《Hyphen (Pokemon Emerald)》


 Beginning

    A Ralts poked her head out of a bush and observed the trail ahead of her, oblivious to the foliage lodged in her green hair. The sun shone down from above, the leaves casting dappled shadows across the rough-hewn dirt. In the distance she spotted the pack of Poochyena who had taken to resting in the road. The black-and-gray-furred wolves sniffed at the air, their shining red eyes peering at the woods around them. The Ralts crouched low, and willed them to look elsewhere; the prize she sought was so close, but the hounds would sooner make her their dinner than let her pass unhindered.


    Suddenly, a Zigzagoon shot out from a bush further down. It was clearly frightened, and every inch of its alternating light and dark brown fur was standing on end. As one, the pack of Poochyena turned upon the smaller creature and growled.


    The Zigzagoon yelped and ran away, dashing through bushes and branches alike in its panic with the pack of Poochyena hot on its heels.


    The Ralts breathed a sigh of relief and extricated herself from the bush. Peering into a nearby puddle, she picked off excess twigs that had gotten stuck in her hair. The image within the pool was a familiar sight¡ªa bowl of forest green hair encircling her head and partially obscuring her eyes, her snow-white coat extending into a billowing dress-like cloak that covered her nubby legs from view. Atop her head rested two shining red half-ovaloid horns, the larger protruding from the middle of her forehead and the smaller from the back of her head. The Ralts smiled at her reflection, and plucked the last errant leaf from her hair.


    Examining the road once more, she confirmed it was all but deserted; the only things here were the occasional acorn-mimicking Seedot hanging from the trees. Dashing across the hard packed dirt, the Ralts stopped before an Oran berry bush. Quickly unfurling a large leaf she had procured, she began picking the delicious blue fruits with practiced speed.


    There were much less dangerous bushes to harvest back home, the Ralts mused, but only the ones located on the human trails were rich enough to satisfy her. They could be made into so many delicious meals; eaten raw, cooked into soup, drained and eaten dry¡ªthe possibilities were endless! So absorbed was she in her gourmand errand, the Ralts didn¡¯t notice the approaching figures until a voice cut straight through her thoughts.


    ¡°Oh! There¡¯s one right in the middle of the road!¡±


    The Ralts froze, wide eyes turning to see a nightmare made manifest. Two humans stood a mere dozen feet away, staring directly at her, eyes filled with calculated curiosity and barely constrained excitement at the sight of such an easy target. A red-and-white ball was clutched in one''s hand, just waiting to be unleashed. The Ralts dropped the Oran berry, her shaking legs barely responding as she took a single step backwards.


    ¡°Huh. So there is. Never seen this kind before though...¡± The human girl in the red bandanna nudged the human boy with green hair forward. ¡°Well? Capture it already.¡±


    ¡°R-right!¡± the boy said, and shuffled forward. The Ralts took another step back and tripped over her coat, falling to the ground. The green-haired boy tossed the ball into the air with a cry, ¡°Go, Zigzagoon!¡±


    The ball cracked open, a thunderous red light erupting from within. The light coalesced upon the ground, revealing the form of a Zigzagoon. It yipped, circling around twice before crouching low, growling at her.


    ¡°R-Ralts!¡± the Ralts yelled, losing control of her voice in the face of overwhelming terror. ¡°Raaalts!¡± she screamed again, scrambling to her feet and turning to run¡ª


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°Zigzagoon, use Tackle!¡±


    ¡ªOnly to be hit from behind as the Zigzagoon smashed into her at full force.


    The Ralts flew backward and slammed into a tree. ¡°R-rah¡ª!¡± she cried out, the rough bark scraping at her coat as she slid down. Blinking the stars from her eyes, she looked up to find the intense stare of the green-haired boy and the crouching Zigzagoon in front of him. The boy held out another red-and-white ball, and the Ralts stared at it with dread.


    ¡°I¡ªI throw the ball now, right? Here I go!¡±


    The girl in the red bandanna blinked and reached out, ¡°Wait, it¡¯s not injured enough yet!¡±


    Ignorant of the girl¡¯s warning, the human boy reared back and threw. Time slowed to a crawl as the Ralts watched the sphere hurtle toward her. No, no! She didn¡¯t want this! This couldn¡¯t happen! She wouldn¡¯t let it! With a surge of energy, she threw herself to the side just in time, and sprinted into the forest as the ball ricocheted off the tree behind her.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting away!¡± the boy cried, distraught. The human girl cursed.


    ¡°Dammit, Wally...¡±


    The Ralts sprinted into the woods and hid behind a tree, out of sight. The humans¡¯ voices were still audible even this deep into the woods, and she listened with bated breath.


    ¡°Did you see where it went?¡± asked the boy.


    ¡°No. Ugh, now we¡¯ll have to find something else¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­should I go get the pokeball?¡±


    ¡°Tch, there¡¯s too much tall grass around here, it¡¯s a lost cause.¡± A sigh. ¡°I have a dozen of the things anyway. Let¡¯s get going¡ªI think I heard some Poochyena barking from that direction. They¡¯re pretty cool, let¡¯s get one of those.¡±


    ¡°A¡ªalright¡­¡±


    The terrified Ralts held still for several moments, and a few more after their voices faded, then finally collapsed against the tree. She clutched at her chest with a shaking hand, heart beating madly in her chest. That¡­that was close. She¡¯d known that humans were to be avoided, and she¡¯d never expected to come face-to-face with one, but they hadn¡¯t even taken a moment before attacking. If she¡¯d been even a hair slower...


    The Ralts sat there for a moment, catching her breath, before standing up and venturing back the way she had come. But a flash of color caught her eye as she walked; laying there in the grass was that red and white sphere the smaller human had thrown at her. She stared at it uneasily. So this was a pokeball¡­


    With a trembling hand, she reached down and poked it, jumping away at the touch. When nothing happened, she poked it again. After nothing continued to happen, she reached down and picked the sphere up.


    It was a strange thing. Half red, half white, a thick black line across the middle with only a protruding white circle in the center interrupting it. Tentatively, she pushed the button, dropping it like a poisonous barb when it shrunk to a fraction of its size, accompanied by the sound of rushing wind.


    After nothing happened a third time, the Ralts picked it back up. How had it gotten so small? She pressed the button again and only jumped a little when it expanded back to its original size.


    She stared at the sphere, new questions bubbling within her mind. How did this sphere grow and shrink and fit whole creatures inside itself? To what end? Who were those humans and how did they make something like this?


    She traveled back to the path and¡ªafter very carefully looking both ways down the road¡ªgathered her plucked berries into the makeshift bag. With a moment of hesitation, she buried the pokeball among the Oran berries, hiding it from view.


    After picking up the bundle, she scurried across the road once more and began the trip back home.

 Home

    South of the trails, through a vast forest and hidden from any mundane explorations, there was a village. Surrounding the village were wooden palisades; constructed, reinforced, and occasionally replaced over the course of centuries, they stood proudly in defiance of whatever might dare to challenge them.


    To the returning Ralts they were a familiar and welcome sight indeed. Closing in on one of the few gates built into the barricades, she waved to a spear-wielding Kirlia who was on guard. She frowned at said guard''s lack of reaction. Why wasn¡¯t he waving back or¡ªoh, he was asleep.


    Slowing her pace, she snuck up on the snoozing guard. The Ralts observed him, wistfully imagining her evolved self through his image. All Kirlia looked more or less the same and he was no different: his horns had both lengthened and migrated to just above both ears and his hair now flowed off both sides of his head¡ªunder his horns to his shoulders¡ªand over his face, naturally parting to reveal both of his currently closed eyes. His coat had split apart into six wide strips which swayed gently in the breeze, exposing his green legs that tapered down to the tiny nubs that constituted feet. He was currently leaning on his spear, gently snoring.


    With a mischievous smile, the Ralts stepped behind a tree, telekinetically picked up a stick, and jabbed him in the side. The guard jerked upright and screeched, swinging his spear wildly. His head twisted around rapidly, eyes frantically searching for what had hit him. The Ralts burst out laughing, falling out from behind the tree in mirth. The guard stared at her, surprised, before scowling, practically radiating embarrassment and outrage.


    ¡°Oh you little brat, I oughta whack you!¡± he yelled, waving around the blunt side of his spear.


    The Ralts caught her breath and got to her feet, smirking at the Kirlia. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you were sleeping on the job!¡± she taunted, sticking out her tongue. ¡°What if I¡¯d been a hungry Poochyena? What kinda ¡®stalwart protector of our walls¡¯ are you anyhow?¡±


    The guard coughed and looked away, his embarrassment and shame fading from the Ralts¡¯s senses as his empathic control restored itself. ¡°W-well, it¡¯s not like those blank-minded mutts come this close anyway! I haven¡¯t seen one all season; it¡¯s not my fault standing out here all day gets boring!¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course,¡± the Ralts said, nodding along. ¡°Well, since it¡¯s not your fault, I guess you wouldn¡¯t mind me telling¡ª¡±


    ¡°Now, now, let¡¯s not get carried away here!¡± the Kirlia interrupted, holding his hands up and laughing nervously. He paused, turning a cheeky grin on his opponent. ¡°Then again, I think you might be in more trouble than I am; after all, you¡¯re not supposed to be wandering outside the village without an escort. Maybe I should tell your grandfather?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn''t,¡± she said, gasping loudly. ¡°You¡¯d get scolded for letting me leave!¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± the guard countered, grinning like a Poochyena. ¡°I could simply suggest that you climbed a bit of the wall out of my range. How could I have possibly known?¡±


    ¡°Well darn,¡± the Ralts huffed, grinning at the guard. ¡°You¡¯ve got me there. I don¡¯t suppose one of these,¡° she reached into her bag and held an Oran berry aloft, wiggling it enticingly, ¡°would change your mind?¡±


    Quick as a flash, the berry shot from her hand and into the Guard''s, the Kirlia already taking a bite. ¡°Mmm,¡± he hummed, blue juice dribbling into the grass. ¡°Absence? What absence? Never saw her leave, honest.¡±


    The Ralts giggled at the display. ¡°Thanks!¡±


    ¡°Hey, no problem. As long as I get one of these babies, it¡¯s all good.¡± He took another bite and smiled. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s the stuff. You just don¡¯t get this kinda quality from the garden too often. You gotta tell me where you found a premium Oran bush out there someday.¡±


    The Ralts winked. ¡°It¡¯s a secret~¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± the guard said, shrugging. He paused, looking at the Ralts curiously. ¡°Though, you¡¯re looking a little scratched up there; anything I need to worry about?¡±


    The Ralts waved him off. ¡°Ah, just had a little run-in, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°A run-in? With what, a Poochyena?¡± He scanned the forest behind her. ¡°It better not have followed you; wall duty might be boring but that doesn¡¯t mean I actually want to use this thing.¡± He nodded to his spear meaningfully.


    The Ralts scratched her head, laughing nervously. ¡°Nah, it was...just a Zigzagoon. I¡¯m fine, really.¡±


    The guard peered at her for a moment, then grunted, leaning back against the log wall. ¡°If you say so. Hey, drop a few of those off at the fermenters for me, will you? I bet they¡¯d make a delicious drink.¡±


    The Ralts¡¯s face scrunched up. ¡°Ew, no. I¡¯d like to eat these myself, thanks!¡±


    ¡°Tch, how lame. Whatever. Thanks for the berry; see ya later,¡± he said, dismissing her with a solitary wave.


    ¡°Goodbye!¡± she waved back, stepping through the open gate. On the other side she was treated to the familiar sight of the village proper. Wooden buildings crafted by generations of families were peppered throughout the massive trees; some alone, some stacked upon each other, and some even resided upon the boughs of the trees, connected through sturdy bridges anchored to the thick branches. Firepits lay scattered in open areas, though most lay cold.


    The Ralts wandered down the hard packed road, nodding at other passing Kirlia and Ralts as she went and politely ignoring the flashes of poorly shielded emotion some of the younger Ralts sometimes let loose. She snuck a look at her leafy bag and frowned at the flash of red hidden therein. What was she supposed to do with this? How could she figure out how it worked? They had been trying to hit her with it, but just throwing it at another villager was out of the question. What to do¡­


    She glanced to the side as singing became audible, spotting a cluster of newly hatched Ralts surrounding an older Kirlia. Oh, they were learning that old song. She listened with half an ear as she passed them by.


    ¡°¨CRust, rock, and rime, were punished for their crime; rust, rock, and rime, locked below for all of time~,¡± the Kirlia sang, the hatchlings telepathically following along in offkey asynchronicity. The Ralts grinned awkwardly as she passed, hearing more than one hatchling simulcast their own thoughts or rush through individual words. In time they¡¯d learn how to say exactly what they wanted to say, as fast as they wanted to say it, to only the person they wanted to say it to, but for now they¡¯d still be a font of unfiltered thoughts and emotions whenever they tried to speak.


    The Kirlia leading the pack clapped, smiling softly. ¡°Well done! Remember, follow my speed, and only say what I say. Feel how I am speaking, and try to match it as best you can. One more time, all together now. Here we go, three, two, one¡ªOnce on a mountaintop way up high, there lived a giant with seven eyes wide¡ª¡±


    It was kind of a morbid song, the Ralts mused. She¡¯d always wondered who had made it¡ªwere they describing an event, or was it just a fanciful story? She had asked once when she was younger, but the storyteller had only told her it had been passed down. She distinctly remembered the odd, pinched expression the Kirlia wore when she asked her to elaborate.


    ¡°It was from someone who isn¡¯t around anymore,¡± was the only answer she received.


    The smell of roasting Magikarp broke her out of her thoughts. Just ahead of her, she spotted several Ralts and a Kirlia standing very still alongside the river that ran through the village, a large fire burning merrily a short distance from the shore. Each of them held a sharp fishing spear and gazed into the waters with a tangible intensity. They could have just plucked one from the waters from afar, but it was said a Magikarp would bring great misfortune if they had time to panic before they were caught, which seemed to manifest in tasting worse.


    She spotted a flash of orange before one of the Ralts slammed their spear into the depths. The waters churned for a moment before he raised the spear up in victory, a writhing Magikarp impaled upon the end. Clamoring out of the bank, the lucky fisher merrily began preparing his catch for the fire.


    The Ralts spotted several Magikarp already roasting on the firepit. They smelled so good¡­ah, if only she wasn¡¯t carrying so many berries. She would have to catch one for herself later. Tearing her eyes away, she walked across the river¡¯s bridge and continued on.


    Just a short while later, she turned off the main path onto a side trail. Soon enough the Ralts came across a steep grassy hill with a thick layer of vines hanging over a large opening into the rock. Pushing the vines apart, she smiled as she felt the constant breeze that flowed into the hollow. Stepping forth into the entrance of the small cave system, she made her way through the short entrance tunnel and paused at the inner threshold of her home.


    Resin candles were scattered across the main cavern, revealing the richly painted walls depicting verdant vegetation, scenes of villagers performing various activities, and a brilliant depiction of the sunrise along the far wall. Tables and chairs made of smoothly carved stone lined the edges, covered in varied tools and clay pots. Alcoves in the walls were stuffed with keepsakes: small figurines of objects or animals carved out of stone and wood, intricately woven fiber tapestries dyed in myriad colors, ancient spears that still gleamed in the firelight and countless other trinkets. In the center of the room was an ignited fire pit, the smoke lazily curling towards a shaft carved into the ceiling long ago. A metal pot was situated on a sculpted stone platform above the fire, water coming to a boil within.


    Spotting movement from the side, the Ralts made to go forward but hesitated when her eye caught the red gleam from her bag. Maybe it wasn¡¯t a good idea to carry around proof that she had been out of bounds. She¡¯d just have to ask about it subtly. Removing the sphere, she hid it behind a few clay jars on a nearby table.


    ¡°Grandpa!¡± she called, ¡°I¡¯m back!¡±


    As she entered the room fully, the Ralts spotted her grandfather near the left wall, partially hidden by some shelves. A Kirlia edging into his fading years, his green hair had paled and wrinkles decorated his coat and face, though his eyes were as sharp as ever. He stood on top of a stool, a collection of bowls full of pigment hovering around his waist, with another in one hand and a brush in the other. Behind him was an in-progress depiction of the night sky, particularly the grand cloud of light that streaked its way across the heavens in its full, moonless glory. His face brightened when she came into view and he stepped down, leaving his tools on a table.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Welcome back!¡± he greeted warmly, drawing close and hugging the Ralts. He pulled back and looked down at her, smiling. ¡°Did you get the berries?¡±


    She held up her haul with a grin. ¡°The best I could find!¡±


    Her grandfather''s eyes sparkled as he inspected them. ¡°Oh, well done! They are simply magnificent. I must say, your diligence is quite inspiring; I could spend an entire day in the gardens and not find more than a handful of this quality.¡±


    The Ralts giggled, blushing. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, really! But, uh, are we really making jam today?¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± he said, bringing the berries over to a different table where numerous bowls and jars lay waiting.


    The Ralts pouted. ¡°Aw, that takes forever. Can¡¯t we just roast them?¡±


    ¡°Now now,¡± her grandfather chided, ¡°let¡¯s not be impatient. It is important to make preserved food even this early in the season. Poor yields could strike at any moment, after all, not to mention the winter. Besides, you love jam.¡± He paused, frowning. Reaching out, he began examining his granddaughter closely, turning her head this way and that much to her confusion. ¡°Did you have any trouble in the field? You look a little battered.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± the Ralts grinned nervously. ¡°I tripped down a hill. It¡¯s nothing, really.¡±


    ¡°You should be more careful,¡± he admonished, ¡°Still, I am glad you are unharmed. Now, would you like to help me crush the berries?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    With a thought, her grandfather levitated a few bowls and jars off their shelves. Sitting down, the elderly Kirlia spread the Oran into a small pile.


    ¡°Now,¡± he began, ¡°you¡¯ve been proving yourself quite adept at providing enough power to crush the berries, so I would like you to try to work on your control by reducing the splatter.¡± Levitating one of the berries, he demonstrated by forming a sphere of psychic power around the fruit, which shrank down and twisted until it was naught more than mush. ¡°Do you see how I fully enclose the fruit in a shell? Try to copy how I did it.¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡± She took a berry of her own, and concentrated. A flickering shell surrounded it, and it began to shrink. Grinning, she squeezed down. The shell and berry both promptly exploded, showering the area with pulp. The Ralts shrieked in surprise, scrubbing the sticky fluid off her face.


    ¡°A bit too much force, I think,¡± her grandfather chuckled, setting down a small mass of berry remnants. ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve got juice all over your face. Hold still for a moment,¡± he said, kneeling down and wiping his granddaughter''s face with a brush and some water.


    The Ralts stood there, face scrunched up as he gently cleaned the juice off. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s no worry, my dear. Everyone makes mistakes, especially when they are learning.¡± He put the brush down and patted her on the head. ¡°Why, I¡¯d say that making mistakes is the foundation of learning.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± she blinked at him. ¡°Why? Wouldn¡¯t it be better if everyone got it right on the first try?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps in some respects, but never making a mistake leaves one sorely unprepared for when you or someone else does. Set yourself too rigidly to a process and you might find yourself breaking when it fails.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still embarrassing,¡± she grumbled. ¡°You do it so effortlessly, and all I can do is make a mess.¡±


    ¡°Then make a small mess,¡± he said, squeezing another berry into slush. ¡°Then a smaller mess, and an even smaller mess, and eventually there will be no mess at all. That is the secret to progress.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± She frowned, staring at the berry pile. Sitting up, she reached out for another. She had used too much force last time; if she just held onto it tighter, then¡­


    Well, it still exploded, but this time it only hit the table. She grinned.


    Some time later, the Oran berries had all vanished, transformed into an indiscriminate blue slurry. The Ralts wiped a stray globule of fruit off her hair, grimacing. While she hadn¡¯t yet perfected the art, there were fewer accidents than last time. But that didn¡¯t make them any less troublesome to clean up.


    Humming and kicking the air idly, the Ralts watched her grandfather prepare the mixture for the long boil. It wasn¡¯t very interesting, and her thoughts wandered to and fro until she remembered the little red ball hidden near the door. She bit her lip anxiously. Question after question crossed through her mind, tempered only by the looming threat of discovery. If her Grandpa found out she was out of bounds...but, there was no other way to know. If she didn¡¯t do it now, when would she? Now or never.


    ¡°Hey Grandpa?¡± she called, ¡°do you know anything about humans?¡±


    Her grandfather looked up from the table, bafflement written across his face. ¡°Humans?¡± he repeated, ¡°Well, I suppose I do, but why the sudden interest?¡±


    ¡°Ah, one of the Kirlia in the garden was talking about them,¡± she said. ¡°They said that they, uh¡­went wandering around outside and saw one from a distance?¡±


    Her grandfather''s eyes widened. ¡°Oh dear, have the protections faded that quickly? To think they¡¯ve gotten so close¡­I¡¯ll have to talk to the other elders about this.¡± He set down a jar, lost in thought. A moment later he blinked, turning back to his granddaughter. ¡°Well, I suppose a quick lesson would be in order. If they are coming closer¡­yes, it wouldn¡¯t do for you to go wholly uninformed. Just give me a moment to put this batch in.¡±


    He fretted over the metal pot for a moment, pouring in mashed Oran and a handful of other things, then put another log on the fire and rearranged them for a more even burn. Task finished, he turned back to the Ralts and sat across from her, humming. ¡°Humans¡­hunters, explorers, trainers¡­was there anything in particular you wanted to know about first?¡±


    The Ralts blinked. ¡°What¡¯s a trainer?¡± she asked. The term sounded familiar, but she couldn¡¯t place it.


    The elderly Kirlia let out a short bark of laughter. ¡°Hah, it seems you haven¡¯t been paying attention to many of your lessons, have you? Ah, to be so carefree again.¡± He shook his head, smiling gently. ¡°Mmm. Trainers are a specific type of human that wander the wilds searching for creatures to capture.¡±


    That seemed to match with what the boy in the forest was doing. ¡°Why do they do that? Is it like hunting?¡±


    Her grandfather shook his head. ¡°Not quite. While a hunter would prepare his catch for food and material, a trainer would keep his capture alive and take it with them. They use these small red and white spheres called pokeballs to do this. I do not know what becomes of the creatures, but most commonly they are made to fight other Pokemon, either in the wild or owned by a different trainer.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± So if she hadn¡¯t dodged, she would be living with that green-haired human boy right now? Living and fighting on his behalf¡­a cold feeling crept over her. Gramps wouldn¡¯t have known. What would he have done if she had never come back home?


    She chewed on her lip and gazed at the ceiling. The celestial artwork above flickered in the firelight. ¡°Why¡­why would they do all of that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a mystery. Though when I was young, I often happened to overhear a myriad of conversations humans held on the trails.¡± He tapped his hand on the table absentmindedly. ¡°As far as I can remember, having strong Pokemon was a mark of prestige, with the strongest trainer becoming a ¡®Champion.¡¯¡±


    The Ralts tilted her head. ¡°Is that like a really important elder?¡±


    ¡°It might be. Who can say for certain? The title certainly seemed to be said with a sort of reverence. In any case, it is because of trainers that we must hide in our little corner of the world. But dear me, I¡¯m parched. Would you like me to warm up some Oran juice?¡± At her affirmative, her grandfather reached out, taking an ancient stone kettle off the fire pit. Two cups joined it in short order, and were soon filled with a steaming brew.


    The Ralts frowned, gently blowing the heat off. ¡°We have to hide because of the trainers?¡±


    ¡°Oh yes,¡± he said, pausing to take a sip. ¡°If they knew we were here, I imagine they would flock from the very ends of the world to capture us; our psychic potential would be far too great a temptation to ignore. And so we hide.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± She frowned into her cup. That was¡­she couldn¡¯t imagine spending the rest of her life like that; subordinate to a random human and made to fight at their call. ¡°From the ends of the earth?¡± she muttered, ¡°Like, beyond the ocean and the forest?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. There are humans across the entire region, and even further beyond. I¡¯d imagine the trainers would travel to all sorts of places to challenge one another. It hardly concerns us, though.¡±


    Oh wow. She¡¯d hardly traveled past the trails; she¡¯d only spent time around the village. Was the world truly that big?


    ¡°...What are they like?¡±


    Her grandfather blinked. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°What are the humans like? Do they have a village like us? What do they eat?¡± she asked, staring intensely.


    ¡°Er,¡± her grandfather grunted, looking surprised. ¡°Please, little one, slow down a bit. I can¡¯t say I rightly know the answers to those questions. I¡¯ve only been able to overhear a few conversations, and none that detailed.¡± He took another sip of his drink. ¡°They do have a settlement like ours; multiple, in fact. Much larger, and called ¡®cities.¡¯ As far as I am aware, there are two to the northeast and one large one to the northwest. But does it truly matter what they are like? We cannot interact with them, or we will be discovered and captured.¡°


    The Ralts stared at him, aghast. How could he not even be a little curious? These humans who defined so much of what they could or couldn¡¯t do¡­shouldn¡¯t they learn more about them?


    She wanted to know. She wanted to see. The mysterious places beyond the ocean and the forest¡­ What were they like? If her grandfather didn¡¯t know, then who else could she possibly ask?


    ¡°Mmm,¡± her grandfather hummed, shaking her out of her thoughts. ¡°I ought to gather the elders for a meeting. I think our brief lesson is over, for now. Is that alright?¡±


    ¡°Ah! Yes, I was just getting hungry anyway,¡± the Ralts said, hopping off her chair.


    ¡°Very well. Ah drat, I forgot about the jam. I¡¯ll need to finish the batch or I''ll waste perfectly good Oran.¡± Her grandfather looked back at her. ¡°Dinner might be a bit dull this evening. Will you be okay with garden berries?¡±


    The Ralts shook her head. ¡°I can just get a Magikarp from the river.¡±


    He nodded, turning to the boiling pot. ¡°Fair enough. Be back before dark!¡±


    She promised to try, and moved towards the exit¡ªglancing at her hiding place as she passed. It was safe enough, she decided. Stepping outside, she blocked the noon day sun¡¯s rays with a hand. The village lay in a familiar sprawl before her.


    Familiar, but...it had been her home for all her life, and she¡¯d never stepped beyond the trails. What else was out there, beyond the edge of what she¡¯d always known?


    Striding past the river, the firepit, and the singing hatchlings, the Ralts strode through the gate, fire blazing in her heart. The guard blinked at her, his brow furrowing. ¡°What, are you going out again? That¡¯s unusual.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s important,¡± she said, walking past him. ¡°I might be out for a bit longer than normal.¡±


    The guard squinted at her. ¡°...Well, okay then. But I better get extra for this! If you¡¯re in trouble, you know where the patrols are, right?¡±


    She nodded, passing him by without a second glance. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    She departed the village, heading ever deeper into the woods. Questions and longing coiled together in her gut, a burning curiosity taking root in her soul. If her grandpa couldn¡¯t answer her questions, she would just have to find the answers herself.


    There was a human city to the northwest. Maybe there she would find the answers she sought.

 Adventure

    The scale of the city had been large even from a distance, but up close it was mind-boggling. There hadn¡¯t been any humans on the path to the house on the outskirts, but that had rapidly changed the further she went in. The buildings looked imposing and strange this close up, and some had darkened windows that she couldn''t see through, and she avoided those ones whenever possible as a precaution. The vast uptick in humans wandering the roads necessitated more subtle movements and an active tightening of her senses to avoid getting overwhelmed with unshielded emotional broadcasting. For not being Psychic, humans sure had a lot of mental activity!


    The Ralts waited patiently, hidden in a shrub at a narrow intersection, houses behind and the bulk of the city ahead. There were a few too many humans walking through to move safely. Absent-mindedly, she reached out and touched a curl of black material that circled the line of bushes she was in. Smooth, shiny, and bendy too. Was this plastic? She had only seen it made into bottles. Why was it in the dirt around a plant?


    She glanced behind her, and observed a row of flowers at the foot of a house. She had never seen a purple flower before. Maybe the plastic helped plants grow, somehow? Wait, no, there wasn''t any grass here or there, just chips of wood. Oh! It was to stop other plants from growing in between the bushes and choking out the flowers.


    The Ralts smiled to herself at a mystery well solved. A few moments more, before her patience was rewarded with a significant gap in the passing humans. She dashed straight into the opposite alleyway, delving deeper into the heart of the city.


    The alleyway stood in stark contrast to the streets behind her. Where before there had been small paths of dirt and grass, now there was only a layer of hard dark stone covering the ground. The buildings to either side had no windows into the alley, but a couple doors were inset into the walls here and there.


    But something caught her eye¡ªa few large green containers lined one side of the hall, and dust, stones, and bits of paper were scattered in nearly every nook and cranny.


    Giving the doors a healthy distance, she moved closer to the green bins. Strange, blocky markings were emblazoned on the front of them both, indecipherable to her brief inspection, so she ignored them to climb up on a handle and crack open the lid. The Ralts gagged as an acrid fume hit her face, and she reeled back for a moment, before steeling herself and peering inside, eyes watering. The source of the smell was revealed to be a deep pit of trash; greasy plates, used tissues and napkins, torn wrappers, a cracked glass pane, and giant piles of moldy food in bags.


    Gross. Was this what humans used as a refuse pit? The Ralts spotted a mushroom and grimaced. It wasn¡¯t even a tasty one! Disgusting. There must have been a food preparation area behind some of the doors. Closing the lid, she checked the time again. The sun had moved across the sky much faster than she had expected, and midday had come and gone not long ago. As if to remind her, her stomach began to growl. She blinked and patted herself, checking for the grass-woven pouch full of berries she had most assuredly remembered to bring along, because heading this far away from home alone without any food at all was just plain silly, and¡ª


    The completely berryless Ralts let out a small whine, lightly thumping her horn on the metal bin. ¡°Stupid, stupid, stupid,¡± she muttered to herself, each utterance followed by another hollow thunk that reverberated into her skull. The sound echoed through the alley, hammering in the idiocy in more ways than one.


    "Hey, did you guys hear that?" a faint voice said from the side alley further ahead. If the Ralts hadn''t already been pure white, she would have paled considerably. That wasn¡¯t good.


    She looked behind her, only to see an empty alley far too large to cross. Her eyes darted toward the source of the voice, seeing naught but the same. Swallowing thickly, she finally looked down at the metal bin.


    "I''m gonna go check it out! Come on, it might be a Zigzagoon!" another voice proclaimed.


    "Oh, I always wanted one of those! Maybe we can grab it?" exclaimed a third, higher pitched voice.


    For a moment, the Ralts considered just letting herself be discovered. Then she took a deep breath, opened the waste container as quietly as she could, and slipped inside, landing on the refuse below. The smell washed over her at once, a horrible rancid wave that made her eyes water and throat clench in pure revulsion. Reflexively, she pulled her hands over her mouth to choke down the sudden rise of bile.


    Unfortunately, she had still been holding the lid aloft when she did so. It came crashing down, the painfully amplified sound echoing inside the filthy container. Three pairs of footsteps came running into the alley, stopping right outside her hiding place. Attempting to ignore the smell¡ªand failing miserably¡ªthe Ralts strained her ears to hear the humans outside.


    "It must''ve been scavenging in the dumpster!" said a human boy.


    "Is it still there?" another asked, deeper but still obviously childish.


    "Well, I don''t see it in the alley, so it has to be!" proclaimed a third voice, a match for the higher pitched one earlier. A girl? "You guys better not have scared it off."


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The Ralts hesitated for a split second before burrowing deeper into the trash below her, leaving herself only a small gap to see through¡ªand hopefully obscuring her from view. A crack of light appeared as one of the humans attempted to open the dumpster, but it didn''t open very far; from the sounds outside and the way the lid bobbed, the Ralts guessed that the human was too short to properly open it, and was jumping to compensate.


    The first boy gave a grunt of disappointment. "I can''t see inside, it''s too dark. Barry, get over here and hold my cone, I need to climb on your back!"


    "Uh, are you sure that''s a good idea?" Barry, the deeper voice, asked.


    "Come on, I want to see the Zigzagoon!" said the girl.


    The Ralts heard a sigh, then a small shuffle.


    "You ready?" Barry asked.


    "Yeah, lift me up!"


    A grunt, and then a small noise as the first boy steadied himself against the dumpster. "Alright, opening on three. One, two, three!"


    Light suddenly flooded the interior of the dumpster, and the Ralts heard a cry of triumph followed rapidly by one of distress. The lid came crashing back down, the impact making her clutch at her ears in pain.


    "Ow...¡± the boy outside moaned. ¡°That...didn''t go so well..."


    "You think!?" Barry exclaimed. "You threw both of us backward! I told you it wouldn''t work!"


    "Hey, if you had just moved with me, I could''ve gotten it easy¡ªhey!¡± the boy exclaimed, ¡°You dropped my ice cream!"


    The Ralts blinked. Ice...cream? You could cream ice? Wasn¡¯t that just water?


    "Yeah, well someone knocked me over, and I didn''t want to fall on my head!" Barry countered, aggravated.


    "Guys, calm down!" the girl interjected. "We can get you another one later. Are you okay? Did you see the Zigzagoon?"


    "Eh? Oh, yeah, I''m fine,¡± the unnamed boy said. ¡°Maybe a scrape. I didn''t see anything in there, though. Just trash."


    "Come to think of it,¡± Barry said, ¡°all the noise should be making it run around in there, but I don''t hear anything."


    "Aw. It must''ve gone down the alley before we got here," said the girl. There was a sharp ping as a pebble hit the dumpster. "Hmfh. Oh well. Let''s get going. Oh! I just remembered, apparently Wally got a Poochyena from the Gym Leader earlier."


    The still-unnamed first boy made an incredulous sound. "Wheezy Wally got a Poochyena? Oh, I''ve gotta see this!"


    Then she heard footsteps, increasingly distant, marking the humans¡¯ departure. She poked her head above the sea of rubbish, gagging. How long had all this been in here? Grimacing, she wiggled free and wiped the worst of the clinging sludge off her coat¡ªbefore freezing as the lid opened again.


    "They gotta stop leaving trash laying around; what are we, Pokemon?" Barry muttered, tossing something extremely cold right on her horn. "Guys!" he called out, dropping the lid again. "Wait up, I wanna see it too!"


    The Ralts stood very still, a wet chill dripping down her head as the footsteps faded away. With a grimace, she reached up and lifted the lid of the dumpster enough to slide out, climbing back out onto the handle, and then the ground below¡ªmaking sure that the noisy thing didn¡¯t bang shut and give her away a second time. The cold thing had stuck fast, refusing to fall off in the descent. Still grimacing, she reached up, grabbing onto something stiff that crushed when she gripped it too hard.


    Pulling the object loose, she stared at it. It was a thin yellow cone covered in a grid-like pattern, hollow but for a malformed and runny lump of blue...stuff.


    ¡°Is this ice cream?" she wondered aloud. A portion of the viscous substance was still soaking into her hair, dripping steadily onto her face, and with a final grimace she concentrated and slowly ran a psychic hand through her locks, forcing the majority of the liquid to fall to the ground.


    The Ralts felt at her hair, experiencing the unpleasantly sticky residue left behind. ¡°I''m going to have to take a rinse later,¡± she grumbled.


    Then her eyes turned to the cone, thoughtful. It was some manner of human food, but they had just tossed it away because it fell on the ground? What a waste. She had eaten Magikarp that had fallen in mud just fine; it just needed a quick rinse to be good as new! Her stomach growled again. Hesitating, she looked around the alley, as if the children would pop out from behind the dumpster in revenge, or her grandpa would fall out of the sky and scold her for even thinking of such an idea.


    She sniffed it.


    It smelled of winter, a cool breeze through an overcast, lightly snowing sky. The shade of the trees at dusk.


    A taste.


    It was creamy, sweet, and soft. It flowed like a liquid but retained shape. It tasted like the early frost, a chilled berry crushed and spread even with flakes, walking through the monochrome forest at the brink of dawn.


    "Haaa..." she gasped, shivering as the chill bit at her throat. She blinked, and stared down at the marvelous treat in her hands. She took another bite, then two and three¡ª


    A sharp spike of pain washed through her head. She winced, holding her head with her free hand as it died down. Right. Lesson learned: Don¡¯t eat cold things too fast.


    She looked at the cone, and wondered. If they could possibly throw away something like this, treat it like common trash when it only picked up a bit of dust, what else did they have that made this so unremarkable?


    Ice cream in hand, she crept toward the alley¡¯s mouth. Paths and plans whirred in her thoughts as she searched for a way ever deeper into the heart of the city, and below everything a core of burning curiosity continued to shine ever brighter.


    She took another lick. It tasted like clouds.

 Encounter

    The scale of the city had been large even from a distance, but up close it was mind-boggling. There hadn¡¯t been any humans on the path to the house on the outskirts, but that had rapidly changed the further she went in. The buildings looked imposing and strange this close up, and some had darkened windows that she couldn''t see through, and she avoided those ones whenever possible as a precaution. The vast uptick in humans wandering the roads necessitated more subtle movements and an active tightening of her senses to avoid getting overwhelmed with unshielded emotional broadcasting. For not being Psychic, humans sure had a lot of mental activity!


    The Ralts waited patiently, hidden in a shrub at a narrow intersection, houses behind and the bulk of the city ahead. There were a few too many humans walking through to move safely. Absent-mindedly, she reached out and touched a curl of black material that circled the line of bushes she was in. Smooth, shiny, and bendy too. Was this plastic? She had only seen it made into bottles. Why was it in the dirt around a plant?


    She glanced behind her, and observed a row of flowers at the foot of a house. She had never seen a purple flower before. Maybe the plastic helped plants grow, somehow? Wait, no, there wasn''t any grass here or there, just chips of wood. Oh! It was to stop other plants from growing in between the bushes and choking out the flowers.


    The Ralts smiled to herself at a mystery well solved. A few moments more, before her patience was rewarded with a significant gap in the passing humans. She dashed straight into the opposite alleyway, delving deeper into the heart of the city.


    The alleyway stood in stark contrast to the streets behind her. Where before there had been small paths of dirt and grass, now there was only a layer of hard dark stone covering the ground. The buildings to either side had no windows into the alley, but a couple doors were inset into the walls here and there.


    But something caught her eye¡ªa few large green containers lined one side of the hall, and dust, stones, and bits of paper were scattered in nearly every nook and cranny.


    Giving the doors a healthy distance, she moved closer to the green bins. Strange, blocky markings were emblazoned on the front of them both, indecipherable to her brief inspection, so she ignored them to climb up on a handle and crack open the lid. The Ralts gagged as an acrid fume hit her face, and she reeled back for a moment, before steeling herself and peering inside, eyes watering. The source of the smell was revealed to be a deep pit of trash; greasy plates, used tissues and napkins, torn wrappers, a cracked glass pane, and giant piles of moldy food in bags.


    Gross. Was this what humans used as a refuse pit? The Ralts spotted a mushroom and grimaced. It wasn¡¯t even a tasty one! Disgusting. There must have been a food preparation area behind some of the doors. Closing the lid, she checked the time again. The sun had moved across the sky much faster than she had expected, and midday had come and gone not long ago. As if to remind her, her stomach began to growl. She blinked and patted herself, checking for the grass-woven pouch full of berries she had most assuredly remembered to bring along, because heading this far away from home alone without any food at all was just plain silly, and¡ª


    The completely berryless Ralts let out a small whine, lightly thumping her horn on the metal bin. ¡°Stupid, stupid, stupid,¡± she muttered to herself, each utterance followed by another hollow thunk that reverberated into her skull. The sound echoed through the alley, hammering in the idiocy in more ways than one.


    "Hey, did you guys hear that?" a faint voice said from the side alley further ahead. If the Ralts hadn''t already been pure white, she would have paled considerably. That wasn¡¯t good.


    She looked behind her, only to see an empty alley far too large to cross. Her eyes darted toward the source of the voice, seeing naught but the same. Swallowing thickly, she finally looked down at the metal bin.


    "I''m gonna go check it out! Come on, it might be a Zigzagoon!" another voice proclaimed.


    "Oh, I always wanted one of those! Maybe we can grab it?" exclaimed a third, higher pitched voice.


    For a moment, the Ralts considered just letting herself be discovered. Then she took a deep breath, opened the waste container as quietly as she could, and slipped inside, landing on the refuse below. The smell washed over her at once, a horrible rancid wave that made her eyes water and throat clench in pure revulsion. Reflexively, she pulled her hands over her mouth to choke down the sudden rise of bile.


    Unfortunately, she had still been holding the lid aloft when she did so. It came crashing down, the painfully amplified sound echoing inside the filthy container. Three pairs of footsteps came running into the alley, stopping right outside her hiding place. Attempting to ignore the smell¡ªand failing miserably¡ªthe Ralts strained her ears to hear the humans outside.


    "It must''ve been scavenging in the dumpster!" said a human boy.


    "Is it still there?" another asked, deeper but still obviously childish.


    "Well, I don''t see it in the alley, so it has to be!" proclaimed a third voice, a match for the higher pitched one earlier. A girl? "You guys better not have scared it off."


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The Ralts hesitated for a split second before burrowing deeper into the trash below her, leaving herself only a small gap to see through¡ªand hopefully obscuring her from view. A crack of light appeared as one of the humans attempted to open the dumpster, but it didn''t open very far; from the sounds outside and the way the lid bobbed, the Ralts guessed that the human was too short to properly open it, and was jumping to compensate.


    The first boy gave a grunt of disappointment. "I can''t see inside, it''s too dark. Barry, get over here and hold my cone, I need to climb on your back!"


    "Uh, are you sure that''s a good idea?" Barry, the deeper voice, asked.


    "Come on, I want to see the Zigzagoon!" said the girl.


    The Ralts heard a sigh, then a small shuffle.


    "You ready?" Barry asked.


    "Yeah, lift me up!"


    A grunt, and then a small noise as the first boy steadied himself against the dumpster. "Alright, opening on three. One, two, three!"


    Light suddenly flooded the interior of the dumpster, and the Ralts heard a cry of triumph followed rapidly by one of distress. The lid came crashing back down, the impact making her clutch at her ears in pain.


    "Ow...¡± the boy outside moaned. ¡°That...didn''t go so well..."


    "You think!?" Barry exclaimed. "You threw both of us backward! I told you it wouldn''t work!"


    "Hey, if you had just moved with me, I could''ve gotten it easy¡ªhey!¡± the boy exclaimed, ¡°You dropped my ice cream!"


    The Ralts blinked. Ice...cream? You could cream ice? Wasn¡¯t that just water?


    "Yeah, well someone knocked me over, and I didn''t want to fall on my head!" Barry countered, aggravated.


    "Guys, calm down!" the girl interjected. "We can get you another one later. Are you okay? Did you see the Zigzagoon?"


    "Eh? Oh, yeah, I''m fine,¡± the unnamed boy said. ¡°Maybe a scrape. I didn''t see anything in there, though. Just trash."


    "Come to think of it,¡± Barry said, ¡°all the noise should be making it run around in there, but I don''t hear anything."


    "Aw. It must''ve gone down the alley before we got here," said the girl. There was a sharp ping as a pebble hit the dumpster. "Hmfh. Oh well. Let''s get going. Oh! I just remembered, apparently Wally got a Poochyena from the Gym Leader earlier."


    The still-unnamed first boy made an incredulous sound. "Wheezy Wally got a Poochyena? Oh, I''ve gotta see this!"


    Then she heard footsteps, increasingly distant, marking the humans¡¯ departure. She poked her head above the sea of rubbish, gagging. How long had all this been in here? Grimacing, she wiggled free and wiped the worst of the clinging sludge off her coat¡ªbefore freezing as the lid opened again.


    "They gotta stop leaving trash laying around; what are we, Pokemon?" Barry muttered, tossing something extremely cold right on her horn. "Guys!" he called out, dropping the lid again. "Wait up, I wanna see it too!"


    The Ralts stood very still, a wet chill dripping down her head as the footsteps faded away. With a grimace, she reached up and lifted the lid of the dumpster enough to slide out, climbing back out onto the handle, and then the ground below¡ªmaking sure that the noisy thing didn¡¯t bang shut and give her away a second time. The cold thing had stuck fast, refusing to fall off in the descent. Still grimacing, she reached up, grabbing onto something stiff that crushed when she gripped it too hard.


    Pulling the object loose, she stared at it. It was a thin yellow cone covered in a grid-like pattern, hollow but for a malformed and runny lump of blue...stuff.


    ¡°Is this ice cream?" she wondered aloud. A portion of the viscous substance was still soaking into her hair, dripping steadily onto her face, and with a final grimace she concentrated and slowly ran a psychic hand through her locks, forcing the majority of the liquid to fall to the ground.


    The Ralts felt at her hair, experiencing the unpleasantly sticky residue left behind. ¡°I''m going to have to take a rinse later,¡± she grumbled.


    Then her eyes turned to the cone, thoughtful. It was some manner of human food, but they had just tossed it away because it fell on the ground? What a waste. She had eaten Magikarp that had fallen in mud just fine; it just needed a quick rinse to be good as new! Her stomach growled again. Hesitating, she looked around the alley, as if the children would pop out from behind the dumpster in revenge, or her grandpa would fall out of the sky and scold her for even thinking of such an idea.


    She sniffed it.


    It smelled of winter, a cool breeze through an overcast, lightly snowing sky. The shade of the trees at dusk.


    A taste.


    It was creamy, sweet, and soft. It flowed like a liquid but retained shape. It tasted like the early frost, a chilled berry crushed and spread even with flakes, walking through the monochrome forest at the brink of dawn.


    "Haaa..." she gasped, shivering as the chill bit at her throat. She blinked, and stared down at the marvelous treat in her hands. She took another bite, then two and three¡ª


    A sharp spike of pain washed through her head. She winced, holding her head with her free hand as it died down. Right. Lesson learned: Don¡¯t eat cold things too fast.


    She looked at the cone, and wondered. If they could possibly throw away something like this, treat it like common trash when it only picked up a bit of dust, what else did they have that made this so unremarkable?


    Ice cream in hand, she crept toward the alley¡¯s mouth. Paths and plans whirred in her thoughts as she searched for a way ever deeper into the heart of the city, and below everything a core of burning curiosity continued to shine ever brighter.


    She took another lick. It tasted like clouds.

 Vibrations

    The Ralts sighed, crouched uncomfortably inside a large, upside-down box made of thin pseudo-wood.


    She peered out of one of the slits in the box¡¯s walls, grimacing at both the ceaseless tide of humanity walking the city¡¯s streets, and the hard stones digging into her knees and shins. Pedestrians had become more and more common as the Ralts had ventured into the city, and opportunities to advance further proportionally fewer. Currently she was trapped in a narrow, three-way alley, hiding from sight in a convenient box that had been abandoned next to one of those giant metal trash bins.


    Ordinarily, she would¡¯ve celebrated the sheer number of humans to glean knowledge from, but not only were there so many of them that their voices and emotions were garbling together into incoherence, but they barely stuck around for the time it took to cross the alley¡¯s mouth! Simply moving elsewhere was looking less and less likely as well; the humans were too ever-present to simply dash across unseen, and she doubted trying to disguise herself as a moving box would work out that well.


    Shaking her head, the Ralts slowly started backing up into the alley, taking care not to lift the box too high or move more than a few steps at once. Peeking back the way she¡¯d come, she found the street outside the opposite end of the alley as well-traveled as the nearer one. And shuffling the box back toward the intersecting passage midway down, she let out an aggravated groan when she saw the same, equally dense congestion.


    How was she supposed to move on from here? There was some sort of metal grate in the ground that looked to lead into a tunnel, but it was blocked off and smelled bad, and she had reservations about going underground in such a strange place anyway. Ugh, she was getting nowhere, and this rough ground was killing her legs. Maybe she could take a moment to hide and get off her feet, recuperate and look at things from a fresh perspective¡­


    Turning towards the two giant trash bins, she maneuvered herself into the small gap between them. Now away from the sight of passersby, she flipped the box upright and pushed it against the wall, collapsing inside with a frustrated huff. While it wouldn¡¯t beat out even the driest of grass, the pseudo-wood of the box was much better than the rocky surface the humans paved the alley with. Yet, what should she do now? The Ralts stared at the sliver of visible alleyway listlessly, pondering her options.


    Teleportation was out of the question; she knew the theory, but Grandpa wouldn¡¯t let her practice until she became a Kirlia¡ªnot that she had the power to even try as a Ralts. She doubted she could camouflage herself for more than a few moments, as she had neither the control nor the power for that¡ªif it was a partial illusion, maybe, but she was dearly lacking in anything to aid the effort. Maybe she should just run over under the box after all? Find a place to hide on the other side and wait until the commotion died down? It was so risky, though...


    The Ralts wrestled with her limited options for some time, daylight passing by in agonizing, indecisive slowness, until a sudden glare shone directly into the Ralts¡¯s face. Jerking up, she rubbed her eyes and glared at the source of the light¡ªthen blinked, gazing at a folded metal ladder hanging from the rooftops, the sun having drifted far enough to reflect off the shiny surface. She grinned; now that was perfect! If she couldn¡¯t go through, she¡¯d just go over!


    The Ralts got out of the box and peered at the ladder speculatively. There had to be a way to bring it down, right? Looking closely, she spotted a small latch at the top that seemed to be holding the mechanism closed; that should be easy enough to move. Concentrating, the Ralts delved into her latent energy, the comforting warmth of psychic power flowing through her body as she opened her mind.


    A chaotic blend of emotion struck her as she began to pick up on the feelings of the people around her more acutely, but she ignored it as best as she was able, directing her attention to the release mechanism. Familiar purple energy enveloped the latch, clattering and clanking as she tugged it around. With one last yank she finally opened the latch, and the ladder descended to the ground with a roaring crash of metal.


    The Ralts gasped, quickly flipping the box back over and hiding inside. That had been way louder than she had expected! She didn¡¯t doubt for a moment that there were a dozen humans looking into the alley right now, and a careful glance through the gaps underneath the trash bins confirmed at least a few pairs of feet loitering around the alley entrance. She waited, heart pounding, as a few distant voices pondered the ladder¡¯s sudden descent...before ultimately moving on, unconcerned.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    The Ralts waited a moment more, before hesitantly poking her head out and looking around. It seemed nobody had come to investigate, and the streams of humans passing the alley mouth had continued, unchanged. The Ralts exhaled, slumping in relief. That had been nerve-wracking! Hopefully she wouldn¡¯t have a close call like that again.


    Underneath the box, the Ralts steadily crawled out toward the ladder and examined the metal device; its rungs looked awkwardly spaced, but she would manage. It was fairly tall, though, and what if it made noise as she climbed? Reaching out, she gave the base a decent shake as a test, and was pleasantly surprised at the lack of give. Maybe it was sturdier than she thought. Still, she could at least make herself a bit lighter to minimize risks¡­


    A light purple haze covered the psychic''s body as she reduced her own weight by a fourth. Taking a deep breath, the Ralts burst out from under her cover and threw herself at the ladder, climbing the rungs with a muffled haste. After a frantic moment she crested over the roof¡¯s edge, panting.


    The Ralts took a moment to breathe, then hesitantly peered back down into the alley, sighing in relief at the lack of reaction from either end. Right, step one accomplished. Now to figure out step two.


    The roof was barren, except for odd bits of shaped metal here and there and a giant machine on a nearby corner, rumbling peacefully as it did whatever it was meant to do. Most of the other buildings she could see were on the same level of her current perch, aside from one area that seemed to spike upward into the skies, and all of them were partially obscured by the number of large trees on every street. Off in the distance, a rather distinguished building sat with giant flat constructs displayed proudly on top¡ªthey had the same blocky look of the symbols on the refuse container, and after a moment¡¯s thought she recalled that these shapes were called ¡®letters,¡¯ and humans used them in their writing.


    The Ralts considered the vista before her. That building with letters looked rather unique; maybe something interesting was over there. Path set, the Pokemon approached a nearby tree that grew taller than the roof and formed a bridge over the street with its fellows. Testing a likely branch for durability, the Ralts smirked as it held firm under her still-lightened weight. Brushing past the outer layer of leaves, she climbed off the roof and onto the bark. She spared a passing glance at the people moving below her, the hubbub slightly dulled by the masses of foliage, but none of them appeared to notice the commotion above them. And so, with a grin, she continued to navigate the leafy pass.


    Traveling this way was both much easier and much more nerve wracking, the Ralts discovered. She didn¡¯t have to heed the traffic below, but simultaneously she had to be extremely cautious about where she stepped, and how much noise she made as she pushed aside leaves and branches. It wouldn¡¯t do for any of the humans below to look upward at an inopportune time after all.


    She had made it through two iterations of roof-tree-roof hopping when she began to hear an odd sound, distinct from the hubbub below. It was melodic in nature, and altered pitch in slow, methodical ways. Curiosity piqued, the Ralts made a detour towards the sound and peered at the ground below in search of the melody.


    There was a human on a bench across the street. Thin, silvery hair adorned his head, and he was dressed in a white shirt with a column of buttons running down the middle and smooth black pants. He held a rather strange wooden object shaped like an oval with a very narrow plank running off the tip; the wide base was pressed against his neck and chin, while he grasped the object¡¯s own ¡®neck¡¯ with a wrinkled hand. His other hand held a long stick with a separate thin white band attached. The Ralts couldn''t make out much more than that at such a distance, but as she looked, she saw him maneuvering his fingers along the neck of the object as he drew the rod over the middle of the wide area. Clear, airy melodies sang out as his hands moved, pitch changing with the movement of his fingers.


    The music was one of the most beautiful things she had ever heard. The notes were long and solid, so unlike the familiar flickering of birdsong or the chorusing of the villagers. The song itself played slowly, many low notes echoing leisurely across the street and bringing to mind foggy days and a rather weary melancholy.


    But...where was his audience? Across from her vantage point, the bench the man sat on was situated in front of an odd grove that took up as much ground as a half-dozen buildings. It was empty aside from him, and everyone on the street passed him by, like they couldn''t even hear the music wafting in the street. A couple of humans slowed down or nodded at the man, but aside from brief moments of acknowledgement they just rushed onward, as if none of them could stay for longer than a second.


    It was an absolute tragedy, she decided. Finding her way into some branches across the street, she came to rest in the crown of the tree behind the man and settled amongst the branches, hidden from view. She closed her eyes, listening to the strange, wonderful sounds emanating from below. Those humans passing by everywhere didn¡¯t know what they were missing. If nobody else could stop to appreciate something like this, well, she¡¯d just have to enjoy it in their stead.


    The Ralts smiled, and listened to the old man''s melody for a long, long time.

 Ruckus

    Eventually, the song ended. The man stood up, cracked his back, and packed away his instrument. Stretching, the Ralts herself rose from her treetop perch and watched as the man slowly walked down the street. His music had taken a more upbeat tone near the end, she noted. Silently, she waved him goodbye and turned to her original destination.


    A comparatively short time later, she arrived at the massive building with the giant letters. It was situated at the center of a large plaza surrounded by a tall hedge wall, with several flat concrete fields circling the structure. The building itself was several stories high, and sported a bright, cheery sign across the surface where the three human letters¡ªG, Y, and M¡ªwere proudly displayed. Unfortunately, her path of trees ended a distance before the fields. She sighed; there would be no getting close to this building. Shame, it looked rather important¡­


    But then a commotion on the field caught her attention. A couple of young humans had entered the area, their unshielded mental signatures very different from the trio in the alley or the two who had tried to capture her. They were about 50 yards away, and one of them appeared to be jostling the other onto a field. This warranted further investigation, she decided, and descended from the tree into the hedges. Shifting through the twigs, she arrived at the closest point to the ruckus; they had arrived in the center of an arena next to the hedge, which was marked by a drawing of concentric circles.


    "¡ªKnow the rules, Billy, a Pokemon trainer has to accept any challenge he receives!" said one of them. He was a tallish boy, with styled blond hair and a blue suit that snugly fit his frame.


    "And I already said I''m not a trainer, Winston!" cried the other boy¡ªBilly? He was a foot shorter than Winston, had brown hair, and wore a blue and yellow shirt with black shorts and a blue cap.


    "Oh?" challenged Winston, who smirked. "You caught a Pokemon, that means you are a Pokemon trainer. If you weren''t you wouldn''t be allowed to buy a pokeball, and they only sell those to people who show a pokedex!"


    Billy flushed. "I¡ªbut¡ªI''m not going to go around fighting people, I just wanted a pet!"


    "Then you should have just gone out and grabbed one." Winston shrugged.


    "You''re the one who said I had to get a pokeball to get a Pokemon!"


    "Did I?" Winston put a finger on his chin in mock contemplation. "I do believe I only said that trainers used pokeballs to catch Pokemon, and that it was one of the easier methods to acquire one. You''re the one that went out and registered."


    "You lied to me!" Billy yelled, pointing at the taller boy accusingly.


    "No, I''m quite sure everything I said was true." Winston smirked, tapping his foot. "Now, are you going to blame me for every poor decision you''ve made, or are we going to battle?"


    Winston, the Ralts decided, was a jerk. She didn''t fully understand what exactly was going on, but obviously he had tricked Billy into something he didn''t want to do. Silently, she rooted for the short boy. Kick his butt, Billy!


    Billy grit his teeth. "Fine!" he shouted, pointing at the other child dramatically. "But I''ll win this thing, and then you have to pay!"


    Palming his own, Winston chuckled. "As if. Go, Thomas!" he called, throwing the ball up into the air. With a loud pop and Whzxzxzxzxzxzx, a red blob shot out of the pokeball and to the arena floor, which resolved itself into the form of a Zigzagoon.


    "Zig!" it yipped, running in a circle, before turning to face Billy. "Zig-zig!"


    "Ah..." Billy stepped back, hesitating.


    "Hm? Are you intimidated? After such bravado a moment ago..." Winston shook his head.


    Billy¡¯s face turned furious. "I''m not scared!" he declared, taking out his own pokeball. He tossed it into the air, and with the same sound and beam of bright light a Seedot emerged from containment. The stage was set.</a>


    "Seed?" Seedot said, looking around in confusion.


    Winston was smirking again. "A Seedot? Really? They''re useless!"


    "I''ll show you useless!" Billy pointed at the enemy Zigzagoon, snarling. "Seedot, Tackle!"


    But the Seedot didn''t move. A second passed.


    "Dot?" it said, sending an uncertain look Billy¡¯s way.


    Winston stifled a chuckle with his hand. "Having a bit of trouble there?"


    "Shut up, you!¡± Billy yelled, before directing his voice to his¡­pet? ¡°What are you doing? Tackle the Zigzagoon!"


    "Dot..." Looking vaguely uncertain, Seedot turned back to the spiky-haired Pokemon. Starting forward, it picked up speed, its stubby feet plodding across the ground at a sluggish rate. "SeeeeeeEEEEE¡ª" it cried, and flung itself full-force at the Zigzagoon¡­slightly nudging him before falling face-first onto the pavement.


    "Zig." The Zigzagoon nudged the seed, unimpressed.


    The Ralts winced. What in the world was Billy doing? Seedot didn¡¯t fight head-to-head!


    Winston had burst into full-on laughter, clutching his sides as the ridiculous display unfolded. Billy, for his part, looked dumbfounded.


    "Ah ha ha...hoo. That was the best thing I''ve seen all day." Winston smirked as he regained his composure. "Now then, let me show you how it''s done." He waved his hand lazily in the direction of his still-toppled enemy. "Thomas, Tackle."


    The Zigzagoon¡ªwhose name was apparently Thomas¡ªyipped. He bounced back two steps, jumped in a circle, then rushed forward towards the struggling Seedot and rammed his head straight into its side. The Seedot was launched backwards, tumbling across the ground before skidding to a stop on Billy''s side of the arena.


    "Seed..." it wheezed, dazed.


    "Seedot! Are you okay?" Billy shouted, face wrought with panic.


    "Dot...dot." it replied, twisting around and climbing to its feet. "Dot, seedot."


    "Uh¡­" Billy glanced at Winston, then focused on Thomas. "Right. Can you still fight?"


    "Seed!" A fire had appeared in the Seedot¡¯s eyes. It appeared the fight was personal, now.


    "Heh. I''ve yet to see any fight in the first place." Winston closed his eyes and made a shrugging motion with one hand, resting the other on his hip. "In my opinion, you should just surrender now and save yourself the pain."


    "We''ll show you!" Billy shouted. "Alright Seedot, use Solar Beam!" He pointed at the Zigzagoon, impending triumph splayed on his face.


    For a second time, nothing happened. Seedot stared at his master. "Seed?" it said, somehow managing to convey exasperation. Billy''s face fell.


    Winston had palmed his face. "How can anyone be this terrible?" he murmured to nobody in particular.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "You can''t...?" Billy asked, then continued, "Uh. Frenzy Plant!" Seedot continued to stare.


    "Petal Dance! Leaf Blade!" Winston was burying his face deeper into his hands.


    "Giga Drain!? Razor Leaf? Vine Whip?" Zigzagoon yawned, and scratched at his ear.


    "Come on!" he pleaded. "Bullet Seed, Absorb, Stun Spore? You must know how to do one of them!"


    "Seed!" it replied, confused and worried. "Dot, seedot seed-seed!"


    The Ralts herself was getting irritated by the boy¡¯s lack of knowledge. She didn¡¯t think she¡¯d ever seen a Seedot use anything the boy had said, whatever they were, and that Seedot looked a season old at best! Why wasn''t he using Seedots'' natural abilities? Did he just not know? She slumped, groaning quietly to herself. And the Seedot didn''t seem capable of using them on its own, either. What a mess!


    She peered back at the helpless Pokemon, then at its opponents. She didn''t want this taller boy to win¡­but what could she do? It was his battle, and she couldn''t give the Seedot orders. Or, she realized, maybe she could? Telepathy wasn¡¯t limited to talking to other Ralts and Kirlia; it was perfectly able to work on other species as well! It was just that she¡¯d only ever used it in that sense to forcibly stun or disorient particularly stubborn Magikarp. She hadn¡¯t tried using it to talk to another Pokemon; it wasn¡¯t like they could talk back, after all. But here and now, perhaps there was a reason to try.


    "Right then," Winston said, simultaneously interrupting Billy''s ineffective calling of abilities and the Ralts''s train of thought. "I think it''s time we finished this. Maybe then, you can go learn how to not be a terrible trainer!"


    "Eh?" Billy looked up at his nemesis. "Wait, no!"


    "Yes!" Winston opposed, and flung out his arm. "Go, Thomas! Bury that seed in the ground!"


    Thomas yipped, and rushed forward.


    "Seedot!" Billy cried, reaching out as if he could protect it himself. "Do something!"


    "Seedot!" Seedot responded, turning back to its approaching doom, its eyes wide with fear.


    And the Ralts knew she had to act. She reached out, the barest flicker of power communicating intent in a form purer than words.


    The Ralts spoke to the Seedot, and said ¡®Endure, and return two-fold.''


    In a flash the Seedot understood, cowering no longer. Coming to fully face his opponent, he stood his ground and prepared himself.


    Zigzagoon rammed into Seedot with the force of a hammer, slamming the Pokemon into the ground. "Goooooon!" it crowed, boasting its prowess as the Seedot rolled to a stop.


    "Seedot! Are you...okay?" Billy blinked at the strange sight before him.


    "Seed...seed..." Seedot replied, and began emanating a soft red glow where it lay, motionless.


    "Now then, Thomas!" Winston called, not seeming to notice the light. "Finish it off, crack open its shell!"


    "Zagoon!" Thomas replied, jumping to the other side of the glowing Seedot and biting down on the stem poking from the head of his opponent. Then with a muffled cry of "Zig!" he lifted the Seed Pokemon off the pavement, and hurled it back down on its other side. "Zag!" Again, he lifted and slammed the glowing Seedot down with a crack.


    Over and over again, the Zigzagoon hurled Seedot against the pavement, but with each iteration of this assault, Seedot¡¯s red aura grew brighter and brighter. "Seed...seed..."


    "What...?" Billy uttered, transfixed by the strange light.


    "Eh?¡± Winston said, finally becoming aware of the disturbance. "Huh? Why is it¡ªwait, what!?" The boy''s eyes widened dramatically as he stepped back. "How...when did you¡ª? Thomas!" he yelled as the Zigzagoon continued to pummel the increasingly shimmering Seedot, "Stop, retreat, get back here!"


    Thomas''s head snapped to his trainer after he slammed his opponent down for the last time. "Zag?" he said, dropping the stem.


    "Run, dodge!¡± Winston yelled, voice cracking in panic. ¡°It''s going to¡ª"


    "SEEDOT," the Seedot bellowed from the floor. It stood up ponderously, like an awakening giant. The Zigzagoon yipped in surprise, turning to stare at its opponent.


    Billy¡¯s eyes sparkled, confused but understanding that something awesome was happening. "Seedot! Go get him!" he commanded, grinning wildly. And Seedot obeyed, the entirety of his crimson aura collapsed and coalesced into a raging white sphere.


    "Seeeeeee¡ª!" He shouted, staring straight at his opponent.


    "Thomas!" Winston screamed.


    Thomas turned to run, but he was far, far too late.


    "¡ªDOOOOOOOOOOT!"


    A raging torrent of energy cascaded out of the sphere, crashing straight into Thomas''s face with the force of a furious Mightyena. With a pained cry the Zigzagoon was launched away, skipping across the pavement a fourth of the way across the grounds, where he fell to the earth and tumbled twice more before skidding to a halt. Thomas struggled to stand, but faltered and collapsed, motionless.


    "Thomas!" Winston cried, rushing over to his fallen friend. Crouching at his side, he quickly checked him over before sighing in relief. "Just unconscious..." he muttered. Then he brought out his Pok¨¦ball, and with another laser Thomas disappeared into the device. "Don''t worry buddy, I''ll get you to a center soon."


    "Yeah!" Billy cheered as he ran to hug the Seedot. "We did it! We won! Oh, I thought we were done for but then you glowed like Fwhoom and then you blasted a laser like Peoooow and that was awesome!" He laughed as he spun in place, squeezing his Seedot tightly.


    "See-seedot..." Seedot replied, dizzy and exhausted but happy.


    The Ralts giggled to herself as she watched the childish display. Interfering had most definitely been worth it..


    "Ha!" Billy shouted, pointing at Winston, who was trudging across the arena with a sour look on his face. "I won! That means you gotta pay up!"


    "That win was a load of tosh and you know it." Winston scowled, folding his arms. "You didn''t even do anything."


    "Doesn''t matter, I still won!"


    Winston sighed. "Yes, very well. What do you want?"


    "You!" Billy declared, "Are going to pay for my lunch!"


    Winston raised an eyebrow. "It''s five-thirty. Lunch was over three hours ago."


    "Linner!" Billy immediately restated, grinning madly.


    Winston stared at him. "What in the world is Linner?"


    "It''s like brunch, but with dinner and lunch."


    "I don''t think that¡¯s a word."


    "Well it is now!" Billy folded his arms. "I just made it one!"


    Winston facepalmed again. "You are just unbelievable."


    Billy, who had started walking out of the area, turned his head back and hollered, "Unbelievably awesome!"


    "Seed!"


    Winston groaned and followed the pair, and the Ralts watched them go with a silly grin on her face. This place, she decided, was so much more interesting than the forest. Next time she came, she''d have to...


    Next time? She thought about it for a moment, and to her surprise she found that the surprising urge to return was very tempting. When she had first set out, she had only wanted to satisfy her unusual curiosity. But now she could see just how much she had been missing. She didn''t think she could stand not ever tasting that sweet concoction called ice cream again, nor could she forget the soft melody the man on the bench had played.


    The fight just now, the latter half had set her ablaze with excitement. That singular rush when the Seedot unleashed its full power was unlike anything she had ever experienced. And the moon! Humanity was going to walk on the moon! How had they been able to fly so far as to break the sky? It was so far away, and yet...


    Humans had left the forests behind, she realized, staring at the shadowed moon, which was looming at the horizon. They left it behind and reached for the stars. Maybe...


    She paused and looked at the sky, which was transitioning into darker shades of red.


    The moon was coming up, she slowly realized.


    A moment of silence.


    Crap! Panicking, she untangled herself from the leaves and turned to run. It was so late! Fretting, she shot along the hedge and shimmied back up the tree. It was going to be twilight before she could make it back, at minimum! Oh, Gramps was going to tear her a new one...


    Dread in her heart, she shot along the rooftops and towards the place she called home.

 Ambush

    By the time the Ralts had made it back to the forest edge, twilight had well and truly fallen. The woods took upon themselves an ethereal haze as the glow of the moon slowly became the only source of light. She weaved through trees and shrubs towards her home, taking care to make as little noise as possible.


    For the Poochyena hunted most often at night, she knew; their natural coal coloring and dark minds making the gloom a perfect hunting ground. The Ralts bore this in mind most clearly as the sun faded entirely. Navigating the half-remembered surroundings, she became acutely aware of every sound around her.


    A third of the way there, she said to herself as time passed. The moon rose near its apex in the sky. A third more. A Taillow¡¯s echoing shriek caused her to jump, terrified. She stilled, listening intently. When nothing further happened, she let loose her stilled breath.


    Then a lone howl echoed through the darkness, freezing the blood in her veins. Abandoning all subtlety, the Ralts fled through the bush. Shadows jumped and twisted in the light as a wild chorus answered the first.


    Through this bush, jump the rocks, slide under the fallen tree. The cries sounded again, closer.


    The Ralts took fleeting glances at her surroundings as she passed through. The dim light made it hard to see, but her mind pieced flashes of familiar scenery together. This was¡­yes, she knew this place, she was so close! Making a hard turn left, she dashed with renewed vigor¡ªas behind her she heard a crash, some pursuer slamming into a thorny brush. She winced as the pained cries echoed off the trees, seeming to come from every direction. This is not the time to feel pity, she told herself, and pushed further on.


    Just a short time later, she saw a light flickering in the distance. The sounds of pursuit nipped at her heels in frightening volume, and she put on that extra burst of speed as she dove through into the clearing beyond.


    ¡°What the¡ª¡± a voice called, startled. The guard from earlier stood in the glow of a floating lamp, staring at her with wide eyes. His spear was pointing directly at her.


    ¡°Poochyena!¡± the Ralts cried, skidding around his weapon and hiding behind him. ¡°From the forest!¡±


    ¡°You¡ªwhat!?¡± The Kirlia halted his half-turn, gaze snapping to the woods beyond. The bushes rustled all around them as the Ralts huddled closer to the larger guard¡¯s side.


    ¡°You know,¡± he mentioned, eyes shifting back and forth. ¡°When I said I¡¯d protect you from the Poochyena, I didn¡¯t exactly mean ¡®Go out and find them.¡¯¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lecturing me about this now!?¡±


    ¡°Might not get another chance.¡± He shifted his grip and lowered his lantern onto the ground. ¡°Stay low, I¡¯ll get us both out of here, alright?¡± The shadows danced eerily around the clearing and the wind picked up slightly, whistling through the canopy above. For a moment, there was calm.</a>


    Then from the left, a Poochyena exploded out of the shrubbery, thirty pounds of sharp teeth and fury. The Kirlia spun around at once, and smashed it to the ground with the haft of his spear. Pirouetting, he levered the mutt and flung it, intercepting another leaping dog in midair before skidding to a halt and stabbing at the third dog rushing down the center.


    It dodged to the side, but yelped when the spear scored a gash along his body. The Kirlia pulled back and stabbed again, but the Poochyena retreated, growling, as the Ralts watched its fellows find their feet. Spinning, the guard buried his shaft in the snarling jaws of a recovered dog and with a heave slammed it down, narrowly ducking under the first Poochyenas attack.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    She watched in terrified awe as the guard spun and slashed at the dogs, barely managing to stay ahead of their ferocious attacks with skill and experience. Shaking, she reached out with her psychic power, searching for any way to help¡ªbut found that her efforts slid off the Poochyena like water.


    But there had to be something. Sitting there, useless, powerless¡­a swell of fury rose within her. Again she threw a blast of confusion at the hounds, and again her efforts yielded nothing. Helpless, she watched as her guardian faltered, receiving a gash to the arm for his mistake. Desperately, her eyes wandered the clearing for anything she could possibly do.


    The Kirlia panted as the dogs readied themselves for another assault. They circled him, looking for an opening to exploit, and he winced as fresh gashes on his arm pulsed; the Ralts could feel it, that fresh wave of pain. Sensing weakness, the hounds closed in from all sides, snarling and thrashing. Desperately, he warded off two of them with a wide sweep and caught the third in the leg, tripping it.


    He jerked the spear backwards, jamming the haft into an adversary''s snarling maw, but the Poochyena growled and snapped its jaw shut around the shaft and pulled away, almost yanking the tool from the Kirlia¡¯s hands. He stumbled, falling to one knee¡ªand once again the other dogs took advantage, rebounding and charging in from opposite sides. Panicked, the Kirlia turned to his left and instinctively shot a blast of pure psychic energy at the incoming mutt. Neither Poochyena reacted; they only darted forward, slavering. Raising a desperate arm in guard, the guard braced for pain.


    So he was rather startled when they were instead pelted with two rather large, glowing rocks. He kicked the hound attached to his weapon once, twice, and finally knocked the beast off. Leaping backwards he brandished his spear at the Poochyena once more, sending a glance backward to whence the timely assistance had come. Face screwed in concentration, the tiny Ralts stood tall in the flickering lamp light. Around her orbited tens of stones, whirling above her in a loose cloud.


    He paused, then broke out a wry grin. ¡°Couldn¡¯t have busted that out earlier?¡±


    The Ralts let out a low, annoyed keen, and a rock narrowly missed the guard¡¯s head. A whine sounded as a dog was downed mid-leap.


    ¡°Point made,¡± he noted.


    Swinging around the haft, he slammed a hound to the dirt yet again. Whirling, he slashed at the third foe which failed to dodge in time, leaving a seeping gash across its side¡ªand then it was hit by a stone.


    Hit by hit, slash by slash, the Poochyena were driven back. Any advancements made or tactics attempted were thwarted by a precisely slung piece of granite.


    Finally, after what felt like an age of combat, all of the Poochyena lay upon the ground, exhausted and bloodied. The guard, out of breath, watched them with his spear still at the ready. Slowly, the trio of aggressors climbed to their feet.


    Letting out a collection of mournful howls, all three slinked off into the night.


    With a sigh of relief the guardsman planted his spear into the ground and rested against it for a moment, before turning his attention to his charge. The Ralts had long since released her cloud of rocks and fallen to her knees, gasping for air.


    The Kirlia staggered over and kneeled down. ¡°You alright, there? It¡¯s okay.¡± He laid a hand on her shoulder as her shuddering breaths filled the night air. ¡°It¡¯s okay. We made it, eh?¡±


    They were both silent for a time, the guard letting her regain her stamina before he spoke again. ¡°First time using that much energy, huh? Didn¡¯t even think you had that much in you¡ªmost Ralts don¡¯t. Really saved my butt there,¡± he added.


    The Ralts chucked weakly. ¡°Had to¡­had to do something. Couldn¡¯t sit and do no¡ªnothing.¡± She coughed, mouth dry.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you had my back. Not many would have started chucking rocks.¡± Gently, he turned her over and scooped her into his arms. With a bit of effort he telekinetically lifted his spear and the lamp, which hovered behind him.


    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± he said, walking through the trees. ¡°Your grandfather was worried.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±

 Elder

    <div>


    The walk seemed quiet, though the Ralts didn¡¯t entirely trust her situational awareness in the moment. At some point she had transferred to riding the shoulders of the guard, head resting between his bright red horns. With tired eyes, she watched the trees pass by as they made their way home.


    She could sense when the guard sent out a psychic message, presumably alerting everyone else about her. Idly she searched for who else might be out, but her range was still very limited; she could not sense anyone.


    ¡°You holding up okay?¡± the guard asked after a long silence.


    ¡°¡®M tired,¡± she mumbled.


    She could feel the amusement wafting off of him. ¡°Yeah, going head-to-head with a pack like that does that to you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not tired at all!¡± she accused.


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m exhausted too. But I¡¯ve trained for this, and I¡¯m bigger than you as well. I can deal with it.¡± He smirked. ¡°Who knows, more escapades like this and you might be as tall as me soon.¡±


    ¡°Do you really mean it?¡± she whispered. Staying awake was becoming a difficult prospect.


    ¡°Of course! Stressful experiences like that are the fastest way to become a Kirlia! Though,¡± he backtracked suddenly, realizing what he was saying, ¡°you shouldn¡¯t actually do anything like this again. These woods are dangerous, you know, and¡­huh.¡±


    He paused, and only heard soft breathing in reply.


    <hr>


    She woke up in darkness, illuminated by candlelight and a soft shine from far away. Soreness emanated from her legs, and her mouth was dry. Rubbing her eyes, the Ralts sat up and beheld the familiar comfort of her room which was located within the cave.


    Her bed was a semi-carved alcove in the wall, liberally padded with dried grass and other greenery. Next to it was a large, flat boulder which held a few trinkets. A rusted old spearhead lay prominently next to a faded red hair clip at the edge closest to her resting place. Other things were strewn further back, such as a collection of interesting rocks¡ªher favorite being the transparent green one¡ªand even the small skeleton of a two-tailed Magikarp.


    But what really caught her attention was a small cup of water next to a burning candle, set well within reach. She took a large drink and coughed as it stuck in her throat, but doggedly emptied the cup. Then she gingerly swung herself out of the alcove, grimacing at the lingering ache.


    The rest of her room was somewhat empty. A small yellow ball she had found on the trails rested on the floor, and a worn-out replica of a Surskit made out of different-colored grasses lay on another rocky table. The walls were occasionally marked by her own amateur attempts at artistry¡ªmost were drawings of various other Pokemon, but a larger one depicted her, her Grandpa, and an aborted depiction of two taller figures behind them.


    Putting the candle out, she gingerly made her way into the main cavern of her home. Her grandfather stood at a table against the wall, muttering to himself¡ªshe brightened up immediately at the sight of him, ache forgotten.


    ¡°Grandpa!¡± she exclaimed, latching onto his waist.


    ¡°Wh¡ª! Oh dear,¡± he said, turning around and kneeling to return his granddaughter¡¯s hug. ¡°It is good to see you up and about. I admit I wasn¡¯t expecting this for a little while yet.¡± He pulled away and looked her over. ¡°Are you feeling well? Are you hurt?¡±


    The Ralts shook her head in the negative. ¡°I¡¯m all right. My legs are really sore, though.¡±


    He smiled, relief blazoned upon his face. ¡°I am glad. You hadn¡¯t come home at sundown and nobody knew where you had gone. I was so worried.¡°


    The Ralts¡¯s smile faded, and she curled into herself a little, looking away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°You¡¯re safe now, that¡¯s all that matters,¡± he murmured in return. He hesitated before continuing, ¡°Though, I must ask a question. Please answer truthfully: what were you doing out so late?¡±


    The Ralts froze. A myriad of excuses, each worse than the last, raced through her mind. ¡°I¡­I got lost?¡± she tried, weakly.


    Her grandfather stared at her blankly, then sighed. ¡°I see.¡± Turning around, he reached back toward the table. ¡°Would the reason happen to have something to do with¡­this?¡± Facing her once more, he held in his hand the Pokeball from yesterday morning.


    She boggled at the small device. ¡°I¡ªwhat¡ªhow?¡±


    ¡°It was on the table by the entrance,¡± he stated. ¡°We haven''t had visitors for a long while, and yesterday morning you lingered at the entrance for a strange amount of time. Hiding something?¡±


    Whatever formative plan she had begun to make wilted and died at her grandfather''s stern tone. She nodded, ashamed.


    ¡°I see,¡± he murmured. Then his eyes sharpened. ¡°You asked about humans before you disappeared. Where did you find this?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Ralts hesitated. ¡°Yesterday morning. I was picking berries on the trails¡ªI¡¯m sorry!¡± she pleaded at his disapproving frown. ¡°The berries there are so much tastier, and I¡­well, nothing had ever happened before, so¡­¡±


    Her grandfather didn¡¯t say anything, but his disappointment thickened the air like soup. At her pause, he motioned her to continue.


    ¡°Ah,¡± she stammered. ¡°I, ah, well. Yesterday, when I was about to go home¡­two humans snuck up behind me and¡ªand tried to capture me.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± he breathed, staggering like he¡¯d just gotten Tackled. ¡°Oh child.¡±


    ¡°They had a Zigzagoon, and it knocked me around a bit,¡± she rambled. ¡±I¡­they threw that at me. I saw it coming, and dodged into the bushes and ran for it. I found it after they left.¡±


    There was an ominous, horrified pause. ¡°After you asked your questions, you left the village.¡± Her grandfather was still, as though fearing the answer. ¡°Where did you go?¡±


    The Ralts hesitated once more. There...really wasn¡¯t any way to skirt around this, was there? Mustering her courage, she responded. ¡°I went north. To the human city.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± her grandfather whispered. He looked ready to faint, his hands trembling mightily. ¡°Oh, what have you done?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± The Ralts reached out to him, but drew back at a sudden advance.


    He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her close. ¡°Did they see you!? Did they follow you?¡± he stressed, his eyes searching her own in a panic.


    ¡°I¡ª¡± The Ralts recoiled from his maddened gaze, heart thumping in her chest. She¡¯d never seen him act like this! ¡°N¡ªno! They didn¡¯t see me! I was hidden the entire time!¡±


    Her grandfather held her gaze for a moment more, before exhaling, furor calmed by her denial. ¡°Good.¡± Releasing her, he stood to his full height. ¡°What were you thinking!?¡± he scolded. ¡°You could have gotten captured! They could have found us! You¡ªI¡± His face twisted, his voice lowered to a whisper. ¡°I could have lost you.¡±


    ¡°I just¡­I¡­¡± The Ralts felt tears prick at her eyes. She wrung her hands together, robbed of any reply.


    Her grandfather stood in silence for a moment longer, then sighed. ¡°Can you tell me why? I know I have told you before that humans were trouble. Why in the world would almost being captured spur you to travel into their city?¡±


    Ralts sniffled, then rallied. ¡°I don¡¯t really know. I mean, after they left, I found that ball they threw at me in the forest. It...well, can I show you?¡± She held out a hand. After a moment''s hesitation, the aged Kirla gave her the device. ¡°It¡¯s like nothing I¡¯ve ever seen before. If you press the button¡ª¡± With a click, the pokeball shrank to a fourth of its size. ¡°it shrinks, and if you press it again it grows.¡± She demonstrated, holding the re-enlarged pokeball aloft.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± her grandfather said, incredulous. ¡°It¡¯s just a pokeball. I don¡¯t see how¡ª¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®that¡¯s it?¡¯¡± the Ralts asked, shocked. ¡°That¡¯s amazing! They¡¯re tiny little balls that can shrink and grow on command! And¡ªand the humans keep their companions in them! I saw a full Zigzagoon pop out of the one! It was alive and well, and¡ªand how did they do that? How does this thing work? I just¡­I¡­¡± She trailed off, suddenly self-conscious of her rambling. ¡°I know you told me about them earlier, but seeing it for myself was different. I just wanted to know more.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. There are better ways to satisfy curiosity than charging straight into a human city!¡± He frowned. ¡°Were my lessons not enough? I¡¯ve taught you so much already, and while what I know isn¡¯t complete it should be good enough¡ª¡±


    "No!¡± the Ralts interrupted. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. Everything I¡¯ve ever heard about humans were either warnings or horror stories. Everything else is just¡­bits and pieces overheard from whenever we weren¡¯t so scared that we ran away at the first sign of them!¡±


    ¡°Of course we run!¡± His tone was wavering, confused. ¡°You should know by now how dangerous they are. They don¡¯t have anything that¡¯s worth the risk of discovery! Even scavenging what they leave behind is perilous. How can you even argue this?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t see what I saw!¡± she accused. Gesturing wildly, she explained. ¡°I was there, in the city! I saw structures made of stone and glass rising taller than any tree! They had boxes with moving images in them, which talked and showed faraway places! I tasted their food, and it was sweeter than anything I had ever eaten before, and they threw it away casually like garbage! I heard a wordless song from an old man who created it with wood and strings, and it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard. And they ignored it.¡± She stalled, breathing heavily. After a moment she continued in a more even tone. ¡°If they can ignore such wonderful things, there must be something even grander out there to make them seem dull. I¡¯m just¡­I want to see it. I want to see all of it.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    An uneasy quiet took place once more. Her grandfather stared at her, eyes wide with shock. ¡°I¡­¡± he started, hesitating, before he gathered himself together, looking at the Ralts firmly. ¡°Even so, you can¡¯t do this again. If we were discovered, the humans would surely ravage our home. Here in the forest, we are safe¡ª¡±


    ¡°They went to the moon.¡±


    ¡°¡ªfrom discovery¡ªwhat?¡±


    ¡°I said, they went to the moon. I heard it from one of their picture boxes.¡±


    Incredulity wrote itself across his features. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious. Humans can¡¯t fly, and even so, the moon is so far away¡ª"


    ¡°They did!¡± Ralts roared. ¡°They built a giant ship that goes up and they went to the moon and now they¡¯re going to build a giant house there!¡±


    The elderly Kirlia shifted uncomfortably, seemingly thrown off by how his granddaughter was taking control of the conversation. ¡°Well, okay. That¡¯s incredible. But what does that have to do with this?¡±


    ¡°Because, if they don¡¯t mind flying toward the stars to reach the moon, why would they have trouble finding us here, eventually?¡± Ralts pointed outside. ¡°I saw their city, and for all its size it was still growing! They were cutting down the trees at the edge of the forest to put up more structures. And their path leads them straight towards us. They¡¯re just going to keep coming closer and closer until they run right into the village!¡±


    Her grandfather shook his head, frustration boiling the air. ¡°Whatever the case, it¡¯s still not safe out there!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to be safe here for much longer either!¡±


    ¡°Then what would you have me do!?¡± her grandfather snapped, temper wearing thin. ¡°Go up to the humans and politely ask them to stop!? There can be no resolution! They would not even listen to me for a moment! Whatever they¡¯ve done, they are still humans, and they would still capture us!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll make them!¡± Ralts shouted, surprised at her own outburst. ¡°With this!¡± Brandishing the pokeball still within her grasp, she proclaimed, ¡°You said that the best trainer became their version of an Elder, right? A Champion? And everybody listens to the Elders! With this, I¡¯ll become the Champion and then they¡¯ll have to listen to me!¡±


    Her grandfather''s expression could be best described as that of a freshly caught Magikarp: open mouthed and shocked beyond comprehension. ¡°Have you gone mad!? Becoming a trainer? What in the world are you thinking, you can¡¯t do that!¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± she challenged.


    ¡°They would sooner capture you!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll disguise myself!¡± she retorted.


    ¡°What foolishness¡ªno disguise could possibly conceal you! We look far too different!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll trick them! We can do all sorts of tricks with our powers; we can make walls of light and throw objects and I even ordered a Seedot in battle while I was out there! Why can¡¯t I learn how to make myself look like them!?¡±


    ¡°Stop! Just¡ªstop, for one moment!¡± The Ralts stilled. Had she gone too far? Her grandfather closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He shook for a second, then clasped his hands together and exhaled slowly.


    Another moment passed, and then he cracked an eye at her. ¡°Do you remember why we are here? Or rather,¡± he amended, ¡°why there is a village at all? The reason we do not all wander in the wilds aimlessly, like all other species?¡±


    The Ralts frowned. She...vaguely remembered a tale about that, but she¡¯d been a hatchling at the time and couldn¡¯t quite recall it. ¡°I forgot that one, I think. Why?¡±


    ¡°Hmph. You should try to remember our tales better; our history is important, though I suppose I cannot fault the others for not retelling it more than necessary now that...bah. Come, I will tell it to you myself.¡± He beckoned her over to a rocky table, where they sat. The Ralts fiddled with the pokeball still in her grasp, and her grandfather¡¯s eye was drawn down towards it. ¡°I suppose the first question is, have you heard of our Ancestor?¡±


    ¡°Ancestor?¡± She frowned. ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard some of the old Kirlia say things like¡­¡± She adopted an exaggerated voice, that of an old crone. ¡°¡®Back in my day, the Ancestor would have sorted this mess out right quick.¡¯ Is that who you¡¯re talking about?¡±


    Grandfather nodded solemnly. ¡°She was a Gardevoir.¡±


    The Ralts gasped and leaned forward. Kirlia rarely evolved into Gardevoir¡ªso much so that there weren¡¯t any in the village right now, and hadn¡¯t been for some time. Hearing about them was bound to be special, especially because their last two had been...


    ¡°Like my parents?¡± she asked.


    Sorrow crossed the old Kirlia¡¯s face, there and gone again in a flash. ¡°Not quite. Your parents were regular Gardevoir¡ªas far as that term can be applied. The Ancestor was different, and though she vanished a mere few seasons before your birth, I can remember that frightening woman to this day.¡± He leaned back. ¡°She didn¡¯t look like a regular Gardevoir at all, no. Your parents, they had solid green hair, eyes like rubies. My son had a coat of a pure cloud, and your mother¡¯s was a dress of fresh snow. They wore their hearts openly, horns placed right in the middle of their chest and spine. Your father moved with calculated, elegant precision, while your mother held all the grace of the summer skies. Their dances were...beautiful.¡±


    The Ralts felt that old ache in her heart. She had never gotten to know them, and never would. Her grandfather''s words provided a tiny bit of catharsis.


    ¡°But the Ancestor, her coat was marred by streaks of darkest pitch; her hair was stained with spots of foul, stagnant water, and her eyes shone in blood. Even her horn was cracked in twain.¡±</a> He stared into the distance, reminiscing. ¡°She was a true terror; her tongue bit more than a Mightyena and fires darkened in her presence. Even crippled as she was, she exuded a power greater than anything else I have ever known.¡±


    Well, that sounded terrifying. The Ralts couldn¡¯t help but feel a little grateful that she was gone. ¡°Crippled?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Yes, she was crippled. Recall how her horn was cracked? A shattered horn is a horrific curse; a complete collapse in both psychic power and control, along with unimaginable agony when psychic power is used. And yet use them she did. What she could bring to bear at the hardest of times was amazing, and yet it still felt like a stream was running a route that had once contained an impossibly vast river. Even as hobbled as she was, she was our founder, protector, and leader. Her abilities were enough to ward off even the Mightyena.¡±


    ¡°Warded off the Mightyena?¡± The Ralts asked, tone wavering. ¡°I thought you said my parents¡­?¡±


    Her grandfather nodded sadly. ¡°Mmm. When she vanished, her protections faded over time. Eventually the Alpha Mightyena and his pack were able to find our home without diversion, and decided we made for a magnificent feast. Your parents objected and, well¡­I have told that story before.¡±


    The Ralts dipped her head low, and fiddled with the ball a bit. Composing herself, she returned to the matter at hand. ¡°Why are you telling me about the Ancestor?¡±


    ¡°Because she is at the root of the matter. The reason that she is called the Ancestor is that every single Kirlia in the village can trace their parents and grandparents and so on right back to her. She was the founder of the village, and has lived with it for as long as it has been.¡±


    Ralts stared in disbelief. ¡°What? That¡¯s crazy! She couldn¡¯t have been so old!¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Indeed, even when I was young, she was ancient. My grandfather knew her, and so did his grandfather. She was old beyond comparison, and oh, did she loathe humans.¡±


    ¡°Living for so long...and crippled, too. That¡¯s...amazing! And horrible. Spending all that time in so much pain...¡± The Ralts digested that for a moment before the last part caught her attention. ¡°She hated humans? Why?¡±


    Her grandfather sighed. ¡°Because it was the actions of the humans that crippled her.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± The Ralts yelped.


    ¡°The story is fragmented, and she disliked talking about it, but she did retell parts of the tale every so often. To remind us. When she was young, she herself was the partner of a human. Back in ancient times when the distinction between a Pokemon and human didn¡¯t exist. And it was the consequence of that partnership which caused her to lose so much of herself. Whatever happened, she fled that world, leaving naught but dust and bitter hatred behind her.


    ¡°She gathered every one of her kind she could find on this land and moved here, deep into the untouched forests. She took pieces of knowledge from her time with the humans and taught us how to be that slightest bit better, and then we were able to build all this, humble as it is.¡±


    He slumped in his chair, suddenly seeming every bit his age. ¡°She warned us of them continually. ¡®Do not go near the humans, they will capture you, and hurt you.¡¯ With her tricks nobody ever wandered near, and she took attempts at leaving...poorly. When she left us, leadership was passed to your parents as the only remaining Gardevoir. And now it is shared amongst us old folk. Every day I wonder what will vanish next.¡±


    ¡°I am scared,¡± he admitted, looking her in the eye. ¡°I am scared of what they could do. If they could do such things to her, then¡­¡± He looked at her, voice dropping to a whisper. ¡°My son is gone, and so is your mother. I don¡¯t want to lose you too.¡±


    SIlence fell. The Ralts turned the situation over in her head. What her grandfather spoke of seemed almost impossible in the face of what she had witnessed; she couldn¡¯t imagine a place that held such marvels to be capable of also performing such horrors. But then, she hadn¡¯t seen much, had she?


    ¡°I still want to go,¡± she said.


    Her grandfather looked at her incredulously. ¡°After all that I have told you, you still pursue this ambition?¡±


    The Ralts made an affirming hum. ¡°I get that horrible things were done to her. I get that. But¡­that was a long time ago, right? The people there, in the city¡­I can¡¯t see them doing anything like that. And even if I stayed, we¡¯d still be in danger from their expansion into our forest! We can¡¯t stay here forever¡ªand you said yourself that her protections are fading now that she¡¯s gone. I need to do this.¡± She stared her grandfather down, steadfast.


    The seconds ticked by as he stared right back, but then he sighed. ¡°Stubborn, you are. Just like your father. I suppose you got that sharp tone of yours from your mother, too.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need a cloak, I think,¡± he continued, and the Ralts¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Maybe a hat? You¡¯ll need a more thorough understanding of illusions as well, which shouldn¡¯t take too long¡ªurk!?¡± He grunted, interrupted by an abrupt impact.


    Smiling, he returned his granddaughter''s hug.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet. We¡¯ll have to do a bit of preparation, and there¡¯s still the fact that you need to fool one of those professors into thinking you¡¯re human. But, first things first, you need a name.¡±


    The Ralts blinked, looking up at her grandfather in confusion. ¡°A name?¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°What, you didn¡¯t notice? Humans aren¡¯t psychic and don¡¯t talk via telepathy. They use their voices, and they can¡¯t just identify someone by the patterns of their mind. So they need to single people out with a personal name!¡± He patted her head. ¡°Took me a bit to figure that one out too. And I didn¡¯t go sneaking around the city!


    ¡°So!¡± The elderly Kirlia kneeled, and clapped both hands on her shoulders. ¡°As your grandfather, it is my pleasure to grant you a name! Something worthy of the hope you seek to bring us, I think. My son, he was like the night, harmonic in nature and of calm mind. Your mother was like the day, with a burning spirit of fiery passion and determination. Haha, I think I¡¯ve got it!¡±


    The Ralts jittered, giddy at the prospect. ¡°What is it? What is it?¡±


    ¡°So, the humans think they can go wherever they please! They can have the moon, I say,¡± he said with a flourish. Spreading his hands, he continued, ¡°We¡¯ll go even further beyond, as we always have! Granddaughter, I bestow upon you the name Astra; for we came from the stars, and shall all one day return, but in the present you are a piece of the heavens walking the earth, set to shine brilliantly across all the land. Fitting, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±


    Astra grinned.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s see about that disguise¡­¡±

 Charade

    It was slightly past midday when a trio of psychics moved out from the village. Their goal was simple: Astra was to enter a human settlement and become a Pokemon trainer.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe we¡¯re doing this,¡± the guard complained. He was leading the small group forward, heading east. ¡°It¡¯s completely insane.¡±


    Walking in the middle, Astra¡¯s grandfather grunted. ¡°It is what is necessary. We¡¯ve been exceptionally lucky so far. Without action on our end, we will doom ourselves.¡±


    The guard merely sighed. ¡°That¡¯s the same reasoning as earlier. It still sounds crazy. Even then, you could have waited more than half a day to start this! Or even, I don¡¯t know, told anybody else!?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why I have to wait when I¡¯m ready!¡± Astra huffed, taking up the rear while fully clad in her disguise. It was far ahead of necessity, but she wanted to get used to it¡ªand a stealthy walk through the forest was the perfect opportunity.


    ¡°That¡¯s another thing. How in the world did you master illusions so quickly? Last I heard, you were still having trouble with control.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m awesome¡ª¡± Astra¡¯s boast was cut off by a flick to her forehead. ¡°Ow! Hey!¡± She pouted at her grandfather, who merely smiled.


    ¡°Do not get too overconfident, Astra. In any case, she has not mastered illusionary arts, no. But she has learned enough that, combined with her disguise, it should be trivial to misdirect their expectations.¡± He smiled. ¡°That said, she did pick it up rather quickly. I suspect she hit a minor breakthrough during your scuffle the other night.¡±


    ¡°You look ridiculous, by the way,¡± the guard mentioned. ¡°How aren¡¯t you getting heatstroke in that thing?


    ¡°I do not! I look mysterious, and cool.¡± she replied, grinning. ¡°Literally. I can just make a breeze on the inside. See?¡± She struck a fancy pose, and the garment dramatically billowed in the still air.


    ¡°Admittedly, we did not have a lot of choice in ¡®style.¡¯¡± Her grandfather shrugged, ignoring the display. ¡°Weaving something new out of grass would take too much time, and humans don¡¯t wear grass clothing in any case. We only had one bolt of human-style fabric, and nobody knows how to work with threads that small and tightly woven, so modification is impossible. We are lucky that it managed to fully enclose her body like this¡ªI think the aesthetic can be forgiven.¡±


    ¡°The ¡®sleeves,¡¯¡± the guard deadpanned, making air quotations, ¡°go half a foot beyond her hands.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s kinda fun,¡± Astra added, flopping said sleeves for effect.


    ¡°Their hands look very different. It¡¯s wise to hide them,¡± her grandfather noted.


    ¡°And the hat?¡±


    ¡°Humans don¡¯t have horns.¡±


    ¡°¡­True,¡± the guard begrudgingly conceded. He gave Astra a wry grin. ¡°Still looks awful.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for coming with us, by the way,¡± Astra said. ¡°Even after you got all banged up yesterday.¡±


    The guard rubbed his head. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. Kinda in the job description. That reminds me, why didn¡¯t we bring more?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going for stealth,¡± the elderly Kirlia reminded him. ¡°If we brought more, we would be more likely to be spotted.¡±


    ¡°I suppose so.¡± The guard didn¡¯t look convinced, but he didn¡¯t press the point. ¡°You¡¯re here to teleport us all away if it goes wrong, right?¡±


    Astra¡¯s grandfather hummed in confirmation. ¡°If at any point Astra is discovered, I will pick up on her distress call, teleport to her, and teleport us both out within a second. Then, I shall teleport the three of us back home. In such a scenario, I will probably have to sleep in for the next day or two; teleporting is an intensive task, and three of them back-to-back over long distances, with passengers? Well, it¡¯s a tall order.¡± Chuckling, he added, ¡°If I may brag, I believe I am one of the few capable enough to accomplish such a feat.¡±


    ¡°Of course you can, you¡¯re my grandpa! That means you¡¯re awesomer than any of the other old farts!¡± Astra cheered. ¡°I hope I can do that someday.¡± Grinning, she levitated tens of stones from the surrounding grass and set them orbiting around her, forming patterns in the air. ¡°This is pretty easy now, so I should be close, yeah?¡±


    Her grandfather chuckled. ¡°Not quite. You must still practice, and you must also grow into a Kirlia. For now you are still a Ralts, and though we are in a hurry in some things there is no need to rush others. Teleportation will come in time, and I¡¯ve already taught you enough theory for you to figure it out on your own.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s harder than it looks. I can only do it a few times per day, and not very far,¡± the guard admitted.


    ¡°You usually skeeve off duty to grab a Magikarp from the fire. Don¡¯t try to pull one over on me young man, I¡¯ve sensed you flash away!¡± he warned. The guard''s mouth snapped shut, then a moment later he sighed and returned his attention to the march.


    Some time passed, filled with idle banter, minor acrobatics across branches, and a brief encounter with a family of Zigzagoon. The sun inched across the sky.


    ¡°So¡­when are we getting there?¡± Astra asked. She hadn¡¯t traveled this direction much at all. Surely this ¡®lab¡¯ was getting close?


    ¡°Soon. The building is on the outskirts of the town, if I remember correctly. It is there that humans acquire the ability to use their devices.¡± The elder frowned, and continued his train of thought. ¡°I was an adventurous youth myself. I often overheard bits of conversation near the trails in the past, though they were much smaller back then. They mentioned this place once or twice.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to hear noises,¡± the guard warned, halting the group''s momentum. Creeping closer at a slowed pace, they came upon a scarcity of trees leading to a large clearing, in the center of which stood a building. It was two stories tall with windows on each side and a chimney, made from wood and colored a cheery tan. On first impression, it would almost be mistaken for a cottage.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­a lot of Pokemon,¡± Asta said, eyes wide. Indeed, an extraordinarily large gathering of creatures were lazing about behind and to the sides of the building. Most of them were native to the forest, but there were several extreme oddities, such as a titanic blue Pokemon lounging next to a large pond containing several unknown aquatic types. Nearby, a giant iron beast was making a terrible racket while burrowing inside a pile of loose metal debris.


    The metallic Pokemon also appeared to be on the receiving end of a lecture by a green-haired human. Astra couldn¡¯t make out what he was saying, but judging by how he held his hands over his ears it would be about the noise. Many of the other inhabitants seemed annoyed as well. A hand grabbed the back of her clothes and she yelped as she was yanked behind a tree.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± her grandfather admonished. ¡°There are many eyes here.¡± Peeking back around, he observed the scene for a moment more. ¡°Hm, yes. I believe this is the location. We will have to circle around a bit so you can come from that road.¡±


    They drew away from the building and began circling around at a distance. Astra wrung her hands as they flitted from tree to tree; faced with the imminent encounter, her heart had started beating faster, and her hands had become sweaty and jittery no matter how breezy she made her attire. What if she screwed up? If she said the wrong thing, she could be captured and sent away, wouldn¡¯t she? What if¡ª


    ¡°Astra,¡± her grandfather said. She looked at him, breathing heavily. He smiled at her, radiating a calm and assuredness that quieted the drumming in her veins. ¡°You will do fine. I believe in you.¡±


    The warmth washed over her, and the shaking subsided. Astra smiled back at her grandfather, giving him a grateful nod. All too soon the beaten dirt path lay in front of her, leading to the structure.


    The guard clapped a hand on Astra¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Well kid, looks like it¡¯s showtime.¡± He grinned, but it didn¡¯t hide the nervous tone. ¡°We¡¯re counting on you, alright? It¡¯ll be okay.¡±


    Her grandfather looked on beside him, his confidence in her bright and unshakable. ¡°The stars will watch over you Astra,¡± he said. ¡°Even in the brightest day. Good luck, my girl.¡±


    Astra let out a breath and smiled at them both. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll do my best!¡±


    With shaky steps, she emerged from the treeline and set off down the road to the lab.


    <hr>


    Professor Birch frowned at his paper. Why were his superiors being so infuriating? How was he supposed to get anything done when his budget depended on some ignorant half-wits who¡¯d never spent even a week doing actual field work in their life? He reached up to rub at his temples, sighing. He hoped Joshua finished with Aggron soon; the screech of metal was giving him a migraine.


    He just wanted to arrange a deep woods expedition for a reasonable length of time, but no. ¡®We¡¯ve already explored every inch of these woods,¡¯ they said. ¡®Why not just do it in your off time, with your own funding? It¡¯s just camping after all,¡¯ they thought. Excuse him if feeding his own family and maintaining the lab took up most of his funds and time. He even had decent evidence for unusual activity! A Pokemon previously thought to be extinct in the region had been reported by a trainer he had sent out himself!


    Maybe he could¡ªa small bell disrupted his already frayed attention. Groaning, he left the matter for later and turned to see his visitor, forcing a smile onto his haggard features. ¡°Hello there, is there anything I can¡ªeh?¡±


    He blinked. A child stood, visibly nervous, at the entrance to his lab. She stood about four and a half feet tall, and was dressed in the most bizarre outfit he had ever seen. Without a single stitch to be found, the kid seemed to be wearing a black cloak that more resembled Dusclops wrappings than coherent clothing. Even her head and mouth were covered, leaving only one brilliant red eye exposed under a fringe of green hair held to the side by a red clip. She was also wearing a large sun hat made out of¡­fresh woven grass?


    Is this what Joshua meant by hipster? Was she wearing two pairs of pants as well? He didn¡¯t know it happened this young.


    ¡°H¡ªhello?¡±


    She also had the weirdest voice Birch had ever heard. It was super hard to describe, too¡ªit was on the tip of his tongue, but¡­


    With a jolt, he realized she had been speaking to him.


    ¡°Ahaha!¡± he laughed, scratching the back of his head. ¡°Sorry about that. You just startled me is all. Hello!¡± he greeted, giving a wave. ¡°I¡¯m Professor Birch, is there something I can do for you?¡±


    The kid still looked really frazzled. Was it something he said? Probably the staring. Shoot, he felt bad now.


    ¡°I¡­I¡¯d like to become a trainer?¡± she said, the words coming out more question than statement¡ªand there it was again. It was like some hitherto unnoticed element of speech was just¡­missing.


    He was getting distracted again. Focus!


    ¡°Ah! Really?¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ve come to the right place, though you¡¯re rather late. My last collection of beginner Pokemon have almost all been snatched up. Come in, come in!¡± Turning, he motioned her to follow him. ¡°Let¡¯s get you registered. Did you bring your ID with you?¡±


    ¡°Er, I don¡¯t¡ªI didn¡¯t. Is that bad?¡± The child slowly followed him around the room divider and sat at the table he motioned to.


    She fidgeted around as he raised an eyebrow. ¡°No, not really. It just would have made the process go a lot faster. Looks like we¡¯ll have to do it from scratch.¡± He rummaged through his desk for the form. ¡°It¡¯s just as well, youngsters like you usually just replace the thing with your trainer cards anyway. Exciting day, huh? I bet you¡¯ve been looking forward to this for a while¡ªor was this a recent decision?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± she said. ¡°Um. We¡ªI decided to become one just this morning.¡±


    Birch hummed. ¡°A snap choice, then? One made for yourself, or were you pushed into it?¡± Where did he put that¡ªaha! He pulled out a sheet and clicked a pen.


    ¡°Er.¡± She was still super nervous. It was almost a little funny. ¡°It was my decision. I want to be the Champion.¡±


    He swirled that thought around as he sat in front of her. ¡°A lofty goal. You don¡¯t do things by half, do you? Most kids just end up doing the gym challenge. I¡¯ll need to jot down some basic info for your card. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    She perked up at the question. ¡°Astra.¡± Hopefully her nerves had calmed down.


    He smiled. ¡°Lovely name, Astra. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do great. No last name? Very well.¡± He ticked off a box as she shook her head. ¡°Age?¡±


    The girl paused, squinting. ¡°14?¡± she said after a moment. Why did she sound like she was asking a question? Also, what? Teenager? Wow, she was super short for her age. Just a late bloomer, or was it genetic?


    He noted down her eye and hair color while he mulled it over. Was she lying? There wasn¡¯t anything to gain from falsifying a basic trainer card, so¡­he supposed she was just short. He discarded the urge to think on it further; not his business. ¡°Step on this scale over here, Astra? I need your height and weight. Can you take off your hat?¡±


    Astra seemed to shrink back in on herself at that. ¡°I¡ªI would rather not,¡± she stammered.


    He frowned. ¡°I need to get a measurement. I can¡¯t do that with your hat in the way.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Can¡¯t you get it without?¡± She stared at him, her red eyes pleading him to reconsider.


    Odder and odder. He sighed. It rankled at him, but she was probably going to outgrow whatever he put down within a couple months or so anyway. He could just approximate upwards and be correct later. Besides, he didn¡¯t much like stressing kids out. ¡°Very well. Can you put your hand level with where the top of your head is?¡±


    Almost visibly relaxing, she did as he asked. ¡°Thank you!¡± he said, and marked it up a sliver. 4¡¯4¡¯¡¯; man, she was tiny! Weight was rather lower than expected, but not alarming. ¡°Almost done, stand over here for a photo. You may strike a dramatic pose with a pok¨¦ball,¡± he allowed, which was rewarded with a smile. Success!


    He tossed her a prop, which she held clutched to her side with one hand and then extended the other towards the camera flat and spread out. The effect was a bit lost with the excessively long sleeves as both hands were still covered. Astra glared at the camera in what was probably intended to be condescension but ended up an adorable pout.


    He snapped the camera. ¡°Very sinister. You like cartoons?¡± he offhandedly asked as he maneuvered over to his PC, pausing to study the photo as the program booted up. Was her cloak billowing? ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen that pose from those shows my youngest watches.¡± Copy the written information over, upload the picture into the form, generate the ID number, and then¡­print!


    ¡°Done!¡± he announced as the big printer began to churn. After a few seconds of mechanical humming, a laminated card dropped into the exit tray. He gave it a quick once over for errors, then proudly handed the ID to the young trainer and grinned as she stared at the little card in awe. ¡°This card can be used as a form of identification, but you will need a different ID to operate vehicles, buy alcohol or other, non-training related things when you come of age. Congratulations Astra, you have become a Pokemon trainer!¡±


    Her gaze snapped back to him. ¡°Thank you! ¡° she said in earnest. Ah! She was grinning again, he could tell even with so much of her face covered; she almost had sparkles in her eyes. ¡°Thank you so much! This¡ªthis really means a lot.¡± She held the card close to her. ¡°My grandpa will be so happy.¡±


    He scratched the back of his head and laughed. ¡°Hey, Astra, it¡¯s no problem. It¡¯s always a joy to see kids like you getting out and exploring the world. But!¡± He held up a finger. ¡°We aren¡¯t even done yet! I¡¯ve still got your introduction!¡±


    Astra tilted her head and squinted. ¡°...Eh?¡±


    ¡°Oho, yes! Your introduction to the Pokemon world! I give it to everyone who registers with me. I mean,¡± he admitted, ¡°I kinda legally have to, but it¡¯s pretty fun.¡± Taking a few steps so he stood in the middle of the room, then swiveled on the spot and began.


    ¡°Welcome, to the beginning of your journey!¡± he announced to his audience¡¯s wide eyes. Taking out a pokeball from his pocket, he tossed it to the ground and released his Lotad. The creature let out a sharp chitter as it peered around, then settled into place by his foot. ¡°This world is widely inhabited by creatures known as Pokemon. We humans live alongside Pokemon at times as friendly playmates, and at times as cooperative workmates. And sometimes, we band together and battle others like us.¡±


    He raised a finger. ¡°But despite our closeness,¡± he continued, ¡°we don¡¯t know everything there is to know about Pokemon. In fact, there are many many secrets surrounding them. To unravel these secrets, I and many other professors have undertaken research for our entire lives. That is what we do.


    ¡°¡®But what can I do?¡¯ you may ask yourself. Trainers serve a vital role in many different roles in our society. They can be defenders by enrolling in the Officer J Academy, and they can be healers by attending the Joyful Doctor Association! They can be researchers, rangers, breeders, entertainers; anything you can think of! They can even rise to the top of society and become the Champion of all trainers! So the answer to your question is another question; ¡®What do you want to do?¡¯ The path is as open as you want it to be.


    ¡°Your journey is about to begin, but here and now you have a choice to make. Or, excuse me,¡± he said, breaking script. ¡°You don¡¯t. At this point I would usually offer you a choice of three starter Pokemon, but I¡¯m afraid that two of my last three were taken just a few days ago.¡± He cast a sorrowful look at Astra, who seemed a bit overwhelmed. ¡°Apologies. If you want to come back in a week or two¡ª¡±


    ¡°No! No, it¡¯s uh. It¡¯s fine. Now is fine,¡± she said, waving her arms in the negative. Hesitantly, she continued, ¡°You¡¯re going to just¡­give me one?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Indeed. It¡¯d be hard for you to get started if you had nothing of your own from the onset. Let¡¯s get to it then, over here!¡± Recalling his Lotad, he motioned off to the side. Astra followed him dutifully.


    Striding toward the stasis machine, he hit a few buttons on the panel and watched the device hiss open. It was mostly theatrical; he could have just used a regular PC, but children loved a show, and he loved seeing their awed faces as this old thing opened up. ¡°As I said, I only have one Pokemon left¡­¡± Grabbing the solitary pokeball from its divot, he turned to Astra and held it aloft. ¡°So let¡¯s meet him, shall we?¡± He grinned and tossed it into the air.


    Releasing its payload, the light resolved into a green bipedal lizard with a red underbelly and leaf-like tail, also known as Treecko, the Wood Lizard Pokemon. Treecko lazily glanced around the room before fixating on Astra. The foot-long Pokemon dropped to all fours and scurried over to the startled girl, and she shrieked in alarm as he climbed up her leg to rest on her back.


    ¡°This is Treecko,¡± Birch said, amused. Treecko poked his head above the beleaguered girl''s shoulder and Astra flinched, but when nothing came of the action she turned to look at the critter. ¡°He is a Grass type Pokemon excelling in speed. This is the only option we have at the moment, but he¡¯s a solid Pokemon that does well in a wide array of Trainer occupations, including competitive battling. His breed is very dependable.¡±


    Astra stared at Treecko. Treecko blinked back, then climbed over her shoulder to her front. The girl was then suddenly cradling the Pokemon, who had appropriated her arms as a bed.


    ¡°I think he likes you,¡± Birch observed. Astra flicked her attention his way before returning it to the Treecko in her arms</a>. Ah, he recognized that look in her eye. If she didn¡¯t walk out of here with him, he¡¯d revoke his own license.


    Silently, he moved closer and crouched in front of Astra. Holding out the pokeball, he smiled at her startled expression. ¡°I suppose there¡¯s no need for me to ask, but I suppose you¡¯ll take him?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± She seemed lost for words, rapidly looking from the ball to him, to the Pokemon snoozing in her arms. With a minor shift, she reached out and grabbed the pokeball with her sleeved hand. ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t¡ªI never thought¡­¡±


    ¡°The first time is pretty heavy, yeah,¡± he agreed. ¡°This Treecko is in your care now. It¡¯s a big responsibility, but I know you¡¯re up to the task.¡± He gave her a smile, and received one in kind.


    ¡°Make sure to let him out at least once every day.¡± he continued in a new lecture. ¡°The pokeball simulates a sort of sleep/stasis environment but it isn¡¯t healthy without daily activity, and he¡¯ll still grow hungry and restless over time. It will automatically open if no activity is detected for a week. This goes for all future Pokemon you capture. If you capture more Pokemon than you can handle, you may deposit them into the PC system, which can regularly be found in all Pokecenters. They can hold any Pokemon for up to two months, at which time they will be considered ¡®abandoned¡¯ and your ownership will be revoked.¡±


    Astra was looking decidedly more confused now. Wincing, he rubbed his head. ¡°Man, this explanation is long-winded. Just let them out now and then, exercise and feeding frequency varies.¡± He snapped his fingers. ¡°Oh, just one more thing. You¡¯ll need one of these!¡± With a flourish, he withdrew a shiny red card-shaped device. ¡°A pokedex is a must-have tool for any up-and-coming trainer. It acts as a cell phone, map, camera, and payment device! It can even bring up relevant data about any Pokemon you scan or capture.¡±


    Astra shifted her arms and took the pokedex. Examining it for a moment, she fiddled with it through her sleeve and flipped the cover open. A soft ding sounded out, and a cool blue light emanated from the screen. ¡°This is¡­¡± Eyes wide, she poked a button and watched in awe as menus shifted in and out of view.


    Birch raised an eyebrow. It was a big occasion, yes, but the girl acted like she¡¯d never seen a phone before. Honestly, something weird was going on here but damn if he could glean the answer.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± he interrupted the new trainer¡¯s reverie. ¡°Make sure to capture as many different Pokemon as you can! A varied team is critical to success in your chosen path, and the data I can gather is valuable to the study of Pokemon as a whole.¡± He gave the girl another smile. ¡°You in particular have a long road ahead of you. You¡¯ll have to garner the respect of all eight Gym Leaders plus the Elite Four, and then best the Champion in an all-out fight if you want to become the new one.¡±


    Astra snapped the pokedex shut, determination written across her expression. ¡°No matter what it takes, I will do it. That¡¯s a promise!¡±


    ¡°Well, I look forward to hearing about it.¡± Standing back up, he motioned to the door. ¡°Now, I believe you have a journey to start! I wish you the best of luck, Astra.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Astra said, making a swift break for the exit. Birch waved as she walked into the distance.


    He sighed, muttering to himself. ¡°Man, that was weirder than usual. At least Joshua stopped that racket¡­¡±


    Stretching his arms, he wandered back to his desk and relaxed in his chair for a moment. ¡°What was even up with her voice?¡± he questioned the empty room. ¡°It was sort of¡­clear?¡± He paused and ran that through his head again. ¡°No, not just clear. It was¡­a lack of echo? How would that even work? It¡¯s not like she was¡­¡°


    Birch stared at the wall for a moment. Reaching across his desk, he picked up his phone and dialed a number.


    Ring ring¡­ring ring¡­ring¡ª


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°Hey, Brendan!¡± The professor said, cheer in his tone. ¡°How¡¯s it going? Are you still up in Petalburg?¡±


    ¡°...! ...¡±


    ¡°That so? Don¡¯t stay too long, you do have quite a task ahead of you. Also, I have some news! A new trainer just came in today, picked up Treecko.¡±


    ¡°...! ¡­?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeah. Her name is Astra. She¡¯s around your age bracket, somewhat younger. Dresses strange, too. Black cloak that looks like a bad Dusclops costume, sunhat made of grass. Green hair, red eyes, pale skin, can¡¯t miss her. She¡¯ll probably come by Petalburg within a day or two. Though, I don¡¯t think Norman has gotten his beginner level team together yet, has he?¡±


    ¡°...? ¡­¡±


    ¡°Shame. It¡¯s just as well. I think some on-the-road practice would do you three some good. Anyway, that¡¯s all I wanted to say. If you see Astra around, make sure to introduce yourself!¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°Love you too, son. Say hi to May when you see her!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Click.


    Birch tapped his desk for a moment. Swiveling his chair, he turned to his PC and pulled up his visitor¡¯s new profile. Astra¡¯s mostly-obscured face stared back at him.


    ¡°What sort of child are you?¡± he murmured. ¡°To not only be Psychic, but also replace normal speech with telepathy entirely?¡± He bookmarked the page and set the link next to the others. He¡¯d have to watch this one closely.


    He turned back to his previous work. Now that Brendan was out of the house, maybe if he saved up for a couple months he actually could fund the trip himself? He hummed a small tune as he ran the numbers, before grimacing at the result. Possible, yes. Comfortable? No. Alas, progress knew no comforts. He had a good feeling about this.


    <hr>


    The sky had begun to lose the bright blue of midday and was progressing into early afternoon as the new Pokemon trainer exited the lab. She was still staring at the Treecko in her arms when a voice in the forest called out to her.


    ¡°Astra!¡± Her grandfather motioned to her from the bushes. ¡°Did everything go alright? Are you¡ªoh, what¡¯s this?¡± he interrupted himself as she drew closer.


    Treecko opened an eye and glared at the sudden interruption. ¡°Ko.¡±


    ¡°Um. This is¡­¡± Astra halted, trying to find her words. ¡°This is Treecko. I¡­own him now, I guess?¡±


    ¡°Oh man. You really did it!¡± The guard broke into a look of awe. ¡°Amazing! What was it like in there?¡±


    ¡°Um.¡± She still felt off balance. Was it supposed to be that easy? She had expected¡­she didn¡¯t know. ¡°It was very white. Everything was super shiny and there were a lot of machines scattered all over the place. There was a man inside named Birch, and he asked a bunch of questions and then he gave me a card and told me I was a trainer. And then he gave me Treecko and this weird thing. He called it a pokedex. Apparently it does a lot of stuff.¡± She ended the ramble by holding up the red device for a brief examination. Their eyes passed over it, but returned to the creature in her arms.


    ¡°No difficulties, then?¡± The old Kirlia peered at the lounging lizard. ¡°Hello little creature. Treecko, was it?¡±


    Astra let out a giggle as Treecko used one arm to fend off an experimental prod. ¡°It was really easy, actually. I had to make up some stuff for a few questions. I didn¡¯t know how many springs had passed since I was born, so I just said a random number.¡±


    ¡°Huh. Is that important to them? Enough to keep track, I mean. Weird.¡± The guard leaned against a tree. ¡°What¡¯s the point?¡±


    ¡°They age differently than we do. It would be possible for a newly hatched Ralts to become a Kirlia in a quarter of a season if they were put through unthinkable stress. Such an occurrence would be utterly horrific, but possible.¡± The elderly Kirlia stopped his one finger assault and glanced at the younger. ¡°Humans are just humans their entire lives. I suspect trying to directly compare our respective levels of age would be futile. A Ralts is a child, A Kirlia is an adult. They are rather more¡­vague.¡±


    ¡°Tch. That must be complicated.¡± The guard tapped his foot, then turned his attention to Astra. ¡°Hey, hey. You have a pokeball for him, right? Can I see it in action?¡±


    ¡°Oh? Sure, I guess. Let me just¡ª" Shifting Treecko to one arm, Astra enlarged the ball the professor had given her. She paused to stare at it. ¡°Um. I don¡¯t know how.¡±


    ¡°Point it at him and say ¡®Return,¡¯¡± her grandfather supplied. The others stared at him. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Did you learn that by eavesdropping too?¡± the guard smirked. ¡°You seem to break a lot of your own rules, ya know? Makes a guy wonder.¡±


    ¡°Oh shush. Youth today, no respect I swear,¡± he grumbled.


    ¡°Return,¡± Astra commanded. A thin red beam shot out of the ball and enveloped Treecko. He yawned and dissipated into a swirling ball of red energy, which flew into the ball. The event ended with a soft click as the sphere shrunk to its lesser size. ¡°Amazing¡­¡± she murmured, turning the pokeball around. ¡°How does he fit in there?¡±


    ¡°Must be cramped,¡± the guard concluded.


    Her grandfather grunted. ¡°Questions for another time. In case we¡¯ve forgotten, we¡¯re still right next to a human road. Gather together, we¡¯re teleporting back home.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t you get really tired?¡± Astra asked as she and the guard huddled with the old Kirlia.


    He smirked. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Won¡¯t have to rush it now that we¡¯re in the clear. Hold tight!¡± With a swirl of psychic energy the three disappeared from the area, a subdued clap of air echoing in their wake.


    Over in the clearing, Joshua muttered a curse as a loud noise set off the Aggron again.

 Departure

    Suddenly appearing within her cavernous home, Astra took a moment to reorient herself to the dim lighting. Their return was heralded with much the same reception as when they had left: nothing at all.


    ¡°Ah! We¡¯re back!¡± Seeing the paint on the walls, the mural on the ceiling and the scattered jars full of fruit filled her with relief. She was home, and everything would be okay.


    ¡°Hmfh. I didn¡¯t even get to do anything,¡± the guard muttered¡ªto which her grandpa replied by bonking him on the head.


    ¡°Be lucky you didn¡¯t! That this went as well as it did can only be a miracle. We¡¯ll need many more before the final task is done.¡± The guard yelped and started a complaint, but was overridden. ¡°Now, go gather everyone. We¡¯ll announce the plan among friends and food.¡±


    Astra tilted her head. ¡°Everyone?¡±


    The elderly Kirlia smiled. ¡°Think of it as a farewell party.¡±


    ¡°A party? Now we¡¯re talking!¡± the guard exclaimed, a new fire in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll get right on it!¡± he called, already halfway outside.


    Watching his departure, Astra took off her hat and fiddled with it. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll go with it?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t very well back out now,¡± he remarked. ¡°We¡¯ve already gone partway.¡± Wandering over to his chair, he settled down with a weary sigh. ¡°I haven¡¯t walked that far in a long time¡ªmakes my old bones sore. Would you kindly fetch me a drink?¡±


    Astra grabbed a cup and filled it from one of the water barrels near the entrance, which he accepted gratefully. ¡°Thank you. Now, I think that it will be quite a bit before the event gets going. Why don¡¯t you get to know your new friend better?¡±


    Astra hesitated. ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    A soft smile graced his features. ¡°I am tired, so I think I will stay here for a bit and recover. Shoo, off with you. Leave an old Kirlia like me to his rest.¡± He motioned her away.


    Giving one last goodbye, Astra returned to her room. The candle was lit with a thought and a spark-rock, casting the small room in a dim light, sparkles emerging when it flickered across the shining stones. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she tossed the pokeball into the air¡ªand with the increasingly familiar discharge, Treecko was released.


    Blinking, he examined the room before turning to Astra. ¡°...Ko?¡± he said, visibly confused. Skittering toward his master, Treecko examined her unmasked face.


    ¡°...Um,¡± she said, unsure. What was¡­? Oh! He never saw me with her face uncovered, she reasoned. ¡°It¡¯s just me again. My name is Astra, it¡¯s nice to meet you!¡± Grinning, she reached out, stroking Treecko¡¯s back.


    Treecko accepted this with closed eyes and a nudge against her hand. Leaping up, he leisurely relaxed on her lap. Astra giggled at the display. His skin felt smooth and slightly cool to her touch, though there seemed to be a few bumps on the midpoint of his back. His tail twitched as she examined that as well. Both ¡®branches¡¯ were very thick and surprisingly tough, not giving any ground to the pressure she applied. He also appeared to have tiny needle and hook-like features on his hands and feet. Was this what allowed him to climb up her robe? Fascinating.


    ¡°Tree,¡± He muttered, staring up at her in irritation. A hot flush graced her cheeks at the unthinking extent of her sudden investigation.


    ¡°Ah!¡± she yelped, standing suddenly. Treecko took the sudden launch with grace, landing upright. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I was just curious, please forgive me!¡± she fretted, placing her hands together.


    Treecko continued to stare at her, before shrugging and looking elsewhere. Spotting the small Surskit doll, he went stiff as a board before crouching low. ¡°Tree¡­¡± he muttered, before scurrying up the walls of the room. Astra watched with gleeful amusement as Treecko seemed to stalk the thing, crawling across the ceiling until it was directly above it.


    Waiting a beat, Treecko lunged down with a fearsome cry, spinning at the last second and striking the doll with his tail and slapping it across the room. Following up, he dashed forwards and grabbed it fully with all limbs, flailing his prey against the hard rock in rapid spinning slams. Treecko released his catch after a few moments, apparently having been satisfied with the savage beatdown.


    ¡°Treecko!¡± he trilled, standing triumphant over the lifeless imitation. He turned towards his master; putting on smug, expectant airs as if to say ¡®Did you see that?¡¯


    Astra clapped gleefully. ¡°Amazing! You really showed that doll, didn¡¯t you?¡± He really had been fast, just like the professor said. She hadn¡¯t even been able to keep up with his strikes. Or maybe it was the dim lighting? Still, her glee was well received. Maybe her task wouldn¡¯t be that hard after all.


    Tapping her foot, she glanced around the room and laid eyes on the faded yellow ball. Grinning, she levitated the ball and made it hover over her hand. Also grabbing one of her chalky rocks, she made two arced lines on opposite sides of the room. Treecko watched this with wary curiosity, having discarded an investigation into his prey after the discovery that it was made of grass.


    Still grinning, she moved behind one of the lines. ¡°Let¡¯s see how well you do at rebound.¡± With that, she hurled the ball at Treecko. Reading her intentions, Treecko swirled around and smacked the ball right back with great force. ¡°Pretty good!¡± she remarked, catching the ball in a shimmering square net of psychic force. ¡°I always dropped it because I couldn¡¯t keep my field coherent, but I could always bounce it harder than everyone else could. It¡¯ll be great practice for both of us. Let¡¯s have a good match, yeah?¡±


    Treecko¡¯s eyes narrowed as he readied himself for the next assault. Astra grinned and flared her psychic aura. With a burst of energy, the ball was launched and the game was on.


    <hr>


    It was a few hours later when her grandfather poked his head into the room to discover both of them completely exhausted; an empty jar of berries was the only sign they had stopped for a break at all. Treecko was lying flat on Astra¡¯s chest, out cold. Astra herself was fending off the headache and mental fatigue that signified psychic overuse; mostly by lying down, holding her head, and groaning.


    ¡°Having fun?¡± he asked, smiling at the vaguely positive whine that resulted. ¡°I am glad to hear it, though I think you may have overworked yourself a little.¡± Ducking out of the room for a moment, he brought back a very small container from the main area. ¡°Here, have some Leppa essence. It should help with your headache.¡±


    Astra accepted the offering with gratitude, twisting out the plug and downing a portion of the liquid within. It left a lingering spicy aftertaste, but the warmth spreading through her body and swallowing the ache between her eyes was well worth it. Sighing in relief, she sat back up and gave her grandfather a grateful smile. ¡°I really needed that, thank you!¡±


    He hummed in response. ¡°It was no trouble at all. I am glad you are getting along well with Treecko. You¡¯ll have to face many challenges together soon enough.¡± A loud, rhythmic thumping began sounding from outside. ¡°Speaking of which, the event has started. Everybody''s come together, and we will make the announcement later. But first, I believe there are several Magikarp waiting for you.¡±


    Astra glanced at Treecko. The little lizard was still out of it, and returned to his ball with nary a peep. Stretching, the trainer gave a loud whoop and raced outside.


    True to his word, most if not all of the villagers had congregated in the center of the settlement. The sun hung on the edge of the sky, dim reds and oranges giving way to serene purples glowing through the branches. Alongside the main bonfire, several minor fires were scattered about, infusing the area with heat and light.


    A few arenas were set up here and there between the fires as well, impromptu games played within. She paused for a moment to witness two Kirlia face off in a game of rebound similar to the one she had just played with Treecko, except it had at least six balls¡ªall of them were rapidly bouncing in erratic patterns between the two combatants and she was still tired from her own bout, so she passed on examining it further.


    Grabbing a thoroughly roasted fish, Astra spotted a lively display some distance off. A Kirlia stood next to a roaring blaze pit, manipulating burning fuel, several special rocks, and a few psychic barriers to produce fantastic displays of light. A fire theater was a rare sight indeed, and the performer looked to be debuting an act she hadn¡¯t seen yet!


    She settled in amongst the other Ralts, who were giving a wide berth to the fiery artist. She seemed to be in the middle of the story; crude images borne of flame, stone, and spark told of a panic infusing the village. Several of the illusory figures seemed to argue amongst themselves, and their actions increased in ferocity quickly. Infighting? But then two figures arose, taller than the others, and held their hands out for calm.


    The Kirlia shifted in the shadows and tossed something into the scene. One of the two images reached into the flame below in time with her movements and pulled out a shocking oddity: a stone covered in purple flames. Astra voiced her awe alongside the Ralts watching with her, but couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of uneasy familiarity.


    The smaller figures seemed to become excited at the sight of the new item, giving praise unto the duo. The scene shifted slightly, making the duo larger. The left one was slightly shorter, and held the stone in her hand, while the right one held a spear¡ªand both had the other¡¯s hand clasped in their free one.


    The flames dissolved and reformed, painting a new tapestry of forest and brush. Symbolizing trees with fire always struck Astra as a little silly, but she couldn¡¯t deny that the Kirlia had a way with her art. The two tall figures entered the scene, and a moment was spared to depict the effort of journey. Then they were set upon by devilish caricatures of Poochyena; the hellish light and admittedly minimalistic fighting that broke out reminded Astra very much of her awful encounter that short time ago.


    She shivered despite the warmth. She could almost hear the growling of the dogs as they rushed at the figures. The battle reached a fever pitch soon afterwards, and the two figures rose victorious amongst the pack. Then from the flame strode a monstrously large hound, sparks falling from its maw like spit and eyes raked with furious coals.


    The male readied his spear, the female clutched the stone to her horn, and recognition finally snapped into place, followed shortly by a hollow, bitter resentment.</a> The Magikarp in Astra¡¯s mouth suddenly tasted of ash. Standing, she discarded what was left of the fish and walked away¡ªshe didn¡¯t need to see the rest; she already knew how this one ended.


    Astra sat on a stump near one of the fires at the edge of the celebration furthest from the performance, melancholy streaking her thoughts. Not a few moments in and she was already in a foul mood, even though this was her party, in a way. Why¡­? She stared at the fire, searching for answers that did not come in the flickering light. Glancing back at the crowds, her gaze was drawn to those Kirlia in pairs, many of them accompanied by a varying number of Ralts. One was perched atop their parent¡¯s shoulders, laughing audibly and waving their arms around. She turned away, trying to ignore the ugly flash of envy.


    The fire was warm. If she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine a pair of strong arms, wrapping themselves around her. A voice, soft and flowing like the wind, would be muttering nothing at all, and the crackle of a deeper one would answer in return.


    A ping shattered the illusion, startlement jerking her halfway off the stump. The warm arms and soothing voices were replaced by sparking fire and empty air. Turning, she noticed that a Kirlia had taken a seat next to her. The old burn marks scattered around her coat revealed her as the performer from earlier. Was the theater over?


    ¡°Hey,¡± she started, leaning towards the pit. ¡°I noticed you ran off near the end there. Came over to see how you were doing. Was it too scary, or¡­?¡± The question trailed off into silence.


    Astra stared at her. Did she not¡­? ¡°No,¡± she said, turning back to the fire. ¡±I wasn¡¯t scared off.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s good, at least.¡± A small shift, and the fire suddenly shimmered; the smoke starting to spiral in serene swirls. ¡°So, could I badger you for your thoughts? Spent a long time on that routine, ya know. Took me forever to figure out how to make purple fire. Why¡¯d you leave?¡±


    ¡°Why did you have to make it about them?¡± she blurted out, digging her hands into the stump. ¡°Why did you have to¡ªwhy here? Why now? This was supposed to be a happy party! My party! And you just¡ªjust¡ª¡° With a frustrated, strangled sound, Astra flared her psychic power. The arrangement of wood inside the fire pit was leveled with a vicious crack, showering the air with sparks.


    She stared at the dying fire in a moment of shock, before curling up on the stump. She hadn¡¯t meant to lose her temper. She just...a sigh redirected her attention to her guest. With a minor purple glow, the shattered remains were neatly rearranged, the Kirlia birthing the fire anew.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Astra mumbled, staring at a piece of dirt.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± the artist replied, ¡°I suppose it¡¯s partially on me.¡± Astra peeked at her, and saw her looking right back, a strange expression on her face. ¡°You¡¯re her daughter, aren¡¯t you? Their kid.¡±


    Astra turned away. This was all the answer her guest needed, and she hummed. ¡°Well. I can¡¯t say I¡¯m sorry for performing the routine,¡± she said, absentmindedly shaping the sparks into various patterns again. ¡°They were heroes. I thought their story should be told.¡±


    ¡°What good is that?¡± Astra muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t want a story. I want them. I want that,¡± she motioned at the varied couples. ¡°It¡¯s not¡ªit¡¯s not fair.¡± She thought she should be crying, but there was nothing to remember; nothing to mourn with. Just a hollow space that would never be filled.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s not fair, and I know what it¡¯s like to want people you¡¯ve lost back.¡± The Kirlia sniffed in disapproval. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t diss stories so fast. Sure, you can¡¯t meet them in person, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t get to know them.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Astra turned to face her fully. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    The artist scratched her cheek. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not super complicated. Stories tell us what people did and how they acted, what words they said and how their actions and beliefs affected the world around them. By knowing a person''s story, you also get to know the person, in a way.¡± She smirked. ¡°For instance, I happen to have been acquaintances with your mother. Got a few things to say about that. Are you sure you don¡¯t want them?¡± she teased.


    ¡°What!? You knew my mom?¡± Astra exclaimed, instantly hopping to her feet. She took a quick step over and bowed to the Kirlia. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for skipping the end, please tell me more!¡±


    ¡°Woah there, easy!¡± she said with a chuckle. ¡°Such a sudden change in attitude. Has nobody ever talked about her or something?¡±


    Astra wrung her hands in embarrassment. ¡°Grandpa didn¡¯t talk about her a lot, no. I don¡¯t know anyone who knew her either. I never even really thought much about them until recently. It¡¯s been¡­I dunno. A few things are happening, and your performance and then the party¡­it kinda threw it in my face.¡± She glanced towards the crowd, then turned back to the artist. ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve always had grandpa, but¡­it¡¯s different.¡±


    ¡°Eh, I can understand that, I guess. I suppose I could tell you a few things then.¡± The Kirlia turned to gaze wistfully into the fire. ¡°I guess¡­your mom was a lot of things. She was one of the only two Gardevoir we had for a long time. She was very pretty, talented with her psychic ability. Determined as well as motivated. Once she set a goal, she never gave up until she achieved it. She was also very energetic, outgoing, and the most extraordinarily smug bitch I¡¯ve ever had the displeasure to meet.¡±


    Astra blanched.


    The fire-shaper burst out laughing. ¡°Oh fuck,¡± she wheezed. ¡°The look on your face¡ª¡± She pulled her arms around herself and almost collapsed onto the dirt, the sound of giggling only interrupted by the occasional gasp for air.


    ¡°What was that!?¡± Astra screeched. ¡°You can¡¯t say all these nice things then insult her!¡±


    ¡°Haha! Of course I can! Like it or not, nobody exists without flaws. All those things I said before could be negative as well! Too powerful for her own good, stubborn, and liked the sound of her own voice much more than I did.¡± The Kirlia waved off Astra''s indignant retort before it formed.


    ¡°Ah, let me explain. She was something of a genius, you see; able to grasp and perform high level psychic techniques in a quarter of the time the rest of us did. But it was the worst type of genius; the one where she couldn¡¯t really explain how she did it, nor comprehend why everyone else wasn¡¯t as good as her.¡± The artist hopped off the stump and leaned back against it from the ground instead, gazing at the stars above. ¡°I remember she used to get so frustrated with the rest of us because we couldn¡¯t figure out how to teleport. She just kept doing demonstrations over and over again because she could not for the life of her put her method into words. She always looked at us with this damn pitying gaze, oh how irritating she was¡­¡±


    She examined her hand, exotic energy wafting off it. ¡°But I will give her some credit; even if she did think of the rest of us as incompetent, often vocally, she never stopped trying to help. Even if we probably would have been better off without the giant, loudmouth distraction that she was. It was really no surprise that she was able to pass the old hag¡¯s trial.¡±


    Initially fuming at the negative portrayal, Astra perked up at the faint praise and asked, ¡°Old hag? What trial?¡±


    ¡°Ah, the Ancestor. She was before your time, so you wouldn¡¯t know. She protected the village before she vanished, but she was a mean old fart so we called her a hag. As for the trial, see, in order to become a Gardevoir you have to experience a lot of things, stress most of all.¡± She smiled, thinking back to other days. ¡°Our life back then was more¡­idyllic than right now; Poochyena attacks were an extreme rarity. There really wasn¡¯t any way to naturally evolve beyond a Kirlia. Except, if you really wanted to, you could go see the Ancestor and she¡¯d put you through the trial. If you stuck with it you were virtually guaranteed to become a Gardevoir.¡±


    Guaranteed evolution!? That sounded amazing! ¡°Was it hard? Why were my parents the only ones who did it?¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you listening? The fastest way to evolve is to undergo a lot of stress. The trial was¡ªugh.¡± The fire-shaper made a face. ¡°I won¡¯t go into it. She basically forced a lot of stress on you for a long time. Either you evolved or you called it off. I only lasted two days before I couldn¡¯t take it anymore; I didn¡¯t need that sort of power to be a smith. For me it wasn¡¯t worth the hassle, but your mom thought it was; I have no idea why.¡± She shrugged. ¡°One season later she came back to the village as a Gardevoir. The aftermath was rough; for a long time afterwards she had nightmares, couldn¡¯t look anyone in the eye, hoarded food and generally acted like a paranoid recluse. Jumped at the slightest noise. She got back to normal eventually, though I think your dad helped a lot with that. Never saw the two of them apart for more than ten minutes in those days.¡±


    ¡°That sounds¡­harsh.¡± Astra felt a little uneasy at the aftereffects. For a brief moment, she imagined all sorts of nasty things that could have happened. Horrid illusions, no food, little sleep¡­she focused on something else. ¡°Did you know my dad too?¡±


    ¡°Hm? No, I don¡¯t know anything about your dad, but I would bet an entire spring¡¯s worth of Magikarp that he became a Gardevoir just having to deal with your mom. Haha!¡± She glanced over and grimaced at Astra¡¯s expression. ¡°Ah, I shouldn¡¯t joke about that, sorry. He went through the trial at some point too. There was a big ceremony at both of their evolutions. They really cared about each other. And about you, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Astra exclaimed, startled. ¡°They talked about me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, she could not go half a day without spouting off about you. She carried your egg around everywhere she went and at the slightest provocation would start yammering and yammering for hours about it, even after the old hag vanished. It was ridiculous and annoying and kinda adorable.¡± She sighed. ¡°And then the protections left by the Ancestor started to fade, the Poochyena started hounding anyone that wandered too far outside the gates, and, well, she had to go deal with it. She left your egg to your¡­grandfather, was it?  Then, she went off to save the village. She succeeded. And then she died.¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡± Astra looked into the fire again. The blunt reminder that she was never going to meet them stung once more. But, as she imagined their voices and faces, maybe not as much as before. The voice she imagined in the wind turned peculiarly loud, and in the faint recesses of her mind, she could almost hear a melody.


    She didn¡¯t even realize she was humming until the Kirlia pointed it out, ¡°That song...¡± she started, examining Astra oddly. ¡°Where did you hear that?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Astra blushed. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know I was¡ªsorry. I don¡¯t know. It just¡­came to mind.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± The Kirlia eyed her. ¡°It¡¯s funny. When she was carrying your egg around, she used to hum those same few notes.¡±


    Astra¡¯s breath caught in her throat and her sight was suddenly starting to get blurry, but all she could feel was a lingering warmth that had nothing to do with the fire.


    ¡°Th¡ªthank you,¡± Astra managed, rubbing her eyes. ¡°For telling me about her.¡±


    The storyteller grinned. ¡±It¡¯s no problem. If you ever need anything, be sure to ask, okay?¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡± They sat in silence for a while, before a thought struck. ¡°Hey, if you were¡­going on a long hike, what would you take with you?¡±


    The Kirlia raised an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s a weird question. We can¡¯t exactly leave the forest, ya know. What, are you going somewhere?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just asking!¡± Astra said, more defensively than she would have liked.


    ¡°Right.¡± She thought about it. ¡°Probably a good, strong knife. Useful for scaling fish, cutting plants, and it could mess up a Poochyena in a pinch. All sorts of things.¡±


    Astra pondered this. ¡°You said you were a smith?¡±


    ¡°Hm? What, do you think all these burn marks are from storytime? Yeah, I¡¯m the only one in this place who knows how to shape metal, same as my dad, and his dad, and his mom, and so on. Not that there¡¯s much metal here, but I can turn the odd bit of salvage into useful things. Why?¡±


    ¡°Could you make me a knife?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Aaah, why would you need a knife? Are you actually leaving? That¡¯s dumb.¡± The Kirlia kept one eye on her, then closed them and shrugged. ¡°Eh, if you¡¯re doing something reckless, that¡¯s your problem I guess. I can¡¯t stop you. But I suppose I¡¯d feel bad if I didn¡¯t do anything. So sure, but I¡¯ve already used all my metal. Unless you have some scrap laying around, I can¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°What about¡ª¡± Astra hesitated, reconsidering her request, before soldiering on. ¡°What about an old spearhead?¡±


    The smith grunted. ¡°That¡¯ll do. You have it with you? I could probably just make it right now if you want to make a show of it.¡±


    ¡°Really? That sounds cool!¡± Astra grinned, hopping off the stump. ¡°I¡¯ll go get it,¡± she said, sprinting back to the cave.


    Her grandfather had disappeared from the main cavern. Astra went into her room and picked up the old spearhead laying on the table. It was the same as it ever was: a few patches of rust, a nick here and a scratch there.


    ¡°It was your father¡¯s,¡± her grandpa had said. ¡°This was the head of the spear he used in his last fight.¡±


    ¡°Was he a guard?¡± she had asked.


    ¡°He was the best guard I ever knew. He was a Gardevoir, and the very name bears resemblance to the word ¡®guardian,¡¯ does it not? He was able to dismantle an entire pack of Poochyena single-handedly. He never lost his focus, nor his composure. He also made the worst jokes, and enjoyed seeing others laugh. He was particularly fond of wordplay; I remember many times where he made a seemingly innocuous comment and then got swatted about the head by your mother.¡±


    Then he had smiled, his expression old and brittle. ¡°I miss him terribly, and I know that he would want you to have this. A memento and promise. He fought to protect you, to protect us all, and he will watch over you from the stars above.¡±


    She remembered the heavy feeling as her grandfather dropped it into her hand, and closed his fingers around hers. ¡°Keep it safe, and it will do the same for you in return.¡±


    She left the cave, holding the old weapon close to her chest. The Kirlia was still sitting where she had been, staring into the fire.


    ¡°I have it,¡± she said, holding the item out.


    ¡°Mm? Ah, alright then. Let me have a look.¡± Levitating the spearhead out of Astra¡¯s hand, the fire-shaper examined the rusted tool. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a bit rusty, but it should be enough for a nice knife.¡±


    She rose from the stump and stretched. ¡°Alright then, gotta keep the soot out¡­uneven temperatures¡­ah, a challenge,¡± she muttered with a grin, flexing her hands. ¡°Watch closely, kid. I don¡¯t get to do this often.¡± She hovered the rusted mass over the fire pit and made a face as it was lowered down, slowly being immersed in the flames. Astra watched the spearhead with great anticipation, but became confused when nothing happened.


    ¡°Um¡ª¡± Astra started, but paused as she suddenly became aware of a high-pitched noise, as if a bird¡¯s screech was paused in time. WIth wide eyes, she saw the spearhead start to vibrate intensely, cutting through the air and making a steadily rising whine. The fire from the pit was being redirected, swirling around the item in a vicious torrent. Astra vaguely noted everyone nearby covering their ears, observing the spectacle. The Kirlia was beginning to sweat, letting out a constant stream of heavy breathing.


    The spearhead suddenly became a shade of dull red, which quickly morphed into a sharp, bright crimson. Orange, yellow, white- and then it collapsed in on itself, forming a ball of unshaped molten steel. Astra uncovered her ears as the noise stopped, awestruck at the display.


    The smith gasped for air. ¡°That¡¯s the hard bit,¡± she ground out. ¡°Time to purify and shape it.¡± The ball stretched itself out into a flat sheet, then crumpled back together. It did this a couple more times, each contraction ejecting unknown dregs into the pit below. Was that the rust? After three repetitions, the metal was brought back together into a rough, thin brick shape.


    Then, very slowly, the Kirlia began to shape it. A flat piece for the handle was carved out, followed by the blade itself. Small blobs of metal rolled to and fro as one side was compressed into an edge, lengthening the tool. The smith grunted as her work was completed, and carefully levitated it out of the searing pit. With a twist of her wrist, the metal rapidly reverse-shifted in color, from the molten white back to orange, red, and finally a shiny gray. A ball of shimmering haze hovered above the Kirlia¡¯s hand; the excess heat she had pulled directly from the knife. She tossed it into the fire, which roared upward in a magnificent blaze.


    The knife fell into the smith''s hand fully-formed. She then collapsed to one knee, panting and clearly exhausted. ¡°Well,¡± she said, looking at Astra once more. ¡°I hope you enjoyed that. It¡¯s really hard, ya know?¡±


    Astra¡¯s reply was drowned out by a sudden applause. Looking around, she became aware that a group of people had congregated around the scene; all of them quite amazed. Astra grinned and joined in, clapping her hands. ¡°It was amazing!¡± she cheered.


    The smith smirked. ¡°You know it!¡± she crowed, staggering to her feet and taking a theatrical bow to the onlookers. ¡°Okay, okay! Off with all of you! Show¡¯s over!¡± she hollered, waving them off. With a few final cheers, the gathered crowd dispersed. The Kirlia sat back on the stump with a huff, examining the knife she had made.


    ¡°Ah, can I see?¡± Astra asked, suddenly right next to the drained smith.


    ¡°Sure¡ªit is yours, after all.¡± Flipping it so the blade was in her palm, she extended the handle to its rightful owner.


    ¡°So cool!¡± Astra breathed, investigating her reforged memento. The knife¡¯s shape was rather basic, but there appeared to be decorative silver swirls embedded into the steel, giving it a hypnotic appearance. ¡°How did you make it look like that?¡± she asked, turning back to the artist. ¡°The spear head was just gray!¡±


    ¡°Ah ah, that¡¯s a secret.¡± The smith winked. ¡°I¡¯ll pass that down to my kids, when I get around to that. It¡¯s just cosmetic though; the really neat bit is the edge. Can I have that back for a second? Thanks.¡± Plucking a blade of grass from the forest floor, she held the knife edge up. ¡°Watch carefully!¡±


    Astra gasped as the single piece of grass floated onto the edge and divided with nary a movement. ¡°That¡¯s amazing! I didn¡¯t know things could get that sharp!¡±


    ¡°Haha, well. I¡¯m glad you like it. It¡¯ll last you for a long time, even more if you treat it right. Take care of it, you hear me?¡± She flipped the knife over again and handed it back. ¡°It¡¯d be more comfortable with a proper handle, but you can just wrap some grass around it for now.¡±


    With that, she got to her feet and stretched her arms out, making a cracking noise as she twisted her spine. ¡°Ahh, sweet relief. Anyway, I¡¯m beat. I¡¯m going to go see if they brought out the fermented stuff yet, maybe get hammered.¡± She winked, then turned and started walking. ¡°When you turn into a Kirlia, come see me. We¡¯ll share a drink!¡±


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Astra stuck her tongue out. ¡°Fermented drinks are nasty!¡±


    ¡°Haha, we¡¯ll see! Later kid!¡±


    Sending her own farewell, Astra watched the Kirlia gradually vanish in the throng. She lingered at the fire for a small time, pulling up blades of grass and sprinkling them on her knife, watching them cut themselves on their own weight. She admired it a moment more before turning her attention skyward. The moon was large and full, casting its light where the fire did not reach. ¡°I wonder what you would say if you saw this. Would you like it? I think you might have,¡± she mused to empty air.


    ¡°I believe he would,¡± a voice said, turning to laughter at Astra¡¯s startled shriek. She twisted around, finding her grandfather holding a hand over his mouth to poorly hide his gentle grin.


    ¡°What was that for!?¡± she said, glaring.


    ¡°Ah, can an old bag like me not have fun?¡± He gave a mock gasp. ¡°How presumptuous of me. I should go and sit with all the elders and talk about berries through the night then.¡±


    Astra pouted. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to warn people before you sneak up on them!¡±


    ¡°So you are!¡± he chirped, smiling at her exasperated groan. ¡°I see you¡¯ve picked up a new tool¡­or perhaps, an old one made anew?¡±


    ¡°Oh, ah¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite alright. It used to be his old spearhead, yes?¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah¡­I didn¡¯t know where else to get the metal and¡ª¡±


    He interrupted by patting on her head, still gently smiling. ¡°You do not have to justify yourself to me. He wasn¡¯t one for too much sentimentality, at least where objects were concerned; he would approve of this. May I?¡± At Astra¡¯s hesitant nod, he picked up the tool for a moment, examined it, and returned it a second later. ¡°She does good work, much like her predecessor. The artistry is new, though.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Astra nodded. ¡°She knew a lot about my mom too. Why have I never met her before?¡±


    Her grandpa shrugged. ¡°I am not acquainted with her; it could simply be that the places you two frequent do not overlap. In any case, have you enjoyed the party? The time has almost come.¡±


    Astra glanced back at the reshaped bonfire for a moment. ¡°I learned a lot, but I didn¡¯t really get to do anything. I had some carp and saw half of her theater. The forging was super cool though!¡±


    ¡°Really? Not even the shadow dance? You love the shadow dance!¡± At her negative, he grumbled. ¡°Perhaps afterward. We should prepare for the announcement. I¡¯ve forewarned the other elders in advance to head off conflict.¡± With a grin and a flash of light, he summoned a stiff plant fiber backpack to his hand. ¡°I¡¯ve also acquired a bag for you¡ªjust in time as well, you seem to be acquiring a great many things as of late.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost like I¡¯m going somewhere,¡± she replied, giving a cheeky grin at her grandfather¡¯s chortle.


    ¡°That you are! Now, I want you to go retrieve Treecko, then meet me by the stage next to the grand bonfire. We¡¯ll begin afterwards.¡±


    Astra took the bag, nodding. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back!¡± she said, storing her knife in a convenient loop.


    Hurrying back home, she retrieved both Treecko¡¯s pokeball and the empty one, along with the mysterious pokedex. Stuffing both into her new bag, she dashed back outside as a general psychic ping resonated through the camp. Weaving through the gathering crowds, she made it to the stage with time to spare and spotted her grandfather communicating with another elderly Kirlia as she approached.


    They were talking privately, so she couldn¡¯t overhear them. ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± she announced, alerting them to her presence. Her grandfather broke off the conversation with his companion with a silent glare, turning to her with a grin.


    ¡°Good, good, we can begin¡ª¡± he said, but was cut off by the other Kirlia. She was as old as her grandfather, though perhaps not quite as much, and her face seemed set into a perpetual scowl. She had the same drooping coat and wrinkled face all elders did, though her hair had not yet lost its emerald hue.


    ¡°Hmph!¡± she snorted, looking down on the Ralts. ¡°So you are the one? Ridiculous. Even if I were to condone this action, we should send a Kirlia. Not some brat, no matter who her parents are. She is a child; have you no shame in sending her into such danger?¡± she questioned, turning back to her grandfather without letting Astra get a word in.


    Her grandfather sighed in exasperation. ¡°I keep telling you, Astra has already proven herself by traversing a city and helping defeat a pack of Poochyena. She is the one who fooled the Professor!¡±


    ¡°And there you go again with this ¡®Astra¡¯ business! Since when did we need human names? It¡¯s ridiculous; are mental patterns not good enough?¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± he snarled. ¡°We have been arguing in circles for the entire night! I will hear no more of your objections. You were outvoted, so the plan is going through.¡±


    ¡°Still, the stone!? I must still protest that! Even if¡ª¡±


    ¡°The argument is over!¡± he said, swiping his hand between them. ¡°I must speak to my granddaughter. Let us be.¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡± The crone glared at her grandfather, then turned to Astra again. ¡°Our village is relying on you, so don¡¯t do anything foolish.¡± She stared at her for a moment, then shook her head and muttered as she walked away. ¡°This asinine plan will get us all captured or worse, I swear.¡±


    Astra had been speechless for the entire exchange. It was the first time someone had openly derided her in such a crass manner. ¡°What is her deal!?¡± she exploded. ¡°I did all that stuff and she just goes and treats it like nothing?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t much care for her either,¡± her grandfather admitted. ¡°Even when our decisions align, she makes it difficult to agree. Not to mention her¡­distasteful opinions.¡± A frown etched his face as he continued. ¡±In any case, let us begin. Have you gotten all of your things?¡±


    Astra glared at the retreating Kirlia for a few moments more before she let out a sigh. ¡°Yeah. The pokeballs, the pokedex, my knife, it¡¯s all here. What should I do?¡±


    ¡°You will be demonstrating your friend on my mark, nothing more. I myself will be explaining the plan and what comes next.¡± He glanced at the full crowd. ¡°No more time. We have to go.¡±


    Following dutifully, Astra climbed the steps to the podium after her grandfather. Upon reaching the plateau, she reflexively shied away from the sheer number of eyes suddenly upon her. She hadn¡¯t really comprehended the scope of how many people existed in her community, having always been in the crowd during the few times an assembly was called, but there were clearly several hundred in the crowd. Maybe even a thousand? Two thousand?


    ¡°Silence!¡± her grandfather boomed, quieting the general murmurs of the gathering. ¡°We have gathered here today for a very unusual announcement. But first, a bit of recollection is in order. Now, as you know, our dear Ancestor vanished from our community many seasons ago.¡± With that announcement, a general unease set into the gathered Pokemon, whispers coming from every direction. Attention now mostly off her, Astra felt rather more comfortable in front of the crowd. Maybe she could get used to this.


    ¡°This,¡± he continued, ¡°has led to the slow deterioration of the protections she left behind. The last misdirecting barrier fell long ago, and with them the deflection of the wild Poochyena which lie outside our territory. Which led to¡ª" His breath caught for a moment, but he pressed on, ¡°Which led to my son and his wife sacrificing themselves to destroy the Alpha Mightyena before it could lay waste to our people. As of now, we have no Gardevoirs, minimal defenses, and failing obstructions to the humans outside.¡± The whispers in the crowd turned fearful. Astra worriedly noted the undercurrent of despair emanating through the crowd.


    He held up a hand to quell the noise. ¡°Yesterday afternoon,¡± he continued, gazing at the crowd intently, ¡°My granddaughter traveled into human territory, and infiltrated deep into the city to the north.¡± Astra gulped as the entire congregation was suddenly concentrated on her. It wasn¡¯t quite as bad as the first time, but after a moment she averted her eyes from the staring masses and focused on her grandfather.


    ¡°She went among them undetected, and learned that they had begun to expand their holdings even beyond the massive areas they already held, including traveling to the very moon itself! Their expansion into the forest is inevitable and occurring at this very moment. It is clear to us that discovery is no longer a matter of ¡®if,¡¯ but ¡®when.¡¯¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± ¡° The moon? No way.¡± ¡°Here?¡± ¡°How will we stop them?¡± ¡°Those damn bastards!¡± ¡°Where will we go?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not living my life in a damn ball!¡± ¡°This is a trick, right? Some cruel prank?¡± ¡°No no no no¡­¡± The crowd erupted into panicked jitters, accusations and general mayhem.


    ¡°Quiet!¡± Gramps ordered. ¡°I said QUIET!¡± He blasted out a psychic siren, forcing everyone to shield their minds from the onslaught for a moment. Astra noted that only the Kirlia had been affected; the Ralts were looking confused, prodding at their parents as they recovered.


    ¡°I am sure many of you are worried about these declarations,¡± he said as order was restored. ¡°And I can assure you that we have found a solution to weather the oncoming storm. Shortly after I received this news, my granddaughter suggested to me an audacious plan. One that could solve our problem for good!


    ¡°With no time to waste, we set out to enact stage one of this plan immediately. Traveling far to the east, we infiltrated the very origins of the trainers, and deceived them soundly! And thus, for the first time in history, we are not merely Pokemon! We are equals!¡±


    Astra jumped as she received a psychic nudge. Looking over, she saw her grandpa nodding at her. Gulping, she stepped forward and grabbed her pokeball.


    ¡°I present to you my granddaughter, Astra the Trainer!¡± Her cue struck, Astra tossed the pokeball high into the air, where it opened with its buzzing energy. The lightning resolved into the form of her Treecko. Gasps and murmurs shot through the crowd as the little lizard blinked back at the crowd.


    ¡°She has a pokeball!¡± ¡°What is that creature?¡± ¡°It¡¯s cute!¡± ¡°Does she control it?¡± ¡°What does this mean?¡±


    ¡°As you can see, we have stolen the humans¡¯ ability for ourselves!¡± her grandfather continued as Treecko scampered back to his master, choosing this time to lay atop her head. There were a few bits of laughter in the crowd as she stumbled under the sudden, awkward weight. ¡°Through cunning disguises and masterful deception, Astra infiltrated a Professor''s lab and obtained this right.


    ¡°Our plan is this: come tomorrow morning my granddaughter will travel into the human world and obtain the title of Champion. This will allow her to extend great influence on all the humans of this land! With this control, she will prevent humanity from interfering with our lives! No longer will we have to hide! No longer must we live in fear of discovery!¡± He shouted again, raising his hands to the sky. ¡°Let us celebrate, my dear friends! For soon, we shall be free!¡±


    The crowd cheered in response, a deafening mass approval coursing straight into Astra. She stared, awed by this display of approval. With trembling limbs she struck her own fist in the air, pokeball glimmering in the firelight.


    ¡°They¡¯ll never know what hit them!¡± she shouted, and the cacophony redoubled in response. She basked in the feeling, an entire crowd pouring their belief into her. For a moment, she almost felt like she was going to float away¡­ Her grandfather knelt down and patted her shoulder, knocking her out of the reverie.


    ¡°Seems there was nothing to worry about, hm?¡± he said. Astra stared at him, then broke into a smile which he returned. Standing back up, he returned his attention to the crowd. ¡°Settle down, settle down!¡± he called, waiting until the last of the praise fell away. ¡°Today is going to be our last day for overt actions like this for a long while. Starting tomorrow, we must begin to prepare for inevitable discovery by the wider world. So, with hope in your hearts and life in your souls, enjoy the night!¡±


    Giving one last cheer, the gathered people began to disperse back to their activities. A few Kirlia stayed behind, looking less enthused and clearly waiting to bombard Gramps with questions¡ªbut more notable to Astra was the rather large group of Ralts attempting to crowd the stage.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be a trainer?¡± ¡°Can I see your Pokemon?¡± ¡°How did you sneak through a city?¡± ¡°Did you see a human? Tell me what they were like!¡± Each of them were shouting, trying to be heard over the others, and Astra chuckled nervously as she rubbed the back of her head.


    Her grandfather smiled at the scene and gave her a small nudge forward. ¡°Go talk to your friends. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve spent any time at all with them for a while now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy,¡± she agreed. Still, the negative looks on the lingering adults made her hesitate. ¡°Those Kirlia look kinda mad. Will you be ok?¡±


    ¡°I am sure they just have a few reasonable worries about the plan. Don¡¯t worry so much,¡± he chided. ¡°I am not some fragile leaf quite yet. Go enjoy yourself.¡±


    ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll see you later!¡± She waved and took off; only to immediately go off-balance and fall flat on her front. Recovering, she rubbed her face as laughter erupted among the Ralts below.


    ¡°Treecko,¡± her companion said, poking his head out from atop her scalp.


    ¡°Okay! Off with you,¡± Astra commanded, picking the Pokemon off her head. A moment of arranging later, and he was relaxing in the crook of her arm, resting his head on her shoulder. ¡°So lazy,¡± she muttered, poking his snout.


    ¡°Tree.¡±


    She finally walked off the platform and was assaulted on all sides by her curious friends. Question after question assailed her, garbled into meaningless noise by sheer quantity. She even had to swat a couple prying hands reaching for her Pokemon.


    ¡°Hey! Hey!¡± she shouted, annoyed. ¡°One at a time! I can¡¯t even understand you. And stop with the hands!¡± She shot a look at a particularly grabby Ralts, who shied away.


    ¡°Since when did you get a name?¡± asked a different Ralts. ¡°None of us have names!¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Astra was surprised; she had been certain that the first question would be about Treecko or humanity. Well, maybe it was about the latter, kind of. ¡°I have one because all humans do, and humans all have personal names because they can¡¯t talk like we do. So I guess they need other ways to grab attention?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°That¡¯s so sad! How do they share emotions?¡± ¡°I want a name!¡± ¡°Oh, yeah! If she gets one I want one too!¡± Their chittering grew excited as everyone latched onto the concept.


    ¡°Well, my grandpa gave me mine. Maybe your parents could help there?¡± Astra suggested.


    ¡°Nah, my parents are lame. I¡¯ll name myself! I¡¯ll be¡­Starsurge!¡± the newly-proclaimed Starsurge announced.


    ¡°Wah! So cool!¡± one of the onlookers exclaimed.


    ¡°Ooh, Me next! I¡¯ll be¡­ah¡­Pyre!¡± said an excitable Ralts. He was bouncing off both feet, looking like hatching season had come early. ¡°They¡¯re super hot, you know!¡±


    ¡°I wanna be Acorn!¡± said a smaller girl.


    Starsurge shot Acorn a look. ¡°What? That¡¯s lame!¡±


    ¡°I like acorns!¡± Acorn pouted. ¡°They taste good.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s nice,¡± Astra offered.


    The other Ralts were still brainstorming or looked disinterested in the exercise. ¡°Can I see your Pokemon?¡± one asked, attempting to edge through the crowd for a closer look. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen anything like that in the forest.¡±


    ¡°Ah? Yeah, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s from around here. I got him from the professor,¡± she explained, shifting around so they could get a better look.


    Treecko opened one eye in an annoyed glare. ¡°Ko.¡±


    ¡°The professor? Was that the human who makes trainers?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He was nice. He just had me answer a few questions and took a picture.¡±


    The Ralts looked confused. ¡°What¡¯s a picture?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like¡­¡± Astra frowned and stared at the canopy above. It was like¡­¡°Oh! It was like when you look in some water and see yourself, except the image is frozen and on paper.¡± Reaching back, she took her Trainer ID out of her bag and showed it to everyone. They all let out an ¡®ooooh.¡¯ as they saw the image frozen on the card.


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± Pyre said. ¡°You look really silly though. What''s with the black stuff?¡±


    ¡°I had to disguise myself to not immediately get captured,¡± she explained, taking the card back. ¡°I had to get a crash course in illusions to pull this off. It wasn¡¯t super hard; when I talked to the professor I just let his own preconceptions do the job for me.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Starsurge butted in, ¡°Can your Pokemon do any tricks?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I wanna see a trick!¡± Acorn shouted, a happy gleam in her eyes. Most of the Ralts had backed off a bit to listen in without intruding, but they all came in close at the suggestion.


    ¡°Ahh, well! I don¡¯t know?¡± Astra shrugged. ¡°I just met him this morning. I guess we could try. What do you suggest?¡±


    ¡°I want an acorn!¡± said Acorn, pointing up into the trees. Astra followed her finger and spotted a particularly large nut hanging from an upper branch.


    ¡°I think he could do that, yeah.¡± Shifting around, she put Treecko on the ground, much to his annoyance. ¡°Hey,¡± she said, catching his full attention. ¡°Can you go get that acorn up there, please?¡±


    Treecko huffed, then took a moment to observe the designated tree. After a moment, he shrugged.


    ¡°Ko.¡±


    WIth that, he shot off, reaching the base of the tree in only a few moments. Treecko scurried up the bark into the canopy above in the blink of an eye. Dashing across the branches, he arrived at the designated nut only a few seconds after he started. Snapping the acorn from its stem, Treecko dropped from the trees and landed with nary a sound right where he had started, to thunderous acclaim.


    ¡°Treecko!¡± he said, presenting the acorn. Astra plucked it from his hands and stroked him along the back, grinning.


    ¡°Good job, Treecko!¡±


    ¡°That was amazing!¡± Acorn exclaimed. ¡°He was so fast! I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen anything move like that!¡±


    ¡°He was pretty good at rebound too. Here¡¯s the acorn,¡± Astra added, handing it to the same-named Ralts.


    ¡°Good at rebound, huh?¡± Starsurge wondered aloud, ¡°A non-psychic? I¡¯ve gotta see this.¡±


    ¡°Well then!¡± Astra grinned at her Pokemon. ¡°You up for another round?¡±


    A dangerous gleam entered Treeckos''s eye. ¡°Treecko. Tree!¡±


    Astra laughed. ¡°Let¡¯s show them what we can do!¡±


    ¡°I think there¡¯s an empty field that way. Follow me!¡± Pyre dashed off, and all the Ralts followed in kind.


    And so the party continued into the night. Delicious foods were eaten, artistic displays were appreciated, competitions were held and for one night all was well. The fires burned low and were extinguished, and Astra returned home, a sleepy Treecko in tow.


    Her grandfather was waiting inside the cave, staring thoughtfully at a somewhat ornate box on the table. Setting her backpack near the door, Astra called out a greeting.


    ¡°Hm?¡± her grandfather started, then relaxed. ¡°Ah, you are back. Did you enjoy yourself?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, everything was great!¡± she confirmed. ¡°Everyone really liked Treecko. We even won a few games of rebound!¡± She hadn¡¯t had that much fun for a long time. Treecko hadn¡¯t been a half bad partner, even with him not being psychic. Becoming the center of so much attention wherever she went wasn¡¯t unpleasant either.


    But her mood dampened when he didn¡¯t quite match his expression with her own.


    ¡°I am glad. Come, sit down. There is one last issue to discuss before the day of your departure comes.¡± He motioned to a stone chair next to him, but then reconsidered. ¡°Ah, first go put your friend to bed.¡±


    Astra laid Treecko to rest in her room, then sat next to her grandfather. ¡°What¡¯s in the box?¡± she asked.


    He made a humming noise. ¡°That is what I wish to speak to you about. It¡­hm. How should I put this¡­¡± He was silent for a moment. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll start with the origin.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Origin of what?¡±


    ¡°The artifact within the box, of course.¡± He let out a sigh. ¡°It is a very powerful item left behind by the Ancestor when she vanished. The circumstances of her disappearance were very strange; she had always been a secretive sort, but in the year before her absence she had begun to spend increasingly large amounts of time in solitude. And then one day, she simply walked into her home and never left. I believe it was your father who discovered that she had vanished; the only thing remaining was an orb.¡±


    ¡°An orb? Wait, that orb?¡± Astra¡¯s expression turned from curious to shocked in an instant.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Reaching towards the chest, her grandfather meticulously unlocked the mechanism holding it closed. Then, reaching inside, he pulled out a spherical object heavily wrapped in a rough, brown cloth. It seemed to glow darkly, even through the material.


    ¡°This is the object she had left behind. We have no idea what it is precisely, but your parents both investigated it and discovered that it had the potential to transfer an incredible amount of energy into whomever used it. It was certainly left behind by the Ancestor, but we still don¡¯t know why she left. Was she dying and wished to leave us a method to protect ourselves? I am unsure.


    ¡°I do not trust this thing,¡± he continued, beginning to unwrap it. ¡°But as it was in the first instance of its use, we may not have the luxury of caution.¡± The last piece of cloth fell away, leaving the artifact bare. It was about six inches wide and perfectly smooth, colored like a deep moonless sky: black, and shot through with streaks of throbbing purple veins. They were shaped in a peculiar pattern, akin to a spiraling ladder that tapered off to a point on both ends.


    But what was more alarming was the rather large-looking crack that streaked across its surface.


    ¡°This is¡­¡± she muttered, staring into the sphere. ¡°This is the thing my mom used, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I am afraid so. The Alpha Mightyena was a true freak of nature, thrice as large as any of its kind ought to be. Coupled with its immunity to our psychic abilities, they had no choice but to bring its power to bear. There were no direct witnesses to the fight itself¡­but we could clearly feel the conclusion even from here. We¡¯ve theorized many causes, but in the end all we know is how it ended.¡±


    He took on a grim expression. ¡°All we felt was a sense of overwhelming hatred and despair, followed by a mighty shockwave. There¡¯s a small desert there now.¡° His voice lowered to a murmur. ¡°Filled with sand and anguish. No life will grow, and even the sky looks darker from within. The Mightyena was a smear upon the ground, but the backlash was too great. We had lost them both.¡±


    The orb tapped down on the marred surface of the table. ¡°This thing also gained an alarming fracture, though it appears to be internal as the surface still feels smooth. It also seems to work as it did before, though it doesn¡¯t connect as well with me¡ªor other Kirlia for that matter¡ªas it did your parents. For all my distrust, I¡¯ve had no adverse reactions when using it, simply a rather large increase to my psychic ability.¡±


    This thing¡­it had killed them, hadn¡¯t it? For a moment, Astra felt an overwhelming desire to smash the fragile-looking thing on the ground. ¡°Why are you showing this to me?¡± she asked, frowning.


    ¡°Simply put, I want you to take it with you when you leave.¡±


    ¡°Wh¡ªwhat!?¡± Astra exclaimed. Take it with her? Wasn¡¯t this thing dangerous? ¡°What do you mean? Didn¡¯t this thing blow up?¡±


    ¡°It is an emergency measure,¡° he explained, grim expression deepening. ¡°This plan of ours is quite literally the only chance we have to free ourselves of human domination.¡± He put a hand on her shoulder and knelt to her level. ¡°I would prefer if it does not become necessary at all, but should you ever find yourself discovered or in a hopeless situation, I want you to have one last failsafe. Do whatever it takes to stay alive and well. I can¡¯t lose you too. I¡ªI can¡¯t...¡± He pulled his granddaughter into a hug, shaking.


    Astra wrapped her arms around him in return. ¡°I¡¯ll make it through to the end. I¡¯ll come back home, I promise.¡± Each word was said with absolute conviction, her head buried into her grandfather¡¯s shoulder.


    She didn¡¯t like seeing him like this. Gramps wasn¡¯t supposed to cry. She just squeezed, hugging him as hard as she could.


    ¡°It is all I can ask for,¡± he murmured in return. After a moment he pulled away, chuckling softly. ¡°Ha, look at me. I¡¯m getting so emotional in my old age. Your grandmother would have had a fit.¡±


    Pulling back as well, Astra watched as he wrapped the orb inside the cloth once more, closing the chest. ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± she said. ¡°Sometimes I can get worked up too.¡±


    ¡°A bunch of drama lovers, we are!¡± he agreed. ¡°Well, we have a big day tomorrow. Have a good night, Astra. I¡¯ll see you in the morning.¡± Drawing the heavy exchange to an end, he ambled over to his own little room carved into the cavern, brushing past the curtain doorway and disappearing from view.


    ¡°Good night!¡± she called in return. Yawning, she turned to go back to her own room. Her bed was calling fervently. And yet¡­her gaze flickered back to the box containing the artifact, and then to her grandfather¡¯s door, as if he would emerge in a flash to chastise her for staying up even a moment more.


    Satisfied that he probably wouldn''t jump out unexpectedly, she returned to the table and stared at the box. Climbing onto the stool, she re-opened the chest and brushed aside the cloth. The orb sat there, the central structure frozen inside the inky void within, the blemish still swallowing a good third of the surface.


    She didn¡¯t like it. It had saved her people, sure, but it had taken so much from her. Mixed feelings swirled around her mind, confusion and anxiety foremost. How was she even supposed to use this thing? What were they thinking? If her mom, a Gardevoir, was unable to handle it, how could she?


    Except, she remembered, Gramps said that he had tested it and he hadn¡¯t exploded¡­so maybe they didn¡¯t use all of it at once? Hesitating a brief moment, she reached out to stroke the surface of the orb. It was cold, was the first thought she had. It was absurdly, impossibly cold. Not freezing, but just barely. It was smooth too, but oddly¡­sticky? Her hand came away without any issue, and there was no residue; but there was a sense of resistance when she pulled away. How peculiar.


    Maybe¡­she should test it. Just a bit, to be sure. Resting her hand back upon the sphere, she took a calming breath. Accessing her psychic abilities, she reached past the surface of the orb and the world fell a p a r t¡ª


    <hr>


    He found me.


    In the ruin of a tree.


    When the rain had outlasted the sun.


    He had come, seeking shelter from the storm.


    A mere boy.


    But yet, I was a child as well.


    We came face to face that day.


    In the hollow where the wind sang, but did not reach.


    And the water pattered, but did not pool.


    We were scared, him of me, and I of him.


    And yet.


    He did not run.


    He smiled.


    And said,


    Hello.


    We talked.


    About many things.


    He told me tales of his home.


    I told him stories of the forest.


    He told me tales of his family.


    Of a strong man.


    And a kind woman.


    But I could not.


    For mine had gone.


    He spoke to me of music.


    And sang for me a song.


    I showed him how to dance.


    And he tried to follow along.


    We collapsed.


    And laughed the night away.


    The sky grew light.


    The rain had ceased.


    And the boy had to leave.


    I would be alone again.


    For I had nowhere to go.


    He said.


    "Come with me."


    "My home shall be yours."


    He offered his hand.


    And smiled.


    I reached out in return.


    And walked with him


    Side by side.


    ¡°We will be together forever.¡±


    He lied.


    <hr>


    Astra gasped as her senses returned to her, and she jerked back from the box. She wobbled dangerously on the chair and toppled sideways onto the floor, disoriented and sporting a splitting headache.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    There was no answer. Slowly, Astra pulled herself back up, staring at the box all the while. Was that¡­a vision? The older Kirlia could sometimes get forewarned of strange events as much as five minutes into the future, but it wasn¡¯t going to rain anytime soon. She didn¡¯t understand, and her head was pounding too much to think straight.


    ¡°I never should have poked it,¡± she griped, clutching her head. ¡°Just what was that¡­?¡±


    With no revelations in sight, Astra returned to the table. Staring suspiciously at the orb, she closed the box again¡ªand then she retired to her room. She was too exhausted to make any sense of this.


    She laid down next to Treecko and instantly fell asleep. Yet in her fading dreams, a human boy and a Ralts danced between the raindrops, laughing until the sun came up.


    <hr>


    Morning came, and with it a flurry of activity along with the final farewell. Guard and grandfather at her side, she departed from the village one last time. Wrapped in her black cloak, sunhat, and carrying the backpack stuffed with items and preserved food, Astra glanced back at the village one last time. A small horde of villagers waved from the dwindling boundary of her home.


    ¡°You better keep that knife sharp, you crazy girl!¡± the smith called, lounging atop an elevated platform. ¡°We still need to get that drink!¡±


    ¡°Bring back a whole bunch of stories!¡± called one of the Ralts from last night.


    ¡°Something tasty too!¡± added the newly named Acorn.


    The sight of so many people cheering her on brought with it a sense of renewed confidence, and she couldn¡¯t help but to smile back. She gave the spectators a big thumbs up, determination and a fierce grin adorning her face. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best!¡± she called. The trio continued on, silence gradually returning as the cheers dwindled into the distance.


    The guard chuckled at her enthusiasm. ¡°You really are something, aren¡¯t you? I suppose this is the last time you¡¯ll be needing me to walk you somewhere, eh?¡±


    Astra hummed. ¡°Next time you see me, I¡¯ll have all sorts of Pokemon! Maybe I¡¯ll even be a Kirlia. I think that¡¯ll be better than any dumb old guard,¡± she teased.


    ¡°Oi,¡± the guard drawled. ¡°How''s that any repayment for my services? I¡¯m hurt.¡± He tapped his chest, mock sadness in his expression. "Right here. Totally shattered. Why, I might not survive the night! Oh woe is me¡ªow!¡±


    Her grandfather had whacked him across the head. ¡°Stop that!¡± he said, but he was smiling too.


    Eventually, they slowed, and came upon their destination. Several meters in front of them, the forest gave way to Route 102, where Astra was almost captured only two days prior.


    ¡°This is it, I guess,¡± the guard said. ¡°I don¡¯t think you need me saying it too, kid¡­but still, stay safe, yeah? I don¡¯t want all my hard work going to waste, after all.¡±


    Astra glared at him for a moment, then rolled her eyes and gave the Kirlia a hug. ¡°Thanks for protecting me.¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey!¡± the guard stammered. ¡°It was no big deal, really! Jeez¡­¡± He grumbled for a moment, then patted the short girl on the head. ¡°Look after yourself, alright?¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± Astra said, releasing him. He smiled, then partially retreated into the trees. That left just her and her Grandpa, both staring at the road. All that could be heard was the soft murmurs of distant wildlife.


    The old Kirlia gazed wistfully ahead. ¡°This is the last time we will see each other for quite some time. I can¡¯t help but say that I am worried that it may be our last.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be,¡± she countered. Turning to him, she gave her grandfather the biggest grin she could. ¡°I¡¯ll come back soon! You¡¯ll see. And I¡¯ll tell you all about where I¡¯ve been and what I¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°Is that a promise?¡±


    ¡°The most important one I¡¯ll ever keep!¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Is that so? I suppose I¡¯ll accept it. From here on out, you are on your own.¡± Kneeling down, he pulled his granddaughter into one last hug. ¡°Know that I believe in you, and that I love you. You will do great things.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, Grandpa,¡± Astra said, and felt tears pool in her eyes.


    For a moment, they both reached out with their minds and hearts, connecting on a level deeper than any physical touch could. Memories were shared on an intimate level; times spent fishing or playing, laughing at bad jokes or smashing berries, painting and listening to drizzling rain. Emotions too, of shared happiness and sadness, melancholy and even mutual annoyance.


    All these feelings and experiences swirled together, gathered and replayed over an instant...


    It could only be described as love.


    The moment ended, and they separated, sad but smiling nonetheless. Astra wiped at her eyes and nodded. Her grandfather nodded in return, for there was nothing else to say.


    Astra left the clearing behind, watched over by two sets of eyes, and stepped onto the road. It was wide, made of hard soil packed together by years of traffic. The trees surrounding formed a shady canopy, the air cool. In front of her, a picked-clean berry bush was planted. She stared at it for a moment, idly touched the ball in her pocket, and smiled.


    Turning west, she started walking. Away from the life she had known, and towards a new beginning.

 Path

    It was mildly disappointing, Astra mused, that her heartfelt departure would be met with monotony. It wasn¡¯t that she was asking for problems! But¡­


    She glanced around Route 102 for the dozenth time. It was the same here as it had been at the start, albeit with more patches of untended grass. A few times it would veer north or south over hills to bypass outcroppings of trees, seemingly at random. There had even been a few Oran bushes scattered at odd intervals¡ªshe had considered grabbing some, but her pack was already stuffed with various berry products and dried fish.


    And that¡¯s all she had seen; not a single wild Pokemon had even bothered to accost her.


    Astra sighed. If she remembered the distance from her village to the city right, and boredom wasn¡¯t playing any tricks on her sense of time and space, it would still be quite a while before it came into sight. She hadn¡¯t known what to expect, really. Perhaps that she would face down a horde of other human trainers upon this one road, each one vying to strike her down before she could continue? It felt a little foolish, in retrospect.


    There was, simply put, not really anything happening at the moment. Her mind wandered, feet plodding onward thoughtlessly. For the sake of it, she plotted out what to do once she reached her destination again: according to the professor she needed to find and defeat eight ¡®Gym Leaders,¡¯ and¡­she had no idea where they all were. She had a pretty good guess for the first, but all eight couldn¡¯t be in one place, could they?


    For the first time, Astra realized that she had no idea where to go after she reached the city ahead, either in failure or success. She stopped walking, caught in her own head. Then she reached down and bundled up the fabric of her cloak, pressed it to her face, and screamed. The sound was muffled by the layered fabric, and it seemed to do equally well in keeping her stress from escaping. What was she supposed to do there!? She didn¡¯t know! She¡ª


    ...Wait. Wait! She had forgotten! Stopping for a moment, she lowered her backpack to the ground and rooted through a pocket, retrieving the rectangular device the professor had given her. The shiny red casing of her pokedex glinted in the morning light.


    She had mostly ignored the small device in all the excitement of receiving Treecko and the party thereafter, but surely it could help her figure out what to do? What had he said¡­? ¡®Cell phone, map, camera, and payment device.¡¯ She didn¡¯t know what a cell phone or camera was, nor what ¡®payment device¡¯ meant, but a map would be incredibly useful¡ªmaybe it would even tell her where all the Gym Leaders were? That seemed like something a trainer would need.


    Re-equipping her backpack, she continued down the road, fiddling with the buttons. How did she activate it? The two buttons on the right did nothing, nor did the cross-shaped pad on the left, and the two small buttons to the lower right of that fared much the same. Two buttons on the corners of the top side similarly failed to produce any result, although she did notice an odd, square recess with some sort of prong in the middle. ¡®Ext?'' She didn¡¯t understand.


    The backside didn¡¯t have anything special on it aside from some screws. Was this how it was put together? The bottom, however, produced a small switch on the left, conveniently labeled ¡®On / Off.¡¯ Opposite that, There was another round recess on the opposite side accompanied by some sort of wheel embedded into the corner. They were labeled ¡®Phone¡¯ and ¡®Volume¡¯ respectively. Volume? Ah, so this controlled some sort of sound function.


    Astra grinned at the sight of the power switch, and reached out to flick it, but stopped dead in her tracks at a sudden thought. Turning back to the phone''s hole and the volume wheel, she stared at the helpful labels intently.


    She should not have recognized these symbols. She had never had any understanding of human writing; the only bits and pieces she had ever seen, other than during her foray into the city, had been the terse groupings of symbols on scavenged cans and bottles. How was she reading these things? Where had this understanding come from?


    The letters suddenly felt extremely alien and unsettling. Disquiet and fear battled within her mind as Astra returned her attention to the surrounding forest; as if some culprit was hiding in the shadows, sinisterly¡­helping her read? It may have seemed silly, but the discomfort remained. Someone had messed with her head, implanted comprehension where before there was none. Helpful as it was, Astra felt violated. You weren¡¯t supposed to do that.


    She stood there for a few more moments, thoughts going in circles, until eventually she shook herself out of her stupor. Astra had no idea what had caused this, or even any way to begin figuring that out¡­but what she did have was a job to do. Still vaguely uneasy, she snapped the switch to the ¡®On¡¯ position.


    Just like in the lab, a brilliant white screen appeared, filled in by an unknown but colorful logo. A moment later it was replaced as the screen turned a calmer blue, filled with disparate icons.


    A little section on top showed a small sun. ¡®Weather,'' it said. Astra glanced at the sky. Yep, sunshine. This seemed a little redundant. There were also three numbers to the side, underneath which were two more words and another number. She had no idea what that meant. The rightmost number in the trio incremented upwards by one as she watched. Huh.


    Several of the words and icons remained incomprehensible, even with her new¡­gift. Experimentally, she poked the cross-shaped button and the one icon that was highlighted became unhighlighted while another one, in the same direction that she had pushed, lit up instead. She tried it a few more times and smiled at one mystery solved: it appeared to select a desired icon.


    One of the icons was labeled ¡®Map,¡¯ and it immediately received all of her attention. She made this icon light up and experimented with the other buttons. The left shoulder button didn¡¯t do anything, but the right one made the entire screen seem to rotate, bringing up even more arcane icons, though the screen was not full this time. Trying again, this time the reverse was true; the right one failed to do anything and the left one rotated the screen to the original set.


    Re-selecting maps, she pressed the ¡®B¡¯ button, which did nothing. Pressing ¡®A¡¯ seemed to do the trick however, as the screen flashed white once more, showing a bigger version of the map logo. It soon faded into a rather confusing image: a big mass of green surrounded by blue, crisscrossed with yellow lines and red and blue dots. More green areas were scattered around the empty blue areas.


    She stared at it for a moment. This was¡­a map? A map of ¡®Hoenn,'' apparently. Then the green would be land, right? And the blue would be water? What were all these yellow lines and colored dots?


    One yellow line was flashing red, in the lower right corner of the main green landmass. The image was too small to really see anything useful. A few presses and one accidental program restart later, and Astra was able to enlarge the area.


    ¡®Route 102,'' read a line of text next to the flashing yellow line. The line connected ¡®Oldale Town¡¯ to ¡®Petalburg City.¡¯ Was that where she was? She was heading toward a city, and she was vaguely aware that there was a vast expanse of water if you traveled from the village in a certain direction. It was her best guess.


    So, these red and blue dots and dashes were cities? If that were the case, then the yellow lines running between them could only be roads! The pathway behind her connected to Oldale town and Littleroot Town. Littleroot seemed to be in the direction the Professor''s lab was; so if she estimated the time it took to get to the lab, and compared it to the time it took to get to the city¡­


    Astra stared at the very small area of the map. She zoomed back out. Back in. Back out. That¡­was very large and she was suddenly feeling very small. How was she supposed to travel to all these places!?


    Wait, she only needed to visit the ones that had Gyms, the Elite Four, and the Champion. Which were those? The city she was traveling to had a gym, so she examined its icon for a moment, trying to see if it had a clue. It was red¡­and that was it. She examined the map as a whole again. Seven blue dots, nine red dots. Did that mean red cities had gyms? No, that didn¡¯t add up. Ugh. She might have to visit them all anyway. At least she knew where she was, if not where to go.


    One of the buttons under the selector pad seemed to bring her to the starting screen. What else was on here? The ¡®Pokemon¡¯ icon brought up a screen with six rows. Five were empty, but one was occupied by a little caricature of Treecko; it appeared to be monitoring his well being. How did it know? Her friend appeared to be fine, in any case. Maybe a bit hungry.


    ¡®Pokedex¡¯ brought up a grand list of nothing but question marks; the only notable exception was, again, the presence of Treecko in the first slot. Selecting that brought up a few bits of info such as average height and weight for his species, and a small blurb of descriptive text.


    After that were a host of icons that she couldn¡¯t begin to understand. ¡®Account, Album, Calculator, Calendar, Camera, Clock, Contacts, Dial¡¯¡­the list went on. Astra¡¯s eye twitched. What even were all these things? Why did the humans have to make such a complicated device!?


    She warily eyed the unknown icons. Which one should she investigate next? The selector hovered briefly over ¡®Music,'' but after a moment she decided against it; there were more important things to do. Moving onto ¡®Clock,'' she opened the new screen¡ª


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Astra jerked forward, stumbling over her robe. Catching her balance, she accidentally flung her pokedex into the air. Panicking, she reached up to catch it, only for it to bounce back and forth between her grasping hands as if she were a particularly lucky yet inept juggler. A moment of lucidity had her psychically hold it in place for a fraction of an instant, allowing her to finally take hold of the flying device. Astra was only able to relax for a moment however, as the sound of laughter rang out. Eyes wide, she turned to see who had startled her so badly.


    It was a human child. Brown hair and eyes, wearing a wide-brimmed yellow hat and teal sleeveless shirt with a yellow stripe running across the chest, as well as a pair of brown shorts on which hung two pokeballs. He also had a massive net anchored to a hoop on a stick hanging over his shoulder, which was rather bizarre.


    Also, he was still laughing at her.


    ¡°Ahaha! Ahha, ah, sorry, sorry that was just¡ªpfff,¡± the human coughed, composing himself. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d scare you that bad!¡± he continued, smiling.


    Astra stared at him, silently reinforcing the illusion on her face and hoping he hadn¡¯t noticed any mistakes that might have popped up in her panic. But then reality caught up to her as she realized he had seen that ridiculous display and she flushed red, embarrassed beyond comparison. This wasn¡¯t how she expected her first encounter to go¡­!


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°Ehe, yeah. At least you caught your ¡®dex, right?¡± he said, scratching the back of his head at her lack of response.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She glanced at the device and quietly tucked it into her pack. ¡°It¡¯s undamaged.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to notice anything wrong, so she felt marginally safer, if still jumpy.


    The boy squinted and twisted one of his fingers in his ear. ¡°You talk funny.¡± He shook his head, then a flash of recognition passed his face and he pointed at her dramatically. ¡°Hey! If you have a pokedex, you must be a trainer, right!?¡±


    Astra blinked. ¡°I became one just yesterday. Why?¡±


    ¡°Oh! That means you¡¯re super new!¡± the boy exclaimed. ¡°Well, you should know that should your eyes meet a fellow trainer''s in the wild, that¡¯s basically the same as challenging them to a battle! And trainers can¡¯t back down from a challenge!¡±


    Oh, was that how that worked? How odd. Wait, this boy was challenging her to a fight? She stiffened, a sudden tightness strangling her heart. A flash of recent memories rushed by, a Zigzagoon barreling down at her, endless rows of Poochyena fangs flashing in torchlight¡ª


    Stop. Breathe. She was a human now. They¡­they wouldn''t do that, right? Her eyes widened at another recollection of combat. No, this was like in the city! A challenge to test each others'' Pokemon! A game for fun!


    Astra felt a small grin creep across her face, excitement replacing terror. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    The boy pointed his thumb back at himself, a smirk matching her own emblazoned across his face. ¡°My name is Rick! I¡¯ll take you on with my bug Pokemon!¡±


    ¡°My name is Astra,¡± she countered, ¡°future Champion. Remember it!¡±</a>


    Simultaneously, the two trainers grasped their pokeballs, sending them flying into the air. Dual electrical screeches cried out into the air as Treecko materialized, already prepared to face down his opponent¡ªwhich turned out to be a rather small Wurmple. Astra¡¯s eye twitched, and even though Rick¡¯s face was the epitome of seriousness she could only feel like this was some sort of joke.


    ¡°Wurmple! String Shot!¡± Rick declared, taking advantage of Astra¡¯s incredulity to get in the first attack.


    ¡°Wurm wurm!¡± the bug Pokemon squelched, spraying a fine mist over the area. Treecko squawked as thin webbing began to coalesce in the air.


    Astra snapped back into focus at Treecko¡¯s distress. Thinking quickly, she recalled the few tactics and abilities Treecko already knew and came up with a rudimentary strategy: Beat the worm into paste.


    ¡°Left, then close in with a Pound,¡± she ordered. ¡°Avoid the webs!¡±


    Treecko darted sideways, dashing through what little space remained between the fine threads that were increasingly littering the air. The Wurmple turned to follow him, but her Pokemon was too fast for the bug; a small twirl, and Treecko¡¯s tail impacted his enemy with a meaty thud, sending it flying to his master¡¯s feet.


    Rick scowled as his Wurmple wobbled back to its feet. ¡°Fast, and I didn¡¯t even hear any commands¡­Wurmple, Tackle!¡±


    ¡°Wuuuurm!¡± it shouted, wriggling forwards, head-spike lowered for the charge.


    ¡°Meet it head on, dodge and Tackle it from the side,¡± Astra ordered, visualizing the action as she communicated.


    ¡°Tree¡­¡± Treecko grinned. Dashing forwards, the lizard held himself low to the ground. At the last moment he jerked to the right, causing the Wurmple to stumble as it charged right past him. He then reversed his momentum, latched onto the side of the worm Pok¨¦mon, and threw it to the ground.


    Damaged and shaken, Wurmple attempted to get up one more time¡­but an additional tail slam knocked it out of the fight for good.


    ¡°Ko!¡± Treecko crowed, victorious. Astra grinned at him, silently emitting pride and gratitude over their telepathic link.


    Rick made a frustrated sound. ¡°Come back, Wurmple!¡± he commanded, returning the Pokemon to its ball. Clicking it back to his side, he pulled out his second ball. ¡°Let¡¯s see how well you do against this guy!¡± he shouted, throwing the ball into the air. Astra tensed as the device released its payload, red energy resolving into¡­


    Another, slightly bigger Wurmple. Astra squinted at Rick. What was this kid''s deal?


    ¡°Close in and slam it,¡± she ordered. Treecko once again rushed into the fray, advancing rapidly.


    ¡°Wurmple, into the webs!¡± Rick countered. ¡°String shot, wide area!¡±


    Wurmple took off into the webs left behind by its predecessor, spraying another mist into the air. The webs which had begun to dissolve instead thickened rapidly, growing more and more interwoven. Treecko darted forward, jumping and sliding between, above, and below the ever-closing strands. Just a bit closer, and he could end this fight¡ª


    A sticky string detached from its holdings above and fell into his path. Treecko¡¯s eyes widened as he tried to avoid the sudden obstacle, awkwardly leaping over it. He couldn¡¯t, however, avoid the threads in the path of his descent. Crashing into the sticky white extract, one arm and his tail were grabbed by the webs and stuck in place, refusing to release him no matter how much he struggled.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, Wurmple! You¡¯ve got him!¡± Rick cheered. ¡°Hit him with a poison sting!¡±


    Wurmple crawled down its webs, the spikes on its tail glowing a sickly purple light.


    Astra¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of the encroaching creature. ¡°Treecko, get out of there!¡± she frantically ordered.


    Treecko redoubled its struggle against the sticky webbing and slowly, tiny holes began to tear through the webbing as the trapped Pokemon strained against his restraints. The holes began to give way¡ªand then Wurmple was upon him. With a meaty thwack, the bug stabbed its poisonous tail spikes into Treecko¡¯s sides, the force breaking him out of the weakened strands and sending him sprawling outside the webbed area.


    ¡°Treecko, are you okay?¡± Astra asked, wincing. She hoped he didn¡¯t get poisoned. Poison hurt deep, the pain spreading with the foul substance through every vein it could reach, and having experienced it before, Astra could rate it as one of the worst experiences of her life. She had a couple Pecha berries that she¡¯d brought along for situations like this, but it was pretty early to start going through the handful she¡¯d brought and furthermore she couldn¡¯t exactly toss one at him in the heat of battle.


    ¡°Tree¡­¡± Treecko hissed through grit teeth, standing back on his feet. He radiated out feelings of intense pain, but it wasn¡¯t spreading¡ªso he was hurt, but he wasn¡¯t poisoned. Astra sighed in relief, then focused back on the fight. He couldn¡¯t take another hit like that.


    Rick grinned as his Wurmple maintained the elaborate webs that now took up a good chunk of the road. ¡°Let¡¯s see your Pokemon get through this, quiet girl!¡± he taunted.


    Astra grimaced at the thick wall of string. There was no way Treecko could dodge through that. If he were bigger he could simply overpower it, but as it was¡­wait. Astra examined the hazardous strands one more time, a plan hatching in her mind.


    Treecko smirked as he received new instructions. Dashing forward, he began weaving through the outer webs, dancing between the sparser threads.


    ¡°Tree tree!¡± he called, taunting the worm. Wurmple chittered angrily at the flagrant display.


    ¡°What, this again?¡± Rick scoffed. ¡°Wurmple, string shot, cover the entire road!¡±


    ¡°Wurm!¡± it said, spraying ever more string across the road. The bug Pokemon advanced further and further, creeping its territory onwards. Soon enough, webbing began to criss-cross everywhere, obscuring the road and even Astra from view.


    Rick observed the progress with satisfaction, but frowned as something occurred to him. ¡°Wurmple, stop!¡± he ordered, examining the battlefield now that the obscuring silken mist was gone. ¡°Wait,¡± he realized, ¡°Where did that thing go?¡±


    Astra grinned.


    Rick¡¯s eyes widened as he heard a triumphant cry from above. Jerking his head up, he spotted Treecko, coiled like a spring on a branch far above. To his dawning horror, he realized his Wurmple¡¯s advance had coated the ground in webs at the cost of leaving the air completely exposed.


    ¡°Treecko, Slam!¡± Astra commanded, and Treecko shot off the branch with a fierce cry, accelerating toward the confused Wurmple below.


    ¡°Wurmple,¡± Rick cried, ¡±Watch out!¡± But even as Wurmple turned to look, it was too late.


    Treecko spun in the air and slammed his tail down, delivering a gravity-assisted blow to the unprepared bug. Wurmple impacted the ground violently, briefly crying out in pain before collapsing to the dirt, the one massive strike knocking it out cold. Treecko cried out in victory over his enemy''s unconscious body, injured but triumphant.


    Astra had won.


    Treecko, not seeing any new opponents appearing, hopped off his unconscious enemy and scurried over to Astra. Darting up her robes, he snuggled himself into her arms again. She pet him on the head, muttering praise with a smile.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Rick grumbled, recalling his Pokemon. ¡°Down and out. Man, you¡¯re good!¡±


    ¡°Your Wurmple are really strong; I¡¯ve never seen them make so much webbing before. For my first challenge, it was really interesting!¡± she returned. ¡°I suppose that means I win.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Man, I didn¡¯t even hear you tell your Pokemon to do anything!¡± he complained absently, searching his pockets. Pulling out his own pokedex, Rick and Astra stared at each other for a couple seconds before Rick snapped his fingers, appearing to realize something.


    ¡°Oh yeah! You said you became a trainer yesterday, right? Did you visit the professor in Littleroot? It would explain the Treecko,¡± he muttered to himself, then continued normally, ¡°If you win a trainer battle you also win some money off the loser. Even Gym Leaders do it! Pretty cool, right? I guess the Prof forgot to mention it.¡±


    Astra blinked. What was ¡®money?'' More things she didn¡¯t know! Ugh. She had a strong desire to hold the boy in place and interrogate him for all he knew. ¡°I didn¡¯t know about that. How does it work?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sure! Here, get out your pokedex, I can walk you through it.¡±


    It turned out that one of the ¡®apps¡¯¡ªa shorthand term for the various features on the device¡ªhandled this aspect. Rick helpfully walked Astra through setting up a ¡®macro¡¯ that would allow her to get the matter over in one button press in the future. Apparently her registration also gave her a ¡®Trainer¡¯s account¡¯ at a ¡®Bank.¡¯


    ¡°Every trainer gets one,¡± Rick explained, ¡°and you get a stipend twice a month to pay for food if your account is low. If you¡¯re completely broke you can get the League to pay for you, but they get mad if you do it too much.¡±


    Astra nodded, starting to puzzle out the strange terms. ¡®Pay for food?'' Money must be some sort of barter tool. She had been given a certain amount when she received her trainer license, and had won a much smaller portion from Rick according to the numbers on the screen. How useful was that?


    ¡°This number seems...low?¡± she questioned, testing his reaction.


    Rick grimaced. ¡°I know it¡¯s not a lot. I¡¯m a beginner too, you know! It only pays out, like, a fraction of what you have.¡± He turned away slightly at saying this, scowling at the ground.


    ¡°Ah, no, it¡¯s fine!¡± Astra backpedaled. Was not having a lot of money shameful? She had no idea! What even counted as a little or a lot? ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting any of this at all, so it¡¯s nice to know. Thank you, you¡¯ve been a big help!¡±


    He scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s no problem, really. Anyhow,¡± he said, returning his device to his pocket, ¡°I should get going. You¡¯re heading to Petalburg right? Shouldn¡¯t be more than twenty minutes from here.¡±


    Astra nodded. ¡°It was a fun match. I hope you have a nice day!¡±


    ¡°Same!¡± he said, walking the way she had come. He flashed a smile backwards as he went on his way. ¡°Maybe someday we¡¯ll fight again, ¡®Future Champion!¡¯ Good luck!¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± She waved him farewell as he continued down the road. Returning her attention to Treecko, the little lizard Pokemon seemed to be sleeping¡ªwait, no, he was just relaxing.


