she could ever think about. 

Akari hadn't even realized Lady Sneasler's sudden disappearance from the bed beside her until Ingo was sitting on the floor and suddenly pulling her into a hug, whispering quiet reassurances to her as Soleil floated just above their heads, chiming sadly. Usually when she had this same nightmare over the past month since first arriving at Unova, Akari would beg Lady Sneasler not to tell Ingo. The Noble clearly didn't like the idea but still would curl up beside her and groom Akari with her sandpaper like tongue, purring loudly to lull the young teen back to sleep. Apparently after seeing her repeatedly suffering, the Noble had enough.

When she had calmed down some, Emmet sat down next to them and asked if she would like them to all sleep in the living room together. When Akari gave a silent nod in response, Emmet gave her a soft smile and left to set up the futons while Ingo gently picked her up and carried her out. When Ingo laid her in the futon next to his and Emmet got settled in the couch, his Eelektross decided to drape over Akari like a blanket. The Chandelure followed by making a soft cooing noise before laying down between Ingo and Akari, leaning against her side as Lady Sneasler settled just above their heads. Soleil had hardly left Ingo's side in the month since his return but he found that he didn't particularly mind. In fact he found the gesture incredibly heartwarming, not only did his twin easily accept Akari but their Pokemon had as well.

The next few days they continued to stay in the living room at night until Ingo came to her with a Pokemon egg one evening and handed it to her, eyes pinching in the corners in a smile. When she tilted her head in confusion, subconsciously mimicking him, he let out a laugh.

"It's a Litwick egg, a fire and ghost type." Ingo explained. At that Akari immediately started tearing up but he pressed on, placing a gentle hand on her head. "I know how much you miss Hades and I know no one can ever replace him, but I hope this helps you feel at least a little bit better."

Akari gently nuzzled the egg affectionately and she held it closely but gently to her chest. "Thank you dad," Akari croaked out in Sino. "I love you."

Ingo wrapped his arms around her in a loose hug and let out another laugh when Lady Sneasler followed suit. "Of course. I love you too, my deerling."

Akari, Rhea and Lady Sneasler all gathered around the egg in excited energy as it hatched. When the tiny Litwick broke free and stared up at her, Akari bit back a delighted gasp, not wanting to startle him too much. "Hello there, it's nice to finally meet you." The Litwick cooed at her in his own form of greeting causing Akari to beam brightly.

When Rhea took a step forward to give the Litwick a sniff, the Litwick's flame burned a little hotter in excitement at making a new friend, causing Akari to pull him back some and Lady Sneasler's to place a guarded paw in front of the Deerling protectively as Rhea stumbled back to avoid getting burned. The Noble gave a stern warning, shaking her head. The Litwick gave a quiet coo in apology before turning to look up at Akari with sad eyes.

"It's okay, it was an accident right?" When the Litwick nodded she gave him a reassuring smile. "We'll help you control your flames." Akari held out her index finger to give the Litwick a hand shake but he simply backed away, eyes cast down.

Akari frowned and opened her mouth to say something but Lady Sneasler cut her off, calling to the Litwick. When he looked up at her the Noble flexed her claws before gesturing to Akari and Rhea. Rhea herself also said a few words as she stepped out from behind Lady Sneasler. After a slight hesitation, the Deerling made an attempt to sniff the Litwick again. The Litwick held completely still, his flame flaring once but not nearly as strong as it had the first time. Once satisfied, the Deerling backed away and settled on the ground.

"You did it! I'm so very proud of you!" Akari cheered. The Noble gave another warning cry but much softer this time before giving him praise as well. The Litwick let out a happy coo before turning back to Akari and reaching out to her with his nubby hands. Akari let out a laugh as she reached out with her finger again, expecting the Litwick to shake it but to her surprise he hugged it instead, eyes closed in content. "Welcome to the family, Castor."