Chapter Text
There was no sunlight when he first opened his eyes. Or rather there was none of the familiar gold that usually greeted him upon waking up every morning in his own home town. His eyes were still heavy, the world a blur, but with a couple of slow blinks, he could make out some outline of his surroundings, enough to know that this wasn’t his Hisuian sleeping quarters.
There was none of the call in the morning for the survey corps, nor were there the chipper and greetings of good morning from outside his room, and gone was the sound of starlies chirping to one another that usually signaled the arrival of a new day for Rei.
The world around him suddenly sways, tilting him over from his sitting-sleeping position for a moment and stirring him into consciousness. He’s thrown into a state of alarm at the shift, still unfamiliar with his whereabouts before he realizes:
Oh right, he was being sent on a mission by Professor Laventon.
Rei blinks, looking around at the room, taking in the surroundings. He could feel each sway of the boat as they rocked over the wild waters, and it was dizzying to even keep his eyes open in a place like this, but he could barely make out the poor outlines of a crate, a snuffed candle, a crate, an old futon and blanket on the floor, a couple of bottles, a pile of crates, a crate he uses as a surface to write on, pokeballs laying on top of a crate, and the Galactic expedition bag he brought on with him for his mission.
The boat shifts once again, and Rei’s pounding head decides maybe is a good time to rest. He doesn't get to lay down onto the futon in the way he wants to however (gently, softly, lovingly), and is instead (coldly, brashly) thrown onto the makeshift bed when the boat crashes against a wave and tilts, throwing Rei off of his own feet and sending him face first against it.
He grunts in pain, but makes no effort anymore to try and balance on the rocky floor. He sighs with his cheek pressed against the hard futon.
Closing his eyes, he drifts off to sleep in the dizzying cradle of a ship. Memories from three days ago were resurfacing in the form of a dream.
"Please."
---
The village was quiet at this time of the night. Everyone had gone home after a long day of work, and due to the implementation of a curfew in recent months, only Galactic Corps members were really permitted to enter and leave the village. It had been for security reasons, at least according to Cyllene -- ("I had a talk with Akari about what had happened with her on Mt. Coronet... I'll make sure that nothing like this ever happens again, whether Commander Kamado permits it or not.")
Akari had been laying low for a while now. After the incident, there was something in particular that worried her more than anything else. Something that concerned the strange device she woke up with (an arsefone? Asspon? Rei doesn't recall) and how "it's not working anymore!!"
Rei had been there when she growled, screamed and cried in frustration at the white box, slamming it against any surface she could. Rei had been afraid during her outburst but he wouldn't understand... couldn't. She was... angry... maybe not at the device itself but definitely angry at something or someone, mumbling incoherent and broken phrases under her breath. All he could really do at the time was attempt to calm the girl down, and only when he did get close and held her by her shoulders did he see the tears running down her face, yet she kept mumbling pleas, even at her state.
Her eyes were turned to Rei, but they seemed to look past him as she begged for a response from the device. ("please, please, please, you can't leave me here, please, I don't know anything yet, please.")
Her face didn't match her actions at all. Where she had been thoroughly abusing the small white device and slamming its edges across all six sides of the room and all things in it with an unrivaled anger, her face was wet with salty streaks, mouth ajar, pulled by a wobbling lip, and her dark, greyish blue eyes that Rei remembers being so cautious, out of place and distant on the day she arrived to Jubilife, eyes that he had tried hard to get to crinkle in a genuine smile again, eyes that sparkled in happiness for the first time in what seemed to be months since he first saw them after he had lent her a small bit of help after a particularly bad day. They were in an expression of desperation. The light he had hoped to keep seeing in them had faded, and were now only kept shining because of watering eyes.
Rei pursed his lips, sucking in any tears that threatened to come out at the sight, and spoke in a calm voice.
"Akari."
She blinks, finally looking at Rei rather than past him.
But she seemed to cry harder.
Rei can feel the sting beginning at his own eyes. It was one of the things he hated especially about himself, how he desperately wanted to be able to help people but was still quicker to break than they were.
If he cried now, how can he be strong enough to help Akari?
He forces his brows to furrow, suppresses the tears that threatened to form in his eyes. Suppresses the choking noise trying to escape his throat, the cold in his fingers.
"Please."
She bent in half, falling to the floor, Rei following her motion, and the device that was previously clutched in tightened fingers slipped from her now limp grasp, clattering to the floor. (and barely a scratch on the thing... what the hell is it anyway?!)