    She poked him in the snout, to which he opened his eyes and glowered at her. Smirking, she fetched a few dried berries from her pack and offered them to her companion; hopefully a few Oran and a bit of Pecha would help him recover from the fight. Idly, she ate an Oran herself as Treecko nibbled down, pleased noises filling the silence.


    After he finished his snack, she recalled him to his pokeball and returned to her investigation of the pokedex. Maybe one of these apps would tell her what a ¡®minute¡¯ was.

 Service

    <div>


    A little investigation into the clock app revealed that a minute was 1/60th of an ¡®hour,'' which itself was 1/24th of a full day. A minute could be further subdivided into 60 ¡®seconds,'' which themselves could be subdivided into something unlabeled. On top of the sheer bizarre concept of dividing time into concrete sections, Astra found the divisions themselves odd and unintuitive. Why those numbers? 24 into 60 into 60¡­why not tens, or hundreds? The hours even seemed to double back on themselves halfway through the day and night. Two sets of 12 hours? What did AM or PM even mean!?


    Nevertheless, a ¡®stopwatch¡¯ feature measured out the seconds and minutes and Astra felt she had a somewhat decent feel for the units by the fourteenth minute, which was when the city came into view.


    The sight was as breathtaking as the last. Structures taller than the trees littered the landscape, perfectly square and sparkling in the midday sun. Unlike the alley-to-alley, rooftop-to-treetops adventure she had experienced the day before, today she strolled along the main trail, directly into the city¡¯s center, without a single moment of terror or the need to bury herself in trash. Eventually she would reach the grand building in the center of town with its large ¡®GYM¡¯ sign¡ªwhich, thanks to Professor Birch and her sudden ability to read, she now knew was her destination. Astra grinned as she walked; her first goal was within reach!


    Immediately ahead on the trail were two brightly-colored structures labeled ¡®Pokecenter¡¯ and ¡®Pokemart¡¯ with red and blue tops respectively; the former much bigger than the latter. Astra peered at them from afar. The professor had said something about Pokemon Centers, hadn¡¯t he? Special ¡®computers¡¯ which could hold excess Pokemon. That sounded important, and it wasn¡¯t like the Gym was going to go anywhere. Astra started down the road, eager to investigate.


    But fear flared up as she spotted another human walking towards her. Would she fight again? Would she be discovered? An undercurrent of tension ran through Astra as the person came close and their eyes met¡­the human¡¯s eyes flickered over her outfit, eyebrow raised. They smiled, waved, and walked right past her; completely oblivious to the hammering of her heart.


    Oh. Astra looked back as the human left. That was¡­anticlimactic. The human seemed to have a few pokeballs held on their waist, so they must have been a trainer. Why did they not challenge her? Did this ¡®eye contact¡¯ rule not apply near the city? Perhaps the human didn¡¯t want to fight either, or Rick was mistaken about the rule. A few more non-encounters on the road made her discard theory two. At the most, they would give her an odd look or give out a passing greeting like ¡®hey,'' which she would return in kind. Astra found herself relaxing as a pattern formed.


    The two brightly-capped buildings came up quickly; a few groups of humans seemed to be lingering around the area, though none of them paid Astra any mind as she approached the Pokecenter. The entryway seemed to be blocked off by a pane of glass. Astra stepped up to it uneasily; there didn¡¯t appear to be a handle, so how¡ª


    She nearly jumped out of her skin when the door slid open of its own accord with a soft ding, a blast of cool air accompanying it. Stalling for a moment to calm herself, Astra passed through the now vacant barrier, giving an awed glance to the crevice the door slid into as she passed. How did that work, how did it know to open, and other such questions flitted into and out of her thoughts.


    But then the building¡¯s interior distracted her from such ponderings.


    The Pokecenter was rich in bright colors, yellow and red predominant; the floor held a mosaic of a pokeball in the tiles, and various tables and soft-looking stools were scattered around, grouped in corners and occupied by various humans. There appeared to be a shelf of books (Had she known that word before?) to the left, near some stairs that also appeared to move on their own. On the right was a line of odd machines, similar to what Professor Birch had spent some time on during her visit. Were these the special devices he spoke of?


    The most prominent feature was the large desk in the back. A pink-haired woman was sitting behind it, focused on the same rectangle that was present in all the other machines. One other girl was waiting anxiously nearby, eyes on the large machine behind the pinkette.


    Well, Astra thought, time to find out what¡¯s going on here. Steeling her nerves, she strode up to the counter. The brunette to the side didn¡¯t pay her any attention, but the woman behind the desk looked up from her task at Astra¡¯s approach, the faint tapping sound ceasing with it.


    ¡°Hello,¡± she began, smiling warmly, ¡°And welcome to the Petalburg East Pokemon Center. We restore tired or injured Pokemon to full health, free of charge. I am Nurse Joy, would you like to rest your Pokemon?¡±


    Astra blinked. Well, that was easy. She didn¡¯t even have to do anything. ¡°Do you explain that to everyone who comes here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s standard policy,¡± Joy responded, her tone adopting a hint of wry exasperation.


    ¡°I see.¡± Well, Treecko did just go through a tough battle, and he was injured pretty severely. The pokedex claimed he had healed a bit thanks to her Oran berries, but he wasn¡¯t quite fully recovered yet. Maybe it was worth testing their proclaimed service. ¡°My Treecko was just in a battle and he¡¯s still hurt. Can you help him?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± She said, her previous smile returning in full force. ¡°Please place your pokeballs in this tray.¡± Reaching out of sight for a moment, she set down a plastic tray with six divots on the counter. Hesitantly, Astra set Treecko¡¯s ball into a hole. Nurse Joy took the plastic tray and turned to the large machine to Astra¡¯s left and opened a drawer on the side, sliding the tray inside. Closing the drawer, she pressed a few buttons on the machine''s interface and a short, artificial-sounding musical ditty rang out. Sitting back down, she smiled at Astra.


    ¡°The process will take a short time; for this request perhaps around ten minutes. Please take a number, and I will call for you when he¡¯s all better.¡± She gestured, indicating a small ticket vendor on the desk. ¡°Feel free to use any available computer. Alternatively, a selection of books may be found to your left.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Astra said, pausing to take the¡ªapparently 29th¡ªslip of paper from the roll. Glancing to her right, she spotted the row of strange machines once again. Were these the ¡®computers?'' Curiosity piqued, she headed over to investigate.


    They were lined up on desks in booths, dividers between them for privacy¡ªor so she assumed. One was occupied by a rather bored looking kid, but the rest were free. Taking the one furthest from the child, she climbed into the chair. In front of her was a thin square plastic box on a stand encasing a shiny, reflective black surface. On the desk itself was a rectangular board marked by glyphs on numerous smaller cubes and rectangles embedded within it, and an ellipsoid divided in one half and two fourths, with the fourths split by a half-wheel.


    To the left was a plain-looking machine with a transparent half-cylinder revealing an empty space inside; a divot similar to the tray Nurse Joy had used on the bottom. To the right was another odd device; it was a board with an empty space embedded into the surface which was the exact shape of her pokedex. A small slot was also next to it.


    Astra would have been totally lost were it not for a helpful sign posted on the wall. To access the ¡®computer,'' she would have to place her pokedex inside of the right hand machine, and then her trainer card in the slot. Easy enough. Her pokedex slotted in with a click and the card slid in a ways, stopping before it disappeared completely.


    Astra flinched as another small jingle played, the screen flickering to life on its own. In an instant, it brightened to a blinding white, an unfamiliar logo taking up the center. After a moment, it transformed into a serene picture of rolling hills and a cloudy blue sky. Apps were lined neatly on the upper left of the screen, a lonely Trash icon all on its own in the bottom right.


    Astra pondered the screen. It seemed to be a much larger pokedex at first glance. In fact¡­yes, it seemed that all the apps that were on her pokedex were here. Was it copying everything? There were a couple unfamiliar ones as well, ¡®VulpixNet¡¯ and ¡®PokeXchange¡¯ among them. Might as well examine the new ones; they might vanish when she took her pokedex out. Nodding to herself, Astra went to...um. How did this work?


    Baffled, Astra examined the tools in front of the computer again. The glyph board was incomprehensible, but she recognized most of the symbols as being letters and numbers, though one seemed to be blank? Why was it so long? She poked a glyph with an arrow on it, but nothing on screen seemed to change.


    Maybe it was the odd ellipsoid which held the key. As soon as she touched it, she spotted movement; a small white arrow had appeared from within a cloud. Moving the ellipsoid further caused it to mimic her movements. Progress! The arrow moved until it overlapped the PokeXchange app, and she pondered how to go further.


    The glyph board didn¡¯t seem to have any immediate answers, but the ellipsoid itself seemed to have some give on the divided areas. Perhaps it was a button as well? It was rather awkwardly shaped for her hands, so she lightly tapped the left section psychically. It gave a satisfying click, and the app icon was highlighted.


    Not quite there yet, she mused. She pushed in the right half. A small menu popped up next to the arrow, listing various terms. Most of these she did not understand, but the top one, ¡®open,'' seemed to fit what she was searching for. Left to select, right to open a menu of action? Hm.


    Hitting open created a new square of white, and another logo flashed by. It opened to feature a large section that imitated a forest labeled ¡®Box 1,¡¯ and a large gray rectangle to the left labeled ¡®Pkmn Data.¡¯ A square in the top middle of the gray bar was filled with an empty grid of squares colored in two shades of blue. Above the Box 1 label were two other buttons labeled ¡®Party Pokemon¡¯ and ¡®Close Application.¡¯


    Astra examined the screen. Was this where her Pokemon would go if she deposited them in the machine? She hadn¡¯t caught anyone besides Treecko, so it was currently empty. Hm. Moving the arrow over the Party Pokemon box, she pressed the left button again. A smaller box opened next to the gray bar, displaying six squares on a blue background. Five of them were empty and stacked on the right above a down-pointing gray triangle and a cancel button. The sixth was in the middle left, and showed a miniature Treecko, displaying the same information the pokedex had.


    Right clicking on Treecko caused a new menu to appear, offering to deposit or exchange him. Astra hit ¡®deposit,¡¯ causing the machine to the left to open the barrier restricting access to the hollow compartment within. A word box popped up, saying ¡®Please insert your Pokeball.¡¯ But Treecko was still being healed, so it seemed this was as far as she would get. Well, it wasn¡¯t like she wanted to deposit him anyway, so it wasn¡¯t a huge disappointment.


    ¡°29! Calling number 29!¡±


    Astra blinked and checked her ticket. Time to go, then. It was just as well, this was starting to get a bit overwhelming. Hitting the ¡®B¡¯ key didn¡¯t seem to close the app like it had on the pokedex, so with a moment of hesitation she simply took her trainer card and pokedex out of their slots, which caused a new box to appear indicating that she would be ¡®logged off¡¯ if the items were not returned. Was that bad? The short countdown completed and¡­the icons disappeared, leaving only the background and another text box, which asked for a pokedex and trainer card to be inserted into the right device. The machine to the left closed as well.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Well, nothing seemed to be obviously wrong, at least. Astra got off her chair, blinking. Scowling, she rubbed her eyes; she hadn¡¯t noticed it during her experimentation, but the glare from the screen was awfully bright. Shaking her head, she returned to the desk, where Nurse Joy waited. The other girl seemed to have left.


    ¡°I was 29,¡± Astra said, producing her ticket.


    Nurse Joy took her ticket with another smile, and placed the tray with her pokeball on it atop the counter. ¡°Thank you for waiting. We¡¯ve restored your Pokemon to full health. We hope to see you again!¡±


    Astra narrowed her eyes as she retrieved her pokeball. ¡°Wait, you want my Pokemon to get injured? That¡¯s kinda mean.¡±


    The nurse¡¯s smile gained an amused curl at Astra¡¯s remark. ¡°Still policy. You learn to take the bright side of it.¡±


    ¡°Bright side?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°If you¡¯re able to stand here and chat, that means you¡¯re not at the morgue.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a morgue?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Nurse Joy scratched the back of her head, letting out an awkward laugh. ¡°It¡¯s¡­nothing you need to worry about. In any case, I hope you have a nice day!¡±


    Astra¡¯s face scrunched at the obvious deflection. She debated pressing¡­but no, she had things to do. ¡°Well, okay then. Have a nice day!¡° she said, dropping the topic. A blast of warm wind hit her in the face as she returned outside, the heat of the sun pressing against her dark cloak.


    Not even ten seconds and she already missed the cool air¡­


    Turning on her pokedex, she double-checked Treecko¡¯s condition. The service worked as was promised; Treecko was now in perfect health, though she should probably stop for lunch soon. But not right now, there was still the Pokemart to check out.


    There wasn¡¯t anybody hanging around the blue-roofed building, unlike the larger Pokecenter she¡¯d just departed from. The same type of automatic door was present here as well, and it slid open upon her approach.


    The inside of this building was exceptionally different. Several bins sat near the entrance, shelves of mysterious items lined the floor and walls, and one section even had multiple items behind transparent doors. Strangely, the place was completely deserted.


    Walking a bit further inside, Astra blinked as a large counter came into view. A lone yellow-haired girl sat behind it, head nestled in her arms and snoring peacefully. Um. Astra briefly scanned the store again. Was she¡­supposed to be sleeping? That didn¡¯t seem right.


    Well, at least it gave her a chance to look around without arousing suspicion. Astra silently moved through the aisles, drinking in the diverse array of strange products as she went.


    Most of it seemed to be different varieties of food. By and large the bags of pellets seemed to take up the majority of the selection, with canned ¡®wet food¡¯ taking second place. Was this what she would have been fed, if she had been caught? She wondered what they tasted like.


    Astra took a baffled glance between the variety of bags. Why did they have so many types of the exact same thing? Were they different somehow? It was probably safe to bet that the numbers next to them were the cost, but why was it so disparate between them? One bag was triple the cost of the next highest! Still, the cheapest bag ran for a fraction of her current funds, and if she had a few extra mouths to feed it would last at least a few days with proper rationing; she took note of where it was before moving on, just in case.


    So-called specialty foods and treats had a row to themselves. Oddly warm ¡®Fire Flakes,'' jars of ¡®Ghost Jelly,'' there was even a bag of scrap metal shaped into bones hidden in a corner. A few of these also seemed to come with redundant choices. Astra shook her head; surely there was some sort of explanation for all of it. In any case, she still had a pack full of berries and fish so she didn¡¯t need any of this yet.


    The right wall of the store seemed to cater to grooming. Odd bottles, combs, leashes¡­Astra eyed a container of ¡®shampoo,'' but balked at the price tag. She frowned, feeling her own thick green strands. The unfamiliar Pokemon¡¯s hair on the bottle looked so nice¡­but no, it would eat up nearly all of her money. She put the shampoo back, sighing in disappointment.


    The back wall of the store was much more interesting. This is where, it seemed, the competitive trainer¡¯s items were kept. Empty pokeballs took up a solid third of the wall, and further down there was a selection of small items called ¡®Stimulants.¡¯ Reading the label on an ¡®X Attack,'' apparently these were capsules that, when eaten by a Pokemon, would boost some attribute of theirs for a short time. In this case, the Pokemon would be physically stronger than usual for the duration of a battle. Useful, but Astra grimaced at the worryingly large ¡®potential side effects¡¯ list on the side. She didn¡¯t ever want to know what ¡®Excessive intestinal distress¡¯ meant.


    The rest of the wall was taken up by more utilitarian items, such as rope, water bottles, flash lights, sleeping bags, Pokemon repellant, and even more bottles which supposedly acted as cures for various ailments and injuries. She inspected a ¡®Potion,'' which was a can that could spray some sort of healing liquid onto wounds.


    Astra briefly marveled at the easy access these people had to such items. Cures for poison, venom, disorientation, frostbite, burns, electrocution,  and...insomnia? They even had impossibly fast-acting wound treatments, quick enough that injuries would fully heal mid-fight, all condensed into a spray-bottle! No more bandages with ground-up moss you had to trek four hours to find, or days-long fevers from an infected cut, or anything. She glared down at the little container in her hand resentfully. It was so unfair.


    There appeared to be more advanced types of pokeballs and potions behind some glass doors, but apparently she needed more ¡®badges¡¯ to access them. After some thought, Astra realized that she hadn¡¯t brought anything to drink, and so picked out a sturdy looking metallic water bottle. She grabbed one of those miraculous potions as well, along with an extra pokeball. And with that she was out of money. Or, she would be after she paid.


    The girl at the counter was still asleep as she stepped up, cradling her items. Astra glanced around the store again, but they were the only ones here. She sighed; it seemed that she would need to wake her up. As she¡¯d done a thousand times before, she constructed a packet of telepathic noise into a ping. Unless she was outright comatose it should be enough to gently alert her¡ª


    The girl shrieked; snapping her eyes open and launching herself out of her chair. Her rapid ascent met an abrupt end as her head met the bottom of a shelf with a loud thump. ¡°Mother fu¡ª¡± the girl screamed, before tripping over the chair and collapsing behind the desk, a low groan the only indication that she was still conscious.


    Astra watched with a horrified awe. That wasn¡¯t¡ªbut why¡ªhow did that happen!? All a ping was supposed to do was mentally tap them on the shoulder¡ªthey weren¡¯t psychic. She felt like tearing her hair out, how did she forget that!? Setting her things on the counter, she leaned forward to peer through the glass and saw the girl sprawled on the floor, moaning with an arm over her face.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Bwuh?¡± The girl lifted her arm to stare at her, squinting through the harsh lighting. ¡°Ugh. Sorry about that. I¡ªI¡¯m fine. Just, give me a minute.¡± She waved her other arm erratically before finally catching the edge of the counter. The blonde pulled herself to her feet with a pained grunt, rubbing her head with her free hand.


    Astra almost apologized, but held back at the last moment. She couldn¡¯t take credit for a psychic attack, or else they would figure her out! It would be best to feign ignorance. ¡°That looked painful,¡± she said, and at least she could be honest about this. ¡°Do you need any help?¡±


    The blonde grimaced. ¡°No, no, I¡¯m good. I just¡­it felt like someone jabbed a needle in my head. I don¡¯t...¡± She blinked, then stared at Astra suspiciously. ¡°Was that you? Did you do something weird?¡±


    ¡°N¡ªno,¡± Astra said, shifting in place. ¡°I was just coming over here but then you started screaming, banged your head, and fell over.¡±


    She held the stare for a few moments more, then rolled her eyes and sighed. ¡°Whatever you say, mummy girl. Least it wasn¡¯t my boss¡­¡± She blinked as the motion brought her gaze over the counter, or more specifically to the items scattered on it. ¡°Oh, right. Did you need me to ring these up?¡±


    Momentarily hesitating at the unfamiliar terminology, Astra nodded in reply. WIth expertise born of working at a specialty shop for far, far too long, the girl scanned all of her items in a matter of seconds. Putting all three in a plastic bag, the girl sat them back on the counter and turned back to her machine, which was flashing the total cost of her items from a small display. She pulled a cord from the device and held it out to Astra, who looked at it with great confusion. What was she supposed to do with this? It looked kinda familiar, but¡ª


    ¡°Kid?¡± the girl asked, waggling the cord a little. ¡°You gonna pay or not?¡±


    ¡°Um,¡± Astra said, floundering. ¡°How¡­?¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± The blonde sighed. ¡°You put it in your pokedex.¡±


    Oh! That¡¯s where she had seen it; it mirrored the opening at the top. She popped the wire¡¯s metal head into the slot with a satisfying click, and the payment went through immediately.


    ¡°Thank you for shopping at Pokemart, please come again soon,¡± the girl droned out, handing the bag to her.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Astra said. Still, the difference between this and her experience with Rick was bothering her. ¡°On the road I didn¡¯t have to use that wire. Why is it different here?¡±


    ¡°I dunno,¡± she shrugged. ¡°Some security crap, I think. Why are you wearing a bedsheet?¡± she shot back.


    ¡°Eh?¡± Astra looked down at her black robe. She felt ¡®I¡¯m secretly a Pokemon in disguise¡¯ wouldn¡¯t go down very well. Why did she need the robe? Think, think...¡°Um. I¡­don¡¯t do well in sunlight?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± The girl suddenly leaned over the counter, staring at Astra¡¯s face intently. After a moment, a faint spark of recognition lit up in her eyes. ¡°Ah shit, do you have, what was it called, albinism?¡±


    Astra didn¡¯t know what that was. Was this a human affliction? ¡°M¡ªmaybe?¡± she hazarded. It sounded like a convenient enough excuse.


    The girl¡¯s expression brightened. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s so cool! You have pale skin and red eyes and everything! The hair kinda throws it off a bit, but man! You¡¯re like a¡ªa¡ª¡± she snapped her fingers a couple times before pointing at her in revelation, ¡°A shiny person! Sucks about the sun thing though.¡± Rummaging around in a pocket, she pulled out a small device of her own. ¡°Hey, can I take a picture with you?¡±


    Astra vaguely felt like she should be offended, but this was drowned out by the confusion. ¡®Shiny¡¯ person? Was everyone back home an ¡®albino?'' They all had pale fur and red eyes after all. As for the picture, she didn¡¯t see any special reason to decline. Just to be safe, she reinforced the mental pattern holding her disguise together. Luckily her illusion was made of light and didn¡¯t need her to manipulate someone''s vision directly. If it worked on a Poochyena, it should work on whatever technology humans pointed her way.


    The blond held a radiant smile at her assent. Leaning over the counter, she lined her face up with Astra¡¯s and held the phone away from them both. Astra shifted uncomfortably at her sudden proximity. This was a bit too close¡­ ¡°Smile for the camera~¡± she said, holding up two fingers. An odd click later, and the deed was done. ¡°Looks good!¡± she said, flipping the phone around.


    Astra contemplated the image on the small screen. From this perspective she could see that her ¡®skin¡¯ was indeed several shades paler than the humans; it appeared almost as white as snow in comparison to the girl¡¯s more pinkish hue. But apart from that her disguise was working well; there weren''t any other extreme differences between them, and there was no hint of distortion. The girl¡¯s brilliant smile was sharply contrasted with Astra¡¯s awkward, barely visible one¡ªbut she agreed with the blond; it was a nice image.


    That said, this situation was getting a little weird. It was time to leave. ¡°Yeah. Anyway, I should be going,¡± Astra said as the girl fiddled with her phone. ¡°Have a nice day!¡± she finished, heading toward the exit.


    ¡°Mm. Good luck out there, albino mummy girl!¡± the girl replied, waving as Astra left the store.


    The trainer stepped back into the bright sunlight, three items richer and financially depleted. She sighed; it seemed that around every corner there were ten more new and confusing things. She was glad for it, but it was just a bit too much at once. Maybe it was time for that lunch break? Peering into the sky, she noted that the sun had indeed reached its peak. She¡¯d been in that store for longer than she thought.


    A sudden growl from her stomach settled the matter. Lunch first. And after that¡­


    She stared down the winding road, where the Gym lay, waiting. With an anticipatory smirk, Astra hurried forwards.

 Note

    <div>


    Finding a place to sit down for a while was a lot harder than Astra had initially thought it was going to be. Skirting next to the walls of the buildings, she edged along the sidewalk, avoiding the modest stream of people heading to and fro. She passed by an elderly couple and shifted uncomfortably as their heads turned to follow. Did they really have to stare like that? She gazed at the sparse canopy above and sighed.


    Just like last time, the number of humans had spiked dramatically the closer she got to the center. As they did so, she began to notice a fair number of them staring at her. Was a full black cloak really so odd? Or maybe it was this ¡®albino¡¯ thing. A combination of both? It didn¡¯t matter, the end result was a street full of nosy people and some horrible paranoia. If any of them saw through the facade...


    She only wanted a nice shady place to sit for a while, just to let Treecko out and eat a jar of berries. There were several buildings that hosted tables outside them, but she would prefer something a bit more isolated so she could relax without worrying about someone bothering her. A bit of mental fatigue was already making itself known from the overpowering flood of unregulated thought and emotions pouring out of the local humans.


    Also, there was the part where she would have to scoop the foodstuff out with her telekinesis. That would likely give her away outright.


    Astra paused to take in her surroundings. Signs proclaiming various services were on near every building. The one she stood in front of was named ¡®Imagi-Knit.¡¯ A large quantity of cloth items were visible through the window as she gazed inside speculatively¡ªif she could make something that fit in better¡­but she didn¡¯t know how, and neither did she have any time.


    The shop itself did look familiar. Did she see it the last time she was here? She had been traveling across the rooftops at this point; gazing across the street, she tried to imagine seeing it from on high. Yes, yes it was coming together, the position of the trees, the colors of the signs. She knew where she was!


    So if she traveled sideways a little bit, there should be¡ªthere! The continuous stretch of shops and signs had finally broken in favor of a large swath of trees and dirt. The ¡®Petalburg City Park¡¯ was a welcome sight. Astra sighed in relief as she walked down the winding trail; the city outside had been really noisy, this relative quiet was warmly welcomed.


    The park was mostly empty, only one or two people in scattered areas. A few children gathered among odd contraptions in a sand pit while a woman watched nearby, and a boy was playing fetch with an unfamiliar Pokemon. Astra watched it chase after a colorful ball. What was that? A memory flickered, and she reached back for her pokedex. Turning it on, she pointed it at the creature. The device made a soft chime as it pulled up an entry for a Pokemon called Skitty¡ªapparently they liked to chase things, such as their own tail. She stifled a giggle as the Skitty abruptly started to spin around, only to wobble and fall over a moment later. How cute~


    She found a table away from what little activity there was, relaxing as the distance muffled the city¡¯s emotional output. With its usual electronic whine, she released Treecko from the confines of his pokeball. The lizard Pokemon let out a trill as he stretched out, peering at his surroundings curiously.


    Setting her pack down, Astra shuffled through it before retrieving a small container of fresh Oran berries. Flicking the top open, she withdrew a blue fruit and ate it. Ah, an excellent mix of every flavor there was; sweet, sour, spicy¡­delicious. As she ate another one, she remembered that treat that had been dumped on her head. She wanted to try ice cream again, too! But her tasty daydream was interrupted by a hungry lizard attempting to climb up her arm.


    ¡°Ah! Treecko, stop that,¡± she whined, plucking the Pokemon off. Treecko crossed his arms and let out a low grumble as he was set back on the table.


    Grinning, Astra levitated a berry out of the jar and took out her knife, neatly cutting the berry into fourths and twirling the pieces around her free hand. ¡°You want one of these, right?¡± she taunted, hovering it over her palm.


    ¡°Tree¡­¡± Treecko crouched down, focusing on the fruit in her hand intently.


    The tension rose...!


    ¡°There!¡± Astra flicked her hand, launching wedge across the table.


    Treecko bolted to the left, easily intercepting and catching the piece of Oran in his mouth. ¡°Ko!¡±


    ¡°There!¡± Astra launched another in the other direction, gleefully watching him dart across the table to catch it before it sailed into the grass. Grabbing another for herself, she began an all-out berry assault, flicking pieces of Oran side-to-side and into the air as Treecko dashed to and fro to catch them all. Down to the last slice, Astra merely held it in her outstretched hand. ¡°Here!¡±


    Treecko lept to the Oran in a flash, and ate it straight from her palm. ¡°Tree!¡± Smiling, Astra put the empty jar away and stroked him across the back, causing him to make a soft noise and sprawl out on her lap. They spent a while like this, simply enjoying the wind and warmth, when the faint sound of music began to play.


    Astra perked up. She remembered this! Was that old man here again? Getting off her bench and reinforcing her illusion¡ªan annoyed Treecko hopping onto her hat¡ªshe walked around a bend in the path.


    And there he was, that old man from what seemed to be so long ago. Though now dressed in blue and brown, he was sitting on that same bench with that odd object resting under his chin, running that stick across the width. He was not playing the same song, not at all; what he was playing now raised every hair on her coat. The pace had increased drastically, notes changing from one to the next with a frantic fervor.


    And same as the other day, he was alone. Though many people were looking his way as they passed, not a single one had stopped to listen.


    Astra approached the recessed bench, but the man did not notice; his eyes were closed and for all intents was dead to the world around him. This music¡­it was wonderful! Astra couldn¡¯t believe a sound this exhilarating could exist. She found herself tapping her foot to the rhythm, moving side to side in tune with the song. It wasn¡¯t a proper dance¡ªher cloak restricted her movements far too much for the sorts of motions she would usually make¡ªbut she could still express this beating heart of hers nevertheless. Treecko bobbed his head as well, caught in the flow, same as her.


    Closing her eyes, Astra lost herself to the music. Winding up and down, but never losing that speed, that exuberant energy¡­she wanted to run. She wanted to fly! To feel the world pass by, and race the setting sun till dawn.


    The ending came as a complete surprise, the intense melody coming to a jarring halt with a single, screeching noise. Astra snapped out of her reverie, disorientated. What? Why did it stop? The musician had set aside the mysterious object and was rubbing his hand. His brow was furrowed, mouth twisted in an odd expression. She didn¡¯t think he had noticed her yet.


    ¡°Aw, why¡¯d you stop?¡± she whined, much to the man''s surprise. His head swiveled toward her, eyes wide in astonishment. ¡°That was really good!¡±


    The old man blinked. ¡°Oh, thank you. You were listening?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! I heard you from the park. I¡¯ve never heard anything like it!¡±


    ¡°I see. It¡¯s not my usual work, to be sure,¡± he said, picking up the instrument, ¡°It was a bit of an experiment¡ªoh, pardon my manners. My name is Trevor, I used to work in an orchestra as a violinist. Who might you be?¡± He smiled at her, resting the¡ªviolin, was it?¡ªon the ground.


    ¡°My name is Astra,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯m a trainer here to challenge the gym!¡±


    His expression seemed to dim a bit at her words. ¡°Are you? Oh, of course you are; I should have guessed with that little fellow on your head there.¡±


    ¡°Tree.¡± Now that the show was over, Treecko stretched and lept to the ground, lying back against a tree.


    Astra hesitated. There was something in his tone, did he disapprove? Why? ¡°Is that¡­okay?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s fine.¡± Trevor waved her off. ¡°It¡¯s all you kids seem to do nowadays, is all. Pokemon this, Pokemon that¡­it¡¯s been like this ever since they let you kids tame Pokemon by yourselves. Did you know that you used to have to get special training to even attempt that? Now it¡¯s so simple a kid can do it¡­how the world changes in just a few decades.¡± He swept a hand through his graying hair, chuckling to himself. ¡°Hah, nevermind that. You came over to listen to music, yes?¡±


    She grinned at him brilliantly. ¡°I¡¯d love to!¡± He still looked bothered about something. But if he was offering to play again, she wouldn¡¯t miss the chance! Who knew when she could hear any of this again?


    ¡°Hah! What refreshing enthusiasm.¡± Picking up his violin, he began to play once more. ¡°This piece is called ¡®Dirge for the Unknown Soldier.¡¯ Rather simple, but I¡¯m afraid more complex works are beyond me these days.¡±


    Astra sat and listened. This song was a lot slower than the last one, the notes seeming to echo even in the crowded street. ¡°It seems¡­sad.¡±


    ¡°As it should be,¡± Trevor agreed. ¡°It was written a long time ago by a talented scholar who lived in the desert. He based it on a local legend. Supposedly it was about an ancient warrior who was denied recognition for a great deed and left to rot in obscurity.¡±


    That sounded awful. For someone to be forgotten in such a way¡­it wasn¡¯t right. Something he said earlier bothered her a bit, though.


    ¡°¡®More complex works?¡¯¡± she echoed, ¡°That first one sounded pretty complex.¡±


    Trevor grimaced and faltered in his playing for a moment. ¡°Ah, well to an untrained ear I suppose you wouldn¡¯t have heard any irregularities. Did you notice how I ended the piece?¡±


    Astra nodded. ¡°Yeah, it was just a big screech. Why?¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Much to her disappointment, he halted his song and laid the instrument down. He held out a hand. ¡°Look at my hand. What do you see?¡±


    Astra looked. It was her first time seeing a human¡¯s hand up close like this. It had four long, spindly fingers instead of the wide pad featured on her own limb. Each one was a little calloused and had what seemed to be a groove etched in the tips. The back of the hand itself had veins visibly criss-crossing the entire back, bones visible against the flesh. The entirety of it was dull in color, wrinkly and trembling quite badly.


    ¡°Um,¡± Astra said, uncertain. It was a wholly alien appendage, so she had no idea what was ¡®wrong¡¯ with it. His constant movement was making it a little hard to examine as well. ¡°Can you hold it still? I can¡¯t¡ª¡±


    He stared at her, blank faced. ¡°The problem is that I¡¯m trying.¡±


    Astra looked up from his trembling digits, blinking. ¡°You can¡¯t¡­control your hands?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a condition some people get around my age,¡± he sighed. ¡°Some sort of problem with my head. It means I have issues moving, and, well. Other things, eventually.¡± He flexed his hand, a distant look in his eyes. ¡°I mentioned I was in the orchestra, yes? If it wasn¡¯t for this, I could have played there for the rest of my golden years. But now my control is slipping, and I keep making these amateur mistakes¡­they had to let me go. Sixty years I¡¯ve played this instrument. Now in just a few more I¡¯ll barely be able to hold it.¡±


    ¡°That¡ªthat¡¯s awful! Can¡¯t you cure it?¡± These humans had all sorts of miracles, surely there was something he could do?


    He smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. I¡¯ve had my fair share of reports saying some sort of breakthrough in this or that, but it all turns into a whole mess of nothing in the end. I¡¯ll be stuck with this for the rest of my days, I think.¡±


    So there were things that even humans couldn¡¯t do? That¡­that wasn¡¯t fair. ¡°But¡­¡± she trailed off. What could she even say to that? ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to be sorry for. Sometimes life takes an unexpected turn¡­and it¡¯s not all bad, I suppose,¡± Trevor continued, leaning back. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten to spend more time with my kids, visit places I always wanted to go. Even got to tour the old school where I learned to play.¡±


    Astra gladly latched onto the subject change. What was ¡®school?'' ¡°You learned to play at¡­school?¡±


    He hummed an affirmative. ¡°Yes. It was a very prestigious academy. I learned a lot from there and met some amazing people, though I¡¯ve heard they have had some issues with class sizes recently.¡±


    Astra frowned. What was a class and what was the significance of its size? ¡±Why is that?¡±


    Trevor had started to fiddle with the knobs at the top of the violin. ¡°It¡¯s just that not many people are interested in learning to play nowadays.¡± He plucked a string and listened intently.


    Astra processed this for a moment, then her jaw dropped. ¡°What? Nobody wants to learn that!?¡± Back home, they¡¯d be fighting tooth and nail to wield a violin! ¡°How¡ªwhy¡ªwho wouldn¡¯t want to learn how to do that!?¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose they just had different priorities.¡± He gave her a sardonic glance. ¡°Like training Pokemon.¡±


    Astra flushed and looked away. That wasn¡¯t fair, she didn¡¯t even know violins had existed until yesterday! Not to mention her task of becoming the Champion. Maybe in a better world, but¡­¡°I never had the choice,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°Oh? Were there no teachers where you are from?¡±


    ¡°Something like that.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± He looked at her pensively. ¡°If you had been given the opportunity, would you have done so?¡±


    If she didn¡¯t have to disguise herself? If she didn¡¯t have to fight for her people''s protection? ¡°Training is really important to me right now, but I¡­I think I would have liked to,¡± she admitted. ¡°It¡¯s a nice dream.¡±


    ¡°Would you like to try?¡±


    Astra blinked uncomprehendingly. ¡°Eh? What do you mean?¡±


    Trevor smiled. ¡°Well, I seem to have a violin right here. I also happen to be quite proficient at using it. Do you want me to teach you?¡±


    ¡°Really!?¡± Astra asked, eyes wide. ¡°You¡¯d do that?¡±


    ¡°If you are willing, I can think of no better way to spend my time.¡±


    Astra was on her feet in an instant, letting out a happy squeak as she jumped in excitement. ¡°I¡¯d love to!¡± This was amazing! She could learn to play, and give everyone back home a performance, and¡ªand¡­ Astra''s face fell.


    ¡°Hm?¡± Trevor gave her a concerned look as her demeanor turned downcast. ¡°Is there something wrong? You seemed excited.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have time for it.¡± Astra looked into the distance, the giant GYM sign looming in the distance. ¡°I need to go challenge all of the Gym Leaders as fast as I can. It¡¯s really important, and why I came here in the first place.¡±


    Trevor hummed. He plucked one last string on his instrument and listened as the note thrummed through the crowded street. ¡°Is it so important that you must race off right now?¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe not right this second, but¡­learning the violin, it would take a long time, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, certainly!¡± Trevor set the violin down and folded his hands together. ¡°Learning to use it with enough skill that I could play for an orchestra took me years! On the same account, surely traveling all across Hoenn would take you a few months, no matter how much you rush. I don¡¯t think taking five or so hours to just see what it¡¯s like would hurt, would it?¡±


    That map had looked rather large, Astra remembered. Even if she ran with all her might, she wouldn¡¯t be able to even reach another gym if her village was discovered in the next few days, let alone challenge the Champion. She couldn¡¯t dawdle, of course, but rushing straight from gym to gym would be pointless, wouldn¡¯t it?


    How long did she even have, anyway? If she had to guess how much time beating the Champion would take...two seasons, maybe? She¡¯d assume that threshold was when humans would figure out where her village was. Grandpa had stressed several times that the protections were already fading¡ªsoon wandering explorers would find their path unopposed instead of being misdirected away. But how long did she actually have? One season? Two?


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    If they were going to find the village within a season, then this whole thing was pointless anyway. But if they took longer than two or three, then she had some breathing room for mistakes.


    ¡­That wasn¡¯t too much time in the grand scheme of things, but held up against a few hours it seemed like forever. She could spend a bit of one day here.


    ¡°No¡­¡± She looked at the sky contemplatively. ¡°No I guess it wouldn¡¯t, would it?"


    Trevor clapped his hands, grinning gently. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± Hefting the instrument, he beckoned her closer. ¡°Well, first let¡¯s go over the terminology, and then how to hold it. This is called the ¡®bow,'' and you slide the fibers over the strings to produce the sound¡­¡±


    Astra listened intently as he listed every component of the violin. It wasn¡¯t the most interesting thing, but she was excited to see what came next. Trevor quickly went over how to hold the violin, and passed it over to Astra.


    She gently took the instrument and examined it up close. It was very light, the wood it was made of more vibrantly colored than she was used to, with an almost reflective sheen from some translucent covering¡ªit reminded her almost of tree sap, but the texture was firm and smooth, not sticky in the least. Kind of like the ornate box her Grandpa gave her. Grabbing the neck with her left hand, she awkwardly held the slightly too-large violin to her chin. She positioned her hand around the neck¡ª


    ¡°You¡¯re going to need to take your hands out of your sleeves, Astra,¡± Trevor interjected with a tone of faint humor. ¡°You can¡¯t hold the strings down through that thick fabric.¡±


    Oh. Oh no. Astra hadn¡¯t considered that. She couldn¡¯t pull her hand out, it looked way too different! ¡°Um. Do I really need to?¡±


    ¡°Er¡­¡± The musician frowned at his student¡¯s reluctance. ¡°Yes, you do. Is there an issue?¡±


    Yes there was an issue, her hands were completely different! She didn¡¯t have any fingers, for one thing. ¡°I¡ªit¡¯s just¡­¡° If he saw what she was, she¡¯d be completely screwed. What could she do? Backing out now would be too suspicious. She¡¯d have to craft another illusion from scratch, it was her best shot. Lowering the instrument, she surreptitiously hid her right hand out of sight. Time to stall. ¡°Sorry, I¡ªI get really nervous about taking my cloak off.¡±


    ¡°Even just your hand?¡±


    Focusing on both the conversation and crafting this new illusion was taking more out of her than she expected. Slowly, the fingers started to take shape¡ªshe really hoped nobody noticed the purple glow beneath the sleeve. Splitting her attention, she quickly pulled together an argument. ¡°I use the cloak to protect myself, due to a condition. If anyone saw underneath, they¡¯d¡­treat me a lot differently. Even the girl working at the Pokemart started acting strange, and she only saw my face.¡± Even as the details started to solidify, Astra began to feel the strain steadily increasing. Was she reaching her limit?


    Trevor let out a low rumble, understanding dawning in his eyes. ¡°So you are worried that if I saw your hand, I would act similarly?¡±


    ¡°M¡ªmaybe.¡± Putting the finishing touches on the blueprint, Astra was ready to call her new hands complete. The first one formed easily enough, but the second proved to be too difficult. It flickered in and out, malformed and misshapen as she struggled to gather enough energy to form it¡­this wasn¡¯t going to work, she realized; she had too many illusions running at once, one would have to go. Pausing a moment to rest, she refocused on the conversation. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t want it to be a big deal.¡°


    ¡°Now now,¡± he said, resting his hand upon her shoulder, ¡°Astra, I can promise you that I would never treat you any differently than I already have. We haven¡¯t known each other for long, but I can already tell that you are a lovely young girl with fantastic enthusiasm and a bright, open mind. That won¡¯t change, no matter what condition you have.¡±


    His words held such earnesty that she couldn¡¯t help but smile, even if it was a little sardonic. Would he still say the same things if he knew the full truth? She hoped he would, but the answer would have to remain a mystery. Rubbing at her face, she surreptitiously pulled her cloak a little further up.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, dispelling the mirage on her mouth. Her makeshift scarf would cover it up enough for now, and it freed up just enough power for her new disguise. ¡°That means a lot.¡±


    Forming the illusion around her hands, Astra finally pulled her sleeves all the way back. Her new appendages were not much different at all from a regular human¡¯s in shape, save perhaps that the digits were a bit thin and spindly. However, they both had the same oddity as the rest of her in that they were unnaturally pale, like snow.


    Trevor blinked as they came into view. ¡°My word,¡± he said, ¡°You said this was a condition of yours? I¡¯d thought your face was pale, but this...it looks like you haven¡¯t seen sunlight in years.¡±


    ¡°Sunlight makes it worse, actually. It, uh¡­¡± Belatedly remembering that she didn¡¯t actually know why sunlight was supposedly bad, she switched tracks. ¡°It¡¯s not fun.¡±


    ¡°Oh dear. Will you be okay?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re in the shade, so I think I¡¯m in the clear.¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose you would know better than I.¡± Motioning to the instrument, he smiled at her once more. ¡°Well then, shall we continue?¡±


    The lesson moved rather quickly from there. Despite not having taught before, Trevor seemed to have a knack for it. On the other hand, Astra found that her actual hands, which consisted of a wide pad and a thumb, were completely unable to hold down the strings correctly at all. She wound up simply depressing the string in the right place psychically and moving her illusionary fingers in sync; she was holding the correct string down every time, but her bow-work and playing speed left much to be desired.


    ¡°Speed will come with time,¡± he reassured. ¡°Once you get the motions down it¡¯s just a matter of practice.¡±


    Astra was also surprised that there was a visual component to music. ¡°How do you ¡®read¡¯ music?¡± she asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t it just sound?¡±


    ¡°Ah, but we can mark down each note and where in a composition it is placed. It is called sheet music. I happen to have quite a few in my case, along with...oh where is it?¡± A shuffle of papers. ¡°Aha! Here, this is a manual that explains it all. See this mark? The shape and position translates into a ¡®C¡¯ for a quarter of a note. Once you get used to it you can look at this and hear the whole melody in your head.¡±


    ¡°Amazing!¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s quite useful. We use it to learn songs that other people made. Though,¡± he blinked, looking around him suddenly, ¡°I think it would take too long to teach you that right now.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Astra turned to look as well. The shadows on the trees and buildings had grown long, and the masses of people were about, cheerier and homeward bound. ¡°Oh, it got really late, didn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It seems so.¡± Trevor gazed at the people rushing by, deep in thought. Turning back to his student, he smiled once again. ¡°How about one more before you go?¡±


    She grinned right back at him. Picking the bow up, she set it back on the strings, ready to go. ¡°What should I play?¡±


    ¡°Hm, well, how about you improvise? You¡¯ve done quite well so far with the ones I¡¯ve shown you.¡±


    Astra hummed. What to play? Something slow, for certain. Calming, perhaps. Unbidden, a memory surfaced.


    Smiling, she set the bow to the strings and drew it back.


    It wasn¡¯t the best, as she was still stumbling with the notes and the speed, but the strings sang their song nonetheless. A melody of ages past, it spoke of calm wonder; a vast, ageless world that was just over the next horizon. ¡®Come and see,¡¯ it said, ¡®What lies beyond these rolling hills?¡¯ It built up a crescendo, a singular promise of adventure. So too as it reached its peak, one would also discover what they had searched for. The descent was calmer, almost sleepy; the journey was done, and it was time to rest, it said, and faded into silence.


    Trevor applauded, smiling ear to ear. ¡°My word, bravo! You certainly have made astonishing progress, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Do you think so? Thank you!¡± Setting the instrument down, Astra gave it a fond look. ¡°It was really fun.¡±


    ¡°Truly, it is remarkable. The skill you¡¯ve displayed just now, why, if I hadn¡¯t seen it with my own eyes I would have thought you had been regularly practicing for a month or two. Yet with only half a day¡¯s instruction...¡±


    Nodding to himself, Trevor stood up, and extended his hand. Taking it, Astra pulled herself off the bench. ¡°I had been thinking about this during the lesson, and that cinched it.¡±


    ¡°What were you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°I have a favor to ask. My time as a musician is all but done. But you, with your natural talent in this field, could very well succeed me.¡±


    ¡°Eh? I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± Astra tilted her head. ¡°I need to fight all the gyms, I can¡¯t stay here.¡±


    ¡°I know, and I would never ask you to stop following your dream.¡± Trevor picked up the violin and bow, storing them within a black box nearby. Turning back to his protege, he held the case out to her. ¡°I merely ask that you take this violin with you, and continue practicing along your journey.¡±


    Astra¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. ¡°You¡¯re giving me your violin just like that? Why?¡±


    ¡°My affliction is steadily robbing me of any ability to use it,¡± he answered, looking upon the box with unhidden melancholy. ¡°But you are so young, and a full life awaits you. With a hidden talent such as yours, I would think it a great crime to not nurture it. Nobody ever said you can¡¯t be a trainer and a musician.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know what to say.¡± Reverently, Astra took the case out of his hands. ¡°How can I be a trainer and do this?¡±


    ¡°If you love something, and from the moment you played that song I saw that you do, you can always make time for it.¡± Reaching over, Trevor patted her head. ¡°You said you needed to finish all those gyms rather quickly, right? All I ask is that once you are done, perhaps you could come visit me here. You could play a song and show me all that you learned.¡±


    She was getting a little misty-eyed. Wiping her face with her sleeve, she grinned fiercely. ¡°I¡¯ll play you the best song you¡¯ve ever heard! That¡¯s a promise.¡±


    Trevor chuckled. ¡°I look forward to it. Now, I think you have a challenge to make?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Stepping forward, Astra hugged the aging violinist. ¡°Thank you for everything.¡±


    Trevor returned the hug. ¡°It was my pleasure. Take care of yourself now!¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± Astra waved to him as they began to part ways. ¡°I¡¯ll be back!¡±


    The aging musician gave a brief wave back, and then was gone.


    ¡°Tree.¡± Treecko said, still lounging on the bench.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Astra replied, looking into the distance. The Gym stood above the other buildings, shining brilliantly in the dying light. ¡°Let¡¯s get going. We¡¯ve got a gym to beat.¡±


    Treecko leapt onto her shoulder, and then they were off.


    <hr>


    The Petalburg Gym was an intimidating sight to behold. Situated in the middle of a large concrete lot encircled by bushes, several stories tall, and hosting a grand ¡®GYM¡¯ sign on its slanted, tiled roof, the aura it radiated could be described as grandiose.


    Unlike the last time she was here it was fairly populated; a few humans were loitering around the front of the building, watching a showdown happening in the courtyard. A green Pokemon that vaguely resembled a Poochyena if its head managed to stretch back to its tail was dashing around, firing bolts of electricity into the air. Up above, a giant winged Pokemon that was a full two-thirds gaping maw was frantically dashing through the sky, avoiding the shots. It looked kind of like a Zubat, actually. Did they evolve? Ew.


    Astra watched as the enormous not-Zubat made a hasty swerve left when it should have gone right and winced as a sharp crack echoed through the sky. Its limp form started to fall a moment later, but was caught by a red beam from its disappointed trainer to varied cheers and boos from the spectators. Shaking her head, Astra ignored the crowd and headed for the entrance.


    Walking through the automatic doors, the lobby of the Petalburg Gym greeted her with a brush of cool air. Much like the Pokemon Center, there was a desk in the middle of the lobby manned by a couple of humans, though this one was quite a bit taller for some reason. The faint chorus of animalistic noises emanating from the side areas was a marked difference, however.


    To the right she could see several dummies being strategically mauled by a wide variety of strange Pokemon; all of them were using different methods of clawing, biting, and striking them as their humans barked orders. To the left¡ªAstra blinked at the view behind a set of glass panes. Why was there a pond here? A few aquatic Pokemon were swimming alongside their trainers within it. Occasionally one of them would leap out of the water and perform some type of aquatic assault on another set of dummies.


    Ah, so the gym was also used for training? Good to know. Maybe she could look around after she beat the Gym Leader.


    One of the receptionists was talking to a man in a red jacket, but the other one was idly tapping at a glyph board. Astra approached the unoccupied man and peered above the counter; the oddly high desk making it a little awkward for her to see anything..


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    The sandy-haired man hit a few more glyphs before sighing and plastering on a grin. ¡°Hey there! What can I do for you?¡±


    She flashed him a brilliant smile, though it went unseen under the makeshift scarf. ¡°I¡¯m here to challenge the Gym Leader.¡±


    His smile changed to a grimace for a split second as his eyes flicked over her. ¡°Er. Well¡ª¡± he was interrupted as a voice sounded from the other half of the table.


    ¡°Is that a challenger I hear?¡±


    ¡°Hey Norman,¡± the assistant greeted as Astra turned to look. The man in the red jacket nodded at the greeting, though his gaze remained fixated on her. He was tall, with dark hair and eyes to match. ¡°Yeah, this kid was asking about you.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Crossing his arms, Norman examined his would-be challenger. ¡°Hey. I¡¯m Norman, Gym Leader of Petalburg City.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Astra,¡± she said, then pointed at him dramatically. ¡°I¡¯m here to challenge you!¡± she continued with a fierce grin. Finally, the first step towards her goal would be taken¡ª


    ¡°I refuse.¡±


    ¡°...¡± The grin slowly faded off Astras face. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Your challenge is declined,¡± he explained, as easily as one would shut a door. ¡°You¡¯re not going to fight me today.¡±


    Confusion bubbled away quietly, only to be replaced with a roiling surge of panic. ¡°What!?¡± she repeated, shock and outrage lending an extra edge to the question. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°How long have you been a trainer?¡± Norman shot back, unimpressed.


    ¡°Wh¡ª, I, ah,¡± Asta stammered, caught off guard. ¡°I, well¡­since yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Tch, even newer than I thought. A single day with a Pokemon and you think you can duke it out with a Gym Leader?¡± Norman shook his head. ¡°Have you fought a single battle yet? No, don¡¯t answer, it doesn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°In the end, it comes down to this,¡± he continued, uncrossing his arms. ¡°You¡¯re too green for me to even bother with. I¡¯m only interested in fighting strong trainers, and right now I wouldn¡¯t even have to say anything for my weakest team to run roughshod all over yours.¡±


    Each word he spoke was like a deathknell echoing through her mind. No, no no no this couldn¡¯t be happening, she didn¡¯t come all this way just to be thrown out the door! ¡°You don¡¯t understand, I need to beat you and get your badge! I can¡¯t be the Champion without it!¡±


    Norman sighed. ¡°I understand that requirement very well. I¡¯m still not going to fight you right now. It wouldn¡¯t accomplish anything except sending you and your team right to the Pokecenter. If you¡¯re so desperate for a badge then go northwest to Rustboro City; Roxanne is more tolerant of novices than me. Practically specializes in it.¡± Turning to walk away, he paused to give one last remark, ¡°Once you get four badges, feel free to come back. We¡¯ll see how strong you are then.¡±


    Astra watched him go, thoughts swirling, crashing into each other in a cacophony of nonsense. Distantly, she heard the receptionist attempt to comfort her, but she didn¡¯t care. She hadn¡¯t been close to her goal at all. She hadn¡¯t even taken a single step towards it.


    She fled the gym, teeth clamped together and tears dampening her mask.


    <hr>


    She sat on a bench outside, idly swinging her legs and watching another duel take place in the courtyard. Her considerable frustration had petered out by now, but the damp spots remained. She rearranged her mask so it wouldn¡¯t irritate her and sighed.


    Norman¡­she frowned, kicking at a rock. She didn¡¯t like him. Looking down on her just because she was new¡­ugh. Whatever. Whatever! Just because she didn¡¯t get a badge from that inconsiderate rotten dung heap of a human didn¡¯t mean anything!


    Rustboro. Roxanne. She¡¯d just have to travel there and beat her, and then she would truly be on her way to becoming Champion. She would train, and beat a lot of trainers, and when she came back here she¡¯d beat his face into the dirt! Ha!


    She was so busy with that little fantasy that she didn¡¯t notice someone was walking up to her until she heard a voice call out.


    ¡°Hey! You wouldn¡¯t happen to be Astra, would you?¡±


    Astra bolted upright. Who¡ª!?


    A human boy stood next to the bench, looking at her curiously. He wore a red and black shirt, with black pants under another pair of black shorts (what), had a green headband and white hair¡ªwait, no, that was a hat; his hair was black¡ªand a green backpack.


    She didn¡¯t recognize him, so how did he know her name? ¡°Er,¡± she said, suddenly very self-conscious. Did he find her out somehow? ¡°I¡ªI am. How do you know that?¡±


    The human grinned at her affirmation before giving an awkward chuckle at her question. ¡°Ah, my dad told me. You met him yesterday, I think. Professor Birch?¡±


    Astra blinked. The man from the lab? ¡°Oh. Yeah, I remember him. He¡¯s your dad?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I hope he wasn¡¯t too embarrassing, he can get a bit overenthusiastic,¡± he laughed, scratching his cheek with a finger.


    ¡°No, he was fine,¡± she replied, relaxing a bit. Birch had been perfectly friendly; if this boy was his son, then...he was probably fine too? ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything about you, though. Who are you?¡±


    He slapped his forehead. ¡°Oh, I completely forgot! Sorry, my name is Brendan. It¡¯s nice to meet you Astra! I heard that you got the Treecko yesterday so I wanted to come over and say hi.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Brendan,¡± Astra greeted, giving him a small smile. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Good to meet you too. Do you mind if I sit here? We could hang out for a while.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Astra squinted at him. Checking on the Treecko his dad gave her was one thing, but hanging out? ¡°Why?¡±


    Brendan shrugged. ¡°Pokemon Professors give out Pokemon in groups of three, but dad was only able to give out two¡ªone of which I have¡ªand you happened to get the third. There¡¯s this whole thing about how people who get their Pokemon from the same batch of three starters a professor gives out are destined to be rivals, but,¡° he added with a smile, ¡°I think that we could be friends, too.¡±


    ¡°Friends¡­¡± Somehow, Astra hadn¡¯t thought about that. In her imagination, she hadn¡¯t considered the interval between the present and becoming Champion. Her mind¡¯s eye had always painted her at that summit alone. But could she really do everything without talking to anybody at all? Hadn¡¯t she already broken that isolation when she took a lesson from Trevor?


    It would be a risk, she told herself. A friend was more than a momentary teacher. But the argument seemed hollow. For a moment, she struggled against herself, but really, there could only be one outcome.


    ¡°Sure,¡± she said, giving him a radiant smile. ¡°I guess I wouldn¡¯t mind a friend.¡±


    ¡°Oh, fantastic! I was worried I¡¯d screw this up,¡± he said, sitting beside her. ¡°So, did you have any questions about me, or maybe I could¡ª¡±


    ¡°I do have a question, actually.¡± She had wanted to ask this since she first spotted him and was dying to know.


    ¡°Hm? Alright, shoot.¡±


    ¡°Why are you wearing two pairs of pants?¡±


    The best part of being an empath, Astra mused, was that she could literally feel the exact moment Brendan¡¯s soul died.

 Rival

    ¡°...And that¡¯s why two pairs of pants are the pinnacle of fashion and practicality amongst all legwear,¡± Brendan said, nodding sagely.


    ¡°Oh wow. You¡¯ve really put a lot of thought into this,¡± Astra replied. She was impressed; she had no idea someone could talk for so long about pants. She looked him over again. ¡°It still looks dumb.¡±


    ¡°Says the girl in a bedsheet,¡± he grumbled, lightly shoving at her shoulder.


    She shoved him right back. ¡°At least I have an excuse,¡± she teased. ¡°You¡¯re just blind.¡±


    ¡°Tch. One day you¡¯ll see. Everyone will be wearing double! It¡¯s the only way to go, really.¡±


    ¡°As if.¡±


    They lapsed into a comfortable silence, idly watching another duel between strangers in the courtyard. The match came to a close¡ª


    Astra let out a cheer when her favored side won¡ªbefore Brendan spoke up again.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but notice, you seemed kinda¡­ mad, earlier? When you were alone, I mean.¡±


    Astra¡¯s victorious expression turned sour. ¡°Oh. Yeah. I tried to challenge the gym a little while ago.¡± She kicked another rock, scowling.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Brendan said, comprehension dawning. ¡°You met Norman, did you? He only got his position a little while ago, but I¡¯ve heard he can be a bit abrasive¡ª"


    ¡°He¡¯s a massive jerk is what he is!¡± Astra spat, glaring into the concrete. ¡°He basically said I was worth less than dirt!¡±


    ¡°Yeesh,¡± he winced. ¡°That¡¯s harsh. I guess you just had bad luck, then. Usually the receptionists turn you away unless you meet the prerequisites. Though,¡± he continued, tilting his head, ¡°what were you doing challenging a gym so soon? It¡¯s only been one day, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I became a Pokemon trainer so I could become the Champion. I don¡¯t have a lot of time either, so I needed to challenge the gyms as soon as possible.¡± She shot another sour look at the gym. ¡°So much for that.¡±


    ¡°What, like a time limit?¡± Brendan asked, curious. ¡°That¡¯s odd. What happens if you run out? And for how long? Or¡ªoh man, sorry, is that private?¡± He stammered, slightly panicked. ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± she sighed, gaze somber. ¡°I just don¡¯t like worrying about it. If my time runs out¡­well, at the very least I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to be a Pokemon trainer anymore.¡± She smiled ruefully at her massive understatement. ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly how long I have, I just hope I have enough.¡±


    ¡°Ah man, that sounds rough.¡± Brendan said, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. ¡°I hope it¡¯s not anything too serious¡­?¡±


    Astra smiled at him reassuringly. ¡°Nothing like that; I¡¯m not sick or anything, I¡¯ll be fine. But,¡± she added, ¡°I just¡­ don¡¯t want to talk about it, alright?¡± Explaining more than she had to could lead to disaster, after all.


    Brendan let out a relieved breath. ¡°Okay. Well, bad luck that you came here first, then. You¡¯d have better chances with Roxanne over in Rustboro. Everybody goes to Rustboro first.¡±


    ¡°Norman said something about that too,¡± Astra said, leaning forward. ¡°Roxanne is the Gym Leader there? What¡¯s she like?¡±


    ¡°Oh, she was a former student at the trainer school there. Graduated at the top of her class from what I heard, and then she joined the gym right after and ascended pretty quickly.¡± He reclined against the bench, gazing up at the reddening sky as he thought. ¡°She values strategy, tactics, theory, and education; and her Gym focuses on Rock type Pokemon. I believe she also has an archaeology hobby?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s archaeology?¡±


    ¡°The study of historical objects and locations, though I think she just really likes fossils.¡±


    Astra hummed. ¡°What¡¯s a fossil?¡±


    Brendan looked at her, visibly confused. ¡°You¡¯ve never heard of fossils? Um. Well, they¡¯re preserved remnants of things that lived a long time ago. Like, you know,¡± he waved one hand around empathetically, ¡°Flies trapped in amber, footprints and skeletons embedded in rocks, stuff like that.¡±


    She frowned. ¡°That sounds weird. Why would anyone want a bunch of old dead stuff?¡± It sounded lame¡ªexcept for the twin-tailed Magikarp skeleton she had back home, that was an obviously cool exception! Not like a bug trapped in¡­ hardened tree sap? Gross.


    Brendan shrugged. ¡°Some people like that sort of thing, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Bleh.¡± Shaking her head, Astra leapt off the bench. ¡°Enough of that. I¡¯m not going to beat Roxanne with a dead rock, I need practice! I came here to fight and I¡¯m going to get one. Brendan!¡± Said boy blinked as she pointed directly at him. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be rivals too, right? Well, let¡¯s get started then. I challenge you to a battle!¡±


    Brendan¡¯s eyes sharpened as a grin stole across his features. ¡°Would it surprise you that I was about to suggest that too? You¡¯re on!¡±


    A moment later, they stood across from each other in a vacant arena.


    ¡°I should warn you that I¡¯ve been around Pokemon since I was a kid.¡± Brendan spun his pokeball on his finger, before grasping it and posing dramatically. ¡°I won¡¯t go easy on you just because you¡¯re new.¡±


    Astra smirked. ¡°Give it all you¡¯ve got, I¡¯ll still take you down!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that. Mudkip, I choose you!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Treecko!¡±


    Two balls soared into the air and twin bolts of energy shot down to the battlefield, resolving into Treecko and a somewhat familiar blue aquatic creature. It had a large blue fin on top of its head, with orange, spikey cheeks and a gray fishtail. Where had¡­? Oh! It looked like a small version of that blue behemoth in the professor¡¯s yard. Was this a predecessor?


    ¡°Mudkip, Tackle!¡± Brendan commended, pointing ahead. Mudkip let out a yipping sound as it started to charge.


    Establishing her usual mental connection, Astra quickly laid down a plan of action in the span of a thought. Deception.


    Treecko grinned. Kneeling into a runner¡¯s pose, he tensed and then shot off, heading to meet his opponent in the middle of the field. The distance closed rapidly, both combatants¡¯ focus razor sharp as their opponent closed in.


    At the last second, Treecko pivoted to the side and back stepped, Mudkip¡¯s tackle rushing past by a hair. Startled, Mudkip stumbled and started to turn, but Treecko launched himself with a furious cry, slamming into his opponent from behind.


    ¡°Mudkip!¡± Brendan shouted as Treecko sent him skidding across the arena. The fishlike Pokemon shook and righted itself in a flash, ready to go once again.


    ¡°Mud! Mudkip!¡± it yipped, pawing at the ground.


    Astra¡¯s grin grew winder. Her plan worked! Time to go on the offensive. Rushdown!


    ¡°Tackle again, Mudkip! Stay on target!¡±


    But Treecko had already started moving before he could finish his command. Even as Mudkip began to move, Treecko was already running fast and accelerating. This time they collided head-on, Treecko shoulder checking into Mudkip¡¯s downturned head. With a grunt of effort and a cry of pain, Treecko¡¯s momentum overrode his opponent''s strength and sent Mudkip sprawling once again.


    Time to go in for the kill! Final¡ª


    ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡± It took a second for her to realize Brendan had spoken to her. She broke off from Treecko and refocused on him. He was frowning. Why?


    ¡°What?¡±


    He glanced between her and Treecko for a moment. ¡°Trainers are supposed to lead their Pokemon. You do know that, right?¡±


    Astra blinked. ¡°Of course I do. Why? Do you think I¡¯m doing it wrong or something?¡± She gestured to his battered Mudkip and her own, still pristine Treecko. ¡°So far you¡¯re the one who¡¯s losing.¡±


    Brendan made a frustrated groan. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that! It¡¯s that you aren¡¯t! You haven¡¯t told your Treecko to do a single thing, he¡¯s just going off on his own. It doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s winning, that¡¯s not how it works!¡±


    What was he talking about? Astra scowled at him; she was commanding her Pokemon just fine! So what if he couldn¡¯t hear her, what did that matter¡ªthey don¡¯t have telepathy. Astra suddenly felt like slamming her face into the concrete. She made the same mistake again. Of course it mattered, nobody else did it!


    ¡°W¡ªwell,¡± Astra stumbled slightly. What did she even say? ¡°Just because you can¡¯t hear it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not!¡±


    Brendan made a face. ¡°What, did you put a radio in his ear?¡±


    ¡°No?¡± She didn¡¯t even know what that was. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just that good.¡±


    He gave her a flat stare. ¡°Good enough to not give your Pokemon directions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let the results speak for themselves!¡± she deflected. ¡°We¡¯re still fighting!¡±


    Brendan looked like he might argue further, but the moment passed. ¡°Fine. Mudkip, take him down!¡±


    Astra whipped her head back toward the two combatants just in time to see Treecko attempt the same sidestep maneuver as earlier. But Mudkip had learned from its earlier mistake and tilted to the side in tandem, striking Treecko with incredible force.


    ¡°Treecko!¡± Astra cried out as her companion was knocked to the ground. The tiny Pokemon recovered quickly, but he was breathing heavily. He wasn¡¯t looking too good, and from only a single hit?


    ¡°Don¡¯t let up Mudkip! Tackle barrage!¡± Brendan commanded, and Mudkip heeded his call, beginning to rush Treecko down yet again.


    Evade! Astra called out, hoping to buy some time. Watching as Treecko managed to dodge his opponent''s wild rushes¡ªsometimes only by a hair¡ªshe worried over how to proceed. With the momentum lost, how was she going to regain it? This wasn¡¯t in the forest, there were no trees to use for maneuvers or tricks. What could she do?


    Her thought process stalled out for a moment, and Treecko faltered. Even if his speed was greater, his endurance wasn¡¯t quite up to par, and so he was too slow to dodge another of Mudkip¡¯s unrelenting tackles. Astra could only watch as the aquatic Pokemon clipped Treecko and sent him spinning to the ground yet again.


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Astra grit her teeth. With Mudkip''s superior strength, contesting with brute force would get her nowhere. But it had wizened up to her tricks, so what else could she do?


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have any ideas?¡± she ruefully asked Treecko during the lull.


    Treecko paused, and then to Astra¡¯s great surprise she began to receive feedback through their telepathic link. Was he trying to talk to her? She hadn¡¯t known this could happen. Her question had been rhetorical, but she wasn¡¯t about to complain! She listened to his message, examining the simplistic ¡®language.¡¯ Treecko wasn¡¯t at the same level of intelligence as her or a human, not by a long shot, but he was clearly smart enough to convey basic concepts and emotions.


    Power. He conveyed at the speed of thought; not in words, but images and meanings. Drain; Heal, Weaken.


    Astra blinked, astonished. Understanding bloomed immediately, and she grinned as a new plan took form. ¡°That¡¯s perfect! Time to turn this battle on its head." Diminish!


    Only three seconds had passed since Treecko had stood. Mudkip reared back, shouting a challenge to his opponent. ¡°Mudkip Mud!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s finish this, Mudkip,¡± Brendan cheered, ¡°Knock her Pokemon down, once and for all!¡±


    As Mudkip charged, Treecko crouched down and focused intently. The thundering steps increased in tempo as Mudkip''s momentum built to an all time high, and yet Treecko was undeterred. At the last second, when Mudkip was a mere instant away from bowling Treecko down, he leapt¡ªand grabbed the fin on Mudkips head, swinging himself around to land on his opponent''s back. Mudkip screeched as he tripped and skidded upon the pavement, thrown off-balance by the maneuver and sudden weight.


    ¡°What the-!?¡± Brendan gasped, voice tinged with panic ¡°How did- Mudkip, shake him off!¡±


    But Treecko was far from done. With a surge of power, tiny, needle-like thorns sprouted from the ends of his fingers. Glowing green, he slammed them into the side of Mudkip''s head and tore.


    Mudkip screamed as rivulets of green energy were drained out of his body, dropping and thrashing wildly. Over and over Treecko was smashed upon the ground as Mudkip tried to shake him off¡ªbut even as Astra watched, the green energy that Treecko was pulling out was absorbed into his body, visibly mending his cuts and bruises.


    ¡°Mudkip! No! Get rid of him!¡±


    But despite Brendan¡¯s frantic commands, Treecko was latched on tight and continued his grim task. In a matter of moments Mudkip''s wild flailing slowed, movements growing ever more lethargic. His crying dimmed, his movements finally ceased, and then it was over. Treecko disentangled itself from his opponent''s unconscious form and crowed to the sky.


    Victory.


    A beam of red light overtook Mudkip''s form as Brendan recalled it, sighing. Treecko had already returned to Astra, climbing into her arms.


    ¡°Good work!¡± she praised, stroking him, the little lizard visibly preening.


    ¡°Well, that was embarrassing.¡± Brendan shook his head. He tapped out a few buttons on his pokedex, and Astra grinned as her funds were replenished. ¡°Beaten by a new trainer who didn¡¯t even give out any commands. I guess I still have a lot of work to do.¡±


    Astra¡¯s reply was cut off by the sound of slow clapping. She looked around, but didn¡¯t see the source. Brendan, however, looked right past her in astonishment before slowly lowering his face into his palms.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± he grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m never gonna hear the end of this, am I?¡±


    ¡°Nope!¡± a voice sang from behind, radiating amusement. ¡°I¡¯m gonna milk this one for weeks.¡±


    Astra turned around and almost dropped Treecko out of shock. A girl stood behind her, leaning against the entrance to the gym. Her face was ringed by long, brown hair, with blue eyes and a mischievous grin. She wore a red bandana over her scalp which tied in the back, a red jacket and blue spats, alongside a small tan pack on her hip.


    She had also been there, that moment two days ago when everything had changed. Astra remembered it well: standing behind that green-haired human, an expression betraying boredom and annoyance as a Zigzagoon barreled down at her. The Ralts froze completely, eyes fixed on the approaching trainer as she sauntered over, one hand on her hip.


    ¡°I mean, really?¡± she mocked, waving a hand in Astra¡¯s direction, ¡°What kind of rival loses to some kid who doesn¡¯t even give out orders?¡±


    ¡°May,¡± Brendan grumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t need this right now.¡±


    May(?) laughed. ¡°Nah, what you need is a good kick in the ass. I guess growing up with a professor doesn¡¯t mean you know how to fight, eh?¡± She moved closer and elbowed him in the side, not sparing Astra a glance as she passed.


    He shot her a glare. ¡°I know how to fight! Mudkip just needs more training than I can do in half a week. He was at a disadvantage anyway, you know he¡¯s weak to grass moves.¡±


    ¡°Weaknesses didn¡¯t help you against Torchic back on 102,¡± May countered, maintaining her massive grin.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t know any water moves back then,¡± Brendan defended. ¡°I couldn¡¯t take advantage of it!¡±


    ¡°Excuses!¡±


    Astra stood to the side awkwardly as they bickered. Who was this girl? How did Brendan know her? He had mentioned that the professor had given out three Pokemon¡­was she the last of their trio?


    ¡°Um,¡± she interjected, ¡°Hello?¡±


    Both of them blinked and turned to her. May stared at her, expression turning flat. ¡°What do you want? You won, the battle''s over. Go away.¡± She punctuated her statement with a shooing motion, snorting derisively.


    ¡°May! Don¡¯t be a jerk,¡± Brendan chided before turning back to Astra. ¡°Sorry about that. Astra, this is May. She moved next door to me a few days ago. She¡¯s a rival of mine, and the last part to our trio. May,¡± he turned back to the girl, who looked confused, ¡°This is Astra. She visited the professor yesterday and picked up Treecko.¡±


    May scowled. ¡°Trio? You buy into that old fairy tale? Whatever.¡± Crossing her arms, the girl looked Astra up and down, a vague interest sparking in her eyes. ¡°Well, I guess you beat Brendan, and he¡¯s into that ¡®destined rivals¡¯ shit; might as well. So!¡±


    Cutting herself off, she strode over and planted herself in front of Astra, a shark-like grin plastered across her face. ¡°Nice to meet you, shorty. Name''s May.¡± She held out a fist, waiting expectantly.


    ¡°N-nice to meet you too?¡± Astra stuttered, memories of their first encounter flashing through her head. ¡°I¡¯m Astra.¡± She looked at the fist, confused. What was she supposed to do with that? ¡°I¡­¡±


    Behind May, Brendan looked amused and vaguely exasperated. He held both of his fists up and mimed bumping them into each other. Oh, some odd form of greeting, she supposed. Grateful, Astra repeated the action, balling up her hand and connecting with May''s. ¡°Nice to meet you too.¡±


    The trainer leaned to the side, one hand upon her hip. ¡°I saw the tail end of the fight, your pokemon has some nice moves¡ªthough you not telling him what to do is weird as hell. That said, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but seeing as you beat up poor, weak Brendan over there¡ª¡± she said, pointing a thumb backwards.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    ¡°¡ªI¡¯m obligated to beat your ass into paste.¡±


    Astra took a moment to process that, dumbfounded. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the only one allowed to defeat Brendan,¡± she explained, still grinning. ¡°Since he¡¯s my rival, it makes me look bad when just anyone can walk over him. Though, according to that big nerd¡ª"


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    "¡ªYou¡¯re supposed to be my rival too. I suppose that makes it a bit better, but not by much since, after all¡­¡± she shrugged, tilting her head, ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean I have even more reason to fight?¡±


    ¡°I guess?¡± Astra didn¡¯t really understand her logic. Still, if she wanted a battle, she was all too willing! A small part of her was viciously pleased by the opportunity to enact a bit of revenge. Just as she opened her mouth to accept the challenge, a thought occurred, making her hesitate. Shouldn¡¯t Treecko rest a bit, first?


    ¡°Um, I would accept, but I just got done fighting with Brendan. I should¡ª"


    ¡°What!?¡± May interrupted, incredulous. ¡°Flaking out because your Pokemon has a few scrapes? He¡¯s fine, especially after that bigass absorb he did.¡±


    ¡°Tree!¡± Treecko even seemed to agree with her, wriggling out of Astra''s arms and leaping to the ground. ¡°Ko Ko!¡± he said, hopping on his feet. It seemed he really was good to go.


    ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯m ready to fight after all.¡± Astra smiled at her Pokemon before turning a glinting eye toward May. ¡°You¡¯re on!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I like to hear,¡± May cheered, striding back to the other side of the field. Brendan shot her a wary look before moving to the benches. ¡°Let me show you how a real trainer does things. Torchic, go!¡± she called, tossing her pokeball into the air.


    When the light faded, a loud chirp signified the arrival of a small beaked bird, feathers the color of flame covering its body. ¡°Torchic!¡± it chirped, hopping around.


    ¡°Right, I¡¯m counting on you Treecko!¡± Astra called, sending him back into the fray. Treecko moved into position, but with far more trepidation than Astra expected. She blinked at his sudden lack of bravado, the emotion replaced by a sense of wariness and¡­ fear?


    ¡°Woo!¡± Brendan shouted from the sidelines. ¡°Take her down!¡±


    May twitched at his words, then glared at the bystander. ¡°You better be cheering for me!¡± she yelled, shaking a fist at him.


    Brendan looked away, whistling innocently.


    ¡°Tch. Whatever.¡± Rolling her eyes, May looked back at her opponent. ¡°Well? Come on, then!¡±


    ¡°Not going to make a move?¡±


    May smirked, leaning to the side again. ¡°I¡¯ll be nice and let you go first. You¡¯re going to need it.¡±


    Astra scowled. How condescending could this girl get? Fine then. Fine! Switching her attention to Treecko, she directed him into the fray once more. Drain!


    Treecko seemed to hesitate for a split second, but shot off regardless. Needles covered in glowing green energy once more sprouted from his hands as he darted across the concrete, closing in on the chirping Torchic. Leaping into the air, he descended upon his hapless opponent!


    It came as a complete surprise when Torchic didn¡¯t even attempt to dodge. Treecko¡¯s hand slammed home, the needles digging into the tiny bird¡¯s side.


    Astra stared, flummoxed as May remained unmoved even as her Pokemon was attacked. What was she doing!? Her confusion was cut short as Treecko¡¯s frustrated grunt caught her attention; his hand was still digging into his opponent, but it didn¡¯t appear to be doing much of anything at all to Torchic. In fact, it seemed like it was only irritating him? Why!?


    May sighed, shaking her head. ¡°Torchic, ember.¡±


    Astra could only sense Treecko''s panic for a split second before Torchic opened his beak, but by that time it was too late. A stream of red hot fire blazed forth, engulfing Treecko in a swath of blistering heat. It lasted only for a moment, but it was enough; Treecko screeched, falling to the ground as the fire licked at his body, black soot covering him head to toe.


    PAIN


    ¡°Treecko!¡± Astra gasped, the extent of his agony coming across the link in full force. ¡°Treecko, no! Please get up!¡±


    ¡°Peck.¡±


    Torchic chirped, hopping over to its writhing opponent. With a swift motion its beak drilled into Treecko¡¯s head, mercifully ending the charred Pokemon¡¯s struggles. With only two moves exchanged, it was over.


    Astra numbly recalled Treecko, hands shaking. Her mind was blank, replaying that scene over and over again. The brutality hadn¡¯t been pleasant, but Treecko had been battered before and she¡¯d gotten...a little more accepting of the concept. But that wasn¡¯t the issue.


    It was the sheer, infuriating ease with which May had won. She had scored a direct hit with Treecko¡¯s new special move and it hadn¡¯t done a thing, while the enemy had taken him out in basically one attack. How could she be so much stronger; hadn¡¯t she just gotten her Pokemon recently as well?


    Astra closed her eyes, sighing. A little more experience counted for this much, did it? What were they talking about before she interrupted? Some Pokemon were weak to specific attacks? The admission was bitter to the taste, but she had to admit¡­maybe Norman had a point.


    She had a lot to learn after all.


    A loud sigh from her left broke her out of her thoughts as Brendan stepped back into the arena. ¡°Did you have to go that hard on her? She just started yesterday.¡±


    May shrugged, having transferred Torchic to the crook of her arm. ¡°Type advantage is a bitch. But, I guess. Maybe next time, Astra!¡±


    Astra gave her a weak grin. ¡°Yeah. Next time.¡±


    Brendan patted her on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t feel too bad. May is really good. She beat me on our first day too, and I grew up with a Pokemon Professor.¡±


    Astra nodded, side-eyeing Brendan. ¡°I guess¡ªwait, you lost to both of us, and I¡¯ve only been in one battle before this. Are you sure you¡¯re not just bad?¡±


    Brendan¡¯s pained look was a sight to behold, as was May¡¯s sudden riotous laughter.


    ¡°Astra! You can¡¯t just go and murder someone like that!¡± she wheezed. ¡°He has a family!¡±


    ¡°Haha, very funny,¡± he deadpanned over Astra¡¯s giggle. ¡°Laugh it up. See if I ever comfort you again. Ungrateful, grumble mumble¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyway!¡± May proclaimed, pulling both Astra and Brendan close, arms locked around their shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ve got a massive hunger that can only be solved with delicious food. Who¡¯s down for sushi?¡±


    Astra perked up. More strange human food? If it was anywhere as good as ice cream, she was willing to take a hundred losses. ¡°I am!¡±


    ¡°Eh, sure. Sushi sounds good.¡± Brendan agreed.


    ¡°Fantastic! You two are paying.¡± The resulting glares could melt through stone. May laughed. ¡°Hey now, losers gotta pay! I ran past a place earlier today that looked decent. Let¡¯s go!¡±

 Chat

    All three trainers traveled down the streets of Petalburg together, the dying evening light casting a dim amber glow across their surroundings. Brendan and May took the lead, getting into a conversation about how he could improve his tactics, and Astra listened with half an ear.


    The rest of her attention was on staring, wide-eyed, as scattered metal poles began to emit bright lights across the emptying streets as the sun finally set; it seemed like the stars themselves had come down from the sky and taken residence in glass jars. Even some signs on surrounding buildings were being lit up, shining with astounding brilliance. How had they captured pure light within these glass tubes? In such vibrant colors, too! Although¡­something seemed off about it. Astra looked around at the lit-up streets, wondering what was wrong.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she said, comprehension dawning as she looked past the lights. ¡°Where did all the stars go?¡±


    The sky was far emptier than Astra had ever remembered seeing it. On clear nights like these there would usually be a massive field of tiny lights and giant, starry clouds. But all she could see was one or two of the brightest ones scattered here and there. Where had they gone?


    ¡°What?¡± May asked, stopping to look skywards in confusion, ¡°Um? The sky looks like it always does. What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, It doesn¡¯t look any different¡­oh!¡± Brendan snapped his fingers in comprehension, ¡°Astra, do you live in a rural area?¡±


    ¡°A what?¡±


    May sighed, ¡°He¡¯s asking if you live out in the woods.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well. Yes?¡± Astra answered, to May¡¯s surprise. ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡±


    ¡°Light pollution,¡± Brendan explained, ¡°The city produces so much light during the night that it drowns out the light from the stars. If you¡¯ve never been to a big city before, I suppose you never would have experienced it.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Astra gazed back up at the sky again. It was well and truly black now, and only a comparatively few tiny points of light remained. ¡°So people living here never see all of the stars?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a pretty rare sight,¡± Brendan confirmed, ¡°That¡¯s one reason why I¡¯m looking forward to traveling around. I¡¯ll get to see the real night sky all the time!¡±


    ¡°Pff. That reminds me,¡± May leaned in, grinning, ¡°Didn¡¯t Mauville have, like, a giant blackout a few years ago? I remember reading about it online because a shit-ton of people called in a ¡®giant silvery cloud¡¯ floating menacingly overhead.¡±


    ¡°Did they really? Hah! That¡¯s amazing!¡± Brendan chuckled.


    Astra didn¡¯t see the humor. ¡°People didn¡¯t know that was there?¡± she asked, incredulously. That cloud of stars was the prettiest thing in the sky! Her grandfather had even painted it on the ceiling a few times. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine never seeing it. Do all these lights really need to be that bright?¡±


    ¡°Well I bet all those cars are glad they can see,¡± May said dryly, jerking a thumb at a passing vehicle. ¡°Otherwise they¡¯d crash into each other nonstop. So we can¡¯t see the stars in a city, big whoop; if anyone wants to see them they can go take a hike.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just not right,¡± Astra argued, ¡°Everyone should be able to see it, even in the city! Can¡¯t they shut them off for a little bit?¡±


    ¡°That might be easier said than done,¡± Brendan said, sidestepping a puddle from a cup someone had dropped. ¡°It¡¯s not like we could just find a big lever and turn all of them off, there¡¯d be chaos in the streets. I dunno how you¡¯d even start going about that, actually.¡± He admitted.


    May cast an incredulous look at him. ¡°What, doesn¡¯t this place have a town hall or anything? Back in Johto you could just go there and drop a suggestion in a box.¡±


    ¡°Maybe?¡± Brendan shrugged, ¡°I never looked into that sort of thing; too busy with helping my dad around the lab and all. Also, I don¡¯t live here,¡± he added with a wry smile.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Astra hummed, ¡°I¡¯ll have to find that and put a suggestion in.¡±


    May looked back at her, amused. ¡°They didn¡¯t do Johto much good, I wouldn¡¯t get your hopes up.¡±


    ¡°I have to try!¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah, good for you, little miss activist. Bleh, too much talking, I¡¯m extra hungry now!¡± Twirling in place, she stepped a pace ahead, facing them with arms spread wide. ¡°Good thing we¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡®The Sleepy Sharpedo,'' as the illuminated sign so brightly proclaimed, stood before them. A caricature of a creature¡ªlikely the aforementioned Sharpedo¡ªwas illustrated on the window, wrapped in a thick white blanket with a black surface as it dozed off. Cute! Posters were plastered across the rest of the windows, and the inside was brightly lit and bustling.


    May opened the door and all three stepped inside. The smell hit Astra first, the delicious aroma of fish and sundry lifting her spirits immensely. Humans had done wonders with ice cream, what could they do with Magikarp?


    Around them were several groups of people, all talking and eating in good cheer. The sound was extremely chaotic, and she couldn¡¯t understand more than a few words from one conversation before another drowned it out. Spread throughout the main area and behind the counter up ahead were a few humans in matching outfits; they were rushing side-to-side, talking to people who were requesting food. In the back she could spot more people in a preparation area, handling knives, sections of strange fish, unknown plants, along with a large amount of¡­rice? Another new word.


    Despite the crowd there was a fortuitous empty area at the counter itself, so all three of them sat there. Arrangements of fresh sushi were displayed in front of her behind glass panels, and up above were giant boards listing items and prices. Were all of these unique items? There were so many! She didn¡¯t know where to start, not to mention she didn¡¯t even know what most of them were.


    Next to her, May hummed as she grabbed a piece of paper and a small stick with a pointed black end. ¡°What are you guys having? I¡¯m thinking¡­Octillery and Tentacool tentacle.¡±


    ¡°You like those? Don¡¯t they still wriggle while you eat them?¡± Brendan said, looking ill.


    ¡°Hell yeah they do!¡± she cheered, entirely too excited. ¡°Well, not the Tentacool. Prepping them to remove the poison stops that from happening.¡±


    ¡°Ugh. That¡¯s way too creepy,¡± he shuddered. ¡°I¡¯ll have¡­ooh, they have Corphish? Yes! And Clampearl!¡±


    ¡°Big meaty claws with a side of pearls, huh? I can dig it. What about you, Astra?¡±


    ¡°Hm? Ah...¡± Astra shrugged, still puzzling over her choices. ¡°I¡¯ve never had sushi before, so I don¡¯t really know what to get.¡±


    ¡°Never had sushi? Man, what kind of fuckin¡¯ backwater¡ªugh,¡± May shook her head. She tapped the counter for a moment, thinking. ¡°How about you just get something random and you can snag a few bits off our plates? Taste a little of everything.¡±


    ¡°Ooh!¡± she grinned, ¡°I like that plan! Ahh¡­Magikarp?¡±


    ¡°Playing it safe, are you?¡± May teased, ¡°And here I thought you¡¯d get something exciting.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to have a fallback!¡± she defended, ¡°Besides, you just said I could take bits off your plates.¡±


    ¡°What, you¡¯re not even going to ask me?¡± Brendan said, annoyed.


    May gave him a pointed look. ¡°You gonna say no?¡±


    ¡°Well, no, but¡ª"


    ¡°No issue then!¡± she chirped with a single clap. Waving over a person behind the counter, she relayed their orders. ¡°Now to wait!¡±


    ¡°Aaah, I hope it doesn¡¯t take long¡­¡± Astra said, kicking her feet idly.


    Brendan looked wary. ¡°How much did it all cost?¡±


    May burst into laughter. ¡°Did you seriously order without looking at the price? What the hell, man?¡± She chuckled again, then told him the price of the meal.


    ¡°For everything? That¡¯s not too¡ª"


    ¡°Each.¡±


    May twirled on her seat to face Astra, gleefully ignoring the sudden bout of asphyxiation behind her. ¡°Hey, so I gotta ask; did you really live out in the woods?¡±


    ¡°Um,¡± Astra said, somewhat taken aback. ¡°Yeah? I mean, I didn¡¯t sleep outside, I live in this big cavern carved into the rock¡ª"


    ¡°No shit, you lived in a cave!?¡± May exclaimed, eyes sparkling, ¡°That¡¯s so cool! Was there like, giant crystals deep down, or a spooky mine shaft? Ooh, hidden underground hot spring!¡±


    Astra blinked. ¡°Uh. N-no. It was just one big cavern and a couple blocked-off subsections for rooms. No crystals or¡­mine shafts. My grandpa did paint on the walls, but otherwise it was¡­just a cave.¡±


    May pouted. ¡°Lame.¡±


    ¡°You live with your grandfather, then?¡± Brendan inquired, having resigned himself to a pricey dinner. ¡°What¡¯s he like?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s the best! He tells me stories and teaches me a bit about painting, and how to make jam and stuff.¡± Astra smiled, reminiscing. ¡°I¡¯ve lived with him for as long as I can remember. It¡¯s¡­weird to be away from home like this. He was really worried about me becoming a trainer, but I hope I can go back after I complete my journey and show him all I¡¯ve done soon.¡±


    Brendan nodded with a grin of his own. ¡°He sounds nice. Mine moved to another region about two decades ago, we go visit them every other year or so. Is it just you and him?¡±


    ¡°Mmm, we¡¯re not really out there alone; there are a few others around,¡± Astra drastically understated, ¡°One of them even made me a knife before I left!¡±


    May blinked. ¡°You have a knife? That¡¯s pretty cool, can I see it?¡± Astra was halfway to pulling it out when Brendan reached out and pushed her arm down.


    ¡°Not in the restaurant!¡± he hissed, glaring at them both. ¡°You¡¯re going to get us kicked out!¡±


    May¡¯s eyes widened, then she slouched, contrite. ¡°Shit, my bad. Sorry.¡±


    Astra recoiled, withdrawing her hand from her pack. ¡°What? Why?¡± She hadn¡¯t even eaten yet, there was no way she was risking getting thrown out!


    Brendan gaped at her incredulously. ¡°Y-you, what? Astra, you can¡¯t pull out a weapon in a restaurant!¡±


    ¡°A weapon?" Astra asked, confused. ¡°But¡­it¡¯s just a knife? It¡¯s not really a weapon.¡±


    Brendan still looked flabbergasted, so May stepped in to save him. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean these idiots won¡¯t be paranoid and think you¡¯ll use it as one.¡±


    ¡°What? I would never do that!¡± Astra protested.


    May snorted. ¡°Yeah, I know that, and so do you. But they¡ª" she waved a hand in the direction of the employees, "¡ªdon¡¯t. To them, you¡¯re just somebody in black mummy wrappings who suddenly pulled out a knife. Which, by the way, is kinda weird,¡± she added, then paused. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been wondering about that¡ª"


    ¡°Order up!¡± a voice cheered from behind the counter. A waitress stood there, smiling and holding a giant platter. ¡°Thank you for dining with us! Please enjoy your meal!¡±


    In short order, three plates were deposited in front of the trio, each brimming with delicious fish. Astra gazed upon her own plate with glee¡ªit was Magikarp alright, she could recognize that smell anywhere. But it had been prepared completely differently! The meat was sliced neatly and placed with rice, and wrapped in a thin layer of some shiny black plant¡ªseaweed, her subconscious answered the moment she wondered. All of it was sprinkled with something truly unknown, flecks of color mixed in with the rice making the whole ensemble shine brighter than a measly fire could ever do.


    There were also about a dozen of them, and she wasn¡¯t going to waste any more time. Raising her hand she¡­er¡­


    How was she supposed to pick this up?


    A snapping sound next to her drew her attention. May had picked up a small wooden stick from a cup and snapped it horizontally, making two sticks. She covertly watched as she deftly used both sticks with one hand to pick up a¡ª


    ¡°Gah!¡± Astra yelped at the array of live, wriggling tentacles on May¡¯s plate. ¡°Wh¡ªwhat? Is that still alive!?¡±


    May snorted, then chuckled for a few seconds. ¡°No, no; it¡¯s dead. See, when you pour on the sauce¡ª" she demonstrated, reaching for a bottle on the counter and letting a few drops hit her food. The tentacles renewed their wriggling, curling and twitching madly. "¡ªthey start to dance! Pretty cool, right?¡± She popped one in her mouth, smiling.


    ¡°It¡¯s creepy is what it is,¡± Brendan muttered. Astra nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Cowards, the both of you!¡± May proclaimed, downing yet another writhing tendril.


    Shaking her head, Astra turned back to her own plate. Taking a chopstick (is that what they were called¡­?), she snapped it in half and tried to mimic how May was holding them. After a few seconds of frustration with both the cloth and the fact that she didn¡¯t even have fingers, she gave up and just held them in place psychically underneath her sleeves.


    Picking a roll up, she gave a brief pause to apply her illusion and pull her face wrapping down, and finally took the long-awaited first bite. Hey eyes widened in surprise. This¡ªthis was¡­! ¡°Delicious!</a>¡± she gasped. The flavors of the Magikarp were amplified above anything she had ever had before, the fishy taste only emboldened by the seasoned rice. Even the seaweed added a certain texture to the ensemble, leading to a collection of astounding sensations beyond her wildest dreams. Inhaling another three rolls, Astra absorbed the flavor in bliss. Truly, human food was the best~


    She grinned, remembering an earlier promise. Leaning over, she peered at Brendan''s dish, which appeared to be a flakey red and white striped chunk and some sort of thinly sliced blue meat set delicately on top of balls of rice. He had cracked them open and was dipping the portions inside in some sort of sauce. ¡°Hey Brendan,¡± she called, ¡°Can I try some of that?¡±


    Brendan looked up, swallowing a bite. ¡°Hm? Oh, sure, but only if I get a couple of yours!¡±


    May smiled and held up a convulsing tentacle. ¡°Not gonna make a bid for my food?¡±


    ¡°Er¡­¡± Astra recoiled from the squirming tendril with faint nausea. ¡°I¡­no, definitely not.¡±


    ¡°Your loss.¡± May shrugged as Brendan exchanged a small portion of the Corphish and Clampearl for Astra''s Magikarp.


    ¡°I think they buttered the Corphish,¡± he said, munching on one of the pieces of Magikarp sushi. ¡°Ooh, this is good!¡±


    Grinning, Astra took a bite. Her eyes widened. It was sweet! The sauce brushed on top was smooth and a bit salty too, which only amplified the taste of the meat itself! Would this world never cease to surprise her? Practically inhaling the rest of it, the psychic could say for certain that this was the best thing she had ever eaten. Until she put the blue Clampearl in her mouth. It was like a salt lick had exploded on a humid day, swirling and dancing on her tongue as it melted, filling her cheeks with the taste of the first melt of spring.


    The conversation had died out as the three of them ate, so Astra pondered what to say over another ¡®nigiri¡¯. Something May had mentioned earlier came to mind.


    ¡°So May,¡± Astra said, ¡°you said you were from¡­Johto?¡±


    May hummed in affirmation, still chewing. Swallowing, she replied, ¡°Yep. We moved to Hoenn from Olivine. It was a nice place, I guess. Used to hang out at the lighthouse and stare out at the ocean. Lived there for two years; longest I ever stayed in one place. ¡±


    ¡°Only two years? That¡¯s...short,¡± Brendan said, eyebrows raised. ¡°You moved a lot?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. As far back as I remember we¡¯ve moved to a different region about every year or two. Sometimes twice in one year. Never super abroad, though; I remember Dad wanted to go all the way to Orre once but Mom put her foot down due to all the batshit crazy gangs around there.¡±


    Brendan hummed in agreement. ¡°Yeah, I read things are getting pretty bad around there nowadays; I don¡¯t blame her. Still, every year? That¡¯s a bit extreme, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    May snorted. ¡°Try telling that to my dad. He was a Pokemon trainer too; always traveling around from one city to the next, one region after another and going up against the big leagues. Didn¡¯t stop when he got with my Mom¡ªand didn¡¯t stop when she had me, either. Me and mom would just move to one city in the area and stay there while he did his thing everywhere else.¡± May¡¯s expression grew increasingly bitter as she went on.


    ¡°And of course, as soon as we got settled in he would just up and leave for months at a time. Anytime he came home he¡¯d only stay for like, three days. And when he finally says he¡¯s retiring from traveling, he rips me away from a new home one last time to go to some no-name town in the middle of nowhere with no friends and no warning. Again. And, of course, he takes over the gym two towns over and lives there instead of at our house with me and Mom! Clearly, he has his priorities straightened out!¡±


    Astra winced as May stabbed a chopstick straight through a tentacle, scraping the plate and snapping the fragile stick in two. She stared at the broken tool for a moment, then sighed.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said, tossing the broken stick away. ¡°He just pisses me off.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Astra patted May¡¯s shoulder, ¡°It was hard enough leaving my home. I can¡¯t imagine what that was like for you.¡±


    ¡°Same here. Hopefully you have a better time here in Hoenn. At least you¡¯re not alone, right?¡± Brendan smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve got us now, and we¡¯re not going anywhere!¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    ¡°Tch, you guys are such dorks.¡± May grumbled, but Astra could see her lips quirk up. ¡°Thanks, I guess.¡±


    Astra grinned at her. May must have lived a hard life, she mused. She could barely imagine living somewhere that wasn¡¯t the village; it wasn¡¯t like there were any other options around, after all. To advance the concept of moving around so much that no one place would ever really feel like ¡®home¡¯ was¡­she couldn¡¯t understand it. Home was supposed to be home, not just a disposable sleeping area! Still, something she said lingered in her mind.


    ¡°You said your dad took over a gym?¡± she questioned. ¡°Was it the gym here?¡±


    ¡°And the ball drops.¡± May rolled her eyes. ¡°Yeah, Dad¡¯s name is Norman. Let me guess, you challenged him?¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah¡­¡± May¡¯s dad was Norman? What were the odds? Astra hoped May wouldn¡¯t protest her stomping his face into the dirt; with the way she was talking she might even help!


    ¡°And?¡±


    Astra crossed her arms, irritated. ¡°He was a huge jerk that said I wasn¡¯t even worth his time and told me to leave!¡±


    May nodded. ¡°Yep, that¡¯s him. You know, he got here ages ahead of me or my Mom? Enough time to set up the Gym and even appear on tv. So he¡¯s out here for like a month, and when I finally show up here two days ago, what does he do? He sends me out on goddamn babysitting duty!¡±


    ¡°Babysitting duty¡­?¡± Astra asked. She had a vague feeling she knew where this was going.


    ¡°Yeah. Some asthmatic kid named Wally; short, green hair, couldn¡¯t walk for five minutes without coughing or choking on air. He wanted a Pokemon and for some reason decided to bug Dad about it ten seconds after I walked inside. So he just decides to foist the kid off on me, tells me to go show him how to catch a Pokemon. It¡¯s like¡ª" May clutched at thin air in front of her, before gesticulating wildly, ¡°What the fuck, right? I just got here and you¡¯re kicking me out? Why!?¡±


    Brendan nodded, frowning. ¡°That does seem pretty callous. What happened next?¡±


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°So Dad tosses us a Zigzagoon and an empty pokeball and we head off to route 102. Kid immediately stumbles upon a Pokemon I¡¯ve never even heard of before.¡±


    Astra froze. This was¡­!


    ¡°Really?¡± Brendan leaned in, eyes sparkling. ¡°A brand new Pokemon? What did it look like?¡±


    ¡°It was about four feet tall, white, with these stubby arms and green hair. Big red eyes, too. Kinda looked human.¡± May absently ate another tentacle. ¡°I told your dad about it, but he didn¡¯t recognize it either.¡±


    Brendan tapped his finger. ¡°...Hn. I know most of the species that live in Hoenn and that doesn¡¯t fit any of them. Did it vocalize at all?¡±


    May snapped her fingers. ¡°Ah, right! I forgot, it said¡­Ralts?¡±


    Astra¡¯s face flushed. Right, she had been so surprised and then hurt she had talked out loud. How embarrassing. She resolved to pretend it never happened.


    ¡°Ralts?¡± Brendan stared at his plate, eyebrows furrowed. ¡°It sounds¡­familiar, but I can¡¯t remember why.¡±


    May shrugged. ¡°Anyway, so Wally manages to beat the¡­Ralts, I guess, up with the Zigzagoon, but completely fumbles throwing the ball and just flings it into the goddamn forest. The Ralts runs away and I¡¯ve gotta give him one of my balls so his hopes and dreams don¡¯t get crushed by the world''s worst aim. Spent another half an hour out there, chasing down a Poochyena, but we snagged it and he was all smiles with his new puppy.¡±


    It was interesting to hear about that event from the other perspective. For Astra, it had been thirty seconds of the worst terror she had ever experienced, but for May it had been a mere chore.


    Her hand tightened around her chopstick. ¡®It, it, it,¡¯ the girl had kept saying. She was not an it, she was a she! She was a person! But¡­ she supposed they didn¡¯t think so. Not for her real self. That hadn¡¯t been ¡®Astra,¡¯ just a regular Pokemon.


    That would change, she hoped. She would make it change.


    ¡°Don¡¯t asthmatics have problems with dogs?¡± Brendan wondered.


    ¡°I dunno, I¡¯m not a doctor. Wally didn¡¯t seem to care.¡± May sighed. ¡°Anyway, to sum up the next bit, we get back, Wally goes back home, and I try to talk to Dad but he blows me off like everyone else. ¡®Fuck off until you have four badges,¡¯¡± May mimed with one hand, accompanying it with an exaggerated voice, ¡°¡®Roxanne¡¯s easy, go fight her first.¡¯ What the living hell. He still can¡¯t take five fucking minutes off when he doesn¡¯t even have to go anywhere anymore!? I got pissed and left. Rented a room at a hotel for a couple nights then bummed around the city until I ran into you guys.¡±


    ¡°Your dad sucks,¡± Brendan deadpanned, and May let out a bark of laughter.


    ¡°I¡¯ll drink to that! Hey!¡± she exclaimed, gulping down some water. ¡°Ah, too bad this is just water. Anyway, that¡¯s my life story. It kinda got away from me.¡±


    Astra nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t mind; it seemed like you wanted to get some of that off your chest. Do you feel better?¡±


    ¡°Eh, I guess.¡±


    Brendan smiled at her. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± asked Astra. Brendan blinked.


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re from Littleroot, right? What was that like?¡±


    ¡°Ah! Hm¡­¡± Brendan muttered, thinking. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to describe it, really¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bet on ¡®as dull as watching grass grow.¡¯¡±


    Brendan snorted. ¡°Hey, no comments from the peanut gallery.¡±


    May stuck out her tongue. ¡°Nyeh.¡±


    He shook his head, exasperated. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that boring. I usually spend most of my time helping out my dad in his lab, or with minor things in the field. Dad''s a certified Pokemon Professor, so he does a lot of research on wild Pokemon behaviors and the ecosystem; he¡¯s even published a few books.¡±


    May poked him with a chopstick. ¡°Okay, but what did you do? You said fieldwork? Start with that.¡±


    Astra leaned in closer, listening intently. If people were snooping around in the woods she wanted to know.


    ¡°Ah, fieldwork is my dad¡¯s favorite part. I think he¡¯s jealous that I can do it so much easier than he can now.¡± Brendan chuckled. ¡°What I do is mostly observe wild Pokemon going about their day and record what I see. It¡¯s not exactly glamorous but I think it¡¯s pretty fun. If I saw a rare or unique Pokemon, sometimes I¡¯d catch it and bring it back to the lab.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡± May hummed. ¡°You ever see anything super weird?¡±


    Brendan thought for a moment. ¡°Not really. I haven¡¯t been doing fieldwork for too long; a couple years at this point. The weirdest thing I¡¯ve seen was a Zigzagoon with black and white stripes. My dad, though, he¡¯s apparently seen some really amazing stuff. For instance, he told me that one time he was walking through the forest one night and discovered a giant Mightyena! The way he tells it, it was as big as a truck and then some; with teeth like daggers, pitch-black coat and great, burning red eyes. The spooky part is that it just vanished into thin air a few weeks after he started tracking it.¡±


    ¡°Oooh, so scary.¡± May said dryly. ¡°Still, that sounds pretty cool. Wouldn¡¯t mind having something like that on my team. I wonder where it went?¡±


    A sudden snapping sound made Astra jump. She looked down and dimly realized she had broken her chopstick.


    She didn¡¯t want to hear about this anymore.


    ¡°So!¡± Astra cut in, ¡°Do you do anything that isn¡¯t helping at the lab?¡±


    Brendan considered the question. ¡°I suppose I read a bit. I¡¯ve also been following a few shows on TV and playing games with Max when I have the time.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s Max?¡±


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s my little brother.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± May exclaimed. ¡°You have a brother?¡±


    ¡°May, you were in my house.¡± Brendan replied, confused. ¡°How did you not see him?¡±


    ¡°Wh¡ª I dunno; I wasn¡¯t looking,¡± May defended, ¡°I was distracted.¡±


    ¡°Distracted. Right. I guess snooping through my room would count as that, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Brendan asked with a wry smirk.


    May¡¯s face turned an interesting shade of pink. ¡°Sh¡ªshut up!¡± she yelled. ¡°Everyone said you were there and you weren¡¯t! What was I supposed to do?¡±


    ¡°Not go through my stuff? I mean, unless you find my clothes that interesting¡ªerk! Alright, alright! I¡¯ll stop!¡± Brendan raised his hands placatingly to ward off the murderous look on May¡¯s face. He coughed. ¡°Er, back on topic¡­I guess I go biking on occasion. Now that I¡¯m traveling I suspect I¡¯ll be doing that a lot more, which is nice.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s biking?¡±


    Astra¡¯s two fellow trainers traded glances.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what a bike is, Astra?¡± Brendan ventured.


    ¡°For real? I don¡¯t¡ªhow!?¡± May threw up her arms, exasperated. ¡°This is ridiculous!¡±


    Astra hung her head, a feeling of shame and embarrassment welling within her. She just didn¡¯t know these things; how was she supposed to guess what was common knowledge?


    ¡°Sorry.¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t know, that¡¯s okay, Astra,¡± Brendan said. ¡°Most bikes aren¡¯t really suited for forest activity, so if you were as isolated as you said, I suppose there was never a reason for you to know about them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still weird.¡± May muttered. ¡°Anyway, bikes are these two-wheeled things that you travel around on by pushing on its pedals. I¡¯ll show you one if I see one.¡±


    That sounded pretty cool. Was it easier than walking? She wondered if she could get one somehow. Absently, she went to grab another roll and was deeply disappointed to find she had emptied her plate already. Next to her, May yawned.


    ¡°Jeeze, what time is it¡­8:30? Damn, it¡¯s pretty late. I think it¡¯s about time to wrap this up.¡±


    Astra and Brendan agreed. Brendan flagged down the restaurant staff and paid the bill, though he rebuffed Astra¡¯s attempt to pay her share.


    ¡°You¡¯ve only just started training, right? I have a large savings, and I did lose to both of you. I¡¯d feel bad if you spent all your money on this one dinner, so I¡¯ll cover you. Okay?¡±


    Astra¡¯s give him a brilliant smile. ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°How chivalrous,¡± May snarked. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get going.¡±


    The three of them exited the restaurant in high spirits. Astra let out a sigh of relief as the loud noise faded into the more manageable background hum of the city. May pointed out a bicycle almost immediately; it was chained up to a post in front of a store.


    Astra observed the contraption suspiciously. ¡°How are you supposed to stay on that?¡±


    ¡°It takes a bit of practice, but once you get it down there¡¯s no better way of moving yourself around!¡±


    ¡°Driving, sailing, flying,¡± May said, counting off her fingers, ¡°Actual, literal teleportation¡ª"


    ¡°Healthiest,¡± Brendan amended.


    ¡°Debatable.¡±


    They walked a block in comfortable silence before Brendan spoke up again. ¡°So, what are your plans for tomorrow? Moving on to Rustboro?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the idea,¡± May confirmed. ¡°Astra?¡±


    ¡°I was going to do that as well. I want to challenge all the gyms as fast as I can! How about you, Brendan?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m actually going to stick in this area for a little longer,¡± he admitted. ¡°Dad wants me to make a report on all the places I visit, and I also wanted to check out route 102 for that rare Pokemon you saw.¡±


    Astra¡¯s grin grew strained. She couldn¡¯t have him look too closely. ¡°Not for too long, right? We wouldn¡¯t want you to fall behind,¡± she added when Brendan raised an eyebrow.


    He shook his head. ¡°I''ll just take a casual look; nothing to worry about. You two are walking, right? You¡¯ll have to go through the forest, and I think that¡¯ll delay you for a day or two. I can catch up with my bike easily enough.¡±


    Out of the corner of her eye, Astra thought she could see May¡¯s expression fall for a moment, only to be replaced in an instant with her usual confident smirk. ¡°Well, you better practice your ass off. I expect a real challenge the next time we meet, you hear me?¡±


    Astra nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to a rematch too!¡±


    Brendan laughed. ¡°Well, how could I say no? I¡¯ll do my best!¡± He looked at a nearby signpost. ¡°Well, this is where we part ways, I think. I¡¯ll see you in Rustboro, and we¡¯ll have that battle!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m counting on it!¡± said Astra.


    May held out a fist. ¡°Better make it a good one!¡±


    Brendan hit her fist with her own with a determined grin. He turned down the street and soon enough May and Astra were walking the streets alone.


    ¡°So,¡± she asked. ¡°Where are you staying? I¡¯m at the Green Valley.¡±


    Astra stared at her blankly. ¡°What?¡±


    May came to a dead stop, a familiar incredulousness spreading across her face.


    Voice tinged with trepidation May asked, ¡°Astra, where are you sleeping tonight?¡±


    Oh. Astra glanced around at the gigantic, unfamiliar city. Then the eerily faint stars. Then May again.


    ¡°The forest?¡± she tried.


    Judging by how hard May¡¯s palm impacted her face, that was the wrong answer.


    <hr>


    The lobby of the Green Valley hotel was a very nice looking place. The hellish deathtrap called an elevator that followed, not so much. Astra stepped out of the vibrating monstrosity both amazed at how the door suddenly opened to a different exit, and also trying not to vomit. If the world would stop spinning that would also be nice¡­


    ¡°Oh come on, it can¡¯t be that bad!¡± May argued.


    Astra, swallowing a hefty chunk of bile, was inclined to silently disagree.


    Eventually she managed to start walking, and soon Astra was waiting anxiously as May fiddled with a key. Throwing open the door, she proclaimed, ¡°Home sweet temporary home!¡±


    The room was white, and full of strange things. A large square piece of furniture took up most of the room, covered in fabrics and a few pillows. Was this a human bed? It looked amazing. A couple poles with odd coverings on top stood in the corners, and Astra watched May flick a switch to make something under the shade emit a bright light, illuminating the room fully.


    On the wall across the bed was a large shiny black device. The other walls had images of flowers encased within glass hung up, and one wall was actually a giant window. There was also a chair and table in one corner, upon which was a giant bag that Astra could only assume was full of May¡¯s supplies.


    ¡°Thanks for letting me stay with you,¡± Astra said, dropping her own bag and the violin case next to the table.


    May shrugged. ¡°We¡¯re going to be traveling together anyway, and I wasn¡¯t about to let you sleep in the woods when I had this all set up already.¡± She jerked her thumb at a door Astra hadn¡¯t noticed. ¡°Bathroom''s over there if you need it.¡±


    Bathroom? She opened the door curiously, but the room was pitch black. Was there a switch here too? Brushing her hand against the wall, she felt the tiny lever and flipped it, turning the lights on.


    As with the main room, the bathroom was entirely white, but somehow even more so. There were two basins in the room; one was elevated and about the size and depth of a very shallow cauldron while  the other, much larger one resembling a very wide trough rested on the floor behind a curtain, alongside a¡­chair? A few thick, neatly folded fabrics were piled next to the larger basin.


    The elevated basin had a giant mirror on the wall behind it, and the basin itself had two x shaped knobs on either side of a metal rod. There also appeared to be a semi-covered hole in the bottom. Astra fiddled with the knob experimentally, and blinked when water started rushing out of the metal rod and draining into the hole.


    ¡­But why?


    Well, this was called the bathroom, she reasoned. Bath room. You took a bath to clean, so this was used for cleaning, she supposed. Cleaning¡­hands? That kinda made sense. Pulling back her sleeve, she felt the water¡ªhot! Jerking back, she rubbed her lightly scalded hand and glared at the faucet. Why in the world did they have a boiling water dispenser in a room for cleaning!?  Turning the knob back so the water shut off, she moved on.


    What was with this weird chair? Astra pondered its existence; the back was extremely thick and out of proportion, the base appeared to be welded to the floor, there was some sort of lever on the back, and the seat had a hinge for some reason. It could open? Astra lifted the first layer of the weird chair and stared inside for a long time.


    ¡°May,¡± she called, ¡°why is there a chair full of water in here?¡±


    A beat.


    ¡°Astra, what the living hell.¡±


    She heard heavy footfalls and then May poked her head in, having at some point lost both her shirt and faith in humanity.


    ¡°Are you seriously fucking telling me you don¡¯t know what a toilet is?¡±


    Astra dropped the toilet lid like it burned. ¡°This is a toilet!?¡± she shrieked. ¡°Wait, you do that inside!? That¡¯s disgusting!¡±


    ¡°Well how the hell else are you¡ªoh sweet fuck you¡¯ve never had plumbing.¡± May¡¯s expression ran a gauntlet through incredulity and anger before making a hard stop at horror and pity.


    Astra inched away from the toilet uncomfortably. May noted the lack of a denial and pinched the space between her eyes.


    ¡°Right, this is¡ªthis is stupid. Hokay,¡± she exhaled, clapping her hands. ¡°May¡¯s supreme guide to basic bathroom amenities, from the top. That¡¯s the sink, wash your hands and face there¡ª" she said, pointing at the elevated basin.


    ¡°What?¡± Astra exclaimed, ¡°I¡¯ll get burns if I try to do that!¡±


    May gazed sightlessly into the distance for a moment. ¡°There¡¯s a tap for cold water.¡±


    Astra felt her face go red. ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°That is the toilet. You do your business then hit the flush, it goes away,¡± May continued, her face carefully neutral. ¡°Please tell me you already know what toilet paper is?¡±


    Astra nodded sullenly. She could hazard a guess.


    ¡°Small goddamn mercies. Bathtub and shower,¡± she indicated the giant basin in the corner. ¡°Use it to clean your whole body. Towels are over there. That¡¯s pretty much everything.¡±


    They both stood there awkwardly for a moment before May coughed. ¡°So¡­did you use a water bucket to bathe, or¡­?¡±


    ¡°I swam in the river.¡±


    ¡°Right, right.¡± A thoughtful expression came across May¡¯s face as she spoke. ¡°You should try out the shower then. I think you¡¯ll like it.¡±


    Astra blinked in confusion as May spun around and stepped out, shutting the door behind her. Use the shower? Well, that sounded interesting, but she couldn¡¯t take the cloak off while she was here. Or maybe she could? She would have to stop May from walking in first. Maybe she could block the door¡ª


    Or, she amended in light of a new discovery, the door could have a built-in lock.


    After a quick test found the door sufficiently impassable, she took one last survey of the bathroom for inexplicable openings before peeling off the sheet of black fabric. She sighed in relief as the robe hit the floor; it was quite freeing to be out of her clothes, though a little nerve-wracking as well. Standing in front of the mirror, she looked at her own face, reflected with startling clarity. Gazing at her reflection, she turned her head this way and that and made a few silly expressions, laughing quietly to herself.


    Turning away, she stepped into the shower and closed the curtain. Now, what was so great about this? Swimming was fun, but there wasn¡¯t any room to do anything like that here. There was a faucet down below, and a single knob above it. The plastic head above loomed ominously.


    Twisting the knob didn¡¯t do anything¡ªbut pulling certainly did; water was now pouring out of the faucet below. That probably wasn¡¯t right; maybe if she pulled the stick?


    Astra shrieked when she was blasted in the face with a spray of freezing water from above, leaping just out of range of the showerhead''s effect. She shivered, drenched and cold. What was the point of this!? This was awful! Was she missing something again?


    Upon closer examination, the knob was marked quite heavily; it had a semicircle of two colors, red and blue. An arrow was firmly pointed inside the blue section; Astra twisted it so that it was leaning into red, and sighed as the water returned to room temperature. At least she could-


    She could¡­


    Oh.


    Oh.


    A few minutes later, Astra noticed that there was a tiny bottle of shampoo hidden behind the curtain.


    Paradise was real and it was full of steam.


    <hr>


    After a thoroughly enjoyable soak, Astra stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped once again in her cloak but now with impossibly soft hair and a giant dreamy grin.


    ¡°Hot water is amazing~¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm.¡± May responded absentmindedly, sprawled on the bed and fiddling with her pokedex. She raised an eyebrow at Astra¡¯s attire. ¡°Are you going to sleep in that? Isn¡¯t it dirty?¡±


    Astra nodded. May waited a moment to see if Astra would explain further, then let out an irritated huff when nothing happened.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Astra shrugged, smile fading. ¡°I don¡¯t feel comfortable taking it off around others.¡± Also it would expose her secret identity. Details! Who needs them? ¡°I started wearing it in the first place because otherwise people would bother me because of what I look like.¡± Among other things. ¡°They said I had albinism.¡±


    May sat up with visible surprise. ¡°You have albinism?¡± she asked, very obviously examining Astra anew. A second passed before she nodded. ¡°Well, now that you say it, it¡¯s kinda obvious. I thought you were pale, but that¡¯s nearly chalk-white.¡±


    Astra looked away. ¡°I would appreciate it if you didn¡¯t make a big deal out of it.¡±


    "Hey, I¡¯m not like that.¡± May held up both of her hands with a reassuring grin. ¡°Doesn¡¯t even matter. Actually, I think it looks pretty cool!¡±


    Astra blinked. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, especially with your eyes! They¡¯re really intense, you know? Especially when you¡¯re all wrapped up in that cloak.¡± Her smile dimmed. ¡°I¡¯m not going to¡ª you don¡¯t have to wear that thing if you don¡¯t want to, around me. I won¡¯t start being weird.¡±


    Astra shook her head. She wanted to believe that; that May wouldn¡¯t make a big deal out of her being different, that she wouldn¡¯t have to lie. But she couldn¡¯t. Not until everything was already over.


    May¡¯s face flashed through a mixture of disappointment and hurt before it settled on a vague amusement.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± she said, getting up and patting Astra on the shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ve only known each other for a day; I wouldn¡¯t strip for someone I just met either. Eh? Eh?¡±


    May¡¯s pout when the joke flew over Astra¡¯s head made the psychic giggle.


    "Still," she said, grimacing, "didn¡¯t you bring any night clothes or anything?¡±


    Astra blinked. "What? Why?"


    "Wh¡ª" May''s face scrunched up again. "Seriously? That cloak has got to be caked in dirt by now, and you are not sleeping next to me like that. Now did you bring pajamas or not?¡±


    Astra shuffled, looking away from the other girl. She didn''t really see any problem with her cloak. It was just some sweat and dust, right? There wasn''t even any mud or droppings. However, the look on May''s face told her that arguing this would probably be a lost cause.


    ¡°Not...really.¡± she admitted. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to be traveling with anyone, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°Ah, nude sleeper?¡± May guessed.


    Well, that was technically right? Wearing clothing at all was a new experience for her. ¡°Something like that,¡± Astra agreed.


    ¡°Tch. How about...uh. You could...cover yourself with some towels?¡± May suggested, grimacing.


    "Alright," Astra sighed. "I''ll see what I can do."


    It took almost every towel in the room and some creative folding, but Astra found a way to effectively cover herself before she stepped back out of the bathroom.


    May blinked as Astra came into view. "Huh. Didn''t peg you for having long hair."


    Astra, who had to pile a tower of towels on her head to hide her horns and had no idea what May was talking about, just shrugged.


    May nodded at the dirty robe Astra was carrying. "There''s a clothes washing service for trainers in this hotel; I can throw your cloak in with my stuff, it should be done by morning."


    Oh! That sounded nice. "Thank you!"


    May frowned at the lump of cloth Astra handed over. Slowly, she grabbed one section of the fabric and let the rest go. The entire garment unfolded into its original form: a single, very long strip of unmodified black cloth. She stared at Astra, silently demanding an explanation.


    Uh. "It helps with the heat," she lied flagrantly. It was the best she could do; nobody knew how to alter cloth back home!


    May''s mouth opened, then closed. This repeated a few times, accompanied by several aborted gestures between Astra and the fabric. Finally, May''s expression settled into sheer resigned exasperation and apathy as she yanked the door open.


    "It is way too late for this shit."


    Astra winced as the door slammed. That could have been handled better.


    May came back a few minutes later, recomposed and empty-handed. "Right, that''s all set up. I think I''ll be taking my turn in the bathroom now."


    "I think there''s still a towel left," Astra offered, to which May rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± May continued, walking past Astra, ¡°You can take the right side of the bed. If you hog the covers I will toss you out onto the floor, you hear me?¡±


    Astra gasped in faux horror. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°I can and I will!¡± May promised, closing the bathroom door behind her. Astra heard the shower turn on a minute later.


    Turning off the lights, Astra pushed aside the window curtains and gazed at the moon and what few stars could be seen above the city¡¯s skyline. The psychic had to admit that the man-made horizon had its own beauty; the lights and shapes of the buildings contrasted heavily with the moon and sky above.


    She wondered what her grandpa would make of all this. If only the stars were visible as well; it would make a wonderful painting, she was sure.


    Stepping back, she slipped under the covers of the bed and rested her head on the pillow. Ah, these cushions were incredibly soft, and these covers were so smooth and comfortable; she felt like she was sitting on a cloud~


    Sinking deeply into the mattress, Astra¡¯s mind wandered, reflecting. She had failed to even try to get a badge, but a lot had happened over the course of her first day, hadn¡¯t it? She had a few fights, learned to play the violin, made three new friends, ate indescribably delicious food, and discovered the joys of hot showers.


    What wonders would tomorrow bring?


    The sound of running water turned off, and eventually May slipped into the other half of the bed.


    ¡°Night, Astra.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight, May.¡±


    She closed her eyes and fell asleep. Tomorrow was a brand new day.

 Outset

    Morning came quickly. Astra sighed as the sun hit her face, blinking as the light slid across her eyes. Yawning, she sat up and stretched, blinking as a loose piece of towel fell on her face. She scowled, pushing it back into place. These things itched! She wanted her robes back; as much as she preferred to not wear anything, at least the cloth from the village didn¡¯t prickle!


    Slipping out of the sheets, she scratched her flanks and looked to the side, frowning. May was still asleep? Hopping down to ground level, she walked around and crouched down.


    ¡°May, time to get up,¡± she said, poking her companion on the head.


    ¡°Nnnn,¡± May grumbled, snuggling deeper into the covers.


    ¡°May, it¡¯s time to get up! May. Maaaaaaay!¡±


    ¡°Uuuugh,¡° she moaned, flipping over and shielding her eyes from the light with an arm. ¡°What time is it?¡±


    Astra glanced at a clock. ¡°6:30.¡±


    ¡°¡­Astra why.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been sleeping in a bunch of towels all night, I don¡¯t know where the laundry is, and it¡¯s getting really itchy. Plus, we¡¯re setting out for Rustboro, right? I want to get started! I wonder what it¡¯s like...¡±


    May groaned again. ¡°Alright, alright. It should be illegal to get up this early, I swear.¡±


    One trip to the laundry room and other morning duties later, May and Astra left the hotel, one bleary-eyed and the other exuberant.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get how anyone can have this much energy before nine,¡± May yawned. ¡°Is this another ¡®lived in a cave¡¯ thing?¡±


    Astra shrugged. ¡°I dunno, is being dead on your feet a city thing?¡±


    ¡°Nnng.¡± May rubbed at her eyes, then peered around at the buildings surrounding them. ¡°Is there a¡ªthere is! Wait here for a hot minute, I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    What? Where was she going? Astra watched confusedly as May dashed into a nearby store. She emerged a while later holding a large steaming paper cup and a bag, looking much livelier.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Astra questioned as May jogged back.


    ¡°Coffee!¡± May proclaimed, taking a sip. ¡°Nectar of the gods, waker of the dead. I¡¯m assuming you¡¯ve never heard of it?¡±


    Astra mutely shook her head.


    ¡°Thought as much. Want to try? It¡¯s hot, so don¡¯t burn yourself.¡±


    Taking the proffered cup, Astra took a whiff. It smelled very¡­earthy? Heeding May¡¯s advice, her first mouthful was cautious, but the heat was still a small shock. But then the taste finally registered; Astra¡¯s eyes bulged, her whole body shivering at once as the extreme bitterness assaulted her tongue. She swallowed with difficulty, the foul liquid leaving an awful aftertaste as it went, then handed the cup back to May with a grimace.


    ¡°Ugh, why do you drink that!? It was so bitter!¡±


    ¡°It can be like that the first few times.¡± May agreed. ¡°It really helps me wake up in the morning and when I pull all-nighters.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it. Aah, I can still taste it¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d probably want more sugar or cream in yours.¡± May paused to finagle with the plastic bag, and pulled out what vaguely looked like two absurdly thick brown mushrooms. ¡°I got muffins too!¡±


    Astra accepted one of the muffins warily. ¡°It¡¯s not going to taste like the coffee, is it?¡±


    ¡°What? No, they¡¯re almond poppyseed,¡± May replied, biting into hers. She frowned at Astra when she still looked hesitant. ¡°Oh, come on, it¡¯s not going to bite you. Just try it, sheesh!¡±


    Might as well, Astra reasoned. Her eyes widened as she bit down, teeth gliding through the crust as through it wasn¡¯t there. It tasted sweet, but also slightly nutty; it almost dissolved on her tongue as well, the insides fluffy as a cloud. Yet again human food had exceeded all expectations.


    ¡°This is really good!¡± Astra grinned at May through a mouthful of muffin. ¡°Thank you!¡±


    May waved her off. ¡°No big deal. It was two for one and we hadn¡¯t had breakfast yet anyway.¡±


    The two of them were approaching the outskirts now, the skyscrapers having been replaced by single stories a while back. This was where the city gave way to route 104, or so May said.


    ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be a pretty small route,¡± she explained, finishing off her drink and tossing the cup in a trash can. ¡°But it runs straight through the Petalburg Woods so it twists all over itself due to the cliffs. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem for us, though.¡± She glanced Astra¡¯s way. ¡°That sort of place is all old news to you, eh?¡±


    Astra hummed in agreement. ¡°All of this is so strange to me,¡± she indicated the city around them. ¡°It¡¯ll be nice to be somewhere familiar again, even if it¡¯s still a long way from home.¡±


    ¡°I bet there¡¯s a lot of cool Pokemon to capture too!¡± May added. ¡°Do you have anything you¡¯re on the hunt for?¡±


    Astra knew that she would have to acquire more Pokemon, but aside from purchasing a pokeball at the Pokemart she hadn¡¯t given it much thought. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to look for,¡± she admitted. ¡°Do you have any advice?¡±


    ¡°Hm. Well, I¡¯m out to widen my type coverage personally. I¡¯ve already got my Torchic and a Poochyena,¡± May said, counting off on her fingers. ¡°So I¡¯m thinking of getting one or two Water types, a Grass, and maybe a Flying type.¡±


    ¡°You have a Poochyena?¡± Astra asked, surprised. Did she already have it during their battle?


    ¡°Yeah, I got her on the way to Petalburg,¡± May confirmed. ¡°She¡¯s a real goofball, and someday she¡¯ll be a giant fanged wrecking ball! I can¡¯t wait!¡±


    ¡°R-right¡­¡± Astra mumbled, looking away. She had vaguely hoped she¡¯d never have to see one of those dogs again. Like most of the villagers, she was rather unnerved by Poochyena¡ªterrified, even. They were completely immune to even the most powerful Kirlia¡¯s psychic abilities and had a tendency to hunt down villagers for food. They couldn¡¯t even hear anything you said unless you spoke aloud, and the only thing a Poochyena would ever hear that way would be a scream.


    ¡°I only have Treecko right now,¡± she said, getting back on track. ¡°What did you mean by type coverage?¡±


    ¡°You really came into this blind, didn¡¯t you?¡± May sighed. ¡°Uh, well, Pokemon come in about¡­seventeen types? There¡¯s, Fire, Water, Grass, Flying, Psychic¡ª"


    ¡°Psychic?¡± Astra asked, taken aback. She was psychic; did that apply to her? Did she have a type? When did that happen!?


    ¡°Haven¡¯t heard of them?¡± May asked, amused. ¡°Psychics are kinda weird. They move things around with their mind, teleport from place to place, fire balls of energy and mess with their enemies¡¯ heads.¡±


    Astra stared at May in betrayal. She wasn¡¯t weird! ¡°What¡¯s so important about types anyway?¡± she asked with a trace of a huff.


    May raised an eyebrow, but didn¡¯t comment. She tapped her chin in thought. ¡°It¡¯s kinda like rock paper scissors. You know, rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper, paper beats rock, yeah?¡±


    Astra didn¡¯t know, in fact. How did paper beat rock? What were scissors? ¡°Sure,¡± she lied. ¡°So it¡¯s like that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, some Pokemon just have an inborn advantage over other types. Like when we fought? Your Treecko is a Grass type and my Torchic is a Fire type, and Grass is weak to Fire. So when Torchic hit Treecko with an Ember, boom!¡± May mimed an explosion with her hands, ¡°Fight over. There¡¯s this whole chart that explains it but hell if I can remember it all.¡±


    So everyone had a type, and every type was weak or strong against something. This was more complicated than Astra had thought. ¡°So you want to have a lot of different types to cover every weakness?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the idea.¡±


    ¡°Does everything have a type?¡± she asked.


    May nodded. ¡°Mhmm. Some even have two.¡±


    Did it work like that for humans as well? Astra gave May a considering look. ¡°Do you have a type?¡±


    May stared at Astra in wide eyed shock before her face scrunched up and she doubled over, bursting into laughter. ¡°Astra oh my god.¡±


    Oh no, what did she do wrong this time!? It was just a simple question! ¡°What? What¡¯d I do?¡± she asked with alarm.


    ¡°You just¡ªyou don¡¯t know!¡± she gasped, still reeling. ¡°You just spat out the cheesiest, most cornball pick up line in history like it was nothing. Oh, oh my sides. That couldn¡¯t have been more perfect if you tried!¡±


    Astra blinked, confused. ¡°Pickup line¡­?¡±


    ¡°Hah, you know! Some stupid one liner idiots say to try to flirt with girls.¡± May¡¯s grin gained a gleeful edge. ¡°Or maybe you already knew?¡±


    Astra turned completely red as she realized what May was getting at. ¡°I¡ªthat was¡ªI was¡ªno!¡± she burst out, flailing her arms wildly. ¡°No, no! I wasn''t! No!¡±


    ¡°Oh Astra,¡± May gasped out, acting shocked. ¡°I had no idea you felt that way!¡±


    ¡°May, no!¡±


    ¡°A heartfelt confession? I hadn¡¯t thought you so bold! How could I possibly decline?¡± May swooned.


    ¡°Aaaagh!¡± Astra cried out, burying her face in her hands. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that!¡±


    ¡°Pfft, yeah, I know.¡± May chuckled one last time, patting Astra on the back. ¡°I¡¯m just messin¡¯ with you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re impossible.¡±


    ¡°You know you love me!¡± May said, eliciting a flat stare. ¡°Hehe. Anyway, people don¡¯t have types¡ªnot like Pokemon, at least. Wouldn¡¯t that be cool, though? I could be a Flying type and soar up to the clouds, or be a psychic and teleport everywhere instead of walking!¡±


    Astra felt a bit of pity at that. Every adult back in the village enjoyed teleporting to some extent; it made transporting water or wood easier, and you were never more than a quick flash from your favorite hangout spot. Not walking anywhere was completely ludicrous, though; even the best couldn¡¯t teleport that frequently.


    ¡°Teleporting sounds nice,¡± she agreed. Even if May never got to experience it, Astra was very much looking forward to learning.


    May hummed. After a moment, she reiterated an earlier question, ¡°So, any idea what you¡¯re gonna capture now?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Astra said, thinking aloud, ¡°I¡¯m still not sure. I don¡¯t know much about what¡¯s out there, so I suppose I¡¯ll just do what you¡¯re doing and work it out as I go.¡±


    ¡°Winging it? Sweet, that¡¯s always a fun time.¡± May grinned. ¡°Hope it goes better than last time I tried it.¡±


    Astra glanced at her curiously. ¡°What happened last time?¡±


    ¡°Threw a guy off a bridge.¡±


    ¡°You¡ªwhat!?¡±


    May whistled innocently, completely ignoring her baffled companion.


    ¡°May, what do you mean threw off a bridge? May? May!¡±


    <hr>


    An hour or so later found them walking in silence, May in good spirits and Astra fuming at May¡¯s stubborn refusal to elaborate. They had long ago left Petalburg itself behind; the winding trail of Route 104 stretched far ahead, bristling with possibilities.


    ¡°So,¡± May sounded out, breaking the silence. ¡°What exactly is in that case you have there?¡±


    ¡°The¡ªoh!¡± Astra reached backwards, fetching her instrument. ¡°It¡¯s a violin.¡±


    May looked at Astra, askance. ¡°A violin? Didn¡¯t you say you lived in the woods? Where did you get a violin? Why do you have a violin?¡±


    ¡°It was before I went to the gym,¡± Astra explained, opening the case. The polished wood of the instrument gleamed in the sunlight. ¡°I came across an elderly man named Trevor who was performing on the sidewalk. I listened to him play and he offered to teach me a little bit, and I was so quick at learning that he let me keep it.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ are you screwing with me?¡± May asked, completely confused. ¡°Who just gives away a violin? And¡ªwait, are you telling me you learned how to play in just one day?¡±


    Astra frowned. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m lying?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡ªwell, I don¡¯t know! I thought it took like, years to learn that sort of thing.¡±


    Lifting the violin out of its case, Astra stored the box back in her back and balanced the instrument on her shoulder, bow in hand. ¡°I can prove it, if you¡¯re so skeptical,¡± she challenged.


    ¡°Oh, I gotta see this. Go ahead.¡±


    Tugging her mask into place, Astra pulled her sleeves back, layering the image of human hands over her own. She paused, considering. What to play, what to play¡­


    A movement of her arm and mind in concert, and a series of chords began to sing through the air. Evoking adventure, a new day to see, a new road yet traveled; wonder and mystery as well! Of course, she didn¡¯t hit the strings quite right a few times, and walking while playing was doing her no favors¡­still, even if it was simple, it mimicked what she heard in her mind well enough.


    May looked suitably impressed. ¡°Wow, way to prove me wrong,¡± she remarked, listening intently. ¡°This is pretty good!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I absolutely agree!¡± said a voice. Both trainers blinked, the performance guttering out. In front of them stood a woman in a green sundress and a wide-brimmed hat, looking out from under the shade of a parasol. She smiled at them, applauding softly. ¡°I must say, you are a splendid player. Well done!¡±


    ¡°Uh. Thank you?¡± Astra replied, uncertain. Who was this?


    ¡°You are very welcome! Ah, but let me introduce myself,¡± the woman said, giving a small bow, ¡°My name is Cindy. I practice Pokemon training in my spare time, and I am out today to give my dearest pet some exercise. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.¡±


    Ah, a fellow trainer like Rick. She knew where this was going. ¡°I see. My name is Astra!¡±


    ¡°Name¡¯s May. You said you were looking to fight?¡± Anticipation was laced into every word of May¡¯s sentence.


    ¡°Oh yes. But my word; two trainers at once? This must be fate! It is unfortunate, then, that I do not have enough Pokemon for a double battle.¡± Cindy hummed. ¡°In that case, I think I can only fight one of you. Astra, was it? I would request that you face me.¡±


    She was challenging her? Well, she was more than happy to oblige. ¡°You¡¯re on!¡± Astra exclaimed, grinning.


    May grumbled as she moved off to the side, disappointment evident on her face. ¡°Kick her ass, Astra!¡±


    Astra nodded as she and Cindy moved opposite one another. Holding bow and violin in one hand, the Ralts reached back with her free one to grab Treecko¡¯s pokeball. Cindy looked on with a glint in her eye, retrieving her own ball from the basket.


    ¡°Come on out, my darling!¡± she cried, tossing her ball into the air. A Zigzagoon burst into existence, yipping happily and running around its owners legs.


    Astra followed suit, Treecko materializing in a flash. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Treecko!¡± Her Pokemon crouched low, observing as his opponent settled into its own lowered stance.


    ¡°Oh my, what a cute creature!¡± Cindy exclaimed. ¡°Ah, but it is no match for my darling. Use Headbutt!¡± she declared, brandishing her parasol forward.


    Astra felt a smile creep along her face as the battle truly began. Anticipation, like lightning, coursed through her body as she connected with Treecko. ¡°Side step and tackle,¡± she ordered, tapping her foot.


    Treecko nimbly darted to the side at the last second as his opponent charged, Zigzagoon passing by so closely that his ankle brushed up against his foes'' fur. A moment later Treecko¡¯s shoulder impacted Zigzagoon with a mighty crash, knocking it to the ground. The striped Pokemon thrashed wildly, forcing Treecko to back away as it recovered and growled at him.


    And so the fight continued on. Astra¡¯s hands shook gently as she sent out orders and snatched strategy from thin air. This energy, this burning focus¡ªAstra loved every minute. Split-second decisions that could decide the course of a fight, the thrill when her small plans worked, the feeling of frustration when Zigzagoon got a hit in; there was nothing else like it. This feeling, this moment, she needed to¡­needed to...


    Without thinking about it, she returned the bow to her free hand and strummed its length across the strings of her violin. It started sharp, dozens of tiny notes flowing directly into a bombastic introduction, leading into a theme of conquest and battle! It sang freely, tales of victory and drama told equal in measure. Yes, it said: this is your moment; let your heart beat freely, for this is where your tale shall be told!


    Treecko, seemingly bolstered by the melody, dodged yet another wild charge from Zigzagoon, raking a glowing green palm across his opponent''s side. Zigzagoon howled as its energy was drained.


    Cindy grimaced, eyes wide as she searched for a way to save her beloved pet. ¡°Sand attack!¡± she commanded.


    Her Zigzagoon spun madly, clawing up a great deal of dirt and sand and hurling it towards Treecko in a huge cloud. Treecko braced himself, covering his eyes with his arms, but the fine grains slipped through his meager guard regardless. He cried out as the debris scraped across his eyes, blinding him.


    ¡°Now headbutt once more, while he cannot see!¡± Cindy exclaimed, voice exultant in her small victory


    Astra grinned, and sent Treecko her own vision of the battlefield. ¡°Absorb,¡± she ordered, raising the tempo of her song to a fever pitch.


    No longer sightless, Treecko jumped backwards into the air, Zigzagoon missing him completely. Flipping through the air, he landed upon his foe¡¯s back and dug glowing fingers into his side. Zigzagoon screeched as it felt the last of its energy being drained away, staggered forward, and finally collapsed upon the ground.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    May applauded from the sidelines. ¡°Hell yeah!¡± she cheered, walking over and clapping Astra on the back. ¡°That¡¯s how you do it!¡±


    Astra rubbed the back of her head, grinning. ¡°Thanks!¡± Treecko ran up to her and she rubbed the top of his head. ¡°Good work!¡±


    Cindy sighed in disappointment as she recalled her Zigzagoon. ¡°Well done. I must say, you are quite a unique trainer. That musical accompaniment was extraordinary; if only all of my battles could be that dramatic. Tell me,¡± she continued, ¡°Were you perhaps directing your Pokemon through that music? I could not hear you issue any commands at all.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Seeing Astra freeze up, Cindy smiled. ¡°Oh? Perhaps that is your secret technique? That is okay, you do not need to share it with me. I am merely a passing acquaintance, after all.¡±


    ¡°Are we done here?¡± May asked, tapping her foot. ¡°I¡¯d like to at least get to the woods today.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Cindy held out her pokedex and transferred Astra¡¯s winnings over. ¡°Do you plan to take up the violin professionally? I would love to attend a performance. I believe there is a musical contest in Slateport in a couple weeks, wIll you be there?¡±


    Astra looked at May, who shrugged, irritated. ¡°I just got here like, not even a week ago. Don¡¯t ask me.¡±


    She turned back to Cindy. ¡°It¡¯s the first I¡¯ve heard about it. I¡¯m not sure. If we ever go there I¡¯ll look into it, but I¡¯m focused on becoming the Champion right now.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I hope you will consider it; I feel that you would do admirably.¡± Cindy bowed once more and walked past them, heading towards Petalburg. ¡°I wish both of you a good day. Farewell!¡±


    ¡°Goodbye!¡± Astra said, waving. May grunted by her side, already starting to move.


    ¡°Using music to command your Pokemon, eh?¡± she asked as they began to move along the trail again. ¡°It was decent, but you just got that thing yesterday, right? There¡¯s no way you trained your Treecko to do that sort of thing that fast.¡± Her eyes narrowed as a suspicious frown crossed her face. ¡°Plus, you didn¡¯t even have it out when you were fighting me and Brendan, and both here and there I never heard you tell your Pokemon what to do. So, what gives?¡±


    It was a tricky question. How does one command Pokemon without saying anything? The real answer was, of course, telepathy¡ªbut revealing that would be a horrible decision, so she had to come up with a convincing lie. Luckily, having been asked this a few times, she had come up with a good answer.


    ¡°I can throw my voice.¡±


    ¡°You can¡­ throw your voice?¡± May repeated, skeptically. ¡°What, like a¡ªlike one of those guys with the puppets?¡±


    ¡°A¡­ what? No. Or, um. Maybe?¡± Astra shook her head. ¡°I actually do tell my Pokemon what to do, but I can make it so that only they can hear it,¡± she explained. ¡°It¡¯s really hard, but it lets me not worry about my opponent planning around my commands until it¡¯s too late.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± May blinked. ¡°That¡ªthat¡¯s pretty cool, actually. How does it work?¡±


    Telepathy wasn¡¯t true speech, of course; sound did not travel over the air when she talked, but if she made a slight adjustment...


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret~!¡± she said, making her ¡®voice¡¯ come from the opposite side of May in a quiet whisper.


    May yelped, swinging her fist through the empty air behind her. She gaped at nothing as Astra giggled, then whirled back around. ¡°Oh fuck you!¡± she spat, giving her amused companion a light shove. ¡°That was creepy as shit!¡±


    ¡°The look on your face! Hehehe!¡± May shook her head as Astra continued to laugh.


    ¡°God damn,¡± she grumbled for a moment, but her face brightened up quickly. ¡°I bet you could just make people freak the hell out whenever you wanted, huh?¡± May poked Astra, grinning. ¡°Imagine you see some guy sitting at a table; you could just whisper some ominous bull at him like, ¡®The Dark Hour cometh!¡¯ and watch him panic.¡±


    ¡°Aah, that seems mean. But yes, I could!¡±


    ¡°Hah! We gotta try it on Brendan next time we see him.¡±


    Astra tilted her head. ¡°You really like messing with him, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± May coughed, and looked away. ¡°He just makes it so easy, is all.¡± She said, waving Astra off. ¡°Don¡¯t get any weird ideas.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What weird ideas am I not supposed to be having, eh~?¡±


    May glared at her. ¡°Fuck off.¡±


    Astra just laughed.


    <hr>


    They came across two more trainers in the next couple hours, both of whom May fought. Astra stood off to the side and performed on her violin, but the pieces were often cut short; May wasn¡¯t wasting any time today. Both Torchic and Poochyena made short work of any challengers.


    It was also the first time Astra had seen the dog. It had circled around her, sniffing for a few moments before growling. Astra had backed away as May whapped it on the head, scolding the Poochyena harshly. After that, it mostly ignored her, instead focusing on chasing Treecko around in an animalistic version of tag.


    Astra, for her part, took down the few wild Pokemon that had jumped out of the bushes, most of which had been Zigzagoons and Wurmples.


    ¡°What makes them just attack people out of nowhere like that?¡± Astra asked once, Treecko resting on her shoulder after beating an aggressive Wurmple into the dust.


    ¡°Nngh, Brendan would probably know more about that kind of stuff than I do,¡± May admitted. ¡°I think they just want to get stronger? Or maybe it¡¯s a territory thing. Tch, I wish something cool pops up soon; I want a full roster, damn it!¡±


    Eventually the trees surrounding the well-traveled path became sparser and sparser, and before they knew it they emerged into an open field, a beach spreading across the horizon to their left. The ocean sparkled like a gemstone, the waves scattering sunlight across the air.


    Astra stared at it in wonder. There had always been the ocean to the south of her home, but it was very far away, and consisted of a precarious cliffside that was too dangerous for Ralts like her. It was beautiful! Was that sand? She had never seen so much in one place before. There was also what appeared to be a large platform made of wood extending over the water at the far end. A¡­pier. It was called a pier. There was a large boat chained up to it.


    ¡°I wonder if I could catch anything good in the ocean,¡± May mused from her side. ¡°I think I see a couple trainers down there too! C¡¯mon Astra, let¡¯s hit the beach!¡±


    Astra nodded, grinning. She had never been to a beach before! They found a set of stairs nearby, which May descended at speed. She raced ahead, kicking up a small cloud as she dashed across the sand. ¡°Hell yeah!¡± she cheered, spinning in a circle. ¡°Feels just like Olivine! Come on,¡± she looked toward Astra, who hadn¡¯t made it down yet.


    Astra went to join her, took one step onto the beach, and fell flat on her own face when her leg sank straight into the depths. She lifted herself off the sand, sputtering as it clung stubbornly to her cloak. In the distance, she could hear May laughing at her misfortune.


    Scowling, she pushed herself up, but paused as her leg sunk into the sand yet again. She glanced at May, confused. Why¡­? Oh, she thought, staring at May¡¯s shoes. Astra didn¡¯t have any feet to speak of; the ends of her legs tapered down into a small nub that she walked on. So if she walked normally, her legs would just pierce into the loose sand like a spear. Okay, she could deal with this, just had to hold the sand together¡­ She stood up after a few false starts, then took off at a wobbly hobble across the sands, making the sand under her compress just enough to walk on.


    May stood at the edge of the ocean, gazing across the water. ¡°Have a nice fall?¡± she asked as Astra closed the distance.


    ¡°Fantastic,¡± Astra replied, brushing stubborn grains out of her robe without much success. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m going to have sand in my face forever.¡±


    ¡°Sucks to be you,¡± May teased, still scanning the sea. ¡°Hm. I think I see movement out there. Well!¡± she exclaimed, dropping her pack and rooting around inside. ¡°I said I needed a water Pokemon, what better place to look than the ocean!¡± A moment later she found what she had been looking for, pulling out a rather battered-looking fishing rod.


    ¡°You¡¯re going fishing?¡± Astra asked, inspecting the rod as May practiced throwing it. She was more familiar with the ¡®jam a spear directly into the fish¡¯s soft, delicious flesh¡¯ method, but that wasn¡¯t the most conducive for live catches, she supposed. ¡°I guess I could do with a break. Don¡¯t you need bait for that?¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± May replied, casting the line deep into the ocean. The bobber wobbled on the surface, riding the small waves. ¡°The ball on the hook works like bait. It came with the rod.¡±


    They watched the bobber bob. ¡°Where did you get this thing?¡±


    ¡°Oh, someone abandoned it next to a river back on 103.¡± May shrugged. ¡°Dunno why, it still works okay.¡±


    Astra hummed, settling on the shore. Sitting back, she enjoyed the warmth of the sun radiating across her robes, resting her feet upon the sand. It was nice to sit back for a little while. May joined her after a few moments, nothing immediately biting at her hook. The wind blew softly, smelling of salt and brine. The sound of gentle waves was only interrupted by far off caws of wild Wingull.


    She was just beginning to fall asleep when May¡¯s line went taut. ¡°Hah, caught something!¡± she yelled, suddenly on her feet and dragging the old rod backwards. The line swung back and forth wildly out in the water, but May¡¯s persistence and strength were gradually forcing it towards land.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s see what you¡¯re made of!¡± she shouted, yanking the pole back with an almighty pull. The water¡¯s surface broke open, a small blue shape shooting out of the ocean and landing on the shore. The creature¡¯s body was similar to a giant blue upside-down egg, with something like a cape covering its back and sides. Three red orbs were embedded within its head, two large ones taking up the left and right sides, with a smaller one between its eyes.


    Said eyes were glaring at them angrily, its two tentacles raised up in defense as it spat out the fishing rod¡¯s hook. ¡°Tenta tentacool!¡± it chittered.


    ¡°A Tentacool?¡± May¡¯s face fell. ¡°I was hoping for something a bit more exciting than that.¡±


    Astra looked up from her pokedex, having scanned the creature when it appeared. Apparently the thing was poisonous. Wait, hadn¡¯t they eaten some at that sushi place? How had they dealt with the toxins? ¡°Are you going to try again?¡±


    Shaking her head, May grabbed a pokeball and tossed it out. ¡°Nah, it¡¯s fine; I don¡¯t want to spend all day fishing. ¡®Sides, just because it¡¯s common doesn¡¯t mean it can¡¯t be awesome. Time to get a new party member! Go, Poochyena!¡±


    May¡¯s Poochyena materialized in a flash, the dog instantly sighting its opponent. ¡°Yena¡­¡± he growled, crouching low. The Tentacool splashed the water with its tentacles, as if daring the dog to step forth.


    ¡°Alright Poochyena, Bite that sucker, full speed!¡±


    Poochyena shot off, the water violently parting in his wake. The Tentacool¡¯s eyes gleamed, its tentacles glowing a sickly purple. As the dog closed in, the Tentacool lashed out, both tentacles striking its opponent with painful, poisonous impacts.


    Yet Poochyena was undeterred. WIth a mighty bark, it leapt forward and clamped its jaws on the Tentacool¡¯s head. The gelatinous creature screamed, tendrils wrapping around the dog and squeezing. Poochyena whined, but its jaws held firm. The Tentacool¡¯s head bled fiercely, the water becoming stained a crimson hue as it struggled.


    ¡°One more time, give it all you got!¡± May shouted. ¡°Bite!¡±


    Poochyena redoubled its efforts, and dug its teeth ever deeper into his opponent¡¯s head. The Tentacool¡¯s screech intensified as the pain became too much, loosening its hold in shock. Utilizing its new freedom, Poochyena slipped out of the constricting hold and began to shake the Tentacool like a ragdoll.


    ¡°Right, Poochyena, let go!¡± May commanded, readying a pokeball. WIth a sharp jerk Poochyena released its prey, and the Tentacool went flying, impacting the shallows with a wet plop. The Pokemon shakily rose up, bleeding profusely and in great pain, but still it refused to back down. The fire in its eyes had yet to flicker, preparing itself to enter the fray yet again even as May¡¯s pokeball struck it dead center.


    It dissolved into red light, the pokeball capturing the light with a click as it fell into the shallows. It shook once, twice, thrice¡­ May grinned as a small chime sang through the air.


    ¡°Persistent little fucker, aren¡¯t you?¡± she said, picking up the newly-filled pokeball. She spun it on her finger, smiling. ¡°Welcome to the team, squidface.¡±


    ¡°Congratulations!¡± said Astra. She looked at May as she started to fuss over Poochyena, a small frown crossing her face as she considered the scene. May already had two more Pokemon than she did; she would have to find some more of her own if she wanted to keep up. A Zigzagoon or Wurmple didn¡¯t appeal to her in any capacity. As for a Poochyena¡­personal distaste aside, she sincerely doubted that was possible, seeing as they nullified all psychic activity. Which was her only method to communicate.


    She sighed, brushing the sand from her robes as she stood. Nothing for it but to keep her eyes peeled. Something would turn up eventually. ¡°Hey May,¡± she called out. ¡°Do you wanna pick a fight with those trainers down the beach?¡±


    May just grinned as she came back ashore, shaking excess water off her shoes. ¡°Do you even need to ask?¡±


    Astra shook her head, amused. The two of them continued down the beach, a fierce debate on who got to fight first filling the air.


    <hr>


    A few hours and several thoroughly humiliated trainers later, the two friends had returned to the well-worn trail, and now peered at the skyline as the sun hovered over the horizon.


    ¡°Gonna be dusk soon, we¡¯ll want to stop for the night,¡± Astra commented.


    May grunted, poking at her pokedex. ¡°Why did they even make a map this shitty?¡± she groused, snapping it closed and tossing it into her pack. ¡°I think the woods are just up ahead. Let¡¯s at least reach the entrance before we stop.¡±


    ¡°Fine by me.¡±


    They walked in silence for a time; May gazing at the sky and Astra carefully searching her surroundings. Surely there must be an interesting Pokemon hiding somewhere around here? She didn¡¯t want to end the day empty-handed, but it was becoming increasingly likely she would have to as the evening wore on. A sudden onrush of densely packed trees and tall grasses appeared in the distance, the path forwards becoming increasingly more rough.


    May brightened up at the sight. ¡°There it is! We¡¯ll get closer to the boundary and set up camp offroad.¡±


    Astra nodded despondently. ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    May turned to look at her, frowning. ¡°You doing okay? Sounding kinda sad there.¡±


    She sighed. ¡°I dunno. It¡¯s just, you¡¯ve caught two more Pokemon than me. I feel like I¡¯m falling behind, you know? I¡¯ve been looking all day, but I haven¡¯t seen anything interesting to catch either¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, don¡¯t worry about it!¡± May patted Astra¡¯s head, smiling. ¡°There¡¯s probably a shitton of Pokemon in the forest. You¡¯ll be swarmed by options before you know it!¡±


    Astra shot her a sour look, shaking May¡¯s hand from her hat. ¡°Mmm,¡± she hummed, disgruntled.


    Something to the side caught Astra¡¯s eye. A few berry bushes stood among the underbrush, their pink leaves gently ruffling in the breeze. Tiny, brightly-colored red and yellow fruits hung from the branches. Leppa berries!? These were very rare! Capable of curing psychic fatigue, they were in high demand and hard to get¡ªor at least they were around her section of forest. Yet here they were, sitting in the open for anyone to snag.


    ¡°One minute,¡± Astra said, rushing toward the precious fruit. ¡°I want to grab a few of these.¡±


    ¡°Leppa berries?¡± May asked, noticing the bushes. ¡°Good idea. We¡¯ll be fighting our way through the forest all day tomorrow, our Pokemon will need those to keep going.¡±


    Grabbing her knife, Astra cut a berry from its stem¡ªonly for something to pop right out of the bush right after it. They both froze for a moment before the creature caught sight of the berry in Astra¡¯s hand and narrowed its eyes. It roared, rocketing out of the bush and knocking Astra aside, careening into the trail. It held its prize aloft in triumph. ¡°Marill!¡±


    Scrambling to her feet, Astra quickly brought Treecko¡¯s pokeball to bear, calling her companion to the field as she examined her attacker. Its body was naught more than a great blue sphere with a white belly, four limbs even nubbier than her own serving to keep it in a bipedal stance. It sported a wire-like jagged black tail with a large blue ball attached to the end of it, and atop its head were two giant round ears.


    ¡°You just got knocked on your ass by a Marill¡± May crowed, her snickering like tiny needles in Astra¡¯s ego. ¡°You were all like ¡®Wah!¡¯¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    The Marill had finished its ill-gotten berry, and was now side-eyeing Treecko as it licked its hand. Astra considered the blue rodent in turn; could this be the opportunity she sought? Though she had never personally met one of their kind before, some of the Kirlia that patrolled the forests had occasionally told tales of the creatures; their surprising strength and constitution at the forefront of discussion as they nursed dark bruises.


    She grinned to herself. Time to make a new friend. ¡°Alright Treecko; bring that berry thief down! Tackle!¡± Treecko leapt forwards, closing the distance with rapid, hopping steps.


    The Marill hissed, tail twitching. ¡°Maaaar¡ª" it said, wrapping its tail around its round belly like a belt. ¡°¡ªrill!¡± it screamed, spinning rapidly; its jagged tail extended to full length as it unwound, the ball on the end hurtling through the air like a wrecking ball. Treecko¡¯s eyes widened at the sight, then comically bulged as it cannoned into his side at full force. Astra winced as her Pokemon went flying backwards, scraping across the rough dirt.


    Treecko rolled for a moment before regaining control of his body, crouching as he came to a stop. He held his side, and Astra felt the pain through their telepathic bond; a few more of those and Treecko would be done for. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Tree,¡± he growled. Determination.


    ¡°Heh. Right, time to get serious. Close in!¡±


    Treecko darted forth once more, eating ground rapidly. The Marill swelled up in response, enlarging itself to an enormous size before leaning forward and unleashing a jet of water directly at its opponent. He was undaunted however; bracing himself, Treecko hit the torrent head-on. Even slowed, he did not stop moving, advancing step by step as the attack scraped at his skin.


    Inexorably, the Marill¡¯s stamina ran out and the Water Gun dropped as the rotund Pokemon was left wanting for air. Instead, all it received was a glimpse of Treecko an instant before his tail slammed it to the ground.


    Drain!


    Spiky tendrils emerged from Treeckos hand at the command, and the Marill screeched as thick streams of green energy were torn from its body. It thrashed wildly, tail swinging like a demented flail. Treecko grunted as the blue ball crashed into his side again, sending him reeling backwards. The Marill recovered swiftly, its tail smacking the ground rapidly.


    ¡°Marill MARILL!¡± it shouted, wrapping its tail around its body once more.


    May hissed as Treecko shook off the impact. ¡°Ooh, you pissed it off!¡±


    Astra shook her head. ¡°Almost got it, just a little more. Treecko, rebound!¡±


    Treecko¡¯s eyes lit up, and he readied himself, digging his feet into the earth and crouching low. The Marill finished winding up and spun, its improvised flail hurtling at Treecko with massive force.


    Braced, Treecko faced the oncoming sphere head-on and seized the limb from out of the air even as it drove itself directly into his torso. The sheer force of the impact drove him back several feet yet he stood firm; a wheeze of pain was the only indication that it had effected him at all.


    ¡°Marill!?¡± the blue Pokemon cried, wobbling erratically as its center of balance was upended. It tugged at its tail, but Treecko refused to let go. ¡°Mar-marill!¡± Its pulling became frantic as Treecko took one step backwards, two steps, three¡ª


    ¡°Now!¡±


    Spinning in place, Treecko simultaneously released the Marill¡¯s ball and hammered it with his own tail in time with its tugging. The Marill had just enough time to look absolutely flabbergasted before its own tail impacted its face like a meteor.


    It teetered for a moment, big blue ball stuck in its face, before slowly falling backwards, dislodging the sphere with a comical pop. ¡°M-ma...rill¡­¡±


    A second orb struck its prone form and it dissolved into red light; the pokeball absorbing Marill and hitting the ground with a soft clink as it clamped shut. It wobbled¡ªonce, twice, thrice¡­


    And with a sharp click, it was over. Sighing in relief, Astra recalled her exhausted Treecko and retrieved her new Marill, smiling at the little pokeball it was contained within. ¡°Welcome to the team.¡±


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± May said, applauding. ¡°That was the best thing I¡¯ve ever seen. Did you see its face when it got hit by its own tail? That was priceless!¡± She laughed, giving Astra a thumbs up. ¡°Congrats on the Marill!¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Astra shrank the pokeball and tucked it into her pack. ¡°Let¡¯s go find a good spot to set up. I¡¯m getting hungry.¡±


    <hr>


    Fifteen minutes later, they both stood in a clearing. As the one who knew the most about living outdoors, Astra told May to work on starting a fire while she left to go gather materials to create a shelter for the night.


    ¡°Eh?¡± May asked as Astra made to leave. ¡°Do you need to do that? What about our bedrolls?¡±


    ¡°Our what?¡± Astra asked in return.


    May facepalmed, ending the argument.


    Astra gathered several long branches covered in leaves. Quickly fashioning temporary ropes from tall, interwoven grasses, she located the biggest tree nearby and set up a tent, tightly fastening every branch to each other and covering the gaps with a thick layer of greenery, with soft grasses spread inside as bedding. She looked upon her work with a smile. Neither wind nor rain would knock this thing down! It was even big enough for two.


    Wiping her brow, she turned back to the clearing whereupon instead of a crackling blaze she found May vigorously swearing at an excessively large stack of logs. Astra squinted in disbelief; she¡¯d been working on the tent for half an hour now, there should already be water boiling!


    Peering over her companions shoulder, her eyes boggled as she saw May cradling an exhausted Torchic. The logs looked rather scorched but not much else. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to get this fucking thing to light up, but it¡¯s. Not. Working!¡± She punctuated her last words by punching the wood, then swore again, clutching at her hand.


    Astra gaped at this. ¡°You¡ªno! You¡¯re supposed to¡ªwhy are you trying to set fire to a log!?¡±


    May scowled. ¡°Fires are supposed to be made from logs; that¡¯s how they always look!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how to make a fire?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never had to. Besides, I have Torchic, this should have been easy!¡± Torchic warbled sadly in her lap. May winced. ¡°No, no it¡¯s not you, I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s the stupid wood.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say. You¡¯re supposed to start with twigs and grass, not¡­that.¡± Astra eyed the wood pile. Half of them looked damp; even disregarding the inefficiency, no wonder it hadn¡¯t worked. She sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll go grab some starter.¡±


    Ten minutes later, she had gathered a pile of dry grass and wood shavings and snapped a stick in half. Carefully carving a hole into one, she lined it with the finest shards of wood and inserted the other stick into the hole. ¡°Now,¡± she instructed May, who was watching, ¡°Place the stick between your hands, push downward and turn it back and forth really fast.¡±


    ¡°Right, right, I¡¯ve seen this.¡± she muttered, focusing on the two sticks. Slowly, but with increasing speed, the stick revolved inside the hole. Soon smoke began to form and May gasped. ¡°It¡¯s working!¡±


    ¡°Keep going; don¡¯t let up or it won¡¯t last long enough. You¡¯ve got this!¡±


    When the ember was sufficiently hot, May took the burning stick and jammed in a small pile of kindling. Nothing happened at first, but then slowly smoke began to rise, and a bright glow began to snake throughout the shavings. Twigs were added, sticks, a branch-


    ¡°HEEEELL YEEEEAAAAH!¡± May shouted in triumph, the flames crackling merrily upon her logs. ¡°Look at this shit! I made fire! It¡¯s amazing!¡± she cheered, punching the air. ¡°I am a primal force of destruction! Fear me, for I am a blazing goddess!¡±


    Astra quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Let¡¯s not get too carried away.¡±


    May chucked and sat down, warming herself in the flickering light. Astra scooted closer as well. They both stared at the flames as a true night sky twinkled up above.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± May said, ¡°For showing me how to do this. I¡¯ve never really had the opportunity to try. Heh, is this what it¡¯s like for you? Out of your depth all the time?¡±


    ¡°Mmm, yes. I don¡¯t know a lot about city life. Bikes, sushi, elevators, the shower! All of it was so unfamiliar. It¡¯s a little scary,¡± she admitted. ¡°Being surrounded with things you don¡¯t know anything about and can¡¯t understand; but¡­it¡¯s exciting too, because it¡¯s new.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, all this, what we did right here? That was fun! I¡¯ve never really had an outdoorsy experience before. My mom was more into beauty salons and TV. I mean, she¡¯s nice and supportive and shit, but she didn¡¯t really know much about this type of thing.¡± May sighed, poking at the fire. ¡°I just wish that¡ªthat I¡ªwhy didn¡¯t¡ª" she struggled with her words for a moment before slumping. ¡°I wish I could have done this sooner.¡±


    They sat in silence yet again, before she turned back to Astra. ¡°Still, now that I¡¯m out here, I¡¯m glad I could do it with you.¡±


    They both smiled at each other, the warmth of the fire chasing away the dark.


    A loud whine from their stomachs interrupted the moment. May shot Astra a sheepish look. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you know how to cook, too?¡±


    Astra groaned, head falling into her hands. It was going to be a long night.

 Spark

    <div>


    <hr>


    May glared into the water of the pond, frustration writ across her face.


    ¡°Okay, listen to me. I know you want to get stronger. I want you to get stronger. You getting stronger helps me, it helps you, there¡¯s no downside,¡± she said, pacing across the shore. Pausing, she turned to the water. ¡°I can help you. It¡¯s my job. But in order to do that, I need you to do what I say. Are we clear?¡±


    From the surface of the lake, May¡¯s Tentacool bubbled quietly. She stared him in the eye, nodding after a moment.


    ¡°Right then; one more time, from the top.¡± She turned and pointed at a log she had set up earlier. ¡°Hit that log with a Water Gun!¡±


    A splash of pond-water impacted May¡¯s face and dribbled down her front, leaving a slightly scummy trail of dampened cloth. Tentacool lowered his tentacle in quiet glee as May¡¯s teeth grit together, eyes twitching. From the side, Astra burst out into laughter.


    ¡°Oh don¡¯t you start with this shit too!¡± she yelled, rounding on her companion. ¡°It¡¯s bad enough that this prick won¡¯t listen to me!¡±


    Astra stifled another giggle, kicking her legs idly from atop a stump. ¡°It¡¯s just really funny seeing you get splashed in the face like that. Are you sure that¡¯s the best way to go about it, though?¡±


    ¡°Tch, what do you mean by that?¡± May asked, wringing out her shirt. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m going to get algae stains.¡±


    ¡°I dunno.¡± She gazed around the clearing thoughtfully. They had entered the forest shortly after dawn and May had spotted it in the distance after half an hour, through a small break in the trees. It was, as May declared, ¡®A perfect place to train our new captures!¡¯ Astra had yet to let out Marill, wanting to examine how May trained her Pokemon. So far it just seemed to result in frustration and wet clothes.


    ¡°Hm. Maybe try to ask Tentacool nicely?¡± she suggested, glancing at the floating creature. She didn¡¯t even have to use her empathy to tell he was stressed; the constant twitching and flexing of his tentacles were more than enough. ¡°You¡¯re being a bit forceful; I don¡¯t think he likes it too much.¡±


    May squinted at Astra, shaking the last few droplets from her hair. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly going to have time to be polite in the middle of a fight, Astra.¡±


    ¡°Well yeah, but you¡¯re not in a fight right now,¡± she retorted. ¡°Start off nice and, I dunno, he¡¯ll get used to being bossed around? Unless you¡¯re that big a fan of getting soaked, I mean.¡±


    ¡°Tch, I¡¯ll soak you, see how you like it,¡± May grumbled, a light scowl on her face. Sighing, she turned back to her Tentacool, crouching to his level.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she started, shifting to a kneel. ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry for going all drill sergeant on you. What¡¯s say we try again, with less shouting?¡±


    Tentacool observed the girl for a moment, before bobbing in the water. May grinned, standing up. ¡°Alright. One more try, then. Can you please use Water Gun on that log over there?¡±


    ¡°Tenta,¡± he said, diving down and swimming toward the log. Astra frowned at the sight; even after the agreement, the Pokemon still looked¡­hesitant?


    Tentacool surfaced at the edge of the lake closest to the wooden target and gazed at it; even with its mostly immobile face, it looked unsure. It paused for a moment, before raising a tentacle and slamming it down, spraying the log with a plume of water.


    ¡°Cool,¡± he said to a confounded May.


    Astra tilted her head. ¡°Was that a Water Gun?¡± It didn¡¯t look all that useful.


    ¡°No, that was just a Splash.¡± May shook her head, mouth set in a grim line. ¡°What the hell? Why didn¡¯t he use Water Gun? Hey, Tentacool, what gives? Was that the best shot you had?¡±


    Tentacool made an irritated clicking noise. ¡°Tenta tenta!¡±


    May slumped, groaning. ¡°Great, I¡¯ve got an aquatic Pokemon that doesn¡¯t know even the most basic water move.¡±


    Astra eyed her fellow trainer warily. ¡°What are you going to do now?¡± she asked. Old horror stories from back home often mentioned that trainers would ¡®discard¡¯ those who couldn¡¯t follow orders. She didn¡¯t think May would do something like that, but...


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± she said, flipping a bang out of her eyes. ¡°I just gotta teach him how to do one. It shouldn¡¯t be that hard.¡± Glancing back at quietly relieved Astra, May raised an eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a new Marill to take care of, or are you just gonna stare at us all day?¡±


    ¡°I will, I will,¡± she said, waving May off. ¡°I just wanted to see how you did it; I¡¯m not too sure how to start, myself.¡±


    May paused, before a grin crept across her face. ¡°Oh I see,¡± she said in an ominously familiar tone, ¡°You¡¯re trying to spy on my training, aren''t you?¡±


    What? That wasn''t what she meant at all! ¡°No, I was¡ª"


    ¡°Trying to steal my secrets!?¡± May continued, stepping closer.


    ¡°Steal your¡ªwhat?¡± Astra said, inching backwards.


    ¡°Thwarting my plans!?¡±


    ¡°Thwarting your plans?¡±


    ¡°Are you!?¡± she thundered, looming above her rival.


    Astra shook her head wildly, scooting back again as she tried to ward off May¡¯s advance. ¡°No, I don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re talking about!¡±


    May grinned, taking a half-step back. ¡°Good; because if you were, I''d have to get even.¡±


    A sudden sense of foreboding fell upon the clearing. Astra gulped. ¡°Even how?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you''re smart. I''m sure you can figure it out.¡± May said, tapping Astra¡¯s hat. ¡°You just gotta use your head!¡± she shouted, driving her fingers into Astra¡¯s forehead.


    Astra only had a moment to cry out in panic, the sky filling her vision as she toppled backwards. Sprawled on the ground, a small giggle was all she heard as she stared at the sun dappled leaves above. Scowling, she sat up and tugged her hat back into place, glaring at May.


    ¡°Hey, what was that for!?¡± she said, rubbing her back. There wasn¡¯t any pain, but the shock of it still had her on edge. ¡°That hurt!¡±


    ¡°Pssh, you¡¯re fine.¡± May said, rolling her eyes. ¡°It was just a joke. You were all like, ¡®Wah!¡¯¡± She made a comically surprised face, then laughed. ¡°It was great.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Astra grumbled, brushing the dust off her robe, ¡±I didn¡¯t find it very funny.¡±


    May just rolled her eyes. ¡°Funny to me. Anyway, I wasn¡¯t totally messing with you. I want the lake to myself for a bit.¡±


    Astra frowned. ¡°What? Why can¡¯t both of us use it? It¡¯s not exactly small.¡±


    May shrugged. ¡°I want to help my Tentacool learn some new moves for our re-match, but having you sit around watching me makes all that effort useless. After all, what¡¯s the point of us going head to head if we already know each others¡¯ techniques? I need to bring something new to the table, and if you want to keep up with me, you better do the same.¡±


    She smirked. ¡°Or maybe you¡¯d rather just admit defeat now and make it easy for me? Our last bout was pretty one-sided, if I recall.¡±


    That one stung a bit. The casual ease in which May had utterly destroyed her in their first match was a sore reminder of how little she had known, and how much farther she still had to go. Faced with a repeat performance, surrender was not an option; she could never pass up a chance to prove herself!


    ¡°As if!¡± she declared, a new fire in her eyes. ¡°The only thing easy about it will be my victory!¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± May challenged, ¡°We¡¯ll just see about that! I¡¯ll beat you so hard they¡¯ll have to write songs about it, and then I¡¯ll make you do a cover!¡±


    Electricity sparked in the air, the two rivals staring each other down. Soon, a reckoning would come, the victor uncertain. Astra¡¯s will resolved into the hardest of steel; there was no doubt that she would win.


    The tension was dispersed by a voice from the side. ¡°Tenta?¡± Tentacool said, staring at his master in confusion.


    They both blinked, reverie broken. ¡°Hey, yeah we¡¯ll start up again in a second,¡± May shouted over her shoulder. ¡°Just do a couple laps around the lake for now.¡±


    Tentacool blinked once then dove below, vanishing with a splash. A small wave began circling around the shoreline soon after.


    ¡°Well,¡± Astra said, drawing her friend¡¯s attention. ¡°You do have a point. But you can¡¯t be the only one to use the lake, I have a water Pokemon too you know!¡±


    May shrugged. ¡°At least Marill can walk; Tentacools are like a big floppy bag on dry land, and I don¡¯t know if the gym in Rustboro has a pool. Might need to catch something that can actually move around...¡° She mumbled to herself with a tap to the chin, then shrugged. ¡°But yeah, that¡¯s fair; just come back when you want a go, we can trade off in a couple hours. They¡¯ll need to rest for a while afterwards, so I¡¯m thinking we start heading to Rustboro around two and I can kick your ass before sundown.¡±


    Astra nodded; it was a reasonable enough plan, and it would give her enough time to¡ªwait a minute. ¡°Hey!¡±


    May snickered. ¡°Got you~¡± she sing-songed with a grin, before turning serious. ¡°Alright, enough of that. We¡¯re burning daylight, and I¡¯ve got some serious schooling to dish out!¡±


    Astra shook her head, but nevertheless began making her way out of the clearing. ¡°I¡¯ll be back for my turn. You¡¯d better do your best!¡±


    ¡°As if I¡¯d ever do any less!¡± May retorted, turning back to the lake.


    Astra smiled despite herself as the sound of her friend ordering her Tentacool around faded into the distance. Thinking back to only a few days ago, she could never have anticipated having someone like May joining in on her journey¡ªor anyone at all, really. Even if she was a bit rough around the edges, Astra was glad that she wasn¡¯t doing this alone.


    Still, she groused, did she have to play so many painful pranks on people? What was so funny about someone falling off a log? Confusing people was where it was at, she thought; there was nothing like a well timed illusion or quip to inspire that look of dumbfounded realization. Too bad she couldn¡¯t use any Psychic powers; the voice throwing telepathy lie was one thing but anything like telekinesis or a proper illusion was off the table.


    Or at least while anybody was around. Double checking that the area was vacant, Astra grinned and yanked several stones out of the forest floor. Crackling with pinkish-purple aura, the psychic moved them through the air in myriad patterns and shapes, flourishing her arms in tune with their movements like a conductor''s baton. Stars, triangles, cubes, interlaced circles and more¡ªoh, how she had missed this!


    Gathering them all together again, they swirled around her hands like angry insects, and with one violent shove they shot forth like shards of exploding ceramic into a nearby tree. Fragments of bark scattered in the air as the rocks impacted the wood, leaving light scarring across the surface of the giant. Astra sighed in relief, dropping her arm to her side. Traveling with May was nice, but not being able to exert herself was more confining than she had expected.


    With a thought both of her pokeballs shot into the air, two streams of crackling light resolving into her Pokemon. Treecko stretched with cat-like grace, looking at his new surroundings curiously as Marill blinked confusedly¡ªbefore screeching and sending Treecko flying with a meaty thwack from her bulbous tail.


    ¡°MARILL!¡± she screeched, feet stomping the forest floor and tail swinging through the air erratically. Treecko¡ªhaving picked himself out of a broken shrub¡ªglared at his assaulter and dropped into a crouch, ready to spring forward at any moment.


    Astra¡¯s eye twitched. With a wave of her hand a screen of purple light shimmered into existence between the two, diverting the quarreling Pokemons¡¯ attention. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing!?¡± she demanded, locking gazes with her furious Marill. ¡°Stop attacking Treecko! Wait, why are you attacking Treecko!?¡±


    Marill glowered at Astra and Treecko in turn, tail twitching in agitation. ¡°Marill-rill,¡± she snarled, pointing at Treecko. ¡°Rill!¡± With that proclamation, she turned up her nose at them both and faced away.


    Astra shared a confused glance with Treecko. What was her deal? The beleaguered trainer sighed, focusing on what the blue Pokemon could have meant by her little tirade. There was anger, of course¡ªor, indignation? She was embarrassed about something, with a dash of wounded pride... It came to Astra like a bolt from the heavens, and she giggled at the obvious conclusion.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she messaged Treecko, ¡°I think she¡¯s mad that you made her slam her own tail into her face.¡±


    ¡°Tree?¡± the Pokemon said, blinking. He looked over at his sulking teammate for a moment before giving a trainer a shrug. ¡®What do you want me to do?¡¯ he seemed to be asking.


    She shook her head. ¡°You gotta make her feel better, obviously! Here,¡± she said, rifling through her pack, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a hand. Give her a few of these.¡±


    Treecko squinted at the Leppa berries in his hands, as if wondering how this would do any good. ¡°Ko,¡± he shot back at her with a huff.


    ¡°Yes, I know she just threw you into a bush,¡± Astra smiled reassuringly, ¡°and I¡¯m not ignoring that, but I need her to cooperate with us. Please?¡±


    Treecko nodded in resignation, already padding toward Marill. Tapping her on the shoulder, he unceremoniously thrust the fruit into Marill¡¯s scowling face. Marill stepped back in confusion and bewilderment, eyes darting between Treecko and the proffered fruit. The air turned tense; Marill alternately glaring at Treecko and eyeing the small red berry in his hand with twitching arms, before finally snatching the fruit from his hand and devouring them all in one messy bite. Astra snickered at the sight; not even Marill was immune to a good snack, it seemed.


    Having finished the offering, Marill pointed at Treecko. ¡°Marill mar,¡± she announced haughtily, the effect mostly ruined by the juice still smeared around her mouth. ¡°Rill.¡± Apology accepted. Having said her piece, she marched past him to stand in front of her new trainer. Treecko rolled his eyes and followed suit.


    ¡°Are we all good now?¡± Astra asked, receiving a nod and an affirmative chirp in reply. ¡°Alright! So, today we¡¯re going to do some good old training! We have a new teammate who so wonderfully volunteered to start us off, so I¡¯d like to start by seeing what you can do, Marill.¡±


    Marill puffed up. ¡°Marill!¡± she said cheerily, clearly looking forward to a chance to show off. Astra smirked, and Marill¡¯s smile faded once she saw the swirling mass accumulating around Astra. Treecko patted his teammate on the back and leapt into a tree to enjoy the show.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Astra smiled, a swarm of fist sized rocks circling through the air. ¡°Let¡¯s see how good you are at dodging, shall we?¡±


    Marill whimpered.


    <hr>


    Marill huffed and puffed, out of breath as the rocks continued to swirl around her. Taking a deep breath, the water Pokemon swelled up once more and shot a burst of water at a speeding pebble. The jet missed her target by a wide margin, uselessly splashing against a tree.


    The Pokemon growled, glaring at the offending piece of shale. ¡°Marill!¡±


    ¡°You can do it, Marill!¡± Astra shouted from the side. ¡°I believe in you!¡±


    Marill sniffed and turned her nose up, but Astra still saw her smile when she hit the next one.


    <hr>


    Both Treecko and Marill took tentative steps forward, eyes covered with blindfolds. Astra watched the scene intently, feeding the both of them her own field of view.


    A rock hovered to Treecko¡¯s side and waggled enticingly. With a fierce cry, Treecko struck out with his tail, the impact sending a plume of dust and dirt into the sky. The rock, 90 degrees in the other direction, remained unaffected.


    Marill laughed. Astra threw a rock at her.


    She dodged into it.


    <hr>


    Treecko darted across the forest floor in an unprecedented burst of speed, grass fluttering in his wake. In an instant he struck out, a clenched fist impacting Marill with great force.


    Marill took the blow with a grunt, but her eyes sharpened with grim glee. With a flick of her tail, Marill dug her ball into the earth behind her. Launching off the ground like a springboard, she soared into the air, descending on her opponent with a triumphant cry.


    Treecko had only a moment to step back in surprise before Marill¡¯s bulk flattened him to the ground, a small cloud of dust enveloping the area. A moment later Marill flew out from the debris, her rebound sending her spinning out of control.


    ¡°Riiiiiiiii¡ª!¡± she screamed, her rotund body continuing to accelerate down a nearby slope. Astra watched in astonishment as the blue Pokemon impacted a tree, the force making a sizable crater into the trunk of the ancient wood.


    ¡°Riii¡­¡± she slurred, stars spinning above her head.


    Well, wasn¡¯t that interesting? Astra ran over to check her companions for injuries, pondering the cavity Marill left in the tree as she did.


    <hr>


    Midday rolled around quickly, and Astra walked back to the lake in high spirits. Treecko and Marill were back in their pokeballs, both of them getting a well deserved break.


    The lake came into view soon enough, and there she found May sitting at the edge of the water, staring into the distance contemplatively and idly kicking water about. Her Torchic was chirping wildly in the middle of the lake; Astra¡¯s eyes widened as he began to falter and sink, but Tentacool rose beneath the struggling chick, granting him a reprieve. After Torchic caught his breath, Tentacool sank again, leaving Torchic to his apparent swimming practice. Her Poochyena, meanwhile, was paddling in circles around the perimeter.


    ¡°Hey!¡± she called out, waving her arm. May jolted, a reflexive kick sending pond water showering across her face.


    ¡°Augh!¡± she sputtered, wiping at her face. She glowered at her friend, still dripping. ¡°Again! Dammit Astra!¡±


    ¡°Aw, did I frighten you?¡± Astra asked, failing to hold back a snicker. Revenge!


    ¡°Tch, I was just startled.¡± The girl crossed her arms with a huff. ¡°There¡¯s no way you could ever scare me.¡±


    ¡°If you say so~¡± A certain incident yesterday begged to differ. By May¡¯s scowl, Astra bet she remembered that too.


    ¡°Whatever. Guys, time to go, out of the pond!¡± she called. Poochyena immediately hopped up onto land, shaking water everywhere. Torchic merely chirped happily as he rode Tentacools head to the water¡¯s edge. Tentacool bobbed in the water as his passenger departed, a red beam of light recalling him to his pokeball.


    ¡°So, did you get Tentacool to use Water Gun?¡± Astra asked, stepping to the water''s edge.


    May just grinned, a mysterious twinkle in her eyes. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know?¡± she said, patting her on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡±


    ¡°Hm. I guess I will,¡± she said, eyes narrowing. That expression¡­ something odd had happened. But what? Well, she had a few new tricks of her own; she looked forward to seeing which came out on top. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking the lake now, good luck in the forest! You¡¯ll be needing it~¡±


    ¡°As if,¡± May dismissed, one hand brushing both a stray bang and Astra¡¯s comment away. Torchic and Poochyena followed her as she advanced into the forest. ¡°See ya in a couple hours!¡±


    Astra waved her off, then wandered to the lake¡¯s edge. She sat down for a moment, letting her feet dangle into the oddly chilly shallows and basking in the warm sun. What to do, what to do¡­?


    <hr>


    Marill bobbed atop the water, a sense of superiority almost tangibly wafting off her smug grin. Treecko, having waded out as far as he could while standing, glared at her.


    ¡°You can do it, Treecko, it¡¯s not that hard.¡± Astra coaxed from the shore. ¡°Look, Marill can help you if anything goes wrong. You¡¯ll be fine!¡±


    ¡°Tree?¡± Treecko said, staring at Marill and looking like he had bitten into a lemon. Marill reared back dramatically, betrayal etched on her face. Treecko gave Astra a flat look, Marill chattering in offense behind him.


    Astra threw a pebble at Marill. ¡°Go on,¡± she said, ignoring the yelp from the lake, ¡°You¡¯ve got this!¡±


    Treecko flashed her a thumbs-up and a single nod. Backing up, he took a running leap and dove into the lake. A bit of flailing ensued, but Treecko managed to keep his head above water; soon enough his splashing settled into an awkward front stroke.


    ¡°You did it!¡± Astra cheered. Her excitement faded as Marill began moving toward her partner. Couldn¡¯t these two just get along for once?


    Marill circled around Treecko, effortlessly keeping up with his movement. ¡°Marill mar,¡± she said, condescension dripping off every syllable.


    Astra scowled at the display. Of course he was having trouble, it was his first time! ¡°Marill, can you¡ªeh?¡± She blinked as Treecko began to growl and pick up his pace, arms and legs straining to their limits. ¡°Treecko? What are you¡ª"


    Treecko burst forward with a fierce cry, in mere moments lapping a stunned Marill twice before losing energy and coming to a stop. He floated on the water, his display leaving him breathless and panting. Shakily raising his head, he looked Marill in the eye and grinned victoriously.


    Said grin abruptly vanished when he tilted and began to sink. ¡°Tree¡ª!¡± he yelped, before his head dipped under the water. Immediately the surface began to churn as Treecko flailed in panic.


    ¡°Treecko!¡± Astra screamed. Thrusting out a hand, she reached out and tried to lift him, straining her power to cover the distance. It only took an instant to know it wouldn¡¯t work; Treecko was too far away, too alive; she couldn¡¯t¡ªshe wasn¡¯t strong enough¡ªhe was going to drown and she couldn¡¯t do anything!


    Wait, the pokeball! With shaking hands she hurriedly fumbled through her bag and it was only once it was in her hand that she realized that the splashing had stopped. She looked up with dread, only to see Treecko safely above water, clutching tightly to Marill¡¯s back; the blue Pokemon muttering to itself as she ferried Treecko to the shore.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Astra breathed, panic subsiding. ¡°Marill, you¡¯re a lifesaver! Bring him over here, quickly!¡± She rubbed her hands as they paddled to the shore, shaking off the pin and needle sensation; the surge of energy her panic brought had left as quickly as it arrived, leaving her drained and lethargic. When they came close enough Astra lifted her friend off Marill¡¯s back, Treecko letting out a loud squawk as she fussed over him. ¡°Are you okay? You didn¡¯t swallow any water did you?¡±


    ¡°Tree!¡± Treecko fended off her prodding, waving her hands away. He wriggled out of her grip over her protests and dropped to the grass below, scuttling away when she made to pick him up again.


    ¡°Ugh, fine, fine,¡± she grumbled. ¡°I just wanted to make sure you weren¡¯t hurt.¡± Drowning wasn¡¯t something to joke about! Still, on a second look Treecko didn¡¯t seem to be too bothered. She¡¯d have to keep an eye on him in any case. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    He flashed her another thumbs-up, a reassuring smile on his face. Astra let out a sigh. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad. But what was going through your head out there anyway?¡± she asked, crossing her arms. ¡°You barely knew how to swim; I know Marill was egging you on, but that was no reason to exhaust yourself in the middle of the lake!¡±


    Treecko kicked the dirt at the reprimand, gaze downcast. ¡°Treecko,¡± he said, scratching at the side of his head. ¡°Tree.¡±


    Astra glared at him for another moment before she sighed. ¡°Just don¡¯t do it again. And you!¡± she said, spinning around and pointing at Marill, who was partly submerged in the lake.


    She looked surprised. ¡°Mar?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you! Stop antagonizing Treecko; you two are supposed to work together, not¡ªnot whatever that was!¡±


    Marill sank lower into the water with every word her trainer said, a few bubbles accompanying a muted sound of protest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that! You did pull Treecko out of the water¡ªand I appreciate that¡ªbut I am still not happy with you!¡± She huffed, giving both of them a stern frown. ¡°Look, just¡ªcan you two try to get along?¡±


    Honestly, did May have to deal with this? Did her Poochyena try to eat Torchic or something? What about Brendan? Nobody ever told her that being a trainer would be like mediating between squabbling hatchlings.


    Treecko and Marill glanced at each other for a long moment, a silent conversation passing in the blink of an eye. They nodded once and turned back to Astra.


    ¡°Tree.¡± ¡°Rill.¡±


    Astra let out a breath. ¡°Good. I don¡¯t want to see anything escalate that far again. Now, let¡¯s get back to training!¡±


    Treecko still had trouble swimming, his earlier speed a rarity born of frustration and overwork. However, Marill had taken to swimming next to him, occasionally belting off a remark or two. But even wrapped in disdain or haughtiness Astra could still hear advice for what it was, and Treecko¡¯s ability started to improve faster than she had expected.


    Maybe Treecko had impressed her with his earlier display? It couldn¡¯t have only been her lecture for such a change to happen so quickly. Hm. Well, whatever it was¡ªeven if it was still coated in barbs and thorns¡ªshe was glad that they could work together.


    <hr>


    Astra hadn¡¯t managed to get much innovating done during her time at the lake; most of it was spent bringing Treecko up to par and practicing basic maneuvers. He still wasn¡¯t at his best while in the water¡ªand never would be, really¡ªbut Marill was absolutely in her element.


    Her Water Gun was dangerous in the open air, and it didn¡¯t lose any force when submerged either. Her tail-sphere was another factor¡ªAstra had held it for a moment and nearly dropped it on her own foot. Apparently Marill could control how heavy it was; nothing else could explain how she could have such a weighty object on the end of her tail and swing it around with such casual ease.


    ¡°Or maybe I¡¯m just not very strong,¡± the psychic muttered to herself. Physical exertion wasn¡¯t precisely something she excelled in.


    So all in all she was happy with the progress she had made so far. She had a better understanding of what each of her companions were capable of, a few new tricks up her sleeve, and if she had to fight in the middle of a lake or something she wouldn¡¯t be dead in the water.


    They had just stopped for lunch when May came plodding out of the forest covered in soot and slightly smoking, Torchic and Poochyena following along and similarly charred. Astra choked on her fish as her friend plopped down next to her, staring across the lake with lidded eyes.


    ¡°Wh¡ªMay!?¡± Astra coughed, scrambling to her feet. ¡°Are you okay!?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± May said, voice flat and emotionless.


    Astra sputtered, flat-footed by her casual dismissal. What was with this tone? Was she trying to act like nothing was out of the ordinary? A quick glance at her Pokemon revealed Torchic sitting on the ground, forlorn. Poochyena was nearby and seemed to be alternately glaring at the chick and looking at his master worryingly.


    ¡°Um,¡± Astra tried. ¡°Are you sure? I mean, you¡¯ve covered in soot.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? I hadn¡¯t noticed,¡± May drawled out, a spark of annoyance creeping into her otherwise dull tone.


    Astra eyed her companion incredulously. A small flicker caught her attention, drawing her gaze to one of May¡¯s long bangs. A tiny dull red glow had appeared, and rapidly grew in intensity until¡ª


    She stared at the small flame that had emerged in her friend¡¯s hair. ¡°You¡¯re on fire.¡±


    Without blinking, May licked her thumb and pinched the ember out, a small hiss of steam the only evidence it had existed at all.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    A moment of silence.


    ¡°So why were you¡ª"


    ¡°Hey,¡± May said, cutting her off with a glance. ¡°If you ever think about using Sand Attack and a fire move at the same time?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±


    <hr>


    One rinse in the lake, a change of clothes and a quick pilfering of Astra¡¯s dried Magikarp later¡ª


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    ¡°I exploded, let me have the fish!¡±


    ¡°You could at least ask first!¡±


    ¡°EVERYTHING TASTES LIKE ASH.¡±


    ¡ªMay seemed to regain her usual enthusiasm. Mostly by eating Astra¡¯s food. There was little else to do after that but recall their Pokemon and set out once more.


    This turned out to be harder than either of them thought.


    ¡°How did we lose the trail!?¡± May snarled, kicking a small tree in frustration. A few leaves fluttered down, flitting into her hair and face. ¡°It wasn¡¯t even more than a couple meters away!¡±


    Astra frowned at the tiny map on her pokedex, ignoring her friend¡¯s bout of expletives. They had been traveling back quite a while now, and their icon was still showing as being on the trail in the forest. Considering the trail was nowhere in sight, she was starting to despise whoever designed this garbage.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± she admitted, snapping her pokedex shut. Just how long had they been searching, anyway? The sun had descended pretty far, and the occasional harassment by the wildlife wasn¡¯t helping matters. Were they in a thin section? Astra bit her lip. ¡°We went into that clearing from the east, right?¡±


    ¡°Stupid, leafy bastard¡ªWhat? No, we came in from the west.¡± May picked a bit of foliage out of her hair and frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t we?¡±


    Astra looked at May in confusion. ¡°I was sure it was the east.¡±


    ¡°Wait, aren¡¯t we heading east right now?¡±


    ¡°! thought this was west!¡±


    ¡°Where the fuck are we!?¡± May screamed, her frustration sending a distant group of birds scattering.


    ¡°Ow!¡± Astra rubbed at her ears, grimacing. ¡°You don¡¯t have to yell, I¡¯m right here.¡±


    ¡°My entire problem is that we¡¯re right here!¡± May said with a huff. ¡°Look, you grew up in a forest or whatever, right? Shouldn¡¯t you know the way out?¡±


    Astra scowled, rounding on her companion. ¡°Just because I lived outside doesn¡¯t mean I know every forest in the world! This place isn¡¯t like back home, I don¡¯t know where anything is!¡± Honestly, Astra was just as mad as May was, but she wasn¡¯t freaking out! They were only here because May went off sideways in the first place. ¡°We only even left the trail because you wanted to train at that pond, why don¡¯t you know the way out?¡±


    May¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare blame this shit on me,¡± she said, words coming out in a low hiss. ¡°I was following your lead this whole time! If anything, it¡¯s your fault!¡±


    ¡°My fault!? I only went this way because you were halfway out of the clearing!¡±


    ¡°That is complete shit and you know it!¡±


    ¡°It is not! You need to stop blaming me for your poor sense of direction; I could do better blindfolded!¡±


    Bared teeth shone in the light as May cracked her knuckles. ¡°Bold words coming from such a tiny runt!¡± A soft wind whistled through the trees, and with a flash of movement May snatched a pokeball, brandishing it with an almost frenzied fervor. ¡°You wanna fuckin¡¯ go? Right here, right now?¡±


    That familiar shock of energy had begun to spark in her veins, and Astra found her own pokeball already clutched tightly in her grip ¡°Maybe I do,¡± she challenged, staring into May¡¯s eyes. ¡°What are you gonna do about it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna kick your goddamn ass, that¡¯s what!¡± May roared, rearing back. ¡°Go, Pooch¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Hello?¡± said a voice.


    ¡°¡ªyenOH FUCK!¡± May lashed out, abruptly changing direction and launching the sphere to the side. In a gap between the trees, Astra could just make out the surprised expression of the newcomer as the pokeball rocketed toward their face¡ª


    Only for the stranger''s arm to flash up and catch it in the instant before impact. Both trainers stood there in surprise as he examined the pokeball.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not the warmest welcome I¡¯ve ever gotten, I¡¯ll say that much¡­¡± he commented, fixing May with an icy blue stare. His hair shared the same hue, and his clothing was a uniform shade of black, save for his jacket which sported jagged purple stripes. His face¡ªpale, sharp, and handsome¡ªsmiled warmly. ¡°Though far from the worst. Do you make a habit of throwing pokeballs at strangers? I¡¯m afraid they don¡¯t work like that.¡±


    He tossed the ball back, and May caught it with a scowl. Both trainers shared a glance; the boiling agitation had evaporated slightly, but Astra couldn¡¯t help but shift in place, nerves still high-strung and twitchy.


    May must have felt the same, as her low growl proved. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. Who the hell are you?¡±


    The stranger seemed taken aback, eyes flickering between the two of them. Suddenly he chuckled. ¡°Well. I suppose introductions are only fair. You may call me Steven. Steven Stone.¡± He stepped forward, extending a hand in May¡¯s direction. ¡°May I ask your names?¡±


    May didn¡¯t take it. ¡°Name¡¯s May. Now, what the hell is a guy in a fancy suit doing all the way out here? This ain¡¯t exactly an office building!¡± Steven¡¯s smile didn¡¯t leave his face during May¡¯s interrogation, but it did thin a bit.


    Astra blinked at her friend''s words, then scowled. ¡°Hey!¡± she said, kicking her teammate¡¯s leg.


    May yelped, then rounded on her short companion. ¡°The hell did you kick me for!?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be rude!¡± She scolded. ¡°We just met! There¡¯s no reason to be mean to him! I¡¯m sorry about that,¡± she continued, turning back to Steven, ¡±It¡¯s just¡ª"


    Astra paused. Steven¡¯s smile had vanished, his piercing gaze turning upon her in an instant. A sudden pressure fell on Astra without warning; an invisible presence descending upon her mind until the whole of the world had vanished behind Stevens eyes. Her throat ran dry and she swallowed, thoughts hazy and indistinct.


    ¡°Just¡­w¡ªwe¡¯ve just been lost for a couple hours now...¡± she managed, feeling faint.


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± he muttered, still looking at her. Prickles crawled up Astra¡¯s back. A second passed, the pressure increasing¡­before it vanished as soon as it had appeared, a smile re-appearing on Steven¡¯s face. Astra let out a breath she hadn¡¯t known she was holding. What was that!? It wasn¡¯t anything like psychic energy, but what else could it be? Who was this guy?


    ¡°Lost, you say?¡± he rubbed his chin, seemingly oblivious to her struggle. ¡°Well, you will be happy to know that the trail is just a short jaunt that way.¡± He pointed behind him. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s not far.¡±


    May and Astra shared a glance before they followed after him. If May had any indication she had felt the same thing Astra had, she certainly wasn¡¯t bringing attention to it. Why had Steven focused on her? Could he tell there was something different? How?


    She didn¡¯t know, but despite the man¡¯s apparent friendliness she felt extremely uneasy.


    They didn¡¯t have to walk far before the endless treeline broke into the wide dirt path they had abandoned that morning. Both trainers gawked at the endless stretch of beaten earth.


    ¡°It was right here!?¡± May grasped at the air, looking like she wanted to throttle something. ¡°We were wandering around for hours, how did we miss this!?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Astra shrugged, just as confused. ¡°You¡¯d think we would have come across it at some point, considering how close we were.¡±


    A brief laugh drew their attention back to Steven. ¡°You¡¯d be surprised how easy it is to lose one¡¯s way, even in the most innocent places. Why, I recall one of my associates once spent a rather embarrassing length of time trying to escape a furniture store.¡± He smiled fondly at the memory. ¡°I believe he got confused by a peculiar arrangement of vases replicated throughout the floor.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± May drawled out, arms folded. ¡°Any point to this absolutely riveting story?¡±


    ¡°...No,¡± he said, a faint crease appearing on his brow. ¡°I just thought it an amusing anecdote.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t.¡±


    Astra glanced between the two. May was already irritated and Steven¡¯s cheer seemed to be decreasing with every word she said. She still didn¡¯t know what exactly that pressure was, but making him mad probably wouldn¡¯t do anybody any good. It was time to intervene.


    ¡°Well,¡± she said, ¡°I thought it was funny.¡±


    Steven brightened, shooting her a grateful look. ¡°Thank you¡­I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t appear to have caught your name?¡±


    Suppressing a flinch, she returned a wavering smile. It was at times like this where she was thankful her face was mostly hidden. ¡°Ah, right. My name is Astra. It¡¯s nice to meet you, Steven.¡±


    ¡°Mm. Lovely to meet you as well Astra. I wish we had met in a more conventional manner but things are as they are, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine! I mean, you did help us out, after all.¡±


    ¡°Yes, which is why I am curious, really. Miss May,¡± he turned to Astra¡¯s companion, who still looked like she had bit a lemon. ¡°I must ask, have I done something to offend you? I¡¯m not sure what I have done to warrant such¡­hostility.¡±


    May¡¯s glare, if anything. deepened. ¡°What, did you not hear me earlier? What the hell is a fancy pants like you doing out here? This isn¡¯t exactly a city park, you know.¡±


    Steven coughed, but couldn¡¯t quite hide the bark of laughter under it, nor the amused glint in his eyes. ¡°Well! No, it certainly isn¡¯t. I¡¯m afraid my reasons are rather mundane; I was merely walking along before I heard shouting in the distance and decided to investigate.¡±


    Astra nudged May. ¡°I think that was you. Loudmouth.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to punch you,¡° May ground out, a light dust of red covering her cheeks. ¡°I am actually going to punch you. In the face.¡± She looked at Steven, then huffed. ¡°Tch, well. Thanks, I guess. I would have figured it out eventually!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡° he said, tone as dry as the summer air. ¡°As to my presence here in general, I was heading south; I have business in Dewford and it was a nice day so I thought I would stretch my legs and take a quiet walk in the woods on my way there.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well, thank you for coming when you did,¡± Astra tried to put on a smile. She wasn¡¯t sure she succeeded. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how much longer we would have been stuck out there otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Well it was no trouble really; I¡¯m always happy to help people I meet on my way,¡± he said, smiling. ¡°I would recommend staying on the pathway until you are more experienced, however.¡±


    ¡±I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Astra tugged on May¡¯s wrist, ineffectually attempting to drag her toward Rustboro. He had been helpful, but the faster she left this man and his piercing gaze behind the better. ¡°Thanks again, but we should really get going¡ªMay!?¡± she yelped as May yanked her arm out of Astra¡¯s grip.


    ¡°No we¡¯re not done here. See, I just thought of something.¡± A glint appeared in her eye. ¡°Something real interesting. ¡®Take a quiet walk on my way there?'' Bullshit!¡± Her arm shot out, an accusing finger pointed directly at their well dressed savior. ¡°People don¡¯t just take a stroll through these types of woods, and it¡¯s still days away from the nearest city. You were flying, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    A prickle of dread rose inside Astra as she considered May¡¯s words. Consideration gave way to realization turned into fear. Oh. Oh no.


    The smile vanished from Steven''s face at her words. ¡°So what if I did?¡± Steven replied, face and tone expressionless.


    She was picking a fight, wasn¡¯t she?


    ¡°Well, that means that you flew here on something, doesn¡¯t it?¡± May grinned victoriously. ¡°You¡¯re a Pokemon trainer!¡±


    The wind picked up for a moment, scattered leaves drifting through the air as Steven stared at May. ¡°Hm,¡± Steven sighed, closing his eyes and running a hand through his hair. ¡°I had hoped to avoid this, but it seems inevitable now. Yes, I suppose you could call me a Pokemon trainer.¡± His eyes cracked open, a bite of irritation accompanying his lidded gaze. ¡°I expect you want to challenge me, then?¡±


    ¡°You bet your ass I do.¡± A pokeball found its way into May¡¯s hand as she crouched low, prepared to throw it at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Well? Are you ready to throw down, fancy pants?¡±


    Okay. This was¡­fine! Astra could work with this. If she just stayed out of the way, there wouldn¡¯t be any reason for Steven to do¡­whatever he had done again.


