ã€Š[Pok&#xE9;mon AU] Timeslip (Pokemon Scarlet/Violet AU)ã€‹


 Chapter 1: First landing

    14''000 years in the past, in the area that will be known as Kalos, Paleolithic Era

    The first thing that young Turo, Ph. D in Applications of Time Traveling at the University of Mesagoza thought after opening his eyes was

    "Well, this sure isn''t Lumiose City".

    He was, all things considered, pretty calm for a man who had just stepped into a time machine for the first time in his life and just got catapulted into an unknown time that was nothing like he was expecting. It was a lot more cold, for starters.

    Or maybe he was a bit too used to the perfectly controlled temperature of the labs. But sure, those things could happen. Time traveling was not a really exact field... Mostly because there is a lot of time you could end up into in the "past" direction and even more in the "future" direction, so one of the first hurdles to overcome to avoid unfortunate accidents had been to develop a way to make sure that you could always come back. It was all in the manuals and papers that he spent weeks reading, studying, dreaming and in the end almost hallucinating to the point of being able to recite by memory when he had started his studies.

    He checked the little device similar to a wristwatch on his arm. Battery was low, but everything looked functional. The little device responsible for anchoring him to his time would recharge in a couple hours time, as long as the sun was out. If the sun wasn''t out, it could recharge simply by walking, but that would take definitely more time, not to mention effort, because you would be stuck running a couple miles either in the rain, at night, or in the rain at night just to get back home, and who wants that, really? (And that''s the reason why rainy places were not a good spot for time traveling to, he discovered: nothing more than human laziness)

    He had ended up in a forest. And that was.... Already not something he was used to. His time, barring some extremely remote (and extremely costly) places, was not.... Really big on the whole "living with nature" stuff. Not because they didn''t want to, of course. The times were people could simply walk into a forest, maybe even with a Pok¨¦mon or two with them, were a pretty popular subject in media. Entire VR simulators were built around them (with realistic nature sounds!), milking the desire for times long gone that no one alive had the chance to live in. Well, except if you time traveled there... But time traveling was still pretty new as a field of research, and of course, for the general public, it would have been so expensive that only one 50-minutes trip anywhere and anywhen would cost you so much that you were better off investing your life savings in planning that move to the Natural Reserve of Hoenn.

    Nice place, if you didn''t mind active volcanoes that rained ash. Or Groudon and Kyogre having a staring contest every couple of decades requiring mass evacuations. Or too much water. But he was getting distracted. Point was, he was in a forest. A real forest, with real leaves. And the sun! A real sun, not an hologram with artificial light projected onto the walls of the laboratory so people didn''t lose their minds not stepping outside for days! He spent a good minute just staring at the light that shined across the leaves, mesmerized, hands in his lab coat''s pockets, before moving some hesitant steps. There was no traces of a trail or any other sign that people had ever visited this place. He had wanted to land in the Lumiose City of almost 15 years ago - nothing big for his first time jump, just a little test run, walk around a bit, grab a PokePuffin, listen to some 15 years old music - so the place should have been the same, but the time.... There wasn''t even traces of a city. Maybe he messed up the calibration of the machine and accidentally went back 140 years? No, the city was much older than that. 1400 years...? That would put him... Still quite a bit past the League Golden Age. The times were everything seemed perfect, were people were living in harmony with Pok¨¦mon and enjoying the longest time of peace that the world had ever known... If you excluded some crazy guys that wanted to destroy the world or remake it or whatever it was in a couple of very, very intense decades.

    Turo could hear a stream gurgling on his left; he followed it, figuring that streams and rivers had always been a place to meet people in any era. His pace hastened when he finally heard a human voice, humming to itself. He went around a little curve in the riverbed and stepped out from the cover of the trees.... And then immediately stopped, frozen in place. There was a person there, a woman with light brown hair wearing what he could only describe as "stereotypical caveman clothes". She was fishing in the river for something, humming, and a mean looking spear with a sharp stone point was laying on a flat rock at arms reach.

    Shit. Shit. Now he had done it.

    Years of studies, of planning, his first opportunity to actually concretely apply what he had spent so much time studying and he ended up in the Paleolithic age. As far as he knew, that''s the farthest someone had ever time traveled... No wonder his time-anchor''s batteries were so low. People were not even sure if it was possible to go that far back. Guess he had an answer now, if he made it back, that is...

    He started to quietly back away, but his boots creaked on some branches. The woman whirled around in a flash, grabbing the spear with astounding reflexes, her eyes widening when they landed on him. Turo did the first thing that came to mind: slowly raised his hands, in what he hoped was already an universal sign for "I''m unarmed, don''t shoot". Or.... Or stab, in this case.

    ? I-I come in peace...? he mumbled, feeling stupid while doing so.

    It''s not like she could understand him. Did ... Did people even have language already at this point...? Turo knew a good bit about history(in his field of work where punching the wrong numbers in could land you in some nasty situations, who didn''t?), but the problem with going so far back was that inventions and development were measured in the span of thousands of years. A lot of room for error, there.

    He didn''t move an inch while the woman stared him down, still wide-eyed. Well, he didn''t blame her.... His clothes must stand out a lot. If he had landed as planned 14 years ago, nobody would have batted an eye at his skin tight body suit and lab coat. The dark violet suit was pretty common in his time, being made of a material that was quite suitable to a lot of different environments and capable of checking vitals, automatically regulate body temperature, and a lot of other functions that were honestly utterly useless at the moment. The lab coat was.... Ok, the lab coat wasn''t exactly required to time travel, or at all, but it was just rule of cool. He liked his lab coat.

    Here, on the other hand...

    "Please don''t stab me thinking that I''m some evil spirit or Pok¨¦mon" he silently pleaded, shaking slightly. He almost literally jumped back and closed his eyes when the woman suddenly moved, thrusting the spear forward. A moment later and he heard a light tap on his chest.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    He slowly opened his eyes again; the woman was... tapping the side of the spear along his arms and legs. It''s almost like she was checking for some hidden weapons, quickly circling him. When she comes back around she seemed satisfied that he really doesn''t seem to be an immediate danger, because she lowered the spear, smiled and then unmistakably opened her mouth and asked him something.

    And he just stared at her in confusion. She''s got little fangs. Is... Is that normal? A mutation? Something that humans had that disappeared along the way and they never found traces of it? At least she seems to have language, not that it helps him particularly... She tilted her head to the side, staring at him with clear, light grey eyes, then repeated the question, which sadly does not make it any more comprehensible.

    He just shook his head(another gesture that he hopes is already universal), and she frowned for a second, before moving a step forward. Turo automatically moved one back by instinct, still with his arms raised, and that''s when she grabbed one of his arms and pulled it towards her to examine it. She seemed... Fascinated by his lab coat, and it took him a moment to realize that it''s probably because of the color and texture. Such a stark, shiny white is probably even more unnatural than purple to her. There''s like... berries and fruits for purple, right? And Pok¨¦mon furs, even just the common Rattata is purple.

    She rubbed the hem of the lab coat between her fingers, and Turo found himself staring at her with the same fascination that she seems to have for his clothes. He thought back to the stereotypical way the first humans were represented in movies and books, as brutish, grunting savages, and realized how stupid that is. Her eyes are brimming with the same curiosity he has when challenged with some inexplicable puzzle. Her head suddenly snapped back up, and he jumped a little when she stared at him with a mix of curiosity and frustration, before asked the same thing again, this time slowly, like she was talking to a child.

    "She knows we don''t speak the same language." he realized. Probably thought that he was from some far away tribe or something... People lived in nomadic tribes around this time, right...? She huffed and shook her head, such a normal gesture that it just makes the whole situation only more surreal, then moved the hand that was not holding the spear and pointed to herself.

    ? Sada. Sa-da?

    The hand pointed to him next, and his eyes widen in realization. ... Honestly, it must say something about his state of mind that he didn''t think about doing something like this sooner. Must be the shock.

    ... Sure, let''s go with that.

    Not him being an idiot that managed to fling himself at the beginning of human civilization. Nope.

    ? Turo. Tu-ro?

    She gave him an enormous smile at his answer and moved back to the riverside, motioning for him to follow. And... Really?

    He shouldn''t. He really shouldn''t. He should be running away and avoiding all signs of civilization to keep the risk of catastrophically influencing all of human history to a minimum. The Beautifly effect and all that. But then again.... It''s not like he has encountered an entire village or something. It''s just one girl. And he is still stuck here for the next couple hours until his time-anchor recharges. And staying with her surely is more safe than wandering the forest completely defenseless and getting mauled by a prehistoric Ursaring or something. She is the one with the spear and advantage of knowing the land, after all.

    Turo took a couple of long breaths. He can do this. He can manage a couple hours. He is a scientist, he is going to use this as a learning opportunity. Being able to directly experience life in this era! He could.... Write a paper on it, or something.

    Turo followed her to the river, where the girl - Sada - proceeded to excitedly show him what she was working on. A string of leather and what looks like a bunch of tiny scales, tooth and feathers, probably gathered from wild Pok¨¦mon. She pointed to a similar necklace that was already hanging from her neck. Oh... So she was gathering materials for another one? She sat down by his side and started to work on the new necklace, pausing every couple of seconds to point at something in view and enunciate it''s name. Grass. Rock. Water... At least, that''s what she is pointing at, so he is going to assume that''s what she is doing. He tried to copy her words and started doing the same almost unconsciously before stopping.

    What is he doing? Trying to teach her his language or to learn hers, trying to communicate?

    In a couple of hours he will be back in his time and never see her again, and she will have been dead for literally more than ten thousand years, all traces of their weird encounter erased from history.

    That thought unsettled him more than it should: maybe he isn''t cut out for being a time traveler if something that obvious still upsets him that much.

    ? ... Turo?? Sada looked at him hesitantly; she kept stealing glances at him while talking - or at his weird clothes, more probably - and must have noticed his sudden sullen expression.

    He managed a smile to reassure her and pointed at something new, mostly to distract her.

    ? "Sun"?

    ---

    They both stumbled their way through some incredibly basic vocabulary, and even started a crude game of quiz by pointing at something and waiting for the other to recite the respective word in the other''s language. She gave him one of the necklaces she had completed in the meantime, pretty much pushing it into his hands even when he tried to refuse (is it going to be ok bringing it back with him? Necklaces with real teeth and Pok¨¦mon scales aren''t exactly... in style, in his time).

    All in all, it''s somewhat fun, even if simultaneously incredibly frustrating by how little they both can communicate. Sometimes Sada would just start muttering to herself, frustrated by something that she doesn''t know how to explain or to ask him. He is sure of it, because in all that time the eyes of the girl have never stopped being so... Excited, shining with curiosity and a burning desire to understand the weird guy she suddenly met. She probably is trying to teach him words figuring that he was going to stay around, and that kind of broke his heart.

    Turo tried to stealthily check the time-anchor on his wrist, not wanting to gather attention on it. The battery had reached full capacity and should be able to transport him back at any moment. Problem is, he can''t exactly.... Poof out of existence in front of her eyes, or he is probably going to go come back to his time and find out that a weird robed figure in white and purple had suddenly been depicted in some ancient cave paintings in Kalos puzzling historians, if not something worse. His superiors were never going to let him hear the end of it.

    No, he had to... Distract her and get away. Somehow. He rose to his feet and awkwardly tried to find an excuse with the like.... twenty words he knew.

    .... Yeah, not much he could do here. He pointed to himself and then from where he came from, miming some walking with his hands. Sada nodded solemnly and stood up, gathering her spear and the couple of necklaces she had completed in the meantime, evidently wanting to accompany him. What? No. This is even worse. Doesn''t she have a family to go back to?

    Wait.... She''s isn''t thinking that he wants to be brought to her group, right? Absolutely not. Way too dangerous.

    He fumbled in his pockets for something to give her as a little farewell gift; the only things in them are... A little paper notebook and a pen. The pen is not made of plastic, thank Arceus, they stopped using that stuff that took forever to decompose a good dozen of centuries ago in favor of new, more eco-friendly materials. These things should be okay, right...? They will leave no trace and become useless the moment she used them all up. He clicked the pen and showed her how to write with it on the notebook, and was rewarded by her eyes immediately lighting up with excitement. She grabbed the pen and started doodling on the first page, completely absorbed by it.

    He bolted for the trees as soon as her eyes are off him and activated the time-anchor the instant he is out of view, disappearing in a sudden flash of light.

    When the head researcher reads his report on the trip the following days, he gets both complimented in somehow managing that trip and banned from using the time machine for a month.

 Chapter 2: Stranger

    When Turo first gives her something that he pulled out from that shiny mantle he is wearing, Sada can''t help but get excited. Trading between other communities is nothing new, but it''s always... The usual stuff. Furs, obsidian and other rocks and gems that they can''t get here, like tooth and scales from creatures that don''t live in this area.

    Sometimes food. This was new; she had never seen such garments, especially not so perfectly made. She thought that she wasn''t half bad at sewing clothes, but when she tried to examine that cloth, she couldn''t find a single seam or hole where the needle went through. Whoever did that must have been incredible in their art.

    And... And the feeling! It was so smooth to the touch and so different from the pelts she was used to working with: the creature it came from must have had some incredible fur. She had tried to ask him where he came from, but it didn''t look like he had understood her question. She is so focused on examining that new material that it takes her a moment to notice that the man is running away.

    ? Wait!? she calls after him, but loses some precious seconds in grabbing her belongings: writing tool in one hand, the sheets of ... stuff in the other, she has to fumble around a moment before managing to grab her spear and start running. He is already far off into the trees, hidden from view, but the rustling of his clothes and the crunch of leaves under his shoes is still clearly audible... And then it stops, suddenly.

    She catches up to where he was, and finds him just.... gone. Vanished without a trace. She checks the trail of footprints he left behind: the shoes he was wearing were also weird. Heavy and smooth, they almost looked like they were a single piece with his purple clothes. They honestly didn''t look very comfortable: how does he take them off? Do they come off.... All in one go, all or nothing? But they do leave some nice, clear imprints in the ground... Which again, doesn''t really sound that safe if you want to avoid predators, but makes it more convenient for her, so she is not going to complain. But the footprints don''t tell her much: they also just vanish suddenly.

    How? Is he a really good climber? She raises her eyes and starts checking the tree branches over her head. Did he... Climb them and start jumping from tree to tree? Did he step in his own footprints backwards to throw her off and then went another way? She keeps looking around for a bit, but can''t find any other clue about what happened. Someone else would have been suspicious, troubled.... Maybe even scared.

    Sada just tilts her head to the side.

    "... interesting"

    She gathers her things -properly this time -, and starts to make her way back. She is quite a bit away from her settlement; they''ve set up tents and plan to stay there for a couple more full moons, until the snow starts to fall more often and the herds of Steady Glaciers - the great wooly beasts with icy breath - will move further north. If she walks briskly, she will have to spend only one night alone before meeting up with the rest of her group; men usually are the ones who go out hunting, but it''s not unusual for women who are not taking care of children to also explore and scout ahead. Finding new possible food sources, exploring trails and of course monitoring the creatures to make sure that nothing dangerous got too close to the settlement... There was always something to do, and no hands to spare. She personally enjoys exploring much more than being stuck paying attention to a bunch of kids, even if it was more dangerous. It gave her time to think, especially when it lead to strange experiences like that of today.

    That man... Just where had he gone off to?

    When the sun disappears and night comes, she opts to stop for the night; she''s been following the river backwards the whole time, but cautiously decides that it''s better to not stay too near the water. Night creatures could possibly come to drink, and she would be too easy of a target. She enters the thick of the trees again until she finds a nice spot to camp. With her back against the great trunk of a pine tree, she clears the area around the roots, gathers some rocks from the river and places them in a circle to light a fire. Still a bit damp, the rocks will prevent it spreading too much, and the little spiky leaves and branches will make for good fuel. From a little leather pouch tied to her hip, she pulls out some berries she has picked up along the way.

    She''s got a good variety gathered; they are perfect to eat while walking, and in a pinch, some of them can even be used against creatures. She has been carefully observing which kind creatures like to eat and which they don''t, and the effect they seem to have on them. Satisfied, she quickly eats a dinner of some of the hardest berries cooked on the fire and then goes back to her most pressing concern: examining Turo''s gifts, obviously.

    They were also both from some never seen material - honestly, did that guy have anything she had ever seen before, except for his being a person?-. The pieces that he showed her how to paint on were both incredibly thin and light as feathers, and bound together with what she could only guess was some sort of tree bark. That sure was a smart way to make sure they didn''t fall off... It was also both pretty flexible and fragile at the same time; it crinkled easily, leaving marks, and it also tore at the slightest pull.

    That saddened her a bit: she didn''t want to waste it... She stared at the little corner she had accidentally ripped off, way too small to draw on and, after a moment of consideration, cautiously licked it. It.... Tasted a bit like leaves. Less bitter, and much more dry. Was it a kind of leaf? Sada stares at the pine needles that she was keeping in a little pile near her for the fire for a second.

    ... She was not going to start tasting every single leaf to find which one this sheets were made of, even if a part of her kinda wanted to. Too risky. Better to just ask Turo when she saw him again.

    Still... If it was a leaf... She threw the little piece in her hands in the fire and watched it burn almost incredibly fast, blackening and turning to ash in a split second. She nodded to herself, happy to have her little idea confirmed; with how dry it was, no wonder it burned so quickly. And maybe like anything else from Turo it had come from some unknown creature: there were quite a lot of plant ones, even if most of them didn''t seem to like the cold. That was fine by her: the plant creatures were dangerous, with bright flowers that could shoot seeds and colored dust that could put a person to sleep, make them sick, or even immobilize them completely, leaving them in the worst state she could fathom, fully conscious but completely helpless.

    A chill that had nothing to do with the cold crawled along her back, and she made sure to check the branches overhead. Some of those creatures could even hang from trees, but if there is one thing they seemed to hate more than the cold, it was fire. She should be safe here. Still... If some group of people was really out there using leaves from some creatures just to make little sheets to draw on... They must have been pretty gutsy to try and do something like that. She distracts herself by examining the writing utensil next. This one is more familiar apart from the material, pretty much a tube filled with some tincture. The fact that it was still liquid and hadn''t already dried though, that was remarkable. You could carry it around and there was no need to continuously mix ash or dirt with water. Maybe it was also an ability of some kind? She would keep an eye out for creatures that showed some power of the sort...

    She keeps doodling on the leaves for quite some time into the night, unable to sleep, mind racing from one thought to another.

    ---

    ? Um, mother??

    The next day, after reaching the settlement, she first approaches her mom, who''s busy mending some clothes with a needle made out of bone and some leather strips. Her mother is getting quite old; her hair has streaks of white peeking out, her hands are getting wrinkled, but her mind is as sharp as ever and most importantly, as the current oldest person in the settlement, she has experience.

    ? What is it, dear?? she asks, without pausing in her work, bone hook sliding in and out of the fur in her hands at incredible speed. She ponders how to best describe what she wants to ask.

    ? Do you know of some tribe that has some.... Weird clothes? I''ve met this man one night ago, and he was... Strange. Didn''t speak our language, so I was wondering where he was from, and he got away before I could ask.? Now she pauses in her work, quietly lifting her head and waiting for her to continue.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ? He had purple clothes that looked almost like they were clinging to his skin, and I couldn''t see any fur on them... They looked more like they were made from some incredibly tiny scales. ?

    ? Were they warm clothes??

    Sada almost gasps, immediately recognizing what her mother was pointing at.

    ? No, they didn''t look very warm... He also had this... shiny mantle to cover him, but it didn''t look like it would do much... Have you seen people like him? Are they from the south?? she asks, hopeful.

    Her mother thinks for a moment.

    ? Can''t say I have... Purple and white, you said? And "shiny"?? she sounds confused.

    Honestly, she feels the same. That mantle seems useless to her no matter how you looked at it, if not straight up dangerous. Way too bright to help in hiding yourself in the underbrush, and it flapped around making a lot of noise while moving.

    ? I had never seen such a pure white. It was like fresh snow. ?

    ? That seems horrible for hiding, unless he is actually from the far north... ?

    ? But he would die from the cold even with the sun out in those clothes, so he can''t be from up there.? Sada objects.

    Her mother nods, and slowly resumes her sewing.

    ? Then he must be from the south, where it''s much warmer. Far over the mountains... We traded for a bit with a group that came from over there... Didn''t have some "shiny mantle", but I remember clothes made of scales, smooth and really hard to the touch. ?

    That could be it! But if he is from the south... Something else does not add up now, she realizes after a second.

    ? There''s also... another thing that is weird about him. ? she ponders aloud.

    This one was a bit more subtle, it had been nagging at her from the moment she had first seen him. Just this incredibly subtle feeling of wrongness that had lasted for a second looking at him, before being replaced by excitement.

    ? He is too.... Clean.? Her mother looks up at her again, now giving her daughter her full attention.

    Sada tries to put into words what she has noticed.

    ? His clothes are almost impossibly well done, but it''s not just that... He is incredibly pale, like someone who hasn''t seen the sun... Ever, and his face, his hair and beard, his hands, they were just so...?

    She stops, frustrated because she has no idea how to describe it.

    ? So... Tidy. No scars, no cuts, not a single injury that I could see. Not even a bruise! And he had no weapons with him... nothing.?

    Traveling (apparently) alone, with no weapons, no signs of tear or use in his garments or on his body, with clothes that were just begging to get him eaten by some creature... It was more than strange. It was impossible.

    ? Pale, weird clothes, no marks on his body, disappears... He is starting to sound more like a spirit than a man to me.? his mother smiles shaking her head.

    Sada looks at her for a second, almost disappointed. A spirit...? Some long lost ancestor of them that supposedly appears to give you advice, like in the stories told around the fire?

    That would be.... so boring if that was the case. Also he didn''t exactly give her advice, in fact it had been the opposite: some lousy ancestor that he was if he didn''t even have some great wisdom to impart.

    ? No! He is a real person, I just know it...and I will find out what''s going on with him. ? she announces, determined.

    ---

    First thing to do, of course, is meeting him again, which is easier said than done. She has no idea where he went off to so the only thing she can do is go back to the point of their first meeting, hoping to catch him there again. For a couple of days, nothing new happens, and Sada grows increasingly frustrated. How is it possible for someone like that man to just... Leave no traces of his passage behind? Not even traces of a camp, places where he could have spent the night? She starts to keep track of every place she checks on the leaves Turo gave her, sketching a crude drawing of the area; after a moment of consideration, a couple of crude symbols get added to mark places where she knows certain creatures have established their territories.

    A little flame to mark the place where the pack of black fire breathing creatures usually hunts.

    One stylized feather to mark the nest of one of those aggressive flying ones, and a long fang to mark an area where the rivers drops in a short waterfall, infested with Brutal Fangs.

    Those places in particular should be safe to exclude from her search... Surely no one is going to just walk through places that are clearly inhabited and dangerous?

    Sada gets proven wrong not even half a day later; she had just finished gathering some more berries for lunch, when a sudden loud roar from the waterfall echoes through the air.

    She jumps to her feet, spear in hand, and listens cautiously: is it a struggle between two Brutal Fangs? Fighting for territory? Food? Those things are vicious, she has seen them (carefully, from a distance) simply fly into a rage and attack each other at random while peacefully swimming next to each other just a moment before. She waits for a second roar to echo, or for the telling sound of snapping teeth and wild thrashing.

    What she hears instead is a muffled, panicked and obviously human scream. For a long second, she can''t even move, dumbfounded.

    ... He didn''t... no one can be that oblivious to their surroundings, can they?

    Sada starts sprinting towards the river at full speed; bursting out of the trees, the nearby waterfall comes into view, and at its base, near the edge of the water and with his back to her, Turo seems to have fallen backwards and is desperately scrambling to his feet. The Brutal Fang, it''s vivid red scales glistening from the water it just jumped out from, opens its mouth full of teeth and barrels towards the man, who manages to avoid it at the last second by rolling to the side, causing the creature to crash head first into the gravel on the riverbank, avoiding him by an inch. Not missing a beat and evidently not caring about being on dry land, the red and gold fish thrashes violently against the ground until it rights itself, it''s eyes never losing sight of its target. Who, by the way, seems too busy being paralyzed by fear to actually do something useful like, oh I don''t know, run for his life. Sada''s incredulity turns first to worry and then rage.

    She didn''t spend the last three days camping here just to watch him get eaten by a stupid fish!

    The creature jumps again, and she readies her spear.

    ? Get down!? she screams, hoping that the urgency in her tone will get the message across.

    He catches sight of her at hearing her voice and hurls himself to the side, the spear passing right over him and hitting the Brutal Fang straight in the forehead. Admittedly, it doesn''t do much, but it kills its momentum and makes it crash back into the shallow water. Before it can regain its wits, Sada pulls out a yellow berry from her pouch and throws it at the creature, stunning it for a moment.

    Evidently deciding that they weren''t worth the trouble, the creature lets out a last echoing bellow and then sinks back down into the river with a great splash, disappearing from sight and splashing them both.

    Sada isn''t fooled, though: they are not the kind of creatures that call for backup, but it could still change its mind and lunge at them again. She recovers her spear as quickly as she can and whirls around towards Turo.

    Other than being drenched from head to toe, he appears unarmed, his purple clothes curiously glistening like the water was smoothly sliding off them instead of getting soaked. First thing he does is check his wrist, strangely; she pulls closer to see if he did get injured after all, but he seems to notice her intentions and slips his hand into one of the folds of his mantle, hiding it from sight.

    She pouts a bit, disappointed: he''s obviously hiding something from her, and that just makes her want to know what it is even more. Then she realizes what just happened.

    ? What. Were. You. Doing?? she asks, punctuating every word with a tap of her spear, stomping towards him.

    Seriously, what was he thinking? Didn''t they have Brutal Fangs were he was from? But even if he had never seen one before, how could you simply stroll near something that obviously had creatures nearby? With how strong they were, you had to assume that every creature you met was aggressive! Well... Almost every creature, there were some more docile ones admittedly, but... Brutal Fangs were obviously not docile. There was a reason they had given them that name after all.

    If she had gotten there a moment later, he would have been lunch.

    He looks at her spear somewhat alarmed, obviously not understanding her, his eyes flitting between her and the pointed stone tip. She sighs and lowers the weapon, even if just to reassure him that she has no real ill will.

    ? Let''s get warmed up.? she offers him her free hand and he takes it after a long moment of hesitation, still keeping the other hidden.

    His hand is warm, bigger than hers, but strangely soft and smooth, with long, slender fingers. She can''t help but stare at them for a moment, puzzled.

    That really looks like the hand of someone who hasn''t worked a day in his life. They are children''s hands, it''s unnatural.

    They go back to the camp she had set up in the past three days; she sits him down on a log and points at the ashes left from last night''s fire.

    ? "Fire"? she then points to the ground, glaring at him like she would with a hyperactive child that won''t stay still.

    ? Stay here. Don''t move. I''m going to get some more food.? she huffs, moving away.

    She pointedly stares at him for a couple more seconds, almost expecting him to pull another magical disappearing act as soon as she looks away, but he just lowers his head and scoffs, looking almost... Embarrassed.Seems like he got the message.

    She is going to gather some more berries, trusting him to start the fire in the meantime. They can keep working on their vocabulary after she comes back.

    ? Sada....? his voice reaches her at the edge of the camp and the woman stops, looking over her shoulder.

    <u>? Thank you ?</u> The words are unfamiliar, but the gratitude and relief in them are palpable.

    He suddenly looks so... Vulnerable and lost, sitting on that log with his strange clothes and eyes that still have that trace of fear in them.

    .... A complete mystery.

    Just who is that man?

    She simply nods, and disappears into the trees.

 Chapter 3: Future Looks Good

    Travelling back (or technically forward?) in time to the place he had come from was much more disorienting that Turo expected. Maybe it was because, when he had stepped into the time machine a couple of hours before, he had had the time to prepare mentally. There was a whole procedure to follow while setting up the time machine in preparation for a jump; other than being necessary to avoid messing something up (which he still had done... Somehow), it helped people concentrate. Prepare. Even relax, if necessary.

    Getting back using the time anchor was much more sudden, and he stumbled while getting out of the time machine, his mind still half convinced that he was walking on damp leaves and uneven terrain instead of the perfectly pristine and smooth tiles of the Time Travel Department Laboratory.

    ? Time anchor ID 9537 has returned from space-time coordinates 48¡ã51¡ä12¡å N, 2¡ã20¡ä55¡å E, timestamp in seconds 441504000000-?

    ? Just save those coordinates to my ID before you get a stroke trying to pronounce that.? Turo interrupted the smooth artificial voice that had spoken from the time machine while he headed for the door.

    There was a moment of silence, then something behind his back moved suddenly; Turo stopped when the sleek, round figure of a Porygon 568 zipped around him and stopped him from exiting the room, floating at eye level with the human.

    It still had the basic shape of a duck; why the very first Porygon had been designed with that shape in mind was a bit of a mystery: maybe because it had been simpler to code and render, or the dude responsible just really liked duck Pok¨¦mon, but it had become a bit of a tradition of all subsequent updates during the years to try and make it as outlandish and ridiculous as possible but still keep it recognizable as a duck.

    If there was one thing that scientist and computer nerds loved, it was running gags; Turo knew, because he was also one of them.

    This version in particular was made to look bright yellow with spiky, needle like feathers where his "wings" were supposed to be, and ended up looking more like a cross between a Psyduck and the legendary Zapdos... A little, puffy, dopey and kinda adorable Zapdos.

    The Porygon clicked its beak, quickly scanning him up and down.

    ? Time-displaced object detected. To bring external objects outside of the time machine room, registration of object is required.? it spoke again.

    Turo blinked, surprised; it was his first time doing the procedure, and even if he knew that the Pok¨¦mon was supposed to say that - it was its job to act as a sort of defensive mechanism for the time machine and anything that got in and out of it, after all - , it still took him a moment to get what it was referring to.

    ? Oh, this...? Just a little... Souvenir.? he answered, fishing in his lab pocket for the necklace that Sada gave him. It.... Looked even more surreal now in his time, the little leather string with organic fangs and feathers attached. He quietly wondered from what Pok¨¦mon they had come from, with that bright red and blue color.

    He held it in front of the Porygon, who quickly scanned it.

    ? Object is not considered a safety or sanitary hazard. Permission granted to bring it outside of time machine room. Welcome back, Dr. Romero Turo. Hope you had a safe trip.? the Pokemon beeped before moving away from the door and going back to the main frame of the time machine, disappearing inside the transparent cylindrical structure that acted as it''s control panel.

    Turo watched the Porygon go, then stared at the necklace. So that meant he could... Keep it? It would have gathered quite a bit of attention on him... But just depositing it in some box in the laboratory for innocuous random objects brought from the past to be catalogued and eventually donated to some museum, like standard procedure dictated, didn''t sit right with him. Sada had given it to him after all, and the girl''s excited smile flashed in his mind while he stared at the little pendant.

    He ended up tying the leather string around his neck and slipping it under the collar of his bodysuit. It felt a bit strange, having something that was different from the smooth texture of his suit touching his bare skin, but not exactly uncomfortable.

    He exited the room still in a bit of a daze; that wasn''t exactly surprising even if the trip had been to only fifteen years ago like planned. "Time sickness" was apparently a thing: the human body -or living things in general - didn''t react well to passing through time. It had taken quite a bit of studies and experiments to make the trip safe; some lives had tragically been lost in the first test trials: people not landing when and where expected, or coming back with amnesia.

    Now, it was mostly just an inconvenience, and some of his more experienced colleagues assured him that he would grew used to it.

    No one had traveled that far back though... That reminded him.

    He had to write a report about his trip, right?

    The corridors of the Time Travel Department Laboratory (or TTDL for short) were currently deserted, which made sense, since it was late night. Turo had been forced to use the time machine in the night time slot, since all other slots during the day had already been reserved for other -and more important - trips than his simple test run. No one wanted the night shift if possible; it gave you the worst time jet-lag ever.

    Soft lights blinked on a couple of steps ahead of him while he traversed the corridor and quietly switched off as soon as he had passed, leaving only the quiet hum of machinery.

    At the end of the corridor, he thumbed the button to call the elevator. He always found it somewhat amusing how, in a society that was completely converted to holographic controls, haptic feedback or single gestures for... Pretty much anything, some fringe areas of technology had stubbornly remained unchanged for centuries.

    They had tried to use touch screens, or holographs, or even voice commands, of course, but people didn''t like it.

    They would press the screen and then do it again, just to make sure that the command had been acknowledged.

    Voice commands had been a disaster with people getting in and out giving conflicting commands.

    In this case, a physical button to press was still the best.

    At the end of the day, it turned out, people just really liked to mash the shit out of buttons.

    After getting out at the ground floor, he quietly walked across the great hall of the university. Something small and quick scurried away at his feet, and Turo absent mindedly side stepped the little Steelccino that were busy cleaning the floor, ignoring the indignant screeching of the chinchilla Pok¨¦mon at seeing him leave even just a speck of dust from his boots. One of them tried to jump on his lab coat, swiping at him with his brushy tail - the only part of its body that still looked identical to the Mincinno it had evolved from long ago, chattering angrily. The man had to almost physically push the little critter away, sneering.

    ? Come on, it''s not like I did it on purpose. You expect me to go back millennia and not trek around some dirt? Shoo ? Turo complained, exhausted. The Pok¨¦mon obviously didn''t care, their shiny, red led-like eyes fixing him with a death glare before getting back to work.

    They were employed by the university of Mesagoza as natural cleaners at night, which was perfect, as long as you weren''t part of the TTDL. His colleagues hated the little critters and the critters hated them right back, in an eternal cycle of mutual annoyance.

    He welcomed the sight of the teleporters near the entrance: scanning his ID he stepped into one, a smooth circular platform made of what looked like light purple glass, and recited his home address.

    That wouldn''t have been the most secure option in broad daylight -you wouldn''t want to announce where you lived to everyone after all -, but screw it, he was tired and there was no one around anyway. The platform briefly lit up, almost seemed to hesitate for a second, calculating the closest teleporter to the given address, then zapped him away.

    Teleporting had become ubiquitous some couple centuries ago - of course, a simpler version had been in use since much, much earlier, with Psychic Pok¨¦mon ferrying people to and from important places since ancient history. Developing a technology that didn''t require the constant use of Pokemon and could be accessible to everyone had taken a bit more time, but it was now part of everyday life.

    It had, for all intents and purposes, completely eliminated commuting and traffic.

    Imagine having to spend multiple hours a day just getting to work! And then getting back home! That sounded exhausting, how did people put up with that in the past?

    The teleporter left him a bit away from his apartment complex; obviously only the richest people could afford a personal teleporter that would deposit them literally on their doorstep, but Turo didn''t mind walking the little distance he had to. It was still infinitely better than the alternative.

    The front door of his apartment unlocked as soon as he got near enough, and with a tired sigh, Turo closed the door. He was home. Between all the preparations for the time jump, setting up the time machine and his studies, he hadn''t set foot outside of the laboratory for the past three days. Of those three days, he technically had been "really" gone only for a couple of hours, but... It felt like so much more. His mind was still kind of processing what had happened.

    Two hours he had spent simply sitting on that river side, talking with someone that was now less than dust. How did she spend the rest of her life? How long had she even lived?

    It wouldn''t do him any good to dwell on those thoughts so much; if he wanted to keep working in that field of research, he had to get used to it.

    Two blue lights blinked at him from his small living room, accompanied by a low ? Gwaaaoohhh ? and the quiet clicking of metallic paws on the floor.

    Turo smiled, hugging the Miraidon that welcomed him back and stroking it''s neck.

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ? Hey buddy, how are you doing? ? he caressed the smooth light grey scales, examining them carefully.

    ? Is your Hadron Engine still acting up??

    The was a slight pause, then the Miraidon''s throat lit up, briefly pulsating with blue energy, an electric buzz filling the room. It had almost managed to form a complete wheel shape before it sneezed, snapping back to its low power form.

    It growled sadly and pawed at the floor, looking almost ashamed.

    ? Don''t worry about it, you just need to rest. We''ll go riding as soon as you''re doing better... And I can get a day off. ? Turo added.

    Miraidon had been with him since he was a kid, still living with his parents in Medali.

    The apartment where he lived was a bit small for him, but the Pokemon could generally come and leave freely, wandering the city; still, in the past few days he hadn''t been feeling too well, and had spent them mostly curled up on the sofa. With Turo himself not having exactly stepped outside the laboratory for days (except for the little trip through time), he was looking forward to taking that little road trip. Just cruising through the highway at high speed, wind hitting his face, nothing but a seemingly infinite road in front of him to let Miraidon speed up as much as he wanted. Maybe they could even practice gliding again. That sounded nice. With a last pat on the Pok¨¦mon''s head, he headed to the bathroom for a shower before going to bed.

    ---

    ? So how did your test run go? ?

    Turo raised his eyes from the screen that floated in front of him, stopped mid sentence in his report, and made a quick "stop" gesture by lifting the index and middle finger of his right hand. The writing program that was tracking his lip movements to write down his report recognized the gesture and dutifully stopped, then started to automatically check spelling and punctuation while waiting for the prompt to start again.

    Waiting for an answer in front of him with a mug of coffee in one hand and a bemused smile was Gervaso Ortega, his senior by a year and accomplished time traveler.

    Turo hesitated for a moment, then stood up.

    ? Depends... Theoretically, incredibly well. Technically... I must have messed something up.?

    The other man gestured for him to follow him out of the little office he got assigned and into a break room, or as people in the TTDL called it, the "sanity room".

    Constantly kept at a comfortable temperature and humidity, the holographic walls continually projected calming images of natural landscapes and relaxing sounds.

    ? Oh... It''s a rainy forest today? Nice, relaxing.? Gervaso commented, sitting down.

    Turo almost wanted to point out that it was only relaxing because they weren''t actually getting wet, but he wasn''t going to complain. A nice forest with some rain was a much better scenario than some.... Alternatives they had had in the past.

    ? Remember that girl that was researching pirates and forced the room to simulate a creaking ship at sea for "immersion" for three months?? he answered, sitting down in front of him and ordering a coffee of his own. The other man grinned.

    ? Oh man, Sea Shanty Girl! Wonder what she is doing now... If I never have to listen to "Randy Dandy-Oh" again, it will still be too soon.?

    Turo laughed, but his colleague seemed pretty curious about his trip, prompting him again.

    He was... Actually a bit nervous about revealing what had happened.

    ? The trip was fine. No excessive time sickness, no allergic reaction to the pre-jump shots... Weather was fine so I didn''t even have to recharge my time-anchor manually...? he hesitated.

    ? I may have.... Overshot the landing on the time coordinate a bit.?

    That made Gervaso, who had been nodding along, pause, intrigued.

    ? Really? By how much??

    ? .... Some 14''000 years??

    There was a slight incredulous pause, then the other man exploded into laughter, hurriedly putting the mug of coffee down on the table.

    ? Are you serious? The new guy does his first time jump and ends up where no one managed to ever go before? You are either going to become the best time traveler I''ve ever seen, or the worst.?

    Yeah, that''s what he had figured would happen.

    He took a sip of coffee, only for Gervaso to almost slap it out of him by patting his shoulder.

    ? ... I''m going to get grounded, aren''t I??

    ? Oh, you are so grounded while they figure out how you did it. ?

    ---

    He does end up "grounded" in the end, banned from using the time machine for a month. The coordinates he had used on the other hand are still safely associated to his ID; as soon as one month passed, he could, theoretically, travel there again.

    His original project had actually been traveling to the future - not too far away. The future direction was much more risky by definition, since you obviously had absolutely no data on where you would end up.

    Most time travelers who chose the future wouldn''t jump more than a couple of years; tiny incremental steps, and reports on what they knew were kept secret with the highest level of security (except for spoilers about when the new season or movie of a series would come out and how much it sucked, because of course people wanted to know about that way more than possibly horrible news).

    And that had always fascinated him terribly; it was pretty much a leap of faith into the unknown.

    ... Maybe a bit too ambitious for his first project; maybe he could... Travel to the distant past for a bit after all? It was... Really, it was so far away that it was almost as unknown as the future.

    The happy smile that Sada had made while they had tried to talk only encouraged his decision.

    While he can''t time travel, what he can do, man of science that he is, is spend his time doing some research.

    He pours over every anthropological book about the Upper Paleolithic he can find, digs up documentaries and even some fiction.

    There is.... Frustratingly little. Makes sense since there literally wasn''t even written language at that point, so not much got passed down through the ages. The timescale is also something that makes his head hurt on more than one occasion.

    ? "First evidence of Pok¨¦mon domestication like Growlithe and Mareep could have occurred between 15''000 and 10''000 years before common age"... Sure, that is just.... An error margin of 5000 years, no biggie. ? he sighs, flicking away the screen he was reading with a swipe of his finger.

    It was going to be a long month.

    ---

    Exactly one month after his first jump, he walks back into the time machine room. He slips the time anchor to his wrist, checking that it is attached securely.

    Waiting for him are Porygon 568 and a woman wearing medical scrubs and holding a syringe.

    ? Time anchor ID 9537 ready for departure as soon as medical checks complete. Update destination coordinates?? Porygon 568 speaks up.

    ? Yes, add... 316800 seconds to the timestamp? it wouldn''t do to appear again literally at the same moment he had left.

    ? Acknowledged.?

    The woman quickly approaches him and slips the needle of the syringe into his left shoulder, the clear liquid inside entering his body. Turo grimaces for a second; something else he will have to get used to... Those "shots" as they were called were the only thing protecting his body from getting teared apart in the time machine. It was... A bit unsettling to think about actually. How did they work? No idea, he was no doctor. (¡­ Well he technically was, but not that kind of doctor)

    He pulls the sleeve of the bodysuit back up to cover his shoulder, slips back his lab coat, and steps into the time machine.

    ---

    This time he can tell that it worked before even opening his eyes. It''s been a month for him, but not even a week has passed here: the same cold air, the leaves getting rustled by the wind, the stream rushing by his side. He start following the river, listening for some tell tale sounds of human activity. Steps, rustling of leaves, some smoke signal for a fire maybe... If Sada had been working by the river last time, she probably lived nearby.

    A shape in the water catches his attention: red with a big yellow dorsal fin and whiskers, it takes him a moment to recognize the silhouette of a Magikarp... It''s a pretty big one, but that is nothing unusual. Lots of Pok¨¦mon were just bigger in ancient times, or one particular individual simply grew a lot more. He notices the Magikarp stop dead in the water and slightly turn in his direction. Turo pays the Pok¨¦mon no mind: they are so common even in his time that seeing one is nothing unusual, so he just keeps walking in the shallow water.

    That is, until it suddenly charges at him.

    He lets out a panicked yelp when the Magikarp is suddenly right by his side, teeth snapping and missing his arm only because he stumbles backwards and falls on his back.

    It''s the angriest looking Magikarp he''s ever seen, and... Teeth? Magikarp don''t have teeth! They barely have functioning muscles!

    The shock stops him from moving for a couple of seconds; is it some prehistoric form of Magikarp? The one that was supposedly stronger than the current one?

    This is way more than a "a bit stronger", this one looked ready to bite his face clean off. Did it even need to evolve into Gyarados?

    He tries to get up to his feet, hands slipping on the stones that make up the riverbed, but the creature is much faster than him. It jumps out from the water and he desperately rolls to the side. He can feel the teeth snapping close to his head before the creature flies past him and crashes outside of the water.

    And it still doesn''t stop.

    It''s furiously thrashing on its side, kicking up water and gravel until it manages to turn itself right up, and the sight of it is so surreal that he can''t help but stare, frozen in place, when everything suddenly clicks in his mind.

    It''s... It''s using Splash.

    Is that how the move developed? Is that what it originally was for? To chase prey even on dry land?

    ? Get down!? Sada''s voice suddenly rings out from behind him and he just throws himself to the side, then stares as the woman literally chases the damn thing away with nothing but a spear and... What even was that? It looked like some kind of berry...

    Anyway, she just saved his life.

    He finally gets up to his feet; the bodysuit he''s wearing makes sure that most of his body is still dry, but the same can''t be said for his hair, hands, lab coat and-

    "Shit, the time-anchor"

    With a quick surge of panic he checks the device on his wrist; it should be pretty damn resistant to any kind of damage, even Pokemon moves, and really be much more durable than the person who is wearing it, but he feels pretty justified in his panic when the little device is literally the only thing keeping him tethered to his own time.

    It thankfully doesn''t even look wet. He notices Sada staring at his wrist and quickly hides his hand in his lab coat pocket, pointedly ignoring her little sad pout. He jumps a bit when she storms up to him, brandishing her spear.

    What... What did he do? Did he accidentally end up somewhere he wasn''t meant to? Was that Magikarp some kind of holy creature and she''s pissed because she had to attack it to save him?

    Is he going to end up stabbed in the chest after all?

    He doesn''t understand, but she just sighs and offers him her hand.

    He takes it after a second.

    All right... Looks like he has avoided "death by spear" for the moment.

    ---

    He''s been sitting on that log for a couple of minutes now; he has tried to thank Sada for saving him, and now the girl has disappeared into the woods again. He nervously looks around, jumping at every sound. He doesn''t even have Pok¨¦mon with him to protect him: even if he could get the permission to bring Miraidon with him, just pulling out a Pok¨¦ Ball and using it would be... Incredibly risky. It''s considered one of the most pivotal inventions of all of human history, almost at the same level of.... The wheel, or writing. Who knows what the effect of just accidentally showing someone the idea much earlier than supposed to could do to history.

    Not to mention that Miraidon would look even more out of place than he does.

    His eyes land on something that Sada has left behind, and he recognizes it as the notebook he has given her.

    Seeing it covered in marks he scoots closer and picks it up, intrigued.

    He flips it open and is left staring at the page, speechless.

    He was expecting some random doodles. Maybe stick figures like the ones in cave paintings.

    These are notes. A drawing that is unmistakably a map is drawn on the page, with the position of the river, the woods and what must be other peculiar spots all marked with symbols. He flips behind a couple pages, and there''s stylized drawings of mushrooms, leaves, plants, even Pokemon, all marked with one or more accompanying symbols.

    On one of the first pages, he notices that a corner of the page seems torn up. Another corner has been dipped in water, ink all smeared.

    She hasn''t just been using it, she''s been experimenting with it, trying out different things with this new unfamiliar material.

    His heart starts pounding with excitement: this is incredible... she is incredible-

    ? TURO!?

    He jumps like a kid caught stealing cookies from the jar right before dinner.

    Sada is back, her leather pouch overflowing with what looks like random roots, plants and berries, and is staring at him with a mix of exasperation and disappointment.

    She sets down her bag and mutters something under her breath, then points at the circle of stones she had set up and repeats the word she had taught him before. Was it... Something like ash? Or "fire", or.... Oh. OH.

    .... She had asked him to start the fire, didn''t she?

    He flushes with embarrassment while she keeps possibly berating him -he doesn''t blame her, he deserves that-, all while skewering some mushrooms on a couple of sticks.

    ? S-sorry...?

    Well, even if he had understood her, he had no idea how to actually start a fire.

    He tries to excuse himself by pointing at the fire and shaking his head. She stops and looks at him quizzically, seemingly pondering something. Probably how someone lacking survival skills like him is still alive.

    She sits down near him, and grabs two pieces of wood from a pile near the log they''ve been using as a makeshift bench. The first one is flat, and looks like a little groove has been carved in it. The second one has an angled head, almost like a plow.

    She slots the plow inside the groove and starts moving it up and down quickly, keeping it an an angle, then stops and offers him the two pieces of wood.

    Oh. She.... She really wants him to do it himself, doesn''t she?

    He start mimicking what she had just showed him, and in not even a minute his arms already start protesting about the effort they are definitely not used to performing.

    But he keeps it up, pushing through the pain, and... It does seem like it''s working, smoke coming out from the friction of the movement. He had seen it done in movies, but never in real life. He honestly didn''t think that a spark would come out so quickly, but suddenly there it is, a little pile of charcoal friction burned into the groove with an even tinier spark smoldering inside. Sada is quick to get a dried leaf near it, causing it to start burning, and transfers it into the campfire to start it proper.

    Turo is left sitting there, with a huge, dumb grin slowly spreading on his face.

    Sada laughs at his expression, but he doesn''t mind.

    He just made fire!! With his own two hands!! That''s AWESOME!

    ---

    He had tried to refuse the food, feeling pretty bad in taking it when he had it so readily available at home, but the girl had just stared at him with a glare that... Well... Honestly had reminded him a bit of his mom when he was little and she was waiting for him to finish eating his vegetables.

    There was no saying "no" to a glare like that.

    While they are eating some roasted mushrooms and roots, Sada excitedly shows him the notebook. She pinches one blank page between two fingers and looks up at him with those bright, clear eyes.

    ? What is it??

    Reminded of the first little "game" they had played, it doesn''t take him much to guess what she just asked.

    ? "Paper"?

    ? "Paper"... ? she repeats, looking back down at it. She looks conflicted, and he can almost see the thousand questions that she wants to ask, and doesn''t know how. She gathers some leaves that they have been using as kindle and presses one on the page, before looking up at him again. She struggles a moment, silently mouthing a question, then speaks up again.

    ? Is.... "Paper"... Leaves??

    He looks at her, shocked.

    Technically, no, but it''s still cellulose, and she got scarily close to the right answer.

    How did she even figure that out?

    ? No, it''s... um .. "Wood"? he stammers out after a moment, pointing to the log they''ve been sitting on.

    She stares at him for a moment, then nods, grabs her pen, and jots down another little mark on the page, a lil drawing of a tree.

    ... She''s taking notes.

    Many, many years later, Turo would look back at this scene and recognize it as the exact moment he first fell in love with her.

 Chapter 4: A Matter of Trust

    The more she looked at Turo, the more the man just completely baffled her.

    At first she thought that he just hadn''t understood her, but... He couldn''t even light a fire!

    Maybe his tribe didn''t use it? If he really came from the south, maybe they didn''t need it for warmth, that much was obvious... But what about food? Did they eat everything raw? That didn''t seem plausible.... And he hadn''t looked unfamiliar with cooked food.

    It was almost like... He had been born in the body of an adult and had none of the skill and experience that came with it. Which was impossible, unless... he had lived a very secluded life until now, someone else doing everything for him...

    She had one theory about what he was, that could explain at least some of his... More strange qualities. And no, it was not "he''s a spirit".

    She had no way to confirm it though, not yet. She first needed to be able to talk with him better.

    So the strange writing material was called paper! And it wasn''t leaves, but wood... Somehow. She examined the paper with this new information, trying to think of a way to ask Turo how it was made. Wood could be pretty flexible, so maybe by cutting it in really thin sheets...? But then how did it become so soft...? How did they make every piece so perfectly even?

    So many questions, she had no idea where to start.

    But maybe... She could try and confirm where he was from.

    She flips the "paper" back to the map of the area she''s been drawing these last day and points first to Turo.

    ? You? she then draws an imaginary circle around the page, then offers the pen to the man.

    ? Where... Did you come from...?? she asks, pointing at various spots on the map.

    He stares at the page for a couple seconds, leaving her to wonder if he got what she was trying to say. But more than perplexed, he looks... Conflicted.

    Does he not want to tell her?

    Maybe he doesn''t even know?

    He slowly takes the writing stick from her hand and presses it, staring at the page. She notices that he holds it differently than her, daintily propped between two fingers, and then he hesitantly, slowly, draws a little "X" shape at the bottom right of the page.

    Sada tries to mask her enthusiasm. He is from the south!

    ? I knew it!? she whispers, ignoring his confused blink. All right, next question... She gestures for the writing stick again, and on a blank page, draws three simple human shapes. Sada circles one and points at Turo.

    ? You? she then mimics walking with two fingers like he had done a couple of days ago.

    ? Alone? Or with people? "People"? she repeats, drawing a circle around all the stick figures together and hoping it was understandable. Learning words from stuff you could physically point at was easy. Most abstract concepts, less so, but they could try using drawings as symbols to represent them. As long as they were understandable...

    At her side, she hears Turo shuffle uncomfortably for a moment, clothes crinkling slightly, before pointing to the single circled figure.

    She looks up at him again - and that impossibly neatly trimmed beard looks even more weird up close, unnatural -, but he interrupts her before she can voice her next question.

    ? "Is"... You... "Alone"?? he stammers a bit, his accent all wrong and weird and... Outsider-ish. But the fact that he is trying at all and that he actually picked up words that she''s been using is strangely... Endearing. She''s not the only one that has some questions, it seems.

    ? No. My people are, umm... Here.? she draws another "X" similar to his in another corner of the map, north east to their current position. Sada waits a couple seconds, observing his reaction. He looks... Pensive.

    ? Do you want to...?? no, too complicated.

    ? You... Come... With me?? she asks after a moment, pointing first in his direction, then to the little stick figures and finally on the position of her settlement on the map.

    It takes a couple of seconds, but then his eyes go wide and he starts vehemently shaking his head, looking suddenly nervous.

    ? Oh no, absolutely not-? he mumbles.

    Sada frowns a bit.

    ... She doesn''t understand. Surely staying with a group of strangers is still safer than living alone? Maybe he misunderstood her?

    His reaction is making her theory a lot more likely though.

    ? All right... ? disappointed, she goes back to the first sheets of paper, and starts pointing out the various plants and mushrooms, just trying to get out as much vocabulary that could be useful as possible. It''s slow going, but when they arrive to the sketches she has made of various creatures, he seems to suddenly perk up. He gestures for the writing stick and points to the first sketch, one of the big birds of prey with grey and red feathers... Not like her drawing can show it, since she had access only to one color.

    ? It''s a Fire Wing...? they were dangerous while they were hunting or if you happened to get near their nests, but she liked to look out for their fallen feathers; they were soft and incredibly warm, great to wear during the colder season by sewing them inside clothes, or as accessories. Turo nods, just the hint of a smile on his lips.

    ? "Talonflame"?

    Is that what it was called in his language...?

    Then, to her surprise, he starts sketching a Fire Wing of his own alongside hers, with a great amount of details.

    A couple of strokes to draw the head, the curved beak with a sharp point and even sharper eyes... he is good at it, the picture so similar to the real thing it''s like one of the creatures had been quietly sitting between them all this time, posing for reference.

    But of course, there isn''t one; he must be going from memory, not unlike her when she takes notes after some sightings.

    But to be able to draw it so perfectly... He must have seen so many of them! And from really close, no less...

    Sada finds herself almost transfixed by the smooth movements of his hand while it flits along the page, expertly filling in the drawing. The way he moves, even how he was holding the writing stick, not a single blemish on his fingers ... It''s obvious he is much more used to doing this than... Lighting a fire, or holding a weapon, or ... really any kind of manual activity.

    Someone else must have done them for him all this time before now, giving him the opportunity to get that good at something not immediately useful for survival like drawing.

    And there is only one role she can think of that would allow for that kind of privilege, if it was even possible.

    Turo finishes his drawing, absentmindedly flipping the writing stick between two fingers before giving it back to her, then starts listing off the various body parts in his language. They are not immediately useful as words between them (how many times is something like "talon" going to come up in a conversation?), but she still listens attentively. They are useful to her, and he seems... Weirdly knowledgeable about these creatures.

    ? Fire Wings umm... "Move"... No...? he lifts his arms and moves them a couple of times up and down, and she has to stop herself from giggling: the white cape loudly flapping along makes him look ridiculous.

    ? Fly...?? she offers, only half successful in stopping a laugh from escaping her.

    He blushes a bit -which is weirdly adorable - and keeps talking.

    ? Y-yes... they "Fly" with... Fire... Umm...? there''s obviously something else he wants to add, but can''t explain. He sighs and palms his face.

    ? Of course they do, dumbass... How do I explain "fireproof"...?? he mutters to himself, lowering his hand to rub at his chin.

    Sada stares at him for a moment, pointedly avoiding her eyes after noticing that she had been gazing at him just a bit too hard.

    ? "Dumbass"...?? she repeats, picking out one of the words from his muttering at random, and only because it sounded funny.

    Turo freezes, a flash of horror on his face that quickly gets replaced by a stuttering, incredulous laugh that he tries and fails to contain.

    ? Wha...? No! Nononono, don''tusethatword, of all the things to pick up? he manages to get out, shaking his head but still being mostly incomprehensible.

    Sada just stares at him, perplexed - and just a touch amused at his reaction -

    ? Turo, what is "dumbass"??

    His laugh only gets louder, and he can''t do much except keep shaking his head, tears in his eyes.

    It takes him a good couple of minutes to calm down.

    ... Now she really wants to know what that word means.

    ---

    After a couple more hours, when they''ve exhausted speaking (or as close as they could get to speaking) about every creature in her paper sheets - or her "notebook", as Turo had called it-, the man stands up and Sada knows, before he even looks to the south, that he is going to leave.

    She frowns, trying to think of a way to get him to stay; knowing him alone, in the dark, in a place unfamiliar to him... It worries her. She can''t help but picture another Brutal Fang jumping out of the water to drag him away, or another hundred ways he could end up dead.

    That he isn''t is still baffling.

    Maybe he knows of some special way to avoid creatures attacking him...? Not that it worked before.

    Turo seems to hesitate for a moment, then gestures for the notebook.

    She gives it to him, and he flips it to the first blank page. He draws a circle with some lines coming out of it.

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ? Sun?

    All right...? He already told her how to say it in his language though...

    He looks up and searches the sky for a moment before quickly drawing another half circle.

    ? Moon?

    He circles both of them together, then looks up at her for a long moment.

    ? "Day"?

    Sada looks at the drawing; a sun and a moon together form... What?

    He thinks for a moment, then draws another line, this time with only half of a sun over it. An arrow pointing away from it, and a moon after that... Oh! She almost jumps a little when it hits her.

    He''s drawing day and night! She nods enthusiastically and he smiles, then proceeds to draw another couple of sun and moon symbols, each with arrows leading from one to the next.

    ? I''ll come.... Here... in "three days".? he enunciates slowly circling the last couple of symbols, before giving her the notebook.

    It''s a sequence of days and nights... He''s telling her when they can see each other again. If the first symbol is today, and there is another after that, and a couple more after than one...

    He starts to slowly back away, cautiously, and Sada looks back down to the notebook, conflicted. A part of her really wants to tail him, to discover where he''s going. What he is obviously hiding from her. Why he looks so reluctant at the idea of meeting other people.

    But... He did just promise to come see her again.

    She doesn''t want to break that trust right away.

    ? Three days.? she nods, and to give him proof of her good intentions, sits back down on the log.

    He looks a bit more relieved at that, and turns around quickening his pace.

    She looks at him until he completely disappears from view amidst the trees, then closes her eyes and holds still, straining her ears.

    His footsteps are still audible for the time it takes her heart to beat thirty times- then they''re gone.

    ---

    ? So you''ve met with that strange man again? ? Chalo asked, her dark raven hair clinking as the little wooden beads that decorated it rattled against each other.

    ? Yes, I''ve actually got a theory about him now.? Sada answers, carefully following the other woman along the trail they''ve been walking along for a couple of hours.

    She had gone back to the settlement after Turo had left: no reason to spend those three days just lazing around.

    The trail was just the faintest line visible among the grassy field that extended all around them. The grass grew pretty high, tall enough to hide both a person walking upright, or most creatures. That made this area relatively dangerous: creatures couldn''t see you coming, but you also had no idea of what could suddenly jump out at you. Unless they left traces, like the one they were following. Grass flattened by a great number of creatures stepping on it, walking in an orderly line. A herd, and Sada was pretty sure she knew what kind of herd it was. That was the whole reason that Chalo had dragged her along after all: she was the only other one in their group both curious and crazy enough to go along with her ideas.

    ? You do? Let''s hear it. I still think that your mother is right and he is a spirit... But not an ancestor. A creature spirit, the ones that come out at night and can disappear in smoke.?

    Sada lets out a sigh, crouching briefly to examine a patch of grass that looked like it had been burned.

    ? He is not a creature. First of all, he talks. ?

    ? Yeah, but not our language, right? What if it''s a creature using you to learn how to speak??

    ? ... That''s way more ridiculous than him simply being an outsider.? Sada rolls her eyes, and Chalo simply shrugs.

    ? ... But it''s more interesting. Anyway, your theory? ? she asks again, cautiously parting the grass growing on both sides of the trail to check their surroundings.

    Sada follows her a couple of steps behind, swiftly stepping on Chalo''s footprints to reduce noise to a minimum.

    ? He''s the shaman of his tribe. The lore-keeper... He knows so much stuff about creatures, and can draw one perfectly! He looks like he has barely travelled before now; maybe he ... Really just didn''t, because his role in the group has always been to create medicine, or... Teach the children about stuff, not hunt or explore.?

    Chalo hums briefly, not convinced.

    ? Shamans get their role when they are are old, though. And Narjik still knows how to use a spear, not like this Terg guy-?

    ? Turo. And maybe in their tribe it''s different, and it gets appointed at birth. ? she explains enthusiastically.

    ? It would also explain his weird clothes. They''re not for traveling, they are his shaman clothes. ?

    ? All right... ? Chalo stops and turns around suddenly, forcing the girl to stop walking.

    ? If he''s so important for his tribe... What''s he doing here? Alone?? she asks in a triumphant tone, but Sada just crosses her arms over her chest. What, did she think she hadn''t thought of that?

    ? I''ve asked. He didn''t look happy at the idea of meeting other people. I think he''s been... Driven out. Forced to get away from them.?

    Chalo goes from looking smug to slightly worried.

    ? So you think he''s some... Outcast? Doesn''t that mean he did something bad if they banished him??

    Yeah, that... That was the part of her theory she couldn''t quite explain. You had to do something pretty awful to get thrown out of your tribe and left to die in the wilderness. At least, that''s what she had been told; it''s not like it had ever happened in her lifetime.

    Sada shakes her head.

    ? I''m sure there''s another explanation. He... Does not look like the kind of person that could hurt someone else. He was shaking completely terrified when I first approached, didn''t even try to grab my spear. ? she just can''t reconcile the image of the weird awkward man that blushed while fumbling for his words with that of someone that had... Killed a fellow tribesmen, or something even worse.

    There was just no way.

    ? Yeah, the explanation is "He''s a spirit creature", just admit it!?

    She laughs at Chalo''s eagerness to see her theory get proven true.

    ? You would love if he was, didn''t you? Like in that old story... ?

    Their little discussion gets interrupted when they arrive at their destination. The trail opens up in a little clearing, where the herd of creatures they''ve been following is hanging around, sleeping or grazing by nipping at the grass.

    Their fur is blue, but most of the body is covered by white, soft wool. Occasionally, two of the creatures would accidentally brush on each other, sending little sparks flying with a sound similar to a crackling fire, but much sharper. In the whole herd, just two creatures were different, and obviously the leaders of the group, being slightly bigger, with pink fur and strangely less wool on their bodies.

    Probably a male and his bond mate.

    Watching how the creatures changed while growing up had always fascinated Sada terribly. Why didn''t humans change like that? It wasn''t fair.

    ? Which one were you thinking about?? she asks in a whisper while scanning the herd with her eyes. Chalo quietly points at one of the smallest creatures, close to the edge of the clearing.

    ? I''ve kept an eye on them. They''re not aggressive, they prefer to flee rather than fight. And this one''s even calmer than the rest. He will be perfect. ?

    Sada nods approvingly, then rummages in her pouch.

    ? You saw them eat the pink berries, right??

    ? Yeah ?

    They creep closer to the creature by skirting around the meadow, keeping hidden in the tall grass.

    Sada throws one berry near the... What even is it''s name?

    ? What do you call them?? she whispers, observing it trot near the berry and start sniffing it.

    ? Is that important right now? I haven''t decided!? Chalo hisses back, then holds her breath, staring at the creature with anticipation.

    It starts to eat the berry, and Sada throws another one to goad it into coming a bit closer.

    Well it''s important for her, how is she supposed to take notes about them otherwise?

    They look pretty cute, but she''s not sure about what they can do... Their target has just started munching on the second berry. It''s so close now that she could hold a hand out and pet it, and really doesn''t look like it cares much about them.

    Now the tricky part; she winces a moment, hoping for the best and that Chalo had gotten the right idea about these creatures.

    She pulls another object out of the bag, a bright red root firmly wrapped in leaves, and after making sure that it''s tightly balled up, throws it in the middle of the clearing. It makes a loud popping sound, scaring - and thankfully not enraging - the rest of the herd into taking off running.

    The only one left is the smaller creature that is still eating his berry, and is only now placidly turning around to check out what the noise was.

    It seems to realize it''s been left on its own, and lets out a "meeeh".

    Chalo practically shoves another berry under it''s mouth to distract it.

    ? Heeeere, you want the tasty berry? Yes? Sure you do? she waves the fruit around taking a couple of steps backwards... And the creature seems to think about it for a moment. It looks back to where it''s herd was. Then to the berry in the girl''s hand.

    And actually starts to follow her, trotting along.

    ? Holy spirits, it worked!? Chalo grins and hugs her, and Sada can''t help but get excited herself.

    This... This is huge. If they can get it back to the settlement, they can use it''s wool without having to scrounge up little pieces by what they found laying around, or by actively hunting them.

    If they could get another of the opposite sex, maybe they could even start an herd of their own!

    There''s just one last thing to decide.

    ? ... What do we call it??

    ---

    In the end, they name the creatures Spark Tail, after noticing its tail lighting up. Well, Chalo actually wanted to call them "Fluffyhead", but Sada had refused.

    ? You can call this one Fluffyhead, but I''m not going to refer to this things with such a silly name?

    ? But look at how fluffy it is! And why? Are you afraid Terg will laugh at you? He won''t even know what it means.?

    ? It''s Turo, and.... That''s not it.? she grumbles, watching the Spark Tail chew on some grass right outside her tent.

    It''s just that she wanted it to sound... Proper. She keeps staring at the creature that, admittedly, was pretty fluffy - just not enough to deserve naming it after that singular characteristic. How silly would that be?

    As long as it had food, it really didn''t seem to mind being apart from his herd, or being surrounded by humans. They hadn''t even needed to build some enclosure for him, just made sure to keep it away from furs and other things that could catch fire brushing against the sparks that came out of his wool.

    What a simple, peaceful life it was leading.

    The kids already loved it, and Narjik was trying to figure out a way to trim it''s wool without getting hurt. She would love to help with it -it was something new to do, a new problem to solve-, but she had to get going if she wanted to reach the meeting point with Turo in time.

    ---

    She arrives at the camp at sunset, and to her surprise, finds it already set up. The fire is crackling, not strongly admittedly, but there is a certain skill in feeding a fire and keeping it going that the man obviously seemed to lack, so the fact that he managed to get it started at all after apparently having it done only once before was impressive. Turo himself is sitting cross-legged near the fire in his usual clothes, a second notebook and writing stick of his own propped up on his knee, intent on drawing or writing something on the page.

    Something looks off about him(or... More than usual), and it takes her a moment to consciously realize what it is.

    It''s only been three days. His facial hair should not be that long.

    She blinks, trying to decide if it''s just her mind playing tricks on her and she''s misremembering how long it was tree days ago, or if it''s just another weird thing to add to the growing list of strange things about Turo.

    Probably the latter, she decides with an almost resigned shrug.

    Turo looks up at her approach, just a twinge of fear crossing his expression before he relaxes, recognizing her. He raises his free hand and waves it in midair.

    ? "Hi" ?

    Sada timidly repeats the gesture and word, not quite sure what to make of it. A greeting? Or some kind of ritual?

    Maybe a way to show that he was unarmed, like during their first meeting?

    It seems to be the right thing to do in any case, because he smiles and gets up, closing his notebook and slipping it into his robes before she can so much as catch a glimpse of it - to her disappointment, she kind of wanted to know what he was drawing.

    ? You... walk... With me?? he mimes the by now usual gesture, surprising her again.

    Walk? Right now with the sun setting?

    Sada nods and stops just a moment to better tie the spear slung over her back, then grabs a piece of wood from the fire to use as a torch. She glances at him while they walk away from the camp; he''s got both hands hidden in his mantle, head moving left and right while he seems to be scanning the trees looking for something.

    ? What...?? she starts to ask, and he turns back to look at her with a small smile.

    ? Fire Wing feathers. ?

    It takes a moment to recognize what "feathers" meant, before she remembers his portrait of the creature. Why is he so interested in them now? Unless...

    ? Are you.... Cold?? she mimes some shivering, and after a moment of hesitation, he quietly nods, looking a bit frustrated.

    Sada grimaces, mentally berating herself. Of course he must be cold, not being used to living in this area. She starts to actively look for the feathers, while the obvious question of "how didn''t he freeze to death the night before our meeting " keeps nagging at her.

    Maybe he had something else from a creature with the power of fire with him these days, and it has now lost it''s effect. She shuffles a bit closer to him, raising the torch, and he gives her a little smile noticing the gesture.

    They find some feathers, but they are obviously not the ones they are looking for: much bigger, mostly white with a blue purple base. It''s not the first feathers of that kind that she sees around here, but she still hasn''t been able to spot the creature they belong to.

    Turo also seems intrigued by them, getting down on one knee to pick one up. His free hand goes to his neck, where his strangely smooth purple clothes start.

    They seem to cling so tightly to Turo''s body that, when he hooks one finger around the fabric and pulls it down slightly, it almost looks like he''s pulling away a weird layer of purple skin.

    It looks creepy enough to distract her for a moment from what he is actually doing, namely pulling out an object hanging from his neck that was obviously hidden under his clothes.

    Sada lets out a little gasp and points at it.

    ? My necklace!?

    He nods, looking a bit embarrassed, then holds up the necklace still looped around his neck in one hand and the feather in the other. Some of the smaller feathers used in the necklace have the exact same shade of blue.

    Sada gets a bit closer, keeping the torch at arm''s length.

    They could be from the same creature... And as far as she can remember, there are no flying creatures around with bright blue feathers.

    ? What is it?? Turo asks, probably his way of asking what creature it came from.

    Sada shakes her head.

    ? I don''t know.?

    He looks disappointed, and slips the feather he has found in his mantle, and the necklace back under his clothes.

    They keep looking for a while, but the sun having set completely in the meantime forces them to stop. Wandering around in the dark is way too dangerous; the torch is now their only source of light, complete darkness pressing against them all around otherwise.

    Actually, not really the only source: Turo''s purple clothes seem to glow slightly in the dark.

    She stares at them for a second while he notices and ties his mantle closed, slightly embarrassed. Those have to be the most useless and backwards clothes she''s ever seen.

    Noticing that Turo seems to glance around nervously, she grabs his hand and guides him by walking ahead.

    Or at least tries to, because his hand almost seems to squirm away from the contact, and then he suddenly stops. She turns around, only to find him with his head held high, eyes fixed to the night sky.

    And an expression of almost child-like wonder on his face.

    She raises her eyes to the sky as well. The moon has almost completely disappeared that night, leaving only the myriad tiny lights in the sky to shine. She''s always wondered what they are; some are bigger, some smaller, some look like they are twinkling, like really small distant fires, high up in the sky.

    Who''s lighting those fires? Some creature, flying up in the sky at night? Maybe other people, living really, really far away?

    Turo is looking at the sky like someone who is seeing it for the first time in his life; he resumes walking, slowly, but keeps glancing up, and barely avoids stumbling to the ground a couple of times, smiling all the while.

    It''s both adorable and heartbreaking at the same time; where they... really keeping him secluded somewhere his whole life?

    Maybe he wasn''t banished from his tribe. Maybe he escaped.

    Maybe he''s terrified of meeting other people because he''s afraid of getting locked up again.

    Her theory only sounds more plausible when they get back to the camp, and she insists on giving him some of her pelts to sleep in.

    He looks incredibly nervous as they settle down on opposites sides of the fire.

    She can hear him turn around, unable to sleep, long into the night, until she herself finally falls asleep.

    He''s gone come morning, but there is a piece of paper torn from his notebook left near her when she wakes up, with two day and night symbols drawn on it.

 Chapter 5: Fast & FuTurious

    Report on Time travel jump n. 2 of Dr. Romero Turo, time-anchor ID 9537.

    Coordinates of successful jump: 48¡ã51¡ä12¡å N, 2¡ã20¡ä55¡å E (current time position: Lumiose City)

    Weather conditions: Clear, temperatures recorded by suit sensors average 15¡ãC. Measurements coherent with estimated data about Last Glacial Period. Body suit encountered no difficulties in maintaining body temperature to comfortable levels.

    Number of hours spent time-displaced: 5 hours and 12 minutes

    Shortly after landing, encountered a Pok¨¦mon that seems to be an ancestor of the common modern Magikarp. The Pok¨¦mon, temporarily dubbed "Proto-Magikarp", showed a predatory instinct and aggressiveness completely absent in its modern counterpart. It''s anatomy also showed a clear adaptation to hunting prey; strong musculature for swimming even against the current and developed teeth for ripping flesh, more similar in size and form to the ones seen in Pokemon like Basculin or Carvanha (possible common ancestor?).

    Most interesting was it''s behaviour after accidentally beaching itself in an attempt to assault me. It thrashed violently to right itself until it could attack again, in a movement extremely similar to the currently useless move "Splash" that Magikarp still uses today. I believe this to be the original use of the technique, and that possibly most Pok¨¦mon that are -or were- using the move known as Splash could actually have originally developed different uses for it, until changes in physiology and environment changed the move into its current iteration.

    Made contact again with a native"

    And there the report stopped, the cursor blinking on the monitor patiently waiting for Turo to continue. And it would have to wait quite a bit more, because the screen had been sitting untouched for the best part of two hours now, his owner seemingly much more interested in slowly spinning the leather chair (fake leather, of course. Were would you even get true leather these days?) he was currently slouched into round and round, both arms behind his head, staring at the ceiling of his office. Contrary to the fancy ceiling of the sanity room, this one didn''t have much in terms of decoration - just the standard "regulate the artificial lights automatically to simulate sunlight".

    At the moment, the light was dark orange, reflecting the sunset that was currently visible in real time right outside the window. Just a couple minutes more, and the last rays of sunlight would completely disappear behind the tall buildings of Mesagoza. In ancient times, the city had been built similar to an old fortress, with the Pok¨¦mon Academy built on the top of a hill towering over every other building, looking down on the city. Nowadays, the Pokemon Academy (and the University for more modern studies that had been built near it a couple centuries ago) was neither at the highest point nor the tallest building in the city anymore.

    He felt conflicted about reporting his meetings with Sada. On one hand, he kind of had to do it; on the other, having to write about it in such cold and technical terms, like it was nothing more than an experiment to report on, felt.... Wrong.

    There was also the issue of other people taking interest in his project; now that he had proven that it was possible, nothing was stopping someone else going in the exact same time and place. It was extremely improbable; there was a sort of "code of honor" between researchers of the TTLD: no interfering with other people''s project, unless you were actively collaborating in a joint activity.

    The possibility was there though, and the idea of an entourage of scientists arriving near Sada''s people to study them like in some safari, even if carefully from afar while staying hidden instead of making active contact, was... It made him feel guilty.

    He shouldn''t have felt that way:

    Studying and observing history was what they did, after all. That was the whole point of their job.

    They travelled to the past as silent observers to confirm historical moments, to witness them first hand with a neutral perspective. Sometimes it was to confirm scientific theories, or to preserve artifacts that would have been lost to time otherwise. They did it to make sure not to repeat the mistakes of the past, and cautiously monitored the future to better prepare for it in the present.

    It was right there in their motto, written in clear letters at the entrance of the Time Travel Laboratory Department, and again right on the time machine, something to be reminded of every time you stepped into it.

    Ex tempore, scientia.

    Ex scientia, sapientia.

    "From time, knowledge. From knowledge, wisdom"

    The irony of using a long dead language to write it in hadn''t been lost on him. Whoever had come up with that had to have a nice sense of humour.

    So he shouldn''t feel guilty in reporting all that had happened... But a part of him still did.

    Turo stopped the chair so that it was facing the screen again. With a sigh, he gestured to the screen to resume writing and continued to silently dictate his report, mouthing the words while opening another screen on his left with a flick of his finger to check some data his suit had recorded.

    Info about his vitals, measurements about the environment gathered automatically while regulating said vitals... Audio transcripts of the entire conversation.

    He slipped an earpiece in and started to play the audio back from the very beginning.

    He had to be as accurate as possible.

    ---

    Miraidon leaped excitedly out of the door, the pixelated compound pupils cycling through an array of colours outside of the usual cyan.

    ? Gyaa-?

    ? I know, I know, just let me... Lock the door...? Turo had barely finished scanning his ID through the door when the Pok¨¦mon, growing impatient, started to gently headbutt his shoulder, nipping at his arm.

    Turo laughed softly and let himself be pushed along, exiting their apartment complex and walking into the streets of the megalopolis. It was a nice Saturday morning and the street buzzed with activity;his wasn''t the only Miraidon present, the dragon Pok¨¦mon zipping around roads that, with traffic by now virtually nonexistent for short distances, had been adapted to better use for them and other, still popular vehicles like Rotom bikes.

    A bunch of kids was sitting on benches in a small plaza, excitedly talking about the latest e-sport tournament in some vr game or other.

    He dismissed an ad that started playing on the wall-sized display of a building as soon as he got near, more focused on the news snippets that were playing on the screen next to it.

    Celebrity gossip. The colony on Mars was still stuck in the middle of a global dust storm. Stark mountain in Sinnoh had been erupting for five days straight. The Hassel Art Gallery was holding an art exhibition with pieces from the 24rd century (recovered by the TTLD, by the way).

    A comet that would pass near Earth was closely being monitored, with some people swearing that it was going to be Jirachi''s Millennium Comet (spoiler alert: it wasn''t, it''s orbit was completely mapped and it came near Earth every 300 years or so. That didn''t stop people from romanticism about it).

    He turned to Miraidon while finishing to put on a pair of gloves; his riding clothes were slightly different from his usual body suit, more similar to mountain biking gear. Still sleek and pretty form fitting with a dark purple color(he just... Liked the color), it sported elbow and knee pads in woven borophene to absorb impacts, with the same sturdy but flexible material covering his chest and shoulders, and shoes with magnetic soles to better cling to Miraidon''s back while riding. The last piece of equipment was a full face helmet in a solid black color.

    ? Gyaaaa-?

    Turo could almost feel the dragon next to him raring to go, a static charge building up on his scales while it crouched low on all fours to let him mount on his back.

    He patted the Pok¨¦mon''s neck while jumping on with practiced ease, gripping the two spikes that grew from his front legs and acted as natural handlebars.

    ? All right, let''s go!?

    The Pok¨¦mon let out a piercing shriek and jumped forward, leaping a couple of times on all four legs, still in low power mode, before releasing the electricity it had been storing mid leap to generate two bright energy rings from its throat and tail, changing smoothly into his drive mode before it even touched the ground again.

    Turo lowered himself on the Pok¨¦mon''s back while it sped up along the road, briefly racing with another Miraidon -the rider waving at them- before doing a sharp turn to get on the main road. There the dragon accellerated again, his rings glowing brightly while more electricity and power coursed through them, a roar growing increasingly louder not from the Pok¨¦mon''s throat but from the jet-like vents from his legs.

    Turo loved that feeling; the perfectly aerodynamic shape making him feel every air current, the electricity crackling on his skin and passing over him harmlessly, the fact that he could feel the dragon''s power pushing him faster and faster... there was no other Pok¨¦mon that made riding it feel as viscerally satisfying as his Miraidon did.

    A Rotom bike would never feel this good.

    It was something in their very DNA, humans and Miraidon''s ancestors Cyclizar had developed an almost symbiotic relationship since ancient times. It just felt right for the both of them, and the fact that they had been together since he was little more than a toddler and the Pok¨¦mon barely out of the egg had only made their bond even deeper. His mother always joked that Turo had almost learned to ride Miraidon before learning to walk, and certainly before learning to crawl.

    He tapped the Pok¨¦mon''s right spike and gently pressed his left leg against the Pok¨¦mon''s side, Miraidon reading his body language and turning to the right into another road, towards the city''s southern gate... Which was actually a bit of a misnomer. It was more correct to say that it was the city''s historical southern gate and border.... By now, "Mesagoza" had expanded to become a megalopolis that included Los Platos and another half a dozen cities in South Paldea, almost reaching Cabo Poco on the coast.

    Turo waited until they were officially out of the city''s center before speaking to the Pokemon again. Technically, what he wanted to do wasn''t exactly allowed. He needed a lot of open space and a nice, long road just to be safe.

    ? C''mon buddy, I know you can go much faster!?

    Miraidon snorted and shook his head, turning it''s head enough to glare at him with just one eye, the pupil flickering on and off in annoyance.

    ? Gyaa...?

    Turo just grinned, the helmet masking his expression while he kept teasing the dragon. That was the reaction he was expecting, really. Mostly because it was kinda risky to do. For him, not for Miraidon. But it was also going to be awesome if it worked.

    ? Don''t tell me you''re scared to try that-?

    ? Gwaooooh!?

    That seemed to do it, the Pok¨¦mon roaring indignantly before slowing down slightly, energy rings shrinking in size.

    Turo braced himself, leaning completely forward on the dragon''s back, his helmet almost touching the creature''s smooth neck.

    The crackling of electricity kept rising all around him, Miraidon concentrating on revving up his Hadron Engine to the fullest before rearing up on his hind legs with a screeching, metallic roar. Yellow and purple-blue energy surged through the dragon''s throat, tail and antennae while it started to push itself off the ground on pure electromagnetic power alone, first just levitating and then propelling itself higher and higher.

    Turo laughed while the road they had been following grew smaller and smaller, Miraidon soaring through the sky in his ultimate form at exhilarating speed. The wind was so strong that it kept him pushed flat on the dragon''s back, and made it impossible to hear any sound apart from its howl. To communicate with the dragon, he would have to rely on touch alone, or simply trust it''s judgement.

    They passed Los Platos in the span of fifteen minutes instead of the hour of driving it would have taken them travelling along the highway and kept going south, flying over other districts and towns. He could already see the ocean, high up as they were, the water glittering under the sun and a welcome change of scenery from the constant grey, pure white and bright artificial lights of the city.

    He pressed both legs against Miraidon''s sides and leaned slightly to the left, noticing something on the coast that had caught his attention. The dragon growled in acknowledgement and started to tip forward towards the ground, dropping both altitude and speed while it slowly circled around the spot he had pointed to. Turo slowly straightened his back when the lower speed allowed it, sitting upright on the Pok¨¦mon''s back and observing the building that laid under them, coming closer and closer.

    It looked like an old lighthouse, the very top having broken off and fallen to the ground long ago, crashing through the roof of what looked like a small house built right next to it. And by old, he meant old, the place still looking like it had been built with classic bricks and mortar.

    That had to make it at least a thousand years old, if not much more.

    He directed Miraidon to land on the elevated platform that was still standing, then cautiously dismounted the dragon, almost expecting the entire building to crumble under his feet at the slightest touch. It didn''t.

    He took off his helmet and turned toward the edge of the platform, where a railing had probably allowed people to enjoy the view without risking falling off in the past, but had completely rusted away in the meantime. Being so close to the sea probably had not helped.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    The ladder (not an elevator? Shit that made it even older than he first thought) that had allowed the caretakers or visitors to climb up had met a similar fate, leaving nothing but a gaping hole and a long drop to the ground.

    He stared at the sea for a while; it was strange to think that the ocean was probably the only part of the current view that he could enjoy similarly to people that had stood here in the past, the only scenery that hadn''t changed at all, and hopefully never would.

    It was... strangely comforting.

    ? Let''s keep going, I want to reach Artazon by noon ? he declared after another couple minutes, turning back towards Miraidon. The dragon just stared at him, then hissed softly and briefly flicked his antennae, spreading his gliding membrane open.

    The message was pretty clear: no flying in ultimate mode this time.

    Turo just rolled his eyes, climbing back on the Pok¨¦mon''s back.

    ? Yeah, yeah... All right mom, we''ll do it the boring and careful way...?

    There was another hiss by the lizard dragon and the gliding membrane opened up again before he was finished putting on his helmet, hitting him square on the nose.

    ---

    ? Your nose looks pretty red, is it alright??

    ? Shut up, it''s fine.?

    The sanity room today was a beautiful recreation of the first floor of the Sprout Tower of Violet city. An hologram in the center of the room simulated the famous central pillar of the building, swaying in place, while the sound of creaking floorboards, soft chants and prayers from the monks (personally recorded by current director and head researcher of the TTDL) filled the room. Someone had gone the extra mile and even lighted some incense. Bellsprouts were sadly missing though. It was the kind of atmosphere that made everyone present subconsciously talk in whispers, at least until Ortega snickered while stealing a chair from the next table and sitting down near him.

    ? Was it something in the Paleolithic era? ?

    Turo glared at his colleague, then sniffled. His nose still hurt.

    ? No... Why would it be? Isn''t that what the pre time-jump shots are for? Avoiding getting killed by millennia old bacteria and a dozen other things? ? he answered. Ortega just shrugged.

    ? I don''t know. Maybe you had gotten punched in the face by some caveman.?

    ? No, nothing like that.? he quickly tried to change the subject, not wanting to admit to getting whacked in the face.

    ? How is your project going? What was it again...??

    Ortega was a bit of a weird case in the department, always seeming to swap between one project or another instead of focusing on one thing at a time; Turo could never quite remember what the guy was working on at the moment.

    ? "Confirming historical moments that drastically changed human society in the last couple centuries"? Ortega recited.

    ? Which is just a fancy way of saying "I dick around dressed in historically accurate clothes"? another voice piped up from the table where Ortega had just stolen furniture from. A woman with ferociously red hair sat down opposite from Turo, offering a handshake.

    ? Melany Vega, pleased to meet you?

    He took it, trying not to smile at Ortega looking annoyed.

    ? Hey, dressing for the part is important! Especially in most recent centuries. In ancient times, you can land anywhere and just say "Ooooh, me come from far away land!" and people will believe you because it''s not like they knew better. That doesn''t fly in modern times. People will know something''s up if you show up in impossible clothes. Not to mention getting caught on camera. And the internet. ?

    ? W-wait... Wouldn''t it still be better to at least try and... Look like you fit in? Should I...? ? Turo asked, eyes widening.

    Both fellow time travellers looked at him for a moment.

    ? You''re "Paleolithic era" guy, right? ? Vega asked.

    ... Is that what people were calling him?

    ? Yours is a special case. You go so far back that it doesn''t matter. Even if someone noticed your weird clothes, at most it would become a bit of a strange story and then get lost to time... Unless you did something so memorable that it becomes a legend passed down for all of human history, but in that case, we would have bigger problems on our hands.

    And we wouldn''t even know where to start in making replicas of clothes that pass as historically accurate for you, because we know so little about it. Do it wrong, and it''s even worse. ? Vega answered after a moment. Ortega nodded.

    ? Yeah, best you could do for historical accuracy was showing up naked... And I don''t recommend that.?

    ? ... You sound like you speak from experience.? Turo muttered after a moment.

    Ortega just smiled, refusing to elaborate.

    Turo could only sigh at his senior, then turned back towards the redhead.

    ? If I may ask, what are you working on...??

    ? "Gathering photographic evidence of legendary Pokemon''s sightings in different eras"?

    Turo''s mouth hanged open for a moment.

    ? You chase legendaries? ?

    Arceus, that must have looked badass on your resume.

    Vega nods.

    ? It''s way less epic than what it sounds like. 90% of "legendary Pok¨¦mon" sightings in history are people that had one too many drinks and mistook a Pangoro for an Urshifu or something stupid like that. ? she explains.

    ? You did get that really cool picture of the battle between Groudon and Kyogre in Sootopolis City though. The one from uuuuh... 2005 was it?? Ortega points out.

    ? Those two are always going at it, it''s nothing special! My grandma''s got a picture from their last battle some 50 years ago that looks basically the same! ? Vega rants, looking annoyed.

    ? The only way you can tell the picture is genuinely from 2005 it''s because Steven Stone and those two eco terrorist idiots are chillin'' in the background!?

    The two men both laugh, then to his dismay Ortega manages to bring the conversation back to his nose.

    ? Anyway, what I wanted to say before we got sidetracked was... I would wait a couple more days before jumping back, if I were you. Get that nose back to normal. The less excuses you have to make and keep track of, the better. That''s why I don''t like visiting the same time more than a couple of times. Too much effort. ? he shrugged again.

    It was surprisingly solid advice, and Turo nodded, grimacing a bit. He had hoped to jump back exactly three days later for both him and Sada to try and keep the two timelines as coherent as possible- if nothing else, for his own sanity, because the second jump being an entire month for him and barely a week for her had already been confusing enough, but it looked like things rarely would be that easy to keep track of.

    Still, as long as the disparity was only going to be a couple more days here and there, he could do it...

    ---

    When he had gone back (and his nose gone back to normal) to Sada''s camp he had expected to find her already there, but the place looked abandoned. No pelts or furs to mark a spot where she could have been sleeping, and even someone as clueless as him could see that the fire hadn''t been used in days. She probably had gone back to her group for a couple of days.

    He decides to light the fire himself while waiting for her to arrive, then sets himself down on the ground. He''s brought a second notebook with him - it''s not like he can bring anything more advanced than pen and paper to take notes in. Dropping some paper and a pen in the wrong century? No problem, it will decompose in no time and the most someone can do is doodling on it. Dropping an entire tablet?

    Way more risky if someone else finds it.

    The only exception is his suit, but even then, half of its function only really work when he goes back to his time. Sure, it''s recording every single heart beat of his, or changes in body or external temperature, or fluctuations in hormones and stress levels, but he can''t access the data here, and the suit itself literally only works for the one who wears it, keyed to their DNA.

    He starts to jot down some observations about what has happened until now and what he wants to check today. Sada had showed him a drawing of what was unmistakably a Talonflame, and hadn''t commented on it when he had drawn one himself: that could only mean that in this time Talonflame was already the same as the one he knew from documentaries and pictures. No weird changes like that Proto - Magikarp.

    It made a certain amount of sense. Even in his time, not all Pokemon had slowly changed until they were basically recognised as different species like Miraidon and Cyclizar.

    Some had simply gone extinct, not being able to adapt. Some (not many, admittedly, with the great majority of them being legendaries and mythicals that were so powerful they didn''t need to change) hadn''t felt the need to change further, like Magikarp.

    He wanted to observe a Talonflame of this time if possible... But he was mostly interested in their feathers.

    They were pretty famous for being completely fireproof: people had used them for creating fire- resistant clothes since ancient times, and he wanted to know if Sada knew about that property, but had had no idea how to ask her about it.

    Easiest thing would be to just find some feathers and show her.

    ---

    They had found some feathers, but not the ones he was interested in, and in the meantime, Turo''s been forced to pretend that they are looking for them because he''s cold.

    He''s not, the bodysuit is more than capable of keeping his body at a perfectly comfortable average temperature of 37¡ãC at any time. But he knows that they surely don''t look like warm clothes, and saying that he is fine would just look weird - and the last thing he needs is looking even weirder than he already does.

    Still, the feather they have found is pretty big - big enough that the Pokemon it comes from must have an impressive wing span -, and Sada herself doesn''t seem to know much about it. He slips the feather into his pocket, with half an idea of having the guys from the science department at Uvanja Academy run some DNA tests on it to try and identify what Pok¨¦mon it is.

    The forest has gotten darker and darker as soon as the sun had gone down. Turo shouldn''t be surprised, it''s obvious that it would become dark, but... He had no idea it would be this dark. A total, impenetrable, pitch black darkness that looked ready to swallow them as soon as the fire on the little torch Sada was carrying fizzled out. Anything could be hiding out there.

    He''s suddenly incredibly aware of how spoiled living with artificial light always available has made him. True darkness simply does not exist anymore in his time... Except maybe the bottom of the ocean or something. Places were humans have no business living in any case.

    Anywhere else, there is always a street lamp, or a display or a monitor that''s on 24/7, or his Rotom Phone. His own clothes have stripes with a slight bioluminescence built into them.

    His eyes simply are not used to not having even just a bit of light. And speaking of his clothes, Sada is staring at them, and it occurs to him that maybe wearing something that literally shouts where you are to any nocturnal Pok¨¦mon in the vicinity wasn''t exactly the best of ideas. The fire could be put out, or brandished as a weapon in an emergency. His bodysuit... Not so much. He buttons up his lab coat (which is only slightly more stealthy due to his color, or lack thereof) to hide it completely.

    She takes his hand, which he doesn''t mind. It''s starting to become a constant, her dragging him along and leading the way, but this time he finds himself frozen to the spot when he almost casually lifts his head to glance at the night sky.

    He''s never seen this many stars in real life.

    Too much light pollution in the city, making the night sky look like a foggy black sheet with only the moon and the brighest stars managing to shine through.

    Of course he''s seen pictures, and documentaries, and those stupidly big photographs done with the latest telescopes with a resolution of a bajillion pixels where you could zoom in for a good while before getting tired and closing the tab. He''s even gone to a planetarium a couple of times, but even that time, as cool as it had been, it still had only been a really good 3D picture projected on a (really big) screen.

    There was no sense of depth on a picture or a screen. No way to reproduce the slight vertigo he was feeling in this moment, with the sky so impossibly open and vast over his head and everywhere he looked, just more and more stars.

    Not a single silhouette of a building to cover it. No blinking lights from planes or satellites or space stations.

    He kinda wants to keep staring at the sky for a while, but Sada keeps dragging him along and he can''t do much else but follow her.

    Still, he''s pretty sure that he''s got another stupid smile on his face that''s impossible to stop.

    ---

    He stands corrected: the smile melts off his face when they arrive back to camp and it becomes increasingly obvious that Sada expects him to spend the night with her.

    Not with her, thank Arceus, but still to sleep at the camp until morning (and giving him some blankets made of what looks like thick Mamoswine fur while she is at it, because he''s cold, of course).

    From her point of view, it makes perfect sense.

    From his point of view, it means he can''t leave.

    Not without going poof right in front of her, and that is, of course, bad.

    "Rule number 1 of the time traveller manual" levels of bad. Don''t get seen appearing or disappearing.

    He needs to get a good distance away from her to avoid having the flash of light that accompanies his jumps alert her - or the entire forest for that matter -, but that is just not possible at the moment.

    Turo''s got the distinct impression that the woman is keeping an eye on him even while she is completely draped in blankets herself, ready to bolt and tackle him to the ground if he so much as tries to look like he wants to walk away and get his dumb ass eaten in the forest the instant he steps out of the circle of light, warmth and protection offered by the fire.

    He finally gets an opportunity to slip away almost at dawn, when he is sure that she is fast asleep, but not before slowly and carefully leaving a message with the next date when they can meet up near her. Only two days.

    ---

    It ends up being four on his time, because the time machine is completely booked in the following days, even in the night. That''s also something that was starting to mess with him, having to come and go in the middle of the night, but it had surprisingly worked out this time. Spending an entire night in the past too nervous to sleep, then finally coming back at the crack of dawn and it still being like 3 AM felt amazing and had basically made his tired brain go "yesss, free sleepy time!" when he had come home and crashed asleep on the bed.

    The next day, after finishing his report - he can already hear the jokes about "spending the night there"-, he submits a request for having some analysis performed on the feather he''s brought back. He also makes them analyze the necklace. The answer arrives just a couple of hours later, mostly because there isn''t too much to say.

    Yes, DNA from the necklace and the feathers were a perfect match, so it is the same Pok¨¦mon.

    No, they''ve got no idea what it is.

    "You want us to try and look for the closest genetic relative? That''s going to take a bit more"

    "Sure, go ahead"

    He had made sure to get the necklace back from them, though. By now it was starting to feel weird to not have it around his neck.

    Turo stepped into the time machine, and immediately scowled when the first thing to greet him in the past is rain hitting him in the face. Great, he would have to charge his time-anchor manually this time if it didn''t let up soon.

    There had to be a better way to do this, he thought as he made his way towards the camp, boots squelching through the mud. Can''t Porygon 568 check the weather for him before he jumps? An umbrella would have been weird, but he would have brought at least a jacket.

    This time Sada is already waiting for him, even if it takes him a moment to recognize her; she''s wearing what looks like a primitive grey cape with a hood to protect her from the rain, and a larger than usual bag slung on her back. She''s definitely more prepared than him. Sada must be thinking something similar, because she just looks at him - hair plastered on his face, lab coat getting soaked, probably a tired dead look in his eyes- and shakes her head with half a smile.

    ? Come with me.?

    By now her hand grasping his wrist and pulling him along is becoming a familiar sight; Sada hurries him along in the opposite direction they''ve been going two nights ago, walking increasingly uphill. After a couple of minutes his legs are already burning with pain from the effort; at least the time-anchor''s getting charged. Sada, who is also carrying way more clothes and luggage than him, is barely breathing any faster than normal.

    ... was he horribly out of shape, or were people just built differently back then?

    ... both??

    He slipped on the mud a couple of times and she grabs his arm with both hands to stop him from falling back down the hill, then mercifully stopped for a moment.

    ? Here ? she offers him her spear to use as a makeshift walking stick, and he takes it after a second, feeling absolutely ridiculous. This thing was heavy: a good two meters long, the stone tip masterfully crafted to a sharp point and kept in place by fibers wrapped to make rope. And they used to throw these things.

    His month spent reading up on Stone Age life has taught him one thing: the only reason humans had not only not gone exctinct by sharing the planet with Pok¨¦mon but had risen as the dominant species was thanks to their ability to just throw stuff really, really well. Almost everything else had come from that. Early hominids had literally evolved to throw stuff as efficiently as possible; hell, even the Pok¨¦ball, which they had based their entire society on after it''s invention, had been developed to be thrown.

    They could have made it so it had to be rolled. Or punched. Or simply pointed against the objective, but nah, they had decided "let''s throw that, watch me nail that Bidoof on the head from 30 meters" (or at least, that''s how he had always imagined the first practical demostration of the Pok¨¦ball to have gone down).

    And that was just... wild to him. Even as heavy as it is, the spear helps quite a bit in keeping him upright while walking.

    ? Where... are we... going?? he heaved after a while. Sada turned around for a moment, looking at him a bit worried, then pointed at something that rested at the very top of the hill. He squinted through the rain; the green and brown of the forest disappeared towards a massive crag. Near its base, a rock overhang created a natural space shielded from the rain.

    With a sigh of relief, Turo forces himself to climb the last couple hundred meters until they reach the entrance of the cave.

    He fumbles for his time-anchor while sitting down on the ground and clicks a button to take note of the current coordinates; no way was he going to climb that hill again if he could avoid it.

    Meanwhile, Sada just looks like she did nothing more than have a nice leasurely stroll. She pulls down her hood and sits down near him with a smile.

    ? Hi.? he smiled a bit in response; they have both picked up words from the other, he usually more words from her than the opposite, so hearing her speak something in his language is still kind of strange.

    Turo takes off his lab coat to leave it to dry, and can''t help but notice that Sada is staring at it. With an amused chuckle, he remembers how fascinated by it she seemed to be on their first meeting and offers it to the woman, who stared at him wide-eyed for a moment before taking it with both hands and examining it.

    ? What creature is it?? she wondered.

    ? It''s not... here. ? he answered slowly after a moment. Better just to tell her that it came from some Pok¨¦mon that lived incredibly far away.

    ? Where my, umm... people are.? he added, remembering the word after a short moment.

    Technically the truth. She pouted, evidently disappointed, then gives him back the lab coat and goes for her bag. He''s actually been curious about that: it''s held shut with strips of leather, and is probably full of everything she needs to set up camp somewhere. There''s blankets rolled up, her smaller leather pouch where she seems to gather berries and other perishables, and of course, the notebook, hidden inside one of the blankets... to protect it from the rain, probably. He smiled almost proudly - of course she would be careful like that.

    Sada took the notebook out and flipped it open; he shuffled a bit closer, ready for another language lesson, but the page is completely empty. She actually looks a bit embarassed all of a sudden.

    ? I, umm.... ? she pointed to her own cape and hood, then to his bodysuit.

    ? "Clothes" ?

    Turo nodded, not sure where she was going with this.

    Sada started to rummage in her bag again; usually he is the one to embarass himself in front of her, so seeing her mutter something under her breath while avoiding his gaze is... the only word he can find is "precious".

    It''s adorable.

    ? Turo''s clothes, um... cold. So I... make clothes... my people clothes... ? she showed him what she had taken out of the bag: a big bundle of cloth of various sizes and color, the furs obviously coming from different Pok¨¦mon. And in her other hand, what''s obviously a needle made out of bone.

    She wants to... oh man.

    Looks like he''s getting those "historically accurate clothes" after all.

 Chapter 6: Exchange

    Sada was pretty proud of her idea, but explaining it to Turo proved more difficult than she thought. Still, he seems to get it after a moment, and his reaction is to shake his head and try to refuse. She had been expecting this; from food to her offer to join her settlement, he seems pretty adamant in refusing any kind of help.

    Was he really that fearful and wary of other people?

    This time though, she is not going to budge. He needs those clothes, the ones he is wearing now are completely useless at best and dangerous at worst, and he obviously seems unable to make some himself. Which makes sense, if he''s never even hunted before.

    Sada starts to unravel some thread from her bag, together with some leather strip with little signs cut on it that she is going to use to take measurements - her personal invention. When she lifts her head and turns back towards Turo, measurement tape in hand, she finds him staring at her with a slightly confused look on his face that gives her pause.

    ... What? He''s never done this before? That''s impossible, how would he even get his current clothes to fit so perfectly otherwise? It''s like there wasn''t a single inch of wasted material on those robes... And now that she''s thinking about it, this is the first time she''s seen him without his mantle on and can actually get a good look at the clothes without the fluttering white cape covering most of it.

    A really good look, which makes her realize two things. One, they are... incredibly tight, even all around his shoulders and arms; it makes her feel both amazed and kind of jealous of the sewing abilities of whoever created them. The mysterious material probably helps, normal fur from the creatures that live here just doesn''t stick like that. If it did, it would make it impossible for someone wearing them to move.

    Two, he is pretty lean, to the point of having barely any muscle on him... no wonder he was having so much difficulty simply walking before.

    Sada approaches him and gestures for him to stand up, which he does after a moment.

    She first slips the strip of leather around his neck, to get an idea of how large the hole for the head should have to be and grumbles when he stiffens up and tries to back away.

    ? Just a moment -? she takes a quick note on the notebook - an idea she had just the other day. Her mother taught her how to sew and she takes pride in being quite good at it, getting clothes to fit as much as possible and using the cloth she had available in an efficient way. Which is exactly why she is so determined in getting them right: she doesn''t want them to look shabby compared to his current ones.

    Next she measures his shoulders and chest, and in the meantime, can''t help but keep studying the purple clo... no, it''s definitely not cloth. It''s also not tiny scales like she had originally thought. It really looks like some kind of...shed skin that he somehow wrapped around himself without tearing it, all in one piece. Which is kinda impressive, but also a bit gross. Also what kind of creature would give you a single piece that big?

    "What even is this thing... why make it glow?" she wonders silently, almost absent mindedly prodding the part of his suit that had been glowing the other night,right between his ribs, completely absorbed in her work to the point that she doesn''t notice his increasing discomfort until his breath brushes against her hair for a moment.

    Only then does Sada finally lift her gaze from the little leather strip still wrapped around his chest to find herself eye to eye with him, and realizes that they have never been this close to each other. They have walked together, they''ve sat side by side passing the notebook between them, but she''s never actually gotten this close to him.

    The thought that her curiosity had also gotten the better of her and she had kind of prodded him all over without really thinking about it finally hits her, along with the realization that judging by how he had flinched before, he hadn''t exactly appreciated it.

    Turo''s expression at the moment is evenly divided between slight embarassment and... something she can''t quite point out at first. Frustration, she realizes after a moment.

    That makes her suddenly release the leather strip, letting it fall to the ground, and take a step back. Was he... angry at her? Sada bites her lip and turns around, feeling suddendly guilty. Right. This had been stupid. He had sayed no at first, and she should just have listened to him, even if she didn''t understand his reasoning. But... she had just wanted to help...

    Sada gets pulled back all of a sudden; she turns around, surprised, to find that Turo has

    grabbed her by the wrist with one hand, and picked up the measurement tape with the other.

    ? No, you... make clothes.? he nods after a moment, giving her a smile. Just a small one, the corners of his mouth barely twitching upwards, but his eyes light up in the subtle way that only a genuine smile can do. He isn''t forcing one just to be polite.

    He wasn''t one for big smiles, she had noticed, apart from that one time he had exploded into a complete laughing fit for... some reason that she still didn''t quite get. And when he had smiled with wonder at the stars, it hadn''t been directed at her like it was now. Which makes his smile now look even more... Genuine. Special.

    ? Just... ? he points to himself and starts to wrap the tape around his chest again. ? ... let me do it.?

    She returns the smile after a moment of indecision -what was that frustration just now, then?-, much wider, before approaching him again.

    With her explaining how to do it and occasionally keeping one end of the tape, they manage to get all the measurements done quite quickly. She happily looks at all the notes she''s taken, then starts rummaging around the pile of furs to select the pieces she will have to cut and sew together.

    In the meantime, Turo sits back down - looking quite relieved for the whole thing to be over- and takes a little piece of cloth from the pile, turning it around in his hands.

    ? You make...? a slight pause where he looks around, before pointing at the spear left near them and miming using it to stab something. ? ... this??

    She just looks at him perplexed. Is he asking if they got the fur themselves? Well... yes? How else would get them?

    ? Yes. My people hunted them. "Hunt"? she repeats and mimes stabbing something back at him, and he winches a bit and looks uncomfortable, looking back at the fur in his hands. It was mostly yellow, with just two brown stripes almost at the center, and belonged to one of the furry rodents that would sometimes sneak into their camp to steal food. Nobody liked them, so they didn''t even bother giving them a name other than "the pests" and they were pretty much attacked on sight.

    His reaction still puzzled her; it was obvious that he didn''t hunt personally, but... of course he must have known that people did it for him back in his tribe? He couldn''t have been that sheltered, didn''t he? But then why would he look so uncomfortable at the idea?

    The only thing she can think of to explain it is that maybe, back in his place, the fuzzy yellow creatures were actually seen differently...?

    ? Your... Turo''s people not hunt them...?? she tries to ask, and after a couple moments of thinking, he just chuckles a bit and shakes his head.

    All right. Weird.

    Sada looks back down on the piece of Steady Glacier pelt she''s working with, trying to bore some holes in it with a sharp stone she took out of her bag, where the needle will then go through.

    ? Why? ? she asks after a moment, looking back at him. That''s a bit of a difficult question though, and she doesn''t expect him to understand her. It frustrates her, how slowly they are progressing. With stuff you can point at or mime, physical actions, they are getting by and learning words quickly, sure... the drawings are also helping for stuff you don''t always have around. Some little things she also picked up by context, if he says something incomprehensible but is obviously referring to something they both know.

    But other things... she wants to asks him why he had looked frustrated right now, if it wasn''t for the clothes. Where he disappears every time (and especially how). How his life was before, if he had really never seen the stars or barely walked around, to the point of being completely out of breath after a stroll. Why he had left his group.

    Was he on the run? Were they looking for him?

    As she expected, Turo just shakes his head, then throws the little pelt back in the pile and sits back down, arms resting on his knees. Now that she thinks about it... she steals a glance to his right wrist. There. There''s a thing on his arm that he''s always fiddling with, she has noticed. It''s usually covered by the white mantle, so now it''s her first time getting a good look at it. It looks like some bracelet, made of strange parts attached together perfectly, like most of his stuff.

    ? What is it? ? she asks, pausing briefly to point at it. He automatically tries to hide his hand away, before realizing that he is not wearing the mantle.

    ? My people... make it. ? Turo still seems to try to cover it up by putting his other hand over it, even if subconsciously. It must be important to him. A memento?

    But it always looks like he does something with it, because she has caught him slipping his other hand into the sleeve to touch it a couple of times.

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Was it some kind of... ritual? Like how some hunters would paint their faces and cover themselves with furs of the creatures they wanted to hunt, to summon their spirit for good luck?

    ? Why...?? she asks again, before realizing with a frustrated sigh that that question would not bring her any answers. She had to word it differently. She puts the fur down and thinks quietly for a couple of long moments, biting her lip.

    ? Sada... um, "I" ? she stresses the word and points to herself for good measure, trusting him to realize that she is still referring to herself.

    ? I am... "hunter". I "hunt". ? Sada tries to emphasize the difference between the two words and mimes some quick spear attacks for good measure.

    ? Turo... "you"...??

    Turo''s been completely silent the whole time, just listening and quietly staring at her, dark brown eyes completely inscrutable. It makes her heart start beating faster and feel suddenly nervous, the way that his face shows absolutely no emotion right now. Just what is he thinking...?

    He breaks eye contact to stare at the ground for a second, giving another one of his almost invisible half-smiles.

    ? "I" am... no "hunter".? he chuckles after a moment shaking his head and her heart skips a beat, because his accent had been almost perfect this time, and this is probably the most coherently sound exchange they''ve ever had without having to stumble or mime their way through half the words, as basic as it was. He got it. He understood her!

    "We can do this"

    ? What... are you?? she asks after a moment. She just wants... a word, even if in his language. They can start with that. Just... something to define him with, that lets her know that he actually has some kind of... role, or position in his tribe, to draw parallels from.

    Turo hesitates a second, his left hand briefly scratching at his chin while he seems to ponder something. He lowers his hand and raises in eyes to meet hers again.

    ? I am... a scientist.?

    ? "Scient....ist."?

    That... was that his word for shaman? What other roles could there be in the tribe?

    His next words completely shatter her bubbling excitement, throwing her into complete confusion.

    ? You are... a scientist.?

    ... what? She is no shaman. She literally just told him that her position is that of huntress. Has he completely misunderstood her after all?

    ? No, I...?

    ? Yes, you are.? he leans closer towards the notebook that''s been laying between them and flips back to the first page, points to the notes she''s taken, the drawings, the little tests with the torn paper and the smudged ink where she had got it wet and realized for the first time that it would be better to keep the paper away from the rain.

    ? This. All this... make you a scientist.? there is an... intensity in his voice that she''s never heard before. He is utterly convinced.

    She doesn''t quite understand what he means, but he believes in it fully.

    So, for him, is it more like... a title...? For what?

    ? And that is... beautiful.? Turo whispers something to himself, something she can''t understand yet. She will not be able to for quite some time.

    ---

    Turo had left at sunset, walking back down the hill until he had disappeared through the trees, promising to come back after five nights at this same spot. As always, she had to suppress the urge to just sneak after him, choosing to keep working on his clothes. It would take a couple of days before she''s finished with them, especially because she still has to provide for herself in the meantime - better to keep her berry bag untouched for the actual trip back to the settlement.

    It happens right when Sada is out hunting; she''s been looking for eggs to steal this time, and the fastest way to do it was to find a Slither Grip. Long and completely purple, she had noticed them wrapped all around tree branches to sneak over an unsupervised nest and swallow the eggs whole while the parents were away. Stalk one of them, scare it away while it''s busy eating the first egg, and you had free access to all others. Easy.

    She crouched low behind a bush, spear slung over her shoulder, staring at the purple and yellow creature that was making it''s way up the tree, gripping the branches with two short claws near the upper part of it''s body, when a low thud fills the air. Wings flapping, pretty big ones. Sada stares at the tree tops for a moment, worried; she can''t see what kind of eggs they are, but if that is the sound of one the parents coming back to the nest, it would be better to retreat, fast. A shadow passes over the ground for a moment, and the creature seems to pass right over them; she manages to catch just to quickest glimpse of something red, and big, before it''s gone, wings flapping heavily to keep it afloat. Is it going to land near here...?

    The Slither Grip had also paused briefly, it''s tail making a slight rattling noise, before deciding that the food right in front of it''s nose was evidently more important. It opens it''s jaw wide and gobbles up the first egg, and Sada stands up.

    If she wants to act, she has to do it now. She throws a rock she has carefully prepared before at the creature, nailing it on the head. The Slither Grip is still busy swallowing and can''t do much else than angrily rattle it''s tail at her. Another rock chucked right on it''s nose makes it finally decide that the rest of the eggs are not worth the possible injuries of getting repeatedly pelted with rocks, and it slithers away much like the name implies, rattling all the way down the tree. As soon as it''s gone, she quickly climbs the tree herself and carefully makes her way to the nest by crawling along the branch, legs and arms wrapped around it. The remaining three eggs are a bit smaller than what she would have liked, but better than nothing. She really carefully puts the eggs inside her bag and starts making her way back down the tree, satisfied. If only finding something to eat would be so easy every day...

    Sada freezes when she hears something moving right under the tree, in the direction of where the Slither Grip had disappeared. There is a threatening rattle - definitely the purple creature, then a growl from something else that she''s never heard before.

    She quickly finishes climbing back from the tree and grabs her spear, conflicted.

    On one hand, caution tells her to get away while she can. On the other hand, her curiosity makes her want to at least see what the misterious creature is.

    Her curiosity wins.

    Sada prowls through the underbrush, until she manages to catch a glimpse from the creature. It''s definitely the one that flew overhead just before, and she finds herself staring at it in complete amazement. It''s beautiful. Much bigger than the Slither Grip that it is currently staring down, it is standing upright on two strong legs covered in red scales like most of it''s body, except for part of it''s tail and throat that are completely black, and a white underbelly. A magnificent crest of big colorful feathers runs all along it''s back and head, and she immediately recognizes them as the same ones she had used for Turo''s necklace.

    The creature stares at the Slither Grip for another long moment, then pounches with unexpected speed, grabbing the purple creature in it''s maw. The Slither Grip''s struggle is cut short when it bites down on it and shakes it''s head violently, then tips it''s head back to swallow it. It licks it''s lips, then lowers it''s gaze... and stares straight at her, the dark pupils on bright orange eyes narrowing in catching sight of her.

    It''s throat seems to expand suddenly and another growl, much louder than the one it had done just before, reverberates through the air.

    Along with something else; Sada finds herself drenched in sweat, and not just from nervousness. The air has suddenly gotten much hotter around the creature while it squares her up.

    She tightens her grip on the spear, heart hammering in her chest while she considers her chances; honestly? They weren''t good. No way is she defeating this thing with a single spear. It''s gotten way too close to her and is way too fast. No, the only way she is getting away from it is by distracting it. Make herself not worth the effort.

    She slowly, slowly slips her free hand into the bag and gets one of the eggs out. The creature tilts it''s head to it''s side and hisses, but does not attack.

    She crouches and deposits the egg onto the ground, then takes some steps back.

    It''s looking at the egg, then back at her.

    It goes on four legs to sniff at it, tongue darting in and out for a moment, then snatches it up and swallows it. It licks it''s lips again, then looks back at her, still on four legs.

    Sada gets the second egg out, and the creature waits until she takes another step back before eating that too. It''s eyeing her bag now, sniffing the air.

    She scowls for a moment, then gets the last egg out.

    ? This was supposed to be mine...? she mutters while it happily devours the last egg, before looking back at her. It growls softly and suddenly spreads it''s wings, flapping them with enough force to send her sprawling to the ground and taking off into the skies. Sada is left staring at the spot where the creature had disappeared, where a couple of white and blue feathers were fluttering to the ground.

    It hadn''t attacked her. It easily could have, but it didn''t.

    Against all better judgement, she decides to leave some food for it out every day in the same spot.

    ---

    Sada can''t wait for Turo to come back, and those five day and nights seem to pass excruciatingly slow. She wants to show him his new clothes, which she has completed in the meantime, and proudly announce that she''s discovered what the strange creature is, since he also had looked interested in it. She can''t wait to see his reaction to both things.

    The food she is leaving where she met the creature disappears every day; it could be any other nearby creature eating it, but Sada has been finding more and more traces of the red creature around the forest. More feathers of the same color and lenght, even some scales, and she even caught it flying high in the sky a couple of times. It definitely looked like it lived around here.

    She tries to draw it as better as she can in the notebook, and takes some notes about it. Really strong and bulky, definitely one of the strongest predators in the area. Could fly with the feathers on it''s head, and enlarge a part of it''s throat. It looked like a meat eater, but she had tried to leave some berries and roots and those had disappeared too. If no other creature had been the one to eat them, then it probably ate everything... but had showed no interest in eating her. Why?

    People were an easy meal for most creatures, and she had been pretty much defenseless. It had looked way more interested in her bag... or the eggs, more probably. Maybe it just had been full.

    At midday of the fifth day, she notices Turo come out of the trees and make his way toward the cave, not without stopping to catch his breath. Guy probably couldn''t run to save his life. She is way too excited to wait for him to arrive and sprints towards the man.

    ? Turo! Your necklace! I''ve found the creature! It''s so beautiful and strong and it can fly and- ? he probably can''t understand even half of what she is saying, but she doesn''t care, she just grabs his hand with both of hers and pulls him along.

    She''s pretty much dragging him up towards the cave, and she can''t help but laugh at his absolutely confounded expression, both eyebrows knitted while he is trying to puzzle out what she is saying based on the words he knows.

    ? Look here!? she grabs the notebook and shows him the drawing she''s done, pointing to the big crest of feathers she''s drawn on the head, then to one of those same feathers she has found in these past days. He gets it immediately, his eyes starting to shine while he examines the page.

    Turo sits down, takes his own notebook out, and starts to copy her drawing.

    She squeezes close to him to observe him work; like the first time, he is quick to get the basic shapes down, and starts drawing little lines and symbols she can''t understand near it, pausing every now and then to check his work.

    He points to one of the symbols she has drawn on the page.

    ? This... what is it??

    Oh, that was the one she had drawn to note that it seemed to like eggs. It was just a small circle, but with no context, no wonder that he had no idea what it meant.

    ... how could she explain it?

    ? Umm... "eggs". ?

    No reaction from him, because of course he has never heard the word before.

    ? Umm... wait.? she flips back to the drawing of the Fire Wing, and draws a little nest with three eggs in it. That should be self-explanatory... as long as he isn''t so clueless that he''s never seen eggs before.

    ? This creature... ? she flips back to the drawing of the red beast.

    ? "Eats eggs".? she mimes putting something in her mouth and he seems to get it, nodding and writing down something on his page, more lines and symbols. She tilts her head at his notes, curious. It doesn''t look like he is drawing anything in particular, at least nothing that she can recognize, they are more like... squiggly lines that mean something to him.

    Weird. What if he forgets what one line means? How can he make sense of it?

    She kind of wants to ask, but is not sure how. Also, she has something else to show him. Excited, she gets his new clothes out of her bigger travelling back and scoots back to his side.

    ? Your clothes! ? she announces with a big smile. Turo raises his head from the notebook and his eye go wide. They are done mostly in Steady Glacier fur - which of course means that they are perfect against the cold, warm and cozy. Light brown in color, there''s three pieces. One garment to drape over the head, with a hood lined with thick purple fur - she''s pretty proud of that little detail, to call back to his own clothes. A pair of long pants, and she even had some fur left for some boots. Not so different from what she is wearing, apart from material and color. He takes them slowly and stares at them in complete silence. It''s actually making her a bit nervous: what if he does not like them?

    Turo stands up, looking a bit lost. He takes off his mantle, then hesitates, before slowly putting the hood over his own clothes. She had expected him to take them off completely -she''s still wondering about how he actually does that-... but he probably just doesn''t feel comfortable without them. That''s fine with her, as long as he isn''t cold anymore.

    When Turo finished putting on the rest of the clothes, though, she finds herself simply staring at him, surprised. Now that he''s dressed exactly like any other man of her tribe, he suddenly looks completely different, much more... normal. He''s still as pale as death, but the hair and beard look a lot less unnerving without the weird clothes making them stand out even more. He looks... good, she realizes with a little surprise.

    ... and then he slips the shiny mantle back on, and she finds herself laughing at how strange it looks. She kind of likes that about him, though.

 Chapter 7: Daisy Bell Blues

    ? Time anchor ID 9537 has returned from space-time coordinates 48¡ã51¡ä12¡å N, 2¡ã20¡ä55¡å E. Welcome back, Dr. Romero Turo. Hope you had a safe trip.? the by now familiar voice of Porygon 568 welcomed him back to his time as he stepped out of the time machine, the Pok¨¦mon briefly zipping around him for a quick scan. There it stopped for a second and clacked its beak, puffing up its virtual feathers.

    ? Analysis of body language, pupil dilation and breathing pattern indicate heightened emotional state. Is medical assistance required?? it asked, causing Turo to blink and actually look at the Pok¨¦mon, caught by surprise. First time it had said anything else outside of the ordinary procedure.

    ? What...? No, everything''s fine. ? he answered, before stopping by the door to look at the Porygon with a touch of amusement.

    ? Were you worried about me? Do you also ask the others how they are doing? ?

    Porygon 568 paused for a moment, then puffed up its feathers again with a little spark of electricity surrounding it, eyes flashing yellow.

    ? ... it is in my interest to ensure that users of the time-machine remain in peak physical and psychological condition. That is all.? it answered, then turned around and decompiled itself into code, disappearing inside the console of the time machine with a last beep that somehow managed to sound annoyed.

    Now alone, Turo made his way towards the teleporters. It was almost dawn; he still had to use the night slots for his jumps, and that was starting to mess up his day and night cycle.

    Thing is, Porygon 568 hadn''t been wrong. His last visit with Sada had been... something. He hadn''t expected her to offer to make clothes for him... and especially not to pull out a measurement tape (were they already used? Or had she literally come up with the idea herself?) and insist on taking his measurements right then and there.

    Her approach had been very... hands-on, so to speak. He wasn''t used to it; it wasn''t exactly necessary to measure for clothes anymore, or even try them on before buying for that matter. They were either one-size-fits-all, automatically adapting to your body shape or, in the very rare occasion where you actually wanted something custom made, you just got a couple of pictures taken from different perspectives and the tailoring software would just automatically calculate everything.

    Turo hadn''t expected her to get so close to him, completely ignoring his personal space when she had gotten distracted by examining his suit from up close.

    The way her eyes had started to gleam while she pondered the problem in front of her, so lost in her own little world of questions and hypotheses to not even notice what she was doing, it just...

    She was just so bright. And that had... frustrated him terribly. Almost angered him.

    It wasn''t fair. There she was, one of who knows how many people with brilliant minds and the potential to change history... born in the completely wrong era.

    Too early. Way too early.

    It wasn''t fair, he thought again while entering his apartment.

    Sada had that spark in her, that drive to never stop asking questions, to want to understand the world around her, even when she barely had any tools at her disposal, even while lacking the words to articulate those questions.

    It wasn''t fair... how much the thought of her being both so close, yet so impossibly far away hurt him.

    He almost angrily got out of his clothes and stepped into the shower, welcoming the cold water hitting him. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against the shower glass, taking deep breaths.

    What was he even trying to accomplish, here? Sure, he had his nice little project going. But that''s exactly what it was: a project. A job. Something that had to produce results with a definite deadline. His deadline still wasn''t set in stone - he had the little advantage of being the "new guy that still has to get used to the job", so they were a bit more lenient in expecting actual results from him. Honestly, just that one initial successful jump, even if accidental, would already look good on his CV and, worst case, would even pass as the only "actual" result of his research.

    Once his project had ended, he would have to choose a new objective. Even if he decided to specialize in that time period, like some of his colleagues did - Ortega seemed to prefer contemporary history, only going to the last 500 years or so - ... there were literally centuries to explore. Entire continents in different time periods to examine. He couldn''t just keep visiting that exact same spot in time.

    So that meant that his visits to Sada had a hard time limit. A finite number.

    And he had absolutely no idea what to do once that number would reach zero.

    Turo flinched and opened his eyes when he realized that the water had turned from cold to scalding in the meantime, getting quickly out of the shower.

    ? ... what am I even supposed to write in that stupid report right now? ? he asked nobody in particular once he had gotten into bed, pinching the base of his nose.

    Miraidon just growled and nuzzled his other hand, not sure how to comfort him. He patted the empty space by his side on the bed and the Pokemon jumped up on it, curling up in a semicircle all around him. The dragon''s hide was smooth and hard, its metallic shine reflecting the first rays of sunshine that were coming in from the window. He darkened the window with a wave of his hand, then settled down against Miraidon after propping a pillow against the Pokemon. Not exactly the most comfortable surface to sleep against, but he had never minded it much.

    He could feel the low hum of electricity that coursed through the dragon change in intensity while it slowly drifted asleep. That sound had been a constant companion to him since his childhood; by now it was synonymous with... Warmth, safety and affection. Lulled by that barely audible droning sound, Turo slowly let himself fall asleep.

    ---

    To his dismay, he got woken up after what seemed to him an instant later by an incoming call. After a couple of failed gestures he managed to flick a screen open in front of his face without standing up from his bed, picking up the call in voice only mode. He glanced at the corner of the screen to read the time. 7:34 AM. He had barely slept for two hours.

    ? What... ??

    ? There''s a problem with the time machine. All jumps are cancelled.?

    That woke him up quick. Turo sat upright, the screen automatically moving to follow his head, Miraidon blinking awake right behind him.

    ? Has there been... an accident? ? he swallowed, suddenly feeling anxious. Who''s turn was it to use the time machine this morning...?

    Vega...? No, she had gone yesterday, her next trip was scheduled for next Monday...

    Everyone in his field of work knew the horror stories of what could happen if there were problems during a jump. The reports of the very first test jumps - those that had ended badly- were mandatory reading.

    "Mismatch" was the cold, technical term for most problems that could happen during a jump. In theory, his own first jump had been a mismatch, but he had been lucky that it had only involved a slight offset on the time coordinate, all things considered.

    People had been lost to space. Literal space, because the time machine had shot them at a point in time where the planet had been in a different position around the sun. Or inside the ground. Or right in the middle of a natural disaster.

    Or they had simply... disappeared in time, in whatever direction. How far off had they ended up, either in the past or future? No idea. The time machine hadn''t been able to print the number, leaving that part of the report eerily blank.

    Both possibilities were terrifying just to think about.

    After that, in the following decades, they had learned really fucking quick to write software that would calculate and check those coordinates, and then other software that would check that software, and implemented countermeasures, error handling, routine maintenance... but accidents could still happen. The possibility was never zero: people just didn''t want to think about it.

    He held his breath, expecting some horrifying news.

    ? Fortunately, no. Porygon 568 must have felt that something was wrong and cancelled the time jump at the very last moment. It''s been acting up strangely ever since though. You are our expert in Artificial Pok¨¦mon Programming, so...?

    Turo let out a sigh of relief; at least nobody had ended up hurt or worse. Still, those were bad news. Porygon 568 pretty much was the time machine; without him, executing a time jump would be too risky.

    ? I''m coming. Give me twenty minutes.? he answered.

    Eighteen minutes after the call, the time necessary for a quick shower to wake him up completely, get dressed, run to the nearest teleporter and notably not eat anything, he entered the time machine room. He wasn''t alone. One of the nurses from the nearby Uvanja academy had evidently been called to examine the... well, "Pok¨¦mon" part of Porygon 568, its physical body so to speak.

    ? What''s wrong with him?? he asked, kneeling to get a better look at the Pok¨¦mon. For once, it wasn''t floating at eye level with a human, but actually touching the ground, "wings" pressed close to it''s body and eyes closed. Every couple of seconds it would spasm almost violently and shake its head, its eyes would snap open for a brief moment and, for lack of a better term, glitch out in a series of random symbols.

    It was a pretty pitiful sight. He patted the Pok¨¦mon on the head a couple of times, trying to comfort it.

    ? Physically, nothing... he didn''t get injured in any way.? the nurse seemed perplexed.

    ? But if you directly ask him what is wrong... Porygon 568, status report.?

    ? SEGMENTATION FAULT CANNOT ACCESS MEMORY AT ADDRESS 0x2fffff ? it screeched suddenly. Both humans flinched at the Pok¨¦mon''s sudden voice change.

    ... uh, maybe he could look into that too, there really was no reason for it to blast errors in that tone of voice.

    Seriously, it just sounded needlessly creepy.

    ? Whatever it is that caused this, it must be some error in his code.? the nurse added. Turo nodded, opening up a terminal by his side while he considered how to approach the problem.

    ? All right, I''ll see what I can find... you keep monitoring his physical state. Porygon 568, activate debug mode, authorized by administration key 04860. ? he spoke enunciating the necessary credentials. Someone messing with a Porygon''s code, especially a Porygon that was handling something as delicate as a time machine, was, of course, bad, so he was one of the few people in the department to have the necessary keys to directly access the Pok¨¦mon''s data.

    ? Access g-granted ? it answered after a moment, shuddering. Even its voice was slightly distorted. Turo furrowed his eyebrows, thinking. What had happened?

    ? Show me the stack trace for the last hour...? he asked, and a list of executed commands and subroutines started streaming over his terminal.

    He went from kneeling to sitting cross legged on the floor to hunched over the screen when he realized that this was probably going to take a while.

    ---

    It took him ten days of almost non-stop work to isolate the issue with Porygon 568, and he still had no idea of what happened in the actual time machine. Best he could do at the moment was setting up some more error handling procedures so that, if something similar happens again, at least it won''t directly affect Porygon 568 so much.

    In the meantime, the entire department was pretty much anxiously breathing down on his neck while twiddling their thumbs, waiting for the green light to resume their respective projects, and it is pissing him off quite a bit - it''s not like he was keeping everything on hold for fun, he also wanted to resume his time jumps as soon as possible.

    ? So how long will it take you to fix this?? Ortega asked after poking his head in Turo''s office for the third time that morning, coffee in hand.

    ? Not my words, by the way. The director''s. ? the other man added after a moment when Turo glared at him, offering him the mug of coffee as a gesture of peace. Turo, grateful, took a sip before realizing that it was boiling hot and hurriedly putting it down, huffing.

    ? Argh... I''m not "fixing" anything, I''m just making sure that at least Porygon doesn''t literally... crash again. ? he said, as soon as his mouth stopped burning.

    Ortega sat down in front of him, watching Turo type away at the screen in midair, more serious than usual.

    ? So you don''t know what happened in the time machine??

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Turo shook his head, not turning away from the console that was floating in front of his face.

    ? Could have been anything. The settings weren''t any different from any other jump we''ve done, so it shouldn''t be anything on our part. Porygon 568 says that he sensed something right before deciding to cancel the jump. ?

    ? "Something"? Didn''t he have anything more specific? ?

    Turo shook his head again.

    ? But... Porygon''s pretty much an AI. They don''t do vague, and he still can''t tell what happened?? Ortega added. Only then did Turo stop and flick the screen in front of his face to the side to look at his colleague.

    ? No... and that''s what worries me. We like to think that we know so much about time travel, that everything is perfectly safe, that we can treat it the same as stepping in any teleporter to go shopping, or a trip to the Moon... then stuff like this happens and we realize that we still don''t know shit about how it actually works. It frustrates me.? he answered after a moment, reclining back in his chair and taking another cautious sip of coffee.

    Ortega thinks for a couple of long seconds, then sighs.

    ? If you are sure that there was no error on our side, then there is nothing else we can do. There will never be a completely fool-proof system-?

    ? I can sure try-? Turo mumbled under his breath.

    ? - and you would fail miserably. You said that we can''t treat it the same as a teleporter or the Moon... but even those are not perfect. A teleporter could disintegrate you at the atomic level. You could die in space. Or you could wake up one morning, slip in the shower and break your neck. What''s the difference? ? he shrugs, and Turo just quietly stares at the man for a couple of long seconds.

    Ortega''s always had this... flippant, devil-may-care attitude toward his job - or life in general, it looked like. His projects were always short and to the point. Never visiting the same point in time more than a couple of times, if he could help it. From what he had read of his reports, never interacted much with the natives of the time period he visited.

    He slipped in, perfectly camouflaged in his "historically accurate clothes", witnessed history, and came back. He couldn''t imagine doing the same thing.

    Treating it like just... just a normal job.

    ? I... I don''t understand you sometimes. You and the others in the department. Are you really not scared of a mismatch...?? he asked, exasperated. They looked more worried about their projects running late than... you know, not getting torn to pieces or worse in the time machine because of a stupid error in the code.

    Was it because he was still relatively new, at least in the role of "active" time traveller...?

    ? Of course I''m scared... but I''ve made peace with the fact that if it happens, I mean... there''s probably still worse ways to go. And you have to admit that "Got shot at the end of time and witnessed the heat death of the universe" would sound awesome as an epitaph.? Ortega laughed.

    ... ok, yeah, he had to admit that it sounded kind of cool.

    ----

    In the end, it took almost a month for things to go back to normal: they had slowly started doing time jumps again, nervously monitoring the first couple of runs. They had also reduced the number of times the time machine could be booted up each day: for all they knew, maybe it was under too much stress.

    That meant that he had inevitably also built up some more time discrepancy with Sada; he had promised to come back to that cliff, like... five days later...?

    Was it five or six?

    Turo had to replay the last conversation he had recorded just to be sure; he mentally thanked the fact that he had spoken the words out loud as a pure coincidence. Had he simply written it down in her notebook like he had done that night under the stars, he would have been screwed and would have had to guess.

    He steps into the time machine room, where the usual Porygon 568 and the nurse for the medical check-ups are waiting for him. He exchanged a brief nod with the artificial Pok¨¦mon, who was busy calculating the coordinates.

    ? Update coordinates for the jump?? it asked while the nurse is slipping the needle into his shoulder. Turo barely noticed it anymore, and checked that the time-anchor is strapped securely to his wrist, before clicking a couple of buttons on the device.

    ? Yes, set these spacial coordinates as the new landing zone for this time, just move it some... 200 meters south, and add... let''s do 4 days and 12 hours to the last time coordinate.? he answered after thinking for a moment. As much as he wanted to, appearing exactly by the cliff would be too risky.

    He steps into the time machine with a newfound nervousness and keeps an eye on Porygon 568 while it boots up, almost expecting it to start suddenly glitching out, time and space distorting all around him before sending him who knows where.

    Thankfully, nothing feels out of the ordinary and he takes a deep breath, closing his eyes, and a moment later opens them up again in the distant past. He is not quite at the top of the hill they had climbed last time, still hidden by the trees - good, that''s exactly what he had wanted.

    He had barely started to make his way uphill when he hears Sada''s voice call out to him.

    Turo looked up just to see her pretty much sprint towards him at full force.

    He can''t help a little smile in seeing her; he had missed her in that entire month spent mostly staring at computer code and error messages, sometimes finding himself distracted by wondering about what she was doing in that moment... before brutally reminding himself of the fact that the answer was nothing, because she''s dead in the present, she has been dead for centuries you idiot-

    But she is alive here, and he just wants to forget about everything for a couple of hours and enjoy the time he can spend with her.