Akari broke into a sob. Rei couldn't find the words, so he just kept quiet. Her head buried into Rei's shoulder, hands reaching out to hold onto something - anything, deciding to go for his shirt, and Rei had wrapped her in a stiff and rather awkward hug, trying to soothe her by running his hand up and down her back. Something he remembers his own mother doing for him whenever he had cried over something, but he knows that whatever Akari was so... whatever had upset Akari, it wasn't something a hug and pat on the back could simply fix up, but for the time, it was all he could think of.
It was all he could do.
At some point, Akari's sobs had quieted down, with only the occasional hiccup, but Rei didn't remember her stopping from shaking. He had no idea how long it was before someone arrived. Professor Laventon and Captain Cyllene threw the door open, both with equally worried looks on their faces.
Professor Laventon had escorted Akari to the nurse, Captain Cyllene following suit but not before Rei had asked her if Akari was going to be alright. Captain Cyllene takes a deep breath but doesn't give a forward answer. Only glancing at the floor then turning to him.
"Come visit her after she wakes up... what she needs isn't loneliness right now..."
When he came to visit the next morning however, he found Akari sitting shyly on the bed. She seemed nervous when he came into the room, though Rei greeted her with a smile and a greeting.
"Good morning, Akari!" He beamed.
Akari gave a smile back, but anyone could tell it was forced. "Good morning, Rei," came the quiet reply.
Rei moved past the other beds, all the way to where she was resting. In his arms, a medium sized basket that seemed to be overflowing with berries of different kinds. When Akari caught a peak over the basket rim, she could see that they've been sorted into groups where she was able to tell some of them apart; there were some pecha berries, persim berries, a couple of lum berries and a LOT of oran and mago berries. There were a couple of bundles wrapped in white cloth on the side that wasn't filled to the brim with berries.
Rei sets the basket down on the table next to the bed and sits down on one of the two chairs that were already there.
"How's your head?" He begins, not really betting on looking forward to the awkward air that silence would provide. Akari doesn't meet his gaze, instead twiddling with her fingers.
"I've been worse... I think..."
When it's obvious that Akari wasn't going to continue, Rei took one of the berries from the basket and held it up to her face.
"Here."
Akari blinks, not understanding, looking back and forth between the berry and the boy for a good while with a confused "huh?"
"You seem confused."
It takes a moment for the comment to process in Akari's head before her eyes roll in realization.
Persim berry.
She shakes her head, still not making eye contact with Rei, but this time it's to avoid the smirk on the boy's face. So that's how it is. It doesn't stop the small smile creeping onto her own though, at the sound of Rei giggling at his own dumb statement. She takes the berry from Rei, deciding to humor him, and bites into it, only to grimace at the bitter juice. She swallows it down then finally looks up at Rei.
"Why did it have to be persim..."
"It's for medical purposes, not your taste bud purposes."
"But there's plenty of oran right there..."
"You're not physically hurt."
"But it heals!"
"Not for confusion!"
"What about lum berry..."
Rei looks over the basket contents again.
"Oh!" he reaches in and plucks out the green berry from the pile, "I forgot I even picked these..."
"I like the sour flavored ones better."
"You do?!" Rei's eyes widened.
"Yeah?" Akari raises an eyebrow, and Rei shakes his head to rid his surprised expression, then sighs in disappointment.
"Ahhh... I saw a batch of iapapa by the river!" Akari raises a brow in confusion, plopping the lum into her mouth. She could take lum.
She flinches in surprise when Rei curls across the bed, draping himself with a sob over Akari's blanketed lap. Akari's brow curls in worry.
"Rei, is everything okay?"
Silence.
"...Rei?" Finally he looks up at her, and Akari's eyes widen as she finally notices his own tired ones.
"Ah, nothing... I just... I kept picking the sweet ones because I thought that was the flavor you liked..."
"...Rei, that is the flavor I like."
"...eh?"
"You dummy, people can like different flavors!"
"Huh?! ...but don't some pokemon prefer certain flavors over others? And hate certain flavors?"
"Says who?!"
"Someone submitted this research two weeks ago! I thought I told you about it!"
"Rei..."
"...Akari."
"Do I look like a pokemon to you?"
Greyish-blue eyes promptly look her up and down before he gives a genuine smile.
"...well sorta."
It earns him a whack on the head.
He doesn't mind though. He even smiles, because Akari is smiling now too. She's quietly giggling, matching the huffed laughter Rei lets out, and the conversation ends there, settled upon by a comfortable silence, with Rei still by Akari's bedside, half draped onto it.