    Steven hummed to himself. ¡°Well, those are the rules, I suppose. But if I must, then I think I shall make things a bit more interesting.¡± He smiled, though it didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes. ¡°Would you care to make this a double battle?¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡± A second pokeball made its way into May¡¯s awaiting palm. ¡°Well if that¡¯s how you want to play it, sure; I¡¯ll just have to win twice as hard! Let¡¯s go¡ªeh?¡± Steven held up a hand, halting May mid-throw.


    ¡°I apologize,¡± he said, lowering his arm. ¡°I haven¡¯t made myself clear. If we are to fight, I will battle the both of you at once.¡± He nodded toward Astra, much to her dismay.


    ¡°Eh!?¡± It was a shame that she liked her hair so much, Astra thought distantly, because she really felt like tearing it out right now. ¡°Wh¡ªisn¡¯t that a little unfair?¡± she asked, glancing between Steven and May.


    ¡°What? Nah,¡± May waved off Astra''s concern. ¡°People do double battles all the time!¡± Pausing a moment, she examined her friend, frowning. ¡°Why are you so jittery? What, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re getting cold feet; you were all fired up like, a minute ago!¡±


    That was before Steven came and left her feeling like a bug! There was no way she wouldn¡¯t be nervous! But any words to that effect failed to manifest, leaving Astra bereft of words. How could she possibly explain that if May hadn¡¯t felt any of it?


    ¡°I¡ªI just¡­¡±


    A hand clapped on her shoulder rendered her silent. She blinked, looking up into May¡¯s face. ¡°Yo,¡± she started, ¡°I dunno what¡¯s up with you all of a sudden, but you better snap out of it!¡± She snapped her fingers in time with her words, grinning madly. ¡°C¡¯mon, where¡¯s that enthusiasm? I know you¡¯re better than this, and so do you, so get pumped up! Now, are we gonna take this guy down or what?¡±


    Astra stared at her friend, at her ever confident smile and eyes free of doubt, and she couldn¡¯t help but think: what was she doing? Even if Steven was mysterious, and that invasive force was scary¡­if May thought she could handle it, then who was she to disappoint? She couldn¡¯t back down this early into her adventure!


    She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. She met May¡¯s gaze with her own, determination burning brightly in her heart. ¡°Alright,¡± she said, ¡°Let¡¯s show this guy what we can really do!¡±


    ¡°Now that¡¯s more like it!¡± May laughed, slapping Astra on the back and almost knocking her over. ¡°Oh, shit, whoops. Man, you are tiny!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Astra deadpanned, righting her hat. ¡°I hadn¡¯t noticed.¡±


    Steven looked at the two impassively. ¡°Are you two ready?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do this!¡± May grinned, almost jumping in place as Astra merely nodded, pulling out her violin in one swift motion.


    Steven raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is that so? If you are certain, then let us begin.¡±


    ¡°Finally! Go, Torchic!¡± May tossed her pokeball, the fiery bird materializing with a loud chirp.


    Astra did the same, a flash of light revealing her own companion. ¡°Let¡¯s do our best, Treecko!¡± she called, taking up her bow and resting it on the violin strings.


    Steven viewed his opposition with an air of eerie calm. ¡°I see I was correct; you two are very new, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± May shared a look with Astra, who was equally confused. She scowled at Steven. ¡°We just started a few days ago. What¡¯s it to you?¡±


    Steven replied by bringing out his own pokeball, idly tossing it in his hand as he stared at May. ¡°Not many people show as much¡­bravado as you do unless they are beginners, or have let their ego consume them.¡±


    He stopped, closing his eyes for a moment. ¡°I would hazard that you have not even lost a battle yet, have you? Very well then, I shall be your teacher for this lesson. And,¡± he held up the lone sphere, eyes snapping open, his icy gaze holding nothing but certainty. ¡°I shall only require one Pokemon to impart it.¡±


    ¡°Only one?¡± Astra asked, shocked. ¡°But we have two; you¡¯ll be outnumbered!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what are you trying to pull?¡± May accused.


    ¡°If I let something as trivial as numerical inferiority bother me, I would not be where I am today,¡± Steven stated. ¡°Now, Miss May, see the folly of your arrogance; come, Skarmory!¡±


    He tossed his pokeball high into the air and the shining light screamed downward. The radiance faded, revealing a ball of what seemed to be red and white plates. Before they could react, it twitched, unfurled itself with a horrendous shriek of metal.


    Dark, steely blue talons dug through the earth like clay as the plates swept outwards, revealing themselves as a multitude of bladed wings. Its ovoid white body uncurled and stretched toward the sky, thrice as tall as its opponents. A sharp, angular head emerged, a spike protruding from the center of its scalp and within, sickly yellow eyes snapped open and peered at the world in disdain, focusing on Treecko and Torchic in turn.


    Astra stared at the towering metal bird. ¡°May?¡±


    To her side, she heard a gulp. ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°I hate you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡±


    ¡°Skarmory,¡± Steven said, ¡°Advance.¡±


    The Skarmory opened its maw and screamed, a shrieking, torturous cacophony of steel and rage blasting out across the forest, and then there was no more time for words.


    It darted forward and Astra¡¯s bow screeched across the strings, her mental command echoing in time with May¡¯s voice directing Treecko and Torchic to move.


    Skarmory was upon them both in a flash, wing blades scything out at both of its opponents. Treecko threw himself to the side, the tip of the steely feather barely nicking the top of his tail. Treecko tumbled into a crouch, grimacing but unharmed. His partner, however...


    ¡°Torchic!¡± May screamed. The small bird had been too slow, and been hit by the full brunt of Skarmory''s assault, sending him flying into a twitching heap. ¡°Torchic, get up!¡±


    The tiny bird twitched, then scrabbled to his feet with a pained warble. A large gash crossed his torso, staining his orange feathers a much darker shade. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± May muttered. ¡°This guy¡­¡±


    Steven had not issued any further commands to his Skarmory, the bird itself taking the time to observe its handiwork. Astra eyed it warily, shaking hands attempting to steady the song that had been cut short.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Torchic can take another of those hits. Or dodge it,¡± she murmured to May. ¡°I think I can get Treecko to distract him, can you take advantage?¡±


    May jerked in surprise, eyes flickering to meet Astra¡¯s own as she listened. As the message ended, May nodded incrementally, mouth drawn into a thin line. Right. The tone of her melody shifted a pitch deeper, the tempo increasing to match.


    Let¡¯s go.


    Treecko darted forward, letting out a wild cry. Skarmory snapped to attention, gaze locking onto the smaller Pokemon. As Treecko closed in, one spike-tipped claw rose into the air, points gleaming in the sunlight. Treecko put on a burst of speed as certain doom slammed down into the earth, slipping past the razor¡¯s edge in a plume of dust.


    ¡°Skar?¡± The bird peered at its claw, confused at the lack of prey. Treecko, still underneath his opponent, spotted something. He stood up and wound back his fist.


    An enraged, metallic shriek echoed through the forest.


    Skarmory whirled around, Treecko ducking and weaving through the flurry of razor sharp feathers that followed. Every ounce of speed and agility were put to the test, Treecko¡¯s limits straining against the righteous onslaught set forth by his opponent.


    Skarmory pursued Treecko with a mindless fervor; relentless, unforgiving¡ª


    ¡°Torchic, fireball!¡±


    ¡ªAnd completely blind to its surroundings. A gout of brilliant orange flame appeared from the sidelines, searing the air as it homed in. The bird squawked madly, claws gouging the earth as it tried in vain to halt its mad charge, one wing closing in to shield itself as the projectile hit dead on.


    Skarmory exploded, a plume of fire and smoke enveloping the giant where it stood. Treecko skidded to a stop near an exhausted Torchic, labored breath coming in spurts. The music slowed, Astra watching the smoke through two sets of eyes. Had they done it?


    ¡°Hah! How¡¯d you like that, you big metal bastard!¡± May shouted, fist clenched in celebration. ¡°That¡¯ll teach you to¡ªoh shit.¡±


    In the smog, pale yellow eyes glinted. Razor wings unfurled once more and swept aside the smoke without care, sunlight gleaming off its unscratched body.


    ¡°N-no way¡­¡± Astra stepped back, spotting the faint black streak on the metallic bird¡¯s wing. ¡°He only got scorched!?¡±


    ¡°The hell?¡± May whispered, eyes wide. ¡°That move blasted a crater in a tree! What is this thing!?¡±


    Any response she could have made vanished with the sound of screeching metal. In an instant Skarmory shot forward, covering the distance in an iron blur.


    ¡°Treecko!¡±


    ¡°Torchic, no!¡±


    Skarmory fell upon the exhausted pair in an instant, their trainer''s warning coming far too late. Steel claws wrapped around their forms in a vice grip and slammed them both into the ground, choked screams abruptly cut short.


    Pain


    Astra winced as Treecko¡¯s pain radiated through the bond, grasping at her head with a faint hiss. This was bad, this was really, really bad. This thing was way too tough! But Treecko was still conscious, she could think of a new plan-


    Skarmory raised one leg and Astra had only a moment to see Treecko shakily try to pull himself up before it thundered down once more. The feedback flared for one horrible moment, then vanished.


    Skarmory stepped to the side and twin beams of red light cast out across the field, returning the injured to their homes. Astra stared at her pokeball in sorrow.


    You did your best. Her grip tightened until her hand turned numb. I won¡¯t let him get away with this.


    ¡°Well then,¡± Steven spoke up, breaking his long silence. ¡°Was that all you had to show? Feel free to surrender, if you wish.¡±


    ¡°Tch, I¡¯m not giving up that easily!¡± May growled. ¡°Poochyena, let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t give up here,¡± Astra straightened, flaring anew within her heart. ¡°I know there¡¯s a way to win! Show him what we can do, Marill!¡±


    ¡°Marill mar!¡± the aquatic Pokemon said, coming out in a flash. Her tail twitched through the air, and to her side May¡¯s Poochyena barked in agreement.


    ¡°So I see.¡± Steven closed his eyes with a sigh. ¡°Let us continue this farce, then.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t count us out yet!¡± Astra warned, her violin once again singing a song. Marill, Impact!


    ¡°The only thing that¡¯s a farce here is your face!¡± May shouted, pointing at her opponent. ¡°Poochyena, take a bite out of this bird!¡±


    Poochyena bolted across the path, Marill trailing in his wake. Steel wings sliced down as they approached, driving the hound away. Distracted by the dog, it failed to notice as Marill dashed in, tail wrapped around her body. With a twirl it sprang out, slamming into the joint of the bird''s wing and knocking him aside.


    ¡°Skar!?¡± The bird reeled, off-balance and furious. Seizing the opportunity, Poochyena leapt, snarling maw clamping down on Skarmory''s jugular. Astra heard a horrid scraping noise and Poochyena fell to the ground, thrashing and whining as blood trickled from his mouth. A few measly scratches were all that remained on his foe''s neck.


    ¡°What!?¡± May said, eyes wide. ¡°No! That wasn¡¯t¡ªget up!¡±


    Water Gun! Astra called out, urging Marill on. They couldn¡¯t lose him, not now!


    Poochyena was still writhing on the ground when Skarmory''s beak descended, bashing him against the ground. Twice more it crushed him, each resulting whine growing fainter and fainter before a torrent of water distracted it from its gruesome task. It shielded itself with its wing, glaring at Marill.


    ¡°Poochyena, get out of there!¡± May desperately called. Her dog didn¡¯t respond and laid in the dirt, unmoving. ¡°Poochyena!¡±


    Astra bit her tongue, cursing internally even as she directed Marill to dodge Skarmory''s ire. Its wing still covered its face, shielding it from the sporadic barrage of water. That it was bothering to block at all mystified her considering how little it seemed to hurt, but any time bought was time she could still fight.


    Next to her, she could feel the utter fury building in May as she recalled her Poochyena. She risked a glance, only to see May''s teeth gritting so hard that she could hear them creak, white knuckled fingers squeezing the pokeball so tightly she thought it might break.


    ¡°Bastard¡­¡± she growled, swapping out to her last pokeball. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this!¡±


    Wait, was she really going to bring out Tentacool on dry land? Had she gone mad with rage?


    ¡°You¡¯re bringing him out, here?¡± she asked, incredulously. She could barely keep Skarmory at bay with Marill, and Tentacool couldn¡¯t even walk. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Just keep blasting that thing and lure it closer.¡± May¡¯s response was curt, and brooked no argument. Tentacool popped out, burbling unhappily as he fell to the ground with a wet sound. ¡°Got it?¡±


    ¡°Nngh.¡± Astra returned her focus to the field, directing Marill to retreat between blasts of water. Her violin thrummed wildly as Skarmory advanced, a makeshift elegy of desperation and hope pouring into the air. ¡°I hope you know what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    ¡°Of course I do!¡±


    ¡°Well, you better do it fast,¡± she pressed as Marill dodged a wild swipe of Skarmory''s claws and came to a stop next to Tentacool, her Water Gun blasting her opponent to little effect. ¡°I can¡¯t hold it back forever!¡±


    ¡°Tch. You should feel lucky.¡± May looked at Astra, and behind the anger she saw a mix of pride and disappointment in her eyes. ¡°I was going to save this for our rematch, you know. But making this bastard pay will do just fine!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how you like this, you shiny prick!¡± May shouted, arm shooting forward with a flourish. ¡°Tentacool, Aurora Beam!¡±


    Across the arena, Astra thought she saw a faint look of surprise flash across Stevens face, the only motion he had made since he had last spoken. But then she was far more distracted by May¡¯s Pokemon.


    ¡°Tenta,¡± the aquatic Pokemon said as the red spheres on its head began to glow. The light dimmed, the rays of the sun seemingly sucked into the now brilliantly shining crimson orbs. Tentacool pulsed, and then from his eyes came a riotous flare of light, a rainbow of colors blasting across the dirt road. Skarmory let out a shriek as the luminous beam collided with its soaked wings, prismatic lights refracting through Marill¡¯s Water Gun and washing the area in a dazzling array of hues.


    ¡°Woah¡­¡± Astra whispered, entranced by the sight. ¡°What¡­what is this?¡±


    ¡°I was trying to get Tentacool to do a Water Gun earlier; turns out he makes a bitchin¡¯ lightshow instead,¡± May said, almost criminally smug. ¡°Doesn¡¯t just look pretty either; can¡¯t you see it?¡±


    She looked, and then she saw. Across Skarmory¡¯s wings, the coat of water from Marill¡¯s attack had frozen over, leaving them encased in a thin sheet of cracked ice. Astra¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Ice? He¡¯s freezing over!¡± she gasped. ¡°If we can encase him¡ª"


    ¡°Then it¡¯s all over.¡± May finished, grinning madly. ¡°Keep firing, Tentacool! Aim for the feet!¡±


    Soak him head to toe, Marill! Astra ordered, a rush of energy bolstering her melody. If they could just hold out a bit more, they could win!


    Skarmory pushed onwards through the combined assault, shards of ice forming and falling from its body in waves. Water seeped between its wings and froze under Tentacool''s chromatic assault, and soon the metal bird was struggling to hold it aloft under the weight. The dirt below took on a glossy sheen as the ice spread, claws skittering across the surface as they failed to find purchase. Unbalanced, it fell, shrieking all the way.


    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Astra cheered as the ice crept across their adversary. ¡°We¡¯ve got him pinned!¡±


    A sigh drew their attention to Steven, who looked upon the scene with amusement.


    ¡°I will admit,¡± he started, ¡°you¡¯ve shown some remarkable ingenuity for beginners. However, this is where your success ends.¡±


    ¡°Hah,¡± May barked out, ¡°The hell are you talking about! If you haven¡¯t noticed, we¡¯re winning!¡± she gestured to Skarmory, laid low by Tentacools freezing chromatic beam.


    ¡°So I see.¡± Steven closed his eyes, seemingly unconcerned with the display. ¡°Have you realized I have not given a single command to Skarmory this entire fight?¡±


    ¡°I¡ª" May started, then paused. She glanced at Astra with puzzled eyes.


    Astra stared right back, equally confused. Now that she thought about it, she hadn¡¯t heard Steven give any orders after the start of the fight. May had grown used to her musical ¡®commands,'' but Steven didn¡¯t have that. What was going on?


    Shaking her head, May glared at Steven once more. ¡°What, you¡¯re not pulling some trick?¡±


    Steven raised an eyebrow. ¡°A trick?¡±


    ¡°Well, she has her goddamn violin, I dunno!¡± she retorted, waving at Astra. ¡°I thought you were doing some bullshit too.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Intriguing,¡± he said, looking at Astra. A chill ran up her spine at his searching gaze, the feeling lingering even as he turned away. ¡°But incorrect. I was not utilizing any trickery in this match. I was not doing anything at all.¡± He smiled, though his eyes remained cold. ¡°My Skarmory defeated your Pokemon all on his own.¡±


    That got May to step back, eyes flickering between Steven and the seemingly helpless Skarmory. ¡°The hell are you trying to say?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°Merely that your successes so far have hinged upon my inaction; an act I am discontinuing. The time for silent acquiescence is over.¡± Steven lazily raised a hand, middle finger and thumb poised to snap. ¡°Allow me to show you my favorite technique, as a gift for doing so well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting you pull anything!¡± May roared, ¡°Tentacool, fire that aurora beam as hard as you can!¡±


    Astra didn¡¯t know what Steven would do next, but it couldn¡¯t be good. Do your best, Marill! She urged.


    Steven smirked, even amongst the renewed assault. Raising his hand high, he spoke.


    ¡°Skarmory¡­¡± He snapped his fingers, the crack echoing through the forest. ¡°Steel Wing.¡±


    The very wind seemed to pause in that moment, as if the world was holding its breath. In a flash, a sourceless light enveloped its prone form and Skarmory roared. Empowered steel feathers lashed out and an almighty crack resounded as every piece of ice covering the bird shattered at once, flickering away as so much snow.


    Skarmory twisted to its feet and lunged with a single beat of its wings, a kaleidoscopic halo of light following as Water Gun and Aurora Beam faltered in its wake. It crossed the distance in the blink of an eye, razor limbs striking both Marill and Tentacool at once.


    ¡°Ma¡ª!¡± Marill started, then choked as all air was driven out by the impact. On Skarmory¡¯s other side, Tentacool screamed incoherently.


    Its foes caught, Skarmory halted and swept its wings forward, sending them tumbling to the dirt. Silence reigned as both water Pokemon lay still¡ªsave for their broken, wheezing gasps.


    Astra''s violin hung uselessly from her hands, her song muted. Limply, she retrieved her pokeball and recalled Marill, Tentacool vanishing in the same instant. She sank to her knees and stared at her ball in disbelief. How¡­how had it turned bad so quickly? They were winning. It wasn¡¯t...


    ¡°I believe we are finished, then,¡± Steven said, walking to his Skarmory and running his fingers down its neck. The bird closed its eyes and leaned into it, a low pitched trill echoing from deep within. ¡°You two did exceptionally well, considering the circumstances.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± May growled, an overwhelming spike of anger flaring in Astra¡¯s senses. She turned to see her friend shaking, a murderous glare directed at Steven. ¡°You bastard! What the hell was that? We almost had it, and you had to¡ªto¡ªnngh!¡±


    ¡°I had to what?¡± Steven snapped, turning from his Pokemon. ¡°I had to give an order to my Pokemon like every other trainer in the world? That is the way of things, Miss May, or were you under the impression that every fight would be as easy as a roadside brawl with the wildlife?¡±


    ¡°Tch, if you didn¡¯t have that freaking bird...¡± May went to step forward, but a warning caw and a shifting of steel wings from Skarmory had her backing away instead, anger stymied by a flicker of fear.


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t have Skarmory,¡± Steven said, the hints of disdain staining his voice, ¡°I would still have the five other Pokemon in my possession, all of whom are at his level of skill or higher. Are you going to bemoan their existence next? In case you have forgotten, you were the one who challenged me after a constant barrage of negativity, despite my efforts to avoid it. I am not at fault for your failure here, and you are not entitled to victory simply because you demand it.¡±


    May became even more incensed at Steven¡¯s speech, looking to start up a tirade of her own when Astra stood back up and grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks. She didn¡¯t know why May was so angry, but she didn¡¯t like it. Even disregarding Steven''s worrying presence, this rash of hatred was disturbing. She couldn¡¯t let this argument spiral any further out of control.


    ¡°May,¡± she said, almost pleading, ¡°we lost, fair and square; getting angry won¡¯t change it. Please don''t lash out like this, you''re better than that.¡±


    May stared at her for a moment, then tore her arm loose and whirled away, teeth grit. ¡°Fine,¡± she bit out. ¡°Whatever. Let¡¯s just go.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Miss Astra.¡± Steven called, having mounted Skarmory. The bird strode over to the two trainers. ¡°I must apologize; I was getting somewhat heated myself, it was most unbecoming. It seems this is where we part, however. I am due in Dewford soon and I must make haste.¡±


    He nodded at the cloaked trainer. ¡°Miss Astra, may we meet again under better circumstances. Your style of fighting is¡­most unusual; I would love to discuss it further. Perhaps with a performance, if you were so inclined?¡± He smiled at her, and Astra returned an uneasy grin in return.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± she demurred. She could only hope said meeting would never come to pass.


    He turned to May, and nodded at her as well. ¡°Miss May, I hope you will learn from this encounter.¡±


    She scowled. ¡°The fuck was I supposed to learn from that!?¡±


    He stared at her, disappointed. ¡°The entire time I have been here, you have been nothing but suspicious, rude, or demanding of me at every turn. If you had not been so, I would imagine this conflict would have ended very differently, or perhaps not arisen at all. Now both you and your friend¡¯s Pokemon are all severely injured.¡±


    May gaped at Steven, sputtering. ¡°But you''re the one who brought her into this!¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, despite¡ªor because of¡ªour wishes, friends can get dragged into a conflict they had no desire to participate in,¡± Steven replied, looking right through her. ¡°Though I am not blameless, her Pokemons'' injuries are ultimately on your hands. All actions have consequences; you cannot simply do whatever you wish.¡±


    He whistled, and Skarmory flapped its wings, hovering off the ground.


    ¡°Farewell, and take care.¡±


    Without a pause, Skarmory shot into the sky and started southward, shrinking until it vanished amongst the clouds. The two trainers stood still for a moment, gazing after their mysterious foe.


    ¡°What a fucking sanctimonious ass,¡± May muttered.


    Astra glanced at her companion, still uneasy. ¡°He¡­ did have a bit of a point. You weren¡¯t very nice to him.¡±


    ¡°Who gives a shit? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re actually going to see him again,¡± May retorted, but there wasn¡¯t any heat behind it. She slumped, sighing. ¡°Whatever; let¡¯s just get to Rustboro. I¡¯m sick of this forest already.¡±


    Astra hummed in agreement. ¡°Yeah. Let''s just get going. I think we might have to set up camp early today¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah fuck, you''re right.¡± May groaned. ¡°All my guys are useless right now. Ugh. I''ll need a few potions for this. Did you need any?¡±


    They walked onward in search of a suitable campsite, but despite May''s reassurance and her own hopes, Astra couldn''t help but feel that this wasn''t the last she had seen of Steven Stone.

 Raindrop

    <div>


    Astra stared into the small pot hanging above the campfire, the stew within emitting a thick, savory aroma. Judging enough time to have passed, she threw in some Oran berries and gave the mixture a good stir. Soon enough, a delicious and filling meal for everyone would be ready. Sighing, she stood back up and turned.


    Nearby, May sat on a fallen log with her Torchic sleepily resting in her lap. She absently stroked a few fingers through his feathers as she stared into the flames.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be done in a bit,¡± Astra said, sitting next to the other trainer with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s Magikarp and berry stew! My grandpa makes it all the time when we just want something simple and easy. It was the first thing he taught me how to cook, actually.¡±


    ¡°Mm?¡± May didn¡¯t look up; still gazing at the fire with a small, melancholic frown.


    ¡°Yeah! See, it¡¯s really easy because all you need to do is boil the water and add in what you need,¡± Astra explained, idly swinging her legs. ¡°But if you want to get really good at it, you have to add in all sorts of things with the right order and timing. See, if I had added the berries first then the meat wouldn¡¯t be able to soak in the flavors evenly.¡±


    She paused for a moment, but May didn¡¯t respond, unfocused eyes still peering into the flames.


    Astra deflated. ¡°So¡­yeah,¡± she finished, lamely.


    She sighed and looked across the campsite. It was one of the many small clearings that dotted the roadside, with an almost pre-built fire pit in the middle of a few solid log benches surrounded by trees and a small path to the road. The large breach in the canopy above bathed the area in soft starlight; shadows flickering in time to the shifting flames. Their sleeping place had already been set up, but while May had been much faster at setting up the fire she had seemed¡­ distracted.


    Her thoughts wandered back to their encounter with Steven not an hour before dusk. Even now she still wasn¡¯t sure what that strange pressure he exuded during those first few moments was. He seemed cordial enough otherwise, but...


    Her gaze shifted back to May. She had been unusually angry, especially at the end. Even the fact that he had led them back to the trail had only gotten a grudging thanks, and May was back at it not a minute later.


    It was an escalation to a pattern she already didn¡¯t like. The way May had told Astra herself to leave when they first met, her impatient dismissal of Cindy outside Petalburg and every other trainer they had met in the past two days, and now the mess with Steven. Why?


    Well, idle musing wouldn¡¯t get her anywhere. Maybe figuring out why Steven set her off so hard would get some answers. How to work around to it, though¡­?


    ¡°Hey,¡± she started, turning to face her companion. ¡°Are you feeling okay?¡±


    ¡°Hn?¡± May blinked, looking at Astra with a frown. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Why?¡±


    ¡°I dunno, It¡¯s just, you were acting a bit off earlier and...¡±


    She trailed off as May¡¯s face soured. ¡°If you have something to say, just say it.¡±


    Astra glanced away, absently scratching her cheek in embarrassment. To be caught so easily! ¡°Ah, I guess I wasn¡¯t very subtle, then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty well practiced on detecting bullshit, Astra,¡± she said, the ghost of a smirk crossing May¡¯s face for a moment before vanishing into an expectant frown.


    Astra sighed. ¡°Well¡­I was just wondering why you got so mad at Steven earlier,¡± she said, rushing through the words as though they burned.


    May¡¯s expression shifted rapidly, her frown replaced by an incredulous squint. ¡°What? Why are you asking about¡ªoh.¡± Her lips thinned and she looked away. ¡°Look, I get it, I fucked up and got everyone hurt. Can we move on or are we gonna play the fucking blame game here?¡±


    ¡°Not¡­ exactly.¡± Astra fiddled with the folds of her cloak for a moment, searching for the words. ¡°It¡¯s that you were acting so irritated and harsh and I don¡¯t know why.¡±


    May snorted. ¡°Are you kidding me? Did you hear that crap he was spouting? He was a prick! Why would I be all nice to someone like him?¡±


    ¡°But you were acting like that before we even got out of the woods,¡± Astra shot back, ¡°I had to remind you that he saved us before you even said thanks!¡±


    Her face darkened with every word. ¡°So what?¡± she growled, standing up. Torchic squawked as he dropped to the grass. Chirping in annoyance, he waddled around to sit at the fire¡¯s edge. ¡°It¡¯s over and done with! Why are you getting so worked up about it?¡±


    ¡°Worked up? You¡¯re the one getting worked up about a simple question!¡± Astra rose to match, concern and annoyance coloring her voice. ¡°You¡¯re acting really weird and I don¡¯t know if something is wrong or not!¡±


    ¡°Well I think I¡¯m fine, so just drop it,¡± May hissed. ¡°Nobody cares, it¡¯s stupid, and it doesn¡¯t matter!¡±


    ¡°I care, and I think it does matter!¡± Astra stepped forward, gaze and tone unwavering, ¡°I¡¯m not going to let this go May, so please just¡ª"


    ¡°Fine!¡± May roared, tossing her hands in the air. ¡°You wanna know so bad!? I¡¯ll tell you! He pissed me off because he got in my way!¡±


    Silence reigned as May glared at a bewildered Astra, panting slightly. ¡°There!¡± she spat. ¡°Are you happy now? Glad you got my stupid reason?¡±


    ¡°¡®Got in your way...?¡¯¡± Astra repeated, unsure of the answer she received. ¡°What do you mean by that? How did he¡ª"


    ¡°Oh no,¡± May denied, holding a palm out to silence her, ¡°I already answered your shitty question, I¡¯m not saying anything else!¡±


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t! I don¡¯t understand what you meant!¡± Astra argued, knocking May¡¯s hand aside. ¡°We¡¯re not done until you explain!¡±


    May continued to glower, the shadows from the firelight flickering madly as a breeze jostled the flames. A strangled noise filled the air as she threw her hands up in defeat. ¡°Whatever!¡± she bit out, before collapsing back onto the log. She slouched over, rubbing at her forehead. ¡°Ugh, were you always such an annoyingly snoopy brat?¡±


    ¡°My family¡¯s always been pretty good at figuring out what people were feeling.¡± Astra allowed herself a flash of a grin. ¡°I don¡¯t enjoy prying so much but¡­ it¡¯s important.¡±


    ¡°Ngh,¡± May grunted, closing her eyes. A moment passed before May sighed and muttered something that Astra couldn¡¯t make out.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I said,¡± May faced Astra, her lips thin, ¡°that he interrupted our fight. That¡¯s why I was pissed.¡±


    It took Astra a moment to piece it together. ¡°You mean that argument we had before he showed up?¡±


    May just scowled and turned away, which was all the confirmation she needed. It just didn¡¯t make any sense.


    ¡°May,¡± she said, confused, ¡°we can have a battle anytime, why was this one¡ª"


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t get it!¡± May interrupted, jumping to her feet again. ¡°I was looking forward to our rematch all day! I had everything planned, I had all my new tricks ready to show off, and then we got lost in the damn forest for the entire back half of the afternoon!¡±


    She started pacing around, her hands a flurry of motion as she continued to rant. ¡°There was tension! Frustration! Anticipation! It was the perfect moment to go all out! Then he jumps in right as we were about to start and ruins the whole thing!¡±


    She finished by collapsing back onto the stump. Astra made a noise, finally understanding. Steven had gotten in the way of their rematch, so May tried to take it out on him. That was¡­ rather petty, wasn¡¯t it?


    ¡°Okay, I think I get it,¡± she said. ¡°We were all stressed out and it was a convenient outlet. But just because he interrupted our rematch doesn¡¯t mean you had to act like that.¡±


    ¡°What, are you lecturing me now?¡± May grimaced, before shooting a half-hearted glare at the other girl. ¡°You didn¡¯t have any big fuckin¡¯ issues with me fighting every other trainer from here to Petalburg. What the hell makes this one so different?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the issue,¡± Astra said, shaking her head, ¡°it was the way you started this fight and that outburst at the end. It was really uncalled for.¡±


    ¡°Oh, should I flutter my eyelashes and chat up everyone I meet just because they might have some sort of stupidly powerful Pokemon?¡± May made a face. ¡°Hell no. You can do whatever, but I¡¯m not sucking up to every half bit trainer on the off chance that they could be like him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying you should go that far, but if you could just be a bit kinder¡ª"


    ¡°For the love of¡ªI¡¯m not here to make friends, Astra!¡± May snapped.


    ¡°Well, you made friends with me and Brenden,¡± Astra countered. She hesitated. ¡°I mean, we are, aren¡¯t we...?¡±


    May¡¯s face twisted at the doubt in Astra¡¯s voice. ¡°Wh¡ªdon¡¯t be stupid; you guys are different!¡± she exclaimed, ¡°I let you share my hotel room, I¡¯m not gonna let just anyone do that!¡± She paused, then looked away, a faint red hue crossing her cheeks. ¡°Well, I¡¯d probably make Brendan sleep on the floor.¡± she mumbled.


    Astra tilted her head. ¡°Wait, why would you make Brendan sleep on the floor?¡±


    May gaped. ¡°Wh¡ªI¡¯m not gonna let a guy sleep in the same bed as me!¡±


    ¡°That seems mean,¡± Astra observed, a small grin hidden under the fold of her cloak. ¡°The floor is pretty hard, and it would be cruel to make him sleep there when there¡¯s spare room on the bed.¡±


    ¡°S¡ªspare room!? You can¡¯t seriously be telling me you don¡¯t see a problem with that!¡±


    ¡°No? Should there be?¡± Astra gazed at May innocently.


    May buried her incandescent face in her hands, whining softly. ¡°I¡¯m dead. I have died and gone straight to the worst afterlife. Do I have to explain this? Oh please no; it was bad enough on the other end¡ª"


    She looked up when she heard a snigger. The sight of dawning realization on her face was the last straw, and Astra doubled over, giggling helplessly.


    ¡°You little twerp!¡± May huffed, still blushing furiously. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you!¡±


    Astra just grinned. ¡°Oh? I¡¯m almost insulted that you think I¡¯m that clueless.¡±


    ¡°Big words coming from little miss ¡®chair full of water!¡¯¡±


    The banter was a refreshing change of pace; all this serious talk was starting to get tiring, and dinner was likely nearly done as well. Still, there was one last thing to tackle. Maybe she could finally get to the bottom of this.


    ¡°How are we different?¡± Astra asked.


    May blinked, caught off guard by the subject change. ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°You said me and Brendan were different. How?¡±


    May scratched her head, confused. ¡°W¡ªwell, you guys are my friends, I guess? Of course you¡¯re different!¡± She sighed and slouched down, arms crossed. ¡°Are you done yet? It¡¯s starting to get really annoying.¡± She grimaced, and Astra could see her teeth clench for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly a fan of this...¡± She paused for a moment, searching. She gave up. ¡°This.¡±


    ¡°Just a few more,¡± Astra promised. ¡°And¡­ well, we weren¡¯t always friends.¡± She looked up at the stars, gazing into the myriad lights above. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember when we first met? It was only a few days ago.¡±


    May followed her eyes upwards, squinting. ¡°Yeah? You kicked Brendan¡¯s ass, then I kicked yours, and we went out for sushi. Why?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you missing something?¡± A melancholic smile stole its way across Astra¡¯s face as she reminisced. ¡°When we first met, you completely ignored me. And when I called out you basically told me to get lost, just like every other trainer I¡¯ve seen you beat.¡±


    May winced, looking away. ¡°I¡ªI mean. That was..." her voice faltered. ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry, but we¡¯re friends now, right? What does it even matter?¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ve never given anyone else a second glance! What changed your mind about me?¡±


    May sighed and tossed a stick into the fire, watching as the flames curled over the wood. ¡°Probably when I found out we were rivals, I guess? You were already hanging out with Brendan, so it meant you weren¡¯t like the others.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I think I get it...¡± So it was due to pre-existing connections? But¡­ that didn¡¯t quite explain her hostility toward strangers. It was far too harsh a difference in treatment. Well, one question answered, a few to go. ¡°So then¡­ you made friends with Brendan when you found out he was your rival, too?¡±


    ¡°Eh.¡± May shrugged. ¡°He just kinda sprung that on me when we met, it¡¯s not like I was looking for it.¡± She looked away. ¡°It was convenient to have someone help me get stronger. Everything else just¡­ happened.¡±


    Astra nodded, humming as she considered everything so far. It made sense, in a weird sort of way. ¡°I think I get it. I just don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re so rude to everyone else. Maybe if you gave them a chance, you could be friends with them too¡ª" She stopped when she heard a crack of wood.


    ¡°No.¡± May said, having gripped the log she was on so tightly that a piece of bark had snapped off. She stood back up, eyes covered in the shadow of her bangs. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think you do. You just keep going on and on like everything''s so fucking clear and perfect don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Uh?¡± Astra blinked. ¡®¡°I¡ªthat¡¯s not¡ª"


    ¡°Shut up.¡± May cut her off with gritted teeth. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m just going to sit here and listen to you yap about shit you can¡¯t possibly know about? You don¡¯t know me, you don¡¯t know anything!¡±


    She took a step forward, flame-cast shadows darting every which way. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡± she asked. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve never had any friends in my life? Newsflash, I¡¯ve had tons. And guess what, they¡¯re gone. Every year, every region, every school I¡¯ve ever been to; the same exact story again, and again, and again.


    ¡°No matter what I say, no matter how hard I try or how much I beg, when dear old dad finishes his championship or his tournament I get dragged away. Everyone I¡¯ve met, everything I¡¯ve done, good or bad, none of it matters. It all vanishes, and then it all happens again.¡± Her hands clenched and her voice lowered, sorrow replacing rage. ¡°And he just leaves, like he doesn''t even care.¡±


    Her eyes closed for a brief moment, then snapped back open, full of fire and fury. ¡°Do you even know what that¡¯s like!?¡± she screamed, towering over Astra. She yelped as May suddenly grabbed a fistful of her cloak and pulled her close, her furious expression mere inches away. ¡°Let me tell you: it fucking sucks. So if you think I¡¯m just going to sit here and let myself get lectured on how to live my life by someone who¡¯s never been through a hundredth of what I have, then you can take your amateur psychology bullshit and fuck off.¡±


    She shoved Astra aside and stomped off, ignoring Astra¡¯s sharp gasp as she fell off her seat.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Astra called out, scrambling to her feet. ¡°Wait, May!¡±


    ¡°Shut up, shut up!¡± May screamed, clutching her head in her hands. ¡°I am sick of your questions, I am sick of people telling me what to do, and I am sick of this entire fucking day, so just. Shut. Up.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to...¡± One hand reached out in vain, but nothing else was said as May vanished behind a tree, leaving her grasping at nothing. Astra stared ahead, arm shaking, before slowly collapsing back onto her seat.


    A small chirp attracted her attention, and she saw Torchic waddle past her into the darkness. He looked back for a moment, then turned away with a huff. Astra watched him go.


    She stared at the fire, rocking her seat a little closer when the night¡¯s wind sapped her warmth away. After a while she wiped at her face with her sleeve, tiny, twin spots of damp visibly soaking the cloth when she pulled it away.


    With a flick a pokeball came to her hand, Treecko appearing shortly thereafter. The small creature looked around for a moment, before sensing something wrong with his trainer. He scurried into her arms, and Astra curled up, embracing Treecko in a hug.


    ¡°I screwed up,¡± she whispered, staring into the distance. ¡°I screwed up and now May hates me.¡±


    ¡°Tree?¡± Treecko asked, curious.


    ¡°I pushed her too far,¡± she muttered in return. ¡°I just wanted to know why she acted the way she did. I thought I could help, or change it, or¡­ or something! But I just made her mad.¡±


    Treecko blinked. ¡°Tree.¡±


    ¡°I should have waited.¡± She stroked Treecko¡¯s back absently, the green Pokemon shifting around in her lap. ¡°Or tried to hide it better at the start, or¡ªor just not pressured her as hard as I did.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know,¡± she continued, quietly. ¡°Her life¡­ she was right. I can¡¯t even imagine it. I¡¯ve always had everyone in the village; Grandpa, the other Ralts, even some of the guards. But she didn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t have anybody.¡±


    Her hand clenched. ¡°That doesn¡¯t excuse what she¡¯s done; acting like that to people who don¡¯t deserve it is wrong¡­¡± A sigh escaped her. ¡°But I shouldn¡¯t be focusing on that; she¡¯s already so angry at me, that would just make it worse.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do,¡± she admitted to Treecko. ¡°I¡¯ve never screwed up this bad before. Maybe that discussion with Grandpa, but¡­¡± Another sigh. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    She wasn¡¯t expecting a true answer; Treecko couldn¡¯t understand the full nuance of what she was talking about. But he was still smart, so it was only a small surprise when he began to wriggle out of her embrace. He dropped to the floor and Astra watched in confusion as he started to dig through her pack.


    She frowned when he resurfaced, prize in hand. ¡°Treecko,¡± she said, annoyed. ¡°You already ate earlier. I didn¡¯t let you out so you could grab a snack¡ª"


    She broke off when her companion scurried back over and shoved the berries into her hands. She stared at them uncomprehendingly, but he only gazed back at her serenely. He pointed at the berries, then at the tree where May disappeared.


    For a moment she failed to understand, but then it clicked. A scene from earlier today; anger and aggression, but in the end, forgiveness and cooperation.


    And it had started with¡­


    She stared at Treecko, and a giggle escaped her. She reached out and pulled him close, quiet laughter resounding as she finally realized what she had to do.


    ¡°I thought I was supposed to be the trainer,¡± she said, releasing him and smiling. ¡°But it looks like you¡¯re the one teaching me tonight. You¡¯re right.¡± She stood up, turning to face the darkness. ¡°I need to go talk to her myself.¡±


    She turned back for a moment to flash him a small grin. ¡°Thanks, Treecko.¡±


    Treecko gave her a lazy thumbs up, already occupying the warm vacancy on the log. ¡°Ko.¡±


    Astra walked into the forest, following the dim beacon of May¡¯s thoughts and emotions. She didn¡¯t dare look too deep, but the faint echoes she couldn¡¯t help but see were worrying. May was sitting against a tree trunk when Astra found her and Torchic, the fiery Pokemon resting on her lap. She looked up, the sullen look on her face darkening to a scowl.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± she said with venom. ¡°More questions? Maybe you want to criticize me some more?¡±


    Astra flinched and looked away. There are a hundred excuses that she could say, rebuttals that all diverted blame back to her or elsewhere¡ªbut no. That¡¯s not what she came here to do, so she didn''t say any of them. Shaking her head, she stayed silent and moved forward.


    May¡¯s scowl deepened and she rose up, gently setting Torchic off to the side. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you missed the fucking message,¡± she growled, ¡°but maybe I should say it again. Take your bullshit and fu¡ªoof!¡±


    She stopped when Astra launched herself forward and wrapped her in a hug, arms wrapped tightly around her waist. May took a step back, dragging her friend with.


    ¡°The hell?¡± she exclaimed, bewildered. A pair of hands grabbed her by the shoulders, trying to push her away. ¡°Get the fuck off me¡ª"


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Astra could feel May stiffen, freezing in place. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡ªI shouldn¡¯t have pried so hard. I should have stopped when you got upset. But I didn¡¯t.¡±


    Stress blurred around May in a jagged haze, emotions vacillating between too many states to name. What was she feeling? Astra couldn¡¯t tell at all. Maybe May didn¡¯t know either. Astra¡¯s hands remained where they were. Could this mend the gap she¡¯d made? What if it didn¡¯t?


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have ignored your feelings. You¡¯ve done so much for me and I turned around and hurt you. I¡¯m sorry. ¡±


    Was she crying? Her head felt light, and her heart heavy. She didn¡¯t want to go back to being alone. Her shaking grip tightened, fistfuls of cloth twisting in her hands.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t hate me¡­¡± she whispered.


    A long, horrible moment passed¡ªand then May sighed.


    ¡°You¡¯re making it really hard to stay mad at you, you know that?¡±


    Astra blinked, looking up. May¡¯s head was tilted away awkwardly, avoiding her friend¡¯s gaze as exasperation and embarrassment competed for room on her face. Then the conflicted expression solidified into a grimace.


    ¡°Can you get off me? I don¡¯t¡ªthis is weird.¡± A pause. ¡°And your hat is digging into my chest,¡± she added, lightly pushing Astra away once more. Astra released her, backing up a few steps as May smoothed herself out.


    ¡°Did you seriously cry on my shirt?¡± she muttered, rubbing at a small spot. ¡°That¡¯s such a kiddy move, dude.¡±


    Astra hesitated, unsure of what to do next. ¡°D¡ªdo you still hate me?¡± she asked, hoping the answer wasn¡¯t what she feared it was.


    ¡°¡­No,¡± May said, looking away again. ¡°I never hated you, you just pissed me off. Jeez, with a display like that, how could I? I feel like I just kicked a puppy.¡±


    A weight lifted off Astra¡¯s shoulders. She hadn¡¯t ruined everything after all! ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, smiling. ¡°I know I already said it, but I¡¯m really sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to¡ª"


    ¡°Just¡ªjust shut up.¡± May sighed, glancing at her. ¡°I¡¯m no good at this mushy emotional crap. Yadda yadda, I forgive you bleh.¡± She made a face. ¡°Just don¡¯t pester me with questions like that again.¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Astra chirped. ¡°I can do that.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± May picked Torchic back up and started back towards camp. ¡°Man, I am starving. Do you think that stew is ready yet?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Astra said, falling in with May. ¡°I completely forgot about that! Yeah it should be way done by now!¡±


    ¡°Ah, I can¡¯t wait!¡± May grinned, Torchic warbling in agreement. ¡°Oh hush you, you already ate.¡±


    ¡°Chic!¡±


    ¡°Okay fine, but only a bite!¡±


    A peaceful moment passed, before Astra turned to look at her companion again. She hesitated, but¡­ it still had to be said. ¡°I still don¡¯t think you should be mean to people.¡±


    May¡¯s lips thinned as she side-eyed Astra. ¡°Didn¡¯t we just¡ª"


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying you need to be friends, or anything!¡± she hurriedly explained, ¡°But can¡¯t you just¡­ not antagonize them? I don¡¯t want what happened with Steven to happen again, and¡­ it¡¯s just not right.¡±


    May looked at her for a moment more before sighing. ¡°Man, you really are a goodie two shoes, aren¡¯t you? Fine,¡± she drawled, waving Astra away with a hand. ¡°If it¡¯ll get you to stop harping on about it, I guess I can try playing nice, for a bit. But I don¡¯t want to hear you complain if I go off on any bastard that tries to start shit.¡±


    Astra just grinned again. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± May brushed her off, speeding up. ¡°Let¡¯s just get back so I can finally eat¡ªwhat the flying fuck is in my pot!?¡±


    The camp came into view, as well as something new¡ªsomething that was leaning against the poles holding the stew up above the fire. A small, light brown figure with two brown stripes going horizontally across its back was slowly dipping its clawed hands into the stew pot and bringing portions of berries and meat up to its face.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    It lazily turned around at May¡¯s exclamation, two lidded eyes circled by dark brown fur dully gazing at them.


    ¡°My stew!¡± Astra cried, ¡°It¡¯s eating my stew! Wait, where¡¯s Treecko, I left him¡ªyou¡¯re still asleep!?¡±


    Her Pokemon, still curled up on the log, sleepily raised his head at his master''s call. He squawked as he spotted the creature just in front of him, falling off the log in a panic.


    ¡°That stupid Slakoth is eating my goddamn dinner!¡± May roared. ¡°Torchic, peck that asshole¡¯s eyes out!¡±


    Astra¡¯s command came at the same time. ¡°Treecko, get that thing away from the fire!¡±


    Both Pokemon shot forwards, Treecko slamming his tail across Slakoths face. The thieving Pokemon let out a droning groan as it wobbled away from the assault, and Torchic came in and rapidly drilled into Slakoths face with its beak, eliciting more cries of pain from the creature.


    Apparently having had enough, it abruptly seized May¡¯s Torchic in one clawed hand and flung it clear across the campsite and into a tree in one smooth motion. Torchic struck the tree like a screeching baseball and bounced off with a considerably quieter thump, instantly knocked out. The Pokemon¡ªSlakoth, apparently¡ªpromptly decided that it was done fighting and proceeded to collapse like a falling tree, laying on the ground with vacuous eyes.


    Astra gaped at the sight as May cursed up a storm, running to retrieve her bird. She approached the Slakoth warily, but the brown Pokemon didn¡¯t seem inclined to do anything else at the moment. What was that absurd display of strength? Treecko repeatedly jumped on its back as though he was playing Slakoth like a bizarre drum, but only received a muted, annoyed grunt in return.


    ¡°Ugh, I just used a potion, too,¡± May grumbled, a flash of red light returning the unconscious Torchic to its home. She walked over, joining Astra as she tentatively poked Slakoth with a stick. She watched for a moment. ¡°You should probably catch it,¡± she muttered.


    Astra looked up. ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°The Slakoth,¡± May repeated, louder. ¡°You should catch it.¡±


    Astra blinked. ¡°Really?¡± She eyed the slow Pokemon dubiously. ¡°It seems strong, but¡­ I¡¯m not sure it can do much.¡± She lifted one of Slakoths arms into the air with the stick. It fell back down bonelessly. She glanced back at May, who shrugged.


    ¡°When they evolve, they get way stronger than even this, and more energetic. Second form, at least. Third goes back to being lazy, but crazy powerful.¡± She looked away, teeth grit. ¡°They¡¯re good enough for dad to use, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Your dad has one of these?¡± Astra asked. He was the Gym Leader in Petalburg, wasn¡¯t he? The one that had told her to get lost until she¡¯d gotten stronger.


    ¡°Nnn,¡± May grunted. ¡°He has two; a Vigoroth and a Slaking. They¡¯re the evolved forms,¡± she explained at Astra¡¯s confused look.


    ¡°Oh. Then, shouldn¡¯t you capture him? You would know more about these guys than I do.¡±


    May¡¯s face scrunched up, repulsed by the very idea. ¡°And use the same Pokemon that he does? I¡¯ll pass. Besides, that thing took your food, right? Only fair you put him to work for it.¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡± Retrieving an empty pokeball from her pack, Astra tossed it at the prone Slakoth, who made no move to dodge and vanished into red light. The pokeball wobbled for a moment then settled down, announcing its success with a click.


    ¡°Welcome to the group, food thief,¡± Astra said, storing the ball away. She turned to see May mournfully looking into the stew pot.


    ¡°I think we¡¯re going to have to make a new batch,¡± May said.


    Astra looked inside. A few strands of hair were floating on the surface and some of the meat was gone, but there was still enough here for a meal. ¡°Eh? There¡¯s still some Magikarp in there, and he hardly got any of the broth. Just need to pick out the hair.¡±


    Using a ladle, she scooped out some meat and berries, and removed the couple of hairs that had been dragged with. She sipped it and found it to be as excellent as it always was; the savory Magikarp mixing with the Oran excellently. She sighed in contentment, then turned to see May staring at her in horror.


    ¡°What?¡±


    <hr>


    The next day came quickly, the sky covering itself in dull gray clouds. The duo packed up camp and headed out once again, the shaded road stretching endlessly into the horizon. Occasional shafts of sunlight broke through, alleviating the muted colors of the forest with flashes of brilliant verdancy.


    ¡°I think we should get to Rustboro today,¡± Astra commented, still poking at the map in vain. She frowned at the device. ¡°At least, I hope so. We¡¯ve moved into the other half of this rectangle.¡±


    ¡°Why do you even bother to look at that thing?¡± May asked, peering off into the forest around them as they walked. ¡°You should know it¡¯s hot trash by now.¡±


    Astra shrugged, putting the pokedex away. ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s much else to do.¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± May sighed. She perked up a moment later as she spotted something lurking in the distance. ¡°Ooh! Yes, another lake!¡± she cheered.


    ¡°A lake?¡± Astra asked, confused. ¡°Why are you looking for another¡ªhey! Wait up!¡± Astra shouted, scrambling to follow as May burst into a sprint.


    ¡°I still need a water Pokemon that can actually use water moves, genius!¡± May skidded to a halt at the water''s edge, Astra hot on her heels. ¡°Aha!¡±


    Three lilypads sat in the center of the small lake, ebbing and flowing in time to some unseen eddies below. At May¡¯s exclamation, they all rose above water, each one revealing rotund blue bodies with beady eyes and yellow bills beneath them. Upon sighting May and Astra, two of them immediately cried out in alarm and fled to the far side.


    However, one appeared to be a bit braver than its companions. ¡°Lotad!¡± it called, glaring at both of them in defiance.


    ¡°Oho, we¡¯ve got a challenger I see.¡± May laughed, ¡°You¡¯ll do just fine! Go, Tentacool!¡±


    With a flash of light, Tentacool appeared, seamlessly diving into the lake. ¡°Tentacool,¡± it said, eyes fixated upon his foe.


    The Lotad tensed at Tentacool¡¯s appearance and puffed up. Gurgling, it spat out dozens of small bubbles, a field of shimmering spheres forming a barricade between them.


    Astra tensed at the sight of them. ¡°May, watch out!¡± she warned, ¡°Those bubbles don¡¯t seem like much, but they can erupt with a lot of force!¡± As many bruised villagers could attest to over painful winces and mild cursing.


    ¡°Hah, as if that could hurt Tentacool!¡± she replied, brushing off Astra¡¯s concern with a wave. ¡°That thing must be trying to spook us off. Well too bad, ¡®cause that move is just what I¡¯m looking for. Tentacool!¡± May commanded, a grand sweep of her arm accompanying the order. ¡°Ignore the bubbles and give that Lotad an acid bath!¡±


    Diving underwater, all that could be seen of Tentacool was a swift ripple speeding towards the Lotad. The bubble blockade descended at once, turning the water into a turbulent froth as they burst open down below. The Lotad¡¯s eyes went wide when the assault didn¡¯t even slow the speeding ripple down. Tentacool erupted from the water in a furious spray, glaring down at his astonished opponent in disdain.


    ¡°Tenta,¡± it said, then belched forth a stream of noxious purple slime, the viscous mass wholly coating the Lotad and pooling inside its lilypad. Its screech echoed across the lake, thrashing around as the toxic goop seeped into its skin.


    ¡°Super effective!¡± May cheered, Tentacool backing away from the poisonous froth.


    Astra was impressed. ¡°Wow, it only took one hit? I¡¯m not sure if your Tentacool is strong or that Lotad is awful.¡±


    ¡°Well, I am one of the best trainers there are,¡± May bragged. ¡°So obviously it¡¯s the former; nothing I catch is gonna be weak!¡± Retrieving a fresh pokeball, she hit the button and smirked. ¡°Alright, c¡¯mere, bowlhead!¡±


    She let the pokeball fly. Both trainers watched as the ball sailed clear over the Lotad, splashing down some distance off. Astra glanced at a frozen May.


    ¡°I see the best trainers also have the best throwing arms,¡± she observed.


    May grit her teeth. ¡°It was just the wind!¡±


    Astra looked around at the trees and bushes surrounding them, the foliage seemingly frozen upon their branches. ¡°It is very breezy today, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    May just growled and threw another ball. It landed in the lake with a resounding ¡®plop,'' no nearer to the Lotad than the last. Silence reigned for a moment.


    Astra looked at her friend, stone-faced. ¡°Was that the wind too?¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± May said, bright and cheery, ¡°I¡¯m gonna answer your question with a question: Shut up?¡±


    She got it on the third try, despite the sound of Astra¡¯s helpless giggling. Lotad vanished, and the ball dinged shortly thereafter. Tentacool retrieved all three spheres and May recalled him, pocketing everything with a sour glare.


    ¡°Alright, haha, laugh it up! Fuckin¡¯ brat,¡± May grumbled, taking out her pokedex. ¡°It¡¯s a girl, huzzah. Ah shit, she got poisoned. Where¡¯d I put my antidote?¡±


    Shaking her head, Astra turned to leave, but a motion out of the corner of her eye made her pause. Turning back to the lake, she spotted the two other Lotad who had fled floating where their third member had vanished into May¡¯s pokeball. They circled around the spot in silence, diving and surfacing, turning every which way. She observed the display in confusion, but the reason became clear with only a moment¡¯s thought.


    They were searching for their missing friend.


    She watched them circle aimlessly for a moment, but at last they seemed to realize their missing member wasn¡¯t coming back. Astra heard a quiet, mournful cry seep from under the surface and the two Lotad slowly started drifting away.


    ¡°Hey, May?¡±


    May looked up from her bag, elbow deep in containers and items. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Those other Lotad look pretty sad, don¡¯t they?¡±


    May glanced at the Lotad, frowning. ¡°Maybe? What about it?¡±


    Astra sighed. ¡°I dunno, I guess I feel bad for them. You just took their friend away, after all.¡±


    ¡°Well, shit happens.¡± May shrugged, resuming her search for an antidote. ¡°Pokemon get eaten, eat each other, fall down holes and vanish all the time out here. Screw being sad, little bastards should be jealous! Living life as one of my Pokemon has got to be better than whatever they¡¯ve got going on out here.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that,¡± Astra muttered to herself. Maybe the creature had belonged to a secret society of Lotad in hiding and would make everyone worry when she didn¡¯t come home! But she didn¡¯t say that.


    ¡°Did you say something?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she answered, turning away. ¡°It¡¯s just sad they never even got to say goodbye.¡±


    Astra heard a sigh and the clink of a plastic bottle. An electronic whirr made her turn to look and she was surprised to see May¡¯s Lotad on the ground between them, shivering and pale. An opaque yellow spray bottle appeared in May¡¯s hand and she quickly hosed the afflicted Lotad down with a sickly sweet-smelling liquid, topping it off by unscrewing the cap and outright dumping some into her lilypad.


    Color returned to Lotad rapidly, her eyes blinking as strength returned to her body. She shook itself off as she stood, the last drops of antidote falling off in a light mist. Snapping fingers drew her attention to May, who looked upon her with thinned lips.


    ¡°Yo,¡± the girl said with half a wave. ¡°I¡¯m May. I¡¯m your trainer now, got it?¡±


    Lotad seemed to deflate at her announcement. ¡°Tad,¡± she said, despondent.


    ¡°So long as we¡¯re clear.¡± May cleared her throat. ¡°Uh, anyway, your first task is to go tell your buddies over there that you¡¯re leaving, got it?¡±


    Lotads eyes widened. She spun in place, frantically searching for her former comrades before spotting them in the lake. ¡°Lotad!¡± she exclaimed, dashing toward the waters. The two trainers watched as the trio quickly reconvened in the middle, bumping into each other excitedly.


    ¡°You better make it quick,¡± May called out. ¡°We¡¯re burning daylight, you know!¡± She scowled when all she heard in return were excited variations of ¡®Lotad.¡¯ ¡°Tch.¡±


    Astra sidled up next to May. ¡°That was really nice of you,¡± she said, nudging her with an elbow.


    ¡°Shove it up your ass,¡± May grumbled, pushing her off. ¡°Did I ever tell you that you¡¯re annoying? Spilled your stupid bleeding heart all over my shirt.¡±


    ¡°Aw, am I rubbing off on you?¡± Astra sang, ¡°You¡¯re getting Astra residue all over~¡±


    ¡°Gonna need some industrial grade bleach for this,¡± May deadpanned. ¡°Scrub the stains out real hard. Take a bath in it even. If I start singing to the wildlife while wearing a crown of flowers I might as well start gargling.¡±


    ¡°Oh come on,¡± Astra complained, still grinning. ¡°I¡¯m not that bad!¡±


    ¡°Glug glug, motherfucker,¡± May chimed, slamming down an imaginary shot glass.


    ¡°Maaay!¡± she whined.


    ¡°Lotad low,¡± said Lotad, interrupting the bit. The two trainers looked down to see that May''s newest Pokemon had returned, looking much livelier. The other two were at the shore, looking on at their friend. Astra smiled at the sight; it reminded her of her own departure from home.


    ¡°Ready to go, dude?¡± May asked, pokeball in hand.


    ¡°Tad,¡± Lotad barked, determination flashing behind her eyes.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get a move on then. Return!¡± As the red light reached out to envelope the water Pokemon, she turned back and waved at the duo left behind. Stubby blue legs raised in kind, a final farewell for their fellow. After the light vanished, the two drifted back across the lake, vanishing from sight and mind.


    ¡°Finally,¡± May said, turning back to the road. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of this damn forest; I¡¯ve got a Gym to thrash!¡±


    <hr>


    The pace of travel picked up quickly after that. Gleaming pillars of glass and concrete appeared in the far distance as Rustboro came into sight at last¡ªand the closer they got to the city, the more trainers they seemed to encounter. Bug-type enthusiasts in particular seemed to be out in abundance, as well.


    ¡°Fucks sake, if I never see any of this bug shit ever again, it will be too soon,¡± May groused, picking another patch of sticky webbing off her leg. She grimaced, trying to flick it off her hand. ¡°Seriously, what kind of weirdo uses four Wurmple?


    ¡°It¡¯s more common than you might think,¡± Astra said, vividly recalling her first battle.


    ¡°He could at least train them to fucking aim.¡±


    ¡°Wide area attacks aren¡¯t really meant to be¡ª"


    ¡°It got in my nose, you don¡¯t get to be pedantic about it!¡±


    ¡°Excuse me!¡± said a new voice.


    Astra and May looked up to see a portly man in a green suit clutching a briefcase and waving to them from the side of the road. He jogged up to them, panting as he did. A troubled expression was present on his face.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± he repeated, pausing to take a handful of deep breaths before continuing. ¡°Are you two Pokemon trainers?


    ¡°Yes?¡± Astra asked-slash-answered. ¡°Can we help you?¡±


    May shot her a look, but the man looked ecstatic. ¡°Oh, how wonderful! Yes, yes, you see, I¡¯ve been wanting to see one of my favorite Pokemon and I¡¯ve finally managed to get the morning free to come out here. But there¡¯s not one to be found!¡± He grew despondent, slumping down. ¡°And I was really looking forward to it too. But!¡± He brightened. ¡°Then I spotted you two, and¡ª"


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± May exclaimed. ¡°Get to the point.¡±


    The man looked taken aback. ¡°My word, youth these days. Don¡¯t you know to respect your elders?¡±


    An elbow from Astra cut off any rhetoric May could have made. She glared at her friend, then rolled her eyes. ¡°You said you were looking for a Pokemon?¡±


    He blinked, then smiled. ¡°Ah, yes! I was wondering, have you two seen any Shroomish around recently?¡±


    The two looked at each other, then back to the man. ¡°We saw a bunch on the way here,¡± Astra said, ¡°but not recently.¡±


    ¡°Most of them were around when we got lost, right?¡± May said.


    ¡°Yeah. I think we only saw maybe one or two today, but that was a while ago.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± he said, downtrodden. ¡°Drat. I was hoping that you would have seen one. I suppose my trip was a waste of time after all¡ª"


    ¡°There you are!¡± a second new voice shouted, coarse and furious. Another man came sprinting down the road, skidding to a stop in a cloud of dust. He wore a black and white striped t-shirt and tough leather gloves, with a pair of loose blue pants finishing the rough ensemble. Atop his head was a blue bandana, emblazoned with a symbol that Astra soon recognized as a stylized ¡®A¡¯ with an oval-shaped hole and bones for the ends.


    He glared at the suited man in rage, panting only slightly¡ªhe was obviously in better shape. ¡°How dare you make me wait!¡± he yelled, voice lightly accented. ¡°I was just gonna ambush you in the city, but you just had to spend three hours screwing around in the forest! Three! No more!¡±


    He stepped forward, the grin on his face betrayed by the glint of violence in his eyes. ¡°Screw subtlety, I¡¯m just gotta do things nice and direct. Now you, Devon stooge! Hand over those papers, would you? Or else things are gonna get real difficult.¡±


    The suited man went pale as a ghost. He backed up a few steps before outright turning and fleeing, hiding behind May and Astra and quivering with fear. ¡°Y-you two are Pokemon trainers, right?¡± he blubbered, clutching onto May¡¯s arm as if it were his only lifeline. ¡°You have to protect me, please!¡±


    ¡°What the¡ªget off me!¡± May yelled, snatching her arm from the terrified man. ¡°I¡¯m not a damn shield! Tch,¡± she shoved him back, turning to face the new guy. ¡°I did not need this today. Just stay back!¡±


    Astra¡¯s gaze flickered between the two men rapidly. What was going on here? What papers? Were they in the box the suited man was carrying? Why did this guy want them? Eyes narrowed, she stepped between the thug and his target.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked, diverting his attention. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±


    The thug blinked, noticing the two trainers for the first time. He chuckled, finding the display amusing. ¡°Hiding behind kids? What a joke. Get lost, brats,¡± he sneered. ¡°This is between Team Aqua and that corporate goon.¡±


    ¡°Team Aqua?¡± Astra sounded out. What was that? A group? She glanced at May, who shrugged. She didn¡¯t know either? ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to be doing that,¡± she continued, frowning. Whatever it was, she didn¡¯t like anything about this guy. Neither did the suited man, who seemed faint.


    ¡°What, are you two gonna protect him?¡± The Aqua grunt laughed. ¡°That¡¯s rich! One last chance to back off; nobody who crosses Team Aqua gets any mercy, not even a couple of kids!¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± said May, stepping forward. ¡°I don¡¯t particularly give a shit about your stupid gang or whatever, but if you think I¡¯m gonna let you shit talk us like that¡­¡± Her knuckles popped as she flexed them, staring at the Grunt all the while. ¡°You¡¯d better think again, bastard.¡±


    ¡°Tch, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you! But that¡¯s fine, I don¡¯t really mind.¡± His grin widened, the air growing heavy with dark intent. ¡°I was hoping for some excitement today anyway! Poochyena, Carvanha, let¡¯s crush these fools!¡±


    ¡°Treecko, let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Kick his ass, Torchic!¡± Astra and May called out, throwing their own balls into the air. Beams of light coalesced, Treecko and Torchic ready to fight.


    Across from them, a larger, more scarred Poochyena than May¡¯s took form, snarling at the sight of its foes. To its side, an aquatic Pokemon briefly floated in the air before plummeting to the earth. Both trainers stared incredulously at the red, blue, and yellow fish; its vicious, jagged maw snapping repeatedly as it wriggled on the ground.


    ¡°¡­Do you think he knows there¡¯s no water here?¡± May asked as the Carvanha continued to uselessly flop around.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we should tell him,¡± Astra whispered back, fiddling with a violin string. ¡°He might get upset.¡±


    A vein throbbed on the Aqua grunt¡¯s head. ¡°I can hear you!¡± he yelled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if there¡¯s no water here, I don¡¯t need it to deal with small fry like you! Carvanha, Aqua Jet that Torchic! Poochyena, go after the Treecko!¡±


    ¡°Shit¡ªTorchic, dodge!¡± May yelled, Torchic chirping in distress as he narrowly avoided a cutting stream of water. Carvanha wriggled on the ground while he shot, Torchic frantically attempting to duck and twist around the erratic streams.


    Music filled the air as Astra began to play; a song of battle, struggle and triumph in equal measure. A plan of action formulated in Astra¡¯s mind, which she broadcasted to Treecko. ¡®Interception!¡¯ she commanded.


    Treecko sprung forward, meeting the grunt¡¯s Poochyena in two swift leaps. The dog growled and vicious teeth shone as it prepared to chew Treecko to bits, but its jaws snapped down on naught but air as the speedy Pokemon dove down. He slid beneath the Poochyena in one smooth motion, the hound tripping over as one of its legs were knocked aside. Ignoring the aggravated howl behind him, he began dashing towards Carvanha and Torchic.


    Torchic sprinted for all he was worth, but he couldn¡¯t get close to his fishy opponent without a deluge of high pressure water cutting him off at every turn. Just as Carvanha was about to land a solid hit, Treecko sped into place, blocking the jet with his own body. Almost unaffected by the attack, he began to march against the flow.


    ¡°Alright!¡± May cheered, ¡°Torchic, follow Treecko and burn that Poochyena if it gets close!¡±


    Backing up against his ally, Torchic turned to face his new enemy. Gouts of fire halted the Poochyena¡¯s advance, and the hound growled at the heat¡¯s edge.


    ¡°Stop that Treecko, Poochyena!¡± The Aqua grunt yelled, fist clenched. ¡°One measly Ember is nothing to you!¡±


    Emboldened by his master, the enemy Poochyena charged through Torchic¡¯s flame, the smell of burnt hair leaving a cloying pall in his wake. Torchic squawked, ducking as the dog leapt clear over the chick and homed in on Treecko with wild abandon. Treecko whirled around and blocked it with his hand, gasping as Poochyena¡¯s teeth dug into his arm.


    Astra spared a moment to feel relieved that the sense-sharing training had paid off. He had seen the attack coming even without her telling him about it! A flash of memory came to Astra then, of guards and Poochyena attacks and retaliation in kind. ¡°Treecko,¡± she said, a sharp chord accompanying her words. ¡°Stick your hand down his throat and absorb!¡±


    Through the pain of the bite and the torrent of water, Treecko still had enough left in him to stare at his trainer in shock. Clenching his eyes and gritting his teeth, the lizard forcefully pushed his arm past rows of teeth and plunged his fist deep into Poochyenas maw, grabbed a dangling bit, and pulled.


    Poochyena¡¯s eyes widened into dinner plates. It released Treecko¡¯s arm and reared back, falling over itself to free the blockage in its throat. Coughing and wheezing, it never saw Torchic until his flame had already reached it.


    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± May cheered as a blazing cloud enveloped the dog. ¡°Good job Torchic!¡±


    ¡°Tor!¡±


    A snarl interrupted their celebration, one soot-stained paw emerging from the cloud of smog. Another one soon followed, and then the Poochyena emerged in full. Fur fell from its body in ashen clumps and faint wisps of smoke still wafted through the air, but it stood even so, shaking from the effort. It glared at its opponents, eyes filled with pain and the promise of retribution. To the side, Carvanha ceased its assault on Treecko, irritated that it wasn¡¯t having any effect.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± May muttered, scowling. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s one tough dog. The fuck has he been feeding it, pure zinc?¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± the Aqua grunt cried, pumping his fist. ¡°That¡¯s my girl! Now bring these snot-nosed punks down! Poochyena, take out that damn Treecko; Carvanha, boil them all alive!¡±


    Boil alive!? Horrified, Astra quickened the pace of her song, Treecko frantically dashing toward the suddenly steaming fish Pokemon. ¡°May, hold off that Poochyena!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it covered,¡± May yelled, sweeping her arm out. ¡°Torchic, Scratch and Peck, show no mercy!¡±


    Razor talons speared through the air as Torchic leapt forwards, intercepting the speeding Poochyena with swift rakes across its face. Poochyena recoiled, then snapped around and slammed its jaws around one of Torchic¡¯s legs. Screeching in pain, Torchic stabbed at his head, Pecking him across the face and eyes over and over.


    The Poochyena howled, muffled as it was by a mouthful of leg. It shook Torchic around, the bird crying out in distress before unceremoniously being flung across the road. He rolled to a stop, caked in dust and a bit of blood.


    Shaking, Torchic struggled to his feet for a moment, but was unable to bear weight on his bitten leg. He stared at Poochyena, gasping for breath.


    On the other side of the road, Treecko skid to a halt in front of the Carvanha, slamming a glowing green hand on the swollen fish¡¯s scales.


    Pain!


    Yanking back, Treecko hissed at the fine, razor cuts covering his palm. Astra gasped at the sight. Merely touching Carvanha had sliced open Treecko¡¯s hands!?


    The Carvanha¡¯s pointed maw seemed to curve into a cruel grin as it saw the trickle of blood. It swelled, gouts of steam and sizzling water drops pushing through the cracks in his jaw. Too late to back out, too close to dodge.


    ¡®Treecko!¡¯ Astra called, breaking him out of his shock. ¡®Stop him before he can fire!¡¯


    Clenching a fist, Treecko threw both arms around Carvanha¡¯s body and held its mouth shut with all his might. The fish Pokemon wriggled about in shock, suddenly unable to unleash the boiling water inside. Treecko cried out in pain as dozens of sharp scales cut deeply into his arms, falling to the ground and barely keeping hold of his opponent.


    ¡®I know it hurts but stay strong, I know you can do it!¡¯ Astra said, reassurement and pride surging through their link. ¡®Now drain it dry!¡¯


    Hands surging green, Treecko squeezed Carvanha even tighter as thick bands of verdant energy erupted from the now thrashing fish. Its eyes rolled madly, a multitude of piercing whistles sounding as the trapped steam managed to escape.


    ¡°Damn it all!¡± the Aqua grunt yelled. ¡°Poochyena, tear that Torchic apart! And what are you waiting for Carvanha? Stop sitting there and end it!¡±


    ¡°Torchic, use ember!¡± May raised a fist, cheering with all she had. ¡°Send this dog to the pound!¡±


    Redoubling its effort, Carvanha writhed against his captor, jagged scales opening innumerable cuts in Treecko¡¯s skin. Drops of scalding water splattered about as Treecko struggled to drain it. A surge of strength freed the Carvanha from Treecko¡¯s grip for just a moment and a single, boiling hot jet impacted Treecko¡¯s face.


    He gasped, dropping Carvanha to paw at where the water had struck¡ªwhich was all that his foe needed. A torrent of water, roiling and angry, engulfed Treecko in an instant. Astra gasped as their link exploded into agony; a searing cacophony that seemed to last a lifetime.


    ¡°Treecko!¡± Astra stared into the steam cloud in desperation, blinking sympathetic tears from her eyes. In the fog was a figure. Shaking and trembling, covered head to toe in angry red splotches, Treecko had still mustered the strength to stay upright.


    To the side, Astra saw small gouts of fire burst and fade as Torchic attempted to fend off Poochyena. The dog was limping forward slowly, but all the same it endured through every weakened blast of Torchic¡¯s assault with bared teeth and hateful eyes.


    Thinking quickly, Astra asked Treecko a single question: Ready?


    Through cracking skin and hissed breath, Treecko looked back at her with one eye and gave her a shaky thumbs up. ¡°Ko.¡±


    She was so getting him a special treat after this.


    The Aqua grunt looked on incredulously. ¡°Is that thing still standing!? Enough already; if water won¡¯t work just bite his head off, Carvanha!¡±


    Instructions flashing into his mind, Treecko shuffled towards the fish. It glared at him and flopped into the air, jaws snapping. Dodging around the angry fish¡¯s awkward lunges, Treecko lined up his targets as best he could, the world spinning around him as the burns took their toll.


    The moment came. With the last of his strength, he twisted and slammed his tail into the flailing Carvanha. With a sickening crack, the fish was sent flying as razor scales cut open Treecko¡¯s tail. His eyes rolled back into his head and he fell, passing out before he hit the ground.


    Across the road, Torchic blasted Poochyena with the last of his fire to little effect. He panted in exhaustion as the hound stepped forward, smoke, soot, and hatred rolling off his coat in waves. Poochyena leaned forward with slavering jaws wide, but a loud noise made it look up.


    Carvanha slammed into Poochyena¡¯s face at speed. They ricocheted off each other, the fish flying back into the air as Poochyena recoiled, twitching. It teetered, before the screaming Carvanha descended from on high, slamming into its skull once more with a dull, echoing thud.


    Both of them fell to the grass, knocked out cold.


    Silence fell across the battlefield. Torchic cawed out in victory, hopping around on one leg in celebration. It was cut short as an array of red lights shot out, recalling all Pokemon back home.


    ¡°You did good, Treecko,¡± Astra muttered as he vanished. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Way to go, Torchic,¡± May said, giving his pokeball an affectionate pat. ¡°Take it easy for a while.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± the Aqua grunt ground out, shaking in anger. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me¡­ How are you snot-nose punks this tough!?¡±


    ¡°A-duh,¡± May said, rolling her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s ¡®cuz we¡¯re fucking awesome. Astra, high five!¡±


    She held out a palm, which Astra slapped enthusiastically.


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Astra said, pointing at the man with a grin. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for being such a jerk!¡±


    ¡°And!¡± May added, with vindictive glee. ¡°We aren¡¯t the ones who sent a fish out to fight on dry land, you absolute moron!¡±


    The grunt twitched. ¡°Tch. Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He stepped forward, a glint in his eye. ¡°Pokemon or no, I can still get those files by myself¡ªurk!¡±


    A duo of flashing lights interrupted him, resolving into Marill and May¡¯s own Poochyena. They glared at the grunt, interposing themselves between the thug and their masters.


    ¡°Marill mar!¡± Marill said, swinging her tail around with promise.


    Poochyena merely growled, hackles raised.


    May smirked. ¡°You were saying?¡±


    The grunt stepped back, fear in his eyes. He grit his teeth, fists clenched. ¡°Damnit! You¡¯ll pay for meddling in Team Aqua¡¯s affairs!¡± he yelled. ¡°We¡¯re not done with you or Rustboro! You better watch your back!¡±


    With those parting words, he turned and dashed down the road, proverbial tail between his legs. Astra and May glanced at each other and smiled.


    ¡°Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!¡± The green-suited man said. He shook May¡¯s hand vigorously, beaming with gratitude even as she viciously tore it free. ¡°You have no idea how much trouble you¡¯ve rescued me from! It would have been a disaster if these papers had fallen into their hands!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble, really!¡± Astra said, blushing at the praise. Her gaze turned to the briefcase, curiosity piqued. ¡°That guy really wanted those papers. What''s on them?¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± the man said, hesitating. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t tell you. Confidential, you see.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± May interrupted, ¡°then why the hell were you just lugging them around out here in the middle of nowhere? Weren¡¯t you just looking for a Shroomish in the first place? The fuck does any of this have to do with that!?¡±


    The man wrung his hands, looking up and down the road and generally anywhere but at either of them. He sighed, mumbling his words. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to make a trip back home before I went to work so I brought them with me¡­¡±


    May stared at him through lidded eyes. ¡°You¡¯re a dumbass.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes I know!¡± he blustered, straightening his suit out¡ªthen he paused. ¡°Wait, did that goon say that Team Aqua still had plans for Rustboro?¡± Suddenly panicked, he quickly searched his pockets before bringing out an oddly-colored pokeball. He thrust it into Astra¡¯s hands. ¡°Here, take this Great Ball as a token of my thanks! I had hoped to use it on a Shroomish, but I must return to my office at once, it¡¯s a crisis! Goodbye!¡±


    ¡°Wh¡ªthank you?¡± Astra watched the man speed off down the road.


    ¡°Welp,¡± May said after a moment. ¡°That was weird. Do you think he¡¯s realized he just sped off right behind that other guy?¡±


    Astra hesitated. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we go after him? It could still be dangerous¡­¡±


    May sighed. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t bother. We¡¯re all going in the same direction anyhow; if he gets in trouble again he¡¯ll just run back to us. Let¡¯s get moving. Hopefully we can take a shower, heal our Pokemon, get our first badge, and meet up with Brendan before the day is out!¡±


    Astra stared at the city up ahead. She turned to May. ¡°Do you think we should be concerned about these ¡®Team Aqua¡¯ people? That guy we fought seemed...¡± The memory of steam and scoured skin replayed in her mind. She grimaced, a sour feeling welling in her stomach. ¡°Harsh.¡±


    ¡°Pfft, nah.¡± May rolled her eyes. ¡°I bet they''re just a bunch of two-bit nobodies. Sure that guy might have been a bit tough, but we had like, three times the number of Pokemon. If they show their faces again we¡¯ll just keep kicking their ass until they learn not to mess with us, right?¡±


    Astra smiled at the reassurance. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. There¡¯s probably nothing to worry about.¡±


    The two of them walked in silence for a minute, before May spoke up again. ¡°Say,¡± she said, tapping her chin with a finger. ¡°The hell do you think is in that suitcase that¡¯s so important anyhow?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a recipe for the world''s best soup?¡± Astra suggested.


    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s gotta be like, a bunch of dirty stuff! A record of secret underground dealings; that¡¯s why a gang is after him!¡±


    ¡°It could be a formula for medicine, and he wanted to sell it to whoever was buying!¡±


    ¡°Oh! No, no see, I got it! It¡¯s¡ª"


    The two of them continued to theorize and laugh, one crazy conspiracy coming after another. Ahead of them in the distance, past a wheezing man in a suit, gleaming spires of concrete and glass stood tall against the cloudy sky. Shafts of sunlight illuminated small portions at random, shining lights flaring in and out as the clouds in the sky above broke apart and reformed endlessly. They traveled down the road together.


    Towards Rustboro.

 Heliotrope

    Rustboro! City of science and nature, intertwined! Where people walk and talk about the newest technological advancements among innumerable parks and fountains!


    Rustboro! Home of research and business! Where even the tallest of buildings were dwarfed by the twin golden skyscrapers of the Devon Corporation!


    Rustboro! The first stop of many would-be Pokemon Masters! Home to the illustrious Rock-type Pokemon Gym commanded by the city¡¯s own Roxanne!


    It was to the outskirts of this grand metropolis that our determined duo had finally arrived.


    They would have made it a lot farther had Astra not immediately been sidetracked by a gardening shop on the way in. The walls were covered end-to-end with blooming flowers of all colors and shapes, bouquets and flower pots laying neatly in display racks across the floor. A sweet aroma filled the air.


    ¡°Oh wow,¡± Astra said, staring at the small light blue berry in her hands. She had seen a bush just outside with an unfamiliar fruit on its branches and had rushed to investigate. ¡°What did you say this type was? A Rawst?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the proprietor of the Pretty Petal Flower Shop confirmed with a smile. She was a middle-aged woman with brown hair and was proving to be very knowledgeable. ¡°They¡¯re a little bitter, but the flavor is wonderful; though they tend to spoil rather quickly. They can be eaten raw or cooked, and they even have anti-bacterial and soothing properties perfect for quickly healing burn wounds.¡±


    ¡°Burns? You can heal a burn just by eating these!?¡± Astra exclaimed, staring at the fruit with newfound awe. She had to get a packet of seeds for these. A way to heal burns that didn¡¯t involve moss? What a find!


    ¡°Only minor burns,¡± the botanist gently corrected. ¡°And not completely. You should still see a doctor if you get injured. But for most scorch wounds created by Pokemon, this berry is sufficient to mend the worst of the effects remarkably quickly.¡±


    ¡°Astounding,¡± May drawled. She was leaning against the wall near the door, staring at the ceiling through lidded eyes. She had been less than enthused with Astra¡¯s priority shift. ¡°Just fascinating, really. Certainly the best use of my time today. Yep. Indeed.¡±


    Astra winced as the shopkeeper frowned at her friend. ¡°Don¡¯t mind May,¡± she said with an embarrassed grin. ¡°I sort of dragged her in without warning.¡±


    ¡°Did you really have to do this now?¡± May questioned, waving to indicate the store. ¡°We just got here! Shouldn¡¯t we be looking for a decent hotel first?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll find one before noon!¡± Astra promised. ¡°Just a little longer, though? Please?¡±


    May grumbled, but relented with a sigh. ¡°Yeah, whatever. I¡¯ll be waiting outside. Have fun with your plants, damn berry maniac¡­¡± she muttered, the door shutting behind her with a click.


    Astra turned back to the shopkeeper, smiling. ¡°Sorry about that. Still, this is a really useful berry! I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡± She paused as a thought struck her. ¡°...How many types of berries are there, exactly?¡±


    The shopkeeper¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m not very sure myself. There are so many exotic types, and more are discovered every year. I only know the eight local varieties, but I believe there are over forty.¡±


    Astra felt faint, and slightly giddy. ¡°Forty types?¡± she whispered, eyes wide. A whole world of undiscovered recipes opened in the distance. ¡°What else do you have here? Do you have seeds?¡± she asked, a manic glint in her eye.


    They talked for a little longer and Astra ended up buying one packet of seeds of every type she had. Her grandpa was going to have conniptions when she showed these to him. She wondered what they tasted like.


    ¡°Well, I certainly haven¡¯t seen this type of enthusiasm for gardening in someone as young as you in quite a while! It¡¯s downright refreshing.¡± The shopkeeper smiled as she put the tiny bags inside a larger one. ¡°I can see that you¡¯re a Pokemon trainer as well. As thanks for your patronage, would you like a free TM?¡°


    Astra tilted her head. ¡°Uh,¡± she said, hesitating. ¡°What is a TM?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s this little doohickey here,¡± the shopkeeper explained, retrieving a small metallic disc from under the counter. ¡°They¡¯re little discs that contain lessons on a specific type of maneuver that Pokemon can learn! Feel free to take it; this one contains the Grass type move ¡®Bullet Seed,¡¯ which lets your Pokemon fire off seeds! Pew pew pew!¡± She made a strange motion with her hands in time with her words, pointing with her thumb raised and jerking the hand back.


    Astra was a little confused by the shopkeeper¡¯s gesture, but the strange disc demanded her attention. It could teach her Pokemon a new move? She took the disc gingerly, examining it. Her face stared back at her from the reflective yellow surface. How could something like this teach anyone anything? She hesitated.


    ¡°How does it work?¡±


    ¡°Oh you just take the ball with your Pokemon and scan the thing. Easy peasy!¡±


    Grass type, she said? So Treecko might be able to learn it. Pulling out his pokeball, she pointed it at the TM. Red light shone out and flickered across the disc. To Astra¡¯s surprise the disc began to degrade rapidly, the luster fading from its surface as chips and cracks ran rampant.


    ¡°Uhhhhh!¡± Astra looked at the shopkeeper in panic, but she didn¡¯t look worried. Was this normal? After a few more seconds the light vanished, Treecko¡¯s pokeball softly chiming. The ruined disc sat in Astra¡¯s hand, dull and empty.


    She stared. Was it over? She looked around uncertainly. ¡°Um?¡±


    ¡°You can just throw it in the recycling, dear.¡±


    Astra tossed it in the bin. ¡°So that¡¯s supposed to happen?¡± she asked, curious. ¡°Why did it fall apart?¡±


    ¡°My specialty is plants; I¡¯ve got no clue about computer whatsits.¡± The shopkeeper shrugged, then glared at the recycle bin. ¡°I wish those darn things weren¡¯t single use. I hope they fix that little issue; a lot of plastic is going straight to the dump ¡®cause of that.¡± She shook her head and smiled, handing Astra her purchases. ¡°Will you be needing anything else?¡±


    She didn¡¯t, so she bid the shopkeeper farewell and left. Outside, May was leaning on the wall next to the door.


    ¡°Finally!¡± she said, pushing off the wall. They took off down the road. ¡°I took a look around while you were fondling your berries. Some idiot left a couple pokeballs and a super potion in the grass behind the store.¡±


    Astra glanced at May, bewildered. ¡°Who would just leave something behind like that?¡±


    ¡°Fuck if I know. Doesn¡¯t matter; their loss, our gain.¡± Fumbling around in her pack, May took out a couple pokeballs and a pink spray bottle. ¡°Here,¡± she said, tossing them to Astra.


    A memory surged: a Zigzagoon and a young boy, May behind, a red and white sphere hurtling at her head. Astra yelped and jumped away, the Pokeballs sailing into the bushes behind her. She stared at them, heart pounding like a drum.


    ¡°Wow,¡± May said, eyebrows raised. ¡°Jumpy much? What was that about?¡±


    ¡°Ahehe...¡± Astra scratched her head and looked away, embarrassed. The balls hadn¡¯t even been activated; there had been nothing to worry about! She took a deep breath, attempting to calm herself as she picked them up. ¡°Sorry. You¡­you surprised me a little, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Really? I thought I was pretty noticeable there, what with the slow-ass lob and verbal warning.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI guess.¡± Astra picked up the potion last, examining the pink bottle for a moment. So these were souped up versions of potions? Considering how well lesser potions already treated injuries, she hoped she never needed to use it. ¡°Just¡­ please don¡¯t throw things at me.¡± Especially pokeballs, she added silently.


    ¡°Alright?¡± May eyed her friend uncertainty. ¡°If you say so.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    They walked to the hotel in silence, May shooting Astra narrow-eyed glances the whole way.


    <hr>


    After an unexpectedly long stay in their hotel room, they were finally headed to the gym. The rocky building loomed in the distance. The sight left a pool of anxiety sitting in Astra¡¯s stomach like a fetid bog. Roxanne would be inside, she knew.


    A prickle of fear snaked through her mind. Would she even be able to fight her? What if she rejected her like Norman had? And even if not, what would she do if she lost? Would she be able to challenge it again, or would she have to return home in failure and await the end with the others?


    ¡°Seriously, we have got to get you some new clothes,¡± May grumbled, interrupting Astra¡¯s musing. She was looking across the street at a clothing store. A number of headless figures were behind the front window, all wearing brightly colored dresses in various poses.


    Astra stared at them for a moment, comparing them to her cloak with a frown. Was there something wrong with it? It wasn¡¯t like she would object to new clothes; the ones in the window looked very pretty! But the vehemence in May¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t really warranted, was it?


    ¡°Why?¡± she asked, curious.


    May gave her a flat look. ¡°Seriously? We had to sit around for an hour just so your whatever-the-fuck could go through the wash!¡±


    Astra blinked. ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ¡®Ah.¡¯¡± May sighed. ¡°You know, regular people have more than one outfit. Even I have a few changes in my bag. Do you really only have that¡­ that?¡± She waved at Astra¡¯s ensemble.


    ¡°It¡¯s a cloak,¡± Astra insisted, not for the first time, ¡°And it works perfectly fine, thank you! Also, well¡­ yes,¡± she admitted. Clothing had never been a thing in the village after all. Their coats did just fine against all but the most inclement weather. The winter snows were the only outlier, but they had their own ways to deal with that. That they had the one cloth roll was lucky enough; had Astra walked into Petalburg or even Birch¡¯s lab covered head to toe in woven grass, she had no doubt the jig would have been up before she could say a word.


    ¡°Really?¡± May asked, squinting. ¡°Nothing else?¡±


    Astra paused for a moment. Ah, right. Regular people. ¡°Well, nothing else I had was anything like my cloak,¡± she said, fiddling with the edges of her sleeves. ¡°I needed to cover everything I could; back home I never needed to worry about, y¡¯know, staying outside for the entire day, and stuff. This is all I could get.¡±


    A flash of realization. ¡°Right, your, uh. Thing.¡± May scratched her head, looking away awkwardly. ¡°Yeah, I guess that makes sense,¡± she muttered.


    A sour feeling made Astra turn her head away as well. She wasn¡¯t fond of this particular excuse, but what choice did she have?


    ¡°Still,¡± May mused, ¡°couldn¡¯t that grandpa of yours just get something new from a store?¡±


    The image of her grandfather unabashedly waltzing into a human shop and attempting to haggle for a supremely ugly dress with jam jars came unbidden to Astra¡¯s mind. A horrid wheezing noise escaped her, a half strangled combination of a sob and helpless laughter.


    ¡°N-no,¡± she choked out. ¡°Just¡ªno. Horrible idea; I¡¯d never let him do that, even if he could.¡±


    ¡°Let me guess, he¡¯s the type that¡¯d get some big poofy monstrosity, right? Hah! I¡¯d pay good money to see that.¡± May chuckled, but a puzzled expression crossed her face soon after. ¡°Wait, even if he could...?¡± she repeated, befuddled. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he¡ª"


    ¡°Oh look we¡¯re here!¡± Astra blurted out, rushing ahead. Drat, drat, drat! She really needed to watch her words more carefully. Now she¡¯d have to come up with an explanation for that if May got too curious. Yet again, maintaining a cover was proving much harder than she expected.


    ¡°Race you!¡± she called behind her, picking up speed.


    ¡°Wh¡ªoh you dirty little-!¡± May screamed incoherently behind her, racing to keep up.


    The rocky edifice of the Rustboro Gym grew ever larger as they drew near, a massive building that seemed to be entirely coated in stone. The entrance was a wall of pale blue columns, and two doors the color of rust marked the entrance. Yanking the doors open, Astra slipped inside moments before May caught up. ¡°I win!¡± she cheered, thrusting her arms in the air.


    A hand forcefully shoved her head down, halting her celebration. ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯ve won a free noogie!¡± May said cheerfully. She raised a fist in Astra¡¯s face and the psychic gulped at the sight. ¡°Would you like to redeem your prize now or now?¡±


    ¡°Wah!¡± Astra yelped, slipping down and wrestling herself free from May¡¯s deadly grasp. She danced away, laughing. ¡°How does never sound?¡± she taunted, sticking her tongue out.


    ¡°Now it is!¡± May exclaimed, grinning ear to ear. ¡°Come here you fuckin¡¯ cheater¡ªoh wow.¡± May paused, looking past Astra. Following her gaze, Astra echoed May¡¯s sentiment wholeheartedly.


    The Rustboro Gym was completely unlike Petalburg¡¯s. Whereas the latter was a center for practice and athletic training alone, the former¡¯s entire front entrance appeared to double as a museum. Across the entire area stood a dozen glass cases containing oddly shaped stones, fossils, and other relics. The floor was sparsely inhabited; a lone, bored secretary inhabited the desk at the back wall while a trio of elderly people discussed something in small murmurs in the corner. However, it was not any of them that had caught their attention.


    The empty shell of some unknown ancient Pokemon stood propped up in the center. Though dulled by age, its sky-blue chitin plating still gleamed under the shining lights. Both of its enormous single digit claws were raised, the skeleton posed as if it were about to attack. Abandoning her pursuit, May walked up to the display with wide eyes, Astra following suit. They examined the display, slowly circling around to see it from every angle.


    ¡°It¡¯s funny,¡° May mused, ¡°I¡¯ve seen stuff like this on TV or online a few times, but seeing it in person is something else. Didn¡¯t expect to see one in a gym of all places, though.¡±


    ¡°Well, Brendan mentioned Roxanne likes archaeology. Maybe that¡¯s why?¡± Astra suggested. She frowned. ¡°It¡¯s a shame they¡¯re missing some bits, though.¡±


    May paused. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Well all the feathers on the neck are absent, the tail is completely gone,¡± Astra circled back around, briefly scanning over an informational plaque. ¡°And¡­ I think they¡¯ve confused the eye holes for ears?¡±


    May peered over her shoulder, reading the plaque herself and muttering as she went. ¡°Armaldo¡­one of the most complete skeletons ever discovered¡­theorized to use echolocation? It doesn¡¯t say anything about what you said.¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°You trying to pull my leg?¡±


    ¡°What? No, I¡¯m telling the truth!¡± Astra insisted. ¡°Why would I lie about that?¡±


    ¡°Fuck if I know, but you¡¯ve literally been living under a rock. How the hell would you know anything about them?¡±


    ¡°Well it¡¯s because I¡¯ve seen one, obviously!¡±


    May looked back at the plaque. ¡°Astra, these things have been extinct for thousands of years.¡±


    Astra stilled. ¡°¡­Extinct?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all dead. What, did you have one of these bastards hidden back home or something?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªno?¡± Astra looked back at the statue. She could visualize what it looked like clear as day. Red and white feathers adorning its neck, a long, powerful tail with two spikes on the end, the two cavities extending off its head no longer empty, but filled with one eye each. They were all dead? ¡°No, I¡¯ve¡ªI¡¯ve seen it before, but...?¡±


    But where? She stared at the thing, a faint ache spreading through her head as she tried to remember. There had never been one of these Armaldos in the village. There had never been any stories. She hadn¡¯t encountered a single one on her journey either. But she clearly remembered seeing this creature, seeing its gigantic claws swinging towards¡­ what? That had never happened. She¡¯d never seen this thing before in her life.


    ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t...¡±


    But she had.


    But she hadn¡¯t.


    Memories flickered in her head like crackling thunder, jumbled and incoherent. A spike of pain erupted from behind her eyes. She stumbled forward as the world seemed to spin around her, reaching out to clutch at one of the rope poles.


    ¡°Ah!?¡± she heard May react, distantly.


    A pair of hands helped to steady her, leaving her free to clutch one hand against her head. What was happening? How did she know this creature? Where did these half formed memories come from? She grit her teeth. Was this the work of that same entity who had forced literacy upon her without notice or permission?


    ¡°Dude, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ just dizzy,¡± Astra ground out, focusing on stymying the tempest in her head. But the more she fought, the larger the storm grew. Incomprehensible visions of people and places she had always¡ªnever known flashed by, faster and faster without reason or purpose¡ª


    ¡°Dizzy? Uh¡­ here, drink some water.¡±


    Her concentration broke as a bottle found its way to her hand. She stared at it for a half second as the onslaught stilled. Then she drank, deeply and without pause; every bit of concentration she possessed abruptly switching to downing as much water as she could.


    Miraculously, the pain seemed to lessen as she did so. She emptied the bottle and gasped for breath, blinking as the world swam back into focus. The memories, foreign but familiar all the same, vanished like the morning fog.


    May was half-crouching beside her, watching with uncertainty and concern. ¡°You good?¡± she asked, eyes flicking across Astra¡¯s illusory face.


    Astra looked back at the water bottle. ¡°I think so,¡± she answered, handing it back. What just happened? Why did the water fix it? Was it the water at all? She looked up at the Armaldo, and now there was no familiarity at all. Though she still knew what it was ¡®supposed¡¯ to look like, whatever had seen fit to give her that knowledge had vanished without a trace.


    ¡°You sure?¡± May asked. ¡°We can always come back later¡ª"


    ¡°No!¡± Astra protested. Even with all the strange happenings, her goal was right here, delaying it any longer would be unacceptable. She would have time to freak out later. ¡°Sorry. No, I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m fine. It was just¡­ vertigo, or something,¡± she explained, lamely.


    May raised an eyebrow. ¡°Vertigo?¡±


    Astra shrugged. May eyed her friend for a moment longer, but sighed. ¡°You¡¯re weird, you know that?¡± she muttered, poking Astra on the forehead.


    ¡°Wh¡ªhey!¡± she yelped, brushing her hand away. ¡°I¡¯m not weird!¡± she said, pouting.


    ¡°You¡¯re totally a tiny little weirdo. Seriously, it¡¯s like we can¡¯t go ten minutes without you doing something absolutely fuckin¡¯ bizarre.¡± Disregarding all of Astra¡¯s varied protests, May straightened back up and cast a glance at the Armaldo skeleton. ¡°Like that stuff about ol¡¯ shelly boy over here. What was all that about?¡±


    Astra just shrugged again. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I guess...¡± She looked at the creature again, pensive. ¡°I guess I was just remembering something wrong.¡±


    May snorted. ¡°Well, next time you ¡®remember something wrong¡¯ try not to pass the hell out, would you?¡±


    Astra paused, then shook her head and grinned. ¡°Oh, but how could I resist?¡± She moaned dramatically, resting the back of her hand on her forehead. ¡°The sweet siren call of fainting, it beckons me.¡±


    ¡°Wh¡ªis this really happening right now?¡± May asked, looking pained. ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°The eternal bliss of oblivion sings my name; I must heed its command!¡±


    ¡°Refrain.¡±


    ¡°Alas, the void is rushing to meet me. Farewell!¡± She let out an exaggerated gasp and fell onto May, who caught her with an exasperated grunt.


    ¡°This is a brand new level of completely fucking ridiculous,¡± May complained, awkwardly shifting around the sudden onslaught of dead weight. ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯ve ascended to the vaunted position of ¡®Sack of Potatoes.¡¯ I hope you¡¯re proud of yourself.¡±


    Astra continued to earn her new title in May¡¯s arms. ¡°Blergh,¡± she added.


    ¡°Is it time to cash in on that noogie?¡± May wondered, her grip tightening. ¡°I think it¡¯s time to cash in on that noogie.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Astra¡¯s eyes shot wide open, filled with horror. She jerked upright, struggling to free herself from her tormentor¡¯s iron clutches. ¡°Noooo!¡±


    ¡°Too late, punk!¡± May crowed, holding tight despite her captive¡¯s wriggling. One hand raised in preparation to deliver a truly righteous bullying. ¡°Your scalp is mine!¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Both trainers froze in place. They knew that tone, one only someone who regularly dealt with unruly children could produce: livid, cold, and disappointed. Slowly turning to face the source of the voice, the two of them winced upon seeing the speaker¡¯s face.


    The woman stood only a few paces away, sharp red eyes staring at them with clear disapproval. Her brown hair was held back in a pair of twintails that circled her petite frame, locked in place by a spiked, fan-shaped piece of red cloth. She wore a dark blue dress with a skirt that barely reached halfway down her thighs, accompanied by light red leggings.


    ¡°Are you quite done?¡± she asked, tapping her foot. The sound echoed in the silence of the hall, each reverberation somehow magnifying the intensity of her rebuke. May and Astra sprang away from each other as though repelled.


    ¡°Ah,¡± May began, holding both hands up as if to ward away the oncoming lecture. ¡°We were just¡ª"


    ¡°Fooling around right next to an ancient and irreplaceable historical artifact?¡± the woman cut in, glare intensifying. ¡°Yes, I could see. I do not appreciate people roughhousing in my museum when there is an entire other half of the building specifically built for that purpose!¡±


    ¡°S-sorry!¡± Astra stammered out. She shivered as the woman focused on her, the sheer force of her disapproval pressing down on them like a mountain. ¡°We won¡¯t do it again!¡±


    The woman stared down at them for a moment longer. ¡°See that you don¡¯t,¡± she said, sighing. The pressure dissipated, both trainers letting out a sigh of relief at its absence. ¡°Hm. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you two around here before, right?¡± she asked. At their hesitant nods, her face lit up. ¡°Oh, wonderful! Have you been enjoying the exhibit? I¡¯ve managed to get this skeleton on loan and it¡¯s really rather wonderful, don¡¯t you think?¡± She motioned to the Armaldo behind them, smiling brilliantly.


    Astra was a little bewildered at how abruptly her mood shifted. ¡°Oh, um. Yes? The Armaldo is really nice. We hadn¡¯t gotten around to looking at anything else, though,¡± she said, uncertainly.


    The woman nodded. ¡°Feel free to take your time. I¡¯ve always found ancient life fascinating, and sharing it with others is a passion of mine, alongside teaching and my usual duties.¡±


    ¡°Wait, back up a second,¡± May said, eyeing their new conversation partner. ¡°Your museum? There¡¯s only one person who can say something like that.¡± She took a step forward, grinning. ¡°You¡¯re Roxanne, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The woman continued to smile, a glint of amusement dancing in her eyes. ¡°Ah, you did not know? You would be correct; I am Roxanne, leader of the Rustboro City Gym. It¡¯s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.¡± She curtsied, inclining her head in acknowledgement. ¡°I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. Now then, who might you two be?¡±


    Astra boggled at May¡¯s words. This was Roxanne? She faltered, words dying before they were formed and memories of the last time she had been to a gym resurfacing. Was success possible here? She had already made a fool of herself moments ago; would her challenge even be acknowledged?


    Abruptly, Astra bit down on her cheek, the faint taste of copper flowing over her tongue. Thinking about how she could crash and burn would do nothing. So what if everything could fail again? If she didn¡¯t even try, then what was the point of coming all this way?


    ¡°My name is Astra!¡± she said, determination flashing in her eyes. ¡°I want to be the Champion, so I¡¯ve come here to challenge you for your badge!¡±


    May jerked a thumb at herself, still grinning in anticipation. ¡°Name¡¯s May, and I¡¯ll be taking one of those too!¡±


    ¡°Mmm,¡± Roxanne said, a small smile flitting across her face. ¡°As I thought. Well then, far be it from me to turn down a battle, but it is traditional for a challenger to face off against several of the trainers in the Gym first. Do you wish to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hell no!¡± May scowled, waving away the very thought. ¡°You think I came all this way to face small timers? I¡¯m ready to go here and now!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Astra winced at Roxanne¡¯s words, half-expecting her to lecture them again. But, surprisingly, she seemed entertained by her boast. ¡°Not taking the opportunity to learn from those under me¡­ I wonder, will that impatience be your downfall? Or will a trial by fire be what you need to excel in this world? I look forward to finding out!¡± The smile she wore didn¡¯t quite reach her eyes. She turned away, leaving Astra with a sense of dread. What had her friend brought on her head? ¡°May, Astra, follow me if you would.¡±


    The two trainers followed the Gym Leader past the front desk, pushing through a massive set of double doors at the far end of the exhibit. A cavernous expanse painstakingly molded out of stone opened up before them, the sounds of people and Pokemon echoing across the chamber. A large section was marked out for a few Pokemon arenas, the rest dedicated to various mostly rock-themed practice zones.


    Astra watched as a man and what appeared to be a sentient boulder climbed up a sheer cliff face at astounding speeds. That looked kind of fun, actually. She wondered if she could try that later. Though the shape of her hands weren¡¯t that conducive to grabbing onto the handholds. And her robe would hamper her even further. And she didn¡¯t really have any feet to speak of¡­


    Saddened, she mentally shelved that idea.


    ¡°If I might inquire,¡± Roxanne said, breaking Astra out of her funk. ¡°How many badges do the two of you possess?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have any yet,¡± Astra answered. She hesitated for a moment. ¡°I tried to get one from Petalburg, but the leader there didn¡¯t want to fight me.¡±


    ¡°Same here. Dad¡¯s a dick, news at 11,¡± May muttered sourly.


    Roxanne paused. ¡°You¡¯re Norman¡¯s daughter?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± May scowled at the Gym Leader, folding her arms. ¡°What about it?¡±


    ¡°Hm. Nothing in particular. It is just always a little odd to meet a co-worker¡¯s child. The last time it happened, they were replacing their parent. You even remind me of her, in a way. The world truly is smaller than one thinks, is it not?¡± Roxanne turned a piercing eye May¡¯s way. ¡°Though I hope you do not expect me to go easy on you because of it.¡±


    ¡°You better not!¡±


    Roxanne smiled. ¡°Good, because I fully intend to push both of you to your limits.¡±


    Before Astra had any time to worry about that little comment, they had come to a stop.


    ¡°And here we are.¡±


    The arena Roxanne had led them to didn¡¯t look much different from the others in the gym, the painted lines and rocky flooring same as any other, if slightly bigger. What Astra did notice were the multitude of cameras set up at the edges, alongside a massive series of ascending benches on either side. A multitude of workers were sweeping the stands and wiping down the seats.


    Roxanne held a hand up to her mouth and whistled, long and sharp. ¡°Alright everyone, we have a pair of challengers!¡± she called, then pointed at a specific pair of workers. ¡°You two, set up the cameras and lights! The rest of you prepare your materials! Chop chop!¡± she finished, clapping her hands for effect.


    ¡°Yes Ma¡¯am!¡± they chorused, rushing off to their tasks. A few of them sped by the trio as they left. ¡°Good luck!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need it!¡± ¡°Give us a good show, will ya?¡± ¡°Do your best!¡± A chorus of voices sounded, each calling out encouragement as they passed.


    ¡°They seem excited,¡± Astra said, watching as they scurried about. Were they all going to watch? The last time she had stepped in front of a crowd was back during the pre-party speech in the village. Even if it had been magnitudes larger, it had only lasted a short time; her grandfather had taken the majority of the spotlight, and she hadn¡¯t been trying to hide. This time, all eyes would be on her. It was a bit nerve-wracking, to be honest. Any mistake she made would be out in the open for anybody to see. She fiddled with her sleeves, anxiety rolling in like a bank of fog.


    A hand landed on her shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s cause we¡¯re gonna give one hell of a performance, right?¡± May said, grinning.


    Astra stared at her for a moment before exhaling, feeling some of the tension drain. ¡°Yeah, they won¡¯t know what hit them!¡± she said, grinning right back.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you two are so invigorated,¡± Roxanne said, returning from directing her underlings. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind, but I record most of the challengers who fight me. I use the tapes for educational purposes at the Pokemon Trainer School.¡±


    May shrugged. ¡°Do what you want.¡±


    ¡°Pokemon Trainer School?¡± Astra asked.


    ¡°Why yes! Have you never heard of it? It¡¯s a famous institute in Rustboro that helps students learn how to work with Pokemon!¡± The brunette closed her eyes, sighing in remembrance. ¡°I remember my days there fondly. I became the Gym Leader after I graduated, but I still make time to go back and teach a class myself now and then. And as you can see,¡± Roxanne motioned to the others scurrying about, ¡°I even let some of the students intern in the gym itself. They help me with various odd jobs, and get real world experience with Pokemon and battling in general.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that sounds really nice!¡± Astra looked at the interns, slightly jealous. ¡°I wish I had something like that; I¡¯ve had to figure everything out from scratch.¡±


    ¡°Well if you plan to stay in Rustboro, you¡¯d be welcome to attend a few of my classes,¡° Roxanne offered. ¡°It would be no trouble at all, I¡¯m certain you could pick up a lot from the experience!¡±


    Astra thought about it. The offer was tempting, if she had to be honest. Having any sort of insight as to how all of this was ¡®supposed¡¯ to be done would be helpful. But she had no idea how much time a class took. Would it only be a few hours? Days? How much benefit could it give her in the first place?


    She was still weighing her choices when a thought struck her. She had to become the Champion quickly, yes, but how fast was May planning on going? She glanced at her friend. ¡°How long did you book the room for?¡±


    May looked like she had bitten a piece of cartilage. ¡°You¡¯re really going to¡ªno, no, of course you would.¡± She sighed, running a hand through her hair. ¡°I¡¯ve got it for a week. I dunno when Brendan is gonna get here, so I thought we¡¯d check out the city for a while. See the sights, pick a couple fights, the works! Might¡¯ve been fun!¡± She slumped as though someone told her that a holiday had been canceled. ¡°And yet here we are. Talking about going to school.¡±


    ¡°A whole week!?¡± Astra exclaimed, wide eyed. That was way too much time; she had been expecting maybe two or three days at maximum!


    ¡°Yeah?¡± May looked back up, eyebrow raised. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    Belatedly, Astra realized that she had only actually told Brendan about her timetable. Her hand impacted her face with a dull slap, accompanied by an exasperated groan. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later,¡± she said, waving off May¡¯s confused look. She turned back to Roxanne. ¡°As it so happens, we seem to be staying longer than I thought!¡± she chirped, and if her tone was more forced than usual, well, she didn¡¯t let it show. ¡°I¡¯d love to come by sometime!¡±


    Roxanne beamed. ¡°Oh lovely! I assure you, you¡¯ll have a wonderful time!¡± she promised. She turned to May. ¡°My offer extends to you as well, if you wish.¡±


    May rolled her eyes. ¡°Pass. You couldn¡¯t pay me to go to school again,¡± she grumbled. ¡°Biggest waste of time I ever went through.¡±


    At her words, a dark cloud passed over Roxanne¡¯s expression. Her posture stiffened and she stared at May with thinned lips, as if the brunette had personally desecrated something sacred.


    ¡°Well,¡± she said, voice as hard as the stone they stood upon. ¡°I¡¯m sad to hear that. Hopefully your view will change, one day.¡±


    Perhaps sensing the thin ice she trod, May merely grunted and said nothing more, looking away from Roxanne''s cold gaze.


    The tension was broken as one of the interns jogged up, panting. Roxanne exchanged a few hushed words with them before they nodded and ran off again.


    ¡°It seems we are ready to begin. Now then,¡± Roxanne clapped her hands, a smile once more gracing her features. ¡°Who is going first?¡±


    Astra and May blinked in unison. ¡°One moment,¡± May said, taking the smaller girl by the shoulder and spinning them both around. ¡°Okay, so how do you want to do this? Rock paper scissors? Coin flip?¡±


    Astra still didn¡¯t really know what rock paper scissors was, but the other option sounded simple enough. ¡°Coin flip!¡±


    ¡°Works for me.¡± May fished around in a pocket, retrieving an old coin the color of rusted copper. ¡°Heads or tails?¡±


    ¡°Heads!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ve got tails! Alright, c¡¯mon big money big money big money...¡± A thumb flicked, and the coin sailed into the air. It flipped around and dropped into May¡¯s waiting palm. Slapping it onto her arm, both trainers leaned over to see the result.


    ¡°Heads!?¡± May groaned, slumping. ¡°Damnit, I wanted to go first!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Astra cheered. ¡°Just sit back and watch, you¡¯ll get your turn in no time!¡±


    May stared at her friend with a barely concealed smirk. ¡°You mean you¡¯ll get knocked out in under a minute?¡±


    ¡°Wh¡ªno!¡± Astra pouted. ¡°Come on!¡±


    ¡°Hah, you better not! Break a leg out there; preferably hers!¡± She clapped Astra on the back with a grin, then wandered off to find a seat.


    Astra turned to face the Gym Leader, who was looking on the display with patient amusement. ¡°I¡¯m going first!¡± she announced.


    ¡°So I see.¡± Roxanne motioned to the field behind her. ¡°Proceed to the field, if you would.¡±


    As she walked, Astra took note of the spectators. The benches were far from packed, but it seemed that almost everyone in the gym had gathered to watch. Many of them seemed to be interns with identical uniforms, but the majority consisted of a wild mob of sundry colors and styles.


    A gaggle of children huddled near the top, legs swinging wildly as they chattering excitedly. That rock climber Astra had spotted earlier was in the front row, surrounded by several of his friends and the sentient boulder Pokemon she had no name for. The rest of the crowd was wildly divergent, too much so to classify as one thing or another.


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    And all of them were looking at her, their gazes an invisible pressure upon her shoulders. She shuddered as the weight pressed down; excitement and anticipation filling the air like a thick blanket.


    One part of her wished they would just stop feeling things so loudly. It was easy to ignore a few of them, but this was way too many! For the first time, she wished humans were psychic like she was, just so they would know how to shut up. The last thing she needed right now was to be distracted by all this unshielded emotion! Honestly, even hatchlings were better than this.


    The other part of her wanted to look away. To find a pillar or a rock to hide behind and get away from their prying eyes. Did they all have to look at her so intently? Would one of them see through her? Maybe she should have requested the match be private. Too late for that now, she supposed¡­


    She redoubled her illusion, just to be safe.


    ¡°Welcome one and all, new and old alike!¡± Roxanne announced once Astra was in position. ¡°Once more a challenger has come to fight for our gym¡¯s Stone Badge! So let us not dawdle.¡± She raised a hand to her heart and smiled brilliantly. ¡°As you all know, I am Roxanne, leader of this gym! I am here because I wished to apply what I learned at our beloved Trainer School in battle, and assist others in doing the same!¡±


    A chorus of cheers erupted from the stands, all voices unified in support of their Gym Leader. Roxanne took a split second to bask in it. ¡°Now,¡± her arm swung out, directing all attention to her opponent. ¡°Dear challenger, introduce yourself and tell us: why are you here?¡±


    Astra bit back a wince as all eyes fell upon her, that ethereal weight redoubling in force. Just¡­ ignore it, she told herself. You¡¯ve been preparing all this time for this exact moment. You have the type advantage. You have Marill¡¯s power. Treecko¡¯s speed. Slakoth¡¯s¡­ sloth? Okay, maybe not him. She hadn¡¯t had the time to train him at all. And it was her first badge! Surely Roxanne would go easy on her, right?


    Breathe in. Breathe out. Let¡¯s go.


    ¡°My name is Astra,¡± she said, setting down her violin case with a thunk. A pokeball appeared in her hand, pointed at Roxanne. ¡°I¡¯ve come to challenge you for your badge so I can become the Pokemon Champion!¡±


    Another round of cheers came from the crowd, May the loudest of all.


    Roxanne waited for it to die down, eyes locked upon her opponent. ¡°Become the Champion, you say?¡± She started, a strange intensity lining her words. ¡°A bold claim. Many have said the same, but so very few have succeeded. Do you seek it for money? For prestige? Or perhaps a deeper reason?¡± She hummed, smiling. ¡°But first, you must defeat me. I will be using three Pokemon! Defeat them all and you¡¯ll win my badge! Let us see what you have learned so far, for your first test begins now!¡±


    A pokeball soared into the air. ¡°Go, Geodude!¡± Roxanne called. From the light coalesced a Pokemon shaped entirely of stone. Its rough, spherical body looked like a large rock had grown arms and a face, and it hung in the air in much the same way that other rocks didn¡¯t.


    Astra took a brief moment to stare at the thing, flabbergasted. Clearly (He? She? It? It.) it was a juvenile version of that hulking boulder in the stands, but how was it alive!? Nearly all of its head was taken by its mouth and eyes! And how was it floating!?


    ¡°Geo!¡± it roared, slamming the ground with its hands, cracks and chips of stone flying into the air.


    Questions for later. ¡°Let¡¯s show them what we got, Marill!¡± she called, her own ball arcing high in the air.


    ¡°Marill mar!¡± Marill trilled as she materialized. She looked upon her opposition, a vicious grin spread across her face. Her tail slammed into the ground behind her, a new crater answering Geodude¡¯s challenge in kind. ¡°Rill!¡±


    ¡°An excellent choice!¡± Roxanne complimented. ¡°But preparation is only half the battle! Can you put it into practice? Geodude, use¡ªeh?¡± Roxanne stalled out, blinking in surprise.


    Across the arena, Astra clicked the case by her side open, retrieving the violin stored within. With a deft movement, she raised the instrument to her chin, resting the bow upon the strings. The crowd muttered in confusion as a clear note rang across the halls of the gym.


    Roxanne stared at Astra for a moment, lost for words. "...Is that a violin?¡± she eventually asked, an edge of incredulity in her voice.


    ¡°Why yes.¡± Astra grinned. ¡°Yes it is.¡±


    With a thought, she reached out and connected her mind with Marill, two sets of eyes flaring as their vision doubled in scope. Emotions flickered across the bond, determination and excitement shared between Pokemon and master in equal measure. Thoughts turned toward music and tactics, and she took in all that was arrayed in front of her: the crowd, her friend, her opponent, and the field of rocks that separated them.


    ¡°Hey May,¡± she called, sparing a glance toward the stands. ¡°Mind giving me a beat?¡±


    Her friend rolled her eyes. ¡®Already asking for my help?¡¯ she seemed to say. Standing up, May brought her hands together once, twice, three-four-five. The sound rang through the air, clear and sharp in the cavernous hall. Astra nodded her head to the rhythm, and raised her bow.


    Across the arena Roxanne eyed the display with fascination. "I must say, I''ve never seen a strategy quite so unique.¡± Her tone was even, but her grin betrayed her excitement. ¡°Audience participation is usually forbidden; but I must admit I¡¯m curious to see where you¡¯re going with this.¡±


    ¡°Oh? I¡¯ve stumped a Gym Leader?¡± Astra returned the grin. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s just call it a learning experience!¡±


    And then she began to play. The first notes tore across the arena, a surprisingly harmonious echo rebounding off the spacious walls of the gym. It was a song of rocks and stone, of deep crevices and fantastic peaks. But more than that, it spoke of the river that cut through the rock, a swift, endless stream that would carve away the mountain and form the very valleys it would run through. Her bones resonated with the rhythm, body swaying in time to match.


    The music sang, and Marill moved. Three bounding strides found her face-to-face with a shocked Geodude. She spun, sending the rocky Pokemon flying with a heavy strike of her tail. Spiraling across the arena, Geodude righted itself and punched the ground below, embedding its arm and halting its momentum. It barely had time to shake its head before the music sped up, a torrent of water barreling down from midfield¡ª


    ¡°Stonewall!¡±


    ¡ªOnly to fail at the last moment as Geodude jammed his hands deeper into the floor and pulled. A slab of rock erupted from the ground, shielding Geodude from the deadly spray. ¡°Geo!¡± it said, a smug look plastered on its face.


    ¡°Commanding your Pokemon through your music?¡± Roxanne asked, eyes gleaming. ¡°My my, such an elaborate tactic for a novice. Let¡¯s see how it holds up; Geodude, Rock Throw!¡±


    Gripping the slab, Geodude spun around and let it fly. A wordless command and Marill ducked, the projectile passing just overhead and crashing in a distant cacophony. A Water Gun repaid the assault in kind, but Geodude punched the ground, a wall of stone blocking the attempt outright.


    The crowd whistled and cheered, a few even following in May¡¯s stead and clapping to her beat. Roxanne grinned dangerously, even as her attack failed.¡±You may have the type advantage,¡± she said, ¡°But how can you take advantage of it when you can¡¯t land an attack? Geodude, Pebble Shot!¡±


    Geodude once again punched the ground with a roar, but this time the chunks of stone breaking from the floor were small and numerous. They launched themselves at Marill, and without skipping a beat she swelled like a balloon and began to shoot them down¡ªa sharp spray of water was enough to divert most of the projectiles.


    But any attempt at shooting Geodude directly was thwarted when it ducked behind its wall. Astra winced in sympathy as Marill was struck by the few rocks she had missed, the aquatic Pokemon gritting her teeth as the stones tore at her skin.


    ¡°Rill...¡± Marill growled, scowling at her opponent.


    Astra felt the frustration and agreed wholeheartedly It was past time to take this guy down! Thinking quickly, she relayed new orders to Marill as the tempo of her song increased. Astra¡¯s strings sang of determination, and Marill shot forwards once more.


    Shooting down what projectiles she could, the rotund Pokemon endured through the downpour and sprinted at Geodude¡¯s shelter. Coming close, she spat a Water Gun at the hovering rock, who yelped and hid behind its wall, a rain of rocks blindly showering down soon thereafter. Sprinting up to the wall, Marill leapt into the air and spun, bringing her tail down upon it¡ªand a crack echoed through the arena as the barricade crumbled into rubble.


    Geodude swiveled to see Marill grinning evilly mere inches away. They dropped the rock they held, eyes wide with fear.


    ¡°Dude.¡±


    Water Gun.


    A cold deluge drowned out Geodude¡¯s scream as they were blasted into the floor. It thrashed wildly under the surge and then fell still, the onslaught obliterating its vitality in a single blow. Astra blinked, idly observing Marill performing a victory dance. Wow, she had known they were weak to water, but that weak? She should have led with the Water Gun as her surprise opener!


    A red light shot out to the sound of wild cheers, enveloping the fallen rock Pokemon and returning it to Roxanne. ¡°Impressive. Round one goes to you. Precise directing of your Pokemon and hiding your intentions in the same move. You¡¯re no ordinary trainer, are you?¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡± Astra grinned cheekily. ¡°You could say I¡¯m one of a kind.¡±


    Roxanne nodded, swapping to a different pokeball. ¡°Two left. Come, Geodude!¡± she called, a flash of light revealing another Geodude, fresh to fight.


    ¡°Another?¡± Astra smirked, the music accelerating once more. ¡°Second verse, same as the first!¡±


    Water Gun!


    ¡°Stonewall!¡±


    Water met rock in a showering spray, stopping the attack cold. Astra glared at the hiding Geodude in annoyance. This again? Good thing she already knew how to beat it!


    ¡°Ah ah ah!¡± Roxanne tutted, waggling a finger as Marill rushed in. ¡°A good teacher knows not to give the same test twice. Don¡¯t think you can give the same answer and expect it to work! Geodude, Rock Slam!¡±


    Geodude gripped the edges of its stone shield and twisted, cracking the entire thing off its base. It charged with a gravelly scream, holding the chunk aloft like an unwieldy mace. Surprised, Marill came to a screeching halt and spat water at his suddenly exposed form. Geodude shifted his grip, the slab coming down to block the attack even as he closed the distance.


    Furious, Marill spun, wrapping her tail around herself. She then reversed direction as Geodude drew near, her tail rocketing out in a meteoric whirlwind. The ball collided with the stone slab with a dull crunch, the sheet of rock cracking into pieces. Undeterred, Geodude grabbed the largest fragment and cracked Marill right between her eyes.


    Marill¡¯s face snapped away with the force of the blow. She held still for a moment, before looking into its eyes and grabbing its arm in an iron grasp, her bloodied nose only adding to the wrathful expression on her face. Geodude¡¯s eyes widened, clearly not expecting Marill to withstand its attack so well. Astra smirked as Marill swelled up. This was it; one last Water Gun and it was over!


    ¡°Geodude,¡± Roxanne called, her voice cutting across the arena like a knife. ¡°Thunder Punch!¡±


    Astra blinked. What!?


    A light shone on the battlefield, crackling arcs of lightning streaking across Geodude¡¯s clenched fist. It met Marill''s panicked gaze, grinned, and then snapped its arm out. Electric knuckles slammed into her gut with a thunderous snap of energy. Marill doubled over, eyes bulging, and then she fell. She spasmed on the ground as the lightning streaked through her body, the unfinished Water Gun uselessly splattering across the floor.


    ¡°Marill!?¡± Astra looked between her Pokemon and the Geodude in shock. ¡°What¡ªlightning¡ªhow!?¡±


    ¡°TMs are wonderful things, aren¡¯t they?¡± Roxanne answered, hand on her hip. ¡°Allowing certain Pokemon access to latent elemental abilities they otherwise never would have expressed.¡± She smiled, adopting a well-used lecturing tone. ¡°Let this be a lesson: an overwhelming type advantage doesn''t mean you can act carelessly, you will never know what tricks an opponent might pull!¡±


    Astra scowled, then shook her head. Refocusing, she urged Marill to get up. She was strong, one little shock wouldn¡¯t be enough to keep her down! Marill grit her teeth and pushed herself off the floor. Suddenly she stiffened and collapsed, crying out as lightning surged anew across her limbs. Astra gasped at the sight. What was happening!?


    ¡°Judging by your expression, you¡¯ve never encountered something like this, have you?¡± Roxanne queried. ¡°It appears your Marill has been inflicted by Paralysis. Simply put,¡± she explained, ¡°many electric attacks leave lingering effects which stop your Pokemon from moving at all!¡±


    Astra¡¯s eyes widened. But that meant¡ª!


    ¡°Rendering them completely helpless.¡± Roxanne concluded, finishing the thought. ¡°Geodude, Thunder Punch.¡±


    A voltaic fist descended and Marill seized once more, arcs of electricity surging through her nerves even as the granite force behind crushed her ever deeper into the stone. She was unable to scream, and yet Astra could feel the agony blazing brilliantly. Right until she couldn¡¯t.


    The music faltered, and then both it and Marill fell silent. Geodude huffed in satisfaction as it returned to its side of the field, leaving its beaten foe in the dust.


    ¡°Round two goes to me!¡± Roxanne said, cheerily. ¡°You¡¯ve done well, but it seems we¡¯re even now.¡±


    The crowd went wild once more as Astra recalled Marill, May the lone voice of dissent. ¡°Boo!¡± she called. ¡°You can do better than that, girl! Take her down!¡±


    Astra smiled at the encouragement. Did she really need to say it? This fight was far from over! Her hand snapped out and Treecko appeared on the field. The green Pokemon stretched his legs, eyeing his opponent coolly. His thoughts spun with the new move he had learned, and he felt eager to test it.


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t count on it staying that way for long!¡± Astra countered, raising her bow yet again. ¡°I didn¡¯t come all this way just to lose!¡±


    Her strings sang once more, wild and vibrant. They spoke of swaying flowers, rustling leaves, and tree pollen that would fill the air, shining like stars caught in the breeze.


    Bullet Seed!


    ¡°Stonewall, Rock Throw!¡±


    Treecko dashed to the side, spitting brilliant yellow seeds at a rapid pace. Geodude grunted as the bullets struck home, chipping away at its rocky body. Tearing chunks of stone from the ground, it blocked a volley of bullets and roared, flinging the slab at Treecko with wild abandon. Treecko jerked to the side, grinning smugly as the stone sailed past.


    It was a deadly game they played. For every rock and stone Geodude hurled, a flurry of golden pellets would be fired in return. If Geodude tried to hide behind a wall, Treecko would simply dart around it and fire upon it instantly. Yet while the rocky Pokemon¡¯s face and arms were littered with pockmarks, Treecko had yet to be scratched.


    Astra ginned, music soaring to greater heights. No matter how hard Geodude could throw, she could see where it would go.


    And so could Treecko.


    Left, she sang, and he went, sidestepping a jagged shard of stone.


    Jump, she played. He leapt, and a spray of rock flew harmlessly below.


    Fire! she commanded, and Geodude roared in pain as yet more seeds rained down.


    Ah, if only Marill had been this fast on land! As long as they kept their distance, Geodude couldn¡¯t hope to hit Treecko, and Treecko could fire upon Geodude with impunity. The rock Pokemon was already faltering, its expression pained and accuracy suffering. If this continued it wouldn¡¯t stand a chance.


    Roxanne seemed to realize this as well. She thrust out a hand, her voice washing across the field.


    ¡°Geodude,¡± she called, ¡°Defense Curl, Tackle!¡±


    Geodude grunted and retracted its arms, curling in on itself as a brief shimmer washed over its body. Then, with a roaring battlecry, it rushed forwards. Treecko fired yet another barrage of bullet seeds at his foe¡ªbut was forced to retreat as the boulder creature plowed straight through the attack. The shots had struck true, but to his surprise they left mere scratches instead of the deep scars of before.


    Unprepared for Geodude to be totally unphased by his assault, Treecko made to dodge¡ªbut he couldn¡¯t make up for his foe¡¯s head-start. Geodude furiously rammed himself directly into Treecko¡¯s abdomen, the lizard¡¯s eyes almost bulging out of their sockets as all the air in his lungs vacated his body. Treecko shoved Geodude away, then doubled over, wheezing.


    Astra furrowed her brow at the scene. Drat, why didn¡¯t that work? She had expected the seeds to divert Geodude¡¯s course. Why were they suddenly so weak? Was it that move Roxanne used? ¡®Defence Curl?'' She reconsidered her question. Okay, well, yeah, obviously. Time to change tracks, then.


    Absorb!


    ¡°Rock Slam!¡±


    Stone broke and shattered as Geodude ripped another chunk from the floor. Treecko looked up, glaring at his opponent. He coughed, sucked in a new breath of air, and rose to meet them. Geodude roared and swung, but Treecko had recovered faster than it had expected; he leapt forward and slid underneath both the swing and his foe¡¯s floating body. He sprung to his feet behind Geodude and twisted around, launching himself at its back.


    Verdant light flared as Treecko sunk his hand into Geodude¡¯s unprotected back, the needles drilling into its rocky skin with ease. Stolen vitality flowed, re-energizing Treecko and patching up what few injuries he had racked up.


    Geodude fell to the floor, its frantic struggle fading away as it finally succumbed to exhaustion, and the crowd went wild. Cheers and heckles rung through the arena in equal measure.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s more like it!¡± May roared. ¡°Turn her ass to grass!¡±


    Astra grinned at Roxanne. ¡°Seems round three goes to me!¡± she chirped.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Roxanne agreed. Geodude vanished, and she brought out a third pokeball. ¡°You¡¯ve done well thus far. However, there is one last combatant in my arsenal! Nosepass, come on out!¡±


    Light flared, and a new creature materialized upon the field. It was blue and angular, and seemed to be made out of stone. Its body was roughly shaped like a hexagonal pillar that tapered upwards. Two short, thick and footless legs stuck out from its base, and its arms were little more than lengthy chunks of digitless stone that hung from its sides. Four circular holes were scattered over its body, two on its palms and two in the place of its ears. Its eyes were closed, covered by a black line that spanned its face. Its most distinctive feature was the giant pyramidal red nose protruding from its face.


    ¡°Nosepass!¡± it rumbled.


    Astra stared. It sounded like a boulder had gotten a head cold.


    ¡°How does it eat if it doesn¡¯t have a mouth?¡±


    ¡°Defeat her and I just might tell you,¡± Roxanne teased. Red eyes glinted in the light. ¡°But for now, I¡¯ll just demonstrate how she fights!¡±


    Astra¡¯s eyes widened, and her strings thrummed.


    Bullet Seed!


    Treecko inhaled, cheeks swelling¡ª


    ¡°Nosepass, Rock Tomb!¡±


    Nosepass jumped, and the earth trembled. Treecko tensed, ready to dodge any attack thrown at them, but he didn¡¯t expect it to come from below his feet. He choked on his attack as a multitude of stone columns burst from the ground, slamming into him from all sides and pinning him in place. Gagging and spitting the seeds to the side, he struggled to free himself.


    ¡°Treecko!¡± Astra gasped.


    ¡°¡®Rock Tomb,¡¯¡± Roxanne stated, her tone clear and firm as if she was speaking to a classroom. ¡°A special Rock type move that inflicts moderate damage and hinders an opponent''s movements. A formidable technique that sets the stage for any number of followup maneuvers.¡± She smirked. ¡°It¡¯s a personal favorite of mine. If you do well enough, I might even give you a copy of the TM!¡±


    Astra, watching Treecko struggle to loosen the prison of stones, glanced at the brunette in annoyance. ¡°I¡¯m not even in your classroom yet, and you¡¯ve already given me three lectures!¡± she complained. ¡°Do you always do this during battle?¡±


    A few students in the stands laughed at her remark, and even Roxanne herself looked amused.


    ¡°I consider fighting to be pointless if nobody learns anything from the experience,¡± she said. ¡°I just tend to be a bit more¡­ on the nose about it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? Well, here¡¯s a new fact for you,¡± Astra replied, a sharp chord accompanying her words. ¡°I won¡¯t lose!¡±


    Treecko jerked one last time and the stone rods crumbled. Free of his prison, he scampered away and fired a fresh wave of radiant seeds at his foe. Nosepass lifted an arm in a futile attempt to block, groaning as the shots pockmarked her face, and Astra grinned. As long as Roxanne had to call out the move, she doubted that her Rock Tomb would ever snatch Treecko again.


    The Gym Leader laughed. ¡°Then show me! Your moves, your strategies¡­ come at me with all you have, and let me see your strength! Prove to me that you have what it takes to be a Champion!¡± she yelled, throwing out  her arm dramatically. ¡°Nosepass, Seismic Shield!¡±


    Nosepass¡¯s eyes shot open, blue eyes glowing as she brought all her power to bear. She shimmered, a gray light flowing across her body and culminating into her nose.


    ¡°Nose¡ª"


    Both arms swung upward, and the stadium trembled.


    ¡°PASS!¡±


    The ground erupted. Great, heaving blocks of stone tore themselves out of the ground and Treecko scrambled as the floor underneath crumbled to fill in the ditches left behind. Nosepass gestured and the masses of stone began to orbit around her, each one twice as large as Nosepass herself. They scraped and ground against each other, drowning the arena in a rough cacophony.


    Astra felt her eye twitch. She knew, intellectually, that Gym Leaders were supposed to be the biggest challenge in her way. But did she have to be this challenging? Who tears up an entire floor for a shield!?


    The melody took on a note of frustration, its player glaring at the shield. At her call, Treecko continued to dart around the swirling mass, firing ever more potshots into the gaps between. The rocks swerved, intercepting a majority of the projectiles¡ªbut a few managed to pass through, digging deeply into Nosepass and leaving ever more grooves in her skin.


    Well this wasn¡¯t ideal, Astra thought to herself, but as long as it was preoccupied with maintaining that ridiculously over-the-top shield she could still wear it down¡ª


    ¡°Rock Tomb!¡± Roxanne called, sweeping an arm out.


    Astra skipped a note in shock. It could still use other attacks!?


    Nosepass stomped her foot and Treecko, unprepared for a double maneuver, yelped as rocky pillars slammed into his body yet again. Squirming, he only managed to get one arm free before Roxanne spoke again.


    ¡°Rock Slide!¡±


    Trainer and Pokemon paled in unison as one of Nosepass¡¯s gargantuan blocks broke off and began to rise. Panicked, Treecko writhed against his restraints and shifted one of the pillars aside. The boulder shot forward and he raced free, just barely escaping before the area was demolished in a cloud of dust and rubble.


    Astra bit her lip, watching Treecko fire another barrage of seeds. The pellets homed in on Nosepass, only to fall upon her stony shields. Treecko leapt into the air, a Rock Tomb closing uselessly below him, the following boulder narrowly avoided by sheer dint of speed. Treecko gasped haggardly after the series of dodges, glaring at the expressionless Nosepass.


    This wasn¡¯t going to work for much longer, she realized. Treecko could dodge the rock tombs and outrun the flung boulders with ease, especially with her forewarning¡­ but he couldn¡¯t do it forever. If even one of those boulders hit home, she wasn¡¯t sure if Treecko would get back up again. The only option left was to get up close and personal.


    ¡°Rock Slide!¡±


    Glaring at Nosepass, Astra blinked. Was her shield always that frayed? Wait, no, all of those Rock Slides were depleting the boulders that made it up! This could be just the opportunity she needed!


    Charge!


    Nosepass raised its arms into the air. A boulder broke off from the shield and shot forward, intent on crushing Treecko. The green lizard focused and then jumped, a white shimmer trailing in his wake. He landed on top of the boulder, and a second burst saw him leaping off the projectile before it hit the ground.


    For an instant, Treecko flew. He soared through a gap in the barrier and saw Nosepass¡ªemotion was a hard concept to sell when one¡¯s face was literally an immobile chunk of stone, but somehow she still managed to look deeply alarmed.


    Drain her dry.


    He fell, hands tinged in green.


    Nosepass roared in pain, wildly twisting back and forth as viridescent streams of energy were stripped away. Atop her head, Treecko clung with all his might, every drop of parasitized vitality restoring him bit by bit. Around them, a thunderous racket resounded as Nosepass¡¯s shield fell apart.


    ¡°Astonishing!¡± Roxanne exclaimed, stars in her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen a beginner pull off something like that! Exploiting a weakness of my shield, and in such a cinematic fashion! You really are something else, I¡¯m impressed!¡±


    Astra perked up. ¡°Impressed enough to surrender?¡± she asked, hopefully.


    Roxanne laughed. ¡°And deny my students a finale? I would never! Nosepass, Rock Tomb!¡±


    ¡°Nose!¡± Nosepass slammed one leg into the ground, rocky spears jutting up around both of the battling Pokemon. Treecko looked around, confused. Astra tensed; what sort of trick was this? Why would Roxanne make Nosepass trap themselves?


    ¡°Tackle!¡±


    Nosepass crouched down, and only then did Astra realize their plot.


    Treecko, let go!


    But before Treecko could move, Nosepass leapt. Shoving herself backwards, the stone Pokemon crushed Treecko against the pillar. And then she did it again, and again, and again. Though Nosepass was clearly on her last legs, Treecko¡¯s leeching couldn¡¯t keep up with the sheer damage she was inflicting.


    With a choked gasp, Treecko fell.


    ¡°Rock Throw!¡±


    Move!


    But he couldn¡¯t. Nosepass gestured and one of the stone pillars broke off, slamming into him with fury. Treecko flew back with a pained cry, crashing through another pillar and coming to rest outside the prison.


    ¡°Rock Tomb!¡±


    The ground rose up and swallowed him, leaving only his head exposed. Treecko opened an eye, struggling to keep his head raised. His eyes were narrowed into slits, a yellow gaze glaring in defiance.


    Astra held back a horrified shout. If Treecko fell, then all she would have left was Slakoth and she¡¯d had him for barely any time at all! He was strong, sure, but he wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge at all, let alone get close enough to use it! Treecko was the only one who could win!


    Get out of there! she begged, but the damage was too great. Treecko was too exhausted to break his bonds as he did before.


    ¡°Time for the finishing blow!¡± Roxanne announced, grinning. ¡°Nosepass, Rock Slide!¡±


    Astra watched in horror as Nosepass¡¯s nose glowed. One of the boulders began to float, and soared above the arena. No. No! It couldn¡¯t end like this! She couldn¡¯t fail here! Everyone was counting on her! She needed a new plan, a new strategy, anything! But there wasn¡¯t any time, and she couldn¡¯t interfere herself.


    The boulder began to fall.


    She just¡ª


    Needed¡ª


    To think!


    The world slowed to a crawl. Colors seemed to fade, and Astra looked upon the ring as if from a great distance.


    She saw the boulder, its lumpy mass descending upon her friend.


    She saw Treecko, still defiant in the face of defeat.


    She saw the arena. The rocky pillars and boulders left behind.


    She saw Roxanne, a joyous expression upon her face, and yet hidden within was a hint of disappointment.


    She saw May, her friend¡¯s face contorted in anger and anguish, hollering from the sidelines, begging her to win.


    She saw Nosepass, expressionless yet triumphant.


    And then she saw her goal.


    Her mind linked with Treecko; a line was drawn, a target picked, and a promise made in a fraction of a second.


    Seed Snipe


    Treecko drew all the energy he was able to muster, a dim, flickering glow that contained everything he had left. Astra¡¯s violin sang a melody of victory so close at hand; a hero¡¯s final, desperate gamble to reach for that one last strand of light.


    His head tilted up, her eyes guided the way, and he fired.


    The bullet, blazing and incandescent, ricocheted off the bottom of the descending boulder.


    It shot to the side, bouncing off a rock pillar.


    It hit yet another pillar, within the prison of stone.


    And then it burrowed directly into Nosepass¡¯s ear.


    Treecko vanished as the boulder fell upon the earth.


    Silence fell. Roxanne blinked. Astra held her breath. The audience watched, rapturously.


    And then Nosepass sank to her knees, and silently collapsed upon the floor.


    To the side, a hitherto unnoticed student rose from the stands. He raised his arm and roared.


    ¡°DOUBLE K.O.!¡±


    The crowd went wild. The students rose as one and a storm of noise was unleashed in a single, deafening moment.


    ¡°Holy fuck, now that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about! YEEEAAAH!¡± May yelled, raising a single fist to the sky.


    Astra stared at the fallen Nosepass, uncomprehending. She lowered her violin. Had she done it?


    Nosepass vanished in a flash of red light. Roxanne held up a hand and the audience fell silent. She walked up to Astra, every footstep ringing loudly in the sudden quiet.


    ¡°My my, you¡¯ve certainly made things interesting, haven¡¯t you?¡± She asked. ¡°A double knockout without the use of self destructive abilities? That¡¯s rare. But in the case of a tie it is the Gym Leader who is given the victory by default. Unless, of course¡­you have more Pokemon?¡±


    Astra stared at Roxanne. She had been so certain that she was going to lose, in that long, hyper-focused moment. The words the Gym Leader was saying seemed incomprehensible.


    Astra took out her last pokeball and threw it. Slakoth raised his head from the ground and looked around.


    ¡°Slaaak...¡± he complained. Then he curled up and fell asleep.


    They all stared at him.


    Roxanne snickered, and then began to laugh. It rang through the gym, bright and joyous. Astra looked at her. The situation still seemed unreal. Roxanne composed herself, and then looked at Astra fondly.


    ¡°I must say this has been one of the best fights I have had. The way you and your Pokemon worked together. Your voiceless method of command. Your strategy, your tactics. That final trick you pulled. All of it, every moment a wonder.¡±


    She reached into a pocket, and pulled something out. It was a small, flat thing. A red and yellow diamond, split in two and diagonally offset by a small, brown rectangle in the center.


    The Gym Leader offered it, and Astra reached out and accepted. She held it up, and it gleamed in the stagelight.


    ¡°As the leader of the Rustboro City gym, I admit my defeat and award you the Stone Badge, as well as my honest respect for your dream of becoming the Champion. Well done, Astra.¡±


    Astra ran her finger over the shining surface of the badge and finally, as the audience erupted once more in cheers, it sunk in.


    She had won.


    ¡°I did it...¡± she whispered. Then she said it again, louder. ¡°I did it. I did it! I did it I did it I DID IT!¡± she cheered, quite literally jumping for joy. Relief flooded every pore of her body. Finally, finally! She had taken that first, crucial step to becoming the Champion!


    That final, distant goal that would help her save her home.


    May ran up to them, having ditched the cheering crowds by jumping the stands.


    ¡°Dude!¡± she said, grabbing Astra in a shoulder hug. ¡°That was amazing, you totally kicked her ass! How the hell did Treecko pull off that shot at the end? It went all over the place!¡±


    Astra grinned, the rush of victory pulsing in her veins. ¡°I¡¯m just that awesome, that¡¯s¡ªugh!?¡± She doubled over, her brag unfinished. A pulse of something shot out from her chest, and she suddenly realized that the rush wasn¡¯t fading. Instead it seemed to be growing in intensity, a strange pressure emanating from her very core.


    ¡°Eh? This again!?¡± Astra heard May ask, almost exasperated.


    Roxanne made a noise, confused. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡±


    Astra shook her head. ¡°N¡ªno,¡± she said, struggling to figure out what was happening. Another pulse rang out, and she winced. It wasn¡¯t painful; if anything, it felt good. But what...? ¡°This is something else. I don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    A memory flashed. Her eyes shot open. ¡°Bathroom.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Why¡ª¡±


    ¡°Bathroom, now!¡± Astra demanded, pulling her cloak over her face. The pressure redoubled, but she pushed it down as far as she dared. Not now, not here.


    ¡°There¡¯s a room just over there.¡± Roxanne pointed at a pair of doors on the far side of the arena.


    Astra took off, running as fast as her legs could take her. May jogged up alongside her a moment later.


    ¡°Yo, do you need¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine go away!¡± Astra screeched, grimacing as another, more intense pulse flared. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, don¡¯t worry about it!¡±


    May didn¡¯t respond, but Astra didn¡¯t hear any more footsteps behind her. She dashed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.


    The floor was tiled in white, and a multitude of sinks, mirrors, and stalls were arrayed in front of her¡ªall of them were empty, thankfully. Astra sprinted down the line and jammed herself into the one furthest from the entrance, her heart pounding in her ears.


    The pulse rang out again, faster and more brilliant than before. Astra looked at her arm, a white light starting to glow from underneath the black cloth. She discarded her robe on the floor, her hat covering the pile.


    She stared at her hands, her arms, her everything as the glow intensified. In this moment, she was shining more brilliantly than the lights above. Another pulse raced through her body, and the pressure surged again. This was...!


    She knew what this was. Should she be excited? Should she be happy? She thought she would be. But instead she was just alone, a thousand miles from home.


    She wished Grandpa was here. She wished May could be here.


    She took a deep breath. The sensations surged, the keys to a lock, the door to another world.


    She wished she wasn¡¯t doing this in a fucking bathroom stall.


    And then she let go.


    And the world fell a p a r t.


    <hr>


    We were happy there.


    For a time.


    In that village nestled in the canyon.


    Where the winds blew through the tall grass.


    And the forests whistled with life.


    His father was a strong man.


    He could lift a tree without strain.


    And none could best his skill at arms.


    And his mother was kind, and knowledgeable.


    She could read and count.


    And owned all the books in the world.


    The children of that place shunned us.


    For reasons I could not tell.


    The cruelty of children is fickle.


    But then why the adults as well?


    But he did not care.


    And nor did I.


    For we had each other.


    We would laugh and sing and dance.


    Until the moon rose into the sky.


    The man would tell us stories.


    Of battles won and lands afar.


    Though of his forefathers he remained silent.


    And the mother would read us books.


    She taught us how to read.


    To write.


    To count.


    And it was wonderful.


    Occasionally.


    We went to the spire to pray.


    For the land.


    The sea.


    The sky.


    And all others who brought this world to be.


    I was happy.


    For a time.


    But one day.


    That day.


    That time.


    Everyone stood still.


    And though we did not know why.


    We knew in our hearts.


    That a presence that had always been there.


    Had abruptly gone out.


    Everyone was silent.


    And black cloth unfurled.


    For we knew not why.


    But we mourned ever still.


    The light that died.


    Time passed.


    And then a message came.


    A courier had been sent.


    To all corners of the land.


    He told us the news.


    And our days did darken.


    For our lord had called.


    To prepare for war.


    I learned that day.


    Of humanity¡¯s sin.


    For far to the north.


    On a land ever distant.


    A dark kingdom did ride.


    For a prize to seek.


    They found it there.


    Near that white capped peak.


    In that temple of snow.


    For chains of ice.


    For mountains blow.


    For iron rod.


    They went below.


    For sake of power, lost to damnation.


    To force all others within their nation.


    Ripped the chains from broken hands.


    And dealt a blow felt ¡®cross all lands.


    That day I learned of the cruelty of man.


    That day I learned that they were flawed.


    That day


    When humanity killed their god.</a>


    <hr>


    The light faded. Astra blinked, then scowled.


    Again? It had happened again!? Here? Now?


    What was with these memories? These¡­ visions!? And what were they even about? There had been flashes of a couple of people, a tower, and a moment of time that was only notable for when something intangible had vanished.


    And something about¡­ a figure with seven eyes, laying in the snow. For some reason, the thought filled her with a distant sense of sorrow.


    Astra rubbed her head. The only other time she had gotten one that intense was when she had poked...


    The orb. That black, cracked sphere her grandpa had entrusted to her for emergencies. Was that thing doing this? But it was still back in her room, how could it have affected her all the way across the city?


    She frowned. That orb was left behind by the Ancestor. Were these visions connected to her, somehow? If so, what did that even mean? What could she do?


    Get rid of it? She discarded the thought immediately. Her grandpa gave it to her for a reason, and if it was doing this to her¡ªwho could actually detect and defend against psychic attacks¡ªwhat would it do to any passing, defenseless human?


    Should she go back to the village? Astra considered the option, then shook her head, scowling. Grandpa might know something about it, but¡­ if he had, wouldn¡¯t someone have told her? If he didn¡¯t then she would have lost a lot of time for no reason. May would certainly be suspicious and upset if Astra suddenly had to ditch her to run back home, and she would rather not do that.


    And it wasn¡¯t threatening her, really. Just¡­ showing her things.


    Just shoving stuff into her head. Without her knowledge or approval.


    Had it been the reason she could read?


    She sat there, confused and frustrated.


    Maybe if she poked it again? Well, she was a Kirlia now, so it might work out better¡ª


    She paused, and realized she wasn¡¯t looking through a curtain of hair anymore.


    She stood up and looked at her hands. She wiggled her fingers, each hand sporting a new digit. Two fingers and a thumb! She could use a cup handle! She looked down. Her coat had risen and split apart, six sheets flaring out around her, three to each side like a dress. She could see the ends of her legs without screwing around with her coat now.


    She felt her head. Her once bowl-shaped hair now flowed down the middle of her face and tapered to a point near her chin. Four long tails sprouted from the sides of her head, two on each side. And her horns. They had moved to the sides of her head as well! No more single large one jutting out above her forehead!


    She was a Kirlia. She was a Kirlia!


    She laughed, forgetting her problems in the sheer joy of evolution. She reached out, and out, and out, further than she had ever felt before. The whole of the gym revealed itself, and she felt every last person inside. Their emotions, their locations. The new battle taking place, May¡¯s Lotad showering one of Roxanne''s Geodudes in water. Treecko and Slakoth placed to the side¡ªoh shit she forgot about Treecko and Slakoth.


    She laughed and reeled herself back in. Where once was a puddle now stood a pond. The power thrummed under her skin, newfound depths begging to be unleashed.


    With a contented sigh, she reached for her clothes.


    Was the floor always this far away?


    Astra paused, frowning. Then she paled.


    Well fuck. How was she going to explain that?

 Fragility

    Astra stared into the mirror, squinting. The bathroom¡¯s fluorescent lights buzzed softly overhead, their sharp glow banishing all shadows and burning spots into her eyes. The crowd outside rumbled, their cheers dulled by distance.


    In the mirror, her reflection stared back. Her verdant green hair was longer, naturally falling into twintails. Her horns had shifted, the two migrating from the front and back of her head to sit on the sides, flatter and more circular.


    The newly evolved Kirlia sighed. In any other circumstances, her transformation would have elicited the most joyous of celebrations. She was an adult now! Her powers had increased exponentially, and moreover, she finally had fingers! Only two, but they were small enough to actually do things with. Like pick up cups!


    No, the real problem was that she gained an extra head in height. She was pretty sure regular humans didn¡¯t just shoot up randomly, so how was she going to explain that!? If she went out there now, there was no way that May or Roxanne wouldn¡¯t notice! Then the jig would be up, and then...


    Then she would be found out as a Pokemon, and she would either be caught or be forced to flee back home in failure. In time, her village would be discovered and ransacked by humanity. Everyone she knew and loved would vanish into pokeballs or be scattered to the winds.


    She would never talk with May or Brendan again. Trevor would pass on without hearing the song she had promised him. No more sharing roasted fish with the other Ralts by the bonfires. No more bribing the guard with stolen berries from human trails. No more dancing flames from the smith. And Grandpa would never paint again.


    Astra shut her eyes and exhaled, banishing the morbid future from her thoughts. ¡°Alright, just calm down,¡± she spoke to herself, the corners of the sink digging into her clenched hands. ¡°You¡¯ve made it this far, this isn¡¯t gonna stop you. You can fix this.¡± But how?


    Pretend that nothing was wrong? May would almost certainly call her out, and Roxanne wasn¡¯t likely going to be much better. The Gym Leader might have been manageable if she were alone. But May would probably never let up until she figured out why Astra was suddenly sporting an extra eight inches.


    Hide it? Her power had vastly expanded, so perhaps she could construct a bigger illusion. But that came with its own host of problems. Layering an image of her Ralts form over herself would be worse than nothing if anyone tried to, say, put her in a headlock and grind their knuckles into her scalp. Sometimes she wished that it had been Brendan who had tagged along.


    But if she could keep anybody from trying to touch her, and if she could manage to maintain her false body¡¯s movement relative to her real self, then she could continue on as she had been. That was a tall order, and she wasn¡¯t looking forward to micromanaging eye contact, but it was the best option so far. Were there any others?


    Leave? Sneak outside, retrieve Treecko and Slakoth and ditch the Gym as quietly as possible. Make a mad dash back to the hotel to grab her pack and hightail it to a different city. She struggled for a moment, before grudgingly acknowledging that it would almost certainly solve the issue entirely. But the concept of putting it into practice made her heart ache. Abandoning May with no warning, leaving just like everyone else in her life had done...


    Astra closed her eyes, lips pressed tightly into a grimace. May would not take it well at all, to put it lightly. But if everything fell apart, then everyone back home would be in danger. If she had to make a choice between the two¡ª


    She cut that thought off with a scowl. No. Why should she have to make a choice, here and now? Things could change, and she hadn¡¯t been caught yet. Maybe, if¡­if things went perfectly, she wouldn¡¯t need to hide at all.


    She hoped and dreamed for that day when she could finally discard her robe and feel the sun again. But she couldn¡¯t take that chance. Not now. But she owed it to everyone to try as hard as she could.


    She blinked as another roar rang out from the distant crowd. How long had she been in here, anyway? It was strange that the matches had started again so quickly. Or, well, no. May had probably demanded a go right after watching her flee into the bathroom. But surely May would notice her long absence soon, and maybe she already had.


    Gritting her teeth, Astra stared into the mirror. The reflection rippled and faded from view¡ªand in its place there was a black robed, human-faced doppelganger of Astra as she had been only a short while ago: 4¡¯4¡¯¡¯ tall, and with a wide fringe of hair that covered her eyes. She tilted her head, watching the facade imitate the movement.


    Taking a paper towel from a nearby dispenser, she noticed that her illusion didn¡¯t have the same reach as her ¡®real¡¯ arm, leaving the paper towel hovering in the air. An adjustment made it so that her false form was leaning over so the hand could reach. But when she brought it closer, her real arm moved faster than the image and the paper floated into the air again. She slumped. This was completely untenable, there was no way she could adjust her illusion on the fly for the rest of the journey!


    She tapped on the sink¡¯s ceramic, glaring at nothing. The tapping slowed as a thought occurred. Did she have to keep it up for the rest of the journey? Out in the stands, she remembered seeing a small group of children, all at or below the height of a Ralts. But May and Brendan had been taller than her Kirlia form was now, and some adults out there had been even taller than the both of them. But her grandpa had said that humans didn¡¯t evolve. How could their sizes change?


    Her eyes widened. Did they grow taller over time? So they were like trees, then: every year they¡¯d grow another layer of bark¡ªor skin, she guessed¡ªand get a bit taller! Maybe. The comparison didn¡¯t seem quite right. Astra briefly lost her train of thought as she pictured May and Brendan as compact masses of ambulatory skin.


    She made a face. Eugh.


    Back to business. If her theory was right, then she wouldn¡¯t have to mask herself for very long at all. She could simply increase the height of her masque every so often until it matched her real height! Genius! She didn¡¯t really know how fast humans grew, but the seven days May had booked would probably be alright. Studying the illusion, she bumped up the height by an inch. No reason not to get started right away, after all.


    Astra made one last check to make sure everything was anchored properly before she started to leave¡ªand wasn¡¯t that a change. Utilizing her abilities in such a complex way would have knocked her out not even twenty minutes ago! All this new power coursing through her¡­ she¡¯d have to make a trip to the woods and let loose, see what she could really do.


    She opened the door and took a deep breath as the roars of the audience amplified. No more hesitation. Head up, back straight, feet planted square, and one eye on her illusion. Watch out, Hoenn; a brand new Kirlia was about to play the greatest trick of the century!


    The sound of rock scraping against rock rang in her ears as she left the bathroom, only growing louder in the few seconds it took to reach the stands. The arena came into view, and Astra stopped to take it in. May and Roxanne were staring each other down. May¡¯s Poochyena was facing off against one of Roxanne¡¯s Geodudes; it was the one that could use lightning, judging by the rather puffy state of Poochyena¡¯s fur. Where had her Lotad gone? Had it already fallen?


    Sensing Treecko and Slakoth on the opposite side of the arena, Astra started to make her way across the foot of the bleachers. ¡°Kick her butt, May!¡± Astra called out as she passed.


    May took a brief reprieve from scowling to shoot Astra a surprised blink, then smirked. She opened her mouth¡ª


    ¡°Thunder Punch!¡±


    ¡°Motherfuck!¡± May swore, turning back to the battle at hand. Astra let out a sigh of relief. May hadn¡¯t noticed anything off at a glance, so her illusion wasn¡¯t obviously wrong. She¡¯d have to see if it would hold up under closer scrutiny later, though. Now, where were her lost Pokemon? Looking around, she spotted them sitting¡ªor, in Slakoth¡¯s case, sleeping¡ªon a large mat nearby.


    There was a woman standing over them, spraying Treecko¡¯s injuries with potion and wrapping the larger cuts with bandages. She was wearing a familiar white dress and sported pink hair wrapped in two giant, circular bows with a white cap to top it off. Astra tilted her head, perplexed at the sight. What in the world was the receptionist from the Petalburg Pokecenter doing here? Or at least someone who looked very much like her.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Astra asked as she drew near. The woman looked up, staring directly at Astra¡¯s collarbone. It took Astra a confused glance downwards to realize that the woman was looking into her illusory eyes.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the trainer for these Pokemon, are you?¡± the woman asked, standing up and smoothing the wrinkles from her dress. ¡°I¡¯m the Rustboro Gym¡¯s Nurse Joy. I¡¯ve patched up your Treecko, but it was irresponsible of you to just leave him lying under those rocks like that.¡±


    She paused, frowning. ¡°Are you feeling alright, dear? You seem rather pale. Really pale, in fact¡ªoh dear. Do you feel dizzy at all?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Astra took a hurried step back as the nurse reached for her neck¡ªforehead, that was her forehead. This situation already could not pass fast enough. ¡°I, uh, I¡¯m always this pale. Albinism,¡± she explained.


    The nurse¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh. I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve never¡­ forgive me.¡± She coughed, looking away. ¡°Well then! Um. Make sure you visit a proper Pokecenter to heal your Pokemon fully. Alright?¡± Joy grinned awkwardly.


    ¡°I will,¡± Astra said. She hesitated a moment, looking over Joy¡¯s appearance again. ¡°Say, do you have a sister in Petalburg? I met a Nurse Joy there too, and she looks just like you.¡±


    Joy blinked, then let out a bark of laughter. ¡°Oh, no, no. All Pokemon nurses adopt the identity of ¡®Nurse Joy¡¯ when we graduate from med school. The hair is a wig, see?¡±


    She lifted the edge of her hair, revealing black locks under what looked like a net. Huh. So there was more than one ¡®Nurse Joy?'' Maybe a lot of them. Weird, why would they do something like that? Maybe ease of identification?


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t know, Miss Badge Winner,¡± Joy said, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Woulda thought someone who beat Roxanne would know about that kinda thing.¡±


    Astra scratched the back of her head, letting out a small laugh. ¡°Aheh, yeah, I haven¡¯t had much reason to visit Pokecenters until recently.¡± The sound of thunder echoed from the arena, and Astra glanced backward as the crowd gasped. ¡°I should get back. Thanks for taking care of Treecko!¡±


    ¡°Anytime!¡±


    Recalling Treecko and Slakoth, Astra walked over to the stands and claimed the seat May vacated. The battle had progressed swiftly while she was distracted; Roxanne¡¯s Geodude was covered in bite marks and May¡¯s Poochyena was swaying, tiny jolts of static arcing between his newly poofy spikes of charred fur.


    Now that she wasn¡¯t focused on finding her missing companions or worrying over how she looked, Astra took a moment to appraise the scene. Was May winning? The lack of a scowl on her face led Astra to believe that she wasn¡¯t losing, but where had Lotad gone? Had the water Pokemon fallen? She could tell that this was Roxanne''s second Geodude, and Poochyena had done a remarkable job of weakening it. Would it be enough? Astra hoped it wouldn¡¯t come down to the wire like it had for her, but she had no doubt that May would never allow herself to lose.


    ¡°Rock Throw!¡±


    ¡°Dodge it and Bite!¡±


    ¡°Woo, that¡¯s how you do it!¡± Astra yelled as Poochyena skidded around the projectile and sunk his teeth into Geodude. She took a moment to wonder how the hound hadn¡¯t broken his teeth on Geodude¡¯s rocky exterior. Was it softer than it looked, or were Poochyena¡¯s teeth that good? They hadn¡¯t been able to hurt Skarmory much at all¡­


    Her musings vanished as Geodude grabbed Poochyena and slammed him against the floor. The hound fell limp, and the crowd erupted once more.


    ¡°Boo! Boo I say!¡± Astra jeered. ¡°You can do better than that! Boo!¡±


    May glanced at her, then rolled her eyes and flipped her off. Recalling Poochyena, May threw a new pokeball and Lotad reappeared, scratched up but ready to go. Astra grinned at the sight; so May had recalled him when Roxanne''s Electric-wielding Geodude had emerged!


    ¡°Water Gun!¡± May shouted, and Astra cheered as the Geodude was promptly sprayed into oblivion.


    Roxanne recalled her fallen comrade. Light shone, and her last Pokemon, Nosepass, reappeared. Astra¡¯s hands clenched the railing in front of her, memories of gigantic, levitating stones fresh in her mind. ¡°Come on, May! Show that big-nosed boulder who¡¯s boss!¡±


    ¡°Rock Tomb!¡± Roxanne commanded.


    ¡°Move right and use Water Gun, Lotad!¡± May yelled in return, and the battle raged on.


    The roars of the crowd shook the stands, and Astra was all too happy to join them. Lotad didn¡¯t move much, preferring to simply batter rocks out of the way with sheer water pressure and scuttle out of any Rock Tombs before they struck. Nosepass acted much the same as before, flinging boulders with pinpoint accuracy and shooting pillars of stone from the floor.


    The gigantic arena-destroying shield Roxanne had used in Astra¡¯s fight was conspicuously absent. Maybe it was too strenuous to use twice a day, even with healing? The fight didn¡¯t have quite the same pizzazz without it. Astra still enjoyed it even so, and the crowd echoed her excitement.


    The earth quaked, rocks were shot out of the air with jets of cutting water, and spikes of rock scraped at¡ªbut never caught¡ªthe surprisingly nimble Lotad. It was a rather aggressive strategy, Astra noted. May never stopped attacking, or setting Lotad up to attack. Every rock that was knocked off course left his Water Gun to hit Nosepass unimpeded, and every dodge was accompanied by a cutting stream.


    Finally, May pulled off a rather familiar maneuver and had Lotad shoot himself through the air to blast his foe from above. Nosepass faltered, then fell to the floor, unconscious.


    ¡°It seems I¡¯ve been defeated yet again,¡± Roxanne stated, smiling. ¡°Well done! The Stone Badge is yours.¡±


    May took the emblem from the Gym Leader, raising it high into the air amidst the roar of the crowd. Astra joined in with their applause gleefully. The outcome had never been in doubt, but she was still happy to see it. Even if the finale had been a blatant ripoff!


    May basked in the attention for a moment, before a brief shadow of uncertainty and confusion crossed her face. She lowered her arm, frowning at the badge in her hand.


    With the show concluded for the day, the stands began to empty, the gathered trainers dispersing. Roxanne shouted at her interns and they jumped to attention, clearing stray debris from the field and fiddling with the cameras and lights.


    Astra ran onto the field, a silly grin on her face. ¡°You dirty copycat!¡± she shouted, skidding to a halt next to May. ¡°That was the thing I did with Treecko at the end!¡±


    May blinked, shaking herself out of her fugue. She turned, and levied a smirk at Astra. ¡°Well look who it is!¡± she said, recalling Lotad and pocketing the badge. ¡°You missed half of my battle, jerk. I had to help dig your Treecko out of the rubble, you know. And so what if I copied your little stunt?¡± she challenged. ¡°Maybe I saw your sad attempt and had to show you how it was done!¡±


    ¡°Well sorry for having bathroom problems,¡± Astra huffed, rolling her eyes. ¡°Thanks, though.¡± Her gaze turned sharp. ¡°And what do you mean sad attempt? It worked perfectly fine!¡±


    ¡°Well as you can see,¡± May drawled, motioning to the battlefield, ¡°when you did it, Treecko got smashed by a rock. When I did it, I won.¡± She grinned. ¡°Seems like a bit of an improvement, if you ask me.¡±


    Astra glared. ¡°S¡ªso what!? You only got the idea because I did it in the first place!¡±


    ¡°And I thank you,¡± May said, bowing theatrically, ¡°for thoroughly showing me how not to do it.¡±


    ¡°Oh you¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡± A cough interrupted them.


    Both trainers blinked, only now noticing that Roxanne had reappeared next to them with a weary yet amused smile. The two shot each other one last look, one peeved and one smug, before turning to face Roxanne fully.


    ¡°By all means,¡± Roxanne sighed, ¡°Feel free to debate which of you two did better later. We even have the tapes, if you wish to review them. But please consider when and where you do so, hm?¡±


    Having appropriately chastised them, Roxanne continued. ¡°Now, I do have one last prize to the two of you. In addition to the Stone Badge, I will be giving you each a copy of my favorite Rock-type technique: Rock Tomb.¡±


    She held out two discs similar to the one Astra had received in the flower shop earlier that day. Pausing to make sure the illusion moved right, Astra took one of the discs and stashed it in her bag. ¡°Thank you!¡± she said, smiling. ¡°I don¡¯t know if any of the Pokemon I have can use this, but maybe I¡¯ll catch one in the future!¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± May said, examining her own. ¡°I don¡¯t have any Rock types either. Might have to pick one up, actually.¡±


    ¡°As the case so happens, both of you do, in fact, possess Pokemon that can learn the move,¡± Roxanne informed them. ¡°Astra, your Treecko and Slakoth could both learn it. May, your Torchic has the potential as well.¡± She paused. ¡°Keep in mind that non-Rock-type Pokemon will have more difficulty using the move than a Rock type. Additionally, TMs are single use, so be certain of your decision. In any case, it is your choice on what strategies to employ in the future.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± May tapped her chin, considering the prospect. ¡°¡­Eh. Nah. It doesn¡¯t really fit Torchic¡¯s style. I¡¯ll save it for a Rock type. What about you, Astra?¡±


    Astra thought about it. The main point of the move, as far as she could see, was to hold opponents in place. The damage of the stone spikes was secondary. While it might be useful for Treecko, he was so fast that he didn¡¯t need it. On the other hand...


    ¡°I might give it to Slakoth,¡± she mused. ¡°I haven¡¯t trained with him much, but I think actually getting him into close range is going to be an issue. Having something to lock down opponents would be handy.¡±


    ¡°Well reasoned!¡± Roxanne clasped her hands together, looking pleased. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you both thinking about this seriously.¡±


    Astra tilted her head. ¡°Do people not?¡±


    ¡°I do recall one trainer who, upon receiving his prize, immediately taught it to his Sharpedo.¡± Roxanne replied, dryly. ¡°He thought it would help pin down opponents in open water so its melee attacks would connect.¡±


    There was a lengthy pause.


    ¡°But there¡¯s¡­ no ground in the ocean.¡± Astra said, slowly.


    To her side, May stifled a snort. ¡°What a fuckin¡¯ moron,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°In all fairness, thinking that one can use any move anywhere is a common mistake to make,¡± Roxanne said, failing to hide her own quirk of the lips. ¡°But only a well trained Rock type or an extremely dedicated non-Rock type would be able to use Rock Tomb somewhere like the ocean.¡±


    ¡°Hn.¡± May folded her arms, looking disinterested. She paused, then sent a grin at Astra. ¡°Well, I guess not everyone can be as good as us, right Astra?¡±


    Astra ignored the question, running over Roxanne''s words again. ¡°Wait, how would they be able to do that if there¡¯s no rock around?¡±


    ¡°Oh, well it¡¯s very simple. Experienced Pokemon can develop the ability to create the physical materials for certain techniques ex-nihilo,¡± Roxanne explained, eyes bright. ¡°It¡¯s actually fascinating how they can transform physical energy into solid stone or ice¡ª"


    ¡°Aaand I think I¡¯m done here.¡± May rolled her eyes, abruptly about-facing and walking away. ¡°Thanks for the TM and the badge, but I¡¯m starving. I think I saw a burger place on the way here...¡±


    ¡°Wh¡ªMay!¡± Astra protested. That had been interesting!


    May looked back, eyebrow raised. ¡°Hm? What? You coming?¡±


    Astra made several aborted motions toward Roxanne, then slumped in defeat. ¡°Just give me a minute.¡±


    ¡°Sure. I wanted to look at some of those displays anyway. I¡¯ll be in the lobby!¡±


    Astra sighed, turning back to Roxanne. She was staring at May¡¯s retreating form with pursed lips.


    ¡°Your friend is not the most¡­ sociable person, is she?¡± the Gym Leader noted.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s May for you.¡± Astra chuckled awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to get her to be better, but it¡¯s¡­ a work in progress.¡±


    Roxanne hummed in assent. ¡°Well, you may have your work cut out for you.¡± She folded her arms. ¡°Now then, I don¡¯t want to keep you for long. Did you want to talk to me about something else?¡±


    ¡°Just one or two things. You offered to have me sit in one of your classes. When are those, exactly?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. You¡¯re only staying the week, correct? Then my nearest one would be...Monday, a little after noon,¡± Roxanne said. ¡°It¡¯s a lecture on Pokemon typings and how that affects Pokemon psychologically and biologically, such as how Ghost types tend to linger around areas of spiritual or emotional significance.¡±


    Astra nodded along, then froze. She stared at Roxanne with eyes wide open.


    Ghost type?


    Ghost type?


    Ghosts were REAL?


    There were so many ghosts such that they were an entire Pokemon type!?


    Her breathing quickened, suddenly recalling dozens upon dozens of nights spent around the bonfires, passing the time with tall tales, and jumping at shadows. Were all those stories true? Was the Hollow-eyed Gnasher going to carve the horn out of her head in the dead of night? Oh stars, what about the Hag in the Cauldron? She didn¡¯t want to end up as the broth in her stew! Astra wanted to eat new foods, not become them!


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Roxanne looked at Astra uncertainly. ¡°Um,¡± she stated. ¡°Are you alright? You¡¯re looking a little¡ª¡±


    ¡°FINE!¡° Astra screeched manically. A few interns turned to look. She flushed. ¡°I mean,¡± she said, much more quietly. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just¡ªnevermind.¡± She coughed and looked away.


    She made a note to scrub her hands and feet very thoroughly the next time she took a bath. If she was going to be made into soup then it would damn well taste like soap. Silently, Astra shook an imaginary fist at that lumpy bar in her hotel bathroom that had only smelled like berries.


    ¡°I see.¡± Roxanne was still looking at Astra strangely. ¡°Does¡­ Monday not work?¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª? Oh, oh Monday does work, thank you. I will definitely be there.¡± And the more she could learn about these ghosts the better. Preferably how to make them go away. Would throwing a rock work? She could probably throw a lot of rocks now.


    ¡°Oh! If you¡¯re sure. Very well then, I look forward to seeing you there. I wish you a good weekend, Astra.¡± Roxanne smiled and turned to leave.


    ¡°Ah, wait,¡± Astra said, stopping the Gym Leader. ¡°Just one last thing. Do you...¡± She hesitated, biting her lip. Ever since she had gotten her mission, she had been pondering a question. When she became Champion, she would be able to stop humanity from ransacking the village once it was discovered. And it would be discovered, eventually. But what about after that?


    There would be a village full of her people in the forest, and an entire world filled with humans everywhere else. Would that be¡­ it? Was that the end goal for forever? Or could there be something else?


    Astra breathed out, squared her shoulders, and looked Roxanne in the eye. ¡°Do you think that Pokemon could ever live like humans do?¡±


    Roxanne blinked. ¡°What an odd question. Why ask me?¡±


    ¡°Well...¡± Astra looked away for a moment, still uneasy. Because the Gym Leader seemed important to people, to Hoenn. Because she was a step above. Because every trainer had to pass through her. Because at her word, an entire generation of trainers would leap to obey.


    ¡®Because you could be an enemy,'' Astra didn¡¯t say. ¡®But would you be one, Roxanne? If you saw a wild Pokemon talking in front of you, would you throw a pokeball?¡¯


    ¡®Or would you say hello?¡¯


    ¡°You work with Pokemon for a living,¡± Astra said, instead. ¡°I thought you might have some insight.¡±


    Roxanne considered the request, then nodded. ¡°Well, alright,¡± she began, ¡°I¡¯m not sure how much closer we could get to Pokemon at this point. From law enforcement to medicinal research to simple lifelong companionship, we¡¯ve developed quite the coexistence. I¡¯d say that Pokemon already live with humanity pretty well.¡±


    Astra shook her head. ¡°No no, I mean like¡­¡± She paused, trying to figure out how to word it. ¡°If they could ever be equal.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Roxanne¡¯s eyes lit up in recognition. ¡°You mean like those books and games where they can talk and own shops, yes?¡±


    Astra had no idea what she was talking about. Books and games? ¡°Sure,¡± she lied.


    The Gym Leader nodded to herself. ¡°I see. Well, as things stand, I¡¯m sorry to say that I don¡¯t see that sort of thing ever becoming reality.¡±


    That was not the answer Astra had been hoping for. ¡°O¡ªoh,¡± she mumbled, feeling as though a heavy weight had settled in her heart. ¡°Are you sure? Why not?¡± she asked, plaintively.


    ¡°Well, as one example of many, unlike in fiction there¡¯s no species of Pokemon that can naturally learn to speak a human language,¡± Roxanne explained, causing Astra to blink. ¡°Individual exceptions do exist, but they were either the product of years of training or the result of extraordinary circumstances. Why, I remember reading an article about a Meowth over in Kanto...¡± She shook her head. ¡°I digress. In the end, close as we may be, Pokemon are still animals. I¡¯m afraid that fiction will remain just that.¡±


    Astra stared at Roxanne. ¡°And¡­ if someone did teach a bunch of Pokemon to speak?¡± she managed.


    Roxanne thought about it. ¡°Well, maybe,¡± she admitted. ¡°But such an endeavor would take generations to happen. There was only one study I can remember where a speaking Pokemon had children, and they only had a marginal improvement in learning the skill. It would take a concentrated effort across tens, if not hundreds of years to make the language acquisition self-sustaining. I don¡¯t think anybody would want to commit that much time to such a thing.


    ¡°But if they did¡­ I don¡¯t think it would be impossible,¡± she finished, smiling. ¡°Perhaps in the future such an existence wouldn¡¯t be so far-fetched. I think I might like to see it. Who knows? Maybe you could be the one to help that dream come true.¡±


    A small twitch of the lips stole across Astra¡¯s face, and she had to turn away for a moment, rubbing at her eyes. ¡°Heh¡­ I half-expected you to just say that it was impossible,¡± she said, trying her best to keep her voice level. ¡°I know a lot of people back home would. So, thank you.¡± She looked back, ruby eyes shining brightly. ¡°I hope to see that future too!¡±


    Roxanne¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Well, I suppose you¡¯d better work hard then, eh? Now, I believe you have a friend waiting for you. Take care, Astra.¡±


    Astra nodded, giving the Gym Leader one last wave as she sped off.


    May was, as promised, waiting in the lobby, examining one of the displays. ¡°Hey!¡± Astra called, drawing her attention. ¡°Hope I didn¡¯t take too long.¡±


    ¡°Eh.¡± May shrugged. ¡°It was only a couple minutes. I¡¯ve just been here reading about¡ª¡± she peered at the plaque again, ¡°¡ªHelix fossils. They¡¯re from some ancient Pokemon called Omanyte. Apparently they were worshiped by some cult in Kanto for a couple hundred years before they got into a fight with a different fossil fan club and killed each other off.¡± May turned to Astra with a shit-eating grin on her face. ¡°What a bunch of boneheads, am I right?¡±


    It was the awful pun that finally set her off. An abrupt snort escaped from Astra¡¯s mouth, and then she found herself breaking out into hysterical giggling. She doubled over, trying, and failing, to keep her bottled laughter in check.


    ¡°Wow, uh.¡± May scratches her head, chuckling. ¡°Didn¡¯t know you were a pun fanatic. I didn¡¯t think it was that good.¡±


    ¡°N-no.¡± Astra managed to gasp out. Her eyes were wet again, but her face was hidden and she couldn¡¯t bring herself to care. ¡°It was awful. It¡¯s just Roxanne said something amazing back there, and I¡¯ve had to keep a straight face.¡±


    May tilted her head. ¡°Ah? What was it?¡±


    Astra exhaled slowly, shaking her head as she brought her giggle fit under control. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t¡­ you¡¯d¡¯ve had to have been there,¡± she said, shooting May a smile.


    ¡°Hmph. Well damn, I¡¯m almost sorry I left if it made you bust a gut that hard.¡± May brushed a hand through one of her long side bangs, looking put out. Then she shrugged, strolling toward the exit. ¡°Well, whatever. Let¡¯s blow this joint.¡±


    ¡°By the way,¡± Astra started as they left the building. The warmth of the sun washed over them, clouds forming myriad shapes and whorls in the otherwise clear blue sky. ¡°Where are we going now? We have a whole week, after all.¡±


    ¡°Right now? The nearest fast food junkhouse. I¡¯ve eaten nothing but stew and trail mix for the past couple days!¡± May rubbed her hands together, a wide grin spreading across her face. ¡°Your soups have been tasty and all but there¡¯s no replacing a good ol¡¯ cheeseburger.¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t worry,¡± she added, slapping a hand on Astra¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll help your poor, ignorant mind through the hurdles of navigating the menu.¡±


    Astra stared at May¡¯s hand, which had landed on her real shoulder, several inches above her fake one. She hurriedly batted it aside before May noticed anything amiss. ¡°I don¡¯t need help looking at a menu!¡± she scowled, only partially faking her outrage because wow, she could read perfectly fine as of a week ago, thank you!


    ¡°Girl, I bet you can¡¯t even see over the counter!¡± May cackled, smirking gleefully. But she then paused, brows furrowing. ¡°Huh.¡±


    Astra blinked at her friend¡¯s puzzled expression, wrath forgotten. ¡°What?¡±


    May rubbed at her eyes and peered at Astra again. May shook her head. ¡°Nah, it¡¯s probably nothing. It¡¯s just¡­ fuck, I can¡¯t put my finger on it. You look different.¡±


    Astra very carefully didn¡¯t let any alarm show on her face. Different? Different!? What did she get wrong? She¡¯d been checking and re-checking her illusion at least twice a minute; was it falling apart already? How!?


    Astra, repressing the desire to scream incoherently, instead asked, ¡°O¡ªoh? How do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I dunno, ¡° May said, looking Astra up and down. May stroked her chin contemplatively. ¡°You just seem¡­ taller?¡±


    Oh. That. Astra let out the tiniest of breaths. She had been hoping May would only notice a few days later, or not at all in the best case. She hadn¡¯t expected May to spot it immediately. It seemed she was more perceptive than she let on¡ªor maybe Astra had misjudged her previous height and made herself too tall by mistake.


    ¡°Oh! Do you think so?¡± Astra made a show of looking herself over, voice deliberately cheerful. ¡°I haven¡¯t noticed anything.¡±


    May was nodding before Astra had even finished speaking. ¡°Yeah, yeah that¡¯s definitely it. I almost didn¡¯t even see it. Man, hasn¡¯t it only been like a week? I guess all this fighting must¡¯ve knocked your hormones loose, or something.¡±


    ¡°Right, right, that¡¯s probably it,¡± Astra agreed, having no idea what May was talking about again. ¡°I wonder how tall I¡¯ll get?¡±


    May shrugged. ¡°Who knows, maybe you¡¯ll be as tall as me someday.¡± Her tone took on a teasing lilt. ¡°Nah, that¡¯s a lie. We both know you¡¯re doomed to be a pipsqueak forever!¡±


    Astra grinned. She had been right after all, humans were like trees! ¡°Pah,¡± she scoffed, waving a hand to batter May¡¯s words from the air. ¡°I¡¯ll settle for nothing less than being an entire head taller!¡±


    ¡°Pff.¡± May brushed a bang from her face, nose turned up. ¡°In your dreams, squirt. Ain¡¯t no way puberty¡¯s gonna be that nice to a brat like you.¡±


    ¡°I am not a brat!¡± Astra said, pouting. She paused. ¡°Uh, what¡¯s puberty?¡±


    May rolled her eyes. ¡°Ha ha, very funny.¡±


    Astra looked at May, confused. ¡°What¡¯s funny?¡±


    ¡°Your¡­ joke?¡± May returned Astra¡¯s confused look. After a moment it was joined by a hint of panic. ¡°Wait, do you seriously not know what puberty is!?¡±


    Astra glanced around, fidgeting with her hands. She was starting to feel like she had asked the wrong question. ¡°Should¡­I?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± May pleaded, sounding faintly desperate. ¡°Your grandpa or whoever didn¡¯t tell you anything? Hormones, getting taller, hair growth, any of that? At least tell me you know where babies come from!¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that all?¡± Astra said, relieved. She didn¡¯t know what a hormone was, but the rest she was more familiar with. ¡°Of course I know where babies come from!¡±


    May visibly sagged with relief. ¡°Oh thank fuck, at least you know that.¡±


    ¡°Well duh! Everyone knows that babies come from eggs!¡± Astra shook her head. ¡°Honestly, how ignorant do you think I am?¡±


    There was a considerable silence.


    ¡°Eggs?¡± May asked.


    ¡°Yeah, eggs. You know, about yea high, white with green spots. They break open and have a baby inside?¡±


    ¡°Eggs,¡± May echoed. ¡°You think babies¡­ come from eggs.¡±


    ¡°Well, of course they do!¡± Astra threw her arms up, exasperated. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it happen!¡±


    ¡°Did these eggs happen to come from a Pokemon?¡±


    Astra hesitated. ¡°Um.¡±


    May¡¯s hands slid over her face, and a long, deep sigh escaped through her fingers as she dragged them down. A moment passed.


    ¡°Alright,¡± she said, clapping her hands together. ¡°I am so not fucking doing this, so the next time you see Brendan, you¡¯re going to ask him what puberty is, alright?¡±


    Astra blinked. ¡°What? Why can¡¯t you just tell me?¡±


    ¡°Because the day I have to explain to someone where kids actually come from,¡± May replied, ¡°is the day I actually throw myself off a lighthouse.¡±


    Astra tilted her head. ¡°What¡¯s a lightho¡ªwait, people don¡¯t come from eggs!?¡± she gasped. But everything came from an egg! ¡°Wait, then where¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not gonna talk about it,¡± May interrupted. ¡±Ask Brendan.¡±


    Astra sputtered at the deflection. ¡°Wh¡ª you can¡¯t just tell me something like that and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shh,¡± May whispered, holding a finger to her own lips. ¡°Ask Brendan.¡±


    A moment passed.


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ask,¡± May started, then motioned to Astra.


    ¡°¡­Brendan,¡± Astra muttered, looking away.


    May smiled brightly. ¡°Glad we¡¯ve got that settled!¡±


    Astra glared at May, but, in the end, had to admit it wasn¡¯t a bad suggestion. Brendan was pretty smart, so he might be able to explain it better. Besides, May very obviously didn¡¯t want to discuss it, and pushing seemed like a bad idea. Astra nodded, accepting the delay in answers. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do that, then.¡±


    Still, that left brand new questions burning in her mind. Namely, did humans really not come from eggs? If not, then from where? Acorns? Astra had a brief vision of May plucking a seed off of her hair and dunking it into a hole in the ground, out of which sprouted a half dozen mini-Mays. Maybe her tree theory merited a closer investigation.


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯s in Rustboro yet?¡± Astra queried. Brendan had said he would meet them here, and his bicycle would have made the trip much faster, supposedly.


    May made a noncommittal grunt. ¡°He still hasn¡¯t called or left a message.¡± She checked her pokedex again to be sure, then put it away with a sigh. ¡°Nada. Maybe tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°¡­So, burgers?¡± Astra offered.


    ¡°Burgers,¡± May confirmed.


    <hr>


    They ended up at a squat building down a side road named ¡®Turbo Tauros.¡¯ Inside, its walls were covered with cartoonish iconography of a horned creature smiling and delivering sandwiches to joyful children, and the floor was covered with tables, benches and chairs occupied by groups of chattering customers, most of them families accompanied by small children.


    Every minute or so, someone would bring out a tray of food, handing it to whoever ordered it. Astra stared at the massive trays, wondering how the chefs had managed to make all of them so quickly.


    There was a counter staffed by three humans in uniform, all of whom had a small line of humans in front of them. The sounds of cookery were audible, but the cooks were hidden behind a wall, similarly to the sushi place back in Petalburg.


    Astra and May got to the head of the queue, and the cashier gave them a joyless smile, asking for their order. Not actually knowing anything about what was on the menu, Astra ended up just copying what May ordered after all, much to her amusement.


    The cashier dismissed them to the side, and May and Astra stood among others who awaited their order. Astra frowned, shuffling in place. The cashier had seemed¡­ tired. They had barely said anything at all, and what they did had been apathetic and snappy.


    She was again reminded of the sushi restaurant. The waitress there had been filled with a gentle warmth, and the atmosphere was relaxed and happy. Here though, while there was still joy and laughter, it was all buried under a small layer of¡­ detachment?


    Astra¡¯s musing was cut short when the cashier called out their order. Taking the tray, Astra and May found an unoccupied table in the back corner. The burger itself was a thick patty of meat with an odd yellow coating along the top between two slices of toasted bread. This was the first time Astra had eaten meat that wasn¡¯t from a fish, and as she took a bite she found it was pleasantly savory, and very juicy. It was good, even delicious.


    But it also tasted¡­ empty. It lacked the spark that made good food excellent. There was no love put into this burger. No care. No¡­ life.


    Astra looked at the cashiers, mindlessly taking order after order with no time to breathe. She imagined the cooks in the back, making the same greasy meals again and again for people they¡¯d never see. She looked at the customers, chattering underneath posters bearing big, plastic smiles.


    That wasn¡¯t right, Astra thought. Food was supposed to be full of joy! It was one of the ultimate expressions of camaraderie she knew. A good meal was supposed to bring everyone together, to show love to all those who partook!


    This was¡­ hollow.


    Hollow food from hollow people wearing hollow smiles.


    If someone came here too often, she wondered if they¡¯d become hollow, too.


    May snapped her fingers in Astra¡¯s face, breaking her out of her fugue. ¡°The hell are you zoning out for?¡± May asked, eyebrow raised. ¡°What, does the great soup master have something against burgers now?¡±


    Astra blinked, then looked back down at the burger, still dripping onto the wrapping paper.


    She shrugged, and took another bite. Loved or not, food was still food. Would she come back here if she had the choice? If she was in a hurry¡­ maybe. Maybe not. The food wasn¡¯t bad.


    She still could¡¯ve done without all the grease, though. Getting the stains out of her cloak would be a pain.


    <hr>


    Back in the Rustboro Gym, Roxanne was conversing with the Gym¡¯s resident Nurse Joy as her Pokemon healed. She didn¡¯t necessarily need to be present, but she liked to be there when they woke up. Her conversation with Joy was warm and in good cheer¡ªRoxanne was enjoying the afterglow of a good battle, and Joy was just happy to have something to occupy her mind while she went through the motions of her job.


    A knock on the infirmary door halted their talk. One of the interns poked his head in, looking hesitant.


    ¡°Ah, ma¡¯am? We¡¯re having a problem with today''s battle recordings.¡±


    ¡°The recordings?¡± Roxanne asked, surprised. It was rare that the interns had issues that they couldn¡¯t solve themselves, and most of those were due to stray attacks breaking through the protections around the cameras. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s, uh. An issue with the audio, kind of? Parts of it aren¡¯t, uh. There?¡± The intern hesitated. ¡°It¡¯d be easier if you saw it yourself, ma¡¯am. Or, uh, heard. Um.¡± He shrugged awkwardly.


    Roxanne hummed in assent, standing up. She nodded at Joy, who waved her out. Following the intern, she arrived at the small editing studio she¡¯d had installed near her office. The room was filled with spare A/V equipment and a set of computers against the wall. Another intern was sitting at one of the machines, holding one headphone speaker to her ear and repetitively rewinding a video. She looked deeply confused.


    ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± the first intern announced, causing the other to look up. A wave of relief crossed her features.


    ¡°Oh good. Sorry to bother you, Roxanne, but the sound on this recording is all wack,¡± she said, standing up and waving to the chair. ¡°Come listen, maybe you can find out what¡¯s wrong.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s take a look.¡± Taking the intern¡¯s place, Roxanne retrieved the headphones and held one of the speakers to her head. ¡°Now, what seems to be so ¡®wack?''¡±


    The female intern giggled at Roxanne¡¯s use of slang, then took hold of the mouse. ¡°It¡¯s pretty obvious,¡± she said, restarting the video. ¡°Just give it a moment.¡±


    Roxanne watched the screen, listening intently. The video was of her fight with Astra just earlier today. ¡°Oh, does it have to do with her violin?¡± she questioned, looking at the interns to her side.


    ¡°Just keep watching.¡±


    Curious, Roxanne settled back to watch. The video opened with her doing her big intro. The two of them were in the arena, and both her recorded self and the crowd were audible. She finished her introduction, and then motioned for the robed girl to speak. Roxanne waited for the accompanying challenge.


    And waited.


    And waited.


    And¡­ waited? On screen, Astra¡¯s violin case hit the rock of the arena with an audible thunk, and Astra held out a pokeball, without any of the vocal proclamations Roxanne remembered. The video continued in the same manner. Whenever it passed a moment where she clearly remembered Astra speaking, there was only silence. But the audio didn¡¯t seem corrupted at all¡ªthe crowd and Roxanne herself were still clearly audible even as the robed girl went through the motions of speaking.


    Roxanne halted the video and leaned back, thoroughly baffled. She had never seen anything like this before. She turned to her interns. ¡°Is the entire recording like this?¡±


    The boy nodded. ¡°Yeah, the girl doesn¡¯t seem to make a peep the whole way through.¡±


    ¡°It happens even when you¡¯re standing next to her,¡± The other intern added, ¡°The audio only picks you up.¡±


    Roxanne hummed. ¡°Is it the same with the next one?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the first thing I checked next, actually,¡± the girl said. ¡°That one¡¯s fine. The May girl comes in loud and clear.¡±


    The boy raised a finger. ¡°It does show back up when Astra returns after the battle¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± The girl shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ve run checks on the equipment, but we couldn¡¯t find anything wrong.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Roxanne murmured, glancing at the computer contemplatively. ¡°Well, I will try my hand at it and see if I can find something. In the meantime, you two can help out the other interns until it¡¯s time to go.¡± Judging by their relieved faces, they were extremely grateful to not have to deal with the problem.


    ¡°Thank you, Ma¡¯am!¡± the boy said, heading out the editing studio door.


    ¡°Good luck!¡± the girl added, waving farewell as she followed her partner.


    After they left, Roxanne sighed and turned her attention back to the screens. Cracking her fingers, she set to work.


    Approximately three hours later, she gave up.


    She had run every test she knew of, checked, double checked, and triple checked every microphone in the arena, and had even searched three pages deep on four distinct flavors of internet queries, all to no avail. As far as the entire setup was concerned, Astra¡ªand only Astra¡ªhad never uttered a single word. Short of calling in a true expert, this was as far as her attempt could go.


    It was baffling. Infuriating! One of the best amateur battles she had experienced and the recording was marred by some impossible error. Roxanne stared at the screen with furrowed brows, sipping on a large thermos of coffee she had acquired forty minutes in.


    Whatever had gone wrong still confounded her, and she just knew it was going to niggle at the back of her mind for the next week and more. But it wasn¡¯t crippling, in the end. The fight itself was still intact, as well as Astra¡¯s wonderful violin music. The one-sided conversation was a bit awkward but could be worked past.


    Roxanne set down the thermos and reset the video. She might as well analyze the fight itself and brainstorm a lesson while she had it up. The figures on screen sent out their Pokemon, and she smiled as violin strings began to sing. Most trainers who used instruments couldn¡¯t play nearly as well while battling, though the ones that passed through her gym tended to put them away for a badge fight. She took another sip of coffee, then idly attempted to figure out which notes corresponded to which maneuvers.


    A few minutes later she reset the video, eyes narrowed. The fight played out again and Roxanne focused on the song, eyes tracking every move Astra¡¯s Pokemon made. A third re-watch confirmed her suspicions.


    There was absolutely no pattern between what Astra played and the actions her Pokemon took. It was thematically appropriate¡ªuplifting when she was in the lead, despondent when she fell behind. But it wasn¡¯t directionary.


    ¡°That little trickster...¡± Roxanne murmured. If she were of a more petulant temper, she might¡¯ve decried the skulduggery as cheating. As it was, she was impressed by the double deception. Anyone looking to analyze Astra¡¯s music for patterns would find themselves spinning in circles.


    That said, she did wonder what trick Astra was using. It was amazing that the girl had mastered both whatever it was and her violin at such a young age.


    Roxanne frowned again, struck by a thought. How long had Astra been a trainer, anyway? This had supposedly been her first gym battle, but she already had such a formidable technique?


    Roxanne minimized the remaining windows on the screen, then opened the trainer registry and started typing.


    She stared at the result. Astra¡¯s date of registration had occurred not even a week prior. ¡°A week?¡± she exclaimed, dumbfounded. ¡°She caught and trained her Pokemon how to¡ªno, that¡¯s impossible, even Steven wouldn¡¯t be able to¡ªam I missing something?¡± She muttered to herself, pulling up the video again.


    Watch the trainer, ignore the music. What was the scenario, from the top? A young girl who could command her Pokemon by methods other than speech, and who doesn¡¯t need much time to train them to do so. Roxanne tapped her fingers, something familiar buzzing at the edge of her mind.


    She rubbed the bridge of her nose, sighing as her past self¡¯s Geodudes were taken out one by one. It had been a fun battle in the moment, but the memory of it was being soured by these conundrums. Trying to puzzle out how Astra would respond to her assaults without an audible cue had been just as frustrating as when she¡¯d sparred¡­ with...


    Roxanne¡¯s eyes shot open. She looked at the video, with its numerous audio problems. Problems all centered around one girl. The girl who could give orders without speaking.


    And suddenly, it all seemed so obvious.


    Roxanne picked up her phone and dialed a number. It rang twice before someone answered.


    ¡°Roxanne!¡± A duo of voices echoed each other across the line, both childish and pitched high.


    ¡°It¡¯s been¡ª¡± the boy exclaimed.


    ¡°¡ªso long!¡± the girl finished, sharing in the boy¡¯s eagerness.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± they chorused.


    ¡°Hello Tate, Liza,¡± Roxanne greeted, a little awkwardly. She knew how to deal with children, of course. But it was different when those children were also your co-workers. ¡°I¡¯m afraid this isn¡¯t a social call. I have a rather pressing question about your¡­ area of expertise.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± The leaders of Mossdeep City¡¯s Psychic Gym answered in unison. ¡°Do tell! Do tell!¡±


    Roxanne looked at her computer. On the screen, a robed girl accepted her badge and celebrated without a sound.


    ¡°What can you tell me about telepathy?¡±

 Lackadaisical

    Once again, the low hum of fluorescent lighting droned in Astra¡¯s ears, the incessant buzz drilling into her thoughts without pause. She stared at the Pokecenter¡¯s ceiling, deeply slouched into a creaky chair. She and May had entered the center what seemed to be hours ago and had deposited their pokemon for healing. Unfortunately, there had been a massive queue ahead of them, so they had been waiting for quite some time now.


    The computers were all occupied by trainers doing mysterious tasks, click-clacking quietly in the background. The magazines provided had either been taken or featured the most tedious content Astra could imagine. How many humans could possibly care about how good someone''s personal patch of grass looked? Apparently enough to make a twenty-page booklet every month. Pass.


    Lacking anything better to do, Astra had begun criticizing humanity''s poor lighting aesthetic. Couldn¡¯t they have sprung for some nice, quiet candles instead? The flames would have been something to look at, and if nothing else some scented wax would have livened the place up a bit. The lights above continued to hum, uncaring of her steadily growing disdain.


    Plagued by the ceaseless tedium, Astra sighed and slouched ever deeper into her chair. She was more ¡®laying down¡¯ than ¡®sitting¡¯ at this point; eventually she would fall off, but that was a problem for Future Astra.


    Next to Astra, May tilted and swayed as she struggled to keep her head upright in the face of the very same nothing. Her eyes fluttered closed for a heartbeat, and she was halfway towards falling directly onto Astra before she abruptly shot upright, eyes wide. May blinked sleepily, then yawned and settled back. The cycle continued.


    The lobby was otherwise mostly quiet, save for the buzzing of distant machinery and whatever small sounds came from the other trainers scattered about the floor. Someone coughed and turned a page in a book. Astra briefly considered getting up to peruse the small bookshelf, but she got the feeling that it wouldn¡¯t be any less empty since the last time she looked. Instead, she just slid a little further off the chair and continued to gaze directly into a shaded light fixture.


    ...


    This is really fucking boring, Astra thought.


    An uncounted eternity later, a voice rang out from the front desk.


    ¡°Numbers 87 and 88!¡± a Nurse Joy called, ¡°87 and 88!¡±


    Hearing her number, Astra tried to sit up, lost her grip, and then slid fully off the chair and smacked her head against the seat on the way down. The future was now, and Astra cursed her past self for her clear lack of foresight as she stood up, rubbing the aching spot on her skull.


    May, for her part, jerked to her feet so hard she went airborne for a quarter-second. ¡°Bwuh?¡± she asked dumbly, before clutching at her head and swaying. ¡°Ah, fuck, got up too fast,¡± she muttered.


    Recovering quickly, the two trainers rushed up to the desk. Nurse Joy smiled at them as they came near. ¡°Thank you for your patience,¡± she said, laying two trays of pokeballs on the counter. ¡°Your pokemon have been restored to full health. We hope to see you again!¡±


    ¡°Nn.¡± May grunted, rubbing at her eyes. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Astra said, pocketing her balls. ¡°Have a nice day!¡±


    A blast of natural, uncooled wind hit the two trainers as they exited the Pokecenter. The city greeted them, sky still a bright blue. May yawned again, then lightly slapped herself on both cheeks. ¡°Ugh,¡± she groaned, one foot plodding in front of the other. ¡°Why were there so many people there today? That took forever!¡±


    ¡°Well, it is the middle of the day,¡± Astra reasoned, readjusting her robe. She made a note to retain better posture in the future¡ªsliding down the chair had played havoc on her carefully wrapped clothes. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s just how things are, usually?¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± May said, with a dour look. She pulled out her Pokedex, fiddling with it for a moment. ¡°If all our trips there are gonna take that long, maybe I should get back to figuring out how to rig this thing to play games. Maybe I can beat my old Tetris score.¡±


    ¡°Tetris?¡± Astra asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a game where you gotta make lines out of four-piece blocks,¡± May explained, ¡°I got really good at it back in... Unova, maybe? Kalos? They all kind of blur together after a point.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡± A human puzzle game? Astra would have to look into that. If it could save her from that tedious hell, all the better. ¡°Were you good at it?¡±


    May smirked. ¡°Good? I completely decimated a versus tournament once! Lost the trophy at some point, but whatever.¡±


    ¡°Oh wow!¡± Astra said, impressed. ¡°Was it hard?¡±


    ¡°Nah, it was pretty easy.¡± May glanced to the side, lips pursed. ¡°I, uh, had a lot of free time to practice, that year. Not much else to do when you¡¯re just sittin¡¯ around home all day,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Astra said, wincing at the reminder of May¡¯s less than stellar social life. ¡°I see.¡±


    The two of them continued their aimless walk, Astra lacking anything to talk about and May looking past the horizon with a sort of detached melancholy. Glancing about, Astra searched for something to talk about. After a moment, she belatedly realized that she didn¡¯t actually know where they were going.


    ¡°So!¡± she said, breaking the stillness, ¡°What are we doing now?¡±


    May didn¡¯t respond, so Astra continued talking after a moment. ¡°I¡¯d say we could go celebrate, but we just ate, so...¡±


    May sighed, coming to a halt. ¡°...You know, I think I just wanna go wander around by myself.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Astra asked, surprised. May wanted to split up? ¡°Why?¡±


    May scratched at her cheek and stared at the road ahead. ¡°Eh, I just feel like being alone for a while. Besides, we¡¯ve been basically attached at the hip since we¡¯ve met.¡± She turned her head, a smirk crossing her features. ¡°If I hang out with you much longer, I¡¯ll be finding myself trying to plant a garden in my backyard and handing out berry soup to random ass neighborhood kids.¡±


    ¡°Maaay!¡± Astra whined. ¡°I¡¯m not that bad!¡± She crossed her arms and huffed. ¡°I bet your soups wouldn¡¯t taste very good anyway.¡±


    May stuck her tongue out. ¡°Nyeh,¡± she countered.


    ¡°But... yeah,¡± Astra continued, sending May a smile. ¡°We have been stuck together pretty tight, haven¡¯t we? I get it. I feel the same when Grandpa wants to monopolize my entire day with cooking or painting.¡±


    ¡°Painting?¡± May asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°He makes art?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Astra said, smiling. ¡°Not that much, cause it¡¯s hard to get the right pigments where we live, but he did draw an entire mural on our ceiling.¡±


    ¡°Huh. I¡¯ve never really been into that kind of thing, but I guess that¡¯s pretty cool.¡± May glanced around, shrugged, then turned down a side street. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m off. See you later!¡±


    ¡°Wh- oh.¡± Astra blinked, watching May walk away. ¡°Right. Enjoy your walk, I guess? I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m gonna do now...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll figure it out!¡± May called out, raising one hand in farewell. ¡°See you back at the hotel!¡±


    Astra let out a sigh as May faded from sight. She looked around, noting the various storefronts that lined the street. None of them looked particularly appealing to her at the moment. Well, there were a few clothing stores, but she didn¡¯t think she had enough money to buy anything. She tapped her foot, pondering. What to do, what to do...