    His smile turned to confusion when she launched in some excited explanation and he realized that he''s one month out of practice with her language, and oh arceus those are a lot of words, coming really fast-

    He managed to catch that it''s something about the necklace, but after that, he is completely lost and just lets himself get pulled along. His confusion must show pretty clearly on his face because Sada laughs at him, tugging at his hand. She''s so obviously excited about something that it just warms his heart.

    When Sada shows him the notebook and he gets what she was talking about, he can''t help but get a bit excited himself. The DNA analysis had come back during that month, and it had showed the closest still living relative of the mysterious Pok¨¦mon as... Miraidon, strangely enough. So he had expected something similar to a Cyclizar, but this drawing... this looked like something else entirely, and not just because of the feathers.

    An ancestor of Miraidon from the distant past that no one had ever heard about; this was huge.

    He had to take some notes about it.

    He started to copy her drawing, trying to reproduce the sketch as closely as possible, and added some notes all around, stuff he wants to check better later. Four limbs, not dissimilar to Miraidon, but with feathers covering his body... what functions did those feathers have? They were big, but didn''t look strong enough to make him fly... then again, Cyclizar couldn''t fly too... maybe it was something that came only after the transition into Miraidon...?

    Sada had also taken some notes with her little pictograph drawings, and he puzzled over them for a couple of seconds. Without knowing what Sada''s intention behind each pictograph was, it was pretty much impossible for him to guess at their meaning. There was the drawing of a flame... which could mean anything from the color of the scales to the fact that it could actually breath fire for all that he knew. That was the problem with ideographic scripts; really only the author knew what he or she meant to say with each symbol.

    He gives up trying to decipher them and asks about one of them.

    She says something incomprehensible that could be anything, then shows him something on the page about the Talonflame.

    Oh right, the Talonflame-- he had forgotten all about that.

    ... he really needed to start jotting down a lot more stuff about what happened during his jumps, especially little things like these that weren''t important enough to end up in the official reports.

    Sada drew a little nest with... oh, of course. Eggs...?

    So the Proto-Miraidon (he needs to find a better name) ate... eggs?

    That''s a strange diet. Miraidon has never showed much interest in those... a lot must have changed. He writes it down, then a sudden thought hits him: wait... how would she even know this? She must have seen it from quite close... but like he had personally experienced, Pok¨¦mon were absolutely vicious in this time.

    ... just what exactly had she been doing in these five days?

    Something dangerous, most probably.

    Turo is so focused on the two notebooks that he doesn''t really notice Sada getting something else out of her bag until she literally shoved it in front of him with an enormous smile on her face.

    His...?

    Oh wait. The clothes. Of course.

    He had expected a cape with a hood to be fair, similar to what she had worn in the rain, but she had really... sewed him an entire set of clothes, it looked like.

    For him.

    ... it makes him feel so guilty - all that work, and actually he doesn''t even need them - that he initially just stared at them in stunned silence, before slowly taking them and standing up.

    He should... put them on, at the very least. Turo took off his lab coat and hesitated for some long moments. He... really does not want to take off his bodysuit, so he compromises by slipping the primitive jacket, trousers and finally the boots right over it.

    They fit him perfectly... and they are strangely heavy, at least for someone like him who''s used to wearing form-fitting, ultra light fabric that was designed to make moving as easy as possible. He isn''t used to stuff... pushing down on him like that. The thick Mamoswine fur (he is almost sure it is Mamoswine fur, by the color and just how long it was) also added a lot of volume, another thing he isn''t really familiar with. It is... weird, to move his arm or his leg and feel so much stuff all around it. And of course, they are incredibly warm, because that had been the whole point of them after all.

    Turo quietly stroked the fur of one of the sleeves.

    ... this must have taken so much work.

    So many precious resources; those Mamoswine pelts... it wasn''t like in his time, where all fabric was synthetic and manufactured. Someone had risked their life to hunt these- maybe even Sada herself.

    And it was going to get completely wasted on him, and he feels terrible for it. But... she had done it because she wanted to, it''s not like he had forced her to do it - quite the contrary, actually-, so...

    Turo put the lab coat back on, automatically - he feels almost naked without it - and Sada laughing again snaps him out of his thoughts. He looks down at himself, and realizes why, blushing slightly.

    He looks... yeah, completely ridiculous.

    Still, her laugh gave him an idea. A silly, little, stupid thing, but now that he''s thought of it, he just had to do it. He took the lab coat off again, slinked close to Sada while she was still cackling -showing just the slightest hint of those little fangs -, and wrapped it over her shoulders like a cape. It caught her by surprise, one hand going to her shoulder to touch the smooth white fabric, eyes widening in confusion and half a "what...?" on her lips.

    ? There. Now we can both look stupid.? he smirked.

    Even if she didn''t understand his words, she definitely understood his tone; smiling she put it on properly, or at least tried to. It was just too big for her, reaching down almost to her ankles and with her hands disappearing inside the too long sleeves.

    It should look ridiculous - and it does, a bit, they''ve pretty much swapped clothes right now -, but then Sada laughed again and spinned around, apparently just to watch the lab coat flap around her, which she seemed to find pretty amusing. The pure, unbrindled joy in her voice just made his chest hurt.

    ... he could listen to that laugh for hours and never get tired of it.

    He wanted to listen to it for hours, he realized after a second with a pained smile.

    Sada had started to play around with the lab coat buttons, fascinated by the material.

    ? This rock... from your people?? she asked.

    ? Yes. ? He just said.

    He knew that she seemed to hate his vague answers - yep, there it was, that little half sad, half annoyed pout -, but he couldn''t exactly tell her that it was made from nano-carbon when she didn''t even knew about metals yet.

    One, it wouldn''t mean anything to her, two, it would lead to more questions, so it was better to just let her think that it was some strange rock only found where he was from, far, far away... which was pretty much the truth, in very, very broad terms.

    The girl hesitated; she wants to ask him something, and he already had a good idea of what it could be about. It''s not the first time she tries to ask him about "his people", and he knows that he is pushing his luck every time he refuses to answer, but he has no other choice. He just shook his head silently before she could even ask him anything and her face fell a bit.

    ... and now he feels even worse; she has spent who knows how much time sewing those clothes for him and he can''t even give her anything in return. At least, not anything... that would leave some trace in the past.

    But... there is one thing he can give her. Turo slowly sat back down and picked up his notebook, gesturing for her to sit down near him. Sada complied after a moment, and as expected, started to glance curiously at what he was doing. Turo just smiled and flipped to a new page, then started writing a couple of letters, putting in the effort of making them bigger and more legible instead of his usual hurried handwriting.

    Most people in his time had horrible handwriting; you really only wrote stuff manually only when you were actually learning how to write in school, and in some rare jobs like his where you couldn''t always summon a screen to type on.

    He left quite some space blank on the page, then offered Sada the notebook and pen and pointed to the first symbol, tracing the line on the page with one finger.

    ? This is an "S".?

    Turo saw the confusion in her eyes and after a moment of hesitation gently took her hand. He wrapped his fingers around hers, taking a couple of seconds to help her rearrange them so the pen would sit more comfortably in her hand, in a better position to write. It took him a couple more moments to get it right - he was left-handed, she wasn''t-, but he managed to help her copy the first letter of what he had written a couple of times.

    Then he pointed to the second letter with his right hand.

    ? "A".?

    Turo watched her expression more than the page as they continued; she was smart, he had no doubt she would quickly catch on to what they were doing, what the strange lines he was having her trace represented. At first, she just looked even more confused, her hand almost hanging limp while he guided her. Then it happens: following him her eyes wandered over the last letter he had written, a second "A" right after the "D", and her entire face just lit up while her eyes darted between the two "A", connecting the dots and recognizing that simple, elementary but incredibly important idea that led to one of humanity''s greatest invention.

    Same symbol equals same sound.

    A writing system that didn''t represent general ideas but sounds, where everything that you could ever think of was represented with the same set of symbols.

    ? This is... this is...? she almost stabs him with the pen with how excited she is, how strongly she is clutching his hand, but Turo couldn''t care less.

    That spark of wonder in her eyes is the purest thing he has ever seen. It just pains him so much, to think of her in this era. How many great things she is going to miss, simply because she had been born at the wrong moment. He just... he just wants to show her everything, to laugh with her, to discover stuff and get excited about them together, to tell her about his dream of seeing the distant future, so far off for the both of them, and --

    But he can''t. So this will have to do.

    ? Yes... ? ? he encouraged her, slowly.

    ? My "name"! It''s me? she breaths out, still exhilarated by her realization.

    Turo simply smiled, while she wriggled her hand out from his grip to start writing her name again and again, alone this time. Not even a second later, her head snapped up again, looking at him.

    ? Turo! What is "T"? Show me!? she pretty much pushed the notebook on his lap again, and he is more than happy to spend the next couple of hours quietly showing her how to write the rest of the alphabet.

    ----

    ? Time anchor ID 9537 has returned from space-time coordinates 48¡ã51¡ä12¡å N, 2¡ã20¡ä55¡å E. Welcome ba-? Porygon 568 suddendly got quiet as soon as Turo stepped out of the time machine. The man just sighed, knowing exactly what had gotten the Pok¨¦mon to freeze. He took off his lab coat - he had gotten it back from Sada before coming back to his time -, and waited for the Pok¨¦mon to continue.

    ?... many time displaced objects detected.? it said after a moment. If only because he had literally spent a month debugging it and talking with the Pok¨¦mon to test every new procedure he had implemented, Turo was almost sure that there was a trace of surprise in it''s voice now. It zipped all around him, scanning the new clothes that Sada had made, before stopping to hover at eye level with him.

    ? Objects are not considered a safety or sanitary hazard. Permission granted to bring them outside of time machine room. Welcome back, Dr. Romero Turo. Hope you had a safe trip. ? it beeped. He gave the Pok¨¦mon a couple of affectionate pats on the head while heading for the door; it was admittedly a bit weird, knowing that it now had parts of code that he himself had written in it. Not enough to warrant releasing a new Upgrade and version number, it was more like a little patch, but still... weird.

    Turo hesitated on the doorway. Unlike pretty much all his previous time jumps, it was only the early afternoon this time.

    Which meant the TTLD would be full of people.

    Which meant...

    ? Oh. my. Arceus.?

    He sighed again when he caught sight of Vega coming out of the sanity room - and why did it sound like there was ukulele music coming out of it today? -, the redhead staring slack-jawed at his clothes.

    ... he should have changed before jumping back, even at the risk of getting his face bitten off by that Proto- Miraidon that was lurking around or whatever while he was busy stripping down.

    It would have almost been better than this.

    ? Guys... guys you have to see this - where''s Ortega? ? she quickly leaned back in the break room wildly gesticulating to everyone else inside, before approaching him to better examine his clothes, quickly followed by other people poking their heads out from the sanity room or their respective offices at the commotion.

    ? Oh my Arceus... how did you even get these? ? she touched one of the pelts on his shoulder.

    ? The... native girl I''ve met... made them for me. She thought I was cold.? he mumbled after a moment, prompting a little "aww" from the woman.

    ? ... wow. I mean. This is real fur.? she added after a moment, caught between amusement and just a touch of horrified awe.

    ? ... I know.?

    ? Real Pok¨¦mon died to make this.?

    ? ... I know.?

    There''s a moment of silence, Vega evidently struggling to decide if she should express her next thought out loud. Turo started to make his way towards the elevators, hoping to catch one before she could. He didn''t make it in time.

    ? ... so how many Rattata do you think it took to make that?? she added pointing at the purple fur lining his hood, snickering.

    ? I don''t want to think about it.? he straight up punched the button to call the elevator, only to be met with a ping and the doors already opening up... to the figure of Ortega, who took a single look at him and started howling with laughter.

    ? Look at ?tzi the Iceman over here!?

    ? That was Neolithic, you''re off by almost 10''000 years.? he grumbled, stepping inside the elevator.

    It takes a moment for Ortega to stop laughing and catch his breath.

    ? Oh man... you know that now you will have to wear them here before every jump, right? Which means...? he asked, refusing to step out of the elevator.

    Turo paused for a second. He... hadn''t thought about that, actually.

    "Which means..?"

    Ortega just patted his shoulder a couple of times.

    ? ... eh, good luck. ? he said, before finally stepping outside and leaving him free to leave.

    "Good luck for what?"

    He doesn''t quite understand what his senior meant with those words, until he had to cross the University Hall at night a couple of days after that exchange with his new "historically accurate clothes" on, and the damn Steelcino literally all jump at him en masse, screeching while trying to "clean him up".

    He can start considering himself a real time-traveller by how much he is starting to hate the stupid critters.

 Chapter 8: Zenzenzense

    Sada keeps drawing - or "writing", as Turo had called it - the symbols that Turo had taught her, still quite in disbelief at how they worked even hours after the fact, when he had finished showing her the last symbol. It was just... Such a brilliant and simple idea, she still wasn''t sure why the thought had never occurred to her before.

    She didn''t have to come up with a drawing for everything she wanted to take notes off anymore! She could just think about it and she now had a way to represent every single thing that came to her mind. And the best thing was, someone else that knew the symbols could understand it without having to ask her about what it meant!

    She had to teach everyone at the settlement! Nerjik would love it, and the children... even if she didn''t have enough paper for everyone, they could use charcoal and practice on rocks, or even just on the ground with sticks... anything would work.

    It opened up so many possibilities!

    ? Did you... make all these?? she asked Turo after he had finished teaching her.

    You still had to remember what each symbol sounded like, but it was still much easier as a system than the one she had been using. You just needed a bit of practice. Now she was just doodling - "writing" - random words in all the pages she had already taken notes in, marking all of her little symbols with the actual words they represented, making them much more accurate. It did have the disadvantage of taking up more space though... maybe she could use a mix of the two methods of taking notes? Drawings for quick immediate notes - on her map, especially- words for anything else...?

    ... she would have to think about it.

    ? ... no. My parents "showed" me.? Turo answered after a moment with a little smile, and Sada blushed slightly. Um... no wonder he had picked up that word, she must have repeated it quite a lot of times in her excitement in that couple of hours.

    He was quite fast at learning new words from her, she had noticed. If she used a single word that he had never heard but the rest of the sentence made sense, he would often pick it up just from context. Same usually went with her regarding his language, and... oh! Of course! Now she could just write down what some words in his language meant if she was afraid of forgetting it!

    This was incredible.

    Like right now, when one word he had said had stuck out to her.

    ? "Parents"...?? she asked, flipping to an empty page and carefully trying to write down each symbol that made up the word.

    ? Oh, um...? Turo thought for a moment ? "Parents" are... the people that.... make you? ? he explains after some hesitation.

    She stares at him. She had understood him, probably, there weren''t many other things she could think of when talking about "making" a person, but he must have thought that she didn''t, because he starts to think of another way to explain it.

    And fails spectacularly at it, getting more and more embarassed. He points at himself, then at her.

    ? It''s... ah... you know... when a "man" and a "woman"...? now he''s raising both hands, and starts... gesticulating wildly, vaguely miming two persons... well, it''s either that or they are violently murdering each other and she had actually misunderstood what "parents" is supposed to mean. She has her doubts about that though.

    ? ... make a...?

    Sada just keeps staring at him, trying to suppress a grin from spreading on her face.

    It''s... incredible how weird Turo could get sometimes. In a good way. For every basic thing he had never seen or couldn''t do, it seemed like he knew ten more that she could have never dreamed of... but at the same time, he missed others.

    It was almost like his mind was so busy racing to the thousand of things he did know that he completely failed to see what was right under his eyes sometimes. Like right now, where the solution to his problem was so incredibly simple.

    Sada giggled and started drawing again on the empty page. Two stick figures, with a smaller figure between them. She points to the bigger stick figures, then to the word she had written at the top of the page.

    Turo stops his embarassed sputtering and just stares quietly at the page for a long moment.

    ?... yes. ? he nods in a small voice, eyes kind of unfocused in a wide, disbelieving look. Probably wondering how he hadn''t thought of just doing that; looks like even with writing the drawings are still going to be useful for a while after all. In any case, if his parents had taught him to "write"... was it something that was passed down from father to child? Part of his role as a sciaman... or a "scien-tist", as he had called himself.

    ? Are your parents scien-tist ? ? she asks, and he turns slightly toward her, raising a single eyebrow with a confused frown.

    ? No...? ? he seems puzzled, like he is trying to figure out how she got to that conclusion. Well, now she is confused too. This would be so much easier if only he was a bit more willing to talk about his people in general, but... everytime she tries to mention them or even steer the conversation in that direction, he clamps up completely. Or gives her single word answers that don''t really tell her much. Had it been anyone else, she would have been suspicious of him by now, but Turo didn''t seem interested in approaching the settlement in any way. Chalo''s theory that he was using her to learn their language also didn''t look that possible to her: she was doing the same with his, after all.

    ---

    When Turo stands up to get away as usual, it takes her a second to realize that she is still wearing his cape and she hurries to take it off and give it back to him. It had been fun to wear, so light that she hadn''t even noticed it, and the half bags sewn on the front on both sides were pretty useful. She could easily do the same with some of her clothes...

    Turo rips a page out of his notebook, and instead of the usual symbols for day and night that they have been using until now, writes down a couple of words to accompany them.

    She takes the piece of paper and reads them aloud: the meaning is obvious even with just the sun and moon drawings, but she is determined to show him that she''s going to memorize these symbols perfectly.

    ? Fo- f-o-ur d-da-y-s... h-e-r-e.? she looks at him for confirmation after she is done, and he gives her a sharp nod.

    Four days, though... that is no good. She has already been away from her settlement for more than five days. It wasn''t uncommon for people to spend days away from the settlement - especially if they were out hunting, that took time - so no one would worry for a couple of days of absence, but... she really needed to get back before they started to wonder if she had been eaten by something after all. Besides, she kind of wanted to go back and tell everyone what she had learned. And about that red creature.

    So she shakes her head and scribbles over the words Turo has written, crossing them out, then adds some more sun and moon symbols.

    ? Ten days... and...? she hesitates a moment, uncertain. If she could slowly get him to agree to meet her in a place that was... more convenient for her, maybe...?

    Where to start, though? They had a couple of common meeting points that she could use by now: the river where they had first met, the little camp she had set up in the woods, this one up the cliff... maybe she could point out a landmark to use as their meeting point.

    ? ... here? ? she takes out her map and points to a place just east to the river where they had first met.

    ? There are a lot of big rocks here, really tall... and I can start a fire as a signal.? she offers. The smoke would be visible from miles away even if he couldn''t find the exact spot she meant. Turo doesn''t look particularly convinced about her idea, but he nods slowly after a moment.

    ? Ten days. ? he repeats, before turning around to start making his way towards the forest. She watches him slowly get away until he disappears under the cover of the trees - she blinks and suddenly gets up, not sure of what she had seen.

    Had there been... a flash of light right there at that moment?

    ---

    ? Come oooooon Fluffyhead, moooove--? Chalo tried to coax the Spark Tail into following her, but for once the creature was being stubborn, preferring to chew calmly on some grass while refusing to budge an inch. Chalo had a rope made of leather in her hand, which was tied to a collar they had put around the creature''s neck. Not that it would do much to keep it tied up: if it really wanted to escape, it could just burn the rope with the sparks generated by it''s wool.

    ? Pleaaaase, just show Sada what you showed me yesterday... ? Chalo sighed and sat back down near the fire that was burning at the center of the camp, the beads in her dark hair clinking.

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    Sada had gone back to the settlement right after Turo had left, and had immediately taken it upon herself to teach the writing symbols to everyone. Her mother had listened politely at first, but hadn''t looked that interested in actually learning them.

    ? I''m too old to move around much anymore, it''s not like I will ever need to send a message to someone. Whatever I want to say, I can just say to anyone here. ? had been her reasoning.

    ? But... you could write down anything you wanted. And people could read your words... days, moons and seasons later, learning from them. You could write everything you know about sewing!? Sada had protested, but her mother had just shook her head.

    ? That''s not something that you can teach just with words and symbols. Same with hunting. You can tell someone the best spot to strike a Steady Glacier with a spear, but it won''t stop someone from dying if he has never practiced doing it. ?

    That... was true, there were things that you simply couldn''t teach, but she had still been a little disappointed in her reaction.

    Luckily, other people had looked more interested. The kids - four in total in the whole settlement at the moment, the only ones that had survived until they learned to walk upright and talk - had been begging her to show her how to write all their names. Narjik, the old shaman, had been incredibly eager to learn just like she had tought. That wasn''t surprising, the man had gathered an incredibly vast knowledge of all the local herbs and their various effects in his life, and he knew all of their old stories and legends. He had been looking for a successor, someone to teach everything he knew before he passed on into the next life; this way, his knowledge could be left behind and taught to someone - many people - even after he was gone. He seemed to find comfort in the idea.

    Sada herself had learned a lot from him, but she could never take his place as the next shaman... even if Turo seemed to think the opposite.

    She was currently tracing some of the symbols on a flat rock near the fire, using a stick of wood that had been left to harden in the ashes the night before and some ash. When she had covered the whole thing in symbols, she would wipe the ash from the rock to start again. Right beside her, to her left, Narjik was observing intently and slowly writing down every symbol she explained. He wore clothes not unlike those of everyone else, with different layers of furs to protect agains the cold, but the markings painted all over his face, neck and arms in black tint, even with the latter not being visible at the moment, showed his status to everyone else in the group. His hair that was turning almost completely grey was styled in an elaborate long braid that went way past his broad shoulders.

    Chalo, on the other hand, looked much more interested in talking about the guy himself that whatever he had taught her.

    ? Sooo... You''ve spent quite some time with this Terg guy now.? she chuckled, giving up on getting Fluffyhead to listen to her and picking up a stick of her own to copy her.

    ? Not... really. He always leaves as soon as it gets dark. Comes and goes every couple of days. ? Sada doesn''t even bother correcting her on the name anymore - mostly because she is pretty sure she is doing it on purpose at this point.

    ? Wait, what? ? Chalo said turning to look at her, surprised. ? I thought you were spending night and day with this guy by no- Fluffyhead nooo ? she wailed when the fluffy creature decided to approach her after all and flop down right over the rock she was writing on, ash sticking all over it''s puffy wool.

    It looked at the humans, sniffed the ground and let out a "Mareeeep". Chalo started to absentmindedly pet it, trying to get the ash off.

    ? I was also under the impression that you were visiting his... camp, or group. ? Narjik spoke up, eyes fixed on the "j" he had scribbled with ash. There wasn''t enough space on the rock to write his name completely, so he wiped it and started again, smaller this time.

    ? No, I... I don''t know where he lives.?

    ? Just follow him?? Chalo proposed, before there was a zap and she let out a little yelp, shaking her hand and glaring at the creature.

    ? Don''t burn me, I''m trying to clean you up!?

    ? ...eep ? it lowered it''s head and bumped it''s nose into her hand, nuzzling it.

    ? I don''t think he did it on purpose.? Sada offered petting the creature, trying to steer the conversation away from Turo. Unfortunately, the shaman sitting by her other side hadn''t been distracted as much as the other girl had.

    ? You don''t want to follow him.? he stated, calmly. It wasn''t a question, and Sada nodded reluctantly after a long moment.

    ? I know he is hiding something, something he absolutely doesn''t want me to see, and of course I want to know what it is... but I''m afraid that if I follow him and he realizes it, he will... just run off elsewhere and never show up here again.?

    She thought back to the flash of light between the trees that she had only been able to see because she was looking down on the forest from the top of the hill. It had been over in an instant. If she had blinked at the wrong moment, she would have missed it. It was just a nagging suspicion, but she was pretty sure that Turo had caused it, somehow. The flash of light, and his first strange disappearance that had left no footprints anywhere on the ground, or the way his boots and clothes seemed able to just suddenly... stop making any sound everytime he walked away from her, after a while. Maybe it wasn''t exactly that - it would be weird considering how much noise they seemed to make at any other time -, and they didn''t make any sound because he literally disappeared.

    There were creatures that could... "jump" between the air, disappear from one spot and reappear in another, she had seen them a couple of times. Was Turo... able to do the same? Then why didn''t he do it when he had been attacked by that Brutal Fang?

    It made no sense.

    Anyway, that wasn''t important right now.

    ? And I... don''t want that. ? the confession came out at a whisper, almost covered by the crackle of the fire. Sada had seen him just a couple of times, but... there was just so much she wanted to talk about and discover and explore with him, the more she learned his language and he learned hers.

    And... she wasn''t sure how to explain it, but something about Turo struck her as... so lonely. Or... pained. Maybe it was just because he had told her that he had come here alone.

    There were moments where she had caught him deep in thought, eyebrows deeply furrowed and one hand half stroking his chin, and then suddenly when she said something or called out to him that carefully constructed expression would slip away for a moment, revealing a sad half-smile that he would immediately try to hide again.

    Every time she watched him turn around and walk away, she was a bit afraid that he would never come back again, that he had found another place to stay at. Or that he had decided to go back to his tribe after all. Wherever it was.

    And so every time she saw that fluttering white mantle appear through the trees, her heart had started to skip a beat. It was always a bit of a surprise, since they never decided on the time of the day to meet at.

    ? Oooh, so that''s what this is all about after all.? Chalo grinned with a knowing smile while she finished cleaning up Fluffyhead''s pelt.

    ? You''ve never actually described him, apart from "pale and weird looking". What is he like? ... phisically, I mean. ? she asked while Narjik went back to focusing on his symbols, not interested.

    Sada blushed slightly; no, that''s not what it was about at all, she was just curious about him... or was she?

    ? He is... quite tall. Dark brown hair and eyes...? she started to answer. Her mind though was elsewhere.

    She thought back to that moment when she had been inches away from his face, or when he had guided her hand with his, pressing slightly into her side to inch just a bit closer; how he would blush in that adorably awkward way when he was caught by surprise, before trying to compose himself. How he stumbled and tripped over himself while walking with her, but was a bit too prideful and stubborn to just ask her to wait to catch his breath.

    Or how he looked proud when she understood a new word that he had just used, or explained something in her notes to him.

    ? ... and scrawny.? she added after a moment, causing Chalo to frown a moment. She was petting Fluffyhead again, apparently not minding the possibility of getting hit by another spark. (Then again, he was so fluffy and soft that she could understand her perfectly)

    ? So not my type then. Then again, I''m still convinced that he is a creature in disguise- AH!? the girl screamed, pointing to the Spark Tail, whose tail was... doing as it''s namesake implied and glowing slightly. After a moment, Fluffyhead''s whole body glowed yellow and it released a great arc of pure yellow-white light that hit the ground a dozen meters ahead, charring it black. A great, booming zap made everyone jump and the kids start crying.

    ? See? THAT! He did that yesterday! Now if only I could figure out how to make him do it on PURPOSE, he could help me when I go out hunting! ? Chalo yelled pointing excitedly to the creature and then to Sada.

    She carefully observed the creature, whose tail had stopped glowing. So the more it glowed, the more powerful the spark it could create? What had made it glow so much? She thought back to what had just happened. The only difference had been...

    ? ... what were you doing when he did it yesterday?? she asked, trying to confirm her idea first.

    ? I had just fed him and was... petting... him... ? the dark haired girl''s eyes widened slightly. Chalo started to rub her hand all over Fluffyhead''s wool, getting zapped a couple of times. Just like she had thought, the creature''s tail started to glow again.

    ? Yesss, look at this! ? Chalo started to jump up and down, excited, then tried to get Fluffyhead to shoot another stream of yellow light in the same direction.

    ? Maybe... you could use a word?? Sada offered after a moment. A simple command. They used various call outs to warn each other about what a certain creature was doing when out hunting, and she had seen various creatures do the same. And Fluffyhead had showed that, while not exactly bright, it was capable of paying attention to what humans were saying. It had learned really quick which words meant "food" directed at him, at least. Maybe it could also learn that doing a certain thing meant praise and pets.

    ? Right.? Chalo pointed dramatically towards a tree. ? Fluffyhead, KILL THAT!?

    ... Sada was thinking about something a bit more subtle, but... as long as it worked.

    ---

    After spending a couple of days at the settlement, she decided to go back to the cliff to check out the red creature. She had decided to name it "Winged King"; the winged part was obvious, and the King part had come from the fact that it seemed to be the strongest creature in the whole area. What had happened with Chalo and Fluffyhead had given her an idea; she had spent the next two days with Narjik, having him teach her how to carve a simple flute out of wood.

    She stepped into the place where she had been leaving food for the creature in the past days; the nest had disappeared completely, with the creatures that had lived in it probably deciding to move somewhere else now that a predator like Winged King was prowling around.

    She quietly left some berries, strips of dried meat, and even one egg for it, then brought the flute to her lips and played a single, long note. She waited for a couple of seconds, then did it again; nothing moved all around, the forest almost unnaturally quiet. By experience, she knew that was usually a sign that something big and powerfull was scaring anything else away. Which meant that Winged King was somewhere around here. Sada quietly left, repeating the same little ritual for the next couple of days, always at the same time of the day.

    She wanted to see if Winged King was smart enough to associate the sound of the flute with her and the one who had left it food.

    The fourth day, it was already waiting for her by the tree, calmy sitting on it''s hind legs.

    Sada froze, her heart beating wild; this wasn''t like approaching something like Fluffyhead. Sure, every creature was deadly to humans, but Fluffyhead didn''t have it in it''s nature to attack something if not to defend itself. It was meek and shy, while Winged King was most definitely the opposite.

    But if it wanted to hurt her, it would have done so already. She kept repeating herself that while she approached it, playing a single note on the flute - it perked up at that, it definitely had learned what it meant. She gave it everything that was left in her smaller bag. It sniffed the air and got up, letting out a little "gyaaa" while it got closer. Sada reached her hand out, arm trembling slightly, only to pull it back when it growled.

    All right, all right... she got the message. Little steps.

    She managed to get closer while it was eating by approaching it from the side. While it was still focused on eating, she reached her hand out again.

    Hesitated.

    Gave a silent prayer to her ancestors, and then touched the red scales on it''s neck.

    For a moment, it didn''t react; still busy stuffing it''s face. Or, more probably, it just didn''t care because it had no reason to fear her. What could she even do? If she was quick, she could get maybe one good stab of her spear in before getting absolutely torn apart. After that single moment, it turned one of it''s bright orange eyes towards her, followed a second later by the rest of the head turning towards her. She quickly moved her hand away, taking a step back, but it followed her hand with it''s eyes and sniffed it slowly. Sada froze again, hand half-raised, unsure on what to do. Move? Step back? Approach it again?

    Winged King seemed to decide for her, closing its eyes and quietly pushing against her hand with its head for a brief moment, before backing up and getting back to eating.

    She is left staring at it in quiet awe.

    ---

    Another couple of days later, and Sada realized that her plan with the flute had worked maybe a little too well, because now Winged King comes crashing through the forest every time she plays the flute, as long as it''s close enough to hear it.

    And "crashing through the forest" was literal: she had been playing the flute quietly to herself one night and the creature had pretty much dropped out of the sky in front of her a couple of minutes later, scaring her half to death.

    ? You can''t just show up every time and eat all my food.? she sighed quietly, watching it sniff around the entire camp, then look at her expectantly.

    With her notebook out she was busy furiously adjusting her drawing of the creature, now that it was actually staying relatively still in front of her.

    After realizing that there was no food for him (her? She had no idea how to check), Winged King walked up to her and layed down behind her, starting to snore loudly after a while. It didn''t budge in the slightest even when she cautiously pressed her hand against its scales, admiring them up close.

    With a satisfied smile, she went back to taking notes, quietly wondering what Turo''s reaction would be to this the next time they met. Just a couple of days more.

 Chapter 9: Starman

    ? Anyone want some Pok¨¦ Puffs??

    Everyone turned to look at Ortega, who had just half poked his head into the sanity room. That day the weather had decided to be absolutely terrible: one of Paldea''s infamous flash storms had hit most of the southern part of the region, and the view outside the windows in most offices of the TTDL had been of a rather depressing grey mixed with the constant drumming of raindrops on glass for a couple of days by now. By the third day, everyone who was not away on a time jump had spontaneusly gathered in the sanity room; it was cozy, warm, they kept each other company, and it was nice to look at something that wasn''t rain for a bit.

    Turo had pretty much claimed a little corner of the room that had a comfortable couch and a table to hold a drink as his own, his figure veritably obscured by a wall of screens and monitors he had opened up all around him, each showing a different article, website, or obscure book he had been digging up. They all shared the same topic: Cyclizar and what changes in the environment had sparked his evolution (in the classical sense, not Pok¨¦mon-evolution sense) into Miraidon.

    His latest report about Sada''s discovery (because it was hers, like he had made sure to point out in the report) of what was probably a Paleolithic era ancestor to both had sparked quite a bit of interest, and so he had spent the last couple of days reading up about Cyclizar and Miraidon. He only had the copy of Sada''s drawing to go by, but even only with that there were some details about the Proto-Miraidon that were... puzzling. Like the antennae on the top of their head they both seemed to share: Sada''s drawing had given a lot of emphasis on them, while Cyclizar seemed to lack them completely. It was weird, from an evolutionary perspective, for something to lose a certain trait and then acquire it again.

    He was so absorbed in his reading that he had barely noticed the question, but the same couldn''t be said for everyone else.

    ? Which Pok¨¦ Puffs are we speaking of?? came the question from Vega, who had a monitor of her own open and was busy shifting through blurry pictures she had tried to take of the legendary beasts trio. She stopped to contemplate one in particular, which would have captured a perfect and gorgeous image of Suicune running over the waves... only for some guy in a frilly cape to have accidentally photobombed the shot, causing the Pok¨¦mon to go out of focus and be nothing more than a blurry splotch of blue in the background. She deleted the picture, irritated.

    ? ... this dude was everywhere while I chased Suicune, I swear-?

    Ortega entered the room proper and rolled his eyes, stealing a chair - as usual- and sitting down.

    ? The ones from before they changed the recipe and made them smaller, obviously. I need to jump to Lumiose City in year 4679 anyway this afternoon, may as well grab some while I''m there.?

    That at least made the redhead perk up a bit.

    ? Oh hell yeah, get me a deluxe box of Supreme Spring ones then.?

    ? Of course you go straight for the most expensive option...? the man muttered while taking notes. More orders started to come from the others in the room.

    ? I want a box of frosted mocha flavored-? that was Satoshi, the researcher from Kanto that had joined the TTLD just last month.

    ? One medium box of Mint flavored for me.? someone whose voice he didn''t quite catch.

    ? - oh, and also a box of Sweet Fancy ones, you know those with the cute little chocolate squares on top?? that was Vega again.

    ? You really plan to eat them all??

    ? ... I would like a box of frosted orange flavored. ? Turo finally raised his hand over the wall of screens, making Ortega jump a little.

    ? Didn''t even see you there... and I thought you hated orange flavored stuff?? he asked, trying to peek over the monitors. Turo flicked them away and accidentally into each other, causing a short buzz of static when the holographic projections collided to fill the room.

    ? They are not for me. Miraidon loved them when we were little, and he got all sad when they stopped producing that flavor. ? and when Miraidon got sad, he had his own special way of looking at him with those cute pixellated puppy eyes, and damn if it didn''t make him feel terrible about whatever it was that had caused them, even if it was something outside of his control. You would think it wouldn''t be possible for a Pok¨¦mon whose eyes were literal pixels to look so heartbroken, and you would be wrong.

    ? I''m sure he will be happy to taste them again.? having finished his explanation, he buried himself in the screens again, going back to his reading and mentally tuning out Ortega and Vega that had started to bicker about the prices of Pok¨¦ Puffs in 4679 and how much money she had to give him taking inflation into account.

    ---

    Later that evening, after Ortega had come back carrying a small mountain of pastries, Turo walked back into his apartment with the small box of Pok¨¦ Puffs tucked under his arm. Miraidon ran up to the door to welcome him back as always, and the Pok¨¦mon''s pupils got wide when it seemed to smell what he was carrying. With an excited growl, the dragon got up on his hind legs and put his front paws on the man''s shoulder, wagging his tail.

    Turo just laughed, trying to avoid getting pushed to the floor. Sure, Miraidon wasn''t actively weighing down on him - or he would have been sent sprawling already -, but when he got so excited it was a bit difficult for him to control his strength.

    ? Calm down, calm down! Get off me, you''re way too heavy to do that now... you''re not a puppy anymore.?

    Nevertheless he took a moment to stroke the Pok¨¦mon''s neck and just rest his forehead against the smooth scales. Miraidon almost purred and nuzzled him with his head, then backed up to give him space, eyes notably never leaving the little box he was carrying.

    Turo smiled and opened the box, offering one of the Pok¨¦ Puffs to the Pok¨¦mon.

    ? Just one for now, I can''t have you gobbling them all up in one go... ?

    He personally wasn''t a fan of the smell of oranges that would no doubt permeate the kitchen in the following days, but he could endure it if it would make Miraidon that happy.

    A ringing sound resonated through the apartment; with equal parts annoyance and anxiety, he opened a screen and took the call, watching Miraidon devour the Pok¨¦ Puffs in two big bites.

    The anxiety dimmed a bit when the caller was not the TTLD as he had feared. Just a bit, though.

    ? ... mom? I just got back from work. No, I didn''t time travel today, next jump is in two weeks time...?

    Turo stopped at the voice of his mother on the other side of the line, then groaned.

    ? ... No, that doesn''t mean I''ve got nothing to do until then, I do other things in the meantime, I''ve already told you... And no, I don''t want to go to the Moon for some overpriced lunch on Sunday-?

    It was crowded and way too turisty - mostly all people born on Mars that got all stupidly sentimental about being on "the" Moon - and it was too far for teleporters to reach, which meant that you actually had to sit down on a shuttle and suffer through three hours of horrible movies and screaming toddlers.

    The reduced gravity was really only interesting for the first couple of times, after which it got old pretty fast, and it''s not like they didn''t have simulators for it on Earth anyway.

    Much cheaper. Faster. Less martians that accidentally elbowed you in the face to take a selfie with a view of the Earth in the background.

    ? Can''t we at least do it somewhere else? ? he sat down on the couch and tried to at least change the location to meet up, to no avail.

    A couple of minutes later he closed the call with a defeated sigh and turned to look at Miraidon, lifting one hand to rub the Pok¨¦mon''s snout that still had some cream from the Pok¨¦ Puffs stuck to it.

    ? Sorry buddy, looks like Mom had other plans for us this weekend. We''ll go riding next week, I promise. Somewhere sunny.?

    ? Gwaoooh.?

    ? You''re still coming with me though. If we have to suffer, we suffer together.?

    ?... gwaoh.?

    ---

    In the end, the trip had thankfully been not too bad; no screaming toddlers this time, and he had managed to just sleep for most of it. The shuttle docked at the Moon base around 11 AM and Turo mentally prepared himself for the weird sensation of suddenly feeling much, much lighter.

    It wasn''t complete zero gravity, but it still felt pretty much... "floaty" was the only way he could describe it.

    The Moon base was a series of interconnected structures, each built at different points in history for different purposes. Completely isolated and self sufficient with an artificial atmosphere, they were pretty much little cities of their own, and the Moon as a whole was considered it''s own region not unlike any other.

    Just a bit more deadly if you stepped "outside" without a pressurized space suit.

    Turo took the first bouncy step outside the shuttle, where artificial gravity was kept the same as on Earth, and almost went flying - literally-, landing five meters over where he would have landed if he had still been on Earth. The momentum was enough to send him skipping another couple of times and had him resort to windmilling both arms furiously just to finally stop. He glanced around; a couple of teenagers passed by, giggling at him while shaking their head.

    See? This is why he hated the Moon. It was so weird, the micro-gravity always left him disoriented and nauseous, and he usually had to leave just as he got the hang of it, because screw spending the "night" there. Complete zero gravity was better than this.

    At least he had the comfort of knowing that absolutely everyone looked stupid walking on the Moon, practically Lopunny-hopping everywhere. The only way to make that look cool was the ancient footage of those first astronauts, and only because of the historical importance of it.

    Miraidon skidded to a stop next to him in a much more dignified way, having simply tucked his legs in, adopted his Drive form and easily floated after him on his energy rings. Turo glared at the Pok¨¦mon.

    ? That''s cheating.?

    ? Gyaa~? the lizard dragon managed to look pretty smug at that.

    ? ... just let me ride.? he grumbled, mounting the dragon Pok¨¦mon and directing him to their destination.

    ---

    His parents were already waiting for him inside the restaurant. Turo dismounted Miraidon, checked that Pok¨¦mon were actually allowed inside, then entered the place. It wasn''t the most luxurious place, the really expensive ones served real meat and fish instead of lab grown protein steaks. It was something of a status symbol and nothing more, to be able to say that you could afford it, and there supposedly wasn''t really any difference in taste or nutritional value... not like he had ever been able to check if that was true. Or any particular desire to do so, actually.

    It was still a restaurant on one of the most touristy spots on the Moon, and so like everything else it was overpriced as hell. He found the table they were sitting at and managed to half slide, half float his way through without bumping into other people, grabbing his chair and sitting down on it with a defeated sigh. The only good thing about micro-gravity is that stuff at least would still stay down and actually stay on the ground once it stopped moving.

    ? I can''t believe you had your first date here, of all places.? was his way of greeting his parents. That was the whole reason they kept coming back to this place.

    At 54, Leandro Turo looked pretty much what his son imagined he himself would look like in some... twenty-five years give or take, just with darker hair than his father. Those had definitely come from his mother''s side, who was the perfect image of the stereotypical Paldean woman; dark hair and eyes, long eyelashes and olive complexion, Carmen Ramos de Turo simply smiled and shook her head.

    ? It was quite romantic, actually, an- you brought... Miraidon?? she asked in seeing the Pok¨¦mon approach their table, looking a bit nervous in trying to not accidentally hit something or someone with his long tail.

    ? Why wouldn''t I? He''s family. ? Turo answered, while the Pok¨¦mon happily licked both.

    ? ... good to see you, anyway.? he added after a moment, with a bit more warmth in his voice than usual. Even if he despised the place they had chosen to meet up, he was glad to see them again.

    They exchanged pleasantries and ordered their food while catching up on what they had been doing the last couple of months.

    ? So... time traveling. Never would have thought to see it in my lifetime... It still sounds weird, telling everyone that my son time travels as his day job- no Mirai, down.? his father said while cutting his steak, only to be interrupted by Miraidon cautiously sniffing the plate. The Pok¨¦mon whined and sat down, head hung low. The sad puppy eyes had stopped working with his parents decades ago.

    ? ... it''s still almost as weird for me to talk about it with someone else. ? Turo answered after a moment while he sneaked a piece of meat to the dragon under the table. It was like... talking about his job with someone outside of the TTDL, someone that knew nothing about how it worked, what they did, what it felt like... it was like two completely separated parts of his life were suddenly being forced to meet. The whole thing made him a bit uncomfortable.

    ? Still, you were always talking about the future during your studies, I''m surprised you are actually traveling to the past now that you could actually go there.?

    His mother''s remark make him frown for a short moment, Sada''s face flashing by in his mind.

    ? It''s... ah, better to start with the past. The future is more... complicated.? he managed to come up with an excuse, which was also technically the truth. Just... not what his primary reason had been in choosing his destination.

    He spotted Miraidon circling the table behind his parents, scooting closer on all fours while staying low to the ground, tail swishing behind him, and recognized the Pok¨¦mon''s classic "I''m about to try and steal something while you''re distracted" stance. He kept his expression carefully neutral, trying not to laugh.

    ? Makes sense. So many things you could mess up with knowledge from the future.? his father nods, while his mother still looks a bit unconvinced.

    ? But... isn''t the past even more dangerous? You could end up influencing something and completely change the present.? there''s just the slightest hint of concern in her voice, and Turo is not sure if she is concerned about something happening to him, or about the fact that her son could accidentally time paradox them all out of existence.

    He would be a bit offended about her lack of faith in him, but.... honestly, after somehow shooting himself to the Stone Age?

    She had a point.

    ? That is one theory about how time works, yes. That''s why we have so many rules in place, just to be cautious. We don''t even know if time paradoxes are actually possible, because... well... nobody wants to be the one that finds out. Truth is... there''s been cases here and there that point to something different going on. ? he started to explain, playing with his salad with a fork.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ? Have you ever heard about the first successful time jump?? he asked after a moment.

    They both nodded.

    ? Of course. It was all over the news, it was a historical moment. ?

    ? Thirty-two years ago, Jules I. Wells was the first man to successfully jump back in time by 43 minutes and come back. ?

    ? Yes, but... that''s not everything he did.? the complete report was something that he had only read after starting his work in the TTDL.

    ? That morning, on his way to perform the first ever time jump with a functioning time-anchor, Wells went to his usual favourite bar to have breakfast. There he discovered that the croissants he always used to order were all sold out. So, for his first test jump, he decided on something completely innocuous: go back in time just enough to get that croissant.? there was a slight pause while he watched his parents reactions.

    ? ... I''m sure you can figure out where this is going.?

    ? ... oh. ? they both said after a moment.

    ? It was him, wasn''t it?? his father asked, still blissfully unaware of the lizard right behind him that had his eyes fixed on the half steak still on his plate.

    ? Exactly. He himself had been the one to get the last croissant, and he never would have had the idea to jump back if it hadn''t already happened. The cashier confirmed that he had seen him enter two times that morning and found it strange how he had asked for another croissant after the first, but didn''t say anything about it. It''s a stable time loop. There''s probably a lot more of them just dotted around history... but you have no way of knowing if what you do in the past will result in one until... it does. Or even worse, if it is possible to accidentally break a loop... nobody knows for now, and really nobody wants to be the one to accidentally find out. ?

    And that is why they just tried to observe things.

    And probably why everyone in the TTDL ended up a bit... strange, now that he thought about it. Maybe the job simply attracted a certain kind of person.

    His father frowned slightly.

    ? That sounds... stressful, I wouldn''t be able to... MIRAI, NO-?

    Turo grinned while he watched what was left of his father''s steak get snatched up by Miraidon and the Pok¨¦mon scamper out of the restaurant with his prize.

    ---

    A couple of days later, the current director and head researcher of the TTDL, Louis Moreau, entered his office.

    ? Dr. Turo, may I disturb you for a moment??

    ? Y- yes! ?

    Turo furiously dismissed the half a dozen screens he had opened and stood up almost at attention; he had been here for more than a couple of months by now, but he still felt like an absolute newbie compared to the man in front of him. The man was a legend, practically one of the founding fathers of their entire field of research: in his sixties by now, he had worked closely with Wells himself by helping develop the time-anchor that everyone still used.

    He, on the other hand... well, he probably wouldn''t shake off the "Paleolithic era guy" nickname for the rest of his career. The man who had accidentally stumbled into the Stone Age, when he actually dreamed to see the future.

    ... it almost sounded like some bad joke.

    ? I''ve been reading your last couple of reports about your project... ? the man starts, opening a screen of his own at eye level with a flick of his wrist and pulling up the various documents.

    Turo''s heart simply drops in his stomach, and for a short moment he feels his legs tremble, threatening to just drop him to the ground, or at most back in his chair.

    That''s it. They must be cutting him off. Now he will tell him to find something more productive.

    His first immediate thought isn''t for his job and his research; it''s for Sada that would probably wait for him while sending smoke signals into the sky, day after day, wondering when he would come... he had promised to see her again, after all-

    But he couldn''t let his shock be visible in front of the director, he wasn''t going to panic.

    ? Is there... is there something wrong with them?? he managed to choke out after a moment, voice kept at a carefully controlled, almost robotic monotone.

    Moreau looked away from his screen to him with a look of slight surprise.

    ? Pardon? Oh no, absolutely nothing wrong with them! I understand that things are going pretty slowly in that time period, but there''s nothing we can do about that, not with so little information about it that we can use...? he scrolled from one report to another, and Turo resumed breathing normally. He hadn''t even noticed that he had been holding his breath.

    So he wasn''t... they weren''t going to...?

    ? Me and some researchers at Uvanja Academy have been wondering about these "ancestor" Pok¨¦mon you''ve been mentioning in a couple of reports. ? the man suddenly closed the monitor and stared straight at him, causing Turo to unconsciously freeze. Those piercing, icy blue eyes would have made anyone squirm.

    ? ... do you think you could catch some specimens to bring back? ? he asked, clasping both hands behind his back and regarding him carefully.

    It took Turo a couple of seconds to register what he had said.

    ? ... c-catch...? ?

    Like... like with a Pok¨¦mon battle, like in the VR games...?

    ? We will give you Master Balls to use, of course. Should be the most discrete way of doing it. ?

    Oh... of course. Master Balls. Those were a thing. Made sense.

    Didn''t make it any easier for his head to stop spinning at the whole idea, still caught between relief that they weren''t cutting him off and complete shock.

    ? Is... is it safe to bring them along...? ? he asked. Moreau just waved his hand.

    ? History isn''t going to change because a single prehistoric Magikarp went missing 14''000 years ago. Wouldn''t be the first time we extract exctint wild Pok¨¦mon from the past and try to reintroduce them in the present. Or at least study why they disappeared.?

    Tudo swallowed.

    ? ... what if someone sees me? ?

    ? Well... it''s your responsibility to make sure that doesn''t happen. Like everything else with our jobs. ?

    Yes. Right. He had to be cautious. He had to do this.

    ... somehow.

    ---

    The usual flash of light announced his arrival in the past, this time in a completely unfamiliar place. He had studied modern maps the day before and tried to approximate coordinates for the area Sada had pointed at, then Porygon 568 had done the rest, automatically tweaking them to make sure he didn''t appear halfway inside a tree, or a rock, or the ground... or above the ground, for that matter. In his time, the spot he had chosen was a quaint little caf¨¦ in the middle of Lumiose City. In Sada''s time... he could still see the usual river in the distance, this time from the opposite side, but the forest looked less thick here, leaving space for great fields of tall grass. Here and there, boulders and small clusters of trees dotted the landscape, but it was still much more open that what he was used to. And that made him nervous; he felt defenseless while he started to walk following what looked like a small trail that countless Pok¨¦mon (or people, for all he knew) had cut through the grass by walking.

    He was wearing the clothes Sada had made for him, but since they didn''t have any pockets, he had been forced to still bring the lab coat with him. In the left-side pocket, his hand was gripping one of the six Master Balls they had given to him.

    ... there really was no reason to give him exactly six, it''s not like there was a Box system set up in the Paleolitic, it had just been "tradition".

    "You should feel honored", Moreau had joked.

    "Only Pok¨¦mon Professors and really special individuals get clearance for using them."

    Turo just hoped that he didn''t accidentally lose some by chucking them in the water. Or off a cliff. His aim was horrible, but he probably could use them as a last ditch defense mechanism. Tap something that was about to murderize his face like with that Proto Magikarp, and it would get caught. Problem was, that implied getting close. And doing it alone, if he didn''t want to risk Sada seeing him.

    He nervously glanced all around to make sure he was alone, then took his hand out of his pocket and stared at the Master Ball. Those had also received some design changes during the centuries: it was completely white with a red line all around the perimeter, but how they worked was pretty much the same. You couldn''t improve perfection, after all. Just one little functionality had been added in the last couple of decades, specifically for time-traveling.

    One little button press on the side, and the whole Master Ball turned invisible. Turo shifted his grip around it for a moment, trying to get used to the feeling of touching something that he couldn''t see, then switched the cloaking device off and slipped the Ball back into his pocket.

    He wasn''t sure which option would be worse. Sada seeing him pull out another impossibly smooth and round "stone" that imprisoned Pok¨¦mon inside it, or him apparently making a Pok¨¦mon disappear into thin air by simply touching them.

    But, well... he was in no rush. Sada always seemed to choose places that were relatively safe from Pok¨¦mon; apart from their encounter with that Magikarp (which, to be fair, had been his fault), they hadn''t encountered anything else. He wasn''t exactly eager to go running off alone into the tall grass, so he would take his time with this task.

    And speaking of Sada... he tried to look around, scanning the horizon for the smoke signals she had mentioned. It was early morning, so maybe she hadn''t set up the fire yet...?

    Turning east, he actually saw more than one. Three little smoke columns rose far, far into the distance, and it took him a moment to realize that they probably belonged to none other than Sada''s settlement. She had pointed east on the map when explaining where she lived, after all, and he had serious doubt about there being that many villages within walking distance of each other. There simply weren''t enough people.

    It was... weird to think about. There lived her whole world; her family, her friends, probably everything and everyone she had ever known. All in this little corner of the world near what would become one of the biggest metropolis on the planet millennia later, burying every trace of their existence under grass and stone and roads and labyrinthine sewers and finally concrete.

    With a small frown, he turns his back to the smoke trails and walks away.

    ---

    Turo didn''t have to walk for long before he recognized the exact spot that Sada must have chosen. Those were some really big rocks, and really tall... they were more like giant slabs of stone, laying sideways in a triangular formation and creating three big slopes that made for a great vantage point. And right on top of one of them, there was Sada, sitting down with her back to him. Probably busy starting the campfire.

    He smiled and started walking a bit faster, rustling the grass all around him.

    ? Hey!?

    That made her jump around, in a way that wasn''t too different from their first meeting. That time she had grabbed the spear and pointed it at him in a second; now she had immediately recognized his voice and waved at him with both arms.

    She looked... excited. Well, Sada always looked excited about something, but this time she was even more excited than usual. Maybe she had discovered something else about the Proto-Miraidon?

    ? Turo!! Ah... come here! Quick!?

    Nevermind, that wasn''t just excited, she was euforic. There''s something new about her appearance, and he noticed what looked like a wooden tube hanging from her waist. What was that?

    It didn''t look too different from one of those blowguns that people would use to hunt.

    Sada doesn''t run up to him this time, but she looked so impatient that he forced himself to speed up a little.

    ? Sit here! ? she pretty much forced him to sit by the fire, still grinning all the while. He expected her to grab her notebook to show him something, but Sada took a couple of step backwards and grasped the object at her waist. When she brings it to her mouth he finally recognized it as a crude flute carved out of wood, and is left just more perplexed.

    She wanted to play him something...?

    ? Watch. ?

    That is... nice, but he didn''t think it would justify such a level of excitement...

    Three long, piercing notes come out of the instrument, much stronger and clearer than he was expecting, giving him an involuntary jolt. He sits straighter now, waiting for Sada to keep playing, but she had already lowered the flute and was looking at the horizon.

    There''s a long moment of slightly awkward silence, only the tall grass rustling around them.

    ... wait, that was it?

    ? Umm...? he tried to get up, only for a deafening roar to suddenly fill the air all around them. It''s strong enough to force Turo to cover his ears and squeeze his eyes shut, and unlike anything he''s ever heard.

    When he opened his eyes up again, squinting and with his ears still filled with a slight ringing noise, it''s just in time to catch the sight of an enormous figure climbing the rock formation and rising up right behind Sada. Who is still turned towards him, hasn''t noticed anything, doesn''t even have her spear, why doesn''t she even have her spear-

    They say that when faced with mortal danger, people evolved to respond to it with either one of two fundamental actions: fight or flight.

    In retrospect, Turo kind of wants to say that he fearlessly threw himself towards her to protect her, clutching the Master Ball as the only weapon he had and staring down the enormous scaled creature.

    Sadly, Turo was firmly in the group of people that developed a third alternative to the fight or flight response. The one called "freeze in panic and do nothing".

    To his credit, he did at least jump up and tried to grab Sada''s arm to yank her towards him, away from the figure, but to his surprise - and confused terror-, she actually moves away from him, towards the towering scaly lizard-like beast, that...

    That is not... attacking... her. In fact, it''s actually letting her pet it, lowering its head and letting out a suspiciously familiar sounding purr.

    It''s... it''s the Proto- Miraidon. The bipedal stance had thrown him off, since Miraidon either walked on all fours or simply floated, but it''s undeniably the same creature of Sada''s drawings.

    His legs fail him and Turo slumped to the ground, still trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

    Sada turned towards him, one hand still petting the Pok¨¦mon, looking so proud of herself.

    ? Ah... ahahah-? he couldn''t help letting out a short, incredulous laugh.

    Why wouldn''t she be proud? People in her time were still barely figuring out how to approach Growlithes without getting barked at and here she was, taming an honest-to-Arceus dragon. What could you even say to that?

    He slowly got up and took some hesitant steps towards the two, observing the Pok¨¦mon. It was much bigger than Miraidon and bulkier, pure raw muscle strenght compared to his counterpart''s sleek and somewhat slithering figure.

    ? The name is Winged King.? Sada proudly announced by his side, making him pause and turn to look at her.

    ? Winged... ?? was it because of the feathers? Sure, they were pretty big, but didn''t look able to make him fly, and surely didn''t look like wings to him. As for the second word, he had never heard it before.

    ... he really needed to give it a scientific name, even if just for the reports. Let''s see, if Miraidon had been named after the Johtonese word for "future" when they had realized that Cyclizar would pretty much become a completely different Pok¨¦mon, then... something related to the past...?

    He would have to think about it. For now, "Winged King" would work fine.

    Meanwhile, Sada has been talking softly to the Pok¨¦mon, getting it to lay back down on all fours. And then, right as he was thinking that there was no way that she could top "convinced a Dragon Pok¨¦mon that''s barely had contacts with humans to not kill me" in a single day, she mounted it.

    Well... okay, she actually took a little running start and then jumped on its back, hanging on the feathered crest -ouch- before managing to seat herself on the Pok¨¦mon''s broad back- Winged King growling a bit and shaking his head, scattering a couple of white and blue feathers all around.

    Her technique definitely needed some work, he thought suppressing a smirk; but considering that she was, maybe, one of the first humans ever to do it? Nailed it.

    He was still pretty amazed that the Pok¨¦mon seemed okay with it; it kept shaking its head and pawing at the ground, but when the girl didn''t show any signs of letting go or jumping off, patting it''s neck a couple of times and whispering something that he didn''t quite understand, it just huffed and then started to move its head left and right, in a series of small, jittering motions that he recognized with some amazement.

    That was exactly what Miraidon did when he tried to pretend that something wasn''t bothering him, feigning indifference. How many little details like that had remained unchanged, from one species to another?

    Sada broke him out of his amazed trance by patting the space left behind her on the Pok¨¦mon''s back.

    ? Come! ?

    For once, Turo didn''t hesitate. He walked to Winged King''s side, boosted himself up by pushing against the Pok¨¦mon''s back legs with one boot, and swung his leg over its back to seat himself right behind the girl, lab coat swishing around behind him - and pointedly reminding him of the Master Balls tucked deep in its pocket-.

    Only when she turned to look at him strangely, one hand still half raised like she had been ready to help him up, did he realize what he had done.

    Umm... shit.

    He was so used to mounting Miraidon that his body had pretty much moved on autopilot. Should he have pretended to struggle a bit?

    Well, it was too late now anyway.

    Sada regarded him in silence for some excruciatingly long seconds, those bright, brilliant eyes narrowing and quickly scanning him up and down. Looking for some other detail she must have missed, some explanation, they stopped on his hands, his face, his legs. Turo pointedly held her gaze, feigning innocence.

    ?... let''s go?? he offered, trying to keep his voice neutral.

    After another long moment, she just shook her head, exasperated, and turned back around to give a command to Winged King in her usual chipper fashion.

    She must have noticed something and simply decided to not speak up about it.

    Winged King growled and started to walk, walking down the natural ramp of the rock formation it had climbed just before. Sada held on to the spikes on the Pok¨¦mon''s front legs, another detail that it already had in common with its descendants that amazed him, while Turo managed to kind of hang on by just tightening his grip around the Pokemon''s sides with his legs, staying upright.

    It wasn''t that different from Miraidon, really... just a bit more rigid scales and feathers instead of smooth, metallic plates.

    And then it started to sprint, and he had to immediately eat his words.

    He let out a little yelp of surprise at the sudden speed boost and had to scramble for some purchase, grabbing onto Sada from behind by looping his arms around her stomach, which made her jolt and gasp in surprise.

    Winged King was speeding up, cutting a path through the tall grass, and his only thought at the moment was pretty much "Nope, it''s not similar to Miraidon at all".

    Miraidon''s movements were... smooth, lithe and elegant, his paws not even touching the ground while he zipped forward like a bolt of lightning blitzing through the sky. But most importantly, his old partner''s movement felt... controlled. Perfectly adapted and calibrated to ride with him, reading his slightest change in body language, thanks to millennia over millennia of evolution alongside humans.

    Winged King''s movements made it clear that he was accomodating no one but himself; he could feel the pure power behind every one of the Pok¨¦mon''s strides, every kick of its legs. There was no reassuring buzz of electricity filling the air, just the sound of it''s powerful claws tearing at the ground, its whole body moving up and down.

    Winged King felt like riding a force of nature; you didn''t control it, you just held on for the ride and hoped to not get thrown off.

    But Sada, somehow, was managing it, leaning down to pat the Pok¨¦mon''s neck and pointing in whatever direction she wanted it to go, in a series of signals she had to have developed herself.

    The Pok¨¦mon seemed to take them more as suggestions than real orders, but still, it was listening to her.

    And then, after another one''s of Sada''s commands, the Pok¨¦mon jumped up, climbed a tree to its highest point, then jumped off it and took off.

    ? IT FLIES?! ? he couldn''t help the scream that escaped him as they rose into the air, partially covered by Sada''s ecstatic laughter.

    How was it even flying? Those antennae even if extended couldn''t be the only thing it was using to keep itself in the air, it didn''t make any sense! Even Miraidon had to use his jet boosters to keep rising in altitude, and he floated magnetically.

    Was it part flying type? Was it generating wind currents to fly??

    The Pok¨¦mon flew in circles over the tree tops before slowly circling back down to the ground. It landed roughly, almost sending both humans directly pitching forward, and shook his head before growling.

    Sada was the first to jump down, and she got something out of her bag that the Pok¨¦mon was quick to gobble up in a single bite.

    Turo got down a bit more slowly, still in a bit of a daze over the fact that it just flew.

    Sada regarded him with a radiant smile, the little moment of tension between them from before already forgotten - or at least, that''s what he hoped.

    ? Did you see?! We were flying! ? she breathed out.

    ? Yes... ?

    His enthusiasm must have evidently not matched hers in intensity, because she grabbed both his hands with hers, jumping up and down.

    ? FLYING Turo, like birds! I can... we can... move so much faster. We can explore so much more now!? she was talking much more excitedly now, much faster, and he missed some bits and pieces, but he still understood enough for her words to tug at his heartstrings. Of course... of course that would be the first thing she would think of...

    ? We can... go to your people ? ? she added after a moment, looking up at him. Hopefull. Excited. Beautiful.

    His breath caught in his chest.

    Turo forced himself to slowly extricate his hands from hers. He lowered his eyes to the ground, he didn''t want to see that excitement slowly disappear from her eyes, the light in them die and get replaced with disappointment. He slipped both hands into the lab coat''s pockets, as if to hide them from her. Out of sight, out of reach.

    ? My people are... far, far away. ?

    He unconsciously gripped one of the Master Balls in his left pocket.

    ? We... can''t go. ?

    He knows that answer like these must frustrate her so much, because how can''t you simply not go somewhere, but how could he even start to explain to her how impossibly far away he actually lives from her?

    He simply can''t, that''s it.

    Sada went silent, for the first time since he''s met her looking somewhat angry at him.

    But mostly disappointed.

    Turo sighed, looking around, anywhere that was not her. His eyes happened to land east again. Towards her village. Her people.

    ? I... ? he said slowly, hesitantly.

    It would be risky. He would have to be careful. But... really, if she could never meet his, getting to know her people was the least he could do. He could... document who they were. Who they had been. So that at least some trace that they had existed would be left behind. That was what his whole job was for after all, right?

    ? Can I... come... to your people? ?

    He watched her eyes widen in surprise.

    ? R... really? ?

    He nodded, and was rewarded by the biggest smile he had ever seen on her, her whole face practically glowing - and then she jumped up and hugged him, throwing her arms around his neck, and he is left petrified with a mix of fear and excitement and oh her hair is so soft and tickling his neck and he has no idea what to do should he hug her back and not stand there like an idiot should he kiss her fuckhereallywantsto-

    Thankfully Sada let go only a couple of seconds later -even if they felt like an eternity to him- and gently took his hand, or at least his arm.

    ? Let''s go!?

    ... wait. Wait a moment.

    She gently tugged him along, already starting to explain something, and he is left stumbling behind her.

    ... he didn''t mean right now.

 Chapter 10: River

    Sada observed as Winged King lazily slept sprawled over the grass. It seemed to prefer sunny spots to soak up the light, fanning open the feathers all over its body. Sometime its head or tail would twitch a bit, and it would open its mouth to hiss slightly before turning around and going back to sleep. Maybe it was dreaming? Did creatures even dream like people? By now it was comfortable enough to even sleep around her, and it would often follow her around while she moved, but still did mostly its own thing. It hadn''t followed her to the village yet, but she had seen it fly around high in the sky.

    Did it mean that even if so strong, it was wary of people in large groups?

    She kind of wanted to bring it to the settlement with her... It would eat a lot of food, but to have something so formidable on their side... It would make hunting and fighting creatures so much easier.

    And, if she could just manage one thing, it would make travelling also so much easier.

    Sada wanted to ride it... Which was crazy, of course. Narjik loved to tell old stories of their ancestors that fought against monsters and evil spirits by riding on some creature, fighting together, but those were just... Fantasies. The kind of stories you told to entertain children or that the hunters loved to come up with after drinking a bit too much fiery berry juice late at night and nothing more, wildly exaggerating old hunting experiences.

    "And then my great great grandfather totally jumped on that Roaring Moon and it helped him kill that Great Tusk! It was the biggest there ever was, you could carve a hundred spears out of its tusks and its skin was so big they made entire tents out of it for everyone!"

    Stuff like that.

    But... If she could actually do it... The problem was... How?

    She walked up to the dragon; there was a spot right on its back where there were neither spikes or feathers, that seemed just perfect for sitting on its back... Taking advantage of the fact that it was much lower to the ground at the moment, she decided to simply try climbing on it.

    Sada had barely gotten one leg over the creature''s back when Winged King woke up, jumping upright with a growl and sending her falling back to the ground, landing hard on her back. It took her barely a moment to catch her breath, her body moving on reflex and rolling to the side when the dragon''s great shadow covered her, and another moment to right herself in a low crouch, staring down (or, to be exact, up) at the creature.

    It had simply turned to look at her, orange eyes looking almost offended at what she had tried to do; her instincts were still telling her to get ready to fight or to run, to grab a weapon, a berry, anything, but Sada forced herself to remain calm.

    Winged King wouldn''t hurt her. It hadn''t done so the past days and it wouldn''t start now. She was sure of it, she wanted it to be true.

    She was proven right when the creature simply snorted and walked away a couple steps, plopping back down on the grass to resume sleeping.

    Sada slowly got back up, grinning. Did it really think that she would give up so easily?

    ---

    She tried to approach the creature from many different angles after that: from the side (it simply leapt away from her, with a strange throaty hiss that she could swear was its version of laughing at her), sneaking up on it from behind (it only managed to teach it to use its tail to playfully swipe at her legs), and finally from above. She crept along the branch of the tree she had climbed, staring at Winged King dozing off right underneath her. Curled up like it was, it was almost a perfect target to land on. Sada waited for the little signs that it had fallen in a deeper sleep: the feathered crest lowering until it laid flat on its head and the chest rising and falling at a slower rhythm, before springing into action. Leaping down from the branch, she landed right on the dragon''s back. Before it could wake up completely and send her flying again, she pressed both legs against its side and desperately grabbed for something to hold on to, namely the feathered crest.

    ? Gyaaa-?

    The creature started to buck wildly, trying to shake her off. The feathered tendrils she was gripping were literally vibrating in her hand, and Sada realized that the creature was trying to unfurl them like she had seen it do to fly away.

    One of them snapped open under her grasp and almost whipped her in the face, the girl only managing to avoid it by ducking her head on pure reflex. With her hand now empty, she immediately looked for a new handhold to grab on to. Her eyes fell on a curved blue spike that grew from the creature''s front leg, and she held on to it while the single opened wing flapped wildly, the creature still trashing and shaking its head.

    After a moment of consideration, she quickly grabbed the opposite spike, freeing both wings. Winged King immediately jumped up, flapping both wings as wide as possible with a smaller "gyaa-".

    Had she... Had she been hurting it by grabbing them like that...? It definitely looked like it was much calmer now that she wasn''t grabbing its head directly, but it still growled and tried to shake her off, to little effect. Sada realized that she was probably in the most secure spot possible: it couldn''t touch its own back in any way, unless it started to throw itself on the ground, or smash his own back against a rock.

    It thankfully didn''t seem to have hit on that idea yet, and Sada had no intention to let it think too much about it.

    ? If you let me stay up here, I''ll give you some tasty food...? she whispered, caressing its neck. That seemed to get the creature''s attention: it had learned really fast what the word "food" meant, mostly by her grumbling about it while it showed up at her camp to devour all her supplies the past few days. It went completely still, dropping back to the ground with a heavy thump and trying to turn around to look at her.

    ? Gya??

    ? Yes, "gyaaa"?

    She kept petting the creature, both because it seemed to genuinely like it and to distract it from the fact that she was still stubbornly seated on its back. Winged King started to slowly pace around, and Sada tried to get used to the weird feeling. It was simply walking, but... She was... actually doing it! She was riding it! Like in Narjik''s stories!

    Ooh, the look on his face if she would actually show up to the village riding Winked King! Nevermind him, the look on everyone''s face! What would Turo''s reaction be?!

    She threw her head back and laughed, delighted.

    ---

    The next day, she called Winged King with her bag completely packed with supplies from the village. She had made sure to pick all the things that Winged King had seemed to enjoy eating more.

    Sada had been walking back and forth from the settlement to the place where she would meet up with Turo again in a couple of days, where three great flat rocks protruded from the tall grass. The red lizard arrived swiftly, already sniffing the air while eyeing her bag.

    She made sure to keep it closed while she got up on its back, the creature immediately growing a bit displeased at it.

    ? All right, if you want some food...? she opened up her bag, took one strip of dried meat in her hand, and threw it a good couple of meters forward.

    ? Go get it!?

    Winged King''s head snapped forward, eyes following the arc made by the morsel of food before bolting after it, Sada barely managing to hold on. With two great leaps and one final jump, the lizard caught it in midair before it could even touch the ground; it flapped its wings a single time and landed heavily on all fours, licking its lips with a satisfied growl. Just like she had hoped, it had been so focused on the food that it hadn''t cared about her riding it in the slightest.

    ? Gyaa-!?

    ? Good job!? she leaned forward to pat its neck, overjoyed, and it purred.

    Yes! Good! This was working... If she could get it to associate letting her ride with getting treats, she could teach it pretty much anything!

    It would quite literally eat a hole in their supplies of food, but if she managed to get Winged King''s help during hunting expeditions... The problem would just solve itself. It could probably fight anything without too many problems.

    ? Let''s try this now...? she got another piece of meat out and held it up high. Somehow, Winged King seemed to sense that she was holding something in her hand even without being able to see her, trying to twist around to get a look at it. That was interesting... Did it notice that she wasn''t holding the spikes on its legs with both hands? Had it noticed the sound of her bag rustling open? That had to be it.

    It was much more smart than what she first thought if that was the case. That just made her even more excited about it: was it a special case? Or was it possible that all creatures were actually that intelligent?

    ? Go!? the lizard''s head immediately snapped forward again, expecting to see another piece of food fly through the air, only to growl with disappointment when it realized that she hadn''t thrown anything yet.

    ? No, not yet... "Go"? she repeated, but it stubbornly dug its claws into the ground, refusing to move.

    ? Gya!?

    She pouted, but she couldn''t just let him have it if she wanted to train it.

    Maybe it was better to change tactic for now.

    ? Go left!? she exclaimed, throwing the piece of meat in that direction. It immediately turned around to run after it, again catching it in midair. She kept doing it for quite a bit until her bag was almost empty, changing directions and making sure to praise it after every successfull attempt; she was starting to get used to switching quickly from throwing the food to keeping her grip on the creature''s back.

    Winged King, she noticed, also seemed to have quickly realized what was going on; it really was quite smart. It would turn its head this way and that, trying to anticipate her command, and before long it had started to change direction as soon as she had started to speak, already recognizing the two different words for left and right. It was a very... rough way of moving around, leaping from spot to spot through the tall grass and constantly starting and stopping, but somehow, it was working.

    Eventually, she hoped that it would listen to her even without the immediate promise of food. With how smart it seemed to be, maybe it wouldn''t take that long.

    ---

    Finally, the morning where she would meet up with Turo again arrived; she literally couldn''t wait to see his reaction to Winged King, and had set off from the village to reach the designated spot to set up the smoke signal. The elevated position also had a second purpose: she was... quite curious to see from which direction Turo would come from. Logically, unless he had stealthily moved around quite a bit these days (and this was Turo: the man looked ready to collapse in exhaustion after walking up a small hill), he should be arriving from the west relative to her position...unless he had used his more... "Flashy" method of travelling.

    Along the way, she gathered some materials to light a fire.

    After reaching the meeting spot, Sada spent a bit of time looking around, searching for Winged King. She hoped that it hadn''t chosen this one in particular as the day to roam farther than usual; she couldn''t find traces of the lizard in the sky, but maybe it was sleeping somewhere in the grass.

    She set her weapon and supplies down and dug into her satchel, looking for the two flints she remembered she had packed inside to start the fire.

    ? Hey!?

    The voice came not long after that, surprisingly, from behind her. She jumped up, startled, and turned around, and sure enough her eyes landed on Turo''s figure walking through one of the narrow trails in the tall grass. Her surprise -why was he coming from the direction of the settlement?- didn''t last long, soon changing into excitement. There he was! Oh, she couldn''t wait to see his reaction! These ten days had seemed longer than usual with how much had happened in them, and she realized that she had kind of missed him. He was also wearing the clothes she had made for him, even if still with his usual white cape covering it, left hand hidden from view inside it.

    She waved at him with both arms, impatiently waiting for him to reach her.

    ? Turo!! Ah... come here! Quick!? Sada hurried him along and he complied with a small smile, trying not to slip on the rocky surface. As soon as he was near, she took his arm by the elbow and pretty much forced him to sit by the fire she had just lit. Turo looked slightly surprised at that - but not displeased -, his eyes quietly wandering over her as he no doubt tried to guess what had gotten her so excited.

    ? Watch ?

    He raised a single perplexed eyebrow when Sada brought the little wooden flute she had carved to her lips, blowing three sharp notes into it. She immediately started to look around, trying not to laugh at Turo''s absolutely dumbfounded face while he evidently tried to decide what was the appropriate response to the whole situation.

    Just then, a familiar roar resonated through the air and behind her, and Sada hid a small smile after hearing the sound of Winged King making its way towards them. So it had been laying around here after all...

    She had to admit to feeling a bit guilty in seeing Turo''s expression change to fear and slight pain as he covered his ears; those roars could get quite loud, especially from up close. Winged King climbed up the rock from behind her. She heard it shift to its bipedal stance, rising to its full height and towering over them both. Turo managed to open his eyes again and seemed to freeze in fear, not unlike he had done against the Brutal Fang that had almost killed him, shrunken pupils fixated on the figure right behind her, not moving a muscle, breath caught in his chest.

    All right... Now she was starting to feel really bad about the whole thing. She happened to move away right as he jumped up, arm outstretched and trying to grab her, and even as she neared the dragon she felt a small quick surge of warmth in her chest. He had tried to save her. Even while obviously terrified and helpless, he had moved to try and get her out of what he thought was mortal danger.

    Sada quickly moved by Winged King''s side and started to pet the lizard''s head feathers to reassure Turo that they weren''t in any danger.

    It takes him a bit to realize that Winged King isn''t going to hurt them; Sada smiled proudly, cheeks flushing slightly at Turo''s short, incredule laugh. He slowly approached the creature, still quite fearful and hesitant, until he stood by her side, completely transfixed by the creature. The name seemed to confuse him, and she realized that he probably had no idea what King meant. Umm... How could she even explain it?

    Ah, but did it even matter at the moment? There were definitely more exciting things to show him right now! One word could wait.

    She turned back towards Winged King and tried to get him to lay down.

    ? Just get down a moment... "Down"? she caressed the leathery skin of its throat, where three smaller spikes seemed to protrude from it; the lizard seemed to like it, because it raised its head to give her better access to it, eyes squeezed shut, before opening them up again in disappointment when the petting stopped. It looked at her hand, and she immediately took the chance to point it at the ground to get the creature to lower its head.

    ? Down? it growled but obeyed, lowering itself back down on all fours.

    She mounted it - still with some difficulty - and turned back towards Turo, smiling and encouraging him to get near.

    ? Come!?

    She almost had expected him to hesitate and refuse, shaking his head while muttering something like he often did, but now it was his turn to surprise her. He approached the lizard, planted his boot firmly against a specific spot on the creatures hind legs, and jumped up quickly swinging his other leg over in a single, fluid motion she honestly didn''t even think him capable of. He made it look so easy, like he did it everyday. Sada just stared at him, stunned, and after a moment he seemed to realize that something was off.

    That he had messed up. His face became completely neutral, like it often did when she tried to approach some subject he wasn''t comfortable with. It was almost like watching some of the wooden masks Narjik wore during some of their rituals slide right over his face, every single feature carefully crafted and controlled to not betray even the slightest hint of emotion. Their eyes met, and for a couple of long moments none of them both dared to move or even breath.

    Then Turo spoke, trying to act like nothing was wrong.

    He knew. He knew that she knew that he was hiding something.

    She was tempted to question him about it, but decided against it after a moment. No use doing it right now. With a resigned sigh, she turned back around to direct Winged King. While the dragon started making his way off the rock, she listened for Turo''s reaction, but even then, there was nothing but silence coming from behind her.

    ... Was he busy trying to come up with some excuse to give her later? Because she was going to question him about it. When the dragon sped up, Turo finally gave a reaction more in line with what she had been expecting of him from the beginning, trying to not fall off. What Sada wasn''t expecting was for him to grab onto her to do it. She was suddenly acutely aware of his weight onto her back, his hands lightly pressed around her waist, and she involuntarily let out a startled gasp. "Focus".

    She needed to concentrate in order to avoid both of them falling off the dragon.

    She leaned forward on the dragon, starting to give him instructions just like they had practiced; without the promise of immediate food, the lizard was quite more reluctant to follow her directions, but she didn''t exactly need it to be perfectly obedient at the moment. It was already incredible that it was actually listening to her: sometimes she still found herself in disbelief at it all. Just a couple of days earlier, and she wouldn''t have dared to dream being able to do something like this. And now... Here she was! Not only riding a peaceful creature but one as amazing as Winged King.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    With a smirk, she gave it one last command: this one they hadn''t had much time to practice, so she wasn''t sure if it even remembered what she wanted him to do. So when the dragon suddenly started climbing a tree, then jumped off it and spread its wings to fly, she couldn''t help letting out an exhilarated laugh.

    The wind, it felt amazing! It was so much stronger up here, so much colder. Winged King''s scales radiated a reassuring warmth as it flapped its wings and flew slowly over the forest before circling back to where they had come from. Turo''s grip on her had suddenly gotten much stronger, the man probably worried at the idea of slipping sideways from the creature''s back and plummeting to the ground from that height.

    They landed quite rockily back on the ground, and she quickly jumped down to give a growling Winged King the very deserved prize he was probably demanding right now.

    Turo jumped down with way less grace than when he had gotten up, looking a bit distracted.

    Of course he would be! They had just been flying! She grabbed both his hands, elated. Did he have any idea what this meant?! They could explore places that were difficult for people to reach, they could see the world like no else had ever done before! They could even... She hesitated a moment when the thought struck her.

    ?We can... go to your people ? ? she asked, barely daring to hope for a positive answer. If he said yes... Just a little visit! A really short one... She just wanted to see where he actually came from. What kind of places had creatures that could make paper and his weird stretchy clothes and that had writing and who knew what else...

    Turo froze, and then slowly moved his hands out from hers, hiding them both in his pocket, eyes low, and she already knew what he was going to say.

    No, obviously.

    Both hands went back to her side, one balling up in the first surge of annoyance and real anger that she had ever felt towards him.

    Did... Did he think she was stupid? What kind of excuse was that? That was the whole point of being able to fly now, so what if it was far away?! If he was scared of going back to his tribe or whatever fine, he could just show her the way once they arrived near there and she could go herself!

    The anger didn''t last long, quickly replaced by something more subdued, a quiet disappointment in realizing that even after saving his life, after all the hours they had spent together, side by side, slowly teaching each other words and talking and laughing... He still didn''t trust her enough to reveal pretty much anything about himself.

    Always disappearing at sunset. For every word he said, she had the feeling there were five more he had decided to keep to himself.

    Just... Why?

    What honestly deserved so much secrecy?

    An uncomfortable silence fell between the two; Sada bit her lip, petting Winged King that had bumped her shoulder with its snouth.

    ? I...?

    Turo was mumbling something, eyes fixed to the east, where the smoke of various campfires was snaking up towards the sky. She suddenly remembered that it was also the direction he had come from just before.

    "Can I come to your people...?"

    His question was so unexpected that she had to made sure she had heard right.

    She stared at him, eyes wide. Did he... Did he really ask to...?

    Had she been wrong? Had he refused because he was already planning to come to her settlement in the end?

    Sada couldn''t help hugging him, throwing her arms around his neck, laughing happily. She accidentally brushed against his chin and paused for a moment, surprised by how spiky his beard felt, then hastily let go, regarding him with an enormous smile.

    ? Let''s go!? she offered, grabbing his left arm, mind already racing towards all the things she would have to explain to him about how the settlement worked, how they lived, and... And...

    She heard Turo stutter something out from behind her, and she turned to look back him.

    ? What ...??

    He looked flustered, face slightly red. And nervous. Sada smiled, trying to reassure him.

    ? It will be fine!? she tugged encouragingly on his arm again, and he slowly, slowly brought his left hand out from where he had shoved them away just earlier. Sada grasped it with her right hand, and before she could consciously think about it, found herself interlocking her fingers with his. She squeezed them slightly, rubbing her thumb on the back of his hand. Turo flinched slightly, wide eyes never leaving her face. His lips parted and he seemed on the point of saying something.

    ? It will be fine.? she repeated, gently, and he stopped, before nodding slowly, eyes never leaving her face.

    Sada led him towards the camp, walking half a step ahead of him like they often did, still never letting go of his hand. Winged King followed them for a while, before turning back around and flying away when it realized that they were going towards the settlement.

    Along the way, she felt Turo trip behind her a couple of times and smiled feeling a surge of affection towards the awkward man. To distract him, she pointed out a set of footprints on the trail.

    ? These are from a Bushy Pelt ? she said, before explaining as best as she could about their incredibly thick, white fur. They moved in packs, and would leave white strands of fur pretty much everywhere. Turo nodded along, but if she had turned around to look at him a bit more often, she would have noticed that he seemed much more interested in glancing at her instead of whatever she had been pointing at.

    ---

    Turo seemed to become more and more nervous the nearer they got to the settlement and more and more traces of human activity showed up.

    He stared with wide eyes at the large tents and temporary huts that had been erected near each other in groups of three or four, in a wide circle. Great bones and tusks were used to create the walls, with furs thrown on top and sewn together to create a barrier against the sun, the rain and other elements.

    He didn''t seem to be familiar with them, and she wondered what materials his people used to build things. Surely not that weird stretchy skin they seemed to use for clothes?

    Smoke was coming out from a hole in the top of some of the larger ones, where someone was probably cooking something, judging by the smell that was coming out of it. A larger campfire, now still empty and cold, sat at the rough center of the settlement, this one usually used as a communal meeting point by everyone in the group to sit around at night and share stories, at least when the weather wasn''t bad.

    They were organized mostly in groups made from people that were related by blood, even if almost all activities at the settlement were communal. Hunting, gathering food, crafting tools and child-rearing were all done by everyone as a group.

    They crossed a small group of hunters about to set out, Chalo and Fluffyhead among them. Sada greeted them with a sharp nod, lifting her spear and tapping the ground twice.

    ? Good luck!?

    They answered her in a similar manner, cheering, before catching sight of Turo and stopping in their tracks, staring. Sada turned towards him, only to notice that he had very slightly shuffled to the side, almost trying to hide behind her. Since he was almost one head taller than her and draped in blinding white, he wasn''t having much success.

    ? This is the shaman from the south I''ve told you about. He''ll be staying with us from now on.? Sada opted to break the awkward staring contest between the two groups, missing Turo raising one eyebrow in a puzzled expression by her side.

    ? Ooh, finally the mystery man shows up.? Chalo was the first to react. The woman grinned, moving towards him only for the man to nervously take a step back, eyeing both the spear and Fluffyhead.

    Chalo, meanwhile, stared him up and down, eyes stopping at their still locked hands.

    ? You weren''t kidding when you said he''s weird looking. What''s up with his hands? ?

    Sada sighed while some of the other hunters expressed similar comments.

    She was suddenly glad that he was actually wearing the clothes she had made for him. If this was their reaction when he was dressed exactly like them (well, cape aside), she could only imagine how they would have reacted at seeing him with his original clothes.

    Sada looked up at him, pensive.

    He didn''t look that weird.... Did he?

    Or... was she just getting used to it? She... She kinda liked it, actually.

    Turo meanwhile looked ready to bolt, wide eyes passing between all of them with obviously no idea of what they were talking about. She squeezed his hand reassuringly.

    ? Chalo, not now...?

    The girl just laughed and lifted her free hand to slap Turo on the shoulder. The man flinched.

    ? Riiight, you two have fun. Bye Terg!? and with that, she whistled a command to Fluffyhead and resumed walking, the rest of the hunters following suit.

    ? T- Terg? What''s Terg?? Sada couldn''t stop a short giggle at seeing Turo so confused by that of all things.

    ? It''s... Nothing. It''s stupid.?

    He just looked even more confused, but at least not as terrified as before.

    They resumed walking, and Sada finally ducked into one of the bigger tents, leading him inside. Turo stopped and looked at his feet, at the moss that has been used to cover the floor, and appears completely taken aback again, like he had never seen anything like it before.

    She''s similarly surprised by his reaction. Had he been sleeping on cold, hard stone before now?

    That was... Sad.

    The tent is at the moment empty, save for one figure sitting near the hearth, paying attention to some pieces of meat on the fire. The woman lifted her head in hearing them approach, and Sada couldn''t help feeling suddenly a bit nervous. She had pictured the scene so many times in her head, having it actually take place right in front of her eyes now didn''t feel real. She was so happy that he had finally decided to join the settlement, but what if people didn''t accept him...?

    ? Mother, this is Turo. I''ve been teaching him our language, but there is still a lot he doesn''t know so... try not to overwhelm him. ? she explained, Turo''s head snapping in her direction at hearing his name but clearly not being able to parse much else.

    ? Turo, this is my... "Mother"? she added turning towards him, thinking back on their conversation from some time ago.

    ? My... Parent.?

    It took him a second, and then he suddenly looked even more terrified than when Winged King first showed up. Face completely white, Turo looked back at Mother, trying and failing to stutter something out as a greeting.

    ? Ah... Umm... H-hello...? he almost managed in a low voice, and it''s so painfully awkward that Sada couldn''t help but cringe slightly with second hand embarrassment. It''s just.... So like him to fly into a panic simply at the thought of having to exchange a greeting, even though she could understand that he would be nervous. She probably would too, in a similar situation.

    Thankfully, Mother didn''t comment on it. She nodded slowly as an answer and just quietly stared at him, apparently studying his face.

    ? So this is the man you''ve been meeting with?? she finally asked.

    ? Y-yes. Can we... Sit down?? Sada offered. Turo sure looked ready to pass out from sheer nervousness, maybe sitting down would put them all a bit more at ease. Mother simply nodded, and Sada sat down on the opposite side of the fire. She patted the ground just on her right for Turo to sit beside her. He complied, sitting cross legged with some difficulty. He kept poking at the moss on the ground with one hand, playing with it nervously. Was it... Really that fascinating for him? The other, his left hand, was again firmly hidden in his mantle. He... Had been doing that a lot today, now that she thought about it. Was there something about his left hand that was different today, something he wanted to hide? But no... The only thing she could think of was his weird bracelet he seemed so protective of, but he kept that on his right wrist. And all the time she had just spent holding his hand, she hadn''t noticed anything different.

    ? He... Looks nothing like the tribe from the south I remember meeting. ? Mother spoke up after a couple of moments of silence, catching Sada by surprise.

    Oh...? She had actually hoped that Mother would recognize something familiar about him. Maybe it had been... A different tribe?

    ? What creature does that come from? That doesn''t look like fur.? her mother asked after a moment, pointing at Turo''s mantle. Sada smiled, excited; of course she would be interested in it! That was good; if they could just talk about... normal, everyday things, that was maybe the best way to make him feel welcome here.

    She brushed Turo''s arm and looked at his face, ready to explain in case he hadn''t understood the question, but he just shifted his weight slightly and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

    ? It is not... fur. Not a P-... a creature. ? he opened them up again and answered, voice a bit wavering but clear.

    ? It''s... umm... not a tree... ? he squinted and scratched at his chin, seemingly having trouble remembering a word.

    ? ... plant! It''s a plant. "Cotton". Not...from here. I think?

    She felt a strange sense of pride in listening to him trying to make his way through the conversation as best as he could.

    ? A plant...? I guess you could twist the fibers like we do for baskets, but... Make clothes out of it...?? her mother seemed intrigued, but Sada couldn''t help but notice that Turo looked completely lost at her answer.

    ? She is asking... "How" you make this.?

    His face cleared up a bit, just to go right back to nervousness a moment later, eyes shifting left and right.

    ? Ah, I... D-don''t know... How.? he muttered.

    Mother raised one eyebrow, perplexed, before turning her attention back to her.

    ? He knows what it''s made of, but not how??

    Yes, Turo was... Weird like that, apparently. That probably was just how shamans were in his tribe... Or... Something.

    ? Why don''t you show her?? she asked the man. He just stared blankly, not quite sure of what she meant.

    Putting her hand on his wrist, she pinched the white fabric and tugged gently.

    ? Your clothes. Can you show them to her?? she mimed taking the mantle off like he had already done one time to let her examine it.

    She was sure that Mother would be as fascinated by them as she had been, and with how much more experienced she was, could probably figure out more about how they were made.

    To her surprise, Turo stiffened at her touch. His eyes moved from her hand gently touching his left arm, to the space between them - and briefly her face-, then to his hips.

    ? Ah... N-no... Sorry.?

    ... What?

    She stared at him for a moment, honestly confused. He had been more than happy to let her examine it last time, and had offered it himself.

    Why was he suddenly so defensive?

    What was going on with him today...?

    There''s complete silence in the tent for a couple of moments, the only sound that of the fire and the skewered meat that is cooking on it.

    Her eyes wandered from his face to his side... And landed on the left pocket of his mantle. The one he had kept his hand in the whole time since this morning. They were pretty large pockets... At least large enough for his notebook and pen, and probably other things.

    He wasn''t hiding his hand from view, he was hiding whatever was inside that pocket.

    Something else he didn''t trust her to see, apparently.

    Sada looked back to his face... And there it was again. The "mask".

    Except that this time, he couldn''t stop the rest of his body from betraying him. She can feel it, from the hand still on his arm, their knees touching sitting side by side, legs crossed. He is actually trembling, face inscrutable but white with panic.

    ? Sada... please...?

    The mask cracked, the tiniest bit, and his eyes are begging, literally begging her to not delve further. To drop the whole thing and pretend that nothing happened. To play dumb.

    For a short moment, she is almost tempted to just shove her hand inside his pocket and grab whatever it was he was hiding... But... She can already picture the panicked and betrayed look he would give her.

    ? ... Never mind. Maybe another time. He says he''s cold without it.? she couldn''t help but mutter under her breath, and Turo just hanged his head with a guilty expression, surely having recognized the word.

    ? Alright. There is no rush. ? Mother pointedly looked at Turo after having witnessed their short exchange, before looking back at her, eyes narrowing.

    ? Are you sure you can trust this man?? she asked in a low voice.

    Sada bit her lip. Yes, of course she trusted him, he''s never shown the slightest hint of ill will towards her, there must be a reason for why he had been acting like that, but... did he even trust her?

    ? I''m sure he''s just... nervous. ?

    Mother simply shrugged, going back to handling the fire.

    ? If you say so. Let''s just eat.?

    Sada nodded, relieved, and grabbed some of the skewers, passing one to Turo and biting into one of hers.

    ? Here.?

    It''s not the first time they have eaten together, during the hours they have spent teaching each other vocabulary and discussing different creatures and their powers, but it''s usually been just berries, roots and similar things that she had gathered nearby before he arrived. It''s not like she could go hunting and catch something while Turo was with her... both because the guy was so clueless in walking stealthily that he would have scared everything away, and because having to make sure that he didn''t get his face bitten off by whatever she was hunting would have just made things more difficult for her.

    So she isn''t exactly surprised when his eyes go wide at seeing the meat he was being offered; it was probably the first piece of cooked meat he had seen since coming here.

    If he had to survive all this time on roots and berries that he found... no wonder he was so scrawny.

    Turo looked at both of them, almost like a kid making sure that yes, he was actually allowed to eat it.

    ? T-thank you... ? he stared at it with a strange expression of puzzlement on his face, turning the skewer in his hand. He looked about to take a bite, before stopping again.

    ? W... what creature is this? ? he asked, quietly. Sada stared at him, not really getting the point of the question. Why would it be important...?

    Ooooh, maybe he was afraid that the meat came from those creatures his people didn''t hunt? If they were considered special for some reason (not like she could understand why), then they obviously didn''t eat them as a form of... respect, or something.

    She simply pointed to the corner of the tent, to the Steady Glacier bones that made up the walls.

    Turo got even quieter after he seemed to realize what she meant, and he ate in complete silence.

    ---

    After eating, Sada decided to show Turo the rest of the settlement. He seemed pretty interested in the little enclosure they had built for Fluffyhead and a couple of other Spark Tails that Chalo had managed to round up in the meantime, even taking out his notebook to take some quick notes about it. Sada tried to glance at the paper, and he strangely didn''t stop her. She quickly understood why: the symbols that should have been the same he had taught her were scribbled so hastily that she could barely recognize a couple of them. Turo smirked at her disappointed pout, letting one of the Spark Tails sniff his hand. He seemed familiar with them.

    ? Sada! ? they both turned around at the voice that had sprung up behind them. Ari, one of the children, had come running out of his tent towards them.

    ? Jesraa wants to know when you are going to teach her the other- Oh.? the child stopped after seeing Turo, eyes wide. She couldn''t blame him; he was probably the only other person from outside the settlement he had ever seen.

    Still, his sudden appearance had given Sada an idea. She turned to Turo, an excited smile making its way on her face... and for once, Turo actually looked worried, like he had sensed that she had something planned for him.

    ? You teach them! ?

    Of course! Brilliant! What better teacher than the man himself? She had already taught Narjik, Chalo and a couple of other people, but she didn''t have time to teach every single person and make sure they didn''t make mistakes... but Turo could! It could be a way for him to integrate into the settlement, get to know people...

    ? T-"teach"...??

    ... oh, right.

    ? Um... you show... all people here... writing.? she clarified, but his reaction wasn''t quite what she had expected.

    ? You... showed them writing?? he asked, slowly, eyes staring straight into hers.

    ? Yes!! ? she nodded, and Turo looked... conflicted. He muttered something incomprehensible to himself - "aw, shit-", then sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, left hand covering one half of his face.

    ? Is it... bad...?? had she done something she shouldn''t have...?

    But what was the point of being able to write stuff if nobody else could read it?

    He was silent for quite a while, before lowering his hand with another sigh.

    Even if he was trying to hide it, she could swear there was the tiniest trace of a smirk on his face. A proud smile.

    ? ... no. It''s... incredible...?

    ---

    They entered another hut, one of the biggest ones used by the whole tribe as a meeting spot when the weather wasn''t good enough to sit outside, that Narjik would sometime use as a place to teach the children or tell old stories. He was out at the moment, gathering herbs and other materials for his rituals.

    Sada had been a bit disappointed - she was really interested in watching the two shamans meet.

    At first, the children had been afraid of him, so she had sat down by his side near the fire and encouraged them to get near, translating when necessary.

    Now, Sada smiled warmly while Turo traced lines on his notebook and held it up for all four of them to see and copy line by line. They were using soot to write, and it had predictably ended up everywhere, including his face, his hair, and the front of his mantle, now no longer an immaculate white but covered in black, child-shaped handprints.

    He seemed much more at ease with the children than with adults; teaching seemed to come natural to him.

    ? Where are... the "others"?? he asked after a while, in a pause from their lessons. Jesraa, the youngest, had fallen asleep on his lap, but he didn''t seem to mind. He''s got his notebook open and propped up on one knee, and it looked like he was drawing the interior of the hut, pausing every now and then to study how the bones were laid out.

    Sada blinked, for once being the one caught unprepared.

    ? "Others"...? ?

    ? Your people. Are there "others"... ? he pointed at the children and thought for a moment. ? Um... small... people? ?

    Sada laughed a bit when she realized he didn''t know the word for children and had to improvise.

    ? "Small people"... you mean children??

    He nodded, still looking at his notebook.

    ? Yes. Children. "Others", um... not... these children.?

    Oh, all right. Now she got what he had tried to ask. Sada simply stared at him, confused.

    ? There is no "other" children ?

    There''s a long moment of silence, then Turo suddenly raised his head to gape at her, bewildered.

    ?... what? ?

    ... why does he look so surprised?

    ? These are the only children here.?

    ? But... only four... ?

    He went really quiet after that, his warm smile at watching the child sleep in his lap becoming pained.

    ---

    ? I have to go. ?

    Turo''s words took her by surprise, again, for the second time in the span of a couple of hours. It''s after midday, and the sun is already going down, now that the days have been getting shorter and shorter. Soon it would become much colder.

    Sada looked at him while he stood up and tried to clean up his clothes as best as he could.

    Go...? But he had said... that he wanted to come to her people, so she had thought...

    ? Where... ? You can stay here -?

    Turo just looked at her, silent, and she knew that whatever she could say would have no use in convincing him. Well, now she suddenly felt really stupid, getting so excited about his coming to live with them... she stared at the ground, biting her lip, almost tearing into it, a mix of anger and embarassment and disappointment swirling in her chest.

    Something gently touched her chin and lifted her head, and she finds herself staring into Turo''s warm brown eyes.

    ? ... I''ll come back. ?

    Sada glared back at him.

    ? Tomorrow. At dawn. ? and he better not be late. If he really had to run off who knows where at night, the least he could do was run right back.

    He nodded after a moment.

    ? ... tomorrow. At dawn. ?

    ---

    She watched him leave, like always. What was different from all the other times, was that he was leaving from her village. She knew the area so well she could navigate it with her eyes closed, and so she knew perfectly well about all the possible spots Turo could choose to spend the night. The little thicket of trees to the south. The stream they get water from to the north. The great fields of tall grass.

    She gave him an advantage of a couple hundred meters before sneaking after him.

    He was being extremely cautious; he kept turning around every now and then, making sure that no one was following him, then checking his surroundings.

    Sada, however, knew perfectly well how to move unnoticed. How to keep a low profile, how to leave as few prints as possible, how to stop moving when he turned around to not alert him due to a sudden movement... she quickly gained back the ground he had covered. All the while, she is staring at his back, just trying to make sense of his behaviour. Why does he need to go this far out? What is he even looking for...? This surely is not a safe space to pass the night...

    Turo suddenly stopped, and Sada freezed, crouching low to the ground to hide herself in the tall grass. He gave one last look around, then raised his left hand and started rolling up the sleeves of his right arm, revealing his usual purple clothes underneath... and the bracelet. Outlined by the last rays of sunlight, he touched the little object on his wrist, and she suddenly had to squeeze her eyes shut, hurt by the blinding burst of white light that surrounded him...

    ... and when she opened them up again, he''s gone.

    Sada is left staring at empty air, not a single trace left of him. It took her quite a bit to notice that she was trembling, frozen in place.

    He had... really disappeared. She had tought about the flash of light, sure, but deep inside, she had always assumed that it had a perfectly normal explanation.

    Sada had wished for it to have a perfectly normal explanation, because that would at least make Turo... easier to explain. To think of him as... similar to her, a kindred spirit.

    But to actually see him do it, to disappear into thin air like he commanded the power of some strange creature she had seen... now she wasn''t so sure anymore.

    ... what was he, really?

 Chapter 11: There and back again

    The last trip had been... simply "eventful" would have been an understatement. To think that Sada had managed not only to see but to actually tame "Winged King", that ancient form of Cyclizar... and Miraidon, by extension. She never ceased to amaze him with what she managed to accomplish even with the incredibly limited resources she had available. But that had now left him in a bit of a conundrum; should he mention Winged King in his report? Turo was honestly afraid that doing so would only get him tasked with capturing it and bringing it back for research purposes; he threw a little glance at the Master Balls currently sitting on his desk, all still perfectly empty. He... didn''t like having them with him. They were in a sense a way for him to protect himself out there in the distant past, but they had made every second of that trip when he had felt their weight pressing against his side a nerve-wracking experience, terrified at having them discovered... which had nearly happened, and had cost him at least part of Sada''s trust. He had never actually seen her angry at him before today, but what had hurt the most had been the... silent disappointment and resignation in her eyes.

    He shook his head and focused back on the report he had been writing -or at least trying to write - for the past... couple of hours? Maybe...?

    Almost answering his silent question, a screen opened by his side, Porygon 568''s figure materializing from it. It floated over until it blocked his view of the screen he was currently writing on.

    ? Dr. Romero Turo, after your trip you have been in your office for the next 4 hours, 29 minutes and 19 seconds... adding them to the hours you have spent time-displaced, and records of your activity in this facility before the trip...I estimate you have been awake for a consecutive 36 hours, 15 minutes and 7 seconds...rounding down.? it beeped.

    ? Immediate execution of "sleep" is advised to maintain your body in optimal operating conditions.?

    ? I''ve got coffe, I don''t need to sleep.? he gestured to the thermos lying on one corner of the desk,swiftly moving the screen away from behind Porygon to where he could see it again with a flick of his wrist. The Pok¨¦mon turned toward the thermos, eyes glowing yellow for a moment.

    ? ... temperature scans indicate that thermos has been empty for two hours.? it simply said.

    Uh, was it? He hadn''t noticed. Turo ignored the Pok¨¦mon and resumed writing - or trying to-.

    ? ... your report is not so urgent as to warrant such a degree of restless activity. Your erratic behavior since you''ve returned from your trip suggests an altered emotional state. In layman''s terms... something is troubling you.?

    This time he actually turned to glare at the little AI, eyes tingling after staring at a screen in the dark for hours.

    ? You''ve been spying on me...??

    ? "Spying" implies a desire to extract information out of someone without being discovered, often to obtain an advantage over that same individual or group. That was not my intent.? it fluffed up it''s wing feathers, offended, as much as something made of lines of code could, before turning it''s head to look at him with the jittering,rapid head movements that was so typical of the many real life avian Pok¨¦mon it was partially modeled after -many by now extinct or replaced by other species they had evolved into. Turo idly wondered for a moment which programmer during the centuries had decided to devote precious time and effort programming that little feature in, because it was as impressively realistic as completely useless, since it had no real purpose... except, maybe, making the Porygon appear a little bit more life-like. Giving it a little more character... a little bit more of an identity. Someone more poetic than him would have said that it gave the AI a bit more soul.

    And for some reason, it''s that little detail that made him turn around toward the AI and actually give it his full attention instead of treating it like an annoying pop-up like he had until now.

    What had gotten into him? ... that wasn''t like him.

    He flicked away the screen with his barely written report on it and sank back in his fake-leather chair with an exhausted sigh, shutting his eyes closed, both hands pressed to his temples.

    ?... sorry. I know I''ve been up here making excuses to avoid going home and... actually reflect on some things.?

    ? That is not healthy.?

    He opened his eyes again and smiled weakly at the Porygon, patting it on the head a couple of times. It seemed to enjoy it -and again, he wondered why something that had been devised to spend more time in cyberspace than in the actual physical world had even been programmed with that feature. From a purely logical point of view, it made little sense. Devoting even a little part of its processing capabilities to define and react to something as simple as touch when it wasn''t strictly necessary, or wasting even just a little part of its memory to store such trivial information like "Spots he likes and dislikes to be petted on" was a drain on resources that could be better spent on executing its task more efficiently.

    ... but someone still had programmed that in. And, maybe more importantly, every single update after that, every single person that had touched its code had decided to keep that feature instead of removing it. Leaving it in. Maybe even adding to it, perfecting it.

    And the picture that single, insignificant detail painted of humanity was maybe the fundamental reason he was so fascinated with AI, Artificial Pok¨¦mon Programming... and the future as a whole. There was just so much... potential in it.

    ? ... you are worried after me. Humans drink and smoke from the instant we have figured out how to do so. We aren''t exactly known for always making healthy decisions.? he answered. Porygon 568 seemed to mull over that for a moment.

    ? ... I believe I am not equipped to deal with your altered state in an efficient manner. I have taken the liberty of contacting Dr. Gervaso Ortega.?

    ? Wait... what?? the Pok¨¦mon didn''t look any different, but of course, one on the thousand little processes it had running in the background at all times was probably busy calling Ortega this instant.

    ? You don''t need to-?

    ? ... he said he will come here immediately and is already on his way.?

    What? But wasn''t it... He glanced at the clock projected on the opposite wall, confused. He had lost all sense of time.

    ? But it''s way past three in the morning, what is he even doing...?

    ? He will be here in two minutes, he said. He was already awake. "Out drinking" were his exact words.?

    ... of course he was, probably partying it up somewhere in one of those locales that only opened after midnight. That guy had more social energy to burn in a night that he could muster up in a whole week. Turo sighed and resigned himself to wait for his colleague.

    He didn''t have to wait long, Ortega had probably walked to the nearest teleporter the instant he had closed the call.

    Turo still had to stare at seeing him enter the office looking... so normal.

    ? ... uh. Don''t think I''ve ever seen you in clothes that are not a bodysuit and labcoat or some couple centuries out of fashion.?

    ? I could say the same of you. And I like wearing stuff that''s centuries out of fashion. It looked much better. Did you know that my ancestors used to own the biggest apparel company in Paldea? Of course, it''s long gone now, but we''ve still got some stuff and old designs at home, on some old physical storage devices. ? he said, sitting down backwards on a chair he had grabbed and propping his elbows up on the backrest.

    Uh... no, he actually had no idea. Must have been quite some time ago if he had never even heard of the "Ortega" brand.

    ? ... is that why you are so into past fashion?? he couldn''t help but ask. Ortega shrugged.

    ? Part of it, yeah. But enough about me-? the man squinted and looked between Turo and Porygon 568, some of his dark, curly hair falling over his eyes as he leaned a bit forward.

    ? What''s going on here? Porygon said you''re not feeling well... and frankly, you look terrible.?

    Turo grimaced, not knowing how to best answer the question.

    ? During my last jump, I''ve... been to the village of the native girl I''ve been meeting with.?

    Ortega arched an eyebrow at that, but just nodded for him to continue.

    ? On one hand, it was amazing... I''ve got so much data, made some sketches... they use moss to insulate the tents, Pok¨¦mon bones and materials, but... there''s this four kids.? he decided to omit everything that had to do with the writing lessons and Winged King for now. At the moment, it wasn''t important.

    ? Four kids... out of the whole settlement that looked like what... some hundred people? I can''t stop... thinking about them. ? he whispered, head held low.

    ? History books and documentaries never really mention them, do they? It''s always just... wars, and kings, and important discoveries.

    But it''s like... it hit me right then that they are kids like any other... they just want to play, and have fun, and learn new things, and their life is just so-?

    ? Was. ?

    It took him a second to even register Ortega''s blunt interjection, at which point Turo stopped and raised his head to look at the man.

    ? What... ? ?

    ? You mean to say that their life was horrible, or unfair, or desperate, or whatever it is you were going to say. It''s in the past, Turo. It''s already happened. There''s no use despairing over it.? he explained, looking unusually serious.

    ? How... can you just say that? ? Turo asked, still a bit surprised by Ortega''s tone. ? That''s... ?

    ? "Cold"? Yes it is. But it''s also what keeps you sane in this job. Listen, at the start, you were new here, so I was a bit... hesitant to tell you. You are doing the same mistake that a lot of newbies do during their first time-jumps.?

    Ortega took a deep breath.

    ? You are getting attached to the people you meet in the past. You can''t do that. You have to stop thinking of them as... I don''t know, people you just met somewhere and who you can be friends with. They''re not. They can''t be. ?

    Every word of Ortega hit him like a punch in the stomach, because they were true. Completely, absolutely true.

    ? Every time you meet someone, you have to think of them as complete strangers that you''re never going to see again... Otherwise, it''s going to destroy you. What are you going to do once your project is done and you have to completely change era? Change places?? he asked, and Turo could only stare at the other man, wide eyed, heart now hammering in his chest. That thought, especially the idea of not being able to see Sada again... Of just having to disappear and never come back, leaving her wondering what had happened... Had already been tormenting him for a while.

    ? I...? he started, with no idea how to continue, but Ortega wasn''t done.

    ? You are going to keep thinking about them. The temptation to sneak a little jump here and there between other projects to go see them will keep you up at night. It will drive you crazy, it will hurt even when you do see them because you can''t build a relationship with a couple of hours here and there. You''ll be living on borrowed time... eh-? he chuckled darkly.

    ? ... Literally. Simply delaying the moment where you will have to actually say goodbye... And leave them in the past for good.?

    A deep silence fell between the two. Turo sat, shocked, thinking about what he had just heard.

    ? ... That''s why all your projects are so short. That''s why you almost never go back more than a certain point in time.? he said in the end.

    The other time traveler just nodded, then looked to Porygon 568 with a sardonic smile.

    ? Sneaky bastard... That''s why you called me of all people, didn''t you??

    The Pokemon simply tilted its head without answering, and Ortega just shook his head.

    ? He was... ? he stopped after a moment, brows furrowed. ? ... Never mind. Point is: I had to disappear from his life before it completely tore me apart. You want to know the first thing I did after seeing him for the last time and coming back to the present??

    Turo had half an idea, but he simply waited for the other man to continue.

    ? Looked him up online. Anything I could find. Articles, biographies... There''s even some old pictures, from the first couple of centuries of the Internet... He had a good life. Successful. A family. Three kids. He could have never done that with me, seeing me for a couple of hours at a time. That gave me ... Closure, I guess. I know that''s not really an option for you due to how far back you go, but... ? Ortega took a final deep breath before looking back at Turo.

    ? We observe, Turo. Nothing more. The sooner you get used to it, the less it will hurt. ?

    He nodded quietly. It was easier said than done, but... Knowing that he wasn''t the only one that had struggled with similar problems helped a bit.

    ? It''s just... So strange to think about. You go in the past, and they are right there, it''s easy to forget that they''re already... Long gone once you come back here..? he struggled to articulate it.

    ? I know. Blame human psychology. We''re really not made to wrap our heads around time travel... Or maybe it''s just too early, who knows. ? Ortega answered.

    And then he jumped up, clapped his hands loud enough to make both him and Porygon flinch, and grinned, back to his usual self.

    ? Enough gloomy thoughts. You need to take a little break from all this... Get out, get a little change of scenery. Change of perspective, it''ll do you well.

    And I know exactly what you need.?

    Turo slowly got up, just to stumble dangerously and have to lean against the desk to support himself. Ortega coughed.

    ? .... Maybe get some sleep and something to eat, first.?

    ---

    ? A trip to the... future?? Moreau wondered, eyes passing between both.

    ? Just a little joint collaboration of a single trip. A test run. We do all test runs in the past by default, but I think we should start doing them also in the future. So that every new time traveler in the department is aware of certain... things to pay attention to in both, err... "directions".? Ortega smoothly answered, gesturing to the screen with a little proposal he had written up that floated between them. Standing completely still by his side, Turo could hardly contain his excitement. The future. He was actually going to... see it. It was incredibly hard to get clearance for it, especially for someone like him that didn''t even have a single completed published paper related to time travel to his name yet. And now they were actually discussing it. He barely dared to breath, for fear of ruining the moment.

    He felt somewhat like being a kid again, during the parent-teacher meetings at school. Moreau was still looking rather pensive.

    ? ... sure. Let''s see how it goes. But-? he added.

    ? As the one with most experience traveling to the future, I''m tagging along.?

    Oh. That was, umm... unexpected. Turo observed the current director -and possibly one of the most expert time travelers currently alive - of the TTDL walk to his desk and get a time-anchor out of it, slipping it on his wrist.

    ? Mostly because I want to make sure that you ? icy blue eyes went to glare at Ortega.

    ? Don''t mess around with whatever we''re going to find, and so that you? now it was his turn to get glared at, and Turo flinched. W-what...?

    The director smirked.

    ? ... don''t manage to somehow land us 20''000 years in the future or something else equally ludicrous. ?

    Ortega laughed while Turo blushed in embarrassment, managing a quiet "Y-yes" in response.

    He... he was never going to live that one down, was he?

    ---

    They stepped into the time machine together, synchronizing their respective time anchors to the same coordinates. After the usual injection that would protect him during the trip, Turo shuffled to the side, waiting for Porygon 568 to finish calculating the coordinates.

    He felt a little pang of guilt in thinking back about the promise he had made to Sada, to come back "tomorrow, at dawn"¡­ for him, that "tomorrow" could be days or even months from now, and still only one night would have passed for her. It made no sense.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    He shouldn''t feel guilty, that was simply how things worked... But it still somehow felt like he was deceiving her.

    Turo shook his head, focusing on watching Ortega and Moreau getting ready. Thinking about where he was about to go.

    Mesagoza, just shy of 30 years from now... It was almost nothing compared to the hundred or thousands of years that even he had jumped back in time, but still... It was the future. His first real step into it.

    The time machine whirred to life around them, and with a twinge of nervousness Turo closed his eyes when he felt the familiar sound of time and space starting to move all around him. Because yes, apparently, it had a sound. Even quite a specific one, like nothing he had ever heard before. Physicists were still puzzled about it.

    One moment later, he opened his eyes back again, to the familiar sounds of the megalopolis of Mesagoza all around them - snippets of videos of news programs and ads, music, the low buzzing sound made by Miraidon and Rotom bykes crossing the streets or gliding overhead, some of them even simply scaling the great shining skyscrapers were railings and platforms had been built to let the Ride Pokemons rest.

    They were standing in a little back alley, away from people. At first he looked around, instinctively paranoid that someone had seen them appear... Then, with a little jolt, he realized that even if someone did, it wouldn''t matter. Of course people would simply recognize them as time travelers.

    He couldn''t help a little grin from spreading on his face at that realization; it was ... liberating in a sense, not having to worry about hiding literally everything about himself. They started to walk around, with Turo trying to catch any detail that could be different from the present.

    ? So, what do you think? ? Ortega asked after a while.

    ? Well...?

    The city honestly looked pretty much the same, at least at a first glance. Something, he had to admit, that left him a bit disappointed. But then again... it was only 30 years from now, he couldn''t exactly expect many differences.

    ? ... I think it''s not really... future enough for me.? he confessed after a moment.

    He would come to see these times by himself, after all... and that thought made him suddenly stop in the middle of the street, one Miraidon growling at him while the Pok¨¦mon and her rider had to suddenly brake and swerve around him.

    Ortega just laughed.

    ? "Not future enough" for you? Oh, you''re impossible... you want to look at the little details to notice what''s changed. ? he said, but Turo wasn''t listening, too distracted by what he had just realized.

    ? What about... future us? Are we not at risk of meeting them...??

    30 years from now... he would be in his sixties. Probably still here in Mesagoza somewhere, if he didn''t decide to move to another city. He couldn''t begin to imagine what his life would look like by then. Was he still at the TTDL? ... would he still think of Sada after all that time, or just look back at his first research project as a silly little thing that he had used to worry too much about?

    Moreau didn''t look fazed.

    ? I wouldn''t worry. They would remember everything from this day after all: what we have done, where we''ve been... and probably decide to stay out of our way. ?

    ... right. That... made sense.

    ? And even if they didn''t, that whole "never meet your future or past selves or it creates a time paradox" is a bunch of bullshit.? Ortega added, earning himself a glare from their superior.

    ? Not exactly... ?

    ? All right, we don''t know if it does if you do stupid stuff like kill yourself, but if both parts are careful about it, there''s no risk... right, sir??

    Turo stared at the two other time travelers. Wait, were they... talking from experience...? Moreau heaved a deep sigh, closing his eyes with the solemn expression of someone that had just been forced to remember some deeply unpleasant memory.

    ?... yes. You proved it in quite an unique way, Ortega. That was a paper that I never thought I would have to peer-review.?

    ? It was around six months before you joined the TTLD. ? Ortega explained, evidently seeing his confusion at their little exchange. ? See, I decided to do this little experiment-?

    ? We are not talking about it. The research paper is there if he wants to read it... as much as I wish it wasn''t.? Moreau added, before gesturing for both men to stop.

    ? But since we are talking about it, I want to check something... ? the man made the familiar gesture to summon a screen in midair, which opened in front of his face. Moreau quirked an eyebrow, and seemed to relax slightly.

    ? Well... good to know that I''m still alive in 30 years time.? he dismissed it quickly without looking at it.

    It took Turo a moment to realize what the man meant. Right, of course... if your ID was technically always the same, and you were able to access it... right now, he would be logging into his 30-years-in-the-future-account, which would hold... pretty much everything. Phone calls. Emails. Pictures. And since the IDs were deleted a certain time after a person''s passing to respect their privacy and not leave their data potentially exposed, you could, technically, use the fact to know what Moreau had just figured out...

    The thought creeped him out quite a bit. See, stuff like this is why he much preferred to think about the far future, not the one he could actually reach just by the passage of time... he resumed walking after the two other time travelers, continuing to look around. Now that Ortega had mentioned it, he was starting to notice little differences that did make it clear that he really was walking in a different city from the one he had woken up in that morning. Ads were showing celebrities he had never seen and promoting products he had never heard about. He caught a news segment that mentioned colonizing Jupiter''s many moons, and he trembled with excitement - they had already reached Jupiter? What about the Mars colony?.

    He gestured for a screen to have the little news snippet replay privately, hoping to catch some more details: that''s what trips to the future were for, right...? Gathering information...

    Nothing happened.

    With a scowl, Turo tried again. Nothing.

    His heart literally skipped a beat.

    ? G-guys... ? he said in a shaky voice. Both men turned to look at him with a questioning look.

    ? ... my ID is not working.?

    They both visibly paled while Turo tried not to panic.

    His heart started hammering in his chest with so much force he could distinctly hear its pulse in his ears, accompanied by a high pitched whooshing sound.

    He suddenly couldn''t breathe; his suit automatically registered the anomaly, and responded by stretching ever so slightly around the chest area to allow him more breathing room. Normally, a prompt to contact the nearest hospital would have opened right under his hand, ready to be pressed. Nothing appeared.

    That meant... but that wasn''t possible. He couldn''t be dead in this time, he would have barely been in his early sixties! Moreau was older now than he would be in 30 years!

    It couldn''t be!

    ? I''m... I''m sure there''s a perfectly reasonable explanation.? Ortega said, while his face betrayed a slight panic into obviously trying to come up with one.

    ? You''re... you''re the computer genius here. I bet you will set up something to protect your account from being accessed from future and past... well, "you" ? he offered after a moment.

    The terror that had been gripping him diminshed just the slightest at his colleague''s words. He looked to Ortega while slowly resuming to breath again, almost desperatedly wanting to believe him.

    ? It... ? he started tentatively. ? ... it does sound like something I would do. ? he added, subconsciously knitting his brow while he started to, almost automatically, think on possible ways to implement the very thing.

    It... yes, it made sense. Especially if there were things his past self wasn''t supposed to see, he *would* take precautions to make sure they couldn''t be accessed.

    ? I''m sure that''s what''s going on, don''t worry.? Ortega clapped him reassuringly on the shoulder.

    ? ... maybe this very incident is what inspires you to do it. You hadn''t thought about it before, didn''t you?? Moreau added, causing Turo to sputter in disbelief.

    ? But that would... that would mean... ?

    ? ... yes. Your very first time loop.? a slight grin appeared on the older man''s face.

    ? Congratulations.?

    ? You''re growing so fast-? Ortega pretended to wipe some tears while they resumed walking. Turo followed after a moment, the disbelief quickly replaced by uncertainty; he frowned, then quickly assumed a more neutral expression while he followed after the other two. He didn''t want to worry them, but he couldn''t stop thinking that... if the ID not being accessible was really his own doing...

    He would have done it differently.

    A little alert, maybe. "You are trying to access information you are not meant to see", something on that line... not simply nothing and give himself the worst scare of his life.

    ... then again, you could argue that he already would have gotten the scare by that point and so decided not to worry about it too much...

    A time loop... was it really?

    ---

    At first, he thought that it was simply an impression of his, his paranoia and unease making him see things, but by the third person that he found stealing glances at him he was starting to be sure of it.

    ? I think... people are staring at me.? he said. For the second time, they both turned to look at him. Ortega looked around, then shrugged.

    ? I mean... you are walking around in a labcoat in the middle of the street. You really like to bring that thing places where it shouldn''t be.?

    Turo blushed. All right, it was a bit unusual, but... some scientists did it all the time. Some Pok¨¦mon Professors did field work with a labcoat! He liked the stupid thing, all right? Even had the buttons customized and all...

    Just as he was about to answer, his eyes caught something that completely made him forget everything about what he was about to say. And frankly, forget most of everything that was going on, his mind going into complete tunnel vision (and quite a bit of fanboish nerdgasm, but he would die before admitting it out loud) at what he had just seen.

    ? What is that?? he couldn''t help but ask, pointing to the other side of the street. There, sitting at a little caf¨¦ and enjoying some ice cream, was a girl that could be at most fifteen.

    That wasn''t the reason for his reaction (and would have been quite offensive if it was).

    Not, the reason was the green, quadrupedal Pok¨¦mon sitting calmly by her side that was busy licking his own ice cream in a little glass on the table. It had a sleek, elegant figure, the red pixellated eyes that characterized most modern Pok¨¦mon, and a bit of a flat head.

    He sprinted to the other side of the street, his lab coat flapping loudly behind him. He had to see it! Possibly pet it, and... and if his damn ID actually worked, he could have asked to inspect it''s basic code, but he could at least ask some questions...

    ? Oh no ? he barely heard Ortega sigh behind him. ? ... new Artificial Pokemon, of course the Artificial Pok¨¦mon Programmer nerd goes crazy over it.?

    Turo paid him no mind, panting while he reached the teenage girl (he was officially and definitely out of shape), and pointing shakily to the Pok¨¦mon with one hand while he regained his breath.

    ? Pardon my intrusion, but... what is that Pok¨¦mon called?? he managed.

    The girl looked at him like he had just asked what a Miraidon was.

    ? ... Iron Leaves. ? she answered after a moment, staring at him wide eyed.

    ? Iron... Leaves...? ? he repeated.

    Not the... most imaginative name he had to admit, but most Artificial Pok¨¦mon didn''t have one to be fair. Most people just gave them nicknames anyway.

    He turned to look at the Pok¨¦mon, who had stopped to eat and was looking at him with impassible, regal eyes. It exuded an aura of calm, calculated grace, sitting serenely there next to what had to be its owner. It was quite small, or at least smaller than the original it was based on (or in this case, supposedly based on), like most Artificial Pok¨¦mon.

    ? Sorry if I ask, but... is it really based on one of the Swords of Justice...? ?

    They had really made an Artificial Pok¨¦mon of a legendary...? How did they even manage it? To create an artificial version of a Pok¨¦mon required to know as much as possible about... well, everything. Biology. Behavior. Diet. Intelligence. Habitat. As much information as you could think of had to be programmed in... if you wanted it to become as similar to the original as possible, at least. If you wanted it to become... a real Pok¨¦mon, its own species, and not only a fancy manufactured robot.

    ? ... and they are so common that anyone can get their hands on one??

    The girl still looked quite surprised.

    ? Y... yes? I got Aramis for my tenth birthday... ?

    So they had been around for at least... five or six years...? But they had to have been developed before, at least ten years, then some years to see if everything had gone well and they started to become common enough that the general population could get one... so that meant that their invention was still some... ten, fifteen years in the future...?

    ? Can I... can I examine it just a momen-?

    ? Sorry, but I''m afraid I will have to interrupt you.? the cold voice of Louis Moreau sounded out right behind him and Turo flinched. He had... completely forgotten about them, honestly.

    Moreau flashed a little badge he had taken out of his coat, which Turo recognized after a moment as the TTDL badge used to identify them outside of the University, while on their trips.

    His own sat unused in his office, mostly because it was going to be completely useless in Paleolithic Kalos anyway, and at worst just another thing he could accidentally lose in the wrong era. But if you jumped to an era that already had time travel... yeah, he could see its use.

    ? We are time travelers on a short trip. Better pay attention to what you say, miss.?

    The girl gasped, excited.

    ? Omygee, you are time travelers?! It''s my first time meeting one! ? she said, before the grin that had spread on her face slowly disappeared. And then, and this time there was no doubt about it, she stared straight at him.

    ? But, umm... aren''t you-?

    ? Not another word.? Moreau shot forward, raising his voice to cover whatever the girl was going to say and slamming one hand on the table. The ice cream glasses rattled loudly and the Iron Leaves let out a low growl, raising up on four legs. Powerful actuators hissed while the Pok¨¦mon took aim at Moreau, sword-like blades jutting out from its side, ready to jump in defense of it''s partner and cut the man down.

    ? Aramis no, calm down, it''s okay-?

    ? We''ve already seen and heard things we weren''t supposed to. We''re leaving right now.? there was no arguing with the director''s words, and Turo hastily went for his own time-anchor, pressing it right as the Iron Leaves roared at them.

    Another reason he liked the future. Here, where everything continually used the same energy source as the time machine, the time anchor recharged pretty much instantly.

    Thank Arceus.

    Porygon 568 welcomed them back with his usual phrase, but none of the three men said a word until they were out of the time machine room and into the sanity room - today a traditional ancient Hisuian zen garden, with Chimeco chimes tinkling softly every couple minutes to a simulated wind -.

    ? ... that girl knew me.? Turo said after everyone had sat down.

    And so did other people over the street. He replayed her words in his mind.

    Aren''t you... what? What was she about to say?

    Not to mention her expression when she had seen him. He had thought it was simple surprise at his dumb - from her point of view - question, but..

    Ortega dismissed his concerns with a lazy wave of his hand.

    ? ... maybe you''re famous in the future. End up developing the next cool big thing and everyone knows you like everyone knows Wells today. But at least it means that you can''t be dead, right? ? he proposed.

    ? So much for a simple test run? Moreau looked at him, exhausted.

    ? My first couple jumps to the future I found out, at the most, that my favorite character in a popular tv series would die in the last season. You are there for five minutes and meet an Artificial Version of a Legendary Pok¨¦mon... We''ll all have to sign NDAs for this.? the man pinched the bridge of his nose.

    ? I know, isn''t it great?? Ortega laughed.

    ? I swear he has some superpower. Everything time related Turo touches ends in chaos in the best way. The best worst time traveler I''ve ever seen!?

    Turo sighed and scratched at his neck with one hand, embarrassed.

    ---

    When he managed to schedule his own jump, more than two weeks had passed in the end. He had pretended not to notice both Ortega and Porygon 568 keeping watch over him; dragging him into the break room one more time a day, keeping him occupied with discussing other projects, other times, even tagging along with other jumps... Porygon, he was pretty sure, had even completely made up some error codes just to have him take a look at them... which had honestly impressed him. Didn''t think the little AI would be capable of it.

    He knew what they were trying to do, and in a way, he appreciated it, but that still didn''t make his current project any easier.

    He appeared, as promised, at dawn of the next day he had left, in the same patch of tall grass. Figuring that Sada would be waiting for him at her village, he started to make his way towards it. The Master Balls were again sitting in his left pocket, and he kept his hand on one of them while he looked around, wondering what to do with them. Should he... look for some wild Pok¨¦mon while alone? Dangerous if he got surrounded... but still less dangerous than someone seeing him use a Master Ball. Maybe he could play it safe, wait for his time-anchor to recharge, and go look for some wild Pok¨¦mon only once it was full... worse case, he could escape anything by jumping back to his own time.

    Or... he looked around. This was a trail supposedly used by wild Pok¨¦mon.

    Could he make a trap...? Leave a Master Ball, invisible, with some bait in some place he was sure not to forget and check on it before he jumped back? That could work... as long as he didn''t lose it. Somewhere. Invisible. With a Pok¨¦mon trapped inside. For who knows how long.

    ... maybe it wasn''t such a good idea after all.

    ? Hey.?

    Turo jumped a little when Sada suddenly seemed to appear out of thin air at his side, and he realized that she must have been hiding in the tall grass.

    He smiled warmly at her, only for the smile to slowly disappear when she didn''t reciprocate. He hastily thought back to their last meeting. Right, she... she had looked quite disappointed when he had mentioned having to leave. Of course she would still be angry. He noticed the spear slung over one shoulder and her usual leather satchel tied at her waist. She offered him a similar bag, only empty, and he took it after a moment of hesitation.

    ? Umm... thanks-?

    ? Let''s go. We gather food today.?

    She turns around and starts walking, and he is left staring at her for a moment, stunned.

    He didn''t expect such a cold treatment... was she really that angry?

    After a moment, he slips the hand he had automatically taken out of his pocket expecting her to take it back in the lab coat''s pockets. The only thing his fingers touch is the cold and smooth surface of one of the Master Balls.

    He slung the bag over his shoulder and started to move after her, head low.

    They walked in silence for a good half hour, Sada turning around to watch him every couple of minutes. No, not watching. She was staring. Analyzing.

    One hand on the flute she seemed to always carry with her now, the one she had used to summon Winged King. He looked around, wondering if the Pok¨¦mon was nearby. Probably had to be.

    They finally arrived near a little group of trees, and Turo realized they were all berry plants. He could recognize the most common ones; orange, pecha, chesto... and that was it. The others looked wildly different from what they grew in their greenhouses.

    He quietly wondered if, like rice and other grains, he was looking at what some berries used to look like before they had been "domesticated" by humans.

    ... had they figured out planting berries yet? Or did she just know that there was always something to eat available here? Maybe he could bring a couple back-

    ? Put them all in here.? Sada gestured to his empty bag and he was pulled out of his wandering thoughts. With some hesitation, he started to pull some chesto and orange berries from the plant, mostly because he was sure at least those were edible. He could feel Sada''s eyes on him as she slowly approached him and started to fill her own bag.

    She finally looked away from him and he relaxed slightly. With the corner of his eyes, he noticed her biting her lip with one of her sharp little canines. She seemed to always do it when she was nervous.

    ? ... I saw you. ?

    At first, Turo didn''t understand what she meant. He turned to look at her, one eyebrow raised in a questioning look.

    ? You... vanished. Like a ... like a creature. I saw the light. ? and then she mimed pressing something on her wrist with her other hand, and he stared at her in complete horror.

    She saw him. She saw him disappear.

    ? You-?

    His first reaction was to hold out one hand towards her. Sada was much faster than him; she raised her own hand over her head, and one moment later, the tip of her spear is pressing against his neck. He is forced to raise his head, looking down at her at an awkward angle, but he can still feel the stone point pressing right against his Adam''s apple.

    ? What are you? ?

    He freezed completely, only managing to raise both arms in a placating gesture that mirrored their very first meeting. What... what was he supposed to say? One wrong answer, and he''s death. And Sada, she is still looking at him with eyes full of anger, and disappointment, and hurt.

    ? I... I''m a person... ? he desperately tried to explain, to think of an excuse, just to choke slightly on his breath when the spear pressed just a bit harder, drawing blood. He suppressed a cough, eyes wide and terrified. She was seriously ready to stab him.

    ? Lies! It''s a lie... I''ve trusted you, and you...  ? he doesn''t understand her words, but her tone is more than enough.

    It ...hurts to hear her so angry at him.

    But... maybe it''s for the best. If he manages to get away, to run... he can... just leave, and never come back. It would hurt, but at least it wouldn''t hurt her.

    It would be the best outcome for both of them.

    Don''t get attached. Just like Ortega said.

    He stared silently at Sada. Her fierce expression, her eyes. Those bright eyes he loved so much, now full of tears of frustration. She wanted to be proven wrong. To not treat him with fear and suspicion.

    Don''t get attached.

    ? I... ?

    Don''t get attached.

    ... how could he? It was already far too late for that. He could never leave with the thought that she hated him. And, truth was... he was getting tired of it.

    He didn''t want to keep up this farce. The half answers. Avoiding questions. She deserved better than this.

    And really... it was just her. Just one girl, one bright, wonderful, amazing girl... what difference could it make? So far away in time?

    Turo closed his eyes.

    ? I have... a power. ? he opened them up again, to look at Sada who had been staring at him silently. For once, he didn''t mumble his answer, didn''t look away avoiding her gaze.

    The spear didn''t move, still pointed at his neck.

    But Sada had noticed his change in tone. Her eyes had changed; there was that little spark in them again. Curiosity.

    ? A "power"... is it a "scientist" power? ?

    If it wasn''t for the spear at his neck, he would have laughed.

    ... almost too smart for her own good.

    ? ... yes. I... jump here. Using this power. ? the spear wavered while she bit her lip again, thinking this time.

    ? Where do you go when you leave? ? she asked after a moment.

    Ah. That... that was the big question.

    "Far away" wouldn''t cut it this time.

    How could he even explain...?

    ? Home. ? he said ? To my people. I can''t stay here.?

    ? Why... why not?  ?

    Because if he spent too much time time-displaced, the effect of the injection that protected him during the trip would vanish and he would be truly stuck. He could theoretically jump back anyway with the time-anchor, sure... he simply wouldn''t survive the trip.

    There was a reason why they had to do the injection almost every time they stepped into the time machine, after all. Each shot only lasted a couple days times, at maximum. And since you usually went way more than a couple of days between one trip and the other...

    Another problem that you didn''t have jumping to the future. You could simply explain that you needed a shot, over there.

    But that is something that he has no idea how to explain. Not technically, at least.

    But he can convey the reason why.

    ? Because... you and I... ? he slowly raised one hand, to try and grab the spear and move it away from his neck. She lets him do it without much resistance, and he can finally step forward and close the gap between them.

    ? We live in... completely different... worlds.?

    Now she''s confused. He doesn''t blame her.

    He... has no idea how to talk about it. They... never really talked about "time", except for the most basic things. Day. Night. Moons. Seasons.

    In her "world", what else did you need?