Akari seems to be thinking. Rei isn't looking at her, having turned his head to a lay on its side in a position that lets him use his forearms as pillows next to Akari, but he can hear the mechanisms in Akari's head working...
He thinks Akari is about to say something when a new visitor enters the room, their footsteps are silent as they come in but Rei couldn't say the same for their voice.
"I was informed that you would be here, mister Rei!"
Rei bolts up into a straightened posture, which makes Akari have to stifle a laugh.
"AH! WARDEN INGO!!"
"Ingo!" Akari sits up straighter too, but not as stiffly or quickly as Rei does upon seeing the black clad man. He tips his hat in greeting, accompanied with a slight bow of his head.
"Good morning to you both!! Miss Akari, I had heard that you felt unwell last evening and needed utmost help! I wish I could have provided you assistance but... apologies, I had been busy at the time, and failed to catch the news of your health... I'm sorry but I should have been there to assist."
He had started out so loud, but there was a sigh to his words by the end of his statement. Never once does the frown ever leave the man's face, but the way his voice constantly changes pitch and tone were enough to mark the emotions that the man had difficulty in physically displaying.
Admittedly, when he was much younger, it had scared Rei, when he first met the man, seemingly possessing only that perpetual frown, always staring into the distance and speaking only when he was required or wanted to. He wasn't someone who stepped up to the spotlight on his own accord, but whenever he did, it always involved pokemon battles -- and the man was terrifyingly good at it. As one of the Pearl Clan wardens, he was someone they could- should trust, but despite that status, Rei hears whispers.
He doesn't know the man that well, but he's heard a few things regarding the black clad man: Warden Ingo wasn't someone who grew on Hisui. From the few things he's heard from his fellow scouts from Galactic Corps. He was taken in by the Pearl Clan in the past, after some members found an unconscious man wearing foreign clothes passed out in the snow slopes of the Alabaster (it was a wonder really - that he was still breathing and well after who knows how long he was stuck up there), and since then, he's been serving them as gratitude for them saving him. Personality wise, there's not much else known about Ingo other than his name, his eccentricities (loud voice, strange poses, peculiar phrases), and his nearly-unmatched prowess in pokemon battles training, but after you get to know those parts of him, everything else -- where he came from, how he got to Hisui, who he really is -- come up blank.
It was certainly something to be cautious about, but despite the lack of background on the man, Akari had gotten along better with him than Rei -- or anyone in Jubilife really -- ever did, and according to her, Warden Ingo was a kind, caring, and expressive man, and she could understand his situation in a way. Rei still couldn't, but if she trust in Warden Ingo, then maybe he could trust in Warden Ingo too.
Akari seemed to heat up at the warden's words and sudden drop in enthusiasm.
"NO! No no no! It's okay, really! You were busy at the time, and uh, I... I wouldn't want you to be harsh on yourself over something that was out of your control..."
Though Warden Ingo looks up from where he had cast his eyes to the ground, it doesn't change the worry in his words.
"Still... I would have preferred if I could have been able to provide any form of assistance..."
Akari gives a small, reassuring smile.
"It's no worry, really. You don't have to sweat yourself over it... Besides..." she turns to Rei, "someone was able to help at the time."
Rei could feel his neck growing hot, but thankfully it was defused by Warden Ingo turning to him and eyes widening like a piece of his head had just been slotted back into place.
"Ah! That reminds me! Mister Rei! Professor Laventon requested your presence at his office!"
Rei perks up, "eh? At this hour?! Why?!"
A glance out the window proves enough that, yes, the sun has been up for what, maybe three minutes? Rei had gotten here long before dawn.
The warden shakes his head, "I am unsure, but I assume it is nothing too serious, otherwise, he would have said so. It would be fine for you to just drop by on your own time."
"I'll go right now."
Rei stands up from the bedside, ready to head to the laboratory, but a soft gasp escapes Akari as she makes to grab at his sleeve. Rei turns to look at Akari. She opens her mouth, but nothing comes out other than the silent mention of his voice.
"Rei?"
"Yeah?" He shifts a bit to face Akari more.
Akari looks like she's about to say something, but then her eyes switch to Ingo, standing at the foot of her own bed, then back to Rei again. She sighs with a slight shake of her head and a tiny smile pulling up the corners of her lips.
"Nothing. Good luck."
Rei beams back at her with a nearly blinding smile, turning to leave the room once more.