    Well, she did have a new teammate to get up to speed, and a brand new well of power to stretch out. That ought to burn a few hours! With a grin and a slight skip to her step, Astra started walking. A moment later, she paused, then turned and started back toward the hotel.


    She had a few things to pick up first.


    <hr>


    The sun flashed in and out of view overhead, spraying dappled spots of light on the grass. The sound of leaves rustling in the wind echoed throughout the air as Astra ventured deeper into the forests beyond the outskirts of Rustboro City, passing by small hills and tiny brooks on her way.


    After so long on human paths and in human cities, being totally surrounded by nature once more was making her feel nostalgic. If she kept her eyes forward, she could almost imagine that, in just a few yards, she would find a looming wooden gate with a Kirlia standing watch just inside, armed with a sharpened spear. Beyond him, another, more elderly Kirlia would be awaiting her with open arms, a gentle grin upon his face.


    One look behind her would dispel that falsehood, where tall, gleaming spires of human make could be glimpsed through the greenery. It could be beautiful, in its own way, but a part of Astra wanted the illusion to remain, so she ignored it.


    Astra paused upon reaching a large grassy clearing, and expanded her senses to their utmost. They had increased drastically since she had evolved, and this was her first time using them to their full capacity. Astra couldn¡¯t measure how far they spread now, as she didn¡¯t quite know the larger measurements humans used by heart yet. The range was large enough to tell if anyone was coming before it became an issue, and that was all she really needed.


    Focusing, Astra did a sweep of the area and found, to her relief, no sign of any stray humans. She would have to keep an eye out, but for now this was as secluded as she was going to get without wandering too far away from the city. A good five to ten minute warning was all she would need, in the end.


    Satisfied with her isolation, she dispelled her illusions and derobed, folding the cloth up and setting it to the side next to her bag. She clasped her hands above her head, now slightly more difficult due to the two new horns, and stretched, feeling her shoulders let out a few quiet pops. Twisting from side to side, she spun in place, watching as her skirt flared out.


    Ceasing her rotation, Astra knelt into a half-crouch, then leapt forward and dashed across the clearing. She laughed as she went, each bound easily covering distances that her Ralts form would have struggled to match. Feeling a bit daring, she jumped and attempted to do a front-flip, but undershot and face-planted into the grass. Pushing herself up, she rubbed at her face and grinned. She would have to practice that, it seemed.


    Turning over, Astra laid in the grass and stared at the sky overhead, basking in the afternoon light that she hadn¡¯t felt in nearly a week. It felt good to be out of her robe, and she was tempted to just spend the remainder of the afternoon just enjoying this moment. Alas, she had practice to conduct. But it wasn¡¯t like that couldn¡¯t be fun as well! She grinned, remembering all the times she had telekinetically squirted berry juice into her Grandpa¡¯s face.


    Climbing to her feet, Astra examined the clearing she was in closely. It wasn¡¯t too unusual, merely a large area composed of grass, dirt, and loose rocks, enclosed on all sides by thick, hearty trees. Astra strode along the edge of the grove, closely examining the space she had from every angle.


    Completing the circle, she picked up a couple large rocks and returned to the center, setting them down as markers. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she focused, recalling what her Grandpa had once said about teleportation.


    Remain centered. Keep your destination in mind: how it looks, where it is, how it feels. The clearer the image, the better the transition. Compare where you are, and where you will be. Keep it there! Maintain clarity.


    And then, reach out¡ª


    <hr>


    Space is not empty


    <div>


    Light fills the void


    From stars long dead


    Merely look into the sky


    And see the flames that traveled so far


    Just to shine upon you


    ...


    But to move from one place to another


    Space must be twisted upon itself.


    But if space contains all things


    Then, where does it twist into?


    ...


    That space, too, is not empty.


    Pray that you never see the light of that sky.


    And the shadows that dwell within it


    <hr>


    A familiar, twisted feeling surrounded Astra for a split second, and for an instant she thought she heard... something, but then her feet returned to the grass as quickly as they had departed. To her side, a subdued clap rang through the clearing as the air rushed to fill the void she left behind.


    Opening her eyes, Astra looked down, and grinned wildly as she saw her markers had moved several feet away. Or rather, she had moved away from them! She had done it, and on her first try, too! She shot a fist into the air, letting out a cheer.


    She could teleport!


    Grinning, Astra focused on another marker, farther away.


    zwip-CLAP


    ¡°Gah!?¡± She gasped, stumbling as her teleport dropped her a foot above where she had meant to be. Waving her arms wildly, Astra jerked backwards, overbalanced, and fell on her ass.


    ¡°Ow...¡±


    Rubbing the sore spot, Astra grumbled at her mistake. Alright, so doing it right once in ideal conditions did not a master make. That just meant she had to practice more. Standing back up, she observed the markers she had set, picked one, and began teleporting around the clearing in earnest.


    One, two, three four five-six-seven¡ª


    It was then she was sharply reminded of the cost of the technique when a small headache abruptly blossomed into a full blown migraine. Clutching at her head, Astra stumbled toward her bags and fumbled around inside, retrieving the jar of Leppa berries she had harvested on Route 104. She picked the largest one, and bit through the fruits thick flesh, swallowing it whole. The spicy aftertaste wasn¡¯t her favorite flavor, but the sweet, blissful relief it provided was well worth it.


    The pain and fatigue still lingered, but the Leppa berries were in short supply. A bit of rest would take care of it, Astra decided. Plus, she didn¡¯t really want to taste it again. Closing the jar, she set it beside her other things and sat against the tree. Looking at the boughs above her, Astra let out a sigh.


    That was a really disappointing amount of teleports, she thought. All of them had been super short range, too. A pessimistic guess said that she wouldn¡¯t be able to go very far at all before basically falling over. Her Grandpa had teleported both her and the Guard from Birch¡¯s laboratory straight back home with only a bit of exhaustion to show for it! That had been amazing! Why couldn¡¯t she do that?


    She spent the next minute sulking at her own deficiency. When the remnants of the headache faded away, Astra sighed and stood back up. Maybe she was missing something about the move that made it less exhausting? Or maybe it just got easier over time. Well, there was really nothing for it but to keep training. Except, maybe that could be saved for later? She did have a few other things she wanted to do, and spending half of her time incapacitated with psychic fatigue would not be conducive to that. She¡¯d just have to set a day aside for practicing teleportation, more than the scant few hours of daylight left would allow. Maybe when she had more than just the one jar of Leppa.


    Flicking her wrist, Astra summoned Slakoth¡¯s pokeball and the TM for Rock Tomb from her bag. She considered the disc for a moment. Was there a better way to use this? She mulled it over, but discarded the thought. It was a powerful utility move, and that was exactly what her newest teammate would need. If she didn¡¯t use it here, she might never use it at all. Pointing the pokeball at the TM, she watched as light flared across its shining surface. The disc dulled and cracked like the last disc had, and soon enough she was left with a lump of useless plastic.


    Stashing that away, Astra tossed the pokeball into the air, Slakoth emerging in a flash of light. The sluggish creature peered around the meadow, eyes meandering over the scattered stones before coming to rest upon his trainer. Slakoth tilted his head. His eyes were always sort of half-closed, but even still he managed to squint.


    ¡°Slaa...?¡±


    ¡°Hey Slakoth,¡± Astra said, smiling. She hadn¡¯t had the chance to properly talk with her newest companion, aside from an uneventful meet-n-greet during breakfast. ¡°Bet you don¡¯t recognize me, huh? It¡¯s still me! And look,¡± she exclaimed, twirling in place, ¡°I evolved!¡±


    A spark of recognition seemed to click into place behind Slakoth¡¯s dull expression, and a dopey smile covered his face.


    ¡°Slaaa...!¡±


    It was the most unenthusiastic-yet-genuine congratulations Astra had ever heard. This guy just could not muster up the willpower to do anything, could he? Well, Astra hoped he would put at least some effort into practice. She clapped her hands.


    ¡°Alright! Now that we¡¯ve got that out of the way, here¡¯s the deal. You ate my food, so you have to repay me by fighting at my side! As long as you do so, I will keep feeding and housing you, and you¡¯ll... uh.¡± Astra considered Slakoth for a moment. ¡°You will never have to do much of anything else, and aside from training, can spend all your time loafing around.¡±


    Slakoth¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Koth!¡± he said, raising his head and giving her a very firm nod over the course of six seconds. Apparently promises of a perpetually lackadaisical lifestyle were right up his alley. Well, at least his demands were simple.


    ¡°Glad to see you agree!¡± Astra peered around the clearing and gestured at a fallen log. It flew over and embedded itself into the ground between her and Slakoth. ¡°Now, attack this branch. Show me what you can do!¡±


    Slakoth pushed at the ground below and climbed to his feet. He loped toward the log on all fours, his arms acting as a second pair of legs. As he reached the post, he lifted a paw and slashed across the bark. His claws raked through the wood with a dull crunch, leaving three deep gashes behind. Upon completing his attack, Slakoth proceeded to not bother resisting his own momentum and tumbled to the ground. He blinked, slowly.


    ¡°Slaaa...¡±


    Astra stared at him. ¡°Can you... do it again?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Slak.¡± Tired.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Slakoth...¡±


    ¡°Ugh...¡± Astra rubbed at her forehead, exasperated. ¡°You can¡¯t just laze about when you¡¯re actually fighting, you know,¡± she said, fixing him with a glare.


    ¡°Koth.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. At least your attack is pretty good,¡± Astra muttered, examining the damage to the post. ¡°That would probably hurt a lot. Do you know anything else?¡± she asked, turning back to Slakoth. The TM had presumably taught him Rock Tomb, but Astra didn¡¯t know what he could do naturally. So far it seemed to be ¡®not much¡¯, but it never hurt to check.


    Slakoth pondered the question for a moment. Or fell asleep with his eyes open. It was hard to tell. But eventually he nodded and returned to his feet. Slakoth examined the post for a moment before he suddenly turned his head, focusing on something behind Astra.


    ¡°Sla!¡± he cried, pointing in alarm. Astra¡¯s heart seized in her chest. They¡¯d been discovered!?


    She whirled around, psychic energy flaring in her hands as she beheld... nothing? She scanned the empty woods ahead of her fervently, searching for anything amiss. It was only the violent breaking of wood that drew her attention back to Slakoth. He gave her a lazy smile, a small chunk of splintered debris settling into the forest floor near the post.


    Astra blinked, then scowled. ¡°Slakoth! What were you thinking, tricking me like that!?¡± she demanded, the energy fading from her shaking hands. ¡°You nearly¡ªfuck, I got really scared there!¡±


    Slakoth¡¯s dopey smile faded into a puzzled frown. ¡°Sla...?¡±


    ¡°Tch. You don¡¯t even look sorry!¡± Astra fumed. ¡°That was a pretty shitty prank, you get that? Don¡¯t you ever pull that sort of thing again, especially when I¡¯m exposed! You¡¯re getting half portions next mealtime, and don¡¯t argue!¡± she warned, halting Slakoth¡¯s protest in advance. He slumped to the ground, despondent.


    Astra held her glare for a moment more before something in the corner of her eye caught her attention. Turning, she stared at the practice branch and the large chunk now ripped from its side. She blinked, eyeing the massive gouge. ¡°Eh? Was this you?¡± she asked, looking back to Slakoth.


    ¡°...koth,¡± he said, muffled by the dirt his face was planted in.


    ¡°Huh. When did you do this? It looks a lot more effective than those scratches.¡± Astra mused. ¡°Can you do it again?¡±


    Slakoth hesitated. Astra furrowed her brow. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Come on, if you did it once, you can do it again.¡± Slakoth still looked uncertain, so Astra decided to add a little bait. ¡°If you do it well enough, I might cut back on your punishment~¡± she wheedled, voice veritably laced with sweetness.


    She wouldn¡¯t, of course. He had been really awful and deserved every bit of it. But he didn¡¯t need to know that, right? In any case, that extra push seemed to decide it. Slakoth pushed himself off the ground, his hands dragging loosely against the dirt as he faced the branch once more. He stared at the log with lidded eyes.


    Suddenly, Slakoth tilted his head and his eyes shot open, his gaze anchored to the forest beyond. ¡°Sla!?¡± he said, slack jawed.


    ¡°A giant Oran berry!?¡± Astra exclaimed, whirling to look. ¡°Where is¡ª¡±


    The sound of crunching wood once again interrupted her wild search. Confused, Astra turned back only to see another gaping hole in the branch. Slakoth was sitting on the grass, giving her another dull grin.


    Astra¡¯s eyes shifted from the new pile of wood scrap, to Slakoth, to the log and back again. For a moment anger flared in her heart, but then confusion drowned it out. Was the one punishment not enough? Why on earth did he pull another prank? Slakoth didn¡¯t seem like the type to continually make jokes at the expense of those around him. That would take a lot of effort, and wouldn¡¯t fit his demeanor of ¡®eternally sleepy¡¯.


    Come to think of it, why did she fall for it in the first place? She had seen the entire clearing, and there weren¡¯t any berry bushes to be found here. There was no reason to believe what he said had any hint of truth. She had just gotten fooled not even a minute ago, so why did she look?


    ¡°One more time,¡± Astra commanded. Slakoth groaned, but got to his feet once more. Astra stared intently at the scene. Nothing would distract her from looking straight at Slakoth and the log. Not some random observer, not food, not even¡ª


    ¡°Sla!¡± Slakoth cried, pointing at the sky.


    ¡°A triple rainbow!?¡± Astra gasped. She had only ever seen single-arced ones after heavy rainstorms; doubles were relegated to mere stories. She had never even heard of a triple! Astra craned her head skyward, gleefully searching for multihued arcs of light in the heavens.


    Crunch.


    Astra twitched violently, then closed her eyes and sighed.


    ¡°I just got had again, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Slakoth.¡±


    ¡°Quiet, you,¡± she grumbled. Looking down, she was greeted a third time by Slakoth¡¯s dull grin, and a third hole in the now rather unstable log. The third time she had asked him to attack, and the third time he had distracted her.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t trying to prank me, were you?¡± Astra said, quietly. ¡°You were doing what I told you to, and that¡¯s just how it works. You distract someone, then hit them when they aren¡¯t looking. Right?¡±


    ¡°Koth,¡± he said, a hint of reproach and vindication in his tone.


    Astra sighed. ¡°Alright, I guess I understand why you did that now. It was still pretty shitty!¡± she emphasized, ¡°I don¡¯t like fearing for my life, you know? But... you were just doing what I told you, and I didn¡¯t see what that was until too late. I¡¯m... sorry that I misunderstood. I¡¯ll try to not jump to conclusions in the future.¡±


    Slakoth tilted his head. ¡°Sla...?¡±


    Astra blinked. ¡°Right. Uh, no, you¡¯re not getting punished anymore.¡±


    ¡°Slak,¡± he pressed.


    Astra rolled her eyes. ¡°And you can have a little extra.¡±


    ¡°Slaaa!¡± he rejoiced, raising his arms to the sky.


    Astra shook her head, watching him with a wry smile. ¡°Alright, save the celebration for later,¡± she said with a clap of her hands. That log, ventilated as it was, could probably stand one more good blow before breaking down completely. ¡°Right, let¡¯s test out what the TM taught you. Slakoth, use Rock Tomb!¡±


    Reinvigorated by the promise of generous helpings, Slakoth stood to attention. For a moment, he looked confused. A second passed, and Astra had just started to wonder if the TM had even worked when Slakoth¡¯s eyes widened, and understanding finally dawned.


    Slakoth¡¯s arms jerked, and suddenly a thin, brown glow suffused across their surface. Raising them once again, Slakoth slammed his fists upon the ground, twin plumes of dust and dirt bursting into the air. The ground erupted, a quintet of needle like spears emerging from the stone. Every one of them pierced through the post, the raucous of splintering lumber signaling the reduction of his target into naught but firewood.


    Astra whistled, observing the damage with a massive grin. The needles weren¡¯t quite the spears that Roxanne''s Geodude or Nosepass had shown, and there weren¡¯t as many, about half, but their power and utility were still a force to be reckoned with.


    ¡°Nice work, Slakoth,¡± Astra said, her newest companion basking in the praise. ¡°This should really help pin things down! Now we just need to string all these together... hm.¡± Summoning her other two pokeballs, Astra tossed them into the air. A flash of light later, Treecko and Marill stood side by side in front of her.


    ¡°Hey guys!¡± Astra greeted as they peered around the clearing. ¡°I know we just fought a gym battle, but I wanted to bring Slakoth up to speed as quickly as possible. To do that, I need a bit of help. So! Who wants to spar first?¡±


    Treecko blinked, taking in his master¡¯s new appearance with curious eyes. To his side, Marill froze at the same sight, tail twitching sporadically. ¡°Tree,¡± he congratulated, giving Astra a thumbs-up.


    ¡°Aheh...¡± Astra scratched the back of her head, grinning. ¡°Thank you, but that wasn¡¯t an answer... eh?¡± Astra paused, noticing Marill had gone oddly still. ¡°Is something wrong, Marill?¡±


    ¡°Riii!!¡± she squealed, darting up to Astra with delighted, bouncy steps. She peered up at her trainer with wide eyes, grabbing and pulling down one of Astra¡¯s skirt ruffles. ¡°Mar mar,¡± she said, poking and prodding at it, before draping it over her head. Marill met Astra¡¯s bemused gaze, eyes sparkling. ¡°Maaaa!¡±


    ¡°Stop that!¡± Astra chided, snatching her flap back despite Marill¡¯s disappointed whine. ¡°Honestly! You can¡¯t just go pulling at me like that. I don¡¯t care how excited you are, my skirt is not headwear!¡±


    Marill¡¯s cheeks puffed out. ¡°Marill ril!¡± she huffed, walking back the way she came.


    Astra rolled her eyes. ¡°Yes yes, I¡¯m sure your evolution will be even prettier than mine. Thank you too. Now does anyone want to answer my actual question? We¡¯re burning daylight, and I really want to get Slakoth ready to fight.¡±


    She waved at Slakoth. Treecko and Marill turn to examine their newest partner in combat. Slakoth, for his part, had laid down and fallen asleep in the past five minutes. A soft snore wafted through the clearing. Treecko and Marill turned back to Astra, visibly unimpressed.


    Astra sighed, rubbing at her forehead. ¡°Son of a bitch.¡±


    <hr>


    Astra hummed to herself as she sprayed more potion onto yet another of Marill¡¯s scrapes. To her side Treecko and Slakoth, both already bandaged, had gotten into a minor competition over who could achieve the most comfortable sleeping position. Slakoth was currently winning in her mind, but only because Treecko was cheating by using his tail as a chair.


    As Astra patched over another wound, she reflected on the fights that had caused them. Slakoth had performed better and worse than she had expected. Better, in that Slakoth was surprisingly comfortable with Astra telepathically communicating commands as concepts and sharing her field of view. Possibly because he didn¡¯t have to spend energy on translating what she meant into what he should do. In addition, Slakoth was indeed strong, and when his attacks connected they did so with a startling finality.


    <hr>


    Astra peered into the branches of a tree. ¡°Were you aiming for that?¡± she asked, trying to see through the dense foliage. Next to her, Slakoth just shrugged. Marill was rolling around nearby, howling with laughter.


    Up above, Treecko¡¯s legs flailed wildly as he attempted to extract himself from a hole in the trunk. Muffled screaming could faintly be heard from the ground.


    ¡°You¡¯d probably be a nightmare to the Rebound teams back home if you put the effort in,¡± Astra mused as she psychically tugged at Treecko. ¡°Though I suspect the concept of effort would itself be a nightmare to you.¡±


    ¡°Slak,¡± he agreed.


    ¡°Well don¡¯t just say it!¡±


    ¡°Koth!¡±


    ¡°Ugh. Let me just¡ªthere! Hey Treecko, you okay? ...Yeah, I know she¡¯s laughing, but that¡¯s no reason to¡ªwait no no don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    Treecko proceeded to hock a Bullet Seed into Marill¡¯s open mouth. Laughter was replaced by violent gagging, swiftly followed by enraged screaming.


    Astra sighed, rubbing at her forehead. ¡°Son of a bitch.¡±


    <hr>


    Worse in that... well, he was just so slow! Though he understood her commands well enough, oftentimes he was too sluggish in carrying them out to be effective. Even when he did, he tired so easily that he often needed a good six seconds of rest between actions, just to regain enough energy to move! Dodging was out of the question and her usual rockstorm practice had failed utterly.


    What was it that May had said before? Slakoth¡¯s next form was more energetic? Astra longed to see that day, because as of now, well...


    It left a lot to be desired.


    <hr>


    ¡°Rock Tomb!¡± Astra called, focusing on a charging Marill.


    ¡°Sla... koth!¡± Slakoth bellowed, his fists slamming into the ground below. Brown energy pulsed, and a cluster of rocky needles burst from the rock and pinned Marill in place. Her rotund body insulated her from the worst of her momentum, but she still cried out as the spikes pricked at her belly.


    ¡°Alright!¡± Astra cheered. ¡°Now, give her all you¡¯ve got!¡±


    Groaning softly, Slakoth staggered forward at a leisurely pace.


    Astra gaped at him. ¡°Wh¡ªwe don¡¯t have time for you to loaf around, move faster!¡± she urged, eyeing how Marill had begun twisting herself free of her prison. ¡°Come on, she¡¯s almost¡ª!¡±


    The sound of crumbling rock and a shrill cry interrupted her, and a speeding blue sphere impacted Slakoth¡¯s torso with a vengeance.


    ¡°¡ªout,¡± Astra finished, watching Slakoth tumble backwards. She sighed. ¡°Son of a bitch.¡±


    <hr>


    Astra had learned a lot from the training, but most of it was merely a confirmation of what she already suspected. Slakoth was very slow, but very strong. Rock Tomb worked well enough to nullify his disadvantage, as long as his foe wasn¡¯t too far away or too strong to be held down. His forced distraction trick would allow him to get in a few crucial blows, and if all else failed he had an absolutely terrifying throwing arm. Maybe she should look into a projectile for him to carry into battle.


    A whine broke Astra out of her thoughts, and she realized she had stopped part way through her bandaging Marill. The blue pokemon pouted at her, wriggling in impatience.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Astra said, finishing the patch. She did a last once over, then gave Marill a thumbs up. ¡°Alright, you¡¯re good to go!¡±


    ¡°Mar!¡± Marill chirped, then wandered off to bother the two layabouts across the clearing.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Astra watched the ensuing scuffle, smiling. They had all done well, today. The Stone badge rested soundly in a little slot on her Trainer ID, and her goal, once so distant, seemed more attainable than ever. She couldn¡¯t have done it without any of them. Even Slakoth, as little as he had done, had been the deciding factor between failure and victory.


    They had all earned a little time for fun, in her opinion. Astra checked her pokedex for the time, and found it to be half past four. Grinning, she summoned her pack and laid out an assortment of berries and fish. A quick psychic ping¡ªmuch gentler than what she had done to that poor cashier in Petalburg¡ªand all eyes snapped towards her.


    ¡°Hey guys!¡± she called, ¡°It¡¯s...¡± she paused for a moment. It was too early for dinner, yet too late for lunch. So this was... a memory flashed. ¡°It¡¯s time for linner!¡± she finished, grinning. Thank you, Billy!


    All three of her minions perked up, and then it was a mad dash to get to their food first. Treecko was the winner, darting over before Slakoth had even gotten himself off the ground. Marill came shortly afterwards, with Slakoth bringing up a surprisingly not so distant third. Apparently the lazy bum could actually move, if there was food involved. They descended on their respective portions with a ravenous vigor; Slakoth joyfully devouring his extra handful of Oran berries.


    ¡°You know,¡± Astra started, swallowing her portion of Magikarp, ¡°We haven¡¯t really done anything together, have we? I mean, there was all this training, but that¡¯s, you know,¡± Astra waved a hand in the air. ¡°Serious stuff. So! I was thinking that we could play a few games while we have the time!¡±


    Treecko perked up, setting down his food. ¡°Treecko?¡± he asked, laser focused.


    Astra grinned. ¡°Yes, like Rebound, among a few other things.¡±


    Marill glanced between her trainer and her teammate, confused. ¡°Mar?¡±


    ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry, Rebound¡¯s real easy to understand.¡± Astra reassured. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what to do. Who knows?¡± She grinned mischievously. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll be better than Treecko?¡±


    Marill shot to her feet, eyes blazing. ¡°Marill mar!¡±


    Treecko stared at her, eyes narrowed. ¡°Ko,¡± he scoffed.


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± Astra cheered. She rubbed her hands together, smiling. ¡°Now, here''s how we¡¯re going to do it...¡±


    <hr>


    A ball had been retrieved, a rectangular ovoid field had been marked out, and Treecko and Marill stared intently at each other from opposing sides. Astra stepped up to midfield, glowing with power. Around them, walls of psychic energy materialized, boxing them in with a ceiling to top it off. Astra grinned, making a few tweaks to the barrier¡¯s size, making it cross a good two-thirds of the clearing. She hadn¡¯t been sure she could pull that part off. Evolution was the gift that just kept on giving.


    ¡°Alright!¡± Astra announced. ¡°I want a clean game! No pings, flashes, illusions...¡± Astra paused, noticing the confused looks on her minions faces. ¡°Okay I guess that doesn¡¯t really apply to you two,¡± she muttered, rubbing at her chin. ¡°Uh. Well, just. Don¡¯t intentionally harm or disable your opponent! First to seven wins, the goal is the far wall behind your opponent! Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Tree!¡±


    ¡°Mar!¡±


    ¡°And have you decided what you want if you win?¡± Astra asked.


    Both Pokemon blinked, not having considered it.


    ¡°...Mar,¡± Marill said after a moment. A fire lit in her eye, and she stared at Astra with visible determination. ¡°Marill mar!¡±


    ¡°Power? Ah, so you were inspired by my evolution, huh? And after the incident with Steven¡ª hm.¡± Astra considered the request, then nodded. ¡°I can do that, I think. If you win, I¡¯ll do my best to find you a cool TM! That should do the trick, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Mar!¡± Marill cheered, pumping a fist. Her tail wagged through the air, excitedly. ¡°Riii~¡± she sang in anticipation.


    Astra smiled at her, then turned to Treecko. ¡°Now, did you decide on a prize?¡±


    ¡°Tree...¡± Treecko looked hesitant, then... blushed? ¡°Tree.. Treecko.¡± He said, looking away and fidgeting.


    Astra blinked. ¡°You want to spend more time with me?¡± she asked, touched. ¡°I guess all these new additions to our team have you feeling a bit left out, huh?¡± Astra smiled. ¡°I¡¯d love to! We can spend a few hours this week doing whatever you want, how does that sound?¡±


    Treecko nodded happily, and Marill burst out laughing. ¡°Marill mar!¡± she chortled, pointing at a bristling Treecko. ¡°Mar!¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Astra barked, fixing Marill with a glare. ¡°There¡¯s nothing shameful with wanting to spend time with me! If you have a problem with it, you can keep it to yourself. Now apologize!¡±


    Marill puffed up, but a flash of guilt flashed over her face at Astra¡¯s words. Rubbing her arm, she glanced away, before visibly forcing herself to look a glowering Treecko in the eye.


    ¡°Marill.¡± she said, her voice soft and regretful. ¡°Rill marill.¡±


    Treecko eyed her, then gave a single nod. ¡°Tree.¡±


    You¡¯d enjoy it too.


    Marill rolled her eyes, looking away. ¡°...Rill.¡± she admitted, after a moment.


    Maybe.


    Treecko smirked. Astra watched them, nodding in satisfaction. ¡°Hm. Glad that¡¯s settled. Now, who¡¯s ready for some Rebound?¡± Two cries of agreement reached her ears, and Astra grinned.


    ¡°Good!¡± The ball in Astra¡¯s hand began to levitate into the air, spinning in place. She grinned, and pointed to the sky. ¡°We begin on three! One, two¡ª¡± Her arm dropped, now directed at a very surprised Treecko. ¡°You. Think fast!¡±


    Astra pushed, and the ball shot forward. A half second later, the air popped as she teleported herself outside of the field. Treecko was paralyzed with shock for a moment, but recovered in time to whirl around, his tail slamming the ball across the field toward Marill.


    Astra tracked the ball intently. Treecko¡¯s speed advantage made him Astra¡¯s favoured contender for victory, but Marill¡¯s sheer will to succeed could turn the tide if she applied it right. This wasn¡¯t any ordinary ball game, after all. She wondered which one would figure out the trick first.


    A smirk on her face and eyes glued to the ball, Marill readied herself as it soared across the midpoint. Marill took a running leap, letting out a battle cry as she swung her tail around, the blue sphere on the end hurtling toward the oncoming ball with enormous force. The two balls completely ruined the moment by, in the slimmest of margins, failing to touch at all.


    Marill landed on her face, and the ball unceremoniously bounced off the far goal.


    ¡°Point to Treecko!¡± Astra announced. The ball was enveloped in purple and made its way back to the middle.


    Treecko folded his arms and leaned back, smirking. Marill pushed herself up and leveled a deathly glare, furious.


    ¡°Mar...¡± she growled. Treecko merely stared at her, eyes lidded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Marill!¡± Astra said, giving her a thumbs up. ¡°You¡¯ve got this! And nice shot, Treecko!¡± she added when Treecko gave her a side eye. The two contestants returned to their original places, and Astra began to count down. ¡°Three, two, one, ball¡¯s free!¡±


    The ball twisted and turned in midair, and this time Marill was ready. She turned left, then spun right with all her might, her tail rocketing out as if to tear itself free. They collided in an intense, violent confluence and ball instantly reversed course at twice its original speed, carving a great arc in the air as it scraped along the shimmering violet ceiling.


    Treecko squawked and raced after it, but even a last second leap of desperation only brought him half as high as his target. The ball flew into his goal with a muted thud, before a purple field sprang into existence and carted it off to midfield. Treecko slumped.


    ¡°Point to Marill!¡± Astra announced. ¡°Score tied!¡±


    ¡°Mar!¡± Marill cheered, sending a smug grin towards Treecko.


    Treecko glared, but there was a glint in his eye that Astra recognized. Oho, he had an idea, did he? Astra grinned. Things were about to get interesting.


    The ball spun, the players returned to their starting positions, and once more the ball was flung. Treecko¡¯s tail slammed it hard, and it spun off to the side, bouncing off the wall and bypassing Marill entirely. Or it would, had she been staying still. Marill met the ball halfway to her goal and jumped, blocking the ball with her stomach. The sphere bounced off and went skyward, leaving just enough time for Marill to set up the perfect serve. Tail met sphere, and once more the ball rocketed down the field. Marill waved it goodbye, giving Treecko a cheeky grin.


    Treecko eyed the ball, watching as it soared far out of reach overhead. He smirked, puffed out his cheeks, and then he spat a single, golden seed into the sky. The seed struck the ball and it shot upward and smacked against the ceiling. The ball fell, and Treecko met it with all the fury he could muster.


    Marill, having settled back in anticipation of her victory, stumbled to her feet with a shrill cry of surprise, far, far too late to stop the ball speeding past her and into the goal. It bounced off, and she could only gape at it. She turned back to Treecko slowly, frustration and a hint of calculation burning bright in her eyes.


    ¡°Point to Treecko,¡± Astra announced, grinning madly at his maneuver. It wasn¡¯t as efficient as just blocking it with a psychic field, but it worked wonderfully nevertheless. She sent Treecko a mental nod of approval, pride and excitement radiating in return. ¡°Clever. Let¡¯s see if Marill can match it.¡±


    The ball was set loose once more. It started much the same, if prolonged. Marill and Treecko sending the thoroughly battered ball streaking back and forth across the field. Treecko halted another high pass from Marill and sent it spinning back, and this was apparently just what Marill was waiting for. She rusheed over and smacked the returning ball with her tail, but as it soared over midfield she suddenly curled into a sphere and rolled sideways at great speed. Coming to a halt, she set her sights on the ball and began to swell.


    Treecko, focusing more on the ball than his opponent, came to a skidding halt in its path and prepared to swing. He was then completely flabbergasted when a condensed beam of water abruptly knocked the ball off course, sending it zig-zagging around him into the wall and ricocheting directly into the goal.


    ¡°Point to Marill, with a classic midfield redirect!¡± Astra cheered. ¡°Scores tied, two to each. Now you guys are really getting it.¡± She pumped a fist, grinning excitedly. ¡°This is the excitement I wanted to see! The Kirlia back home used to pull such dirty tricks. It¡¯s good to see you two get into the spirit of things!¡±


    Treecko and Marill look at Astra for a moment, then stared at one another. A smirk was shared, and an accord made.


    ¡°Tree.¡±


    ¡°Rill.¡±


    No more holding back.


    ¡°Round five!¡± Astra swiped a hand through the air, and the ball shot off once more. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    And then the arena was filled with the sound of sport. Flashes of light shot through the air, streams of water burst from unexpected angles, desperate saves and heroic pitches were performed and failed in equal measure. Through it all, Astra stood to the side and watched.


    It was regretful, she mused, that she couldn¡¯t play for a round or two. She had played against Treecko in the village but there hadn¡¯t been a need for barriers then, surrounded by rock as they had been. Out here she wouldn¡¯t be able to keep these barriers up and play a decent game. Evolving had just let her put up the barriers in the first place, and every time the ball struck it drained just a bit more of her power.


    But that was okay. This was helping Treecko and Marill improve, and though she couldn¡¯t add another ball the novelty of non-psychic strategies was doing well to keep her interested. It still didn¡¯t match the sheer intensity the games back home could reach.


    Astra tried to refocus on the game, but as she served another ball she found thoughts of home intruding once more. The guard would surely have made a snide comment on that nearly botched save. Her grandpa would have nodded sagely and offered advice from afar. The other Ralts would have let out ¡®ooh¡¯s and ¡®ah¡¯s in concert with every play.


    But they couldn¡¯t. They weren¡¯t here. They were at home, miles and miles away. There was a sudden, quiet ache in her heart. There hadn¡¯t been a day of her life where anyone she knew had been more than a short walk away. But the world had turned out to be so much bigger than she had thought, and now they were so far apart. What were they doing now? She wished she could see it.


    Astra twitched as her barrier flickered, thoughts derailed by yet another goal scored by Marill. She wiped her now damp eyes with her arm and grinned at her pokemon. She couldn¡¯t get bogged down in gloom-town while there was a game to play! She spun up the ball again and let it fly, watching the resultant chaos.


    Eventually the thirteenth game came upon them. The score was tied at 6-6 and the next ¡®mon to score would win the game. Astra had thought that Treecko might come out on top, but type advantage turned out to be a non-factor when they weren¡¯t directly attacking each other. Marill was really giving it her all to compete with Treecko¡¯s sheer speed. She supposed a final tiebreaker was appropriately dramatic for such an intense showing.


    Treecko and Marill stared each other down as Astra moved the ball into place. Treecko crouched down, ready to leap in whatever direction the ball flew. Marill¡¯s tail twisted around her body, prepared to unleash all of her might in a single blow.


    ¡°Final round!¡± Astra called. The ball spun in the air, and Astra added a little flair by making the glow more pronounced. The ball turned purple and violet and sparkly and quite suddenly looked as if she pulled a star-laden dusk sky out of thin air and shoved it into a sphere. The effects would vanish pretty much immediately after she threw it, but it was appropriately dramatic as fuck, as May would say.


    ¡°Are! You! Ready!?¡± Astra yelled. Two voices roar in affirmative, and she grins. ¡°Alright! Winner take all! Now, let¡¯s GO!¡±


    The ball streaked forward, psychic energy trailing behind it like a comet tail. Marill twisted, roaring as she extended her tail to its full length¡ª


    A furred arm shot out of the tall grass and grabbed the ball, stopping it dead. Marill fell over with a squawk. Astra and Treecko blinked, utterly baffled.


    A head poked out. Slakoth looked around, then at the ball in his hand. He smiled.


    ¡°Slakoth!¡±


    He stood up in a process best described as arduous, then directed his grin at everyone present.


    ¡°Wh¡ªSlakoth?¡± Astra asked, incredulous. ¡°How did you get in there? My barrier should have¡ª¡± she stopped, spotting a pile of dirt along one of the edges. ¡°Did you dig your way inside?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Koth!¡±


    ¡°I... okay? But why?¡± she asked. ¡°You kind of interrupted the tie-breaker game.¡±


    Slakoth grinned again, and raised the ball up. ¡°Koth!¡±


    Astra blinked. He wanted to try? ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine, but maybe not right now? It¡¯s kind of a bad time¡ª¡±


    ¡°Slaaaaa¡ª¡± he said, drawing the ball back.


    ¡°¡ª And you¡¯re doing it anyway, please don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°Koth!¡±


    He threw the ball. It zipped past Treecko¡¯s face in a flash and smashed headlong into the barrier. Astra yelped and clutched at her head as her construct flared white. There was a dull pop and the barrier winked out. At the impact site, the ball slowly floated to the ground in tatters.


    ¡°Treecko!?¡± Treecko exclaimed, rushing over. He held up a piece of the ball and let out a disappointed sigh, shooting Slakoth a disgruntled look. Marill took one look at the scraps Treecko was holding and let out a choked screech, then promptly rounded on Slakoth and tackled him to the ground.


    Astra rubbed at her temples and raised a hand. Marill, currently in the process of wiring her tail around Slakoth¡¯s neck, protested fitfully as she was enveloped by purple and dragged away. Slakoth, unsurprisingly, didn¡¯t seem too bothered by the attempt.


    ¡°Well,¡± Astra started, giving him a stern look. ¡°I hope you enjoyed your pitch, ¡®cause you ruined the only ball I had.¡±


    Slakoth grinned. ¡°Slak!¡±


    ¡°No dinner.¡±


    ¡°SLAAAAK!?¡±


    The game ended in a tie, to the disappointment of all involved.


    <hr>


    They played a few other games after that. One in which Treecko and Marill tried to see how far Slakoth could throw each of them. Treecko liked to assist his momentum by leaping off of tree branches as they passed, while Marill tended to have Slakoth toss her underhanded so she could roll for long distances. There had also been a few rounds of tag, which had rapidly devolved into ¡®catch-the-filthy-cheating-teleporter¡¯.


    But, as with all things, time moved on. The sky¡¯s hue had shifted to its darker colors, and purple had begun showing at the edges. Astra recalled her trio to their homes and packed up what errant materials had been left out. She hummed as she tucked newly emptied jars away, rearranging things so the full ones were nearer to the top. There were distressingly few of them. She¡¯d have to restock sometime soon.


    Her hand brushed against something hard, and she paused. Setting the rest of her things inside, she reached in and pulled the object out. Astra stared at it. A delicately carved wooden box stared back, a complex latch sealing it shut against the outside world.


    A moment passed, and Astra hesitated. Then she sat the box on the grass and unlatched it. Inside was a bundle of brown cloth covering a sphere. Even through the cloth, it seemed to pulse in a dark, abyssal glow. She gently unravelled the tight weave, and underneath it all was a sphere of pure midnight, six inches across. Though smooth to the touch, a third of the surface area seemed shattered, and streaks of throbbing purple veins speared through the center in a tapering double helix.


    It was cool to the touch, just shy of freezing, and Astra felt uneasy just holding it. This was the Ancestor¡¯s orb, and her grandfather had entrusted it to her as an emergency measure. Supposedly it would increase one¡¯s power magnificently, though she didn¡¯t exactly know how. Kind of an odd oversight on her grandpa¡¯s part, now that she thought of it. He apparently had no trouble with the thing, but others... hadn¡¯t. In her insatiable curiosity, Astra herself had done the lightest probe inside that same night and it had shown her a vision of... something. A meeting in a hollow log. The smell of wet grass and thumps of muted raindrops. The details faded in and out of her recollection, like mist or fog.


    But it was the same type of vision as the one she had witnessed when she evolved. She knew that the more powerful Kirlia in the village could receive premonitions of the immediate future, albeit rarely, but none of them had ever said anything about weird fog visions and they certainly didn¡¯t say anything about suddenly being able to read! Not to mention that she had been a Ralts at the time.


    So, clearly the visions and the orb were connected, somehow. A problem, because anyone she could talk to about it were either miles away or... gone. And so the question remained: What were these visions, and why was she receiving them? Answers were nowhere to be found.


    And so, one path remained. Attempt to trigger one on her own, and see if it provided any new information. It had happened twice so far on accident, she reasoned, so it should be easy to trigger it on purpose. The lack of clarity on the earlier ones could be forgiven¡ªthe first time she had been completely blindsided, and the second she had been busy evolving. Evolving again was... probably not going to happen anytime soon, but she could replicate the first occurrence easily enough. This time, she would be prepared.


    It still took Astra a few moments to work up the courage to actually follow through on her internal declaration. Her power skittered over the surface, and she had to take a deep breath to stop her hands from trembling. Swallowing her fear, Astra closed her eyes and reached out, breaching the surface of the orb.


    A moment passed. Then two. Astra cracked an eye open, peeking around for signs of sepia and fog. She blinked as reality failed to vanish into mist. Nothing happened? No vision? Why?


    She bit her lip, staring down at the shadowy sphere. The purple veins within seemed to throb in the fading afternoon light. The tendril of power she had extended into the surface prodded hesitantly at the darkness. The orb¡¯s dark light pulsed, as if it were eager, or even desperate to be called upon.


    But no visions. Hm. It seemed there really weren¡¯t any answers here. Was there something she was missing? Maybe if she pushed deeper into the core she could find the trigger to whatever it was that gave her those visions. But that was almost certainly a bad idea; she was already examining it far too closely to be comfortable already, and that was almost literally just scratching the surface. Who knew what could happen if she just... dove in. Nothing good, she suspected. For now, this was a dead end. Disappointing.


    Astra began to pull out, but stopped as a thought struck her. This orb had been gifted as an emergency measure, hadn¡¯t it? If she ever found herself in a supremely difficult situation, her Grandpa had wanted her to have one last failsafe. That said, she still didn¡¯t really know how to use it, and she wondered again as to the strange omission of that particular bit of information. Nevertheless, if she flailed about blindly there was the risk of just making the situation worse.


    So, Astra figured, she should probably figure out how to use it before she accidentally exacerbated whatever disaster made her bring it out in the first place. The ¡®how¡¯ was still a bit sketchy. She was already prodding around inside of the thing, but she didn¡¯t feel any stronger. Perhaps trying to actively pull on the substance inside would do the trick.


    Astra looked around at the deserted clearing and let out a breath. Alright. Maybe she should test it. A little bit. Just to be safe. Striding back to the center of the clearing, Astra examined the treeline. Best to get a baseline first, she decided, and hitting a tree with an attack would be a good a test as any. Raising a hand, psychic energy began to coalesce in her palm. Instinct guided her power, and a swirling lavender sphere of pure mental force sprang into existence. Setting her sights on a tree, Astra exhaled, then pushed.


    The sphere shot forward, shooting through the air in a soundless flash. It hit the tree and exploded in a massive pink and violet wave of force. A great boom resounded through the forest, and the tree crashed to the ground, the entirety of its trunk reduced to splinters.


    Astra let out a low whistle, eyes wide. Wow. She was pretty strong now! She let out a bark of laughter and glanced at her hand, flexing it. She grinned. With her power, her teleportation, and not to forget her Pokemon, Astra was having a hard time imagining what she would even need to use the orb for in the first place. Still, prudence demanded her to at least figure out how to work it.


    Right. Time to do this. Steadying her hand, Astra began collecting energy into her palm once more. At the same time, the tendril inside the Ancestor¡¯s orb reached out and gently tugged at¡ª


    Power.


    Astra gasped as a veritable torrent of sheer, unrestrained power rushed into her body. A purple mist so dark as to nearly be pure black surged across her coat, dying it in streaks of obsidian. A sense of euphoria filled her, and Astra knees buckled at the sensation of so much energy filling her veins near to bursting. She laughed. It was a wild, gasping and manic thing, and the very air seemed to darken as ever more energy was drawn from the orb and into Astra¡¯s psychic attack. The lavender bubble rippled as a stream of dark energy flowed into its center, and it quickly became a deep, dark purple, doubling, then tripling in size.


    Astra ran a free hand through her hair, crimson eyes bulging. This was her power...? Was this what her Ancestor was capable of? The world took on a strange clarity, every line sharp and every color dulled. This was... incredible. It felt like she could fight the whole world and win without a scratch. If she had been able to do this from the start, she would have wiped the floor with Steven, not to mention Norman!


    Steven, that odd pokemon trainer that had decimated her and May only a few days ago. Norman, Mays father and the jerk of a Gym Leader who had denied Astra even the chance to fight. The bubbling ecstasy curdled as the two names drifted into her thoughts.


    ¡°Not good enough, is that right, Norman?¡± Astra muttered, irritation creeping into her tone. ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try this on for size! I bet you couldn¡¯t just ignore me now! Stopping me from saving my home, dragging May all over the world...¡± She seethed. ¡°How dare you... how dare you do that to everyone I care about!¡±


    Dark power coursed through her soul. Astra¡¯s attack swelled, eclipsing her in height and digging a hole into the dirt.


    ¡°And Steven,¡± she spat, glaring sightlessly into nothing. ¡°Making fools out of the both of us, beating down on a couple new trainers with your overpowered pokemon. Then rubbing your stupid moral superiority into our faces. Did that feel good? Did it!? I bet you couldn''t talk to me like that now!¡±


    The attack rumbled as it expanded yet further, Astra failing to notice as light faded from the clearing. Her heart thumped wildly, and her teeth grit together in pure rage. ¡°Nobody in the entire world would dare talk to me like that, now! Forcing us to hide in the forest, forcing me to hide who I am, making me live in fear every moment of the day. How dare they!?¡±


    ¡°They need to pay,¡± Astra ground out, arm shaking as the sheer mass of power strained her to her limits. Her eyes glowed crimson. ¡°They all need to pay!¡±


    The sphere shook violently, towering over Astra as the energy within twisted and swirled erratically.


    ¡°THEY SHOULD ALL¡ª¡±


    Astra pulled her arm back.


    ¡°JUST¡ª¡±


    Her hand formed a fist, swelling with dark power.


    ¡°DIE.¡±


    Her arm shot forward, and the obsidian ball flew, carving a great trench as it went.


    The tree vanished. The tree behind it vanished. The boulder behind them ceased to exist. A straight line through the forest, twice as wide as Astra was tall, evaporated into nothing. The sphere vanished into the distance, and Astra fell to her knees, exhausted. The dark mist faded, her skin returned to its natural white and she stared at the rift in the earth, wide eyed.


    There was a terrible, ghastly silence. And then, there was light.


    A gargantuan black pillar erupted in the distance. It stretched high, high into the sky, parting the clouds and splitting the horizon in half. The wind picked up, then blasted through the clearing in a hellish gale, whipping stones through the air and tearing branches from trees. A low, all-consuming rumble shook the earth, and Astra fell over as the ground trembled beneath her.


    Astra huddled on the ground, eyes shut tight and cradling her head in her arms as the world ended around her.


    After what seemed like a lifetime, the earth ceased to quake and the winds quieted. She sat there for a while, terror freezing her in place. Shaking, Astra uncurled and sat up, twitching.


    In front of her, a massive gouge in the earth tunneled into the horizon. She couldn¡¯t see the end of it, as a giant pileup of felled trees blocked the path. All around her, the formerly serene clearing was now littered with branches and leaves.


    In the distance, a siren began to wail. Astra¡¯s breath quickened, fear and panic overtaking her mind. Jerking around, she stumbled at the unexpected weight of the Ancestor¡¯s orb still clutched in her hand. She shrieked and dropped it, scrambling backwards. She stared at it, before another wail sounded through the air, closer.


    Glancing at the gouge, she looked into the sky and recoiled in horror. Above the explosion site, a small patch of sky had turned from a vibrant blue to a sickly shade of yellow, as if the pillar of black had scarred the heavens themselves. Choking back a sob, Astra rushed forward and snatched the orb up, touching as little of it as she could.


    Her bag had been surprisingly untouched, and Astra quickly dumped the orb into its box with the cloth and slammed it shut. Shoving the box into her bag, she summoned her robe and had it wrap itself around her as quick as she could muster. Jamming her hat on her head, Astra teleported away, just as a multitude of mental signatures entered the edges of her radius.


    Her panic fueled teleport took her all the way to the city¡¯s outskirts, and a few more tactical bursts took her straight to a deserted alleyway outside the hotel she and May had visited with a raging headache. Nearly sprinting, she brushed past all the people panicking in the lobby, fumbled with the key, then burst into the room.


    The room was dark and empty. May¡¯s pack lay next to the bed with its owner nowhere to be found. Dropping her bag next to May¡¯s, Astra dove under the covers of the bed and pulled them tight. She lay there, shaking, eyes narrowed into pinpricks. It was dark, and the blanket muffled the sirens still wailing outside.


    Astra curled into a shivering ball and clutched at her face, breath hitching.


    And then, with nothing left to distract her from what she had done, Astra began to cry.


    <hr>


    Twenty minutes later, muffled footsteps pounded the carpet outside. Muttered cursing as another set of keys were fumbled. The door opened.


    ¡°Fuck fuck where¡ª¡± May said, panicked. A pause. The shuffling of feet. Hesitation, then the rustling of cloth. Light flooded her sanctuary, and Astra buried her face deeper into a stolen pillow. An exhale, relief and worry in the same breath. ¡°There you are.¡± A pause. Then, awkwardly, ¡°You okay?¡±


    Astra sniffled, curling deeper into the mattress. No. No she was not.


    ¡°Right.¡± Another pause. ¡°It was the, uh, giant explosion thing, yeah? Lot of people getting worked up over it, and all. Kind of a crazy lightshow, from where I was. Heh. Um.¡± Silence. ¡°You weren¡¯t anywhere near that, right?¡±


    Near it? Astra almost laughed. She caused it! But words alone could not convey what she had felt there. Hatred, wrath, rage. A darkness so overwhelming that she had never noticed when it usurped her mind. A power so unearthly that it scarred the sky. How could she explain any of that?


    ¡°It was scary,¡± Astra whispered, hugging the pillow. ¡°It was really scary...¡±


    A sigh. ¡°Yeah. Yeah it was, wasn¡¯t it?¡± A creak, and then suddenly May was under the covers, sitting next to Astra. Blue eyes met red, and May grinned sadly. ¡°Hey. Got room in here for one more?¡±


    Astra blinked, hiccuped, then abandoned the pillow and latched onto May, shuddering uncontrollably. ¡°Woah¡ªhey!¡± May yelped, leaning away. Astra didn¡¯t care and pulled May closer, burying her face into May¡¯s side and holding on for dear life.


    ¡°Erk,¡± May croaked, tense as a bowstring. Slowly, hesitantly, she relaxed, wrapping an arm around Astra. ¡°Um. There, there?¡± she asked, awkwardly patting Astra on the back.


    May¡¯s fumbling attempt at comfort did more to lift Astra¡¯s spirit than all of the past twenty minutes of isolation combined. Astra snorted. ¡°You¡¯re really bad at this,¡± she muttered, wiping her tears on a sleeve.


    ¡°Oh, well fuck you too,¡± May muttered back, and she sounded so put out that Astra couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    There was another silence, but more comfortable. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Astra said, finally.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± May reassured. ¡°Big fuckoff explosion blows up a quarter of the forest outside town, anyone¡¯d be scared. Though, uh.¡± May glanced around at the small bubble under the hotel blankets. ¡°It¡¯s kind of boring in here. If you want, we could order a movie or something.¡± She paused, wrinkling her nose. ¡°Maybe after a shower.¡±


    Astra tilted her head. ¡°A movie?¡± she asked, waveringly.


    ¡°Yeah! A new Datney one came out recently, and I was kind of interested. It¡¯s called Treasure Galaxy, and it¡¯s about¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, no, I mean, what¡¯s a movie?¡±


    May paused. Opened her mouth. Closed it. A look of grim determination crossed her features. ¡°Tomorrow I am going to rent the entire King of the Amulet trilogy and we are going to binge the fuck out of it.¡±


    ¡°Okay?¡±


    ¡°Go take a shower, I¡¯ll figure the movie out.¡±


    Astra took a shower. May ordered a movie. Astra left the bathroom, once again covered in towels, to see May sprawled across the bed, an entire Poochyena having made her lap a seat. Her Torchic had decided to make Poochyena a perch in turn. Lotad was off to the side, staring at them. A small water stain on the floor showed that a brief but unsuccessful experiment with Tentacool had taken place.


    ¡°Yo.¡± May raised a hand in greeting. ¡°Get yours out. It¡¯s fuckin¡¯ sleepover central today. You know,¡± she added at Astra¡¯s curious look, ¡°Since I suck ass at hugging, apparently.¡±


    Astra rolled her eyes, but soon enough Treecko staked a claim on her lap and Marill settled next to Lotad. Slakoth decided that the most comfortable spot was ¡®nearly falling off the bed¡¯ and she couldn¡¯t be bothered to care. May hit a button on a small rectangular device¡ªa remote¡ªand the TV hanging across from the bed flared to life. And then Astra¡¯s entire world narrowed down to an impossible display of light and sound.


    It was unlike anything she¡¯d ever seen before. It was like her Grandpa¡¯s paintings, only alive. It was like a shadow play, but loud. The Smith¡¯s fire show was the only one that came close, but even that could not compare to the sheer breadth of color and majesty. It was art, it was music, it was acting. It was all of them at once and then more and it was the most majestic thing she had ever seen.


    In the movie, a young boy traveled to the heavens in search of treasure. But Astra, in this moment, surrounded by friends, found one of her own. He raced amongst brilliant swirls of starlight and the glittering sparks were all reflected in Astra¡¯s eyes that night.


    Some time later, May grunted. ¡°That robot is fucking annoying.¡±


    Astra hummed in agreement, her earlier fears buried under sheer awe. The robot was really fucking annoying.

 Disturbance

    <div>


    ¡°¡ªAuthorities are still investigating the site of the massive explosion yesterday evening, but no cause has yet been¡ª¡±


    Click.


    ¡°¡ªtellin¡¯ you it¡¯s a sign of the end times! Look up at that big ugly bruise in the air and tell me that things are gonna be okay when the sky itself is bleedin¡¯!¡±


    Click.


    ¡°¡ªalthough there were no reported human injuries, the destruction has elicited concern for the local Pokemon population¡ª¡±


    Click.


    ¡°¡ªgot a close look before the police cordoned the area off, it was the spookiest thing I ever saw. Entire forest got churned up by the wind, yeah, but at the epicenter? Sand. It was all just... sand, far as I could see. Real quiet too, could barely hear myself breathe.¡±


    ¡°That must have been very disconcerting.¡±


    ¡°No shit. Felt like the skin was gonna crawl off my back closer I got. Something¡¯s wrong there, now. Sun was still up but it was like the light didn¡¯t reach all the way, and it was cold. If my heart wasn¡¯t thumping in my ears I could¡¯ve sworn that I¡¯d died.¡±


    Click-thwip.


    The small TV in the hotel¡¯s eating area went dark. Astra stared listlessly at the now black screen, chin resting on a folded arm. Across the table, May set the remote down, shaking her head. She took another bite of the enormous muffin she had bought from the breakfast service.


    There were a few other TV¡¯s set around the spacious dining hall, still blaring whatever channel those nearby deemed entertaining enough to watch, but no other guests had chosen to sit in their little corner, preferring their own solitude. The morning sunlight shone through the window next to them, a cheery greeting from the sun to harken a new day. Or it would, were there not a new, if unseen, obstruction to dampen the mood.


    ¡°Man,¡± May said, swallowing the chunk of pastry. ¡°I saw the whole thing and I still can¡¯t believe that happened. Didn¡¯t even know you could do that to the sky. Wonder what it was...¡±


    Astra looked down at her own muffin and took a nibble. ¡°... I just hope it doesn¡¯t happen again.¡± she said, quietly.


    ¡°Mmm. Yeah, I suppose. Still,¡± May pressed, ¡°You must be a little curious too, right? What do you think? Secret government project? Aliens? Maybe it was one of those mythical Pokemon that only show up every thousand years or so.¡± May took another bite, considering the options. ¡°Bet if I could catch something that could do that, I could beat the entire league in five minutes flat.¡±


    Astra winced. ¡°I¡¯d really rather not think about it,¡± she deferred. The movie and a dreamless night¡¯s sleep had done well to allow Astra to... not forget, but distance herself from the event. Still, she would really rather not have it shoved into her face every other minute. Dwelling on what she had done, what she had felt¡ª no, she was far better off doing something else. Anything else.


    ¡°Tch, you¡¯re no fun,¡± May muttered, taking off another chunk off her muffin.


    Astra just shrugged, turning her attention to her own pastry. It was a delicious new flavor¡ª pecan?¡ª but she couldn¡¯t seem to work up the energy to feel enthused about it. ¡°You said we were going to binge a ¡®trilogy¡¯ today?¡± she questioned, sitting up. Maybe another movie would lift her spirits.


    ¡°Mmm!¡± May swallowed the rest of her muffin, then shook her head. ¡°Uh-uh. Puttin¡¯ that plan on pause, for now,¡± she said, to Astra¡¯s disappointment. ¡°We can save that for when Brendan finally gets his ass to town. It¡¯ll go better with a bigger audience. Actually, speaking of...¡± Frowning, May pulled out her pokedex and tapped at it. She scowled.


    ¡°Still no texts?¡± she questioned, incredulous, ¡°I thought he was gonna beat us here. What gives?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s taking him longer than he thought it would?¡± Astra hazarded. She hoped not; if he kept searching around Route 102 he could risk becoming a danger to the village. ¡°Or... maybe he is here, but he doesn¡¯t know we are?¡±


    May blinked at Astra, as if the thought had never occurred to her. ¡°So you think that he thinks...¡± she said, slowly.


    ¡°That we¡¯re still on our way,¡± Astra finished, polishing off the last of her muffin.


    May was silent for a moment, then scowled. ¡°That stupid¡ª oh, I am going to put the hurt on him if he actually thought that weak-ass forest would take me more than a few days. Not even one message!¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like you messaged him either,¡± Astra pointed out.


    ¡°Wh¡ª that¡¯s not¡ª you¡ª ¡° May sputtered, red faced. She coughed, then fixed Astra with a glare. ¡°Well I could say the same about you!¡± She accused.


    ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t even know it could do that until yesterday!¡± Astra retorted, folding her arms. Apparently there was a certain number combination assigned to each pokedex, or phones in general. She didn¡¯t know why Brendan hadn¡¯t asked for hers. Did he not want it? She wished she had known enough to ask him for his. ¡°I still don¡¯t really know how it works, and you¡¯ve known about¡ª¡± She hesitated, ¡°Texting?¡ª for forever. Don¡¯t pin this on me!¡±


    ¡°I¡ª okay yeah, but¡ª look you can¡¯t always just¡ª¡± May struggled to find the words, gesticulating wildly with every failed retort. She huffed, blowing a stray bang out of her face. ¡°Forget it,¡± she grumbled, sliding to her feet. ¡°I need some air.¡±


    Astra got to her feet as well, but paused, running the conversation back in her mind. Maybe she had been a bit too accusatory. It wasn¡¯t May¡¯s fault that Astra didn¡¯t know about phones, or that Brendan hadn¡¯t contacted May or gotten her own number. Still, someone had to reach out first, and Astra couldn¡¯t. She¡¯d have to bring it up again in a bit, see about finally finding out where Brendan was.


    May paused at the door long enough for Astra to catch up, then the two of them headed out into the sunshine. The sky above was free of clouds, save for a few wisps of white scattered about. People walked the streets, but despite the bright, sunny day, the atmosphere was one of barely concealed worry and anxiety, so thick that Astra could practically taste it.


    A glance skyward revealed the cause: in the distance, an ugly dark yellow blotch stained the sky above the forest. Astra could barely see it from this far away, but even that small glimpse sent a shudder down her spine. They stared at it a moment more before May grunted and turned away. Astra followed after, fidgeting and consciously stopping herself from looking back.


    ¡°So, if we aren¡¯t watching those movies, what are we doing?¡± Astra asked, looking around at the various storefronts that littered the street.


    ¡°See the sights, pick some fights, grab some bites, say goodnight,¡± May recited, shrugging. ¡°The four rites of tourism. It¡¯s what I usually do when I move somewhere new. There¡¯s usually a special spot I try to visit first, unless the town we move to is landlocked. Fortunately,¡± she said, smiling, ¡°Rustboro happens to have one as well! Hung out there yesterday until the whole, uh, thing went down.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Astra asked, curious. ¡°A special spot? What is it?¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll keep it a surprise until we get there,¡± May winked, grinning. ¡°Trust me, it¡¯s pretty awesome. Just gotta get to the docks.¡±


    ¡°The docks, huh?¡± Astra pondered the location. What could be at the docks? A boat, maybe? ¡°Well,¡± she began smiling back at May. ¡°I look forward to it! It must be pretty special if you enjoy it that much.¡±


    ¡°Of course it is!¡± May boasted, grinning right back. ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s showing it to you, anything would be awesome if I¡¯m there!¡±


    The smell of salt filled the air as they neared the western side of the city, and the titanic golden towers of the Devon Corporation loomed ahead of them. Astra gazed at the gleaming spires in wonder. The largest house back home had been her own, carved into a cliffside as it was, and the skyscraper towered over both it and the trees, living up to its name aptly. How had humanity even built these behemoths? Was it stone or some other, more arcane material she couldn¡¯t even conceive of? Why did they even need something that tall?


    May probably wouldn¡¯t be much help in that regard, Astra mused. If she couldn¡¯t even make a simple fire, Astra doubted she knew the specifics of building construction. Well, maybe she wasn¡¯t giving her enough credit. She had been at least mildly helpful with everything else so far, and this was a human building. Might as well ask.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Astra said, catching Mays attention. ¡°What are all these buildings made of, anyway? Back home it was all wood or stone.¡±


    May stared at her for a half-second, then rolled her eyes and snorted. ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t even be surprised, and yet here I am,¡± she muttered. ¡°I think it¡¯s... concrete, glass, steel, and plaster?¡± she guessed, waving a hand at the tower.


    Astra tilted her head. ¡°What¡¯s concrete?¡±


    ¡°Fuck, I dunno! I think there¡¯s like, gravel? Maybe?¡± May hazarded. ¡°I¡¯m not a damn architect, Astra.¡±


    ¡°Mm. Yeah, fair enough. Thanks!¡± It was more than she started with, at least. Another few things to find answers to. Maybe Brendan would know more? Astra eyed May speculatively. Speaking of...


    ¡°So!¡± she chimed, grinning. ¡°Are you gonna text Brendan yet or not?¡±


    May twitched, then shot a half-hearted glare at Astra. ¡°He should be the one texting me,¡± she muttered, and it sounded oddly petulant.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s going to,¡± Astra observed. ¡°I mean, he hasn¡¯t so far. I¡¯d like to say that he will, but it¡¯s already been half a week and I want to see more movies!¡± She gave May an encouraging grin. ¡°Come on, just ask him where he is already!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that easy, you know,¡± May grumbled, staring down at her pokedex. She hesitated. Typed out a sentence. Two. She paused, added a third, then scowled and deleted the whole thing.


    Focusing intently, May typed out a new text. Her eyes flicked to the side, and she bit her lip. She added another. ¡°Fuck, no, no. Just. Come on¡ª¡± May growled, deleting it again.


    Astra tilted her head. Was it really that hard? ¡°If you¡¯re having trouble, maybe just say: ¡®Hey Brendan, me and our super cool friend Astra made it to Rustboro, are you here yet?¡¯¡± she suggested, peeking at the blank screen.


    May snatched the pokedex away, scowling at Astra. ¡°I can¡¯t just say that, It has to be better! Something like... hm.¡± Looking back at her pokedex, May tapped at it¡¯s buttons in a frenzy, pausing only to backtrack when she made a mistake.


    ¡°Hah!¡± she grinned, tapping it one last time. ¡°That should do it! Now we just gotta wait.¡±


    ¡°What did you send?¡± Astra asked, trying to see the screen again. ¡°Let me see!¡±


    ¡°Nu-uh,¡± May denied, holding the device just out of reach. ¡°Only way you get to see my chat history is if¡ªurk!¡±


    A man ran straight between the pair, cutting May¡¯s declaration short and knocking the teen aside. ¡°Out of the way, brats!¡± a familiar voice shouted.


    ¡°Oh no!¡± Astra exclaimed, rushing to Mays'' side. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± May grunted, as Astra helped her to her feet. ¡°Ass hurts a little, though. Hey, watch where you¡¯re going you¡ª you!?¡±


    Astra turned to look, then had to double take. Growing ever distant, the distinct blue form of the Aqua grunt from yesterday morning sprinted down the street, clutching something in his arms.


    ¡°That guy!?¡± Astra said, incredulous. ¡°What¡¯s he doing here!?¡±


    ¡°Thief!¡± Another voice hollered, as if answering her question. ¡°Scoundrel! Stop! Please! That is Devon property!¡±


    From the Devon towers, another familiar figure dressed in a green suit hurtled down the street, screaming and moaning to the world. It was the portly employee Astra and May had met yesterday, and whom they had defended from the Aqua grunt.


    ¡°This guy too?¡± May said, bewildered. ¡°Didn¡¯t we just deal with these two yesterday? What is going on?¡±


    The Devon employee sprinted down the street, panting and wheezing. Looking up, he spotted Astra and May. Recognition and hope crossed his face in rapid succession, and he jogged up to them, gasping for air.


    ¡°You two!¡± he cried, red faced. ¡°Thank goodness! Listen, that Aqua scoundrel snuck inside Devon headquarters and stole some extremely valuable property! All of the police are still investigating that damned blast site in the forest, they won¡¯t make it in time. Please, I need you to stop him!¡±


    Astra grimaced at the man''s pleading tone. It wasn¡¯t like she didn¡¯t want to help him; his desperation was evident enough, and there was precedent. But after all that she had gone through recently, she was sure she was straddling the knife''s edge of ¡®normalcy¡¯. Did she really want to go through even more trouble so soon?


    On the other hand, she could literally feel the hope radiating off of him as he looked at them. They had beaten the grunt rather handily before, after all. Could she really look this man in the eye and tell him ¡®no¡¯, especially when she was the only one who could help?


    Astra wavered for a heartbeat, then sighed and shared a glance with May. ¡°Well, we did say we would kick their ass if they showed up again,¡± she said, lightly.


    ¡°That¡¯s all the excuse I need.¡± May slammed a fist into her palm and smirked. ¡°Looks like this asshole needs to be reminded that nobody gets to shove me around and get away with it! COME ON, JACKASS, I¡¯VE GOT A SHOE JUST BEGGING TO GET SHOVED DOWN YOUR THROAT!¡±


    Whooping, May about faced and dashed down the street, chasing the Aqua thug with wild abandon. Astra followed close after, cloak billowing in the wind. ¡°We¡¯ll get what he stole right back to you!¡± she called out to the Devon employee. ¡°That¡¯s a promise!¡±


    ¡°Please be careful!¡± he shouted back, voice fading into the distance. ¡°He¡¯s a menace!¡±


    Rushing after the thug, Astra and May ducked and dodged around bewildered pedestrians and cyclists. The streets weren¡¯t so crowded as to be impassable, but more often than not Astra found herself wasting precious seconds darting around a surprised businessman. The Aqua grunt had no such preoccupations, shoving aside any who stood in his way.


    ¡°Keep your eyes peeled!¡± May ordered, spinning past a woman with an umbrella. ¡°We need to keep on his trail even if he books it down a side street!¡±


    ¡°Look, he¡¯s slowing down a bit! I don¡¯t think he knows we¡¯re on to him yet,¡± Astra said, huffing as the grunt made a hard left. ¡°I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s going anywhere in particular. Does he have an escape route? Does he even have a plan?¡±


    ¡°Fuck if I know, but I¡¯m not losing him!¡± May shouted, skidding around the corner. ¡°Look, he¡¯s heading straight for a park! This is our chance!¡±


    The park ahead was a generous plot of land covered with lush grass. Instead of trees, it dedicated most of its space to large playground equipment. It also happened to be mostly deserted. Free of pesky, obstructing pedestrians, Astra and May began to speed up, gradually catching up to the Aqua thief.


    ¡°Hey!¡± May yelled, catching the thug¡¯s attention. ¡°Stop running, you coward!¡±


    The grunt jerked, then threw a glance and a curse over his shoulder. ¡°Shit, you two again!? Shove off, you brats! This briefcase is Team Aqua¡¯s now!¡± he yelled, clutching said briefcase closer to his chest.


    ¡°No way!¡± Astra rebuked with a glare. The briefcase again? What in the world was in that thing? Nothing this guy should have, that¡¯s for sure. ¡°We know you stole it! We already beat you once; give it back or we¡¯ll pound you into the dirt again!¡±


    ¡°After all I went through to get this thing? Hell no, the Boss would keelhaul me!¡± The grunt shouted back, snarling. ¡°And he¡¯s a hell of a lot scarier than you two! You¡¯ll have to pry it out of my hands, you snot nose little twerps!¡±


    ¡°You asked for it!¡± May roared, pulling a pokeball out of her bag. ¡°Poochyena, take that guy down!¡±


    Poochyena appeared in a flash of red light, already dashing ahead. The grunt took a quick look over his shoulder and the blood drained from his face. Fueled by terror, he burst into an all out sprint, outpacing the viciously barking dog by a hair''s breadth.


    Screams and shouts erupted from all sides as they burst out of the park and back into the sidewalk. Poochyena was giving it his all, barking up a most severe promise of pain and wrath, but, much to Astra¡¯s quiet, and May¡¯s very, very vocal consternation, the grunt seemed to be ever so slowly gaining ground.


    He wasn¡¯t going to give up, was he? Astra narrowed her eyes, breathing labored. She couldn¡¯t keep this up for much longer, and even at a full speed, the grunt seemed to have no intention of slowing down. She exhaled. Fine. If he wasn¡¯t going to go down, she would just have to give him a little push. Concealing her hand in her robe, Astra reached out and¡ª


    ¡°Oh, fuck this!¡± The grunt screamed, fumbling at his belt. ¡°Zubat, use supersonic!¡±


    Another flash of light revealed a small, wildly fluttering blue and purple creature with two wings, two narrow legs, large ears, no eyes, and a gaping mouth that took up half of its head. It flipped around and landed on its masters collar. Turning to Poochyena, the Zubat reared back and screamed.


    Poochyena abruptly dropped, howling like mad, and a split second later the supremely high pitched shriek hit Astra. Pain erupted in her ears, and she cried out as the world tilted and swayed around her. The power in her hand backfired and recoiled inside her head as her concentration abruptly vanished.


    Astra fell to the ground, clutching at her ears. May, too, had stopped in her tracks to protect her hearing from the sudden, shrieking onslaught.


    ¡°Hah!¡± The Aqua grunt jeered, sprinting away from the scene. ¡°That¡¯ll teach you to mess with Team Aqua!¡±


    ¡°Mother... fucker...¡± May grunted, taking a few wavering steps forward before stumbling. Astra was no better herself, barely able to stay upright at all. ¡°Bastard! If the world could just stop fucking spinning¡ª¡±


    ¡°What the?¡± someone said. A figure rode onto the scene, the sound of a bike chain rattling as he pulled up next to them. ¡°May? Astra? Holy crap, are you guys alright?¡±


    Astra looked up in surprise, trying to focus past the ringing in her ears. That voice... ¡°Brendan!?¡± she gasped, eyes wide. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Dismounting his bike, Brendan hurried over to their side. The black haired boy looked the same as back in Petalburg, sporting a red and black shirt, a white and green hat, and, most strikingly, a pair of shorts over a pair of pants. ¡°You guys left a three block long panic in your wake, I was just following it. Then that screech¡ª never mind that, are you hurt? When did you guys even get here?¡± he said, offering Astra a hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m just... a little dizzy,¡± Astra managed, taking his hand. He pulled her to her feet and Astra kept her head down, briefly rechecking that her face looked right. She shook her head, then grinned at him. ¡°Still... wearing the double pants... I see?¡± she mumbled, swaying.


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    ¡°Is that really what you should be focusing on right now?¡± Brendan asked, annoyance mixing with worry. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Oh, now you show up,¡± May spat, shaking her head and blinking. She scowled. ¡°We¡¯re fine, but that bastard¡¯s getting away. Brendan!¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Brendan looked up, staring at her owlishly. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That Aqua jackass just shot out our ears!¡± May snapped, pointing at a dwindling point of azure speeding into the distance, a winding path of shoved-aside pedestrians trailing in his wake. ¡°At this rate he¡¯s gonna get away with it scott free! Get on your bike and go after him!¡±


    ¡°You were attacked?¡± His eyes widened, then narrowed. ¡°Aqua? The environmental group? Why would they¡ª?¡±


    ¡°They stole something from Devon!¡± Astra burst out, pushing Brendan towards his ride. ¡°He tried to attack us yesterday for it too! You have to catch him!¡±


    Brendan still looked unsure, but a spark of determination lit up in his eyes. ¡°Alright then. You two better explain this later, though.¡± Jumping on his bike, Brendan about faced towards the direction the grunt had left, then hesitated. He looked back. ¡°You should phone the police, or at least a medic!¡± he called, pumping on the petals. ¡°I¡¯ll keep track of him, okay?¡±


    Astra shook her head, shaking off the last of the dizziness. ¡°No way! We¡¯ll be right behind you, Brendan, don¡¯t let him get away!¡±


    ¡°You better fucking talk to me this time, asshole!¡± May yelled, flipping him off. ¡°Keep us updated, and save some ass kicking for the rest of us!¡±


    Astra and May watched Brendan speed after the Aqua goon, a clearly exasperated wave of the hand his only response. Astra sighed, rubbing at her head. ¡°Good idea. He¡¯s a lot faster on his bike than we are running, he¡¯ll probably catch up real fast, though I don¡¯t know how well he¡¯ll do in slowing him down once he does. I can¡¯t believe he showed up now, of all times.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, whatever,¡± May muttered, jogging over to pick up her dispirited Poochyena. ¡°Good try, little buddy. You¡¯ll get him next time.¡±


    Poochyena whined, then licked May¡¯s face in apology. May sputtered, letting out a small chuckle as she wiped drool from her face. ¡°Alright, in you go.¡± A flash of light, and Poochyena vanished.


    May turned to Astra and jerked her head to the side. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get going,¡± she said, glancing at the whispering onlookers. ¡°At the speed he was going, Brendan¡¯s probably already caught up to the guy. We¡¯ve got a dumbass to beat to a pulp, and I don¡¯t trust Brendan to not get his Mudkip eaten by that guys Poochyena.¡±


    ¡°Right, right, I¡¯m just...¡± Astra took one hesitant step, then jogged forward, catching up to May. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m good. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Pushing past the pedestrians, the two of them jogged in the direction they had seen Brendan and the thug vanish. Approaching the street they had last caught sight of them, they slowed down, unsure where they had gone. A minute passed as they dithered, then Astra and May jumped as a ringing sound came from May¡¯s bag.


    Opening her bag, May took out her pokedex, hesitating only a moment before hitting a button and lifting it to her ear. ¡°Brendan?¡± she asked, tapping her foot. ¡°Did you get him? Where are you?¡±


    Astra blinked in surprise as a voice came crackling from the device. Was this a ¡®Phone Call¡¯? So it was like talking but over long distances. Sort of like telepathy, in that you didn¡¯t need to be near the recipient in order to talk to them. The range was surprising; Brendan had to be ages away by now. How did it reach all the way? It was also, to Astra¡¯s frustration, too quiet to hear from where she was.


    May¡¯s foot stopped, her scowl deepening in response to the voice on the other end. ¡°Tch, figures. Right, we¡¯re coming after you. Don¡¯t go getting beaten before I can do it, got me?¡± Pulling the Pokedex away, May turned back to Astra, irritated. ¡°Bastard stole someone''s bike when he saw Brendan coming, but Brendan¡¯s still on his ass.¡±


    Astra frowned. ¡°Well, that¡¯s bad. We need to stop him before he does anything else. Did Brendan say where they were going?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Asshole¡¯s booking it towards the mountains. Shouldn''t take too long to get there if we jog.¡± Examining the street signs, May jerked her head down the road. ¡°Few more blocks then gotta turn east. Time to head down Route 116.¡±


    <hr>


    Route 116 wasn¡¯t much different from the last parts of Route 104. Trees lined both sides of the packed dirt road, through which tall grass made valiant efforts to reclaim precious soil. None of it was particularly unusual, considering it was more or less part of the same woodlands.


    Astra and May jogged down the path, huffing as they went. Astra took out her water bottle and chugged, sweat dripping down her face. She was very much not cut out for this. Walking she could handle just fine. That mad sprint earlier followed by non stop jogging? Completely different beast. Couldn¡¯t the mountains have been closer to the city? She gasped as she came up for air, wiping her sleeve across her face and leaving it horribly damp.


    Black, she had discovered, was very good at absorbing the light of the sun. And its heat. Very definitely its heat. Why hadn¡¯t she listened to the Guard so long ago? At least she could still psychically billow her cloak for some air flow, but May¡¯s presence made it a much trickier task.


    Astra glanced at her companion, who seemed to be taking the ordeal somewhat better than Astra was. Sweat still beaded down May¡¯s face, but it was set in determination rather than Astra¡¯s own exhaustion. Still, even May seemed to be flagging a bit.


    Jogging a bit closer, Astra poked May in the side. ¡°Hey,¡± she said, offering her the bottle.


    May blinked, then nodded, taking the bottle and drinking deeply. She exhaled, handing the significantly lighter bottle back. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. How much further is it, do you think?¡±


    ¡°Dunno,¡± May answered, peering at the mountain ahead. ¡°Maybe another ten minutes?¡±


    Not too bad, then. She could hold out that long. She took a deep breath, pace steadying out. Hopefully Brendan and their target were at the base of the mountain, and they wouldn¡¯t need to sprint somewhere else. Silence descended on the pair, Astra too tired and May too focused to talk.


    Up ahead, a shape formed on the horizon. Astra blinked as she made out a small figure dashing for their life down the road. It soon resolved into a small girl, wailing in despair.


    ¡°What the hell is it now?¡± May groused, glaring at the girl. ¡°We¡¯re behind enough as is.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Astra called out, stopping to catch her breath, May reluctantly coming to a halt as well. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    The girl ignored Astra, blasting past them in a tear filled blur. ¡°I DON¡¯T WANNA GET EATEN BY BUUHUUUHUUUGS!¡± she howled, vanishing into the distance.


    Astra and May stared at the dwindling dust cloud, bewildered. They looked at each other.


    ¡°Did you understand that at all?¡± May asked, waving a hand in the girls direction.


    ¡°Not really?¡± Astra said, shrugging. ¡°It wasn¡¯t very coherent.¡± She paused as something at the edge of her hearing began to buzz. ¡°Wait, do you hear something?¡±


    ¡°No? What is it?¡±


    ¡°I dunno, it sounds like those lights back at the Pokecenter¡ªoh.¡± Astra stopped as the buzzing grew louder, staring at the road ahead with wide eyes. ¡°Oh no.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± May said, blinking. ¡°What¡¯s¡ªoh shit.¡±


    On the road ahead, a dozen insectile forms scuttled angrily down the dirt path, white carapaces gleaming in the sun. Black and green eyes glared balefully up at them, and their stunted wings buzzed with enough force to drown the air in sheer noise.


    ¡°Nincada swarm!¡± Astra bellowed, fumbling for a pokeball. The foot-tall insects had rarely traveled south enough to bother Astra¡¯s village, but on rare occasions a great swarm would crawl in from the north and try to devour the entire garden. Psychic assaults had been workable, but another strategy had proven to be far more effective.


    After all, everyone knew that Nincada couldn¡¯t swim.


    ¡°NINCADA-CADA-CADA-CADA-CADA!¡± the Nincada screeched, fury thrumming through every word. ¡°CADA-CADA-CADA-CADA-CADA¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Marill,¡± Astra called, tossing her ball into the air. ¡°Water gun! Drown them all!¡±


    ¡°Marill ma¡ªMar!?¡± Marill appeared then recoiled, shocked at the sight of so many Nincada. Shaking her head, she heeded Astra¡¯s command and swelled up, then blasted a pressurized stream of water down the trail.


    The great chorus cut off as a Nincada took the hit head on, crumpling under the blow and crashing into the Nincada behind them. The two fell to the ground in a clump, thoroughly soaked. Their limbs twitched, struggling limply before falling inert. Marill let out a whoop in celebration, then prepared to fire once more. A moment later, Lotad appeared next to her, blinking at the oncoming horde.


    ¡°Just one hit? Hah!¡± May sniffed, grinning. ¡°Don¡¯t even need to worry, this¡¯ll be a piece of cake! Lotad, blast them to smithereens!¡±


    ¡°Tad!¡± Lotad warked, adding her own blast of water to the mix and forcing another Nincada to fall.


    The two water pokemon fired rapidly down the trail, four more falling to the onslaught. One Nincada, larger than the others, let out a rallying cry as the remaining five closed into melee range. They split apart, two Nincada diving for Lotad and the larger one leading the last two in a charge against Marill.


    Astra grimaced. She had hoped that Marill would have gotten them all before they closed into melee. She¡¯d seen the sorts of injuries Nincada had left on the village guards, and she¡¯d wanted to spare Marill from that. If Marill could just ward them off for a bit...


    ¡°Tail whip!¡± Astra ordered. ¡°Don¡¯t let them get too close!¡±


    Marill whirled around, tail neatly smacking one of the small Nincada and sending it flying into a tree. The other two, furious and undeterred, descended on Marill, claws raking a multitude of shallow gouges across her sides. Marill screeched in pain and anger, spinning around and blasting the smaller Nincada in the face. The insect rocketed into a tree and fell to the ground with a wet thump.


    ¡°NINCADA!¡± The large Nincada roared, flaring its stunted wings. It jumped on Marill, claws scoring marks into her head as it furiously slashed away.


    ¡°Ah!? Throw him off, Marill!¡± Astra yelled, wide eyed. Stop, drop, and roll!


    Curling into a ball, Marill spun forward, crushing the surprised Nincada between herself and the ground. The Nincada released its hold and fell, twitching as it lay on the packed earth. Suddenly it flipped over, glaring daggers at Marill. An eerie calm overcame its eyes, fiery rage transitioning into cold calculation.


    Astra blinked, surprised. This was one tough bug. Nincada weren¡¯t usually this stubborn. ¡°Finish it off with a water gun!¡± She bellowed, pointing at the defiant insect.


    Marill swelled, but before she could fire, the Nincada quickly bit into the earth and then spat. A glob of brown shot through the air and hit Marill directly in the left eye. Marill cried out in pain, water spilling onto the dirt as her stubby arms wiped frantically at her injured eye.


    ¡°What!?¡± Astra said, shocked. Had it just shot a wad of mud into Marill¡¯s eye? What a sneaky little bug. She tensed as light flashed in the Nincada¡¯s eyes. ¡°Come on, Marill!¡± Astra called, focusing. ¡°Don¡¯t let this bug get the better of you!¡± Roll left and fire!


    Marill growled, scraping away the last of the mud off. Though her injured eye was free of debris, Marill kept it closed. Curling up on herself, Marill pushed, sending herself barreling to the side. At the same time, the Nincada reared back and leapt forward¡ªdirectly to Marill¡¯s left!? ¡°Marill, wait!¡± Astra shouted, panicked. ¡°It¡¯s already¡ª!¡±


    Marill had uncurled, already preparing her water gun. The water caught in her throat when she saw Nincada already descending upon her. She recoiled, half-formed water gun falling apart once more in an alarmed gurgle as Nincada¡¯s claw slashed down.


    Pain.


    And then Marill screamed. A red line opened across her remaining eye, trickling crimson down her cheek. She clutched at the wound and fell to the ground, rolling around in agony.


    ¡°Marill!¡± Astra exclaimed, reeling back as the pain surged along the psychic link. ¡°No no no¡ª return!¡± Red light flashed, and Marill¡¯s cries were mercifully cut short. Astra stared at the pokeball, grimacing.


    To her side, the duo of Nincada facing May¡¯s Lotad had finally been vanquished in an aquatic beatdown. May glanced over at Astra¡¯s battle, then cringed. ¡°Holy shit,¡± she muttered, wincing at the brief glimpse she had seen. ¡°That looked really bad. How the hell are you getting bodied this badly?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Astra growled, glaring at the Nincada. The insect stared back, eyes gleaming and claws raised. ¡°But I¡¯m putting an end to it. Slakoth,¡± she said, her newest teammate coalescing onto the trail in yet another burst of light. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Sla?¡± Slakoth blinked, taking in the Nincada before him. He gave it a lopsided grin. ¡°Slaa...¡±


    The Nincada seemed to take offence to that. Buzzing furiously, the insect darted forward, claws poised to strike¡ª


    ¡°Rock tomb,¡± Astra said, flatly.


    ¡ªonly to stumble and shriek as a quintet of rocky needles erupted from the ground, piercing its chitin and pinning it in place. The Nincada wriggled furiously inside its stone prison, chittering furiously.


    ¡°Nincada! Cada-cada-cada-cada-cada¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Slakoth?¡± Astra asked, sweetly.


    ¡°Sla?¡± he responded, giving his trainer an expectant stare.


    ¡°Throw it through a tree.¡±


    Slakoth grinned. ¡°Koth!¡±


    The Nincada stilled as Slakoth meandered up to the spiky prison. Beady eyes widened in alarm as Slakoth¡¯s paw descended. ¡°Cada!?¡±


    ¡°Slak.¡± Slakoth grinned, and then there was a light crunch as his hand closed around the Nincada¡¯s back, breaking the stone needles with casual ease. Nincada struggled against Slakoth¡¯s grip, legs clawing frantically at thin air.


    ¡°Nincada!¡± it said, head swiveling violently, searching for any possible salvation. Its eyes alighted upon its fellow Nincada scattered upon the ground like refuse and it paused, all hope draining from its eyes. ¡°Cada?¡±


    ¡°Koth.¡± Slakoth agreed, winding back.


    Slakoth eyed a tree near the trail, wound up, and threw. Nincada screamed, wings flaring uselessly. The bark crunched as the insect collided with the trunk, and myriad cracks burst open along Nincada¡¯s back. Nincada let out a mournful croak, then fell to the ground, twitching.


    Astra glared at the Nincada for a moment, then sighed. ¡°Good job, Slakoth,¡± she said, raising his pokeball. Slakoth gave her a wide smile as he vanished into his pokeball.


    ¡°Well, that happened.¡± May said, looking around at the scattered bodies. She frowned as one of them jerked upright, but relaxed when it merely looked around woozily and stumbled off into the forest. ¡°What the hell set them off?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Astra admitted, turning back to the road. ¡°Maybe that girl earlier...?¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± May disagreed, shaking her head. ¡°With the way she was squawking, that kid never would¡¯ve messed with a bunch of Nincada. Maybe it was that Aqua jerk? But how would he make a bunch of bugs riot if he was running from Brendan?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Astra said, starting down the road again. ¡°But we¡¯d better hurry. If something happened¡ª¡±


    ¡°Nin... cada...¡± A raspy voice called out from behind them. Both trainers whirled around in shock, staring at the large Nincada. Said bug had struggled to its feet, and even now was limping towards them, breath rattling with every shaking step.


    ¡°How the hell is it still moving?¡± May grimaced, eyeing the large rends in its back.


    ¡°Why is it still moving!?¡± Astra demanded, throwing her hands up in exasperation. ¡°It should¡¯ve been knocked out twice over from that! Why does it... huh?¡± Astra paused, staring at the Nincada. The white hot rage and icy fury it had radiated earlier had vanished. In its place was stubborn determination, respect, and... something.


    Struggling onward, the Nincada came to a stop a short distance away from the two of them. It appeared to study Astra for a moment, before nodding its head and... knelt?


    Astra stared at the Nincada. There really was no other word for it: it had folded its front legs under it, closed its eyes, and then leaned forward, dipping its head down. It was kneeling. Why?


    ¡°Nincada,¡± It rasped, syllables coming out between harsh gasps for air. ¡°Cada-cada-cada nin.¡±


    Puzzled, Astra brushed against the bug¡¯s mind, searching for an explanation.


    Submission.


    Ah. Well then.


    ¡°I think,¡± Astra started, slowly, ¡°That it wants to join me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, guess so.¡± May said, considering the bug. She frowned. ¡°Not a fan of bugs, personally, and these guys seemed pretty fragile. Gonna go for it?¡°


    Astra hummed, considering Nincada in a new light. ¡°He didn¡¯t seem weak at all.¡± she mused, thinking aloud. ¡°He was smart enough to target Marill¡¯s weak points and fast enough to actually hit them when it mattered¡ª¡±


    ¡°Okay, yeah, fantastic,¡± May interrupted, brushing Astra¡¯s monologue aside. ¡°Just toss a ball and let¡¯s go. We¡¯re in a hurry, remember?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one that asked,¡± Astra muttered, fumbling for an empty pokeball. ¡°Yeah, got it. As for you,¡± she said, staring at the Nincada. ¡°I don¡¯t like you. But you¡¯re good, and I suppose that¡¯s enough.¡±


    Nincada looked up, antennae twitching. Its eyes flickered from the pokeball to Astra. If it could have smiled, Astra got the feeling it would have.


    ¡°Nincada,¡± it intoned, oddly formal. It bowed again, and then vanished into red light. The pokeball fell to the ground, wobbled thrice, and then fell still with a chime. Astra picked it up and stuffed it into her bag. She¡¯d have to sort it out later.


    For now, they had to catch up to Brendan, and catch the Aqua thief. She grimaced. Not having Marill would be a major hindrance, and while Slakoth did well, she hadn¡¯t yet tested him in a full scale battle yet. She shook her head, going to May¡¯s side and returning to their journey. No use worrying now. After all, Treecko was still completely fresh; so long as she had him, there wasn¡¯t anything that could stand in her way.


    ¡°Hey,¡± May began as they ramped up to jogging speed again. ¡°Weren¡¯t you complaining like, two days ago about not finding anything to catch?¡±


    Astra huffed, already feeling her legs straining once again. She glanced at May. ¡°Yeah? What about it?¡±


    May grinned. ¡°With all these pokemon basically falling into your lap, I guess you¡¯ll never have to bug me about it again, huh?¡±


    To her astonishment, Astra found she still had enough air in her lungs to groan. ¡°You¡¯re terrible, you know that?


    ¡°Haha!¡±

 Cacophony

    The base of the mountain came into view six minutes later, and it took half that time to finally reach it. Astra took deep, gasping breaths as she and May finally began to slow down. Never again, she vowed as she slogged through the final mile, legs feeling like jelly. Never. Again.


    The mountain in front of them speared into the sky, the odd bush or tree the only break in the uniformly reddish-tan stone. Relatively boring, but behind it loomed Mt. Chimney, a smoking beacon that dwarfed the mountain before her, taller than anything Astra had ever imagined. She had only ever seen the landmark from the few times she had climbed to the top of the village''s canopy, or more recently from a few vantage points in her travels. The smoke constantly flowing from the largest peak was a mystery to her. How could a mountain smoke? Was it on fire? But how could you set a rock on fire?


    Whatever the reason, it had always been too far away to tell, and the smoke always seemed to billow to the north. But from this distance she could see the row of successively smaller peaks trailing southward, leading to the smaller mountain directly before them.


    Route 116 ran up against the mountain, leading up to a large opening in the steep rock edifice. A tunnel through the mountain, it seemed, though Astra couldn¡¯t see the far end. Absently, she wondered how long it would take to pass through. Off to the side was a small lodge with piles of what Astra assumed was mining equipment lined up against the walls, alongside a couple bicycles.


    Standing around the lodge were about a half dozen burly looking workers. They were gathered together, glancing at the tunnel mouth occasionally and muttering to each other in low tones. And sitting at a large table next to them¡ª


    ¡°Brendan!¡± Astra exclaimed, exhaling sharply in relief. ¡°You¡¯re okay!¡±


    Brendan, who had been quietly conversing with a forlorn looking old man, looked up and grinned. ¡°Guys!¡± he called, standing up and beckoning them over. ¡°Glad you caught up in time. Things are getting serious.¡±


    Astra and May staggered through the last few yards, and Astra took a moment to examine the old man. The first thing she noticed was the strong scent of salt, strongly reminding her of the beach. His head was bald and shiny, contrasted by the full white beard and moustache coating the bottom of his face. His face was marked by a swathe of oddly colored spots, laugh lines and crinkles around his eyes. He also looked to have been crying recently, and still seemed to be on the verge of tears.


    Brendan, on the other hand, looked like he had been dragged through a bush. His clothes were dishevelled, and he looked to have gained a few scrapes and cuts at some point. Had the Aqua grunt attacked him? Actually, where was he? Astra glanced about, but couldn¡¯t spot the telltale flash of blue. What happened here?


    ¡°Who¡¯s this old dude?¡± May asked between gasping breaths.


    ¡°What do¡ª ah,¡± Brendan started, then blinked. ¡°Right. Just moved. This is Mr. Briney. He¡¯s a well known sailor, so much so that practically everyone in Hoenn knows him.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a sailor?¡± Astra asked, tilting her head. Brendan gave her an incredulous look.


    ¡°He travels on a boat a lot,¡± May answered absently. ¡°Okay so why¡¯s he looking like his pet died?¡± She looked around, frowning. ¡°And where¡¯s that Aqua jackass? Did he get away?¡±


    Mr. Briney abruptly burst into tears. ¡°Peeko!¡± he wailed, clutching his hands together and crumpling in on himself. ¡°My darling Peeko! Oh, please be safe...¡±


    ¡°Oh jeez, hey, hey now, don¡¯t worry,¡± Brendan said, patting Briney on the shoulder. ¡°He¡¯ll be just fine. Me and my friends are gonna go in there and rescue him, alright?¡±


    ¡®Oh, will you?¡± Mr. Briney sniffed, looking up at Brendan with shining eyes. ¡°Please hurry. Peeko is my dearest friend in this world. Oh...¡±


    ¡°Peeko?¡± Astra asked.


    ¡°Mr Briney¡¯s pet Wingull,¡± Brendan answered, patting Mr. Briney on the shoulder once more. He stood up, jerking his head toward the mountain tunnel. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll explain on the way. The thief is still in the tunnel.¡±


    ¡°The tunnel?¡± Astra asked as the three of them started towards the cavernous opening. ¡°Don¡¯t tunnels lead somewhere? Why hasn¡¯t he left?¡±


    ¡°Rusturf Tunnel is supposed to lead to Verdanturf Town, but you know that huge explosion yesterday?¡± Brendan asked. ¡°Apparently the aftershocks were enough to destabilize some of the support structure inside, so there was a big cave in right in the middle. Whole passage is blocked off by a giant pile of rubble. Those workers were called in to clear it, though apparently it¡¯s slow going.¡±


    Astra winced at the reminder of her escapade. Was this her fault too? ¡°Was anyone... inside?¡± she asked, afraid of the answer.


    Brendan hesitated. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear anything about it, so I don¡¯t think there was.¡±


    Astra exhaled, a weight lifting off her shoulders. ¡°Good.¡± she said, relief in her voice. At least she hadn¡¯t hurt anyone.


    The workers nodded to them as they passed. ¡°Good luck in there,¡± one said, folding his arms. ¡°But try to keep it quiet, alright? We don¡¯t need more trouble than we¡¯ve already got.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll try,¡± Brendan said, nodding back. ¡°Thanks for the info.¡±


    May examined the tunnel ahead, ignoring the well wishes of the laborers. ¡°So when the dumbass ran in, he didn¡¯t know it was a dead end...¡± She said, a grin spreading across her face. ¡°He¡¯s trapped himself. Fish in a barrel.¡±


    ¡°Fish in a¡ª huh?¡± Astra blinked, confused. What kind of expression was that? ¡°Okay. Well, at least he can¡¯t run away anymore. Now we just need to get that briefcase out of his hands, and...¡± Astra hesitated. ¡°Rescue Peeko? Is he in the tunnel? Why?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d be the fault of our target,¡± Brendan said, sounding grim. ¡°I caught up to him when the workers tried to stop him from going into the cave. I wasn¡¯t able to take him down, however; he used his Zubat to supersonic the entire camp and took Peeko hostage in the confusion. The noise drew a whole horde of Nincada out of the woods too. I had to deal with the swarm before they could hurt anyone, but they whittled me down to Mudkip in the process. The Aqua member hightailed it into Rusturf Tunnel while I was distracted.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s where they came from.¡± Astra mused. ¡°We fought a dozen of them on the way here. They were chasing some girl.¡±


    Brendan shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know about any girl, but I think I did pass someone on the way. That might¡¯ve been her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just happy we can finally kick this bastard¡¯s ass once and for all,¡± May said, grinning. ¡°He¡¯s been giving us the slip for way too long.¡±


    ¡°Just be careful,¡± Brendan warned as they entered the mouth of the passage side by side. ¡°There¡¯s an entire colony of Whismur inhabiting the burrows here. We have to be quiet or there¡¯ll be an uproar.¡±


    The air turned chilly past the threshold, and soon the dim artificial lighting from the tunnels'' sparse lanterns were all that illuminated the dark. The tunnel seemed to curve south, leaving them with only a few yards of sight. At least it wasn¡¯t super cramped; Astra could fit about two and a half of herself laid out lengthwise from wall to wall. Though if a fight broke out she doubted that they could have more than a few pokemon out without running into problems.


    Astra gazed at the tunnel walls, the enclosed atmosphere reminding her strongly of home. The walls were startlingly barren, aside from the frequent man-made structures reinforcing the stability of the rock. Her Grandpa would love to work on such an expansive new canvas.


    ¡°What¡¯s a Whismur?¡± she asked, turning back to Brendan.


    ¡°A normal type pokemon, average of two feet tall with a spherical body plan, stubby arms, large, padded feet and two giant ears folded over its head.¡± Brendan responded, reciting the information stoically. ¡°Mauve with yellow highlights, eyes consist of two sets of four lines arranged in a plus sign.¡±


    ¡°Did you like, memorize a textbook?¡± May asked, glancing at Brendan. ¡°No really, did you actually sit down and reread one enough that you can just spout lines off it verbatim?¡±


    That was an interesting shade of red Brendan was turning, Astra noted. ¡°What¡¯s a textbook?¡± she asked, turning to May. ¡°Is it different from a regular book?¡±


    ¡°Anyway,¡± May continued, ignoring Astra¡¯s question and Brendan¡¯s confused doubletake, ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound like too much of a problem. Just some purple puffballs, right? Even if they get a little mad, we can deal with it no problem!¡±


    Brendan gave her a flat look. ¡°When Whismur get scared, and they scare very easily, they scream loud enough to rupture eardrums.¡±


    May and Astra stopped, staring at Brendan with wide eyes. He stared back, eyes lidded.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Astra said, after a moment. ¡°That sounds... bad.¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have mentioned that before we went inside?¡± May quietly hissed, glancing warily at the looming darkness.


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯d know if you looked in a textbook,¡± Brendan huffed, folding his arms.


    ¡°If you got one on you I can smack you with it.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t know what that is!¡± Astra complained.


    ¡°And that is very concerning!¡± Brendan exclaimed, his voice suddenly breaking the hushed silence the three had fallen into. He looked at Astra, worriedly. ¡°When you say that, what exactly¡ª¡±


    ¡°Whismur?¡±


    Everyone froze. All eyes turned toward the newcomer. A Whismur had stumbled out of an unseen side tunnel around the corner and was now staring at them. Brendan, Astra noted, had described it rather accurately. Even the really absurd looking eyes. It shied back, trembling as three sets of eyes abruptly turned its way.


    ¡°W-whis...¡± It whimpered, then darted behind a wooden support pillar. It peeked out after a moment, then shrank back again when it saw them still looking at it.


    Astra held up her hands and backed up a few steps, which seemed to help with the large amount of distress she could sense from the creature. ¡°Brendan,¡± she asked, keeping an eye on the Whismur (which had, alarmingly, started to cry a bit if the wet sniffles were any indication.) ¡°Are they really as bad as you said?¡±


    ¡°I was exaggerating,¡± he admitted in a whisper, also sidling towards the wall. ¡°But it¡¯s not pleasant. And if there are any more, it really can get that bad.¡±


    ¡°Fantastic, at least I¡¯ll only be mostly deaf,¡± May muttered. ¡°How the hell did that other guy¡ª whatever. I doubt it wants to fight, so let¡¯s just slide around it. It¡¯s only like, what, thirty yards? Easy.¡±


    May backed against the far wall and began to sidestep down the corridor, Brendan and Astra following suit. Astra skidded along awkwardly, her hat making it harder than expected to keep flat against the wall. If she were alone it would be a simple matter to just teleport down the hall, but that wasn¡¯t an option right now. She couldn¡¯t even risk trying to talk. With the way it was practically radiating fear, who knew what it would do if she spoke up?


    Probably scream. Not ideal.


    That said, it was well on its way to doing that already. The poor thing was basically frozen in place, and a low keening sound had replaced the sound of sniffling, growing louder with each step they took. Was it... whistling?


    ¡°This isn¡¯t working,¡± May growled, coming to a stop. ¡°We¡¯ve only moved ten yards and it¡¯s already starting to sound like my damn tea kettle. How do these things function? We¡¯re not even doing anything!¡±


    Brendan frowned. ¡°The collapse yesterday must have the whole nest on edge. They¡¯re sensitive, but not this much. Not normally. The Aqua member barging through with a frantic Wingull in hand probably exacerbated the issue.¡± He paused, then gave May a strange look. ¡°You drink tea?¡±


    ¡°Oh my, yes,¡± May drawled, her voice suddenly taking on a strange, airy inflection Astra couldn¡¯t place. ¡°I just love to put a kettle of vintage Oddish blend on in the morning, really start the day off right you know is now the fucking time? Astra,¡± May said, turning to the smaller girl. ¡°Can¡¯t you like, music this guy asleep or something?¡±


    Astra shook her head. ¡°I left my violin at the hotel. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d know how to do that, anyway?¡± She thought about what she¡¯d practiced so far. Most of it had been battle songs, and improvised ones at that. She¡¯d have to review the sheet music Trevor had gifted her. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Damn. Brendan, any ideas?¡± May asked. ¡°Cause all I¡¯ve got is to try knocking it unconscious before it blows out my ears.¡±


    ¡°Woah, no need for that.¡± Brendan said, raising his hands up. He hesitated. ¡°Well, there is one thing, maybe. I remembered something when you asked about music. Loudred¡ªWhismur¡¯s evolution¡ªusually sing to their children to lull them to sleep or calm them down, so...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to sing?¡± Astra asked, surprised. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could sing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not singing,¡± he clarified, ¡°Just¡ªhumming, really.¡±


    ¡°Well get on with it before it decides to blow,¡± May said, jerking her head towards the still whistling Whismur.


    Brendan sighed, then gave a single nod. Taking a step forward, he kneeled down, closed his eyes, and began to hum. It was a simple melody, but the sound echoed strangely, giving it an unexpected reverb.


    The Whismur poked its head out, its kettle-like wailing having quieted to a mere sniffle. Brendan kept humming, and after a moment of hesitation the Whismur padded closer, examining him curiously. Then it began to whistle again and Astra braced for an explosion of noise.


    But it never came. Instead, Whismur lifted its ears off its head, and it began to play what sounded like bird-song from two small holes in its scalp. The tune warbled, its player unfamiliar with the melody, and yet even its fumbling attempt lent Brendan¡¯s humming an air of eerie wistfulness in the echoing tunnel.


    ¡°It¡¯s... singing with you?¡± May asked, surprised. ¡°Wow. That¡¯s... adorable.¡±


    ¡°I kinda wanna hug it,¡± Astra admitted, peeling herself off the wall to get a better look. She pointed at the now swaying Whismur, grinning cheerfully. ¡°Look at its ears moving about! Ah, I bet it¡¯s soft!¡±


    ¡°Down, girl. No provoking the supersonic puffball.¡±


    ¡°Aw,¡± Astra pouted, listening to the song. It was pretty good, and Whismur used the echoing tunnel to great effect. Very relaxing, almost enough... to...


    Astra yawned, then blinked and shook herself awake. She must¡¯ve been more exhausted from the run than she thought. ¡°Wish I had brought my violin,¡± she said, ¡°I would¡¯ve liked to play along.¡±


    Brendan shot them a glance and rolled his eyes. Eventually his little tune came to an end, and a moment later so did the Whismur¡¯s whistling. It had come within inches of Brendan at this point, and looked up at him happily.


    ¡°Whismur wis!¡± It said, waiving it¡¯s stubby arms. That was fun! Astra mentally translated. She smiled; it seemed the danger had passed, for now.


    ¡°Hey there, uh,¡± Brendan examined the Whismur for a moment, then smiled. ¡°Hey girl. Sorry about the scare, we¡¯re just trying to find someone else who came through earlier.¡±


    Whismur suddenly shrank back, anxiety springing up in full force. Brendan frowned. ¡°Did you cross paths with him? Did he do something scary or hurt you?¡± His face darkened as the Whismur nodded to both of his questions. ¡°Well, me and my friends over there are trying to make him leave the tunnels. I¡¯m sure you and your family would like that, right?¡±


    Whismur perked up at his words, and nodded frantically. Or, Astra assumed so; Whismur didn¡¯t have a neck, so this movement consisted mostly of her rocking back and forth a few times.


    ¡°Whismur whis!¡± the Whismur said, pleadingly.


    ¡°We¡¯ll do our best, then!¡± Brendan agreed. ¡°Can you show us where he went?¡±


    Whismur hesitated, but an encouraging smile from Brendan seemed to set her nerves at ease. ¡°Whismur!¡± she chirped, then turned and walked down the tunnel, turning back to see if they were following. ¡°Whis!¡± she called, urging them on.


    May squinted at Whismur, then at Brendan. She blinked. ¡°Did you just turn the sound mine into our tour guide?¡±


    ¡°Seems so,¡± Brendan said with a grin. ¡°Pretty cool, huh?¡±


    ¡°That was really cool!¡± Astra agreed, giving Brendan a thumbs-up. ¡°Good job!¡±.


    May shrugged. ¡°It was alright.¡±


    Astra looked at May, confused. ¡°Only alright? He just saved us a lot of trouble!¡±


    ¡°He only hummed, it wasn¡¯t that impressive,¡± May defended. ¡°I could¡¯ve done that.¡±


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Guys, guys, it¡¯s fine,¡± Brendan interjected. He motioned to the tunnel. ¡°We have other things to worry about, right?¡±


    The two girls glanced at each other, then looked at Brendan and nodded. ¡°Right,¡± they chorused.


    Brendan grinned, and turned back to Whismur. ¡°Lead on, little buddy,¡± he said.


    Whismur chirped and about-faced, trotting down the narrow passageway. Only a few steps behind, three trainers followed her into the darkness. Whismur began whistling cheerfully, a sort of meandering tune with no greater structure resounding through the tunnel.


    ¡°Is she... supposed to be doing that?¡± May asked, glancing from Whismur to Brendan. ¡°I thought we were trying to be quiet?¡±


    ¡°Well, we were, but this is her home, so... I¡¯d say she can do whatever she wants?¡± Brendan replied, shrugging.


    ¡°I guess.¡±


    Something moved in the corner of Astra¡¯s vision. She turned, and saw a small side passage in the rock wall. In it, another Whismur was lurking in the shadows, turning to track them as they went. Astra stared back, a little unsettled. It tilted its head, listening to the whistle from its cousin.


    Then it smiled, and waved. ¡°Whis,¡± it said, barely audible even in the silence.


    Astra stared at it for a moment, then hesitantly waved back. The Whismur smiled even wider, and then vanished as the tunnel passed from view


    But then a sharp curse made Astra look in May¡¯s direction. She was looking at another side passage, with two Whismurs inside. The Whismur stared at the group, waved, and then disappeared as the side passage fell behind.


    Soon enough, another side tunnel appeared with three Whismur within. Then five. And then a dozen or more, watching from hidden alcoves, quiet susurrations filling the air as the group passed by.


    ¡°Is anyone else starting to get creeped out?¡± May asked, eyeing yet another passageway nervously. Several pairs of cross-split eyes stared back, unblinking.


    ¡°They were cute at first, but now...¡± Astra trailed off, shuffling toward the middle of the tunnel.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, this is¡ªeverything is fine,¡± Brendan said, though even he was glancing about warily. ¡°People pass through here all the time. They¡¯re probably just making sure we¡¯re not here to cause any more trouble.¡±


    Were they? Astra glanced at yet another tunnel full of staring Whismur. Why were they all gathering here? Was it their tour guide¡¯s whistling? What did it mean? Frowning, Astra reached out and gently brushed against the Whismurs¡¯ surface thoughts.


    New friends! Aid! Expel Noisemaker. Hungry. Brother sleeping! Sing!


    The contents rushed into Astra¡¯s mind, and she blinked as she processed the concepts within. Huh. So their Whismur was just alerting all the other Whismur that Astra and the others were here to help? Thoughtful of her. Though, who was ¡®Brother¡¯?


    Astra abruptly noticed that the whistling had stopped. She blinked, refocusing on the situation. The Whismur they had been following had frozen, staring into the intermittently lit tunnel ahead. Astra looked around. The Whismurs that had been not-so-stealthily following them had fallen back, now cowering in various corners.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Astra began to ask, but Brendan held up a finger and made a shushing sound.


    ¡°Listen,¡± he said, frowning.


    Astra listened. Echoing softly from further down the tunnel, the faint sound of grinding stones and cursing could be heard, along with the mournful squawks of a bird. Her eyes narrowed. That sound was coming from just around the bend.


    ¡°That must be him,¡± she said. ¡°Peeko too.¡±


    ¡°So it seems,¡± Brendan agreed. He turned to their guide, patting the Whismur on the head. Whismur sniffed and looked up at him. He grinned. ¡°Thanks for bringing us this far. We¡¯ll take it from here. Stay safe, alright?¡±


    Whismur sniffed again, then hugged Brendan¡¯s leg. He blinked in surprise, then smiled and patted Whismur once more. Releasing her grip, the Whismur backed up. ¡°Whismur!¡± she said, giving him one last worried look. Good luck. Then she bounded away, to wait alongside the other Whismur.


    Turning back, Brendan retrieved a pokeball and turned at May and Astra. ¡°Right,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s do this. Come on out, Mudkip!¡±


    ¡°Just what I wanted to hear,¡± May said, grinning. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Torchic!¡±


    ¡°Rise and shine, Treecko!¡± Astra called, tossing her own into the air. ¡°We¡¯ve got a bird to rescue!¡±


    Three flashes of light heralded each trainer''s closest companion. They looked around curiously, and Torchic squawked at the horde of Whismur lurking in the shadows. Mudkip and Treecko looked similarly unsettled, but when the Whismur made no motion to attack they relaxed and looked to their trainers for instruction.


    Astra, May, and Brendan looked at each other one last time, nodded in unison, and began to walk, pokemon trailing close behind. The faint cursing grew louder and louder, as did the squawking of a panicked bird. A small barricade came into view, presumably set up to discourage any curious Whismur that wandered near. It was made of solid wood panelling that covered the entire tunnel, and bright light shone from under the door.


    Astra grimaced at the frantic despair audible in the voice of the Wingull. It clearly was not happy about its separation. The man inside didn¡¯t seem too thrilled either.


    ¡°Wingull! Wingull wingull gull gull wing¡ª!¡± Peeko cried out, muffled wing flaps beating against something hard and unyielding.


    ¡°Would you shut up, you stupid bird!?¡± A voice inside yelled, and there was the sharp clang of a foot hitting metal. Peeko yelped, then fell silent.


    All three trainers narrowed their eyes, but it was May that took action. ¡°So you wanna make some noise, bastard?¡± she said, striding up to the door. She lined herself up, raised a foot, and grinned.


    ¡°Then let''s get this party started.¡±


    May kicked, and the door crashed open. Everyone rushed inside, with Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip taking the lead.


    ¡°Let that Wingull go!¡± Astra roared as she charged in, then recoiled as a bright light briefly blinded her. Blinking the spots away, she took a quick glance around the room.


    The site of the collapse was quite a bit different from the mostly clear tunnel before it. New, temporary support beams had been placed in the middle of the corridor, and tools and supplies were meticulously sorted on top of a few long tables. A pile of rubble embedded with scattered bits of shattered wood and metal had completely buried the passage, and there were signs there had been quite a bit more at one point, broken down and transported elsewhere by means unknown. A few yards before the blockage, a strange machine hummed and shook, feeding power through a few black cables and into the three powerful lamps that had blinded Astra, which thoroughly illuminated the entire work site.


    And right next to the giant pile of rocks, the Aqua grunt was looking back at them, holding a thoroughly embedded pickaxe and looking absolutely flabbergasted. He was dishevelled and reeked of dried sweat, and his eyes frantically looked over them, panic and fatigue roiling off him in waves. Next to him, an upturned wheelbarrow shook as Peeko flailed about within. A hole had been dug out of the rubble behind him; just large enough for a man to crawl through and surprisingly deep, but still far from finished.


    ¡°You!?¡± the Aqua grunt yelped, taking a step back.


    ¡°Us,¡± Brendan confirmed. Mudkip, Treecko, and Torchic stepped forward, interposing themselves between the trainers and the grunt. Brendan waved, giving the blue-clad man a mocking smile. ¡°Hello!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here for the bird and the briefcase,¡± May growled. ¡°Hand ¡®em over, now.¡±


    ¡°Damn brats...¡± The Aqua grunt¡¯s hand inched towards the pokeballs on his belt. He glared. ¡°Don¡¯t you know you¡¯re messing with the wrong people? You¡¯ll regret making enemies of Team Aqua!¡±


    Team Aqua this, Team Aqua that, Astra was beginning to get sick of hearing that name. He kept spouting it off like it was some magic phrase that would let him get away with whatever he wanted.


    ¡°Yeah, well, there¡¯s nobody here but you right now,¡± Astra countered. ¡°And there¡¯s three of us, so don¡¯t even think about fighting back! We¡¯ll just thrash you like last time.¡±


    The grunt¡¯s hand stilled, and he glared even harder. ¡°Fine. If I can¡¯t beat you like that...¡± His eyes dated to the side, and he grinned. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just have to get my hands dirty!¡±


    The grunt lunged toward the wheelbarrow and kicked it over. Now revealed, a moderately sized white bird squawked and burst into the air. In a snap, the grunt¡¯s hand closed around its neck in a vice grip. The bird screeched, wings flapping wildly as he interposed the flailing wingull between himself and everyone else.


    ¡°Peeko!¡± Astra gasped. He was really going that far? Were there no lows this guy wouldn¡¯t stoop to?


    ¡°You think a damn bird is gonna stop me?¡± May demanded, striding forward with a fist raised. ¡°Come over here and fight me face to face, asshole!¡±


    ¡°Wingull!¡± Peeko croaked out, struggling furiously. The grunt¡¯s grip tightened and Peeko quieted with a distressed gurgle. The grunt grinned as May froze, Astra and Brendan gasping in shock behind her.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I will. Can¡¯t do anything while I¡¯m holding this bird, can you?¡± he sneered, waving the Wingull around a bit. ¡°Guess this was a good idea after all.¡±


    ¡°Coward,¡± May growled, but lowered her fist.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe a member of Team Aqua would do something like this,¡± Brendan said, disbelievingly. He shot the man a pleading look. ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys supposed to promote environmentalism? How exactly does theft and holding pokemon hostage protect the ocean? Hell, that¡¯s Mr. Briney¡¯s Wingull,¡± Brendan stressed. ¡°He¡¯s a regional hero! He advocated for your group in the past; how could you do this to him!?¡±


    The blue clad man hesitated, then shook his head. ¡°I suppose it is a shame that he got caught up in all this. I respect the man, but our goals are more important than one crusty sailor. Times change, and Archie¡¯s got a new plan that¡¯ll wash across Hoenn like a tsunami!¡± He grinned, teeth shining in the floodlights. ¡°And if we gotta dirty our sails to see it through, well, I¡¯m no stranger to swabbing decks. So how about all of you shut the hell up, or else this bird is gonna get it. Get it?¡±


    No, Astra did not. She wasn¡¯t going to ¡®get¡¯ anything for this jerk and she didn¡¯t care for anyone who trampled on innocent old men to get their way! He had to go down. Peeko posed a problem, however. As long as he held onto the bird''s neck, they couldn¡¯t do anything without risk of the man... escalating. May and Brendan didn¡¯t seem to have any ideas. May was just clenching and unclenching her hands, glaring at the grunt, and the thug had just shut down Brendan¡¯s attempt at talking. Torchic and Mudkip were likewise unable to help, as May and Brendan had no means of telling them to do anything without incurring the man''s wrath.


    But Astra could use Treecko silently. That could give her the element of surprise she needed. Maybe he could shoot the grunt¡¯s hand? She hesitated. From the way the man''s eyes were flickering, he was closely tracking every movement their pokemon made. He would assuredly notice when Treecko made an attack.


    So that just meant that she needed an opening. And she knew exactly how to make one. Astra stared at the man and focused, bringing the slightest amount of power to bear.


    ¡°Now here¡¯s what you¡¯re gonna do.¡± The Aqua grunt continued, sneering. ¡°You¡¯re all gonna stay right here, while I¡ª¡±


    PING


    The Aqua grunt twitched violently and let out a strangled yelp, clutching his head as a spike of telepathic noise assaulted his mind. Astra grinned, and Treecko took a sharp breath.


    Bullet seed.


    Light shone, and a barrage of glowing seeds dug into the man''s hand, causing him to jerk back with a scream. Peeko screeched and burst out of his grip, speeding past the trainers and crashing against the barricade behind them. Spotting the open door, she burst through and sped down the tunnel, cawing madly. May and Brendan looked after the vanishing Wingull, blinking owlishly. Slowly, everyone turned to face the Aqua grunt, who was staring at the vanishing bird in horror.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Astra said, cheerfully. ¡°I didn¡¯t quite catch that. What were you saying?¡±


    The Aqua grunt swallowed nervously as May and Brendan¡®s gazes hardened. ¡°Y-you little brats!¡± he growled, still full of bravado. But there was a hitch in his voice now, and the way his eyes darted wildly from Torchic to Treecko to Mudkip and back again made it clear what he was really feeling. ¡°Once Team Aqua hears about this you¡¯ll regret-!¡±


    ¡°Torchic?¡± May asked. ¡°Ember.¡±


    Astra¡¯s eyes widened as Torchic puffed up. She was going to set the grunt on fire? Wasn¡¯t that going a bit far!?


    But before she could protest, Torchic let loose. The Aqua grunt yelped as he dove away from a jet of flame. ¡°Wait, wait, stop! I surrender!¡± he pleaded, holding his hands up. ¡°Stop the fire! Stop the fire you crazy bitch!¡±


    ¡°Then you shut the hell up about your stupid little gang!¡± May roared. She strode forward and grabbed the thug by his shirt collar, yanking him down to eye level. ¡°Newsflash, idiot: they¡¯re not here, and judging by how weak you are, I wouldn¡¯t be worried even if they were! So go ahead, tell your buddies about how you got your ass kicked twice. I¡¯m sure that¡¯ll go down just swell.¡±


    She grinned. ¡°Oh, wait. Nevermind. You¡¯re going to jail, so nobody¡¯s finding out jack. Sucks to be you, huh?¡±


    ¡°Y-you...¡± The grunt gulped, eyes flickering between May and the faintly smoking Torchic eyeing him like his next snack. ¡°You¡¯ll regret this.¡± he choked out.


    ¡°So I¡¯ve heard.¡± May rolled her eyes and pushed him away. The grunt stumbled and fell to the ground with a yelp. ¡°Light him up if he tries anything, Torchic. Now,¡± She turned, looking around. ¡°You guys get the briefcase?¡±


    Astra and Brendan shared an uneasy look, but turned to search the tunnel without protest. A brief search revealed the stolen item located on the nearby table. Astra grabbed it, then almost fell over once it succumbed to gravity. ¡°Oof! What is in this thing?¡± she complained, dragging it over to the door. ¡°Ugh. You take this,¡± she said, passing it to Brendan. ¡°I can¡¯t carry that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I got it,¡± Brendan said, hefting it up with a grunt. ¡°Woah, you weren¡¯t kidding," he said, letting it rest on the floor for a moment.


    ¡°Heavy, you say?¡± May asked, leaving the pokemon to keep watch on the grunt. ¡°Ooh, new theory: it¡¯s full of gold bars!¡±


    ¡°I was really holding out for that soup recipe, personally,¡± Astra admitted. She slumped. ¡°But I guess it wouldn¡¯t weigh that much.¡±


    Brendan gave them a strange look, considered the suitcase for a moment, then shook his head. ¡°Probably not. Devon doesn¡¯t deal in gold. Or, uh. Soup. I¡¯d hazard a guess at... Hm. Parts for something.¡± Brendan frowned at May. ¡°Backing up a bit, May, you really shouldn¡¯t threaten people like that. What if he had actually gotten burned?¡±


    ¡°Pff. He would¡¯ve been fine,¡± May said, waving Brendan off. ¡°Maybe he¡¯d learn his lesson if he did.¡±


    That was... a bit more flippant than Astra was comfortable with. Brendan seemed to agree, and he looked at May with clear disapproval. ¡°We¡¯re not the ones who get to decide how he gets punished,¡± he chided. ¡°Trainers like us aren¡¯t supposed to use pokemon against people without good cause.¡±


    ¡°What, is assault and theft not a good cause?¡± May scoffed. ¡°He attacked us, I¡¯d say that¡¯s reason enough!¡±


    ¡°Self defence is fine, but threatening him when we¡¯ve already won is a different matter,¡± Brendan stressed. He sighed. ¡°I know he hurt you, but please don¡¯t get carried away. It¡¯s... concerning.¡±


    ¡°Tch. Whatever,¡± May muttered. She looked away, stalking towards the door. ¡°Let¡¯s just go already.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeah,¡± Astra said, still unsure. She did agree with Brendan, but May did have a point. The Aqua member had nearly deafened both them and an entire street of onlookers. Some form of retribution was warranted. But she had expected May to punch the man in the face, not try to set him on fire.


    She shook her head; there would be enough time to sort through all that later. For now, they had to get the briefcase back to the city. ¡°Alright, you!¡± Astra said, turning to the Grunt. ¡°We¡¯re taking you back to Rustboro. Get on your feet, you¡¯ve got a lot to answer for!¡±


    ¡°Anyone got any rope, or anything?¡± Brendan asked, looking around. A pair of negatives had him shaking his head. ¡°Drat. I would have liked to tie his hands up, at least. Well, walk in front and keep your hands in the air.¡± He said, giving the thug a sharp look. ¡°Don¡¯t try anything funny, either.¡±


    ¡°Damn brats,¡± The grunt muttered, raising his arms as instructed. He marched out of the room, followed closely by Treecko, Torchic and Mudkip. Astra, May, and Brendan brought up the rear, watching the thief carefully.


    Astra blinked rapidly as they left the bright floodlights behind, the natural darkness of the tunnel reasserting itself. Her eyes adjusted quickly, and she noticed a Whismur, the one Brendan had befriended, was standing a bit further into the tunnel, poking her head out from behind a support pillar. Whismur shied back when she noticed the Aqua grunt walking towards her, but brightened as she spotted Brendan just behind him.


    ¡°Whismur whis!¡± she cheered, waving a stubby arm. ¡°Whis!¡± She seemed to be saying, ¡°You did it! I knew you could!¡±


    Brendan waved back, and Astra smiled at the sight, a warm feeling in her chest. Mission accomplished. And once they left, the Whismur could return to their peaceful lives.


    Or, at least, what counted for peace when humanity had apparently decided to expand a tunnel in the middle of their warren into a thoroughfare. That was... actually fairly alarming, now that Astra thought about it. She glanced at the tunnel walls, their surfaces noticeably smoother than the varied offshoots. It seemed that if humanity wanted a passage, they didn¡¯t much care about whom they disturbed so long as they got their way. More reason for her village to be wary, she supposed.


    The Whismur edged around the Grunt, who shot it a narrow eyed glance, before waddling up to Brendan and chirping happily.


    Brendan kneeled down and patted her on the head, grinning. ¡°Hey, we¡¯re back. Everything went fine, and now we¡¯ve gotta get this guy out of your hair and back to our city.¡±


    Whismur frowned and tugged at Brendan¡¯s pant leg. It lifted an ear and whistled a short tune, similar to the one Brendan had hummed earlier, then tugged at his pant leg again. ¡°Whismur?¡± she asked, staring at him hopefully.


    Brendan blinked, then shook his head and gave her a sad smile. ¡°Sorry, Whismur. I can¡¯t stay. We¡¯ve really gotta get this guy out of here, and I¡¯ve got places to go as well. I might be able to come back some other time, but this is it.¡±


    Whismur drooped. Brendan thought for a moment. ¡°You could see us out, if you want,¡± he offered. Whismur perked back up, letting out a cheerful whistle.


    The Aqua grunt made an annoyed sound. ¡°Are we going or not?¡± he snapped, glaring backwards.


    ¡°Shut it, you,¡± May said, returning the glare. ¡°And keep those arms up!¡± She paused, then turned to Astra. ¡°He¡¯s not wrong,¡± she muttered, glancing at Brendan and Whismur chatting happily to the side. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if this is still adorable or has transitioned into gag-inducing sappiness.¡±


    Astra just shrugged. She didn¡¯t have any issue with taking a bit of time to say goodbye. It was only a minor delay, after all. ¡°Sounds like a ¡®you¡¯ problem.¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡± May snorted, hiding a smile. ¡°Getting a mouth on you, shorty.¡±


    Whismur led them along the tunnel, tugging at Brendan¡¯s pant leg until he took the lead, leaving their prisoner in the middle of the group.


    As they walked, a chipper hum echoed in the stagnant air, a quiet whistle following the rhythm. The side tunnels repopulated with the other Whismur as they passed, all staring at the visitors with trepidation. Their stares were still creepy, but at least they wouldn¡¯t have to deal with them much longer. Astra estimated they were nearly halfway out by now, and it would only be a few minutes until she could see the sun again. Thankfully the Aqua grunt kept quiet throughout the walk, but Astra didn¡¯t like how he kept shooting looks toward the gathered Whismur. Was he up to something?


    ¡°Okay, the sing-song clinched it. This is annoying,¡± May decided, breaking Astra out of her thoughts. ¡°Fuck, we¡¯d better get out of here soon. The whistling is gonna drive me mad.¡±


    Astra tilted her head. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad, though?¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe not, but the echo is messing with me,¡± May grumbled, ¡°Still not a fan of being watched like this either.¡± She shot a glance at the horde of Whismur in the walls. When she looked ahead again, she paused. ¡°Hey!¡± May snapped, causing everyone to tense. ¡°I said keep your hands in the air!¡±


    ¡°My arms are tired, brat,¡± the Aqua grunt shot back, turning to face them with a scowl. His arms had indeed been lowering, his left hand slowly inching toward his face. ¡°And my nose itches. What, can¡¯t I scratch my damn nose?¡±


    ¡°Not on my watch, buddy!¡± May snarled. ¡°Hands back up, now!¡±


    ¡°I just wanna scratch my nose,¡± the grunt repeated. ¡°It¡¯s not gonna kill you.¡±


    He smirked, and a flash of emotion thrummed through the air, and Astra¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°He¡¯s lying!¡± she yelled, sending a frantic message to Treecko. ¡°Take him down!¡±


    Springing into action, Treecko spat a flurry of bullet seeds and lept forward, bringing his tail around in an arc. Dropping his arms, the Aqua grunt blocked the bullets with his forearm, cradling his head as Treecko landed a brutal slam across his forearms. In response, the Grunt stared directly at Astra, grinned, then shoved his finger and thumb into his mouth. Then, he blew.


    A deafening whistle pierced the air, echoing off the tunnel walls. It lasted only a moment before all Mudkip had tackled the grunt in the abdomen, sending him staggering backwards¡ªonly for Brendan to come in and shove the man to the ground and kneel on his back, throwing the briefcase past May and Astra.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Brendan hissed, pinning the grunts'' arms to his back. ¡°Whistling? Here? Do you want to bring the whole warren down on our heads!?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the plan, genius!¡± The grunt crowed. A sick grin crawled across his face. ¡°And judging by little miss waterworks over there, well. I hope you brought earplugs!¡±


    Brendan opened his mouth, then paused. His eyes widened, and Astra had just a moment to process the grunt¡¯s words herself before the first sniffle pierced the air. Every head in the room turned toward the crowd of Whismur in the side tunnel. They were shaking, tears pooling at the corners of their eyes. The one who had sniffled stood at the forefront, and their breath hitched when they noticed several sets of eyes had abruptly focused on them.


    The Whismur shook violently, took a step back, and hiccuped. Their ears stood on end, and a piercing whistle began to sound.


    ¡°Oh shit,¡± May whispered.


    It screamed. The noise hit them like a wall. A wordless cry of pure terror and fear, reverberating endlessly through the entire tunnel. And then it was joined by another, and another, and then almost every single Whismur in the warren was crying out in panic.


    Astra clutched at her ears, her very thoughts being shredded by the sharp knife of the Whismurs¡¯ collective cry. To her side, May had fallen to her knees, desperately trying to plug hers. Her mouth moved, but nothing could be heard over the piercing din. Brendan had fallen over, teeth grit and eyes clenched. The Aqua grunt had curled into a ball, hands on his head. Treecko and Mudkip were grimacing, but Torchic had collapsed to the ground, twitching.


    Astra did not know how long their scream lasted.


    But, after a seeming eternity, it came to an abrupt stop: a long, low howl from far away halted the Whismurs¡¯ cacophony. Astra looked around as it sounded again, closer. Next to her, May shook her head and stood, glancing about warily while Brendan took hold of the Aqua grunt once more The rock of the mountain trembled, the tunnel shook, and Astra felt the vibration in her very bones. A voice like the deepest of horns thundered from deep within the warren.


    ¡°I-it feels like the whole mountain is shaking!¡± Astra exclaimed, backing up against a wall. She could sense something approaching, its fury as prominent as an angry sun. ¡°Wh-what is that!?¡±


    ¡°Best guess?¡± Brendan said, staring into the now silent crowd of pokemon. ¡°The Whismurs¡¯ patriarch.¡±


    Red eyes glared from the darkness. The Whismurs parted, and from the shadows emerged a new figure. A hulking blue animal of nearly five feet, his light red eyes glared balefully at the intruders. His head was brutish, a lowered brow crowned with a ridge of seven cylinders and paired with an terrifyingly wide jaw. His three-clawed feet carved gouges in the ground as he stomped forward, and his three-fingered hands clenched at its side. A pair of tails that looked like pipes jutted from the creature¡¯s rear and shook as air passed through, striking an impossibly deep reverberation into the air. He stared, brows furrowed, considering the group of trainers arrayed before him.


    He didn¡¯t look happy. Astra swallowed, mouth dry. ¡°Brendan? What is that?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Brendan said, dumbly. ¡°That¡¯s an Exploud.¡±


    ¡°Bad?¡± May asked, voice hushed.


    ¡°Third evolution,¡± Brendan confirmed, sounding faint. ¡°Extremely.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s friendly?¡± Astra said, hopefully.


    Her hopes were summarily dashed when the Exploud¡¯s eyes narrowed, and a low growl shook the air as he stepped forward. Astra heard the sound of scurrying feet, and she blinked when their Whismur interposed itself between the Exploud and the group.


    ¡°Whismur whis!¡± Whismur said, waving her arms frantically. ¡°Whis!¡±


    Exploud halted, considering Whismur for a moment. His gaze panned across the group again, and a bit of the building fury seemed to sputter. ¡°Exploud?¡± he asked, a surprisingly complex series of whistles and horns accompanying his words.


    For a moment, Whismur looked off balance. ¡°Whis?¡± she asked, as if surprised that Exploud hadn¡¯t immediately brushed her aside. She brightened. ¡°Whis! Whismur whis!¡±


    Exploud grumbled, the accompanying series of whistles sounding quite annoyed. He seemed to be calming down, rage being slowly replaced by annoyance and suspicion. Astra shared a hopeful glance with May and Brendan. Maybe they¡¯d still be able to get out okay!


    ¡°I cannot believe your little puffball is saving our ass again,¡± May murmured, glancing at Brendan.


    ¡°I make good friends,¡± Brendan said, smiling. May rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Yeah, no,¡± the Aqua grunt interjected. He bucked, throwing Brendan off and twisting to his feet in one smooth motion. ¡°I¡¯m not letting my chance slip away that easy! Even if I can¡¯t finish the job, I can at least toss you brats to the sharks!¡±


    Exploud¡¯s gaze snapped to the Aqua grunt. Treecko and Mudkip turned, already preparing attacks. Torchic, however, was still on the floor, dazed from earlier. The grunt eyed the bird and grinned. He sprung forward, dashing through a burst of seedshot and water, and snatched Torchic straight off the ground. The bird squawked, then began pecking wildly at the grunt¡¯s fingers.


    ¡°Torchic!¡± May screamed, scrambling to her feet. ¡°Let him go!¡±


    ¡°Oh, gladly,¡± the grunt said, smile widening. He turned toward Exploud. ¡°Hey ugly!¡±


    Exploud looked at the Grunt. The grunt drew back his arm.


    ¡°Catch!¡± he called, then hurled Torchic directly at Exploud¡¯s face.


    May cried out, reaching toward her pokemon uselessly. Brendan tackled the Grunt again, trying to wrestle him to the ground once more. Astra reached out, reflexively calling on her power to snatch the bird from the air¡ª


    What if they see?


    ¡ªthen stopped, fear and hesitation halting her in her tracks. And then it was too late.


    Torchic flew, and Exploud recoiled as the flailing bird bounced off his nose. A giant fist snatched the bird from the air, then hauled him in front of the giant, hulking face. Exploud growled. Torchic, frightened out of his mind, shot a burst of flame into Exploud¡¯s eyes.


    Exploud roared, the cavern shaking from the sheer force of its outburst. He dropped the fiery bird and howled in fury, scratching at his face. Torchic scrambled to his feet and dashed to May, chirping wildly.


    ¡°Move!¡± Brendan bellowed, sprinting down the tunnel. Astra was a quarter-step behind him when May abruptly grabbed her arm and hauled her in the other direction. The Whismurs scattered, fleeing down the tunnels. Howling, Exploud charged blindly after Torchic and just barely missed Astra and May, crashing into the tunnel wall and blasting the area in a thick cloud of dust and stone shards.


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± May yelped, dragging Astra further down the corridor, Torchic and Treecko close at their heels. ¡°That would¡¯ve pancaked us! You¡¯re welcome, by the way,¡± she added, looking at Astra.


    Astra grunted, rubbing at her wrist as May finally let go. She stood up on shaky legs, brushing herself off. ¡°Thanks, but did you have to drag me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too slow,¡± May replied, bending down to give Torchic a reassuring scritch. ¡°Exploud would¡¯ve run right over you. At least I got us to safety.¡±


    Something moved, and Astra¡¯s head snapped toward the dust cloud. ¡°Not for long,¡± she warned, staring at the rising shadow. Maddened red eyes turned sharply in their direction. Astra took a step backward, swallowing nervously. ¡°Exploud¡¯s between us and the exit, and he looks really mad!¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Brendan?¡± May asked, standing back up. Torchic stood in front of her, feathers puffed.


    Astra hesitated. She could sense the grunt¡¯s Zubat trying to take bites out of Brendan¡¯s Mudkip, and Brendan himself stood between the grunt and the exit. Astra felt like banging her head against the wall. Why hadn¡¯t they taken his pokemon!? ¡°He was on the other side with the Aqua guy. If he¡¯s not here, he might have his hands full.¡±


    ¡°Tch, so no help there. Well, dead end behind us, one hell of a monster in front, alone together.¡± May reached back and tightened her bandana, staring at the figure in the dust. ¡°I guess it¡¯s a fight!¡±


    Astra looked at the huge hole in the rock and wished she knew where May got all of her confidence from. Personally, she would have felt a lot better if the tunnel wasn¡¯t so cramped. Being able to overwhelm Exploud with sheer numbers would have been nice, but there just wasn¡¯t any room for them to not get in each other''s way. ¡°He looks really strong. Do you think we can win?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t really have a choice, do we? It¡¯s do or die, Astra!¡± May grinned, looking just a bit manic. ¡°Besides, we¡¯ve made it out with worse odds, haven¡¯t we?¡±


    Astra shot May a flat look. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t really call that one a ¡®fight¡¯. And we didn¡¯t win, either. But,¡± she sighed, ¡°I suppose you aren¡¯t wrong.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit,¡± May said, cheerfully. ¡°Try not to die.¡±


    The sound of heavy footfalls silenced their chat. Exploud emerged from the dust cloud, face contorted into a rictus of pure rage. ¡°LOUD!¡± he roared, sound blasting through the tunnel.


    Astra gulped, paling at the sight. She really didn¡¯t want to fight. Maybe she could still reason with him...? ¡°Wait, please stop!¡± she pleaded, trying to form a link to Exploud. ¡°It wasn¡¯t our fault! We didn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    RAGE. The connection broke. Astra gasped, reeling.


    ¡°LOOOUD!¡± Exploud screamed, louder, longer, and leaving Astra¡¯s ears ringing once again. He inhaled, all the pipes on his body whistling as they sucked in vast quantities of air.


    ¡°Fine then!¡± Astra snapped, pointing forward. If he wouldn¡¯t listen to reason, then she wouldn¡¯t hold back! ¡°Treecko, bullet seed!¡± Aim for his throat!


    ¡°EXPLO¡ªurk!?¡±  Exploud gagged as a barrage of golden seeds flew into his gaping maw. He coughed and slammed his chest, the holes on his body letting out a wheezing bleat with each blow.


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    ¡°Alright Torchic,¡± May called, raising a clenched fist and sweeping it out. ¡°Light him up!¡±


    Torchic chirped, and a stream of fire scorched across Exploud, leaving a singed black streak up his leg and across his torso. The fur along the edges shone in a fiery gradient, creeping outwards at a painful crawl. Exploud gurgled, pawing at the burn mark. He coughed, spat onto the ground, and roared in pain. Eyes blazing, he glared at the two pokemon arrayed against him. Thin smoke wafted from his fur, and Exploud growled. He charged toward Torchic, arm cocked back.


    Astra scowled, thinking rapidly. Exploud was large, and with the way he walked off that impact with the wall, she was betting he had toughness to spare. Physical attacks wouldn¡¯t do much; she¡¯d have to focus on hitting weak points or bypassing his physical defence entirely.


    ¡°Treecko, climb on his back and use absorb!¡± Astra commanded a moment later.


    ¡°Torchic, dodge!¡± May shouted.


    Torchic jumped backward. Exploud¡¯s fist descended, stone fragments scattering as the ground where Torchic had stood was pulverized. From the side, Treecko lept. He landed on Exploud¡¯s back and scuttled upwards toward his crown of horns. Holding on for dear life, Treecko slammed a needle-ridden hand into the back of Exploud¡¯s skull and pulled, siphoning away thin streams of verdant energy


    Exploud jerked, twisting around and taking a wild swing at thin air. He turned around once more before realizing that something was clinging to his head. Bellowing in frustration, he awkwardly pawed at his back, the horns on his head preventing his arms from reaching all the way. Giving up on that, Exploud turned and slammed his back against the wall. Only a quick command and subsequent evacuation saved Treecko from being flattened against the now broken stone.


    ¡°Focus up, Torchic!¡± May ordered. ¡°Hit him where it hurts! Ember!¡±


    Torchic inhaled, and then spat fire across Exploud, scoring a direct hit against his lower abdomen. Exploud howled as the scorch marks spread, the air filling with the smell of charred fur. Attention now thoroughly grabbed, he set his sight on Torchic and bellowed once more, charging towards the diminutive bird.


    ¡°Shit. Torchic, dodge again!¡± May called, urgently.


    ¡°Treecko, Bullet Seed!¡± Astra added. ¡°Distract him!¡±


    Torchic squawked as he narrowly dodged between Exploud¡¯s legs, barely escaping as a foot stomped down where he had been, the heavy impact causing a small shockwave. Torchic tripped and tumbled, rolling a short distance down the tunnel before coming to a stop, dazed. Exploud turned around, the promise of brutal vengeance pounding with every step he took.


    A few golden seeds whizzed through the air, battering Exploud across the arm and the side of his head. Exploud paused, gaze flicking to Treecko, who clung to the top of a support pillar. Exploud turned away with a growl, ignoring the potshots that Treecko shot at his back.


    ¡°It¡¯s not working!¡± Astra said, panicked. ¡°He¡¯s ignoring Treecko!¡±


    ¡°Shit, I was hoping we could¡¯ve kept ping-ponging him. I gotta get Torchic out of there!¡± May said, holding out Torchic¡¯s pokeball. A laser shot out and hit Explouds leg, dissipating uselessly. May hesitated, half leaning from side to side. Another laser shot out, but was interrupted by Exploud once again. A flicker of worry flashed across her face. ¡°I¡ª I can¡¯t get an angle,¡± she said, paling. ¡°Torchic, run!¡±


    Torchic wobbled to his feet, shaking his head. He looked back, baulked at the giant barreling down at him, and fled, cawing wildly. His speed, however, was no match for Exploud¡¯s maddened speed, the beast catching up in four thundering strides and swiping at Torchic, clipping him in the side and sending him spinning into the wall with a dull thunk.


    ¡°Torchic!¡± May cried, reaching out. Astra grabbed onto May¡¯s shirt, barely stopping the taller girl from running directly into battle. May growled, nearly yanking Astra off her feet as she dragged the smaller girl forward. ¡°Get away from him or I¡¯ll turn your skull into a fucking bagpipe!¡±


    ¡°May, stop!¡± Astra yelled, struggling to hold her footing. ¡°You¡®ll get hurt!¡± She looked at her own pokemon in a panic, ¡°Treecko, stop Exploud! Bullet Seed! Absorb! Something!¡±


    But though Treecko shot seed after seed, each one leaving dark bruises or shallow scrapes, Exploud ignored them all. Another booming step took him to where Torchic lay, and he raised a foot, intent on ending the threat once and for all.


    Treecko scrambled forward, hands glowing green but far too slow and weak. Astra¡¯s breath caught. May reached out, eyes wide. Exploud¡¯s foot descended.


    ¡°Mudkip, Mud-Slap!¡±


    A blob of brown muck shot into Exploud¡¯s eyes. The giant flinched, his foot missing Torchic by the smallest of margins as he bellowed in pain, wiping at his eyes. Then he roared once more as Treecko hit the back of his head like a missile. Slamming back into a wall to dislodge Treecko, Exploud scraped at the gunk covering his face. Torchic staggered to his feet and fled back to May, a parting shot leaving Exploud¡¯s back as scorched as his front.


    ¡°Torchic!¡± May exclaimed, scooping the bird into her arms and shaking off Astra¡¯s grip. ¡°You¡¯re okay!¡± she said, exhaling in relief. Torchic chirped, and she flicked him on the head. ¡°Dude, you really gotta stop getting into these bad spots.¡±


    ¡°Hey guys!¡± a voice called. Mudkip came barreling into view, followed closely by Brendan. He gave them a tired grin. ¡°Need some help?¡±


    ¡°Brendan!¡± Astra said, brightening. Maybe they¡¯d stand a chance now that it was three on one! ¡°Good timing! Now we can¡ª¡± she paused, noticing a distinct lack of a certain blue jerkwad. ¡°Wait, where¡¯s the Aqua guy?¡±


    Brendan grimaced. ¡°Had to let him go. You guys were facing off against an Exploud and it would have taken me way too long to deal with him. There just wasn¡¯t any way I was going to let you two do this alone!¡±


    May let out a bark of laughter. ¡°My hero,¡± she said, rolling her eyes with a grin. She pulled out a potion and sprayed Torchic with it, the bird perking up and ruffling his feathers. She set him down and turned to Exploud, eyes blazing. ¡°Thanks for the save. Now, let¡¯s kick this guy¡¯s ass! Torchic, Ember!¡±


    ¡°With you all the way!¡± Astra cheered. With all three of them here, fighting as a team for the first time, it made Astra giddy. It was a moment worthy of song, and Astra suddenly found herself dearly wishing she had her violin. Her fingers twitched, pressing down imaginary strings. ¡°Treecko, Bullet Seed, then Absorb!¡± Make him choke, and drain him while he¡¯s distracted!


    ¡°If we keep him off balance and chip him down, our victory is assured!¡± Brendan said. He pointed at Exploud, voice firm. ¡°Mudkip, blind him with Mud-Slap!¡±


    Exploud had meanwhile wiped the last of the previous mud from his face and was inhaling deeply, the tubes on his body making a deep vibration. ¡°EX¡ª!¡± he screamed, but cut off as Treecko flipped off his head and fired yet another golden seed into his maw.


    Exploud choked again, and then a fresh ball of mud slapped across his eyes. He wheezed, furiously scraping the muck away. Flickering light shone, and then flame burst across his back, scarring him further. The three smaller pokemon easily dodged the blind swipes that followed, and Treecko lept on Exploud¡¯s back to siphon off more energy.


    ¡°That¡¯s how you do it!¡± Astra cheered. ¡°Now, just keep it going and¡ªeh?¡± Astra cut herself off, uneasy. Something in the air had changed. Her eyes flicked across the scene, searching for the aberration. It took her a moment to realize that Exploud wasn¡¯t screaming. More concerningly, his fury was gone.


    He was still mad; the depths of his loathing an incomprehensible, frightening abyss. But it no longer burned. It had instead crystalized into a dark, cold hatred. Exploud stood up, one giant hand digging into the mud caking his face and scraping it away. A deep, rumbling whistle began to emanate from his many horns.


    ¡°Hah, that trick again? Keep trying, windbag, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll work out this time¡± May cackled, unconcerned by the repetitive display. ¡°Just do yourself a favor and give up, or else me and Torchic will turn your ass to ash! Ember!¡±


    Another stream of fire raced across Exploud¡¯s side, and the reverberation intensified. Exploud turned and slammed his back against the wall, Treecko jumping off and narrowly avoiding getting squished. Exploud¡¯s arms shot up, blocking the retaliatory bullets and mud balls.


    Red eyes glared in the darkness, and Astra was quite suddenly reminded that they were not fighting a novice. Exploud had, in fact, evolved twice. It had been defending these caves for what had to be quite a long time, against targets far stronger than they.


    And it wasn¡¯t an idiot.


    Exploud¡¯s eyes narrowed, staring at Torchic, then slowly drifting towards May. The humming stopped, only to be replaced with a deep, whistling inhale. His arms raised, intercepting the burst of bullet seeds destined for the openings on his head. He opened his mouth, and the world seemed to hold its breath.


    May paused, grin frozen on her face. Exploud opened his mouth. May paled. ¡°Oh shi¡ª¡±


    Exploud screamed. An explosive roar, more physical than mere sound should ever be, erupted from his horns. It shook the earth and sent a shockwave of dust blasting through the tunnel. It blasted into Astra, forcing her to her knees and drowning out everything with a cacophony of pain.


    ¡°Stop it...¡± Astra choked out, clutching at her head. The din reverberated, hammering her ears in an unceasing tide. ¡°Stop...!¡± she begged, pleading directly to Exploud. The noise continued, heedless of her anguish.


    ¡°I... said... stop!¡± Astra silently screamed, eyes squeezed shut. Power surged, Astra pushed, and suddenly the noise ceased. She looked up in confusion, vision hazy and head pounding like a drum. Next to her, May was similarly incapacitated, and she doubted Brendan was much better. She thought she could hear May swearing up a storm, but Astra could hardly make it out over the sharp ringing in her ears. Their pokemon were doggedly rising to their feet, stubborn even in the face of overwhelming power.


    Ahead of them, Exploud was yanking his head out of the wall. Astra blinked, thoughts fuzzy and scattered. How had that happened? Exploud turned, face twisted into a horrid snarl. He took a few steps forward, and it took Astra a second to realize he was coming for them.


    She shot to her feet, but stumbled as the world tilted and found herself lying flat on the floor, cheek stinging. She blearily lifted her head and found the bulky pokemon staring at her. Exploud considered Astra for a long moment, then snorted dismissively and moved on, stomping toward May. The girl was kneeling on the floor and clutching her head, groaning in pain. Exploud¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he raised a fist¡ª


    ¡°TOR!¡±


    A blast of flame burst across Exploud¡¯s hand, scorching the fur. He recoiled as Torchic rushed forward, standing guard over his trainer. May looked up, wincing. ¡°What...?¡±


    ¡°Torchic tor!¡± Torchic screeched, blasting another bolt of fire. Exploud blocked the flame with his arm and glared. He raised a hand, then brought it down and cleanly backhanded Torchic into the wall. Stone crumbled, and the bird vanished under a pile of rubble.


    ¡°Torchic!¡± May sprung to her feet, lamely reaching for the fallen bird. Her hand clenched and she jerked to face Exploud, then recoiled, a snarled expletive dying in a whisper. May stared at Exploud, so close that her hair blew back with his breath. Red eyes glared into blue.


    Astra watched in mounting horror as Exploud once more wound back. She reached for her power, but the agony from the scream lingered and it felt like all she could grab was a fist of broken glass. ¡°May!¡± she yelled, struggling as the pain in her head spiked. ¡°Run!¡±


    A second passed. May jumped back. Exploud lashed out. A dull thump, a sharp exhalation, and suddenly May was flying through the air, rolling across the ground and coming to rest in a limp pile. She clutched at her side, eyes wide. She choked, then wheezed, sucking in air with pained, heaving gasps.


    ¡°May!¡± Astra screamed. A mirror of her cry rang out behind her.


    Astra turned and saw Brendan, staggering forward with a hand on the wall and Mudkip at his feet. Treecko was draped across Mudkip¡¯s back. Why was Treecko on Mudkip¡¯s back? Treecko looked at her, bleary eyed and a little embarrassed.


    Dizzy, he thought. Well, Astra could certainly understand that predicament all too well. The two shared a brief moment of mutual commiseration.


    Brendan stared at Astra, wide-eyed, then glared at Exploud with grit teeth. The giant had begun to plod towards May again. ¡°Water Gun!¡± he yelled to Mudkip, making a staggered run toward Astra. ¡°Aim for his feet!¡±


    Astra raised a hand and Brendan grabbed it, pulling her upright and causing the world to tilt again. Astra staggered, leaning against Brendan for support. Her head was still pounding, but she would still fight with whatever she had. Astra focused, the mere effort of sending a message wracking her mind. ¡°Bullet Seed!¡±


    Meanwhile, a blast of water struck Exploud¡¯s leg, and he stumbled, falling to one knee as one leg skidded across the wet floor. A growl permeated the air as a few bullet seeds ineffectually dug into his back. Exploud punched the floor and removed a large chunk of stone. Turning around, he roared and hurled the rock.


    Astra saw the rock fly as if in slow motion. She could barely hear Brendan scream out his own order as she begged them to move, but Mudkip was still stunned from the roar and Treecko was too slow at getting off his back and the stone was moving too fast¡ª


    There was the sound of rock hitting flesh, an all too horrifying spike of pain, and then silence.


    ¡°No...¡± Astra whispered, reaching out toward the fallen green form. She could see Treecko move, sheer grit overcoming the agony she could still feel ripping across their bond. Even Mudkip was still crawling forwards. After all of that, they still had enough determination to try? Astra would have been proud of them, if not for the despair that had swallowed her heart.


    Exploud stomped toward the fallen trainer. May wheezed, slowly uncurling from the ball she had huddled into. She looked up, squinting at the figure towering above her.


    Then, she laughed. A short, giggling thing bordering on hysterical. ¡°Come on, big guy,¡± she taunted, eyes wild. She stared, grinning maniacally. ¡°Was that your best shot?¡±


    Exploud snarled, and raised a fist.


    ¡°May!¡± Brendan screamed and let go of Astra, gently dropping her to the floor. He staggered forward, arm outstretched as if to simply pluck her away from danger.


    Astra grit her teeth and desperately tried to gather power. An endless onslaught of sharp teeth gnash at her head, but despite all her effort, what little she could muster passed through her grasp like fog. She gasped in pain, abandoned the attempt, and looked at May, wondering if it would be the very last time she could.


    May met her panicked gaze. Then, to Astra¡¯s utter bafflement, she smiled. Something pricked at the edge of Astra¡¯s awareness. A familiar feeling. And at the last second, she noticed that it wasn¡¯t dark anymore.


    Exploud roared, and brought his fist down.


    A pile of rock shifted, then was thrown aside.


    Light filled the hall.


    Talons scraped on stone as they raced forward.


    Thud.


    Exploud¡¯s fist stopped, a pair of clawed hands blocking its fall.


    ¡°Hey, Torchic.¡± May said, swaying. She grinned. ¡°Good to see ya.¡±


    Torchic stood before May, clad in a brilliant white aura. But he had changed. His legs were longer, half hidden by a covering of orange feathers and thick with muscle. His talons¡ªlarger, darker, sharper¡ªdug into the stone as the halted punch pressed down from above. Yellow plumage covered his upper body, and two feathered arms sprouted from what were once bits of fluff. Now-orange eyes glared up, widened beak clenched in effort. His crest twitched, now dyed crimson and twice as tall.


    Astra stared at Torchic, stunned. Ahead, Brendan halted his mad dash, awed.


    ¡°That¡¯s no Torchic...¡± he said, faintly, then with a surge of cheer. ¡°He¡¯s evolved into a Combusken!¡±


    Exploud peered down at Combusken. ¡°Loud?¡± he said, confused and outraged at the continued resistance. ¡°Loud!?¡± he roared, pushing down even harder. Combusken grinned, dug his feet in, and began to push.


    ¡°Com¡ª¡± he said, taking a step forward and shoving Exploud¡¯s arm back. Exploud grunted, then redoubled his assault. Combusken¡¯s guard buckled, but did not break.


    ¡°BUS¡ª!¡± he shouted, heaving Exploud¡¯s fist aside. Exploud stumbled, knocked off balance by the throw. Combusken crouched, and then jumped.


    ¡°KEN!¡± Combusken crowed, a taloned foot delivering a devastating front kick to Exploud¡¯s jaw. Still in the air, Combusken spun around and slammed his other leg into Exploud¡¯s face. Something crunched, and Exploud reared back, falling to the ground and clutching his bloody nose.


    ¡°Combusken!¡± Combusken declared, flipping backwards and landing in a crouch. He stood in front of May, taking a rough stance and poised to strike.


    ¡°Oh hell that was cool,¡± May breathed, slowly rising to her feet. She gave Combusken a shaky thumbs up. ¡°Good job, buddy.¡±


    Astra watched Combusken preen, but couldn¡¯t help the dread still creeping in her mind. Combusken, fresh off his evolution and ready for round three¡ªwould he be enough? Exploud was still monstrously strong; fatigued, yes, but still able to break stone and scream at will. If Combusken messed up once...


    Exploud held his nose, now dribbling crimson, and blared, a sound that May would describe as a fog horn blasting through the tunnel. He rose to his feet and charged at Combusken, a whistling bellow screeching from all horns.


    ¡°Get ready Combusken," May said, wheezing slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t get hit!¡±


    ¡°Ken!¡± Combusken said, crouching down.


    Exploud came at them, feet falling like meteors. He roared, cocked his fist back¡ªand then a burst of slick mud rocketed under his foot from behind, Exploud flailing wildly as he skidded through the muck. His legs shot out and he fell onto his back, groaning. Astra blinked. Where had that come from?


    As if to answer, a voice called out from behind. ¡°Marsh,¡± it said in a familiar, if deeper warble.


    Brendan stiffened, then turned around, gaping. ¡°Mudkip?¡± he whispered. Brendan paused, then grinned. ¡°No. Marshtomp?¡±


    Astra followed his gaze and stared. Mudkip, too, had changed. Twice as tall, the gills on his cheeks had narrowed and lengthened into spikes, and his three fins had darkened and grown larger. He walked up to Brendan, front legs now much longer and thinner.


    ¡°Stomp,¡± Marshtomp said, crawling up to Brendan and brushing against his legs.


    Brendan reached out, trailing a hand across Marshtomp back. Marshtomp rumbled, leaning into the touch. Brendan smiled. ¡°Heh. You were that close, huh? I should¡¯ve known. Alright then.¡± He looked up, eyes shining. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this!¡±


    ¡°Marsh!¡± Marshtomp agreed, turning back towards the Exploud.


    Astra, feeling a bit like a bystander, lifted herself up a bit, resting on her forearms. Mudkip had evolved too? But wait, if Mudkip had, then where was¡ª? Had he¡ª? She could sense him, he was awake, and moving! Astra grunted, heaving herself to a kneeling pose, head swimming. She blinked, took a breath, and heaved herself up. Her vision lurched, but she had to see, she had to know. She turned¡ª


    But her world blurred and spun, and Astra felt herself falling again.


    And then she stopped. Long, thin, green arms hugged her, halting her descent. Astra stared at them, confused. What was...?


    She looked down, but not as far as she expected. Yellow eyes stared back into her own, familiar, yet different, filled with worry and flicking around to spot anything amiss.


    His head was sleeker, more angular, a wider mouth curved into a worried frown. Eyes embedded inside instead of sticking up. A long, long piece of grass sprouted from the top of his scalp and trailed down his back, curling up at the end into a spiral. She could see two more poking from his lower back, and three each newly grown from his wrists.


    They looked at each other for a moment, and then Astra smiled.


    ¡°You got taller,¡± she mumbled. ¡°It looks good.¡±


    He looked at her smile and relaxed, the frond on his head uncurling in relief. ¡°Grovyle,¡± Grovyle preened, hoisting his master upright.


    Astra wobbled for a moment, then held still. She closed her eyes and just breathed for a second. The fog in her head cleared, if only a little, and she looked at Treecko. Or, Grovyle now, was it? He really had grown, Astra saw, a bit more than half as tall as she was.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to carry you anymore,¡± Astra noted wistfully.


    Grovyle blinked and examined Astra, then looked down at his new, much heavier form. He drooped. ¡°Grove...¡± he whined, disappointed.


    ¡°You¡¯re just too big,¡± Astra explained. ¡°I doubt I could support that kind of weight.¡± She grinned, glancing at the arms still holding her steady. ¡°But I guess it¡¯s you who¡¯s supporting me, now. Right?¡±


    Grovyle blinked, then rolled his eyes and smirked. ¡°Vyle.¡±


    A loud roar interrupted them. Astra turned to see that Exploud had gotten up again. Combusken was kicking him relentlessly, a flash of fire accompanying each kick, while Marshtomp fired bullet after bullet of thick mud at Exploud¡¯s face and body. Exploud looked to be slowing down just a bit. Had all the fighting finally begun to take its toll?


    Astra shook herself loose of Grovyle¡¯s arms and propped herself up at the wall. She looked at Grovyle and gestured at the battle, grinning.


    ¡°Shall we?¡± she asked.


    Grovyle smirked and held up an arm. Green energy flowed across his skin, and the leaves on his wrists suddenly straightened out in a brilliant verdant glow.


    ¡°Grove,¡± he said. Power.


    Astra stared at the inexplicably sharp leaves, then grinned. ¡°Heh. Well, that seems handy. Alright then.¡± Astra straightened, readjusted her hat, and pointed at Exploud as dramatically as she could manage.


    ¡°Let¡¯s give it all we got, guys!¡± Astra yelled, newly energized. ¡°Grovyle, Grass Cutter!¡±


    Grovyle bent forward, then shot off in a blast of dust. Past Brendan, who ducked back in surprise. Past Marshtomp, firing salvo after salvo of mud. Ahead, Exploud faced Combusken. The kick-happy bird jumped, delivering a flurry of blows to Exploud¡¯s face. Exploud grunted and staggered back, his guard blown wide open. Grovyle darted up, and lept.


    ¡°Grovyle!¡± Grovyle yelled, and slashed down across Exploud¡¯s back.


    Exploud roared in pain as a deep gash opened across his back, crimson dripping from shoulder to hip. He turned, eyes flickering between Grovyle, Marshtomp, and Combusken, and in Astra¡¯s senses a new emotion surfaced. Above the pain, and steadily supplanting the rage and the hate.


    Fear.


    ¡°EXPLOUD!¡± Exploud bellowed, fist thundering toward his new assailant. Grovyle jumped back¡ª


    ¡°Mud Shot!¡± Brendan called.


    ¡ªand a jet of thick mud flew past, smacking Exploud across his arm and face. Exploud missed Grovyle and stumbled, shaking and scraping the mud off. He stood, staring at Grovyle and Marshtomp with a newfound desperation. He inhaled, a sharp whistling filling the tunnel¡ª


    ¡°Double Kick!¡± May yelled.


    Combusken charged, coming up behind Exploud and swinging his leg out in a fiery arc. Exploud raised an arm to block, flesh torn and scorched as it withstood the brunt of the blow. The whistling wavered¡ª


    ¡°Grass Cutter!¡±


    A new line of red opened across Exploud¡¯s back, marking a weeping cross. Exploud gasped, then growled and threw Combusken back, swiping behind him to drive off Grovyle. Eyes flashing, Exploud shut his mouth and sucked, air funneling into his horns in a massive rush¡ª


    ¡°Bullet Seed!¡±


    ¡°Mud Shot!¡±


    ¡°Aim for his horns!¡± Astra and Brendan shouted together.


    ¡ªand then Exploud choked, sputtering and coughing as liquid dirt and piercing bullets shot down into his airways. He fell to a knee, coughing out lumps of mud and filth¡ª


    ¡°Keep kicking him!¡± May yelled. ¡°Go for the jaw!¡±


    ¡°Keep him down!¡± Brendan ordered, ¡°Cover him in as much mud as you can!¡±


    ¡ªonly for more sludge to encase his legs. Exploud struggled to lift himself up, the thick ooze resisting his efforts. Combusken rushed in and spun, delivering a brutal roundhouse kick to Exploud¡¯s jaw. Exploud''s head snapped around, eyes bulging and mouth loosely falling open.


    He fell to the ground, landing upon the mud beneath in a disgusting squelch. But even as Marshtomp poured more and more mud over Exploud¡¯s body, Exploud struggled to dig himself out. He pushed himself up by one arm, still expelling globs of muck from his lungs and weakly shovelling the sludge away.


    ¡°Exploud...¡± he said, voice weak and the once deep whistles that accompanied it now faint and off-key. He looked up, staring at them all with wild eyes. ¡°Exploud!¡±


    Asta had to admire the Exploud¡¯s sheer grit. Even with a broken nose, blackened skin and fur, a diced back, befouled airways, and battered jaw, Exploud still had the tenacity to lift itself back up and keep fighting. She watched his gaze slide past her own, and she followed it. Then, she sighed.


    In the alcoves, a few brave Whismurs remained, the friendly one among them. Of course Exploud would be fighting so hard. He had come out to protect his family. It was a cause Astra sympathized with. Was she not out here for the very same? But neither of them could do that while the other continued to fight. And while Astra had been perfectly happy to leave Exploud be, the Aqua grunt¡¯s actions had locked away any chance of a peaceful resolution.


    That said, any sympathy Astra held towards Exploud himself had vanished when he blew their ears out and punched May.


    ¡°Grovyle,¡± Astra said, resting against the wall. ¡°Drain him dry.¡±


    Grovyle leapt onto Exploud¡¯s back, shoving the large pokemon back down into the muck. A glowing verdant spike bloomed from Grovyle¡¯s palm and he struck down, driving it deep into Exploud¡¯s shoulder. The submerged pokemon cried out in pain as streams of green energy were siphoned away.


    ¡°Ex...¡± Exploud rasped, still trying to push himself up. One hand weakly grasped at the mud. ¡°Ex...!¡±


    May staggered along the tunnel wall, hand clutching at her side. Coming up to the mud-soaked pokemon, she stared, eyes glinting.


    ¡°Combusken,¡± she said, quietly. ¡°Axe kick.¡±


    Combusken stepped around the muck piling around the fallen giant. Standing before Exploud, Combusken looked down at the larger pokemon. Exploud stared back, eyes hazy.


    ¡°Ex¡ª¡±


    Combusken swung his leg up, and brought it down with a resounding crack. Exploud¡¯s skull smashed into the ground, rebounding off the stone beneath the mud. The force lifted Exploud¡¯s gaze just enough to look at Combusken. Then, at last, his eyes rolled back and he went limp, head thudding to the floor.


    Victory.


    Astra exhaled, sliding down the wall. It was over. She heard Brendan rush over to May, worrying over her injury¡ª


    ¡°I know how to take a fucking punch, Brendan! I¡¯m fine!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, maybe from people, but that was an Exploud! What if there¡¯s internal bleeding?¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    ¡ªbut their argument was somewhat indistinct. A rather distracting ringing sound persisted in Astra¡¯s ears, a remnant of all the impossibly loud pokemon she¡¯d run into today. It seemed to be fading a little, which was good. Going deaf would likely ruin her plans, and her music as well.


    She looked back at the fallen Exploud, seeing Grovyle yank his hand back, the spike retreating into his palm. Exploud was lying face down in the mud. Would he be able to breathe like that? She could just make out a faint whistling from a few unfouled horns, but it¡¯d be safer to make sure.


    She signaled to Grovyle, forming the message slowly to avoid a mishap. Flip.


    Grovyle blinked at Astra, then shrugged, nodding. Calling out to Combusken and Marshtomp, the three dug the mud off Exploud and turned him over, freeing his gargantuan maw from the muck. He was still breathing, so Astra called it a win.


    With Exploud no longer in danger of suffocating and May seeming as lively as ever¡ª


    ¡°Does it hurt to breathe?¡± Brenden pressed.


    May rolled her eyes, petting Combusken as he returned to his master. ¡°I¡¯m fine! Just... let me sit down for a minute, fuck.¡±


    ¡ªAstra leaned back and sighed, taking a moment to just... breathe. Take stock. She felt Grovyle sit next to her, and she absentmindedly reached out to stroke his head while she thought. The Aqua grunt had escaped, which was bad, but the briefcase was still here, lying on the ground and slightly muddy where Brendan had tossed it. Mission accomplished, she supposed, though Astra didn¡¯t like that the grunt had gotten away. Who knew what he would do next?


    Idly, Astra noted that her illusions had fallen off at some point. She carefully began to weave them back into place, her head still a bit tender from the earlier din. She doubted either May or Brendon had noticed, but it wouldn¡¯t do to get careless. Astra had just finished her height adjustment when she noticed a faint sniffling.


    She shot upright, eyes wide¡ªwhen had she closed them?¡ªonly to see that the side tunnels had once more filled with Whismur, all staring at their fallen protector. Their eyes shone with unshed tears, and one brave Whismur had stepped forward and was weakly pushing at Exploud. Astra recognized it as the same one they had met earlier.


    ¡°Whismur...?¡± Whismur said, voice wavering when Exploud failed to respond to her prodding. ¡°Whis...?¡±


    Astra looked from Whismur to the small crowd in the surrounding tunnels, all of whom were drowning in a miasma of despair. That wasn¡¯t good.


    ¡°Guys,¡± Astra said, urgently. ¡°We¡¯ve got a problem!¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Brendan looked up, having been hovering over May for the last minute. ¡°What¡¯s¡ªoh no,¡± he gasped, eyes wide.


    ¡°Oh hell,¡± May hissed, peering around Combusken. ¡±It¡¯s the fucking Whismur? Now?¡±


    ¡°They really don¡¯t seem to like that we knocked Exploud unconscious,¡± Astra explained. She gave Brendan a pleading look. ¡°Brendan, you calmed them down earlier. Can you do something?¡±


    Brendan hesitated, looking at the horde of Whismur in the side tunnels. Steeling himself, he nodded, expression firming. ¡°I can try.¡±


    Quietly approaching the lone Whismur, Brendan hunched down and called out. ¡°Hey, buddy,¡± he said, causing Whismur to whirl around in shock.


    ¡°Whis?¡± Whismur stepped back, staring up at Brendan. Astra could see her shaking, fear and hesitation warring in her mind. Brendan paused, then shuffled backwards a step. Whismur stopped shaking, confused, then looked between Exploud and Brendan. ¡°Mur?¡±


    ¡°Worried about the big guy?¡± Brendan asked, glancing at the fallen Exploud. ¡°He... should be fine. Maybe his nose will look a bit weird, but I don¡¯t think there will be any permanent damage. He''ll be up and about after a bit of rest.¡±


    Whismur frowned. ¡°Whismur mur!¡± she said, pointing at him accusingly. Astra briefly considered peeking at Whismur¡¯s surface thoughts to translate, if only for herself, but she was having a hard enough time saving energy to maintain her illusion and talk as it was.


    Brendan winced. ¡°Yeah, we did beat him up pretty hard. I¡¯m sorry it went that way, but he wasn¡¯t giving us much choice. If I had just held the man from Team Aqua down better¡ª¡±


    ¡°Whismur?¡± Whismur said, looking at Brendan intently. ¡°Mur Whis-whis!¡±


    ¡°Um,¡± Brendan said, looking faintly lost. ¡°Right. It was that guy''s fault, for doing that. But we¡ª¡± Brendan continued, motioning to himself, Astra, May, and their pokemon, ¡°¡ªhad to defend ourselves. I hope you can understand that. And, maybe help calm down your, uh, extended family?¡± Brendan eyed the Whismur in the tunnels, who looked a hair''s breadth from panicking once again. ¡°We do need to leave, and I think they¡¯d like that too.¡±


    Whismur stared at him, then back at Exploud, deep in thought. Seeming to come to a decision, she looked at him and nodded. ¡°Mur, mur-whis.¡±


    ¡°You will?¡± Brendan said. He smiled. ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°Are we in the clear?¡± May asked, still sitting by the wall. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°The Whismur is going to calm the rest down,¡± Astra answered. ¡°Though, I don¡¯t know how¡ªeh?¡± Astra went silent as a soft whistle filled the air.


    ¡°Whis mur-mur whis, whismur-ur ur-ur-whis~¡± Whismur sang. It echoed in the tunnel, gentle reverberations overlapping in perfect harmony. Unlike Brendan¡¯s song, this one seemed designed for the echoing warrens, and much improved for it. Whismur paused, giving Brendan a look.


    Brendan blinked. ¡°You... want me to sing with you again?¡± he asked. Whismur nodded. Brendan hesitated again, then shook his head and smiled. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll try my best. Though, I¡¯m still not any good at singing, I¡¯ll have you know.¡±


    Whismur giggled, then lifted her ears and inhaled. Brendan cleared his throat and began to hum. Then, they sang. Humming and whistling mostly in sync, their tune was a work that reminded Astra of cool, windy nights and the utter calm that came with it. A very insistent calm, one backed by Whismur¡¯s innate power.


    ¡®A lullaby?¡¯ Astra wondered, listening to it reverberate through the tunnel. It grew on itself as it rebounded, the notes and melody becoming more complex as past chords synced with the current. It was fascinating, and trying to figure out how it worked was all that kept Astra from falling asleep on the spot.


    Astra yawned, heavy eyelids threatening to flutter closed. Once all this was over, she was going to take a long nap. Looking over, Astra saw May doing much the same, her eyes watering a bit as she yawned into her hand. Their pokemon had already succumbed; Grovyle having sort of fallen over and sloppily curled around Astra¡¯s side while Combusken had sat next to May and dozed off. The surrounding Whismur didn¡¯t seem to be sleepy at all, but they had stopped shaking, and a few were even poking their heads out. Apparently judging that good enough, Whismur brought her and Brendan¡¯s little duet to a close.


    ¡°Whismur!¡± Whismur cheered, smiling at Brendan. She turned and waved at the other Whismur, who cautiously emerged from the side tunnels, watching the three trainers closely. They began to stream through the corridors, skirting past the trainers and beginning to dig Exploud out of the muck. Astra didn¡¯t know what they planned to do once they excavated Exploud¡¯s comparatively massive bulk, but at least they weren¡¯t terrified anymore.


    ¡°Huh.¡± Brendan blinked, watching the procession dig the mud away one tiny clump at a time. ¡°Well, that works. Thanks, Whismur.¡±


    ¡°Whis!¡±


    ¡°Ugh,¡± May cut in, grunting as she stood up and carefully not disturbing Combusken. Shaking her head, she returned Combusken to his pokeball, then picked up the briefcase from the floor. She rubbed at her eyes, blearily looking at Brendan and Astra. ¡°Well, we got the stupid briefcase back. Can we leave now?¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Astra agreed, recalling Grovyle. She stood up, checking to make sure everything looked right as she rose. Finding everything in order, she joined May and Brendan, massaging her aching head with a wince. ¡°Ugh, my head hurts...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just glad the ringing stopped. Any more of that and I might¡¯ve gotten tinnitus,¡± Brendan remarked, calling Marshtomp back as well. He grimaced. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it¡¯d happened before. Those miners must get some serious hazard pay.¡±


    ¡°If this thing doesn¡¯t pay for something, ¡° May added, motioning to the suitcase, ¡°I¡¯m going to... to... I dunno. Fill that guy''s mattress with gravel,¡± she muttered, yawning again.


    Brendan gave her a strange look. ¡°That¡¯s... inventive.¡±


    May scowled and flipped him off, but didn¡¯t comment further. Astra wondered which ¡®guy¡¯ she had meant. Presumably the Aqua grunt, but she wouldn¡¯t rule out the Devon employee either.


    ¡°Whismur!¡± Whismur said, drawing everyone''s attention. She was waving at the group of Whismur digging out Exploud. They all turned and stared. Whismur kept waving. ¡°Whismur whis! Mur mur!¡±


    The Whismur group looked¡ªshocked? Sad? Astra couldn¡¯t tell. But, as one, they looked over the three trainers and waved at them, a goodbye whispered en-masse. ¡°Mur!¡±


    That done, Whismur ambled past Brendan and down the tunnel, turning back to beckon them forward.


    ¡°...What was that?¡± May asked, looking at Brendan.


    Brendan blinked. ¡°I suspect our new friend wants to finish her escort mission.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s been pretty helpful so far,¡± Astra said, shrugging. ¡°I don¡¯t have a problem with it.¡±


    ¡°If she starts screaming, so will I,¡± May warned.


    ¡°It probably won¡¯t come to that, but please don¡¯t,¡± Brendan said, shooting May a flat look. Turning to Whismur, he smiled. ¡°Lead on, Whismur! We¡¯re counting on you.¡±


    Whismur chirped, and the three trainers followed the softly whistling pokemon through the tunnel. Aches and pains made themselves known with each step, and the exhaustion was felt with every slow blink, but the promise of escape kept them marching onward. Soon enough, light blossomed in the distance and, finally, they emerged into sunlight.


    Astra squinted at the sun, shading her eyes. It was still somewhat close to where it had been, marking the beginnings of mid-afternoon. Had it only been, what, twenty minutes? Half an hour? It felt longer. Astra scanned the area and sighed. No signs of the thief. She hadn¡¯t really expected him to stick around, but it would have been nice to tie up a loose end.


    A cheerful squawk drew her attention. Turning to look, Astra yelped as a Wingull swooped over her head. It circled above them with joyful cries of ¡°Wingull!¡± Astra stared at it for a second before she remembered.


    ¡°Peeko?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Wingull!¡± the bird cried out.


    ¡°She made it out alright,¡± Brendan said, sighing in relief. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°If she doesn¡¯t stop circling my head like she¡¯s about to lose some weight, she won¡¯t be for much longer,¡± May grumbled, eyeing Peeko warily.


    ¡°Oh, there you are!¡± a voice called out. ¡°Are you three alright?¡±


    Astra turned, spotting Mr. Briney walking up to them. His brow was furrowed, eyes glancing over them and noting every scrape and bruise. After a moment he let out a relieved sigh. Putting two fingers in his mouth, he let loose a sharp whistle. Peeko wheeled around and descended, alighting on the old sailor¡¯s shoulder. He smiled, stroking the bird¡¯s head.


    ¡°Thank you so much for rescuing my darling Peeko. I dare say she owes her life to you three,¡± he said, looking at the three trainers in turn. ¡°I was worried when you didn¡¯t follow her out, and then all that racket started... That birdnapper left before you did, fled straight into the forest before anyone knew what was happening! I thought that something awful had happened.¡±


    ¡°The thief caused some trouble with the Whismur, and escaped in the confusion,¡± Brendan explained. ¡°There was a fight with their patriarch and... well, we¡¯re pretty battered, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°Oh dear. Well, I¡¯m glad to see that you¡¯re all in one piece, at least.¡± Mr. Briney grimaced. ¡°I¡¯d hate for a couple of kids to get injured on my behalf. That said, I¡¯m not one to let a debt go unpaid. If you ever need anything, be sure to let me know!¡±


    May squinted. ¡°What would I ever need from some old guy? A bingo club ticket?¡±


    Brendan rounded on May, but before he could say a word, Mr. Briney began to laugh.


    ¡°Do ho ho ho!¡± Mr. Briney smiled, a mischievous glint in his eye. ¡°Ah, such spunk from youngsters these days. I will admit, I can¡¯t do much these days,¡± he admitted, tugging on his beard thoughtfully, ¡°But if I do say so, I am quite the accomplished sailor. By the looks of you three, I wouldn¡¯t be amiss to think that you¡¯re going around collecting gym badges for the pokemon championship, are you?¡±


    ¡°We are,¡± Astra confirmed. ¡°We just fought Roxanne the other day, actually.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡± Brendan said, blinking. He groaned, facepalming. ¡°The one day I don¡¯t visit the gym. Of course. Did you win?¡±


    ¡°Kicked her ass,¡± May confirmed, smirking. She turned back to Mr. Briney. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re going through the gyms. What of it?¡±


    ¡°Well, there just so happens to be a gym down south on Dewford Island,¡± Mr. Briney said, grinning. ¡°I daresay you¡¯ll be hard pressed to find yourself a way there without buying a boat ticket. You could swim there yourself, of course, but those waters are awfully treacherous, especially near Winter¡¯s Eye.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Astra said as the pieces fell into place. ¡°You¡¯d be willing to take us to Dewford Island?¡±


    ¡°That I could, young miss,¡± Mr. Briney confirmed. ¡°That is, if you¡¯re amicable to the idea. Heck, I¡¯ll ferry you to Slateport afterward too. Anytime you want! For my Peeko, I¡¯d say that¡¯s a fair deal.¡±


    ¡°Gull, gull!¡± Peeko agreed, nodding wisely.


    ¡°Oh man, I could go sailing with Mr. Briney!¡± Brendan exclaimed with starry eyes. ¡°It¡¯d be an honor, sir!¡±


    Mr. Briney chuckled. ¡°No need to call me sir, Briney does me just as well. If you insist on being formal, well an old sea dog like me, I suppose Captain would do eh? Oh!¡± He blushed, suddenly looking contrite. ¡°I¡¯ve been so caught up in all the excitement that I¡¯ve forgotten to ask your names! Care to trouble an old sailor with them?¡±


    ¡°My name¡¯s Astra!¡± Astra said, giving Briney a large smile, which he returned. He reminded Astra of her Grandpa, a bit. He was nice. ¡°Thank you for the offer!¡±


    ¡°I suppose you didn¡¯t hear me earlier, but you can call me Brendan. Brendan Birch.¡± Brendan said, offering his hand. Briney shook it, giving Brendan a firm nod.


    May considered Briney for a moment, then shrugged. ¡°Name¡¯s May. I suppose a free ride wouldn¡¯t be too bad. Sure, why not.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s good to hear!¡± Briney said. He bowed, with Peeko fluttering to stay balanced on his shoulder. ¡°Once again, Astra, Brendan, May, thank you all. Should you want to take me up on my offer, you can find my house just south of the Petalburg Woods, on the beach. It¡¯s the one with the pier.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Astra said, surprised. ¡°I think we saw that before, didn¡¯t we May?¡±


    ¡°Huh. Yeah, I remember that. That¡¯s your house?¡± May asked, receiving a nod in return. ¡°Alright, got it. We¡¯ll see you there, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Very good! I¡¯ll see you then. Farewell.¡± Mr. Briney smiled one last time and turned to leave, but paused. ¡°Oh, and Brendan? That little one by your feet seems to want your attention.¡± He waved, then walked off, Peeko taking off and circling overhead with a happy caw.


    ¡°Eh?¡± Brendan blinked, then looked down. Whismur peered out from behind his leg, staring intently at the shrinking Mr. Briney.


    Noticing his stare, Whismur looked up and smiled. ¡°Whis!¡±


    ¡°Oh, hey Whismur,¡± Brendan said, smiling. He knelt down, his tone a bit more somber. ¡°I suppose this is it, then. Thanks for helping us out back there, it saved us a lot of trouble.¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Astra agreed. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, we¡¯d have been in real big trouble with all the other Whismur. You¡¯ve been a big help!¡±


    May yawned. Everyone waited a moment. May rolled her eyes. ¡°Mhm. Sure. Thanks,¡± she muttered, dryly.


    Brendan shook his head. ¡°Heh. Well, I¡¯m still not much of a vocalist, but singing was kind of fun. Take care of yourself¡ªhuh?¡±


    Brendan paused as Whismur puffed up and angrily waved her arms about. ¡°Whismur whis!¡± she said, glaring at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re not saying goodbye?¡± Brendan asked confusedly. ¡°Er, Whismur, I know you liked singing with me, but we do have to leave¡ªwait.¡± Brendan paused, looking even more confused. ¡°Do you... want to come with me?¡±


    ¡°How did he get all that out of ¡®Whismur mur¡¯ and a bunch of flailing?¡± May muttered to Astra, who shrugged. This was unexpected, though. Why would Whismur want to be captured? Didn¡¯t she know that she¡¯d be fighting? Whismur, as a species, seemed particularly disinclined to seek power for power''s sake. So, what reason could there be?


    Whismur nodded, leaving Brendan looking bewildered. ¡°Why?¡± he asked, echoing Astra¡¯s musings. ¡°It can¡¯t just be because you liked singing with me. I mean, you do know what you¡¯re asking for, right? A trainer''s pokemon needs to be able to fight. If you want to come with me, you¡¯d have to learn how to battle.¡±


    Rather than deterring her, this appeared to reaffirm Whismur¡¯s resolve. ¡°Whis!¡± she said, looking Brendan in the eye. She pointed back to the cave and started waving her arms around a lot. ¡°Whismur whis whis! Mur mur whis! Whis!¡± she said, miming a punch and a kick, the latter of which made her fall over. She scrambled back up and pointed at Brendan. ¡°Whismur!¡± she finished, nodding in finality.


    SIlence.


    ¡°Did... anyone get that?¡± May asked, looking from Brendan to Astra. Astra shrugged, feeling as lost as May looked.


    ¡°I think I have a theory,¡± Brendan said, examining Whismur carefully. ¡°Because we beat Exploud, Whismur has lost confidence in Exploud¡¯s ability to defend the cave.¡± Whismur started nodding, encouraging Brendan to continue. ¡°So, I think Whismur wants me to train her, because we¡¯re stronger than Exploud, so she can become an even better guardian for the cave. More or less?¡±


    ¡°Whismur!¡± Whismur chimed, nodding rapidly.


    Astra stared. Well, she could understand the motivation far too well, but wasn¡¯t there a huge problem with that plan!? ¡°How would she defend the cave if she¡¯s stuck with you?¡± she asked Brendan, confused.


    ¡°Well, when the time comes, I could just release her,¡± Brendan said, thoughtfully. ¡°It¡¯s not like I have to keep her forever.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Astra said. She hadn¡¯t known that trainers could just... let pokemon go. The concept hadn¡¯t even occurred to her. But now it seemed obvious. If Astra had caught something that was so totally hostile or uncooperative as to be a danger to herself, she wouldn¡¯t want to keep it around either. She supposed that would apply to more mundane reasons as well, such as a permanent injury or... a deal, as the current situation was going.


    She thought about it for a second, then shook her head. Leaving home to protect it¡ªa familiar story. So similar. Yet... so different. ¡°I hope you know what you¡¯re getting into,¡± Astra told Whismur. Joining up with the first human she met, or one that could beat her? Personally participating in all these fights? Left under the whims of whatever random person had captured her? Such a plan never would have worked in Astra¡¯s favor. She could only wish the smaller pokemon luck.


    ¡°I can¡¯t promise that you¡¯ll find exactly what you¡¯re looking for, but I¡¯ll do my best to try. But it will be hard,¡± Brendan said, bringing out an empty pokeball. ¡°Are you sure about this?¡±


    ¡°Whis!¡± Whismur declared, puffing up to her full height. Which wasn¡¯t much, but Astra couldn¡¯t deny the determination in the Whismur¡¯s eyes. That was impressive, considering Whismur¡¯s eyes were basically a few slits where proper eyes would be.


    Brendan looked at Whismur for another moment, then nodded. He grinned. ¡°Alright then. Hello, Whismur, I¡¯m Brendan Birch. We¡¯ll be partners from here on out. Glad to have you.¡±


    Brendan tossed the pokeball. Whismur chirped, jumping to catch it. The ball bonked her on the head and Whismur vanished in a swirl of red light. The ball chimed thrice and fell still with a soft click.


    ¡°Neat. Now in a month we¡¯ll have a personal ear-breaker,¡± May grumbled as Brendan stashed it away. ¡°Can we go back to Rustboro now? Getting out of bed this morning was a mistake.¡± May rubbed at her side for a moment, wincing.


    Astra gave her a worried look. ¡°You okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± May said, waving Astra off and confidently striding towards the road. ¡°Just gotta¡ª erk!¡± She halted, holding her side with grit teeth. ¡°...gotta walk it off,¡± she finished, muttering.


    Astra and Brendan shared a look. ¡°Well,¡± Brendan said, watching May carefully. ¡°I should probably tell the miners what went down, but yeah. Let¡¯s go back to Rustboro.¡±


    ...


    ¡°What do you mean you ¡®knocked out the Exploud¡¯!? It¡¯ll take weeks before we can go back in there without it trying to assault us!¡±


    Incidentally, the miners weren¡¯t happy.

 Concern

    The afternoon sun shone down upon the three trainers, passing clouds occasionally granting cool relief and shade. To Astra, the walk back to Rustboro felt twice as long as the trek to Rusturf Tunnel, and though they were getting close it still felt like the city was hours away. The mad sprint earlier in the day, the endless jog that followed, and the utter mayhem in the tunnel itself had exhausted her meager endurance. It was only by grace of the group''s frequent breaks that she could still stand at all.


    Despite the difficulty their group had imposed upon the miners, they had graciously allowed them to access their supply of water, and Astra had even managed to scrounge up a few Oran berries from clean-picked bushes along the way. That had kept her from collapsing on the spot, but every step she took was harder than the last. Astra wanted nothing more than to go back to the hotel, take the longest, hottest shower she could, and go to bed.


    May, walking to Astra¡¯s left, looked haggard and worn. Her hair stood out every which way, her clothes had scratches and bits torn off on the edges, and she occasionally winced and rubbed at the spot Exploud had punched her.


    Brendan was walking on May¡¯s other side, pulling his bike along and notably less exhausted than either of them. Astra eyed his bike sullenly, a little resentful that he hadn¡¯t had to deal with all the running she¡¯d done today. Stupid, lousy, helpful Brendan. Now on the way back, no one was using the bike at all. Brendan refused to ride ahead¡ªthe bike couldn¡¯t hold all of them without crashing, and leaving just one person behind was unfair, he said. But Astra thought he just didn¡¯t want to leave them on their own right now. So, he¡¯d chosen to slowly trod the path back alongside them, bike handle and briefcase in either hand.


    It was a decent chance to catch up, though. And if it distracted them from the fatigue, all the better.


    ¡°¡ªand then I had Treecko fire one last Bullet Seed right before the rocks fell on him,¡± Astra said, smacking her fist into her palm. ¡°The seed ricocheted off three other rocks and flew straight into Nosepass¡¯s ear! That was the last straw, and Nosepass fell over, completely unconscious! Treecko fainted too, because he got buried under a giant pile of rocks.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Brendan asked, eyes wide. ¡°Three times? That¡¯s insane.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t¡¯ve believed it if I hadn¡¯t seen it myself.¡± May added. ¡°It was crazy.¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡± Astra grinned tiredly. Her victory over Roxanne yesterday was still fresh in her mind, the Stone Badge a shining proof that her goal was possible. ¡°Roxanne almost declared it a tie, and I would¡¯ve lost if it was. But luckily, I still had Slakoth! That meant I was still in the fight, and since Roxanne was out of pokemon that meant I won! Got the Stone Badge and everything,¡± she said, grinning proudly.


    ¡°Well done,¡± Brendan said, giving Astra a congratulatory smile and thumbs-up. ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask Roxanne if I can see the tapes next time I see her. And you did all this while playing your violin?¡±


    Astra nodded. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s kind of my thing, now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s kinda nice,¡± May said. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a single fight without background music since Petalburg. Except for my gym fight, I guess.¡± May side eyed Astra and gave her a light shove. ¡°Dirty rat cheated me out of boss music.¡±


    ¡°Not my fault!¡± Astra protested. ¡°I was indisposed!¡±


    ¡°So how did your fight go, May?¡± Brendan asked. ¡°I imagine you did well, ¡®boss music¡¯ aside.¡±


    ¡°Amazing is more like it!¡± May boasted, puffing up. ¡°I knocked out her first Geodude with Lotad, then beat up her electric one with my Poochyena, finishing it off with Lotad again. Then I basically blasted Nosepass back into its pokeball, finishing it off with an awesome aerial water gun!¡±


    ¡°Which you totally stole from me,¡± Astra accused.


    May sniffed. ¡°You¡¯re just mad I did it better.¡±


    ¡°You still had to copy me, so I win!¡± Astra blew a raspberry. ¡°Nyeh.¡±


    ¡°Believe whatever you want,¡± May said, waving her off. ¡°I¡¯m still the one who made it look good. So Brendan!¡± she continued, abruptly switching tracks. ¡°How¡¯d your fight go?¡±


    Brendan blinked, caught off guard. ¡°My fight?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, with Roxanne. You were at the gym too, right?¡± May asked, looking at Brendan curiously.


    ¡°Ah, right. Hm.¡± Brendan pondered the question, looking at the sky as he walked. ¡°When I fought her... it went smoothly, I suppose. Unlike you guys, I fought a bunch of trainers at the gym beforehand, so I had a bit of practice fighting rock types. It wasn¡¯t easy, but I managed to plan around her moves and take her pokemon down without any unexpected results.¡±


    ¡°... is that it?¡± Astra asked after a moment of silence. That wasn¡¯t a fun explanation at all! ¡°I mean, I¡¯m glad you won, but that¡¯s pretty vague.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, c¡¯mon,¡± May goaded, ¡°You tellin¡¯ me nothing exciting happened?¡±


    ¡°Nothing like you two,¡± Brendan admitted. ¡°It was mostly just, you know. Dodge until there was an opening, Mud Slap so they couldn¡¯t see, then Water Gun until they fell over. It was about as routine as a fight can get.¡±


    ¡°Hm. I dunno. It is pretty impressive that you managed to turn a fight against her into something so totally planned out.¡± Astra observed. She had been on the back foot several times during her encounter, and May hadn¡¯t gotten out unscathed either.


    ¡°Heh.¡± Brendan scratched the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. ¡°Well, if you say so. Thanks. You guys sounded pretty amazing too. We¡¯ll have to spar sometime. Maybe I can see this fabled music of yours, Astra. Or, hear it, as it were.¡± He chuckled. May rolled her eyes.


    Astra nodded determinedly. ¡°Of course! I¡¯m a lot stronger now, so you better prepare yourself!¡± she declared, pointing at him dramatically.


    ¡°I will. And I¡¯m glad you finally learned how to actually give your pokemon commands, too,¡± Brendan added, giving Astra a wry grin.


    ...eh? Astra looked at Brendan, confused. What was he talking about? ¡°But I¡¯ve always given my pokemon commands?¡± she asked, questioningly.


    Brendan frowned. ¡°No you haven¡¯t. Remember when we fought in Petalburg? You just let your pokemon fight without saying anything.¡±


    Oh right, Astra remembered that. The fight outside the Petalburg Gym. She hadn¡¯t started using her violin to ¡®order¡¯ her pokemon around yet. And Brendan had stayed behind, so he didn¡¯t know about the cover story Astra had told May either.


    May snapped her fingers, lighting up like she¡¯d just found a whole bush of Leppa berries. ¡°Oh man, I totally forgot! He doesn¡¯t know!¡± she said, echoing Astra¡¯s thoughts. May whirled on the smaller girl, grinning madly. ¡°Astra, do the thing!¡±


    ¡°What, now?¡± Astra asked, blinking again. She¡¯d thought May would¡¯ve wanted to wait for a more opportune moment.


    May just grinned wider. ¡°Yes, now! C¡¯mon, it¡¯ll be hilarious!¡±


    ¡°What thing?¡± Brendan cut in, cautiously glancing between the two. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Astra glanced at Brendan, considering. Well, he had gotten off pretty lightly... ¡°Hey, Brendan!¡±


    Brendan looked at Astra, thoroughly lost. ¡°...yes?¡± he asked, warily.


    Astra grinned. ¡°BOO!¡±


    The ¡®sound¡¯ rang out from behind Brendan¡¯s head. He yelped, swivelling around and jumping back, briefcase interposed between him and his assailant like a shield. Silence followed, broken only by Brendan¡¯s bike falling to the earth.


    His head turned, frantically scanning the area. Spotting nothing, he slowly lowered the briefcase, confused. ¡°Who... what?¡±


    Laughter was his only answer. Astra held a hand over her mouth, hiding a wicked grin and giggling incessantly. The way he had jumped, priceless, but the way he had screamed, oh it was the best thing she¡¯d heard all day.


    Next to her, May was openly cackling at Brendan. Cackling which abruptly transitioned into pained wheezing. ¡°Augh, ugh, laughing hurts, ah fuck,¡± May gasped, clutching her sides. ¡°Still, your fa~ace! Gahaha¡ªow!¡±


    Brendan, for his part, seemed torn between worrying over May¡¯s pained heaving and his irritation. He watched May for a moment, then shook his head and stared at Astra, scowling. ¡°What was that!?¡± he demanded.


    ¡°Oh not much,¡± Astra said, grinning, her voice still coming from behind Brendan¡¯s head. The boy flinched, and Astra had to stifle herself. ¡°I¡¯m just throwing my voice, is all.¡±


    Brendan looked confused, then his eyes widened in astonishment. ¡°Wait, that¡ªyou were¡ªbut...¡± he sputtered, looking back again, astonished. ¡°That came from behind me!¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Astra said, smirking. ¡°Pretty great, huh?¡± she continued, every word coming from a different direction. Brendan twitched with every one, and Astra had to fight down a snicker. Ah, messing with him was as fun as ever~ May really had the right idea.


    ¡°Knock it off!¡± Brendan said, glaring at her for a moment. Then his eyes widened in realization. ¡°Wait, that¡¯s how you were doing it...¡± he breathed. ¡°You weren¡¯t letting Treecko fight on his own, I just couldn¡¯t hear you. Oh man,¡± Brendan exclaimed, snapping his fingers. ¡°Is that how you made the Aqua grunt drop Treecko?¡± He paused, frowning. ¡°Wait, no.¡±


    ¡°You mean Peeko?¡± Astra asked, her ¡®voice¡¯ returning to the proper source. She turned back to the road, the group setting out once more.


    ¡°They sound so similar!¡± Brendan complained as he picked up his bike. ¡°Anyway, yeah. Is that how you made the Aqua guy drop Peeko?¡±


    ¡°We really should have gotten the bastard''s name,¡± May groused. ¡°I never know what to call him.¡±


    ¡°I know, right!?¡± Astra said, gesturing at May emphatically. ¡°I keep calling him stuff in my head and it¡¯s all so messy! And yeah,¡± she continued, turning back to Brendan. ¡°It was. All I had to do was wait for an opening¡ª¡±, she formed an L with her thumb and finger and ¡®fired¡¯ it, imitating the lady from the berry shop, ¡°¡ªand pew pew! Peeko was free!¡±


    ¡°Fantastic work, I¡¯d say.¡± Brendan said. ¡°He really had us in a rough spot. If it weren¡¯t for you, well, I don¡¯t want to know what would¡¯ve happened. Mr. Briney would¡¯ve been devastated if anything had happened to Peeko, not to mention whatever the costs of losing this briefcase was. I¡¯m glad it all worked out, even if he got away.¡±


    May hummed, nodding along. ¡°It was pretty lucky he sort of spazzed out right then, too. What was the deal with that, anyway? Did a bug crawl up his pants or something?¡±


    Astra eyed May. Sometimes she wished the taller girl would stop being so observant. Did she know how hard Astra was working to keep up this facade? ¡°I dunno,¡± Astra said, shrugging. ¡°I just saw an opportunity and took it.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Maybe he was about to sneeze...? I doubt we¡¯ll ever find out.¡± Brendan sighed. ¡°A bunch of weird stuff went down back there. All the Whismur, the Aqua guy, the Exploud; it¡¯s been one heck of a day.¡± He hefted up the briefcase, looking it over with a weary frown. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m still worried about this thing. What¡¯s so important that Team Aqua would resort to theft?¡±


    ¡°Who are those jerks anyway?¡± May asked. ¡°You know them?¡±


    ¡°Not personally, but in passing, yeah,¡± Brendan said, lowering the case. ¡°Team Aqua is an oceanic wildlife preservation group. They do things like advocate against overfishing, build artificial coral reefs, and protect endangered sea pokemon. They¡¯re actually fairly popular; the news loves to talk about them.¡±


    Astra frowned. That didn¡¯t sound bad at all. ¡°So if they¡¯re such good guys, why did that guy do all that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I can¡¯t figure out.¡± Brendan pinched the bridge of his nose, frustrated. ¡°As far as I can remember, they¡¯ve never done anything so blatantly illegal. This is way out of character for them. All I can think of is that ¡®plan¡¯ the guy said ¡®Archie¡¯ made. If I recall, Archie is the name of the man who runs Team Aqua, but I¡¯ve no idea what sort of plan would need to do all this. Heck, for all I know that guy just stole a uniform and tried to frame them.¡±


    ¡°Well, he certainly said their name often enough,¡± May muttered.


    ¡°We could look inside the briefcase,¡± Astra offered, partially because it could be a clue, and partially because she just really wanted to know. ¡°Maybe seeing what¡¯s inside would help?¡±


    Brendan considered it for a moment, looking down at the shiny silver case. He shook his head. ¡°No, this is still Devon property. We shouldn¡¯t snoop on private property just to maybe find a motive. That¡¯s... I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s illegal.¡±


    ¡°Aw.¡± ¡°Lame.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡± Brendan sighed again. ¡°I guess it¡¯s just another thing that¡¯ll go unanswered today.¡± He shook his head, exasperated. ¡°Heck, nevermind the spasms and Team Aqua, I still can¡¯t figure out how Exploud got his head stuck in the wall!¡±


    A moment of silence. May blinked. ¡°Wait, he did what? When was that?¡±


    ¡°When Exploud was screaming.¡± Brendan clarified. ¡°Or more precisely, when he stopped. His head was stuck in the wall.¡± He grimaced. ¡°I didn¡¯t see how it happened, but I saw the aftermath. It was bizarre. One moment, screaming, the next, embedded.¡±


    Astra and May looked at each other, confused. Well, May was confused. Astra¡¯s mind raced. Had she done something back there? Her memories of the scream were fuzzy and painful. She had really wanted Exploud to stop, and then...


    Had she thrown Exploud hard enough to lodge him in solid stone? Wow. Uh. Hm. Probably best not to confirm that. ¡°I think I saw that?¡± she ventured. ¡°I was pretty out of it, though.¡±


    ¡°Must have missed it,¡± May muttered, pausing to take a swig of water. ¡°Mmm. Only thing I remember was Torchic getting bitchslapped into evolution.¡±


    ¡°So nobody saw anything?¡± Brendan asked, crestfallen. ¡°Dang, that was eating at me. I just can¡¯t figure it out. Our pokemon were mostly down, we were incapacitated, and...¡± Brendan paused, floundering. ¡°It just doesn¡¯t make any sense,¡± he finished, drooping.


    ¡°Eh.¡± May shrugged. ¡°Can¡¯t say I care too much. Bastard punched me; I¡¯d have shoved his head into the wall myself if I could.¡±


    ¡°Sorry we couldn¡¯t help,¡± Astra apologized. It wasn''t like she could actually tell him what really happened.


    Brendan sighed, then gave Astra and May a tired grin. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I guess it isn¡¯t important now anyway.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡± ¡°Hn.¡±


    SIlence fell, the conversation petering out. They continued to walk, aches and pains making themselves known with nothing else to focus on. The road stretched on endlessly, the city still tens of minutes away.


    Astra¡¯s feet hurt.


    ¡°So!¡± she eventually chirped, turning back to Brendan. ¡°Find anything interesting back on 102?¡±


    Brendan perked back up, and started to ramble about odd things like ¡®Population Metrics¡¯, ¡®Berry Replenishment Rates¡¯, ¡®A Disappointing Lack of Ralts Sightings¡¯¡ªmuch to Astra¡¯s relief¡ªand ¡®This Cool Rock I Found.¡¯


    They looked at the rock. It was a usual sort of greyish oval, but it had a smooth hole in the middle. Astra, comparing it to her own collection of cool rocks back home, thought it was rather nice. No points for coloring, but the shape was rare enough. Incomparable to her shiny green one, of course.