    He caressed her hair, gently, moving one strand of hair behind her ear and away from her face.

    With the limited vocabulary he had, how could he make her understand? He thought for a couple of long seconds.

    ? I am... I am from your... tomorrow . ? he whispered in the end.

    ? ... tomorrow...?? she stared, not comprehending at first. Then her eyes slowly, slowly became wider and wider, and she suddenly raised her free hand to his face and cupped his cheek with her palm. She stroked his beard with her thumb, slowly, almost methodically, and for a moment he is too busy just melting into her touch, leaning into it, to pay much attention to anything else.

    But he noticed the little spark of recognition in her eyes, of understanding, and something in her mind must have just clicked, because the anger and suspicion and frustration finally dissipate, leaving space to that bright, excited, wonderful smile.

    ? How many... tomorrow? ? she asked in a whisper. He can feel her shaking slightly against him. Fear? Excitement? Both? ? One... one moon??

    He smiled a little.

    ? Many.?

    Her eyes just go wider and flitted all over him, almost like she could read the answer on him somewhere.

    ? ... one season??

    His smile got a bit wider.

    ? Many, many seasons.?

    Sada pouted, evidently annoyed at his amused expression, which just made him want to laugh even more.

    He was finally being truthful and it''s like an enormous weight has been lifted from his chest.

    It''s way too late to not "get attached"... but at the very least, in the precious time he has with her, he can finally be completely honest with her, and really make the most out of it.

 Chapter 12: Unseen two

    She didn''t sleep much that night, after going back to the settlement. Sada kept replaying what she had just witnessed in her head, trying to find... Something, anything, that could explain it, and coming up with nothing. It was impossible to avoid the truth: Turo had some kind of... Inhuman power, and he had obviously gone to great lengths to keep it hidden. It was different from the little things she had discovered you could do with bits and pieces that you gathered from creatures. Like attaching a little bit of wool from Fluffyhead to the tip of a spear or an arrow to shock the target, like Chalo had started to do.

    Or Narjik, who would use seeds and leaves dropped by plant creatures to create poisons and other potions with various effects.

    This was... Different. She had never seen anything like it. This was... Like he actually had the same power as some of the creatures she had seen, the ones that disappeared and floated in midair. There was even a similarly colored light when he had done it. And that had put her on edge more than anything: was he actually human at all?

    Had she really let some creature that tricked her inside the settlement? Inside her home, putting everyone at risk? Her mother''s words kept repeating in her head, along with his weird behaviour, and Chalo''s old theory about him being some kind of creature...

    She had to confront him about it. Outside the village, where... In the worst case, there wouldn''t be anyone else.

    The next morning, at dawn, Sada left the little assortment of tents and headed in the direction she had seen him leave. She didn''t want to get too near the place he had disappeared from yesterday; she didn''t want to make him suspect that she had followed him.

    She hid between the tall grass, watching the trail. Not much time later, she heard the tell-tale rustling of grass and his clothes. A moment later, and there he was.

    ? Hey? she approached him, only for her stomach to twist painfully when Turo smiled at her. She eyed him cautiously; he just... Looked the same as always. Had he already forgotten their little discussion from yesterday? She offered him an empty bag, an excuse to get him away from the village and to a more secluded location, then they started moving. She would glance at him every now and then. He was keeping both hands in his pockets, head low.

    Sada turned back around, eyes on the road. One hand was on the flute that she used to summon Winged King, the other went behind her back to lightly touch her spear, just for a moment. She hoped that she didn''t have to use it...

    They arrived near a little patch of berry plants, and Sada set the man to work with the excuse of gathering food. She observed him for a while, picking up a couple of berries of her own. Her heart was beating at an increaseangly nervous rithm while she gathered the courage to speak up.

    ? ... I saw you. ? she said in the end. His lack of response told her that he hadn''t understood what she meant. He turned towards her, raising one eyebrow in that peculiar way that he did when he didn''t quite understand a word, and didn''t know how to ask her about it.

    ? You... vanished. Like a ... like a creature. I saw the light. ?

    Comprehension flashed in his eyes when she touched her wrist, miming the same gesture she had seen him do the last night. Turo stared, his already pale face now deathly white, eyes wide in horror. Then he moved, raising an arm in her direction.

    Was he attacking her? Was he finally showing his true nature?

    Reacting purely on instinct, she brandished her spear and thrust it forward, right toward his neck. She stops herself short of actually stabbing him, waiting for his reaction first.

    ? What are you? ?

    He sputtered an answer, and she can''t help but feel a little surge of anger rising in her chest. She''s done with his lies and excuses and vague non-answers.

    She kind of explodes at him, pressing the spear against his neck with more force. And yet he still... does nothing. Why?

    Turo raises his hands, and she can''t help but be reminded of their first meeting. He had stood like that even at that time, not daring to move, shaking slightly while she circled him, looking completely and absolutely terrified until she had dropped the weapon.

    Why isn''t he disappearing into a flash of light like last night?

    She can feel tears of frustration sting at the corner of her eyes now.

    "What are you doing?"

    Why isn''t he attacking her? Why isn''t he defending himself? If there was a moment where he would finally have to reveal his true nature, or escape, or get angry... Or anything, this is it. Sada stared at the single drop of blood that dripped down his neck and into his fur-coated hood, the one she had made for him. Into his eyes, that have never stopped being filled with fear. Turo had never looked at her like that since their very first meeting.

    He looked conflicted, his chest rising and falling with short, panicked breaths - she could feel each of them applying just the slightest resistance to the spear still pointed to his neck. Then he closed his eyes and seemed to stop breathing for a moment. His next words when he reopened them sent her heart skipping a beat. There was... Something different in his tone, his pose. He had stopped shaking, eyes fixed in hers.

    Was he... Was he actually going to explain...?

    She tried to piece together what she knew about him.

    ? A "power"... is it a "scientist" power? ? she asked, and he almost smirked.

    So it was something that his people could do...? By making those bracelets? But then why had he said that she was also a scientist?

    And... He was going back to his people every time he left?

    Why...?

    She just... She just wanted to understand.

    Maybe it had been the change in tone, but when he tried to move her spear away, she just let him do it, transfixed by his expression. He looked so serious in that moment. So calm, his brown eyes just silently regarding her, in a way that he had never done before. Especially not when answering some of her questions: there had always been a trace of hesitation, like he was carefully choosing every single word to utter in front of her, but not this time. In a way, he looked like was finally confessing to something that had been weighing on him since the very beginning.

    Even if his words were... Difficult to understand, she didn''t doubt them.

    She wanted to believe them.

    Different... Worlds? Her eyes widened a bit at that: was he really a spirit after all? But weren''t spirits supposed to be... Intangible, like smoke? He looked so real, his long, almost delicate fingers trailing through her hair as he caressed her gently, hesitantly. She repressed a shiver at his touch. He looked just so... human, even with his weird hair and pale skin. But what else could he mean by different worlds...?

    His next words, whispered almost like he was afraid of saying them out loud, are the last thing she ever expected to hear. She doesn''t know what to make of them for a long moment. Did he use the wrong word? Was he thinking of something else? What does it even mean for someone to be from...

    The thought hits her slowly: it''s not a complete and sudden realization.

    But then it does, the enormity of what he had just said and all that it meant gradually washes over her.

    Tomorrow... If... If according to the stories the spirits of your ancestors, people from the past could visit you in dreams to give you advice, then... Could people from moments that were yet to come do the same...?

    But how did that work, if they... If they weren''t here yet?

    Sada tried to confusingly make sense of it, her mind already busy thinking of all the possible implications, when she remembered a little detail from one of their first meeting.

    With a little gasp, she raised her free hand to touch his cheek, stroking it with her thumb.

    That time she had noticed his beard had grown much faster than it should have after only three days... Was this the reason? Could he... "Choose" how many days had it been for him? From where he was coming from?

    She was trembling with excitement while she tried to wrap her head around it all.

    ? How many... tomorrow? ? she found herself also whispering, looking up at him. Turo leaned into her touch before answering with a soft smile, and that most of everything convinced her that he was being sincere.

    Every possible doubt about him having some malicious intentions towards her or the settlement had been pushed aside; it was the truth, as absurd as it sounded.

    It looked like he was actually having fun while she questioned him, teasing her with the answer, and while that annoyed her a bit - she didn''t like feeling like she was being made fun of -, the new, almost playful spark in his eyes more than made up for it.

    She liked that; it made his face light up in an almost imperceptibile way. In those short moments his eyes seemed to smile so much more than the rest of his face.

    It was more than one moon, more than many seasons... she couldn''t quite picture it. It may as well have been magic for her. His hand trailed from her hair to her shoulders, and he gently pushed her to sit on the soft ground with him, legs crossed. He drew a line between them on the ground with one finger.

    ? This... Is "today". ? Turo explained slowly, pointing to a spot right between them on the line. He looked around for a moment, then picked up a pebble and placed it there as a little sign.

    ? This is... Tomorrow.? another pebble joined the first one right next to it.

    ? This is... One moon... And one season.? two more to her right, the first distanced a bit from the first two and the "season" pebble another three or four times the distance of one "moon", forcing him to throw the pebble a short distance. Sada nodded. That was pretty clear, he was representing how much time was between each method of measuring time. Easy.

    ? Then... Where are you?? she asked, looking over the imaginary line stretching away from them. If that pebble was a season, and he said "many"... She gestured for a distance that would cover maybe five or six of them.

    ? There??

    Turo just shook his head, a strange accent of a smile on his lips. She couldn''t decide if he looked sad or almost embarassed.

    ? ... No.?

    ... More?

    ? ... No.?

    She turned to look at him, wondering if he was making fun of her again or if it was a kind of trick question. He finally raised one finger and pointed, wordlessly, away from the pebbles on the ground. Far, far away, towards the horizon where the line stretched without end.

    She followed his finger, her eyes widening when she started to realize the timescale. If she had children, and her children had children, and so on and so on for who knows how many times... No, that still wouldn''t have been enough.

    That ... That wasn''t even measurable in entire lifetimes. And she didn''t have anything bigger to use as a reference.

    ? Oh...? was pretty much the only thing she could say, both from her head spinning still spinning slightly from the realization, and from the thousands of other questions that she wanted to ask now.

    How did his people get the power to do that? It seemed that not everyone could do it... Maybe they gave the bracelet only to those that could control it?

    But... More than anything else, she needed proof. She saw him disappear, alright. That didn''t mean that he was actually... Moving through time. He could simply be reappearing somewhere else, after all. And she just wanted some... Tangible proof, somehow. That something as incredible as that was possible.

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    ? Show me.? Sada asked, determined. Turo looked somewhat alarmed.

    ? W-what...??

    ? That you can... "Jump" in other... "Days"? she explained a bit awkwardly.

    He looked off to the side, conflicted. She noticed that he had covered the wrist where the bracelet was with his other hand, almost protectively.

    ? I ... Can''t. ? he answered after a moment. She frowned, and he seemed to notice it because he added, now at least trying to explain instead of avoiding the topic.

    ? I can''t "jump"... Now. It... This, um-? he fell into a brief silence, thinking.

    ? ... My "power" is... Tired? ? he offered after a moment. Sada thought for a bit at that.

    All right, it made sense. Not even creatures could use their powers all the time without limit. They had to rest before they could use them again.

    That also explained why he hadn''t simply gone whoosh and disappeared to save his skin when she had pointed his spear at him. Or against the Brutal Fang.

    Uh. Was that why he always so easily exhausted while they walked? It took him a lot of energy just to come "here"?

    Or was he simply weak like that? His lean build seemed to point more to the latter, but maybe it was a bit of both?

    ? All right... ? she wasn''t doubting him, not right now, but her tone made it clear that she considered the whole "proof" conversation just momentarily suspended instead of conveniently avoided like before. There was actually another question that now was tormenting her.

    ? ... Why here?? she asked.

    He had looked terrified the first time she saw him and had ran off at the first occasion, almost like he hadn''t actually wanted to be here.

    Then he had come back, just to almost get himself eaten. Why would he keep coming in such a dangerous place he obviously didn''t know how to navigate? What was he hoping to accomplish? He obviously looked interested in learning about things here... But then again, so was she.

    Turo had fallen silent, his eyes for the first time that day actively avoiding hers. Something was... wrong.

    Had he not understood her?

    ? You come here... For what?? she tried again.

    Turo stared at the ground, eyebrows deeply furrowed and face contorted in an almost frustrated scowl.

    ? I... r.... ou.? he whispered, almost mouthed silently in the end.

    Sada leaned forward to hear better, and barely suppressed a little jump and a shiver when he suddenly raised his head again, staring at her with those quiet, almost sad eyes.

    ? ... for you.? he repeated, still barely a whisper, but this time they were so close that she could feel his breath tickle her face as he spoke.

    His words suddenly made her chest tighten and fill with a sudden rush of warmth. Sada felt herself blushing, an almost embarrassed smile making its way on her lips as his words sunk in.

    ... That answer was... So like him, in a way. A bit sweet, a bit awkward. How was she even supposed to react? How could she even convey how those words had made her feel? How much they meant to her? What could you even say to something like that?

    ... Nothing. So Sada decided to not say anything, and simply act. He was still looking at her with a silent, almost desperate longing, and before he could break eye contact, or pull his head away, she closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to his. She felt Turo tense up, and for a terrible moment she thought that he was going to pull away, that she had misunderstood, that he had meant it in a completely different way... But then his lips parted slightly and he reciprocated the kiss, almost hungrily.

    When they parted a couple of seconds later, he looked a bit dazed, mouth still hanging slightly open.

    ? I -? he started to say, just to trail off when Sada slowly cradled his hands in hers, tugging him a bit closer and resting her forehead on his, eyes closed. She felt Turo''s breath stop for a moment, then resume and slow down as he relaxed and matched hers. They stood like that for a while, simply reveling in the contact with the other, fingers intertwined.

    ? I''m... So happy? she finally managed to say after a moment, reopening her eyes to find his still closed.

    ? ... That you... You''ve come here?

    Of all the places he could have chosen to appear, to travel, it had been here, where she found someone that... Just understood her. He understood her desire to observe creatures, nature, everything, in a way that no one else she knew ever had.

    To think that they could have missed each other so easily... If she had decided to not go the river that afternoon. Or if she had been just a bit slower in running to his aid a couple of days later, only to find him savagely torn apart by a Brutal Fang.

    Or if she had let her doubts and fears about him make her stab the spear just a tiny bit deeper...

    She shivered, and found Turo''s hands squeeze hers just a bit harder.

    ? Yes... Me too. ? he sighed, leaning against her, and Sada frowned for a moment.

    He sounded... Pained. Was there still something he was not telling her?

    --

    They finished filling their bags with berries in the end, and quickly went back to the settlement to leave them there. Even if it had been more of an excuse to talk to him in private, having more food in their reserves never hurt, as long as they were able to keep it away from smaller creatures that tried to steal it.

    Turo stopped for a moment when the children caught sight of them and crowded all around him, clamoring for a new writing lesson.

    Sada however had already other plans for the day.

    ? Not today, we have stuff to do...he will come back tomorrow... right?? she asked, turning towards him. Turo nodded after a second at hearing the words "back" and "tomorrow", looking almost relieved as they quickly departed the village again. She studied him silently for a moment, trying to guess what he was thinking.

    He had been acting strange about the settlement since yesterday, after the lesson.

    She was right on the point of trying to ask him about it when he spoke first.

    ? Where are we going...?? he asked, looking at the vast plain of tall grass that extended over the outskirts of the settlement. Sada took one moment to play the flute and call Winged King.

    ? Flying.? she answered, smiling. She had already a course plotted in mind, a couple of places she wanted to explore from high up in the air, not to mention places that would take her hours of dangerous climbing to reach otherwise.

    The dragon didn''t take long to arrive, but when it landed, she noticed with a jolt of surprise that it looked in pain. It huffed, breath labored, and seemed to avoid putting his weight onto one of it''s front paws.

    ? W-what happened?? she felt herself cry out while rushing to the dragon''s side, observing it more in detail. There was a gash on it''s left front leg, but the wound didn''t look fresh; it wasn''t bleeding right at the moment, at the least. It did, hovever, look pretty deep. And painful. Whatever had happened, it must have been in the hours the day before after they had left the creature to go to the settlement.

    Winged King hissed softly, bumping her hand with its snout, obviously looking for some comfort. The fact that it wasn''t even sniffing for food in her bag was a sign of how shaken the creature seemed to be. She caressed the dragon, whispering meaningless words to soothe it. She couldn''t believe it: Winged King was so strong. What could even be able to hurt it? Did it happen while it was out hunting?

    Could she do something? Maybe Narjik could make one of his healing concoctions...? But those worked on humans, she had no idea if they were even effective against a creature... she had seen some of them look for berries when hurt, but...

    She noticed that she was trembling; she was having trouble thinking straight, looking at Winged King licking softly at her fingers. What if the wound opened up again? What if there was poison in it?

    ? What... what can I do...?? she whispered, turning towards Turo - who, she noticed only now, had been very, very quiet, calmly observing the situation from a distance. His face was unreadable, eyebrows furrowed, which by now she knew meant that he was trying very, very carefully to not let some thought of him show on his face.

    And his left hand was back in being hidden deep in his pocket, like yesterday.

    ? I... I can help.? he said in the end, stepping closer.

    He knelt down by her side to carefully observe the creature; then, slowly, he finally took something out from his left pocket. Despite everything, Sada couldn''t help but stare and let out a little gasp when she saw what it was.

    It... looked almost like a shiny rock, if rocks could be chipped and cut to such an impossibly smooth, perfect sphere. It was honestly starting to get a bit annoying, how everything that Turo had seemed to be just so... perfect. Like his clothes, she couldn''t see a single imperfection or nick in the blindingly white sphere.

    ? ... another... "power"? ? she asked. Turo was silent for a moment.

    ? No. A weapon.? he gestured to her spear.

    Something in his tone chilled Sada to the core. A weapon? That?

    Sure, it looked pretty, and probably hurt if you threw it hard enough at something, but... for Turo to call it a weapon... why hadn''t he used it before, then? What did it do?

    ? This-? he said, holding the sphere firmly in his hand. ? You... can not... tell people of this. No one can know. No one can see.?

    So he was asking her to keep it a secret.

    ? What is it...?? she asked slowly, moving her eyes from the shiny sphere to Winged King. But if it was a weapon... wasn''t it going to hurt it...?

    Turo touched her chin with his free hand, gently guiding her to look him in the eyes.

    ? ... Sada. It will be okay. ? he mirrored what she had said to him to reassure him just the day before, and she found herself smiling just a little despite it all. Even in that moment, when he had looked so nervous and beside himself with worry at the idea of meeting other people, he had still been paying enough attention to note the words she had used.

    Of course she could trust him. He would never hurt Winged King.

    Sada nodded, and Turo stood back up and approached the dragon. He touched the dragon''s head with the sphere, and she jumped a little when the rock split open in two - two perfect half spheres, of course - and the entire figure of Winged King seemed to get enveloped in a blinding red light, before disappearing towards the sphere.

    The white sphere closed again and a singular part on the front of it lit up with the same red color. The whole sphere violently shook in Turo''s grasp for a moment, before going still again. She stared at the point where Winged King had disappeared, then at the sphere.

    ? W-what...? You... made it "jump" away...? ? she asked, confused. It... it had looked almost like Winged King had gone inside the sphere...

    ? No. It''s in here.? Turo confirmed her thoughts not even a moment later. ? ... Sleeping.? he added after a second.

    Sada kept staring, her thoughts starting to race while she thought about the implications of what she had just seen. A rock that... that trapped things inside it...

    ?... it catches creatures.? she realized, voice filled with awe. No wonder he had called it a weapon! Turo simply nodded after a moment.

    As long as you had a good throwing arm (and who didn''t, considering how important it was?), you could neutralize every single creature that came your way.

    Hunting would become so easy, so less dangerous!

    Just like that... their greatest problem... solved...

    Her wonder was dampened quite a bit when she realized that Turo had made her swear to not speak to anyone about it, which implied that this was something that she couldn''t... really make use of. She couldn''t bring it to the settlement and teach it to everyone like she had done with writing. That... that wasn''t fair. He had all this wondrous things that could make their life so much easier like it was nothing, and she had to pretend to not having seen anything?

    Unless... unless she somehow figured out how they worked.

    The sight of Turo simply dropping the sphere back in his pocket like it was the most normal thing to do was surreal enough to make her focus back on the present. She still couldn''t quite believe that Winged King was inside it... and wonder about the shiny magical rock aside, how was this supposed to help him? She approached the man, suddenly antsy.

    ? This will... help...??

    ? Not here. But with this... Winged King can... "jump" with me.? Turo explained in a low voice. ? My people can help.? he added with a confident smile, starting to roll up the sleeve of his clothes again.

    He was... he was going to bring it with him? She hadn''t even thought about it being possible... he was so protective of that bracelet that it had seemed obvious to her that only he could use it... and nothing else. So by being inside the rock, he could... bring other... things with him?

    ? ... can... can people...?? she hadn''t even finished the thought, taking another step towards him, when he suddenly went pale, hand raised near his wrist like he had done the night before.

    ? NO!? he practically screamed, franctically backing away from her, eyes wide with panic. Sada froze, surprised - she had never heard him raise his voice like that- and somewhat hurt. She had only wanted to... what was suddenly wrong now?

    Turo still looked like he had just narrowly escaped death, breaths short and labored as he tried to calm down.

    ? That almost... no. No.? he repeated, taking a deep breath and shaking his head.

    ? You and your people c-can not... "jump". You can never... never come with me. ?

    Sada frowned, confused. So creatures could go but people couldn''t? Was the rock really the difference? Was there no way to make it work on people...?

    ? ... why?? she asked, but Turo simply kept shaking his head, still backing away from her like she was going to burn him by simply standing near him.

    ? I... don''t know... the word...? he answered after a moment with a frustrated scowl.

    He still looked panicked, almost desperate to get something across.

    ... now that she thought about it, he had always walked away when disappearing. She had thought it was just to hide the flash of light -and probably it was at least in part for that-, but... was there another reason? Did it need a lot of open space...? But no... he had also disappeared in the middle of a thick forest.

    ? What word...?? she stopped trying to approach him, and that at least seemed to make him calm down just a bit. Turo crossed his arms -in a way as to hide the wrist with the bracelet under the other, she noticed-, thinking silently for a moment. He then lifted one hand and pointed to her spear, then to his neck, where the sharp point had drawn the smallest amount of blood with a cut. He mimed brutally stabbing at his throat.

    ? You come with me... you "die".? he finally said.

    That gave her pause. She wasn''t sure about the word he had just used, but the gesture had been pretty clear. People without the power died if they tried to jump with someone...? So... his panic had actually been for her, not because of her...?

    Turo sighed and backed away another couple of steps for good measure, raising his left hand to his wrist.

    ?... wait here.? he said, and then the blinding flash of light surrounded him completely again, and he was gone.

    ... it was still so strange to see... even stranger this time, maybe, because he had done it right in front of her.

    Which both made her happy, because it really looked like he wasn''t trying to hide things from her anymore, he was actually making an effort to explain things now, and infuriated her a tiny bit. It... it would be a lie to say that she wasn''t a bit jealous. And he made it look so easy to do, just touch that bracelet and poof he was gone. And not to mention that shiny rock!

    Sada grumbled a bit, shifting her weight.

    "Wait here", he had said. How was she even supposed to know how long he had meant her to w-

    Another flash of light right in front of her made her first jump, then stare with her mouth half open as Turo reappeared immediately, like he had never left. In his left hand was the shiny white rock.

    ? ... hey.? he greeted her as usual, pressing the front part of the rock with one finger. It opened up again, and in another flash of white light -why was it always so bright?? -, Winged King appeared right by his side.

    Perfectly healthy. Sada stared, in a daze, at the creature''s front leg, which didn''t even have a single scar or any other sign that there had even been a large chunk gouged out of it just a couple of moments ago. She couldn''t believe it.

    It was like it had never happened.

    ?... oh.? was the only thing she could say as she approached the creature, caressing it''s neck, the feathers, and even the leg that had been wounded.

    The lizard''s orange eyes went wide at seeing her and it pretty much leaped against her, stopping just short of making her topple over.

    ? You''re all right... you''re all right...?

    It had happened all so fast, in such a surreal way that she hadn''t realized how scared she was of Winged King being hurt, of the creature dying or of how much she had grown fond of it in such a short time until she could throw her arms around its thick, scaly neck and bury her face against it. She stood like that for a good while, the lizard hissing softly as it rubbed it''s neck against her, nuzzling her.

    Then she suddenly remembered that Turo was also here. She turned her eyes to look up at him... and had to question what she was seeing for the second or third time that day.

    He looked... different. Much different this time. There were heavy bags under his eyes, his hair was less tidy than usual, and his beard was noticeably longer that she had ever seen him with.

    It looked almost like a... a normal beard that any man in the settlement could wear.

    She stared at him for a moment, amazed, before she realized what must have happened.

    Even if just thinking about it made her head hurt, because...

    ? ... how many... days is it... for you??

    And for Winged King, obviously, she realized. That is how the creature could be so perfectly healthy... even if for her, just a couple of moments had passed.

    Turo smiled his almost invisible smirk as he hid the shiny rock back in his pocket.

    ? Half moon.? he answered, sitting down- more like slumping down- with an exhausted sigh.

    Half a moon?!

    How many... how many times had that happened? How many times had Turo promised to meet her "tomorrow", or "in three days", only for who knows how much time to actually pass for him?

    It... it almost made her feel guilty, in a way. She almost wanted to ask him, but... something stopped her at the last second. She wasn''t sure how the answer, whatever it was, would have made her feel.

    ? What... what happened?? she asked. Obviously Winged King needed time to heal, but what had happened to make him look so... shaken?

    Turo just sighed, rubbing at his eyes with one hand.

    ? Him.? he pointed a shaky finger towards Winged King, who hissed happily.

    ? He... he ate so much food. ? he groaned, then pushed the lizard away with the same hand when it perked up and came near him to sniff him at the word "food".

    ... that wasn''t the answer Sada had been expecting. She tried to keep her composure, to remain serious. She made an honest effort.

    ? Pff--?

    She couldn''t help but to start laughing, so hard that it made her stomach hurt, and she had to sit down in front of Turo as she kept laughing even more at his half amused, half annoyed reaction, at Winged King and at the whole wonderfull absurdity of the entire situation.

    She... she loved it. And she loved him, she realized as she finally managed to take a deep breath and stop laughing enough to look back up at Turo.

    What he had just done for her... what he had done for her since their very first meeting... in such a short time, he had made her life so much more... vibrant. Interesting. Exciting.

    They stared at each other for a short moment, and this time, he is the one to lean forward first and kiss her softly, his arms embracing her and pulling her close.

 Chapter 13: Walk the Dinosaur

    As he activated the time-achor and travelled to his time, Turo still couldn''t quite believe that he had decided to just... Tell her everything.

    Or as close to everything as he could, breaking pretty much two of the most important rules about time travelling. But the more Turo thought about them, the less sense they made in his case. Those rules had been thought of by thinking about travelling to... Important historical events. Relatively recent times. Or meeting famous people of the past. She was... Just one girl in one century in a time period where a single century wasn''t even considered important, because events took place on such a larger scale that it just... Lost any meaning. He had panicked when he had seen that she had taught writing to other people of her tribe, but... Really... What difference was it going to do?

    A couple of generations and it was probably going to end up a lost art anyway. Ready to be discovered and invented again. And even if it didn''t, it''s not like they would suddenly teach the whole human population how to write centuries in advance. Because it hadn''t happened, or they would have found traces of it.

    These things took time. A lot of time.

    Telling her everything had been... liberating, in a sense, but he honestly hadn''t really expected her to believe him... or understand what he meant, actually. He had tried best as he could to describe the unfathomable amount of time that separated them, and by her reaction, she seemed to have understood that it was "a lot", but... how could he even start to explain how much their lives were different? Could he even do it? They were separated by pretty much all of human civilization, all of human history.

    He stepped out of the time machine, the Master Ball with Winged King inside sitting heavy in his pocket. He really wasn''t used to having Pok¨¦ Balls with him. Miraidon had one only because it was necessary to register him as his owner, but he could count the occasions that he had actually gone inside it on one hand. He let out a little sigh of relief while he waited for Porygon 568 to do its usual scan; that moment when Sada had approached him just as he had been on the verge of travelling back... that had been scary. If she had actually touched him, got dragged back with him... she wouldn''t have survived the trip. Or... he wasn''t even sure if it would have worked. When they travelled in groups at the TTDL, everyone had their own time-anchor.

    ? Time anchor ID 9537 has returned-? he gave a bried nod at the Pok¨¦mon while it recited the coordinates and scanned him up and down. Just like he was expecting, it stopped after a moment.

    ? Time-displaced Pok¨¦mon detected. Species unknown. Contacting Uvanja Academy''s science department for permission to safely deposit specimen for further study.? it said, eyes flashing yellow as it floated in midair. For a second, Turo wondered what Porygon thought of them bringing Pok¨¦mon back here from other times. Did he see it as normal, or did he disapprove? Did he even consider himself a Pok¨¦mon, or something else entirely?

    ? The Pok¨¦mon''s injured. Studying it can wait, we need to treat it first.? he interrupted the Pok¨¦mon, who reacted swiftly, fluttering it''s wings.

    ? ... contacting Uvanja Academy''s Nurse office instead. Please head there immediately.?

    Yes, that would be ideal. He still felt a bit uneasy as he exited the time machine room and walked through the corridor and to the elevator. The decision to bring Winged King back with him had been a spur of the moment one; Sada''s people had barely started having peaceful contact with Pok¨¦mon, they had no way to help the Pok¨¦mon heal. In his time, it would have been trivial. The problem was... he had been asked to bring back some specimens from the Paleolithic era, and he had the feeling that the Cyclizar-ancestor would cause quite some excitement, but... he couldn''t simply give them this Pok¨¦mon in particular. It couldn''t stay in the present; he had to make sure to get it back to it''s time.

    But first, it had to actually heal. It didn''t look like a mortal injury, but he admittedly had no idea what to look for to know how serious it was; especially with Pok¨¦mon that looked so... how to put it... "organic". He stepped into the teleporter and a moment later had been transported in the entrance hall of one of the oldest Pok¨¦mon Academies in the world; he headed directly for the infirmary, pointedly ignoring the stares he received from a couple of people.

    The TTDL often collaborated with the Academy, so people were relatively used to seeing time-travellers walzing in immediately after a time-jump wearing the weirdest things, but "late Ice Age clothes in authenthic Mamoswine fur" was probably still strange enough to make a few heads turn. Not exactly something you saw everyday. One nurse ran up to him as soon as he had stepped inside the infirmary, and Turo recognized him as the same nurse that had checked on Porygon after his "glitch" with the time machine some time ago.

    ? We have a room ready... what Pok¨¦mon is it??

    ? ... ancient form of Miraidon.? he answered after a moment, and could practically see the man get excited.

    ? Dragon type then??

    ? Probably...? It''s not like I could check.? he grumbled. What difference did it even make for treating it?

    ? How do these... things work, usually? Bringing Pok¨¦mon from other times, I mean.? he asked cautiously after a moment. They weren''t going to start poking and prodding it immediately, weren''t they?

    ? Well, the poor things can''t simply absorb Hadron energy like modern Pok¨¦mon do to heal, so we have to treat them... the old fashioned way. Do you know what injured-? the nurse trailed off as Turo simply stared, eyebrows furrowed and mildly offended. Of course he didn''t, or it would have been the first thing he would have mentioned.

    ? All right, release it from the Ball inside here.?

    Not exactly convinced, Turo glanced around the infirmary room they had just entered. There wasn''t much in terms of furniture. Bulky machinery and monitors were a thing of the past, the various sensors now built into the very structure of the room, carefully monitoring the physical condition of anything that entered it.

    There was a Pokemon sized bed, a cabinet to the side, and a couple of chairs that were mostly to the benefit of humans than Pokemon.

    He couldn''t help but feel that this wasn''t going to go as smoothly as everyone seemed to think: this wasn''t just... A Zigzagoon or whatever brought back from the 21th century. This was a Pok¨¦mon from a time period where they saw no problem in considering humans not only food, but also quite low on the food chain.

    He cautiously stepped towards the door, then released the injured dragon from the Master Ball. It was immediately clear as soon as the ancient Miraidon appeared that the bed absolutely wasn''t big enough. Modern Pokemon tended to be... Small and somewhat compact, either because it required less energy and was simply more efficient, or because they had started as Artificial Pokemon and had been literally designed that way, especially in the context of having to eventually fit and being able to move in urban environments or even more cramped spaces like the Moon base and future extraterrestrial colonies.

    Winged king was... Not. The lizard''s pupils shrank as it took in the unfamiliar surroundings, a low hissing noise reverberating out of its throat as its eyes darted left and right. It flicked its long tail, hissing some more as it involuntarily hit and smashed the cabinet to the side.

    ? ... Ah.? the nurse said.

    The Pokemon didn''t seem to know what to focus on first, not knowing what was or wasn''t a threat, and it shrank back towards the nearest wall, dragging the injured leg on the pristine floor. It looked at the two humans, and its eyes finally focused on Turo; probably because his clothes were the only vaguely familiar looking thing in the entire room. Turo tried to remember some of the commands and words that Sada had used, to no avail. He had seen the Pokemon only two times, and had been kinda distracted (and terrified) to pay much attention the first.

    ? Calm down... We want to help...? he tried to use a reassuring tone, but didn''t exactly dare move forward. Winged King roared and stood up to his full height, a wave of heat suddenly hitting them both as it fanned out the big feathers on its back. Then its eyes finally landed on the ceiling, and Turo realized an immediate problem as he did the same and saw the usual projected view in real time of the sky outside. Winged King jumped, unfurling the two antennae on the top of its head. They proved almost too big for the room -forcing the two humans to scramble backwards-, the Pokemon barely managing to flap them loudly a couple of times to take off before crashing full force into the ceiling. It fell back on the floor with a confused cry and hurried back up on all fours, now fully panicking as it looked desperately for an exit. It looked moments away to blindly attacking one of them.

    Turo gritted his teeth: this was doing exactly as he had feared.

    ? Not good, it''s too agitated... We''ll have to knock it out by force.? the nurse commented, and he had to kind of admire the man since he looked definitely surprised (and sweating profusely because of the sudden heat that the Pokemon seemed to emanate) but still kept relatively calm all things considered.

    ? Knock it out? You can''t hurt it even more!? he argued.

    ? I''m just putting it to sleep.? the man answered back, taking out a Poke ball of his own from his belt.

    A small, round Pokemon that Turo recognized after a moment as a Snowhoot - an Artificial Pokemon version of Hoothoot, one of the first to successfully integrate completely into becoming their own species - appeared on his shoulder, standing on one leg, the other tucked in inside its body-literally, by folding it in with a slight hiss of pneumatics, the switch like its ancestor too fast to see with the naked eye. The owl Pokemon blinked its rectangular, digital clock display eyes, numbers flashing briefly in place of its pupils as it calculated the current time down to the microsecond. Compared to its ancient counterpart, it was completely white with streaks of ice blue in his eyes, around the belly and on his claws.

    The white color hadn''t been planned at all, neither was them losing the Flying type and becoming part Ice types instead... everything that had happened with that Pok¨¦mon had actually become a bit of an interesting case study for Artificial Pok¨¦mon Programming, one that he had always found pretty fascinating... but that definitely wasn''t the moment to think about it, with a growling prehistoric Pok¨¦mon not even two meters from him who looked increasingly ready to lash out.

    ? Hypnosis.?

    The Snowhoot let out a warbling cry, rotating its head left and right by 90 degrees with a slight whirr as it stared at the dragon Pok¨¦mon in front of them. The pixellated eyes seemed to switch off completely, leaving only two completely black rectangles. It gave the impression of his eyes disappearing, or having no pupils... something that Turo was vaguely aware people had considered creepy in the past, for... reasons he actually wasn''t exactly sure about. It probably looked unnatural? When you saw literally every Pok¨¦mon do it when they were taking a nap on your couch, it probably lost some of its creepy effect.

    The tell-tale blue glow of psychic powers surrounded the Snowhoot a moment later, and Winged King started to sway on its legs before crashing asleep on the bed sideways - completely flattening it in the process-.

    There was a moment of silence as the Atomic Clock Pok¨¦mon let out a little satisfied "hoot", both men looking at the giant lizard splayed on the floor.

    ? You know...? Turo began, just now realizing something that made him breath a sigh of relief. ?... I only assumed he was Dragon type. If it had been part Dark type..?

    The nurse stared at him blankly, raising one hand to caress the little bird on his shoulder.

    ? She also knows Sing just in case. Hypnosis is just faster, it works as soon as you make eye contact.?

    Turo couldn''t help being a little impressed. He went back to staring at Winged King and the room. There were visible cracks in the ceiling where the Pok¨¦mon had smashed into it full force - thankfully not breaking through -, some of the sensors built in the panels probably destroyed.

    The content of the cabinet that had been smashed aside had spilled on the floor - stuff like gauze that would always be useful to bandage open wounds, portable Hadron energy batteries for giving a Pok¨¦mon a quick burst of energy back, the latter in this case completely useless. White and blue feathers had flown everywhere; there was even a bit of blood on the floor, which he couldn''t help but stare at. Now this did make him umcomfortable.

    He... wasn''t used to seeing Pok¨¦mon bleed. Those that could, at least.

    The VR games that featured extinct Pok¨¦mon he had played when younger didn''t exactly show it - because no one wanted to see Pok¨¦mon fight and hurt each other so much that they actually started bleeding, and modern Pok¨¦mon... they did have blood of course, in the sense of having "something that transports nutrients to all parts of the body", but it was more like... energy coursing through them. Pulsing in time with their heartbeats, surging higher or lower, like Miraidon''s electricity did everytime the dragon curled around him and they went to sleep.

    Modern Pok¨¦mon blood wasn''t... liquid and so red like that of a human and sticky, and it definitely didn''t smell like iron.

    He forcibly moved his eyes away from the specks of blood on the floor, focusing back on the nurse.

    ? ... now what??

    --

    Winged King was kept carefully asleep by the little owl Pok¨¦mon keeping watch over it; in the meantime, they had arranged a bigger bed by setting down a couple of mattressess on the floor and covering them in blankets, while trying to work out how to best treat its injury. The simulated sky had been sagely switched off, leaving nothing but the empty, bare ceiling covered in cracks.

    Everyone seemed eager to examine the Pok¨¦mon; a first preliminary scan had shown that it was part Dragon, part Fighting type. The second one had been a surprise.

    ? Fighting type? ? Turo repeated, summoning a screen to his side to start a recording. ? ... not Fire type? With all that heat he was producing-?

    ? I know, it''s incredible, isn''t it? It must be a way to shed excess body heat, or to strenghten its muscles as it prepares to fight, and the heat is just the side effect... But to radiate so much of it, it must have an incredibly active and powerful metabolism! ? the nurse commented, blissfully unaware to what he had just said as Turo just stared at him.

    Powerful... metabolism... Turo suddenly remembered Sada excitedly telling him about how much food the Pok¨¦mon ate.

    He found himself repressing a shiver.

    ... why did he just have an ominous feeling about this?

    ---

    In the end, they had sent him away; not before Turo made them swear to not do anything weird to the creature in the name of "research", and insisted on leaving a monitored video connection to the room open at all times to keep track of it.

    He was sure that nobody was going to do much more than run tests and deeper scans (and squeeing. Lots and lots of excited squeeing by what he had seen) on the Pok¨¦mon and they wouldn''t risk harming a single scale on it considering that it was literally a one-of-a-kind in this era, but he felt weirdly responsible for the Pok¨¦mon since Sada wasn''t here; he had promised her to help the creature, and he wanted to make sure to keep that promise.

    Which... kinda implied... having to find a way to actually get it out of there once healed and back through the time machine with him. Fortunately in all the initial confusion and excitement nobody had thought to ask him for the Master Ball he had used to capture it.

    But it had to actually heal first, and that would take a bit.

    And he couldn''t exactly go back to Sada empty-handed, which is why he hadn''t even scheduled his next jump yet. For the first time in quite a while, Turo finds himself having to kind of... waste time with nothing to do other than look at his research notes and help his colleagues.

    He''s not good at it.

    ? So, mmm...? he thinks out loud while staring at the ceiling of the sanity room in the TTDL. Today it looked like one of those old-timey saloons you would have found in Unima or Orre back in the day, complete with spunky piano music and the sound of slamming rotating doors everytime someone walked in or out. The one responsible for those settings had become pretty obvious when he had walked in that morning for a coffe and found Ortega in full gunslinger attire, complete with cowboy hat and boots.

    "Just felt like it, it''s not like there''s any occasion to wear them otherwise"

    Turo had stopped being surprised at his senior''s antics a long time ago... especially now that he had some ideas as to why he acted like that.

    ? ... what''s the weirdest place you two had to ever time jump back from?? he finally asked, lowering his gaze back to the two in the room with him, Ortega -boots on the table and busy swinging his chair back and forth, cowboy hat obscuring his face-, and Vega, who had been growing increasingly desperate in her quest for the legendary beast trio ("They just run around so much, you would think that being able to literally teleport in the exact spot and moment they supposedly should appear should make it easy but nooo") and has filled an entire wall of the saloon with a giant monitor. The iper technological map of Johto and Kanto full of little pins and lines she''s been drawing to map their movements does break the immersive atmosphere quite a bit.

    ? Oh that''s easy.? Vega answered, stopping her back and forth walking to look back at the two sitting at the table. ? Jail.?

    ?... Jail.? Turo repeated, voice completely flat. He''s grown used to conversation between the three of them swerving into the wildest directions by now, but that still took him a bit by surprise.

    ? Yep. Got caught trying to sneak into the Tin Tower and the monks didn''t like that. I must have left a couple of very confused police men when they went back to check on me and found an empty cell, I guess...?

    Turo shook his head imagining the scene, while the redhead went back to staring at the map.

    ? Maybe I should also look for Celebi and the other Johto legends while I''m at it, can''t hurt... it''s not like I couldn''t navigate 21th century Johto with my eyes closed by now...? she muttered.

    ? What about you?? he asked Ortega, who stopped rocking the chair back and fort and lifted the brim of his hat with a grin.

    ? Oh I''m sure I''m winning this one.?

    ? Yeah? Let''s hear it ? Vega didn''t even turn around, but Turo could just picture her rolling her eyes.

    Ortega cleared his throat dramatically.

    ? I jumped back by launching myself off a cliff and pretending to fall dramatically to my death. Activated it right in midair.?

    Two identical sighs escape Vega and Turo at the same time, the first because she doesn''t believe him, and the second because he knows that is exactly the kind of crazy stunt that Ortega would pull just to see what happened. And look cool.

    Mostly to look cool, probably.

    Sometimes he wondered how the man wasn''t dead yet.

    ? Now that has to be bul-?

    ? Don''t believe me, ask Porygon. By the way, did you know that momentum is conserved while time-jumping? Found that out the hard way when I came back here and got launched straight into him. The little guy didn''t like it.?

    ? But... why?? Turo simply asked.

    ? Why not? And I had to make a hasty retreat anyway-? Ortega evaded the question, like he often did, with a lazy wave of his hand.

    ? My turn now. Weirdest thing you''ve eaten on a time jump.? he added, going back to rocking his chair back and forth.

    ? A weird chewy pink thing by some sketchy dude, still in Johto-? Vega muttered.

    Oh, that answer was easy.

    ?... Mamoswine meat.? Turo nodded, and Ortega stopped again, dangerously close to losing his balance.

    ? So, like... real real Pok¨¦mon meat? And of a prehistoric one? ? he asked after a moment.

    ? What did it taste like?? Vega added, seemingly having abandoned the idea of doing anything productive that morning once and for all.

    Turo hesitated a moment before answering.

    ? ... bacon. It was... good.?

    The fact that he had actually enjoyed the taste had made him feel... conflicted, to say the least.

    ? But-?

    ? Turo.? Ortega cut him off before he could get another word in.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ? Turo, my man. That Mamoswine was made into steaks more than 10''000 years ago. It was going to get eaten anyway, it''s not like they hunted it for you.? the man rolled his eyes and slammed the chair he had been balancing on down on all four legs, pointing at him with one finger.

    ? You''re not going to angst about bacon. You''re one of the smartest guys I''ve ever met, but you need to shut that brain of yours off sometimes and not overthink every little thing.?

    Vega nodded sagely by his side, and Turo smiled the tiniest bit. All right... they had a point.

    --

    He went back to visit the injured Pok¨¦mon every couple of days. There had been a little moment of panic when it had first woken up and they had asked him if his notes had something about his eating habits, and the only think he knew about was that it ate real meat, since he had seen Sada feeding him little strips of it, Berries and "eggs". What kind of eggs he had no idea, and it would be of Pok¨¦mon that went long exctinct anyway... and Berries were also different from those in the modern era. What if it was allergic to something? What if they accidentally poisoned it because it wasn''t compatible with food of this time? They had never brought a Pok¨¦mon from so far back... and reviving fossils didn''t count. The revitalising process inevitably modified them to cover for the gaps in DNA they didn''t have from the samples.

    Those fears all proved moot when it started to happily inhale whatever they had tried to feed him.

    Apparently, the answer to what it ate was "anything and everything". Without much problem.

    It was pretty restless though, and trying to get him to stay still and not injure it''s leg further had been a bit of a challenge, not to mention actually get close enough to treat it. Seeing him seemed to put Winged King a bit more at ease, so they had enlisted his help.

    ? Maybe he needs a companion? ? the nurse, who he had found out was called Rory in these past days, mused. ? Something that looks at least a bit similar to himself could put him more at ease... you said you have a Miraidon??

    Turo "mmm"-ed skeptically. The thought had also crossed his mind admittedly, but... he wasn''t sure it was a good idea.

    ? ... you don''t know much about Miraidon, do you?? he asked.

    The nurse shook his head, causing the little Snowhoot perched on it to chirp and change leg.

    ? They are extremely territorial. In the wild, they really only meet whit other members of their species during mating season. Miraidons raised in cities since they were little are more docile, since they seem to associate their human trainers and home as their "territory", but they will still get aggressive if they feel one of the two is being threatened. You know how there is a law forbidding riding Miraidons in their "Battle Forms"? It''s because every Miraidon, especially feral ones, will see it as an open invitation to attack.? he explained. It had been called Battle Form for a good reason, after all. Domesticated ones could still be wrangled a bit if it happened, maybe let them race, or spar and trade a couple of blows just to get it out of their system, but feral ones?

    They would go absolutely berserk.

    Which is why it was so dangerous, but it felt so good to ride on top of the dragon at full power. And he had faith in his trusty partner to keep him safe; Mirai was fast.

    But Winged King? It if it reacted similarly like a wild one-which is basically was-, and the two started fighting at full force... he shuddered at the thought. A couple of cracks in the ceiling would be the least of their worries in that case.

    ? You said mating season....?

    ? They''re both male, and I doubt they would even have compatible biology.? Turo shot down the other''s proposal before he could even finish. He rubbed at his chin, thinking.

    ? But... maybe we can try. If they meet while not in Battle Form... get them slowly used to each other, maybe... ? maybe they would see each other as different enough to not be considered a threat.

    He nodded.

    ? I''ll bring Miraidon with me tomorrow.?

    --

    The next day, Turo stepped into Winged King''s room with the Masterball in his right hand and Miraidon''s Pok¨¦ball in his left, ready to use them to recall one or both at the first sign of trouble. The red lizard was curled up in one corner of the room on his makeshift bed; it seemed to be in the equivalent of Miraidon''s Low Power form, which was reassuring. Miraidons, at least, were much more calm and peaceful in that form.

    Winged King woke up at hearing the door open, his orange pupils briefly narrowing to a slit before recognizing him. It growled softly while he entered,looking at his hands. Turo sighed.

    ? It''s not food.? he used Sada''s language since it seemed the one it should react to the most, and of course the Pok¨¦mon immediately got up at the word "food". He let Miraidon out, carefully observing the two Pok¨¦mon as he stepped near the door. The purple lizard''s eyes immediately flashed as it saw the -even at low power- much bigger Pok¨¦mon and it hissed, crouching low on all fours. Turo was quick to stroke the Pok¨¦mon''s neck.

    ? Stay calm... calm... he''s not a threat...? he noticed that the two Pok¨¦mon seemed more confused than angry or agitated. It was, he guessed, probably due to seeing something that looked so similar yet so different to someone else of their species. He had noticed that they seemed to share quite a lot in terms of body language, but it didn''t seem to be the only reason for their confusion. It took seeing Miraidon cautiously sniff the air and the other dragon mimicking him for Turo to recognize what they were doing.

    Were they... smelling each other? But how would they even recognize...?

    ... he was an idiot.

    The necklace. He had been wearing it for months by now, even before knowing whose Pok¨¦mon those feathers even belonged to, giving Miraidon more than enough time to notice the new, strange scent it must have carried. And for Winged King, he probably carried Miraidon''s scent all over him anyway everytime he had visited, even if human senses were way too dulled to pick up on it.

    He watched with trepidation as they slowly moved some steps forward, meeting in the middle of the room and then starting to circle each other. Winged King growled and flicked one of the antennae on his head, unfurling it to show the bright and powerful feathers it was made of. Mirai stared, perplexed, and so did Turo, the man together with a bit of fascination as he summoned a screen to record the meeting - someone would surely want to review the footage-. Was it some kind of display of dominance? Force?

    "Look at how colorful my feathers are, how healty and ready to fight I am"?

    Miraidon''s own antennae were much more rigid unless in his Battle Form, and the purple lizard tilted it''s head to the side, not knowing what to do with them. The Pok¨¦mon sniffed at the feathers, almost to confirm that yes, they had the same scent he had been picking up all over his human lately, then he suddenly boosted himself up on his hind legs, almost starting to float with a burst of energy and a roar of his jet engines, and let out a short but piercing shriek that took Turo by surprise. He had rarely heard him... scream like that.

    Winged King growled in response and went on the defensive, rearing up on his back legs.

    Turo readied the Master Ball by pointing it toward the red dragon and observed his lifelong partner carefully, trying to understand his reaction. Some people considered Miraidons too unespressive and aloof in personality, almost apathetic and difficult to read, but he had spent his whole life with one. He knew him well. Miraidon backed up toward him, his eyes never leaving the red dragon, not even simulating his normal blinking as he stared the other lizard down. His long tail gently pushed Turo against the door, and the man understood what had the Pok¨¦mon suddenly so riled up and... protective, he realized. He had only ever heard him scream like that when other Miraidons from friends or families had showed a bit too much interest in him for his liking. And by suddenly recognizing an unfamiliar Pok¨¦mon''s scent on him, the dragon probably had thought...

    ? Buddy... he''s not going to steal me away from you.? Turo chuckled with a warm smile, putting the Pok¨¦ball away and stepping forward to stroke the Pok¨¦mon''s back. It growled but didn''t look away from Winged King. Turo sighed and pressed the button on the Master Ball he was still holding, momentarily recalling the red dragon inside it. He needed a moment alone with his Pok¨¦mon without having to worry about a fight breaking out.

    ? You know there''s no other Pok¨¦mon in the world I would trade you with.? he kept reassuring the Pok¨¦mon in a low voice, now petting his head and neck. Miraidon finally turned toward him, one single cyan eye regarding him carefully before gently bumping him in the chest with his snout, letting out something that sounded almost like an electronic chirp. He hugged the Pok¨¦mon with both arms, resting his forehead on the dragon''s neck and listening to the electric, buzzing pulse of his heartbeat. Maybe he could try to make them meet another day, after they had calmed down.

    ---

    He did make a couple of other attempts in the following days. Miraidon had still been suspicious, but he seemed to quietly tolerate Winged King as long as he didn''t show any interest in Turo, and the two Pok¨¦mon had spent a couple of hours here and there together. Distracting both with food to get them used to each other''s presence seemed to have worked a bit.

    Having the two Pok¨¦mon side by side, at the least, was proving to be an invaluable source of information, giving the researchers at the Academy the opportunity to observe them interact with each other in real time.

    ? His leg is pretty much healed.? Rory confirmed on the tenth day, closing one monitor he had been using and getting back up after he had crouched to examine the Pok¨¦mon, as usual put asleep first by his Snowhoot.

    ? Which is good, since people were being interested in examining it move around a bit more. Do you think we could get him to fly around in the schoolyard, or it''s not domesticated enough to listen to people yet??

    Turo frowned, muttering a "I don''t think he will listen to anything that''s not about food."

    in response. Everyone seemed to take for granted that the Pok¨¦mon would stay at the Academy from now on, but he wasn''t going to allow it. First of all, Winged King wasn''t theirs.

    Short of literally kidnapping it away from the Academy and then making a mad dash for the time machine to get it back in the correct time period, his only chance to get it away from the Academy was to actually come up with a good reason as to why they couldn''t keep it here.

    Turo was no man of action. He tried to picture himself sneaking Winged King outside in his Masterball, dodging researchers that screamed "STOP HIM" like in the cheesiest action movies, maybe jumping on top of Miraidon as they crashed through a window and glided toward the TTDL... and then simply getting stopped as soon as the Academy notified the theft and his time-anchor got deactivated. He would probably get expelled from the department, if not outright arrested for stealing from the Academy.

    ... yeah, not happening.

    He was, however, a man of cold and calculating logic.

    He needed to speak with Moreau.

    ---

    ? I have to admit, which how much trouble getting Pok¨¦mon from the past usually is, no one has ever asked me to send one back.?

    Turo held the icy gaze of the current director of the TTDL, suppressing a shiver. He couldn''t help it; even if he was perfectly confident in what he had to say - Moreau had to agree with him, because it just made sense -, something in the man''s eyes always put him on edge. It''s like the other was studying him through the lense of a microscope, always looking for something. What exactly he was looking for, he hadn''t the slightest idea.

    ? This specimen is particular, sir. It has made contact with a group of humans, and one in particular-?

    ? The girl named "Sada" you keep mentioning in your reports.?

    Turo flinched, caught by surprise, then nodded. It felt... surreal hearing someone else speak her name in his time, mostly because he had noticed that it was almost an unspoken rule in the TTDL to talk about people you met during your travels in vague terms, reports aside. It was always just "the native girl I''ve met", "that guy I''ve spoken to" and so on.

    It was, now he realized, probably a somewhat subconscious way to keep their distance. Make it feel less real.

    Don''t get attached.

    ? ... yes, her. She has successfully trained the Pok¨¦mon to listen to some commands, found a way to summon it to her side, and even ridden it. Her settlement has just started domesticating Mareep. I believe... removing the Pok¨¦mon from its time would be harmful to... the timeline.?

    Moreau raised an eyebrow.

    ? ... if it was, it''s in the past. It would have already happened, together with whatever consequence it caused. Surely you know that.? he argued, crossing both arms to his chest. His time-anchor shined briefly at his wrist.

    Yes... that was always the problem with the past, wasn''t it?

    He sighed a bit. Time for argument two.

    ? ... I still believe that this Pok¨¦mon being returned to his time is the correct order of events. Also, this specimen in particular would probably give us way more information being observed in his time than ours, even if it limits the instruments at our disposal.?

    That seemed to pique the man''s interest.

    ?... oh? What makes you say that??

    ? Because it''s an ancestor of Cyclizar and Miraidon outside Paldea.? he answered simply.

    ? What is it even doing in Prehistoric Kalos? Is it a single individual that just left their usual habitat for some reason, or did they use to live in a lot more places than their modern counterpart? And... honestly... to simply study it from a physical point of view... Prehistoric Paldea is probably full of them. We can send someone there to catch another one. We don''t need this one in particular.?

    He waited with bathed breath for the other''s reaction. After a moment, he knew that he had convinced him when the man smirked.

    ? All right, all right... can''t argue with that. I will speak with the Academy and you will bring it back.?

    Turo had just relaxed when those glacial eyes studied him again.

    ? ... in the meanwhile, since they will need to clear the room I suppose, you can keep it with you until the next jump.?

    ---

    His apartment was arguably a bit small even just for a Miraidon, but the Pok¨¦mon had the luxury of being able to open and close the balcony window with specialized electrical signals it emitted and roam the city when he wanted to stretch his limbs, so it had never really felt cramped.

    Turo stared at the Masterball that had been sitting on the kitchen table as he finished his microwaved lunch and put the used dish in the sink, which cleaned it immediately and automatically slided it to it''s place in a pile of other neatly impiled dishes, ready to be used again.

    He felt bad keeping the Pok¨¦mon confined inside it, it just wasn''t... something he was used to doing. Most people had one or two Pok¨¦mons at most, and kept them outside their Pok¨¦balls pretty much all the time, and he was no exception.

    But he also had the distinct impression that letting it out would spell disaster for him, even simply for how much... bulkier Winged King was compared to Miraidon.

    He sighed, and turned toward Miraidon, who had been sitting by his side, eyeing the plate.

    ? ... I''m going to regret this, don''t I?? he asked, before letting the red dragon out.

    Winged King looked surprised at yet another change in his surroundings, and this time the sight of Miraidon and Turo evidently made him perk up a bit, probably happy that at least he was in the company of someone familiar. He pawed at the floor with his now healed leg, then started sniffing the air.

    ? You.? Turo pointed to Miraidon, who blinked. ? Keep an eye on him. I need to shower. And be nice to him.?

    A pause, then the lizard puffed up his throat the tiniest bit, pulsing with blue and yellow energy.

    ? Gyaa.?

    Good. He had faith in his Pok¨¦mon. He could keep watch over Winged King and make sure it didn''t wreck his apartment for the ten or so minutes it would take him to take a shower.

    As he turned toward his bedroom, it didn''t cross his mind that there would be no one to keep an eye on Miraidon.

    ---

    It had just been... admittedly more than ten minutes, but it couldn''t have been more than twenty. Thirty, at the very most.

    They had raided the fridge. They had raided the pantry. They had, somehow, ordered delivery, possibly from a monitor he had left open right in the kitchen to play some music while he showered.

    How had Miraidon even figured out how to do it? Had he memorized all the steps he did when he ordered something? Had he used electrical signals to mimic the steps?? But how, for the love of Arceus, had he managed to place the order? Had they been lucky enough to get a Rotom or Porygon on the phone???

    He sat on the couch in his living room and stared at the two lizards as they happily devoured the fifth pizza, hair still damp and only half dressed. He had been halfway through putting on his bodysuit when the noise from the kitchen had alerted him to what was going on and he had rushed through the apartment to close the monitor. Even if Miraidon could, apparently, manipulate open terminals, he surely lacked the ID and authentication to open new ones.

    He decided that from now, it was better to install parental control for the whole system in his house and a 36-characters alfanumerical password to confirm all future purchases.

    Just to be sure.

    ---

    It had been just a couple of days of having to deal with the two lizards until his next scheduled jump... but it had been a rough couple of days. Even if he had tried to keep Winged King in the Master Ball a bit more, it still had to obviously eat. And he had severely underestimated how much Pok¨¦mon that couldn''t use Hadron energy needed to eat. Of course Miraidon and other contemporary Pok¨¦mon also ate, but like grass Pok¨¦mons could pretty much choose to eat or photosyntesize, or like most electric Pok¨¦mon could simply absorb electricity, he wasn''t completely reliant on it.

    Winged King, obviously, had to get all his nutrients from actual food. As the Pok¨¦mon''s ravenous appetite kept drilling a metaphorical hole in his wallet, Turo found himself questioning in complete disbelief how much of society during the Pok¨¦mon League era they actually knew about.

    There was no way that people actually could keep six Pok¨¦mon with them at all times, right? How would they even afford all that food?

    And people could have entire boxes worth of Pok¨¦mon??? How weren''t they always broke as soon as you got something bigger than a Fidough???

    At the very least, Sada''s expression when he had jumped back to not even a couple of seconds after he had left, at least from her perspective, had been priceless and had made it all worth it.

    He had told her to "wait here", after all.

    He watched with a satisfied smile as the two reunited, before he caught Sada looking at him in amazement.

    ... he had to admit, he did feel a bit proud of himself as she asked him how many days it had been.

    Sada started to laugh as he explained, simplifying a bit, what had happened. He looks at her, the way her face lights up as she throws her head back just a tiny bit, how she stops to gasp for her breath as she sits down. When she looks back up at him, there is such warmth and gratitude and affection in her eyes that it sends a shiver down his spine. He leaned forward, raising both arms to pull her close as he kissed her. They stood like that for a while, simply enjoying each other''s presence, Turo ignoring the little voice in the back of his mind telling him to make the most out of it.

    ... he still had to tell her one last thing about his "jumps", after all.

    ---

    Now that Winged King was healed, he expected Sada to want to go flying as originally planned, but she shook her head when he asked and pointed back to the village.

    ? You are... "tired". ? she pointed first to her eyes and then to him, and he self consciously rubbed at his eyes that still stung for the lack of sleep of the last couple of days. He wasn''t exactly in perfect shape... then again, compared to her and people of this time, he probably never was.

    ? We''ll go tomorrow.?

    Back to the settlement it was then... he noticed some weird stares from people here and there, since they had pretty much just watched them leave, and this was starting to make his head hurt trying to keep everything straight.

    Maybe jumping back not even five seconds later hadn''t been such a brilliant idea after all, but... he had to admit he had wanted to... "show off" to Sada a bit.

    ... pathetic.

    Turo stopped, again, when the children caught sight of them a second time and rushed them both.

    ... well, he supposed he had time for a couple of writing lessons after all.

    ---

    This time, they hadn''t been alone in the big communal tent, various other people already occupying it and sitting around a small hearth. He had been pretty self conscious of their curious stares at first, but had quickly grown used to it.

    He had made it a game to have them write down various objects he would point at or draw, and after a while, all four children had decided that it was only right for them to teach him a game of their own.

    The name they had called it had been absolutely incomprehensible to him, but it was pretty straightforward. The players sat in a circle, taking turns picking up what looked like little stones or fragments of bones. You threw one stone in the air, and before it fell back down, you had to perform a certain number of actions with the same hand. At the beginning, it was to simply knock on the ground, or grab another pebble or bone from the pile, and he had managed to do it without much problem, but the actions only grew in number and complexity as the game went on. Grab multiple stones from the pile. Or grab one and put one back, all in a matter of seconds. Or do all that and then catch the stone in midair before it touched the ground, which lead to having to throw it higher to gain more time. Catch it and have it land on your knuckles, balancing it there. It was obviously a game of skill and dexterity, and the children looked delighted as they showed him the various challenges, gesticulating wildly as they explained and asking Sada to demonstrate some of the most difficult actions.

    Judging by how they erupted into fits of giggling everytime he failed a step or managed to have the pebble fall back on his head, they were also pretty happy to finally have an adult that they could utterly trash at the game.

    ? You are good, for... for you.? Sada had been sitting near him and mending some clothes. She tried to cheer him up when the game had ended, before adding in a lower voice.

    ? Your people don''t do this?? prompting him to smile and shake his head. Ah! No, the games they played in his time were definitely much different.

    He looked back toward the children that had been called by one of the hunters near the fire to help cook, or sharpen stones, or make arrows.

    He had thought about them a good while in this past month, and while he still felt that pang of sadness and almost guilt as he looked at them, another sentiment slowly emerged as he sat in the cozy warm atmosphere of the tent, stronger than the other two.

    Admiration. He couldn''t help but admire how, even in living conditions that looked terrible to him and his spoiled modern point of view, this four kids, and who knows how many others all over the world, and all the other people present had managed to... to enjoy life.

    Even when every day was a battle for survival, they had made up games to play together, stories to tell, they had made songs and art, not because it was useful or needed to survive, but just because they could. If it hadn''t been for them, all of humanity and he himself wouldn''t even exist.

    He sighed softly and laid his head on Sada''s shoulder, closing his eyes and just losing himself in the moment as he listened to her start to hum as she worked.

    --

    Sada had finally dragged him inside the "adult" circle sitting around the fire, both men and women starting to slowly ask him questions, with Sada trying to translate as best as she could. Yes, he was a "shaman". No, he had never hunted anything in his life (some of them seemed to take it as a joke, because that obviously couldn''t be true).

    Sada''s mother had asked him about this "cotton" thing again, looking thoughtful, and this time he managed to give a vague answer about ancient weaving techniques of using fibers to make cloth (He had looked it up), with much gesticulating and drawing on his notebook when words failed him, which was quite often. She had looked quite interested, nodding here and there; the technique was evidently already familiar to her, just not the specific material used.

    Then the actual shaman and second eldest person in the settlement entered the tent, and everyone fell silent, watching with rapt attention as Sada stood up and motioned to him to follow to introduce the two.

    ? Narjik, this is Turo, the other... "shaman". Turo, this is Narjik.? Sada smiled a bit as she stole a glance at him, curious about his reaction.

    "Narjik" didn''t appear to be dressed much differently than any other person in the settlement and Turo realized, with a bit of shame, that he had been subconsciously picturing weird feathered headpieces and other stereotypical things usually associated with the word of tribe elder and similar in media. Which, of course, didn''t even make sense.

    What the man did have to distinguish him from everyone else and that probably had gained him his position, other than the markings that looked painted over his face, was... wisdom. He exuded an aura of calm, dignified awareness, and carried himself slowly, methodically, like he knew exactly what was going on in the whole settlement at any given time. This was a man that had survived as long as he did by sheer cunning and had amassed a veritable wealth of knowledge to help others do the same.

    People looked up at him not because they believed him to have some magical mystical power(or at least, not just for that), but mostly because he knew what to do in any given situation. Like Sada''s mother, they had experience.

    He... Didn''t really feel like he deserved to share the same title of "shaman" in their eyes right now.

    ? ... Hello.?

    The man nodded, then looked him up and down, and Turo was suddenly reminded of Moreau. The feeling of getting studied intensely under a microscope was the exact same.

    The man exchanged some quick words with Sada, and she arched an eyebrow with a brief look of surprise on her face before turning back towards him.

    ? He says... He is happy for you teaching writing. Umm... He... Wants to "trade" with you. ?

    One of the last words was unfamiliar, and Turo tilted his head, trying to make sense of the sentence as Narjik sat down near the fire, one of the younger hunters who looked around Sada''s age making room for him.

    ? "Trade"??

    Sada picked up a pebble from the game and mimicked giving him something, and getting something from him in return.

    ... Oh. He looked back at the elder, suddenly nervous. What... Could he possibly want? Had Sada told people about the Master Ball... No, of course not. She had literally just seen it and he had been with her the whole time since.

    ... His head hurt.

    He sat down near the older man, Sada on his other side, now with a bit of curiosity. What could he possibly want? And most importantly, how could he gently let him down if it was something impossible? Did he think that he was from another tribe nearby?

    ? What... Trade?? he asked, a bit awkwardly.

    The man motioned to the notebook Turo had been using to draw, and Sada seemed to understand and pretty much burst with excitement.

    ? You have "paper". And the... Writing water.?

    ... Oh. Get them more paper and ink...?

    It... Wouldn''t be that difficult for him, the TTDL was full of old school writing supplies exactly because they were so easy to carry around and destroy leaving no trace if necessary.

    There... Should be no harm in it.

    He could have asked for much worse.

    Turo nodded, and the shaman smiled for the first time after meeting him, before saying something else.

    ? He asks... What you want.? Sada looked at him a bit oddly, and he was pretty sure he could imagine what she was thinking.

    "What could we possibly give to a man that can disappear in a flash of light, effortlessly trap creatures in shiny white rocks and jump through time?"

    Honestly, his first instinct had been to refuse. Say that he needed nothing. But that would have... Put the shaman in an awkward position. This was a matter of... Respect. Of treating each other like equals. And there actually was something he desperately needed that they could help him with, he realized. It made his stomach turn a bit, because it was something that he had tried not to think too much about because it made him uncomfortable, but it was the safest way for him to do it.

    ? ... Creatures. ? everyone now turned to look at him, and he pointed to the flute on Sada''s hip.

    ? Show me... How you hunt creatures.? he exchanged a meaningful look with Sada, quietly slipping his left hand into his lab coat pocket. Her eyes narrowed, and she nodded without a word, understanding what he had actually meant. He smiled a tiny bit. It felt... good, to have her as an ally that knew his secret, instead of just being someone else he had to lie to.

    Narjik blinked, a bit surprised, then nodded and smiled. Turo almost expected him to offer him an handshake or something to seal the deal, but the man did something different. He turned towards one of the man and whispered what sounded like an order. Now that he noticed, the man looked strikingly similar to him; a son? Younger brother? They aged so differently living such a heavy and physically demanding lifestyle that he honestly couldn''t tell. Narjik and Sada''s mother themselves, with their heavy wrinkles and white hair, could be anywhere from their early fifties to seventies... If people even lived that long. The man took out what looked like a water skin from one corner of the tent and offered it to the elder. Narjik took it, opened it up, and took a sip before offering it to him.

    Turo hesitated, his eyes going to Sada.

    ? Um...?

    She nodded encouragingly, and he took it as confirmation that this was how they did things.

    He understood why when he took it from the man and brought it to his lips.

    It smelled strongly and unmistakably like alcohol, and tasted like a fruity, extremely strong wine. He took just a sip of it and could already feel it burn his throat and get straight to his head.

    ... Of course getting smashed together was another thing that people had always done just because they could.

    --

    ? Time anchor ID 9537 has returned from space-time coordinates 48¡ã51¡ä12¡å N, 2¡ã20¡ä55¡å E. Welcome back...? Porygon 568''s voice trailed off, the Pok¨¦mon falling into silence as it scanned him.

    ? ... you are intoxicated. Getting into the time machine in a state of altered perception poses a risk and is forbidden by rule number three of-?

    ? Exactly? Turo interrupted the little duck Pok¨¦mon and raised one finger. He wasn''t drunk! Well Narjik and the guys had encouraged him to take quite a couple more "sips", and then they had taught him the drinking game version of the little children''s games, and... all right, Sada had to throw him onto Winged King''s back to get far enough from the village to safely jump back to make sure no one would see him, but he wasn''t drunk. Just... sligthly inebriated.

    ? The rules say... you can''t get into the time machine drunk. I''m getting out of the time machine.?

    He smirked triumphantly at Porygon 568 as the little dopey Zapdos-looking duck just stared at him. Thinking. Working out the logic.

    ? That is... correct.? it had to admit, reluctantly.

    He patted the Pok¨¦mon''s head as he made his way out of the room, humming.

    ---

    From: [email protected]</a>

    To: [email protected]</a>

    Cc: [email protected]</a>, [email protected]</a>, +6 others

    Subject: Re: Report

    As <u>amusing</u> as reading your latest report was, I''m afraid that I can''t accept it as it is. You will find my comments about it in the attached file. Please write it again... when you are sober.

    In particular, I don''t think that "getting hammered FOR SCIENCE" is a acceptable title. Please follow the usual department guidelines.

    Greetings,

    Professor Louis Moreau

    <u>Ex tempore, scientia.</u>

    <u>Ex scientia, sapientia.</u>

    From: [email protected]</a>

    To: [email protected]</a>

    Cc: [email protected]</a>, [email protected]</a>, +6 others

    Subject: Re: Re: Report

    [sent with voice to text]

    I HAVE NO MEMORY OF THIS.

    I''m mortified. I will rewrite it immediately.

    Greetings,

    Dr. Romero Turo

 Chapter 14: Visiting Hours

    ? Are you... sure you will be okay?? she asked doubtfully as Turo got down from Winged King''s back. He looked... lucid, but he had drunk quite a bit, and she knew how strong that stuff was. And how good Turo was at hiding what he was actually thinking.

    ? For what?? he asked, looking around at the clearing the dragon had landed in, quite far from the village. There was no risk of someone hearing or seeing him disappear here. Sada pointed to his wrist, a bit unsure.

    ? Your power. Can you... "jump" like this? ? she asked, a bit worried. She moved a hesitant step towards him, not wanting to scare him like just a couple of hours ago... For her, at least. For Turo, it had been days, and she still couldn''t quite wrap her head around it, even if she had literally seen him disappear and reappear with a wildly different appearance. Turo didn''t seem worried, chuckling a bit.

    ? Yes! No problem!? he snapped two fingers with his left hand. If it was supposed to show how easy it would be for him, it didn''t exactly do much to reassure her. On the contrary. When he disappeared... There was nothing she could do to help. What if something went wrong?

    ? You can sleep here, and leave tomorrow-? it wasn''t the first time she had tried to convince him to stay, but he was already shaking his head.

    ? I have to go back.? he took out his notebook, like he had done so many times to decide when they should meet again, and in watching him look for an empty piece of paper she is struck by a sudden idea.

    ? Then... Then just come back "here"! Like... Today. ? she feels a bit silly in describing it out loud, but... He could do it, right? If every time he had to leave he simply jumped back to her right in that moment... It would be like he had never left. He had the power to do it!

    She waited for his answer, hopeful. Turo raised his head from the blank page, pen in hand, his eyes slightly unfocused before he shook his head again. She felt a little pang of disappointment; of course it couldn''t be that easy, or he would have done it already.

    ? Sada... You also are... Tired.? he answered after a moment, and she kind of had to admit that he was right. After seeing him disappear, she hadn''t slept much the last night.

    With everything that had happened, it felt like a really long day.

    After a moment, she heard him put the notebook away.

    ? You can''t... Always stay with me. Two days. I will jump here, at morning. And we can go flying.? he added after a moment. She nodded, then cautiously moved to hug him, waiting for a sign for him that it was fine to do so. It seemed that there was no problem unless he was touching his bracelet to activate the power, but after his terrified outburst just earlier that day, she didn''t want to take any risks.

    He answered by getting closer and reciprocating the hug with both arms. She could feel him relax slightly at the contact, and rest his chin on her head for a short moment.

    ? ... Good night.? he says after a moment in a low voice. She reluctantly let him go and stepped back towards Winged King, who nudged her with his snout, purring softly, and they both watched him disappear in a flash of light. She turned toward the dragon in the silence that followed, petting him on the head.

    ? ... Did he treat you well?? she asked. The dragon titled its head, not understanding. She smiled and stroked the soft feathers on his head.

    ? Was there a lot of tasty food??

    That it understood, because it chirped and nuzzled her again. Sada kept petting him for a while; she still couldn''t quite believe that it had been injured not even a day ago, and was already healed. Who knows what Winged King had seen, of Turo''s world...

    When it had gotten dark, she jumped on the dragon''s back and they flew back towards the settlement together.

    ---

    In the following two days, she noticed that Winged King had grown much more affectionate towards her. Instead of only answering when she called for it, the lizard now followed her closer and closer to the settlement, and she would often see it flying high right over the village, roaring and calling for her just to land as soon as she got a certain distance from the settlement.

    It had also started to affectionately nibble at her clothes and hair; she had seen flying creatures do it to each other as an obvious sign of affection, and even Winged King himself do it to clean his feathers, so being on the receiving end of it couldn''t help but make her quite happy. It was proof that the creature didn''t stay with her just for the promise of food after all, even if it had maybe started that way.

    Her mind kept wondering about one thing related to its injury, however.

    ? ... What attacked you?? she asked the lizard quietly, wishing that it could somehow answer her as they both sat in the clearing together at the dawn of the second day, waiting for Turo to arrive.

    ? We don''t know.? came the answer out of nowhere, and she jumped and glared, half scared and half amused, at Turo that had suddenly walked out from the trees behind her. She hadn''t heard any steps, so he must have just jumped here.

    ... He really was having fun appearing right in front of her now that he could, didn''t he? What if one day someone was with her as he arrived?

    She studied him for a moment, trying to guess how many days it had been for him. It was difficult to say; he looked definitely less tired than the other day, so he must have had at least a good night''s sleep.

    ? "We"?? Sada asked as she hugged him as a greeting, taking a short moment to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

    He seemed slightly reluctant to let her go, but nodded.

    ? My people. We looked at the... The "injury". Hurt. No fire, no poison, no ice... Just a lot of power. Claws. Or teeth.? he explained.

    All that time they had spent studying her drawings of creatures as a way to build their vocabulary seemed to pay off now, as he answered more smoothly than usual.

    He frowned when Winged King approached him, the dragon''s tail twitching as it sniffed the man. Turo rolled his eyes and tried to push the creature''s head away with one hand, the other -the right one, as usual -, hidden away in his clothes.

    ? I don''t have food.? he grumbled, before adding in a lower voice, to himself as he switched to his native tongue ? - You have gotten enough food from me for a lifetime, you dumb glutton.?

    She smiled a little even if she couldn''t understand him, between that and his exhausted explanation of what had happened the day before, she could kind of imagine what he was muttering about.

    It was still strange to think that Turo and Winged King had spent some time together that she had simply... Lost, in a sense, but it was obvious in watching how the dragon looked suddenly, for her at least, much more comfortable around the man. Turo, meanwhile, looked more annoyed than happy at the creature''s attention, still trying and failing to push the red lizard away. Winged King seemed to get convinced that he really wasn''t hiding anything, because it stopped to sniff at the man and greeted him with a gentle headbutt instead. "Gentle" being quite relative considering how big the lizard was, and being still strong enough to send the man stumbling back a couple of steps. Turo just sighed, before finally relenting and patting the creature on the nose a couple of times, his scowl disappearing just for a quick moment.

    ? There. Happy? Now shoo.? he waved his hand without much effect, but Winged King let out a little growl and walked back towards Sada, who started to first pet it and then direct it to crouch down so they could climb on his back.

    So... even Turo and his people didn''t know exactly what had hurt it? The thought of something strong and big enough to injure Winged King roaming around was... Worrying. Especially because to injure something that could fly, it was probably able to fly as well ... What would they do if it approached the settlement?

    ? Sada... ??

    She was brought out of her pondering by Turo''s voice, and realized that even Winged King had been looking at her strangely, since she had been standing to his side without moving to get on his back for a bit, lost in her thoughts.

    Right... Now was not the time to think about it. They could finally go to that place she had planned to show him!

    She forced a smile and climbed on the dragon''s back, patting his neck.

    The creature pawed at the ground, seemingly impatient to start flying.

    Turo followed her after a moment, climbing up with the same practiced ease he had already showed before. She looked at him curiously, and this time he smirked misteriously as he grabbed on Winged King''s spikes.

    ? After we fly. ?

    ... Yes, he was definitely having fun with this. But it made her happy, that he now trusted her enough to reveal his secrets, the way he would smile instead of the careful and controlled way he had avoided questions before. It made her feel... Special. It was something about him that only she knew.

    They rose in the air, Winged King''s steady wingbeats and the rustling of their clothes the only sound that was actually perceivable between the two. Even if she had wanted to, talking with Turo would have been impossible, except for screaming at the top of her lungs. She directed the dragon high in the air and then further up North, towards a mountain range. They would have to fly for a while, but it would have still been much faster than going there on foot like she and her tribe had always done until now. That would have taken days. Turo was leaning forward to hold onto the dragon''s back, but after a while she felt him change to wrapping first one arm and then the other around her stomach, resting more casually against her back. She also felt herself relaxing, just enjoying the sensation of the wind blowing against her and the incredible view. She was probably the first human in her tribe that had ever seen something like this! Just the thought was thrilling.

    They finally landed, Winged King shaking itself as it landed, sending feathers everywhere. She dismounted and looked at her surroundings while she waited for Turo to do the same, patting the dragon on the head. The area was pretty much how she remembered it from when she had last visited two or three seasons ago. Then again, on the top of a cliff, it was difficult to reach for anything that couldn''t fly or climb easily. Just getting there for someone of her tribe was somewhat of a rite of passage... Because that was pretty much what it was.

    A cave opened up in front of them, the aperture narrow enough for a human to squeeze through sideways.

    ? Wait here and keep guard ? she instructed Winged King, giving him an egg she had carefully wrapped in leaves inside her pouch as a treat. The creature happily ate it whole and sat down, licking it''s lips.

    ? What is this...?? Turo asked after he had jumped down from the dragon''s back. Both hands inside his white mantle, he was staring at the narrow opening with furrowed eyebrows.

    She simply smiled, a bit excited about what she was about to show him.

    ? Come? like many other times now, Sada tugged him along by grabbing his hand, and as she did, she noticed that he didn''t offer the slightest resistance to letting her just pull him along, an almost invisible smile on his lips, trusting her to lead him safely.

    She was the first to squeeze herself across the narrow opening, and as Turo did the same, she got to work to light a small flame she used to light a piece of wood to use as a torch. They intentionally left some dry branches to use as torches every time someone from her tribe came here.

    ? It''s deep inside, we have to walk a bit-? she explained, only to smile a bit when she turned around and saw Turo remove the top part of the clothes she had made for him to reveal part of his weird purple clothes that glowed in the dark. She had gotten used to seeing him dressed like one of her tribe, cape excluded, but now that she knew the truth about him, she looked at them with new eyes.

    With both lights illuminating the otherwise complete darkness around them, they started heading deeper into the cave.

    ? You can fly on Winged King... why?? she asked as they walked. Turo sped up a bit to keep walking by her side. She heard him stumble a moment, and then keep walking by keeping one hand on the wall of the cave.

    ? There is a... creature like Winged King. Miraidon. My people fly on it.? he answered.

    Oh, so they had their own Winged King? Probably somewhat different, because he hadn''t looked like he had recognized the dragon.

    ? "Mi-rai-don"...? she tried to get used to the foreign name. What a strange way to name a creature.

    ? What color is it? Are the wings big?? she asked, curious. Maybe she could ask him to draw one?

    ? It is, um... purple, and... no wings. ?

    Purple skin...? She turned around to stare, a bit unsure, at his glowing skin clothes. He seemed to immediately get what she was just starting to think about, because he looked horrified and shook his head.

    ? ... ah! No, no... we don''t... make clothes from Miraidon. My people don''t hunt creatures.?

    Now that had her make a double take and stop walking completely to look at him.

    ?... you don''t hunt creatures? All creatures? ? she had tought they just didn''t hunt some of them they respected or worshipped for whatever reason, but they didn''t hunt any creatures?

    ? ... where do you get meat? And fur? And... bones, and...? the list went on and on, they used pretty much everything from the creatures they hunted. Did they really not use any of that? But in that case... there were no hunters anymore. What did they all do? Just gathered plants and berries all day?

    ? We use other things.? he answered, as he encouraged her to keep walking. Sada slowly started walking again, trying to wrap her mind around it all and trying to imagine what his life was like from every little bit of knowledge she had gleamed about him. She knew they made the clothes from plants apparently, and there were "scientists"... and probably people that built those bracelets... oh, and those shiny rocks, of course.

    But, wait... if they didn''t hunt them...

    ? ... why make that shiny rock then?? she pointed to his mantle with her free hand, pretty sure that he had another one of the perfectly spherical objects hidden inside it. Turo took one out after a moment, turning it around in his hands.

    ? This is not for hunting. We, mmm.... "train" creatures.?

    ? "Train"??

    He hesitated, looking suddenly unsure.

    ? Mmm... like Chalo and... the Spark Tail. Or you and Winged King. We give food. The creatures help.? she kept listening to him, feeling a little bit of excitement well up inside her at his words. So, he... he did the same thing as her? Did that mean that her and Chalo''s idea of taming Winged King and other creatures had been right? That people would keep doing it until everyone did, and it was normal? She felt an enormous smile stretch on her face at that thought. Now she just wanted to try taming other creatures!

    ... if only she could spare the time, that is.

    ? So, Mi-rai-don is... your creature??

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    Turo nodded, and she saw his eyes soften a bit as he smiled.

    ? I got Miraidon when I was a... small child. He came from one egg.? she could feel the warmth in his voice from how softly he spoke about it, even with the somewhat stilted vocabulary. Raising creatures directly from the egg...? That must have been difficult... but it probably made the bond between them unbreakable. She wanted to keep asking questions, but had to stop when she noticed they had finally reached their destination. With a small smile, she guided him towards one end of the cave and held the torch high to let him see better. She could hear him take a sharp intake of breath by her side.

    ? This is my people''s... life. My... "past". My "history". ? she explained in a low voice.

    Lines done with ash, charcoal and other colored dust mixed with water started at eye level of the two. Some of them were lines, spiraling all around, and then connected through them were dozens and dozens of various handprints in all colors. Some were average sized, others had obviously been left by children. Around each handprint were symbolic drawings of people, hunting creatures, or crafting tools, or depictions of creatures themselves. Each couple of drawings told a story; the role of that person in the tribe, or accomplishments, legends, passed down from parents to children as they painted the next section to create a giant interconnected wall of stories.

    ? This is mine.? she explained, pointing out one section of the wall.

    There was a smaller child sized handprint near two adult ones, all drawn with orange-red dust.

    ? My mother... And my father.? she added, pointing to the two biggest ones.

    ? All people in the tribe... Paint here at various points of their life. When the children are big enough to walk, every two seasons, they come here with their parents and add their handprint. The parents show them their own handprint.

    And then, they come back here to add things... their story.? Sada explained slowly as she propped the torch up in a little stone support that had been built ages ago. She was probably using too many words he didn''t know, but by the stunned silence at her side and the way he kept looking at various parts of the wall, following the lines of handprints from one person to the next, he was getting the general idea.

    ? And then, when the children become parents, they bring their own children here.?

    She crouched near a small pile of wooden bowls that had been carved and left there, and took some berries out of her pouch to start preparing the colors she was going to use. Turo sat down cross legged by her side, still looking at the wall. He seemed at a loss for words. He opened his mouth to say something, thought for a moment, and closed it again.

    ? What is your and your parent''s story?? he asked after he had finally found his voice.

    She looked back up towards the three handprints as she worked, even if she knew everything by heart.

    ? My father was from another tribe. We trade with others... And go see them in the warm season. East from here, there is a big.... Mmm.... "Lake". A river that... Does not move?? she added at seeing him briefly furrow his eyebrows at the word.

    She finished mixing the tincture, a bright red color, and dipped one finger into it to start painting a shape next to her handprint, a bit away from it. One large head, a crest of feathers... She wanted to draw Winged King first.

    ? We trade, we meet other people... Some people from my tribe find a mate from the other tribe and leave... And some come live with us.?

    This way people kept in contact, and families grew and expanded. She noticed that something about her words had made Turo realize something.

    ? He was a... Umm... "Builder". He made things with parts from creatures. My mother makes clothes from fur, he used... Everything else. Bones, horns, scales and feathers... He made weapons, and tools.? she stopped, not sure how to continue to explain in simple words everything she wanted to say about him. How she would watch him work when she was little and ask from what creature every part he used was, and what it did. How he would discuss with Mother how to insert some of the things he made into her clothes, to make them ... Special. Like how putting Flame Wing''s feathers inside them kept you warm at night. She had probably gotten her passion for observing creatures and trying things out by watching both of them work. She smiled a bit sadly, stopping her work a moment to look back to the handprint.

    ? ... How did he die?? Turo''s voice was low, barely more than a whisper.

    ? ... The Blood-Fire.? she was met with a blank stare, of course he wouldn''t know what she meant with it.

    ? He got hurt hunting... We stopped the blood, but his leg... Became all black and... His body became so hot... Like his blood was now fire. ?

    She heard Turo sigh softly at her side and put an hand on her shoulder, squeezing softly for a moment.

    ? I''m sorry? he mumbled.

    She smiled and put her free hand on his to squeeze back.

    ? It was many seasons in the past. ?

    She went back to painting, starting to draw the rest of the lizard''s body. She didn''t want to paint all of it, just enough to be recognizable by someone else. Maybe she could use some charcoal for the throat...?

    She heard Turo shift slightly by her side as he watched her work. She pointed to an empty space next to where she was working.

    ? I''ll paint you, here.? she explained, but his reaction wasn''t what she expected. He turned towards her, eyes widening slightly in the light of the torch.

    ? What??

    Sada frowned. Was he... Not happy about it? Or had he not understood?

    ? I draw you... Here, on the wall. For my story.? she explained, now hesitantly, and got a bit disappointed as he shook his head, looking agitated.

    ? No! Nonono... You can''t. I can''t appear on this, holy s-? he took a deep breath.

    ? You... You can''t. People... Can''t see me here.?

    She frowned, not understanding.

    ? But... My people have seen you.?

    He looked conflicted for a moment.

    ? ... Other people. My people. In my... My time.? he added.

    His people... Would see this?

    Would other people come here after her tribe?

    Sada thought about it for a moment. She... Wanted to tell people about him. About all she had learned. How big of an impact that meeting was having on her.

    But now he had just told her that she couldn''t, that she may as well have to pretend that he had never appeared in her life. There could be no trace of him and his visits here.

    ? ... Oh.? her shoulders slumped a bit, and for a while, the only sound between them was the crackling of the fire. She wasn''t even sure why she found the thought so disapponting. She knew that he had to keep his true identity a secret from the rest of the tribe... But she didn''t realize that he also had to keep so many secrets from his own people. Didn''t... Didn''t that mean that in the end, they both had to act like they had never even met?

    ... She didn''t want to think about it.

    It took her a moment to notice that Turo had started moving, taking one of the empty bowls in his lap and picking some of the berries she had taken out from her pouch. He squeezed a couple of the fruits, releasing the dark, thick blue-purple juices in the bowl, mixing it with a bit of water from her skin pouch with his fingers, before raising them to the wall, near her own handprint. He started to trace the shape she had left now so long ago, adding a blue-purple line all around, stopping now and then to get more paint until he had left a thick, deep contour of a second handprint that encircled her own. He put the bowl back on the ground and let out a slow, tremulous breath.

    ? With this ... My people won''t understand what it is. And you can... tell your story...? he said with a little sheepish smile, and she felt her heart leap in her throat and her chest warm with affection for him. Turo carelessly rubbed at his chin, before letting out a little "argh" at realizing he had gotten purple paint all over his face.

    He tried to wipe his face clean with the sleeve of his cape, but she stopped him by gently cupping his face with both hands.

    ? ... thank you.? it meant a lot to her, to see that little symbol of the both of them on that wall. It would be... proof of everything that had happened and would still happen between them.

    She felt Turo gasp slowly, caught by surprise.

    ? You can tell your story... to your children...? he trailed off as he got closer and she pressed her lips on his, slowly, this time not urged by passion but by a sweet tenderness.

    His lips tasted like sweet berry juice.

    ---

    Moons passed, and Turo would come and go every five or six days now. He had brought more paper and pens with him, and had been awkwardly discussing how the tribe hunted with Narjik. The old shaman seemed to have taken a liking to the man, not minding patiently answering his questions about creatures they hunted, how they tracked them and fought them.

    Turo seemed equally impressed and terrified at the idea that they fought creatures themselves. If Sada hadn''t known now how different his time was, she would have thought it strange. What else were they supposed to do, after all?

    But if everyone in his time was used to living with creatures, she could see how the prospect of fighting one alone would seem impossible.

    In the end, she and Narjik decided that they would let Turo accompany them in a smaller scale hunting trip; there was no need to go near the biggest and most dangerous creatures. Chalo would also come with them, since she was the only one who Fluffyhead listened to, for added protection.

    Sada herself had been a bit nervous the day before they would depart. She knew that the actual reason Turo wanted to come with them was to trap some creatures and bring them back to his time like he had done with Winged King; he had explained in the previous days that his people would have loved to see them and train them.

    And considering what the alternative outcome was, those creatures could probably consider themselves lucky.

    The problem would be making sure that Narjik and Chalo didn''t see him do it.

    That was why she insisted on going with them, other than being the one most capable of talking with him.

    They left at dawn, meeting up with Turo just outside the settlement and heading South.

    She had made sure to tell Winged King to not get too near her, since he would have scared pretty much any potential prey away just by flapping around.

    Turo looked... Incredibly nervous as he trailed behind them. He had left his incredibly conspicuous white cape behind this time, and now he didn''t seem to know what to do with his hands, evidently too used to keeping them in his pockets. That was, now she realized fully, another sign to how different their lives actually were: she would have never walked around with her hands tucked somewhere and not ready to grasp a weapon. She had given him a leather pouch to hide his "Master Balls"'', as he had called them, and he kept constantly touching the satchel with one hand, almost like he wanted to make sure they were still there.

    ? He really has... No idea how to move around, doesn''t he?? Chalo commented as she walked by her side, Fluffyhead trotting beside her. She had a quiver full of arrows and a great bow made of bone slung over her shoulders, and a smaller spear in her hand. Chalo had sharp eyes, fast reflexes, and was by far their best shot with a bow. Her own pouch had been filled with little balls of wool Fluffyhead and the other Spark Tails they kept in the village had been losing. To avoid getting constantly hurt by Fluffyhead''s sparks, she had started to wrap her hands with fine fibers made from stripped tree bark, after Sada had noticed that plant creatures didn''t seem much affected by it. Narjik was walking at the head of the line, pausing every now and then just to gather some plant and study other tracks.

    Sada''s role was mostly protecting Turo, and she looked back at him as he followed, immediately understanding what the other girl meant. Yes, it was... Obvious that he didn''t know even the basics on how to move around in order to not attract too much attention.

    ? He is... Doing his best.? she answered, just as he tripped and almost fell flat on his face.

    Chalo snickered, before calling out to the man.

    ? Hey Terg! Don''t worry, Sada here will protect you!? she smirked a bit as she slapped the man on the shoulder, almost sending him pitching forward again with an "oof".

    ? I-it''s Turo...? he sighed in response, even if he knew by now that it was useless, before looking back at the other woman while rubbing his shoulder.

    ? What are w-... you hunting?? he asked, correcting himself after a moment.

    ? If you three keep doing all that noise, nothing.? Narjik snapped without turning around.

    ? Birds. ? he added after a moment.

    ? Their nature is to flee before thinking of fighting. The smaller ones, at the least. It will be less risky.? he concluded with a nod towards Turo, who looked both relieved that they weren''t going after something big and ferocious, and quite conflicted.

    They had entered a forest, and Sada immediately looked around, searching for the nests on the higher branches that would show where the creatures were hiding. Different creatures built different nests, and you could tell to which one it belonged to by their shape and other peculiar characteristics.

    Narjik lead them by walking slowly and carefully until they could hide in a group of bushes. They all crouched low to the ground, laying flat, Fluffyhead simply starting to graze a bit further up to avoid zapping them by rubbing them with his wool accidentally. Bird hunting was a matter of ambushing your target.

    Their usual hunting method of stalking their prey for days to tire it out didn''t work against something that could simply fly away, so they usually resorted to... Something else.

    Sada watched as the older man cupped his hands near his mouth, leaving a small gap between his thumbs and taking a deep breath before breathing inside, producing a low, undulating whistle sound that he could control by changing the shape of his hands ever so slightly. Sada had never quite gotten the hang of that particular technique, or at least not to the degree of being able to produce so many different sounds. That probably came with a lot of practice and years of experience she didn''t have.

    After each call, he would wait for a couple more seconds to see if any creature had reacted or answered, before repeating the sound. Sada noticed that Turo was observing the whole process with quite some fascination, and she smiled a little bit.

    ? Here they come.? Chalo murmured; she was crouching with one knee on the ground, and while Narjik was mimicking various cries she had carefully pulled out some arrows from her quiver and stabbed a piece of wool through each of them, before setting them down on the ground, point slightly pressed in the ground for quick access.

    A couple of little Flame Wing had arrived, chirping curiously and looking for the source of the sound. They turned toward the Spark Tail who had inadvertetly acted as a distraction, and Chalo took that as a signal to act. In a single fluid motion she nocked one arrow and drew her bow, lining up her sight with one of the little creatures. Sada felt Turo go rigid at her side, and he stood up to try and stop the girl.

    ? W-wait-?

    He didn''t get to finish the sentence, because the next moment the one little newborn Flame Wing disappeared in a cloud of kicked up dust. A loud roar filled the air, but it wasn''t exactly a sound made by some creature; it sounded more similar to the loud booming sound Fluffyhead would make when launching his thunder, and was accompained by a rush of displaced air. Sada covered her eyes when splinters of wood and clod of soil flew her way, trying to understand what had happened. As the dust settled, she could gradually make out the silhuette of a great bird. It was as tall as two people standing on top of each other would be, and had three heads with a crest of black feathers on top. The wings were so small that she doubted them being of much use, but they had what looked like a couple of wicked curved talons near their middle. Even if the wings were useless for flying, it more than made up for it with its powerful legs, just those almost as tall as a person. She realized, after a moment, that the dust and wind it had kicked up had simply been the result of the creature running in at ludicrous speed.

    The wood splinters had been the result of it slamming into a tree at full force, one leg up and the little Flame Wing pinned between its talons having hit the tree trunk at full force. It looked unconscious, but it had probably been killed instantly. The head in the center started to eat, while the other two looked around to keep watch, their eyes narrowing as they spotted the humans. Turo flinched, one hand going to his pouch, and Sada gasped and moved in front of him, brandishing her spear.

    ? What is it?? she whispered; she had never seen that creature, and so she looked to the oldest of the group for help. Narjik had remained completely still, just his eyes narrowing as he stared down one of the three heads.

    ? Triple Runner... this is just the third one I''ve seen in my life. They don''t live long: they are born with two heads, but they usually argue about food and end up killing each other before the third one can grow.?

    Sada''s eyes widened, worried, and she looked back at the giant bird. So that meant this one was smart, if it had lived long enough to get its third head, and they had actually managed to work together. This was bad... if the incredible speed with which it had moved before was an indication of its abilities, they pretty much couldn''t escape. It could simply run them down, and if it slammed into them with the same force with which it had plowed into that Flame Wing... she shivered, before looking back at Turo.

    ... worst case, she would force him to jump away to safety. He at least could escape.

    The bird had finished eating, and it turned towards them fully, now all three heads looking at them. Trying to pick their next target.

    Before they could move, Chalo let out a battle cry and released her arrow.

    ? Fluffyhead, KILL IT.?

    Both the arrow and the thunder struck the bird head on, but instead of collapsing to the ground with its muscles twitching, the bird simply squawked as one head picked the arrow that had struck its flank with its beak, pulling it out and throwing it aside. It screeched with all three heads and tore at the ground, the great talons leaving deep gouges in the earth as it readied itself.

    ? What?!?

    ? MOVE!?

    Narjik''s roar came just in time, and they all acted on instinct, Sada turning around to jump into Turo and push him aside. Wind kicked up again as the bird bolted at its impossible speed, rushing through the bush they had been hiding in, completely uprooting it in its wake, and finally slamming to a stop into another tree, having missed them by inches. All four of them hastily stood up, Turo looking paler than usual.

    ? Why didn''t it work?!? Chalo hissed.

    ? Must be part ground type...? Sada turned toward Turo, who had mumbled something to himself.

    ? Ground... like Steady Glaciers? ? she asked.

    But those were... slow, and lumbering. This one was anything but slow.

    She quickly started rummaging in her bag; if the thunder wool didn''t work, they would have to use something else. She paused to look at her flute; even if she used it, who knew if Winged King could hear her and would arrive in time...

    ? So I''m useless here?!? Chalo still looked more irritated than worried as she drew another arrow, before turning towards the Spark Tail, who looked pretty agitated.

    ? Calm down, Fluffy, we''ll get through this-?

    The Triple Runner had turned around, and its three heads had been looking at the group; it was definitely studying them. Even if it had three minds, it still could only target one of them at a time, Sada thought. And like all predators, it would go for the weakest of the group; she moved to cover Turo again, certain that he would be its next target, and then the bird moved again. It drew up its long necks as it took a wide legged stance, bracing itself against the ground, and opened its multiple beaks.

    Sada stared, confused: birds usually attacked with... their talons, or flapping their wings to create wind, or pecking... she had never really seen a bird do something like that... she could hear Turo gasp behind her and rummage furiously in his pouch; he had evidently decided to throw caution to the wind and use his "Master Ball".

    And then a dazzling white light formed in the Triple Runner''s throats, and her eyes flew wide as it shot three beams out of its mouth, in three different directions; the left head shot a stream of fire straight towards her, the right head pieces of ice at Narjik, and the center head shot thunder at Chalo. As both she and Turo had to throw themselves aside again, she could have sworn that the three heads were smirking. It held all three streams for a couple of moments, then the center head stopped for breath while the other two continued, forcing them to keep moving to avoid getting burned or frozen respectively. Sada, for once, was in complete disbelief; what kind of creature could use fire, ice, and thunder at the same time?! And was it seriously using one of its head to breathe so the other two could keep attacking?!

    ? Amazing...? she couldn''t help but be in awe.

    ? Admire it after it is dead, please!? Narjik brought what looked like a less elaborate flute to his lips and shot a little wooden dart towards the creature.

    ? Poison. Should slow it down a bit, if it works.? he explained, before moving to take a quick stab at the right head to force it to either back up or stop attacking. Slow it down... Sada gasped and looked towards Fluffyhead. That was it!

    ? Chalo, tell Fluffyhead to use his wool!? she snapped, turning towards the girl who had been shooting her entire quiver of arrows against the creature.

    ? You blind? It didn''t work!?

    ? The thunder didn''t work-? she pushed Turo aside as she also stabbed at the left head to force it away. ? - but he can shed his wool and it gets stuck everywhere, remember??

    The girl thought for a moment, then nodded.

    ? Right. Fluffyhead!? the little creature''s head snapped to her as it let out a little "eeep".

    ? Shoot your wool towards it. Like, uh... "Poof"!?

    ? "Poof"....?? Sada barely heard Turo''s incredule comment as the little creature charged towards the much bigger bird; balls of wool flew away from it and towards the Triple Runner, attaching themselves to its legs, necks, and beaks, literally stuffing them closed. The creature screeched and started to cough, now flapping its tiny wings as it flew into a panic while it struggled to breathe.

    ? Yes! Keep doing it, Fluffyhead!?

    As soon as the creature was distracted, she finally turned towards Turo.

    ? Can you trap it??

    As an answer, he pushed something in her free hand, and she panicked for a moment as she felt something smooth and round touch her hand, even if she couldn''t see anything.

    ? W-what...?? she struggled to keep a hold on it, staring at him wide eyed. Did he... did he just make the Master Ball invisible?!

    ? ... another power.? he answered curtly, before pointing at her hand.

    ? You do it. You throw better than me.?

    She wasn''t even aware that she could use it instead of him.

    ? I-I just... throw it??

    ? Yes. Quick!? he urged her.

    Feeling extremely weirded out by holding something she couldn''t even see, she nevertheless turned towards the creature, who by now resembled a bird-shaped pile of wool. She could do it; Chalo was their best shot with a bow, but this wasn''t any different from throwing a spear or a berry to stun a creature. She took a deep breath, raised her arm over her head, and threw. For a moment, nothing happened, and she frowned; had she missed? You couldn''t even tell-

    A bright red beam of light engulfed the creature and it vanished, sucked into the invisible sphere, and a stunned silence fell on them all.

    ? ... what happened?? Narjik was looking around, evidently thinking some other creature responsible for it. He stared at both her and Turo for a moment, and his eyes narrowed. Sada tried to keep calm; he had been far away from them, busy with the head on the other side of the creature... had he seen something? Maybe seen her throw it?

    Turo stepped up near her, his expression gone back to the careful, unreadable calmness he so often used.

    ? ... it was Fluffyhead, I think.? he commented.

    ? Really?!? Chalo turned toward the creature, grinning.

    ? Mar...eeep...??

    The little Spark Tail looked completely spent, literally and figuratively. It had shed pretty much all his wool, making his blue fur more visible.

    ? Fluffyhead... you killed it so hard it vanished! I''m so proud!? the dark haired girl hugged the creature, who looked a bit confused. Then it started glowing, and all three of them jumped, Turo excluded.

    Sada stared, in awe, as she watched the creature''s body change and grow bigger, grow back its wool instantly, and get up on its back legs. She knew that creatures could transform as they grew, but she had never seen it from so close up!

    She was the only one to notice Turo as he quickly crouched to pick up something from the ground and hid it away in his bag.

    ---

    They had immediately gone back to the settlement, spent from the battle.

    Chalo had been lamenting that the whole trip had been useless, because they didn''t even get to eat the stupid bird. Narjik had simply been glad that no one had gotten injured, and Turo... Turo had been pretty quiet, probably a bit shaken from the experience.

    The rest of the day had passed in relative tranquillity; when evening arrived, they flew to the usual clearing where he would always leave. It had become a bit of a ritual, to stay there for a bit, just the two of them, far away from the village and other people, simply enjoying each other''s company, with Winged King keeping watch over them.

    It was a wonderful night with a full moon; Sada looked up towards the bright lights in the sky, one hand idly caressing Turo''s hair as he laid with his head on her lap, eyes closed.

    ? Those lights... are they really other suns?? she wondered, remembering one thing he had told her the first few time they had done this. Turo slowly opened his eyes.

    ? ... yes. Really far away suns. They are called "stars".?

    She just wanted to ask him more questions. But then why did the sun disappear at night while these stars didn''t? Were there different kinds?

    ? ... how do you know? Who told you?? she asked instead after a moment.

    ? Other scientists "study" stars. Then they teach others... or write it, so other people that do other things can still learn.?

    That sounded like a dream to her;everyone studying different things and sharing information so everyone could benefit from it.

    ? That is... incredible. You know so many things... even today, you knew one power of that creature...? she lowered her head and closed her eyes, feeling a bit ashamed. Compared to him, there were so many things she didn''t know...

    ? Not many. ?

    She felt Turo''s hand on her cheek and opened her eyes again, surprised, to find him staring at her, eyes serious even as he laid almost upside down to her.

    ? ... other things. I can''t... hunt. Or look at creature''s tracks and follow them. Or look at the wind and the clouds to see if it will rain. There are... many, many things that I don''t know and you do. They are just... different.? he smiled softly, and there was now so much honest pride in his eyes that she felt herself blush slightly and bent down to give him a quick kiss, smiling.

    ? ... Sada.?

    She backed up and looked at him questioningly.

    ? Are you... happy here?? his voice was barely a whisper.

    She simply stared, confused.

    ? Yes... of course.?

    Why the sudden question? Of course she was happy. Everyone in the village was fine, there had been no injuries or sickness even as the cold season got harsher and harsher. She had him, and Winged King, and there were so many things she wanted to do and places she wanted to explore; every day was an adventure. Why wouldn''t she be happy?

    ? ... I see.? Turo closed his eyes again, and nodded. ? That''s... good. Good.? he repeated, almost to himself.

    He didn''t say anything else, but she felt a little chill at his words.

    Even if he hadn''t left yet, he suddenly felt so, so far away from her.

 Bonus chapter 1

    getting hammered FOR SCIENCE!

    Coordinates of successful jump: Copy paste them from last report, do not forget!!

    Weather conditions: Cold. Bit windy. Was inside, don''t really know.

    Number of hours spent time-displaced: Am drunk, check suit later

    Spent time with the locals, the kidz taught me a cool game that''s played with stones. You throw them. And catch them. And there''s levels and challenges and stuff. I sucked at it because last time I actually threw a ball or something was in elementary school in PE, and I sucked at it even then. When''s the last time YOU ever threw a ball or stuff? Like for real, no VR games. My hand-eye coordination sucks.

    Then they showed me BOOZE! And it was good!! Probably some fermented berry juice, was really sweet.

    We hang out. They''re cool. They will show me how they hunt Pok¨¦mon. That''s not so cool.

    What else am I supposed to write here??

    Ah yeah, I gave the Pok¨¦mon back. They were happy!!

    Well Sada was. She almost cried. Felt that.

    I also almost cried these days thinking about my wallet while keeping the thing at my home. Dumb lizard. (Miraidon''s SO MUCH COOLER!!)

    Since the nerds at the Academy will be all sad that they don''t have seen Winged Ping flying, in this report I will also give a thorough explanation of the physics behind it. Because I have seen it flying and actually ridden it, and I''m cool light that.

    So.

    Uinged Ling''s got wings. It''s in the name. But there''s a problem. They are too small, and are on its head. I made a top-down view diagram of it.

    (Author''s note: there''s sadly no other way to do it, so here is the link to Turo''s masterpiece. Replace (###) with actual dots and it should work)

    www(###)huppy(###)it/images/5915/1682499924715kor(###)png

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    See? The wings cover only one side. Which means the rest of the body gets no windy force that pushes it up. The back legs and tail are heavy, they should make it fall back.

    BUT DR TURO, THEN WHY CAN MIRAIDON FLY? HIS WINGS ARE ALSO ON HIS HEAD!!

    Because, and this is important.

    He. got. cool. JET ENJINES ON THE LEGS!! And magnetic force. MAGNETS!!

    Cyclizar got no wings and nothing, and therefore does the sensible logical thing and is stuck on the ground like the poor sad Normal Type lizard it is.

    Then how does Ringed Ping fly?

    It''s no flying type. No wind currents. Not psychic. No magnetic force.

    According to all laws of aviation, it shouldn''t be able to fly. But it does.

    My only and totally scientific conclusion is that Winged Jing flies, because it gives no shits that it shouldn''t be able to. It wants to fly, and so it does. Because it''s a cool dinosaur lizard.

    ... or maybe it fills the throat sac and body with some lighter than air gas or something, no idea, I''m no Pok¨¦mon Professor.

    ---

    After trudging back from Johto after the latest unsuccessfull attempt to catch another glimpse of one of the legendary beasts, Dr Melany Vega pushed open the door to her office and unceremoniously dumped her soaked raincoat to the floor. Why did Raikou have to be rumoured to "carry rain clouds on it''s back"? Why did its stupid bark have to sound exactly like crashing thunder? Why did she have to check the local weather report for rain and storms and strange thunder cracks with clear skies and then go to the spot where it absolutely poured just to try and get to see it and snap a picture?

    Maybe she should just change completely objective. Choose some nice, easy legendaries. Like... the Regis.

    Sure she would have to actually find them first, but... they weren''t responsible for natural disasters. No one had tried to use them to conquer the planet. They were perfectly happy to sleep away the ages in their nice little caves, and not run around two or three whole regions.

    She sat down at her desk and opened a monitor, checking her mail. Blablabla students eager for an internship. Bla bla some rich dude wanted to pay for a three-hour trip through time. Blablabla... oh. Turo''s latest report.

    They were always so easy to read. As logical and precise as the man himself.

    Vega opened it up on a separate monitor... and then had to double check the sender when she read the title.

    And the first line. And everything after that.

    She covered her mouth with one hand to stifle the laughter, but when she got to the drawing she just had to get up and run to Ortega''s office.

    He wasn''t there, because of course he wasn''t. When was that guy even actually working?

    So she went to the sanity room, sure to find him there lazing around.

    ? Have you READ-?

    As soon as she stepped inside she was sure that yes, Ortega had already read the report, because the whole room had been made to look like an art museum, with the little drawing being proudly displayed mounted on different frames, with various filters applied like some modern art piece. Ortega turned towards her, out of breath from laughing too much and tears in his eyes.

    ?... I can''t wait to see him tomorrow... you think we can get him to write every report from now on drunk? ? he asked.

    ? Never mind that. ? she sat down next to him, and pulled up the report again to read the rest.

    ? I want to try the same stuff he had.?

 Chapter 15: Closing Time

    When Turo walked into the TTDL the day after his latest report, well into the afternoon since his last jump had been late at night again, he initially didn''t notice anything wrong in the couple of looks he got from people he crossed in the corridors. Then he walked into the sanity room to grab a coffee, and had to question what he was looking at.

    He had no idea what the theme was supposed to be this day. It was usually either a generic ambience or some really specific, famous landmark, and this looked like neither. It mostly looked like a... Contemporary art museum? Each wall held a couple of little holographic frames, with lights pointing to it. Puzzled but without questioning it too much, he grabbed a cup of coffee. Maybe it was supposed to be some famous museum, he thought as he took the first sip. A reproduction of some art gallery from the past?

    The first exhibition of some famous artist...?

    He shot a distracted glance to the nearest frame as he took another sip, and raised one eyebrow.

    The paintings were all of the same thing, each the same shitty-looking scribble with different colored filters applied to it. One was in color. That one was sepia. That other one had been converted in a three dimensional model, made to look like a marble statue.

    He admittedly didn''t really know much about art, except for the biggest and most recognisable of pieces, and this one definitely left him baffled. Maybe today the sanity room was actually showing something from the future? Wasn''t it explicitly forbidden by Moreau?

    There was even the sound of steps and some whispering in the background, to simulate a little crowd walking around: whoever had sent this up had been meticulous. Then he finally noticed the little text hovering next to each art piece.

    "Ancient form of Cyclizar, top down view. Digital painting by Dr Romero Turo, circa 4685, TTDL, Earth"

    ... What.

    Was this supposed to be a joke? He sighed in annoyance and stormed out of the room, knowing exactly who was responsible.

    ? Ortega-? he growled as he entered his office, only to, of course, find it empty.

    He stopped on the doorstep, exasperated, looking around.

    If he wasn''t in his office or in the break room, then...

    ? Porygon. ? he spoke to the empty air, knowing full well that the Pok¨¦mon was listening. A screen opened up to his right.

    ? How may I help, Dr Romero Turo? ? it answered after a moment.

    ? Is Ortega currently on a jump?? he exited the office and made his way towards the time machine room.

    ? No. He is, however, getting ready to depart soon. I''m calculating his landing coordinates as we speak.?

    ? Well, stop him for a moment!?

    Turo started running at a light jog. There was a moment''s pause from the AI, an unusual amount of hesitation coming from the Pok¨¦mon considering the speed at which it usually thought and reacted.

    ? I am... Unable to do that. Doing anything that could impede the normal use of the time machine goes against my duty-?

    Turo''s eyes widened as he sped up, almost tripping in his haste to reach the room, now for a completely different reason.

    ? Wait, no... Metaphorically! I meant metaphorically! Just ask him whatever, not "stop him" physically?

    AIs and their literal mindedness- Porygon 568 was usually so good at interacting with people, it was easy to forget that it wasn''t, in the end, developed with the idea to actually act and think like one. Porygons had been developed as Pok¨¦mon first, and AIs only later, almost as an indirect result of making them more and more intelligent and able to deal with increasingly complex scenarios. There was another little pause at the other end of the line.

    ? ... Oh. That is more understandable.? and with that, it closed the call, leaving Turo flustered as he sprinted across the last section of the corridor. He was completely out of breath as he burst into the room, only to find a bewildered Ortega with his sleeve pulled up, the nurse (her name was Denise, or something?) about to inject him with the protection serum, and a very uncomfortable looking Porygon 568 that was trying and failing to make small talk.

    ? According to my calculations, the weather in Alfornada, 8th of August year 4378 should be lovely-?

    ? ... All right??

    All three turned around to look at him, and then stared again as he staggered inside.

    And then stared some more as he had to bend in half to catch his breath.

    ? You okay there...?? Ortega asked after another couple of seconds of panting.

    ? Yes! I''m here because of you!? Turo finally managed to get out, getting back upright and glaring at his senior.

    ? What''s with... That thing in the break room.?

    The other man''s eyes lit up, and with a smile, he turned his back to the time machine, leaving poor Denise -if that was her name - to sigh and follow him with the still ready to be used needle.

    ? Oooh, you''ve seen that? What do you think of your first art exhibition??

    Turo sighed, not in the mood for Ortega''s jokes.

    ? "My" art exhibition? I draw much better than that... And you know that. You''ve read my reports, you''ve seen some of my sketches -?

    The man''s smile got only wider. Now he was pretty much beaming.

    ? Oh, this is even better than I thought... So you haven''t checked your department mail this morning??

    Turo stared, now with a little, unexplainable feeling of sudden dread springing up from a little corner of his mind. The little corner of his mind that subconsciously knew, and kept silent. Like a coward.

    ? I... No? I was going to as soon as I got to my office... What is going on??

    He looked to Denise or whatever and Porygon 568. The Pok¨¦mon had his eyes closed, exaggeratedly muttering coordinates numbers to himself as it pretended to be busy recalculating something, and the nurse... Well even the nurse was trying to hide a smile now. W-what had he done last night? He remembered coming back home, and... Getting straight to sleep? That was it, right? Urged by Ortega''s smile, he opened up a screen and logged into his mail. His blood immediately ran cold as he saw an unread email by Moreau, titled "Re: Report".

    R-Report....? He had written nothing of the sort! He was going to start writing his latest one right now! Now sweating, he opened up the email and read with wide eyes, then looked at the attached file.

    And went completely red in the face at the thought of all the people who must have read... that.

    ?I... I have no memory of this!? In his haste to reply, he activated the voice to text function and apologized profusely, promising to rewrite the report immediately. He... He had really sent that to the director? At least Moreau seemed to have taken it with a certain humour, or he would have destroyed his career in a single night.

    He... He was never going to live this down.

    ? Yep, we figured. That must have been some strong stuff.? there was a pause as Ortega snickered.

    ? ... Well?? He asked, and now even Denise the nurse looked curious.

    Turo looked from one to the other.

    ? Well what??

    ? Was the booze at least good??

    ? Yes- that''s not the point!? he snapped, sighing with exasperation when Ortega exploded with laughter as he turned his back to him and pulled up his sleeve again to finally receive the injection.

    ? If I was you, I would consider starting a little mini-project. Me and Vega already have the paper title ready. "Taste-testing first traces of man-made alcoholic beverages in late Paleolithic era", by Doctor Romero Turo. We both offer ourselves up as co-authors and testers. ? the dark haired man clicked his tongue as he pulled down his sleeve and stepped towards the time machine.

    ? ... Strictly for science, of course.?

    Turo let out a sound that would have resembled the noise Miraidon did when he happened to slide on some gravel, except that it was currently being made by his teeth grinding together. Which probably wasn''t exactly healthy.

    ? No-?

    Ortega pouted exaggeratedly, then shrugged.

    ? Aw. You shouldn''t take yourself so seriously. You''re funnier when you''re drunk!? he laughed again as he waved him off, before disappearing into the time machine as it spun to life.

    In the silence that followed, Porygon 568 looked awkwardly between the two humans, before floating next to him with a flap of his short wings.

    ? I do not have the capacity to understand "drunkenness" as a human state. But if it helps, I have seen the drawing. Taking into account the state of decreased motor skills it was done in, I find the result quite well done. The lines are...? the Pok¨¦mon seemed to struggle for a moment.

    ?... surprisingly straight. ? it muttered in the end. Turo couldn''t help but let out a little laugh as he patted the Pok¨¦mon on the head.

    Aw, bless his little, artificially coded heart.

    ---

    That first trip they had taken in that cave had left him pretty shaken. He hadn''t really expected to be brought in front of what in his time would become a priceless historical site. He knew those cave paintings, everyone did. They were studied in history books. People speculated about their meanings. To suddenly realize as Sada explained it that they were... Pretty much ancient family trees, their own way of keeping a record of their myths, their history and past before writing even officially existed had left him speechless. And the fact that she had wanted to draw him up there... he had gone back to his time, to his apartment, and looked up the cave painting online. Access to the cave was obviously restricted by now, but the pictures you found of it online were such high quality that they may as well be a perfect reproduction of the original. Haptic feedback even allowed you to somewhat touch them, simulating the feeling of the rock under his fingertips as close as possible... though it still didn''t feel exactly the same as when he had actually touched it himself, in the past, to trace Sada''s handprint. He enlarged the pictures as much as he could, covering almost the entire wall of his living room, and...stared. Miraidon got down from the couch and came near him to investigate, curious, letting out an inquisitive beeping chirp. He scratched the dragon under his chin as he looked at the picture, searching for a specific spot... There. Sada''s handprint, in faded scarlet... And his own violet line all around, the brilliant color he had seen just not even a couple of hours ago similarly faded from the passage of time. But there it was. This picture was from years ago. It had always been there... He had just never paid attention to that small part of it, because he had no idea of what it meant... That he would be the one to leave it there.

    With a deep breath, he sat down on the couch and pulled up a description of the painting, skimming it.

    "Dated around the year 14''000 BCE and found at the end of a narrow cave system in modern Kalos, this stunning parietal art shows clear handprints belonging to homo sapiens that lived in the area... Numerous representation of Pok¨¦mon that must have inhabited the region at the time..."

    His eyes finally narrowed on a paragraph in particular, and he tensed.

    "... One handprint in particular has long puzzled paleontologists as it is the only one that shows a line traced all around it in a different colour. Since the scarlet handprint evidently belongs to a child, one hypothesis is that the violet line was done by an adult relative, probably one of the parents, to indicate something particular about the kid. One common theory is that it was done to commerate a child that died in their infancy, but that''s unusual since considering the number of child sized handprints present on the cave wall, one would expect the number of similarly traced handprints to be higher..."

    Turo let out a deep sigh of relief and dismissed the explanation. Well... He had left some paleontologists scratching their heads, but nothing too serious it seemed. He stared distractedly at the cave painting for a moment, feeling himself relax; this way... Sada still had a way to hold up her traditions without potentially revealing that he had been there...

    Turo''s eyes widened as he took in the painting as a whole and he jumped up from the couch, feeling himself tense up again.

    There was... Something wrong with the painting... Or to put it in better terms... Now that he knew what it meant, something was missing...

    ? ... Why are there no other handprints...?? he whispered, and Miraidon purred at his side without understanding.

    He looked back to Sada''s handprint. There... There should be a line there. To connect her child handprint to her adult one, and that one to her children, and so on and so forth, for generations to come... But there was nothing. He stared, feeling a rising panic mount in his chest. Miraidon pushed his snout under his hand, sending the tiniest jolt of electricity through it.

    ... Did... Did something happen to her? Did she simply not have any children...?

    "My father was from another tribe"

    Maybe... Maybe she had simply married into another group. Found someone else... After he left. An entire new tribe, culture and traditions to discover. Knowledge to share.

    That... Sounded like something she would do, he thought with a little smile, chest still aching painfully.

    But then... He gave one last look at the painting before dismissing it with a wave.

    Even if Sada in particular didn''t continue the mural... There should still be generations and generations of other handprints present in this picture compared to what he had just seen. Instead... He couldn''t be completely sure, because he had been focusing mostly on the part of the mural with Sada''s handprint but there didn''t seem to be many more.

    Did something happen to the tribe as a whole...? Did they get wiped out...?

    ... Why was he even worrying about it so much?

    It had already happened anyway. They were long gone.

    ---

    As Turo got more and more familiar with life at her settlement, his visits to Sada''s time had started to become almost strangely... routine. Every three or four days, he would appear in the usual spot they had designated. They would spend time at the village, or fly around. And they would talk, slowly growing more confident in their respective language skills. He tried not to think too much about the cave painting, and never brought it up, neither with Sada, nor with his colleagues. Ortega would just tell him that he was making things even more difficult for himself for when he had to inevitably leave for good.

    "Don''t get attached"

    And Vega... He wasn''t actually sure. She probably spent most of her time chasing legendaries in remote places, and she didn''t actually interact with people that much.

    He came back from his latest jump, and nodded towards Porygon''s usual greeting as he dusted off his clothes.

    As he walked through the corridor, he noticed more noise than usual coming from the sanity room. Curious, he stepped inside, and noticed that most of the department seemed to have gathered there. The room was styled after a forest this day, and the noticed that most people present seemed clustered around one table in particular. When he got near, he noticed Vega, a weary look of exhaustion on her face, staring at something projected on the wall.

    ? .... Hi.? she simply said, noticing his entrance.

    ? Hi...? What is going on?? he sat down by her side and threw one look to the wall, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

    They just looked like a whole bunch of pictures of trees.

    ? I did it.? Vega sighed, entirely unhappy.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ? You... Wait. You did it?! You got pictures of the legendary beasts?? he gasped, looking back to the photographs.

    ? Congratulations!? why did she look so gloomy then? It was an amazing result, to get clear, high quality images of some of the most elusive Pok¨¦mons that ever existed...

    Vega groaned.

    ? No... Not them. I gave up, it''s impossible. So I went after Celebi because... I was already in Johto, the Ilex Forest was right there... And I''m pretty sure it could read the energy coming from my time-anchor or something because it started... Challenging me to chase it around various points in time. We pretty much played time travel tag.?

    She sighed again.

    ? And then it finally allowed me to come near this little shrine they have in the forest and snap some pictures, and...? she wordlessly summoned one of the pictures and enlarged it, and Turo leaned forward to get a better look.

    ... Yeah that was Celebi all right. Or at least, it fit the various descriptions found in folklore and legends. Small and fairy like, with a couple of tiny wings, it was floating right in front of the little wooden shrine dedicated to it that used to be found in the forest ages ago.

    ? That... Is a perfect shot.? he still wasn''t quite sure why she looked more irritated than overjoyed at her accomplishment.

    Vega moved another picture in front of him, and now Turo had to arch one eyebrow. In the new picture, right behind the Celebi on the shrine and waving to the camera, was a second Celebi identical to the first.

    ? ... Two of them? Isn''t he supposed to be unique??

    Legends and old stories were very contradictory about it. Some of them referred to certain legendaries as if there were more than one, others treated them as completely unique; some cases like Heatran or Phione seemed almost confirmed, or some lore about Entei mentioned that one existed for every volcano in the world, and then there was that old story about the "baby Lugia" that had pretty much become a legend on its own. So to see two Celebi in the same spot...

    ? It could simply be the same individual that came at the shrine from two different points in time. ? Moreau commented, squinting his icy blue eyes at the picture, comparing the two Pok¨¦mon.

    ? That''s what I also thought... He is the time travel Pok¨¦mon after all.? Vega lamented, before pulling up a third picture.

    ? But then... look at this.?

    This one got more than one person to start muttering, and Turo''s eyes widened when he saw what the redhead meant. Similar to the second picture, it showed two Celebi. Except that one of the two, this time busy winking to the camera, was red.

    ? .... A shiny...?? he gaped.

    ? I don''t know!? Vega finally threw her hands in the air, causing all the pictures to accidentally spin in midair.

    ? What are we supposed to make of this? It has to be a separate individual, right? Why hasn''t there been a single shred of reference, myth, painting or drunken report about this Celebi in all of recorded history? I didn''t even know shiny legendaries could exist! How can they get the shiny mutation if they don''t reproduce?! ? and with that, she let out an exhausted sigh and put her head back down on the table.

    ? I don''t know...?

    ? Sounds to me like you have your next research project already decided. Congratulations.? Moreau commented with a chuckle, clapping the woman on one shoulder before walking out.

    People went back to their seats and conversation slowly resumed, except for Ortega, who had stood up from his chair and was busy studying the picture of the shiny Celebi -if that''s what it was- with a serious expression, scratching his beard.

    ? What do you think about all this?? Turo asked after a moment. Even if legendary Pok¨¦mon weren''t strictly his field of research, he was still one of the most distinguished time travelers in the department. Maybe he could give some insight about the situation.

    Ortega''s eyes moved to look at him, and he huffed.

    ? I think that shiny Pok¨¦mon were so much cooler looking back in the day! Why do ours all look like they missed a paint job?? he grumbled.

    ? No wonder shiny hunting stopped being a thing... What a shame.? and with that, he waltzed out of the room, whistling, leaving a half stunned, half resigned silence in his wake. Turo simply sighed.

    ? ... Yeah, that one''s on me. Shouldn''t have expected a serious answer from the man.?

    ---

    That whole hunting trip had been both terrifying and eye opening. Documentaries about that era had given him a bit of a distorted view about how they would probably hunt Pok¨¦mon. "Oh yes, humans were endurance hunters, we just kept chasing something until it collapsed from exhaustion" didn''t really take into account what happened when something actively fought back. Or worse, attacked first.

    He had spent pretty much the entire fight against that prehistoric Dodrio either getting thrown aside by Sada or trying not to panic. And of course, being absolutely useless, if not for giving her the Master Ball. Watching them stab at the Pokemon directly really made it clear how careful they had to be... And how easy it would have been for either one of them to end up gravely injured, which was pretty much a death sentence in that time. The story of Sada''s father... He must have died of a common infection. Something that was just absurd to think about in his time.

    Yet they all treated it like it was normal... Because that was just how their life was. When he had come back, after spending a couple hours under the stars with Sada, it had been late evening.

    He had delivered the Master Ball to the science department of the Academy, and had firmly refused when they had asked him if he couldn''t get a couple more.

    ? Go get it yourselves if you want. I''m not risking anyone else''s life.? he had growled, and ignored the weird stares he had gotten from everyone as he exited the room.

    It was starting to become painfully clear that his time with Sada was running out. Moreau hadn''t said anything yet... But the expectation to bring his first real project to conclusion was definitely building up. Turo could feel it. He found himself thinking more and more of... Excuses. Justifications he could use to extend his project just a little bit more. "I still need to learn about their vocabulary a bit better". "I could investigate this other part of their culture a bit more ". And sooner or later it just wouldn''t be enough. Wouldn''t be worth it. Each use of the time machine cost precious resources and money, and he would have to choose another project to get more valuable data... To make better use of his time. Her answer to his question still weighted on his mind. She was happy, even after the risk she had just taken just earlier that same day. But that was... A good sign. Sada was strong. She would be fine no matter what happened to her... Even after he would have to stop visiting her.

    "I have no idea what to do"

    He knew it would come to this from the very beginning. He had been agonizing about it since then. He had just... Pushed the problem further and further away. It was a problem for Future Him; he just wanted to enjoy the time he had with Sada to the fullest. Just one more day. One more visit ... Just one more...

    Maybe he really should have listened to Ortega''s advice, and cut all contacts before it got to this, he thought as he was tossing around in his bed that night.

    He had finally managed to fall asleep, Miraidon curled all around him with his snout resting on his chest, when a sudden whooshing sound startled him awake.

    He blinked still half asleep, to find that the dragon had gotten up with a burst of his jet engines and was pacing around the room, restless.

    He sighed, raising one arm to prop himself up on the bed.

    ? Mirai... What is it??

    The dragon kept pacing up and down, and after a moment, he got up to caress it gently. The Pok¨¦mon nuzzled him rubbing his snout on his cheek, then turned towards the window.

    ? Gyaa??

    Turo sighed.

    ? Buddy... It''s 3 AM. I need to sleep.?

    The blue digital eyes blinked as the Pok¨¦mon nodded, excited.

    He got up after a long moment.

    ? All right. Just a short walk.?

    ---

    Mezagosa at night was beautiful. The historical part of the city, the only one which still had brick buildings, almost seemed to shine under the colored lights from the enormous skyscrapers all around. Just one side of the city was completely dark, the one built near the rock face of the Great Crater. Turo had been walking with Miraidon by his side for a while, looking at the thousands of people that walked around the street, the shops that were open at all hours. He didn''t have many occasions to simply... Walk around, lately. He mostly went to the office through a teleporter, spent most of the day there either on a jump or busy with writing his paper or doing research, and went back home. He felt guilty looking at just how happy Miraidon looked, and realizing how much he had left him alone in his apartment, pretty much only coming back a couple of short hours every day to sleep. It had been a while since they had simply... Gone on a walk together.

    Maybe... After his project was done he could take a little break before starting the next one. They could take a nice little vacation. Overseas, maybe.

    The dragon stopped in front of a bakery, eyeing the pastries in the shop window.

    ? You already had dinner and a midnight snack, you are not getting anything else tonight.? he grumbled, before startling and stopping to look at the exposition of the shop right next to it. A jewellery.

    He stared for a long moment at one of the objects inside, a pained look on his face, then took a deep breath and opened the door.

    ---

    ? Update destination coordinates?? Porygon 568 asked by now as a pure formality. Turo, as always, shook his head as Denise quickly injected him with the serum.

    ? The usual ones. Just add four days to the time coordinate.? he answered as he pulled down the sleeve of his clothes and stepped into the time machine. He closed his eyes, like always, and took a deep breath, opening them up again with a small smile, expecting to see Sada waiting for him by their usual meeting spot in the clearing by now. Maybe with a fire already set up, it had gotten a lot colder with the arrival of winter.

    He frows when he finds himself completely alone; he moves a couple of steps around, perplexed -the place was definitely the right one-, as he pulls the hood of Sada''s clothes up to cover his face from the snow that was still falling. It was... Snowing pretty hard, actually. Maybe she had decided to just wait for him somewhere warmer?

    In that case, she would have left a message of some kind, to decide their new meeting spot. Turo started to look all around, searching maybe for a slip of paper pinned under a rock, or on a tree, but he couldn''t find anything. Now he''s perplexed; he ... Hadn''t gotten the day wrong, had he? Had he ended up in another time completely? But no ... There were still signs from the last fire...

    Worst case, he could wait for his time-anchor battery to recharge, jump back, and try again... And then he saw the claw marks. Deep, violent gouges had cracked some tree trunks. White and blue feathers were scattered everywhere, with clear signs of a struggle having taken place. His breath catches in his throat. Did Winged King fight something here? Did he get injured again?

    If Sada had been with him-

    His heart seems to start up again, beating faster, frantic. There''s a set of footprints he recognizes as from the dragon, left deep in the snow and clear enough that even he is able to follow them. Snow hasn''t hidden them again yet, so from what little he knew about tracking, it had to have happened... Recently. He hurried after the tracks, following them further deep into the trees, his heart hammering faster after catching sight of some tiny droplets of blood bright red on the snow. But that was... fine, if they were from Winged King, they had to be from the Pok¨¦mon, please be from the Pok¨¦mon, he thought-

    She was laying just after the entrance of a little cave, Winged King curled up all around her, a mirror image of how his own Miraidon would lay protectively over him at night.

    Turo stopped dead in his tracks, eyes wide, frozen on the spot. The cave mural flashed in his mind. The fact that there was nothing else on it-

    Turo stumbled in his haste to get near her. Winged King raised his head from her side and whined, eyes downcast.

    There... There was just so much blood all around-

    No... Nonono, this couldn''t be happening. He... Knew she was long gone in his time, that he had to let her go, but...

    ? No... No, please-? he whispered.

    Not... Not right in front of his eyes, she couldn''t-

    He knelt near her, the dragon stepping back, and she moved. Sada''s eyes fluttered open, tired, unfocused, and he felt horror grip him at how weak she looked, how frail.

    ? T-? her breathing is slow, laboured, but she still struggled to talk, recognizing him.

    ? Ssssh? he cupped her face with his hands.

    ? Don''t talk ... It''s fine... You will be fine-? his own voice sounded distant to him, like he was trying to convince himself first more than anyone else. He choked back a sob as he looked at her. The deep gash in her side. The hair matted with red. The way she trembled as she still tried to talk.

    ? Other... Winged King... Fought...? she weakly got out, lips trembling with the effort, her face deathly white.

    Her eyes were what terrified him the most, terrified of seeing them lose that spark of life right in front of him, that brightness, that wonderful light full of curiosity and strength that he just loved so much.

    ? I... I can-? he tried to control his panicked thoughts. What? What could he do?

    There is a sudden, bright flash of white light right by his side, and he pulled Sada close as he somehow tried to shield her, squeezing his eyes shut. When he opened them up again a moment later, blinking white spots out of his eyes, he looked to his left... And stood still, slack jawed, gaping in shock.