"You get better okay?" He throws one last glance at her, and her smile reaches her eyes this time.
"I will."
Rei takes a few steps past the bed and the Warden who tilts his head a little to the right.
"Do you need me to accompany you?" Warden Ingo asks and Rei smiles at him with a shake of his head.
"No, I'll be fine on my own..." Rei pauses.
what she needs isn't loneliness right now...
"Actually, can you stay here with Akari?" That seemed to surprise both the warden and the skyfaller, "just so she doesn't get lonely!" Rei tries to clear up.
"Ah... ah! Of course, if Miss Akari is fine with it, I am able to provide company. To make up for my lack of service the previous night!" Akari turns red.
"No! Really I'll be fine Ingo! You probably have a lot to do, and I don't wanna hold you back so..."
Ingo shakes his head. "I was able to finish most of my requirements for the week as of last night. I do not really have anything to do of dire importance as of today, but even so, I assure you Miss Akari, you are no burden. And I am sure Mister Rei feels the same as I do!" Akari's going to go as red as a cheri berry from embarrassment if Ingo keeps spewing lines like this.
The warden moves to walk over by the chairs when his attention turns to the basket on the table.
"Oh! These berries look freshly picked!"
Akari nods. "Mhmm! Rei said he picked them himself."
"Really?" The warden's tone seemed surprised, but had the hint of a curious hum. He brought a hand to his chin, thumb rubbing at his gray goatee as he took a quick glance out the window before continuing to look over the contents of the basket. He smiled.
"He must have risen quite early to prepare all of this then."
Rei's ears burn as he hurries faster out of the room.
He checks the laboratory, but doesn't find Laventon there, so he makes his way to Professor Laventon's office. He doesn't find the man there either, but he does find two pokemon sitting by the desk, and when they notice Rei, they send out happy chirps and run to his feet as he walks further in. The office is almost as quiet as the laboratory at this hour of the morning, save for the happy chippering from the two pokemon circling around his legs.
"Hey there." He kneels down at their level, smiling at the two pairs of beady eyes that look up at him. "Rowlett," he believes one was called, who gives out a happy noise and a small spin at the name, and the other was...
"Osh...wash." No, that didn't sound quite right.
"Oshquirt?" That sounds horrible.
The pokemon's happy expression slowly shifts into an unamused one with every incorrect answer. It clicks into place then and there and Rei snaps his fingers with a grin. He’s got it right this time! For sure!
"Dewoshott!"
"You mean Oshawott?"
Rei nearly screams at the sudden presence behind him, but he doesn't. He turns around to meet Professor Laventon's gaze. He's standing at the doorway with a heavy looking box in his arms, and it makes Rei wonder if he's growing deaf or if being an adult just means that you lose the ability to make noise when you walk. Rei's grown a few inches in the past few months, but the professor still stands a couple of centimeters over him. The man raises a brow but laughs with a smile.
"Good to see you up this early..." Laventon looks up to meet his eyes, expression changing as he makes a face, "... Er... get any sleep?"
"huh? oh-!" ah, how did he look, he wonders?
Like the price of a good harvest, probably.
"...yeah, uh... Warden Ingo asked you to see me?" Laventon nods, walking past Rei towards his desk. Rei is slightly thankful at the immediate shift of subject.
He sets the box down on the desk and motions for Rei to come closer, grabbing a stool from atop another table and setting it down for Rei as he sits down on behind his own desk.
"I... I would like to ask you to do something but... I understand if you refuse," Laventon starts, suddenly becoming more serious. Rei doesn't get to ask what it is, since Laventon beats him to it. By reaching into the box and taking out a soft-bound that he slides over to Rei.
Storm gray eyes scan the front. There's Hisuian lettering engraved in the gray leather of the front cover. Five letters, enough to make Rei's grey eyes widen at the word they formed, as he realizes what this was supposed to be.
"This is..."
"Yes."
"But... But I thought this was to be approved- this is still to be delayed for another five months?!"
"...the pokedex project was something that we assumed was going to take at least a year... but... her arrival..."
Rei looked up at Laventon.
His own eyes were glued to the floor, almost guilty of this... but... why?
...Her arrival.
Rei opens the page, and he feels his blood run cold.
There's already a name under the list of expeditioners and researchers.
Only one.
"...professor?"
"..."
"If I refuse..."
"Rei..."
"Were you going to send Akari?"
"Rei I--"
"Were you?"
Laventon sighs. "Commander Kamado approved of it... after seeing the progress she'd brought to the project..."