    May, unconcerned with the deeper lore of rock collecting, tried to see if her finger would fit through the hole. It did. It also refused to come off again.


    Distractions, but much needed ones. Astra giggled, watching Brendan frantically try to pry the rock off May¡¯s finger over a litany of expletives. It was good to have everyone in one place again.


    <hr>


    Rustboro came into view fifteen minutes later, the tall, gleaming spires a beacon of hope to the beleaguered trio. They passed the city limits shortly thereafter, signified by the road abruptly transitioning from packed dirt to pavement and an actual sign reading ¡®Welcome to Rustboro!¡¯


    And across the city, the Devon buildings stood near the docks. The trainers stared at the distant buildings for a moment, and the several long, long roads between them. Then they looked at a much closer building, a hotel that Astra and May happened to book a room in a few days ago.


    Ten minutes after that, May was manhandling the lock to her and Astra¡¯s room. The door slammed open and the three trainers trudged through, collapsing upon any surface within reach.


    "Uuugh,¡± May groaned, spread-eagle upon the bed. ¡°Someone buy me a casket, I¡¯m never moving again for the rest of my life.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve got sores on my sores,¡± Astra said from the floor, poking at her nubby feet (Subtly, of course). She grimaced at the raw, red tips. Her robe was caked in sweat and dirt too, the grimy cloth leaving a swath of minor abrasions as it more-or-less sandpapered her coat. Astra was starting to understand why May had been so upset back in Petalburg. ¡°I feel disgusting.¡±


    Brendan slumped into the armchair in the corner, the briefcase thunking onto the end table. He stared at the ceiling, eyes lidded. After a moment, he sighed despondently. ¡°...We still gotta take this thing back.¡±


    May and Astra groaned in unison. ¡°It¡¯s been hours already!¡± Astra complained. ¡°Can¡¯t he wait one more?¡±


    Brendan seemed conflicted on the matter, biting his lip in thought. After a moment he rose from the armchair with a grunt and reached for his pack. ¡°I should at least call¡ª¡± Brendan started, then stopped when May reached back and clamped her hand around his leg in an iron grip.


    ¡°If I have to walk again in the next twenty minutes,¡± May warned, staring at the ceiling placidly, ¡°my legs will literally fall off. If that happens, I will pick them up and pummel you with them.¡±


    ¡°Alright, hour break it is!¡± Brendan yelped, snatching his leg back. He sat back down, grumbling. ¡°I suppose I could do with a breather myself.¡± He frowned. ¡°But I want you to see a doctor about that punch Exploud hit you with. You were wincing the whole way home, and you¡¯ve been breathing weird.¡±


    ¡°Fine, whatever! Just lemme lay do~wn,¡± May groaned again. She turned over, burying her face into the sheets. ¡°Ugh.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that sounds like a plan.¡± Astra agreed. It wouldn¡¯t do to leave an injury unchecked, and those second-hand throbs of pain she could feel were starting to worry her. May, it seemed, was able to tolerate such things a lot better than Astra would have.


    In the meantime, Astra dearly wanted to take a nap. But she wasn¡¯t doing it coated in grime. Laboriously, she got to her feet and shambled toward the bathroom. ¡°Hey Brendan, I¡¯m gonna take a shower. Could you put my clothes in the washing machine down the hall?¡±


    ¡°Hm? Oh, yeah, sure.¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡± Astra said, slipping inside. Sighing in relief, she slowly began to peel her filthy robe off.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    <hr>


    Brendan blinked as the door opened and a pile of black cloth shoved its way onto the floor, a sunhat placed neatly on top. The door quickly shut, clicking as the lock was set. Soon after, the sound of falling water filled the air.


    ¡°Guess I¡¯d better take care of that,¡± he mused, grunting as he stood.


    ¡°Mmm. Take a good look before you put it in.¡± May said, voice muffled by the sheets.


    Brendan furrowed his brow, confused. ¡°At what? Her clothes?¡± he asked, gathering the bundle in his arms. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°Uh. Okay?¡± Brendan said, raising an eyebrow. Shrugging, he left the room, pausing to set the hat on the table.


    He came back a few minutes later, looking thoroughly poleaxed. May, now sitting upright, raised a single eyebrow.


    ¡°You saw?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Her cloak? Yeah,¡± Brendan said, baffled. ¡°What was that? Is she really just wearing an entire roll of plain fabric?¡±


    ¡°Yep. It¡¯s all she brought with her, apparently,¡± May said, idly swinging her legs. ¡°Held us up for a good hour yesterday because she ran it through the wash once we checked in. Weird, right?¡±


    ¡°Right...¡± Brendan looked at Astra¡¯s bag, as if seeing it for the first time. ¡°Is that... grass?¡± he muttered, frowning. He eyed Astra¡¯s hat as well, before shaking his head. ¡°She really doesn¡¯t have anything else? Not even underwear?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s exactly what I want to hear: you, asking about girls underwear.¡± May snickered at his pained expression, then paused, grimacing. ¡°Well, now that you mention it, I guess not. I didn¡¯t think to ask. I only found out myself back in Petalburg; she didn¡¯t have a place to stay, so I let her share my room.¡±


    ¡°Well that''s... certainly peculiar,¡± Brendan tried, looking uncertain. ¡°Did she say why?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but you should ask her yourself. Not something she wanted me sharing.¡± May snorted. ¡°And just peculiar? Try flat out bizarre. I had to make her wear towels to bed instead of her nasty robe. Did you know she had no idea what toilets were? She asked me why there was a chair full of water in the bathroom.¡±


    Brendan stared at her, eyes wide. ¡°She didn¡¯t know what a toilet was!?¡± he exclaimed, incredulous.


    May rolled her eyes. ¡°Plumbing, you dork. Of course she knows what a toilet is. They probably have like, outhouses out there, or something.¡±


    ¡°Oh. That... makes more sense, I guess.¡± Brendan paused, thinking. Slowly, he rounded the bed and sat back down in the chair, leaning back into the plush with a sigh. He glanced at the bathroom door, brows furrowed.


    With a grunt, May twisted around and snagged a pillow, falling stomach-first onto the bed with the cushion under her chin. ¡°So,¡± she said from the foot of the bed, ¡°What¡¯s eatin¡¯ you?¡±


    Brendan blinked, looking at May .¡°What makes you think something¡¯s bothering me?¡±


    ¡°Your forehead¡¯s all creased up and you¡¯re biting your lip,¡± May said. ¡°You do that when you¡¯re thinking. See? You¡¯re doing it now!¡± she grinned, poking him in the leg. ¡°Hah, score one for May!¡±


    Brendan stared at the ceiling. ¡°Ah,¡± he said, a light dust of red coating his cheeks. He coughed, then sat up straight. ¡°Well, uh. I was just thinking,¡± he said, averting his gaze, ¡°Astra doesn¡¯t seem very... knowledgeable, does she?¡±


    ¡°What tipped you off?¡± May said, dryly. ¡°The bikes, the lights, or the toilet?¡±


    ¡°The books, actually,¡± Brendan corrected. ¡°Back in the tunnel, Astra said she didn¡¯t know what a textbook was. Doesn¡¯t that seem... strange, to you?¡±


    May hummed. ¡°Yeah, kinda. Honestly I¡¯ve just started ignoring all the weird questions. Again, toilet. Hell, she asked about concrete earlier and yesterday she, uh...¡± May grimaced and shook her head. ¡°Nevermind. I swear, I¡¯ve never appreciated the expression ¡®Living under a rock¡¯ as much as I have this week.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s another thing.¡± Brendan sat up frowning. ¡°Apparently she lives in a cave with her grandpa, right? Which is, you know, not unheard of. People use pokemon to build secret bases all the time. But doesn¡¯t the whole thing seem off? I mean, she only has one piece of clothing, she doesn¡¯t know a bunch of really basic stuff, at this point I¡¯m doubting she ever went to school¡ªheck, you¡¯ve stayed with Astra these past few days. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve noticed more than a few things.¡±


    May looked away for a moment, grip on the pillow tightening. ¡°...She didn¡¯t see a problem with wearing dirty clothes to bed,¡± she said, quietly. ¡°Or eating soup with clumps of fur in it.¡±


    Brendan made a face. ¡°She ate what!?¡±


    ¡°Well she picked it out first, but it was still nasty.¡± May sat up, stretching her arms out. She sighed. ¡°So, what, do you think something shady¡¯s going on back home? Haven¡¯t you heard her gush about her grandpa? She loves the guy.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go that far, but it¡¯s certainly strange. Perhaps her community is part of a fringe belief group,¡± Brendan mused. ¡°Like that isolationist Pokemaniac group over in Orre. If she was homeschooled by her Grandpa, and their whole community shunned modern life, then I could see where the lack of general knowledge and strange habits came from.¡± He frowned. ¡°Only problem with that is I don¡¯t recall any prominent groups like that existing around here. So they¡¯re either very small, remarkably secretive, or it¡¯s something else.¡±


    May bolted upright. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s in a cult!¡±</a> she exclaimed, eyes wide.


    Brendan stared at her. ¡°... A cult?¡± he asked, squinting.


    May blinked, then coughed and looked away, hands fidgeting with the corner of the pillowcase. ¡°She dresses in a black robe, carries a swirly knife around, and can whisper in your ear from a room away.¡± Brendan kept staring. Her face turned red. ¡°W¡ªwell it makes sense!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡± Brendan started. He stopped. Hesitated. ¡°Cults don¡¯t really...¡± he paused again, thinking. ¡°Well... maybe? I guess those groups can qualify as cults, but the robe-and-dagger thing is a bit much, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but wouldn¡¯t it be kinda cool?¡± May countered, eyes sparkling. ¡°Hell, her name even fits. ¡®I am Astra,¡± she intoned, pulling her bandanna over her face and wiggling her fingers about. ¡°¡®Mistress of voice and verve! Now that I¡¯ve gained your trust, I can carve out your hearts with my star-metal knife! OooOOooOOoo~¡¯¡±


    Brentan snorted, covering his mouth with a fist. He took a moment to recover, then shot her an annoyed glare, though the smile didn¡¯t quite leave his face. ¡°Alright, now that I sincerely doubt.¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡± May grinned, pulling her bandanna back up. ¡°Had to liven this chat up somehow. It¡¯s kinda depressing.¡±


    ¡°Well it¡¯s not exactly the best material for jokes,¡± Brendan said dryly. ¡°Still, it¡¯s the best theory we have so far. Cult aside, a niche primitivist group makes the most sense, though without confirmation it¡¯s still just a theory. It might explain that weird time limit Astra mentioned back in Petalburg, maybe they don¡¯t want her to get too ¡®attached¡¯ to civilization,¡± he muttered, stroking his chin in thought.


    Mays brows furrowed. ¡°Time limit? What time limit?¡±


    Brendan blinked. ¡°Wait, you don¡¯t know? Uh, Astra told me she has some sort of... deadline, back when we first met. She told me herself she didn¡¯t know how much time she had, only that she wouldn¡¯t be able to be a pokemon trainer at the end.¡±


    ¡°The hell? She never said anything about¡ªwait,¡± May¡¯s eyes widened in recognition. ¡°Is that why she got mad at me for booking the room for a week? She never did get around to explaining why; what with the huge explosion and all.¡±


    May sighed, rubbing at her eyes. ¡°Shit. So, what, Astra¡¯s trying to speed run the entire gym challenge before... what? She has to stop? Fuck that.¡± May punched her pillow, scowling. ¡°If she thinks she can just leave for no reason she¡¯s got another thing coming.¡±


    ¡°She may not have a choice, though I can¡¯t say for certain. She was awfully vague about it.¡± Brendan drummed his fingers on the table, considering the matter. ¡°She didn¡¯t seem to want to explain it either, but it might be worth another ask.¡±


    ¡°Mmm,¡± May grunted, shooting a glance at the bathroom door. The shower was still running, its constant, surprisingly loud drone filling the background. ¡°So what now? Do we gotta interrogate her about it all? ¡®Hey Astra, are you in a cult?¡¯¡± May snorted. ¡°I¡¯m sure that would go down well.¡±


    Brendan hesitated, then shook his head. ¡°Nothing that extreme. We still don¡¯t know if things are bad. All we know is that Astra lacks clothes and a... traditional education, plus some strange habits. For now we just need to... probe a bit. Ask her about her home life, figure out what that time limit is, and, well, just get to know her better. Be her friend.¡± He frowned. ¡°Get her some more clothes while we¡¯re at it. I still can¡¯t believe she only has one set.¡±


    ¡°I was planning on taking her to a store at some point, yeah.¡± May agreed. She flopped back onto the mattress, letting out a deep sigh. ¡°So just, be her friend? Tch, as if I¡¯m not doing that enough already. Nothing else?¡±


    Brendan shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s the least volatile thing I can think of. Unless you can think of anything else?¡± May grunted a negative. Brendan nodded. ¡°Then that¡¯s the plan.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡±


    A moment passed, silent aside from the sound of the shower. Brendan hesitated. ¡°Now that we¡¯re talking about her, there was this strange thing I saw in the cave...¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± May said, sitting up. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s... probably nothing. It¡¯s just... for a moment, after Exploud screamed, I saw Astra laid out on the floor. Her face was...¡± He paused again.


    May stared at him, suddenly extremely focused. ¡°What about her face?¡± she asked, cautiously.


    Brendan shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s... I was probably hallucinating from the shock or something. For a moment, it looked like her eyes took up half of her face.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± May said, frowning lightly. ¡°Yeah that... it¡¯s nothing, I think.¡± she shook her head, glancing off to the side. ¡°I mean, it happens to everyone, right? Sometimes things just look weird for a moment. Eyes are too big, mouth is too wide, sometimes their nose looks higher than yesterday. Crazy, right?¡±


    May grinned weakly. Brendan looked at her, perplexed. ¡°May, what¡ª¡±


    The shower turned off. The two trainers jumped apart, as if shocked. Glancing toward the bathroom door, Brendan and May looked at each other and nodded. Settling back, she nonchalantly grabbed the TV remote, the screen on the wall opposite the bed flickering to life.


    Eventually, the door opened.


    <hr>


    Astra tugged at the interwoven towels atop her head one last time, then smiled at her reflection in the mirror. It had been much easier to clean herself this time; her skirt didn¡¯t get in the way as much as her dress had done, and there was much less underside to wash. Her hair had been a small malus to that calculation, being nearly twice as long as it was before. It had required a much larger volume of shampoo, but it was worth it to feel this refreshed and, dare she say, shiny?


    That said, the number of towels she had needed to finagle together had also increased, not helped in the least by the ones here being a bit smaller than the ones in Petalburg. Still, she¡¯d adequately managed to cover up, and a little psychic power would do the rest. Maybe she should acquire a more permanent solution that didn¡¯t involve completely depleting the hamper.


    Letting out a contented sigh, she walked to the door¡ªgingerly, because her feet were still quite raw¡ªand pushed it open. A loud noise immediately assaulted her ears, and she walked out to see May sprawled on the bed, lazily watching the TV. A quick glance showed a cartoon involving some sort of ship on an ocean, a man with tentacles for hair shouting orders from its prow. Was this a sailor?


    Brendan was on the same chair he had been before, head resting on his palm and yawning. The boy did a double take when he saw her covered head-to-toe in towels, but other than a curious squint and raise of the eyebrow said nothing.


    ¡°Hey guys,¡± Astra said, hopping on the bed and scooting over to her half. ¡°I miss anything?¡±


    May and Brendan glanced at each other. May shrugged. ¡°Not much. Bit of talking, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Your clothes are still in the washer,¡± Brendan added, taking a moment to raise his arms and stretch. Astra heard a faint pop-pop-pop, and the boy let out a relieved groan, limbs loosely falling to the armrests. ¡°Should still be another few minutes before they¡¯re ready for the dryer.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you!¡± Astra said, smiling. ¡°I really appreciate it.¡±


    Brendan hummed in agreement. ¡°No problem, but speaking of,¡± he leaned forward, frowning slightly. ¡°Is there any reason you only have one piece of, uh, clothing?¡±


    Right. That. ¡°Oh, heh.¡± Astra laughed weakly, averting her gaze. She had been half-expecting this, but held a slim hope that he wouldn¡¯t notice. ¡°Um, May didn¡¯t tell you...?¡± she asked, looking at the laid-back girl.


    May shrugged. ¡°Meh, not worth the breath I''d spend on it. Figured I¡¯d let you deal with it.¡±


    Astra stared at her for a moment, then shook her head, smiling. She didn¡¯t really want to have this conversation either, but she couldn¡¯t begrudge May for not spilling her ¡®secret¡¯. ¡°Thanks, I think,¡± Astra said, before turning back to Brendan. ¡°I didn¡¯t really have anything else back home that would cover me as much as that does,¡± she explained. ¡°So it¡¯s just...what I have.¡±


    ¡°Cover?¡± Brendan asked, leaning forward, examining the fabrics Astra had wrapped herself in intently. ¡°You need to completely wrap yourself up? Is that why you look like a walking towel rack?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeah.¡± Astra shifted around, anxiously crossing her legs together. Once again, she had to hide herself behind a blatant lie. She sighed, nothing else to do but to get it over with. ¡°I have albinism,¡± she said, biting the words out. ¡°Sunlight doesn¡¯t agree with me, and it¡¯s a larger problem out here than back home, which is why I don¡¯t have anything else.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Brendan said. His widened eyes darted about, closely examining Astra¡¯s face and eyes. He sat back, visibly stunned. ¡°Oh,¡± he repeated, looking as though he¡¯d come upon a revelation. ¡°I¡ªwell! That makes sense, I suppose. I always thought you were pale, but I... I guess I never really put it together.¡±


    ¡°Mhmm,¡± May chimed in, eyes on the TV. ¡°Seems real obvious in retrospect.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Brendan shot an irritated look at May. ¡°It kind of does.¡± May smirked.


    Astra looked between them, somewhat confused. Had something happened?


    ¡°Well, that aside,¡± Brendan said, turning back to Astra. ¡°Thank you for telling me. I can¡¯t imagine what living with that is like. Though, do you have to cover your whole head indoors? This room doesn¡¯t even have a window¡ª¡±


    He cut off as Astra shook her head. ¡°I¡¯d rather not take it off. Being exposed...¡± Made it much harder to maintain the illusion. But people seeing her true form was also a nerve wracking concept, so the grimace on her face wasn¡¯t faked in the least. ¡°I don¡¯t really like it,¡± she finished, hugging her legs to her chest.


    Brendan¡¯s face briefly cycled through panic and regret before settling on concern. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s fine.¡± he said, voice soft. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, I¡¯m not going to make you.¡±


    Astra gave him a small smile. ¡°Thanks. And, don¡¯t worry about it. May asked me the same thing. I just... back home, how I look wasn¡¯t a big deal. But out here it¡¯s unusual. People would stare, or ask me questions, and... I don¡¯t like that sort of attention.¡±


    Brendan still looked a bit uncomfortable, but he nodded, returning the grin. ¡°I can understand that. Maybe one day, then.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Astra replied, relaxing back into the pillows. It would be nice, not to worry about all of this. But not today, nor anytime soon.


    ¡°We are going to visit a clothing store after we return the briefcase, though,¡± he said, giving Astra a flat look.


    ¡°Heheh...¡± Astra scratched her head awkwardly. It still wasn¡¯t her fault she had such a limited wardrobe! Still, that¡¯d probably be for the best. Silently, she gave him a nod. Brendan nodded back, smiling.


    ¡°Y¡¯all done?¡± May asked, fiddling with the remote. ¡°The good part is coming up.¡± With that said, the volume on the TV, having been turned down at some point, abruptly returned to full blast.


    Astra¡¯s attention was dragged to the screen, and she let out a gasp when she saw the squid-person from earlier turn into... a squid made of ink? ¡°What is this?¡± she asked, watching the squid-man jump out of an inky puddle, turn human and slam into a different, non-squid human.


    ¡°It¡¯s a spinoff of one of the most popular shows on the air,¡± May answered. ¡°About a dude who can do a bunch of squid stuff, like turn into them, grow tentacles, cover things in ink¡ªwhich is like, acidic sometimes?¡ªand even travel through that ink really fast. Travels a world-spanning ocean with his crew, getting up to all sorts of stuff.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Astra said, watching intently as the squid-man pulled out a barreled device that let him spray ink across an entire crowd of people. ¡°That sounds cool!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been into these sorts of shows myself,¡± Brendan said, eyeing the screen curiously. ¡°I suppose you haven¡¯t seen a lot of these either, Astra?¡±


    Atra shook her head, eyes glued to the screen. ¡°We had something similar using shadows and fire, but this is... something else.¡±


    ¡°Shadow puppets...?¡± Brendan wondered.


    ¡°We watched Treasure Galaxy last night,¡± May offered. ¡°She¡¯s never seen King of the Amulet either.¡±


    ¡°Huh. That¡¯s interesting,¡± Brendan murmured, sharing a glance with May. ¡°I haven''t seen the former either, but my dad loves to put the latter on for movie night.¡± Shaking his head, he leaned back into the seat. ¡°So, do you watch a lot of these, May?¡± he asked, motioning to the screen


    ¡°Eh.¡± May shrugged. ¡°A few. This one isn¡¯t as good as the original, so I¡¯ve skipped a few here and there. Now that one is the best; same basic concept with the ocean but it¡¯s just so good! There¡¯s this guy with a talking snail¡ªwait, I should start at the beginning. So, it all started with this pirate¡ª¡±


    Astra sat back, a sense of contentment filling the air as May started to chatter about her show, most of the finer details flying right over her head. To her side, Brendan split his attention between the screen and May¡¯s ramblings, interrupting every now and then to ask a question or two.


    On the table, the Devon Suitcase waited. They¡¯d have to deal with that sooner or later. But for now, a little relaxation was all she needed.


    ...


    Also her robe. The towels here were even itchier than the ones in Petalburg!

 Business

    Clothes washed, showers taken, and relaxation complete, the three trainers headed down to the Devon Towers, pace slowed by lingering fatigue and injury. The two spires shone in the afternoon skyline like beacons, and as the base of the buildings came into view the trio blinked at the sight before them.


    ¡°Damn,¡± May huffed, rubbing at her side. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of police cars.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s only three,¡± Brendan said, peering at the parking lot in the distance. ¡°More than I thought there¡¯d be, but Devon is pretty high profile, the theft must have kicked up a panic.¡±


    Astra squinted, staring down at the cars. Quite a few humans were scattered about the area, all but one had matching blue uniforms and turquoise hair. The sole exception was a familiar Devon employee. He was speaking with one of the uniformed people and seemed downcast if his slumped stance was any indication.


    ¡°What¡¯s up with all the blue?¡± Astra asked. She¡¯d never seen humans go without some form of individualism; this swarm of identical people was a startling departure from the norm. Even their hair was the same shape. If Astra didn¡¯t know better, she would have thought she was looking at another pokemon species.


    ¡°You don¡¯t...?¡± Brendan paused, and when Astra turned to look, she found him sharing a concerned glance with May. Had she asked something weird again? He shook his head and turned back to her. ¡°Those are police officers,¡± Brendan continued, frowning in thought. ¡°Uh, they¡¯re a group of people who enforce the laws, and protect people when dangerous things happen.¡±


    Astra nodded thoughtfully. So they were the human equivalent of the guards back home? Why hadn¡¯t they been the ones to¡ªwait, the Devon employee had said the ¡®police¡¯ were occupied by the disaster in the forest, hadn¡¯t he? Another hot flash of shame roiled though her; yet another way her experiment had caused chaos and panic. Well, that explained who they were, but not why they looked so similar. Wait, hadn¡¯t she seen something like this before? ¡°Are they like Nurse Joys, then?¡± Astra asked.


    ¡°Yeah, same sort of deal,¡± Brendan confirmed. ¡°They all dress the same so people can recognize them. Though, if you ask me the hair and the names are a bit much.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Still, they¡¯re always first on the scene when there¡¯s trouble afoot, so if you have a problem, a Jenny is always a good choice to call!¡±


    ¡°Good choice my ass,¡± May snorted. ¡°Any time I ever met one of them, they were only interested in giving me hell. Fucking bluejays.¡±


    ¡°May!¡± Brendan exclaimed, giving her a scandalized look. ¡°You can¡¯t call them that! That¡¯s disrespectful!¡±


    ¡°If they wanted me to respect them, then they shouldn¡¯t have gotten on my ass for the most petty of bullshit!¡± May scoffed, glaring down at the uniformed humans. ¡°Seriously, who the hell gives out a misdemeanor for a little bit of spray paint under a fucking bridge¡ª!¡± She abruptly cut herself off with a hiss, clutching at her side.


    ¡°Uh,¡± Astra said, coming to a halt. ¡°You okay?


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± May bit out, grumbling as she poked around her ribs. ¡°Just¡ªgot too excited.¡±


    Brendan frowned. ¡°We could still go to a clinic first. The briefcase isn¡¯t going anywhere.¡±


    May rolled her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s just a stupid bruise with ideas, I can handle it.¡± She shouldered her way past Brendan, speeding a few meters down the road. ¡°See!¡± she called, turning back. ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡±


    She held her hands out in display, giving them a flat look. Brendan sighed. ¡°Alright, alright.¡± he said, waving her on. He glanced at Astra. ¡°She really likes making things difficult, doesn¡¯t she?¡±


    Astra shrugged and gave him a wry grin. ¡°You don¡¯t even know half of it. I hope she¡¯s okay...¡± She frowned, looking back at May. Externally, the other girl looked fine, but Astra had sensed May¡¯s pain flare up a few times now.


    ¡°We¡¯ll know for sure after we bring her to a doctor,¡± Brendan replied. ¡°Come on, we don¡¯t want her getting too far ahead.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Astra nodded, and sped up her pace to catch up with May. Something May had said just now had piqued her interest. Falling in line with her friend, Astra looked up at her curiously. ¡°You were painting on a bridge?¡± she asked, tilting her head. ¡°You never told me you could paint.¡±


    May¡¯s eyes flickered to Astra, and she sighed. ¡°...I used to doodle at school,¡± she grumbled. ¡°It sort of translated over. Wasn¡¯t any good, but it didn¡¯t look like shit, I guess.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it looked great!¡± Astra said with a grin. ¡°What¡¯d you draw? Something cool, right? Actually, knowing you, it was just rude.¡±


    May looked at Astra, eyebrow raised. ¡°Rude?¡±


    Astra shrugged. ¡°I dunno. Maybe you drew your dad with a stupid face?¡±


    May snorted and looked away, lips upturned. ¡°Heh, maybe I should have.¡± She was silent for a moment. ¡°...I drew a beach, and the ocean.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Astra exclaimed. ¡°That sounds nice!¡±


    ¡°But not something you¡¯d get a misdemeanor over,¡± Brendan chimed in from their left, having caught up to them. He frowned. ¡°That¡¯d get you a warning at worst, especially since we¡¯re minors.¡±


    ¡°There may have been shouting.¡± May shrugged. ¡°I guess they didn¡¯t like what I put on the beach.¡±


    ¡°...What did you put on the beach?¡± Brendan asked, slowly.


    ¡°Oh, nothing much. Just a lighthouse on top of some boulders.¡± May said, staring straight ahead as they walked. The corner of her mouth twitched. ¡°Alongside a few... interestingly shaped clouds firing off from the tip.¡±


    Astra squinted, confused. What was a lighthouse? And why would it matter if clouds were emerging from it? She leaned over to ask Brendan, but paused when she saw the deep, deep exasperation etched into his face.


    ¡°Really?¡± Brendan asked. ¡°Really?¡±


    Astra looked between her friends, bewildered. ¡°Really what? What¡¯s wrong with clouds?¡±


    ¡°I also drew a sun. The clouds might have been travelling into it.¡± May added, her voice shaking with constrained laughter.


    Astra peered at her. Was May joking? But what was the joke? Brendan looked like he got it, so maybe it was some human thing? Were they hiding it from her? Astra, undeterred, spoke up with what she did know about. ¡°Why would a cloud go into the sun? They go across the sky. And sometimes fall down and get everybody wet.¡±


    May twitched, her entire face curling upwards in a demented grin. ¡°Boy, they sure fucking do!¡± she crowed, then burst out cackling, doubling over with a pained wheeze. Astra stared at her.


    Brendan''s hand hit his face, a tired sigh escaping through his fingers. ¡°That is the most juvenile¡ªwhy am I friends with you again?¡±


    ¡°My amazing sense of humor, obviously,¡± May grinned, leaning on Brendan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°C¡¯mon! It¡¯s hilarious! Just imagine it, a giant¡ª¡±


    May broke off and whispered a few words into Brendan¡¯s ear. Whatever May said caused him to quickly cover his mouth with a fist, muffling a sharp snort. He shook his head, wiping the smile off his face and replacing it with a peeved expression. ¡°Alright, maybe it¡¯s a little funny. But it was still inappropriate!¡±


    ¡°What is!?¡± Astra yelled. She glared at both of them. It was definitely deliberate that time! Why wouldn¡¯t they just make sense? ¡°I don¡¯t get it! What¡¯s so special about a lighthouse and the weather!?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, Astra,¡± Brendan sighed, shoving May¡¯s arm off. ¡°Just a crude joke. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°Well you did laugh, so I¡¯d call it a win!¡± May cheered. Then she blinked, expression souring. ¡°Even if those Jennies didn¡¯t. And speaking of the devil...¡±


    ¡°Hold it!¡± a voice yelled. Astra turned, and blinked as she found herself surrounded by a parking lot. Had she been so focused on the conversation that she hadn¡¯t noticed herself walking in? Argument sidetracked, she looked over at the Officer Jenny that had called over to them, who was now briskly walking over.


    ¡°Uh, we¡¯re not in trouble, right?¡± Astra asked her friends, nervously eyeing the approaching ¡°police officer¡±. Their accounts hadn¡¯t quite left her with a solid impression; the officers were supposedly protectors, but they also gave May trouble just for drawing?


    ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± Brendan said, standing to attention. ¡°We just need to explain ourselves and everything will turn out all right. And don¡¯t antagonize them, please?¡± He gave May a pointed look.


    ¡°Yeah yeah,¡± May huffed, waving Brendan off. ¡°Just wave the briefcase and get us through.¡±


    ¡°Mhm. Ah, hello there Officer Jenny!¡± Brendan called, waving his free hand as the officer drew close. ¡°What seems to be the issue?¡±


    The Officer Jenny came to a halt in front of the trio, eyes glancing toward May and Brendan¡¯s pokeballs. ¡°Hello, trainers,¡± she said, adopting an apologetic smile. ¡°I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s been an incident in the Devon Towers, and these buildings will be off limits for another few hours for investigative reasons.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Well, I have good news for you, then.¡± Brendan said, lifting the briefcase. Officer Jenny glanced at it, confused. Brendan smiled. ¡°We happen to have been involved with¡ª¡±


    ¡°You did it!¡± another voice exclaimed. Everyone blinked, turning to see the familiar, green-suited Devon employee nearly sprinting toward them, a joyous expression on his face and a confused Officer Johnny abandoned mid-conversation behind him. ¡°You got it back! You really are great trainers!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Kennedy?¡± Officer Jenny asked, looking off balance as the portly man¡ªKennedy, as Astra now knew¡ªcame to a stop next to the group and beamed. ¡°Do you know these trainers?¡±


    ¡°Know them? They¡¯re the ones who¡¯ve been saving my bacon recently!¡± Kennedy exclaimed. He hesitated. ¡°Well, those two, at any rate,¡± he said, motioning toward Astra and May. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about this fellow here. Friend of yours?¡± he asked, eyeing Brendan curiously.


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Astra said with a nod. ¡°Brendan helped us get the briefcase back. We couldn¡¯t have done it without him.¡±


    ¡°It was no big deal, really,¡± Brendan laughed, scratching his head.


    Kennedy smiled at him jovially. ¡°No need to be humble, boy! You¡ªall of you¡ªdeserve nothing but the highest of praise! That briefcase contains incredibly important material, and if it had gotten into the wrong hands, why, I don¡¯t know what could have happened! Speaking of which...?¡±


    His eyes flicked to the briefcase, and Brendan obligingly handed it over. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s been opened,¡± Brendan said, flexing his hand a bit with the weight finally gone. ¡°So whatever¡¯s inside should still be in one piece.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Balancing the briefcase on his arm, Kennedy unlatched it and peeked inside. Nodding once, he latched it shut again and grinned. ¡°It¡¯s all there, exactly how I kept it! Superbly done, the President will surely be glad to hear of your success. Oh, he might even want to thank you personally!¡± He brightened, looking at the trainers happily. ¡°Please come with me, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll want to see you as quickly as¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hold it!¡± The Officer Jenny barked, making everyone jump. ¡°Nobody¡¯s going anywhere!¡±


    May snorted. ¡°Here we go,¡± she muttered, sullenly kicking at the ground.


    ¡°Oh, uh, is there a problem, officer?¡± Kennedy asked, looking perplexed. ¡°These three trainers just saved us a lot of trouble; surely everything is sorted?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s still a thief at large, Mr. Kennedy,¡± Officer Jenny reminded him. ¡°If you are sure that the missing property has been recovered, then we can release you and the briefcase. But as for you three,¡± she continued, turning to Astra, May, and Brendan, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I need you to answer a few questions about the events of the past few hours.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that it?¡± Astra asked, relieved. She had thought something had gone wrong for a moment. Answering a few questions didn¡¯t sound too bad. ¡°Sure, we can do that.¡± Brendan nodded in agreement, and while May didn¡¯t look happy, she didn¡¯t voice an objection.


    Kennedy huffed. ¡°Well drat. Well, once you get done with all this, talk to the receptionist in our lobby. I¡¯ll tell her to send you up.¡±


    ¡°We will,¡± Astra said, giving him a grin. After recent events it was nice to have solved a problem instead of creating one. Even if it was one she had indirectly enabled.


    ¡°Right then. I¡¯d best get this back where it belongs.¡± Kennedy said, patting the briefcase. ¡°Don¡¯t tarry too long! We¡¯ll be waiting.¡± He shot them one last smile, then spun about and walked off back to the tower.


    ¡°You know,¡± May said, watching him leave, ¡°I was halfway expecting him to somehow lose the thing before he got in.¡±


    Astra snorted. ¡°What, like he¡¯d trip and send it flying into a bush?¡±


    May merely hummed. ¡°A girl can dream.¡±


    A clap drew their attention. ¡°Alright then!¡± The Officer Jenny said with a friendly smile. ¡°If you could follow me, this won¡¯t take long at all.¡±


    <hr>


    The questioning took a long time.


    Well, longer than Astra had expected. Officer Jenny hadn''t seemed fazed by their attempt to catch the thief, but she was concerned about their battle with the Exploud and had proceeded to give them a lecture about challenging pokemon ¡®above their weight class¡¯. It mostly revolved around ¡®knowing when to run away¡¯, which May had scoffed at.


    A full hour later, Astra, May, and Brendan finally entered the Devon Towers, and were now in a waiting room near the top of the building. The elevator had made Astra a bit nauseous, and she wondered exactly how high up they were. Higher than even the tallest of trees she had climbed back home for sure, though it was hard to tell without a window to look through.


    Apparently the Devon President was in some sort of meeting, or so the receptionist had said. The harsh lights embedded into the ceiling shone through clouded glass, revealing a wide lounge with a red-tiled floor, faded green walls hosting a few posters, and a small assortment of chairs, tables, and magazines.


    ¡°Right away my ass,¡± May drawled, reclining on the sole sofa in the room. She stared at the ceiling, sprawled across all three seats of the sofa. ¡°If we weren¡¯t held up for an entire hour, I bet we could have been outta here by now. Seriously, I swear we told the damn story twenty times! They didn¡¯t even believe us when we told them it was an Aqua dude!¡°


    ¡°It was only twice,¡± Brendan said, flipping through a magazine with a sleek looking vehicle on the cover. ¡°It just took longer the second time because we had to answer questions and sit through a lecture. And it¡¯s a reasonable doubt! I still have reservations about it and I was there.¡± He looked up at the door, frowning slightly. ¡°As for the delay, the President can¡¯t just drop everything on a moment''s notice. Time is incredibly valuable to a man in his position. We would have had to wait no matter when we came in.¡±


    Astra, meanwhile, was examining a magazine of her own. It was the same one about grass care that she had seen in the pokemon center, but with a lack of anything else to do she had finally taken a look just to see why anyone could possibly want to read it. It was dull, but did deliver on its premise. She hadn¡¯t known that clover, of all things, could be so important to healthy soil. Though, what exactly ¡®nitrogen¡¯ was and why it needed fixing still escaped her. Maybe the gardeners back home could make use of this?


    Astra tuned back in upon hearing about the President of Devon. She asked, ¡°Is his time really that important? Back home, I¡¯d be hard pressed to keep busy all day.¡± Though, she supposed that was when she was still a Ralts. There would be more to do now that she was a Kirlia. She couldn¡¯t recall a time when the Guard wasn¡¯t supposed to be at the gates, or the gardeners at the garden. Even her Grandpa spent a lot of time on drawing, preparing pigment, or making specialty food like jam.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little different for men like him, Astra,¡± Brendan said, flipping another page. ¡°I¡¯d imagine his every waking hour is spent dealing with some aspect of his company or another. The sheer number of people¡ª¡±


    ¡°Blah blah big guy big problems,¡± May summarized. She scowled, glaring up at the ceiling. ¡°When you get too ¡®important¡¯ you don¡¯t have time for anything. All they do all day is ¡®work work work¡¯ and there¡¯s jack all you can do to drag them away from it. This guy¡¯s no different.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a little reductionist,¡± Brendan said, raising an eyebrow. ¡°They aren¡¯t all workaholics; even a company president takes a day off now and then.¡±


    May scoffed. ¡°Yeah, but only when they feel like it,¡± she said, gesturing toward the door. ¡°Try to get a guy like him to take a day off to do something for you and ten thousand bucks says he¡¯ll be ¡®too busy¡¯. Same shit every time.¡± May sighed, her glare softening to something more listless, as she trailed off. ¡°Every time.¡±


    May was silent for a moment, then scowled. ¡°Ugh, that break earlier was not enough. Whatever, I¡¯m taking a nap. Wake me up when it¡¯s time.¡± She then rolled over to face the sofa¡¯s backrest, ignoring them.


    Astra and Brendan shared an uneasy glance. Was she still talking about the Devon President? Brendan looked back at May and opened his mouth, then paused, looking uncertain. He grimaced, then looked back at his magazine.


    Astra considered saying something herself, but followed Brendan¡¯s lead and kept quiet. The Devon waiting room was probably a bad place to air out grievances, anyway. She fiddled with the edges of her cloak, peering at the fraying fabric. How old was this thing anyway? Maybe it wasn¡¯t surprising that it was starting to fall apart.


    Sighing, Astra turned back to the discarded lawn care magazine. She considered it for a moment, then shook her head. She had been curious about it earlier, but even the small tidbits of useful information were terribly dull. Astra glanced around the waiting room, desperate for something to occupy herself with when her gaze alighted on the large Devon Corporation logo on the wall. She stared at it for a moment before wondering, what exactly was Devon anyway?


    It was a company, Astra knew, and she had sussed out that that meant it was a group of humans that did things in exchange for money. Sort of like if the Smith back home¡ªif a group of Smiths had banded together and demanded their weight in fish before they made anything.


    Actually, now that she thought about it, the Smith probably did do that, what with being one of the only Kirlia able to shape metal. It occurred to Astra that once all this was over she could use the exotic berry seeds she had to much the same effect. Just wall off a part of the garden, grow and pick off a few handfuls of rare berries and then trade them off for entire baskets of Magikarp. Now that was the easy life!


    Astra fantasized about unreasonable quantities of fish for a moment longer, then shook her head. Right. Devon. It was a company that did...things. Things that involved briefcases. And were led by the President, presumably. Alright, she didn¡¯t really have any clue what they did here. While she had peeked at a few sets of computers and other machines on the way up, their use hadn¡¯t been obvious. How lucky, then, that she had such a convenient guide sitting a few feet away.


    ¡°Hey Brendan,¡± Astra asked, idly swinging her legs. ¡°What does Devon do?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Brendan looked up, blinking. His brow furrowed a bit. ¡°Devon? Uh, they research and develop new technology. A lot of it focuses on Pokemon but I don¡¯t think there are many areas they haven¡¯t had a hand in. They¡¯re pretty big, actually. I think they¡¯re only a little smaller than Silph Co, and they operate nearly worldwide.¡±


    Astra nodded thoughtfully. New technology, huh? Astra could already hardly believe all of what humanity had come up with. Amazing medicine, awe-inspiring entertainment, mouth-watering food; they had even gone to the moon! Though all of this had come at a price as the light-drowned night sky had clearly shown her. Astra hadn¡¯t even seen everything yet, and there was yet new technology to be made? Baffling, truly.


    ¡°What kind of things have they made?¡± she asked, curious. ¡°Anything that would fit in a briefcase?¡±


    ¡°Well a lot of things could have been in there,¡± Brendan said, giving her a wry grin, ¡°so I couldn¡¯t really say. Things they¡¯ve made though...¡± He considered the question, idly biting his lip and staring at the ceiling. ¡°Hm.¡±


    He cast his gaze around the room in thought, then paused to look at a poster on the wall. Astra followed his gaze, and saw a stylized, featureless depiction of a grey-suited, steel-blue haired man. He was posing dramatically on a cliffside and holding a variety of pokeballs in an arc above his head. There was some text proclaiming the superiority of the company¡¯s goods, but Astra was distracted by the caricature. He bore a strong resemblance to the man she and May had met in the forest. Why was he on a poster here?


    ¡°Well,¡± Brendan said, interrupting Astra¡¯s thoughts. ¡°I suppose they¡¯ve come out with a couple of niche pokeballs recently.¡±


    Astra gazed at the poster a moment more, then shook her head and turned her attention to Brendan. ¡°Niche pokeballs? Wait,¡± she said, remembering the events that had occurred when she and May had arrived at Rustboro yesterday. ¡°That Kennedy gave me a Great Ball the first time we saved him. I guess I forgot about it. I think he said it caught pokemon better than a regular ball, but I¡¯m not sure how that all works. And now these ¡®niche¡¯ ones...I¡¯m a little confused. What¡¯s different about them all?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy.¡± Brendan said, setting his magazine down. ¡°Dad told you how basic pokeballs work, right?¡±


    ¡°Something about stasis, I think?¡± Astra hazarded. She shook her head. ¡°I still don¡¯t get how they do what they do, though.¡±


    And wasn¡¯t that the question? The one that set this whole adventure off way back on Route 104. That green-haired child¡ªWally? May had been there too¡ªhad thrown a pokeball at her, and she had avoided capture by the most narrow of margins. She had found it and discovered how it could change size and shape, and then she had wanted to know how.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    At long last, was that initial mystery about to be answered? Astra leaned forward, focusing intently on Brendan¡¯s words.


    ¡°Neither do I, really,¡± he confided, dashing Astra¡¯s hopes. ¡°The first pokeballs were made from apricorns, and to be frank it¡¯s downright baffling as to how a fruit can transform a Pokemon into pure energy and data.¡±


    ¡°Apricorns?¡± Astra asked, confused. Then she gaped at him, because what? ¡°Pokeballs are made from fruit!?¡±


    ¡°Weird, right?¡± Brendan said, nodding, sharing in her confusion. ¡°They just hollow the things out, then do...something, and boom, Pokeball. You won¡¯t find them in Hoenn since apricorns don¡¯t grow here, but they¡¯re still around in other regions. Devon makes theirs out of modern materials so unless you import them you¡¯re mostly using metal and plastic.¡±


    Astra just stared at him, speechless. Fruit. Pokeballs were made out of fruit. How did¡ªwhat¡ªwhy? How!? She made a mental note to look into these apricorns later. If she could figure out how they were made and get a few seeds, then...well, maybe her home could put up more of a fight than she¡¯d thought.


    Brendan shook his head. ¡°Crazy stuff. Right, so, Pokeball variety.¡± He paused, gathering his thoughts. ¡°So,¡± he started, leaning his elbow on the chair, ¡°You know about the regular pokeballs. Cheap, red, basically just puts your pokemon in a virtual bed and calls it a day. But other pokeballs, the more expensive ones, do something else.


    ¡°For example, that great ball you mentioned. Great balls are one of the three standard pokeballs, one step above the regular and surpassed by ultra balls. What great balls¡ªand most non-default balls¡ªdo is create a sort of virtual space inside for the pokemon to live in, about... two or three times the size of this room?¡± He hazarded, looking around.


    Astra blinked, wide-eyed. Pokeballs could do that? The room wasn¡¯t too spacious; so two or three times that would be... a little larger than the main cave back home. All inside that little ball? ¡°Wow. How does it all fit in there?¡±


    ¡°Well it¡¯s all just data, so¡ªuh.¡± Brendan stopped, thinking for a second. ¡°The room doesn¡¯t really ¡®exist¡¯, so to speak.¡± He said, raising his hands and making a strange, doubled two finger gesture. ¡°Just...the idea of a room, I guess. And the pokemon inside can, uh, ¡®shape¡¯ the idea however they like once they¡¯re linked to the ball.¡±


    Astra gave him a flat look. He was dumbing things down, wasn¡¯t he? She couldn¡¯t really blame him, but it was still aggravating! Still, an entire room that shaped itself to the inhabitants whims? That sounded intriguing; almost enough to make her want to check it out herself.


    Almost.


    ¡°What do the other types do?¡± she asked, leaning forward.


    ¡°Well, ultras are like greats, except a lot bigger,¡± Brendan said, folding his hands on his lap. ¡°I don¡¯t know the exact measurement, but they have nearly five times the capacity of a great ball. They¡¯re one of the most expensive types since that much compact, durable storage needs a ton of expensive electronics, but all that space means pokemon are generally twice as likely to let themselves be caught.¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡± Astra exclaimed. Twice as likely? Well no wonder, with all that space they could make an entire house! Well, she would; she didn¡¯t know what, say, a Wurmple would do with it all. Maybe she should upgrade her occupied pokeballs if she happened across the funds. ¡°What are the weird ones like, then? Tell me about those!¡±


    ¡°Well, there are quite a few types,¡± Brendan began, smiling. ¡°The most common are pre-shaped ones, which have hard-coded ¡®spaces¡¯ suited to a certain pokemon type, like water or bugs¡ª¡±


    The door clicked open, causing Brendan to fall silent. A woman looking down at a clipboard walked in, reading something off it before looking up and addressing the room. ¡°Would you three be Brendan, May and Astra? The meeting¡ª¡± she cut off, blinking at where May was still curled up on the couch.


    Brendan glanced at May, who hadn¡¯t reacted yet, and rolled his eyes. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s us,¡± he confirmed, standing up and redirecting the woman''s attention. ¡°Is the meeting starting?¡±


    The woman blinked again, then straightened. ¡°Yes. Mr. Stone will see you now. If you would...collect yourselves, I will take you to see him.¡±


    Brendan nodded, sidling up to the couch. ¡°Right. I¡¯ll just...¡± He grabbed May¡¯s arm and yanked.


    ¡°Gah!¡± May yelped, flailed wildly, then collapsed in a heap on the floor. ¡°The fuck!?¡± she yelled, glaring up at Brendan.


    Brendan turned to the woman, smiling politely and ignoring May entirely. ¡°We¡¯re ready.¡±


    Astra snickered. May glowered at them both, waving away Astra¡¯s proffered hand.


    The woman stared at them. ¡°...Very well,¡± she said, ¡°Please, follow me.¡±


    <hr>


    They were led to a grandiose set of double doors down a long hallway. The secretary opened it and ushered them inside with a slight bow. The first thing Astra noticed about the Devon President''s office was how big it was. It could have fit at least six of those waiting rooms inside and had room left to spare. A large table took up the central area, surrounded by a great many black seats and couches, and the walls were sparsely decorated, save a few photos and framed documents of some kind, and a few oddly colored egg-shaped objects in display cases were scattered here and there.


    The second thing Astra noticed was the gigantic window that took up nearly the entirety of the wall across the entry. Rustboro stretched ahead of her, a grand vista of the buildings below and the forest beyond from on high. The tiny people and vehicles traversing the streets, the dazzling variety of stores and structures in neat rows, the lush green trees in stark contrast at the far border; it would have been beautiful...if not for the eye-catching pillar of sickly yellow skyline in the distance.


    Astra stiffened, staring at the distant haze before taking a breath and looking away. Dark memories threatened to resurface, the faint echo of senseless rage murmuring at the back of her thoughts, but she forced them back down. Grimacing behind her robe''s face-covering, she mentally shook herself and turned to face the Devon President, who sat behind a large wooden desk at the far end of the room.


    The man was old. His hair, while still full and styled in a number of soft mounds, had clearly faded into a stark grey-white, shades of what must have been the original dark blues of his youth still visible near his neck. His square face looked down upon some papers on his desk, grey eyes creased somberly. Upon their approach he blinked and looked up at them, expression lightening slightly.


    ¡°Oh, the heroes of the day! Welcome!¡± he greeted, standing up and smoothing out some faint crease from his striped blue suit. ¡°You three must be May, Astra, and Brendan, correct? My name is Joseph Stone, president of the Devon Corporation. Please, call me Joseph. I hear from Kennedy that you have done me and my company great services these past few days. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    He held out a hand and tried to smile. But to Astra, the air of deep exhaustion she could sense around the man made the expression more haggard and worn. Astra vaguely wondered if he had been having trouble sleeping when what he¡¯d said caught up to her.


    Joseph Stone? Wasn¡¯t that..? Astra shared an unsure glance with May, who seemed to be having similar thoughts. After a moment, they shook their heads. Surely it was just a coincidence. Right?


    Brendan stepped forward while they were distracted and shook Joseph¡¯s hand firmly. ¡°Brendan Birch,¡± he said, smiling in return. ¡°The feeling¡¯s mutual. We appreciate the opportunity, even if the events leading to it were unfortunate.¡±


    ¡°Hm! Yes, yes, the Aqua business.¡± Joseph sighed, sitting heavily into his chair. ¡°What a nuisance all this has been. First Kennedy gets assaulted outside his own home, and now some goon steals from us in broad daylight? Madness, I tell you.¡± His lips thinned, tone turning bitter. ¡°Aqua denies it all, of course, but I doubt it was some imposter or lone actor. The number of people who would have use for what was stolen is very, very small.¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait,¡± May interjected, ¡°Back up a bit. ¡®Assaulted outside his home¡¯? You mean that guy we helped out yesterday?¡±


    Joseph blinked. ¡°Kennedy? Yes, he said you two helped him out of a scrape¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh that¡¯s a load of Buuu¡ª¡± May cut off and glanced at Brendan, who was giving her an intense, disapproving stare. ¡°¡ªnk.¡± she finished, rolling her eyes. ¡°Load of bunk. We were in 104 when that happened.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Astra chimed in, confused. Had Kennedy gotten his own story wrong? ¡°We were just coming into the city. Kennedy was looking for a Shroomish when we found him, and we were attacked right after.¡±


    Joseph stared blankly at them. ¡°Oh,¡± he said, and something about his flat tone sent a chill up Astra¡¯s spine. ¡°Is that so? Well, far be it for me to tell a man what to do with his free time. But he had the briefcase with him at the time, correct?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes?¡± Astra said, hesitantly. May also nodded.


    ¡°I see.¡± Reaching over, Joseph pressed a button on his desk and an odd crackling filled the air. ¡°Lily, could you schedule Kennedy another meeting with HR?¡±


    Astra heard an exasperated sigh from a weird mesh inset into the wood. ¡°Again, sir?¡± a voice said, crackly and distorted but heavily exasperated all the same. Astra blinked. Did this desk have a phone inside? Did people call him on it? That seemed inconvenient; what if he was away? He couldn¡¯t drag the thing into the bathroom, could he? The voice¡ªwhich she suddenly recognized as the secretary¡ªcontinued, unaware of Astra¡¯s intrigue. ¡°Details?¡±


    ¡°Operational security, maximum. Tell the accountants to dock his pay as well.¡±


    ¡°Ouch. Very well sir.¡± Another sigh. ¡°Damnit, Ken...¡±


    The crackling stopped. Joseph sat back and huffed. ¡°It¡¯s a damn shame it¡¯d take a score of men to replicate what that buffoon does on his lonesome,¡± he grumbled, ¡°else I would have fired him ages ago.¡±


    ¡°Um,¡± Astra said, hesitating. Fired? Like, set on fire? Surely not; it must just be another weird human saying. ¡°Is he going to be okay?¡±


    ¡°Oh he¡¯ll be fine,¡± Joseph said, waving her off. ¡°Some time with our chief of security will set him straight. Or so one would hope. Anyway!¡± He folded his hands on his desk, looking at them intently. ¡°Enough about all that, let¡¯s talk about you three. You¡¯ve done Devon a great service by thwarting that criminal''s brazen acts twice over, and at great personal risk as well. For that I¡¯d give you my most sincere thanks and perhaps a few tokens of appreciation. However...¡±


    His eyes glinted, the thin line of his mouth turning up at the edges. ¡°I also find myself in sudden need of a few trustworthy individuals to perform a task or two for me. And what luck that some would reveal themselves just as the need arises.¡±


    ¡°A job? Your big thanks is to give us a job?¡± May asked incredulously, and Astra tilted her head, squinting at the man with echoed confusion. How did doing someone a ¡®great service¡¯ lead to more things to do for them? It clearly wasn¡¯t a human thing, because even Brendan looked surprised.


    ¡°My ¡®big thanks¡¯ is the opportunity to do the job,¡± Joseph replied, leaning forward. ¡°If you wish, I could merely send you along with my gratitude and a trifling reward. But do this errand, and I will ensure you are justly compensated.¡±


    The three trainers looked at each other uncertainly. Astra wasn¡¯t sure what to make of the offer, personally. A reward could be useful, she supposed, and the spark of greed she could see in May¡¯s eye told her what way she was leaning. But what was he asking them to do? Would it attract more attention their way? How long would it take?


    Brendan seemed to share these thoughts, and he turned back to Joseph, brow furrowed. ¡°What would this ¡®errand¡¯ be, exactly?¡± he asked, folding his arms.


    ¡°A simple delivery,¡± Joseph answered. ¡°The exact details of which will only be revealed upon your acceptance.¡±


    ¡°Can we at least know where?¡± Brendan pressed.


    Joseph stared at him for a moment, then inclined his head a fraction. ¡°Two items, one to Dewford and one to Slateport.¡± he said. ¡°If this is out of the way¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Astra exclaimed, relieved. ¡°Dewford? We were going there in about five days. I think Mr. Briney said he¡¯d ferry us to Slateport too,¡± she added, thinking back to the old sailor¡¯s offer.


    Joseph blinked, sitting up in astonishment. ¡°You¡¯re travelling with Mr. Briney?¡± he asked. ¡°A remarkable stroke of fortune; Briney is one of the best sailors around and much more discreet than a regular passenger ship. Slateport afterwards, you said? It seems that my request wouldn¡¯t even have you go too far out of your way.¡±


    ¡°I guess so,¡± Brendan agreed, hesitantly. He turned to May and Astra, unsure. ¡°What do you two think? It doesn¡¯t sound that hard, and we¡¯ll probably benefit a lot.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s on the way, I don¡¯t really see why not.¡± Astra shrugged, then hesitated. Maybe there was something more to this. ¡°I mean, is it going to make the trip more dangerous?¡±


    Joseph shook his head. ¡°If I were to announce the delivery by seeking experienced couriers, it very well could,¡± he revealed. ¡°I certainly couldn¡¯t entrust these to the usual channels if certain groups feel comfortable attacking our headquarters in broad daylight.¡± His face turned thunderous for a moment, before returning to a placid neutral. ¡°Your actions have shown me that you can be trusted, and your relative obscurity will keep attention down. If all goes to plan, nobody of ill-intent will even think to bother you.¡±


    ¡°And what if they do, huh?¡± May asked, folding her arms. ¡°We gettin¡¯ paid extra? What are we getting for doing this anyway?¡±


    ¡°Your compensation can take many forms,¡± Joseph started. ¡°Money is, of course, a simple option. I could also give you license to beta test certain equipment we are in the process of developing¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do you have better maps!?¡± Astra interrupted, very nearly teleporting to the desk. ¡°Because the one in the pokedex is really, really bad.¡±


    There was a moment of bewildered silence.


    ¡°A map?¡± Brendan asked, peering at Astra with a strange look. ¡°That¡¯s kind of...¡±


    ¡°I mean,¡± May said, slowly. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be my first choice, but we did get pretty damn lost with that piece of crap.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Joseph blinked, rallying his thoughts. ¡°An unusual request, but one we are more than capable of fulfilling. Our next generation of PokeNavs are in just the right place for some rigorous field checks; I could certainly requisition a few for you three.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in,¡± Astra announced. Not knowing where she was had been awful; avoiding that in the future was worth any sort of trouble.


    May snorted. ¡°Right. I¡¯m more interested in the cash myself. Alright, fine. I guess we¡¯re doing this. So,¡± she said, looking back to Joseph, ¡°What are we carrying anyway?¡±


    Joseph smiled. ¡°I¡¯m glad we could come to an agreement. Now, the package to Slateport is one you¡¯re already familiar with.¡±


    With that said, he reached under his desk and plonked down an item: a silver briefcase, presumably the one they had returned a mere hour ago. The three trainers blinked in surprise.


    ¡°This again?¡± May asked, frowning down at it. ¡°Didn¡¯t we just bring it back? Why are we taking it away?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably because it got stolen,¡± Brendan guessed. ¡°If they can do it once, they can do it again.¡±


    ¡°Precisely so,¡± Joseph confirmed. ¡°We would have sent it along soon enough anyway; it was always destined for Slateport, but these incidents expedited the situation.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s in that thing anyway?¡± Astra asked, tilting her head. ¡°...it¡¯s probably not soup, is it?¡± she added, putting on her best disappointed voice. She was rewarded with the sweet sound of an exasperated sigh and the soft clap of hand-meeting-face.


    ¡°Really?¡± Brendan and May asked in unison, giving her a flat stare. Astra just smiled.


    Joseph peered at them, bewildered. ¡°No,¡± he said, after a long pause. ¡°It¡¯s not...soup. As for the actual contents...hm.¡± He paused again, seeming to stare down at his desk in thought. Nodding to himself, he looked back at them, expression firm. ¡°Very well, I suppose letting you know won¡¯t cause any further harm. Someone already leaked that info to Aqua, so the Skitty¡¯s out of the ball, as it were.¡±


    Astra shared an excited glance with May. They''d been theorizing about it since they¡¯d arrived at Rustboro and now they¡¯d finally have an answer! She and May leaned forward in excitement, and even Brendan seemed to edge forward in anticipation.


    Joseph quirked an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not quite as exciting as you think it to be. In so many words, you will be delivering a collection of precious materials, machine parts, and documentation relating to the construction of a new, cutting edge engine for a submarine. Captain Stern in Slateport will be the final recipient, delivered to his hands only.¡±


    ¡°...huh,¡± Astra said, confused and disappointed. She had hoped it was something more...more. Not parts to some machine. What was a submarine anyway? Something to do with water...?


    May huffed. ¡°Well, that¡¯s boring.¡±


    ¡°I told you guys it wasn¡¯t going to be a case of gold bars, or whatever.¡± Brendan levelled a flat stare at May, tone dry. But even he seemed a little disappointed.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± May muttered, turning back to Joseph. ¡°Yeah, we can take that thing to Slateport, easy. What was that other thing?¡±


    ¡°Your other package is a letter, destined for Dewford,¡± Joseph explained. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you, along with the briefcase, on the day you depart.¡±


    ¡°Alright, sounds good,¡± Brendan said with a nod. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have any problems with either of those.¡±


    Joseph nodded back. ¡°I should hope not. It¡¯s vital that these reach their destinations intact and undisturbed.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s getting the letter?¡± May asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s addressed to my son, who¡¯s busy in Dewford. It should be easy to find him; I¡¯m sure the gym leader over there would know where he is.¡±


    He had a son? Who was now in Dewford? An uneasy feeling pooled in Astra¡¯s stomach. Surely it couldn¡¯t be who she was thinking of, right? Her thoughts were interrupted by a sharp jolt of surprise from Brendan, and Astra turned to see him staring at Joseph, slack-jawed.


    ¡°Y...your son?¡± Brendan asked, stumbling over his words. ¡°You mean, we¡¯re delivering a letter to Steven Stone?¡±


    Astra stared at Brendan in shock, and she could feel the sheer panic erupt out of May as she did the same. Steven Stone? The same Steven Stone that had casually annihilated them back in the forest two days ago? The man with the strange, pressure-filled gaze? The one that May had so thoughtlessly pissed off with her reckless, immature posturing and insults? That Steven Stone?


    ¡°Yes, that would be him.¡± Joseph confirmed.


    ¡°Steven Stone.¡± Brendan repeated. ¡°As in, Steven Stone, the Champion of Hoenn?¡±


    All of Astra¡¯s mental faculties promptly shut down.


    HE WAS WHAT!?


    Joseph nodded. Astra stared at him, mind whirling. The Champion. She was going to deliver a letter to the Champion. The Champion who was that Steven Stone guy. The one human she needed to defeat in order to save her home. Whom she had already been horrendously outclassed by. And she was just...going to go give him a letter. What kind of insane situation was this? And what was a letter, anyway!?


    Behind her, Astra could feel May¡¯s sharp shock give way to a tide of horrified panic. ¡°Oh, fuck,¡± May breathed, and Astra could only dimly agree over the rising terror that had suddenly overwhelmed her thoughts.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Astra echoed. Fuck.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be an honor, sir,¡± Brendan said, with sheer excitement roiling off him and completely blinding him to their alarm. ¡°We¡¯ll be happy to get the chance to meet him!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Joseph agreed. ¡°You said you¡¯ll be leaving in five days? Come back then, and we¡¯ll work out the packages and compensation. I expect this entire affair to be discreet, you understand.¡±


    ¡°Uh.¡± May said.


    ¡°Um.¡± Astra echoed. Was it too late to back out?


    ¡°Of course!¡± Brendan nodded.


    ¡°Good.¡± Joseph glanced at a nearby clock. ¡°Well, it seems we¡¯re out of time. I believe we¡¯ve covered everything, so we¡¯ll reconvene on the day of departure.¡± He stood up and shook Brendan¡¯s hand, nodding firmly at May and Astra. ¡°Thank you once more for your assistance, and I look forward to our future endeavors. Lily will see you out.¡±


    They were escorted outside by the secretary from before. Brendan cheerfully strode ahead. Astra and May hung back, shooting panicked glances at each other every step of the way.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this great, guys?¡± Brendan asked once they were back outside. ¡°We¡¯re going to meet the Champion! Man, I never expected this to happen so soon. Steven is one of the youngest champions in the world, you know and¡ªum.¡± He paused his rambling, looking from one stricken face to another. ¡°Guys? You okay?¡±


    Astra and May glanced guiltily at each other.


    ¡°Um...¡± Astra began to explain, ¡°about that. We sort of...already fought him...on the way over...¡±


    Brendan stared at them blankly. Raising up a hand, he slowly inserted a pinky into one ear and twisted it around. Pulling it out, he stared at the tip for a moment before refocusing on them.


    Astra and May shifted, looking away.


    Brendan blinked. ¡°...you did what?¡±

 Cover

    ¡°...and then Tentacool shot a rainbow at him, and he started getting covered in ice!¡± Astra exclaimed, splaying fake fingers in emphasis. ¡°I realized that if we could get him completely frozen we might have a shot of winning, so I had Marill use a Water Gun. That really sped things up, and it was only moments before he was nearly coated!¡±


    ¡°May¡¯s Tentacool knows Aurora beam?¡± Brendan asked. He leaned back and rubbed his chin, the hospital''s lounge chair creaking beneath him as he shifted. ¡°Interesting; if I recall correctly, they can only learn that through hereditary means. He must have had a¡ªoh what was it...Shellder! A Shellder or Cloyster in his ancestry.¡± He nodded, looking pleased with himself. ¡°That¡¯s pretty rare outside captivity; May got really lucky to get a wild cross-breed.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Astra reached over the small table and whapped Brendan¡¯s head with a sleeve, pouting. ¡°I¡¯m telling a story here!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sorry!¡± Brendan said, a hint of laughter in his voice as he raised his hands. ¡°Unusual pokemon distract me! I¡¯m a bit interested in them, see.¡±


    Astra crossed her arms and huffed. ¡°You¡¯re the one who asked me to tell you! You could at least pay attention.¡±


    ¡°I have been!¡± Brendan protested. ¡°You used a combination attack to freeze Steven¡¯s Skarmory. Brilliant maneuver, by the way,¡± he added, giving her a grin. ¡°If it had been anyone else I bet it would have worked.¡±


    Astra shot him a sullen glare. ¡°You say that like it didn¡¯t.¡±


    Brendan gave her a blank stare. ¡°Did it?¡±


    ¡°...no,¡± Astra grudgingly admitted. She sighed. ¡°He did this whole thing where he went ¡®I¡¯m actually not even trying!¡¯ and, well, he hadn¡¯t actually told Skarmory to do anything the whole time.¡±


    And wasn¡¯t that illuminating? Steven had been so far above them that he almost didn¡¯t even need to bother fighting. Astra''s team had gotten stronger since then, but she doubted Grovyle, Slakoth, and Nincada would¡¯ve made much of a difference.


    ¡°He had Skarmory use ¡®Steel Wing¡¯,¡± Astra continued, her tone subdued. ¡°Skarmory glowed white and shattered all the ice at once. A few moments later Tentacool and Marill were both down, and we lost.¡±


    Brendan hummed, nodding. ¡°Well, you two did fantastic considering who you were up against. Steven''s considered a bit of a genius even amongst Champions, so pushing him that far is pretty impressive!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t feel very impressive,¡± Astra muttered, idly kicking the air. She sighed and looked at a clock on the wall. It had been quite some time since May had vanished into the depths of the medical center, and at this point it was looking to not be a ¡®quick in-and-out¡¯ as May had said.


    Had something gone wrong? Or had their fears been validated? Were May¡¯s injuries worse than she had claimed? Astra did another check and sensed that May was still deep within the halls, unchanged from the last time she had checked fifteen minutes ago.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think losing will ever feel impressive,¡± Brendan said, jostling Astra from her thoughts. ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean it isn¡¯t, though.¡±


    Astra snorted, turning and giving him a flat grin. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go pick a fight with him then? I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be majestic.¡±


    ¡°Hah. I¡¯m a ways from doing anything like that. Not everyone can just walk up and challenge the champion; you¡¯ve gotta go through the Elite 4 to even try.¡± Brendan paused, brows furrowed. ¡°Well, professionally, anyway. Most people don¡¯t just randomly run into Steven Stone on the road.¡±


    ¡°Well, we weren¡¯t exactly on the road,¡± Astra clarified. ¡°Me and May got lost in the woods and had an argument, Steven overheard us from the trail and helped us out. He said he¡¯d just been taking a break while flying to Dewford. Then May got mad at him for...well, she was being kinda dumb and rude for no reason, really.¡±


    ¡°Eesh,¡± Brendan winced. ¡°And you guys didn¡¯t know¡ªoh dang. That¡¯s not a good look.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. So May challenged him to a fight, and, well, we fought.¡± Astra hesitated. ¡°I mean, he was nice enough before the fight, but once May challenged him...well, he was kind of a jerk after that. He sort of said sorry at the end, but¡ªI dunno. I don¡¯t like him very much.¡±


    That weird pressure she felt...Astra wasn¡¯t sure what to think about that, either. It wasn¡¯t likely to be anything good.


    Brendan bit his lip for a moment, thinking. ¡°Well, that kind of tracks, actually,¡± he said, nodding. ¡°From what I heard, the man is very intense about training and battling; even champions in other regions have expressed admiration for his drive. I suppose you¡¯d have to be pretty extreme to become Champion at seventeen.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t excuse him smashing my team into the dirt when I wasn¡¯t even part of the challenge,¡± Astra muttered. She blinked, frowning at the last thing Brendan had said. Was that how many years he¡¯d been alive at the time? ¡°Is seventeen young?¡± she asked, still unsure how age correlated to evolution. She assumed it was at least Kirlia-adjacent. Steven was clearly not either a tiny hatchling or Ralts and he didn¡¯t show any signs of being an Elder.


    ¡°Ehh, depends,¡± Brendan said, waggling his hand. ¡°Most long-term champions tend to be in their mid-to-late thirties, but it¡¯s not unheard of for younger trainers to defeat them. The thing is, there hasn¡¯t been anyone else below twenty to hold a championship for more than a year in a long time and Steven¡¯s been holding it for eight.¡±


    ¡®Alright but is seventeen years like a Kirlia or what?¡¯ Astra didn¡¯t ask.


    ¡°Wow!¡± Astra said instead, sounding impressed. She paused. ¡°Still kind of a jerk, though.¡±


    ¡°Saving you from being lost didn¡¯t win any points, eh?¡± Brendan asked, giving her an amused look. ¡°Well, if he acted like that I wouldn¡¯t blame you. Hopefully he¡¯ll be nicer when we deliver that letter. But that¡¯s a while off in any case; what else is new with you two? How about that violin, when did you get that?¡±


    Astra perked up, happy to talk about her other new hobby. ¡°Oh, did I never tell you? I actually got it right before we met in Petalburg¡ª¡±


    <hr>


    It took another twenty minutes before a sour-faced May emerged from the depths of the hospital, marching stiffly and holding some papers and a small bottle. Astra abandoned an interesting tangent about how she played during fights and ran over, Brendan not far behind.


    ¡°May!¡± Astra called, giving the taller girl a worried look as she came close. ¡°Are you okay? You were back there for¡ª¡±


    ¡°Broke a rib.¡± May interrupted, shrugging. Astra stared at her, speechless.


    ¡°Sorry, you what?¡± Brendan asked, blinking.


    ¡°Broke a rib,¡± May repeated, slowly. ¡°What, do you need proof? I¡¯ve got a cold-as-shit ice pack strapped to my chest and scans of my bones.¡± She shivered, grimacing. ¡°Seriously, this thing¡¯s freezing.¡±


    ¡°You broke¡ªoh no, are you going to be okay?¡± Astra asked worriedly. ¡°How bad was it? You¡¯re not¡ªI mean, will it heal?¡± Broken bones didn¡¯t happen too often back home, but they could leave even the sturdiest of Kirlia bedridden or hobbled if they weren¡¯t treated properly.


    ¡°Jeeze, relax.¡± May rolled her eyes, a small smile gracing her features. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Just gotta take some pills and take it easy. I¡¯ll be all healed up by the end of the week.¡±


    A week? That was...only seven days? Astra blinked, astonished. Wow, that was fast. Then again, should she be surprised anymore at this point? She¡¯d seen the effectiveness of potions first hand, and the array of different cures available in the Pokemart. If they had medicine that incredible for pokemon, what wonders had humanity made for themselves?


    ¡°End of the week? It¡¯s Saturday,¡± Brendan pointed out.


    ¡°Well whoop-de-doo, would you look at that? I¡¯m fuckin¡¯ cured,¡± May deadpanned. She slapped Brendan¡¯s shoulder and glared. ¡±You know what I meant, jackass.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I thought you were supposed to take it easy!¡± Brendan complained, rubbing his shoulder. He paused, then gave May a smile. ¡°Still, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay. I was starting to get worried.¡±


    May stiffened, then turned away with a scoff. ¡°Tch, as if a lousy Exploud could keep me down. You shouldn¡¯t underestimate me, you know!¡±


    May¡¯s cheeks were turning a very interesting shade of red again, Astra noticed.


    ¡°I know, I know,¡± Brendan said. ¡°Say, you said you had x-rays? Can I take a look?¡±


    May blinked. ¡°What? Why?¡±


    Brendan shrugged. ¡°X-rays are cool?¡±


    ¡°Ah. Yeah, sure,¡± May pulled a shiny piece of paper from the folder, but paused before handing it over. ¡°Hm.¡± she murmured, smirking. ¡°Are you sure you aren¡¯t just after a peek of my chest?¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡± Brendan froze, one hand halted mid-grab. ¡°Uh?¡±


    ¡°Oh man,¡± May drawled, fanning herself with the sheets. ¡°Should I be worried about this sudden desire to see under my shirt? Didn¡¯t think you had it in you~¡±


    Brendan exhaled, slowly deflating as he held a hand to his head. ¡°You are impossible,¡± he grumbled, utterly unimpressed.


    ¡°Can I see?¡± Astra asked. From what little she could peek at, they looked like a picture of bones, which was really weird but also kind of cool. ¡°Please?¡± she added.


    May gave Astra a blank look. ¡°Wait, the pictures or my chest?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Astra said, confused. ¡°The pictures. Why would I want to see your chest again?¡±


    ¡°Aga¡ª!?¡± Brendan let out a horrid wheezing noise. ¡°What?¡± he choked out. ¡°What is this conversation?¡±


    ¡°Fuck if I know but holy shit is it stopping.¡± May shoved the bundle of pictures¡ªx-rays?¡ªinto Brendan¡¯s hands with a huff. ¡°Here, have the stupid pictures. Go nuts. What time is it?¡±


    ¡°Four-thirty, last I checked,¡± Brendan said, as he fanned the pictures out on the table.


    ¡°Let me see!¡± Astra said, sidling up and peering at the photos in fascination. They were completely monochrome, a collection of thin white lines forming a cage set against a pitch backdrop. This was May¡¯s skeleton? How morbid. And cool! How did they get a picture of that? Some clever machine, no doubt.


    Brendan tapped on one of the bones, and Astra noticed what looked to be an almost invisible line running through it. ¡°Oh, here it is. That¡¯s...barely a fracture. When you said break I was imagining¡ªwell, you¡¯ll need some bedrest in any case. Speaking of...¡± He looked up. ¡°Where are you two staying? It¡¯s been a day and a half; we should turn in early.¡±


    May shook her head. ¡°Nuh-uh. There¡¯s still a bit of daylight left and I am not going another night without you getting some actual clothes!¡± she declared, pointed at Astra.


    ¡°This again?¡± Astra sighed, exasperated. ¡°My robe is fine!¡±


    ¡°A shopping trip? Brendan asked. ¡°Really? After all of this?¡±


    ¡°Yes, after all this,¡± May said, firmly. ¡°Look, today¡¯s just been shit after shit after shit. Even the whole Devon thing is kinda sour now. All I wanted to do today was hang out, have fun, and get this girl some clothes so she doesn¡¯t spend all morning in the bathroom.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Astra protested. It didn¡¯t take her that long! Maybe an hour, max. Getting all the cloth situated so it covered everything and wouldn¡¯t unravel took time! And the wash took a while sometimes! And...it was kind of boring sitting in the bathroom for so long...


    Alright, maybe she did need a more convenient disguise.


    ¡°And I haven¡¯t done any of that!¡± May continued, throwing her hands up. ¡°Instead, I had to¡ªwell, you were there, you know.¡± She sighed, arms dropping to her side. ¡°I just want to do something and not have it turn to shit, alright?¡±


    May¡¯s tone was defensive, but to Astra¡¯s senses the gloom hidden behind her words was obvious. She really wasn¡¯t wrong, either. Astra sighed, scratching the back of her head. ¡°I suppose getting a new outfit had to happen at some point.¡± she admitted.


    ¡°I mean, I get what you¡¯re saying, I really do,¡± Brendan interjected, looking hesitant. ¡°But, May, you just got treated for a fracture. I really don¡¯t think you should be putting it under any more stress¡ª¡±


    ¡°Brendan, it¡¯s clothes shopping,¡± May stated, annoyed. ¡°I¡¯m not even going to be the one trying them on. How is that stressful?¡±


    Brendan paused. ¡°...do you want me to answer that honestly?¡± he ventured.


    ¡°No.¡± May clapped, abruptly putting on a cheerful grin. ¡°It¡¯s settled then, let''s get moving!¡±


    ¡°Wait, I still didn¡¯t agree to¡ªhey, hey!¡±


    ¡°Why are you¡ªwait you don¡¯t need to¡ªah!¡±


    Grabbing Brendan and Astra¡¯s arms, May summarily dragged them both straight out of the hospital, to the relief of everyone else in the lobby.


    She grinned. ¡°Time to get you some new gear!¡±


    <hr>


    Supe¡¯s Styles was a rather spacious building, as wide as some of the skyscrapers had been long. It was situated around where Rustboro¡¯s multi-story buildings started to transition into one to two floor houses, surrounded by what Astra thought was an excessive amount of parking space. It boasted of fair deals and an incredibly varied selection of fashion from all over the world, but to Astra it was notable only in that she had heard they were going to ¡®Supe¡¯s¡¯ and had been briefly confused as to why they were shopping for clothes at a soup store. Apparently the name was ¡®Kalosian¡¯, whatever that meant.


    ¡°Kalos is another region,¡± Brendan explained, leaning against a pillar in the middle of an aisle crossroad. ¡°They¡¯re known for being fancy and beautiful, so people like to name things in their style to associate themselves with those concepts.¡±


    May snorted. ¡°Kalos is fancy so I gave my thing a Kalosian name to make it seem fancy. Doesn¡¯t mean it is. Mom¡¯s got a drawer full of crappy cosmetics with hoity-toity names and it¡¯s all hot garbage.¡± She frowned at the rack of shirts before her, then shook her head and turned away. ¡°Tch, too thin. Astra, are you gonna do anything or am I gonna do all the work here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know what to look for,¡± Astra admitted, hovering uncertainly at the entrance to an alley of pants. The sheer variety was overwhelming; so many colors and styles and varieties of cloth¡ªwhat was she supposed to do here? ¡°There¡¯s so much. How do I even start...?¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe we can start with what you like,¡± Brendan suggested. ¡°What kinds of outfits did you wear back home?¡±


    Absolutely nothing, Astra wanted to say. Seeing as she had yet to see a single human go without clothing at all, even during sleeping hours, she suspected this would not be a good answer. But what did she like? She was fond of her current cloak and hat, but they were more a means to an end than anything.


    There hadn¡¯t been anything akin to human fashion back in the village. Any sort of personal decoration was inevitably made of plants or animal parts; A flower in the hair here, a necklace of teeth there, the occasional attempt at dyeing a coat with ash or pigment, or even a painting by her Grandpa. Everything else had been limited to scavenging things humans had left in the outer edges of the forest, like her mother¡¯s red hair clip or a peculiar arrangement of colored glass spheres one Kirlia swept behind them as a prismatic cape on rare occasions.


    Astra had never given thought to the matter, even when she had been preparing to leave. Looking nice had never been a consideration when her main goal had been¡ªand still was¡ªthe avoidance of anyone looking at her at all. That said...she didn¡¯t oppose looking nice, and it seemed that looking terrible was counterproductive. Well, best to start with what she needed and work out the rest from there.


    ¡°Nothing like what I have now,¡± Astra answered, picking at her robe. ¡°But I still need what this gives me. Full body coverage and all. Maybe something that can work with my hat?¡±


    ¡°Sounds like we need to look at the big dresses,¡± May murmured, sighing. ¡°Damn, and this one looked cute, too.¡±


    Astra looked at the jacket May held up. It was a rather fetching dark blue, with long sleeves and two columns of gold buttons running down the center. Astra blinked. That did look pretty good, actually. ¡°It¡¯s nice," she agreed, ¡°but it doesn¡¯t cover my legs at all.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, but that¡¯s what skirts and shorts are for,¡± May pointed out.


    ¡°Maybe, but I prefer things like what I have now.¡± Astra said, swishing the lower folds of her robe around in a twirl. ¡°I like my clothes billowy, and in one piece.¡±


    A separate lower garment would have been acceptable if Astra hadn¡¯t grown one of her own yesterday. Her new ruffles wanted very badly to flare out around her waist, and while she had been able to manage them in her voluminous robes, an actual skirt would be either obviously hiding something or very, very uncomfortable. Not to speak of shorts or pants.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± May shrugged, hanging the jacket back up. ¡°I guess that¡¯s more wintery anyway. C¡¯mon, dresses are over there.¡±


    ¡°It might not be a bad idea to get something wintery,¡± Brendan said, pushing off the wall and following suit, Astra close behind. ¡°We¡¯ll be passing by Winter¡¯s Eye on the way to Dewford and things get cold near there.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the second time I¡¯ve heard that,¡± May said, frowning. ¡°Winter¡¯s Eye. What the hell¡ªoh!¡± She snapped her fingers, eyes widening. ¡°Now I remember. Is that that weird fucking island that drops, like, a mile of snow on you guys randomly?¡±


    ¡°Wait, an island does that?¡± Astra asked, astounded. The weather had always just been a fact of the world. The sun shone, rain fell, and sometimes a sweeping blanket of white covered everything in ice for a few days. That there was a reason behind the snow, and even humans found it unusual? It blew the mind. ¡°I thought that just happened! How can an island blast snow everywhere?¡±


    ¡°Nobody knows,¡± Brendan said, shrugging. ¡°It¡¯s one of Hoenn¡¯s great mysteries, actually; just like the Ferrous Forest and Mirage Island. There have been a ton of theories but it gets absolutely glacial near the island itself so there¡¯s not been much hard research.¡±


    ¡°One hell of a national landmark,¡± May muttered, wrapping her arms around herself. ¡°Shit, maybe I should¡¯ve brought my coat. I hate the cold. Even thinking about it...ugh.¡± She shivered.


    ¡°I always liked it,¡± Astra said, gazing as they passed into an aisle full of long dresses. ¡°The cold never bothered me, and everyone always had fun with the snow. The bonfires always looked lovely too. Oh, what¡¯s this?¡±


    Astra broke off, stopping to look at a piece that had caught her eye. It was a narrow thing, long sleeved and divided into red and white halves like a pokeball. The waistline even sported a black line with a circle in the middle. She blinked at it, taking it off the rack and examining it at arm¡¯s length.


    May peeked over her shoulder. ¡°Eh. Kinda tacky, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Astra agreed. It was certainly a bit silly. Who would want to wear a pokeball? Though, maybe in her case it would be a bit clever. Pokemon in a pokeball dress. Heh. Maybe a bit on the nose, but good for a laugh, at least. In any case there wasn¡¯t enough room for her skirt and she didn¡¯t think she¡¯d look very good in it.


    Astra shook her head and put it back. ¡°I do not choose you,¡± she informed the dress.


    ¡°Terrible.¡± May snickered.


    ¡°Maybe something like this would be better?¡± Brendan asked.


    Astra turned to see him proffering a bright yellow sundress. It bore a thin black sash around the waist and a white collar sporting a few buttons, but was otherwise unadorned. She hummed; it was certainly wide enough, and the sleeves long enough to hide her hands within, but it left her face and neck woefully exposed. Maybe if she fashioned her current black robe into a scarf of sorts...


    ¡°This looks nice,¡± Astra hedged, ¡°but I¡¯m not sure about the yellow. Also, it¡¯s a bit thin.¡± She eyed the sheer fabric. With all the new chaos in her life, a thicker or tougher cloth would probably be best. Better to hide her legs, too.


    ¡°I think yellow would look good,¡± Brendan said, smiling. ¡°As for the thinness, it¡¯d be good for those hot summer days. Breathes easily, I bet.¡±


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°Brendan,¡± May called out from the other end of the aisle. ¡°Just a heads up: Astra needs a whole wardrobe so we¡¯re using the bulk outfit discount. No side picks, we don¡¯t have the money!¡±


    ¡°Oh! I didn¡¯t¡ªright, that makes sense.¡± Brendan sighed and put the sundress back on the rack. ¡°We¡¯ll have to find something that works everywhere, then. I didn¡¯t realize you guys were strapped for cash,¡± he commented, turning to give Astra an inquisitive look.


    ¡°Mhmm,¡± Astra hummed, pulling out another red and white...thing. Gosh that was a lot of frills. And why were the shoulders missing? Wouldn¡¯t the sleeves just fall right off your arms? She shook her head and put the dress back. Human fashion sure was...was. ¡°Well, we do have a bit, but we have a lot of mouths to feed now, even more so after today. Plus all the time May booked at the hotel, and, well, we¡¯re running low.¡±


    ¡°You have been fighting other trainers, right?¡± Brendan checked.


    ¡°Curb stomped everyone from here to Petalburg,¡± May confirmed. She grimaced. ¡°Mostly,¡± she amended. ¡°but they didn¡¯t pay out much.¡±


    ¡°Random encounters don¡¯t tend to,¡± Brendan agreed. ¡°You should see about doing some minor exhibition matches or a small tournament. Failing that, a few wagered matches at the gym would keep you guys afloat.¡±


    May¡¯s reply was lost to Astra as she discarded another unsuitable garment and found herself staring at the next one on the rack. It was a wide, leaf-green dress, sporting a blue sash around the waist from which a faint swirl of pale-lime spiralled a third of the way down. The hems were decorated with waves of the same pale-lime, less intricate but still present on the ends of the long sleeves. And importantly, sitting atop the neck was a navy blue scarf-collar thing, which covered the shoulders and looked to be able to conceal the lower face as well.


    ¡°Ooh...¡± Astra marveled at the garment, pulling it off the rack and holding it up to herself. It wasn¡¯t a perfect fit, slightly too big for her frame, but that wasn¡¯t a problem. Beneficial in some respects, even, considering her plan to ramp her illusion up to her actual height over the next few days. It didn¡¯t seem exceptionally suited for travel, but it wouldn¡¯t have any more problems than her current outfit. On all accounts, this was exactly what she was looking for. She had to try it, and according to May, clothing stores came with an area to do just that.


    ¡°Guys,¡± Astra called out, grinning. May and Brendan looked up, curious. ¡°Where¡¯s the dressing room?¡±


    A handful of minutes later, Astra emerged from the rather cramped booth in high spirits, newly clad in the spacious green dress. It fit a little oddly, not designed for a Kirlia¡¯s proportions, but wow it was so much less irritating than her robes! The cloth¡ªcotton, apparently, and she¡¯d have to look into what that was later¡ªfelt very smooth and nearly didn¡¯t itch at all. Marching proudly up to her friends, she spun in place and spread her arms wide, striking a pose.


    ¡°Ta-da!¡± she cheered.


    From the bench, May and Brendan examined her in quiet contemplation.


    ¡°I like it,¡± Brendan decided, giving Astra a hearty thumbs up. ¡°Very elegant.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s kind of old fashioned,¡± May said, nodding along. ¡°But it works.¡± The corner of her mouth turned up in a wry smile. ¡°Buuut there¡¯s just one piece missing. Here,¡± she said, reaching back and tossing a green hat at Astra. ¡°You said you wanted it to match, right? Try this on.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡ª!¡± Astra started, fumbled the catch, then awkwardly grasped the headwear by slamming her hands together on both sides of the head cavity. Shooting a snickering May a dour glare, she held up the hat, giving it a once-over. It was large and colored the same shade of leaf-green as her dress, with a wide brim and a giant blue bow attached to the trim.


    ¡°Huh,¡± Astra said, blinking at it. A quick illusion to hide her head¡ªand using the new hat like a shield regardless¡ªshe donned the headwear and smiled. It fit over her horns pretty well! Turning, she admired her reflection in a nearby mirror. ¡°Wow,¡± she said, twisting herself around to see all the angles. ¡°It fits perfectly! Thanks May!¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± May grinned, flippantly brushing a hand through her bangs. ¡°I wasn¡¯t gonna leave a job half finished, don¡¯t even mention it.¡±


    ¡°She rushed off to find it once you got in the booth,¡± Brendan mock-whispered. ¡°I think she was excited¡ªow!¡± he yelped, rubbing at his shoulder.


    May withdrew her fist and gave him an annoyed look. ¡°Enough out of you. So,¡± she chirped, turning back to Astra, ¡°we¡¯re settled on this?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Astra confirmed, twirling around again. She grinned at her reflection. Wearing clothing wasn¡¯t something she thought would ever become enjoyable, but she had to admit she looked a lot better now. ¡°I think we¡¯re good!¡±


    ¡°Great!¡± May said, clapping her hands. ¡°I already have the tags, so we can get copies from the front. Now, how¡¯s your shoe situation?¡±


    Nonexistent, Astra thought. ¡°Could be better,¡± she said. She shifted from leg to leg, wincing at the painful sores on the tips. Chasing after that Aqua grunt on human pavement had really done a number on her. ¡°A lot better. Are we getting those too?¡± She wasn¡¯t sure human shoes would work but today had made it very clear that something needed to change.


    ¡°Might as well,¡± Brendan said, pushing off the bench. "Good shoes are a lifesaver when you''re traveling this much."


    They travelled over to a section of the store filled with a massive collection of boxes. Astra eyed the shoes on display, feeling as lost as before. Her feet¡ªor rather, the lack of them¡ªmade choosing even more difficult. Shoes were designed for human extremities, and from what little she¡¯d observed of May¡¯s, they were shaped like if someone tried to sculpt a hand but screwed up the thumb, made all the digits way too short, and then started to panic. In comparison, her legs just...ended.


    A peculiar shape caught her eye, and she stopped at a fancy looking pedestal. A pair of weird black shoes were on display, the soles very nearly vertical and accompanied by what looked to be a long spike on the heel. Astra picked the footwear up, confused. Humans wore this? Weren¡¯t their feet flat? She thought shoes were supposed to make walking more comfortable, not less. And why was this heel spike so sharp?


    Was this honestly designed for a human? If anything, it seemed better suited to a Kirlia. It¡¯d look a little silly, but her feet would fit in the hole much more comfortably than a human¡¯s would. How much did it¡ª?


    Astra stared at the numbers on the placard. She put the spike-shoe back with a huff. Well! It looked flimsy anyway! It¡¯d probably break the second she did anything faster than a jog. Turning around, she caught sight of a baffled May squinting at her.


    Astra tilted her head. ¡°What?¡±


    May¡¯s eyes darted between her and the spike-shoes for a moment before she shut her jaw with a click and shook her head, looking disturbed. ¡°No,¡± she sighed, ¡°Just...no. C¡¯mon, the actual shoes are over here.¡±


    Finding footwear that wasn¡¯t designed by a madman was fairly quick. The issue of size came up, but a glance at a chart and some quick estimation let Astra confidently pick one that looked to be a size or two below May¡¯s. Brendan then handed her a box of decent travelling shoes, light blue and covered in odd geometric patterns. Astra retreated to the dressing booth, then immediately ran into the rather urgent question of how exactly she was going to wear these.


    Luckily the solution was the same as many of her recent troubles: Psychic Tomfoolery. The shoes came prefilled with several scrunched up paper balls for some reason, and Astra could simply psychically manipulate them to lift and turn the shoe in time with her footsteps. A package of long socks had also been obtained and provided a buffer of cushioning around the tip of her leg. It¡¯d look odd if anyone actually saw her walk for a bit but the dress¡¯s length made that unlikely. She¡¯d have to see about finding some way to remove the need for her power later; the number of things she was doing with her powers at all hours was growing concerningly large.


    Standing up, Astra took a few hesitant steps around the booth, grinning at the sensation of soft padding. Wow, she really should have done this earlier. It was like miniature beds strapped to the ends of her legs! No abrasion at all. This should stop the sores from showing up again in the future.


    Striding out of the booth once more, Astra grinned at her friends and gave them a thumbs up. May had been absolutely right to bring them here, Astra thought to herself as they headed to the register. With all the chaos today, she really had needed a good, solid win.


    After Astra¡ªand May, because Astra didn¡¯t have enough¡ªpaid, the trio stepped out of the store and walked back toward the city in high spirits.


    ¡°Well,¡± Brendan said, hefting up the bag of clothing he¡¯d been tasked with carrying. ¡°I¡¯d call that a success.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say!¡± Astra exclaimed, spinning in place again. She watched the edges of her new dress flare out again, a giddy smile on her face. ¡°This is amazing!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it,¡± Brendan said, returning her smile. ¡°It¡¯s very elegant.¡±


    ¡°Much better than before,¡± May said, nodding. She smirked, then broke out into a cackle. ¡°At long last!¡± she proclaimed, stretching her arms out to the world at large. ¡°The shower will be mine in the morning!¡±


    Astra rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh, go stuff a rock in your face. Just for that I¡¯m going to take even longer on purpose.¡±


    Astra paused as a yawn overtook her, and she rubbed at her eyes as a postponed weariness finally made itself known. She looked up at the sky, noting the faint orange of the sun rapidly vanishing behind the skyline. The stars had yet to make an appearance, though many likely wouldn¡¯t show while she was in the city, even in the depths of midnight. She never had made that complaint back at Petalburg, had she?


    Another yawn answered hers, Brendan¡®s eyes scrunching closed as he covered his mouth. He blinked sleepily. ¡°Well, let¡¯s make it to the morning first,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m done for the day; gonna drop these off at your place and head back to mine.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± May murmured, scratching at her bandages. She yawned as well, looking annoyed. ¡°Damnit, you got me doing it too.¡±


    Astra huffed in amusement, which triggered another yawn. Brendan followed up with his own once more, and May finished out round two with great annoyance.


    ¡°Alright, stop that,¡± May groused. ¡°It¡¯s getting irritating.¡±


    Brendan raised an eyebrow. He yawned.


    ¡°Motherfu¡ªhu¡ªhuaaaawker!¡±


    <hr>


    They arrived at the hotel, the modest lobby and hallways absent of their usual bustle. Brendan had taken his leave after dropping Astra¡¯s new clothes on a table and had promised to meet up in the lobby the next day. May collapsed on the bed with a groan, kicking her shoes toward the door and stretching out with a bevy of muffled pops.


    ¡°Well that sounded nasty,¡± Astra commented, while frowning at her own backpack and digging through its contents. She¡¯d have to do some rearranging to fit her new clothes inside. ¡°Feeling better now?


    ¡°Sore as hell, but glad to get off my feet again.¡± May sighed and rubbed at her bandages again. ¡°Tch, this is gonna annoy the crap out of me.¡±


    ¡°Just get some rest and you¡¯ll be better in no time!¡± Astra said, humming a small tune as she jostled some jars around. ¡°It¡¯s only a week or so, right?¡±


    ¡°Something like that, yeah.¡± May shifted around, then pulled herself upright. ¡°Ugh, I should probably change.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡± Astra still didn¡¯t have any proper sleepwear, so she¡¯d have to finagle something with the towels again. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want to ruin that soft bed with dirty clothes, right?¡± she asked, wryly remembering her first night in Petalburg.


    May snorted. ¡°Yeah, right. I still can¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t have a problem with that. What, have you been sleeping on a pile of straw or something?¡± she joked, discarding her shirt on a nearby chair.


    ¡°Grass, actually,¡± Astra absentmindedly corrected, delicately folding the dresses into a newly created space in her backpack. A silence broke out as she finished putting her clothes away, and Astra turned to see May staring up at the ceiling with a strange expression, lips thin and brow furrowed.


    ...she¡¯d said something weird again, hadn¡¯t she?


    Astra quietly excused herself to the bathroom, silently berating herself as she turned on the faucet and splashed her face with water. She stared into the mirror and saw a face, tired and frustrated. A human face, with too-small eyes, a too-wide mouth, and a protruding mass of a nose. It melted away with a thought and Astra stared at her own features. They weren¡¯t much happier, but at least they were hers, free of lies or misdirection.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard,¡± Astra told the mirror. ¡°It¡¯s hard, and nobody understands.¡±


    The mirror didn¡¯t reply. It held no answers that Astra didn¡¯t already know herself.


    May had slipped under the covers while Astra readied herself for bed. Astra flipped the light switch, plunging the room into darkness, and slid under her side of the sheets. She snuggled in, resting her head on the pillow, and sighed.


    It really was soft.


    After a while, when Astra had started to drift off, May spoke up.


    ¡°Hey, Astra?¡±


    Astra cracked an eye open. ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°Did you really sleep on a pile of grass?¡±


    Astra stared at the ceiling. ¡°...Yeah.¡±


    ¡°...Did your grandpa?¡± May asked, a hint of a steel lining the question.


    ¡°He covered his with fur.¡±


    May considered that. ¡°...Huh.¡±


    ¡°I was going to get my own cover, at some point,¡± Astra elaborated. ¡°He says I have to make it myself.¡±


    ¡°Hm. From what?¡±


    ¡°I think he made his from Poochyena?¡±


    ¡°If you skin my dog I will end you,¡± May said, voice flat.


    Astra let out a huff of laughter. ¡°No promises.¡±


    May scoffed, then fell silent. A few moments of quiet passed and Astra had just begun to wonder if May had fallen asleep when her voice rang out again. ¡°Astra? You¡¯ve...never really left home a lot, have you?¡±


    Astra stared at the ceiling. May was fishing for something. Had she grown suspicious? Well, at this point, maybe it wasn¡¯t such a surprise. Her ignorance of the human world was too pervasive¡ªperhaps it was inevitable that something would have to give. But how miserable was it that she hadn¡¯t even lasted a week? Ugh. She didn¡¯t regret befriending May, or Brendan for that matter. But man, they made things complicated.


    But what was May fishing for? The only thing Astra could sense was concern, curiosity, and an underlying hint of...envy? She was envious? Of what?


    ¡°No,¡± Astra finally admitted. ¡°I¡¯d never been very far, a few hours of walking at most. I guess that¡¯s not much of a surprise, is it?¡± She chuckled nervously.


    ¡°A little obvious, yeah,¡± May said, a dash of humor in her tone. ¡°You ask a lot of weird questions.¡±


    ¡°I guess I do, huh?¡± Astra sighed. ¡°Thanks for answering them all the time.¡±


    ¡°Hey, if you don¡¯t know, you don¡¯t know.¡± May shrugged. ¡°Can¡¯t say that I know everything either. Camping would have been pretty shit if you weren¡¯t around. Hell, you even taught me to start a fire. That was pretty cool.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Well, you¡¯re welcome!¡± Astra grinned, feeling warm. ¡°It was nothing, really. Everyone learns that super quickly.¡±


    ¡°Everyone, huh?¡± May pondered. ¡°You mean people back home? Didn¡¯t know you had neighbors. Not just you and your Gramps holed up in a cave, then?¡±


    Astra thought back to the night before her departure, facing down the congregated masses of her home. How many had there been? Hundreds at least, maybe thousands. ¡°We have a few, yeah. Their homes are made of wood, though.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± May twisted around, fiddling with the pillow before settling onto her side with a sigh, facing away. ¡°What¡¯s it like out there, anyway? Living out in the woods, I mean. I can handle roughing it for a few days, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯d ever want to stay out there.¡±


    ...that was the third question about her home in a row. Was that what the worry was about? Maybe the apparent lack of normal human amenities was a bigger cause of concern than Astra had initially thought. May¡¯s concern had started to ebb a bit with every answer she received, and it occurred to Astra that by asking about all the things humans had, she may have been implying certain things about what her village lacked. Maybe May thought they didn¡¯t have anything at all; no wonder she was worried.


    ¡°It¡¯s not as¡­complex, as this room is,¡± Astra began, considering her words. ¡°There are no lights, or plumbing, or tv, yeah, but it¡¯s still home. A bonfire can cook food and keep you warm. The compost helps keep the garden healthy, and growing your own food makes it way tastier. Though sometimes the fruit gets too big and ends up mostly water,¡± she confided. ¡°Soggy food is kinda gross.¡±


    May let out an amused huff. ¡°Remind me to tell you about cereal,¡± she murmured.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Astra agreed, ¡°but I haven¡¯t even told you about our stories yet! We¡¯ve got tons of legends and songs, and there¡¯s even a few people who can form silhouettes from a light or even shape the fire itself to act them out! The tv is pretty cool, but I¡¯ll always love the shadow plays the best,¡± she finished, nodding firmly.


    ¡°Shadow puppet theater? God, you sound like such a hipster.¡± May snorted, turning back over. She looked at Astra, brown eyes meeting crimson in the dark. ¡°But if you like it that much, I suppose it can¡¯t be that bad,¡± she allowed, giving Astra a hint of a grin. It faded quickly. ¡°...Do you miss it?¡±


    Astra frowned at May, confused. ¡°My home? Of course I do. Don¡¯t you miss yours?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to miss?¡± May asked, fingers drumming on the pillow. ¡°The house? I didn¡¯t even spend a full day there before I left; hell, the closest thing I did to unpacking was set the clock. Mom¡¯s a phone call away in the fuckin¡¯ unlikely event I wanna talk to her, and dad¡ª¡± May paused and made a face. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Astra said, lamely. ¡°Er. Well, did you have anyone back in...Johto...?¡±


    May¡¯s lips thinned, and she gave her pillow a sullen glare. ¡°Not since grade school,¡± she sighed, and rolled back to face the ceiling. ¡°...You know, I take it back; I might¡¯ve liked it better spending a decade in a single tree than all those fancy houses put together.¡±


    Astra gave her a melancholic smile. If only it were so simple. ¡°I know a guy who¡¯d put up some walls for cheap if you ever wanna move in next door,¡± she joked.


    ¡°Heh, right,¡± May mumbled. ¡°...Do you think I could visit, sometime?¡±


    Astra paused, turning the question over in her mind. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± she replied after a moment¡¯s thought. Disregarding the layers of issues to even reach that point, the villagers would freak out if May showed up out of the blue. ¡°Maybe someday. But we¡¯ve got a lot of Hoenn to cover, still.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. You know, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Preferably while well rested,¡± Astra hinted.


    ¡°Tch, fine.¡± May grumbled. She yawned and twisted away, pulling the sheets up higher. ¡°Night, Astra.¡±


    ¡°Night, May,¡± Astra replied, pulling her side of the beddings closer to herself.


    At long last, after a hectic chase, a thunderous battle, and myriad lesser incidents, she could lay down and recover. She hoped with all her heart that the rest of the week would not be nearly as eventful as her first few days in Rustboro.


    As for tomorrow...well, she¡¯d have to bring her team up to speed. A new member, and an evolution...maybe they could play some games again? Or she could decompress with her human friends. Both at once? She wondered if she could find that ¡®ice cream¡¯ somewhere as well. Ah, so many options.


    Astra closed her eyes, shut out the human world''s uncontrolled flood of emotion, fixed up her illusion to last the night, and finally let the faint sounds of the city carry her away.


    ...


    ¡°One last thing, where exactly¡ª?¡±


    Astra hit her with a pillow.

 Recess

    Astra scrutinized the park carefully. It was a nice, wide open area lined with trees, filled with soft grass and even a good sized pond. A number of odd structures littered the far side of the field, tubes and rods and even some sort of small fort, and Astra guessed they were meant to be an obstacle course of some sort. To the side a couple of rectangular arenas had been marked out and culled of grass, leaving packed earth ready and waiting for combatants.


    Thankfully, the park was also much emptier than the last three Pokemon Parks they had visited, with only a few kids¡ªand a lot of bugs¡ªtaking turns in one of the arenas and a woman by the pond playing fetch with a Surskit. The others had been packed to the point of annoyance, with barely any room to spare. She wanted to spend time around her friends, not random strangers!


    ¡°I think this is as good as we¡¯re going to get, guys,¡± Astra said, turning to May and Brendan. The three trainers had met up and set out from Astra and May¡¯s hotel lobby only a short while ago. With five mostly free days to burn and hopefully no more catastrophes lurking in the foliage, the first course of business was some good old quality time with their companions, new, old, and changed alike. With a solid eight hours of bright sunshine ahead of them, it was a perfect time to do so.


    Astra breathed in, the cleaner air and faint whiffs of the morning¡¯s dew leaving her feeling refreshed and ready for the day. ¡°I have to say,¡± she added, ¡°It¡¯s not bad.¡±


    Brendan nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯m surprised we found one this empty,¡± he said, taking a moment to stretch his arms over his head. He twisted from side to side, then let his arms fall, smiling. ¡°Seems perfect for a few hours of fun!¡±


    ¡°And you wanted to use the gym,¡± May accused lightly, smirking.


    ¡°It would have been faster!¡± Brendan defended. ¡°But you¡¯re right; it would have been a shame to miss out on all the sun.¡±


    ¡°So what should we do first?¡± Astra asked. Her only ball was broken, and she couldn¡¯t really play Rebound in the open anyhow.


    ¡°Best way to start things off is to get everybody out in the open,¡± Brendan decided, plucking a quartet of pokeballs from his belt. ¡°I¡¯ve caught two other pokemon since Petalburg, and I¡¯m guessing both of you can say something similar?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got that right,¡± May affirmed, drawing out her own set of four.


    ¡°Seems like we¡¯ve all got four,¡± Astra observed, her own pokeballs falling neatly into her hands. ¡°All together, then?¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Brendan nodded, grinning. ¡°One...¡±


    ¡°Two!¡± May continued, rearing back.


    ¡°Three!¡± Astra shouted, throwing her pokeballs high into the air. ¡°Come on out, everybody!¡±


    A brief wave of electronic noise washed over the park as a dozen pokeballs opened simultaneously. Astra smiled as Grovyle, Marill, and Slakoth shimmered into being, and she gave a nod of acknowledgement to Nincada. Marill and Slakoth immediately noticed Grovyle¡¯s new form and congratulated him in their own ways¡ªMarill enviously stomped her feet and uttered declarations of war, while Slakoth gave a very firm thumbs up with a smile. Grovyle received all this with a proud grin, puffing up and nonchalantly brushing aside the singular, long leaf that made up his ¡®hair¡¯. Nincada looked on from the side curiously, but made no move to join them.


    To Astra¡¯s side, May let out an enthusiastic, drawn out ¡°Hey~!¡± as she scratched around Combusken¡¯s large frill. Her other hand found its way to Poochyena¡¯s ears, the dark hound¡¯s tail wagging furiously as he rubbed his head against May¡¯s leg. May laughed, then paused and looked around. She winced.


    Astra followed her gaze to see Lotad ferrying a rather sour-faced Tentacool toward the water. ¡°Ah fuck,¡± May muttered, then broke out of the scratch session to run over and help.


    Shaking her head, Astra turned toward Brendan¡¯s selection of cohorts. She recognized Marshtomp and Whismur, the former prodding at the latter curiously as Whismur clutched onto Brendan¡¯s leg in shaky wariness. But the other two were new.


    One was a pokemon Astra had seen many times before: a Shroomish, a tannish bulb on two wide, stumpy feet. But the normally green underbelly and spots on her overcoat were instead a striking shade of orange. Her voice was airy yet excitable, and a flurry of excited demands in the form of rapid fire ¡°Mish-mish!?¡± filled the air as she plodded up to her trainer.


    Brendan''s last companion was a creature Astra had never seen before. A roiling mass of bubbling burnt orange lurched across the ground, leaving charred black grass in its wake. A large ovoid head sat atop the blob, staring at Brendan with two wide, unblinking eyes surrounded by great, flaming eyebrows.


    ¡°Slug,¡± it intoned, low-pitched voice eerily calm as it inched towards Brendan. ¡°Ma, slugma slug. Ma.¡±


    Astra blinked rapidly. That was...quite a lot of wrath percolating around the creature. A quick check of her Pokedex revealed the creature''s name as ¡®Slugma¡¯, and while she didn¡¯t know what magma was¡ª(...molten rock? Rocks could melt? Well, metal could, so...)¡ªapparently it would solidify and shed its own skin in even moderately chilly weather.


    ¡°What an...interesting pokemon,¡± Astra managed, frowning at the small black flecks she could see forming in Slugma¡¯s skin. ¡°Hey, Brendan, is your Slugma going to be okay out here? He¡¯s starting to, uh,¡± she paused, searching for a word. ¡°Congeal.¡±


    Brendan looked up from reassuring Whismur, blinking. ¡°Oh, Slugma? Yeah, he¡¯ll be fine. Not that you¡¯d know from how he tells it.¡± He shook his head, smiling as Slugma came closer. ¡°He¡¯s a big whiner, that one. It¡¯s not dangerous for Slugma to go about in normal weather for a few hours, but he goes on like he¡¯ll freeze rock solid in minutes if he doesn¡¯t get some fire flakes.¡±


    ¡°SLUUUGMAAA!¡± Slumga suddenly erupted, his eyebrows flaring a foot into the air. ¡°SLUUUUUG¡ª!¡±


    Brendan rolled his eyes and pulled a small bag out of his pocket. ¡°Such a drama queen,¡± he said, sprinkling a few golden-red squares over the molten blob.


    Slugma quickly snapped the drifting flakes out of the air, crooning contentedly. Astra blinked as his emotions flipped from wrath incarnate to utter contentment in a single instant. What a volatile personality.


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve gotten yourself some good pokemon,¡± Brendan said, looking over at Astra¡¯s group. ¡°A Marill, a Slakoth, and...did you get that Nincada yesterday?¡±


    Astra nodded. ¡°Yeah, it was part of a small swarm. It managed to take out Marill and wanted to come with, so I figured I might as well.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough, fair enough,¡± Brendan said. He paused as a loud splash rang through the air, followed by a litany of curses. ¡°Oh dear,¡± he said, gazing past Astra. She turned and saw that Tentacool had pulled May into the pond, and she was now treading water and ranting furiously at his quietly smug visage. The woman with the Surskit looked quite shocked.


    ¡°She really should have released him over the water,¡± Astra commented as May scrambled to pull herself over the surprisingly sheer edge onto land.


    ¡°She seems to cause a lot of trouble for herself, doesn¡¯t she?¡± Brendan agreed, sharing a grin with Astra. He paused again, looking past her. ¡°Not that you don¡¯t have your own problems.¡±


    Astra blinked. ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°I think you forgot to make an introduction,¡± Brendan informed her, nodding in the direction of her team.


    Astra turned to see Marill advancing upon Nincada, expression thunderous and tail already winding up to strike. Her eyes went wide. ¡°Oh shit¡ªMarill, stop!¡± she shouted, running over to her team. ¡°I said stop! He¡¯s with us now! Marill!¡±


    Behind her, Brendan chuckled and crouched down to pat Shroomish and Whismur on their heads. ¡°It¡¯s never going to be boring around May and Astra, huh?¡± he said, fingers rubbing the small bumps atop Shroomish¡¯s head.


    ¡°Shroom?¡± Shroomish asked, voice light and airy with a hint of a rasp.


    Brendan laughed and stood back up. ¡°You¡¯ll see soon enough. Now,¡± he said, stretching his arms above his head, grinning. ¡°It¡¯s a free day, so let¡¯s all have some fun!¡±


    The remaining pokemon unoccupied by spats raised their voices in unanimous agreement.


    And so the day began.


    <hr>


    Marill bobbed on the lake¡¯s surface, eyes narrowed in determination. On her sides, Marshtomp, Tentacool, and Lotad mirrored her, tense and ready to spring into action. May, the lone supervisor and referee of the water-type race, stood above them, eyeing the participants critically.


    ¡°All right!¡± she announced, arms folded. ¡°It¡¯s race time! The first one to three laps wins! Ground rules: no attacking each other! This pool¡¯s like twice as big as a olympic one, so no ¡®accidents¡¯ either! Everything else is fair game, are we clear!?¡±


    A chorus of agreements answered May¡¯s proclamation, Marshtomp¡¯s enthusiastic bellow nearly drowning out Lotad and Tentacool¡¯s more subdued cries. Marill merely tensed, ready to spring forward.


    ¡°Good.¡± May nodded. She raised an arm. ¡°On go! Three, two, one¡ª!¡±


    Her arm had barely dropped when Marill sprang forward. Her tail thrashed in a calculated frenzy as her rotund body undulated, her efforts propelling her through the frothing waters at a most furious speed¡ª


    Tentacool pulsed past her breezily, one tentacle giving Marill a lazy wave before he quickened his pace, easily doubling, then tripling the distance between them. Marshtomp passed by a bare second later, flippers heaving great troughs behind him and fins parting the water as though it were air.


    ¡°Marsh!¡± he cheered happily, before diving down and shooting forward.


    Marill stared for a moment, then growed. ¡°Riiiiillll!¡± she screeched, outrage fuelling her to ever higher levels of¡ª


    Lotad shot by in a reversed position, a jet of water spraying from his mouth. He caught Marill¡¯s eye for a split second. ¡°Lo,¡± he said, smugly. And then he was gone.


    From the sidelines, May quirked an eyebrow as Marill froze in place, then frowned as the blue pokemon abruptly sank like a stone. She leaned over the edge, peering into the artificial pond¡¯s depths.


    ¡°...why did she curl¡ªoh fuck!¡±


    May sprang backward as a blue cannonball erupted from the depths. Marill, spinning like an ornery bowling ball, skipped on the surface once, twice¡ªthen caught fast, kicking up a spray of water as she rocketed forward.


    May watched with wide eyes as the blue blur shot past a startled Lotad and Marshstomp, winced as Marill ran right over Tentacool and launched the squid into the air, before grimacing as Marill finally hit the pond¡¯s edge and went flying into the distance.


    Marill groaned, sprawled upside-down in a self-made ditch. One eye cracked open as footsteps drew near. She squinted upward and saw May holding her rather dazed Tentacool. ¡°Marill?¡±


    May stared down at her, unimpressed. ¡°Disqualified.¡±


    ¡°...rill.¡±


    <hr>


    Over at the assortment of park equipment, a new emperor laid claim to his dominion.


    ¡°Keeeeen!¡± Combusken crowed to the heavens, a jet of fire spiralling into the air. Victory at last, via divine right of ¡®dibs¡¯. He surveyed his newfound holding from the peak of his mighty three-level wood and plastic fortress, grinning smugly. A flicker of movement caught his attention, and his eyes narrowed as he spotted two approaching interlopers. ¡°Bus...¡± he growled, fingers gripping the wooden railing tightly.


    Turning around, Combusken kicked at his snoozing underling. ¡°Combus!¡± He ordered, pointing at the approaching invaders.


    Slakoth yawned, cracking an eye open. ¡°Slaaak...?¡±


    Combusken pointed even harder, glaring. ¡°Ken.¡±


    ¡°Koth...¡± Slakoth grumbled, staggering to his feet. He poked his head over the railing, blinking at the semi-distant challengers below. He sighed. Another prime nap opportunity, interrupted. Best make this quick, then.


    Down below, Grovyle and Shroomish peered up at the fort. Grovyle had seen Combusken race to the top not a minute before, dragging a limp Slakoth behind him.


    ¡°Grove,¡± Grovyle commented, frowning at the structure curiously. He turned to Shroomish and jerked his head toward the fort. ¡°Gro?¡±


    ¡°Shroom,¡± Shroomish agreed, ambling forward. ¡°Mish-mish shr¡ª¡±


    Shroomish was cut off by a high-speed pebble abruptly shooting into the ground by her foot. She fell backward with a shocked cry. Grovyle¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he looked up at the fort.


    Up above, Slakoth gave him a lazy wave. Combusken grinned next to him, staring straight at Grovyle. He pulled down an eyelid and made a face. ¡°Bus kiiiiin!¡± he crowed, laughing.


    ¡°Vyle!¡± Grovyle shouted back up, sharpened leaves erupting from his wrists. He turned his attention to Slakoth, glaring. ¡°Vyle, grovyle!?¡±


    Slakoth, draped across the railing, just jerked a thumb at Combusken and shrugged.


    Grovyle glare faded into exasperation. ¡°Gro-vyle...¡± he sighed.


    Shroomish shook herself and stumbled to her feet. ¡°Shroomish!¡± she yelled, stomping the grass with puffed cheeks, each thump raining orange spores upon the dirt. When this only provoked Combusken to laugh harder, she turned to Grovyle and pouted. ¡°Miiiish!¡± she whined, big, lumpy tears forming in the corner of her eyes. ¡°Shroomish miiiish!¡±


    Grovyle smiled and pat Shroomish on the head. ¡°Grovyle!¡± he said, giving her a thumbs up. Turning back to the fort, he looked up at the two defenders. Combousken smirked and pointed down. Slakoth raised his arm.


    Grovyle crouched. Then, he moved.


    A flurry of pebbles sent puffs of dirt into the air where Grovyle had just been. The leaf on his head fluttered madly in the wind as he sprinted up to the fort, darting left and right as handfuls of stone rained from on high. The few stray pebbles that managed to graze his face and shoulders were not nearly enough to stop him.


    Combusken squawked as Grovyle reached the base of the fort and jumped up to the first floor. How dare he invade his tower! Face twisted in righteous anger, Combusken leapt over the railing, spitting fire.


    Grovyle jerked back as the embers fell down around him, leaping back off the structure as Combusken delivered a solid kick through where his head had been moments before. A further flurry of cinders and pebbles forced Grovyle even further backwards, only ceasing when he returned to where Shroomish was waiting. Her disappointed gaze bore into Grovyle like a solar beam.


    ¡°Shroom,¡± she said, tone flat. As if to punctuate her statement, a cavalcade of boorish jeers rang out from the fort.


    ¡°Vyle,¡± Grovyle muttered, giving her a disgruntled frown. ¡°Vyle grovyle?¡± He pointed at her and gestured toward the miniature keep where Combusken was still laughing. ¡°Grove.¡±


    Shroomish turned up her nose, and would have crossed her arms if she had any. ¡°Shroomish shroom; mish shroom-shroom!¡± she said, haughtily.


    Grovyle contemplated this for a moment. ¡°Grove...¡± he said, nodding slowly.


    ¡°Mish,¡± Shroomish agreed. ¡°Shroom mish-mish¡ª!¡±


    Grovyle placed a hand on her head. Shroomish paused. Her eyes widened.


    ¡°...Shroom?¡± she asked, breaking out into a cold sweat.


    ¡°Groooo...¡± Grovyle drawled. His other hand gently grabbed her waist. ¡°Vyle-vy?¡±


    ¡°Mi¡ª!? Mishmishmishmish¡ª!¡± Shroomish cried out, twisting around in Grovyle''s suddenly vice-like grip.


    ¡°Vyle vy-vy-vy!¡± Grovyle cackled, bodily lifting Shroomish over his head and charging at the fort.


    Combusken, currently pantomiming exaggerated impressions of his victory to an impassive Slakoth, looked up when a loud wailing suddenly filled the air, rapidly gaining in volume with every moment. He and Slakoth looked at each other, confused. Combusken turned back to the railing and looked down, muttering to himself. ¡°Busken ken, Com¡ªken!?¡±


    Combusken only had a moment to comprehend Grovyle jumping back up the tower before the leafy pokemon whirled around and threw a screaming tan fungal ball at his face. Shroomish smacked into Combusken¡¯s beak with a pained cry, sending both pokemon tumbling to the floor of the fort.


    Scrabbling to his feet, Combusken shook his head, scowling. He looked at Shroomish, the confused, dizzy look on her face doing nothing to quell the fire in his eyes. ¡°Combusken!?¡±


    ¡°Mi-i-i-ish...¡± Shroomish slurred, wobbling around in a daze. Slakoth, lying nearby, gave her a curious look and poked her in the back. Shroomish jumped, crying out in shock. She shook herself, vision clearing just in time to see Combusken winding up for a kick.


    ¡°Com-busk¡ª!¡± Combusken roared.


    Shroomish shrieked and exploded into a cloud of spores.


    The fort''s crown vanished into an orange fog. Grovyle blinked up at it from the second landing, eyeing the flickering yellow lights that sometimes arced through the haze. He sniffed. It smelled like a thunderstorm made of fungal citrus. Well! That had worked better than he had hoped. After waiting for the wind to blow the spore cloud away, Grovyle hopped up to the crown of the structure.


    The first thing he noticed was Combusken lying on the floor, twitching as sparks of electricity shot off his body at random. Grovyle let a smug smile cross his face as he knelt next to his rival. ¡°Grovyle~!¡± he taunted, flicking the large trio of feathers on Combusken¡¯s head.


    Combusken, fully paralyzed, didn¡¯t reply. Grovyle chuckled and stood up. Victory! Now this fort was his! Grovyle didn¡¯t really know what to do with it, but he had usurped the previous king and would take his prize nevertheless!


    ¡°Shroom.¡±


    Grovyle wilted. Ah, right. ¡°Grovyle!¡± he said, whirling around and smiling, forcing cheer into his tone. ¡°Grovyle grove?¡±


    Shroomish stared at him with a blank face and lidded eyes. ¡°Shroom.¡±


    ¡°Vyle...¡± Grovyle said, sweat beading on his face. He looked down at the still twitching Combusken, then gave Shroomish a shaky thumbs up. ¡°Grove! Vyle vy!¡±


    If anything, Shroomish¡¯s face got even more blank. Then, it turned absolutely thunderous. ¡°Shroomish. Mish,¡± she accused, puffing up.


    Grovyle paled. ¡°Grove!¡± he protested, holding his hands up and taking a step backward. ¡°Grovyle vy¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Shroom!¡± Shroomish yelled, then exploded.


    The tower vanished in an orange spore cloud once again. When it blew away, Grovyle was lying across Combusken, the two convulsing as arcs of electricity raced across their bodies.


    Shroomish observed her handiwork and gave a satisfied nod. Then she jumped up and stomped on their backs for good measure. ¡°Mish!¡± share said, triumphantly. That¡¯ll show them the price of disrespect! Now, how to get down¡ª


    ¡°Koth?¡±


    Shroomish jumped, whirling around to stare at Slakoth. Slakoth looked back from the floor, fur coated in orange dust. He raised a hand in greeting, if only slightly.


    ¡°Slak.¡±


    Shroomish scowled. This was the guy that threw rocks at her! Cheeks puffed out, she marched right up to the prone figure and leaned over, unleashing another burst of spores right in his face.


    Slakoth blinked, now coated in orange. His face screwed up. He twitched, violently, then sneezed.


    Shroomish stared at her very unparalyzed target, aghast. Slakoth shook his head and sniffed. He frowned.


    ¡°Ack. Slakoth,¡± he said, giving Shroomish a reproachful look. ¡°Koth.¡±


    ¡°...shroom?¡± Shroomish tried, giving him a nervous grin.


    ¡°Slak...¡± Slakoth warned.


    Shroomish immediately bowed in supplication¡ªor, at least, tilted forward a bit. ¡°Shroomish-mishshroom,¡± she apologized, the words coming quickly and evenly.


    Slakoth looked at her. He nodded.


    ¡°Koth. Slakoth,¡± he said, a sense of finality engraved in his tone. Then he flopped around, put his head in his arms, and laid still.


    Shroomish stared as snores began to fill the air. She opened her mouth, then paused. She closed her mouth. She gazed into the sky.


    ...


    Well, she was the last one standing, so...victory?


    A loud scrabble of feet erupted behind Shroomish, the stun powder finally wearing off. She sighed, turned around, and puffed up.


    Some wars were never done.


    <hr>


    Astra riffled through her violin case, quietly ignoring the infrequent buzzing to her side. Introducing Nincada to her team had gone well enough, aside from needing to stop Marill from extracting retribution for her now-healed eye. Astra herself hadn¡¯t quite forgiven Nincada for the injury¡ªMarill would have been a very helpful backup in the Whismur cave, after all. Grovyle and Slakoth had been reasonably amicable, and Nincada¡¯s acceptance of their welcoming was short and polite.


    Nincada then completely ignored the others in favor of following Astra around, to her mild discomfort. She had hoped to push off their new association for at least a little while longer. Nincada in general had the peculiar ability to cut through a psychic''s defences¡ªand shortly after, their flesh¡ªwith unusual ease. They were also physically creepy as hell, as May would put it, with minds far more ruled by instinct than other pokemon of comparable intelligence.


    All this was to say: Astra was a bit leery of Nincada. He was creepy, his mind was structured weird, and he¡¯d nearly gouged out Marill¡¯s eye yesterday. Had he not been a surprisingly capable combatant and apparently genuinely dedicated to joining her upon his defeat, Astra would have passed him over without a second glance. She would have to work on integration to the team at some point, but for today she¡¯d rather just relax. At least he wasn¡¯t bothering her at the moment.


    Now if she could just find¡ªaha! Astra pulled a collection of sheet music from the violin case, grinning triumphantly.


    ¡°Found them!¡± she announced, turning to a nearby tree where Brendan was waiting. He was sitting against the trunk, Whismur in his lap and Slugma under one arm. The magma creature was burbling contentedly, occasionally nudging Brendan for another fire flake and somehow not searing the flesh off his arm. He looked up at her voice and waved, beckoning her closer.


    ¡°Are you ready for some amazing music?¡± Astra asked, closing the violin case and striding over, giving Brendan a proud grin as she brandished the instrument. Nincada, who had been scurrying after her, decided to start burrowing into the dirt a bit away. Astra recalled his pokedex entry saying they nibbled on tree roots and supposed he had gotten hungry.


    ¡°Sure am,¡± Brendan agreed, rubbing a spot at the base of Whismur¡¯s ear. She let out a whistling trill and nuzzled into his hand, one foot rapidly stomping the ground. ¡°I¡¯m glad to finally witness these vaunted tunes you¡¯ve been talking about so much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know I¡¯m not just talk,¡± Astra informed him, carefully lowering herself onto the grass next to Brendan with the violin on her lap. She twanged on the strings and listened to the note, then twisted a knob on the head slightly. ¡°I¡¯m just happy I¡¯ve finally gotten a chance to look through these sheets Trevor left me.¡±


    ¡°That was the man who gave you the violin after a few hours of lessons, right?¡± Brendan asked.


    Astra twanged a string again and nodded, both in answer and in satisfaction with her tuning. ¡°Yep. Told you about it yesterday, remember?¡±


    ¡°Just making sure,¡± Brendan said. He sighed. ¡°A sad tale, but I¡¯m glad he found happiness despite his condition. So, what¡¯s on the sheets?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± Astra held up the surprisingly large collection of papers¡ªthey were all bound together by a few large metal rings¡ªand flipped to a random page. Then she backed up a few because this piece seemed to be rather long and very complex.


    ¡°Uh...¡± she said, staring at the bars so covered in notations such that they were nearly black. ¡°This one¡¯s called...the Death Waltz? What the...¡± she trailed off, perplexed. What was with these instructions? Was it asking her to play five separate notes on the same string? Five times over? Why did she need to release a hoard of Empoleons onto the audience halfway through? A little message in the corner dedicated the composition to an ¡®unknown girl¡¯, declaring that the ¡®blood-sucking devil¡¯ could go rot in a dank cellar.


    ¡°I think this one is a joke,¡± Astra concluded, staring at the bit where she was expected to light off explosives.


    ¡°Is it a good joke?¡± Brendan asked, leaning over. His eyes scanned the page, brows furrowing. ¡°...I don¡¯t play any instruments,¡± he started, slowly, ¡°But I¡¯m pretty sure none of them need an infusion of legumes.¡±


    ¡°I figured. Let me just find a simple one,¡± Astra said, flipping through the collection at random. ¡°Oh this one looks simple, it¡¯s called¡ª¡±


    A panting sound interrupted her. Astra looked up and¡ªred eyes framed by yellow, gnashing teeth and rustled brush, howling in the night¡ª


    Astra froze, eyes wide. She made a sound not unlike squeaking wood.


    ¡°...What?¡± Brendan asked. He looked up. ¡°Oh, hi Poochyena.¡±


    Poochyena barked in Astra¡¯s face. She shrieked and hurled herself backwards, violin tumbling onto the grass. Scrambling to her feet, Astra fled behind another tree a dozen feet away and slammed her back against the bark, heart thumping loudly in her ears.


    ¡°...Astra?¡± Brendan ventured, sounding doubly confused and concerned. ¡°You okay?¡±


    Astra swallowed, then shook her head and took a deep breath, letting out the air slowly. ¡°I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m fine!¡± she called back, shakily. She edged back out from behind the tree, flinching back when she saw Poochyena sitting by her violin. Why wasn¡¯t he with May? Poochyena could swim, couldn¡¯t they!? He could have at least gone with the others to the playground! Ugh, today was supposed to be relaxing, damn it! She didn¡¯t need a nightmare dog that she couldn¡¯t sense to scare her shitless out of nowhere!


    ¡°You sure?¡± Brendan asked.


    ¡°Y-yeah. He just, um. Startled me, is all,¡± Astra stammered. She eyed the distance between herself, her violin, and Poochyena. The hound didn¡¯t seem inclined to move, having taken to sniffing the instrument. Astra...didn¡¯t quite feel like getting close, at the moment.


    Noticing her extended pause, Brendan carefully removed himself from his pokemon and walked over. He looked at Astra, then at the confused Poochyena sitting next to the violin, then back at Astra.


    Astra plastered an awkward grin across her face at his stare. Her eyes flickered about, searching for something to say.


    ¡°...hi!¡± she failed, raising a hand and giving him a weak wave.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Brendan replied, raising an eyebrow. He glanced back at Poochyena, then gave her a searching stare. ¡°...would you like me to get the violin?¡± he asked, casually.


    Astra looked down, face turning a light red. ¡°Yes please,¡± she murmured.


    Nodding, Brendan went and retrieved the violin and sheet music, stonefacedly handing them to an embarrassed Astra.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she murmured, looking at the ground. Astra watched Poochyena look about then run over and curiously sniff at Nincada¡¯s dirt mound. She grimaced, then shook herself and sat down, once more perusing the sheet music. Hopefully Poochyena would find something else to do.


    Brendan sat down beside her and gave a fond smile towards Slugma and Whismur, who had formed a cuddle pile at the old tree in his absence. ¡°Cute,¡± he said. He fiddled with his hands and looked at Poochyena, then back at Astra. ¡°...do you want to talk about it?¡± he ventured after a few moments.


    ¡°Talk about what?¡± Astra asked, determinedly ignoring the aura of concern hanging over Brendan. The only thing she wanted to do right now was to find a decent piece to play.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡ª¡± Brendan paused, unsure. ¡°...you seemed to react a bit...strongly, right then.¡±


    Astra closed her eyes and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not the biggest fan of Poochyena,¡± she muttered, putting the bound papers down. Seems like she wouldn¡¯t get to try any of them after all. ¡°All of them, not just May¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Brendan shifted, turning to look at the dog in question. He watched as Poochyena started to dig into the dirt. ¡°...Might I ask why?¡± he asked, carefully.


    Astra stared down at her lap. How did one explain that, to her senses, Poochyena didn¡¯t exist? Poochyena was nothing. Less than nothing¡ªa void that utterly rejected her very nature, an area of null thought and emotion. You couldn¡¯t talk to them, yell at them, deaf to even your screams until the air was forced from your lungs¡ª


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    All Poochyena were like this. Complete and total psychic immunity. And unless one were careful, a psychic like her became easy prey. One week ago a pack of them almost ran her down and had a Ralts-shaped dinner. A gargantuan, evolved one had played a central role in her parents¡¯ deaths. This one had growled at her before May told it off, and she wasn¡¯t sure if it was inclined to do more with the absence of his trainer.


    ¡°I¡¯ve...had some bad experiences with them,¡± Astra said. ¡°It hasn¡¯t really come up before. Usually he just sticks around May and doesn¡¯t bother me.¡±


    ¡°So it hasn¡¯t been an issue before?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an issue now,¡± Astra insisted, frowning. She¡¯d been¡­tolerant of May¡¯s Poochyena in the past, and even other trainers¡¯ Poochyena when facing them down in the past few days. She would actually very much prefer it never came near her, but that didn¡¯t mean there was a problem. ¡°Like I said, he just startled me. No big deal.¡±


    Brendan glanced down at the violin. Astra glared. The corner of his mouth curled up for a moment before he schooled his face into a neutral expression. ¡°I¡¯m...well, I¡¯ve heard stories of some who would do a lot more than hide behind a tree in similar circumstances. Is it stressful to be around one so often?¡±


    ¡°Maybe a bit...?¡± Astra glanced at the dog, eyeing it warily. She certainly wasn¡¯t relaxed. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯d just...rather not be near one. Why are you pestering me about it so much?¡±


    ¡°Because it is bothering you and, well...¡± Brendan scratched the back of his head. ¡°I don¡¯t like it when my friends are upset. If there might be a way to resolve it, I feel like I should at least bring it up, right? I¡¯m not asking you to, say, hug every Poochyena you see, but I think it¡¯d be easier if May¡¯s didn¡¯t make you scramble behind a tree.¡± He shrugged. ¡°At least, that¡¯s my opinion. Have you considered interacting with him at all?¡±


    She stared at him, silently wondering, again, how to explain that Poochyena were deaf to anything she said. ¡°The wild ones back home weren¡¯t very receptive toward anything we tried,¡± she said, after a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t see how it would be any different now. May only captured him, what, a week ago?¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Brendan exclaimed, ¡°but none of them had me around to help out, did they?¡± he grinned. ¡°I¡¯m sure that we could figure it out together. If you¡¯re willing to try, of course.¡±


    Astra kind of really didn¡¯t, but Brendan¡¯s earnestness was hard to turn down. She sighed. Might as well go along with it for a bit. He¡¯d see how pointless it was and drop it, then she could finally find something to play.


    ¡°All right,¡± she said. ¡°I really don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to work, though. I¡¯m not interested in being friends.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be friends,¡± Brendan replied. ¡°I¡¯m more aiming for...¡®neutral¡¯. I¡¯m going to call him over, all right?¡± At Astra¡¯s nod, he turned and let out a yell. ¡°Hey Poochyena¡ª¡± Brendan paused. ¡°What the heck is he doing?¡±


    Astra looked over to see Poochyena torso-deep into an excavated pile of earth. Her eyes widened. ¡°Wait, wasn¡¯t Nincada down there!?¡±


    As she spoke, Poochyena let out a loud yip and abruptly reversed course, scrabbling backwards out of the hole in a small plume of dirt. He sat up, a rather bewildered Nincada clamped onto his back in reverse.


    ¡°Nin?¡± Nincada asked, staring down at his new furry perch.


    ¡°Yena!¡± Poochyena barked, panting excitedly and seemingly ignorant of his new passenger.


    The two trainers stared. Brendan raised a hand.


    ¡°Uh. Poochyena?¡±


    Poochyena¡¯s head swiveled around, ears perking up as he spotted Brendan. He leapt up and bounded toward Brendan, heedless of the wide-eyed insect clinging to his back. ¡°Yen yen!¡±


    ¡°Ca-a-a-a-a-a!?¡± Nicada warbled from above, bouncing off Poochyena¡¯s back in perfect tandem. A second later Poochyena, coming in from the side, impacted Brendan¡¯s lap with an excited yip and launched Nincada straight into Astra¡¯s face.


    Astra shrieked at the sudden face-full of horrible giant bug, quickly pulling the scrabbling Nincada off her face and just barely stopping herself from hurling him into the distance. That hurt! But, not as much as she had expected. Nincada was surprisingly light. She held her pokemon at arm¡¯s length, breathing heavily as her heart slowly stopped pounding. The two looked at each other. Nincada wiggled unhappily.


    ¡°Cada!¡± he complained, pointing at Poochyena. He sounded weirdly offended, like his brief ride had dashed his dignity against the¡ªwell, fur.


    Astra snorted, the petty complaint doing much to reassert her sense of calm. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re fine,¡± she said, setting him down to the side. She frowned, brushing away some soil clinging to his head. ¡°A bit dirty, maybe. Well, whatever. Just...sit here, okay? Maybe you¡¯ll get to listen to some music.¡± She glanced over at Brendan, who was fending off a ferocious puppy assault. It looked rather wet. ¡°Eventually,¡± she groused.


    Nincada still felt unhappy but complied, folding up and resting against Astra¡¯s leg. Astra looked down at him, hesitating. Nincada was still¡ªshe still had issues with him. But he wasn¡¯t too bad compared to Poochyena; at least it was possible to talk to Nincada. Perhaps...a small bit of contact. As a start.


    Slowly, she reached a hand out and stroked across Nincada¡¯s head. His skin¡ªchitin, Astra supposed¡ªfelt eerily smooth and a bit stiff, as if she was touching some sort of flexible glass. It was an intriguing sensation. Warm. Kind of nice, actually. Nincada shook her hand off after a few more strokes, his tiny wings buzzing irritably. Ah, maybe he wasn¡¯t a fan of being touched.


    ¡°Alright, alright!¡± Brendan said, laughing as he pushed Poochyena away. ¡°Down boy! Geeze, he¡¯s an excitable one isn¡¯t he?¡± He grinned, looking over to Astra. ¡°Friendly as can be. Worst that can happen is a face full of slobber.¡±


    Astra grimaced, leaning away from the pair. ¡°I see...¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, you can say hi at least, can¡¯t you?¡± Brendan asked, moving Poochyena so he faced Astra. The dog turned his attention to the disguised Kirlia. He stopped his excited panting and tilted his head, as if confused.


    She really couldn¡¯t. Astra sighed. ¡°...hello, Poochyena,¡± she said, waving. As usual, she spoke with a well-practiced telepathic broadcast. It brushed against Brendan¡¯s mind and imparted the message, as expected, and then the emission broke against Poochyena¡¯s body like a breeze against a tree and absolutely failed to do anything at all, also as expected. He did appear to notice her hand at least. Poochyena seemed to almost frown, his bushy tail slowly flicking back and forth as he tilted his head the other way.


    Brendan blinked. ¡°Huh. That was...kinda tepid.¡±


    ¡°Told you,¡± Astra said dryly. ¡°Are we done now?¡±


    ¡°Um. Maybe you could try petting him?¡±


    Astra grimaced. Now she had to touch him? ¡°Fine, but we¡¯re dropping this whole stupid thing afterward, okay?¡±


    ¡°As long as you try!¡± Brendan assured.


    Astra sighed again¡ªshe was doing that a lot lately¡ªand looked at Poochyena flatly. Hesitantly, she reached out for Poochyena¡¯s ears.


    Her hand passed near his nose. Poochyena sniffed. He froze, ears perking forward and eyes widening. His lips pulled back to show a set of very large teeth, a muted rumble coming from deep within the throat¡ª


    Danger.


    Astra snatched her hand back with a cry of alarm, lurching away from the very not friendly dog in a surge of panic. Nincada buzzed angrily, darting out to put himself between his trainer and the sudden threat.


    ¡°Woah!¡± Brendan exclaimed, wrapping his arms around Poochyena. Thankfully the dog didn¡¯t lunge after her, but that did little to quell the thundering beat filling Astra¡¯s ears. Still on the ground, she inched away until Poochyena¡¯s growling subsided.


    ¡°Hey boy, settle down!¡± Brendan urged, one arm holding Poochyena in place as the other stroked his head perhaps a bit too rapidly. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay!¡±


    ¡°It is most certainly not!¡± Astra yelled back. She watched as Poochyena gradually settled down at Brendan¡¯s urging and shook her head, scowling. ¡°All right, I¡¯m done. One scare was already enough, I didn¡¯t need another! Can you just¡ªjust send him back to May or something, please?¡±


    Brendan looked at her, his knee-jerk protest dying as he saw her face. He glanced down at Nincada¡ªstill interposing himself between them and buzzing in righteous anger¡ªand his hesitant expression melted into resigned defeat.


    ¡°Alright,¡± he said, quietly. Brendan turned and murmured a few words to Poochyena. The dog perked up and looked around excitedly. Spotting the distant figure of May¡ªwho seemed to be having some sort of exasperated fit near the suddenly orange playground area¡ªthe dog scrambled off Brendan¡¯s lap and bounded away, yipping excitedly.


    Astra watched him go, exhaling in relief as his yips grew inaudible. ¡°Not doing that again,¡± she muttered, shaking her head.


    Nincada returned to her side and buzzed, an aura of quiet satisfaction rolling from his mind.


    Astra looked down at him, a small smile finding its way to her face. ¡°Eh? Do you think you scared him off? Heh, nice work, Nincada.¡±


    ¡°Nin,¡± Nincada said, his tone regaining that odd formality.


    ¡°Well, I suppose I¡¯ll dedicate this first song to you then!¡± Astra cheered, to Nincada¡¯s mild bewilderment. She turned to the sheaf of papers, expression falling. ¡°If I can ever find a playable one...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Brendan blurted.


    Astra looked at him. He looked back, an aura of shame and guilt hanging about him like dreary fog. He was sincere, yes, but the reason was just as important as the regret. She tilted her head, silently demanding elaboration.


    Brendan seemed to pick up on this. He looked down, biting his lip. ¡°I...I shouldn¡¯t have made you face Poochyena like that. Shouldn¡¯t have tried to rush the process¡ªno, I should have taken the hint before all that. You told me you were uncomfortable and then I just... brushed past it.¡±


    Astra hummed. ¡°Yeah, you kinda did,¡± she said, turning to face him fully. ¡°Brendan, you like helping people, right? You said it yourself. But I didn¡¯t ask for help with Poochyena, I just wanted my violin back. I didn¡¯t ask to try to make an acquaintance¡ªlet alone pet him. I wanted to keep my distance. Heck, Poochyena isn¡¯t even your pokemon. If I was going to try something like this, I¡¯d at least bring May in on it. But I won¡¯t. In the end it just...really isn¡¯t something I want to deal with.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Brendan repeated, staring at his hands, which clenched and fidgeted. He grimaced. ¡°I just wanted to...I...¡±


    ¡°Good thoughts, bad clarity,¡± Astra said, nicking a phrase from her Grandpa. She reached over and prodded at his temple. Brendan looked at her, confused. Astra smiled. ¡°Some problems just aren¡¯t yours to solve, okay?¡±


    ¡°...okay,¡± Brendan said, returning her smile after a moment.


    Astra nodded. Good. ¡°Hey, if you really wanna help me with something, can you help me pick a song out?¡± she asked, proffering the collection of sheet music.


    Brendan laughed. ¡°Alright, I suppose I could do that! Let¡¯s see here...oh, how about this one? ¡®Radiant Prelude¡¯?¡±


    He pointed out the sheet. It didn¡¯t look too complicated. Astra grinned.


    ¡°Sounds good!¡± she exclaimed, and, at last, set bow to string.


    To her side, Nincada perked up, first in curiosity, then in wonder. From the cuddle pile under the other tree, Whismur poked her head up and stared, much to the grumblings of Slugma.


    In the pond, a grand roughhousing came to a fleeting standstill. On the playground, an orange-tinted May¡¯s irritated tirade against a castle of motley misfits was brought to a brief halt.


    The sun shone brilliantly, both in the heavens above and the passage of song.


    And so, for a time, Astra played.


    <hr>


    Many things could be said of what happened at the park. Games and music and (an admittedly small) lunch came and went. But the most relevant thing to say is that their grand day out was coming to a close. The sun dipped low in the sky, and soon everything and everyone had packed up, ready to call it a day.


    With one last stop, at May¡¯s insistence.


    Once more, Astra found herself travelling toward Rustboro¡¯s harbor. The Devon towers passed by with an uneasy but thankfully uneventful silence. May led them through the streets and eventually the trio arrived at the shore. The smell of ocean salt wafted through the air, the distant water colored in interesting hues, and the sky above darkening towards a deep purple. The docks themselves blocked most of the horizon¡ªa grand maze of brightly-colored rectangular metal boxes and a few rather large flat ships, attended by a small number of workers. A shame, as the harbor¡¯s contents¡ªwhile mildly interesting in their own right¡ªweren¡¯t nearly as beautiful as the skyline.


    When Astra voiced the opinion, May just grinned.


    ¡°A better view? Lucky for you that¡¯s just what we came for,¡± she said with a wink.


    Astra and Brendan looked at each other and shrugged. They jogged after May, who had sped up in excitement. A scant few moments later, they were ascending a steep hill at the corner of the harbor. Atop the hill was a circular tower, colored in a spiraling red and white pattern and holding some large glass artifice at the top.


    They reached the base of the building¡ªdeserted, without even a vehicle in the driveway¡ªand May spun around, grinning brightly.


    ¡°Ta-da!¡± she announced, presenting the tower. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°The lighthouse?¡± Brendan asked, looking up at the building bemusedly.


    ¡°Oh, this is a lighthouse,¡± Astra said, understanding dawning upon her. May had mentioned them a few times before; it was interesting to finally see one. She peered up at the contraption atop the tower. If this was a house for light, maybe that¡¯s where it stayed? ¡°Neat.¡±


    ¡°If you think this is neat, just wait,¡± May said, strolling up to the door. She tried the door, frowning when it failed to open. ¡°Damn, they locked it again,¡± she grumbled, kneeling down and taking a few long, thin bits of metal from her bag. ¡°Gimme a sec.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you know how to lockpick?¡± Brendan asked, alarmed. ¡°Are we breaking in?¡±


    ¡°Whazzit look like, genius?¡± May grumbled, squinting at the keyhole. ¡°We¡¯re not breaking anything, as long as you two don¡¯t trip or something. It¡¯s fine, did this last Friday and no-one gave a shit. Ah!¡± she exclaimed, withdrawing her tools as the lock gave a tiny click. ¡°There we go!¡±


    ¡°Was there anyone around to ¡®give a shit¡¯?¡± Brendan asked, exasperated.


    May ignored him, swinging the door wide open and striding inside. ¡°Come on!¡±


    The interior of the lighthouse seemed to act as some sort of storage area, storing numerous bits and pieces all relating to what Astra assumed was general maintenance of the structure. A winding spiral staircase led them to a roof hatch and May pulled a cord that lowered a ladder. May, bursting with excitement, practically flew up the ladder with Brendan not far behind.


    Astra took up the rear, and she clambered to her feet, brushing out the wrinkles in her dress. She took a moment to examine the odd construct that took up the central area. It was a baffling amalgamation of glass, plastic, and steel that seemed to be on a rotating dais. Was this where the light came from? Shaking her head, Astra joined her friends at the railing and was abruptly left breathless.


    She could see everything.


    The sun was nearly touching the horizon, dyeing the sea and sky a burning orange. The clouds, taking the form of rolling waves in the heavens, were similarly bathed in fire. The harbor and city below glowed an intense russet, and she could see people and vehicles scurrying to and fro like ants. Astra stared at the gently rolling waves, the scent of brine filling the air as her gaze tracked the myriad motions of life before her. In the distance, a flock of Wingull cawed and swooped down to nibble on some presumably tasty bits below.


    ¡°It¡¯s...beautiful,¡± she said, awed.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Brendan agreed, wide-eyed.


    May¡¯s smug grin outshone the sun. ¡°Told you,¡± she sing-songed. She hopped up to sit on the railing, bringing one foot up to lay flat on the thin metal bar and resting her chin on her knee while the other leg hung loosely to the side. ¡°Every time I¡¯ve moved, I always seem to end up in a coastal town. This is one of the first things I always check out. Used to spend hours just sitting up on these babies watching the tide roll in. ¡±


    ¡°I can see why!¡± Astra exclaimed, stepping up the lower rung of the railing. She leaned out, eagerly drinking in the vista before her. The view from up here was leagues better than the one she''d had on that beach. The patterns on the water as the waves flowed in and out¡ªmesmerizing. ¡°This is amazing!¡±


    ¡°It does not disappoint," Brendan agreed. "I gotta say, I didn''t take you for the type to enjoy something like this, May."


    May frowned. "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "Well, you know," Brendan started, hesitantly. ¡°I¡¯ve always gotten this ¡®energetic¡¯ vibe from you. I figured you¡¯d be more likely to go surfing than stare out at the sea. Not that it¡¯s bad!¡± he added, smiling awkwardly. ¡°Just unexpected, is all. It really is nice,¡± he finished, looking back toward the horizon.


    May huffed, crossing her arms. She sat her feet on the ground and leaned back against the railing, staring out at the waves over her shoulder. ¡°I guess,¡± she said, after a moment. ¡°I dunno. Seeing everything from high up like this, seeing the ocean go in and out like that...it¡¯s, I dunno,¡± she repeated, sighing. ¡°I guess I just like getting lost in it all.¡±


    ¡°How did you start?¡± Astra asked, having sat down on the floor so her legs could dangle over the edge, below the railing. ¡°Were you just curious, or...?¡±


    May looked into the distance, frowning. Eventually, the other two realized she wasn¡¯t going to answer. Brendan shook his head and slid down to sit next to Astra. All three stared at the warm skyline, simply enjoying the view.


    ¡°Have you ever seen the ocean like this, Astra?¡± Brendan asked.


    Astra shook her head. ¡°I wasn¡¯t allowed to go south enough to see the coast there. A few of the¡ªmy neighbors have, though. Sometimes they brought back seashells and things. My grandpa¡¯s gone a few times to get special shells for paint and brought me back some cool rocks.¡±


    ¡°It was a letter,¡± May butted in, abruptly blurting the words out. Astra and Brendan looked at her in surprise. May scowled and turned her head away, a faint blush on her cheeks.


    ¡°...you started breaking into lighthouses because of a letter?¡± Brendan asked, lightly baffled.


    Astra hummed. Letters were a sort of message you wrote on paper, weren¡¯t they? ¡°What was the letter about?¡± she asked.


    May didn¡¯t answer for another few moments. When she did, her words came out haltingly, unsure. ¡°I...had a friend. Back in...fuck, what do you call it here? Kindergarten?¡± she looked at Brendan, annoyed.


    He nodded. ¡°I understand the time frame.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Astra said, because she didn¡¯t.


    ¡°My first year of school. Whatever,¡± May huffed, blowing a stray bang out of her face. ¡°She was¡ªI¡ª,¡± she stumbled, grimacing. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. We were both six and were friends, I guess. And then I had to move. We promised to write, cause we didn¡¯t have shit for phones back then. Used to get one every week, but the time lag was a bitch. Then I got less, and less, and then basically nothing at all. Last one I ever sent was one asking for her to come visit.


    ¡°Last one I ever got back said she¡¯d come in a week or two,¡± she continued, downcast. ¡°Even told me what boat they¡¯d be coming in on, the big one her sisters owned. Never told me a day, but I knew what it looked like.¡±


    ¡°So you went to where you could see all the boats coming in,¡± Brendan finished, tone somber.


    May gave a hollow chuckle. ¡°I went up there every day for a month.¡± she said, sliding down to sit next to the other two. She rested her head against a pole and looked up, sighing. ¡°Never saw the boat. Never got another letter. Thought they might¡¯ve crashed or something, but they just never left.¡±


    ¡°May...¡± Astra sniffed, a bit teary eyed.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Brendan said, a note of sorrow in his voice. ¡°I¡¯m...that¡¯s rough. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Beh, whatever,¡± May muttered, waving their concern off. ¡°It¡®s fine. I was getting along with¡ªwell, someone else at the new place I was at, at the time. Didn¡¯t do the letter thing with her, though.


    ¡°Still, it was kinda shit, sitting up there all those days waiting for nothing,¡± she murmured, twisting around to face the sea. ¡°But I still went up there now and then, even after I realized. Even when I moved. Something about being up here, above everything else...anytime I got too angry at something, or my head got too full of piss, I climbed up here and it¡¯d all just drain away.¡±


    Silence fell, none willing to speak after the somber fragment of May¡¯s past. Brendan looked down at the docks, observing the people below with a distracted curiosity. May stared listlessly out at the sea, eyes seeming to take in everything at once and go blank simultaneously. Astra looked at her, sensing the usually turbulent flow of thoughts and emotion in her friend''s mind settle into the depths like sediment in a murky pond. Eventually it became so still that it was like she was hardly thinking at all.


    It was a slightly familiar sensation, and it only took Astra a moment to put a name to it: Calm Mind. A sort of trance that a few elder Kirlia could put themselves in that would briefly enhance their power and control. What May was doing felt similar, but...there was no power to it. Of course there wasn¡¯t; Humans weren¡¯t psychic, and May was no exception. Astra felt a bit foolish for even giving the comparison that much weight. Still, it was interesting that such a frame of mind could be achieved, even without power.


    Astra turned away, following May¡¯s gaze toward the skyline. The sun was setting, causing ever more of the sky to turn a wondrous gloom of violet. Astra imagined sitting up on this tower every day for a season, searching the horizon for a friend that would never come. Then she stopped. It wasn¡¯t very fun. Not much of May¡¯s life had been, it seemed.


    That would have to be changed, Astra decided.


    Shifting over a bit, she knocked her shoe against May¡¯s. The girl started, looking at Astra in a confused haze, as if she had awoken from a nap.


    Astra giggled, and smiled at the other girl. May blinked, frowning.


    ¡°...what?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Thanks for bringing me up here,¡± Astra said, knocking May¡¯s shoe again. ¡°It¡¯s lovely.¡±


    May stared at her for a moment longer, her confusion melting into something warmer. ¡°...Yeah,¡± she agreed. ¡°No problem. Glad you like it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to do this again sometime,¡± Astra said.


    "Yeah," Brendan concurred, giving May a wide smile. "Anytime you want! Heck, I bet you''ll have more memories up here with us than you ever did alone soon enough!"


    May stared at him for a moment, then burst out laughing. ¡°Wh-what kind of cheesy ass¡ª¡± she shook her head, giving him a wry grin. ¡°Dude, I¡¯ve been doing this for ten years, how the hell are you gonna match that?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what it takes, I¡¯ll just have to do it for twenty,¡± Brendan said, raising a fist in determination. He stared at May, the sunset seeming to spark in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to do it alone anymore; every time you climb a lighthouse, I¡¯ll be right there with you! It¡¯s a promise!¡±


    May recoiled in shock, eyes wide. ¡°Wh¡ªugh,¡± she grumbled and turned away, face matching the rose-hued horizon.


    Astra giggled. How cute.


    ¡°Idiot,¡± May muttered, ¡°that¡¯s way too long, who the hell¡ªwhy the hell¡ªagh!¡± she yelled, clutching at, then running her fingers through her hair in agitation. She extricated herself from the railing and jumped up, face still red. ¡°Damnit, I can¡¯t just sit here and listen to this nonsense! I need to burn off steam. Hup!¡±


    ¡°Woah, what are you doing!?¡± Astra exclaimed as May hoisted herself onto the railing, watching as her friend began to walk along the very narrow metal strip circling the tower¡¯s edge. Both she and Brendan scrambled up, equally panicked at May¡¯s sudden spike of recklessness.


    ¡°Hey, hey, be careful, you could fall right off the lighthouse doing that!¡± Brendan called out, rushing over with arms extended as if to catch May when she slipped.


    May scoffed, casually strolling along the bar¡ªalbeit, very slowly. ¡°Think I don¡¯t know that? Re-fucking-lax, I¡¯ve done this tons of times.¡±


    ¡°What, balancing precariously over a hundred-foot drop!?¡± Brendan asked, a note of hysteria entering his voice. He hovered at the rail with Astra following close behind, both inching along as May walked the circumference.


    ¡°Yep!¡± May replied, sounding far too cheerful for being one misstep from horrible injury. ¡°Sometimes wave-watching got boring, or it was cloudy, or I just couldn¡¯t sit still. Not much you can do up here other than think about your footing.¡±


    ¡°What if you fall?¡± Astra asked, watching her warily.


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± May stopped, turning to face outwards. Astra followed her gaze.


    They¡¯d circled halfway around the lighthouse, and Rustboro City lay spread before them. The sun was well on its way to setting, but the faint glimmer of light still let the city shine in a dim glow. The Devon tower stood tall in the center, and beyond that the sky was slowly lighting up with street lamps, office lights, and the brightest of stars. A faint breeze blew by, the somewhat dirty scent of the city momentarily overpowering the ocean¡¯s brine.


    In the distance, a faint pillar of yellow haze marked Astra¡¯s biggest regret.


    Astra tore her eyes away, shaking her head. ¡°But what if you do?¡± she pressed, turning bay to May. ¡°Maybe the railing is slippery, or the wind knocks you over, or¡ª¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± May stated again, the sheer certainty in her voice taking Astra aback.


    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Brendan asked, confused.


    ¡°I have decided that I won¡¯t,¡± May replied confidently. ¡°So, I won¡¯t.¡±


    Astra stared at her friend. That was a really weird line of reasoning; neither the wind nor the railing would heed her choices if they decided to be difficult. Astra peered over the edge, grimacing at the sheer drop. She didn¡¯t know how May could be so steadfastly calm while declaring all that.


    ¡°I think I¡¯d still prefer it if you came down,¡± Brendan hinted. Astra suspected he was about to just yank her right off, consequences be damned.


    <hr>


    May rolled her eyes. ¡°Fiiine,¡± she drawled. She hopped down, lightly punching Brendan in the shoulder as she passed. ¡°Worrywart. Alright, the sun''s basically set, let¡¯s get going.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Brendan sighed, both in relief and exasperation. ¡°Calling it a day, then?¡±


    ¡°Eh, maybe. Kinda got a sweet tooth,¡± May mused.


    Astra perked up. ¡°Can we get ice cream?¡± she asked hopefully. The taste of that half-eaten morsel she¡¯d gotten when she first wandered through Petalburg was still crystal clear in her mind, an avalanche of wintery sweetness followed by a swift case of brain-freeze. If she could avoid the latter...


    ¡°Hell yeah, ice cream!¡± May cheered, leading the trio down the ladder and into the stairwell. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°All right, I can get behind that,¡± Brendan agreed, then paused. ¡°Wait, I thought you guys were out of money, how¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ice cream¡¯s on Brendan!¡± May cheered again, much louder.


    ¡°Ice cream¡¯s on Brendan!¡± Astra echoed gleefully.


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Brendan protested. ¡°Guys I''m not¡ªwait, wait¡ª!¡±


    A short time later, Astra ended up with a gloriously soft mass of oran-flavored heaven in a waffle cone. She licked it happily as Brendan stared glumly at May and her bowl of light green ¡®mint¡¯ confectionery.


    ¡°Well, at least yours is a bit healthy, I guess,¡± Brendan sighed, looking over at Astra. ¡°Oran is high in vitamin B, you know.¡±


    Astra hesitated. ¡°...what does the ¡®B¡¯ stand for?¡±


    ¡°Broke,¡± he spoke, calmly biting into a sea-salt popsicle.


    May burst out laughing. Brendan smirked, then winced as Astra kicked his leg. Astra huffed, then chuckled as she ate more of her cone. Well, all right, she couldn¡¯t be mad at him for that one.


    Jerk.

 Roxanne

    A yawn escaped Roxanne¡¯s mouth for the third time in five minutes, and as she pored once more over her lecture notes all she could think was that, for once in her life, she truly understood what motivated some students to skip school. She rubbed at her eyes and took another sip of horribly bitter coffee, trying to dredge up any energy she could. Sitting up to stretch her arms out, she took a small respite from the papers to glance about the familiar environs of the lecture hall.


    The classroom was comfortably large¡ªmultiple, tiered rows of desks able to hold up to fifty students in total, walls colored in a uniform white with a bit of sky blue trim along the bottom, and three large windows lining the wall opposite the entrance that bathed the room in natural sunlight. The large chalkboard behind her was mostly empty, waiting for her to draw upon it to accentuate whatever teachings she would provide her listeners.


    Said listeners had started to trickle in, and Roxanne glanced at the clock to see that there were only a few minutes left before it was time. She could only hope she had retained enough sense to do it right, do it properly, but the past few days had run her more ragged than any others she could remember.


    After all, it wasn¡¯t any weekend that an explosion large enough to register a magnitude of five annihilated a great deal of forest right outside city limits.


    <hr>


    ¡°It¡¯s getting better around the outskirts,¡± one man says to another, reading from an unfamiliar device near the epicenter of the blast zone. ¡°Slowly, very slowly, but the effects seem to be dissipating. But it¡¯s getting worse here at the center. Maybe the whole thing is contracting?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s getting darker and darker,¡± the other man notes. ¡°The shadows are cutting deeper,¡± he continues, gesturing toward his abnormally pitched silhouette. ¡°I wonder, if it were any more severe, would even a single photon be able to exist? Our next experiments will surely be fascinating. What do you two think?¡±


    ¡°I think I want to know what bombed my forest,¡± Roxanne bites out, more acidic than she intends. ¡°Or if it will happen again.¡±


    The two scientists look uncomfortable at her retort, and Roxanne can¡¯t help but sigh when they too don¡¯t have any worthwhile information. She has been out here for two days, watching for any signs of the perpetrator, regularly interrogating nearby personnel for new information. Two days of panicked questions, hurried inquiries, a great flood of messages. From the public, her colleagues, the media, the mayor, and everyone in between. Roxanne has not slept for thirty-six hours and it is becoming very, very obvious.


    She kneels down and sifts a hand through the cold grains of the sand, their chill leaving her fingers slightly numb. There shouldn¡¯t be sand here, or so say the people Devon had rushed out. An explosion of this magnitude should have left the ground scarred and devastated, yes, but it absolutely should not have transformed the whole area into desert.


    Something is wrong. The sun shines weakly, sound doesn¡¯t carry, and at times she swears she can feel something watching her through the yellow haze. Roxanne doesn¡¯t know what happened or how to fix it but this is an unprecedented catastrophe and she needs to find out what did this so she can stop it from happening ever again and what if it¡¯s in the city next time¡ª


    She spirals like this for twenty minutes then nearly calls out her Steelix at an unfortunate reporter after they had slipped through the exclusion zone and snuck up on her, and this is when Head Officer Jennifer finally pulls her aside and tells her to go home. Roxanne collapses into bed and worries endlessly until she finally shuts down at three in the morning.


    <hr>


    Another yawn threatened to escape, but Roxanne stifled it with another sip of coffee. She looked back over her notes one last time, then gazed over the growing crowd of attendees. Some of them were shooting her curious looks, and she could almost read their thoughts aloud. She¡¯d even been asked outright, once.


    ¡®Why are you here?¡¯


    Why was she still having this lecture? Why was she not still out there, searching for answers? Talking to the public? Was this the best use of her time?


    Questions with multiple responses. One was that Roxanne had already done what she could. No country, organization, or individual had come forward to claim credit for the incident, nor had some heretofore unknown mythical pokemon emerged to lay blame upon. For all that she loved her school and thrived in the educational realm, she was no investigator, no sleuth, nor a researcher in anything but Rock pokemon and fossils. All she could do was wait for someone to give her an explanation or target. One of the primary roles of a Gym Leader was to act as their city¡¯s primary defender, after all. Even if she hadn¡¯t had to act out that particular aspect of her position before.


    The other was that this was genuinely her best idea to get back into the swing of things. Roxanne had given all the press conferences and phone calls that she could. She had no more information to give, no action to take but to give shallow reassurances. All that could be done was return to normal business¡ªwith the caveat that she was absolutely prepared to sprint through the emergency exit and take flight on her Aerodactyl at slightest notice¡ªand what could be more normal than a school lecture? She, too, desired a return to everyday routine; just entering the building had calmed her nerves. Surely seeing her here would help reassure others that things were alright?


    Perhaps that was a bit optimistic, but Roxanne was willing to believe it would work.


    As the clock continued to tick, Roxanne scanned the classroom intently, searching for a certain individual. Noting a distinct lack of straw hats and odd black garments, she let out a disappointed sigh and shuffled through her notes again. There had been a third, quieter reason why she hadn¡¯t at least delayed the lecture, and she had hoped...well, maybe they¡¯d left early. A lot of the transitory population had, in recent days.


    Someone garbed in a nice-looking green dress hesitantly entered the room, looking around in curious puzzlement. Roxanne nearly dismissed the arrival as yet another new student before she abruptly recognized the pale face and red eyes peeking out from under the stylish sun hat. Apparently Astra had upgraded her outfit since she¡¯d last seen her. It looked brand new and suited her rather well. Had she gone shopping recently? Roxanne was glad that at least a few people had had a relaxing weekend.


    Astra met Roxanne''s gaze a moment later and the girl broke out into a grin, giving Roxanne a cheerful wave. Roxanne returned her smile and gave her a nod of acknowledgement. Astra looked around the room once more, then darted for a seat in the back row.


    Times had been difficult, but at least something was going right. As the last minute ran out, Roxanne took one last drink of her coffee and cleared her throat.


    ¡°Welcome everyone to today''s lecture!¡± she called out, her voice ringing clear and true through the room. The minor chit-chat among students quieted as everyone turned their full focus to Roxanne. She smiled; her audience was on the younger side, and it was always invigorating to see fresh faces eager to learn. ¡°It¡¯s been an intense few days, but that¡¯s no excuse to slack off! I¡¯m sure your heads are all stuffed from last week''s lesson on ancient Hoenn history, tumultuous and tragic as it is, so today we¡¯re going to be talking about a more exciting topic: Pokemon Typings! A set of seventeen distinct categories with unique properties for both Pokemon and their abilities, attributes, demeanor, and diet. This lesson will go over them all in moderate detail; both to give you all general information and to give those looking to specialize a small preview of what is available.¡±


    ¡°A fair warning for those who didn¡¯t look at the schedule too closely,¡± Roxanne said, ¡°this is an all-day lecture delivered over the course of eight hours. A twenty minute break will be provided at the top of every hour, with thirty for lunch at one. We have a lot of ground to cover, so prepare yourself for a lengthy lesson!¡±


    ¡°Now, Pokemon Types!¡± She turned, picking up a piece of chalk and writing on the blackboard. ¡°These Typings are: Normal, Fire, Fighting, Rock, Water, Poison, Electric, Dark, Dragon, Ghost, Psychic...¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Normal types can best be described as the baseline to describe all other types from. The most common type known, they can be found in nearly every non-extreme habitat. Their main characteristic is in their relative neutralness; no particular strengths, but very few faults. It could even be said that the average person falls under this category.


    ¡°However, just because they¡¯re Normal doesn¡¯t mean they can¡¯t be extraordinary! Some of the most powerful known Pokemon attacks are Normal typed. A well timed Explosion can decimate whole teams of enemy pokemon, and I¡¯ve personally seen Hyper Beams tear apart even the sturdiest of foes.


    ¡°They¡¯re also notable for having mutually null interactions with the Ghost type. As for weaknesses, Fighting type pokemon will do more damage to Normal type pokemon, and Normal type attacks are weakened against Steel and Rock types. Common Normal species include¡ª¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Fire types are known for their affinity for heat. Usually found in high temperature areas, this type of pokemon thrives in places like our own Mt. Chimney. Some are even made of living flame or magma! Contrary to initial appearances these pokemon can regulate their temperatures extremely well, allowing you to hold even a Slugma in your bare arms.


    ¡°Though, I wouldn¡¯t recommend subsequently making that Slugma angry. You¡¯ll get some nasty and well deserved burns for your trouble. The natural weakness of fire is, of course, water¡ª¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°...and that¡¯s it for Rock types.¡± Roxanne finished. She may have taken a few dozen extra minutes just for her favorite type, but who was counting? She scanned the room, smiling. ¡°Before we move on, are there any questions about the Rock type?¡± A hand raised, and Roxanne nodded in their direction. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Is it true that if you feed an Onix gold and then evolve it, it¡¯ll turn into a golden Steelix?¡±


    Roxanne stared at the girl. ¡°...No,¡± she said, after a pause. ¡°Golden Steelix only come about when an Onix burrows through pyrite rich soil for most of their life. They are not made of actual gold, and suffer from a variety of difficulties due to their composition. Please do not feed precious metals to pokemon.¡± She paused. ¡°Most pokemon,¡± she amended.


    Taking a sip of water, Roxanne cleared her throat. ¡°Next question, if any?¡± Roxanne asked, plastering a smile back. It became a bit more real when she noticed Astra holding her arm up. ¡°Yes, you there, in the back.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference between Rock and Ground?¡± Astra asked, and Roxanne couldn¡¯t help but notice that her voice seemed to lack an echo. ¡±Aren¡¯t they the same thing?¡±


    Roxanne broke out into a full on grin. ¡°Good question!¡± she said, silently thanking the girl. ¡°While Rock and Ground can be viewed as superficially similar, they are actually very different when we examine them together. While both refer to what lies beneath our feet, Rock is typically defined by sturdiness and solidity, while Ground exemplifies a more granular approach.


    ¡°To put it simply, Ground is more like sand, silt, and clay, while Rock refers to large, aggregated solids like granite and basalt. Loose particulates to concrete mass. There are some that take this comparison a step further and include Steel into the equation as a sort of refinement of Rock.


    ¡°Of course, all this is metaphorical when we apply this to Pokemon. The energies of Ground, Rock, and Steel are all mutually distinctive and we call them by what they most often represent. One could ask the same question of Water and Ice and get a similar answer. I hope this answers your query.¡±


    Finishing her explanation, Roxanne looked around for any confusion in the audience. Finding none, she nodded. ¡°Speaking of Ice, our next Pokemon Type is a bit chilly...¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Ghost pokemon have a rich history in myth and legends. Malevolent spirits, haunting phantoms, even mischievous apparitions¡ªGhost pokemon are known far and wide for their connection to the spiritual side of life. Some even claim that certain Ghost types are the remnant souls of those who have passed on.


    ¡°These pokemon tend to favor environments both dark and macabre, such as caverns or cemeteries. One notable example is Mt. Pyre, which is nearly entirely inhabited by Shuppet and Duskull. Despite the negative reputation Ghost pokemon have, they¡¯re just as capable of forming heartfelt bonds as any other Pokemon group.


    ¡°Just make sure you train them with discipline. You wouldn¡¯t want your Gengar to think that giving you nightmares is funny, would you? A few honest conversations, a healthy dose of love and attention, and a bag of ectoplasm-infused treats will go a long way to a happy partnership.


    ¡°Speaking of ectoplasm, this mysterious substance is a foundational part of Ghost type biology. Under certain circumstances it has the ability to become incorporeal¡ª¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Dark types are another group with sinister stereotypes. Similarly to Ghost types, they are often depicted as vicious creatures, bringing portents of fear and doom where they go. Some even prefer to call this pokemon typing by another name: Evil. This is of course wildly inaccurate. While pokemon of this type do indeed fight in ways that one may deem ¡®dirty¡¯, they are wholly undeserving of the extremely poor moniker of ¡®evil¡¯.


    ¡°Let us take the common Poochyena as an example. Poochyena are some of the most loyal and devout pokemon one may come across. Be it darkest caverns or highest peaks, a Poochyena will follow its master into the worst disaster without hesitation. Its evolved form, Mightyena, exemplifies these traits even more; for if a well and truly loved Mightyena¡¯s trainer should fall, this Dark type may choose to guard their resting place until it joins them.


    ¡°That said, do not take this group lightly; if unprepared, you may find that wild Dark types can and will live up to their fearsome reputation. Fighting type pokemon can typically handle a Dark type with little issue, but for those who favor Psychic types, beware: the Dark type completely nullifies all Psychic abilities and will obliterate the user besides.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°...and that¡¯s the shocking conclusion to Electric types!¡± Roxanne cheered. ¡°Quite an eclectric bunch, aren¡¯t they?¡± she chuckled at her own joke. ¡°Now, are there any questions?¡± A hand rose, and Roxanne nodded toward the student.


    ¡°If I feed my Pikachu a lot of pancakes before I evolve it, will it turn into a psychic Raichu?¡±


    Roxanne blinked. After a moment, she managed to find her voice. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    The student shifted in his seat, looking very bothered by the stares the rest of the class was giving him. ¡°I heard that was how it works in Alola...¡± he said, quietly.


    Roxanne pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. ¡°In general,¡± she said, voice raising to hammer in the point. ¡°Do not put your pokemon on ill-planned diets just because of a rumor. They are not playthings, they are friends and companions and should be treated as such. How some pokemon develop halfway across the globe does not affect how pokemon grow here.¡±


    <hr>


    Roxanne paused her lecture to take a swig of water, breathing out slowly as she set the bottle down. She watched her class diligently finish taking notes and copying the scattered drawings on the blackboard behind her. The sight of so many students admirably engaging with her lesson was a balm for her tired soul. She smiled warmly at the myriad sounds of scratching pencils, pens, and in one case a rather oversized keyboard.


    Nevertheless, Roxanne''s eyes drifted up towards one student in particular. Astra had not brought any such utensils with her; neither pen nor pencil nor keyboard, nor even any paper to record notes upon. Instead she had just attentively watched the lesson. Roxanne wondered if people with Astra¡¯s capabilities had better memory. It certainly seemed like it would be in their wheelhouse.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    She had also not taken off her hat, which was a bit odd. Well, Roxanne couldn¡¯t fault anyone for adherence to their fashion. Even exhausted as she had been this morning, she¡¯d still found the time to style her own hair. Though, if what she suspected was true, maybe it made sense for Astra to keep her hat on at all times.


    Public attention was easier to ignore if you just pulled the brim down, after all.


    The sound of writing gradually dwindled, and Roxanne swept the blackboard clean. Onto the next segment.


    ¡°Psychic,¡± she announced, and it was only her close attention and suspicion that let Roxanne notice Astra¡¯s subdued flinch. Ah. Well. It was what it was. She would deal with it when the time came.


    Until then, there was a lecture to deliver.


    ¡°The Psychic type is perhaps the most well-known esoteric group of Pokemon. Known for a variety of capabilities, they specialize in all things relating to the mind. Telekinesis, telepathy, teleportation, clairvoyance, even the ability to alter dreams. Psychic pokemon are perhaps the most versatile companions one can have.


    ¡°Despite all these abilities, one of the most important, yet most forgotten attributes is their innate sense of empathy. Many Psychic pokemon will reflect or react to the attitude of the ones who approach them. A friendly attitude will often get better results than hostile intent, which will usually have the Psychic pokemon make a quick escape via teleportation. Abras are particularly well known for this tactic, as many delvers of the sprawling Dewford Granite Caverns can frustratedly attest to...¡±


    <hr>


    The clock ticked steadily, light slowly following the sun as it crossed the sky. Keeping an eye on the time, Roxanne finished the last section of her lesson a bit earlier than planned. She had enough material for another half hour at the very least, but enthusiasm didn¡¯t make up for the faint rasp edging its way into her voice.


    ¡°And with that,¡± she said, ¡°I believe we are nearly out of time. I will open the floor to any last minute questions.¡± A hand raised, and Roxanne nodded in their direction. ¡°Yes, you near the window?¡±


    ¡°Are there really only seventeen types?¡± the student asked. ¡°Could there be more?¡±


    Roxanned hummed. ¡°As of now, yes, there are only seventeen pokemon types. Contrary to many popular stories, Pokemon types like Light, Bird, Fairy, or Sound are not recognized by the scientific community and are either complete fabrications or old variations that have been folded into the current framework. I can¡¯t say that there won¡¯t be new types discovered in the future, as we are still discovering new species of pokemon every day. But, as they have not been discovered with the vast numbers of pokemon we already know of, it is rather unlikely.¡±


    The student slumped in disappointment. Roxanne resisted the urge to shake her head. There were always a couple pupils who had gotten engrossed in a few too many stories. ¡°We have time for one more question,¡± she said, looking around for the final time. ¡°How about you in the middle?¡± she asked, gesturing to a younger student.


    The indicated teen stood up, the stylized M on his red shirt briefly glinting in the light. He stared at Roxanne intently, then took a deep breath. ¡°What really happened out east?¡± he demanded, slamming his hands on the table.


    ¡°What?¡± Roxanne asked, taken aback. She frowned, glaring at the student disapprovingly. ¡°Young man, that is hardly relevant to my lesson¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to deflect the question!¡± the boy interrupted, glaring right back. ¡°This is Hoenn¡¯s biggest environmental disaster in years and nothing about it is natural! I know you¡¯re hiding something out there!¡±


    ¡°I most certainly am not,¡± Roxanne snapped, the dull ache of her throat lending her voice the beginnings of a harsh rasp. ¡°If you wish to know what I¡¯ve said on the topic, the local news can certainly provide¡ª¡±


    ¡°What was it?¡± the child interrupted, a sharp gleam in their eye. ¡°Some secret weapon? A mythical pokemon? Was it¡ª¡±


    Roxanne slammed her hand on her podium, the sharp clap bringing an abrupt end to his tirade. ¡°Enough!¡± she commanded, pinning the student with an exhausted glare. ¡°I am not talking about this topic, and further prodding will only get you a well-deserved punishment. Are we clear?¡±


    A look of pure indignation crossed the accuser''s face, and there was a tense moment where it looked as though he would continue regardless. The school¡¯s bell chose that moment to ring. He looked away with a scoff, grabbing at his things.


    Roxanne glared at him as he stormed out, then sighed. ¡°Class dismissed,¡± she called out, redundantly. ¡°Make sure you don¡¯t leave anything behind. If you have unanswered questions, please refer to the usual self-study materials. Next week we¡¯ll be covering Pokemon Breeding and the various Egg Groups; if you¡¯re under eighteen years of age, pick up a permission slip by the door and have your parents or guardians fill it out. Have a good day.¡±


    <hr>


    A stream of chatter and clatter rang out as the students packed up, though a few lingering pupils got busy talking to their seatmates. Roxanne waited patiently until a certain bundle of green descended the stairs.


    ¡°Astra,¡± Roxanne called, slightly amused at the jumpy startlement this caused. ¡°Would you come here for a moment?¡±


    Astra blinked at her, confused. She looked around nervously, eyeing the students who had briefly stopped to gaze at a potential spectacle, then hurried over to Roxanne¡¯s desk.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Astra asked, sounding confused. ¡°Um. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°A couple things, actually,¡± Roxanne admitted. ¡°But first of all, I wanted to see how you found my class. I recall you saying that you¡¯ve had to figure things out on your own, so I hope you found it informative.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Astra said, brightening. ¡°It was, actually. Particularly the bits about Ghosts. Are they really weak to themselves?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, a trait they share with Dragons,¡± Roxanne confirmed. ¡°Though a better counter would be the Dark type. Are you interested in Ghosts, Astra?¡± she asked, curiously.


    ¡°Only in how to make them go away,¡± Astra said. She tilted her head. ¡°Are they really the spirits of the dead?¡±


    ¡°A question for the spiritualists, I¡¯m afraid,¡± Roxanne said, smiling. ¡°I¡¯m more of an expert on Rocks, myself.¡± Sitting up, she refocused herself. No more distractions. ¡°As glad as I am to hear that you enjoyed class, there was something else I wanted to talk about.¡±


    ¡°Alright?¡± Astra asked, blinking.


    ¡°A few nights ago, when I was reviewing those recordings of our battle,¡± Roxanne started, then paused, frowning.


    She eyed the students still hovering around the classroom. They didn¡¯t look like they¡¯d be leaving anytime soon, and the room was designed to let her voice carry to every corner. Overhearing would be an issue, and Astra did appear to be trying to hide. Best to be circuitous, she supposed.


    ¡°Sorry, just had a thought,¡± Roxanne apologized, returning to the conversation. ¡°The recording. I was studying it due to some errors when I noticed a certain...peculiarity.¡± she hedged.


    ¡°A peculiarity?¡± Astra said, looking puzzled.


    ¡°About you, specifically,¡± Roxanne clarified. ¡°A...unique quality of yours, you could call it.¡±


    Astra squinted at her confusion before a look of comprehension dawned over her features. ¡°Wait, do you mean...?¡± she asked, waving a hand around her head.


    Roxanne smiled; it seemed she¡¯d got it. ¡°Yes, that,¡± she said. ¡°I apologize for being vague; I didn¡¯t want anyone to overhear.¡± She nodded over at the lingering students.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Astra said, nodding gratefully. ¡°Um, thank you. ¡± She paused, looking at Roxanne uncertainly. ¡°Er, what about it?¡±


    ¡°Concern, mostly,¡± Roxanne admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve met many individuals in the same situation, and I even count two among my colleagues. But none I¡¯ve met have either expressed or hidden it quite as you have. It made me curious as to why someone would.¡± She sighed, expression turning gloomy. ¡°Only recently have I learned that those in your position can experience some...backlash, just for being as they are. Forgive me for prying, but have you experienced anything...upsetting, like that?¡±


    ¡°Upsetting?¡± Astra asked, a troubled look on her face. Her gaze flicked down, hand reaching up to touch at her hat as she considered Roxanne''s words. ¡°Um. Nothing bad, I guess. But people give me weird looks, or act really awkward. There was this cashier at a Pokemart that asked for a picture. Trevor was nice, but it was still something to deal with.¡± She paused, then gave Roxanne a tired grin. ¡°It¡¯s just...easier, if they don¡¯t notice. Even May and Brendan were kinda weird about it for a while after they found out.¡±


    Brendan? Did she mean Birch¡¯s boy? He¡¯d visited the gym a few times in the past week. Roxanne couldn¡¯t imagine him being anything but supportive. But then again, her worldview was taking a few hits lately. ¡°I see,¡± she said, levelly. ¡°Are they still ¡®weird¡¯ about it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no!¡± Astra denied, shaking her head. "It was only at first. They''ve been great; I couldn''t ask for better friends."


    "I''m glad," Roxanne told her, finding the brilliant grin on the girl''s face infectious. "Both for your experiences and relationships. Good friends can help through even the worst of times. Keep them close and I''m sure you''ll never face a problem you can''t overcome."


    "I will!" Astra agreed, still smiling.


    Perhaps there was nothing to worry about after all, Roxanne thought. She didn''t seem to be lying about her lack of trouble¡ªminor incidents aside¡ªand by her account she had some excellent friends in her corner. Still, something seemed a bit off, though Roxanne was having a hard time putting her finger on what.


    "Um,¡± Astra said, fidgeting with her sleeves. "Was there anything else?"


    "One more thing," Roxanne said, reaching for a small card she''d printed off earlier that morning. "Have you had the opportunity to meet others who share your...quirk?"


    "Um." Astra hesitated, seeming to think for a moment before looking at Roxanne with a curious, uncomfortable frown. "No, why?"


    "While close friends are nothing to scoff at, I find it helpful to occasionally talk to people that understand what issues you face on a more personal level.¡± Roxanne said, sliding the card over. ¡°My colleagues said that if you ever want to talk about it, you can call this number.¡±


    Astra took the card, looking at it curiously. It was mostly unadorned, save for the promised phone number and an accompanying symbol: A simple black eye on a purple background with a crescent moon for a pupil. It was the traditional symbol for the psychic type, though Roxanne preferred to use the newer spiral pattern in part due to how terribly she drew eyes.


    An uncertain look crossed Astra''s face for a moment. Then it vanished as Astra slid the card into her bag. ¡°Thanks, I think." Astra said, a bit awkwardly. Roxanne didn''t blame her; this was an unusual conversation for both of them, she imagined. "I''m not super invested in meeting others with, um. This." Astra continued, gesturing to her head again. "But, uh, I appreciate the thought?" she tried.


    Roxanne nodded. "Better to have the option than not. But I imagine you''ll meet some along your journey in any case. Just remember, should you encounter those who would take issue with who you are, you are not alone."


    Astra stared at her. Astra smiled, though for some odd reason it seemed rather sad. "Thank you."


    "I wish you luck on your travels," Roxanne said. "Maybe one day I''ll see you in Ever Grande Stadium. Until then, keep learning; you''ll never know what small bit of information will lead you to victory."


    "I will," Astra said, giving her a final, resolute nod. Astra hefted her bag¡ªwas that...woven grass?¡ªover her shoulder and headed for the door. At the threshold, she looked back and waved. "Thank you for the class!"


    Roxanne smiled as the girl left, then let out a sigh and leaned down across the desk. What a messy talk. Was it even appropriate of her to bring the subject up? Well, she¡¯d rather be awkward than apathetic. If there was a next time, she¡¯d do better. That was what learning was all about.


    Still, she couldn¡¯t help but feel like she had missed something. Hm. Maybe she should have invited the girl to have a rematch sometime; the musical accompaniment, misleading as it was, added an exciting flair to the battle.


    She yawned, rubbing her eyes. What a week. Maybe she should call it early. That sounded nice. Pick up a tub of ice cream and rent out a documentary. Bliss. Oh, and call Steven. He¡¯d been out on vacation in the Granite Caves; maybe he¡¯d found something interesting. She was sure he¡¯d be interested in this fascinating new psychic trainer too.


    Packing up her things, she left the school with a hum.


    And, to nobody¡¯s surprise, went home with a carton of Rocky Road flavor.


    <hr>


    Astra headed out the front doors, emerging into the burgeoning evening lost in thought. She hadn¡¯t intended to talk to Roxanne again, aside from maybe a passing greeting or farewell, and it was even more of a surprise when the gym leader had drawn her into such a heavy conversation. It wasn¡¯t like they knew each other, after all. Still, Astra felt that the older woman had her heart in the right place.


    Astra still would have rather avoided the topic of her supposed albinism. Apparently her fake ailment carried more weight than she knew. Though, considering the reassurances Trevor, May, and then Brendan had given her once she had delivered her lie, perhaps it shouldn¡¯t have been. People like that Aqua member who had called an Exploud on their heads existed, so the fact that there were those who would dislike her just for being sick...


    Well. She hoped she never found out what they¡¯d do with the much more extreme truth.


    Probably a beating, then a pokeball.


    Astra sighed, pulling out the card Roxanne had given her. There wasn¡¯t much explanation on who it would call; supposedly someone else with albinism, but with little context. The eye symbol was also a mystery. Maybe it was just a logo; she¡¯d seen stranger on the various buildings around the city. As for using it? Talking to someone who actually had this ailment? No, she didn¡¯t think so. It felt wrong to claim she had it in the first place; saying so in front of an actual victim?


    Astra grimaced, then shoved the card into the depths of her bag. As she reached the street, a gloved hand waved from atop the giant sign on the school¡¯s lawn and caught her attention. A figure detached from the sign and raced over.


    ¡°Hey!¡± May shouted, jogging up. Ske skidded to a stop, giving Astra an annoyed look. ¡°The hell took you so long? I saw a crowd leaving ages ago.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Astra said, scratching the back of her head. ¡°Roxanne wanted to chat after class.¡±


    ¡°Eh? What about?¡±


    ¡°She just...wanted to know how I liked the class.¡± Astra said, smiling weakly. She perked up. ¡°Actually, it was really informative! Apparently Ghosts are weak to themselves! Also they don¡¯t hurt Steel types much. Also apparently you can turn an Onix golden by feeding it pyrite?¡±


    ¡°Alright, I get it,¡± May said, holding up her hands. ¡°Glad you enjoyed your snoozefest. Now c¡¯mon, I smashed a couple trainers at the gym for a hot wad of cash and I wanna do something fun! Brendan¡¯s already on his way, so let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Astra asked, falling into step with May. ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this is gonna blow your mind!¡± May cackled. ¡°Listen, have you ever heard of an ¡®arcade¡¯?¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°...and there was actually a really interesting set of caverns that opened up recently,¡± Steven explained, talking animatedly through the speakerphone. ¡±Rather unexpected formations inside, I had no idea there was magmatic activity here this far back. No fossils yet, but there¡¯s a beautiful series of extruded sills and di¡ªer, vertically-oriented igneous intrusions throughout the network.¡±


    A pajama-clad Roxanne chuckled from her couch, idly feeding her Nosepass another scoop of ice cream. ¡°Using formal language on that one, are you Steven?¡± she teased, idly watching an avalanche of Golems on her television.


    ¡°You know very well the shorthand for that is unfortunate.¡± Steven huffed. ¡°Still, they¡¯re fascinating. The local Abras are using the sills as makeshift resting areas, lining the shelves with leaves and soft grass. Incredible, really. They are quite creative with their Psychic skills.¡±


    Roxanne perked up. Oh, that had reminded her. ¡°Speaking of Psychics, I met the most interesting trainer recently¡ª¡¯¡±


    ¡°Oh, was it Astra?¡±


    ¡°...Steven, how the hell¡ª¡±

 Arcade

    Astra grimaced as she followed May through the arcade. Strange machines blinked with searing lights and belted out high-pitched music, many of them accompanied by humans screaming emotion into a void only she could hear¡ªalong with the occasional regular scream. Noise had been a new and uncomfortable aspect to city life, but this place seemed to amplify the worst qualities of each variety to new levels.


    ¡°It¡¯s kinda loud,¡± Astra complained, wincing as one machine let off a flurry of chimes. ¡°Are we going to be here for long?¡±


    ¡°Aw, come on!¡± May cajoled with a grin. ¡°Just relax, you¡¯ll get used to it! We haven¡¯t even played a game yet. You¡¯ll forget all about it once you find one you like.¡±


    In the distance, someone lost a game with extreme disgrace. Astra flinched and rubbed at her ears, grimacing. May looked at her and hesitated.


    ¡°Tell you what, how about I just buy like, a handful of tokens; if you still wanna dip after I run out then we can go, alright?¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Astra said, quietly. ¡°...what are tokens?¡±


    ¡°The games don''t work unless you put a few coins in, and you buy those from token machines.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± You had to pay to have fun too? Well, she guessed that made sense. Sometimes her Grandpa wouldn¡¯t let her go play without doing a few chores first, maybe it was like that? Astra watched May fiddle with a large red box with a golden inscription reading ¡®TOKENS¡¯ lined across the top. Coins clinked against a metal basin, and May turned around and showed Astra a small bronze disc covered with intricate engravings.


    ¡°Behold,¡± May proclaimed, holding it aloft. ¡°A token!¡±


    ¡°Neat.¡± Astra said, eyeing the circle. Hopefully she didn¡¯t get a lot of them...


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, these¡¯ll vanish quick.¡± May grinned, shoving the lot in a pocket. ¡°Now, where the hell is Brendan?¡±


    They found Brendan at a small area in the corner filled with a few tables next to a window where a yawning man was handing out food. Brendan looked up while swallowing a bite of some kind of meat tube half-wrapped in bread. He waved, beckoning them over.


    ¡°Oh hey! I was wondering when you¡¯d get here,¡± he said with a smile. He nodded at Astra. ¡°How¡¯d you like class, Astra?¡±


    ¡°It was really interesting!¡± Astra said, brightening. ¡°I learned a lot. I kind of want to go again, but Roxanne''s next class isn''t until next week and we¡¯ll be gone by then.¡±


    May snorted. ¡°Do it five days a week for nine months a year and the charm will wear off real quick.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t go to school for too long myself,¡± Brendan said. (¡°Are you gonna finish that?¡± Astra asked. Brendan handed her the rest of his hotdog.) ¡°I was exempt under apprenticeship when I started working for my dad¡¯s lab after I turned twelve.¡±


    ¡°Not the Trainer exemption?¡± May asked. ¡°Coulda got out two years earlier.¡±


    Brendan shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m a decent trainer, but I wasn¡¯t enough of a prodigy for that. They only give out around a dozen of those a year on average anyway. Did you try?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Astra popped the last bit of hotdog in her mouth. She chewed, pondering the food thoughtfully. Bread was still a relatively new experience, the crushed and baked grains coming in such a wide variety that it was impossible to generalize. In this case, it merely served as a soft, somewhat dry cushion to hold what lay inside. The meat tube was a bit chewy but serviceable enough, and the dull yellow sauce on top was delightfully tangy.


    ¡°This is pretty good!¡± she decided. ¡°What was that yellow stuff?¡±


    ¡°Mustard,¡± Brendan answered, smiling. ¡°You can get ketchup, relish, and mayo too but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alright, enough yapping!¡± May said, clapping her hands. ¡°Let¡¯s play some games!¡±


    May led the trio over to one of the cabinets that littered the arcade floor. The screen flashed vibrantly, the title of the game¡ªBack Alley Blitz¡ªdisplayed proudly above a side scrolling array of strange characters. She put a few tokens into a dimly glowing orange slot and the display flashed, presumably allowing them access.


    ¡°This is a game, right?¡± Astra asked, uncertainly. She was familiar with the animated screen due to her exposure to the TV¡ªeven if the drawings looked like they were made of squares rather than smooth lines¡ªbut the tilting rod and packed array of buttons were a mystery. ¡°What do I do, exactly?¡±


    ¡°Oh here, let me show you,¡± Brendan said, leaning over and pointing at the controls. ¡°Use the joystick to move around and select your character¡ª¡±


    Astra ended up selecting a tall man with a massive circular ball of bifurcated hair who moved like he was dancing. May picked a roughly dressed guy with what looked like an upside-down pokeball for a head and Brendan chose a regal girl who seemed to emanate blue-tinted fire from her hands.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve, uh, selected my character,¡± Astra said. She watched her character bopping to the music curiously as a number on-screen counted down. What strange moves. ¡°What happens next?¡±


    ¡°Now we fight with them!¡± May cheered.


    ¡°We what? How!?¡±


    ¡°Hit buttons and find out!¡±


    Informative. The countdown reached zero and suddenly the screen switched to show some dingy street. Their characters entered the scene in a ball of sparkling light, an explosion, and a whirl of blue flame respectively.


    ¡°CLEAR THE STREETS, A NEW BOUT ROCKS THE ROAD! BEGIN THE BLITZ!¡±


    A whistle sounded and May and Brendan¡¯s characters, by an unspoken truce, ignored Astra and began to battle each other. Astra examined them for a moment, glancing between the fighters on screen to her friends'' rapid button-mashing and stick-waggling. Tentatively, she tilted her stick left.


    Afro-man moved left. Astra stared. She hit a button. Afro-man struck out with a brief, whirling kick. She could control the characters on screen? Interesting. Television had reminded her of how the illusionists or the Smith could arrange images with the aid of lights and flame, but it was a rare day they let the audience dictate where the story went. This game went much deeper than simple dictation. What else could be done with it? Could the player go on an adventure from the safety of their home? See fantastic sights and interesting people without risking anything real?


    May¡¯s character exploded, sending Brendan¡¯s flame-wielder directly into Astra¡¯s Afro-man. The two were knocked down, but recovered swiftly and ¡®stared¡¯ at each other.


    ¡°Ready to join the fun, Astra?¡± Brendan asked. His character inched closer, threateningly.


    Astra blinked. Oh. Right. They were using the game to beat each other senseless. In that way it reminded her of pokemon battling. Issuing commands and watching another execute them.


    It always seemed to come down to fighting, didn¡¯t it?


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Astra shot back, re-focusing on the game. Best to pay attention, she had a brawl to win. ¡°Take this! Hya!¡±


    Despite her boast, Astra didn¡¯t manage to win any of the following rounds, even with her friends taking it easy on her. Part of this could have been her absolute naivety in the realm of video games, it could have been her unpracticed twitch movements and unfamiliarity with the controls, or it could even be that the buttons were so close together that her giant non-human fingers kept hitting two of them at the same time.


    The last game ended with her accidentally sliding into an attack and getting blasted off the screen. Astra glared at the controls, then huffed and stepped away, rubbing at her eyes. The displays were really grainy and the unnatural brightness wasn¡¯t doing her eyes any favors.


    Astra heard the whoosh of flame, and turned to see Brendan¡¯s character spewing enough azure fire to blow May¡¯s character out of the arena.


    ¡°Woo!¡± Brendan cheered, raising his arms in victory. ¡°That was a tough one! Good game!¡±


    Brendan raised a palm, looking at May expectantly. May looked at him, eyes lidded and mouth thin.


    ¡°Tch,¡± she scoffed, grudgingly returning his high-five. ¡°You just got lucky.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just mad that you got PWN¡¯d by my leet skills,¡± Brendan said, grinning ear-to-ear.


    Astra blinked and looked at Brendan, confused. ¡°Pawned?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± May screeched, pulling Brendan''s hat over his face. This did nothing to stop his uproarious laughter. May shook her head. ¡°No, just...no. Nevermind him,¡± she said, looking at Astra. ¡°How was your first time with one of the greatest games ever made? I know you kinda got your ass beat¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Astra cut in, giving the machine a glare. ¡°If that was the best one then I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m up for more.¡±


    ¡°Aw, c¡¯mon. Don¡¯t be like that!¡± May gestured to the rest of the Arcade. ¡°There¡¯s tons of different games around; they¡¯re not all fighters. Hey, maybe you can choose the next one, eh?¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Astra sighed, rubbing her head. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure what to pick. Plus my head is pounding like a...drum?¡± she trailed off, frowning. She looked around, confused. ¡°Wait, that¡¯s not my head. I hear drums, and...a flute? Where is that music coming from?¡±


    Brendan shrugged. ¡°Probably the dancing games.¡±


    ¡°There are dancing games!?¡±


    It was called Dragon Dance: Revelation, and it was not about dancing. Unlike the graceful artform her village practiced, the game seemed to be about stomping on one of the dance pad¡¯s eight arrows in time with both the arrows on screen and the music.


    ¡°They don¡¯t even do anything with their arms!¡± Astra complained, exasperatedly gesturing at the two strangers currently competing against each other. They seemed to be doing well by the game¡¯s standards, but to hers they were abhorrent. ¡°No spins, no flips, they barely even cross-step! You can¡¯t call this dancing! They¡¯re just¡ªjust throwing a tantrum on a beat!¡±


    The mere thought of the concept of ¡®dancing¡¯ being applied to this ugly, static stomping of feet makes her want to tear the two off the stage and dunk them in an offal pit. Hatchlings had more grace than this!


    ¡°Well, the game isn¡¯t really made to see those kinds of things,¡± Brendan explained. ¡°Rhythm games aren¡¯t about cool moves, just timing. There are others where you strum on a guitar or tap keys on a keyboard, but none of them are that, uh, thorough.¡±


    ¡°Just because you don¡¯t need to doesn¡¯t mean you shouldn¡¯t try!¡± Astra argued, fuming. ¡°Following a rhythm is easy. You could at least liven it up a little while you do it.¡±


    May chuckled, her calculating gaze roving over the game in question. ¡°Big words for a girl who¡¯s never even played one,¡± she said. A gleaming eye turned on Astra, accompanied by a predatory smirk. ¡°Got the moves to back them up?¡±


    Astra raised a fist and clenched it, giving May her own combative smirk. ¡°Wanna find out?¡±


    Brendan chuckled behind them, scratching the back of his head nervously. ¡°Already competing, huh?¡±


    Astra and May stared each other down, the air between them positively crackling with energy. It quickly ran down into awkward, impatient shuffling as they all waited for the current players to actually finish. Once the two players left, Astra and May stepped up in their place.


    Astra looked down at the dance pad. Eight arrows pointed out from the center and even her light steps were enough to make one light up when she tried it. Mindful of her dress, she tapped a few in quick succession and found that her new clothing didn¡¯t noticeably hamper her movement.


    ¡°Ready?¡± May asked, hopping in place. She looked at Astra, eyes fierce.


    ¡°You know it!¡± Astra replied, grinning back.


    May inserted a token and hit random. Artwork and song titles spun by before the screen flashed, revealing twin sets of eight arrows atop a rapidly changing background of abstract shapes, musical notes, and...piano keys?


    Then the music began, and Astra had no more time to think.


    Piano strings intertwined with a spark of electricity, a frantic, hyperactive stream of energy. Arrows rose in time with the notes, not quite in the massive flood the last players had been facing, but formidable in scope all the same. Astra¡¯s feet skipped around the platform, her legs seamlessly flowing from one pad to the next. She was right, this wasn¡¯t hard at all! Well, keeping her eyes on the arrows was annoying, but just hitting the right ones was simple.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see much arm movement there, Astra. Game too hard?¡± May taunted, even as she missed a few notes herself. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I thought you were gonna show us how to dance!¡±


    Astra smirked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m just learning the rhythm. This is the first time I¡¯ve heard this after all. But if you¡¯re that impatient...¡±


    She¡¯d almost gotten it. If she was right, the chorus would repeat right about...!


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll just step it up!¡±


    Astra spun. Her arms bloomed outwards, the song guiding her hands through strange and flourishing displays as her feet sprung from step to step. This wasn¡¯t the graceful dancing of her village; it couldn¡¯t be, not with this hyper-energetic music and her own lack of experience. But this wild and frenetic alternative came to her just as easily, as natural as the music flowed from her violin.


    ¡°Woah,¡± May exclaimed, a flurry of miserable ¡®POOR!¡¯ and ¡®MISS!'' flooding her screen as she did.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Brendan said, barely audible over the music. ¡°She¡¯s actually doing it.¡±


    Astra grinned, her eyes tracking the screen even as her motions spun her to-and-fro. They thought mere stomping to a beat could compare to this? This was the epitome of style, the beating heart of rhythm! A connection between body and sound, refined into art!


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    But alas, it could not last forever. She could hear the song winding down. As the final berry on top, Astra jumped, spinning around once in midair before falling on the last two arrows in a perfect curtsy.


    Then she bent double and gasped for air, clutching at her head. She may have gone a bit overboard. Just a tad.


    She heard clapping. Taking a deep breath to even herself out, she turned to find a half-dozen people¡ªBrendan among them¡ªhad gathered around to watch, all of them either clapping or whistling appreciatively. Astra flushed red and waved, chuckling nervously.


    Shaking her head, she turned to May, who was looking at the screen contemplatively.


    ¡°How was that?¡± Astra asked, folding her arms and smirking.


    ¡°Hm?¡± May blinked. She looked at Astra and gave her an approving smile. ¡°Pretty damn amazing! Sure showed those guys. Apparently you can do a whole ass jig while playing DDR.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Astra laughed, holding her head high. ¡°I knew it! Those lazy fakers wouldn¡¯t know what dancing was if it bit them in the¡ª¡±


    May coughed. Astra paused, eyeing her friend curiously. May jerked her head toward the game screen. Slowly, Astra turned to look.


    ¡°ABYSMAL! INSERT TOKENS TO PLAY AGAIN!¡± The screen cheered.


    Astra stared. Her head hurt.


    May snorted, giving her a wry grin. ¡°Yeah. You missed like, three-fourths of the notes. Turns out you gotta keep your eyes on the screen and actually step on the arrows to score good!¡± She shrugged sarcastically. ¡°Who knew?¡±


    Astra held her face in her hands and groaned. May patted her back.


    ¡°You did look pretty cool, though,¡± May said. ¡°Wanna go again and kick my ass legit?¡±


    ¡°Just hit the fucking button.¡±


    They played another round. Astra didn¡¯t find it nearly as engaging without actual dancing; oh, sure, timing everything right was kinda fun, but it just really didn¡¯t satisfy the need to move properly. Nevertheless, she hit all the buttons exactly on time and scored a perfect game.