    Because there, right by his side, is himself. Turo -the other Turo- looks down at him, and he feels a deep sense of wrongness at seeing his own face look into him. There is a quiet determination on his doppelganger''s face as he kneels down, and Turo noticed the two objects he was holding in his hands.

    He''s got another time-anchor in his right hand... And a syringe full of protection-serum in his left. His eyes grew wide when he realized what the other him''s -Future Him, he realized - intentions were.

    What he wanted to do... What he will do ...

    But that was... Crazy...

    ? Save these coordinates, and shift 0.05 to the left, and minus eight seconds. Now.?

    If his face looking at him is strange, his own voice talking back to him makes him flinch.

    ? W-what...?

    ? MOVE!? future him had finished attaching the time-anchor to Sada''s wrist and had forcibly pushed him away, and he stumbled as he almost fell backwards. He scrambled back up, breath heavy. He looked between Sada, and his future self. He clicked the device on his wrist to take note of his current coordinates.

    He... He knew exactly what he had to do.

    He turned around, and ran out of the cave, sprinting like he''s never done before, tripping and stumbling multiple times, his legs screaming in pain at the effort of pushing through the snow. The instant his time-anchor''s batteries are full again, he pressed the button, and found himself back in his time, almost falling forward as he''s still mid running motion, completely out of breath.

    ? Welcome back, Dr Romero Turo. That was an extremely short trip-?

    ? Keep the time machine active. I need to go right back.? he interrupted the Pok¨¦mon, rushing through the door while panting heavily.

    He needed to get two things.

    Rationally, he knew that he had all the time in the world. He could literally go take a nap, go on with his life, and come back to that exact moment an hour, or a month, or years later, and literally not a second would have passed. But he wasn''t thinking rationally. He could only think of-

    "I have to hurry, I have to save her, I can do it-"

    He ran through the corridor and towards the little room where they kept unused time-anchors and other equipment; in his haste, he didn''t notice the figure that was just about to step into one of the elevators stop in his tracks to turn around and look at him.

    Turo skidded to a stop in front of the door, waving it open with one hand. Nothing happened.

    ? The door is locked. Access to equipment is allowed only to personnel with the adequate level of permission.?

    He gaped as the figure of the Artificial Pokemon materialized in front of him, floating at eye level. What?

    Was it going to stop him?

    ? I have analyzed the landing point of your current coordinates. There is a biometric signature of a human native of that time period not far from there. Her signature matches that of the person that was in proximity of your landing points many times these past months. Your intentions are obvious.?

    Turo stared at the little AI, shocked.

    Had it been... Looking at where he landed through the coordinates saved in his time-anchor? Had it been aware of Sada all this time?

    ? Porygon... Move aside.?

    The Pok¨¦mon simply looked at him.

    He pulled up a command terminal, frustrated, trying to make his way through the door. He... He didn''t have time for this!

    ? Bringing humans native to a time period different from their own to this one is forbidden, as per rule #3 of the correct use of the time machine. ? Porygon continued, and Turo grit his teeth in frustration. There was no need to quote the entire damn manual at him, he knew that! He-

    He stopped and looked at the AI, still floating in front of him. Still in his way.

    He... He still had the administrator keys.

    He could... Simply order Porygon to do what he wanted, shut him down completely, and there was nothing the little AI could have done to stop him-.

    He took a deep breath.

    ? Porygon 568, execute ord-?

    ? However-?

    He jerked in surprise, when this time it was the AI''s turn to cut him off. When... Had he learned to do that...?

    ? My most important directive that takes precedence over any other rule is making sure that any human who makes use of the time machine does so safely. That is usually humans that step into the time machine...? there was a pause as the Pok¨¦mon tilted its head sideways, in what Turo could only see as its own personal version of a smirk.

    ? ... Or, I suppose, humans that happen, for whatever reason, to only step out of the time machine.?

    Porygon 568 beat its wings, eyes flashing yellow, and the door flew open.

    Turo just stared at the Pok¨¦mon for a long moment.

    ? ... That is abusing a loophole in your rules and you know it.? he half sighed, half grinned in relief, rushing inside.

    The Pok¨¦mon beeped happily.

    ? I had a good teacher.?

    ---

    He stepped back into the time machine after giving Porygon the coordinates he had just saved in the cave, appropriately corrected. The cryptic numbers spewed by... Well, himself, had been, he realized, the exact numbers he needed to appear right by his side, instead of where he had been. After all, appearing in a spot that was already occupied by... Himself would have been.... Bad...

    He was holding one time-anchor that was currently unused into his right hand, and one syringe full of one dose of the serum in the left. He would need both to bring Sada safely back with him. He closed his eyes as he felt the machine power back up, replaying the scene in his mind. What he had seen his future self do... he now had to do himself. He had to get it exactly right.

    Turo opened his eyes, and looked to his right, into his own eyes and at his past self''s shocked and tears stricken face, Sada clutched against his chest. Had he been crying...? He hadn''t noticed.

    He knelt down, and grabbed Sada''s wrist slipping the time-anchor around it, making sure it''s safely secured.

    ? Save these coordinates, and shift 0.05 to the left, and minus eight seconds. Now.?

    Past him is completely frozen in place, because of course he is, he''s literally just lived this very scene-

    ?W-what...?

    ? MOVE!?

    He pushed him away, and heard the sound of steps fading as he ran out of the cave.

    That should do it... That should have closed the loop.

    Now alone, he turned his attention back towards Sada. Her eyes are barely open, breath laboured, and as he pulls her closer he wondered for a moment if she was lucid enough to have followed the scene. She moved her head, barely, to look at him, as he pulled at her clothes to reveal one shoulder to do the injection. His left hand trembled a bit as he raised the syringe. He could do it. It was going to be okay. Her eyes seemed to widen a bit at the sharp point.

    ? ... What... Is-?

    ? It will be fine.? he reassured her, quickly slipping the needle inside.

    He stuffed it back into his lab coat immediately after, grabbing her time anchor to start it up. He configured the little device, synchronizing it to his own.

    Now... Now the hard part. His own battery was depleted since he had just arrived. Hers wasn''t, since it hadn''t technically brought anyone to the past.

    He didn''t want to risk leaving her here to wait while his own recharged, even by running, unless it was absolutely necessary. Every second she spent here, was a second more where she could...

    She had to make the jump now, by herself... He would reach her immediately after.

    He took her hand and put it on the time-anchor strapped to her wrist.

    ? You press this button when I say so, alright?? his heart was hammering in his chest, painfully aware that if his hands slipped right now, if he or her accidentally activated it while they were so close, with only one battery worth of power between them...

    He had no idea what would happen.

    Maybe he would end up somewhere, lost in time and space. Maybe only one part of his body would travel back, killing him instantly.

    Turo stepped back, relief flooding him when nothing happened. Sada didn''t move, and for a terrible moment, he thought that she hadn''t heard him, or didn''t have the strength to do it, and he would have to risk leaving her in this damp, dirty cave again... And then there is a flash of light, and for the second time he had to squeeze his eyes shut again, and she''s gone. He''s... Never actually found himself in the position of watching someone appear or disappear. When he did it, of course the light came from him-

    Winged King roared at him, looking around. He caressed the injured dragon.

    ? I''ll help her, I promise. We''ll be back.? he said, and then ran out of the cave for the second time.

    ---

    When Turo came back to his time, it''s barely a second after Sada. She had collapsed and seemed completely unconscious, Porygon 568 having forgone his usual greeting to hover anxiously over her. She was still losing blood, which looked even more red on the pristine and immaculate pavement of the TTDL. There is a weird buzzing in his ears as he knelt down to gather her into his arms, managing to lift her with quite some effort. It was like he was watching everything happen from another point of view. It didn''t feel real.

    She was ... Here. In the present.

    He could have an epic freak out about it later, now he needed to get her to-

    ? What in the name of Arceus are. You. Doing??

    Turo froze, turning towards the shadow of Ortega that was standing at the door, eyes wide and paler than he had ever seen him.

    ? I... She''s been injured... I had to-?

    ? You had to do what?? the other time traveller stormed inside, and Turo realised that he was livid. He hadn''t actually ever seen Ortega angry.

    ? I thought I had made myself clear. We just observe. We don''t interfere. Don''t get attached! Not bring some... Some primitive cave woman here!? the man hissed, and Turo felt anger flare up in his chest. He gritted his teeth, squaring up towards his colleague.

    Sada... She was neither primitive nor simply a cave woman like some dumb stereotypical brute-

    ? Don''t speak of her like that and step aside.? he muttered, voice low.

    ? NO!? Ortega shouted. ? This is insane! You''re insane! Turo...? he put both hands through his hair in furious exasperation.

    ? I don''t know how to get you to understand, but... You have to let her GO. She''s already dead-?

    ? DON''T SAY SHE''S DEAD!? Turo exploded, marching up until he towered over the man. Ortega flinched for a moment , caught by surprise.

    ? I... I know I have to... Leave her soon. But I couldn''t just... She was bleeding out, Ortega. Right in front of me. That... That couldn''t be how her life ends. I''ll... bring her back there. I want her to at least have the best life she can hope for... Without me.? he whispered, voice cracking. Ortega said nothing as he looked away, face contorted in a mix of anguish and anger. Turo was sure he knew what the other was thinking about. His lover, left in the past. Years and years gone, an entire life he could never be a part of. But at least, lived to the fullest.

    ? Ortega, please...?

    The man looked at Sada''s unconscious face for a split second, closed his eyes, then let out a hiss of frustration and stepped aside.

    ? Damn you, Turo... If Moreau finds out, he will have both our heads!? he hissed. ? ... I''ll go call the elevator... And the hospital. Let''s go.?

    ---

    Turo sat in the corridor of Mezagosa''s Mimosa Hospital.

    Having an epic freak out.

    He still could barely believe what he had done. He had broken.... Pretty much every rule of time travelling by now. His career would be finished if word of this got out. He would be lucky to be able to get some jobs setting up dumb websites for advertising little family shops up on Mars. That''s the most he would be able to aspire to for the rest of his life, pretty much.

    But Sada... Was here. Being treated this exact moment.

    Nobody had batted an eye at seeing two people in ice age clothes rush in, one unconscious and covered in blood. They were used to treating injuries received by time travelers during one jump or the other, Ortega had reassured him.

    How Ortega knew that ... Better not to know. Speaking from experience, for sure.

    ? I brought some old clothes of mine ? Vega left a bag in the seat next to him, and offered him a drink. Turo took it, opening the can on autopilot.

    ? Coffee?? he asked, taking a sip.

    ? Nope. Gin and tonic, you look like you need it.? she answered, prompting him to almost spit the cocktail out.

    ? Don''t get me drunk in a hospital-?

    ? It will be a while until they''re done. Relax.? the redhead sat by his other side, and took the canned drink from him.

    ? ... Ortega told me everything. How is she??

    Turo took a deep breath.

    ? ... Should be fine. They''ve stabilized her. Cloned some of her blood and gave her a self-transfusion. ? he looked at her colleague, conflicted.

    ? You... Didn''t have to get involved, you know. Now it''s also your head on the chopping block.? he felt guilty for having dragged both of them into... This.

    ? Don''t worry, it was my choice. I made Ortega tell me everything. We''ll come up with some excuse about your last jump together. ?

    Vega smiled a bit.

    ? Even from the vague mentions in your past reports... She sounds like an amazing girl.?

    He smiled a tiny bit in return.

    ? ... She is.?

    There was a brief silence between the two.

    ? I''m sorry, Turo. As soon as she wakes up...?

    ? ... I know.?

    She offered him the drink again.

    This time, after a moment, he took it.

 Chapter 16: After Hours, part I

    Sada immediately noticed that something was up as soon as she landed in the usual meeting spot with Winged King to wait for Turo''s arrival together. The snow was high and had been falling without pause for a couple of days now. Every time they landed, the dragon would usually clear some space to set the campfire up by sweeping his long tail, the warm scales easily melting the snow away. Staying close to him was pretty cozy, at the least. This time, however, she noticed the dragon was looking around with a nervousness she hadn''t usually seen on his features. His head twitched left and right, and it rose to his hind legs to smell the air with both his nose and his tongue briefly darting out.

    ? What is it?? she asked, moving to his side, one hand grasping her spear tight.

    The creature growled, the throat sac vibrating with a low rumble, his pupils thin slits as it still looked around. Sada felt a twinge of anxiousness overcome her as she turned to look at Winged King''s opposite side, covering his back. Was there a creature nearby? He had never acted this nervous before, until... Until the time he had been attacked. That was the only time she had seen the dragon look distraught. She scanned the edge of the clearing, passing a couple of white blue feathers that had fallen to the ground...

    She froze, realizing what she had seen a second too late.

    They were too far away to be Winged King''s.

    A familiar sounding roar echoed through the air and Winged King''s head shot up in alarm. Sada copied him, only to find herself suddenly thrown to the ground by what felt like a heavy punch. She rolled to her feet as she half sunk through the deep snow, watching something drop heavily over the dragon from directly overhead. She realized that Winged King must have pushed her away with his tail just in time, to avoid her getting caught in the attack.

    And there, over the figure of the dragon she had been living with for quite a while now and could only see as a true companion, was... Another Winged King. Even bigger, the feathered crest on his head sporting a longer fringe, a big scar running from his left brow to the side of the snout.

    Was this... What had attacked her companion? She had never seen other creatures of the same species, so she just assumed that they usually lived far away. This one must have either followed hers, or had simply happened to wander in the same area. Now she understood perfectly why the dragon had been hurt; it had been a battle for territory... And now the other Winged King seemed to have come back to definitely claim this area as his.

    The two creatures were roaring at each other as they struggled in a tangle of limbs. Winged King was pinned underneath, trying to get the other dragon off him; it finally managed to rear one leg up and violently kick his opponent in the stomach, sending the other dragon flying. It quickly got back up, as did her partner, and the two dragons sized each other up for a moment, before the rival got down on all fours and rushed close again, swiping at Winged King with his claws. This time however the dragon looked ready: it roared and stood his ground, grabbing the opponent with both front legs to stop its charge, and both creatures were sent crashed against a tree. After that, it became a furious exchange of blows; snow flew all around mixed with feathers as the dragons thrashed around, swiping and kicking at each other. They both seemed intent to try and block the other from taking off into the sky, and Sada understood why after she thought back to all the times she had seen Winged King land by dropping heavily onto the ground from high up. The rival had used the same approach when it had arrived: whoever managed to land such a heavy hit would have a good chance of winning the fight.

    But Winged King had already been hit once... To save her, of all things. He had already been injured once by this dragon, and had only been cured thanks to Turo.

    She... She couldn''t watch him get hurt again in front of her! She had to help!

    ? Leave him alone! This is his territory!? she took out a couple of hard berries wrapped in leaves from her pouch, and took careful aim. They were pretty small for berries, but had an hard and spiky outer shell. She threw one towards their opponent, waiting for the split second when the two dragons would pause briefly to catch their breaths.

    It hit him on the side of the head with a loud noise, and a moment later, a horrible, harsh scream filled the air, forcing her to cover her ears. Giving a quick glance to the dragon as she stumbled back, she saw it furiously trash around, clawing at his face, one eye shut and bloddy. It turned his head to look at her with his remaining eye, and she felt herself freeze in fear for a moment for the very first time. She was used to fighting creatures, to carefully observe their actions. She knew that when a creature attacked, it was either for self defense or because it was hungry.

    She had never seen a creature look at her with hate like the dragon was doing now. It snarled, then launched himself at her with all his strength, raising one clawed arm high.

    She flinched, but managed to grasp the spear with both hands and held it high to intercept the blow. It got brushed aside, the stone tip broken off by a furious claw swipe, and barely did anything to stop the creature as its claws descended toward her side.

    She suddenly felt hot. So hot... Everything burned... The last thing she was aware of was Winged King''s furious roar as she collapsed to the ground, holding her side.

    ---

    After that, she had been barely aware of what was happening. Winged King had taken her in his claws and dragged her to a cave, curling himself up around her, a low keening noise coming from his throat. Then Turo had arrived... She had tried to speak... She had to warn him about the other Winged King... It could attack him too... she wasn''t sure of what had happened next.

    She thought she saw two Turo, but that was... impossible... Then a sharp pain in her shoulder, followed by warmth spreading all over her body.

    Turo''s whispered words, that took her a moment to understand. The button... What is a "button"...?

    There''s something under her fingers, that Turo had guided her hand over. Smooth and hard, with lots of little ridges... It was a bracelet. Like his.

    But he had said.... She couldn''t use it or... Or she would die... Sada felt herself slipping away, and in one last moment of clarity, decided to blindly trust him and pressed the button.

    ---

    She regained consciousness very slowly, fragments of sounds and sensations coming to her like through fog. She was somewhere warm, and soft. Voices were whispering something near her.

    She strained her ears to understand; some words sounded familiar, but they were speaking... too fast, in a foreign tongue she didn''t understand.

    ? You''ve been by her side for hours, you need to go to sleep.?

    ? I can sleep here.?

    She felt a warmth spread in her chest at the second voice, because that was Turo''s voice, and he sounded right next to her.

    ? Really Turo, you can leave for an hour or two. Go eat something. Take a nap. We''ll stay with her. It''s not like she''s going anywhere.?

    A pause, then a tired sigh.

    ? All... All right.?

    She wanted to... To move, open her eyes, talk to him, but she found herself drifting off again as she heard him move slowly away from her.

    When she regained consciousness again, she was definitely more lucid, able to think. Her limbs felt less heavy, and she was more aware of her surroundings. There was... A curious lack of sounds, except for the same whispering voices from before, coming from somewhere near her. She couldn''t hear the wind, the rustling of leaves, and it didn''t seem to be snowing. Winged King had dragged her away... Where was she now? The cave...?

    No, she was... Something else had happened before she lost consciousness... And she was laying on something that was way too soft to be the floor of the cave.

    She cautiously opened her eyes... And had to immediately squeeze them shut again. Everything was so... So bright. Pure white everywhere, even whiter than snow. She slowly opened one eye again, then the other, getting them gradually used to the light. There was... What looked like a blanket over her, but it didn''t look like it was made from any pelt she knew... Or made from pelt at all. It was extremely thin and light, and of course white in colour, like almost everything else around her. She looked up, and her eyes widened when she saw a bright blue sky, with clouds moving slowly across it, a complete difference from the heavy clouds she had gotten used to seeing almost every day for the past few moons. But... There were also what looked like smooth walls around her. What was the point of building something if you didn''t put a roof over it?

    Sada suddenly noticed that something sharp was stabbing her in one arm. She looked down, to see with some alarm that she had what looked like a thin, long cord coming out of it, something slowly dripping through it right into her arm from a see-through pouch. She grew agitated.

    She had seen bug creatures do something similar to their prey, stabbing them with long tendrils to inject the poison that made you unable to move...

    ? Um... Paleo Girl is up, what do we do??

    Sada quickly turned her head towards the voice, eyes wide and body on edge. The words had come from a man that looked a bit older than her, who had been sitting next to where she was laying, with curly black hair that fell partially in front of his face. Next to him was a woman with hair as red as fire.

    Who were this people...? What were they doing to her?

    She put her other hand over the cord, ready to rip it out, only for the red haired woman to jump up and grab her hand with both of hers. Sada glared at the woman.

    ? Argh, no! Can...can...you....speak...??

    Sada stopped, surprised. She... She recognized those words. Spoken clearly, more slowly... That was Turo''s language. And these people... They had the same unnatural, weird looking cleanliness to their faces, their hair, as him, that had almost struck her as wrong, creepy, the first time she had seen him. She had grown accustomed to it now, found it endearing in a way. It had given him almost an air of... Childlike innocence, together with his cluelessness about so many things. She looked down to her arm, where the woman had still clasped her hand in hers. Her hands were both tidy. Perfect. Impossibly so. And... She was wearing the same kind of smooth skin clothes as Turo, except in a different, light blue color. So... If this were Turo''s people... Quick impressions came back to her one after the other.

    The two Turo in the cave, his words, his hand pressed on hers, the bracelet... the bracelet.

    He had made her use it. Which meant...

    ? Yes... Not many... Words.? she answered like in a daze. She was used to speaking mostly in her language with Turo, usually at the village , or a weird mix of the two when they were alone. Having to use only his words felt weird and unnatural.

    But it looked like they had been understood, because the woman smiled brightly.

    Her teeth shone as white as everything else around her.

    ? Good. Don''t touch this-? the woman nodded towards the thing in her arm.

    ? It''s... helping you. ?

    She didn''t quite understand what she meant, but she was still too stunned to care. If... if she had really used the bracelet, and not died... Wait. She squirmed her hand away from the woman''s hold, and grabbed the blanket that covered her to throw it off. She was wearing a thin light blue robe. Where were her clothes? Where was... The blood? ... The wound? She touched her side, and her eyes widened when she couldn''t feel anything different. Not a scar, or a single scratch, ot even a single drop of blood; the skin was completely dry.

    She looked back up towards the two, her eyes wide.

    ? H... How...??

    It was exactly like with Winged King''s injury.

    The man sitting beside her sighed.

    ? Turo, of course. He''s completely fallen for her, the fool.? he muttered in a lower voice, too fast for her to understand. Her heart still skipped a beat at hearing his name. Right, she... She had heard his voice.

    ? You... Know Turo??

    The man didn''t answer, but simply looked away, and Sada had the distinct impression that he was trying to avoid talking with her as much as possible. He was actively trying to not look at her right now, and she had no idea why.

    She had never seen this man before,and had simply asked him a question.

    The woman with red hair answered in his place after a couple of moments of silence.

    ? Yes. He is... A friend.? she cautiously sat back right next to the man, and Sada found herself staring at them.

    Turo''s friends. From... The future. She looked at their arms, searching for bracelets similar to his, but they didn''t seem to be wearing them. One question was suddenly more urgent than anything else.

    ? Where is he??

    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    The woman smiled gently again before answering. She seemed to be making more of an effort to actually make herself understandable, talking slowly.

    ? He is resting. Oh, umm... Sleeping.? she added when Sada furrowed her brow, not recognizing the first word.

    ? I''ll call him.? the man commented, seemingly only to the woman, and he got up from where he was sitting. She watched him walk towards one of the walls, and then the part of the wall directly in front of him suddenly moved, leaving her stunned. It had moved on it''s own, sideways, somehow disappearing inside the piece of wall right next to it. It seemed to work quite similar to how they woud roll up a piece of pelt from a hut to make an opening, but... That had to mean they were inside. But then how could she see the sky?

    She looked back up again, and the woman seemed to notice her perplexity.

    ? Oh, that is just ... A drawing.? she made a strange gesture with her hand, and the blue sky immediately disappeared, revealing what actually seemed to be a roof after all, same pure white colour as the walls. So what she had been looking at wasn''t actually the sky? Was it seriously a drawing? It looked so real... And it had been moving!

    The future was incredible.

    The woman looked towards where the wall had opened just before, then back to her, her eyes suddenly slightly alarmed.

    ? You... Don''t move, all right? Stay here. I have to, um... ? she didn''t finish the phrase, also disappearing through the opening.

    ? Where''s Ortega-?

    Left alone, Sada immediately got off the strange, raised platform she had been laying on. Part of it looked like some smooth blankets sewn together and stuffed with something to make it soft, but all around there were lots of little pieces she couldn''t understand the meaning of. There were the letters that Turo had taught her, but they didn''t spell any word she could understand. She cautiously tugged at the tube in her arm, and to her surprise the little bag tied to it followed her, floating in midair. She tried to move her arm around, and the bag always followed as soon as the cord got stretched too much. It looked like it was always trying to stay right by her, the liquid in in dripping through the cord little by little. She poked it, fascinated. It didn''t really hurt.

    So was this medicine? Would it leave when it got completely empty? Was it some strange creature? It... Didn''t really look alive, but it was moving, so...

    She cautiously moved some steps, eyes wandering all around the room in curiosity. Where actually was she? Was this their version of a hut? Narjik would sometimes keep people in his tent to look over them if they got hurt, maybe this was a similar place?

    She had asked Turo to describe his home to her a couple of times, and he had spoken of... Villages that were many, many times bigger than hers, with people and creatures living in it together to the point that there was no need to build fences or be on guard against attacks. She had tried to picture it, and this... Wasn''t exactly what she had had in mind, admittedly. Her eyes fell on an object that had been left near her side, and her eyes widened when she recognized it. That was Turo''s notebook! So he was here! A part of her wanted to look over it, but her curiosity to explore this new, strange, place was much stronger. She cautiously approached the opening of the room, and flinched a bit when it suddenly slid open. Across it, contrary to what she expected - to step outside, and see other huts, or other similar constructions -, were... More white walls. Perfectly smooth and straight.

    She frowned. It was almost starting to get a bit tiring on the eyes.

    People here really loved pure, immaculate white, didn''t they?

    She looked around, to see the two who had been with her hurriedly discussing something. In the stream of strange, fast spoken words, she only caught a couple, and they both whirled around as soon as she stepped out.

    And there, right behind them, speaking with the red haired woman and just now turning around to look at her, was...

    ?... Sada.?

    She had never seen Turo''s face just light up like it did in that exact moment. He stumbled towards her, raising both hands to gently touch her face, almost as if he couldn''t quite believe what he was seeing.

    A moment later, right as she was about to speak, he suddenly held her close against his chest; she could feel him take a deep, shivering breath, and so she simply closed her eyes and embraced him. The cave, the wound, Turo holding her as she felt herself getting weaker and weaker... It had all been real. She would have died if he hadn''t brought her here. If he had arrived just a little later... And judging by the way his arms were refusing to let her go, he was probably thinking the same thing.

    After a couple moments, she noticed that the dark-haired man had been anxiously watching them.

    ? Turo... She needs to-?

    Whatever he meant with that, Turo''s response seemed to be to just hold her closer. She looked between the both of them. She had the distinct impression she was missing something important. A crucial detail about what was going on.

    ? Just... One day, Ortega.? Turo whispered, looking up at the man.

    ? Please.?

    "Ortega", as he had been called, took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. The red haired woman just shrugged her shoulders.

    ? What difference will one day make? ?

    Ortega lowered his hand again, and after a moment narrowed his eyes at Turo.

    ? ... One day. Not one hour more. ?

    He threw her one last look - no, it was a look directed to both of them, an equal mix of exasperation and longing, then he walked away, disappearing after turning around more white walls.

    Sada stood still, not quite sure of what had just happened, but Turo was now smiling as he took her hand.

    ? Let''s go back to your room... There are clothes for you there, and then we can go. ?

    She followed him back into the room where she had woken up. Go... Did he really mean what she thought he did...?

    ? Go...? ? she repeated, just to be sure.

    His smile got a bit wider.

    ?... To see my "world".?

    ---

    They had to wait a bit before she could actually go. Someone wearing an all white cape similar to Turo''s came in to look at her, before nodding and removing the tube from her arm. She looked at the floating bag curiously to see what it would do, biting down questions upon questions.

    "They can''t know where you come from. If anyone asks, you are Vega''s cousin from Kalos." Turo had whispered to her before the "shaman" had walked in, stopping her from asking what a "cousin" and "Kalos" were.

    So she had kept mostly quiet, letting the two natives of this place speak; now she kind of understood how Turo must have felt at her village, not understanding what people were saying, but definitely knowing that they were talking about him. She felt herself blush slightly like he had done at the time. But it was all so... Fascinating! She wanted to know how they had closed her wound so fast. How did that bag work? What was inside? Some miraculous water? If it worked on any kind of wound, she could... Bring it back to her time. But it probably only worked here...

    She perked up when the shaman had left and "Vega", as the red haired woman had been introduced, pretty much pushed Turo out of the door.

    W-wait, why...? What was going on now?

    ? All right!? she said, turning back around and clapping her hands once. She grabbed what looked like a bag and opened it up, before pushing it towards her.

    ? Take these off...? she motioned removing the robe she had been currently wearing, then pointed to the bag.

    ? ... And wear these.?

    Oh! Now she understood why she had pushed Turo away. Curious, she glanced into the bag, and her eyes widened when they saw another pair of their smooth, scaley clothes like those that they were both wearing. She grinned as she took it out of the bag: she always wondered how they felt to wear! It was a warm orange color, and following Vega''s instructions, she slipped into it with some difficulty. At first, she thought that it was too small for her, but to her amazement, as soon as she finished putting on one part it would stretch around her bare skin with a slight hissing sound, fitting perfectly. It could change size to who wore it! With a little smile, she suddenly realized why Turo had looked so uncomfortable when she had wanted to take his measurements. They didn''t need to do it! No wonder he had acted so perplexed at first!

    As soon as she was finished putting it on, the same glowing lines that Turo also had suddenly lit up, but in a similar orange hue to the rest of the robes.

    She had thought that it would feel sticky and suffocating, clinging so close to her skin, but it was the exact opposite. It felt incredibly light, and perfectly comfortable, neither too hot or too warm. Compared to the layers and layers of furs and coats she was used to wearing, it was almost like she wasn''t wearing anything at all. And that made her stop for a moment and turn towards the redhead.

    ? My... My clothes...??

    Vega simply smiled.

    ? Turo has them, don''t worry.?

    After she had finished getting dressed, Vega called Turo back inside. He stopped as soon as he had entered the room, staring at her with a weird expression. He looked... Conflicted. The little smile that came to his lips was happy, but it took a long, heavy moment to reach his eyes.

    There was still... some crucial detail she was sure she was missing about what was going on.

    But then he moved closer, looking at her with so much warmth and pure relief that she decided that it could wait until later.

    ? These clothes feel so good! And the lights, how do they work? And the way it stretches... I need to see what they are made of!?

    Turo simply laughed softly, taking her hand in his as he lead her again toward the exit of the room.

    ? I''ll explain. I want to show you... so many things.? he answered after a moment. The fact that, for once, it was his turn to take her hand and lead the way as they left wasn''t lost on her. It had been her role for so long, she had done it so many times; she was used to hearing his steps (and more than occasional tripping) stumble right behind her, to have to steal glances at him over her shoulder, watching over him, that finding herself in the opposite role felt completely novel, almost surreal. She wasn''t used to seeing him look so... confident, in a way, she thought as she stared at his broad back, quietly illuminated by the glowing lines on his clothes.

    She... liked it, she realized. Sada had initially fallen in love with his more awkward side, his strangeness that had made him so endearing... but she also really liked this side of him, the one he had started to show as soon as he had told her the truth about where he came from.

    She walked quietly behind him as they walked past more and more doors and walls that looked just like the one she had woken up in, often crossing more people dressed in similar white capes.

    ? Are these all shamans...?? she whispered to him, eyes wide. If so many people''s role was to watch over who got injured, then it was no wonder that they were able to cure so many types of wounds like hers.

    ? They are called "doctors" here. And yes, they all work here.? he answered, and she couldn''t help but marvel at the idea. This place was so big, how many people were part of his tribe if they had so many "doctors"?

    The answer came to her shortly after, as they walked out of the "hospital" and she found herself, for the first time, outside in Turo''s time. The fact that they had been inside all this time had also amazed her, thinking about how much time and resources it must have taken to built that entire place, but all of that got washed away like branches floating down a river during a flood by what was suddenly thrust in front of her eyes. Her first impression was "bright". Too bright. Everything seemed to shine and sparkle and move, in a dozen of different colors that she simply wasn''t used to seeing. And everything was... too much, in a way. Too spacious. Too loud. Too big. She felt unable to breath as she stared at the dozens and dozens of people all around her, the towering buildings made of shining stone that completely dwarfed the hospital they had just come out of that rose in front and all around her. Her chest hurt, her eyes hurt, and she felt herself start to tremble in simple shock, overwhelmed by everything going on around her all at once.

    She didn''t know... she had no idea that... there could be so much...

    ? Hey-? and then Turo was suddenly in front of her, cupping her face in his hands.

    ? ... look at me. Just me. All right? Breathe... ? he instructed her, and she slowly resumed breathing, focusing on his face. His eyes, now filled with worry as he caressed her face, then annoyance as some people gathered around and he shot them a glare.

    ? She''s fine, just a little overwhelmed, kindly give us some space-?

    He positioned himself so that she wouldn''t have to look at anything else but him, and she slowly regained some semblance of control over herself. She felt foolish, having gotten so... overwhelmed by simply stepping outside.

    ? Let''s take this... slowly. Remember when you saved me from that Brutal Fang?? Turo was talking and she focused on his voice as they resumed walking, grateful, as she followed him with quiet little steps. Was he trying to distract her? Or did he simply want to make her think back to that moment?

    ? I... also felt so lost in that moment. Every noise in the forest was new, and scary.? he added, and she realized that yes, he was trying to both make her calm down and to comfort her by retelling his own experience. Right, of course... for him, coming to her would have been as difficult and maybe overwhelming as it was for her now.

    ? I didn''t think... there could be... so many people... all in one place.? she answered after a moment, hazarding a little, almost fearful glance all around. It just... made her head spin, to think of all these people that were walking by. How did they even manage to organize their life? How did they decide who did what? Where did they get enough food to feed everyone? There was no way you could speak personally with everyone.

    ? Are these all... your tribe??

    Turo turned around, a trace of his little sad smile on his lips again.

    ? Yes... and no. Tribes are bigger here... but you only know a small part of the whole tribe.? he explained, and she quietly thought about it for a moment. She had to admit that she didn''t really understand the purpose of calling it a tribe, then... but she appreciated that he had still explained it. That was another thing she had always liked about him. From the very first times they had met, when they both knew only a handful of words each and could barely communicate with each other, having to resort to drawings and plenty of miming, he had never thought her... incapable of understanding something. Sometimes he would avoid the question completely, but it had never been because he thought her too stupid to understand. And she appreciated it, and had done the same in return, teaching him how to light a fire or recognize tracks from various creatures... all the many, little things she had thought had to be obvious but obviously weren''t.

    She suddenly jumped a bit, startled, when she suddenly saw some strange creature following a group of kids. She had a quick moment of panic as she tried and failed to instinctually grab her spear only to find none, before she realized that the creature wasn''t a threat. Small and birdlike, it had a smooth, shiny skin with glowing blue lines. Half of it''s body was red and the other half was white, and it had a big, round tail that glowed blue and looked almost filled with water. It waddled peacefully after the three kids, with glowing eyes that looked like they were made from many little dots of blue light, almost like an insect''s. Sada stared at it as they walked past; it really paid them no mind, not even turning around to look at them. The creature made her remember something else, and her eyes widened as she walked a bit faster to get to Turo''s side, suddenly frantic.

    ? Winged King! He was attacked... is he all right??

    He hadn''t gotten injured again, had he? Turo reassured her with a small smile.

    ? He is fine. He is waiting back... in your time. You''ll see him tomorrow.? he added, looking away towards the nearest shining construction they were walking past. Sada looked at him for a moment - something in his words had struck her as strange- but right as she opened her mouth to ask him for more details, the next wondrous sight distracted her from what she wanted to say and she couldn''t help but simply stare in amazement. As they were walking, the wall had lit up and a great number of pictures and writing had appeared on it. It flashed too fast for her to read, but she was more enraptured by the pictures. They were so lifelike... and they were moving, and talking! Was this why Turo was so good at drawing things? If people here were able to draw pictures that looked like this... that had to be the reason!

    ? It''s... it''s moving!? she stopped herself just short of pointing, but she couldn''t help the amazed whisper that escaped her lips. She looked up at Turo, eyes shining.

    ? Can you make drawings move? How does it work??

    He looked at her for a moment, then to the wall, and smiled softly.

    ? ... It''s simple, actually. I will show you. But first... I want to show you another thing.? he answered, leading her toward one of the many, incredibly tall buildings.

    By now, she was used to the opening sliding open, but she still wasn''t really ready for what was inside. It looked like some sort of communal place, because there was quite the number of people inside, sitting on colored seats in little groups. A delicious smell was in the air, even if she could see no signs of fire or anywhere else that suggested that something was cooking.

    ? Is this where you eat?? she asked in another whisper, and he laughed as they sat down in an empty corner.

    ? Yes! Here...? he moved his hand, and she jumped a little when a glowing... sheet? It looked a bit like a notebook page, materialized in front of him. It was full of writing and other incredibly realistic drawings. She watched, fascinated, as he moved his hand in the air, and the drawings moved reacting to his command. She timidly raised one hand and tried to do the same by touching the glowing page, but her finger passed right through it. What... could only Turo touch it? Why? She tried to poke it another couple of times, a bit disappointed, before Turo took her hand in his and guided her into making the same movement. This time, with his hand wrapped around hers, it worked, and the drawings started to move, sliding in front of her one after the other. They were all kinds of food she had never seen before.

    ? "W-a-f-f-l-e-s"?? she read outloud after a moment, pausing over a drawing in particular that caught her eye. They looked so strange... perfectly square but soft, with what looked like some kind of colored berry juice over it.

    ? ... you eat this? Really?? she asked, a bit skeptical as she stared at the little squares. But... she figured that he had eaten with them often all the times he had visited, and never complained, so she could do the same and trust him. She watched as Turo touched the drawing, and it disappeared.

    So they could just... pick a type of food and it would be ready? She figured that someone''s role was obviously to prepare it for everyone, but... That was still incredible. How did they get so much food?

    ? How do the drawings move??

    Turo made another glowing page appear, this time empty. He drew a tiny, heavily stilized human figure, with both arms and legs spread out.

    ? They... don''t really move. They are called a "video". A video is made of many, many, um... drawings.? he explained in a low voice, drawing another human figure, this time with one arm half raised over it''s head. And then another, this time with the arm completely raised.

    ? If you look at the three drawings really fast...? he moved his hand again, and the three drawings started to move in a circle in front of her, one after the other. After keeping her eyes on one for a moment, she understood what he meant.

    ? They look like one drawing that moves!? she grinned as she watched the little figure wave. With just three drawings, the illusion was pretty crude, but if you supposedly showed... dozens, or hundreds of pictures in a single moment... it was brilliant. Such a simple idea, but... brilliant.

    ? But then... how can it talk?? she immediately asked, and Turo''s smile dimmed a bit. With a little amusement she recognized the telltale signs of him getting embarassed as he looked away.

    ? That is... more difficult to explain-? he confessed with a grimace, and she laughed. Meanwhile, their food had arrived... or it was better to say her food, since it looked like Turo hadn''t gotten anything.

    ? You aren''t eating?? she asked, and he just shook his head. She cautiously looked at the "waffles". The smell was... really good actually, and they were still warm. She hesitantly picked one up with her hands breaking off a piece -missing Turo''s suddenly alarmed face- and stuck it in her mouth.

    Her eyes grew wide with shock. It was... sweet. Just so sweet! She looked at the weirdly gooey substance that had been dripped all over it with new eyes as she hungrily devoured the rest of it, her body instinctually craving the sweetness and rush of energy that came with it.

    ? You... always eat this...?? she asked almost in a daze when she was finished. She felt ashamed by the fact that she had pretty much... ignored him in the (admittedly very short) time it had taken her to finish eating every last crumb, but... she had never eaten anything like it. Something that tasted so good and made her focus on nothing else but just wanting more of it...

    ? No... too much is bad for you.? Turo answered after a moment with a little smile.

    ? But... just one time... it''s fine.? he added as he looked away, so low that she almost missed it. What... did he mean by that?

    ? Turo... what is going on...??

    There was a little pause, and he smiled as he stood up, taking both of her hands in his.

    ? ... nothing. You''re fine. Everything''s fine. Come... I want to show you... a very special place.? there was still something she couldn''t place in his smile. It felt forced, like he was putting up a front. Like he had put on his old mask, but instead of the carefully neutral and controlled expression, this time it was a pained smile.

    ? What... what place?? she asked.

    What could be more incredible than everything he was already showing her?

    Turo turned around as soon as they had stepped outside, and now she could see that his smile had become genuine, his eyes crinkling the slightest bit. For him, it may as well have been the equivalent of erupting into laughter. He pointed towards the sky, and she followed his finger up... and up... and up, her eyes widening when she they landed on something specific. But... there was no way... he couldn''t really mean...

    ? The Moon.?

 Chapter 17: After Hours, part II

    "One day, not one hour more"

    Ortega''s words had come to put a definitive end to his time with Sada. In the hours while he waited for her to wake up and her wound to heal completely, he had nervously expected Moreau to come marching in at every moment, asking about their missed jumps. While it hadn''t happened -yet-, everyone present knew that Sada had to leave as soon as possible. Getting her admitted to the hospital without an ID or any other form of identification had been complicated enough; he was pretty sure that it had only been possible because Ortega had pulled some strings in the background, convincing the doctors to not ask too many questions and pretend to not have seen anything, from having no previous medical records of past treatments or any kind of medical history at all. Treating her had fortunately been their priority.

    After a bit, they had allowed the three of them inside. He had kept vigil by the side of her bed -was this the first real bed she had ever slept in? The first and last?-, anxiously watching for any sign of trouble. His paranoia had been in full overdrive: maybe something they used was actually harmful to people of the past. Maybe they were missing some crucial antibody that everyone in his time had instead.

    When he had suddenly seen her after she had woken up, he could barely believe his eyes: it was still so surreal for him to see Sada in his time, wearing a hospital gown of all things. He took her in his arms and held her tight, hoping against all reason to never have to let go. But of course, reality was not so kind. Twenty four hours. Twenty four short, precious hours to spend here together with Sada.

    He had walked her back to her room almost in a daze, at least until Vega had pretty much pushed him to wait outside as she got changed. And when he had seen her after coming back in... wearing one of Vega''s bodysuits and looking almost like she could have been any passerby he could cross while walking down the street... it hurt so much. A part of him had been happy, the other... had just been angry. Why couldn''t she...? Why couldn''t she simply have been born in the same time period as him?

    Twenty four hours.

    No time to think about it. It''s not like he wouldn''t have more than enough time to lament the fact after those twenty four hours...

    After finishing all final medical check ups, Turo led her outside: he was so used to being the one following her, walking after her and trying not to embarrass himself by stumbling too much and falling flat on his face that suddenly doing the opposite was particularly strange. It just made him all the more conscious of the situation they were in; she had showed him so much in the months they had spent together and known each other, while he... he only had-

    Twenty three hours.

    Turo stopped and turned around when he suddenly felt Sada not following him anymore, to find her standing almost paralyzed just outside the hospital entrance. Her eyes were unfocused, staring at the skyscrapers and multitude of people all around her, and her chest was rising and falling quickly. With a little surge of panic, he stopped in front of her.

    ? Hey ? he raised both hands to gently hold her. Was she feeling ill? Maybe the wound hadn''t closed up completely? But the doctor had reassured him that she was perfectly okay... then he saw her eyes dart frantically left and right, and suddenly understood. All these people, all this strange sights... she was completely overwhelmed. When the most number of people you had ever seen together in your life barely reached the triple digits, no wonder she had gone in complete shock. The culture shock had to be incredible. Even if traveling so far back had been a surprise to him, he had at least a general idea of how things were at the time. Preconceptions. Stereotypes, even, from the typical representation of the era done in media and pop culture. As wrong as some of them were, he at least had something to refer to. Sada had nothing of the sort, and nothing could have prepared her to suddenly finding herself at the opposite end of human civilization.

    He stood in front of her, holding her close so she could focus on him completely, one thing at a time.

    He glared at the well-meaning people that had gotten close, knowing that they would just involuntarily make it worse.

    ? She''s fine, just a little overwhelmed, kindly give us some space-? he muttered before going back to focus on her. She slowly resumed breathing, and after a moment, they started walking again. He threw a sideways look at Sada that was following along, almost curled up against him, looking around with little glances. He smiled a bit sadly. She was so brave. Even in a place that may as well be completely alien to her, she was already examining her surroundings one thing at a time.

    He headed for a little caf¨¦; maybe a more enclosed space would be better to get used to things little by little. And... He wanted to have her try some good food for once. Something that she wouldn''t really be able to get in her time, and he figured that sweet things were the best choice; people had treasured sugar and honey for most of human history for a good reason, after all. It was a precious source of energy, tasted amazing and made you crave more exactly because it had been so scarce to find for most of civilization.

    Turo led her inside, watching as her eyes lit up at the unfamiliar space and kept darting around, trying to take in everything at once.

    He was content to simply... Watch her as she tried waffles and even then kept asking questions. He would miss these moments. As Sada was busy finishing the waffles he briefly put his left hand into his lab coat pocket; maybe Ortega had a point in saying he liked to wear it where it had no business being, but it was occasionally... Convenient. The one thing his bodysuit lacked were pockets; because of course, he barely had any necessity for the classic things you would have used them for. Wallet, cards, house keys? All digital now and linked to his ID anyway, all accessible at a swipe of his fingers. Miraidon was almost always out of his Ball, so even that was out. Really the most use he had got out of them had been in the past. But now he touched a little square box in it, debating taking it out as he threw a glance at Sada by his side. No... Better wait.

    She was too perceptive. He didn''t want to ruin the rest of the day by having her notice what was going on.

    Twenty two and a half hours.

    ---

    As soon as they got out of the cafe, he took Sada''s hand again and headed for the nearest teleporter. Since last time she had been unconscious, this would be her first time actually seeing one in use, and he tried to think of a way on how to explain what was going to happen to her... but since she had technically already used a time-anchor, it wouldn''t be that different if he put it in those terms.

    Looking to his side, he saw that she was still walking with her nose in the air, staring incredulously at the moon.

    ? Are we... really going there? It''s not a... joke? One night you said... it''s so far away you can''t fly there.?

    ... on second thought, maybe using a teleporter would barely be worth mentioning.

    ? Only if you fly on a creature. We are using... something more powerful.? he answered with a smile, and could pretty much see the gears in her head start turning as she tried to picture it.

    Turo made sure that she was holding on tight as they stepped into the teleporter - since she didn''t have an ID, she pretty much couldn''t directly interact with most of the technology anyway- and headed for the nearest spaceport where the shuttle would depart from. The fact that he had to waste six precious hours total for the trip pained him, but... there wasn''t much he could do about it. He would try to make the most out of them in some way.

    He got ready for departure and did the same for Sada, who was too busy examining every inch of their seat to notice some curious stares at her reaction. Her gaze focused on the monitors that appeared over their seat, and once again she tried to touch it to interact with it, her eyes going wide at seeing the little snippets of ads about various facilities on the moon.

    ? There are... people there?? she whispered, amazed. Turo couldn''t help a little chuckle.

    ? Yes, people live there.? there was a little pause, as he offered his hand for her to hold and use it to interact with the screens.

    ? ... I lived there.? he confessed after a moment with a little grin, waiting for her reaction. She looked at him with wide eyes, not saying anything.

    ? When I was a child, for... four warm and four cold seasons. Then I left.? and he didn''t exactly like the Moon much after leaving it, for... various reasons.

    ? How... is it there? Are there different creatures?? she whispered, and he smiled.

    ? You''ll see.? he simply answered. She snuggled up against his chest as the engines quietly started up, idly swiping through promotional images, eyes shining, and he slowly put his chin on her head, wrapping one arm around her to hold her close.

    ---

    They docked exactly three hours later -nineteen hours left-, and he helped her get up and approach the exit.

    ? This will be... A bit strange. Follow me.? he tried to warn her with a little smile as he jumped out and Sada stared at him in confusion, not really understanding what he meant as she copied him. The girl yelped when the jump made her fly farther than she expected, thrown off by the lower gravity . Even as he wasn''t faring that much better, he caught her in midair by the arm and laughed as they landed back on the ground together. She was staring at the ground in total amazement, mouth hanging half open.

    ? W-what...? H-how...? she tried to jump again, and laughed in delight when she slowly floated back to the ground instead of dropping like normal.

    ? You... you can fly here?!? she exclaimed, totally fascinated as she tried to copy a couple of passerby and hop forward, dragging him with her. Turo simply followed, smiling.

    ? Is the Moon... all like this?? she asked, turning back to look at him, eyes shining.

    ? Yes. Umm... it''s called "gravity".? he wondered how to explain it to someone lacking the basics of physics. Not that he was exactly an expert himself, not really his field and all...

    ? It...changes how heavy something is. Every... "world" has different "gravity"... so on the Moon, things are not so heavy.?

    He saw it in her eyes, how they widened as she took in his words and, as usual, her wonderful, bright mind already started racing ahead with all its implications.

    ? So... "Earth" is one world... where me and you live... and the "Moon" is another... and... you said every star in the sky is like a sun, and every sun has their own worlds... where "gravity" and everything is different...? she took a long, heavy breath.

    ? There is... so much out there... and you can go to all these worlds?? she whispered, and he had to smile a bit.

    ? ... no. My people have found three different worlds. The others are far, far away...? she looked astonished at hearing that not even they could go to these far away planets, and looked away for a bit, mulling it over as they walked - more like half hopped, half flotated- their way towards the city center. He wanted to bring her towards a little plaza, where an observation deck was set up, looking out directly on the Moon''s surface, with Earth visible right behind it.

    Meanwhile, Sada was looking all around, taking in the sights of people who lived here.

    The shops, the restaurants, the cramped little apartments, even the Pok¨¦mon walking around.

    He quietly wondered what she was thinking about: how was that sentence from that ancient sci-fi author? "Any sufficiently advanced technology would be indistinguishable from magic."

    When everything around you was so removed from your understanding of the world that it may as well be a different reality... what did that feel like?

    Was it exciting? Was it scary? Overwhelming?

    As soon as they reached the observation deck, Sada gasped and ran up (more like shot forward) to the thick transparent panel that divided the moon base from the cold space outside, almost pressing her face to it.

    ? The sky is so dark! But it''s still day... we didn''t fly for long.? she noted, and he had to be impressed with her internal clock not getting messed up.

    ? The sky is always dark out here. It''s... err, difficult to explain.? he noted as he walked up behind her. He pointed at something a bit far away.

    ? That is Earth. We flew all the way from there.? he said, prompting her to look at it and suddenly become very still. After a couple of long seconds, she simply quietly wrapped her arms around him and put her head on his shoulder.

    ? It''s... it''s so small. Is that really... Earth? The whole world?? she whispered, and now she sounded almost... scared. He could understand why. It looked so... lonely in a sense. This blue sphere suspended in a sea of cold black. He had only vague memories of being a toddler and having that single image as his only idea of Earth for the first four years of his life. It was so far away you couldn''t even see the various landmasses... just blue and the clouds. Yet down there were entire continents, and civilizations, and hundreds of Pok¨¦mons that had risen and fallen out of memory... all in that little blue sphere hanging on the horizon, small enough he could cover it with one hand.

    ? ... are you afraid? ? he asked after a moment with a small frown. Maybe... it had been too much to show her? It was sometimes difficult for him to wrap his mind around it, he couldn''t even begin to imagine what it was like for her. Sada shook her head, tingling his neck with her hair.

    ? No, it''s... I don''t know the word.? she confessed.

    ? It''s... so small and so big. Together. So many... places, and people, and creatures.... all over there. I... I want to see them. Even more.? she said after a moment. Now her eyes were shining again, and she looked at Earth with so much eagerness and wonder that it just broke his heart.

    ? You... you will.? Turo whispered and she smiled when he planted a soft kiss on her hair. They stood there for a long while, side by side, looking at Earth, a single moment in time where they would be looking at the same exact planet, the same scenery... and then it was gone.

    ? ... come. Let''s go eat something.? he said eventually, taking her hand and leading her further into the Moon base. There was still so much to show her.

    ---

    By the time the shuttle descended back to Earth, it was evening. After the first hour of flight, Sada had fallen asleep propped up against him, her head on his shoulder, and he tried to move as little as possible to not wake her.

    Something so mundane for him, that he even found kind of annoying (he still hated the Moon) would be the experience of a lifetime for her, something she would probably look back on for the rest of her life... he tucked back a strand of hair that had fallen in front of her face, then quietly took a picture of her sleeping, saving it with one gesture to his account. He then stopped, suddenly struck by a thought. Was this why... He would block his account to be accessed in the future? Those couple of months ago during his trip to the future thirty years from now, if he had accidentally opened it and saw a picture of Sada unmistakably in his time... Or even simply noticed that a picture of her existed at all, not a pen sketch he had done in his notebook... He would have freaked out big time.

    He let out an exhausted sigh, pinching his nose with his free hand. The wonders of time travel... He looked back down to Sada and smiled softly.

    ... Just twelve hours left.

    As they got down from the shuttle, Sada immediately looked up, and he knew that she was looking for the moon they had just left. And there, for the first time in hours, he saw her smile disappear. Her eyes widened and flicked around.

    ? Where... Where are the stars...?? she whispered with a trace of fear, huddling close as she followed him. He followed her gaze, taking a moment to notice what she meant.

    ? There is too much light, so you can''t see them.? he explained after a moment. Light pollution was way too high to see the stars in the vicinity of pretty much any major city. Sada frowned, lowering her eyes and seeming to think for a moment, before shaking her head.

    ? I don''t... like it. It feels wrong.? she sounded almost guilty in saying it.

    ? Why do you need so much light? It''s night.?

    Turo could see why she would think that, it was probably unnatural to her. He looked back to the towering skyscrapers with their bright lights all around them, trying to think of an appropriate answer as they slowly walked towards a teleporter to get to his apartment.

    ? Because... We can do more things at night this way.? he tried after a moment. Sada didn''t look convinced even as she followed. He noticed that it looked like she was trying to avoid glancing upwards too much, like not seeing the stars made her uncomfortable.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ? Why? Don''t you sleep at night??

    Turo gave her a somewhat embarrassed smile.

    ? Not... Not every night. I sleep when I... can.? his sleep schedule had been an absolute mess even before he started time traveling, but by now after having to get used to landing in different times of the day as when he departed, it couldn''t even be called a "schedule" anymore. It was pretty much "sleep when you collapse from exhaustion and that''s it".

    Sada frowned again, looking equal parts confused and somewhat disappointed.

    ? So... There is no difference from day to night? It''s all the same?? she asked after a moment, and he had to nod after a second.

    ? That''s... Strange.?

    When day and night were pretty much the only form of establishing a routine you had, it probably was.

    ? It''s... A different life.? he commented.

    As they stepped into a teleporter, holding her close to allow her to use his ID, Turo marveled at how quickly Sada had seemed to adapt to... Everything. She obviously wouldn''t know what it was, or how it worked, or how exactly it did something... But those were all questions she could file away for later in her mind, and she knew how to use something in the meantime. She was probably used to thinking in those terms for pretty much everything in her life. And there were so many questions she would never get the occasion to see answered. Could he try to answer all her questions about how the teleporter, and the shuttle, and gravity worked? Yes, he had tried to... But a part of him now wondered if maybe it wasn''t a bit... Cruel. To give her just one taste, one brief glimpse of there being so so many things in the world... And then... Taking it all away.

    But Sada was... Strong. He believed in her. He knew that she wouldn''t think it frustrating. It would just give her an even bigger incentive to... Explore, and experiment, and discover, in her own time.

    Maybe she would straight up go and invent the wheel or something equally ludicrous millennia before first traces were found of it, he thought with a little amused huff as they stepped outside the teleporter. Sada raised one eyebrow.

    ? Why are you laughing??

    ? Ah... Nothing.?

    She pouted, obviously not believing him.

    ? You are thinking of something stupid when you do that.? her reply just made him snort again. He would miss this so much. And now that he thought about it... If she got inspired by looking at Winged King, he wouldn''t put it past her to figure out the wheel much earlier than when it started becoming common. Turo could already picture her building a little wagon out of wood and attaching a saddle and harness to the dragon to transport supplies.

    He was shaken out of his half daydream by the sound of his apartment door opening... And Miraidon barreling towards him to greet him. The Pok¨¦mon drew a surprised shout from Sada, who went to push him aside without hesitation... Probably by pure habit by now.

    ? No, it''s fine! He''s Miraidon! ? Turo hurried to explain, causing both to stop. Sada still with one hand with a death grip on his shoulder, and Miraidon by having skidded to a stop in front of them to study the unknown person.

    ? Gyaa??

    ? Mirai... don...?? Sada was staring at the purple dragon, shocked, and Turo could perfectly imagine what she was thinking about. The weird familiarity of the two Pok¨¦mon looking so similar in many ways, yet completely different at the same time was quite jarring.

    ? This is Miraidon?? she repeated, cautiously moving a step towards it as the purple dragon tasted the air with his tongue before approaching. She wasn''t wearing her usual clothes, but maybe there were still traces of Winged King''s smell on her?

    Turo stroked the Pok¨¦mon''s neck as the two seemed to examine each other, and the dragon let out one of his low chirps, nuzzling him. Sada slowly moved one hand to copy him, smiling a bit as soon as she touched the dragon''s plating.

    ? The scales are so... Smooth. Just like your clothes. You two look good together!? she laughed and Miraidon growled happily, opening his mouth to lick her.

    ? Mirai come on, don''t do that-? he tried to stop the lizard, but Sada didn''t seem to mind, now stroking the Pok¨¦mon''s rigid antennae and examining them with wide eyes, probably already comparing them to Winged King''s feathers.

    ? He feels... colder than Winged King. And this sound...? she stopped for a moment to lean her ear against the dragon''s throat, to better hear the low buzzing sound emanating from his body.

    ? ... it''s like Fluffyhead when he throws thunder. Does he have the same power?? she asked, completely intrigued.

    ? He does!? he looked between the Pok¨¦mon and the girl, smiling a bit. Never would he have imagined to see them stand side by side in front of his apartment. On the spur of the moment, he turned towards the dragon.

    ? Buddy... how do you feel about giving Sada here a tour of the city?? he proposed. The dragon''s happy roar at the prospect of going riding couldn''t help but make him grin in excitement. Sada looked at them both, not quite sure of what he had said.

    ? What...?? she asked.

    ? Wait here with him. I''m going to get something.? he said, enjoying her little puzzled expression as he disappeared into the apartment.

    He should have a spare helmet and riding gear somewhere...

    ---

    Sada had looked puzzled when he had told her to wear the helmet to protect herself.

    ? But... we ride Winged King without wearing anything.?

    Yes, and he had found it a bit terrifying. He had gotten used to it by now, and honestly had gone on his fair share of dumb helmet-less rides in his teenager years, or when they just needed to glide a short distance. But the helmet was also useful for not getting easily identified if he... uh... kind of, sort of broke the law a tad bit by riding Miraidon in his battle form. Which is what they were doing now.

    Sada had laughed as the Pok¨¦mon had jumped into the air directly from his apartment''s balcony, first gliding until they reached the street and then riding briefly until they were out of town. There, it had shifted forms, and now they were blitzing over Mesagoza again as the Pok¨¦mon flew at full speed, watching the lights of the city pass under them like a sea of fallen stars. Turo felt Sada''s arms wrapped around his waist relax a bit as she leaned against his back, and he wished against all reason for this moment to last forever.

    With a sigh trapped by the helmet''s visor, he tapped Miraidon''s neck with one hand and pointed out a place where he could land. The great, imposing wall of complete black that towered over the northern part of the city and that run around the entire central part of the region of Paldea. The Great Crater of Paldea was visible from almost any point in the region, a reminder of it''s long and bloddy history. They landed on the edge of the crater, facing the city and looking at the spectactle of Mesagoza at night. The warm glow of all the city lights, the Academy right underneat them, the University that had been built near that... but as soon as she removed her helmet Sada still looked up, and frowned at the black sky. Compared to what she was used to seeing, it looked almost empty.

    Turo smiled a bit sadly.

    ? ... You don''t like it here.? it wasn''t a question. He sat down on the cold ground, and Sada followed. Miraidon sat on his haunches a couple of meters behind them, on guard against wild Pok¨¦mon from around the crater.

    Sada took a moment to answer.

    ? I... I like all the things your people have built. You... don''t have to worry about food. Hunting. The cold. You live with creatures, explore... new worlds. It''s... amazing. But... I think you also have... lost something. You... live alone? Only with Miraidon?? she asked, picking up a couple of pebbles and turning them around in her hands, head low.

    ? You showed me so many things... but I still don''t know anything about your people. Vega and... that other man, Ortega... are they part of your family? Your... "tribe"? I don''t know.? she asked looking back up at him, and he felt like a small knife had just been twisted in his gut. He... well, of course he couldn''t exactly show her around like she had done with him. He would have loved to, to spend more days with her, weeks, months, but... it just couldn''t happen. She wasn''t even supposed to be here. Vega and Ortega were probably busy covering for him so he didn''t completely lose his job. And... he couldn''t exactly show up to his old parents''s house in Medali and go "This is the woman I love. She''s from the Late Paleolithic. Yeah, she''s a hunter-gatherer in the Last Ice Age. Cool, huh?"

    They... they didn''t have enough time.

    ? Things are... different, here.? he tried to say, and Sada simply nodded. He put his hand into his pocket, touching the little package that had sat in it since he had bought it. Should he... give it to her now? Or... tomorrow morning... not even twelve hours left.

    Maybe he should...

    ? What is that? It''s so big...? he jerked in surprise as Sada turned around, pointing at something at his back. He turned... only to find himself staring at the black, featureless abyss that was the inside of the Crater at night.

    ? That''s Area Zero.? he said, voice neutral. ? There''s nothing there. Only wild Pok¨¦mon... um, creatures.? he watched as Sada threw one of the pebbles down the edge, and it was immediately swallowed by the darkness as it rolled down. The sound of it falling down took a bit more to disappear, until it also was gone.

    ? Can we go there...? ? she was already getting up, and he stopped her by putting one hand on her shoulder.

    ? No... no one can go. In the past... many people went inside. They were convinced there was treasure-?

    ? What is a treasure??

    Turo hesitated, caught by surprise by the way the conversation was going.

    ? It''s... something... you want. Something... important to you. More than anything in the world. I guess...? he added, confused. Well, for the people of the past he was thinking of, it was probably treasure in a more literal sense, but how could he start to explain gold and riches or whatever to Sada when they didn''t even have the concept of money?

    ? Anyway... many people went inside, many times. They all died. Then, my people finally also went inside the crater, after a lot of time.?

    Sada was listening with fascination.

    ? And what was there...??

    Turo just shrugged.

    ? Nothing. Nothing special. If there was something special there in the past... some "treasure"... it''s not there anymore.?

    Sada pouted, disappointed, and he couldn''t help but smile a little at her face. She sat back down and put her head on his shoulder.

    ? If there is nothing there... here. In this time... we can go see in my time.? she proposed after a moment with a smile. He looked down at her, stunned, the smile disappearing from his face.

    ? Maybe the treasure is there.?

    ? Area Zero is... very far away from your village.? he murmured trying to dissuade her. Or Kalos in general, actually. The last thing he wanted was to leave her knowing she would depart on some grand journey in her time just to die looking for Area Zero. Maybe the first of the many explorers that had met their end in their quest for the Crater during the ages.

    Was that why her spot in the cave painting was empty...? Because she left...? What about the rest of her tribe?

    Did Area Zero even exist in her time...? He had no idea.

    ? ... please don''t go there. It''s dangerous.? he added, suddenly desperate. Sada looked at him, confused. Of course she was. Everywhere was dangerous in her time, you idiot. But he... needed this. He needed at least this small reassurance.

    ? ... what...??

    ? Please never go there. Promise me. Please.?

    She must have felt the sudden desperation in his voice, because she slowly nodded, then turned around to wrap both arms around him, her head now on his rapidly rising and falling chest.

    ? ... all right. I promise.?

    He sighed in relief, copying her in wrapping his arms around her and holding her close, as the hours of the night trickled past.

    ---

    ? Mirai, we''re leaving. ? he said to the dragon, who looked up from his breakfast and bumped his hand with his snout, hissing softly.

    It was morning. They had spent the night, or what little was left of it after coming back from their late night trip, at his apartment.

    Now his twenty four hours were up. Ortega had already called him at dawn to urge him to get there as fast as possible for a last minute, non-scheduled jump to bring Sada back.

    He smiled and stroked the dragon on the nose.

    ? ... I''ll be back in a moment.? he whispered, and let Sada also caress and coddle the dragon for a moment before closing the door of his apartment behind him.

    Walking back into the TTDL together with Sada felt like a surreal dream. The first time, he had been way too terrified of her dying to pay much attention to what was happening. He had given her back her usual clothes, which he had washed and kept at his apartment while she was in the hospital. She had looked at him oddly when he had put on only his usual suit and lab coat, and not the clothes she had made for him.

    Well, even if she found it strange... it didn''t matter now.

    The plan was for them to sneak in, pretend that Sada was another researcher here for a short joint collaboration if anybody saw her, and leave as fast as possible.

    Ortega would keep Moreau busy in his office with some long winded proposal for his next research project.

    Trying to stay calm, he led her from the elevator to the room where the protection serum was kept.

    ? This is so... you don''t die when you jump...?? Sada asked as he shakily nodded, injecting her with the serum before doing it on himself.

    They both exited the room... and he stopped, face going white at seeing Moreau turn around the corner, Ortega hot on his heels.

    ? I- I actually have another idea that could-? his colleague stopped at seeing them both, eyes widening.

    ? Dr. Turo ? Moreau''s voice was ice cold as his eyes landed on Sada, who simply held his gaze.

    ? ... I heard nothing about your new charming colleague here. With who do I have the pleasure to speak, Miss...?? the man turned towards Sada, waiting for an answer. Sada looked... lost, probably confused by his way of speaking.

    ? Um...? she looked at him, unsure on what to say.

    ? Your name.? he prompted her again, his eyes examining every inch of her clothes, and Turo realized with a jolt of panic that Moreau was only putting up a polite front.

    He knew her name, he had been the only one to actually remember it from his reports.. and of course he would recognize Sada''s clothes as authentic. He had probably realized what was going on the instant he had laid eyes on her.

    ? ...Sada.? she innocently answered - and what else could she do?-

    Ortega winced as an icy silence fell between them all for a long moment.

    ? ... Come to my office, Dr. Turo. As soon as you''re finished escorting Miss Sada, of course. ? Moreau slowly said with one last polite smile, before walking away.

    ? ... I''m sorry Turo. He just shot down my proposal before I could even finish, I tried to buy more time but-?

    ? Don''t worry. It''s not your fault.? he replied, voice carefully neutral.

    He was... he was probably done working here.

    ? See you later.? he said, taking Sada''s - poor confused Sada, who just looked between them with no idea of what had just happened, except that it wasn''t good- hand and leading her towards the time machine room.

    ? Y-yeah. Later.?

    The usual routine of confirming Porygon''s coordinates was done passively, like he was just an external observer, at least until they stepped inside the time machine. Sada looked completely fascinated, but frowned as she looked at his wrist.

    ? Umm... the bracelet. I.. don''t have one.? she pointed out, and it took him a long moment to answer.

    ? The bracelet... is only to jump back here.? he said after a moment... and saw in the way her eyes lit up that she understood. Hers was a one way trip after all.

    He held her close as the machine spun to life and closed his eyes, opening them back up to the familiar sight of the clearing they had used as a meeting spot all those months.

    He would... miss this place, all things considered. He looked at Sada, and didn''t miss the way her eyes had started to shine as soon as she had realized that she really was back home, in her time. Turo looked to the sky, and frowned when he saw that it was cloudy. Of course... they had landed the day after Sada had gotten injured, so that pretty much the same amount of time would have passed both for her and the people of her tribe not having seen her. He had decided to not subject her to the strange time travelling problems of coming back the instant you had left.

    ? Let''s... walk a bit.? he proposed. She had become suspiciously silent since Moreau had showed up. Of course she was. She wasn''t stupid, she knew something had happened.

    They walked in silence, Turo finding himself checking his time-anchor''s batteries every couple of steps, watching the percentage climb up until he could go back to his time for the last time. 98%... 99%... 100%.

    He stopped, and so did Sada.

    ? I have to go.? he murmured, and she nodded. He took the little box out from his pocket and opened it up, offering it to Sada.

    ? I-I... you gave me the necklace. So I... wanted you to have something from me.? he forced the words out one after the other. She opened it up, curious, and her eyes widened when she took out a bright red bracelet made of what looked like polished stone. She slipped it on her left hand, smiling. As he had hoped, it looked good on her. Most importantly, not too out of place.

    ? This rock... in my time it''s called "Scarletite".? from the mythical metal of the past. They had simply been called "star pieces" in other times, and were particularly rare for... obvious reasons.

    ? It''s... it comes from a star, far away.? he forced a little smile when she looked back up at him, stunned into silence.

    ? Thank you. It''s... it''s beautiful.? she said eventually. Turo drew a long breath and cupped her face with both hands and slowly, quietly drew her face near, for once not to kiss her but simply to touch her forehead with his.

    ? ... promise me one last thing.? he whispered closing his eyes, and felt her freeze suddenly under his touch.

    ? ... don''t change. Keep... exploring. And discovering. Stay exactly like you are.? he pleaded as he let her go, and opened his eyes to find Sada trembling slightly, eyes wide.

    ? ... when are you coming back?? she asked.

    There was a long moment of silence. He looked away.

    ? Romero-? she tried again, with his first name now, the one he had revealed to her one night months ago, and she had never used until now because "why have two names, it''s stupid, you are Turo for me".

    ? ... you are coming back... right??

    He couldn''t speak, so he simply shook his head.

    Her eyes widened even more, and now she looked like she was also struggling to speak.

    ? ...w-why...??

    ? They are taking my... bracelet. I can never come back here.? he took a couple of steps back, one finger on his time anchor. He had to... he had to just go. There was no easy way to do this. He had to... leave. Leave this place, leave her, once and for all... every second he looked at her tear stricken face was pure torture.

    He didn''t want this to be his last memory of her.

    He turned his back to her to start running away, like their very first meeting.

    And then, right as he pressed the button that would bring him back to his time-

    -something tugged at his lab coat and jerked him back.

    Sada, holding on to his arm, her own eyes widening in horror and understanding when she saw his finger already on the time-anchor.

    That split second before he felt the familiar pull of being dragged back through time seemed to last an eternity.

    ---

    Time anchor ID 9537 had departed successfully 3879 seconds ago. As usual, Porygon 568 checked the time machine''s operational parameters as they waited for Doctor Romero Turo to jump back. Everything was operating correctly. Connected as they were to the time machine, they felt the familiar tug of a time-anchor returning and prepared to assist in the landing. Familiar. A strange word humans used, they mused. What constituted something as familiar? Definition specified it as a feeling of recognizing something that had happened an X number of times, where X > 1. X seemed to be arbitrary and prone to change from individual to individual. Applying that definition, their working of the time machine day by day was "familiar".

    Checking time-anchor''s space-time departure coordinates... complete.

    Calibrating energy required to the time machine to bring back one human... compl- ERROR.

    ? Connection lost to time anchor ID 9537.? they said to the empty room, and simultaneously logged it in their system.

    Porygon 568 didn''t panic. They couldn''t.

    They simply did what any computer would do, and followed their programming.

    ? Retracing time-space coordinates of time anchor ID 9537. Executing emergency assisted return jump.? they said, before compiling themself into their purest form and diving inside the time machine. Now completely fused to it, inextricably connected, time presented to them as a flaming multicolored river, they dived inside, searching for the familiar ping of the time anchor.. and there it was, swirling in the depths of the stream. Porygon 568 reached for the device; they tugged and pulled, gently guiding it into the correct direction, up, up, up, slowly and patiently.

    Then they felt it again.

    That "familiar" something from months ago. A great, brutal pull, a swirling vortex opening up in the time stream, a maelstrom of multiple colors, each color a different time - and then time anchor with ID 9537, belonging to Doctor Romero Turo, was brutally ripped away.

    Porygon 568 didn''t panic. They couldn''t.

    They simply did what any computer would do, and tried again.

    ? Error. Connection lost to time anchor ID 9537. Retrying...?

    ...

    ? Error. Connection lost to time anchor ID 9537. Retrying...?

    ...

    ? Error. Connection lost to time anchor ID 9537. Retrying...?

    ...

    ...

    ? Error. Connection lost to time anchor ID 9537. Retrying...?

    ...

    ...

    ...

    ...

    ---

    ? ... don''t leave...?

    Leave...? But he had... he didn''t want to, but he had to leave...

    ? ...ke up. Turo, wake up, please... ?

    Turo slowly opened his eyes, blinking at the blinding, piercing light that hit them. He was laying on the ground. It was cold, and hard. Someone was holding his left hand, squeezing it. His head felt light. Damp. Something was dribbling from it. He raised his right arm to shield his eyes from the light, and felt that it was strangely light. He blinked again, his eyes slowly focusing on it. The time anchor... was hanging on by a thread.

    Shattered.

    Panic.

    He suddenly remembered. The jump, the feeling of being slowed down, dragged down as he traveled back... then someone else helping. Pulling him along, pulling them both along, and then... what then?

    He couldn''t remember.

    Sada. Where was Sada?

    He looked around, and felt a wave of relief hit him as she was right next to him, doing her best to probably break every bone in his left hand by how hard she was squeezing.

    ? ... m fine.? he managed to mumble and the pressure released a tiny bit.

    ? Your "bodysuit"... the lights were off... I was so scared you were...? Sada whispered as he hugged her.

    ? Where...?? he asked, and Sada simply bit her lip and looked away.

    Turo slowly took in his surroundings. He looked to the sky and was left puzzled for a couple of long moments, not sure of what he was looking at.

    Best way he could describe it was that the light was... dusty. Milky white, it took him a long moment to realize that he was actually looking at clouds. The very air felt heavy, and as he slowly sat up with Sada''s help, something like a crystallized snowflake drifted past his eyes even with total absence of wind, reflecting the strange light.

    Strangest of all was the towering rock face that covered the horizon, stretching for his entire field of vision. He tried to follow it with his eyes, to see where the cliff ended, and it slowly, slowly dawned on him where they were only when he kept going round and round, and was forced to stumble to his feet to spin completely around, trembling.

    The cliff was everywhere. It surrounded them completely, on all sides. He felt his legs give out under him and Sada hold him up as it hit him where they were. There was only place he could think of that would look like that.

    ? A... Area Zero...?

 Chapter 18: Stranded, part I

    Sada knew that something was wrong as soon as Turo had led her out of his place wearing only his normal clothes and not the ones he usually showed up with. But she had tried to rationalize it away. Maybe he simply didn''t want to go to the village today. Maybe he simply wanted to bring her back and they would stay alone for today, just the two of them. After that single day in his time, she... Kind of needed it. It had been a lot. Her head still felt like it was being hit by all the strange and wondrous things she had seen, but it was... A lot. She needed some quite time to think about it all.

    But she didn''t think he would just... leave.

    When he had suddenly started talking about... Promising him to never change... She had felt her stomach drop and her breath hitch in her chest.

    ? You are coming back, right??

    She has asked, desperate to see him give that little, barely visible smile and reassure that of course he was coming back, that she had misunderstood everything... But he hadn''t. Turo... Romero... had shook his head, and turned away.

    He had started to walk away from her, like he had done so many times. She was used to it by now... To watch him disappear in front of her eyes. But this time, she realized as she started trembling... It would be the last. He would touch that bracelet of his and disappear into thin air... And then he would be so impossibly far away and she would never see him again. Ever.

    She... She couldn''t accept that. There were still... So many things she wanted to see with him...

    It had been a hasty decision. She had jumped towards him, focused only on grabbing him, so terrified at the idea of her fingers grasping at nothing but air right as she went to touch his arm... That she hadn''t noticed that Turo had already pressed the button to jump back. They had both stared at it in unison for one long, infinite moment... And then she had felt her body get pulled away.

    ---

    Sada woke up in a confused daze; the ground was hard. Rocky. The first thing she took note of was that there was no snow. Slowly, she rolled on her stomach, pointy rocks digging on her skin as she pushed herself up to a sitting position. She blinked, her eyes slowly taking in her surroundings. This was not... Turo''s time. Or at least... not what little she had seen. There were no dazzling lights that covered the sky. But it was also not hers, or at least, not a place she recognized. She was not far from the edge of a rocky cliff, lush grass extending all around... She looked up, to see the sky covered by clouds... And when she looked back down, her eyes met straight with those of a creature. Her eyes widened and she jumped up, her right hand instinctively going to her shoulder... Only to find nothing but air, her spear lost somewhere near the cave where Winged King fought against his rival. She felt a pang of sadness at realizing it was probably lost forever: that spear had been the first weapon she had made for herself, together with Father... but she couldn''t afford to get distracted by old memories now.

    The creature looked similar to one of the grown up forms of the pests that her tribe would chase away from their village to avoid them stealing their supplies... Bright orange fur, it walked on two legs and even seemed to have the same sparks of thunder crackling along its fur.

    Sada gritted her teeth as the creature walked up to her; she took a step back, eyes flitting around for something, anything, to use as a weapon... They landed on something as it caught the light, shining.

    A tree grew right near the edge of the cliff, almost hanging off it. The roots that secured it firmly in place reflected the light, shining like gemstones. She had never seen a tree made of crystal. Or... Covered in crystals, it looked like. She could question it and examine it later. Sada grabbed one of the roots and heaved, eyes firmly locked on the creature. One piece of the root splintered off, and she pointed the jagged, multicolored shard towards the creature with a snarl.

    ? Leave us alone!?

    Us...? She hazarded another look around after a moment, her heart skipping a beat as she realized something crucial:

    ... Where was Turo?

    They had been together, so...

    He hadn''t fallen off the cliff, had he?

    Her heartbeat quickened and she looked back at the furry creature with newfound determination; not waiting for it to strike first, she slashed forward with the jagged piece of crystal in her hand. The creature ducked low, the crystal passing high over its head, before dashing forward on all four legs. Sada hastily backed up again, an alarmed hiss escaping her lips when she ended up pressed against the tree trunk, the crystal bark pushing against her back. Instead of attacking her, however, the creature ran right past her, disappearing in a hole dug right underneath some of the roots. Two similarly fuzzy but smaller heads as that of the rodent peeked out, their little black eyes shining as they greeted the bigger member of the group with some chittering hisses. A...family? Were those its young?

    So... It... Never actually wanted to attack her... Good.

    She normally would have taken the opportunity to study the creature, but she had other things to focus on at the moment. Sada pocketed the shard in the bag at her waist -the one thing she had kept with her by virtue of being tied to her clothes -, then cautiously crept towards the edge of the cliff to peer down. She swallowed, scared to catch a glimpse of the telltale glow of Turo''s clothes thrown over the rocks at the bottom, body bent and broken by the fall... Thankfully, there was nothing.

    She breathed a sigh of relief, turning back around. Where was he then...?

    She started walking, soft grass curiously crunching under her boots. It felt a bit like the grass itself was covered in a thin layer of the same crystal that had grown over the tree. He... Hadn''t left her, had he? The thought made her start biting her lip, suddenly worried. If he had managed to go back to his time... Leaving her here, in this unknown place... She shook her head.

    He wouldn''t do it.

    Not... Voluntarily, at least. But... If he had simply lost her along the way, like being swept away in a raging river, then...

    Her heart suddenly leapt in her chest when she caught a glimpse of dark purple between the grass. There he was!

    He must have landed away from her and slid down the cliff... Thankfully the other way from the sharp drop.

    Sada started sprinting, only for her breath to quicken when she got close enough to see him better.

    His "bodysuit" was not glowing. Or rather it was, but it was so faint it may as well be not there.

    That small detail filled her with dread.

    She didn''t know what it meant exactly, just that it was bad. The glowing lines had never disappeared before as long as he was wearing it. Not... That time he had slept under the stars with her, not at night... The only time she had ever seen them disappear was just last night, after they had gone back to Turo''s home, and only because he hadn''t been wearing it. He had slowly taken it off then, and she had actually seen him completely for the very first time, and trailed her hands along his shoulders and his back and...

    And now the lines had stopped glowing. And there was blood on his face. Sada threw herself at his side, barely able to breath as she carefully examined him. The wound wasn''t deep, she could stop it from bleeding, she... It wasn''t like the Blood-Fire, not this time...

    But then why were the lines not glowing.

    ? Wake up, please... ? she whispered as she tore a strip of cloth from her hood and pressed it to the side of his head. Stop the blood. She... Didn''t know what else to do. This crunchy grass and other plants were different from the ones Narjik had taught her to use. For all she knew they could be poisonous. But he was breathing, even as a little rivulet of blood from the wound slid down his face.

    He couldn''t die here and leave her, he couldn''t...

    ? ... Turo, wake up...? she pleaded, holding his hand tight.

    And thankfully, he did. The lines on his bodysuit glowed with more strength as his eyes slowly opened, and Sada threw her arms around him in relief. He was fine. He hadn''t left her all alone.

    They were lost, and scared, and hurt.

    But at least they were together.

    ---

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Area Zero. All in all, Turo felt that he should be grateful to still be alive and for not having died by getting ripped apart during the jump, or thrown who knows where. The sheer statistical improbability of what had happened was... staggering. They could have landed anywhere and anywhen. The middle of the ocean. A natural catastrophe. In midair, which had almost happened since they must have both struck the ground with some force to get separated and lose consciousness briefly. Or they could have missed the planet completely, left floating in the void of space. And of all possible places... They had landed in the Great Crater of Paldea.

    But his mind kept wandering to the device now hanging uselessly from his wrist.

    The time-anchor was broken. Even if he miraculously had the tools and pieces necessary to repair it, and somehow managed to do it... The effect of the injection would run out in a couple days time anyway.

    And they were stuck in Area Zero, in an unspecified time period.

    Sada was helping him stay on his feet, since his legs felt ready to give out from under him at any moment. They had been walking down the cliff, Turo squinting while trying to get his eyes used to the light.

    There was... Something strange about it. It was too uniform, too bright, like it was coming from everywhere at the same time. It gave an eerie, unnatural air to the place. He looked back up to the "clouds" that covered the sky. Sunlight had to be coming from there, right...? Looking at the nearest cliff side and following it all the way up until it met the clouds, he felt his legs tremble again. The Crater was much deeper than what he had thought, the rock face impossible to climb.

    A sheer vertical surface hundreds and hundreds of meters high.

    How would they even get out?

    ? Umm...? Sada let out a thoughtful hum at his side, shielding her eyes with the hand that wasn''t busy holding him up and copying him by looking upwards.

    ? Even if we make a smoke signal, those clouds would block it.? she commented, looking back down with a sigh, before giving him an encouraging smile.

    ? ... Let''s find a safe place, first.?

    Their respective standards of what made a place "safe" were probably wildly different, but he simply nodded, carefully pressing the strip of cloth ripped from Sada''s hood to the cut on his head.

    ? ... Yeah. Let''s go.? he didn''t comment about the big unsaid question that was hanging between them. He was too scared to voice it out loud.

    The first thing he had tried to do was open a screen in midair, but it hadn''t worked. He was sure it wasn''t his bodysuit''s fault. All the independent offline functionalities like the lights and keeping his body temperature constant were still working; those only needed the body heat produced by his normal metabolism to power themselves. It would, quite literally, keep working as long as he lived. It just didn''t have anything to connect to.

    So that meant they were in Area Zero... But when exactly was impossible to say, except that it was surely before his time.

    It made... Sense, in a way. If they were caught mid-jump, it was only logical that they would have been dropped somewhere in the middle, metaphorically speaking... But knowing his past experience in slightly overshooting the landing zone, he couldn''t have been sure.

    He looked around as they walked, searching for the slightest sign of civilization, feeling a sudden sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu to his very first time jump.

    Well, the Crater had never been exactly "populated" as far as he knew, but in the course of history people that had ventured down there must have built some infrastructure. There had to be something there to help them get out...

    "And then what?"

    He gritted his teeth, willing the intrusive question away for the moment.

    "Even if you manage to get out, what then?"

    He couldn''t think about it now. He didn''t want to, because if his thoughts lingered too much on where he was, then he would have to think about his family, his friends, his whole life, and Mirai-

    He felt Sada squeeze his shoulder and looked down at her, swallowing the sudden lump in his throat.

    ... She was caught up in this as much as he was, but while the smile had disappeared from her face for a pensive frown, her eyes were still shining as they looked around.

    Turo doubted she didn''t realize what had happened; she was too smart for that. Too perceptive. She must have been having similar thoughts as him. Thoughts about her time, about the life she had just lost. Then... how could she do it? Was she faking that enthusiastic shine in her eyes? Or was it just... Her nature, to simply make the most of even the direst of situations?

    To simply focus on the problem at hand and nothing more?

    Maybe that was it.

    That was how she had lived until now, after all. Maybe he should start to do the same. No use despairing over what had happened if he didn''t even live to see the next day.

    ? Thank you.? he simply whispered.

    As... Selfish as it was to think, he was glad to have her here with him. He looked back up, towards the path that circled around the crater, and his eyes happened to catch a glimpse of something that made his breath quicken. Something that caught the light and glistened. Metallic, and definitely man made.

    ? There!? he almost shouted, pointing.

    It looked like an old prefab, almost completely hidden by the vegetation that had grown all around it. If it hadn''t been for what looked like a metallic antenna jutting out from the top, he wouldn''t have noticed it. It had been built against the rock of the cliff, and was cast completely in its shadow. The door looked old, it even still had a handle... But it was a building! And relatively modern, too, from the architecture.

    That antenna was a good sign; at least it meant they had landed somewhere with at least a radio... And electricity.

    He sped up, trying to not stumble as they approached the entrance; by his side, Sada was cautiously looking around, wary of wild Pok¨¦mon. To Turo''s surprise, the door wasn''t locked; it slid open to the side with a rusty creaking noise and some effort by him and Sada''s part, and he was the first to step inside.

    He caught himself subconsciously gesturing for the lights to turn on, and scowled when obviously nothing happened. R-right...

    Sada closed the door after following him inside, plunging them both into an almost complete darkness if not for a rectangle of light coming in from some narrow windows near the ceiling.

    What he could see... Didn''t inspire a lot of confidence honestly.

    The door seemed to have at least kept Pok¨¦mon out, because the interior looked untouched, even if abandoned since a long time. It looked like a place supposed to house a small group of people... Probably researchers or explorers from a past expedition. Tables were pushed against the wall, where a couple of what he recognized after a long moment as typewriters were laying, yellowed paper still rolled in, the ink surely long dried solid. Shelves full of books and binders lined the right wall. To the left was a door that led to a small bathroom, an even smaller kitchen, and a room with two bunk beds.

    Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust, which he promptly ignored as he slowly let himself fall down on one of the beds. He needed to rest for a moment before examining the building more carefully, looking for anything that could help them get out. Sada copied him after shuffling into the room, sitting on the cot opposite from him, her boots made of pelts completely silent on the tiled floor. For a moment, she didn''t say anything, absentmindedly picking at a tear in the mattress with one hand.

    ? ... I''m sorry? her voice was quiet, and it made his stomach twist painfully.

    ? It''s... My fault, right? I jumped with you... And broke the bracelet.? she added, head held low, her long hair covering her face.

    ? What? No, it''s... It''s... It''s not your fault. I... Should have gone farther away.?

    Much better, he shouldn''t have said anything at all. He could have just promised that sure, he would see her "tomorrow", that he would be right back, like he had done so many times. He should have lied. For her good, and his own.

    But no... He just had to get all sentimental, and get them both stuck at the bottom of the Great Crater of Paldea, in who knows what age.

    Sada didn''t say anything; he couldn''t tell what she was thinking, with barely any light and her face in almost complete shadow. After a moment , she sighed and stood up, kicking up a cloud of dust.

    ? ... I''ll look for food.? she announced, and he just nodded as she walked out. Yeah.

    Maybe he could examine the building in the meantime. Try to make himself useful. Most importantly, keep his mind occupied.

    ---

    Sada walked out of the dusty building, determined on doing nothing but what she had announced. She wasn''t quite convinced about what Turo had said. Did he blame her, and was just saying it to make her feel better? Whatever it was... It''s not like thinking about it would change things now. She had to focus. They had to find a way out... And find a way to survive in the meantime.

    They had water, at least. She had seen a pretty deep lake at the bottom of the cliff where they had woken up. And... There had to be berries or something else that was edible. Creatures lived here after all, and you couldn''t have only carnivores in one place. There had to also be creatures that ate mostly grass and berries. If she could follow one, or even just traces of them, it would lead her to a source of food. She tried to walk near the rock face, to avoid standing out in the open as much as possible, and squinted her eyes against the strange light to observe the grass. There had to be footprints, tufts of hair or scales, droppings... anything.

    Sada heard chittering, and caught a glimpse of one of the rodents from before scurrying away from her. One of the smaller ones. On the spur of the moment, she decided to follow it; it ducked under a small rock passage, and she had to lay on her stomach and crawl on her hands and knees to follow; she didn''t like it. It made her feel vulnerable... But they didn''t seem intent on attacking her for the moment, so she tried to crawl her way forward as fast as possible. The passage opened up, and she realized that it was a small cave connected to the outside by a hole in the ceiling, just big enough to let some lights in. And some bushes full of berries grow. Her face lit up as she approached the plant; she wasn''t familiar with the fruits that grew on it, but the little rodents seemed to be eagerly eating them. She filled her satchel with them, keeping an eye on the two little creatures. They were simply looking at her after having finished eating.

    ... Maybe they weren''t that bad. As long as they didn''t try to steal her food. Sada made her way out again and started to head back; they needed to find or make something they could use to store water in, if they didn''t want to walk all the way to the lake every time...

    A great shadow passed over her snapping her out of those thoughts, and again she instinctively went for her missing spear. Taking cover behind a boulder, she looked up; a great black bird with shining feathers passed overhead, letting out a piercing screech before diving in the middle of the crater. She observed the long drop for a while, watching the bird -she needed to find a name for it... Dark Talons? No...- swoop towards the lake at the bottom and fly up again clutching a smaller bird with fluffy white wings in their grip.

    ... A spear wouldn''t do, even if she made one from one of the bigger trees. If she found herself having to throw it to defend herself or Turo, more often than not it would just end up flying right over the edge and leave her defenseless.

    No, she needed something else; something still as swift and deadly, but with more versatility.

    She needed to make a bow.

    ---

    "Question: What is an effective way to warm up Eggs?

    Answer: Stick it into a Magcargo''s shell"

    Clavell had to repress a chuckle as he, with some regret, marked the question as incorrect.

    "While keeping eggs near many Fire-type Pok¨¦mon is an effective method of making sure they stay warm and at the right temperature to develop and hatch, one must pay attention to not exaggerate. Exposing one egg to the heat emitted from a Pok¨¦mon as Magcargo at such close proximity would, I''m afraid, at least hard-boil the unfortunate egg." he wrote as a correction, sincerely hoping that the student hadn''t already tried their unconventional hatching method.

    Kids had the wildest ideas sometimes, but that was why he found his job as a researcher and professor at Uvanja Academy so rewarding. He could observe the future generations of Paldea grow and improve, even if it sometimes led to having to work long hours grading tests. He didn''t really mind.

    The teacher''s office was always a lively place, with students coming in and out to ask questions, so he had taken the habit of grading tests in one of the science laboratories on the second floor of the academy when he needed some quiet time. He had always found the lights and sounds of laboratory equipment relaxing, somehow. It was reassuring, in a way, the sound of something working as intended. Which is why, when one unexpected sound echoes across the otherwise silent room, he drew his eyebrows together in confusion as he looked around. He didn''t remember leaving any of the equipment active, and he didn''t recognize the sound. Had he imagined it...?

    No, there it was again: his eyes finally landed on the source, and he got up from his chair to walk towards one corner of the room. There, sitting unused since a very long time on a table, half covered with what had probably been a picnic tablecloth once, was an old radio. It was supposedly still active, left turned on just in case... but he had never actually heard it work. Nobody had actually heard it work since quite some time.

    Clavell removed the tablecloth and fiddled with the dials, turning up the volume. Was it picking up some stray signal? Some interference from a Electric type Pok¨¦mon nearby?

    He waited a bit in front of the device, but the sound didn''t repeat.

    Clavell shook his head, and went back to grading his tests.

    It had probably been a stray Magnezone from nearby the crater sending some signal that had been coincidentally picked up. The alternative was simply impossible.

    After all, nobody had been in Area Zero since decades.

 Chapter 19: Stranded, part II

    Chapter 19: Stranded, part II

    While Sada was out looking for food and generally making herself much more useful for their immediate survival, Turo had slowly started to examine the building they had sought refuge in. The lights didn''t work; he had tried the switch -after figuring out where it was, because it''s not like he had ever needed to use manual light switches in his life - a couple of times, but there wasn''t even a flicker. He had no idea if it was because the building itself had no power or the light bulb itself was burned. The fact that they all didn''t work made him lean towards the former... And that already was a foreign concept to him. You never really found yourself... With no power in his time. And that was already a problem. No power meant no way to call for help, if he ever found something capable of it.

    He had managed to find a matchbook and some candles inside a drawer in the small kitchen, and stared at the little packet for a good five seconds, feeling like he was about to embarrass himself. He had never lit a match in his life, obviously, but... Come on. He had made actual fire with his bare hands. Old movies made it look so easy!

    How difficult could it be?

    He opened a packet and took a look inside, grimacing when he found only five matches inside.

    Turo took one out and did his best to copy what he had only ever seen in movies. He put the round end against the colored stripe on one side of the box, and dragged it quickly along the rough surface.

    ... It snapped in half.

    He cursed in a low voice, throwing it away for another one, repeating the motion. Was he doing something wrong? Were the matches too old? Could they expire or something?

    The second one he almost dropped when it actually lit up, and he smiled-

    Then immediately went back to a scowl, feeling silly for having gotten excited for something so minor.

    He preferred to light only one of the candles for the moment, caution telling him that they had no idea for how long they would need them, and carried it with him back to the main room. He wanted to examine the shelves for any document that could point him to what age they had landed... even just the century would do. They had electricity and radio, so... Anywhere from start of the 20th century or so?

    Carefully setting the candle down on the desk, Turo grabbed one binder at random from the shelves and opened it up, squinting to read anything in the small light. What looked like observations about the flora and fauna of the crater with old, printed black and white pictures poured out, one of them depicting... he had no idea what it was honestly. It was big and lumbering by the looks of it, and mostly hidden by vegetation. One of those old, grainy and blurry pictures that made him honestly wonder how people could even pretend to make out something out of it.

    He turned the picture over, looking for anything that had been written on it.

    ... Man, reading handwritten cursive that wasn''t his own was hard, but he managed to at least make out a date. Somewhat. 195... Something?

    Problem was, he had no idea how old these pictures were supposed to be, and they could have been sitting here for decades.

    He went to examine the typewriters next, not without some fascination: after all, they had been the very first keyboards in a sense. The whole reason keys were still arranged in that order was because the layout of most letters had been designed for typewriters first.

    The fact that there was still paper inserted into every machine struck him as strange. It was like they had expected to come back soon to finish typing something up, but then never did. Had whatever exploration team that had been living here have to leave in a hurry? What had happened?

    Turo moved back to the binder he had opened and started reading the actual typed report, eyes now skimming over it much more easily that with handwriting.

    ... It just looked like day-by-day observations of the weather inside the crater, if you could even call it that, notes about temperature and humidity, soil composition, and sightings of wild Pok¨¦mon.

    Nothing that looked particularly important or useful right now. He left it on one of the desks, scrunching up his nose when it kicked up a cloud of dust; not something he was used to. So much dust, that is.

    That was when something caught his attention, half hidden on another desk in the very corner of the room. His eyes went wide when he recognized it as an old radio and he approached the bulky device. It looked... very dusty, and he frowned. Would it even work anymore? That was the problem with old analog technology like this; one little thing broke or even just got a bit too much dust on it, and suddenly nothing worked. Or at least, that''s how it seemed to always be in media. And you didn''t even get some error message about what was wrong.

    He sat down at the desk, cautiously examining every little dial and notch on it. It had no power right now, obviously, and he had just the vaguest idea of how it worked, so he wanted to just get a bit more familiar with it before attempting to use it. He knew the theory, of course, radio waves and all that, but seeing one in person was... different. He was literally staring at a museum piece.

    More than one time, he found himself gesturing in midair for a screen to appear out of pure habit to look something up, only to be left confused when nothing happened. This would take... a while to get used to. At the third time of waving his hand in the air, he let out a frustrated sigh and stood up, going back to the shelves. This stupid thing had to have some... manual on how to use it, was it? They used to be printed, in the past.

    He was still looking for one, piling up documents and books on different desks to categorize them, when Sada returned. He turned toward her and had to blink when he saw that she was dragging what looked like a bunch of branches.

    ? I found food ? she declared, raising her bag full of... he supposed those were berries inside.

    ? What are those for? ? Turo asked, helping her drag the branches inside and shutting the door, leaving nothing but the small rectangle of lights from the ceiling windows and the candle light to illuminate the room.

    ? I want to make a "bow". A spear is difficult to use, here.? she explained as she offered him a couple of the berries. He took them, and they sat at one of the desks to eat. They were pretty crunchy, and hard, and resembled chesto berries a bit with a dry, dusty flavor. Honestly, they tasted a bit like what he imagined biting on a piece of bark would be like, but flavor was the last thing on his mind at the moment. For a couple of minutes, they simply ate in silence. A weary heaviness hung in the air, and Turo could feel that there was still something that Sada wanted to ask him. He simply waited for her to bring it up when she felt comfortable as he held the berry over the little candle flame in an attempt to roast it and make it taste a bit better. It took three berries before she did.

    ? Your people... can they not... jump here? Find you? ? the question made his stomach twist painfully in a knot.

    He had been wondering the same thing, but... he shook his head after a moment. He wanted to believe it was possible, than one moment or the next a blinding flash of light would fill the room and he would see Ortega or Vega show up and clap him on the shoulder, laughing about how he had managed to land himself in Area Zero of all places and then get them both out of here. But there was one simple, glaring problem stopping that perfect little scenario from becoming true.

    ? The time-anchor... the bracelet, is broken. They don''t know where I am.? Turo took a long, shuddering breath.

    ? And if they did find me... they would already be here.? he added.

    If they had somehow found a way to pinpoint the coordinates where the bracelet had broken down and he had landed... it would make the most sense for them to appear right where he and Sada had first woken up. He kept thinking about it, but his mind kept circling back to a single conclusion: if they could find him, they would have already done so. They fact that they didn''t could only mean that they couldn''t.

    ? They don''t know where to jump. We''re... we''re lost.? he hated how his voice almost cracked on that last word. Sada simply nodded at that, head held low.

    ---

    After their meager meal, Turo went back to searching for something between all the paper notebooks that lined the walls.

    Sada had tried to do the same at first, but every time she tried to read anything written in those notebooks she found she couldn''t make any sense of it. She could read them, meaning that she recognized almost all of the same symbols Turo had taught her... but she couldn''t understand the words they spelled. Too many words she didn''t know... and she didn''t want to interrupt Turo by asking about them. It frustrated her. It made her feel stupid, and useless, the fact that she was of more help sitting aside not saying anything instead of actually doing something. So she had sat down at one of the desks, and started examining the branches she had brought in, testing their flexibility to better search for one she could make a bow out of. She could at least do that, she thought with a scowl.

    After a while, Turo called her to show her the strange device in one corner of the room.

    ? This is called a radio. We can use it to call for help... but it needs power. And I need to know how to use it, first... so I''m looking for the manual. ?

    Sada looked at the strange, bulky device.

    ? What kind of power...? ? she asked, not quite sure how to help. She would have started prodding it and examining it, but they had to be cautious. She didn''t want to accidentally break something.

    ? "Electricity"... thunder.? he added after a moment, by now used to adding explanations whenever it looked like she didn''t know what something meant. Sada''s eyes went wide at that. She... maybe she could actually do something about that.

    ? I''ve seen creatures that use thunder here! ? she felt a little bit of excitement come back to her as Turo whirled around.

    ? You saw... can you catch one? ? he asked, walking up to her, eyes shining in the candle light.

    Sada simply nodded, confident, and he let out a little laugh and hugged her.

    ? Yes... yes! If I find a battery, or whatever it uses, maybe we can... give it power...? he trailed off, falling deep into thought. Sada had no idea what a battery was, but it didn''t matter. She could still help, in a way. Together, they could do anything. They would get out of this place, even if it meant that she had to personally fight everything in the crater to do it.

    It was difficult to keep track of the time of day in the crater; it seemed to never become night; after a while, the sky had darkened slightly, but it was impossible to say if it was because the sun had set or clouds had simply blocked it. It was like the air itself was somehow lighting up their surroundings; more than one time, Sada saw what looked like snowy fragments of crystals catch the light, just for nothing to be there when she actually turned to look. It was... disorienting. It made her skin tingle, like the air did when Fluffyhead or other Spark Tail had charged their thunder.

    With the strange clouds covering the sky, she couldn''t even use shadows to get a sense of the passage of time, so in the end, they both ended up settling down for the "night" when they were simply too exhausted to continue. Sada laid herself down on the "mattress'', as Turo had called it, pulling a flimsy blanket they had found over both her and Turo. Even as exhausted as she was, she doubted she would fall asleep. For once, she didn''t have to worry about wild creatures creeping up on her as she slept.

    She somewhat wished she had to, because it would at least keep her mind occupied from thinking too much about... what had happened. They were lost. Alone. She would never see her village and her tribe again... even if they somehow found a way to live in this crater, or made it out... she would never see them again. It didn''t feel real. Would they simply think that she had.. fallen prey to some creature? Would someone go look for her, wondering what had happened? What about Winged King?

    It was all her fault that they were both trapped here now.

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    She realized she had been shivering only when she heard Turo turn around and put one hand on her shoulder. It was warm, like him, and he slowly started caressing her shoulder, then her hair, and finally let his hand rest on her cheek.

    ? Sada... it''s not your fault.? he repeated in a whisper, shuffling closer to softly kiss her forehead.

    ? We''re still alive. We are still together.? he added after a moment, and that made her shivering slowly slow down until it finally stopped. She looked at the glowing lines on his suit, how they seemed to pulse slightly with each controlled breath he took, and traced one with a finger, slowly, until she came upon the barely visible outline of the necklace she had given him so much time ago. She gradually matched her breath to his, burying her face on his chest.

    ? ... yes. We''re still together.? that was what she had to focus on. The only thing that mattered.

    ---

    He wasn''t quite sure how much time had passed when they woke up. The weird lighting in the crater made it impossible to tell, and Sada seemed particularly frustrated by it. Had one day passed? Did it even matter?

    Sada had gone out to look for more food and for the electric Pok¨¦mon she had mentioned, while Turo kept reading. He had found the radio manual, finally, a thick and dusty tome that thankfully seemed to be pretty detailed. Then again, in a time when people couldn''t readily look up information online, he figured it was probably required to write down every pointless detail than risk leaving something out. You just had to write down everything, and for that, Turo was now deeply grateful, as he started to read the instructions on how to use it and how to disassemble it if anything needed fixing.

    The language it was written in... made his head hurt a bit honestly. It was Paldean, in theory, but... ancient. Some words he had no idea what they meant, others must have surely changed meaning in the meantime because they absolutely made no sense in context for him. Some sentences left him with the infuriating experience of being able to read every word and still have no idea of what they actually meant.

    One thing that thankfully was unchanged was the scientific notation. Even like that, it was slow work, and he had to finally stop to take a break. Normally, this would have been the moment where he shuffled out of his office and dragged himself to the sanity room for a coffee and a chat. There was no trace of coffee here, just a sad empty moka pot he had found in the kitchen with rust in it. He would probably die if he ever attempted to brew something in it.

    With nothing else to do, he stopped in the doorway and watched Sada carefully carve her bow out of a branch. She had one of the research reports open in front of her on the grass, and would glance at it every couple of minutes, her mouth slowly reading out words she didn''t know. Her determination to somehow grasp the meaning of them made him smile, and he carefully moved to sit down next to her.

    ? What are you reading?? he asked, and for a while they simply stood side by side, like they had done months ago, teaching each other unknown words.

    ---

    On the third night, or at least that''s what it felt like, she suddenly heard Turo get up in the middle of the night. Sada kept still, her eyes wide open as the mattress creaked under her and he stumbled outside the bedroom. She silently got up and followed him when she heard him curse under his breath.

    She found him in the kitchen, furiously working the little buttons on his bracelet at the feeble light of one of the candles, face ashen wide and eyes desperate.

    ? Please turn on, come on... you piece of shit, I need you to work just once... we don''t have much time left... FUCK! ? he suddenly screamed, enraged. Sada walked slowly into the room, gently cupped his face with both hands, and simply held him close as he trembled.

    ? They are not coming... they are not coming... Nobody knows we are here...? he repeated in a whisper, over and over.

    ? Sada... if we can''t get out... what do we do...?? he asked after a while.

    She made him lift his head and looked into his eyes.

    ? We will get out. And we survive until then. Together.? Turo nodded slowly.

    ? Together. Right. Right. ? he repeated after a moment, with a bit more energy.

    They fell into a strange routine of sort. Sada started to track the wild creature''s movements, and they agreed on keeping track of time by observing when certain creatures would come out from their burrows or go to the lake to drink. Turo would stay cooped up inside most of the time, at most sitting down on the grass right outside the doorway to read to at least not burn through their candles so quickly. The only moment when he strayed somewhat far was to accompany her to get water from the lake. She needed both hands free to use her new bow, so he had to help carrying supplies.

    On the fourth day, they stop along the way to peer over the cliff, deep into the crater. While you could barely make out the bottom, hidden by fog, they had seen creatures come in and out from cracks in the side of the crater, similar to the little cave where she had found the berry bush.

    ? Do you think there are more caves under there? ? Sada wondered out loud.

    ? Maybe the treasure is there... or a passage that leads outside.? she added, but Turo simply shrugged.

    ? People would have found a passage. The only way out is up. ? he seemed pretty convinced, so she just sighed, looking back up towards the circular edge of the crater.

    Her eyes caught the silhouette of one of the massive black birds that seemed to live here, and she frowned. She had noticed something strange about them.

    ? ... I don''t get it. Why don''t they fly out? ? she commented, pointing it out to Turo. She had even thought about trying to tame one like she had done with Winged King and attempt to fly out of the crater... but they seemed to just turn around and fly back inside as soon as they got too high up.

    She had noticed that birds didn''t fly really high here.

    ? I''m not sure... maybe they don''t want to. If they have food and everything they need here... ? Turo commented.

    So bribing them with the little food they had was out.

    Maybe they could keep it as their last resort... if calling for help with the "radio" didn''t work.

    They stood side by side, transfixed by the light that seemed to come off the deepest part of the crater. One part of her just wanted to go see what was at the bottom. To explore, to discover if that "treasure" was really there. The other, more cautious part, the one that had kept her alive until today, told her that it wasn''t the right moment.

    ? Let''s go. ? she put one hand on Turo''s shoulder and forced herself to turn away.

    On the fourth day, she managed to get one of the little "electric" creatures to follow her to their shelter, coaxing it with plenty of roasted berries. It squeaked as it ran circles around them both, it''s bright orange fur crackling.

    ? Will he be powerful enough?? she asked Turo, who looked up from his manual with a tired smile.

    ? He will. ?

    ---

    The sixth day it rained; they dragged every reasonably clean container they could find outside, and watched the water pool in as it fell from the sky. The rain formed little rivers that cascaded down into the crater from all sides, disappearing into the depths.

    ? With how often it rains in Paldea, there must be a massive underwater lake down there. Or maybe it connects back to the sea. The water has to go somewhere, or the crater would have long filled up. ? Turo pointed out, rubbing at his chin with one hand.

    Sada simply nodded, her eyes still on one of the research reports. She had gotten a bit faster in reading them, and was using a yellowed piece of paper from the typewriters and a pencil to take notes on the meaning of words she didn''t know.

    ? That makes sense. It also can''t all flow out, or the... ? she scrunched her nose, then briefly consulted her makeshift dictionary.

    ? "Ecosystem" would die.?

    He had carefully opened up the radio in order to remove the dry cell batteries that powered it and examine them. If they were lucky, they were just empty. If they were unlucky, they couldn''t hold a charge anymore. He was more interested in the cables that hooked all the pieces together anyway. He hoped to be able to use the Electric Type to give the radio enough power to call for help. He had no idea what the Pok¨¦mon was called: it looked similar enough to a Pikachu, but there had been so many of those electric rodents in the past they all kind of blended together to him. How were you supposed to remember them all? There was a different one in every darn region it seemed.

    Native to Paldea... Paw-something? Or was it Dedenne? He was only sure it wasn''t a Mincinno, because he knew what the ancestor of Steelcino looked like, and it wasn''t that.

    Whatever, it''s not like it mattered.

    ? You, umm... Pipsqueak. Come here.? he gestured for the Pok¨¦mon to approach, and after a moment they carefully crawled near.

    Now, how was he supposed to explain what he wanted from them? He wasn''t even sure that it would understand his words: if people hadn''t come here in decades, they were probably the first humans this Pok¨¦mon had ever seen.

    Maybe that was why it had no fear of them.

    Which was good.

    But that also meant it had absolutely no exposure to human language.

    Which was bad.

    ? I need you to... hold this and use your electric powers.? he said, holding up the cable that was supposed to connect the battery cell to the radio. The Pok¨¦mon just stared at him blankly, because of course it did.

    ? Erm... use Thunder Shock?? more blank stares, because of course it would have no idea of what a move name was.

    Sigh.

    ... how did people do this?

    Most Pok¨¦mon in his time had started as Artificial Pok¨¦mon, and those literally came with natural language processing models installed for most languages. The ones that had evolved naturally like Miraidon usually lived so close to humans anyway they just learned fast.

    He didn''t have time to reinvent domestication-

    ? You have to teach them what you want with each command. Here-? Sada got the creature''s attention by waving one berry around, and then waited patiently.

    The Pok¨¦mon looked at her and tried to get at the berry, only for her to move it out of the way, raising her hand high. It let out an irritated squeak, rubbing their front paws which made sparks crackle between the short claws. The instant she saw the little sparks, Sada was quick to give it the berry. The Pok¨¦mon''s eyes widened. It looked at the food it had been given, and Turo could swear he could almost see it make the connection between what it did and the reward it got.

    This was going to take a while. As long as it didn''t eat all their food.

    ---

    It took ten days for the mysterious noise to reoccur. This time, it had been in the early morning, and Clavell only happened to hear it because he had briefly stopped in the lab before a lesson, preparing it for the next lessons of Pok¨¦mon Biochemistry that was going to take place in it half an hour from now.

    This time he froze, staring at the radio. He opened the wide windows, and stuck his head outside. Not a single Magnezone in sight. They mostly circled the crater, but sometimes happened to drift close to the city, attracted by all the electromagnetic fields of thousands of devices. Clavell closed the window, and went back to the radio. He turned the volume up to the maximum. All right, so it was picking up something. Maybe the radio frequency it was listening on had been accidentally changed and was just picking up some random broadcasting station-

    ? ... llo...? Anyone... ple... espond.?

    He stared at the radio in shock.

    That was definitely a radio transmission. Directed at the secret frequency used only and exclusively to communicate in the past without interference with a specific place. But that was... impossible.

    He picked up the transceiver with a trembling hand, pushing the button to switch from "receive" to "send".

    ? H-hello...? Who is this...? ? he asked, eyes wide.

    There was a long silence, before another answer arrived.

    ? ... trapped... Area -- ero.? and after that, just a single word, in another voice.

    ? Help.?

    ---

    It couldn''t be. It couldn''t be, Clavell thought as he ran out of the Academy. Nobody had entered Area Zero in decades. Nobody had even received permission to do it in decades. What were two people doing in Area Zero? But the signal could have only come from there. And if there really were two people... trapped in the crater... Arceus knew how they had gotten there or how long they had been under there.

    Even if it was some kind of error, a prank, an illusion by some ghost Pok¨¦mon or anything else... he had to make sure.

    Professor Harrington would have to cover the lesson for him. He threw one of the Premier Balls on his jacket, letting out his Gyarados, and quickly climbed on the Pok¨¦mon''s back, directing him towards the Great Crater. The water serpent flew fast and high, soaring high to avoid the Garchomp and especially Magnezone that loved to establish their territory there, before diving straight down. The communication should have come from... Research Station number 2.

    They broke through the cloud cover, and he peered down towards the clouds, looking for the building that had to be somewhere down there...

    Gyarados roared and started thrashing violently side by side, shaking his head and forcing him to hold tight to his crest.

    ? What''s gotten into you?? Clavell looked around, trying to calm his Pok¨¦mon down, until he saw it. An arrow, sticking out from the yellow scales on his lower half He stared at it for a long moment, too surprised to react as the serpent barreled toward the ground, absolutely furious. With another roar, it opened his mouth and pointed his head towards the ground, towards... towards the figure of a woman with long wild hair, covered in what looked like pelts, holding a bow and aiming straight at his Pok¨¦mon, a second arrow already notched. He saw her pull the bowstring back to fire, before her eyes landed straight on him and went wide in surprise. She lowered her weapon, then ran straight back into the research station, yelling something he didn''t quite understand.

    His mind was still a bit stuck on the "there really was someone in Area Zero, and they just fired an arrow at me"; he made Gyarados carefully land and returned him to his Poke Ball, before carefully approaching the entrance of the building. The inside was dark, the only light provided by a couple of small windows near the ceiling, and a strange, light purple glow coming from one corner of the room. The woman was inside, her eyes wide as she approached... Clavell had to blink, recognizing the glowing lines as part of a strange rubbery suit worn by a man with dark hair, almost camouflaged in the dark. His eyes were similarly wide, and he grabbed the woman''s arm, whispering something in her ear in a unknown language, before clearing his throat and speaking up.

    ? Did you... gEt the radio messAge...? ?

    He had a strange way of speaking; it was Paldean, without a doubt, but he spoke with an inflection that Clavell had never heard before. Were they foreigners?

    ? Yes, I... I got your message. W-who are you? How did you arrive here? ? he asked, incredulous.

    The more he looked around, the more details that just made the whole situation more surreal he noticed. Branches that looked carved up to make arrows were piled up in one corner. Plastic beakers filled with rainwater were amassed near the doorway. A little Pawmi hissed at him, fur standing up, before running under his legs and disappearing outside.

    Dear Arceus, how long had they been stuck under here? How long had they been trying to use that radio?

    Neither of them answered, the couple exchanging one long glance and another couple of whispered words with each other.

    ? We... We fEll. InSide. ? the woman eventually answered for both.

    They... They fell inside the crater...? Couldn''t they have simply flown out, or called a Flying Taxi? How did they even survive?

    ? We nEed help...? the man added after a moment.

    Clavell just kept staring incredulously at both.

    The woman - who, his mind helpfully reminded him, had just shot his Pok¨¦mon with an arrow -, who looked straight out one of those extreme survivalist shows where they got dropped into the wilderness with nothing -, and then the man, with his weird glowing scuba diving suit or whatever it was, and felt a migraine set in, along with the weird feeling that he had gotten himself into something much bigger than what he had first thought. Much, much bigger.

    ... Well, what exactly was he supposed to do now?

    Clavell didn''t have to think long about it. Common courtesy and decency made his next step pretty obvious. Everything else could wait.

    He straightened his glasses, looking at the pair with quiet determination.

    ? ... Let''s get you out of here first. And something to eat. You both look like you need it.?

    They both almost collapsed in relief at his words, holding each other for support.

    ? May I have your names? ? he asked, and again it seemed to take a moment for his words to register.

    ? Sada, and...?

    ? ... Turo.?

    They mumbled as a response after a couple of seconds.

    Yes, they definitely didn''t seem to have a complete grasp of Paldean. Which made their appearance here, literally in the middle of the region, in the one place that not even people that had lived in Paldea their whole life knew... Completely impossible.

    Paradoxical.

 Chapter 20: Stranded, part III

    Chapter 20: Stranded, part III

    Paleolithic Era, in the area that will be known as Kalos.

    Sada had been missing for a couple of days now.

    Personally, Chalo wasn''t particularly worried. Sada had always been a bit more of a free spirit, and now that she could just fly away with Winged King, she was no longer bound to stay in one place. People being away from the settlement for days was nothing unusual, as traveling took time, but¡­

    Her timing to decide to go away was a bit unusual. Deep into the cold season, it wasn''t the best time for long hunting trips. People hunkered down to survive. The wool they had gathered from their little herd of Spark Tail had proven incredibly valuable, so there was no need to set out to hunt so many Steady Glacier anymore.

    And Fluffyhead had grown so strong! Now, it had even learned to make his wool grow incredibly fast and harden it to protect himself or herself from attacks. Its wool didn''t make for particularly comfortable clothes, but it offered some amazing protection by wearing it underneath. Not to mention, one of Sada''s latest ideas from moons ago had offered them another way to get clothes anyway:

    Stealing creatures¡¯ eggs straight from the nest and getting them to hatch! To raise them instead of eating them immediately!

    Apparently, Turo''s tribe had been doing it for a long time.

    ¡­Uh.

    As strange as she found the guy - and still not really seeing what Sada saw in him! Way too scrawny and spindly looking! -, she had to admit that he came up with some interesting ideas every now and then. Plus, watching him trip every two steps and getting all exasperated when she called him "Terg" would never not be funny.

    Chalo finished feeding the Spark Tails, carefully set aside the berries that managed to survive the cold of this season, and ducked back into the communal tent.

    In one corner of the tent, carefully nestled in a bundle of pine leaves and away from the fire sitting in the center of the tent, was a little yellow and green creature. Sada had stolen the egg from a nest of strange creatures, who¡­ Well, Chalo wasn''t really sure if they were supposed to be bugs or plants, not that she really cared as long as she didn''t have to kill one. They had named them "Cutting Leaf", from the sharp semi-circle shaped upper limbs that their adults forms seemed to have.

    Sada had observed them wrap their eggs in fallen leaves, so they had done the same with their stolen egg, and to everyone''s delight, managed to make it hatch!

    The creature had grown close to Sada¡¯s mother, Akai, who had quickly discovered how to use the sticky thread it spewed out in her sewing. After that, the two had become inseparable, and the creature was more than happy spending her days chewing whatever bits of leaves she could find and spit out more thread to use, almost always sitting by the old woman''s side.

    There, a group of five or six tribe people were busy making new clothes.

    ? Is Sada back? ? Akai asked, without raising her head from her work.

    ? Not yet. ? Chalo shook her head, sitting down by her side.

    Neither of them said a word, both probably thinking the same thing. She must have left with Turo like always... but she would always come back in the evening. They would never go far. The old woman kept working, her hands skillfully gathering the thread spit out by the little bug as soon as it solidified.

    ? ... I''ve heard they found her spear. Narjik''s son did. ? Akai added after a moment, and Chalo''s eyes widened.

    ? Her spear...? But...?

    But Sada never went anywhere without her spear. Even with that enormous dragon with her, going somewhere without a weapon was just idiotic. This changed everything. She looked back to the old woman, her face carefully neutral as she kept working, head held low.

    ? If they found her spear... and no trace of her...? She didn¡¯t want to say it out loud. The spirits liked to play cruel jokes on humans and tended to make those things true when you did, but¡­

    ? ... Sada isn''t dead. ? Sada''s mother raised her voice, her eyes - so similar to her daughter''s - finally left her work to look at Chalo, sending a shiver down her spine.

    ? She can''t be, ? Akai continued, ? she will come back. She always does. ?

    Chalo looked away, the determination - the desperation - in the woman''s eyes difficult to look at.

    ? ... I''ll go ask Narjik''s son to tell me where he found the spear. ? Chalo answered after a moment.

    Sada wouldn''t just forget her spear, even if she had suddenly lost her mind and decided to ran away in the night with that Turo guy.

    Something must have happened.

    She exited the tent again and called for Fluffyhead to follow her with a little whistle, heading for her own tent to grab her bow.

    ---

    The "radio" that Turo had managed to fix seemed to finally be working. Or at least, it was doing something.

    Apparently, as Turo had explained, it used something called "radio waves" to send their voices far away. People with other "radios" could capture these "radio waves" and hear them speak. It all sounded like magic to Sada; you couldn''t see these "waves", so how could you catch them? What if nobody heard them?

    She thought of smoke signals: visible from very far away, but only if someone was looking in the right direction at the right time. This seemed to be the same.

    Therefore, when someone had actually answered and she heard someone''s voice come out of the radio, she couldn''t help but jump together with Turo and ask for help.

    Had they really heard them? Would someone really come?

    How many days would it take?

    They should have enough food to last another couple of half-moons, easily...!

    Too troubled with her unanswered questions and divvying up rations, Sada hadn''t even considered the idea that help would arrive straight away.

    So, when she saw an enormous, blue, snake-like creature suddenly descend from the sky, Sada''s first instinct had been to shoot it.

    It had taken her a moment to see the human figure that had been riding it. Humans could tame even such large creatures in this time¡­? That was incredible! How did they do it?

    ? Turo! Someone''s here! ? She ran back into what had become their shelter, eyes wide. Turo had been busy in one corner of the room, still working on the radio, and he whirled around with a surprised look on his face, his gaze focusing first on her and then on something behind her back.

    ? W-what? ? He looked completely exhausted, like he didn''t even dare to hope that his radio had worked after days of trying.

    Sada looked back to the entrance, where the dragon tamer had just crossed the door, eyes similarly wide as he looked around. He had short light brown hair, a short little beard of a similar color, and light gray eyes. He was wearing a strange clear mask over his eyes, something Sada couldn''t quite understand the function of. It seemed to provide no protection to his face or his eyes, like the hard one that Turo had her wear when they had ridden Miraidon. Maybe, it was something to just stop the wind from entering his eyes while flying?

    ? Let me speak. ? Turo whispered to her, before addressing the man.

    He did seem to speak a strange, slightly different version of Turo''s language... but he thankfully spoke slowly enough that she could understand, and if not everything, still quite a few words.

    The man seemed incredulous to how they were here, not that Sada could blame him. According to what Turo had said, people really weren''t supposed to be in Area Zero. She looked at him, and Turo seemed to be conflicted.

    ? What do we say...? ? She asked.

    ? The truth... part of it. Not like he would believe us, ? he answered after a moment.

    Sada nodded before turning back to the man.

    ? We fell. Inside. ?

    In a way, that was what had happened after all.

    ? ... And we need help. ? Turo added.

    There were a couple of tense seconds as Sada looked to the man that had come to their rescue. He still seemed mostly in disbelief. If that was his reaction to them just appearing here, then what would he even say to the complete truth...? That they literally fell from the sky after using a magic bracelet that made you jump through time?

    ? ... Let''s get you out of here first, ? the man suggested. ? And something to eat. You both look like you need it. ?

    Thankfully, the man seemed more preoccupied with helping than looking for an explanation. Sada almost couldn''t believe it as she turned towards Turo with a relieved smile.

    They were alive.

    They were going to get out of here... into a completely new world.

    Everything else... everything else could wait for now.

    ---

    Turo couldn''t quite believe that someone had actually received their message and had come straight into the crater. When the man entered the research station, he had to do a double take, eyes widening in disbelief.

    The man had... what looked like six whole Master Balls in pure white and red attached to his jacket. That was absurd! Was he... the Paldean League Champion, or something of that sort? Or were Master Balls actually common in the past?

    ? W-who are you...? ? He asked as they followed the man outside.

    Little Pipsqueak had run off who knows where, scared by the intruder, and Turo found himself actually a bit sad at seeing it bolt away. If it hadn''t been for the little electric critter managing to give power back to the building, they wouldn''t have been able to ask for help.

    Then again, it''s not like he had wanted to take it with him. He was no Pok¨¦mon trainer. His only companion had been...

    He forced himself to think of something else. Thinking of Miraidon... hurt too much right now.

    Focus. He had to focus on the immediate present and nothing else.

    ? Ah, of course, I haven''t introduced myself. Sebastian Clavell, I''m a teacher and researcher and Uvanja Academy in Mesagoza.? The man said, and Turo gratefully focused on nothing but his voice, concentrating to understand it.

    It was Paldean, but... like the written one in the report, it sounded strange to him. Ancient. Almost as though he was hearing it in some old timey movie of the past. It was¡­ Interesting, and even hilarious, when some words that had completely changed their meaning would pop up.

    But hearing it in this context, in real life? Terrifying. And exhausting.

    Clavell released a Gyarados from one of the Master Balls on his belt, and it took Turo one moment to realize what he¡¯d meant by it.

    ? Are we... riding that? ? He asked as the man motioned for the enormous serpent to lower his head.

    Clavell just looked perplexed.

    ? Yes, of course... what happened to your Pok¨¦mon, actually? Couldn''t you have flown out? ? He asked as Sada climbed aboard without the slightest hesitation, even as the Pok¨¦mon growled at her bow still slung over her shoulder.

    Should he say something about the bow? Tell Sada to leave it here?

    ...

    Whatever. It''s not like they could get any weirder. The bow was probably the most normal thing about them right now.

    Turo grit his teeth.

    ? We don''t... have Pok¨¦mon with us.? he answered after a moment.

    Was it going to sound weird? There had to be people that just weren''t interested in having Pok¨¦mon or couldn''t afford them, right?

    If Clavell found it weird, he didn''t show it.

    Turo copied Sada and climbed on the Gyarados''s back, desperately holding onto one of the big ridges on the Pok¨¦mon''s back. Something told him he was not going to like this at all.

    ---

    Parking his Gyarados in front of one of Mesagoza''s Go-for-Broke Grills had caused a bit of a scene, but it had been the quickest way to arrive right at their destination. Clavell had tried to usher the two in as fast as he could, but that still didn''t stop a little crowd of onlookers to gather around them.

    ? Order whatever you want, ? he said as he looked for the table farthest from the door. He still felt stares follow them as they took their seats, not that he could blame them: the two both would have looked like they had just dressed up for a costume party, if not for their completely exhausted faces and dirty hair and clothes.

    Oh, and the giant bow carved out of wood slung over the woman''s shoulder didn''t help.

    Sada sat down first, looking around and immediately grasping the little plastic menus to examine them, while Turo hesitated for a second more, cautiously looking around.

    ? We... We don''t have money... ? He murmured with a pained look, and Clavell took a moment to take a better look at the both of them.

    Umm. Well, he obviously hadn''t planned to have them pay for the food right now, not when they had both just survived who knows how many days on berries and rainwater. Sada seemed busy reading the menu by silently mouthing each dish.

    ? Money...? ? She asked suddenly, raising her eyes to stare at the man at her side.

    Turo leaned sideways to whisper something incomprehensible to her, and she nodded, biting her lip.

    ? You know, I¡¯ve never heard that language before, ? Clavell pointed out, turning towards the woman, and finding himself suddenly curious. ? Where are you both from? ?

    Sada stared at him with the wide eyes of a Deerling caught in headlights.

    ? K-Kalos... ? She answered after a moment.

    ? Northern Paldea... ? Turo added distractedly, also busy staring at the menu. He tapped his finger on one item, then seemed to blink and flinched a little inward, pulling his hand back. ? ... but I''ve been away from Paldea for... a while. With her. ?

    Clavell hummed thoughtfully. That language didn''t sound even close to Kalosian, unless it was some incredibly thick dialect spoken who knows where.

    The waiter approached, a young man whose eyes bugged out for a moment in noticing the two strange clients.

    ? Oh, umm... can I have your order? ? He asked, politely pretending not to have noticed the enormous bow that Sada had left leaning beside her chair, propped up against the table on the little pillow usually reserved for Pok¨¦mon.

    Neither of them looked particularly ready to order, Sada narrowing her eyes at the waiter. Or maybe they were just embarrassed about ordering for themselves if they had no money on them.

    ? Can I suggest something? ? Clavell asked.

    Turo nodded after a moment, putting the menu down with a defeated sigh.

    ? One large Paella de Paldea for three, two Escalivada and one Klawf al Ajillo. With water. ? He ordered, and the waiter gleefully wrote it down and pretty much sprinted into the back.

    Poor guy.

    ---

    Sada couldn''t help but feel completely out of place. Before the blue floating dragon of "Clavell" had brought them out of the crater, in the back of her mind, a little part of her had still expected to find a world similar to her own. Instead, the place they had landed in looked more like the one in Turo''s time, albeit a lot smaller. Same for the language they spoke; not quite like Turo''s, but still sounding more similar compared to her own.

    The way people looked, the buildings, creatures being everywhere... It was obvious that this place was much closer to Turo''s time than her own.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    Sada wasn''t sure how to act. She had grabbed the little paper sheet with pictures of food on it to try and read it, grateful that she could at least touch it compared to the glowing, floating images in Turo''s time, but, ultimately¡­

    She had no idea what anything on the piece of paper was. She didn''t recognize anything. Not even the "waffles" she had eaten in Turo''s time.

    What was she supposed to say...?

    ? Money...? ? She didn''t even know what this ¡®money¡¯ thing they were discussing was, and why she and Turo were supposed to have it.

    ? I will explain later, ? Turo whispered quickly, and she nodded, feeling even more left out.

    ? Where are you both from? ?

    Sada stared at Clavell with wide eyes, not knowing what to say. She didn''t want to look at Turo for help, in fear of making it clear to Clavell that she had no idea what to say. She didn''t even know what this place was... just that this was on "Earth".

    In her panic, she suddenly remembered the only other name of a place on Earth except Area Zero that she knew.

    ? K-Kalos... ? She answered and hazarded a look at Turo, who nodded approvingly.

    Somehow, it looked like she had managed to say the right thing.

    A young man approached them, and Sada glared at him suddenly intruding in their conversation. What did he want? What was an "order"? When Clavell proceeded to list some of the things she had read on the paper, she realized he had probably asked what they wanted to eat.

    Oh... so you don¡¯t just touch the pictures like in Turo''s time?

    ...Strange.

    ? I''m afraid I still have to ask you a couple of questions while we wait for the food, ? Clavell said, and she forced her attention back to him; all of her focus was required just to make little sense of what he was saying. She glanced at Turo, feeling uncomfortable in having to entrust most of the conversation to him. He looked similarly troubled, eyebrows furrowed and a look of deep concentration on his face.

    ? W-what... questions...? ? she asked, pretty much the only part other than "food" that she had understood.

    ? Well, we could start again with your names and what you were doing in Area Zero, ? Clavell sighed, adjusting the little, rigid mask around his eyes.

    Sada hesitated, not sure what to say.

    She had noticed that the man had called himself "Sebastian Clavell", like Turo had said that he actually had two names.

    ? Romero Turo... and... ? Turo answered after a moment, throwing her a glance. Clavell was staring straight at her now, obviously expecting her to answer.

    Sada grit her teeth, crossing her arms to her chest with a huff. She still found the whole thing incredibly stupid.

    She didn''t need another name! Why was one not enough? Was it really that strange?

    ? Sada. Only Sada, ? she huffed stubbornly, noticing Turo cringing in disapproval at her side. She ignored him, just as she ignored Clavell - or Sebastian or whatever -, who narrowed his piercing grey eyes at her.

    People would call her Sada and nothing else. She didn''t care how weird it would make her look here. Other than the literal clothes on her back, it was the only thing she had that was still hers. Begrudgingly, she had realized that she couldn''t keep walking around with her clothes here as soon as she had jumped off that blue serpent.

    They just looked too strange, like Turo had when visiting her.

    ? All right... Let''s put that aside for now. I assume you know that entering Area Zero is forbidden? How could you... fall inside? ? Clavell tried again.

    Sada pointedly looked at Turo, hoping he could pick up the conversation from here as she examined her surroundings. Like the little soft paper things that were put in front of each of their seats. There were no pens, so what were you even supposed to do with those?

    ---

    This whole conversation was nerve-wracking; Clavell was just doing the sensible thing, because obviously someone that discovered two idiots that had fallen into Area Zero and survived there for what? Short of a month? - would want to know how for the love of Arceus that had even happened.

    It didn''t make the situation easier for Turo. He had no idea what kind of bullshit he could even try to feed to the guy.

    Ortega was right. Keeping a cover story straight was difficult, especially if he was lacking information like right now.

    He had been trying to stealthily find out exactly in which century they were for the last five minutes, glancing around in search of anything that could give him a hint. The presence of electricity at least pointed him in the right direction... Now, he just needed a stupid date printed somewhere. A newspaper, a holographic display, a sign, or whatever.

    He was a time traveler. They had rules for not attracting attention. And grabbing the man in front of him by the shoulders and going "The year, man!! What YEAR is it?!" like the protagonist of a crappy sci-fi movie was definitely not the way to do it.

    ¡­And as much as he wanted to right now, he had to be better than that.

    When Clavell had asked where they were from, Sada had thankfully given the perfect answer; saying that she was from outside Paldea would at least not make her look out of place for not knowing the language.

    As for him... pretending to be from barely-Paldea, right near the border could (maybe) pass. He was going to sound weird in any case, and there was nothing he could do about it. He made a mental note to... discuss the name thing with Sada later.

    ? We know. We weren¡¯t planning on getting to Area Zero... but I can''t reveal how. ? He lowered his voice when some people at the tables nearby turned towards them, eyebrows raised.

    He couldn''t tell this man the truth. Definitely not here, anyway.

    And Clavell probably would think him insane anyway. What... what was he even supposed to say?

    He was just tired. His mind was stubbornly refusing to make plans, or even just contemplate the existence of something ahead of the next fifteen minutes - where he would hopefully get some food.

    ? It was... an accident. W-we need... Help. ?

    Clavell was looking at him in silence, and he felt uncomfortably scrutinized by the man.

    ? ...So you were not trying to infiltrate Area Zero unauthorized? ? He asked after a moment.

    Turo sighed.

    ? ...And end up trapped with no way out? ? The younger man huffed. ? No. ?

    Clavell''s eyes narrowed down even further.

    ? But you can''t tell me what you were doing or how you arrived here in Paldea. With no Pokemon. No money. Barely able to speak the language. ?

    Silence.

    ? ...You wouldn''t believe me even if I did, ? Turo mumbled after a moment.

    The man sighed, removing his glasses to clean them with a little handkerchief that he pulled from his jacket.

    ? Alright, ? he conceded. ? If you have your reasons to keep it a secret, I won''t pry further. ?

    The conversation was thankfully cut short by the arrival of their food.

    ? ¡­At least tell me one thing, ? Clavell said as an enormous plate of paella and the two side dishes were put down at the center of the table

    Just the smell enough to make Turo¡¯s mouth water.

    Real food. Actually cooked. With... seasonings and stuff.

    He couldn''t believe it.

    Turo forced himself to look away from the still-sizzling pot, noticing Sada staring at it with an equal mix of curiosity and uncertainty.

    ? What...? ? He asked, suddenly uncomfortable.

    Clavell donned his glasses again, carefully folding the handkerchief back in his breast pocket.

    ? What, for the love of Arceus, are you two wearing? ?

    ¡­Ah. Yes.

    He should have expected that.

    What was he even supposed to say now?

    ---

    An uncomfortable silence stretched on as Clavell watched the two stare at the food that had just arrived with wide eyes, and he felt a little twinge of pity for the couple. They must be famished, to look at the couple of plates in front of them with those wide, incredulous eyes.