Rei feels a spike in his chest. It wasn't anger -- not exactly. It was a range of emotions; from annoyance, fury, shock, and a desire to beat the shit out of the man (he knows he's going to lose but he feels ready to try it anyway).
"He exiled her and now he's using her?" it slips out easier than it should, but Rei can't help it.
"Rei you know it isn't like that--"
"Then why?!" Rei shoves at the desk and throws his hands up, then turns back around to stare at the page in frustration, "so what if it was faster?! He couldn't wait a few months?!"
"Rei..."
"She's not in a state to go for expedition right now!"
"Rei."
"He couldn't have any shame?! Maybe write an apology before doing this?!"
"Rei-"
"It's barely been a MONTH! Can't he at least, let her REST?!"
"REI!" The boy tenses at the volume. Professor Laventon is staring at him with furrowed brows and grit teeth, not angry but concerned about the string of words that escape Rei's mouth. By Rei's feet, Rowlett and Oshawott are worriedly huddled by his legs. Professor Laventon winces. "Sorry..."
Professor Laventon sighs, looking back at the notebook.
The date displayed was a week from today, and he rubs a hand over his face.
Rei keeps his mouth shut. He really... He really shouldn't be taking this out on Laventon. The man cares for Akari just as much as he does... And seemed just as frustrated as he was when it came to the treatment Akari had to face.
He wasn't the only one who cared for Akari... He could hear Laventon out, right? But...
"You know... Commander Kamado has good intentions... right?"
"..."
"He sent Akari away for a reason..."
"...He-"
"He did it for Jubilife..."
"...it doesn't mean it was the right choice..." "
Maybe not, but Commander Kamado was doing what he thought would be for the safety of the village."
"...Akari was scared...."
"And how do you think Commander Kamado felt about the distortions?"
Rei kept silent, feeling the spike in his gut again, but this time, it came with a pinch of guilt.
It... it wasn't like he hated Commander Kamado. The man was annoying at times but... admirable... especially in such a hard position -- the safety of Jubilife depending on his command. While he blamed Kamado entirely for a good portion of trouble that Akari had to go through, he couldn’t bring himself to truly blame the man for everything, even if Rei feels it to be the truth. If Rei were in his position instead, with the same limited knowledge he had, he’d like to believe that he would have thought of a different way, could have saved everyone in Jubilife AND Akari… but Kamado is the commander, and more than that – he’s just a man. And Rei is just another boy from Jubilife, who was he to push all the blame onto Kamado?
Onto a man who had the whole of Jubilife on his shoulders?
Rei winces.
"He was scared too, you know... about what could happen to Jubilife..."
"Yeah but... Akari... she was so alone..."
"Kamado wasn't just scared for himself... he had the whole of Jubilife to protect with his word..."
Rei sighs. "I know..."
"He made mistakes, and choices that... weren't the best... but he does it for his people."
Rei knows that truth much enough, but still... if someone makes a mistake, someone could get hurt, even if they didn't mean it.
He looks at the page.
"It doesn't explain why so fast though... it's only been a couple of weeks since the pokedex was published..." his brows furrow the longer he looks at the document. "Why her?"
"She's our most capable..."
"She's not even from here..."
"Rei–"
"You know he's sending her into enemy territory!"
There's only worry and anxiety in the boy's eyes when he turns to Laventon, voice small when he looks to the ground.
"Why involve her with something that's not even supposed to be her problem..."
The world feels heavy, and he finds his eyes shifting to the floor, and not just from tiredness. hand lays heavy on Rei's shoulder.
"That's why..." the older man's eyes found much interest in the floor, and his voice seemed just as strained as he looked.
"Commander Kamado believes it could mend our ties with the south... “
"... And Akari is our best chance at the success of this mission..." Rei looks down. It wasn't like he didn't understand the decision. He couldn't argue with that.
Akari was... "otherworldly" was the only way to describe it, both figuratively and literally. Having fallen from the sky in strange clothing was enough to take Rei out in shock, but when handling pokemon, Akari had seemed like a natural.
She was better than any other Galactic survey corp at... almost anything, when it came to pokemon and expeditions. She was awesome! And though it took a while for him to be able to get Akari to talk comfortably to him, she was a lot less shy once she got familiar with you. Admittedly, there was a bit of jealousy in Rei when she first joined the survey corps. Breezing through what took days and weeks for Rei to get a grip of in a few minutes and hours. She was more capable than anyone else…
…But that didn’t mean she was indestructible.