    In celebration, the game let her enter a three letter abbreviation of her name on the leaderboards. On May¡¯s advice, Astra contributed to the grand tradition of arcades worldwide, and thus the song was crowned with a new champion: ASS. Somehow Brendan didn¡¯t find it quite as funny, and his sigh of exasperation only served to set off a round of giggles.


    Stepping away from the tantrum simulator, Astra stumbled as her developing headache made itself known once more. She rubbed her eyes, the pressure relieving the ache for a moment.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to get a migraine if I stay here any longer,¡± she said, squinting at her friends. ¡°All these flashes and buzzes are really getting to me.¡±


    Brendan frowned, concerned eyes flicking across Astra¡¯s face. ¡°Ah. Yeah, of course we can. Do you need water?¡±


    May watched on as Brendan fussed over Astra, her own frown showing shades of annoyance and disappointment. She pulled out her remaining tokens and looked them over before sighing.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve only got a few of these things left, and I can¡¯t really get a refund. If you¡¯re up for it, we could just dump ¡®em in¡ª¡± she paused, looking around. She pointed to a machine. ¡°¡ªA crane game or something. Get a souvenir before we go.¡±


    May smiled uncertainly, half-shrugging. Astra looked over at the machine, which was simply a glass cage filled with prizes and an overhanging claw-like mechanism. Astra considered it. She had come here at May¡¯s urging, and the other girl seemed a bit stung by how poorly the night was going. If Astra could help her walk away with a happier memory...well, it didn¡¯t look too stressful.


    ¡°I guess I could give it a go,¡± she agreed.


    May brightened, though Brendan looked uncertain. He¡¯d seemed ready to pull them all out of the building.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± He asked as the trio made their way over to the machine. ¡°You don¡¯t have to push yourself if you¡¯re feeling bad.¡±


    ¡°Hey, if I can salvage even a little bit of tonight, I think it¡¯ll be worth it.¡± Astra said, giving him a strained grin. ¡°May was really excited to show me this place; even if it didn¡¯t work out, I don¡¯t want to end it on a sour note. Besides,¡± she said, looking at the glass box filled with stuffed pokemon dolls. ¡°This looks easy. How do I play?¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Why won¡¯t it just grab the thing!?¡± Astra yelled, glaring at the limp-wristed robot arm as it once again dropped a plush Treecko doll halfway to the prize hole.


    ¡°That¡¯s how they get you,¡± May said, leaning against the case. ¡°These things are always soft-gripped fucks, so you gotta dump cash into it to get the thing you want. But people still get shit from them, so I think they¡¯re programmed to grab harder every so often.¡±


    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s crap,¡± Brendan said, shaking his head. ¡°Look, you gotta line it up right, get some good leverage, maybe spend a pull or two nudging it around so you can go in for the kill.¡±


    ¡°Well either way apparently I suck at it!¡± Astra grit her teeth, glaring at the collection of prizes. She was tempted to just telekinesis the things out, but this situation was not helping her headache! ¡°Screw it, there¡¯s only one token left so I¡¯m just dropping this somewhere random.¡±


    ¡°Last chance luck!¡± May cheered, casually slamming a fist on the glass. ¡°C¡¯mon you stupid box, cough up the goods and end us off on a high note!¡±


    Forgoing the Treecko doll, Astra maneuvered the crane over the middle where an assortment of awards had been piled up. She didn¡¯t particularly care what she grabbed at this point so she dithered the crane around the area a bit and then hit the button. Astra stepped back and folded her arms, giving the claw a stink eye as it descended into the plushy depths. She blinked when it perfectly grabbed onto something white and tugged it straight into the air.


    May whooped and pointed at the prize. ¡°Look, you got something!¡±


    ¡°Finally!¡± Astra exclaimed, throwing her arms up.


    ¡°Nice!¡± Brendan said. He looked at the prize as the machine dropped it in the hatch. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but it sure is soft!¡± Astra said, reaching into the chute and pulling the doll out.


    It was a Ralts.


    Astra stared at the vacantly smiling figure. Ten inches tall, the doll¡¯s glassy eyes were hidden under a dome of green cloth and a pair of plastic red horns embedded into a head about a third larger than it should be. Two stubby arms protruded from the solid robe, and though there were two legs the robe didn¡¯t actually have an opening for them at the bottom, instead having them be formless white pillars with a small coat tail.


    ¡°...huh.¡±


    May blinked. ¡°Oh hey, it¡¯s that pokemon I saw on 102. A...Ralts, I think? Neat.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡± Brendan asked. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what they look like. Neat.¡±


    ¡°Neat,¡± Astra echoed, still staring.


    It was neat. Also terrifying, for a number of reasons. She''d known, abstractly, that there were probably Ralts and Kirlia elsewhere in the world; her Grandfather had said the village had only been made with the totality of the population on Hoenn alone, after all. But apparently her kind were so well known elsewhere that humanity had made plush effigies in their image.


    She wondered, for a fleeting moment, what they were like. Without the safety and knowledge of the village, vulnerable to Humans the same as any other pokemon. Would they still be like her? Or would they be...


    Her head hurt.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to leave now,¡± she said. This time, nobody objected. Astra felt the pressure fade as they exited the building, the triple-layered din vanishing into the background. Incandescent lights still flooded the city streets alongside unrestrained emotions from every passing human, but none of it was nearly as aggressive as before.


    ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± she sighed, glancing up at the sparsely starry night sky. ¡°Nice and¡ªwell, not quiet, but...yeah.¡±


    ¡°We should probably get you back to your apartment,¡± Brendan said. ¡°Rest easy for a bit. Do you need any water? I can grab a packet of headache medicine if you need it.¡±


    ¡°Water sounds nice.¡± Astra agreed as the three began to walk back. ¡°I¡¯m already feeling a bit better, so I¡¯ll hold off on the medicine unless it lingers.¡±


    Behind them, May stared at the sidewalk sullenly, arms folded. ¡°Can''t believe this was such a bust,¡± she mumbled, glaring a hole in the concrete. "Barely played two games. Great fucking idea, let''s just throw her into a mosh pit next time you moron¡ª"


    Brendan looked back at her, first in confusion, then with a melancholic smile. ¡°Hey,¡± he said, cutting May¡¯s tirade short and putting a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Just because there was a problem doesn¡¯t mean you have to beat yourself up about it. It was a fine idea; maybe a little premature, but neither of us knew Astra would be so uncomfortable in an arcade.¡±


    ¡°I still dragged her in,¡± May argued, scowling. She sighed. ¡°Whatever, it¡¯s done with anyway. Just gotta figure out something else to do now that gaming is off the table..."


    Astra frowned. "I mean, it''s not like the games were the problem," she said, "It was just...all the people, the flashing lights, the constant noise...it was too much. I felt like I could barely think."


    "Arcades can be like that, yeah. Especially the big ones,¡± Brendan agreed. He looked at Astra, a sad smile crossing his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that things turned out like this. Did you like what you got to try, at least?¡±


    ¡°I mean, the rhythm game was...alright,¡± Astra allowed. ¡°Just named wrong. I could see myself trying it again. And the doll is nice.¡± A bit weird, but kind of endearing in a way.


    May¡¯s lips twitched. "Not a fan of the fighter?" She asked, shades of her usual teasing bluster returning to her voice.


    Astra rolled her eyes. "Maybe if I knew what I was doing! You guys ran circles around me the whole time and I kept messing up the controls."


    "Think that means you need to ''get good''," May jabbed, smirking. Her amusement was quickly replaced by disappointment, and she sighed. ¡°Not like you¡¯re likely to get any practice in, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were going to try to get your Pokedex to play Tetris?¡± Astra asked, recalling their conversation on the day they¡¯d arrived in Rustboro. ¡°Could you do the same for the fighter?¡±


    May¡¯s face scrunched up. ¡°Maybe, but they aren¡¯t really built for that. You¡¯d need to get an actual handheld console, and they aren¡¯t cheap.¡±


    Astra rolled her eyes, exasperated. ¡°Geeze, everything has to cost something, doesn¡¯t it? I still need money to restock my food, how am I supposed to buy¡ªuh, that?¡±


    May shrugged helplessly. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, I barely have more than you do.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re both broke? Is that why you guys have been making me pay for all your food!?¡± Brendan asked, astounded and a little irritated.


    Awkward silence filled the air, both girls looking away in embarrassment.


    May chuckled nervously. ¡°I mean...¡± she trailed off, coughing into a fist and refusing to meet Brendan¡¯s gaze.


    Astra scratched the back of her head, face red. ¡°Well, we¡¯ve been kinda busy, with all the Devon stuff, and the class today, and, well, my new clothes cost a lot, you know!¡± she pouted, pulling the brim of her hat down and swishing her dress from side to side.


    A hot flash of guilt settled in Astra¡¯s stomach as soon as the words were sent. Well, that was all true, but if Brendan hadn¡¯t been here she and May could have still gone fishing or picked berries, and breakfast at the hotel was free. They really hadn¡¯t needed to burden him like that; she could blame May for instigating it most of the time, but she didn¡¯t exactly rebuke her. Well, she¡¯d make up to him somehow. Food for food? He¡¯d like her soup, surely.


    Brendan looked at Astra and sighed, folding his arms and glancing away.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess that would do it,¡± he muttered. He shook his head and refocused. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re short on cash then you could always enter a battle competition; you don¡¯t pay for losing so bare minimum you¡¯ll make enough for a week of cheap kibble. There¡¯s always one or two happening somewhere, and I¡¯m pretty sure the Gym is hosting one tomorrow afternoon.¡± Brendan raised an eyebrow. ¡°Unless you wanna do some odd jobs like catching a dozen Shroomish for a pharmacy...?¡±


    ¡°Fuck the pharmacy, that competition sounds right up my alley!¡± May exclaimed, pumping her fist. ¡°Can¡¯t go wrong with a good fight. How about it, Astra,¡± she asked, grinning at the smaller girl. ¡°Wanna go beat people up and take their lunch money?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t phrase it like that,¡± Brendan sighed. ¡°We¡¯re trainers, not grade-school malcontents.¡±


    ¡°Just lunch?¡± Astra asked, smirking at May. ¡°I¡¯ll beat them so hard they¡¯ll only be able to eat dirt for a month!¡±


    ¡°You too, Astra?¡± Brendan asked, shooting her a look of mock betrayal. He shook his head, muttering to himself. ¡°Playground bullies, the both of them...¡±


    Astra giggled at his put-out expression, then winced as her headache pulsed again. Not out of the woods yet; she¡¯d have to lie down for a while once they made it back. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but be a bit excited for tomorrow. It felt like it¡¯d been forever since her last proper battle, and the money was fresh jam on the fish. A few expected thrills were just what she needed, and she couldn¡¯t pass up a perfect opportunity to train her team and practice her music. After that, she¡¯d restock her supplies, grab the stuff from Devon, meet up with Mr. Briney down south, and set sail for Dewford.


    Astra smiled, squeezing the Ralts doll to her chest. Tomorrow was going to be fun!

 Lambent

    Rustboro¡¯s Gym echoed with the sounds of battle and chatter¡ªthe clash of elemental attacks and shouts of effort and instruction ringing through the vast building. Such an environment wasn¡¯t unusual. The Gym was built for such activities, from vicious battles between teams of pokemon, to awe-inspiring bouts against Roxanne herself, and even to various types of rock-themed exercise.


    However, today''s atmosphere was much more tense, and with good reason: in return for a mere portion of the proceeds, the gym had become host to an amateur-scene Pokemon battle and betting event. The entire layout of the gym had rearranged itself almost overnight to fit in a half-dozen separate battle arenas, each one overseen by a commentator and home to a couple rows of spectator benches. Apparently having a gym made entirely out of stone and home to a great many Rock types made rearrangement much easier.


    As Astra understood it, so long as she wasn¡¯t obviously terrible, she could simply keep entering battles over and over for visitors to wager on for the next two days. Compensation-wise, if she won, she got a percentage of the winnings; if she lost, she got a much smaller flat participation payment. Either way it wasn¡¯t a lot, but as long as she and May won a few times, they¡¯d be able to travel comfortably for the next week or so.


    Which was how Astra found herself in the middle of her sixth battle today.


    ¡°Gloom, use Poison Powder!¡± a young girl yelled, fists clenched.


    Astra raised her bow to her violin, striking the strings in a harsh wave.


    Retreat, then sand flurry.


    Astra¡¯s Nincada leapt backwards, aborting his previous assault. A wave of poisonous purple haze erupted from Gloom¡ªa drooling blue pokemon with stubby limbs and large red flower buds for a scalp¡ªand the haze engulfed the center of the arena. In response, Nincada drew his claw back and infused it with pale brown energy before dragging it across the ground with all his might. A great cloud of sand billowed from the strike, meeting the purple haze halfway and dragging the toxic particles to the ground.


    Dashing through his grainy cloud, Nincada buzzed past the remaining poison haze, protected by the sand on his chitinous shell. Orienting himself through his trainer''s eyes, Nincada burst into the center, arm glowing with dim green energy.


    The opposing trainer¡¯s eyes widened. She called out, ¡°Wait, no! Gloom, use¡ª!¡±


    Nincada struck. A flurry of blows fell upon Gloom, each cutting deeper than the last. Gloom yelled out in pain as a web of red lines opened on its back, before one final swipe sent the Grass pokemon tumbling to the ground in defeat.


    ¡°And with a masterful display of tactics, Nincada has cut down Trainer Karen¡¯s Gloom!¡±


    A man¡¯s booming voice echoed throughout the gym. On the sidelines, a couple dozen spectators gasped in shock, then cheered and cursed in equal measure. Enthusiasm oozed from the announcer as he continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s not looking good for Karen! After besting that monster of a Grovyle through sheer attrition, Violinist Astra¡¯s Nincada has just brought Karen down to her last pokemon! Will this musical master net another victory, or will Karen pull out a last-minute turnaround for our despairing debtors? Hope you bet wisely, folks!¡±


    Astra let the music fall to a holding rhythm, her previous tense tempo unsuited for this momentary breather. She looked to the side, eyeing the crowd. Many of them were greeting her with wide smiles and cheers, but a few were sending her dark glares. Astra frowned at the grimy pulse of negativity they gave off. Well, it served them right for wagering on her loss!


    Still, she had to admit that she was having a blast. She was earning money, practicing her music, and training her pokemon all at the same time! Her only regret was that this ¡®Rookie Rumble¡¯ event wasn¡¯t a constant; if her team was willing, Astra could have easily spent the rest of her week in the Rustboro Gym just getting paid to fight other trainers. She didn¡¯t even have to win, but she made more if she did.


    Not that she would ever do less than her best, of course. Losing wasn¡¯t fun at the best of times, and with an audience it was even worse. Thankfully she¡¯d won a bit more than she¡¯d lost so far, her record currently 3-2. It would have been higher if she¡¯d foreseen a glaring issue with her team''s capabilities.


    Sparing a glance across the gym, she spotted May shouting at¡ªoh dang, May was down to Tentacool? Astra watched as the aquatic pokemon¡ªclearly uncomfortable to be wriggling about on land¡ªbrought his arms to the small, shiny red protrusion in his forehead. A moment later a prismatic beam shot out, lancing toward¡ªah, a Wingull. No wonder May had sent out Tentacool.


    ¡°Alright!¡± Karen shouted, drawing Astra¡¯s attention back to her own bout. ¡°All or nothing, let¡¯s go Beautifly!¡±


    Astra closed her eyes, letting loose a brief, pained sigh. Of course her opponent''s last pokemon would be a Flying type. That blasted group had been making her life difficult all day; half of her team was massively disadvantaged against them, and the rest had barely any methods to actually land a hit!


    Knowing Nincada was useless here, Astra recalled him and, after a moment''s thought, decided on Slakoth. Hopefully her opponent hadn¡¯t seen her earlier fights; this trick wouldn¡¯t work so well if her opponent knew how to avoid it.


    ¡°Go, Slakoth!¡± she commanded, throwing the pokeball forward. A flash of red heralded her furry companion, flat on the ground and baggy-eyed.


    ¡°Slaa...¡± he whined, cumbersomely rising to his feet as if weights were strapped to his limbs. Across and above the battlefield, a giant butterfly let loose a trilling cry, their iridescent black wings flittering with flashes of yellow highlights.


    ¡°And Karen pulls out a be-yu-tiful Beautifly!¡± The announcer cheered. ¡°And in response, our magnificent maestro has called forth her sleepy Slakoth! Don¡¯t let his dreamy demeanor deceive you, that tired terror is as tough as a Tauros!¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t matter how strong your Slakoth is when it can¡¯t move!¡± Karen yelled, thrusting a hand forward. ¡°Beautifly, Stun Spore!¡±


    Beautifly trilled, rapidly flapping their wings. A cloud of sparking yellow-orange dust fell with each beat, the wingbeats scattering the dust toward Slakoth.


    Astra¡¯s eyes narrowed. Her violin sang.


    Spear wall.


    Earthen energy coated Slakoth¡¯s fists, and with a heave of effort he lifted them into the air and brought them down, the stone below crunching under the force.


    ¡°Slak!¡± he shouted, and a wall of stone spires erupted before him. The spores fell upon the spires and stalled, the breeze that carried them breaking upon the stony obstruction.


    ¡°Eh?¡± Karen exclaimed, shocked. ¡°Wh¡ªdid you Rock Tomb yourself!? Why would¡ªhey! You blocked my Stun Spore! No fair!¡±


    Astra raised an eyebrow. She only just noticed?


    Karen fumed. ¡°Gah! You won¡¯t get off that easily! That wall might¡¯ve stopped my spores, but you¡¯re still open! Beautifly, fly up and use Gust from above!¡±


    Acquire armament.


    Slakoth trudged through an onslaught of harsh winds, claws wrapping around the shaft of one of his stone spikes. With a swift motion he tore the top half off, leaving a two-foot rock needle in his hands. From the gap a gale wind poured forth, carrying the remnants of the stun spore cloud. Slakoth winced as the combined concussive bluster and spore cloud battered at his limbs, the orange dust sending flickering sparks through his fur.


    ¡°What¡¯dja go and do that for?¡± Karen yelled, smirking. ¡°You just broke your own defense wide open! Let¡¯s finish this, Beautifly. Bring that smelly Slakoth down with an Air Cutter!¡±


    End it.


    Beautifly rose higher, wings shining with sky-blue energy. Concentrating it along the edge, they brought down their wing and sent forth a brilliant sliver of wind, pure cutting force given form. The gleaming, razor-sharp burst of air bore down on the gap in the wall¡ª


    Slakoth threw the spike.


    The Air Cutter burst apart. There was a sound akin to tearing paper and the distant crash of stone. Beautifly hung in the air for a moment, as if confused, before their eyes unfocused and they gently fell to the ground, one wing folded and crumpled.


    ¡°Beautifly!¡± Karen shrieked, running over to her fallen pokemon.


    Astra breathed out, drawing her simple tune to a quick conclusion. The announcer was yelling about her victory, but she¡¯d long since tuned him out as well as the cheers and curses of her small audience. She gave Slakoth a quick once-over¡ªhe was pretty bruised from the gusts, and it seemed the spores had actually afflicted him with paralysis. Good thing he hadn¡¯t missed, Astra was doubtful that he would¡¯ve been able to take a second shot. Astra recalled Slakoth to his Pokeball and walked over to Karen, giving the other girl a respectful nod.


    ¡°Well fought.¡±


    Karen looked up and glared, eyes shining with frustration and unshed tears. She opened her mouth, then closed it and rubbed at her eyes, huffing. Standing up, she recalled her Beautifly and begrudgingly returned Astra¡¯s nod.


    ¡°Yeah, good match. Whatever.¡± she sniffed, clutching Beautifly¡¯s pokeball close to her chest, turning away and leaving the stage for Nurse Joy¡¯s aid station. ¡°I totally had that. Stupid, lousy, cheaty violin, can¡¯t even hear the commands¡ª¡±


    Astra watched her go, bemused. Shrugging, Astra gave the announcer a nod¡ªhe¡¯d be letting whoever handled the money know about the outcome¡ªand trundled off-stage herself. May was still trying to land a hit on that Wingull, so Astra followed Karen''s example and dropped her team off to heal while she sat down on a stone bench nearby to wait for May.


    Astra watched her friend''s battle unfold from afar. Tentacool only managed to score two glancing hits with his Aurora Beam before Wingull knocked him out, and then May¡¯s Lotad barely did anything at all. His Water Gun¡ªwhen it hit¡ªslid off Wingull¡¯s feathers like faint mist instead of a high-pressure water jet. Bursts of concussive wind knocked him out shortly after.


    Combusken managed a little better; his speed was enough to steer clear of the worst of the aerial bursts and his rather literal return fire managed to score hits every time. He even landed a solid kick and spiked Wingull into the floor.


    Whereupon May¡¯s opponent pulled out a Pelipper.


    Afterward, May dropped her injured team off with Joy then trudged over to Astra, all while fuming.


    ¡°Flying types are bullshit,¡± May said, throwing herself down onto the stone bench and immediately regretting it. ¡°Ow, fuck!¡±


    May rubbed at her new soon-to-be bruise, grimacing.


    Astra giggled. ¡°I knew you weren¡¯t doing well but I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d hit rock bottom that fast!¡±


    May¡¯s forehead fell into her other hand. ¡°I hate you,¡± she groaned. ¡°I hate you so much.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t lie, you know,¡± Astra chided, grinning. ¡°All those contradictions will rot your mind! Still,¡± she sighed, slumping back and gazing listless at the ceiling. ¡°I get what you mean. Grovyle and Nincada are both horribly type-disadvantaged and I only really get one shot with Slakoth¡¯s Rock Tomb trick before they learn how to dodge. Marill does her best, but just using Water Gun over and over gets predictable.¡±


    May nodded, mouth set in a thin line. ¡°My guys aren¡¯t much better. Sure Aurora Beam ruins their day, but on dry land Tentacool¡¯s a sitting...squid. Half the time it¡¯s a goddamn Wingull so Combusken gets knocked out early and Lotad just falls over! Poochyena can¡¯t even hit the bastards¡ªthe fucks just crawl on the ceiling and fire off Gusts or Water Guns ¡®till I forfeit.¡±


    Astra hummed. ¡°Sounds like we should do something about that.¡±


    May sat up, lips quirked. ¡°Sounds like you have an idea.¡±


    Astra thought back to yesterday¡¯s Pokemon Type lesson. ¡°I don¡¯t know where to find an Electric type, but we¡¯re in a Rock gym, and there¡¯s a mountain right down 116. I figure it¡¯d be pretty easy to¡ª¡±


    ¡°No no no,¡± May interrupted, waving a hand at Astra. ¡°Type advantage won¡¯t do crap if we can¡¯t actually fight them. What we need to do is level the playing field.¡±


    Astra¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I think I see what you¡¯re getting at.¡±


    May grinned. ¡°Yep. If a bunch of two-bit losers are giving us this much trouble, imagine what we could do if we got some of our own.¡±


    Astra returned the grin, giving May a resolute nod. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m in.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± May stood up, gaze falling on her former opponent, whose Pelipper was spraying down some hapless beginner. Her eyes narrowed, brows furrowing in determination.


    ¡°Now, let''s get to hunting.¡±


    A moment passed. Astra tilted her head.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t our pokemon still healing?¡±


    May slumped. ¡°Well...yeah. Alright!¡± she rallied, raising a resolute fist. ¡°After our teams heal, we¡¯re going to find Flying types of our own!¡±


    ¡°Where are we going, anyway?¡± Astra questioned. ¡°Just like, into the forest, or...?¡±


    May sat back down, face blank. She stared at the floor for a moment before taking out her Pokedex and dialing a number.


    ¡°Brendan!¡± she said into the device¡¯s speaker, cheerily. ¡°Say, where can a girl get a Flying pokemon around here?¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°This view is amazing!¡± Astra exclaimed, gazing at the distant, terrace-like rock faces that made up the far half of Route 115. They extended high into the sky, far taller than any of the buildings they¡¯d left behind in Rustboro to the south, but the extreme hills were nothing but pale imitators of the lofty peak of Mt. Chimney to the northeast. Berry-laden bushes and tall, broad-leafed coastal trees made up the nearer half of the route, which winded through a narrow plain along the coast.


    The route¡¯s beach would be their destination today. Brendan had been doing some sort of survey of the route while she and May were busy fighting, and had been quick to tell them about a flock of birds inhabiting the shoreline. He¡¯d met them at the route entry sign and was now guiding them toward the gathered Flying types.


    Astra wondered about the distant rocky terraces. ¡°Why is it called Meteor Falls, anyway?¡± she asked, turning to Brendan.


    ¡°It¡¯s actually due to a meteorological event in the distant past,¡± Brendan explained, turning onto the path towards the shore. ¡°There''s a local legend about a ¡®bright flash that lit up the moon¡¯, followed by a ¡®rain of stars¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Bet that must¡¯ve been one hell of a show,¡± May said, hands behind her head. ¡°Think we could find a meteor if we poked around? I bet someone¡¯d pay loads for one.¡±


    Brendan shook his head. ¡°Anything that easy to find would¡¯ve been taken ages ago.¡±


    ¡°Tch, figures,¡± May grumbled, dropping her arms. She paused, raising a hand to shield her eyes from the sun as she peered ahead. She whistled. ¡°This is ¡®just¡¯ a flock? The beach is swarming with birds. The hell is happening?¡±


    Astra couldn¡¯t help but share May¡¯s puzzlement. All along the coast, Astra could see mere glimmers of golden sand peeking out from underneath the great, heaving swathes of birds screeching and cawing at each other. What seemed like hundreds of Wingull¡ªwhite balls-with-wings that sported long beaks and even longer wings¡ªwere scratching and squawking at an equal number of Taillow¡ªsmall avians with wide beaks and dark blue feathers, white underbellies, and red faces.


    ¡°They¡¯re just sitting around and screaming at each other,¡± Astra said, tilting her head. She¡¯d never seen so many in one place before; Taillow were common enough back home, but they¡¯d never gathered in such numbers, and Wingull rarely ventured far from the coastline. ¡°Is this normal?¡±


    ¡°Yes, though it¡¯s a lot bigger than normal.¡± Brendan answered, raising his voice to compensate for the gradually intensifying din of cawing. ¡°Taillow and Wingull sometimes flock together like this due to their capability and frequency of interbreeding. North Rustboro Cove is a pretty common gathering space since the waters are shielded from the more vicious ocean life by those rocky spires in the distance and there¡¯s hardly any land threats. With a group this large, there¡¯s bound to be quite a few that¡¯d be perfect for training.¡±


    ¡°Hoooh yeah!¡± May grinned, rubbing her hands together. ¡°Just what I like to hear. Alright everyone, it¡¯s easy pickings, let¡¯s catch us some birds!¡±


    ¡°Uh,¡± Brendan started, confused. ¡°Wait, did you mean me too? I wasn¡¯t really planning on¡ªwoah!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, dumbass!¡± May cackled, grabbing Brendan by the wrist and charging straight at the flocks. ¡°All right you feathery fucks, who wants to smite my enemies from on high!?¡±


    Astra watched, amusement warring with concern as she saw her friends plow into the chaos, a wave of angry birds scattering into the air. Electronic warbles cut the air as the two released their pokemon and streams of fire and spore clouds quickly cleared their immediate area of all but the bravest.


    Well. That was one way to do things, Astra supposed. Barging in, picking a fight, and taking whoever made it through the brawl. She didn¡¯t know if she wanted to find a new teammate like that, though. In some way, all of her pokemon had come to her: Birch had given her Treecko, Marill had challenged her after beating her to a berry bush, Slakoth had stolen her soup, and Nincada had more or less demanded to come with. She¡¯d never been the instigator.


    Still, she was here to catch a Flying pokemon, and catch one she would. Astra strolled down the landside edge of the beach, looking out at the birds scattered across the sands. Maybe she could get a Wingull? Shooting off water guns from the air seemed effective enough, and they were decently quick. But they looked so silly! They were all wings and beak, and to be honest she wasn¡¯t very fond of their screeching honks.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Taillow, on the other hand, would be...fine. She¡¯d seen their fierce Pecks and cutting Wing Attacks often enough today to be sure they would do well, and they¡¯d hung around the village''s treetops often enough. She recalled the long, lazy days spent in the company of birdsong, occasionally levitating berries up towards the ones that sang the best. She¡¯d try for one of them.


    Astra nodded to herself, absently coming to a stop and leaning against the cliff face. She examined the birds scattered across this stretch of sand; it was less crowded this far down, but she didn''t lack for choice. Her gaze flicked from one dark-feathered bird to the next, skipping past the Wingull. Which one would she get? They were all so...similar. If she had a complaint, that would be it; none of the Taillow here really stood out. It might have been a bit petty, but she felt the species was just kind of...plain and ordinary.


    But just because they were common didn¡¯t mean they couldn¡¯t be great! May¡¯s Tentacool with his Aurora Beam was a prime example. She¡¯d just have to polish them until they shone, just like the pebbles in her rock collection. Now if she could just pick one out of the crowd¡ª


    A commotion caught her eye, and Astra looked to see that one of the flying Taillow had scuffed their landing and embedded themselves in the sand. She watched as the gathered birds milled around the trapped one in confusion, until another Taillow hopped over and pulled their flailing kin out from their hole. The freed bird shook the sand from their feathers, then chirped gratefully at their savior.


    Astra eyed the Taillow that had saved the trapped one. Well, compassion and beak strength were as good a place to start as any. Pushing herself off the rock face, she started walking toward the¡ª


    There was something on her shoe.


    Astra jerked back with a startled cry, staring down at the wriggling white-yellow blob attached to her feet. The blob wobbled, then unfolded.


    A curious, innocent yellow face looked up at her with two shining black eyes to either side of a small white beak. Two long yellow feathers protruded from the top of its head, waving cheerily in the ocean breeze. On both sides, large, white, cottony wings retracted with an audibly soft fwish, surrounding its body in a poofy mass of fluff.


    ¡°Swa!¡± it chirped, looking for all the world like a warm, golden sun resting in a bed of feathery clouds.


    Astra let out a low keening sound. ¡°Oh my stars you¡¯re adorable!¡± she squealed, bending down and snatching it into her arms. She squeezed, hugging the pokemon for all she was worth. Seeming to enjoy this, it happily snuggled against her face, chirping excitedly.


    ¡°Blu!¡±


    ¡°And so soft!¡± Astra marveled. It felt like she was burying her hands in silky fuzz. ¡°Ah, I could bury my face in this forever!¡±


    She squeezed the pokemon once more before pulling away, cradling it in her arms and smiling.


    ¡°Gosh, you really do look like a cloudy sun, don¡¯t you?¡± she said, rubbing the top of its head to much preening. ¡°What were you even doing¡ªoh!¡±


    She looked down. Her left shoe, previously coated in dirt and sand, was now spotless. Astra blinked, then looked back at the pokemon in her arms.


    ¡°Did you...clean my shoe?¡± she asked, surprised.


    The yellow bird chirped again, unfolding one of its cloud-like wings and waving it. Astra saw a patch of gray where the grime on her footwear had apparently been wiped off.


    ¡°Swablu!¡± the bird cheered proudly.


    Astra blinked, then smiled. ¡°Heh, well, thank you! Swablu? Is that what you are? Let me just¡ª¡±


    Pulling an arm free, she retrieved her Pokedex and scanned the creature in her arms.


    ¡°So you are!¡± she said, reading the passage that popped up. ¡°Cleans things with their wings, not afraid of people¡ªhah!¡± she barked in laughter. ¡°Sitting on people''s heads like a hat? Oh that¡¯s so sweet! Here, let me¡ª¡±


    Astra lifted the Swablu up to her head. The yellow cloud-bird tweeted in joy and clambered aboard, perching on the crown and wrapped her wings around the brim. Astra laughed, reaching up to stroke the bird.


    ¡°I guess it really is a sunhat now!¡± Astra laughed, grinning. Something in the Pokedex had caught her eye. ¡°You¡¯re a Flying type, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Swa!¡± Swablu affirmed, chirping happily.


    What luck! If Swablu came with her, Astra would have a Flying type and the most adorable sun-puff she never knew she so desperately wanted! Judging by how friendly Swablu was, Astra didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be a particularly hard negotiation either. She smiled.


    ¡°Hey Swablu?¡± she asked, drawing out a pokeball and showing it to the bird. ¡°Would you be interested in coming with me? I¡¯ve actually been looking for a Flying type, and even though we just met I think you¡¯d fit right in! You¡¯d have to fight, but there¡¯s yummy food and¡ªwhoa!¡±


    Astra stumbled as Swablu abruptly jumped off her hat. She shook her head and pulled her hat back into place, confused. ¡°Swablu?¡± Astra asked, turning around. Had she rejected the offer? But they¡¯d gotten along so well¡ª


    Astra recoiled. Behind her, a gargantuan blue bird was staring at her intently, a mere step away. They looked like a Swablu, except the two feathers on their head were much longer and there was a white circle enveloping each cheek. Their entire body was hidden inside a massive cloud of fluff, with two legless feet poking out of the bottom and four tail feathers sticking out the back.


    They were also as tall as Astra. The giant Altaria peered at her, and Astra stared back, eyes wide. She got the distinct impression they were measuring her, and something in the back of her head told her that she would very much regret the next few moments if the Altaria didn¡¯t like what they saw.


    On the ground, the little yellow Swablu ran toward her parent.


    ¡°Swablu!¡± she chirped.


    The Altaria blinked and bent down, their sinuous neck lowering until they were eye-level with Swablu.


    ¡°Swa swa!¡± the Swablu said, waving her wings around excitedly.


    The Altaria considered her. ¡°Tair,¡± they said, drawing themselves back up. They looked at Astra again. Astra gulped.


    ¡°Um, hello!¡± she started, uneasily waving a hand. The Altaria tilted their head. Astra gave them an uncertain smile. ¡°I...was just, you know, uh...¡± she tailed off as a thought hit her.


    Why was she using words for this? Straightening, she looked the Altaria in the eye and spoke her intent.


    Her and Swablu, hugging. Herself, feeding the small bird berries, soup, and strips of meat. Swablu, flying at foes under her command and striking them down, and then herself tending to Swablu¡¯s wounds with gentle care. Swablu playing with her other pokemon, sleeping on her hat, even turning into a golden version of her parent.


    ¡°Your daughter is adorable, and I think we get along,¡± Astra told the Altaria. ¡°I would like to take her with me.¡±


    Altaria stared at her. They were quiet for a long moment.


    ¡°Ria.¡±


    They looked down at Swablu, the golden bird digging into her parent¡¯s fluff. Altaria bent down and grabbed Swablu with their beak, then, raising their head, leaned forward and gently deposited the confused bird into Astra¡¯s arms.


    Swablu looked around, confused. ¡°Swa?¡± she chirped, looking up at Altaria.


    Altaria brought their head down again and nuzzled Swablu, then stepped back and looked at Astra.


    Astra looked back, then gazed down at the Swablu in her arms. Swablu looked up and chirped happily. Astra smiled, then turned back to Altaria and nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of her,¡± she promised.


    Altaira stared at her for a moment more, then dipped their head. They took one last glance at Swablu, then raised their wings and burst into the air with a sudden gale. Astra yelped, holding onto her hat as the sheer force of the takeoff threatened to send it flying, then watched as Altaria began soaring off over the ocean. Astra smiled softly at the sight.


    Altaria then reared their head back and screamed, a bright purple beam erupting from their mouth and spearing through the ocean below. There was a heavy thoom as the waters erupted into a violent geyser. Altaria dived into the parted waves, a moment later reappearing with the smoking remains of some blue pokemon half again the Altaria¡¯s size, and then shooting into the distance with a burst of super-speed.


    Astra stared, her smile suddenly feeling strained. Swablu shifted around in her arms.


    ¡°Blu!¡± she said, looking up at Astra. Astra looked down at the cloudy ball of sunshine in her arms. She shook her head, then chuckled.


    ¡°Well, welcome to the team, Swablu.¡± she asid, hugging her close. ¡°Maybe one day you¡¯ll be that scary too.¡±


    ¡°Swa!¡± Swablu cheered.


    Astra deposited Swablu on her hat and turned back the way she came. She saw May and Brendan in the distance, surrounded by fallen birds and fussing over what looked to be a Taillow and Wingull respectively.


    ¡°But for now, let¡¯s go show off. And tomorrow...¡± Astra chuckled, a vindictive grin crossing her face. ¡°We¡¯ll show those pests at the gym who the air really belongs to!¡±


    <hr>


    Swablu beat her wings, with swirling trails of wind coalescing behind her. Across the arena, a small, teardrop-shaped pokemon with diamond wings and two large eye-like fronds flitted about frantically, its body marked with numerous small bruises.


    ¡°It can''t end like this!¡± a young boy cried, fearfully watching his pokemon. ¡°C¡¯mon Masquerain, we can turn it around! Use Bubble Beam!¡±


    Masquerain stalled in mid-air, drawing back its diamond-like wings and then thrusting them forth, a speedy barrage of concussive bubbles shooting forth.


    On her side of the arena, Astra¡¯s eyes narrowed in satisfied triumph, her song rising towards one final crescendo.


    Dash-peck.


    Swablu trilled and dove into the attack, her Tailwind boosting her speed. She dipped through and around the bubbles, her winds brushing the booming spheres away like so much froth. Descending upon Masquerain, she drove her beak into the flying bug¡¯s fragile torso.


    Masquerain fell. A dozen spectators roared in approval.


    ¡°With a prompt pecking, our sunlit Swablu has massacred Masquerain!¡± The announcer cried out. ¡°Once again, our velvet violinist takes the victory! What a show!¡±


    Astra set her violin down and raised a hand, cooing to Swablu as the bird alighted on her arm.


    ¡°Aw, good girl!¡± she said, stroking Swablu¡¯s soft wings. ¡°Yes you are, yes you are! Good job!¡±


    Swablu trilled, tired but joyful. Astra grinned. Then the wind picked up, and Astra heard a shout from another arena nearby.


    ¡°Taillow!¡± May yelled, ¡°cut him from the sky!¡±


    Astra looked over to see May¡¯s Taillow glow with Flying energy, before diving down at the opposing Wingull, wings shining. The sea-bird screeched in pain as Taillow collided with them, crushing their wings with his own, then Wingull fell to the ground, unconscious.


    ¡°Hell yes!¡± May cheered, raising an arm in victory as another announcer hyped up her victory.


    Across from her, Brendan pulled a hand down his face and sighed, recalling his Wingull. Astra walked over and patted him on the shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get a win someday,¡± she consoled. Brendan gave her a little shrug.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve been more focused on research than training right now, so I¡¯m not surprised. I only meant to spectate until she dragged me out there anyway.¡± He looked at May, who was stroking the back of Taillow¡¯s head and rapid-firing praise. Brendan huffed, the corner of his mouth twitching up. ¡°It¡¯s kinda incredible how quickly you two got a handle on your new pokemon. We only got these guys yesterday afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Oh it¡¯s nothing, really,¡± Astra said with a laugh. ¡°Swablu is a real sweetie, and she¡¯s a quick learner!¡±


    It also helped that she was literally feeding Swablu psychic visions of what she wanted Swablu to do. Just a bit. If anything, May was the really amazing one; the other girl didn¡¯t have a shortcut like she did. That was pure talent.


    ¡°Swa!¡± Swablu chirped. Brendan looked at her and smiled.


    ¡°I suppose she is, isn¡¯t she?¡± he said, proffering a finger to the bird. Swablu nudged into it, and Brendan obligingly began to stroke her feathers. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe you found a solar Swablu. I looked it up and the odds for yellow feathers are something like one in a hundred thousand; people in ancient times took their appearance as a sign of good fortune from the sun itself.¡±


    ¡°Well, I certainly feel lucky!¡± Astra cheered. A loud gurgle rumbled out from her midsection. ¡°And hungry,¡± she added, flushing slightly. ¡°Wanna wrap it up here?¡±


    ¡°Might as well. We have a big day tomorrow, and if I recall, you two were out of food.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Astra nodded and returned Swablu to her pokeball. ¡°It¡¯s still early enough to pick up some supplies on our way to the hotel.¡±


    ¡°More than you planned yesterday, I take it,¡± Brendan said, looking amused. He shook his head. ¡°You know, maybe you¡¯re having such a hard time with supplies because you¡¯ve been catching so many pokemon. It¡¯s barely been a week and both of you have five teammates already; that¡¯s ten mouths to feed!¡±


    Astra shrugged. ¡°I dunno what to tell you. Half of my team basically walked up to me and asked to be caught, and May had to get a second water type for¡ªwell, a few reasons. Hey,¡± she said, eyes narrowed, ¡°don¡¯t you have five too? Hypocrite!¡±


    Brendan looked at her and half-nodded, lips upturned. ¡°Well, you got me there. Though, my situation isn¡¯t exactly ordinary either. I¡¯m training to be a researcher, and I¡¯ve got some funding from Dad¡¯s lab to help me through.¡± He pulled out his pokeballs, gazing at them fondly. ¡°Marshtomp was my starter, I found Slugma very far from her natural habitat and freezing to death, Shroomish was simply a genetic oddity that merited a closer look, and, well, you two were there for Whismur.¡±


    ¡°I take it having this many isn¡¯t normal?¡± Astra guessed. Most of her opponents had three or fewer pokemon, and even Roxanne only used Nosepass and two Geodude in their fight.


    ¡°Average trainers have two or three pokemon by the time they get their second badge,¡± Brendan answered. ¡°Usually they only get up to and over six once they¡¯re near the end of the gym tour, which is when people get really serious about training as a lifestyle. Every pokemon you have is another time slot filled with training, another few hours of enrichment, and another load on your finances.¡± He looked at Astra, face serious. ¡°Can you honestly say you¡¯ll be able to treat all five of your pokemon equally? Will you be able to give each one the attention they deserve? What if you catch more?¡±


    Astra blinked, taken aback by the sudden weight of the conversation. She looked down, staring at her own pokeballs thoughtfully. It was true that she hadn¡¯t had much time to train her newer partners, but it had only been a week¡ªone filled with utter nonsense at that! She¡¯d have more opportunities once they were on the move again, surely.


    On the other hand, dividing her attention in so many ways would lessen their individual progress, wouldn¡¯t it? She¡¯d only just gotten Nincada and Swablu, would she have to focus on them more? Would Grovyle resent being ignored? Wouldn¡¯t Marill get frustrated at being sidelined? Astra still hadn¡¯t found her that TM she¡¯d been promised.


    Astra sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she admitted. ¡°Maybe there will be a point where I catch too many Pokemon and overwhelm myself, but until then I¡¯ll just have to do my best. If people like Steven can manage to handle all of their Pokemon fairly, then so can I.¡± She met Brendan¡¯s gaze and smiled. ¡°Even if treating them fairly is hard, or time consuming, or expensive, I¡¯ll just have to do it anyway. Not just for my Pokemon, but for me, too. I can¡¯t do anything less.¡±


    Brendan considered her words, then nodded, returning her smile. ¡°Well said. Say what you want about our Champion, he didn¡¯t get where he is by giving up. Still,¡± Brendan said, sighing. ¡°Maybe hold off on throwing pokeballs at every pokemon you meet. Life in storage is no way for a pokemon to live, and actively taking care of so many is a nightmare on your finances until you get higher-paying opportunities. Though the food cost hits a soft plateau once you start buying in bulk.¡±


    ¡°Did I hear someone say food?¡± May asked, having strolled over from Nurse Joy¡¯s med-station. ¡°Good timing, I¡¯m starving.¡± She stretched, raising her arms high over her head before dropping them with a pleased groan. ¡°Tomorrow''s Thursday, yeah? Guess that means we¡¯re finally ditching Rustboro. Fuck, it feels like I¡¯ve been here for like, three years.¡±


    Astra tilted her head. That was...oddly specific, but she could understand it. A lot had happened over the past week. ¡°Yeah, the room expires after tonight. Once we get the package and payment from Devon we can travel down to Mr. Briney¡¯s. I¡¯m kinda excited to get my hands on that PokeNav.¡±


    ¡°Forget the toys, I¡¯m more excited about getting a fat stack of cash!¡± May said, rubbing her hands together. ¡°Easy money!¡±


    Brendan frowned, peering at May. ¡°Wait, if you were getting money from Devon, what was all this battling about?¡±


    ¡°I still needed to feed my guys today, man.¡± May said, rolling her eyes. ¡°Nevermind that, what are you getting there?¡±


    He blinked, then bit his lip in thought. ¡°I don¡¯t think I ever asked for anything, actually,¡± he said. ¡°Do you think they¡¯d let us take a tour? I¡¯ve heard they¡¯re working on some really cool new tech.¡±


    ¡°That sounds interesting,¡± Astra agreed. A close look at the freshest human devices? Yes please! ¡°Maybe we can go together!¡±


    ¡°Might as well,¡± May said.


    Brendan nodded, smiling. ¡°Alright then. Tomorrow, we set a course for Devon and then get out of here! All in favor?¡±


    ¡°Aye!¡± Astra and May cheered.

 Devon

    Astra and May got up first thing in the morning¡ªmuch to May¡¯s chagrin¡ªand packed up everything they owned back into their packs. After a quick breakfast in the lobby, they officially handed in the keys to the room to the front desk and bid the hotel a fond farewell. Well, Astra did at least; she was unused to ¡®temporary¡¯ lodging and had grown fond of the soft bed, warm showers, and delicious breakfasts the building provided.


    The duo met up with Brendan outside a small bakery where he¡¯d gotten his own breakfast, and the trio made their way toward the Devon headquarters, filling the air with easy chatter along the way.


    Eventually, they arrived at the gleaming towers and were ushered in to meet President Stone. Mr. Stone greeted them warmly as they entered his office, standing from his desk and walking to meet them halfway in.


    ¡°Ah, good, there you are. Ready to start the job?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Setting out today,¡± Brendan confirmed.


    Mr. Stone nodded. He looked at them, his eyes staring into each of theirs in turn, then sighed. ¡°What a detestable situation. While the risks should be minimal, it is still regrettable that Aqua has made this whole arrangement necessary.¡±


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s no big deal,¡± May shrugged, grinning. ¡°If those pricks wanna pick a fight, we¡¯re more than enough to take care of it.¡±


    ¡°Picking a fight with you is the last thing I want them to be doing.¡± Mr. Stone chided, frowning. ¡°This job exists only because you three have both proven you can handle yourselves and are too fresh to be on anybody¡¯s radar. You should only be facing those miscreants if something has gone terribly wrong.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Astra said, giving Mr. Stone a reassuring grin. ¡°We¡¯ll finish the job quicker than they can blink!¡±


    Or, at least, Astra hoped so. Delivering a letter to Steven would be stressful enough as it was, she didn¡¯t need that Aqua flunky harassing them on the way there. What happened to that guy anyway?


    ¡°By the way,¡± Astra said, ¡°did anyone ever catch that guy that stole the briefcase?¡±


    Mr. Stone shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve not received any updates on the situation, and Aqua is still claiming innocence.¡± He paused, glancing at a clock. ¡°Mmm, we¡¯d best get on with it. To reiterate, your mission is to deliver a letter to my son Steven Stone in Dewford and a parcel containing documentation and machine parts to Captain Stern in Slateport. Do you understand the task as I¡¯ve explained it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Yep!¡±


    Mr. Stone nodded. ¡°Excellent, excellent. You¡¯ll be picking up the packages on your way out of the building. Protect them as best you can, and deliver them as quickly as you are capable. Keep them secret, keep them safe.


    ¡°As for your compensation,¡± he continued, turning to Astra. ¡°I¡¯ve told the boys in production to prepare one of our prototype PokeNavs for field testing. Should be just as capable as the full version will be, but we¡¯ve included a feature for feedback and error reporting. Please let us know if you have any issues.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make good use of it!¡± Astra promised. ¡°I¡¯d be pretty dumb to ask for a better map then get lost anyway.¡±


    Mr. Stone chuckled. ¡°Well, hopefully you¡¯ll use more than the map.¡± He turned to May. ¡°I recall that you wanted a standard monetary payment. I¡¯ve taken the liberty to write out a check for a third of the payment, and you¡¯ll receive the rest once the delivery is completed.¡±


    Mr. Stone handed May a small slip of paper. Her eyes widened a fraction as she read it, and Astra looked over to see quite a few zeroes. She stared. That made what they¡¯d earned in the battle event look like pocket change!


    ¡°Y-yeah,¡± May said, blinking. ¡°That¡¯s fine. We won¡¯t let it out of our sight.¡±


    Mr. Stone nodded, then turned to Brendan, who was also staring at the check. He quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Mr. Birch,¡± he said, causing Brendan to start. ¡°I didn¡¯t receive a request from you yesterday, but can I assume you would also be interested in monetary compensation?¡±


    ¡°Uh,¡± he said, glancing at May. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not tempted, but I actually came here wondering if I could get a tour. I¡¯ve heard a lot of rumors about some fascinating tech your company is developing and I wanted to, well, check it out.¡±


    He shrugged. Mr. Stone looked amused.


    ¡°Well I can certainly arrange that. The boys in R&D certainly love to talk my ears off about whatever pet project they have brewing whenever I stop by, I¡¯m sure they¡¯d appreciate someone who¡¯s interested beyond the business applications. I¡¯ll even extend you the opportunity to help beta-test any that catch your interest, just like Miss Astra and her PokeNav.¡±


    ¡°I dunno, man,¡± May said, nudging Brendan. She held up the check. ¡°Now that I got this, just taking a look around doesn¡¯t seem very reward-y.¡±


    ¡°I can assure you that it would cost quite a bit more than you are receiving to lay hands on our tech ahead of the rest of the world,¡± Mr. Stone informed her. ¡°To use Miss Astra as an example again, even discounting the price of the PokeNav, early access is a substantial advantage on its own.¡±


    Brendan considered his words for a moment, then nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll take the tour, sir.¡±


    May hummed disapprovingly. ¡°You sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hurting for money,¡± Brendan explained. ¡°I mean, more would be nice, but I can get that a lot of ways. An opportunity like this doesn¡¯t come around just by asking.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather have the PokeNav than the cash,¡± Astra agreed. ¡°We couldn¡¯t buy our way out of that forest we got lost in.¡±


    May rolled her eyes, but let the subject drop. Mr. Stone smiled. ¡°Excellent. I¡¯ll have one of the boys show you around. Lily will see you back to the waiting room. Thank you for your service, and I look forward to your success.¡±


    <hr>


    One of ¡®the boys¡¯ turned out to be a tired-looking bespectacled man wearing a glossy white coat named Arin. He¡¯d greeted them with a polite-yet-distant smile, which rapidly switched into confusion and surprise when he¡¯d actually looked at them.


    ¡°I thought one of the boss¡¯s investors was poking around again,¡± he chatted, his smile looking much more genuine as he led Astra, May, and Brendan through the building. ¡°They¡®re usually focused on how much money our developments can net them, so it¡¯s rare anyone gets to talk about their project with people who don¡¯t already know.¡±


    Brendan chuckled. ¡°Considering we chose this over money, I doubt you¡¯ll have the same problem with us!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bet!¡± Arin grinned, walking the group towards a double door. He poked his head inside. ¡°Look alive, everybody! We¡¯ve got guests!¡± he shouted, then looked back and motioned for them to follow.


    The lab was a fairly spacious place, full of computer-laden tables, strange machines, and large white surfaces covered with scribbles and diagrams. They were roughly divided into a half-dozen zones, with each one occupied by two or three humans dressed similarly to Arin. They all looked up at his announcement; most gave Arin a minor note of acknowledgement, but a few stared at the trio curiously before returning to their work.


    ¡°Wow!¡± Astra said, head turning every-which-way at the vast array of intriguing sights. ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot in here! Oh,¡± she exclaimed, spotting something on a nearby whiteboard. It looked like a drawing of a pokeball, but as if someone had separated every component into layers. ¡°Is that how a pokeball fits together?¡±


    ¡°Sure is!¡± Arin chuckled. ¡°We¡¯ve made quite a few new types recently, and our boy Jeb is the one who thought ¡®em up! Wanna go see what he¡¯s working on?¡±


    Astra and Brendan nodded eagerly, though May just shrugged. They moved over to the station, and Arin knocked on a waist-high wall that divided it from the others.


    ¡°Hey Jeb!¡± he greeted, smirking. ¡°How¡¯re your balls coming along?¡±


    Jeb, a hefty brown-haired man in glasses, looked up sharply at Arin, mouth open¡ªbefore pausing at May¡¯s snicker. He eyed them warily, before turning a frown on Arin. ¡°They¡¯re fine,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Just having problems integrating the full restore on the next one.¡±


    ¡°Full restore?¡± May asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Isn¡¯t that like, a cure-all? What are you doing with that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, my next project is a pokeball that heals whatever you capture to full health,¡± he explained. ¡°Most pokemon usually need a bit of healing up before a trainer can use them, so I figured that having a ball that could provide that aid instantly would be handy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that would have been really useful, actually!¡± Astra said, nodding. ¡°We got in a dangerous fight recently, and I had just captured a Nincada before that. If he¡¯d been ready to battle right after I caught him it could have gone much smoother.¡±


    ¡°Not sure Nincada could have done much against that Exploud, Astra,¡± May remarked dryly.


    ¡°Not much isn¡¯t nothing!¡± Astra argued. ¡°Either way, that sounds like a really nice feature, Jeb. Have you made any other pokeballs?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Jeb here¡¯s made quite a few!¡± Arin said, grinning. ¡°You know Timer and Repeat balls? All Jeb.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve heard of those,¡± Brendan said. ¡°Repeat balls catch pokemon you¡¯ve caught before more easily and timer balls work better the longer a fight lasts, right?¡±


    ¡°Some of my best work!¡± Jeb said, proudly. ¡°Took me forever to figure out how to get a pokeball to download and share construct data like that. Both of ¡®em create an environment suited to the pokemon you¡¯re fighting, the difference is Repeat balls connect to your other Repeat balls and Timer balls connect to a central database. Downloading all that data takes time, so that¡¯s why stalling makes timer balls work better.¡±


    ¡°Neat!¡± Astra said. ¡°Say, how do pokeballs work, anyway? I always wondered.¡±


    Jeb considered Astra for a moment. ¡°How much do you know about organic-data conversion?¡±


    ¡°Nothing at all.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s magic.¡±


    May and Brendan snorted, then coughed into their fists to hide their laughter. Astra glared. ¡°Hey!¡±


    Arin shook his head, an amused smile playing across his face. ¡°Good stuff, good stuff. Anyway, we¡¯ll let you get back to it. Now, who should we visit next¡ªah, Becky! How¡¯s that Dreamscape project coming along?¡±


    Becky¡¯s project was some sort of device that let you view someone''s dreams in real-time. Astra listened to the woman complain about the innumerable roadblocks she¡¯d run into with half an ear, distracted by the sudden feeling of void from somewhere in the room. She glanced about, trying to pinpoint the source, when she spotted another woman working at some sort of machine box radiating black light.


    Astra stared at her. Breaking away from the group, she glided over to the woman¡¯s zone. Noticing Astra¡¯s approach, the woman looked up and blinked at her. Astra looked from her to the box. It felt...like how a Poochyena would.


    Dark.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Astra asked, gaze fixated on the strange machine part.


    ¡°O-oh...um....¡± the woman stuttered, shrinking in on herself slightly. ¡°R-right, the tour. Um. Well, I¡ªDevon, we¡¯ve been trying to apply various pokemon energy types to...to machines, and such, to make them work better. A-a few months ago we helped build the...the rocket? In Mossdeep?¡±


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Astra¡¯s gaze snapped to the woman. ¡°You made the rocket?¡± she asked, awed. ¡°The one that went to the moon?¡±


    The woman flushed. ¡°I-I mean, it wasn¡¯t just me, but, uh, y-yeah. I¡ªwe, um, made the metal more permeable to Psychic and Flying energy. So the pokemon on board could, you know, lift it easier, and it would cut through the air better.¡±


    ¡°Woah,¡± Astra said, eyes wide. There were pokemon on the rocket that lifted it? ¡°That¡¯s incredible. But, what does that do?¡± she asked, returning her attention to the box.


    The woman shifted in her seat. ¡°Um. It¡¯s...kind of the opposite of what I did for the-the rocket. It¡¯s a module that¡¯s supposed to mimic Dark-type pokemon¡¯s ability to, uh, nullify psychic abilities targeted at whatever it¡¯s inserted into, so nobody can, um, make their pokemon teleport it away? Or throw it? Honestly Courtney, would an explanation kill you?¡± she muttered under her breath. She hesitated. ¡°I-I guess it¡¯s for security reasons¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh hey Mami!¡± Arin greeted from behind Astra, making them both jump. ¡°Still working on that commission for your friend?¡±


    The newly named Mami ducked her head and nodded. Arin chuckled.


    ¡°Well, keep up the good work. Sorry for the bother. C¡¯mon,¡± he said, addressing Astra. ¡°Don¡¯t go wandering around like that, Mami¡¯s¡ªwell, she¡¯s more of an inventor than a talker.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Astra said, glancing back at the Dark box. ¡°It...just looked interesting.¡±


    ¡°Dreamscape not doing it for you? Well, alright. Maybe this next one will be up your alley. Hey Dave! Tell us about the fossil machine!¡±


    Despite Dave¡¯s best efforts, his ramblings about some machine that let him recreate old pokemon from rocks didn¡¯t really hold Astra¡¯s attention, though May and Brendan seemed into it. Astra¡¯s thoughts and eyes kept drifting back toward Mami and her invention.


    They had a machine that could copy Dark types. They had a device that let them completely nullify psychic abilities. That...if that became widespread, they¡¯d be able to completely flatten the village! Put one of them on those buzzsaw vehicles she¡¯d seen cutting into the forest and it would be even more literal. If it could extend the effect onto a human or even a pokemon...


    That woman was crafting Astra¡¯s worst nightmare and didn¡¯t even know it.


    There was a brief impulse to smash it, to pulverize the abhorrent creation into dust. But it wouldn¡¯t help, would it? The researcher¡ªMami?¡ªhad already made the one, and she¡¯d probably recorded how she¡¯d done it somewhere. Breaking it would only get Astra in trouble. Was there anything she could do?


    Astra tore her gaze away, rubbing her fingers against her eyes. She¡¯d just have to make sure it never became a problem. Beat the champion. Become the champion. Save her village. No Dark machines necessary.


    Simple, right?


    The motion caught May¡¯s attention, and she looked at Astra curiously. She frowned. ¡°You okay?¡±


    No. ¡°Yeah,¡± Astra replied, giving her a tired smile. ¡°Just...got a little headache.¡±


    May¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Not gonna collapse again are you?¡± she asked, shuffling a step closer.


    Astra scratched her cheek, laughing slightly. ¡°No, nothing like that,¡± she said, waving her off. She turned back to see what project they were looking at now.


    ¡°¡ªSo if you find any intact fossils, consider bringing them to me,¡± Dave said. ¡°With my machine perfected, I¡¯ll be able to restore these ancient pokemon to life!¡±


    Astra blinked. Why did he need them to find material? ¡°Aren¡¯t there a ton of fossils in Roxanne''s gym?¡± she questioned, confused.


    Dave scoffed. ¡°Most of those are either unusable or the owner won¡¯t let me try. Even after I gave her that Aerodactyl of hers. Sure it¡¯s sterile and the rest of my other outputs were stillborn, but I fixed those issues! Nobody trusts me anymore,¡± he sighed.


    ¡°Well, Mr. Stone did say I could beta-test some things,¡± Brendan mused. ¡°If we ever find a fossil, we can come back and give it a try.¡±


    ¡°Please consider it,¡± Dave pleaded. ¡°One proven success would do so much for me.¡±


    ¡°All right man, take it easy,¡± Arin said, patting him on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll get a break eventually.¡±


    They moved on, Astra¡¯s thoughts inexorably drawn back to that feeling of emptiness in that corner of the room. They came up to another man''s workplace. He was fiddling with a strange-looking metal headcap that had all sorts of wires coming from the scalp. He looked up at them and beamed.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the ones looking around? Hi, I¡¯m Darren,¡± he said, holding out a hand. Brendan shook it. ¡°Are you here to see what I¡¯m working on?


    ¡°Sure,¡± May said, leaning against a wall. ¡°Whatcha got?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m actually working on a device that will let us speak with pokemon more easily,¡± the man said, beaming.


    Astra¡¯s head snapped up.


    ¡°With my research, I believe that someday we¡¯ll be able to talk as easily as we are right now.¡± the man continued. ¡°Once I get my machine working, people and Pokemon will finally, truly be able to communicate!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Astra blurted. It may have been uncharitable, but the hollow itch in the corner of the room cast a dark light on her thoughts. One employee was already developing something that could cause her home havoc, why wouldn¡¯t another? Why did he need to talk to pokemon? Did he expect to extract some sort of secret from them? Was it all in service of ordering them around better?


    Darren blinked at her, considering the question. ¡°Because they¡¯re our friends?¡± he asked, confused. ¡°They¡¯re such an integral part of all our lives, but sometimes it seems like we still barely know anything about them.¡± He smiled, looking at the helmet in his hands wistfully. ¡°How much could we learn if we could talk to even a Zigzagoon? I wonder what stories a Taillow that¡¯s traveled the whole of Hoenn could tell. I want to tell my own pokemon how much they mean to me, and know that they understand.¡±


    He looked at Astra and grinned. ¡°I just think the world would be a better place, if everyone¡ªhuman and pokemon alike¡ªcould sit down and understand each other. That¡¯s all.¡±


    He...really believed that, didn¡¯t he? Astra could feel it: sincerity, bathing his words like sunlight. It was...soothing.


    ¡°Dunno about all that cheesy shit,¡± May murmured, ¡°but being able to talk to Tentacool would¡¯ve really saved me some time back on 104.¡±


    Brendan nodded along, smiling. ¡°That¡¯s a really nice dream,¡± he said. ¡°I hope it works out.¡±


    ¡°Ah, thanks!¡± Darren said, scratching his head with a dust of red on his cheeks. He slumped, sighing. ¡°Unfortunately, my experiments aren¡¯t showing much promise so far. I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll ever see my goal through.¡±


    Astra felt her lips twitch upwards. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she said, patting him on the shoulder. She gave him a big, slightly cheeky grin.


    ¡°I have a feeling that you¡¯re closer than you think.¡±


    <hr>


    After touring a few more projects, the trio were finally on their way. The Devon parcel and the letter were entrusted to Astra¡¯s bags by virtue of her having the most empty space. Alongside the deliveries, she was handed a freshly made PokeNav, which was a beige hand-sized, half-oval-shaped device with a blue sphere in the middle. The trio checked their bags one last time¡ªnow fully restocked with food, toiletries, and other essentials¡ªand hovered at the entrance to Route 104. They had at least a day¡¯s walking before they reached Mr. Briney¡¯s home¡ªand his personal pier¡ªon the other side of the forest, but they took one last moment to look north back at Rustboro from the hilltop.


    ¡°One badge down, seven to go,¡± May mused. ¡°Fucking hell of a week.¡±


    ¡°Exciting days,¡± Brendan agreed. ¡°That explosion, the cave, the job...I wasn¡¯t expecting any of this when I left Littleroot.¡±


    Astra gazed at the distant skyline. It was almost surreal how much had changed in seven short days. In the distance she saw the rocky walls of the Gym, where she¡¯d prevailed over Roxanne for her first badge and had evolved. To the left soared the shining Devon Towers, where she¡¯d gone on a frightful chase culminating in a deadly battle in Rusturf Tunnel. To the right, outside of the city¡ªshe faltered, grin fading. Shot through the sky was that awful pillar of bruise-yellow, an everlasting scar proclaiming her negligence. But at the other end of the horizon, she could just make out the tip of the lighthouse they¡¯d visited, and the memory of friendships forged.


    She¡¯d come as a Ralts, and now left a Kirlia.


    Astra breathed in the cool, clean air, took in the vista one last time, and smiled. ¡°Well,¡± she said, ¡°it¡¯s been an adventure. Goodbye, Rustboro. Hopefully the rest of our journey won¡¯t be as chaotic as it was here.¡±


    They left the city, and headed into the forest. Astra smiled as the woods enveloped them once more. It was nice to be back under a canopy again.


    Still, something was niggling at her, as if she¡¯d forgotten something. Astra puzzled at the feeling for a few minutes. She¡¯d gotten all her supplies¡ªwell, she still hadn¡¯t gotten a handle for her knife, but that didn¡¯t feel like the thing she was forgetting¡ªshe had all her pokeballs, her team was well fed and at peak health...


    Hrm. This was irritating. Maybe if she asked¡ª


    ¡°Oh right!¡± Astra exclaimed, brightening. She couldn''t believe it¡¯d slipped her mind for so long. She turned to Brendan. ¡°Hey, I actually had a question for you.¡±


    Brendan quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Me specifically? Shoot.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, May said she couldn¡¯t tell me,¡± Astra explained. May looked confused for a moment before her eyes widened.


    ¡°Astra no¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Can you explain what puberty is?¡± Astra asked, blithely. ¡°May was pretty insistent that you were the one to ask.¡±


    Silence. Brendan stared through Astra. His mouth opened a crack, and a low, crackly gurgle began to emanate from within. His now-twitchy gaze turned toward May, and Astra could almost feel the creak as his head jittered around.


    ¡°May,¡± he said, hollowly.


    May looked at him, face blank. Very slowly, she brought her arm up and looked at her bare wrist. ¡°Oh wow look at the time, I better¡ªNOT IT!¡±


    She took off at a dead sprint. Brendan hopped on his bike and pedaled after her, roaring.


    ¡°Get your ass back here or so help me¡ª!¡±


    Astra stared after them, bemused. In the distance, Brendan caught up and full-on crashed into May, sending them both sprawling.


    Was...was it that bad of a question?


    <hr>


    An hour later and a stilted lecture delivered by an awkward Brendan and a sullen, extremely uncomfortable May, she discovered that it really, really was. There had been answers. There had been explanations. Much to both Astra and May¡¯s vocal protests, Brendan had drawn a diagram, which May had then very enthusiastically burnt to ash.


    Never before had Astra been more grateful to not be a human. Evolution was a much more sensible way to go about things, thank you very much.


    But there was one upside, at least.


    ¡°You lied!¡± Astra crowed, pointing a finger at May victoriously. ¡°People do have eggs!¡±


    May closed her eyes and dropped her head into her hands. ¡°Only you, Astra,¡± she sighed. ¡°Only you.¡±


    Astra just grinned.

 Brine

    Astra sighed contentedly, trailing slightly behind May and Brendan as they all strolled through the last few miles of Petalburg Woods. Two days of normality, surrounded by bird-song and thick canopy, had done a lot to soothe her nerves. Exciting and exotic as city life had been, it had also been a slow-boil to her soul. Noise and emotions and enough light to blot out the stars for a week! And that wasn¡¯t even counting the constant barrage of incidents. Seeing the vast, infinite array of light in the sky slowly reappear during their first night after leaving had almost brought her to tears.


    Spending so long without the heavens just wasn¡¯t right. A vast, empty, pitch-black sky, sometimes without even the moon...what a lonely and bleak weight to live under. How would a human even know where they wanted their embers to go?


    Thankfully, the return journey through the forest had been relatively relaxing compared to their first time through. No big arguments, no inexplicably running into world-renowned trainers, and no signs of pursuit by Team Aqua. Astra had even been able to finally drop her height illusion after ¡®catching up¡¯, which was good because she¡¯d spotted May giving her a few peculiar looks tinged with bewildered curiosity and self-doubt the last few mornings, and even Brendan had given her a glance or two on the day she finished. Astra felt bad about making them doubt their memory so much, but she hadn¡¯t had much choice. At least they didn¡¯t stare at her neck when they talked to her anymore.


    All in all, she was happy to finally be making progress again. Hopefully they¡¯d all be in Dewford by the end of the day, ready to take on the Gym. Astra looked at the forest thoughtfully. How much further was it, anyway? Shrugging, she grabbed Swablu¡¯s pokeball.


    ¡°Hey guys,¡± Astra said, breaking the silence. ¡°I¡¯m gonna send Swablu up to check how much farther we have left.¡±


    Brendan looked back at Astra and quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just get a cutting-edge map?¡± he asked, looking amused.


    Astra flushed, slowly putting Swablu¡¯s pokeball back as May chuckled.


    ¡°You were playing around with that thing all day yesterday!¡± May teased. ¡°What, are you bored of it already?¡±


    ¡°All right, all right, I get it,¡± Astra said, rolling her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve practiced with Swablu more than I¡¯ve used anything like this thing, I¡¯m not used to it. Let me just...¡±


    She pulled out the Pokenav, clicking the little button on its side. The device unfurled with a chorus of small clicks, the top half raising up and flipping around to reveal a tiny screen, while the bottom split apart and produced a small keyboard. Astra smiled at the Pokenav, admiring the smooth movements of the tiny machine. She wasn¡¯t sure why, but watching the little mechanisms shifting around in time with the clicking was oddly satisfying.


    Refocusing, she pulled up the map. After a brief delay, what looked to be a bird¡¯s-eye view of the whole forest appeared on the screen. A white line representing the main path squiggled through the woods, occasionally splitting off into smaller lines leading to minor side-trails, campsites, and other points of interest. At the top she could spot the outer fringe of Rustboro, while at the bottom¡ª


    ¡°Oh!¡± Astra exclaimed, seeing the blinking dot at the southern edge of the forest. ¡°We¡¯re pretty much there! It can''t be more than a few minutes.¡±


    ¡°Hell yeah,¡± May shouted, pumping a fist. ¡°Finally! Alright, let¡¯s get a move on; the last one to the beach gets thrown in the ocean!¡±


    May took off, sprinting down the road with a wild cackle. Astra and Brendan stared at her, surprised.


    ¡°Wh¡ªreally!?¡± Brendan said, exasperated. ¡°You can¡¯t just¡ª¡±


    Astra burst forward down the path, each step almost a leaping bound across the packed earth. ¡°Sorry Brendan!¡± she called, turning to give the boy a cheeky wink. ¡°But I¡¯m not getting dunked today!¡±


    ¡°Oh come on!¡± Brendan shouted, his voice already fading into the distance.


    Astra just laughed, increasing her pace to catch up with May. The other girl hadn¡¯t gotten too far ahead, and they were neck-and-neck within moments.


    ¡°Trying to get back at me for beating you to the gym, are you!?¡± Astra accused, grinning.


    ¡°That was a fluke and you know it!¡± May shot back. ¡°This time there¡¯ll be a nice tall glass of seawater waiting for you after you choke on my dust!¡±


    Astra barked out a laugh. ¡°Tough words! Too bad they won¡¯t do you any good once you¡¯re talking to the Magikarp!¡±


    May smirked and started to retort, but paused as a rapid clicking filled the air. They looked at each other, then turned their gazes backwards.


    Ding ding!


    Brendan calmly rode up on his bike, smiling gently as he breezed past them both. He looked at the girls and quirked an eyebrow.


    ¡°Ladies,¡± he greeted, giving them a two-fingered salute. He turned back and sped off down the road.


    Silence, but for the sound of pounding feet and labored breathing. Astra looked at May, blank-faced.


    ¡°You forgot he had a bike, didn¡¯t you.¡±


    ¡°Shut the fuck you!¡± May roared, redoubling her efforts. ¡°Brendan! Get your ass back here!¡±


    ¡°Wh¡ªhey! Wait for me!¡± Astra cried as May sped ahead. Her new shoes made running easier, but she still wasn¡¯t good at it!


    Sea salt and lapping water filled the air as the trees began to thin out, and it only took another minute before the Petalburg Woods finally gave out and revealed the long stretch of beach curving towards Petalburg City. A modest house sat on the grassy field just before the sandline. Nearby, a long wooden pier stretched out into the water, a large boat tethered halfway down its length. The boat was pure white and looked to have two floors, and a big room with more window than wall situated in the middle of the deck.


    Astra spotted Brendan near the boat, folding his bike back up. He looked to be animatedly talking to¡ªoh, there was Mr. Briney! Had he been waiting for them?


    ¡°Brendan!¡± May roared, thundering across the wooden dock as Astra stopped to catch her breath at the house. Mr Briney stepped away as Brendan turned to face May. Brendan backpedaled, eyes widening.


    ¡°Wait, wait,¡± he protested, raising his hands. ¡°You said the last person¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t care!¡± May yelled. She slammed into him, bodily lifting Brendan off his feet¡ªand off the edge of the pier. ¡°INTO THE SALTY DRINK WITH YE!¡± she crowed.


    Brendan dropped off the dock, and Astra had just enough time to see May¡¯s victorious grin turn to horror as she realized Brendan had grabbed her wrist. Astra heard a brief shriek, which was cut off abruptly by a loud sploosh. She snorted, shaking her head.


    ¡°Those idiots,¡± she said, smiling. A caw sounded overhead, and Astra perked up as Peeko the Wingull circled in. She raised an arm and he landed, warbling at her in simple cheer. ¡°Hi Peeko!¡± she said, stroking his feathers. ¡°How have you been?¡±


    ¡°Wing!¡± Peeko chirped.


    ¡°He¡¯s been doing quite well, thanks to you three.¡±


    Astra looked up. ¡°Oh! Hi Mr. Briney,¡± she greeted, smiling at the older man. He looked a lot better than when she¡¯d last seen him, now dressed in a blue and white striped shirt, rugged looking pants, and face crinkling in cheer. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I hope you¡¯ve been well too.¡±


    ¡°I am, though if I have a few more days like in Rusturf I might be in trouble. As for Peeko, he was feeling rather down after that day, so I¡¯ve been spoiling him rotten all week. I say,¡± Mr. Briney said, turning to look at the churning and cursing waters where Brendan and May had fallen. ¡°They¡¯re quite rambunctious, aren''t they?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Astra agreed, stifling a chuckle as Brendan hurled an armful of water at May halfway to shore, which May returned with a great and terrible enthusiasm. ¡°This kind of thing happens a lot. Usually because May does something dumb.¡±


    ¡°Ohoho,¡± Mr. Briney chortled, ¡°that reminds me of my days with the boys out at sea! Ah, the trouble we got up to; I remember getting dragged up to the admiral once...¡±


    He trailed off. Astra looked up at him and saw him staring out at the warring teens, a smile tinged with bittersweet melancholy filling his face. She frowned, glancing between him and the shore. How odd, it sort of looked like he wasn¡¯t really focusing on them at all. His words had sounded fond, but this feeling...


    ¡°Mr. Briney?¡± she tried.


    Mr. Briney blinked, eyes refocusing. He looked at the commotion a moment longer before shaking his head and turning to Astra.


    ¡°Apologies, I got lost in thought. It¡¯s always wonderful to see the younger generation in such high spirits.¡± He smiled, nodding at her. ¡°Cherish moments like these well. Life is fickle and tempestuous, but your memories will help you weather even the fiercest storms.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Astra tilted her head, confused. Where was all this coming from?


    ¡°Ohoho,¡± Mr. Briney laughed. ¡°There I go again. Right, let¡¯s get back on track. Brendan informed me that you lot are looking to take me up on that trip to Dewford, aye? It¡¯s not a short trip, and the salty skies wait for no man.¡± He grinned at her, eyes sparkling. ¡°My vessel¡¯s just about ready to set sail. Want to help me weigh anchor while your friends shake off the brine?¡±


    Astra perked up. ¡°Sure!¡± she said, grinning back. An opportunity to see how to operate a human vessel? Declining was out of the question! ¡°What do we do first?¡±


    What followed was a great deal of untying and inspecting the ropes and mooring and a sad lack of lessons about how to actually make the boat move. Was there a big pokemon in the water to tug it or did the ocean have something like river currents to float down? Neither, apparently; when she had asked, Mr. Briney explained there was some sort of spinning thing underwater on the rear of the vessel that pushed the boat along. The whole process only took a few minutes, and then they had a brief pause while waiting for May and Brendan to climb aboard. Astra waved at them as they trudged down the pier, clothes soaked through and moods thoroughly salted.


    ¡°Have fun?¡± she asked, giving her friends a cheeky grin as she offered them some towels.


    ¡°A boatload,¡± Brendan responded, tone as dry as the rest of him wasn¡¯t.


    May just grumbled, wringing out her bangs. ¡°Are we going already?¡± she asked, wiping her face with a towel. ¡°Old guy works fast.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Briney,¡± Brendan stressed, frowning at May over his own towel, ¡°sails around Hoenn near-constantly. Frankly I¡¯d be worried if he wasn¡¯t able to set off at a moment''s notice.¡±


    ¡°That I do, lad!¡± Mr. Briney spoke up, ambling up from the lower deck. ¡°Someone¡¯s gotta keep an eye out at sea; you never know what strange things might pop up that need poking out here. Everything¡¯s looking well below deck, so I¡¯m ready to ship off if you lot are.¡±


    ¡°Did anyone get my bike?¡± Brendan asked. Astra pointed toward the cockpit where she¡¯d leaned the bike against the wall. ¡°Oh, thank you. I think we¡¯re good to go, then.¡±


    ¡°This is a lot bigger than I was expecting.¡± May commented, looking around. ¡°That lower deck is massive.¡±


    Mr. Briney laughed. ¡°Ah, yes, my lady here is a big one. Since I travel so very often, it just didn¡¯t make sense to spend every night in a hotel room, so I got a vessel that could double as a home.¡± He patted the rail, grinning. ¡°She¡¯s got a bed, a bathroom, and even a kitchen with an icebox! All this space helped me out more times than I can count.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it so many times on the news; to think I¡¯m actually riding it...¡± Brendan grinned, his eyes sparkling with glee. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see it in action!¡±


    ¡°Ohoho, let¡¯s not dally about, then!¡± Mr. Briney cheered. He pulled in one last rope holding his ship to the pier, then started heading toward the cockpit. ¡°Best view is from the prow, go take a gander while I pull us away.¡±


    ¡°Aye aye!¡± Brendan said, saluting. Astra blinked at him, amused. He sure was enthusiastic, wasn¡¯t he?


    ¡°You absolute dork,¡± May sniggered. She shook her head and headed toward the prow. ¡°C¡¯mon, Let¡¯s go check out the view.¡±


    The prow of the ship was an elevated portion at the very front where the deck narrowed to a point. Cushioned seats lined the sides with a table in the middle, and on the tip of the brow was a metal figure of a cawing Wingull, its wings spread wide and looking up at the sky. Astra leaned over the bars up front, taking in the bright, sparkling waves with a giant grin.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been on a ship before,¡± she said, turning to her friends. ¡°It feels weird! Kinda wobbly?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just you getting your sea legs,¡± Brendan said, sliding onto a cushioned bench and leaning back against the rail. ¡°The ship bobs up and down on the water, so your body has to learn how to balance around that instead of the usually motionless ground.¡±


    ¡°Oh wow, that¡¯s a thing?¡± Astra asked, looking down at the deck. Was the rocking she felt because of the waves? ¡°Neat! Doesn¡¯t seem too hard.¡±


    ¡°Say that again when the water isn¡¯t practically motionless, green girl,¡± May waved her hand, falling back into her own seat opposite Brendan. She stretched her arms above her head, sighing as something let out a loud pop. Rolling her shoulders, she hummed, then turned her attention to Brendan, leaning forward eagerly. ¡°So Brendan, what¡¯s the low-down with Briney? You keep talking him up, and even Stone sounded impressed that we hitched a ride. Is he that big a deal?¡±


    ¡°Oh, the guy¡¯s basically a regional hero,¡± Brendan explained, smiling. ¡°He sails all around Hoenn and helps anyone he comes across. He¡¯s been involved in nearly a quarter of all of Hoenn¡¯s oceanic distress responses in the last few decades. He¡¯s famous for being the first one on the scene when Sea Mauville self-destructed; if he hadn¡¯t been there, a lot more people wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape the wreck. Not to mention his past as an accomplished naval veteran and his ties to Mr. Stone and to Drake of the Elite Four.¡±


    Astra perked up. Elite Four? Professor Birch had mentioned them in the same breath as the Gym Leaders and the Champion, but she hadn¡¯t heard anything else about them. Mr. Briney knew one of them? Maybe she could ask¡ª


    She was knocked from her thoughts as a reverberating tremor thrummed through the entire vessel, and a low hum from the rear of the ship filled the air. Astra turned to see Mr. Briney manning the helm, and as he pulled a cord, a booming horn sounded through the air along with some clanking metal from deep below.


    ¡°Anchors away!¡± Mr Briney bellowed, sounding the horn again. ¡°Peeko, we¡¯re setting sail, darling!¡±


    ¡°Wingull!¡± Peeko cawed, alighting atop the helm. ¡°Gull, gull!¡±


    Astra yelped as the boat suddenly jerked under her feet. ¡°Whoa!¡± she said, wobbling a bit before regaining her balance. Hah, this was easy! She laughed and sat down. ¡°That was a surprise, I almost fell over!¡±


    May chuckled. ¡°Haven¡¯t even left the dock and you¡¯re already staggering like a drunk. Careful you don¡¯t trip over the railing or we¡¯ll have to break out the fishing rods. Though, considering you¡¯re the only one who¡¯s still dry...¡± May trailed off, picking at the still-damp hems of her shirt and eyeing Astra speculatively.


    Astra pouted. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± she said, scooting closer to Brendan.


    ¡°No tossing people overboard, May,¡± Brendan chided.


    May crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at Brendan¡¯s warning. ¡°Tch, no fun,¡± she whined.


    Astra shook her head, smiling. Turning to the ocean, she was awed by the vast expanse of water separating them from the shore. ¡°Wow, we¡¯re moving fast,¡± she said. ¡°The beach is already so far away.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a speedy ship, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Brendan agreed. ¡°Though we won¡¯t be moving this fast for the entire trip; route hazards and Winter¡¯s Eye and all that,¡± he shrugged. ¡°I think we¡¯ll be traveling for a few hours before we reach Dewford.¡±


    Astra hummed, her smile fading a bit as Brendan spoke. She stared at the receding shoreline and couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit anxious. There really wasn¡¯t anywhere to go if something went wrong out here. Reflexively, she double-checked that her illusions were still up to par, and peeked into her bag to check if Mr. Stone¡¯s package and letter were still there¡ªwhich they were. She set her backpack aside with a sigh and shook her head, dispelling the gloomy thoughts. Mr. Briney wouldn¡¯t let anything happen, and her friends were here too! Best to just enjoy the trip.


    ¡°So!¡± she said, turning to May and Brendan. ¡°What should we do until then?¡±


    <hr>


    Wind blew sharply across the sunlit sea, accompanied by the ever-present crash of waves against steel and stone. Caws filled the air from a quartet of birds¡ªa pair of Wingull, a Taillow, and a golden Swablu¡ªas they wheeled merrily through the skies above. Cacophonic splashing erupted as the waters churned far below, revealing Marill spinning straight out of the ocean, narrowly missing a smug Tentacool as she returned to the depths.


    Twin shouts chorused in panic as Marshtomp gleefully swam through the waves, tugging an oversized surfboard in his wake. Brendan and May¡ªhaving changed into some rather bare clothing ostensibly meant for swimming¡ªteetered on the board as it was jerked along, Brendan wildly flailing his arms in a futile attempt to regain their balance while May had him in a death-grip from behind.


    ¡°Left! Left! No, right! Stop tipping us over, jackass!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t if you keep pulling me like that! Let go of me, I¡ªoh that¡¯s a big wave; Marshtomp, slow down, we¡¯re going too fast¡ª!¡±


    Screaming, and then a great splash. Laughter chorused from the deck as the rest of the pokemon aboard Briney¡¯s ship watched the two trainers crash into the waves. Astra giggled from where she was seated next to the helm. She would have thought those two would have learned after the first three times, but while their skills were questionable, their determination was not.


    Smiling, Astra looked down at the sheet of paper in front of her, humming along to the song written there as she read. It seemed like it fit the atmosphere well enough¡ªjaunty, with a quick pace and an uplifting, sunny tone. Plus, it looked fun! Breathing deeply, she brought her violin to her chin and rested the bow upon its strings. She blew out, and began to play. It sounded, somewhat, like this:


    Wind, salt, waves, and sand. Light and soft, endless sunny skies across a boundless azure horizon. Laughter and adventure at every turn, and, deep inside, a soft wistfulness for a day long passed by, perhaps soon to come again.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a lovely tune,¡± Mr. Briney said, looking down at Astra from the helms window. ¡°A classic if I do say so myself; some of the boys used to play this one back in my heyday. Very well played, Miss Astra.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you!¡± Astra said, grinning up at Mr. Briney as she played. ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it. I¡¯ve been meaning to practice these, but things keep getting in the way. Swaying around with the boat is making it a bit harder, but I got used to it pretty quickly.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve certainly got the knack for it,¡± Mr. Briney said. He nodded towards the flailing duo out in the water. ¡°Are you sure you wouldn¡¯t rather fool about with your friends out there? Don¡¯t have long before we reach the Eye, and after that it¡¯s all open waters again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Astra assured, pausing a beat to flip the sheet music over. ¡°I¡¯d rather not get dunked, and watching them screw up is hilarious.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Mr. Briney conceded.


    ¡°Speaking of open waters, why are there so many pillars around here anyway?¡± Astra asked, looking out to the ocean. A fair distance away was a bizarre wall of stone spires and barren, rocky plateaus that stretched across the horizon, and if Astra went around and looked off the port side she knew she¡¯d see another wall that way, too. They looked similar to the ones that had encircled North Rustboro Cove, which made Astra wonder if they surrounded all of Hoenn.


    Mr Briney soured, and Astra looked up to find him staring out at the spires with a frown.


    ¡°Don¡¯t rightly know myself,¡± he finally grumbled, turning back towards the wheel, ¡°but there¡¯s been a few tales about it. Supposedly it was the work of some foolish man in ancient times when people were going around conquering bits of land left and right, though it¡¯s anyone''s guess whether he was trying to keep outsiders out or stop people from leavin¡¯. Didn¡¯t give any thought on how it¡¯d affect us small fry; why, half the people I¡¯ve hauled to safety were regular folk who bumped up against a crag too hard and sunk their craft. Fools they be for not paying enough attention, but more fools the idiot who made Hoenn¡¯s seas a madhouse of gabbro reefs.¡±


    ¡°Wait, someone made all of that?¡± Astra asked, awed. ¡°But there¡¯s so much of it! All around Hoenn? How could they do that?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± Mr. Briney shrugged. ¡°This all happened in ancient history, and it¡¯s been ages since I¡¯ve seen a textbook. I think there was some legend about a monster made of rock?¡± He scratched his head, humming. ¡°Bah, all I know is that these things are a real nuisance.¡±


    ¡°A rock monster...?¡± That...why did that sound familiar? All that came to mind were those pokemon made of living stone she had seen while fighting Roxanne. Maybe it was some other Rock-type pokemon? Assuming it was true at all, of course. Well, whatever it was,


    It deserved everything that happened to it.?


    Astra blinked, then realized she¡¯d stopped playing and had missed a few bars. She frowned, disappointed in herself. Idle conversation shouldn¡¯t have distracted her so much! If she wasn¡¯t able to play while talking in such a peaceful situation like this, then she¡¯d start to mess up during battles too! Shaking her head, she picked up where she left off.


    ¡°If the pillars are such a bother, why haven¡¯t they been destroyed?¡± she asked as music refilled the air.


    ¡°Those rocks have been there for a long time,¡± Mr. Briney replied. ¡°Lotta pokemon and plant life have grown and lived in the reefs down there for generations, and if their homes all got knocked down the ocean would suffer for it¡ªnot that wild pokemon bother my ship too often, they tend to steer clear of anything with a motor.¡± He snorted. ¡°The pillars are also ¡®valuable naval dissuasion assets¡¯, according to one stuck-up strategist I knew, and even if it weren¡¯t for all that, who''s gonna go around and blow up a thousand rock pillars just to make my life a bit easier? Sure, every now and then some trainers blast holes in them by accident, but not a soul is going to demolish these things on purpose.¡±


    Astra hummed, nodding. She supposed that made sense. At the very least, having to slow down for the pillars gave everyone else a chance to play in the water for a bit.


    A gargled scream split the air. The two looked out just in time to see a harnessed Lotad skimming across the water in reverse, a pressurized water gun accelerating him to gratuitous speeds. Not far behind him was May, flat on the surfboard with one arm wrapped around a rope and the other clutching onto the surfboard for dear life, all while getting an unending faceful of Lotad¡¯s backwash. The board skipped across the water and the warble had just enough time to rise in pitch before the board flipped and sent May tumbling into the shallows.


    She popped up a moment later, hacking and paddling toward the boat. She collapsed on the deck a moment later, glaring at a wheezing Astra between gasps.


    ¡°Not...funny...¡± May rasped, shakily wringing a sizable deluge of seawater from her hair.


    Astra just laughed harder. ¡°You should have seen the look on your face!¡± she crowed. ¡°You went like, aaah!¡± She scrunched her face into a rictus of mortified terror, before cracking into a giggling mess and falling onto her side.


    ¡°T¡¯was a most impressive wipeout, miss,¡± Mr. Briney added, giving May a kind smile, marred only by the corners of his mouth twitching. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°¡®M fine,¡± she mumbled, before twitching violently and bursting into a fit of hacking. Spitting into the sea, she groaned, falling onto her back. ¡°Ugh...¡± she moaned. ¡°Fucking...fuck.¡±


    ¡°Take it easy, now,¡± Mr. Briney said, briefly leaning out of the cabin to lob a towel at the half-drowned girl. ¡°Come sit with us and recover for a moment. I could put on some tea, if you want? Something warm would do you good.¡±


    May perked up. ¡°What kind?¡± she asked, rubbing her face with the towel as she sat up. Mr. Briney opened a small cupboard under the window.


    ¡°Roselia and Cacnea.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d kill for a heavy rose.¡±


    Mr. Briney laughed. ¡°Oh, a connoisseur, are we? Sad to say, but my vessel does not double as a tea shop. Is plain acceptable?¡±


    May lowered the towel and squinted. ¡°Is it red or blue?¡± He blinked, then looked in the cupboard again.


    ¡°Green.¡±


    May groaned again. ¡°A Sitrus berry, at least?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been a fan,¡± Mr. Briney admitted.


    ¡°I have some Oran,¡± Astra offered.


    May made a face. ¡°Ugh, in Roselia? Plain is fine.¡±


    ¡°Coming right up!¡± Mr. Briney said, the faint sound of clinking metal and water emanating from the cabin.


    ¡°Bet my soggy ass that he burns it,¡± May muttered, letting out a sigh as she plopped down next to Astra.


    ¡°If you want to,¡± Astra agreed, picking up her bow again. Might as well practice a few notes while they talked. "Does tea burn easily? I''ve lost more than one Magikarp to a fire myself."


    May rolled her eyes. ¡°Not literally burnt, dummy; Roselia¡¯s just got a finicky seeping temperature. If he makes it too hot it¡¯ll lose the flavor. Of course, too low and¡ªwell, if it was the good stuff it¡¯d flat out poison you, but green¡¯ll just turn out really bitter aaand you don¡¯t know what tea is.¡±


    May turned a flat stare on Astra. Astra shrugged helplessly.


    ¡°Surprise!¡± Astra cheered, pulling her bow in a dramatic swing as she did. ¡°Don¡¯t know what a ¡®heavy rose¡¯ is either.¡±


    ¡°Ugh,¡± May muttered, pulling her knees in and wrapping the towel around herself. ¡°Well, uh, to keep it short, tea is when you put certain plants in nearly-boiling water so the water can suck out the tasty parts. You can add things afterward, like berries or sugar. A heavy rose has like, honey, and some other stuff.¡±


    Astra tilted her head, the music stuttering a bit as she frowned in thought. Wait, it was just boiling plants? ¡°Hold on, I know that. Are you talking about steamneedle?¡±


    May looked at her, blinking slowly. ¡°...What?¡± she managed.


    ¡°Steamneedle,¡± Astra repeated, blinking right back. ¡°Some of the trees at home have needles instead of leaves¡ª¡±


    ¡°Pine trees?¡± May asked.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Astra agreed. ¡°We have some pine trees around, and there are some who like to pick off the needles and boil them. I had some once when I had a bad cough; it was super bitter, but I got a lot better right after.¡±


    ¡°So you do know what tea is.¡± May concluded, faintly stunned. Astra frowned at her.


    ¡°Hey, just because I don¡¯t know a lot of things doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t know anything, May.¡± she huffed, roughly stroking the violin strings. ¡°It¡¯s just boiled plants; it¡¯s not that hard.¡±


    May shrugged. ¡°Can you blame me? I have no idea what you do or don¡¯t know, and a lot of the time it¡¯s ¡®don¡¯t¡¯. You didn¡¯t even know it¡¯s called tea!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s a lot of plants around home like steamneedle,¡± Astra defended. ¡°And all of them are awful-tasting medicine! I stuck with berry juice and water.¡±


    May made a face like Astra had just claimed to prefer her fish thoroughly charred.


    ¡°Well I guess I¡¯ll just have to show you how real tea is made!¡± May proclaimed. ¡°With real leaves, not this weak-ass ¡®Green Roselia¡¯, even if the old man could make it right.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sure Mr. Briney can make his own tea perfectly fine.¡± Astra assured. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯d keep it around if he couldn¡¯t prepare it.¡±


    ¡°Even if he does it¡¯s still not going to be amazing,¡± May sighed, settling back against the wall again. ¡°Disregarding the flavor difference, green is just boring without the poison. No thrill at all. It¡¯s like you have a surprise spicy food roulette but it¡¯s just a banana pepper.¡±


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "That¡¯s the second time you¡¯ve mentioned poison," Astra said, looking at May with no small amount of worry.


    "Meh," May grunted, waving off Astra''s concern. ¡°It''s just stomach aches and a bit of hurling¡ªunless you¡¯re an idiot and straight up eat the raw leaves. Roselia¡¯s fine if you do it right, and we''re not even having that kind anyway."


    Astra wasn''t sure about ''fine'', but, after a moment of hesitance, let it go. Maybe it was a Human thing. "If you say so," she said, turning the page of the music sheet she¡¯d been glancing at. "But I think I''ll pass on the toxic tea¡ªif we find any." She paused. "And honey is...?"


    "Hm? Oh, honey is...uh, this viscous yellow stuff, really sticky and sweet. Combee make it."


    "Combee?"


    May thunked her head back against the wall, sighing. She was saved by the timely arrival of Brendan.


    "Hey girls, what''s up?" He greeted, towling himself off as he came close. "I heard your song earlier; it was really good" he praised, nodding at Astra before looking at May. "That wipeout looked rough; are you okay?"


    "''m fine" May mumbled, eyes closed.


    "She was telling me about honey," Astra explained. "What''s a Combee?"


    Brendan blinked, then shrugged and situated himself opposite the duo, leaning back against the railing. ¡°They''re a species of Pokemon, though they don''t live in Hoenn. They''re about yea big¡ª," he said, drawing a circle in the air about a foot in diameter, "¡ªand look like a flying trio of yellow hexagons with faces. They''re pretty cute."


    "They have three faces?" Astra asked, surprised. That...well, Nosepass didn''t have a mouth, so were three faces really so strange? "Wow. I hope I get to see one someday! And they make honey?"


    "Yep! Pretty famous for it." He paused, lips quirking upward for a moment, before he looked at Astra with a carefully neutral expression.


    "Do you know how they make it?"


    Astra squinted at him, her bow coming to a halt. Brendan was feeling suspiciously, anticipatorily gleeful. Was he trying to mess with her? She felt May stir, the other girl cracking an eye open. Apparently she was curious too.


    "No..." Astra said cautiously, drawing the word out. "How?"


    "It''s fascinating, really," he started, visibly fighting to keep a smile off his face. "First they gather nectar from a bunch of flowers into a sort of second stomach, then they go back to the hive¡ªthey live in compact, communal structures hanging off tree branches¡ªfind a couple other Combee, and then they turn that nectar into honey by taking that nectar and feeding it to each other via a lengthy session of chain-vomiting¡ª¡±


    Astra stared at Brendan in horror. May¡¯s eyes shot open as the girl bolted upright.


    ¡°They fucking what!?¡±


    ¡°Tea¡¯s ready!¡± Mr. Briney called, poking his head out. He looked at May half-retching off the railing while a cackling Brendan fended off an enraged Astra brandishing a violin case. He blinked.


    ¡°Teenagers,¡± he muttered, turning back to get the cups.


    A short while later, Astra found herself holding a very warm cup of steaming tea. She eyed it warily, before taking a hesitant sip.


    ¡°It¡¯s sweet!¡± she exclaimed, wide-eyed. ¡°And it tastes like berries!¡± she took another sip, consideringly. ¡°It¡¯s not bitter at all. I thought you said it would be?¡±


    ¡°Well damn,¡± May said, taking a swig of her own. She nodded in grudging respect. ¡°Old man isn¡¯t half bad at this. Guess I lost that bet. ¡±


    ¡°Oh, nice!¡± Astra drank the rest of her tea, humming happily. She paused. ¡°Wait, so does that mean I win ¡®your soggy ass¡¯?¡±


    Brendan choked on his tea.


    <hr>


    Twenty minutes later, Mr. Briney sounded the horn.


    ¡°Temperature¡¯s droppin¡¯, folks!¡± he shouted. ¡°Get inside a¡¯fore you grow icicles from your nostrils!¡±


    ¡°Did we reach Winter¡¯s Eye?¡± Astra asked, stepping inside the helm.


    ¡°Aye,¡± Mr. Briney said, nodding as May and Brendan followed close behind. ¡°I can feel it in my knees. Did you three get all of your friends?¡±


    ¡°We recalled all of our Pokemon,¡± Brendan confirmed.


    ¡°Good, wouldn¡¯t want anyone left out during this stretch. Recommend you two change into heavier clothing; it¡¯s going to get chilly, and Dewford won¡¯t be much further afterwards. Use the hatch in the corner there to get below deck for some privacy.¡±


    Astra looked around the helm as May and Brendan descended into the hatch. Mr. Briney stood at the wheel with an array of levers spread out on a few panels to his sides. Cupboards ran alongside the bottom of the windows, and she watched as Briney opened one and pulled out an odd fan-shaped machine that had metal mesh instead of blades. A squawk caught her attention, and she snickered when she saw Peeko wrapped up in a blanket inside a little bird-house hanging from the ceiling.


    Mr. Briney plugged in the machine and set it on a shelf. He twisted a knob and the device lit up, bathing the room in a bright, warm glow. Very warm, actually. Astra blinked and held a hand up to the machine. Oh wow, it felt like Briney had just lit a fire!


    ¡±How cold is it going to get?¡± Astra asked, looking away from the heater. The fact that Briney had brought it out without delay didn¡¯t give her a lot of hope.


    ¡°Hopefully not very,¡± Mr. Briney said, returning to the wheel. He peered out into the distance and flicked a switch. Bright beams of light suddenly shone from above the helm and the front of the ship, and Astra suddenly realized they¡¯d run into a steadily thickening wall of fog. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be buried in snow, but this route weaves too close to the Eye to be sure of anything. Fog isn¡¯t great, but it beats hail.¡±


    ¡°Wing!¡± Peeko cawed unhappily, burrowing further into his nest.


    ¡°I know, Peeko, I know,¡± Mr. Briney soothed, stroking the bird''s feathers. ¡°I¡¯ll get you to clear skies soon.¡±


    ¡°Oh hell, it got dark out quick,¡± May remarked, pulling herself up the ladder, Brendan following close behind. May had eschewed her usual outfit for some olive-colored pants and a long, puffy red jacket, and Brendan had done much the same, though his pants were black and his jacket a deep blue.


    May peered out into the thickening fog bank, frowning. ¡°Man, that¡¯s eerie. All those rock spikes are just shadows now.¡±


    ¡°They kinda look like teeth,¡± Brendan said, looking a bit uneasy. Astra saw the jagged rocks trail off into the distance on both sides of the boat, fading in and out like specters of legend. If she tried, she could almost see the spires as the gargantuan teeth of an unfathomably enormous maw.


    Darkness crept in as they traveled, icy condensation beading on the windows. A damp chill snuck its way into the cabin despite the heater and Astra shivered, watching her own breath come out as a faint mist. Quiet fell over the cabin, broken only by the creak of the boat and the faint hum of the engine. Briney stood at the wheel, occasionally turning the wheel minutely while the rest of them huddled near the radiator.


    ¡°What kind of fucking island makes shit this cold?¡± May muttered, having withdrawn her legs and arms into her jacket like what Brendan would have called a Squirtle. ¡°It¡¯s fucking summer, I should not be this cold.¡±


    ¡°Aye, Winter¡¯s Eye is a strange place,¡± Mr. Briney agreed. ¡°Can¡¯t say anyone¡¯s too fond of the frigid waste.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever seen it?¡± Brendan asked. ¡°I know nobody¡¯s ever set foot on it, but...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve only laid eyes on it once,¡± Mr. Briney admitted, ¡°and only for a moment, through a brief break in a dense blizzard. ¡®Twas the strangest sight; the island looked like a great pyramid of stones surrounded by a ring of rocky spires. Almost man-made, like those temples in Mesos.¡±


    Astra tilted her head. Temples in Mesos? That...she didn¡¯t know what that was, but it sounded wrong, somehow.


    ¡°Weird,¡± May commented. She frowned. ¡°If it¡¯s some sort of temple I wonder what the hell''s in it, then.¡±


    ¡°Might not be a temple,¡± Brendan said. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just a monument, or a marker. That doesn¡¯t explain the ice, though.¡±


    ¡°Could be some secret government project,¡± May suggested. ¡°Or, hell, some secret criminal project.¡±


    ¡°Nah, this thing has been like this for centuries,¡± Brendan denied, shaking his head. He hesitated. ¡°Though, the ancient civilizations were capable of some pretty odd stuff we still don¡¯t know much about; maybe they made it to...deter invaders, somehow?¡± He frowned. ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s some sort of out-of-control ice maker. People went through a lot of effort to get ice for food preservation.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a prison.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± May asked, turning to Astra.


    Astra blinked back at her. ¡°What?¡±


    May raised an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®prison¡¯?¡±


    Astra stared at her friends, who were both looking at her in confusion. Even Mr. Briney was looking at her strangely. Prison? What even was a prison? She hadn¡¯t said anything!


    ¡°Uh,¡± Astra started, hesitantly. ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    Hhhhhhhhhhrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu¡ª


    A piercing wail cut her off. Astra yelped, clamping her hands over her ears. ¡°What is that!?¡± she yelled, looking around wildly.


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Mr. Briney shouted, gaze locked on the thick mist ahead. ¡°It¡¯s just the wind! It means we¡¯re nearly midway there; the rocks make the gale howl oddly, it¡¯s fine!¡±


    Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuueeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzz¡ª


    How could this possibly be fine!? Astra could almost feel the wind even here, pressing down on her like a deep snowbank.


    Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy¡ª


    She could feel it thrumming through the boat, shaking the floor and creeping into her bones. She could even feel it...she could...


    Astra looked up, eyes wide.


    What was that?


    Yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii¡ª


    It was in the air. In the water. In the fog.


    It was in the wind.


    Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu¡ª


    But what was it!?


    It was everywhere, but it was so thin. So weak, but it was still there.


    It felt like...it sounded like...


    Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuusssssssssssssssssssssssssssssscccccccccccccceeeeeee...


    The gale faded away.


    Everyone uncovered their ears, expressions full of relieved grimaces.


    ¡°Holy fuck,¡± May said, rubbing her head. ¡°That was loud.¡±


    ¡°Very,¡± Brendan agreed, wincing. ¡°I knew that the wind makes odd sounds near here, but nobody mentioned how deafening it was. I felt like I was back in Rusturf Tunnel, facing down Exploud. Captain Briney, does that happen a lot?¡±


    ¡°Nay,¡± Briney said, softly shaking his head as he gently stroked Peeko. ¡°That was a strong one. The wind howls often, but I¡¯ve only heard gales that fierce during the heaviest of snowstorms, the ones that last for weeks upon weeks. In fact, that may have been the loudest I¡¯ve ever heard, which is...ominous. Mayhap we¡¯re due for a pale summer.¡±


    He looked at them, then frowned. ¡°Lass,¡± he asked, gently. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± May asked. She turned and paused, brow furrowing. ¡°Astra?¡±


    Astra didn¡¯t respond, and just stared out the window, unblinkingly. She was shaking, arms wrapped around herself tightly.


    ¡°Astra?¡± Brendan asked, hesitantly squeezing her shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Gah!¡± Astra jumped, jerking away from the touch. She blinked, looking at everyones concerned faces.


    ¡°Uh,¡± she hesitated, glancing outside again. ¡°Sorry, I was...the wind just freaked me out a bit.¡±


    ¡°The wind?¡± May asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I mean, it was loud, yeah, but after Rusturf that wasn¡¯t anything special.¡±


    Astra looked at May, brow furrowed. ¡°You didn¡¯t hear that?¡±


    ¡°Hear what?¡± Brendan asked, slowly.


    ¡°The wind. It...¡±


    Astra trailed off, eyes drawn toward the thick fog outside. She could still feel...whatever it was. If she really tried, she could almost pick up...


    ¡°...it sounded like screaming.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that,¡± Mr. Briney said, distantly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting...the howl affects some a bit worse,¡± he explained. ¡°They hear things in it that aren¡¯t there, which is unsettling in the best of times; least of all in this dreary mist.¡± He looked around. ¡°Miss May, would you kindly put on another pot of tea? Something warm to drink should help soothe the nerves.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh. Sure.¡±


    May got up, shooting one last glance at Astra before shuffling off to the kettle. Brendan shifted next to Astra, squeezing her arm reassuringly.


    ¡°I hope we get out of this stretch of sea soon,¡± Brendan said, sighing. ¡°Freezing mists, screaming wind, haunted islands...an hour ago I was surfing, where did that weather go?¡±


    He chuckled weakly. Astra afforded him a small, wry smile, but her attention was still drawn back outside. She just couldn¡¯t seem to shake it. The thing in the mist just...pulled her along, like a flooding river. It wanted her attention. Demanded it. Pleaded for it, for ever and ever and¡ª


    Silence fell in the cabin. Brendan shivering on the bench while Astra and Mr. Briney stared into the fog, searching for...something. The only sound was the dim chugging of the engine as it pushed the creaking hull through choppy waves. Astra could even hear the faint buzz of the heat lamp as it struggled to push back the encroaching chill. All else was still, save for their own misty breath and the intermittent clink of May fiddling with the tea set.


    ¡°...hm hm-hm-hm; hm, hm-hm hm...¡±


    Astra blinked, startled by the sudden noise. What was...?


    ¡°Hm hm-hm-hm; hm, hm-hm hm~¡±


    Humming? Who was¡ª?


    Fingers drummed on wood, and Astra looked up to see May leaning on the countertop, hands tapping out a rhythmic pattern as she stared at the teapot. Astra tilted her head as May continued mumbling the tune to herself, and even Brendan and Mr. Briney were looking at her oddly. Peculiar; Astra hadn¡¯t heard May sing before. Though her mood felt similar to that moment atop the lighthouse; raw and unfocused¡ªor perhaps, hyper-focused? Did May even know she was humming?


    Heedless of her audience, May continued to hum, as if she had forgotten where she was. Astra met eyes with Brendan and Mr. Briney, each of them coming to an unspoken agreement. Leaning back, Astra closed her eyes and just...listened. Not to the strange presence, so very faint; but to her friend¡¯s oblivious ode of contentment and the feel of the melody.


    Light, bouncy, free; a tune worthy of the sea. Yet, melancholic, in a way; a dedication to times that would never last yet would come again, and shine all the brighter for the absence.


    What a lovely tune. The others seemed to agree, small smiles flitting across their faces as May¡¯s humming filled the cabin. It wasn¡¯t very long; two or three minutes or so, but even those short moments seemed to lift a weight off Astra¡¯s mind. Fortuitously, the song''s end also heralded another welcome announcement.


    ¡°Tea¡¯s ready!¡± May said, turning around with an oddly bright smile. She saw the look on everybody¡¯s faces and paused, the smile fading into an uncertain line. ¡°Uh, why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mind us,¡± Mr. Briney chortled, grinning ear-to-ear. ¡°We were just enjoying that little tune you were humming.¡±


    ¡°I thought it was really nice!¡± Astra added, Brendan chiming in with a ¡°Definitely!¡± a moment later.


    It was incredible, Astra thought, how quickly May¡¯s face could cycle through confusion, realization, dawning horror, and deep, crimson embarrassment. Her eyes had widened at least three times in a row! Astra doubted that all the red on May¡¯s face was due to the cold, either.


    May opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She gaped at them for a moment, seemingly frozen, before a piercing whistle jolted her out of it.


    ¡°Tea!¡± she blurted, whirling around and hurriedly fiddling with the cups.


    Everyone burst into chuckles, and Brendan went over to give May a pat on the shoulder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel too bad,¡± he consoled, ¡°Nobody told me they could hear me singing in the shower until last year.¡±


    May snorted, then growled in outrage. ¡°Ugh, whatever, shut up. We¡¯re never talking about this again,¡± she demanded, handing him a steaming, flowery cup. ¡°Fuck off and drink your stupid tea. Assholes...¡± she mumbled, pouring out more drinks.


    ¡°It¡¯s naught to be ashamed of,¡± Mr. Briney asserted, nodding gratefully as May handed him a cup. ¡°Song is a hearty tradition of the seas. Without a good shanty, you¡¯d go mad from boredom!¡±


    ¡°A shanty?¡± Astra asked as May handed her some tea. She took a sip and her eyes widened. Wow, this was super tasty!


    ¡°A work song,¡± Briney answered, setting his cup down. ¡°If you find yourself swabbing a deck for a day you gotta find ways to entertain yourself and keep the rhythm.¡±


    Oh, that sounded familiar! The gardeners and grassweavers sang all the time. Humans had those too?


    ¡°If I''m not mistaken,¡± Mr. Briney continued, ¡°that tune was something of a shanty itself, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, what song was that?¡± Astra asked, giving May an eager grin. ¡°Does it have lyrics?¡±


    May stared at them and drew back, wincing into her own drink. ¡°...Uh. It¡¯s...just a song from a show. I¡¯m...well, it starts off with a bunch of, like, ¡®yohohoho¡¯, and...ugh, it¡¯s not like I have the thing memorized!¡± she bit out, face red.


    ¡°Ohoho, that¡¯s just fine!¡± Mr. Briney laughed. ¡°I¡¯m sure we could manage one of our own easily enough! Maybe we could even sing it to that tune. What say we make the last leg of this trip a bit more interesting, eh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m down,¡± Brendan agreed. ¡°Though, I¡¯m not sure what to say...¡±


    ¡°Figure it out as you go!¡± Mr. Briney cheered.


    ¡°I could play along,¡± Astra offered, reaching for her violin case. ¡°I don¡¯t know the song, but I could probably follow what I heard pretty well.¡±


    ¡°A splendid idea!¡±


    May looked around in bewilderment, her expression a rictus of shock and embarrassment. ¡°Really?¡± she asked, exasperated. ¡°We¡¯re going to have a sing-along because I was humming?¡±


    ¡°Might as well; it¡¯s dreary as sin out here,¡± Mr. Briney said, gesturing toward the impenetrable wall of fog surrounding his ship. He looked at her, a spark of mischief twinking in his eyes. ¡°Besides, you sounded like you were having fun; why not start us off?¡±


    ¡°Wh¡ª!¡± May started, rearing back. ¡°Me!? I¡ªit was your idea!¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon May, you¡¯re the one who knows the song!¡± Brendan cajoled, elbowing her. The venom in the glare he received could have burned a hole in the hull.


    ¡°Oho, fair enough; I suppose I¡¯ll give it a go, then!¡± Mr. Briney announced. ¡°Miss Astra, feel free to lead me in!¡±


    ¡°Sure thing!¡± Astra said. She raised her bow, pausing for a moment to recall what May had hummed first. Leading into that...something smooth, she supposed. Jolly, yet melancholy. Her violin sang, filling the misty air with an uplifting, yet haunting refrain.


    May twitched. ¡°There was¡ªit didn¡¯t sound like that!¡± she complained. ¡°It was...slower, and there was a piano!¡±


    ¡°Too bad!¡± Astra teased. ¡°If you wanna show us what it really is, then go ahead!¡±


    May growled, her teeth gritting together as Astra¡¯s song proceeded towards the first chorus.


    Mr Briney laughed. ¡°Let¡¯s see, it started with a ¡®Yohohoho¡¯, you said? All right, mates, let¡¯s give it a go!¡±


    The sailor¡¯s voice rang out, loud and clear through the cabin and the seas beyond. Through the chilled waves and gloomy mist, followed by clear string-song, resonating with any who could hear. Joyful and energetic and just a bit sad, it went something like this:


    ¡°Yohohoho! Yo-hoho-ho! Yohohohoho! Yo-hoho-ho!¡±


    Astra and Brendan grinned at each other and raised their voices as well.


    ¡°Yohohoho! Yo-hoho-ho! Yohohohoho! Yo-hoho-ho!¡±


    May stared at them all, a pained, incredulous laugh escaping her throat. Mr. Briney turned to her and winked.


    And began to sing.


    ¡°Far away from Hoenn¡¯s tide, naught but sea to be our guide;


    Homeward-bound, yet ¡®pon the ground,


    Our heart still turns to thee!


    ¡°Though we all shall rest our heads, the salty sky is still our bed;


    Wingull sing, in squawking wing;


    A sailor''s lullaby!¡±


    ¡°Gull!¡± Peeko cawed. Mr. Briney laughed, then nodded at Brendan. Brendan¡¯s eyes widened in panic, before he steeled himself and took a deep breath.


    ¡°Swab the decks and speak your last, we sail to waters dark and vast;


    Here and now, no matter how, our name in legends be!


    He paused. Astra awkwardly stuttered the rhythm as Brendan¡¯s enthusiastic¡ªif creaky¡ªsinging fumbled the next verse. He mouthed out some words to himself, visibly counting out the syllables with his hand before shaking his head and valiantly forging on.


    ¡°So say farewell and climb aboard, our tale shall be its own reward;


    Sleet or snow, rain or cold, we ride unto our end!¡±


    It could have been the song, or the cheer, or the simple movement of the ship, but the chill of the mist seemed to fade away as they sang. Warmth filled into Astra, her heart flooding with exuberance as the music swelled inside the cabin.


    ¡°A bit bleak, but I like it!¡± Briney cheered. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want a turn, Miss May?¡±


    May twitched, her face locked between warring expressions of amusement and embarrassment flickering across her face.


    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± Astra pleaded, pouting at the other girl. ¡°Please?¡±


    ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, fine!¡± May snapped, folding her arms and glaring away.


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± Mr. Briney said, smile as wide as could be.


    May gave them all one last scowl as she swigged the last of her tea. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes as her part finally arrived.


    ¡°Far away from Hoenn¡¯s tide, naught but sea to be our guide;


    Rain will pour, from shore to shore, into the storm we roar;


    May, in contrast to Brendan, barely hesitated at all; her voice singing out clear as a bell. Despite her protests she seemed to really get into it, thrusting her hands up and outward in dramatic gestures as she went; though her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment.


    Skies will flash with angry wrath, herald our eternal bath


    Through the hail, upon the mast, our flag still holding fast!¡±


    ¡°That was really good!¡± Brendan said, grinning at May. ¡°You have a nice singing voice.¡±


    ¡°Uh.¡± May blinked at him, caught off-guard. ¡°Y-yeah!¡± she stammered, puffing up. ¡°Of course I do!¡±


    ¡°Although, I don¡¯t think the last line needs to rhyme, lass.¡± Mr. Briney observed. May turned a new, third shade of red.


    ¡°Fuck you!?¡± she sputtered.


    ¡°My turn!¡± Astra interjected, playing just a bit louder. What to sing, though...she didn¡¯t have too much experience with the ocean, so she was working in the dark. At least she¡¯d gone last, so she had a general idea from listening to everyone else¡¯s lyrics, but...well, she¡¯d just have to do her best.


    ¡°Though our end is dashing near, our spirits hard will never fear;


    Hearts aflame, our will in steel, to our end we¡¯ll never kneel!


    Pre-planning had come in handy after all; once she got the feel of it down, the lyrics came fast and smooth. Then again, so had reading. Was it really her own skill...? As for her singing, Astra wasn¡¯t quite able to tell if she was modulating her voice right, due to now focusing on her words, her violin, and the myriad other things she had running at all times, but she could hazard by the amused winces that it wasn¡¯t perfect. Hey, if they wanted to multitask a half-dozen psychic constructs and try to sing well, they could be her guest! It wasn¡¯t her fault she used the same mental muscle to speak as she did to hold down the strings!


    Hopes alive in break of day, clear blue skies are on their way;


    So hold on tight, we''ll make it through, to finally see what''s there!


    ¡°All together now!¡± Brendan exclaimed, so lost in the mood that he wrapped an arm around May''s shoulder and pulled her close. He raised his cup and cheered.


    ¡°Yohohoho! Yo-hoho-ho! Yohohohoho! Yo-hoho-ho!¡±


    The song resounded through the ship as everyone joined in. May swayed from tide to side with Brendan, looking dumbfounded but not unhappy, and even Peeko chimed in with some well-timed squawks of his own. Astra drew her bow across the strings, her violin piercing the gloomy weather like the finest of needles. Mr. Briney, still manning the wheel, looked out into the sea, smiling at some distant point on the horizon as he took up the song once more.


    ¡°Far away from Hoenn¡¯s tide, naught but sea to be our guide;


    Our end has come, but don¡¯t be glum, our memories remain;


    ¡°Our dream was lost along the way, but eternal ou¡¯r stories stay;


    Fair winds blow, but ¡®ware your foe, a warning I convey!


    Astra looked up at Mr. Briney. Was he going to finish the song by himself? Heh, of course; who better to send off a song about the ocean than a sailor? Her grin grew as she heard Peeko join in, his cry following Astra¡¯s violin as they all rushed toward the finale.


    Should the Ogre of the sea, come to bring calamity;


    Raise a glass, and say ¡®alas!¡¯, the drinks your fate to be!¡±


    But shed no tears, allay your fear, your homes upon the waves;


    Darkest depths or fairest shore, I¡¯ll gladly put my grave!¡±


    Briney¡¯s voice rose again, and with massive grins, everyone joined him once more, roaring defiantly into the dismal fog.


    ¡°Yohohoho! Yo-hoho-ho! Yohohohoho! Yo-hoho-ho!¡±


    ¡°You rhymed too, you bastard!¡± May crowed, pointing at Mr. Briney accusingly. He laughed, shaking his head in amusement.


    ¡°Pretty sure I messed up the rhythm too! But it was fun, wasn¡¯t it? I wove in some tall tales from my youth and time at sea near the end. Why, I feel twenty years younger, hohoho~!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you really got into it at the end there,¡± Brendan said, grinning at May. May scowled at him, childishly sticking her tongue out. Brendan paused, apparently only now noticing that he¡¯d pulled May right next to him. He flinched back, laughing awkwardly as he shied away.


    ¡°Sorry for, uh, pulling you like that,¡± he said, scratching the back of his head and looking away. ¡°I guess I got caught up in the mood too.¡±


    May raised an eyebrow, half-smiling, then rolled her eyes. ¡°Well, next time make sure to warn me, prick,¡± she muttered, emanating some mixture of fondness and exasperation as she sat back down.


    Brendan sighed in relief¡ªthen furrowed his brow as he mouthed ¡®Next time?¡¯ to himself.


    The violin hummed softly beneath her hands as she brought the song to a close, sighing happily. A sea shanty, huh? What a thrill; harmonizing with others, working together to build an epic song of the sea...it was like the whole world had lit up.


    Wait, no. The room had gotten lighter. Astra¡¯s eyes widened, and she rushed toward the window, staring at the bright expanse ahead.


    ¡°The fog is gone!¡±


    As far as the eye could see, the horizon had opened up into a vast expanse of clear blue water. All that was left of the cold mists was a fading haze far behind them.


    ¡°Oh sweet!¡± May exclaimed, taking off her coat. ¡°I was starting to get hot in that thing.¡±


    ¡°How much further is Dewford?¡± Brendan asked, slipping out of his coat as well. Mr. Briney pointed into the distance.


    ¡°It¡¯s right there.¡±


    Astra looked again, squinting through the renewed sunshine.


    Off in the distance, a blurry shape coalesced out from the waves. A great hill of pure stone overshadowing dozens of buildings and odd, wide leafed trees, all leading up toward a dock filled with ships and boats of all sizes.


    Astra¡¯s eyes narrowed. Somewhere on that island was the next step on her path to becoming champion. Another gym leader like Roxanne, waiting for her to challenge them for their badge.


    ...


    Also Steven Stone was there, somewhere.


    And she would have to talk to him again.


    Fuck.

 Psychollateral

    Astra stepped onto the Dewford docks, looking around curiously as Brendan brushed past to help Mr. Briney tie down his ship. Scattered piers stretched far along the coast, and Astra could spot at least a dozen moored boats similar to Briney¡¯s and space for many more. There were even a few big ships carrying a multitude of colored metal boxes. Dewford Town itself gleamed ahead of them, not quite as sprawling as Rustboro or even Petalburg, but still cutting a striking image into the silhouette of the towering hills in the distance.


    ¡°Ah, feels good to be on land again,¡± May sighed, stepping off the boat next to Astra. She peered up at the sky, then glanced at her Pokedex. ¡°Hm, it¡¯s only just past noon. The gyms are basically open twenty-four seven, so we could probably still fit in a badge fight after we look around, yeah? Gym Leaders aren¡¯t the kind of people who head home early.¡±


    ¡°Look around?¡± Astra asked, blinking at the other girl in confusion. ¡°What do¡ªoh right, your routine for visiting new places.¡±


    ¡°Routine?¡± Brendan looked up from the rope he was tying. ¡°You have a routine for that, May?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been shuffled around to a bunch of towns, so my first-day schedule has been perfected into a fine art.¡± May explained, brushing a hand through her hair with a grin. She held up four fingers and ticked them off as she continued, ¡°See the sights, pick some fights, grab a bite, then say goodnight.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t really do that when we got to Rustboro, though,¡± Astra observed. ¡°We got a hotel room and went straight to the gym.¡±


    May waved her off. ¡°Nah, you dragged us into that berry shop first, remember? The entire front half of the gym was a museum, too. That counts!¡±


    Astra considered that and nodded. Made sense.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± May continued, ¡°I figured we could poke around and get the lay of the land for a bit before we smash the gym down. See some cool stuff, find a place to stay, that sort of thing. Maybe figure out what we¡¯re going up against, too.¡± She added, looking off at the city speculatively.


    ¡°As fun as that would be,¡± Brendan began, brushing his hands against his pants as he stood back up. ¡°We do have to deliver that letter to Steven. I think we should take care of that first.¡±


    ¡°Mhmm, mhmm,¡± May hummed, nodding solemnly. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll do that then. Where is he?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know myself, but Mr. Stone said we could ask Gym Leader Brawly where...¡± he trailed off, face going blank. May looked at him through mockingly lidded eyes, exuding smugness.


    Astra could already see where this was going. ¡°If we have to go to the gym to deliver the letter in the first place, we might as well challenge the gym while we¡¯re there. But If we¡¯re doing that, we¡¯ll want to figure out where we¡¯re staying and maybe sightsee a bit beforehand?¡±


    May pointed at Astra triumphantly. ¡°See?¡± she said to Brendan. ¡°She gets it.¡±


    She withdrew the finger and offered Astra her fist, which she happily bumped with her own. ¡°I am a bastion of understanding,¡± Astra cheekily proclaimed.


    May huffed, smiling. ¡°Sure you are, shorty.¡±


    Brendan rolled his eyes and sighed. ¡°Alright, I guess it can wait for a few hours. Where did you guys want to go sightseeing anyway?¡±


    ¡°What was that about sightseeing?¡±


    Astra turned, and saw Mr. Briney clamoring off the deck of his ship, Peeko perched on his shoulder. ¡°Oh, we were going to go explore the town a bit before we hit the Gym,¡± Astra explained. ¡°You¡¯ve been here before, right? Any recommendations?¡±


    Briney nodded, stroking his beard. ¡°Well then, if you¡¯re looking for something to do in Dewford, there¡¯s not too many options; the town isn''t big enough to get things like three level shopping malls or contest halls or museums, and you three wouldn¡¯t enjoy or even be allowed in the places I like to go. Thankfully, there is one place that you can wash away a bit of time: Dewford Town Hall.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Brendan sighed, looking annoyed. ¡°That place.¡±


    May and Astra looked at Brendan, confused.


    ¡°What''s up with the town hall?¡± May asked, after a wary pause.


    ¡°Why, it¡¯s only the biggest collection of gossipmongers I¡¯ve ever seen in the entire country!¡± Mr. Briney proclaimed. ¡°People here are so starved of entertainment that they latch onto any piece of news they can get their hands on and spread it around like a typhoon relocates beachfront townhomes.¡±


    ¡°...In horrible mangled pieces?¡± May ventured.


    Mr. Briney nodded. ¡°Aye, it¡¯s incredible how quickly people distort rumors out of proportion. Lot of it is nonsense or disgusting, but sometimes there''s a real good nugget of info floating around that¡¯ll come in handy; I¡¯ve heard a few tales of ill-planned trips out to sea there myself. Usually had to snag those fools out of the wrecks they made of their crafts not long after.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a blasted den of misinformation and info-mongering is what it is,¡± Brendan snapped. ¡°No integrity to it at all, just hearsay and anecdotes.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± Astra said, blinking. ¡°It¡¯s rare to see you get that worked up. Have you been there before?¡±


    Brendan hesitated. ¡°Once, a long time ago. But that doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he said, waving a hand as if to brush the question aside. ¡°As a researcher-in-training, I am inherently opposed to finding information via sourceless gossip¡ª¡±


    ¡°You fell for a rumor, didn¡¯t you?¡± May asked, a big, cheeky grin spreading across her face.


    Brendan glared. ¡°Listen¡ª¡± he started.


    ¡°Absolutely, overwhelmingly fooled.¡±


    ¡°Listen¡ª¡±


    ¡°Totally sucker-baited.¡±


    ¡°May, I swear to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Got yourself gaslit by an electric stove.¡±


    ¡°I was ten years old!¡± Brendan shouted, throwing his hands up. ¡°And someone told me that they saw an Alakazam with five spoons in the Granite Caves! So I went to go look, broke my flashlight, and got lost in the dark for six hours!¡±


    He spread his arms out, voice dropping to a harsh, pained whine. ¡°There¡¯s barely any Kadabra in those caves! I nearly got my leg bitten off by a Mawile! And¡ªit¡¯s not funny!¡±


    May¡ªcurrently wheezing and grasping onto a wooden pole for support¡ªclearly thought otherwise.


    ¡°Five spoons?¡± she gasped, giggling uncontrollably. ¡±What does that even mean!? Pffahaha¡ªoh my god, you¡¯re killing me¡ª¡±


    Brendan slumped, sighing. Astra gave him a reassuring pat. ¡°That must have been terrible. I got stranded in the woods the night before I became a trainer and got chased by some wild Poochyena; I couldn¡¯t imagine how much worse it would have been without any light at all¡ªnot to mention being enclosed in a tunnel.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Brendan said, giving Astra a wan smile. ¡°Heh, I guess you ¡®get that¡¯ too, huh?¡±


    ¡°Bastion of understanding,¡± Astra repeated, nodding sagely. She looked back at May, who was receiving a disapproving stare from Mr. Briney.


    ¡°Lass, I don¡¯t think an ordeal like that is something to laugh at,¡± he warned, frowning. May choked down the last of her guffaws, sighing happily.


    ¡°Heh, spoons,¡± she muttered, one last snicker slipping its way out. ¡°Oh man, I don¡¯t know why that got me so hard. Yeah, yeah,¡± she added, waving absently toward Brendan. ¡°Not laughing at you, it was that weird rumor you fell for.¡±


    She coughed, which sounded a rather lot like ¡®dolt¡¯ to Astra. Brendan gave May a flat stare and rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Right!¡± May slammed a fist into her palm, a wide grin on her face. ¡°I gotta know what else these idiots cooked up! Brendan, you¡¯ve been there before, right? Do you still know the way?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I still don¡¯t really like the idea,¡± Brendan sighed, rubbing his head. ¡°I dunno, maybe I''m being stubborn. Astra, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to check it out,¡± Astra said. ¡°Even if we don¡¯t hear anything useful, it¡¯s bound to be interesting. Maybe they¡¯d know where Steven is?¡± she hazarded. ¡°He¡¯s the champion, and if things here are really that stale, then they¡¯d probably talk about him a lot, right? We¡¯d be able to deliver the letter before challenging the gym.¡±


    Brendan grimaced. ¡°I guess you have a point,¡± he admitted. ¡°Alright, fine. We¡¯ll check out town hall for a bit.¡± He turned to look at Mr. Briney. ¡°Captain Briney, I know you said you¡¯d ferry us to Slateport after we were done here, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Mr. Briney chortled. ¡°I¡¯ve got old friends in every port Hoenn has; I¡¯ll be able to entertain myself for a few days here while you lot gallivant around Dewford. If you need to find me, just come back to the ship. If I¡¯m not here, either Peeko will come find me or, well, I¡¯ll come around eventually. It¡¯s where I sleep, after all! Hohohohoho!¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Astra said, nodding. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be more than a few days.¡±


    They¡¯d better not be. Having fun and sightseeing was nice and all, but she¡¯d already spent two and a half weeks as a trainer and only had one badge! If she kept that up, those six months would vanish before she knew it.


    ¡°Oho, confident, aren¡¯t you?¡± Briney said, stroking his beard. ¡°Well, don¡¯t take Brawly lightly! Lad¡¯s got a light heart, but I¡¯ve seen him weather some dangerous tides around these parts; no doubt his team is as tough as he is!¡±


    May shrugged, brushing her hand through a bang. ¡°Meh, we beat Roxanne easy enough, this¡¯ll be no different.¡±


    Mr. Briney gave May an amused smile, then whistled sharply. Peeko landed on his shoulder and cawed, preening as Mr. Briney stroked his feathers. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll let you lot get to it, then!¡± he said, trundling down the docks. His free hand rose in farewell. ¡°Come find me in a week or two!¡±


    May blinked, then scowled. ¡°Hey, what do you mean a week, you shitty geezer!?¡± she roared, shaking a fist at his back.


    Her only response was a rolling chortle of laughter. ¡°Tch,¡± May muttered, frowning at Briney¡¯s retreating form with slightly warm irritation. ¡°Like he knows anything. We¡¯ll walk outta that gym with a handful of badges in no time, right guys?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Astra cheered, pumping a fist in the air. ¡°We aren¡¯t gonna be stopped by anybody! Though, I hope it goes a bit smoother than my fight with Roxanne did.¡±


    ¡°A little decorum, that''s all I ask,¡± Brendan griped, gazing at the sky in beseeching resignation. He sighed. ¡°Honestly, Briney¡¯s not wrong, but...we¡¯ll deal with that when we get to the gym. For now, let¡¯s...check out the town hall, I guess.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re right behind you!¡± Astra said, smiling. May nodded in agreement, and the three of them set off into the city.


    Dewford was quite alike to Petalburg and Rustboro in that it was overwhelmingly filled with tall, square buildings of concrete and glass, though none of them were quite as tall as the skyscrapers of Petalburg and Rustboro. However, where Petalburg had been fairly quiet and unobtrusive, and Rustboro had been...well it had been a bit depressing, Dewford had an air of casualness. (And salt. It never seemed to diminish, either. Was it because this was an island?)


    She looked at a store on the beachfront and saw a cardboard cutout of a man wearing floral-patterned clothing and grinning wildly, holding a surfboard to his side. The sign next to him looked hand-drawn, the letters stylized to resemble crashing waves. They passed the store, and Astra saw a giant mural taking up the lower walls of the alleyway behind it, showcasing bright, cartoonish figures amidst a fascinating display of geometric flowers.


    Astra looked at the mural with open awe for the few moments that she could see it. Wow, this town was a lot more colorful than the others! At least, in a way she could appreciate. And the locals seemed to mirror this casualness as well. Most of them walked around in notably lessened amounts of clothing than the humans in other cities, preferring partial-sleeved or even sleeveless shirts and forgoing pants in favor of shorts (unlike Brendan, who still insisted on slapping some shorts over his pants). Many of them even seemed to have drawn pictures on their skin, and it reminded Astra of the Kirlia back home who would dye patterns into their coats with fire ash or other pigments. Their emotions were also a lot brighter, and she could feel a much greater presence of whimsy and simple cheer. It was plenty refreshing in contrast to Rustboro, whose people had been rather more stressed, fearful, and¡ªwell, maybe that hadn¡¯t been the norm, actually.


    Astra shook her head, dismissing the thought as she turned her head to look at the services on display throughout the streets. Mr. Briney might not know about anything their group would find fun, but that didn¡¯t mean they didn¡¯t exist. Surely there¡¯d be someplace cool to poke at¡ªooh, like that seafood place! That sushi bar in Petalburg had been great, and now she really wanted a second try at it. Or¡ªhuh, was that sign advertising a dancing class?


    ¡°Oh, this looks interesting,¡± she mused, examining the myriad posters on display as they passed. One looked oddly Kirlia-like, with a very thick and stiff white skirt, but the others were wearing more ornate attire or, uh, something that looked like they¡¯d thrown it on a practice dummy and had the Guard go feral with his spear. She stopped to examine that one a little closer. That Dragon Dance: Revelation game at the arcade had made her wonder what actual human dance styles were like, but what kind of routine embodied such ruined clothing?


    Astra stared at it for a moment. Break dancing? That...were you supposed to use it to break things? How would that even work? She turned away from the sign with a sigh, jogging for a second to catch up to her friends. Strife really was embedded into everything humans did, it seemed. Still, the other posters looked interesting. Maybe they could come back and check it out before they went to Slateport.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Astra asked, falling in line with May and Brendan. ¡°Do you guys know how to dance?¡±


    May blinked at her, slightly baffled.


    ¡°Dance? I mean...kinda?¡± she hedged, looking unsure.


    ¡°A little bit?¡± Brendan volunteered, looking a bit lost as well. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I saw a building that taught people how to dance right back there,¡± Astra explained, ¡°and it reminded me I haven¡¯t really gotten to move around like that in a while. The game at the arcade does not count!¡± she stressed, jabbing a finger in May¡¯s face.


    May huffed and crossed her arms, looking determinedly at the traffic light they¡¯d stopped at. Astra glared at her for a moment more, before bursting back into a grin.


    ¡°So you both know how?¡± Astra asked, very nearly bouncing in excitement. ¡°That¡¯s great! We dance all the time back home; maybe you can show me your moves sometime?¡±


    ¡°I mean, I guess? I dunno where we¡¯d do it, though. Considering how the arcade went, I¡¯m not sure you¡¯d find something like a club appealing¡ª¡± Brendan started, confusing and exasperating Astra. A club? How was dancing being connected to violence again!? ¡°¡ªbut we could probably get like a boombox¡ª¡± Boom¡ªoh, come on! ¡°¡ªand jam out at a park or something,¡± he finished, nodding.


    Astra looked at May expectantly, and May gave her a thoughtful look in return. Something like recognition flashed across May¡¯s face, and she turned a wry glance toward Brendan.


    ¡°Well, it seems we¡¯re being conscripted into dancing to earn the favor of our favorite red-eyed pale lady.¡± She wiggled her eyebrows, smirking deviously. ¡°Are you ready to¡ª¡±


    She drew herself up, staring down at Brendan imperiously. ¡°Boogie Down!¡± she commanded in an odd, snobbish cadence, her arm waving dismissively to the sidewalk ahead.


    Astra stared at her friend in abject incomprehension. Lady? May wasn¡¯t usually that verbose; what in the world was she going on about? She turned toward Brendan, expecting the same confusion, or at least his usual exasperation.


    Instead, he looked like the Dusk Equinox had come early.


    ¡°You¡¯re a fan of¡ª!?¡± he started, eyes gleaming, before he caught himself and coughed. A grim smile came across his face, sharp eyes boring into May as he held his head high. ¡°I may be so inclined, dearest May,¡± he intoned, inclining his head as he deepened his voice. ¡°But only so long as you...¡±


    He paused for a moment, eyes flicking toward the still red traffic light. Astra looked between the two, blinking rapidly. What was going on!?


    The light left Brendan hanging for a long, awkward five seconds before it turned green.


    ¡°Sashay left!¡± Brendan commanded, imperiously sweeping his arm toward the crossing.


    May recoiled, eyes wide in false shock. ¡°The nerve of you!¡± she gasped as she began to...walk sideways? Astra tilted her head. She was moving her legs oddly, in a sort of criss-cross, making her lower body sway side-to-side. ¡°For such insolence, there can be only one recompense!¡± May said, eyes narrowing. ¡°You must... shimmy right!¡±


    ¡°Gah! How could you!?¡± Brendan yelped, similarly starting sideways across the road and...spasming? He was holding his arms up and shaking his shoulders back and forth, while he traced out squares with his footsteps.


    Astra followed them, completely lost for words. They passed by a few pedestrians halfway across, and Astra shared a brief moment of kinship with their mutual bafflement, though theirs was considerably more amused, judging by the smiles and light laughter. Actually, now that she looked for it, nearly everyone in the intersection was staring at them. Astra pulled her hat down, cheeks burning. Did these idiots have to make such a giant scene!?


    ¡°What is even happening?¡± she murmured, watching them spout indecipherable, snobbish phrases at each other and contort into ever more bizarre movement patterns. It looked too purposeful to be spontaneous, so was this just...another human thing?


    Astra was getting a little tired of how many ¡®Human things¡¯ there were. Sometimes it felt like she couldn¡¯t talk to her friends for more than a few minutes before needing to get clarification on something or another, and while she would always be grateful for their willingness to answer, the necessity of it was still frustrating. Sure, all the answers she got were always interesting or exciting, but how much more of that was there going to be before she could reliably understand whatever any given human would do or say?


    Even if May and Brendan were drawing way too much attention, the way they were laughing and grinning through bursts of mock outrage and reprisal looked fun. But even if they had been in private like Brendan suggested, she wouldn¡¯t have the slightest clue how to join in properly. Sure, a bit of oddly organized spontaneous dancing wasn¡¯t anything too troublesome, but if she didn¡¯t know something as presumably trivial as this, what would she have trouble with once she reached her goal? What help would she be to her village if she made Champion and still failed because she didn¡¯t know some arcane human ritual simply because she wasn¡¯t one?


    ¡°Enough!¡± May stated, knocking Astra out of her thoughts as they arrived at the opposite sidewalk. She peeked out from under her brim, and much to her relief found that they¡¯d stopped...whatever they had been doing, though their performance had elicited a few cheers and scattered applause from the pedestrians nearby. May¡¯s face contorted oddly as she fought to keep her expression in a disdainful scowl. ¡°Your spastic gyrations sicken me!¡±


    ¡°Well, sorry my moves aren¡¯t good enough for you, Countess von Snarky,¡± Brendan shot back, his expression bright despite his heavy breathing. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you memorized that whole bit! Must¡¯ve been an old copy too, they edited that line in the re-release.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we had a whole box of old horror flicks from¡ªwait, what!?¡± May paused, shock and outrage warring on her face. ¡°Why? How!? That was one of the best lines in the movie!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just gyrations now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course,¡± May groused, throwing her hands up in disgust. ¡°Fucking Pokestar.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Astra asked, edging a bit closer now that the bizarre spectacle seemed to be over. Brendan looked at her, blinking.


    ¡°They had to update the language for modern standards,¡± he explained, shrugging. ¡°A lot of movies from back then¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, not...whatever that is,¡± Astra interrupted, frowning. ¡°What was¡ª¡± she waved in the general direction of the crosswalk, ¡°¡ªthat!?¡±


    ¡°Oh! That was...uh, we were kind of mimicking a scene from an old vampire movie,¡± Brendan explained, scratching his head with an awkward chuckle. ¡°There was a bit where some people were forced to dance and...well, I bet we looked kinda silly, huh?¡±


    ¡°Maybe you did, but I rocked that shit,¡± May boasted, perhaps a bit too quickly.


    Astra looked at them, blinking slowly. ¡°What movie?¡± she didn¡¯t ask. ¡°What was it about?¡± she failed to question. ¡°Can I see it?¡± she never spoke.


    ¡°Well, it looked fun,¡± she said instead.


    ¡°Well, we can have even more once we get moving,¡± May commanded, pushing Brendan forward. ¡°C¡¯mon, I wanna throw pencils at conspiracy theorists!¡±


    ¡°Alright alright,¡± Brendan yelped, stumbling. ¡°We¡¯re nearly halfway there, stop shoving. You¡¯re worse than that guy in the ballroom.¡±


    ¡°The guy with two left feet who tripped and burnt everyone in his row into a crisp?¡± May asked. ¡°Oh man, that was hilarious! The expression on his face when¡ª¡±


    Astra followed along, half-listening as May and Brendan chatted about their movie. Brendan started talking about the special effects on a talking, bloodthirsty Honedge while May reminisced about the ¡®bastard hunk of a main villain¡¯.


    And Astra...was there, too.


    <hr>


    Dewford Town Hall was an ornate building on the outside with extraneous pillars and fanciful carvings in the stone, but the main chamber¡ªa grand space filled with tables, benches, and enough people to occupy nearly all of them¡ªvery strongly reminded Astra of the restricted houses where the Kirlia enjoyed fermented drinks back home. It was loud, with an ever-present susurration of voices filling the air, but the atmosphere was much more like a babbling brook than the harsh, spiky aberrance of the arcade. There was even a second floor, though perhaps ¡®balcony¡¯ was more appropriate as it seemed designed to allow everybody above to see everything below.


    ¡°For a ¡®blasted den of misinformation¡¯, it sure doesn''t look like much,¡± May observed. She peered up at a nearby TV, which featured two humans talking to a third in a Pokemart. ¡°Though it¡¯s a lot more casual than I expected.¡±


    Brendan raised an eyebrow. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to look like a Grumpigsty to constantly churn out muck. What exactly were you expecting anyway?¡±


    ¡°I dunno,¡± May shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a town hall, I thought it¡¯d be more, you know...governmenty.¡±


    ¡°How are we doing this anyway?¡± Astra asked. ¡°Do we just...walk around and listen?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± May said. ¡°Wait, actually, how about we split up? We can each take a section and see if there¡¯s anything crazy worth getting the full deets on, and then once, uh.¡± May paused and looked up at a nearby clock. ¡°Once that hits the top of the hour, we meet back up outside and share what we found on the way to the gym. Sound good?¡±


    Brendan shrugged. ¡°Sounds fine.¡±


    Astra¡¯s face fell. They were splitting up? But what if she ran into something she didn¡¯t have the context for? She almost certainly would, actually; wasn¡¯t finding outlandish and unusual hearsay the reason they were here?


    But...well, maybe she had been a bit too reliant on having May or Brendan around to field her questions. She hadn¡¯t exactly planned to have them around in the first place when she¡¯d begun her journey; maybe it was time to practice for if she found herself alone again.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Astra said. May grinned.


    ¡°Alright!¡± she said, clapping. ¡°I think...me and Brendan can take the ground floor; Astra, you go see what''s happening upstairs.¡±


    She pointed over to the stairwell. Astra eyed it, then the balcony above. She shrugged. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see you guys in a bit then?¡±


    ¡°Yep! Find something juicy, would you?¡± May said.


    ¡°Try not to take anything you hear at face value,¡± Brendan added, grimacing. ¡°People can get weird when they want attention.¡±


    Astra nodded and took off, ascending the stairwell. At the turn halfway up, she glanced back down toward her friends and frowned.


    If they had decided to split up, why was May dragging Brendan away?


    ...Well, it wasn¡¯t the first time she hadn¡¯t understood them today.


    She sighed, then trudged up the stairs and tried to muster up some enthusiasm. There¡¯d bound to be someone talking about something interesting, right?


    <hr>


    ¡°I¡¯m studying up on the upcoming craze known as CORRECT PSYDUCK,¡± the man at the table explained, turning around the book on the table. An image of a rotund, vaguely aquatic yellow creature with a wide bill and glassy eyes looked out at Astra from the pages. ¡°Do you believe there is any connection between CORRECT PSYDUCK and literature? My intuition tells me there¡¯s a relation, but I can¡¯t figure it out. Perhaps there¡¯s a book that can tell me exactly which PSYDUCK is CORRECT...¡±


    Astra stared at the man. To her left, a vocally indecisive woman whined to her friends about a collection of glossy papers she held, each of which showed a different example of the yellow Pokemon ¡®up for adoption¡¯. Rapid footsteps and childish giggling rushed around behind her as a trio of children played with toys of the creature, each one still accompanied by an uncut price tag.


    The surrounding tables were no better; every human within this third of the balcony seemed to have been infected with a strange yellow plague. Their clothes, their interests, their belongings; all of it centered around this Psyduck pokemon. She hadn¡¯t even said anything to the man; she¡¯d walked up and he¡¯d just started talking at her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she finally replied, blinking. ¡°Er, sorry, what...is ¡®Correct Psyduck¡¯, exactly?¡±


    ¡°CORRECT PSYDUCK,¡± the man stated, as if she¡¯d somehow messed up the words (though, the way he said it was...odd), ¡°is the newest and hippest trend in Hoenn! It¡¯s just getting off the ground, but the whole world will know about it soon enough! We¡¯re on the cutting edge of popularity!¡±


    ¡°...But what is it?¡± Astra asked.


    The man hesitated. ¡°We¡¯re...figuring it out!¡± he claimed, not meeting Astra¡¯s gaze. ¡°But it¡¯s sure to sweep the nation quicker than every tidal wave in the last decade combined!¡±


    Astra frowned. They didn¡¯t know? What was going on? ¡°How new is Correct Psyduck?¡±


    He shot her an annoyed look. ¡°The rise of CORRECT PSYDUCK¡ª¡± the man stated, even more firmly¡ªhow was he pronouncing it like that!? ¡°¡ªwas made clear to us by Randy just two days ago. He¡¯s always on top of the newest trends in Hoenn, so when he told us this was going to be big, we all hopped on board!¡±


    He pointed at an old man with a long, white beard at another table, who seemed to be rigorously contemplating a poorly painted wooden figurine of a Psyduck.


    Astra knew she didn¡¯t understand much about how human interests ebbed and flowed, but even then this all seemed rather bizarre. It didn¡¯t seem particularly harmful, but it would be worth digging a bit deeper just to figure out what to tell her friends later. Maybe they could make sense of it? Or at least have a laugh. Thanking the man for his time, Astra went over to Randy.


    Randy looked up at her approach, hazy blue eyes meeting her own. ¡°Oh, hello there! Are you here to learn about the newest and hippest trend in the nation?¡±


    ¡°I suppose I am,¡± Astra replied, momentarily distracted by how shoddy the paintwork on the wooden Psyduck was. Did the artist even know how to mix pigment so it spread evenly? The layers were so globby the poor duck looked like it had a full-body outbreak of warts!


    She shook her head, looking back at the human. ¡°You were the one who told everybody about all of...this, right?¡± she asked, gesturing to the frothing mass of yellow.


    Randy nodded, turning to face Astra fully. ¡°That I was! I¡¯ve studied the rise and fall of many a passing craze in this country, so when I found out what the next one was, I just knew I had to be at the front of the line! Nobody tells ol¡¯ Randy that he isn¡¯t keeping it cool!¡±


    Astra blinked at Randy, then glanced around the horde of duck-obsessed fad chasers.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Astra said, vaguely grateful May wasn¡¯t here. ¡°But how did you find out about ¡®Correct Psyduck¡¯, exactly?¡±


    Randy leaned forward, looking around furtively as his voice dropped to a whisper.


    ¡°It was revealed to me in a dream.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Astra said, nodding understandingly. Dreams weren¡¯t the most reliable¡ªor coherent¡ªmedium of future-sight, but at least the reasoning was sound. ¡°May I ask what the contents of your dream were?¡±


    ¡°It was a very quick affair,¡± he explained, folding his hands. ¡°As far as I recall, it had been a normal dream¡ªas much as one can remember those at all¡ªwhen I suddenly became aware of myself, and found myself floating in a black abyss. A Psyduck appeared to me, and it was as if the words appeared in my mind by themself: PSYDUCK CORRECT.¡±


    He waved his hands at the end, fingers wriggling mystically. Astra tilted her head, brows furrowing.


    ¡°Wait, I thought it was ¡®Correct Psyduck¡¯?¡±


    Randy shrugged. ¡°They didn¡¯t hear me right and now they¡¯re kinda stuck on it.¡±


    ¡°I see...but what does that all mean, exactly? How is that going to get so popular?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite a conundrum,¡± he mused. ¡°I only knew that it was important. The popular theory is that Psyducks themselves are going to be the ¡®correct¡¯ choice in...popularity? Combat? Something or other.¡±


    Astra looked at the figurine again. One of its eyes was, somehow, painted upside-down. ¡°I can¡¯t say I see the appeal myself,¡± she admitted.


    Randy shrugged. ¡°Ain¡¯t ever been a trend that¡¯s gotten everybody on board. Even Pokemon. Might not even be a trend at all.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Astra tilted her head, blinking.


    Randy idly plucked the figurine from the table and examined it, humming thoughtfully. ¡°It could be one special Psyduck, it could be that Psyduck is the right choice for something...¡± he mused, ¡°or maybe it could be something a Psyduck will do? A ¡®PSYDUCK¡¯ will ¡®CORRECT¡¯...something.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± Astra asked, frowning at the wooden sculpture.


    ¡°Who knows? Crime? Orre¡¯s economy?¡± He huffed, his mouth twitching into a grin. ¡°This conversation?¡±


    ¡°Maybe that awful paint job,¡± Astra quipped, to Randy¡¯s laughter.


    ¡°Is my work that terrible?¡± he bemoaned, eyes twinkling. ¡°What a wound to my soul! The pain~! Oh, I am slain!¡±


    He clutched at his chest and gently collapsed onto the table, leaving Astra in a fit of giggles. Randy joined her a moment later, chuckling as he pulled himself upright. He considered the figurine for a moment, then tossed it on the table. ¡°Well, if nothing else, arguing about nonsense like this is a decent way to fill the time. Maybe next time there¡¯ll be a fad about...I don¡¯t know, Ironic Noctowls. That sounds fun.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± Astra hummed, nodding at the man and turning to leave. She could already envision May bursting into laughter and Brendan making those funny exasperated faces. She paused as a thought struck her. Had that been the only thing he¡¯d seen?


    ¡°Did anything else happen in your dream?¡± she asked, turning back to Randy.


    Randy stroked his beard. ¡°Now that you mention it, the Psyduck did seem to say something peculiar right before I woke up.¡±


    ¡°What was it?¡±


    ¡°¡®The rocks know.¡¯¡±


    Astra waited a moment. ¡°...Know what?¡±


    ¡°Beats me.¡±


    ¡°Weird.¡±


    ¡°Very strange,¡± Randy agreed.


    Astra left, shaking her head in bemusement. What an odd bunch. Now, how to explain this to the others? Hopefully that¡¯d have something equally bizarre to share as well.


    <hr>


    ¡°Okay, so growing half a foot in like, a week is weird, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not what I¡¯d call common, no.¡±


    ¡°And you saw her face, right?¡±


    ¡°You mean how her nose kinda changes shape every day?¡±


    ¡°See! I knew I wasn¡¯t crazy!¡±


    ¡°Listen, just because she, uh, shapeshifts now and then, that doesn¡¯t mean you should jump from ¡®she¡¯s in a cult¡¯ to ¡®she was summoned by a cult!¡¯¡±


    ¡°Look I¡¯m just saying, it makes a lot of sense if she¡¯s some sort of eldritch horror brought on by some backwater idiots. She covers herself all the time, her face keeps shifting around, she doesn¡¯t know shit from fuck¡ª¡±


    ¡°You know what an eldritch horror is?¡±


    ¡°...Uh.¡±


    ¡°...Well, I wouldn¡¯t exactly call Astra a horror, would you?¡±


    ¡°I had to explain a lot more about hygiene than I ever thought I¡¯d have to...¡±


    ¡°Alright, but she¡¯s still our friend.¡±


    ¡°Well, duh!¡±


    ¡°So it doesn¡¯t matter if she¡¯s just had a very bizarre upbringing, or been...summoned through an astral rift by a doomsday cult¡ª¡±


    ¡°Heh, astral.¡±


    ¡°¡ªWe should still hear her out about whatever the actual truth of it is.¡±


    ¡°Of course, but we¡¯ve just been kinda circling the drain for a week and a half! I don¡¯t think just ¡®being her friend¡¯ is going to get us much further, man.¡±


    ¡°...You¡¯re right. Every time we bring the topic up she just gets kinda vague and we still don¡¯t even know where her home is. It¡¯s pretty clear she doesn¡¯t really want to talk about this herself, and I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to get any answers just by waiting it out.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°We never did get around to asking about that time limit thing.¡±


    ¡°It just never seemed like a good time for it!¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe now¡¯s the time for it. How are we gonna work this, anyway?


    ¡°Maybe we should just ask her outright. Rip the band-aid off.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one saying we should be all sneaky with it before?¡±


    ¡°That was before her face started morphing around. It kinda pushed the timetable up, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. When are you thinking? Probably can¡¯t fit it in between here and the gym; we gotta get focused for the fighting!¡±


    ¡°Right, and after that we still need to go look for Steven. How about after that? We¡¯ll ask her tonight, or at least tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°That works. We¡¯ll get her talking right after Steven.¡±


    ¡°Right after Steven.¡±


    ¡°...I should pick up some ice cream too; she likes that. Do you think she¡¯d like mint?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t hurt. Did you want to actually look around before we have to go, or...?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, yeah. See you in a bit!¡±


    ¡°Later.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°¡ªBut his daughter Ikaku is attending that musical contest over in Slateport next week, so he¡¯ll have to make an appearance.¡±


    Astra raised her head, hurriedly scanning the crowd as she pushed away from the balcony railing she was leaning against. Did someone say...? Ugh, take one minute to spectate the ground floor and you miss something actually interesting!


    ¡°Oh right, that weird public concert Slateport does every now and then. I hear a couple of upcoming names are attending, like Greywood¡¯s boy. They¡¯re hauling his personal piano all the way out there, or so I hear.¡±


    A concert in Slateport? Astra could still recall...er, that one trainer she and May had met right outside Petalburg mentioning a musical contest there; was it the same thing?


    ¡°Really? Maybe he¡¯ll hit it off with Ikaku. Don¡¯t you think clarinets pair well with pianos?¡±


    ¡°In classical sure, but with these new styles¡ªoh, that reminds me, my daughter has been looking into these strange videos online about very odd duet music¡ª¡±


    Astra listened a bit more, sighing as the speakers swerved into chatting about their children. Well, that didn¡¯t last long. Still, there were a couple interesting names dropped. Ikaku and Greywood, who played a ¡®clarinet¡¯ and a ¡®piano¡¯. If she went to that musical contest, would she be able to meet them herself?


    Attending whatever this musical contest was might be a good time, she supposed. Playing her violin was always fun, and it might be nice to get some feedback as well. Trevor¡¯s sheets were helpful, and she thought her practice was going well, but it was hard to tell how much she had improved without knowledgeable criticism. Maybe she¡¯d get along with the other musicians? She¡¯d not been able to really discuss the topic with May or Brendan very effectively; it would be nice to meet someone who understood it all a bit better! But would she participate...?


    Well, she still had plenty of time before they got to Slateport. She¡¯d see what was happening and decide from there.


    <hr>


    ¡°¡ªAnd my cousin swears he saw Steven Stone walking down the beach the other day, but he¡¯s so totally full of shit. Like, he swore he heard screaming coming from the Granite Caves two weeks ago right before¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did you say someone saw Steven Stone?¡± Astra cut in, having briskly rushed toward the table of teenagers as soon as she overheard Steven¡¯s name.


    The speaker, a young man maybe a little older than Brendan, blinked at her. ¡°Uh, yeah. I was just saying, my cousin told me he saw him walking along the beach the other day, but it¡¯s probably a load of crap, you know? Why would a guy like him ever go to a beach?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem the type,¡± another boy agreed. ¡°He spends like, all of his time training or something, right?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s so pale! He¡¯d have to slather himself in lotion if he didn¡¯t want to fry to a crisp.¡± A girl chimed in. Her eyes turned a bit glassy as a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. ¡°I wouldn''t mind helping with that...¡± The girl giggled, much to Astra¡¯s horror. ¡°Shame he¡¯s so camera shy. I wonder what he¡¯s like in private~¡±


    Oh fuck no. ¡°Did your cousin say what beach it was?¡± Astra asked, desperately trying to get back on track. She did not need that forsaken emotional image about Steven Stone.


    The first teen let out a bark of laughter. ¡°Visiting, are you?¡± he said, cracking a smile.¡±There¡¯s only one real beach in Dewford, and it¡¯s north of town. He didn¡¯t say much else about it. Hey, why are you askin¡¯, anyway?¡± he asked, sitting up. ¡°You a fangirl of his or something?¡±


    Astra looked at him blankly, still a bit frazzled by the girl''s rather vivid emotional broadcasting. ¡°Fangirl...?¡± she asked. What did that mean? Fan? Like...cooling? Did Steven employ women for the sole purpose of cooling him off, or something? ¡°Er, no, I don¡¯t, uh, fan.¡±


    Though she might dunk him in cold water if asked. Or even if he didn¡¯t ask.


    ¡°I was just trying to find out what part of Dewford he¡¯s in, is all,¡± she continued. ¡°Thanks for¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait wait wait,¡± A girl interrupted, shooting to her feet. ¡°What do you mean by that? Is Steven Stone actually in Dewford!?¡±


    ¡°Uh.¡± Astra paused, looking around at the table of very curious teens suddenly staring straight at her. ¡°...I should go,¡± she decided, backing away.


    ¡°Wait¡ª!¡± the girl called, but Astra was already four tables away and picking up speed.


    Well, it wasn¡¯t a solid lead, but a sighting was better than nothing, she supposed.


    Though why in the world did he need women to follow him around and fan him off? Did he train so much that he was constantly overheated? Humans were, as always, extremely strange.


    <hr>


    ¡°¡ªI just don¡¯t trust that head scientist of theirs with something as important as the world''s first space colony,¡± somebody said, breaking through the soft din of the hall.


    Astra turned away from one of the elevated televisions scattered around the building¡ªthe one that had been reporting on the Mossdeep Space Center¡ªand looked around for the speaker. She spotted a man in a green suit sitting at another table near the television with two companions; an older man in beige and a woman dressed in crimson. Were they talking about the Space Center?


    ¡°Yes, she gets results,¡± the man in green continued, ¡°but haven¡¯t you heard all the rumors about interpersonal drama and rushed development? We¡¯re lucky she didn¡¯t make the damn rocket or we¡¯d be seeing fireworks over Mossdeep next month.¡±


    ¡°Those rumors are unfounded,¡± the beige man argued, leaning forward. ¡°Mere slander hurled around by colleagues jealous of her hard work.¡±


    The crimson woman nodded in firm agreement. ¡°Dr. Vir has made incredible advancements in a great deal of fields; they¡¯re even using her personal power generation designs to power the base, and those were given full approval by Wattson! You know,¡± she gestured to the TV, ¡°the man who gave Dewford a power grid worth a damn?¡±


    This seemed to mollify the green man a bit, as he contemplated his folded hands, frowning. ¡°Wattson or no, I¡¯m still not convinced. Her methodology is unsound, and I¡¯ve heard complaints about¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh forget about the damn complaints,¡± the beige man cut on looking annoyed. ¡°I didn¡¯t come here to yap about drama, I wanted to talk about the mission! Have you seen the press release about the engineering on that rocket? The innovation for the materials alone¡ª!¡±


    Oh, now that sounded interesting! Astra¡¯s first experience with the human world¡ªdiscounting May giving someone advice on how to stuff her in a ball forever¡ªhad been her listening in on a television through a window on the outskirts of Petalburg. She¡¯d discovered that humanity had devised means to travel the heavens and it was still unfathomable how they were able to accomplish such a thing. Perhaps these three could tell her more about it?


    Astra edged closer, brushing past an elderly quintet huddled around a very intense-sounding discussion involving needles and cloth. The woman at the table turned her head at Astra approach and held a hand up to her companion.


    ¡°Hold on a second, Gav,¡± the woman said, giving Astra a smile. ¡°Hello there! Is there something we can help you with?¡±


    Astra smiled back. ¡°I just overheard you talking about the rocket in Mossdeep and got curious. Do you guys know a lot about it?¡±


    ¡°Gav does; he¡¯s a bit of a nut for technical things like that,¡± the man in green affirmed. ¡°Though we¡¯re all big fans of space travel. May I take it that the cosmos has captured your attention as well?¡±


    ¡°Oh I¡¯ve always loved the stars,¡± Astra said, taking a seat. ¡°My grandpa did too; which is why my name is Astra.¡±


    ¡°Oh I love that name!¡± the women in red gushed, smiling brilliantly. ¡°Very retro! You can call me Maggy, that¡¯s Gav, and Mr. Stuffy over there is Isaac.¡±


    ¡°Stuffy!?¡± Isaac protested.


    ¡°Darling, you wore a tacky green suit to a casual outing,¡± Maggy informed him, eyes sparkling. ¡°You have worn tacky suits to every outing you have ever gone on.¡±


    ¡°It was incredible how you managed to only get a bit damp when we went surfing,¡± Gav added. ¡°I still have no idea how you did it.¡±


    ¡°Oh screw off,¡± Isaac grumbled, ¡°They aren¡¯t tacky.¡±


    Astra smiled at the interplay. Still, this wasn¡¯t what she¡¯d sat down for, amusing as it was. She turned to Gav.


    ¡°You were saying something about the rocket¡¯s engineering a bit ago?¡± she prompted. Gav¡¯s eyes lit up.


    ¡°I was!¡± he said, and quickly began to babble. ¡°So they¡¯ve gotten this new material for the front end of the ship, right? It cuts through air like nobody¡¯s business, and the thermal protection is out of this world¡ª¡±


    Astra learned a few things in rapid succession:


    1: For some reason, the rocket would catch on fire at some point during its journey. This was because¡ª


    2: Apparently anything moving fast enough would catch on fire, because the air couldn¡¯t get out of the way quick enough and it went over like a much greater version of when you rubbed your hands together when they got cold. How fast was that? Well¡ª


    2.5: You don¡¯t know MPH? Uh, walking usually averages to about three miles per hour. Anyway, as I was saying¡ª


    3. The speed this happened at was roughly six thousand miles per hour, and those rockets regularly got up to twenty-five thousand, which would be like if Astra was able to sprint across the village a half-dozen times before someone else blinked. Wow, wasn¡¯t that dangerous? What happens when they get to where they want to go? Well, they had a whole bunch of equipment and steps dedicated to slowing down before they landed. What if all that failed? In that case¡ª


    4. If the space rocket crash-landed into a city, the explosion would probably ruin a whole neighborhood. It wouldn¡¯t be special in terms of total damage to life or property, but it¡¯d really ruin the mood. Wait, what do you mean that wasn¡¯t especially damaging? Well that rocket is meant to go to space, not detonate. If you wanted one to do that you¡¯d use¡ª


    5. Humanity had built rockets which flew at impossible speeds that were purpose-built to explode and would annihilate a solid square mile of damn near anything. And they had built a lot of them.


    ¡°¡ªBut they¡¯ve been steadily disarming those things for decades. I think Hoenn has...actually they might all be gone, though who knows for sure. Well, eventually we¡¯ll only have the ones made to transport things into orbit or beyond,¡± Gav finished.


    ¡°Can¡¯t come soon enough, I say,¡± Issac grumbled. ¡°We need more hands working on helping people, not hurting them.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Astra croaked, hands tightly clenching the fabric of her dress. ¡°I¡¯d...like that too.¡±


    They¡¯d made weapons that could turn entire forests into wastelands. Why? What in the world would make them need such horrific weapons? Her village had crafted spears to fish, hunt, and ward off Poochyena; what sort of threat needed humanity to vaporize such a large area? The only thing she knew of that necessitated anything near that level of violence was when her¡ªwhen that Alpha Mightyena menaced the village. What were they so scared of!? At the very least the rockets seemed to be gone, but if they made more of them...


    ¡°Bit of a grim swerve there, Gav,¡± Maggy said. ¡°Can we go back to the cool space stuff?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Astra agreed, grasping onto the lifeline fervently. ¡°Like, uh...I know that one is going to build things on the moon, but what else do those rockets bring up there?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Well...¡± Gav furrowed his brow, staring up at the ceiling as he pondered the question. He scratched his nose. ¡°Well, Devon sent up a fancy new satellite a few months ago.¡±


    ¡°Devon!¡± Astra exclaimed, a wave of relief flooding through her at the familiar name. ¡°I know them! I was just in Rustboro a few days ago helping them with something.¡±


    Maggy paused, side-eyeing Astra. ¡°Were you now?¡± she hummed.


    ¡°Yeah, it was a whole thing,¡± Astra said, huffing. She shook her head. ¡°Anyway, what are they doing with the, uh, satellite?¡± she asked, pondering the strange word.


    Gav shrugged. ¡°Spying, probably.¡±


    Astra stared at him, her smile frozen on her face. ¡°...What?¡±


    ¡°Well it¡¯s essentially a big camera, right? So they¡¯re using it to take pictures of the landscape to make maps or something¡ª¡±


    Astra brushed a hand over the Pokenav in her pocket. She¡¯d...never questioned how they¡¯d made it, had she?


    ¡°¡ªBut everybody knows you don¡¯t use something that takes those kinds of pictures for just maps.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Astra said, faintly. ¡°So their machine up there can just...look anywhere in Hoenn and give them a picture of it?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not the best quality, but yes,¡± Isaac grumbled, folding his arms. ¡°Might not be too worrying now, but who knows how good cameras will be in the future? Wasn¡¯t even eighty years ago when they figured out how to fly people across the region without pokemon; if Devon makes a satellite that can peek in my windows, we¡¯re gonna start having some problems.¡±


    Eighty years. They¡¯d figured out how to fly only eighty years ago. Barely any time at all, really. A few cycles of hatchlings growing into mothers and their hatchlings growing to have eggs of their own. Astra didn¡¯t know if her village had really done anything within that time. They¡¯d made new songs and dances and that sort of thing, sure, but humanity...they¡¯d built weapons that could destroy expanses of land and machines that roamed around the stars and spied on people. Did the village''s protections even work on something without a mind!? How were they ever supposed to catch up with that!? This was¡ª! This was...


    Astra stared down at her hands, her hat obscuring the small prickling she felt in her eyes. Why did every new thing she learned seem designed to crush her future? She¡¯d only sat down to learn about space and rockets.


    This was supposed to be fun.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m done here,¡± she murmured, pushing her chair back. Her three conversation partners blinked at her.


    ¡°But we¡¯ve barely even started!¡± Gav protested. ¡°I got sidetracked like three times, and I¡¯ve hardly touched on...anything!¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Astra said, giving him a small smile. It wasn¡¯t his fault. She was just...


    Tired.


    ¡°I, uh, promised some friends that I''d meet up soon, so I figured I¡¯d wander around a little more before I leave.¡±


    ¡°Shame; we haven¡¯t even gotten to the experiments they¡¯re bringing up there,¡± Isaac said. ¡°One of them involves finding out how plants grow without gravity, you see.¡±


    ¡°Oh let the girl go,¡± Maggie chided. ¡°Don¡¯t be a halfwit who makes a lady miss a rendezvous."


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Astra nodded at Maggie, and managed a small grin for Gav and Isaac as she departed the table. ¡°I hope the space mission goes well.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn''t¡¯ve gone off on the missile rant,¡± Isaac muttered to Gav before Astra left earshot. ¡°People don¡¯t like that sort of thing.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t hear you complaining when I made those fireworks for your thirtieth¡ª¡±


    Astra sighed to herself, looking around for somewhere else to go. She didn¡¯t think she had much left in her after...that.


    The woman in red hummed and watched her go.


    <hr>


    ¡°Have you heard about New Mauville?¡±


    Astra looked up from an entire bakery''s worth of pastries and treats laid out before her. She had no idea why the elderly ladies sitting here had brought enough sweets to cover the entire table in decadent sugar, but she had tried something called a ¡®scone¡¯ with some Cherri jam and had subsequently been stuffing her face for the past five minutes. It was crumbly and a bit dry, but by the stars was it good!


    ¡°I have not!¡± she chirped, her telepathy allowing her to ignore the mouthful of jam still stuck in her jaws. ¡°What¡¯s New Mauville?¡±


    The old lady speaking to her smiled. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s some old underground power plant a bit south of regular Mauville that Wattson worked on a few decades back. They shut it down for some reason, and now it¡¯s just a bunch of rusting gizmos and electric pokemon.¡± She leaned over the table, her voice dropping to a murmur. ¡°I¡¯ve got a brother who lives up in Mauville, he says that old derelict plant has been shrieking and wailing at odd hours of the night lately. Not just any noise either, he says it sounds like a banshee got mixed up in one of them electric generators and went bonkers!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a banshee?¡± Astra asked, pausing to take a sip of tea. It was Cacnea, and tasted a little bitter, but it canceled out the extreme sweetness of everything else at the table. They did have honey, but she was already starting to overload on the absurd sweetness of the pastries.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a Galarian myth¡ª¡±


    Another elderly lady across the table snorted. ¡°Galarian? You absolute boghead, that myth¡¯s from Tir¡¯nog. Just ¡®cause the islands are close doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re interchangeable!¡±


    ¡°Tir¡¯nog, then,¡± the first woman corrected. ¡°In any case, it¡¯s about this ghostly woman who shows up outside the homes of people who¡¯re about to kick the bucket and starts wailing.¡±


    Astra paused, slowly lowering her scone. ¡°...Ghostly? Is...is it haunted?¡±


    ¡°According to my brother, it might be! He took a look himself, but he couldn¡¯t get inside¡ªthe whole thing has been blocked off for ages, though you still see some people go in and out sometimes. Said he saw a lot of flickering lights, and then when the screaming started he hightailed it out of there. Apparently it sounded like someone was torturing sheet metal. He reported it, but apparently the Jennies aren¡¯t doing anything.¡±


    Distorted screeching and flickering lights? Old, abandoned metal labyrinths? Astra shivered. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t like that. I don¡¯t like that at all. This place is south of Mauville?¡±


    ¡°Yes; somewhere on Route 110, I believe.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to keep my distance, then. The last thing I need is to go poking at some terrible screeching ghost.¡±


    The other old lady snorted again. ¡°You should go tell my lads that; they keep faffin¡¯ about with those busted down radios when they get hammered and it¡¯s a right pox.¡±


    ¡°Oh right, your man was teaching Shawn about broadcasts, right? How¡¯s that going?¡±


    Astra munched on another scone. For as much as humanity had made some really unnecessarily terrible things, they had really nailed it with bread and sugar. Still, maybe it was best she took her leave; her stomach was starting to feel a bit sickly after inhaling so many of the treats, and a quick glance at her Pokedex showed that¡ªoh, she was late, actually. May and Brendan were probably wondering where she was!


    She pushed back her chair and stood, stretching her arms out as she sighed contentedly. ¡°I¡¯ve gotta go; thanks for letting me sit for a while!¡±


    ¡°Oh it¡¯s no trouble, dearie!¡± the woman exclaimed, giving her a kind smile. ¡°Enjoy the rest of your day!¡±


    The rest of the table echoed the sentiment, wishing Astra fond farewells. Astra hurried away, heavy in stomach but light in step. Aside from a few...rather upsetting nuggets of information, this hadn¡¯t been a complete disaster. Weird Psyduck club, the extremely worrying knowledge about rockets and missiles, an important warning about haunted power plants, and even a hint of Steven¡¯s whereabouts! Not to mention that musical event in Slateport. If she wanted to check that out, she¡¯d have to really double down on practicing with those music sheets¡ª


    ¡°¡ªAnd that damned blast in Rustboro cut off my flight!¡±


    Astra slowed, looking pensively at the table between her and the stairs. An ancient-looking man sat at the head of the table, surrounded by a few not-as-old adults and a good handful of teenagers. Had her mistake affected him, too? It seemed that not even leaving the mainland was enough to distance her from that horrible memory. She sighed and started circling around, doing her best to ignore the conversation as the younger members of the table picked it up.


    ¡°Yeah, I had to cancel my school trip too. I think every plane and ship in the region got locked down for the rest of the week.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no wonder! Did you even see what it looked like? You don¡¯t just have a giant black death pillar shoot out of the forest and go on like it¡¯s a regular Friday. That clip on the news still freaks me out.¡±


    Astra closed her eyes and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. Just had to block it out. Just block it out, and get to the stairs. Not much further now.


    ¡°That mini-desert is crazy too. Everyone says it¡¯s haunted, but nobody¡¯s seen any Ghost pokemon, and they¡¯re still trying to figure out what that weird yellow haze even is.¡±


    ¡°Well, whatever it is, it ruined my vacation! Sucks that they still haven¡¯t found anyone to blame yet.¡±


    The ancient man snorted. ¡°Blame!? They¡¯re still trying to find out who did it? Then they¡¯re damned fools, the lot of them! It¡¯s obvious who did it!¡±


    Cold sweat crawled up Astra¡¯s back as she froze at the entrance to the stairwell, head snapping towards the elder. What!? He knew!? How¡ª!?


    ¡°It was those demons in Kanto!¡± The man shouted, banging his fist on the table. ¡°The whole region is nothing but a cesspit, so they¡¯re obviously behind it!¡±


    Astra stared at the man, shakily releasing her iron grip on the railing. What...was he talking about? Kanto? Wasn¡¯t that one of the other regions across the sea?


    ¡°Oh no,¡± one of the men muttered. He looked at the old man pleadingly. ¡°Grandpa, we¡¯re in public, please don¡¯t start ranting about the war again.¡±


    ¡°Kanto?¡± Someone else asked, sounding as confused as Astra felt. ¡°What does Kanto have to do with anything?¡±


    ¡°The entire country is stuffed with criminals, is what!¡± the old man roared, attracting the attention of every table nearby. ¡°Those lunatics couldn¡¯t stand that we didn¡¯t fall over when they tried to take Hoenn for themselves during the war forty years ago and they¡¯ve had it out for us ever since! That traitor Moore already sold us out by handing Lavaridge over to his bastard granddaughter, so it was only a matter of time until¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Grandpa!¡± the other man shouted, nearly tripping over himself as he rushed around the table. He clapped the older man on the shoulder and squeezed, his face a rictus of poorly hidden anger, panic, and exhaustion. ¡°I need you to get a grip on yourself. There are children here. Listen, let¡¯s just go get some fresh air¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, my bestie¡¯s from Kanto!¡± A younger woman shouted, practically steaming with outrage. ¡°The hell is your problem, old man!?¡±


    ¡°My problem!? What is your problem!?¡± He thundered, face turning red and veiny. ¡°All of you! Have you forgotten what they did to us!? Those devils and their blasted pokemon ate my little sister''s dreams! I watched her waste away from terminal insomnia, ranting and raving for nearly a fortnight before she fell apart, and you have the nerve to tell me that things are different when they have outright war hawks running their league!?¡±


    Hatred and pain. It steamed off the man like the miasma of long-rotten fish, putrid and caustic. He was shouting still, heedless of his grandson''s frantic attempts at damage control and the outraged horror of the crowd. Astra¡¯s ears buzzed as she stared at the scene, the cold metal of the railing once more shaking in her grip. The sounds were meaningless, but the emotion¡ª


    She knew this.


    She remembered this.


    Seething rage enough to drown all thought. Boundless enmity, waiting, simmering in impotence. Reaching out, flowing through her veins until the black smoke stained her skin and soul an abyssal black with malice enough to tar the skies¡ª


    ¡°Astra?¡±


    Astra did not scream. Part of her had recognized Brendan¡¯s approach before he had even spoken. She just stared at the shouting match as the edge of the bannister dug into her palm.


    ¡°Hey, Brendan,¡± she said, slowly peeling her hand off of the railing. It ached, but it was fine. She was fine.


    She had to be.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Brendan asked, and Astra heard him climbing the stairs. ¡°You didn¡¯t show up, and then we heard shouting from¡ª¡±


    ¡°I say we take all of those damn Kantonians, march them straight up Mt. Chimney, and¡ª!¡±


    ¡°¡ªOh.¡±


    He paused a few steps in. He saw, and heard. Astra could feel his confusion, shock, outrage¡ªworry. Part of her felt glad that he saw this and felt the same way she did about the furious argument in front of them. But the rage and anguish before her only grew further, the old man pulling everyone around him into his spiral of grief.


    ¡°Brendan?¡±


    He looked at her and hesitated. ¡°Uh.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be here anymore.¡±


    Her skin prickled as another wave of people began to yell, and now there were even a few muttering their own condemnations of Kanto. A miasma of hate, spreading and seeping outwards, and she could almost feel the ash in her hair¡ª


    Banishing the memory was proving much harder than usual, today.


    A moment passed. ¡°Yeah,¡± Brendan said, nodding rapidly. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re pretty late, and it sounds really ugly in there. May¡¯s waiting for us down¡ªAstra?¡±


    He¡¯d gone back down a few steps, but Astra hadn¡¯t moved. She couldn¡¯t see his face, but she could feel his worry redouble. But it was fine. She was fine. She was just too busy being fine to move.


    Brendan hesitated again, then climbed up to her and gently put an arm around her shoulder. Astra twitched, but did nothing else. He pulled, and Astra allowed him to, following on legs as heavy as ancient trees.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said, and softly guided Astra every step of the way.


    They descended the stairs, the argument above growing quieter with distance. Other humans passed them by, an Officer Jenny among them, but none stopped to bother them. The crowd on the ground level was no less stifling than it had been before, but the anguish was distant, now. It was...a little easier.


    ¡°Brendan?¡±


    Astra could feel him turn his attention towards her. Her mind was buzzing, and it felt like she was looking at the world through a rippling puddle. Machines in space that spied on everyone below. Weapons that flew faster than thought. The old man, ranting and raving about people from another land. The Aqua Grunt, both during that fight in the woods and when he threatened Peeko. And then...


    ¡°What is...war?¡±


    Brendan stopped at Astra¡¯s question. He stared ahead, confusion and dread billowing around his thoughts, before bitter melancholy suffused his soul.


    ¡°People...don¡¯t always get along.¡± he said, and for a moment he seemed as tired as she. ¡°Sometimes they think people should or shouldn¡¯t act a certain way, or they want something someone else has, or they¡¯re scared or jealous or a thousand other things. When enough people feel that way...or when a few people with loud voices want people to feel that way...then entire regions can disagree about how things should be.


    ¡°When people disagree hard enough, and their emotions run too high, they can get into a fight. And then someone can get hurt. But regions like Hoenn and Kanto are made of thousands and thousands of people. When two regions disagree, and they get into a fight...there are a lot more people that can get hurt, and they get hurt worse, and the fighting can last for a long, long time.¡±


    Oh.


    That¡¯s why they made the rockets.


    Humanity wasn¡¯t fighting a Mightyena. They weren¡¯t fighting any pokemon at all.


    They were fighting themselves. They¡¯d made weapons to burn out the land because they had to battle each other, and decided Pokemon weren¡¯t strong enough. And when they managed to get pokemon that were strong enough...what kind of sick battle necessitated sealing away someone''s ability to sleep? How could they possibly hate each other that much? Then again, maybe it shouldn¡¯t have been so surprising. She still remembered fragments of that vision in Rustboro. That figure in the snow. Humanity had killed them too, hadn¡¯t they?


    She had hoped it was just a dream. But of course it wasn¡¯t.


    They still hadn¡¯t learned anything.?


    Astra knew hatred like that could¡ªdid¡ªexist. After all...


    For a brief moment, she had felt the same.


    And if humanity could feel that way about each other, what would they feel about us?


    ¡°People...aren¡¯t very nice, sometimes,¡± Astra whispered.


    They just walked, for a moment. Slowly pacing towards the exit. Brendan exhaled softly, grimly staring ahead.


    ¡°No. No they aren¡¯t.¡±


    They stepped outside, Astra brushing Brendan¡¯s arm off as they did.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she murmured, managing to give him a tiny smile. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡±


    He looked at her, brow creased and flickering with disbelief. ¡°Are you sure? Maybe we should go find somewhere to take a break¡ª¡±


    ¡°There you are!¡±


    Astra turned and saw May push herself off one of the pillars holding up the building''s overhang. She jogged over, giving astra an exasperated glare.


    ¡°We were waiting out here for ages!¡± she complained, ¡°What, did you get lost or something?¡±


    Astra blinked. ¡°Sorry. I, uh, got distracted.¡±


    ¡°Someone was making a huge scene about Kanto,¡± Brendan explained. May looked at him blankly. Brendan stared back, then seemed to come to a realization. ¡°Uh, they were talking about the war. Very passionately.¡±


    May arched an eyebrow. ¡°Really? You were late because you were listening to some bullshit about that?¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Astra repeated.


    May waited for a moment, before realizing that was all she was going to get. She peered at Astra oddly, then huffed.


    ¡°Well, whatever. Assholes like that don¡¯t deserve the air they waste on spewing that shit. C¡¯mon,¡± she said, turning to leave. ¡°The gym is this way. We¡¯ve seen some sights, now let¡¯s go pick a fight!¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Brendan said. ¡°Maybe we could take a breather, first?¡±


    May gave him a blank, incredulous stare. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± she said, nodding slowly. ¡°Because rumor-mongering just tuckers you out so much, doesn''t it Brendan?¡±


    Brendan sighed. ¡°May...¡±


    ¡°I bet you worked so hard at sitting down and chatting with people, didn¡¯t you?¡± she continued, her voice reminding Astra very strongly of when the hatchling caretakers were having particularly taxing days. ¡°It must¡¯ve been so exhausting¡ª¡±


    ¡°May,¡± Brendan interrupted, shocking May into silence. ¡°Astra didn¡¯t take what they were saying too well. I just think we could take a few minutes to relax and¡ª¡±


    Astra closed her eyes, hands clenched tightly at her side. Was this about her? No. There was no need for this.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she interjected, walking past May. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    She didn¡¯t want to talk about it. She didn¡¯t want to think about it. How could they possibly understand, anyway? With as much trouble as she had understanding them...it was for the best.


    ¡°Wh¡ªAstra, I really think¡ª¡± Brendan started.


    ¡°I said I¡¯m fine, Brendan,¡± Astra bit out. She just wanted to get moving. Was that really so hard?


    May watched on, frowning. She hesitated, then shrugged. ¡°Let¡¯s just take her word on it, man,¡± she said, patting Brendan on the shoulder. ¡°Maybe some pitched combat will loosen her up, eh?¡±


    ¡°I really feel like we should talk about this,¡± he muttered, sullenly following along.


    May squeezed his shoulder, shrugging minutely as they caught up to Astra. ¡°We¡¯ll have all night to chill out after we deliver that dumb letter. Nobody¡¯s going anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah...¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± May clapped her hands, rubbing them together with a big grin. ¡°Now, what wacky rumors did you two get? I got some crackpot going on about how washed up cargo in someplace called Cinnabar is making Kanto¡¯s computer systems go up in flames.¡±


    Astra exhaled in relief. Finally, a good distraction. ¡°Well, I found an entire group of people worshipping this pokemon called ¡®Psyduck¡¯.¡±


    ¡°They fucking what!?¡±


    A faint smile crossed Astra¡¯s face as she regaled May and Brendan with the bizarre antics of Randy¡¯s fad-chasing group, their baffled faces a familiar¡ªand hilarious¡ªreprieve.


    Inscrutable as her human friends were at times, Astra would be forever grateful to have them at her side.

 Confusion

    Dewford Gym was a big, bulbous, orange-roofed structure located at the edge of the city with a magnificent cliffside view of the ocean. The field surrounding the cliff was covered in marked areas for various activities, such as a large standing net that two pairs of humans were hitting a ball over, a bunch of...cages(?) that people were tossing discs into, and of course, pokemon battle arenas¡ªall of which were occupied. The cliff itself had a wide set of stairs carved into it, leading all the way down to the water line where a miniscule beach had been created and subsequently populated by surfers.


    Astra looked up at the gym as she, May, and Brendan drew closer, shielding her tired eyes from the mid-afternoon sunlight as they raked over the structure. Feeling herself starting to flag, she took a deep breath and shook her head, clapping herself on the cheeks. All told, it had only been maybe four hours since they¡¯d hopped on Briney¡¯s ship back on the mainland and Astra was already feeling pretty drained. Winter¡¯s Eye had already harried her deeply on the trip over to Dewford, and while she¡¯d been able to regain her spirits in the aftermath, the burning hatred in Town Hall had left her struggling to even keep her shoes on. If she had to put words to the feeling, it was like she¡¯d played a sporting five round game of rebound as the ball.


    But as burnt out as Astra felt, she still had a badge to get! None of them had been able to find anything noteworthy about the gym in the Town Hall, but Brendan had been happy to tell them what he knew from when he¡¯d last visited.


    ¡°Brawly really likes surfing,¡± he started, smiling in reminiscence. ¡°Which makes his Fighting type specialization a little dissonant. You¡¯d think he¡¯d have a bunch of Water pokemon, but I guess Wallace in Sootopolis had that covered already? Well, Brawly¡¯s pretty straightforward, I recall; no mind games, just straight up physical assaults. He claims his ¡®fighting spirit¡¯ lets him connect to people on the battlefield, so he gets kinda philosophical sometimes?¡±


    ¡°Oh great, he¡¯s a surfbro with a side order of shounen,¡± May groused, sighing. ¡°Well, if he¡¯s that simple, I doubt we¡¯ll have any trouble.¡±


    Brendan looked at her, frowning. ¡°Simple doesn¡¯t mean battling him will be effortless, May.¡±


    ¡°Well, here¡¯s hoping it won''t be effortful,¡± Astra hummed. An easy badge would be a fantastic way to make up for the awful day she''d had so far. ¡°Let¡¯s get started, shall we?¡±


    Stepping through the doorway, she blinked as she was hit by a wave of brisk air. A brief shudder ran down her spine as the cold breeze brought back memories of her time at sea. Ugh, hadn¡¯t she been chilled enough for one day? Blinking away the staleness, she took her first look around the Gym. The first floor was incredibly open, and she could see clear to the other end of the building. In front of them was a wide arc-shaped desk manned by a few receptionists, but what really caught her eye were the strange devices littering the entire rest of the floor.


    Wall-to-wall, the gym was absolutely crammed with strange machines that seemed designed to mimic regular human activities. There were multiple rows of some device with a rolling floor that people were walking or jogging upon, but no matter how fast they ran they never actually seemed to move. What looked like multiple wheelless bicycles were also set up near the walkers, and there were innumerable other strange contraptions that seemed to do nothing but allow people to pointlessly exert themselves in increasingly bizarre ways. Another human thing for the pile, Astra supposed.


    May strode up to the desk, giving a woman behind the counter a cocky grin as she clapped a hand onto the surface and leaned in. ¡°Hey.¡±


    The receptionist gave her a very unimpressed blink, then plastered a smile across her face. ¡°Hello there!¡± she false-cheered. ¡°Welcome to the Dewford Gym. How can I help you today?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here to fight Brawly,¡± May announced.


    The receptionist hummed, eyes flicking to look the three of them over. ¡°All three of you? Very well; are all three of you newcomers, or have you participated in the Dewford Challenge in the past?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re new,¡± Astra said.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Brendan said, raising a hand. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been here before. Brendan Birch,¡± he added.


    ¡°Oh, welcome back!¡± the receptionist said, flashing him that same fake-smile from before. ¡°So that¡¯s two new challengers and one returnee...May I see you girls¡¯ trainer cards? Yes, thank you. You two have one badge each...all right then! Would you like to attempt the low-light gauntlet, or is this just a normal challenge?¡±


    ¡°Low light gauntlet?¡± Astra asked, blinking. A gauntlet was...some sort of endurance test, right? She hadn¡¯t known gyms could issue other types of challenges. ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°Brawly enjoys seeing other trainers follow his footsteps in training in pitch-darkness,¡± the receptionist explained, typing away at her computer. ¡°So we¡¯ve set up a course in the basement to mimic the Granite Caves. If you can defeat a few resident trainers in a row while blind, not only will Brawly make accepting your challenge a priority, he¡¯ll also throw in an extra prize.¡±


    Huh. That sounded...really easy. Astra didn¡¯t need sight to tell where other living beings were, and her ability to share that with her pokemon would negate the darkness very handily. Earning a prize might be nice as well. Still, they really had to find Steven today, and spending the whole afternoon fighting trainers when they could just be going straight to Brawly sounded like a poor use of time.


    ¡°We¡¯ll just fight Brawly,¡± May said, having come to a similar conclusion as Astra. ¡°We¡¯ve got other places to be today.¡±


    The receptionist nodded. ¡°Very well. Give me a moment while I contact him,¡± she said, picking up a nearby phone.


    ¡°What did she mean by ¡®make our challenge a priority¡¯?¡± Astra asked, turning to Brendan. ¡°Aren¡¯t gym leaders supposed to accept challenges?¡±


    Belatedly, she recalled that Norman hadn¡¯t accepted her challenge back in Petalburg, so she¡¯d already seen an example of this. On the other hand, Norman was a huge jerk, so...?


    Thankfully, and as always, Brendan had the answer.


    ¡°Gym Leaders do a lot more than just fight trainers, Astra,¡± he said. ¡°They also have to run the gym, take on any pokemon-related issues in the community, train their team, and, well, have a life. They only have so many hours a day to face challengers. If he doesn''t have time for us today, we¡¯d just have to try again later. This gauntlet is just Brawly¡¯s way of letting people cut the line, so to speak.¡±


    ¡°I see. Wait,¡± Astra paused, furrowing her brows. ¡°What are we going to do if he¡¯s busy?¡±


    ¡°March up there and kick his door in?¡± May suggested perhaps a little too eagerly.


    ¡°No, May,¡± Brendan sighed. ¡°We can probably still see if there''s any mundane appointment slots available, spectate someone else''s match and talk to him between rounds, or maybe catch him coming or going from the building. Worst case is that we delay getting the badges until tomorrow. We could try out the gauntlet, even.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately,¡± the receptionist cut in, ¡°it appears that Brawly is available and willing to accept your challenges. You can find him on the third floor.¡± She pointed at an elevator and stairwell to the side, flashing them that plastic smile. ¡°Please enjoy your visit to the Dewford Gym.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the help!¡± Brendan said, nodding. May had already started toward the elevator, Astra and Brendan not long behind.


    Astra glanced at the elevator uneasily, then grimaced and headed for the stairs. She wasn¡¯t particularly keen on stepping into one of those deathtraps again.


    May glanced at her as she walked past the elevator, brow furrowed in confusion. ¡°Eh? Astra, where are¡ªoh, right,¡± she sighed. ¡°Yeah, okay. Stairs it is. Last time she tried an elevator she nearly hurled,¡± she explained to Brendan.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Brendan said, ¡°That¡¯s...not great.¡±


    Ugh. ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s awful; now are you two coming or not?¡± Astra groused, giving the two an irritated look from the top of the landing. Did they have to talk about her when she was right here? She shook her head and started ascending the steps once more, two pairs of footsteps trailing behind soon afterwards.


    Astra didn¡¯t spare more than a few moments to look, but took note of the several unusually small square arenas on the second floor. Didn¡¯t they already have a bunch of arenas outside? Well, maybe they were for inclement weather. Still, they looked pretty cramped; even at opposite ends of the space, you could get within arms reach of an opponent in a second.


    Perhaps that was due to the gym''s typing theme. Thinking back to Roxanne¡¯s lesson at the school in Rustboro, Astra recalled that Fighting types were very predisposed to direct physical combat; perhaps these small arenas were meant to emphasize that.


    Soft, arrhythmic thwacking filled in at the edges of Astra¡¯s hearing as she ascended to the last floor. It sounded like flesh hitting thick padding, each strike accompanied by a flash of exertion and a type of focused joy she recognized from when Grandpa was fully absorbed into his art. How peculiar. Was that Brawly? It had to be; Astra couldn¡¯t sense anyone else nearby who could fit the bill, and the presence felt just a bit stronger than most. It reminded her of Roxanne, in a way. And Steven, though he had been much more intense. Were all Gym Leaders like this?


    Astra reached the top of the steps and came to a halt. A larger, sunken version of the odd square arenas from before dominated the room, with the rest dedicated to a great number of tiered benches for spectators. Inside the arena was a man, tanned and blue of hair, grinning fiercely as he hammered his gloved fists into a patched up cylindrical leather bag. Sweat formed a light sheen across lean muscle on his bare arms and legs, uncovered by his orange and black T-shirt or blue shorts. Hopping back, the man¡¯s leg rose, and his¡ªhis uh.


    Um.


    Was...was he wearing foot-shaped shoes?


    Astra stared at the shoes. They were black with orange highlights that made them look like sandals, orange toenail decorations(!?), and individually molded toes(!?!?).


    Aside from May¡¯s epithets, Astra had never been formally introduced to the concept of gods. If she had been, it would be at this moment where she would know in her heart and soul that they were dead.


    "Is that another boxing ring?" May asked, coming up from behind. "Oh, it¡¯s a big one. Are they using them as arenas? Makes sense, I guess, but it¡¯s smaller than the other arenas I¡¯m used to¡ªoh, nice roundhouse," she observed, watching the man in the ring kick the leather bag. "He¡¯s got some moves¡ªwhat in the hell is on that man''s feet,¡± May said, her eyes and voice deadening to a flat, empty monotone.


    ¡°Oh good, it¡¯s not just me,¡± Astra sighed in relief. ¡°I have no clue what they are, but I do know that it is wrong.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong now?¡±


    May turned to the now-arriving Brendan and pointed back at the man in the ring. ¡°That guy,¡± she announced, ¡°has the worst shoes I have ever seen in my now forsaken life.¡±


    Brendan blinked. He looked at the man and the atrocities he stood within and had the audacity to only be confused.


    ¡°You mean barefoot shoes?¡± he asked, uncertainly. ¡°I mean, they take a bit to get used to, but they aren¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve worn them?¡± Astra asked, shocked and betrayed.


    ¡°I mean...yeah?¡± Brendan said, glancing between her and May in hesitant bafflement. ¡°They give you better grip when you do things like surfing, or¡ª¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re a crime is what they are,¡± May huffed, leveling a glare at the boy. ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit how good they are for whatever; whoever makes shoes with individually molded toes needs to get tossed in the deepest, darkest part of the arctic.¡±


    Astra frowned, suddenly noticing a distinct lack of leathery impacts. Craning her head, she saw that the man she was tentatively identifying as Brawly had noticed them, looking over with mild perplexion written across his features. He peered down at his shoes, twisting them around as though he¡¯d only just now noticed he was wearing them. Shrugging, he turned toward them and started walking closer.


    "I just don''t see how they''re that awful," Brendan objected. "I''ve never heard anything about them before, and I used them my entire time here when I was younger."


    "Brendan, you are wearing a pair of shorts over your pants," May said, poking a finger in his chest. "The day someone like you becomes the most fashion-conscious person in the room is the day my eyes melt out of my skull."


    ¡°Are you still on about that!? My pants are fine!¡±


    ¡°I beg to differ. Besides, it¡¯s not just the pants, your hat is weird too!¡±


    ¡°Wh¡ªwhat''s wrong with my hat!?¡±


    ¡°It looks like hair! I don¡¯t even know why it¡¯s like that, but I swear to fuck every time I haven¡¯t seen you for a couple hours I think you got your head bleached, and it¡¯s always there!¡±


    ¡°Oh, says the girl who constantly covers up her eternal bedhead with a bandana! What, do you wake up every morning and headbutt a power transformer?¡±


    Brawly came to a stop next to Astra, the man towering over Astra by at least a solid foot, putting him at least half a head above Brendan. He stared at the two teens, quirking an eyebrow in amusement as they carried on and completely failed to notice his approach. He caught Astra''s eye and jerked his head at the squabbling questioningly.


    Astra looked upon her friends quietly, and turned to Brawly with a sigh. "Yeah. They...they do this, sometimes."


    She did too, but this time she just...didn¡¯t really feel like it.


    Brawly considered this nugget of knowledge, nodding sagely. He examined May and Brendan carefully, his face splitting into a massive grin as he stepped forward.


    ¡°Well,¡± Brawly said, his voice casual and brimming with latent humor, ¡°I think he looks way tubular.¡±


    ¡°Nobody asked you!¡± May snapped, whirling to face Brawly. ¡°So shove off and...¡± she trailed off, looking up at Brawly in squinty-eyed, open-mouthed disbelief.


    ¡°...Tubular?¡± she repeated, too baffled to be offended. Brendan, for his part, seemed to be feeling like he just got caught hurling grass balls at sleeping guards as he stared at Brawly in shock.


    ¡°Brawly!¡± Brendan stammered, confirming Astra¡¯s suspicions. ¡°Ah, we were, I mean, I¡¯m sorry¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s me!¡± Brawly cheered, cutting Brendan off with a flashing smile. ¡°You guys my challengers? Nice to meet ya. And I didn¡¯t say it to be nice, either,¡± he added, clapping a hand on Brendans shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t mind the sketch your lady friend was laying into ya¡¯, you¡¯re dressed up rad, little man.¡±


    ¡°Uh.¡± Brendan blinked, seemingly unsure how to take the earnest praise. ¡°Thank you?¡±


    May rubbed at her forehead, sighing. ¡°He even uses slang,¡± she muttered, putting on her usual dramatics. ¡°My ears will never recover.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you too,¡± Astra said, putting on a smile of her own. ¡°You¡¯d be right; we¡¯re here to challenge you for your badge.¡±


    ¡°Right on!¡± Brawly nodded, stepping back to look at the three of them. ¡°But first things first, can a man get some introductions? Name¡¯s Brawly, and I¡¯m Dewford¡¯s Gym Leader, but you probably already knew that. I''ve been churned in the rough waves of these parts, and I''ve grown tough in the pitch-black caves! Now, who are you three?¡±


    ¡°Brendan Birch,¡± Brendan said, stepping forward. ¡°We¡¯ve actually met before, when I visited the gym a few years ago.¡±


    Brawly tilted his head, brow furrowed. ¡°Birch, Birch...¡± he muttered, peering at Brendan. He snapped a finger, eyes lighting up. ¡°Oh, your dad¡¯s the professor in Littleroot! Yeah, I remember you, that squirt who got lost in the cave!¡±


    ¡°Yeah...¡± Brendan winced, scratching his head as May choked back laughter beside him. ¡°That uh, that was me alright.¡±


    Brawly grinned. ¡°Alright, nice to see you again! Grew up quick, didn¡¯t ya? And got some friends too!¡± he added, glancing toward May.


    ¡°He¡¯s tolerable enough,¡± May shrugged, smirking. ¡°Name¡¯s May.¡±


    Brawly¡¯s gaze shifted towards Astra. Oh, was it her turn?


    ¡°Astra,¡± she said, putting on a weak smile of her own. Brawly paused for an instant, everpresent grin flickering with uncertainty before resuming its prior cheer.


    ¡°Great!¡± He clapped his hands, grin abruptly fading into a more serious expression. ¡°Now, before we get on with your challenges, there¡¯s a snag we gotta work out; I only really have time for maybe two fights before I gotta scram for the day. Can¡¯t do all three of you right now, so someone¡¯s gotta sit this out.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± May exclaimed, blasting outrage and irritation. ¡°Really!? Can¡¯t you just¡ªugh,¡± she rubbed at her forehead, eyes squeezed shut in sheer exasperation. Astra was inclined to grouse right alongside her. Someone had to be left out? Another stars-forsaken roadblock! Couldn¡¯t anything go right today!?


    Brendan glanced at them, the edge of his mouth twitching upward. ¡°Well, I did warn you,¡± he sighed, before raising a hand. ¡°I¡¯ll sit this one out,¡± he said, looking at Brawly.


    ¡°Eh?¡± Astra said, looking up at Brendan in surprise as May perked back up. That had been awfully quick; she¡¯d expected to have to argue her way into one of the spots. ¡°Are you sure?¡± she asked, ¡°you don¡¯t have to sacrifice your place just by default¡ª¡±


    ¡°Man¡¯s made his choice, Astra!¡± May interjected, cheerfully clapping Brendan on the shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s honor his sacrifice in the ring, yeah?¡±


    Brendan rolled his eyes, shrugging off May¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s not that big a deal to me if you guys go first; it¡¯s not like we can¡¯t come back later, and I know both of you have been looking forward to it.¡±


    It was fair reasoning, but the speed of it was still a little odd. Well, in the end it was his choice. She smiled, nodding at the taller boy before turning to face Brawly again. He looked at them, his grin having returned to his face.


    ¡°Got all that sorted out? Rad. So, who¡¯s up first?¡±


    Ah, right. If she remembered correctly, she and May had bet on a coin toss to figure out their order back when they¡¯d challenged Roxanne. Astra still wasn¡¯t sure what rock paper scissors was, but maybe they could just do another flip¡ª


    ¡°Yo,¡± May said, raising a hand. Astra blinked, staring at the other girl.