    ? Is this... real? Real meat...? ? Turo asked in a low voice, staring at the boiled Klawf claws in one pot.

    Clavell raised one eyebrow, surprised.

    ? Of course. It''s not processed surimi if that''s what you''re asking, ? he answered.

    Sada mumbled something incomprehensible to the man by her side, who threw her a sideway glance before shrugging. One moment later, they threw themselves over the food, starting to eat ravenously.

    Clavell looked away respectfully, sipping his water, and then doing a double-take when he saw Sada grab one of the claws with her bare hands and sink her teeth straight into it.

    ? Um... ? He wasn''t quite sure what to say.

    He noticed Turo flinch and quickly grab fork and knife, trying and failing to stealthily attract the woman''s attention. Sada looked at him, then at the cutlery and finally down at herself, oil and sauce dripping down her chin.

    ? ... Oh.?

    After a moment she grabbed her own fork and knife and clumsily started to try to cut the claw open, throwing little glances towards Turo.

    Clavell decided that it was better not to comment on it.

    ? Our... clothes... um... ? Turo answered after a moment, head low as he kept shoveling paella into his mouth.

    ? Yes. What even is that? A scuba diving suit? Is that what the lights are for? ? Clavell chuckled, but found that trying to alleviate the mood didn''t work. The man just kept silent, face twisted in an uncomfortable expression.

    ? We... We like to... They''re costumes. ? He finally answered, stopping to eat for a moment.

    The silence had never been louder.

    ? ...Costumes. ? Clavell simply repeated, before heaving a deep sigh.

    Alright. They were obviously hiding something, and obviously didn''t want to talk about it, so he decided to simply drop the subject for now and let them eat in peace.

    He was willing to believe them on entering Area Zero not being their true objective, because doing it only to end up trapped there with no way out¡­ It didn''t make any sense. So, he could imagine that it had been a genuine accident. They obviously knew each other and looked pretty close.

    For now, he had a couple of hypotheses about who they could be:

    1) Secret undercover agents, here in Paldea for some super-secret mission! Didn''t really explain the complete lack of any equipment or general preparation. Or the strange clothes, which had the opposite effect of attracting even more attention judging by the fact that everyone in the restaurant had been staring at them since they had stepped in.

    2) A secret romance! A forbidden love between the members of two families that hated each other, prompting the young couple to run away into the night, looking for a place where they could build a life together!

    ...Again, didn''t really explain the "costumes".

    3) A weird combination of both.

    As for how they arrived here, the only way he could explain it was by using a Corviknight to try to illegally enter the region by flying, only to get shot down by Tinkaton... but the man had mentioned being from Northern Paldea. How could he not know that flying on Corviknight was dangerous in Paldea for that very reason?

    His curiosity was well piqued by now. He wanted to ask more questions, but... looking at the slight desperation with which they were devouring their food, he simply pushed his own untouched plate towards them.

    ? ...How long were you stuck under there? ? he slowly asked.

    Sada looked up from her half-eaten plate, scrunching up her face in concentration as she whispered something to Turo. He answered with something that sounded like "month", and she swallowed her bite and nodded.

    ? A moon... um... a "month". I think. It''s always day under there, ? she whispered, carefully enunciating every word. Clavell''s eyes bugged, and he hastily did the math backwards to the first time he had heard the radio catch one of those stray signals.

    ? An entire month... How... ?

    ? Probably a bit less. We couldn''t keep track. ? Turo added, in his unknown, exotic accent. ? We ate mostly berries and other fruits, and... ? his eyes drifted briefly to Sada''s enormous bow without saying anything.

    Clavell simply nodded, leaving that little detail unsaid.

    ? If you want anything else, just order it. I will pay for everything, ? he said.

    It didn''t take long for the two to completely polish everything they had on their plate. It was only noon, and he had definitely missed his classes for today¡­ Oh, he would just have to explain what had happened later.

    ? So, what are you going to do now? ? Clavell asked the both of them as he had finished paying - Sada curiously following his every move - as they exited the Go-for-Broke Grills.

    He half expected them to immediately start on a suspiciously specific plan or destination - "oh yes, we have to go to Alfornada to do this one thing"-, but instead, he was met with absolute silence. He looked back to make sure they had actually followed him outside and found them both standing just right past the door, looking at the streets of Mesagoza with wide eyes, holding hands.

    ? ... I don''t know, ? Turo answered after a moment, and he sounded completely, utterly... defeated.

    Clavell was left completely baffled; his new theory already shattered. The man wasn''t lying. His eyes were just completely devoid of any light as he looked at the horizon.

    Lost.

    Hopeless.

    ? You don''t have... anywhere to go? ? He asked, just to make sure.

    Sada sighed and held Turo''s arms closer, giving the man what should have been a reassuring smile but only managed to look a bit sad to Clavell. She was doing her best to act strong for the both of them, he guessed.

    ? No, but... thank you for the food. And helping us... ?

    ? Thank you for everything, Mr. Clavell, ? Turo added after another moment of silence, and the couple started to move towards the city''s western exit, not without attracting more stares.

    Clavell was left looking at them with a strange mix of pity and confusion. These two... they genuinely had nowhere to go, he realized. Nothing to do. No secret plan or mission... but how was that possible?

    It didn''t matter right now.

    ? Wait! ? He yelled, running after them. ? You... You said you have no money... Where are you even thinking of spending the night? ?

    They both looked at him in confusion; two completely, different kinds. Sada looked like she hadn''t understood a particular word again, while Turo was simply¡­ perplexed.

    ? Aren''t... Aren''t Pok¨¦mon Centers free...? ? He asked, and now it was Clavell''s turn to stare at the man in absolute confusion.

    ? Pok¨¦mon Centers haven''t been built in Paldea since we created the Flying Taxis and Cyclizar roads, ? he said. How could he be from Paldea and not even know that?

    Then again, Pok¨¦mon Centers were still a thing in Kalos, and they did offer free housing for Trainers... which brought him to the second problem.

    ? ...And even if they were, you said you have no Pok¨¦mon. ?

    They both looked saddened at that.

    ? ...I guess you could spend the night at my place, ? he offered after a moment.

    He couldn''t simply leave them there in good conscience. They needed help.

    ---

    Clavell had insisted on bringing them to his place.

    He had specified that they could "make themselves comfortable" before he had to leave, but Sada had barely any idea what that meant. By her night in Turo''s home in his time and their time spent in the crater, she knew by now that homes of the future seemed to be divided into a lot of different spaces. Clavell had offered them a bed in the "living room", a name that made absolutely no sense to Sada even when she asked Turo for the translation to be sure.

    Weren''t you also living in all the other rooms?

    ? So, what is this "money" thing? You kept talking about it. ? Sada asked once they were alone. She had watched Clavell the entire time, and he had handed a bunch of shiny round stones to the guy that had brought them the food.

    Turo stopped his slow pacing around the room and actually smiled a little, sitting down on the "couch" that Clavell had opened to make another bed for them, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

    ? ...Something that we will need here. Desperately, ? he answered, sounding exhausted. ? You use money to "buy" things... Um, you give it to someone and they give you another thing you need. ?

    So¡­ It wasn''t any different than trading?

    That didn''t sound so difficult.

    ? And what do you do with it after you get it? ? She asked as she sat down near him, leaning on his shoulder. Turo sighed - she could feel the slight movement - and absentmindedly started stroking her hair.

    ? ...Nothing. You get it and then give it to someone else to get something else you need. ?

    Sada looked up to glare at him, certain that he was playing some dumb prank on her.

    ? ...That''s stupid. So it doesn''t do anything? You just pass it around? ?

    Turo winced as he stroked his chin.

    ? Not... Not really... It''s... Okay, let''s give an example. Let''s assume, um... That you are trading with me. You give me a set of clothes, and I give you three paper notebooks. We both get something the other wants and help each other. Right? ?

    Sada nodded, waiting for him to continue.

    ? All right... Now, imagine that someone else comes with something you want, and he also wants to trade with you. But he''s not interested in you making clothes for him. ?

    ? ...So? I can just find something else to give him, ? she interrupted him, but Turo just shook his head.

    ? You have nothing he needs. So, he just leaves to find someone else to trade with. ?

    ? And what makes money different? It doesn''t do anything... Why would he want that? ? She insisted.

    ? I''m getting to it... imagine that I gave you this "money" instead of the paper. This money... It''s a symbol. You can use it to get something because the other person can then use it on anything else they need... ?

    At that moment it slowly dawned on her.

    ? Oh... So it''s like... A message? "I have money because I did something for someone else"... Even if it''s not what you need. So... It''s a way to make everyone trade with everyone else? ? Sada asked, starting to consider all the implications.

    ? I''m sure I just gave the most horrible over-simplification but... yes. In a way, ? Turo muttered, even as he smiled weakly.

    She still wasn''t really sure that she understood it, but... alright.

    ? And we get money by doing... What? ? She asked, settling closer to him. Turo''s answer, however, didn¡¯t come as quickly as she had hoped. She looked up at him after a while when his hand stopped caressing her hair, to find him with his eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling.

    ? ... No idea, ? he confessed in a low voice, eyes empty.

    ---

    They had spent most of the day inside, getting accustomed to their temporary home and generally exhausted by everything that had happened. Clavell would come back only late at night, and he had left them some money to get something for dinner. Just the whole concept of having to use physical money was absurd to Turo. He kept turning the little coins in his left hand, examining them in complete disbelief.

    So if you dropped it somewhere, your hard earned money could just ... Go puff, and disappear?

    That was so inefficient. Of course, he knew that people had lived like that for most of human civilization; It just¡­ It didn''t make it any less weird.

    Even just wandering around the house felt almost surreal. Things looked familiar enough that he still found himself trying to summon a display in midair or simply touch them to interact with them, only to be hit again and again with the realization that there wasn''t even a touch screen.

    Literally everything seemed to have half a dozen buttons to operate it. He had spent a good five minutes just looking at the remote control for the ridiculously blocky television in the living room.

    It gave him a headache.

    During the days spent in the crater, his mind had almost operated on emergency mode: focused on nothing but fixing the radio and surviving. He had somehow pushed the thought of what the world actually was like behind Area Zero out of his mind.

    Surely, it wouldn''t be as primitive as being stuck with typewriters and physical batteries.

    Surely, it was just because it was old, abandoned equipment.

    Surely, he wasn''t stuck in a world that had only barely invented the telephone for the rest of his life.

    Now it was all slowly sinking in.

    Yes, they were stuck in a world exactly like that.

    He had just confessed to Sada that he had no idea what they were supposed to do. All his studies and fancy PhD were about stuff that didn''t even exist yet, or in Sada''s case, long obsolete.

    They had no credentials.

    No skills.

    No identity.

    He felt panic creeping in as he stared at the ceiling, his chest rising and falling in panicked breaths.

    What could they even do...?

    Sada''s hand gently caressed his cheek, and he blinked and looked down at her. She didn''t say anything, just kept slowly stroking his jawline.

    His breath slowly calmed down. Right.

    At least they were together.

    He pulled her closer and closed his eyes.

    ? ...I need two names, right? ? Turo heard her say after what could have been ten seconds or ten minutes, lost as he was simply focusing on having her close.

    ? ...Yes. Everyone here has a first and last name. It will look strange to have only one. ?

    Sada''s hand stopped, and she was silent for a long moment.

    ? ...But it''s my name. Mother gave it to me. I don''t want to get called anything else, ? she whispered, and Turo had to look down at her in shock when she sounded so lost and for once...

    Incredibly vulnerable.

    ? ...It''s the only thing from home I have left, ? she added after a moment, and he found that his chest ached painfully.

    She was... scared. Sada had never been scared. In her brutal world where a moment of weakness could spell death, she had been a pillar of strength to him. Always knowing what to do, always looking forward to the next challenge, the next new thing to discover with her endless enthusiasm and excitement.

    Everything was an adventure to her.

    Now he could see her eyes shine, not with her usual curiosity, but with sadness. Tears, gathering at the corner of her eyes. He kissed her forehead, holding her against his chest as he tried to comfort her as she had just done to him, whispering a single "I''m sorry" over and over again. Her tears soon became little sobs that she tried to choke back by biting at her lip, her hands balling into fists against his bodysuit, slipping over the smooth fabric.

    ? ...What name will people see more? ? She asked after a while in a little voice, and he thought for a long moment.

    ? ...Both, but your last name is what''s used most. What people will usually call you until they know you better. ?

    There was nothing but silence for a good ten seconds. Outside the window, the sun was beginning to set, painting the room in an array of blazing orange and scarlet. She looked up at him with fierce eyes, nodding once at his answer as the light streaming in painted her face in fiery light.

    ? Then... Sada will be my last name. I will think of another name to use... but the name I got from my people will be the first thing everyone will see. And they better remember it. ? Sada announced, finding strength within her voice.

    ---

    47th century, Time Travel Laboratory Departments, University of Mesagoza

    Turo had insisted on accompanying the native girl back to her time. It was understandable.

    He probably wanted to... say his goodbyes.

    Vega hadn''t realized how much the guy had genuinely fallen for the girl until she had seen him never abandon her side ¨C not even for one second - at the hospital¡­ At least, until they had forced him to take a break. Now, she felt kind of bad for him.

    Falling in love with someone in another time? That sucked.

    As she exited her office, she noticed the time machine room was still lit up. That was strange. The last one to use it had been Turo more than two hours ago, and when it wasn''t used¡­

    Well, it''s not like Porygon 568 had much to do except his usual check-ups... and probably playing solitaire on 40 different screens simultaneously or whatever an AI did to pass the time.

    ? -st! Connection lost! Connection lo-?

    Connection lost?

    She ran into the room as she heard Porygon''s voice repeat something over and over. Something that made her blood run cold. The Pok¨¦mon was in a frenzy, zipping around the room flapping his wings, looking less like a little adorable chibi Zapdos and more like a panicked Torchic.

    Vega didn''t know much about computers or AI. Turo had been their local computer wizard, but even she knew that Porygon wasn''t supposed to do that.

    ? Porygon, calm down... PORYGON! ?

    ? Connection lost! ? The Pok¨¦mon kept crying out, agitated.

    She had to get him out of that state, in the only way she knew would work for sure: she ran for the time machine terminal to shut it down.

    That was a mistake.

    ? Threat to ongoing process detected. Executing Protection Protocol and directing all power to the time machine to assist in safely completing current task. ?

    She froze at the sudden change in voice from the little Pok¨¦mon.

    Outside the room, the lights fizzled off, and Porygon grew. His wings crackled with electricity as they spanned so wide they could barely fit into the room when spread. His little head turned sharper, features growing more ferocious. Two feet with sharp talons made of pure Hadron energy landed heavily on the floor, and the Pok¨¦mon, now probably as big as the legendary it had been inspired from, lowered his great head to stare at her with completely white eyes.

    Vega desperately scrambled backwards until her back hit the wall, staring at the now enormous Pok¨¦mon in complete shock.

    What... was happening?

    Was this the "error handling procedure" Turo had coded into Porygon months ago?

    ? What''s going on...? The power in the whole department just went out- ? Ortega''s voice came from the door, and Porygon 568''s head snapped to the side.

    ? Threat detected. ?

    More power crackled over his wings as they beat them once, launching arcs of electricity all over the room. Ortega froze on the threshold, eyes wide with sudden panic.

    ? What the f- ?

    Vega let out a shriek as a bolt of lightning passed right over her and threw herself to the floor, desperately crawling to the exit.

    ? Out! JUST GET OUT! ? She screamed, pushing the still petrified Ortega back out into the corridor. Porygon 568 was too big to follow them there in that state... and if her idea was right...

    The Pok¨¦mon stopped suddenly, glaring at the two from the middle of the room but making no move to attack.

    Yet.

    They then started pacing around the room, an eerie, unnatural droning sound filling the area as electricity buzzed and crackled all over them.

    ? Connection lost. Retrying... connection lost... ? the Pok¨¦mon kept muttering.

    ? What was that?! ? Ortega asked as the woman desperately tried to calm down.

    ? Porygon called it the "Protection Protocol"... I guess... I guess it''s Turo''s doing. ?

    She only now noticed that the corridor was completely dark, not a single light turning on as the power of the entire department (if not the entire building. At this point, she wasn''t sure that Turo wouldn''t be capable of it) was being redirected to the room that housed the time machine. The only light came from her and Ortega''s bodysuits, and the man''s face became ashen white.

    ? Turo''s...? Wait, why did this thing activate? ? Ortega turned back towards the time machine room and the message that the Pok¨¦mon kept repeating on loop.

    ? Connection lost... Whose turn was it to use the time machine...? ? he asked in a low voice, and Vega stared at him in mounting horror.

    ? It was... Turo... Two hours ago...? She answered slowly.

    He furrowed his brows.

    ? You... You don''t think... Oh no...? She whispered, covering her mouth with one hand. It couldn''t be... But if Porygon kept repeating "connection lost"... That could only mean...

    ? ...We have to call everyone in the department. All jumps will be canceled. ? Ortega took a deep breath, suddenly struggling to speak.

    ? We''ve had a mismatch. ?

 Chapter 21: Settling in, part I

    Chapter 21: Settling in, part I

    In Area Zero, and really most of his life lately, Turo had solved the problem of not being able to fall asleep by simply exhausting himself until he collapsed.

    Now, with nothing to do, he tossed and turned on the couch-improvised-bed Clavell had given them. He hadn''t heard the man come back yet, but that wasn''t the reason he couldn''t sleep. It was the fact that everything felt familiar yet wrong. The lights outside the window, the noise of the city... those were similar enough to trick him into thinking he was actually home, which made the one detail that was noticeably missing sting even more painfully; he knew perfectly well what it was, and it pained him just to think about... the familiar, reassuring form of Miraidon sleeping right next to him, his long tail curled up around his body.

    Without him, everything was just too quiet. He couldn''t handle it. With a frustrated grunt, he got up and, resisting the instinctive urge to wave his hand to summon some light, stumbled towards the wall in the almost completely dark living room.

    Dumb primitive technology... every time he found himself unable to do the simplest thing he felt like he was being slapped in the face by the reality of the situation he was in. Sure, not being able to turn on some light with a gesture wasn''t that important in the grand scheme of things, he could live without it... didn''t mean he had to like it.

    Turo headed towards the tv, fumbling for the remote controller until he managed to find it and push the right button.

    He rapidly switched channels, blinking his eyes at the sudden brightness of the screen -didn''t people of this time know about dimming screen brightness? This hurt -. This late at night, not much seemed to be on. News, movies, reruns of random gym matches... he stopped briefly on a weather broadcast, glancing at the date in a corner of the screen.

    2 October 2005.

    2005. Just early 21th century. Barely started. Did they even have like... internet access? Probably...? That time was all a confused mess for him, it''s not like you studied exact dates at school, just... "in those period, this and this and this were being invented".

    Not really useful when you suddenly found yourself in it.

    He took a long breath, tiredly rubbing his face. The date nagged at him, feeling like it was important somehow, but his mind was drawing a blank at the moment. He resumed channel jumping until he found one that showed nothing but static, the low droning sound typical of electric devices filling the room.

    He sat back on the couch for a moment, remote in hand. The sound was not quite what he was used to, but... he sighed; it was the best he was going to get anyway. He sniffled, turning around to put the tv remote on the floor besides the couch and try to go back to sleep, and met Sada''s eyes, also wide awake.

    ? Can''t sleep?? He asked, and she shook her head.

    ---

    Sada had listened to Turo toss and turn around, unable to fall asleep herself. She, on the contrary, had been laying perfectly still: it was just her instinct, to not move and make as little noise as possible. When you slept away from the village and out in the open, with only a campfire to protect you from creatures approaching, it was the sensible thing to do. She was used to bolting awake at the slightest unknown noise; but here, everything sounded new. The crater had been incredibly quiet compared to "Mesagoza", almost reassuringly so. Familiar.

    This was unnerving.

    Turo got up and turned on the strange box that showed pictures, sitting silent in the dark. She didn''t quite understand why he had done it at first, until she recognized the low noise that filled the room. It was everywhere in his home, thanks to his dragon, and she realized he was probably used to sleeping with it.

    ? Can''t sleep??

    She shook her head.

    ? Too much noise. ? She answered, and he chuckled.

    ? ... eh. It''s too little noise for me. ? He replied as he laid back down near her. For a while, there was complete silence, as each of them listened for anything familiar to fall asleep to.

    ? We also need to get new clothes, right?? she asked after a while, after making sure that he was still awake.

    ? Yes, but we need money for that. We can''t have Clavell keep paying for us.? He answered.

    ? I can just sew them -?

    ? We still need money for the... fabric. I''m sure they don''t use pelts anymore.? He interrupted her, and Sada grumbled unhappily.

    The food here was amazing, and they had wondrous things she couldn''t even imagine... but there seemed to be so many strange rules you had to obey to be part of the community. She had noticed people looking at them weird while they ate, and she had hated it.

    It made her feel wrong just because she didn''t know about these rules.

    There was so much she had to learn. But first of all, she had to choose a name. A normal one, that wouldn''t make her stand out... but she didn''t even know what people here were usually called.

    Maybe she could look for some... place that had a list of normal sounding names.

    ---

    Early in the morning, Clavell carefully adjusted his glasses, giving one last look at his image in the mirror before heading out. As he passed in front of the living room, he hesitated in front of the door left ajar, before hazarding a look inside.

    There, still asleep on the couch, curled up against each other, were the man and woman he had offered a place to stay just the night before.

    The two paradoxes from Area Zero.

    Yesterday in the afternoon, he had gone back to the Academy, but he had struggled to concentrate on actually teaching anything as he kept thinking about the riddle those two presented.

    They had just come out of nowhere... and then there were all the little details about them that were just off, like Sada apparently having no idea how to use eating utensils. She had tried to camouflage it, but it had been obvious that she had never seen them before as Turo had tried to show her how to use them. And her clothes... they looked haphazardly put together.

    His theories about the two just kept getting wilder: "Just" Sada had been... I don''t know, raised by Lycanroc or something, and Turo had found her and they had ended up in Paldea together...?

    Who knows, maybe the poor girl had been kidnapped by some criminal organization in Kalos and Turo had helped her escape... it would explain her lack of people skills, at least.

    And... it would also somewhat explain the fact that she had apparently been more than capable of hunting Pok¨¦mon with a bow and arrows to survive.

    But it wasn''t only the woman that was strange; Turo had done his share of weird things himself during that lunch. From thinking that they still had Pok¨¦mon Centers to the way he seemed to look at every little thing with a mix of sadness and frustration. He also seemed to have a weird tic with his arm, because Clavell had noticed him make little gestures with his left hand, just to look crestfallen immediately after.

    And that weird accent he had never heard before was driving him crazy.

    He had even considered the idea that they were actually really smart Zoroark just messing with him, just briefly, but no optical illusion could be that good.

    Clavell was about to close the door on the sleeping couple when he noticed something that made him pause: the tv had been left on an empty channel, for some reason. He furrowed his eyebrows, then opted to quietly step in and turn it off.

    They immediately bolted awake, if in completely different ways.

    Sada straight up jumped awake, her hand grasping for something to her side, eyes narrowing at him, while Turo gasped loudly and tried to scramble backwards, before blinking slowly once.

    It seemed to take them both a long moment to recognize where they were, or even who he was. Understandable.

    ? I''m sorry for waking you up, I... err, just wanted to turn the tv off. I''ll be on my way... take whatever you want from the kitchen for breakfast! ? He quickly exited the room again, leaving the still confused couple on their own, only to stop with his hand already on the door and turn around again.

    ? One last thing: I suppose you were planning to go out? ? He asked.

    ? Y-yes... we wanted to look for a job...? Turo answered, still blinking sleep out of his eyes.

    ? ...Dressed like that? ? He couldn''t help but comment, and the man winced.

    Clavell looked at his watch; he liked to arrive at the Academy early to review the material to cover in the day''s lessons before officially starting the day. They still had quite some time.

    ? Why don''t you come to the Academy with me for today? We can discuss things better there.?

    ? What is the "Academy"?? Sada asked, sounding confused. Turo whispered something in her ear, and her eyes widened, a little smile coming to her face.

    ? ... oh! Yes! I want to see it!? She exclaimed, suddenly looking like a completely different person, her whole face glowing with excitement.

    Clavell noticed Turo looking at her with a stunned expression on his face, and the other man nodded after a moment, apparently immediately convinced by the woman''s enthusiasm.

    ? Allright. We''ll come.?

    Good. This way he could both keep an eye on them, and honestly get to know them better. It was going to be an interesting day.

    ? But first... I guess you should both change into something less... noticeable.? he politely suggested.

    ---

    Turo had been extremely unhappy about having to get out of his bodysuit, Sada noticed. Then again, it would have been impossible to not notice with how much he had been grumbling about it.

    In a way, she could understand him; it was not just that they were used to wearing them. Those clothes were literally the only thing they still had of their respective times.

    Getting out of them was... like resigning themselves to the fact that this wasn''t temporary. Another step in getting away from their respective lives forever. They had both put some special care in folding them after getting something else to wear from Clavell, she had noticed. Turo had also stealthily removed the broken time anchor from his wrist, slipping it into the pocket of the black pants he had put on instead. On top of those, he had worn something that was apparently called a "shirt" with a square motive.

    Hanging from his neck she had seen a glimpse of the necklace made from Winged King''s feathers she had given him, and it had made her happy as she looked at the bracelet she had received from him just before they had ended up here.

    At least... they still had something from each other''s time that they could still wear.

    Sada had to admit the variety of clothes had impressed her, and for a couple of minutes, she had admired every piece of clothing that Clavell seemed to have. There were so many! And even of the same type, just in different colors! Could people in this time really have this many clothes for one person? And the colors! She had seen a lot of colors even in Turo''s time, but here there seemed to be so many different types of fabric, and... and there were even pictures or words on them! How did you do that?

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ? Are these clothes all "cotton"?? She asked Turo in an excited whisper after she finished putting on a light blue "shirt".

    ? They are itchy, that''s what they are.? Turo answered, looking uncomfortable and fiddling with the collar of his shirt. Sada realized that he had always worn the clothes she had made for him over his own; he probably wasn''t used to feeling anything else on his skin.

    He then turned around, and fell silent, quietly staring at her.

    ? You look... good. ? He said after a moment, and she smiled.

    ? You also look good.? She replied, giving him a quick peck on the cheek, before exiting Clavell''s room that they had entered to get dressed. The man had been waiting for them in the living room, and looked them briefly up and down.

    ? I apologize for not having clothes that are more appropriate, Sada.? He said, leaving her confused.

    She wasn''t quite sure what "appropriate" meant, but she got the idea that there seemed to be some problem with the clothes she had been offered. She didn''t really understand why. Apart from not fitting quite right, they seemed fine to her.

    ? Oh no, I love them! ? She smiled, apparently leaving Clavell even more confused. Had she said something wrong...?

    She decided to leave it be, excited to go back out.

    ---

    They exited Clavell''s home and made their way towards the Academy, the great, shining building that stood as the highest point of the city... in this time, at least. By force of habit, Turo found his eyes wandering to the horizon, expecting to see tall skyscrapers and more modern buildings surrounding Mesagoza''s historical city center, or teleporting stations, Miraidon and other Pok¨¦mon zipping around... instead, he found himself looking at nothing but the sky. Pain twisted in his gut as he looked back down with a sigh, away from the spot where his apartment complex wouldn''t exist for millennia to come, looking towards Sada.

    Just yesterday evening she had shown him a little moment of vulnerability, crying weekly in his arms at accepting that everything that had made up her life right now had been lost forever in the blink of an eye... but looking at her now, you would never believe it. Her eyes shone as she curiously looked around, trying to take in everything the city had to offer at once.

    He couldn''t help but admire her strength.

    Maybe it was because for her, everything was new and exciting, so it was easier to genuinely get lost in it all. To him, it was frustrating.

    It was as if he had been thrown in one of those historical reenactments where you had fun dressing like people of the time for a couple of hours, and then took the ridiculous costumes off and went home, laughing about the experience.

    Except he was stuck here.

    The Academy, at least, looked the same as ever; it was actually strange how little it had changed in so much time, at least from the exterior. It was... strangely comforting.

    ? You mentioned being a member of the staff at the Academy... what do you teach?? He asked Clavell as he was walking beside them after a moment.

    ? I have a couple of courses, actually. I mostly teach basics of Pok¨¦mon biology to grade schoolers and a bit more advanced courses in the later grades for people interested in a career in the sciences. ? He answered, and Turo nodded. So at least it looked like it hadn''t really changed in how it worked in his time, offering courses for pretty much all levels of education.

    ? And... was the radio where we sent the message to...??

    ? In an old laboratory at the Academy, yes. If I didn''t have the habit of going there for grading papers, well...? Clavell cleared his throat, looking a bit embarrassed. They kept walking, and as they got closer and closer Turo noticed something that made him slow down until he had to stop, craning his neck upward.

    The famed Mesagoza staircases, in all its 150 plus steps glory.

    He had climbed it just a couple of times in his life, before giving up on it and using a teleporter ever since.

    Except that there weren''t any around now.

    ? Are we ... going to climb that...?? He asked, feeling the blood drain from his face a little at the prospect.

    ? How else do you want to get over there? Flying?? Clavell chuckled.

    Well... he did have a Gyarados, but Clavell seemed to read his thoughts.

    ? ... yesterday''s situation was highly unusual. Flying your own Pokemon over populated areas is mostly forbidden.? He explained, and Turo had to raise a single eyebrow at that. What?

    Why?

    ? Then... how do you get around? ? He had to ask, only for Clavell to look at him oddly. Turo kept his face neutral, wincing internally; he felt like every little thing he said or did was being carefully analyzed by this man.

    ? We can ride other types of Pok¨¦mon, obviously. Or you can take a Flying Taxi, but do you really want to pay just to avoid climbing some stairs?? He laughed.

    ... well, no. Turo sighed, resigning himself to starting to climb. It couldn''t be worse than scaling a hillside in Prehistoric Kalos, after all.

    ---

    Sada was the first to start ascending, her gaze fixed on the great sphere on the top of the building. Clavell and Turo were behind her, the latter having a bit more difficulty. She slowed down when she saw him double down in pain, gasping for breath, offering him her shoulder to grab on to.

    ? Is everything all right?? Clavell asked, looking worried.

    ? Yes, he...? Sada hesitated, not quite sure how to put it. Would "He''s not great at moving around" sound strange? She also didn''t want to put him down, because it wasn''t his fault. In his time, people didn''t seem to walk around much from the little she had seen; they didn''t need to.

    ? He does not walk much.? She said at the end. She was used by now having to wait for him when they did something slightly more strenuous than walking on plain ground, and after a couple of moments, Turo straightened himself up with one last gasp.

    ? I''m fine. Let''s... let''s go.? He said, resuming to walk.

    They had to stop another three times along the way before they reached the top, Clavell looking increasingly worried at every stop.

    ? Are you sure everything''s fine? We have an infirmary at the Academy, you could lay down-?

    ? I''m good.? Turo repeated, now with a slight hint of irritation in his voice. A couple of children all dressed in the same orange or purple clothes had surpassed them as they went up, and their giggles while looking at Turo sitting down on one of the steps seemed to have irked him.

    Especially as Clavell, who looked a bit older than both of them, still looked only a bit fatigued. The man looked a bit taken aback, but didn''t comment on Turo''s tone, deciding to simply walk ahead instead.

    As she helped Turo clear those last few steps, she couldn''t help but be a little excited. So this "Academy "was the place where people went to learn things! She could see anyone from little children to adults walking around, all dressed in the same clothes with some slight variations. Maybe every type of clothing had a special meaning, or indicated your role? Or how much you knew?

    ? Is dressing like that part of some ritual?? She asked. Clavell turned around to look at her strangely.

    ? It''s the school uniform.? He added after a moment.

    She didn''t knew what a uniform was, but she understood that it was something that everyone here was supposed to know, so she simply nodded with a little "I see" half said to herself.

    The building only looked more and more beautiful as they approached the doors, and when Clavell opened them and walked inside, Sada couldn''t help but hold her breath. By her side, she quietly registered Turo stopping in his tracks and do the same, stunned into silence.

    It was the building with the tallest ceiling she had ever seen, it didn''t actually feel like being inside at all. The light of the sun streaming in from the windows illuminated the great hall; the whole room felt like a great open space, full of people reading.

    Hundreds and hundreds of books, covering the shelves for the floor to the ceiling, leaving Sada completely mesmerized. In her time the only "writing" she had ever seen was what she or someone else had written themselves. But here, in this time... there had to be so many books here that you couldn''t read them all in your whole life! These had to be all the books that had ever been written!

    In a daze, she turned towards Turo at her side, eyes shining.

    ? Look Turo! It''s all paper!? She whispered, in awe, grabbing his arm.

    ---

    Turo stared at the wooden shelves that lined three whole floors of the academy, holding hundreds and hundreds of books.

    ? It''s all paper...? He quietly despaired, in complete disbelief, looking around in search of even a single digital screen.

    This was completely different from the Academy in his time. He could understand not having teleportation, but... where were the terminals for students?

    Were they seriously still using paper for everything? Didn''t they have digitalized books already in this era?

    He couldn''t believe it.

    Not even the lady at the reception had a single old computer. Or any piece of technology newer than pen and paper, really.

    Arceus... he didn''t think it would be that bad. Sada shook him out of his daze, beaming, and he had to smile a little bit at her enthusiasm.

    Well... at least one of the two between them was taking this well.

    ? Let''s go to the cafeteria. We can have breakfast there.? Clavell led them along a couple corridors that Turo couldn''t help but find familiar.

    The general layout of the Academy didn''t seem to have changed much from when he had attented as a kid... or, to be more correct, wouldn''t change in the centuries to come. He held Sada''s hand, leading her away from the bookshelves with a little pang of guilt. She frowned a bit, evidently disappointed in not getting to examine anything, but silently followed the two men in the cafeteria. It was early morning, and they were evidently still serving breakfast.

    Quite a number of students and teachers were still sitting down, both probably thinking about the coming day''s lessons from two opposites point of views. A couple of people looked at them as they entered, and Turo immediately stiffened, feeling their gaze on him.

    It lasted only an instant before no one else paid them any mind anymore, and he relaxed.

    Right. They were dressed in completely "normal" clothes now, of course no one would stare. Turo hated them, from the rigid pants to the rough (to him, at least) flannel checkered shirt in red and white he had borrowed from Clavell.

    They were itchy, fell completely wrong, and their ability to regulate body temperature was absolute shit. He had never been too cold or too hot in his bodysuit; he had been out of it for not even an hour and already missed it dearly.

    He was really starting to realize how many insignificant details of his life he had taken for granted.

    However, as soon as he got near the long table that offered all manner of drinks, he was hit with a familiar scent, one single thing he had been desperately craving for days in Area Zero, a fragrance that almost made him tear up.

    Thank Arceus, they had coffee: the day already looked so much better.

    He drifted towards the table and took two big mugs, filling them to the brim before offering one to Sada. She sniffed it curiously as they sat down at a table with Clavell after grabbing a couple slices of toasted bread each, looking a bit taken aback by the color.

    ? Is this fruit juice?? She whispered to him in her language, and he had to quirk an eyebrow. Honestly, he had no idea. Was coffee a fruit? Not really...?

    ? Something like that.? He answered, before feeling Clavell''s eyes on them both. It made him uncomfortable, how he was watching their every move, and he had to wonder what the other man thought they had just said.

    ? So... I kind of want to talk about what you want to do from now on, and your... situation.? Clavell said as Turo took a sip from his own mug.

    ? I had to explain what prompted me to storm out of the school to the director and other chosen members of the faculty, obviously.? The man said after a moment, and Turo almost choked on the coffee. He what?

    ? I''m afraid I was forced to do it. Obviously, everyone is extremely interested in what you were doing in Area Zero and how you got there. You both became a bit of a... curiosity yesterday afternoon as the story spread. People in the city also have seen you. ? Clavell added as Turo felt a wave of nausea hit him. Suddenly he felt the stares of every single staff member in the room on his back, and even a couple of the students. They had to be staring at him. Looking away as they entered had to have been a way to not make it look obvious. They were all watching, scrutinizing, waiting to see when they would do something weird. Right at that moment, Sada gagged and stuck her tongue out as she tried the coffee he had poured for her.

    ? You drink this?? She asked incredulously, and he almost wanted to laugh. Clavell looked at her and wordlessly slid the little box full of sugar packets in front of her.

    ? Then... what do you want to do with us?? He asked, as Sada noticed his nervousness and snapped her attention back to Clavell, who raised both hands in the air.

    ? No reason to be so nervous! Look, I admit to being curious about you two... but I also respect that you don''t want to talk about whatever it is you have to hide. But, if you don''t want people snooping around and making you Paldea''s newest gossip story, you both are going to need help. Someone that has your back and can help you...? He hesitated for a second, adjusting his glasses.

    ? ... cover your tracks. Help you settle down. ?

    There was a little moment of silence as Sada picked one sugar packet and opened it up, then stuck a finger inside and licked it to taste the content.

    ? ... you want to help us... what?? Turo lowered his voice. ? Forge fake identities? Give us some cover-story to use? Why go that far for two strangers??

    Clavell looked at them both for a moment as Sada''s eyes lit up and she dumped the entire content of the packet into her mug, eyes flitting between the two men.

    ? ... because I have the feeling you two are hiding something big. Something incredible. And you are one of the few people in the region that have entered Area Zero. ? He said.

    ? ... you want to... "examine" us. ? Sada unexpectedly spoke up after taking a sip of the now practically sugary drink, and Turo nodded.

    ? So you want to keep us near.? He chuckled, as Clavell shrugged while taking a bite out of his toast with jam.

    ? I''m a scientist after all. Being curious is what we''re all about.? He answered, and Turo noticed Sada brighten up a bit at that, eyes shining.

    ? You''re a scientist?? She asked, and Turo had to smile a little bit at that. The word had always had a little special meaning between them.

    ? Yes...? And so are you. I don''t know of what, but... ? Clavell added, looking back at them both.

    ? There were opened books you two were obviously reading on the table in Research Station 2 where I found you yesterday. ?

    ? ... well, it''s not like we had anything better to do under there-? Turo muttered in his defense, trying to divert the attention away from anything that could point the conversation towards their "job" or whatever they did before coming here. Luckily, Clavell didn''t insist.

    ... for now.

    ? ... anyway, I have an idea for helping you settle here. You could enroll here at the Academy.? Clavell waited a moment to study their reactions, before continuing.

    ? It would help you both with the language, and you could stay here in the dormitory so you wouldn''t have to worry about rent for now. Once you graduate, you will have something to show to people asking for some official documents about you. ?

    Going to school... again? Here?

    By impulse, it sounded stupid, but... it actually wasn''t half bad as an idea. It would help them both tremendously, Sada in particular. She could use the basic courses as a way to learn the language and get herself... up to date with things, so to speak.

    While it would help him get... down to date, in a sense. Make sure he didn''t accidentally blab about stuff that hadn''t even been invented yet. There was just a little problem about that...

    ? What''s "enroll"?? Sada asked him in a hushed whisper, in her language.

    ? He wants us to study here. To learn things... and to train Pok¨¦mon.? He answered in the same way.

    All of Sada''s enthusiasm at his words evaporated in an instant.

    ? We need... a "Pok¨¦mon"?? She turned towards Clavell, asking again just to be sure. The man nodded.

    ? Yes, at least one Pok¨¦mon is necessary to follow most courses. Our Academy has always prided itself in helping develop the bond between human and Pokemon along with their minds-?

    Sada''s face fell, and Turo was sure he knew exactly what she was thinking about.

    ... he missed Miraidon so much. He couldn''t contemplate having any other Pok¨¦mon by his side.

    ? We... we had Pok¨¦mon. They are... lost now. They''re not with us anymore.? She said in a low voice after a moment, and Clavell''s eyes widened.

    ? I''m so sorry... when you said you had no Pok¨¦mon, I thought you meant you never -? He stammered. ? W-well, in that case... I can see why you wouldn''t want to... I''m really sorry, that must have been terrible. Did you perhaps... lose them in the Crater...?? He asked.

    ? ... yeah. Give us... a bit of time to think about it. ? Turo replied, looking towards Sada, who had been chewing on her toast with little enthusiasm now.

    ? Y-yes, of course. W-well, I can give you a tour of the Academy anyway, if you want to...? Clavell offered, to a cold response from both of them.

    The rest of the breakfast was spent in an uncomfortable silence; Turo could barely enjoy the coffee, which now only reminded him of how Miraidon would put his head in his lap as they had breakfast, hoping to get a little extra snack from him.

    ? Can we still work here and live in the dormitory anyway? There has to be... something you wouldn''t mind having two extra people help with.? Turo mumbled as they were done.

    ? Well... I remember hearing that they actually needed some help in the kitchen. Or with cleaning. We''ve had an influx of more students than usual these past couple of years...? Clavell commented.

    Sada whispered for him to translate "kitchen", and when he did, there was a little, hastily hidden frown on the woman''s face, before she nodded and tried to cover it with a smile.

    He couldn''t blame her and say that he was thrilled. He would accept anything, their position was desperate enough that they couldn''t afford to be picky.

    Still... not how he imagined his life to go, and it was probably the same for Sada.

    ? Sure... whatever is fine. ? Turo sighed.

    It''s not like they were in any rush. They had the rest of their lives to figure out what to do in this time, after all. He felt Sada slowly take his hand in hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze, looking up at him. Her eyes stopped for a moment on his necklace, and she raised her other hand to touch the bright feathers.

    ? If we are together... it will be fine.? She smiled, sounding like she was trying to convince herself as much as him.

    He smiled softly in response after a long moment, and together they followed Clavell out of the room.

 Chapter 22: Settling in, part II

    Chapter 22: Settling in, part II

    Clavell''s steps echoed through the hallway as Sada and Turo followed, hand in hand. The woman didn''t really know what to expect out of this place: she knew it was a place of learning, but she couldn''t really picture how it worked. Did people just... read books and had other "scientist" explain stuff to them?

    ? The Pok¨¦mon market is over there, while the infirmary is on the other side of the hall... in these wing are most of the classrooms. ? Clavell was explaining.

    They passed a series of rooms with closed door, and Sada couldn''t help but glance inside, squeezing Turo''s hand to tell him to slow down a little.

    The "classrooms" were full of people, all sitting and intently watching one person that was standing behind a table on an elevated platform. Everyone seemed to have their own notebook and they were taking notes, following what the teacher was writing on a big white wall with a pretty big pen.

    In the next classroom, she saw one student raise their hand and ask a question she couldn''t hear, while in another they passed everyone was divided into groups around big tables, drawing or even sculpting things out of stone. So it wasn''t just a place to learn about... scientists stuff, you learned about everything!

    It was a place to practice whatever you wanted to do and find what you liked, it was incredible!

    She gave a quick look to Turo by her side, wondering if this is how he had learned to draw, just practicing in these classrooms with a teacher.

    At the very core, it wasn''t any different from her mother teaching most people in the tribe the basics of sewing, or any other craft. What was amazing to her was the... freedom they had in doing those things. They didn''t have to worry about gathering or hunting down food, so they could devote so much more time to it.

    She wanted to be a part of it. She really wanted to. But... the fact that you needed a "Pok¨¦mon", which was how people called creatures here, saddened her. If only she could have had Winged King by her side, learning all these wonderful things together, exploring this place that was completely new to her with him and Turo... in a way, it would be a dream come true. It would make her situation more bearable.

    But... another Pok¨¦mon... she didn''t even know anything about the Pok¨¦mon that lived in this time.

    They passed through the classrooms, then the "laboratory" which was apparently where Clavell usually worked, the "Pok¨¦mon market" that sold what looked like Master Balls of a different color and so many other things she couldn''t even begin to imagine the use of, and a lot of other places before coming back to the entrance where all those books were.

    Sada couldn''t quite help staring at them, just itching to get near and try to read even just the title to know what they were about.

    ? Is there some... work here with books?? She asked, almost not daring to hope it. If she could help and get money and get to use these books at the same time, it would be perfect!

    ? You mean... library assistant?? Clavell asked, a pensive look on his face.

    ? Umm...? She tried to not have her eyes dart towards Turo, but she caught him barely nod in her direction to her side.

    ? Y-yes. Could I... do that?? She asked.

    ? I would have to ask... but we have so many books here, having an extra someone to help the students find what they need is always useful...? He mused.

    ? Oh! Please do!?

    ---

    Getting used to working in the Academy''s lunch hall had been rough. Sadly, there had been only one available spot working at the library, and he had gladly left it to Sada - even just the little happy jump she had done had been worth it -

    It was rough not because Turo thought it was a bad job or anything, but for a much more practical reason: he had absolutely no idea how many little details were involved in operating a kitchen in this time.

    ... or even his time, he had to admit.

    Mostly because most of everything in his time was automated. Dirty dishes? He just slid them in the sink and they automatically got cleaned, before getting teleported back to their place in the cupboard, ready to be used again.

    He had never even thought about having to load and unload a dishwasher (in a certain, precise way even! There was a certain technique to it, in fitting as much as possible inside), or Arceus forbid, having to wash them manually, but they set him to do plenty of both in his first couple of days. Sometimes he would help serve meals during the busiest hours.

    Sometimes he would clean tables, or mop the floor.

    It was all physical work he was most definitely not used to, and he would come back to Clavell''s house at the end of his turn completely spent.

    They apparently couldn''t live in the dorms if they didn''t enroll, so while Clavell had reassured them that they could stay in his home as long as they wanted (in part, Turo suspected, to try and gleam something from the both of them), he didn''t feel comfortable intruding on the man''s hospitality like that, so he had started to look for a place for Sada and himself to live in, without much success. Too many questions, people that wanted to see documents and credentials they didn''t have. Understandable, in a way, but...

    Turo let out a frustrated sigh as he finished filling one cart full of trays from last dinner. He started pushing it towards the kitchen, and happened to pass by a student still sitting at one of the tables, portable computer opened near his half finished dinner- the laptop was a ridiculously large thing, at least from his perspective, but it was probably the best they could do at the time... it still even had a CD tray.

    ? I don''t get why it never seems to reach this part... ?

    Turo slowly stopped pushing the cart when he saw the unmistakable sight of lines of code on a screen, now listening with his full attention. He couldn''t recognize the programming language in particular - probably something long obsolete and practically forgotten in his time anyway -, but he could recognize the general structure and syntax that had stayed consistent in so much time. Much like in mathematics the plus sign had never changed in millennia, so hadn''t the basic syntax and concept of programming: a for loop was still a for loop. The student looked like a twenty something man with bizarre two toned hair in two different tones of purple, and looked pretty frustrated at the moment.

    ? It doesn''t even give me an error, it just...?

    ? ... that''s because the code it''s not doing what you think it''s doing.? Turo said after throwing a glance to the screen.

    The young man jumped and turned around, staring with comically large eyes behind a pair of hexagonal glasses.

    ? What??

    ? The variable you are checking in the if condition is probably changing value somewhere before that, by mistake. I bet you probably made a typo somewhere and are assigning some other value to the variable, when you meant to initialize a different one.? Turo added, walking closer to look at the screen over his shoulder. His eyes scanned the code up and down, looking for what was probably the problem, until... he pointed to the screen.

    ? Here. You reassign the "color" variable instead of "cry", so "color" always has a different value from what you expect.?

    The man squinted at the laptop for a moment before gasping.

    ? You''re right! How didn''t I see that, I spent an hour pouring over it- thank you!? He turned around, grinning.

    ? You get so used to reading your own code spotting these kind of errors can be tricky... are you finishing that?? Turo added, pointing to the student''s half eaten and now probably cold dinner.

    The student looked surprised, almost like he had even forgotten the food was there.

    ? Uh... I... yes, actually.? He grabbed his fork and started eating again.

    ? You work here? Haven''t seen you around, are you new? How do you know so much about coding?? He asked.

    ? Ah, name''s Jacq by the way.? He added.

    ? Programming is... a hobby of mine let''s say. Romero Turo. Are you studying in the scientific course?? He asked, but they got interrupted before Jacq could answer.

    With a loud squawking sound, a Murkrow suddenly swooped in from an open window and towards them. It landed on the table flapping his wings, and went to grab the spoon Jacq hadn''t used to steal it away.

    ? Hey! Let that go!? Turo tried to scare the Pok¨¦mon into dropping it, but it seemed way too used to doing it, because it simply flapped his wings and let out a little "caw" sound.

    ... was it mocking him?

    ? ... you want something shiny to steal? Here.? He threw some spare change from his pocket on the table, and the Pok¨¦mon''s eyes snapped to it, the little coins shining under the light. Turo could almost see his little mind try to decide what to do: it couldn''t grab both, so it had to let the spoon go-

    The Murkrow grabbed one coin between one of its talons and, hopping rather ungracefully on the table, flapped his wings again and took off, disappearing out of the window again.

    Turo was left looking after the bird, mouth hanging open, as Jacq laughed.

    ? ... clever little bastard.? He shook his head, incredulous.

    Bested by a bird. That was a low blow.

    ? Yeah, that Murkrow often comes here, everyone is used to it. There''s quite a number of them around the school, his nest is probably on the Academy''s roof.? Jacq chimed in with a last chuckle.

    ? Anyway... you said it''s a hobby? You could probably teach here!? He added.

    Turo sighed; how was he supposed to give a realistic answer that didn''t make him look suspicious? He also had really no clear idea of how the technology level was in this time yet. He probably couldn''t teach things over the very basics for fear of introducing stuff that didn''t even exist yet... like he had done with writing in the Paleolithic... but things could''t get conveniently forgotten in this time.

    ? No, really... you probably know more than me, I just had a similar error so I recognized what the issue was... What are you even programming?? He tried to divert the conversation on something else.

    Jacq kept muching on his peas for a while, before showing him the screen and clicking on another window, opening a text file.

    ? It''s my project for this year''s Treasure Hunt! You know how some trainers collaborate with their local Pok¨¦mon Professor to register data about the Pok¨¦mon they catch, and they periodically submit the data for reviews? I want to create a system where everyone can do it... even better if it''s done automatically! We could study species much more easily if literally everyone could contribute, you would have so much variety in data! At first I had thought of a website where you fill a form with data about your Pok¨¦mon... you know... height, weight, special characteristics, where you obtained it... but...?

    ? ... but that would be boring and everyone would just forget to do it after the first couple of times.? Turo finished as the student nodded.

    ? Exactly! So I started looking into ways to integrate it into something everyone would have. A professional Pok¨¦dex is not something everyone has, so I started to look into the new Pok¨¦nav model made by Devon, in Hoenn... those are pretty popular right now... if I could make a little... add-on or something, that you can install on it... Professor Clavell''s been helping a lot!? Jacq explained, going back to his code.

    Turo couldn''t help but smile a little at his enthusiasm. A system to automatically send data about every single caught Pok¨¦mon to a central database... it sounded so simple yet brilliant, and someone obviously had to have implemented it first. He didn''t really know if the technology of this time could make it possible. You would need some really precise sensors to automatically get all the data about the Pok¨¦mon... trivial in his time, but he had no idea how accurate they were here.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    ? So you are working on this alone?? Turo asked after a minute as he cleaned the table.

    ? Pretty much, yeah. I''m usually working in the computer lab though... hey, can I come to you if I have another dumb error?? Jacq asked, and Turo had to chuckle a little bit.

    ? ... sure.?

    ---

    Sada had gotten the job for working in the Academy''s library in the end. And she loved it! There were so many books about so many things! Books that collected stories, books full of pictures and the name of every plant or Pok¨¦mon - Narjik would have loved it - , there were even cooking books! And so, so so much more.

    ? Um, Lady Librarian...?

    Sada turned around, meeting the eyes of a small girl with red eyes. The wide hat she was wearing looked way too big for her, and she was continuously pushing it back up so it didn''t fall over her eyes.

    ? Oh! Yes! That''s me! What is it??

    ? I''m looking for a book... it''s a story about a Charcadet. I wanted to finish reading it...?

    ? Char-ca-det?? She repeated, thinking. Pok¨¦mon names were a big problem for her... and Pok¨¦mon in general, actually. She had learned the names of the ones you saw in the city more often, like "Swablu" for the little cute birds with fluffy wings, but not many more.

    ? Do you remember the title? ? She asked.

    ? It''s "Charcadet''s Ad"... Ad-something.? The girl replied.

    Mmm... not much to go on, but there could''t be that many books with the Pok¨¦mon''s name in the title, right?

    ? All right! Let''s go look for it together!? She answered with a big smile, taking the girl by the hand.

    Most of her day was spent like that: keeping the book organized, helping the students find what they needed, and occasionally sneaking a peak into some book that caught her interest... which was quite easy to do, since most of them did. There were just so many things to read!

    As much as she loved helping with the library in the Academy itself, she had to admit that she sometimes needed a bit of time to herself. There were just so many people around, and she just... wasn''t used to it.

    Sometimes, she just needed to try and get away from the city. So on the "weekend", because apparently people had decided that days were divided in a group of seven and in two of those the school was closed, she had dragged both Turo and Clavell with her for a little trip outside the city, just for a chance to actually see some real nature and trees.

    The constant noise of the city, the traffic, the buildings... she needed to get away from it all.

    There were still too many traces of civilization for her liking when they passed Mesagoza''s southern gate: the Pok¨¦mon center, the flying taxi passing overhead sometimes... but it was already a completely different scenery from the city. There was dirt on the ground! Actual, dusty dirt instead of paved roads, and there was mostly silence.

    And there were Pok¨¦mon. Her right hand went to her shoulder, grasping for a weapon that wasn''t there out of instinct; Clavell hadn''t let her bring her bow, "unless you use it to shoot a Pok¨¦ball instead of arrows".

    ? Are you really so used to having a bow with you?? Clavell asked, evidently noticing her gesture.

    The sudden question made her jump, unprepared. She tried to disguise the gesture by pretending she wanted to actually scratch her forehead in thought, but she knew he hadn''t been fooled.

    ? Yes, I... we did it like this... in Kalos. A small village...?

    In a sense, she was telling the truth.

    ? ... uh. Didn''t know Kalos education put so much emphasis on survival skills. Interesting.? Clavell commented.

    Sada opted to not comment to avoid giving him any more information that could put her in a difficult position, instead focusing her attention on the wild Pok¨¦mon that were around.

    ? They really don''t attack...? She commented in a low voice, watching a couple of light yellow and brown four legged Pok¨¦mon examine them curiously from a distance, but not with hostility.

    ? Most Pok¨¦mon near Mesagoza, like those Fidough, are used to seeing people and are pretty docile to begin with. ? Clavell explained, pushing up his glasses.

    It still was so strange to her, that you could just... walk up to one completely unharmed. Right at that moment, one of the "Fidough" ran near them and barked, wagging their stubby tail while looking intently at Clavell. Sada tensed up again, and Turo slowly moved a couple of steps behind her, both hands in the pockets of the large brown jacket he was wearing, watching the situation with the same curiosity.

    ? Is this new for you too?? She whispered in her language, a bit surprised. Turo simply nodded.

    Clavell, on the other hand, looked completely unfazed. He observed the Fidough closely, before grasping one of the Pok¨¦ Balls on his belt.

    ? You want a match?? He asked, and the Pok¨¦mon barked again. He threw the Pok¨¦ Ball, and a sleek black beast with a pair of magnificently curved horns came out of it. Sada gasped; it looked quite similar to some of the creatures in her time, but with much less white bones all around its chest. The howl it released was quite haunting, but it didn''t move an inch after appearing. It fascinated her: as scary as it looked, it really was obeying Clavell''s commands!

    ? Use Ember... but don''t overdo it.?

    The Pok¨¦mon opened its maw and released a stream of fire against their opponent, and Sada had to gasp again when the little Fidough was completely engulfed in it. She expected it to cry out in pain and run away, but instead, the Pok¨¦mon braced its legs and stood its ground, growling.

    After a moment, it started to shine, and Sada recognized it as the Pok¨¦mon evolving, like they often did. Its skin grew red and brown, and a pleasant smell started emanating from it. After it was finished transforming, the Pok¨¦mon barked happily and ran away, Clavell''s Pok¨¦mon barking after it before going back to its trainer for some praise.

    ? Wait, you... let it go away after just that?? Turo asked by his side, sounding surprised. Clavell nodded, before starting to explain.

    ? That Fidough looked ready to evolve. You can tell from their skin; wild Fidough that want to grow stronger look for matches against fire-type Pok¨¦mon or bask in the sun, training to sustain higher and higher heat. This makes their usually moist skin dry up and harden, until they evolve into Dachsbun and become completely immune to fire attacks. I wonder if this Fidough-er, Dachsbun now, learned to recognize trainers that have a fire type by smell and approached me for that reason. I decided to help give him that final push.?

    Sada didn''t understand the explanation completely - too long and filled with overly specific words-, but she understood that Clavell had done it to help the wild Pok¨¦mon evolve, even if it would give him absolutely nothing in return.

    That was so... strange. And beautiful, in a sense. Helping a wild creature for no gain... there was a strange mutual respect going on between Pok¨¦mon and humans in this time, even if they didn''t live together.

    And Clavell had done it all after a single glance to the Pok¨¦mon! Turo looked similarly surprised.

    ?... Impressive.? He muttered.

    If studying at the Academy would make her able to do this... well, it would be amazing and she would love it, but... then what? It wasn''t like she could go back to her tribe and actually make use of that information, she thought with a little twinge of sadness in her chest.

    ... no use thinking about that now.

    She forced a smile back on her face and clapped a couple of times.

    ? That was amazing! ? Sada said. ? So that Pok¨¦mon was "Fidough" before transforming and "Dachsbun" after... what is the name of this one?? She asked pointing to Clavell''s Pok¨¦mon, before realizing that not knowing the names of Pok¨¦mon was probably quite weird. She threw a little glance at the older man, but for once, he wasn''t looking at her strangely.

    ? ... ah, of course. Kalosian has different names for Pok¨¦mon, right? Some students from Kalos also have trouble at first. This one is called "Houndoom"... it should be "Demolosse" in Kalosian, if I remember correctly.? He answered after a moment.

    ... well, it looked like her excuse of being from Kalos was turning out to be useful in more ways than one.

    So this one was "Houndoom"... she still didn''t quite like or understood the rules for giving Pok¨¦mon their names (her method still sounded much more useful), but she had to absolutely learn them all. After all, how many could there even be?

    They resumed their walk, Sada pointing out different Pok¨¦mon to Clavell, who recited their names and usually some little bit of info about them. He seemed to know so much about them; what they ate, their behavior, if and how they evolved... it was incredible. Turo was mostly silent, following them a bit behind, trying to not slow them down too much.

    ? What Pok¨¦mon is that?? She asked after a while, pointing to another small, four legged beast. It had brown and cream colored fur with a more orange tuft of fur on its head, and was prowling carefully in the tall grass, eyeing what looked like a couple of white rats as it shuffled towards them.

    ? That''s a Litleo. Strange...? Clavell commented, looking intrigued. ? They usually live east of here... since she''s alone, I guess this one must have just left her pride.? He added.

    ? Pride?? She didn''t recognize the word. She watched the "Litleo" stalk closer to her - evidently a female, Clavell must have been able to tell somehow- prey. She wasn''t doing a really good job of it: her footsteps were completely silent, but in her eagerness, her tail was twitching behind her, and she was moving her ears a bit too much, instead of trying to keep them as flat on her head as possible. With all those unnecessary movements, she would just attract the attention of her prey and scare it away.

    And that was exactly what happened a moment later, the couple of rodents scurrying off and the Litleo pouncing out of the grass to try and chase them down.

    ? Their family. Litleo live in big groups, raised by their whole family. They hunt and live together, raising their young. Once they grow big enough, they are left on their own and leave to find other Litleo or Pyroar - their evolution- to establish another "pride".? Clavell explained.

    The Litleo was pawing at the hole in the ground where the two white rodents had disappeared. She let out a surprised yowl when suddenly a dozen or so of the same creature burst out of their den, all attacking her at once. The Pok¨¦mon breathed fire exactly once, then decided to retreat, running off in their direction. She watched the Pok¨¦mon run past them and hastily climb a tree, looking around with scared, wide eyes.

    ... something in the whole scene struck a chord in her; she felt a weird sense of affinity with the creature. A little huntress left all alone, away from her family... she found herself moving a couple of steps towards the Pok¨¦mon. The Litleo hissed and tried to breathe fire down at her, but was evidently out of breath, managing only a little puff of smoke. Her chest rose and fell with quick, panicked breaths.

    ? You were very brave.? She said to the Pok¨¦mon, sitting at the base of the tree. From her bag, she took out a little "snack" they had brought with them to eat on the road, something called a "sandwich" that had what looked like strips of smoked and dried meat in it. She offered the meat to the Pok¨¦mon, like she had done with those eggs and Winged King months ago. The Litleo looked at it with some suspicion, but started to slowly climb back down to approach it- and by extension, her.

    It... it was fine, wasn''t it? She wasn''t betraying Winged King by showing kindness to another Pok¨¦mon, a little one that was scared and alone just like she was.

    And, as much as it pained her to think about it... Winged King was gone. She hoped that it had kept living with her tribe... or maybe found someone else to steal food from, who knows.

    The Litleo sniffed at the meat, then bit down on one piece. A couple of seconds later, it sat down and started chewing, holding one part of it with her front paws, now watching her curiously. Behind her, Sada was vaguely aware that Clavell and Turo were whispering something between themselves, but she paid it no mind.

    ? You know... I''m also all alone here.? She added. Could the Pok¨¦mon really understand her?

    ? We could... stay together. I can teach you how to hunt better.? She smiled.

    She heard Clavell approach and hastily push something in her hand. Sada looked down at it. A Pok¨¦ Ball, one of the red ones.

    With this... the Litleo would be considered her Pok¨¦mon. She could enroll in the Academy if she wanted.

    But most importantly... she would have her by her side, forever.

    ... was she ready for it? Sada looked at the Litleo.

    ... Winged King would have grumbled because he would have to share his food with someone else, but then probably grow fond of her, she thought with a little smile. She could picture him sleeping curled up all around the Litleo, keeping her warm.

    That convinced her.

    She showed the Pok¨¦ Ball to the Litleo. Did she even know what it was? It looked like she did. She had probably seen humans use them against other wild Pok¨¦mon ... maybe even other members of her pride. The Pok¨¦mon sat staring at the Ball for a while, then looked up at her. A low purring sound came out from her throat, and she slowly approached Sada to sniff her hands.

    Then, she touched the Pok¨¦ Ball with one paw, disappearing inside it. Just like Turo''s Master Ball had done, it shook once, twice, three times, and then went still.

    Sada slowly picked the Pok¨¦ Ball back up, surprised at actually feeling a certain weight in it now that it wasn''t empty anymore.

    Maybe it was just her imagination, but it felt warm in her hand.

    ? Congratulations. She will be a wonderful companion. ? Clavell said from behind her, and she simply nodded, not quite sure what to say. She heard movement as Turo sat down beside her and squeezed her shoulder.

    ? I''m sure Winged King would have loved her. She suits you. Well done. ?  He whispered in her language, and she felt a couple of tears roll down her face as she simply nodded again, holding the Pok¨¦ Ball to her chest.

    ---

    The fact that Sada had actually decided to keep another Pok¨¦mon with her had surprised him a little bit. He understood why she had done it: she wanted to train Pok¨¦mon, to study them... and so did he, truth to be told. He still couldn''t quite picture himself with any other Pok¨¦mon except Miraidon by his side... but Mirai was gone. Or... didn''t even exist yet, to be exact.

    It was strange to think about. All those years they had shared together... all the times they went riding, all the times Mirai had jumped on his bed when he was a little kid, the first time it had shifted to his battle form, that time it had somehow ordered pizza.. were now only memories that existed only in his head.

    It hurt.

    Turo sighed and turned his attention back to Jacq''s laptop; the guy had ran up to him during his break begging him to take a look at some other weird error that had popped up, and now he was sitting in the mostly empty mess hall, scrolling through the code.

    ? Hey look. It''s your friend.? Jacq chuckled from beside him, elbowing him slightly before nodding towards the window, this time closed.

    Turo turned to look: the Murkrow from a couple of days ago was sitting on the windowsill, staring straight at him and occasionally pecking the glass. It looked like it was holding something in its beak.

    Turo grumbled unhappily: those birds pretty much circled the Academy as soon as the sun went down, looking for shiny objects to steal from students and teachers alike. They were a menace. What did it want?

    He got up and approached the window, glaring at the Murkrow. Yeah, it was definitely the same Murkrow from the other day: he could recognize the weirdly shaped feathers on his head.

    ? No luck getting inside today, uh?? He taunted the little bird, and it cawed, pecking the glass again and dropping what he was holding.

    It was a coin, a different one from the one Turo had thrown to get him to leave. Turo blinked, leaning forward to look closer, and the bird impatiently pecked the glass again.

    ? Nice try, but I''m not letting you inside.?

    More cawing sounds.

    Turo stared at the little Pok¨¦mon; he was most definitely sure it was just trying to trick him again, but the Pok¨¦mon seemed quite intent on showing him the coin. If it wanted to steal something, why bring a coin...?

    Turo opened the window the slightest bit, not enough to let the Murkrow slip in, and the Pok¨¦mon threw the coin at his feet, flapping his wings.

    ? Wait... you want to give this to me?? He wondered, picking it up. It was a bit bigger than the one it had given him, and looked pretty new. Probably some change he had picked up from the street, dropped by who knows who.

    ? I''ve heard Murkrow bring gifts to people they like. He probably liked the coin you gave him and wanted to do the same for you.? Jacq spoke up behind him.

    Turo grumbled, opening the window a little more. The Murkrow hopped inside and perched on his shoulder with more cawing sounds.

    ? Tsk, get off me!? Turo tried to wave the Pok¨¦mon away, but it squawked and with a flap of his wings, simply perched on his other shoulder.

    Turo sighed. He... he had to admit it was kind of cute, in his own weird way, but...

    The feathers felt incredibly smooth and soft against his neck as the Pok¨¦mon started to chew on his hair and earlobe, cawing.

    Great. What was he supposed to do now? The little bastard was cute, and looked quite smart. He liked that in a Pok¨¦mon.

    And... if he got him officially registered as his Pok¨¦mon, he could enroll in the Academy along with Sada. She hadn''t done so already, probably feeling uncomfortable at the idea of being alone. But... this way they could do it together...

    ? ... ugh. Fine. Let''s go buy a Pok¨¦ Ball from the Pok¨¦ Market for you and get you registered.? He grumbled, heading out into the corridor with the little bird perched on his shoulder.

    ---

    ? So... here are the forms you need to fill to officially become students. You both want to enroll in the scientific course?? Clavell asked.

    ? Yes.? Sada confirmed, eyes shining. All three of them were in Clavell''s laboratory, discussing the details to get them registered together.

    ? All right... we can... work out something for all the necessary data... birthplace... age... name...?? Clavell raised his head from the stack of papers, looking straight at her. Sada hesitated, biting her lip.

    She had thought about it, a lot. She had looked at books in the library, searching for inspiration, for something that fit. Something that she could think of as "her", even just a little.

    ? ... Alba. Alba Sada.? She said after a moment.

    ? That''s a lovely name.? Clavell commented, writing it down.

    ? As for your first Pok¨¦mon... Litleo and Murkrow, right??

    ? Correct.? Turo interjected, one hand brushing against the single Pok¨¦ Ball clipped to his belt.

    ? Do they have nicknames? Just out of curiosity. You don''t have to decide immediately. Some people don''t give nicknames at all.?

    ? ... I assume "Sneaky bastard" breaks a school rule or two? ? Turo asked, managing to get a smile from the other man.

    ? ... offensive names are not permitted. So... we can work on the rest after I''m done with today''s lessons. Your trainer IDs will take a couple of days.

    For now, this is the list of books and learning materials you''re going to need, those are your dormitory rooms, and I suggest you go to this clothing store in Mesagoza to get measurements for your uniforms.? Clavell explained, pushing a little stack of papers over to them and hurrying out of the lab, his own books and a stack of graded papers under his arms.

    The two of them were left sitting alone, stunned.

    ? ... measurements?? Sada asked, excited. She was going to see how they made the school clothes?! To make so many surely they used some amazing sewing technique!

    ? ... I had completely forgotten about those uniforms. Arceus. They may look okay on a kid, but... ugh. And wearing them is required, isn''t it? ? Turo grumbled.

    Sada laughed trying to picture him in any of the various uniforms she had seen the students wear.

    ? I want to see you wear that hat!?

    ? That one isn''t required, thank Arceus. I miss my suit. At least we can stop invading Clavell''s house... let''s go look at our dorm rooms. ? He sighed, standing up. Even as he was acting all... well, "grumbly", she could see that he also was looking forward to it. He offered her his hand, and she took it, intertwining her fingers in his.

    ? So if we complete this "scientific" course here at the Academy... will people call us "Scientist Sada" and "Scientist Turo"?? She asked as they walked out of the laboratory.

    Turo smiled a tiny bit.

    ? I don''t think so. What people call you depends on what you actually end up doing... ? He started to explain.

    ? So... maybe something like Clavell! "Professor Sada" and "Professor Turo"! ?

    ? ... no way that''s going to happen.?

 Chapter 23: Settling in, part III

    Chapter 23: Settling in, part III

    ? ... I think that, umm.. "u-ni-form" looked good on you.?

    Sada had been trying to cheer him up since they had stepped out of that clothing shop to get their measurements done. Turo simply grumbled in response; he wasn''t looking forward to having to wear any of the different combinations of clothing the Academy offered. They all looked uncomfortable, and just the idea of wearing those shorts ... No. Impossible. Even stranger had been seeing Sada try them on. It was still surreal, seeing her dressed with 21th century clothes. Not as surreal as seeing her with the orange bodysuit of his time had been, but... she looked so... normal.

    Just... here, with him. It still filled him with a strange mix of incredulity, desperation and wonder.

    After exiting the shop, they had decided to simply spend some time walking through Mesagoza. Which, he had never quite realized, had so many stairs when you had to actually climb them all with no convenient teleporter in sight.

    ? L-let''s rest a moment...? He was forced to pant at the third flight of stairs they had walked up, sitting down on a bench in a little plaza. Sada didn''t say anything, simply following in lowering herself on the bench by his side.

    ? S-sorry... I always slow you down...? He said after a moment, hanging his head with some guilt.

    Sada didn''t say anything in response, simply holding his hand. He appreciated it, how she always waited patiently for him no matter how slow he moved compared to her. Little by little, he felt his heart rate settle down along with his breath as Sada drew little circles on his hand with her thumb.

    ? This will be fun... we will learn so many things together!? She said right as he was ready to resume walking, looking up to the sky. ? Or... you already know them?? She tilted her head with a questioning look, suddenly worried. Turo smiled.

    ? Some of them... but I will have to learn them again. To make sure... I don''t say anything strange.?

    Sada nodded, determined.

    ? Me too. The children at the library are teaching me a lot of things... they always talk about "homework" and "tests"... I wonder if I can do those...? She wondered out loud, getting a laugh out of him. That was so like her.

    ? You fought wild Pok¨¦mon with a spear! A test is just questions about stuff! You will be fine.? He chuckled, taking one last big breath before getting back up again.

    ? There''s also "tests" about Pok¨¦mon fighting... how good you are at commanding them... right? ? Her eyes were practically shining as she said it, even as her mouth twisted in just a little sad smile. She touched the Pok¨¦ Ball clipped to her belt, and Turo found himself doing the same. They were probably thinking about the same thing. They both let their Pok¨¦mon out at the same time, watching the Litleo and Murkrow appear in identical flashes of light.

    The Murkrow hopped on his shoulder, not looking surprised in the least about where he was; definitely a city boy... "just like me", Turo thought with an amused smile as he scratched the bird''s neck.

    Also lazy, since he didn''t look at all like he wanted to actually, you know, fly around... "just like me", he mentally added again.

    The Litleo, meanwhile, was looking around with wide eyes. Probably her first time in a city... just another thing she had in common with her trainer.

    ? I still have to give her a name... I was thinking of... Little Huntress.? Sada commented as they resumed walking. The Litleo meowed, apparently already having learned her name, and Sada smiled.

    ? Yeah, um... it would sound strange, I''m afraid. You can''t give names like you did to Pok¨¦mon in your language. Most people go for... short names. Cute names. And-? He added in a haste, as Sada was already puffing her cheeks out in annoyance.

    ? She''s not going to stay "little". When she evolves, she will grow a lot.?

    Sada grumbled, looking back down at "Little Huntress".

    ? ... I''m only thinking about names these days... what will you call him, then?? She asked, pointing to the Pok¨¦mon on his shoulder. Turo shrugged - which made the Pok¨¦mon squawk in annoyance-.

    ? Don''t know. A simple name. Something like... Carlos-? a rather pointy beak playfully pecked at his earlobe.

    ? ... all right. Not Carlos...? He tried a couple of other names, but with more cawing noises, the Murkrow seemed to refuse them all. This was going to take a while...

    ? What is that?? Sada pointed to a little cart on the side of the road, distracting him. When he saw what had caught her attention, he couldn''t help but smile.

    ? That''s called cotton candy. It''s sweet.? He said, and her eyes just grew wider.

    ? "Cotton"? Like the plant you make clothes of? You eat that?! I want to try!?

    Her enthusiasm was endearing, but the price tag for one stick of candy made him frown.

    Enrolling in the Academy was not free, and all the costs of registering and supplies were going to make a big dent in their first paychecks. Trainer equipment like Pok¨¦ Ball and Potions they were going to need also weren''t exactly cheap.

    He took out his wallet, an old thing he had gotten from Clavell, and stared at the meager pile of bills and coins inside.

    Just a little while ago, he would have happily spent all his money to have Sada try all the food she wanted in the single day he had had to enjoy with her.

    Now he had all the time in the world with her, and they had to worry about every cent they spent. But if he couldn''t even enjoy little moments like these with her by his side now...

    He walked up to the vendor with a little smile.

    ? One please.?

    When was the last time he had even had cotton candy? Ages ago. Sada watched the little machine start whirring and create the fluffy treat with the wide eyes of a child, taking it with an enormous smile.

    ? It''s so sweet!? She gasped after the first bite, before shoving it towards him.

    ? You have to try it!?

    No sooner had he taken an hesitant bite out of it that he heard Sada''s vibrant laughter fill the air.

    ? It''s stuck to your beard! ?

    ... yeah, that was probably why he hadn''t eaten it in ages. He started to pick out pieces of cotton candy stuck to his chin as Sada kept laughing.

    ... worth it.

    ---

    The classroom was buzzing with activity and excited whispers. Sada could barely contain her excitement as she waited for the teacher of her first lesson at the Academy to walk in. At her side,Turo was sitting down leaning against the back of the chair, fidgeting every two seconds with his uniform. He had opted for the "spring" uniform in the end, finding the winter uniform "too damn hot" and absolutely refusing to wear the hat or shorts. With his choice he still had to wear the little "suspenders", and those seemed to be the cause of his suffering the most out of anything at the moment. Sada didn''t mind the clothes they had to wear, she quite liked not having to wear layers over layers of heavy pelts and fur for once.

    ? I won''t last ten minutes with these, never mind hours...? He murmured, and she chuckled softly, caressing his hand before quickly drawing it back. The class went silent as the teacher walked in.

    ? Good morning. I''m Rodrigo Crayne and will be your history teacher for this year.?

    Sada listened with rapt attention as the teacher listed everything they would learn; it reminded her of when Narjik would tell stories of her tribe around the campfire, but... there was so much more! She had already started to slowly read the book they had to buy, and... there were drawings, and pictures (which were not the same thing, she had discovered), and numbers to tell what year it was... so, so many things to learn... and this was only one subject! Then Clavell would teach them about Pok¨¦mon''s "biology" and "types", and "science", and there was "math"... but for now, she wanted to focus on this history class. It was incredible to her, that people in this time knew how things were so long ago, how people lived before them... especially because they couldn''t even jump through time like Turo did, to see for themselves... how did they do it?

    ? Are we going to reach the age of the Paldean Empire this semester? ?

    One young woman that was sitting to her left, near the window, suddenly raised her hand to ask a question. She had wild dark purple hair and striking eyes only partially hidden behind a pair of thick glasses, and looked more or less her age. Sada watched her curiously. What was an empire...? Or a semester, for that matter? Did she know some things already?

    ? Yes we will, we will probably also do some field trips in a couple of castles from that era, if you are interested. But first, we''ll have to start from the very beginning... open your books on page 10.?

    Sada threw a little glance back to the woman, studying her. She looked interesting... she wanted to talk to her as soon as the lesson was over. By her side, Turo opened up the book in front of his face to hide a yawn.

    ? I already know this stuff... if I fall asleep wake me up if there''s something interesting.? He mumbled, hiding behind the cover as he put his head on the desk.

    But... but everything sounded interesting!

    His little nap lasted barely ten minutes before Sada poked him awake in excitement.

    ? Turo!! Fossils!! There''s creatures inside rocks?!?

    ---

    Honestly, Turo was having more fun watching Sada follow the lesson than actually doing it himself. He wouldn''t mind a refresher, but he knew what was coming for the first part of the course at least: how the planet was formed, how Pok¨¦mon appeared, debates about Mew actually being the ancestor of all Pok¨¦mon, first life forms included, or just of modern Pok¨¦mon from a certain point in time, and all that stuff. All stuff he had already done in school already. But watching Sada listen to it all with wide eyes and mouth open was like rediscovering the wonder of it all himself, in a way. She was furiously taking notes, and sometimes would whisper little comments in her language.

    ? There really were no people?? Only Pok¨¦mon? ? She whispered to him excitedly, and he nodded with a tiny smile. The idea that there had been something even before her tribe was evidently mindblowing to her.

    This was going to be fun.

    ---

    ? Um, hi... ? Sada approached the woman at the end of the class as they were walking to the next lesson.

    ? You looked really... interested in class. Do you like history...?? She didn''t quite want to ask what the Paldean Empire was in case it was something obvious that everyone was supposed to know; she would look it up by herself later.

    ? Oh... I know about you. I''ve seen you in the library. You''re the exchange student from Kalos.?

    Sada blinked, surprised. People had noticed her?

    ? You also looked pretty interested... so you like prehistory? Fossils are interesting, but the fact that you can never be sure of how things were at the time is a bit... frustrating. It would be amazing to just have a time machine to go see for yourself-? the woman was saying.

    A loud snort made her stop and turn around, and Sada did the same, already recognizing who the one responsible for it had been.

    Turo was walking right behind them, his bag full of books for the next lesson thrown over one shoulder and suspenders left hanging at his waist, trying to suppress a grin.

    ? What''s so funny?? the purple-haired woman huffed, to which Turo simply shrugged.

    ? ... nothing. Just happened to hear what you were saying. It would be nice.? He commented, shaking his head and walking away with a wry smile.

    Sada sighed, while the woman looked pretty peeved at having been laughed at, at least from her point of view.

    ? What''s his problem? ?

    ? Nothing, Turo is just... a bit weird... but he is nice, usually.?

    ? So you know him? Ugh... ah, where are my manners? Name''s Raifort, by the way.? The woman offered her hand to shake, and Sada took it after a moment, recognizing the gesture after having seen it a number of times at the Academy and in "movies" on tv. What a weird custom.

    ? Alba... Alba Sada.? It was still strange using the other name to call herself, but she was slowly growing used to it. Slowly. Every time she repeated it, it sounded... not really natural, it never would, but... more believable, in a sense.

    ? And.. yes, I... I live here with him...? Raifort frowned at her words, muttering something under her breath that she didn''t understand.

    ? Figures... ah, whatever. Do you want to have lunch together, after the next lesson??

    ---

    The cafeteria was pretty crowded that day, and the lessons were going well. Sada seemed to already have found a friend, the history-loving girl who wished to have a time machine (ah! That had been hilarious to hear.. didn''t they all), and would sometime spend time after class studying with her, in the library. Turo didn''t mind, on the contrary: Sada was smart enough to know how to not act suspicious. She couldn''t and shouldn''t always stay with him; he had his own moments when Jacq would slap his laptop in front of him at lunch, barely avoiding crushing his plate, to discuss his project with a desperate "I need your help pleaseeee, nothing is working!".

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    He liked looking over the code with the guy, even until late at night; it was familiar, almost comforting, in a way, similarly to the math lessons. Finally being able to look at something that was exactly the same as his time had almost brought him to tears.

    Numbers didn''t change. Algebra was always algebra. The computers were excruciatingly slow and primitive, but they still worked on the same principles as the Hadron-quantic ones of his time. Writing code or losing himself through purely mechanical calculations felt like being home... at least a bit.

    Right now, however, he was preoccupied with something different.

    ? All right, take this coin. Got that?? He waved one in front of Murkrow, who followed the shiny object with wide eyes, cawing sofly.

    ? ... krow.?

    ? You fly to the bar, all right...? And then you give the coin to the guy and say "Coffee".? He pointed the coin towards the counter.

    Murkrow were pretty smart, and he knew that a lot of bird Pok¨¦mon were able to imitate an impressive number of sounds. The Pok¨¦mon actually followed his finger, clicking his beak and then pecking his hand softly.

    ? No! You can''t have this coin. "Coffee"? He repeated.

    ? "Krow... "krowkee"...?

    Turo wondered for a moment if the bird actually knew the name of some things already, simply because he heard people at the Academy speak them out loud every day.

    ? Good. You do that, you can keep the change. All right, go.?

    He watched the Pok¨¦mon take the coin and fly away with a chuckle.

    ? What are you doing? ... apart from trying to teach your Murkrow to order coffee, for some reason.?

    Turo turned around at Clavell''s voice coming from behind him, watching the older man approach his table. Clavell took one look at him and sighed. Turo cringed, already knowing what was coming next.

    ? I know you are an adult, but as one of your teachers I''m obliged to do it: ... wearing the suspenders like that doesn''t respect school regulations.?

    Turo reluctantly put the suspenders, who he had left hanging around his trousers as soon as he had stepped out of the classroom, back on, attaching them properly.

    ? I don''t like them. I feel like I can''t... breath or move properly. I miss my suit-? He muttered in a lower voice as Clavell sat down by his side.

    ? ... that scuba diving looking thing? ... You really are used to wearing that thing everyday??

    Turo said nothing in response, frowning at his mistake. Their old clothes, together with their meager belongings, had been moved inside their dormitory rooms and carefully hidden away.

    ? ... I was teaching words to Murkrow...? He answered, opting to ignore the other''s comment and change subject completely. Clavell''s eyes narrowed, but he didn''t comment on it.

    ? Murkrow can actually learn to reproduce an impressive number of sounds, like Squawkabilly and Chatot. Even sounds that are mostly artificial, like machinery... and speaking of machinery, I''ve seen you speak with Jacq often. You like programming? ?

    Turo allowed himself to relax a bit; that felt like a safe argument to talk about, as long as it was about basic concepts...

    ? Yes, it''s... a hobby...?

    ? Are you thinking of doing something related to it for the Treasure Hunt?? Clavell asked.

    He had absolutely no idea. In his time, his own Treasure Hunt had been about researching new possible Artificial Pok¨¦mon, but what could he even do here...?

    The only thing he could think of was... doing that, just for fun...

    ? Well, maybe... do you have a Por-?

    ? Turo!?

    Sada''s voice, almost a yell, resonated through the mostly empty room, followed a moment later by the woman herself sprinting inside.

    She looked completely out of breath as she slid to a stop near them, eyes wide, holding something under her arm. Her eyes landed on Clavell for just a moment, and she seemed to hesitate, before sitting down in front of him.

    ? I was at the library... and I saw these... look!?

    She pushed two thick books stacked on top of each other in front of him. Turo furrowed his eyebrows, looking down on the bright red cover that had been thrust in from of him.

    ? Oh... those... haven''t seen them in quite a while, I didn''t even know our school still had copies of those books...? He heard Clavell said right by his side, but all his attention had been captured by what was represented on the cover of the book. It was a simple picture, draw in the very center in stylized lines in black ink. It wouldn''t have looked out of place on a coat of arms, or as the family crest of some old noble Paldean family. That''s what had been his first thought the book was, until he actually recognized what the picture represented.

    That was Winged King. No doubts about it. The feathered crest, the long tail, the webbed feet... he swallowed, reading the title of the book. "The Scarlet Book".

    Before seeing it with his own eyes, as far as he knew there had been no records of there being a prehistoric ancestor to Cyclizar... maybe he had been wrong? Maybe people in the 21th century or even before had actually found fossil evidence of it, and the knowledge had simply been lost...?

    Maybe they had thought they were something else? There was that whole story about people in the past mistaking old Mamoswine skeletons as the skull of some enormous giant or whatever...

    ? Those books were written almost 200 years ago.? Clavell spoke up, and Sada looked at him with wide eyes, almost trembling, as the man opened the "Scarlet Book" and turned a couple of pages.

    ? They supposedly document the first scientific expedition in modern history into Area Zero... they caused a lot of uproar when it came out, but people started questioning what was written in them... some things are probably based on real events, but all these tales about "monsters" and magical herbs and crystals in Area Zero... sounds more like he used his experience and myths around the Crater as basis for a nice fantasy tale to me.? He added, stopping shortly after the start of the first chapter.

    Sada looked understandably agitated as she kept turning pages, stopping on what looked to be another drawing.

    ? But... the Pok¨¦mon in this book... how...? She whispered, throwing a quick glance to Turo as she pointed to the image. Turo simply nodded, recognizing the figure of a Great Tusk.

    Clavell was looking between the both of them, suddenly serious.

    ? ... you''re not about to tell me you actually saw these Pok¨¦mon under there, do you?? He asked, lowering his voice to barely more than a whisper.

    Sada was chewing at her lip, her eyes flitting everywhere around the page as she tried to read everything at once. She just shook her head in response.

    ? We didn''t... go all the way down... they could be there...? Turo slowly offered.

    It was... statistically improbable, but not impossible, for Pok¨¦mon of long ago to still be alive as they were. If the Crater had acted as a closed environment, completely separating them from the rest of the world for thousands or even million of years... hadn''t it happened with at least another Pok¨¦mon? Relicanth, or something similar? Pretty much unchanged for ages?

    But Sada looked way too agitated for it to be just that: surely she didn''t think... he sighed, raising one hand to squeeze her shoulder.

    ? Sada... even if there''s Winged King under there... it wouldn''t be yours...? He tried to gently remind her in her language. Sada looked back up, face white as a sheet.

    ? I-I know... but these creatures are just like the one I know... and the other book... ?

    The other book? He had assumed Sada had just grabbed two copies to have him read one, but when she lifted the Scarlet Book to look at it better, he saw that the second book underneath was actually different. A violet cover, with a sleek figure drawn in similarly stylized lines as the Scarlet Book, pointing to the right instead of the left, almost mirroring the other.

    Nothing could have prepared him for what was drawn on the cover. He drew a strangled breath, suddenly feeling his chest ache.

    Miraidon...

    That was unmistakably a Miraidon. But that was...

    Someone discovering a place where Pok¨¦mon long extinct everywhere else still survived to this day? Difficult but not completely impossible.

    But Miraidon as a species wouldn''t even exist for at least another good thousand years, at a minimum.

    He tore the book open at a random point, his eyes frantically scanning the page up and down.

    This made no sense. How had they never heard of these books?

    ? Impossible... this is impossible...?

    Now he understood Sada''s frantic nervousness. It wasn''t about there being or not Pok¨¦mon of her time in Area Zero. She was thinking about how they could be pictured in these books... Because if Pok¨¦mon also from his time had been seen in the Crater, somehow...

    ? We need to go back to Area Zero.? He said, raising his head back up towards Clavell, who simply stuttered for a moment, speechless.

    ? ... What? What are you two talking about? I just dragged you out of there and you want to go back? You...? The man looked between him and Sada, and Turo realized he was gripping the Violet Book so tight that his fingers hurt.

    ? They are just fantasy books! Why the sudden interest? You...? His eyes went wide, and Clavell fell silent for a moment.

    ? ... You recognized the Pok¨¦mon on the cover.?

    It wasn''t a question, it was a statement, said in a dull voice as he still looked between the both of them. Sada, clutching the Scarlet Book to her chest; Turo figured that while he was simply holding it in one hand, he probably was unconsciously showing a similar expression to hers. Eyes wild, almost shaking from head to toe.

    ? You did, didn''t you? ? Clavell repeated. ? You actually think these Pok¨¦mon exist??

    A heavy silence fell between the three of them.

    ? ... They exist. ? Sada whispered, head held low as she looked at the book''s cover, one finger brushing over Winged King''s silhouette.

    From an external point of view, it was probably silly. Two grown adults suddenly getting obsessed about pictures in some old books... But Clavell couldn''t understand. He couldn''t understand the implications behind the simple existence of these books.

    If, somehow... there were Pok¨¦mon of other times in Area Zero... maybe that was why they had landed here of all places. Maybe that place... attracted things from other times.

    Somehow.

    And maybe there was a way for them to contact home- he immediately suppressed that thought.

    He didn''t even dare to hope.

    It was too absurd to be a coincidence. A guy coming up with Pok¨¦mon that just happened to look exactly like Pok¨¦mon that had actually existed, and would exist in the future?

    The author being some psychic prophet or whatever was a likelier explanation than it being a coincidence.

    ? We... We know they do. We just do. We need to go see.? Turo begged Clavell, who just shook his head.

    ? Impossible. I already got in too much trouble rescuing you two with a quick touch-down. You need at minimum the Paldean League''s and Director Harrington''s permission to enter the Crater officially-?

    ? The Paldean League...??

    Sada''s tone made Clavell sigh as he adjusted his glasses, obviously growing more exasperated as the conversation went on.

    ? You... don''t know what the League is. Of course. ?

    Turo tried to regain his composure, forcing himself to sit still and relax the iron grip he was still holding the Violet Book in.

    ? Clavell. What would we need to do to get permission to enter Area Zero...?? He asked, voice barely more than a whisper. Sada crept closer, leaning forward to listen, still holding the Scarlet Book close to her chest like she was clutching a lifeline. Clavell now looked completely lost and overwhelmed, shrinking back in his seat as both of them loomed over him.

    ? W-well, Area Zero is notoriously dangerous, so... other than an actually good reason... I imagine the League would like proof that you are strong enough to handle yourself under there...?

    ? I can-? Sada was interrupted by Clavell raising one hand.

    ? Not with a bow and arrow. With Pok¨¦mon to protect you. You would probably need to be Champion-ranked trainers at least -?

    Champion ranked...? Turo listened with a strange sense of detachment to the older man''s words. Now that was something straight out of the history books.

    Challenging Gyms, the League... That was what countless VR games in his time had been based on, long after the actual League in most regions had become just a distant memory.

    ? If that is the case...? He said, looking back down to the cover of the Violet Book, stroking the silhouette of the Miraidon depicted on it with his thumb.

    ? ... I guess we''ll just have to do it.?

    For a moment, the only sound was Clavell''s exasperated sigh.

    ? You are serious... ? He said, removing his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. For some long moments, neither of them spoke. Sada looked ready to bolt outside and attempt to climb into the Crater herself. Honestly, Turo could understand her.

    ? Umm... I have an order for... one coffee for the guy with the Murkrow??

    All three of them looked to the guy at the bar that had spoken up, and was now looking confusedly around while Murkrow landed on the table in a flurry of little wingbeats.

    ? "Krowkee!"? He cawed proudly, clutching two little coins in his beak.

    Uh... Oh, nice! The little bastard actually did it!

    Turo chuckled and stroked the little flying type.

    ---

    That same evening, as soon as lessons were done, they had toured every book store in Mesagoza to buy a copy of the Scarlet and Violet Books for themselves. They had been quite difficult to find; Turo had said that they were probably "out of print", but they had finally found two copies in a little place that sold all kinds of old books.

    Now they were back at the Academy, both sitting on her bed in her dormitory room.

    ? They... They are the same book.? Sada commented as she cracked open the pages to the first chapter.

    ? Look.? She waited for Turo to do the same, and pointed to one sentence at random.

    ? "A photograph from...the survey team''s point of in-ingress-"? She read aloud, only for Turo''s voice to join hers, Violet Book held in his left hand.

    ? "-to the crater, which is visible in the background."... You''re right.? He commented. He went back and forth between the two.

    ? ... Completely the same, word for word. Same author, same edition... same print year. ? Sada watched as he dragged his free hand through his hair, leaving some short bangs sticking straight up. She wasn''t sure what the edition or print year were, but she had compared even the little codes printed on the back, and they came out similarly identical.

    ? ... Why make two books the same, except for... the Pok¨¦mon? The story is the same... even some pictures.? She wondered, going back to the page with the Great Tusk drawing. Turo mirrored her movements, turning to the same page number on the Violet Book. The creature drawn inside had the same general shape of a Great Tusk, but like most things she had seen of Turo''s time, had a smooth and compact appearance, covered in rigid plates.

    ? ... Iron Treads. I... I don''t know what to think. Did this guy have visions of the future and decided to use them for his book? Why have I never heard of these books? ?

    At Turo''s incredule comments, Sada closed the Scarlet Book again to look at the name of who had written it.

    ? ... It says "Heath" wrote this. Many years ago.? She said after a moment.

    Turo sighed.

    ? Well, the guy is long dead. ? A frustrated scowl crossed his face for just a moment. ? If I still had... It would be so easy to just go there and ask him... But in that case we wouldn''t even be in this situation, I guess...? He flopped backwards on her bed, the still opened Violet Book falling back on his face.

    ? ... We can try to look for his family. They must know something.? Sada offered. If he had children...

    The Violet Book was lifted just enough for a single brown eye to peer up at her.

    ? ... His descendants? We can try...? He muttered.

    Sada smiled, feeling excitement bubble up inside her. This... it had shocked her at first, but now... they had an objective. They had something to do: go back to Area Zero... And find out how these books had been written.

    If it was true... if... if something from "home" was waiting for her at the bottom of Area Zero... she just had to see.

    ? These books... They will be our "Treasure Hunt"!? She offered, falling backwards and landing over Turo, prompting a little "oof" out of the man as she knocked the wind out of him.

    His arms came up from behind to hug her waist, and she felt his short stubble tickle her neck as he leaned against her.

    ? If... if there really is a way to go back home there...? He said after a long moment, and she could feel the hesitation in the way his voice vibrated against her.

    ? Would... would you...? He didn''t finish the sentence.

    If each of them got back home in their respective times... they would be separated again.

    Unless...

    ? ... Let''s not worry about that now.? She said, turning around in his arms to face him directly.

    ? For now, let''s just focus on getting there. ? She cupped his face with both hands, stroking his cheek with one thumb.

    ? We don''t know what is happening there. ? She added, and Turo nodded silently, eyes closed as he leaned into her touch.

    ? ... Right. One thing at a time. Like in the crater. Together.? He whispered.

    ? Together.?

    ---

    As he accompanied Sada and Turo through the road towards Los Platos on a little picnic to both relax and train their Pok¨¦mon a bit, Clavell kept carefully observing the two. Those reactions to the books had been... curious, together with their immediate desire to go back to Area Zero.

    They had recognized the Pok¨¦mon on the covers, he was sure of it. They meant something to them.

    Which was... strange, since those Pok¨¦mon mentioned in the Scarlet and Violet Books had never been found.

    They looked similar to existing Pok¨¦mon, sure, but... both Turo and Sada had looked shocked at seeing the books.

    Their surprise was genuine, he was sure of it. And they obviously didn''t want him to overhear when they spoke about something, whispering to each other in a mix of Sada''s strange dialect and Turo''s foreign accent when pronouncing certain words.

    He... had to admit it stung a bit, how they obviously didn''t trust him to reveal what was going on. So he instead had decided to focus on their current, more immediate objective.

    ? You really want to challenge the Gyms?? He asked.

    ? Yes. I have looked at all the Gyms in Paldea. With my Litleo''s "fire" type and Turo''s Murkrow''s "flying" type, we can easily challenge the Grass Gym or the Bug Gym. They are also both near here.? Sada answered. She had taken to the challenge with a readiness that was almost scary as soon as he had explained what a Gym challenge was.

    ? So it''s a way for trainers to prove their abilities in combat. Good. ? She had said, looking thoughtful.

    Now, she was walking in front of both of them; Clavell couldn''t help but notice that she was extremely silent. Every step was carefully measured to make as little noise as possible, and she would often half-crouch to examine tracks on the ground, or gather tufts of fur or scales left behind by wild Pok¨¦mon.

    Her Pok¨¦mon, the Litleo she had caught, was walking by her side, carefully sniffing every time the woman paused to examine something.

    ? Kim. Look here. Tiny scales like these are left by bug Pok¨¦mon. Don''t touch them, they will hurt! Do you understand?? She was saying to the little fire type right at that moment, pointing towards a pile of dead leaves on the ground covered by a fine, sawdust like powder - maybe traces of a Stun Spore, or Poison Powder attack, left by some Pok¨¦mon, or what was typically left by the fine powder that usually covered their wings. The little Pok¨¦mon was listening with wide eyes - then again, Litleo always looked a little surprised -, ears twitching.

    ? They look like they have just been shed-? the woman''s following words took Clavell by surprise. She could tell?

    He would have to ask her how... They definitely hadn''t covered that in his biology lessons.

    ? So a bug Pok¨¦mon is nearby. A big one. ? She got back up, pointing away from the road and towards a little thicket, where the trees grew closer. Her Litleo faithfully followed her, half disappearing through the tall grass.

    ? ... She knows a lot about wild Pok¨¦mon tracks.? Clavell turned to Turo, who had been slowly shuffling after them. The man seemed more than content to simply let his Pok¨¦mon fly around, picking fights with wild Scatterbug and the like and just letting him do his own thing. Clavell didn''t think he had heard him call out a single attack yet.

    ? Um? Oh, yes... She''s got a lot of... Practice.? Turo answered after a moment, obviously distracted. Clavell glared at the younger man. He had given up trying to extract information out of them by now, but sometimes he had the distinct impression that they were toying with him.

    ? ... Practice. Tracking Pok¨¦mon alone. In Kalos, I suppose.? He added.

    Turo simply blinked, calmly putting both hands into the pockets of the dark winter parka he was wearing.

    ? Right!? He said with a hint of a smirk.

    They got interrupted by Turo''s Murkrow landing on the man''s right shoulder with a loud screech. Like most times when he came back, the flying type was holding something shiny in his beak that he spit in Turo''s waiting hand.

    ? Miguel... I told you to not pick up trash from the ground...? Turo grumbled.

    It had become a habit for the man to pretty much accept anything the Pok¨¦mon would find pretty -and shiny - enough to bring back to him, and he had been amassing a veritable collection of random junk from the moment they had left the Academy.

    A moment later, Turo raised a single eyebrow.

    ? This... where did you find it?? He asked the Pok¨¦mon, who looked more busy preening his feathers to bother answering. Clavell approached Turo to look.

    There, in his hand, were what looked like little shards of colored glass. They refracted the light in a multitude of colors, but most of it looked light green. He could see how it would have attracted the Murkrow''s attention.

    ? Some of my students have reported finding these... crystal shards around Paldea.? Clavell commented, interested. It was the first time he saw them up close, and they definitely weren''t simple glass shards like he had first thought.

    ? ... They have?? Turo looked even more puzzled at that, turning the little shards around in his hand. ? We''ve seen this ... crystal.?

    Something in Turo''s tone made a chill run along Clavell''s back. If he had said "we"...

    ? You mean... under there??

    Turo nodded, absentmindedly petting Murkrow as he slipped the crystals into his pocket.

    ? Yes... it was everywhere. The grass... over trees. The air felt... heavy, sometimes. Especially at night.? He frowned, like he was remembering something unpleasant.

    ? What do you mean... heavy? Toxic?? Clavell asked. It was the first time either of them mentioned any detail about how things had been in the Crater. Turo however shook his head.

    ? No. It didn''t seem to do anything to us, but... it felt... "powerful".? He answered after a moment.

    A tense silence fell between the two, neither of them quite willing to voice their concern out loud: if these crystals came from Area Zero... What were they doing here?

 Chapter 24: Settling in, part IV

    Chapter 24: Settling in, part IV

    Paleolithic Era, in the area that will be known as Kalos

    The snow reached up past her knees as Chalo made her way through the forest. Every time that Turo visited, when he would leave in the evening, Sada would leave with him on the back of her red dragon. His tribe supposedly lived far away, south from here, but the guy had probably found some other place to spend the night. Why didn''t he just move to the village permanently without all that back and forth, Chalo had no idea.

    Sada''s spear had been found quite some distance away from here. Now she had taken the weapon with her; she was forced to carry it by hand, since her bow was already slung over her shoulder together with her quiver and the rest of her supplies for the trip. Food, mostly dried meat and hard berries for Fluffyhead, roots, a couple of spare strings for her bow.

    The spear sat heavily in her hand, but she had been determined to bring it with her: Spark Tails didn''t exactly have a keen sense of smell from what she could tell and didn''t have the instinct to track a scent, not being predators, but it was still better than hers for sure. Just having the creature sniff the weapon sometimes and watch his reaction was better than nothing. Maybe the spear could hold some other clue to where Sada had gone.

    ? If she really ran away to the south with Terg without saying anything, I''m going to kill her.? She whispered to Fluffyhead as they stopped for a break. She liked to talk to the creature; it definitely listened, even if it didn''t really give any signs of understanding most of what she said that wasn''t about food or orders to attack things.

    ? I mean... Usually when you find a mate in another tribe and leave, there''s a big celebration! Members of the other tribe come to bring gifts! We decide what things we can trade! You can''t just leave!? She grumbled as she started chewing on a root.

    ? I wanted to try new food... And berry juice, the strong stuff... And dance with some guys from Terg''s tribe... As long as they''re not all spindly looking like him.? Fluffyhead listened silently, looking more interested in digging up the snow with his front hooves looking for food. Chalo reached out and patted the creature on his head, stroking the portion of fluffy wool on his head.

    ? You''re so lucky... Not having to worry about anything. ? She sighed. Sada''s spear was laying on the ground next to her, and the woman stared at it somberly for a moment.

    A part of her couldn''t help dreading finding out what happened. Sada would never lose her spear willingly... She must have been separated by it by force.

    But what could have gotten her to abandon it and just... Disappear? Why not fly back on Winged King? The dragon had to be with her. What could even attack her when she was protected by that creature?

    ... She had the bad feeling something horrible had happened.

    ? ... Let''s go. The spot where they found the spear should be around here.? She said, getting back up.

    ---

    Sada was happy to see that despite her initial clumsiness, Kim was smart and quick to learn. She couldn''t rely on just brute force like Winged King did; still small, there were many wild Pok¨¦mon that could still easily beat her. Sada had quickly realized that the Litleo learned by experience, and by watching someone else, so now she was walking in front of the fire type as she followed along. The tracks of the bug Pok¨¦mon kept going, but something about them seemed... Strange. Sada frowned as they passed more of the scattered powder, together with some translucent scales, and something else that caught her eye. She crouched lower to look at it better; she had thought it was just how the scales looked, almost like incredibly little shards of crystal, but together with the scales was something else that looked out of place: a couple of bright pink feathers, similarly encased in crystal.

    Kim mewled at her side, rubbing her cheek against her leg before turning around. She followed the Pok¨¦mon''s gaze, which fell on what was definitely the footprint of a large bird. Only one, though.

    ? That''s not what we''re after, Kim? Sada shook her head, only for the Litleo to meow again, and go back to sniff the footprint. Sada furrowed her eyebrows; the Pok¨¦mon''s senses were obviously sharper than hers, so... Was she saying the bug scales and footprint had the same smell?

    Could a Pok¨¦mon be both a bug type and a... Bird type?

    Clavell''s biology lessons had taught her the names of the various "types" people used to differentiate Pok¨¦mon. "Bird" wasn''t really a true type, it was more of a... Group of Pok¨¦mon that all shared the same physical characteristics. A beak, wings, feathers. Like fish Pok¨¦mon or "felines" was used for all Pok¨¦mon that looked like Kim.

    And while she knew from experience that Pok¨¦mon could be pretty much anything... Certain things didn''t seem to mix. And a "bird" Pok¨¦mon that had both crystal scales like a bug and feathers struck her as one of those.

    But Kim looked quite sure.

    ? All right. Let''s go.?

    She started following the fire type, watching the little tuft of red fur on the Litleo''s tail appear and disappear among the vegetation.

    When the Pok¨¦mon suddenly stopped, she knew she had found something. She crouched next to her, peering through the shrubbery.

    It... It did look like a bird. A big one, with a very long neck, bright pink feathers, strong clawed feet but also... Its feathers looked strange, encased in crystals. They shimmered with a faint green glow, and some of them actually looked like they were made of tiny scales, like bug wings. It also had a couple of antennae growing from its head, which it seemed to be able to move freely.

    So... Was it a bug or a bird? A... Bug-type bird Pok¨¦mon? It reminded her a bit of the Triple Runner she had faced with Turo some time ago.

    She got out her new school notebook as silently as she could with the intention of writing down some details about this Pok¨¦mon and attempt to sketch it, but Kim suddenly jumping out in front of her with a challenging roar towards the wild Pok¨¦mon made her gasp out loud.

    ? Kim! No, come back!? She whispered.

    Her hand was already halfway to her shoulder before she stopped herself with a frown. Why didn''t Clavell allow her to bring her bow? She felt defenseless without it; was she really supposed to just... Stand around and watch Kim fight all alone? Giving her orders?

    ? K-Kim! Use your fire!?

    If it really was a bug, it should be effective... The Litleo opened her mouth, breathing out a little ball of flame that shot towards the wild Pok¨¦mon. It reacted fast, jumping to the side with its strong legs... Only one leg, actually. But it definitely had two. Why only use one?

    The wild Pok¨¦mon screeched, spreading its wings, before charging towards Kim. The Litleo braced herself, eyes fixed on her opponent as a furious growl resonated from her throat. When the bird attempted to kick her with its raised leg, she darted forward, passing under the wild Pok¨¦mon... Only to let out a cry of pain when the Pok¨¦mon quickly switched the leg it was standing on, kicking her with the other and sending the Litleo tumbling away.

    Sada flinched, looking around. She couldn''t do this! She couldn''t just stand aside and do nothing.

    ? Hey!? She yelled to get the Pok¨¦mon''s attention as she picked up a rock, throwing it. She aimed at the Pok¨¦mon''s belly, aiming to just get it distracted as Kim got back on her feet. If nothing else, she could buy time... Clavell and Turo were hopefully behind her.

    The rocked bounced off the Pok¨¦mon''s crystallized skin, barely chipping it, but the bird still squawked in pain, shaking its antennae wildly.

    Now that she thought about it... Both flying and bug type were weak to rock, were they?

    ? Kim! Hit its legs! The legs!? She yelled, throwing a second rock to point at the right spot. The Litleo growled, planting herself firm on the ground as she let out a roar; her fur seemed to fluff up, the Pok¨¦mon suddenly looking bigger and stronger before she charged her opponent. Crashing into the bird from behind, she headbutted it and sent it toppling down, more pieces of crystal shattering away from it.

    ? Yes! Good! Now use your fire again, quick!?

    The bird started to furiously flap its wings as it lay splayed on the ground, trying to right itself up. Kim quickly ran away from its legs that were blindly kicking the air all around, opening her mouth to pelt it with quick fireballs. At each hit, more and more shards cracked away from its body. One fragment completely fell off from its right wing, and she saw that underneath its pink feathers actually looked completely normal.

    It was almost like... Only the crystal all around was what made it look like a bug. But it had antennae, so... What was happening?

    Kim closed her mouth and back off, panting heavily with the effort of breathing fire repeatedly.

    ? Well done. Now-? She got interrupted by the wild Pok¨¦mon managing to get back up on its feet and launch itself against the Litleo again. The little fire type shivered, trying to dodge the double kick that was coming her way-

    ? Miguel, Wing Attack!?

    In a flurry of dark feathers Turo''s Murkrow burst out from behind her, its two jet-black wings striking the Pok¨¦mon''s long and twisty neck, stopping it midway from hitting the Litleo.

    Sada turned around, watching as Clavell and Turo arrived running... Well, Clavell was running, to be more exact.

    Turo was more or less shuffling after him and was now panting trying to catch his breath, hands on his knees. She immediately moved to his side, half covering him and ready to tackle him out of the way by instinct.

    ? What is going on with that Pok¨¦mon?? Clavell''s surprised voice made her turn back towards the fight. The older man had released his Houndoom again, and the Pok¨¦mon was helping Kim by breathing a steady stream of fire towards the bird as the Murkrow flew in circles around it, pecking it on its head.

    ? What Pok¨¦mon is it? What''s wrong with it?? She asked.

    The older man looked amazed, and he pulled out what Sada had learned was a "camera" from his bag.

    ? I... I don''t know! It looks like a Flamigo, they are usually a Flying and Fighting type... I''ve never seen one like this one! Is it the first of a new variant? Another convergent species, maybe...?? the older man looked more busy taking pictures to answer her in more detail.

    ? Throw Ball... catch it...? Turo gasped behind her, and Sada mentally berated herself.

    Right! A Pok¨¦ Ball. She still had to get used to the whole idea of... just being able to catch Pok¨¦mon in them.

    ? You''re right...? She got one out of her bag, and took careful aim before throwing it in a wide arc. The Ball hit the wild Pok¨¦mon on its stomach, just to simply bounce off with a little pinging noise on its crystalized skin. The bird screeched, enraged, and kicked it away with one leg.

    ? That''s... impossible... is that crystal not part of its body, then?? Clavell wondered out loud.

    Sada pointed to the damaged wing, where the crystal had completely broken off, and the older man''s eyes widened again.

    ? No! It''s like... clothes it''s wearing!? She tried to describe what she had seen as best as she could.

    ? The crystal feathers have little scales like bugs, but under the crystals, they look fine-? She added.

    ? We have to... break it all.?

    By her side, Turo seemed to have regained his breath somewhat, or at least enough to talk. Sada looked at him with some concern; running out of breath was normal for him, but... he looked a little pale.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Well... paler than usual. She nodded, turning back towards her Pok¨¦mon.

    ? All right. Kim, keep attacking with fire!?

    The two fire types took turns barraging the Flamigo with flames, while Turo''s Murkrow kept flapping around its head, mostly distracting it and striking it with his wings. More cracks kept forming on the crystals around the wild Pok¨¦mon''s body, until finally, with a resounding shattering sound, they fell off completely.

    ? It really is... just a normal Flamigo...? She heard Clavell comment.

    The Pok¨¦mon staggered back, stunned.

    ? Now!?

    Sada''s second Pok¨¦ Ball flew in a wide arc and struck the Pok¨¦mon on its head, capturing it.

    A brief silence fell between them until the Pok¨¦ Ball stopped shaking.

    ? That Flamigo... were you interested in training it?? Clavell asked as he moved to pick up the Pok¨¦ Ball.

    Only now did Sada take a deep breath and consider what had just happened.

    ? Um... No. Kim just attacked it. B-but... I want to study it. ? She said. Those crystals looked exactly like the ones in the Crater.

    ? I''m also interested in those crystals. We could keep it at the Academy if you aren''t interested in training him... Or her. ? Clavell answered, kneeling to examine one of the many broken off shards. Sada did the same.

    ? Those shards... are the same as the one in Area Zero.? She said after a moment. Clavell looked pensive.

    ? ... Around 120 years ago, during one of the expeditions following those of the Scarlet and Violet Books... people reported finding "glowing Pok¨¦mon" in the crater. ? He said slowly.

    Turo approached the two of them, copying them in crouching to pick up some of the crystals.

    ? ... So you think this Flamigo flew away from the crater? ? He asked. Clavell didn''t look particularly convinced of his own idea.

    ? ... No, I don''t think so. Let''s take a break and discuss things while we have a picnic.?

    ---

    Clavell, and most people of 21th century Paldea as it turned out, tended to always have all the necessary equipment for a picnic with them at all times. Somehow. And picnic tables and spots were pretty much everywhere.

    The whole thing struck him as a bit strange: had historians missed the whole Paldean picnic craze, or did they simply not consider it important enough to mention? Whatever.

    ? Can''t we just go back to the city and eat something that''s actually cooked...?? Turo asked as he helped set the table.

    Sada was busy tending to her Litleo''s wounds, but she still threw him a little scowl over her shoulder.

    ? Turo, we always ate outside... why don''t you like it here?? She commented.

    Because that had been out of necessity, while here, he technically had the choice of all the comforts of civilization, so...

    ? I just want to eat something nice and warm...?

    She pouted, then gave him a wry smile, a little glint of mischief shining suddenly in her eyes as she finished spraying a potion over her Pok¨¦mon.

    ? ... You''re just embarrassed at making sandwiches in front of Clavell because you suck at it.? She gleefully added after a moment, making him grumble unhappily.

    ? Y-you also suck at them! You always make the lettuce fall out!? He shot back, making her laugh. He should have never taught her the meaning of that particular expression!

    ... Then again, if he hadn''t, she would have probably learned it from Raifort in no time anyway.

    Clavell, bless him, remained perfectly impassible as he took the various ingredients out, even if he was clearly trying not to smile. Turo often found himself appreciating the man''s quiet discretion. He briefly wondered how things would have gone had anyone else from the Academy rescued them instead.

    ? So... you were saying that that Flamigo couldn''t come from the Crater? Couldn''t it just fly out??

    Even as he said it, Turo knew it couldn''t be true: he himself had watched various flying Pok¨¦mon glide around the crater, but never quite leaving. Granted, it had been Corviknight, but...

    ? Impossible. Because in that same expedition the researchers tried the same, of course. All the Pok¨¦mon that were brought with them stopped glowing and became completely normal Pok¨¦mon the moment they got too far from the Crater...? Clavell answered, quickly preparing multiple sandwiches and offering the first one to his Houndoom.

    ? Define "too far"? Turo casually swatted Miguel''s beak away from his meager sandwich prepared after much effort, making the Pok¨¦mon caw and perch on his shoulder. He sighed, and threw the little bird a slice of bacon.

    Technically, Area Zero wasn''t too far away from any other spot in Paldea, so...

    ? Literally as soon as they stepped out of the Crater.?

    Ah. Well, that was...

    ? That''s... worrying. It clearly happened here. It''s almost like...? He took a bite out of his sandwich.

    ? What makes the Pok¨¦mon all different is starting to work here too. ? Sada interjected, happily and messily stuffing her sandwich with an ungodly amount of things before biting into it with gusto. Did it really need an entire block of bacon...?

    Turo fell silent for a bit, slowly chewing as he thought.

    ? Sada... you said the Pok¨¦mon was... Like a bug Pok¨¦mon?? He asked after a moment, before frowning and looking down at his food.

    He... he was still a bit out of breath from running after Miguel. Sada being in so much better physical condition than him was obvious, considering how sedentary his life was, but... realizing how seriously out of shape he was compared to everyone else here had... stung a bit. Shouldn''t it be the opposite? Sure, people... barely needed to walk in his time, especially in space, but... he had had access to better medical practices his whole life! He was protected against stuff that didn''t even exist yet here! Was advanced medicine really the only thing keeping the people of his time upright?

    Or were all those at the Academy just stupidly fit because they trained Pok¨¦mon and traveled a lot?

    He didn''t like it. He sighed, and focused back on the conversation.

    ? It was effectively acting like it was a bug type... Fire type moves seemed to be much more effective than usual against it.? Clavell was saying, as Sada nodded.

    ? But that''s impossible... the only way that some Pok¨¦mon can change types temporarily is by mega evolving, sometimes... This Pok¨¦mon almost looked like it was used to being in that... state.? Clavell added.

    ? Yes. It moved those antennae... It doesn''t have them normally. It... It really was a bug type at that moment.?

    Clavell looked at a loss for words.

    ? Something in Area Zero... can make Pok¨¦mon change their type.? he said.

    Sada didn''t look particularly impressed at the implications; while she was learning fast at the Academy, for her this may as well be just another impossible thing that Pok¨¦mon were simply able to do. In that, she was a lot more... open-minded than most, probably.

    Turo, meanwhile, was as amazed as Clavell, even if for a completely different reason. He ... had never heard of this, and that was... a bit strange. If someone had studied this, it would have become a big deal. A revolutionary discovery. Pok¨¦mon completely changing types!

    For the Scarlet and Violet Books to fall into obscurity was one thing, but for a discovery of such magnitude... he wasn''t sure. It was true that during history lessons they had focused a lot more on the advent of Hadron energy, and how it had sparked the greatest change in their technology and Pok¨¦mon the world had ever seen. And it had started "only" 1000-something years after this, so... Maybe, somehow, this... phenomena in Paldea had ended up completely overshadowed and forgotten?

    ... Why was he even worrying so hard about how it all fit into his time? It wasn''t like he could do anything about it.

    Turo sighed, finishing his sandwich with little enthusiasm, before looking back towards Clavell with a tiny smirk.

    ? ... I bet you''re interested in getting us back into Area Zero now.?

    ---

    Bringing back the Flamigo to the Academy had been a bit of a disappointment. It never crystallized again, looking just like a perfectly normal Flamigo. Clavell had even asked all of his students if some of them wanted to volunteer their own Flamigo to compare to the newly caught individual, with no results.

    Whatever it was that triggered that state, it had come from outside, not something unique about the Pok¨¦mon itself.

    ? That is... good in a way, right?? Sada asked Clavell after they had released the Flamigo back into the wild.

    ? It means it can happen to any Pok¨¦mon... not just Pok¨¦mon that have something special.? she added, and the man begrudgingly nodded, before checking his watch as they made their way to his next class.

    ? Turo is...? ?

    ? He''s coming. He didn''t... feel really well after that picnic. ? Sada frowned.

    She was a bit worried about him, he had looked pretty tired for the last couple of days. Maybe he just needed to get used to having to move around more than what he was used to in his time, but... he usually just had to sit down a bit and he was fine. He hadn''t fallen sick, had he?

    They entered Clavell''s classroom, and Sada took a seat near Raifort, leaving a spot open to her other side. Raifort''s eyes gleamed when she noticed she was alone.

    ? He''s not here?? she asked in a rather hopeful tone, making Sada smile a little.

    ? He''s just a bit late.? she answered, to which Raifort looked a bit disappointed. Sada was used to the two not really getting along. Or rather, neither of them seemed to want to miss an occasion to quip a little joke to the other''s expense from their very first interaction.

    Turo was the last one to enter the classroom, right as Clavell was about to start, and he shuffled towards his place before sitting down. Sada looked back at him in worry, and squeezed his hand under the table.

    ? "Are you all right?"? she whispered. He had heavy bags under his eyes, a runny nose, and was breathing a little heavily.

    He nodded and smiled a little, the effect a bit ruined by having to sniffle and suppress a sneeze immediately after.

    ? "Y-yeah. I will go to the doctor after this lesson."?

    He sat down near her, pointedly ignoring Raifort''s side glance, as Clavell started the lesson.

    ? Right, so last lesson, we stopped at one of the first researchers that started an attempt of classifying Pok¨¦mon based on their "type". In ancient times, this was usually limited to the obvious elemental types like fire and water, while everything else was classified as "normal type". There were many different attempts to further classify Pok¨¦mon in the following centuries, by different criteria...?

    ? You should go to the infirmary.? Raifort leaned almost over Sada to whisper towards Turo, who didn''t bat an eye.

    ? Nah. I''m fine, thanks. How cute, are you worried about me? ? he whispered back, to which the woman huffed.

    ? Ah! I just don''t want to catch anything from you.?

    ? Just admit you want me out of the way-?

    Sada let out a soft sigh as she tried to ignore the two''s continued bickering and take some notes.

    Clavell turned the "projector" on and the lights off, as he usually did when he wanted to show some pictures to the whole class. The fact that you could just make images appear on a wall immediately, even if she had seen it in Turo''s time already, kept amazing her... Especially because someone had to have taken those pictures first! Her biology books were full of incredibly colorful pictures of Pok¨¦mon, taken from incredibly close, and in their natural habitat! To be able to get so close to even the most ferocious creature... That would have been impossible in her time.

    Clavell switched to a specific slide, and Sada froze in her seat. All around her, the whole classroom slowly fell completely silent, everyone turning to look from the picture on the wall towards her, except for Turo and Raifort who kept hissing to each other, not paying attention to the lesson.

    ? The woman depicted here was Professor Albora Olim, who was the first to study-? Clavell trailed off, squinting at the screen before he too raised his eyebrows in surprise.

    ? Um...? she slowly said, trying to get the only two still oblivious to it to turn around.

    ? I''m just saying, you should-UGH?

    Tired of their bickering , she lightly elbowed both of them, making Raifort jump a little in her chair as she scooted backwards to dodge her and Turo hiss in pain, grumbling a "why...?" as he curled up on himself.

    His "why" was immediately answered when they both finally looked towards the picture. And, like anyone else in the room, fell completely silent.

    There, displayed on the wall for everyone to see, was a portrait . An incredibly realistic one, but still quite old from what she had learned, from a time where people would sit still for hours as someone else painted them. Sada had seen quite a lot of them by now, even at the Academy. Painting from teachers and Directors of the past.

    What had surprised the entire class was the subject of the painting: the woman in it, from the color of her eyes to the long hair that fell around her face, was a mirror image of herself. She had been painted from the neck down, like a lot of people did at the time, so her clothes were not visible, but she had what looked like a little diamond as an earring, and a neutral expression. She wasn''t smiling, but had an air of calm focus as she stared forward.

    ? Wow! She''s your spitting image!? Raifort said out loud what everyone else, Sada herself included, was probably thinking.

    ? Is she an ancestor of yours?? she added, making Sada frown in confusion.

    ? "An... Ancestor"?? she whispered.

    ? Ah, right... Someone from your family, in the past.? Raifort added. Sada''s frown didn''t disappear as she looked at the face of the woman in the painting.

    ? M.. maybe...? Sada answered as she turned a hesitant look towards Turo, looking for his reaction.

    That wasn''t possible... Her actual ancestors were from much earlier than this "Professor Olim"... And she obviously didn''t have any children. There was no way they could be related.

    But the resemblance was uncanny; was it really just a coincidence?

    Turo''s expression, however, wasn''t what she was expecting to see.

    She thought he would be as confused as she was. Instead, he looked triumphant, his eyes almost shining as he looked at the portrait.

    ? "That''s you. It has to be. You know what that means?"? he whispered as he turned towards her, ignoring both Raifort glaring at him as she couldn''t understand them, and Clavell who had been staring at the both of them really closely as he tried to resume class.

    ? "It means we find a way to... Travel. A way home."?

    Sada felt her heart skip a beat as she looked at her own face in the portrait.

    Could it... Could it be? Was it really proof that they would find a way through time? She could see herself deciding to visit that era, admittedly, but... pose for a painting? And... Become a professor there, apparently?

    Or... Or it was just a massive coincidence that the woman in the painting looked exactly like her.

    Turo seemed convinced that it was her... Sada wasn''t quite sure what to think. But now she was even more determined to find out what was happening in Area Zero.

    ---

    47th century, Moon

    Ortega hated silence. It made him uncomfortable; he was always looking for a way to fill it. It didn''t always work; there were occasions where silence was required. Like the one he was currently in.

    It was customary for funeral rites to take place where the person had been born, so the day before he, Vega and Moreau had stepped into a shuttle to leave Earth.

    Turo had never really talked much about his early childhood on the Moon, so Ortega wasn''t quite sure if he would have liked... how things had been done.

    He knew that he didn''t like it.

    Turo''s parents had been inconsolable, both looked in complete shock.

    His father had approached him after the ceremony, where everyone had stared at the coffin being cremated and the ashes released into space, painfully aware that it was empty. Maybe that was why it still didn''t feel real, the fact that he was just... gone.

    ? Did he... suffer?? he had asked, which had made Ortega want to run away.

    He didn''t want to lie to him, but the alternative was telling the man that he had no idea. After finally managing to knock Porygon 568 out, they had tried to trace where he had gone: they had no idea where or when he had ended up. Statistically, Ortega was painfully aware that it was much more likely that Turo had ended up somewhere dangerous than anywhere safe. Just... Anywhere in the middle of the ocean would have been a death sentence in any era.

    ? He... he didn''t even notice.? he answered, hoping that it was the truth, and the man nodded.

    ? Last time I saw him, he... looked enthusiastic about his research. Funny that he decided to become a time traveler... it''s right in his name, you know?? the man said.

    ? "Romero" meant "pilgrim" in an ancient language... I choose that name from an old scientist of the past, something I read about ages ago... Can''t remember what it was he did, but I always liked how it sounded. ?

    The two parents were now talking with other relatives and old friends of Turo, and Ortega moved out of the room to join back up with Vega and Moreau.

    Vega loudly blew her nose as he sat down near her.

    ? His Miraidon is gone.? she said, making Ortega furrow his eyebrows, taken by surprise by the randomness of the topic.

    ? What??

    ? Turo had a Miraidon. His mother said that they managed to break into his apartment, they wanted to take it back home with them, but it was just... Gone. No trace left. I wonder if he somehow realized what had happened to his trainer and just... left.? she sniffled again.

    Ortega didn''t know what to think. Moreau, who had been silent the whole time, sighed loudly.

    ? ... a tragedy. I never thought it would happen like this. ? he said, making Ortega freeze.

    He thought that Moreau''s silence was due to the fact of feeling partly responsible for the incident; he had been the one to come up with the time-anchor that should guarantee people could come back safely. But the way he had worded it...

    ? "It"...?? he slowly repeated, feeling his stomach drop at the words.

    ? You... you knew?? he asked, suddenly thinking back to their trip to the future. Turo''s ID wasn''t working... And Moreau had hurried them back home...

    There was a long silence, as Vega now also looked to the two men, eyes wide.

    ? W-what...??

    Of course she would have no idea what they were talking about, the three of them had to sign NDAs about that trip.

    ? I... knew that something would happen to Turo sometime in the future. I had no idea it would happen this soon... Or this way. ? Moreau answered, eyes closed.

    Ortega kept staring at the man, feeling sick to his stomach.

    ? But that makes no sense... That kid knew Turo! Why would they know about one random guy that disappeared decades before they were even born?? he said, suddenly remembering the very last interaction they had had in the future.

    ? ... You know why, do you?? Vega suddenly asked.

    Moreau kept silent for a long moment, before he drew one last sigh, opening his eyes again. Ortega felt a chill at the way the man''s icy blue eyes stared at them both.

    ? Knowing the future can be a terrible burden. ? he simply said, before turning their back on them and walking away.

 Chapter 25: Knowledge, part I

    Chapter 25: Knowledge, part I

    Turo walked out of the classroom feeling pretty lightheaded, and definitely not because of his current physical state. That painting of "Professor Olim" had shaken him; it couldn''t be a coincidence. It had to be proof that he and Sada would manage to find a way to travel through time, there was no other explanation.

    Seeing it had also suddenly brought another memory of his to mind: that time he had travelled to the future with Ortega and Moreau, and how that teenage girl seemed to know him... Or at least, had definitely recognized him.

    "Aren''t you-"

    She had been on the point of saying something. And now, with Sada''s - because it had to be her- painting giving him a clue... Maybe she knew him because he was actually supposed to go back there, in the future? That had to be it! He would find a way back, and... and do whatever that girl knew him for.

    Maybe he had been the lead programmer between some new Artificial Pok¨¦mon... Wait.

    Yes! Of course!

    Iron Leaves! That''s why she had looked at him so weirdly! He was supposed to become the creator of the very Pok¨¦mon he had asked the name of!

    The sheer absurdity of the situation made him laugh out loud, not caring about the weird stares he was getting from various classmates that were walking out of class along with him. Clavell stopped rearranging some notes and threw him a weird look.

    ? Turo... Are you sure you''re all right?? he asked quietly, furrowing his eyebrows in worry.

    ? I''m perfectly fine! I feel great!? Turo answered, shoulders still shaking with laughter.

    ? You don''t look fine... You''re shivering.? Sada added, approaching after having bid goodbye to Raifort. She touched his forehead with her hand, her fingers feeling cool at the touch.

    ? I''m fine. I''ll just go to the infirmary to lay down a bit-? he answered, before stumbling and having to prop himself up against the wall. He took a long, hard breath, gasping for air. Of course he had been laughing himself silly just now, but his chest hurt, and his throat felt particularly swollen.

    Sada''s hands clamped over his arm, the woman holding him up almost by force.

    ? Clavell... W-what is happening??

    Turo felt the man hold him by his other arm.

    ? Let''s get him to an hospital. Just to be safe.?

    The two escorted him out of the Academy, Clavell calling for a Flying Taxi immediately after. As they waited for the vehicle on the edge of Uvanja''s infamous staircase, Turo sat down on the first step, resigning himself to amused stares by kids that were walking down the stairs.

    Great.

    Not only had he made a fool of himself every single morning when he just worked here as he panted and gasped his way up, now he had to look like someone that would struggle even walking down them.

    Which... admittedly... He kind of did, since one of his usual tripping accidents would send him rolling all the way down so he was especially careful, but that wasn''t the point!

    ? C''mon, Sebastian, I just caught a cold... I don''t want to lose the entire afternoon on some dumb visit-? he grumbled.

    Clavell was simply staring at the sky, lips thin as he refused to look at both of them.

    ? ... What was the deal with that painting? You were whispering something in that weird dialect of yours... Which is quite rude to do in front of others to obviously hide what you are saying, I will have you know. ? He said after a moment, and Turo flinched, suddenly feeling guilty.

    Clavell... Had helped them so much, without asking for anything in return.

    ? ... You wouldn''t believe us anyway.? he muttered after a moment, which only made the older man furrow his eyebrows even more.

    They were interrupted by the arrival of the Flying Taxi, which made Turo''s breath more difficult for a completely different reason. He had seen them flying overhead, but never actually used one.

    ? We''re... We''re getting into that?? he asked as it landed, the Squawkabilly that were carrying it filling the air with their loud chattering. Were those things seriously held up only by these little bird Pok¨¦mon? They barely looked bigger than Miguel! He thought they must have used... rotors, or fans, or... some other, safer method of propulsion.

    The pilot stepped out of the vehicle and took a look at all three, his face mostly hidden by the reflective glasses and helmet. He looked well built, tall and with a square jaw.

    ? All right, three people... To better distribute the weight, one of you will have to ride in the passenger seat next to me. ? he said as he lit a cigarette.

    Clavell gasped, outraged.

    ? No smoking on school grounds! I hope you don''t smoke in the cabin? Especially while carrying young trainers?? he asked in disbelief. The pilot rolled his eyes, annoyed.

    ? Of course I don''t. The Squawkabilly don''t like the smoke.?

    Turo, meanwhile, had other worries.

    What did he mean, "distribute the weight?"

    ? Why are they different colours? I''ve read they fight each other if their feathers are err... different.? Sada commented, which didn''t help Turo feel safe.

    They did what now?

    ? Oh, don''t worry. They''ve been specially trained to get along. It actually works out pretty well if you make a group of different colours, you know? They get really competitive over who can fly faster.? the pilot shrugged, exhaling a ring of smoke.

    Turo watched as Clavell and Sada climbed inside... Why was she getting on so casually? All right, she had no concept of driving security and barely knew what a seatbelt was, but this didn''t look safe! When you were flying on a Pok¨¦mon, you had a saddle! Or it could at least catch you if you fell off! This was little more than a dingy little can held up with rope by Pok¨¦mon apparently famous for fighting each other. Who ever thought this was a good idea?

    ? I-... I don''t think I should...? he began, before Clavell narrowed his eyes at him again from inside the cabin, and he promptly shut up.

    ... He couldn''t make it obvious he had never ridden one of these things.

    He was the only one left... seconds stretched by as the pilot finished his cigarette.

    ? You coming or not? I don''t have all day.? he said with a hint of irritation, squashing the cigarette under the heel of his boot.

    Turo looked at the Squawkabilly. The biggest one, with green feathers and a nasty scar on his head, glared back at him, squawked, and promptly defecated on the sunroof. He grimaced as he resigned himself to climb inside next to the pilot.

    The ride was as raggedy as he thought, the cabin swaying at the slightest wind making his stomach lurch and conversation impossible by the Squawkabilly''s loud chattering. At least it was mercyfully short, taking just a couple of minutes to reach the hospital, leaving him confused as he stumbled out of the carriage again. He wasn''t used to Mesagoza feeling so... small when flying over it. Yet he knew that it was already Paldea''s biggest city in this time... He shook his head as Sada jumped out with a grin, apparently having enjoyed the ride, and joined her and Clavell to pay for the ride. He could ponder Paldea''s urbanization''s growth another time.

    For now, he only needed to worry about... the upcoming visit.

    Which actually worried him quite a lot. Not because of what could potentially come up, oh no. But he didn''t really have much... how to say... trust in 21th century medicine.

    At least they had discovered antibiotics, but the rest... er... he wasn''t quite sure at what level of tech they were. Didn''t they still cut people open by hand?

    Not like he had to worry about that right now... hopefully. He had survived in Sada''s time. This couldn''t be worse, right...?

    ---

    Sada had found the ride on the little cabin tied to the Squawkabilly absolutely incredible.

    What an amazing idea! Talking was impossible, but it''s not like they could talk even if they had directly ridden on a Pok¨¦mon... and you could carry multiple people and supplies this way!

    She would have liked to talk more to the "pilot" about it, so she had given him her number. That had made Clavell look at her weirdly again, while she didn''t think Turo had even noticed as he tried to not fall out of the vehicle. He had looked pretty green during the whole ride.

    Stepping inside the hospital made her remember when she had woken up in Turo''s time. Everything had been... So blindingly bright, and just the concept of buildings had been quite foreign to her. The fact that you could build something that big that spanned entire floors and housed hundreds of rooms and people... Even if she lived at the Academy now which was pretty similar, it still felt quite impressive.

    What wasn''t similar to the Academy were all the signs she could see everywhere, with long and complicated words that just reminded her how poor her grasp of the language still was. Every time she thought she was starting to figure it out, new words for things she didn''t even know needed a name seemed to pop up. Like, apparently, a different type of "doctor" for every single part of the human body.

    Sada quickly realized that she would have had no idea where to go if she ever needed to come here alone. Clavell, however, was walking with a certain purpose, so she followed along, trying not to act too clueless about what was going on.

    They decided to have Turo do some "exams", which apparently didn''t involve answering any kind of questions like those they were supposed to take at the Academy, which was weird. And confusing. Why use the same word? In any case, the exams seemed to involve things like getting a bit of his blood and prickling his skin with tiny little needles, which Sada followed with quite some fascination. So you could tell what illness people had by doing this?