The ghost of Akari’s fists balled into the fur of Rei’s collar is still there.
"Akari needs to rest..."
"...That's why I'm asking if you'd be fine to go instead." Rei looks up to see Laventon giving him a tired but genuine smile. The hand on his shoulder rubs gently in assurance.
"...you're... you're sure?" Rei's eyes widened.
"Of course... Akari might be the best in the Galactic Corps... but you're the best of Jubilife Village!" Laventon chuckles as the hand on his shoulder raises up to pet his capped head. ("Hey!!")
Laventon laughs at his yelp and Rei seems somewhat more at ease now. The weight in his chest feels lighter now that he knows Akari won't be dealing with anything serious now, though that was quickly replaced by a new sense of worry.
"I… I guess I should get packing then..." Rei huffs, already making a list of things he needs in his head.
"When does the next ship leave?"
"Oh! It's tomorrow!"
Tomorrow.
…
"WHAT?!"
FUCK! What time was it right now?! He didn't even know what kind of landscapes were in that place, how should he prepare? What should he prepare?! Does he even have the proper gear for it?! He didn't even get to stock up on pokeballs yet! How long would he be staying?! Does he have a bag big enough for that?! He had to pack. Now.
The boy nearly sprints off before Laventon can grab him by the arm. He laughs, trying to calm Rei, especially regarding the next mission.
"Ah ah ah! The mission you'll be going on is a dangerous one... and no offense but..." Laventon's eyes flick to the lone pokeball on Rei's belt before looking back into Rei's, "Pikachu will not suffice as your only companion for this trip..."
Rei raises a brow, opening his mouth to begin defending his partner (Pikachu has been helpful... when he feels like it). The twin chirps at his feet catch his attention instead.
"So..." Laventon smiles,
"Pick a partner, Rei."
---
The next time he opens his eyes, there's less swishing and rocking, more noise from the outside. The sounds of chatter and bustling. The sound of a port in motion.
He sits up with a stretch and a yawn, before standing and gathering his belongings; his blanket, his notes and scrolls that contained some info he'd need for his journey. He begins to pack them into the yellow bag, slinging it over his shoulder and onto his back.
He's switched from his usual Galactic expedition gear and switched it for something more fit with warmer weather. He kept the undergear -- the thin, black, long sleeved shirt and leggings -- but switched out the coat and trousers for something thinner. Over the leggings, he wears thin, navy blue shorts that end just above his knee, and a matching tunic made of the same material, its sleeves ending just before reaching his elbows. The uniform was still very much of the Galactic uniform, with the golden emblem on the shoulder of its right sleeve, but was made of a much thinner, breathable material. Wrapped around his waist was the yellow belt bag provided with the Galactic Corp uniforms, and he kept the same shoes as well. Of course, there was also his hat, which rested on the makeshift crate-table by his futon, and though he didn't really need it, he kept the red scarf folded in his bag... just in case.
Overall, not really much of a drastic change in his usual appearance, but he certainly felt cooler -- in the sense that his clothes provided him less warmth than usual.
He could hear the growing chatter outside. Which meant people were moving, and that he needed to move too. He gathers the last of his belongings – putting on his cap and taking the three pokeballs from atop the crate's surface -- and heads up to the deck. He steps up, swinging the door open. Immediately, he's hit in the face with the smell of a southern wind.
Ah. There was the golden sun.
Rei nearly blinds himself trying to catch the view of the port from where he's standing. He raises a hand above his eyes to shield them, though it barely makes a difference. The people walking around are either seafarers whose jobs are to move goods around, passing crates from one place to another, or tourists from all sorts of places, all wearing colorful clothing coming from varying cultures. He could gather that most people were wearing clothing quite similar to Laventon's attire under the laboratory coat.
The Gray Town.
Quite out of place for the evergreen region it's built on, in his opinion, but that's because it's one of the newly built areas; even more recent than Jubilife. Before its construction, barely anybody dared to traverse through these lands for a handful of reasons, but since the construction of this area, foreigners began to come into the untouched land. It's becoming quite a popular tourist spot, and hinted at even more future constructions, but that’s another story.
Right now, Rei was on a mission that Akari depended on him for. An important one at that.
And one that could decide the fate and future of his own region and this one.
He takes a deep breath, drowning out the horns and chatter of the Gray Town's port, reaching for the paperback from his pocket and turning to the first page.
The start of his mission. He takes out his quill and writes a note on the space underneath today's date.
I've arrived at Hoenn.