    Or May could just outright claim it, apparently.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Astra asked. ¡°Why don¡¯t we just flip a coin like at Roxanne¡¯s gym?¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± May said, waving a hand through her bangs. ¡°You won that time, so now it¡¯s my turn.¡±


    What in the world was happening today? First Brendan backing out, and now May doing this? Their logic was sound, sure, but that didn¡¯t mean they could just skip to doing whatever they thought was best. ¡°I mean, that¡¯s fair and all, I guess, but we didn¡¯t even talk about it. You just went ahead without me!¡±


    May shook her head. ¡°Well, it¡¯s no big deal, right? We¡¯re both fighting him anyway, and hey, this time you get to see how he battles ahead of time like I did! Honestly it¡¯s more like I¡¯m giving you the advantage here, really. I think you could use it; after all, you only scraped through Roxanne¡¯s fight by a hair, yeah?¡± May nodded to herself, looking pleased. Both Brendan and Brawly were giving her looks, one flat, and the other oddly neutral.


    Astra stared. ¡°I...yeah, but...¡± she said, wilting. She wasn¡¯t wrong, but...that wasn¡¯t really...


    ¡°Great!¡± May cheered, turning back to Brawly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m ready when you are!¡±


    ¡°Bit of a barney, aren¡¯tcha?¡± Brawly observed, raising an eyebrow. ¡°You got some mean aggro in you; let¡¯s see if you can match that in the pit.¡± He jerked a thumb backwards toward the compact arena.


    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± May cheered, pumping a fist into the air. ¡°Time to kick some ass! I better hear you guys cheering for me,¡± she added, shooting Astra and Brendan a wink before jogging off toward the arena, an eager grin plastered on her face.


    ¡°Will do,¡± Brendan sighed, watching her go. He turned to Brawly, scratching the side of his head nervously. ¡°Ah, sorry about that. May can get a little, uh...¡± he trailed off.


    ¡°Bogus?¡± Brawly asked, amused.


    ¡°Right, bogus,¡± Brendan agreed. He paused, brows furrowing. ¡°Uh.¡±


    ¡°Ayy, no sweat off my back,¡± Brawly said, waving him away. ¡°I see all sorts around here, and I can¡¯t blame someone for having such a ferocious fighting spirit! You two can sit wherever you¡¯d like,¡± Brawly added, grinning at Astra and Brendan again as he started toward the ring. ¡°It¡¯ll be quite the show!¡±


    Despite his semi-jovial tone, Astra could tell he was a little unimpressed with May, and got the feeling Brawly wasn¡¯t going to go easy on her. Not that he would in the first place, Astra supposed. But she wouldn¡¯t be surprised if May was going to get exactly the fight she picked.


    ¡°At least it¡¯s not crowded this time,¡± Astra muttered, following Brendan toward the spectator seats. ¡°Roxanne called the whole gym over to watch us fight.¡±


    ¡°I think Roxanne¡¯s the only one who does that as a matter of course,¡± Brendan said, leading Astra towards the middle of the row. ¡°It¡¯s one reason why she¡¯s usually the first stop in Hoenn¡¯s gym circuit for a lot of trainers; it¡¯s incredibly easy to find recordings of her fighting all sorts of opponents, so she¡¯s easy to prepare for. That a significant portion of Hoenn¡¯s native trainers step right out of her school and into her gym is another.¡±


    ¡°I see...¡±


    Brawly¡ªand the rest of Hoenn¡¯s gym leaders¡ªmust only do that sort of thing as a special occasion, then? Or maybe they just don¡¯t specifically call everyone to come watch, Astra supposed. She plopped down next to Brendan and almost immediately felt the life drain from her limbs. Ah, that was right, she¡¯d been more-or-less on the move all day today, hadn¡¯t she? Walking to Mr. Briney¡¯s from the Petalburg Woods, riding across the ocean, and then walking across Dewford to the Town Hall and here to the Gym. Plus that...thing in the mists and what she¡¯d felt in the Town Hall itself hadn''t helped matters.


    It wasn¡¯t even over yet, Astra realized. After she fought Brawly, they would have to go find Steven Stone, wherever he was. Hopefully he was in, say, the next room over or something. After all of this she could...really go for...a...


    ¡°Combusken, double-kick!¡±


    Astra¡¯s eyes shot open, her head snapping back from the brief downward slump that she¡¯d fallen in. She blinked rapidly, only now noticing the sounds of battle coming from the arena. What, had it started already?


    Below, Combusken let out a wild caw as taloned feet tore into¡ªbut not through¡ªthe crossed arms of a figure Astra didn¡¯t know the name of. It was roughly Combusken¡¯s height, and looked rather like a human with a reptilian face, small tail, blue skin, and three white vertical crests atop its head.


    ¡°It¡¯ll take more than ferocity to conquer these shores!¡± Brawly called, raising a fist in challenge. ¡°Machop, sweep low and drop ¡®em!¡±


    The newly named Machop¡¯s eyes gleamed. In one swift motion he shoved Combusken¡¯s leg aside, dropping into a crouch and twisting. His leg arced out, Astra blinked, and suddenly Combusken was toppling backwards, almost horizontal with the floor. Machop sprung upwards, dropping his elbow into Combusken¡¯s torso mid-fall and driving him into the ground with a painful thud.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not good,¡± Astra murmured, rubbing at her eyes as May vocally took offense to the counterattack. ¡°May won¡¯t last too long if Combusken keeps taking hits like those.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think May¡¯s had a lot of practice fighting other, well, Fighting types,¡± Brendan mused. ¡°There¡¯s a bit of nuance in these matchups that she wouldn¡¯t have known to train Combusken in, like footwork and such. Meanwhile, this is Brawly¡¯s specialty; I¡¯m not surprised the first few hits aren¡¯t going her way.¡±


    ¡°Well, she¡¯d better get better fast,¡± Astra sighed, looking at the unfolding altercation...vacantly?


    Strange. Whenever she¡¯d sat on the sidelines when May and Brendan had a friendly spar¡ªthat May had never lost¡ªshe¡¯d always been at least a little enthralled in the spectacle. Yet right now she couldn¡¯t even muster up any interest in a gym battle. Stars, she¡¯d been half-a-blink from outright falling asleep! Was she truly that exhausted?


    Scowling to herself, Astra shook her head and straightened her back. She was up next; there was no way she was missing out on her fight over a little fatigue! She stared intently at the battle below, frowning as Machop, thoroughly beaten and burnt, managed to land a decisive chop to Combusken¡¯s throat and send his feathery opponent into gasping unconsciousness. She frowned as Combusken disappeared in a flash of red light. May had lost the first round?


    ¡°Come on, May!¡± Astra called, now thoroughly annoyed. ¡°You can do better than that!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got this!¡± Brendan loudly encouraged. ¡°Show him what you¡¯re made of!¡±


    May¡¯s response was a loudly grumbling expletive while she dug into her fanny pack and sent out Poochyena. Honestly, with how she all but shoved her way into fighting first, Astra had thought she would have had the decency to not flub the first few moments!


    Although, she hadn¡¯t expected May to steal the first shot at all. What was up with that? She wasn¡¯t even considerate enough to explain herself. Once they¡¯d beaten Brawly and delivered that letter to Steven, Astra was going to have to sit her down and figure out why exactly¡ª


    Remember.?


    <hr>


    ¡°¡ªFuck off!¡± May screamed, glaring hatefully at Astra as she stomped away into the forest. ¡°Shut up, SHUT UP! I am so sick of your questions¡ª!¡±


    <hr>


    ¡ªshe¡¯d...huh?


    The world swam for a moment. Astra blinked, catching her drooping head in a hand. That¡­why had she recalled that so suddenly? Her fight with May in the Petalburg Woods, now starkly clear again in her mind. She and May had had an altercation about May¡¯s, uh, abrasive social skills after she had been a jerk toward Steven Stone¡ªright after he¡¯d rescued them from being lost¡ªabout two weeks ago, and the other girl hadn¡¯t taken it well.


    She¡¯d almost forgotten the way that argument ended. May wasn¡¯t particularly keen on trying to confront her faults, history, or mentality; she¡¯d even made Astra promise to not bring that sort of thing up again. Astra had accepted it in the moment, just glad that they hadn¡¯t completely fallen out, but...that wasn¡¯t a great thing to promise, was it? Complete immunity from questioning her?


    No, she¡¯d still have to bring it up. Underneath all the grit, May was still the girl who¡¯d shared her room, fielded her questions, and been her friend since her first day as a trainer. She¡¯d just have to make her see that this sort of thing was keeping her from being the kind person Astra knew she could¡ª


    And never forget.?


    <hr>


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    May squinted back at her, eyes full of irritation and empty contempt. ¡°What do you want?¡± she asked, as though the very air she used to speak to her was utterly wasted.¡±You won, battles over.¡±


    ¡°Go away.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡ªbe...?


    Astra stared at the battle below, dimly watching Poochyena nip at Machop until it fell, only for Brawly to pull out another pokemon apparently called Makuhita. It was rather chubby, bipedal, mostly yellow, and was already punching the air in excitement.


    Astra was only barely looking at him, preoccupied with recollecting meeting May for the first time as a ¡®human¡¯. May had utterly dismissed her, then. Treated her like...like everyone else Astra had ever seen May talk to that wasn¡¯t her or Brendan.


    Only after discovering Astra was her ¡®rival¡¯ did May change her tune. Was the simple fact that they had become trainers at the same place at roughly the same time truly that potent?


    Or was it simply...convenient?


    Had May latched onto Brendan¡ªand then Astra herself¡ªsimply because they¡¯d been the first options available once she¡¯d arrived in Hoenn? Was that basis something that could truly last? May had been so outraged back in Petalburg Woods...what if bringing her issues to light again made their friendship more trouble than she thought it was worth? Surely other humans would be easier for May to get along with; Brendan already proved that. He didn¡¯t ask weird questions, or wear dirty clothes to bed, or completely fail to understand every other reference or remark in the world.


    How much longer could someone who treated everyone like an enemy be friends with Astra, just because she¡¯d decided that Astra was an exception on a whim?


    Astra jerked back as a terrifyingly familiar howl pierced the air. For a brief second she was back in the forest near her home, scrambling through dense underbrush as shapeless forms flitted through the darkness around her, stalking her every movement as they circled in for the¡ª


    ¡°Strafe and bite!¡± May shouted.


    Astra gasped, heart pounding in her chest. Below, Poochyena rushed directly at Makuhita¡ªjerking to the right as Makuhita¡¯s palm rocketed through the space he¡¯d occupied. Poochyena, hair radiating faint wisps of gray energy, swiveled around Makuhita and jumped, fangs sinking into his opponent¡¯s head-bow-thing as he rode the rotund pokemon into the floor.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s how you do it!¡± Brendan cheered from beside her, pumping a fist in the air. Astra automatically copied the motion, ¡®woo¡¯ing alongside him.


    Astra stared at the arena, deliberately evening her breaths out as her pulse ceased thundering in her head. May¡¯s Poochyena had just used Howl; it was nothing to worry about. Everything was...it was fine.


    ¡°She¡¯s doing better,¡± Astra said, tearing her attention away from the battle below. ¡°Got a good hit in, and Poochyena isn¡¯t even scratched yet.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s adapting pretty well,¡± Brendan agreed. ¡°But even one good attack doesn¡¯t make the fight. Feinting is a step in the right direction but she¡¯s still too straightforward; if she aimed Poochyena at a joint instead of the head she could have hindered Makuhita¡¯s ability to fight back instead of just¡ª¡±


    Brendan had a nice voice, Astra thought, slowly. It was always crystal clear and well enunciated. Did he practice talking a lot? Who even did that? Weirdo. The rest of humanity too, in fact; weirdos one and all. Didn¡¯t they have any shame? Astra doubted her own voice would be any sort of eloquent; she hadn¡¯t even attempted vocal speech as a Kirlia yet, and the number of times she spoke as a Ralts could be counted on her hands. Hadn¡¯t May even been there the last time Astra had spoken? She had quite the voice too, always so emotional and vibrant. Astra could even hear her now¡ª


    ¡°¡ªDammit!¡± May cursed, recalling a battered and fully unconscious Poochyena back to her pokeball. Across the arena, Makuhita was now adorned with a crown of bloody bitemarks and a number of gashes around his arm while coated in a wispy layer of red energy.


    Astra twitched. Apparently she¡¯d zoned out and missed a minute or so. Again. Ugh, she hadn¡¯t felt nearly this scattered before she¡¯d sat down; if May had let her go first, she wouldn¡¯t have lost her...wakefulness...momentum? Was there...a word for that? Uh.


    A loud bird call sounded from below, drawing Astra¡¯s attention away from the complexities of language. Oh, May had brought out Taillow. Why was it so fuzzy? No, wait, so was everything. Focus.


    Astra grabbed a bit of flab on her waist and twisted. Sharp, searing pain flooded her system, jerking her fully upright once more and clearing the blur from her slightly watery eyes. Sodden embers that hurt!


    Blinking away the tears, Astra looked back to the battle just in time to see Taillow¡¯s shining blue wing carve a hefty gash along Makuhita¡¯s arm. Piercing bird-song resounded through the arena as Taillow twirled away from Makuhita¡¯s responding palm-strike and ascended into the air, cawing in victory as Makuhita¡¯s struck arm hung limply at his side.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t coming back from this!¡± May yelled, raising an arm to the sky. ¡°Taillow, wing him down!¡±


    ¡°Your bird is speedy,¡± Brawly admitted, grinning in spite of his partner''s injury, ¡°but my man won¡¯t miss this shot! Let¡¯s ride, Makuhita! Snatch that bird out of the air and use Vital Throw!¡±


    Taillow fluttered high, then twisted around and dove straight down, wings shining like the sky. Makuhita stared upward, line-like eyes locked onto his foe¡¯s falling form as his remaining hand pulsed with crimson fighting spirit.


    Astra gripped the edge of her bench, eyes wide. Had Makuhita been strengthening himself all fight? Even though Taillow had the type advantage offensively, Makuhita¡¯s strength had half-again surpassed that difference. Taillow didn¡¯t have a defensive advantage since it was neutralized by his weakness, so if that strike hit...!


    ¡°This is it!¡± Brawly yelled. ¡°Time to send that bird into the deep end!¡±


    Silver light dove, and a red palm rose to meet it. The moment seemed to stretch on¡ª


    A shout pierced the air.


    ¡°Shoulder slash!¡± May screamed.


    Seconds from impact, Taillow swerved, darting between Makuhita¡¯s outstretched arm and his head. Silvery wings sliced down and cut, driving themselves into the tendons of Makuhita¡¯s shoulder, and leaving a gouge in the muscle down his back.


    Red energy still burned, and Makuhita cried out as he spun, his unerring strike lashing out¡ª


    Only for a floppy, unresponsive hand to lightly slap Taillow out of the air. Charged enough to still hurt, but without Makuhita able to put his full strength behind the blow Taillow merely bounced off the floor a single time before uprighting itself and swishing back into the air, ruffled but unscathed.


    Everyone stared at Makuhita, who glared up at Taillow with no fists left with which to punch.


    May smirked. ¡°Sorry, what was that?¡± she asked, cupping a hand over her ear. ¡°I can¡¯t hear all your surfer-talk over how hard you just got rolled.¡±


    Astra couldn¡¯t help but cheer at the sight. That was it! She¡¯d gotten one over on Brawly!


    ¡°Heck yeah!¡± Brendan cheered alongside Astra. ¡°Fantastic call!¡±


    May visibly preened at the exclamations, while Brawly just looked amused, and perhaps a little impressed. Astra couldn¡¯t blame him; just a moment ago May¡¯s Combusken was getting his butt handed to him, and now her Taillow had just severely outmaneuvered him. Brendan was right, she did adapt fast.


    ...Maybe that was it, Astra thought. Sure, May was abrasive and kind of a jerk to everybody. Sure her reasons for being friends with Astra were whimsical and ephemeral. That didn¡¯t mean it had to stay that way! If she could learn how to fight like this in such a short amount of time, surely she could learn to value others as well? It wasn¡¯t like she¡¯d had much practice, Astra supposed. Yet, even with that lack of experience, she¡¯d been decent at being nice when she wanted to! Even recently, she¡¯d been mostly civil with Captain Briney! Sort of.


    Astra nodded to herself as she watched Brawly recall his Makuhita and bring out his third pokeball. Yes, if she could just help May overcome her social inexperience and understand how to be considerate of others, then she was sure the other girl wouldn¡¯t repeatedly piss off everyone from strangers to powerful human leaders and be much happier for it. After all that, maybe she and May could reconcile in truth, rather than that mess in the forest. And once everything was finally said and done, and Astra had finally become Champion and all that followed, May could see Astra for who she truly was and would...May would...


    ¡°Go, Meditite!¡±


    There was a flare of very familiar power, and then she knew.


    What they have done to you.?


    <hr>


    The human stood above her, eyeing her in vague interest.


    ¡°Never seen this kind before, though...¡± she muttered. The interest faded, and she nudged the small boy at her side forward, gesturing to the creature she¡¯d never seen before. ¡°Well?¡± she asked, casually, as though it weren¡¯t important at all.


    ¡°Go capture it.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡ªMay would be realizing that her entire friendship with Astra was built on a giant fucking lie.


    Echoes of her and May¡¯s first meeting replayed themself in Astra¡¯s mind over and over as she laid eyes upon Brawly¡¯s last pokemon. She could see him, two feet tall and Kirliaesque, blue skin with white feet, hips, wrists, and head. Two ovular marks underlined two wide black eyes, between which was an open, diamond-shaped mouth, all beneath a droplet shaped mass of white hair with two swirling bulges over his ears.


    But more than that, she saw him floating slightly above the ground, legs crossed and faintly glowing with a power she knew all too well.


    Meditite was a Psychic type, his energy blaring out to any who could sense it.


    Meditite blinked, breaking his intense staredown with Taillow to turn an inquisitive eye directly at Astra. Astra stared back, frozen in place. Meditite tilted his head curiously, then dismissed her, turning back towards his opponent.


    ¡°Alright Taillow, let''s see what this one¡¯s made of! Quick Attack!¡± May called.


    ¡°Meditite, Reflect!¡± Brawly countered.


    Astra watched blankly as Taillow crashed into a familiar wall of energy, slanted such that he bounced directly into the floor before Meditite followed up with a swift kick that sent him across the room. May...wasn¡¯t hesitating at all, was she? No, of course she wasn¡¯t. Why would she? It was just another pokemon, after all.


    What did it matter if Meditite was Psychic? A lot of pokemon were Psychic.


    What did it matter if Meditite could learn complex maneuvers and strategy? That it was capable of deep thoughts and feelings? So could every other pokemon she had seen.


    Was he capable of learning to speak human? Even if he was, would anyone bother to teach him? Would it change things even if he did?


    Roxanne had told her that there had been success in the past. But she¡¯d never said anything about those pokemon who had learned to speak...being anything more.


    None of that made a difference. They were all still pokemon. She was still a pokemon.


    They could never be anything else.


    May stared Meditite down, raising her hand and calling out to Taillow. He dove at Meditite, wings shining with the light of the sky. May¡¯s gaze bored into the diminutive Psychic opposing her¡ª


    Eyes staring at her in vague interest, sharpening into anticipation and greed.


    ¡ªand for a fleeting moment, Astra could imagine that she was right there, staring down her best friend as May ordered her Taillow to hunt Astra down.


    ¡°Reflect! Focus Punch!¡±


    ¡°Dive under it then¡ªwait, evade! No!¡±


    Astra blinked, her pseudo-vision abruptly vanishing as Meditite slammed Taillow with an empowered hook, driving the bird straight into the floor.


    Well. Uh. Astra...didn¡¯t quite think she could punch a bird out of the air, herself. But the scenario wouldn¡¯t leave her thoughts, nor would May¡¯s dispassionate stare from that chance encounter on Route 102. Would the past repeat itself once everything came to light? Astra...was deeply uncomfortable in that she didn¡¯t know. She hoped not, but May wasn¡¯t that predictable, and more than that, Astra had been lying to her the entire time they¡¯d known each other.


    She didn¡¯t want to. She hated it, loathed these falsehoods with every fiber of her being. That face she saw in every mirror clenched at her heart and soul so badly that it hurt. How badly would May take it, having received these lies for so long? Astra remembered May nearly setting that thieving Team Aqua member on fire in Rusturf. She¡¯d sensed that quiet sorrow when May had recounted her first friend''s broken promise atop that lighthouse in Rustboro.


    What they¡¯d built up these past few weeks...was that enough? When counting that she didn¡¯t count as a person, was anything going to be enough? Astra didn¡¯t know. She couldn¡¯t know, and finding out risked so much more than just herself.


    Were they even her friends, in truth? She¡¯d only been ¡®Astra¡¯ for less than a season. They didn¡¯t know her. Her true interests, her home, her family...she couldn¡¯t share anything more than a superficial glimpse for fear of drawing attention and suspicion. All they knew was this empty facade, feeding them nothing but lies and asking them question after question like a social parasite¡ª


    ¡°Ooooh!¡± Brendan shouted, nearly jumping out of his chair, one hand shaking Astra by the shoulder in excitement.


    ¡°Aaaaa!?!?¡± Astra screamed, jerking wildly. What? What was happening?


    Disoriented, Astra looked at Brendan¡¯s excited everything, then at the arena below. Her eyes widened, spotting Meditite, now landbound, sliding wildly across a giant patch of ice, straight towards¡ªTentacool? When did May swap in Tentacool?


    Had...had she missed a whole exchange again!?


    ¡°Yeah!¡± May yelled, punching the air in exhilaration. ¡°Get that ice cream lookin¡¯ poser, Tentacool!¡±


    Head spinning, Astra could only watch as Tentacool pounced on the wildly off-balance Meditite, sending them both sprawling onto the icy-slick floor. Tentacool then crawled onto Meditite¡¯s head like a bizarre hat, latched onto his scalp, and began to mercilessly Poison Sting his opponent, who couldn¡¯t seem to find purchase on the frozen ground.


    He probably could have levitated himself up, but Astra doubted she herself would have been able to think of that if her head was being ripped into while getting Poison Stung. How had this even happened? Well, Tentacool, ice...uh. Aurora Beam? He beamed the floor? What happened to Taillow? Maybe May couldn¡¯t find a way around Meditite¡¯s Reflect barrier? Or maybe Meditite just knocked him out. Ugh, she¡¯d barely seen anything this whole battle!


    ¡°Did you see that!?¡± Brendan exclaimed, almost vibrating in place. ¡°That was amazing!¡±


    No, Astra most decidedly had not seen anything at all. She could hazard a guess, though. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect her to use Aurora Beam like that,¡± she said, blithely dodging around the fact that she hadn¡¯t even known May had sent Tentacool out in the first place. ¡°I don¡¯t think Brawly did either,¡± she noted, blinking at the Gym Leader.


    While he was still yelling encouragement to Meditite and trying to get him to escape Tentacool¡¯s clutches, he seemed to be looking at May with surprise and...acknowledgement? Perhaps even he was impressed by May¡¯s maneuver. Whatever it was.


    Brendan nodded, grinning. ¡°Yeah, last second target swaps can catch anyone off guard, especially when it goes like that.¡± He shook his head as Meditite¡¯s struggle to yank Tentacool off his head started to flag. ¡°I honestly didn¡¯t expect May to win on the first try, especially after how hard she fumbled with Combusken. Should¡¯ve known better; she really is amazing.¡±


    ¡°Yeah...¡± Astra mumbled, staring down at Meditite. ¡°She¡¯s certainly something.¡±


    A sharp zing sounded as a red light enveloped Meditite, whisking the now-unconscious Psychic back to his Pokeball. Brawly clapped, face split into a wide grin.


    ¡°Well, that was a gnarly trick you pulled at the end there!¡± he cheered. ¡°I got swamped! Congratulations; you¡¯ve won my Knuckle Badge!¡±


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    May chuckled, smugly waving a hand through a bang. ¡°Wasn¡¯t ever in doubt!¡± she scoffed, recalling Tentacool. They headed for the center of the arena where Brawly handed May a glimmering blue badge. May turned to them and held it up in the air, grinning proudly as Astra and Brendan gave her a round of applause.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s my turn.¡± Astra said, huffing as she slid off the bench. She staggered for a moment, the world seeming to spin for a split second as she stood. Had she gotten up too fast? Shaking it off, she picked up her violin case and turned to head for the arena.


    ¡°You...don¡¯t have to fight today, you know.¡±


    Astra paused, turning to look back. Brendan stared at her with a worried frown, a cloud of anxious concern rolling from his mind. Not...fight? She¡¯d spent so much time just getting here; why would she delay?


    At her silence, Brendan pushed on, words tumbling out of his mouth like autumn leaves. ¡°It¡¯s just, you¡¯ve had a long day, and you, well, look pretty tired.¡± He hesitated. ¡°Tired enough to doze off during May¡¯s fight. Coming back fresh and rested tomorrow morning wouldn¡¯t be the end of the world, would it? You aren¡¯t like, bound by law to challenge him today.¡±


    Astra considered him for a moment. True, she wasn¡¯t at her best¡ªeven she could admit that¡ªbut she¡¯d spent all day working towards this fight, and she¡¯d sooner dump ash in her soup than give up now. She needed that badge, and the sooner the better. Who even knew if Brawly would be available tomorrow? Or even this week? He barely had time today!


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she smiled. ¡°But I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Are you?¡± he questioned, eyes searching.


    How stubborn. She appreciated the concern, though. Really, she did; it was comforting that Brendan was trying his best to look out for her. She¡¯d spent longer with May, but he had been her first human friend and he¡¯d never been less than courteous. Teasing at times, but never angry, and always quick to give her advice and help. Astra had greater ups and downs with May, but with Brendan she knew that he would always treat her, and everybody else, with the kindness and compassion that they¡ª


    ...And what they would do again.?


    <hr>


    Brendan held up a pokeball. ¡°Shroomish was simply a genetic oddity that merited a closer look,¡± he explained, and behind those friendly, compassionate eyes, there was no further justification needed.


    And again.?


    <hr>


    ¡°¡ªUnless you wanna do some odd jobs like catching a dozen Shroomish for a pharmacy?¡± Brendan asked, eyes dancing in amusement as he joked not about stealing away half a score of thinking creatures, but of the task¡¯s sheer tedium.


    ...And again.?


    <hr>


    ¡°¡ªIf I saw a rare or unique pokemon I¡¯d catch it and bring it back to the lab.¡± Brendan said, a small smile on his face as he recalled snatching anything that caught his eye, purely for the sake of novelty.


    <hr>


    ...


    Brendan would always treat others with the kindness and respect that he thought they deserved. And Pokemon like her, at best, were only afforded the respect of a well loved pet. Nothing more than a particularly exceptional research specimen, in the end.


    Had...had he been saying things like that this whole time? How had she only just noticed? And why now?


    Astra blinked, then tore herself away from Brendans expectant gaze. ¡°Of course I¡¯m fine,¡± she said, the words echoing hollowly though her own mind. She started toward the stairs, each step heavier than the last. Even Brendan...


    ¡°I have to be,¡± she murmured, fingers brushing across the smooth wood of her violin case.


    May met her halfway down, the other girl grinning widely.


    ¡°How was that for a battle, huh?¡± she bragged, flipping a hand through a bang. ¡°Didn¡¯t even break a sweat!¡±


    Astra looked at her notably darkened hair and mustered a weak grin, absently reinforcing her illusion. ¡°Certainly showed us. Well done.¡±


    ¡°Heh, of course.¡± May preened a moment longer, then nodded at her. ¡°Welp, now it¡¯s your turn. Kick his ass, girl!¡±


    Astra nodded, brushing past May. She could feel the other girl¡¯s momentary confusion and hesitance before she left to go join Brendan, but she didn¡¯t pay it any mind.


    She had something more important to focus on.


    Climbing through the rope cordon and into the odd square ring, Astra made her way to the marked out corner where May had stood moments ago. Taking a deep breath, she forced her hands to stop shaking as she opened her instrument case, the semi-polished gleam of her violin shining dully up at her. It...was probably going to be difficult to play right now, but once again her lies had trapped her here. Can¡¯t be silent, and her complex plans weren¡¯t really suitable to just call out like normal trainers. If there was another option, Astra¡¯s mind was coming up rather blank on solutions.


    Pulling the instrument free, Astra scooted the case to the side and turned to face¡ª


    Brawly wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Blinking slowly, Astra looked around the room, confused. ¡°Brawly?¡± Wasn¡¯t she up next? Where had he¡ª


    ¡°One mo¡¯, little lady!¡± Brawly called, his head peeking up from the opposite side of the ring. ¡°My team got all dinged up so I gotta get them fixed up real quick. Healing machine¡¯s stored under the ring right now so I had to duck under. Almost done!¡±


    Why was it under...? Well, healing his team made sense. May had roughed them up quite a bit after all. Astra was still irritated at herself for blanking out for the majority of those battles; she¡¯d barely gotten any insight on how Brawly fought. At least she knew what Pokemon he was using?


    True to his word, it only took another few seconds before the hidden healing machine went ding. A moment later, Brawly literally hopped the barrier, flashing Astra an easy grin as he went to his corner. He paused, blinking as he spotted what she held.


    ¡°Is that a violin?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you play music during fights?¡± Astra nodded. Brawly¡¯s grin widened, honest excitement jolting through the air. ¡°Heck yeah!¡± he cheered, pumping a fist in the air. ¡°We got a musician in the house! Love fighting trainers who do oddball stuff like that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try not to disappoint,¡± Astra demurred. Even as terrible as she felt, she wouldn¡¯t do anything less than her best! Even if that best wasn¡¯t particularly great at the moment.


    Brawly¡¯s brows furrowed, smile dimming at...something as he peered at her. Astra stared back, unsure. Had she said something wrong?


    ¡°Well,¡± Brawly said, clapping his hands. ¡°Best get started then. As you know, my name¡¯s Brawly, Leader of the Dewford Gym! Challenger, tell me your name and why we must fight here today!¡±


    He was talking kind of like Roxanne had; as though they had an audience. Was this just how Gym Leaders went about starting battles? Had May done this? Actually, Astra had now missed the initial moments of both of May¡¯s gym fights. What a lousy friend Astra was turning out to be. Wait, Brawly was waiting for an answer. Focus.


    ¡°My name is Astra!¡± Astra called out, flipping the violin around to rest against her neck. She stared at Brawly, bow ready and waiting to make the strings sing. ¡°I am here to get your badge, and take my next step to becoming the Champion.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡ªhuh?¡± Brawly stopped mid-exclamation, blinking at her. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re trying to take the championship? Not just challenge him?¡± he checked.


    Astra stared at him. Was there a difference? The Champion gave the position to whoever they lost to, right?


    ¡°Yes?¡± she half-asked, confused. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Ah, nah, nah, it¡¯s just I wasn¡¯t expecting¡ªhm.¡± Brawly studied Astra, and suddenly Astra felt like the man was truly considering her for the first time. Judging by the swirls of worry and...disappointment(!?), he wasn¡¯t quite fond of what he saw. ¡°Your spirit seems a little...battered. You sure you wanna do this today?¡±


    Her...spirit? Ugh, she didn¡¯t have the time or patience to decipher whatever that meant.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she bit out.


    Brawly shrugged. ¡°Alright then. Well, if we¡¯re gonna battle for the champion track, I¡¯m gonna have to set down a new rule.¡± He raised his hand, showing Astra three fingers. ¡°You can only use three Pokemon for the duration of this fight.¡±


    ¡°Huh!?¡± Astra exclaimed, eyes wide. ¡°Wait, why?¡±


    ¡°Because while quantity has its place, no Champion is gonna take that title without showing me their quality can match mine.¡±


    ¡°No, I mean, why are you giving me that rule? I didn¡¯t have to do anything like that when I fought Roxanne!¡±


    Brawly blinked at her, tilting his head. ¡°She was your first gym, right? Did you give her the right challenge? Roxanne usually pulls out some big, overwhelming move to test newcomers'' nerves.¡±


    Some big, overwhelming move? ¡°Her Nosepass tore giant chunks of rock from the arena and threw them around,¡± Astra admitted. Roxanne hadn¡¯t used that move against May; at the time she had thought it was just too exhausting for an encore, but was it just because May wasn¡¯t going for the championship?


    ...er, wait, she wasn¡¯t? Astra hadn¡¯t ever really thought about it before, but what exactly was May going for, anyway? She¡¯d never said anything about it. Brendan was trying to...uh, help his dad? Somehow? Um.


    ¡°Yep, sounds like she gave you the right sort of battle.¡± Brawly nodded, interrupting Astra¡¯s internal tangent. ¡°Now you have to do mine. Three pokemon each; no winning by numbers here.¡±


    ¡°Are you guys just gonna stand there talking all day or what!?¡± May shouted from the stands. Astra glanced over to see the other girl leaning forward, an annoyed scowl on her face. ¡°Get on with it already!¡±


    Astra grimaced. She...didn¡¯t have much choice here, did she? May was right; there was no more use arguing.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Astra bit out, turning back to Brawly. ¡°If leaving out half my team is what it takes, then I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    At least she knew what pokemon Brawly was using. Now, which ones was she going to use? Fighting types hurt Normal types more, hurt Bug and Flying types less, were hurt by Bugs less, and were hurt more by Flying. So...start with Swablu? Same as May¡¯s Taillow, she was strong but took hits normally. Nincada? He got hurt less, and if she didn¡¯t use any Bug infused attacks...Slakoth was out, obviously. That left Grovyle and Marill. Uh. Grovyle? Because...because. Whatever.


    ¡°Well, then,¡± Brawly said, reaching into a pocket and pulling out a pokeball. ¡°Let¡¯s get this riptide rolling, yeah?¡±


    Astra picked out her own pokeball, staring Brawly down. ¡°You¡¯re on.¡±


    And then, together, their pokeballs flew into the air.


    ¡°Go, Swablu!¡±


    ¡°Go, Meditite!¡±


    Flaring light resolved into Astra¡¯s sunny Swablu, who chirped out a joyous ¡°Swa!¡± as she twirled through the air. Across from her, Meditite sat upon thin air, eyes studiously gazing out from beneath a vanilla swirl of hair.


    Astra rested her bow on her violin and¡ªhesitated. What should she play? Tired thoughts shuffled through sheet music, finding no purchase on the hazy pages. In the fraction of a second before the battle began in earnest...she was drawing a blank.


    And her mind wandered.


    Icy islands, screaming in solitude eternally. Weapons sent from across the world, spreading fire and waste as they flew. Humans, close and far reaching for her family and friends and for her¡ª


    And then, her hands moved.


    One two. One-two-three-four-five six¡ªone two. One two three~~~. One two. One-two-three-four-five six¡ªone two. One two three~~~.


    It could hardly be called a battle song. It hung in the air, resignation and grim melancholy swirling in a dreary curtain that blanketed the arena. Wavering, shivering in the cold, seeing only bleakness ahead.


    It was...tired.


    Even still, within the heart of those ominous strings, a core of stubborn determination refused to yield. Standing in spite and defiance, it continued on, one note at a time, muttering quiet intent for all that could hear.


    ¡°Beset on all sides, there is only one way forward. And so I must go.¡±


    So she went.


    Tailwind, Blindside.


    Brawly and Meditite, entranced by her song¡ªor perhaps waiting for Astra to make her move¡ªboth reeled back in surprise when Swablu burst into the air, shining cyan energy twisting across her feathers. Contrails the color of the sky streamed behind Swablu as she twisted in the air above, circling around before shooting straight down. Astra watched through Swablu¡¯s eyes as she aimed straight for Meditite¡¯s head, the first part of the maneuver going just to plan¡ªwait, why did she feel floaty¡ªshi¡ª


    Astra jerked back to her senses, connection to Swablu breaking and her bow spasming in her hand as she stopped herself from falling over for no reason!? She lurched back upright, frantically keeping the music on track as she checked herself over. Huh? What? Why had she...? Her vision sharing? Were her faculties so degraded that even forming a sight link made her lose track of her own balance!?


    ¡°Reflect!¡±


    Oh, right, the fight.


    Oh shit, the fight!


    Astra tuned back in just in time to see Swablu smash face-first into a glowing purple barrier above Meditite¡¯s head. Swablu let out a dazed squawk as she hung in the air, dazed from the impact. Meditite¡¯s barrier, shattered from the Flying-infused divebomb, broke into shards and faded from view.


    Ugh, that wasn¡¯t right at all! Whatever, they could still salvage this. Swablu just needed to dart sideways and twist behind Meditite, Pecking into¡ª


    ¡°Force slam!¡±


    Force what?


    A new barrier shimmered into place above Swablu, and then dropped. Swablu let out a piercing cry as the wall of light slammed into her, violently crushing the bird into the floor.


    Astra stared at the prone form of her friend, eyes wide with horror as her bow screeched to a halt. ¡°Swablu! No!¡±


    Shock and pain echoed through Swablu. That...Astra should have seen that coming! She should have been able to make Swablu swerve around and¡ªif she hadn¡¯t been so weak¡ª


    Gritting her teeth, Astra banished the thoughts away. This wasn¡¯t over yet! Get up, she urged, setting her bow back on her violin with a sharp outcry. We won¡¯t be taken down with just one attack!


    Swablu, her sunny complexion now marred by a blotch of darkening purple, creaked like a strained flute. Nevertheless, the bird began to clamor to her feet¡ª


    ¡°You¡¯re...commanding your pokemon with your violin? That¡¯s a neat trick,¡± Brawly noted, curiously eyeing the instrument. ¡°Odd music, though.¡±


    His face blanked out, and he gestured at Meditite. ¡°Again!¡±


    Astra¡¯s eyes widened as energy surged around Meditite. Another barrier formed directly above the fallen bird.


    ¡°Swablu, get out of¡ª!¡±


    Whump.


    ¡°¡ªthere...¡± Astra trailed off, staring at the purple slab where her pokemon once was. No. No no no, this couldn¡¯t be happening. ¡°Swablu...?¡±


    From beneath the barrier, Astra could hear a muffled, croaking ¡°Swa...¡±


    Brawly closed his eyes.


    ¡°Again.¡±


    Astra stood there, numbly. She saw the psychic barrier rise, and she saw it fall.


    And, at last, the pain gave way to merciful oblivion.


    Hands shaking, she retrieved her pokeball and recalled Swablu. Her sunny bundle of fluff, beaten and broken, vanished into pale red light. She stared down, thoughts filled with fog. In the arena, Meditite stood unharmed. Astra hadn¡¯t even gotten a single hit in, and now Swablu was down because she couldn¡¯t pay attention.


    ¡°Bit of a rough go, there,¡± Brawly said, shrugging his shoulders as May yelled something Astra couldn¡¯t process from the sidelines. ¡°Caught me on the back foot at the start, but you fumbled while trying to get into melee. If she had gotten back in the air quick enough...¡±


    He paused, eyeing Astra. ¡°Might need to work on your Swablu¡¯s toughness. You can¡¯t ride a wave if you fall over when you get splashed.¡±


    Was he trying to give her advice mid-fight!? A spark of something ugly lit up in Astra¡¯s heart, and she could almost feel the fire in her eyes as she glowered at Brawly. Fine. Fine. She was down a pokemon and had nothing to show for it. Whatever. Whatever! She could still pull through. It wasn¡¯t over yet!


    ¡°I won¡¯t be going down so easily this time,¡± she growled, tucking Swablu away. Brawly gave her a small, infuriating smile.


    ¡°Persistent, or stubborn?¡± he mused to himself, folding his arms in thought. ¡°At the very least, determined. Still, if any part of you feels that you should back down, know that there¡¯s no shame in it.¡±


    ¡°Stop trying to talk me out of this!¡± Astra snapped. ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen! I came here to beat you, not run away or¡ªor chat!¡±


    ¡°Hey now, fighting is all about chatting,¡± Brawly said, his amused grin widening. ¡°Every battle is like a conversation, you know? The ebb and flow of combat, synchronizing with our pokemon until our spirits combine into one, and facing off against a worthy opponent until our conflict lets our clashing ideals manifest in our fists...that is the true heart of battle!¡±


    Huh? What was he even saying? And...why was he pointing upward? Astra¡¯s eyes flicked toward the ceiling, but there wasn¡¯t anything there. She couldn¡¯t...ugh, whatever. Astra shook her head and reached for her pokeballs. ¡°Well, how¡¯s this for a conversation partner!?¡± she yelled, hurling the ball into the air. ¡°Go, Grovyle!¡±


    ¡°Still kinda stilted and mushy,¡± Brawly quipped, before schooling his gaze as Grovyle materialized on the field. ¡°But maybe this¡¯ll get our blood pumping, eh Meditite?¡±


    ¡°Tite!¡± Meditite agreed, standing ready.


    Astra twitched. It was one thing for humans and other pokemon to speak aloud; they didn¡¯t have any choice in the matter. But a fellow Psychic? How crass.


    ¡°Ready Grovyle?¡± she asked, setting her violin bow on the strings once more.


    ¡°Gro¡ª!¡± Grovyle started to say, before he cut himself off. He looked back at her, his face a mix of surprise and worry. ¡°Grove?¡±


    Astra blinked, then frowned. Was he picking up on her exhaustion? It was nice of him to worry, she supposed, but could people stop fretting over her for five minutes? Sighing, she gave Grovyle a reassuring smile, though she couldn¡¯t make it very big. ¡°Focus on the fight, Grovyle, I¡¯m fine.¡± she sent, prodding his attention towards Meditite. ¡°We¡¯ve got a badge to win.¡±


    Grovyle gave her a long look, then hesitantly nodded. He turned to Meditite, flaring the leaves on his wrists as he lowered himself into a sprinting crouch. ¡°Vyle,¡± he said, voice as rough as the crunch of dried leaves.


    ¡°You know,¡± Brawly mused, ¡°if even your own pokemon are worried about you, shouldn¡¯t you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh just shut up already!¡± Astra yelled, slashing her bow across her instrument in a violent screech.


    Just get in there and use Grass Cutter!


    Blade-like leaves shimmered verdant on Grovyle''s wrist, and he took a single step forward, eyes gleaming.


    ¡°Grove!¡±


    Grovyle moved, clawed feet propelling him towards Meditite in an emerald flash. As his opponent raised his arms to block, Grovyle thrust out¡ª


    ¡°Light Screen!¡±


    ¡ªonly for the green energy to sputter and fade as his arm passed through a thin, translucent yellow barrier, his leafy blades only carving a shallow cut on Meditite¡¯s arms instead of the massive gash Astra had intended. Huh? That...Astra hadn¡¯t seen that kind of barrier before. It hadn¡¯t stopped Grovyle, but instead dispersed most of the energy he¡¯d put into his attack? What a strange technique.


    ¡°Force Palm!¡±


    Oh no. Quick Attack, get his leg!


    Grovyle twisted, leaning into his overextending arm and striking out with his left leg faster than Astra could see. There was a horrible crunch as his clawed foot impacted Meditite¡¯s left leg, and Astra flinched as Meditite blasted pain across her senses.


    Yet Meditite didn¡¯t fall. Purple energy flashed, his psychic power keeping him upright even as his leg failed. Pinprick eyes glared at Grovyle, and he brought up both of his glowing white hands and pushed.


    Grovyle gasped as a giant pair of disembodied palms erupted from Meditite¡¯s hands, impacting his chest with tremendous force and sending him flying onto his back. He wheezed, slowly climbing back to his feet as tremors wracked his body.


    ¡°Oof, looks like Meditite hit a nerve,¡± Brawly observed. ¡°Your Grovyle has a nasty case of paralysis now. Your music trick has gotten you this far, but will it keep you from going under for much longer?¡±


    Astra was only vaguely aware of what she was playing on her violin at this point, nevermind the shouting coming from the bleachers, but she knew that it sounded angry. That should have felled Meditite, stopping him from attacking Grovyle back. But of course it couldn¡¯t be that simple, could it? Nothing today could ever go her way.


    Astra bit her lip, eyeing the sporadically shaking form of her first companion. Grovyle, are you alright?


    Grovyle stood, claws twitching sporadically as he readied himself to sprint forward. ¡°Grovyle,¡± he rumbled, gaze sharp.


    Good. Astra pulled down on her bow, and the strings sang. Bullet Seed, fake Grass Cutter into¡ªwell, just punch him. Then Grass Cutter with your tail.


    ¡°Alright Meditite¡ª¡± Brawly began, and Astra scowled. She should have been able to compress her instructions; this was taking too long now.


    Go!


    Grovyle inhaled and spat a flurry of glowing yellow pellets at Meditite, before charging in, verdant light enveloping the leaves on his wrist once more.


    Brawly blinked, then thrust his hand forward.


    ¡°Light Screen, don¡¯t let him use his full power! Focus Punch!¡±


    Meditite glowed, the yellow barrier manifesting before Brawly had finished the first syllable and intercepting all but the first of the bullets. The fastest seed impacted the center of his face, knocking his head back and leaving a bloody gash above his diamond-shaped mouth, while the rest were stripped of their power and struck him like tossed pebbles, glancing off with minor scratches. Meditite¡¯s head snapped forward, glaring intensely at Grovyle as he renewed the Light Screen with one hand and began to gather energy in his other¡ª


    Only for Grovyle to thrust his arm through the light screen, the performatory energy dissipating off his wrist like smoke. Meditite¡¯s eyes widened as Grovyle¡¯s hand rocketed straight toward him, undeterred by the translucent field¡ªand spasmed.


    Grovyle faltered, his entire body seizing up for a brief moment as the latent aftershocks from Meditite¡¯s Force Palm raged through his system. Astra stared, her aggressive music taking on shades of pure disbelief. Of course. Just...of course.


    Meditite punched. Grovyle gagged as the red-coated fist slammed deep into his gut, the breath exploding out of his chest in a horrid wheeze. Meditite yanked his fist out and floated backwards, leaving Grovyle to gasp and stagger forward, clutching at his stomach.


    But he didn¡¯t fall.


    Grovyle!


    Yellow eyes flashed. Staggering forward another step, Grovyle screeched, twisting around as verdant energy erupted from his tail. Twin leaves straightened into Grass-edged blades and Meditite had only an instant to react, instinctively bringing his arms up to block.


    The first blade sliced deep into his arms, cutting through the muscle and knocking them aside.


    The second ripped through his torso, cleaving through flesh and leaving behind a deep, deep gash.


    Meditite hung there for a brief moment, looking at his wounds with naked shock, before the psychic field keeping him upright guttered and died. He fell to his feet, eyes fluttering closed, and then collapsed to the floor, motionless save for the minute rise and fall of his chest.


    Grovyle, thrown to the floor by the spin of his own attack, exhausted and gasping for air, stayed awake just long enough to grin in victory before he followed suit.


    Astra could hear yelling from the bleachers, but she didn¡¯t register it over the roar in her own thoughts. Silently, she recalled Grovyle in tandem with Brawly retrieving Meditite, and she looked down at his pokeball, gripping it tightly. Even after taking two strong attacks straight on, through Astra¡¯s own lackluster showing, he¡¯d stuck it out to see things through.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she murmured to herself, tucking Grovyle¡¯s ball away. Only one pokemon left, now, and she still had to go through two of his. Would Nincada be enough? Brawly¡¯s other pokemon couldn¡¯t smack him down like Meditite had Swablu, but even with his Fighting resistance, he was still pretty fragile. On the other hand, Marill could...um...take a hit? And...


    There were other points, Astra knew, but for some reason they weren¡¯t coming to her. It was as though that fog from Winter¡¯s Eye had been reborn in her head, leaving her thoughts muffled and confused. Nincada it was; he¡¯d just have to be quick enough to down both of Brawly¡¯s pokemon by himself. He had to be.


    ¡°Man, that was a brutal ending, there,¡± Brawly remarked, switching out Meditite¡¯s pokeball for another. ¡°Might need to go visit a Joy. And that last push, man, that was rad. Even like this, you¡¯re no kook."


    Kook? What was...? Astra blinked, brows furrowing. ¡°¡®Like this¡¯?¡± she echoed, frowning. Brawly sighed.


    ¡°Eh, it¡¯s no use explaining again; you''re already locked in.¡± He spun his pokeball on his finger then snatched it, giving Astra a small, sad grin. ¡°Ready to break one last wave?¡±


    Of the many things Astra was currently exhausted by, Brawly¡¯s constant surfer slang was rapidly starting to rise the ranks.


    ¡°Nincada,¡± she called, tossing his ball into the air. ¡°Give it all you have!¡±


    ¡°Straight to it, then,¡± Brawly said, throwing his own into the air. ¡°Alright, Makuhita, show her what you¡¯re made of!¡±


    Light resolved, revealing the gleaming off-white chitin of Nincada, who chittered and buzzed his wings as he beheld his opponent. Across from him, the paunchy form of Makuhita slammed his ball-like hands together with an excited yell of ¡°Hita hita!¡±


    Astra stared at the rotund pokemon, teeth gritted. Her bow sang, notes thrumming as a frantic heartbeat in the air. Hit hard, hit fast, and don¡¯t get hit back. So then, read his movements, dash behind him, and Fury Swipe his legs out from under him!


    ¡°Cada,¡± Nincada chittered, eyes flashing as he took in his opponent. His buzzing grew louder, his immature wings pushing him that small bit faster with each flick as he skittered forward.


    ¡°Charging in again, I see,¡± Brawly said. His voice was jovial, but the hints of excitement from before were gone. ¡°Fine. Bulk up, Makuhita!¡±


    Makuhita slammed his fists together and breathed, a whorl of reddish power pulsing across his body and making his torso and limbs seem to magnify in mass. Mere moments later, Nincada was upon him. He skirted around Makuhita¡¯s bulky form and raised his front claws, slashing wildly at Makuhita¡¯s legs and tearing open innumerable gash¡ªscratches?


    Astra¡¯s eyes widened. While not worthless, the deep cuts weren¡¯t nearly the limb-disabling strikes she had been expecting. Nincada¡¯s strikes weren¡¯t the strongest, but she¡¯d seen him cut into fallen logs! Was it that ¡®Bulk up¡¯ maneuver? Ash in her face, why hadn¡¯t she just stayed awake for May¡¯s fight!? None of what he¡¯d done should have been a surprise!


    ¡°Makuhita, multiple arm thrust!¡± Brawly called. Astra blinked to see Makuhita rounding on Nincada, the back of Makuhita¡¯s legs a mess of painful, if distinctly non-debilitating lacerations.


    Shit, Nincada, back up!


    Nincada lept backwards, Makuhita¡¯s palm striking the arena floor where he once was with an alarmingly loud thok. And then he just kept going, palm after palm only narrowly missing where Nincada had vacated an instant beforehand.


    Astra watched, her violin twitching as she tried to keep her hands from shaking. Not good, not good. Makuhita wasn¡¯t stopping! If Nincada just had a moment, he could stop scrambling backwards and easily get away! But even that short pause to turn around would get him crushed! He needed a distraction, or some way to make Makuhita stop or miss¡ªoh!


    Mud-Slap!


    Nincada jumped away once more, narrowly avoiding the thok of Makuhita¡¯s palm as he bit down into the...dirtless arena floor...


    He looked at the padding below him, then stared at Astra. She stared back, blankly.


    Makuhita¡¯s palm slammed into Nincada like the face of a falling log.


    ¡°Nincada!¡± Astra yelled, watching the diminutive bug slam into the floor. Nincada bounced, the force of the strike rebounding him off the padded mat and sending him sprawling across the arena. ¡°Nincada! Are you alright!?¡±


    Despite being spiked into the ground like a Rebound ball, Nincada was quick to scramble to his feet. Astra blinked; despite having been hit directly in the face, Nincada ¡®only¡¯ had a puffy eye and a small crack in his chitin.


    ¡°Cada,¡± Ninjcada scoffed, as though offended by her worry. If anything, he seemed eager to take revenge on Makuhita. ¡°Nin, cada cada!¡±


    Despite herself, Astra found herself grinning. She was right, his type resistance was letting him stave off blows! And despite not debilitating him as much as she would have liked, those cuts on Makuhita¡¯s legs were surely going to slow him down now that Nincada wasn¡¯t on the back-foot; if she could exacerbate that, then they could pull through!


    Good, she sent, turning her attention back to his opponent. Get back in there and keep cutting his legs! Keep behind him, run under him if you have to, but don¡¯t let him face you head-on!


    ¡°Type advantages are pretty useful, huh?¡± Brawly observed, folding his arms as he looked at Nincada¡¯s renewed advance. ¡°They let you hit above your weight class and withstand blows that can knock you under.


    ¡°But relying on that alone...you can¡¯t surf with the best if you never leave the shore!¡± he continued, eyes snapping open. He brought up a clenched fist, then cast his arm out in a great arc. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this; Makuhita, Focus Energy!¡±


    Focus? He¡¯s preparing for a big attack, go quickly!


    Nincada burst forward as Makuhita planted his feet on the ground and clenched. ¡°Maaaa!¡± he roared, enveloping his body in a swarm of yellow bursts of color. Darting around his empowered opponent, Nincada raised his claws, ripping ever-deepening cuts into Makuhita¡¯s calves and ankles¡ª


    ¡°Now, Makuhita! Great Stomp!¡±


    Oh, Astra did not like the sound of that. Retreat!


    Breaking off his assault, Nincada skittered back as Makuhita ponderously raised a single leg. Red energy coalesced within the sole of his foot and, glancing over his shoulder, Makuhita gave Nincada a big, triumphant grin.


    His foot came down.


    The arena shook, a white wave of pure force echoing out from the impact point and heaving everything it passed straight upwards. Astra stumbled, her violin shrieking to an abrupt finish and eyes widening to their fullest extent as she saw Nincada thrown into the air. He flailed wildly, his stubby wings unable to direct his fall as Makuhita crouched down below him.


    ¡°Makuhita!¡± Brawly called, standing tall in the other corner.


    ¡°No...¡± Astra whispered, staring at Nincada in horror.


    ¡°It¡¯s time we put that bug in time out; Tackle him into the corner!¡±


    ¡°No no no no no no¡ª!¡±


    Makuhita laughed and charged, unbothered by his bloodied legs as his shoulder caught Nincada mid-fall, thundering steps carrying the bug inexorably towards a post in the corner of the arena.


    ¡°Nincada!¡± Astra screamed, futilely reaching out towards her pokemon.


    Nincada raised his head and screeched, lashing out at the last moment to draw his claw straight across Makuhita¡¯s eye.


    Makuhita roared, and then thrust his shoulder¡ªand the still-trapped bug upon it¡ªdirectly into the post.


    In that contest of Makuhita¡¯s strength versus the sturdiness of the post, the loser was Nincada.


    Astra fell to the ground, staring blankly as Nincada did the same. Makuhita stumbled off, screeching and clutching at his eye, and there was a great clatter from the stands, but it all faded into the crackle of the bonfire her life had become. Shaking, she reached for her pokeball and, after an eternity of fumbling, returned Nincada¡¯s still form back home.


    She stared down at it, thoughts hollow. Everything she¡¯d endured to this point, all the work she¡¯d put in, every hope for the future her people had put in her and yet she...she...


    She¡¯d lost.


    ¡°Hey. Need a hand?¡±


    Astra looked at the proffered limb in silence. Her gaze traveled along it to meet Brawly¡¯s gaze, the human looking back at her with a concerned, sad smile. Behind him, she could vaguely see Brendan frantically trying to stop May from charging down into the arena herself. Her eyes flicked back to Brawly, then turned away to stare at her pokeball again.


    What was there to even say? It was over.


    After a moment Brawly retracted his hand and sighed. A soft thwump told her he¡¯d sat down next to her.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a bad fight,¡± he said, breaking the not-quite silence as Brendan continued to stall May. ¡°Your Grovyle was pretty good, and your Nincada got a nasty hit in at the end, even if it didn¡¯t save him. It¡¯s pretty impressive you were able to play your violin through all of that, even if what you played...wasn¡¯t my style,¡± he hazarded, scratching his head.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Astra bit out, giving the gym leader a sullen glare. ¡°I lost. I lost. The one thing I couldn¡¯t do and...and I failed. Everyone was counting on me, and now...!¡±


    She sniffed and looked away, heat pooling in her eyes. Brawly was silent.


    ¡°Every...?¡± he started, then stopped. ¡°Why not¡ª?¡± he tried again, cutting himself off once more. He sighed.


    ¡°Do you want to know why you lost?¡±


    Astra choked out a laugh, a wet blubbery chortle that got caught in her throat and stuck there. Why? Why? Wasn¡¯t it obvious?


    ¡°I just wasn¡¯t good enough,¡± she muttered, slipping Nincada¡¯s pokeball away. ¡°And now I¡¯ve failed them.¡±


    Brawly hummed. ¡°Nah. You didn¡¯t lose because you weren''t the best. You lost because you weren¡¯t your best.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡± Astra asked, giving Brawly a bewildered stare.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t try to warn you off for no reason, Astra,¡± Brawly said. ¡°The moment you walked in here I could just feel that curdle in your spirit, not to mention that you looked like death warmed over with how pale you are.¡±


    ¡°Albinism,¡± Astra replied on instinct. Brawly paused, wincing.


    ¡°...Even so!¡± he pressed forward, brushing his misstep aside. ¡°During our match you were distracted, off balance, and blindly rushing through; even your music was off-kilter and strange. Of course you wiped out; nobody in this world can surf on a rotten board; at least for very long.¡±


    Astra scoffed. ¡°What, so I lost because I¡¯m tired? Take a nap and it¡¯ll all be better?¡±


    If only it were that easy; the world would find some way to throw her into the muck regardless. That¡¯s all it had been doing lately. Brawly shook his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just your physical health,¡± he said, poking her in the forehead through her hat. ¡°You gotta get that gunk in your head cleared out too. A battle is a conversation between our spirits, and I could tell that yours is starting to get real bogus. I don¡¯t know what demons you¡¯re facing or how to fix ¡®em; that¡¯s your problem, not mine. But fighting the way you are...even if you beat me, that wouldn¡¯t be winning. You¡¯d just have stuck your feet in the swamp even harder.¡±


    Brawly grunted, shoving off the floor to stand back up. ¡°Listen Astra, I think you have the potential to be a great trainer. Champion? Who knows, that¡¯s on how you go from here. But nothing worth doing ever gets done by feeling sorry for yourself. By all means, take the time to sort yourself out, body and spirit. Talk to your friends, get your team up to snuff, maybe fight a few of my guys before coming at me again?¡± he hinted, smiling slightly. ¡°But the world won¡¯t end just because you stumbled. Besides, do you really want to just let things end here?¡±


    Astra stared at Brawly¡¯s outstretched hand again. That was...all so vague. Her spirit was...bogus? What did that even...how did you even fix that? How would beating Brawly not be a victory? She just needed his badge.


    He was right about one thing though; she couldn¡¯t just sit here. Mostly because May had finally overpowered Brendan and was rapidly approaching the ring, and Astra was fairly certain that May would eventually just physically haul her out of the building if she did.


    Taking Brawly¡¯s hand, Astra let herself be pulled off the floor¡ªand nearly off her feet; apparently she was lighter than Brawly expected, to his apologetic chagrin. Brushing herself off, Astra sighed and started to pack her violin away, frowning at a small scuff on the edge of the instrument. Well. Great. That¡¯s what she got for dropping it.


    ¡°The hell was that?¡± May asked as she dipped into the arena, Brendan close behind. ¡°Did you pay attention at all when I was down here? Practically rolled out the red carpet and you just charged into the stuff I got him to show off like a blah blah blah blah blah¡ª¡±


    Astra stared at May. Or at least in her direction. She looked down at her violin again. Was there a way to repair the wood? It was probably more complicated than fixing a wall. Yet another thing she had to look into. Couldn¡¯t even protect her instrument, how pathetic.


    Snap snap snap.


    ¡°Astra?¡±


    Astra blinked, looking up to find Brendan stranding in front of her, twisting his fingers in front of her face and looking very worried. May had stepped back and was similarly concerned, if also awkwardly ignoring her own unimpressed stare from Brawly.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Astra asked. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Um. Are you...okay?¡± Brendan asked, visibly feeling stupid for asking.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Astra said, automatically. She gently shoved the violin back into its case, picking up the backpack she¡¯d left in the corner of the ring as she did. ¡°I. Just need to do better. Next time.¡±


    Next time. Nnnnnext time. When was that? She needed to...win. Needed to win. Next time. Yeah.


    But what now?


    ¡°Now I need to go take care of business,¡± Brawly said, clapping his hands.


    Astra blinked at him. Had she...broadcasted that? Oh for¡ªshe dug into her backpack, quickly tore a handful of Leppa berries from their jar and downed the lot of them. A sharp, painfully clear sensation tore through the fog in her head, and Astra was suddenly flooded with power and newfound focus. Her eyes widened, hurriedly fixing the fraying threads on her illusion and eradicating the fucking unregulated emotional beacon she¡¯d made of herself. No wonder everyone was worried, she¡¯d basically been screaming ¡®I¡¯m anxious¡¯ into their faces for the last twenty minutes!


    Stars, she¡¯d really been out of it. Still was, really; focused as she was, she could recognize that she still wasn¡¯t really cooking with a full pot here.


    ¡°Hope I¡¯ll see you guys around for a while, but until then, peace!¡± Brawly continued, showing them two fingers for some reason before walking away.


    ¡°Oh, uh, wait, Brawly!¡± Brendan said, hurriedly stopping the man in his tracks. ¡°Actually, there''s one last thing we need to ask you before you go.¡±


    Brawly turned back, cocking his head. ¡°Hm? Well, alright, shoot.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re actually carrying out a request from Devon right now, and we¡¯ve got a letter for Steven Stone.¡± Brendan explained, shuffling nervously. ¡°Mr. Stone said you¡¯d know where he is...?¡± he trailed off, shrinking under Brawly¡¯s focused stare.


    ¡°Ahuh,¡± he said, suspicion writ clear across his face. ¡°Not the first time I¡¯ve heard that line. But...hm.¡± He glanced over the three of them. ¡°Well, you all don¡¯t seem the type to pull something like the others. Where is this letter?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I have it,¡± Astra said, having already been arm deep in her bag. She didn¡¯t think anyone had seen her scarf down the berries, but now she had an excuse for why she was digging around. Finding the letter, she pulled the thin envelope out and showed it to Brawly.


    Brawly peered at the letter in her hand, the suspicion in his eyes fading as he read the writing and signature on the front.


    ¡°Well dang,¡± he said, standing back up. ¡°That checks out. Well, you guys made it just in time; Steven should be out in the Granite Caves for the rest of today. You could camp out in the entrance until he comes out, or look for him inside if you¡¯re daring. Fair warning, it¡¯s pretty dark in there, so bring a flashlight. Or a Pokemon that knows Flash. Or, well, you get it.¡±


    ¡°Guess we¡¯re going spelunking,¡± May said. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure Combusken can light the way.¡±


    ¡®Fantastic,¡± Brendan muttered, grimacing. ¡°Thank you for the help, Brawly.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t mention it. And don¡¯t go getting lost in there, buddy!¡± he grinned at Brendan¡¯s wince. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m off for real now.¡± His gaze slid over to Astra and hung there for a moment. He turned away. ¡°Good luck with Steven, and take care of yourselves!¡±


    Astra watched him hop the barrier and vanish into a side door. She sighed, storing the letter back into her bag and turning to leave.


    ¡°Hey, are you sure you¡¯re alright?¡±


    Astra closed her eyes and breathed, staring into the darkness behind her eyelids.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Brendan.¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t seem fine, Astra,¡± he pressed, walking up beside her. ¡°You were acting like a zombie in that ring. You¡¯re clearly exhausted¡ª¡±


    Astra grit her teeth. She didn¡¯t need this right now. ¡°Brendan, I get it, you¡¯re worried, but I¡¯m okay¡ª¡±


    ¡°Bullshit,¡± May cut in, scowling. ¡°Girl you nearly fell over at the start of that shit, and you did when you lost! You didn¡¯t even use any of the cool strategies I came up with out there; were you even awake!? I hate saying it, but you know Brendan¡¯s right, you¡¯re practically dead on your feet¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know that!?¡± Astra screamed, patience completely frayed. ¡°I get it! I fucking get it! I¡¯m not doing great! That thing in the ocean messed with my head, I found out some horrible shit in the town hall, and I just got my ass kicked by Brawly. I am having. A bad. Day.


    ¡°So you can stop telling me that I¡¯m not doing okay, because I fucking know.¡± She snarled. ¡°I know I¡¯m having a bad day! I¡¯m the one living it. And the sooner we can get done with today, the sooner it will be over. So can I just get one fucking hour without you telling me things I already know? Just one hour? Just...just...¡± she hiccuped, hands clenched tight and eyes blurring as she looked at the floor. ¡°Just one hour without anything else happening...¡±


    ¡°Astra...¡± Brendan began.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Astra cut in, wiping her eyes. She whirled towards the stairs and marched off, trying to keep the fog in her thoughts at bay. ¡°Just shut up. Let¡¯s go deliver this stupid letter and find a hotel.¡±


    She stomped down the stairs, faintly hearing May say something or other to Brendan as she went. They caught up a minute later, but to her vast relief, refrained from making any other comments.


    She just...wanted this to be over with already. The day had gone on far, far too long, and now she¡¯d have to deal with Steven Stone. Joy.


    Could they just make it through to nighttime without anything else happening?


    Just a few hours, that was all she asked for.


    Please?


    The group trudged on, Brendan leading the way with stilted directions. They walked through the city, across the beaches, and eventually:


    To the Granite Caves.

 Crumble

    The northern reaches of Dewford''s main beach trailed off into a protruding crescent of cliff faces stretching from the ocean to the forest. The initial stretch hosted a modest crowd of people enjoying the beach, many with pokemon alongside them. Astra idly wondered what they would do if Winter''s Eye decided to dump a foot of snow on them all. Past that the trail grew increasingly gritty, gravel and barren stone replacing soft sand. At the end of that path was an entrance into the cliff face so large that it could allow six Kirlia standing side-by-side and each thrice as tall to pass through.


    Darkness yawned, and a part of Astra''s mind was amused to note that it was quite literal: the enormous mouth of the Granite Caves was exhaling a soft breeze from its depths, its coolness contrasting with the warm sun overhead. The rest of Astra''s mind was still miserably trying to process the sum total of today. From that foul presence pervading Winter''s Eye, to the horrible revelations and outbursts in the Town Hall, to her utter failure in the Dewford Gym...Astra had thought the incident in Rustboro had been the worst thing she''d ever experienced, but the past few hours were making a valiant effort to usurp it.


    Brendan and May trudged along beside her, the three of them looking upon their destination with a varying mix of resignation, reluctance, curiosity, and in Astra''s case, a painful longing she couldn''t quite name. Her home wasn''t quite as large as this grand ridge, but her ultimate place of safety and comfort had always been that carved-out cave, and feeling that gentle breeze...if she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine she was back in the village, on the precipice of that familiar hollow.


    And if she opened them, she would be very quickly reminded that home, comfort, and safety were a long, long way from here.


    She glanced at the various bizarre paintings haphazardly painted around the entrance. It seemed the local humans had taken to drawing bizarrely styled names and phrases all over the place, slathered atop each other like a dozen layers of jam on a Magikarp. Individually fine, but a horrible offense to the senses when put together. Some of them weren''t even finished, either abruptly stopping part way through a stroke or ending with a wild mistake. In another time, it would have been the focus of Astra''s attention for at least a few minutes, but as she was it barely merited an annoyed scowl at the mishmashed eyesore.


    "Well, here it is," Brendan remarked as they passed through the breezy entrance. "Granite Cave."


    May peered into the gloom. "Dark in here. Dank, even. Anyone got a flashlight?"


    Astra halted a few dozen feet into the cavern. Light was still able to illuminate most of the area, but the tunnel ahead was barely visible as a sharp left curve veering into the rest of the cliff face. For a moment she could almost imagine a door at the end, warm words and soft bedding beyond, but it was merely a trick of the darkness.


    Right, how were they going to see in here? She didn''t have any way to light up the caves; any psychic trick was out of the question and her Pokedex and Pokenav were...maybe not useless but certainly not meant to illuminate more than their screens. What else was there?


    Um. How did she see back home? Discounting psychic lighting...lanterns and firelight. Firelight? Fire!


    "May, you said Combusken could light the way, right?" Astra asked, turning to the other girl.


    "Well, I thought so, but I don''t remember stopping at a Pokecenter, do you?" May huffed, frowning at her. "He''s not exactly conscious right now, and we don''t have any revives."


    Oh. Right. Well, they could....uh...they could...


    Astra stared blankly into the tunnel, lightly swaying in place. Silence stretched like an overtuned string.


    Brendan hummed.


    "I don''t think we''ll need anything, actually."


    Huh? Astra looked at him, bewildered. Why wouldn''t they...wait. Human thing?


    "Can you see in the dark?" she checked. "Because I can''t."


    Brendan''s mouth twitched, eyes flickering with confusion and amusement before returning to the dull pensiveness he''d been emitting since they''d left the gym.


    "No," he answered, sighing. "I''m saying that we won''t need a light because we aren''t going in at all."


    Astra stared. "What?"


    "We¡ª"


    "What!?" Astra repeated, prickling fury etching itself in her stomach once again. "What do you mean ''we''re not going in''!? Did you forget about the letter? The entire reason we came out here is to hand that thing over to Steven!"


    [...]


    "I didn''t forget," Brendan said, raising his hands, "but we don''t actually need to go in there to do that. Our job is to deliver the letter, not run through the cave; even Brawly said we could just hang out in the entrance until Steven comes to us."


    Astra stared at him incredulously. "What, so we just sit around on some rocks until he decides to come out!? What if he spends the night in there or something!" It was a ridiculous notion, honestly; Astra doubted any human would deign to sleep on a perfectly good bed of greens when they had their plush mattresses as an option, and even Brendan and May had spent their nights on the road wrapped up like Cascoons. But the alternative was waiting and not only did she refuse to have this meeting looming over her head any longer, but if she stopped now then she wasn''t getting back up again. Why couldn''t they understand!? "Look, we can just get this whole thing over with once we find a light and get in there!"


    [...?]


    "Well..." May said, speaking slowly as Astra turned a piercing stare on her. "As much fun as that sounds, like I just said, my team''s pretty shot, I''m pretty sure yours''d be bleeding the fuck out if pokeballs weren''t magic or whatever, and Brendan..." she trailed off, hesitating.


    Brendan eyed May, brow furrowed. "Brendan what?"


    "Look man, you''ve never won a fight with either of us. I''m just sayin''! Anyway," she continued, brushing over his offended choking noise, "We don''t have a light, most of our pokemon are toasted, and¡ªdo we even know where that guy is in there?" May asked, blinking. She turned back to Brendan. "There''s like, hundreds of pokemon down there, right? How big are these caves?"


    "It''s hard to say," Brendan grit out, giving May a flat glare. "But it''s labyrinthine; generations of the Aron line have carved out enormous tunnels deep underneath Dewford for a long time, and new passages are discovered all the time. Might be why Steven''s down there in the first place," he mused, still frowning. "I wonder what''s been found."


    "So, yeah, we might get lost down there and miss him anyway," May finished, nodding to herself. "It sucks, but I gotta veto going down. I''d be all up for taking a poke around tomorrow, but¡ª"


    "You''re doing it again," Astra said, fists clenched tightly at her side. "Both of you. Back at the gym and now here? Why do you keep doing that!?"


    [???]


    Both of them blinked, confused. "Doing what?" May asked.


    "That!" Astra repeated, voice raising as she gesticulated wildly at them. "You¡ªyou keep deciding things without me!" She pointed at Brendan, arms shaking. "You dropped out of the gym challenge without even talking about it, and then you," she continued, whirling on May, "Stole the first challenge with Brawly before I could even get a word in! And now you both just decided we''re not even going to try going inside like my opinion doesn''t even matter!"


    [!!!]


    Brendan shared a wide-eyed glance with May, the two of them shifting uncomfortably.


    "Astra," Brendan started, "I¡ªwe both had our reasons for doing that, and¡ªI mean, they were all to your benefit, weren''t they? I''d have been out anyway, May probably would have gone first in any case, and we really aren''t prepared for spelunking¡ª"


    "I don''t care!" Astra yelled, glaring at them through blurry eyes. Her pulse throbbed against her skull, stomach churning with a heat far greater than the spice of her Leppa berries. "I don''t care if I benefited from it and I don''t care if the gym and these damn caves would turn out like this anyway! I wasn''t allowed to have a say in any of it! You two just acted like I wasn''t even there, like¡ªlike¡ª"


    [Youngling!?]


    "Like I''m a kid who can''t make my own choices!" Astra screeched, panting despite her lack of corporeal speech.


    [??¨ˆ???¨ˆ status?]


    "Well maybe you fucking are!" May roared in response. She stomped forward, glaring right back at Astra. "You''re the one who kept pushing forward after that mess in the Town Hall, and even after you collapsed in the damn gym! Even I could see you were freaking out, and for what? You wanna burn out so hard you go up like a road flare? Am I supposed to just let that shit slide!?"


    There was a haze in Astra''s head again. Nothing coherent formed in the mists, and the red blob in front of her was barely visible in the dark cavern. Was she leaking again? She couldn''t seem to care.


    [!!!!!]


    "That¡ª"


    "That''s enough, May!" Brendan ordered, stepping between the two with arms outstretched as if to physically separate them. He glared at May, the girl''s gaze flicking between him and Astra before she finally backed up a step, a thunderous expression on her face. Brendan exhaled, dropping his arms as he turned to Astra.


    "Look," he said, exhaustion and mild panic scribbled on his face, "It''s just¡ªyeah, we screwed up, and it wasn''t right to do that, but we were only trying to help as best we thought we could. Astra, listen, we''re on your side, here! We''ve tried reasoning with you since the Town Hall, but you just kept ignoring us. Something has to give; if you keep insisting on making terrible choices that put yourself in danger, then¡ª"


    "Danger!?" Astra asked, a dark, bitter laugh congealing in her throat. "You think this is dangerous!? I''ve been in fucking danger since the day I left home!"


    [??¨ˆ left home!? ??¨ˆ???¨ˆ???¨ˆ? DANGER!?]


    "Right now the only one who''s going to be in danger are you two if you don''t stop refusing me my say!"


    [? Refuse ??¨ˆ?! ??¨ˆ?? REJECT ??¨ˆ???¨ˆ?!]


    "And deciding what I''m allowed to do!"


    [??¨ˆ??¨ˆ? NO MORE ??¨ˆ???¨ˆ??¨ˆ?!]


    "Like I''m one of your stars damned Poke¡ª"


    [RESCUE! ? ?¨ˆ ???¨ˆ??!]


    "¡ªWho keeps saying stuff!?" Astra yelled, cutting herself off as she snapped her head around, searching for the source of the incessant, bizarre pings.


    ...Wait, pings? Wha¡ª?


    Psychic power flared, purple light illuminating the cavern entrance for a split second.


    And in that split second, between Astra and her friends, something appeared.


    "Kadabra!" The foxlike figure roared. Tall as a Kirlia, its gargantuan yellow flail thrashed wildly as it brandished its claws at Brendan and May.


    Astra stared at the creature''s back as twin cries of alarm erupted from her friends. Her legs gave out, what remaining strength she had left vanishing as she fell to the floor. Static and fog filled her head as she stared at this...being.


    What¡ªwhat was¡ªhuh?


    Huh?


    [Not again!] The Kadabra...broadcasted!?


    It¡ªthey¡ªshe¡ª


    Felt...familiar, but strange. Why did that voice...put her at ease?


    [ ??¨ˆ???¨ˆ? Comfort! ??¨ˆ???¨ˆ? Protect! ??¨ˆ???¨ˆ? Safe!]


    Her vision blurred, and for a moment the yellow and brown figure was a different being entirely. Clad in white, with fading green hair and horns as crimson as the evening sky.


    Then the figure erupted in purple light, breaking the illusion. Astra gasped as she felt Kaabra''s psychic power surge towards her friends. She knew this pattern!


    "Wait, wait, stop!" she said, feebly reaching out¡ª


    Kadabra roared, and the world flashed purple. Brendan and May only had a moment more to scream before they were enveloped in a lavender glow and vanished, leaving only a clap of air in their wake.


    Astra''s breath caught. Teleport. Kadabra had¡ªthey''d been¡ªwhat? Where? What had Kadabra done to them!?


    [Satisfaction.] Kadabra...purred? Astra heard a yawn. [??¨ˆ tired...]


    Kadabra went limp, drooping forward slightly before jerking back upright. She grumbled to herself, shaking her head as she began spooling psychic power anew. [Exasperation. Younglings. ??¨ˆ?? danger outside! Repetition, repetition. ???¨ˆ warn again! Listen ??¨ˆ???¨ˆ?! Safety??¨ˆ???¨ˆ?! Relief! Relief. Enough ??¨ˆ???¨ˆ. ??¨ˆ? ??¨ˆ? home together.]


    Astra looked up at Kadabra, squinting through the dim light. She could hear the pounding of her heart in her ears, each thrum sending a spike of fresh agony through her skull. What was Kadabra saying? Her head was¡ªher thoughts¡ªit was all too much!


    But she could still recognize a side-along teleport.


    "No, no..." she said, struggling to slap some measure of her own energy together. But nothing else remained, and she could only look up at the Kadabra in terror. "Stop!"


    Kadabra seemed to sigh, psychic energy folding together almost autonomously even as she finally turned toward Astra. [Irritation. {Blood of my blood} ???¨ˆ damp brain? Injured! ???¨ˆ???¨ˆ danger! Nearly lost¡ªshocksupriseconfusion]


    Kadabra looked at Astra, and her eyes¡ªnarrow, slanted, and weary¡ªbulged out of their sockets.


    [What!?]


    Amidst Kadabra''s shock, she automatically completed her technique. Astra felt the world twist as the teleport yanked her away, its meager power still eclipsing Astra''s barren attempt at deflection. Between one blink and the next, the dim entryway of the Granite Caves vanished.


    And Astra was met by a scintillating ceiling covered in starlight.


    As her eyes adjusted, she found herself atop a great cliff. A massive, yawning cavern stretched before her blurry gaze, spikes of rock spearing up from the ground or reaching down from the ceiling above. A thrumming susurration resounded through the air as sourceless wind shifted through patterns in the worn stone while a faint trickle of water echoed from parts unknown. Smaller beings, kin to Kadabra, idled around the cave, playing with rocks or sleeping, broadcasting a muted flood of amusementhungerboredomhungeragitationhungerhungerhunger¡ª


    All alit by a soft, gentle blue glow. Cerulean light, prickled by shifting spots of darkness and purer white, crawled along the ceilings, crept along the walls, grew atop the rocky spikes, and slowly consumed a...a...


    There was a skeleton.


    Bones larger than trees. A spine as long as a river, with a tail to match. Two thick legs heavy enough to embed into the stone. Arms large enough to topple buildings, ending in claws able to rend apart bedrock. A plated skull rested atop a pillow of stone, forehead protruding far beyond its face to end in a point, with two gargantuan horns erupting from the skull on either side. A jaw large enough to swallow a boat, still clamped shut.


    A single eye stared right at her, a long-emptied socket softly twinkling azure in the darkness.


    It was curled up, tail wrapping around its body, one arm sprawled open while the other lay atop its pillow. Resting calmly in its bed.


    As if, one day, it had simply never woken up.


    [WHAT!?]


    Astra jerked, crying out in pain as the Kadabra next to her finally overcame her surprise and enveloped Astra in a telekinetic field, roughly pinning her in place. Escape! She had to¡ªshe couldn''t move! No, no, no!


    [??¨ˆ ??? not youngling! Trickery! Thieving ??¨ˆ???¨ˆ!] Kadabra...howled?


    Astra couldn''t understand. The messages were¡ªshe couldn''t think. Her body twisted, coming face to face with her assailant. Sharp eyes framed by an angular face, two long, thick whiskers, and two triangular ears glared at her.


    [Invader! Foul waste being! ??¨ˆ WILL NOT ??¨ˆ???¨ˆ?! NEVER AGAIN!]


    Kadabra was shaking her, screaming at her. Astra couldn''t see anymore, everything blurring together into a mass of yellow, blue, and black. It hurt. Her head, her body, her mind.


    Everything. The storm, the rumors, the gym, the fight, her friends¡ª


    It wasn''t¡ª


    Her eyes¡ª


    She¡ª


    ¡ªcouldn''t breathe.


    [NEVER HURT ??¨ˆ???¨ˆ? AGAIN! ??¨ˆ???¨ˆ??? NEVER TAKE...! Never...?]


    Kadabra slowed, then paused.


    Astra didn''t notice. Nonsensical babble flooded the air without pause or rest, interrupted by panicked wheezes and wailing. Tears ran down her face, soaking through the fabric around her mouth, and her head lolled to the side, insensate.


    Kadabra...stared. Blinked. Hesitated. Looked around awkwardly as her captive blubbered in her grip. At last, she peered at Astra closely.


    [...Strange. Strange invader. ??¨ˆ???¨ˆ? mistake? Invader ??¨ˆ?]


    The Kadabra kept looking at Astra, her confusion visibly rising.


    [Power? Rare.??¨ˆ???¨ˆ?. Invader power??¨ˆ???¨ˆ???¨ˆ?? ??¨ˆ?...not invader power. Not invader? ??¨ˆ???¨ˆ?. Not {Blood of my blood}. ??¨ˆ???, but...what ?? this?]


    Brow furrowed, Kadabra looked around, then gently levitated the still-crying Astra over to a secluded alcove filled with yellowed grasses.


    [Hm. Youngling ???¨ˆ???¨ˆ???¨ˆ? Mistake, mistake...sorrow. Regret. Regret ??¨ˆ???. ??¨ˆ???¨ˆ? regret...(Calm)]


    Astra was barely aware of her capturer maneuvering her around until she was set within a soft enclosure onto a sort of resting place she''d known her entire life. Suddenly, her mind went blank, as though the raging river in her head had been gently smoothed into a placid lake.


    A bed? She was on...a bed of grass. There was rock above and around her, and, vaguely, the presence of...someone like her. Was she...home?


    [Strange ???¨ˆ trickery? Light ???¨ˆ???¨ˆ? Strange. What...]


    Someone reached out and took Astra''s hat off. She blinked, head flumping back into the crackling grass cushion. What was...? She turned, looking up at a blob of yellow backed by faint, twinkling blue light.


    The blob reached out once more and flicked a bare stream of power at her face. Astra felt the urge to bat it away, but could only let it pass.


    Something fell away. There was a sharp inhale, and a moment of silence.


    [Not invader. But Invader? Speech??¨ˆ???¨ˆ?... Not {Blood of my blood}. Not ?? youngling. But youngling. ??¨ˆ???¨ˆ?. Yet ??¨ˆ?. Yet ??¨ˆ???¨ˆ?. Same? Different? ??¨ˆ?? unknown. {??????????? ???????¡õ?????}. Longing. Sorrow. Regret. Unknown. If only...??¨ˆ???¨ˆ???¨ˆ???¨ˆ? me...?]


    Astra stared at the blob, uncomprehending. The blob looked at the floor, then back to her.


    It began to speak. Slowly, as if considering every word very carefully.


    [Mistake. Correct. {Blood of my soul}, safety, comfort, protection. Until {Lord of Steel} crumbles. {???????????? ????????¡õ??} promises.]


    The blob was patting her head. It felt like...but not...who...?


    Something tumbled from a dusty corner of her mind; a word she''d never used before. But it seemed to fit, all the same.


    "Grandma?"


    The figure seemed to smile.


    [Strange. Strange words. Strange being. If want. Injured. Rest.]


    She was piling leaves atop her like a cover. Was this...a nap? That sounded nice. Astra nearly closed her eyes, but...


    "My...friends?"


    Grandma paused.


    [Invaders? Why...? Strange. Very strange. Sent invaders different cave. Far. Unhappy. Alive.]


    Reassurance? They were okay then. That was good.


    Grandma frowned.


    [Questions. Answers? Later. Hm. Invaders... Worry. Sooner. Strain...]


    Grandma looked back down at Astra.


    [...Worth. {Blood of my soul}, Dream: Sun/Starlight.]


    "Goodnight..." Astra murmured.


    Grandma held a hand over Astras head, and began to glow.


    [Best Sleep. (Fourfold Rest)]


    And Astra knew no more.


    <hr>


    Something was poking her cheek.


    Astra grumbled, lazily flailing an arm to knock the offending object away. Leaves scattered off her form, and her face scrunched up at the loss of weight. She turned over, snuggling deeper into the dried grass stalks. Waking up could wait another hour or three; Grandpa hadn''t called for her yet, and she couldn''t detect any hint of breakfast.


    Or¡ªactually, now that she thought of it, she could smell...was May trying to make the food again? There was a faint whiff of...what was that? It smelled like...dirt? No, mushrooms? Was someone boiling fungus? Why¡ª


    What was that sound? Water? It sounded like¡ªwas there a leak? She didn''t hear rain, but that faint trickle was ceaseless. Why hadn''t Brendan taken care of...of...


    Um.


    Something was...weird. But...nobody was bothering her, so it was probably okay. She could just...pull up her blanket and¡ª


    Astra''s fist clenched over a handful of leaves. She paused, eyes flickering open. Leaves...? Wait, where was her blanket? She hadn''t had leaves in her bed since she''d finished lessons with the caretakers. And¡ªwhat was with this scratchy old pillow!? Where did¡ªwhat were these unshielded broadcasts she was picking up!? Were there hatchlings playing outside their cave? What in the world was going on!?


    Groaning, Astra sat up, rubbing at her¡ªwait, she still had her dress on? That¡ªshe didn''t¡ªcave? Dress? Where was her hat? Why was everything blue!? This didn''t make any¡ª


    She stopped. Looked at her hands again. Her breath caught, the sleepy fog vanishing as her heart roared in her ears.


    She was missing two fingers.


    Her illusion was gone.


    Something poked her face again.


    Astra shrieked, jerking away from the unexpected touch. For a brief instant she saw a small face; yellow, shaped like a rounded kite with a snout protruding from the bottom. Two large, Skitty-like ears grew atop their head, and a pair of slit eyes similar to a Makuhita were the only other features on their barren skull. Their torso and shoulders were covered in a brown...carapace? While the one arm she could see¡ªa skinny upper limb that disappeared into an oddly bulky forearm with three fingers (no thumb?) protruding from the end¡ªrapidly withdrew.


    Then the back of her head collided with the rock wall behind her, and pain engulfed Astra''s world as her vision was replaced with her namesake. She heard a panicked cry of "Abra!" and a brief flare of psychic energy, and when her vision cleared, the creature was gone.


    A number of followup flares followed immediately after, the faint pressure of a hundred signals she hadn''t been aware enough to recognize all vanishing at once. Astra stared at the empty space before her, grimacing as she rubbed at the bump on her head. Who was that? What were those flares!? Where was she? Somewhere deep in the Granite Caves?


    Glancing at her undisguised hands, Astra quickly threw her disguise back on and¡ªwhere was her hat? Without her hat, her horns...


    She looked at her hands again. They hadn''t been human hands when she''d awoken, and her illusions wouldn''t come apart just because she was asleep, and she knew she had reinforced it back at the gym. It should have lasted until tomorrow, but someone had dispelled it. She could vaguely recall someone...familiar. Were they the ones who''d removed her illusion? Had they put her in that bed? They''d packed her in with leaves. And that being who''d awoken her...


    Swallowing, Astra let the mirage fade away. It...wouldn''t be of any use, here.


    Brushing the foliage off her legs, Astra stepped out of the alcove, taking a proper look at her surroundings. A massive, quiet cavern stretched before her, the ground sharply dropping like a cliff a short distance away. Blue light emanated in patches from the ceiling and walls, lending the expanse a mysterious, calming iridescence. A patch of it was on a nearby rock, and Astra reached out to stroke it, curious.


    "Moss...?" she said, surprised by the soft fuzz. It scintillated at her touch, softly flickering through shades of blue, white, and black. She stared at it, mesmerized. "Wow."


    Blinking, she turned to examine another alcove next to her own. It was empty, though it had shoddy grass beddings and a pile of withered leaves for cover like hers had. Several alcoves like this lined the wall in either direction, all vacant. Unease pooled in Astra''s stomach as she walked away from her resting place. Where had that being gone? She couldn''t hear anybody, the sound being the distant trickle of water. That scent of boiling fungus had become a whiff stronger, but she still couldn''t place it.


    Cautiously approaching the cliff edge, Astra stared at the gargantuan skeleton in the distance. Its azure eye stared back, body alight with the glowing moss. What kind of behemoth was this? It was taller than some of the buildings in Rustboro. Was this some ancient nest? It wouldn''t have fit through the cave entrance; had it spent its entire life down here? She could see some tunnels that roughly fit the giant''s size down below, though a couple seem to have collapsed on themselves.


    Actually, there were a lot of tunnels down there. And up there, and¡ªAstra turned in a circle, blinking at the numerous holes bored in nearly every direction wherever there was ground. Anything that wasn''t a tunnel had some manner of alcove carved into it, though Astra wasn''t sure if the ones below were supposed to be for sleeping like the...very high shelf she was perched on. The floor looked to be sculpted smooth as well; no awkward bumps or jagged edges to be seen aside from the stalactites and stalagmites, and there even looked to be paths faintly worn into the stone around those entrances.


    "How am I going to get out of here?" she murmured, gaze flicking from one tunnel to the next. She could possibly teleport out, but she hadn''t examined any area in Dewford enough to use as a target; even if she had, none of the places she''d been to were guaranteed to be private, and who even knew how deep below ground she was? How had she gotten in here anyway? She couldn''t recall...


    Astra frowned, thinking back to her last waking memories. They''d gotten to the cave, Brendan and May hadn''t wanted to go in, she''d gotten mad at them because her friends were huge jerks that didn''t let her have an opinion¡ª


    Astra grimaced. They...hadn''t been wrong; in hindsight, she really was in no condition to do anything. She still didn''t appreciate how they kept making decisions for her, though! Even so, following up on that was going to be awkward¡ªthat was, once she found them. Where were they? She couldn''t sense them nearby¡ªoh, she could message them on her Pokedex!


    Astra reached for the device and only grabbed empty air. She stopped, breath catching in her throat. Her bag! Where was her bag!?


    She spun around, eyes locked on her resting spot, before scanning the entire shelf. Her woven grass luggage was nowhere to be seen, and neither was her violin case. Fumbling with her sash, she abruptly realized her pokeballs were gone as well.


    Swallowing, Astra looked around the deserted cavern shelf once more. Alright, so she was very alone, with no way to get help if she needed it.


    ...and no witnesses, either. Huh.


    Astra paused, raising a hand and looking at it curiously. Glancing around once more, she pushed. With a rush of psychic power, a large, shining purple sphere the size of her head manifested above her palm, peacefully swirling with contained destruction.


    Astra stared at her attack, a grim smile on her face. If anything down here thought she''d be easy prey just because she didn''t have her friends, they were going to be in for a rude awakening. Right then, new priority: find her stuff, possibly kick some ass, then get out.


    Astra dismissed her attack and walked back over to the edge of the shelf, absently examining the cavern while she returned to her previous stream of thought. There had been an argument, Astra had...pretty much lost control over her broadcasting and mental shields, she was pretty sure, and then...they''d been interrupted by¡ª


    Astra reached the cliff face, looked straight down, and abruptly stopped thinking. Resting against the bottom wall were a pair of the yellow beings, fiddling with rocks. She stared down at them, shocked beyond words. They''d been so far below that she hadn''t noticed them! Focusing her senses, her eyes widened even further at what she felt: unguarded emotions, unshielded thoughts, psychic power! They weren''t human, they were pokemon, like her! Psychic pokemon! The crafted floors and alcoves, the tunnels, she had been tucked into bed¡ªWere they...? Could it be!?


    Someone had carved a staircase into the wall on her left. Astra nearly stumbled in her rush, sprinting towards the decline as fast as her legs could carry her. But as she ran, a few puzzle pieces began to slot into place. Psychics? Granite Cave? Teleportation? She''d heard that combination before. Hadn''t Roxanne talked about this in her lecture? She had called them...Abra?


    It was only thanks to her natural grace that Astra didn''t fall down the stairs in her mad dash, and even then her exit was a mad scramble to not fall over as she nearly bounced off the wall at the landing. She ran across the flattened cavern under the watchful blue eye of the giant behind her, dodging around the few stalagmites in her way and passing by another, previously unseen giant tunnel in the cliff face.


    As she drew closer, part of Astra''s mind took in their full appearance, noting that their lower body was bipedal, with a long tail protruding from their lower body and two segmented legs that ended in tri-clawed feet. They looked rather bizarre in full; as though their hands and feet were large, thick gloves and boots rather than limbs, and all their joints were oddly exposed. With their carapace-like outer shell, it was like looking at a living puppet.


    The two Abra suddenly started to awareness, doubtlessly sensing her approach, or perhaps just finally hearing her shoes slapping on the bare rock. Startlement that quickly turned to alarm when they fully turned to face her, astonishingly swift teleportation matrixes forming in mere seconds.


    Astra bit back a curse; she''d forgotten to ping! She hadn''t meant to surprise them, but it had been so long since she''d had to properly announce herself¡ªno matter, she had to try to salvage this!


    "Wait, wait!" she cried out, halting in her tacks. She backed up several steps, covering her horn¡ªhorns with her hands and emanated as much sincerity as she could muster. "I''m not here to hurt you, I swear on my cinders! Please, I only want to talk!"


    Both Abra¡ªpaused, hesitating. Their gathered power waited within and around them, teleportation kept at bay only by a single thread of will.


    Then one of them decided that they weren''t going to chance it and teleported away with a muted pop. Astra and the remaining Abra stiffened, eyes locked on each other. Astra swallowed, still breathing heavily from her mad sprint.


    "Please don''t run," she started, nearly pleading for the Abra to stay with her. "I just want to ask some questions. I¡ªmy name is Astra! I''m a Kirlia, not a human! You''re¡ªyou''re an Abra, right?"


    Emotions swirled around the Abra, as visible to Astra as arcade lights. Panic, wariness, fear¡ªspiking when their companion vanished, and now...dampening, with confusion and curiosity slowly pushing their way in. Along with...hunger? Not for her, she didn''t think, but...had they skipped lunch or something?


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    But the Abra didn''t respond, or even move beyond the faint lessening of tension. They hadn''t even stood up, still sitting where they''d been when Astra had arrived.


    A moment passed. Then another. Astra''s face scrunched up.


    "Can...can you tell me who you are, at least?" Astra burst out, arms dropping to splay out to either side. "Or where I am? Why am I here!? Where are my friends!?"


    Silence was her answer, the Abra shrinking away as she raised her voice. Astra stared at them, teeth grit and eyes burning anew.


    "The smoothed stones, the alcoves, the grass bedding¡ªsomeone tucked me into bed! You can''t just be¡ªaren''t you...like me?"


    Silence. Abra hesitated. Astra snapped.


    "Answer me!" she screamed, incandescent purple light flaring into a corona around her body. "Say something, for fuck''s sake!"


    "Abra!"


    Thwip-clap.


    Astra¡ªstopped. Stared at the empty space where the Abra had been. Her psychic power faded, and her arms dropped to her side.


    It had been a yelp of shock. A physical yelp of shock, spoken aloud. No telepathic link. No messages. Emotions had swirled, panic and fear surging anew at Astra''s display, but that was all there had been.


    Nothing more. She''d understood more when she''d spoken to Treecko, that first night. Hatchlings could communicate better.


    The failures had remained failures.


    There wasn''t anything here.


    Astra laughed; a hollow, bitter sound that echoed across the cavern in peculiar patterns. Why had she even bothered? Humans had never come across any pokemon like her or her village, why would she? They¡ªshe¡ªwas all alone. Shame on her for getting her hopes up for some fluke¡ª


    Thwip-clap.


    [Awake, immediately scare younglings? Rude.]


    Astra shrieked for a second time, whirling around in utter shock just in time to witness a three-fingered yellow hand chop her forehead. It barely hurt, but the impact sent her reeling to the floor regardless. She rubbed at her forehead and stared up at a familiar, distinctly grown yellow being.


    [This define gratitude? Odd! Learn better.] Kadabra chastised, a wry smirk on her face. She leaned down, her long whiskers twitching in amusement. [Made stew. None for you, perhaps?]


    "Grandma!" Astra blurted, pointing at Kadabra in astonishment. Her bafflement abruptly vanished, replaced by an entirely new stupefaction at her own exclamation. "Grandma?" she asked, blinking stupidly at herself. Where had that come from?


    [Still want?] The Kadabra¡ªGrandma???¡ªasked, suddenly looking very pleased. [Am glad. Still, rude. Hm. Apologize youngling; maybe stew for you. Hungry?]


    Astra stared at...Grandma, a riot of thoughts colliding inside her mind. She was talking. Psychic messages, with...contents! Of a sort. Her speech was incredibly bizarre; it was similar to the language the village and Humanity shared so Astra could understand maybe two-thirds of it innately, but it was...off, the words and concepts packaged in a peculiar manner she was having trouble parsing fully. She could get the gist of it, but it lacked...complexity? Like there were whole facets to her words that she just wasn''t catching properly. Though it was much more comprehensible than what little she could recall from their initial encounter.


    (Had her friends been able to give their understanding, they would say that it was as though the Kadabra had been speaking in a moderately distant dialect with an incredibly strong accent.)


    But what was that about Grandma!? Her Grandpa''s mate had been gone for longer than her parents had been, and Astra''s mother had, as far as she knew, been raised communally. More importantly, none of them had been a Kadabra! Why had the first thing to pop to mind been¡ªthe bed tuck!


    "You¡ªyou''re the one that teleported in front of me at the entrance to the cave!" Astra exclaimed, the last few events slotting into place. She''d interrupted the argument and stole her away to the cavern! Then she had...used some sort of calming technique on her and tucked her into bed? But before that¡ªAstra inhaled sharply.


    "My friends. Where did you send my friends!?"


    <s>Grandma</s> Kadabra watched as Astra scrambled to her feet, weathering her glare with a small sigh. [Invaders, friends? Strange. Talk like them? Stranger. Told already. Safe, unhappy. Check again? Hm. Moment.]


    Astra blinked, rage sputtering at Kadabras calm response. There was another clap of air as Kadabra abruptly teleported away again, Astra belatedly reaching out as if to stop her. She might''ve been able to, but...the Kadabra had already told her? Astra...vaguely remembered being spoken to while Kadabra had laid her to sleep, but she hadn''t understood more than the bare emotives.


    The Kadabra had been...remarkably gentle; at least, after she had figured out Astra wasn''t an¡ªwhat had she said? [Invader]? It seemed to mean humanity, mostly, though it seemed to implicate any being in the cave that wasn''t welcome there. What had changed her mind?


    But beyond that, she could talk! There was someone else! Astra and her village weren''t alone! The very concept had her head spiraling¡ªand yet...the Kadabra was clearly an evolved Abra, right?


    So why hadn''t that Abra...?


    [Return.] Kadabra announced, reappearing before Astra between blinks. She rubbed her hands together, gently blowing on them. [Invaders fine. Unhappy. But energetic! Found Zubat swarm. Big blue creature protecting them. Red one has Tentacool, freezing swarm with color beams. Very pretty. Cold. Wonder if they take. Can''t take all; harvest later.]


    Astra frowned, slowly parsing through Kadabra''s report. May and Brendan were fighting a swarm of Zubat? And kicking ass, apparently.


    "Good," Astra said, letting herself grin a small amount as she relaxed. Those pesky flying blue bats had tried to roost in her cave back home once and the memory of her Grandpa unleashing psychic devastation on the whole flock was still one she held dear, though in the moment it had been soured by the guano they''d had to scrub off all of their stuff.


    Wait, harvest?


    "You''re collecting Zubat?" Astra asked, brows furrowed. "Why?"


    Kadabra looked at her silently, confused, before something like a shadow passed over her face.


    [Oh.] she said, slumping. [Wonder. Sorrow. Longing...]


    Huh? Had she said something wrong? Where did this melancholy come from? And why was Kadabra sort of...she was guarding her emotions far better than any human, but for brief moments it was like she was intentionally broadcasting certain feelings.


    [Hm. Not here.] Kadabra decided, pulling herself together. She turned, nodding at Astra. [Come. Questions with food. Again: Hungry? Stew?]


    As if summoned, Astra''s stomach growled like a Poochyena. Color flushed her cheeks as she clutched at her belly.


    "Food sounds amazing, actually." she said, grinning awkwardly. "I don''t think I''ve eaten since¡ªwait, how long was I asleep!?"


    Astra felt as though she''d had a full night''s rest, but there was no way May and Brendan would be fighting fresh after a half-dozen hours fighting through the Granite Caves; especially with May''s pokemon in such bad shape!


    [Time? Hm.] Kadabra seemed genuinely puzzled by the question, tilting her head. She thought for a moment, then pointed upward with both arms and then arced one arm downward by a small measure. [Above, light move...here.]


    Astra stared at the strange movement. If that was the sun, then...


    "Two hours?" she asked, surprised. "I only slept for two hours? I feel like I got eight!"


    [My fault. Grateful?] Kadabra asked, giving Astra an amused smile. She shook her head, gesturing for Astra to follow. [Enough. Come sate pang. Then, questions.]


    Astra frowned, mulling over Kadabra''s words as they started heading around the gigantic skeleton. How had she been responsible for Astra''s restfulness? And ''sate pang''? That was an odd way to describe filling one''s belly. What kind of meal merited the need to quench pain in the stomach?


    They passed around the beast''s tail, azure mosslight shimmering as they walked. Astra eyed the massive remains; a single toenail was nearly twice the size she was!


    "What is that?" she asked, watching as the glowing eye of the behemoth passed from view. "It''s bigger than any creature I''ve ever seen,"


    [{Lord of Steel}], Kadabra answered, looking up at the skeleton. [Biggest Aggron. Carved many tunnels. Big tunnels. Spawned many Larion, many Aron. Now? Bones. Home. Protection. Invaders not found, {Blank Ones} cannot enter.] She paused, trailing a hand over a metallic plate on the tail. Astra stepped closer and saw that a number of lines had been carved into the surface, though the mosslight alone didn''t let her make out the details.


    [Old place. Old being. Old memories.] Kadabra lingered, claws trailing some pattern only she could see. [All old. Time...only bones. Not yet.] She shook her head, arm dropping back to her side as she pressed onward.


    An Aggron, huh? Astra couldn''t begin to imagine what it had been like in life, but in passing they certainly looked peaceful. Though, what did she mean by ''not yet bones''? It was already bones...her stomach growled again, and Astra suddenly noticed that the distant smell of stew had grown stronger, as had the sound of trickling water.


    "Oh, I can smell it now. Are we getting close?" she asked as they rounded the Aggron''s tail. She had spotted many tunnels leading off to who-knows-where along the wall as they''d traveled, and a few of them had been blocked off with boulders or, as far as she could tell, utterly collapsed.


    Looking ahead, she blinked as the source of the trickle revealed itself: a small brook ran through a portion of the back cavern, pouring down from parts unknown and flowing across a worn channel into another tunnel alongside a walkway, which vanished into darkness. A large amount of Abra were spread along the river, each one lethargically dunking what looked to be stone bowls into the water and drinking from them.


    Every last one of them were just like the Abra from earlier; emitting base emotions carelessly, the depths of their awareness more on par with Slakoth than Kadabra. With a matching appetite, apparently. Astra frowned as one Abra drank down a third bowl of water, wondering how long they had been at the brook. What was with everyone here being so hungry? Couldn''t they just grab a...berry?


    Astra paused, looking around at the damp, rocky, sunless cave. She peered up at the brook''s source, unease pooling in her gut as she wondered if it was a spring¡ªwhich wouldn''t allow Magikarp through¡ªor if they were drinking some form of ocean water. What was...going on, here?


    [Here.] Kadabra said, turning left and trodding alongside the Aggron''s back. Astra followed, and the two of them soon came upon...nothing? This section of armor looked the same as any other, though she supposed this section hadn''t quite melded into the rock like the rest of it.


    [Don''t use often.] Kadabra mused, reaching out. Astra''s eyes widened as a previously seamless portion of the skeleton''s backplate suddenly separated from the rest, revealing a door-sized opening. Astra blinked as a warm orange glow erupted from the opening, the pungent smell of whatever stew had been made came out with it. She could hear the Abra behind her drop their bowls on the ground as one as the smell hit them as well. [Teleport easier. But, guest. Come,] she said, wrinkled eyes smiling at Astra. [Home. However long you want. Until {Lord of Steel} crumbles.]


    Kadabra turned and entered the apparently hollowed out Aggron. Astra swallowed, glancing back at the small horde of Abra staring longingly in their direction. Steeling herself¡ªhah¡ªshe entered the macabre dwelling.


    Astra was greeted by a rush of heat, the air inside the corpse-home notably warmer than the cave outside. Flickering light played out across the walls, shadows dancing upon the towering ribs¡ªancient bones, hard as stone¡ªthat held up the ceiling so far above. Walls curved and twisted in line with the Aggron''s shell, while crushed and melded stone filled in organic gaps in the floor. Toward the legs, arms, and head were more alcoves like she had seen at the top of the cliff, roughly twenty resting places sculpted into the Aggrons appendages, though the beddings in all save one had long gone dry and brittle.


    Each alcove had some sort of collection accompanying it; most had stone shelves embedded into the shell which held cobwebbed trinkets of all shapes and sizes, near-universally crafted out of rock, yellowed bone, or, rarely, ancient and rotting wood¡ªsometimes plain, other times melded with other materials, even small gemstones. A couple alcoves stood out in her brief glance; one had curiously shaped pieces of stone piled in a corner, dusty chisels laying atop pieces of unworked rock, and another had a small collection of what looked like flutes made of aged and cracking bone laid atop the decayed bed. Many were out of view or simply too far away to see what they held in the dull lighting.


    In the middle of all of this, in the center of the Aggron''s belly, was a stone cooking pot. Calling it a pot was a disservice¡ªit was a full-on cauldron half as tall as Astra and twice as wide. It rested on a giant pile of glowing red crystals, each one burning from within while a stylized flame seemed to dance inside each one. The cauldron bubbled softly, steam escaping to...somewhere, filling the air with the scent of meat and mushrooms. But beneath that, Astra thought she could smell something...not rotten, or rancid, but...off. Against the far wall was a table that held a variety of cooking implements for dissecting ingredients, the stone surface stained a number of odd colors. Next to it was...Astra couldn''t really tell. Some sort of sculpture? It looked like a couple blobby stone pillars.


    [Hm.] Kadabra murmured, slowly trodding down towards the cauldron. She waved a hand, sealing the door behind Astra. [Long time. Where...there.] Peering around, Kadabra waved a hand, pulling a pair of stone stools out of a nook in the wall. She frowned at the cobwebs that hung between the legs, huffing as she sat them before the pot.


    [Sit.] Kadabra said, patting one of the stools and looking at her expectantly.


    Astra hesitated, glancing around the room again. Everything about this place reminded her of her own cave, like the collections matching her interesting stones, and the cauldron matching her Grandpa''s much smaller metal cooking pot. But everything here seemed...old. Dusty. Worn down.


    This wasn''t a dwelling meant for one person. But there was nobody else here.


    Where was everyone?


    Astra sat on the stool, watching as Kadabra flicked her hand, retrieving two stone bowls from¡ªwait, those weird stone sculptures were stacks of bowls!? There must have been hundreds piled up next to the preparation table!


    [Here,] Kadabra said, dipping the bowls into the cauldron and floating one over to Astra. She smiled. [Eat well. Thicker. Unusual.]


    Unusual? Astra looked down at the stew, peering at the floating bits of meat and presumably mushrooms within. There hadn''t ever been a particular appetite for mushrooms back home¡ªmost would leave you sick¡ªand this clearly wasn''t fish meat. There wasn''t that much of either, honestly. How was this ''unusually thick''? Astra could still see the bottom of the bowl!


    "What kind of stew is this?" she asked, cautiously poking at a bit of very browned fungus.


    [Hm. Good kind!] Kadabra proclaimed, drinking her portion directly from the bowl. [Makuhita meat. Shit-taker mushroom. Special day, special stew.]


    Astra stared at Kadabra. "A what mushroom?"


    Kadabra stared right back, confused. [Shit-taker. What wrong? Is fine, eat, eat!]


    Astra looked back at her bowl. Well, Kadabra seemed fine with it, and it wasn''t like the berry fields back home were any better. Briefly lamenting the lack of any spoons, Astra brought the bowl up and drank. She chewed in a piece of mushroom thoughtfully, swallowing after a moment.


    The stew was...alright? The meat tasted fine¡ªeven if it was much tougher than she preferred¡ªand the fungus was pleasantly earthy and had picked up some flavor, though she wasn''t sure if she enjoyed the texture very much. But the broth was watery and, well, there just wasn''t anything else. It was just boiled meat and mushrooms. Astra knew a few leaves or flowers that would spice this right up if crushed, hotroot if she had the taste for it, and some berries¡ªjuice, skins, or whole fruits¡ªwas rarely wrong. If she was really out of options she could put in tree bark or something. As it was, the stew was...boring.


    Wait, actually, she was starting to pick up the hint of something...bitter. It wasn''t really in the stew itself, but...


    "Not bad," Astra politely allowed. "But there''s a weird bitter aftertaste. What is that?"


    Kadabra grunted. [Make stew. Empty pot. Make stew again. Bad clean? Old stew linger. Regret. Apologies.]


    "No, it''s fine; this is...still alright!" Astra reassured, wincing at the utter lack of praise she could honestly give. "Though, I guess I do have to wonder, what makes this stew so special if your ''usual'' is so bitter?"


    Kadabra looked at Astra, her joyous grin dimming. [No Zubat.]


    Astra choked on her stew, coughing as broth tried to invade her lungs. "You''ve been eating Zubat!?" she demanded, turning wild, teary eyes on Kadabra. "Aren''t those things poisonous!?"


    [Yes.]


    Kadabra met Astra''s gaze, good cheer fading into a weary, blank stare. [Yes.] she repeated, exhaling softly. [Eat. Questions after.]


    Astra hesitated, looking at Kadabra as the other psychic resumed eating their meal. That look on her face...she had to know that eating Zubat would at best make her nauseous and prone to self-fouling, right? Yet she had been eating it anyway, and considering her earlier words about ''harvesting'' the Zubat her friends were fighting...


    Astra suddenly recalled the Abra drinking bowls upon bowls of water outside. She looked at the colossal pot, then down at her stew, its warmth doing nothing for the chill she felt. Special, huh? Astra closed her eyes and drank.


    A commotion caught Astra''s ear. She looked up from the last dregs of her meal to see a small creature clamoring out from behind a corner up near the head. It was half as tall as Astra, and looked¡ªhonestly it looked kind of like a tan Ralts, but with black hands, two long black bangs extruding from a small patch of black hair atop it''s head, and some sort of gargantuan ponytail¡ª


    The creature yawned, its ponytail unlatching into an enormous pair of massive, toothy jaws.


    Astra dropped her bowl.


    [{???¡õ???????¡ö???}!] Kadabra exclaimed, a measure of cheer returning to her form. [Awake ???¨ˆ? ???¨ˆ???¨ˆ??? sleep! Lazy, lazy!]


    Astra twitched. That first word¡ªwhat had she just said? It felt like something akin to a name, but entirely unlike the identifiers her home used. Those were akin to how a human''s voice sounded, while this was...some sort of conceptual metaphor? She hadn''t even understood half of the rest¡ªit was like Kadabra had suddenly stopped speaking human at all, instead emitting strange psychic patterns she couldn''t comprehend.


    And apparently this creature was a veritable fountain of worries. Astra could verify this, as just being in the same room as them was worrying her to no end.


    "Mawile!" the Mawile(?) said, leveling a sleepy glare at Kadabra. "Maw maw¡ªwile!?"


    Upon spotting Astra, the Mawile yelped in shock and darted for the nearest alcove, hiding herself out of sight. The effect was rather ruined by her gargantuan mouth-horn-thing still hanging right out in the open, chittering nervously.


    Astra snorted, covering her mouth to stifle a giggle. Right, well, that explained the name, she guessed.


    "Are they alright?" she asked.


    Kadabra ''tsk''d. [Fine. {???¡õ???????¡ö???} panic easy. She think: Tiny mistake! Cave collapse! Funny. Frustrating.] She shook her head, a fond smile on her face. [Keep company. Battle {Silent Ones}. Eat those, metal, rock. {???¡õ???????¡ö???}! Come! Meet {Blood of my soul}.]


    Astra blinked as Mawile hesitantly poked her head out. {Blood of my soul}? Was that what Kadabra was calling her? Some sort of...spiritual cousin? Well, she supposed they were both intelligent psychic pokemon, so...sure?


    Mawile slowly edged her way towards Kadabra at her urging, and, seeing that Astra wasn''t about to attack, dashed over and grabbed onto Kadabra''s leg, chittering at her rapidly. Astra watched the pair, a smile drifting across her face as Kadabra gently reassured the Mawile, even calling forth bits of...metallic carapace from somewhere and feeding it to her as a treat of some sort. That same smile grew incredibly strained as Astra watched Mawile tear the steel chunks into shrieking pieces with her oversized jaw-horn before eating it. Scary...


    Was Mawile part of Kadabra''s family? Watching Kadabra fuss over the smaller creature reminded her of her own companions. Feeding Slakoth or Marill treats, stroking the long leaf on Grovyle''s head, gently picking through bits of detritus in Swablu''s puffy coat, Nincada....uh, sharpening his claws on bark?


    Absentmindedly, she reached into her sash for her pokeballs¡ª


    Nothing. She frowned.


    Right, enough of this. Time to get some answers.


    "Hey Kadabra," she started, absently depositing her bowl over on the table. "You''ve let me sleep in your bed, showed me your home, and even fed me, but I don''t think we''ve really introduced ourselves, have we?"


    Kadabra hummed. [Questions? Fine. I ask, too. But, ''Kadabra''?] she looked over at Astra frowning sadly. [Not ''Grandma''?]


    "I..." Astra trailed off, scratching her head awkwardly. "I don''t know why I called you that. I already have a Grandpa. You...kind of remind me of him, in a way, but¡ª"


    [Oh! Grandpa?] Kadabra asked, a mischievous sparkle in her eye. [He handsome? Big brain? Shiny shell?]


    Astra stared at Kadabra, completely lost for words. "Uhhh...."


    Kadabra laughed uproariously, slapping her knee with a wheeze. [Ah, hope! Dream! Alas,] she chuckled, pulling Mawile off the ground and holding her in her lap. Mawile protested through a mouth full of metal as Kadabra began stroking her head. [Ages since laugh. Apology. Want name?]


    "Yes," Astra managed, shaking her head. She loved her Grandpa, but those sorts of questions...no. "My name is Astra," she offered.


    [Hm. {Astra}? {Astra}...starlight? Good name!] she declared, grinning at her. [Starlight good. Peaceful. Wish saw more.]


    "Grandpa gave it to me." Astra said, smiling faintly. "And yours?" she prompted.


    Kadabra looked at her, her face growing weary.


    [{???????????? ????????¡õ??}]


    A conclusion to legacy. The final breath before silence. A sound, from many, rebounding through halls of stone for ages until none are left to listen. Fading away, inexorably, towards...one last Echo.


    Astra stared, taken aback. What kind of name was that!? "That''s...um."


    [No.] Echo interrupted, shaking her head. [My turn. Many my turn! Name good, but what you? Not {Blood of my blood}, not Invader. Unknown. What?]


    Astra blinked, frowning. That was rather abrupt. Was she avoiding a follow up?


    "I''m a Kirlia," she eventually responded. "I used to be a Ralts, and if I''m lucky, one day I might be a Gardevoir like my parents were."


    [Hm. Hm! Hm?] Echo mumbled, gently tugging at one of her whiskers. [You get third? Lucky. Only Kadabra. Gardevoir...]


    They didn''t have a Gardevoir-equivalent? That didn''t feel right, but when Astra examined that feeling, she couldn''t quite explain why. Hadn''t someone mentioned...she couldn''t remember.


    "It''s very hard to become a Gardevoir," Astra told Echo. "My parents were the last ones back home, and they had to, uh, undergo some ''trials''. I don''t know what they were, but they sounded pretty horrific."


    [Familiar.] Echo murmured, absently scratching Mawile under one of her bang-flaps. Mawile leaned into the touch, cooing blissfully as her massive jaw started to vibrate like Nincada wings what in the absolute¡ª[Tale? Story¡­???¨ˆ???¨ˆ??...unknown. Forgot. Forgot more. Again.]


    Echo closed her eyes, pressing her forehead onto Mawile. Mawile whined, hugging Echo in response. She also glared at Astra, as if it was her fault. Astra...just sat there, unsure what to do. Echo had forgotten a story? Or something along those lines. That strange non-human speech was still incomprehensible, a tangle of telepathic patterns dancing in the air.


    [Home?] Echo asked, gathering herself together. She looked at Astra, unblinking. [Many {Blood of my soul}? Wonder. What home like? Invaders?]


    "My home?" Astra said. "Uh. No, there aren''t any humans there. It''s a village of Ralts and Kirlia in the depths of a forest back on the mainland; a little bit inland of the coast to the northeast. They''re all like me¡ªin that we can all talk like this. Humanity doesn''t even know we exist. Um, everyone lives in wooden houses, sometimes hollowed out trees, but some dig into mounds and have homes underground. I live in a big cave carved into a steep hill; it''s actually one of the best ones in the village, I think¡ª"


    [How many?]


    "Huh?"


    Astra stopped. Echo stared at her, face blank.


    [Your home. How many {Blood of my soul}?]


    "I''m...not sure?" Astra said, shifting uncomfortably. She thought back to the gathering, when Grandpa had announced the great plan for her to become champion. If she had to guess...


    "A thousand?" she hazarded. "Maybe two, or even a little over that."


    Echo froze. [Thousand...] she murmured, the word tinged with disbelief. She closed her eyes, resting her chin on Mawile''s head. [So many. What eat?]


    This was getting a bit out of hand. Something was deeply wrong here, and Astra needed to start figuring out what. "Listen, I really think you should tell me¡ª"


    [Please.] Echo whispered. [One more. How feed? What eat? Tell.]


    Silence. Astra looked at Echo, noticed the dullness of her carapace, the fading color and patchiness of her whiskers. Saw how her hands trembled as she stroked Mawile.


    She sighed.


    "Berries, mostly." Astra began. "There''s nowhere you can go that doesn''t have a bush within a minute''s walk, and there''s a whole section of the village that''s nothing but berry brambles. Most of them are Oran and Pecha, but there are a couple of Leppa bushes in a special corner; they don''t seem to want to grow very often.


    "Otherwise, there''s a big river that runs right through the village, and there''s always a couple Magikarp swimming around in there. Sometimes someone finds a Goldeen or Corphish but Ralts aren''t allowed near those so I''ve never caught one. There''s Seedot in the trees sometimes and you can bake those until they crack open; stuff some jam, meat, and maybe a bit of ground up bark powder in there and it''s incredible.


    "There''s also Wurmple all over the place. You can eat those as they are¡ªwithout the head, of course¡ªor you can put a stick through them and rotate over a campfire if you like it crispy. Grandpa likes to soak them in Pecha juice and fry them, which is good but I don''t like Pecha quite as much as Oran. Silcoon and Cascoon you have to boil, and they turn into a really nice soup broth once you get rid of the shell. Beautifly are mostly like Wurmple but rarer and nobody eats Dustox because of the poison.


    "We can also get Lotad and Surskit from the ponds and outer edges of the river¡ªSurskit legs are good as a snack, and Lotad you mostly cook with jam. There are tons of Zigzagoon in the forest and you can basically do anything you want with them. Same with Poochyena, but they''re really hard to put down because they''re only ever in packs and they''re immune to psychic powers, so eating them is, uh...special? It doesn''t happen a lot.


    "Of course, that''s just the main stuff!" Astra proclaimed, memories of past meals dancing merrily in her mind''s eye. "I haven''t even gotten to things like...eggs..."


    She trailed off. SIlence filled the room, save for labored, choking sobs.


    [All that.] Echo said, her voice warped and muddled. She curled further into Mawile, fresh tears leaking from her eyes. [All that. {Blood of my soul}. Food. Across water? Nearby? Distant. Unknown. Unfair. ?? unfair. {??????????? ???????¡õ?????}. {???¡õ?¡ô?¡ñ??????? ????????}. {???¡ö???¡õ?¡ñ??? ??¡ö?????????¡ô???}. Everyone ???¨ˆ???¨ˆ???. Unfair. Why?]


    A litany of names flashed by too quickly for Astra to decipher. All of them, without exception, spoken with a depth of sorrow and loss that she could scarcely comprehend.


    Astra stood, and with one stride came before Echo.


    And then she wrapped the elderly Kadabra in a hug.


    Echo hiccuped, then wailed, burying her face into the crook of Astra''s arm, clutching onto her like a young tree clung to the soil in a storm.


    Astra didn''t understand many things. What was happening, why things were like this, the past, the future¡ª even the people around her, at times. But she could understand the presence of pain. And she could understand what it meant to be alone, if only a little bit.


    So she stood there, exuding as much warmth as she could muster. Echo sobbed, tears tripping into Astra''s dress. Mawile still sat on Echo''s lap, squished between the two of them and growing incredibly more uncomfortable and annoyed by the second.


    "Maw!" she screeched, wriggling out of the press of bodies, dropping to the floor with a thud. The Mawile scrambled to her feet, glaring angrily at the two of them. "Wile wile mawile Mawawawa!"


    Astra and Echo stared, the abrupt angry tirade thoroughly interrupting the mess of sobbing. Echo blinked. She coughed, wheezing out a choking laugh before descending into a full blown, teary-eyed guffaw.


    She laughed, tears still streaming down her face, as if Mawile''s angry pout was the funniest thing she had ever seen.


    [Apology. Apology!] she choked out, gathering enough control to reach out and pat the Mawile on the head. [Gratitude ???¨ˆ???¨ˆ. Love. Apology.]


    Astra simply watched, a small frown on her face as Mawile begrudgingly accepted the reassuring scritches. When Echo had meaningfully pulled herself together, she spoke.


    "Echo."


    Echo looked up at her, seemingly puzzled by the name. Astra laid a hand on her shoulder, and continued, gently.


    "What is going on?"


    They looked at each other, silently. Astra gestured around the room.


    "There are two dozen beds here, but they''re all full of dust and rotten grass. Nothing on these shelves have been touched in...ages. Every single Abra I''ve seen is¡ªnone of them can talk, and they''re all hungry. Your special stew is so thin, your regular stew is apparently full of Zubat, and¡ªand..."


    A pause. Astra sighed.


    "You''re the only Kadabra I''ve seen. But everything I''ve seen says there should be more.


    "Where are they, Echo? What happened here?"


    Echo sighed, turning away from Astra. She stared into the bubbling pot and flicked her hand, many of the glowing stones fading into dull embers. The bubbles stopped as the pot ceased cooking, now merely keeping the stew warm.


    [Many things.] Echo replied, listlessly. [Where start...?]


    "The beginning?" Astra suggested. "How did this place even form? We had help from our Ancestor, but you all..."


    [Mmm.] Echo stared into the glow and closed her eyes.


    Then, she began to recount the Great Dwindling of the Granite Caves...

 Illumination

    [Memory difficult,] Echo admitted to Astra, her strangely reduced speech still twanging with incomprehensible psychic undertones. [Stories unlearned. Forgotten. Know some, but...was others'' duty. {??????????? ???????¡õ?????} knew all.]


    She paused, staring into the flickering stones set into the cauldron. Shadows danced amongst the bones of the colossal Aggron they sat within, its metal carapace enclosing a large hollow that had once been Echo''s home.


    Now it was just where she slept.


    [{??????????? ???????¡õ?????} gone. I remain. Stories unpassed. Never thought...]


    Astra gently squeezed Echo''s shoulder, humming softly. She''d moved her rocky chair to sit next to the elderly Kadabra, hoping that she would draw some amount of comfort from Astra''s close proximity. Mawile had taken more metal scraps and gone around one of the legs to eat in peace. "I would still like to hear what you can tell. Do you know how your people learned how to...well, be like we are now?"


    [Hm.] Echo closed her eyes pondering the question. [Was time before. Before cold burst cycle. All Abra? Was no...???¨ˆ???¨ˆ??. Togetherness. All selfish. All empty.]


    [Then...change. Abra brought together, given knowledge. Learn new speech, learn ???¨ˆ???¨ˆ??.]


    Astra still didn''t understand that flux of psychic energy, but she could get the gist from the context.


    "You were given knowledge?" she asked, frowning. "How?"


    Echo hesitated. [Taught by...visitor? Not invader. Not {Blood of my blood}. Unknown.]


    Someone came here? Someone neither human nor Abra...who could teach a group of psychic pokemon language...and was around several thousand years ago...


    "Uh." Astra blinked. "That...sounds like the Ancestor. Did she try to make a village here too?"


    Echo stared blankly. [Who?]


    Oh, had she skipped that? "Our village was created by a really powerful Gardevoir a long time ago, before humans had cities. She gathered all of my kind she could and taught us how to speak and, well, whatever else she learned when she lived among humanity. But she stuck around from back then up until¡ªwell, most of my grandpa''s life. Then she just...vanished. Grandpa told me about her in the first place."


    [Strange.] Echo said, after a pause. [Maybe so. Very strange. Very long. You live long?] she asked, peering at Astra.


    "I haven''t heard of anyone else living for nearly that long. I don''t think I''ll be an exception." Astra shook her head. "We''re getting off track. What happened after she¡ªor whoever¡ªtaught you?"


    [Came together. Had surface, then. Food for all, even in cold! Berries, fish, sun. No invaders. Maybe before...? Hm. All gone. Learned fire, learned to shape wood, rock, bone. Then...]


    She hesitated, uncertainty flickering across her face. [Don''t...remember. Argument? Anger? Disappointment? Bad feelings. Failure. Was...bargain? Debt? But wrong. Ignorant. Impatient. But which was...] She shook her head, growling at herself. [Apology. Cannot recall story, only feeling. Fragment of fragment. Memory is gone.]


    "I see..."


    So the Ancestor¡ªpresumably¡ªhad come here, taught the Abra some of the advancements she''d learned from humanity, and then...they had a mutual falling out? Over what?


    "I suppose you didn''t learn anything from them after that?" Astra guessed.


    Echo nodded. [No more learning. But, had enough. Knew simple things, knew was more. Could discover own way.] She frowned. [Did, ???¨ˆ???¨ˆ¡ªah, for some time.]


    "Did you make houses on the surface?" Astra asked, curiously. There was a forest beyond the city, but she would have heard if humanity had found pokemon dwellings like that by now, shouldn''t she?


    [No.] Echo said, shaking her head. [Did not try, always had cave. Less tunnels then, but still vast. More cold, back then. Not worth.]


    "More cold? Do you mean the snowstorms?"


    Echo nodded. [Can recall...???¨ˆ??? ?? ???¨ˆ???¨ˆ???¨ˆ. Hm...] she paused, thinking. [Old story. {??¡ñ?????????¡ñ? ???????????}, braved storms, defeated ice beasts. Long cold. Longer than now. Frozen surface. Distant rage. Then...fading. Teacher came before, left during. Warm now. Might have tried wood. Can''t.]


    She shrugged. [Would not have helped. When snow fade, Invaders came.]


    "Invaders¡ªhumans, you mean?" Astra checked.


    [Yes.] Echo paused, rolling her shoulders back and grimacing. [Mmm. Duty. Come,] she said, standing up. [Talk while walk. Must check {Blood of my blood}. Must feed stirring creche soon, too. After talk.]


    "Oh. Alright." Astra said, following Echo as they left the Aggron''s shell. The soft, blue, and dim light of the cavern left her blinking as her eyes adjusted, whereupon she noticed the crowd of Abra at the river''s edge had grown threefold. More than half of them were drinking from it, still, while the others just...sat there.


    They were all hungry, but beyond that...a sort of hollow sadness, and not much else. Some of their thoughts were so devoid of substance that Astra couldn''t tell if they were thinking at all, and only after those specific few didn''t react to her and Echo''s re-emergence did it dawn on her that they weren''t even awake. It didn''t feel like they were asleep, so much as in some sort of...thoughtless suspension.


    "They...aren''t even dreaming," Astra muttered, skin crawling at the blank sensation. "Is...I..."


    Astra trailed off, looking at Echo helplessly. Echo looked back at her, surprised.


    [Can tell so easily?] she asked, blinking. [How?]


    "Huh? Isn''t it obvious?" Astra asked in return, agitatedly looking between her and the not-catatonic Abra. "They''re asleep but aren''t expressing any emotions at all! There should be happiness, excitement, warmth; maybe even sadness or terror if it were a bad dream, but there''s just...nothing!"


    [See emotion? That easy? Hm.] Echo studied Astra for a moment, then turned to examine the Abra, eyes glancing over each one in turn. She sighed.


    [Not unusual,] Echo said, voice laden with whatever was left when sorrow was ground away by time. [Not many with good ???¨ˆ???¨ˆ. Tch. Spark. Even if, fires unfed. Embers smothered, starved, until...]


    She sighed, bowing her head.


    [Naught but cinders.]


    Astra watched as Echo approached the Abra, reassuring them about their upcoming meal. If she could even call it that. Eating nothing but Zubat stew...was there truly nothing else to be done? If it was really harming their ''sparks'' that much, if it was leaving them like this...how was that acceptable? There must be a reason, right?


    [Hm.] Echo hummed as she returned. [Few younglings here. You scared off when wake,] she accused, a shadow of a smile flicking across her face. [Must check waking creche. ???¨ˆ???¨ˆ. Then stirring creche, maybe. This way.]


    A few of the Abra casually teleported elsewhere as they left, each pop leaving a curiously bitter feeling in Astra''s stomach. How was it that the technique seemed to come so easily to them? She''d had to wait until she was a Kirlia to even try, and even now her version was nowhere near as efficient as theirs looked to be. And some of them were hatchlings! Shaking her head to clear the feeling, Astra followed Echo alongst a trail of stalagmites.


    Echo led them to one of the larger, Aggron-sized tunnels. Astra stared at the walls as they went, idly tracing patterns and pictures carved into the walls in the dim mosslight. Most were indecipherable in the gloom and on the move, but she recognized the shape of Abra and Kadabra, and even Mawile here and there, along with Zubat, Makuhita, and more creatures she''d never seen.


    "What happened when the humans came?" Astra prompted, eyeing a picture of multiple Kadabra...orbiting rocks around a dizzy Nosepass?


    [Unsure.] Echo admitted. [Think...was Hariyama on surface, then. Would have fought invaders. Invaders have strange beasts. Hariyama, Makuhita, defeated. Surface now invaders. Maybe try attack {Blood of my blood}? Old {Blood of my blood} retreat into caves. Maybe?]


    "You didn''t try to hide yourselves or anything?" Astra asked, thinking back to the nebulous protection her village enjoyed. "Fight back? Or...talk to them, I guess?"


    Echo gave her a flat look. [Annoyance. Would say if knew. Old story; was not there. Stories not perfect. Not...whole.]


    Her face fell, Astra reaching out to gently squeeze her shoulder. Echo accepted this, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, exhaling slowly.


    [Am fine,] she told Astra, smiling at her. [Memories hard. Painful. But, glad can still share. Keep remainder alive.]


    "I''m happy to listen to anything you have." Astra replied, returning the smile. They walked in silence under the dim azure light, shadows shifting with the rippling of moss along the tunnel. It seemed to pulse, almost; waves of scintillating white and blue flowing across the mats like ripples on a pond. Ahead of them, an exit loomed.


    "What happened after you retreated into the caves?" Astra asked. Echo huffed softly.


    [Not obvious?] Echo said, as a huge chamber came into view. Slowly, new minds came into range; two, five, ten, twenty-five, fifty¡ª[Done as all life does.]


    [We lived.]


    The tunnel opened and Astra stopped, eyes wide. The creche sprawled before her, a cavern in the rough shape of a circle and wide enough to cram hundreds of Kirlia into. Numerous crevices had been carved into the walls, each a mirror of the bed she''d woken up in, and above them the walls recessed further and further in steps, leaving four rings of alcoves encircling the entire space. And above, bereft of all but the smallest of stalactites, was a flat pane of dappled moss. It shifted and scattered across the ceiling, as though the light of a blue sun was shining straight through the ocean and rock.


    Abra filled the floor. A hamlet''s worth of psychic children, scattered here and there amongst dozens of tables, benches, and chairs¡ªall of which were being used backwards with a tilted ''frontrest''. Atop and beside each table were near-universally giant piles of rocks carved into flat shapes with odd edges or bizarre geometrical figures. Nearby Abra were fiddling with them endlessly; comparing pieces in methodical¡ªsluggish?¡ªcontemplation and occasionally bringing them together to form ever-greater wholes. A fair few well-used grass balls¡ªand a couple human softballs?¡ªwere scattered about, a few Abra managing to play the most inanimate, tepid game of psychic catch Astra had ever seen.


    Many of the Abra were simply...hanging out amongst the tables or atop what looked to be a large, rectangular dais in the middle of the room. Sitting together or laying around, chittering amongst themselves, some using fistfulls of grass to...polish each-other? A handful were messing with what looked to be illusory sparks, and a few were even cuddling together in pairs.


    Hunger emanated from each and every one, but it was muted despite their number; a great number of recently discarded bowls scattered across the room provided an answer. Beyond that...happiness, irritation, amusement, fleeting joy, steady contentment, dull boredom¡ªa chorus of emotion the same as every hatchling or human Astra had ever met.


    Yet for all the noise they made, the quiet chorus of clicking rocks, subtle murmurs, and psychic sparks, it was...quiet. For all that this truly appeared to be a fantasy¡ªa real, true counterpart to her village¡ªthe slightest inspection revealed the truth: Nobody was saying anything. None of them could. Hatchlings, bereft of a teacher, left to grow old; withered and hungry in the azure gloom of these hollow caves.


    As if sensing her sudden melancholy, the colony of Abra turned as one to meet her gaze, each and every one stopping whatever they were doing as they noticed her and Echo''s entrance. Astra''s skin crawled as she stared back, pushing back the instinctive need to check on her illusion. There wasn''t any reason to hide here, and yet...well, at least the Abra seemed as nervous as she was.


    "This is a creche, you said?" Astra asked, trailing behind Echo as they moved towards the crowd. "What does that mean? There''s so many Abra here..."


    [Hm. Is where younglings live.] Echo explained, broadcasting a greeting across the cavern. She scanned the room, gazing intently on the varied gatherings of Abra. [Have more. Use...five. Some empty. Some lost.]


    "You use four more of these caves? Do they have as many Abra as this one? Do we need to check on those ones too?"


    [Roughly same Youngling numbers. Check Stirring Creche soon. Resting Creches can wait.]


    "Resting...? Wait," Astra said, furrowing her brows. "The other...two hundred Abra are all asleep?"


    [Yes, are in cycle of waking. Younglings sleep {18 Hours} at time.]


    Astra twitched as she was hit with a jumble of bizarre timekeeping information, then blinked in disbelief as she registered exactly what it meant. "They''re only awake for six hours!?"


    [Hour...?] Echo gave her a confused look. [Hatchling awake short time, yes. Need much rest. Kadabra need less, but...] she grimaced. [Was hard to divide rest around Waking cycle. No other Kadabra to help watch.]


    And now Echo had sleep deprivation. Fantastic. As for the Abra...Astra couldn''t even imagine how catastrophic losing ten hours of every day would be to her own progress; how could an Abra get anything done in a reasonable amount of time like that?


    She got the feeling the answer was ''they didn''t''.


    "What makes a Creche ''lost''?" Astra asked, blatantly changing the subject.


    [Became unusable,] Echo explained. [Usually cave-in, or overrun by {Blank Ones} rarely. Sometimes moss death, creche becomes dark. Invaders found small outer one short time ago. Had to move.] Echo sighed. [Shame. Had fresh beds.]


    Ah. That...wasn''t as bad as she had feared, except for maybe an outbreak of those ''Blank Ones''. Were all Abra ''Younglings''? If so, then these creches were...basically an oversized gathering spot that doubled as a communal hatchling enclave for Ralts who weren''t able to be raised by their birth parents or other relatives. If the enclaves were the default, Astra supposed.


    Astra stopped at a table, looking at the pile of meticulously carved rocks laid atop it. The two Abra already seated there eyed her warily, though Echo''s presence nearby seemed to have alleviated any serious concern. Curious, Astra picked up a rock. It was perfectly smooth, though with an occasional scratch or chip here and there, and along various parts of the fist-sized stone were odd carvings and grooves. Picking another at random, she compared their shapes and found that her new stone had an inverse groove of the other. Carefully sliding them together, she beheld the new, bigger rock in her hand, the crack where they were joined nearly invisible to the eye.


    "It''s...a puzzle?" she murmured to herself glancing back at the pile quizzically. Was there a maximum size? A final shape? Astra peered around, and dug up a stone with one surface carved smooth and slightly curved. Ah, so they all combined into a big sphere? There were a lot of pieces, though. How were you supposed to keep track of which went where? Aside from the grooves they were all nearly identical...


    The curved piece turned out to fit on the edge of her current amalgamation, and Astra found herself engrossed in the challenge, joining a good couple more rocks onto it before running into a problem: many of the pieces were increasingly likely to need to fit multiple grooves at once. Not only was it oddly difficult to find any pieces like that in the massive pile, when she did the grooves wouldn''t allow her to slide both in at the same time.


    Was...was there an order to which pieces she had to assemble first as well? Maybe she''d have to work from some sort of ''core'' outwards, but which one would that be? She frowned and reached out, telekinetically lifting the entire pile to search through the pieces¡ª


    "Abra!"


    Astra paused, guiltily looking over at the two Abra. Clouds of irritation swirled around them, glares boring into her for interrupting their work. Ah. Right, they''d already been trying this one, she supposed. Giving the pair an apologetic grin, she set the pile down and backed away a step.


    [Enjoying puzzle ball?]


    Astra jumped, whirling around to see Echo hovering just behind her, apparently having already finished her brief overview of the creche. The Kadabra smiled at her shocked gasp, eyes twinkling merrily.


    "Ugh, did you have to sneak up on me like that?" Astra grumbled, folding her arms.


    [Never left.] Echo replied, smile widening. [You forget. Jump. Funny. Heh.]


    "It really isn''t," Astra sighed. She turned back toward the stone pieces. "And yeah, actually. It was pretty interesting, but difficult. I''m not sure how I would solve it."


    [Have only tried for very short time,] Echo chided, walking up to the table herself. [This one harder than most. Want see?] At Astra''s cautious nod, she turned to the Abra. [Apology, {Blood of my Blood}. Will disrupt. Then replace. Okay?]


    The two Abra looked at her blankly, then both gave her the most minute of nods.


    Raising a glowing purple hand, Echo lifted the pile into the air, gently disconnecting the few assembled pieces and arranging them in a grid above her. Eyeing the pieces for a moment¡ªrotating them briefly to see their sides¡ªshe twitched her claws. The mass shuddered, then began whirling around, rocks gently yet methodically slotted together in¡ªeight groups?


    Astra watched in fascination as the mass condensed down seamlessly into an octet of round-bottom spikes. It had happened so fast¡ªhow in the world was Echo able to so effortlessly manipulate all those pieces!? There didn''t seem to be any core like she had suspected; the pieces just...came together naturally. The spikes then paired off, condensing down into four, then two, and with an immensely satisfying final twist¡ª


    Echo held aloft a perfectly spherical boulder half as tall as she was, the pieces so tightly fit that the surface was nearly seamless.


    "That was incredible!" Astra exclaimed. "There were eight different sections? How did you manage to do all of that so quickly? The pieces all look so similar..."


    Echo chuckled as she disassembled the boulder, setting the pile back on the table. [Have done puzzle ball many times. Done all puzzles many, many times. Simple: remember where pieces go, do not repeat mistakes. Took much time to learn,] she admitted, looking at the rocks with quiet melancholy. [Maybe should not have. Or done slower. No new puzzles. No more challenge.]


    "No new puzzles?" Astra asked, excitement dimming. "You...can''t make more?"


    [Did not make,] Echo said. She turned from the table to gaze across the cavern, eyes lingering on the myriad Abra shuffling about their own puzzles. She began walking, Astra following at her side. [{???¡õ?¡ô?¡ñ??????? ????????} made. Carved stone into many shapes. Learned from ???¨ˆ??¡ªhm. Teacher? Not-parent? Tch.]


    She hesitated, considering her words.


    [One-who-imparts-ascension,] she settled on, frustrated. [Made tables, chairs, puzzles, more. Replace what broke. Old stone carvers carved beds, shaped floors, made space better.]


    Echo stopped at a different table. Astra saw a collection of wide, thin stones on the table with three Abra carefully trying to puzzle them together. Unlike the boulder, this flat puzzle was decorated with carved lines on top and much simpler edge shapes. This one, Astra felt, she could probably do in an hour; maybe less. The Abra were making decent progress; they''d gotten the edges figured out and were slowly comparing the carved etchings on the rest.


    [Puzzles help younglings think,] Echo explained, smiling softly at the Abra. [Harder puzzle, think more. Think more, reason more, learn better, can teach easier. Do well, increase chance of being chosen. Taught by ???¨ˆ??. Learn speech, skills, craft. Become Kadabra, usually. Even if not, fun. Way to pass time.] She sighed, looking back at Astra. [{???¡õ?¡ô?¡ñ??????? ????????} gone. No more carvers. No new puzzles. Pieces break; few remain whole. Some unsolvable, unusable. Would enjoy new confusion. Cannot do myself.]


    "''Ascend''...?" Astra muttered, frowning. "Chosen to learn speech; to evolve? That¡ªwere you keeping their advancement locked behind their ability to do puzzles!?"


    Echo looked at her strangely. [No? Stupid. Puzzles only help choose. Many more reasons.]


    "But why lock it at all?" Astra said, tone harsh. "Everyone in my village becomes a Kirlia eventually, why can''t everyone be a Kadabra? Is this why none of them can talk? Even hatchlings learn in a season."


    Echo closed her eyes, breathing deeply. [Fortunate village,] she said, eventually. [Much food. Many ???¨ˆ??. Easy learning. Envy. In dream, all sparks fed; become bright fires.] She looked at Astra, smiling bitterly. [Is not dream. Is just here. So all will remain embers. All will remain quiet.]


    Astra hesitated, burgeoning anger draining away. Was it truly so difficult to educate hatchlings? The caretakers hadn''t seemed that overwhelmed, and her Grandpa had done well with her¡ªor so she thought, at least. It wasn''t like she''d really...looked into that sort of thing, before. But her home only ever had to manage Ralts; were Abra truly so different?


    "Is...was it always that way?"


    [Teach spark is...hard,] Echo continued, softly. She looked up, examining the patterns on the ceiling. "Harder than anything. Longer than anything. Younglings need much food, much rest. Already only awake fourth of day; feeding spark takes energy, effort. Awake maybe sixth. Must spend all time learning, drop everything to teach. Chosen younglings need good food. Many food. Takes time, focus, good teacher.]


    She closed her eyes, turning from the scintillating moss above.


    [Food became rarer. Little time. Distracted. Some not good at teaching. Some never want. Ascension...slow. Great teacher, three, maybe four ever chosen. Few were great. Rest choose one. Some, none. Only ever ten hands of Kadabra. Many, many more Abra. Once time, could balance; ascend Abra as Kadabra fell.]


    She huffed, giving Astra a small, mirthless smile.


    [Now...if had help, if had food, could maybe teach Abra again. But am only one Kadabra. No time. Little food. Darkness follows.]


    "It keeps coming back to food, doesn''t it?" Astra murmured. Ten hands...? They had three fingers, so, thirty Kadabra on average? For this many hatchlings? She grimaced. "But it can''t have always been like this," she said, gesturing toward the tepid Abra surrounding them. "Even wild pokemon know how to live, but I can''t call this much more than surviving. What did the Abra do when there was food?"


    [Had more Kadabra,] Echo explained, gesturing for Astra to follow. She turned, heading for the dias in the center of the room. [More minds, more hands for work. Before, could finish quickly, spend time on craft, on fun.] She sighed. [Not much time now. But, before, told stories.]


    They reached the dias, hopping up onto the wide circular platform. Astra looked out, able to see every Abra in the creche. They, in turn, could see her; their silent gazes sending prickles up her skin. Echo walked forward, staring vacantly at the center of the area.


    [{??????????? ???????¡õ?????} performed. Told tales, history, myth, entertainment. All in creche would listen, learn, grow. Others came up, wove illusions, made music, played games of ???¨ˆ???. Ah. Hm. ''Bullet Curtain''...? No. ''Barrage''? Fine.]


    She stopped and looked down. Astra saw a small stone figurine of a Makuhita laying on the floor. Echo levitated it into her palm, a brief smile playing over her face.


    [Sometimes {???¡õ?¡ô?¡ñ??????? ????????} stood here. Brought up big stone block; carved figures for younglings before all. Make statues from leftovers.]


    She stared at the figure for a moment, then gave it back to a nearby Abra. She turned to Astra, tired.


    [No more left to help work. No others to perform, or craft, or...anything.] She gestured to herself, then out to all of the Abra around them. [This my purpose. Looked after younglings, then and now. Must gather food. Feed. Defend. Keep watch. Takes all time, energy. Cannot do less. Unable to do more.]


    She paused, looking down at her hands. Trembling.


    [One day, will follow river. Learn final secret. But then...] she sighed, looking back at Astra. [Apology. Want explain, but...sadness. Maybe take break¡ªah?]


    Astra pulled Echo into a hug, resting her chin on the Kadabra''s head and squeezing warmly.


    "It must have been hard," Astra murmured. "I''m sorry. If we had known..."


    [Not your fault,] Echo said, leaning into the embrace. She chuckled. [Heh. Comfort from youngling? Usually opposite. If only were otherwise. Thank you. Still,] she continued, breaking away and giving Astra a small smile. [Sorrow fatigue; can delay retelling past, other creche visit for small time. New friend! First talk in long while. Opportunity.]


    Astra blinked at Echo''s suddenly bright demeanor, surprised and intrigued despite her internal grumbling. Who was Echo calling a youngling? She was a Kirlia! That meant she was an adult! If she was back home, that meant she could go try out fermented drinks (not that she wanted to, the small sip she''d stolen from Grandpa a long time ago was yucky), start learning more complex psychic techniques, commit to a profession, or even find a bond partner!


    Well, okay, she''d have to wait another couple weeks for that last one depending on when she''d be able to make the Maiden''s Meal, but for everything else she was perfectly mature! She also didn''t know who she''d even choose for that. Everybody she''d hung out with were still Ralts except for maybe...the Guard? Uh. Hm. Well, she also hung out with May and Brendan¡ªtime to stop thinking about this.


    Banishing that line of thought, Astra looked back to Echo, a little wary of this sudden offer. "What sort of opportunity?"


    [Have not played Barrage for long, long time,] Echo said, looking out at one of the stone slabs around the cave. With a wave of her hand the slab was abruptly teleported next to them, the rocky wall a bit taller than Astra and half that in width. [Younglings can only do sparks. Would like to play again; show younglings new experience. Beyond bad food, dull hunger, ennui.]


    [Have only spoken of broken things, old memories,] she continued, looking at Astra hopefully. [More yet to say. But would prefer new memory now. Can teach. Want learn?]


    She wanted to play a game? Barrage...was it anything like Rebound? These caves would make excellent arenas for that, actually, but then what was this slab for? Well, she supposed she would find out if she accepted. But as much as Astra was curious...she still hesitated.


    Time was passing. Brendan and May were still wandering the caverns with injured pokemon, and not only had she just slept for two hours, but Echo''s story was shaping up to be considerably lengthy on top of that¡ªnot to mention they probably still didn''t have a light source. Except for the moss, maybe. Nobody had mentioned it before, so maybe it wasn''t everywhere...? Somewhere, Steven Stone was doing...something, and there was a letter in her backpack that demanded delivery; not to mention the briefcase. Speaking of her luggage, she still hadn''t gotten that back¡ªnot only were her pokemon presumably inside, but there was the...orb. Astra hoped it hadn''t been messed with, but she''d kept getting sidetracked and had still not asked Echo where her stuff was.


    And beyond that...at some point she did need to leave. As much as she wanted to keep talking with Echo, Astra could not remain within the caves forever. Even these few hours were becoming dangerous; she had a gym to challenge, a league to defeat, and a home to save¡ªnot to mention an explanation to make up for...all of this. She still wanted to hear the rest of Echo''s story, because finding another village¡ªeven at the brink of total collapse¡ªwas shattering, but could she really spend so much of her limited time playing games? The puzzle was one thing; a passing fancy that could be dropped after a moment or two. But full rounds of something akin to Rebound? If her friends weren''t lost and she didn''t have to find Steven this would be a lot clearer, but right now...


    Astra looked at the elderly Kadabra, a soft rejection forming¡ªsputtering¡ªthen fading away. She recalled another elderly man she had met, mere weeks ago. Was all of this so critically important that she couldn''t spare at least twenty minutes to learn a game with an incredibly sad pseudo-grandmother? The first person she could truly be herself with for the first time in ages?


    If this wasn''t worth a delay, then nothing ever would be.


    "I can probably give it a go for a little bit," Astra settled on, sighing. "But we should keep it brief, alright?"


    Echo''s smile lit the room, an eruption of pure glee that would have been infectious if it weren''t so tragic. Did simply agreeing to play a game really warrant this overly excessive level of happiness? Astra smiled back anyway, though it felt as fragile as the surface of a pond.


    [Will be quick, rules simple!] Echo chirped, raising a hand toward the slab. [Can make barrier, yes?] Astra nodded. [Good. Copy me; make barrier weak as able, shatter at light touch.]


    A small circle of light appeared on the wall, appearing nearly flush with the surface. Astra furrowed her brow, forming a miniature barrier of her own. Intentionally fragile? She...wasn''t sure she knew how to make them weak on purpose, actually. The purpose of a barrier was to remain solid and unyielding, after all. Lowering the energy...?


    Her circle wavered, flickered like an arcade light, and then burst apart into a few tiny, fading sparks. Astra frowned, conjuring another. Maybe if she just lowered the surface tension...That one popped like a water bubble. Tch.


    [Trouble?] Echo asked, amused. [Here, will make mine bigger. Look.]


    Turning toward the much enlarged foreign barrier, Astra found herself staring at a bizarre, complex construction she''d never seen before. What was going on in there? The structure was completely different! Why was there a triangular pattern in the center? It iterated upon itself as well, triangles within triangles inside and out¡ªthe barrier wasn''t even solid! It was, itself, a bunch of triangles running along a framework of thick strings. She''d never even heard of other Kirlia shaping their barriers in such a way. Perhaps in overall form, maybe, but never anything as intricate on the surface or interior. That there was an interior puzzled her as well; why give a barrier volume...?


    [Pattern makes barrier resilient,] Echo explained, seeing Astra''s confusion. [Able to stand on own much easier. Less energy needed; can make weak without worry of self collapse.] She grinned. [And can make strong, much stronger.]


    "Triangles, huh...?" she murmured, turning back to her own experiment. Pondering for a moment, Astra mimicked a simpler variant of Echo''s structure, with far less fractal iteration and without adding volume. "Huh, it works," she said, blinking. As little energy as something this size needed, there was still a notable decrease in the power she needed to maintain it. A regular flat plane wouldn''t have been able to hold itself together like this¡ªthough, it also didn''t have big holes that things could slip through. "That''s...incredible. And so simple, too. How did we never...?"


    [Not best,] Echo observed, peering at Astra''s creation. She flicked a finger and a small psychic pebble brushed against Astra''s barrier, shattering it instantly¡ªmuch to Astra''s dismayed confusion. Echo smiled. [But can use. Try move along wall; this speed, or below.]


    Another barrier appeared and began zipping around the wall, fast enough to cover the entire length in a handful of seconds. Astra mimicked the movement, getting a feel for the allowed speeds and only having to reform her barrier twice due to accidentally brushing against the wall itself.


    [Good!] Echo said, smiling. A mischievous spark shone in her eyes as she looked at Astra. [Ready to play Barrage! Move node¡ªah, name of barrier¡ªto bottom third, then can move anywhere when start.]


    "Alright?" Astra said, confusedly moving her circle as she was told. "But you haven''t told me how to play. What am I doing here, exactly...?"


    [One last instruction, then.] Echo decided, moving her own barrier towards the top. She grinned, and then laughed, the sound echoing through the cave.


    [Dodge!]


    Echo''s barrier erupted, dozens upon dozens of psychic pellets bursting forth and falling from on high like rain. Astra only had a single moment to gasp in shock before she frantically jerked her barrier¡ªnode?¡ª away from the miniscule blasts directly above her.


    Unfortunately, she happened to dodge right into a different pellet, and her node instantly shattered in a flash of light.


    Astra stared at the slab, blinking confusedly as Echo wheezed in laughter beside her. What just happened? The node thing, and then the pellets, and¡ªdodge? Huh?


    [Ah, long time. Feels good.] Echo sighed, wiping a tear from her eye. [Hm? That was ''Barrage'',] she explained after Astra voiced her confusion. [Apology; used hard move right away. Had to, you understand.]


    She grinned again, much to Astras disgruntlement. She sighed.


    "Alright, so what is actually going on here?" she asked, turning back to the slab. "Can I get any explanation at all?"


    [Yes, yes.] Echo chuckled, waving her hand. A pair of nodes appeared on the slab, and the upper node began to emit multiple streams of pellets, each traveling in a straight line and ''bouncing'' off the edges of the slab. The lower node wove through them gracefully, having much more room than Echo''s surprise attack had left Astra. [Barrage is game of patterns and dodging. Usually. Other ways¡ªnot important. Upper player creates pattern, lower player must dodge. Top wins if bottom is hit, Bottom wins if dodge long enough.]


    "Long enough?" Astra asked, staring at the weirdly pretty design the pellets were forming. The streams had sort of coalesced into tesselating diamond patterns, which were sweeping back and forth across the lower level. Amusingly, the upper node hadn''t fired anything directly downward for some reason, leaving a gaping safezone directly below itself which the bottom node was gratefully abusing.


    [Pattern must have time limit, else would not end. Not too long; usually about...now.]


    Astra blinked as the myriad pellets abruptly burst into sparks. So, each pattern lasted around...a minute, maybe? Yeah, that was pretty quick; maybe this wouldn''t take so long after all. She had to take a moment to wonder at the Kadabra''s ability to manipulate the pellets, though; not only were they all bouncing off of the ''edge'', she was precisely controlling what had to be upwards of a hundred projectiles at once! They were all very small and weak, of course, but the sheer number of them...either Echo was really good at this, or Kadabra were scary Psychics.


    "Man, I bet you''d be a nightmare in Rebound," Astra commented idly.


    [Hm? Rebound?] Echo asked.


    "A game in my village. Two or more players are split up into opposite halves of a big field and have to use barriers to knock one or more balls into the opposite wall."


    [Oh! Interesting. Would be nice to try.] Echo said, smiling sadly. [Wonder if village would like Barrage.]


    "Oh they absolutely would," Astra said, turning back to Echo. She crossed her arms, leveling a flat look at the Kadabra. "As long as they knew what it was before they started. Really, I bet I would have been able to deal with that first one if I''d known what was going on in the first place."


    [Heh.] Echo grinned, whiskers twitching in amusement. She clicked her fingers, forming a new node at the top of the slab. Their eyes met, the fires of challenge gleaming brightly in the dim cavern.


    [Prove it.]


    And so light began to fall as rain, a lone spark dancing between the drops on a stage long bereft of play.


    Attempting to dance, at least.


    Barrage, as Astra learned amongst the shattered sparks of multiple broken barriers, was simple in concept, but fiendishly difficult in practice. Having to keep track of not only her own node amongst a chaotic mess of flying, multicolored pellets was hard enough, but she also had to keep eyes on the pellets themselves, both to ascertain where safety and imminent danger were located as well as anticipating whether or not Echo would pull some trick like ''freezing them all in place before scattering them in random directions''. And then there was Echo''s node, which flew around and rapidly changed the source and trajectory of the pellets as it went.


    It was all so much to keep track of, and that wasn''t even including having to make sure her own node wasn''t breaking the rules!


    But even with all of her difficulties, even as the weight of time knocked ever more insistently at the back of her mind...


    She found herself smiling.


    Astra''s node flew between beams of roiling sunlight, narrowly dodged between pulsing waves of water and rode a safe-zone through a tsunami. Snow fell from above, pellets colored white arranged in fractal flakes that burst into shards upon hitting the ''ground''. Seeds fell from on high, burrowing into a layer of brown pellet ''soil''; flowers grew from them, myriad hues twisting across the playing field as she wove between wind-scattered pollen and petals. Stalactites crashed to the floor, breaking open to reveal gemstones that refracted rays of light¡ªif very slowly.


    An interplay of psychic lights, refined over generations of fun and wonder.


    All of it, beautiful.


    And yet it was not the light that astounded her the most, but the sound.


    Not a sound from the game; as bright as it was, their barriers did not make a peep. But the background susurrus of the Abra had come to a halt. The meaningless noise faded away; boredom, hunger, frustration¡ªthe eternal ennui they had emitted all this time had vanished.


    In its place was wonder. All eyes in the cavern watched their match with rapt attention; innumerable teleporting pops distracting Astra into defeat more than once early on as they gathered behind the two. Each new pattern was met with a wave of newfound awe, every defeat with crushing, playful horror, and all of her near misses and hard-fought victories with an upwelling of ecstatic joy, as though the sun had at last broken through the moss and rock above to illuminate the eternally dimmed cavern.


    Could a human have heard these children learn, for the first time, the colors of a dusk horizon? The thrill of a chase, and the excitement of escape? How could they understand what it felt like for a crowd of hatchlings to, at long last, witness the glory of the night sky; even as a pale imitation made of colored psychic dots?


    No. It was a song of the mind, not of voice. A symphony of the soul. It couldn''t have been called complex, but compared to the nigh-empty shells they''d had before it was as though they had finally begun to awaken from a long, dreary sleep.


    That, more than anything, was what made it so hard for her to finally pull away.


    "I don''t think I can do any more," Astra said, as a collection of pellets in the shape of animate fire devoured her node one last time. She turned to Echo, a melancholic smile flitting across her face. "This has been fun, and I loved seeing all the ways you''ve come up with to play it, but...it''s about time to finish, don''t you think?"


    Echo paused mid-creation, the bright smile slipping from her face as the new scene she''d been setting froze and began to fade away. She closed her eyes and sighed, joy slipping away into bittersweet sorrow. [Too quick. Time...too quick. If only...]


    She gazed at the blank slab, as if engraving the last few dozen minutes into her memory, before waving a hand and moving the rock wall back to where it once was. [Could not last forever,] she muttered, turning to Astra and smiling gently. [Didn''t get to show air variant; Barrage much harder with depth. But was fun. Thank you; was nice to play again.] Her gaze flickered to her charges, eyes softening as newly bright-eyed Abra started to chitter and whine for more. [See sparks, even for little while.] Her expression flickered, a deep misery returning from the depths. [Will fade. Will hurt. But...for now, better. Time for younglings to rest.]


    Astra laid a hand on Echo''s shoulder, gently squeezing as she gave her Abra a few trivial pre-slumber tasks and bade them farewell. Echo led Astra to another exit, turning back at the threshold to look at the Abra one last time. Astra saw dozens of them crowding around the scattered Barrage slabs, weak sparks flickering upon their stone surfaces. They both looked at them for a while, then turned down the tunnel and left.


    [More questions now?] Echo presumed, their steps echoing down the moss-lit tunnel. [Recovered; can handle rest of story..]


    "I''d be glad to hear how all of this happened," Astra started, "But...well, I should have asked this sooner, but where did you put my stuff?"


    [Eh?] Echo said, blinking at her. [Stuff?]


    Astra frowned. "You know, my backpack and my hat? They''re both green, and I had them with me when you, uh, transported me down here. They weren''t nearby when I woke up, so..."


    Recognition flashed. [Ah, those,] Echo said, amused. [Bag very noisy! Would have disturbed your rest, took bag so sleep well; also took green disc and box, stop curious younglings. Would have taken to {Lord of Steel}, but annoying. Left all near shit-taker room. Closed entrance so won''t smell. Will detour; stirring creche not active for little bit yet, so can show around.]


    "Shit-taker room...?" Astra muttered, concerned. The mushrooms? They had a room for them? Wait, if they couldn''t grow berries, then how did they grow the...ah, right. Shit-taker.


    Ew.


    Also, noisy? What would be making noise? Her pokedex, maybe? May''s had chimed when she''d...gotten a message...or received a call...


    Right. May and Brendan had no idea where she was. The last thing they''d seen was Echo teleporting them away. And seeing as how they''d apparently been calling her frantically and gotten zero responses for several hours...


    How in the world was she going to explain any of this!? She honestly had no idea at all. Maybe pretend that Echo had knocked her out and taken her deep into the cave for some reason and she''d only just woken up and escaped? Hm. Maybe. She''d have to think about it.


    "I see," Astra said, refocusing on Echo. She gestured to the tunnel, smiling. "Well, lead the way."


    [Hm. Yes, follow.]


    They walked, with illuminating moss and overgrown, faded wall art guiding their way. Absently, Astra wondered how the moss on the walls survived down here. It didn''t feel particularly humid, so...hm. Maybe Brendan would know. Topics for later; right now...they had some time on their hands.


    "How did it happen?" Astra asked, softly. Echo looked at her, gaze tired beyond measure."You had food, fellow Kadabra, and were able to live, before. What changed?"


    Echo stared at her a moment, longer, then closed her eyes and sighed. Silence fell as she gathered her thoughts, their steps echoing down the long hallways.


    [Must start with how cave used to work,] Echo said. [Know what live here?]


    "The pokemon in the caves?" Astra asked. "Not particularly. You, the Zubat...Makuhita?"


    [Many more. Aron, Geodude, Nosepass, Mawile...{Blank Ones}.]


    "Blank ones. What are those? You''ve mentioned them before."


    [Tch. Nasty. Eyes of gemstones, body of shadow. Chitter in darkness, snatch hatchlings for dinner.] Echo scowled. [Cannot sense, does not think, cannot strike with any power.] A grim smile crossed her face. [Mawiles eat them easy, though. {???¡õ???????¡ö???} very handy; drop on {Blank One}, no more {Blank One}.] Her face fell. [Were more Mawile back then. Had more tunnels open. As tunnels collapsed, {Blank Ones} get inside less. Less reason for many Mawile. Wandered off. Maybe hunt? Not many intrusions since.]]


    Oh, so they were some sort of Dark type pokemon? Some things were universal, she supposed.


    "We have something like that too," Astra shared. "They''re called Poochyena; vicious, furry, four legged dogs that hunt in packs through the forest at all hours. I was chased by a pack of them a few weeks ago myself, and May¡ªone of my human friends¡ªeven keeps one on her team. Can''t read them at all, and psychic attacks just...don''t work. They''re creepy." She paused, hesitating. "...I''ve...lost family to them, before. There was this gigantic Mightyena, and my parents..." She trailed off, growing quiet. "I don''t like them."


    Echo huffed, grim amusement flickering across her face. [Village not perfect after all. Starting to wonder.] The amusement faded away. [Tragedy. Sorrow. Know this loss deeply. Apology.]


    "It happened before I hatched, so it''s not like I have much to mourn, I guess," Astra joked, weakly. She paused, looking down. "I wouldn''t trade Grandpa for anything, but...I would have liked to know them. Somehow I don''t think they''d be too happy with how chaotic my life has turned out this season."


    Warmth, compassion, and two hardened, yet tender hands clasping her own. Astra looked up at Echo, the elderly Kadabra''s fingers softly encircling her own.


    [They would have loved you,] she said, eyes bright. [More than anything. Even here. Even now. It is parents'' duty and joy; never doubt this.]


    Familiar. The words were different, the situation strange, and yet...


    Her grandfather had told Astra stories of her parents on many occasions, and he had said much the same at times. But there was always that bit of hesitation, wasn''t there? They couldn''t speak for themselves anymore. All she had left were other people''s memories relayed through faded stories.


    Grandpa had always dispelled her worries. But he wasn''t here either, and there was so much to worry about. What the dead would think about her peril and mistakes was hardly relevant to her situation, and shouldn''t have even made a ripple in the flooding river of her life, now. And yet...


    She was starting to understand why she had called Echo ''Grandma'', now. Even if Astra herself didn''t think it was important, both she and her Grandpa would try to help regardless. It was...nice, to have someone looking after her again.


    "Thank you," Astra said, reaching up brushing a finger over her hair clip. A relic of her mother''s, as red as her horns. Still hadn''t gotten a grip for her fathers spearhead-turned-knife, though; really had to get on that. Hadn''t needed to use it much yet either, but whenever she held it, felt the dense weight of it in her palm...she knew it would never fail her.


    Astra sighed. "We''ve gotten a bit off track, haven''t we?" she asked, wryly.


    [Some things worth distraction,] Echo replied, whiskers twitching in amusement. [But yes.]


    "So what did you mean by how the cave works? What does everything living here have to do with it?"


    [Hm. Deals with food,] Echo explained. Astra ''ah''d. Always came back to food, didn''t it? [Need food to live, food to be strong, make younglings. Was...order. Tiny things eat moss, Zubat eat tiny things, Geodude, Nosepass, Aron and Lairon eat Zubat.]


    "Even though Zubats are poisonous?" Astra checked.


    Echo nodded. [Geodude, Nosepass, can eat Zubat fine, little upset. Aron immune, can eat all want! Geodude also eat Aron. Then, Makuhita and Hariyama fight, eat Aron and Lairon, sometimes Geodude, Nosepass. Would eat Mawile, but we shelter them. Mawile eat Aron, {Blank Ones}, Geodude. Maybe also Nosepass, but Nosepass rare. Weak Lairon or Makuhita. {Blank Ones} try eat Abra, otherwise...unknown. Never saw. We,] she said, gesturing to herself, [eat Makuhita, Hariyama. Sometimes, if Mawile doesn''t devour, {Blank One} or soft Aron parts.]


    "I think I''m following you so far?" Astra said, trying to chart everything out mentally. She frowned. "So everything leads back to Zubat? But you didn''t say you ate them. Even though you are."


    [Not supposed to,] Echo said, tiredly. [Were more sources. Have mushrooms, but only one place, only us. Used to be ???¨ˆ???¨ˆ¡ªtch. Plants, in places. Grew pale shoots; eaten by many. Couldn''t move, couldn''t make more.] She paused, frowning. [That later. More important: Aron, Nosepass, if normal, not eat much Zubat. Instead, eat metal, like Mawile. Mawile eats metal from Aron, though.]


    "Metal?"


    Echo nodded. [Yes. Was...partnership between Lairon and Nosepass. Nosepass point to metal within rock, Lairon make new tunnels to uncover metal. All eat, all happy! Make many eggs, carve more territory, expand cave.]


    Echo fell silent. It took Astra a moment to spot the issue.


    "The Lairon would make the tunnels," she noted. "And Lairon are...Aron''s evolution? Are Hariyama the evolution of Makuhita as well?"


    Echo nodded. Astra frowned. "Did something happen to the Lairon?" she asked, receiving another nod.


    [Began there,] Echo said, staring ahead. [Start when newly Ascended, lasted....???¨ˆ??? How you define time?] she asked, nodding along as Astra¡ªsomewhat incredulously¡ªdefined both seasons and Human timekeeping. Was this how May felt when she asked her ''basic'' questions?


    Echo thought for a moment. [Ah. Lasted...unknown. Ended...40 years past, maybe. Return to topic: normal was, Lairon make new tunnels, new hatchlings. Hariyama clans¡ªjust name for groups, not like us¡ªfollow into new tunnels. Hariyama, Makuhita, love fight. Lairon and Aron great practice, also food. Push Lairon out of old tunnels, make new hatchlings themselves. Kadabra scout Hariyama, pick off old and weak. We only take more space sometimes; not grow enough to need, mostly. Zubat, Geodude, Mawile, {Blank Ones}, Nosepass; all fill in space between. Lots of ???¨ˆ???¨ˆ around. The plant,] she clarified.


    [Then, Invaders come down.]


    "Humans?" Astra asked, surprised. "Weren''t they up on the surface all this time? What changed?"


    [Discovered how to capture in balls,] Echo spat, scowling. [Before, was only rare entry. Usually fought back by Hariyama or Lairon. Sometimes opposite happens, someone leaves cave. Usually Makuhita. Nothing else. Then, suddenly, had many more strange and dangerous beasts with them than past. Flood of invaders. Beat back Hariyama, Lairon, delve into cave. Capture any who crossed path.] She paused, smirking. [But never found any creche. First rush faded, and was new normal. Sometimes stray Invader wandering around, fighting all in path.]


    "That...doesn''t sound too bad?" Astra said, hesitantly. Echo shook her head.


    [Was only start.] She paused, hesitating. [Should mention, only put knowledge together later. In moment, ignorant, confused. Did not know about...pokeballs for long time, only felt Invaders from afar. Always keep distance. Not know other things too.]


    "Alright?" Astra agreed, slightly confused. Echo sighed.


    [Made mistakes. Obvious now. Then...not.]


    Ah, hindsight. "Gotcha. What happened next?"


    [During and after rush, Hariyama and Makuhita learn: Invaders make for excellent fight. Many start leaving cave, seeing challenge. Few return. Problem: if Hariyama and Makuhita leave cave, now is less food.]


    That seemed to make sense. "Because they weren''t being hunted by anything in the cave, everything they ate and all the meat in their bodies was being lost to whatever was outside."


    Echo nodded. [Lack of return, think meant to Hariyama that there was good fight above. Many choose leaving over contest caves and fall to us or others. Was not big problem, then; all knew was odd movements and fewer targets. Only became concerned during second problem.]


    "What was the second problem?" Astra asked, obligingly.


    Echo leaned in, a dark look on her face. [Many Nosepass started pointing up.]


    Astra stared. "Which means...?" she asked, leadingly.


    Echo''s whiskers twitched, and she gave Astra a flat look. [Lairon used Nosepass to find metal. Dig for metal, more food, more cave, more Aron, so on. Usually point down, often sideways. Not supposed to point up; metal all gone from top of caves.]


    Astra frowned, brow furrowing as she considered the issue. "But if there''s no metal at the top of the cave, then what were they pointing...to..."


    "Hey", Astra had said, staring up at Rustboro''s buildings. "What are all of these made of, anyway?"


    May had rolled her eyes. "I really shouldn''t even be surprised, and yet here I am," she''d muttered, then waved vacantly at the towers ahead. "I think it''s... concrete, glass, steel, and plaster?"


    Steel.


    Humanity had made their buildings out of steel.


    "Dewford," She breathed, eyes wide. "Humans started to use steel in their buildings. They were pointing to the city."


    [Hm. Dewford?] Echo asked, tasting the word and finding it rather unpalatable. [If Invader colony, then yes. Iron good for Lairon, Nosepass. Eat well, grow big, should be enough. But Invader metal¡ªSteel?¡ªis strong. Better than best iron ever, like feast when starving. When pull of steel stronger than closeness of iron, Nosepass do as always have and point Lairon toward best food source. But now new source is outside.]


    "So the Lairon started to leave the cave too." Astra followed. Echo nodded, face grim.


    [And Hariyama clans notice. Good fights, and now food going too? Even more think surface place of dreams.] Echo waved her hand around, as if to encompass all of the caves in their entirety. [Now all big creatures starting to leave cave! Not even polite to go fast so notice; did not see scale of problem in time. Some return within day, but very damaged. Sometimes Invader tries releasing back inside cave; not work well, sometimes just leave again. Dissuades some Lairon, but only make Hariyama excited! Proof of worthy challenge!]


    "So there was a gradually rising wave of strong pokemon leaving the cave to go...pick fights with Dewford." Astra blinked, eyes widening as the conclusion dawned on her. "Oh stars, they were all picking fights and trying to eat buildings up there."


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    [And Invaders got angry,] Echo growled. [Entered more often, bigger groups, stronger creatures, hunting down strays. Tried blocking exit, but only made Hariyama leave in packs after group breakthrough. Lairon sometimes try dig new exit, come up underneath steel. Always big collapse, scary rumbling and dust flood.]


    Astra could only stare. They''d trampled through barricades and sank entire buildings into the earth?


    "That''s...horrifying," she managed.


    [Bad times,] Echo agreed. [Home only just starting to learn why, try prevent Hariyama and Lairon from leaving ourselves when Invaders patience vanished.]


    This was the moment. Humanity had finally had enough and would bring down all they could upon the cave. Astra recalled the Town Hall, thought of rockets screeching overhead and decimating great swathes of land. And...she was afraid to know what happened next.


    They walked through the tunnels in silence for a minute, following a twisting path through numerous corridors and intersections that Astra had barely paid attention to through the story. She looked at the walls, azure moss pulsing amongst sporadic, vague carvings on their surface.


    "What did they do?" she asked, her voice a whisper.


    [They took them,] Echo answered, words dropping like sodden logs. [Invaded cave with more than could fit in any creche. Searched every tunnel, delved to deepest depths. Fought and conquered every Hariyama clan, every Lairon clutch. Hid ourselves; collapsed many paths, used illusions and misdirection on many more. Never found major creches, but lost edges of territory.] She paused, closing her eyes. [Some younglings out wandering early on. Did not come back.]


    She sighed, her voice weary. [Spent long time working to keep Invaders away. Duration...unknown. Weeks? Did not know purpose at time. After Invaders search every corner of cave they think is there and leave, we look out and find...no more Lairon. No more Hariyama. All gone; even strong Aron and Makuhita missing. Only younglings and weak remain.]


    [We were all alone.]


    Astra walked silently, the world seeming to fall away as Echo spoke. They''d...taken them all? No, of course they had. It was what trainers did. Go out, find strong pokemon, then fight and capture them. Dewford was facing problems, sure¡ªmassive ones, even¡ªbut to just completely take out most of the species!? There had to have been something else they could do! Or was this the best option they could think of? If barricades didn''t work, and the Lairon were digging up from beneath them...maybe that was all they had left. The only thing that could be done to solve an unsolvable problem.


    She wondered, quietly, how big of a problem they would consider her home.


    [Arrived,] Echo announced, jarring Astra from her thoughts.


    She looked up to see the tunnel abruptly terminate in a completely flat wall of stone. A couple tables and benches lined the walls, covered in strange implements¡ªsome of which Astra could vaguely recognize as tools similar to the ones the berry field tenders used. She could certainly recognize a large bucket covered in foul stains; much like her villages ''compost'' situation, wherever the Abra did their business, it seemed to end up here at some point. There was a whiff of it in the air, like she had gotten too close to the fields during the growing seasons. Otherwise there was a lot of...wood shavings? And nearer to the wall was a large green pack alongside a smaller wooden case with a very familiar hat perched on top.


    "My stuff!" Astra exclaimed, rushing forward. Briefly setting her hat aside, she flipped her pack open, relief flooding through her body as five shiny red spheres showed themselves, perched atop the varied jars and items as if waiting for her return. Hesitating, she reached deeper into her pack, hand brushing against a particular box. It didn''t seem disturbed, but...well, if it had, she imagined that Echo would probably either have a great many different questions or Dewford would have a gargantuan sandy crater where the Granite Caves once were.


    Returning her companions to her sash, she quickly checked her pokedex, sighing in relief as it showed them alive and¡ªwell, half of them were still grievously injured from her fight with Brawly, but they weren''t getting any worse. They were probably getting hungry and bored by now too. She didn''t exactly know how the ''stasis'' worked but it was a little mystifying how it prevented injuries from deteriorating but didn''t do anything for hunger or restlessness.


    There were also a lot of messages and missed calls from May and Brendan, all of them asking where she was, if she was hurt, please pick up, and...she didn''t think threatening her with death if she turned out to be dead really worked out logically, but she couldn''t blame May for being frustrated. Though the rather...graphic threats against Echo were rather concerning. They''d petered out a bit as time went on, mostly reduced to pleading for her to answer every twenty minutes or so. Apparently she''d just missed a call as well.


    ...


    She didn''t have a good explanation prepared, but leaving them wondering if she was dead was too much. She could practically feel the helpless anguish they''d poured into their messages. She couldn''t actually talk to them right now, but a text would be fine until they were all back in Dewford together.


    <iuko'';mn oilj>


    Stars damn these tiny-ass human-sized inputs. Frowning at the small device, Astra carefully rewrote her message, making liberal use of the backspace function.


    Astra: <I''m okay. In a big, weird cave. There''s a Kadabra; she made me fall asleep and I woke up in a bed made of leaves. Just now found my stuff. Can''t talk; the Kadabra is still nearby and I have to keep my attention on them. I''ll find my way outside; take care of yourselves.>


    Barely a moment passed before a flurry of new messages appeared on her screen.


    May: <ASTA WTF WHRE R U>


    Brendan: <You''re with the Kadabra!? Be Careful! Kadabra in G.C. have history of extreme violence toward people! Stay safe, head towards surface! Try feel for breeze, follow inclines.>


    May: <GT UR PALLE AS ON TH PHON>


    Her pokedex suddenly vibrated; a weird, chippy tune coming from its speakers. Astra barely had time to read the screen¡ªwhich showed an incoming call from ''Mayday02''¡ªbefore it abruptly cut off again. A few moments later Brendan sent another text.


    Brendan: <Stopped May from calling. Might disturb Kadabra. Keep your distance and get out. I''m glad you''re ok.>


    May: <i stg if you don''t come out in 1 piece i will kick ur ass>


    Astra huffed, smiling. One last message; a selection from a list of peculiar arrangements of grammatical marks she had found while mashing buttons on accident one day.


    Astra: < (¡ä¨Œ`???) >


    May: <ur such a fuckin dork>


    [Found missing things?] Echo asked, head tilted to the side as she beheld Astra giggling to herself. Astra gave her pack another once-over and checked inside her violin case. [What is sound?]


    "Yep!" she cheered, closing her bag and slinging her arms through the hoops. "It''s all here. I was just texting¡ªah, sending a message to my friends, letting them know I''m alive and all."


    Echo didn''t respond. Astra placed her hat back on her head and turned, only to find Echo giving her an intense stare. Goosebumps raised the fuzz on her skin to attention, and Astra found herself pinned underneath the elderly Kadabra''s scrutiny, unsure as to why she was suddenly being visually dissected like a caught fish. The silence lingered for a few seconds too long, and Astra was minorly unnerved to realize that she''d gotten so used to humanity''s incessant emotional broadcasting that Echo''s lack of emotional tells was now disconcerting instead of normal. Astra fidgeted, gaze darting around the room before landing on the closed entryway on the smooth rock wall.


    "So!" she said, rubbing her arm awkwardly, "You...keep mushrooms in there?"


    Echo''s gaze lingered another moment. [Mm,] she said, finally breaking her stare to look at the door. [Yes. River runs through room. Not control many with river inside; most used for drinking by Makuhita, Aron, others. Very wet inside; combine with waste and sometimes wood, good for mushrooms.] She grimaced. [Can maybe get few every week. Little help; not enough to feed all, just make stew less bad.]


    "I see." Astra thought for a moment, then frowned, face scrunching up. "Wait, if you put all your waste in there, and the river runs through it, doesn''t that mean...?"


    Echo huffed, wry amusement wafting through the air. [Trick of cave; all but one other room upstream of here. Don''t put anything in river either. Want look inside?] she asked, smirking mischievously.


    Astra shook her head rapidly. The stench was rancid enough from out here, thank you very much!


    "No thanks, I''ll take your word for it. But, uh. Is it just the mushrooms in there? Wouldn''t berries...well," she said, scratching her head, "I guess you still need sunlight for berry bushes."


    Echo agreed, nodding sadly. [Is mostly shit-taker,] she said. [Berries cannot grow here. Could not figure out how grow plants before too late. Do have other, special mushroom,] she added, gazing at the door speculatively. [Is unique, grows slowly. Alters thoughts, perspective. Use it for...before, fun, inspiration. Now only good for relief. Maybe too good.] Regret and shame passed like a cloud. She grimaced, then shook her head and gave Astra a stern look. [Not for Younglings.]


    "I''m not a...oh whatever." Astra grumbled. That sounded pretty interesting if she was honest, but she had enough to deal with right now without adding even more mysterious visions on top of the ones she was already having! And...too good? That sounded...ominous, but honestly Astra was getting a little tired of pulling on every depressing conversational thread.


    "What''s up with this ''plant'' anyway''?" she asked instead. "You mentioned it before. Some sort of white stalk thing?"


    [Yes.] Echo nodded, then gestured for Astra to follow as she turned back down the tunnel they''d come from. [Was small plant, embedded in moss along ground. Thick, spiky leaves at base, long white shoot grew from middle. Grew fast, could eat handful of same plant every two or three sleeps.]


    "Wow. Were they tasty?" Astra asked, falling in line once more.


    [Hm. Taste like plant,] Echo hazarded, one claw gently brushing through her whiskers. [But maybe sweet. Throw in stew, sweet stew. Got more sweet if not picked for long time, but is very long time. Could get many decent stalks instead.]


    "Sounds interesting. I''d like to give it a try, but...I haven''t seen one, and we''ve gone through a lot of these tunnels." Astra looked at the walls, examining the moss that sometimes reached the floor. "And...you said ''was''. They aren''t around anymore, are they?" she sighed.


    [No.]


    Silence lingered. Echo looked at Astra.


    [Want know interesting thing about plant?]


    "...What?" She ventured, already bracing herself for the answer.


    [Can also eat leaves at base.]


    ...


    That...wasn''t too bad? But how was that so interesting?


    "Okay?"


    [Leaves at base do not grow back. Too many leaves eaten, plant dies.]


    Ah. Astra could see the problem now.


    [Used to be, young Makuhita watch parents for how to eat. Hariyama, Lairon, both knew should only eat new parts of shoots. Children copy. Plant remains, shoots feed all forever.]


    "And then the humans took all the parents away." Astra whispered grimly.


    Echo nodded. [Only younglings remain. Maybe some knew, but now most did not. Without parent to teach or feed, Makuhita and Aron got hungry. Ate entire stalks. Ate leaves. Plant dies. Suddenly, no more easy food. Spread out, find more plants, eat shoot, leaves, destroy plant in ignorance. Then, suddenly, no more plants. Most common food in cave is gone. Hunger.]


    "An entire food source was destroyed by hatchlings?" Astra asked, horrified. She couldn''t even imagine the berry fields up and vanishing like that back home. Maybe if the river suddenly ran dry? Dozens of Magikarp swam through nigh constantly; not having that anymore would be a nightmare.


    [Mm. Happened quick, couldn''t stop. All plants devoured before could regain bearings." Echo said, voice bitter. "Didn''t notice until Makuhita come looking. We had last few. Tried make more, restore balance. Only destroyed remainder. Regret. If had only kept one...]


    "Maybe there''s one hidden away somewhere?" Astra tried, weakly. Echo shook her head.


    [If was, Aron would have found. Remaining Aron too weak, could not dig well, could not reach new metal. Nosepass also much rarer, could not direct. Aron scour all old tunnels for scraps. Would have devoured plant if found, even if not metal.]


    What an absolute catastrophe. "Were the Zubat affected at all?"


    A bark of laughter resounded down the tunnel. [Even if Invaders took nine in ten of Zubat, twenty Zubat replace them soon after. There always more Zubat, cannot fail to hunt. If had not made difficult for Zubat to enter territory would have seen hundreds now.]


    "And that''s why everyone started eating Zubat," Astra concluded. "They''re...basically the only food left, and they''re everywhere."


    [Still hunt each other,] Echo sighed, [but prey always have eaten Zubat. Poison soaks into all meat; some cannot suffer, but still pass on to hunters. None grow to replace lost strength. All are stunted. Even if Lairon or Hariyama appear, always depart for surface or found by Invader.]


    She looked at Astra tiredly. [Is end of story. How cave became what you see now. Weak creatures eating and producing foul meat. Nothing else.]


    "Stars, that''s...I don''t know what to say." Astra stared downward, fiddling with her hands while her sightless gaze watched the floor pass by. "It''s not right. Homes are supposed to be safe, and full of nice food and laughter. This...I wish it hadn''t happened," she settled on, lifting her head to meet Echo''s eyes. "Everything you''ve gone through. It shouldn''t have been like this. You deserve a happier past, and a better present."


    [Thank you,] Echo said, a ghost of a smile on her face. [Past will never change. Present is barren. Thought future would be more of same, until was not.] She nodded at Astra. [Glad am wrong.]


    She fell silent, and they walked together for a time. Echo led Astra down the tunnels, all of them varying only in size and the density of carved art on the walls. The moss was still beautiful, but it was starting to wear on Astra after having nothing but blue to look at for so long.


    There was one thing left to ask, but this of all things Astra was hesitant to bring up. Echo had explained how the cave had gotten to this point, but...well, they had come this far. She had to see it through to the end.


    "You''ve told me a lot about what happened to everyone else in the cave," Astra began, wincing with every word. "But you and the other Kadabra...what did you all do after the humans captured all of the Lairon and Hariyama?"


    Echo stopped, gazing sightlessly into the dark azure haze ahead. Astra waited patiently, and after a moment, Echo turned around, heading toward a branching path they had just passed.


    [Am tired of walking, time for rest] she sighed, slumping. [This way. Have not visited steam room in long time. Still broken, but not uncomfortable.]


    Steam room? What was...well, she supposed she''d find out when they got there. But more than that, Astra herself had started to get a bit tired as well. She would be grateful for a reprieve, but now she was questioning why they''d been traveling like this in the first place.


    "I''ve actually been wondering about that too. Why have we been walking and not teleporting?"


    [Hm. Is good to move. Places between places are peaceful. No reminders. Time to talk.]


    Fair enough, Astra supposed.


    The ''steam room'' turned out to be a dozen depressed basins circling around what looked to be an elevated channel leading up to a hole in the wall. Each basin also had a channel that converged on one of two holes in the floor. Moss entirely coated the ceiling and walls aside from a square patch with some sort of lever on it near the hole in the wall.


    "What is this place?" Astra asked, peering into a basin. It was, like everything else in the cave, carved out of stone. However, these were smoothed to a mirror-sheen. It was shaped such that a Kadabra could comfortably keep their head above the rim while either sitting or fully laying down. Unfortunately that meant it was a little too cramped for Astra to lay down, as she outsized Echo by about nine inches. Sitting should still be fine, though.


    [Place of relaxation,] Echo explained, walking over to the lever. [Old Kadabra carved rock cleverly, made way to divert water from river to here.] She pointed to the channels, and Astra could see several empty cavities on the bottom of them. [Had fire rocks there; water ran over, got hot. Made steam. Hot water gathered in pools. Laid in pools. Felt good.]


    She flicked a glowing hand and the barren stone patch the lever was on slid out, revealing a confusing mass of stone contraptions behind it. One large gear-ish thing was notably cracked and had pieces missing, as was the internal channel leading to the hole in the wall.


    [Way to allow water through broke long time ago.] Echo explained, pointing to a now-plugged hole in the wall where the channel originated. A very small drip of water drizzled down from it and trickled into the moss outside. [If open now, just flood room and drain away. Tried fix, but...not carver. Cannot learn; no time, no teacher, no point.]


    "It still looks impressive," Astra tried, peering at the mechanisms. None were anything near as advanced as what humanity had achieved, but by the same merit she didn''t think her village had anything like this either, and she said as much. "We don''t have anything like this back home. I never had a bath in hot water until two weeks ago in a human building; they were warm at best during the summer."


    [Hm. Had one thing better, then,] Echo said, faintly pleased by the admission. She set the lever back in the wall with a sigh. [Still, broken. Would enjoy steam bath. Cannot. Put fire stone in water, just boil. Pulling in, out, too much attention. Pool cannot hold water¡ªotherwise grows rot¡ªso must also refill manually without channel. Can still sit, though.]


    Astra stepped into one of the basins and sat on the stone ledge. It was surprisingly alright; still stone, mind, but clearly made to be sat in. It would probably be better if she was chest-deep in warm water, she supposed. Echo sighed beside her as she reclined in the adjacent pool. She laid her head back and stared at the ceiling, quietly gathering her thoughts. Astra joined her, watching the light flicker across the moss above.


    [Ignorant,] Echo said at last, weariness etched deep into the word. [All were ignorant. Did not realize food was scarce for weeks; thought was just remnant chaos of Invaders. Then suddenly all plants gone. Makuhita scrawny, unfilling. Understood only when could not feed all younglings properly. Sent out Kadabra to look, visit all important Hariyama caverns. Only find miserable vestige of old clans. No plants. Understood then: if tried to continue as before, Makuhita vanish too.]


    "What did you do?" Astra asked. "I can''t imagine you talked to them; I''d have heard about them knowing about your colony by now if you had."


    [Think some tried, but not work. Invaders never understand, only seem to receive great head pain. Unpleasant.] Echo grimaced.


    Huh. Head pain? Why would they...oh, maybe it was Echo''s way of speaking? Having so much psychic power woven through every word probably wasn''t great for humans; that Pokemart Cashier and the Aqua Grunt that Astra had Pinged were proof enough. Why did she talk like that anyway? If the Ancestor taught the colony how to speak human like she had the village, their speech should have been the same.


    "Maybe it''s how you talk?" Astra suggested. "I''ve never encountered anything remotely similar. There''s a lot of psychic...stuff interspersed in everything you say, and sometimes it seems like there aren''t any words at all¡ªnot to mention what I think are names? They come across as a bundle of concepts and metaphors."


    [Wait, not understand short-talk?] Echo asked, looking at Astra in disbelief. [Knew talk like Invader so try not use pure speech, but thought you just long-winded.]


    "Long-winded!?" Astra exclaimed. "I am not¡ªyou know what, nevermind." she huffed, folding her arms. "I''m just saying, humans aren''t Psychic. At all. And they don''t seem to agree with large amounts of it being mentally thrust on them at once. They probably got a headache because you''ve been bundling every word you say with enough Psychic energy to overload them."


    [Hm. Maybe. But if not understand short-talk...] Echo muttered to herself. She grimaced. [Not sure if can recall how speak long. Must sound like fool.]


    Maybe a little bit, but Astra wasn''t about to say that. Echo was certainly missing a lot of words, but it wasn''t incomprehensible.


    "I can understand enough; don''t worry about it." Astra said, patting Echo on the pauldron. "Let''s just get back to the topic, yeah? What was your colony going to do about the humans?"


    [Can still try remember long-speech. Not want sound reduced,] Echo huffed. [Humans...Kadabra had many talks. Many plans. Was...difficult time. Panic. Misery. Anger. Cannot describe well.]


    "You can just go over the bare events, if you want," Astra offered. "I...don''t want you to feel like you need to linger on the bad parts."


    [All bad,] Echo murmured, not ungratefully, [but will try. Other Kadabra made plans. My duty was same: look after younglings. Never took part in any plans; was others'' duty. First plan simple: Kadabra teleport above, take food from¡ªDewford? Invader home.]


    "You stole food from the city!?" Astra asked, jerking upright to stare wide-eyed at Echo.


    [Took many food from city,] Echo confirmed, smirking. [Many new foods! Soft things, hard things, sweet, sour. Many times return with enough to fill small cavern! Some food very easy; were days when did nothing but teleport {Bread}.]


    Astra blinked, surprised by the sudden mental deluge of the concept of bread. It was like all of her senses had been briefly transported to...something akin to a pokemart if it had been entirely filled with incredibly varied types of the baked good. The distorted memory of the smell of so much fresh bread in one place had been incredible; she''d have to see if there was someplace like that in Dewford later.


    [Other times return with odd meats and plants. Sometimes strange things in boxes. {?????????????????¡ö??? ??????????} had best days of life, made many weird meals. Some very good, some very not. Sometimes expel. {?????????????????¡ö??? ??????????} much shame. But still easy food! Fed all younglings many times! If had continued, would have allowed many more ascensions than usual. Was... was good time.]


    Astra nodded, already bracing for the inevitable. "It sounds lovely."


    Echo smiled, lost in the memory. Then she closed her eyes, and drooped. [Then Invaders started guarding food. Creatures like {Blank Ones} went after those who took. Others give chase through walls and rock. Buzzing things descend from above. Got harder. Then...not come back.]


    She''d been expecting it, but it was still a shock to hear. "I''m sorry. Do you know if they were captured, or..."


    [Would never submit. If not come back...] She went quiet for a moment. [Would not have submitted. Will never know last secret. Sorrow.]


    Astra reached across and gently rested her hand on Echo''s shoulder. Echo leaned into it, a pulse of gratitude filling the air.


    [Had only seven hands of Kadabra then,] she continued, Astra translating that as twenty-one. [Lost five gathering Invader food before could not risk more. Loss of new food...bad. Too good, now gone. Friends gone, much worse. Bitter, anger, grief.]


    [Had other plans too. Some thought: Invaders raise creatures, maybe can try ourselves? If Aron grow strong, can replace Lairon. Found Nosepass, found Aron. Aron cannot dig; {???¡õ?¡ô?¡ñ??????? ????????} and others dig instead, find metal. {????????????? ??????????} led Aron taming.]


    "You tried to copy pokemon trainers?" Astra asked, surprised. She knew some of the villagers had kept the odd Taillow or such around as a pet, but as far as she knew nobody had ever tried to train them until Astra had become a trainer herself.


    [Poorly,] Echo sighed. [Digging...{???¡õ?¡ô?¡ñ??????? ????????} find Nosepass, convince to direct. Four Kadabra go mine, tear rock from walls. Find some metal. Not enough, had to dig more, dig deeper. Oversight: {???¡õ?¡ô?¡ñ??????? ????????} only ever take rock from Lairon tunnels before. Few chunks at same time. Never take so much, make own tunnel. Lairon made tunnels, knew how to make safe, could repair missing rock. {???¡õ?¡ô?¡ñ??????? ????????}, other three, did not.]


    [One day, go mine. Distant rumble. Then...tunnel gone. Friends gone.]


    [Aron...not go well,] she continued, claws clacking a drumming rhythm on the stone floor. [Invader methods unknown; {????????????? ??????????} did best. Ignorant. Talking caused Aron pain. Not much metal to feed. Once tunnel collapse, none at all. Aron get hungry. Angry. Lash out. Aron very heavy. Very small. If can run, build speed, slam into chest...shatter everything. Can also call rock spike from wall.]


    [Had begun eating Zubat then. No tolerance; all sick, disoriented. Slow. {???¡õ?¡ô?¡ñ??????? ????????} and two others attacked by Aron. Aron fled into tunnels. Friends...]


    Echo sniffed. [Got to say goodbye.]


    Astra didn''t have anything she could say. She kept silent, gently rubbing Echo''s shoulder while sorrow and comfort filled the air.


    [Had never lost so many before,] Echo continued, breath shuddering. [Only nine left. Tasks becoming harder. No more repairs, no more new things. Hunger and bad food. Laughter rare. Younglings not properly stimulated. Despair. {???¡ö???¡õ?¡ñ??? ??¡ö?????????¡ô???} had new idea: could not take food from above, could not raise Aron ourselves, but new Lairon and Hariyama sometimes evolve anyway. But all go to surface or captured by Invaders. If forced Invaders back above and kept creatures inside cave, maybe cave become normal again.]


    [Started watching entrance. Teleport Invaders near exit when get too far. Teleport others back down when move too far up. Worked for some time.] She sighed. [Then Invaders find way to stop teleport. Way to hide like [Blank Ones]. Discovered when {???¡ö???¡õ?¡ñ??? ??¡ö?????????¡ô???} trapped; sent warning, then...gone. Plan worthless, abandoned. Invaders everywhere again. Hidden Invaders hunt down Kadabra gathering food in caves. Three more lost.]


    There was a certain kind of numbness creeping into Astra''s mind, horror settling into grim exhaustion. It surprised her that there was a limit to how often she could be shocked or saddened at once. It was all still terrible, of course, but the whole of Echo''s history had simply ground down her ability to actively feel bad about it. And yet...had she cried, at all? How strange. She was sure some part of this must have made her shed a tear, but she couldn''t recall.


    "Five left," Astra said, hollowly. "And then?"


    [Despair. Grief. Then, finally...rage.] Echo sat up suddenly, leaning forward to bury her head in her claws. [Only one hunter left. {?????????¡õ??? ???????????????} full of fury. Invaders refuse our existence. Friends gone. Younglings sickly. Future lost. Could not repair caves. But could repay Invaders for all harm done.]


    A line of text from Brendan''s message suddenly flared in Astra''s memory.


    Brendan: <Kadabra in G.C. have history of extreme violence toward people!>


    Oh.


    Oh no.


    "You didn''t," she whispered, eyes wide.


    [Not me.] Echo sighed. [Bad fighter. {??????????? ???????¡õ?????}, other two, never hunt, could not battle. {?????????¡õ??? ???????????????} could. All angry. All tired. Needed something; could not just sit. So, gave {?????????¡õ??? ???????????????} our ???¨ˆ??¡ªgave our spoons. Then¡ª]


    "Uh, wait." Astra interrupted, leaning up to look at Echo in complete bafflement. "What? Spoons? You were planning on attacking humans and you gave your hunter...spoons?"


    Echo squinted at her, looking just as confused as Astra. [Yes?] she ventured. [Was best tool available.]


    "I¡ªcouldn''t you use a spear, at least?" Astra asked incredulously. "Stars, even throwing rocks would be better than a spoon. I mean, even if it was a big metal ladle I don''t think¡ªIt''s not exactly something you usually use for, um, battle, right?"


    [How would even lift rocks without spoon!?] Echo countered, rising from the basin. She looked down at Astra, perplexed. [Could not jab spear hard enough without lift with spoon! Did everything with spoon; only learned do without after long time! Very hard!]


    "What do you mean you lifted rocks with a spoon!?" she exclaimed, standing up to match. "How would you¡ªsorry, it''s just...were they the size of a branch or...? Why would you even try to put a spear on the end of a spoon¡ªwere you flinging them or something? I don''t even understand how you''d hold it up without the spoon breaking from the weight!"


    [?????] Echo broadcasted, looking more lost by the second. [What mean put rock on spoon!? Would damage! How you not know¡ªwait,] she stopped, blinking at Astra. [Not have spoon? Missing? Never? Different?]


    They stared at each other. Astra slowly dipped her head into her hands, letting out a pained whine as she completely failed to process anything at all.


    "Clearly," she bit out, rubbing at her forehead, "there''s been some sort of misunderstanding, here." Astra looked up at Echo, measuring her words carefully. "What, exactly, do you mean by spoon?"


    [Is spoon,] Echo explained, slowly and rather unhelpfully. [When Abra ascend to Kadabra, light of change grants spoon. Helps manage thoughts, power, control.] She frowned, peering at Astra curiously. [How you control power?]


    "I...channel my Psychic power with my horns." Astra said, taking her hat off. Her gaze flicked upwards, raising a hand to prod at the duo of smooth, half-oval horns atop her skull. "Your equivalent was...spoons. Spoons that you got through evolving."


    She felt absolutely ludicrous just contemplating having a spoon as a psychic focus, but Echo refused to acknowledge a sensible world and just nodded in agreement. [Yes. Abra not have spoons, can barely use power. Teleport exception; very easy always.]


    "They can''t do anything else?" Astra asked, surprised. "Even after a season or two? Hatchlings can usually use telekinesis and petty psychic blasts pretty quickly¡ªthough they do it to each other more often than not," she grumbled, recalling getting more than one retaliatory pelting for...some asinine reason or another.


    [Nothing.] Echo confirmed, peering at Astra intently. [Hatchlings cannot fight, only run. Your younglings can? Envy.]


    "I can''t blame you on that one, it sounds like a nightmare." she said, shuddering. "Even if they''re all better than me at teleportation, they wouldn''t be able to hunt anything without, like, dropping a rock on them or something. Nevermind if they get caught off-guard by those Dark-type pokemon you mentioned. Who they couldn''t sense. And if they''re anything like the hatchlings at my village and like to wander off..."


    Much like Astra herself, such as when she''d snuck out into a human city and was nearly hunted down by a trio of Poochena in the night on the way back home.


    [Have hard time watching,] Echo confirmed. [Even when is now, younglings curious.]


    "What do you even do about something like that?" Astra sighed. "Not being able to stand your ground...hm." she paused as a thought came to mind. "Actually, I wonder if there''s any TM that an Abra can use."


    [TM?]


    "They''re these disc things humans made to teach Pokemon new techniques. It might let an Abra do something they usually couldn''t¡ªwait, no," Astra sighed, rubbing at her forehead. "They''d have to be in a pokeball first, nevermind."


    Echo stared at her, suspicion deepening her frown. [I see..hm. As was saying, spoon loss very bad. Is like..maybe this similar?] She raised her hand, pointing at Astra''s head. [What happen if horn break?]


    Astra flinched, jamming her hat back on as if to shield her own horns. "That...it''s horrible." she said, feeling squeamish at the very thought. "I''ve heard that it feels like your mind and soul get carved away and the edges set on fire. Using any sort of psychic abilities makes it worse, even talking. I''ve never seen it myself; our horns are really tough! But...I don''t think anyone who breaks their horn lasts for too long afterward." She paused, grimacing. "I...the Ancestor. Her horn was broken before she founded the village. If she was coming here early on as well..."


    [Agony.] Echo mused grimly. [Same with spoon. Not attached, but if not have for long time, world...diminishes. Thoughts smaller. Much weaker, bad control. No pain, but if cannot adapt...mind spirals away.]


    Astra could hazard a guess to what happened to at least one of the remaining Kadabra. "But you gave them to your hunter anyway. And the hunter you gave your spoons to..."