    Now they were waiting for a "doctor" to finish examining the results, which he was doing with furrowed eyebrows. Turo, by her side, looked more and more uncomfortable the longer the doctor was silent.

    Clavell looked pensive.

    ? I am... perplexed.? the doctor finally said as he put the results down.

    There was a short silence.

    ? Um... what...?? Turo said, voice suddenly coarse.

    ? Nothing serious. It just says here that you''re allergic to various kinds of pollen... mostly Smoliv and its oil.?

    She knew Smoliv was a Pok¨¦mon, but she had no idea what an "allergy" was. Turo looked similarly taken aback, his eyes widening slightly. They were still a bit red, along with most of his face.

    ? I... All right. Um... do I take antihistamines now or...?

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Both Clavell and the doctor were looking at Turo with similarly dubious expressions.

    ? I''m more surprised that this is news to you. How does someone go their whole life not realizing they are allergic to Smoliv oil? In Paldea, of all places. ? the doctor commented. Still with no idea what an allergy even was, Sada could only give Turo an anxious look. It was probably something that just didn''t happen in his time, if she had to guess. Was this bad...? She noticed Clavell was narrowing his eyes at Turo, looking deeply in thought.

    ? I... guess I just never noticed...?? Turo gave an awkward laugh that sounded wholly unconvincing even to her.

    ? Well, you better start paying more attention to your health now, Sir. Some results of your blood exams are... strange. Muscle mass atrophy, reduced bone density... When I first looked at these,I have to admit I thought I was looking at the results of someone much older.?

    A heavy silence fell in the room. Turo looked stunned, face white. The doctor seemed to notice his sudden anxiety, because he chuckled and waved the paper away.

    ? No need to look like that, it''s nothing that we can''t fix! You will just need to... pay attention to what you eat and try to exercise a bit more, eh? ?

    After a long moment, Turo swallowed and nodded slowly.

    ? ... yes. All right. Sure.? he answered in a small voice.

    They didn''t talk until they were out of the hospital again, not quite sure what to do. Clavell cleared his throat after a long moment.

    ? ... I had half an idea you were having an allergy reaction...but you really had no idea? How...?? he asked, causing Turo to give an annoyed sigh.

    ? Because there aren''t any damn Smoliv where I''m from! And before you ask, no, we can''t talk about it. ? he muttered, crossing both arms to his chest with a stern look.

    ? And... You, I believe, have no idea what an allergy even is. I''ve observed you, during class. I know when you simply don''t know the translation for something and ask Turo, and when you look completely lost on what a word represents.?

    Sada flinched when Clavell''s attention suddenly went to her, and looked away, panicked.

    ? No, I... didn''t know the word in Paldean...? she tried her usual excuse, before hanging her head when Clavell just glared at her, not impressed. They both knew he just had to ask her what it was to make it obvious she actually didn''t know.

    Sada took a deep breath, looking between the two.

    ... Honestly, she was getting tired of this whole situation. Turo was adamant that they had to keep their secret, but it was obviously straining Clavell''s patience. He had put his trust in them, but they hadn''t done the same with him. In a way, Turo was repeating the exact same mistake he had done with her, when he had tried to keep him being from a different time a secret from her at all costs.

    Would it really be that bad if Clavell knew? Maybe he wouldn''t even believe them.

    ? ... Let''s move away from people, and I''ll explain everything.? she said after a moment. Turo''s eyes flashed with alarm, but Sada glared back at him, copying his own stance by crossing her arms. She was in charge of the situation right now, and she wasn''t backing off.

    ? Let''s just... Tell him what happened? He deserves to know.?

    Normally, she would have said this in her own mother tongue, but she wanted to make a point to Clavell to not exclude him. The man seemed to notice and appreciate it, his features relaxing the slightest bit. Turo still looked reluctant.

    ? ... You looked more relieved when you told me the truth. I want to do the same.? she sighed, and that seemed to convince him. He nodded, even if he didn''t really look completely on board with the idea.

    ? ... All right. Let''s go somewhere more private. Not that I expect him to believe us.? he muttered.

    "Somewhere private" ended up being Clavell''s laboratory back at the Academy, after another quite bumpy taxi ride. Even if it was technically open to everyone, nobody except him seemed to use it most of the time, so they could talk without fear of any random passerby overhearing.

    To further make the conversation private, Clavell shut the door behind him after they had entered.

    Surprisingly, after they had sat down at random at one of the many desks, Turo was the first to speak up, the smallest hint of a smirk coming to his otherwise impassible expression.

    ? ... What is your theory about us? You''ve obviously been thinking about it a lot. Just out of curiosity... I want to know how crazy you would think we are after we tell you our version.?

    That had been unexpected, but Sada had to admit she was now curious herself. She turned to Clavell, who seemed to have been taken aback. It didn''t last long, as the man fixed his glasses and gathered his thoughts before starting to speak.

    ---

    Clavell had to admit, he had expected the two to keep dodging his questions... So he had been pleasantly surprised when Alba had actually decided to stop acting all mysterious. Good.

    ? Well, let''s start with all the evidence I''ve gathered. ? he answered, automatically straightening his posture and adopting his "researcher voice". Feeling the urge to do things proper, he got up and walked to a whiteboard in the corner. Turo''s eyebrow raised, but he didn''t comment on it. Clavell grabbed a marker, and started to write a bullet point list.

    ? Let''s start with the most obvious things: you appeared in Area Zero, an area that''s notably off limits, barely speaking the local language, and with no way to call for help. No documents, no money, no trace of an identity even outside of Paldea. It''s like you suddenly dropped in there out of thin air.? he said, writing out every item as he listed them.

    ? Then, your backstories. Alba, you claim to be from Kalos, yet I haven''t found any record of someone named like you in Kalosian school records. Same thing for you and Paldea. I checked when I had to fabricate your documents to get you enrolled at the Academy.? he added, nodding towards Turo.

    Neither of them moved nor showed any reaction; these were still quite obvious things that they must know he would have noticed.

    Understandable.

    ? Let''s get to your tics-?

    ? Our what?? Sada blurted out, eyes widening in surprise.

    ? I''ve noticed you both have some odd mannerisms. ? he calmly answered, alternating looking between the two.

    ? You, Alba, are hypersensitive to any strange noise... Mostly mechanical or artificial noises, I''ve noticed. You will also tense up and reach out to grab a weapon as a first reaction to spotting a wild Pok¨¦mon. You''ve tried to disguise it by pretending to raise your hand to your forehead as if you''re thinking, but it becomes obvious after seeing it happen enough times. ? he explained, before moving onto Turo.

    ? You claim to be from Paldea yet had no idea we have switched to on-the-road Pok¨¦mon Centers for quite some time. You have never ridden a Flying Taxi, and especially in the first couple of days you were always fidgeting around with your hands... Doing weird gestures, pressing and touching things like you expected it to do something. You''ve also tried to disguise it, mostly by just keeping them hidden in your pocket or gesticulating - yes, like that.? he said as Turo, evidently feeling called out, hid his hands deeper into the pockets of his school uniform with a scowl.

    ? I could list a lot more, actually... but the final piece of evidence I wanted to discuss were your clothes-?

    ? What''s wrong with them? ? the way Turo seized up only confirmed his hypothesis, but Clavell momentarily ignored the man.

    ? I had my suspicions that Sada''s clothes were made of real Pok¨¦mon fur the moment I saw them. Woolo or Mareep clothes are nothing strange. Clothes roughly made from Mamoswine fur, of all things... Are a different matter.?

    ? How are you sure they are made of-? Sada muttered in a low voice.

    Clavell simply straightened his glasses, then pointed to the array of lab equipment all around them.

    ? I''m a biologist. I examined both of your clothes by taking samples of them while you were at work, before you moved into the dormitories. Or at least, I tried to- Sada''s fabric matched Mamoswine''s DNA found in fossils and the rare living specimen that Piloswine sometimes evolve into.?

    Nobody had quite figured out what triggered the evolution yet, but that wasn''t the point. He turned to Turo; judging by how pale the man had turned, he already knew exactly what was coming.

    ? ... Your "scuba diving suit" however left me completely baffled. It''s not organic in any way. I wasn''t able to even determine the material it''s made of, except that it looks almost like there''s some incredibly complex circuitry embedded inside it.

    If it wasn''t impossible, I would tell you it looks like a computer made out of fabric, which as far as I''m aware is beyond our current technology. ? Clavell finished writing a big "clothes???" as the last point of the list, then turned back towards the couple. Now was the moment to actually announce his theory out loud; he hadn''t done it until now, honestly because a little part of him still thought it was crazy... But science didn''t lie. Results didn''t lie.

    Today had only made him more sure of it.

    ? My conclusion is that you two... as absurd as it sounds... are not of this world. Rather, not of this time. You''ve somehow found yourself in Area Zero from a different era... did you?? he asked in a low voice.

    A stunned silence fell in the room, only the whirr of a laboratory centrifuge busy preparing some samples breaking it.

    If he was completely wrong, this was the moment they would call him nuts. Instead, they both simply sat in silence, Turo with a completely unreadable expression and Sada biting her lip.

    ? What''s a "DNA"?? the woman finally broke the silence with a candid question. One moment later, Turo snorted, then drew both hands out of his pockets to slowly start clapping.

    Clavell furrowed his eyebrows, not quite sure what that reaction meant. Was he being mocked, or... ?

    ? ... Impressive. How long have you known?? Turo asked in a low voice once he was done , making Clavell''s heart start to race in his throat. If they were actually admitting to it... the implications...

    ? Since you got so obsessed with those Scarlet and Violet Books, and desperate to go back to the very place you had just escaped. I had more theories until then: Sada being a feral child raised by wild Pok¨¦mon that you found-? he explained, to which the woman started laughing.

    ? - or you being some weird secret agents on an undercover mission-?

    He didn''t want to mention the "forbidden romance" theory. He had really liked that one, and letting it go had been hard. He was a bit of a sappy hopeless romantic.

    ? But nothing really explained all the little reactions I had noticed until I started asking myself what would even cause them. It was a process of elimination after that.?

    Clavell took a deep breath; now that he had actually brought it up... he didn''t know where to start and what to say. Dozens of questions filled his mind.

    It had been his theory, of course, but to actually hear it confirmed... It felt surreal.

    ? ... When?? he asked after a moment. ? From where...?? he didn''t finish the question.

    Sada lowered her eyes, fidgeting with the helm of her school uniform''s skirt as she thought.

    ? I am from... the "Paleolithic", professor Crayne called it in history class...?

    She had said it so casually, but Clavell felt his legs dangerously sway under him. He lowered himself into a chair. It made sense.

    ? That''s why you didn''t know... so many things... and the bow... and the clothes, of course... ? he then wordlessly turned his head towards Turo, who simply nodded, his face a blank mask.

    ? I''m from the future.?

    He had even less ideas on what to ask next. He didn''t ask for confirmation, or proof, because everything he had seen about them just made so much sense if what they had just said was true.

    ? ... so when you said just now that there are "no Smoliv" where you are from...?? he asked.

    Turo frowned and looked away. He seemed reluctant to answer.

    ? They''re long gone. Extinct. More than a thousand years ago from my time. ?

    So he was at least from a thousand years in the future...? While Sada.. she was...

    The centrifuge finished its job with an incredibly loud ding: nobody paid any attention to it as Clavell raised one trembling hand to his face to adjust his glasses. All right. One thing at a time.

    ? This would have been so much easier if you had just been secret agents on a mission.? he confessed, overwhelmed.

    Time travellers. From who knew how far away. Suddenly, little details he had noticed made even more sense. Why Sada had looked so incredibly interested in the past, all the things she didn''t know or had never seen before, or why she liked the outdoors so much. Or how Turo would sometimes look frustrated as he typed at Jacq''s laptop, or glance out of the great windows of the Academy to look out at Mesagoza with a quiet look of sadness on his face, the weird accents he had never heard before...

    Clavell let out a low sigh, trying to put himself in their shoes.

    He... He couldn''t quite imagine it.

    ? Just... One thing isn''t clear to me. ? he said instead in a lower voice. He got up, walked back to the whiteboard, and slowly started erasing his little list of evidence.

    ? You... You two obviously look close. Yet you said you were in the Crater for barely a month... How...??

    ? We already knew each other.? Sada answered. The woman took a long breath, and after exchanging a quick glance with Turo, resumed talking.

    ? We first met in... in my time.? Sada started.

    ? My... Um, people in my time have developed time travel -? Turo had just got out, making Clavell drop the eraser to the ground.

    ? T- time travel?!?

    Just how far in the future was he from?

    He hurriedly picked up the eraser, glad that he was momentarily turning his back on them to compose himself, before putting the eraser back in its place and turning his attention back towards the two.

    ? Yes... it''s still pretty new even in my time though, and there''s extremely strict rules about it. Not something anyone has access to. That''s how I met Sada. I... I travelled to her time by accident and we met. ? Turo turned to look at the woman and the smallest smile crossed his face as she smiled back.

    ? He would always come and go... He looked so weird with that bodysuit, but I just thought he was from some faraway tribe... Then he finally confessed the truth to me.? Sada laughed softly as she scooted her chair closer to his.

    Clavell couldn''t avoid letting out a little gasp.

    ? You told her you were from the future?? he asked.

    ? Well it was either that or get stabbed with a spear-? Turo mumbled, but it was an obvious joke - even if said in a completely dry tone- as he took Sada''s hand in his, warmth shining through his eyes.

    Clavell sighed incredulously.

    ? Two people from completely different times meeting by chance... So I was right! It is a forbidden romance!? he gleefully exclaimed.

    The two both froze and turned to look at him with almost opposite reactions. Turo closed his eyes with a defeated sigh, while Sada furrowed both eyebrows and frowned.

    Clavell scoffed and felt himself blush a little bit under her disappointed glare.

    ? I-I really liked this other theory I had, you see-? he mumbled in his defense, then tried to change the subject.

    ? Anyway... what happened after that? How did you land here??

    It was Turo''s time to answer now, and he did so after a slight hesitation.

    ? It''s complicated to explain, but in short... it takes a special object to travel safely. Sada accidentally tagged along when she shouldn''t have and it was evidently... too much. It wasn''t her fault-? he mumbled hastily as he furrowed his eyebrows. He looked deep in thought suddenly.

    ? I keep thinking... why here of all places. That''s why we want to go back to Area Zero... properly, this time. We need to explore it completely, not just the upper layer of it.?

    Sada opened her bag and took the Scarlet Book out of it, opening the book to one of the many pages with pictures of never seen Pok¨¦mon.

    ? We know these Pok¨¦mon are real because they are from our time. So maybe Area Zero has some way of... pulling things from other times. Like with us.?

    ... so that was their theory. Clavell tried not to get distracted by the enormous implications of mysterious, yet unseen Pok¨¦mon from other times wandering without a care in the Crater along with those mysterious crystals, ready to be discovered. His researcher side wanted to bombard them with questions: what Pok¨¦mon were they? What types? Were they all similar to modern version of Pok¨¦mon? Why did Smoliv go extinct in Turo''s time?

    His more sensible side decided that doing it wouldn''t exactly be polite. They had time to discuss things.

    ? I see... and you want to study these crystals we''ve been finding to have an excuse to go back into the Crater as soon as you graduate??

    They both nodded.

    ? Then you could ask Jacq for help. He''s been working on a system to log information about all the Pok¨¦mon captured by students. We could use it on a smaller scale for now: instead of all possible information, just the ones that have been spotted or captured covered in crystals like that Flamigo. ? he said, and Turo''s eyes started shining. He got up and started pacing back and forth.

    ? Yes... it could work. They will probably be rare enough that students can easily just log them manually: species, what type they seemed to be... location would be ideal... but GPS still sucks in this time...? he sighed as he rolled his eyes, before giving Clavell an apologetic look.

    ? ... Sorry, but it does. I''ve looked at the Pok¨¦nav from Devon that Jacq got his hands on. Any real time "digital map" that can at most tell you "you''re on route 101 right now" barely deserves to be called that.? he scoffed.

    ... well, that surely explained why he had looked so sad every time he had to work anything remotely technological.

    Sada looked thoughtful, staring at an old map of Paldea hanging over the radio that had saved both their lives.

    ? ... Maybe Raifort can help. She told me that for her Treasure Hunt she wants to travel all over Paldea, checking out old ruins of castles and villages from the time of the Paldean Emperor... she could probably help in mapping the places other students tell us to check out. She''s actually asked me to join her.? she said with a little smile. ? And I want to do it. It sounds fun. I want to see Paldea, not just Mesagoza and the Crater.?

    As they kept discussing things, Clavell could feel both of them visibly relax in his presence. Now that they didn''t have to mind every word, every gesture in his presence, they felt more... open to him, each in their own personal way.

    Sada asked him again what a "DNA" was, something she would surely just asked Turo about before, because they had accidentally ignored her question earlier.

    Turo, meanwhile... well, he seemed to enjoy complaining in detail about the current level of technology, judging by his earlier... how did the kids call it these days? "Diss" at Devon.

    He somewhat wished that they would have confessed their situation to him from the start, but he could barely begin to imagine what it must have felt like, to be in their place. Would he have done the same?

    He wasn''t sure.

    But he felt like this was the start of something new. Something huge that would change his life completely.

    Clavell pushed aside the thoughts that had plagued him about the Crater since they had discovered those shards. That something was obviously going on in the Crater. That whatever had been limited to Area Zero until now was obviously slowly creeping its way to the rest of Paldea. Thoughts about old legends, and treasures, and curses... that maybe he should be stopping them from going back there.

    But... he would be lying if he said that those shards, and whatever else waited in Area Zero, didn''t fascinate him too. If it was really possible to change a Pok¨¦mon''s type... any Pok¨¦mon''s type, in anything else... that would be the discovery of the century. All they knew about Pok¨¦mon biology would have to be rewritten from zero. It was incredible. It was exciting.

    And now that his almost too crazy to be true idea had actually been proven... he couldn''t just ask them to forget about the Crater. They deserved to know why and how they had arrived here... didn''t they?

 Chapter 26: Knowledge, part II

    Chapter 26: Knowledge, part II

    Sada hadn''t realized how liberating it was to have someone other than Turo that knew their secret. Being able to not have to carefully ponder every word, every expression, to have someone else that she could talk to about her time... it felt like an enormous weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

    Was this how Turo had felt when he had confided his own secret in her? No wonder they had grown so close after he had done so.

    The three of them however decided that it was better if no one else knew.

    ? It''s better if we try to act like we always lived here as much as possible.? Turo had said.

    That was so much easier said than done however. There were days were she still felt amazed at the way this time had solved problems that she would have to work so hard for back in her time... But there were also days like this one where she found herself missing the simplest things.

    There were days where just having lunch at the Academy''s cafeteria made her wonder how much food it wasted every day, and how much her tribe could have eaten with everything they had in stock. All of that without the danger of leaving the village to hunt or gather food. It made her feel almost ashamed to be sitting comfortably at a table, eating perfectly cooked food.

    Now she understood why Turo had looked guilty every time she had urged him to eat something when he was visiting.

    In those days, she usually tried to fight the homesickness by leaving the city and travelling around Paldea. She had bought some camping equipment with her job at the library that she was still doing part time; some sleeping bags, a little tent and an enormous, bright yellow backpack to pack anything else she could need inside.

    But camping even in the most remote corners of Paldea wasn''t enough: civilization always felt too close. There was always a sign, or a trail, or a picnic area visible. Either the lights of a Pok¨¦mon Center, or a lighthouse , or from some city or small village were always shining from far away somewhere. For modern people, it was probably reassuring, but to her, it felt almost suffocating, how it seemed like she could never get away from the city.

    And of course, every time she raised her head to the sky, she could never see the stars like she used to.

    With this matter, neither Clavell nor Turo could truly understand her: they had both lived in worlds where this was the norm. That was where Kim came in: the Pok¨¦mon was obviously more at home in the wild, away from people, just like her. The Litleo would follow her in long, aimless excursions around southern Paldea, not caring or complaining if they simply walked for hours and hours, sometimes chasing wild Pok¨¦mon around. She was growing bigger and stronger: the Cortondo Gym had posed no problem for either her or Turo''s Murkrow (Turo himself, on the other hand, had struggled quite a bit with the Gym challenge before the battle itself. Watching him push the giant inflatable olive around, gasping and cursing outloud as his Murkrow flapped around his head trying to help had been quite funny, even if she had tried not too laugh at him.

    Well... Not too much.), and Artazon''s Grass type gym would go similarly smoothly.

    She would usually travel alone, but sometimes, like today, Raifort would tag along. She quite liked the woman: she reminded her of Chalo a bit.

    ? Do you remember that weird painting of the woman who looked like you?? Raifort asked as they trekked through Area Six of the South Province. The sun was high, and it was beating down mercilessly on both of them as they made their way through the rocky plateau near Alfornada.

    Sada didn''t mind: they would be out of the sun soon enough as soon as they found one of the many entrances to the Alfornada caverns. They were apparently massive, and she was excited to see them. A sprawling cave system that spanned an enormous area: there had to be so many unexplored caves and corridors under there! Exactly what she needed.

    ? Of course... What about it?? Sada asked. How could she even forget about that painting? Turo was absolutely convinced it had to be her.

    Raifort''s Gastly stuck his tongue out at Kim, and she batted at him playfully only to meow in frustration when her paw passed straight through him.

    Sada watched as the ghost Pok¨¦mon started cackling while Raifort took a heavy-looking book out of her bag.

    ? I was curious, so I looked her up. Professor Albora Olim, she studied how variations in climate and migratory patterns influenced Paldea''s fauna during the ages... And she took part in an expedition to Area Zero.?

    That made Sada almost trip over her own feet; she managed to avoid falling flat on her face and turned to Raifort.

    ? Well, not exactly an expedition to the depths of the Crater, but she was definitely inside it for a little while. One of the few expeditions after Heath''s, she mostly supervised building the first Research Stations... Look, there''s a picture.? Raifort said, turning the page over. Sada got closer to examine the picture, resisting the urge to grab the tome out of the other woman''s hands.

    The picture was nothing like the one she had already seen. A woman was standing at the very edge of what was undeniably the Great Crater. A massive humanoid Pok¨¦mon towered behind her, so big it couldn''t fit into the frame. It was crouching on one knee and casting a shadow over the woman''s face, making her expression difficult to read.

    Sada shook her head, pushing the book back towards Raifort.

    ? I''ve never heard of her before. If she''s an ancestor of mine, I had no idea.? she replied after a moment, biting her lip. Better to stick with the "ancestor" story for now with Raifort and everyone else.

    ? Yeah, I figured so. But it''s interesting, isn''t it? Sometimes you''ll look through history and find out that some random guy in Hisui was an ancestor to some other guy in a completely different region... It must be cool to be able to trace your history through the past like that. It makes you wonder what everyone''s family history is. ? Raifort said, carefully closing the book (probably borrowed from the school library) and putting it back into her bag.

    Sada smiled a little bit at that. Yeah, it must be nice... But her "history" was so far back there would be no trace left.

    ? What about your family?? she asked, only in part to change the subject away from her. She pointed out the entrance of the cavern to Raifort, and they slowly descended through it. Normally, she would have stopped right before the entrance to carefully lit a torch.

    Now they simply had one flashlight each and plenty of spare batteries with them.

    Sada wasn''t quite sure she liked it. It was convenient, sure, but ... she preferred the way fire illuminated things compared to cold artificial light. When the only example of it she had seen was Turo''s glowing bodysuit, it had looked fascinating and otherworldly to her.

    Now it was just... Always there. A real fire had actually become a rarer sight.

    ? Me? Oh, nothing much. My parents have an antique store, so I grew up surrounded by old trinkets... It''s amazing what stuff people sometimes sell or stash away in their attic... ? Raifort was saying in the meantime.

    The tunnel opened up on the first major cave, and Sada couldn''t hide a little smile when she saw that there were actually torches erected at regular intervals to light up the area.

    ? Fire!? she said, as Kim happily lept towards it.

    ? A lot of trainers and researchers pass through here and use their fire Pok¨¦mon to keep the torches lit... It doesn''t disturb wild Pok¨¦mon as much as artificial light would.? Raifort explained. Many of them still didn''t seem to quite like the light, scurrying quickly out of the way and observing them with shining eyes from the very edge of the ring of light provided by the fire, half-hidden in the dark. Raifort kept her hand on the Pok¨¦ Balls on her belt, ready to use one if a wild Pok¨¦mon proved to be too much only for her Gastly. They made their way towards one of the many dark tunnels that opened up from the main cave, and disappeared into complete darkness.

    ? The ruins that have been discovered should be around... Here.? Raifort said, motioning for her Gastly to lead the way, the ghost Pok¨¦mon conjuring a ring of small azure will-o''-the-wisp around himself to light the path.

    Sada found herself unconsciously trying to make her steps lighter, wary of Pok¨¦mon that could jump out from the dark. Paldea was littered with ancient ruins, remnants of old castles or villages from the era of the Paldean empire... to find one underground however was still unusual. Maybe it had been a tomb, or a cave used as some kind of storage or deposit, or a mine even. Her eyes widened when she realized that the walls of the cave were not just simple rock anymore. Suddenly her hand touched polished stone, with clear man made incisions on it. She waited for Gastly to shine a little flame over it. A mural seemed to depict people and Pok¨¦mon she had never seen, the human''s hands raised towards the sky as the Pok¨¦mon seemed to emit some kind of wave... Or maybe it was light?

    ? What Pok¨¦mon are these? What are they doing?? she asked Raifort, not recognising the strange bell shaped creatures. Raifort hummed thoughtfully for a moment.

    ? Bronzong... They feature in a lot of ancient art. They were worshipped because of their ability to bring rain.?

    Rain... Her chest ached painfully as she looked at the mural; it was beautiful, how this little piece of life from people from long ago had survived until today, to the point that they could know what they thought and how they had lived... But it was still obviously much more recent than her time, if they had been worried about rain for growing crops.

    Her time felt so impossibly far away: Sada had been excited during the first couple of history lessons, as she had learned about the origin of life, and Pok¨¦mon, and how humans had probably slowly appeared alongside them, excitedly waiting for the moment where they would talk about her period... But they knew so little about it. So little in fact that the entire moment in time when her people had lived had been named "Prehistory"... Relegated to before "history " had even "started".

    That had disappointed her quite a bit.

    They had brushed over thousands and thousands of years in barely a couple hours, to get to the part of history that was closer, that had more traces left.

    The one about kings, and dynasties, and uncountable wars, and who invaded who. And she still found that extremely interesting, in its own way... But it wasn''t what she was looking for.

    She wanted... to find traces of people that had lived in her time. Something she could recognize.

    She walked past the mural, keeping the cone of light from her flashlight low: the cave wall opened up in a room with a low ceiling, primitive scaffolding carved directly from the rock.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    On the shelves, what probably had once been jugs and jars were lined up. Most of them were broken, leaving nothing but a pile of clay shards, but some of the bigger pieces still showed some traces of golden paint on them.

    So this really had probably been a deposit... Maybe a cellar dug into the side of the mountain to store wine or other precious beverages away from the sun and let them mature, or simply to keep them cool.

    ? If this was a cellar, maybe there''s other rooms connected to it.? She whispered to Raifort, carefully leaning down to examine one shard. She was afraid of actually stepping into the room and accidentally move or destroy something; she raised one hand to hold Kim back, not wanting her to do the same. Now she understood why Raifort had chosen to let her Gastly out: an incorporeal Pok¨¦mon like that was perfect for not disturbing the scene.

    ? Probably. Maybe it was a kitchen-? the woman took a single step over the threshold of the room, then stopped as something in front of them suddenly moved, turning to shine the flashlight forward.

    Sada expected a wild Pok¨¦mon; maybe a Gimmighoul. She had seen some all around Paldea, hiding their precious coins away. It was easier to see them near ruins like these, especially old buildings.

    What Raifort''s flashlight illuminated instead... Was more clay, piled on the ground in a roughly spherical mound.

    Sada wondered what it was supposed to be - a really big vase? A jug? - , and then the clay moved, shifting and standing up with a slight rattling sound as bright yellow lines lit up all over its body. Two vertical, rectangular-shaped eyes blinked up at them, and the Pok¨¦mon -it had to be a Pok¨¦mon - let out a low droning sound.

    ? It''s alive!? Sada gasped. Beside her, Raifort did the same.

    ? That''s... That''s a Golett. It must have been put here to guard this place... who knows how many are still buried in ruins somewhere.? the woman said as they hurriedly backed away from it.

    The small clay golem took some heavy steps forward, raising its arms over its head with a clattering sound, clay shifting and creaking slightly as it moved limbs that had probably been still for centuries... or even longer.

    Kim hissed, jumping in front of Sada as the golem kicked up a wave of mud, before yowling in pain when it splattered against her side.

    ? Use Night Shade!? Raifort''s order made her Gastly suddenly appear in front of the Litleo; in the dark cave, the ghost Pok¨¦mon was all but invisible. Shadows cast by the flashlights moved to grab at the Golett. It didn''t make any sound of pain, but the spirit that seemed to animate it must have been affected in some way, because the golem staggered back, the yellow light burning inside him glowing brighter. It couldn''t change expression, but some of its energy billowed out from cracks in the armor with a sharp whistling sound that reminded Sada of water in the kettle Clavell used to make tea.

    This was getting dangerous.

    ? We can''t have it trash around here ... It could provoke a cave-in. Let''s just back off and leave it alone. ? Sada pulled Raifort back by one arm; she recalled Kim in her Pok¨¦ Ball and the two women kept backing away from the rampaging golem, away from the buried cellar and back into the tunnel they had been following, now at a full run. The Pok¨¦mon however kept following, stomping after them with heavy steps... until she heard it suddenly stop.

    Sada turned around, to find the little golem standing completely still. All the energy it had showed in protecting the place it had been assigned to was completely gone: its arms were hanging limp by its side, and it seemed to be looking around.

    Even if it couldn''t show any trace of emotion on its face, there was something in the way it was slowly rotating its head to observe the walls of the cave they were in that made Sada''s heart ache.

    ? They''re gone.? the golem turned to look in her direction when she spoke up. Could it even understand her? Maybe not. The people that gave it orders must have spoken a different language.

    ? I... I know what you''re thinking. "Where is everyone?" They''re all gone... a long time ago. You''re all alone. ? she said, lowering her eyes.

    The Golett kept looking around, walking with a clattering sound towards the piece of mural that was still visible. It raised its head and stared at the carved figures for a long time, unmoving. Its shoulders sagged, and it looked to the ground.

    ? Why don''t you come with me? ? she found herself asking as she took a Pok¨¦ Ball out of her bag. The thought of leaving this Pok¨¦mon all alone in this dark tunnel, after its whole purpose had long since crumbled... It saddened her.

    ? Maybe you can''t protect them anymore, but can look for what''s left of your people... Together. I know what it''s like... To be all alone in a new, scary place. ? she still had no idea if the Pok¨¦mon could even understand her, so she waited for any sign of understanding from the clay golem.

    It didn''t move, neither did it answer... In fact, it seemed completely unresponsive. They clay armor suddenly collapsed on itself, almost as if the energy inside it had ran out, clattering to the ground in a chipped pile, but without shattering into pieces.

    Sada''s eyes widened, and she hurried towards the Pok¨¦mon.

    ? Are you okay?!? she had no idea what to do. Had it just... Gone to sleep, like it had been before? Or had it really just ran out of energy? Was that something that could happen?

    ? Just catch it. Ghost Pok¨¦mon can be complicated to treat, but a Pok¨¦mon Center should be able to help.? Raifort was suddenly beside her, her own Gastly hovering nearby. It cackled as it passed through the armour, phasing through it.

    ? Gastly doesn''t look worried, at least... Then again he''s not exactly the altruistic type-? the woman muttered.

    Sada hurriedly pressed a Pok¨¦ Ball over one of the clay shoulder pads, watching the broken shape of the Golett get pulled inside.

    ? All right... let''s go to the nearest Pok¨¦mon Center.? she said, clipping the new Pok¨¦ Ball to her belt.

    It wasn''t until they were out of the Alfornada caverns and well on their way towards the omonymous city that Raifort spoke again.

    ? So... Did you want to catch that Golett because of your ancestor??

    Sada turned to stare at her, confused.

    ? What do you mean??

    Raifort''s eyes widened, and she took her massive book out of her bag again.

    ? The picture...? Golett is the pre-evolution of Golurk. See?? she explained, pointing to the black and white photograph again. This time, Sada noticed the little description printed underneath.

    "Professor Albora Olim the day construction of the Zero Gate started, along with her Golurk."

    ---

    ? Daddy, what''s "timettavel"?? Romero asked his dad, who blinked and flicked the screen with the book he had been reading out of the way to stare at him.

    ? What?? he asked from the couch he was sitting on, little Miraidon draped on his lap.

    Romero Turo, age four, pointed to where another floating monitor was showing the news. Miraidon''s eyes flickered on and the Pok¨¦mon followed his movements, before looking at his little owner with a quizzical chirp.

    ? Gwaaoh? ?

    ? The man in the tv keeps talking about it. "Timettavel" ?

    His father''s eyes lit up with recognition as soon as he looked at the screen, and Romero smiled brightly. Dad always knew everything!

    ? Oh, you mean "time travel"! It''s a new thing that''s just been invented, back on Earth.?

    For Romero, Earth was just the place he saw out of the window. Or where cartoons and movies were set. So people actually did stuff over there?

    ? What is it?? he asked, jumping and floating over to the couch in a single movement. Dad caught him with both arms and held him down until he was sitting beside him. Miraidon chirped again and pushed his snout under the kid''s hand, demanding pets.

    ? It''s... A different way to go somewhere. You know how we go watch the shuttles leaving sometimes?? Dad asked, and Romero nodded eagerly. Yeah, he liked spaceships. They were cool, and he liked looking at all the different Pok¨¦mon and people that would step out of them.

    He wanted to have a big spaceship of his own when he grew up, and then he could go on adventures with Mirai, and fight space pirates who stole from faraway planets!

    ? So instead of going somewhere else... Like on Earth, or Mars... They found a way to go in some other time.? Dad opened up the calendar on a screen in front of him, and pointed to a little square.

    ? This is today. Saturday. ?

    Romero nodded. He had just been learning the days of the week.

    ? So you could step inside a time machine, and go back... To Friday. ? his finger moved to the other square.

    Wide eyed dreams of flying in space were interrupted as his little, four year old brain tried to comprehend what that meant.

    ? ... And then it would be Saturday again? ?

    ? Exactly!? Dad smiled, but Romero''s mind was already racing to much more important things.

    ? And... And they can t-time-travel to any day? Any any day?? Even my birthday??

    Dad frowned, as he always did when he was not sure what he was talking about.

    ? I... I guess so...??

    ? So with a time machine I can go back and have another birthday party??? Romero asked, eyes wide and breathless just thinking of the possibilities. He could have all the birthday parties he wanted!!

    He got up from the couch and jumped up, the Moon''s gravity effortlessly making him float lazily towards the ground.

    ? Daddy! I want to also do "time travel"!? he cheered as Dad laughed and hugged him again. Miraidon was jumping up and down, yapping as it tried to understand what all the excitement was about. The little dragon''s mouth opened and closed, letting out little cawing sounds-

    ... Cawing...?

    ? -krow!?

    Turo woke up with a start: something hard was pecking at his cheek. It took him a long moment to realize where he was: the room was dark, complete silence, a bare wall in front of his eyes instead of a glowing screen. His back hurt: he was slouching forward after he had fallen asleep in a chair.

    That was normal for him.

    He raised his head, and felt paper sticking to his face.

    ... Definitely less normal. He blinked, one hand fumbling for a light switch of any kind.

    Something was still pecking at his cheek.

    Finally managing to turn the light on, he turned and stared at the Murkrow on the desk, his small red eyes shining in the dark.

    A Murkrow. Miguel.

    ... Not Miraidon.

    Right.

    It had been all a dream... more like a memory of long ago.

    ? What is it?? He groggily asked the small Pok¨¦mon. Turo usually slept with his window cracked open, so the Pok¨¦mon could come and go and night. He usually stayed up until late, so they kept each other company until he went to sleep.

    Sometimes he would wake up the next morning to find his desk littered with random junk the Pokemon had gathered during the night.

    Useless shiny baubles, the occasional crystal shard, gimmighoul coins, keys, an entire wallet in one memorable occasion which he had to spend the entire afternoon asking around the school to find its owner...

    Miguel flew up to peck at the door, cawing again. Turo looked at the alarm clock next to his bed. 3: 50 AM.

    ? What, are you hungry??

    He was suddenly reminded of Miraidon waking him up in the middle of the night for a walk, and he felt his chest squeeze painfully. Murkrow cawed, gliding down to perch on his shoulder.

    He couldn''t help but smile a little as the soft feathers pressed against his cheek. It felt completely different from Miraidon''s smooth plates.

    ... Maybe it was better that way, but he still missed the feeling.

    ? All right, let''s get you something to eat. ?

    The cafeteria was actually open the entire night, as he had discovered the first time he had to work night shifts. They didn''t offer complete meals like during the day, but there were always at least a couple of sandwiches or warm beverages available for the night owls like him that needed a late night snack. Or a very early breakfast, depending on your point of view.

    He grabbed a couple a piece of toast, some jam and a mug of coffee and took a seat near one of the windows. The room was pretty much empty, and he sat down munching on his toast in silence for a couple of minutes, Miguel pecking at his own slice.

    Why had he had that dream all of a sudden? He hadn''t thought about his childhood in ages... Especially not that particular memory. His birthday was way back in June and now it was... ah.

    Of course.

    Turo suddenly shied away from the window, not wanting to see the moon just barely visible through it.

    It hadn''t been about his birthday at all.

    He took a sip of coffee, wincing as the mug was still way too hot. He hastily put it down, huffing in pain. In that moment, the door to the cafeteria opened again. He looked up, expecting to see another sleepy looking student of the Academy, and blinked when he recognised Sada''s figure slipping inside. She looked exhausted, wearing a heavy parka over her school uniform, and was carrying a truly enormous yellow backpack that probably weighted more than him. She smiled when she saw him and approached his seat.

    ? Hi... Me and Raifort just came back, I didn''t think there would be anyone here... why are you awake so early?? she asked, sitting down in front of him. He mumbled an answer, looking at his coffee.

    ? Couldn''t sleep... How was your trip??

    She had been away for a couple of days, off exploring Paldea with Raifort.

    And that was ... fine, of course. He had been more than happy for her. And definitely happy he didn''t have to go trekking around old ruins. Knowing himself, he would have tripped and broken his leg or something similar.

    ? Oh, the Alfornada caverns are amazing! A quake apparently opened up this tunnel that had been closed off before and now there''s this entire unexplored cave system full of old-? she suddenly stopped, and after a moment leaned forward to peer at him, eyes filled with concern.

    ? Are you ... are you okay?? she asked.

    It took him a long moment to answer.

    ? ... not really.? he said in a low voice, hesitating a couple of moments before continuing.

    ? I... I just dreamt about... Home. My family. It still doesn''t feel real at times. I keep thinking that I can just... Call them anytime if I want, get on a shuttle and go visit them, but... then it''s like I suddenly remember that... they are not... here. ? he tried to explain, ending with a sigh.

    ? This must sound so stupid? he shook his head. There was a second of silence, followed by the sound of Sada''s chair scooting backwards as she stood up. She walked around the table to sit by his side, taking his hand. She started to trace little circles on the back of his hand with his thumb.

    ? It''s not stupid. You miss them, it''s normal. I also do.? she whispered, and he took a deep breath.

    Right. Of course she also missed them.

    ? My tribe is probably thinking... probably thought-? she corrected herself with a little hiccup in her voice.

    ? That we ran off together.?

    That got a sad little laugh out of him. He could quite picture it, the whole tribe coming together in one of the bigger tents to wonder where Sada had run off to as they worked.

    ? I don''t think your mother would be happy with me as your... companion. "He can''t even hunt a blind creature!"? he tried to mimic the woman''s stern tone.

    ? I''m not sure... She really liked the little Pok¨¦mon I gave her... The one from the egg that makes clothes out of leaves you talked to her about. And she really liked your drawings... ? he heard Sada take a deep breath, as she gave his hand a light squeeze.

    ? Tell me about your family. I want to hear about it. Are they all on the Moon?? she asked in a low voice, and Turo swallowed, realizing that even if thinking about them hurt, a part of him actually wanted to tell Sada all about them.

    Just... have someone other than him that knew about them, about his life. Sada and now maybe Clavell were the only ones he could reasonably open up with.

    They existed as nothing more than memories in his head now, and he was afraid of forgetting even the smallest detail about them. He couldn''t share anything about his life with Sada before, but... now... there was nothing stopping him.

    ? Ahah... ? he laughed softly as he found himself relaxing slightly in his chair.

    ? ... No, actually only my mother and father lived on the Moon for a bit. Most of my family is from Paldea... I have a cousin that went to Mars though-? he started to explain, only for Sada to furrow her eyebrows.

    ? Mars is that... Other "world", right? And what''s a "cousin"?? she asked immediately after, and he laughed.

    With her by his side... It didn''t hurt so much to think about.

 Chapter 27: Knowledge, part III

    Chapter 27: Knowledge, part III

    Help needed! We are looking for people willing to help investigate mysterious Pok¨¦mon that have been sighted around Paldea. If you have information about strange, cristal-looking Pok¨¦mon, contact Alba Sada or Romero Turo from class 1-C of Uvanja Academy

    ? Does this look right?? Sada asked as she thrust the piece of paper under Turo''s nose as he worked on one of the machines that he called "computers".

    It took him a moment to look away from the screen, and he blinked as he read her words.

    ? I think "crystalline" works better here.? he said pointing out a word.

    Sada frowned. Writing was so complicated. As long as people got the general idea, why did it matter what exact word sounded better? Why were there so many words that pretty much meant the same thing? It was so complicated.

    ? Do you really think people will come?? she asked as she crossed out the word and corrected it, then took another blank sheet of paper to copy the message over again. Turo had offered to teach her how to write faster at the computer, but while it looked simple enough, she just didn''t like it. She had pretty much just learned to write by hand! She liked it! She liked how everyone had their own different handwriting.

    Computers may be faster, but they made everything look the same.

    ? If they don''t, we''ll just do it alone. And we know that Clavell at least is interested.? he answered, turning back towards the computer. They were inside the empty laboratory that Clavell also often used, and had pretty much become their little office. Clavell was busy with teaching a more advanced class at the moment, while they had both finished their lessons for the day, so it was just the two of them. What Turo spent hours doing at the computer puzzled her: he had explained the basics of it, he was basically writing commands so it would perform specific actions, but it all seemed so... vague to her. So that thing could pretty much do anything? That was weird.

    She focused her attention back on the table, where a great map of Paldea laid open. Together with Raifort and using the information collected slowly by students and themselves alike, she was mapping the various places where the mysterious crystal Pok¨¦mon were appearing.

    ? So let''s see... Someone caught a Flying type Meowth in the South Province-? she said, circling the general area it had been reported.

    The clacking coming from Turo''s keyboard abruptly stopped.

    ? ... how does that work? Does it get wings? ? he asked, bewildered, ? Does it just start to float like a Gyarados??

    Sada shrugged as she marked another spot on the map.

    ? No idea. After they caught it it turned to a normal Meowth, like that Flamigo. I wish I had seen it...? she muttered, disappointed. That had to be a funny sight, at the very least.

    Turo leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms to his chest as he stared at the map.

    ? There has to be something that triggers this change... Something we are missing. They stay transformed until you break that crystal shell... And then never do it again. Why?? he asked.

    ? I''ve been looking for something in common to all the places where they have been spotted, but... It''s no use. It''s just all over Paldea...? Sada shook her head, then stopped, eyes transfixed on the map.

    Maybe... maybe there was something...

    ? There''s so many little caves and tunnels in Paldea... what if they come from there? What if what''s making them transform is deep underground?? she said, slowly, raising her eyes towards Turo, who took a deep breath as he realized what she meant.

    ? You think there''s some cave that leads to Area Zero and they are actually coming out from there...?? he asked.

    ? I''m not sure. But we know it''s definitely something from Area Zero. You... You know how the air was under there. How it felt. Let''s look for these Pok¨¦mon that have appeared near caves and mountains...? she looked back to the map, before pointing out a spot right near Artazon.

    ? Here. Someone said they saw a strange Sudowoodo here. They didn''t catch it, so it should still be there!?

    Turo nodded, slowly stroking his chin.

    ? All right. Let''s put up that message around the city and see if we can find a couple more people interested in checking the place out this weekend.?

    ---

    A couple of days later, they got contacted by two people who had shown quite some interest in seeing these strange Pok¨¦mon. They had decided on one of Artazon''s picturesque windmills as a meeting spot, and now Turo was waiting for the two of them to join them.

    Sada was right next to him, her enormous yellow backbag packed with supplies.

    His back hurt just looking at it.

    ? Are you two Sada and Turo??

    Both turned towards the voice that had spoken up: a young man with wavy green hair, arranged in short strands that partially fell in front of his face.

    He had a stern, somewhat exhausted look on his face and deep bags under his eyes. Honestly, Turo was impressed; he finally met someone that looked like they slept worse than him. Near him was another man with longer, blond hair and broad shoulders.

    Turo nodded.

    ? Are you here for the Sudowoodo??

    They both nodded, the blond man stepping forward.

    ? Yes, we were both quite curious about it. I''m Hassel and he is Brassius.? he said, putting one hand on the other man''s shoulder, who simply narrowed his eyes and nodded stiffly.

    Turo''s eyes widened slightly. H-Hassel...? Like the one they named the art gallery in Mesagoza after...? That couldn''t be... maybe it wasn''t that uncommon of a name...?

    ? Pleasure to meet you both... ?

    ? So what are we supposed to do? Just find it and catch it?? Brassius spoke up.

    Sada looked up from the map she had been holding, folded it, and nodded.

    ? Yes. But I''m interested in following it back to its den. Most wild Pok¨¦mon will try to escape or retreat back to their nest when they feel... cornered.? she said after a slight hesitation, and Turo knew she had just barely stopped herself from saying "hunted". She had learned so much of the language in such a short time... He was proud of her.

    ? And who is going to do that? You?? Brassius asked, as the other man sighed lightly.

    ? Brassie... ?

    Sada simply narrowed her eyes at the man, tightening the straps of her backpack on her shoulders.

    ? Yes. I''m good at tracking Pok¨¦mon...? she said, only for the man to huff in contempt.

    ? Sudowoodo is famous for not moving, don''t you know that?? he chuckled. Sada bit her lip for a short moment, irritation clear on her face. If Turo had to guess, she wasn''t used to not being taken seriously or having her skill doubted.

    ? ... If you don''t think I can do it, you can lead the way.? she said in the end, before turning her back on them and marching off.

    Brassius didn''t look convinced; he scowled as they started walking out of the city.

    As always, Turo found himself trailing behind everyone else. He tried to pretend it was perfectly intentional, and focused on not falling too much behind.

    ? Brassie... I know you''re in a bit of a low point right now, but there''s no need to snap at strangers like that...? the man, Hassel, was saying.

    ? A grass-type Sudowoodo... I''ll believe it when I see it.? Brassius simply muttered in response.

    Turo let Miguel out, the Murkrow settling on his right shoulder, still half-asleep.

    ? Can you help look for more shards?? he asked, stroking the Pok¨¦mon''s beak with one finger. The bird cawed and hopped off, taking a moment to start flapping his wings as he started flying around.

    With his penchant for finding shiny objects, he was quite adept at tracking the crystal Pok¨¦mon. Sada''s Litleo had similarly gotten better and better at it, stalking them quietly from the ground. Together, they covered pretty much any direction.

    And they really needed to find another name instead of "crystal Pok¨¦mon"...

    They followed the two Pok¨¦mon for a while, until Sada raised one hand, palm down, and crouched low to the ground behind some tall grass. Brassius muttered something but followed her, and so did Hassel and Turo. He threw a glance over the grass, raising one eyebrow at what he saw. He had tried to study the most common Pok¨¦mon that made up the fauna of Paldea in this era so that he wouldn''t look that out of place, but most Pok¨¦mon he had still only seen briefly in a picture or during battle lessons.

    He wasn''t familiar with Sudowoodo at all, so he didn''t know if what he was looking at was strange or completely normal, but judging by Brassius''s gasped breath, it was probably the former.

    The Pok¨¦mon was standing completely still in a small clearing. It had a narrow and long brown body that looked like a tree trunk, and reminded Turo of the crystallized trees he had seen in Area Zero. Two of what were probably its upper limbs were held out in front of him, partially shielding its face. On each of its two limbs and on its head were clusters of orange and red leaves, similar to the ones found in the trees all around. The leaves fell arranged in extremely long, thin branches all the way to the ground, and made the Pok¨¦mon look a bit like a weeping willow... or like it had extremely long hair.

    ? This... this is incredible! It really looks like a tree! This Sudowoodo has truly mastered the art of mimicry!? Brassius was now excitedly muttering.

    ? So it''s supposedly a grass type now?? Hassel asked, looking at them both.

    Turo had to think for a moment.

    ? Well, that''s what people who saw it told us it looked like... ? he said.

    ? There is one sure way to find out.? Sada said, before jumping out of the bush and approaching the Pok¨¦mon. It didn''t budge an inch, but Turo thought he saw one piece of the bark move to follow her movements, and realized it was probably one eye, camouflaged on its tree-like skin.

    Sada grabbed the water bottle she carried strapped to her backpack, unscrewed the lid, and dumped some of the water on the Pok¨¦mon.

    It didn''t seem to mind, actually slightly moving one leg to better absorb water, and that got another gasp out of Brassius.

    ? I can''t believe it!?

    While Sada turned back towards them with what could only be described as a "supremely smug grin", Turo looked back at the Pok¨¦mon.

    ? So, if it really is a Grass-type now instead of Rock-type...? his eyes trailed over to Miguel, who had been resting perched on another tree. He gave a little nod to the Pok¨¦mon, and the Murkrow fluttered on one of the Pok¨¦mon''s arms with a small "krow".

    It still didn''t move, but Turo noticed that its eyes were carefully observing the bird Pok¨¦mon. Miguel pecked at its head. It visibly flinched, but still kept rooted to its hiding spot. Now Kim had joined the Murkrow in approaching the Pok¨¦mon, meowing as it breathed out a little puff of smoke.

    The Sudowoodo kept watching them both nervously, until the Litleo growled and threw an Ember at its legs.

    Turo had expected the Pok¨¦mon to attack, but instead it suddenly took off with a cry, bolting and running away from them with the silliest run he had ever seen a Pok¨¦mon do. It wasn''t the only thing running though, because Brassius started chasing it immediately after.

    ? AVANT-GARDE! Such masterful deceit! Such composure! What a magnificent dedication to its camouflage! Let us chase this beautiful Pok¨¦mon, it has to become my companion!? he said, running ahead of them all with surprising speed.

    They chased it as fast as they could, Turo sending Miguel and Hassle a Flapple to fly after it. In the end, they arrived to what looked like a small cave, a tunnel leading into the dark. As soon as they stepped inside, Turo could almost feel it, and from the way Sada flinched slightly, she had probably noticed the same. The air felt heavy like it did in Area Zero.

    Brassius had already ran inside, and they followed. The more they walked, the more he saw crystal formations cover the walls, until they emerged into an enormous, completely crystallized cave. The Sudowoodo had escaped inside, and looked at the four of them with fury. The tunnel was a dead end, the Pok¨¦mon having nowhere else to escape.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ? Did it crystallize because it made this place its den...?? Turo wondered out loud. So staying near these crystal formations was the key to changing types...?

    He was distracted from his thoughts by the Pok¨¦mon throwing a rock at both Miguel and Kim. Caught by surprise, neither Pok¨¦mon could dodge and fell back with a cry of pain, before staggering back to their feet.

    Right, he could think about that later. He had to focus.

    ? It can still use normal Sudowoodo moves even as a grass-type... Miguel, don''t get hit by them again.? he encouraged his Pok¨¦mon, and it nodded before flapping his wings and flying up again. Brassius threw a Ball, summoning what looked like a... Turo balked, eyes starting to water and immediately feeling a sneeze build up.

    ? Are you kidding me... a Smoliv?? he growled. Of all Pok¨¦mon he could have used...

    ? Use Growth, then Razor Leaf!? Brassius ordered, throwing him an irritated glance.

    ? Yes, so what? I mostly train grass types. I thought we would fight a rock-type!?

    The terrified-looking Pok¨¦mon glowed briefly gathering energy, and the olive on its head grew slightly bigger. Oh great. Didn''t that mean it had even more oil now?

    ? I''m... allergic to Smoliv-? he tried to say, getting interrupted by a sneeze as the Pok¨¦mon sent a barrage of olive leaves flying towards their opponent.

    This was going to be just great.

    ---

    ? We have to break off those crystals completely! It will be impossible to catch otherwise!? Sada called out, as Hassel ordered his Pok¨¦mon to strike the Sudowoodo with its wings. She found it quite adorable: a little dragon that lived in an apple! Chalo would have loved it...

    Turo''s loud sneeze distracted her from that thought, and she threw a little worried look to her side.

    ? I''m fine... let''s focus on the battle.? he sniffled, grabbing in his jacket for some tissues. At least Murkrow seemed capable of dodging more rocks the wild Pok¨¦mon was throwing even as his trainer was distracted.

    She focused her attention back on Kim; they were in a weird stalemate. The Sudowoodo was weak to almost all of their Pok¨¦mon''s attacks, but since it could still use rock type attacks, it could also really hurt them in return. But if it needed a bit of space to throw those rocks, maybe getting close would be effective...

    ? Kim, use Fire Fang and stick close to it!? she ordered, choosing to use one of the newest things she had learned to do.

    The Litleo let out a little roar and started sprinting toward her opponent; instead of simply spitting a ball of fire, she let it burn at the back of her throat and cover her fangs in flames, before leaping and trying to sink her teeth into one of the Sudowoodo''s arms. Some of its leaves caught fire and the Pok¨¦mon wailed, swinging its arms trying to get the Fire type to let go; after a moment, its other arm glowed and it punched the little Pok¨¦mon right in the stomach, sending the Litleo flying again with a yowl of pain.

    Sada flinched, caught unprepared.

    ? Kim! ?

    That looked like it had hurt; the Pok¨¦mon took a moment to stand up again. She hated just having to watch as their Pok¨¦mon did all the work. It felt completely unnatural to her; was there really nothing she could do...?

    ... she was going to bring her bow with her from the next battle onward, she decided, no matter what Clavell said or how weird it looked.

    ? That was Hammer Arm, so it can use Fighting type moves too.? Hassel intervened. He was carefully watching the battle, arms crossed to his chest as his Flapple took a moment to rest by closing itself inside his apple.

    ? Oh, great... is there anything it can''t do?? she heard Turo grumble between one sneeze and the other.

    Sada forced herself to stay focused. They were throwing attacks at it as if they were each fighting it alone. But that wasn''t how she had approached fights until know. During a hunt, each person had their role and knew exactly what to do. This was how they had to act if they wanted to defeat it, or they would just keep hurting their Pok¨¦mon.

    They all had attacks that were effective on it, so... If they could use them in a smart way to break off those crystals...

    Kim stood back up and roared again, the little tuft of fur on her head growing hotter as she did while her voice echoed off the walls of the cave. She looked a bit unstable on her legs, having been hit by various especially effective attacks.

    ? Can you still fight?? she asked, and the Litleo meowed.

    ? We need to weaken it first... and someone else needs to distract it.? Sada commented.

    ? Oh, Miguel is a master at annoying people- use Taunt!? Turo chuckled by her side, having apparently recovered enough to give an order.

    The Murkrow flew near the Sudowoodo and started loudly cawing towards his opponent, hovering frustratingly just out of reach to avoid the rocks the Pok¨¦mon started throwing in response.

    ? I can weaken it... Flapple, Acid Spray!? Hassel commanded, his little dragon peeking out from his shell to spit a purple liquid at it. She vaguely knew what an "acid" was from Clavell''s biology lessons on Poison types, so it should probably hurt it quite a lot now... It actually started to eat away at some more of the leaves on its arms with a sizzling sound, little pieces of crystal flaking off them. Good, they needed to keep that up...

    The Sudowoodo let out another high-pitched screech, and suddenly its whole body started to almost shine. Sada blinked, covering her eyes; it was like the light refracting from the crystal walls all around was converging all around the Pok¨¦mon as it hardened its skin...

    Sada gasped.

    ? It knows we want to break it off! It''s protecting itself!?

    How did it do that? Was it something special crystal Pok¨¦mon could do? Or had it just used some kind of move?

    ? I think... I think it used Harden, but covered in crystals like that, of course those would harden too...? Hassel said.

    ? Wonderfull! How the light refracts all around its head! I can''t blame this creature for wanting to stay in its most magnificent form as long as it can! Be mine!? Brassius seemed to have gone back to his most... enthusiastic way of talking. Sada wasn''t exactly sure what to think of the man: the fact that he hadn''t trusted her irritated her and had resulted in him not even coming prepared for the fight, but the enthusiasm he was showing for this Pok¨¦mon was kind of... contagious, in a way.

    ? Smoliv, it''s time to summon your most dazzling display of power! Sunny Day!?

    The light in the cave only grew as the little Grass-type conjured a fiery ball of light that made Kim roar, feeling invigorated. Oh! Wait, she had seen something like this back home... warmth made fire types grow stronger.

    And with the Acid Spray of before...

    ? Kim, use Ember! Breath fire as hard as you can!? she encouraged the Litleo, who took a deep breath and started to breathe little balls of flame towards the Sudowoodo, one after the other, pausing to breathe less and less, until almost a single stream of fire was flowing through the air.

    It engulfed the Sudowoodo, who in a desperate counter-attack sprinted towards Kim again, both arms with its almost completely burned off leaves glowing as it charged one Hammer Arm in each...

    Sada flinched, resisting the urge to throw herself in front of her Pok¨¦mon; but if both of those hit... what if it...

    ? Dragon Breath!?

    ? Gust!?

    Hassel''s and Turo''s orders came at the same time, their two Pok¨¦mon coming up from behind Sudowoodo; their attacks blew the Pok¨¦mon backwards and to the ground. The crystal shattered, and the Sudowoodo collapsed, exhausted. She didn''t even have time to blink before Brassius threw a Pok¨¦ Ball at it with a triumphant shout.

    Silence fell in the cave... or it would have, if it wasn''t for Turo''s enormous sneeze that broke it.

    ? Urgh... I hate this... ? he complained.

    ---

    Turo heaved a deep sigh of relief as soon as Brassius finally called back his Smoliv into his Pok¨¦ Ball. His eyes stung and his nose had been running non stop for the whole battle, making it kind of difficult for him to focus. Thankfully his Pok¨¦mon had been more than able to take care of himself; he had never quite understood the tendency of trainers in the past - or, well... now- to yell things like "Dodge!!".

    Pok¨¦mon reflexes were usually a lot faster than humans, barring some exceptions like Slowpoke.

    ... surely the Pok¨¦mon was perfectly able to do it by themselves?

    He didn''t get it.

    Miguel''s happy cry got his attention, and he found the crow Pok¨¦mon flying in circles around the spot where the Sudowoodo had stood. He walked over to him, and he landed on his shoulder, showing him a little pile of crystal shards. The whole cave was pretty much made of the same material... this place could prove invaluable for their research.

    ? Let''s gather as much of these fragments as we can... these all seem of the same color... ? he mused out-loud, petting the Murkrow with one hand as he thought. Maybe it was a bit like light, being made of different colors in a spectrum. Maybe different "frequencies" in the energy emitted by these crystals resulted in different types... maybe it was something in the soil? Different rock compositions and different minerals lead to different "frequencies" being absorbed by these crystals and led to different types... Or maybe it was the opposite, and the Pokemon that ended up living here influenced the crystals somehow?

    He would have to run some tests back at the Academy. He finished gathering all the fragments he could get from the ground and stood back up, turning towards the rest of the group.

    ? Kim fought well. ? he complimented Sada as she finished giving the Litleo a couple of Potion to heal her injuries. Miguel pecked him on the shoulder, and he sighed.

    ?... yes, of course you also fought well.? he added, petting the bird again, and Miguel cawed with satisfaction.

    Sada slung the heavy backpack on her shoulders again, before frowning a little.

    ? I don''t like... Not doing anything.? she said after a moment, and his smile dimmed a bit. It must have felt pretty unnatural for her to just give orders to her Pok¨¦mon.

    ? You help her by paying attention to her...? he tried to comfort her, but he didn''t sound particularly convinced himself. After all, Miguel had done pretty well by himself right now while he had been busy sneezing-

    ? What?!?

    They both turned around at Brassius''s sudden outburst to find the man slumped to the ground in a dramatic fashion. He had let the Sudowoodo out of his Pok¨¦ball, and looked dismayed at it.

    ? You''re just a normal Sudowoodo now?!?

    Oh. Right. They had failed to mention that.

    ? That''s what has happened with other Pok¨¦mon like this we''ve tried to study. There''s something unique to these caves that allows them to change type. If a Pok¨¦mon spends enough time living here, it probably affects them in some way, but it goes away once the crystal gets shattered.? Turo explained, putting all the gathered shards in Sada''s bag.

    ? We want to study this, um... "phe-no-me-na" and find a way to recreate it anywhere, at any time.? Sada added.

    Brassius''s head snapped back up, and he pretty much crawled towards them for a couple of steps before rising back up to his feet, a manic glint in his eye.

    ? ... So you two... could make it possible to see that beautiful form any time I want... ??

    ? Err.... Maybe...??

    ? ... Really?? Hassel interjected, eyes wide.

    ? The possibly to make any Pok¨¦mon of any type... That would be incredible. As long as it doesn''t have any negative effects...? he added after a moment.

    ? Well... That Sudowoodo looked more than fine to me. It seemed pretty used to being a Grass type. ? Turo replied with a little shrug.

    ? That is... true. The possibilities are... Quite inspiring! Imagine a Pok¨¦mon of a type that''s the complete opposite of what it usually is... ? Hassel mused, his somewhat stoic expression having opened up a little bit.

    ? You said you two are students at the Academy? I will gladly look forward to seeing what you do after you graduate.? he added, and Brassius fervently nodded.

    ? Yes! It doesn''t matter how much time it will take you ... if I can see that wonderful form again... I need to sketch it before I forget the smallest detail about that wonderful shape-? he said, looking around almost feverishly.

    That sure was a ... sudden change from the sullen look he had shown at first.

    They gathered their supplies and headed for the exit of the cave as they exchanged contacts; for once, he couldn''t wait to climb inside a Flying Taxi.

    ---

    "Preliminary tests have found that great quantities of these crystals seem to emit a yet unknown kind of energy. This energy-"

    ? You know, we really need to find another name than just "crystals"? Turo sighed some days later as he stopped writing the report, turning towards Sada by swiveling the chair around, back in their laboratory.

    Sada hummed thoughtfully, looking around the room.

    On the table was a big multicolored pile of all the shards they had gathered until now, be it by battling the mysterious Pok¨¦mon, found on the ground, or that Kim and Miguel had found while wandering around. The two Pok¨¦mon were busy examining the various pieces of lab equipment, with the bird peering into the glass dome that held a couple of empty Pok¨¦ Ball -some device to analyze the Pok¨¦mon that was put inside it, not that different from the system Pok¨¦mon Centers used to rapidly heal them - while the Litleo was cautiosly pawing at it from below. They both seemed to be intrigued by the little beeps and flashing lights of all the machinery around them.

    Her latest catch, the Golett, was moving some hesitant steps around the room. The little clay golem had taken a while to recover from the shock of finding itself alone after it had woken up in those ruins after so much time. She still had to find a name for it.

    But it looked like being around other Pok¨¦mon was putting it at ease.

    She focuses her attention back to Turo as he tapped slightly on the keyboard.

    ? I... don''t know how people name things here... In math class when people discovered something, didn''t they give it their name...? We could do the same...? The... "Turo-Sada phenomena"? she offered after a moment, thinking back to her lessons. Turo frowned, writing it down on a blank piece of paper. His Murkrow fluttered down from the lab equipment to watch them curiously, and she could see Kim peer up at them from the other side of the table, disgruntled at not being tall enough to see what was going on.

    ? I''m not sure that''s a good idea... I think I would have found it strange if I saw something with my name in school...? Turo said, throwing a quick glance to the door as he lowered his voice.

    ? The fact that I didn''t notice anything at the time... Must mean that we don''t name it that...? ? he said, looking uncertain.

    Sada stared at him with a little smile on her face, not impressed.

    ? Or you just didn''t pay attention in school.? she replied, to which the man burst out laughing.

    ? That''s possible... History was never my favourite subject. I also have never heard of glowing Pok¨¦mon appearing in Paldea, so... Who knows how much got lost in thousands of years between this time and mine.? his face clouded over a little bit, the smile quickly disappearing from his face.

    Sada grabbed the piece of paper and stared at it, not wanting to give Turo the time to mull over things too much. He always got pretty quiet when it happened, and she didn''t like to see him like that.

    ? All right, no "Turo-Sada phenomena". Umm... There are other "changes" Pok¨¦mon can have, right? Like... That "Mega Evolution" Clavell mentioned in class.?

    Thankfully, that seemed to get Turo''s attention, because he started to rub at his chin with one hand, like he often did when pondering something.

    She has never quite found the courage to say to him how much she liked that little gesture.

    ? Yes... these Pok¨¦mon are pretty much transforming their whole bodies... wait.? he stopped, one eyebrow raised as he looked back to the blank paper.

    ? "Mega" is a word that means "large", and is used in front of other words - a "prefix"- to mean a certain quantity... With this transformation, there''s orders of magnitude more possibilities if each Pok¨¦mon can become of ant type...?

    She almost wanted to ask what "magnitude" meant, but she had quickly learned to make a mental note of words she didn''t know and look them up in a dictionary later if it wasn''t the right moment to do so. She didn''t want to interrupt him, since she had still got the gist of what he was saying.

    ? So what about using "Tera" as a prefix?? Turo proposed.

    ? "Tera"... Tera evolution?? she tried out how it sounded, but it didn''t quite ring correctly to her. Kim jumped on the table and started nosing the pile of shards. Nobody but the other two Pok¨¦mon paid attention to her, both of them too absorbed by their thoughts.

    ? Tera Transformation...? ? Turo offered, only to be interrupted by a loud squawk as Miguel flew possessively over what he saw as "his" little treasure pile and pecked the fire type on the nose. The Litleo hissed, swiping at the Murkrow with her paw.

    ? Miguel, no- get down!?

    ? Kim-?

    They both moved to intercept their respective Pok¨¦mon, but Golett anticipated them both. Stepping up to the two Pok¨¦mon, the golem grabbed the Litleo by the scruff and held her up, while raising one hand to keep the Murkrow away. Both Pok¨¦mon protested loudly, but the Ghost type simply shook its head and murmured something that neither of the two humans could make sense of. After a moment, the golem let Kim go, and she scampered off with an offended glare while Miguel went back to Turo''s shoulder.

    ? Thank you for keeping an eye on them.? Sada smiled as she patted the golem on its head, who let out a low whistle and nodded.

    Kim was incredibly energetic, so the calm and reassuring presence of the Golett was nice to have around as a contrast.

    ? I still have to find you a name...? she sighed.

    Turo sat back down, absent mindedly petting a disgruntled Murkrow as he thought.

    ? A name that sounds... ancient, maybe... How about ?tzi?? he offered with a little smile.

    ? ?tzi?? she repeated, testing how it sounded.

    ? It''s the name of a man from long ago... well, not as long as you... that was found in a glacier. It''s... well, it''s not actually his name, obviously, we don''t know what he was called after all...? his words quickly dissolved into a flustered muttering that made her smile. She looked to the Golett.

    ? Do you like it? "?tzi"??

    The Golett paused for a moment, then nodded slowly, his eyes glowing brightly.

    Sada smiled and patted its head again, before suddenly stopping, eyes widening.

    ? Umm... You said he was found in a "glacier"... was he... Covered in ice?? she asked, and Turo nodded.

    ? Yes, that''s why it was possible to find it so well preserved...? he answered distractedly. So he had been... Frozen... Encased...

    ? ... So it means he was... "stopped" in time by the ice, right? "Terastop"? No, it sounds weird... stall! Stall also means to stop something... "Terastal"?? she asked, eyes gleaming.

    Turo frowned at first, not quite understanding what she was getting at, before his own eyes widened.

    ? ... because they stay transformed as long as they are encased in crystal...? he said, a little smile slowly making his way on his face.

    ? Yes!!?

    ? "Terastal"... I like it. It''s perfect. Let''s use it! And we can call the action of these Pok¨¦mon transforming "Terastallize"...? he said with a little laugh, resuming his writing.

    ? And-? Sada added with a little smile ? - it still kind of uses our initials.? she said, satisfied.

    She turned back towards her own work, which had been sorting all the little shards they had gathered into different groups based on their colour. They were both pretty sure that different colours corresponded to different types now, but some similarly coloured shards were kind of difficult to discern at a glance. Like the green ones they had gotten from Sudowoodo were somewhat darker than the light green bug-typed ones they had gotten from the Flamigo...

    She motioned for ?tzi to come near her to her side.

    ? Here. Can you help? You are the only Pok¨¦mon here with hands.? just to make sure it understood her, she showed him how she was moving the shards in little piles.

    The Pok¨¦mon tilted its head, then nodded again and started gingerly copying her to pick up the Tera shards.

    Sada couldn''t help but smile a little sadly watching the Pok¨¦mon work. It reminded her of how her tribe had slowly changed in the months after her first meeting with Turo and she had come up with the idea of training Pok¨¦mon... From their little flock of Spark Tails to a couple of other Pok¨¦mon they had hatched from stolen eggs... Even Narjik had started to look interested in the idea of trying to tame a Pok¨¦mon.

    She quietly wondered if he had managed it in the end... Had Fluffyhead evolved again? Had her mother created new types of clothes with the silk spun from bug types? Had Chalo found someone from another tribe and left, or had someone else come into theirs?

    She wished that she could somehow know what had happened to them; she missed them so much...

    She sighed and concentrated back on her task. For a while, they worked in silence, until the sound of the lab door opening made her turn towards the door. Clavell peeked inside, a pile of test answer sheets and books under his arm.

    ? Hard at work, I see.? he commented as he stepped inside, putting the tests down on the opposite side of the table before sitting down himself.

    ? Have you done any progress?? he asked.

    ? We''ve decided on a name to describe this new "transformation". Terastal!? Sada announced, not without a proud smile.

    Clavell nodded after a moment.

    ? I see... It makes sense.?

    ? We''ve established that the energy of these Tera crystals triggers the transformation. If we could build a device to trigger it anywhere... This would revolutionalize Pok¨¦mon training.? Turo said, raising his head from his computer.

    ? ... But it''s going to take time. We need first to find a way to contain and store this energy... then control it. And then actually how to use it to trigger the change in the Pok¨¦mon in a safe way... and it''s going to take money? he added, looking down at his notes with a frown.

    ? Money...? ? Sada frowned as well, looking around the lab.

    ? Can''t we just continue working here?? she asked, only for Clavell to shake his head as Turo sighed.

    ? ... Not after you graduate. Scientists usually need someone to fund their research... And you are probably going to need much more specialized equipment than what you can find here.? he explained, only for Sada to tilt her head to one side, confused.

    ? "Fund"...??

    ? We need to find someone interested in what we want to do that is going to give us money for it. ? Turo explained.

    Sada scowled. She didn''t understand why people couldn''t just... do things. If they were interested in what they were trying to do, why not just... Help?

    ? All right... I''m sure everyone will be interested in it.? she said with a huff.

    ? I''m sure the League at least will... I''m here for something else though. The Academy has decided the place to send some of their students on a school trip for this year... And you both got chosen.?

    It took a moment for his words to register. Sada blinked, while Turo just raised one eyebrow.

    ? ... Really? ?

    ? I had nothing to do with it, if that is what you are asking.? Clavell fixed his glasses with a slightly offended look.

    ? I think you are going to find it interesting... the destination is going to be Kalos this year. ?

 Chapter 28: Voyage, part I

    Chapter 28: Voyage, part I

    Turo hadn''t quite considered what travelling to Kalos in this time would entail until a couple of days before the trip. The thing was, with teleportation technology in his time every place on Earth had become pretty much instantly accessible. Maybe, for trips to more remote places, you had to switch teleporter a couple of times because of how they were set up and connected, and how far they could safely send someone. Your baggage was also similarly just sent along with you or just after you, as long as it fit on the teleporting pad.

    It was fast and convenient, but it had made Earth itself feel... Strangely small, in a way. When every place was instantly accessible, you kind of lost that feeling of actually departing and going somewhere.

    That feeling had transferred completely to travelling in space, where you still had to carefully plan your trip, and actually travel, and pack your bags... so now having to do all of that just to go to Kalos left him befuddled. It wasn''t even that far away! There really wasn''t a more convenient way of travelling there than plane?

    ? How long is this going to take?? he half-mumbled, half- whispered as he sat down in his assigned seat. Clavell had booked the tickets for everyone, and had ended up sandwiched between him and Sada... Something that left Turo, sitting on the aisle side, a bit disappointed with, and Clavell embarrassed. He had wanted to sit near Sada... Who, meanwhile ,looked like she couldn''t be happier sitting on the window side.

    ? Your "plane" didn''t have wings this long!? she enthusiastically said, peering outside.

    ? Because it didn''t need any-? he muttered as he fastened his seatbelt and reclined back in his seat with a sigh. By his side, Clavell furrowed his eyebrows.

    ? What do you mean it didn''t need wings? How would it fly then??

    Turo smiled a bit invardly as he turned towards Clavell. He had to admit revealing to him little details about his time and watching his mind get blown was always entertaining... And probably just a little bit of a coping mechanism.

    ? Space doesn''t have air.? he just said.

    Clavell''s seemed to take a moment to get it, at which point his eyes widened and the man leaned forward in a hurried whisper.

    ? You went to space?!?

    ? More than once... and you still haven''t told me how long this will take.?

    ? Well, umm...? Clavell still looked a bit dazed, but he fixed his glasses as he thought for a moment.

    ? Two hours, more or less ?

    Turo sat back up in his seat, speechless.

    ? T-two hours?!? he realized he had raised his voice when people in the nearby seats turned to stare curiously at them.

    He lowered it back to slightly more than a whisper as he sank back down in his seat, sinking in it even lower than before. He groaned invardly. Two hours in a cramped, tiny seat and the ridiculous tiny screen in his seat only had like, ten movies to choose from.

    ? Two hours for barely going to another country... I could''ve almost reached the darn Moon in that time...? he muttered to a bewildered Clavell, who was doing his best to keep his composure.

    ? You could just casually go to the Moon?!?

    He smiled a little bit as the plane started up his engine and decided to blow the scientist''s mind a little more.

    ? Sure. I was born on it.?

    ---

    Sada''s only other experience of flying that wasn''t on a Pok¨¦mon or a Flying Taxi (which she still kind of counted as flying on a Pok¨¦mon, just in a less direct way) had been the time she had gone to the Moon in Turo''s time. And while she had found it all incredibly fascinating and still treasured the memory, she had to say that she was enjoying this flight quite a lot more. You could actually see the ground get smaller and smaller as the plane got up, the clouds rushing beneath, the scenery change... And you could actually feel the whole plane move when it tilted to turn left or right! She loved it; yes, you didn''t get quite as much up like when you went to space, but she liked being able to see the area they were flying over. It gave her a better idea of where they were. She had seen maps of the world, impressed at how people had managed to draw up the entire world with so much precision, but it had felt a bit impersonal until now.

    She actually had never left Paldea since they had landed in this time, and the thought that they were going to "Kalos", which was supposedly where she was from... It felt strange.

    She tried to keep her expectations in check. Things had changed; it''s not like she would find her old village there... but a little part of her kept thinking that, maybe, there would be something.

    Just... anything. She looked away from the window, and turned towards the two men in the two seats beside her who had been exchanging whispers here and there. Turo was managing to look annoyed for most of the flight, and she would have liked to sit beside him like they had done on the Moon plane, but he seemed to be enjoying telling Clavell about his time. When they were done, she leaned forward in her seat to speak to Clavell herself.

    ? You said that the school does this trip often? ? she asked, and Clavell nodded.

    ? Yes. As one of the oldest Pok¨¦mon academies in the world, Uvanja Academy has always tried to keep meaningful relationships with other regions to set an example. A lot of our students come to study from all over the world, but since we can''t accept everyone who asks to enroll each year, we often organize school trips or joint research projects with other regions instead. Last year was Kitagami, the year before that Johto... it''s been a while since I''ve been to Kalos on a school trip.? he answered.

    ? I''ve been lucky, then... what is Kalos like??

    Clavell took off his glasses as Sada leaned back in her seat, cleaned them, then put them back on and stared at her in silence for a couple of seconds.

    ? ... well, it''s... different from Paldea, for sure. Kalos has had a long and bloody history, with a lot of wars with neighbouring regions during the years...? He started, and it made her frown a bit.

    ? ... That doesn''t sound that different from the Emperor of Paldea to me... so are we just going to see stuff about those wars?? she complained, already growing a bit exasperated at the idea.

    She found all the focus that history classes put on wars and dates both frustrating and... somewhat disappointing. She wanted to see other stuff! Places! How people lived! What Pok¨¦mon there were!

    Almost like he had read her thoughts, now it was Clavell''s turn to learn towards her and lower his voice.

    ? I''ve always wondered... what do you think of it? Did people really not fight between themselves in your time...?? he asked. Sada noticed Turo turn slightly towards them as he thumbed boredly through one of the in-flight magazines he had taken from the seat in front of him.

    She sighed, and shook her head.

    ? Not in my tribe... in my time , at least. We were just so busy surviving... and there was nothing to fight over. There just weren''t enough people. We mostly traded things with other tribes when we met... and if someone didn''t like a place, you would just move away to another. I don''t...? she hesitated, then lowered her voice even more.

    ? I don''t understand... I don''t understand what went so wrong. I keep hearing about dozens and dozens of wars in history class and... I just don''t get it. How people went from struggling to survive to... that.? she whispered.

    Maybe it was her who had an overly na?ve view of the world. For all she knew, her tribe was an isolated case because they were so few so far apart, and people had waged war against each other even in her time.

    But it... saddened her to think about it.

    There was an awkward moment of silence between all three of them. She noticed from the corner of her eye Turo shifting uncomfortably in his seat. He looked like he wanted to hold her hand, but to do so he would have to pretty much lean over Clavell''s seat to reach her, so he just turned around after a moment with a small frown.

    Clavell, meanwhile, was the one to gently squeeze her shoulder after a moment.

    ? ... I understand that you may feel... Disappointed, but I think you should focus more on all the great things people achieved from your time...? he said a bit hesitantly.

    Sada nodded; yeah, maybe she should do that...

    ? ... There''s a friggin'' dragon out there!?

    She raised her head quickly at Turo''s amazed voice; the man was looking out of the window opposite from their seats.

    She shifted sideways to try and see, ignoring Clavell''s sharp intake of breath as she almost clambered all over his legs to do so.

    ? What?! You mean so high up?? she asked.

    ? Nah, it was serving drinks. Of course it was flying outside! ? Turo deadpanned as he rolled his eyes.

    Sada peered out the window; for a moment she thought that Turo had blurted it out only to distract her, but then she also saw it: a big, plump dragon with bright yellow scales was flying next to the plane. It turned around, waved happily with one paw, then sped off, leaving the plane in the dust.

    ? Wha-! So fast! What Pok¨¦mon was that?? she asked turning to Clavell... And just now realizing she was pretty much draped over his seat, her elbow poking him in the ribs. Clavell, to his credit, was doing his best to look like nothing was wrong... Even if he looked like he was blushing a bit, now that she paid attention to it.

    ? S-sorry...? she went back to her seat with a little blush, biting her lip.

    ? ... Don''t worry about it. That was a Dragonite, by the way. They are some of the fastest flying Pok¨¦mon-? he started to explain, only to get interrupted by Turo.

    ? If it''s faster than the plane, why are we not flying on one?? he sighed in an exasperated done, making her laugh.

    ---

    The flight had been... Well, he supposed it could have been worse. Why you still had to wait for your luggage instead of investing in just teleporting the luggage to your destination still left Turo baffled, together with a dozen little things that made no sense to him in this time. He was quite sure that the technology existed by now, he had seen some prototypes online... Maybe they were still just short distance?

    ? Why don''t use Pok¨¦mon then?? Turo still complained to Clavell as they finally, finally got out of the airport and straight onto a taxi headed for Lumiose.

    ? You can''t tell me something like a... Um... Alakazam or Gardevoir or whatever can''t just bring your luggage with them. They are also super smart, it''s not like they would lose it or mix it up... ?

    ? You would have to train all those Pok¨¦mon, and at that point, it could just bring people with them too ... But I''m not sure a Pok¨¦mon would be capable of teleporting halfway across the world...? Clavell answered after he had taken a seat in the back. Sada had decided to sit behind the driver, while Turo had taken the right-most seat. He huffed, mildly annoyed.

    ? And? Just have them do a lot of little teleport jumps from city to city. Surely it''s still much faster than a plane... That''s what the teleporter''s network is-? Turo stopped, taking a short breath as Clavell frowned.

    ? That''s what the teleporter''s network is... Will be? No idea what you would say, honestly. ? he chuckled after a moment, before frowning and letting out a sigh.

    ? ... Whatever. Not like it matters. I know that''s how things have to go... Or my society and my time wouldn''t exist as they are. So... Wide-spread teleportation is still a way off, as much as I hate it... It just doesn''t make sense to me now that it took so long since you do have working teleport pads already... Maybe it''s an energy problem.? he concluded, looking out of the car window.

    ? So all this teleport talk... Are you some sci-fi writer?? the taxi driver suddenly pipep up from the front of the car, making all three of them jump on their seats. Turo''s eyes widened.

    ? You speak Paldean?? he blurted out in a panic.

    ? Yeah. Studied at Uvanja Academy back in the day, like lots of people, so I never really forgot Paldean after that.? the driver smiled.

    Turo tried to compose himself. Of course, of all the hundreds of taxi drivers they could get, they just had to meet the one guy that studied abroad. Great.

    ? ... Yes. Brainstorming ideas about a story. How society would change if wide spread teleportation were available...? he mumbled.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    ? Well, I would be out of a job then.? the driver laughed, and Turo frowned. Well, yes, but that wasn''t a reason not to try and make things better, to strive for progress.

    People would have gotten nowhere if they remained stuck in the mentality of "but then things would have to change", or "but we''ve always done things like this", right?

    ? ... Your job would just have to adapt. You would probably find yourself driving something in conditions where you can''t use a teleporter...? he argued back, feeling somewhat irrationally defensive.

    ? Like what conditions??

    Turo grit his teeth.

    ? I don''t know, space probably! ? he spat out, only getting an incredulous eye roll in response.

    He forced himself to stay calm, and to not let his mounting irritation show on his face.

    Why was he even getting so worked up about this? He knew how things would go.

    He knew he was right, no matter if this random guy thought it was stupid.

    The driver simply laughed again as they stopped at a red light, three Gogoat carrying school children galloping past them.

    ? So I would be a taxi driver in space? That sounds cool... If you ever publish that book, I would read it! Eh... space...?

    ? I... um... thanks, I guess....? Turo just shook his head, going back to looking out of the window.

    There was nothing but silence for a couple of minutes; Clavell was busy checking their documents to check in at the hotel, while Sada had been extremely quiet since they had set foot in Kalos.

    He quietly stared at her through the rear view mirror.

    She was looking outside her own car window with wide eyes, but it wasn''t her usual, excited curiosity that shone through them. There was more of a little hint of... desperation in her eyes.

    He knew that she was probably looking for something, anything, that would look even remotely familiar to her, that would tell her that this was actually the same place she had been born in, and not just another place made completely unrecognisable by the passage of time. His chest ached for her as she watched paved roads and picturesque villages go past; he wanted to hold her close, to say that he was sorry... He still felt somewhat responsible for her being here with him.

    ? Um... Sada... ? he started, trying to get her attention. He got Clavell''s instead.

    The older man raised his eyes from the papers in front of him, blinked, and looked to his left, before loudly clearing his throat.

    ? We were quite interested in visiting some parts of the countryside during our stay! Do you have any recommendations for some hidden, less touristy spots?? he asked the driver, who was more than happy to launch into a proud discourse about the best wineries and other local specialties around the area. That seemed to get Sada''s attention, or at least break her out from her gloomy mood for a moment.

    Turo sighed, mentally thanking Clavell.

    The fact that this was probably the first actual, honest to Arceus car he had ever stepped in suddenly hit him, and he couldn''t help but throw a little interested glance to the driver''s seat and at the little nobs, buttons and dials on the steering wheel. It was both baffling and fascinating to him how the engine worked, how all the parts had to perfectly fit together and all the little actions you had to do to drive one. He wondered if driving a car like this at high speed on a high way felt even a fraction as good as riding Mirai did-

    He forced that thought away, focusing on the driver''s explanation about the fabled herb flavoured cheese produced by the Gogoat farm not far from here, and how he could easily get them there if they wanted to try it.

    Eating something that came out or from a Pok¨¦mon still somewhat disgusted him and he would try to avoid it if he could, but right now, he needed all the distractions he could get.

    ? Sure, let''s go. Sounds lovely.? he lied through gritted teeth.

    ---

    Clavell had kept a close eye on both Sada and Turo the moment the plane had landed, Sada especially. He couldn''t even begin to imagine what it must feel like for her, to technically be in the same place she had once lived in yet recognize absolutely nothing. He tried to picture it: what must have been untouched forests had become rows of pretty cultivated fields of grapes and dozens other kind of berries. Cities and villages had developed were there was nothing before.

    He had managed to successfully distract her a bit by getting the driver to talk about local specialties, while he thought about what they could do these days if they had some extra time.

    Turo meanwhile had been... well, "constantly moaning and complaining about things" would have been a more accurate description, but Clavell figured that it was only his way to deal with things. If Sada had been looking desperate, there had been a quiet frustration radiating off Turo from the moment they had stepped on the plane. If people in his time really just casually went to the Moon and Mars (something that still left Clavell quietly befuddled and not quite sure that the other wasn''t just messing with him), he could see how taking a couple hours just to reach the next region over would look horribly antiquated. But he had the feeling it wasn''t only that that was frustrating the man, and he had proof of it during the car drive towards Lumiose.

    It was the fact that obviously people would think that what he was saying was completely ridiculous. Clavell himself still had trouble believing some details they both would let slip from time to time, like Sada having fought off some Magikarp ancestor that could bite a person in two neat halves or Turo just casually mentioning being born on the Moon, and only did because he reminded himself of all the little evidence he had gathered that pointed to what they were saying as being the only way everything made sense, no matter how absurd it sounded.

    But no one else would do that, even if they phrased things as hypotheticals like Turo had just tried to do.

    Finally, Lumiose City came into view, and he heard Turo mumble something beside him.

    ? I always seem to end up here... still in the wrong time.?

    What did he mean by that?

    Clavell threw him a questioning glance, but the man just shook his head with an almost invisible smile on his lips.

    Some minutes later, the taxi left them in front of the hotel, and they walked in with both of their luggage. At the moment of checking in, however, he noticed Sada frowning as they were given two room keys.

    ? Why two...?? she said, only for Clavell to loudly clear his throat.

    ? We are, technically, still here as students and teacher. Regrettably, there seemed to be only one single room left. The other is a double... Which will be taken by Turo and me.? he explained as they walked through the cooridors, keys in hand.

    Now it was Turo''s turn to frown, and Clavell took a moment to fix his glasses.

    ? Or at least, that''s what I''m going to write on the official report. That key is for the double room. ? he pointed to the keys in Sada''s hand, and they both perked up after a moment.

    As if everyone didn''t know that those two were constantly sneaking in each other''s room.

    ? Just leave your luggage in your room for now, let''s go out for a walk. We don''t have anything particular scheduled until tomorrow''s museum visit.? he offered.

    Lumiose City was exactly as he remembered it from his last trip; bright, busy, and somewhat... dizzying. Mesagoza was similarly large, but while the largest city in Paldea was famous for the little side streets and bright colourful buildings with stairs that went up and down the various hills it had been founded on, Lumiose was methodical in the way everything connected back to the giant PrismTower in its center. While you could get lost just as easily in all its little back alleys, everything seemed to be developed in circles.

    ? That is a Bushy Pelt!? Sada suddenly exclaimed, pointing to a Pok¨¦mon that was walking out of a hairdresser with their trainer. It took Clavell a moment to recognize what she meant.

    ? You mean a Furfrou...? Is that what you called it...?? he raised one eyebrow as he watched the woman stare at the Pok¨¦mon, whose fur had been dyed green and styled in an extravagant fashion, making it almost look like it was wearing a wide hat and some boots.

    ? Yes, they are pretty common in Kalos... Styling their fur is pretty popular in Lumiose... I honestly didn''t think they went that far back. Did you train them?? he said.

    Sada turned to look at him with wide eyes.

    ? N-no... they were bigger than these, and hunted in large packs. Getting one alone was very difficult. They would... Follow from far away during hunts, and... attack sometimes. They were... dangerous.? her face twisted in a slight frown.

    ? Even the Pok¨¦mon changed... is there... anything left like it was?? she whispered. Turo put one arm around her shoulder and held her close, whispering something in Sada''s unknown language.

    Clavell didn''t know what to say.

    He didn''t want this trip, and their lives here in general ,to just be a constant reminder of how different things were. What could he do to help? He looked around, trying to think of something, anything, that would stop the woman from constantly looking out for things that weren''t there anymore, instead of... instead of enjoying what was actually here, now, in the present.

    Instead of embracing the changes, being thrilled by them.

    A part of him felt like it was his duty to do so, as their teacher and simply... as a friend they trusted.

    ? Maybe... they are not exactly like you remember them, but... You still recognized it, didn''t you? I''m sure that if you got that Furfrou to fight a battle against a wild Pok¨¦mon or another trainer, you would see that "Bushy Pelt" come right back...? he tried to say slowly. His eyes widened as he walked past the two to face them, suddenly excited when a thought hit him.

    ? In fact, why don''t you do it right now? Challenge that trainer with the Furfrou to a Pok¨¦mon battle!? he proposed.

    He was hoping to see her get excited and jump at the opportunity, but to his dismay, she just lowered her eyes after a couple of moments.

    ? It... it wouldn''t be the same...? she sighed and grabbed Turo''s hand, and the couple turned their backs away from the Furfrou - and him, indirectly -, to enter a little side street.

    Clavell''s shoulders tightened as he slumped forward.

    He... he couldn''t help but feel like he was failing them somehow.

    He watched them walk away, a sudden chill crawling along his back, feeling like they were getting away from him in more ways than one. He sighed and walked away, calling his Oranguru to his side for comfort. The calm, wise-looking simian always helped him clear his head. He often asked him for help when he was having trouble with some experiment. Just having someone to talk to helped.

    ? Let''s go for a walk, my friend. It will help me think.?

    The Pok¨¦mon answered with a deep growl, simply walking along his side and listening as he explained what had happened.

    After just a couple of minutes, he already felt better, more ready to think about the problem once more.

    As they were passing a street lined with restaurants and fashion boutiques, Clavell felt Oranguru tug at his jacket with one paw.

    ? What is it... Oh.? he quietly said, peering into the shopping window Oranguru had stopped him in front of, and at something that lay exposed inside.

    An idea started to take shape in his mind.

    ---

    Sada kept walking along Lumiose City''s wide streets, Turo''s arm around her shoulders. All around here were Pok¨¦mon, people dressed in vibrant clothes, eye catching signs from restaurants and shops showing words she didn''t know. She couldn''t quite focus on them; right now, it was just... noise.

    She felt so stupid. What was she expecting? Of course it would be just another big city like many others she had already seen in Paldea. She kept hearing snippets of sentences in a different language, the "Kalosian" that she supposedly should know, at least according to the story she and Turo had come up with.

    But none of it sounded familiar. Not a single word made her feel like there was even the tiniest trace of her own language in there.

    It may as well have not existed.

    These people had nothing in common with her.

    ? Do you know Kalosian...? ? she quietly asked Turo after a while, going back to her own language. He had simply followed her, offering her his silent support, and she was grateful for it. She needed someone that understood her right now.

    ? Mmm ? she heard his hum vibrate through the arm still wrapped around her.

    ? I know how to say exactly three things in Kalosian. The Kalosian of my time, that is.  ? he answered. There was a moment of silence, and she raised her head to look at him, quietly waiting for him to continue.

    He pressed his lips together, and cleared his throat.

    ? I know how to say "Good morning", "Where is the bathroom?", and "Farewell". That''s it.  ?

    ? "Farewell"?? she couldn''t help a little snort.

    ? Yes. "Adieu".? he said it with such a straight face that it just made her laugh harder.

    ? ...Why would you remember that and not anything more useful?? she asked once she was done.

    Turo shrugged, the movement half pushing her slightly forward.

    ? You never know when you will need to make a dramatic exit. ?

    She couldn''t help but shake her head with a little smile at his absurd reasoning; she didn''t know if he was saying it as a joke only to cheer her up and distract her, or if he was serious: with his stern expression, it was sometimes difficult to tell. She had grown to like that side of him, the hidden, somewhat silly one with an extremely dry and sarcastic sense of humour. Maybe it was because she had seen the more awkward side of him first: when they had first met, they could barely talk to each other, so they had both relied much more on body language and she had spent a lot of time studying every little change of his expressions and posture.

    As they kept walking, she let Kim and ?tzi out, letting the two Pok¨¦mon stretch their legs a bit after the time spent travelling. Turo did the same only after a moment, giving a stern glare to the Murkrow after it had materialized on his shoulder.

    ? You. ? he said. ? Are forbidden from flying around. Arceus knows there''s enough jewerly and shiny objects around to send you on a stealing frenzy. So behave or you get back into the Ball.?

    The crow Pok¨¦mon clicked his beak with an unhappy caw, and Sada couldn''t help but smile a little bit, watching the two interact.

    ? You two have more in common than you think. ? she commented, and Turo furrowed his eyebrows.

    ? ... so you are saying I''m a thiefing little bastard? Thank you. I''m flattered.? he deadpanned in a dry tone.

    ? No! I mean... your attitude. You are both smart, and... act cold towards people at first and don''t really show what you are truly thinking much...? she slowly added, before smiling.

    ? ... and you both aren''t great at walking straight on the ground.? she chuckled, thinking of how the bird Pok¨¦mon would move around in little ungraceful hops on occasions where it couldn''t fly, and all the times she had watched Turo trip on his own two feet.

    Turo muttered something unintelligible, frowning, and she laughed a little bit at his barely visible pout.

    ? I... am not sure that''s supposed to be a compliment.? he said in the end.

    ? ... in a way, yes. Birds look... strange and a bit funny on the ground. But that''s not their element. They look majestic in the air. I... I saw the same thing in you, from the first time we met. You... you didn''t belong there, and not just because you couldn''t even light a fire. ? she added with a little smile, and he muttered a "I learned in the end, didn''t I?".

    ? You were not in your element... but that doesn''t mean you aren''t... great. ? she realized she had grown a bit flustered in the end of her speech, and wasn''t quite sure of how to word it.

    Turo, however, seemed to have gotten the message. There was a long moment of silence, and the hand that was still on her shoulder twitched a little, before he drew her closer and into a short hug. He drew a long breath, and she felt his chin come to rest on the top of her head as she leant into him.

    ? ... we are both not in our element, are we?? he asked, and she shook her head.

    ? ... we will find it, Sada. We''ll... we''ll find a place where it will stop to hurt looking at every little, different, wrong detail-? he whispered, and she suddenly felt her chest tighten when he had somehow managed to put into words exactly how she had been feeling the moment they had landed in Kalos. He hid it behind endless complaining and muttering about how "primitive" everything was, but of course he would be feeling the exact same things as her.

    She took a deep breath, and nodded.

    ? ... yes. You''re right. There has to be. And... and if there isn''t... we''ll make one.? she said.

    Turo simply nodded, ignoring the little squawk coming from the Murkrow on his shoulder, and they resumed walking.

    Feeling a bit better, she now decided to actually consciously look all around; it was, all in all, an incredibly pretty city. Lumiose was called "the city of lights", and she could quite see why. Thinks weren''t actually shining like the walls and screens of the Mesagoza of Turo''s time did whenever someone got near, bombarding people with images and information in bright, artificial colors.

    Lumiose City seemed to be have been built so that there was always light in it, be it the light of the sun during the day or those of street lights she could see erected everywhere during the night. Everywhere she looked there were bright glass ceilings to allow as much light as possible to enter buildings; shops sported enormous glass windows. Everything was twinkling and sparkling under the sun, and she could see how Turo had admonished his Pok¨¦mon to stay put. The Murkrow was pretty much fidgeting on his shoulder, opening and closing his wings like he wanted to fly off and check out everything at once.

    As they kept walking, Sada noticed that Turo kept looking around, almost like he was searching for something, and half muttering something that sounded like numbers to himself.

    ? What is it?? she asked after the third time he kept doing it.

    Turo blinked and turned towards her.

    ? It''s, um... nothing. I''m looking for... a certain spot.?

    Sada blinked, not quire sure she understood what he meant. He was looking for a certain place?

    ? ... have you been here before? In your time?? she asked, and he cringed.

    ? Not... really. I... I need a map.? he said, turning away to look for a bookshop. She followed, now kind of baffled at what he was even doing.

    She watched Turo purchase a big paper map of the city, the one that you had to fold multiple times, and walk towards a little bench. Instead of sitting down on it, he spread the map out over the two seats.

    ? Can''t believe their electronic maps are still so inaccurate you have to resort to using these...? he muttered, furrowing his eyebrows as he started to trace some roads with his left index finger. She looked down at the map, quickly getting lost in all the names of roads and boulevards. A moment later, he seemed to find whatever he was looking for, because he nodded and folded the map back up.

    ? All right. I know where to go now.?

    "Go where?" she still wanted to ask as he took her hand and led her away, completely puzzled. They walked for a little while, crossing intersections, quickly traversing little side streets and avoiding groups of Gogoat carrying tourists that galloped down the road. Finally they reached a bridge, one of the many that connected the Northern and Southern Boulevard across the river that bisected the city. Turo led her down a set of stairs, towards the riverbank, and motioned for her to sit down beside him. Miguel hopped down from his shoulder and towards Kim and ?tzi.

    She complied, looking around with some confusion; it was a completely unremarkable part of the city. There was no pretty scenic view, no other group of turists that usually signalled that they were near some famous, important landmark. The only one you could barely see on the other side of the river was Lumiose''s Prism Tower. There was just the water, some Surskits, and a group of Flabeb¨¦ flitting around a little flower patch, watching the two of them curiously.

    ? Where are we?? she asked, turning towards Turo. He hesitated, looking just a bit embarassed as he took a big breath.

    ? 48¡ã latitude North, 2¡ã Longitude East, more or less... this-? he said, turning towards her with the tiniest trace of his usual, almost invisible smile.

    ? Is where we first met.?

    It took her a long moment to realize what he meant, but when she did, it took her breath away. Their very first meeting... of course.

    The river.

    She turned towards it with wide eyes, watching the water rush placidly past them, like it has always done.

    ? I had to write those coordinates so many times in my reports, I could never forget them-? Turo was saying, and she felt her eyes sting once, just once, before she let out a tiny, half-sobbing laugh.

    ? Remembering a bunch of numbers for a place... that''s just like you.? she said.

    But he did. He remembered. And while coming here, he thought of showing her this little, insignificant corner of Lumiose that held so much meaning for only the two of them.

    She turned towards him, looking at his neck. He seemed to notice her gaze, because he raised one hand to take out the necklace she had given him and showed it to her.

    ? It''s still here. Since that day.? he said, and she took a moment to grasp her own, similar looking necklace. Hers didn''t have Winged King feathers, she had made hers way before that, but... she turned back to watching the water, and a couple of Flabeb¨¦ gently float over it, playing with their reflection in the water and chirping. She looked at Kim, who was staring suspiciously at the river as she batted at the Surskit, and Otzi, who quietly looked over the other two Pok¨¦mon, only letting out a little, whispering hiss when a drop of water would splash over his way.

    So many things had changed from that day... but here they were again, sitting side by side on that same riverbank. The same where she had taught him the first words in her language, and Turo his; rock, water, grass, sun... all things she could still see all around.

    It was comforting, in a way.

    She sighed, and rested her head on his shoulder as she moved closer.

    ? ... yes. We''re still here.? she whispered.

    That day, they had been able to barely exchange a couple of words with each other, and there had been so so many things she had wanted to ask him. Now she could freely talk with him about everything she ever wanted, yet she felt like there was no need for words at this very moment. They stood side by side as the sun set quietly, watching the water and the movement of the city all around them.

 Chapter 29: Voyage, part II

    As he stood side by side with Sada watching the sun set get lower and lower over the horizon until it disappeared behind the tall buildings of Lumiose City, Turo felt for once strangely at peace. The thought of searching for that exact spot had hit him as soon as Clavell had told them where their little school trip would be.

    He put one hand over Sada''s shoulders, holding her close. She smiled, and simply rested her head on his shoulder, sighing contentedly.

    ? What did you think of me when we first met?? he asked after a long moment. He had often wondered about it.

    ? I mean... this weird guy dressed all in white appearing suddenly, not speaking a word of your language... ? he chuckled, thinking back to the panic that he had felt.

    ? It must have been strange.? he added. Sada smiled before raising one hand to quietly grasp his, interlocking their fingers together.

    ? I thought you were from one of the tribes way south... I guess I was half right, in a way.? she answered with a laugh, and he couldn''t help but smile a little bit himself at finally hearing that pure, enthusiastic sound again.

    ? What was your first impression of me? Other than "terrified", judging by how much you were shaking.? she asked immediately after, and he had to keep his expression neutral.

    ? Um-? he said looking away, trying to buy some time. Sada tilted her head, now with a little smirk on her face as she playfully jabbed him on his side.

    ? I... your.... your fangs. They were the first thing I noticed.? he mumbled after a moment, not without some embarrassment.

    Sada blushed after a moment, raising her free hand to poke at one a bit self-consciously.

    ? ... They are not that strange, right? I... I have seen other people here have them...? she muttered, and he huffed and kissed her cheek.

    ? They are perfectly normal. I had just never seen them. ? he said to reassure her.

    ? You two! I challenge you to a double battle!?

    They were interrupted by a familiar voice and a loud shout, and they both turned away from the water and the steps they had walked down with some perplexity; Turo had never actually heard Clavell shout, not even in class to maintain order with some of the younger students: he didn''t really need to, and the man seemed almost incapable of getting angry.

    He, however, had to blink and make sure he was seeing correctly when a Clavell dressed in the most ridiculous assortment of clothes he had ever seen stomped towards them, followed by his Oranguru and Abomasnow. The Flabeb¨¦ and Surskit scattered as the three approached, and Miguel let out a rather annoyed squawk.

    ? What... what are you wearing?? Turo asked, bewildered.

    Instead of his usual round glasses, the man was sporting a pair of sunglasses with colored lenses, a pair of jeans that looked like they had been cut with a pair of scissors (he had never understood that particular fashion trend of this era), and the trashiest motorbiker jacket he had ever seen in black leather with some drawing of a Pok¨¦mon he couldn''t quite make out in golden lines.

    Most egregious of all however was the wig he was wearing, that took the shape of a truly massive pompadour.

    Clavell stopped in front of the two and snorted, crossing both arms to his chest, another pose that definitely didn''t suit him.

    ? That your Pok¨¦mon? They look pathetic! I challenge you two to a battle!?

    By his side, Sada was as speechless as he was, mouth hanging half-open.

    ? Clavell...?? she asked.

    ? I have no idea who this "Clavell" guy is.? Clavell answered, raising one hand to flick his pompadour upwards.

    ? My name is-? there was a sudden, awkward pause from the older man as he obviously scrambled to think of a name. ? -... Clive.?

    A moment of silence followed his words, before Turo sighed and stood up. He was trying to force himself to keep a straight face, which was proving to be rather difficult, thanks to... everything in front of him.

    Just... that hair...

    ? ... What do you want, Clavell??

    ? Clive-? "Clive" said. He really wanted to stick to the part, didn''t he?

    ? All right, Clive.? he said, rolling his eyes. He had no idea why the other man had suddenly decided to put on this whole charade. Was it just to distract them? Cheer them up? Or did people in this time really love to battle that much? He didn''t get it.

    ? ... I''m really not in the mood for a Pok¨¦mon battle right now.? he said, throwing a look at Miguel. The Murkrow also didn''t look particularly thrilled; he was rather enthusiastic about searching for and battling the newly - named "terastalized" Pok¨¦mon, but that was just because he got plenty of shiny, sparkly loot out of it in the form of Tera shards.

    Battling for battling''s sake didn''t seem to be his thing.

    ? Let''s just go back to the hotel-? he scoffed, turning away from "Clive" and nodding toward his Pok¨¦mon to follow. He had barely walked three steps when he felt a sudden rush of cold air, a barrage of pointed icicles darting right past him to hit the ground in front of him. Turo paled as the Murkrow squawked indignantly, furiously beating his wings to get away from the ice at his feet.

    Sada gave an indignant shout and jumped back as more ice formed between her and himself, separating them. Her Pok¨¦mon scrambled to her side, Kim growling fiercely as her mane started to burn brighter.

    Turo whirled around to face "Clive", and found his Abomasnow lower the arm that it must have used to shoot those Ice Shards.

    ... Had he seriously just attacked them? Or threatened to? He stared at Clavell, but the man''s eyes were hidden behind the colored lenses of his glasses, face impossible to read. He had no idea what he was thinking. What did he even want?

    ? ... What is the meaning of this?!? he snarled, now suddenly furious.

    He turned towards Miguel with some newfound determination. Fine, if he wanted a Pok¨¦mon battle for some stupid reason, he would get one!

    He stared at the Abomasnow, not without some concern. Clavell''s Pok¨¦mon were... obviously a lot more well trained than his and Sada''s. Surely more than Miguel. He had won his first two Gym badges relying on type advantage and not much else; he honestly had to prepare more for the Gym challenge that preceded it than the battle itself.

    Sada''s Litleo had a double type advantage and could pelt it with fire balls from afar. Maybe he should leave the Abomasnow to her...? He turned towards her, only to realize that the wall of ice summoned between them blocked his view.

    ? Kim, Ember towards that... that tree thing!? Sada''s voice rang out right at that moment, followed by a stream of fire shooting towards the Abomasnow, and Turo couldn''t help a little proud smile.

    It seemed like Sada had thought the same exact thing as him. Maybe Clavell wanted to see how they worked together? Was this some kind of test part of the school trip?

    He turned his attention to the other Pok¨¦mon, the Oranguru. It was perhaps the most enigmatic of Clavell''s Pok¨¦mon: he had seen it only a couple of times, and didn''t really know what it was capable of. He wasn''t even really sure about its typing.

    ? Miguel, use Wing Atta-?

    ? Thunderbolt ?

    Clavell''s order and his Pok¨¦mon had been incredibly fast.

    Turo flinched as his Pok¨¦mon screeched after getting hit by a lighting bolt the Oranguru conjured out of thin air.

    That wasn''t a normal screech; that was pure pain.

    The Murkrow fell back to the ground at his feet, his wings twitching as he tried to scramble back up in the air, pupils wide.

    What was Clavell even doing? Why order a move that was obviously so much stronger than what was necessary to win that fight?

    He didn''t understand.

    ? Miguel! ? he ran to his Pok¨¦mon and picket him up; it cawed pitifully, snuggling up against his jacket, still twitching in pain. He swallowed, feeling a heavy lump in his throat, before turning towards Clive, or whatever stupid name he had chosen.

    ? Clavell, drop that act. You come here, you beat up my Pok¨¦mon... what''s the point?? he snarled.

    There was a long silence, before Clavell finally recalled both of his Pok¨¦mon and pulled off the wig.

    ? Well...? he said, adjusting his glasses and moving some steps towards him. ? I would think about why I asked you about that Pok¨¦mon battle, earlier.?

    That Pok¨¦mon battle...? It took him a moment to remember that talk about the Furfrou. It filled him with rage. So all of this was still about that?

    ? ... really? Did you really want to see us challenge that stupid trainer that much??

    ? It''s not about battling that trainer!? Clavell snapped. The ice barrier that had separated him from Sada had been quickly melting, showing him Sada similarly cradling her Litleo to her chest, the fire type looking like it had been repeatedly pummeled by the Abomasnow that towered over them both. Sada was sniffling as she pet the battered Pok¨¦mon, her Golett trying to console her by putting a hand on her shoulder.

    ? It''s the fact that you''ve been thinking about nothing but how different things are "here", and it''s destroying you. I can see it on your faces, and I can''t stand it! You''re both thinking about getting into Area Zero secretly hoping to find a way to go home, don''t you? Do you really hate it that much here?? Clavell added, almost choking on those last words, and Turo felt his chest tighten, out of breath as he suddenly felt called out.

    By his side, Sada similarly seemed to flinch, eyes wide.

    He... he was much more perceptive that what he thought. Clavell walked up to both of them, clasping his hands behind his back like he usually did. With the punk jacket he was wearing, it looked ridiculous, but he didn''t seem to care.

    ? Say you get permission to go into Area Zero, and find a way to go back... and then what? You will be separated again, I hope you realize that. I thought you two were...? he looked between the two, a line of uncertainty now crossing his face.

    ? ... close. Or did you plan to go together, one joining the other in their time? Is that really what you want? One of you would still be away from home... would it be that different from both of you simply staying here? Especially you, Sada? ?

    Turo had no idea what to say. They had both avoided to discuss what they would do once they were in Area Zero, just focusing on actually getting there first. But...

    ? ... why beat up our Pok¨¦mon to say that?? he asked in a growl, letting Miguel back into his Pok¨¦ Ball to rest.

    He would have to get to a Pok¨¦mon Center to cure him; he didn''t have any Potions on him. He hadn''t... thought he would need any, and now Miguel was in pain because of him.

    ?... I''m sure you can realize that alone. I''ll wait for you back at the hotel. We have a long tour of the city tomorrow.? Clavell said, before turning around and walking away, leaving the two of them in stunned silence. Turo turned towards Sada, to find her still absent-mindedly petting Kim, murmuring words to reassure the little Pok¨¦mon in her language.

    He wanted to ask her what she would do if they really found a way back home. Could he concieve following her in her time, back in the Paleolithic?

    He... he couldn''t. But for Sada... staying here in the 21th century or in his time wasn''t really that different... right? Both were completely alien to her.

    ? ... let''s go to a Pok¨¦mon Center.? he said, and she just nodded, calling both her Pok¨¦mon back in their Pok¨¦ Balls.

    As they walked back through the city in silence, he didn''t ask in the end.

    He was afraid of the answer.

    ---

    They walked back to the hotel in complete silence, stopping in a Pok¨¦mon Center along the way. Sada kept holding Kim''s Pok¨¦ Ball, felling the warmth coming from the little sphere as she thought back to Clavell''s words.

    She had felt helpless as the Litleo kept getting pummeled by the much bigger Ice Pok¨¦mon, mewling in pain as she tried to get away.

    How could people in this time simply just stand there as their Pok¨¦mon did everything for them? Another thing she just didn''t understand. Why had Clavell decided to challenge them like that? It had barely been a battle to begin with, but she didn''t understand what that had to do with his words.

    She... she loved Kim. She was smart, and it amazed her to see how much stronger she had become and how she would listen intently to everything she said, and how much she slowly understood.

    What had Kim to do with what they would do in Area Zero...? If she really found a way back home... Kim and ?tzi would come with her, right...? And... Turo... What would he do?

    But... Those thoughts were pointless before they could even enter Area Zero. Until then, she just had to focus on their research, graduating from the Academy, and getting the League''s permission by acquiring the Champion Rank... But while she could do the first two by herself, she needed her Pok¨¦mon for that last one.

    She caught sight of Clavell as they entered the hotel; he seemed to have been waiting for them in the hall, now back in his usual elegant clothes. As soon as he saw them he got up and walked away to his room, leaving the two to walk to their shared room in an uncomfortable silence.

    For once, she and Turo slept separately, each of them trying to stay near the border of the bed as much as they could, with the excuse of keeping their Pok¨¦mon near them. Kim jumped on the bed and huddled up under the covers against her back, warm and soft. ?tzi had walked to one corner of the room closest to her and clumsily sat down, even if he didn''t really need to sleep. As for Miguel, the dark type was bright awake at night and she could hear him flutter his wings as he perched on the desk lamp on Turo''s side of the room, cleaning his feathers that still lay in disarray after the shock.

    Turo had been petting him absent mindedly, before his movements slowly stopped, and he had probably fallen asleep.

    "Just ask him. You will have to talk about it sooner or later." She kept repeating to herself, trying to work up the courage to speak up first.

    She didn''t.

    The next morning, they were taken on a tour of the city at first. Clavell was acting like nothing had happened, simply commenting with a "Mmm" when Sada had tried to bring up "Clive" again. If it hadn''t been for that battle and his words, she would have found the whole way he obviously tried to pretend nothing had happened hilarious.

    The tour brought them all over the city, which had undergone a lot of changes during the centuries. Lumiose had been the center of the region when it was still ruled by kings, home of nobles and only the richest people in the region, it had then slowly expanded and urbanized.

    And there had been a lot of kings in Kalos, from the one of the war of 3000 years ago until the monarchy had been finally abolished and even the traces of who still descended from the royal family lost.

    Sada saw enough paintings of pale-faced nobles wearing wigs and elaborate jewels to last her for a lifetime. The tour guide was going on and on about the artist''s skill in depicting whatever important historical moment it was, but they all honestly all looked a bit the same to her.

    She liked the paintings that depicted natural landscapes or how people imagined legendary Pok¨¦mon much more than paintings full of people in a ballroom wearing fancy impractical dresses.

    And then, maybe in a way to end the tour across the history of Kalos by going back to its very beginning, the tour had proposed a visit to the natural history museum.

    ---

    Turo had been somewhat wary of Sada''s reaction the moment they had stepped inside the museum. He wasn''t sure how she would take it, or even of what they would find there exactly.

    Last night had been horribly uncomfortable for him: he had thought back to Clavell''s words, the way his voice had almost cracked when he had asked if they hated it here.

    He... he didn''t, but... Clavell couldn''t understand.

    He sighed, and focused back on his surroundings, which for the moment mostly meant cabinets full of shards of chipped stone. Honestly, they didn''t look all that different from just pointy rocks to him, but if they had put them there on display, it had to be because there were traces of having been made by humans in some way he just couldn''t see.

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Sada, on the other hand, was walking by his side, eyes wide as she looked at all the objects.

    ? Those are... real...? she whispered after a moment, trying to get as close as possible to read the little printed descriptions. She gasped and grabbed his arm, and for the first time since arriving in Kalos, he saw her eyes start to shine with the same enthusiasm she showed in front of anything new.

    Ironic how this time, it was actually because she was looking at something that was unfamiliar to everyone except to her.

    ? These are... even older than my people''s! Humans used these same tools for thousands and thousands of years... Isn''t it incredible?? she whispered, before pointing to what to him looked like a random piece of bone.

    ? That is a needle, and that one...? she walked past him, watching the dates on the displayed objects go closer and closer to the time Turo knew approximately her tribe had lived in.

    The display cases also got slightly bigger, as more and bigger objects had survived the test of time. Not much though; most objects would have broken down or decayed away, unless they happened to have been preserved in some way.

    Sada''s steps got progressively slower as she happened to look at the biggest object present in the current room. Her face went pale, and her eyes widened.

    Turo had to take only one look to understand her reaction.

    It was the skeletal remains of a young child. The description talked about how it had been found carefully buried in a cave along with many objects, which had luckily preserved them so well to this day.

    But Sada wasn''t looking at the displayed text at all. Her eyes were fixated on the display, and she was clenching her fists, now suddenly trembling.

    ? You.... you put people in museums...?? she whispered after a moment, turning towards him.

    Turo swallowed, not knowing what to say. His mind was completely blank: he could understand her outrage, in some way, but... it''s not like... they did it ever expecting one of those people to actually show up and get angry about it...

    ? It''s... to better show people what it was like at that time...? he tried to explain, but with Sada''s eyes burning into him, he felt like the excuse was extremely flimsy.

    ? That doesn''t show people anything about how we really lived! This is just... disrespectful! Was this what you were doing coming to my time? W-would you have done this to me?? she asked, and he stopped to stare at her, breathless.

    ? Sada... no... I would never... just... calm down...? he tried to put one hand on her shoulder, to comfort her, but she shrugged him off.

    ? Just... looking at us like... like we were some silly, dumb thing and not people... That''s what this is. ? she gasped, her breath short. All the wonder and excitement at finally having found some trace of her time was gone as she looked around. At him, at Clavell politely standing nearby pretending not to hear, at the other visitors.

    ? ... this is all wrong. ? she said in the end, before turning around and storming off.

    ? Sada!? he hurried after her, his breath short.

    ---

    Suddenly, all the displayed objects that she had been eagerly observing sickened her. She couldn''t look at them.

    Not when she knew that people simply came here to stare at them for a moment, but didn''t really understand what they were for. How they were used. How it felt to create them, how much work and effort there was behind each of them.

    She was terrified of looking at another of those mummies and recognize someone she knew. By a bracelet, or some other trinket buried with them... An irrational fear, maybe, she knew the chances were infinitesimal... but she couldn''t look at them.

    That could have been anyone.

    ... That could have been her, if she hadn''t landed in this time by accident and spent the rest of her life with her tribe. She kept walking without really noticing where she was, or hearing the steps that hurried after her.

    ? This is a reproduction of the famous cave painting found in the mountain range near Snowbelle City. Access to the cave has been forbidden to avoid damaging the originals, but these pictures offer pretty much a perfect reproduction of them on a 1:1 scale...?

    Her feet carried her to an almost empty room, where only a single object that took up the entire wall was displayed. The voice of a guide was explaining something to a group of elementary school children.

    Sada raised her head, staring at the wall painting of her tribe for a long moment.

    Her own handprint. Her mother''s. Her father''s.

    ... even Turo''s line, that he had added around hers that time she had shown him the cave.

    ? We don''t know what all these lines connecting these handprints were for, but all the ancient Pok¨¦mon depicted here makes us think that it could be some ritual that was done before heading out to hunt, maybe a way to pray for a successful bounty. ? the guard was saying to the students, who for the most part were either listening politely or looked slightly bored.

    Sada felt a fit of rage spike through her chest as she listened.

    No... that''s not what it was for... She wanted to scream at the guide that they had it all wrong.

    This was their history! Their way of telling all who came after them what they had done, about their life, their family...

    But nobody would believe her. They would just think she was crazy if she tried to correct them.

    Nobody knew their history anymore.

    Maybe just then, in front of a copy of one of the most important places for her tribe and her old life, it truly hit her that they were gone. Not just in body, but in spirit too.

    Nothing remained of their language, their traditions, their beliefs and way of life...

    Just her.

    Hot tears started to fall freely down her cheeks, Sada doing nothing to stop them as she kept staring at the wall, not caring about the weirded out stares she was getting from other people.

    She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around, finding not Turo but Clavell reaching out to her.

    She threw her arms around him all the same.

    ? They are really gone... just... gone...? she wailed.

    ? I''m... so sorry. ? Clavell simply said. Behind him, she heard Turo catch up to them, completely out of breath.

    ? Sada...? he looked at her, then at the wall, his eyes widening in understanding. He simply came close, putting one arm around her shoulders.

    They stood like that in silence, the three of them, long after the group of students and their guide had left.

    ? ... Let''s leave. ? Turo said in the end after she had calmed down, but she shook her head.

    ? ... No. I want to look at it. It''s... maybe the only thing that''s left from... my people.? she whispered.

    It hurt, but she wanted to see. To fix every last detail of it in her memory. Every line, every color, every symbol and what they meant, who every handprint had belonged to, before she forgot them too.

    It was the least she could do.

    ---

    In the following days, they simply wandered around Kalos, visiting little towns and just going whenever something looked interesting.

    The Reflection Cave piqued both of their interests because of how similar it looked to what they had just dubbed as "Tera caves", but it seemed to lack the characteristics feeling of energy filling the air that places filled with Tera crystals had. Geosenge Town, the Tower of Mastery, Perfume Palace, Anistar City with its ancient, enigmatic sundial that glowed at sunset... there was a lot to see in Kalos.

    Sada seemed to have found some peace with the fact that the region had nothing to do with her time, but not with how little of her time was known. But if anything, it seemed to have given her a new mission to strive towards.

    ? I''m going to study hard and show everyone how things really were at the time. I''m going to force people to believe me if necessary. People won''t be able to say that I''m just making things up.? she had quietly said once they had stepped out of the museum.

    Clavell had nodded at that, and given her a little encouraging smile.

    ? That is an admirable goal. ?

    As for him... Turo had no idea what to do. It''s not like he could talk to people about how things would be thousands of years from now... couldn''t he?

    But maybe he could use some things from his time... The technology was too primitive (they still had barely even invented the touchscreen in this year), but... He had knowledge of things to come, he could easily take advantage of that.

    But before he could think about (ironically) his future, he had a much more immediate problem.

    He needed more Pok¨¦mon. Miguel had more or less adopted himself, and the type advantage he had against the first two gyms had made him procrastinate actually looking for more Pok¨¦mon.

    For Sada, it was a bit easier to accept training new Pokemon because the very idea was still new to her.

    He... just couldn''t see himself training most of the Pok¨¦mon in this era. He had taken a liking to the Murkrow because he was a smart little bastard, they were both night owls and kept each other company, but most of the others were too... "wild" for him.

    He was used to looking at unblinking digital eyes and smooth plates. He was used to ... Mirai, and that was it.

    The Pok¨¦mon of this time, well at least a good part of them... they shed fur, or scales, or pollen which he was probably allergic to, they bled, and were just.... too organic and messy for him.

    Which was probably weird to say, since that''s how they had looked for most of history, but he couldn''t help it.

    Near Laverre City were the ruins of an abandoned hotel; Miguel had brought him there as they had spent a couple of days around the city, and Turo had followed, figuring that the little crow Pok¨¦mon had been attracted by all the broken windows and general gloomy atmosphere. The Murkrow probably felt right at home here: places abandoned by humans meant a lot of shiny loot.

    He and Sada entered through a broken window at the ground floor: Sada had brought a flashlight, and turned it on to shine a cone of light in what looked like an old guest room.

    Turo just missed having his bodysuit''s glow that would have done the job for him. He sighed, and followed the woman inside, careful not to step on the broken glass.

    Miguel was busy rummaging through a broken nightstand, raising a little dust cloud with every flap of its wings.

    ? I wonder why it was abandoned...? he said quietly to Sada, who just shrugged.

    ? It''s strange, isn''t it?? she said, stepping out into the corridor.

    ? What is?? he asked. She looked to be in deep thought as she shone the light ahead. A Trubbish scampered away from both of them, leaving a trail of garbage behind, mostly rotten canned food from the stench. Turo scowled with disgust and gestured for Sada to follow him in the opposite direction from the Pok¨¦mon.

    ? This place. People haven''t used it for... how many years? Twenty? Thirty? Maybe fifty? And it''s already so broken... ? the cone of the flashlight wavered for a moment as she took a deep breath.

    ? It... really makes it clear that I should be happy that anything from my people is even still here. Not much, but... it''s incredible that our painting is still there after all this time. It''s something I can be proud of.? she said, and he squeezed her shoulder in comfort.

    ? That''s one way of looking at it.? he replied in a low voice.

    He kept walking through the ruined building; Sada''s words kept coming back to him. How quickly this building had fallen into ruin, and been reclaimed by nature... it was a humbling thought.

    He passed a corridor with many other guest rooms lined up, wondering what kind of people had spent the night there. A movement out of the corner of his eye made him turn towards one door at the other end of the corridor. Something had just moved into the barely open door.

    Something that floated.

    Maybe a ghost Pok¨¦mon, he thought, as he made a silent gesture to Sada and cautiously opened the door to peer inside.

    The room was in complete disarray like every other, but something sparkled under the light of Sada''s flashlight.

    Turo''s eyes widened when he saw a little round Pok¨¦mon floating near the opposite wall. It was hovering close to the electrical socket where an old mini fridge had been attached; it had what looked like a screw coming out of its body, and two magnets attached to its side.

    The screw looked like it was covered in a bit of rust, creaking slightly as the Pok¨¦mon moved it a bit while it bopped up and down.

    ? That... is a Pok¨¦mon?? Sada whispered by his side. The Pok¨¦mon turned around: it had no visible mouth, and only a singular large eye looked up at them. The magnets crackled with electricity that buzzed all around it, making the old tv in the room briefly flicker with static.

    ? It''s a Magnemite...? he said in a low voice, feeling a twinge of pity for the little creature as it floated to the farthest corner in the room, obviously scared of them. If he remembered right, they fed strictly on electricity... They weren''t like Pikachu, or even Pawmo, electric types that could gather electricity as another source of energy but still ate food.

    No, Magnemite were strictly dependent on pure electrical current.

    Turo looked to the old, dusty electrical socket and realized that it was probably looking for food. He didn''t know if there was even any power left in the old building.

    ? Give me your flashlight.? he turned towards Sada, who furrowed her eyebrows but obeyed. He switched it off, took the batteries out, and rolled one on the floor towards the Pok¨¦mon.

    It eyed him wearily for a moment, before floating down and touching the two poles of the battery with its magnets.

    After a moment, a slight buzzing sound filled the air, and it was clear the Pok¨¦mon was obviously feeding on it. Once it was done, it floated back up with more vigor, and started circling them without taking its single eye off the other battery in his hand. He offered it to the Pok¨¦mon, and it approached it after a moment.

    Turo stared at the little steel type. A Pok¨¦mon that was dependent on a mostly human made energy source... in a way, it shared some similarities with the Pok¨¦mon of his time.

    Pok¨¦mon like these could be seen as the precursors of what Miraidon and the other purely Artificial Pok¨¦mon of his time would become: made or clearly influenced in their evolution by humanity''s development.

    Looking at the rust creeping over its shining body filled him with sadness.

    ? There''s isn''t much food for you out there, isn''t it?? he asked the Pok¨¦mon in a low whisper. It looked at him, and simply spun the two smaller screws on its side, first one time to the left, then to the right.

    It''s not like it could answer him like your typical Pok¨¦mon could. It couldn''t growl, or purr, or vocalize with its own voice box, or even caw sarcastically at him like Miguel loved to do.

    It just floated there in midair, and stared.

    But as he kept looking at the little Pok¨¦mon, he couldn''t help but feel that this was exactly the right Pok¨¦mon for him right now.

    It was familiar and comforting but still different enough to not remind him too painfully of Mirai.

    ? Why don''t you come with me? There''s lots of electricity where I live... not just scraps from old cables and batteries.? he added, slowly raising one hand towards it.

    The buzzing of electricity in the room grew stronger as the Pok¨¦mon seemed to grow suspicious of him, some sparks flying out of its magnet.

    Turo hesitated, taking a step back.

    ? It could shock you. Be careful.? Sada admonished him, and he nodded.

    He knew that very well. Mirai had been the same. When they were both very little, the then mini Iron Serpent would playfully bite at his shoes, occasionally giving him a little shock. That had never stopped him from staying near the dragon type, and that sound had become a symbol of warmth and affection for him with time, instead of danger.

    He stepped forward before he could change his mind and put one hand over the Magnemite. It literally froze in midair, its single eye growing wide. Had it ever actually been touched by someone before? Could it even feel his hand?

    After a moment, he could feel the Pok¨¦mon bob slightly upwards, leaning into the palm of his hand, and he smiled.

    Apparently, it seemed to like that quite a bit.

    ---

    It was their last night in Lumiose City. The next morning, they would fly back to Paldea, and start to prepare for their middle course exams. Until they were done with their exams, they would have less time for their research on Tera shards.

    Turo had looked to have brightened up a bit after he had caught that metallic Pok¨¦mon in the abandoned hotel the other day. Sada could understand why; it was all smooth and shiny like the Pok¨¦mon in his time had been (would be....? This was confusing), and she had caught him more than one time looking thoughtfully at the house cleaning products "for stainless steel" in various shops.

    "I wonder if they would work to get that rust out..." he had said.

    They had spent those last couple days simply enjoying the dazzling city life of Lumiose City, so similar yet so different to the one in Mesagoza.

    And they had... trained.

    Luxurious boutiques with the most outrageous prices where you needed to have won a certain number of Gym badges just to be allowed to enter, restaurants where the waiters would challenge you to a Pok¨¦mon battle as soon as you sat down to eat, riding Gogoats through the oldest part of the city, getting to the top of the Prism Tower ... Sada had a lot of fun in the end, despite all that had happened.

    Clavell had suspiciously disappeared that evening, citing wanting to check out some boutique for the last time before they departed. Sada had simply rolled her eyes: something told her that "Clive" was going to reappear again before they left Lumiose.

    She was right.

    "Clive" was waiting for them near the hotel, arms crossed to his chest in the same pose as the first time, Abomasnow and Oranguru already behind him.

    ? Ready for a rematch? ?

    She took a deep breath, and nodded as she grasped her Pok¨¦ Balls.

    Clavell seemed to want to start the battle like last time; his Abomasnow took a deep breath, and ice crackled towards them to form a wall between their Pok¨¦mon to keep them separate. She saw Turo brace himself to give a quick order, and nodded to herself.

    Just like they had practiced these days.

    ? Miguel, Confuse Ray!?

    The Murkrow flew high over their heads and opened his beak, shooting a colored beam of light towards the ice Pok¨¦mon.

    Abomasnow staggered backwards and shook its head, confused. The ice that he was still forming crumbled, melting quickly.

    ? Kim, use Fire Fang!?

    The Litleo leapt forward, taking advantage of the still confused Pok¨¦mon to run behind him and jump on his back, literally climbing it like a tree.

    Sada had spent some time thinking about what had gone wrong during their first battle; once she had been taken by surprise, Kim just kept getting hit by the much larger Pok¨¦mon and couldn''t even retreat away. Now, she hoped to use her small size to her advantage. Hooking her small claws into the thick fur of the Abomasnow, the Litleo opened her maw and bit down on his neck hard, spewing flames through her gritted teeth. The Pok¨¦mon''s arms were too short to reach her in the spot she had chosen, and soon the Abomasnow could do nothing but furiously try to shake her off.

    It was the same strategy she herself had used when she had first tried to ride Winged King, she thought with a small smile as she watched the Litleo growl determinately.

    ? Well done, Kim! ? she quickly turned her attention back to Clavell, or "Clive", who simply arched one eyebrow but didn''t say anything. His second Pok¨¦mon, the Oranguru, had stayed suspiciously still. She didn''t like that. She had the impression that Pok¨¦mon was still hiding many tricks.

    By her side, Turo was probably thinking the same thing judging by the way he was eyeing the simian Pok¨¦mon. They were sure that Clavell would try to end the fight as quickly as he had done last time.

    And in fact-

    ? Thunderbolt!?

    ? Tsk-? Turo moved as soon as Clavell started to speak. Recalling his Murkrow, he threw another Pok¨¦ Ball with his free hand, the Magnemite materializing in the spot the Flying type had just occupied, the bolt of electricity hitting it but doing practically no damage. It spun the screws on its body, twisting in midair.

    ? ... You caught another Pok¨¦mon.? was Clavell''s only comment. Turo simply nodded stiffly, before clearing his throat.

    ? Use Thunder Wave on Oranguru.?

    The electric type pointed both magnets towards his opponent, releasing a quick bolt of electricity that hit the Oranguru. It wouldn''t stop it completely, but it would at least slow him down. Good.

    ? Now Electro Ball.? another sphere of electricity shot by the Magnemite slammed into the Pok¨¦mon, made much stronger now that its opponent was considerably slowed down.

    Clavell scowled, turning his attention back to his Abomasnow. The ice type was still trying to get Kim off his back, and growing increasingly desperate after the many fiery bites it had received in the meantime.

    ? Snap out of it, Abomasnow! Sheer Cold!?

    Sada gasped; she had heard about moves like that. They were dangerous, and even if inaccurate, they would simply aim to hit all around the area, just causing as much damage as they could. And Kim was so close, she would surely get hit...

    The Abomasnow let out a chilly howl. The temperature all around them suddenly dropped massively, and Sada had to take a couple of steps back, shivering in her light clothes. It reminded her of how cold the winters would get in her time... and she was too far away to recall Kim. She heard the little Pok¨¦mon roar with fury and valiantly try to hold on, but in the end she collapsed to the ground, shivering.

    ? Don''t worry, you did well...? Sada whispered as she stepped forward to recall her. She meant it.

    The Abomasnow looked close to collapsing, the thick fur and tree-bark on his back looking quite burned, and it was breathing heavily. If they could get another good hit in...

    She threw her second Pok¨¦ Ball, making ?tzi appear in a flash of light. The Golett looked up at his much bigger opponent, and let out a little huff.

    ? You can do this. Just like we practiced. ? Sada nodded. With one opponent paralyzed and the other almost exhausted, they had a chance of actually winning.

    ? Oranguru, Trick Room! Abomasnow, Wood Hammer on that Golett!?

    Sada blinked , confused. She wasn''t familiar with what that first move did, she had never even heard of it. Judging by how Turo cursed under his breath, it couldn''t be anything good.

    The simian Pok¨¦mon waved the big leaf it carried in one paw, and what looked like a rectangle of light surrounded the area of the battle, with their Pok¨¦mon inside. Immediately after, the Abomasnow moved with stunning speed, barreling towards ?tzi.

    That was impossible! It was barely holding itself up just a moment ago!

    ? U- use Phantom Force!? she called out, hoping that the Golett would remember the new move they had spent the past couple of days practicing.

    The Pok¨¦mon disappeared into the ground, melting with the dark pavement as its clay armour became intangible. The Abomasnow''s enormous fist crashed into the spot where ?tzi had stood, and the Ice type let out a disappointed huff.

    The Golett reappeared behind his opponent and raised one fist to swing into the already hurt back of the Abomasnow.

    ? Good! Now hit both with Stomping tantrum!? she added immediately after. She could already see Clavell''s Oranguru start to move to intercept the Golett.

    Turo''s Magnemite was now being slowed down by the effect of the Oranguru''s move, and both of Clavell''s Pok¨¦mon were now actively faster than theirs. The pavement shook by the effect of ?tzi''s move and both of her opponents staggered for a moment. She heard Turo take a quick breath by her side.

    ? Gyro Ball!? he called out.

    Magnemite conjured another ball of light in front of him, before shooting it towards the Oranguru. It slammed into it with great force, and the simian Pok¨¦mon growled, but got back up, shaking its head.

    ? All right, I think we can end it here.? Sada watched as Clavell recalled both of his Pok¨¦mon. He seemed to look thoughtfully at both of them for a long moment.

    ? ... some of those moves... aren''t things your Pok¨¦mon should know normally. ? he said in the end.

    Sada nodded. He was referring to Miguel''s Confuse Ray and ?tzi''s Phantom Force. The fact that he had immediately noticed and knew by heart what move Pok¨¦mon that were not even his honestly amazed her... or maybe, he had actively studied them beforehand. Which still said a lot about how much thought he had put into all this.

    ? Yes. We went looking for TM shops in each city we visited here in Kalos.? she said. They had talked a lot about how to defeat Clavell''s Pok¨¦mon again, expecting a rematch from him before the vacation was over.

    ? Yes, I figured. And the way you quickly switched Pok¨¦mon to make use of type advantage was also interesting.?

    ? We did some battle practice in those restourants here in Lumiose... not on purpose, mind you.? Turo mumbled as an answer, and Sada had to grin a little, remembering his outraged face as he had been challenged right as their food was being served.

    ? People in Kalos are nuts. Who asks for a battle while someone''s eating? The food will get cold by the time you''re done... ? he complained.

    Clavell also seemed to smile a little.

    ? Well, yes, that''s kind of the point... an incentive to have a quick battle, so to say. So, let me ask you one last thing, as a teacher of the Academy...? Clavell took off the wig, taking one moment to adjust his glasses as he took some steps towards both of them.

    ? Did you enjoy this trip? ?

    Sada took a long moment to answer, and she saw Turo furrow his eyebrows at her side, deep in thought. She thought back to those couple of days they had spent all around the region.

    ? You... you challenged us to that battle so we would be motivated to find a way to beat you in a rematch... and to do it, we would be forced to actually... explore this region. To actually... live it. ? she said in the end, slowly, as a little smile stretched on her face.

    She had thought about what Clavell had said.

    No, she... she didn''t hate it here after all. It hurt, and she still missed home, but she would have never been able to meet Kim, ?tzi and learn so many things if she had stayed in her time.

    She lost her old life, but she would have missed out on so many other things if she hadn''t.

    Maybe they had been looking at things the wrong way. Instead of desperately looking for traces of their old life, they could build a new one here.

    And that meant that she and Turo had to take some important decisions, together.

    ? It... it was fun, yes. I think I like Kalos... even if it''s not my home anymore. ? she added, and Clavell smiled in return, relieved.

    ---

    Turo waited as they were back in their hotel room, just the two of them. Maybe this was the right moment to finally approach that subject they had both been avoiding since their first day here.

    ? ... did you really mean it? What you said to Clavell?? he asked as was getting ready to lay down in bed. He was giving his back to Sada, so he couldn''t see her face, but he herd her stop as she was getting undressed.

    ? ... yes, I did. I''ve thought a lot about it these days. ? she answered, and he heard the little click of her unhooking her Pok¨¦ Balls from her belt and setting them down on the nightstand. He took a big breath, still not turning around.

    ? I... also had similar thoughts. I thought a lot about the fact that... it was fun travelling all around the region with you. That... ? he hesitated.

    Say it.

    Right now.

    ? If it''s with you, I wouldn''t mind-?

    ?... Romero. If there really is a way back home in Area Zero... you would never follow me in my time, would you? ?

    Sada''s words hit him like a blow to the face. Of course she would just ask him directly. In a way, it was exactly like she had done in what should have been their last meeting. He had turned away from her, avoiding her, while she had been the one to reach out and grab him.

    He turned around and found her staring at him, fiercely, demanding an answer with both arms crossed against her chest.

    He swallowed, and shook his head.

    ? I could never live in your time. ?

    ? Like I could never live in yours.? she said after a moment.

    ? That''s a problem.?

    He sighed, lowering his head. Well, he had figured that was the case, but... it still hurt to hear. He heard Sada move, crossing the distance between them; a second later, she uncrossed her arms and hooked them around his neck, forcing him to slowly raise his eyes until he was staring in hers. She was smiling.

    ? So... the only way we can stay together is if we both stick around here, it looks like.? she murmured in a low voice, and he felt his heart start hammering in his chest.

    ? If it''s with you, I wouldn''t mind... spending the rest of my life here. ? he finally forced himself to say, raising his arms to hold her close.

    ? We could... build our life here. Together.?

    They would never have been able to do it if he had never messed up those landing coordinates all those months ago... if he had never met her, if they had never landed here, in this time, together...

    He felt Sada slowly move even closer, cupping his face with one hand.

    ? Yes... let''s do it. We could even... become a family...? she whispered, and he felt his chest squeeze almost painfully at her words.

    A family with Sada. Something he could have never even dreamed about in his time. Something they could only do if they were together.

    ? ... yes. ? he whispered.

    They fell back on the bed as one, bodies intertwined.

 Chapter 30: Interlude

    Paleolithic Era, in the area that will be known as Kalos

    Chalo was getting desperate; her search back during the cold season had held no trace of what could have happened to Sada. She had found signs of a fight that had broken out between two creatures, near the place where her broken spear had been found.

    Deep claw marks gouged in the bark of trees, a crater where the ground had been split open by a great force, and a whole lot of feathers identical to Sada''s dragon, the one she called Winged King.

    So the creature and Sada must have fought something there, and then they had both disappeared without a trace.

    Except she was still finding traces of the dragon all around: those feathers were unmistakable. That could mean only one thing: there was another Winged King around.

    But what had happened to Sada?

    She had to admit that she was starting to lose hope: if she had run off away with Turo (it wasn''t even funny to say "Terg" anymore if he wasn''t there to look all offended) back to his tribe, surely she would have come back even just to tell them that she was fine?

    It had been various moons now: most of the tribe had silently decided that Sada had been caught in some unfortunate accident. No one dared say it out loud, however, especially not in front of Akari, who stubbornly held out hope and would glare at anyone who even implied otherwise.

    ? My daughter is alive somewhere, I can feel it.? she would say.

    There was still something that gave them a little hope however: the cold season was gone, and while the snow melted the whole tribe had left their camp to head out to the great lake in the east where they would meet up with other tribes. Maybe there, someone would have seen or heard something about Sada.

    This would be the first time the whole tribe as a group would move bringing the creatures they had tamed with them: Fluffyhead was leading the little herd of Spark Tail, while the youngest hunters were on the lookout for Bushy Pelts and other creatures that usually preyed on them.

    Chalo hoped that people wouldn''t be wary of them: they had a lot more materials to trade thanks to them now, after all, and maybe people from other tribes knew how to tame different creatures.

    It made sense: they couldn''t have been the only ones to figure that out, after all.

    She could already see temporary tents built up by groups who had already arrived in the days before: some were made from Steady Glacier pelts similar to the ones they used, made by a tribe that lived even further north than they did. Further ahead, she spotted long boats carved from wood, tied to trees near the water to keep them from drifting away: those belonged to the tribe that lived in the far southwest, near a place they called the "ocean". It was supposedly a lake so great no one had ever managed to cross it and made from poisonous water that would kill you if you drank it, which honestly seemed like a massive waste to Chalo.

    Why bother even living there, then?

    They were, however, also the people Chalo counted on the most to get some information out of: they lived in the same general direction Turo had said he was from, and by following the river up and down during the seasons they travelled both very far and quite fast compared to going on foot.

    Of course, they still weren''t as fast as Sada managed to travel once she had tamed her dragon to let her fly on it.

    Gah, and now she was gone! She couldn''t even brag about it!

    She called for Fluffyhead to follow her, and approached a lone man that was busy securing his boat. She recognized him, they had already met some seasons ago, and he had seemed quite interested in her, offering her to come to his tribe.

    The interest had honestly been mutual: he was broad shouldered, with skin the color of tree bark, dark eyes, a crudely shaved head and well defined muscles just emphasized by the clothes he was wearing. They all wore thin, slick robes made from tiny overlapping scales gathered from various creatures that lived in the water, painstakingly linked together by boring hundreds of little holes in them and connecting them to one other with thin ropes. It looked like so much effort that Chalo had once asked why they simply didn''t use pelts and furs like everyone else.

    ? Heavy furs drag you down in the water.? had been the answer.

    ? Rhuato ? she called out to him, and he turned around. There were two little objects hanging from his earlobes: one was a tiny scale of a bright pink color, while the other looked like a sharp tooth.

    She knew they were the mark of an important position in his tribe, but didn''t really know what they represented.

    ? Chalo ? he grinned, showing a pair of canines that were even pointer than usual. ? Here to finally accept my offer and become my life-mate?? he added, before his eyes landed on Fluffyhead.

    His eyes widened in alarm and he took a fighting stance, grabbing an oar out of his boat.

    Chalo hurriedly moved to explain.

    ? No! Fluffyhead''s with me! He won''t attack: he listens to what I say. ? she said, as the creature peered curiously at the man, before letting out a little bleat.

    ? You... tamed those things?? he repeated. Chalo nodded: luckily, he seemed to be taking it well.

    ? I''m looking for someone of my tribe that''s disappeared: Sada, the daughter of Orden.?

    Orden had come from Rhuato''s tribe, and who knew, maybe Sada had decided to head in the general direction of where her father had once lived.

    ? She''s been gone for... more than one season. I don''t think she''s dead. She was... travelling with a creature she had tamed. It would protect her, I''m sure of it.?

    Chalo opened the satchel at her waist where she kept various supplies: mostly berries for Fluffyhead, dried roots and meat strips and the cotton tufts she tied to her arrows.

    She took out some of the feathers from Winged King she had gathered, and offered them to Rhuato.

    He took them, turning them around in his hands.

    ? ... so she tamed something that can fly? ? he sounded vaguely impressed.

    ? Yes. It''s got bright red and black scales, a big crest of feathers on its head, and a very long tail that it curls up. It''s pretty big... you couldn''t have missed them if they were flying around.?

    He snorted dismissively at her words.

    ? Umf... "pretty big", you say... have you ever seen the creatures that come from the deepest part of the ocean? The Writhing Tendrils, or The Moving "Island"??

    ? Um... no-? she didn''t want to say that she had no idea what an island was.

    ? Then you have no idea what "big" means.? he laughed as he shook his head. Chalo didn''t really know what to make of his words. Just what kind of creatures lived in this "ocean"?

    ? But now that I look at them... I have seen feathers like these, I think.? Rhuato was saying, and Chalo''s eyes widened.

    ? Really??

    ? Yes... Near here, in fact. At the very center of the lake.?

    That... wasn''t the answer she had been expecting. So... was there another Winged King here, or it was the same one that had fought against Sada''s? Or... could it be Sada? Had she come to the lake way before everyone else?

    She had to go see.

    ? Bring me there!? she pretty much ordered Rhuato, who blinked.

    ? What ... ? Why me? ? he asked.

    ? Because I can''t command that boat like you do. Please. As a favour. ... I''ll dance with you at the great feast tonight.? she added, hoping that it would convince him.

    That made him snort and smile after a moment.

    ? All right. ? He turned back towards the boat, loosening the knot he had made to keep it tied to a great tree.

    He turned back to eye Fluffyhead with a slight frown.

    ? Is that thing going to come with us??

    ? Obviously.? Chalo straightened up, ready to fight him over it. She wouldn''t leave him behind! Rhuato didn''t look particularly enthusiastic at the idea.

    ? ... Just keep it away from the water. I''m not jumping in to save that thing.? he said.

    He finished unraveling the knot and pushed the boat in the water, climbing inside and grasping the oars she had seen them use to move the boats.

    Chalo cautiously climbed inside, then turned to call her partner to follow her.

    Fluffyhead didn''t seem to like the idea: he was sniffing at the boat on all four legs, instead of standing confidently upright like he usually would. It took a bit of coaxing by showing him his favourite toasted berries to get him on the boat. With two humans and the creature, it was pretty cramped. She pulled her knees close, hugging them to her chest.

    Rhuato started to direct the boat towards the center of the lake. He was standing upright at the back of the boat, and controlled it with precise movements. She tried not to stare too hard at his muscular biceps as he worked.

    ? Where did you see those feathers?? she asked, more to distract herself, petting Fluffyhead with one hand to keep it calm.

    ? There''s a small island at the very center of the lake. You really didn''t know?? he cocked his head to the side, perplexed.

    ? ... We try to avoid the water near our village. It''s full of dangerous creatures... Aren''t you afraid of something attacking your boat from the water?? she asked.

    ? Aren''t you afraid of something attacking you from the air? Or the tall grass?? he shot back, and she had to admit he had a point.

    Creatures could be everywhere. She still didn''t really like not being able to see if something was lurking underneath.

    ? Besides... we have our ways of not getting attacked. Like you do, I''m sure.? Rhuato added after a moment. He turned his head to stare at the water, peering at it, before whistling.

    A moment later, Fluffyhead grew agitated, bleating as it tried to back away uselessly when bubbles started appearing on the surface. Chalo hugged the creature, trying to reassure it.

    Rhuato knew what he was doing. They travelled back and forth through this lake and the rivers connected to it all the time.

    She still held Sada''s spear tight enough until it threatened to break again where they had fixed it up.

    A moment later, something broke the surface of the water; something quite large, with a scaly blue hide with darker spots, two great flippers it slapped the water with, a long neck and a great horn on its forehead. On its back there was what looked like a grey shell: it had gentle looking eyes, and it lowered its head to push its snout into Rhuato''s outstretched hand.

    Chalo was left trying to calm down both herself and Fluffyhead, her breath short.

    ? What''s that?!? she sputtered.

    ? We call them "Voice-of-the-ocean"? Rhuato answered, still slowly petting the creature. It let out a melodious warble, before slapping the water again with its two front flippers, making a loud splash.

    ? They are gentle creatures that have never attacked a human... before my tribe learned to make boats, we would travel across the water on their backs. They usually stay far away from not-ocean water, but some of the smallest ones will follow our boats when we come here. This one has been with me for a couple of seasons. She''s called Seashell? he explained.

    Chalo was still trying to make sense of it all. First of all-

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ? "The smallest ones"? You mean that thing is a baby?? she asked, bewildered. It was already bigger than the boat!

    Rhuato simply nodded.

    ? And you mean there''s multiple of those guys just lurking underwater when you come? Why have you never told anyone else?? she asked. She thought back to all the boats from his tribe she saw tied to trees, and the lake filled with these things while no one from other tribes had any idea... She held back a shiver.

    Sure, Seashell looked cute, but so did Fluffyhead, and Fluffyhead could still easily hurt someone.

    ? Your reaction is exactly why we never said anything. They have never hurt a person. I''ve only seen them fight to protect their young and against predators. We were afraid you would chase them away, or hunt them... They can''t even leave the water.? he threw another look towards Fluffyhead, which Seashell had slowly been sniffing.

    ? ... but I see you''ve also tamed creatures. You would understand what it means to want to protect them. ? he said after a moment, and she realized he was right. She had worried about what other people would do seeing Fluffyhead and the other creatures they had tamed just earlier.

    Rhuato went back to commanding the boat, while she kept observing the creature that was lazily swimming around them, obviously easily keeping pace with them. Sometimes it would playfully splash them, then let out another one of its melodious cries when Rhuato would splash it back.

    Yeah, all right, it was really cute.

    ? Not as cute as you though. ? she reassured Fluffyhead, who had been shrinking back every time the creature approached the boat.

    The shore got farther and farther away: by now she could barely see it, and Chalo realized that she really didn''t like being so out in the open. She desperately looked for something to make some idle conversation and pass the time.

    ? So... what are those earrings made of? I know they mean something special in your tribe.? she asked, turning slightly towards Rhuato.

    He smiled a little bit.

    ? They''re from a creature we call Deep Tooth. They live at the bottom of the ocean, and come up to the shore rarely... so if you can find some scales or teeth they drop, it means you can hold your breath long enough to dive to get them-?

    ? You go under the water?? she couldn''t help but ask. The more she heard about it, the more his tribe''s way of life sounded... terrifying but also exciting.

    ... Not that hers was really that much different.

    ? Yes. There''s lots of useful things there. ?

    ? Like those pearls you always trade with us, right??

    People loved them, and she could see why: they were incredibly pretty, and with how dangerous they probably were to get, now she understood why they always asked for so many other materials in return. She stared at him for a quiet moment, wondering how it was to swim underwater.

    ? Among other things ?

    They kept going for another little while, until Chalo could finally make out land again.

    ? Here it is. ?

    She had to admit she was more than happy to jump off the boat and get back on solid ground. She stretched, glad to be able to move her legs again. Ugh, if she thought about Sada sitting all cramped on Winged King''s back when she went flying with Turo... How did she do it?

    Her happiness was short-lived when she remembered that Rhuato also needed to bring her back, and that the little boat was the only way to do it.

    Islands sounded like a miserable place to live right now.

    Joining his tribe suddenly didn''t sound that good. She waited until Rhuato had finished tying the boat, then walked away from the shore. Seashell called out behind them: when she turned around to give it a brief look, she saw the creature dunk its head underwater, probably looking for food.

    ? I saw the feathers... right around here. There is a little pond at the center of the island.? he said, walking ahead. She tried to picture it in her mind, and furrowed her eyebrows.

    ? So it''s like a little lake in the middle of a bigger lake? ?

    ? Yes! Isn''t that strange? I call it the Eye of the Lake.?

    She didn''t know if she would have called it strange; there were definitely stranger things in the world than just a little pond in a funny spot.

    The island, contrary to the lake it was in, wasn''t that big: they quickly arrived at the pond the man had mentioned... And when she saw what it looked like, she had to admit that "Eye" was a good name for it.

    It was perfectly round, and the water was crystal clear, much clearer than the lake that surrounded it. It didn''t look that deep, but she knew that water could be deceiving. Cautiously peering at the bottom of it, she could see it glittering. It was almost like the entire pond was covered in great, shining crystals that made the water glow.

    ? I''ve never seen glowing rocks like these... did you?? she said, turning towards Rhuato, who looked pensive.

    ? I... I think I have, actually. Not as big as these, but there is an underwater cave, even more south than where we live, where I swear I''ve seen gems a lot similar to these ones. I tried to break some shards off them with my knife, but it didn''t even scratch them, so I simply left.?

    Uh. Interesting.

    Well, it would be if it actually had anything to do with why they were here.

    ? So, the feathers... Where did you see them? Winged King -that creature- is too big to just make this tiny island its whole territory, but maybe it just likes to come sleep here.? she asked again.

    After all, the only way you could reach this place was if you were a very good swimmer or able to fly. Nothing else seemed to live here.

    ? I just found them here, right near the water...? Rhuato said, and Chalo huffed, moving closer to the water. If it came here often there had to be footprints, or more feathers, and she really hoped to find some trace that would tell her that it was, in fact, Sada''s dragon and not another one. Something like human footprints along with it. Or traces of someone having lit a fire... But no, they would have seen the smoke... Or...

    There was something that floated on the pond. It was the same pale blue color of the glittering water, so it was difficult to see, and she only caught it because it moved suddenly. It shined bright, making it difficult to look at, and she had to cover her eyes.

    But if she had to describe it, it looked like a brilliant disk, with multicoloured gems floating all around it, like a living jewel.

    Fluffyhead let out a cry behind her, and Chalo moved to stand behind the creature. Was that creature attacking them? Were they in danger?

    ? Fluffyhead, stun it!? she cried, eyes still closed. If she couldn''t even look at it to aim, they couldn''t defend themselves-

    Fluffyhead didn''t answer. The light disappeared, and Chalo slowly opened her eyes again, her vision full of white spots that hurt. She heard Rhuato let out a cry behind her.

    ? Where are we?!?

    "What do you mean, where are we?" she almost wanted to ask, but as soon as she was able to see again and turn around, she understood what he meant.

    They were in a completely different place.

    The pond had disappeared... There was a slightly bigger lake in its place, with the same clear water and giant crystals resting at the bottom.

    But most importantly, there was no trace of the island they had just been on.

    Chalo turned around, eyes wide as she gripped her weapons. They were on the top of what looked like a mountain; the air was hot and humid, and smelled of rotten eggs.

    No sign of Fluffyhead. No sign of the lake.

    Also no sign of Sada or Winged King, regrettably.

    ? That... that creature! The glowing disk! Did you see it? ? she asked Rhuato, who nodded, eyes as wide as hers.

    Did that creature bring them here? Where even was "here"?

    ? Are we... in another world?? he asked, voice uncertain, and Chalo could only shake her head.

    ? I... don''t know. ?

    There was going to be no big feast tonight if they couldn''t find a way back.

    ---

    47th century, Time Travel Laboratory Departments, University of Mesagoza

    It had been three months since Turo''s funeral. After finally managing to knock Porygon 568 out of its "Protection Protocol" state, they had to call in another Artificial Pok¨¦mon Programmer to take a look at its code. Now, Vega had frankly no idea what computer programming was like, but wasn''t it just writing stuff in a text editor and feeding that to a machine and then turning it off and on again, or whatever?

    Apparently not, because the poor guy they had called had spent a couple of hours pouring over the code before announcing that, in its current state, Porygon''s code, and the time machine he was indirectly tied to, were "a minefield of failsafes and security procedures".

    When she had asked to explain that in more detail, he had simply fixed his glasses and sighed.

    ? It means that any attempts to even modify this code to remove the parts about this new Protection Protocol will actually trigger it again. Whoever wrote this made it so that literally no one else but them can modify this particular part of it... I suppose they did it thinking they would put a better, more complete version out soon, and this was a temporary fix... Even if I haven''t the slightest idea of how or why they did it. Do they not work for you anymore?? he said, straightening up and closing the terminal they had been working on. Porygon 568 shifted as it floated back up from the floor to be eye level with the two humans.

    ? Doctor Romero Turo has been officially declared dead 3 months, two days and 11 hours ago. ? it answered.

    Vega felt her stomach drop looking at the Pok¨¦mon: it had said so so matter-of-factly in its usual tone, but the way its wings droopped as it said that betrayed a certain sadness. She quietly wondered if it had wanted to attend the funeral, or if similar ceremonies simply had no meaning for the Pok¨¦mon.

    The technician''s eyes widened, and he had hastily backed away towards the exit.

    ? ... Ah. In that case, um... I''m afraid you''re better off trying not to repeat what triggered it last time. ?

    Vega had simply nodded at that, eyes low.

    Easier said than done.

    Work had taken a while to start up again after that, and they had cautiously -very cautiously - resumed doing time-jumps. Jumps as far away as Turo''s had been cancelled until further notice, however.

    She had never quite realized how used she had gotten to Turo''s silent presence in the department until she happened to walk across what had been his office and found herself glancing inside out of habit, only to be suddenly reminded of what had happened.

    The guy had never been the life of the party or talked much, but she still found herself missing seeing him in the sanity room, buried behind half a dozen screens as he read through some book or another about the Paleolithic era, or fixed up some of the notes or sketches he had taken there. She could always count on him to share a cup of coffee with her, or quietly ask her about her latest jump in Johto if she came back from her trip at some ungodly hour of the night.

    In a couple of rare occasions, he had opened up a bit, usually by mentioning his Miraidon or Sada, the woman he was seeing in the Paleolithic... the smallest smile would show on his face just then, and his eyes would get this particular shine to them as he spoke about her with pride.

    Sometimes, she couldn''t help but think that if he had never met her, he would still be alive.

    Sometimes... she wondered what had actually happened to him.

    That morning, she walked past Turo''s office and had to stop when she caught something unexpected standing inside it with the corner of her eyes. She threw the half opened door open, eyes wide, just to realize that the figure was none other than Porygon 568. It floated in front of the empty desk, staring at it forlornly.

    ? Um, Porygon... ? she knew it could technically move as it pleased, but the times she had actually seen the Pok¨¦mon outside of the time machine room could be counted on one hand. It seemed to enjoy spending more time in cyberspace, usually.

    ? Is... is everything okay?? she asked, walking up to it. She didn''t really know how to approach the AI, sometimes.

    It was a Pok¨¦mon, so maybe it liked to get a nice head pat like her own did.

    But it was also a stupidly smart artificial intelligence with the capabilities of a supercomputer connected to a time machine, and giving it head pats felt...kind of... patronizing? Awkward?

    The Pok¨¦mon turned around and fluttered his wings.

    ? ... Doctor Melany Vega. Apologies. I am in perfect condition. All processes are running smoothly. ? it answered. Vega sighed, smiling sadly.

    ? That''s... not what I meant and you know it. ?

    The Pok¨¦mon turned around again and lowered its head, staring at the empty desk.

    ? ... I keep thinking about what I could have done differently. When I felt the jump go wrong, I executed the emergency assistance manoeuvres to try to get him back. I had never done it before.?

    It turned its head away from her, and its whole form flickered, almost like it wanted to turn back to code and disappear inside a terminal.

    ? ... And I found him... I found his time-anchor''s signature. ? it said, and Vega felt her breath suddenly weigh heavily in her chest.

    Porygon... he had...

    ? You... you were bringing him back-??

    ? I lost him! I had him, and then I lost contact! It''s my fault! ? it suddenly cried out, flapping his wings in desperation.

    Vega swallowed and acting on impulse, hugged Porygon to her chest. The little AI was feeling guilty...

    ? Porygon... It''s not your fault. You did everything you could and even more. You kept trying and trying-? she said, stroking the spiky feathers on its head, thinking back to when she had found the little Pok¨¦mon still blaring errors and attempting to reconnect to Turo''s time-anchor.

    It must have kept trying for hours, growing more and more desperate, not wanting to stop and give up...

    Right now , she didn''t care that it was a super intelligent AI or whatever. It was a part of their team like anyone else that worked at the TTDL, and it was in obvious distress.

    She swallowed a lump in her throat, feeling a weight on her chest. Why had no one even asked the AI how it was feeling?

    ? ... But I still failed my duty. My most important directive. I couldn''t protect a human inside the time machine. I... I couldn''t protect Dr. Romero Turo. He spent so much time helping me to make sure that system error couldn''t occur again... and I failed him! I felt him get ripped away! ? it cried out again.

    She kept stroking the little Pok¨¦mon''s head until it nuzzled against her, its cries getting lower and lower until they were barely more than little whimpers.

    ? It wasn''t your fault...? she smiled sadly, and added.

    ? ... Turo would have been so proud of you. ?

    The Pok¨¦mon didn''t answer for a while, and she looked down at it to see that it was staring at her with enormous eyes.

    ? ... Doctor Romero Turo would be... proud of me??

    ? Yes, I''m sure. He loved AIs, you know that. I''m sure he would have loved seeing you show so much emotion and being so worried for him.? she said, and the Pok¨¦mon lowered its head again, mulling it over.

    ? I... Thank you, Doctor Melany Vega.? it shook itself out of her grasp, and fluttered around the empty room.

    ? I... I keep thinking... about the moment the mismatch happened. I could feel his time-anchor get ripped away and... disappear in the time stream. That is why I kept looking for him.? it said slowly, and Vega''s eyes widened.

    ? You... You think he could still be alive somewhere?? she whispered.

    They all knew perfectly well how infinitesimally low the chances were, so she didn''t want to get its hopes up if that was even possible.

    The little Pok¨¦mon nodded.

    ? ... I want to try looking for him. Away from my normal duties... in secret. Will you help me? ?

    She felt her heartbeat speed up at the thought. What if... what if he was actually still alive somewhere... they could get him back. They could actually save him.

    She was Doctor Melany Vega, she was used to chasing vague rumours about legendaries across time for a living. Looking for a single person across all of human history, though...

    ? ... Let''s go see Ortega. ? she answered, eyes shining.

    ---

    Ortega was, for once, actually in his office, which looked more like an old school clothing designer''s studio. Rolls of cloth and fabric with the most different and colourful prints were neatly arranged along one wall, little tags with the time period they came from hanging off them, and a couple of mannequins with half finished garments from various time periods stood near the bright windows. One of them currently was wearing the cowboy attire Ortega had worn that one time for no reason, while another mannequin sported a two piece suit in a light pink color with a white shirt and golden sleeves and buttons.

    With a twinge of pain in her chest, she saw what had been Turo''s "authentic Ice Age clothes" carefully draped over another mannequin. He hadn''t worn them during his last jump, so they had stayed here in the TTDL... and probably would stay here until someone else needed them, or they decided what to do with them.

    The room was made even brighter by the ceiling that, as usual, reflected the weather outside, giving the room a very open, airy feeling.

    Ortega himself was carefully examining what looked like ancient photographs, which, if Vega had to guess, he was using as reference to recreate clothing that matched those actually worn in whatever time period was needed as close as possible.

    ? I think this cloth shouldn''t look too out of place in 3670... what do you think?? he was saying, turning towards a little Pok¨¦mon that was sitting on the desk.

    Iron Cloak, an evolved form of the Pok¨¦mon Mimikyu, looked... pretty much like its ancient counterpart, just with a different disguise. Instead of looking like a Pikachu, it now used more modern materials to make itself what were pretty much little mechanized bodysuits it would then crawl inside.

    Right now, it looked like one of the Steelccino that plagued the main entrance of the University.

    In many ways, it was the perfect Pok¨¦mon for Ortega, simply changing clothes as much as its owner did to never look out of place. There were in fact a couple of doll-like disguises arranged on a couple of shelves, showing the classic Pikachu disguise, and a couple of other popular extinct Pok¨¦mon: Eevee, Sprigatito, Scorbunny, Charmander... and a couple others she didn''t quite recognize.

    The little Pok¨¦mon chittered, pointing to another picture with its brushy fake tail.

    ? ... That one...? I don''t know... those pants with those shoes would attract some attention, we don''t want that-?

    ? Do you have a moment?? Vega spoke out, Porygon 568 following her inside.

    Ortega turned around, his eyes lighting up in seeing her.

    ? Vega! Are you finally here for my expertise? ? he looked her up and down, tapping his fingers with one hand on his hip as he thought.

    ? If you dressed as one of the Kimono Girls, I''m sure you could sneak into the Tin Tower without getting thrown into jail this time...?

    ? I don''t need your help in that, thank you.? she rolled her eyes, before throwing a glance at Porygon 568.

    ? We''re here... to talk about Turo.?

    Ortega''s smile disappeared. He turned back to his pictures, suddenly gloomy.

    ? ... I already know what you are getting at, and the answer is "no". ? he said, swiping through the pictures.

    She sighed, walking up to him.

    ? But... what if he did survive -?

    ? He didn''t. You know the odds. It''s infinitely more probable that he ended up landing in the ocean than anywhere else. And even if he was so incredibly lucky as to find land, he would also need to be so lucky as to be in a place close to people and not, say, get devoured by wild Pok¨¦mon. ?

    ? But if he did-? she insisted.

    ? Then what do you plan to do?!? he whirled around, throwing a furious glance at them both.

    ? Do you plan to go to random points in human history asking "Sorry, do you know a guy named Romero Turo?"?! He could be anywhere! Anywhere and anywhen! If we couldn''t trace his time-anchor, it means it broke, and those things aren''t exactly fragile. You know what that means.? he spat out.

    ? Just... let it go. It''s better that way. ? he added. Unexpectedly, Porygon 568 was the one to spoke up next.

    ? I will try searching for him. The internet-?

    ? The Internet has existed for a fraction of human history! What''s your plan, google "Romero Turo" and then look through the entirety of the Internet for the hundreds of thousands of people that have had that name in all of recorded history-?

    ? Exactly.?

    The AI''s tone was so dry and matter-of-factly that Ortega stopped his tirade, stunned.

    ? As the one responsible for Doctor Romero Turo''s wellbeing during his use of the time machine, I have access to all of his biometric data. I have pictures to cross reference and even his fingerprints, if he happened to change his name. ?

    Vega turned to look at the little Porygon.

    ? You... really thought about this a lot, didn''t you??

    The AI nodded.

    ? I am bound to the time machine, so I can''t travel to places I will pinpoint personally... for that, I need your help. ? it said, turning back towards Ortega.

    ? What if he''s in a time period before the internet? Which I will remind you, is still the majority of the past. Doesn''t matter how powerful your computer brain is, you''re looking for a needle in a haystack, without even knowing if you''re looking in the right haystack!? Ortega protested.

    The AI didn''t waver.

    ? I will still try. ?

    There was a moment of silence, then Ortega''s Iron Cloak chittered softly, a ghostly tendril emerging from the depths of his metallic suit to tug at his sleeve. The man looked towards his Pok¨¦mon. It was pointing at the mannequin with Turo''s clothes.

    He grit his teeth.

    ? ... Fine! This is going to be a complete waste of time, but fine, I''m going to help. Just... call me if you find anything that could be him. ? he said in the end.

    Vega smiled, feeling more confident by the minute. With Ortega''s expertise in going unnoticed in any time period and Porygon 568''s computational power, maybe they could really do it.

 Chapter 31: Our Treasure, part I

    When Sada entered the lab at the Academy that evening, she found it unusually crowded. Turo and Jacq were both staring at the latter''s computer with the identical frowns that she had by now learned to recognize meant "this dumb thing isn''t working and I don''t know why"; Raifort was busy reading another one of her enormous history books, occasionally pausing to annotate something in her notebook. In a corner of the room, almost hiding away, Clavell was grading papers.

    Right as Sada sat down at her usual favourite spot, easily recognizable because it was covered in Tera shards, a magnifying glass to examine shards and other objects found in ruins, and the occasional tuft of fur from Kim, the Academy teacher chuckled.

    ? Kids have the wildest ideas sometimes, I swear... who is this... wait...? he said, eyebrows furrowing as his head suddenly snapped up, mouth open.

    ? Jacq! This report is from you??

    Jacq flinched, suddenly turning around, eyes wide as he straightened his glasses.

    ? ... I think so... w-why??

    Clavell sighed, removing his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose.

    ? I... When I asked people to investigate unusual evolution methods of the fauna in Paldea, this... is not what I had in mind... ?

    Turo looked up from the screen, turning an inquisitive look towards the younger researcher.

    ? ... What did you do?? he asked, quirking an eyebrow. Now interested herself, Sada leaned closer to the two. Jacq looked quite flustered by all the attention.

    ? So, umm... I thought to examine the methods by which Bramblin evolves, so I went to the Asado desert and caught one... ? he started. Sada nodded to herself, that made sense. So why was Clavell so exasperated?

    ? And...??

    Jacq started to fiddle with a hole in his too big sweater, pulling at the seams. It made Sada winch a bit, watching the carefully woven thread unravel.

    ? And... I had it roll all the way down from the top of the Mesagoza staircase to measure exactly how many meters it had to travel before it did... ? he said after a moment.

    There was a long moment of silence, before Turo snorted, obviously trying to hide the smirk making its way on his face.

    Sada didn''t show his same restraint, and simply started laughing.

    ? You know, when I give my students essays like these, I expect them to use them as an opportunity to maybe train Pok¨¦mon they normally wouldn''t, bond with them, spend time with them...? Clavell was saying.

    ? Well I suppose Jacq did spend time with it... Running all those stairs up and down must make for quite the bonding experience -? Raifort piped up, not even looking up from her book.

    ? Well it did evolve, so I guess I must have done something right!?

    Clavell shook his head and went back to grading essays with a sigh, and Sada also turned back to her own work.

    For once, she was not working on the Tera Crystals, but her and Turo had both started independent research of their own as projects for Clavell''s class. Sada in particular had taken a lot of interest in studying why exactly the Pok¨¦mon of her time had changed so much or straight up disappeared. There were already theories of course: changes in climate had made the Pok¨¦mon different, not unlike what apparently happened to some Pok¨¦mon even in this time by being brought to different regions.

    She actually had somewhat of a theory based on something she had read in a book -not the Scarlet Book, for once-, but she lacked a way to prove it.

    ? Did you make any progress with that idea of yours?? she raised her head when she heard Raifort''s voice near her, as the woman slid in the seat next to her.

    ? Yes, actually... my basic idea is still the same: we know that some Pok¨¦mon had wildly different forms in the past: Magikarp, the one called Ste-"Mamoswine" found frozen in a glacier and so on... but all these Pok¨¦mon lost their forms and instead developed the ones we have today... I have an idea as to "why".? she said slowly, noticing both Jacq and Turo raise their heads at her words, interested.

    She took a book she had borrowed from the library out of her bag, opening it up to a bookmark made of woven cord she had made. She pointed to the picture of an old mural.

    ? This mural was made thousands of years ago by an ancient civilization in Hoenn, and shows a battle between Groudon and Kyogre, the two "forces of nature"-?

    ? SHIT!?

    She turned to look at Turo, surprised, when he suddenly jumped up from his seat, slamming a fist next to the laptop. He looked distraught, his eyes wide.

    What had gotten into him...?

    ? October 2005... shit... it was Hoenn... well...it was too late anyway.? he took a deep breath and chuckled darkly to himself, sitting back down. He looked at everyone staring at him, and shook his head.

    ? Don''t mind me, I just... remembered something. Nothing important...? he mumbled. Jacq said nothing, but he quietly slid the laptop closer to himself with a quiet "Okay..." while Clavell narrowed his eyes at him for a moment.

    October 2005 was when they had first landed in Paldea in this time. Was there something else going on then? Well... it was months ago anyway, and during their last night in Lumiose City they had made peace with living in this era.

    Sada threw him a questioning look, to which he replied with a tired smile, and went back to the book.

    ? All right... as I was saying... this mural shows them in a form that has been called "Primal Reversion", and it is much bigger and stronger than the form they are usually represented as-?

    And that was exactly what also happened with a lot of Pok¨¦mon in her time and ever before that.

    ? So... we know that Groudon and Kyogre can influence the weather and shape the world, and they awaken from their sleep and fight every now and then... releasing a lot of "natural energy" when they do.? she hesitated, a bit unsure if she should go on. She still... wasn''t really sure if what she was saying made sense. What if she was missing something obvious people in this time all knew? Her eyes landed on Clavell, who had been listening intently and gave her a reassuring nod, then on Turo. He was looking at her with wide eyes shining with pride.

    That convinced her to keep talking, feeling a surge of warmth spread all over her chest. If Turo trusted her, then she couldn''t be saying anything wrong, of course.

    ? Let''s call this energy of them "primal energy"... what if... Pok¨¦mon have simply lost access to these older forms because there was a lot more "primal energy" in those times... and if they are exposed to this energy again in some way, they actually can unlock it again.?

    ? ... so you are saying that every Pok¨¦mon could potentially... "primal revert" to a more ancient form just like Kyogre and Groudon do?? Raifort asked, and Sada nodded, excited.

    ? Yes! And... I have a theory as to what could do it.?

    ?... other than awakening Groudon and Kyogre again and chucking a Magikarp near them to see if it grows stronger?? Jacq laughed, and Sada huffed in response, shaking her head.

    ? No! It''s a lot simpler. I''ve asked other students of the Academy that have certain Pok¨¦mon to tell me as much info about them as they can. Where they caught them, how they got them, how they train them, if something unusual happened when they evolved... I asked mostly students that have Piloswine and Mamoswine. Not all Piloswine evolve into Mamoswine, and they did in all kinds of situations and different places.?

    That had struck her as strange. She knew that the Pok¨¦mon she had called "Steady Glacier" were pretty much identical to the one they called Mamoswine here... but apparently people couldn''t always get their Piloswine to grow up into Mamoswine, while in her time, all of them did. So she had looked into what all those that did evolve into Piloswine had in common.

    ? But those that do... they all have something they share.? she could feel everyone''s eyes on her now, and straightened her back a bit.

    ? They all know the move "Ancient Power"?

    There was a moment of silence, before Clavell gasped softly.

    ? So your idea is that those that learn "Ancient Power"...?

    ? Yes. They are getting access to a little bit of this "primal energy" and turn back to their ancient, more powerful form. I guess... I''m not sure if we should really call it an "evolution" at this point, but that is my theory. ?

    ? But a lot more Pok¨¦mon can learn that move, and not all of them evolve - or "primal revert", I guess-? Raifort objected even as she looked extremely interested.

    ? I know... but maybe every Pok¨¦mon has some special conditions other than learning that move to potentially "primal revert"... learning Ancient Power is just the easiest way...? she said, now not quite sure.

    ? I think it makes a lot of sense.? she was surprised to hear Turo speak up. He was rubbing his chin thoughtfully with his left hand, deep in thought.

    ? It would explain why some Pok¨¦mon changed in millions of years and some didn''t... Those that can still channel the "ancient power" remained unchanged, like Relicanth. It''s an interesting theory.? he smiled, and she brightened up, happy. If he thought that it made sense...

    ? Yeah!? Jacq nodded enthusiastically.

    ? Do you plan to prove it by training a Pok¨¦mon that learns Ancient Power and record when exactly it evolves? If it is exactly as it masters Ancient Power...?

    ? Yes... I was thinking of looking for someone to trade me one... ? she said.

    That would probably take a while... especially because she needed to trade them something in return first, and she had no idea what to catch. She didn''t like the idea of just randomly catching a Pok¨¦mon just to trade it away... She would have liked it much better if she could have offered something else she had made herself in return.

    A garment, something useful, maybe even money... But strangely, people here seemed to find the idea of buying Pok¨¦mon more difficult to accept than simply trading them, like they didn''t like the idea of giving away a Pok¨¦mon for something that wasn''t another Pok¨¦mon or simply gift them.

    She was probably missing some context to understand the whole thing. Um... Maybe she could offer their next Terastalized Pok¨¦mon they would catch in return...?

    That already sounded much better to her.

    ---

    A couple of hours later, after they had all finished work, she and Turo had left the Academy to walk a bit through Mesagoza together.

    If they really wanted to settle down and live together, they needed to start thinking about what to do after they graduated from the Academy. It was still a bit of time away, but Turo had convinced her that it was better for them to start looking for possible places to live as soon as possible, even just to get an idea of where they wanted to live.

    The first place they saw was an apartment on the third floor of a building near the Mesagoza West gate. There was a Seabreeze caf¨¦ right underneath, and a good number of people coming and going. It had every comfort you could ask for, or at least all kinds of things Sada still couldn''t help but find incredible even as she had grown accustomed to them. Electricity and water everywhere, two different bedrooms, a bathroom, a television , a complete kitchen and even machines that would clean your clothes or dishes for you!

    Turo had carefully examined every inch of the place, and would sometimes look wistfully out of the window, not without a bit of a sad smile. His Magnemite, which he had named Ampere after the scientist who had, like, invented electricity or something like that, hovered excitedly nearby, bopping up and down as it checked every nook and cranny of the place.

    ? ... What do you think? It''s far away from the city center, but it''s the best we can do for now...? he asked anxiously. Sada chewed at her lip as she looked outside. From that high, she could barely see the people running around in the streets. She didn''t like that.

    It didn''t make them feel real.

    ? ... I''m not sure I actually want to live in Mesagoza. ? she mumbled unhappily after a moment.

    That had made Turo stop and furrow his eyebrows, surprised.

    ? What...? Why? Why didn''t you say so sooner?? he said.

    Sada fumbled with the collar of her spring uniform, not sure of how to put it.

    ? It''s... Too crowded. Too many people, too many things, too many sounds... I don''t like the idea of spending all my time closed up in a city.? she said after a moment. She felt guilty as she said it, because she knew that was exactly how Turo liked to live. Surrounded by people and the comforts of society.

    He sighed, and looked back outside.

    ? I... I thought you liked being around people? When we were with your tribe, in the communal tent... didn''t you feel comfortable there? Safe? ? he asked in a low voice, and now it was her time to sigh and hug him close.

    ? Yes, but they were my tribe. I don''t know these people. They may live near me, but I don''t feel like we are a community. There''s just too many people for that. ? she hesitated, raising one hand to caress the back of his neck. She felt his shoulders slump slightly.

    ? Then... we''ll look for another place...? he said, and she frowned in discomfort.

    ? No, it''s fine... I''ll get used to it-?

    ? No. I want to do things right. It has to be a place we both like. ? he nodded with a smaller smile, and she felt a wave of affection for him wash over her as she returned his smile.

    ? ... All right. ?

    ---

    ? So what place were you thinking of? Where would you like to live?? Turo asked once they had left the apartment, his Magnemite trailing behind them.

    They started walking through the streets of Mesagoza to head back to the Academy for the night, and Sada took a couple of moments to actually think about it.

    ? I... I would just like a place with not too many people. Something with more nature... but not in the complete wilderness, of course.? she hastily added, anxious, throwing Turo a glance.

    ? If we...? she hesitated, before continuing ? ... if we really are going to build a family here... I''m grateful that the child will grow up safe here. I really am. ? she said in a low voice, and she saw Turo''s eyes widen slightly at her words.

    ? ... We won''t have to worry about food, and illness, and they will never be hungry or in danger from creatures, or cold like I was. ? she added.

    ? ... But I also can''t imagine them growing up in a big city like Mesagoza. ? she said.

    ? Well, I did, and I came out... all right, not exactly "fine"? Turo answered after a moment with a little smile. He looked around them, towards the little alleys and caf¨¦ that lined them.

    ? Not too many people... maybe we can have a look at Artazon, or some of the other smaller cities of Paldea... Montenevera, maybe?? he mumbled.

    She playfully jabbed him in the side.

    ? It''s way too cold up there! And you wouldn''t survive two weeks without tripping on some ice and breaking something there.? she laughed, and he scowled.

    ? Well, yeah... but at least there wouldn''t be any Smoliv there...? he answered.

    They kept walking and thinking out loud, and she let her two Pok¨¦mon out, watching the Litleo run towards a couple of Squawkabilly perching on a bench.

    ? We''ll have to think about them too. ?tzi is going to become really big once he evolves. ? she pointed out, as the Golett turned towards her with a questioning look after hearing his name.

    Turo released Miguel and frowned thoughtfully, his eyes distant.

    ? ... Right. I''m used to Pok¨¦mon being not much bigger than Mirai at most-? he said, with just the slightest hesitation at pronouncing the dragon''s name. She squeezed his hand, interlocking her fingers in his, as Miguel perched on his shoulder and playfully pecked at his ear, and he smiled gratefully. It was in little moments like these that he would show traces of what he was truly thinking; even as he had tried to act indifferent and like the loss of his companion wasn''t still affecting him, in that moment his eyes had regained back a little bit of their spark.

    ? But I guess we can''t really keep them always locked in their Pokeball by living in a small apartment, right? I hadn''t thought about it... Sorry, ?tzi.? he said to the Golett, who shook his head and let out a little whistle.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    ? Where would you like to live, then? What would be something that you always wanted but could never get in a big city? ? Sada turned the question back on him, and Turo took a deep breath and slowed down until they stopped completely. He looked around, thoughtfully, then finally looked up, towards the bright sky with not a single cloud in sight. She copied him and immediately knew what his answer would be when her eyes landed on the shape of the Moon that was starting to rise as the sun set.

    ? I suppose... Somewhere where I could watch the Moon and the stars would be really nice.? he said after a moment.

    She smiled sadly, looking down as they started to walk up the stairs to the Academy.

    ? ... I thought you didn''t like the Moon.? she said. Turo took a moment to answer as he followed her, and she threw a little glance behind her. What she saw made her smile a little bit happier.

    ? I... I didn''t. But I guess it was just because I always took it for granted. It''s... weird to look at it now and think... That there is nothing there yet. That... "home" isn''t there. ? he said after a moment, stopping to take a big breath.

    Ampere bumped him on the back, before floating back around near his head, waving its two magnets in what was probably an encouraging gesture.

    Sada personally found the little electric Pok¨¦mon a bit strange and difficult to understand, but Turo seemed to love it. Then again, ?tzi was probably similarly difficult to read for someone that wasn''t used to deciphering its little whistles and spikes in energy.

    The Golett and Litleo were both ahead of them both, the first thanks to being effectively tireless and the second having a much easier time than them in climbing the stairs on four feet.

    ? But the stars... those are still the same. ? Turo was saying.

    ? I was always so sure that I would one day go to the far future and explore them up close... that I haven''t looked at them in so long from here on Earth. May as well do it now. ? he added as they kept climbing, his breath slightly laboured.

    She looked back again, and her smile widened. Turo must have noticed, because he frowned slightly, knitting his eyebrows.

    ? What is it? You''ve been smiling all this time.?

    Sada simply shook her head and didn''t answer, pulling him closer as they approached the great Academy doors.

    ? ... Nothing ? she said. She turned briefly to look back at the stairs they had just climbed: Turo had just walked them up all at once. Sure, he still was breathing heavily, and it had taken quite a while, but he had managed to do it without having to stop and sit down once, and he hadn''t even noticed.

    His health was already getting better by spending so much time travelling and actually moving around Paldea. She smiled, remembering their first meetings where a light walk would leave him completely exhausted.

    ? I''m sure we can find a place with a nice view to call home.?

    She huddled closer to him as they walked towards their dormitory rooms hand in hand.

    ---

    The following weeks passed as they kept looking for possible places to live. Turo had excluded Cortondo from the start as there were way too many olive orchards around the area. Alfornada looked nice, but it was a bit too isolated for his tastes.

    Zapapico, Cascarraffa... too much dust and sand.

    Medali was... almost as nostalgic as Mesagoza for him. After leaving the Moon at four years old he had spent the rest of his childhood with his parents there, and that''s where his parents would spend most of their time when they weren''t on the Moon.

    But the Medali he knew was nothing like the one in this time. More than one time as they would spend the night in the city while they trained to challenge the Gym he found himself looking for a familiar home that just wasn''t there.

    Or... wasn''t there yet, to be exact.

    He sat down at a table in Treasure Eatery, waiting for Sada to finish talking with the chef as she tried to figure out what the secret dish she had to order to challenge the Gym Leader was.

    What a weird challenge.

    Still leagues better than the dumb giant olive he had to push in Cortondo, at least.

    Sada was going to attempt the Gym challenge first, but he was also already registered and busy trying to figure it out.

    She was having a bit more difficulty in deciphering the food-related hints scattered all around the city and piercing together what was and wasn''t out of place, and that reminded him that for all the progress she had done in being able to fit in this for her completely new world, there were still so many things where she still had much to learn... like he did.

    At least he had gotten better at disguising his anachronistic accent and reading had gotten smoother.

    Sada huffed angrily and stormed off, holding two piping hot portions of grilled rice balls. Judging from her murderous gaze, she must have gotten it wrong in some way.

    ? This is so dumb! I thought I was right this time!? she said, sitting down in front of him and chomping down on one, huffing.

    ? What about you? You''ve been sitting here this whole time, didn''t you go looking for clues?? she added, furrowing her eyebrows at his simple dish of grilled fish.

    ? ... yeah, I am.? he answered calmly, before looking around the dinery. He nodded his head, and Miguel came flying back to his shoulder after having been hiding perched high on some wooden beams near the ceiling.

    ? What did she order?? he asked, offering him a bit from his plate. The Pok¨¦mon pecked at the food and cawed.

    ? Krilled rice kraws! Large! Large! ? the Murkrow answered, and Turo nodded as he jotted down the failed combination on his napkin.

    ? So extra large grilled rice balls don''t work... but I saw another student challenge the Gym Leader by ordering rice balls so those must be right... It''s probably a combination of what you add to them and how they cook them...? he muttered, raising his head with a satisfied smirk as Sada watched him with her mouth hanging open.

    ? You.... you''re using Miguel to spy on what other students are ordering?!? she sounded like she didn''t know if she should feel outraged or impressed.

    ? You know what they say. "Work smarter, not harder"? he answered back, and she pouted, angrily muttering something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like "dumbass".

    He smiled.

    ? And here I was running around the whole city challenging the other students for hints... I thought that was what you were supposed to do!? she stole a bit of fish from his plate, and he pushed it towards her. He had just ordered whatever to get himself a nice place where he could observe the whole place secured, and had practically not touched it. The idea of eating real fish or meat kept grossing him out somewhat, and he avoided it when he could.

    ? There''s no true way you are "supposed to do" it. Just do what you think is best and works for you. ? he answered, and she mulled it over a bit as she finished munching on her second grilled onigiri.

    ? Well... I know that it''s rice-balls-something now, at least... ? she said, trailing off deep in thought. Her eyes started sparkling a moment later, and she ran off back to the counter with a devious smile on her face. Turo and Miguel followed her with their eyes, perplexed.

    ? W... What is she doing?? he turned to the Pok¨¦mon, who definitely had much sharper eyes and ears than him as Sada argued with the chef.

    ? Rice! Large!?

    ? Uh??

    A moment later, it was his turn to be astonished as Sada came back to the table followed by ?tzi, both carrying a tray filled with a veritable mountain of grilled rice balls.

    ? ... I just ordered one serving of every kind of grilled rice ball they had.? she said with a smirk. ? This way you won''t know which one was right!? she added with a laugh, as she and her Pok¨¦mon started stuffing their faces... Or at least, she and Kim did. ?tzi seemed happy to just look at them, and seemingly enjoyed the smell of food even if he didn''t really need to eat.

    Not much time later, a young man in a business suit and tie that had been sitting at the counter walked up to their table, a slight frown etched on his face. He didn''t look that much older than him, and Turo was suddenly extremely conscious of the extremely dumb and childish school uniform he was wearing compared to him.

    Man, he wanted to wear his bodysuit so bad-

    ? Well... I can''t say I''ve ever seen someone just order everything they could for the Gym challenge. I usually recommend challengers to try something else from the menu here, but I guess you already did that. ? the man said in a monotone voice.

    ? ... let''s get this battle over with.? he added, fixing his tie and motioning Sada to follow. She gave Turo a quick smirk and got up, still munching on one last rice ball.

    Turo simply sat in front of his empty plate, stunned, before letting out an incredulous laugh and sitting back to enjoy the following Gym battle with his Pok¨¦mon.

    ... Moments like these were why he had fallen in love with her.

    ---

    Three weeks later their Gym battle in Medali, they were trying to decide which Gym they wanted to challenge next. Turo had a feeling that they would both need more Pok¨¦mon to win more than three badges each, however, which brought him back to the problem of having no idea what other Pok¨¦mon he even wanted alongside him.

    Well... He did have half an idea actually: one of his side projects aside from Tera shards had been looking into how Pok¨¦mon of this time were adapting to man made changes to the environment, starting from Pok¨¦mon like Grimer emerging from pollution to more artificial life forms.

    He kind of wanted to use what he knew about his own time to study how Pok¨¦mon evolved, and how this would lead to them adapting to Hadron Energy in the future... putting it all as a hypothetical for the people of this time, of course.

    He would have loved to have a Porygon to study, but they weren''t exactly found in the wild... Which was why Turo walked into their shared laboratory one evening where Clavell was working, followed by Ampere who floated curiously near the radio in the corner.

    ? So, um... do you think I could ask the Academy for a Porygon? ? he asked the biology teacher, who raised his head from the notes he was taking and blinked.

    ? A Porygon...? They aren''t exactly given to anyone, you need to give Silph the reason for why you want one... I suppose it''s for that other research of yours? The one about the development of mechanical Pok¨¦mon?? Clavell asked, and Turo nodded. At that the other man nodded thoughtfully, tapping the pen he was writing with on the desk.

    ? I see... If you write up a little abstract of what you''re currently doing, there should be no problem...? he said, and Turo couldn''t help a little smile.

    A Porygon just for himself!

    ? What version do they give out now?? he asked.

    Clavell''s answer was a blank stare, the pen stopping in midair.

    ? ... Version? You mean evolutions? I think Silph released an upgrade for them a couple years ago but that''s it...? he answered, perplexed, and Turo''s eyes widened.

    ? ... What? You mean you haven''t gone past Porygon 2?!? he asked in complete disbelief.

    Arceus, he... He didn''t think Porygon''s development had been that slow at the start!

    ? What kind of language processing model does it come equipped with?? he asked, only for Clavell''s confusion to simply grow.

    ? I... I''m not sure? I never worked with one... They understand basic commands, I think...?? the man answered.

    At a loss for words, Turo opened up the browser on the old school computer and typed "Porygon" in the search bar. He found almost nothing about it, just basic information and articles titled stuff like "First completely artificial Pok¨¦mon created by Silph!".

    There was a picture of one in the article that left him stunned.

    ? Arceus... I thought the first version of Porygon looked so geometric because of the shitty resolutions of old pictures, or that it was just... concept art... You mean to tell me they actually look like that?? he said, turning the whole monitor towards Clavell.

    The man looked quite perplexed by his surprise.

    ? Well, they smoothed out the edges, quite literally, with Porygon 2, but yes...??

    Turo turned to look back at the picture of the little, block shaped duck on the monitor.

    ? That''s.... that''s adorable... ? he finally squeaked out with a grin, getting a look of surprise from Clavell in return. Look at those cute little feet! Those primitive hexagonal eyes! You could count the single pixels in them!

    To be able to watch a vanilla Porygon grow and develop and learn from the very beginning... what an incredible opportunity!

    ? It may take a while, though, but you''re not exactly lacking in things to do in the meantime, are you?? Clavell asked, putting a sudden stop to his daydream of deciding a nickname for his cute little Porygon. Turo frowned, a tad bit disappointed. Oh... well, it made sense.

    They weren''t going to give a Pok¨¦mon like that to a random nobody like him.

    Especially one with... Literally no history behind him like he was.

    ? R-right... Yeah, we are looking for people for another "Teraraid", but the cave seems to be in a spot that''s a bit difficult to reach and-?

    ? A what?? Clavell shot him a surprised look, and it took a moment for Turo to realize why.

    ? ... yeah, me and Sada decided to give a name to the whole thing. "Finding wild Terastalized Pok¨¦mon and fighting them with the help of other people to break its Terastalization state in order to catch it" was a mouthful. ? he replied with a shrug, disinterested. ? It''s all the way up Glaseado Peak. Can''t say I''m a fan of the idea of trekking all the way up there... at least the Pok¨¦mon that has been spotted sounds interesting: an ice-type Altaria! Really curious what that looks like... it''s still a bit strange to me that you can so casually guess what type a Pok¨¦mon is just by looking at it... Sure makes things easier...? he added, going back to his computer. After a moment , he noticed Clavell throw him another confused glance over the computer''s monitor.

    ? ... What do you mean? Isn''t that the norm? ? the older man asked, and Turo couldn''t hide a little smile from forming on his lips.

    ? Not in my time.? he leaned sideways towards the shoulder bag sitting under his chair, and got his copy of the Violet Book out of it. He opened the book to a page with practiced ease, by now knowing the book almost by memory: he and Sada had poured over their respective books so much, comparing each page and every subtle difference they had, it had become muscle memory.

    The page showed some pictures and artist renditions of Pok¨¦mon from his time: Miraidon, Iron Valiant, Steelcino and many others.

    ? What do you think these Pok¨¦mon''s types are?? he asked. Clavell frowned, obviously realizing there was some kind of trick to the question.

    ? ... You mean those are not all at least part Steel type?? he asked.

    ? No! Why would they??

    ? Because they... look like it? ? Clavell answered like it was obvious. He pointed to a drawing of an Iron Bundle which showed its tail and neck extending and connecting to its main body with a cable.

    Ampere floated over to it, its singular eye widening in interest at the pictures on the page. It twisted the screw on its head, then bumped Turo on his arm, excited. He smiled and pet the Pok¨¦mon, rubbing the little screw on its head with his thumb. It seemed to like that, because it kept bumping into his hand, demanding more pets.

    ? It''s literally mechanical! It has to be half Steel type!?

    ? So just because it shows traits of one element, it has to be of that element? What about Porygon??

    ? Porygon is a special case... and it can technically become Steel type in certain conditions with Conversion... but yes, of course!? Clavell answered.

    ? That''s how we identify types in Pok¨¦mon after all.?

    ? So... humans and many other living things are largely made of water. Why aren''t we all water types then?? Turo asked, crossing his arms to his chest.

    ? That doesn''t make any -? Clavell stopped, suddenly looking thoughtful. He opened his mouth, then closed it again.

    ? ... good point. So what you''re saying is... ? he looked back to the picture of the Iron Bundle. ? ... That in your time, the Pok¨¦mon''s body structure changed to... this... But it is completely independent from their actual types??

    Turo nodded.

    ? Well... some did become Steel type to be fair, but... Not everyone. Most didn''t. ?

    Clavell frowned, and flipped through some of the pages of the Violet book in silence.

    ? ... Pok¨¦mon in the future will really become like this?? he finally asked, and Turo noticed a hint of sadness in his voice. ? I... I just can''t believe it... how could it even happen? They... they barely look like Pok¨¦mon to me, I''m sorry. Those in the Scarlet book at least... look like actual living creatures, but these... they are all so... lifeless-?

    ? Why?? Turo snapped, suddenly feeling defensive. He stopped petting Ampere, the Pok¨¦mon floating between the two of them.

    ? What''s the difference between any of these Pok¨¦mon and a Magnemite? Or a Porygon? Or a Claydol or Golett? They are all artificial in different ways.? he growled.

    He wasn''t going to listen to someone call the Pok¨¦mon he had always lived around and loved lifeless. Porygon 568 wasn''t "lifeless". Mirai that would purr at night to help him fall asleep and wag his tail excitedly when he brought some treat home wasn''t "lifeless"-

    ? I... I was just saying that... thinking about all the Pok¨¦mon I know changing this much... it would make anyone feel sad, I think.? Clavell cautiously answered, which only made him angrier. Well, it didn''t make him feel sad! Those Pok¨¦mon were part of his whole society, his entire life until now!

    ? ... I thought you would find them interesting, not creepy? he murmured, disappointed, and Clavell furrowed his eyebrows.

    ? That''s not what I said, Romero-?

    ? Forget it. Let''s go, Ampere.?

    It had been stupid of him to assume that someone in this time would actually understand him...

    Turo slammed the Violet Book shut, forcibly looking away from the cover as he put it back into his bag.

    He didn''t want to think about Miraidon right now.

    He needed some time alone. Or even better, with someone that understood him. He walked out into the corridor, heading for Sada''s room and ignoring Clavell calling out after him.

    ? ... Let''s go for a walk. Outside the city.? he said when she opened the door. Sada nodded, grabbing the giant yellow backpack she kept right near the door. It was always full of supplies to stay at least a couple of days away from society when she felt like it. It made him smile, remembering her satchel full of berries and furs when he had first met her.

    Now it was Poke'' Balls, canned and dried food, sewing tools, and whatever strange objects she would pick up around Paldea, usually by digging them up in some ruins somewhere.

    ? Sure. Where to?? she simply asked.

    Turo sighed, not quite sure of what to answer.

    ? Let''s just call a flying taxi and... let''s go watch the sea.? he proposed. He wanted to be as far away from Mesagoza as possible for once.

    ---

    Cabo Poco barely qualified as a village in this time, Turo thought as the taxi left them along a little road that went downwards towards not even a dozen little houses scattered along the cape.

    There weren''t many beaches around here, like you could find near Levincia in eastern Paldea: the coast was mostly made from high cliffs that dropped straight over towards the sea, but some houses were lucky enough to be near roads that led to little inlets and bays.

    He breathed deeply, feeling the salt in the air as he carefully followed Sada along one of those roads until his shoes were sinking in the warm sand.

    ? ... You know, I didn''t even think the ocean was real back in my time.? Sada spoke up suddenly, and he smiled at the thought.

    ? A lake so big you couldn''t cross it... it sounded impossible! And now... Here it is. We have even flown over it multiple times.? she added, sitting down in the sand and pulling her knees up close to look at the waves. He copied her, sitting down next to her and crossing his legs.

    ? Yes.... we''ve done quite a lot of things in these months, haven''t we? Survived Area Zero, started training Pok¨¦mon... got into the Academy... discovered Terastalization and challenged the Gyms... ? Turo said, trailing off as he watched some Wattrell glide over the waves before flying back up the rocky clifface.

    ? It... it still doesn''t feel real sometimes... like it''s all a big vacation I''m taking and next week I''ll get a call from Moreau to hurry up and get back to work...? he said, and Sada laughed a little.

    ? Yes! I learned so many things that still sound incredible to me, but... it''s definitely real. Like... um...? she stopped, biting her lip, and after a moment Turo turned to look at her, raising one eyebrow with an inquisitive frown. She sounded like she wanted to say something, but she wasn''t looking at him, instead staring at the sand and poking at it with her fingers. Her other hand was fidgeting with her clothes.

    ? Is everything all right? ?

    ? This place isn''t so bad, isn''t it? ? she almost cut him off, and he now was sure of it. Sada was hiding something from him: he had been the one to hide a big secret from her before, so now that the roles were reserved, he suddenly understood her frustration when he would always give her vague non-answers.

    And because of that, Turo decided to not press further on: it would be hypocritical to insist when she had never done so with him.

    ? I saw a.... what was the name... "Light-house" up this cliff, and it looks like there''s a little house under it, we could go have a look-? Sada was saying, her words spilling out excitedly even as she still kept one hand tightly balled up around her waist. Her eyes were wide, almost distant.

    ... That said, Sada had threatened him with a spear until he had confessed the truth to her, and their relationship had improved dramatically the moment he did.

    ? Sada.? he said in a low voice, crouching in front of her, not minding the sand getting everywhere on his Academy uniform. He raised both arms and carefully grasped her by her shoulders, and with some surprise noticed that she was actually trembling.

    ? .... You are hiding something.?

    She stopped and swallowed hard, before lowering her eyes to the ground.

    ? I''m... Not sure I am... It''s just a feeling... Maybe it''s nothing? ? she whispered, only leaving him more confused. How could she be "not sure"?

    ? I... Turo, I... I''m late.?

    Turo simply stared at her. Late? What did she mean with late? Was it some strange sayings from her tribe that didn''t translate well?

    ? W-?

    And then she raised her balled up hand.... and gently raised it to her belly.

    It hit him suddenly, completely knocking the air out of him like he had just been punched in the stomach.

    ? Y... You think... You''re...? he stuttered, his mind reeling. She said she was "late". That could only mean...

    ? Yes. ? now she smiled, her eyes sparkling.

    ? ... We are going to have a child. Our child. And we can only do it because we are here, together. Our treasure...? she whispered, cupping his face with both hands.

    A kid... A kid with Sada. A family together, all of their own, when the very idea would have been impossible for both of them to even dream of just a couple of months ago, each in their own time.

    He... he was going to be a father.

    ? Are... are you sure?? he found himself whispering, his voice trembling. Sada blinked and looked at him strangely.

    ? No...? It''s too early to see anything, but I am over one month late...?

    ? You... you didn''t take a pregnancy test...?? he asked, suddenly anxious. How accurate could they even be in this time? He didn''t have the slightest idea of how things worked here.

    Her vacant stare told him the answer even before she did.

    ? ... what''s a "pregna-cy" test?? she asked candidly.

    Turo stared at her, before his mouth twitched. He tried to suppress a little giggle and failed. Sada pouted, and squeezed his cheeks as she was still cupping them in her hands.

    ? What''s so funny??

    ... of ... of course she wouldn''t think of... of course she wouldn''t think of doing it... if she didn''t even know that it was possible...

    He just threw his head back and laughed, a wide booming laugh that left him completely out of breath, and then he kissed her.

 Chapter 32: Our Treasure, part II

    This time kept finding ways to surprise her, in both good and bad ways.

    ? So... you can really tell if someone is pregnant... from outside the body?? she asked after the kiss was over, her eyes wide and trying to wrap her mind around the idea.

    ? Yes, well... I''m not exactly sure how they do it in this time... or how early they are able to know for sure... ? Turo answered, still holding her by her shoulders. Sada noticed his eyes automatically go back to her stomach, and she huffed.

    ? It''s too early to see anything, you know... ?

    He smiled, looking back up.

    ? Yes, I know, it''s just... we need to make sure. Let''s go back to Mesagoza...?

    They left the sandy beach and walked back up the trail they had followed, looking for a place where they could call for a Flying Taxi. While Turo was busy calling, Sada''s eyes landed on a building that was standing at the very top of the cliff, overlooking the beach they had just left.

    ? That place must be that "lighthouse" around here, right? ? she asked. She had read about them in a book in the library: they lit up at night and were used by ships to safely find land. Or at least, used to. She wasn''t sure if this one was active: it looked abandoned.

    ? All right, the cab should be here in half an hour, they were nearby...? Turo turned around, closing the old Pok¨¦nav he had bought and putting it back in his pocket.

    ? I... wait.? he furrowed his eyebrows for a moment, before raising both of them.

    ? I... I know this place!? he said, a half smile forming on his lips. Sada turned around, surprised.

    ? Really? In your time?? she asked.

    Turo nodded, ? Yes. I visited it when I was flying with Mirai one time... it was completely in ruins there, of course, but... I''m sure it''s the same one. It''s the only one in the area.?

    Sada smiled and took his hand.

    ? Let''s go look! ? she started heading towards the lighthouse, the ground going from sand back to getting covered in soft grass. The closer she got, the more details she could see. The building seemed to have a little house built just under it, if she had to guess, to house whoever used to take care of it before it was abandoned. A small tree - thankfully not an olive tree - was growing near the entrance. On the right, the cliffside overlooked the sea, but the little beach they had just come from was still clearly visible from it. From the top of the cliff, looking in the opposite direction, you could see Los Platos in the distance and, barely visible in the horizon, the mountain of the Great Crater of Paldea. She went near the abandoned house and tried to peer inside the old windows covered in dust.

    ? It looks empty... Doesn''t a lighthouse need people to care for it?? she asked Turo.

    ? When they still used fire or electric Pok¨¦mon to shine lights over the sea, yes, there was usually a caretaker. I guess the lighthouse itself is completely automated by now. ? Turo answered as he cautiously checked the door.

    ? Closed... But there''s a note here.? he said, and Sada shifted closer to look.

    ? "Up for sale"...? she read, and her eyes widened as she turned towards him.

    ? Does that mean... we can buy this place? ?

    They probably didn''t have enough money, but... if their research on Tera crystals was successful, they could ask to borrow some money and pay it back later.

    She looked towards Turo, and saw him look at her petrified, his eyes wide.

    ? You mean... Live here? In this lighthouse?? he whispered.

    Sada looked up, towards the top of the building that you could reach by climbing the stairs. Following a sudden urge, she grabbed the first rung and started climbing. She heard Turo gasp and hurry after her.

    ? Sada...!! You... What if -?

    ? I''m not going to fall.? she reassured him, continuing to climb. Judging by his laboured breathing, he was having some difficulty following.

    ? I know... that''s not what I meant... what if the baby-? he stopped to take his breath right as she finished climbing and hoisted herself up on the wide platform.

    The view was as beautiful as she had imagined it. She looked down, trying to picture living in the small house right under them.

    ? This place is near the sea... There''s not too many people, and we still have a small town very close... There''s plenty of space for our Pok¨¦mon... and I bet we can even see the stars from out here.? she slowly said once Turo had caught up to her. He looked troubled for a moment, before looking down towards the sea.

    ? ... To think... I''ve looked at this exact building in my time and wondered who used to live in it so much time ago...? he whispered, before he chuckled in amusement.

    ? ... It would be a shame to not live here after that. ? he said, taking her hand and intertwining his fingers in hers.

    ? We''ll probably need to renovate it a bit, so... we will have to hurry before the ... the baby arrives. If it''s really... coming.? he said. After a brief silence, he swallowed, and she noticed that his hand had suddenly gotten sweaty. He was nervous.

    She didn''t understand. Why would he be nervous now?

    ? If... If we''re really going to have a child... there''s something else I would like us to do first... even just because it would be more... complicated... after.? he stammered, and she saw that he was trying and failing to keep his usual unreadable expression from cracking.

    ? I... I... this is not how I imagined this would go...? he was getting flustered, and she calmly grabbed his other hand and looked him in the eye.

    ? Turo... what is it??

    He looked at her with wide eyes, and after a moment just blurted out the words.

    ? ... let''s get married.?

    There was a long moment of silence, and she saw his expression go from flustered to panicked.

    ? Um... "Marriage" -? he said.

    ? I know what "marriage" means!? she laughed, and he looked more relieved, even if somewhat embarrassed. She got closer to him and looked away from the sea, to the silhouette of Mesagoza barely visible in the opposite direction, sitting down on the cool stone pavement.

    ? ... Let''s sit here a bit.? she said, and he followed her after a short moment, sitting cross legged next to her. She smiled, thinking about how many times they had just done the same back in her time, as they taught each other words in their respective languages.

    ? Why did you say this isn''t what you were expecting?? she asked. Turo looked down, the hand he wasn''t holding in hers balled up into a fist on his knee.

    ? I... you usually ask the person you want to marry if they want to... And... I was supposed to get down on one knee, and... I don''t even have a ring ready...?

    ? Does it have to be a ring? You gave me this bracelet.? she said, looking at the little jewel at her wrist. Turo frowned.

    ? No, that was... different. I gave you that bracelet so you would have something to remember me by... ?

    ? But now I don''t need that. I have you right here. You know I don''t care about all those details... and you told me that there is no right way of doing things.? she spoke slowly , trying to reassure him.

    ? But.... if marriage is a ceremony that''s important to show the society where we now live that we are together... then let''s do it. Let''s get married. And then have this child. ? she smiled, and he slowly smiled back and kissed her.

    They were interrupted by the signature squawking of a flock of Squawkabilly of different colors as their Flying Taxi arrived.

    ---

    Turo couldn''t believe he had just... asked Sada to marry him. Just like that. No plan. Just blurted it out.

    To be fair, she had just dropped the bombshell of possibly being pregnant on him not even five minutes before, so he felt justified in just dropping one back.

    That possibility had been confirmed a couple of days later. She was. And now he had to get used to the idea that he was going to be a father in... A bit more than half a year.

    And get married.

    And challenge the League.

    And finish their research on Tera crystals to ask for funds for an expedition into Area Zero, which probably would have to wait after the birth at this point...

    It was... overwhelming, in a sense, but he felt strangely euphoric about it. That''s what surprised him the most. He... didn''t think he would feel this happy about it, since he had never really thought about creating a family back in his time. But he was.

    What fortune to be blessed with this gift-

    There were so many things they suddenly had to do... but first thing to do, was trying to convince Sada of a single thing.

    ? What do you mean, "You''re not coming"?? Sada narrowed her eyes at him as they were sitting at some of the desks scattered across the three floors of Uvanja Academy''s library. It was one of their favourite spots, farthest from the stairs and with relatively less people walking through it, and the closest bookshelf held the entire collection of the most recently published numbers of the Occultica magazine. He and Sada both found flipping through it amusing sometimes for the absolute batshit insane theories that were presented in them.

    But now definitely wasn''t the moment for him to point and laugh at some photographs that mistook Magnezone for UFO sightings, or said that the Iron Moth shown in the Violet Book was actually totally an alien weapon from outer space.

    ? I''m saying it''s better if you don''t come to the next Tera Raid, considering...? he flicked his eyes to her belly as discreetly as he could, but her eyes just narrowed further.

    ? Why? It''s too early for the baby to even show itself! The doctor said that I can still do everything I want for now... You''re acting like I want to fight that Altaria myself.? she rolled her eyes, and he widened his own in a panic.

    The thought hadn''t even crossed his mind.

    ? Why, were you thinking of...? That''s not the point anyway! ? he sputtered.

    He threw a hasty look all around, and lowered his voice. They had told no one about the pregnancy yet.

    ? That''s not what I''m worried about. We still don''t know much about Terastal energy. What if it''s dangerous for... the baby?? he hissed.

    Sada''s expression softened, and she lowered her eyes, chewing on her lower lip with her pointy canine.

    ? ... We both work with Tera shards in the lab. I was handling them just yesterday-? she slowly answered.

    ? Exactly. But small tera shards are one thing. An entire cave radiating Tera energy however is completely different. You know how... powerful and heavy the air feels down there.? he said, and she relented, nodding, even if a bit reluctantly.

    ? ... All right. I guess... I''ll stay here and keep working on that prototype to hold the energy emitted by the crystals we were talking about... I think I found a way to model tera shards into other forms...?

    ? Really?? he asked, momentarily distracted by her words, leaning forward on the table towards her.

    ? So if we found bigger pieces, you could... chisel them? What did you do with those Tera shards you were experimenting with?? they were so small and pointy, he couldn''t imagine using them for much at all.

    He noticed that Sada had blushed a bit. She was pulling the same embarrassed face she had done when she had made him Ice Age clothes out of Mamoswine fur.

    ? Sada...??

    ? ... Don''t laugh, all right? I... I made arrow heads out of them. For my bow. I was hoping to try them out in the next Tera Raid...?

    He quickly suppressed a smirk.

    ? You wanted to... what? Shoot the terastalized Pok¨¦mon...?? he laughed, and she hissed to get him to lower his voice as a couple of students walked past their desks.

    ? I... why not?? she asked, crossing both arms to her chest. She puffed her cheeks.

    ? I hate just sitting there while my Pok¨¦mon do everything. And I wanted to see if maybe those Tera shards are effective in breaking other Terastalized Pok¨¦mon''s shell... ? she shook her head and sighed.

    ? I can do it next time, I guess...? she still didn''t sound happy about it, and he smiled a little, trying to cheer her up.

    ? At least we found someone interested in accompanying me... And he''s also going to trade you a Swinub for that Altaria, right?? he asked.

    Sada nodded.

    ? Yeah... Who else is going to come with you in my place? You said Jacq sounded interested, but who else? ? she asked, and Turo shrugged.

    ? No idea. Jacq said he found someone else who wanted to come.? he answered. The fourth member would be a surprise for him too.

    ---

    There was one good thing about trekking all the way up to Glaseado Mountain, and it was that, for once, no one could expect him to wear that horrible Uvanja student uniform in that kind of weather... Or, to be more exact, no one would be able to say anything if he wore something else over it.

    No matter what the entire faculty said, for Turo the winter uniform definitely wasn''t enough to keep himself warm, and he had no idea how they expected your typical teenager to just deal with it. Maybe they kinda expected everyone to take a Fire type Pok¨¦mon with them? Well, he didn''t have one, and wasn''t planning on getting one just for that reason.

    So, taking advantage of the heavy winter coat he had slapped over the uniform that would cover him completely anyway, before departing that morning he decided to actually put on his bodysuit underneath it all. Now that one would surely keep him warm. It didn''t chafe, didn''t leave him itching and constantly checking his clothes, there were no buttons or knots that could come loose. It was simply... comfortable. It felt incredibly nostalgic to see the lights switch on as soon as the smooth fabric got in contact with his skin; it almost pained him to have to cover it anyway with the rest of his clothes and a pair of high boots. He spent a couple of minutes idly moving his arms, feeling the bodysuit stretch to follow his movements perfectly: to his surprise, he had the impression that the adaptable fabric had stretched a bit more than usual around his waist and shoulders. Had he... put on weight? No, he hadn''t noticed doing so... he was probably just remembering wrong because it had been so long since he had last put it on.

    The meeting point this time would be a ski resort not that far away from Montenevera, and relatively close to where the cave where the Ice-type Altaria had been spotted was supposed to be. The one that had offered to help them with battling the Altaria and would give Sada a Swinub in exchange for it had been the one to propose that place. He was apparently a student at the Academy himself, but Turo had never seen him before. They probably had different classes. The other person that was supposed to arrive was Jacq and, to Turo''s great annoyance, Raifort.

    He didn''t actually really dislike the woman, she was definitely smart and brilliant in her own way and that comment about the time machine had been hilarious to hear... but she got on his nerves sometimes by how she obviously didn''t like how close he was to Sada, and he enjoyed provoking her in return. Also, she was a historian.

    He was a time traveller.

    He pointed and laughed at historians. Or he would have, at least, if he wasn''t stuck in this time.

    He sighed, scanning the crowd in the lobby that was ready to spend a day either skiing, snowboarding, or whatever other dangerous way of hurling yourself off a mountain people had invented, but couldn''t recognize either of his two classmates.

    ? C''mon... where are they...? he checked his Pok¨¦nav, hoping to not see some message that announced that they were going to have to reschedule the whole thing.

    ? ... hello, hello, Turo! Over here!?

    ? ... are you "Romero Turo"??

    Turo blinked, not sure where to turn to when Jacq''s familiar and a completely unknown voice reached him at the same time. He spotted Jacq''s Arcanine open a path through the crowd first, and his trainer and Raifort followed soon after. Well... he at least had a fire type with him. He waved to them both, then turned towards the second voice and the figure that had approached. His eyes landed on the last person he was expecting to see.

    ? You''re... you''re just a kid.?

    Of course people of all ages attended the Academy. He knew that. Of course anyone could have answered their request, and obviously students of all ages had been submitting reports and sightings about Terastalized Pok¨¦mon. But maybe due to his past experience with Hassel and Brassius, the idea that an actual kid that could be thirteen years old at the most could come with them in what he still subconsciously thought of as something quite dangerous had never even crossed his mind.

    Man, Pok¨¦mon Trainers of this time were wild.

    The kid narrowed his eyes, not impressed. He was wearing thick skiing gear, a fluffy two-colored scarf with two massive Poke Balls at each end that made Turo''s skin itch just by looking at it, and was holding a snowboard under his left arm.

    ? So...? Name''s Grusha. If you have any problems with that...? he mumbled. Half of his face was pretty much covered by his scarf, so it was difficult to judge his expression, but something told Turo that the kid was pissed.

    ? N-no, I... Of course not. ? he answered after a moment. The kid had four Poke Balls at his belt, which were double the ones he had.

    ... He was probably going to be more than fine, actually, but he still couldn''t help but feel wildly responsible for him if something happened. He was the responsible adult here.... in theory.

    He turned towards Raifort and Jacq, who was keeping one hand on his Arcanine to stop the big canine to just stop sniffing around and examine everything.

    ? Oh, I know you!? Jacq said enthusiastically.

    ? You won that snowboarding competition last month, didn''t you? I remember reading the news that a student of our Academy had placed first! Congratz!? he said, while Raifort nodded.

    ? That battle class together last year was really something... has your Snom evolved?? she asked, and the kid''s eyes seemed to sparkle just a bit as he answered.

    ? Yeah... she''s amazing- ? his voice was still muffled by the scarf, but it sounded to Turo like he was smiling.

    Great, so... was he the only one who had never heard of the kid? Probably because he didn''t care about sports. He cleared his throat, trying to get everyone''s attention back to him.

    ? All right, so... looks like it will be us four this time... the Altaria should be near the peak, so...? he hesitated, feeling Grusha''s polite stare land on him.

    ? ... Let''s just go. I''ll take the lead.? he said, only to be interrupted by the blue-haired teenager.

    ? If it''s not a problem, I think it''s better if I go first... um... sir? This mountain can be pretty dangerous, and I''m the one who knows it better than anyone here, I think... maybe you should let me show the way. ? he said.

    Turo blinked, taken by surprise. For a moment, he wondered what Sada would have done.

    He felt a bit frustrated at the idea of a kid less than half his age making him feel like an incompetent idiot; for a moment , he wanted to snap back that he was perfectly able to walk on some dumb snow: he had explored the Late Ice Age with Sada, and survived one month in Area Zero with no Pok¨¦mon and no food.

    But... he swallowed.

    Sada would have stepped down if she thought the kid was actually more knowledgeable than her. Actually getting there safely was what mattered the most.

    And of course, he wasn''t as knowledgeable in surviving outside as Sada. If the kid said it was dangerous... maybe he had a point.

    ? ... All right. ? he took out a map of Glaseado Peak and pointed to a marked spot.

    ? This is where it''s been sighted. Lead us there.?

    ---

    Sada carefully set down the largest piece of Tera they had found on the table. It was a single block larger than her fist, and glittered under the light that came from the window of the laboratory. They had been pretty lucky to find a single compact piece without it splintering info hundreds of little shards.

    She glanced towards the analog clock hanging on the wall. Turo and the others should have reached Glaseado Mountain by now. She quietly wondered how the battle was going, before going back to work.

    ? All right, let''s do this-? she said to Kim and ?tzi, who meowed and nodded respectively. She put on a couple of safety glasses as the two Pok¨¦mon watched her curiously, smiling quietly to herself.

    Safety glasses.

    Those sure would have been convenient all the times she would chip down large stones or make arrow points back in her time. But even if the tools had become more refined and efficient, the very basic action of chiselling hadn''t changed in thousands and thousands of years.

    In a way, it felt incredibly nostalgic to her to work with Tera crystals. She stopped midway in picking up a chisel, looking back up, towards the window outside. It was a beautiful day with not a cloud in sight. She turned to both her Pok¨¦mon and smiled as she grabbed her tools and a bag.

    ? Actually, you know what? Let''s go work outside. ?

    Both her Pok¨¦mon followed her to the school courtyard as she sat down with her back to a large tree. The courtyard was filled with students similarly enjoying the nice weather, either reading, studying, or simply relaxing. Two kids from the elementary classes were having a double Pok¨¦mon battle. A small Fidough and a Lechonk were fighting against a Tarantoula and a Marill. She watched the battle for a moment, smiling to herself, before she picked up a small chisel and a hammer and started to quietly and carefully chip away at the Tera crystal block, giving it a rounder shape.

    To think that even small children in this time were already learning how to live with Pok¨¦mon, and probably would do so for their entire lives...

    Would her child also get to enjoy a life like that?

    The thought gave her a little pause, and she resisted the urge to touch her belly. She hadn''t told anyone else yet, apart from Turo... and she wasn''t quite sure when she was ready to do so. She didn''t really feel much different right now, but in a couple more months, things would become much more apparent.

    She kept working quietly, letting her mind focus completely on the task at hand as her hands started moving almost on their own. There was something relaxing in having nothing but the smooth surface in front of her to focus on: it was the same reason she still liked to write all of her notes by hand even if Turo had tried to convince her to type them up on a computer because it was faster. She honestly didn''t understand how it could be faster: there was always some blinking icon or another in a corner of the screen ready to distract her. She could see how convenient it was, but she didn''t like the idea that a computer could be used for... Everything, all of its functions fighting for your attention at the same time. She couldn''t understand how Turo was able to get anything done on it.

    This was much simpler, easier for her.

    The chips and shards she was scraping off the block of Tera were quickly gathered by ?tzi, who meticulously picked them up and placed them in her bag. She smiled and took a moment to pat the golem''s head in thanks.

    ? Thank you. You''re a great help. ? she said, and it huffed , releasing a puff of energy through his chest.

    It seemed to like helping her in any kind of activity; it made sense, if Golett had been made with the intention of helping humans with physical labour. Kim meanwhile sat down beside her, looking at her work with wide eyes and purring.

    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    Sada rolled the now vaguely round block in her direction and smiled when she batted it away.

    ? A round shape does work well, right?? she said, and the Litleo squeezed her eyes shut.

    She kept working until she had a mostly spherical shape ready, then thought for a moment about what to do. Should she keep going in a spherical shape? A sphere would be comfortable to carry around, and people in this time were already used to Pok¨¦ Balls.

    She had noticed that tera shards seemed to glow in various colors, so they probably held a bit of that energy... Not much, though. They had both tried having their Pok¨¦mon spend some time near some tera shards, but it had never triggered any kind of change in them, so it probably wasn''t enough. But there had to be a way to store more energy in a smaller space... Condense it, in a way.

    Pok¨¦mon did it all the time: they could shoot enormous amounts of water, or flames, much more than what their bodies should be able to hold... Like if they had little batteries inside them.

    That''s what she needed. A battery, and something to tell that "battery" to release all its charge. She dumped the contents of her bag and all the shards they had gathered to the ground, to which ?tzi let out a slightly disappointed huff at the idea of having to gather it all over again.

    She looked at both of her Pok¨¦mon.

    ? I need your help. Touch as many of these shards as you can and tell me if you feel... Different. ? she explained, not quite sure if they would understand. Kim simply blinked slowly, then started putting one paw on every colored crystal in front of her, one at a time.

    The two students who had been battling had come a bit closer to watch, curious.

    ? What are you doing??

    Nothing. Sada watched both her Pok¨¦mon intently, so focused that she didn''t even hear the two kids come closer. The shards were all kinds of different colours and shapes... So they probably had various different types of energy that made the Pok¨¦mon change types inside them. They had never quite understood if it was the type of crystals that decided what type a Pok¨¦mon would become, or-

    Kim meowled loudly, pawing at the tuft of hair on top of her head, then sneezed.

    Sada turned towards the Litleo, eyes wide.

    ? Kim...? ? she moved closer to watch her, suddenly worried. What if Tera types actually were dangerous...? But none of the Terastalized Pok¨¦mon had looked uncomfortable...

    She freezed, raising one hand to the Pok¨¦mon''s head to stroke her fur, slowly. Kim meowled again and looked up at her, now confused.

    ? Do you feel... strange??

    The Litleo just flicked her ears and purred.

    There, between her ears, right in the middle of the growing mane that would glow and burn bright once she evolved, was a single leaf.

    It hadn''t fallen on her. She stroked it slowly to make sure, and Kim meowled again.

    Sada looked down at the Litleo''s paws. In her haste she had ended up putting all four paws on a random assortment of Tera shards of all kind of different types. It suddenly hit her.

    ? It''s all wrong!? she literally jumped up, ecstatic, scaring both her Pok¨¦mon and the two kids. They looked at her, confused.

    ? Uh... what??

    ? We had it completely wrong! It''s the exact opposite!? she threw her head back and laughed, before hugging a still confused Kim and hurrying to pick up all the things she had dumped around her, running back in the laboratory.

    She had to write down everything!

    ?tzi simply shook his head, huffing, and followed her.

    ---

    Turo hadn''t considered how difficult it would be to even find an Altaria in this kind of weather.

    ? You know... For being a Pok¨¦mon that''s normally incredibly vulnerable to the cold, it sure mimetizes itself perfectly in a snowstorm.? Turo muttered angrily at the third time he stumbled and buried himself in snow up to his face while he was busy looking up...

    Following Grusha''s directions, they had been hiking up a mountain trail.

    Jacq was riding his Arcanine, who at least had made things slightly more bearable by melting a trail in the snow. At least he wasn''t cold, thanks to his bodysuit, but he had honestly no idea of what the limits for keeping his body comfortable were. There had to be a point where the delicate system built into the bodysuit just had to give up.

    Raifort clicked her tongue in annoyance.

    ? Why didn''t you stay at the Academy instead of Sada? ? she asked, and Turo grit his teeth.

    ? She''s... she had something important to do.? he muttered. He didn''t want to look like a fool in front of her and give her even more reason to tease him.

    ? Why did you come here?? he shot right back.

    Raifort shrugged, her heavy blue winter coat barely making the movement recognizable.

    ? I wanted to see what all the fuss about these "Terastalized" Pok¨¦mon was... and I have some research of my own to conduct in this area.? she said.

    Turo''s eyes narrowed: he almost wanted to ask what it was, and he had the impression that Raifort was hoping for him to do so.

    Which was exactly why he shrugged, said "uh", and hastened his pace to go speak with Jacq.

    He heard Raifort "tsk" in annoyance behind him, and he grinned.

    With this kind of weather, it didn''t feel right to send Miguel out; at least Ampere probably didn''t mind the cold much.

    He released the Magnemite from his Pok¨¦Ball, and smiled when it nuzzled up against his arm, twisting its two little magnets.

    ? Here, charge up as much as you want. I''m counting on you. ? he offered the Pok¨¦mon a spare battery and watched it twirl in the air.

    ? I''ve never seen such an affectionate Magnemite. ? Jacq commented, letting his Arcanine slow down just enough to walk side by side with him. The fire Pok¨¦mon eagerly smelled the Electric type, and barked as his big, bushy tail wagged through the air.

    Ampere shied away from the Arcanine, trying to hide behind him.

    ? Is it not normal? ? Turo asked. He eyed the researcher sitting comfortably on the warm Pok¨¦mon''s back with a touch of envy.

    ? I mean, probably... I guess I just haven''t been around many Magnemite, but I thought they would act more... standoffish. Being covered in metal, I wonder how developed their sense of touch is... do they have nerves-?

    ? You''re not studying my Magnemite.? Turo muttered as a response.

    ? It''s here. ?

    Their conversation was cut short by Grusha suddenly stopping and hiding behind a tree. After a moment, he looked back towards them, shook his head, and moved back out into the open. Turo looked first at himself, then at Jacq.

    ... Yeah, his Arcanine probably attracted a lot of attention anyway.

    The kid had released a Sneasel, and the Pok¨¦mon started sharpening its nails surprisingly silently, its little sharp eyes fixed upwards.

    Turo followed the younger trainer and his Pok¨¦mon''s line of sight, squinting as he tried to make out anything that wasn''t pure white snow.

    For a moment, he still didn''t see anything, then something moved: what he had thought was a cloud dipped closer to the ground, and he realised it was the Pok¨¦mon they were looking for, gliding gracefully downwards towards the ground. He looked back to the kid, impressed. How did he even spot it?

    The Altaria still kept its smooth, bright blue feathers in the main part of its body, but most of it was covered by the distinctive, extremely fluffy plumage of its wings. Except that this Altaria''s wings looked strange. The feathers that would normally puff out were similarly white in colour, but looked much more compact, almost like they were tightly compressed... then the Altaria passed overhead, flapping its wings a couple of times, and Turo felt a flurry of snowflakes hit him.

    Snow. Its wings were made of snow! Or at least covered in it... the Pok¨¦mon glided closer, and he could see the crystalline Tera shards covering its whole body. He had to squeeze his eyes shut for a moment, covering his face with his arm, and judging from the muttering coming from around him, the others had done the same.

    The sunlight reflected on all the snow and the Pok¨¦mon''s body was blinding: it almost hurt to look at. How were they supposed to catch it like this?

    When he looked back down to Grusha, he saw that the kid had pulled up a pair of ski goggles on his face, and was still looking calmly ahead. With the googles covering one half of his face and the scarf another half, his face was now barely visible and expression unreadable.

    It was then that he realized another problem: this Altaria was leisurely flying around, and seemed to have no intention to retire to its cave.

    ? We have to stop that thing from just flapping merrily away.... we''ll try to paralyze it. Everyone ready?? he asked.

    ? Yes.? Jacq whispered, jumping down from his Pok¨¦mon''s back. Arcanine happily wagged his tail.

    ? Sure? Grusha nodded.

    ? Of course I am.? Raifort huffed, letting out a Pok¨¦mon he recognized after a moment as a Seviper.

    ? Ampere, Thunder Wave!?

    ? Glare!?

    The Magnemite floated forward, releasing a brief shock wave against the now-Ice type, while Raifort''s Pok¨¦mon slithered forward.

    The dragon turned around, noticing the attacks, and threw its head back letting out a melodious cry. Its already bright body flashed for a moment, right before the electric charge and whatever Seviper''s attack was supposed to do hit, leaving it apparently unschated.

    ? Why did you try to paralyze it too? That''s useless.? Raifort muttered angrily.

    Turo furrowed his eyebrows, not quite understanding what had happened. As far as he knew, Ice wasn''t in any way immune to electric attacks...

    ? I think it just used Safeguard...? Jacq answered the unsaid question after a moment, making Turo frown.

    ? Of course it did...? he muttered as Ampere floated in front of him and buzzed almost apologetically.

    He patted the Pok¨¦mon''s head and felt a slight electrical shock travel up his arm.

    ? It''s not your fault, don''t worry...?

    ? Hey! It''s getting away!?

    Raifort''s sudden shout made Turo''s head snap back up. The Altaria had dodged the Flamethrower aimed at them by Jacq''s Arcanine, and was already attempting to fly away.

    It didn''t even want to retaliate.

    ? Shit... we have to stop it!? Turo started running, leaving the narrow path up the mountain they had followed until now down the slope the Altaria was gliding down from.

    ? Keep using Thunder Wave! Safe Guard will have to run out eventually!? he barked towards the Electric type. Magnemite floated forward, buzzing as it passed through the various Flamethrowers that Jacq''s Arcanine kept firing toward the retreating Terastalized Pok¨¦mon.

    Snow flew everywhere as he slipped on some rocks hidden by the snow... his lungs burned with effort as he dug his shoes into the snow to avoid falling forward.

    By his side, Jacq''s Arcanine leapt past him in an enormous jump; Turo scrambled back up, squinting as he tried to recognize the shape of the Altaria against the white sky. With those pure white wings, how was he even supposed to find it...? He could barely see Ampere, maybe he should send Miguel after him, but then he would be left with no Pok¨¦mon by his side...

    ? Stop!?

    Grusha slid past him on his snowboard, blocking his way and spraying him with a wave of fresh snow. His Sneasel was perched on his back, hanging from his shoulders like a furry, clawed backpack. It hissed at both him and Jacq, showing small white fangs.

    ? You can''t just blindly chase after it! What if you fell down a ravine, or provoked an avalanche?!?

    Turo looked from the kid towards the figure of the Altaria that was getting farther and farther away. He scowled, but the kid had a point. No use risking to get seriously injured just to chase after a single wild Pok¨¦mon.

    ? R-right... What do we do??

    Grusha pointed his snowboard towards the steep decline. From another Pok¨¦ Ball, he released a Frosmoth... probably the one he had mentioned before.

    ? Me and my Pok¨¦mon will go after it. I will try to push it back here. When it does, it will take me some time to come back up the mountain again, so...? the kid''s unusually sharp eyes narrowed at them.

    ? Make sure you have a way to stop it from flying away again.?

    Again, it was strange to get scolded by a kid that was less than half his age, but he could do nothing but nod.

    ? Alright.?

    He watched the young trainer disappear in the distance, feeling a mix of frustration and anger.

    This... he had the nagging feeling things wouldn''t have gone like this if Sada had been the one here instead of him. She would have known what to do. She would have reacted faster; probably studied the environment to know the area and how to best pin that Altaria exactly where she wanted.

    He... why hadn''t he done it? Why had he just thought things would go exactly like the last Tera Raid, with the Altaria nicely trapped in a cave? That had been dumb of him.

    He needed to be better than this. That wasn''t like him.

    ? ... Alright.? he repeated, whirling around to face Raifort and Jacq.

    ? We have a Pok¨¦mon that for all intents and purposes is an ice type that can use mostly dragon and flying attacks-?

    ? And Earthquake, if we''re unlucky.? Jacq shrugged when Turo raised an eyebrow at him.

    ? I''ve seen a lot of Altaria use Earthquake...?

    Turo grumbled unhappily.

    ? And Earthquake... great... Let''s hope it''s smart enough to not use it on top of a mountain... What moves can your Arcanine use best??

    ? Flamethrower, Extreme Speed, Agility and Crunch are good enough most of the time... I was trying to teach him a fighting type move to deal with Rock types but we haven''t managed it yet.?

    The problem with Jacq''s Arcanine was that it didn''t have the space to use its speed to the best of its ability.

    ? Do you have any Pok¨¦mon that can fly, or float??

    Jacq scratched his neck, grinning sheepishly, and Turo sighed.

    ? What other Pok¨¦mon do you have with you right now?? he knew Jacq and Raifort both had a bunch more than him. He had seen Jacq''s Girafarig, mostly because it had almost chewed on his Violet Book once, and... what was it''s name... that Pok¨¦mon that was so slow it barely felt pain... Slowpoke? Something like that.

    ? I''ve got Girafarig... that Brambleghast I trained for Clavell''s project... Slowbro and Mudsbray.?

    He thought about it for a moment, then turned to Raifort.

    ? What about you??

    The woman crossed her arms to her chest, looking almost bored.

    ? My Haunter knows Mean Look. It will stop the Altaria from running away, but only until he''s able to look at it directly, so it''s tricky to use. In a direct battle, it doesn''t last long. ?

    Turo furrowed his eyebrows. ? Won''t Safeguard just protect it from that too??

    Raifort''s grin kind of worried him.

    ? Nah. Ghost Pok¨¦mon like to mess with how things are supposed to work. He can get through it.?

    A plan started to form in his mind. He took a big breath, and looked at the sky. No sign of the Altaria, or even Ampere, for now. He hoped the little Steel type would find its way back to him.

    ?... I have half an idea on what to do.?

    Five minutes later, all three of them were waiting crouched low behind some rocks. Snow had started to fall again, harder this time. Jacq had retrieved his Arcanine back into his Pok¨¦ Ball, and was now sniffling huddled close to him. Raifort and her Haunter were crouching behind another rock, the ghost type almost completely submerged into the rock. Only the tips of his clawed hands and his shining pupils were barely visible emerging from the stone. Jacq shivered and repressed a sneeze.

    ? I should have dressed a bit heavier... are you not cold?? he asked, eyeing his clothes.

    ? Nope.? he mumbled as an answer, eyes fixed to the sky.

    Finally, something moved. There, rapidly approaching and still almost completely camouflaged against the clouds, the Altaria was speeding through the air, a Frosmoth hot on his heels... he blinked after a moment. No, that was a Frosmoth with a Sneasel riding on its back. With a shrill cry, the dark type jumped off his ride and dropped towards the Altaria, both claws shining with a dark aura. The wild Pok¨¦mon let out a panicked cry and dropped lower to the ground. Grusha''s Frosmoth flapped her wings and caught her squadmate in midair, and they whirled towards the Pok¨¦mon again, dodging the Dragonbreath that was launched at them in retaliation. They had evidently been doing this for a while. He looked all around in a panic. Where was Ampere?

    ? Haunter, Mean Look!? Raifort''s command snapped him back to the present. He had to focus. If Ampere wasn''t here, he had to adapt.

    The Haunter''s eye stopped the Altaria dead in its tracks, forcing it to land as it was prevented from straying too far from the Ghost type. The bird looked all around in a frenzy, trying to understand why it couldn''t move, then futively tried to use Safeguard again. Turo smirked: as much as he hated to admit it, Raifort had been right.

    Now they had to protect that Haunter at all costs... or plan ahead.

    ? Jacq, your turn.? he commanded. His classmate nodded and quickly threw a Pok¨¦ Ball forward.

    ? Slowbro, Disable that Safeguard!? he commanded.

    The Pok¨¦mon''s eyes glowed, and the Altaria looked suddenly confused.

    ? It relies on that move too much... I wonder if it''s because it Terastallized into a type that it would normally find incredibly dangerous?? he mused. If it flew around this mountain even before Terastallizing, maybe it had learned to use Safeguard to avoid freezing and his instincts were still used to acting that way... not that it mattered at the moment.

    The Altaria turned around to face them and, seeing nothing but three humans and a Slowbro, screeched as it flew into a rage. Turo''s blood ran cold when he realized that the ground was shaking. It really was using Earthquake...!

    ? STOP IT AT ANY COST! BEARTIC, ACQUA JET!? Grusha''s voice came from lower down, the kid climbing up the mountain slowly and carefully. The enormous Beartic with him melted snow into water as it tried to rush desperately upwards to barrel towards his target.

    Turo freezed, paralyzed by fear. If that thing really ended up causing an avalanche...

    ? Miguel!? he cried out, summoning the little bird to his side. ? TAUNT!?

    The dark type seemed to catch on the urgency in his voice, because he didn''t even glare at him for releasing him in such a cold place.

    The Altaria stopped the Eartquake as it was forced to focus on the flying Type and realized that it was useless. It took a deep breath and flapped his wings gracefully, firing another Dragon Breath.

    ? Let''s focus on hitting those wings...? he commented, fully conscious that he had no way of helping doing so with no other Pok¨¦mon.

    ? Got it.? Jacq switched his Pok¨¦mon out with his Arcanine, who could happily fire a Flamethrower that finally landed on its target. The snow covering one of the Altaria''s wings melted partially, and the Pok¨¦mon screeched in rage again. Turo quietly wondered if it was a bit like feeling what were his feathers burn away.

    The wing that had been hit glittered under the sun; it shone a bright blue, covered in icy blue shards that gave the wing a jagged, serrated edge. Instead of feathers, the wing looked like it was covered by a myriad tiny snowflakes.

    Suddenly, Grusha''s Beartic hit the Altaria from behind, punching through the other wing and pinning it to the ground. More snowflakes flew around as more crystals shattered away from the Pok¨¦mon''s body.

    ? We can''t catch it until we completely break those off, or the wall will just bounce off.? Turo said, his voice rising in tone in urgency.

    Suddenly, a flurry of silver spheres shot through the air, barrelling into the Altaria and cracking the icy shards until it completely broke through.

    Turo''s eyes widened when he saw a little shiny figure float weakly towards him from behind the Altaria.

    ? Ampere!? he cried out, rushing forward to hug the little Electric type. The Magnemite looked exhausted, buzzing weakly as it collapsed in its arms, both his magnets and the screws on its body barely moving.

    Grusha staggered behind him, out of breath.

    ? That little guy kept chasing after the Altaria... it''s thanks to him it didn''t escape, it would shock him every time it tried to fly too high, even if he had to strain its magnetic powers too hard.? he said, and he looked down at the little Steel type with an affectionate smile.

    ? Really? You tried so hard... thank you.? he whispered, stroking the Magnemite''s head.

    Grusha stepped forward and let an empty Pokeball fall on the exhausted Altaria''s head.

    ? So with your research you will be able to make it transform in an ice type at will?? the trainer asked, looking at the Poke Ball he had just used.

    ? That''s what we hope... It may take a couple years to do so. You''ll probably have graduated the Academy by then... and won a couple more snowboarding championships.? he said, not without a small smile. It felt weird to think about looking at the kid in front of him now.

    In a couple years... he already would have a child that was almost two years old by then... the thought shocked him.

    Grusha pulled his scarf down to smile a little.

    ? I can''t wait to do so. That Altaria looked really beautiful... and deadly at the same time. I think... it liked the snow, but didn''t know know what living in such a place meant. I will teach it what it means. I think it liked being an ice type... ? the kid said, and he smiled a little.

    ? I''m sure you will. Break a leg, kid.? he laughed, and Grusha''s eyebrows furrowed.

    Fifteen years and a carrer-ending injury later, Turo would still sometimes think back to his choice of words and cringe about it.

    ---

    It was late night when Sada heard the door of the laboratory open again. She looked up from the pages and pages of notes she had been taking, to see Turo, Jacq and Raifort shuffle inside, looking miserable. She jumped up and greeted Turo first with a hug, then looked at the other two.

    ? How did the Raid go??

    ? It was less of a raid and more of a chase all over Glaseado Peak.? Turo mumbled, and sneezed over her shoulder. She wrinkled her nose and let him go, looking at the other two. Jacq was collapsed at a desk, head resting on the hardcover of "Unown ruins across the world" she had been consulting.

    ? What happened?? she asked.

    Raifort sat down at her usual spot dominated by maps and history books about the Paldean empire.

    ? Turns out that a flying Pok¨¦mon doesn''t really like getting himself cornered in a cramped, closed off cave, and instead will do anything to simply fly away... who would have thought!? she deadpanned, throwing a glance at Turo, who gritted his teeth and mumbled something.

    ? That''s why I was trying to paralyze it-?

    ? Yeah, and you missed! If my Haunter didn''t know Mean Look, we would still be running after that dumb thing-?

    Sada cut them off before they could start arguing about whose fault it was.

    She didn''t care about that! She had so many things to show them!

    ? Was it really Ice type? Did you get some Tera shards from it??

    Turo nodded and took some crystals out of his bag. She wasted no time grabbing them and sorting them in a little pile of other ice tera shards scattered all over the floor with all the others. Turo seemed to notice them right at that moment, because she heard him move and clear his throat behind her.

    ? Sada... Why are all our Tera shards dumped on the floor in a circle around Kim and ?tzi?? he asked, and she grinned wide, looking at all three... Well, mostly Turo and Raifort. Jacq looked like he had fallen asleep: she eyed him for a moment.

    She had borrowed that book from the school library, if he drooled on it they would still blame her for the damage...

    ? I figured it out! ? she said.

    ? I figured out what makes Pok¨¦mon crystallize!?

    Turo''s eyes widened, and he walked closer to look at her notes.

    ? Really?? he whispered, almost like he didn''t dare believe her.

    Sada nodded and grabbed the book from under Jacq''s face, letting his head fall to the desk with a "thunk". The young man bolted awake, straightening his classes.

    ? Wah... uh... I just wanted to rest my eyes for a moment... what''s going on?? he asked.

    ? Wait a moment before you start, I''m going to call Clavell here.? Turo said.

    A couple of minutes later, Clavell was also present. She suddenly felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, thinking back to when she had exposed her theory about primal reversion.

    ? All right, so... I''m going to keep this short. ?

    She pointed towards the piles of Tera shards near the two Pok¨¦mon.

    ? Before now, we were never really sure if it was the crystals that decided what a Pok¨¦mon would terastalize into, or if it was something decided by the Pok¨¦mon themselves in some way... I think that the crystals release a neutral energy that allows Pok¨¦mon to terastalize, and then by staying near a terastalized Pok¨¦mon they absorb their "type charged" energy and become shards of a specific type. So the way to make Pok¨¦mon terastallize is by focusing this "neutral" energy on them... or maybe, instead of "neutral", it''s actually the energy of all types combined, with each Pok¨¦mon only reacting to certain frequencies. Like light being made of different colors.? she started to explain, walking back and forth between her desk and Clavell''s. She hazarded a look around; everyone was looking at her intently.

    ? So it''s not that the Pok¨¦mon making places rich with Tera crystals their den transforms them into a certain type... they are already of that type and when they Terastallize it affects the surrounding Tera crystals... ? Clavell commented.

    Sada nodded, then opened up the book she had in hand to a certain page. It showed Pok¨¦mon that resembled letters of an ancient alphabet.

    ? I was reading this book about Unowns and how they tend to appear in ancient ruins... I wanted to know why there seems to be no trace of them in Paldea and other regions... and I read about this move they all possess, "Hidden Power". Apparently any Pok¨¦mon can learn it, and two Pok¨¦mon of the same species can have it manifest with the power of different types... isn''t it a bit like a limited version of Terastallizing? ? she asked, eyes sparkling. It was so fascinating, how a Pok¨¦mon''s move could say so much about their biology!

    Turo''s eyes widened, and he started smiling.

    ? What if they are the same thing... is there a way to know what type a Pok¨¦mon''s Hidden Power will be? If we can measure the Hidden power of some of the Terastallized Pok¨¦mon we caught like Grusha''s Altaria and it happens to be Ice type...? he turned to ask the others. Jacq hummed as he raked one hand through his disheveled hair.

    ? It''s quite difficult actually... some sensitive humans with psychic powers can apparently feel it... people have been trying to build some devices to measure it, like the Silph Scope that can identify Ghost types if they are hiding or camouflaging themselves... some types are more difficult to measure than others, apparently...?

    Sada had noticed that Turo had suddenly gone really quiet.

    ?... I''m sure I can do it.? he mumbled to himself, before looking back up.

    ? So all of this... how does it relate to actually getting Pok¨¦mon to terastalize?? he asked.

    Sada couldn''t help a little triumphant smile. She couldn''t wait to see their reaction at what she had discovered.

    ? I had already noticed that some tera shards seemed to hold more energy than others. Bigger pieces held more energy of course, but if we want to create a portable device to Terastal Pok¨¦mon everywhere, we needed to compress it... and also to combine energy from all types in a suitable container. So I started working on this bigger crystal we found, by chipping it down... and I realized there''s a specific shape that is... I guess... much more efficient in holding this energy. ? she said, laying down the fragment of crystal she had been working on on the table. Everyone crowded near to have a look at it.

    ? ... a hexagon? ? Raifort asked, picking the hexagonal gem up and turning it around.

    ? Why a hexagon exactly? ? Clavell added, and Sada shrugged.

    ? I''m still not quite sure about that, but... how many types are there?? she asked.

    ? Seventeen...? Raifort, Jacq and Clavell answered at the same time.

    ? Eighteen-? everyone turned to look confusedly at Turo, who flinched slightly. His eyes flicked around for a moment, uncomfortable.

    ?... you know... seventeen plus the Fairy type...? he added after a moment in a low voice, sounding uncertain.

    Clavell narrowed his eyes at him, while Raifort and Jacq exchanged a glance, confused. Turo clenched his teeth, and Sada noticed him clamming up like he used to do when he was hiding something from her. For a moment, she also panicked. Was this something people weren''t supposed to know?

    ?... that one still hasn''t been officially recognized.? Clavell said after a moment, and everyone turned towards him.

    ? Professor Sycamore in Kalos is busy working out the last defining characteristics of officially declaring it a new type, and reclassifying some species that had been incorrectly misclassified until now, but yes, there probably are actually eighteen types. Did you read his research, by chance?? he asked Turo, who seemed to visibly relax.

    ? Yeah... caught some news about it while we were in Kalos... ? he mumbled.

    Sada mentally thanked Clavell: she wouldn''t have known what to say to help right here.

    ? So... eighteen types... 18 is divisible by 6, right?... look, I actually am not really quite sure why it does, but... the Scarlet Book inspired me. There''s this hexagonal shape drawn in one page, so I tried to chisel down the Tera to copy that shape. After all, if Heath put that shape in the book, it must have something to do with Area Zero, and that''s where this phenomena seems to come from-? she noticed Clavell''s eyes widen in alarm a second too late. Sada shut her mouth, realizing her mistake.

    ? And how do you know that?? Jacq asked, curious.

    They had never quite made it public that they had already been in Area Zero before, and that they knew for certain that the exact same crystals were growing even larger under there, to the point of covering whole patches of ground, trees and making even the air sparkle and glimmer.

    After a couple of seconds, it was Turo that spoke up.

    ? I mean... it just seems reasonable to assume the source is somewhere under there... Heath mentions finding "glowing gemstones" and... stuff, in both the Scarlet and Violet book...?

    ? Oh... I guess so..., yeah.?

    Sada took the hexagonal gem she had chiseled from Raifort''s hand and one by one, held it near tera shards of each color still scattered on the ground. When it got in contact with each Tera shard, the gem would glow for a brief moment.

    She turned towards both her Pok¨¦mon.

    ? I''ll show you... I only managed to do it for a short moment because the shards don''t hold that much Terastal energy. ?tzi, come here.?

    The clay golem tottered over to her, and she held the gem over his head. It glowed bright for a moment, and so did the Pok¨¦mon, filling the room with a bright flash of light. Everyone had to cover their eyes until the light subdued, and when it did... the Golett actually still looked kind of the same.

    ? Um-? Clavell looked like he didn''t quite know what to say.

    ? ... I know it doesn''t look like much, but... doesn''t the air feel warmer? And if you look at the clay here, doesn''t it look kinda... crystally....? I think he''s a Fire type now-look, the energy burning in him is all... firey now-? Sada pointed to a spot near the Pok¨¦mon''s waist. The others didn''t really look convinced.

    ? Isn''t that how a Golett always looks...? ?

    ? Argh... Kim! Come here! It''s much more visible on her, I swear...? she said, as the poor Ghost type huffed and stomped back in his corner, dejected.

    She held the gem near various other Tera shards again, then repeated the process for the Fire type.

    ? Look carefully at her mane... there!?

    There was a long moment of silence.

    ? That''s... did her hair just sprout leaves?? Clavell asked in a whisper, before carefully crouching down to examine the Pok¨¦mon. The Litleo scratched at her mane, then shook her head.

    Sada grinned proudly as Turo shot up from his chair and tripped in his haste to cross the room.

    ? I can''t believe it... so she''s a grass type now??

    Right as he had said it, Kim shook her head, and the leaves that had grown attached to her short mane burst into flames. Sada hurriedly batted the remaining embers away, to avoid anything else catching fire.

    ? Just for a moment, but... I think she was, yes. I want to finish building a sphere where we can set this gem... And then try charging it near one of the big Tera raid crystals. That should be enough to terastalize a Pok¨¦mon completely. ? she took a big breath after saying all that, and a moment later, Turo had thrown both his arms around her neck. Sada yelped in surprise as he laughed and hugged her close, cautiously, to not press too much against her. He wasn''t the type of such public show of affection usually, so he must have been incredibly excited.

    ? You''re... you''re incredible! I... I love you so much -? he whispered in her ear in her language.

    ? Well... we still have to prove it actually works by building a working prototype... and everyone here also helped... ? she replied after a moment, shifting away from him.

    ? And...? she kept her hands on his shoulders and switched back to Paldean, turning her head towards the others present.

    ? There''s... something else we want to announce to you all here.? she added, looking briefly towards Turo. His eyes widened for a moment, before he nodded, and she caught Clavell also looking suddenly tense all of a sudden.

    ? Um... Sada... what do you have in min-? the teacher started to say.

    ? Me and Turo are getting married.? she blurted out.

    The room seemed to explode.

    Raifort slumped dejectedly back on her chair.

    ? There goes the girl of my dreams... ? she mumbled, so low that Sada barely caught it, and was left wondering at what she meant.

    ? Wait, you mean... you two were dating??? Jacq gasped, and Turo and Clavell groaned in unison as they turned towards him.

    ? ... Really? You even helped me look for apartments for two here in Mesagoza!? Turo chuckled.

    ? ... I thought you were just sick of the school dorms...?

    ? Jacq, my dear, you are brilliant when it comes to Pok¨¦mon biology, but at least try to be a bit less absent-minded towards literally everything else?? Clavell shook his head, before turning towards them both.

    ? Congratulations! I will help in planning the ceremony-?

    ? No, actually... something small and private will be fine...? Turo tried to say, to no avail.

    ? Nonsense! Two brilliant students of our Academy getting married! If it''s in a year''s time and you already graduated and published your work on Terastal Energy by then, this will be incredible news! An incredible start to both of your careers!? Clavell said, grabbing a bunch of papers and a pen as if he literally wanted to start making a guest list right now.

    Sada panicked for a moment. An entire year for getting married?!

    ? We can''t wait that long!? she said. By that time, the baby would already be born, they would have no time for a wedding!

    Everyone turned to her again in various degrees of confusion.

    ? Why not?? Raifort asked, narrowing her eyes at her.

    Sada chewed on her lips for a moment. Turo had gone pale. He looked at her, and she nodded. He sighed, and took a deep breath, almost steeling himself for the chaos that would soon erupt in the room.

    ? B-because... we are also expecting a child.? he had gone completely red in the face as he said it, but a radiant grin slowly opened up on his face, and she found herself grinning as well.

    In a way, it was like saying it out loud to someone else had made it real.

    A child. Their new life to treasure.

    ? I''m pregnant. That''s why we thought it best I stay here today.? Sada added.

    Clavell''s pen simply clattered to the floor.

 Chapter 33: Our Treasure, part III

    During their first weekend after the last Tera raid, both she and Turo had decided to come back to the Cabo Poco lighthouse to have a better look at the house and see if it could also work as a laboratory for both of them. It was divided mostly into two areas. The first part was directly under the lighthouse itself and was little more than a single room. Rusted tools and books about sailing implied it had been little more than a deposit for whatever was needed to operate the lighthouse.

    This could easily become their shared laboratory in the future. The second part was the house proper, built right behind it.

    ? We will need water and electricity to get activated again... and gas to cook, I guess.? Turo said after going inside. It was a very spacious room; the previous owner had left only an old sink and a couple of cabinets, but it was probably supposed to act as a living room with an open kitchen.

    Sada opened one cabinet to peer inside, finding nothing but old, rusted pots. Right. Cooking. She had gotten so used to having lunch at the Academy or directly outside while camping around Paldea that she hadn''t considered having to cook her own meals once she graduated.

    Just one more thing she had to learn...

    The rest of the rooms were pretty much the standard for this time.

    One bathroom. One bedroom. A bit small, but she was used to sleeping in cramped spaces... and she and Turo had already shared even smaller beds, be it in their respective dormitory rooms or the bunk beds in Area Zero.

    And... there was another room. Probably a small office, judging by diaries that logged how many and which kind of ships had passed by. Mostly unused. Clavell had also decided to accompain them, and was busy examining the windows and walls for traces of mold. The older man had looked incredibly excited at the news of both the marriage and her pregnancy, and seemed to have taken it upon himself to, especially for the latter, make sure they had literally everything they could possibly need.

    Sada didn''t have the heart to tell him that she found at least half of the things he had compiled into a big list completely useless. Like ... a "baby bath thermometer" , because apparently using your hand to check wasn''t good enough.

    Some where much more sensible, like a baby crib, or a stroller, and even if a part of her kept thinking that she had survived just fine with none of those things, another wanted her future child to not have to experience doing so.

    Sada had to admit, however, that one thing in particular puzzled her.

    ? "Clothes"? Why do I have to buy clothes for the baby?? she asked, thumbing through a magazine she had bought the day before.

    Clavell''s eyes widened, and she hurried to explain, least he think that her intention was to let the baby just be naked.

    ? I was just going to sew some... I could easily scale them as the child grows, it''s so easy...?

    Clavell seemed to struggle to answer for a moment, while Turo closed the logbook he had been reading to come look at the magazine over her shoulder.

    ? "Size XS"...? You mean... those things just don''t adapt to the kid''s body...?? he wondered, and Sada nodded.

    Clavell looked a bit lost.

    ? I don''t think so...? But Turo... don''t tell me people in the future just wear another weird stretchy suit their whole childhood-? Clavell said in a slightly exasperated tone, to which Turo shrugged.

    ? Sure...? I had different models growing up of course, but for the first few years, why would you even bother having sizes? Kids grow stupid fast at that age, and I could just personalize it anyway-?

    ? Yeah! It makes no sense! ? Sada argued, ? "Age 0-3 months"? The baby will probably wear most of this stuff once!? and it was so expensive! Wasn''t it better to use that money for more essential stuff that would last the baby longer?

    ? Yes, but... how do I put it... I''m sure you don''t mean it in a bad way, but... ? Clavell looked like he was clearly struggling.

    ? It''s going to look a bit... "weird" to people here if the baby has nothing but homemade clothes, even if it''s probably the most logical and sensible thing.? Clavell said, in a tone that suggested he was trying to be as delicate as possible.

    Sada''s shoulders slumped.

    Oh.

    ... she thought it was a good idea. It made sense to her. It was practical, and how she had grown up after all. She had watched most of the children in her tribe get born, and the months before the birth it wasn''t uncommon to see other people of the tribe work together to make sure the child had blankets and clothes ready, especially during winter.

    It... It was something she had often wondered how it would feel like when and if it would be her turn to do.

    It was something special. Important.

    But... here it would make her child look bad?

    She didn''t want that.

    ? I see... guess we''ll... Have to buy a bit of everything then...?

    A heavy silence hung in the room, interrupted only by a small flock of Squawkabilly flying by outside the window, chattering loudly.

    Turo put one hand on her shoulder and she gave him a little smile.

    ? On the other hand, consider this.? Clavell cleared his throat and, after a moment, turned the magazine in her hands to a specific page.

    ? Those outfits are incredibly cute.?

    Sada blinked, looking down at the glossy photograph. So what if they were cute? Clothes were supposed to keep you protected and warm, that''s it! Cuteness came after not being cold and exposed to the elements, and... and... uh...

    ? Is .. is that a little Fidough onesie? With little ears?? she whispered after a long moment.

    ? ... With a little adorable coordinated Dachsbun jacket.? Clavell nodded as he turned to another page.

    ? So it looks like Fidough evolved.... ? Turo also whispered. His face was impassible as always, but his eyes were shining. Sada was pretty sure that he was restraining himself from squeeing from the adorableness.

    ? ... All right, so they aren''t that bad. I still want to make some socks or hats for him or her.? she mumbled, snapping the magazine shut and regarding it with some suspicion.

    That thing was dangerous. The less adorably cute little jackets and pajamas and itty bitty shoes she saw, the better.

    ? Let''s make a list of everything we need.? she added, looking around.

    ? ... And clean up this place, first.?

    ---

    "It is undeniable that humans play an active part in Pok¨¦mon evolution: certain species that rarely evolve in the wild or who''s condition to evolve are heavily tied to their environment are getting more and more alternative methods of evolution by artificial substitutes made available by human technology.

    Let''s use the Pok¨¦mon Magmar as an example: in the wild, only the toughest members of the species, who are able to claim the hottest and most dangerous parts of active volcanoes as their territory are able to evolve into Magmortar."

    Turo''s hands had been flying over the keyboard, but now he stopped suddenly, furrowing both eyebrows.

    ? Um... Jacq?? he raised his voice towards the other researcher, who was practically hunched over his own laptop. The man''s hexagonal glasses peered over the screen.

    ? Yeah??

    ? How many times does Magby evolve?? he asked, just to make sure.

    Before Pok¨¦mon adapted to Hadron Energy, it seemed like new evolution methods kept being discovered left and right during this era. It was difficult for him to keep track of them all and make sure to not blurt out stuff that hadn''t been discovered yet.

    ? Two, as far as we know... Naturally growing up and through extreme heat... Or a Magmarizer.?

    All right, good. So they had been invented already. He mumbled a "thanks" and resumed writing.

    "This means that usually, an extremely low number of these Pok¨¦mon is expected to live in a specific environment, and of course, any trainer that wanted to let their Magmar evolve would have to go through great trouble to do so. The invention of the Magmarizer, a device that briefly simulates the environmental conditions necessary anywhere and at any time, now trivialized access to them. Magmar belonging to trainers can evolve when they want, as long as their trainer can afford one of these devices. Evolution has changed from something that the Pok¨¦mon achieved by themselves to something that can be bestowed to them by technology. In this paper, I want to examine many more examples of human influence on the development of Pok¨¦mon, and what the implications of this could be, even centuries in the future-"

    After getting over the annoyance of not being able to summon a monitor and keyboard whenever he wanted with a snap of his fingers, he had to admit that he was growing fond of these mechanical keyboards. There was something viscerally satisfying on hearing the constant clack - clack- clack of the keys. It felt good.

    He kept writing, until he noticed that Jacq had stopped writing and was peering at him over his own monitor again.

    ? .... what?? he asked in a flat tone. Jacq flinched slightly, then laughed in a strangely embarrassed tone.

    ? Nothing, I... was just thinking about you getting married... and...? he started.

    Turo''s writing barely slowed down.

    ? You''re invited, of course.? he mumbled, figuring that was what he was getting at.

    ? Really?!? Jacq smiled, sounding genuinely happy, and Turo found himself a bit embarrassed.

    ? ... It''s not like there''s going to be that many people anyway. You... Clavell... Raifort... some other classmates, I guess... ? he added. It took him a couple of seconds to notice that Jacq was still staring at him.

    ? ... what?? he asked again, and Jacq sighed, squirming in his chair.

    ? Nothing. I... was wondering why you never brought up your family. Is it really going to be only us from the Academy?? he asked.

    Turo flinched, his fingers freezing up on the keyboard. He was expecting that question sooner or later, but he was hoping to avoid it just a bit longer.

    ? ... Yeah. Me and Sada want something small and private.? he answered, hoping that it was enough to tell Jacq not to insist. Unfortunately, Jacq seemed to not have gotten the hint.

    ? So... you two are not on great terms with your families...? ? he asked quietly.

    Turo swallowed, now looking away from the monitor. He grit his teeth, a heavy lump in his throat.

    ? ... Yeah, exactly.?

    He tried not to think about his relatives too much, because it hurt. He had never quite thought about getting married in his time, but now that he was actually planning a wedding (or, to be more exact, getting pestered by Clavell about how the planning was going) he couldn''t help but think about how things would have gone.

    To follow tradition, he would have gotten married on the Moon, probably.

    He would have acted all grumbly, but would have secretly enjoyed the ceremony, half floating in the low gravity.

    Relatives would have come from all over, even Mars, and he would have watched the Sun rise over the Earth from the Moon''s surface like it was customary, symbolically watching the first dawn together with his wife- and there the fantasy screeched to a halt, because he couldn''t picture anyone that wasn''t Sada in her place now.

    ? Just us. ? he repeated. He still felt Jacq''s eyes on him, and could almost sense the mix of curiosity and pity that radiated off the younger man. Turo smiled , darkly amused at the situation. He could imagine what the other was thinking: did they both really not have anyone else? Not a single relative? A friend? No one?

    If only he knew.

    ? I''m going to take a break in the cafeteria.? he announced, standing up as he put his computer in sleep mode.

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.Jacq simply nodded and went back to work, but he still felt his eyes on him even as he left the room, closing the door of the laboratory after him.

    It was early afternoon, and the cafeteria was full of both students and teachers. He grabbed a sandwich for himself and another for Miguel, letting both of his Pok¨¦mon out of their Poke'' Balls. The Dark type looked half-asleep, probably caught midnap, while the Magnemite started bopping up and down around his chair as he started eating.

    ? Sorry for not letting you out earlier, but I''ve heard that Magnemite and machinery don''t get along.? he said to the steel type as he offered his Pok¨¦nav battery to drain.

    ? I can''t have you accidentally turning off my computer or corrupting some data in it.? he added, watching the Pok¨¦mon lazily close its single eye as it started "eating".

    He looked at both of his Pok¨¦mon as he bit into the sandwich with little enthusiasm. He was waiting to get clearance for that Porygon, but even with that, he felt like he still needed something else on his team. Both Miguel and Ampere were starting to struggle against Gym Leaders. He had barely been able to beat Larry, not because his Pok¨¦mon weren''t good enough, but for simple numerical disadvantage.

    Sada also had only two Pok¨¦mon - soon three-, but he was aware that the members of his team shared a problem that Sada''s team didn''t have: they both needed stones or something particular to evolve... if they even wanted to.

    For Ampere, the Magnemite needed to hang out with other Magnemites until it found two others that resonated with it enough to join together... Which was cool, but didn''t that mean that he needed to catch more Magnemite? They were found around Levincia in Paldea, if he remembered right... as for Miguel...

    ? Where do you even find a Dusk stone...?? he wondered, watching the Murkrow peck at his sandwich.

    ? Well... I could help with that.?

    Turo frowned as he heard Raifort''s voice come from behind him. He turned around, only to see the woman sitting at the table behind him.

    ? How come?? he asked. Raifort smiled, got up, and without even asking for permission, plopped herself down in the seat in front of him.

    ? I''ve found a couple while exploring ruins around Paldea. My Pok¨¦mon don''t need them, so... I could give you one.? she suggested, in a tone that implied that she obviously wasn''t doing it out of the goodness of her heart.

    He sighed; he wasn''t really in the mood for dealing with Raifort right now.

    ? What do you want in return?? he asked, lounging back against the chair''s backrest and crossing both arms to his chest. Out of the corner of one eye, he saw that Murkrow had stopped eating to eye Raifort''s many accessories with a dangerous glint in his red eyes. It wouldn''t be the first time he had attacked a fellow student or passerby to try and steal a hairclip or ring.

    For a moment, he was almost tempted to just let him do it.

    ? ... Miguel, no? he muttered, and the crow Pok¨¦mon clicked his beak and went back to his food.

    ? I want you to promise me one thing.? Raifort said after a moment, voice low as she leaned forward on the table. Turo simply raised one eyebrow, waiting for her to continue talking.

    She did so after a moment, her lips pursed in a scowl.

    ? ... I can''t stand you, you know. ? she hissed.

    ? What a surprise.? Turo replied in a monotone. Raifort''s scowl only intensified.

    ? You embody all I despise more than anything: those idiots that don''t give a shit about history and only care for progress, progress, "progress"! You spent half of our history course sleeping in class!? she sounded exasperated, and he huffed in amusement. He had only done so because he had already studied those things -

    ? So what if I did? I still got into the top five of our class... I think I even beat you in the part of the course about the Paleolithic -? he couldn''t restrain himself from pointing out with a satisfied smirk when her eyes flashed in anger.

    Oh yeah, she was pissed. The fact that he of all people seemed to know history (even if only a small part of it, and for reasons she could never even imagine) better than her had to sting quite a bit.

    ? I just don''t understand what Sada sees in you.? she continued.

    ? You have completely opposite interests, you have nothing in common, and yet... and yet she looks at you like you''re the center of her whole world and nothing or no one else exist. You''re her anchor, and... and I just don''t understand why.? she said, lowering her eyes, frustrated.

    Turo kept silent for a long moment, eyes low.

    ? ... You don''t know anything about us. We''ve got more in common than you could ever imagine.? he said in a monotone, uncrossing his arms and leaning forward on the table towards the woman.

    Raifort didn''t answer at that, but he noticed that she had balled up her fists on the table.

    ? ... right. Of course. Like that weird "Kalosian dialect" you two speak? Whatever you say. ? she whispered, before shaking her head. She looked back up, and he actually leaned back a little at the glare she directed at him.

    ? Just promise me that you will make her happy. For whatever reason, she loves you. If you do anything to make her unhappy, or if this marriage doesn''t work out...?

    Right now Turo realized that Raifort probably didn''t care about giving him or not the Dusk Stone. It was just an excuse so they could pretend that they were each getting something out of the deal.

    For a moment , he felt kind of offended that she was even just suggesting he would do it for something as trivial as an evolutionary stone, even if only as a paper thin excuse.

    ? It will. You don''t have to worry about that. I love her... we only have each other in more ways that you can imagine. That won''t ever change.? he said.

    Raifort seemed to look at him in search of a sign that he was lying.

    ? I see. ? she said after a long moment of silence, before nodding.

    ? Then... let''s say we have a deal.?

    Raifort offered him her hand, and he shook it. Judging from how she gripped his hand, she was trying to pulverize every bone in it.

    ? So... does that mean we''re going to stop the silly rivalry from now on?? he asked, watching the woman get up and grab her bags. She turned to glare at him, but now he could see her lips turn ever so slightly upwards in a smirk.

    ? Of course not. I still despise you. ? she said, walking away.

    He grinned. ? Good. Let''s see who will get their research published first, then.?

    ---

    After a couple weeks they had cleared away most of the dust and old, unusable furniture from the lighthouse. Now, before they could refurnish the house, they needed to first give a fresh coat of paint to every room. Sada found it quite fun to do, even if it was just white paint. But for certain rooms of the house, they wanted to do something different.

    ? I want the baby''s bedroom to be orange!? she huffed, crossing her arms as she and Turo had both brought a can of paint of a different colour.

    ? What? But that will look horrible! We can make the kitchen orange. Violet is much better for a bedroom!? Turo answered.

    ? But I like orange... maybe not bright orange... but we could use a warm, earthly orange. I find it reassuring...? she said, looking around the empty room and trying to picture it. Turo did the same, and he smiled a little.

    ? ... I see. It reminds you of the interior of the tents back home, right? All those orange and light brown pelts.? he said, and she nodded, happy that he had understood her immediately.

    ? You''ve fallen asleep in those tents more than one time. It was cozy, wasn''t it?? she asked, and he nodded after a moment, with just a little reluctance.

    ? It was. I was honestly surprised at how safe I felt there. A Pok¨¦mon could have attacked any time, in theory, and yet... it never crossed my mind, back then.? he whispered.

    Walking to the center of the room, Sada sat down, cross-legged, looking up at the empty walls and trying to picture what the room would look like soon.

    ? ... In just a couple of months, we will live here. Together. It... It still doesn''t feel real, does it? ? she said after a moment of silence. Turo copied her, sitting down in the same position at her side with a little grumble and quite less grace.