    [Much, much stronger. {?????????¡õ??? ???????????????} took our spoons, held five. Then...] she stopped, searching for words. She sighed. [Invaders die many times. Then strong Invader come, hunt down {?????????¡õ??? ???????????????}. Many tunnels, caves, all collapse. Strong Invader leaves. {?????????¡õ??? ???????????????}, gone. Spoons...destroyed. Invaders swarm tunnels again. Only four Kadabra, much weaker. Collapsed many tunnels, but could only save major Creches. Lost much.]


    Echo looked past Astra, eyes focused somewhere else. [I and other still young, could overcome loss of spoon. Two old Kadabra not adapt. Defending without spoon make worse. One, big head pain, then gone. Other...became shell. Stopped eating. Gone.]


    [Then was just me and {??????????? ???????¡õ?????}.]


    Astra recognized that pattern. It was the name of the storyteller Echo had mentioned at the start of her tale, the one that knew all of their myths and retold them to the Abra. It almost made sense, oddly. The last two remaining were the one who took care of the hatchlings, and one who could teach them.


    Except...


    "And then?" Astra asked, quietly.


    Echo didn''t answer. She looked around the steam room, face and thoughts blank. She blinked, turning to look at an otherwise unremarkable patch of moss on the wall.


    [Stirring creche is now waking,] she said, ignoring Astra''s question. [Should feed, not make wait. Come,] Echo held out a hand, the other already spinning up a teleportation pattern. [Must give stew.]


    Astra looked at her for a moment. Must they? Or did Echo simply want to delay recalling that last, painful loss? In either case...


    "Yeah," she said, taking her hand. Astra wouldn''t begrudge her one final break. "Okay."


    The world twisted and they were back inside the Aggron. Astra winced, rubbing at her eyes as they readjusted to the heavy orange lighting. She saw the Mawile from earlier lounging in one of the alcoves, idly messing with some old trinket. She looked up as they zapped in, giving Echo a cheerful wave¡ªwhich she returned with a smiling nod¡ªand Astra a sour look. The stew looked the same as it had been, if maybe a bit murkier, and Echo soon enveloped both it and a good deal of the stacked stone bowls in her psychic aura.


    [Am behind on cleaning bowls.] Echo sighed, looking at the remaining stack. [At least know where many Zubat fell, easy scavenge, more time.]


    Right, that swarm May and Brendan had defeated. Astra looked back at the Zubat-free cauldron, thankful that she hadn''t had to eat any poisonous meat and that this next creche wouldn''t have to either. The one after, though...her stomach lurched just imagining it.


    Or maybe that was just Echo pulling her into another teleport. "I''m gonna be honest, I''m getting tired of all the blue," Astra complained, blinking away the spots in her eyes. This new Creche was much like the first one, filled with puzzle tables, slabs, scattered toys, and sleeping alcoves on the walls. She could sense about another fifty Abra, most of which were beginning to scatter about the main floor.


    [If have different light for whole caves, would like to see,] Echo remarked, setting the cauldron down in the middle of yet another dias. [Would like different moss, but is none.]


    "I''m sure I can pick up some rainbow moss somewhere," Astra joked. "Maybe I can get Devon to make some. Ah," she scratched her head nervously at Echo''s questioning look. "They''re a human group who...make new things."


    Echo looked at her for a moment longer, then turned away. [Hm. {Blood of my blood}! ???, ???¨ˆ? meal! Special!]


    A wave of attention washed through the mass of Abra, and dozens of muted pops rang out as they teleported closer to the steaming cauldron¡ªa dozen or so Astra recognized as that group that had been congregating around the river earlier. Echo separated the bowls and dipped them into the cauldron a half-dozen at a time, dishing them out to individual Abra with practiced ease.


    Which left Astra little else to do but watch for a moment. Astra saw her smaller...cousins, she supposed, carefully slurp down their portions, and she was once again disquieted at how happy such a miserly stew had made them. They''d only even had non-poisonous food today because Echo had prepared it especially for her. Tomorrow they''d be back to eating Zubat, and the day after that, for...who knew how long?


    If she could just give them a berry bush, or put Magikarp in their river¡ªstars, even hunting down a pack of Poochyena would be better. The bag of Pokemart kibble weighed heavily in her pack, but even if she emptied everything she had it wouldn''t be enough to feed fifty Abra adequately. What could she...


    A commotion broke out on the upper level, and Astra''s gaze was drawn to two Abra who still hadn''t descended to eat. They were crowding around an alcove high above, a burgeoning mass of panic and...something dark swirling around them.


    "Echo?" Astra called. "There''s something going on up there."


    Echo looked over as the last portions of the stew dragged itself into the remaining bowls. She set them on the floor and followed Astra''s gaze, frowning at the Abra above.


    [Will check,] she said, glowing purple. [Moment.]


    She vanished, reappearing behind the Abra above. Astra could see her questioning the two, before she took notice of something in the alcove. She leaned in and¡ª


    Confusion. Shock. Realization. Resignation. Despair.


    Astra''s skin prickled as Echo abruptly stilled, a flood of negative emotions pouring from the Kadabra like a river. She spoke briefly to the two Abra at her side. They looked back into the alcove, and did...something Astra couldn''t make out, then finally vanished to join the rest of the crowd below. Slowly, Echo reached into the alcove and grabbed something, gently clutching it to her chest.


    [Astra,] Echo said, her tone utterly, terrifyingly tired. [Exit creche. Out of sight of Younglings.]


    "Echo, what¡ª"


    [Please.]


    Astra picked a tunnel at random and left the creche.


    Once the murmur of Abra''s eating their meal faded into silence, Echo reappeared. She turned to Astra, still carrying whatever she''d taken from¡ª


    "An Abra?" Astra said, blinking at the small yellow figure in her arms. "What happened up there? Is something..."


    Echo stared at her. Astra fell silent, heavy stones weighing down her stomach. Her gaze darted from Echo to the Abra she held, searching for the source of this awful dread. Nothing seemed to be wrong with them at first glance; no injuries or sickness that she could spot, but a curious lack of thoughts. Was this like those dreamless Abra near the river? No, this was different, she could at least sense something from them. Why couldn''t she¡ªwhere was¡ªwhy weren''t they¡ª!?


    Oh.


    ...oh.


    Nothing was wrong.


    Nothing ever would be, ever again.


    They stood there, silently. For quite some time.


    From very far away, Astra heard herself break the quiet.


    "How?"


    [Got old.]


    Age. But they were still...they hadn''t grown at all. It was almost worse than her initial thought. There was no future cut short, here. This was a future already spent; wholly contained in dismal, stunted adolescence.


    "Do...you need help getting the wood?" she asked, distantly. "I''m...not sure where you do it, but..."


    A flicker of confusion. [Will not need,] Echo replied, holding out her hand. [Think...do things different.]


    "Different...?" Astra whispered. She looked up at Echo through watery eyes, hand grasping onto hers. "But...how will they become a star?"


    Echo smiled down at her, sadly. [Stars do not shine here,] she said, glowing purple under the mosslight. [Only last thing to learn.]


    The world shimmered.


    There was a small amphitheater. There was a river. Water rushed against the far wall, twisting downward and vanishing into darkness. Details blurred in Astra''s vision, and they walked down to the center. There was a depression before the river where water pooled. They stepped into the basin, the stream rushing around their knees.


    "Where are we?" Astra asked.


    [Final secret,] Echo said. She looked down at the Abra, rubbing their head softly. [Where river drains. Lowest point of water. Tunnel goes under, is no air. What lies at end...unknown. Cannot ever know.]


    [Pride of Abra is to learn. Learn more, grow more, do more, become more. Learn craft, learn patterns, make new things. Others learn from things, learn better, make yet more new. When learn enough, Ascend, become Kadabra. Always something new. Things, thoughts, theory.]


    [But cannot know all. Not know future. Not know how stop Invaders. Not know village. New questions. But oldest question: not know what at end of river. All curious. Want to know answer. Linger, can maybe learn before move on. Last gift before something new.]


    "It''s not fair," Astra whispered. Below, the river''s level raised an imperceptible amount.


    [It just is.]


    Echo lowered herself, letting the Abra rest on the water''s surface. She held it still, looking down with grim solemnity.


    [{Nameless One},] she said, her telepathy seeming to resonate around the cave despite its lack of voice. [Bereft of ???¨ˆ???, of joy of learning, of ???¨ˆ?. I name you, as many others, {???¡ö???¡õ?¡ô?¡ö???}. ???¨ˆ??? could not give you what was deserved. In this ending, I gift you ??? {Final Answer}. Find your conclusion, and in concluding, something new hereafter.]


    She let go.


    [Be free, and discover what lies beyond.]


    {???¡ö???¡õ?¡ô?¡ö???} drifted away, and vanished into the dark.


    Astra''s tears followed them for a long while afterwards.


    Some time later, they sat together, legs dangling into the river. Occasionally a sniffle broke the silence, and an embrace was tightened.


    When even the sniffles fell away into hazy quiet, Echo finally spoke.


    [Came here with {??????????? ???????¡õ?????}, afterward. To send off all who could still reach.]


    "..." Astra hummed, gazing vacantly at the far wall. Something had been a carved into it, but moss had long overgrown whatever it was.


    [Sat as we do now. Mourned friends, family. Then...emptiness. Stayed for long time. Waiting.]


    "Waiting...?" Astra murmured.


    [Waiting. It was the end. But hadn''t ended. Waiting. Until...]


    Echo stared at the water.


    [Younglings got hungry. Felt their cries from far away. I still had duty. {??????????? ???????¡õ?????}...did not. Had to go feed. Tried to pull with me. Could not. Eventually...had to go.]


    [When come back, {??????????? ???????¡õ?????} was gone. And I was all alone.]


    "I''m sorry." Astra said. It felt hollow, the words already ash in her mind.


    [Had many thoughts. Panic. Hate. Despair. Fear. Think most of all...envy.]


    Astra looked at Echo. The Kadabra smiled at her, tiredly.


    [Could not leave younglings alone; could not follow. Could not rebuild; could not live. Just...survive. But cannot forever. None left to send me off. Younglings alone in cave...no more plants, cannot hunt. Eaten or starve. Think maybe give up. Move all younglings above. Maybe Invaders take better care than me. Better some chance than none. Then...follow friends.]


    "Don''t." Astra blurted, eyes wide. "You¡ªyou can''t."


    [Have had different thought today,] Echo continued, pulling herself up from the river''s edge. [Maybe was waiting for you.]


    Astra stared up at her. "For me?" she repeated, confused.


    Echo smiled and offered Astra her hand again, pulling the Kirlia up to stand alongside her. [Yes. Maybe you are solution? Stories of village, knowing how use Invader tools, even friends with Invaders! Is maybe something there. But then am also thinking...not know what you doing.]


    "What...I''m doing?" Astra asked, still reeling from the sudden shift between Echo''s utter despair and abrupt pinning of the future of her entire conclave on her shoulders.


    [Yes. Saw pokeballs, know friends with two Invaders. Wonder...why come to cave? Maybe is actually Invader herself. Want to capture Youngling? Me?]


    Echo thought she was going to do what!?


    [Maybe is stupid thought,] she admitted, glancing from Astra''s horrified face to the river. [But...hm. Maybe Youngling better off with you. Still want to know: why dress like invader? Act? Light trick around face...hiding?]


    "First off¡ªand I hate that this isn''t a given¡ªI am never going to capture any of you," Astra stressed, grabbing Echo by the pauldrons and looking her directly in the eyes. "You and all of those Abra¡ªyou''re all the closest thing to family I''ve seen in weeks. Even¡ªeven if you''re not in the best shape, you are all still another village besides my own! If we had known about any of this, we would have¡ªI..." Astra faltered for a moment, running blank on a follow up. "We would have done something," she settled on, returning Echo''s grateful smile with one of her own. "And we still can.


    "The reason I''m out here, dressed like a human and capturing pokemon...look, I know I''ve talked up my home a lot, but we''re in trouble too," Astra admitted, to Echo''s shock. "We discovered that humans are cutting into the forests around their city, which will eventually run up to our borders. On top of that, our defensive...barrier...thing that makes them not notice or come near us is failing, and even above that they''ve started putting things way up in the sky that can look down and see everything on the ground. Our best guess on the barrier alone is that we only had a little under two seasons left before they discover us. After that..."


    Astra looked at the river, thinking of barren tunnels bereft of the plants and Pokemon that had kept them whole (would the same be seen with her river, fields, and forest?); doomed attempts to turn back the clock (was preempting the future any better if their endings were the same?); diminished, toxic consumption (if the body rots and the mind corrodes, how could hope not corrupt?); and self-destructive retaliation (but could integration ever be more than a distant dream?). All compounding until the bonfire of their knowledge and culture was naught but a single, fading flame. She closed her eyes and took a breath, releasing it slowly.


    "I hope it doesn''t turn out like what happened here," Astra said. "But it might. So I''m doing everything I can to get an advantage while there''s still time."


    Echo frowned, clearly detesting the idea that her story could be retold in such a manner. [What is plan, then? Could not protect caves. How protect forest?]


    "Right now, to humanity, we''re still just Pokemon," Astra explained, reaching into her backpack. "And the humans who capture Pokemon are called Pokemon Trainers. But the strongest Pokemon Trainer is called the Champion, and he''s...in charge? Very important, at least."


    "Look at this," Astra pulled out her Stone Badge, showing off the diagonally bifurcated rectangle. "If a trainer challenges and wins against all eight Gyms, getting all eight of these badges, they get the right to challenge the Champion for the position. If I can become the Champion, I might be able to head off the problem. Somehow. Maybe make it so they just...can''t catch us anymore?" Astra scratched the back of her head, embarrassed. "It''s still a little muddled, but even if that doesn''t work, I might be able to get strong enough to...make them hesitate, at least. And if I can do it for my village, I''m sure I can do something for yours too!" she finished, clenching her fist in determination.


    [Try take over clan before they take yours,] Echo mused, thoughtfully eyeing the badge. [Seen that long ago sometimes, with Hariyama. Work with Invader? Unknown. You think is good idea, believe. But...why come to cave? Not know we here. Try capture others?]


    "No, not at all. My friends and I are actually looking for another human that''s wandering around in here. Steven Stone, the current Pokemon Champion. I need to give him something as part of a deal I made."


    Echo blinked at her slowly. [Oh. Looking for strong Invader? Know where is; discovered lesser creche short time ago. Been there since.]


    "You know where Steven is!?" Astra perked up, eyes wide. "Oh thank the stars, finding him would have been a nightmare otherwise. Wait," she said, frowning. "How did he find a creche? Haven''t you been hiding them?"


    [Invader is very strong; do not think could stop. Also still need sleep, youngling,] Echo chided, smiling faintly.


    "I''m not a ''youngling''," Astra huffed, glaring at the shorter Kadabra.


    [If say so,] Echo chuckled. She sighed, face falling. [If have to meet strong Invader...suppose must leave, then? Cannot stay?]


    Astra looked at Echo, saw her hunched back and drooping whiskers, and felt her heart break all over again.


    "Yes," she said anyway, because it was the truth. "I do have to go. I wish I could stay for longer, but..."


    [Understand.] Echo closed her eyes for a moment, then looked back at Astra, giving her a tired smile. [Teleport close?]


    "If you can. Thank you."


    Purple light flared one last time, and Astra found herself in yet another tunnel. This one however, was vastly narrower and darker than the others, with only thin strips and small dots of glowing moss scattered sporadically in the numerous crevasses and barely enough space to take two steps from one wall to the other. There was also Zubat guano scattered on the floor. Ew.


    Echo pointed down the tunnel. [Invader that way. Cannot take closer,] she said, still holding Astra''s hand. [This Invader...scary.]


    She paused, looking at Astra intently. [Be safe, yes?]


    "Only if you do, too," Astra said, smiling. Echo huffed.


    [Younglings,] she muttered, whiskers twitching gently. [...was nice, not being alone. Goodb¡ª]


    Astra hugged her, arms wrapping around the startled Kadabra and squeezing tightly.


    "Don''t be silly," she murmured, gently bumping Echo''s head with her own. "This isn''t goodbye. That would mean I''m gone. I''m just...not going to be here right now."


    [Tch, strange words,] Echo said, leaning into the embrace. She sniffed, shuddering. [Always so strange. Stay strange. Means always new thing to learn.]


    "Oh really?" Astra asked, breaking away. She looked at Echo, smiling. "Well, if I''m going to be teaching you things, here''s your first lesson: you are not alone. And I swear on my cinders that I''ll find a way to make sure you''ll never have to be alone again. Got it?"


    Echo just laughed, tears shimmering in her eyes. A wet, high-pitched, yowling thing resounding across ancient halls.


    And at long last, there was someone else to hear it again.


    [Will remember,] she said, eyes glistening. [Thank you. Come back soon.]


    "I will," Astra promised. She turned to leave, looking back just once. "See you later, Grandma."


    Echo huffed, gave her one last smile, and vanished with a crack of purple.


    Astra closed her eyes and inhaled, filling her lungs up with the musty cavern air.


    Thoughts spun endlessly within her mind: dusty tools and brittle instruments bereft of their makers and wielders, fiery gems that boiled water for stew and steam, intricately carved puzzles, beautifully deadly lights dancing in artful patterns, a river with an unknown end, and a newfound family branch¡ªnot quite gone, and by all the effort she could muster never would be. A sad and lonely new Grandmother for whom she would move the stars to prevent that horrid, quiet ending which had drawn so close.


    And all she could think was...why?


    Then she exhaled, light flashing along her face and eyes as the breath left her body.


    She raised a hand, examining the five-digited appendage. An odd protrusion dominated half of the left and right sides of her vision, and she knew that her eyes had shrunken just as her mouth had gotten wider.


    Human once again.


    Securing her hat over her horns, checking that her backpack and violin case were still in proper order, and finding her companions still nestled within her sash, Astra, at long last, set off once more.


    It was time to deliver a letter to Steven Stone. The Champion, who oversaw everything Pokemon-related in Hoenn. She knew Echo''s story, now...but what of Dewford''s?


    Perhaps she could get some answers, too.

 Excavate

    Astra walked down the dim tunnel, footsteps echoing down into the darkness. The minutes passed in agonizing slowness, and she was beginning to suspect that Echo had been a bit more cautious than she''d let on when she''d teleported them into this tunnel. She would have thought that Steven would be around the proverbial corner, but it was just an empty stretch of cave as far as she could see. There had been a few smaller branch tunnels, but Echo hadn''t told her to turn, so she just kept going forwards.


    The sheer, righteous determination had slowly ebbed away as time continued to pass, leaving only a growing jitteriness and dread. Here she was, about to meet Steven fucking Stone, the final obstacle between her and her village''s future. But it was too early for her to even try to overcome him. He''d utterly thrashed both her and May at the same time with only a single command, and the memory of that encounter made the prospect of grilling him about the condition of these caves increasingly hard to envision.


    Stars above, what in the world was she even going to do about the cave and Echo''s colony? The promise she''d made had been spur of the moment, and she''d never even consider going back on it, but¡­no solution was readily coming to mind, either. She couldn''t exactly feed them by herself; she was having trouble feeding her own five Pokemon! Getting help from humanity was also a non-starter¡ªeven if Steven had every answer in the world, the entire point of all of this was to not get their attention. Otherwise...well, that was kind of it?


    Maybe if she had a decade or three she could...what, renew the numbers of Lairon and Hariyama? Find a new plant to grow in the moss? But she didn''t have a decade. She barely had five months left! She couldn''t just leave this for after her hypothetical victory either; if she failed to become the Champion, Echo would be left waiting for help that would never come, and there was no telling what that ''victory'' would actually result in.


    If she could even reach for victory at all, now. Her showing against Brawly had been absolutely atrocious. It was a miracle she''d been able to stay upright for as long as she did. The music she''d played had been a little evocative but otherwise a total discordant mess, and her companions...


    She''d led them so badly, and they''d gotten mauled for trusting her. She''d grown...tolerant of the injuries they accumulated as a matter of course¡ªhelped by them not having any problem with getting hurt themselves beyond heat-of-the-moment pain and competitive pride¡ªbut the sheer brutality she''d carelessly thrown them into just because of her stubbornness was still horrific! Ash in her face, she hadn''t even stopped at a Pokecenter on the way here; they''d just been stewing in their injuries for hours now, and her only solace was that they were too unconscious to feel any pain!


    That wasn''t something good trainers did. It wasn''t something she thought she''d do.


    But she did. And they were the ones suffering for it.


    Was she really the one most cut out for this...? Why had her home chosen her, anyway? Wouldn''t an already grown Kirlia have made more sense? They''d have known not to blindly touch the Ancestor''s orb and scar the sky above Rustboro. They''d probably be able to lie to humans better than she could. They probably wouldn''t have gotten involved with Brendan and May either; May wouldn''t have fractured a rib, Brendan wouldn''t have had to face off against a criminal by himself, and neither of them would be lost in a dark cave. And they might be able to actually think of a way to help Echo rather than just...feeling bad about it.


    But still, her mind came up blank for solutions. How was she supposed to solve this by herself? Bringing them food from Dewford? She didn''t have the money. Figuring out how to grow berries underground? She didn''t have the time. Revitalize the ecosystem? Completely infeasible. No matter where she looked, what feeble actions she prodded at, nothing seemed to work. There just had to be something she could do...


    A faint cry broke the quiet. Astra paused, looking up from where her gaze had fallen on the floor. What was...?


    Something like a hard smack came from somewhere further away, followed by another weak cry of pain.


    Astra blinked, then frowned and focused. She sensed two Pokemon just up ahead, a little ways into what looked to be a side passage. One emanating satisfaction, and the other a weary pain and hunger. Was there a fight going on?


    The cry resounded for a third time, and before she could even think she burst into a run, turning sharply into an alternate passage. Streaks of blue raced by as her shoes pounded the ground, and after rounding one last corner she found herself in a tiny cavern.


    Pressed up against the wall of the cave was a small, steel-white Pokemon struggling to lift themselves back onto their four nubby legs¡ªan Aron, Astra realized. Their large, ovoid head curled down into their chest, sunken eyes squeezed shut as yet another impact struck against the visibly fractured iron plate on their back.


    Above them was a Makuhita. Towering twice-over the foot-high Aron, the rotund Pokemon had a focused, satisfied smile on their face as their fist slammed against the shell of their prey. They paused as Astra rounded the corner, looking up at her in confusion.


    Astra stared back. Echo had told her about this. Makuhita attacked Aron all the time; a convenient practice target and a meal, all in one. It wasn''t some emergency, it was just...the end of a hunt. She''d seen the same when Seedot were cracked open, or when a Poochyena pack successfully ran down a Zigzagoon. How many Magikarp had she personally cleaned?


    This wasn''t wrong, in the abstract. How could she blame Makuhita for needing to eat? If it weren''t this Aron, it would be another creature. Maybe a Zubat. Maybe another Aron. Or the Makuhita would starve.


    Except...


    The battered Aron opened an eye. A bright blue iris whirled around rapidly, dilating to the extreme as it focused on the Makuhita. Then it noticed her, and stared.


    Astra looked at them, mind blank. Makuhita blinked back, uncertainty and annoyance surpassed by dawning shock as they finally registered what had just appeared before them.


    From the floor, eyes the color of the sky looked into Astra''s. They shook with fear and pain. And...something else.


    A second had passed since she had entered. Astra''s hand twitched toward her pokeballs. Then she stilled, and raised her hand instead.


    A ball of flowing purple light coalesced above her palm, pulsing in fury.


    She was so fucking sick of misery.


    The Makuhita had only a moment to gasp in shock, slit-eyes widening, before Astra let go.


    The psychic sphere slammed into his thick torso. Makuhita cried out, a surge of shock and agony rippling through the air as they were blown back into the depths of another tunnel behind them, with only a fading purple glow remaining visible as they vanished. A moment later Astra heard a distant thoom, and then¡­silence.


    She let out a breath, flexing her hand. Though playing Barrage with Echo had allowed her to practice her Psychic powers, the game itself had been rather low-energy, more about control and reaction speed than anything. Cutting loose, even this small amount, had been very¡­satisfying.


    This, at least, was a problem she could solve.


    She turned to the Aron. They had frozen in place, eyes the size of plates staring at her in complete bafflement. Astra walked towards them, and their confusion rapidly transformed back into tense fear and dread. They retreated further into the wall as she drew near.


    And then blinked as Astra dropped a handful of Oran berries at their feet.


    Astra watched the Aron glance between her and the fruit, caution warring with curiosity and desire. Keeping an eye on her, Aron lowered their head to poke at the Oran with their snout. They side-eyed her, looking for a reaction.


    "Those are for you," Astra said, smiling gently. "Go on; I won''t bite."


    Encouraged, the Aron took a cautious nibble. Their eyes went wide, practically sparkling, and suddenly they were chowing down, juice splattering across their jaws.


    "Aron!" they¡ªshe¡ªchirped, her voice simultaneously high-pitched and¡­gritty? Metallic. But while it was certainly rough, it wasn''t harsh by any means¡ªthough Aron would likely be able to change that very quickly if she wished.


    Astra watched Aron chow through the berries, a warm glow spreading through her body. Ah, but if only all of her issues could be fixed with a Psychic Sphere and a snack. Alas. A flash of light caught her eye, and Astra''s brow furrowed as she spotted something glinting oddly on Aron''s back. Leaning in closer to see through the dim mosslight, her breath hitched as she saw the spider web of fissures along Aron''s steely carapace.


    Her shell had been cracked! Astra knew Makuhita had to be strong enough to prey upon Aron¡ªbut unless there had been a longer exchange before she could hear it, that had only been a few hits! Was her carapace that brittle? Without access to iron, and feeding only off Zubat...


    Well, she wasn''t about to leave things half-done in any case! Kneeling down, Astra pulled out the Super Potion that May had tossed at her, back near that berry shop in Rustboro. She''d used a bit of it here and there, but the small pink spray-bottle definitely had another good few spritzes left. She would have used it on her fainted teammates if their bodies had the energy to actually make it work, but they wouldn''t have any to spare until they regained consciousness.


    "Hold still," Astra said, aiming carefully. "This will sting a little." She pressed down the trigger, pink mist coating the fractures in Aron''s shell.


    Aron jerked and hissed as the fluid soaked through, the sound not quite like the crumple of foil. A brief flash of betrayal lined her face¡ªbefore dawning awe replaced it. She turned her head, trying in vain to peek at her metallic carapace where Astra could visibly see the cracks mending themselves.


    Only a moment later, Aron''s shell was whole again. She shifted in place, turned in a full circle, and then began chirping excitedly, nearly bouncing in place with joy.


    Astra smiled, tucking the spray bottle back in her pack. Humanity had done some completely awful things, as she had been learning recently, but their miraculous medicine was one thing she would always be astounded by.


    "All better?" she asked.


    Aron turned to her, eyes sparkling. "Aron!" she cheered.


    "That''s good," Astra said, smile widening. She began to stand back up, brushing at her dress. "I''m glad I heard the fight¡ªhough!?"


    She yelped as Aron jumped at her, the Steel Pokemon''s incredibly heavy forelegs quite literally pushing her straight back into the floor. Barely catching herself with an elbow instead of smashing her head on the ground, Astra only had a moment to breathe before a very appreciative Aron draped herself over Astra''s torso and began crushing her lungs.


    "Okay!" she yelped, wheezing as she frantically pushed the heavily enthusiastic Aron off to the side. "Okay, you''re welcome, please move, I can''t breathe!"


    A moment later and Astra lay gasping on the cavern floor, a somewhat puzzled Aron still trying to snuggle into her chest¡ªfrom the side, this time. For being a fourth as big as Astra was, this little gal could knock her down with just her completely absurd weight alone! The power of coating yourself with metal, Astra supposed. She couldn''t imagine how much damage that ''tackle'' would have done had it been hostile instead of an ill-conceived attempt at cuddling. Though, considering part of Echo''s story... maybe she could.


    She looked down at the Aron burrowed into her side, their oversized head resting on her torso like a football made of lead. Her eyes stared up at Astra, big and blue and very, very happy, and the Kirlia let out a sigh that was more of a wheeze. Reaching out, Astra ran a hand over Aron''s head and shell, feeling the smooth, chilly, and oddly organic metal that covered her. Aron trilled, pushing her head into the touch. Astra would have thought it adorable if a hundred pounds of Steel Pokemon weren''t still nearly crushing her ribcage.


    She still did, but, well. She couldn''t feel her leg.


    "Alright, enough of that," Astra said, gently shoving Aron off her stomach with a bit of telekinesis. Climbing to her feet, she took a deep breath and patted her dress down again. "I appreciate the thought, but maybe don''t jump at people like that? You nearly crushed me, you know."


    Aron instantly deflated, her body drooping in shame. "Aron...?"


    "It''s alright," Astra reassured, reaching down to give her another pat on the head. "Just something to keep in mind, okay?"


    "Ron!" Aron chirped, rubbing back against Astra''s touch.


    Astra smiled. "Good. And don''t take any more shit from those Makuhita, alright?" she said, turning back the way she''d come. Aron stared up at her, head tilted in confusion. "And try finding a Nosepass if you can; they might be able to point you to metal in the walls. Take care, Aron."


    Astra left the small cavern, her smile fading as she heard a sad, questioning cry echo out behind her. Her just leaving probably wasn''t what Aron had expected, she knew. In many ways, that had mirrored about four experiences she''d had before. She had considered it, briefly, but...no. It wasn''t...the thing was...


    She just couldn''t. Not right now, with where she was, and after all that had happened.


    And yet, after she had made her way back to the main tunnel, she was completely unsurprised to hear the scuttle of nubby feet trailing behind her. She came to a halt, listening to the steps slow down and pause. She turned her head, looking back to see Aron just a little ways down the tunnel, staring at her nervously.


    "You want to come with me, don''t you," Astra said. It wasn''t a question, but Aron steeled her nerves and nodded anyway. Astra looked at her. She sighed.


    "I haven''t been a very good trainer, recently," she said, looking down at the ground. "I already have five Pokemon, and I haven''t been treating them as well as I should be. Haven''t found time to actually give them real, individual attention for a while now. If it weren''t for May lending me some of her payout, I wouldn''t even be able to feed them very well. Adding another partner to my team on top of that...


    "Brendan just warned me about this, back in Rustboro," she muttered. "Taking on more than I already have isn''t smart. I''m... sorry, but I don''t think I can take you with me when I leave these caves. I''ve already hurt enough of my friends today; I''m not going to do that to you, too."


    Idly, Astra wondered what had happened to the Makuhita she had blasted. With a sinking feeling, she realized that it had obviously gotten heavily injured; who knew if they would find another meal? She hadn''t fixed anything at all back there; she''d only just changed who was in misery.


    She looked back at Aron. Big blue eyes stared forlornly back at her, her head drooping at Astra''s regretful, rejecting tone.


    SIlence fell for a moment.


    "A¡ªaron," Aron said, slowly turning back. She began to trudge away, and Astra...


    Astra just couldn''t let such a happy meeting end so bitterly.


    "That said," she announced, the corners of her mouth twitching as she watched Aron swivel around nearly instantly. "I wouldn''t be opposed to a bit of company while I''m still here, if you want."


    Aron''s eyes practically shone, her steely shell flashing in the mosslight as she dashed at Astra. She chirped rapidly, running in circles around Astra''s feet in excitement. Astra giggled, smiling fondly at their antics.


    "Well then, let''s get going," she said, once more starting down the tunnel. "We''ve got a very dangerous man to find."


    "Aron ar!" Aron trilled.


    The Steel Pokemon excitedly circled around Astra''s shoes, and as the Kirlia watched a merry contentment began to grow in her chest. Despite her new, absurdly heavy companion, her steps felt lighter than ever.


    <hr>


    Astra saw the light before anything else, a slowly growing artificial yellow flicker at the end of the tunnel overpowering the dim blue of the mosslight. As it grew closer, she found herself at the opening to a larger than usual cave; what she could only assume to be the abandoned lesser creche Echo had spoken of before. The cavern was noticeably smaller than the other ''main'' creches had been, and she could only see about fifteen or so beds carved into the walls¡ªeach of them filled with slowly yellowing grass. She couldn''t spot any left-behind puzzles, toys, or Barrage slabs, but there were a few larger moss patches on the ceiling.


    There also didn''t seem to be anyone else in here, though she could sense a single strangely occluded presence a little further ahead.


    Bereft of Champions to interrogate, Astra''s mind pondered the purpose of such a place; why use this smaller cave when the Colony had so many massive ones already? Perhaps it was simply...overfill? There couldn''t always be exactly enough Abra to fit in every big creche neatly, so if there were a couple Abra without a sleeping space, then they could simply sleep here and teleport back to one of the larger ones once they awoke. The lack of entertainment here seemed to support that¡ªthe only use this place had was as a spare resting area.


    Her attention, however, had been captured by the nine-foot-wide rock cylinder on the floor, its length just failing to divide the entire room in half. It was completely smooth, almost like it had just been pulled straight out of the wall. The colors on it seemed...odd, the rough gray of the cavern rock near the ''head'' abruptly giving way to a thick layer of dull black and then finishing with a massive stretch of shining obsidian.


    Astra gulped, examining the horizontal pillar with fascination and unease. She looked down at Aron, who was staring at the shining, glassy stone with starry-eyed enchantment. Astra couldn''t fault her for that; she''d never seen a rock so glossy and dark either. Still didn''t beat her shiny green rock, though. Maybe she''d try to snag a piece for her collection on the way out. But why was it here? Echo hadn''t said anything about weird giant pillars on the floor, so...that left one culprit.


    Averting her gaze from the dark rock, she returned her attention to the golden yellow light radiating from behind the pillar''s other end, the bright glow completely foreign to the cavern system. Further ahead, she could feel a familiar presence, though it was...oddly faint for how close it was. Strange.


    Astra closed her eyes, taking a deep breath of the cool cavern air. She held it for a moment, tensing her whole body, before releasing it all in one long exhale. She nodded to herself, standing firm in the looming face of the scariest human she''d met thus far.


    The long wait was over.


    It was time to meet Steven Stone once again.


    Astra strode forward, circling around the layered cylinder. Aron followed at her heels, the smaller Pokemon''s gait much subdued by the serious air. On the other side she found a massive tunnel into the rock wall, shaped the exact inverse of the rock beam, bored through as though it had been erased and restored elsewhere instead of being dug at all. The path was heavily cracked and lined with numerous glassy pebbles and shards.


    And at the end of that tunnel was another cavern, shining with lamp-light.


    They walked through the tunnel, their strides clinking softly against the volcanic glass and crushing scattered fragments along its length.


    As they neared the end, Astra saw the strange glossy stone give way back to the regular brown rock from the caves at the exact threshold of the tunnel. Peeking out from the right were three powerful lamps set up on miniature stands, and the wall directly across the opening seemed to have strange markings on it that...uh...she couldn''t quite...make...out...


    She stopped as a spell of dizziness and a sense of light pressure brushed over her simultaneously, and suddenly it felt as though someone were pouring ice water directly into her skull. She teetered for a moment, shivering, before the sensations vanished as quickly as they came. Astra inhaled sharply as everything snapped back to normal, blinking rapidly. What was that? Some kind of...stress-induced vertigo? She honestly had no idea.


    Was the oncoming meeting really weighing on her that much?


    She rubbed her head, looking around the cramped tunnel uncertainly. Aron nudged her leg in concern and Astra twitched, then let out a long sigh and gave the Steel Pokemon a reassuring smile. With no further way to question the strange episode, she turned her attention back to the far wall. Oh, the markings were just writing. Right, well, she could look at that later, maybe.


    Astra reached the end of the tunnel and halted at the very threshold for an instant, hovering at the edge, before clenching her fists and stepping out into the cavern proper.


    She turned left, and saw a man.


    Then she looked beyond the man, and saw an apocalypse.


    A mural had been painted on the wall at the end of the cavern, wide as a building and as tall as a tree, drawn in simplistic lines both angular and flowing. And in the moment, it caught her attention far more than even her ultimate opponent could.


    On it were two figures. To the left, a monstrous red-and-gray lizard covered in black lines stood atop a cliff overflowing with magma, sporting a wide, jagged tail and razor-like crown. It hunched over, two arms splayed in fury as it roared at the figure opposite, the surrounding mountains erupting into gouts of molten rock and fire. To the right, a foreboding blue-white whale covered in red lines breached a titanic tsunami, hand-like fins and ribbon tails lightly curled toward its torso as if it were mid-dive. Rain fell around it in a deluge, the ocean below churning in massive whirlpools and waterspouts.


    Above them, the rock was charred black; whatever was drawn had been long lost to an ancient heat. Though a hint of something green yet remained.


    And at the very center...nothing. The lines and colors swirled into an empty vacuum, cutting off abruptly once they drew near. Was it deliberate, or had it been left unfinished?


    Missed one.?


    Astra stared at the ancient painting, mouth agape. This was...far beyond anything her Grandpa had ever made. Even the most ferocious depiction of a Mightyena he had ever made didn''t have a fraction of the primal fury the beings on this wall contained. What were they? Who made this? And why was the upper half so...burnt?


    But even such a terrifying canvas couldn''t distract her from the man standing in front of it for very long.


    Steven Stone stood there, atop a small rise in the floor of the cave. His back was turned to her, head tilted such that he, too, appeared to be examining the drawing. He wore a more durable facsimile of his attire from the Petalburg woods¡ªblack jeans and a jacket to match.


    And...he wasn''t turning to face her. Or acknowledging her in any way, really. Astra was pretty sure that she hadn''t exactly been quiet, especially with Aron''s legs tapping against the glass, but...well, maybe he was just too focused on the drawing?


    She couldn''t tell, Astra realized with dawning astonishment. Every human she''d met so far had blasted out their feelings and mood like a shining aurora, but Steven''s were somehow...muted, as though she was trying to decipher the murmur of human voices through a thick wall. What was that? It wasn''t at all like how hatchlings were taught to shield themselves with psychic power, obviously, so... was there something else?


    Nevertheless, she still had a letter to deliver¡ªand this oddity would not get in her way. Briefly pausing to silently nudge Aron to wait by the entrance, Astra stepped forward alone, drawing closer to Steven until only a few paces separated them. The mural loomed above, the terrible figures roaring silently.


    He still hadn''t turned around. Was it deliberate? Fine, then. Steeling her nerves one last time, Astra began to speak¡ª


    ¡ªand was immediately interrupted.


    "They say that time is circular," Steven abruptly said, his voice echoing in the small cave. "That all that is has since been done. There is nothing new to be found, underneath the light of our sun."


    Astra stared at Steven''s back in complete bafflement. What the hell was he talking about? And was he...rhyming?


    "I would think it differently," Steven continued, voice following a strange cadence. "Found a world that runs on rhymes. Time that spins unparalleled, but in themes and paradigms."


    The Champion of Hoenn, who held her village''s future in his unknowing hands, was...reciting a poem to her. Sure. But also, why?


    "So I shall share my thoughts aloud, both retort and reprise," he chanted in that same even rhythm, at last turning around. Steel-blue eyes met pink, boring into her with fathomless intensity. "All that is old is new again, to those with fresher eyes. Hello, Miss Astra," he finished, nodding at her with a smile. "It''s lovely to meet you again."


    "What the fuck was that?"


    It took Astra a moment to realize she''d done more than think that. She flushed red, hands uselessly darting to cover her mouth as her eyes opened as wide as the moon. "Uh! Wait, no, I didn''t¡ª!"


    "You didn''t like it?" Steven asked, face falling.


    Astra froze in place, mind blank. She stared at Steven, feeling like her thoughts had been scattered into the breeze.


    "What?" she managed.


    "My poetry," Steven explained, still looking disappointed. "Was it not any good? I''ve been mulling that one over for a couple days now."


    "I...don''t know?" Astra hazarded, still completely lost. She''d been too stunned by his reciting poetry at all to comprehend what he''d actually been saying. "I wasn''t really...listening."


    "Oh? A shame. I could recite it again, if you want," he offered, to which Astra vehemently shook her head.


    "No, no, I''m sure it was fine," she assured him. "It''s just...why did you start off with a poem?"


    Steven shrugged. "It''s just been a couple days since I talked to anyone who could talk back, and I wanted some feedback. Picked it up as a sort of tertiary hobby a few months ago. On top of that, you seemed like someone who enjoys the arts, so I thought I''d run it past you."


    ...Okay???


    "That''s the only reason?" Astra asked, incredulous. "You didn''t think ignoring me until I was right behind you then spouting off some rhymes was weird at all?"


    "Perhaps," Steven admitted, a small smile overtaking his features. "But I''ve also found that being a little ''weird'' does help break the ice a little when I meet people for the first time. Properly, in this case," he added, nodding at her. "Seeing as you''ve conquered Roxanne''s gym and earned both her badge and recognition, I''d hazard that you''ve heard my name once or twice now."


    Oh shit she''d just called the Champion weird.


    "Y¡ªyeah," Astra stammered, cringing at herself. "You''re...Hoenn''s Pokemon Champion."


    Steven nodded. "Indeed. I will admit I was a little surprised to meet not one, but two trainers who didn''t at least recognize my name. Rather refreshing, actually. That said," he continued, giving her a sardonic smile, "if you''ve come for a rematch, you''ll need a few more badges first."


    Astra laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of her head. "Ah, no, no, I''m not here for a challenge or anything. I didn''t even want to fight the first time..." she muttered, only a little bitterly. Yes, May had gotten her pumped up enough to go along with it, but he had been the one to ask for a double battle in the first place.


    Steven sighed, drawing Astra''s attention back to him. "Yes, that was my fault, wasn''t it? Before we get into anything else, I do want to apologize for that incident in the woods."


    Eh? Apologizing? To her? What was happening right now? She''d expected that kinda-condescending ass from the tail end of their battle, not...poetry and penitence!


    ¡­Whatever. All of today had been weird; she would just have to roll with it.


    "For beating up our Pokemon?" she checked, trying to regain her mental footing.


    "Partially," Steven said. "Your friend got exactly what she asked for, and I would not take back any part of that. What I do regret, however, is dragging you into it." He nodded at her, grimacing in regret. "As well as some of my post-battle actions, or lack thereof. You did not deserve being brought into the conflict as an intentional casualty of your friend''s mistake, and my remarks afterwards were in poor taste as well. In addition, I should not have left you both alone in the forest with all of your Pokemon in ill condition without checking to make sure you had medicinal supplies.


    "Please accept my sincere regret on the matter," Steven finished, and suddenly Astra was faced with the strongest trainer in the region bowing to her.


    Astra stared, warmth flooding her face. This was...um. "I¡ªit''s fine!" she stammered, waving her hands about. "It''s...May''s always doing reckless stuff like that! It would have blown soot in our face at some point¡ª"


    Steven glanced up, peering at her oddly.


    "¡ªso it''s, you know, just part of what being friends with her is like! I guess! So we''re cool! Please stop bowing, it''s weird," Astra begged, then made a strangled gasp. "Wait, no, I didn''t¡ªyou''re not weird!"


    Steven huffed, amusement sparkling in his eyes as he righted himself. "It''s quite alright. I''m not one to be very bothered by someone informing me of my social ineptitude; in fact, I''m rather used to it. And I''m glad that there''s no lasting ill-will. But moving on, might I inquire as to the circumstances of our meeting again?" His expression smoothed out as he questioned her, settling into a neutral smile. "Did you happen to wander here by chance, or...?"


    Astra breathed a sigh of relief. She didn''t know what she''d do if he''d gotten annoyed with her. Right then; on to business.


    "Brawly told me that you were in these caves, actually," Astra said, confidence growing. "You were half-right. I did wander here by chance¡ª" Even if a large part of the ''chance'' was Echo pointing her straight at him, "¡ªbut I was trying to find you."


    "Brawly did?" Steven asked, blinking. "He wouldn''t interrupt my sabbatical again unless there was good reason. Well then, what is so important that it needs my attention right now?"


    "It''s a letter," Astra explained, taking off her backpack and rummaging through it. Jars, the heavy briefcase, water bottle, spare sets of clothes, her old hat and the bolt of cloth, don''t even look at the box¡ªah, there it was. "Mr. Stone at Devon gave it to me back in Rustboro after I helped them get back their, uh, submarine blueprints? They were stolen by some guy from Team Aqua," she explained, offering Steven the thick envelope.


    Steven stared at her, surprised and faintly intrigued. "Well, you''ve certainly made some impressions if you''ve gotten a courier mission this early, and especially from my father." He took the envelope from her and examined it for a moment, then nodded. "Team Aqua, you say? Well, that''s got to be quite the story. I knew they were getting more insistent these days, but...hm."


    Reaching into a pocket on his jacket, Steven retrieved a strange folded-up knife. He twirled it around for a second, the blade and handles twisting elegantly in the air¡ªbefore biting right into his fingers. He dropped it, shaking his hand with a bit-off curse. Astra''s eyes bulged, and she let out a half-muffled snort before covering her mouth with her hands again, trying desperately not to laugh.


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    "Sidney makes it look so easy," Steven muttered ruefully, grabbing the knife and¡ªcarefully¡ªunfolding it. He cut the letter open, peered inside, then pulled out one of many pieces of paper.


    Astra stood there, silently watching Steven read the letter. She shifted, glancing back up at the mural, then turned her gaze around the room. The tunnel she''d come out of had carved through a gigantic mass of incongruous obsidian that had sort of...oozed into the room somehow? Everywhere else had words engraved into the walls at varying heights; some neat and orderly, and some looking rather chipped and jagged as if the carver had been in a hurry. The words themselves seemed...odd? Not physically, but...something about the structure was strange, and a few of them seemed to have different double-meanings than usual. She had absolutely no idea how that worked, but she was pretty sure ''anger'' hadn''t also meant ''vitality'' before, but now it did. Somehow.


    One of the more orderly blocks of text caught her eye, the writing mentioning ''berries.'' Astra walked up to it, peering at...a list of foodstuffs and instructions? Fill a container with water and set it over a hot fire¡ªoh, it was a recipe! Someone had carved how to make it into the rock for...some reason. Was it special?


    Either way, it was fascinating. She would have loved to make it, but she had no idea what a lot of these ingredients were and didn''t know where''d she''d even find the ones she did. Was there a store that sold Lileep tendrils? Maybe she could grab some from back at the...um. At the...where? There had been a place, hadn''t there? How did she...?


    "Interested in the carvings?"


    "Gah!" Astra yelped, leaping away from the human who had abruptly appeared at her side. Steven looked at her curiously, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards. Why did everyone seem to enjoy sneaking up on her!? She hated it! It was the absolute worst!


    They stared at each other for another infinitesimal moment before Astra let out a weary sigh. "Please don''t sneak up on me," she requested, tiredly. "I don''t like it."


    "Ah, my mistake," Steven said, amusement still peeking in amongst his contrition. "I''ll make sure to take louder steps."


    Astra peered at him suspiciously. Was that a joke? Ugh, whatever. "And yes," she confirmed. "I was looking at this one." She turned back to the recipe for what was looking to be stew. "It''s pretty neat. I wonder who made it."


    "Ancient natives of Hoenn, I''ve no doubt," Steven said. He reached out, gloved hand tracing a line down the wall next to the carvings. "There are vanishingly few records of any sort from those who inhabited our region in the distant past, so finding a trove of history like this was preciously fortunate. I only discovered this place just this morning, and I never would have found it at all if it weren''t for my Metagross sensing an ancient metallic chisel that had been left behind; a case of incredibly good luck."


    He let his hand drop, smiling ruefully at the recipe. "What little remains of them is not enough to form a complete picture of their linguistics or culture, so understanding what they left behind and why is currently beyond us; though with this new finding that could change. It is a rather large collection of writing, after all; not to mention the mural."


    "Hm." Ancient Hoenn natives? What did that mean? The humans who lived in the region a long time ago? And what were ''linguistics''? Well, at least she could agree on how interesting the carvings in the cave were. "The mural is really cool," Astra agreed. "and I''d like to try out this stew recipe sometime. Though, I wonder why they carved it into the wall; was it that important?"


    "Indeed," Steven agreed. "That sort of¡ª"


    He stopped. Astra turned to find him looking at her blankly, saying nothing. She shifted uncomfortably under his silent gaze. Had she...done something wrong, again? The way he was staring reminded her of the times she''d asked May a particularly basic question.


    "Apologies," Steven began, after the silence had run just a fraction too long. "But could you run that by me again?"


    "Run what?" Astra asked, uncertainly. "The...I wanted to try making the stew recipe on the wall?"


    Steven studied her, eyes flicking back to the carvings. "What makes you say that it''s a recipe for stew?"


    "Because it is?" Astra half-questioned, looking back at the writing. "I mean, it''s right there. I don''t think it could be anything else...?"


    Was she missing something? Astra felt a pit opening in her stomach as the Champion continued to examine her like a Cascoon on a branch. She didn''t know what was happening, but it couldn''t be anything good.


    After another long moment, Steven hummed and reached into his jacket, pulling out a pad of paper and a pencil.


    "If I may, I have a rather odd request for you," he began, flipping to a blank page. "Could you read this recipe out to me? I''m afraid that I''m still having difficulty making it out myself, even with the lights I brought in," he explained at Astra''s confused stare.


    There was absolutely no way he couldn''t read that. Those lamps had this room lit up like the Dawn Solstice! Something was deeply wrong here, but...she really just couldn''t tell what. A bit of recitation didn''t seem immediately harmful, though she''d been wrong about innocuous things before. Could she call him out on it? No, no. It was better to just...play along. She wasn''t about to incite an even bigger mistake by refusing to do something so simple.


    "Sure...?" Astra said, slowly. She looked at the recipe again and scanned the steps. Where to start...oh, it had a name at the top that she''d missed. "It''s called the, uh, Oblation of Soothing Seas? What''s an...? Um, well, anyway, you''ll need to gather these ingredients¡ª"


    Astra listed off the materials and steps recorded on the stone wall, nervously glancing at Steven every so often as she went. At least she wasn''t alone in her confusion; Steven had grown an increasingly thick layer of bafflement under his stoic demeanor as they went, staring intently at both the recipe and Astra herself as he recorded her dictation and muttering inaudibly to himself at times.


    "Well," he said as Astra finished off with the final step¡ªwhich appeared to be some convoluted method of letting the meal cool off by setting it up on an elevated platform next to the ocean. "This has been very fascinating. Some of these ingredients are rather...obscure. I''d have to see about a project Devon''s been working on for Lileep tendrils, but I''m afraid Liechi berries have been extinct for thousands of years. I don''t think this recipe could be followed as it is today."


    "Oh," Astra said, disappointed. No stew and a berry had gone extinct? She''d never get to find out what it tasted like. "I would have liked to try it."


    "It would certainly have been a worthwhile meal to make," Steven agreed, stashing the notepad back into his jacket. "Even if it wasn''t any good, it would be a part of old Hoenn culture that had been lost to time."


    He looked back at Astra consideringly, then turned to glance at the other carvings scattered across the cavern. His hand drifted onto the envelope sticking out of his outer pocket¡ªand then he sighed, seeming to come to a decision.


    "As much as I would enjoy picking your thoughts on the rest of these writings, I am afraid that time works against me," Steven said, giving another rueful smile. "Brawly was, unfortunately, correct; the matters my father wrote to me about require my immediate attention, and I''ll have to cut my sabbatical short."


    Oh, were they done here? Astra felt herself untense a fraction in relief. She hadn''t messed up too badly!


    "Sorry about that," she apologized.


    "No, no, you''ve done me a good service by delivering this," Steven gently countered, the two of them turning back to the entrance where Steven''s belongings and floodlights were being nosed at by a decidedly not-waiting-in-the-tunnel Aron. "Combined with aiding the transcription of that recipe, I actually find myself tangibly in your debt, Miss Astra. Beyond the terms of your delivery," he added.


    "Huh?" Astra asked, confused. Did she just get some sort of favor from him? How? "Um. Really? It was just a recipe..."


    "I''m sure you''ll understand someday," Steven didn''t explain, eyes sparkling with amusement at Astra''s annoyed frown.


    Stupid mysterious vague Champion. She was going to absolutely cherish kicking his ass in a few months. Whatever, she could deal with him being cryptic now if it meant she could get answers for something else. There was a lot she wanted to ask, in fact, but she didn''t know how far this favor went.


    Best to find out, first.


    "Well, alright," she acquiesced. "What kind of debt are we talking about here?"


    "Seeing as you''ve helped me advance my knowledge of these carvings, I would find it only appropriate to repay you with knowledge of my own," he said. "I would be happy to talk about anything you''d like while I pack up my camp. I can see that you''ve made friends with an Aron," he continued, nodding toward the metallic Pokemon sniffing curiously at the metal poles holding up the lights, "and even beyond my knowledge as Champion, I am particularly inclined toward Steel-type Pokemon. One of my partners happens to be an Aggron as well. I could certainly tell you about how to properly train and care for¡ª" he glanced at Aron, "¡ªher, if you''d like."


    Aron chose that moment to notice their approach. Having decided that this apparently meant wait-time was over, she chirped and ran back to Astra. The Kirlia briefly panicked about being knocked to the floor again, but Aron seemed to have learned from the first time and circled around her instead, rubbing up against her legs happily.


    Astra couldn''t help but smile down at her, even if the taste of it was bittersweet. "Hey, Aron. I thought I told you to wait in the tunnel?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.


    Aron tilted her head, confusion swirling around her like a cloud. Then it passed, and she chirped at Astra once again, just happy to be near her. Astra huffed. What, did she forget? Heavy enough to knock her down but her head was filled with more fluff than Swablu''s wings.


    Shaking her head, Astra turned back to Steven. "Sorry, but...that won''t be very helpful for me," she said, to which the Champion raised an eyebrow. "She... I saved her from a Makuhita just before I got here, but I''m not...bringing her with me."


    Repeating it sank her heart all over again, and some of it must have shown on her face or the slump of her shoulders. Steven looked at her and hummed, a small frown on his face.


    "That''s certainly a shame," he said, idly moving over to organize his stuff into a massive backpack nearby. "Might I ask why? She seems rather taken with you."


    "I just...can''t." Astra looked away, rubbing at her arm. "It''s only been a couple weeks and I already have five Pokemon, and I''m already feeling like I can''t focus on them all. Not to mention how quickly they go through food, and I''d have to go find where to get metal for her on top of that. She deserves better."


    Steven hummed again as he made one of the giant lamps neatly collapse in on itself, the light in the room dimming as the shadows grew deeper. "Scarcity and a lack of time are entirely valid reasons to refrain from catching a new Pokemon. Not every trainer can recognize their limits, and it is good to know what yours are. Resources and focus are, after all, very necessary for anyone looking to take care of their companions.


    "Which is, sadly, what makes them such terribly effective excuses for failure," he finished, steel blue eyes piercing Astra''s own like needles.


    Astra flinched back as if she''d been struck. Then came the prickling anger.


    "Excuses!?" she exclaimed incredulously. "I''m not making excuses! Those are real problems I''m having¡ª"


    "But they aren''t the reason you''re refusing to accept Aron," Steven cut in, his voice insistently calm. "Tell me, Miss Astra: if I were to give you a promissory note that would let you acquire enough food as you required to care for her indefinitely, would you take Aron then?"


    "I¡ª" Astra paused, confused. Could he do that? But...no, even then. She shook her head. "That wouldn''t solve anything! I''m already not giving my team the focus each of them needs; adding another one on top is just¡ª"


    "But why does she have to fight?" Steven asked again, his gaze cool. "It''s not a requirement for every Pokemon accompanying a trainer to be trained and capable of battle. She''s friendly enough; what harm is there in just enjoying her company?"


    "But what if she wants to, huh?" Astra countered, glaring at the taller man. "I can''t do that! Keeping her as just...just a pet wouldn''t help her at all! She deserves better than that!"


    "Better than what?" Steven demanded, eyes narrowing.


    "Better than me!" Astra screamed, her whole body vibrating as if it were falling apart. A hint of something wet began to blur her vision, and suddenly she felt very, very tired. "She deserves better than me," she repeated, quieter. She looked up at Steven through gimlet eyes, scowling. "Are you happy now?"


    "Not at all," he replied, smiling sadly. "But now we both know what the truth is. You won''t take Aron not because you can''t, but because you think you''ll fail her." He sighed, a forlorn look crossing his face. "It is also unfortunate how doing so is assuredly self-fulfilling. Tell me, Astra," he said abruptly, "you mentioned that Brawly directed you here, yes? Does that mean you, perhaps, faced him in battle recently as well?"


    This was not how she was expecting this conversation to go. "Yeah. I lost," Astra bit out, the shameful memory of her actions still leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. She eyed Steven in annoyance. "Why does it matter? What, do you wanna hear about how bad I did?"


    "Not in so many words," Steven hedged, "but the details of the encounter may prove enlightening. Perhaps not a play-by-play; rather, how did you approach it, or compose yourself during?"


    Was there a point to this? Why did he want to know about her abysmal performance all of a sudden? She had half a mind to just... leave. Screw the favor; she delivered the letter, there were no more obligations left keeping her here.


    The other half of her begrudgingly pushed the impulse down. No matter what kind of prying oddities were going on here, she needed every advantage she could get, and she wasn''t going anywhere without answers.


    Even if it meant airing out her failures to her ultimate opponent.


    "I was exhausted," she muttered, folding her arms and looking away. "I...had some bad experiences on the trip over and at the town hall, but I kept pushing on instead of taking a break even after literally everyone told me to. I could barely think straight, but I challenged Brawly anyway and got my team mauled for it. And even then, I just...kept going anyway, and came out here to try and find you even though I could barely walk. I didn''t even stop at a Pokecenter..."


    Steven hummed. "You seem remarkably composed for someone who was on the verge of collapse," he noted, tone curious yet non-judgmental.


    Oh. Right. Echo had put her to sleep and then... quartered the time she needed to sleep, somehow.


    How did she explain that, though? She couldn''t tell him about Echo, but... uh.


    Surely there was a reasonable excuse? She just had to...think of one...


    Um.


    Um.


    "I...had a really good nap in the cave?"


    Fucking shit.


    Steven looked at her, one eyebrow steadily raising. Silence blanketed the room like a rolling storm; filling the air until it thundered in her ears.


    "Well, I did!" Astra burst out, flushing red. "It''s just...there was this whole thing, and I got separated from May and Brendan, and, uh, I fell asleep for a couple hours in an alcove."


    "Hm." Steven blinked, eyebrow still raised. "Separated how?"


    Stars above, send down a shining light and just obliterate her now.


    Fuck it. The barest essentials of the truth would have to be enough. Humanity already knew that Abra and Kadabra existed here; saying that she''d met one wouldn''t compromise anything. She hoped.


    "There was a Kadabra," Astra said, haltingly. "They, uh, teleported us apart. I collapsed in an alcove. Stuff happened. Now I''m here."


    Steven blinked again, looking her up and down. "You appear to also still have all of your limbs," he observed.


    Astra was suddenly glad that she would never meet Echo''s cousin.


    "Yes?" she questioned, feigning confusion. "Why wouldn''t I?"


    Steven paused and seemed to direct a glare at...himself? He exhaled sharply, then pressed on. "The Kadabra in these caves have been known to be rather... volatile, though it has been quite some time since a sighting. Or an incident, for that matter. If you did meet one...hm. Maybe that would make sense. They wouldn''t have thought to try..." He trailed off, leaving Astra mystified as he muttered under his breath.


    Then he shook his head, returning his attention back to the conversation. "Ah, but I distract myself. You have had a very rough day so far, I will agree. But what have you taken away from it?"


    "Taken away from it?" Astra repeated, and this time she was genuinely confused. "What do you mean?"


    "Think about your actions so far today," Steven explained, gesturing into the air. "Remember them as they happened, and then think of them as if you witnessed someone else doing it. What opinion would you have of that person, in a vacuum? What opinion do you have of yourself, having done it?"


    Astra looked at him, saw his cool gaze meeting her own. Emotions hidden behind a fogbank, his face betrayed nothing, expressing neither concern nor judgment. What was he thinking? Did he care? Or was this some dull routine performed a hundred times prior? He was the strongest trainer in Hoenn; surely he couldn''t stop to listen to the problems of every trainer he crossed paths with. What made hers so interesting? If it had been anything she feared, it would have been more drastic than this, right? So then...what?


    She''d grown so used to being able to feel the emotions behind a human''s words that the sudden lack of it was like taking a step, only to find one of her legs had disappeared.


    Astra sighed, looking down at the ground again. She didn''t spare much thought to his question at all. She didn''t need to.


    She''d already been picking at that scab for half the walk here.


    "That they''re a terrible, reckless trainer who throws her Pokemon into danger without any thought for them or even herself," Astra said, quietly. "Good trainers don''t do that sort of thing. They listen to their friends and don''t get their Pokemon hurt because they get too impatient and stubborn about getting things done immediately."


    "And you didn''t think you would be the sort of trainer who did that sort of thing, yes?" Steven cut in, softly. "You did something ''bad,'' and now..." He paused, eyes closing as he contemplated something. "Hm. A question for you, then:


    "Knowing what you do now, and looking back at where you''ve been; if you were to be yourself at the start of this day, would you repeat yourself and perform the actions you did again?"


    Astra''s face twisted with incredulity. Do it again!? "No! No, of course not! Why would I ever do that on purpose!?"


    "So then," Steven continued, the edges of his mouth curling upwards a fraction. "Would you knowingly do something similar in the future?"


    "No!" Astra burst out, indignation flaring up like a bonfire. How dare he! "That was horrible! I would never¡ª!"


    She stopped, spotting the trap far too late. Steven smiled, and leaned forward.


    "Congratulations, Astra," he said. "You''ve just done what we in the business call: ''Learning from a mistake.''"


    "No, no!" she retorted, waving her arms in firm denial. "It¡ªit''s not that simple! I didn''t even want to do anything like that in the first place! I¡ª What if something different happens? Aron shouldn''t have to¡ª"


    "If you are so fated to cruelty and self-destruction, then why not release all of your Pokemon and be done with training altogether?" Steven asked. "Or is it only Aron that deserves to be spared your supposed malice?"


    Astra froze, thoughts locking up. Quit being a trainer? Give up on her village''s future and safety, and everything they''d entrusted her with? Cut May and Brendan out of her life forever? Forsake the human world and leave her home to rot!?


    "I could never," she whispered. Her voice brooked no argument. Steven watched her, and nodded fractionally.


    He folded his arms. "Life is full of regrets. Mistakes are unavoidable, and some will haunt you for the rest of your life. I''ve replayed our encounter in the forest once or twice over these last days, thinking on how I could have handled it differently. But it is only the most recent and trivial entry into an ever-growing list of laments.


    "My career as a trainer is not without fault, either," he continued, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a strange gray pokeball with a quartet of blue domes, some large and some small, circling the top half. "Here, let me introduce you to one of my dearest companions. Come on out, Tung!"


    Astra tensed as Steven tossed the pokeball into the air, only briefly distracted when she noticed Aron had moved in front of her at some point. She was trembling, but...was she trying to protect her? A quavering electric whine accompanied by a brilliant burst of phantasmal slashes and gray hexagons refocused her attention, and when the light resolved, Astra was once again faced with an Aggron.


    Standing at least a full head above Steven, the behemoth resembled the remains in the cave in all but size. Their bulky frame creaked as they stretched out, before crunching oddly as they brought their arms in and swung them back out repeatedly, apparently enjoying their freedom. A low rumble filled the cave as they...purred? The sound wasn''t unlike those strange machines inside cars that apparently made them move with tiny explosions.


    They also only had one horn. The other was missing; only a worn-smooth base was left, extending a few inches out of the socket in their topmost head plating. And there was a large, jagged white line trailing down their left side. And there was a¡ª


    This Aggron was incredibly scarred, Astra realized, the anger she''d felt at Steven''s¡­rather condescending lesson petering away. Various marks criss-crossed their entire body, and in several places were the faded remnants of injuries she could scarcely think of an origin for. What had happened to them?


    A low whine pealed through the air, stealing her attention away from the giant. Astra looked down to see Aron practically vibrating in her shell, eyes sparkling as she looked upon the pinnacle of her family''s line.


    "Aaaaaaaa¡ª!"she squealed, dashing forward to run around Aggron''s feet. Or, Tung''s, rather. Astra hadn''t encountered too many owned Pokemon with names; the last she recalled was Briney''s Wingull, Peeko. Oh, and hadn''t that snooty kid she''d spied on during her first visit to Petalburg named his Zigzagoon? In any case, Aron looked positively ecstatic to meet Tung.


    It reminded her of the fuss she and the other Ralts in the village made when one of their number evolved into a Kirlia.


    Tung, for their part, took one surprised look at Aron and bellowed out an overjoyed "AGG!", which Astra had no trouble translating into something akin to "HATCHLING!" once her ears stopped ringing. Then they paused and turned to Steven, an obvious question circling their mind.


    "Go ahead, brother," Steven said, smiling. "You can be her cool uncle for a few minutes."


    Tung''s eyes shone just like Aron''s at Steven''s permission, and after another loud bellow he dropped onto his stomach. Aron then started trying to scale his head like a particularly joyous mountain.


    "Oh my stars, that''s adorable," Astra said, hiding her massive grin with a hand as she watched Tung weakly try to shake Aron off, much to her delight. Steven chuckled, having moved to her side as the two armored Pokemon played around.


    "Yes, he doesn''t get a chance to play with young Pokemon very often, much less an Aron," he commented, looking at the duo fondly. "There''s not much time to spare, you see. But I imagine you must be wondering what I brought him out for, yes?"


    "It may have crossed my mind," Astra agreed, watching Tung gently push his arm against Aron''s repeated headbutts, pressing against the smaller Pokemon just enough that she had to really strain to move his bulky limb. "He''s a lot smaller than the last one I saw. A lot more injured, too."


    "Yes, wounds like that tend to accumulate when you battle as often and fiercely as I do," Steven said, nodding. "Unless something drastic happens, your Pokemon won''t experience any sort of permanent scarring until much later in your career." He paused. "How tall was the last Aggron you saw, as an aside?"


    Astra thought about it for a moment. If the Lord of Steel had stood up... "Somewhere between fifty to one hundred feet, maybe?" she hazarded. She wasn''t really any good at measurements, but the feel of it was probably more important than the specifics.


    There was an odd choking noise to her side, but Steven was still placidly observing his Aggron when she turned to look.


    "I don''t recall hearing about any Titan Pokemon running around recently," he mentioned, looking back at her.


    "Oh, no he was way dead," Astra explained, puzzling over the term he''d used. Titan Pokemon? "He was just rusted armor fused into the stone. Lotta moss growing on him. It was cool."


    Steven stared at her, his smile looking a bit pinched and waxy as his hand drifted to his letter again. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, before breathing out a long sigh.


    "I''m sure he was," he agreed. "But as interesting as that is, I didn''t bring Tung out to compare measurements, but as an example. You''ve already noted his numerous scars; tell me, how do you think he got them?"


    "Probably in battle?" Astra guessed. Steven waggled his hand.


    "Mostly. But each one of them is, in some manner, a failure on my part to either prepare or properly direct him," he said, walking forward.


    So another way to say in battle, Astra mused¡ªand this time, she made sure not to voice her thoughts aloud.


    Tung looked up at his approach, rising to stand at the ready even as he continued to idly bat at Aron with his tail. Steven pointed at the jagged white mark running across the barrel of his torso. "Do you see this mark here?"


    "I do." It crossed his chest like a canyon; the attack that made it¡­she couldn''t even guess how powerful it must have been.


    "Tung received this mark when I tried to train him with a method he was not ready for. That I did everything I could to aid in his recovery did not make this mark any less painful to receive, nor did it assuage my failure afterward. Tung, about face, thank you. Do you see this patch right here?"


    Steven pointed to a massive swathe of slag on Tung''s lower back, as though something very hot had blasted him from behind until his armor began to melt off his body. Astra gasped, covering her mouth with a hand in shock. That one was even worse! What could have possibly done that!?


    "Y¡ªyes, I see it," she managed.


    "I asked him to withstand something he could not bear," Steven explained, looking upon the disfigurement in quiet sorrow. "He held on as long as he could, and it left him injured beyond the capabilities of modern medicine to fully repair. And he did it because I told him to, and he trusted me. His reward was pain."


    Tung grumbled, turning back around to give Steven an exasperated glare. "Ron."


    "Yes, yes, I know. It won''t be much longer," Steven sighed, gazing forlornly at the empty space where Tung''s horn should have been. "Last of all, his horn."


    "What happened to it?" Astra asked. "It looks like it...snapped off."


    "I made him fight a battle he could not win," Steven replied, closing his eyes. "That it was necessary does not mean the consequences are immaterial. All of these and more are the result of errors I made and directions I gave. Miss Astra," he continued, turning to her. "You made a day''s worth of poor decisions and led your team badly for one fight. It left them injured, and you gained nothing except a harsh experience. But the bond between you and them will only falter if you believe it will, if you damn yourself and refuse to grow.


    "Tung," he called, looking back up at his Aggron. "All of your injuries. All of your pain. The mistakes that I made. Did they hurt? Do you wish events had played out differently?"


    "Agg," Tung grumbled, nodding at his trainer. Old pains swirled around his head, sorrow and grief streaking through like veins.


    "And yet there is more to what we''ve experienced than those tragic moments, aren''t there?" Steven called, his voice rising in volume. "Do you remember that moment we reached the top of Mt. Chimney and saw the whole of Hoenn stretch out before us?"


    "Gron!" Tung rumbled, and Astra could feel the ground vibrate the smallest amount at his reply.


    "Do you remember," Steven continued, raising his voice further, "our journey to Ever Grande? Every battle won and hardship overcome in the hell of Victory Road, and all that came after?"


    "Gron!" Tung roared, and Astra nearly fell over at the force of his bellow.


    And do you remember¡ª!" Steven shouted¡ªand then he stopped. He breathed in, then out, eyes closed. He looked up at Tung, a mysterious smile upon his face. Quietly, softly, he asked his Aggron another question.


    "Do you remember our trip to Sinnoh, and what we found there?"


    Tung did not speak. He simply looked at Steven, still as a statue. Astra looked between the two curiously. There was a story here; an understanding of sorts. One that she wasn''t¡ªand wouldn''t be¡ªprivy to. What had they seen?


    "And now I ask again." Steven''s voice was a whisper, and yet it filled the ancient cave. "Once upon a time, I asked you to follow me. After all the pain I''ve caused you, all my mistakes and blunders¡­


    "Do you regret it?"


    Tung''s bellow of denial made the cavern shake, a wall of sound that could rival Exploud all but throwing Astra to the floor. Over the din in her ears, one thing was abundantly clear:


    There was no other place in this world he would rather be.


    <hr>


    Far away, a great beast slumbered. His body rusted in the dank air, overgrown by luminescent azure moss. He had long ago become hollow inside. Nothing remained of the being that had been.


    Yet, for a single moment, as a faint microseism of a distant descendant passed through his ancient shell...


    The moss in his eyes flickered in acknowledgement, just once.


    <hr>


    Tung vanished back into his pokeball. Astra looked up at Steven from the floor, stunned.


    "We are more than our darkest day, Miss Astra," Steven said as he tucked his companion away. He watched the awestruck Aron as she scuttled back to Astra''s side. "Just as we are less than our brightest. None are free of faults. None are free of virtue. You will experience grief and loss much worse than this, and know moments of joy and triumph you could never believe possible. This is what it means to be alive. The only choice is how we choose to grow."


    He considered Astra for a moment, his expression returning to polite blankness. "I will ask once more, but I will not be the one to whom you give your answer. The final say is yours alone.


    "What reason do you have to leave Aron behind?"

 Tempering

    "What reason do you have to leave Aron behind?"


    Steven turned away and restarted the slow cleanup of his small camp at the other side of the cavern.


    Astra watched him go, fully speechless. Was he always that dramatic? Having Tung scream so loudly was completely unnecessary, no matter what point he was trying to make. She was on the verge of a major headache, and her ears were still ringing! And her butt hurt from when she fell down! Ow, ow ow ow....


    Aron nudged her side, quietly chirping in concern. Astra looked down at her, smiling awkwardly.


    "He, uh, really likes hearing himself talk, huh?" she said.


    Aron stared up at her silently. Astra''s smile fell, and she looked down into her lap.


    "I''m...not sure I got all of what he said," Astra continued, fiddling with her hands. "But...I don''t know. Is it really that simple?"


    Learn from her mistakes? Don''t do it again? She''d tried that before; the very day this entire adventure began, she''d sent multiple facefuls of Oran berry debris into her grandfather''s patient smile. She''d learned from it, but the process was so agonizingly slow¡ªand drawing the metaphor out, if it was her Pok¨¦mon getting smashed rather than fruit¡­


    She couldn''t exactly just shrug and try again. The scale of consequence was simply on an entirely different level; coating herself in berry juice wasn''t the same thing as hurting a friend. Even if she tried her absolute hardest, she was sure that she''d make a mess again¡­and next time, her Pokemon might end up with wounds like the ones covering Tung the Aggron. Could she keep going, knowing where the path of the Champion led?


    The flash of memory drew forth others, and she endured a moment of uncomfortable introspection as Steven fiddled with his equipment, his back turned. Grandpa, the guard, the smith, the entire village¡­


    An aching abyss formed within her heart, and Astra was struck by an intense longing. She wanted to see Grandpa again, to be with someone she didn''t have to hide from. To share a meal of steaming hot Magikarp stew and laugh at terrible jokes. To have him hold her close and tell her it was all going to be alright. What would he say to her, here and now?


    ''Then make a small mess,'' the echo of her grandfather spoke from within her memory. ''Then a smaller mess, and an even smaller mess, and eventually there will be no mess at all. That is the secret to progress.''


    ...


    Well, she supposed she already knew, didn''t she? He wouldn''t want her to just give up. No matter how big the failure¡­


    He''d ask her to keep going, and make a smaller mess.


    Astra wiped away a tear, feeling the lump of warm steel bury herself deeper into her side at the motion. Determination and resolve washed through her mind. No matter what, she couldn''t give up¡ªall those faces in her memories were depending on her! She would try again and again, until the jam was done. Until her team was the best around, and Steven was the one on the floor.


    No matter how hard failure hurt.


    "Do you know what you''re asking, I wonder?" Astra sighed, looking at Aron again. "Did you even understand what he said? Becoming part of my team wouldn''t be peaceful at all." She met Aron''s blank stare with as much severity as she could muster. "Yes, there''s fun moments where we play around, but half of them are really injured right now, because of me."


    She paused, then reached into her pack and pulled out an empty pokeball. "That Aggron," she continued, brushing her thumb over the button. "He was pretty cool, right? You could become like him, but it might be in more ways than just form. Could you handle getting hurt as badly as he''d been, all because I screwed up?"


    "Aron," Aron chirped, her cheery answer coming so quickly that Astra had serious doubts that she''d even thought about her question at all.


    "This is serious, Aron!" Astra chided, frowning. "What if I caught you and then asked you to fight that Makuhita from earlier?" she asked, holding up the pokeball. "He nearly made you his dinner before, and I wouldn''t be saving you this time. Could you do that!?"


    Aron stared at her, head tilting with a downwards jerk that Astra could only interpret as exasperated. Then she turned to the pokeball in Astra''s palm.


    Then she reared up and headbutted it out of the Kirlia''s grasp.


    "Wha¡ª!?" Astra yelped, jerking back. Then she stared, dumbfounded, as the ball opened up on its way to the ground and shot a beam of light at Aron, enveloping her completely.


    "Aron!" she chirped decisively, lingering just long enough to nuzzle Astra one last time before she vanished from view.


    The pokeball clamped shut and fell to the ground. It shook once, twice, thrice...then chimed, and fell still.


    Astra stared at it, mouth agape. The corners of her mouth twitched, a faint giggle escaped her throat¡ªand then she found herself laughing quietly, shaking at the audacity of that metal brat. Running headlong into the unknown despite knowing about the risks, just because she wanted to? Well, Astra herself hadn''t exactly thought through traveling to Petalburg that fateful afternoon very much either¡­so what right did she have to complain?


    "Fine then, you iron airhead," Astra huffed, picking up Aron''s pokeball and rising to her feet. "You win. But don''t think I''ll take it easy on you, got that?"


    She could almost imagine the pokeball jostle slightly in response.


    Shaking her head, the Kirlia tucked it into her sash with the others¡ªand as she looked up, she saw that while she and Aron had been having their moment, Steven had put away more or less all of his materials. With a click he shut down the second of the three lights he''d set up, casting the cavern into a darker hue. He looked up at her approach, a faint smile appearing as he glanced toward the ground and found nothing.


    "Made your decision, did we?" he asked, folding up the light into a much more compact form and setting it aside.


    Astra snorted. "More like she made it for me. She headbutted the pokeball out of my hand and caught herself."


    Steven''s smile grew as he huffed in amusement. "A memory to cherish, I would think." He hummed and drew himself up, idly holstering his hands in his pockets. "Now then, I didn''t quite count that conversation to be the repayment I had mentioned; merely a bit of guidance from a senior in our line of work. Bringing you back to proper form rather than giving you something new, one might say."


    He nodded at her, his smile lingering even as his eyes sharpened. "Since Aron has graciously battered her way into your team, would you be interested in what I''ve found works best to raise and care for their species?"


    Astra was tempted by the offer, a little bit. Advice from the Pokemon Champion would surely let her train Aron to her fullest. But not only would it simply be following in a path that Steven had already trodden...


    There was something more important that she needed to know.


    "No," Astra said, shaking her head. "I appreciate it, but I''m going to train Aron my own way. I can''t surprise you if I only copy you."


    "Unexpected, but fair enough," Steven said. Despite his casual wording, for a moment Astra thought that his smile had gotten a bit more approving. "Do you have an alternative repayment from me in mind? I''m not as good a teacher as Roxanne, but I think I could give you insight into just about anything in our line of work."


    Astra didn''t answer for a moment. She looked back at the dark tunnel, recalling the horrible, forced decline Echo''s home had undergone. Aron''s shell had been weak, cracking under that Makuhita''s blows much more easily than it should have, even accounting for type advantage. What had she eaten, with the lack of excavated iron ore and a now-extinct plant? And hadn''t that Makuhita also been unwell? He''d taken a long time to react to her appearance, and seemed to be savoring the hunt a bit too much. Maybe Aron would have been a rare delicacy amongst endless days of consuming Zubat.


    Poisonous stew and blank Abra.


    The Granite Caves were drained and stagnant. Dying slowly, day by day.


    Had humanity truly needed to scour the caves clean? Hadn''t there been another way? Any other option at all?


    And so the question remained:


    "I just...want to know: why?"


    Steven was silent for a moment, awaiting a follow-up. He quirked an eyebrow when none appeared. "Is that your question? You may have to be a bit more specific than that. Expounding on the nature of reality is more dense than our agreement can handle, I''m afraid."


    "Huh? Wait, sorry, I meant¡ªugh." Astra shook her head, frowning. "The Granite Caves. I was told that there used to be Lairon and Hariyama here, a long time ago. Some type of edible plant that grew along the walls too. But now they''re all gone. And the Pokemon still here seem...unwell."


    She looked up at Steven, light crimson eyes meeting steel blue without fear or weakness. A declaration of unmistakable intent and gravitas. It was something she needed to know. To finally close the circle, and bridge that communication gap that had festered for forty years.


    Astra stared at him and asked:


    "What happened here?"


    Steven stood there, silently. His gaze bored into her for a long while.


    "Huh," he said, his head tilting the slightest amount. "Are you aware that the history of Dewford Island is recorded in a great many places, such as the local library? I''m sure you could check out a history book there."


    Astra hadn''t, but it didn''t matter. It had been humans¡ªtrainers¡ªthat had ruined the cave, not books. And Steven was in charge of them. He had to answer for them.


    "I want to hear it from you," she stated; she''d been reeling back and forth all day, now it was time to hold her ground. "You''re the Pokemon Champion, right? And this is a problem about Pokemon. Wouldn''t you know more about this than some book?"


    "A title does not mean instant, total understanding of every aspect of its namesake," Steven chided, but he still nodded thoughtfully. "But...perhaps. I will applaud you on noticing the dismal state of the wildlife," he added, smile widening. "Awareness like that would prove extremely useful were you seeking to become a researcher or ranger.


    "As for the caves...are you sure?" he checked. "The reasons aren''t very happy, and you could get answers from many more mundane sources than I. Wouldn''t you rather get a leg up for when you go up against Brawly again?"


    "I don''t need your help to beat Brawly," Astra refuted, even if she did very much want it. "This is...more important."


    Steven considered her for a moment. He closed his eyes, releasing a weary breath that matched the faint whisper of a breeze that slunk through these ancient, stony halls.


    "Very well," he finally said, his voice somber. He opened his eyes, and what had once been a confident, steely gaze had been replaced by a haggard visage, looking beyond her into things long gone and far, far away. "I suppose it would be good to learn from the mistakes of the past. The full details are far too numerous for a mere conversation, but I will try my best to be thorough regardless."


    "Thank you," Astra said.


    Steven nodded at her, then looked past her again¡ªthis time literally, up at the cataclysmic mural. The furious countenances of primal creatures long past stared back, frozen in time.


    "Dewford," he began, his voice a monotone shaded with the weight of history, "started as a fishing town. It grew slowly over the years, and often lagged behind in gaining innovations the rest of Hoenn enjoyed. It never became a proper city until about forty-five years ago, when Wattson¡ªnow the Gym Leader of Mauville¡ªentered the scene and successfully petitioned for the island be given the same infrastructure every other settlement enjoyed; a proper electrical grid in particular.


    "The result of this was that Dewford started growing rapidly, which was all well and good. But it also meant they had a need for larger buildings. Processing facilities for fish. Skyscrapers and shopping centers for business. Streetlights, power lines, transmission towers. All standard fare in other cities. Not to mention the naval base on the southwest corner of the island.


    "And all of them used significant quantities of metal in their construction."


    "Which Aron and Lairon ate," Astra interjected, recalling Echo''s story. Steven nodded.


    "Yes. Before then...well, I imagine the Hariyama and Lairon would rarely leave the cave. Even if they did, they would be driven back or taken care of fairly swiftly. But the growth of the city attracted them toward the surface, and news of their increasingly frequent appearances in turn attracted trainers in greater numbers. More than similar events had ever drawn, as the recent invention of artificial pokeballs had granted significantly more newly-certified trainers license to capture Pokemon than in the past."


    "Artificial pokeballs?" Astra interjected again, confused. Wait, hadn''t Brendan said that pokeballs had been made from Apricorns?


    "In the past, pokeballs were made solely from Apricorns," Steven said, confirming Astra''s recollection. "We only cracked the secret of how to create pokeballs on our own fifty years ago. Apricorns required a level of artisanship to create¡ªnot to mention limitations in the actual orcharding and harvesting of the fruit itself¡ªthat made them near-impossible to produce in great numbers. Once the company that became Silph Co replicated the method, suddenly everybody could have as many pokeballs as they liked. The original models are quite fascinating, actually; cumbersome iron-gray spheres with a twisting latch¡ªah, I digress."


    He cleared his throat, his brief flare of enthusiasm guttering out like a snuffed candle. "Well, while the trainer rush lessened the problem for a little while, the city''s advancement continued unabated. As hundreds of thousands of tons of steel poured into Dewford, Lairon began to pour out of Granite Cave more and more often. They began to emerge from the cave mere weeks or even days apart, and sometimes in groups. The Hariyama that fed on them followed, and found an entire city full of worthy fighters to challenge, which only encouraged them further."


    Steven sighed. "To make a long story short, the Lairon and Hariyama caused immense havoc to Dewford, sometimes collapsing buildings from beneath or brawling in the streets. I am unaware of the solutions considered in the wake of such an incursion; barricades or other deterrents along with incentivizing trainers to catch them, I would imagine." He shrugged lightly. "I believe there were talks about seeding trainer-instructed Lairon and Hariyama inside the ecosystem to stop the problem from within, as it were, but they never had time to put it into practice."


    Seeding trainer-instructed Pokemon? They would have scattered human-trained Lairon and Hariyama into the caves? How would that...? Hm. Well, if they had been trained by humans, they could have told them to make sure nobody headed for the exit, right? And if a few dozen really strong Lairon and Hariyama were taking over their wild counterparts communities, they could have discouraged everybody else, too.


    "Making the Lairon and Hariyama stop themselves...that actually sounds like a really good idea," Astra said, furrowing her brow. "Why couldn''t they try it?"


    Steven stared through her.


    "Because forty years ago, Kanto and Hoenn went to war."


    The pieces in her memories slammed together at long last.


    She was back in Petalburg. In front of her, a kindly old man sat on a bench. "It''s all you kids seem to do nowadays, is all. Pokemon this, Pokemon that¡­it''s been like this ever since they let you kids tame Pokemon by yourselves. Did you know that you used to have to get special training to even attempt that?" Trevor had said, shaking his head. "Now it''s so simple a kid can do it¡­how the world changes in just a few decades."


    The bench became a table, and she was back in the Town Hall. In front of her was Gav, hands moving animatedly and eyes shining brightly as he detailed how a single machine could cross the world in the blink of an eye and decimate everything within a mile.


    His face twisted into an old man''s, wrinkled with apoplectic rage and misery unbound. "I say we take all of those damn Kantonians, march them straight up Mt. Chimney, and¡ª!"


    "¡ªWhen people disagree hard enough, and their emotions run too high, they can get into a fight," Brendan had said, his arm wrapped tightly around her shoulder. Even here and now, the remembered warmth and comfort suffused her like a bonfire. "And then someone can get hurt. But regions like Hoenn and Kanto are made of thousands and thousands of people. When two regions disagree, and they get into a fight...there are a lot more people that can get hurt, and they get hurt worse, and the fighting can last for a long, long time."


    The arm became hers, and she was holding Echo close, both of them staring into the glow of the fiery stones. [Ended forty years past,] she had said, describing when Granite Cave had been emptied of all but the weakest of Pokemon. When a great mass of trainers flooded the caves, capturing everything they could.


    Oh.


    ...Oh.


    "Why?"


    The question slipped out. Steven sighed.


    "Explaining every reason the war occurred is beyond the scope of your question," he said, wearily, "but one probable catalyst was that the sudden availability of pokeballs allowed for every single man and woman sent off to battle to have an entire squadron of Pokemon to themselves in the palm of their hands. Kanto was certainly eager to take advantage of it. Hoenn was forced to do the same. And Dewford had become a critical military port, whose safety and stability took precedence above all else."


    "And the Lairon and Hariyama were destroying the city," Astra whispered, eyes wide.


    "There was no more time." Steven closed his eyes, head bowing fractionally.


    "To answer your question at last, Astra¡­the reason that the Granite Caves have no Lairon or Hariyama is because they had become the solution to another problem. Kanto sought our extinction and brought a horde to crush us underfoot. We responded in kind.


    "We captured every single combat-capable Pokemon within these caves both to permanently stop their assault on Dewford, and to serve as soldiers on the front lines of our war¡­


    "And none of them came back."


    Silence. Steven stood there, waiting patiently as Astra stared at the floor and tried to process...everything.


    So. That''s what had happened to them. Dewford had been forced to take them all and send them to die far away from home because Kanto had threatened them. She''d always been afraid of being captured. If she''d been a bit slower on that trail, she would have been a pet of that boy May had been with. A terrible fate, but she would have still just been a pet. The boy would probably have tried to be kind to her, in a way.


    But those Pokemon didn''t even have that small hope for a caring owner. Would they have even known their trainers? Had friends and families been kept together or torn apart? She supposed that it didn''t matter, in the end.


    The fighting¡­ She knew that most other Pokemon didn''t seem to have problems with combat. It had always been a little unnerving; while she herself enjoyed it as a leader and bystander, or a step removed in activities like Rebound, she wasn''t like Treecko or her other teammates. Didn''t like being¡­hands-on. Regular battling was akin to...enthusiastic sparring, which she could understand, but¡­


    But this hadn''t been a spar. They''d just been marched to their deaths.


    "Did they have to take them all?" Astra asked plaintively.


    Steven hummed. "Perhaps if they hadn''t been in conflict with Dewford," he speculated, "but the decision making processes that led to their capture in totality were long before my time. What was done remains done; all we can do is deal with the consequences."


    Astra started, then looked back up at him, eyes wide. Consequences? Consequences!? He had no idea what that decision had done! Her cousins were all but wiped out! Their children were poisoned and starving! And Echo¡ª! Echo... She had been left all alone.


    He knew nothing about the consequences.


    None of them ever do.?


    Steven blinked, glancing around as if a shadow had twitched in his periphery.


    "Then why didn''t you?" Astra asked, the accusation hissing through her transmission as she glared at Steven. "The cave is still completely dismal! Where are the new Lairon and Hariyama? Why are Zubat still the only thing to eat here? By the stars, how is any of this dealt with?"


    "It isn''t," he replied, unphased by her outburst aside from a raised brow near the end. "I agree that the ecosystem here is very unhealthy. It''s a shame that it''s lingered in this state for so long."


    Astra couldn''t believe this guy. "Then why haven''t you done anything?"


    A sigh escaped him, as though he''d heard the same question a thousand times before.


    "I wish I had an easy answer for you," he began, folding his arms. "But I''m afraid it is just a simple one. I cannot personally revitalize an entire ecosystem overnight. Even with help, it can take many, many years for nature to return to its former state. It can be done, but it hasn''t happened here because of one simple process."


    He unfolded his arms, one hand resting on his hip and the other holding up a finger in mimicry of a pose Roxanne had often used during her lectures.


    "Tell me," he said, "do you know what ''triage'' is?"


    Astra frowned at him. "I don''t," she said, cautiously.


    Steven nodded. "It is the process of assessing which survivors of battle should be treated first. Those who are in critical condition but are still saveable are given high priority, those who are too far gone are...made comfortable, and those who are the least injured or are stable, are left for last."


    He looked at her, eyes filled with sorrow. "The Granite Caves are miserable. But they are stable. Surveys indicate that the remaining Pokemon populations here are not fluctuating or trending downwards. Combined with its cumbersome nature as a cavern system, it was determined that the Granite Caves are of very low priority for restoration efforts."


    Stable!? How in the blazes was Echo''s entire colony wasting away stable!? It wasn''t like he knew about it, but the humans hadn''t fixed the caves just because it wasn''t a priority!? What else could they be¡ª!


    Um. Wait. The way he phrased that...


    "Restoration efforts...?" Astra asked, her anger giving way to hesitance.


    "Astra," Steven said, patiently. "The Granite Caves were not the only place in Hoenn to be harmed in such a way. It wasn''t even the worst. The war lasted for ten years. Can you fathom the amount of damage such a thing caused? Every single part of Hoenn was called upon to defend it, and we siphoned our home to the bone and cracked it open for the marrow just to survive another day.


    "The Beautifly Festival used to nearly black out the sky and today, after two generations, they would be in awe if they saw more than a small cloud. Nobody has seen a single Ponyta near route 112 in nearly four decades. Wattson had to condemn an entire power plant so the Electric Pokemon we thought had gone extinct could use it as a home. There used to be dragons soaring around the volcano!" he stressed, gesturing wildly. "The only Gastlys left in Mt. Pyre are the ones who got to be interred as jars of ectoplasm, and Shoal Cave holds the only two wild Ice-types left in all of Hoenn."


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Astra could only stare speechlessly at Steven''s wild gesticulations. This was the most emotive she had ever seen the man, and whatever held his emotions in place seemed to have faded a little bit, releasing waves of raw, indignant grief into the air.


    "Not to mention the horrors our people faced out there! Psychics tearing at people''s minds, Ghost-types inflicting waking nightmares¡ªand the evolutions! New Pokemon that could only appear in places of wretched misery! A man who caught a school of Luvdisc sent them into the fire and what came out incinerated the water. Thirty-six years dead and those Phosphearts are still burning. An entire generation was tossed into the grinder and for what? People who could have been artists, engineers, doctors¡ªall gone! All¡ª!"


    Steven paused mid-rant, only now noticing the effect his words were having. Whatever manic energy had driven him vanished, leaving the Champion¡ªeven if only for a moment¡ªslumping in a lifeless pall. With a sigh he straightened up and adjusted his jacket, even as he seemed to glare at himself again.


    "Apologies," he said, giving her another neutral smile that absolutely wasn''t hiding any awkwardness whatsoever. "I find it...difficult to remain composed when aspects of that time period are discussed."


    Astra''s only response was a horrified, gaping silence. What did you even say to something like that?


    "As for my point," he continued, glancing aside with a grimace. "We bled ourselves dry to survive, and it''s taken the work of many, many people to get ourselves back to where we are today."


    Steven''s hand drifted to the letter in his jacket again, and he frowned. "Even if some groups think we haven''t been doing nearly as much as we ''should'' be."


    ''Some groups?'' What did he mean by that? Were there people who weren''t happy about how fast Hoenn was recovering? Astra vaguely recalled Brendan mentioning something about environmentalists during the trip back from the Rusturf Tunnel. Wait, was he talking about Team¡ª


    <hr>


    In days long past, when blood was shed,


    Two boys grew up and saw the end.


    One felt the fire, and blamed the means,


    One sank alone and blamed the men.


    Each sought sheep to create their band,


    And strive for might to mend their land.


    But both are wrong. Not quake nor squall;


    All will end in sand.?


    <hr>


    Astra blinked, glancing around the room in confusion. Huh? Had she just spaced out? It kind of felt like...had someone been talking?


    Refocusing on Steven, Astra looked on curiously as she saw him peering into nothing with a faint crease upon his brow. Had he heard something too? If he had, then...maybe it was just the distant echo of a particularly shouty Makuhita? Or the wind. In this...closed off room. Or maybe¡­


    Steven frowned, turning an intense stare back to Astra. There was something heavy behind that look. Her breath caught as he¡ª


    There was a clattering of feet on glass, and then a harsh thud. The two blinked, then turned to see a Makuhita lying on the floor at the tunnel''s mouth. One had wandered in? And...tripped. Her guess had been completely right, apparently.


    The rotund Pokemon clambered to their feet, groaning softly, before they spotted them and stood spear-shaft straight.


    To Astra''s side, Steven huffed in annoyance. He pointed at the exit, leveling a firm glare at the intruder.


    "Out."


    The Makuhita yelped, nearly falling over again in their haste to leave. They ran back into the tunnel, making a peculiarly loud racket while doing so. Had there been more behind them? But no further Pokemon appeared, and after a few moments the sound of violently tinking stone subsided.


    "Well, that thoroughly ruined my train of thought!" Steven cheered, turning back to Astra. "I''ve had a few critters wander in here before; bad luck that it happened now."


    "Right." Taking a moment to calm herself, Astra gently pushed the memory of this latest strange occurrence down with the rest of them. It had just been a strange echo from a Makuhita after all, so there wasn''t any point deliberating on it. "You were talking about the cave?"


    Steven''s face fell, the moment of levity fading away. "Yes, right. Back to the topic at hand¡­despite our efforts, even now keen eyes can tell that the entire west half of Hoenn is still trying to get back on its feet. Granite Cave is bad, yes," he agreed, nodding at Astra. "But it isn''t getting worse, and it is very hard to fix. And while we are keeping an eye on it, anything more will have to wait a while longer."


    But it was getting worse. Just...in a way that nobody could ever know about. But if everywhere else had been just as bad or even more terrible...


    Astra hated it. All of it. The stupid Lairon and Hariyama for attacking Dewford, the stupid war forcing the humans to devastate their own lands, and she hated herself for seeing Steven''s stupid point. They couldn''t have ever accounted for the colony. They had calculated the risks and costs accordingly, and had come to a reasonable conclusion.


    It...wasn''t their fault that they were wrong.


    But the scale of it all...


    "I just can''t picture it..." she muttered, cradling her head in her hand. "How could all of those Pokemon just...vanish?"


    A moment of quiet. And then Steven spoke, his voice as solemn as the echoing dark. It didn''t rhyme, nor did he pitch his voice with any particular cadence, but what the Champion said next was undoubtedly more poetic than the lines he''d greeted her with.


    "The battling you know is just a sport. It''s done for fun, for improvement, for challenging the best and bonding with your partners.


    "But that wasn''t a battle, with neat rules and honorable conduct. It was a war, the first of its kind.


    "There was no place for trainers and their Pokemon.


    "It was just men, with monsters in their pockets."


    And that was it.


    Astra breathed out, slumping. That was how it had gotten this bad. The full story from both sides. Stars above, there really was nothing anybody could have done, was there? It was just...an inevitability.


    "I am sorry," Steven said, his voice reverberating in the ancient cave. "Knowledge of the past can be a terrible burden to bear, and I''m not very well suited to reciting it, I think." His face twisted, something that was probably meant to be a humorous smile attempting to take form upon it. "There''s a reason I don''t teach classes like Roxy does." His expression flattened, though somberness lingered within it. "I only thought that if this knowledge was important enough for you to ask me about it, I would simply answer as best as I was able."


    "No, it''s fine," Astra sighed, looking up and giving Steven a thankful, if tired, smile. "I asked for it. Literally. Thank you for...wait, hang on."


    Astra paused, frowning. He''d told her about the Lairon and Hariyama, yes, but he''d never mentioned what had happened with Echo''s family. The Kadabra that had stolen from the surface and had been...struck down. Not to mention the rampage Echo''s most vengeful cousin had gone on.


    Steven tilted his head slightly. "Yes?"


    His eyes bore into her, puzzled. Astra hesitated; the answers to what had happened to the other inhabitants of the cave had been terrifying, and Echo had already said quite a bit about what had happened to her fellows. Did she really want to¡ª?


    She cut off that line of thought with a vengeance. Yes, a hundred times yes. She needed to know the full story; anything less was unacceptable. She straightened, meeting Steven''s inquisitive gaze head-on.


    "What about the Kadabra?"


    "The Kadabra?" Steven asked, blinking. "Oh, them. Right, I...hadn''t forgotten them, but I''d considered their part in all this as a separate incident."


    "You said they were ''volatile,''" Astra recalled. "And Brendan had said they had a history of ''extreme violence.'' What happened to them?"


    "Hm. I suppose that does fall under your question," Steven mused. "And you said you met one earlier today? It''s good to know they are still around...well I suppose I could talk about them for a bit, though their part in all this was rather short."


    "Please do," Astra urged, all of her focus brought to bear on his next words.


    "Well¡­before the war started, we didn''t actually have concrete evidence that Abra inhabited these caves at all," Steven began, rubbing his chin in thought. "There were only very rare and dubious reports of sightings by explorers, and no trainer had ever provided evidence that they''d battled, let alone captured one. But some time after Dewford conscripted the Pokemon in the caves, there were multiple sightings of Kadabra teleporting into town and stealing large quantities of food."


    Astra nodded. This tracked with Echo''s side of things so far.


    "They didn''t even know the Kadabra were natives, at first," Steven continued. "The largest known population of Kadabra were all in Kanto. Considering they had just entered hostilities, many thought the thefts were acts of sabotage. But those theories became more dubious when no actual military targets were affected; in every instance, they only stole large quantities of civilian food. One of the more bizarre incidents was when they methodologically emptied every single bakery in the city."


    Wow, they really had spent an entire day teleporting bread. Astra wondered if they''d been able to eat it all. Maybe some of it had gone to the mushroom farm.


    "Attempts to stop them were unusually troubled, and eventually Dewford had to employ anti-Psychic countermeasures en-masse within the town itself. I believe about five Kadabra fell prey to their methods before the thievery stopped, but they were too hostile for rehabilitation¡ªevery single native Kadabra on record has constantly assaulted every man and Pokemon around them while inducing cluster migraines," Steven explained, grimacing.


    Echo''s Psychic-flooded language issues... If they hadn''t had that flaw, what would have happened? Would they have spoken peacefully, or would humanity have only grown more agitated? And...the way he phrased that. Had they caught some of Echo''s family? Well, even if they had, four decades was a long time. They would have returned if they were able. And they hadn''t.


    "Some time after that, even more Kadabra were sighted in the Caves themselves for the first time, forcefully teleporting everybody who tried to enter back outside. They were actually taken care of by Rare Pokemon Hunters; I don''t believe any succeeded in capturing one, but after the first few conflicts the teleportation business stopped and¡ªas their stories spread around¡ªanother flood of trainers swept the cave system, hoping to snag one for themselves." Steven hummed, frowning in thought. "I think they only encountered two or three? I''m not sure, but none of them were successful."


    Right, the teleportation plan and then the retaliation. It had been done by trainers looking for special Pokemon to capture? And since they couldn''t capture Echo''s family, they just decided to...


    Astra''s hands clenched inside her sleeves. It wasn''t fair. Horrific, awful, nightmarish...words couldn''t describe it.


    But what happened next wasn''t any better, was it?


    "Was that it?" she asked, knowing very well it wasn''t.


    Steven went quiet, visibly reluctant to retell the next part of the story. "No," he admitted. "There was one more incident. Soon after the second wave of trainers attempted to capture those Kadabra, a new one appeared. Initially thought to be an Alakazam, the Kadabra was horrifically strong and wielded five Psychic foci at once¡ªcompletely outclassing experimental scenarios to this day and outright unheard of in the wild. And it was almost rabid with anger.


    "Wild Pokemon challenging people to a battle is an expected behavior, and actual assaults are rare but usually non-lethal. But a wild Pokemon who kills people cannot be allowed to roam free. And this Kadabra mangled every single trainer that entered the Granite Caves beyond recognition, with dozens of fatalities and very few survivors. It was only defeated when Glacia made a personal visit and struck both it and a good portion of the cavern system itself down.


    "Afterwards, a thorough sweep of the caverns was ordered again. Although several new passageways had opened up, and many more had collapsed due to the fighting, no other Kadabra were found¡­though there have been the occasional sightings since then. Strangely enough, a few weeks afterward trainers began reporting Abra encounters much more often than usual." Steven paused, thinking back on what he''d just said. "Well, if all the Kadabra had been keeping them from encountering trainers, maybe it isn''t so strange. In any case, it wasn''t long before someone had actually caught one, proving that Abra had, indeed, been living here this entire time. Somewhere," he added, shrugging.


    "¡­Well, I suppose I do know where, now," he recanted, looking over at the tunnel back to the lesser creche. "You must have passed through that cave out there to come here, yes? That cave is a new discovery; when I first arrived here, I found a half-dozen Abra sleeping in those alcoves. They''ve long vanished, of course, but I imagine they''ll come back once we leave. It''s funny; we''ve swept these caves top to bottom several times over, and yet there are still new passageways being discovered today. I wonder where else they''re hiding..."


    Astra fervently hoped he would never find out. She sighed and rubbed at her eyes; even after Echo''s Psychic-boosted sleep, she was feeling exhausted all over again. The last puzzle piece, finally found. Nothing truly new, but the story wouldn''t have been complete without humanity''s perspective.


    What a nightmare. What a tragedy.


    What was she going to do? If the current Champion found it difficult to revitalize the caves, how could she...?


    She paused, a small detail from Steven''s recounting sticking out in her mind. Well, actually two; the word ''Alakazam'' was familiar. Another Psychic Pok¨¦mon, similar to a Kadabra? Something Brendan had said pricked at her mind¡­but she shelved that thought for the time being. There was a more important detail; that person who had beaten Echo''s empowered cousin...


    "Who is Glacia?" Astra asked, curious as to who could have taken down such an astonishing Psychic.


    "The previous long-term Champion before myself," Steven replied. A soft, sad smile came across his face. "She led Hoenn through those horrible years, and a few decades beyond as well. She remains as part of the Elite Four, and despite it all she still looks nearly half her age. Some say her affinity for Ice-types froze her in time, but... well, who can say for sure? To me she''s a kindly woman who has seen terrible things, come face to face with awful problems, and has done her best to solve them."


    The previous Champion? Huh. Astra hadn''t ever thought about who Steven had replaced; her fight was with him, not his predecessor. Well, it would be, except for her being part of the Elite 4, who she''d have to face on the way to challenging Steven again.


    "She was the one who dealt with E¡ªthe Kadabra?" she checked.


    "We''ve gone a bit off topic, haven''t we?" Steven chuckled, moving over to the final light. "I suppose I can go on a tangent while I finish up here, but I do have places to be, remember."


    Pausing to light a lantern on the floor, he shut down the powerful lamp and engulfed the room in shadows with a pitched down bweeehhh¡ªand, oddly, the muffled crunch of glass. He frowned at the contraption, but didn''t seem to find anything wrong with it after briefly looking it over. Was that not supposed to happen?


    Shrugging, Steven began to pack it away regardless, looking up at Astra while doing so. "But yes; Glacia had to take precious time off from her duties in pushing back Kanto to secure the island personally. She recounts it as one of the hardest battles she ever fought¡ªnot that she brought it up often; maybe only once that I''ve known her. She wasn''t keen on recalling the memory."


    Ah. Well, when she became Champion, now she knew who to...well, she didn''t really know what she''d do with the information, but now she knew. But what was that about Kanto?


    "Pushing back Kanto?" Astra asked, curious. "She was in the war?"


    "Of course!" Steven said, giving her a strange look as he folded the last of the floodlight away. He picked up the lantern, holding it aloft and bathing them both in its soft yellow glow. "Astra, are you aware of what a Champion does?"


    "They''re the strongest trainer who helps other trainers and tells them what to do?" Astra tentatively answered. Grandpa hadn''t been completely certain about the matter, only that the Champion was something like an Elder in the village: a person of great wisdom and experience who gave guidance¡ªand who you''d better listen to, or get such a lecturing.


    Steven huffed, smiling faintly. "Not entirely incorrect, but lacking quite a bit of nuance. My explanation is by no means thorough either, but to put it simply: I am in charge of Hoenn''s Pokemon and the Trainers who call it home, for the purposes of protecting and improving the lives of those who live here. Both in times of peace, but also in times of conflict. Were Hoenn to come to blows with another region, I would be called upon to intercede where I deemed fit in the course of defending our region¡­and defeating theirs. The Elite Four, the Gym Leaders, and the general Trainer population would do the same, in varying capacities."


    Astra stared at him. "So when I become champion..."


    "When you do," Steven said, amused, "you would have to intercede in regional conflict, yes. There''s a reason the Hall of Fame exists separately to the path that usurps my position. There are trainers who have beaten me since I became Champion, and they were honored appropriately in the Hall. None of them could take my place. The few that tried quickly realized their error, leaving me with the championship once again.


    "Of course, it''s not all doom and gloom," he continued, reaching down and shrugging on his massive pack. "I''ve also been able to change many lives for the better in my time. Even if you never knew my name, I''m sure you in particular have benefited from my actions."


    Huh? Her in particular? She hadn''t even participated in human society up until two and a half weeks ago; what would she have benefited from? And what singled out her in particular?


    "I don''t think I have?" Astra said, cautiously. "Can you give me an example?"


    "Well, I''m the reason Tate and Liza are Gym Leaders," Steven said, grinning. It faded as he realized Astra didn''t recognize those names either. "Hm? Roxanne said she gave you their phone number. I would have thought you''d have called them by now."


    Oh, that mystery card Roxanne had given her! To talk with other humans with albinism. Did that mean Roxanne had given her a way to contact another Gym Leader? Leaders, Astra supposed. She had mentioned it''d connect to her ''colleagues''; Astra hadn''t realized exactly what that meant up until now. Were his improvements about the supposed albinism she was excusing her appearance with? Tch, of course it was.


    Stars, if she''d known this stupid ailment was going to be such a problem she would have come up with something on her own instead of appropriating the first plausible explanation she''d found from that Pokemart cashier. How was making two people with this condition Gym Leaders going to help her anyway? And how could two people be the leaders of the same Gym at the same time!?


    "I haven''t," Astra sighed. "And I probably won''t, either. I didn''t even know who the number was for until you just said their names, and while I''m glad Roxanne wanted to help, I''m still not really interested in talking to them."


    "Ah," Steven said, disappointed. "I''m sure you have your reasons, but it is a shame."


    Astra remained silent, shrugging tiredly. Steven pulled out a Pokedex and checked something on it, humming.


    "And I believe that will be enough diversions for me today. I really must be going. It has been a memorable chat, Astra," he concluded, nodding and holding out his hand, a card flipping between his fingers. "And I wouldn''t mind having more in the future, should you ever wish it so."


    Astra took the card and found that it listed Steven''s name, along with what were probably a couple different methods of contacting him¡ªshe only really recognized a phone number, the other text just incomprehensible strings of letters and numbers. She would have to find some way to subtly ask Brendan or May about them; this was probably yet another thing that was ''weird'' to not know.


    "Maybe." she hesitantly agreed, stuffing the card in her backpack alongside the other one. She didn''t think she''d ever deliberately risk contacting her greatest opponent, but there wasn''t any reason to deny it either.


    Steven smiled at her before turning towards the exit borehole. "I wish you well on your journeys, and hopefully we can have a proper rematch in Ever Grande.


    "And really, do reconsider calling the twins," he appended, looking back at her one last time. "They would be delighted to make your acquaintance, and connecting with your peers can help in ways you never expect. Though, actually, now that I think about it, how would the logistics of that call work..."


    He trailed off, mumbling to himself. Astra blinked, watching him head for the exit. An invisible weight sloughed off her shoulders at Steven''s farewell, and Astra could feel the tension fade from her bones. She''d successfully fooled the Champion! Nothing overtly bad had happened, and she''d gotten the full story and some extra bits besides. She was finally in the clear.


    Well, it was only proper to wish him goodbye in return. Unless they were going the same way out of the cave? Er. Maybe she could just stay here and look at the mural a bit longer, and find her own way out after he was gone. She had wanted to peek at some of those other carvings...


    "Thanks for everything!" she replied, waving at Steven. "I really don''t feel like I need to talk to anyone else with albinism though, so I''ll pass on the call. But I will get that title, so watch your back!"


    There, a nice, normal send-off. Astra breathed a sigh of relief. For as tense as their entire interaction was, she had gotten oddly...casual with the guy. If it weren''t for his incredibly scary strength and ability to crush her and her village if she made the slightest mistake, Astra would have said talking to Steven was...pretty interesting. That said, she was grateful that the verbose Champion was finally¡ª


    He wasn''t leaving.


    Steven stood stock still, only a few steps from turning the corner into the tunnel. An eerie silence filled the room once again, blanketing it like a heavy snowfall.


    He turned to her slowly, and Astra had the privilege of seeing the Champion of Hoenn squinting at her in full-on, open-mouthed bafflement.


    "What?"

 Disclosure

    "What?"


    "Uh." Astra stared back, frozen mid-wave. She lowered her arm slowly, the weight of Steven''s attention returning tenfold upon her shoulders. Had she done something wrong again? Try as she might, Astra couldn''t find what rock she''d thrown in the lake.


    "W...what?" she asked, confused and tense as a bowstring.


    Steven turned to her fully, disbelief still etched upon his face. "The twins," he said, blinking rapidly. "Why don''t you want to call them?"


    "I¡ªI just don''t really...feel like I need to talk to other people with albinism?" Astra repeated, confusion mixing with frustration into a froth of bad feelings. What in the world had gone wrong now? She fiddled with her sleeves, looking anywhere but at the attentive Champion and wishing her hands would stop shaking. "It''s¡­ If I met another person with it by chance I wouldn''t avoid it, but I''ve been doing fine by myself, so I don''t think I''d get anything out of it...?"


    Steven stared at her. He squinted again, looking closely at her face, then seemed to get even more baffled.


    "Albinism," he echoed. "You think the twins have... What did Roxanne tell you when she gave you their card?"


    Astra swallowed, mouth dry. Not that it helped her talk, but it was still uncomfortable. Much like this abruptly reignited conversation suddenly was.


    But then the aged voice in her head repeated itself. Smaller mess, it said, and her resolve firmed.


    "She said that I could call it if I ever wanted to talk to someone who shared my...quirk."


    "Quirk," Steven spoke, voice flat. "And she was talking about your albinism specifically?"


    "Yes?" Astra said, hoping she wasn''t compounding whatever fumble had led to¡­this. She hesitated, thinking back to her conversation with Rustboro''s Gym Leader. Had something gone wrong there? "Well...she didn''t say it directly? She''d just finished a lecture and there were other students around, so she kind of...danced around saying it outright?" Her expression flattened. "I don''t really like talking about it, so she was just being polite."


    Steven''s gaze rested heavy on her head. If the Champion caught her allusion to his current rudeness¡ªher illness was imaginary, but he didn''t know that¡ªhe didn''t show it. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I see. And there wasn''t any other...quirk of yours that she may have been talking about instead?"


    "No?" Astra shrugged, playing the conversations she''d had with the Gym Leader backwards and forwards in her head. Had Roxanne not been talking about her albinism? That didn''t make any sense; what else could she have been talking about? She wasn''t hiding anything else that wasn''t...


    ...Um.


    Blood thundered in her ears, and every muscle she had tensed as one. Confidence withering, she stared at the Champion, breath catching in her throat.


    Steven gave her a searching look. Then his gaze turned toward one of the carvings on the walls. Something seemed to click behind his eyes, an errant thought breaching an unconsidered conclusion. He straightened up, considering Astra carefully.


    "If I may ask," he began, walking away from the entrance in a wide arc around Astra. "How long have you lived in Hoenn?"


    Why? Why dance around it when he obviously knew?


    "All of my life?" Astra said, nervously watching Steven stroll around her. What could she do here? Release her Pokemon¡ªno, that was suicidal; any of his Pokemon would flatten hers, even if they were all in perfect health.


    Attack him herself? She clawed some precious air down her throat despite the panic. No, that was even worse. Maybe if she stalled him long enough, an answer would appear¡­?


    Maybe Echo would somehow sense her panic through her newly refreshed psychic shields and miraculously whisk her away.


    "I see." Steven hummed, having traveled a full half-circle around Astra as she stood near-motionless. He shrugged off his luggage and sat against the wall, leaning an arm against an upraised knee. The lantern''s glow cast his silhouette far above his actual height, transforming it into a monster easily equal to the ones depicted by the ancient mural. The steady light left it disquietingly still, as if the shadow, too, was something painted on. "And where did you live, exactly?"


    "Petalburg," Astra ventured, pumping sincerity into the word as she worked to decode Steven''s intentions. Why had he circled around her? Why had he sat down? He''d just said his farewells and was just about to leave! "I lived in...Petalburg." It was the city closest to the village, after all.


    "I see," Steven repeated, thoughtfully. "Did you live in Petalburg, or perhaps...somewhere outside of it?"


    "It wasn''t...in the city," Astra slowly answered. Had he¡­not figured it out? Or had he figured everything out and was now fishing for the location of the village?


    "Shall I suppose that your home was...rather remote?"


    "¡­A little." No, she couldn''t assume that. The absolute worst-case scenario¡­Steven had condescended to her, acted like a complete¡ªif well-intentioned¡ªweirdo, but all his actions told her he wasn''t a monster. Even if he knew, maybe¡­?


    Stall. Stall and deflect, and hope for the best.


    "You have a family there, I imagine? Friends? A community?"


    "My grandpa," Astra confirmed. "And...others..."


    She trailed off. Steven tilted his head, nodding minutely.


    "Mmm. Did your community ever host visitors?"


    Astra went silent, staring at the Champion with wide eyes. The quiet answered in her stead.


    "None, then? Ever? Hm. Should I then hypothesize that this place didn''t receive communication at all, for quite some time? Preferring their privacy, perhaps?"


    "W¡ªwhy are you asking me this?" Astra stammered out, taking a step backward. She could teleport away, but that would really confirm it for him. It also assumed she could scrape together enough focus and figure out where to go, of which her options were extremely limited.


    "I am just a little curious, is all," Steven explained, that damned mask of calmness covering his face and mind as he shrugged lightly. "You seem to be unaware of a number of very widely known facts, and I suppose I just wanted to know why. I suppose living in a...secluded community would explain much of it."


    May and Brendan had asked similar things.


    Somehow, Astra couldn''t seem to think of any way to downplay the truth like she had then. Panic was clogging up her thoughts, like sludge filling a metaphorical heart.


    "That said, I don''t intend to pry into your home life," Steven continued, leaving Astra reeling where she stood at the sudden backtracking. What was wrong with this guy!? Could he decide whether to be completely terrifying or not already!? "A more relevant question is this: do you know what Pokemon types the Gyms in Hoenn specialize in?"


    What utter fresh hell was this? She didn''t even know what hell was to begin with and it already couldn''t compare.


    "No," Astra said, because she didn''t¡ªand also because she really didn''t know what to do now except keep answering questions.


    Steven nodded. "Well, you''ve already met Roxanne and Brawly, so you already know that they specialize in Rock-type and Fighting-type respectively. Norman in Petalburg uses Normal-type, Wattson in Mauville has Electric, Flannery in Lavaridge prefers Fire, Winona in Fortree likes Flying, and Wallace in Sootopolis employs the ever-abundant Water-type."


    "Right..." Astra said, slowly. That was...useful, in a sense, but....why? What was he trying to do by telling her about all of the¡ªer, wait a second.


    "That''s only seven?" she questioned, brain still clogged even as the panic took a step down from the terrifying height she''s only felt once before¡ªwhile literally running for her life. "Aren''t there eight Gyms?"


    "Indeed there are!" Steven lightly cheered. "I''ve mentioned them before; Tate and Liza. They''re twins, and co-lead their Gym over in Mossdeep. I personally oversaw their recruitment, in fact. They are exceedingly remarkable trainers¡­"


    He smiled. "In much the same way you are, Astra."


    A spike of burning ice lodged itself in Astra''s chest. Something was wrong. He was leading up to something. But what?


    "O¡ªoh?" she asked faintly, finding herself retreating another step. "In...in what way?"


    "A way that made them particularly suited to running their gym," Steven said, watching her intently. "A gym which specializes in the Psychic type."


    Her veins froze into slush.


    "Because the twins are both Psychic themselves."


    Her thoughts burned to ash.


    Steven stared right through her.


    "Just like you are."


    Silence, inside and out.


    Time passed.


    Steel-blue eyes filled her vision, unblinking.


    He had known. Her useless stalling had gone nowhere, her deflections failing against the thrusting spear of his cool, collected words. Only the fervent blaze in her lungs made her move again, and Astra distantly noted that she hadn''t breathed in almost a minute.


    The rhythm of her thoughts twanged, the sound of violin strings snapping as the panic gave up completely and a thousand other emotions replaced it.


    "Ha," someone laughed. It might have even been her. It was so funny. Humans couldn''t be psychic! How silly of Steven to forget. "Hahaha. That. That''s a funny joke, Steven! You almost¡ª"


    Steven vanished.


    Whatever manic laughter had bubbled in Astra''s throat died.


    The man still sat there, on the floor, but¡­


    But his mind was gone. Whatever method he had used to obfuscate his emotions had crystallized, turning away Psychic energy in all forms.


    She couldn''t sense him. She couldn''t talk to him. Maybe if she forced it, but as it stood...


    It was as if he had walked into the Dark.


    "I''m sorry, you seem to have cut yourself off, there," Steven noted, and Astra couldn''t tell what his expression was anymore. "Could you repeat that?"


    She tried to speak. Tried to say anything at all.


    But she couldn''t. Steven wasn''t there anymore.


    She couldn''t even scream if nobody could hear her.


    Astra''s lungs, again starved for air, began to make up for her dead silence with horrible, involuntary enthusiasm. She took another step back, and then another, her quick, rapid gasps the only sound left in the cavern.


    This...this was insane. No, no! He¡ªthis was some trick! Some sort of...something. Echo had left Zubat in the stew and now she was getting hallucinations from food poisoning! It had to be, because if it wasn''t¡ª


    "You still seem unconvinced." Steven said, thoughtfully. "Perhaps a more direct piece of evidence? How about..."


    The human closed his eyes, focusing on something deep within. The crystal power around his mind sublimated, his presence reappearing¡ªbut the relief was short-lived, and Astra''s breath caught once more at the very, very faint trickle of something horribly familiar.


    No. No. No no no no no no no¡ª


    "Something like..."


    The trickle twisted, burning itself to form a terrible parody of something she knew intimately well, racing up the remnant thread of Astra''s last broadcast.


    No no no no no no NO NO NO NO¡ª


    {Th-s?}


    A message. Horrifically wasteful, formatting alien yet as basic and simplistic as could be. Parts of it had collapsed before she''d received it, even the brevity and short distance between them too much for something weaker than the first attempts of a freshly-hatched Ralts.


    But it was a message.


    Psychically transmitted by a human.


    Across from her, a small stream of blood dripped down Steven''s nose. He blearily opened his eyes, swaying from side to side; if he hadn''t been sitting he would have collapsed where he stood. He looked in Astra''s direction, pupils unfocused.


    "Oh," he mumbled, shakily wiping the stain of red off his lips. He stared at his trembling thumb, crimson shining in the lamp-light. "I...really didn''t think this through. Again. Could have eased into it. Why do I keep...oh salted skies¡­"


    Steven drooped sideways, then jerked upright and gave Astra a pained expression that failed to be a smile. "I''m...going to need a minute. Apolo¡ªough..."


    Steven dropped his head into his hands, minute shudders wracking his body.


    Psychic fatigue, part of Astra noted. She''d never seen it this bad¡­and from a single, mangled message? Whatever strengths Steven possessed, this was the absolute least of them; where she was a lake, he was but a speck of mist, ephemeral and impotent.


    That he had that meager strength at all was abominable.


    She¡ª


    She had to run. He knew. He knew. Her village was wrong. May had lied. Humans were Psychic. And the Champion knew she was, too.


    She turned to flee, her legs trudging through space like tree sap. But she never took her eyes off Steven Stone, watching the man suffer through the fatigue with numb horror. One step. Two, three¡ªpicking up speed¡ªfour five six¡ª!


    Distantly, Astra thanked the stars that Steven had arbitrarily left the exit completely unimpeded...and had...crippled...himself...


    The thought struck a chord deep within her, broken strings mending themselves, and she found herself slowing, coming to a stop only a few steps from the exit. Behind her, Steven Stone gagged on his nosebleed. He was still sitting there, either oblivious, uncaring, or resigned to her retreat. Waves of familiar pain and exhaustion billowed through his mental wall, not even slightly obscured.


    Astra watched him, her chest tight and mind whirling through impossible contradictions faster than a falling star. Why had he moved there? He''d placed himself as far as he could from the tunnel, leaving her with a clear shot to escape. If he had just sat at the mouth of it, she''d have no way of leaving without teleporting, and she hadn''t really memorized any locations in Dewford for that¡­except maybe Briney''s ship. Why sit down at all? Why did he send such a pathetic message that nevertheless blew out his well of energy?


    Steven had left the exit wide open and made himself completely helpless. Why!? He had to have known all this before! Why did he make it so easy for her to run when he could have...


    He''d known before.


    Their first meeting, back in Petalburg Woods. When she''d first spoken to him, his gaze had snapped right to her. The pressure she had felt had been unlike anything she''d experienced before or since. Astra had never figured out why he''d done that, but now...


    He''d known all along. For nearly two weeks.


    And...nothing.


    He''d done nothing.


    With a jolt, Astra realized that Roxanne had known too. The phone number she''d been given wasn''t for albinism at all.


    It was so she could talk to other Psychic humans. The twin Psychic Gym Leaders of Mossdeep to boot!


    And if they had both noticed...who else had?


    And why had nothing happened to her!? If they had known for all this time that she was a Pokemon, then...!


    But...they hadn''t been talking to a Pokemon, had they?


    If humans could be Psychic, then¡­


    Then they''d assumed she was a human Psychic. The shortest step between confusion and realization, the same mistake she''d just made in assuming the worst.


    So.


    ...


    Her thoughts whited out. She didn''t know what to do. Everything she held as truth had been upended in less than a minute. Should she still run? Flee until she couldn''t move anymore and hope nobody caught up before it all came crashing down? Her mission was in the greatest danger it had ever been. Everything logical in her head¡ªor perhaps everything that was terrified¡ªscreamed that every second she allowed him to recover while she wasn''t gaining distance was an existential mistake against everything she had done all this for.


    But in her heart...


    One and a half weeks. Steven had done nothing. Actively gave her every advantage to leave when he''d told her he knew, even if the way he did it was completely inept.


    And here he was. Crippled and curled up on the floor, desperately clutching his head as he tried to weather the burning drought in his brain.


    ...


    ...


    ...


    She...was so tired of misery.


    Hands trembling, Astra reached into her backpack. She looked at the mostly-empty jar in her grip, her last three Leppa berries jostling in the tiny puddle of watery juice at the bottom. Rare and hard to grow. An unparalleled restorative for alleviating Psychic fatigue. Unpleasantly spicy.


    She looked at Steven again, dread pooling in her stomach.


    But she still reached into the jar and took out the remaining berries.


    And, coated in a brilliant purple glow, slowly levitated them before the Champion''s face from afar.


    It took long seconds for Steven to react. He twitched, then sniffed wetly, then groggily looked up as the berries'' scent gradually registered. His eyes widened as he saw them floating in front of his face, and he held out a shaky hand. Astra obligingly dropped them into his palm.


    He stared at them, rolling the bright red fruit around before his twitching fingers plucked one out.


    "Leppa Berries?" he muttered, a pained grin crossing his face. "Heh. I can''t say I''ve ever been treated with raw fruit before. But...thank you."


    He popped the berry into his mouth, chewing slowly. To Astra''s astonishment it didn''t seem to work, his fatigue still as rampant as before. It was only after Steven had swallowed that she noticed the edges of his ailment had started to dissipate, a process that grew only a little faster as he consumed the other two. Peculiar. It only took moments for a Leppa berry to cure her of fatigue; were humans unable to take in their strength as easily?


    "Well," Steven said at last, looking up at Astra ruefully. "Today''s gone marvelously off-track for the both of us, hasn''t it?"


    Astra didn''t answer. Didn''t know what to answer. Everything was fog and madness. But Steven wasn''t hurting anymore, so...small improvements.


    "Right." Steven sighed, grimacing. "I feel I owe you another apology. I¡ª"


    She really didn''t care.


    "You''re Psychic?" Astra asked. Steven considered the question.


    "By most standards, no," he said, groaning as he shoved himself back onto his feet. He reached into his pocket and drew out a folded piece of cloth, dabbing at his nose and grimacing as bright crimson began to stain the delicate-looking thing. "Anyone can learn a small trick like that if they''re willing to put in the very great effort needed, but very few ever do. Natural affinities for the energy are extraordinarily rare; talents like yours, even moreso."


    So...only some humans were Psychic? Alright. Sure. Why not? It wasn''t like the rest of their nonsensical species was consistent either.


    Except...


    "How did you close off your mind, then? What is that...pressure I feel coming from you, sometimes?"


    Steven''s lips quirked. "Everyone has their secrets," he coyly refused. "I''m afraid what you''re talking about is just part of my mysterious aura."


    He seemed to find that extremely amusing for some reason. Astra had never before wanted to manually embed her fist in somebody''s face so hard.


    "What did you mean by my talent?" she asked instead.


    "Your skill with telepathy is second to none," Steven informed her. "I know of nobody else who communicates as you do. You gave me quite the shock back in Petalburg Woods, you know."


    Astra tensed. "So you did know."


    Steven inclined his head. "I did."


    "Why didn''t you do anything, then?" she demanded, hands shaking in her sleeves. "What do you want?"


    Steven considered her thoughtfully. "Should I have done something?" he inquired. "Were you expecting me to want something from you?"


    Astra stared at him, her skull burning with unspoken accusations. Before this, she''d thought that he would''ve been throwing a pokeball by now. Her mission would''ve been over, her home doomed, and everything she loved scattered to the damn wind.


    But it wasn''t, because somehow her disguise had an ablative layer she''d known nothing about. She had no answers for him. Only the terror of creeping through the brush at night and hoping the beasts in the dark wouldn''t at last catch her scent.


    Steven''s expression turned solemn; something of her fear must have shown on her face.


    "If I may ask," he said, gently, "were you expecting hostilities once you became known as a Psychic? Some form of assault, even?"


    What a ridiculous question. Of course she was.


    May had incited it the first time they''d met.


    But the way Steven was looking at her... Astra couldn''t stand it. She turned away, clutching her own arms in a cowardly hug just to make herself stop shaking already.


    "You say that like I shouldn''t," Astra muttered, refusing to look back.


    A pause, blazing with quiet agony.


    "In a perfect world, such a concept would have never crossed your mind," Steven said, his voice regaining that steady softness. "But even after everything I''ve done, there is still so much more to do before that dream becomes reality."


    A deep breath, followed by a level, solemn promise.


    "Astra, I can promise you with everything I am, no harm will ever befall you so long as I can prevent it. You are not owed anything for this, nor will I ask for anything in return. I do not know what you believe of this world, but I will tell you with absolute certainty:


    "You are worthy of love. The love of family and friendship; the love of community and of belonging; and the love of living in this world, and knowing that the world loves you back. You are worthy of this no matter what the circumstances of your birth are, nor what abilities you began with or cultivated, nor what experiences you have lived through or choices you have made."


    A beacon of light in the darkness. A tower of stalwart metal and spearline of piercing steel in one. Determination and resolve enough to drag a nation by the throat toward a distant, dream-like future.


    Astra turned around, eyes wide and mouth agape. Steel-blue eyes met her own, almost seeming to glow with their intensity.


    "There are those who say that you are different from them," Steven spoke, his presence filling the room in its entirety. "That you are lesser; an aberration to be feared or used. They are wrong, and I have spent all of my Championship working towards making sure that individuals like you will be free of the abhorrent superstitions of the past. That you and them can live their lives in peace and happiness, without the dread of prejudice or mistreatment."


    Sincerity bright enough to burn the dark. Rage enough to break the status quo. Compassion enough to reach through bloody thorns.


    Nothing that she was had been prepared to believe him. But, suddenly, believe she did.


    He wasn''t going to hurt her.


    "Why?" Astra whispered.


    Steven smiled.


    "Because it is who you are that matters, not what. Because you should be free to do with the gift of life as you wish, and not have it be decided for you by those who can only see how we are different, and not the same.


    "Because in the end, despite what so many throughout history have said¡­


    "You are just as human as anybody else."


    The light shattered. Steel corroded. Piercing thorns choked out the sky as darkness fell.


    Steven Stone knew more than most.


    But he was still only protecting a lie.


    Yet Astra still found a measure of comfort in the sodden ashes of his impassioned speech. If Steven could be this fervent about protecting some neglected portion of humanity, then maybe...


    But it was still too much to process. It felt like her mind was leaking from her ears, the weight of everything that she had undergone in the past dozen hours pressing down like six months of forest detritus collapsing on her head in a single day.


    For now, she could trust that, if nothing else, Steven couldn''t figure out her last secret. So long as that held true, she was safe.


    She was safe.


    The thought broke a dam, and Astra took a shuddering breath, the burning rush in her veins subsiding at last. Her whole body drooped at once, and it was only with a massive effort of will that she remained upright. The manic rush in her head subsided, and she could finally think beyond the immediate threat.


    "Okay," she said, looking up at Steven. She didn''t smile at him, but Steven seemed reassured by her relatively relaxed posture.


    "I believe you," she continued, uncertainly, "but...why all this? Why tell me now? Didn''t you have something important to do?"


    "I do," Steven confirmed, reaching for his backpack. His hand paused for a moment, and he drew something from inside before shouldering it on. He gave Astra another small smile as he held out an object: a steel-grey disk. "But when I realized you knew nothing about the situation...I couldn''t in good conscience allow you to continue on without letting you know that you aren''t alone, and that the world isn''t inherently out to harm you. You are a compassionate person, Miss Astra¡ªthere is a community out here for you, should you ever wish to find it." He nodded to the disk, smiling gently. "And remember: I will always fight on your side."


    She accepted what she recognized as a TM with pursed lips. ''Steel Wing'' was inscribed on the surface. Hm. Well, the gesture was nice and all, but couldn''t he have found a way to tell her all of this without giving her a heart attack!? Still...


    "Thank you," she said, quietly. "At least I know now. I guess." She peered at him, frowning. "You could have done that better, though."


    "Yes, well," Steven glanced away, coughing. "I have gathered that I''m more suited to eloquent speeches than social delicacy. Apologies."


    Astra couldn''t disagree. They were rather impassioned monologues, if...uh, thoroughly dramatic.


    Steven glanced at his Pokedex again, then winced. "Right, I really do need to get going now. But if I may bring up one last thing?" he asked, rushing past Astra and pausing at the exit.


    Astra really hoped it wasn''t another life-shattering revelation. She''d already had...she didn''t even know how many. It hadn''t even been a full day since she got to this stupid island.


    "Sure," she said anyway, belatedly stuffing the disk into her bag.


    "I can assume your friends don''t know, yes?" Steven asked. Astra flinched; both at the prospect of Brendan and May finding out about any of this, as well as recalling that they were still stuck somewhere in this labyrinth. "I''ll take that as a yes. While I can completely understand why you hide your abilities, I urge you to consider if, how, and when you disclose this aspect of yourself to them."


    "What!?" Astra exclaimed, incredulous. Revealing more about herself was the last thing she wanted to do! "Why would I do that?"


    "Precisely because they are your friends," Steven explained, edging toward the tunnel. "This world will only grow more intolerable if you feel you cannot be your truest self even amongst friendly company, and keeping secrets out of doubt rather than necessity can strain even the strongest of bonds.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    "Again, I understand your fear," he continued, a flash of sorrow making itself known as he did. "I''ve seen many relationships end horribly from such revelations, but there are also many situations where those involved only grew closer. And the good outcomes were far more likely to happen through a willing revelation than chance discovery.


    "And, unfortunately, I am afraid that you will not be able to avoid it forever." Steven grimaced. "You do not need to tell me why you only communicate through telepathy, but as I said, I''ve heard of nobody else in this world who can do the same. It is how I found out when we first met, and it is how Roxanne figured you out after your Gym battle. Others will find out too, and they will not be as morally beholden to keep your secrets as she or I. As you climb the ranks, word will inevitably spread, and your friends will find out, one way or the other.


    "It is still your choice, in the end. By all means, take what time you can afford to make certain of what you want to do. But I strongly recommend you inform them yourself, and soon, before time and circumstance do it for you."


    Astra stared at him silently. She had to tell them? She¡ªit¡ªbut...


    Her brain was stuffed full. There was no way she could make a decision about that right now.


    "I''ll think about it," she promised, smiling weakly. "Thank you."


    Steven nodded, his returning grin equally faint. "That''s all I ask. Oh, final final thing: do you need help returning to Dewford? While I''m sure you''re quite tired of me by now, you are perfectly welcome to accompany me back to the surface."


    Astra''s face contorted. "N¡ªno thank you," she managed. There had been a thorough amount of Steven Stone in her life today, and her capacity for it had overflowed ten times over. "I''m...going to check out these carvings some more. Maybe grab some of that shiny black rock for my collection."


    "Oh, you''re interested in rare stones as well?" Steven asked, eyes lighting up in pure delight. "Absolutely fantastic! I have quite the assortment myself; I was searching for exotic minerals in these caves before Metagross alerted me to this buried cavern. Alas, while I''d love to compare our collections¡­well, I''ve got something that needs doing."


    He sighed ruefully, then paused. "Oh, sudden thought: do you have a lantern?" Steven checked. "Or perhaps a Pokemon who knows flash? I don''t want to leave you in the dark."


    Astra silently held up her hand. Luminescent energy coalesced around it, bathing the room in a paradoxical bright-dark purple.


    "I think I''ll be fine."


    Steven raised a finger, open-mouthed, then reconsidered, dropping it with a shrug. "Fair enough. Just...don''t damage any of the carvings, please? I''ve taken a lot of pictures, but a site like this is literally priceless. Oh and obsidian¡ªthose shiny black stones in the tunnel¡ªcan get obscenely sharp when broken; it will literally slice your fingers to the bone without you noticing."


    "Goodbye, Steven," Astra said, thoroughly done. "It''s been miserable. Thank you for everything."


    Steven stared at her, taken aback. He huffed, amusement dancing in his eyes.


    "Goodbye, Astra," he said, turning to the exit. "While our conversational topics weren''t particularly happy, it truly has been a pleasure to make your acquaintance. If fate brings us together again, I hope you will find it a more enjoyable experience.


    "Take care," Steven finished, and finally turned into the tunnel¡ª


    ¡ªwhere he stopped dead in his tracks, eyes widening as he registered what he was seeing. A pure deluge of emotions erupted from his mind¡ªshock, confusion, realization, disbelief, annoyance/anger/indignation, dismay, horrible remorse and regret, and, finally, a deep, crushing resignation.


    Another crack in the dam. Nothing could ever go right, could it? This entire day had been nothing but catastrophe after catastrophe, and just when she thought it was mostly over...this. Catalyzed by Steven''s sudden emotional cacophony, Astra could barely hold back tears of her own pure frustration. What the ever-loving fuck was it now!? Something in the tunnel?


    On the verge of utter delirium, Astra cast her senses into the tunnel and¡ª


    No.


    Steven''s mouth set a grim line as he stared at what he had discovered. Slowly, he turned to Astra, a pained sorrow etched in every frustrated pore.


    "For the record," he said, hollowly. "My warning wasn''t meant to be ironic. I am truly, terribly sorry."


    No.


    Steven turned back to the tunnel and just looked.


    "I," he announced, "am inconceivably disappointed¡ª"


    No.


    "¡ªin both of you. Whatever comes of this rests solely upon your heads."


    Steven''s eyes flashed, and something like a pressure wave briefly made her feel as though the mountain was weighing whether or not to fall upon her head.


    "Be better," the Champion commanded.


    No.


    Steven turned back to Astra. She did not notice how his steel-blue eyes met the pink of her own, nor the pained, thin smile surrounded by a pall of pity he wore upon his face.


    He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. Resignedly exhaled the dregs of hope and secrecy.


    By the hateful sun and the callous moon and the ash of her pyre, please let it be a delusion.


    Steven opened his eyes. Nodded at her.


    But there was nothing left to say.


    He turned.


    And then he walked away.


    Please, no...


    The fading, crunchy tinkle of shoes on obsidian. A frantic scrabble of many things on obsidian. The crunch resumed, vanishing into the distance.


    One presence departed.


    Two still remained.


    A great and terrible silence.


    The purple corona in her fist remained, lighting the room with writhing terror where Astra could only be still.


    Waiting. Until...


    KrikChrk?Krik?Shik


    ChrkTchk?Krik?Chrk


    TchkShik?Chrk?Krik


    KRIKCHRK?CHIK?TCHK


    And.?


    <u>Crunch</u>


    Again.?


    Brendan stepped into the room, nervously shuffling to its center.


    Hesitant, pale as bone, shaking like a leaf. Regretful. Ashamed. Curious. Amazed.


    May followed him, slowly coming to rest at his side.


    Wide-eyed, jittery, disheveled. Incredulous. Indignant. Self-hateful. Amazed.


    Astra just stood there, blankly. The torch of her mind contorted on her hand.


    The three of them stood there in that ancient room, underneath the uncaring visages of an ancient calamity.


    Reunited at last.


    They stared at each other. May and Brendan in uncertainty, baffled gazes continually darting to the glow in her fist. Astra returned their gazes without any reason, thought, or focus; the action taken simply as something that was just happening.


    It was Brendan who moved first, raising his hand in a stilted wave as he grinned awkwardly.


    "Hey," he began.


    "How long."


    His smile vanished. They both winced, their entire bodies flinching at her demand.


    Eventually, Brendan spoke again.


    "The, uh. The Makuhita," he said, rubbing his arm. "Since then."


    "I caught him," May interjected, and even here some of her arrogant pride showed through. "We, uh, we were pretty lost for a long time. Our guys were almost totally worn down, too. Figured that if we managed to catch a native, it could guide us around. Found him nearby after something blew him up. I asked him if he''d seen anyone who looked like you around. Cause, uh. You were kidnapped by that Kadabra, right? I uh..."


    May shuffled around, looking faintly embarrassed. "I got worried. I''ve been sprinting through these caverns for four straight hours trying to find you, you know! I didn''t even know if you were alive until you texted us. I had to punch out some Zubat by myself because we weren''t going fast enough. Even dropkicked some creepy fucking purple gremlin thing.


    "But Makuhita recognized you when I told him what you looked like, and then he led us here and rushed ahead. Then he ran back and knocked us down in the tunnel. Practically dove back into his ball. Then, uh..."


    She trailed off, grimacing.


    "We...didn''t get back up," Brendan finished.


    Astra blinked. Through the flavors of incoherent static, she managed to think: had May really been sprinting through these barren halls for the entire time she''d been down here trying to find her? Fought against the Pokemon in these rocky halls with her own two fists just for her sake?


    And had she seriously captured the Makuhita that had been trying to eat Aron? The one Astra had ''blown up?'' Had that distant explosion been the flare that had led them here?


    She might have been a little touched. She might have been a little incredulous.


    But it didn''t really matter. Nothing beside remained.


    "Why."


    "We didn''t want to interrupt¡ª" "I didn''t want to talk to Steven."


    They paused, looking at each other. Brendan''s expression thinned.


    "There was a lot of pantomiming," he stiffly explained, a bit of angry flush returning to his skin as he stared intensely at May. "But I believed that we were waiting for you two to finish what seemed like a heavy personal conversation without interruption first, and Makuhita knocked loose a bunch of broken obsidian that would''ve alerted you both if we''d tried to go back."


    May glared right back. "Steven''s an ass, but you weren''t like...screaming for help or anything, so I thought we''d just stand up and go in when everything wound down so I wouldn''t have to look at his stupid face for long. Which we almost did, but..." She trailed off, grimacing.


    "Then he mentioned Tate and Liza," Brendan sighed. "Nothing about anything after that made any sense. I was confused and...curious."


    "I thought we were good to go with Steven finally getting his shit together, but suddenly Brendan was holding me back and making us wait even longer."


    Brendan bit his lip and looked away, shamefaced. "I wanted to know if there was some context I was missing. But by the time I realized what was happening I just...froze."


    May shifted uncomfortably, refraining from continuing the back-and-forth. Astra stared at her, the light encapsulating her fingers flickering wildly. Eventually May looked away, scowling.


    "I froze too," she mumbled.


    "And then..." Brendan started again, then hesitated and trailed off into a guilty silence.


    Astra stared at a spot between them both, but didn''t register a single thing.


    "You heard," she said.


    Their eyes, as one, flickered back to the Psychic energy coating her hand.


    "Y¡ªyeah," Brendan stuttered, trepidation burning in his heart.


    May was silent, but Astra could feel it in her as well. Apprehension, a hint of fear, aggravation, self-hatred, a colossal upwelling of frustrated impatience...


    But beneath it all...wonder, too.


    Brendan gulped. "I...we should have come in when we got here, or at least actually left. I''m so¡ª"


    "Don''t."


    Brendan stopped.


    Astra looked between them. She didn''t want an apology. Knowing how bad they felt¡ªvery bad¡ªonly did so much. She wanted them to have not done it.


    But they did. And she would have to deal with it.


    Along with everything else. And there was so much else.


    May slowly lifted her hand. "Can we...talk?" she asked, cautiously.


    What was she supposed to do?


    She didn''t know.


    "Okay," Astra said, for lack of anything else.


    The impatience burst.


    "So!" May started, eyeing Astra out of the corner of her eye.


    "You''re...Psychic, huh?"


    Astra slowly turned to look at the corona surrounding her hand. Was this a nightmare?


    "Right. That''s¡­uh. Your hand is...like a neon light bulb! That''s cool!" the girl tried, grinning awkwardly.


    How was she supposed to handle this?


    She didn''t know.


    Astra blinked at her. "Okay."


    "Have you really been using telepathy on us?" Brendan forced out. His face contorted, failing to choose between uncertainty, dread, self-pity, and concern. "All this time? Why?"


    What was she supposed to say?


    She didn''t know.


    "Yeah," Astra said, and didn''t elaborate.


    "Wait, have you been doing that like, constantly constantly?" May asked, peering at her. "Does that mean I''ve never heard your real voice? It''s all been...wait. Wait. Holy shit."


    May stared at her, all else washed away by a dawning, wide-eyed revelation.


    "You absolute fucker!" May shouted, pointing at her in outrage. "You¡ªI can''t fucking believe this!"


    Astra stared.


    "May, what¡ª?" Brendan asked, shocked.


    "You weren''t throwing your voice at all, you lying shit!"


    Astra''s jaw dropped. A wet, strangled chuckle burrowed out of her throat. That was what she was focusing on? Despite everything, leave it to May to find a way to leave her feeling momentarily exasperated instead.


    "You were telling your Pokemon what to do with telepathy!" May screeched, throwing her hands up in pure indignation. "You underhanded Rattata bitch! You even got me thinking I was in on the secret with the violin after you jumpscared me! But you were covering up your cover up! I can''t believe you got me like that! Well played and fuck you, god damn. Wait."


    She paused, coming to a dead stop. She turned to Astra, eyes wide.


    "Wait, is that what happened to that bastard in Rusturf when he dropped the bird? Did you knock on his head?" she asked, eyes brightening like stars. "Please tell me you did, that would be so damn funny."


    How was she supposed to act?


    She didn''t know.


    "Yes," Astra said.


    "Holy shit," Brendan breathed. Astra and May both whipped around to boggle at him. Astra didn''t think she''d ever heard him swear before.


    "Was it you that slammed the Exploud into the wall!?" he asked, awed. "It¡ªit makes so much sense! We were in such dire straits that you tapped into some sort of hysterical strength and psychokinetically embedded him into the stone!"


    "That is so fucking badass!" May''s awestruck grin was so wide Astra thought she might dislocate her jaw. "Astra. Astra. Please tell me you can lift things with your brain."


    How was she supposed to feel?


    She didn''t know.


    A small collection of obsidian stones had been tracked into the cave. Astra pointed at them. A couple choicier rocks glimmered with purple energy and flew across the room, depositing themselves in her pack. Her friends erupted with surprise and elation.


    "She really did throw that big blowhard into a wall!" May shouted, punching the air in excitement. "Fuck yeah, that''s my girl!"


    "I saw it and I can barely believe it," Brendan said, looking at her in amazement. "That sort of power is...heh, astronomically rare, and Psychics are uncommon enough as-is! Astra, how¡ª"


    He cut himself off, squinting at her carefully. "Er...how...are you? I¡ªyou''ve barely talked, and...you don''t look too good."


    Astra stared at him through the violet gloom. It occurred to her that maybe humans couldn''t make out facial expressions in psychic lighting as well as she did.


    How was she supposed to continue?


    She didn''t know.


    So she said nothing.


    Brendan paled. May, for her part, looked as though she''d just thought of something and started mumbling to herself.


    "Alright. Alright," Brendan said, slowly walking up to her. "It''s been a really crappy day. For all of us, but especially for you. But no matter what we overheard here, we''re still friends, and we care about you, alright? So I think we all deserve some serious rest and recovery time. I suggest that we leave this dark cave, go heal our Pokemon, and...how about we go get some ice cream, yeah?" he asked, smiling at her. "Maybe rent a movie or something? Decompress. We can...discuss all this later, when we''ve had time to think about it, alright? We¡ªI really screwed up here. I don''t¡ªI want to make it up to you, if you''d let me."


    Astra looked at him. Considered it, as much as she was able.


    It sounded...better. Better than this.


    "I¡ª" she started.


    "Oh!" May exclaimed, hitting her palm with her fist. "That''s why your face keeps changing shape!"


    Static.


    May frowned. "Wait, no. That''s just how. Why are you even..."


    Astra could have felt the moment May looked over by the spike in panic and regret.


    She could have felt Brendan''s stress and outrage and concern.


    But she didn''t.


    Her illusion had been imperfect.


    She''d unknowingly been inconsistent with her ''face,'' and they noticed.


    The last shred of anything she had. And it was flawed from the start.


    There wasn''t enough of her left to even think of making an excuse.


    How was she supposed to keep this from falling apart?


    She didn''t know.


    The world passed her by.


    How was she supposed to continue?


    She didn''t know.


    An endless fog consumed her whole.


    What was she supposed to feel?


    How was she supposed to act?


    What was she supposed to say?


    How was she supposed to handle this?


    What was she supposed to do?


    Astra didn''t know anything at all.


    And so she stood there.


    Floating, as if adrift from her body.


    Until everything faded away.


    ...


    What.


    Do you want.


    To do?


    A whisper on the breeze. A shiver up her spine.


    Astra didn''t understand. Had there been something to hear?


    What was she supposed¡ª


    What.


    Do you.


    Want.


    To do?


    What did she...want to do?


    She¡ª


    She just¡ª


    She just wanted to¡ª!


    She knew.


    Then go.


    Astra looked up at Brendan. Saw his stressed fury as he scolded May for her thoughtless actions while trying to stay as a comforting presence. Looked over at May. Witnessed her fumbling, prickly attempts to take back her error, attempting to help in what little ways she still knew.


    She smiled. What silly, stupid, inconsiderate, but ultimately caring humans she had met.


    "Brendan."


    Her first friend paused his verbal lashing, worried eyes turning to face her.


    Astra smiled at him. "I think you''re right. I need to get out of here."


    "Oh!" Brendan said, blinking in pleasant surprise. "Oh, uh, yes! I''m glad you agree. I''m sure we can find a way back if¡ª"


    "But first, I have something to give you." Astra said, reaching up to fiddle with her hair.


    At her prompting, Brendan confusedly held out his hand. He stared down at the red hair clip she''d put there.


    "That''s my mom''s hair clip." Astra said. "It''s one of the last things I have of hers. Can you hold on to it for a while?"


    "What?" Brendan asked, baffled and growing rapidly more concerned. "Why are you¡ªwait, Astra!"


    But she''d already moved on. She walked up to May, grinning at her closest friend. May peered down at her, arms folded and face screwed up in utter befuddlement.


    "Uh," May said.


    "Hey, jackass," Astra said. May blinked, then snorted.


    "Well, I guess you''re feeling better."


    "Eh." Astra shrugged, then mentally tugged on something in her bag. "Hey, I''ve got something for you."


    Blinking rapidly, May held out her hand and grasped the wavy patterned knife Astra floated to her by its still-barren handle. She looked down at it, confused and impressed.


    "Oh shit? Is this that knife you mentioned back in Petalburg?" she asked, examining it. "Man, this is sick. How''d you get this again?"


    "It''s made from a reforged spearhead my father used, a long time ago." Astra informed her. "That''s all I have left of him."


    May paused, looking up at her with an unreadable expression.


    "And you''re giving it to me?" she asked. "Now?"


    "I''ll want it back," Astra replied. "Take care of it for me until then, okay?"


    "I...I guess?" May said, confused. She paused, eyes widening. "Wait, wait¡ª"


    But Astra was already strolling away, coming to rest at the base of the ancient mural. She looked up at the ferocious beasts one last time, then turned to face her friends, still smiling.


    "Hey Brendan," she called. "You said you knew about what other Psychics could do, right?"


    "Not really?" Brendan half-questioned, his distress soaring into the skies.


    Like a rocket.


    "But do you?" Astra asked again.


    He threw his hands up, "I guess!?"


    "Tell me," Astra said, grinning widely. Then, she pushed.


    The room glowed, every shadow banished from sight as Astra became the eye of a wild pillar of Psychic energy. It was all for show, really; she could have done this with only a thought and a clap of air. But honestly she deserved to be a bit dramatic if she wanted to be.


    "Can any of them Teleport?"


    A flash of awe. A horrible pause. Then, unfathomable rage.


    "What the fuck are you doing!?" May roared, her hand gripping Astra''s knife so hard it had turned bone-white.


    "I can''t deal with any of this shit!" Astra cheered. "At least, not right now. I am stressed the fuck out! So I''m going to go away for a bit. Two, maybe three days at most."


    "Where are you going!?" Brendan shouted, which was really unnecessary. It wasn''t like her lightshow was making any noise. Yet.


    "Maybe I''ll tell you when I get back!" Astra yelled in return. Then she paused, and looked right at May.


    "And I will come back," she said, her smile gone. Her eyes bored into the girl''s, as serious as the sun. "I promise."


    May snarled, charging at her like a wild beast.


    "ASTRA, DON''T YOU FUCKING DARE¡ª!"


    Brendan was right beside her, scrambling to reach her in a fervent anguish.


    "ASTRA, WAIT! WE CAN STILL¡ª!"


    She looked at the two humans, and smiled at how much they cared.


    "I''m sorry," Astra said. "I''ll explain...something, when I return."


    May reached for her face. Brendan moved to embrace. The glow intensified, concentrated, little specks of light gathering from the corners of the room and sticking to her until her silhouette appeared to be white-hot.


    "I love you both. See you later."


    The world twisted with a violent pop, and then there was light.


    <hr>


    ¡­And then Astra breathed in, smelling the cool, salty air of the sea once again. She looked up at the setting sun, and the cheerful, slowly burning hue of the sky.


    Above her, a Wingull cawed. Astra smiled as Peeko came down to perch on her arm.


    "Hey Peeko, is Mr. Briney around?" she asked, looking around the ship she had reappeared on. She didn''t see anybody nearby, and Peeko trilled a negative to confirm it. "Can you go get him? It''s...not an emergency, but really urgent. I need to go do something really quick while he comes, so I might not be here when he gets back."


    "Wing!" Peeko cheered, then took off into the air.


    Sighing, Astra searched the skyline of Dewford. Not finding what she wanted, she shrugged and closely examined the tallest building she could see.


    With a pop, she reappeared on top of it, elegantly balancing on the sharp edge she''d found herself on. Ignoring the surprised gasp behind her, she peered down at the city and, grinning, teleported once more, entering the Pokecenter and leaving an awestruck crowd in the street outside.


    Several long minutes later¡ªexpress service had an actual cost but was very handy for the situation¡ªshe retrieved her now-healed team and popped right back to the ship with a burgeoning headache, leaving a stunned Nurse Joy in her wake.


    Mr. Briney was, amazingly, already waiting for her. He jumped at the sound of her appearance, clutching at his chest and turning to gape at her in astonishment.


    "Well lass, that''s certainly a way to make an entrance," he managed, "but a bit of warning next time? I''m not a spring Combusken anymore!"


    "Sorry Mr. Briney, I was in a rush," Astra apologized. She absently noted that he didn''t seem very surprised. Oh well.


    "So I heard," Mr. Briney said, readjusting himself. He patted Peeko, who trilled happily. "Peeko gave me one of our signals; I take it you needed me somethin'' fierce. Can''t say I was expecting a call this soon, but what can I do for you?"


    Astra opened up her PokeNav and, with a bit of fiddling, zoomed in on a specific bit of the mainland''s coast and showed it to him.


    "Can you take me here?" she asked.


    Mr. Briney frowned. "That''s a bit of an ask. It''s gettin'' late, and that area''s naught but stone spires."


    "Please? It''s important."


    Mr. Briney grumbled for a moment, then nodded. "Well, it''s not too far out. I suppose I could make a quick jaunt. I won''t be able to reach the shore, mind¡ªyou''d have to swim." He looked at her for a moment. "Or...maybe not."


    "Thank you."


    "Oh, it''s fine. But what are we doing out there anyhow?" He peered at the docks as he began unmooring his ship. "And where are your friends?"


    "They aren''t coming," Astra explained, flicking her wrist. Briney''s eyes went wide as every knot tying them to the pier unraveled at once, now-loose ropes wrapping themselves up in coils. "And it''s a one-way trip for me; you can come back here after I leave."


    "Aye?" he asked, eyeing her uncertainty. "And what are you doing out there?"


    "It''s only for a little bit, but, you see..."


    Astra smiled at him. A weary thing, weighed down by four decades of strife and decline.


    But the corners of her mouth and glimmer of her eyes showed hope for what she sought next.


    Respite.


    "I just want to go home."

 Respite

    Astra leaned against the rail at the prow of Mr. Briney''s ship. The wind ruffled her dress, while the dimming sun cast an eerie reddish-purple iridescence to the gently sloshing waters down below. True to Briney''s word, the trip had only lasted for about half an hour; the lack of any screaming icy islands in this direction allowed him to speed across the sea much faster than when they''d started from his cottage.


    Astra checked her PokeNav, sighing when it showed them rapidly nearing her best guess for the stretch of shore closest to the village. She''d had a moment of panic when she wondered whether the device could see her home, but thankfully the map only showed massive swathes of grey squares when she tried to peer into the forest properly.


    Only a few minutes left, now. She wondered what to say when she returned; how to impress upon them the true extent of humanity''s domination, how to best address their distant, dwindling cousins in the Granite Caves, how humanity itself had aberrants capable of using Psychic power. Would they even believe her? She didn''t know why they wouldn''t, but the thought ate away at her. If nothing else, she could not just let the Abra colony rot away down there any longer.


    Shaking her head to dismiss the dark thoughts, Astra stowed the device away and went over to the cabin, arms folded to ward off the slight chill now in the air. "Thank you again, Mr. Briney," she said, poking her head in as the captain looked over at her, a faint smile lifting his face.


    "It''s the least I can do after you saved Peeko," he replied, and the Wingull cooed softly from his nest in the corner. "Just don''t go askin'' for this sort of thing too often, especially at this hour. Any later and I couldn''t''ve justified it, no matter how grateful I am."


    "I won''t," Astra promised.


    Mr. Briney hesitated, eyeing the steadily dimming waters ahead.


    "Nearly there now, I assume," he grunted. "Any chance I could hassle you for an explanation before you go? I know you said you were comin'' back on your lonesome, but...all this has me a mite worried."


    "Not much to say." Astra sighed, looking down. "I just...had a bad day. The world isn''t what I thought it was, and...I just really need to see something familiar right now."


    "Ah," Briney said, nodding. "And your friends...?"


    Astra looked at him for a moment. She raised a hand, and a pinprick of purple light appeared on her finger. Mr. Briney blinked at it in curiosity and...that was it. Merely a somewhat rare novelty; something to be examined on its own merits rather than scorned or admired intrinsically. Astra could appreciate that.


    "An hour ago, they didn''t know I could do this," she explained. The light flickered, then vanished. "Now they do."


    Mr. Briney waited a moment, then his face hardened. "Aye?" he asked, slowly. "And are they going to be havin'' some problems now?"


    "No, no." Astra reassured. "But...thank you. It''s me, really. I just...need to readjust. And I can''t do it in Dewford."


    He nodded. "Understandable. We all have our ways of livin'' in the world and dealin'' with what it throws at us. If I can help you with yours, then I''d be happy to. That said, if I''m recallin'' that map right, I think you''d be headin'' out somewhere around here?" His expression reversed itself into a frown as he brought the ship to a halt, peering out at the endless array of stone spires. And then beyond, to the untouched beach that the stones were blocking off¡ªas though they were spears raised up to guard the stretch of rough sand. "As much as this part of the coast is different from any other spire-ridden stretch of sea in any case."


    "This will be fine," Astra said, looking out at the mainland. If she had cross-referenced her trips to both Petalburg and Littleroot compared to the Village correctly, she''d be close enough to find a patrolling Kirlia fairly quick at the very least. "I can make my way from here."


    "You''ll be teleporting across, then?" Mr. Briney asked. "Haven''t known many who could do that, not that I''ve known many with your talents at all."


    "Yeah," Astra confirmed. She peered at him curiously. "Though, before I go, can I just ask: what gave me away? You didn''t seem surprised at any of...this." She re-lit the Psychic light, twirling it in the air for effect.


    "Winter''s Eye," Briney answered simply. "To most everyone, myself included, it''s just harsh, howling gales. To psychics...well, they don''t take it too well, as you found out."


    Huh. Well, at least it wasn''t something she did. Sighing, Astra turned away¡ªthen paused. Looking back at Captain Briney, she saluted him the same way Brendan had done earlier this same day.


    "Permission to depart, Captain?" she asked, grinning cheekily.


    The captain chuckled, eyes wrinkling with mirth. "Permission granted, Cadet Astra," he said, returning her salute. "Enjoy your shore leave. Take care."


    "You too," Astra said. She looked toward the mainland, flared her power for effect, and vanished with a burst of purple energy and a loud pop.


    Appearing at the base of a tree, Astra sighed in relief. A green sea mirrored the blue one behind her, and she looked up at the canopy ahead with anticipation. A brief turn back for one last wave to the ship¡ªwhich was already departing¡ªand then the Kirlia took a single step and was all at once engulfed by the forests of her home.


    The sound of the ocean slowly started to fade as she walked, replaced by the faint buzz of insect life filtering through the dimming foliage. The forests ahead darkened as the sun''s rays continued to fade, the shadows growing with each second. Astra brushed her hand against the bark of a tree, heard a twig snap under her shoe, and...stopped.


    She was alone.


    Slowly, Astra reached up, and removed the sunhat she''d kept atop her head all this time. She looked at the hands holding them, hidden within elongated sleeves, and pulled them up to reveal her five-fingered mirage. With a thought the illusion faded, and now only two fingers and a thumb gripped her hat. One reached up and felt at her freed scalp, brushing against her exposed horns almost tenderly.


    Looking down, she saw her shoe atop a broken stick, held on the end of her leg with a constantly maintained shred of telekinesis, aided by adhesives and with some paper balls and ill-fitting socks to act as filler. She lifted her leg and gently tugged the footwear free, then did the same with the other. Abraded against harsh concrete and then swaddled in cloth for so long, the feeling of dirt and grass underfoot was welcomed as an old friend.


    Then, at long last, her final illusion fell away. Astra saw the annoying spike of white in the corners of her vision vanish, and she knew now that her face was exposed to the world once more. She felt at the large bang of hair in the middle of her face, and couldn''t have stopped the massive smile that crossed her face even if she wanted to.


    She was free.


    Giggling, Astra pulled out the hextet of pokeballs from her sash, twirling them through the air. They danced to an invisible tune, circling around her form before she finally tossed them all away, watching them arc through the sky. They all opened at once, a half-dozen electronic whines resounding through the quiet.


    Grovyle stood up, stretching out his arms as he reveled in his healed form. Beside him, Marill and Slakoth cried out in irritation and relief, their extended captivity leaving them restless and hungry. Nincada buzzed in dismay, running his claws over where Brawly''s Pokemon had struck him down and lost Astra the match. Swablu circled over them all, chirping out in the sheer joy of freedom.


    Next to them all, the freshly added Aron also chirped in pure excitement, her wide gaze drinking in the foreign greenery as deeply as a nearly air-drowned Magikarp. Five sets of eyes landed on her at the metallic exclamation, and the Iron Pokemon soon found herself surrounded by curious teammates, each welcoming their new partner in their own way: Grovyle with a welcoming nod; Slakoth with a lazy wave; Nincada with a circuitous inspection of her form which finished with a contemplative buzz; Marill with an excited, demanding chatter right up in Aron''s face; and Swablu had perched on Aron''s back, giving her steel shell a cheerful brushing with her wings. Poor Aron seemed overwhelmed by the sudden attention, frozen stiff and staring at Astra plaintively.


    The Kirlia just laughed, brushing a tear from her eye. Many more threatened to spill, but it wasn''t the time for that.


    "Alright team, listen up!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands. Aron was saved from her startlingly large acquisition of friends as they all turned to Astra. She smiled at them, warmth and sorrow coloring her tone. "First off: I''m sorry."


    Confusion washed over her, exuded from the team. Grovyle''s gaze sharpened, the frond on his scalp rustling expectantly. Astra nodded at him.


    "I had a really awful day today, and at no point did I treat any of you right," she said, bowing her head. "I challenged Brawly despite being near the point of collapse, and ignored the concern of those around me¡ªespecially you, Grovyle. I lost and left you, Swablu, and Nincada injured and unconscious all day, ignoring opportunities to heal you. Marill and Slakoth, I left you stuck in your pokeballs since breakfast, running through lunch and dinner without letting you eat, fight, or do anything at all. Aron...I''m happy you''re here."


    Aron chirped.


    "Right. Moving on," Astra continued, drawing herself up. "Due to way too many discoveries and incidents, I''ve decided to take a break from challenging the gym to go back home. So to make it up to you, everybody gets to run wild for the next three days!"


    Grovyle nodded back, smiling at her as Marill and Swablu erupted into excited chatter. Even Nincada was buzzing pleasantly. Slakoth raised a claw, pointing a finger skywards.


    "Slaa...?"


    Astra blinked. "Oh, uh, three days plus tonight."


    His claw lowered slightly. "Koth?"


    She sighed. "Yes, my home village will have lots of food."


    Everyone perked up at that, a chorus of hunger ringing through the air.


    Astra grinned, raising a hand. "Ah, but first we have to get there, and we can''t do that just standing around! Come on," she urged, waving her team forward as she gracefully broke into a dead run. "First one there gets the first bowl of Magikarp stew!"


    A series of cries answered her call, and Astra bounded into the forest with wild abandon. A swish of white wings circled overhead, Swablu letting out a warbling cry through the shadowy woods. To her left, Nincada scuttled forward with focused precision, darting across logs and divots with nary a missed step. Marill bounced along to her right, wildly rolling through the underbrush at great speeds until a spinout or tree crash lost her any advantage she''d gotten. Behind her, Astra could hear Aron charging through the path they''d made, the Steel Pokemon building up a fearsome momentum.


    Something darted through the canopy above, and for a brief moment she could spot Grovyle in the starlight, smirking down at her even as Slakoth clung onto his back.


    Astra just laughed. She just knew they''d pull off some dumb stunt like that!


    She laughed and laughed, running wild and free. Laughing even as her legs burned white-hot. Even as an unexpectedly familiar presence appeared within her range.


    Of course it would be him. Who else could it have been? The world moved in strange ways, but sometimes it felt a bit predictable. She grinned, and reached out.


    Ping.


    Pong.


    "Hey," Astra said, slowing to a halt and gasping for air. Her team gathered around her, hopping down from the trees¡ªor, in Marill''s case, smashing face-first into one to stop. "I could use some help, here."


    "Huh!?" they exclaimed incredulously, though they were already approaching at a far greater speed than Astra had been travelling. "What are you doing out here so late? The Borderlands are dangerous even in broad daylight!


    "Seriously," he continued as the glow of a lantern appeared through the brush and rapidly approached. "Are you asking for a Poochyena pack to make you their¡ª"


    A Kirlia appeared from within the tall grass. One hand held a well-maintained spear of polished wood and sharp steel with great familiarity, easily brushing aside the stalks in his way. The other brandished a candle-lit lantern, shining a dim, flickering radiance across the clearing. He stepped through the grass and met Astra''s gaze. He stopped, mouth dropping open in pure shock as he registered her appearance, eyes widening further and further as he looked at her myriad companions in turn.


    "¡ªdinner?" he finished on pure reflex, openly gaping at her. Astra grinned weakly.


    "Hey," she said, giving a small wave to the Guard who had let her gather berries from the human roads for a cut that fateful day, and who had escorted her to Birch''s lab. "It''s me. I''m back. Sorry to disappoint you, but..."


    She shrugged, her fragile grin never leaving her face. "I''m going to need you to walk me home again after all. I wouldn''t mind some dinner either," she added, huffing in amusement.


    The Guard boggled at her.


    "You''re alive?!"


    Ah. Hm.


    That wasn''t good.


    <hr>


    While Astra was ecstatic to finally be in contact with a familiar face, she wasn''t quite up to a full-on conversation just yet. That didn''t stop the Guard from trying, of course, though she''d managed to get him to lead her and her team back home during his attempts. But when the Guard began to run dry of his barrage of simple questions¡ª


    Yes, she was alive. Yes, this was her team, no they wouldn''t bite. Yes, even Nincada. She was indeed aware that other Nincada are pests. No, the humans weren''t coming, the plan was still on, and she hadn''t been exposed. Kind of. What did she mean by kind of? It''s complicated but isn''t an issue.


    ¡ªAstra had brushed past the more complicated questions to ask one of her own. Namely, why had he thought that she was dead?


    "About ten days ago there was a massive surge of power to the north-west," the Guard explained, watching Swablu playfully zip around Aron with obvious fascination. "It felt....angry. As if the whole world had earned the scorn of the stars. My elder said it was like back when the Alpha Mightyena was defeated. She thought that it had meant you''d failed and had to resort to emergency measures¡ªthat you were going to come back soon. But as the days dragged on..."


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Astra''s fists clenched, and she turned her gaze skyward, watching the brilliant star cloud overhead as the dusk brought it into view. Was there anywhere in Hoenn that had been spared the effects of her mistake? She sighed.


    "Well, I''m still here," she said, lamely.


    "Looking better than ever, I might add!" the Guard exclaimed, grinning at her. "I don''t know what kind of crazy vanity craft you''re wearing, but it''s incredible! Congratulations on evolving. I didn''t know you were so close. It''s only been a dozen days, hasn''t it?"


    "Two weeks," Astra replied, blinking. Had it really only been that long? So much had happened; it felt like a lifetime had passed. "And...thank you."


    "Week?"


    Astra stared at the Guard, who looked back at her in genuine confusion. Oh. Right. Hm. She didn''t need future sight to see that she was going to be gaining some newfound empathy for May soon.


    "Human term for a group of seven days," she said, ducking under a partially fallen branch. The Guard made a face.


    "Why seven?" he asked, baffled. "That''s such an awkward number to group. Why not six? Or ten?"


    "I know, right!?" Astra exclaimed, throwing her hands up. Finally, someone to complain with! "Don''t even get me started on months!"


    "Heh. You must have seen a lot out there. So much so that...I didn''t recognize your voice, you know," he observed, to Astra''s surprise. "Becoming a Kirlia shifts it a little, sure, but...the human world must be something else for you to change so much."


    Astra blinked. Her voice...? She couldn''t quite tell by herself¡ªhad the tone of her soul shifted to match the experiences she''d lived? She could imagine it a little deeper, perhaps. Richer. Weary, darkened by the stain in the sky and the sorrow beneath the earth.


    She wondered what she''d sound like at the end of all this.


    "Humanity is more complicated than you could possibly imagine," Astra responded, perking up as more signals started peppering themselves into her awareness. They''d reached the outskirts, inhabited by Kirlia who preferred a more isolated lifestyle away from the concentrated gatherings further in.


    The outskirts didn''t usually have massive, spiky wooden barricades separating them from the forest, though. Astra stared at them as they drew near. Had the village expanded the walls all the way out here? She turned to the Guard, prodding him to explain.


    "Hey, if the humans wanna come take a swing at us, we gotta make them work for it, yeah?" he said, grinning at her. "We''re still working on them, but I''d like to see a Mightyena try to get through that!"


    Astra looked at the walls again. Imagined the Exploud from Rusturf screaming full-bore and pulverizing the wood through sound alone. Wondered how much more powerful he would have been if he''d been trained by a human. Considered that a trainer wouldn''t simply just have one strong Pokemon¡ªnor would there be only a single trainer.


    She thought about metal tubes and fire in the sky, flitting across the air faster than she could blink.


    "I''m sure it would be a spectacle," Astra flatly replied, blinking. There were a couple of villagers loitering around inside, either running last minute errands or simply enjoying the twilight. One Kirlia was standing watch at the entrance itself and was openly gaping at her. Behind him, a growing susurrus began to emerge from the sparse crowd, questions and remarks of astonishment floating through the air, which only grew in fervor as Astra''s Pokemon came into view.


    She stopped, the Guard coming to a halt a moment later.


    "Eh?" he asked, frowning at her. "What''s up? Oh, uh, nerves getting to you?" he checked, glancing at the crowd.


    "No," Astra said, turning to face him. "I just don''t have the time to do a whole procession through the village. I know where I am now; I can teleport back from here."


    "Oh," the Guard said, a hint of disappointment creeping through the simple acknowledgement. "Right. I guess I''ll see you around, then?"


    "I still need you to do something for me," Astra said, looking at him. He perked up, focusing intently on her. "I can''t take my friends with me. Can you bring them to the central plaza and get them something to eat?"


    He blinked, looking back at the gathered menagerie, all of whom were looking right back at him. "I have no sparking idea how I''m gonna explain that, but sure," he said after a moment.


    "You hear that?" Astra asked, turning back to her team. "He''s going to help you get some food. I have to go somewhere; so you all behave yourselves, alright?"


    Grovyle gave her a firm nod as the others chirped and chittered their assent. "Gro, vyle vy."


    Astra smiled. "I''m counting on you," she said, returning Grovyle''s nod. Then she turned back to the Guard. "One last thing, after you do that."


    The Guard sighed. "Alright, lay it on me," he said, rolling his shoulders. "One sodden ember of a night, I tell you."


    "I need you to gather every single Elder together at...the main plaza? I don''t know. It''s an emergency."


    He stared at her. "What?"


    "Can you do that?" Astra asked again. The Guard blinked.


    "No, no, well, I mean, yeah I can, but..." he stumbled, trying to reorient himself. "Night''s basically fallen already! And if it''s an emergency, why weren''t we rushing? What''s happening?"


    Astra just looked at him, staring straight into his eyes. She raised a hand and waved.


    To her side, an illusion formed. A Kadabra, old, withered, and so very tired, joined them. The Guard gaped at Echo''s visage, spear dropping from suddenly lax hands. The din of the crowd beyond the gate grew drastically.


    "We aren''t alone," Astra said. Echo disappeared. She nodded at the gobsmacked Guard, smiled at her Pokemon, and then turned away. With a pop of displaced air, she vanished from the outskirts.


    She reappeared with a thunderous crack atop the stage she''d occupied those two weeks ago, facing down the whole of the village as the plan was unfurled to all. Now all that unfurled was a growing wave of silence as Astra beheld a throng of her people flowing through the colossal plaza that occupied the heart of her home. She could have teleported directly to her grandpa''s cave, but...that wasn''t how she wanted to go home.


    Astra watched the nearby Kirlia below jump in shock at her appearance, saw their faces flash through confusion, curiosity, realization, then...disbelief. The reactions rippled out, a growing wall of silence spreading as every stupefied person alerted those next to them of the irregularity. Butchers and tanners rushing to finish the last of the day''s toil dropped their products to the ground; wood carvers and grass-weavers halted their projects; wax-splattered candlemakers and dust-ridden stone carvers froze in shock, deliveries hanging limply from their hands.


    There couldn''t have been more than fifty; the gloom of night was hardly prone to the great crowds of day. Yet their eyes weighed heavily on Astra, them staring at her as she stared right back. Idly, she wondered what it was that had so readily reminded them of who she was.


    It was probably the dress, she decided. No vanity project in the whole of the village would look anything remotely like the human clothing she had donned, be that in design or sheer size.


    A ping drew her attention, and she turned to see an Elder standing next to her. Not Grandpa, unfortunately, but she recognized him as one of his friends that he brought over on occasion, the one he played the black and white stones game with.


    "You''ve returned." the Elder said, eyeing her with surprise and concern. "We''d thought..."


    "That I was dead," Astra finished. She glanced at their audience, who were listening to their every word in rapt silence. "I heard. I''m not."


    "So I see." He flashed a wry grin, which fell into a grim line. "Does this mean the plan has failed? How much time do we¡ª"


    "It hasn''t," Astra interrupted, and the Elder blinked. "There''s just been...some heavy complications. We do have an emergency, though. I already sent a guard out to contact the other Elders; you should do the same. Rouse the village; we''ve got some distant family in critical danger out there."


    The Elder''s eyes widened, then his brows scrunched together in confusion. "Distant family...?" he muttered, puzzling through her words. He shook his head. "If it was important enough for you to return and demand me to disturb the peace at twilight''s edge, I will concede to your urgency. What should I tell them? And what will you do?" he continued, looking at her questioningly.


    "Tell them what I''ve just told you. Do whatever you have to to get them here¡ªwe need everyone. Tell them..." she hesitated, then looked at her fellow Kirlia, her eyes intense as a shrieking thunderstorm.


    "Tell them that if we do nothing, then a quarter of a thousand hatchlings will die."


    Another silence, the dim susurrus of burning curiosity deadened with horror. The Elder jerked back, reeling as if struck.


    "I..." he started, faintly. Then he closed his eyes, breath shuddering in his lungs. "I see," he said, his voice small. "It will be done."


    "As for me..." Astra paused, continuing to stare at the Elder intently. "Where is he?"


    Silence once more.


    "Home," he answered at last. A faint smile broke through the horror, brittle and brilliant. "I am happy that you are well."


    Astra nodded at the Elder, who then vanished with a pop. She looked around the stage once more, to the deadened crowd watching her every move, then walked to the stairs and left the plaza in silence. There was someone she had to go see before she could allow herself to fall apart.


    Her home was not too far from the plaza, the hill being placed only a few minutes walk from both the clearing and the gate closest to Route 102. The village was relatively quiet at this hour; most had finished their tasks or chores for the day and had left the streets to those who preferred to gaze upon the moon and stars. She walked under the starlit boughs, the comfortably soft dirt pathways growing ever more familiar even as those Ralts and Kirlia who waked at night parted like grass before her.


    Stares and whispers followed in her wake as she denied all pings, her thoughts hollowing out even as a knot in her very soul twitched and juddered as she went. She passed by a still-lit bonfire, a roasting Magikarp nearly falling into the fire as the Kirlia holding it gaped at her, much to their Ralts'' vocal protest. She saw the gate in the distance, now grown into a giant thorny fortification meant to dissuade a dozen Mightyena. A bridge passed underfoot, the river''s comforting burble following Astra as she went.


    At last, at the end of a well-trodden dirt path, was a jarringly steep rock hill topped with grass. Smoke poured out of the chimney atop the rock, and inset into the stone at the end of the path was a simple entrance blocked by hanging vines. He never had gotten around to getting a door.


    Astra stared at the vines. She reached out, slowly, shakily. Grasped a handful, then pushed them aside.


    Cool air brushed past her as it was sucked in, and she could see the light of the central fire playing out along the furthest edge of the entryway. She walked inside, each step taken as though the floor would give out at any second and leave her falling and falling and¡ª


    A ping so familiar that she could never refuse it.


    "Who''s there?" a voice called. Aged. Scratched. Heavy. Laden with sorrow immeasurable.


    So tired that Astra could weep.


    She walked forward and turned the corner.


    Resin candles lay half-melted and unlit along the edges of the main cavern, the richly painted walls obscured by dancing shadows. Stone tables and chairs lined the walls, the tools and pots atop them scattered in senseless clutter. The alcoves in the walls, stuffed with keepsakes and personal treasures, were doused in darkness, invisible to the eye without the sun or candlelight.


    The pit in the center of the room was alight, flames licking the metallic pot resting on the stone platform above. The smell of Magikarp and Oran stew tickled her nose, savory and sweet.


    A Kirlia sat before the fire, back to the entrance and hunched over. Through the shadows Astra could make out the wrinkles in his coat and the fading green of his hair. At her continued silence, he grunted and spoke again.


    "Is that you, Elder?" he asked, referring to the Kirlia Astra had spoken to at the stage. Did he not recognize her presence anymore? Had he even checked at all? "I have already told you, I am fine, and there is nothing to grieve. I am in no mood to play Encirclement," he said, groaning as he stood up. He growled, voice toned with stubborn belief. "Your time would be better spent telling those fools that Astra would never ¡ª"


    He turned around.


    Their eyes met.


    Astra saw her grandfather pause, confused. Then his breath caught, his eyes darting to her dress, her backpack, her horns. He stood there, staring at her in dawning realization and desperate, burning hope.


    "Astra¡ª?" he asked, then stopped.


    She had already crossed the distance between syllables and, before he could say another word, pulled her grandfather into the biggest, most desperate embrace of her life.


    She stood there, hugging him, feeling his gasp of surprise, then the feeling of his arms wrapping around her as tightly as they could, holding on despite the tremors rocking her form.


    "You''re back," Grampa whispered.


    "I''m back," Astra giggled back, sniffing.


    "I knew you would be," he murmured into her shoulder. Not the top of her head. Never again would she feel that particular sensation. "You''ve gotten taller," he noted.


    Laughter ripped itself from her throat, a touch of hysteria coloring the sound.


    "Sorry you couldn''t be there," she gasped, drinking in the sound of his voice, the warmth of his breath, the smell of his hair.


    "It is alright," her grandfather continued, stroking her back. "All that matters is that you''ve come back to me.


    "Welcome home."


    Astra broke. A keening wail erupted from her mouth, tears falling like rain as a decade''s worth of stress and terror, compressed into two weeks, at last escaped into the world. She fell to her knees, pulling her grandfather with her, as she screamed in absolute safety at long last. The first true respite she had known for a long, long time.


    They sat there, her grandfather whispering sweet reassurances as she sobbed.


    Both in stress, and in joy.


    Astra was home.

 Rally

    Hugs, tears, whispers of sweet reassurances and safety...


    For as much as Astra had desperately wanted and needed these things, eventually both she and her grandfather had gotten their fill. The same could not be said of her stomach, however, which was when she''d had a fresh bowl of stew practically shoved into her hands.


    Nothing too complex; simply Magikarp and oran berries. But it had been made by Grandpa, concocted in the cast iron cauldron that had been feeding her family for generations. And as she took that first mouthful, tasting the savory-sweet stew carrying the echoing hints of every meal that had come before, she nearly burst into tears once again.


    "I''ve missed this," she said, sniffling through another portion. "It''s only been fourteen days and I''ve missed this so much. Human food is incredible, but..."


    "You can have as much as you would like, dear," her grandfather said, his gentle smile doing as much to warm her as the stew''s low heat.


    Unspoken was that a whole other bowl would have to wait until later. They could both hear the clarion call of a village meeting and couldn''t tarry for too long¡ªit had been done on Astra''s request, after all¡ªbut it would still take time for everyone to awaken and gather together. A few minutes at least, not that her grandfather knew what those were.


    Astra sighed in contentment, looking down at her empty bowl in silence. She gently set it to the side, turning to fully face her grandfather, and her smile faded slightly as he sent her a concerned look. She could see the questions building up behind his eyes, a pressure that was threatening to burst any second.


    "I''m sorry for worrying you," she started, only to be gently shushed.


    "It is my duty to worry, Astra," he explained, the wrinkles around his eyes crinkling as concern was cut with affection. "An apology is not needed here. An explanation would be welcome, however." He frowned, gazing at her intently. "That awful presence I felt the fourth day into your journey¡ªthat was the Ancestor''s orb, was it not? What caused you to draw on its power?"


    Astra shifted uncomfortably, looking away for the first time. "...Nothing," she admitted.


    She could feel her grandfather stare at her incredulously, the weight of his eyes nearly physical. "Nothing?"


    "There wasn''t any cause but me," she quietly reiterated. "Earlier that day, we had reached a human settlement called ''Rustboro''¡ª"


    ''"We?''" her grandfather cut in, confused. He blinked. "Oh, do you mean you and your team?"


    Astra fiddled with her hair. Oh, he was not going to like this. "I may have made some human friends," she said, then paused and stifled a laugh. Her amusement at the inadvertent pun she''d made of her friend''s name faded when she saw the complicated expression on her grandfather''s face.


    "...We shall be discussing that another time," he said, stiffer than a dry log. "Continue."


    Astra winced, but forged on. "Rustboro was another human city to the north-west¡ªuh, sunset-ward but to the right some¡ªthat had a gym. It was led by a woman named Roxanne. I challenged her to a battle and gained the Stone Badge when I was victorious." She pulled out the little trinket to show it off, and her grandfather stared, transfixed by the little bifurcated diamond. "I evolved right afterwards."


    The elderly Kirlia shot up, startled. "You evolved right then? In front of one of their Gym Leaders?"


    "No, no," Astra reassured, raising her hands up. "I was able to push it down long enough to find privacy in...uh, well, I evolved in what amounted to a very clean room dedicated to indoor latrines."


    Silence, but for the crackling of flame.


    "I am so sorry," her grandfather managed.


    ''It''s fine,'' Astra didn''t say, because it really wasn''t. One of the biggest moments of her life had happened in a bathroom stall. She just grimaced, giving him a pained shrug.


    "I am proud of you and overjoyed by your evolution," her grandfather continued, looking her firmly in the eye. "I am sure it was an incredible sight to see, and I will forever regret not being there to share it with you. However, when we have your celebration and you retell your story, perhaps you should...embellish the ending a little." The suggestion was paired with a slight, sly smile.


    Astra couldn''t agree more. That, uh. That wasn''t really something she wanted passed around. If she was undertaking such a dangerous journey she should at least sound cool.


    "I''ll try to spice it up when we get there," she said, nodding. "Anyway, after that I went out to the forest near the city to...well, practice being a Kirlia."


    "Ah, I remember my first week," her grandpa reminisced, a far-away glint entering his eyes as the rest of his features softened. "What absolute havoc I caused. It''s a heady feeling, having all that power and being able to move so freely¡­"


    "Getting another finger was really helpful," she added, waving her three-digit hand.


    "Having to be subtle with my psychic grip made only having the one really awkward." Ah, she was getting distracted. Shaking her head, Astra continued where she''d left off. "Anyway, I went out to the forest, practiced and played around with my new powers and my team, and right before I was going to head back into the city, I...well, I realized that while I''d been given the orb to use in emergencies, I hadn''t actually been told how to use it."


    "You hadn''t been..." her grandfather said slowly, eyes widening. "I didn''t...? No, I am certain I would have¡ªbut then why do I not recall¡­" his whispered tones gradually rose as horrified realization gave way to painful regret. "I never told you, did I? Why did I not? How could I have made such an oversight?"


    His head fell into his hands, half-hiding the harsh grimace lining his face. "What a fish-brained mistake. I will have to rectify this; I hope you can forgive your oblivious old grandfather someday."


    Astra stayed silent, staring at the floor. She wanted to comfort her grandfather, tell him that it was all right or that there was nothing to forgive.


    And yet...


    "When I tried to use the orb," she started again, turning to look into the fire. "It filled me with power. Even a light touch multiplied what I could output by many, many times over. I poured every last drop into a Psychic Sphere I''d been holding. When I fired it¡­it carved a gargantuan furrow in the earth until it vanished from my sight, and then an enormous pitch-black pillar filled the sky. It carved a new desert into the woods, and scarred the sky above it with a putrid yellow bruise.


    "That was what you all felt, and it caused havoc amongst the humans too. Just from what I personally witnessed, it collapsed a major tunnel, allowed a dangerous man to steal something important, and plunged Rustboro into an anxious, fearful miasma. It feels like every other day I learn a new way in which what I''ve done has made people''s lives worse." With each word, her grandfather''s cringe deepened.


    "But even that wasn''t the worst part," Astra whispered. "While I was holding that power...all I could feel, beyond the euphoria of having so much energy, was hatred. It was as though every slight anyone had ever shown me was magnified a thousand-fold. When I let loose that sphere...


    "All I wanted was for it to kill them all."


    There wasn''t much to say about it after that. Her grandfather could apologize and console her all he wanted, but even if he wasn''t solely responsible for the information failure¡ªsurely one of the other Elders should have checked and made sure?¡ªthe past two weeks and the shadows in her dreams had been constantly haunted by that horrible blast. She never would have tried to figure out how to operate the artifact by herself if she''d been taught how to use it.


    But for now, Astra pushed the spark of resentment aside; she was ecstatic to see the only family she had left again. Anything else could be delayed until they weren''t pressed for time¡ªshe could wait to be furious later.


    "An accident," her grandfather sadly concluded. "A relief, in some ways, although still horrid that I failed you so. But while I am immensely relieved that you were not physically harmed, I now find myself confused." He frowned, peering at her curiously. "If you are healthy and the plan has not failed, for what reason have you returned and called an assembly?"


    Astra smiled gently, standing up and offering her grandfather a hand, which he took. "Well, that''s what everyone''s gathering to find out," she said, hefting the elderly Kirlia to his feet. "I''m not about to say it all twice, and I think everyone''s nearly gathered. Shall we?"


    Huffing in amusement, her grandfather simply nodded. "Already giving addresses all by yourself..." he muttered as the teleportation took form. "Your father would have been so proud."


    And with a flash of purple and a muted pop of displaced air, they vanished.


    <hr>


    Once more, Astra appeared atop the central platform in a clap of violet light, this time with her grandfather in tow. Below, the main plaza was abuzz with a teeming horde of confused, concerned, and irritated Kirlia. Very few Ralts were present, and she hazarded that many Kirlia had opted to stay home to look after their own. But even two-thirds of the village made for an awe-inspiring sight to behold, and it was a marvel of the plaza''s layout that they could all comfortably fit here.


    Last time Astra had seen this sight, it was on the eve of her departure. She had been a showpiece then; a demonstrative entity to be shown while her grandfather spoke of their plan.


    This time, it would be her doing the speaking.


    Their arrival hadn''t gone unnoticed: most of the Kirlia had been keeping an eye on the platform, and Astra''s appearance¡ªmagnified by her obviously human-made dress¡ªhad set off a growing wave of realization and noise amongst them all. But more importantly, she noticed the presence of several very old Kirlia right next to her.


    "Elders," her grandfather greeted, turning to face his fellows.


    Astra followed his gaze and found herself the center of attention of the thirteen other Kirlia. All of their colors were faded to varying degrees of paleness, and they bore the weight of all they''d seen in their heavy gazes and hunched backs. One had cut her hair to the scalp, another had horrible scars across his face and eye where a Poochyena had clearly nearly won a fight, a third had burns all along their arms and face, and while the rest only had cosmetic changes such as a coat dyed a faint pink or beads woven through their hair, they still moved with a certain¡­authority.


    The Elder that Astra had tasked with gathering everybody stepped forward and clasped hands with her grandfather. "Don''t ''Elder'' me you old coot," he grumbled, smiling. "It is good to see you. I''ve never been more glad to be wrong."


    "I did tell you," Astra''s grandfather retorted, smiling back. "My granddaughter is far more capable than you could imagine."


    "Capable my tush," another Elder scowled. Astra recognized her from the gathering preceding her initial departure; she''d been the one to speak against the plan, decrying the idea of taking personal names like humans did. If Astra recalled, she was in charge of the communal hatchling enclave¡ªa Matron, in essence. "After that accursed blast, I''m surprised we aren''t drowning in human invaders. While it is a relief that she returned, any more missteps like that will necessitate us having words, young Kirlia." She spat, glaring. "I won''t have my charges carried off in those terrible spheres you carry around so casually!"


    Astra frowned, brushing a hand against the sash she kept her Pokeballs in. "Believe me, I want to stop that as much as you do, but these ''accursed spheres'' have let me get within reach of my second badge within fifteen days. I''ve made mistakes, but I think I''ve been making good progress too¡ªnot that you''d know anything about what it''s like out there," she added, glaring back.


    The Matron looked affronted, and both her grandfather and his old friend looked ready to intervene¡ªbut before any further tirade could erupt the flame-scarred Elder stepped between them all, her singular good eye raking across them balefully.


    "Enough," she intoned, her words falling with the crack of hammer striking anvil. "Arguments and bickering are not what we have gathered for. Our journeying Ralts has returned to us as a Kirlia, and has spoken of a grave emergency. I will brook no more petty distractions."


    The Charred looked at Astra, staring intently. "Speak, and tell us of this calamity."


    Astra swallowed as every eye turned to her, but then steeled herself and stood tall. She''d expected this, and now it was time to explain¡­ But first, she glanced toward the teeming mass of Kirlia below. "I''ve never been up here like this," she confessed. "And broadcasting to so many would be strenuous. Will all of them be able to hear what I say and see what I do?"


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "There are Kirlia who will be relaying your words and projecting what happens here to the far corners of the main plaza, and a few lesser gatherings as well," the Charred confirmed, unblinking. "They have already begun doing so."


    Astra nodded. "Right then," she said, breathing deeply. Then she turned, walking to the back wall.


    "In my journey through the human realm," she announced, "I have seen incredible and awe-inspiring things, and things of horrific dread. But while the human world is of great interest, I am not here to talk about humanity at all, except in terms of what harm they have inadvertently done."


    She gestured, and a shimmering wall of light appeared across the stage. Upon it laid her memory of the equally-sparkling sight of Dewford city, seen just this morning from the prow of Mr. Briney''s ship. "This is Dewford," Astra announced over the wild murmuring of the crowd seeing their first ever human city. "It is a city on an island¡ªdisconnected from all other land and surrounded by the ocean¡ªto the south-west...er, sunset-ward and then an eighth spin left.


    "And this," she continued, changing out the image, "is the entrance to a gargantuan series of enormous tunnels underneath the island known as the ''Granite Caves.''"


    She could hear the crowd''s murmuring increase as they beheld the giant maw that led into the caverns, especially when they noticed the many defacements lining the rocky walls. Astra had been too out of her mind to notice them much, so her recollection¡ªand the image¡ªwas hazy, but she knew the rough shape of the human art that had been there. But Astra wasn''t nearly done.


    "And this is what lies within them." Her next image elicited gasps of shock and awe from everybody: her first proper view of the Lord of Steel from above, the titanic Aggron''s hollow corpse gently rusting atop his bed. Even now, the iridescent light of the flowing moss lighting his dulled steel was a sight she would never forget.


    Astra dropped her hand, and the illusion vanished. She turned to see every Elder giving her their utmost attention; her grandfather was staring at her in wonder, and even the stoic Charred''s eyes had widened to the size of dinner plates. The crowd beyond was murmuring rapidly, the overlapping Psychic noise washing over the stage like gentle waves cresting the edge of a beach.


    She looked at them all, her face falling from determination into a small, sad smile. A ripple of quiet fanned out, and soon none were left speaking.


    "And this," she projected into the silence, "is who lives there."


    Beside her, a form took shape. Brown and yellow chitin, clawed feet and hands, bushy yellow tail, long ears, a protruding snout, giant whiskers, a gentle smile¡­and eyes full of immeasurable sadness. Echo''s recreation stared at them all, with a likeness of life that left Astra startled despite the image being her own creation.


    She supposed the memory must be embedded deeper in her psyche than she''d thought.


    At the Kadabra''s feet, three more forms appeared. Abra, sickly and weak, with innumerable hazy shadows mimicking them stretching into an imaginary background.


    "This is Echo," Astra said as the deathly quiet drew on. "She is a Kadabra, which to her species is what a Kirlia is to us. These are the Abra she watches over. They all live inside those caves. I did not just discover what humanity has been doing; I found out that our Ancestor had made¡ªand then abandoned¡ªan entire colony on Dewford. They are just like us: They can learn. They can speak.


    "And they are dying."


    To call the effect her words had upon her village an ''uproar'' was a colossal understatement. Horror, disbelief, anger, despair. Even flickers of curiosity and hope. All of these washed over and through her as the sheer enormity of what she''d dropped on them all shattered the masses'' control over their emotions. The riot continued to build further as more villagers¡ªthose in their homes, only aroused by the cacophony¡ªjoined in.


    But Astra paid it no mind at all.


    She just stared at her illusion of Echo, her mouth formed into a grim line.


    "Astra," her grandfather said once everyone had settled down, taking her hand in his. She turned to see a mirror of her own bleak expression on his own. "I..." he trailed off, looking at Echo''s image in disbelief. "This is...something I had never even dreamed of. Please," he asked, looking at her imploringly. "What happened to them?"


    Astra sighed, wondering how to say it all. "Humanity happened," she finally answered. "The colony managed to hide from them just as we are, but it meant nothing when...it''s complicated, but the humans of Dewford were forced to completely eradicate an entire section of the cavern''s system of predators and prey. Shortly afterward, the only plant that grew down there completely vanished as well. With nothing left to eat, the Kadabra were forced to hunt and eat solely Zubat."


    Horrified and disgusted gasps rang through the plaza. Her grandfather''s face shifted between agony and disgust, his fellow Elders only slightly more stoic.


    "They tried to fight back, reclaim their life from the humans," Astra continued, nearly whispering. "But even if their home remained hidden, and their...unique way of speaking prevented humanity from discovering they could talk at all, their numbers dwindled down until..."


    Astra looked up, her gaze dull and lifeless as memory after painful memory formed a great shadow inside her head. She pointed to the illusion.


    "Echo is the only remaining Kadabra in the colony," she said. "She has been alone for forty summers. None of the remaining Abra can talk¡ªthey can barely function as well as hatchlings. Once Echo¡­" the word threatened to clog her mind, but she forced it through, "dies, they will either starve to death, or be eaten by the remaining pokemon within the cave.


    "Echo is family, no matter how distant. Her children are hungry, and she is miserable.


    "And she needs our help."


    Astra glanced around the gathered Elders, and saw upon their countenances a unified thread of steeled determination. They looked upon one another, communicating silently, and as one they nodded.


    "Taught by the Ancestor and granted the gift of speech and society, what could they be but our cousins?" the Charred spoke, her voice resounding through the village. "Our family? Thus it is decreed: this tragedy will not stand! Our blood calls for aid, and by the stars in the sky, we shall answer!


    A cacophonous roar shattered the night, even louder than before as the crowd shouted out in support, fury and determination lighting Astra''s mind''s eye like the sun.


    Tears poured from her eyes like a waterfall, her grin so wide it hurt her cheeks. "Thank you," she nearly sobbed while her grandfather pulled her into a comforting hug. "I...thank you all so much."


    But even amongst this fervent declaration, there were a few issues to sort out.


    "When will we be doing this?" one of the Elders asked, his coat stained a fading red from Leppa berry dye. "It has been night for quite some time, and I do find myself tired¡ªa state I''m sure many of us share. Will we resume tomorrow?"


    Astra stared at him.


    "Three hours ago I gave a child a funeral," she said, shocking everyone into silence again. "He''d died of old age, yet he had never been taught, had never been able to speak or eat good food or¡ªI doubt he''d even been told a single story. He''d been a hatchling for all his life until a lifetime of poison aged him until his body just gave out.


    "None of them have ever seen the stars. We are not waiting."


    None could disagree.


    "How will we be helping?" the Matron asked, looking much more subdued. A fire had lit up in her eyes as she looked over at Echo''s illusion, but now practicality was banking it. "Do you have a plan on how to get there? What will we be doing once we are?"


    "Well, no matter what happens the Abra will need a lot of food," Astra began. "There''s about two hundred and fifty of them, and they''ve been eating nothing but Zubat for forty summers, like I said. Regarding how we get there...I don''t know," she admitted, looking down. "I kept thinking about it over and over, but...I can''t teleport that far, and if we tried making a boat to get closer we could get caught by humanity, and also that would take a long time. I just can''t figure out¡ª"


    "No, no, teleportation can work," her grandfather chimed in, stroking his chin. Everybody blinked. "But it will be very arduous."


    "Excuse me?" his friend asked, tilting his head. "I know you''ve mastered teleporting better than most, but I doubt even you could teleport to a place you''ve not even visited across the endless waters."


    Her grandfather smiled mysteriously. "You are right," he admitted. "I couldn''t do it alone. But then, would I have to be alone? Astra," he called, and she jumped in surprise as he turned to her. "You can make a decent Psychic Sphere now, correct?"


    "Yes?" she half-asked, wondering where he was going with this.


    "Could you make one?"


    Hesitating a moment, Astra gently conjured a decently-sized orb of twinkling bright-dark purple destruction. It was like a melon, if melons exploded with enough force to throw a Makuhita across a room.


    "Oho, you''ve gotten better!" he praised, grinning. "A decent amount of effort and power for such an orb. But what would happen if I were to...give you a hand?"


    He reached out and held his hand a bit away from the sphere. Then, suddenly, his psychic power flooded in and mingled with her own. Astra was startled to find the sphere had grown half-again as large¡ªand more, it felt denser, somehow.


    "Oh my," he grinned. "It appears our combined efforts have surpassed the sum of our individual power, hasn''t it?"


    "Group channeling," the Charred concluded. "You speak of multiple Kirlia working in unison to achieve a greater effect? A rare effort; it usually requires all involved to be singular in purpose and mindset. But to use it to teleport..."


    "Isn''t side-along teleportation exhausting?" the Matron asked, looking confused.


    "It wouldn''t be side-along," her grandfather corrected. "That is when you pull someone along. This would be everyone pushing in the same direction, with Astra as the guiding force."


    "Like a spear," the mauled Elder chimed in for the first time. "Astra would act as the spearhead, while the others act as the thrusting shaft. Tunneling through the world as though it were the muscle of a Mightyena."


    Could that work? Astra hadn''t heard of group channeling before; was it that obscure? Or had the technique just not come up? She watched the Charred Elder start directing a couple of Kirlia to the side of the stage, bidding them to find capable teleport users and generally strong psychics, and hope bloomed in her chest.


    "But what is our goal for after they get there?" the Matron asked, the past minute doing little to jar loose the worried look on her face. "Are they bringing the food along with them? A quarter of a thousand hatchlings... Oh embers, they''ve been eating nothing but Zubat." Her voice lowered and quickened into a half-panicked murmur. "Pecha to counter the poison, perhaps in a stew to make it more digestible, the sheer quantity of it is daunting but if I get enough cooks together¡ªare they bringing it all at once or in batches? I can''t imagine the former, but¡ªack, you figure it out, I''ve got to go!"


    "Should we set up an outpost in these caves?" the Scarred elder asked. "If there is only one living cognizant member of this colony left, she will need many hands of help. I could arrange a troupe of guards to assist."


    "If these Abra are so ill-taught, they would need teachers as well," another elder chimed in, one wearing a lovely, if amateurishly made flower crown. "I''m sure I could gather several instructors who are passable psychics."


    "Hmfh, not any of those, I think," Astra''s grandfather mused as they watched more and more Elders come up with ways to help the Colony in some way. He turned to his granddaughter, a twinkle in his eye. "You said they''d never seen the stars, correct?"


    "They haven''t," she confirmed.


    "Then how about we show them some?" he said, eyes twinkling.


    Astra stared at him, her eyes slowly widening. There would be problems with this, she knew, but she could not ask for a better solution.


    They grinned at each other, then turned to coordinate with the remaining Elders and the slowly organizing crowds of Kirlia below.


    It was time for Astra to fulfill her promise.