    ? I hate the clothes of this era so much, why do they have to be so rigid-? he said, making her smile. She grabbed his left hand with her right and held them between them, resting on his knee.

    ? I don''t mind them... but I wish a lot of them had more pockets. Why do pockets just straight up go extinct in the future? Your suit also doesn''t have any. ? Sada replied, prompting Turo to bark out a short laugh.

    ? Right... no idea. Maybe it''s all a big conspiracy to sell more trainer bags and backpacks. ? he joked.

    He took a sharp breath.

    ? But yeah... it still doesn''t feel real sometimes. ?

    There was a moment where they both simply stood in silence, just enjoying the other''s presence. It reminded her of all the times when it had been just the two of them, sitting in a cave or a clearing as somewhere, teaching each other different words... with all that had happened and always being surrounded by so many people in the Academy, they usually didn''t have that much time just for the two of them.

    ? Why do you want to paint the room violet?? she asked after a moment.

    ? Darker colours are better for a place where you have to sleep, they''re more calming.? he said. She tilted her head, looking at him; he was staring at the ceiling with a pensive look.

    ? Um... but, at night, wouldn''t the whole room be dark anyway?? she pointed out. ? There''s another reason, isn''t it??

    Turo smiled at that, humming a bit.

    ? Umm... yes, actually. That''s what my room used to look like as a kid. Very dark purple,and... we had this ceiling with screens that showed the stars, and constellations... I wanted to make something similar.? he whispered after a bit. She smiled, drawing little circles on his hand with her thumb.

    She looked at the still grey wall, pondering. They wanted two diametrically opposite colors for different reasons, but...

    ? ... I think I have an idea of what to do.? she added, whispering it in his ear.

    ---

    A couple of hours later, they were done with painting the room, and Turo stepped back to admire their work, completely exhausted but satisfied.

    At the very bottom of the wall until roughly halfway up, it was painted in a mixture of orange and reds, warm colours that resembled the sky at sunset, blending seamlessly with the floor covered in wooden boards. Near the ceiling, the orange paint slowly got darker and darker until it transitioned to various shades of violet, until it got so dark it was almost indistinguishable from black.

    Turo couldn''t help but feel a little nostalgic as he looked at the ceiling. He would paint a star chart on the ceiling little by little, in the next few months. For now, he was completely exhausted, but there was one last thing he wanted to do.

    He walked to the bucket of violet paint still left, and after throwing a meaningful look to Sada, dunked his whole left hand in it.

    Her eyes widened, first in confusion, then in recognition. She wordlessly stepped by his side and did the same thing with her own bucket of paint.

    Together, they pressed their hands against the wall, side by side, leaving two handprints in bright, shining paint.

    Their own little personal family tree, just like she had back home.

    ? ... We should have used berry juice to be more authentic.? Sada whispered after a moment of silence. He heard her sniffle, and noticed that her eyes had gotten a bit damp, but she was smiling.

    They sat back down again, this time letting out all of their Pok¨¦mon as they caught their breath.

    He watched Ampere float upwards to examine the lightbulb mounted on the ceiling, while Miguel perched on his shoulder, looking around. The Murkrow looked confused by his surroundings, and cawed a silent question as he pecked at his earlobe.

    ? This is our new home.? he explained, stroking his glossy black feathers with one fingertip. Miguel didn''t look impressed, glaring at him with half closed eyes, and he chuckled.

    ? Well, it will be. We''ll all live here together... Me,Sada, you all...? he paused for a moment ? ... and our new treasure.? he finished with a whisper.

    Miguel jumped down from his shoulder with a flutter of wings, both eyes now wide and glinting in mischief.

    ? Treasure! Treasure!? he cawed, flapping his wings, and Turo had to laugh when he realised the kind of treasure the Dark type was probably thinking about.

    ? It''s... not that.? he said with a small smile.

    By Sada''s side, he saw that Kim''s ears had perked up, and she hissed towards Miguel. The dark type threw her an irritated look, at least until the Litleo, purring, slowly curled up against Sada''s side again, right next to her stomach, and meowled. The Murkrow shut up, tilted his head sideways, then flapped over to Sada''s side to stare at her intently.

    ? Treasure? Nest?? he cawed, looking at both the woman and the Litleo.

    Sada seemed speechless.

    ? Kim... wait. Turo... you think she understands I''m...?? Sada whispered, her eyes widening as she turned slightly towards him. Kim''s purring only intensified as she gently brushed Sada''s side with her tail.

    ? Why wouldn''t she? They have amazing senses; I wouldn''t be surprised if she knew it before you did.? he answered, watching the two Pok¨¦mon crowd around her.

    ?tzi stopped examining the only window in the room and turned towards the scene, waddling over after a moment. Even Ampere floated closer, even if those two seemed to be the most confused of all four Pok¨¦mon.

    Turo guessed it made sense: Litleo and Murkrow lived in prides and huge flocks respectively. They would be familiar with raising their young and to place a great deal of importance on it. The other two... He honestly had no idea if the concept was even familiar to Pok¨¦mon like Ampere.

    They both watched curiously as the Pok¨¦mon seemed to exchange a series of chirps, hisses or, in the Magnemite''s case, slight buzzes of electricity with each other. Turo had often wondered how much Pok¨¦mon from completely different species could even understand between each other. He had always thought that Pok¨¦mon with completely different body language or methods of communicating would find it impossible... but he now realized that it probably wasn''t that much different than a human learning to interpret each of his Pok¨¦mon''s signals. Spending a lot of time together as part of a trainer''s team probably helped.

    It looked like Miguel and Kim were trying to explain something to the other two, who didn''t seem to get it. The Golett just tilted his head, then got closer to Sada with uncertain steps. Sada smiled and stroked the Pok¨¦mon''s arm.

    ? Soon, there will be someone else living with us, ?tzi.? she explained.

    The Golett seemed to understand that a little bit more.

    ? A completely new person! You will help me watch over them, will you??

    That seemed to excite the Golett, because it raised both of his arms into the air and whistled a short tone, the energy coursing through his body making his eyes glow brighter.

    Sada laughed and pet the Pok¨¦mon on the arm; meanwhile, Ampere still looked between her and Turo like he wasn''t sure of what he was supposed to be excited about.

    ? Treasure! Family! Treasure!?

    Spreading his wings, the Murkrow fluttered over towards the buckets of paint still half opened. Surprising everyone, he knocked the lid over with his beak and dunked one of his feet into the paint.

    ? W-what are you doing?!? Turo jumped up, fumbling to grab Miguel''s Pokeball, but before he could stop him, the Murkrow had already flown near his hand print and, dripping violet paint, had pressed his talons against the wall, leaving an imprint of his footmark on it.

    ? Mreow!? Kim ran near him to do the same, dunking one paw in Sada''s red paint and pressing it underneath Sada''s own handprint. ?tzi and Ampere followed soon after, the Golett leaving a big handprint near the Litleo''s while the Magnemite hesitantly tipped one of its magnets inside the paint and then at the wall.

    Turo sat back down, stunned, while both their Pok¨¦mon crowded back around them. A quick glance towards Sada showed him that her eyes were glinting with tears; his own felt quite damp as well and he looked hastily away to hide it.

    He hadn''t really thought about what his Pok¨¦mon would think of the baby, but...

    ? You''ll all make a wonderful family...? Sada whispered, her voice cracking after a moment. Kim approached her and she hugged the Litleo, hiding her face in the warm fur. A moment later, she gasped.

    ? I think... I think the baby just kicked.? she whispered, eyes widening.

    Turo looked at her.

    ? Was this the first time you felt it?? his voice was barely a whisper, almost like he was afraid of disturbing the little presence between them.

    ? Yes...? she smiled, looking down.

    ? Hi... everyone is here to welcome you, see?? she whispered.

    Not everyone -

    For once, he stopped the thought halfway, before thinking of Mirai and everyone else he knew could ruin this moment. Turo slowly put his hand on Sada''s belly, hoping to hear the same movement again.

    They stood side by side like that, their precious treasure surrounded by their new family, long after the sun had set, just enjoying that moment.

 Bonus Chapter 2

    Most of these are short drabbles I wrote for Flufftober last year(which I didn''t finish because of life getting in the way... I may pick it back up, who knows), so they follow a prompt. All of them are set around the first major story arc of the fic, or at most when the two of them have barely landed in present Paldea.

    1) First kiss

    Their first kiss had been spontaneous, instinctive, urged by many little stolen glances, hands touching as they had learned words from each other, fingers brushing over drawings and letters written on paper.

    Most importantly, Sada had been the one to initiate it.

    After that, there had been many more first kisses.

    Like the first kiss Turo had stolen from her by surprise.

    He had disappeared like he always did now, with a press of a button on his bracelet and a blinding flash of white light. Sada had looked at the spot where he had been just a moment before, smiling. He would come back three days from now, he had said. She turned around, towards Winged King that was waiting to fly her back to the village, and shrieked when she felt two arms latch around her waist from behind. She struggled for a moment, before she felt Turo''s beard tickle her cheek, his lips pressing softly against her neck.

    ? I missed you. Just wanted to let you know. ? He said, and Sada realized that probably days had passed for him again. After that first time, she never asked how many days it had been.

    After that there had been the first kiss they had openly shared at her village, in the communal tent, as he had finally won one of the children''s games they challenged him with, and Sada had laughed and pecked him on the cheek.

    The first kiss they had shared on the moon, almost floating lazily in midair as they overlooked Earth.

    The first kiss they had shared after waking up in the Great Crater of Paldea, both stranded in an unfamiliar place and an unfamiliar time, huddling closer as they each sought comfort in the presence of the other.

    And now, as Sada watched him out of the corner of her eye as he grumbled yet again about something not working like it did in his time (she could barely understand him when he did, but simply listened anyway), she quietly slipped in another kiss. Turo stopped mid-rant, blinked, and raised one eyebrow as he turned towards her.

    ? ... What was that one for??

    ? The first kiss of the rest of our lives together?

    2) New hobby

    ? Can I see??

    Sada had asked one time as they had taken refuge in one of the tents in her village. It had been snowing heavily, but the interior of the tent was surprisingly comfy, with a big fire roaring in the middle of the structure, kept alive by pinecones and little pieces of wood.

    Turo looked up from the notebook and smiled, twirling the pen in his hand as he showed her the page he had been sketching. A moment later, he saw her eyes go slightly wide.

    ? Is... Is this...me?? Sada asked in a whisper, and Turo realized, with a little jolt of surprise, that she sounded more perplexed than surprised, or pleased.

    Of course... Except still water, where else would she even get to see her own reflection?

    ? Yes ? He nodded as he watched her take in the portrait he had been sketching, raising one hand to carefully trace the lines of the drawing.

    ? Where did you learn to draw like that? It''s... It''s so good. ? She added after a moment, grabbing her own pen and notebook, eager to try.

    ? I just had more time. ?

    And resources, both in terms of tutorials and available materials.

    ? You have to look carefully at what you want to draw.? He tried to explain.

    And there was another problem. He had thousands of reference pictures for every possible subject he could want to draw, in every possible angle, available at one swipe of his finger. Sada didn''t have that luxury; she had to do everything by memory if she wanted to draw something, especially Pok¨¦mon.

    Honestly, the sketches he had found in her notebook the second time he had met her were astonishing for having been done with probably no reference. She seemed to realize this because she bit her lip, thinking carefully, then flipped his notebook back a couple of pages... And her cheeks suddenly flushed, her lips stretching in a little bashful smile, so different from the enthusiastic grin he was so used to seeing.

    ? These... These are all me.? She muttered, throwing him a half amused, half pleased look as she pushed the notebook back in his lap.

    ? ... I''ve looked at you really carefully.?

    Sada laughed, still looking somewhat embarrassed, before hiding her face behind her notebook.

    3) Sick

    Sada didn''t like it when people got sick.

    Obviously, of course. Who would? But in her case, it brought back unpleasant memories of watching her father burn up as his body got hotter and hotter, murmuring deliriously under his breath, eyes unfocused.

    He barely recognized her anymore... Until the very end, when he had cried out from the tent where they had brought him in to spend his last night in relative comfort and she had rushed inside, still so small, to his side.

    ? Sada... You''ll become such a wonderful woman... I''m glad...?

    He had died not shortly after.

    So when Turo had suddenly started to feel hot under her touch during one of his visits, she couldn''t simply accept his reassurance that he was "fine, it''s a simple fever" and he would just "take some medicine" when he got back to his own time.

    ? B-but what if it doesn''t work?? she had asked.

    She had seen Winged King''s injury disappear almost like magic, but... But this was different! This was... The Blood-Fire. Inside the body. You couldn''t see it. What if it was actually a spirit creature using some of their invisible powers to curse him?

    So she had dragged him to Narjik. The shaman had listened carefully to her worries, then examined Turo as he had grabbed some herbs from his pile.

    Turo had looked particularly uncomfortable as the man had suddenly grabbed his head to move it up and down while examining him his eyes, before finally giving him some leaves to chew on.

    ? His mind is still here, so he won''t die. I''ve seen creatures eat these after a fight, and tried them myself. They fill your body with energy to fight the Blood - Fire.? the older man had sagely said.

    He didn''t look worried, and that had alleviated Sada''s worres a bit.

    At least until Turo had complained that the leaves "tasted like crap" while he reluctantly chewed them.

    ? ... Why do you know what crap tastes like?? she asked, now worried for a completely different reason. Turo chuckled.

    ? No, it''s... It''s just something people say when something tastes really bad...? he answered.

    ? Oh... But that means that someone knows what it tastes like?? Sada wondered out loud, and Turo burst out laughing, scattering pieces of medical herbs everywhere.

    4)Rainy day

    They had both taken a moment to recognize the sound that had slowly started echoing through all of Area Zero , Sada''s eyes widening when she recognized what it was.

    ? Rain!?

    It didn''t seem to rain often in Area Zero, so they had to make the most of it wherever it happened.

    ? Let''s drag these outside, quick! ?

    By now they were used to keeping all sorts of containers ready near the door, so that it would be quicker to bring them outside and fill them up.

    After they were done, Sada sat down near the entrance, laughing as she moved a couple of strands of wet hair away from her face; Turo copied her, watching the rain slowly fill all the little beakers and bottles, panting slightly after the effort.

    ? I was thinking... ? Sada said after a moment, looking at how the water seemed to slide right away from Turo''s bodysuit - something she had to admit she was a bit envious of, it sure looked convenient-

    ? ... you said you were born on the Moon... is there rain there? I mean... outside the place we were in.?

    Turo turned towards her for a moment, caught by surprise, before laughing softly.

    ? Oh... no, there is no rain on the Moon. Or... rivers... and water.?

    ? What?? Her eyes widened.

    ? The Moon is... really just a big rock. I never saw rain until I went to Earth. Or... plants. Or clouds!? He laughed again, sounding amazed.

    ? Imagine never having seen clouds!?

    She couldn''t. It was incredible, how different their lives had been. To never see clouds, or the sky, or a river...? It was like he had lived in a cave for all that time. She smiled a little when she realized that it wasn''t that far off from her first ideas about him, when she still thought he was a shaman from another time. She leaned her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes as she listened to his voice, feeling the little vibrations from it reverberating through her.

    ? When I went to Earth, I had to learn how to walk again under a different gravity. It was difficult... everything felt so... heavy, and wrong. I never really liked going back to the Moon after that.?

    Sada slowly opened her eyes again, looking up at him. So he had brought her to the Moon even if he didn''t like it...?

    She smiled, warmth filling her chest, before something he said made her straighten up.

    ? Is... is that why you trip so much??

    Turo''s eyes widened, and with some amusement Sada noticed that his cheeks had gotten a bit red. He huffed and pointedly looked away, avoiding her eyes.

    ? Y-yes... it''s one of the reasons... it''s difficult to explain...?

    She tried to picture this little kid, used to moving by almost floating through the air, having to learn how to actually walk on solid ground, and not doing so well judging by how he moved around as an adult.

    She tried to contain a little giggle, failing miserably.

    ? ... sorry, but... it''s funny... ?

    ? I''m going to work on the radio.? Turo muttered, face still red even as he was half smiling himself, getting up to walk back inside.

    And tripping about three times in his haste to do so.

    Author Note:

    This one was fun. So yeah, I actually had a background reason for why Turo trips so much in mind since even before revealing he was born on the Moon.

    The idea was inspired by all matters of health problems that astronauts experience in zero and reduced gravity; muscle atrophy, bone deterioration, and even balance problems. (and a lot more, it''s a fascinating read.)

    I imagined that a kid growing up there for a couple of years in such a delicate moment of their life as they are still developing could have some issues adapting.

    Does it make perfect sense? No idea, but I found it interesting and wanted to include it.

    5)Dancing together

    Mesagoza always looked like the whole city was busy celebrating something or the other. It was colorful, with its mosaic patterned roads, the pastel colored buildings, the little carts always filled with balloons, and ice cream, and alfajores and so many other things Sada hadn''t learned the name of yet, or even tried.

    Maybe it was something in the air; it seemed to energize people. There was always someone with a guitar or a little keyboard sitting in a plaza or in one street corner, playing for no other reason than their own and other people''s enjoyment, as brief as it was while they were just passing by.

    Sada found it both incredibly overwhelming and incredibly nostalgic.

    It reminded her a bit of times at her village, when people would make drums with stretched hides and start pounding on them, Narjik would start playing his wooden flute, and she would just start dancing along with everyone, losing herself in the rhythm.

    Turo had even been with her one time, during one of their ritual celebrations. She had tried to drag him along to dance around the fire with her and everyone else, and he had blushed furiously, murmuring about looking bad and tripping if he tried to follow her.

    There were a couple of people dancing near one of the musicians now, spinning around each other in twisting, elaborate motions that were mesmerizing to look at. She loved it, but it also looked... Complicated.

    It probably required a lot of practice, both to know the steps and to be able to match your partner so well like the couple was doing. They looked pretty young, and two Oinkologne, probably belonging to the both of them, were trotting around their trainers with little, precise steps, getting both laughs and cheers from the audience.

    Sada wanted to kind of try herself, but... She also didn''t want to intrude. This time was still so confusing to her in so many ways.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Things everyone was supposed to know, or things you weren''t supposed to do... Maybe there was some unspoken rule about this kind of dance? For all she knew, maybe only certain people were supposed to do it.

    Right at that moment, she felt Turo, who had been watching quietly by her side, grab her hand.

    ? Do you want to dance?? he asked.

    Her eyes widened slightly as she squeezed back.

    ? Can you dance like that??

    There was a little uncomfortable smile on his face.

    ? I... Just a little bit. I would probably trip and fall if I tried to do that-? he pointed towards the couple with a nod of his head.

    ? But we can try.? He added.

    He led her a bit away from the gathered crowd, and put his left hand on her waist while she copied the couple''s movement and put her hand on his shoulder.

    They started to slowly spin in place, more of an awkward shuffle on Turo''s part actually, but she didn''t mind, more than happy to simply enjoy this little moment.

    ? So everyone can do it?? She asked after a moment, Turo flinching a bit under her touch, uncomfortable.

    ? Yes, well... there''s places to learn, I guess. Those two are probably teachers themselves.? Sada gasped at his answer, glancing back at the couple.

    ? So we can learn?! We can have them teach us??

    ? ... I don''t want to embarrass you.? Turo murmured, only for Sada to look back at him.

    ? ... You''ll never embarrass me. I want to learn how to do it with you, no one else.? She whispered back, and after a long moment, Turo simply smiled and leaned forward to press a long kiss on her lips.

    ? ... thank you. Let''s see if you still think the same after our first lesson. ? He chuckled.

    6)Playing with hair

    ? You know... it used to make me uncomfortable.? Sada said one day. They were exploring a mountain that would have taken her days to reach on foot before meeting Winged King, but had now taken them just a couple of hours.

    Turo had done his best to follow her on the rough terrain, but after a while of him panting and gradually slowing down his pace they decided to stop and rest a bit, overlooking the scenery. He turned to look at her, baffled.

    ? ... what did??

    ? Your hair.? She answered, and had to laugh a little at his wide-eyed stare.

    ? You... what?? He actually sounded a little heartbroken. She shuffled closer to him, raising one hand to softly touch his hair, right at the part where it suddenly got shorter.

    ? Yeah, it looked so strange. Too neat, and too clean. We shave our hair too, but... it just doesn''t look like that.?

    Turo looked stunned for a moment, before chuckling softly, dragging one hair through his hair a bit self-consciously.

    ? I... hadn''t even thought of that. So what would look natural?? He asked.

    She quietly looked at him for a moment, thinking.

    ? Let''s see... maybe something like this.?

    She grabbed two strands of his hair and twisted them around each other in a little short braid, pulling one little wooden bead out of her hair to secure the braid in place. Turo sat perfectly still, just his eyes flitting around to follow the movements of her hands as she continued to work.

    ? They feel strange...? He commented after a moment, raising one hand to touch one.

    ? That''s because your hair is too short. It should be longer so they don''t hang so close. Or if you let your beard grow a bit more, I could braid that too.?

    Turo laughed, his whole frame shaking slightly.

    ? I don''t know what my people would say seeing me come back like that...?

    Sada stopped mid braid.

    ? Would... would it look bad? ... I will remove these-? She hastily started to undo the braid she was currently working with, only for Turo''s hand to grab hers.

    ? No, they are fine. I love them. ?

    And so from that day he would sometimes jump back to his time with little braids in his hair, just barely small enough to tie a wooden bead or a feather to them. He would always come back the next time with nothing left, so he probably took them off every time, and the mental image of him carefully removing feathers from his hair was something that never failed to make her smile.

    She still never got the occasion to braid his beard, but Sada was determined to get him to agree to it. Someday.

    7)Sharing clothes

    Area Zero was surprisingly cold at night... not for him, since he had his suit, but he could see that it was cold for Sada, even with her clothes.

    Or at least, Turo had to imagine it was night. Either that, or it had to be cloudy outside the crater when the temperature suddenly dropped. It had probably something to do with how deep the crater was, if he had to guess.

    They had found some blankets to use while they were sleeping, but he woke up when he felt Sada shiver at his side. After a moment, he shuffled closer to her, wrapping one arm around her neck.

    ? Take off your coat, I''ll warm you up.? He murmured. Sada seemed to hesitate a moment but complied, sliding off the Mamoswine fur she wore over a layer of orange pelts. Sada snuggled closer to him, curling up against his chest.

    ? This is nice.? She said with a little smile, cheeks a bit red with something that had nothing to do with the cold.

    She slowly warmed up against the slight heat emanated from his suit; he put the furs and blankets over both of them to keep what little warm air there was between them. She slowly stopped shivering, and finally fell asleep again by his side.

    Turo caressed her hair, listening to her breath grow calmer and calmer before finally falling back asleep himself.

    8)Kidfic

    Turo didn''t really consider himself a great candidate to be a father. He hadn''t really thought about it, but to be more accurate, he couldn''t exactly picture himself, as he was now, as a great example of a father. His current lifestyle at the TTDL wasn''t exactly great father (or even husband) material.

    But as a teacher? That was something different. Or at least, with the four children of Sada''s village, he found himself genuinely enjoying the time spent teaching them writing. They were enthusiastic and learned fast, greeting him at each new lesson with rocks, paper sheets, fragments of bark they had written stuff over, and at the end of each one asking "Shaman Turo" when he was coming back.

    ? They love you.? Sada commented with a smile as they looked at the little prehistoric classroom of four people.

    ? It''s just because I''m an outsider that looks funny. ? Turo answered back, even as he couldn''t contain a little smile of his own. As much as looking at them still pained him somewhat... it made him also happy to know that they would have some special memories of these lessons.

    That they would maybe use what they were learning to make their lives better, more safe, more fun.

    Today Narjik had joined them to teach them the names of most edible berries, and how to recognize them. The shaman and Sada had carved little square cards out of bark, and Turo had spent one afternoon painting images of the prehistoric berries on them, after sketching them down on his notebook first.

    Now the kids and the elder were busy playing a game where you had to grab one card with a picture and the relative card with its name before your opponent did, and then answer one question about the berry correctly.

    ? Do you... have children?? Sada''s question caught him by surprise, and he turned to look at her.

    ? No... why??

    She rested her head on his shoulder.

    ? You know... how to talk with them. I thought...?

    ? You just treat them like anyone else. Children are not stupid. ? He answered, and she laughed.

    Sada''s words had made him think about being a father again. He still couldn''t really see himself in the role of one, not with his current life.

    And especially not... with anyone else that wasn''t Sada right now. But that was, of course, impossible.

    He dreamt about it that very night. A little kid with Sada''s long hair, dressed in Mamoswine pelts, greeting him with a "Daddy!" as he ran to hug his knees as soon as he had arrived. Turo couldn''t see any details on his face, blank but at the same time clear like only dreams could be.

    He would think back to that dream only months later, once him and Sada were out of Area Zero.

    A family... was something he and Sada could actually be here.

    Author Note:

    Imagine if Turo had actually left Sada for good in the past bearing a kid... Paleo Arven would probably accidentally discover bread or something.

    9)Showering

    Watching Sada discover new things about modern life was something that Turo would never get tired of. It warmed his heart, and it made him look at things he completely took for granted with new eyes. Like something as simple as warm water.

    In their first afternoon in Mesagoza with Clavell away, she had spent most of it pretty much poking and prodding away at every piece of furniture. He had used the occasion to give her a crash course on the name of most of them and what they did so she wouldn''t look too out of place not knowing what a fridge was. The bathroom and flowing water seemed to be her favorite by far though... he could see why.

    ? But how does the water get all the way up here? Can you really bring it everywhere? ? She asked, amazed, as she turned on the shower faucet and stuck her hand under the water falling down, watching it trickle with shining eyes.

    ? You can have water without carrying it all the way from a river... what''s this?? Sada wondered, playing with the faucet''s control with her other hand. Turo had been waiting for her to notice that the temperature changed, and when she did, she just turned to him in wordless amazement.

    ... aww.

    And then she stepped under the water and turned the faucet all the way to the "hot" part.

    ? W-wait...!? Turo''s eyed widened and he threw himself after her, a moment too late after the water suddenly changed to scalding hot. Sada let out a little yelp, half surprise and half in pain, and twitched as Turo hissed in pain as he grabbed her hand and turned the dial back toward the middle.

    ? Are you hurt?? He panted as the water turned back to a more comfortable temperature, soaking them both. She just wordlessly nodded, holding her wrist, throwing the shower faucet an almost betrayed look.

    ? ... why make it so hot it hurts? ? She muttered, and he had to laugh a little.

    ? It''s difficult to control the power to make it warm... but this feels nice.? He had missed having warm water in the crater. Sada nodded, raising one hand to play with his suit''s collar, pulling it down just a little to watch the water trickle down his collarbone. She gave him a cheeky smile.

    ? ... yeah, it''s nice.?

    10) Gift giving

    Carving wood had been difficult. Sada knew how to make arrows, and bows, and even a flute after Narjik had thought her. But those were all simple shapes; you still needed a certain dexterity, especially for the arrows, but they didn''t have any elaborate details that you just had to get right to make it look good. And in what she had wanted to do, there were a lot of little elaborate details.

    The general shape wasn''t that difficult, the problem was... it had to curve. And it had so many little notches and ridges to do... but she didn''t give up.

    And now, she had a little satchel made of fur, carefully wrapped with a ribbon like she had seen done in one of Mesagoza''s shops, waiting on the little table in front of the tv in their living-room-turned-bedroom they were using in Clavell''s apartment. Inside, the result of what she had spent hours working on, in the little moments where Turo was still at work but she had already finished for the day.

    She jumped a bit on the couch when she heard him open the door; it was surely him; Clavell didn''t fumble and regularly dropped the keys cursing under his breath like Turo did.

    Sada waited for him to enter the room and look at the little bag... which he promptly failed to do as he just collapsed on the couch with a defeated sigh.

    ? ... Hi. I''m exhausted.? He muttered after leaning towards her for a kiss.

    Sada had to hide the little frown on her face. Well, he was tired, he would notice it soon, right...?

    She kissed him back, and he finally seemed to notice that something was amiss, because he moved to look away from her.

    ? ... what''s that? ?

    She didn''t answer, but simply waited for him to pick up the little bag and open it. A happy smile made its way on her face as Turo went still, eyes wide, as he slowly took out what was inside.

    ? It''s...?

    It was a little statue of Miraidon, or at least, as close as she could get to it. She had used the shape of Winged King as a base, and then removed or added details as necessary. Two thin antennae instead of the crest of feathers, smoother plates instead of tiny little scales. It had been the most detailed and difficult thing she had ever made by far, but Turo''s expression as he wordlessly stroked the little carving with one finger made it all worth it.

    ? ... why?? Turo asked a moment, voice low.

    ? I just wanted to do something for you... to remember him. I know he means a lot to you.?

    And deep inside, she still felt responsible for their situation, no matter how many times Turo told her it wasn''t her fault.

    She heard Turo take a long, shuddering breath, and then he unexpectedly seemed to blush a tiny.

    ? W-well... this is embarrassing, but... wait a moment.? He said, and stood up to get his notebook. He sat back down and dropped it on her lap.

    ? ... I was working on it, trying to get something better out, but... open it at the end.? He said with a tiny smile.

    She didn''t understand what he meant until she did, to reveal pages and pages full of sketches of Winged King. Some looked quite wrong, or curiously looked like he had used Miraidon as his starting point instead, trying to add feathers and scale to the smooth base of the dragon to get a drawing that was as close to his memories as he could.

    ? Looks like we had the same idea...? he grinned, and now it was her turn to blush a little.

    ? ... I was so proud of it... don''t steal my ideas!? She laughed.

    ? Who says you didn''t steal mine? ?

    11) Meet cute

    ? So how did you two meet??

    The question was such an innocent and obvious one, they both had kind of expected it. So they had to prepare a cover story to use well in advance. And to do that, they had to study some material.

    So they decided to sit down a couple of evenings to watch romantic movies on the tv together. For Turo, he had the feeling that the most entertaining thing would be Sada''s reaction to them. He was proven right not even thirty minutes into the movie. After the initial amazement of watching moving pictures tell a story, Sada had grown intensely focused on analyzing every detail that struck her as strange... which, to be fair, was most of it.

    ? Why do the men always bring flowers? They don''t look edible.? She asked, and Turo had to first chuckle and then furrow his eyebrows as he actually thought about the answer.

    ? They are pretty, I guess...? I''m not really sure when it started.?

    Sada didn''t look impressed, taking a sip from a mug of hot tea they had brewed.

    ? ... so you brought flowers to our first "date". Roses. A lot of them. And, umm... we met because... I needed someone to teach me the language of this place before coming here. And we were in... ?

    ? That''s easy. Lumiose City. We went on the tower at night after having dinner. Great view. Romantic.? Turo shrugged. ? The part about Lumiose City is technically true...?

    They kept watching, and he could see Sada grow more and more annoyed with the movie.

    ? ... now he''s... pushing... a boat on a lake...? ? She threw him a little sideways glance, trying to hide a smile. Turo felt himself blush a little at what she was probably thinking. Yeah, no way he could pretend he was able to do that with his non-existent physical strength.

    ? Can''t we just say I saved you from a Pok¨¦mon? That''s pretty much what happened.?

    ? No one is going to believe that.?

    12)Cooking together

    Now that they were out of Area Zero, they couldn''t exactly cook roots, mushroom and the occasional meat over a live fire like they had done until now. Research Station number 2 had a kitchen, but no power. Now, they had the (actually barely used, since he spent time at the Academy) kitchen in Clavell''s apartment, and none of them had any idea how to use it.

    ? So this "stove"... makes fire come out of it?? Sada asked, bending forward to examine it curiously. Turo carefully pulled her back, wary of her long hair catching fire.

    ? Yes... you turn this to make the fire stronger or weaker... I think.? He added after a moment with a frown. The controls he was used to were much more... intuitive. A lot less buttons.

    ? So... like this...?? Sada turned the dial, and jumped backwards when the gas stove suddenly sprung to life, eyes widening.

    ? It''s blue!? She exclaimed, grabbing his shoulder and turning around to grin up at him. That enthusiastic grin never failed to warm his heart; that first reaction of hers of discovering something new and wanting to share it with him, it made him fall in love with her again and again every time it happened.

    ? Yes... this is a special kind of fire, in a way... it''s called gas. You put the pan on it and cook things over it.?

    ? All right...? She was evidently eager to try with some vegetables and meat they had bought, and hastily put them on the fire. After a couple of minutes, Turo started to hear a suspicious burning smell, and hurried back into the kitchen.

    ? Turn it down! Turn the stove down! ... no, that''s up!?

    ? How do you know how strong the fire is...? It doesn''t look bigger...? Sada complained, looking mournfully at the pile of vegetables charred black on one side and almost raw on the other side.

    ? You just... have to know... I think.? Turo answered.

    ? This is hard... I''m sorry for wasting food.? She looked pretty dejected; after a moment, Turo picked up some of the vegetables from the pan with a fork putting them on a plate.

    ? I think we can cut the burn part.? He replied.

    ? You can''t eat that...? Sada murmured, and he stuck a slice of grilled eggplant in his mouth just to prove her wrong.

    ? Yes I can. Delicious.?

    13) Learning a craft

    One of the things Sada liked about Turo was that he never made her feel stupid, or inadequate. Especially when she was teaching him about how things were done in her time. After learning his secret, a little part of her found herself wondering if Turo ever thought of her and her whole tribe as... simple, compared to his time. He could disappear in thin air, could make objects invisible, they didn''t need to hunt and who knows how many other wondrous things his people were capable of that she couldn''t ever dream about... you would think that nothing she could do could compare.

    But Turo was... different. Every time he came to her village, he would look at everything they did with quiet focus and admiration. Like when she was sewing.

    ? Is it difficult? ? He asked one day, as he was observing her work quietly sitting in one tent at her village, pen and notebook propped up on one knee. Sada raised her head from her work, blinking in surprise.

    ? What... this...?? She looked at the hood she had been mending, torn by the attack of a wild creature some days ago.

    ? Try it. ? She offered him the garment and had some fun watching him flounder a bit trying to put the notebook back in his pocket and grab the pelt and bone hook at the same time.

    ? Um... how do I... what do I do?? He asked, his eyes flitting back and forth between her and what he was holding. His cheeks had become a bit red, and she smiled. She loved seeing him get all embarrassed: in a way, it meant he cared.

    ? The fur is torn here a bit, here. See?? She pointed out the point where some claws had raked through the fabric.

    ? You use this sharp stone here to poke a hole through the pelt on both sides of the broken parts, then you make the thread go through these holes with the needle and pull the two parts together.? She watched him try to follow her instructions, his fingers obviously not used to working with rough tools of bones and stone. He was obviously feeling self-conscious, moving slowly and continuously checking his work.

    ? What if I ruin it...? ? He asked after a moment, and she smiled reassuringly.

    ? Someone can always wear it, don''t worry.? He was always worrying about ruining or breaking something in her village, or eating their food, and she found it endearing.

    ? You don''t do this in your time, right? ? She asked with a little smile after a bit, and he just shook his head.

    ? Then what do you do if your clothes break?? She couldn''t help but ask, curious.

    ? They... they don''t really break. ? Turo answered with a little sheepish smile.

    ? But... doing this feels good. It''s nice making something with your hands.? He added after a moment. Sada laughed.

    ? There''s lots of these we have to fix if you want!? She pointed to an entire pile of various clothes and blankets to mend piled in a corner, and Turo''s eyes widened in a panic.

    ? N-no... I think I''m... fine...? He mumbled while she kept laughing.

 Chapter 34: "For all Time"

    Weeks passed both curiously slowly and in a blur as they kept working on their respective research, the lighthouse, and visits to the doctor for Sada''s pregnancy.

    Turo''s first research paper about examples of human activity directly influencing Pok¨¦mon evolution was being peer reviewed, while Sada had just submitted a paper about her theory about Primal Energy and Primal regression being the cause of the Pok¨¦mon of her time changing into their current forms.

    At the moment, Turo had been working on something a bit different... or at least, that''s what he said he was doing. To Sada, he was just typing at his computer like always.

    ? .... I really don''t know how you can do that every day and not get bored.? she commented, holding back a yawn as she watched him type while she read the Scarlet Book.

    ? Did you get bored crafting arrows or travelling all day? Or working with Tera Crystals?? he replied after a moment, barely looking away from the screen.

    Sada tilted her head, thinking.

    ? No... But I don''t see how that is the same. Aren''t you just writing stuff that tells the computer what to do? Aren''t the commands always the same?? she asked after a moment. Turo''s frantic typing stopped, and he turned the chair towards her.

    ? The various commands may be fixed, but you have to think how to use them to get the computer to do exactly what you want... I could teach you a bit, if you want.? he offered, and she stopped leafing through the Scarlet Book to look at him.

    ? ... Learn to program? I don''t know... I think it''s better if I leave it to you. I like to work on more "physical" things. ? she answered after a moment with a small frown.

    Turo shrugged and went back to work.

    ? All right. ? there was a pause as she felt him look at her, and she curved her shoulders slightly inward. ? ... It''s not because you think you wouldn''t be capable of it, right??

    She flinched, surprised. Well... she had thought about it, to be completely honest. She had worked so hard just to be able to fit in this time. Learning the language , learning to read, write,catching up on all the elementary school subjects like basic math just to be able to follow the actual courses... she felt like she had to put so much work into just being on the same level of everyone else. Turo had helped her, of course. In the evening, he would often come into her room and explain things to her when she didn''t understand something... especially during those first weeks, his help had been invaluable.

    But she couldn''t help but feel like she was just... being left behind. She had been thinking about it a lot with the baby growing inside her.

    Turo had all this knowledge about the future, he had to actually pay attention to not reveal too much of everything he knew. But her? What about her?

    What... what could she even teach this child, in a world where she herself barely fit in? How to follow wild Pok¨¦mon tracks? How to fight with a spear?

    ... Ridiculous.

    ? Sada...?? she heard Turo stand up and move to her side.

    ? Do you really think that?? he asked. She avoided his eyes, staring at the drawing of a Roaring Moon in the Scarlet Book.

    ? I... I''m not sure. I''ve been having a lot of thoughts. I still feel like I''m always catching up with everyone... and that it will happen with the baby too. ? she said, watching Turo tilt his head at her with a puzzled frown on his face.

    ? What... do you mean? ?

    ? I mean... that I don''t know anything about raising a child in this time! About... Raising them right, and proper, and... and giving them everything they need here...?

    ? Sada-? Turo interrupted her by grasping her by both shoulders, and she stopped halfway through her almost-meltdown.

    ? I... I understand. You''re scared. I am too.?

    ? Y-you are...?? she asked.

    But even now, he always looked so calm, and collected. Turo always knew what to do.

    ? Of course. I''m terrified. I have no idea how to be a father either. But I think that no one does. And we will do it our own way. The only thing we can do is... taking it one day at a time.

    Let''s not get ahead of ourselves... you taught me that, remember??

    She bit her lip and nodded, not quite convinced, as she lowered her eyes.

    Turo kept speaking.

    ? You not knowing something now doesn''t mean that you can''t do it. I''m sure that you could learn how to program a dumb computer in no time, if you wanted.? he said with a short laugh. ? And the same will happen with our child. We''ll figure it out together. You are... you honestly have no idea how much I admire all the work you''ve put into studying since arriving here. ?

    She slowly raised her head, to find Turo extremely close, his eyes shining with pride.

    ? You went from barely being able to read in this language to writing a scientific paper discussing your theories in not even a year! You really don''t realize how incredible that is?? he whispered.

    ? But... that means nothing -?

    ? It means everything!? his uncharacteristically vehemence made her almost jump; he looked exactly like he had when he had first explained to her what a "scientist" was. She thought back to his words that day, the ones he had added right after that at the time she didn''t understand because she hadn''t known his language enough yet. They had sounded like...

    "And that''s... beautiful"

    She smiled and lowered her eyes, feeling herself blush now that she finally understood their meaning.

    ? I... I just don''t want to feel like... I need to hide what I''m truly like to this child. I want them... to learn my language, and the stories of my tribe... our traditions and our beliefs. I want to make them a warm blanket out of pelts and -? she struggled to continue.

    ? Then do it! Who''s stopping you? We''ll both tell them bedtime stories of our times-? he actually smiled a little at that, like he was already thinking up stories of faraway worlds full of magical, wondrous technology.

    ? Also, they are not even born yet! Let''s worry about it when we''re actually there, right??

    She slowly nodded, going back to the Scarlet Book with her mind still swirling with thoughts. A moment later, she yelped when she felt Turo''s hand brush her thigh.

    ? Also we have to get married first. Maybe let''s freak out about that, first??

    She blushed. Right, that was... much more imminent. And she still had to finish her present for him...

    ? You''re right. Clavell is pestering me to know our "wedding vows"? she sighed, and he chuckled.

    ? You too? Since we''re already here, let''s think of something-?

    Sada smiled and pushed the Scarlet Book closed and away, happy for the distraction.

    ---

    It turned out that planning a wedding was a lot easier when neither the groom nor the bride had any of the problems that usually were involved in weddings: handling the guest list was a non issue since it was so laughably short, and neither of them really cared about stuff like "what colour are the flowers going to be".

    As for the guests; Clavell, Jacq, Raifort, a couple more classmates and people they had met around Paldea... that was it.

    It was almost depressing.

    Turo was actually much more nervous about... something he was working on for Sada. He had left the notebook he had sketched all kinds of things on during his visits in Sada''s era back in his time, so frustratingly, he had nothing to go on except memory. It would have turned out much better if he could have used at least his old sketches for reference.

    He also had the problem of where to hide it; he had started to work on it in the art room because it had all kinds of supplies and was convenient, but anyone could have just waltzed in, Sada included, and he wanted to minimize the chances of it happening.

    The art room was full of half finished works by students of all ages, but she would have realized who the author was as soon as she glanced at it, so he had to move.

    His own room was no good for the exact same reason.

    Which was exactly why he had carried an entire aisle and canvas in the last place in the Academy Sada would have looked in: the computer lab.

    Not the best place to paint in, admittedly, but at least some of the kids in there had found it pretty funny. And it was quiet... if you ignored the occasional groans coming from people sitting at their computers, the ones he recognized as the universal sign amongst computer nerds that meant "this dumb thing I wrote isn''t working and I don''t know why".

    Working on a canvas was something he definitely wasn''t used to: he was much more used to smaller and simpler sketches done in pen or pencil, with minimal use of colours.

    And of course, in his time, he was used to just being able to erase a line and do it over and over again.

    The canvas on the other hand looked so incredibly... final and intimidating.

    After wasting another twenty minutes fussing about how to mix the colours to use after he was done with the initial sketch, he cursed under his breath and grabbed his Pok¨¦nav, dialing a number he had saved some months ago.

    ? Brassius...? This is Romero Turo-? he furrowed both eyebrows after a moment.

    ? No... the Tera Orb still isn''t ready -? he lowered his voice to a whisper, throwing a glance over his shoulder at the other people working. Two kids were working on what looked like a simple remote controlled drone, and they were the only ones currently looking back at him as the drone''s rotors spun uselessly.

    ? ... but we do have an almost working prototype. Could you come to the Academy??

    ---

    ? So, umm.... Sada....??

    ? Yes?? Sada turned to Raifort as they walked through a little, charming open market of pottery and other handmade objects held in Alfornada every other week. She had discovered it during one of their many trips around Paldea and by now was a frequent customer. There were some things you could only find here... And personally, she liked that excitement and sense of discovery of what you could find you felt walking along the stalls. Much more that simply walking into a shop and asking the store clerk about what you needed.

    Was the latter more convenient, and saved a lot of time? Yes, but it felt less... adventurous, in a way.

    Walking along these haphazardly set up stalls that would disappear the next day reminded her of when her whole tribe would move to the lake during the summer to trade pelts and other materials with other tribes.

    Here she was using money instead of trade, but there was a similar sense of community. Things felt more personal.

    Normally, Raifort would eagerly follow her, but today she seemed a bit more reluctant.

    ? ... So you want to make Turo this wedding gift.... why, exactly??

    Her question made Sada smile softly.

    ? It''s a tradition from my village that goes way back. When two people marry, it''s customary to make something the other part would find useful in their... er... job. ? she answered after a moment, looking past a stall that sold old books and fighting the urge to stop and take a look.

    Raifort followed her, and she could her hum slowly to herself.

    ? ... And that something was usually... A cape?? she asked.

    Sada threw a look back at her as she nodded.

    ? Yes... Er... My village is in the middle of nowhere, in Kalos. It gets quite isolated in winter, and... really cold, so.. that''s why....? she trailed off a bit.

    Raifort looked quite intrigued.

    ? Your place sounds pretty hardcore...? she just commented after a moment.

    Well, to be exact, it was a tradition to make the groom either a weapon or an elaborate, heavy travel mantle from pelts, something that symbolized him using those new tools to protect their new family and becoming part of the tribe... But she couldn''t exactly show up to Turo with an elaborate dagger she had chiseled from stone... even if his face at receiving something like that would have been incredible.

    And she couldn''t exactly do heavy furs again, so... she had to adapt a bit.

    ? It won''t exactly be a cape, but... something similar. And I need a very specific fabric for the effect I''m looking for.? she said with a little smile. ? And Jacq''s help-?

    ? Jacq? Why do you need him? Have you seen how he dresses?? Raifort asked, but Sada just laughed.

    She couldn''t wait to see Turo''s face.

    ---

    ? You want to seriously paint something here? This place is a disgrace to everything representing the arts-?

    Turo sighed; the moment Brassius had arrived from Artazon and set foot inside the Academy''s computer club, he had felt the eyes of pretty much everyone in the room move over to him. Couldn''t they go back to their own projects? No...?

    The little drone the two kids had managed to get to start flying was buzzing around the ceiling, beeping in distress as its batteries depleted while one of the students sat with the controller in hand, trying to not look too obvious as he eavesdropped their conversation.

    ? Look, I don''t need a lecture about how boring you think computers are-? Brassius rolled his eyes at that, but didn''t say anything else.

    There was... a certain beauty for Turo in writing code. In making something that was able to execute certain actions, to have a physical effect on the world, out of nothing but instructions and logic.

    ? But I need... someone that understands how to convey emotions, and... what colours to use. I have this sketch- it''s a place that''s very important for Sada... here.? he gestured towards the canvas, and he could see Brassius turn an eye towards it -and half the computer club behind him stretch their necks trying to take a peek at it -

    ? ... But I don''t know... How to start. What colours do I use first? What if I pick it wrong, and it ends up ruined -?

    You could always erase and rewrite code, but this was completely different.

    Brassius took some steps towards the canvas, studying it.

    ? ... Do you always sketch like this?? he asked after a moment. Turo stared, not quite sure what he meant.

    ? ... I''m afraid I don''t follow.?

    ? Your sketch is... hyper realistic. It looks like you tried to redraw a scene from memory like you''re recreating a photograph. You mostly do a lot of still life or portraits, I assume??

    Turo''s eyes widened. ? I... yes...? That''s just how I''ve always drawn. I like to copy what I have in front of me- what''s wrong with it...?? he almost snapped, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

    Brassius shook his head.

    ? Oh, nothing''s wrong with that. But if you asked for my help, I assume you don''t want this to simply look like a hyper realistic photograph, am I right?? he said, tilting his head towards the canvas.

    ? One thing I always ask myself with my art is: "what do I want the viewer to feel"? What do you want Sada to feel looking at it?? the man asked, and Turo had to think in silence for a couple of long moments.

    He moved closer to the almost blank canvas, his fingers twitching slightly. His eyes flitted over the canvas, before stopping on a particular point.

    ? ... Here. This point right here.? he pointed to the barely sketched hearth.

    ? I want it to feel... warm. Cozy. I want her to feel... safe looking at it. Not sad... and definitely not nostalgic. It has to be cozy.?

    Brassius "mmm"-ed, alternating looking between the canvas and him.

    ? You could use very warm colours for the fire, and make the corners of the painting very dark in contrast, to draw the viewer''s eye to it. This is not a campfire, isn''t it? It''s a small fire in a enclosed space, so it''s not going to cast much light... Emphasize that. That feeling of safety and warmth huddling close around it.? he said.

    Turo blinked and turned to look at him, confused.

    ? Won''t... won''t making it too dark feel all dreary?? he asked in an anxious tone. That was the last thing he wanted.

    Brassius flashed a smirk.

    ? Not at all, if you do it well. Now, show me your brushes.?

    Turo showed him the brand new ones he had bought. Brassius grabbed the two smallest ones and promptly threw them behind his back. They spiraled through the air and barely missed the little drone that beeped in alarm.

    ? You won''t need these.?

    ? W-what??

    ---

    Sada impatiently waited for Jacq to arrive, staring at the point where the Flying Taxi would land. She had found exactly what she was looking for, a nice piece of cloth of exactly the right color, now she only needed...

    ? There he is...? Raifort yawned as she slammed a book about the Paldean royal family she had been reading shut, and Sada jumped up.

    ? Jacq! What took you so long?!?

    The researcher almost fell out of the taxi and scratched at his head, embarrassed.

    ? I was discussing my latest project with Clavell, I''m sorry... So, um... What do you need me for?? he asked.

    Sada simply grabbed him by the arm and pretty much dragged the man behind her, towards the bench where Raifort was sitting. The woman waved.

    ? You''ll be my model. You and Turo have a similar build, he''s just a little bit taller but that I can easily fix-? Sada answered, to which Jacq''s eyes widened.

    ? M-model? For what? And why here? In the literal middle of the road-? he sputtered while Sada dumped her trademark yellow backpack at his feet. For once, it wasn''t filled with camping gear but anything she could need for sewing.

    Grabbing a measurement tape felt highly nostalgic as she held it up, slowly unraveling it. Aw, just like she had done all those months ago...

    ? For a new labcoat I want to gift him. And don''t worry... I''ve worked in worse conditions. I''ll be done in a moment, I just need your measurements.? she rolled her eyes at his obvious embarrassment.

    Jacq turned a helpless look towards Raifort, who shrugged and went back to her book, then back to Sada.

    ? B-but... there''s people watching.. why here?? he squeaked.

    Sada turned to follow his eyes, towards the dozen or so people in the little plaza that were pretending not to be looking at them.

    ? Would you have preferred Mesagoza? The Academy? Or maybe in the wild, being watched by a couple of Lechonks?? she answered back as she started to measure his waist and shoulders.

    Truth was, she vaguely remembered the measurements she had done for Turo''s clothes in her time... But those were much heavier than what the labcoat would end up being. This would be... A lot more form-fitting... But also light! She wanted it to go "swoosh" like his old one had always done when he moved, she loved that so much! And of course, she would make a labcoat for herself too... they could finally match!

    ? I also need your help with some... tech stuff. I don''t just want to make him a labcoat... I want it to glow.? she said.

    Jacq blinked, now looking quite perplexed.

    ? Glow... Like... Glow in the dark??

    ? Yes! Well... not only in the dark! It has to be subtle, but... I want to sew little handcuffs and the interior with this exact color-? she said, pausing to grab the fabric she had just bought from her bag. It was a very light violet, the exact colour that Turo''s bodysuit shone when he still wore it.

    She knew how much he missed wearing it and wanted to make him something that would hopefully feel as good for him to wear as that garment did. Something to wear in this time he could actually love, instead of constantly fidgeting with it.

    ? And it would look so cool if it glowed just slightly, enough to make you notice it but not be too bright, that would be distracting... you know what I mean? Can you help me do it? Is there some kind of... LED you can put into it? Or can I make the fabric itself glow in the dark in some way?? she asked, hopeful.

    Jacq now looked quite intrigued and lost in his thoughts, even as she resumed measuring his arm length.

    ? I think... yes, there''s definitely ways to do that... There''s a Pok¨¦mon here in Paldea who''s saliva contains a substance that could be useful... ever heard of Grafaiai??

    ? No...??

    ? Great! ? Jacq smiled ? Could you help me catch one??

    Sada pouted and jabbed him with a needle.

    ? This is actually for your research, isn''t it? Fine...?

    ---

    After a while, Turo understood why Brassius had told him to get rid of the brushes. He had carefully painted the hearth at the center of the canvas, and some of the brightest spots, but now he needed to do most of the background.

    The man was watching him with sharp eyes, arms crossed.

    He wanted this painting to remind Sada of her time, but not painfully so. And what painting tool was better to do so than to use what had been humanity''s first brush?

    He dunked his fingertips into the black paint, and pressed them on the upper corner of the canvas. A little chorus of "oooh" rose up behind him as probably half of the Academy''s STEM course was busy watching.

    He frowned and turned around.

    ? ... could you please not comment everything I do...?? he mumbled.

    ? Don''t complain about people appreciating art being made. You could have chosen literally anywhere else if you wanted privacy-? Brassius roller his eyes, and Turo went back to work.

    ? ... all right, you can watch. But please no one tell Sada about this.? he mumbled.

    ? Bro, do I look like I even know who this Sada is-? one of the high school students piped up, and he couldn''t help but chuckle a bit under his breath.

    ---

    ? According to my research, Grafaiai should live right around here...? Jacq said as they stepped out of the Flying Taxi, the pilot with the multicoloured flock of Squawkabilly lighting himself a cigarette as soon as they landed.

    ? "According to your research"? Everyone knows where Grafaiai territory starts: the bright, neon light graffitied trees make it kinda hard to miss.? the driver commented in a bored tone, prompting an amused chuckle from Raifort.

    ? I like this guy! We should call him more often.?

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Sada, meanwhile, was more interested in the trees themselves. She had seen them before, but didn''t know they were made by a Pok¨¦mon! She had left her heavy backpack back at the Academy after a brief stop there, not wanting to risk damaging what she had just bought, and was instead holding the bow she had crafted in Area Zero in one hand. A quiver full of arrows was slung over her shoulder.

    Instead of stone or metal arrowheads, each arrow had a Pokeball tied to it; that was the only way Clavell had allowed her to bring it around, and the one that wouldn''t attract too much attention.

    People had developed all kinds of unconventional ways to throw or use Poke Balls, it seemed like. Boomerangs, fishing rods, poles, slingshots... her bow wouldn''t look that out of place.

    Sada had accepted the compromise: a Pokeball was quite effective in blocking any wild Pok¨¦mon for a moment, even if they broke out of it immediately.

    Too bad not all Pokeball in this time were like the white ones that Turo had shown her... maybe the technology wasn''t there yet?

    ? All right Kim, we need to hunt some wild Pok¨¦mon now!? she said, releasing the Litleo from her Pokeball.

    The Fire type blinked and looked around, her tail twitching slowly behind her, something that Sada had learned meant she was interested.

    She crouched near the Pok¨¦mon and showed her a picture of the Pok¨¦mon they were looking for from one of the many books about Paldea''s fauna that Jacq always seemed to carry with him.

    ? It''s this one. We''ll have to be careful and really sneaky. With those big eyes, it can probably see perfectly even in the dark.? she explained as the Litleo peered at the picture, ears twitching.

    ? Let''s do our best!? she whispered, and they set off.

    She liked to watch the Litleo prowl confidently in front of her. It was a stark contrast with how she had acted when she had first caught her, clumsily chasing after a Tandemaus. Kim had grown a lot, just like her: she was now completely silent as she approached the first tree, sniffing it and briefly clawing at the trunk, before turning her eyes upwards.

    ? Do Grafaiai usually hide in the trees?? Sada whispered towards Jacq, biting her lip. That would make it more difficult for her is she had to aim between the branches...

    ? I guess so?? Jacq shrugged, and Sada sighed and shook her head.

    She started following Kim as silently as she could, before she realised that it was useless when she noticed how much noise Jacq was making. Raifort was a bit better at it, since the two had spent quite a lot of time travelling together, but Jacq... well, he reminded her of how clueless Turo had been back in her time.

    She repressed a nostalgic smile, before flinching when she noticed that Kim had crouched completely flat on the ground, tail low but the point of it twitching excitedly.

    She had found one!

    ? Go!? she whispered, and the Litleo took off. As a blur between the tall grass, she aimed a Fire Fang at the figure of a Grafaiai crouched low on the ground, busy munching on some berries. The wild Pok¨¦mon''s ears prickled up, and it turned those enormous, luminous eyes towards the Litleo. It raised one claw and threw the berry it was eating straight at Kim''s mouth before scampering off. The Litleo bit the berry in half, charring it completely, and barely slowed down as she chased after it.

    Sada run after the two, raising her bow: the first arrow flew past the Grafaiai and embedded a Pok¨¦ball in the ground in front of it, making the wild Pok¨¦mon grind to a stop. The pupil-less eyes made it difficult to understand what it was thinking; the wild Pok¨¦mon''s ears twitched backwards, and it briefly turned to look towards Kim and Sada just as she fired the second arrow at it. It ducked low, avoiding the Pok¨¦ Ball sailing past it, and decided to confront the Pok¨¦mon that was chasing it. Screeching wildly, it fired a Poison Spray straight at Kim''s mouth, prompting her to close it and stop her Fire Fang to avoid ingesting the poison directly. She couldn''t avoid the rest splattering on her face however, and the Litleo hissed in annoyance.

    ? Kim, attack it at a distance! Noble Roar!? she called out an order as she nocked her third arrow, but the wild Pok¨¦mon seemed to have wised up to their strategy already. It rushed the Litleo with a Fury Attack even as she roared, keeping as close to her as possible and slashing the air with its claws, more berry juice and poison dripping from the claws spattering everywhere.

    With the two Pok¨¦mon fighting close up like that, she had trouble aiming.

    Kim tried to Headbutt the Grafaiai to send it tumbling back and give her a clear shot, but the Poison was smarter than that. One ear was constantly turned towards Sada as he kept his attention on both her and her Pok¨¦mon.

    Sada found herself grinning: this one was smart! It knew how to act around humans and to be wary of Pok¨¦ Balls. Who knows how many people trying to catch it it had already escaped...

    The Grafaiai now darted between the trees, climbing one with blinding speed and using it as cover as it tried to make its escape. Kim roared in annoyance and opened her mouth, ready to breath a stream of fire after it, but Sada interrupted her.

    ? No, Kim! Chase after it on the ground and cut it off where the trees clear up, quick!? she exclaimed lowering her bow, starting to run after it herself.

    The Litleo took off, much faster than her as it beelined through the tall grass, her eyes still fixed on the figure of the wild Pok¨¦mon as it escaped.

    Soon neither of the two Pok¨¦mon was visible anymore, but she had faith in the Litleo. She would catch up to it-

    She kept running , hearing both Raifort and Jacq run behind her, until she saw the trees get more scarcer ahead. There was a sound like a squeak and another roar, and Sada caught a glimpse of her Pok¨¦mon and the Grafaiai.

    The trees stopped and would have forced the Grafaiai to jump back down to the ground, except that Kim was standing proudly in front of it, cutting off its escape route. The wild Pok¨¦mon hesitated a moment, reluctant to abandon the cover of the trees but also aware of the humans coming up behind it. It turned around just in time for Sada''s arrow to hit it straight on the head, the Pok¨¦ Ball finally catching it. The red and white sphere fell to the ground, where it shook a couple of times... before breaking open and releasing the creature again.

    The Grafaiai shook its head and screeched; it really looked almost used to the feeling, confirming Sada''s idea that it wasn''t the first time someone had tried to catch it.

    She readied another arrow as the Pok¨¦mon seemed ready to rush her to escape up in the trees again. She just had to hit it again to stop it-

    But just then, a mighty roar resounded behind it, and both Pok¨¦mon and Sada looked up in surprise, towards Kim.

    The Litleo had started running as soon as the Grafaiai had moved to attack her trainer, and mid run, her whole body was now glowing brilliantly.

    With a gasp, Sada''s arms went slack as she realized what was happening.

    ? Kim...!?

    The Litleo''s form grew, the tuft of fur on her head growing into a mighty and fiery mane, limbs growing longer and stronger as it finished evolving. Her roar grew deeper as she came out of the evolution as an enormous yet nimble beast. Covering the remaining space in a single bound, she leapt on the now much smaller figure of the Grafaiai and pinned it to the group, slamming one paw over its back. The wild Pok¨¦mon squeaked almost pitifully, but it could barely move as the Pyroar stared it down.

    Sada could only stare at her, breathless.

    ? Kim! You evolved!? she whispered, amazed. One of her Pok¨¦mon evolved! Right in front of her!

    And she was so... Oh, she looked incredible! So strong and proud-looking, and... and she was so big now! Standing up, she could now look Kim in the eye without barely looking down.

    The Pyroar started purring, a sound now as loud as the ones Winged King used to make when it would preen her hair, and she almost teared up.

    Kim flicked her ears, and pointedly looked down.

    ? What ...? Oh! Right, the Pok¨¦mon -? she muttered, tapping the Pok¨¦ Ball towards the Grafaiai pinned to the ground. This time, be it either the shock or the damage after being slammed by Kim''s paws, it barely struggled and allowed itself to be captured.

    She smiled briefly as she picked the Pok¨¦ Ball up, moving to scratch Kim behind the ears, carefully avoiding the fiery mane.

    ? Let''s go back to the others. We have lots of work still to do. I can''t wait to show you off to everyone!? she giggled.

    ---

    The day had actually come: it still didn''t feel real to Turo as he looked at himself in the mirror of his Academy dorm room.

    A dark blue navy suit with a tie and a simple white shirt.

    This was... so different to how he had imagined this day would go, if it ever actually happened.

    A couple of hours, and he and Sada would be married. Legally.

    ... With forged birth certificates and forged everything else that gave them a shred of identity in this era, sure, but... This one piece of paper at least would be real.

    He finished adjusting his tie with trembling hands, before turning his head towards the door when he heard someone knock.

    ? C-come in...? he swallowed, feeling a heavy lump in his throat.

    He felt a smidge of relief at seeing Clavell poke his head in. The older man looked at him and nodded approvingly, coming inside and closing the door behind him.

    ? ... I suppose this is not how you pictured this day going. ? Clavell commmented after a moment of silence, walking near.

    Turo smiled nervously, looking out of the window. The Mesagoza staircase was barely visible from his room, but he could see a couple of Flying Taxi land right in front of the Academy gates. He squinted, trying to make out who had just stepped off them, but they were too far away to make out.

    ? Well... I definitely didn''t expect to get married at school... by my biology teacher, to boot.? he chuckled to himself.

    They had decided to hold the ceremony at the Academy in the end... Mostly because doing it anywhere else would have costed so much money they didn''t have, not when they were using every penny they had been saving to restructure the lighthouse.

    And when Clavell had offered to perform the ceremony right on the school grounds, they had both found it... Fitting, in a way.

    It felt right.

    The Academy had been their home since they had arrived here, after all.

    ? You really didn''t have to become an officiant just for us, you know. ? he added, to which Clavell just smiled.

    ? Why not! Seeing two of my students marry here at the school has actually always been a dream of mine... especially two students as particular as you.? he answered, before moving to stand by his side next to the window.

    ? How are marriages done in the future? Is there still the tradition of cutting the tie? Please don''t tell me you wear those glowing suits even then-? Clavell sighed, and Turo smiled nervously again.

    ? N-no, of course not... and yes, we still cut the groom''s tie. Well, at least people in Paldea do. ? Turo murmured. For a moment, they just looked out of the window together.

    ? There''s some new traditions... if you get married on the Moon, or in low orbit, you watch the first dawn on Earth together. People over on Mars have their own weird customs... I went to the wedding of a cousin of mine and there''s this... thing going on of throwing red dust from Mars''s soil all over the newlyweds. Some things are still the same though, so... it''s pretty similar all in all. I would have been a lot less sweaty and uncomfortable back in my time however.? he chuckled nervously.

    Clavell smiled and briefly grasped his shoulder.

    ? Let''s go.?

    For a moment, Turo couldn''t help but think that back in his time, his father would have done the same exact gesture, and he swallowed a lump in his throat.

    ? Yeah.?

    They stepped out of the room, and made their way towards the great central hall where the ceremony would be held. The desks at the reception had been moved and replaced by a low table where Clavell would office the ceremony with all the required legal documents. Chairs had been brought out for the invited guests to sit down in, but really nothing stopped anyone else from watching the ceremony from the high balconies of the library all around, and some people (students and staff of the Academy alike) were already milling around. The location was maybe a bit unconventional for a wedding, but both him and Sada had choosen it for what it represented: the very center of Paldea''s prized Pok¨¦mon Academy, surrounded by books and knowledge on all sides.

    His eyes drifted for a brief moment to the two bookshelves closer to the entrance, where he knew a copy of the Scarlet and Violet books were kept, and he smiled briefly. In a way, Winged King and Mirai would be there with them... or at least, he liked to think so.

    He spotted various people and his and Sada''s Pok¨¦mon already waiting in the hall; ?tzi was busy tottering up and down the room, greeting guests and showing them to their seats, looking quite happy to be so useful.

    Miguel was flapping in large circles over everyone''s heads. At first Turo had been worried that seeing so many people wearing jewellery and their best clothes would send the little Murkrow on a stealing frenzy and bring chaos to the ceremony, but the Dark type seemed to be on his best behaviour... for now. He trusted the Murkrow to understand the importance of the day... he was looking quite intently at some of the guests, but Ampere floated right next to him, keeping quite literally an eye on his teammate.

    Miguel cawed in seeing him and flapped briefly down to land on his shoulder, pecking playfully at his hair, and Turo took a short moment to stroke the Dark type''s feathers.

    ? ... Tell you what? People are going to throw coins for good luck at the end of the ceremony. You can keep everything you manage to grab then.? he proposed, and the Dark type''s eyes glinted with mischief.

    ? Treasure? ? he cawed, and Turo smiled before letting it fly back up towards the ceiling.

    He caught more glimpses of people he knew once he turned around at the end of the makeshift isle to wait for Sada''s arrival. Jacq and Raifort were sitting side by side in the first row; seeing them wearing formal clothes was incredibly strange, especially for Jacq, who kept messing nervously with his papillon until Raifort let out an annoyed hiss and fixed it for him. Judging by how the man''s face got slightly red, she had tightened it up a bit too much. And judging by her face as she turned back around, it had been completely intentional.

    They locked eyes for a moment, and Raifort gave him an almost imperceptible nod. He nodded in answer, and he could swear she smiled almost imperceptibly.

    Director Harrington and most of the academy teachers occupied the next two rows, but behind those, he could see various people he and Sada had met during their research on Terastal energy and their gym challenge... plus a plethora of people he had never seen before, who had probably just heard of the event. He swallowed, feeling suddenly quite self-conscious.

    So much for the private, little ceremony he had hoped for.

    But when a figure walked past the entrance and the guests fell completely silent as Sada stepped inside, he couldn''t help but forget everything around him that wasn''t her. For that singular moment, the rest of the world didn''t exist for him.

    As had long been tradition for people of Paldea in the past, Sada was wearing a striking black wedding dress.

    Her shoulders were completely bare except for the sleeveless lace top that covered her upper body, while a tight black gown covered her legs... with a small smile, he realized that she had probably wanted to avoid a dress that was too long and cumbersome to walk in, or that dragged on the ground.

    It wouldn''t have fit her anyway.

    However, Sada had still put her own personalized spin on the dress; the necklace with teeth and feathers still shone proudly at her neck, as did the bracelet made with Star Pieces he had given her. She had carved hairpins out of wood and chiselled stone and attached Tera Shards to both, then used them to put her long, wild hair up.

    Turo was absolutely sure that if Clavell had allowed her, instead of a bouquet she would have marched in with her bow, or another spear she had crafted.

    But instead of a weapon, and maybe representing Sada''s proud, wild side even better than a bow ever could, right by her side was Kim. The female Pyroar looked magnificent, her fiery mane casting a warm glow on the Tera shards that adorned Sada''s dress, head held high as she escorted her trainer down the isle.

    It was tradition between Pok¨¦mon trainers to have one of the bride''s Pok¨¦mon follow her down the isle; it symbolized them entrusting the groom with their trainer, and also accepting the fact that the bride and groom''s Pok¨¦mon teams were also going to become like a single, shared family.

    Turo watched her walk slowly through the hall as he remembered their very first meeting on that riverbank... It felt like it had happened in a completely different life. One where they could have never been together like this.

    And now... she was going to become his wife.

    Sada and Kim stopped in front of him and Clavell, the Pyroar letting out a short growl. The was no aggressiveness in it, the growl slightly more than a formality, but that was what tradition dictated.

    He looked up towards Miguel, and the Murkrow glided back down to his shoulder, careful not to puncture his suit with his sharp claws.

    Turo took a deep breath.

    ? We''ll take good care of her.? he bowed his head slightly, Miguel doing the same, and the Pyroar blinked slowly in satisfaction and sat back on her haunches.

    ? And we promise to do the same for you.? Sada answered.

    He couldn''t help but notice with a bit of amusement that she was fidgeting a bit, not knowing what to do with her hands.

    Together, they turned towards Clavell, who had taken his place as the officiant of the ceremony in front of the couple.

    An expectant silence fell in the hall, every person and Pok¨¦mon present silently waiting for him to start. Turo caught eye of some of the younger Academy students peeking out at them from up in the library balcony.

    ? Since the day it was founded, Uvanja Academy''s purpose has always been to provide opportunities for its students. ? Clavell began. ? Opportunities to learn about the world, to hone their skills and find their true calling in life... since centuries, we''ve always entrusted our students with finding their very own "treasure". ?

    With his back to the crowd, Turo couldn''t see what they were doing, but the silence was almost deafening. Clavell smiled more broadly and now turned his eyes from the audience to him and Sada.

    ? Today, honoured guests, we are here to celebrate two of our students finding their most precious treasure in each other. Two brilliant and very special minds ? nobody but the two of them noticed the very quick smile Clavell gave them at those words ? who, I''m sure, will go on to accomplish great things in life, together... but today is not that day yet. ?

    He paused for a moment, and Turo could feel Sada tremble slightly at his side. Kim purred and rubbed her head against her hand.

    ? If anyone can show just cause why this man and this woman may not be lawfully joined together, let them step forward now to challenge them or hereafter remain silent.? Clavell continued. This part was purely a formality as far as Turo knew.

    In the past, having Pok¨¦mon present had also been a purely practical way to protect the couple if someone tried to interfere during the ceremony, and the tradition had stuck.

    Clavell cleared his throat to continue, but was interrupted by a sinister chuckle. Turo and Sada both turned around, to the figure of a Haunter rising slowly from the floor, cackling.

    Clavell and everyone else froze, looking at the Pok¨¦mon. Kim and Miguel growled and stepped forward, ready for the challenge, before Raifort let out a whispered curse.

    ? Haunter!! Come back here, I said it as a joke-?

    The ghost type snickered loudly and clapped both Pok¨¦mon on their backs, then slinkered back to its trainer, still cackling. Raifort sighed and recalled her Pok¨¦mon.

    ? Sorry, he''s just... please go on.? she mumbled.

    Everyone relaxed, and there were some chuckles from the audience.

    Clavell took a moment to continue.

    ? All right, then... let''s go on.?

    He took a deep breath, and Turo felt himself go rigid. This was the most important part of the ceremony.

    ? Do you, Romero Turo, take Alba Sada as your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and not so good times, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself unto her for as long as you both shall live?? Clavell''s voice rose steadily, and Turo had to take a deep breath to keep his voice from trembling.

    ? I do. ? he answered.

    ? Do you, Alba Sada, take Romero Turo to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and not so good times, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself unto him for as long as you both shall live??

    ? I do.? Sada''s voice didn''t hesitate, and he had to physically refrain from kissing her then and there.

    Clavell smiled, then turned to both Pok¨¦mon in turn.

    ? Do you, Miguel and Kim, swear to protect your Trainer''s companion like it was your own? To care for each of their Pok¨¦mon as if they were your own teammates? ?

    The two Pok¨¦mon answered in unison, Kim with a resounding roar and Miguel by mimicking Turo''s own "I do", which caused another fit of giggles in the audience.

    Feeling a bit lightheaded, he turned to Sada; now was the time for the vows and the ring exchange.

    ? Since the moment we first met, our lives both changed in ways that we could have never imagined. ? Sada began, and Turo couldn''t help but feel a surge of affection for her at seeing the pride with which she was speaking, the pure love in her eyes. She took both his hands in hers, interlocking their fingers.

    ? I still remember how you looked at me in that moment. Nervous, panicked and... honestly, completely lost. ? she said with a smile. Turo thought he heard a small "doesn''t surprise me" mumbled from Raifort.

    ? It''s a memory I will always cherish, like every other precious moment I spent with you that is now in the past... I vow to love you and support you, and to treasure every new memory I''ll make together at your side.?

    It took a couple of long moments for Turo to compose himself and reply.

    ? The first time we met, I never imagined that this day would ever come. Being at your side for the rest of my life sounded like an impossible dream; you looked so... far away to me, so impossibly out of reach.

    But now... we''ll build a new future together.? he raised his voice a bit as he saw Sada''s eyes widen and start to tear up, trying to keep his voice steady.

    ? I vow to love you and support you, and I am excited for every new day that will come at your side.?

    Clavell smiled brightly before continuing.

    ? Now, wear these rings as a reminder of the vows you have just taken.? he said, before turning expectantly to the entrance. After a long moment of silence, the sounds of ?tzi''s stubby clay legs started resounding across the hall as the Golett made its way through, holding a small pillow with the two rings.

    With a slight buzzing sound, Ampere floated down and pointed its magnets towards one of the ring, which started floating towards Turo''s hand.

    With a small smile,Turo picked up his ring in midair and took Sada''s left hand in his. They were simple golden bands, with their names engraved on the inside. He could feel Miguel shift his weight on his shoulder, and for a horrible moment thought that the Murkrow would snatch the ring away right as he was about to slide it on Sada''s finger. Thankfully, he seemed to only want to watch, and looked intent in keeping his promise.

    ? Romero, as you place this ring on Sada¡¯s finger, please repeat after me:

    ¡°I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment. With this ring, I pledge to love you, honor you, and cherish you, today and for all the days of our lives.¡±?

    ? I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment. With this ring, I pledge to love you, honor you, and cherish you, today and for all the days of our lives... for all time. ? he repeated, adding that last bit on impulse. It just felt... right.

    Sada did the same after waiting a moment for the Magnemite to float the second ring magnetically towards her hand.

    ? I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment. With this ring, I pledge to love you, honor you, and cherish you, today and for all the days of our lives... for all time. ? she said, her smile bright.

    ? With the power given to me by the region of Paldea, I now pronounce you Husband and Wife. ?

    Cheers erupted even before he was done with the customary "you may kiss the bride", which Turo only heard because he was standing right next to him, and because Sada had taken the chance to kiss him first, pretty much jumping into his arms.

    He pressed his lips to hers, holding her tight, only vaguely aware of the complete chaos that had erupted in the entrance until they looked around.

    ? Congratulations, Library Lady!!?

    Sada laughed and waved at the group of small kids from the elementary classes that had gathered on the library balcony as a mix of rice and coins thrown by the guests started to rain on them both. Miguel started flapping his way around, snapping up as many coins as he could in his beak, and Turo laughed, holding Sada close as he tried to avoid rice getting in her hair. He looked at the wedding band glinting on his ring finger as he did, smiling happily.

    A moment later, they got swarmed by the guests that wanted to congratulate them, and he got swept up in the celebrations.

    ---

    Sada found out that marriage celebrations weren''t that much different from the rites performed in her tribe. Lots of people, lots of food, music, and drinking were always involved. In a way, she found it reassuring... even if a part of her kept thinking about how the people in her time would have reacted to seeing how things were here.

    Well... Chalo would have loved the wine, for sure.

    Long tables had been set over on the lawn in front of the school, and most of the guests, plus whoever happened to pass by which by now looked like most of the Academy were freely mingling around.

    Following a Paldean tradition that said it was good luck to spot a Tandemaus or Maushold during a weeding, lures that emanated a smell similar to incense had been set up all around the lawn to attract wild ones, and a couple of students had let out their own Tandemaus that were now zigzagging between the tables, Kim chasing after them with absolute glee.

    She caught a glimpse of Grusha, talking with other students his age near one of the tables while his Sneasel was stealing most of the tarts from a plate. Larry was speaking with Turo a bit over to the side, the Gym Leader looking unusually... animated. Well, as much as he could. He had come near her earlier and congratulated them both.

    ? Even if I have no idea why you two would have invited someone like me.? he had added.

    ...well, it was mostly because Clavell had insisted they invite someone and... they didn''t really know that many people outside of the Academy. And she had found his Gym challenge fun.

    There had definitely been a point where Clavell had made a bit of a public event out of it, and somehow, the whole Academy had rolled along with it.

    Sada didn''t mind; she was having fun, and all the people gave her less time to think about the people that were missing from it.

    ? Could I have a word with the bride?? a voice she didn''t recognize made her turn around, towards a woman that had just approached her.

    The first thing that struck her was her clothes: she was wearing a two piece suit, which already contrasted with most other women present wearing dresses, each piece in contrasting colours: the upper half a bright violet, the pants a stark red. She had bright eyes of a peculiar bright orange and purple that immediately caught her eye.

    The woman,who looked more or less her age, offered her her hand, and Sada shook it.

    ? I just arrived from the airport so I''m afraid I missed the ceremony, so I wanted to congratulate you and the groom... My name is Briar Heath.?

    Heath?

    Sada''s eyes widened, and Briar must have noticed, because she smiled brightly.

    ?... Yes, that was the reaction I was expecting. I''m currently busy with a project overseas in Unova, but I heard from Director Harrington that you and the groom have shown... interest in entering Area Zero for your research??

    Sada turned to where Turo was still making small talk, desperately waving him over.

    ? Oh, well... yes,we do-? she replied vaguely.

    The ones that knew that she and Turo had actually appeared in Area Zero were limited to Clavell, Harrington and a couple of other people at the Academy. How much did she actually know?

    Turo must have noticed, because he raised one eyebrow and approached them both.

    ? I''m... afraid I don''t know your name, Ms...?? he said, looking perplexed.

    ? Oh, I''m not on the guest list! Harrington called me over because he thought I would be interested in meeting you... He keeps me updated about students of the Academy that show interest in Area Zero, but sadly no one does recently... Until you two came along! Briar Heath.? she shook Turo''s hand, whose eyes also widened at hearing the name.

    ? Are you perhaps related to...??

    ? Yes. I''m a descendant of the author of the Scarlet and Violet books. That is actually why I wanted to talk to you! I''m not a trainer, and literally no one has gotten permission to enter Area Zero in decades, but... if you two could manage it... I would be very interested in discussing what''s written in those books- maybe even help with funding your research??

    There was something calculating behind her smile, but Sada didn''t care. This woman could give her what they needed the most at the moment. Backing, someone that actually wanted to invest in their research-

    ? Yes... yes, of course!? she breathed out, excited. What a stroke of luck!

    ? ... why are there two books? Did he leave anything that explained it?? Turo blurted out next to her, looking as excited as she was. She couldn''t blame him: the Violet Book and how it showed Pok¨¦mon from the future had puzzled him from the first moment he had seen it.

    Briar looked pensive for a moment, playing with a pair of pearl earrings she was wearing.

    ? Well, the thing is... What Heath saw down there centuries ago is not even all that''s written in the printed books that are still circulating. The original draft has some unedited text and... puzzling pages that were left out, for some reason. But I don''t want to keep you from your celebrations! I need to leave shortly, we can talk about it another time!? she waved and disappeared down the Mesagoza staircase.

    They both followed her with their eyes, perplexed.

    ? Did she ... dodge the question?? Turo asked after a moment.

    ? Yeah, I''m sure she did. What was written in the original version, then? She said "version", singular.? Sada answered.

    Had there only been one book before Heath decided to split them into two versions? Why? They absolutely had to-

    ? What are you two doing over there?? Clavell''s voice snapped them both out of their almost trance, making them turn in unison.

    ? Oh, we were just talking with... A woman named Briar...? Sada answered.

    Clavell looked slightly surprised. ? I didn''t think she would actually come visit... but we can talk about it another day! There''s something I want to show you both.? he smiled, walking them both towards their table.

    ? I thought a lot about what to gift you-? he started, and Sada''s eyes widened.

    ? Gift? Sebastian, you don''t need to do anything for us, you''ve already done so much for us...? she hurriedly interjected, but Clavell shook his head.

    ? And you''re the officiant, does the officiant even need to do a gift?? Turo questioned, looking perplexed.

    ? I couldn''t do nothing. I wanted to do something meaningful. ?

    A big, bulky object had been set upon the table, covered by a cloth, which Clavell raised not without a certain flair.

    Under it was a big hourglass, the two ends in lacquered wood; it was laying sideways, and curiously each end was filled with what appeared like colored sand. Completely scarlet on one side, and violet on the other.

    ? I''ve taken the liberty of using some of the fire and poison tera shards you''ve collected and grind them into dust. ? Clavell said as Sada bent slightly to examine it, fascinated.

    ? It''s beautiful... ?

    ? But won''t the sand get all mixed up as soon as you turn it the first time?? Turo muttered, to which Sada giggled, turning towards him with a smile.

    Aw, Turo... she found it so endearing how he could analyze complex problems in seconds yet completely miss the obvious things laying in front of him sometimes.

    Clavell looked similarly amused.

    ? Yes, Romero. That''s, well... that''s pretty much the point. It''s supposed to be, you know... symbolic.? he answered slowly as he politely tried not to laugh.

    It took a couple of seconds for Turo to realize and turn bright red.

    ? ... ah. Of course. Me and Sada''s favourite colors.... all mixed up because... yeah, makes sense.? he mumbled, and she laughed and kissed him.

    ? I love you so much.? she whispered.

    ? I wanted something to always remind you to not lose sight of what''s important. The fact that you are both here, together, able to spend the rest of your life with each other instead of... being separated in your own times. ? Clavell whispered, and Sada followed the sudden urge to hug him, eyes stinging.

    ? Thank you. Really. For everything.? she whispered in his ear, leaving him quite flustered.

    ? Well, it''s... nothing special-? he raised his head when music started to suddenly play, before hurriedly pushing them towards the other guests.

    ? The music started! It''s time for your first dance! Go!? he smiled.

    Pushed away, Sada could do nothing but turn towards Turo, excited. He looked quite tense. She knew what he was worried about: stumbling while they danced and generally embarrassing her.

    ? Remember what I told you when we tried those dancing classes?? she whispered.

    She would never feel embarrassed of him.

    After a moment, Turo smiled and offered her his hand, the Tera shards he had used as cufflinks glinting under the moonlight.

    ? ... let''s see if those lessons paid off after all.? he replied, and she smiled while he led her to the center of the space created by the guests.

    Sada grabbed his right hand, putting the other on his shoulder, and together they started dancing.

    Turo really had practiced; his steps were a bit rigid, but sharp and focused, like he was putting every ounce of his focus on performing them correctly. She smiled and moved her hand from his shoulder to his neck, briefly, never looking away from his eyes. She could feel him lock up the slightest bit, before his smile relaxed and he spun her around, and she threw her head back and laughed joyfully.

    She barely noticed when the other guests slowly started joining them as they kept dancing under the moonlight.

 Chapter 35: Lamiaceae

    Chapter 35: Lamiaceae

    The celebrations kept going long into the night; the majority of students slowly trickled away, leaving only the newlyweds''s closest friends and acquaintances present. Clavell stood aside, a small smile on his lips as he simply watched; he had just finished dancing with Sada, who had now been dragged in a lively gigue by Jacq. The woman was laughing as Jacq enthusiastically showed her all the steps, messing up half of them.

    Turo meanwhile was catching his breath away from the dance floor, and was busy showing one of the sensors to calculate the Tera type of a Pok¨¦mon he had developed to an interested audience composed of Brassius, Larry, Hassell and strangely enough, Raifort.

    A Sudowoodo and a Staraptor were waiting on the grass as he moved a device similar to a metal detector up and down, scanning them.

    ? As you can see, even as it is not currently Terastalized, if we scan this Sudowoodo it''s type shows up as "Grass"? Turo said, before moving to the other Pok¨¦mon. Brassius smiled, his usually gloomy eyes alight.

    ? So, if this Tera Orb becomes commonplace, I could terastallize it whenever I want?? he asked. Turo nodded, before moving the detector towards the Flying type.

    ? Meanwhile, Larry''s Staraptor shows up as... Uh. ?

    He quirked one eyebrow, and checked the device expecting some error code.

    ? ... Weird. It says "Normal" type here. ? he muttered.

    ? I suppose it would happen... if a Pok¨¦mon''s Hidden Power just happens to be in tune with their actual type... err, I''m sorry, Larry. ? he shook his head with a sigh.

    Larry didn''t look particularly perturbed, as he stroked the Staravia busy preening himself.

    ? I don''t really mind. ? the smallest hint of a smile appeared on the man''s face.

    ? A flashy type like Dragon or Fire wouldn''t have suited us. Sometimes being ordinary is exactly what makes someone stand out. I''m actually glad you confirmed how in tune we are with each other. ? he said.

    Well... all right, as long as he was happy with it.

    ? Ideally, when that time comes, it would be great if we could integrate these sensors into something that every trainer could carry with them, so everyone could immediately check the Tera type of any Pok¨¦mon they have... ? he explained.

    Unfortunately, to his slight frustration, the technology wasn''t quite there yet. Maybe in a couple years time... Now if people would just hurry up and invent the touchscreen pushing for further device portability, that would already be a step in the right direction...

    His thoughts got interrupted by Hassel stepping forward.

    ? Could you check my Pok¨¦mon next?? he asked, excited, but before he could comply, they both got interrupted by a loud yell. He turned around, recognising Jacq''s voice, to find the younger researcher stumbling in his direction, dragging a still laughing Sada behind him.

    ? Wait! I haven''t given you my wedding gift yet!?

    There was a pause as Turo furrowed his eyebrows, perplexed.

    ? ... um... Isn''t it in that envelope along all the others...?? he asked. Jacq took a moment to fix his glasses - was he drunk? He looked a bit tipsy -

    ? Yes! I mean, not quite... It''s another gift! ? he exclaimed, before he started to fumble in the breast pocket of his two-piece suit. A brief silence fell as Turo watched Jacq turn every pocket inside out muttering "Now where did I put them...?" To himself. He turned towards Clavell, hoping for an explanation, but the man just shook his head.

    ? Found them!?

    And with that, Jacq pulled out no less than six miniaturized Pok¨¦ Balls and threw them in a wide arc in the air.

    ? What... ? Turo''s eyes widened as the forms of six Magnemites started floating in the air. Ampere let out a buzz and floated closer to the group. They must have started to communicate in some way - probably electromagnetic signals-, because they all started to bop up and down in midair.

    He turned back to Jacq, who wore a big, dumb grin on his face.

    ? Jacq... what''s the meaning of this??

    ? Well you know how Magnemite needs to link with two others to evolve? I thought to myself: "But what if I catch two random ones and then they don''t get along?" So I caught a whole bunch of ''em for you!?

    He didn''t really know what to say to that. On one hand, it was a sweet gesture and he appreciated it, on the other... He looked at the group of Magnemite that had started to float in circles all around Ampere, and him indirectly, making him look like some bizarre, human-shaped satellite.

    ? All right, but... What am I supposed to do with the ones that don''t choose to evolve?? he brought one hand to his face with a sigh. Jacq didn''t look worried.

    ? That''s okay, I caught ''em near the Levincia lighthouse! I think they all like to hang around it because of the signals the lighthouse emits... so they should feel right at home at the Cabo Poco one!?

    That ... was not what he was worried about, but whatever. He looked towards Ampere, who hadn''t stopped happily twirling his magnets, and smiled.

    ? ... I guess there''s enough space there for a couple more Magnemite. Thanks, Jacq. ?

    ###

    Very late into the night, a Flying Taxi landed near the Cabo Poco lighthouse.

    ? Congratulations for your wedding, or whatever-? their by now usual pilot said in the most bored and sleepy tone possible, lighting a cigarette before getting back into the air again, his flock of Squawkabilly looking less lively than usual after having been woken in the middle of the night.

    Turo was the first to step down, helping her get down while she was still wearing the dress and shoes she was definitely not used to. They approached the lighthouse together, hand in hand, and Sada could not help a little smile as she looked on at the building up ahead, visible only because of its own light it emitted. From this night, this would officially be their place.

    As soon as they were near the door, she felt Turo''s hand in hers clamp up and then let go. She threw him a glance, even if she couldn''t really see much of his expression in the dark.

    ? What are you thinking about?? she asked.

    He fumbled with the keys, taking a moment to unlock the door.

    ? Well, um... there''s this tradition when getting inside your house for the first time as a married couple...?

    She couldn''t help but laugh a bit.

    ? You want to pick me up?? she had seen it enough in movies to know what he was talking about.

    Turo nodded, a bit stiff, and she threw her arms around his neck, laughing.

    She didn''t think he would care about something like that. Aw.

    They crossed the door, but instead of putting her down, Turo held her close, now trembling a bit. She heard him sigh, and moved her head to better look at him. He had a distant look in his eyes.

    ? Is something wrong? You can put me down if it''s too much effort -?

    Having her twirl while they danced was one thing, but he had never exactly carried her "bridal style" like this-

    Turo just shook his head, and raised his shoulders.

    ? It''s nothing. For a moment, it just reminded me of another time I carried you like this... when you were injured by that other Winged King. But it''s fine. ? he pressed a kiss on her lips, and she could feel him smile faintly.

    ? Things are much different now. Better.? he murmured.

    He didn''t seem to want to let her go until they had crossed the whole house and stepped into the bedroom, turning on the lights.

    Sada held her breath, excited. Not because it was their bedroom - that was nothing new for them-, but because she had actually hidden her personal present for him into the new wardrobe just earlier that morning. She had woken up at dawn and ran out with a Flying Taxi to be able to do it and make it back to Mesagoza in time, but his reaction would be worth the sleep she had sacrificed to do so.

    However, what she didn''t expect was that apparently, judging by the big something propped against one wall, he had had the exact same idea.

    When had he even brought that in? It wasn''t there this morning, and he had been with her the whole time after that... He hadn''t opened the wardrobe by accident, had he?

    Turo put her down - not without a little grunt of effort - and turned towards her with a wry smile.

    ? Hassell helped bring it here during the afternoon. Did you notice he and Brassius seemed to disappear for a short bit?? he asked.

    She had actually, but didn''t think much of it with all the other guests present.

    Her honest thought had been that the two had disappeared in a room somewhere, and good for them.

    ? His Noivern is apparently really fast... I''ll have to thank him for the favour!? Turo laughed, before moving next to the mysterious object, grabbing hold of the cloth that covered it completely.

    With a bit of a dramatic flourish -something told her he must have practiced it many times -, he pulled the cloth off, letting it fall to the floor.

    Sada barely noticed, her eyes widening as she took in the large canvas in front of her. The upper corners of the painting had been painted to look almost like leather, while the subject of the painting was the interior of one of the tents of her tribe. Not the big, communal tent where most of the tribe gathered together, but one of the smaller, more private ones. She realized after a moment that Turo had painted the canvas so that the perspective made it almost look like she was lifting one of the flaps that would act as a door and peeking inside, in a 1:1 scale. A little fire glowed at the center of the canvas, barely illuminating the couple of everyday objects strewn all around. A pelt, arrow-heads, scrapers and other tools made of bone and stone, little things left around as if their owner had just walked out.

    It was a simple, everyday scene that she thought she would never see again.

    ? I tried to get it as accurate to my memories as I could... Before I started to forget.? she heard Turo whisper beside her as he put one arm around her waist

    ? But I didn''t want to simply reproduce a tent in particular... I wanted it to feel... Like yours, in a way. ? he added.

    She didn''t know what to say to that: the more she looked, the more little details she caught. The little embers and ashes from the fire in the center of the painting, the parts of the painting that had his fingerprints faintly visible on them, as if he had dipped his fingers in paint to do them, just like the people of her tribe would do...

    ? This... This is beautiful. Thank you so much. ? she whispered in response. ? ... I actually have something for you, too. Open the wardrobe.? she added after a moment, smiling in anticipation. Turo raised one eyebrow, but complied after a moment.

    She watched with a grin as his eyes went similarly wide as he saw what was hanging inside in the otherwise empty wardrobe.

    ? It''s... A new labcoat... ? he said, carefully taking it off the hanger, just to get silent when he caught sight of the luminescent fabric on the innermost part and on the seams and cuffs. He quirked both eyebrows, something he only did when he was genuinely surprised.

    ? I know how much you find the clothes in this era uncomfortable, and that you miss wearing your suit.? she said, picking one sleeve up.

    The old one he had always worn had gotten unusable after spending an entire month in Area Zero wearing it constantly.

    ? So I tried to make something that would look good with the suit and remind you of it.?

    Turo carefully pinched the fabric between two fingers, apparently just to enjoy the feeling of it, and smiled.

    ? Wait... look good "with" the suit?? he said after a moment, turning to look at her.

    ? I cant wear my bodysuit, people are going to-?

    ? People aren''t going to even notice it''s from the future!? Sada laughed. ? Clavell doesn''t count, people aren''t going to analyze it under a microscope like he did! Maybe not everyday, but you can wear it with the labcoat while working... make it part of your image. That''s what I want to do with mine. Those clothes are the only thing left from my time, and I don''t want to stuff them in a closet never to be seen again for the rest of my life!? she said.

    ? Let''s do it! We''ll wear them with pride. And we''ll finally have matching labcoats. I plan to make one for myself, too.?

    She could see a little smile make its way on his face at her words.

    ? ... why not. Thank you. It''s incredible.?

    Sada smiled in return and threw her arms around him, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

    ? But first... How about we take these clothes off? ? she whispered tugging at his necktie, and Turo grinned.

    ###

    Turo honestly thought it would take more for him to get used to thinking of Sada as ''his wife'', but it came surprisingly natural. Maybe it was because they had already spent so much time just living together in some way or another.

    As much as he had tried to reassure Sada that everything was going to be okay, Turo had his fair share of freaking out to do in the following weeks.

    Usually every time they went for a checkup. He... frankly speaking... still had no faith in the level reached by medical science in this era. Didn''t... didn''t they still like... cut people open in this time? And only sometimes used anesthesia?

    That was barbaric.

    Today''s checkup at least was more of the usual; Sada was starting to develop a very visible belly, and had to really start paying attention to what she could and couldn''t do.

    ? Definitely no more chasing wild Pok¨¦mon around with a bow! ? he had commented, incredulous, when Sada had told him of what Jacq had asked her to do in exchange for helping with her gift.

    ? What was Jacq thinking, asking you to take part in it??

    ? You know that in my time people did a lot more while pregnant, and they managed just fine.? Sada had simply answered, and he had sighed.

    But in the end, Sada had never failed to listen to what her doctor recommended when she actually told her that she would need to slow down a bit and avoid strenuous effort.

    ? Even if you are in great physical shape, it''s better to be cautious... by the way, do you want to know the gender?? the doctor asked that day as she finished her examination.

    ? You can do that?!?

    ? You can do that??

    Sada and Turo asked in unison, the first in wonder and the second in genuine confusion.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Uh.

    He didn''t think they could discern it already... man, this whole century was a mess. So many new inventions and technological advancements done so incredibly fast, relatively speaking... it was impossible to keep it all straight.

    Honestly, the thought had never crossed his mind. His head was full of scenes from old-timey movies where the nurse screamed "congratulations, it''s a boy!", or whatever, so that was how he had pictured it would go with them, too.

    Getting told that he could know right now, out of the blue... he didn''t know what to think. It wouldn''t be "their child" or "the baby" anymore, but their son or their daughter. In a way, it would make it more... tangible.

    Once they knew, they would have to think of a name, too... was he ready? He looked towards Sada, feeling like she had to decide.

    ###

    At their answers, the gynecologist stared at both of them, and Sada blushed slightly, embarrassed. Turo grasped her hand, and she felt his fingers brush over her wedding ring, and she smiled just the tiniest bit. They exchanged a glance, and she realized he was leaving the choice to her. She had no idea this was even possible! Sure, her mother had known all kinds of little tricks that apparently told you if it was a boy or a girl, like the shape of the belly, but Sada had honestly never really understood how to tell the two shapes apart... it wasn''t even that accurate either.

    ? I-I mean... yes, I... we would love to.? she whispered after a moment, holding Turo''s hand tighter. The doctor smiled, looking between the two.

    ? You never said anything so I was starting to wonder if you were the kind of couple that doesn''t want to know...? she said, before taking a big breath. Sada felt Turo''s hand squeeze hers, and felt her own chest tighten. Her mind was completely blank. It''s not like she had ever thought of one option over the other, so why was she even feeling nervous? It made no difference-

    ? It''s a boy. Congratulations!?

    ... And right as the doctor said it, in a way, it was as if she had always known. Like it had been natural, as it was meant to be.

    Turo''s hand twitched, and she turned her head towards him. His face was completely blank, but his eyes had gone wide.

    His fingers trembled slightly in hers.

    ? A boy... ? she repeated, caressing her belly with a wide smile.

    ? Why don''t we decide his name?? Turo whispered after clearing his throat, and Sada''s eyes widened.

    He wanted to do... what?

    ###

    His offer to pick the boy''s name was met with complete silence by Sada, and that had left him puzzled. She had looked almost... troubled at the idea, and Turo couldn''t understand why.

    They left the doctor''s office hand in hand, and for a couple of minutes they simply walked through the streets of Mesagoza. Sada kept walking with her head held low, and Turo didn''t know what to say. Had he said something wrong?

    ? Sada... what''s the problem? You looked so happy, but the moment I mentioned choosing the boy''s name, you-? he stopped. Saying "the boy" still felt unreal to him. Their little boy. Their treasure. They were going to have a son.

    He caught sight of a bench in an empty little plaza, and they sat down. Sada still didn''t look up.

    ? I... ? she started wringing her hands. ? I didn''t think to give him a name yet... in my time, we... We didn''t name the children when they were born.? she said in a low voice, her eyes still lowered to the ground. Her long hair fell forward, partially cowering her face. Turo blinked, caught by surprise.

    ? You didn''t... name the children...?? he asked, and she shook her head.

    ? Everyone would get their name when... when they were able to visit the tribe''s cave for the first time. ? she added, and Turo flinched back.

    ? But... but isn''t that at least when they are a couple years old and can walk? You... you didn''t have a name before that?? he asked, incredulous. Why would they ever make such a tradition -

    Sada''s eyes were still hidden, but her face was growing red, and after a long moment, he understood the reason almost at the same exact time she spoke up again. His face fell and he moved to hug her, wrapping her arms around her with a trembling sigh. Oh, Sada...

    ? ... No, I didn''t, because that way, if I didn''t... if I... it would hurt less... maybe -? Sada was saying all at once, stumbling over her words in hushed whispers.

    ? The baby is fine... he will be safe here, and you won''t have to worry about anything happening to him like your parents had to do-? he whispered, stroking her hair. He felt her nod weakly against her neck.

    ? It''s just... I feel bad because I didn''t even think about it, that it could somehow be bad... but they weren''t''...bad parents - I felt like my memories of them were getting... ruined and it''s all I have left of them...? she kept talking almost like she was trying to convince herself more than him, and he just kept holding her close.

    ? I''m sure they weren''t... They did the best with what they had- it''s obvious how much your mother loved you when I visited your village.. and I''m sure your father was the same. ? he said in the end.

    Sada said nothing for a while, until he felt her shoulder relax and she pulled back from him, nodding slightly.

    ? I... have no idea what name we could even choose. ? she whispered, but he stopped her by cupping her face in his hands.

    ? That doesn''t mean anything. I know you love the baby anyway - no one that doesn''t would call him "my treasure"... And get that sparkle in their eyes like you did when you told me you were pregnant. ? he said.

    Sada was so strong... Much stronger than he could fathom to have survived in times as harsh as she did, and still keep her bright and curious attitude, braving wild Pok¨¦mon just to satisfy her curiosity. But, almost paradoxically, she found herself stumped by the little things of this time, things that were obvious to everyone here but not her.

    ? It''s perfectly normal not to think of a name for quite some time. Even the doctor said it, some couples don''t even know the gender of their kid until it''s born! They choose only after the birth.? he laughed, trying to reassure her. Sada smiled, raising one hand to play with his hair. She already looked a bit better.

    ? All right... But I want to start thinking of a name-? she said.

    Turo swallowed, now feeling suddenly a bit anxious himself.

    ? Well, um... ? all male names he had ever heard in his life suddenly sounded bad.

    The thing was... he could barely name his variables while coding, now he was supposed to bestow a name on a person?

    Something they would carry for the rest of their life?

    At least Pok¨¦mon could tell you if they liked the name!

    ? We have time, and you know the names of this era better than me... but you definitely need to put more thought in it than you did naming your Miraidon "Mirai"? Sada laughed, and he felt himself blush. For once, thinking of Mirai didn''t hurt.

    ? I... I was four years old at the time! Like you''re the one to talk with the nickname you wanted to give Kim at first! What are you naming that Swinub Grusha gave you, by the way?? he asked. Sada huffed.

    ? Don''t try and change the topic!?

    There was a pause.

    ? ... Bacon.?

    ? We''re going to buy one of those books about baby names, and read it really carefully? he muttered.

    ###

    Months slowly passed and Sada''s pregnancy forced them both to make some adjustments; their research on Tera Pok¨¦mon slowed noticeably now that she couldn''t visit Tera dens for the time being, and their Gym challenge had to be put on hold.

    The development of the prototype of the Tera Orb however was almost complete: if everything went well, they would soon be able to present it officially to Briar and other possible backers; with some luck, it would impress them enough to get both her and Turo a grant and allow them into Area Zero with the excuse of further developing the Tera Orb.

    They had moved permanently into the lighthouse in Cabo Poco, even as the actual lab part of the house was still pretty much empty. Sada had been forbidden from doing any kind of heavy lifting and work, something she was not used to. Thankfully she had plenty she could still do sitting down, and her Pok¨¦mon helped her with anything else.

    ? Can you get me the orange yarn, please? ? she asked ?tzi as she lay down on a couch, hook in hand, busy crocheting a couple of tiny baby socks. The Golett diligently obeyed, taking a moment to pick up the correct color and bringing it to her. Kim watched the ball of yarn with some masked interest; now that she was a Pyroar, Sada sometimes caught her trying to act as if she was now too grow-up to get up in little things like play around with a ball of yarn, something she found quite funny. She had still found her completely entangled in it just the other day, trying to not burn the whole skein to ash.

    Bacon (name still pending) lay by her side, like a very cozy and (surprisingly, for an Ice type) warm pillow. Turo was somewhere in the laboratory, which was slowly taking shape. Granted, their lack of money meant that for now, most of their research equipment consisted of Turo''s laptop, a small collection of books they were amassing, their school notes and research papers, her little excavation toolkit and camping equipment, and... Not much else.

    But if their Tera Orb really got people excited and secured them the funding they needed... She suddenly stopped crocheting when she felt a sudden stab of pain in her stomach.

    ? ?tzi, Kim... run to call Turo, please? she said, her voice surprisingly calm even as she took a big breath. She knew what was happening. Had seen it happen countless times already. It was normal, completely natural. She was going to be fine. Just fine. The baby was also going to be safe. It wasn''t like back in her time, people knew how to handle things, worst case they would just put her to sleep like her gynecologist explained and-

    She was scared.

    She couldn''t be scared.

    The Golett and Pyroar just looked at her as she grabbed her phone and started dialing for a Flying Taxi, trying to keep her hand from shaking and voice steady.

    ? I think the baby is coming.? she said with another stab of pain.

    The Golett raised its hand to its head and ran off in a panic, clattering towards the laboratory, while Kim curled up behind her like a big warm pillow, kneading her back with her paws. She didn''t know if it was just some instinct the Pyroar had or if she was genuinely trying to soothe her, but she appreciated it anyway as she waited for the call to get picked up.

    ?Yes, I need a taxi service, I''m at the Cabo Poco lighthouse. It''s really urgent, I need to get to Mesagoza as fast as I can-urgh. Reason? Um... I think I''m about to give birth.?

    She had never seen a Flying Taxi arrive so fast before.

    ###

    So... the baby was coming. Right now. Turo knew they were approaching the deadline, so it would have been a matter of days or a week at most anyway, but when Sada''s Golett barreled into the lab and forcibly dragged him in the living room and he saw her clenching her teeth in pain on the couch, he still flew into a panic. Sada had been... almost unsettlingly calm during the whole ride towards the hospital, he couldn''t help but feel like he was doing something wrong. Was she putting up a brave front? Or maybe she genuinely didn''t think much of it? After her life in the Paleolithic, maybe everything looked so easy and cozy to her.

    ... But what if she wasn''t, and he didn''t notice because he was too busy trying to calm himself down-

    He could only keep thinking of how little faith he had in the medicine of this time. Sure, they did amazing things to Pok¨¦mon, but humans were another matter entirely.

    What if they had to-

    ? Turo ? Sada''s voice snapped him out of his thoughts: they had been left momentarily alone, a nurse coming in just to check on "how far along" they were. Things could apparently still take hours, or even more than a day, and that terrified him.

    In his mind, those hours were where everything could go wrong, and he could do nothing to help.

    ? You''re not the one giving birth, so stop making that face ? she gasped, and he could feel himself blush.

    Sada took a deep breath, holding out her hand, and he held it. She gripped his palm,almost digging her nails in.

    ? I don''t care if in your time they do some stupidly advanced futuristic thing like teleport the baby out or whatever? she said, and that was enough to stop his mind from running in circles in a panic.

    He stared at her, slack-jawed.

    ?W-well...? he said, not quite sure how to answer that. I mean...

    ? Do you want to know what my mother did in my time? ? she asked, and he nodded.

    ? She had me in a cave, with a spear in hand, while my father was busy fending off a pack of wild creatures just outside? she took another deep breath, her hand trembling in his.

    ? Are you about to fight a pack of wild Houndooms? ? she asked, and he shook his head, feeling himself calm down.

    ? N-no... ?

    ? Exactly-? Sada gasped as she doubled over in pain again, and he flinched.

    ? Compared to what they went through for me, this is nothing. Nothing-? she gasped, and he could see little beads of sweat all over her face, her eyes wide, pupils shrunken and reduced to a pinprick.

    ? ... then why am I so scared...?? she finally whispered, and he grit his teeth.

    He hated to see her like this. He had to help... he had to be the one to support her.

    He cradled her hand with both of his, straightening his shoulders. It suddenly reminded him of another time he had waited at her bedside, less than a year and yet a lifetime ago.

    ? You''re right. It will be fine.? he whispered just as the nurse came back inside.

    ? I''m right here. Just focus on my voice. Think of our little boy: we''re going to finally see him soon!? he hoped to distract her by making her focus on something else. The one all of this was for, after all.

    Sada actually smiled at that.

    She knew that childbirth hurt. She saw it multiple times at the village in her time, and it had always given her a deep respect for every older woman of her tribe, her mother first of all. She thought she could somewhat imagine what it felt like.

    And yet it had been nothing like what she had ever experienced. She had read books about it to prepare, in the months before. She thought that maybe fully understanding all the changes her body would go through would help. How the whole procedure happened, from a purely scientific point of view... how, apparently, the brain was wired to downplay and distort the memories of how painful it had been later on, or otherwise no living being would ever decide to give birth multiple times.

    She really hoped for that to be the case.

    But when, after what seemed like hours and hours of labouring, she suddenly heard that first cry, she realized that the pain didn''t matter at all. She raised her head, trying to look down, towards the nurse, but didn''t quite manage it. Her eyes went to Turo, but he wasn''t looking at her, his eyes fixed on something else.

    Like from a great distance, she heard the nurse ask him something and he let go of her hand to stand up, moving like he was in a trance.

    And then the baby was suddenly put in her arms: she looked down, and there he was. Their child. Their little treasure.

    He was real. His eyes were squeezed shut, his face still red from the crying after taking his first breath, and he looked so incredibly small...

    ? ... You''re finally here.? she gasped as Turo sat back down by her side, his gaze fixed on the little bundle in her arms.

    His face was completely unreadable as he kept staring, transfixed, his eyes wide and unfocused. Sada couldn''t help but keep thinking about all the incredible series of coincidences that had to happen for this new life to just be here in her arms, right now. If she and Turo had never met... if they had stayed in their own times... he wouldn''t be here now.

    It was a miracle.

    ? So... which of the names we discussed do we want to give him?? Turo asked by her side after a moment of silence.

    Or maybe it was a couple minutes. Or maybe an hour. She couldn''t quite know: time seemed to have lost all meaning right now.

    He still seemed quite a bit out of it - honestly, she was too, apart from feeling exhausted. Focusing on something concrete would probably help both.

    They had made a list of possible names, but still hadn''t quite decided on one, opting to do so when the baby would be born.

    Sada thought for a long moment; they had decided to not choose a name from either of their times; it had to be something that would make him fit in, that would sound completely normal in this time.

    ? Names inspired by plants and flowers seem to be really popular, don''t they? There were quite a lot in those lists of baby names... ? she said after a moment. She hesitated and, almost fearfully, touched the baby''s cheek with one finger. It was so strange: he had been with her for nine months, but this was the first time she was actually touching him with her own hands. It still didn''t feel real.

    ? Let''s see... "Oliver"? ? she asked, only for Turo to sigh.

    ? ... Please no, I don''t want to be reminded of something I''m allergic to every time I look at my son... ? he mumbled, and she giggled.

    Oh. Right.

    ? Sorry... then, um... "Valerian"? "Valerio"?? she offered.

    ? ... Isn''t that from the herb they make sedatives out of? ? Turo''s eyebrows furrowed, and now it was Sada''s turn to sigh, exasperated. He was going to object to everything she was going to propose, wasn''t he?

    But she could understand being so picky. This was important. It had to be perfect. It had to... feel right.

    ? It also meant "strong" long ago, but alright. Um... ? she looked down at the baby in her arms. He had his eyes closed, and she noticed that he had long eyelashes. So beautiful.

    ? What about "Rose"??

    ? Absolutely not.?

    Turo''s vehement answer made her raise her head again, puzzled. He fidgeted a bit at her side, apparently uncomfortable.

    ? That name''s going to get... a really bad reputation in some years time. He''s going to be hurt if we name him "Rose".?

    Sada stared at him, while he avoided her eyes, picking at a stray thread on the side of the couch he was sitting on.

    ? ... Is something bad going to happen?? she asked in a whisper, immediately feeling a spike of anxiety rise through her at the thought.

    Turo sighed and shook his head.

    ? Don''t worry about it. It''s not going to happen in Paldea anyway. There''s nothing we have to worry about. Let''s just avoid that name.? he said, before shifting closer. He carefully raised one hand, hesitated, and she noticed that he was trembling slightly.

    ? Do you want to hold him?? she offered with a smile, but Turo just widened his eyes and shrank back, almost frightened.

    ? I-I... I don''t know... what if? his eyes flickered between the bed where she was laying and the couch just next to it where he had been sitting. It wasn''t even a meter, but by his expression, he looked like she had just asked him to walk on a tightrope across the Great Crater of Paldea, juggling plates with both hands as he did.

    ? What if I trip and... fall-? he whispered, almost shaking.

    ? Turo, it''s fine. We practiced. Have you really never held a baby before? ? she asked, and he turned his head away, a hint of red on his cheeks.

    ? ... just one time. One of my many cousins, when they were little. But it was completely different in that case-?

    Sada simply sighed, stroking the baby''s head.

    ? ... why, is there some stupidly advanced forcefield in the future that magically prevents babies from being dropped?? she asked, half amused and half sarcastic.

    ? Well, no... kind of. In a way...? he muttered. She simply stared, and he sighed, now completely red in the face, wringing his hands.

    ? ... You can''t really drop a baby on the Moon.? he finally mumbled.

    It took her a couple of seconds to get what he meant, and she just stared, before bursting into an uncontrollable fit of giggles she had to bury her face sideways in a small mountain of pillows to smother. She could feel the baby in her arms move a little bit at the sudden noise.

    ? Ouch... still hurts... I can''t laugh too hard... ? she gasped, and Turo suddenly moved closer,worried.

    That wasn''t exactly a sentence she thought she would hear when she woke up this morning, and she was extremely glad that they were still alone in the room.

    ? Hold your arms out,just like we practiced. And remember to-?

    ? To support his head, yes. ? he finished in a low voice. But he did like she said, and with some trepidation she passed the baby in his arms and watched as he slowly walked backwards a couple steps and sat back on the couch. Despite what she just said, she realized she had just held her breath while he did so.

    Turo looked down at his son, his face completely unreadable, as he always did when he was carefully masking his feelings.

    Never more than now did she wish to know what was going through his mind.

    ? ... what about "Lars"?? he asked after a long moment. Sada blinked.

    ? Lars... from "laurel", right?? she tried out the name, how it sounded on her tongue.

    ? I''m... not that sure I like it. ? she scrunched up her nose in thought.

    ? It feels... like something a warrior would use. I don''t want our child to have such a heavy name. He lives in such a peaceful time.? she smiled, only for Turo''s words just earlier to echo in her mind.

    ... that didn''t matter. He said Paldea would be safe.

    Turo simply nodded. ? That makes sense.?

    ? What about herbs? ? Sada proposed. ? There''s mint... people long ago called it "the herb of hospitality": it was used to greet guests because it smelled nice. ? she said, looking back down at the baby still in Turo''s arms.

    ? Something like... "Peppermint"? Too long... "Pepper"? But that sounds completely different...? she kept trying different names. There had to be one that sounded just right -

    ? ... "Arven".?

    She almost missed Turo''s whisper; he looked up, a strange glint in his eyes.

    ? From "Mentha arvensis". It''s the scientific name of this small plant... there''s some growing near the stream just behind the lighthouse.? he muttered, bowing his head again. ? It has some pretty purple flowers, so I got curious about it the other day and looked up what it was called...?

    Sada smiled. Yes.

    The fact that he had seen the plant she had just mentioned as a pure coincidence... just like their first meeting.

    It felt right.

    ? "Arven"... Yes, I like how it sounds. Do you like it, Arven?? she cooed softly as Turo moved closer.

    Arven simply yawned, turning around in his sleep.

 Lamiaceae, part II

    The door of the laboratory suddenly opened, letting in the light of the day. Miguel let out an irritated caw and raised his head from under his wing, squinting in the bright sunlight. He had flown around the lighthouse the whole night, looking for sparkling treasure, and his human knew that he was usually sleeping at that time of the day, unless they had an important battle the next day, but that hadn''t happened in a while.

    In front of him was his human, Turo, who smiled bright: the Murkrow tilted his head, perplexed.

    That was strange: at that hour of the morning, Turo usually spoke in grunts and single words, sipping that "coffee" he liked so much.

    That was maybe why they got along so much.

    ? Hi Miguel. Sorry, I know you''re usually sleeping right now... But this is important. I just got home from the hospital with Sada and Arven ?

    He was still smiling widely, and it was starting to creep Miguel out a a bit, but there were more important things. A word he didn''t know.

    ? "Arven"? ? he cawed, flapping his wings to land on Turo''s shoulder as he walked out of the living room, and towards the bedroom of the two humans''new nest.

    Turo raised one hand to pet his head feathers, and he crowed and affectionately pecked his earlobe.

    ? I want you and Ampere to meet him ?

    Ampere was already bopping up and down in the corridor, his companions vorticking around him. Miguel didn''t really like them: he already had to accept a Pok¨¦mon with thunder as part of his flock, and now there were even more! Thankfully most of them, apart from those two, didn''t look all that interested in him, simply staying around the lighthouse and not coming inside.

    Turo took a moment to pet the three Magnemite in turn, and Miguel shifted on his shoulder, growing impatient.

    What was this "Arven" he had to see? Was it a new team member? What Pok¨¦mon would it be? Hopefully not another thunder one... he wouldn''t mind another bird, hovewer. Someone that could actually fly with him.

    It was only when Turo entered the room where Sada was holding something in her arms that he realized that "Arven" was not another Pok¨¦mon but a tiny human. Well, "tiny" meant that it was still almost as big as him, but still quite small, for a human. Kim and ?tzi were already sitting near Sada, one on each side, eagerly raising their heads to try and get a peek at it.

    Miguel''s eyes widened, and he hopped from one of Turo''s shoulders to the other, tilting his head sideways.

    Human hatchlings were strange, Miguel thought as soon as he could see him; they looked completely different from adult humans. Little Murkrow looked exactly like he did as soon as they were born, only much smaller, obviously. And they were completely helpless!

    The little hatchling from his human looked like it could''t even do a simple Peck.

    Then again, neither could his human, as an adult.

    The little human was sleeping, his breath calm and steady; even as Sada was holding him thight, Miguel couldn''t help but chirp a little in worry; it had no fur nor feathers, wasn''t it cold? Near him, Kim grumbled in agreement, and made her fiery mane crackle a bit warmer.

    ? Here he is... Our little treasure. You will help look after him, will you? ? Turo''s hand came to scratch him under his wings, in one of his favourite spots, and Miguel closed his eyes and cawed happily.

    He would. He could understand this. Hatchlings weren''t sparkly, but they were still treasure.

    ---

    It still didn''t feel quite real to Turo every time he looked at Arven that this was truly his son. Everything felt surreal; until now, he and Sada had focused only on themselves, on how to adapt to their new life. But now, they had someone that was completely dependant on them; it was... both an incredibly exhilarating feeling and completely humbling.

    ? He... He doesn''t cry much, does he? ? he asked that afternoon as Arven had just fallen asleep with a big yawn after eating.

    They were both currently in the bedroom, watching over him in the baby crib, and Turo couldn''t help but anxiously hover over him.

    ? Is... Is that normal? What if it means there''s something wrong...? ? he asked.

    Sada simply smiled and shook her head.

    ? He''s fine, Turo. Babies cry when they need something, so it''s a good sign, no? ? she answered. He looked at her for a couple of moments, quietly wondering how she was feeling.

    ? Is this... Weird, for you? ? he finally asked.

    When she turned towards him with a blank expression, he hurried to add:

    ? I mean... It must have been so much more difficult in your time... how did you even...? he said, looking back down at Arven. He wondered what would have happened if, somehow, he had been born while Sada was still back in the Paleolithic... just the thought of all the dangers he would have to brave and be exposed to was chilling.

    It took Sada a couple of moments to answer.

    ? Well, it is... reassuring, to be here, in a way. I don''t have to worry about wild Pok¨¦mon attacks, sure... but honestly, at the moment it just makes my mind focus even more on everything else that could be going wrong.? she answered with a bit of a tired smile, sitting down on the bed. He copied her, the mattress dipping slightly under both their weight, and for a moment they both simply stared at the sleeping form of the baby inside the crib.

    ? Let''s just take it one day at a time.? he whispered as Sada let her head drop on his shoulder with a sigh.

    ? Yes. One day at a time. Just like that time in Area Zero.? she answered.

    ? At least we''re not gathering rainwater in cups to survive this time.? he mumbled, and she laughed.

    ---

    During the late afternoon, right as Arven had woken up and Sada had picked him up in her arms, the bell rang suddenly. They shared a look, Turo raising one eyebrow as he shrugged.

    ? Clavell said something about wanting to visit yesterday, it''s probably him?? he said, heading towards the door. Sada followed, Arven in her arms as Kim traced her every step, eyes fixed on the baby like it was her own newborn Litleo.

    ? Where''s Sada''s little precious baby?!?

    Raifort''s voice rang from the entrance, and Sada walked into the corridor just in time to see the woman completely ignore Turo at the door to head towards her with a radiant smile. Jacq and Turo shared a glance and a sigh, while Clavell just shook his head with a smile, his Oranguru holding a small mountain of packages floating in midair with a Psychic. Turo closed the door behind everyone and frowned slightly, following the group and Sada in the living room.

    ? ... It''s kind of my baby too, you know.? Turo mumbled as he opened a cabinet to grab some snacks and anything they could offer to drink. Sada noticed with a bit of an amused smirk that Raifort immediately sat down beside her on the couch, stealing Turo''s usual spot.

    Turo immediately noticed, but just rolled his eyes and sat down on the opposite couch near Clavell. Jacq hovered near a sofa for a moment before sitting down, immediately bumping the little table in the middle with his knee and hissing in pain. Sada had never met someone even clumsier than Turo before getting to know the young scientist, and Jacq reminded her a bit adorably of the first few times she and Turo had met. He had that same air of being so focused on his interests to the point of not really being aware of his own surroundings, or even his own body.

    Clavell''s Oranguru carefully floated the packages down on the table and stood aside, where he was quickly approached by both hers and Turo''s Pok¨¦mon. Sada took a long, deep breath, as everyone turned towards her. Or more accurately, to Arven.

    This was... Really nice, and somewhat nostalgic. A little, cozy space filled with people, all because of the newborn child in her arms, blissfully unaware at being the center of so much attention.

    ? He''s so cute... He has your eyes, Sada? Clavell commented, peering at him for a long moment.

    ? Actually ? Jacq piped up ?All babies have clear eyes at first, it''s even shown in some newborn baby Pokemon, interestingly enough... ? he started to sputter as everyone turned to him.

    ? But... Yes... Really cute! Can I hold him? ?

    ? I want to hold him first! ?

    Sada had no idea if Clavell had said so as a pure coincidence or if he had noticed the way both she and Turo''s eyes had widened slightly in alarm, but she carefully passed the baby in his arms with a small sigh of relief. Not that she didn''t trust Jacq, but... he could be a bit...

    She quietly observed Clavell as he sat down with Arven in his arms, smiling not unlike it was his own son. She realized right now that Clavell, despite being a good decade older than both her and Turo, had never married nor had children. For a brief moment, she wondered if that was why he enjoyed his work as an Academy teacher so much.

    She was distracted by his Oranguru floating the first package right into her lap.

    ? Oh! Thank you! ? she smiled at the Pokemon, then opened the little wrapped present.

    ? That one''s from me. ? Raifort whispered, and Sada''s eyes widened when she opened it up.

    It was a brightly coloured book titled "Paldean goodnight fables for children", filled with beautiful illustrations of traditional children stories.

    ? It''s beautiful... He''s going to love it, I''m sure.? she whispered in response, peeking at some of the pages with wide eyes.

    ? Something tells me you''re going to enjoy it more than him before he''s big enough to actually understand it. ? Raifort cackled, and she blushed. Well.... yes, probably...

    ? And here I was, expecting you to come over with some book titled "The downfall of the Paldean Empire for kids age 0-3" ? Turo deadpanned, before raising one eyebrow with a puzzled look. Probably wondering if that was actually a thing. Raifort stuck out her tongue at him, and he chuckled.

    ? Oh! Open mine now! ? Jacq said enthusiastically, and a second little packet floated in front of her. This one clinked slightly as it did so, and Sada''s eyebrows raised as she opened it, curious.

    She saw Turo lean slightly forward to also peer at it, interested.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.It was a baby mobile, the kind you hang over the baby''s crib and that the baby could play with or that would jingle and make little noises. This one featured little cute figures of Pok¨¦mon found all over Paldea: the mobile itself was in the shape of a Toadscruel, with each leg extending to support a different Pok¨¦mon. A Palafin, a Maschiff, a Kilowattrel, a Cyclizar and a Grafaiai, each one in a different, bright color.

    ? This brand is amazing, you can detach each little Pok¨¦mon and buy other ones separately! This way he will never get bored having to always look at the same ones, you know? And he can also learn about Paldean Pok¨¦mon! ? Jacq explained as he stood up, gesturing excitedly.

    Sada had the distinct feeling that somewhere on Jacq''s laptop was a spreadsheet with the pro and cons of each single Pok¨¦mon carefully written down, and she smiled brightly at the idea of him carefully analyzing which Pok¨¦mon to pick .

    ? Thank you Jacq, really. ? she said, earnest. Turo simply nodded, but she noticed that he was keeping his head down, his eyes a bit damp. Silent,he just put one hand on Jacq''s shoulder and mouthed a "thanks".

    The researcher scratched the back of his head, embarrassed.

    ? Ah, it''s nothing, really...?

    Finally it was Clavell''s turn, and the last couple of packages got carefully placed on her lap.

    Sada opened them one by one, laughing when she saw the content.

    It was that Fidough onesie they had seen in that magazine months ago, and a small collection of many more, all Pok¨¦mon themed.

    ? These are way too much, Clavell, you really didn''t have to...? she said; she picked up a little pajama with Smoliv prints, laughing at Turo''s furrowed eyebrows in seeing the Pok¨¦mon.

    ? If he grows up and decides to get a Smoliv, I will hold you accountable.? he murmured, to which Clavell simply smiled. In his arms, Arven stirred slightly.

    ? But you wouldn''t object to it? ? he replied, to which Turo just mumbled something unintelligible and looked away.

    Sada smiled, simply enjoying the flow of the conversation as it went on. She appreciated that neither of them had mentioned anything about hers or Turo''s relatives, or complete lack thereof.

    In the hospital, she hadn''t missed how the nurses had looked at her weirdly - almost pityingly - when there hadn''t been the usual stream of visiting relatives or grandparents excited to see their grandson.

    But this... this was nice.

    ---

    The first weeks of being a parent were both exactly how Turo had always thought about them or seen them depicted in media and yet nothing like it. Movies and stories from other parents always talked about the sleepless nights, the waking up multiple times during the night, the constant feeling of tiredness, and they were somewhat right... And yet there was so much more. Yes, he would wake up along Sada when Arven needed to be fed, or take turns with her letting him fall asleep so they each could just crash on the couch for half an hour. But he found himself noticing the smallest little details about his son, and usually the stories didn''t mention anything about that. Like the fact that Arven barely cried; maybe it was because at the moment, he was still so small that he had no reason to cry expect when he was hungry, like Sada had said. But part of the reason was probably because both his and Sada''s Pokemon seemed to come running and warn them before he even started to cry. It was an enormous help, and something that had honestly surprised him.

    He had woken up more than one time in the middle of the night just to see Miguel perched on one angle of the baby crib, watching Arven with his red eyes almost glowing in the dark.

    Ampere and his two companions usually hovered around the baby monitor; when the slightest signal would come out of it, the three Magnemite would fly off each in a different direction looking for him. It was convenient enough that Turo hoped that their evolution into Magneton, which looked very close judging by how close they always were now, would get delayed just a little bit more so that they could still split up to come search for him faster.

    And because Magneton supposedly fried electronics just by standing near it, which would be... inconvenient.

    Hopefully they could be trained to regulate the radio waves they emitted, or he would have to forbid them from entering the laboratory once it happened.

    Arven had started babbling the last couple of days. The first time he heard it, Turo''s heart had skipped a beat, thinking he was already going to speak his first words.

    But that looked still a good bit away, according to their pediatrician. But babbling was a sign that the baby was starting to connect words with meaning and trying to copy them, so talking to them a lot was encouraged.

    So that''s what he did.

    ? There''s still some bugs to iron out in the Tera sensors, and of course I need to simplify the code so that it can hopefully run on much smaller devices than the ones we use now... Best thing would be if it came installed on Jacq''s Pok¨¦dex application, what do you say?? he said, sitting in the kitchen as he stared at the screen of his laptop. Arven was reclining in a baby chair, positioned high enough that he was eye level with him, and looked busy examining his own fingers by sticking them in his mouth.

    ? Ga-gga-?

    Turo smiled a little.

    ? Exactly.?

    He felt a bit silly pointing dramatically at random and going "Look! Ball!!" to a toddler, so Turo found himself mostly just talking out loud, like he would have done with his own Pok¨¦mon, enunciating every word clearly and watching Arven''s reaction.

    Every time the baby smiled in response or stared at him, listening intently to his every word and gesture, his heart soared with pride.

    ---

    Days passed as Sada settled into her new routine. When Arven slept during the day, she would either lay down and nap herself, exhausted, or slowly keep working on her research. She and Turo were finishing drafting the official patent for the first version of the Tera Orb, who''s prototype was finally completed. This one could terastallize a Pok¨¦mon for a couple of minutes. Not enough to change their type indefinitely like it seemed to happen with wild Pok¨¦mon, but enough for a quick battle.

    ? If we pitch this to the Paldean Pok¨¦mon League, I''m sure they would be interested. This way Paldea could have their own unique battle mechanic, like Galar with Dynamax battles, or Alola with their Z crystals.? Turo said as he pointed the Tera Orb towards Ampere.

    They were both in the laboratory, Arven asleep in a second baby crib they had bought and placed near their desks so they could always be nearby as he slept.

    Sada simply hummed in thought, moving to watch what would happen.

    ? ... and would that be enough to make them finance an expedition into Area Zero? Maybe not completely , but between them, and Blair, and... other people if our other research gets noticed...? she glanced at Bacon, who was wiggling his nose and eating a pile of berries.

    She wanted to train him to prove her idea about Steady Glaciers -or Mamoswine, as they were called in this era -, but that would take some time until he would be strong enough to evolve, which also meant their Gym challenge would have to slow down.

    At least they could still take turns in challenging each Gym like they had done until now, just at a more leisurely pace.

    The Magnemite buzzed curiously as the light enveloped him: his two companions quickly strayed away, surprised, hiding behind Turo.

    A moment later, Ampere slammed to the ground; it buzzed in alarm, his one eye widening as it awkwardly propped itself up with its two magnets.

    Turo''s eyes widened, and he crouched near the little Magnemite.

    ? Do you feel fine?? he asked, examining the Steel type. Sada leant closer, interested in seeing what type it had become. It wasn''t always immediately apparent sometimes, like with ?tzi becoming a Fire type.

    For now, the Magnemite didn''t look much different... sudden lack of floating aside. The two other Magnemites were circling him, apparently confused. They let out little sparks of electricity towards their Terastalized companion, but Ampere didn''t seem to react at all.

    Turo frowned, rubbing one finger near the little screw on the top of its head before examining it more closely.

    ? This is... dirt?? he muttered.

    Now that she looked more closely, Ampere looked a bit dirty, a bit like he had been when Turo had first caught it, half-covered in rust.

    Dirt...? Wait... was it a Ground type now?

    Sada gasped, a smile spreading on her face as she watched Ampere take a couple hesitant steps on his magnet-legs. The Pok¨¦mon looked more puzzled at suddenly not being able to float than anything else.

    ? He looks a tiny bit like Sandy Shocks!? she laughed as Turo picked the Pok¨¦mon up, holding him in his arms. Its two magnets flailed uselessly, the Pok¨¦mon apparently not used to being subject to gravity.

    ... Just like its trainer once was, she realized with a smile.

    ? ... You''re right. This will be huge. This will revolutionize Pok¨¦mon battling as a sport, and Pok¨¦mon biology as we know it. The possibilities are pretty much endless. ? Sada said slowly, examining the now Ground type until the Terastalization faded.

    She glanced at the clock: two minutes and fifteen seconds.

    There was still much room for improvement.

    Ampere immediately started floating again, his two companions approaching to circle him again in obvious relief. Turo laughed.

    ? People will throw money at us to get us to improve the Tera Orb! ?

    He looked so confident as he grinned at her, that she couldn''t help but grin back.

    In his crib, Arven stirred, woken up by all the noise, and she rushed to his side.

    ---

    Arven had been growing so quickly in the following months, she couldn''t help but be amazed. She had read as much as she could about the development of very small children, but it still couldn''t prepare her for the rush of emotion she would feel from time to time just looking at him.

    It was like... like she couldn''t believe it. The little treasure she had spent nine months carrying was now with her, and he was growing up; after the first few weeks, he already recognised both her and Turo''s voices and faces. A couple weeks later, and he had started to smile at her.

    It all seemed so incredible.

    That night, she opened her eyes when Arven''s cries suddenly woke her up. They weren''t the familiar cries of him simply being hungry. She squinted, putting one hand on Turo''s shoulder as he had also shifted to get up, and immediately noticed that something was wrong when she saw Kim sitting near the foot of their bed, her mane lighting up the whole room. The Pyroar''s eyes were moving between them and the crib nearby. She didn''t look agitated, and was even purring, but Sada still felt her breath quicken as she jumped up to check on Arven. What was wrong? Pokemon senses were so much sharper than humans, she must have noticed something- was there an intruder around the lighthouse? But Ampere or the others hadn''t come running-

    Arven''s forehead was hot to the touch.

    Absolute terror gripped her as she cradled the baby to her chest, starting to tremble, eyes wide.

    The Blood fire. Just like with father-

    No! This was a fever. Just a fever. They weren''t dangerous in this era, people got them all the time, there was no reason to be afraid-

    Arven let out another soft cry, squirming in her arms, and Sada held the baby tight, breath rapidly quickening as she caressed his face, feeling useless.

    She could''t help him, she couldn''t make it immediately better, and it made her feel powerless.

    ? I-it''s alright, shh... Shhh ? she tried to soothe him, wishing she could just do something.

    She heard the blankets rustle by her side, and Turo get up a moment later.

    He squinted at the unexpected brightness of the room thanks to the Pyroar''s mane, took one look at her face, and quietly put one hand on her shoulder as he touched Arven''s face with the other. He pulled it back after a moment, a slight frown on his face.

    ? ... He feels fine to me. Just slightly warm. You know Kim would notice if he got too hot-?

    Sada stared, eyes wide.

    He didn''t understand. He couldn''t understand.

    ? B-but he''s h-hot a-and crying in pain and... and what if he got the Bloodfire a-and -? she had lapsed back in her mother tongue without noticing, but Turo didn''t say anything.

    What if Arven was sick and-

    She expected Turo to speak up again. To tell her that she was overreacting, or being irrational. But he simply squeezed her shoulder tight, and sat down at her side, watching Arven. Kim moved at her feet, laying down as she kept purring.

    She kept trembling as she watched her little treasure for what felt like hours, even as he had simply fallen asleep again, praying for whatever was happening with him to just go away.

    She must have fallen asleep at some moment by sheer exhaustion, because when she woke up, Arven was back in his crib. Peacefully asleep, mouth hanging half open with one thumb stuck in his mouth, like he had started to do in the last month or so.

    With a gasp, she got up and checked his forehead.

    He was perfectly fine.

    The relief was so strong she felt her knees go weak, and she fell back on the bed.

    Something white gleamed in Arven''s mouth. A little pointy canine, just the tip barely visible.

    Her eyes widened at the realisation, and she self-consciously touched one of her own with the tip of her tongue.

    ? Apparently, some babies undergo teething as early as four months old. ? Turo said stepping into the bedroom with a warm smile. ? I''ve called the doctor, and teething can give them a little fever at times.?

    She followed him with her eyes as he walked next to the crib, watching Arven.

    ? I see... thank you for staying by my side last night. ? Sada whispered.

    Turo simply nodded, tracing Arven''s cheek with one finger.

    ? He bit me last night when I was putting him back in the crib, you know.? he muttered, and she had to restrain herself from bursting out laughing to not wake Arven up, feeling lightheaded from relief.